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VAMUEL A-NOLD 
 
EXPOSITORY NOTES, 
 
 WITH 
 
 
 
 PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 P O N T H E 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT 
 
 O F 
 
 OUR LORD AVD SATtOUR 
 
 JEsfcs-CHRIST. 
 
 WHEREIN THE WHOLE OF ThE 
 
 SACRED TEXT IS RECITED, THE SENSE EXPLAINED, 
 
 ^ AND THE 
 
 INSTRUCTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE BLESSED JESUS, AND HIS APOSTLES, 
 
 TO OUR. IMITATION RECOMMENDED. 
 
 By W I L L I A M B U R K I T T, M. A. 
 
 LATE VICAR AND LECTURER OF DEDHAM, IN ESSEX. 
 
 New-Haven : 
 Printed by Abel Morse, for the Rev. David AxrsTiN of Elizabeth-town. 
 
 M,DCC,XCIV. 
 
I 
 
 i 
 
 wJ. 
 
 <r 
 
 I 
 
 f 
 % 
 
 1 
 
T O 
 
 t 
 FAMILY GOVERNORS/ 
 
 PARTICULAR L Y 
 
 
 u. 
 
 <7- > /-. 
 
 THOSE OF MY CHARGE. 
 
 \ S religion did always coiifift in an imitation ofGoD, andin a refeniblance of thofe excellen 
 -^^cies whicli Ihine forth in the heji and moft petjcei Being, fo we may imitate him now with 
 more cafe and greater advantage, fince his Son was manijejlin theflep,and dwelt anmo- us: For 
 lie was pleafed to become man, on purpofe to fliew us how^ we might become hke to God, by 
 a daily imitation of his holinefs. And it is moft certain, that God our Father will never own 
 any of us for his children, unle(s he fees upon us the air and features, the imprefles and refem- 
 blance of Chrift our elder Brother. 
 
 This confideration hath induced me to fet the example of the Holy Jefus before myfelf and 
 you, in Xhe^e plain, praSlical notes upon the Holy Evangelifts. which contain remarks upon the 
 hiftory of our Saviour's life, dodlrine, and miracles, and of his death, refurreSlion, and ajcenfion: 
 to the intent that the temper of our minds, and the adlions of our lives, may be a lively tranf- 
 cript of the mind and life of our blefled Redeemer : that we may admire and imitate his un- 
 fpotted purity, his condefcending humility, his fervent charity, his patience under lufferings 
 and reproaches, his readinefs to forgive injuries, and his entire refignation to the Divine Will 
 in all conditions of life whatfoever : that fo following our Lord and Mapr in all the fteps of 
 an imitable virtue, and fetting his example continually before us, we may be daily correfting 
 and reforming our lives by that glorious pattern : for without prefent likenefs to him, we have 
 no grounds to hope that we (hall hereafter live with him. 
 
 A true compaffion for your fouls, and a fervent defire to further their falvation from the/r^^J 
 as well as from the pulpit, has put me upon redeeming time for this work. 
 
 I muft acknowledge my conflant preaching three times a week unto you (befides occafion- 
 
 275307 , ' "^') 
 
iv ADDRESS TO FAMILY GOVERNORS 
 
 ^Is) and vifiting as often a fcattering parifli from houfe to houfe amongft you (which I have 
 f akvays accounted a moll important part of my duty) would allow me but little, too little time 
 ' for fuch a work as this, which I heartily wifli had fallen on the flioulders of fome that had more 
 leifure, and greater abilities for writing on this noble and lofty fubjeft, which even to eternity 
 can never be exhauftcd. But this much I can truly fay, that earneftly imploring divine afUfl- 
 ance, I have done what I could ; my work has been my recreation, and the Lord accept it, and 
 iucceed it. 
 
 * 
 
 And I have this obfervation to ground my hope of acceptance and fuccefs upon, that Almign- 
 tv God has in all ages rendered thofe labours of his fervants (how mean ioever in themfelves) 
 moft acceptable and ufeful, which have been employed in the profitaWe explication of any 
 part of the Holy Scriptures : as if He, who imprinted luch majelly upon the text, delighted al- 
 fo to refle6l an honour upon the interpreters thereof. 
 
 My defign in preparing and giving thefe ?iotes into your hands, is to oblige you to read a part 
 of the Holy Scriptures in your families every day ; and to invite you thereunto, the facred text 
 is here at large recited, and controverfies declined. 
 
 And I do mod afFe6lionately requefl you, not to fufFer the holy word of God, which is in all 
 your hands, to lie by you as a neglected book ; but daily to read itin and to your families, with 
 a fmiplicity of mind to be dire6led and inflru6led by it. 
 
 All the return I defire from -you for this my labour oj love, is your living in a daily imitation 
 of that grand pattern of holinefs and obedience, which is here fet before you, and in every page 
 recommended to you ', and that we may continue to ftrive together in our prayers one with 
 and one for another, for that grace which may enable us to the faithful difcharge of ourVe^' 
 ipecVive duties towards God, towards each other, and all mankind ; and that the happy uniorf, 
 and unanimity which hath hitherto been amongft us, may continue and increafe ftill with us, to 
 the^'-/or>' of God, the honour of our holy religion, the prefent benefit and comfort, and thee^ 
 ternal joy and rejoicing, both of miniflers and people, in the day of the LordJesus : which, as 
 it is the fervent prayer, fo it Ihall be -the conflant endeavour of your unworthy minifTer,ivfiofe 
 higheil ambition it is to ferve you in -the faith and fellowfhip of the gofpel, whilft I am, 
 
 W. ,B U R K I T T. , 
 
 '%'■■' 
 
n 
 
 R AYE R 
 
 BEFORE THE 
 
 4Mk.'^' 
 
 READING 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HOLT SCRIPTURES. 
 
 A LMIGHTY God and merciful Father, who haft appointed thy word tobe.a hght toour 
 .^^feet, and a lamp to our paths, and caufed all holy fcriptures to be written for our learn- 
 ing ; grant us the afTiftance of thy Holy Spirit, that we may in fuch ways read, mark, learn, 
 and inwardly digeft them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace.. ^^ 
 and ever hold faft the bleffed hope of everlafting hfe, which thou haft given us in our Saviour ^'^ 
 Jefus Chria. .. ^ 
 
 And feeing of thy tender love to mankind, thou haft given thy dear and only Son to be un- 
 to us both a facrifice for fin, and alfo an example of Godly life, give us grace that we may al- 
 ways moft thankfully receive this his ineftimable benefit, and alfo daily endeavour ourfelves to 
 follow the bleffed fteps of his moft holy fife ; who liveth and reigneth with Thee and theho- 
 ly Ghoft, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 
 
 ^% 
 
 EXPOSITORY 
 
 (i 7 D 'J c; 4 
 
m 
 
 # 
 
EXPOSITORY N O T E S, &c. 
 
 U P O N ^X H E 
 
 G OS *P^ E L 
 
 ACCORDING TO 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 The HOLT BIBLE contains the whole revelation of the z^ill ofnon m tu u u r ^. 
 
 Sacred hook is ufually diviUed into the Old and NewT^ZTrb^O^^^^^^ "^^'l ■ ^^f 
 lazv and the proplJs : The writings of the Nexv TefiimZar/J^th?JfJ'^''''''^ 'T/^'"' ^^'' 
 hijiones are Lfour Gofpels and the A£ls of the ApfniT Thl ^^^^^ iV' "' '^'^^'' '' ^^'' 
 jour EvangeliJllwhoJcLmes they bear ; ofxvhTi ul^JZMl T' ""''"'" *>' '^'' 
 nel^sof..hatthey.roteMtSt. Marie./... LukeK^.l^.t/;^^^^^^^^ 
 
 ries, as .J as the ^Jji necejfary truth's to Z t:fa{!dSXf^::;^:!':Z; '"''""^'^ 
 
 This chapter before us contains the genealogy or pedigree of our Sai'iour TFSi iq r mp tct ; 
 wastnan, unto verje 17, and then relates thefaan/hi?-7\fT J^^^^ CHRIST, as he 
 chapter, J T' ^ '^^« relates tbejairt oj his wonderful incarnation to the end of the 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE book of the generation ofjelus Chrift 
 the fon of David, the fon of Abraham. 
 
 That is the defcent of Jefus Chrift, who was. according 
 to the fle/h, the fon of David and ihe fon of Abraham, i1 
 on this wife And his genealogy from Abraham down to 
 his reputed father was thus. Here note, That our Evan- 
 geliit, deligning to write a rarrntive of our Saviour's life, 
 begins with his pedigree and genealogy, and fhews whom 
 he defcended from, namely, from David and Abraham. 
 Where, o^/frvf, i. That David is named before Abraham, 
 becaufe he being a king, and an illuftrious type of the Mef- 
 lias, the Jews expeded, and do to this day expeft, thatthe 
 fon of David fhould reign over them ; and that they Ihould 
 enjoy > temporal kingdom by him. 2. The names given 
 to our blelTed Saviour, Jejia and Chrifi ; Jejus is hiiHe- 
 
 nnZ"'Tf'"'!:'''S!:'^"" ^"^''°"' '^^^'/i^ his Greek 
 name, and figmfies Anointed. From whence feme do in- 
 fer an inumaiion .nnd encouragement, that both Hebrews 
 
 of both ; according to that of St. John, epift. I. chap, ii, 
 
 only, but atjo for thejlns of the v^hole -JjHd. 
 
 2^ Abraham begat Ifaac ; and Ifaac begat Ja. 
 cob ; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 
 3 And Judas begat Phares andZara of Thamar; 
 and Phares begat Efrom; and Efrom begat A- 
 ram ; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab ; a^iid A- 
 minadab begat NaalTori ; and Naaflbn besat 
 balm on : 
 
 Both the evangelifts, St. Matthew and St. Luke make 
 mention of ctir faviour's pedigree ; the former bv his re- 
 puted father's fide, the latter by his mother's fid'c. The 
 delign of both was, to prefent us with a general draught 
 ot our Lord's pedigree and defcent, and not tobe llricrand 
 accur.ite in enumerating every individual perfon. This 
 fhould teach us, not to be ever curious in fcanninir the p.irts 
 
 and Greeks, both ]<^V^gS^^^I^^)^]!' """"''''' ^^ 'h.sge.^e.-,!rgy, much lefs captiouflv to objecl agaii ll if. 
 
 Chrift for life and lah^Jon he bS'^^T, L1^L'°'?^ ""'° ^''I' '^^^e evangelifts were not critical and exacl in com- 
 t>on, he beirg the common Saviour pofing this genealogy, why Ihould we Cew (uffelv^ fo in 
 
 e\- 
 
 'i- 
 
 j*»». 
 
^ 
 
 ^l i (St. matt H E W. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 examining of it? Rather let us attend to the defign of the 
 Holy Choft in writing of it, which was two-fold : rirft for 
 the hot our of our faviour, as man, fliewing who were his 
 noble snd royal progenitors, according to the flelh. Se- 
 condly, For the confirmation of our faith, touch ng the re- 
 ality of our Redeemer's incarnation. The fcripture mak- 
 ing mention of all his progenitors, from the firft man Ad-im 
 to his reputed father Jofeph, will not fuffer for us to doubt, 
 either of the truth of his human nature, or of the certainty 
 of hi? being ihepromifed MefTias.'' Learn hence, Tha\ the 
 wlfdrm of God hath taken all neceflary care, and ufed all 
 needful means, "for the fatisfying the minds of all unpreju- 
 diced perfons touching the reality of Chrifts human nature, 
 and the certainty of hi? being the proinifed McfTias : for 
 both thele ends is our faviour's genpalogy and defcent re- 
 corded in the Ijoly fcriptures. 
 
 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab ; and 
 Booz begat Obed of Kuth ; andObed begat Jef- 
 fe ; 6 And Jefle begat David the king ; and Da- 
 vid tlie king begat Solomon of her that bad been 
 the zvife of Urias ; 7 And Solomon begat Ro- 
 boam ; andRoboam begat Abia : and Abia be- 
 gat Afa ; 8 AndAfa begat Jofaphat ; and Jo- 
 laphat begat Joram ; and Joram begat Ozias; 
 g And Ozias begat Joatham ; and Joatham be- 
 gat Achas ; and Achas begat Ezekias ; 10 And 
 JEzekias begat ManaiTes ; and Manafles begat 
 Amnion; and Ammon begat Jofias ; 11 And 
 Jofias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about 
 the ti me they were carried away to Babylon ; 
 1 2 And flfter they were brought to Babylon, 
 Jechonias begat Salathiel ; And Salathiel begat 
 Zorobabel ; 1 3 And Zorobabel begat Abiud ; 
 and Abiud begat Eliakim ; and Eliakim begat 
 Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; andSadoq 
 begat Achim ; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And 
 Eliud begat Eleazer : and Eleazer begat Mat. 
 than ; and Matthan begat Jacob ; 16 And ja- 
 cobbegatJofephthchulDandofMary.ofwhom 
 wasbornjcfus, who is called ChriiSl. 17 So all 
 the generations from Abraham to David, are 
 fourteen generations ; and from David until 
 the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen 
 generations ; and from the carrying away into 
 Babylon unto Chrift, are fourteen generations. 
 
 an harlot ; Ruth cams of Moab, •whom Lot begat of bis 
 own daughter ; and Bathflieba, the wife ofUriah, wasone 
 with whom David had committed adultery. Now the wil- 
 dom of God has thought fit to leave all this upon record, 
 for feveral ends and purpofes. i. To denote the freencfi 
 of God's grace, which extends itfelf in the faving efFefts 
 aiidbeiiefitsof it to them that are nioft unworthy and ill- 
 deferving. 2. To encourage the greatcftfinneri to go unto 
 Chrilt by faith, and feek tq be ingrafted in him : for as 
 Chrift, by the power of his godhead, did purify our nature 
 from all the f oUution of our anceftors, fo ke can, by the 
 power of his grace and fpirit, fanftify our perfons and na-' 
 tures, how foul and impute foever they either are, or have 
 been. 3. Hereby our Lord gives us to underftand, that he 
 came to iav^ the gnotl nott>nous {inn«rs, as well as thofe 
 whofe lives haveTjcenlpfs fcandalous. 4. This is recorded 
 for the fupport of fuch arare illegitimate and bale -born ; 
 how vile foever their parents fin has rendered thetn in the 
 eyes of men, it is their own fin only, which cxpofes them to 
 contempt in the fight of God. Itis not iUegitimacy, but 
 unregeneracy, thj: makes us objefls of God's wrath. 
 
 18 ^ Now the birth of Jefus Christ was on 
 this wife: When as his mother Mary wasefppuf. 
 ed to Jofeph, before they came together, fhe 
 was found with child of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 That is, the bii=th of Chrift was not in the ordinary and 
 natural way, but his mother Mary was found to be with 
 child by the extraordinarj' and miraculous operation of the 
 Holy Ghoft. Here oo'e, that the Efpoufalof Mary to Jo- 
 feph was for the fafety of Chrift, and for the credit and re- 
 putation of the Virgin. It was for our Saviour's fafety, 
 becaufe being to fly into Egypt, heha« Jofeph his reputed 
 father to take care of him ; arrd it was for the Virgin's 
 reputation, left fhe fhould have been accounted unclean. 
 Learn hence. What a fpecial regard almighty God has to the 
 fame and reputation of his children ; he would have ihem 
 free-from the leaft fufpicion of evil anddifhonefty. Mary 
 being efpouled to an huft)and, frees herfelf from the fufpi- 
 cion of naughtinefs, and her fon from the imputation of an 
 illegitimate birth. Cbferve farther, The miraculous con- 
 ception of Jefvs ; the' Holy Ghoft over/hadowed the Vir- 
 gin, and did miraculoufly caufe herconception without the 
 help of an human father. Thus Chrift was the Son of God 
 as well in his human as in his divine nature : he niuft needs 
 be a perfeft holy perfon, who was conceived pnrely by the 
 Holy Spirit's operation. 
 
 19 Then Joieph her hufbandbeingajuft mati, 
 and not willing to make her a public example, 
 was minded to put her away privily. 
 
 Chfervt, Here are fevetal women mentioned in our Sa- That is, being an holy perfon, and a ftriftobferverof the 
 viour's genealogy, and all, or nioft of them, have a brand rites of his nation, he was unwilling to accompany with a 
 of inf.imy upon them, Thamar was one with whom her defiled woman, and therefore minded to put her away, by 
 father-in-law, Judah, committed inceft , Rachab is called giving her a bill of divorce into her hand before two wit. 
 
 nelTes 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 25 
 
 Nay, nay : for whatfoever is more than tlicfe, 
 comet !i of evil. 
 
 Here 001* Lord prcfcribes a proper mean nud remedy for 
 fliUnniiig the occnfion and dangi-r of ralli fwearing ; and that 
 is, by uling and accudoming ourlclvs, in converfation, toa 
 true fimplicity and conftaiir plainnefs of fpeecli ; either af- 
 firming or denying, according to the nature of the thing ; 
 letting oaths alone till we are called to them upon great oc- 
 cafions, far ending ftrife between man and man. Learn, 
 that the great end of fpeech being to communicate the fenfff 
 of our minds to each other, we ought to ufe fuch plainnefs 
 and fimplicity in fpeaking, that we may believe one another 
 without oaths, or more Tolemn or religious afleverations. 
 
 38 Ye have heard that it hath been laid, Ai\ 
 eye ibr an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But 
 I iay imto you, Thatyc reiift not evil ; but vvho- 
 foever fliall imitc thee on thy right cheek, turn 
 to him the other alfo. 4,0 And if any man will 
 fue thee at the law, and take asvay thy coat, let 
 him have tby cloke alio. .^\ And whofoever 
 Ihall compel thee /o^o a mile,go with him twain. 
 
 Our Saviour here vindicates the fixthcommandment, which 
 obliges us to do no wrong to the body of our neighbour. 
 God hath givena law to the public magiftrate. to require an 
 eye for an eye, and a looih for a tooth, when a perfon was 
 wronged : Hereupon the I'harifees taught, that a private 
 perfon wronged by another, might exadt fatiifaftion from 
 him to the fame degree in which he had been wronged by 
 him ; if he had loft an eye by another, he might revenge it, 
 by taking away the life of anoiher. But fays Chrift, I fay 
 unto you, Rejijt nut evil ■• that is, feek not private revenge, 
 but have th<. avengiiig of injuries to God and the inagiftrate; 
 and in trifling matters, not tt. appeal at all; and when forc- 
 ed, not for revenge fake. Teaching us, that we ought ra- 
 ther to fufl'er a double wrong, than to feek revenge : chrif 
 tianity obliges us to bear many injuries patiently, rather than 
 
 to revenge one privately Religion, indeed, does not bid us 
 
 invite injuries, but it teaches us to bid them welcome : we 
 are not to return tvil for evil, but rather to endure a great- 
 er evil than to revenge a lefs. 
 
 4,2 Give to him that afketh thee ; and from 
 him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou 
 away. 
 
 Our Saviour lierc prelTes the law of charity upon his dif- 
 ciples : thir, is two-fold ; a charity in giving to them that 
 b."2;, and a charity in lending to them ihatdefireto borrow. 
 Ciindianity obliges all thofe who have ability, to abound in 
 vork- of charity of all forts and kinds whatfoever. He that 
 is truly charitable, doth not only give but lenil : yea,fonie- 
 tinies Lc;;d, looking for nothing again. It is not enough to 
 acl charity of ojie fort. Inn we muft be ready to a.5tit in e- 
 very kind, and to the higheft degree that our circumflances 
 will admit. Givir.g is a godlike thing ; he is the giver of 
 every good and pcrfeft gift ; he gives before we afii, and wc 
 muftimitateCodin giving ; namely, by giving what we give. 
 
 cheerfully, finccrely, difcretely, proportion atily, uni^erfally, 
 in obedience to God's command, and with an eye at his glo- 
 ry. And there is fometimesas great charity in lending as 
 there is in giving ; many a poor family, by ourleudinjT thcin 
 a fmall matter, may raife themfelves into r. condition to live 
 comfortably and honeftly in the world. 
 
 43 Yehave heard that ithathbccn faid.Thou 
 fiialt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy : 
 44 But I fay unto you. Love your enemies, blefs 
 them th'at curfe you, do good to them that hate 
 you,-and pray for them thatdefpitcfully uie you 
 and perlecute you. 
 
 Another corrupt glofs which the Pharifees hr.d put upon 
 the law of God, our Lord here takes notice of -. the law faid. 
 Thou /bait love thy mighhour, Levit. xix. i8. This they in- 
 terpreted to relate only (o their countrymen the Jewt ; con- 
 cluding that they might hate all the uncircumcifed nations, 
 as enemies : but faith our Lord, I require you to love all 
 men ; for if enemies muft not be flint out of your love, none 
 muft. Lev f your enemies ; here the inward affection is re- 
 quired. DUfsthem that curfe you ; there outward civility and 
 affability is required. Do };cod to them that hate you j here re- 
 al acts of kindnefs and charity are commanded to be done by 
 us to our bittereft enemies. Pray for them that defpiiefully 
 ufe you, and perfecute yr,u; Thefe are the higheft cxpreilions 
 of enmity that can be, calumny and crurlty ; yet arc we 
 commanded to pray for thofe that touch us in thefe two ten— 
 derefl points, our reputation and our life. 7.frtr«,That chnf- 
 tianity obliges us to bear a fincere affection towards cur mcil 
 malicious enemies ; to be ready upon all occafions to do good 
 unto them, and pray for them. 
 
 45 That ye may be the children of your Fa- 
 ther which is in heaven : lor he makctli his fun 
 to rife on the evil and on the good, and fendeth 
 rain on thejufl and on the unjuft. 
 
 To encourage us to the foregoing duty of loving our en- 
 emies, our Lord propounds the example of God himfelf to 
 our imitation, that you may be children of your Fdlher ; that i,';, 
 that you may be known to be the children of your Fatlier 
 •which is in heaven. Note, i. That the heft evidence wc 
 can have of our divine fonlhip, is our conftirmity to the di- 
 vine nature, efpecially in thofe excellent properties of good- 
 iiefs and forgivenefs. 2. That God doth good to them 
 that are continually doing evil unto him. Rain and i'un, 
 fat and fweet, gold and filver, are fuch good things a.? their 
 hearts and houi'es are filled with, who are altogether empty 
 of grace and jroodnefs. 
 
 46 For il ye love them which love you, wliat 
 reward have ye ? do not even the publicans the 
 lame ? 47 And if ye lalutc your brethren on- 
 hv what do ye more than ethers^ do not cvci'. 
 the publicans fo r 
 
 Yet fatiht^to encourage us to this dutvofloving ohitp- 
 • D e- 
 
26 
 
 bT. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. vr. 
 
 eniies, Cliriftaflures his difciples, that He experts more from 
 them than from others ; more than common humanity and 
 (ivil courtefy amonc; friends ; for even Heathens, by th- 
 light of nature, were taught to love thofe that loved them : 
 hut he expefted that chrift.anity lliould teach them better, 
 and lead them farther, even to love their enemies, and to bUfs 
 them that curfe them. Note, Love for love is jultice ; love 
 for no love is kindnefs ; but love for hatred and enmity is 
 divine jToodnefs; a Chriftlike temper, which will render us 
 illulh-ious on earth, and glorions in heaven. — But, Lord! how 
 do men confine their love to litt'e fefts and parties! and from 
 thence comes thnt bitternefs of fpirit of one party towards a- 
 Bother ; and oh ! how hard is it to find a chriftian of a true 
 catholic Jove and temper ! 
 
 48 Be ye therefore perfe6t, even as your Fa- 
 ther- which is in heaven is perfe6l. 
 
 Tliat is, aim at perfeftion in all chriftian virtues and divine 
 graces, but particularly in this of love ; in imitation ofyour 
 heavenly Father, wiio is the perfect pattern of all defireable 
 goodnefs and adorable perf eftions. 1 be perfe£l as our hea- 
 venly Father is perjcfl,\% indeed impolTible as to equality, 
 but not as to imitation. The word rendered here perfefl, 
 by St. Matthew, is ell'ewhere by St. Luke rendered w/fr- 
 c'lful, Luke vi. 36. implying, that charity is the perfeiftion 
 of a chriftian's graces : he that is made perfeft in love, is 
 perfect in all divine graces, in the account of God. Learn, 
 I . That there is no (landing ftill in religion ; he that will 
 he faved muft prefs on towards pcrfeftion. 2. Thatnolefs 
 than perfect and complete perfeftion in grace, and particu- 
 larly in the grace of love and charity, is and ought to be the 
 aim of every chriftian in this life, and fliall be his attainment 
 in the next. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 This chapter Is a continuation of our Saviour's incomparable 
 Jlrmon upon the mount, in which he cautions his iliciples a- 
 gainfi the hypocrify and vain-glory ofthePharifees, both in 
 their aim/giving and prayers .• The former in the fir fi four 
 verfes of this chapter, which /peaks thus ; 
 
 TAKE heed tliat ye do not your alms before 
 men, to be feen of them, otherwife you 
 have no reward ofyour P'ather whicli is in hea^ 
 ven. 2 Therefore when thou doeft //j///<? ahns, 
 do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hy- 
 pocrites do, in tlie fyi^agogucs, and in the rtreets, 
 tliat they may have glory of men. Verily, I 
 Jay unto you. They have their reward. 3 But 
 when thou docit alms, let not thy left hand know 
 what thy right hand doeth ; 4 That thine ahns 
 may be in fecret ; and thy Father which Teeth 
 in fecret, himfelf fliall reward thee openly. 
 
 Ohfo'-JcheTe, i. The duty direiHcd to, almfjiiving after a 
 right n'anner ; Do not your alms htforc tnen ■• lomc copies read 
 ir, I oivt y cur right ro:<rners before men .- Beeaufe almfgiving 
 is ;i confiderabie part of that righieoufnefsand jultice which 
 
 we owe unro onr neighbour ; he tBat i» uncharitable is un- 
 jufl. Arts of charity are arts of juftice and equity. It alfo 
 intimates to us, that the matter of our alms fhouldbe goods 
 righteoufly gotten : to give alms of what is gotten iinjultly, 
 is robber}' and not rightcoufnefs. 1. Our Lord's cautionary 
 direftion in giving alms, 'Take heed that ye do them not ti he 
 feen of men. (t is one thing to do our alms that men may 
 fee them, and another thing to do them that we may be feen 
 of niPn. Weought todo almsbcforemen, that God may be 
 glorified: butnot to be feen of men, tiiat ourfeltesmay he ap. 
 plauded bynien. 3. The particular lin which our faviour 
 warns his difciples againft in giving their alms, namely, often- 
 tation and vain glory, which the Pharifees were gihiity of : 
 Soundir.g atrumpet , to call people about them when they gave 
 -their alpis. Thence Uarn, That the doing any good work, 
 efpeciany ariy work of charity and mercy, vain-glorioufly, 
 and not with an eye to G«4's glory, will certainly mifs of the 
 reward of well doing in anotnt^ world. 4. The advice which 
 our Lord has given for the prevention of this fin and dan- 
 ger ; and that is, to do our arts as fecrttly as we can ; Let 
 not thy left hand know what thy right hand /t^th : That i' 
 conceal it from thy neareft relations and, if pofTible, from th\ 
 felf. Note thence, that the fccrecy of our chanty is one good 
 evidence of its fincerity. Hence the Egyptians made the 
 emblem of charity to be a blind boy, reaching out honey to 
 a bee that had loil her wings. 
 
 5 % And wfien thou prayeft, thou fhalt not 
 be as the hypocrites are ; for they love to pray 
 Handing in tlie fynagogues, and in the corners 
 of the Itreets, that they may be iean of men. 
 Verily I fay unto you. They have their reward. 
 6. But thou when thou prayeft, enter into thy 
 clofet, and when thou haft fliut thy door, pray 
 to thy Father which is in fecret, and tliy Fa- 
 ther which feeth in lecret fliall reward thee o- 
 penly. 
 
 Here our Saviour warns his difciples againft the fame Pha- 
 rifaical hypocrify in praying, which he had before reproved 
 in almfgiving. It was lawful to pray in the fynagogues, and 
 to pray ftanding, and that before men : but to do this upon 
 defign to be applauded by men, is condemned by our Lord. 
 Our bufiiiefs in prayer lies with God, we are not to concern 
 ourfelves liow men like our performances ; it is fufficient if 
 God doth approve and will accept them. To cure the fore- 
 going vanity, Chrift direrts to fecret prayer in our dofets, 
 where God is the witnefs, and will be the rewarder of our 
 fincerity. Note, That ieciet prayer is a commanded and en- 
 couraged duty, and when in fincerity performed fliall he at- 
 tended with a public and glorious reward : Pray to thy Fa- 
 ther which, fic, 
 
 7 But when j'e pray, ufe not vain repetitions, 
 as the heathen do : for they think that they fliall 
 be heard for their much fpeaking. 8 Be not ye 
 therefore like unto tliem : for your Father know 
 eth what things ye have need of before ye a!k 
 him. A 
 
Chap vr. 
 
 St. . M A T T H E W. 
 
 27 
 
 A Vain glorious oftentation in prayer was condemned by 
 our Lord in the former vcrCe : Here a vainglorious muki- 
 plicity of words, by idle tautologies and impertinent repeti- 
 tions, is condemned alfo ; after the manner of the heathen, 
 who expe(fled to have their prayers granted by God for the 
 multiplicity of words ufed by themfelves. — Hence «9/e. That 
 a Chriftian's hulinelsin prayer being not to inform God,(/3r 
 he hioweth -what thmgs we need before we ajk him) nor yet to 
 move and perfuade God (for he is our Father) itcertainly ar- 
 gues an undue apprehcnfion of God, when we lengthen 
 out our prayers with vain repetitions and a multitude of 
 words. \ei,note,i. That it is not all repetition of the fame 
 words in prayer which Chrift here condemns, for he himfelf 
 prayed thrice, ufing the fame words, that the cup might pafs 
 ^ from him. Nor, 2. Are we to apprehend that praverscontin- 
 ued toaconfiderable length are forbidden bv Chrift; for So- 
 lomon's prayer was fuch, i Kings '•"'• Nehemiah's fuch, 
 chap, ix. It is faid the people confefTed and worfhipped for 
 three hours ; our Lord continued in prayer all night ; and 
 the Church, A6ts xii. made prayers without cealing for St. 
 Peter's enlargement. And we read of St. Paul's praying 
 night and day, i Thefl. in. 10. and of his commanding the 
 churclieito beinftant in prayer, and to continue m prayer. 
 But Chrift here condemns prayer lengthened out upon an 
 apprehenfion that we (hall be heard for our much fpeaking; 
 or can move God by arguments, whilft we continue in our 
 fms. Dr. Whitby. 
 
 9 After this manner therefore pray ye. 
 
 As if Chrift had faid. For preventin thefe and all other 
 faults in prayer, I will myfelf give a complete form of pray- 
 <r, ^nd an exaft pattern and platform for your imitation 
 when you pray. A/'o/if, That the Lord's prayer is both a 
 perfeft form of prayer, which ought to be uied by us, and 
 alfo a pattern and platform, according to which all our 
 prayers ought to be framed. St. Matihew fays, After this 
 manner pray ye ; St. Luke fays, When ye fray , fay , 
 
 9 Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed 
 be thy name ; loTliy kingdom come ; thy will 
 be done in earth as it is m heaven : 1 1 Give us 
 this day our daily bread ;i 12 And forgive us our 
 debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13 And lead 
 us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil : 
 for thine is the kingdom, and the power and 
 the glory, for ever. Amen. 
 
 The fenfe and fignification of this beft of prayers is this : 
 I O thou our Father in Jefus Chrift ! who remaineft in thy 
 
 * throne in heaven, and art there perpetually praifed, and 
 ^ perfeftly obeyed by glorious angels and glorified faints ; 
 ^' grant thatthy name may be glorified, thy throne acknow- 
 ' kd;icd. and thy holy will obeyed here on earth beiow, 
 ' by us thy fons and fervants, mo'ft fincerely and readily, and 
 ^ m fome proportion to what is done in heaven. And be- 
 ' caufe, by rcafon of the frailty of our natures, we cannot 
 ' fubfift without the comforts and fupportf of life, we crave 
 ^ that fuch a proportion of the good things of this life may 
 
 * be given unto us as may be fufficient for us ; and that we 
 
 ' maybe content with our allowance. And knowinj^ that 
 
 * thy holinefs andjuftice, obliges thee to punilh linners, we 
 plead with thee, for the fake of thy £on's fatisfaCtion, to 
 
 ^ pardon us our daily trefpalles which we are guilty of in this 
 
 * ftate of imperfeftion, as we do freely and heartily foro-ive 
 ^' others that have offended and wronged us. And feeing 
 J that by reafon of the frailty of our nature, we are prone 
 
 * to rufli upon, and run into temptation, we crave, tliatby 
 ' the power of thy omnipotent grace, we may be kept from 
 ' Satan's temptations, from the world's allurements, from our 
 ' own evil inclinations, and be preferved unhlamablcto thine 
 I everlafting kingdom : which is exalted over all perlons. 
 '^ over all places and things, in all times paft, prefent and to 
 ' come. And accordingly, in teftiniony of our defires, and 
 * in aflliraiice to be heard and anfwered, v/e fav /f>nen ■ fobe 
 ' It, fo let it be, even fo, O Lord, let it be forever.' 'Mt,re 
 particularly, in this comprehentivc and compendious prayer 
 the following feverals are remarkable. Namely, i That 
 the le.irned obferve, that this prayer is taken out of the lew' 
 Kh liturgies, in which it is entirely found, excepting thefe 
 words, ^s we forgive them that trefpafs agai»f us. ¥ronx 
 whence Grotius notes, how far Chrift, the Lord of his church, 
 was from afFefting novelties, or defpifing any thing becaufe- 
 It was a form ; a piece of piteous weaknefs among fome ac 
 this day. 2. The perfon to whom Chrift direftsuuo make our 
 prayers ; viz. toGod under the notion oi i father ; teach- 
 ing us. That in all our religious addrefles to God, we are to 
 conceive of him, and pray unto him, under the notion and 
 relation of a father, our Father, &c. So is he by creation 
 by a right of providence and prefervation, by redemption' 
 by outward and vifible profeffion, by regeneration and adop! 
 tion ; and this relation which God ftands in to us, may en- 
 courage us to pray unto him : for, being our Father,we are 
 lure that he is of eafy accefs unto, and gracioufly pleafed to 
 grant what we pray for. And whereas it is added, which 
 art tn heaven, this is not to be fo underltood as if his elTence 
 were included, or his prefence circumfcribed or confined 
 there, for he fills heaven and earth with the immenfity of it; 
 but he is faid to be in heaven, becaufe there is the manifef- 
 tation of his prefence, of his purity, of his power and glory: 
 and teaches us with what holy fear, with what humble rei 
 verence, and not without a trembling veneration, polluted 
 du(t ought to make their folemn approaches to the God of 
 heaven. 3. That the three firft petitions relate more im- 
 mediately to God. ( i. ) That his name may be halhwe.-!. 
 By thenameofGod,undcrftand God himfelf, as made known 
 to us in his attributes, and words and works. This name 
 is hallowed or fanclified by us three ways ; by our lips, when 
 we acknowledge his divine perfeclions, and tell of all his won- 
 derous works ; in our hearts, by entertaining fuitable con- 
 ceptions of God ; and in our lives, when the confider-ition 
 of thefe divine perfections engages us to fuitable obedience. 
 (2.) 1 hat his kingdom may come. Cy which we are not to 
 underftand his general and providential kingdom, by which 
 he ruleth over all rlie world, that being always come, and 
 capable of no farther amplification ; hut principally the 
 kingdom of grace promoted in the hearts of^his people, by 
 the preaching of the gofpel. We pray that God would de- 
 throne fin and Satan Incur own and others fouls, and increafe 
 grace and fandification both in us, and them, and that the 
 
 D2 king. 
 
28 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 kingdom of glory may be haftened, and wc may bepreferv- 
 edblaniL'ler-) to ilie coinii:gut'Chrifl in his kingdom (3 ) That 
 Ins will may be djnt. By which the prect ptive rather than 
 the providcrntiil will of God is to be uiiderltood ; we are to 
 obfy the toriner uiiivcrl'ally.aiid to fubniit to thelattercheer- 
 fuiiy. It intiii):~tt.s, iliat it ought to be the care, and ftudy, 
 and endeavour of every chriltian, that the commanding will 
 of tiod may be fo done by men upon earth, as it is by the 
 glorified laints and glorious angels done in heaven : name- 
 ly, with that alacrity and cheerfulnefs, with that fpeed and 
 rcadintls, with tli;it conllancy and diligence, that the imper- 
 fection of human nature will ^dmit of; imi:ating thebkfl'ed 
 angels, who execute the divine commands without reliiftan- 
 cy or ffgret. 4. 'J'he three 1 )ll petitions refptct ourfelves, 
 as ihc 'hree former did almighty God. The firft of which 
 is a prayer for temporal blefliiigs ; C:ve us this flay our dai- 
 ly bread: Where n'jic, the mercy prayed for, bread, which 
 comprehends all the comforts and conveniences of life, and 
 whatever is neceilary for the fupporiing human naturt. 
 Alfo the qualification; it mult be our ow« bread, not ano- 
 ther's, what we have a civil right 10 as men, and a covenant 
 right to as chriflians. Note farther, 1 he kind of bread we 
 alk and deiire ; it is daily bread. Hereby we are put in 
 mind of our continual dependance upon God for our lives, 
 and the fupportsof life which «eenJ!..y, and alfo kept in mind 
 of our mortality. And mark the way and manner of con 
 veying good things to us; it is in the way of free gift ; Civs 
 us our daily bread; we cannot give it ourfelres, and when 
 wc have it of God, we receive it not as debt, but as a free 
 gift. The next petition is for fpiritual bieffmgs ; Forgive 
 us our debts, as Vie forgive our debtors. Where w'/ff, i. Some 
 things fuppofed ; namely, That we are all finners, and, as 
 fuch, ftand in need of pardon and forgivenefs. 1. That our 
 fins are debts, wilful debts, repeated debts, innumerable 
 debti, inexcufable debts, debts difficultly difcharged, and yet, 
 if undifcharged, undoing debts. 3. That we are obliged to 
 pray every day for daily pardon, as we do for daily bread, 
 for our (ins are many and daily. 4. It is here fuppofed, that 
 llnce we are tq pray for forgivenefs of (in, it is impoilible e- 
 ver to fatiify the juftice of God for fm. — Laftly mte, The 
 condition or qualification retjuired. Forgive, as -we fo'give : 
 This requires, (1.) That our minds be full of charity, free 
 from rancour and ill-will, and all defire of revenge, and a 
 fecret grudge againlt another, {i.) That we ftand ready to 
 help them, and do any office of fervice for them that hav« 
 offended us. (3.) That we admit our offending brother into 
 friendlhip and familiarity, whic!j is called a forgiving him 
 from the heart ; our heart miiif be towards him as former- 
 ly it was. The (iy.ch and laft petition follows. Lead us n'jt 
 into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Here «orf,-A- dou- 
 ble mercy prayed for ; namely, preventing mercy, and dyi- 
 veriiigmercy. (i ) Preventing mercy ; Lead us not into tcvtp- 
 tati'jit. Hereby it is (iippofed, i. That we are unable to kee^ 
 O-.irfelves from temptation, partly through our natural de- 
 pravity, p.nrily through carnal fecurity. 2. That it is God 
 that mull keep us from Satan's all'iults, his traps, and fnares, 
 which every where he la) s in ambufli tor u^. 3. That it is 
 our own daily dutv to be earned and inflant with God in 
 prayer, not to fnffer us, by the fnbtraclmn of his grace, or 
 jn^ way of punilhment for (in, to run intothe circumlbuices 
 which may prove fnare. to us ; but d lily to nfR.rd us fuch a 
 me.ir.irc of hii j;rate as w.iy keep us frcm falling by tempt- 
 
 ation ; and not feave us filling under the temptation, hut to 
 recover us I'pecdily by his power, and enable usto ftaiid more 
 firmly for the future. (2.) We here pray lor delivering mer- 
 cy : Deliver us from evil ; by which maybe underltood Sa- 
 tan theevilone.butefpecially theevil iflia. Wc pray here 
 that God would gr-acioufly prelerve us fro n thofe vicious in- 
 clinations of our minds, and evil diipofitii a of our hearts, 
 which render us fo prone to yield to the temptations of Sa- 
 tan. Here we fee the ugly and deformed face of (m : It is 
 evil ; evil in its author and original, it is of the devil, the 
 evil one ; evil in its effect and fruits, it doth debafeand de- 
 grade us, pollute and defile us, befool and deceive us, and, 
 without repentance, damns anddcflroys us. Obfeme laftly, 
 The conclulion of the Lord's prayer, which contains a com- 
 plicaton of arguments to urge almighty God with, for obtain* 
 ing the mercy prayed for. (i.) For thine is the kingf^om : Thou 
 art the only abfolute aM rightful fovereign.and all men are 
 concerned to honour thee, aniobey thy laws: thou art the 
 fupreme governor of the world, «c»d king of thy church, 
 therefore let thy kingdom come, and thy will be done. (2.) 
 7hine is the power, therefore give usdailv bread, and forgive 
 our daily fins ; for thou hall power to lupply the one, and 
 authority to pardon the other. The powerof God is agreat 
 encouragement to prayer, and faith in the power of God has 
 a mighty prevalency in prayer wiih God. (3.) Thine is the 
 glory, that is, thine will be the glory ; as if we Ihould fay, 
 ' Lord I by enabling us to hallow thy name, by owning thy 
 ' kingdom, by doing thy will, and by thy providing for us, 
 ' and pardoning of us, thou wilt have much glory by us and 
 ' from us.' It teaches us, that as our prayers m general ought 
 to be argumentative, fo an argument in prayer drawn from 
 the glory of God, is a mighty encouragement to hope for 
 audience and acceptance. {4.) For tv.r and ever, tiiat is, thy 
 kingdom is eternal, thy power eternal, thy glory eternal ; 
 the God whom we pray to is an eternal God, and this attri- 
 bute of God is improvable in prayer as an encoungement to 
 exped the fame bleflings from God which others have done 
 before us ; for he is the fame ycflerday, to-day, and for e-« 
 ver. Amen -■ A word ufcd in all languages, denoting an 
 hearty alTent to our own prayers, and an hearty defirc to 
 receive the mercies prayed for, and an humble nlTgrance that 
 we ffiall be heard and anfwered. 
 
 14, i^f For if ye forgive men their trefpafles, 
 your heavenly Fatl:er will alio forgive you : 
 15 But if ye forgive not men their trefpafles, 
 neither will your Father forgive your trefpai- 
 fes. 
 
 There being no duty to which our corrupt natures are 
 more backward than this of forgiving injuries, our Lord re- 
 peats that duty ovcragain, and trtqnenily incukatej it in the 
 holy gofpels, affuriiig us. that forgiving others is the jndil- 
 penfable condition upon which we are to expcilfor^venefs 
 from God. Learn^h'-nce, That every time we go to God in 
 prayer, and beg forgivenefs of him as we forgii^e oihrrs. if 
 we do not forgive them heartily and liiuerclv, Hilly and fre- 
 ly, readily and willingly, we fly in the face c^ God, .iml our 
 prayers arc a fort of imprecation upon i>6rfelvet Nnte far- 
 ther. That alihou'^h Cod jironiifes us forgiv.>nefs if wc for- 
 give others, yet it is with this limitation, if no other con- 
 dition offalvuion be wanting, for this .virtue alone can- 
 
Chai'. vf. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 29 
 
 not obtain favour with God; utilefe other tladcs are perfor- 
 med. 
 
 16 ^ Moreover, when you faft, be not as the 
 hypocrites, of a fad countenance : for they dif- 
 figure their faces, that they may appear unto 
 men to fall. Verily, I fay unto you, they have 
 their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fallcll, 
 anoint thy liead, and wafh thy face : 18 That 
 thou appear not unto men to faft, but unto thy 
 Father which is in (ecret : and thy Father which 
 feeth in lecret (hall reward thee openly. 
 
 The next duty which our Lord inftruds his difciples in, 
 it that ot religious faftinfr, which is a devoting of the whole 
 man, foul and body, to a folcmn a'"l extraordinary attend- 
 ance upon God in a particubr tune fet apirt for that purpofe, 
 in order to tiie deprecating of his difplcifure, and for the 
 fupplicating of hi5 favour, accomp;>n\ed with an abftiiicnce 
 from bodily food and fenfiul delights, and from all fecular 
 affairs and worldly bulinefs. Now the direction of our Lord 
 as to this duty of falling, is double : i. He cautions us to 
 beware of an abule in fafting : Be not as the hypocrites are, 
 of a fad countenance ; that is, do not afFeft a fullen fadnefs, 
 ghaftlinefs, and unpleafantnefs of countenance, like the hy- 
 pocritical h'harilees, who viti.iie and diftolour their faces, 
 whomsr anJ abolilh their native complexion. Hypocrify 
 can paint the face black and fable, as well as pride with red 
 and white. 2. He counfels us to take the right way in 
 failinnr ; To anoint the head, and -majh the face .- That is, to 
 look as at other times, ufing our ordinary garb and attire, 
 and not affeifl any thing that may make us look like mourn- 
 ers, when really we are not fo. Where we may note, That 
 though hypocrites, by their dejected countenances, and mor- 
 tified habits, do feek to gain an extraordinary reputation for 
 piety and dtvotion, yet the fincere chriftian is to be abun- 
 dantly fatisfied with God's approbatioi* of his fervices, and 
 with the filent applaufe of his own confciciice. 
 
 19 ^ Lay not upfor yourfelves treafures up- 
 on cartli, wheremoth and ruft doth corrupt, and 
 where theives break tlu'ough and Real : 20 But 
 lay up for yourfelves treafures in heaven, where 
 neither moth nor ruit doth corrupt, and where 
 theives do not break through nor Ileal. 21 For 
 where your treafure is, there will your heart 
 be alfo. 
 
 Objer-u; here, I. Something implied, namtly. That every 
 manhas his treafure ; and whatfo*ver, or whercToever that 
 treafure is, it is aiira(!lnve, and draws the heart of man afier 
 it; UT every man's treafure is his chief good. 2. Something 
 permitted ; naintly, the getting, poJIefling, and enjoying of 
 earthly iieafure, as an inllrument enabling us to do much 
 good. 3. Something prohb'ted ; and tliat is, the treafuring 
 upof worldly wealth is o ir chief treafui e ; Lny not up tr.'u- 
 flares on earth ■ thv. is, tak;: he<d )f an inordinate affeaion 
 to, of an excefiive|)urrmt ..tier, of a vain con.ndeiue ardtruit 
 in, any worldly comt'jrc .is your trealure. 4. Here is ibine- 
 
 thing commanded ; But lay up fot' yv.irf,hiet treartircs In hea- 
 ven : Trealure up thofe habits ofgrace whicli-w ill bring you 
 to an inheritance in glory : Be fruitful m go'td-jjor Its, laying 
 up in ftore fjr yourflvce a goodfundation I'gainft- the time to 
 come, that ye may lay hold of eternal life .• 5 The reafons af- 
 figned, (i.) Why we (houldnotlay upour treafures on eanli ; 
 becaufe all earthly treafures are of a periihing and uncertain 
 nature, they are fubjeft to moth and rulf, to robbery and 
 theft ; the periihing n?ture of earthly thingsought to be im- 
 proved by us as an argument to fet loofe in our alfeftions to- 
 wards thcin. (2.) The reafon afligned, why we (Iiould lay 
 up our treafures in heaven, is this : Becaufe heavenly trea- 
 fures are fubjeol to no luch accidents and calualties as earth ] 
 ly treafures are, but are durable and Lifting. The things 
 ti'.'t arc not feen are eternal. The treafures of heaven are 
 inviolable, incorruptible, and everlalling. Now wi may 
 know whether we havethofen thele things for our treafure, 
 by our high eftimation of tlie worth of them, by the torrent 
 and tendency of our alTeftion towards them, anil our labori- 
 ous diligence and endeavours in the purfuit after them. 
 lyh^re the treafure is, there '.oill the hrart he alfo. 
 
 22 The light of the body is the eye: if there- 
 fore thine eye be fingle, thy whole body Ihall be 
 full of light. 23 But if thine eye beevil, thv 
 whole body fiiall be full of darknefs. If there- 
 fore the light that is in thee be dai'kncfs, how 
 great is that darknels ! 
 
 In the foregoing verfes, our Lord acquainted us.what in 
 our affeftions and judgments we (liould eileem as our chief 
 treafure; now this judgment concerning our chief treafure 
 is by our Saviour here compared to the eye ; as the eye is the 
 candle of the body, that enlightens and direif:? it, fo our un- 
 dcrlfanding and judgment of the excellency of heaven, and 
 the things above, will draw our aueclions towards them, and 
 quicken our endeavours after them. yVo/i" thence, That fuch 
 as our judgment is concerning happinefs, fuch will f.ur de- 
 fires be for the attainment of that happinsfs. Our afFeftions 
 are guided by our apprehenfions ; where the efteemis high, 
 endeavours will belb-ono-. 
 
 24, 9^ No man can ferve two mall era : for ei- 
 ther he will Uite the one, and love the otl^.er ; 
 or elfe he will hold to the one, and d;fpife the 
 other. Ye ca-nnot ferve God. and mammon. 
 
 Obferve, liere, A two fold mailer fpolcen of. Cod and the 
 world. God is our mafter by creation, preftrvation, and re- 
 dimption ; he has appointed U5 our v.ork. and fecured us 
 oiu" wages. The world is our maftfr by iiurufion, ulurpa- 
 jion, anda genernl eflimation ; toommy eUteniingit as their 
 cftief good, and delighting in it as their chit f joy. 2. That 
 no man can ferve two mailers, who are of contrary interefts, 
 and ilRie out contrary commands. When two niafters are 
 lubordinate, .aufl their commands fnbfervient each to the o- 
 ther, the d fliculty of ferying^ boih is riot great ; but where 
 commands interfere, and inrerefts clafh, it is impoilihle. Vo 
 man can ferve God and the world, but he may iervc C '.( 
 wiili tlie world : no man can feck Gi-^d and Eiaromon to!; 
 
so. 
 
 ;st. M'AT:thew. 
 
 C«AP. VI^ 
 
 as his chief good and ultimate end ; becaufe no man can di- 
 vide his heart l^twixr God and the world. Learn, Th.it to 
 love t!ie world as our chief good, and to ferve the world as 
 cur chief and fo\cr(?ign commander, cannot fland with the 
 love and icrvices winch we bear and owe to God. The 
 wbrld's (laves, wiiilil fucb, can be none of God's free men. 
 
 25 Therefore I fay unto you, Take no thought 
 for your life what ye iliall eat, or what ye (hall 
 drink ; nor yet for your body, what ye fliall put 
 on : Is not the hfe more than meat, and the bo- 
 dy than raiment .'' s6 Behold the fowls of the air: 
 for they fow not, neither do they reap, nor ga- 
 ther into barns : yet your heavenly Father-. f««<i^ 
 eth them. Are ye not much better than they.? 
 
 Thf ntxt fin which our Saviour cautions liis difciples a- 
 p.iinft, is immoderate care for the things of this life, fuch a 
 iolicitous and vexatious care for food and raiment, as is ac- 
 companied with di/Hdenceanddiflruftof God's fatherly pro- 
 vidence over us, and provifion for us; and the arguments 
 which our Saviour ufes to difluade from this fin, are many 
 androgcnt, laid down in the following verfes. Learn liTe, 
 I. That almighty God will provide for every fervant of his, 
 food and raiment, ami a competency of the comforts and con- 
 \eniencies of life. Learn, 2. '1 hat want of faith in God's 
 promife, and a diftruft of his fatherly care, is a God-provok- 
 ing, and wrath-provoking 'fin. Learn, 3. That notwith- 
 fVanding God's promife to fupply our wants, we not only 
 may, b\u niuft ufe fuch prudential and provident means as 
 are in our power, in order to the fupply of our own wants. 
 Dr. Hammond'i fra^. Catechi/m. 
 
 27 Which of you by taking thought can add 
 one cubit unto his Hature } 28 And why take ye 
 thought for raiment.'' confider the lillies of the 
 field iiow they grow : they toil not, neither do 
 tliey fpin ; 29 And yet I fay unto you, that e- 
 \en Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed 
 likeone ofthefe. 30 "Wherefore if God fo clothe 
 the grafs ,of the field, which to-day is, and to- 
 morrow is caft into the oven, Jlrnll he not much 
 more clothe you, O yeofhttle faitfi? 31 There- 
 fore take no thought fayiiig, What fliall we eat } 
 or what fhall we drink .? or wherewithal fliall 
 we becloathcd .'' 32 (Vox after all thefe things 
 do the Gentiles feek) for your heavenly Father 
 knovvcth that ye have need of all thefe things. 
 
 Four arguments are here ufed by our Saviour to difTuade 
 us from the fin of anxious care ; it is neediefs, it is fruitlcfs, 
 it is heathcnifh, it is brutifli. i. It is neediefs ; Tour heaven- 
 ly Father km-ws th that ye hove need rj thife things, and will 
 certainly provide for you ; and what need you take care, and 
 God too ? 2. It istruitlefs; 'jjhich '.f you by takins; thought 
 ccinatid one cubit to his Jtature ? '1 hat is, by all our folicitous 
 fare we can add nothing ciihe;r to the length or comfort of 
 (■•jr lives. 3-^1 'nkczihtmilv, After all thefe things do the 
 
 Gentiles feek. 4. It is bmfifli ;' nay worfe than brutifh : 
 
 The fowls of the air, and the bealts of the field arc fed. 
 by God, much more fliall Ins children. Has God a breakfalt 
 for every little bird that comes chirping outof its neft ? and 
 for every beaft in the wildcrnefs, that comes leaping outof 
 its den ? and will he not much jhore provide for you, O ye 
 of little faith? Surely he that feeds the ravens when they cry, 
 w U not ftarve his children when they pray. Naturaliftsob— 
 lerveofthe raven, that fljcexpofes her young ones as foon as 
 they are hatched, leaves them meatlefs and fatherlefs, to 
 lliiftand flruggle with huh;«e^%-as loon as they come into the 
 world; and \wiether by the dew from heaven, or flies, or 
 w orms God fcedeth them, when they gape and cry, they are 
 provided for : From w hence out- Saviour infers, that man 
 bfcing much better, thatis, a more considerable creature, than 
 the fo\\Is, ^the.^irovidencc of God will provide for him, 
 though no Iblicitude ar.(JT«tijijous tboughttulnefs of his con- 
 tributes thereto. ~"^ 
 
 33 But feek ye firflthe kingdom of God, and 
 his righteoulnels, and all thefe things fliall be 
 added unto you. 
 
 That is, let your firft and chief care be to promote the king- 
 dom of grace in this *'orld, and to fecure the kingdom ot 
 glory in the next ; and in order unto both, feek after an uni- 
 verfal halinefs and righteoufnefs, both of heart and hfe, and 
 then fearnot the want ofthefe outward comforts; they ftiall 
 be added in meafure, though not in excefs ; to fatisfy, though 
 not to fatiate ; for health, though not for furfeit. Oh/'erve, 
 I . That Chriftians muft here on earth fet themfelves to feek 
 heaven, or the kingdom of God. 2. That God's kingdom 
 cannot be fought without God's righteoufnefs: Holinefsis the 
 only way to happinefs. 3. That heaven, or the kingdom of 
 God, muft be fought, in the firft place, with our chief care and 
 principal endeavour. 4. That heaven being once fecurcdby 
 us, all earthly things will be fuperadded by God, as he fees 
 needful and convenient for us. 
 
 34 Take therefore no thought for the mor- 
 row : for the morrow fliall take thought for the 
 things of itfelf. Sufficient unto the day is the 
 evil thereof. 
 
 Here our Saviour re-lnforces his exhortation from folicitous 
 care or worldly things ; afluring us that every day will bring ' 
 \vith it a fufficien I burden of trouble, and therefore we ought 
 not to torment ourfelves, by antedating our own iorrow and 
 foretelling what may or may not come to pafs. Learn, That 
 it is a painful, flnful, and unprofitable evil, to perplex our- 
 Iclves with diftruftful and diftrafting fe.ars of what may come 
 upon us : Every day has its own duty and difficulty ; and 
 though fufterings muft be expefted and prepared for, yet we 
 mud not torment ourlelves to day with the fears of what 
 may be to-morrow: but every day caft our burtien of care 
 upon that God who daily careth for us. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Cur Saviour having continued hisfermon on tie mount in thrfi^ 
 mer chapter, concludes it in this luith an exhot taiion iof vcral 
 duties; thefirjihf'jjhkhis: I0 forbear rafh judging of others. 
 
 Judge 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 JUDGE not, that ye be not judged. 2 For 
 with what judgment ye judge, ye fhall be 
 judged : and witli what mealure ye mete, it Ihall 
 be meafured to you again. 
 
 Ohferve here, The prohibition, and the reafon of that pro- 
 hibition. The prohibition, Jtt<!^f «i/ ; This is not meant 
 of ourfelves, but of our neighbour, ^elf-judging is a great 
 duty ; judging others a great fin : yet is not :ill judging of 
 others condemned, but a judging of our neighbour's Ibte 
 or perfon raliily and rigidly, cenlorioufly and uncharitably; 
 efpecially unrighteonfly and unjuftly. And the reafon of 
 the prohibition is added — If we judge others raftily, Cod 
 vilj judge us righteoufly. Learn thence. That a ralli and 
 cenforious judging of others renders a perfon li-ible and ob- 
 Jioxions to the righteous judgment of God. A'o/f,That Chnll: 
 doth not here forbid judicialjuUging by the civil magiltrate, 
 nor ecclefiaftical judging by the church governors, whofe of- 
 fices ai've thom authority fo to do. Nor does he forbid one 
 chnftian to pnfs a Judgment upon the notorious adionsof a- 
 nother, feeing the duty of reproof cannot be performed with- 
 out i: : but it is Inch a ralh and cenforious judging our bro- 
 tjier, as is void of charity towards him, as is accompanied 
 with contempt of him, efpecially if we have been guilty of 
 the fame, or greater fins. 
 
 3 And why beholdeft thou the mote that is 
 in thy brothers eye, but confidereft not the beam 
 that is in thine owneye? 4 Or how wilt thou 
 fay to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote 
 out of thine eye, and behold, a beam ism thine 
 own eye .? 5 Thou hypocrite, firft call out the 
 beam out pi" thine own eye, and then flialt thou 
 fee clearly to call out the mote out of thy bro- 
 ther's eye. 
 
 Bv the mote in our holher's eve, is to be underftood fmall 
 or little fins, or fome fuppofed fins. By the beam in our own 
 eye, is meant fome notorious fin of our own. — Learn, i. That 
 thofe who are moft cenforious of the lefler infirmities of o- 
 thers, are nfiully mod notorioufly guilty of far greater fail- 
 ings. 2. That thofe who dellre others fhould look npon their 
 infirmities with a compaffionate eye, muft not lock upon the 
 failings of others with a cenforious eye. 3. That there is 
 no fuch way to leach us charity in judging others, as to ex- 
 ercife feverity in judging of ourfelves. 
 
 6 €T Give not that v/hich is holy unto the dogs, 
 r.either caft ye your pearls before fwine, left 
 they trample them under their feet, and turn a- 
 gain and rent you. 
 
 By !' at which is holy, underftand the word and ordinances 
 in genera!, but admonitionand reproof in particular : hy (tr^gs 
 nAf-uine, incorrigible and unreclaimable finners, hardened 
 uorncrs of holy things. It is .-i proverbial fpeech cxpn-ff- 
 ing how fure charitable reprehenfions are to be caft away 
 upon incorrigible finners. Learn, i. That it is poffible for 
 linners to arrive to fuch aheight and pitch in witkednefs and 
 
 fin, that it inay be a chriftian's duty not to admonifh or re- 
 prove them'. 2. How ChrifV provides, as for tlie honour of 
 his word, fo for the fafety of them that publiili it. As 
 Chrift will not have his word offered to fome finners, left 
 they abufe it, fo alfo left they niouUl abnfe thofe that bring 
 it ; When finners turn fwine, and we are in danger of be. 
 ing rent by them, Chrifthimlclf gives usa permillion to ceafe 
 reproving of them. 
 
 7 % Adf, and it (hall be given you ; feek, and 
 ye fhall find ; knock, and it (hall be opened un- 
 to you : 8 For every one that afkethreceiveth; 
 and he that feeketh findeth ; and to him that 
 liiiocketh it Ihall be opened. 9 Or what man is 
 there of you, whom if hisfon a(k bread will he 
 give him a ftone ? lo Or if he afli a fifh, will lie 
 give him a ferpent ? 1 1 If 3'e then being evil, 
 know how to give good gifts unto your children, 
 how much more lliall your Father which is in 
 heaven give good things to them that a!k him. 
 
 Obferve here, A precept and a promife ; the precept or du- 
 ty commanded, is importunity and condancy in prayer ; we 
 muft afkyfeek and knock : The promife of mercy iufiired, is 
 audience and acceptance with God. Note, i. That man is 
 a poor, indijjent, neceflitous creature, full of wants, but un- 
 able to fiipply them. 1. That God is an all fufficient good, 
 able to fupply the wants, and to relieve the neceliities of his 
 creatures, if they call upon him, and cry unto him. 3. Yet 
 if we do not prefently receive v.'h^i weafl:, we muiilbll con- 
 tmue to/iek. and knock ; though prayer be not always an- 
 Iwered in our time, yet it fijall "never fail of aniwer in God's 
 time. 4. That natural propenfit^' whicJi we find in our breafts 
 to hear the defires and to fi>pply the wants of our own chil- 
 dren, ought to raife in us a confident expeiftation, that al- 
 mighty God will hear our pray erssnd fupply our wants, when 
 we call npon him : If a. father will give when a child aflcs, 
 much n)ore will God. Jfye, being evil, know how to give good 
 gifts unto your children, how much m'^re fljall your Father ,hz. 
 God loves to be giving, and to give good gifts is his delight. 
 But prayer is the key that opens both his heart ar.d hand : 
 "i et not evei-y perfon nor every prayer fliall find acceptance 
 v.'iih God ; the perfon praying muft be a doer of God's wiU, 
 St. John ix. 31. and not regard iniquity in his heart, no- 
 entertain any grudge againft his neighbours ; the matter we 
 pray for muft be agreeable to God's will, and the manner 
 of our praying muft be in faith, ai.d with fervency, and un- 
 fainting perfeverance. 
 
 1 2 Therefore ali things whatfoever ye w^ould 
 that men fliould do ur.to you, do ye even fo to 
 them : ior this is the law and the prophets. 
 
 OZ/d-rt/e here, i. An incomparable rule oflife;'.nlw,iv? -o 
 do as we would be done by. Nate, That the^}r^cat njc c i" 
 righteoufnefs and equity in all our dealings with iru r i. 1;.;;, 
 'lo di> as we would be doneunto ■ k is a (hort rule, u I'c'A vJ-'. 
 and a clear rule, both the lighi of' nature and the Uw ci 
 Chnft bind it upon ue. 2. Tne com ttiend.it inn cf :hk r..^-. 
 

 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap, 
 
 vn. 
 
 ft IS the Itrjj and th J prophets ; that is, the fum of the Old 
 Teftament, fo far as concerns our duty to our neighbour, 
 an.l the fubftance of the iVcond Cable. learn, Fh.it it is the 
 defijn of the fcriptiires of the Old Tell.iment, firll to ren- 
 der men dutiful and obedient to God, and then righteous 
 :,m\ charitable one to another. This is the Ltvj and the prn. 
 phets ; yea, the whole of the law and the prophets, to love 
 God above ourfelves, and our neighbours as ourfelves. 
 
 13 ^ Enter yc in at the ftrait gate ; for wide 
 ir> the gate, and broad is the way that lead- 
 eth to dc(tru6lion, and many there be which go 
 in thereat : 14, Becaule ftrait is the gate, and 
 narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and 
 few there be that find it. 
 
 Chftrve here, i. That every man is a traveller in a cer- 
 tain way. 1. That there are but two waysin which the race 
 of mankind can travel; the one flrait and narrow, that leads 
 to life and falvation ; the other broad and wide, which leads 
 to helland deftrudtlon. 3. That bccaufe of the difficulties in 
 the way to falvation, ami the eafinefs of tlie way to hell and 
 deftrudion, hence it is that fo few walk in the one, and fo 
 many in the other. 4. That chriftians have the flrait way 
 to heaven revealed to them, in and by the word of God, 
 fliould chnfe rather to go in that way alone to life, than 
 to run with the multitude in the broad way which leads 
 down to the chambers of death and hell. 5. That the met- 
 aphor of a gate denotes our firft entrance into a religious 
 courfc of life ; and its being ftrait, denotes the difficulty that 
 attends religion at fiifl : evil habits to be put off, old com- 
 panions in fin to be parted with ; but when faith and pati- 
 ence have once fmoothsd our way, love will make our work 
 delightful to us. 
 
 15 •[ Beware of falfe prophets, wliich come 
 to you in flieeps clothing, but inwardly the}^ are 
 ravening wolves. 16 Ye fliall know them by 
 their fruits. Do men gather grapes ot thorns, 
 or figs of thiftles? 17 Even fo every good tree 
 bringeth fortli good fruit ; but a corrupt tree 
 bringcth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree can- 
 not bring forth evil fruit : neither can a corrupt 
 tree bring lorthgood fruit. 19 Every tree that 
 bringcth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, 
 and caft into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their 
 fruits ye fliall know them. 
 
 Chferve here, 1. A caution given, Beivr.re off alfe prophets. 
 There arc two forts of deceivers which our Saviour gave 
 his difciples a fpccial warning of ; namely, falfe Chri/fs and 
 falfe prophets. Falfe Chrifls were fuch as pretended to be 
 the true MelH-is; falfe prophets were fuch as pretended to 
 own chriftianity, but drew people away frora the fimplicity 
 of the gofj^l. 2. The ground of this cautiim ; They come in 
 Jljeeps clothins^, hut tnwarJIy ure rjviningvolves ; that is, they 
 make fair pretences to ftridnefs in religion, and to greater 
 meafurcs and degrees of fclfJenial ;ind mortification than o- 
 ihers. W hence we Iciirn, That fuch vf ho go about to fcduce 
 
 others, ufually pretend to extraordinary meafures ef fanftity 
 themfelves, to raife an admiration amongft thofe who judge 
 of faints more by their k;oks than by their lives ; more hy 
 their expreffion than by their aClioui. Vv hat heavenly looks 
 and devout geftures, what long prayers and frequent faltings 
 had the hypocritical Fliarifees, beyond what Chrift or his dif. 
 ciplesevcrpractiled ! 3. The rule laid down by Chrifir, where- 
 by we are to judge of faMe teachers ; By their fruit Jhall ye 
 know ih'm. Learn, That the beft courfc we can take \.i> 
 judge of teachers pretending tobcltnrof God, is to examine 
 the defign and tendency of their doctrines, and the courfe 
 and tenor of their oonverfations. Good teachers, like good 
 trees, will bring forth the good fruits of truth and holinefs ; 
 but evil men raid fcducers, like corrupt trees, will bring 
 £orth error and wickednefs in their life and doftrine. 
 
 21 ^ Not evwcy one that faith unto rae, 
 Lord, Lord, Ihall enter^r^o tiie kingdom of hea- 
 ven ; but he that doeth the>*vvll of my Father 
 which is in heaven. 2s Many v/iU fay to me in 
 that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied 
 in tliy name ? and in thy name caft out devils i 
 and in tiiy r.amc done many wonderful works ? 
 23 And then will I profefs unto them, I never 
 knew you ; depart from me ye that work ini- 
 quity. 
 
 Kct every one; that is, Not any one that faith. Lord, Lord ; 
 that is that owneth me by way of profeflion, by way of prayer, 
 and by way of appeal (hall be faved JJut he thai doeth the 'j.-ill 
 of my Father fuicerely and univerfally. Learn hence, i. That 
 multitudes at the greatday AmU be really difowned by Chrifl, 
 as none of hi^ fervants, that did r.ominaily own him tor their 
 Lord and MsHcr here : many that have prophefied in his 
 name, fhall then perifli in his wrath : many th-.t have caft out 
 devils now, lliall be caft out to devils then : fuch as have 
 now done many wonderful works, fliall then perifh for evil 
 workers. 2. That a bare name and profeflion of cliriftianity, 
 without the practice of it, is a very infufficient ground to build 
 our hopes of heaven and falvation upon. A pro'efTion of 
 faith, and purpofes of obedience, without aftual obedience to 
 the commands of God, will avail no perfon to falvation. 
 3. That gifts, eminent gitts, yea extraorilijiary and miracu- 
 lous gifts, are not to be depended upon as fufficicnt evidences 
 for heaven and falvation. Gifts are as gold which adorns 
 the temple, but grace is like the temple that fanftifies the gold 
 
 24 ^ Therefore, whofoever hcareth thefe I 
 fayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken [ 
 him unto a wife man, which built his houfe up- 
 on a rock : 25 And the rain delcended, and tno 
 floods came, and the winds blew, and l)cat upon 
 that houfe ; and it fell not ; for it was founded 
 upon a rock. 26' And every one that heareth , 
 thefe fayings of mine, and doeth them not, fliall | 
 be likened unto a foolifli man which built his 
 houfe upon the fand : 27 And the rain dcfcciid- 
 
 cd 
 
Chap. viir. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 
 "ed, and the floods came, and the wimls blew, and 
 beat upon that hoiile ; and it Tell, aad great was 
 the iall of it. 
 
 Our Lord here fpeaks of tvvo Iioufes, the one built upon 
 a rock, ihe other on the fand ; thefe two houfes were alike 
 flcillfully built to outward appearance ; wliile the fuufhone 
 and th« weather was fair, none could difcern but that the 
 houfe upon the fand was built as well, and might ftand as 
 long, as that on the lock ; but when the rain fell, the foun- 
 dation failed. Thus, where is the hypocrite, with all his 
 faith and fear, with all his fliew and appearance of gr;'ce, in 
 a wet and windy day? His goodly outfide is like the apples of 
 Sodom, fair and alluring to the eye, but being touched, e- 
 vaporate into duft and fmoke. An hypocrite Itands in grace 
 no longer than until he falls into tronl^lc : and, accordingly, 
 our l|,ord here concludes his '•"'-ellent fermon with an ele- 
 gant fimilitnde. The "ife builder is not the frequent hear- 
 er, but the faithful doer of the word , the houfe is heaven, 
 and the hope of eternal life ; and the rock is Chrifl: ; the 
 builJiKg up'jn the /and, is refl;ing,in the bare performance of 
 outward duties : the rains, -winds, s.nA floods, are all kinds 
 of afflidling evils, fufferings and perfccutions, that may be- 
 faJ us. Note, I. That the obedient believer is the only wife 
 man, that .builds his hope of heaven upcxn a fureand abiding 
 foundation. Note,-!. That luch proftffbrs ai; reft in the out- 
 ward performances of holy duties, are fooJi/h builders, their 
 foundation is weak and landy , and all their hopes of falv.ntion 
 vain and uncertain. An outward profeffionof chrillianity, 
 though fet oft by prophefying and doing miracles, will not a- 
 vail any man towards his account at the great dsy, without 
 ■that real and faithful, that univerfal and impartial obedience 
 10 the laws of Chrift whicli the gofpel requires. 
 
 28 And it came to pafs when Jefus had ended 
 thele fayings, the people were aftoniflied at his 
 do<51rine : 29 For he taught them as one having 
 authority, and not as the icnbes. 
 
 Here we have two things ohftrvahle .• i. The manner of 
 cur Lord's teaching, it was with authority; that is, it was 
 ■grave and ferious, pious and ardent, phin and profitable. 
 With what brevity, without darknefs ! with what gravity, 
 v/ithout affectation ! With what eloquence, without meretri- 
 cious ornament, were our Lord's difcouifes! The majelty he 
 ftewed in hisfermons, made it evidently appear, that he was 
 iS teacher fent of God, and clothed with his authority. Ob- 
 ferve, 2. The fuccefs of his teaching : The people wereaf/ort- 
 ijhsd at his do<f7r!ne : affeifled with admiration, beiievino- 
 him to be an extraordinary prophet. Learn, Thatfnch is the 
 power of Chrift's doftrine, when accompanied with the en- 
 ergy of the Holy Spirit, that it makes all auditors admirers, 
 yea, behevers ; it caufes aftoniflunent in their minds, and re- 
 forr.-»a:ion in .heir manners. 
 
 C H A P. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 This chapter is called by St. Ambrofe, fcriptura miraculofa, 
 The miracukur/cripture; there being fruaalgrecit miracles 
 recorded, n this chapter ; as the cleanfwg the leper, the cur- 
 ing of the centurion's fervant, the appeajwg of the -winds, Sec. 
 Our Saviour having delivered his dodJrine in the former chap- 
 
 lets, in th'is he larh it -with 'mh:.c!cs,forthe eJJ dhliJJ:mer.: 
 and confirtnation of it. 
 
 WHEN he was come down from th.e moim- 
 tsin, great multitudes followed him. u 
 And behold, there came a leper and worlhipped 
 him, faying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canit mako 
 me clean. 3 And Jefus put forth -6/5 hand, and 
 touched him, faying, I will: Be thou clean. 
 And immediately his leprofy was cleanfed. 4, 
 And Jefus faith unto him. See thou tell no man : 
 but go thy way, fhew thylelf to the prieft, and 
 offer the gift that Mofes commanded, for a telii- 
 mony unto them. 
 
 Note here, in general, That the Jews paid civiLidor.-'tion 
 to then- kings anc> to their prophets : thus Saul ftooped uitii 
 his face to the ground to Samuel, rs'ebuchadnezzerfell on his 
 lace before Daniel, and Obadiah beforeElijah ; from whence 
 may be gathered, that: the adorations given to Chrift by them 
 that knew nothing of his divinity, were paid him as a pro- 
 phet fent from God. Only, next, feveral particulars are 
 here obfcrvable; as, i. The petitioner, and that is a leper, 
 he came and v.orftiipped Chrift, and petitions him to heal 
 him, faying. Lord, if thou -wilt, thou canfl make me clean .- 
 Where he difcovers a firm belief of Chrift's power, but a dif- 
 fidence and diftruft in Chrift's will, to heal him. Learn, 
 Chrift's divine power muft be fully afTented to, and firmlv 
 beheved by all thofe that expeftbenefit by him, and heahng 
 from him. Oh/erve, 2. How readily our Saviour grants his 
 petition ; Jefus touched him, faying, 1 -will .- Be thou clean. 
 Our Saviour, by touching the leper, Ihewed himfelf to be a- 
 bove the hw, as God ; though fubjed to the law, as man; 
 for, by the ceremonial Jaw, the leper was forbidden to be 
 touched. Yet it was a received rule among the Jews, that 
 .T prophet might vary from the punctilios of the cerfmonial 
 law, or change aritual law ; fo did Elijahftretch himfelfou 
 the dead child, and EHlhaonthe Shunamite's fon, notwith- 
 Handing the prohibition of coming near the de.id. Bui 
 Chrift's curing the leper by the word of his mouth, and the 
 touch of his hand, Ihewed his divine power, and proved him- 
 felf to be truly and really fent of Cod ; leprofy being call- 
 ed by the Jews the finger cf God, a difeafe of his fendin;;, 
 and of his removing ; onr Saviour therefore, as a proof cf 
 his being the MelTias, tells the difciples of John,rAa/ thele- 
 pers -were cleanftd. Mat. xi. 5. and the dead ruifed. Which 
 being put together, intimates that the cleanling of the leper 
 is aspeculi-iranaifl of divine power as the railing of the dead; 
 and accordingly, 2 Kings, v. 7. faid the king, Avx 1 a god, 
 that this man fends to me to cure a man of his leprofy ? Cbferve, 
 3. The certainty and fuddennefs of the cure; immediately 
 his leprofy -was cleanfed .- Chrift not only cured him without 
 means, but without the ordinary time required for fuch a 
 ciire. Thus Chrift Ihewed both a power and will to cure 
 him miraculonfly, who believed his power, but queftioned 
 his willingnefs. Cbferve, 4. The charge and command giv. 
 en by Chrift after the cure : 1. To tell no man; whertii:: 
 the modcfty, humility, and piety of Chrift is difcovered, to- 
 gether with the care of his own fafety : hismodefty, in not 
 defying his good deeds fliould be prcclaimed; lus htnilr/. 
 
3i> 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap, viir 
 
 in IhunniufT vain-glorious applaufc anJ commendation ; his 
 piety, iij dcfiring all the piaiie, honour ami glory lliould re- 
 d>uiid entirely to God ; and his care of his own fafcty, left 
 the pahlidiinff of this miracle (hould create liimnntimely dan 
 gerfroni the Pharilees. Chrifti ins, hchold your patiecnio 
 do nuich gfod, and m.ike bnt little noife : Chrift .iff. ftcd no 
 popular air, he did not fpoil a good wcrk by vain oitentati— 
 on. When wc u'ork hard for God.tske we great care that 
 pride doth not fpoil it or ns. O how djffii ult it is to do much 
 fervice, and not value oiirfclves too much for the ferviccs 
 vhit-h we do! The fecond part of the charge which Chrifl; 
 gave the recovered leper was, "Tojhevi himfflf Vi the p'hji, 
 end offer the gift ivkhh n^rifcs cnn'.inamkd, for a tc/timony un 
 t* t'.\in: that is, a tcftimony to the Jews that he was the 
 IVlelli.'S, and "that he did not oppofe the ceremonial law giv. 
 en hy Mofes. Where tiote, 'I'hat our Saviour woul : have 
 the ceremonial law punctually oblVrvcd, fo long as the time 
 for its continuance did endure; though he came to dellroy 
 ihu law.yet wiiiHl itftood,he wouldhaveit obferved Here 
 Dr. Lighfrjt ubferves. That though the priefthood was 
 much di'generatcd from its primitive inllitucion by human 
 inventions, yet Chrift fends the leper to fubinit to it ; be— 
 caufe though they did corrupt, yet they did not extinguilh 
 the divine niftitution. 
 
 5 % And when Jefus was entered into Caper- 
 naum, there came to huii a centurion, befeech- 
 ing him, 6 And faying, Lord, my lervant lieth 
 at home fick of the palfy, grievoufly torment- 
 ed. 7 And Jefus faith unto him, I will come 
 and heal liim. 8 The centurion anfwered and 
 laid, Lord, I am not worthy that thou fliouldeft 
 come under my roof: but ipeak the word only, 
 and my fervant fliall be healed. 9 For I am a 
 man under authority, having foldiers under me : 
 and I fay to this man, Go, and he goeth, and to 
 another. Come, and he cometh : and to my fer- 
 vant. Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jefus 
 heard it, he marvelled, and faid to them thatfol- 
 lov/ed. Verily I fay unto you, I have not fcund 
 ib much faith in Ifrael. 
 
 The fecond miracle our Lord works in this chapter, is 
 the heal:ng of the centurion's ferv;mt. Where chfcrz-r, i. 
 The perfiin th.it applies to him for help and healing: he 
 was a gentile, an heathen, a Roman foldier, an officer, or com- 
 mander. i\otf, That fuch is the freencfs oF Cod's grace, 
 thai it extends itfeif to all ranks, to all orders and degrees 
 of men, r/iihout exception. Even the bloody trade of war 
 yiel.is worthy clients to Chrift. He dotlj not fo much reg.rd 
 who we ari", and wlience \\c are, as what we .'■re, and with 
 \shdt difpoiitioni and inclmaiions we come unto him. 2. 1 he 
 peril);! whom ilie centurion comes 10 Chnlt for ; not for 
 liiinfelf, n.ir h's Ton, but furhisfcrvant. His fervant isfuk, 
 he doth not drive him out of doors, nor ftand gazing by his 
 l>e('-f.de, but hxiks out for relief for him : a worihy eK.im- 
 |ile! Some mafters have not fo uuich regard for ijieir fiik 
 icrvaius, as for their oxen, or their fwine ; but he is no: 
 
 worthy ofa good fervant, that, in tlmeof ficknefs, is not wil— . 
 ling 10 fcrve his fervant. A conceit of fuperiority mull be«»» 
 get in no man a negUft of charitable offices tow ards inferi- 
 ors. 3. Unto whom the ccniurion feeks, and with what 
 Zealand applic.itinn ; he feek^ not to w izz^irds and conjurers, 
 but to thcphyfuian, for his poor fervant; yea, 10 Jefus ilie 
 beft phyfician ; and this is not a formal relation to his mouth, 
 but svith a vehement aggravation of the difcafe ; My firvcmt 
 is gruviufy tirnunted; where the mailer's condolence and 
 tender lympaihy with his afflifted fervant, is bo'h matter 
 of commendation and imitation alio . 4. 1 he happy mixture 
 of humility and faith whicli was tound in this centurion ; he 
 owns his un^vorthinefs of having Clirill come under his 
 roof, yet he acknowlcOged Chriil's po^cr, that by fpeaking 
 of 3 word, his fervant might be healed by him. Humility is 
 both the froit of fjith, and the companion of faith ; an hum- 
 ble foul has an high eiUem of Chr ft. and a low efteem of 
 himfelf. 5. How our bh flld V^j exceidi both his delire* 
 and expeftations; Chrill fays. Nor ».i,ly „ iH 1 heal him, bat 
 I will come and healhi'ii : wonderful co^xlcfcpnfnjn ! in St. 
 John, chap. iv. 47. we read ofa certain nfiSltman and ru- 
 ler, who twice intreated our Lord to come to his houfe and 
 heal his fon, but our Lord refufed, and did not ftir afoot: 
 here the centurion doth but barely tell Chrift of his poor 
 fervant's fitknefs, and he , both unafked and undefired, fij's 
 I luillom.- and heal htm. O how tar w as Chrift fr»;m feeiniug 
 in the leaft to honour riches and defpife poverty ! He that 
 came in the form of a fervant. goes do\\n and vilits a fick 
 fervant uponapoorpallet-bed. that would not vifit the couch 
 of the ruler's fon. How fliould we ftoopto the loweft offices 
 of love and kindnefs to one ano'her, when Jefus thus con— 
 defcendingly abafed himfelf before us ! 6. 1 he notice and 
 obfervation which Jefus takes of the centurion's faith : He 
 w ondered at it from him w ho had wrought it in him. Chrift 
 wrought this faith as God, and wondered at it as man: 
 What can be more wonderful than to fee Chrift wonder? 
 We do not find him wondering at worldly pomp ar.d great- 
 nefs. When the difciples wondered at the magnificence of 
 the temple, Chrift rather rebi:kedthem than wondered with 
 them. But when he lees the gracious aft of faith, lie is ra- 
 vilhcd with wonder. Let it teach us to place admiration 
 where Chrift fixes his — Let u' be more affecVcd with the leaft 
 neafnres of grace in a good man, than with all the gaieties 
 and glory of a great man. Let Ui not envy the one, but 
 admire the othf-r. 
 
 1 1 And I fay unto you , that many (hall romc 
 from theeaft and weft, and fhallfit dov/n v.ith 
 Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom 
 of heaven : 12 But the children of the kingdom 
 fliall be caft out into outer darknels : there fiiall 
 be weeping and gnafhmg of teeth. 13 And Je- 
 fus faid unto the centurion. Go thy way ; and n^ 
 thou haft'believcd, fo be itdoneunt;) thee. And 
 his fervant was healed in the feli-iamehour. 
 
 This was the firfl occafion thai our Lord fook tofpenkof 
 the calling of the Gentiles, and iht n jeflion of the Jews. 
 Clfeirif here, 'I hat the uiibtl'eving Jews are called tht ikil- 
 (lien of tie kingci'jm, bccaul'e born within the pale of the vif- 
 
 ible 
 
Chap. viii. 
 
 St. M a T T II E W. 
 
 35 
 
 jfele church ; tliey prcfuir.f d that the kingdom of heaven 
 was intailed upon them, bccaufe they vveie Abraham's feed; 
 they beaded ot', and gloried in their external and outward 
 privileges. Note thence, i. Thar gofpel ordinances, and 
 churcli-privilcges enjoyed, are a Ipecial honour to a people 
 admitted to a participation of them : our Lord here (lyles 
 the Jews upon that account, The chUJrenofthc kingdom. 2. 
 That fuch privileges enjoyed, but not improved, doprovokc 
 ahnighty God toinfli<fl the heavieft of judgments upon a peo- 
 ple ; The children of the kingdom fia II be cajt into outer duik- 
 nefs ; that is, into the dr.rknefs of hell, where fliall be per- 
 petual lamentations for the remembrance of the gofpel kind- 
 Jy offered, butunthankfully rejefted ; and where repentance 
 and regret .will avail them nothing. 
 
 14, % And when Jefus was come into Peter's 
 houie, he law his wile's mother laid, andfick of 
 a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the 
 fever left her : andfhe arofe and mmiftered un- 
 to them. 
 
 The next miracle which our Lord wrought, was in cur- 
 ing Peter's wife's mother of a fever. The miracle was not 
 in curing an incurable diftemper, but in the way nnd man- 
 ner: I. It was by a touch of our Lord's hand. 2. It was 
 inftantaneous and fudden : immediately the fever I'ft her. 3. 
 The vifible effefts of her recovery prefently appeared ; Jlie 
 infiantly arofe and miniflered unto them. That fhe could a- 
 rife argued her cure miraculous; that (he could and did arife 
 and adminilter unto Jefus, argued thankfalnefs, and a great 
 fenfe of his goodnefs upon her mind. A^ofe here, i. That 
 marriage in the niinifters of the gofpel, yea, even in the 
 •apollles themfelves, and in Peter, the chiefeft of them, 
 was neither cenfured nor yet condemned by our Lord. St. 
 Peter had a wife and family, which Jefus condefcended 
 to vilit. a. That the firfl thing which Chrift takes notice of 
 in the houfe, is what aileth any in it ; what need they ftand 
 in of his help and healing ; accordingl)', together with his 
 prefence, he affords them relief. 3. That when Chrifl: has 
 gracioufly vifited and healed any of his fervants, it ought to 
 be their firft work and next care to adminifter unto Chrill ; 
 that is, to employ their recovered health, and improve their 
 renewed ftrengta in his fervice : She ar'jfe a;id adminijlersd, 
 
 1 6 ^ When the even was come, they brought 
 unto him many that were poflefled with devils : 
 and he ca(t out the fpirits with his word, and 
 healed all that Vv^ere Tick : 1 7 That it might be 
 fulfilled which was ipokcn by Eiaias the pro- 
 phet, faying, Himfelf took our infirmities and 
 bare our ficknefles. 
 
 It was very comman about the tiin? of our Saviour's com- 
 h:g, for the devil bodily co pofTefs perfons, and very grirv- 
 oufly to torment them. This is one of the fad and difmal 
 evils which fm has made us liable and obnoxious 10, to be 
 bodily pofTefTed by Satan; when we give Satan the power 
 of our hearts, it is a juft and righteous thing with Cod to 
 give him the pcTefhon of our bodies. But whois the perfoii 
 that difpoUefTesSstan' Chrift Jefus ; itis a ftronger than the 
 
 rtrong man that muflcafl: out S.it.nn : our Jefus in whom wr 
 trurt, by his powerful word alone can deliver us from Salan'- 
 power, and all the fad efTeds a.id conf^quences thereof. 
 Note, With what condolency and fyinpaihiziiig pity he ey.- 
 ercifes thefe adts of mercy antl coinpaflion towardspoor crea- 
 tures : he is faid totalce our infirmities upon himfelf, and <:■ 
 b:ar ct4r fickneffes ; he bare the guilt, which was the caufe 
 of thefe griefs and forrows ! and he bare the furrows them- 
 felves, by a tender fympathy with us under the burden of 
 them. Chrift confiders our lufTeringsas his own : lie is af. 
 fiicled in all our affiicli'ms, and pained with all our pains ; in 
 this fenfe. He took our infrmities and bareour flckmfjes. 
 
 18 ^ Now when Jefus faw great multitude; 
 about him, he gave commandment to depart un- 
 to the other fide. 19 And a certain fcribe came, 
 and faid unto him, Mafter, 1 will follow tliee 
 whitherfoever thou goeft. 20 And Jefus faith 
 unto him. The foxes have hole?, and the birds of 
 the air have their nefts : but the fon of man hath 
 not where to lay his head. 
 
 Obferve here, A perfon rcfolvingto follow Chrift; a good 
 refolution, if made deliberately, and not rafhly, nor for iln- 
 ifter ends and fecular advantages ; which, it is to be feared 
 was the cafe here, by the anl'wer which our Lord gives ; 
 for, fays he, Foxes have holes, &c. That is, my condition is 
 very poor, worfe than the birds cf the air, for they have 
 their fixed nefts ; or the hearts of the earth, for they have 
 their dens and holer. ; but I have no fixed habitation. Note, 
 I. That many perfons take up rafli and fudden refolutions 
 to follow Chrift, before they have well confidered what it 
 v/ill coft them ; and what they are like to lofe by being his 
 difciples. 2. That fuch men may find themfelves miferab!/ 
 miftaken, who expect to gain any thing by following Chrift 
 but their foul's falvation. 3. The title given to Chrift, 
 he is ftyled here, and elfe-where. The fon of man. (i.) To 
 fhew the truth of his humanity ; the fon of man niiift be 
 man. (2.) To fliew the depth of his abafenient'; Chrift 
 humbled, yea, emptied himfelf, when being the Son of God 
 he fubmitted to be made man : The Son of man liathKOt luhtve 
 to lay, Szc. 
 
 21 Another of his difciples laid unto him. Lord, 
 fuffer me to go and bury my father. 22 But 
 Jefus faid unto him, follow me, and let the dead 
 their dead. 
 
 bury 
 
 We muft not fuppofe by this prohibition, that Chrift dif- 
 allovvs or difapproves of any civil office from one perfon to a- 
 no'her, much lefs of achild to a parent, either living or dy- 
 ing : but he lets us know, i. That no office of love and fer- 
 vice of man muft be preferred before our duty to God, unia 
 ■whom we owe our firft obedience. 2. That lawful and de- 
 cent cfficcs become finiul when they hinder greater duties. 
 ;. That fuch a; are called to the woik and emplcyment of 
 the miniftry, muft mind that alone, and leave inferior duties 
 to inferior perfons ; as if our Lord had fa'd, Others will 
 ferve well enough to bt:ry the dead ; but thou ijiat art a 
 confecrated perfon, muft do that to which thou artconfecr.n. 
 
 E2 cd 
 
5« 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 C<iAP. viir.. 
 
 ed and fet apart. Under tlic law the priefts might not come 
 near a dead corple, nor med.lle with the iiuerineuc of their 
 parents ; to which our Lord probably alludes. 
 
 2.'3 ^ And when he was entered into a (hip, 
 his diiciples followed him. 24, And behold, there 
 arolc a great tcnipeft in the lea, inlVmuch that 
 the fhip was covered with the waves: but he 
 was aflecp. 25 And his difciples came to him, 
 and awoke him, laying. Lord, lave us : we pe- 
 rifli. 26 And he iaitliunto them. Why are ye 
 fearlul, O ye of little faitii ? Then he arofe, and 
 rebuked tlie winds and the fea, aiilthere waaj». 
 great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, laying. 
 What manner of man is this, that even the winds 
 and the lea obey him ? • 
 
 Cbferve here, i. Chrift and his difciples no fooner put 
 forth to fea, but dangers attend, and difficulties do accompa- 
 ny them ; a teiiipelt arofe, and the (hip w.is covered with 
 waves. Lirtrdthence. that the prefence oi Ciiriftitftlf doth 
 not exempt his diiciples and followers from trouble and dan- 
 ger. Here is a great tempeft about the difciples ears, though 
 Jefus was in their ccnipany. 2. The pofturethat Chrift was 
 in when the tempeft arofe ; he being weary on the land, was 
 fallen afleep in the fliip : our blcfled Redeenier hereby ftiew- 
 ed himfelf to be truly and really man :' as he took upon him 
 our human nature, fo he fubje£i:ed himfelf to our human in- 
 firmities. 3. The difciple's application made to him : they 
 awoke him with a fad outcry, Lerd, fave us .• lue per':/]}. 
 Here was faith mixed with human frailty : they hadfaiihin 
 his power, that he could fi\'t them ; but being afleep, they 
 concluded he muft awake before he could lave them : where 
 as though his human nature was afl.eep, yet his divine nature 
 neiihtr flumbered or flept. Learn hence, That the preva- 
 lency of fear in a time of great imminent danger, though it 
 may argue weaknefs ol faith, yet is no evidence of want of 
 faith : in the niidft of the difciples fear, they believed Chrift's 
 power. 4. A double rebuke given by our Saviour : ( i. ) 
 To the winds and feas ; and the fears of the difciples ; He 
 rehukfs thewnds andfeai,-inii infir.nt\y they are calm ; when 
 the fea uas furious as a madman, Chrift by his divine power 
 calms it. Zrarw hence, That the moft raging winds, and out- 
 rageous feas cannot ftand before the rebi;kes of Chrift ; if 
 once he rebukes rhcni, their rage is down ; God lays a law 
 upon the raoftlav.lels creatures, even when they Teem to aft 
 molt laulefly. (2.) Our Lord rebukes his difciple's fears, 
 I'/hy are ye fearful? No fooner was a ftorm up, but their 
 fears were up, and they were as much overfet with their 
 boifterous paflions, as the vrfiel was with the tempeftuous 
 winds; and accordugly he rebukes the tempeft within, and 
 then the tempeft without ; firft he calms tJicir hearts, and 
 then the (eas. From this inft;ince we fee, that great faith 
 in the h.ibit, mr.y appear little in rt and exercifc; the dif- 
 ciples faith in forfaking all and folKc.vinj); Chrift, was great 
 f.ii»h; but in this preient aft their faith was weak, through 
 iheprcv-ilcncyofthcir fear- Laftly, thcfaithof the difciples 
 was 1( n't'DCd tlirougli their fear : fear is frenerated by uiibc- 
 licf, and nnbelicf ftreiigthenedby fear; as in things natural 
 
 there is a circular generation) vapours beget (howers, and 
 fliowcrs vapours ; foitis in things nmrrfl, nothing can cure US- 
 of fear, till God cures us of unbelief : Chrift, therelore,t.ikcs. 
 an effeftuil method to rid the difciplesof their fears, by rebu-^« 
 kmg their unbelief. 
 
 28 ^ And when he was cnme to the other 
 fide into the country of the Gergelenes, there 
 met him two pofl'efled with devils, commg out 
 of the tombs, exceed ng fierce, lb that no maa 
 might pals by that way. 
 
 We read of fe*', if any, in the Old Tcilament that were 
 poflefled with evil fpirit-,but oi many in the New Teftament. 
 Our Sa,«iQur cam'' intnth? world todeftrov the works of the 
 devil : thereTbrt k^.fuffured Satan to enter (ome human bo- 
 dies, to fliew his divine pt>«^ ,„ cafting them out. Nate 
 here. i. That the evil angels'tey^gir tall'lolk their purity, 
 but not their power. 2. That they "dt>^^o cfter exert their 
 po^cr in doing mifchief to the bodies and lives of men, is 
 from the reltrainiug power of Gt:d. 
 
 29 And behold, they cried out, faying, What 
 have we to do with thee, Jefus, thou Son of 
 God .'' art thou come hither to torment us be- 
 fore the time ? 
 
 Ohferve, The devils knew Jefus to bethe fon of God, and 
 that he came into the world to be a Saviour, but not their 
 Saviour ; and therefoie they cr»ed out, What have -we to dt- 
 •with thee? or thou w ith us ? O whatan uncomfortable faith 
 is this, to believe that Chrift is a Saviour, and at the fame 
 time to know that he isnoneof our Saviour? But what i& 
 their outcry aguinft Chrift? This, jirt thou come to tor. 
 trient us lif/ore the time- ? Learn, I. That there are tortures 
 appointed to the fpiriiual natures ot evil angels. 1 he fire 
 of hell is conceiveil to be partly material, and partly fpiritu* 
 al ; partly mareri.il., to work upon the bodies of evil men; 
 and partly fpiriiual to vvoik upon the fouls of men, and the 
 fpirits of evil angels. 2. J hat tliough the devils be now as 
 full of difeontent as they can be, yet they are not fo full of 
 torments as they (hall be ; their fpeech here intimates, that 
 there will be a time when their torments (hall be increafcd, 
 when they fhall have their fill of torment ; therefore they 
 pray, Incrcafe not our torments before the appointed time 
 of their increafe. 
 
 30 And there was a good way oiTrrom them 
 an herd of many fwine feeding, gi So the de- 
 vils bclought him, faying, If thou call us out, 
 fufter us to go away into the herd of fwine. 
 
 Nolehere, i. A notahleinftanccof Satan'slimited poB'er, 
 that a whole legion of devils had not power to deftrof one 
 man, nor were able to hurt the me^neft crea'.ure without 
 permidion 2. 1 he devils's acknowledgment of their own 
 impotfiuy, ant* Chrift'? power ; 'heir alkintr leave tOi::,oin. 
 to the fwine, fliews that they could nor go of ihrmfclves. 
 Learnhence, 1. The reftleffiiefs of Satan's malice ; he will 
 hurt the fwine, rather than not hurt atall. 2. Thatihough 
 Satan's malice be infinite, yethispowerisliniitedand bound- 
 
 ed; 
 
Chap. «. 
 
 St. MATTHEW 
 
 37 
 
 cd ; 35 he cnnnot do all the mifchief he would, fo he (hall 
 not do all he can. 
 
 32 And he faid unto them, Go. And when 
 they were come out, they went into the herd of 
 fwine : and behold, the whole herd of fwinc ran 
 violently down a (teep place into the lea, and 
 perilbed in the waters. 
 
 Although Chrift feldim wrought any deftruftive miracle, 
 and .although he certainly forefiw that the (wine \>.ould pe- 
 ridi in the waters ; yet that tlie people n>ight fee how great 
 the power and molice of the devil would be, if not reltramed, 
 he permitted h'm to enter into the Twine: Chi'ijr laid unta 
 h'lm, Cn ; and how glad was Satan o( (his prrmiflion 10 enter 
 into'ths Twine, in order to their de'^-^^'-lion ! Let it teach 
 »^onr duty by prayer, to com-^'t ourfclvts, and all that we 
 hai-c, morning and ever.nrg, into the hands of God's care ; 
 all that we have in ilie houfe, and all that we have in the 
 field, that it m.y be preferved from the power and malice 
 of evil fpirits. 
 
 33 And they that kept them fled, and went 
 their ways into the city, and told every thing; 
 and what w as betiillen the poileiledot the devils. 
 34, And beluold, the whole city came out to 
 meet Jefus ; and when they faw him, they be- 
 fought liim that he would depart out of their 
 Coafts. 
 
 Ohferve, i. What a contrary efTeft this miracle which 
 Chrift wrought, had uponthefe people : inftea<i of believing 
 on him for his miraculous cure of the poflefled, the lofs of 
 their fwine enrages the.n, an ' makes them ddire Chrift to 
 depart from them. Temporal lolTesare fo gieat in worldly 
 men's eftim;itio;i, that fpiritual ad vantages are nothing efteem- 
 ed ; carnal hearts prefer th^ir fwine brfore their Saviour ; 
 and had r.nther lofc the prefence of Jcfus Chrift, than any 
 part of their worldly profits. 2 How umnimous and impor- 
 tunate thefe Gadarenes were to g^^trid of Chrift ; thewhdie 
 city came out, and are not only willing to his departure, but 
 they befeceh him to depart out of their coarts;. Lea^n, lliat 
 dei)lorablj fad is the condition of fuch fi-om whom Chrift die- 
 parts ; more deplorably fad is their condition w ho ("ay unto 
 him, Depart ; but moft deplorably fad is the cafe of them 
 that intrcstand liefeech Chrift to depart from thefli. Thus 
 did the Gadarenes, and accordingly Chrift took (liip and 
 departed from them, and we never read of his return unto 
 them. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 IX. 
 
 /. 
 
 ND he enteretl into a fhip, and paffcd over, 
 JLand came into his own city. 
 
 Tn the Ir.fl verfe of the foregoing chapter, the Gadarenes, 
 with one tonient, delire Chnitto df-part out of their coafts, 
 and according td their delire, he i^no'.^' departing from tlu'm 
 into his o.vn city, which was Cipernauin; for hethUhcm 
 brought hliiiforih, Nazareth brought himvip.. and Caperna- 
 
 um was his dwelling pisce. From their defire of our Lord's 
 departure, and from h >- departing jcccrding to t'.u-ir defire, 
 we learn. That the hkfTed jeftit will not long trouble that 
 people with his prt-ftncc, who are weary ofhis company, and 
 defirous of his df partnre.- 
 
 2 And behold, they brought to him a man 
 fick ot the pally lying on a bed: and jefus fee- 
 ing their faith, laid unto the fick of the palfy, 
 Son, be of good cheer, thy fins be forgiven thee. 
 
 Cbfirve, I. The patient, One fick ofih; palfy ; which be- 
 ing a refolution of the nerves, weakens the joints, and con- 
 fines the perfon to his bed or conch. Asa denionftraiionof 
 CliriftS divine power, lie waspL'altd to fingle out foine in- 
 curable direafes(as the world accounts them) to work a cure 
 upon, as the leprofy and palfy. ^. The phyfician, Je/ut 
 Chrift; he alone is that wife, faithful, and compafTionate 
 phyfician, that can, and doth cure both foul and body. 3. 
 The moving and inapulfive caufe of his cure, Jcfus feeing 
 thnrfaHh; that is, their (irni perfuafionthat he was clo'hed 
 with a divine povr-cr, ard able to help ; together with their 
 confidence in his goodnefs, that he was as willing as he was 
 able; and no fooner did they exercife their faith in believ- 
 ing, but Chrift exerted his divine power in healing. Ii was 
 not the fick man's faith, but the fath ot his friends : the 
 faith of othcr^ may prevail for obtaining corpor.il benefits, 
 and temporal bleflings for us; thus the centurion's faith 
 he.iled his fervant, and Jarut's faith raifcd his daughter. 4. 
 The marvellous efficacy and power ot faith : It obtained not 
 only what was di-ftred, but more than was cxpefled ; they 
 delired only the healing of the body, but Jefus feeing their 
 faiih, heals body and Ibul too, faying. Be of good chter, thy 
 fins be f'/rgiven thee ; intimating that difeafes proceed from 
 fin, bccanfe Chrift firft fpeaks of forgiving them ; yet it is 
 conceived that he rather fpeaketh here of the tempo' al re— 
 miflion of the puniflimenr, than of the eternal ; becaufe that 
 depends cn our own faith, and not on others. 
 
 3 And behold certain of thefcribesfaid with- 
 in themfelves, This man blafphemeth. 
 
 Se" here, how the beft of inenarefometimescharged with 
 faying and doing the w orli of things; to<lo well, and bear 
 ill, was the portion of Chrift himfelf, and may be the porti- 
 on of the holieft of thofe that belongto him. The innocent 
 Je!u! was icculed ofblafphemy, of lorcery, and ofthe black- 
 eft crimes. Innocency itfelf can proteft no man from flan- 
 der and falfe accu'.ations. 
 
 4 And Jelus knowing their thoughts, faid, 
 Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts .'' 5 For 
 whether is it eafier to lay, Thy fins be lorgiven 
 thee ; or to fay, Aril'eand walk ? 6 But that ye 
 may know that the Son of man hath power ox\ 
 earth to forgive fins, (then laith he to the fick 
 of the pally) Arife, take up thy bed, and go un- 
 to thine houle. 
 
 Our Saviour here gives the Ph.irifees a two-fold dcnnn- 
 
 ft' ■■ 
 
ss 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 ftration of l)is goJheaJ : lirft, hy letting them underftand 
 tint he knew their thoughts; for to fearth the hearts, and 
 ••■' know the thoughts ol" the children of men, is not iu the 
 ]jo\ver tiihi-'v nf siigi-ls or men, but the prerogative of God 
 only. Secondly, by afTutjing to hinilelf a power to forgive 
 lins ; the Son of man hath power to forgive (Ir.s. OurSa- 
 vijur here, by forgiving fins in his mvn name, and by his 
 own autliority, doth give tiie world an undeniable proof and 
 convincing evidence of liis godhead: For v.<ho can forgive 
 fitii , but Codcv.ly ? 
 
 *? And he arofe and departed to hishoufe. 8 
 But when the multitude faw it, they marvelled, 
 and glorified God, which had given fuch pow- 
 er unto mau. 
 
 Note here. The multlcyde mar^'clled, but pot believed ; 
 they admire our Saviour for an extraordinary man, but did 
 not believe him as the Son of God : theypraife Godforgiv- 
 inp- fuch power to heal thebodiesofmen : butnotfor fend- 
 ing his i^on into iheworkl to fave the fouls of men. Learn 
 hence. That tlie fight of Chrifl's miracles is not fufEcient to 
 \\o\\{. faith in the foul, but requires the concurring operation 
 of the Holy Spirit ; the one may make us marvel, the other 
 • mult make us believe. 
 
 9 «f And as jefus pafled forth from thence, 
 lie {"av/ a man named Matthew fitting at the re- 
 ceipt of cuftom : and he faith unto him. Follow 
 me. And he arofe, and followed him. 
 
 Chftrv: here, The number of our Lord's apodlec not being 
 filhd up, what a ftrange election and choice he makes; Mat- 
 thew, a grinding publican, is the man. Z.e<vr«, Such is the 
 freenefs of God's grace, that it chufes, and fuch is the effica- 
 cy of it, t'.iat it overpowers aud brinps in the worft of finners 
 unto God; Matthew, a publican; Zaccheus, an extortioner ; 
 MarjaCTth, a murderer ; Paul, a perfecutor : all thefe are 
 brouj^ht home lo God by the power of converting grace. 2. 
 Maithew's ready compliance with God's call. He arofe and 
 j'Ahwed Chr'tjl. When the inward call of the fpirit acco*mpa- 
 nies the outward call of the word, the foul readily complies, 
 and prefenily yields obedience to the voice of God. (Bp. 
 Jlnll.) Chrift oftentimes fpeaks by his word to our ears^ and 
 wc hear not, we ftir not ; but when he fpeaks by liis Spirit 
 to our he.iits, Satan fliall not hold us down, the world fhall 
 not keep us back, but we lliall arife, and follow our Lord and 
 Mailer. 
 
 10 % And it cametopafs, asjefuslat at meat 
 in the houfe, behold, many publicans and finners 
 came and fat down with him and his difciples. 
 
 Chfervi here, Chrift invites Matthew to a difciplertiip, 
 Matthew invites Chrift to afeaft ; {he fervant invites his maf- 
 ter, a finntr invites his Saviour. We do not find, wherever 
 Chrift was invited to any table, that he rtfufcd to go ; if a 
 Pharifte, if a pubhcan invited, he conftantiy went ; not for 
 the pleafure of eating ; but for the opporrunity ofconverf- 
 ing and doing good; Chrift feafts ii5, when we feafthim. 
 f'iomMatthew'sexamji!e,/(<»r«,That new converts arc full 
 
 of affection towards Chrift, tind very exprefllve of their love 
 to him. Such as before converfion difel'reemed him, do af- 
 terwards kindly and refpcdfully entertain him. Mittluw, 
 touched with a feufeof Chrift's love, makes him arnyjl feaft. 
 Ohferve farther, How at this feaft many publicans andfiniiersj 
 were prefent, of Matthew's acquaintance, uodoubt, and pro- 
 bably invited by him, that they might alfo fee Jefus, and be 
 partakers of the fame grace with him. Whence we Lam, 
 That grace teaches a man to dcfirc and fetk the convcr(ioa 
 of others, and fuch as are truly brought home to Chrift, wilF 
 ftudy and endeavour to bring in all their acquaintance to 
 him alfo. 
 
 1 1 And when the Pharifees faw it, they faid 
 unto his dilciples, Why eateth your mafter with 
 publicans aud .finners ? 
 
 See here, what a griefTt-w^p wicked men to find others 
 brought into Chrift: the wickedTM^^hfees murmer, repine, 
 and envy, inftead^of admiring Chrift's">»qdef'ccnfion and a- 
 doring his divine good nefs : they cenfure hliaforconverfing 
 with (tuners; but hetelL them in the following vsrfes, that- 
 he converfed with them as their phyfician, not as their com- 
 panion. Leaving a ftnking example to the minifters of the 
 gofpel, to ufe all poflible means, in order to bring about the, 
 converfion of finners. 
 
 ■ 1 3 But when Jefus heard that, he faid unto 
 them. They that be whole need not a phyfician, 
 but they that arefick. 13 But go ye and learn 
 what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not 
 lacrifice : for I am not come to call the righte- 
 ous, but finners to repentance. 
 
 As if our Lord had faid, 'With whom fhould the phyfici- 
 an converle, but with his fick patients ? Now I am come in- 
 to the world to do the office of a kind phyfician unto men. 
 Surely then I am come to take all opportunities to help and 
 heal them: theyarefick, and need the ph3^cian. But for you 
 Pharifees, who are whole and well in your ov/n opinion, and 
 fwelled with a conceit of your own righteoufncfs, 1 have no 
 liopes of doing any good upon you ; for fuch as think them- 
 felves whole defire nophyfician's help.' IfiJ'w hence, i. 
 That fin is the foul's m.ilady, its fpiritualdifeafe and ficknefs. 
 2. That Chrift is the phyfician appointed by God for tlie cure 
 and healing of this difeafe and malady. 3. That there are 
 multitudes fpiritually fick, who yet think themfelves found 
 and whole. 4. That fuch only as are .'"enfible of their fpiri- 
 tual ficknefs, are fubjefts capable of cure, and the perfons 
 whom Chrift is a healing phyfician to ; They that are -whole 
 need not a phyjic'tan, but they that ere fick. 
 
 14, •(i Then came to him the difciples of John 
 faying, Why do we and the Pharifees fall oft, 
 but thy dilciples fafi not? 15 Andjefus faid un- 
 to them, Can the children of the bride-chamber 
 mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them .? 
 but the days will come v\hen the bridegroom 
 fliall be taken from them, and then ftiall they 
 
 ' fall 
 
Chap. rx. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 faft.iSNoman putteth a piece of new cloth un- 
 to an old garment: tor that which is put in to 
 fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent 
 is made worfe. 17 Neitlier do men put new 
 wine into old bottles : elfe the bottles break, and 
 the wine runneth out, and the bottles perifli : 
 but they put new wine into new bottles, and 
 both are preferved. 
 
 ThePIiarifecs th(mfelves had a contention with nur Savi- 
 our in the foregoing verfes: here thty fee on the dil'ciples of 
 John, to contend with him about his dilciplts fading; al- 
 ledjring ihat the diltiples of John f..fttd often, Chrift'J dif- 
 ciplcs not at all : our L ord owns it, that his diCcipies did not 
 fad at prefent, for tworeafons l. B caufeit was unfuilbble 
 to them. 2. I'ecaiife it was inrol'^'-J'^le for them. It was 
 tinUiitable to them, becauie orChr:lt's bodily prefpnce with 
 them ; this made it a ri'ne of joy and fcafting, notof mourn- 
 ing and falling. W hillt Chrilttne Iiridegrooni is with them, 
 they mult fealt and rejoice : when removed from them, there 
 
 V ill be canff enouj»h to faft and mourn. Chriltisthe bride- 
 grnoii, and his church the bride, which hchas elpoufed and 
 married to himfelf ; and whiKt hisfpoufe did enjov hisbodi 
 ly prelence with her.it was a day of joy and rejoicing to her, 
 and mourning and falling were miproper for her. Again, 
 this difcipliiie of fait ng was ar prefent intolerable for the 
 dikiples; for they were raw, green and tender, and coii'd 
 no more bear the feverities of religion at prefent. than an 
 old garment could bear a piece of new ftifFcloth fct into it, 
 
 V hich will make the rent worfe, if the garment comes to 
 ftretcli ; nor no more than old bottles can keep new wine. 
 1 hus, fays Chrilb, 'My difciples a.-e young and green, ten-1 
 der and weak, newlv converted, they cannot bear thefever- 
 er exercifes of religion prefently ; but when I am afcended 
 into heaven, 1 will fend down my Holy Spirit, which fliall 
 f-nable them to do all thedutics the gofpel enjoins." Hence 
 
 c may gather, that young converts, till grown up to fume 
 confillency in grace, iniili not be put upon the feverer exer- 
 ciles of religion, but handled with that tendernefs and gen- 
 tlenefs which becomes the mild and merciful difpenfation of 
 the gofpel. Our Saviojr here commends prudence to his 
 irinifters ; that they put not iheirpeople upon dut.es beyond 
 their llrergtl), but confult their prcgrefs ir. chriftianity, and 
 the proficiency they have made in rei.gion, and treat them 
 ;:cordingly. 
 
 39 
 
 of his faith : Come, fays he, and lay thine hand upon Ur, ar.d 
 JheJ},all live. As if Chrift could not have cured her with 
 out eithercoming to, or laying his hand upon her.' Note 
 here. That although ail th.n come to Chrift are not alike 
 ftong in faith, yet our blelTed Ktdeemer refufes none that 
 cocie unro hm with a lincerc faith, though in much weak- 
 nefsof faith. Jefus arnfeand fMn-\ut:d him. 
 
 20 ^ (And behold, a woman which was dif- 
 ea'ed w th an ifibe of blood twelve years, came 
 behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. 
 81 For file faiJ within herlelf, If I may but 
 touch his garment, I fnallbe whole. 22 Butje- 
 fus turned him about, and v^henhe faw her, lie 
 laid Daughter, be of good comfort ; thy faith 
 hath made thee whole. And the woman was 
 made whole from that hour. 
 
 Whilft Chrift is on his way to the ruler's houfcn difenfed 
 woman coriies behind him, touches his garment, and is in- 
 »antly healed: the virtue hy not in her finger, but in her 
 fanh, or rather in Clirift, which her faith inarumentally drew 
 forth AVf here, How faith oftei^timc. meets with a Iwcet 
 er welcome than it could expeJl. 1 his poor woman came 
 to l-^rilt trembling, but wentaway triumphing; Chrill bids 
 her, Bt of good comfort, kc. ' c 
 
 23 And when Jefus was come into the ruler's 
 houle, he law the minftrels, and the people mak- 
 ing a noife. 24 He faid unto them. Give place 
 tor the maid is not dead, but fleepeth. Aiicl 
 they laughed him to fcorn. 25 But when t!ie 
 people were put forth, he went in, and took her 
 by the hand, and the maid arofe. 26 And the 
 lame hereof went abroad into all that land 
 
 18 While he fpake thefe things unto them, 
 ju *'^^^^C''^"^e a certain ruler and worflVip- 
 pedhim, laying. My daughter iseven now dead : 
 but come and lay tiiine iiand upon her, andflie 
 111? 1 live. 19 And jtfas arofe and followed him, 
 and^orf/c? his difciples. 
 
 Ch?i?>' '' '^'' '^""['^''n^oflure in which this mr.ncame unto 
 J-h ill, ,,.,mely, fall„.g .^j y,;, f.^j 3,,^ ^„r(hipping him ; 
 
 daUL.hter"h T' ""'^J' ^'^^ °f '-^er afTeftion tou a^dsJu 
 daughtei-, but an evidence ofhi.s laithin our bleffed ...viour; 
 yet m confiuinp; C hr^ft's power to his bod.Iy prefonce 
 «nd to the touch of his hand, was a token of the we kS 
 
 Our Lord being come to the ruler's houfe, finds the peo- 
 ple very buhly preparing for the interment of the dead c^^^^^^^^^ 
 w h mulic and other lolemnities. The cuftom of hasw 
 mufic at funerals came fr^m the Keathens • no mention t 
 made hereof in the Old Teftamenr: were'adcftearin. he 
 fl. h, Ihaving the head, eating the bread of mourners°alfo 
 
 uneral longs, hut thefe wc^re only fung with "e v^ic 
 
 Weeping and lamentation are the molt -roper funeral „m>- 
 
 fo much n feafon as a tear: yet are alfthe demonlfrati,,.,", 
 
 f immoderate and excefnve mournmg both hurtful ro the 
 
 Imng, and cl.lhonorable to the dead; nor is it an ;n-g.muVit 
 
 01 n^ore love, but a proof of lefs grace. Ch^rven^^t, fn.*-fiat 
 fenle ourbaviour afilrnvs ih:^i the damreHva: „ot d: ad. • flt. 
 tua ^Jt v^hts, ,nik\ d.rrmt, fays Sr. Jerov, ; .-^ii.? is dead to 
 
 yo'^, bucifleep to me.' I ran as ealllv n.ifeher from death 
 as yoi. could aw..ke hfr'out of fJeep. ' Herfoulwis fejTarat- 
 ed froni her bony, but not yet- fixod in it, eternal m...>lir,:i. 
 oouf departed are undenheconduclof .ingels roodor b.d 
 to rhc.rleve.vd places of bhfs or n.ifery. Vrobably thcf,,; 
 of . his daima was under the gn.rd of sng»K ncair Vr d. l 
 body, waning t<iC plcafu.c! of Chriit in rffcreiKaroir; ,h.'. 
 
40 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 lend our Saviour a power againft himfelf, and for the do- 
 ftruftion of his own kingdom ! O how dangerous is a wilful 
 and obftinate oppofition of the truth! It provokes God to 
 tlelivcr a perfou up to final obduracy. 
 
 '35 And Jefiis went about all the cities nnd vil- 
 lages teaching in their fynaj^ogues, and preach- 
 ing the gofpcl of the kingdom, and healing e- 
 very ficknefs and every dii'cafe among the peo- 
 ple. 36 ^ But when he fav/ the multitudes, he 
 was moved with companion on them, becau(e 
 they lainted,and v/ere I'cattered abroad, asiheep 
 having nolhepherd. 
 
 — QJileCV^ here , i. Our Saviour's speat work and bufinefs 
 in tliiiswtnitih^-lt • odbotii tn t!<e bodies and louls 
 
 of men; the mo;, : H"lightful, tiie moft happy 
 
 and glorious work that a <■ be employed about. 2. 
 
 His unwearied diligence a:: -v "m iS'-; great and good 
 
 work, He vjent about all the cities i. s , preaching the 
 
 gojpel, and healing difeafes ; he travt.nj n.fivplace to place, 
 to leek occadons, and to lay hold of all opportunities of be- 
 ing ul'eful and beneficial to manhind. 3. Ihe particalar in- 
 ftance of our Lord's goodnefs and compafiion towards thofe 
 cities and vill.iges where he travelled: they wanted the 
 preaching of the gofpel ; that is, faithful difpenfers of it. 
 For though tiiey had the fcribesand Pharifees to teach them, 
 they inllrufted them rather in their own traditions, than in 
 the iimpl.city of the gorj)el. Jel'us pities the people as fheep 
 without a fhepherd. Thence team. That idle and lazy, un- 
 Ikilfulanduntaithfu! labourers in ChrUt's harveft, are no la- 
 bourers in his account. They are as Jhsef having no Jhefheri. 
 He who doth not inftruft hir. flock, and feed them with the 
 fincere milk of the word, from an heart full of love to God, 
 and of com'.iafTion to fouls, defervcs not the name of a true 
 ftiepherd. ' Dr. ll'hitby. 
 
 37 Then laith he unto hisdilciples, The har- 
 
 Q2 ^ Asthey went out, behold, they brought veil truly is plenteous, but the labourers are 
 
 ' 1 ...1 m.n,.,i ,.,;<^u o ,i«,r;i ^^ ^^^^ ^g Pray ye therefore the Lord of the 
 
 harveft^ tliat he will fend forth labourers into 
 his harveft. 
 
 titer to reftorc it again to the body, or to trannate it to its 
 eternal nianfions. Note here, That from thefe words of our 
 Saviour, ihe maid is ntt dead, but fleepelb, the Jcfuits plead 
 for their doftrine of equivocations and mental rcfervations, 
 alledgin^f, that when Cliriit faid, (he is mt d.ad, he refervad 
 in hii miuJ^ 'in relpeft of^my power.' But tlic words of 
 our Lord were plainly fpoken to thole who were preparing 
 for her interment ::nd funt-ral rites; and accordingly inti- 
 mate, th*t Die wasnotfodead,a3 they needed to make diefe 
 -prfparations, he being'come to awake her out of Jjiep. 
 
 27 <|| And whenjefus departed thence, two 
 •blind men followed him, -crying, and faying, 
 Thou Son©fDavid,have mercy onus. «8 And 
 ^when- he was come into the houie, the blind men 
 aime to him: a^djefus faith unto themi, Believe 
 ■ye that I am able to do this .? They laid unto 
 him. Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched hetheir eyes, 
 faying. According to your faith be it unto you. 
 30 And their eyes were opened ; and Jefus 
 Itraitly charged them, laying. See that no man 
 know it. 31 But they, when they were depart- 
 ed, fpread abroad his fame in all that country. 
 
 The ruler, and others who c.ime to Chrift for cure and 
 Iiealir.g, believed him to be a man unto whom almighty God 
 had communicated divine power. But it is obfervable, that 
 thefe poor blind men did believe him to be the MelFias, by 
 their calling him the fon of David ; and according to their 
 
 • faith, fo was their fjccefs ; their faith capacitated them for 
 a cure. But why did our Lord enjoin the blind men filence, 
 and ftraitly charge them to tell no man of the cure? Here- 
 in tlie great modefty and humility of Chrift appeared, in a- 
 voiding all oftentation and ccmmendation*; as alfo due care 
 
 -of his own fafety, left the publifhing of his mirachs fhould 
 create him untimely danger from the Ph.arifees. 
 
 unto him adumbmanpofleiledwith a devil. 33 
 And when the devil was call out, the dumb 
 Ipake : and the multitude marvelled, laying, It 
 was never fo feen in llrael. 
 
 Still cur Lord goes about doing good ; before he healed 
 the difeafed, here he helps the poffefled. Learn, i. That 
 amcngft the calamities which fin has rendered human nature 
 liable and obnoxious to, this is one, to be bodily p^ffefledby 
 Tatan. This man's dumbnefs was caufed by the devil's pofief- 
 'lion. a. That one demonftration of Chrift's divine power, 
 anda convincing evidence of his being truly and really 
 God, was his cafting out devils by the word of his power. 
 
 ■;4 But the Pharifees faid, He cafteth out de- 
 vils through the prince of the devils. 
 
 Sec here the dreadful and fad effcds of blindnefs, obftina- 
 cy, and malice ; the Pharifees charge Chrift with making a 
 contraft with the devil, affirming, thnt he derived his pow- 
 er from him. But how unlikely was this, that Satan fliould 
 
 As if Chrift had laid, 'There is a great number of peo- 
 ple that are willing arid prepared to receive inftruaions, but 
 there are but few who are able to inftruci ihef;; poor peo- 
 ple in the way of righteoufnefs and truth ; therefore pray 
 andpleadwithCod.thathe would provide Ikilful and faith- 
 ful minifters to be feutou: to preach the gofpcl.' A'orehere, 
 I. That God's church is an harveft field. 2. That the min- 
 ifters of God are labourers in his harveft, under God the 
 Lord of the harveft. 3. That to God alone doth it belong 
 to fend forth labourers in his harveft ; and none muft thrull 
 themfelves in, till God fends them forth. 4. That thenum- 
 ber of faithful libonrers in God's harveft is comparatively 
 Imall and few. 5. That it is the churches duty to pray, and 
 that earneftly anJincelTantly.to the Lord of the harveft, to in- 
 creafe the number of faithful labourers, and alfo to increafe 
 their f..ithfu!ne(s. ^^^^^ 
 
CirAP. 
 
 X. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 41 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 Tit! chapt:;- acqitaiuts us with the prfl cciiwiifficn which our Sa- 
 viour pwe his difdples t} preach the go/pel : He eJireSls them, 
 firj}, PVhithrr ti go, and to ivhom t; preach ; namely, to thejcivs, 
 whom he cells the lo(l fiiccp of the hoiife of Ifracl. He in- 
 Jinins them, Jeccndly, As to the dcfirine he tvouldhave them 
 preach, namely, the doHrine of repentance. And laftly, He 
 arms them agrdnft all the difficulties they might meet with, in their 
 mini fir y\ and particularly, fortifies tinm cgai^ifl hefearsofp:- 
 verty and perfccution. 
 
 AN D when he had called unto him his twelve dif- 
 ciples, he gave them power <r^ff,;i/2 unclean fpirits, 
 to call them out, and to heal all maHner of ficknefs, 
 and all manner of difeafe. 
 
 As the Jewiili church arofe from <"(.'Ivc patriarchs, fo did 
 the chridian churcli become pl.nned by twelve apoftlcs ; the 
 pcrfon commiflloning thon was Chrift. None are to under- 
 take the work and calling of the miniflry, but ihofc whom 
 Chrift appoints ; an(i the perfons commilTionated were difciplcs 
 before they ^■.•erc apoftlcs : To teach us, that Chrift will have 
 fiich r.s preach the gofpcl to be difciples before they are min- 
 i(fers ; trained up in the doftrinc of the pfpcl before they un- 
 dertake a pnblick charge. Note farther, The power here de- 
 Jcgated by Chrift to his apoflles, over unclean fpirits, and for hea- 
 hngdlfettjes, in his name. And after his refurreflion, they were 
 enabled to confer miraculous power on others, by laying their 
 hands upon them ; an eminent demonftration of the truth of 
 the chrillian faith. Lcnni thence. That to the intent the .npof- 
 tles might preach the gofpel with more atithority and greater ef- 
 ficacy, Jcfus gave them a power of working miracle's ; name- 
 ly, to cart out devils and heal all manner^of difeafes in his 
 name ; fVlmi he had called together, &c. 
 
 2 Now the names of the t^velve apoftles are thefe ; 
 The firft, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his 
 brother ; James thtjm of Zebedee, and John his bro- 
 ther ; 3 Philip and Bartholomew ; Thomas, and 
 Matthew the publican ; James thcfm of Alpheus, and 
 Lebbeus, whofe furnamc was Thaddeus ; 4 Si- 
 mon the Canaanite, and Judas Ifcariot, who alfo be- 
 trayed him. 
 
 Ohfcrve here, of the twelve aportlc;^ Peter is named firft, and 
 Judas laft, Peter is named firft, becaufe firft called, or bcciuie 
 probably elder than the reft. Or becaufe, for order-fake, he 
 might fpeak before them ! from v.hcnce may be inferred a pri- 
 mary, but no fupremacv : a priority of order, but no fuperio- 
 ^!*L°* ^"^S^cc— as the foreman of a grand inqueft has a pre- 
 cedency, but no pre-eminency.— Judas is named laft, with a 
 brand of infamy fet upon him, that he was the traitor, the per- 
 lon fliat betrayed his Mafter. Learn kcnce. That though the 
 truth of grace be abfolutcly nccelTarv to a minifter's falvation, 
 yet the want of it doth not difanmil' his ofTicc, nor hinder the 
 awfu ncfs of his miniftry. Judas, though a traitor, was yet a 
 lawful mmifler. Inward holinefs is not ncceflkrv to render the 
 offices bclon^mg to the minifterial funaion valid and effeaual : 
 Judas preaches Chrift as well as'the others, and was not except- 
 ed, when Chrut faid. He that receivetk you recciveth me. 
 
 5 Thcfc twelve Jefus fent forth, and commanded 
 
 them, faying. Go not into the wav of ilic Cknlilcs. and 
 into anychy of the Samaritans enter ye not. 6 But go 
 rather to the loft llicep of the houfe of Ifracl. 
 
 This was only .t temporary prohibition, whilft Jcfus was here 
 t:pon earth ; the Jews being his own pcnj)lc,ofwhom hccamf, 
 and to whom he was promifed, the gofpel is firft preached 1.-1 
 them : but afterwards the apoftlcs had a command to teach z\\ 
 nations, and after the afcenlicn of Jcfus, Samaria received the 
 gofpel by the preaching of philip. From the charaflcr which 
 Chrift gives of the jews, calling ihcm I:flj7}eep, we learn, i. 
 That the condition of a people, before brought home to Chrift 
 by the minifters of the gofpel, isn loft condition, finners are as 
 loftfljcep, wandering and going aftr.iy from God, till the mini- 
 ftry of the word finds them. 2. That the great work of mi- 
 nitlers of the gofpel, is to call home, and bring in, loft ftieep 
 unto Jefus the great Shepherd. Co, fays he, to the M fneep, &c. 
 —Our Lord calls the Jhaelitesflieep, though they were noto- 
 bcdient to the voice of their Shepherd, becaufe they wer- 
 Crod s chofen people ; and he calls them the loft flieep, becaufe 
 tliey were both loft in themfelves, and alfo in great danger of 
 being eventually and finally loft, by the ignorance and wick- 
 cdnefs of their fpiritual guides. 
 
 7 And as ye go, preach faying, The kingdom of 
 heaven is at hand. 
 
 Obferve here, I. The dutv enjoined the apoftlcs, in order f.i 
 the bringing home of loft fouLs to Chriff, and that is preach- 
 ing : As ye go, preach. Note thence, That the plain and per- 
 (uafive preaching of the gofpel is the fpecial mean appointed 
 by our Lord for the falvation of loft fmncrs. 2. The dodrine 
 they are enjoined to preach. That the kingdom cf heaven is at 
 hand ; that is, that the promifed Mefliah was come, and had 
 let up his kingdom inthe world, and expefted theirobedience 
 to his laws. Where note, How that the preaching of John, of 
 Clirift, and his apoftlcs, v/as one and the fame ; namely, the 
 dodtrine of repentance ; Repent, fay they all, for the kingdom of 
 heaven ts at hand; that is, the lime of the Mtftiah's app^jfing, 
 which has been fo long expeded, is now come. 
 
 8 Heal the fick, cleanfe the lepers, raife the dead, call 
 out devils : freely ye have received, freely give. 
 
 Here our Lord impowers his apoftles to work miracles for 
 the confirmation of their doftrine ; but gives them a charge to 
 work them freely, without making any private advantage to 
 themfelves. Whcrt olferve, i. How beneficial the miracles 
 were (which our Lord and his apoftles wrought) to mankind. 
 Mofes' miracles were asgrest judgments as wonders ; but thefe 
 vvcre beneficent; they delivered men from miferies, from bo- 
 dily difeafes, from the power and malice of evil fpirits. 2. 
 That Jcfus Chrift, to fhcw himfelf a free Saviour, and that 
 whatever came from him was the cftecl of free gr.ice, gave his 
 apoftles a charge, to difpenfe their power in working miracles 
 freely, without money, and without price. 
 
 9 Provide neither gold nor filver, nor brafs in your 
 purles; lo Nor fcrip for your journey, neither two 
 coats, neither flioes, nor yet ftavcs : (for the workman 
 is worthy of his meat.) 
 
 This command of our Savicur was temporary, ar.d extend- 
 ed to their firft journey, which they were foontodifpatch: our 
 
 F . Lord 
 
St. matt H E W. 
 
 Chap, x, '^ 
 
 Lord encourages thsm totnifttoGod ; firft, for protc«Elion ; 
 take nortaves with viiu, tl\atis, nodriking, orfmitingllaves for 
 your own defence. Preachers inuft be no ftrikcrs. T'hounh a 
 walking-llatf thev might take withtlicm: itinerant preacners 
 might be wearied with t ravelling, as well as with fpeaking. Next 
 lor prcvil'ion ; he would not have them over folicitous for that 
 ncitlier; faying, The workman is worthy of his meat. As it 
 li a miniflor'sgrcat dutytotriiftinGod for his maintenance; fo 
 itisthcpcoplc'sduty to take care for the niiniftcr"s comfortable 
 fuhfillencc. The workman is worthy if his hin-, and the labourer 
 is worthy of his meat. 
 
 i 1 AiiJ into whatfoever city or town ye fhall enter, 
 enquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till ye go 
 I hence, i 2 And when ye come into an houfe. falute 
 it. 13 And if the houfe be worthy, let your peace 
 coiTjc upon it : but if it be not worthy, let your peace 
 return to you. 14 And whofocver fhall not receive 
 vou, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that 
 lioufc, or city, fhakc off the duft of your feet. 15 
 Verily I fay unto you, it Ihall be more tolerable for 
 die land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judg- 
 ment than for that city. 
 
 Our Saviour proceeds to direiSl his dlfciples how to manage 
 ■"'lis thtir tirlljourucy in preaching the gofpcl ; he enjoins them, 
 " . To obferve the rules of decency in their going from one 
 iace to another ; not like beggars, wandering from houfe to 
 Lufe, but having entered a city, or village, to make inquiry 
 >-^ ho ilood bjit aftefted to the gofpcl, and there turn in. 2. 
 Out Saviour enjoins them civil and religious courtcfy to- 
 wards thofc v> horn they applied themfelvcs unto. fFhen you 
 niTte intonhcujf, fdluti-it ; give it a civil falutation,but efpecially 
 a Chriltian and (jiiritual falute, wilhing them mercy, grace, 
 ;:nd peace. 3. lie encourages his apolUes in the want of fuc- 
 cj-fs ; if they hear you noK,Jhnke off the dtiji of your feet. This 
 aftion was emblematical, and fignified that almighty God 
 v.ould in like manner fliake off them, and eftcem thcmnobet- 
 tcr than the vilellduft. A'^/f, That thofe whodefpife themef- 
 lage vvhicii the minifters of the gofpcl bring, fliall hereafter 
 fi;id the duft of their feet, and the afhes of their graves, to give 
 a judicial teftimonyagainft theminthe dayof Chrill. Where- 
 ver the word is preached, it is for a teftimony againft them ; 
 lor if the dult of a minifter's feet bear witnefs againft the def- 
 [lifcrs of the gofpcl, their fermons much more. Here Groii- 
 iis Well notes, That the (In of thofe who rejeiEl the gofpel, 
 muft be a wilful fin, wliich it was in their power to avoid ; 
 bccaufe it rendered them obnoxiousto greater puniftimentthan 
 Sodom and Gomorah were to fuffer at the day of judgment, 
 nnd becaufe committed againft greater light, and greater con- 
 lirnration of the truth. Doubtlefs the hitcher a people rife un- 
 d.r ihc means of grace, the lower they fall if they mifcarry, 
 
 16 1 Behold I fend you forth asfheepin the midft 
 of wolves : be ye therefore wife as ferpents, and harm- 
 lels as doves. 
 
 Our Saviour, in this and the followingvcrfcs, armshisapof- 
 tlcs ag.iinft all the difficulties, dangers, and difcouragcments 
 which they might meet with in the courfc of their iriniflry : 
 lie tells them he fcnt them forth as fliecpamongft wolves; in- 
 timating thereby unto them, that the enemies of the gofpel 
 
 have asgre.it an inclination, from their malicious nature, todc- 
 vour and deftroy the minifters of Chrift, as wolves have, 
 from their natural temper, to devour ftieep: He therefore re- 
 commends to them prudence and innocence : Be ye w'fe asfer- 
 fer.ts, to avoid the world's injuries ; and harmlefs as dT.'es, irj 
 not revenging them. The ininillcrs of Chrift muft not be al- 
 together as doves, left they fall into dangers ; not altogether as 
 ferpents, left they endanger others: For as piety without poli- 
 cy is toofimple to be fafe, fo policy without piety is too fubtle 
 to be good. Our Saviour in this next teaches us, thatwifdom 
 and innocer.cy (Ijould dwell together. Offend none by word 
 or example. 
 
 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you 
 up to the councils, and they will fcourge you in their 
 fynagogues. i8 And ye fliall be brought before go- 
 vernors andkingsformy fake, for a teftimony againft 
 them and the Gentiles. tgBut when tiiey deliver 
 you up, take no thought how or what ye fhall fpeak. 
 for it fhall be given you in that Taiue hour what ye 
 fhall fpeak. 20 For it is not ye that fpeak, but the 
 fpirit of your Father which fpeaketh in you. 
 
 Here our Saviour lets his apoftles know, that for theirown- 
 ing him, and preaching his gofpel, they ftiould be brought be- 
 fore all forts of magiftratcs, and in all kinds of courts: But he 
 advifes them, when they are brought before kings and princes, 
 not to be anxioufly thoughtful what they fttould fay ; for it 
 fhould be given them in that hour what they fhould anfwer. 
 Leain hence. That though truth may be oppofed, yet truth's 
 defenders fhould never be afhamcd ; and rather tl^n they fhall 
 want a tongue to plead for it, God himfelf will prompt them 
 by his Spirit, and fuggeft fuch truthsto their minds as all their 
 oppofcrs fhall not be abletogainfay. Yet note, that Chrift doth 
 not here forbid all fore-thoughts what to fay, but only diftruft- 
 ful thoughts, that they fhould not, like orators or advocates, 
 ftrivc to make ftudied pleas, or rhetorical apologies for them- 
 felvcs, fince the fpirit would be in their mouths, andgivethem 
 immediate fupplies. Ncte TiSio, That becaufe Chrift here pro- 
 mifcd his apoftles an immediate afiiftance from the Holy Spirit, 
 how vain tise anabaptifts and Quakers are, who, by virtue 
 of this promife, do now cxpedl the fame afiiftance in praying 
 and preaching! but they may as well pretend to caftout devils 
 as the apoftles did, by virtue of the fame afiiftance whichthe a- 
 poftles had ; whereas thefe extraordinary gifts are long ceafed. 
 
 21 And the brother fiiall deliver up the brother to 
 death, and the father the child : and the children fhall 
 rife up againft ihnr parents, and caufe them to be put 
 to death. 22 And ye fliall be hated of all men for 
 my name's fake : but he that endureth to the end 
 fhall be faved. 
 
 Our Saviour goes on in a farther difcovery of the world's 
 hatred and enmity againft the gofpel, and the preachers of it; 
 and gives .ill Chriftians in general, and his minifters in parti- 
 cular, to underftand. That fuch is the enmity of the world a- 
 gainft holinefs and the profeffors of it, that it will overcome 
 and extinguifh even the natur.al afFeftions of the neareft and 
 cicarcft relations towards each other. Grace teaches us, to lay 
 down cur lives for our brethren, but corruption teaches a brother 
 to take away the life of a brother; The brother /hall deliver the 
 
 brc- 
 
Chap. x. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 brother to death. Yet shferic. Our Saviour comforts his difci- 
 plcs that there will be an end of thefe fuffcrings ; .and allures 
 them, That if their faith and pntiencc did hold out unto the 
 end, they fliould be faved. 1 his is our comfort, that if our 
 fufferings for Chrill end not in our lifetime, they will end 
 with our lives. 
 
 23 But when they peifeoite you in this city, flee 
 ye into another: for verily I fay unto you, Ye fliall 
 not have gone over the cities of Ifrael till the Son of 
 man be come. 
 
 Our Saviour here dircfls his apoftlcs to a prudent care of 
 their own prefervation, and allows them to flee in time ofper- 
 fecutioni ailiiring them, that before they had gone through 
 all the cities of the Jews, preaching the gofpcl, he would cer- 
 tainly come in judgment againft Jerufalem. and with fcverity 
 deftroy his own murderers and thei''i'er(ccutors. Learn, That 
 Chrift allows his minifters 'lie liberty of flight in time of pcr- 
 fecution, that they mr-.v prefervc their lives for future fervice. 
 Surely it is no Hi^mc to fly when our Saviour commands it, 
 and alfopraflifes it, A/rt//. ii. Chriil by his own example has 
 fanflificd that ftate of life unto us, and by his command made 
 it lawful for us. 
 
 24 The chfciple is not above Az5 mafter, nor thefer- 
 vant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the difciple 
 that he be as his mafter, and the fervant as his lord. 
 If they have called the mafter of the houfe Beelzebub, 
 how much more Jhall they call them of his houfhold. 
 
 Our Saviour here teaches all Chriftians, but cfpecially mi- 
 niners, how unreafonable and abfurd it is for them to expc<fl 
 kinder ufage from an unkind world than he himfclf met with : 
 Are we greater, holier, or wifer than he ? Why then (hould 
 we expe£l better ufage than he ! Was he hated, perfecuted, 
 reviled, murdered for the holinefs of his doftrines and the 
 ufcfulnefs of his life ? Why then fhould any of us thini 
 Jlrange of the fiery trial, as if fomefl range thing had befallen us ? 
 I. Pet. iv. 12. It is enough. That the difciple be as his maf- 
 ter, and the fervant as his lord\ but muft he hope to be above 
 him? 
 
 26 Fear them not therefore : for there is nothing 
 covered that fhall not be revealed : and hid that fhall 
 not be known, 27 What I tell you in darknefs, ^/^a^ 
 fpeak ye in the light : and what ye hear in the ear, 
 that preach ye upon the houfe-tops. 
 
 Chrift here exhorts his difciples to a free profeflion and open 
 publication of the dodlrine of the gofpcl, from this confidera- 
 tion, that whatever they fay or dofliallbe brought to light, pro- 
 claimed, and publifhcd to the world. I will make the excel- 
 lency of your doiSi ine, and the innocency of your lives Ihine 
 as the light ; your integrity in defpifing of it, and patience in 
 fufFering for it, (hall redound to God's ulory and your ccmmen- 
 daticn, at the revelation of your Lord from heaven. As wick- 
 ed men have caufeto fear, becaufe their evildeeds (hall be made 
 evident, fo good men hrvc leafon to rejoice, becaife their good- 
 nefs, and good deeds fli^H be made manifeft. Let it be our 
 Care to do good, and it (hall be Chrift's care to difcovcr the 
 goodnefs which V e do, to vindicate it from mifconftruflicn, 
 and fet it in its i-learcfi light. 
 
 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but 
 
 arc not able to kill the foul; but i;it.iicr ftar i.;ii 
 which is able to deihoy both foul yiid body ih licli. 
 
 O/^/iry^ here, the following particulars, i. An unwarranta- 
 ble fear condemned ; and th:it'is, thefinful, fcrv:Ie,(lav:rn ft:r.- 
 ot impotent man ; Vcar not him that can kill the hdy. z. .^^. ho 
 ly, awful, and prudential fear of thcomnipotcnt Godccmmcnc 
 ed ; Fear him that is able to kill h'jh body and fjul. 3. The per 
 fons that this duty of fear Is recommended to, and hound upon . 
 Chrift's own difciples, yea hisminiftersandamballadors; thev 
 both may, and ought to fear him ; not only for hisgreatncfs p.nd 
 goodnefs, but on account of his punitive jullicc ; as being clir 
 to cafl body and foul into hell : Such a fear is not only lawful, but 
 laudable, not only commendable but commaii-ied, and well bo- 
 comes the fcrvants of God themfelves. The text contains a cer- 
 tain evidence that the foi;l dies not with the body: none area- 
 ble to kill the foul, but it continues after death inaftsteoffen- 
 fibiJity; it is granted that men can kill the body, b-Jt it is dint- 
 ed that they can kill the foul. It is fpo.ken of temporal death; 
 confequently then the fcul doth not perifli with the body, nor 
 is the foul reduced into an infenfiblc ftate by the death of the 
 body i nor can the foul be fuppofcd toflcep, as thcbodydcth un- 
 til the rcfurreiflion ; for an intelligible, thinking, andpercciv- 
 ing being, as the foul is, cannot be deprived of fenfation, thought, 
 and perception, any more than it can lofe its being; the Voul 
 after the death of the body being capable of blifs or mil"ery,inui^ 
 continue in a ftate of fenfation. 
 
 2g Are not two fparrows fold fora farthing? and 
 one of them ihall not fall on the ground wit.hout your 
 Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all 
 numbered. 3 1 Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more 
 value than many fparrows. 
 
 Olferve here, I. The doflrine which our Saviour preaches 
 to his difciples ; and that is, the do6trine of divine providence; 
 which concerns itfelf for the mcaneft creatures ; even the birds 
 of the air, and the hairs of our head, do fall v. ithin the ccmpafs 
 of God's protecting care. 2. Here is the ufe which our Savi- 
 our makes of his dodlrine ; namely, to fortify the fpiritsof his 
 difciples againft all diftruftful fears and diftradling cares. Learn, 
 That theconfiderationof thedivine care and gracious providence 
 of God over us and ours, ought to antidote our fpirits againft all 
 diftruftful fears whatfoever. If an hair from the head falls not 
 to the ground without a providence, much lefs fhall the head 
 itfelf; if the very excrements of the body (fuch are the hairs I 
 be taken care of by God, furcly the more noble parts of the bo- 
 dy, and efpecially the nobleft part of ourfelves, our fouls, (hall 
 fall under his particular regard. 
 
 3 2 Whofoever therefore (hall confefs me before men, 
 him will I confefs alfo before my Father which is in 
 heaven. 33 But whofoever fhall deny me before men, 
 him will I alfo deny before my Father which is in hea- 
 ven. 
 
 Olftrfehere, i. That not to confefs Ch.ift, in his accoun*^, 
 is to deny him ; and todeny him, is to be a(han.cd of him. 2, 
 That whofoever (hall denv, difivi n, or b" afhamed cf Ch.ift, 
 either in his perf< n, in ! is g'fptl, or in his members, for any 
 fear or favour of man, (hall with ftian-ebedifowned, rndetcr- 
 nrlly reje£^ed by lim at the tlreadful judgment ot the great 
 clay. Chiift may be denied three ways ; deft, inally, bynn er- 
 roneous and heretical judgment ; veibally, by oral exprcflinns; 
 
 F2 vitally 
 
41 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 Ch. 
 
 .\p. xf-. 
 
 viinlU', by a wicked and unholy lite. But wo to that foul that 
 d;r.ic3 Chrill any ot thcicways. 
 
 3.1 Think not that I am come to feml peace on earth: 
 I came not to fend peace, but a fword. 35 For I am 
 come to fct a man at variance aifaintl his father, and 
 the daui^hter a'^ainll hernuither, and the dau;fhter-in- 
 lavv a^jainft her mother-in-law. 36 And a man's foes 
 Jliallbe they ofhis o-.vnhoufehold. 
 
 We nvift dillingiiidi here betwixt the intentional aim of 
 Chritl's coming, ami the accidental event of it. Hisintcntion- 
 :A aim was to propagate anj promote peace in tlie world; but 
 through the corruption of man's nature, the accidental event 
 of his coming, is war and divifion: Not that th-l'c are the ge- 
 niiin--- and natural fruits of thejjofpel, but occafiona! and acci- 
 dental only. Nitr, The preachini; of the gofpcl, and the fet- 
 tin.,' up the kingdom of Chrilt in the world, though it be not 
 the natunil caul'e, yet it is the accidental occillon of much of 
 that war and tumult, of much of that diflraflion and confufion 
 which the world abounds with. 
 
 37 He thatloveth father or mother more than me, 
 is not worthy of me : and he that loveth fon or daugh- 
 ter more than me, is not worthy of me. 38 And he 
 that taketh not his crofs and followeth after me, is 
 not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his hfe fhall 
 loofc it : and he that loofeth his life for my fake fhall 
 find it. 
 
 N-jIc here, That by worthincfs wc are not toundcrftandthe 
 meritorioufnefs of tlic aclion, but the qualification of the per- 
 fon. He that cometh to Chrilf (that is, will be his difciple) 
 mull by a deliberate acl of the undcrltanding, and well-advi- 
 fed chiiice of the will prefer him before all the world, and his 
 dcarcll relations whatfoever ; notthatour Saviour by thefe ex,- 
 prellions doth condemn natural love andaffc<5lion, either toour 
 relations or our own lives, but only regulates and direds it ; 
 and Ihews tliat our firil and chief love muft be bellowed upon 
 himfclf. VVcmayhave tender and relcmingaffedlions towards 
 our dear relations; but then the conlidcrationofChrid's truth 
 and religion muft take place of thefe; yea, of life itfelf; nay, 
 when thefccomein competition, weareto regard them no more 
 than if they were the objedls of our iiatred. Luke xiv. 16. 
 If a ma:i hate not his father, &c. Learn hence, That all the 
 (iifciples of Chriftlhould be ready and Avilling,v/henever God 
 calls them to it, to quit all their temporal intercds and enjoy- 
 ments, even life itfelf, and to fubmit to any temporal incon- 
 venitnce, even death itfelf: And all this willingly, cheerfully, 
 and patientlv, rather than difown their relation to Chrilt, and 
 quit the profcflion of his truth and religion. 2. Thatfuchas 
 for fecular intcreft, and the prefervaiion of temporal life, do 
 renounce their profeilion of Chriil and his religion, , they not 
 only hazard their temporal life, but expofethcir eternal life to 
 the greateft danger. He that firjcth his life Jha'.l Ife it, ice. 
 
 40 He that receiveth you, receiveth me ; and ho 
 that receiveth me, receiveth him that fent me. 41 He 
 that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, fliall 
 receive a prophet's reward ; and he that receiveth a 
 righteous man, in the nameof a righteous man, fliall 
 receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whoibs- 
 
 vcrftiail give to drink unto one of thefe little ones 
 a cup of cold water only in the name of a 'difciple, ve- 
 rily, I fay unto you, he fhall in no wife lofe his re- 
 ward. 
 
 Here, in la- i Imj of tiK"chapter,oi!rlile!n.:i .-)av! i;r cr-..o:i- 
 rages his difcipUs to faithfulnefs in their office, by alliiring 
 them, that he Ih'iiild reckon and efteeinall thckir.dnefs (lievvn 
 to tliem, as done unto himfelf: and, toencourage the world to 
 be kind to his difcipics and miniffers, he alliires them, that c- 
 ven a cup of cold water, Ihould meet with a liberal reward. 
 How cold is their chariiy, who deny acupof cold water to the 
 minifters and difciples of Chriil. Learn, i. That thc-re is 
 forae fpecial and eminent reward due to the faithful prophets 
 of God above other men. 2. That he that (luill entertain a 
 prophet, anj dp^any good office for him, under iliat name, that 
 is, for his office Rt'kc, Uj^ll be partaker of that reward. 3. 
 That the lead ofiice of love ^n^it^fpea of kindnefs and cha- 
 rity, which we (hew to any of Hife toinifters or members of 
 leius Chrilt for his fake, he accountslt^s done unto him- 
 fclf. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 AND it came to pafs, when Jefus had made an end 
 of commanding his twelve difciples, he departed 
 thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 
 
 Our bleffed Saviour having fent forth his twelve difcipics in 
 the foregoing chapter, to plant and propagate the gofpel, we 
 find him in this chapter following them himfelf, in that great 
 and necelfary work ; He departed to teach and to preach in their 
 cities. Chrifl, the great Bifhop and Shepherd of fouls, fent 
 not forth the apoflles as hiscuratcs, to labour and fweat in the 
 vineyard, whilft hctookhis eafeathomc, but he followed them 
 himfelf: his word of command to them was, Praite,Jcquar\ 
 Go ye before, I ivillfclliiv after. Note, I. That preaching of 
 the gofpel is a great and necffary work, incumbent upon all 
 the minifters of Jefus, let their dignity and pre-cininence in 
 the chinch be v.hat it will. None of the fervants are above 
 their lord. 2. That if there be a dillin£lion betwixt teach- 
 ing and preaching (as feme apprehend) they are both the work 
 ofChrift's minifters, who are obliged from their mailers ex- 
 ample, to perform both : teaching is in order to the conver- 
 fion of linners, and preaching in order to the edification of 
 faints. 
 
 2 Now when John had heard in the prifon the 
 works of Chrifl, he fent two of his difciples, 3 .\nd 
 faid unto him, Art thou he that fhould come, or do we 
 look for another ? 
 
 It was not for John's information that he fent his difciples 
 to Jefus, but fortheir fatisfa(flion,that hewasthetrue and pro- 
 mifcd Meiliah; John wasalliired of it himfelf, by a iignfroni 
 heaven, at our Saviour'sbaptifm, chap. iii. 17. But John's dif- 
 ciples, out of great zeal to him their mailer, envied our Lord 
 himfclf, and were unwillingto believe anvperfon greater than 
 their mafter : therefore John, out of a pious defisntoconfirin 
 his difciples in the belief of Jefus being the true Meffias, fends 
 them to our Saviour, to hear the doflrine which hetaught, and 
 to fee the miracles which he wrought. Learn hence. What 
 a pious dcfire there is in fuch as know Chrift experimentally 
 thcmfclves to brin<rall that beIon"tothem toa favi/ig acquain- 
 tance with nim. 
 
 4 Jefus 
 
Cha?. 5c f. 
 
 St. M^AT'^ he W. 
 
 •15 
 
 ,{ Jcfus anlWcrecland (aid unto them, Go and fhew 
 }ohna;^ain thofe things which ye do hear and fee; 5 
 The blind recieve their fight, and the lame walk, the 
 lepers are cleanfed, and the deaf hear, the dead are 
 raifed up, and the poor have the gofpel preached to 
 them. 
 
 Obfii-tjs here, i. the way nnd means which our Saviour 
 takes for the conviflion and fatisfaftion of John's difciplcs, 
 that he was the true Medias ; lie appeals to the miracles wrought 
 by himfelf, and fubiViits the miracles wrought by him to the 
 judgment of their fenfe ; Co and fluw "John the miracles which 
 you hear and fee. 1. The miracles thcmfeves: The Mind re- 
 ceive theirfight, the lams walk, &c. Chrift was all this in a lit- 
 eral fenfe, and in a myftical fenfe alfo ; he was an eye of nn- 
 derrtanding to the ignorant, a foot of power to 'he weak: he 
 opened an ear in deaf hearts, to rccpJve the word of life: and 
 the poor are evangelized, that is, turnedintothefpiritandteni- 
 pr of the gofpel; the rich hear thegofpcl, but the poor receive 
 It; that is, they fed the powerful imprcflions of it ; as we fay, 
 Ihcha one is Italianized, when hiscarriageisfuch,asifhewerc 
 a natural Italian. TheGreek paffive verb 'ev ACCEL izontai, 
 denotes, J\'Dtoif?(/m pra-dicaticnisj/ir/cjfei^iwi eiangelii pradica- 
 it ; the good effect which the gofpel had upon the hearts and 
 lives of the poor, transforming them into the likenelsofitfelf. 
 Learn, It is a blelTed thing, when the preaching of the gofpel 
 ■has fuch a powerful influence upon the minds of men, that the 
 temper of their minds, and the aflions of their lives, are a live- 
 ly tranfcript of the fpirit and temper of the holy Jefus. Note, 
 That as it was prophefied of the MefTias, ihathelhouldpreacli 
 the gofpel to the poor. IJa. Ixl. i. accordingly they were the 
 
 tpor whom Ghrin preached unto ; for the Pharifeesand Rab- 
 ies negieiled them as the people of thfe earth, ycb vii. 49. 
 !And;Grotius fays, that they had a proverb. That the Spirit of 
 God never rcfls but upon a rich m.an. Bclides, the Pharifees 
 and Rabbies doiSrines, which they preached, were vain tradi- 
 IJoni, allegorical interpretations, and cabaliftical deductions, 
 !wbich tranfccnded the capacities of the \ulgar, fo that they 
 C,Q,uU profit very little by repaiii.-ig to their fchools, and by 
 liearing their interpretations of thclaw; and therefore, our Sa- 
 viour, in the clofe ofdiischapter,callsthepeoplccfFfromthem, 
 to learn of him, O.me unto me, &c. 
 
 6 And bleflfcd is As whofoever fhall not be offend- 
 ed in me, 
 
 -L , ■'''..'.., r. . . . . , : ', ' 
 
 Our Saviour hqre, by pronouncing them BhJJ'cd ih.ct are not 
 cg'iv.dedin him^ doth iniimate the mifery of thoie who Humble 
 ^t him, arul to whom he is the rock of offence. — Some are of- 
 fended at the poverty of his perfon, others are offended at the 
 fuMimity and fanflity of his dcdlrine. Some are ofFcndedathis 
 crofs, others are olFer.ded at his free grace: butfuchas, inftead 
 .of being offended at Chriil, bditve in liim, and bottom their 
 cxpcftations of heaven and falvation upon him, are in a happy 
 
 ;i biclTcd condition. 
 
 7 5 And as they departed, JcTus began to fay un- 
 to the mullitude, concerning John, What went ye out 
 iiitothewildernefstolee? a reed fhaken with the wind? 
 8 But what went ye out for to fee ? A man clothed 
 m loft nnmenf ? Rehold, they f hat wear foft clothing 
 «rc in kin-s-houfcs. 9 But what went ye out for to 
 
 fee ? A prophet ? yea, I fay unto you, and more than 
 a prophet. 10 Yox this is he of whom it is written. 
 Behold, I fend my melfenger before thy face, which 
 fhall prepare thy way before thee. 
 
 Our Saviour having given fatisfa£lion to John's difciples, 
 nextentersupon a large commendation of John himftlf : where 
 chfcrve, i. The perfons whom hccommendtd him before ; not 
 John's own difciplcs, for they had too high an opinionofihtir 
 mailer already, and were fo much addicted to John, that they 
 envied Chrift for his fake. See John iii. 26. Behold, Chrijl bap- 
 lizeth ; and all men come unto him. It was a great eye-fore that 
 Chrift had more hearers and followers than John- therefore 
 not before John'sdifciplcsbut beforethemultitude, Chriftcom- 
 mends John: For as John's difciplcs had toohigh,fbtliis mul- 
 titude had too low an opinion of him ; poflibly becaufe of his 
 imprironmentandfufterings. There wasatime whenthe peo- 
 ple had high thoughts of John, but now they imdcrvalued him. 
 Learn thence. The great uncertainty of popular applaufe : the 
 people contemn to-day v.hom theyadmiredyefterdjy ; he who 
 to-day is cried up, to-morrow is trodden down. Thewordand 
 tlie miniflers are the fame; but this proceeds from the fickle- 
 nefsand inconllancy of the people: Not hing is fo mutable as the 
 mind of man, nothing is fo variable as the opinion of ihcmul- 
 tilude. 2. The time when our Lord thus commended John ; 
 not in the time of his profperity and grcatnefs, when the peo- 
 ple flocked after him, and Herod got him to court, and reve- 
 renced him; but when the giddy multitude had forfaken him, 
 and he was fallen into difgrace at court, and had preached him- 
 felf into prifon : now Jefus vindicates his innoccncy, maintains 
 his honour, proclaims his worth, and tells the people, that the 
 world was not worth fuch a preacher as John was. Learn 
 thence, that Chrift will Hand by, and 'tick fait to his faithful 
 miniiters, when all the world forfakc them. Let the world 
 flight anddefpife them at their pleafure,yet Chrilt will main- 
 tain their honoiir.and fupport their caufe; asthevbcarafaith- 
 ful witnefs to Chrilt, fov.-ill he bear witnefs to tlitir faithful- 
 ncfs forhim. 3. The commendation i«!e!f. Our Lord com- 
 mends John, f I.) For his ccnflancy, he was not a red Ihaheii 
 zvith theivind; that is, a man ofan unftableand unfettled jud'^- 
 ment, but fixed and ftedfaft. [1.) For liis fobiicty ant! high 
 mcafures of mortification ; he was no delicate and voluptuous 
 perfon, but grave, fobcr and fevere; he was mortified to the 
 glory and honour, to theeafeandpleafurcsofthe world. John 
 wrought no miracles, but his holy converfation was as ef- 
 feftual as miracles, to prevail with the people. (3.) For 
 his humility; he might have been what he would: thepeoplj 
 were ready to cry him i:p for a Mefli.ih, the Chrift of God; 
 but John's lowly fpirit relul'es all ; He confejjid and denied net , 
 f vying, I am r.:t the Chrift:, but a poor miniiier of his, willii-y 
 but not worthy, to do him ferVice. This will commend our 
 miniltry to the confciences of our people, when we feek not 
 our own glory, but the glory cf cur Lord. (4.) Our Saviour 
 commends John for hlsclearprcachingandrcvejiinLi, of Chriil to 
 the people ; He ivus more than a pryphtt, becaiiic he pointed 
 cut Chrilt more clearly and fully than any before him. The 
 ancient prophets faw Jefus afar off"; John beheld him face 
 to face : they prophefied of him ; he pointed at him, faying 
 ThAs is he. Whence learn, Thatthe clearer any miniltry is ia 
 difcovcring of Chrift, the more excellent it is. 
 
 . 11 Verily I fay Unto you, Among them tliat ar£ 
 born of women, there hath not rtfena greater than John 
 
 ■ tl.c 
 
46 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. xi. 
 
 t)ie Baptift : notwlthftanding. he that is leaft in the 
 kingdom oiluavoti is greater than lie. 
 
 Our Lord havin;^ hiijhiy commended John in the foregoing 
 vcrfes, here he fcts bounds to the honours of his miniltry, ad- 
 ding, Th.it though John was greater thnn ail the ])rophets 
 that went before hini, feeing moR- of Chrid than all of them, 
 ytt he favv lef? than them that ciir.e after him. The mcancfl 
 evangelical ininiAer that preaches Chrift come, is to be pre- 
 ferred before all the old prophets, whoprophcfied of Chriil to 
 come. The ir.iniilcr who Vets forththc life, death, rcfurreo- 
 tion, and afc-nflr.n of Jcfus Chrill, is greatn- in the Vwgdom cf 
 hcHvm, that is, h;:s an higher ofiicc in the church, and a more 
 excellent miniihy than aJI the prophets, yea, than John him- 
 fclf. The exccilency of a miniftry confifts in the light and 
 clcarncff of it. Now though John's light did exceed all that 
 went beforehim, yet ir fell fliort of them that came after him: 
 and thus he that was haft in the h--,gdomof grace on earth, much 
 more he that is the lead in the kingdom of glory in heaven, 
 ivas greater thnii JAn. Not that the"mcaneft'chri(lian, but the 
 mcaneft e. angelical prophet, or preacher of the chriftian doc- 
 trine, is greater than John; partly in refpcd of his doflrine, 
 which is more fpi ritual and heavenly ; partly in refpeft to his 
 office, which was to preach Chrift crucified and lifen again ; 
 and partly in refpeft of divine affiftance, for John did no mi- 
 racle, but the apoftles that fuccccdcd him zvent forth, the Lord 
 ivorking -u'ith thew, and confirming the zvord ivithftgns following. 
 AM to this, that the Holy Spirit fell not upon John, and he 
 fpake not by any extraordinary inrpinition of the Holy Spirit 
 fent down from heaven, as the apoftles did ; and thus he that 
 wasle-iftinthe kingdom of heaven was greater than John, 
 
 12 And from the days of John tlie Baptift until 
 now, the kingdom of heaven lufFereth violence, and 
 the violent take it by force. 
 
 Our Saviour goes on in commending John's miniftry from 
 the great fucccfs of it: it had that powerfuHnfluence upon the 
 confciences of men, that no foldiers were ever more violent and 
 eager in the ftorming and taking a ftrong hold, than John's hear- 
 ers -.vere in purfuing the kingdom of heaven. Nevcranymin- 
 ifter difcovercd the Mcfliah and hiskingdom fo clearly as John 
 did ; and therefore never was there fuch zeal to prefs into the 
 kingdom of heaven amongft any, as the hearers of John had. 
 Learn hence, i. Tliat the clearer knowledge any people have 
 of the worth and excellency of heaven, the more will their 
 zeal be inflamed in the purfuh of heaven. 2. That all that do 
 intend and refolve for heaven, muft offer violence in the tak- 
 ing of it ; none but the violent are viflorious : they tale it by 
 force. Which words are both reftri£live and promiflive. 
 They are the violent, and none other that take it ; and all the 
 violent fhall take it. Though carelefs endeavours may prove 
 abortive, vigorous profccution fhall not mifcarry. There is 
 alfo another expofition of thefe words : The violent take the king- 
 dom cf heaven by force ; that is, the publicans and finners, and 
 ^ poorer fort of people, who were looked upon by theScribesand 
 Pharjftcs as pcrfons who had no right to the bleflings of the 
 Mefliah; thcfe, as violent invaders, andbold intruders, embrace 
 the gofpel, and do as it v/erc take it by force from thelearned 
 Rabbles, whochallengethechcifeftplace in this kingdom: and 
 .accordingly our Saviour telIsihem,St. Maf.xxi.31. Thepub- 
 licans and hnrlots go into the kingdom of God betorc you,^ for 
 you bclitvtd not John coming to you in the way of ri^hteouf- 
 
 nefs, but the publicans and harlots believed him, when at tha 
 
 f.nnc time the Pharifccs and l.iwycrs rcjideJ, A:c. btinir not- 
 baptized of him. 
 
 1 3 For all the prophets and the law prophcfied un- 
 til John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias 
 which was for to come. 15 He that hath cars to licar, 
 let him hear. 
 
 Here is ftill a farther commendation of John. Thclawand 
 the piophcts, til! the coming of John, did foretcl theMeffiah, 
 but not fo dttcrminritcly, not fo nearly, not fo clearly as Joh.i 
 did: and acrordingly, he w.is that Eliaswhichlfaiasand Mal- 
 achi foretold fhould be the harbinger and forerunner of Chrifl. 
 But why hath John the Baptift thenameofElias? Pofiiblybc- 
 caufe they were alike zealous in the work of God, they were 
 aliKe fuccefcful iii that %vork, and they were alike periccutcd 
 for their work, the' one hy Jezebel, the other by Herodias, 
 
 16 But whereunto Ihall I Ukcn this generation ? ft 
 is like unto children fitting in th» markets, and call- 
 ing unto their fellows, 1 7 And Hiy ing, We have pip- 
 ed unto you, and ye have nol danced : we have mourn 
 ed unto you, and ye have not lamented. 1 8 For John 
 came neither eating nor drinking, and they fay, He 
 hath a devil, ig The Son of man came eating and 
 drinking, and they fay, Behold a man gluttonous and 
 a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and finners. But 
 wifdom isjuftified of her children. 
 
 Our Saviour, in thefe words, defcribes the prevcrfc humour 
 of the Pharifces, whom nothing could allure to the embracing 
 of the gofpel, neither John's niiniftry, norChrift's. Thisour 
 S.avio«r fets forth two ways : i. Allcgorically, \er. 16,17. 2. 
 Properly, ver. 18, 19. By way of allegory, he compares them 
 to fullen children, whom nothing would pleafe, neither mirth 
 nor mourning : if their fellows piped before them, they would 
 not dance ; if they fung mournful fongs to them, they would 
 not lament : That is, the Pharifees were of fuch a cenforious 
 and capricious humour, that God himfelfcould not pleafe them, 
 though he ufed variety of means and methods in order to that 
 end. Neither the delightful airs of mercy, nor the doleful dit- 
 ties of judgment, could aftcifl or move their heart.i. Next, 
 our Lord interprets this allegory, by tellingthem, That John 
 came to them neither eating nor drinking ; that is, not fo freely 
 and plentifullyas other men, being a veryauftereand mortified 
 man, bothinhisdiet and inhis habit: and all this wasdefigned 
 by God, that the aufterity of his life, and feverity of his doc- 
 trine, might awaken the Pharifees to repentance ; but inilcad 
 of this, they cenfure him for having a devil ; becaufe he de- 
 lightedin folltudc, and avoided converfe with men; according 
 to the ancient proverb, that every folitary perfon is either an 
 angel or a devil, cither a wild beaft or a god. Johnbeingthus 
 rejeftcd, Chrift himfelf comes to them, who being of a free 
 and familiar converfe, not (hunning the focictyof the worftof 
 men, even of the Pharifees them felves, but complying with their 
 cuftoms, and accompanying with them at their feafts, butwith-. 
 out the leaft compli.ince with them in their fins: but the free- 
 dom of our Saviour's convcrfation difpleafed them .ns much as 
 John's refervedncfs of temper; for they cry, Behold a man 
 glultonous. Chrift's affability rov.ardsf nners theycall pppro- 
 bation of their fins; and his fociablc difpoHtion, looftncfs and 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 17 
 
 luxury. Learn hence. That the faithful andzealoiismiiiifters 
 of God, let their temper and converfcbe what it will, cannot 
 picafe the enemies of religion, and the haters of the power of 
 godlinefs; neither John's audority, nor Chrift's familiarity, 
 would gain upon the Pharifccs. It is our duty, in the courfe 
 of our ininirtry, to feek to pleafe all men for their good : but 
 after all our endeavours to pleafe all, we fliall picafe but very 
 few ; but if God and confcience be of the number of thofc ic\s,, 
 we are fafc and happy. Obferve, 2. That it has been the old 
 policy of the devil, that he might hinder the fuccefs of thegof- 
 pel, to fill the mindsof perfons with an invincible prejudice a- 
 gainft the minifters and difpenfers ofthcgofpel. 3. That af- 
 ter all thefcandalous reproachescaftupon relij^icn, and the min- 
 ifters of it, fuch as are wifdoms children, wife and good men, 
 will juftify religion; that is, approve it in their judgments, ho- 
 nour it in their difcourfes, and adorn it in their lives. Jf^-f- 
 dom is jujllfied of her children. 
 
 20 f Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein 
 moft of his mighty woiks were done, becaufc they re- 
 pented not. 2 1 Wo unto thee, Chorazin ; wo unto 
 thee, Bethfaida; for if the mighty works which were 
 done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, thev 
 •\vould have repented long ago in fackcloth and afh- 
 es. 22 But I fay unto you, it fhall be more tolera- 
 ble for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than 
 for you. 
 
 • Our Saviourhaving gone throughthecitiesofGalilec, preach- 
 ed the dodrine of repentance, and confirminghisdodlrine with 
 miracles, and finding multitudes, after all hisendeavours, remain 
 in their impenitence, he proceeds to upbraid themfcverely for 
 that their contempt of gofpel-grace : Then began he to upbraid 
 the cities. Sec. Where ai/eme, J. Thecities upbraided, Cho- 
 razin, Bethfaida, and Capernaum ; in their pulpits he daily 
 preached, and thofe places were the theatres upon which his 
 miracles were wrought ; other cities only heard, thefe faw • 
 but where he preached moft, heprevailedleaft ; likefomefifh- 
 crmen, he catched Icaft in his own pond. 2. What he up- 
 braids them for ; not for di.rrefpea to his perfon, but for dif- 
 obedience to hisdodlriiie; becaufc they repented nor. The 
 great defign of Chrift, both in the doftrlne which he preached, 
 and in the miracles which he wrought, was to bring men to 
 repentance; that is, to forfake their fms, and live well. "3. 
 Whom he upbraids them with ; Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, nations rude and barbarous, out of the pale of the 
 churcl), ignorant of a Saviour, and of the ways to faivation by 
 "•m. Learn, That the higher a people rife under the means', 
 the lower they fall if they mifcarry. They that have been 
 nearcft to converfion, and not yet converted, {hall have the 
 greateft condemnation when they are judged. Capernaum's 
 Icmcnce fl)all exceed Sodom's for fcverity, becaufc Hie excee- 
 ded Sodom in the enjoyment of means and mercy. The cafe 
 \ "^a^''''° ^'^^ impenitent under the gofpel, is of all others 
 the mcA dangerous, and their damnation Ihall be heavieftand 
 moit (cvtrc. Sodom, theftain of mankind, a city foaked in the 
 dregs ol \ ilJ.my : yet this hell upon earth Ihallhave a mildcrhell 
 at the la : day of judgment, than unbelieving Capernaum, as the 
 next vcrfe informs us. 
 
 23 And tliou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto 
 hpavco, flialt be broil -ht down to hell : for if the 
 
 mighty works which have been done m thre, had been 
 done in Sodom, it would have remained until thi*- 
 day. 
 
 This city lyingundergrcatcrguilt than the reft, Chrift names 
 it by itfelf, without the the reft ; nay, he doth not only name 
 it, but notify it, as being lifted up to heaven by fignal favours 
 and privileges, namely, Chrift's prcfence, Chrift's preaching 
 and miracles. Obferve, i. Capernaum's privileges enjoyed ; 
 though a poor obfcure place in itfelf, yet fhe was, by the per- 
 fon, miniftry, and miracles of Chrift, lifted up to heaven. 
 Zwrn thence, That gofpel-ordinances and church-privilcgts en- 
 joyed, arc a mighty honour and advancement to the pooreftjxrr- 
 fonsand obfcurcft places. 2. An heavy doom denounced, 7"/;^tt 
 Jha/t be brought doivn to hell ; that is, thy condition fliall be as 
 fad as that of the worft of men, for thy non-proficiency imder 
 the means enjoyed. Learn thence. That gofpel-ordinaiiccs and 
 church -privileges enjoyed, but not improved, provoke almigh- 
 ty God to inflift the forelt of judgments upon the people. 
 Thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, fhall be brought doivn 
 to hell. 
 
 24 But I fay unto you, that it fhall be more tole- 
 rable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment 
 than for thee. 
 
 Obferve here, i. That there fliall be a dayof Judgment. 2. 
 That in the day of judgment fomc finners fliall fareworfcthatr 
 others. There are degrees of puniflimcnt among the damned. 
 3. That the worft of heathens, who never heard of a Saviour, 
 nor ever had an offer of faivation by him, fliall fare better in 
 the day of judgment than thofe that continiieimpenitcntundcr 
 the gofpel. Chrift here avouches, that Capernaum's fcntencc 
 Ihall exceed Sodom's for fcverity. 
 
 25 5 At that time Jefusanfwercd and laid, I thank 
 thee, O Father, Lord cf heaven and earth, becaufc 
 thou hafl: hid thefe things from the wife and prudent, 
 and hafl revealed them unto babes ; 26 Even fo, Fa- 
 ther, for fo it feemed good in thy fight. 
 
 In thefe verfes our Saviour glorifies his Father for the w ife 
 and free difpenfation of hisgofpci-gracetotlitmeancftandmoft 
 ignorant; whilft the great and learned men of the world im- 
 dervalued and dcfpifed it. By ivife vetAprwlenl, Chrift means 
 worldly wife men, particularly Scribes and Pharifees, from 
 whom God injudgnient did hide I'ne myllerics of the gofpel, and 
 faid ye ftiall not fee ; becaufc they had doled tiieir tycs, and faid 
 we will not fee. By babes underftand fuch as are at the great- 
 eft diftance in natural confideration fromacapacitv of fuch rich 
 and heavenly manifeftations. By hidiuz tl.efe things from the 
 wife and prudent , we are not to underftand God's putting darkncfs 
 into them, but his leavingthem to theirown darkncls,or deny- 
 ing them that light which they had no defireto fee ; plainly in- 
 timating, that God judicially hides the myfteries of heavenly 
 wifdom from worldly wife men. Learn, 1. That till God re- 
 veals himlelf, his naturcand will, no man can know cither what 
 he is, or what he requires ; Thou haj} revealed. 2. That the 
 wife men of the world have in all agcsdefpifcd themyfteriesof 
 the gofpel, and therefore been judicicufly given up bv God to 
 their own wilful blindiiefs; Th'M hof: hid theft things from the 
 ivije and prudent. 3. That the moft ignorant andmoit humble, 
 not the moft learned, it proud, doftaijdreadyio rcceiveand em- 
 brace the gofnel revelation ; Thou hajl r'eveidtd lien unto brJcs. 
 
 4. That 
 
48 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap 
 
 Kltt 
 
 4. That this is no lefs pleafin^r: to Chrift, thanitisthc pleflfure 
 ^fi* '.he Father; Kvcn fo, Father, as it fcniifth g^szd In liy fight. 
 As if" Chi ill had faid, Father, thy clc(5lion and choice plcnfcsmc, 
 as being the choice and good plcafuie of thy wifdoni. 
 
 27 All things arc delivered unto mc of my Father: 
 and no inauknowcththeSon but the Father; neither 
 knoweth any man the Father, favc tlic Soia, and htlo 
 ^vhomfocvcr the Son will reveal ^m. 
 
 In this vcrfc our Saviour opens hisconir.iiiTion.anddccIarc'!, 
 I_. His authority ; that all power is committed tohim, as Me- 
 diator from God the Father. 2. His office; to reveal his Fa- 
 ther's mind ar.d will to a loft world. No man hmvclh the Fa- 
 ther, hut the .$"«';; that is, the cflcnce and nature of the Father, 
 the will and counfelof the Father, only as the Son reveals them. 
 Leant, That all our faving knowledge of Grid is inand thibu^h 
 Jcfus Chrift; he. as tl-.c great prophet of the church, reveals 
 the mind and will of Goduntoiis foi- oiirfalvation ; and nofav- 
 ing knowledge without him. 
 
 285 Come unto mc all yc th.it labour and arc 
 heavy laden, and I will give you reft. 
 
 Here we have a fweet invitation, backed with a graciousen- 
 ccuragcmyit ; Chrift invites fuch as are weary of the burden 
 ot fin, ot the flavery of Satan, of the yoke of the ceremonial 
 law, to come untohim forreftand eafe ; and, asan encourage- 
 ment, aiTurcs them, that upon their coming to him they fliail 
 find reft. Learn, I. That fin is the fouls laborious burden ; 
 Ccmc unto mc, all ye that labour. Labouring fuppofesa burden 
 to be laboured under ; this burden is fin's guilt. 1. That fuch 
 as come to Chrift for reft, mtift be laden finners. 3. That la- 
 <!en finners not only may, but ought to come to Chrift for reft; 
 they may come, bccaufe invited; they ought locome, becaufc 
 commanded. 4. That the laden finner, upon his coming, ih.ill 
 find reft. Come, &c. Note here, That to come to Chrift, in 
 the phrafe of the New Teftament, is to believe in him, and to 
 become one of his difciples, John vi. 35. He that cometh unto 
 vie/hi.-l! mt hunger, he that helievcthon mejhalln-}t thlrjl. 
 
 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for 
 I am meek and lowly in heart: andye (hall find refl 
 unto your fouls. 
 
 Here note. That the phrafe o{ taUngthe yol<c is Judaical: the 
 Jewifti dodlors fpeak frequently of the yoke of the law: the 
 yoke of the commandments; andtheceremoniesimpofedupon 
 the Jews are called a yoke, Afts xv. 10. Now as Mofes had a 
 yoke, fo has Chrill; and accordingly, c^nr, 1. Chrift's dif- 
 ciples muft wear Chrift'syoke. Thisyokeistwo-fold; ayoke 
 of inftruftion, and a yoke of affliftion ; Chrift's law is a yoke 
 of inftruftion; it reftrains our natural inclinations, itcurbsour 
 fenfual appetites; it is a yoke to corrupt nature ; this yoke 
 Chrift calls hh yoke, Tahe my yoke upon you; I. Becaufc he, as 
 a Lord, lays it upon our necks. 2. Becaufc he, as a fervant, 
 bore it upon his own neck firft, before he laid it upon ours. 
 Olfi-rve, 2. Thatthe way andrnannerhow tobearChrift's yoke 
 • muft be learnt of Chrift himfelf. Take my yoke vpon you, and 
 learn ofrne; that is, learn of me, both what to bear, and how to 
 bear. 3. That Chrift's humility and lowly-mindednefs, isagrc.it 
 encouragement to cluiftians tocomeuntohim, and learn ofhim, 
 both how to obey his commands, and \\o\v tofuffer his will and 
 plcafiire. Learn of me, for I am meek. 
 
 30 For my yoke is cafy, and my burden is li^Ut. ^ 
 
 Ol'ff niehcrc, I. Chrift'sauthorltyandgreatrefs; heha'ipow- 
 cr to impofe a yoke, and inflifl a burden. Aly yoke ; My hir- 
 dtn. 2. His clemency and goalncfs in impofing an cafy yoke, 
 and a 1 ight burden . My yoke is eafy, my burden /r ligl / ; t hat is, 
 my fcrvice is good and gainful, profitable and ufcftil ; not only 
 tolerable, but delightful ; and as is my yoke, fuch ismyburdcn: 
 The burden of my precept?, the burden of my crofs, both lifhc 
 not abfoliitely, but comparatively; the weight of mv crofs isr.ot 
 comparable with the glory of mvcrown. Z.m/-«, That the fcr- 
 vice of Chrift, though hard ami intolerable to corrupt nature, 
 yet is amoftdefircablean^delightfulfcrviceto grace, or renewed 
 nature ; Chrift's fervice is eafy to a fpiriiual mind. i. Itiscaf 
 (y, as it is a rational fervice; confonantto right tcafonij;hoi^' 
 contradiftory to depraved nature. 2. Eafy, as it is a ffriritml' 
 fcrcicc ; delightful to a fpiritual mind. 3. Eafy, as it is an af- 
 fiftcdfcTvice; conn6«rujgthat v.e work not inourownftrengtlii" 
 but m Gods. 4. Eafy, wTicrc^jncc it isan accuftomed fervice; 
 though hard to beginners, it is cViy^xp progreflbrs ; the farther 
 we walk, the fweeter isour w.iy. 5. fe%, asit isthemoft gain- 
 ful fervice ; having the alfurance of an eternal wcirht of glory 
 as the reward of our obedience. Weil there forr ~ ' ^irho-' 
 Iv Lord fay to his followers ; Ah yoke is ecfy, , yj^ fy 
 
 fight. 
 
 CHAP. xn. 
 
 Our hleffed Saviour in this chapter takes occajion to inflruB his dif^ 
 ciples in the doctrine of the Sabbath : /heaving, that works of m- 
 cejfity and mercy may if performed upon that day, without any. -vi- 
 olation of the divine command. 
 
 AT that time Jefus went on the Sabbath-day 
 through the corn; and his difciples were an hun- 
 gered, and began to pluck the ears ofcom, and to eat. 
 Olferve here, The poor eftate and low condition of Chrift's 
 ov/n difiipks in this world ;• they wanted bread, and are forced: 
 to pluck the ears of corn to fatisfy their hui^er. God fome- 
 times fiiffers his dearcft children in this v/orldtofall into ftraifs, 
 and to tafte of want, for the trial of their fahh, anddcpcnJance 
 upon his power and providence. 
 
 2 But when the Pharifees faw [t, they faid unto him. 
 Behold, thy difciples do that which is not lawful to 
 do upon the fabbath-day. 
 
 Ohferve here, t. The perfons finding fault with this scflioa 
 of the difciples, the Pharifees ; many of whom., accompanied 
 our Saviour, not cut of any good intentions, but only with a dr- 
 fign to cavil at, and quarrel withevery thing thateither Chrift 
 or his difciples f.:id or did. 2. The adlion which they found 
 fault with : The difciplcf plucking off the ears cfccrn en the fat hat h- 
 a'ay. Where note. It is not theft which the difciples are accuf- 
 ed of by the Pharifees: For, to take in our neceftity fo much 
 of our neighbour's goods, as we may reafonably fiippofe th.arif 
 he were prefent,and knewourcircimiftances, he would givcur, 
 is no thett ; but it was a fervile labour on the fnobath, in ga- 
 thering the corn, that the Pharifees fcriiplcd ; plucking the cars 
 was looked upon as a fort of reaping. Learn thence, how zea- 
 lous hypocrites arcTor the leftcr thingsof the law,whilft they nc 
 lc6l ihc weightier; and how fiipcrftitioully addi<Sed to the 
 outward cercmo.".ics, placing all hcli.ncfs in the obfcrvancc of 
 them. 
 
 3 But 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 4<^ 
 
 3 But he fiiid unto tlicm, Have ye not read what 
 David did when he was an hungered, and they that 
 were with him, 4 How he entered into the houfe of 
 God, and did eat the fhcw- bread, which it was not 
 lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were 
 with him, but only for the paefls ? 5 Or have ye not 
 read in the law, how that on the fabbath-days the 
 priefts in the temple profane the fabbath, and arc 
 ilamelefs ? 6 But I fay unto you, that in this place 
 is one greater than the temple. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour defends the adtion of his dif- 
 ciples in plucking ih? ears of corn in their neceflity, by a dou- 
 ble argument : 1 . From David's example ; neceflity freed 
 him from fault in eating the confecrated bread, which mmc 
 but the priefts might lawfully eat ; for in cafes of necelTity, 
 a cf.remonial precept muft give place to a moral duty; works 
 of mercy and nccelfity, (•" preserving our lives and the ber- 
 ter fitting us for fahbath fervices, are certainly lawful on the 
 fabbath-day. 2. From the example of the priefts in the tem- 
 ple, who upon the fabbath do break the outward reft of the 
 day, by killing their facrifices, and many other adls of bodi- 
 ly labour, which would be accounted fabbath-profanation, 
 did not the fervice of the temple require and jiftify it. 
 Now, faith our Saviour, if the temple-fervice c^n inftify 
 labour on the fabbath, I am greater thin the temple, and 
 my authority and fervice can juftify what my diftiples have 
 done. From the whole v-e learn, That aftsof mercy, whiih 
 tend to fit us for works of pieiy, not only ni.iy, but ought to 
 be done on the fabbath-day. 
 
 ' 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will 
 have mercy and not facrifice, ye would not have con- 
 demned the jjuiltlefs. 
 
 Learn hence, 1 hat the law of meicy is much moreexcel- 
 lent than the law of ceiemonies ; and u here both cannot be 
 obferved, the lefs muftgive pl.iee to the greater. Cod ne- 
 ver intended that the c< remonirs of liis fervice in the firft 
 table (hould hinder works of mercy prefcribed in the fecond 
 table. All God's commands are for mar.'s gond Where 
 both cannot be obeyed, he will h;iv(> the mor 1 duty perfor- 
 med, and the ceremonial fervice omifed : He wiliu.vemrr. 
 ey and not fucrtjice; thai is, he will ha^i^wcy r^ib^r than 
 facrifice, where both cannot he had. \ . )' . o . , 
 
 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the fabbath- 
 day. 
 
 As if Chrift had faid, "f, who am Lord of the fa!)iiath, 
 decLire to you, that 1 have a power to difpenfe «ith the ob- 
 fervation of it ; and as it is my will that ihefahbith, which 
 was appointed for man, lliou!d yield to nun's falety and wel- 
 f.ire." Jefus the Son of man was really the Son of God ; 
 and, asfuch, had power over the fabbath, to difpeufe with 
 it, yea, to abrogate and change it at his pleafure. 
 
 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into 
 their fyna-^o^ue. to f And behold, there was a man 
 which had hn hand withered : and they afked him, 
 (aying. Is it lawful to hoal on the Sabbath-day ? that 
 
 that they might accufc him. 11 /wui he (aid ucto 
 them. What man fliall there be among you, tiiat flii^ 
 have one fiieep, and it iall into a pit on the fabbalh 
 day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift ?V out ? i 
 How much then is a man I)etter than a fliccn ? whcf 
 fore it is lawful to do well on the fabbath-dayn. 
 
 Here we have another dilpurc betwixt our Saviour and tl'c 
 Pharifees concerning the fabbath ; whether it be a breach 
 of that day, mercifully to heal a perfon having a v/ithered 
 hand? Chrift confutes them for their own practice, telling 
 the I'harifees, that they thcmfelvcs judged it lawful to help 
 out a flieep or an ox, if fallen into a pit on that day : How 
 much more ought the life of a man to be preferred ? Here 
 we m.-)y remark, how inveterate a malice the Pharifees h.id 
 againit our Saviour ; when they could find no crime to 
 charge him with, they blame him for working a merciful and 
 miraculous cure upon the fabbath-dsy. When envy and 
 malice (which are evermore quick-fightcd) can find no oc- 
 calion of quarrel, they will invent one againft the innocent. 
 
 13 Then faith he to the man, Stretch forth thine 
 hand : and he flretchcd it forth ; and it was reftorcd 
 whole, like as the other. 14 \ Then the Pharifees 
 went out, and held a council againfl him, how they 
 might deftroy him. 15 But when Jefus knew ;i, he 
 withdrew himfelf from thence ; and great multitudes 
 followed him, and he healed them all, 1 6 And charg- 
 ed them that they fiiould not make him known : 
 
 Chfcrve, i . The merciful and miraculous cure wrought by 
 enr Saviour's power upon the impotent man ; He faid unto 
 hint, Stretch out thine land, end his hand, luas rejiored. 2. 
 What a contrary effect this cure had upon the Pharifees; 
 inftead of convincing them, they confpire againft him ; our 
 Saviour's enemies, when arguments fail, fall to violence.^. 
 The prudent means which our Saviour ufes for his own pre' 
 fervation. Hevjithareiu himfelf. thrift's example teachrshis 
 minifters their duty ; to avoid the hands of perfecutors, 
 and prudently to preferve their lives, uiilrfs v hen theirfuf- 
 fcrings ar« like to do more good than their lives. 4. The 
 great humility of Chrift in concealing his own praikrs ; he 
 had no ambition that the fame of his mirades fliould be 
 fprend abroad, for he fought not his own glory ; neither 
 would he, by the noife of his miracle enrage the Pharif-es 
 againft him to take away his life ; knowiny, that his time v as 
 not yet come, and he had much v/ork to do betorc hisdeath. 
 
 i-j That it might be fulfilled which tvas fpoken by 
 Efaias the prophet, faying. 18 Behold, my fcrvanfc 
 whom I have choftn; my beloved, in whom my 
 foul is well pleafed : I will put my fpirit upon him, 
 and he fhall fhew judgment to the gentiks. ig He 
 fhall not ftrive, nor cry ; neither fhall any man hear 
 his voice in the ftreets. 20 A bruifed reed fhall he not 
 break, and fmokmg flax fhall he not quench, till he 
 fend forth judg,ment unto victory. 21 And in his 
 name iliall the Gentiles trufl:. 
 
 That is, our blcfled Saviour did thofe good afts before 
 
 C fpok 
 
6» 
 
 St. M a T T II E W. 
 
 Cm 
 
 fpokenof.that it might appear iliat he was the true Mefllas 
 pri'iihcfu'd of by Ifjias ihc prophet, chap. xlii. 1,2. Be- 
 hold my fcrvaiit wliom I have let apart for actDniilirning 
 the \\ orU. of /it hill i',n lor n loll world ; ht, by the fuliiefs of 
 wy fpirit Ihall tcath (lie n:itioi-!s the way to truth arc! righ- 
 teouiiiefi : he fluill not fuhdue men hy ftrte and violeiite, 
 bur, as the Pritue of peace, lliail deal gently with the we.ik, 
 2nd cherifli the lealt ineafiiresof j^race and degrees of gnod- 
 rcfs. Otfcrvc- here, i . A defcription of Chrilt as Mediator; 
 he is God the Father'syW-t'/zr.', employ* d in the moll noble 
 lervice, namely that ol initructing and laving a loit world. 
 2. With \\ h.it metknefs and gentlenefs Chrift fets up his 
 fpiritual kingdom in the world ; he doth not withnoife and 
 clamour, with force and violence, fubdue and conquer, but 
 uith meekiiefs and gentlenefs, gahis perfons confent to his 
 gDveninient and authority. 3. The gentle carriage of Chrift 
 in treating thofe of infirnier grace ; he i!o(h and wiUgraci- 
 oufly preferve, and tenderly cherifli the fniallelt beginnings, 
 the Aeakeitnieafurcs.and the lowed degrecsof fincere grace, 
 which he obferves in any of hi^ children and people. By 
 the bruifed reed and fuioking fl4K, iinderftand fnch as are 
 broken yith a fenle of fin, fnch as are weak in faith, fuch as 
 nre fo much overpo\\cred by corruption. that they do rather 
 fmoak than burn or (liinc; fnch as are thu^lo.v and mean in 
 fp:ri:ual5, Chriil will not break with his power, nor quench 
 with his rebukes, till he has perfcfted their converlioii, and 
 their weak grace is become victorious. 
 
 02 "f Then was brought unto him one pofTefTed 
 wilh a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, 
 infomiich that the blind and dumb both fpake and 
 favv, 23 And all the people were amazed, and faid. 
 Is not 11115 tiie Son oi David ? 24 But when the Pha- 
 rifets heard ;/, they laid, This/tllozv doth not caft out 
 devils, but by Beelxcbub the prince of the devils. 
 
 Asa farther indance ofChriftsniiraculouspower, hehcal- 
 eth one whom tiie devil had caft into a difeafe which depriv. 
 edhimbxth of (peechand Oght : at this miracle the multitude 
 wonder, faying, Jj noi this thu /on of David ? that is, thepro- 
 mifed Melllas. The Pharil'ees hearing this, with great bit- 
 ternefs snd contempt faid, This jrllrjj cajhtb out ilevils by 
 Jieelzebub t'n- prince of devils. Ob/erve fromhence. How ob— 
 ftinacy and malice will make men mifconllrue the actions of 
 tlie molt holy and innocent ; Chrift cajleth out divils, faid 
 the Pharifees, by the help tf the devil. There never was a 
 ny perfon fo good, nor any action fogracious, but they have 
 been lubjec't both to ccnfure andmifconftrudtion. The btft 
 way is to Iquare our aftians by the right rule of juftice and 
 charity, and then, let the world pafs their cenfures at their 
 picafurc. When the holy and innocent Jefus was thusaf- 
 faultcd, what wonder is it, if we, Iiis finful lervants, l>c brand- 
 ed on all fides, by reviling tongues ? Why lliould we ex— 
 pedl better treatment than the Son of Gcd.' 
 
 25 And Jefus knew their thoughts, and faid unto 
 ihcm. Every kingdom divided againft itfelfis brought 
 todefo!ation ; and every city or houfe divided againft 
 itfelf fl\all not fiand. 26 -A.ndif Satan call out Satan, 
 he is dividi-da^ainfl himfclf; how fliall then his king- 
 
 dom (land ? 07 And if I hy Beelzebub cafl ou' de- 
 vils, by whom do your cluldivn call li.an uut ? tlure- 
 fore they ihall be your judj^es. 28 But if I cafl out 
 devils by the fpirit of God. then the kingdom of God 
 is come unto you. 29 Or elfe. how can one enter in- 
 to a Riong man's houfe, and fpoil his ^oods, except 
 he firfl bind the flrong man P and then he will fpoil 
 his houfe. 30 He that is not with me is againft me ; 
 and he that g*ihereth not with me fcattercth abroad. 
 
 Our blefied Saviour, totfe'r his innocence and to con- 
 vince the Pharifeesof the unreafonablenef of their calumny 
 and falle accufations, offers feveral argummts to tin ir con- 
 fideration. i. That it was very unlikely tjiat Sat^n lliould 
 leod this po.ver to ufe it igainlt himlelf. As Satanhisa 
 kingdom, fo he h»6 u/jt enough toprelorve hi-k'ngdom. anil 
 will do nothing to we;ikeft-*,i4. ywMinnereft:. Ko^v if ] have 
 received my pow.^- from Saian.-W diiboyinghm and his 
 kingdom, then is Satan divided againlV-kijiiUIf 2. Dur Sa- 
 viour tells them, they might, with as niiichrc^fon, attribute 
 all miraeles to the devil, as thofe that wire wrought bv hm. 
 Tiiere uere certain Jews among thi tnlehes, u hotjft out 
 devili in the name of theGodof Abrah*iu, Ifaac, and Jatob: 
 Chrift afks the Pharifees. by what power thefe thtir children 
 caft them out? They acknowledged, that thofe did it by the 
 povverofGod; and there wa^ no cau'.'e, but their malice, 
 why they ftiould not acknowledge that what he did was by 
 the fame power. /// cnjt out dcvilt by the Spirit 'f C^i',then 
 the kingdom rf God is come unto you ; thdt is, the Meiliaj is 
 come ; becaule he wrought theie miracles to prove that he 
 was the MelTi.is. Another argument to prose, that the mi- 
 racles v. hich Chrift wrought >s ere by the pow er ot God, 
 and not by the help of Satan, is this : the devil is very ftrong 
 and powerful, and there is nopowrr but God'sonly, that is 
 ftronger than his : Now fays Chrilt, If I were not aflifted 
 by a »hvine power, I could never caft out this ftrong man, 
 who reigns in the world as in hi'' houfe : It muftbe a Itrong- 
 er than the ftrong man that Iha'.l bind Satan; and who is 
 he but the God of llrengih ? 
 
 31 1[ Wherefore I fay unto you, all manner of Cn 
 and blafphemy fhall be forgiven untomcn: but the 
 blafphemy againjlthe lioly Ghoft lliall not be forgiven 
 unto men. 32 And whofoever fpeaketh a word a- 
 gainft the Son of man, it (hall beforgivcn him: but 
 whofoever fpeaketh againft the Holy GhoQ, it fhall 
 not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in 
 the world to comQ. 
 
 Oh/ttve, r. How our Saviour makes a difference betvixt 
 fpe.iking againft the Son of man, and fpcaking .Tgainfl the 
 }h)ly Gliolt. By fpeaking eigainji the Son of man, is meant 
 all thofe reproaciies which were caft upon our Saviotir's per- 
 lon as man, without reflefting upon his divine power as God, 
 vhich he teftified by his miracles Such were their re- 
 proaching him with the meannefs of his birth, iheircenfur- 
 ing him for a winf— Sibber, and a ghitton, and the like. But 
 hy I'pt aktrn; agai ft the Holy Ch'ift, ismeant theirreproadiing 
 and blafpheiiiing that divine power whereby he wrought his 
 miracles ; which was an immediate rcllection upon the Ho— 
 
 Jy 
 
Chap. 
 
 x:i. 
 
 St. M a T T H E V7. 
 
 ly Spirit, antf a bL-i-fph cluing of hitn. -2. TIic n.TUire of ihis 
 (ill of I'peakiniT .igainlt the Ho'y Ghoft : it conlilteth in this, 
 that the Ph:iri!ees feeiiiij our Savio'ir work iiiir.ides, cnll 
 OIK dtvih by the Spirit of God, ccmttMry tu rhe convic'tion 
 lit their own minds theyinaliciouny .ifcribrd hiinjir-icles to 
 the power of the devit, char i^irg him to be n forcerer and a 
 m.ig'ciiin, and to Iiave a f.imihar fpiritjbv whofe help heclid 
 thole nii<:;hty works ; when in truth he did theiiiby the Sj)!- 
 rit of God. 3. I hat th:;, liii, above all others, is called iir— 
 pardonable, and upon th.tt account it isfo. The cafeoffuch 
 bLilphemers of liie Holy Spirit, is not only dangerous, iiut 
 dcfperate; becaufe they reUll their lad remedy, andoppofe 
 the birt means for theirconviction. U'hat can God do mote 
 to convince a man that JelusChrift is the true Melfiih, than 
 to work miracles for that purpi-fe ? Now, if when men fee 
 plain niirdcks nrouuht ihey will fay it is not Go<l that works 
 them, but thedevil: asif Satan """'i' conlpire agninA him- 
 felf, and feek the ruin of his own kinf^dom, there is no way 
 left to convince fiich pcrfons, but they mu(t and will contin- 
 ue in their oppolinon to truth, to their iiveviiable condem- 
 nation. 
 
 33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good ; 
 or ciCe make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : 
 for the tree is known by his fruit. 
 
 Thefe words may either refer to the Pharifees, or to 
 Chrift hiiiifelf. If to the Pharifees, the fenfe is, You h) — 
 pocritical Pharifees, fhew yourfelves what you are by your 
 ■words and aftions, even as the fruit (heweth what the tree 
 is. if they refer to Chrift, then they are an appeal to the 
 Pharifees themfelves,t()jndge of our Saviour and his doctrine 
 by the miracles which he wrought. If he wrought them 
 by the devil, his woiks would be as bid as the devil's, but 
 if his works were good, they muft own them tobe wrought 
 by the po.ver of God. The exprefTJ m implies, that a nun 
 may be known by his aclion":. as a tree m ly be known by its 
 fruit; yet not by a (Ingle action, but a feries of actions : not 
 by a particular aft, but by our general courfe. 
 
 g.^ O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, 
 fpeak good things ? For out of the abundance of the 
 heart the mouth fpeaketh. 
 
 A's''' here, i. The fervency and zeal of our Saviour's fpi 
 rit, in the conipellation given to the Pharifees ; he calh 
 them a gerteratton of vipers ; intimating, that they were a 
 vcnemous and da gcrous fort of men. Learn hence, 'J hat 
 it is not always riiiling and indifcreet zeal, to call wicktd 
 men by fuch n.imes as their lindeferves. Ohfeive farthtr. 
 From our Saviour's faying, that tui 'if the ahundanre of the 
 heart the mouth ffieakeih ; that the heart is the fountain bo:h 
 of words and a^ ons ; according as the heart is, fo is the 
 current of men's w ords and aitions, either good or evil. 
 
 35 A good man, out of the good treafure of the heart, 
 brin-eth forth good things ; and an evil man, out of 
 the evil treafure, bringeth forth evil things. 
 
 Chfet'je here, A double treafure difcovered in the heart 
 of man. i. An evil treafure of fin and corruption, both na- 
 tural and acquired, from whence proceed evil things — Now 
 this is called a treajarc, not for the prtcioufnefs of it, but 
 
 for the aluindanre of if ; a litiJe doth not rr.ikc t rreafurr; 
 and ..ho for the continuance of it ;' though it be perpetually 
 overflowing in the life, yet doth the heart continue fnl! ; this 
 
 trealiire of original corrnptiDiiiii man's natureViay be dr'a wu 
 low in this life, by (ancVfying grace, but it can never be 
 drawn dry. 2. Here is a ;»ood treafure of grace difcovered 
 in a faiiaiflcd and renesved man ; which Ts the fource am! 
 fpring from svhence ali gracious aftions do proceed ami flow. 
 For as the heart of man by nature is thefouniainfromwhcr.ee 
 all (ill fprings, fo the heart, renewed bv grace, isthefowrce 
 and fpring from whence all gracious .-•iflions do proceed and 
 flow. 
 
 36 But I fay unto you, That every idle word that 
 men fii;dl fpeak, they fliail give an account thereof in 
 the day of judgment. 
 
 I fay unto you; I, that have alwavs been in my Father's 
 bnfl,m, and fully know his mind ; J, that amconHitutcd Iud?e 
 of quick and dead, and underftand the rule of jiirf^rneiT • f 
 even 1, do afl'ureyou, that every word that has po.;iBj,(ii'r- 
 cy to promote the glory of God, or fome way ihefood of 
 others, will fall under cenfure at the great dav, without an 
 intervening repentance. Note here, That there are two 
 forts of words for which we muft be- judg. d : iinful words, 
 and Idle words. Sinful words are b!afphcRiou> words, cen- 
 fcnous words, lying and flandering v. ords. Jdle words are 
 fuch as favour nothmg of wil'dom and piety ; that have no 
 tendency to make men either wifer or better : How light fo- 
 ever men make of their words now, yet in God's balance a- 
 nother day, they will befound to weigh very heavy. What 
 a bi idle fhould this text be to extravagant tongues ! fee 
 Col. \v,(>.Letyrjurfpeech he always fcajoned -.Sith fait , that is. 
 with wifdom, &:c. for our words may mifchief ot'ncrs a long 
 time after they are fpoken ; how many years may a frothy 
 or filthy word, a profane fcofF. an atheiftical jrft.ftick in the 
 minds of thrm that hear it, after the tongue that fpike it is 
 dead I A word fpoken is phyficaliy tranfient, but morally per- 
 manent. 
 
 37 For by thy words thou fhait be juftificd, and 
 by thy words thou fhait be condemned. 
 
 Ci/>ru? here, The argument which our Saviour ufes to 
 move us to w.itchfiilnefs over our vords ; By r,ur 'jiorus ws 
 /h.illbcjulnfi,d; not meritorioufly , butdrclaraiively : Good 
 woid:. declare goodnefs inourlilves, and we (hallbe ded.ir- 
 ed good to others by oar words, if our wordsand acli.ins do 
 correfpond and agree wiili one another. Dcuih and I Jc are 
 in the prjjer of th<- tongue ; that is, according to the right or 
 wrong ofing of the tongue, we may jud^e a'nd g ther whe- 
 ther men are dead or alive as to God ; and bound for hea- 
 ven or htll Doubtlelsjull:fic.uion or condemnation will 
 p.-ifsui)on menatilie day of judgment, according to the ftate 
 of the perlbn. and frame of the heart ; now our words will 
 juflify or condemn us in that day asevideiicc of the ftate and 
 ir^ne of the foul. We ufi; to l.iy, fuch witnefTcs hangeda 
 man ; that is, the evidence ihey gave, caft and condemned 
 him. O think of this ferionfly ; if words evidence the ftate 
 of thy foul, v.hit an hell (h iiate muit thy foul be in, who 
 baft inured tliy!elf to the language of hell, tociaihj andcurf- 
 es ; fins whereby the devil cheats men moretba.-iby any fins 
 
 Cj wliat 
 
St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 I^MAF. XUI, 
 
 whatfoever! They are tlamntil for them, yet get nothing 
 hy tlifnij n.;iihcr prollc nor plcalure. 
 
 ;j3 9 Then certain of the fcribes andof the Pha- 
 rifecs anfv/ered, faying, M;iller, wc would fee a fi^n 
 1 roin thee. 39 But he anf^s'eied and faid unto them, 
 An evil and adulterous -(eneration feeketh after a fun, 
 lud there fhall no fi^n be given to it, but the fign of 
 tiie prophet [onas. 40 For as Jonas was three days 
 and thr^-'C ni,;hts in the whales belly : fo ftiall the 
 Son ofmanbj three days and three nights in the heart 
 ot the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh fhall rife up in 
 judijmtnc with this generation, and fliall condemn it, 
 becaufc they repcntedat the preaching of Jonas; and 
 behold, a greater than Jonas /5 here. 42 The queen 
 of the fouth fhill rife up in the judgment with this 
 generation, and fhall condemn it: forihe came from 
 the ullcrnjofl parts of the earth tohear the wildom of 
 Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is 
 
 Obfervfhere, I. The requeft which the Pharifees make 
 to Chrift ; 'Wiifler, we vjiuld Jet a fi^n from thee. But had 
 not Chrill llieweU them figns enough already ? What were 
 a\l ihe miracles wrought in tlieir fi^^ht, but convincing (igns 
 that he was the true MelTias ? But infid'"lity mixed vviih ob- 
 ftinacy, is never fatisfied. 2. Our saviour's nnlwer to 
 the Pharilees reqweft : He tclh them that they Ihould \\i\e. 
 oi;e lign more, to wit, that of hisrefurreftion from the dead: 
 For us Jouas lay buried three days in thi vjhalc's htlty, and 
 was then wonderfully reftored, fo fhould (and did) our Sa- 
 viour continue in the grave part of tliree natural days, and 
 then rile again. 3. Hosv Chrill declares the inexcufabk— 
 nefi of their ftaie, who would hot be convinced, by the 
 former miracles he hid wrought, that lie was the true mef- 
 liah ; nor yet be brought to believe in him by his laft lign 
 orniiraileofhisrelnrreclion. The Ninevites fhall condemn 
 t!ij Pharilees: They repented at the preaching of Jonas ; but 
 thelo would not be convinced by the preaching and miracles 
 ofjefus. Thj queen cf Sheha, -who aljo came from the fouth 
 t} hear and admire the 'rjifd<-jTH of Solomon, Jhallrife up injudg- 
 r,iint ag;iinft thofe that reject Chrift, who is the wifdom of 
 th J Father; .ind the doctrine delivered by him, which was 
 tlie power of God, and t!ie wifdom of God. Learn, That 
 th-' (ins of infidelity andimpenitency are exceedingly height- 
 tned, and their guilt aggravated, from the means afforded 
 by Cod to bring a people to faith and obedience. The fin 
 of t!ie Pharifees, hi rejefling Chrift's miradesand miniftry, 
 was hy far greater than that of tlie Ninevites, had they re- 
 jfded Jonas's mefljge and miniftry fent hy God amongll 
 them. 
 
 43 When the unclean fpirit is gone out of a man, 
 he walkctli tlirou^h dry places, feeking reft, and 'ind- 
 «:th none. 4 { Then he (aith, I %vill return into my 
 Iioufc from whence I came out ; and when he is come, 
 h-' findeth ?i empty, fwept, and garniflied. 45 Then 
 ^oeth he, and takcth with himfelf fcven other fpirits 
 
 more wicked than himfelf, and they enter in and 
 dwell there : and the lad llatt; of that man is worfe 
 than the firfl. Even fo Ihall it be alio unto this wick- 
 ed generation. 
 
 The defign and fcope of this pnral.le is to (hew, that the 
 Pharilees by rej.'ding the gofpel, and refuting to belivc in 
 Chritt, were in a feven-fold worfe condition than if the gol- 
 pel had never been preached to them, and a Saviour hadnc 
 ver come among thetn ; becaufe, by ourSuviour's miniftry, 
 Satan was in fome fort cart oui ; but f. riejcdlnig Chnltand 
 his grace, Satan had got a feven-fold (tronger pofftifion of 
 them now than before. From this parable learn, 1. That 
 Satan is an iniclean fpirit ; he has loft his original purity, 
 hishcly nature, in which he was created, and is become u— 
 niver'ally ftithy in himfelf; no means being ;dlowed him by 
 God for purgmgofhi'.nuUiy and unclean nature. lSJ..y,hc 
 is a perfed: enemy to holinefs, >t»ajigning all that love it and 
 would promote it. 2. That Satan K, reftlefs and unquiet 
 fpint ; being caft out of heaven, he can^^eft no where : 
 when he is either gone out of a man throiiyh pohcy, or caft 
 out of a man by power, he has no content or fatUfaclion, 
 until he retnrns into a filthy heart, v here he delightj to be 
 as the fuine in miry places. 3. That wicked and profane 
 finners liavcthis unclean fp'nt dwelling in thtm : their hearrj 
 are Satan's houfe and h.ibitations ; and the lull.- of pride and 
 unbelief, malice and revenge, envy and h)pocrify , thefeare 
 the garnidiings of Satan's houfe. Man's heart was God's 
 houie by creation, it is row Satan's by uriirj>aiion and judi. 
 eiary tradition. 4. 'J hat Satan, l>y the preaching of ihi gof- 
 pel, may feem to go out of perlons, and they become fober 
 and civilized ; yet he may remrn to his old habitation, aKtl 
 the lajl end of that man may be -worfe than the beginning, 
 
 46 f While he yet talked to the people, behold, 
 his mother and his brethren flood without, defiring 
 to fpeak with him. 47 Then one faid unto him. Be- 
 hold, thy mother and thy brethren fland without, de- 
 firing to fpeak with thee. 48 But he anfwered and 
 faid unto him that told him, Who is my mother ? and 
 who are my brethren ? 49 And he ft retched forth his 
 hand toward his difciples, and faid, Behold my mo- 
 ther, and my brethren. 50 For whofoever fliall do the 
 will of my Father which is in heaven, the fame is my 
 brother, and fifter, and mother. 
 
 Cbfeiv here, i. The verity of Chrift's human nature: 
 he had affinity and confanguinity with men, perfon: near in 
 blood to him, called his brethren, that is, his coufin-gernians. 
 2. That the holy Virgin herfelf was not wholly free from 
 failings and infirmities ; for here fhe does uniin.ely and un- 
 feaioiiably interrupt our Saviour when he was preaching to 
 the people, and employed about his Father's bufinefs. 3. 
 That Chri! did not negleft his holy inothir, nor difiegr.rd 
 hi^> near rcbiions ; only fhewed that he prefi rred his Fa- 
 ther's ff-ivice bffore them. Learn, 4. Ho.v dear btlievrrs 
 are to Jefus Chrift ; he prefers his fpiri'u I kindn d before 
 his natural. Alliance in faiih, a"d f[):ri:ual rrl.itioii Ui Chrift, 
 ii much nearer and ueanr than alliance by blood : to hear 
 
 Chrift 
 
Chap. xiii. 
 
 St. M A T T H £ W. 
 
 US 
 
 Chrift in the heirr, is much better than to hear him in tlie 
 womb. Bleflt'd he Goil, this grcateft privilege is iiotdenicLl 
 to us even now : though fee Ohrilt we cannot, yei |-.;ve him 
 we iniy : his bodily prefence cannot be enjoyed by iis, but 
 his fpiiituil prefence is not denied us. Though Chrill be 
 not ours, in houie, in arms, in affinity, in confanguinity.yct 
 in heart, in faith, in love, in fervicc, he is or may be ours. 
 Verily, fpiritu.il regeneration brings men into a more hon- 
 orable relation to Chnrt, than natural generation ever did. 
 WhrjpHvet Jhcill da the ivill ofmyjather, he is my brother, JiJ— 
 ter, and mother. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 THE fame day went Jefiis out of the houfe, and 
 fat by the fea-fidc. 2 And great multitudes wore 
 gathered together unto him, fo that he went into a 
 fliip, and fat ; and the whoJ'- multitude flood on the 
 fhore. 3 And he fpakc many thin^^a unto them in 
 .parables, faying,— 
 
 The foregoing chapter gaveu^ an account of an awaken- 
 ling fermon preached by om- Saviour to the Pharifees. In 
 this chapter we are acquainted with the continuance of his 
 preaching to tlie Huihitude : v\' litre three things are obftr- 
 Vi!ble, I. Our Lord's afTiduiiy and unwearied diligence in 
 preaching of the gofpel ; for this fermon was made the fame 
 <^ay with rhat in the former chapter, ver. i. Tie fame d,iy 
 V)tnt Jifus rut, and fat hy the fea-fide. A good pattern for 
 the preacher* of the gol'pel to follow. How a/lianied may 
 we be to preach once a week, when our Lord preached 
 twice a day ! 2. i he place our Lord preached in, a fhij) ; 
 not that he declined the temple or the fynag< gue, when he 
 had the opportunity : Butin the wantof theni, C'hrilt thought 
 an honle, a mountain, a fliip, no unmeet place to preach 
 in. It IS not the plnce that fanftifies the ordinance, but the 
 oidinance that (aniflifies the place. 3. The manner of our 
 Lord'spreaching; it was by parables and finiilitudes : which 
 wasan ancient way of inftrinflion amongthe Jews,anda ve~ 
 ry convincing way; at once j:orking upon wens mind me- 
 mories, and affeiftions; making the mind attentive, the me- 
 mory retentive, and the auditors inqu (itive afrer the inter- 
 pretation of the parable. Some are of opinion that our Sa- 
 viours parables \<. ere fuitedtohishearersemplciyments, fome 
 of whvim being hufbnndmen, he refemblcs his doftrine to feed 
 fown in the field : For thus he fpeaks : 
 
 — Behold a fower went forth to fov;-. 4 And when 
 he fowed, fotne feeds fell by the way's fide, and the 
 fowls came and devoured them up. 5 5ome fell up- 
 on flony places, where they had not much earth : and 
 forthwith they fprung up, becatife they had no dcep- 
 nefs of earth; 6 And. when the fun was up, they 
 were fcorched; and becanfe they had no root; they 
 withered away. 7 And fome fell amon,^ thorn.s, and 
 the tho ns fprun.^ up, and choaked them. 8 But o- 
 ther fell into (;ood ground, and brou,s;ht forth fruit, 
 fome an hundred-fold, fome iixty-fo!d. fome t.hirty- 
 fold. 9 Who hatii ears to hear, let him hear. 
 
 The fcope of this parable is to flicw that there are four 
 
 feveral forts of hciirers of the wcrd, and but one fort onry 
 th.tr he.ir to a faving advantage ; alft) 10 fhew us the canfe 
 of the different fiiccefs of the word prc.iclicd. Here 'hfcrve, 
 1. The fowcrs, Chrift .ind hisapollies; He the prime and 
 principal fo.ver, they the fecondary .ind fiibordinaie '[eef\:~ 
 men. Chnft foivs his osvn field, his minftrrs fow his field ; 
 he fowshis own feed, they fow his feed. Wo unto us if 
 we fow our own feed, and not Chrill's. 2. The feed fo.vn 
 the word of God. Fabulous legends, and unwritten tradi: 
 tions, which the feedfnienof thechurch of Romo fow, thefe 
 arenotfeed, butchaff: or their ownfeed, notChrift's. Our 
 Lord's fie.'d mufk be (osvn with his ow n feed, not mixed 
 grain. Learrt, i. That the word of God preached, is Ike 
 feed fown in the furrows of the field. As feed hasa frufti- 
 fying virtue in it, by which it increafesand brings forth more 
 of its o^ n kind, fo has the word of God a qnickrn inir power, 
 to regenerate and make alive dead fouls. ^. That'^the feed 
 of the word, where it is moll plentifully fo«n, is not alike 
 fruitful. As feed doth not thrive in all ground alike, fo nei- 
 ther doth the word frudify alike in the hearts of men. 
 There is a difference, both from the nature of the foil, |bid 
 from the influence of the Spirit. That the caufe of the word's 
 imfruitfulncfb is very different, and not the fame in all : in 
 fome, it is the policy of Satan, that bird of prry, vhich fol- 
 lows God's plough, andftealsaway the preciouv feed. Ino- 
 thers, it is a hard heart of unbelief : Inothers the cares ofthc 
 world, Ike thorns, choke the word, overgrow the good feed, 
 draw a way the moifture of the earth, and the heat of the" foil, 
 and hinder the influences of the fun. 1 he fsrgreater part 
 of hearers are fruitlefs and unprofitable hearers. 4. That 
 the belt ground doth not bring forth fiiiit alike: fome good 
 ground brings forth more, and fome kfs; Some thirty, /omc 
 fixty, and fome an hundred fold,. In Lke mnnner, a peifon 
 may be a profitable hearer of the word, althou2h he doth 
 not bring forth fogreat a proportiorrof fruit as others, pro- 
 vided he brings forth as much as he can. 
 
 10 And the difciples came, and faid unto him, 
 Why fpeakeft thou unto them in parables .? 11 He 
 anfwered and faid unto them.Becaufeit is given un- 
 to you to know the miflcries of the kinj^dom of hea- 
 ven, but to them it is not given. 
 
 Here we have the difciples qneftion, and our Saviour's 
 anfwer. Tiieir queflion is. Why Jpiak'ft th-^u to the per.pl^ 
 in parablfS, v, hich they do not underftand ? I'hey cannot 
 fee the loul of ihy meaning, through the body of thy para- 
 bles. Chrift anfwers, " 7o ;om, my diiciples, and fucli £5 
 you are, who love the truth, and delire to obey it, the fpi- 
 rit gives you an efFeflive, operative, and cxpcrimentiil know- 
 ledge, not barely to know thcfe things, bu; to l)clieve them, 
 and feel the pov/er of them, in and upon your hearts ; but 
 the generality of hearers do content themfches u iih a bare 
 notional knu\< ledge of what ihty hear j a i)aral;lv therefore 
 is wfll ei'ouiih for them." Learn, i. T hat tlie doftrino 
 of the gol'pel are myderies. !► That it is ;i mitchlefs an 1 
 inv.ihiall piiv;lpge, practically and f.ivinj'.l/ to underfland 
 and know gofptl inii'lerics. 3. Th.it this [-rivihge all are 
 not fharcrs ni, nor partr.kers of, but oi.ly thcfe 10 w l-.om it 
 is given ; Unto y. 11 it is giv<ii to hno'iV the n>.yj: erics oj th: 
 ki'igdorn, but tt them it ir no/ f-iven. 
 
 12 For whofoevcr hath, to him fhall be given, and 
 
 bo 
 
54 
 
 St. M a T T H E VV. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 xm. 
 
 he fiwW hav<? mnr« a'^u'iJ in.:c ; But x/iiofocver 
 haJhnot, Irom him ihill Uc tak'ju away even that ho 
 hath. 
 
 Th.i: ii, whoroever improves the tjie.iriires of c;race re- 
 ceived, lliiM obt.'-in farther moafures and d-greesof it : But 
 /'ro»i h'l'n th.it iIimK nat improve what he \\m> .ilrcady reccx— 
 ve<i,/h,ilJJ'i tahn a-jt ly that \uhuh lo hinil'ehor others he 
 fte^t.J ti !n-ji, h\\ c>)mn)t> .rifts .ml nior.<l endowments, 
 if.""-", Tn u wliere there are bejiinniu^- of true \:!,rnce, and 
 arijrht and wife im-jrove mcntof it. Cod wWX mike rich addi- 
 tions of more grace to the prcfent ftock which we have re- 
 ceived. 
 
 13 Therefore fpeak I to them in parables : Lccaufc 
 the/ (eein;j, fee not ; and hearin.^, they hear not, nei- 
 ther do they iinderftand. 14 And in them is ful- 
 fiUcd the prophecy of Ef-iias, which faith, By hearing 
 yeihall hear, andlliall not underiland ; and fcein^'ye 
 (hall fee, and liiall not perceive. 15 "For this people's 
 h^rtis waxed grofs, and their ears are dull of iiearinj, 
 and thiir eyes they haveclofed; left at any lime they 
 iliould fee niih tjjeir eyes, and hear with their ears, 
 and Ihould underdand with their heart, and Ihouid 
 be converted, and I fhould heal them. 
 
 Thefe words of our Wefled Saviour, aslconfe've, have a 
 peculiar reference and relaiion to the Pharifees. who attend- 
 ed upon ChrilVs miniihy, not with an honeft fiiuplciiy of 
 mind, to he inllrucled hy it, bur to carp and cavil at it Our 
 Saviour tells them, he had formerly fpuk-n thing'- very pi liii- 
 ly and clearly to them, and alfo wrought miracls before 
 them, to convince ihem of the divinity of his ptrfm, and of 
 the verity of his dodrine : But they would not believe ei- 
 ther his perfon or his doftrine to be from God: and there 
 fore hew )u!d now fpeak to them i i darkparabhs ihat they 
 may bejudiciallyblin led; they finfnlly fluit their ryes agninft 
 -the cleareft light, and faid they would not fee and now Chrill 
 clofes theireyesjudicially, and f.iysthey flull not fee. Learn 
 hence, To ackno* ledge the divine juftice, w hich fpe.iks dark 
 ly to them that defpife the Irght : ."-uih « ho fee and yet fee 
 not, they flull lee the fliell, but not rhe ktrnei ; ihcy fli..ll 
 hear the parable, but not underft .nd the fpiritu..! lerifeand 
 meaning of ir. When wilful blindnefs of mind is add.- d to 
 ii3tur.ll blindnefs, it is a jnfl and nghtfons thng with God 
 
 to (uperad judicial blindnefs, and give then) obtVinaty of heart, 
 his curfe unto them. 
 
 16 But Llefled are your eyes ; for they fee : And 
 your cars ; for they hear. 17 For verily I fay unto 
 you, that many prophets and ri^iiteous men have dc- 
 lircd to fee thofe things which ye fee, and have not 
 feen than ; and to liear thofc thin^^s which yc hear, 
 •% and have not heard than. 
 
 Here out; Saviour pronottnces fuch of hisdifciples and fol- 
 lowersbkfll'd, who receive the trnths of ilie gofpi], fofaras 
 they were already taught them; he alfurcs them that they 
 Ihall receive farther Ii^ht. and ftirther meafures offpiritual 
 illummation : Ui,pJ are y.-^ur eyes, f'^r th,v fre. Learn 
 
 That fu:li as hivp re'pii-ed the leail meafure; of fi;irituAl 
 knowledge and I'lviii^ iiluminaiion, and do impro\t it, arein 
 a h i|i(y .mil bleiltd cnnd;ti(m ; for as tluy are c.pableof 
 farther mt afures of divine knowledge, fo (hall they be par. 
 takers of them. 
 
 J 8 1 Hear ye thert^fore the parable of the fower. 
 tg When.iny one heareth the word of the kin 'dom, 
 and underllandi-'th it not, tiiL-n cometh tiie wicked 
 -one, and catchetli away tiiat \vhich was fown in his 
 heart ; this is he which recciveth feed by the way fide. 
 20 But iie that receivcth tlie feed into flony places, 
 die fame is he that heareth the word, and anon with 
 joyrcceivethit; 21 Yet hath henot rootin himfelf, 
 butUurethfora while: for when tribulation or per- 
 fecution arifeth Wcaule of the word, by and by he is 
 offended. 22 He alfo that roceiveth feed amon.r the 
 thorns is he that heareth the>.Qrd ; and the care of 
 this world, and the deceittulnefs of<iches choke the 
 word, and he bccometh unfruitful. 23 jjut he that 
 receivcth feed into the good ground, is he that heareth 
 thj word, and underflandeth it; which alio beareth 
 fruit, and brin^eth forth fome an hundred-fold, fome 
 fixty, fome thirty. 
 
 As if our Lord had faid, "Yotj, my difciples, who arc not 
 fatisfied with a found of words, I will explain toyouthe fenfc 
 and hgnificanon of this, parable : The fcope of which is, fo 
 fiiew tne d:ff.-rent cffeas which the wird of God has upon 
 men'i hearts and the re.nfcm of that difference. The feedii 
 iheword, the/owfr is the preacher, the foiln the heart and 
 the /01.I of man." Now our Saviour aflures us, that the 
 hearts of lome hearers, are lilt hlnh-jtay griurd, in which 
 the feed is not covered with the harrow of me^litation ; o- 
 thers are \\]se fhjny o round, in which the word has nt> n'ot ; 
 no root in their undtrftandings. memoiies. confcience, wiJl* 
 or affeftions : But ihty are offended, either at the depth and 
 profcmndnefs of the word, or at the fanftiiy and ftridncls of 
 it.orattheplainnefsand (impliciiy of it. Again, fome hear- 
 ers our Lord compares to thorny ground. J horns are co- 
 vetous delires, which choke the go-d feed, fhadow the blade 
 when fpiung up, keep olf the mautnces of the fun, and draw 
 away the fatnefs of the foil from ihe feed. All thefe (ff'cds 
 have thorns in and among the feed. And the like efFi ds 
 have worldly affedions and covetous defires in the heart of 
 man, rendering the word unfruitful and unprofitable. But 
 the good Chriltiaii hears the word atientiveiy, keeps it re- 
 tentivcly, believes it (ledf.iflly, applies it pa: ticul.irly, prac- 
 tifes it univerf..!Iy, .ind brings fjrth fruit luiih patience and 
 fff.ve' ance ; friuit that will redound to his aciount, in the 
 -great day ofaccou:it. L-arn, i. ihjt no hearers are in 
 ChnU's account good hearers of the word, but Inch as bring 
 forth the fruits of an holy, humble, and pcacea'ole convci^ 
 iation. 2. That a perfon may be a good hearer of the word, 
 if he brings forth the bell fruit he can, though it be not in 
 fo great a proportion as others do : An fome^round brings 
 forth thirty, fome fi.xty, and fome an hundred fold : In like 
 manner do all the lincere he.irers of the word, they all bring 
 forth fruit, though not all alike ; all in fincerity and reality, 
 though not all to the fame degree, and none to perftctitm. 
 
Ck.ip. xiit. 
 
 St. M a T T If E W. 
 
 Ot/tr-jf Iiflly, Satan is herr compared ro the fowls of the air 
 V hich pick up i]y fred beiore it t.kcsai y root in the earth. 
 The iJevil ib very ji'-iloiis of the liiccf-fs of ihe word, and 
 therefore l-ilioiirs ;ill he.c.in to deftri y the word In fore it 
 coinci! i-o oper.ite upon the h"art ; u huh he doth foinrtimes 
 by tRe cares of tlie uorld^ fometimes by vain companions, 
 who prove mere quench coals unto earlv convi(flions ; if he 
 can Ileal away the word, or chuke it, he has his defire and 
 defign. 
 
 24 f Another parable put he forth unta them, 
 fayin,^, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man 
 whicli fowed ^ood feed in his field : 25 But while 
 men flept, his enemy cameand fowed tares among the 
 wlieat, and went !iis way. 26But when the bladewas 
 fpriing up, and broui^ht forth fruit, then appeared 
 the tares alio. 27 So the fer\'anf* "f the houfeholder 
 cameand faid unto him. S". didft thou not fow good 
 f«ed in thy field ? from whence then hath it tares ? 28 
 He laid unto them, An enemy hath done Jthis. The 
 ftrvants faid unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and 
 gather them up ; 29 But he faid, Nay ; left while 
 ye gather up the tares, ye root up alfo the wheat with 
 them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvefl : 
 and in the time of har\'cn;, I will fay to the reapers, 
 Gather ye to ;ethcr firft the tares, and bind them in 
 bundles to burn them ; but gather the wheat into my 
 barn,. 
 
 The defign and fcopc of this parable is, to fhew that there 
 is no expedtation of univerlal purity in th" church of God m 
 this hfe ; but as the tares and wheat f^row together in the 
 lame field, To Inpocrites atid fmcere chriftians are ami will 
 be intermixed in the faix church, and can hardly be dil— 
 ccrned one from the other. £t. Jeroni oriferves. That in 
 the eaflein countries, the taies and the wheat were fo l.ke 
 one another, wh.lftthey were in the bUde, that tiitre was 
 noknowinj» them afunder. Learn i. '] hat in the outward 
 and vifible church, there ever has been, and will be a mix- 
 ture of good and bad, of faints and (inner' , cfliypocrites and 
 fiiiccre cV[v\(^-:a\s, [ur.'.il the {iay of judgment. 2. i hat in 
 that day Chrift will make a thorough and pci feft reparation, 
 and divide the tares from the wheat ; that is, tlie rigbtei'Us 
 from the wicked. 3, That in the mean time, none ought to 
 be lo offended at this mixture in the church, as loTcpn— 
 rate from church-communion on that account: until the 
 hirveft.it is not to be expected, that the tares and the wheat 
 fhouldlie perftftlv feparated — Yet rMferve,£,. That though 
 the tai^'es are forbidden to be pluked up when Town, yet it 
 is tlie church's duty, all Ihe can, to hinder their fowing. 
 Though wemuflnot roi't the wicked up, yet we mcft pre- 
 vent the rooting of wickedneff all we can. Our Saviour, 
 that forbad to pluck up the tares, did rot forbid to hinder 
 their fowing. Hate here, how vain is the coUeftion of the 
 Erallians from hence, that the wicked are not to be cut off 
 by excommunication from. the communion of the church; 
 nor doth this text prove, that the magiilrates may not cut 
 off evil doers, feeing thi« was not fpcken to them, but to 
 the lainiflers of the church. 
 
 31 1 .Another parable put he foitii unto thtm, fly- 
 ing, The kingdom of heaven is likened to a >;r.iin of 
 muftard feed, which a man look and fowed in his 
 field. 32 Which indeed ii the h-aft of all feeds : but 
 wlien it is grown it is the greateft among herbs, and 
 becometh a tree ; fothat the birds of the air come ynd 
 lodge in the brandies thereof. 33 I Another para- 
 ble fpake he unto them ; the kingdom of heaven is 
 like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three 
 meafures of meal, till the whole was leavened, 3.^ 
 All thefe things fpake Jefus unto the multitude in pa- 
 rables ; and without a parable fpake he not unto them; 
 35 That it might be fulfilled which was fpokcn by 
 the prophet., faying, I will open my mouth in parable."; 
 I will utter things which have been kept fecret from 
 the foundation of the world. 
 
 Our Saviour's delign in this parabit is, to fiiew how 
 the gofptl, from fmall and little, from unlikely and coti- 
 teraptible beginnings, fhall fpread and increale, fruiSify and 
 grow up; like as a nudtard feed, one of the fmallcft of. 
 grains, grows up to a confiderabie tallnefs; and as a little 
 leaven lurni a great heap of meal into its own nature ; fo 
 the gofpel fhall ipread and increafe, nations and countries 
 becoming chriflians. Learn, 'I hat how fmall beginning fo- 
 ever the gofpel had in its firlt plantation, yet by the frufti- 
 fying bk fling of Cod it has haduind fliall have a wonderful 
 increufe.. 
 
 36 Then Jefus fent the multitude awaj', and went 
 into the houfe : and his difciples came unto him, fay- 
 ing. Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the 
 field. 37 He anfwered and faid unto them. He that 
 loweth the good feed, is the Son of man ; 38 The field 
 is the world ; the good feed arc the children of the 
 kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked 
 one; 39 The enemy that lowed them is the devil; 
 tha harvefl is the end of the world; and the reapers 
 arethe angels. 40 A.-; therefore tlie tares are gatiicrcd 
 and burned in the fire, fo fhall it be in the end of this 
 world. 41 The 5on of man fhall fend fortli his an- 
 gels, and they fliail gather out of hiskingdom all things 
 that offend, and them which do iniquity ; 42Andh'j 
 fhall call them into a furnace of fiie:. there Ihall be 
 wailingandgnnfliing of teeth. 43 Then fliall the righ- 
 teous Lhine forth as the fun in the kingdom of their 
 Father. Who hath ears to hear, let luin hear. 
 
 The parable of tlie tares of the field, Chrift is pleafett to 
 explain ii; his difciples after thiimanner. The ccrfonfow. 
 ing got d feed was. li'n>ftlf, the Son rf man ; who tfrll plant- 
 ed tlie gf'Ipel : the field in which the fec»i was fown v.aiihe 
 world : that is, the church in the world : the {^ood feed.f.M- 
 cd. The cnUft'ien of the kingdom, are f-iicere chriftians: the 
 ttiref, c.lled, 7he children cfthe wicked one, are profane Tin- 
 ners, and un found hypocrites: the enemy is the devil, the 
 burvifi jsihetad of tiie wor'.J,and the ennli are the reap- 
 ers . 
 
56' 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 Chap. xm. 
 
 ens. Uirn,- 1. Tint the mixture of the tares and the wheat, 
 of the righteous aiiu ths wukcd, mull ;'.iid ihall rcniam in the 
 church unto the end of the world 2. I hjt in the end of 
 the world t!ie ;ingc!i (hall perform the work of fcparacion, 
 gathering the righteous from among the wi.ked ; when e- 
 very one's harvelt fliall be accorJini^ to his fruit ; The ngh- 
 t^-aufjhining in <i>e kingdom of tht ir Father, the wicked caji in- 
 to a furnace cf fire. 
 
 41 5 Ajain, the kingdom of heaven is like unto 
 treal'urc hid in a field ; which when a man hath found, 
 he hideth, and for joy thereof, gocth and fclleth all 
 that he hath, andbuyeththe field. 45 1 Ai^ain, the 
 kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant, feeking 
 goodly pearls : 46 Who when he had found one pearl 
 of great price, he went and fold all that he had, and 
 boiij;htit. 
 
 By the ticafurc hid in the fieliJ, and the pearl of great 
 price are underftood, Chrifl, the grace ofthegofpel, and the 
 \/ay to life and falvation therein difcovered : he that is 
 thoroughly convinced of the worth and excellency ofChrift's 
 grace, will p4rt with all that he has to purchafe and obtain 
 it. Learn, 1 hatthefinner who will haveinterL-fl in Chrifl, 
 and a part in gofpel grace, muit part with all that he has to 
 purchafe and obtain them, even with his goods and lands, 
 with his wife and children ; for Chri(t and his grace are a 
 real good, a fiibft.mtial good, a durable good ; he outbids 
 all the offers that the world can make, and therefore it is 
 our widlom to part with all for him, and efpecially our fins 
 dearer to us than all the reft. 
 
 47 H Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
 net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every 
 kind : 48 Which when it was full, they drew to fhore, 
 and fat down, and gathered the good into vefTels, but 
 caft the bad away. 49 So Ihall it be at the end of the 
 world : the angels ihall come forth, and fever the 
 wicked from among the juft, 50 And Ihall caft them 
 into the furnace of fire, there Ihali be wailing and 
 gnafliing of teeth. 
 
 The defign and fcope of this parable alfo is to fet forth 
 the ftate of the gofpel-church, which is 1 ke a floor, where 
 chaff is mixed with wheat ; a field, where tares are mixed 
 with good corn ; a net, where bad fidies are involved with 
 the good. As the wheat mull not be removed out of the 
 floor before the time of winnowing ; nor the tares arega- 
 theridout i.f the field before the tune of reaping; nor the 
 good filhes break through the net, to get from the bad, be 
 Jore the time of reparation ; fo niuft not chriftians forfake a 
 church's communion, becaufc ot the prefcnt mixture of good 
 and bad in the church. For a mixed communion, in the 
 church, and the'good chrillianscommunicatingwith the bad, 
 doth neither defile the ordinances of Chrift, nor pollute thole 
 that fincerely join in them. 
 
 51 Jefus faith unto them, Have ye underftood all 
 thefe thint^s ? They fay unto him. Yea, Lord. 52 
 Then faid he unto them. Therefore every fcribe which 
 is inflruftcd unto the kingdom of heaven, is like un- 
 
 to a man that is an houfcholder, which bringeth forth 
 out of his trcalure things new and old. 
 
 Okrerve here, i. 
 gofpel miiiifttrs -, 
 
 The title vhich our Saviour puts upon 
 they arc houlehold-Ilewards. 2. He 
 points out the office of thofe llewardi ; and that is, to pro- 
 vide for tht.- houfehold both with plenty and variety. He 
 ttiuft bring forth Out of his treafure in plenty ; and things ne-M 
 and old for their variety. There are two efleniial qualifi. 
 cations in a fteward, faithfulnefs and prudence : he mull be 
 honefl and faithful, in bringing out cf hisown treafure, not 
 another's; and he nuill be prudent, in bringing things new 
 as well as old ; not new truths \n a new dreJi ; lelt the 
 houfehold by always feeding upon the fame diih, do naufe- 
 ate it, inftead of being-nourilhed by it. 
 
 53 1 Anditcame to pafs, that when Jefus had fin- 
 iflied thefe parables, he departed thence. 54 And 
 when he was come into lii« own country, he taught 
 them in their fynagogue, infon»wch that they were a- 
 ftonifhed, and faid. Whence hath tkis man this wif- 
 dcrm and thefe mighty works ? 55 Is not this thecar- 
 penters fon ? Is not his mother called Mary ? and his 
 brethren, James, and Jofes, and Simon, and Judas? 
 56 And his fifters, are they not all with us ? whence 
 then hath this man all thefe things .' 57 And they 
 were offended in him.— 
 
 Ohferve here, I. Chrift's tender and compafTionate regard 
 to his own countrymen, the people of GaliUe and Naza- 
 reth ; he preach 'd to them in their fynagogue. 2. The ef- 
 feci which his doftrine had upon them ; They -were eftrinijh- 
 ed at it, but not converted by it ; th'y admire, bur did not 
 believe. 3. 1 he caufe of their rt-je<fling Chrift's miniftry, 
 was the meannffs of his. perfon, ihe tontemptiblenelsof his 
 outward tondi ion, the poverty of his relations : Is not thit 
 the carptnt-'r's /on ' Mark vi. 3. he i; called the O'rpentert 
 whence the fathers conclude, that cur Saviour, during 
 the time of his obiciire privacy, wrought at the trade of Jo- 
 feph his repu'ed father ; and Joltm Martyr fays he made 
 ploughs and yokes. Sure we are, our Lord fpent no time 
 in idlenefs, though we are nor certain how he employed his 
 time before he entered upon his public minifti^,. Note, That 
 the poverty and meannefs of Chrift's condition was that 
 which multituJcs ftumMed at ; and which kept many, yea 
 moll, from believing on him. Nione but a fpiritual eye can , 
 difcern beauty in an humble Saviour : // n7t thit the fon of 
 the carpenter ? 2. That it is no impediment to, nor hindnnce 
 of our faith, that we never law Chrift's perlon in the flefh, 
 nor knew his parentage and eHucation ; for here are his own 
 countrymen, who d.nty faw hi perfon. hiard hii doftrine, 
 and were ^^itneffes of his holy ronverfation, ytt inftead of' 
 believing in him they were offended at him. 
 
 — But Jefus faid unto them, A prophet is not with- 
 out honour fave in his own country, and in his own 
 houfe. 
 
 Our Saviour tells them, he doth not wonder that fo many 
 of his own countrymen, to whom he had been Gi familiarly 
 known, did delpife his perfon and rejefthisdoccriie ; for a 
 prophet generally has leaft eftcem where he has been 
 
 brought 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 57 
 
 brought up; becnufif perhaps the follies of hi* cMldhoofl, and 
 indecencies of his youth, are remembered and reported to his 
 difparagement. Ltani, t. That there is a real tribute of hon- 
 our due and payable to cveryprophct or faithful minifterofjc- 
 fiiE Chrift. 2. That the miniilers of Chrid, for the moft part, 
 have lead honour from their own countrymen, to wliom they 
 nre bed known. 3. That althoiiqli it be fo, yet this may not 
 be through their own fault, for Chrifl was fo amongft his. 
 
 58 And he did not many mighty works there, bc- 
 Caufe of their unbelief. 
 
 Ohfcrve hcic, I. The perfon that put the ho'y p. ntift Ui 
 death; it was Herod, it was Herod the kinj;, it xvrs Herod 
 that invited John to preach .it co^irt, and heard him gladiv. 
 r. It was Herod Aniipar, fon to that Herod who fouoht 
 Child's lite, chap. ii. Cruelty runs in a blood. Herod, The 
 niurdcier ot John, who wasthc forerunncrof Chrift, dcfcend- 
 ed from that Herod who would have murdered Chrid hi.Tifclf. 
 2. It was Herod the king, Sad! that princes, who diould al- 
 ways be nurfing fathers to, ftioiild at any rime be the bloody 
 butchers of, the prophets of God. 3. It was Herod that heard 
 
 John gladly ; John took the ear and the heart of Herod, ar.d 
 1 his Im not only locks up the heartofalinncr,butalfobinds Herod binds the hands and feet of John. O how incondant i' 
 
 np the hands of a Saviour. Unbeliefobd: tidied Chrid's nii- 11 .. , ^, . . ^, 
 
 raculous works when on earth, and it obdrufts his gracious 
 works now in heaven. Ah! curfed unbelief! which flints 
 
 -- >i'p. 
 O (Inner, thy heart, and flints out thy Saviour, and will eftl-c- 
 tually fliut thee out of heaven, and not only pnxuire thee dam- 
 nation, but no damnation like it ! Murk xvi. 16. Chrid was 
 unable, becaufe they were unwilling ; his imjpotency was oc- 
 Cafioned by their infidelity ; he did not, becaufe he would not; 
 And that fie %voiild not proceeded froma defe<3 in their faith, 
 rot from any deficiency in Chrids power: Their unbelief 
 bound his hands, and hindered the execution of his power. 
 
 GAAP. XIV. 
 
 The former fart of this chapter gives us an account of the death cf 
 John the Baptifi, together ivith the occnfion of it, which was his 
 plain and faithful reproving of Herod, for theuncleanncfshe liv- 
 ed in. 
 
 AT that time Herod the Tetrach heard of the fame 
 of Jefus, 2 And faid unto his fervants, This is 
 John theBaptift: he is rifen from the dead, and 
 therefore mighty works do fhew forth themfelves in 
 him. 
 
 Ohferve here, r. How flrange it was that Herod fliould not 
 hear the fame of Jefus till now ; all the country and adjoining 
 regions had rung of his fame, only Herod's court hears nothing 
 Miferable is that greatnefs which keeps princes from the knovv- 
 jedge of Jefus Chrid. How plain is it from hence, that our 
 Saviour came not at court ? He once fent, indeed, a melfage to 
 that fox (Herod) whofe den he woidd not approach; teaching 
 us by his example, not to afFeft, but to avoid outward pomp 
 and glory. The courts of princes are often a very bad air for 
 piety and religion to thrive in. 2. The niifcondru'aionof He- 
 Kxl, when he heard of otir Saviour's fatne: This, fays he, is 
 John the Baptid, whom I beheaded. His confcience told him 
 he had offered an iinjud violence to an innocent man ; and now 
 he is afraid that he is come again to be revenged on him for 
 bis head. A wicked man needs no worfe tormenter than his 
 own mind. O the terrors and tortures of aguilty confcience ! 
 "^^ S^eat are the anxieties of guilt, and the fearsof divine d\{- 
 pleafurc, than which nothing is more dinging and pcrpetuallv 
 toimenting. ' 
 
 3 ' For Herod had laid hold on John, andbound 
 him, andputAjwi inprifonfor Hcrodias'sfakc. his bro- 
 ther Philip's wife. 4 For John faid unto him, It is 
 not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And when he would 
 have put him to death, he feared the multitude, be- 
 caufe they counted Iiim as a prophet. 
 
 a carnal heart to good rcfolutions! The word has ofttiir.cs an 
 awakening influence, where it doth not leave an abiding im- 
 preflion upon the minds of men. Ohferve," 1. The caufe of 
 the baptift's death; It was for telling a king of hiscrimc. He- 
 rod cut oft" that head whofe tongue was fo bold as to tell him of 
 his faults. The perfecution wfiich the prophets of God fall 
 under, is ufually tor telling great men ot their fins: Men w 
 power are impatient of reproof, and imagine that their aiitiio- 
 rity gives them a licence to tranfgrefs. 3. The plain dealing 
 of the Baptid, in reproving Herod for hiscrime, which, inone 
 a«, was adultery, inced and violence. Adultery, that he took 
 another's wife; inced, that hctook hisbrother's wife ; violence 
 that he took her in fpite of her hufband. Therefore John doth 
 not mince the matter, and fay. It is not convenient; but. It 
 is not lawful for thee to have her: It was not the crown andfcep- 
 tre of Herod that could daunt the faithful meflenger of God. 
 There ought to meet in God's minifters, both courage and im- 
 partiality. Courage in fearing no faces; impartiality, in fpar- 
 ing no fins. For none are fo great but they arc under the au- 
 thority and command of the law of God. 
 
 6 But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daugh- 
 ter of Herodias danced before them, and pleafed He- 
 rod. 7 Whereupon he promifed with an oath to give 
 her whatfoever Ihe would aflc. 8 And flie, being be- 
 fore inftrufted of her mother, faid. Give me here 
 John Baptift's head in a charger. 9 And the king 
 was forry : neverthelefs, for the oath's fake, and them 
 which fat with him at meat, he commanded it to be 
 given her. 10 And he fent and beheaded John in the 
 prifon. 1 1 And his head was brought in a charger, 
 and given to the damfel : and fhc brought it to her 
 mother. 
 
 StvtnX ohfervables are here to be taken notice of. i. The 
 time ofthis execrable murder : It wasupon Herod's birth-day. 
 It was an ancient cudom among the eadern kings tocelebrate 
 their birth-days : Pharaoh's birth-day was kcpi,6'iv/. xl. He- 
 rod's here ; both with blood : Yet tli'efe perfonal dains do not 
 make the praclice unlawful. When tve folemnize our birth- 
 day with thankfulncfs to our Creator and Prefervtr, for life 
 and being, for protedUon and prcfervatiqn tn that moment, 
 and commend ourfelvcs to the care of his cord providence for 
 the remainder of our days, this is an sifl of piify and religion. 
 But Herod's birth-day was kept with rtvelling and feafiing, 
 with muflc and dancing. Not t'rat dancing (which in itfclf 
 is a fet, regular harmonious motion ofthebody) can be unlaw- 
 ful, any more than walking cr mnning ; although circumdan- 
 -cT may reake itfiliful. But frctn tHis diforderly banquet on 
 
 k He- 
 
58 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 ClIA? 
 
 XIV 
 
 Herod's birth-dav, we kertt. That prcat men's fcafts and fro- 
 lics are too often a fcafon ot much Im. 2. The inlH.;atnr and 
 promoter of the holy B;iptiftsdeaih, Heruditnandler daughter: 
 That good man falls a facrilice to the fury and m ili 'c, to the 
 pride and fcorn of a luftful woman, for being a rub in the way 
 of her licentious adulttry. Refoliitcfinncrs, who are mad up- 
 on their lufts, run furi^udy upon theirgainfayers,thoui^h they 
 be the prophets of Gcxi ihcmfclve.s ; and refolvc to beai down 
 all opposition they meet with in the gratification of ihiir un- 
 lawful delirts. 3. Wi'h what reluift-'mv Hercd confcnted to 
 this vilijny ; the ling ivas forty. Wicked men ofttimts fin 
 with a troubled and Hifturbed confcience ; they have a mighty 
 (tru^yle with themfelves before they commit their fins; "but 
 at laft their lufts get the mafterv over their confcicnccs. So 
 did HcroJ's here ; For, 4. Notwithftandint; his forrow, he 
 <:ommands the fafl : He fent and beheaded 'John in the prifm. 
 And a threefold cord tied him to thisperforinance: (i.) The 
 confcience of his oath. Seehishypocrify ; he made confcience 
 of a ra(h oath, wiio made no fcruple of real murder, fa.) Re- 
 fpei5l to his repiitatii'n : Them that fat with /.>/;« heard himpro- 
 ir.ife, and will be witnelles of his levity, if he do not perform. 
 Infilling upon the punctilios of honour, has hazarded the lofs 
 of millions of fouls. (3,-) A loaihnefs to difcontent Herodias 
 and her daughter. O valin and foolilh hypocrite, whodreaded 
 the difpleafiirc of a wanton miitrefs, before the ofFending God 
 and confcience! 5. Thefe wicked women not only require the 
 Baptift to be beheaded, bwt that his head be brought in a charg- 
 er to them. What a difh is here to be fervcd at a princes ta- 
 ble on his birth-day! A dead mans head fwimming in blood! 
 How prodigiotilly inf.itiable is cruelty and revenge! Herodias 
 did not think herfelffafctill John wasdead ; fhe could not think 
 him dead till his head was off; fhe could not think his headofF 
 till the had it in her hand. Revenge never thinks it has made 
 fure enough. O how cruel is a wicked heart, that could take, 
 pleafure in a fpeflaclc of fo much horror ! How was that ho- 
 ly head toft by impure and filthy hands! That true and faith- 
 ful tongue, thofe (acred lips, thofc pure eyes, thofe mortified 
 checks, are now infultingly handled by an inceftuous harlot, and 
 made a fcorn' tothedrunken eyes of Herod's guefts. From 
 the whole, learn, I. That neither the holieft of prophets, nor 
 the heft of men, are more fecu re from violence, than from natu- 
 ral death. He that was fanflified in the womb, conceived and 
 born with fo much miracle, lived withfo much reverence and 
 obfervation, is now at midnight obfcurtly murdered in a clofe 
 prifon. 2. That it is as true a martyrdom to fuffer for duty, 
 as for faith: He dies as truly a martyr that dies for doing his 
 city, as he that dies for profefling the faith, and bearing wit- 
 rtfs to the truth. 
 
 1 2 And hi.; difciple.<; came, and took up the bod/, 
 a-.id buried it, and went and told Jefus. 13 H When 
 Jcfus heard ojit, he departed tjiencc by a fhip into a 
 clefert place apart : and when the people had heard 
 thcre(J, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 
 
 The difciplcs of John, heating that their holy mafter was 
 thus bafcly and barbaroudy murd^ered, took up his dead body 
 and buried it. Whence we harn. That the faithful fervants 
 of God are not afhamtd of the futferings of the faints, but will 
 teftify their refpcifl unto them both living and dead. Ohferve 
 farther, how our bkiTld Saviwir, upon the notice of John's 
 death, flies into the dcfjrt for the prefervation of his ownlife. 
 Jefus knew that his hciir was not yet con)c, and therefore he 
 
 keeps out of Herod's v/ay. It is nocowardicc to fly from per- 
 fecutors, when Chrift our cr,p»ain both pvadifes it liiinfLif, 
 and direds us to it, faying, IHen the)/ perjtcult you in one city, 
 flee, &c. 
 
 14 And Jcfus went forth, and faw a great multi- 
 tude, and was moved with compaflion toward thcni, 
 and he healed their hck. 
 
 Ohferve here, With what condolcncy and tender fymphony 
 the compairionatejcruscxcrcifedafls ot mercy andcom pa fHon 
 towards the miferabk- and diftrelfcd. He wasmovedwith am- 
 paJJion\ that is, touched with an inward lenfe and feeling of 
 their forrow: and he healed their fuk. ThofethatcametoChrift 
 for healing, found three advantages of cure, above the power 
 and performance of any eaithly phyfician ; to wit, certainfy, 
 bounty, and eafe. Certainly in that all comers were infalli- 
 bly cured; bounty, %x\ that they wer« freely cured, without 
 charge ; and eafe, in that fhey were cured wi'hout pain. 
 
 15 And when it was evening.his difciplcs came to 
 him, faying,This is a defert phice, ahd,the time is now 
 pail : fend the multitude away, that they may go in- 
 to the villages, and buy themfelves victual*.., 
 
 Notehtte, 1. T'Jie difciplcs pity towards the multitude that 
 had long attended upon Chrift's miniftry in the barren defart; 
 they, prefuming the people hungry, having fafted all the day, 
 reqneft our Saviour to difmifs them, that they mav procure 
 fome bodily refrefhment. Learn hence, That it well becomes 
 the rainiftcrs of Chrift to refpeilthe bodily nccefllties.aswell 
 as to regard the fpirittial wantsof their people. As theboJily 
 father muft take care of the foul of his child, fo muft the fpi— 
 ritual father have relped to the bodily neceflTnies ot his chil- 
 dren. Ohferve, 2. The motion which the difciplcs make on 
 the behalf of the multitude, Send t 'vn away, that they may buy 
 viHuaU. Here was a ftrone chariiy, but a weak faith. A 
 ftrong charity, in that they defire the peoples relief; but a 
 weak faith, in that they fuppt^fe they could not otherwife be 
 relieved, but by fending them away to buy viAuals : Forget- 
 ting that Chrift, who had healed the multitude miraculoufly, 
 could as eafily feed them miraculoufly, if he pleafed: All things 
 being equally eafy to Omnipotency. 
 
 16 But Jefus faidunto them, They need not de- 
 part : give ye them to eat. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. Our Saviour's ftrange snfwer to the dif- 
 ciples motion ; They need not flV/>/7r/, fays Chrift. Need not! 
 Why ? the people muft either feed or famifh. Viduals they 
 muft have, and this being a defart place, there was none to be 
 had. Surely then there was need enough. But, 2. Chrift's 
 command was more ftrange than his aiTertion ; Give ythem 
 to eat. Alas, poor difciplcs! They had nothing for themfelves 
 to eat, how then ftiould they give the multitude to eat ? When 
 Chrift requires of us what of ourfelves we are unable to per- 
 form. It is to ftiew us our impotency and weaknefs, and to 
 provoke us to look to him that worketh all our works inns and 
 for us. 
 
 17 And they faid unto him, We have here but 
 five loaves and two filhes. 
 
 Note here, Wl at a poor and flcndcr provi.lon the I-ord of 
 the whole earth has for his houftrold and farrily ; five loaves, 
 and thofc barley ; two fifties, and they fii.all : Tcachii^- »- » 
 
Cha?. XIV. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 69 
 
 that thefe bcxHesofours mnft be fed, but not p.impcrctf. Our 
 belly muft not be our maftcr, mi:ch lefs our got!. Wc read 
 but twice that Chrirt made ai.y entertainments, and both times 
 his guefts were fed with loaves and fiiTics, plain fare and home- 
 ly diet. The end cf food is to fudnin nature, wc ftiflc it 
 with a gluttonous variety : Meat was ordained for the belly, 
 the belly for the body, the body for the foul, and the foul for 
 God. Ohferue farther. As the quality of the viduals was 
 plain and coarfe, fo theqantity ofit was frnall and little: Five 
 loaves and tvjo fifhes. Well might the difciples fay, IFhal 
 arc thefe among fo many? The eve of fcnfe and rcafon fees an 
 impodibility of thofe cffccls which faith can cafily apprehend, 
 and divine power more eafily produce. 
 
 18 He faid, Bring them hither tome. 19 And 
 he commanded the multitude to fit down on the 
 grafs, and took the five loaves and tiie two fifhes, and 
 looking up to heaven, he bleOed, and brake, and 
 gave the loaves to hii difciples, and the difciples to 
 the multitude. 
 
 Ohferue, i ■ How the mafter of the feafl mardials his guefts ; 
 he comrnands them all to fit dozvn : None of them reply,"Sit 
 d An,buttowhat ? Here are thcmouths, but where h the meat! 
 we can foonbe fet, but whence (hall we be ferved?" Nothing 
 of this, but they obey and expe£t. O how eafy is it to trufi 
 God, and rely upon providence, when there is com in the 
 tarn, and bread in the cupboard ! but when our {lores are all 
 empty, and nothing before u?, then to depend on an invfible 
 bounty, is a true and noble a£l of faith. 2 The aflions per- 
 formed by our blefTcd Saviour, Hebleffed, and brake, and gave 
 the haves to his difciples, and they to the multitude. I. He llef- 
 Jed, Teaching us by his example, in all our wants to look up 
 to heaven for afupply, to wait upon God for his blefllng, and 
 not to fit down to our food as a heart to his forage. (2") He 
 brake the loaves. He could havemiiliiplied them whole, why 
 would he rather do it in the breaking? Perhaps to teach us, 
 that we are to expeft his bleflings in the diftribution, rather 
 than in the refcrvation of what he gives us. Scattering is the 
 way to Increafing : Not grain hoarded up in the granary , but, feat- 
 tcrrd in the furrows of the field, yields increafe. Liberality 
 is the way to riches, and penurioufnefs the road fo pover'y. 
 3. Chrift gave the bread thus broken to his difciple*;, that 
 they might Hiftribure it to the multitude. But why did not 
 our Lord d'ftrihute it with his own hand, but by the hands of 
 hi<; difciples r Doubilefs to win refpeft to his difciples from 
 the people. The famecourfe doth our Lord take in fpiri'ual 
 dillributions. He that could feed the world by his immediate 
 hand, chufcs rather by the hands of his miniflers to divide the 
 bread of life to all hearers. 
 
 20 And they did all eat and were filled : and 
 they took up of the fragments that remained, twelve 
 bjfkets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about 
 five thoufand men, befides women and children. 
 
 They did all eat, not a crumb or a bit, but to fatiety and ful- 
 nefs : Tley did eat, and were filed, yet twelve baftets remain- 
 ed: More is leftthan wasatiirftfcfon. So many bellies, and 
 yet fo many baflcetsfilled. The miracle was doubled by an aft 
 of b'-undlcfs Omnipotency. It is hard to fay which was the 
 greater miracle, tl-r miraculous eating, or the miraculous lea- 
 ving. If we confidtr v/hat they ate', wc may juflly wonder 
 
 that they left any thing ; if what they left, that ihcy ate any 
 thing. Olfen'c farther, Thefe fragments, though of bailey'- 
 bread and fifli-bones, nnift not be loft; but by our Saviour's 
 command gathered up. The liberal houfckecper of the world 
 will not allow the lofs of his orts. O how tearful then will 
 the account of thofe be, who have large and plentiful cftatcsto 
 anfwcr for as loft, being fpent upon their lufts in riot and ex- 
 ccfs ! 
 
 22 H And ftraightway Jefus conflraincd his dif- 
 ciples to get into a fliip, and to go before him unto 
 the other fide, while he fent the multitudes away. 
 
 Jcfis conflrained them\ that is, he commanded them to^j 
 away before him. No doubt but they were very loath fo leave 
 him, and to go without him ; both out of the love which they 
 bare to him and themfclves. Such as have once taftcd the 
 fwcetnefs of Chrift, are hardly drawn away from him ; how- 
 ever, as defirous as the difciples were to ftay with Chrift, yet 
 at his word of command they depart from him. Where 
 Chrift has a will to command, his difciples and followers muft 
 have a will to obey. 
 
 23 And when he had fent the multitudes away, 
 he went up into a mauntain apart to pray ; asid 
 when the evening was come, he was there alone. 
 
 OfferveYxcre, r. Chrift difmiftcsthe multitude, and then re- 
 tires xo pray; teaching us by his example, when we have to 
 do with God, to difmifs the multitude of our affairs an^ em- 
 ployments, of our cares and thoughts. O how unfcemly it 
 IS to have our tongues talking tcdod, and our thoughts taken 
 up with the world! 2. The place Chrift retires to for prayer, 
 afolitary mountain; not fo much for his own need, for. he 
 could be alone when he was in company, but to teach us that 
 when we cddrefs ourfelves to God in duty, we are to take all 
 the helps, furtherances, and advantages wc can for doing it. 
 When we converfe with God in duty, O hov/ good is it to get 
 upon a mountain, to get our hearts above the world, above 
 worldlycmploymentsandworldly cogitations ! 3. The occa- 
 fion ot Chrift's prayer; he had fent his difciples to fea, he 
 forefaw the ftorm arifinc, and now he gets into a m.ountain 
 to pray for them, that their faith micht not fail them when 
 their troubles were I'pon them. Lecrn hence. That it is afin- 
 gular comfort cf the church, that in all hcrdifficuhies anddif- 
 "'^'fl^a^'*^"'^ '^ interceetling for her ; when ftie is on the fea 
 confliamg with the waves, Chrift is upon the mountain pray- 
 mg for her prefer vation. 
 
 24 But thefliip wa^^now in thpiWidft of the fea 
 toffed with the waves : for the wind was contrary. 
 
 Note here, The great danger the difciples were in, and the 
 great difficulties tlicy had to encounter with; they were \ntht 
 nudfi cf the fea, they were t^fed with the tvaves, the ZLind %vas 
 contrary, and Chiift was abfcnt. The wifdom of God often 
 fufFers his church to be tofti-d upon the waves of aftiidion and 
 perfecutirn, but it ftall not be fwallowcd up by them: often 
 IS this ark of ^he church upon the waters; feldom off them, 
 but never drowned. 
 
 25 And in the fourth watch of the ni ^ht Tcfiis 
 went unto them walking en tlie fea. 
 
 Chrift having feen the ciftrefs of his difciples «5n the rhcre» 
 he ha.tens to themon the fea. It was not a ftormy and ten- 
 
 -H2 pj-. 
 
So 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. xv. 
 
 pet^iio'.ii fe.» that could fepir.ite betwixt hiiti and them : ho 
 that wided ihroagli a foa ot blood, and through a fea of wrath 
 t) lave his people, will wallc upon a fta of water to fuccour 
 and rtliLve ilicm. But shjerve, Tiie time when Chrill cama 
 ti) help ihein; n<>'* till the fourth watch, a linle before mor- 
 ning. They had been many hours upon the waters, conflift- 
 injj with the waves, with their fears and dangers. .God ott- 
 limes lengthens out the troubles of his children before he de- 
 iivc'r.s them; but when they are come to an extremity, that is 
 the rafcn of his fuccour?. As God fufftrs his church to he 
 brought into extremities before he helps her, fo he will help 
 her extremity. In tht fourth watch Jejuicame. &c. 
 
 26 And when the difciples law him walking on the 
 fea, tlicy were troubled, faying, It is a fpirit. And 
 they cried out for fear. 
 
 Sec how the difciples take their deliverer to bo a dcftroyer : 
 thei:- fears were highcll when their deliverer and deliverance 
 were neireft. God may be coming with falvationand deliv- 
 erance for his church, when (he for the prefent cannot difcern 
 him. 
 
 27 But {\raightway Jefus fpake unto them, faying, 
 be of good cheer : It is I ; be not afraid. 
 
 Ohferve, When the difciples were in the faddeft condition, 
 how one word from Chriit revives them : it is a fulficient fup- 
 port in all our afflidlions, to hear Chrifl's voice fpeakingtous, 
 and to enjoy his favourable prefence with us. Say but, OSa- 
 riour. It is I \ and then let evils do their worft : That one 
 word, /.' h I, is enough 10 Lay all ftorms, and to calm all tcm- 
 pefts. 
 
 28 Atid Peter anfwered him and faid, Lord, if it be 
 thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And 
 he faid, Come. And wlien Peter was come down out 
 of the fliip, he walked on the water to goto Jefus. 
 30 But when he faw the wind boiflerous, he was a- 
 fraid ; and beginning to fink, he cried, faying Lord, 
 fave me. 
 
 Ohfcrvc here, i. The mixture of Peter's faith and diftruft: 
 
 it was faith that faid, Mafter: it was dillruft that faid. If it be 
 
 thou. It was faith that faid. Bid me ams to thee; it was faith 
 
 that enabled him to flep downon the watery pavement; it was 
 
 faith that faid, Lcrd, fave tne: bat it was dillruft that made 
 
 \iim ftn!:. O the impcrllcl compofirion of faith and fear in the 
 
 beft of faints here on earth ! Sincerity of gr.icc is found with 
 
 the faints here on earth ; perfe(3ion of grace with thefaintsia 
 
 heaven. — Here the faints look forth, fair as the moon, which 
 
 hath fome fpots in her gre.-itdl beauties ; hereafter they fhall 
 
 be clear as the fun, whofe face is all bright and glorious, 2. 
 
 That whiift Peter believes, the fea is as firm as brafs under 
 
 him; when he begins to fear, then he begins to fink. Two 
 
 hands upheld Peter; the hand of Chrift's power, andthehand 
 
 of hi^ own faith. The liand of Chrift's power laid hold on 
 
 Peter, and the ha.nd of Peter's faith laid hold on the power of 
 
 Chriff. If we let go our hold on ChriO, we fink ; if he lets 
 
 go his held on us, we drown. Now Peter anfwered his name 
 
 Cephas, and funk like a (lone. 
 
 ^ 1 And immediately Jefus Art tchcd forth his hand, 
 and caught him, and f.iid unto him, O thou of little 
 
 faith, ^v'hereforc di d ft thou doubt ? 32 And when 
 they were come into the Ihip. the wind ceafcd. 33 
 Then they that were in the Ihip came, and worfliip- 
 ped him, faying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God, 
 
 Ohferve, 1. The mercy of Chriit is no fooner fought, bu» 
 found: Immedialely Jefus put forth hit hand andcought him. O 
 with what fpeed, and with what allurance, fhould we flee to 
 that foverei>'n bounty, from whence never any fuiror was fent 
 away empty. 2. Though ChriA jjave Peer hlshand, yet, with 
 his hand, h^ o3ve him a check ; O th-Atof little faith, xvherefort 
 did/ithoudittbt? Though Chriit lik-sbrlieving, yet hediflikej 
 doubting. A perfon may be trtily believing, who, neverthe- 
 lefs, is (ometimesdoubting; but his doubting eclipfes the beau- 
 ty of his believing. 
 
 34 And when th^y were gone over, they came in- 
 to the land of Gennerar«t, g;^ And when the men 
 of that place had knowledge otj^im, they fent out in- 
 to all that country round about, and brou'.^ht unto 
 him all that were difeafed ; 36 And befou^ht him 
 that they might only touch the hem of his garment : 
 and as many as touched were made perfeftly whole. 
 
 Ohferve, 1. Our Saviour's unwearied diligence in goin? a- 
 bout to do good : he no fooner landeth, but he goeth to Gen- 
 nefaret.andhealeth their fick. 2. Thepeople'scharity totheic 
 fick neighbours, in fending abroad to let all the country know 
 that Chrifl, the great phyfician, was come among them. ■^, 
 Where lay the healing virtue : not in their finger, but in their 
 faith : or rather in Chrift, w hom their fa1<h apprehended. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 THEN came to Jefus Scribes and Pharifecs, which 
 were of Jerufalem, faying, 2 Why do thy dif. 
 ciples tranfgrefs the tradition of the elders ? for they 
 wafh not their hands when they eat bread. 
 
 The former part of this chapter acquaints us with a great 
 conteft, between our Saviour and the Pharifees, about their tra- 
 ditions and old cuftoms, which they valuedmore than the com- 
 mandments of God : they accufcd the difciples for eating 
 bread with unwafhed hands, which, though it were in itfeJf 
 but a decent cuftom, the Pharifees made it a religious rite ; far 
 which reafon, our Saviour and his difciples would not obferve 
 it. Whence we leant. That what is in itfelf, and may with- 
 out offence be done as a civil cuftom, ought to be difcountc- 
 nanced and oppofed, when men require it of us as a religious 
 aft, or place religion in it. The Pharifecs placed fo much re- 
 ligion in wafliing their hands before meat, that they Kioked 
 upon it as highly criminal to negleft it as to lie with a whore. 
 One of them being in prifon, and nor having water enough to 
 drink and wafli his hands too, chofe rather to die with iWiilt, 
 than to tranfgrefs the tradition of the elders. 
 
 3 But he anfwered and faid unto tlicm. Why do 
 ye alfo tranfgrefs the commandment of God by your 
 tradition ? 4 For God commanded, faying. Hoi>our 
 thy father and mother : and, he that curfeth father or 
 mother, let him die the death. ,^ But ye fay. Who- 
 foever (hall fay to hii father or his mother, It ii a gift 
 
 by 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 61 
 
 by whatfoever thou mi^htefl be profited by me, 6 
 And honour not his f.ither or his mothf;r, hejhall be 
 free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God 
 of none effecl by your tradition. 
 
 Note here, I. The heavy charsjc which our Saviour brinijs 
 in a^ainft the Phiirifees; namely, for violating an exprefs 
 commanil of God, preferrint^ their own traditions before it : 
 You make void tie commandments of God by your traditions. 2. 
 Tiie command which our Si^viour inftances in, as violated by 
 them ; it is the fiftli commandment, which requires children 
 to relieve their parents in their neceflity. Now, though the 
 Pharifees did not deny this in plain terms, yet they made an 
 exception from it, which, it children had a mind, rendered it 
 void and ufelefs. For the Pharifees taught, that in cafe any 
 would give a gift to the temple which gift they called ccrban, 
 and of which thev themfelves had a p-cat fhare, that then 
 children were difcharged froni "wking any farther provifion 
 for their poor, aged, or impotent parents ; and might fay un- 
 to them, after this manner. That which thou ajkcthfcr tlyfup. 
 ply, is given to Cod, ami there/ore I cannot relieve thee. So that 
 covetous andgracelefs children looked upon it as the moft fru- 
 gal way, once for a!!, to give to the t?mp!c, rather than pav 
 thcconftant rent of daily relcif to their poor parents. Learn, 
 That no duty, gift, or offering to God, is accepted, where the 
 duty of charity is neglcflcd. It ismore acceptable to God to 
 refrefli the bowels of his faints, who are the living temples 
 of the Holy Ghoft, than to adorn material temples with gold 
 and filver. 
 
 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Efaias prophefy of you, 
 faying, 8 This people draweth ni^h unto me with 
 their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but 
 their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do 
 worfhip me, teachinig/or doftrines the commandments 
 of men. 
 
 Our Saviour reproves the hypocritical Pharifees for thefe 
 things: i. That they preferred human traditions before the 
 divine precepts. 2. That by their humantradi'ions they made 
 void the wor(hip of God. It is God's undoubted prerogative 
 to prefcribe all the parts of his ownworlhip; and whoever 
 prefumcs to add thereunto, they worfliip him in vain. Our 
 Saviour farther iTiews, that all this proceeded from the infince- 
 rity of their hearts : This people honcureth >ne with their lips, but 
 their heart is far frcm me. Whence learn, i. That the re- 
 moving of the heart far frcm God in woifhip is a great fin, 
 and an high degree of hypocrify. 2. That whatever outward 
 fliew and profeflion of relicion inen make, if their hearts be 
 not right with Gcd, and what they do proceeds not from an in- 
 ward principkof loveandrbtdienceio God, thevareundcrthe 
 rcign and power of hypocrify, J'e hypocrites, in vain do ye wor- 
 ^ipme. 7. That we muft not be forward, from Chrift's ex- 
 air pie, to pronounce men hypocrites ; becarfe we have neither 
 t);at authority nor knowlcdee of the heart which Chrift had, 
 to authorize us fo to do. Chriil here called the Pharifees hy- 
 pocrite:. I. Becatife they placed hclinefs andreliiiion in cere- 
 monies t human invention. 2. Becaufe bcingfo fnperfti'iouf- 
 ly careful to avoid bodily pollii'.ions,they left their hearts with- 
 in full of hypocrify and iniquity. 
 
 10 \ And he called the multitUfTe, and faidunto 
 them, Hear, and underftand. n Not tliat which -o- 
 
 eth in at the mouth defileth a man; but that which 
 coineth out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 
 
 Our blelTed S.iviour Laving the Pharifees with fomedinike, 
 applies himfelf tothe miilitudc, and Ihcvvs them the true fpring 
 and oriL'inal fountain of all fpiritual pollution and unclcr.nncfs; 
 namely^ the fihhinefs and impurity ofman'shcart and nature; 
 which boiling in the heart, the fciiin ri:ns out at the mouth: 
 thereby informing the muhittide, that not thatwhichis eaten, 
 but that which is fpckcn, defiles a man: not the meat f.v.on 
 wiih the mouth, but the wickcdncfs of the heart vented by the 
 mouth, pollutes a pcrfon in God's account. 
 
 12 Then came his difciples, and faid unto him, 
 Knowefl thou that the Pharifees were offended after 
 they heard this fayini^ ? 1 3 But he anfivered and faid, 
 Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not plaii*-, 
 ed (hall be rooted up. 14 Let them aloi[\e. they be 
 blind leaders of the blind, AntJ if the blind lead the 
 blind, both fliaU fali into the ditch. 
 
 Olfervehtrc, i. How the difciples wonder thatourSaviour 
 did fo little regard the difpleafure of the Pharifees: Kn-.wtjl 
 th'u not that the Pharifees uerc offended ? Although nothing vex- 
 ed the Pharifees more than the difcovery oftheirfalfedodliine 
 before the multitude, yet our Saviour did not (lick to detetl 
 their errors, and to declare the truth,lettheeffeftsof their dif- 
 pleafure be what they would: (intul man-plealing is fiuiilei's 
 and endlcfs. 2. Our Lord's anfwer, which (hews adoublerea- 
 fon why he thus (lightedtheofFencctakcn by the Pharifees. (i.J 
 He compares the Pharifees dcflrine aud tradition to noHbmc 
 weeds in the church, planted there not by GoJ, but by them- 
 felves ; and confequenily (hall certainly be rooted up. Inmat- 
 ters of religion, if men will aft according to the diflates of 
 their own fancies, and not walk by the rule of God's word, 
 they may pleafe themfelves perhaps, but they can never pleafs 
 their maker. Divine inlliiution is the only fure rule ct reli- 
 gious worfhip. (2.) Chrift coinparcs the Pharifees themfelves 
 to blind guides. They are blind leaders cfthe blind: leaders and 
 followers both blind, who %\\\\ certainly and liiddcnly/i:.'/ into 
 the ditch of temporal and eternal defirufticn. Learn, i. That 
 ignorant, erroneous, and unfaithttl miniders, arc the heavieft 
 judgments that can befal a people. 2. That the following of 
 fi!ch teachers and blind guides will be noexcufe topeoplcano- 
 ther day, much lefs free them from the danger cf eternal q<!- 
 (Irudion. 
 
 15 Then anfwered Peter and faid unto him, de- 
 clare unto us this parable. 16 And Jcius iiiid, Are 
 ye alfo yet without undcrftandin^ ? 17 Donotyc 
 yet underftand that whatfoever cntercth in at the 
 mouth goeth into the belly, and is call out into the 
 draught ? 18 But thofe things which proceed out ot" 
 the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile 
 thcinan. jg Foroutof the heart proccedcvil thoughts^ 
 murders, adulteries, fornications, thtlts, falfe witnefs, 
 blafpemies. 20 Thefe are the things which defile a. 
 man : _but to eat with unwalhen iiands defiletli not a 
 man. 
 
 The difciples defiring the interpretatiVn of the foregoing 
 parable, our Saviour gives itihcm; but wkhal expcflulatts. 
 
 w!:!» 
 
62 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 CtlAr. XV, 
 
 with them, that thr)- diJ no* vindfrfland a fliin» foobviou<.and 
 pl.iin: jirs ye yel wilheiit un.-ferflrmHn^P As if he h.id fuid, 
 ^'H.ivc yc fat tlius liing under my miniltcrial leaching, and c n- 
 joyoyccf the benefit of my company and converfution, and yet 
 are no farther profKientsinknowledoe?" Whence /rarn, That 
 ■our Lord cxpci5ls a proficiency in knowledge from tis, anfwcr- 
 ablc f> the opprrtiinities and means of knowledge enjoyed by 
 \is. Next ho gives thcin the fenfe and ftgnification of the pa- 
 rable; tcllin?, them, that it is out of a finful heart that all fin 
 proceeds: the heart is the cage or ncft, which is full of 
 thefe unclean birds, and from whence they taketheir flight. — 
 Though the occafions of fin are from wiihont, yet the fource 
 and original of fin is from within. Learn, That the heart of 
 man is the fink and feed-plant of all fin, and the fotintain of 
 all pollution ; the life could not be fo bad, if the heart were 
 Hot worfe : all the irregularity of our lives flowsfrom theim- 
 i>uriry of our heartsand natures. 
 
 21 H "Then Jcfiis went thence, and departed into 
 the confls of Tyre and Sidon. .22 And behold, a wo- 
 man of Canaan came out of the f.imc coafls, and cri- 
 ed unto him, faying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, 
 •tkvii fon of David : my daughter is grievoufly vexed 
 with a devil. 
 
 Obferve here, The conft.int employment of our Saviour,/f<f 
 Avent about doing good, from place to place. In the borders of 
 Tyre and Sidon he finds a faithful woman of the race of the 
 Canaanites, whobecomesan humblefupplicanttoChrirt,whi]e 
 the Jewsnegledledfogreat falvation. Yea, fhe not only fpcaks, 
 but cries unto him.— Were we duly afFe£led with ourfpiiitu- 
 .al wants, we could fpeak to God in no other language than that 
 of cries and tears ; nothing but cries can pierce heaven. 2. 
 Though all Ifrael could not example the faith of this Cana- 
 anite, yet was her daughter tormented with a devil. Learn, 
 That neither truth nor ftrength of faith, can fecure us againft 
 Satan's inward temptations, or outward vexations; andconfe- 
 quently, the worft of bodily affliflirns are no fufficicnt proof 
 .of divine difpleafure. 3. The daughter did not come toChrift 
 for herfclf, but the motherfor her. Perhaps the child wasnot 
 feiifibleof its own mifery, but fhe good mother feels both the 
 child's forrow, and her own. True goodnefs teaches us toap- 
 propriate the afflidions of others to ourfclves; if caufes us to 
 b. ar their griefs, and to fympathize with them in their for- 
 xows. 
 
 23 But he anfwered her not a word. And his dif- 
 -ciplcs came, and befought him, faying, Send hera- 
 way ; for fhe cricth after us. 
 
 Strange! that a n ifemble fiipplicant fliould cry and fue, 
 vhilft the God of mercy is fpeechlefs. What! is the foun- 
 tain of mercy di ied up ? O Saviour! we have oft found caufe 
 to wondt-T at thy words, but never till now at thy filence. 
 Learn hence. That Chiift doth fometimcs delay to return an 
 anfwcr to a well qualiricd prayer. Sometimes his people do 
 not pr.iy earneftly enough; fometimesthey praytoo eamellly, 
 •for fome outward and temporal mercy; fometimcs rhe mercy 
 xhey pray for, is not good for thtm, or it may be it is not yet 
 good lor them. Let us not then judge of God s hearing our 
 prayer by his prcfent anfwer. 
 
 24 But he anlwered and faid, I am not fcnt but 
 .unto the lolt llieepof the houfe of Ifrael, 
 
 Obfcrvf, When wir-Saviour doth anfwer, he »;ivcs not one 
 word of comfort, but rather a repulfc. Chrilt has oftcn- 
 timfs lovein his heart to his people, when they can read none 
 in his countenance, nor gather it from his difccurfe, Alfo, 
 The anfwer iifelf, Chrift fays, I nm not fent unto the lo/ijf.eep 
 of tie hci'fe of Adam, but to the left fhtfp of the houfe of Ifrael. 
 I'hc Jews are compared tmto jheep, the Gentiles unto dogs. 
 Chrilt inl'niiates, that though fhe werealoftfliecp of Adam, yet 
 not being one of the loft fSeep of Ifrael, he could do nothing 
 for her. It was a common faying of the Jews, "That the 
 rations of the world wcrelikencd to dogs, whereas they were 
 God's fons and daughters." 
 
 25 Then came £he, and worfhiped him, faying, 
 Lord, help nie. 
 
 Yet hath notthi' poorwoman done ; Ch rift's former filence, 
 ■nnd his prercntdenl-j\, cannot filence htr. She comes, fhe wor- 
 fhips, (he tries. Lord, help m,, Q what an undaunted grace 
 is the grace of faith ! It has a ftroti^ heart, andabold forehead; 
 preremptory denials cannot difmay it. This woman will not 
 dcfpond, though her prayer of faith, from the knees of humili- 
 ty fucceed not. 
 
 26 But he anfwcrcd and faid, It is not meet to take 
 the children's bread, and tocafl it to dogs. 
 
 Ohferve here, The fccming feverity of Chrift to this poor 
 woman; he calls her not a woman, but a dog ; and as it were, 
 fpums her from his feet with an harfh repulfe. Did ever fo 
 ffvere a word drop from thofe mild lips? What (hall we fay? 
 Is the Lamb of God turned a lion? 'That a woman indiftrefs 
 imploring pity, yea a good woman, and anhumblefupplicant, 
 fhould be thus rated out of Chrift's prefence for a dog! Lecrn 
 hence, That Chrift puts the ftrongeft faith of his own children 
 upon the fevereft trials : The trial had never been fo fharp.if 
 her faith had not been fo ftrong. Ufually, where God ^ives 
 much grace, he tries grace much. 
 
 27 And fhe faid. Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of 
 the crumbs which fall from their matter's table. 
 
 Ohferve, How her humility grantsall, her patience overcomes 
 all, fhe meekly defires to poflefs thedog's place ; not to crowd 
 to the table, but to creep under it, and topartakeof thecrun^bs 
 of mercy that fall from thence. Indeed fhe fhewedone of the 
 beft qualities of a dog, in keeping her holdwherefhe had once 
 faftcned, not letting go or giving over, until fhe had gotten 
 what fhe defired. L^nm hence. That nothing is fopleafing 
 unto Chrift, as to fee his people following him with faith and 
 importunity, when he fccms to withdraw from them. 
 
 28 Then Jefus anfweredand faid unto her, O wo- 
 man, great is thy faith : be it unto thee, even as thou 
 wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that 
 very hour. 
 
 The difciples obferving her behaviour, mighthavtf been rea- 
 dy to fay, O woman, great is thy patience, great is ihyhunil- 
 ity : but, fays Chrift, ^Creat is thy faith ; he fi-es the root, we 
 the branches. Nothing but faith couldtht:s temper the heart, 
 thus ftrcngthen the foul, thus charm thetr r.g e. O powerful 
 grace of faith, which Chi iftl.imfclf could roiQPgerwt.lift ind, 
 but cries out as a pcrfrn overcome by the pirvaltncy of i', O 
 uvman, threat is t/.y faith. Arte, That no gracctvcrgotsaway 
 
 f/OIB 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 63 
 
 from Clirift uncrowned: though we rr.iy wait longfor amer- 
 cy, yet the hand of faith never knocked in vain at the door of 
 heaven. — Mercy is as finely ours, as if we had it, if we have 
 but fairhand patience fowait for it. This -rood woman found 
 it fo, to her unTpeiik-ible comfort: and the fame (lull we find, 
 in the excrcife of the fame grace, ^if/f- But how doth this 
 poor woman's faith appear to be great faith? A^if. Bccai'fe 
 ravine no primifc to rely upon, and fufiliing foinany rcpulC- 
 cs with feemin'j; contempt, (he ftill retained a sood hope of 
 ChrilVs kindncfs andmercy. Learn hence, I. That thcfaitli 
 of thofe, who depending on God's goodnefs,do plrxe an hum- 
 ble confidence in God, and are not by great tcniptationsordif- 
 coura^emcnts removed from that their confidence ; fuch taith 
 is defervedly ftyled great faith. 2. That the faith of believing 
 Gemiles was not only praife-worthyandwell-pIeafingtoGod, 
 but more excellent and better plcafmg than that of the Jews, 
 to whom the promifes did belong. 
 
 29 5 And Jefus departed from thence, and came 
 ui h unto the fea of Galilee ; and went up in*o a 
 mountain, and fat down there. 30 And j^reat multi- 
 tudes came unto him, having with them tlw/e that xoere 
 lame, b!ind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and 
 cafl them down at Jefus' feet ; and he healed them ; 
 q I Infomuch that the multitude wondered when they 
 faw the dumb to fpeak, the maimed to be whole, the 
 lame to walk, and the blind to fee : and they glorifi- 
 ed the God of Ifrael. 
 
 0.^rt//r here, i. The charity, 2. The faith of the multi- 
 Jude in brins^ing the blind, the deaf, and the dumb to Chrift, 
 Their chari'y,in lending eyes to the blind, and a tongue tothe 
 dumb; who could neither come to Chriftfhemfelves, nor fpeak 
 for themfclves. Every man hasnot atongue to fpeak for him- 
 felf ; happy is he that has a tongue to pray and intercede for 
 others : This charity did the people exercife here. ^ Alfo, their 
 faith ; they laid the lame and blind down at Jefus' feet, rely- 
 ing upon his power, and believing his willingnefs to help and 
 heal them. Farther the effeft of this miracle upon the multii 
 tudc; it was twofold: I. They were ftruck with admiration 
 and wonder, to fee fuch cures wrought as exceeded the courfe 
 of nature, and the powerof art. 2. They glorifed the God of If- 
 rael; that is, they acknowledged it to be a wonderful work of 
 power and mercy wrought by that God whom Ifrael worfliip- 
 ped. Whence we /^orw.That the miraculous worksofChrift, 
 which he wrought before the multitude, were obvious to their- 
 fenfes; and did conftrain the beholders ( if not blinded with 
 Pharifaicalobftinacy) to acknowledge the power ot God com- 
 municated to Chrift, and to praife him for it : The muUituile 
 siarveUed and glorified God. 
 
 32 H Then Jefus called his difciples unto him, 
 and faid, I have compaflion onthemuhitude, becaufe 
 they continue with me now three d.iys, and have no- 
 thing to eat : and I will not fend tlietn away falling, 
 left they faint in the way. 33 And his dilciplcs fay 
 unto him, whence (ball we have fo'much bread in the 
 wildernefs as to fill fo great a multitude ! 34 And 
 Jefus fiiith u#to them. How many loaves have ye ? 
 and they faid, Seven, and a few little fifhes. 35 And 
 he commanded the multituds to ^fit down on the 
 
 ground. 36 and he took the feven loaves and the 
 fifhes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to 
 his dilciplcs, and the dilciples to the multitude. 
 
 Here wc have the fecund miriicle of Chrift's companionate 
 feeding the hungry multitude. Chap. xiv. we read ct \\\ct 
 tlioiifand fed ■u.'ith five loaves und itoofijhes \ here Chriil feeds 
 four thonf.md tvithfcven loaves o.nd ajcwfmallfjhes. Where 
 ol'ferve. That Chrilt led tcwclt, when he had melt provifion ; 
 when he Wddfevcii loaves, he fed but four thoufand ; when he 
 \\Adfive loavts, he fed five thoufand. Thus the wifdom and 
 power of Chrift is gh riiitd by him as he plcalts. 1 he feed- 
 ing one thcufind with one loaf, was as true a miracle as the 
 feeding fcven thoufand. Our Savii.ur did put forth the power 
 of Ids G(!dh',-ad in v.oiking miracles, after whatmanner fcem- 
 cti bcrt to his own \\ ifdom. Otjerve farther, A double aftion 
 perl'ornicd bv our Saviour, i. lie gave thanks ; thatis,hepray- 
 td for a blcfiintj upon the food. Teaching us our duty, That 
 if the Son of God did look up to heaven, andblefs his foo<I,wc 
 fliould not fit down to our lootl as a bcall to his fodder, an ithout 
 craving a blefling upon if. The next adlion was. He gaze to 
 his dfcipies. But why did he diftribute the loaves by the hands 
 of his difciples? Becaufe the dif>.iples queftioned through the 
 weaknefs of their faith, whether fuch a multitude as four 
 thoufand could be fed with fo fmall a provifion as fcven loaves. 
 Now our Saviour,fo convince them how eafdy hecoulddothat 
 thing which they had judged impolUble, diftributes the bread 
 by them ; making ufe of their ow n eyes and hands, for tlicir 
 convidion and fatisfaiSlion. Thus Chrift, tofhame the unbe- 
 lief of his difciples, makes them not only fpedlators butadtors 
 in tliat work, which they judged impoffible to be efFefted. 
 
 37 And they did all eat and were filled : and they 
 took up of the broken meat that was left feven bafkets 
 full. 38 And they that did eat were four thoufand 
 men, befides women and children, 39 And he fent 
 away the multitude, and took Ihip, and came into the 
 coalls of Magdala. 
 
 o 
 They did all eat, not a crumb or a bit, but to fulnefs and fa- 
 tisfaftion; yet /i?t;^« bafkets remain ; anfwering the number of 
 the loaves, as the twelve bafkets in the former miracle anfwer- 
 ed the twelve apoftles: In both, more is left than was at firft 
 fet on : It is hard to fay which was the greater miracle, the 
 miraculous eating, or miraculous leaving. If weconfiderwhat 
 they ate, we may juftly wonder that they left any thing. If 
 what they left, that they ate any thing. Note laftly, Chrift 
 would not have thefe fragments loft, but gathered up ; thegteat 
 houfe-keeper of the world wifl not allow the lofs of his orts. 
 O how dreadful will the account of thofe be, who have larce 
 and plentiful cftates to anfwer fora5loft,beingfpcnt upon-thcir. 
 lulls in riot and excefs ! 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 THE Pharifees alfo, and thaSadduces came, and 
 tempting, defired him that he would fliew them 
 a fign from heaven. 2 He anfwered and laid unta 
 them. When it is evening, ye fay it uUl iitair weather: 
 for the fky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will he 
 foul weather to-day : for the fky is red and lowering, 
 ye hypocrites, ye can difcern the face ot the Iky ; 
 
 but 
 
64 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Cu AP. XVI 
 
 but c.in ye not citfcem the figns of the times ? A wick- 
 ed and adulterniis generation feeketh after a fi^n, and 
 tlicrj (hall no fit^nbe given unto it but the fi^nof tlic 
 prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed. 
 
 Nr.'f here, i. Tbc pcrfons dcmaniling ofourSaviiMir a fign, 
 A\c Ph.arifccs and Sadduces, perfons of contrary opinions and 
 intcrcfls; yet both agree in tempting and oppnfing Chrift. 
 LfRrn thcnco, Th.it wicked incn, how oppofi'efoever they are 
 one to another, yet can agree together in oppofing Chrift, and 
 tmderrnining his truth. 2. The fign demanded, Shnv usafign 
 frotr. heaven : As if they had faid, put iisnot ofFwith fnch earth- 
 ly figns as we have fcen, in mtihiplying loaves : But let us fee 
 a miracle from heaven ; fuch as Mofes and Elias wrought. 
 This they dcfirtd, not fo much for their fatisfaflion, as out of 
 curiofity, nay wicked treachery. Learn thence, thattodeinand 
 a fign. not to confirm our faith, but fo harden ourfelves in our 
 unbelief, is a dangerous tempting of Chrift. 3- Our Saviour's 
 rejcftion of this demand of the Pharifees to give them a fign : 
 O ye hyficcr'tles, fays he, ye can dijcern the face of thejky, but ye 
 cannot ilifcern thcjigm of the times. As if Chrift had faid,"Did 
 not inalice and obltinacy blind your eyes, ye might ascafily fee 
 and difcern that thcfe are the times of the Meffias, and that I 
 am he, by the miracles wrought by me, as you can make a 
 judgment of the weather by looking upon the fky." Learn, 
 That to pretend more ignorance and uncertainty in difcerning 
 the fings of gofpel times, than the figns of the weather, isgreat 
 hypocrify : Te hypocrites, ye can difcern the face ofthefhy, but can 
 ye not dijcem theftgns of times. Note laftly, That our Saviour 
 doth not condemn the Rudy of nature, or making obfervation 
 cf the ftate of the weather from the face of the iky : all that 
 our Saviour blamed was, that they were better flcillcd in the 
 figns of the weather, than in the figns of the times. As God 
 by natural figns gives us warning of a change in natural things: 
 fo by his providential difpenfations he gives us a warning of a 
 change in civil things. He that is wife zuillohferve thefe things; 
 and by their obfervation will come to underjland the pleafureof 
 the Lord. 
 
 5 ? And when his difciplcs were come to the Other 
 fide, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Je- 
 fus faid unto them, Take heed and beware of the lea- 
 ren of the Pharifees and of the Sadducces. 7 And 
 they rcafoned among themfelves, faying, It is becaufe 
 we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Jefus per- 
 ceived, he faid unto them, O ye of little faith, why 
 reafon ye among yourfelvcs, becaufe ye have brought 
 no bread ? g Do ye not yet underftand, neither re- 
 member the five loaves of the five thoufand, and how 
 many baflcets ye took up ? 10 Neither the feven 
 loaves of the four thoufand and how many baflcets 
 ye took up ? 11 How is it that ye do not undcr- 
 fland, that I fpake it not to you concerning bread, 
 that yc fhoald beware of the leaven of the Phar- 
 ifees and of the Sadducees ? 1 2 Then underftood they 
 how that he bade iJum not beware of the leaven of 
 bread, but of the do6lrine of the Pharifees and of the 
 Sadducces. 
 
 Nefe here, i. How cull the difciples of Chrift were under 
 
 Cliiirt's own teaching, how apt to put a carn&I fcnfe upon his 
 words; thcv apprclKnil?dhe nnd fp-kcn tothcm of the leaven 
 o( bread, what he- i!i!cnd''(l ot the leaven of the Ph.iri fees doc- 
 trine. 2. The fmart and (harp reproof which Chrift Jefuj 
 gave liis difciplcs, for not undcrftanding the fcnfe and fignifi. 
 cation of wlnthe fpake. The Lord Jefus Chrift is much dif- 
 pleafcd wi h his own people, when he difccrns bllndncfs and 
 ignorance in them, after more than ordinary means of know- 
 ledge enjoyed by them ; Hew is it that ye do not yet underftand ? 
 3. The metaphor which Chrift fets forth the corrupt doflrine 
 of the Phaiifec-s by; he compares it to leaven, partly for its 
 foomcfs, and partly for its diffiifivenefs. Leaven is a piece of 
 four dough, that ditfiifes iifcif into the whole mafs or lump of 
 bread with which it is mixed. From whence our Saviour in- 
 timates, that the Pharifees were a four and proud fort of peo- 
 ples apd their doftrines like themfelves, poifonous and perni- 
 cious in their confequcnces ; the contagion of which our Lord 
 warns his difciples to avoul jnd (luin. Whence learn. That 
 error isas damnable as vice; petfons erreneous in their judg- 
 ments arcto be avoided, as well as thofe that are lewd and wic- 
 ked inconvcrfations. He that has a due care of his foul's falva- 
 tion, muft as well beware of erroneous principles as of de- 
 bauched praftices. 4. Our Saviour does not command his dif- 
 ciples to fcparatefrom communjcn with the Pharifees, and o- 
 blige them not to hear their doSrine, but only to beware of 
 the errors that they mixed v.'ith their doflrine. We may and 
 ought to hold communion with a church, though erroneous 
 indo£lrinc, if not fundamentallyerroneous. Separation from. 
 a church is not juftifiable upon any other ground, than that 
 which makes a feparationbetwccn God and that church: which 
 is cither the apoftacy of that church into grofs idolatry ; or, in 
 point of do£lrinc, into damnable hcrefy, or impofing finful 
 terms of communion. 
 
 13 f When Jefus came into the coafts of caefaria 
 Philippi, he alked his difciples, faying. Whom do 
 men fay, that L the Son of man, am ? 14 And they 
 faid, Someyay ihxit thou art John the Baptifl; fome, E- 
 lias; andothers.Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 
 He faith unto them. But whom fay ye that I am ? 
 And Simon Peter anfwered and faid. Thou art the 
 Chrift the Son of the living God. \j And Jefus an- 
 fwered and faid unto him, BleCfed art thou Simon-Bar- 
 jona : for fle(h and blood hath not revealed it unto 
 thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 
 
 Note here, i. Our Saviotir's qucftion, and the difciples an- 
 fu-er. Our Saviours queftion is two-fold: I. fVhom do men 
 Jay that I am ? Not that the Son of God was ignorant what- 
 mtn faid of him ; but he had an intention more firmly to fet- 
 tle and cftablifti his difciples in the belief of his being the pro- 
 mifed Mellias. And therefore, 2. He puts the queftion to 
 them, IVJjcm do you, my difciples, yPyy that I am ? "You, that 
 have heard the holincfs of my doflrine, and feen the divinity 
 of my miracles. — What fay you to me? And what confeftion 
 do you makeof me?" Chrift cxpefts greater mcafures of grace 
 and knowledge, and higher degrees of aftianceand faith, from 
 thofc that have enjoyed thcgrcatcft means of grace aiid kno-.v- 
 ledge. The difciples were eye and car-witnclles of his doc- 
 trine and miracles, and accordingly he cxpe4|l from them a 
 full confeftion of his divinity. 2. "The aniwcr returned, fi.) 
 By the apoftlcs in general ; and they faid. Some fay that thou art 
 
 fohn 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 St. • M A T T H E W. 
 
 ^5 
 
 Jshn the Bapt'if}; foim Eliat\ fomi Jcrtmias. It Is no new 
 thing, it fecins, to find diverlity oi judgments and opinions 
 coiiterniiig Clirift and the affairs of his kingdom. \V e find, 
 that when our Saviour was amon^fl men, who daily both 
 faw and heard him, yet there was then a divcHity of opini- 
 ons concerning him. (?..) Peter, in the name of the reft and 
 as the mouth of all the apoftles, makes an open confefiion of 
 his being the Son of God ; Thou art Chr'ift tie Son oj the liv- 
 ing God. Whence note. That thevci! of Chrift's human na- 
 ture did not keep the eye of his difciples' faith from feeing 
 him to be the Son of God as well as tiie Ton of man -.Thou urt 
 Chri/I the Son of the living God. 3. How highly our Saviour 
 was picafed with this confelfion ; he pronounces Peter and 
 the reft in him, blejfcd, who hud by him made this chriftian 
 confeffion ; Bkjfeci art thou, Siimti ; and tellshim, i. Wliat 
 did notenable him to make th.tt tonfefTion, not flefh ami blood; 
 that is, not man, nor the wifdom and rcafon of man. 2. 
 But polittvelv, Cod the Father. »'y the operation of his Spirit, 
 and the difpenfation of the gofpel, has wroughtdivine faith 
 in you, and drawn forth this glorious confelfion from you, 
 that I am indeed the Son of God. Thence learn. That no 
 I&ancan favingly believe that JefusChrifl is the eternal Son 
 of God and Saviour of the world, but he in whom God him- 
 felf, by his Holy Spirit, has wrought fucha perfuafion, by 
 the niiniAry of the gofpel. 
 
 18 And 1 fay alfo unto thee, that thou art Peter, 
 and upon this rock I will build my church; and the 
 gates of hell fhall not prevail againft it. 
 
 hSnte here, i. As Peter confefled Chrift, foChrift confefl"- 
 eshim ; Peter faid, 7hou art Chrijl ; Chrift fays, Thou art 
 Peter, alluding to his name, which fignifies a rock ; he hav- 
 ing made good that title by the ftrength, ftability,and firm- 
 nefi of his faith. 2. A double promife made by Chrift to 
 Peter. {i.> For the building. 2. For the upholding of his 
 church. For the building of his church ; ( i.)Upon this reck 
 will 1 buildmy church. Upon what rock ? "Upon Peter the 
 rock confefling," fay the Papifts : but if fo, no more is faid 
 of Peter here, than of all the apoftles elfewhere. Gal. ii. 
 9. James and John are called pillars as well as Peter. So 
 that his fuperiority over the reft of the apoftles, can with no 
 reafon be from hence inferred. "Upon Chrift, the rock 
 confelTed," fay the Proteftants ; for Chrift is the foundation 
 ftone, upon which his church is built ; Eph. ii. 20. Te are 
 huilt up'in t'e/'.undiition cf the apojlles and prr.phets, Jejus 
 Chrijl himfelf bring the chief corner-ftonc . So then, not up- 
 on Peter the rock confeffing, but upon Chrift the rotk con- 
 feffed ; and upon the rock of Peter's confeflion, that funda- 
 mental truth. That Chrift is the Son of the living God, is 
 ihe church built. Upon this rock -mil I build my church; 
 Super hano conftjfionis tua Petram edificeha ecctefiam nieam. 
 Yer Chrift may here be faid to build his church upon Peter,' 
 bccaufe he ufed St. Peter's miniftry in laying the foundati- 
 on of a church among the Jeu s and Gentiles ; he being the 
 firft preacher of that faith which he here confeflcd fiift to 
 the jews, Adls ii. and then to the Gentiles, Acts x. And 
 accordingly St. Peter's converfion of three thoufand fouls 
 by his miniftry. Ads ii. 41. is looked upon by fome as a punc- 
 tual fulfilling of this promife here made unto him. He was 
 ftyled therock,bccnnfehehid the foundations of faith among 
 the nations, that is, the firft foundations of a chriftian church 
 
 in the world. Whence it .ippears, th.it in tins mnter Sr. 
 Peter neither had nor can have a rucccllbr ; but if the Popo 
 will pretend to be his ruccellbrin this aftair, he niuft not lit 
 at Rome, lording it over God's heritage, but muft ga in p:r. 
 fen to the unbelieving Jews, and unconverted heathens, as 
 I'eter did ; and labour by his preaching to bring over the 
 Turk, the Jew, and the infidel to chiiflianity. N'Je alfo,' 
 our Saviour's promifefor the upholding, as well as the build- 
 ing of his church ; The gates nf hell /hall not prevail iigair:Jt ^ 
 //.• That js, all the policy and power of the devil .ind his in- 
 ftruments (hall neither deftroy my church, nor extinguilh the 
 light of this divine truth, which thou now haft made confel- 
 fion of, namely, "That I am the true Mefllas, the Son of 
 the living God." Note, i. That Jefus Chrift is the build- 
 er, and will be the upholder of his church. 2. 1 hat the 
 church upheld by Chrift's power and promife, fliall never be 
 vanquifhed by the devil's pplicy or ftrength : Upon th\s rock, 
 &c. andthe gates, &c. By the gates of hell, underft.-.nd,(i.) 
 The wifdom of hell, gates being the feat of council. (2.) 
 The ccnfures and fentence of hell, gates being the place of 
 judicature. (3.) By the gates of he!!, 'mderft.md the arms 
 and power of hell; gates being a place of ftrength and guard'. 
 So that when Clirift fccures againft hell, he i'ecures againft. 
 all that receive their commifiion fiohi licll ; neiilier hell, 
 nor any envenomed by hell, fhall prevail ag^inftmy church. 
 
 igAnd I will give unto thee the keys ofthe kingdom 
 of heaven: and whatfoever thou Ihaltbind on earth 
 fhall be bound in heaven : and whatfoever thou fiialt 
 loofe on earth fliall be loofed in heaven. 
 
 Note here, 1. The perfon to whom ihis promife is m.ide, 
 namely, to Peter, with the reft of the apoftles ; the confef- 
 fion being made by him in the name of the reft. Ell'ewhere, 
 we find the lame authority and power gi\en to them all, 
 which is here committed unto I'eter, John xx. 23. Whofe 
 fms fotver ye remit, they are remitted. Although tliere might 
 be a priority of order among the apoftles, yet no fuperiority 
 of pov\er was founded in any one of them over and above 
 the reft. 2. The power promifed ; / -Mill give thee the keys 
 cf the kingdom of heaven ; that is the key of doftrine, and key 
 of difcipline, or full power and authority to preach the gof- 
 pel, to adminifter facraments, and execute church cenfures. 
 The fpeech is metaphorical, and alludes to the ftewards and 
 officers of great houles, to v hofe truft the keys of the houf- 
 hold are committed. — Chrift's minifters are the ftewards of 
 his honfe, into whofehands the keys of his church are com- 
 mitted by Chrift ; the Pope would fnatch them out of aJl 
 hands, and kcf p tliem in .his own; he-fnatches at Peter's 
 keys, but makes fliipvircck of Peter'.<- faiih. arrogating Pe- 
 ter's power, but abrogating his holy profcfTion. Lcum, i. 
 That the power and authority which 1 he minifters of the 
 gofpel do e.xercife and execute, is from Chrift , Jivillgiv^ 
 thee the ktys of the kingdom. 2. That this power of the keys 
 Chrift difpenfed promifcnonfty to all his apoftles, and never 
 dellgned it as a peculiar for St. Peter. As they all made 
 the f:mie profefTion of faih by Peter, fo they all received 
 the fame authority and power with Peier. And accordinfr- 
 ly, the apoftles excrcifed their office iiidependantly of Peter 
 in converting thcfe of the circumcifion as well ashe And, 
 St. Paul, who was the apoftle of the Gentiles, opened.rhe 
 kingdom of heaven to far more Gentiles than ever Peter 
 
 I did; 
 
66 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Gkap xvit 
 
 did ; and therefore, hail this key of the kingdom of heaveij 
 given to hiiu, as much as to St. Peter. 
 
 20 Then charged he his difciples that they (hould 
 tell no man that he was Jefus the Chrift. 
 
 That is, till after his refurrcftion. It may feem ftrangc 
 that our Savii>ur lliould charpre hisdifciples to tell no man 
 that he was Jelus the Chrilt, feeing the knowledge ot it was 
 fo ncceflary. 'I'he reafon is conceived to be, i. Becaufe 
 tlie glory ot his Godhead was not to be fully manifelled till 
 after Ins rc'rurrcftion, and then to be publilhed hinifelf, and 
 contirmcJ by hi-i own miracles. 2. Left the knowledge ot it 
 lliould have hindered his tieath : For, Had the rulers known, 
 thty 'Mould not have crucified the Lord of ghry. ' Learn, That 
 Chrift has his own fit times, and proper feafons, in which 
 he reveals his own myfterics to the world. 3. That Chrift 
 v.is io intent upon laying down his life for finners, that he 
 would not have his death hindered by an untimely declara- 
 tion of his being truly and really God : after his death if 
 was, that he declared himfc-lf to be the Son ofdd with prater, 
 by the rejurrtilionfrom the dead. 
 
 21 H From that time forth began Jefus to (hew 
 unto his difciples how that he mull go unto Jerufa- 
 lem, and fuffer many things of the elders and chief 
 priefts and fcribes, and be killed, and be raifed again 
 the third day. 
 
 Note, I. The wifdom of our Saviour, in acquainting his 
 difciples with the near approach of his death and fufferings. 
 This he did for feveral reafons : 1. To let them underftand 
 that he was really God (as they had juft before confefled him 
 to be) by his foreknowing and foretelling things to come. 
 2- To convince them of their error, in apprehending that 
 his kingdom was of this world, and that he was to 1 eign here 
 a teinporai prince. (3.) To prevent their being ofFended at 
 his fufferings, and to prepare them for their own ; that they 
 might neither ihrink at them, nor fink under them. 2. The 
 perfons foretold by Chrift, that fhould be the bloody aftors 
 in the tragedy of his death ; namely, the rulers and chief 
 priefts : it was the poor that received Chrift, and embrac- 
 ed the gofpel ; it was the great ones of the world that re— 
 jeL^ed him, and fet him at nought ; and the rulers both in 
 church and ftatc condemned and cruciiied. 
 
 2 2 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, 
 faying, Be it far from thee, Lord ; this ihall not be un- 
 ijO thee. 
 
 No doubt Peter fpake all this out of a fincere intention, 
 and witli a fingular affection towards our Saviour ; butpious 
 intentions, and good affections, will not juftify unwarranta- 
 ble aftions. From this counfel of St. Peter to Chnft, we 
 learn, i. How ready Hcfii and blood is to oppole all that 
 tends to fuffering ; /)IaJier,fpare thyfelf. 2. What need we 
 have to be fortified againft the temptations of friends as well 
 as of enemies ; for Satan can make good men his inftruincnts 
 to do his work, when they little think of it. Peter little fu(- 
 pefted that Satan fet him on work to hinder the redemption 
 of mankind, by difTuading Chrift from dying. But oblerve, 
 in the next vcrle, with what indignation Chrift rejtfts Pe- 
 ter's advice. 
 
 23 But he turned and faid unto Peter, Get thee 
 behind me, Satan ; tiiou art an offence unto me : fof 
 thou favourcft not the things that be of God, but thofc 
 that be of iucn. 
 
 Chrift looked upon Peter with anger and difpleafure : 
 Chrift heard Satan ipeaking in Peter. It was Peter's tongue, 
 but Satan tuned it ; therefore Chrift calls Peter by Satan's 
 name : I'hey th.i; will do the devil's work, Ihall have the 
 devil's name too. He that would hinder the redemption of 
 mankind, is Satan, an adverfary to mankind From our Sa. 
 viour's fniart reproof given to Peter, learn, That no love 
 or refpeft to men's perion^ or piety muft draw us to flattef 
 them in their (ins, or caufe us to fpeak lightly of their fms. 
 From our Saviour's refolution not to favour himfelf, not- 
 withftanding Peter's advice, liarn. That fo intent was the 
 heart of Chrift upon tWe great work of man's redemption, 
 that he coukt not bear the Vwjft vvord that (hould obftruft 
 him in it, or divert him from it. ^ ,^ 
 
 24 Then faid Jefus unto his difciples, If any nuM 
 will come after me, let him deny iiimielf, and take up 
 his crofs, and follow me. 
 
 Note here, i. How our Saviour reccommends his religion 
 to every man's choice ; not attempting by force and violence 
 to compel any to the profeffion of it. Jf any man -will come 
 ajter me, that is, if any man chufe andrefolvc to be achrif* 
 tian. 2. Our Saviour's terms propounded : i. Self denial. 
 Let him deny him/elf. By which we are not to underftand 
 the denying and renouncing of onr fenfes in matters of faith 
 nor yet the renouncing of our reafon m matters of religion; 
 but by felf-denial- is meant, that wc lliould be willing topart 
 with all our earthly comforts, and quit all cur temporal en- 
 joyments for the fake ef Chrift and his holy religion. 2. 
 Gofpel-fufFering, He muji take up his crofs / An illufion to 
 a roman cuftom, that the malefaftor, who was to be cruci- 
 fied, took his crofs upon his fhou'der, and carried it to the 
 place of execution. Where note. Not the muking of the 
 crofs for ourfclves, but the patient bearing of it, when God 
 lays it upon our fhoulder, is theduty enjoined : Lethimtaht 
 up his crofs. 3. Goi-^e\—ieTy\ce, He mu/t fUoiu me; that is, 
 obey my commands, and follow my example : He muft fet 
 my life and doftrine continually before him, and muftbedai« 
 ly correfting and reforming of his life by that rule and pat. 
 tern. St e on Luke \yi. 23. 
 
 25 For whofoever will fave his life, fiiall lofe it; 
 and whofoever will lofe his life for my lake, fhall find 
 it. 
 
 Note here, i. That the love of this temporal life, is sf 
 great temptation to men to deny Chrift, and to renounce his 
 holy relig'on. 2. That the fureft way to attain eternal life, 
 is cheerfully to lay down a mortnl fife, when the glory of 
 Chrift and his fervice calleth us thereunto, 
 
 26 For what is a man profited. If he ihall gain the 
 whole world, and lofe his own foul? or what Alalia 
 man give in exchange for his foul ? 
 
 Lfarn, i. That God*li.is intnift d every rne of uswltha 
 fpul of intlUmable worth andpreciouinefi, capaLle of being 
 
 faved 
 
Chap, xvii. 
 
 St. M a T T H E \V. 
 
 faved or loft, and that to all etrmity. 5. That th« gain of 
 the w hylc >vorI'J is not coinparablfi with the lolsof one precious 
 foul. The foul's lofs is an inconiprehenfible and irrecover- 
 able lofs. 
 
 27 For the fon of man fhall come in the glory of 
 his Father with his angels ; and then he fliali reward 
 every man according to his works. 
 
 There isatu', fold judgmetit fpoken ofbv thisfevangHiftSt. 
 Matthew, najnely. a pat liciilar comin^r of Chrift to execute 
 vengeance on the Jews.at the dt-ftruc'tionof Jeriif.lem : and 
 a general commgat tlie day oi judgment. If weunderftand 
 this place of the latter, we have then, 1 . The judge dtfcrib- 
 cd /*f Sen of -ilcn, he who was and is both God and M.in, 
 fliall judge both anjrel,. and men. 2. The fplendor of that 
 day declared. He Jhall corns in glory -^vitb his hcly angel!. 
 The attendance of angels fliall be reqoir*d by Chrift, not 
 for neceflity,bui for Majefly. 3. Tiie work and bufinefs of 
 that day detnonftratcd, and tfaatis, T'or^'nc.Vr/o every man ac^ 
 cording to his luork. Learn, That the judgment of the great 
 day will be iroft glorious and righteous : Chrift will be glo- 
 rious in his perfon, and glorious in his attendance ; and the 
 judgment will be according to righteoufnefs, IV'thout refpeit 
 ofperfons, according to vjhat hat been done in the body. 
 
 28 Verily I fay unto you, There befome {landing 
 here which fhall not tafte of death till they fee the 
 Son of man coming in his kingdom. 
 
 A threefold lenfe and interpretation is given of tbefc 
 words. I. Some will have them refer to our Saviour's 
 transfiguration, mentioned in the next chapter : As if he had 
 faid, "Some of you, as Pet«r, [ames, and John, (hall Ihoii - 
 ly lee me tipon mount Tabor infuch glory as I will come into 
 
 udgmenj." 2. Others underftand th« v^ords, of Chrift's 
 exercifing his kingly power, in the deftruaion of Jerufalem 
 and the Jewifh nation, which John did live to fee. 3. O- 
 thers refer the words ro the time of thegofpel afterChrift's 
 refurreftion and afccniion, when the goiptl was propogated 
 and fpreadfar and near, according to St. Mark ix. i. There 
 crefome handing Ixre, that jh all nottojie of death till they fee 
 the kingdom of God -ufith pov/er ; that is, till they fee the 
 incrcafe and enijrgeinent of the church by the gofptl. 
 Thence note, that where the gofpel is powerfully preached, 
 and cheerfully obeyed, there Chrift cometh moft ulorjoully. 
 in his kingdom. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 A ND after fix days Jefns taketh Peter, James, and 
 -». l^John his brother, and brin^cththcm up into an 
 hi^h mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before 
 them : and his face did fhine as the fun, and his rai- 
 ment was white as the light. 
 
 _ The f^ornier part of this chapter gives its art account of onr 
 saviour s glorious transfiguration : He laid, as it were, the 
 garments of frail humanity and mortality afide for a little 
 time, and afTuming to himfelf the robes of majeOy and c!orv 
 the rays of his divinity darted forth, his face fhined with a 
 ple^^fing bnghtnefs. and his raiment with fuch a glorious 
 Jultre, as did at once both dazzle and delight the eyes of the 
 
 beholders. Here note, i . The reafons of our Lord's 'nns- 
 figuration: (,., To demonflrate ..nd tcft.fy the truth" of ■ 
 his diVinity ., that he .uas the Chrift the sJn of the Ih^ 
 r"^/W according to St. Peter's confelfion juft before • 
 1 his d.vme glory was an evidence of his divine nature. fi \ 
 thrift was thus transfigured, to prc.'igure the glory of his 
 fecond coming to judgment, -xvhen h. Jhall be Med of his 
 fawts. 2. I he choice which our Saviour makes of the wit- 
 iiefles of his transfiguration, his three difcipies. Peter 
 James and John. But why difcipies ? why three difcipies^' 
 why thefe three ? ft.) This tran figuration was a type and 
 fhadow of the glory of heaven : Chrift therefore vouchfafej 
 the carneft and firft-fruits of that glory only to faints • up. 
 on whom he intended tobeftow thefu'lharveft (z ) fl-ree 
 d.fopleswere Ns^tnefles fiifScient to teftify thism.r.cle. 'ju- 
 Z^ZTl^T^'^ of Ibis favour; yet, left he fliould rniir- 
 mTo» ^r^ "u'""'"'^ ''J?!' being left out, others are alfo 
 left out befides him. 3 Thele three, rather than others - 
 becaufe ,. Thefe difcipies are more eminent for grace' 
 zeal, and love to Chrift ; and. confequently, are moft hi.h! 
 Iv dignified and honoured by him. 'Ihe moft eminent man- 
 ifeftations of g.ory, are made by God to thofe that are moft 
 emment in grace. 2.Thefe three were witneiTes of Chrift'sne- 
 ony and paffion ; to prepare them for which they are here 
 made witneffes of his transfiguration. This glorious vifion 
 fVorn motmt Tabor fitted them to abide the terrors of mount 
 Calvary. Learn, That thofe whom God fingles oiit for the 
 greateft trials, he will fit beforehand with the beft enable- 
 ments. 
 
 3Andi)ehold, there appeared unto them Mofesand 
 Elias talking with him. 
 
 A?o/d-here, The glorious attendants upon our Saviour a* 
 his glorious transfiguration; they were two, two men • and 
 thele two men, Mofes and Elias. 1 his being but a glimpfe 
 ofChrftsglory, not a full manifeftation of it, only two 
 of the glonfi-d faints attend upon Chnft at it : When he 
 fliall coine in his full glory, ten thoufand of thoufands fhall 
 attend him. Thefe two attendants were two men, not two 
 angels; becaufe men were more nearly concerned in what 
 was done ; they were not only fpeftators but partners 
 Man's reftoration was Chrift's principal aim ; the angel's 
 cimfirm.ition his Icfs principal defign. 13ut why Mofe and 
 hlias? I. Mofes the giver of the hw, and Elias thechicfof 
 the prophets, attending both upon Chrift, did (hew the con- 
 fcnt of the law and the prophets with Chnft, and their ful- 
 filling undaccompLfhmeni in him. 2. i'ecaufe thefe twovere 
 the moft laborious fervants of Chrift, both adventured ih'cip 
 liv«s in God's caufe. and therefore are highly honoured by 
 Chrift. Such a' honour him, he ■will honour. 
 
 4 Then anfivercd Peter, and faid unto Jefu-t. Lord, 
 it is good for us to be here ; if thou wilt,' let us make 
 here three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Mo- 
 fes, and one for Elias, 
 
 ObfrvehtTC, 1. The perfon fupplicating, Peter. No 
 doubt the other two, James and John, were much affefted 
 but Peter is more fervr nt and forv/ard ; yet there is no ar- 
 guing with the Papift from his fervency to his fuperlority : 
 
 ia 
 
 h»s 
 
68 
 
 St. M A T T H E W. 
 
 Cha*. XVII. 
 
 his perfvinal prerogatives were not hereditary. 2. Theper- 
 fon fupplicateJ, Jtfus; not Mofes, nor Eli.is; thedilciples 
 make nof rayer, no luit to them, but to Chrift only. Pray- 
 ers tof.iints departed .ire both vain and unlawful. — 3. 1 he 
 lupplicaiion itielf, am\ that was for their continuance where 
 they were., Jt is goo^i/or us to be here. O what a ravill.- 
 jng comfort is the Icllowlhipof the faints ! but the prefence 
 ot Chrift among thfui, renders their joys tranfporiing. 4- 
 Their prolier of fervice to farther this continuance, Let us 
 'trtake three iub-rntuUt. This motion was well meant and 
 <Jevout. St. Peter will ftick at no coft or pains for the en- 
 iovnient of Chrilt's prcfen?e and his faints company, yet 
 was the motion unadvifed and rafli. St. Peter tried in de- 
 liring a pcrnctuitv of that condition which was but tranli- 
 ent and niotnentary. This vilion was only a tafte of glory,. 
 ,iot a foil repaft. He errs, in that he would bring down 
 iieavento earth, and take up with Tabor inftead ot lieaven. 
 lie errs, in th.u he would enter upon the poffellion of hea- 
 ven's glory without fuffering, and without dying. Peter 
 'Muld b: clithed upon, but -was not willing to he undoathed. 
 Uar», I. Thataglimple of glory is enough to wrap a loul 
 into ecflacy, and 1,0 make it out of love with worldly com- 
 iianv. 2. That we are apt to defire more of heaven upon 
 earth thaji God will allow. We would fain have the hea- 
 venlv glory come to us, but we are unwilling to go by 
 dcatii to that > we know not what we fay when we talk of 
 I'clicity , in tabernacles of earth. 
 
 5 While he yet fpake, behold a bright cloud over- 
 Ihadowcd them ; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, 
 which laid , This is my beloved Son, in whom I am 
 well pleated : hear ye him 
 
 Cl>/ervehcTe, t . A cloud was putbefore the difcip'eseyes, 
 •fortworeafons. (l.) To allay the lufture and relplenden- 
 cy of that glory which they were fwallowed up with. As 
 we cannot look upon the fun in its full brightnels, but un- 
 der a cloud bv refleaion ', fo the gloiy of heaven is infup- 
 portable, till God veils it, and Jheltersus from the furcharge 
 of it. (2.) A cloud overfliadows them, to hinder their far- 
 ther prying and locking into the glory. We mnft be con- 
 tent to behold God here through a cloud, darkly, ere long 
 we fhiiUfee him far^ to face. 2. The teftimony given by 
 God the Father out of the cloud concerning Jefus Chrifb 
 his Son, Ti'is is my bikved Son &c. Here mte, i. The dig- 
 nity ai hksperfon, he is -a Son, therefore, for nature coel- 
 icn'tial, for dignity co-equal, for duration co-eternal with 
 the Fatlver ; and a beloved Son, becaufe of his likenefs and 
 conformity tohim. A Father's likenefs is thecaufe oflove, 
 a union uf wills caiifes a mutual endearing of afFeftions. 2. 
 The excellency of his meditation, in whom I amwell pleafed. 
 Chrift in himiclf was nioft pleafmg to God the Father, and 
 in and through him he is well pleafed with all believers. 
 Chrift's mediation for us, makes God appeafible to us. 3. 
 the authority of his doftrine, Hear him.- Not Mofes and E- 
 lias, who were fervants, but my Son, whom 1 have commif- 
 fioned to be the great Prophet and Teacher of my church; 
 therefore adore him as my Son, believe in him asyour Sav 
 iour, and hear him as your Lawgiver. He honours Chrift 
 moft, that obeys him' beft. 1 he obedient ear honours 
 Chrift more than either the jjaiing eye, the adoring knee, 
 or the applauding ton|[ue. 
 
 6 And when the difciples heard it, they fell oiJ 
 their face, and were lore afraid. 7 And Jefuj came 
 and touched them, and faid, Arile, be not afraid. 8 
 And when they had lifted their eyes, they faw no 
 man, fave Jefus only. 9 And as they came down 
 from the mountain, Jefus charged them faying, Tel! 
 the vifion to no man, until the fon of man be rifen 
 again from the dead. 
 
 Obfnve here, i. The afFeft which this voice from hea. 
 yen had upon the apoftles, it caft them intoapaflion of hor- 
 ror and amazement, they were Jore afraid, and fill on their 
 face. Learn thence, That fuch is the majefty and glory of 
 God, that man in his finful ftate cannot bear fo n)uch as a 
 gliinpfeofu, without great confternation ami fear. How 
 unable is a man to hear ihe voice of Cod ! and yet how rea, 
 dy to defpife the voice of man! If God fpeaki by himfelf> 
 his voice is too terrible ; if he fpt«Us by his miiiifters, it is 
 too contemptible. 3. The perfon by v.Jiom the difciples 
 were recovered out of thefe aniaziBg fears imo which they 
 were caft; namely, by Chrift, Jefus came and /aid, Be not. 
 (ifraid. It is Chrift alone who can raife and comfort thoft 
 whom tlie terrors of the Almighty have dejefted and caft 
 down. 3. The manner Chrift recovered them out of 
 riiis pafTionaie amazement, it was threefold, i. By his 
 gracious approach, he came unto them. Chrift will come 
 with comfort unto his children when they are djfabLed 
 from coming to hhn with comfort. 2. By his comJortable 
 touch, he came andlouched them. Chrift comforts believ- 
 ers by a real and clofc applicatio.i of himfelf ntuo them. 
 An unapplied Chrift faves none, comforts none. j. By his 
 comforting voice, he faid, Be not afraid. It is a word of af- 
 furance, ihatthereis noground nor canfe of fear ; and itis 
 a word of afliftance. Itis verbum opsratorium ; he that 
 faid unto them, ^rife, be not afraid, did by his fpirit breathe 
 life and convey ftrcngth into their fouls, to enable them to 
 arife. 4. The ftridt injnnftion given by Chrift to his difci-^ 
 pies, not to publilh or proclaim the vifion till after his re-" 
 furreftion for two reafons (1.) Left it Ihould hinder his 
 paflion : for had the rulers of the world known him to be the 
 Lord of life and glory, they would not have crucified him ■ 
 therefore Chrift purpofely concealed his deity, to give w.iy 
 tohispaflion. (2.) Chrift being now in a I'ate of humilia- 
 tion, would have hismajefty veiled his glory concealed, and 
 confequently forbids that the glorious vifion of his transfig- 
 uration fliould be puhlifljed, and accordingly charges his dif- 
 ciples. That they tell the vifion to no man till he was rifen. 
 As if he had faid, Tell no nian the things which you have 
 fesn, not the relidiie of the difciples, that they be not trou- 
 bled that they were not admitted to fee with you ; nor thofe 
 believers which now ftllow me, that they be not fcandahzed 
 at my fuffering fo glorious a transfiguration. 
 
 10 And liis difciples afked him, faying. Why 
 then fay the Scribes, that Elias muft firft come ? 1 1 
 And Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Elias truly 
 fhall firft come, and rellore all things. 12 But I fay 
 unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knev 
 him not, but have done unto him whati'oever they 
 
 lifted : 
 
HAP. XV 
 
 
 St. M a T T H- E W. 
 
 % 
 
 nftcd: likcwife fhall alfo the Son of man fiifFer of 
 them. 13 Then the difciples underllpod that he 
 fpake unto them of John the Baptill. 
 
 Here we have the difciples queftion, and our Saviour's 
 aufwer. They afl-c our Saviour, how the oblervation of 
 the Jewifh doftors hold good, that Eli.is niuft come before 
 the MelFiascome ? We fee the Melfias, but we fee no Ehas ; 
 pur Saviour anfsvers, that Elias was come already : Not E- 
 lij.<h in perfon, but one in the fpirit and power of Elias ; 
 one of his fpirit and temper, to wit, John the Baptift, who 
 was propheficd of under the name of Elias. And indeed 
 great was the refeniblauce beiween the Eli^s of the Old 
 Teftainent and the new, namely John the Baptift : They 
 were both born in bad times ; ihey were both zealous fur 
 God and religion ; they were both undaunted reprovers of 
 the faults of princes ; and they "were both hated and impla- 
 cably perlecuted for the fame- Learn, That hatred and perfe- 
 cution even unto death, l.as often been the lot andport.onof 
 £ich as have had the ^eal and courage to reprove the faults 
 of princes. 
 
 14 f And »vhen they were come to the multitude,, 
 there came to him a certain man kneeling down to him, 
 and faying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my fon, for 
 heislunatfc, and fore vexed: for oft-times he fall- 
 eth into the fire, and into the water. 16 And I 
 l)rought him to thy difciples, and they could not 
 ^re him. 
 
 Noteh^re, 1. A fick patienrbrought to Chrift,the great. 
 Thyfician for cure and healing. A lunatic, ih^i is, a per- 
 fon at certain timesof the moon is afflicted wuh the fallmg- 
 ficknefs. 2. This (icknefs of his was aggravated by Satan, 
 , •who bodily polTefled him, and cruelly cafi; him into the 
 fircartdinto the water; but rather for torture than difpatch. 
 O how does Satan, that malicious tyrant, rejoice in doing 
 iHirt to mankind ! Lord, abate his power, fjnce his malice 
 will not be abated. 3. The perfon that brough: him forth 
 for cure, his companionate father who kneeled down and. 
 cried out. Need will make a perfon. both hunible and elo- 
 quent. ^Ivery one h«s a tongue to fpeak for himfelf ; hap)- 
 py is he that keeps ? tongue for others. 4. The phyficians 
 that he was brought .unto : firil. To the difclpjes, and when 
 they .could not cure him, then to Jefus. We never apply 
 ourfelves importunately to the God ot^ovftr, till we begin 
 to defpair of the creature's help. 
 
 17 Then Jefus anfv/ered and faid, Ofaithlefs and 
 perverfe generation, how long fhall I be with you ? 
 how long fhall I fufFer you? bring him hither to me. 
 
 Thefe words are a fevere rebuke given by Chrift to his 
 own difciples. Where obferve. The perfons upbraided, 
 his difciples : ar.d the fm upbraided with, unbelief. Ofatt.h- 
 lefs generation ! Yet was it not the total want of faith, but 
 the weaknefs and imperfedion of faith that they were iip- 
 braided with and reproved for. Hence /f.u«, i. That fe- 
 cret unbelief may lie hid and undifcernedinaperfon'shcart, 
 which neither others nor himfelf may take any notice of, 
 until fome trial Joth jiifcover it. . The d.fciplcs v,ere not 
 fenfibl- of that unbelief whidi lay hid in them, nil they had 
 occafioo to difcover it. 2. That the great obftacletind ob- 
 
 Arui-^ion of all bledlnsrs, both fpiritual and temporal, coming 
 10 us, is our unbelief; fuithUJi generation! Others con- 
 ceive, that ihefe words were not fpoken to the difciples hut 
 to the Scribes, which St. Mark ch.ip. ix. fays, at this time 
 were dif|)Uting with Chrift's difciples, and perhaps iiifulting 
 over them, as having found out a dillemper which could not 
 be cured by Chrill's name and power; and thefe he called 
 BOW, as he had done heretofore, a generation cf vipers. 
 
 18 And Jefus rebuked the devil; and he departed "if 
 out of him : and the cliild was cured from that very 
 hour. 
 
 Note here. With what facility and eafeour Saviour cured 
 this poor man, who was bodily poflefled by Satan. With 
 one worJ fpe;iking, he delivered the diftrefTed perfon from- 
 the malice an^ power of Satan. Thence h.irn, that how 
 long loever, and how ftrong foever Sat:<n's poffelTion h^s 
 been in the per fon, Chrift can eject and caft him out both eai. 
 fily^ndfpeedily. 
 
 19 Thencamethedifciplesto Jefus apart, and faid. 
 Why could not we cafl hnn out ? 20 And Jefus faid 
 unto them, becaufe of yaur unbelief : forverily I fay 
 unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of muftaid-feed, 
 ye fhail fay unto this mountain. Remove hence to yon- 
 der place, and it fhall remove ; and nothing fhall be 
 impoffible unto you. 2 1 How-beit this kind goeth not 
 out but by prayer and falling. 
 
 ■■Olferve here, How aHiamed rlie difciples were of tin's o- 
 pen rebuke given by their niafter ; they privately alk him 
 the caufe of their ill fuccefs, H'hy they could not cafi out Satan, 
 according to the power proinifed them to work miracles ? 
 Gur Saviour tells them, that their power to work thismira- 
 cle now failed them for a double reafon. i. For their unbe- 
 lief, by which we are to underftand the wcaknels of their 
 fairh, not the total want of faith. 2. Becaufe they neglecled 
 the fpecial means appointed in order to that end ; to wit, 
 faj}ing and prayer .- That is, a fervour of devotion, joined 
 with faith and fafting. Thence Uarn, that fafting and 
 prayer are. two efpecial means of Chrift's appointment, for 
 the enabling us v'ttr-riouflv to overcome Satan, and to caft 
 him out of ourfelves and others. We muitfet an edge up- 
 on our faidi by pvayer.and upon our pr.iyer by tafting. But 
 what are we to vnderftand by faith as a grain of muftard 
 feed ? I. Some do thereby underftand a faith that groweth 
 and increafeth as a grain ofmuftartl-rced, or a fa^thasftrong 
 and active in his heart as muftard feed is en the p.ilate. 
 "And by removing mountains, underftand the pertormnig things 
 th^t are moft diffictilt; as if Chrift had-fsid, diO^yoor faitii 
 increafe as a grain of muft.ird feed grows, it woj.d enable 
 you to furmonnt all difficulties whatfoever 1. ^^^^P' by- 
 faith asa grain of muftard feed, unJerlVand the leaft degree 
 of fincere faith on God it being a proverbial fpeech among 
 the Tews, ufed pro re r^nmn,.,, for the leall ihirg ; as it 
 Chrifthnd faid,"Hr,d von the leaftmenfure of thatfauh whicn 
 cafts out fe.-ir.-.nd doubting cfiWcels, in the dilcharg^ of 
 your office you might perform rhina^ moft .hfficn t, ntid even 
 Ihis faith in its cffefts would be moft mighty J' Dr. Hh„hy. 
 22 5 And Vfhilc tlVey abode/in'Qalikc, Jefus faid 
 
 unte 
 
St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chaf. XV nr. 
 
 r.nfo tlicm, The Son of iraji fliall bo betrayed into 
 the hands of man : 23 And they fliall kill him, and 
 the third day he Ihall be railed ayain. And they were 
 exceedingly forry. 
 
 Obfervjble it is, how frequently our Savimir forewarned 
 h;5 dii'ciples of his approachiiijr fufFcrings. All was little e- 
 noiijrW to arm thtm againll ilie fcandal of t!ie rrofi, and to. 
 reconcile them to the tliouglits of what he \n as to lufFer for 
 them, and they were to furfervith him. Learn, i hat we 
 can nccrhear too mnch of the doftrinc of the crofs; nor 
 can we be too often inllruifled in our duty to prepare for x 
 fufiering condition. AsChrid went by his croft to his crown, 
 from, a Itatc of ahafenient to a ftatc of exaltation, fo niuftall 
 kis dJfciples and followers like wife. 
 
 24 ? And when they \vcre come to Capernaum, 
 they that received tribute-fncTi^, came to Peter, and 
 faid, Doth not your mafter pay tribute ? 25 He faith. 
 Yes. And when he was come into the houfe, Jefus 
 prevented him, faying, What thinkefl thou, Simon ? 
 of whom do the kings of the earth take cuftom or tri- 
 bute ? of their own children, or of ftrangcrs ? 26 Pe- 
 ter faith unto him, Of Arrangers. Jefus faith unto 
 him, Then are the children free. 27 Notwithftand- 
 ing, left we fhoiUd offend them, go thou to the fea» 
 and caft an hook, and take up the fifh that firft com- 
 eth up ; and when thou haft opened his mouth, thou 
 fhalt find a piece of money : that take, and give un- 
 to them for. me and'thee. 
 
 A'c/f here, i.Thc qufftion put to St. Peier; Dcthyour 
 mijptf pay tribute ? '\ his tribute money originally was a tax* 
 piid yearly hy every Jew to the fervice ot the temple, to 
 the value of fifteen pence ahead. But when the Jews 
 were brought under the power of the Romans, this tribute 
 money was paid to the emperor, and was changed from an 
 homage-penny to God, to a tribute— penny to the emperor. 
 The collectors of this tribute money afk, Peter, whether his. 
 mafter wculd pay it or not. a. 'I be anfwer returned, po(i— 
 tiveiy and iiitJdenly, He does pay. Peter conl'ults not firfl; 
 with cur Saviour, Whether he would pay ; but knowing his 
 readinefs to render to all their due, he fays, tet- There 
 was no truer pay-mafter of the kings dues, than he that was 
 King of kings. He preached it, and he praftifed it. : C'tve 
 unto Ctefarthe thing t that are Cafar's. 3. Our Saviour infin- 
 iiates his own exemption, and privilege, from payii.g this 
 tribute-money, as he was the Son of God, the univerfal- 
 King ; fubiec'ts pay tribute, but kings children are free. 
 Though Chnfl was free from paying tribute by a natural 
 right, yet he wculd not he free by a voluntary difpenfation. 
 Therefore note. To prevent all fcandal and cfFencc, he works 
 a miracle, rather than the tribute-money Ihould be unpaid.' 
 \V hether Chrift by his almighty word created this piece of 
 money, in the niOuth of the fifh (Mhich was half a crown for 
 himfelfand Peter, who had a houfe in Capernaum, and was 
 there to pay his poll) or whether Chrift caufed the fifh to 
 take up this piece of money at the bottom of the fea, is not 
 neceflTary to enquire, nor pofiible to determine. Our duty 
 is, I. Kcverentinlly to adore that Omnipotent Power, which 
 
 could conimnnd the fifh to be Ms treafurer to kerphisfilver,, 
 ami purveyor to bring it to him. 1. Indiiftrioufly 10 imitjte 
 h'S example, in fliunning all occafions of offence, efpecially 
 towards thtfe whom God has placed in I'overeignty over us. 
 Lajdy, J he poverty of cur holy Lord, and his contemprof 
 worldly wealih and riches : he had not fo much as fifteen- 
 pence by him to pay his toll. Chrift w ould rot honour the 
 world ft) lar as to have any part of it in his own pofTeflion. 
 IJie bfft man ihat ever livt d in the mc rid had not a penny 
 in hitpiirfc, nor ar. houfetohide liishead in, which hecould 
 caH his own. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 AT the fame time came the difcipks unto Jefus, 
 faying, Who is the ^rcatcft in the kingdom of 
 heaven ? 
 
 Notwith Handing our WeflVd Saviour had fo often told hi» 
 difciples that his kingdom wa» pot of this world, vet thep 
 
 u t\^^^^ "'' * '*'"'P°"1 ^'^^^ earthVkmgdcm, v^hi'ch he,a» 
 the Meflias, fhould fliew forth the g ory of j in which there 
 Ihould be diftinapljces of honour and offices, one above ano. 
 ther; and accordingly, at this tiine,the ambition of the difciples 
 led them to enquire of our Saviour, who fnoiild have the chief 
 place of honour and dignity under him in that hiskingdom, 
 who ftoul I be the princ'pal officers of ftate ; concluding it 
 niuft be feme of them, though they could not agrtje who 
 v*ere fitteft for thofe high pcfts of honour ar.d fervice. 
 Learn htme, 1 hat the belt and holieA of men are too fub-. 
 ject to pride and ambition, to court worldly dignity and 
 ^reatnefs, and to afFccft a precedency before, and a fuperio- 
 rity above others : the difciples themfelves were tainted 
 with the itch of ambition, which prompted them to enquire- 
 oft heir Mafter, JVhoJhouliibe the greattji in his kingdom cf 
 the ektirch. 
 
 2- AndJefus,caJle4a,littIe child unto him, and fct 
 him in the midft of them, 3 And faid. Verily 1 fay 
 unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as lit- 
 tle childl-en, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of 
 heaven. 
 
 Our Saviour, intending to cure thispride and ambition in 
 his difiiples, firft preaches to them the doctrine of humility; 
 and, to enforce hisdo(flrinc, he fets before them a lit:te cHlJ, 
 theproper emblem ofhiinvlity; afTnringthem, hat iinh Athey 
 be .converted, or turned firom thi^ fmof pnde and ambijt.on, 
 and become as .t little child in lowlinefs of mind, and con- 
 tempt ot worldly greatnefs, they cannot be faved. Learn 
 m-nce, i. Tbarno tins are more odious and abominable in 
 the light of God; than prid..- and ambiiion, efpecially imongft, 
 the minifters of the gofpel. 2. 1 hat pcrfons already con- 
 verted do ftand ill need of farther coiiverfKin ; they th.tt 
 are converted from a ftate of fin, mav want to be coii- 
 verted from a particul.ir ait of fTn. ITiis was the difciplCs 
 cafe here ; they were turned from a conrfe of fin, but they 
 wanted convcrJion from a panicubr aft of fin ; to wit, frotii 
 ambition. 3. Th.-it con\crfion though fincere, may be 
 very imperfeifl. Converts have ftill remains of corrup- 
 tion, fome lurt often bre-k ng forth, which they inuft take 
 fpeciil care torcfift and fubdue. 
 
 4 VVhofoever therefore Ihall humble himfelf as 
 this httle child, the fame is greateft in the kingdom 
 ofheaven. As 
 
CifAP. xriii. 
 
 St. M a T T H fe W. 
 
 7^ 
 
 As if ourLorJhid fail, ''That apoftte, or that minifter, 
 ■who (hi'iksas meanly of hinifelf as a little child, and is hum- 
 ble andlo.vlyin his ownefteein.hedefervesthehigheft place 
 of dij^nity and honour in my church." N<)te, That the tru- 
 ly huiibl-perfon.who isfieeft from affefting pre-eminercy, 
 is molt worthy of the hii;helt dignity and emmency in the 
 church of God ; and in the account of Chrill, the way to be 
 hononrablei< tobe humble. 'before honour is humility." 
 
 5 And whofo fliall receive one fuch little child in 
 my name, receiveth me. 6 But whofo (hail offend 
 one of thefe little ont;s which btilieve in me, it were 
 better for him that a millflone wore hanged about 
 his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of 
 the fea. 
 
 Our Saviour liaving declared, that tlia humbleft perfons 
 fliould bealway-, highelt in his rftecn ; he next declares how 
 exceeding dear and precion' I'uch chriftians are to him, who 
 refemble little children in humility of heart, and innocency 
 of life : AfiniinfT the world, that whatever fcindnefs and re- 
 ipeift isftK:wn to fuch forhi< fake, he reckons fhewn to him- 
 self; and all the difrefpfdiand unkindnefs which is offered 
 to them, he accounts as dcneuntohimitlf : So near is the u- 
 nion, and fa dear the rtl.ition betwixt Chrift and his mem- 
 bers, that whatever p,ond or evil is done unto them, he reck- 
 ons as do. ie untohimtelf. 
 
 7 \ Wo unto the wolrld becaufe of offences ; for 
 it muft needs be that offences come; but wo to that 
 man by whom the offence coineth. 
 
 Two things are here obfrvahi: .• i Theneceffity of fcan- 
 <ialous offences : // mujt needs be that offences come, i. The 
 mifery and nrfchief that comes by them ; /Co uvtn the 
 •world, beanife of offences. Wo unto fuch as give offence ; 
 this is Ux \ff''gn.'intis , the wo of one denouncing : and wo to 
 ftch as fturable at i>ffence given, thi*! \'^V4tdtlent'ts,\\\t woof 
 one lamenting. From the whole, rote, i. That fcandals, 
 6r oflenfrv-e actions in the church of Chrift, will certainly 
 fall out amongft thofe that profefs religion, and the name 
 of Chrift ; Offences mAU o^^e ; i heir neceflity is partly froth 
 the malice of Satan, partly ir< m ihe w ickrdnefsand deceitful- 
 nefs of men's own heart? and riat',1 es, God permitting thole 
 tohave their natural effeftf. 2.1 hatfcardalons and offensive 
 a^ons from fuch as profefs rflij/'.on and the name of Chrift, 
 are baneful and fatal ftnmbling blocks to wicktd and world- 
 ly inen. 3. That the offence which wicked men take at the 
 falls of ihr profcirors of religion, to the hardeniiig of thcm- 
 felves in their wicked praclicts, is m.iitcr of juft and great 
 lamentation ; Wo unto the luo' Id beceufe of offences. 
 
 8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offtind t W, 
 cut them off, and caft tlum from thee : it is better fof 
 thee toenterinto life halt ormaimed, rather than hav- 
 ing two bands or two feet to be caft into everlaflmg 
 fire. 9 And it' thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and 
 caft it t'Om thee : it Is better for thee to enter into 
 life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be 
 call into hell-fire. 
 
 This command of Chrfftis not to be underftood literally, 
 
 as if it were our duty to maim our bodily members ; bur the 
 exhortation is, to cut of all occalions that may betray us into 
 fin ; and to monify our ciarlmg and beloved lufts, though 
 as dear to us as our rii^ht eye. Learn, \. That lin may be 
 avoided : it is our duty to avoid whatever leads unto it, or 
 may be the inftrument or occafion ot it. 2. The beft wiy to 
 be kept from outward afls of (in, is to mortify our inward 
 affcftion and love to (in. If our love and affection to (in be 
 mortified, our bodily members may bepreferved, for they 
 will no longer be %veapons of (in, but initruments of holi- 
 nefs. 
 
 16 Take heed that ye defpife not one of thefe little 
 ones : for I fay unto you, that in heaven their angels 
 do always behold the face of my Father which is in 
 heaven. 
 
 Ol>/ervehere, i. A cautionary direftion given by Chrift to 
 the men of the world concerning his members, Ta^fA^fi/z/idf 
 ye offend not one fjf my little ones ; that is, th.it ve do not un- 
 llervalue and negleift, much lefs injure and afflict them. 1. 
 A reafon aligned, Becaufe their angtU being conjlantly and 
 immediately in the t>refence of Cod, are perpetually ready tr> 
 execute his wHl, by revenging any wrongs and iiijuries done 
 unto his friends and children. Learn, \. What is the office 
 and employment of the glorious angels ; namely, to be the 
 immediate attendants upon the royal pcrfon of the fupreme 
 King and Sovereign of the world. 2. In what eftecm good 
 men are with God, and what a mighty regard he has for the 
 meaneft of his children, that he commits the care and pre- 
 fervation of them to the holy angels, who are nearefttohim, 
 and in higheft favour and honour with him. It is St. Je- 
 rom's note upon this place, That great is the dignity of thefe 
 little ones, feeing every one of them from his birth hath An 
 aiigel delegated to prel'erve him. But though others think 
 that the opinion of a tutehry angel, or of oneparticular an- 
 gel's having the cuftody of one particular faint, as his con- 
 tinual charge, has not a fufRicient foundation in the holy 
 fcriptiires ; yet all the angels in heaven are ihiniftering fpi- 
 rits imtothem ; and though they do not ?lw:iys attend up- 
 on their perfons ^for they ftand before the face of God) yet 
 it is to revive his commands, either to help them in ihcir ex- 
 jgencies, or punifli thofe that injure them. 
 
 J I For the Son of man is come to favc that which 
 was loft. 12 Hov>r thirik ye ? if a man have an hun- 
 dred fbeep, and one of them be gone aftray, doth he 
 riot leave the ninety and nine, and gocth into tiie 
 mountains, and feeketh that whioh is -one aftray? 
 13 And if fo be that he find it, verily I fay ur.- 
 fo yckt, he rcjoTceth itrorre of that y7i«^ than of the 
 ninety and nine which Went not aftray. 14 Even fo 
 it is not the will of yotir Father wliitrh rs in heaven 
 that one of thcfcrlHtle ones (hould p6riOr. 
 
 Here our Saviour continues his ar;;iimcnt againft giving 
 offence to his children and members : he came into the 
 world to redeem and fave them; therefore none ought to 
 fcand.I le and cfTcnil them. And to il.uftrate this., he com- 
 p-res hinifdf to n good (hepherd, who regards every one 
 of his fheep; and iUny wander cr go aftray, he fecks to re- 
 cover 
 
St.' MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. xiii. 
 
 72 
 
 it w.itb Jeurc arc! joy. Icsf^y i. That the natural condi- 
 tion of Tiiahi-ind is like to il.at ol" w .indering. fiic«p; ihey 
 err an4 "-o aftiMy from God, tlicir chief good, and ihe ob- 
 jtd of their complete happinefs. 2. That it was the work 
 and bufinifs, the care and concern of Jefus Chrift, to feek 
 and recover loft louls, as the fliepherd dues his loft fliecp. 3. 
 T hnt the love and care of Chrill towards his fheep, in 
 r.-ekipg to fave and to preferve them, is a forcible argument 
 "nto all not to fcandalize awd oflfend them, much lefa toper- 
 fi.cute and deftrcy them. 
 
 15 Moreover, if thy brotticr trefpafs againft thee, 
 go and tell him his fault between thee and him a- 
 
 lone. If he fliall hear thee, thou haft gained thy oft fliall my brother fm againfl me, and I forgive 
 brother. 16 But if hi: will not hear ihce, then take him? till fcveh'tirnes ? 22 Jefus faith unto .hiro,.I 
 Tv-ith thee one or two more, that in llie mouth of two fay not unto thcc. Until fevcn times: but, Until fev- 
 er three witneffes every word may be eftabli(hed. enty times fcven. 
 ■i-j And if he fhall nei^left'to hear them, tell it unto 
 
 •with an eye to his giory. Whenever thjy celebrate any 
 facrcd iiiftitntion of his, or execute any church-ceufures, be 
 will be in the midft of ihem, to quicken their prayers, ta 
 guide their counfels, tor^uify their fentence, to accept their 
 endeavours. Leartt,x. That Chrift will be graciouljy.pre; 
 fent with and ainongft his people, whenever they aiTeinblo 
 and meet togetiicr in his name, belt ever fo fmalla i-.r.mber 
 2. That Chrift will in a fpecial manner be prefent with the 
 guides and officers of his church, to dirett their cenfures, 
 end to confirm the-Jentenceprifledin hisname, aiidpronoUnc- 
 ed by his authority, upon obtlinatc offenders. 
 
 21 Then came Peter to him, and faid, Lord, how 
 
 "the church : but if he negleft to hear the church let 
 him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour gives us an excellent rule for 
 tjie duly cf fratern:! corteftion, or brotherly admonition- 
 Whence Mo/^, i. Thatbrotherly reproof and admonition is 
 a duty incumbent on church-mtmbers. 2. That it may be 
 adminlftered fuccefsfully, it muft be adminiftered -privately 
 and prudently. 3. When private admonition prevails not, 
 Chrill has appointed church-governors to- execute church— 
 eenfureson the obftinate and irreclaimable. 4. Perlons jufl- 
 ly falling under the cenfures of the church, and rightly ex 
 communicated, are to be looked upon as contumacious and 
 ftubborn offenders, and the members of the church fliould 
 Ihun their fociety, and all converlation with them; // he neg- 
 le£I ta hear the church, lit him he unto thee as an heuthenman, 
 and as a publican -was amongthe Jews; ^hoWy neglected, and 
 not thought fit tobe converfed with. 
 
 18 Verily I fay unto you, Whatfoeverye bind oti 
 earth, fhall be bound in heaven : and whatfoever ye 
 fhall loofc on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven. 
 
 That is, VI homfoever the officers of tny church fhall juft- 
 ly excommunicate upon earth, fliall, without repentance, be 
 fliut cut of heaven; and whofoever, upon their true repen- 
 tance, ihall be abfolved on earth, Ihall be abfolved in heaven. 
 Learn', That Chrifl will rstify in heaven, whatfoever the 
 church affembled doth in his name upon earth : vhetherto 
 the ccnfuring of the guilty, or the abfolving of the penitent. 
 This power of binding and loofitig is by Chrift conynitted 
 to Jiis church. 
 
 19 Again I fay unto you, That if two of you 
 fhall agree prt earth, as touching any thing that they 
 fhall afk, it ihall be done for them of my Father wkicli 
 is in heaven, 20 For where two or three arc gather- 
 ed together in my name, there am 1 m the midft of 
 them. 
 
 Here we have a gracious promife made by Chrift of his 
 prefence with all his members in gcnLral, andwithhis min- 
 flers in fpecial ; whenever they meet together ir his name, 
 that IS, by his autho^vty 'iijjD{jed.iaice to his cpaxmand, and 
 
 Here St. Peter puts a queftion to our Saviour, how oftert 
 'chriftians fhould forgive offences to their brethren, profeffing; 
 repentance ? Chrift anfwers, that there fhould be no end of 
 our mutual forgiving one another, but we are to multiply 
 tnir pardon as our brother nianifefts his repentance. Not 
 that we are hereby obliged to take the frequent sffender in- 
 to ourbofom, and to make him our intimate; but to lay a- 
 Gde all malice, and all thoughts and defires of revenge, an<1 
 to ftand ready to do him any office of love and friendfhip. 
 Learn, i. That to fall often into the fame offence againftour- 
 brother, is a great aggravation of our offence. 2. That as 
 the multiplication of fin is a great aggravation of fin, fo the 
 multiplication of forgivenefs is a ^re.Tt demonftrarion of ft 
 godlike temper in us. He that multiplies fin, doth, like Sa- 
 tan, fin abundantly ; ' and he (hat multiplies pardon, dotl^ 
 like Cod, pardon abundantly. 
 
 23 Therefore is the kingdom ofheaven likened un- 
 to a certain king which would take account of his fer- 
 vants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one 
 was brought unto him which owed him tenthoufand 
 talents. 25 But forafmuch as he had not to pay, his 
 lord commanded him tobe fold, and his wife and 
 children, and all that he had, and payment to bp 
 made. 26 The fervant therefore fell clown, and worr 
 Aliped him, faying, lord, have patience with me, and 
 I will pay thee all. 27 Then thelord of that feri'ant 
 was moved with compafTion, and loofed him, and for- 
 gave him the debt. 28 But the fame fervant went ouf, 
 and found one of his fellow-fcrvants, which owed 
 him an hulidred pence : and he laid hands on him, 
 and took Inm by the throat, faying, Pay me that thou 
 owefl. 29 And his fellow-fervant fell down athi^ 
 feet, and befought him, faying, Have patience with 
 me, and I will, pay thee all. 30. And he would not; 
 but went and caft him into prifon, till he fliouldpay 
 the debt. 31 So when his fellow-fervants faw what 
 was done, they were very forry, and came and told 
 unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lordj 
 after that he had called him, faid unto him, O thou 
 
 wick- 
 
Chap, xix/ 
 
 St. M a T T II E W. 
 
 7i 
 
 wicked fcn-ant, I forgave thee all that debt, bc-caufe 
 thoii dL-iircdft mc: 33 Shouldeft not thou alfo have 
 had ccmpaflion on tliy fellow-fervant, even as I had 
 pity on thee? 34 And his Lord was wroth, and de- 
 livered him to the tormentors till he (hould pay all 
 that was due unto him. 35 So likewife fhall my hea- 
 venly Fath'jr do alfo unto you, if ye from your 
 hearts forgive not every one his brother their tref- 
 paCTes. 
 
 Our blcflPid Saviour, to enforce the foregoing doflrinc of 
 mutual forgivcnefs, p'opcinds a parable ; the main fcope of 
 which is to (hew, that iinlcfs wedoa£li:ally forgive and pafsbv 
 injuries done to us, we cut ourfdvcs oft" from all intereft in 
 God's pardoning mercy, and muft expeft nofnrqivencfs at the 
 hands of God. From the whole ««ci, i. Th;t as we all 
 ftand in need of forgivcnefs from God, fo likewife of forgivc- 
 nefs from one another. 2. That we all ft.ind bound by tlic 
 laws of our holy religion, to forbear and foi-givconc another. 
 3. That almighty God has made the forgiving one another, 
 the certain and necefl'ary condition of his forgiving us. 4. 
 That fuch as arc inexorable towards their brethren, (hall find 
 almiphty God hard to be intrcatcd towards themdlves. We 
 may expcdl the fnme rigour and feveriiy from God, which we 
 fliew to men. That the freenefs of God's love in forgiving 
 us, ought to be both an argument to excite us, to forgive one 
 another, and alfo a rule to direft us in the manner of forgiv- 
 ing each othc. Doth God forgive us when he has power 
 in his hand to punifh \js ? So muft we when we have ability 
 and opportunity for revenge. Doth God forgive univcrfally 
 all perfons? So muft we all provocations. Doth he forgive 
 freely and willingly, heartily and fmcerely ? So muft we ; we 
 muft be as forward in forgiving, as they in provoking. Learn 
 from the whole, The equity of unlimited forgivcnefs of otjr 
 brother, becaufe our God and Saviour forgives us more nume- 
 rousand heinous finsthanour brother is capable of committing 
 againflus. Let all immerciful and unchriflian creditors remem- 
 ber this text, who caft poor men into prifon for debt, who 
 hare nothirig to pay: Surely he who bids us lend, lociitig for 
 nothing again, will not allow xis to imprijin where nothing 
 can be hoped for. Ir is to be feared, fuch will find but little 
 mercy hereafter, who have ftiewed no mercy here! For if at 
 the great day fuch fliall becondemned'as did not vifitchriftians in 
 prifon, what will their condemnation be, who caft them into 
 prifon? , 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 AND it came to pafs, that when Jffushad finifhcd 
 thefe fayings, he depaitcdfrom Galilee, andcarue 
 into the coafts of Judea beyond Jordan : 2 .\nd 
 great multitudes followed him ; and he healed them 
 there. 
 
 The country of the Jews was divided into three provinces, 
 namely, Galilee, Saniaiia, and Judea. In Galilee, wcrefitu- 
 atcd the cities ot Nazareth, Chorazin, Bethlaida, and Caper- 
 Maura ; in thefe p'aces, our Saviour dwelt and fpent a cuiifide- 
 rablc p?rt of his .ime, preaching to them, and wn king mira- 
 cles among t'tem. But new comes the time in which ouv ho- 
 ly Lo'd lake-; his le sve of t'-is province of Galilee,^a4id return- 
 ed no mo:e to it: Wo to that pe< pic, wbofe i:iith;>ul.fi inef< 
 
 finally toforfakcthem. Having left Galilee, our hcly Lord pafT- 
 es through Samaria, (the Samaritans being prejudiced ;.,':iiMft 
 him, and rcfufing to receive him) and comes into the coafts of 
 Judea, where multitudes of people flocked after him. But */•- 
 Jfi-vc, the qualities of his followers, not the great onrs (^i' \\-.f 
 world, not many mighty, no' many noble ; but the pooi anddo- 
 fpifed multimde, the fick and we..k,the deaf ami blind, thcdif- 
 cafed and diftrefled. Thence note, That none but luch is find 
 their need of Chrift, will feek afte: iiim, and come unto him. 
 None will apply to him for helR,t! 1 they feel themftlveshclp- 
 lefs. G>-erl multitudes cfthc fii-k a.id difeafed came un.ohi.n, 
 avd he healed them all. 
 
 3 IT The Pharifees alfo came ur.to him, tempt intr 
 him, and faying unto hiin. Is it lawful for a man to 
 put away his wife for every caule ? 
 
 A'i7/^ here, i. That whcrofoever cur blefTed Saviour went, 
 the Pharifees followed him ; not out of a fmcere intenuon, but 
 with .T defign to infnare him. : And accordingly they propound 
 a queftion to him concerning divorce. Whether a man niigiir 
 put away his wife on any occafion, as the manner of the Jews 
 was! Concluding that they fliould intrap him in his anfwcr, 
 whatever it was. If he denied the lawfulnefs of divorce, they 
 would chaige him with contradicting Mcfes, who allowed it. 
 If he afSrmed it, then they would condemn him for contra- 
 difting his own dodlrine, chap. v. for favouring mens lufts, 
 and for complying with the wicked cuftom of the Jews, who 
 upon every flight and frivolous occafon put away their v.ives 
 from them. Zr^rn thence, i. That whercfocvcr our Lord 
 went, as he had difciples and fincere followers, fo the devil 
 ftirred him up bitter and malicious enemies, who fought to 
 render his perfon unacceptable, and his doftrineunfuccefsful. 
 2. That ot all Chrirt's enemies, none had fuch al)itier hatred 
 and enmit)- againft his perfon, m.iniftry, and miracles, as the 
 Pharifees. Men of great knowk^lge, who rtbellcdagainft the 
 light of their own confciences, and the clear convictions of their 
 own mind. 3. That fuch was the wifdom of our Saviour in 
 ail his anfwcrs to his enemies, tluit neither their v it nor Pial- 
 icc could lay hold upon any thing to infnare him : but obferve 
 the piety and prudence of his anfwer to the Pharifees in tlic 
 next words. 
 
 4 And he anrwcrcd and faid unto them, Have yt 
 not read that he which made them at the begmninrf 
 made them male and female ? 5 And faid. For this 
 caiife fliall a man leave father and mother, and Ihall 
 cleave to his wife: and they twain ihall be onelkfh. 
 6 Whcreff're they are no more t\*^ain but one ficlh. 
 What therefore God hath joined together, let no man 
 put afunder. 
 
 Ohfcrvc here, Chrift gives no dire(£l anfwer to the Piiarifees 
 iiifnaring queftion, but refers to tl cfirflinllitutioniifmarriaEre, 
 when God made them one, to the intent that inairin".oni;il line 
 rnic'ht be boih inconmniniciible and iiidilloliiblt. Whcjicc 
 Uaiyi, I. The facredinftitiition of Uiariidge; ii isanordiii ri.e 
 ot (jod's appointment, as the groiuul uiid tuundaikin of all /;.- 
 cred and civil (bciety. If'hat (Jod has joined ttgelher. 1. Tt;c 
 ;:nfi(.)Mity ot this inltitution, it was from the beginniut; ; He 
 which made them at the heginning, made them male t,nJ female . 
 Mr.rriare i": alinoft ::?. 'I'd a*; ihe wr .Id.rs rid : s rrr'' ■ • : \^n-,.- 
 
 \ 
 
7-1 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 Chap, xix.^ 
 
 no f'KJMer was there two, but Ijc united them iiuoone. ;;.The 
 inil.Tiacy and ncariicls of this endeared audciidcaring relations 
 •?(; conjugal Icr.ot is tied fuddle, iliat thcbonusot'inairimonial 
 T..IVC. arc (Irou^cr than ihiifo of nature: flridcr is the tic be- 
 twixt hiilbamland wife, tlt;iiilliat betwixt parent and children, 
 according to G^d's own inltitution. Far this caup faall a n:aM 
 l:avc father ci:it m'jher, and cUave lo his wife. 
 
 7 They fay urtto Iniii, Why did Nlofcs then com- 
 inand to give a writing oF divorccrncnt, and to piit 
 ^icraway ? 8 He faic! unto (.htyn, Mofcs, bccaule of 
 the hardnclK of yoiiv hearts, fuHcredj-ou to put away 
 your wives: but irom the, bc;^irining_it was not lo. 
 p And I fay unto you. "Wholocvcr fhall put away 
 his wife, except it be for foniicatibn, aiid fliall marry 
 another, commiteth adultery ; and whofo niarrieth 
 her which is put away, dcHh commit adultery. 
 
 , Oljervc here, The Pharife^s demand, and our Saviour'sre- 
 ply. Theydcmandk//'7^>' Mijes commandid to put away thcxulfc 
 iy a hillofdivonf ? Where noic, The wicked abufc >.vhichthe 
 Phari fees put upon ?yfofcs, as if he had cpininandcd them, where- 
 as he only permitted to put thern av.ay. Mofcs fiif/hed it /er 
 the hnrdnfjs.cf their hearts, that is, he did not piinirti it ; not al- 
 lowing it as good, but winking at it as a Iclfer evil, bec:\uC; 
 the Jc\-, s were fo biiibarouOy criiiil to their v/ivcs, as to turn, 
 them away upon everv diQiiufi. Now our Saviour in his re- 
 ply, refers thcmagain to the primitive inftitution of marriage, 
 bidding them compare the precept and their practice together; 
 rcr in the-J'f^i'iuiiig^ it wai njfi. J^cflr/;, That ac;cording to the 
 .word ai^d will of God, nothing ca;i violatathe bonds of mar- 
 riage, and iullify a divorce betv.-ecn man and wife, but the dc- 
 iiling. the marriage bed by adultery and itnclcamiefs : This is 
 the c n' y c.ifc in which man and wife may lawfully part. IFhih- 
 pnrr /h/ii} put awnv h'l'; ir'jy, exc^t for forrticatio):, comrmtetha- 
 .-futun. . ■ , 
 
 lo His difcijjlcs lay unto him, If the cafe of the 
 man be lo with hii wife, it is not good to marry. 
 
 , That is, if a man be fo ftridly tied by marriage it is beft 
 fir him not to marry. A very rafh faying of the difciplcs, 
 £;ifcovering both their cajnality, and alfo the tyranny of a fln- 
 /ul pra£lice, grovynup intocuftoni. Learn, i. That the beft 
 of men have their weaknelfes and inf\rijiitlcs; and the flelh 
 ^akcs its turn to fpeak as .well as the Spirit in them. 2. Hovv 
 ^mpatient nattire is of rcRraint,and how defirous of finful lib- 
 erty, and to^bv. freed fron] the fics and borids which the hol)^ 
 ahii wife laws of God put upon it^ 
 
 11. But lie, faid urito them, All vicn caruiot receive 
 (his faying, lave they to whom it is given. 12 For 
 jrhcje arc I'oine cuiiuch., \vhich wer.: fo born from 
 '.li'lv, motlKr's w'onib : and .there arcfome eunuchs 
 .\ !i:c!i weie made eunuchs of men : and there be eu- 
 'lucliB v,-!uch Ivtve made ihcmlelve.'s cuni:chs for the 
 Jciiigiiom of heaven's take, lie that is able to receive 
 '.;'.. let Inin receive it. 
 
 ._ As if our J-onl liad faid,''You,iT»ydifciples,donot cnnfidcr 
 
 yj.wx voiifay. All "ntu vvithoirt finning agaiiift God, cannot 
 
 yl'"i'i from marriage, but ihoft only to whom God has given 
 
 i*^' o.' Wifl of •~ohtinc:)Cj'', and grace of cha.lity. Some indeed 
 
 by nature, or natural impottncy, are unfit for marriage. Others 
 wickedly arc made unfit by cruelty ; otlu-rsby religious niorti-.' 
 fication, bring under their bodies, th.at being free fromthcin-' 
 ciimbrances thatattcndthe marniage-datc, thev maygivethem- 
 fclves ttpthe belter to thecxercife.iof n holy life." Learn, t '^ 
 'i'hat Almighty Cjod has given to divers i)erforv;, different tem- 
 pers and coullitutions: fomc can Uibdijc their impure dcllrc? 
 and aflertions, without thQ r'.;medy of anarriage, others cannot 
 2o That contincncy, or an ability to live chul'ely, without the 
 Vifc of itiarrjage,' is the fpccial gift of God, not common toall, 
 but bellowed only e.pon fomc^ A gift it 1;^,' worthy of our 
 fervent pravers, worthy of our belt endeavours. 3. That a vo«' 
 of chadrty^ is not in our power; to quench anaiural afTcdion, 
 re<]iilrcs a fi,iper;iaturul gift, - All have not teccived it: that is, 
 all men cannat live fingle/andabfl.iin from matrimony. From 
 whence it follows, that men au(i women are not by inonallicu! 
 vows to be obliged to live a linglc life, which fomccannot per- 
 feirm without lin.. Note farther. When Chrift fays, that fomc 
 have tnadc themf elves eunuchs for the kiiiFdom of heaven s fahe; 
 the meaning ir, thatfome have abftaincd from matrimony, that 
 they might be more expert in preaching the gofpcl, if inin- 
 ifters; ,or more promp,iit,.and ready to rcgafdotiiy ihething.s 
 of the Lord; if private chriftiansi 
 
 1 3 IE Then were there brought linto him h'ttic 
 children, that he fhould put liu hands on tl^em, and 
 pray : and the difciples rebuked them. 14 But Jcfus 
 laid. Suffer little children, and forbid them not to 
 iomc unto me : for of fuch is the kingdom of heaven. 
 15 And he laid";^/j hands on them, and departed thence. 
 
 Note here, A folemti ja^itLpri j)erformcd. Children are 
 brought to Chrift to be %\c(i by him. Where, nf,te, i. The 
 perfons brought, children, young children, fucking childrerij 
 5,i( the word imports : St. T.uKe xviii. 15. They brought thetrii 
 hi their arms, not led- them b\; thp hand. .2. The p,eribn they 
 are brought unto,/efus Chrift;: fcutfor whatcnd ? Nottobapr 
 tize their., but to blcfs them: the parents looking upon Chrif! 
 as a prophet, a great. propiict,/& great Pj-ophetjdobring their 
 infants to him, that tlicymay receive thebtne|itof his blcilin^s 
 and prayers. Learn, x. Th^t infants are fubjeiJis capable of 
 hcnefit by Jefus Chrifl. 2. That it is the belt offic^; that pari 
 ents canpcrforpi untothcirchildrcii, lobrijig them unto Chrift', 
 that they may be ni.-tde partake.rs of that btnefit. 3. If infants 
 be capable of benefit by Chrlit; if capabtapf bis bkfling or! 
 f^arth, and prcfepce in beayen ; if tliey oc firDJcct? of hisking- 
 tiom of . gr.ice* . 11x1 heirs of J'.is kingdom of glory, then they 
 may bcbaniiied : . for thev tlijit are in.covcnam have a rich: 
 '- - r . _r.L Jf Ch^iil denies not infants the 
 
 Chrif clid^(;i,:J.i^.n.otf(d&c Wofiat-RtuS??™">''PJ?'^ f ■?"* 
 
 A, to do? Tiiau^^^ i^^c<^M^m^6y^f>^]^''^''^}^i 
 
 Jiad alrc.idv c;i!eM.',ir'. . -. ^ 
 
 .ind Chr 
 jvas the 
 lie. 
 
 .hrifban bapt.r..n ys^J^^ <st {^l^khmJ^S^W''"' 
 he baptilm o: repentance', 01 wi.icli iriai;!? \.rrc inca^a- 
 
 m A j t' tJ'H 1 "^'"■' '"*;i" an j C.iA unto li :, 
 5 A-.id behold, one came .^n^ '•''".iMl'') U;";j 
 
 Mailer, what trbod tHin'> nr?l! I do; thai i Tiirvy 
 
 16 
 Good 
 have eternal life? 
 
 OA/"cri'f hcrc^ A per^j^ddiciT.r^ iilfiirclfto ChH'!>'amJ))-9_- 
 
Chap. xy. 
 
 St. M a T T H EW3." 
 
 pounding n great andin'.pf rtant qiicftloa to 'lim ; viz. What 
 he ihoulddotoe;.iia Tcinal lite? Whotc nsfe, i. Hebclievcs 
 the ceruinty of a lulure llalc. 2. He profcfles hi"; dcfireotan, 
 ot.-rnal hnppincfs in that Ibtc. And, 3. Jic declares his rca- 
 dinefj to do feme good thing, that he ixiaypbtain that happi- 
 lick. Lernu That the light of nature, orranirnjrclig^ion, di- 
 rects and tc-achcs mc.o, that gocd works arc ncccirary to falva- 
 tjon, or that fomc goodthitigsinidlbc donehyinc^ that atdcath 
 cxpedi eternal life- }Fhc.t good th'wg jhall I do, ihati mayhavi 
 /•icrnal life ■? It is not talking well, and profeilii:g well, but 
 doing well, and living well, tlut entitles its to ctcrnq|l Jife. ' 
 
 17 And he faid unto him. Why callefl thou me 
 good ? thax is none good btit on'', t/iat is God : butif 
 ihoii wilt enter into life, kcc|;> the commandnicnts. 
 
 The pcrfon iKus addrcfiiiighimfelf iintoChrift, was cither 
 a Pliaiifee, or a difciplo ot" the riuuirccs, who did not own 
 Chriftto be God, or to come t'rorrvGodi -but taught, that cter- 
 iial life was attainable, by tulfiUing of thelaw in thatimperfecT: 
 ienfc which the Pliaiifcqs gave of -it. And accordinjfly, i, 
 Chrift repro\c3 him for calling Iviin good ; ff'7)y caUcJljhsu mc 
 good? When thou \rilt neither o\vo me tobc God, nor to come 
 from God ; ' For there is rii>iego:d, that is, elTcntially and origi-. 
 :iaily good, hit GrJcnly: Norany dci;ivatively'good,-bnt he that 
 receives hisgoodncfs trom.God ailfo. jFrom this place the So- 
 cinians argiie agaipll the tiivinityot Ghrifl ; thus,''Hetowho(n 
 the title of ^;j/doth not belong, cannot be God mod high. But 
 bv our J^ord's words, this title belongs not to hiiii, but only to 
 Godthc Father ; therefore God the FathcrmuftbeGod alone." 
 Chrift may be fuppofcdto fpeakto this young man thus,"Thqu , 
 :;ive(l mc a tiUc which was jievcr given to the inoft renowned, 
 Rabbins, which agrees toGod alone ; now tliqu oughtcd to be- 
 lieve that there is fomcthingin mexJiore than human, if thcfti 
 conceived that this title of good doth belong to mc." 2. That 
 our S^.viour might. convince him of the error of the Pharifees, 
 who believed that they might, without the knowledge of him, 
 the true Mcflias, ciiter into life, by keeping the law ofGod ac- 
 -ording to that lax apdloofe interpretation which they, the Plia- 
 rifecs, had given of it; hej/ids tliem, K:cp the Commandments. 
 Where ns/f, ThntChrilc calls him vofflrom qiitv/ard ceremonies, 
 which the Pharifecs ^bounded in, to the praclicc of moral du- 
 ties : yet v.ithal lets him undcrfland, that if he expccled falva- 
 tionby the morallaw, he niuft-kecp.it perfcclly and exacily, 
 without the lead deficiency, which is an iittpoffibility toiiianin 
 his lapfcd date, -^.earn, I. Tliat fuch as fcek iudificationand 
 faivation by thcworks of the law onh , anud keep the whole 
 law, or covenant gf works, .perfecTIv and exaclly. 2. Thatthe 
 ;bcd way to prepare nxen for Jefus Chrid, is to let them feetlK;;r 
 {Own impotency to-_kcep and fulfill the covenant, of works. 
 
 18 He f^iiiiiixito him,. Which? Jefus faid, Thou 
 .fliall do no niui der, Thoti (lialc not commit adultery. 
 Thou Ciait not rtcal, Thou ihalt not bear.falfe wit- 
 n-:fs. 19 Honour thy father ajid r/w .mother : and. 
 Thou thai t love thy iicighboiir as thvfelf. 20 The 
 young rnau faith ijnto him. Alliheie things have J 
 kept from my youth up : What lack J yet ? 
 
 Orfe'-'e here. That the dvtier \Jiich our.Sayi'.iur indanccs 
 in, arc ihc dinic: r)f the fecond t.iblj, which hypocrites ^ 
 mod failing in 'lut the fincerc practice ofotir duty tooSfc, 
 neighbour, is a i:nnijh:r evidence of our love to God. I'iicfe 
 
 duties of the fecond fabfcrtlie young inar, faV.-, he has kept 
 from his youth, a,nd perhaps might fay it trtily accordin<» to 
 the Pharifees interpretation, which condemned only.thc CTofs 
 outward acl, not inward lull or motion of tho heart. Learn 
 hence. How apt men arc to think well of thcinlcjvcs, and have 
 loo high an opinion of their own goodt-.efs and rig!iicoufneii 
 before God, 
 
 21 Jefus faid uiito Iiim, if thou wilt be pcrfefl;, jjo 
 cmil fell that thou hall, and give to tlie poor, and 
 jthou flislt have treafiirein heaven : and come and fol- 
 
 That is, Tho" had been all thy days a Pharifee; if tho^j 
 ^ow %vilt be a chridian, thou mud maintain a rcadincfs ani^ 
 uifpofition of mind to part with all that thou haft in this world 
 at my call and atmy command, and fiilow after tne. Learn, 
 That fuch as enter thcmfclvcsdifciplcsof Chrid, mud be ready 
 ,nt his call, to part vvrith all for his fake that they have in thi'^ 
 yorld. 2. All that pro^(ifs themfelvesto lie Chrid's difciplc. ', 
 mud behis followers; thatis, iliat they iiinft obey hisdodrinc, 
 a/id imitate his cxampic, his hoiineti, his huniility, his hca-' 
 yenly-mindednefe, his patience, his mceknefs, his rcadincfs to 
 .forgive injuries, and the fame mir.d nmj} be in us, u-! -a: uia ir 
 'Chriji Jefus. 
 
 22 But when the yoiiiig.man heard tlint f.tvinn-^.he 
 yent away forrowful : for he had great pollefhons. 
 
 This parting with all for Chrift feeiTied fo hard a condition 
 to the }0ung nun, that he went away forrowifi() from Chrift. 
 Wiicnce lc(irn,\. Tluu a man v.tddud "to the world will re- 
 noucc Chrid ra'thcn- than the ^^or1d,„■^vhciXJi)och,dand in;Coty- 
 . petition, a. I'hat innxgcticrate and carnal men aij:, exceed- . 
 ing forrowful, and ladl) •cqnceriic^t'l', tl)ai'thcv Caimot have hea- 
 •.cn upon their own tcrnis, and win-it in thcff'own wav. 
 
 ?3 f Then .faid Jefus .unto his difciples^ \'cr?fj- 
 I fay unto you, that a rich man Iha'll hardlj- ,gnter in 
 to the kingdom of heaven. '" ' ' 
 
 ,Our blcflcd .Saviour takes qccafioii .from vJiat had pad, to 
 difcourfe with his difcipios concerning the 'danger dfrichc: 
 .and the dlfhculties that attend rich mciun their way to faiva- 
 tion. d rich man Ihall hardly enfcr into the thqdcm ofG',..'. 
 Whence «5/t-, i. 'Fha't rich mendo certainly meet -.viili mote. 
 tlifficultics in their way to heaven, tiian oiliei" ine;i. It i<' dif- 
 iicult to withdraw their aftcilions fro.ni riches, to rjlacc their 
 fupremc love upcjji.God in the i^i^dH of their aburjlj-nce. I' 
 is difficult to depend. upon jGoff.jnri lieh conditioij.' ' 7hepccr 
 eommitjelh hiiiflf.lo Gid, bii! the rich 7nin's:'it\-alih .', fvs fhan." 
 truje'v. — 2. i hat yet the fault liesnotiii rrchcsbutiri richincn ; 
 whojby placlngthcir trud, andputlingthcir cbntidcncc in rich- 
 es, do render tiiemfeUc^ incapable of il»ukin<'doni of God. 
 
 2.t And .agai|i;I fay.^unto yoy.Jt is eafier for a ca- 
 mel to go through the ej c ora-iieedle, tjinn for arich 
 man to enter into the^ingdom of God. ' ' ' ' 
 
 /rhefewordswcrcaproveib.-l ipccc!! among thcfcws, lofi*;- 
 nify a thing of great diirculty, next to an impodibiiity : arid 
 , (hey iiiipoi t iluts ir.iich : "Fh-.u it is not only a very great dilrf- 
 culty, but '.r. inipodibiltvjfor fuch asaboinid in worldly weultli 
 tabc favv..i, . ithout an extraordinary grace and aliidanc' f;"oni 
 God. It is hsrd fora ri h man io become happv, even bv God 
 hcc.unc hcth'iikshiaifvil l)ap;y u///'.".-// Gi/;'."' ' ' "^ 
 
 • ■ ' K?, 
 
St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Cha 
 
 p. XX, 
 
 25 Whea his di fciplcs heard it, they were exceed- 
 ingly amazed, fayi ng, Who then can be faved? 
 
 The difciple<; imderftand'm£»how naturally and ftrongly men 
 love the world, and how idolatroufly and inordinately thtir 
 hearts run out upon it ; they fay unto Chrift, LorJ, who then 
 tan he faiu'd? Learn, I. That when the general difficulties 
 which lie in the way tofalvation, arc laid forth and fufficicntly 
 undcrrtooH. we may juftty wondci- that any are, of fliall be fa- 
 ved. 2. That fuch are the fpecial and pecidiar difficulties in 
 the rich mans way to heaven; that his falyation is matter 
 r.i' Wonder and great admiration to the difciplcs of Chrift. 
 fi'ncn the d'ttipUs heard this, they were exceedingly amazed, &C. 
 
 • 6 Ruf Jef«s behcld^/iCTj, and faid unto them. With 
 m^n this is iir.poffible ; but with God all things are 
 pofTiblr. 
 
 As if Chrifl had faid, "Were all men left to themfclves, no 
 man, cither rich or poor, wouW be faved; but God can bring 
 ■a\cx\ to heaven by the mip;hty power of his grace ; he can make 
 the rich in ertatc, poor in fpirft ; and thcmthatare poor in this 
 world, rich in grace." Learn. I. That it is impoffibre for 
 ;mv man, rich or poor, by his own natural ftrciigth to get to 
 heaven. 2. That when we are difcouragcd witha fcnfc of our 
 own impotcncv, we (hould confider the power of God, and 
 ai^ our faith upon it: With God all things are poffible. 
 
 37 *[ Then anfwered Peter, and fiiid unto him, 
 Behold, v,-c have forfaken all, and followed thee : what 
 fhall we have therefore ? 28 And Jefus faid unto 
 them, Verily I fay unto you, that ye which have fol- 
 lowed me in the regeneration, when the Son of maa 
 fhall fit in the throne of his glory, ye alfoftiall fit up- 
 on twelve thrones, judging the tribes of Ifrael 
 
 Tiic apaUks having heard our Saviour's commani to the 
 YOii.T man, to fell all and c;ive to the poor, St. Peter, in the 
 riame of thr reft, tills Chriil that they had left all, and follow- 
 ed him ; Bck:!d, ive hiive left all. Where note, How Peter 
 r.iafrni Fits that little which he had left for Clirift, and ufhersit 
 i;i with a note of obfervation and admiratt'ou alfo. Behold ! luc 
 '\:i:e prfnkjn all, "Uihr.t ihall we have then F Learn thence. That 
 • iihr.u'^h it be avcry little that we futfer f()rChri-ft,andlefsthat 
 "..e have to forf.ikc upon his acco\mt, yet we arc apt to mag- 
 ;iily and r\fol it, as if it w( re fome great matter. I^ord, ivc 
 ■w^i I jfjiihnall. Wh.u all? IlisfilTier-l)oat,andiicts; fcarcc 
 ■/ortliy to bemcniioned : yet how is it magnified ! Bt'holJ, &c. 
 Jiiit <-Mervc our Lords kind and gracious anfwer; "-'You that 
 fvavc U ft all to folkHv r.ie, \\a\\ be no loofcrs by mc: tor ir. the 
 I . -f, that >s, ar t!ic refurreflion, when believers iTi?!! 
 :. "d, Li'ih infcil anJ-buh-, andftiallcrioviuy kingdom, 
 
 11 i;, a.s 1 fit tipi'ntlr; liuoneofmy glory, fo fhall yon fit with 
 u>i in a hi ;her di ~ic' i)t dignity and honour , Judging the twelve 
 t'l'difffrcel; that is the J''w«; firft, fou thtir iiiilKlicf, and 
 i>i<;n all other defpifirs (f jT:)fpe! g.'ace and mercy." Learn, 
 T. That fuch niinjftcrs r.s. do moftfcrvrcc for Chrift, ami hj- 
 fike moit to lollow hi'ii, iu;.!! ii lis krrvedom partake of 
 jrji,!! I'omiir and di?.nit) wi''^ i 'n ••' ' <'- • •- hrni. 2. That as 
 vlk-r;, of CiuiA ill -Ivf^ iipHHes in 
 
 t-, ill ill ;] r .. ••; • :. .Mi.l Inic - n 
 
 ^^ 
 
 Vnd ev( 
 
 brethren, or fitters, or father, or mother, or wife, or 
 children, or lands, for my name's lake, fhall receive 
 an hundred-fold, and fhall inherit everlafting life. 
 
 The foregoing promife, ver. 28. rcfpe£lcd the apf>(lles ; 
 this, all chriftians, who forfake their dcareft enjoyments for 
 Chrift: he affures them, that they fliall be recompcnced in 
 thislife an hundred-fold: How? h'on formaliter,fed eminenler: 
 not infpecie, br.t in valore ; not in kind, but in equivalence; 
 not an hundred brethren, or fifters, or lands, but, firfi, He 
 lliall have that in God, which all creatures would not be to him, 
 if Xhey were multiplied an hundred times. Secondly, The 
 gifts and graces, the comforts and confolations of the Holy fpi- 
 rit, fliall be ar..huB<lrcd-fbkl better portion, than any thing we 
 can part with for tlic fake of Chrift and hts gofpel here. 
 Though we maybe lofers^ir him, yet fliall we never be lofersjiy 
 him. Chrift gives preftnt rccompenfes as well as future re- 
 wards ; infomuch that they •who have fiiffercd and loft moft 
 for Chrift, have never complained of their fiifTcrrnfis or lodes. 
 Therefore never be afraid to loofe any thing for'Chrift, he 
 fvfll not only fee you indemnified, but plentifully rewarded; 
 in this worM, an hundred-fold, in that to come, eternal life. 
 
 30 But many tJiat arc firfl; fhall be laft, and the 
 
 laftjftc/Z^efirft. 
 
 A two-fold fenfe and interpretation is given of thefe words: 
 \\iC frj} refpefts the Jews and Gentiles in general ; the/econd, 
 all profefTors of chriftianity in particular. "The Jews (as if 
 Chrift had faid) look upon themfclves as firft, and ncareft to 
 the kingdom of heaven, but for their infidelity, they fhall be 
 laft in it ; that is, never fhall come there. And the Gentiles, 
 who were looked upon as dogs, and fartheft from, heaven, 
 fliall be firft there, upon their converfion to me, and fa.'th in 
 me." As the words rcfpc£l all profefTors, the fenfc is, "Ma- 
 ny that arc firft in their own eftecm, and in the opinion of o- 
 thcrs, and forward in a profeftion of religfon, yet at the day 
 of jndgment they will be laft,. and leaft in mine and my Fa- 
 ther's eftimation and account. And many that were little ia 
 their own, and lefs in the eftecm of others, who had kfs name 
 and \Tiguc in the world, fhai! yet be firft and hfgheft in my fa- 
 vour." JLeani hence. That tlieday of judgment will fruftrate 
 a great many perfons'cxpeiSlaiions, both as touching othcrs^ 
 and coiiccrnrng thersfelves. Many will mifs of heaven>^nd 
 be lift, who looked upon themfclves to be firft. And many 
 will find others in heaven, whom they leaft expefted there. 
 '//■(• Lord iudgeth net as man Judgeth. We judge of man by 
 oiit'vard :jpi>carances, iiit we a>ejure the judgment of God is ac- 
 rr,;i: -r r- ' ; /A. Hc Can nclt'ier b? t'u:ctiv"d, pur vet iliciive. 
 
 CHA P. XX\ 
 
 'IT'OR liie kingdom of heaven is like anld a irrau 
 .5. that is an houfholder, wbicn went out early in the 
 inoniin<» to hire labourers ijx^o his vineyard. 2 And 
 when he liAd agceed with the labourers for a penny a 
 day, he fcntr them iai,o his viiK-yard. 3 And he went 
 out tiboutthetliiid liour, iind law others ll.indini; idlt- 
 in the m»)kcl-pla<.e, 4 And fdid tinto t; ;n. Go}c 
 alfo into the vine-yard; and wjiatlLcvcr .>•» i^ht, I 
 give you. -1 --Vl-r v i.- rx '• "-m';.. \-.ii:i 
 
 rent oV.t abt . .!M 
 
 tHien'ifc^ Q An,d -.ijw^l Ui^.^itys^i*.:; ■*•. . u: 
 
Chap. xx. 
 
 St, MATTHEW. 
 
 n 
 
 out, and found others ftanding idle, and faith unto 
 them, Why ftand ye here all the day idle ? 7 They 
 fay unto him, Bccaufe no man hath hired us. He 
 faith unto them, Go ye alfo into the vineyard ; and 
 whatfoever is right, thai (hall ye receive. 
 
 A twofold fenfe and interpretation is ^iven of thrs parable , 
 
 but both analogical. One of which relates to the calling of 
 
 the GentiLs. The Jews were the firft people that God had 
 
 in the world ; they were hired into the vineyard betimes in 
 
 the morning, the Gentiles not till the day was far fpent: yet 
 
 fhail the Gentiles, by the favour and bounty of God, receive 
 
 ihc f;»me reward of eternal life, which was promifed to the 
 
 Jews who bare the heat of the day, while the Gentiles ftood 
 
 idle. In the other analogical fenfe we may underftand all 
 
 ptrfons indefinitelycalled by the gofptl into the viliblc church, 
 
 thofe that arc called lafl Hiall be rewarded together with the 
 
 firft ; and accordingly thcdelignand fcope of this parable is, to 
 
 flicw the freenefs of divine grace in the diftribution of thofe 
 
 rewards which the hand of mercy confers upon God's faithful 
 
 fervants. The vlneyard\s the church of God, the hujbandman 
 
 is Gixi himfelf: The /a^jar^vare particular perfons. God's 
 
 going at divers times into his vineyard, imports the feveraf 
 
 ages of man's life; fome arecallcd early in the morning, fome 
 
 at noon, others at night. Now when God comes to difpenfe 
 
 his rewards, thofe that entered firft into the vineyard, and did 
 
 moft fervice for God, fhall be plen'.ifully rewarded by him ; 
 
 and fuch as came in later, but did faithful fervice, fhalf not mifs 
 
 ©f a merciful reward. Learn, i. That fo ^ong as a perfon 
 
 keeps out of Chrift's vineyard and fervice, he is idle. Every 
 
 unregenerate man is an idle man. 2. That perfons are called 
 
 by the preaching of the gofpel at feveral ages and periods of 
 
 life into God's vineyard ; that is, into the communion of 
 
 the vifiblc church. 3. That fuch as do come in, though late, 
 
 into God s vineyard, and work diligently and faithfully, (hall 
 
 not mifs of a reward of grace at the hand of free-mercy. 
 
 8 So when even was come, the Lord of the vine- 
 yard faith unto his fteward, Call the labourers, and 
 give them their hire, beginning from the la(l unto the 
 firft . g And when they came that iverc hired about the 
 ekventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 
 But when the firft'came, they fuppoled that they (hould 
 have received more ; and they likewiCe received every 
 man a penny. 1 1 And when they had received it, they 
 murmured againU the good man of the hoiifc," a 
 Salying, Thefe Jaft have wrouoht hut one hour, and 
 thou hall made 'the.n equal unto us, which'have 
 borne the burden and heat of the day. 1 3 But he an- 
 fwcred one ot them, and fa id Friend, I do thee no 
 ^n.n-: Didft not thou agree with me for a penny ? 
 r 1 i Acihal thine is, and go thy wAy : I will give un- 
 to t::is .ail even as unto ti>ee. 15 ^s it not lawful for 
 nie to i«. •.viiat.I will niih r.:ineown ? is thine 'eye e- 
 Vlli'becanU.- I amigood ? 16 «o ibe laff Hial! be firll 
 and the fn!t lafl : for man) ,. . . i, but few chof! 
 
 .u*,i,s,u Hit fvi.sin^. 
 
 ■'. .ding of his 
 .wl-.-rn thuj-woife 
 
 is done. fVhen the evening was come, the Lard of the vineyard 
 called his labourers, and gave them their hire \ not but that they 
 have part of their reward in hand, but it is chiefly laid up in 
 hope. 2. That though God makes no difference in his fervants 
 wages for the time of their work, yet he willmakeadifR;rence 
 for the degrees of their fervice. Undoubtedly they that have 
 done mod work, (hall receive moft wages. He that Jaweth 
 baumifuUy (hall reap b v.tntifuUy ; God "will reward every man ac- 
 cording to his works : That is, not only according to tlic nature 
 and quality, but the meafure and degree of his works. All 
 (hal? have equity, but all (hall not have equal bounty. 3. That 
 all inequality in the diftribution of reward, doth not m.nke God 
 an unjuft accepter of pcrHwis; he may difpenfe both graceand 
 glory, fn what meafure and degree he plcafes, without the Icaft 
 lliadow of unrighteoufnefs. Is it net lawful for me to do what I 
 willwith mine own? 4. When we have done much fervice for 
 God, by labouring longer than others in hisvineyard, it isour 
 duty to have a lowefteem both of ourfervices and ofourfelves 
 for the fir/1 Jhall be lajl, and the laft firjl ; That is, they that are 
 (irft and higheft in their own efteem, (hall be the laft andlcaft 
 on God's aacount. 
 
 17 f And Jefus going up to Jerufalem, took the 
 twelve difciples apart in the way, and faid unto them, 
 18 Behold we go up to Jerufalem; and the Son of 
 man (hall be betrayed unto the chief priefts and unto 
 the fcribes, and they fball condemn him to death, lo 
 And they fhall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock 
 and to fcourge and to crucify him : and the thiid day 
 he (hall rife again. 
 
 Tliis is now the third time that Chrift had acquainted liis 
 difaples very lately of his approaching fufFerings, and bloody 
 palTlon. He did it twice before, chap. xvi. and. chap. xvii. 
 yet now he mentions it again, that they inight not bcdifmaved 
 and their faith midu not be fliakcn to fee hiui die, who called 
 bimfelf the true Medias, and the .Son of Gbd. The ffrft time 
 he tord his difciples of. his death in general ; the fecond time 
 he declares the means, by treafon ; now he tells them the man- 
 ner, by crucifying ; that he fhould be fcourged, mocked, fi.it 
 wpon, ami crucif^.ed : All this he did, to prevent his difeiples 
 dejedion at his fufFerings, Learn i hence, that it is hic^hlv ne- 
 ceilary that the doftrine of the crofs he often preached to us 
 that fo being armed wi:h cxpeaaiion of Rifferings before tliev 
 tome, we may be the Ms Jflrnayed and diniearlei,-.c: when they 
 come. Our Lord's feqiKnt forewarning his dniiples of his 
 death and fufiertngs was to fore-arm them yviij; espta.-.iinn c*' 
 iij fufferings, and with a preparation for their.ow. 
 
 CO f Then came to him the mother of Zebcdee's 
 children, with her fon'.s, worOiippin,^^' hirn. anddefir- 
 ing a certain thing of him. 2 1 Artd he faid unto her, 
 What v/ilt thou ? She faid unro him. Grant that tlu (c 
 my two fons may fit, the one on thy right hand, and 
 the other on the left in thy lingdirin. 
 
 To fit on the rigiit hard, and on the I-.i>, is to havethem'-ft 
 eminent places of di.;r:!ty and honour af'er Chiuf. Thfs thy 
 mother might becncourajvd to afk for Janus ^nd John, be- 
 fP'ilc of their allia.ncc to Chiiii, ar.ff bceunfc Chrffl hid admit 
 cd. thnn .wi-b Peter lobe vviih hrm i.f hFs .•ninsd-nratfen 
 ilowtvtr, the tl(\ of the .JifcipW.s heamig of!hisnmbVK,„-rc-' 
 tfuelt of the tv,o bicihrtn, and being as deluous, and in ih.;' 
 
o8 
 
 Si Nli^^T^XH.E W> 
 
 Chap, xx, 
 
 reply, Jf^e are ahie. ALs, povirdjicipies'. Vv+.(p, it cjir.etothi; 
 trial, they allcowardly t ^rTook hini md fiej. A, bold prcfump, 
 tion makes us vaunt of our own ability^; tiffly jcailoufy iriakei 
 
 o'.vn opinion as dtil-rvinp, oiihc fiinc- honour, ihey liad indig. 
 
 nation agairift them. Whcnc? ncte. That ncr.c of the difciplcs 
 
 (lid imagine that Cliilrt had promifed the fiiprcmacy to Peter, 
 
 by thcfe v.ords, Tu es Petri/s, thou wt Petcf ; forttien neither 
 
 5amc« nor Jolm had dcnVcd U, nor avouIiI Hie reft have con- 
 
 ♦tfid.tl forit. O/'f-rii-hcTc, r. T.he pcrfons mnking this re- 
 
 •<|nelV to'Chrift, '/c-bc(icc',s children ; that is. James and John, 
 
 by the mriiih of their mother. They fp^ikc by her lips, and 
 
 rnade nl.; of her tongue to iilke.- in a requcrt uhich they were 
 
 nfhaFtnccI to make thcmfejvcs. ^.Thc rciiueft itfdf, Grmiiihi;* 
 
 (><>/r lu") mtiy fi/, rh s>v oi thf yt^f't, the ithcr en th tejl hand. Ic 
 
 AV^hire f'.te. How riicfedirciples did ftiil dream of Chrifl'stcm- iyhom it is prepared of niy f-ithc; . 
 
 poral kingdoiTK'afiihoiJgh he had fo often told them, -r-^a/ /v.- ".. , ' ^ , , ^ , ,' i .- j i , /• 
 
 <//;?'/5««'<7;«,/c///j/V7wWJandambitionfly fecktohavetJie ^^'''^ "crc, .OurWeffed J-autwiri ivondcrbrl mridncfs and 
 
 -prcfcTanceand pre-eminence in that kin£;doni. .^cc hcre.how ««""enels towardshis difciplcs; htdoth notwuhpafTion.miicij 
 
 ihcfcpoorfilhtjmcnhadatrcjdvlcarncdci-.aTtilvton.li/orprefer- '*'"^' indignation, xcj)reh«fari them, ciihtrtor tJic-ir ambiti- 
 
 ment. AVli*. can wonder tofec fome fparks of aii.bitionand world "" *"' P^«umptiop, i,„t makes the belt ot thctr iyifwer, and 
 
 "y 
 
 us diilrurtfiil of our own ftrength. Thofe that «re leaft ac 
 iqiiaintcd with the croC, arc ufualiy.tiiemoil conf.Jcnt under- 
 takers. 
 
 ^ 23 And he faitli unto ilwiu, Vc fhall dnr.k indeed 
 of my cup, and be baptized with rhcbaptifnuhat lairt 
 baptized with: but to fit on inyriqht handand onmy 
 left is not mine to give, hnt it Jliall h <:hr' >■ . ■' ■.. fr,. 
 
 cncourges thcar good intwuions^ Jie tells them, ihcy (liouid 
 have the honour Xo iharc Avithhim in his fultcrings, to pledge 
 
 Iv (Icfircs in the holicrt miiiilters of Chrift, ^vhcua 
 ihcmfelves were noi|tyec from afpi ring thoughts, eycU'i 
 
 lav in lite bofom ofuhcir Saviour! Aniliition li.ns allaio;i2aa- r • ', .'7*' — .V'"i-" n •' "' """ '" ■"""■r 
 
 •fcfted churclimai, and troubled the cluirch, even from the vc- ,5""^,*'- '^''^P^'K'i' f P?-.V° ^^ Iharcrswiih him inhis glory, 
 rv firft ori ?inal r.:id iciMukiiion of i^ ^. Botli tiic imfcafona- " ohJe,-vc, That .T^-henChriflfays, Tint ujil at hjs rjshthand 
 
 ivas iict his to give, 'hemeans, a^ he was man, or ashe wasMe- 
 
 the apofllei 
 
 h , HAW 
 
 en they j^ ' • l , , c ■ .■-..-.,--.- 
 
 ,11 ■^n.r.c ;•/ ™'" ■'" ™^ ''"'" "V' aiidaitej a confon* itv to him in his fuf. 
 
 jxj)cctcd, Oiat when our Saviour had been preach 
 3ng the doctrine of the croti to his difciplcs, telling thein t^hat 
 he muil be mocked, fcourgcd, fplt upon, and crucified for them, 
 jhat they fliould be feclting and fiujig to him for fecular dig- 
 •^ity and honour, pre-eminence and powej-! Jjut we plainly fee 
 ■the befi. of mpn arc but men, apd thati.noiie are,in a^ate ofpex- 
 jfcdUon on this lido heaven. 
 
 2 2 But Jcfus anfwcrcd and faid, Ye know not 
 
 Chrill his Son ; from whence they would conclude, that he is 
 not the fame Gotl wluch ittic Father is, bccaufehe hath not the 
 fame power which the Father has. Anj'wer, But if Chri(t be 
 here fuppofed to<lenytliisj3owerto himfeif, hcniuftthenman- 
 ifcftly contradict himfelf.whenhcfays, /.7^/i/i3//;//.v;/5yc« aHng- 
 dwn ; and, JiH pnvtr in heaven mid earth is given /a tr:e. AV hep 
 tChrill: therefore faith, hc.cculd only give this to them for whom 
 it was appointed of his Father ; this doih not fIgr^ify any de- 
 what }'C aik : Are yc able to drink of the cup that I feci in his power, but a perfect conformity tohisFather'swill, 
 Jhall drink of, and 10 be baptized with the baptifm ^"'' ''l^'.^': f*~'"'*^ "°^ '!2..''"''> ""''•'^ 'l>e diyine clicncc and na- 
 
 ihat I am to be baptized with? they fay unto him,Wc 
 aje able. 
 
 As if Chriit had fai^.'^You dobut abufe yourfdves with fond 
 
 ture abided in him. Tliis the words rather fhew^ than tha: 
 there is any want ofpowcrin.ChriR. 
 
 24. And when the ten -heard k, they were moved 
 
 . .0 .. ^..x... ....v..^.^., iwi. u.'uui juiMcyourieivcsTvunrona -.i • t..- • n 1 1 ,'■ „ 
 
 and idle dreams ; there is other work cut out for you m the '^" indignation agamlt the two brethren. 25 But 
 
 .purpofe of God, than fitting upon thrones and tribunals: To J^^^^ called them unto him, and faid. Ye kuow that 
 
 think of fufteringjwoidd do you more fcrvice." Andaccord- the princes of the .Gentiles exercifc domimon over 
 ' ' Sa • , ■ , .... 
 
 ed in thair minds,, that thev frequcntl,- dcdarrd thei'.;. i,Uta- 
 tion of-it,.notwithlbnding';ril the airuranccs which tChrift had 
 given thcm<jf the contrarv:. ■?. The courfj which our San- 
 our takes to.cod the ajnbition of his difciplcs; he tells ihcm, 
 .ihcy mu(V cxncdl here, not crowns on their heads, but » ruAs 
 
 S:j!'%^lLt^''''^A'V'^y^^'^'f''i^^^ -ii;^ith;:;;;a^teisG,Kl^miniftcrforthesoodofhumanl 
 
 4lKy tai^ot hisgloiy, andpatienfly lufter forhnn, -iclorc cietv. andconfc " ■ " 
 
 they axpc<Sl to rc-ign with him; pl^tinivinumati-ng, that the -Chrilt. T 
 
 crofs IS Mc-.vay to the crown. fuJicHngtho wav .0 reigning, execute the, 
 
 iJiKlthat mol aiiat.luffer melt far.Chritt,f],aJlpari:keof hi.,?, this woHd, r 
 
 tucc^St ?Uc[a!T I''f -■ '^"^ P^^*^";-':,'^''^ or the Jews ; and'L.cau(Vhe ;;;u!d"i:a;;,;Va;;^n-;Sh;- 
 jXin-^r ^,^ i^^ andi,b.li-yfof n.ili;y .u.d contempt of worldly grvideur, and not becaufe tlys 
 
 ^ufTcring., .><f^r^.«^/r, fays Chrilt. /.y,,;..^- ./„,, «,^_^ I'hcy oflicepf civil maorftracy was mjawf.tl. ?.. That X'hri.a. by 
 
 Iet;j.iim4ie your/ervact. 
 
 iNs/chfie, r. ThatChrii>, by thcfe ^^wrds, doth not .forbid 
 riiecxercifc of civil dominion, and lawful m.igiftracy, fortheii 
 all order, all defence of good men, and punifliincu of evil-do- 
 ers, .would be taken aivay. Mapllrjcy is God's ordinance^ 
 or. , . „ -•'' ~'eis<j(Kl's miniftir for the4Tood of human lo- 
 quciitly not here ccnfujod or condcirnc\l hv 
 ..-,,,,,,,,„ ^ , r .1- • 1 - . . - nie, .V lien Chij<l wa.shcrc on earth, he rtfukd tp 
 
 ■-nd that ihof <fnt A ff> m y/';- S''u"n'*n''-' "l '''''^^"'§' ^"'''"= thema.-iftrnt/.ofiicc. bec^ule Ins-kingilom was not of 
 niu\ that mol .{hat.luffer mdt tar.Chr..rt,fl,aJlpari.-keothi.h^ this woHd, and becnufehr ^^ou!,l give no umbrage toCxfar. 
 
CirAp. Jcx. 
 
 o r. 
 
 a 
 
 /\ 
 
 T T II K \\' 
 
 this text, tfoth nolcondeinnthc cxcn-ifeorccclcfiarticalgovern- 
 pient, that bcirtg as.rcccn:'.ry in the church, as the former, in 
 the ftate. 'I'he \V:Clf;,re of the church ncceirarily depends on 
 theexcrcifcof ccclcdatticaldifcipline. 3. Chrill, here forbids 
 r^nly the exerclfc of that dominion which is attended wuli ty- 
 ranny andopprel]ion, and is managed according to mcri's wiJJs 
 andlurts: Kou-, fays Chri(t,youfiiaUhavcno fuchgovermnent, 
 you fhall commarid fiolhinw for mere will and pfeafure, but 
 your whole ofiicc f!ial[ ^onfift in being miniftets tcrthe good of 
 others; and herein ye fhat! jcjemh\c me rf^^JSsfi cf man, tt/j 
 rame not to be viimjieredunla, hif: to mhiifter. And accordingly, 
 that Chrid might tftcdiialiy (jiiench thofe unhappy fparks of 
 ambition which were tindlcd in his apoftlcs miiids, he ttlls 
 'hem, that fupremacy and dominion belong tp feciilarprinces,^ 
 not to evangelical paifors, who onwht to carr^thcmfelves with 
 liumility tow'ards one anotlwr ; not that Chnft dircfts to a pa- 
 rity and equality ainongftall his riiini'tcrs, andforbidsthe pre- 
 cinineiKc of fome over others ; biit the afFc£lation of fuperi- 
 ority, andthe love of prc-eminehcy, is that which our Saviour 
 difailows. Learn, i.Thatlbfarought the miniftersofChrilltoJbe 
 from afFcdtinga domination andfiiperiorityofpo\\cro\ertheit 
 /ellowbrethrcn,fl!atinimitationofChrilt, their LoixlandMaf- 
 ter, they ought to account thcmfclvcs fellow- reTVants,/rtw<?;/.'5;;o7? 
 YiU, faith Chrift, as en,- that fcr-jeih. 2. That fuch miniilersas 
 (io love and affeft pre-eminency and fuperiority, are moft un- 
 fit for it ; and they dcfcrve it bcfl, who feck it Icaft. 3. That 
 dignity and honour which the ininHlersof Chrift fliould chief- 
 ly and only aftciSl, is in another "world ; and the way to bfe 
 greateft and higheft thcro, is to be low and humble here, meaii 
 in our own eyes, and little in our own cftecm. fFko/ocv'er ivifi 
 be chief, fays Chriil, let hiril be your fervaih . 
 
 ^ 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be minif- 
 tercd unto, biit toiiiininer, and to give his life a xvax- 
 fom fdr many. 
 
 To encourage his difciples to the forementioncd condefcend- 
 Jng humility one towards another, our Saviour propounds to 
 ^them his own inftni(Sive example, Icamenot to Icmlmjlerednn- 
 '!, iays Chrilt, hiil to mini/ier to the wants and iiccellitics of o- 
 ihers, both for foul atid br'dy. . "O whata fight will it be (as 
 if our Lord had faid) to behold j-u humble. God, and a |M-oud 
 creature; ad humble oavipur, aiad.'.h haughty firvner!" Yea; 
 our Lord urges his cxargple farther, tiial as. lie laid down his 
 life for us, Jo fliould w« be ready to lav dowii our lives for one 
 another; T)i4 Chrift lay qown his life for iis, nrid 11.311 we hot 
 lay dov. n a luft lor him r o'nr firide^ bur aiiibitioh, oqrafFeCta-" 
 lion of digiiity and fuperiority. rtver others.. 'A"^/t-, here XVi'b 
 \hings, J. Whercasit.is iald'/that.Ch riftgavehis li.fe arahfoiW 
 for lYiany ; 'it is elfewhere pPrirmed, tiiat he taflcd "death for e- 
 very man, even for them that .it-h'ud ihc Lordkiho if.i'ght'tke'm. 
 1 lie word nwny, in other lilacfcs of fccipture, is not txclufive 
 ot fomq,bnt iiicliifive ofall. Thus, l).in. xii. 2. Many that 
 peep iit)l}r ({uft jhall urife \ anfvvers St. John v. 2&: £9. Ail'thafi 
 tl-tljh\-pinthe ^rc,\e Ml hearhh-jiife. Thus Rom. v. \Ki, 
 Through the cJD'nKe cf m: mav';- died:, ^nUvciT, 1 Cor.vi-. 22. 7^ 
 Adam alt dud. There is a \ iriiial fiifricitncv iiitiic t/ciih of 
 thrift fo^ the falvaiipuof mankind, and r.n aiHual cilic;^cy for 
 ihe falvat'lon of ihtiii that r'.pci)t,aii{l believe, and obey tlicgof- 
 f'tL 2. From thcfc -vv'ords, //f $(?zv .y7i A^'I-'ff >/?'ri/s^-j ;"'fiiat'^ 
 ■^h^i/i fiiftL-red in our dead, and.di!:d iH our pi.iec, ccd gave his 
 -1i rir:r>tt3. clours. It \"\;a5 Uit.to'uJ'i.Vnt o}ii;ii.L^n lotji.cf ihjj 
 
 7? 
 
 Jews and Gentiles, tliat their pucufar vidlms yci'e rrufoirs 
 for thelifeof thcofftiider, and that he v ho gavehislifc for afio- 
 ther, fuffcred in his Itcad to ^rtfcrve hiin from death. And 
 who can rcafonably fiippofc, but that our Lord in-ended by 
 faying, he gave liis liie a ranfom, that he gave his life inft.;^^- 
 oi thofe for whom he fufftrcd ? Vairi are the Socinians, whin 
 they fay this price was to be paid tbSatah, bccaufe he detained 
 us captive. Tnie ; the priccis to tc paid to Mm who detains 
 the captive, when he doth. this for galii toniakcinoneyof him, 
 as the Turks detain the Chriftiafis captive at Algiers ; but 
 when a man is detaijied j.ncuftody for a violation of a law, then 
 it is not the g^ler, but the Icgidator to whoin thepricc of re- 
 demption mufibe paidjOrfatisVaflion be'madc. Accordingly, 
 this price was paid to God.; for Chrirt'becaine our ranforn, 
 as he offered up his lifeandblood forus : Nowne oflercdhim- 
 felf without fpot to God, Hcb. Lx. 14. he therefore paid the 
 price of our redemption to God. 
 
 29 f And as they departed from* Jci icb, a great 
 multitude followed h!m. gd And bcliold, two blind 
 men fitting by the way-j'z/;?, when they heard that 
 Jefus paired by, bried out, facing. Have mercy ori 
 us, O Lord,/^«Sor: of EJavid. 3 a And the multi- 
 tude rebuked therii becaufc they fliould hold their 
 peace : but they tried the more, fayfkg. Hare mer- 
 cy on us, O Lord, ?%(Soii of David. 32 And [efuS 
 flood flill, and called thern, and/aid. What will yc 
 that I fhould do utitoyOu ? 33 They fay unto him,^ 
 Lord that our eyes may be opened. 34 So Jefus had 
 compaiTion onthtm, and touched their eyes ; and im- 
 mediately their eyes rcfceivcd fight^ and they follow- 
 ed him. 
 
 This ciiaptcr concludes with a famous miracle, wroughtby 
 Chrifl: upon two blind men in the light of a "reat multitude 
 which followed him. \\'hcrc ch/erir, 1. The blind men's 
 faith in acknowledging jefus the true MelIias,for fo much the ' 
 title oi the Sin r;fDj~:di\gmfies. 2. Their fcr^'encv, incryin» 
 fo carneflly to Chriit for mercy. ^ud healing ; Hate tncrcy up- 
 on us thou S'M of David. _ A trite fehfe of want_v,i,ii inake us 
 cry unto Chfift for help eanieftly, and with undeniable impor- 
 tunity. •^. The great Q^iidefct;. (ion of Chrift towards thelc 
 two blind men : He jtiid'jTiH, he caihd thair, hij-'ad'cohpolhiru 
 f 7 tl)em, kc toHcJicd tKeir eyes, aril hcUd'tle^h. A niiglit^ ir.,'1- 
 ance of Chrift's cltvine jSower. He that can open blind ever 
 with a touch of his fiiigcr, and by his. owii power, is jialiv' 
 G(xl, his touch is an. omhrpoicnt. touch. 4: Altiiough Chrilt 
 Well knew tiic cohditiqii of thcfe blind men; yet. before he wilt 
 rtftore thciii to light, they ipuft (enlitly complain of the w.mt 
 of fight, and cry unto hi.hi for mercy and healing. Lean. 
 hericc, That although .Chrill perfedtly linqws pll oiir wants, 
 >ct lie takes "no notice of them till wl- make tlj^-m tiiown to 
 lam bv prav'er. 1;. The bcfl A'^'-aV andconrfc -.vhich ihi^Mind 
 inen take toexprcl^ their ihankfuinefs io thriif for reiroYertd 
 fight, they foUAicdhhtt. Leon tlicno?, T' ..' n.^fcy from 
 Chrift is thcii rightly improicdV when it ( t^ fulfow 
 
 Chnft. Thisff.o.idd be the efftcl of r.ll f i\ j I'ji. ^^ ro.jgl.t iVrr 
 us. He praifetli God bcf>,ihat fi.r\tth and cbc^eth -l-im m<.t>v 
 the Kfc of ihanUfuIfiefs ccirTifh; in the iharfcfi I1 
 
8o 
 
 St. M a T T H fi W. 
 
 Chap xxi. 
 
 C H A P. XXI. 
 
 AND when thi-y drew nigh unto Jcrufalem, and 
 were come to IJi tJiphage, unto the mount of O- 
 livcs, then lent Jeliis two difciplcs. 2 Saying unto 
 them, Go ye into", the village over againft you, and 
 flrai "htwayye ihall find an afs tied, and a colt with 
 her; loofe M<ot and bring //ffTTi unto me, 3 And if a- 
 ny man lay ought unto you, ye fluill fay, the Lord 
 hath need of them :and ftraightwajr he will fend them. 
 
 The former p.irt of this chapter ghes us an account of our 
 S.iviour> foleirn and triumphant ridinginto the city of Jcru- 
 falem. Where sl/cnr. That in all our Saviour's journeys and 
 travels frcm place to place, he conftantly went like a poor man 
 on fid, without nolfe, and without train; now he goes up to 
 Jerufalom to (Tic for finncrs; he rides, to fhew his checriul- 
 ncfi in that fcrvicc, and his forwardnefs to lay down his life 
 for us. But what doth he ride upon ? An ajs, according to 
 the ninnncr of great pcrfons among the Jews; but efpecially 
 to fulfil the prophcly, Zech. ix. 9. That the Mellias, a 
 King of the Jews, y%5u/</rew:if riding upon an afs. But this ^r 
 vcat a colt, the foal of an afs, on which man had never rode before, 
 fays St. Mark, xi. 1 1- lignifying thereby, that the molt un- 
 ruly and untamed creatures become obedient and obfequious to 
 him : and upon z horrc-ioed afs , the ufe ot which he demands, 
 thereby manifclUng his fovereign right to all the creatures.; 
 and accordingly, he bids hisdifciples tell the owner ot the afs, 
 That the Lord hath n 'd of him ; not our Lord, but the Lord, 
 that is, he thr-' ' _ ^rd of all, ivhoje are the cattle upon a thoii- 
 fand hills ; he that is Lord of afl hearts, and the owners too. 
 Farther, That notwithftanding Chrift's fupreme right to the 
 afs and the colt, he will have neither taken without the owners 
 knowledge, or againll his will; but the difciples muft acquaint 
 him with it, and by a double argument move him to it. i. 
 Chrill's right of dominion and fovereignty over them; he is 
 r^t- /,»»-«' that fends for them. 2. His prefcntoccafionfnr them; 
 the Lord has need of them. Note alfo here, a wonderful inRance 
 of Chrill's prefcience or foreknowledge, even in the mod mi- 
 nute and fmalklf matters. I. Yen fhall find c colt . 2. Onxvhich 
 no man ezirfat. 3. A c-jit tied and bound ivith its dcnn. 4. hi the 
 place v.'he'e tu's tvays met. 5. As they entered the village. 6. That 
 the owners fhouid be 'jilHng to let him go. Such an e.xa(5i k now- 
 ledge had Chrift ot perfons and adlions, even of the ciicum- 
 ftances of aftions. 
 
 4 All tliis was done, that it might befuliilltd which 
 was Ipokcn hy the prophet, f-iving, 5 Tell ve the 
 daughter <jf Zion, Behold thy King comcth unto thee, 
 meek, and fitting uponan afs, and a colt the foal of 
 an afs. 
 
 Here the reafon is afligncd why Chrifl rode upon the afs in- 
 tii Jenifulcm; it was to fullii an ancient projihecy, that the 
 Mellias, or King of the Jews, /hould come riding upon that 
 brift into Jeiufalem. There was not any prophecy ofOrill 
 more plainly fulfilled than this. The prophecy alluded to, is 
 V.cch. ix. Q. Rejoice greatly, O daughter cf Zion ; Jheut, 
 daugl icr ofjirufulem ; behold, thy King cometh intto thee ; he is 
 jujl, end hi.iingjah'cilion ; huly, and riding upon an cfs ; xmdup- 
 tft a colt, thefial of an afs. 'Where noti, T he charadler gi*en 
 ot the Mcdias ; he is the fuuremc King and governor of his 
 churcK, thy King (imeth. The errand that he comes upna. 
 
 bringing fulvaiioa : and the entertainment which his church 
 was to give him; namely, to receive him with triumphs of 
 joy, and univcrfal acclamations. 
 
 6 And the difciplcs went, and did as Jefus com- 
 manded them. 7 And brought the afs, and the colt, 
 and put on them their clothes, and they fetAfw there- 
 on. 8 And a very great multitude fpread their gar- 
 ments in the way ; others cut down branches from 
 the trees, and ftrawed than in the way. 9 And the 
 multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, 
 faying, Hofanna to the Son of David : Bleffed is he 
 that Cometh in the name of the Lord : Hofanna in the 
 higheft. 
 
 Obfenie here, 1. The obedience of his difciples, and the 
 motions of the multitude-, the difciples never difputc their 
 Lord's commands, nor raife objeflions, nor are afraid of dan- 
 gers, but fpecdiJy execute their Lord's pleafure, and find eve- 
 ry thing according to their Lord's prediftions. When our 
 call is clear, our obedience muft befpcedy. What Godcom- 
 mands,weare not to difpute, but to obey. The difciples did as 
 Jefus commanded. 1. The aftions of themultitudc in acknow- 
 ledging Chrift to be their king ; they caji their garments on the 
 ground (01 him to ride upon, according to the cuftom cf prin- 
 ces when they ride in (late; and they do not onlydifrobe their 
 backs, but expend their breath in joyful acclamations and loud 
 hofannas, wirtiing all manner of profperity to this meek but 
 mighty king. — In this princcHy, yet poor and defpicabic pomp, 
 doth our Saviour enter into that famous city of Jerufalem. O 
 how far was our holy Lord trom affcdting worldly greatoefs 
 and grandeur! He defpifed that glcry which worldly hearts 
 fondly admire; yet, becaufe he was a king, he would be pro- 
 claimed fuch, and have his kingdom confeflcd, applauded, 
 and bicft ; but that it might appear, his kingd:m zcas not of this 
 world, he abandons' all worldly magnificence. Oglorious,yet 
 homely pomp ! O meek but mighty prince. 
 
 10 And when lie was come into Jei-ufalem, all the 
 city was moved, faying. Who is this ? 11 And the 
 multitude faid, This is Jefus the prophet of Nazareth 
 of Galilee. 
 
 This is not the fi.fl or only time that Jerufalem was mov- 
 ed and troubled at the appear.ince of Chrilf ; at his birth, Mat. 
 ii. we read all Jerufalem was troubled, together with Herod; 
 and now that he rides into Jcrufalem, though in To mean a 
 manner, yet there is a new commotion. Jcrufakm, inlfead 
 of being thankful for his company, istrcrbltd at his prclcnce. 
 Thence learn. That fuch pcrlons and places as havcthegrcst- 
 efl helps ;jnd privileges allbrdcd to them, are not always the 
 moft anfwcrable in their returns of thankfulnefs. It is not 
 ChriiVs prefencc with us, but his welcome to us, that makes 
 us happy. — Chri/i is daily taught in ourjynagcguis, and pit ached 
 in our fireets •■, yet, alas! niultifudrs are ignorant ot him, and 
 fay with the men of Jerufulem, when Chiift vsas before their 
 eves, If ^ho is this.'' 
 
 12 *I And jefus went into the temple of God, 
 and call out all them that fold and bought in ihe 
 temple, and overthrew the tables of the inon< yclian- 
 g6r6 and thefcaUuf them tliat fold doves. 13 And 
 
 IV: .1 
 
Chap. kxx> 
 
 St. M a T T If E W. 
 
 8j 
 
 inid. pnto th^m, Iti^ (written, My houfefh^llbe call- 
 ed the houfe (?{ pnycti h}i^ ye l^avc m^dp it ^ den 
 of ihJcves. 
 
 Our blefled Saviour having entered Jerufiilcm, ob/erve, 
 his firft walk was not to the palace, but lo the temple, and 
 his work tJjere was to purge and reform : ailretormationof 
 manners mull begia UrCt at the hpufe of God. Our L,ord's 
 tufinefs was to rei'orfli the temple, not to ruiii it. Places 
 dedicated to the (ervifc of God, if profaned and polluted, 
 ought to be purged from their abufcs, not pulled do/.n and 
 deftroyed, becaulc they have been abufed. But what was 
 ithc protanationof the temple which fo offended our Saviour? 
 'Within the third or outward court of the temple, thete w.is 
 a public mart or market held, where were lold oxen, fli'-ep, 
 -and doves, and Xucb things a? were needful for facrifice : 
 many of the Jews coming an hundred miles to the temple, 
 Kwas burdenl'ome tobring their facrifices lo far with thcin; 
 wherefore order was taken by the prielh, that flieep and ox- 
 en, meal and oil, and allother requifites for facrifice, Ihoald 
 ibe had for money clofe by the altars to the great eafeofthe 
 Qfferer. Nothing could be more plaufible than this plea. 
 But the faireft pretences. cannot bear out a tin with God : 
 therefore our blefled Saviour, in indignation at fo foul an a- 
 bufe, whips out thefe chapmen, cafts down their tables, and 
 vindicates the honour and reputation of bis Father's houfe. 
 Leat-n thence, That there is a rcverance due to Gods houfe 
 for the owner's fake, and for the fervice fake. Nothingbvit 
 hohnefs can become that plate, where God is worfliippedin 
 the beauty of hclinefs. :Qhfer:ve, laftly, 7 he reafon which 
 our Saviour gives for this aft ol his ; for, fays he, //// virit- 
 tfK, My houfe Jlmll be called an kcufe of prayer. Where, by 
 grayer is to benn<ier(1;ood the whole v;or(hip and fer»ice of 
 almighty God, of which prayer isan eminent and principal 
 part. That which gives denomination to an houfe, is cer- 
 tainly the chief vvor£ to be done in that houfe. Now God's 
 houfe, being called an hoafe of prayer, certainly implies, 
 thnt prayer is the chief and principal work to be performed 
 in his houfe; yet nuift we take heed that we fet r.ot the or- 
 dinances of God at variance one with another ; we muft 
 not idolize one ordinance, and vilify another : but pav an 
 awful refpeft and regard to all'the inllitutionsof our Mak- 
 tv:. 
 
 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the 
 temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief 
 priefts and fcribes faw the wonderful things that he 
 did, and the children crying in the temple, and fay- 
 ing, Hofannah to the fon of David; they were fore 
 difpleafed, 16 And faid unto him, heareftthou what 
 thefe fay ? And Jefus faith unto them, Yea: have ye 
 never read. Out of the mouth of babes and fucklings 
 thou haft perfefted praife ? 
 
 Note here, i. Thatour blefled Saviour works his miracles, 
 not fecretly in a corner, but openly in the temple, and fub- 
 mits them tothe'examination cf allperfonsfenfcs. A miracle 
 is a fupernaturaiaftion, which is obvious to fenfe. Popifti 
 miracles are talked of by many, but feen by none. 2. 1 hat 
 Chrift's enemies are never more ir.ccnfed than when his di- 
 
 vine power is moft exerted, and his divine nature owned and 
 acjcnowledged . When the chief priejlsfaij the miracles vihich 
 Jt/us did, and heard the children crying, Hofannah to the S'.tt of 
 David, they were fore difpleafed. 3. That Chrilt can glorJfy 
 hinifelf by the mouth of babes and fucklings ; he can form 
 and fit up what inftruments he pleafes to fhew forth his ex- 
 cellencies, and celebrate hispraifes. Cut of the mouth of babes 
 and fuelling s thou h»Ji ptrfe£Jed praife. 
 
 17 /^nd he left them, and went out of the city in- 
 to Bethany, and he lodged there. ;i8 Now in the 
 morning, as he returned into the city, he hungered. 
 ,19 And when lie faw a fig-tree in the way, hfe came 
 to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and 
 faid unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward 
 forever. And prcfently the fig-tree withered away. 
 
 Our bicffed Saviour having driven the buyers and fellers 
 out of the temple, lodges not that night in Jerufalem, but 
 withdraws to Bethany, a place of retirement from the noife 
 and tuiDHlt of the city. Where fote. Our Lord's love of lo- 
 litude and retirednefs. How delightful is it to a good man, 
 to dwell fometimes within himfelf, to tckethe -wingt of a dove, 
 and fly away and be at refi p Yet the next morning our Lord 
 returns to the city : he knew when to be folitary, and when 
 to be fociable ; when to be alone, and v.'hen toconverfein 
 company. In his paflage to the city, he efpied a fig-tree ; 
 and being an hungry (to (hew the truth of his humanity) he 
 goes to the fig-tree, and finds it full of leaves, but without 
 any fruit. Difpleafed with thisdifappointment, he curfes the 
 tree which had deceived his expectation. Thisaftionof our 
 Saviour, in curPng the barren fig— tree was typical ; an em- 
 blem of the deftruftion of Jerufalem in generr.l, and of 
 every perfon in particular, that fatisfies himfelf with a with- 
 ered profefTion, bearing leaves onlv, but no fruit. As this 
 fg—lree was, fo are they, nigh unto curjing. Learn hence. 
 That fuch as content themfelves with a fruitlefs profefTion of 
 religion, are in great danger of having God's Waiting added 
 to their barrcnnefs. 
 
 20 And when the difciplcs faw it, they marvelled, 
 faying, How fcon is the fig-tree withered away! 21 
 Jefus anfvvered and faid unto them. Verily I fav un- 
 to you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye fhall not 
 only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but alfo, if ye 
 fhall fay unto this mountain, be thou removed, and 
 be thou caft into the fea; it fiiall be done. 22 And 
 all things whatfoeverjye fhall afk in prayer, believing, 
 ye fhall receive. 
 
 The difciplcs being filled with admiration at the fudden 
 withering of the fig— tree, thereupon our Saviour exhorts 
 them tohavefaith in Cod: That is, firmly to rely on the pow- 
 er of God, whereby he is able, upon the gocdntfs of God 
 whereby he is willing, to fulfil his promifes to us. J cam, i. 
 That faith is a necefiary ingredient in'prayer. Praying wiih- 
 cur faith, is like fliooting without a bullet ; it makes a noife, 
 but doth no execution. 2. That whatfoever good thing God 
 has made the matter ofapromife, iliall be given to gcod 
 men, praying in faith. H katfotver ye af}< in prayer, bciuving 
 
 L ye 
 
St. '"M'.VTFl^ii^E^. 
 
 Ch.' 
 
 XTl 
 
 A 
 
 >;■ /'■../.' recchr. Yc; note, That the faith here pronpTeilto 
 root upinouuiaiiis, luuft be roftraineil to that age of ii.Iracles, 
 unl to the perfons to whom this was fpoken, namely, the a- 
 j'ofUes and fnH. prnpagaters of the gofpel ; it being certain 
 li-oui cxi>erieiice, thjt this is no orJiilary ahd perpetual gift 
 of chrifl;aiis._ 
 
 'J3 H And w'licn. he was come into the temple, the 
 chief priglli and the elders of the people came unto 
 liim as lie was teaching/and faid, By what authority 
 ilocil thou thefe things ? and who gave thee this au- 
 thorise^' ? 24 And Jel'usanfwered and laid unto them. 
 I alfo will alk you one thing, which if ye tell me, I 
 in likewii'e will tell you by what authority I do thefe 
 things. 25 The baptifin of John, whcrice was it? 
 Irom' heaven, or of men? And they reafoned with 
 themfelves, faying, If we fhall fay, From heaven ; 
 he will fay unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 
 26 But if we fhall fay, Of men; we fear the people, 
 for all hold John as a prophet, 27 And they anfwer- 
 ed Jefus, and faid. We cannot tell. And he faid on- 
 to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do 
 thelc things. 
 
 The Pharifees liaving often queftioned our Saviour's doc- 
 trine before, they call in queflion his mifTion and authority 
 now ; although they might eafily have underllood his divine 
 mJfl'.onby his divine miracles. Almighty G od never impow- 
 cred any to work miracles, that were not fent by him. When 
 the adverfaries of ChrLft can obje£t nothing againft his doc- 
 trine, they then quarrel with him about his commiflion and 
 calling, and demand, by what authority he doth teach and 
 work miracles. Our blefled Saviour, well underflanding 
 their drift and defign, anfwers them one queflion by liilcing 
 ihe.ni another. 7ks baptlfm of Jnhn, ivas it from heaven or 
 of men ? Was it of divine inftitution, or of human invention? 
 Implying, that the calling of fuch ascall themfelves themin- 
 i.'lers of God, ought to be from God. No man ought to take 
 'this h'jmur upon himfelf, but he tbjt is called of Cod, as -was 
 Jjron, Heb. v. 4. The Pharifees reply, theycould nottell 
 whence John had his miffion and authority. Thiswasama- 
 nifefi untruth : by refufing to tell the truth, they fall into a 
 lie. O.^e fin infnares, a:id draws men into the commiflionof 
 inure. 5uch as will not fpeak exact truth according tpi their 
 knowledge, they fall into the fin of lying againlhheir confci- 
 or.'v. Our Saviour anfwers them. Neither tell / you, by 
 ■i'^.i '.nithorhy I do ihefe things. He doth not fay, I cannot, or 
 1 .vill not tell you ; butl do not, I need not tell you, becaufe 
 the miracles which I work before you, are a fufficientdemon- 
 Jlratiou of my divine commiifion, that I am fent of God a- 
 inr>n^tl you ; for God never fet the feal of his omnipotence 
 to a lie, or impowered an ijjipoltor to work real miracles. 
 
 28 But what think ye? A ariam manhadtwofons: 
 and he came to the firlt, and faid, Son, go work to-day 
 in my vinsyard. 29 He anfwered and faid, I will 
 not ; but afterward he repented and went. 30 And 
 he came to the lecond, and faid likcwifc. And he 
 
 .rir,,»>. 
 
 anfi^eVed and faid, I^o, fir ; and went not. 3 1 Whe- 
 ther bf them tw.irn^difi the will of his father ? They 
 fay unto him, The firfl. Jefus faith unto them, Ve^ 
 rily i" Ay unto you, that :he publicans and the har- 
 lots go into the kin:^do;i» of God before you. 32 For 
 John came unto yoa in the way of righteoufnefs, and 
 yc believed him iWt : biit the publicans and the har- 
 lots believed hliti; 'And ye, when ye Jiad feen it, re- 
 p'-nted not afterward, that ye might belieVe him. 
 
 The defign and fcope (if this parable is to (hew, That/wA- 
 Ucens and harlots, that is, the vileft, the profanc<t,and word 
 of fmners, who, upon the hearing of Chriit's doitrinc and 
 miracles, did repent and believe, were in a much better con- 
 dition than the proud Pharifees, who, though they pretend- 
 ed to great meafures of knowledge, and high degrees ofho- 
 linefs,yet did obftinately op'pofe Chrift, difobey his dortrine, 
 deny his miracles, and fet at nought his perfon. Learn hence, 
 That the greateft, the vileft, and the worft of fmners, upon 
 their repentance and faith in Chrift, ftiall much fooner find 
 acceptance with God, thin proud Pharifaical judiciaries, who 
 confidently rely upon their own righteoufnefs : Publicans 
 and harlots, fays Chrift here to the Pharifees, _^<j//^9 into the 
 kingdom of God before you. Publicans were the worft fort of 
 men, and harlots the worft kind of women ; yet did thefe 
 repent fooner, and believed in Chrift before the proud Pha- 
 rifees. The reafon wa?, becaufe their hearts lay more open 
 to the ftrokes of convii^ion, than thofe that were blinded by 
 vain hopes, and prefumptuous confidence. Security fruf- 
 tratesall means of recovery. 
 
 33 f Hear anotherparable; There was a certain 
 houfholder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it 
 round about, and digged a wine-prefs in it, and built 
 a tower, and let it out to hulbandmen, and went into 
 a far country. 34 And when the time of the fruit 
 drew near, he fent his fervants to the hufbandmeh, 
 that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the 
 hulbandmen took his fervants and beat one, and kil- 
 led another, and iloned another. 36 Again, he lent 
 other fervants, more than the firft : and they did un- 
 to them likewife. 37 But lall of all he fent unto 
 tliem his fo,:i, faying. They will reverence my fon. 
 38 But whea the hufbandmen faw the fon, they faid 
 among themfelves, This is the heir; come let us kill 
 him, and let us feize on his inheritance. 39 Aiid they 
 caught him, and call him out of the vineyard, aud 
 flewAj7«. 
 
 In this parable, God compares the Jewilh ciivrrch to a virU' 
 yard; himfclfto an houlholder : his planting, pruning, and 
 fencing his vineyard, denotes his care to furniih his church 
 with all needful helps and means, to make it t'piritually frii?t- 
 ful. Hh li'ttiMg it out tohulhandmen, ligiiifies his committing 
 the care of his church to the priefts and Levites, the pabhc 
 p.iftors and governors of his church. His fervants are the 
 prophets and anoftles, wh im he fent from time to time, 
 to admonifli theai to bring form fruit aiifwerable to the 
 
 coll 
 
Cmap. XX a. 
 
 St. M a T T U K W* 
 
 .8; 
 
 soft which God haJ expended on theiii. His Son is Jefus 
 Chrift, whom the rulers of the Jewiftchurh flew and mur- 
 dered. The Icppeof the parable is to dilcover to the Jews, 
 particularly to the Pharilecs, their obftinate impenitency 
 Uiider all means, their bloody cruelty to the prophets of 
 God, their tremendous guilt, in crucifyiiv{^ the Son of God ; 
 for all which, God would unchurch them finally, and ruin 
 their nation, and fet up a church among the Gentiles, that 
 fliould bring forth better fruit than the Jewifli church ever 
 did. From the whole, note, i. That the church , God's 
 vineyard, is exceeding dear and precious to the planteraiid 
 t^wner of it. 2. As duar as God's vineyard is unto him, in 
 cafe of barrcnnefs and unfruitfulnefs, it is in great danger 
 of bcinu;deftr()yed and laid wafte by hira. 3. '1 hat the only 
 way and courfe to engage God'scare over his vineyard, and 
 to prevent his giving it to other huftandmen, is to give hitn 
 the fruits of it. It is but a vineyard that God lets out, it is 
 no inheritance; no people ever had fo many promifes of God's 
 favour as the Jews had, or e%'er cnjoytd fo many privileges, 
 whilft they ftood in his favour, as the Jews did ; yet though 
 they were tlrft, enii the netural branches, they are broken off, 
 'and 'JieCintiUsflandhy faith, Lfi. Rom. xi. 20. 
 
 ■JO When the Lord therefore of the vineyard Com- 
 eth, what will he do unto thofe hufbandnien? 41 
 They fay unto him. He will miferably deflroy thofe 
 wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other 
 hufbandmen, which (hall render him the fruits in 
 their feafons. 
 
 Ohferve here, At the firft mentioning of the parable, the 
 Pharifees exprefs a bitter indignation againft fuch wicked 
 fervants, not confidering whac a dreadful fentence they had 
 pafll'don themfelves and their own nation. Little did they 
 think, that thereby they condemned theirtempletobeburnt, 
 their city to be deftrftyed, their country to be ruined ; 'but 
 in thefe words they vindicate God, condemn thenifelves, and 
 pwn the jufticc of God in infliding the fevered punifliments 
 on them. 
 
 42 Jefus faith unto them. Did ye never read in 
 the fcriptures, The ftonc which the builders rejefted, 
 the fame is become the head of the corner: this is 
 the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes ? 
 43 Therefore I fay unto you. The kingdom of God 
 Ihall be taken from you, and given to a nation bring-- 
 ing forth the fruits thereof. 
 
 ■ Which words arc the application that our Saviour m.-ikcs 
 of the for-'poing par,ible concerning the rinryard ; which 
 thechief priefls aiidPliarifeesdid not apprheend themfelves 
 to be concerned ia, till he brought the application of it hoirc 
 un-io thetn. Tbitefni (.1 fay unto you,\the kii-ii'hm of G'iiiJ]!aU 
 Oe tthen from you, ice. Note. 1. The greatcft mercy that 
 
 "God can beftcw upon any people, is his giving his kingdom 
 to them ; thatis, all gofpel ordinances, and church-privileges 
 leading to the kingdom of heaven. 2. Ohferve the terms 
 upon which God either gives or continues his kingdom to a 
 church and nation. And thatis, vponbrhigi. g fcrth the fruits 
 thereof. 3. That the greateft judgment v.hich can befal a 
 people, is the takingaway the kingdom of Gcd from them. 
 The kengdom of God. &c. 
 
 \\ And Whofoevcr rtiallfallon rhi;; flono fhall be 
 broken : but on whoinfoevcr it fhall {':ill, it will grind 
 him to powder. 
 
 Thefe words are taken out of the c:-.vii:th Pfalin, whicli 
 the Jewsunderfiood to be a prophecy of the Mefliah, and ac- 
 cordingly Chrift applies tliein to hinifclf. The church is the 
 building intended, Clirill himfelf the//o«(f rejected ; the re- 
 jeflers, dr the builders rt-je^iing, were ih.e heads of the Jew. 
 iik church ; that is, the chief priefts and Pharilees. (kd. 
 the great mafter-builder of his church, takes this precious 
 foundation-floite out of the rubbilh, and fets it in the heed of 
 the corner. Neverthelefs there are fomc who flumble at 
 this ftone. Some through ignorance, others through ma- 
 lice, ftumblc at his perfcn, at his doflrine, at his inflitutions : 
 thefe fl?allbc broken in pieces, ^c. That is, Chrift himfelf wil! 
 fall as a burthenfome flone upon all thefe that knowingly 
 and malicioufly oppofe him ; and particularly the Jews who 
 not only rejedled him, but perfecuted and deftroyed him.* 
 'i hus Chrift tells the chief priefts and Pharifees their owr» 
 particular doom, and alio declares what will be the fatal if- 
 fue of M that oppofition v^hich is njade againft himfejf ir.i 
 his church. It will terminate in that inevitable and irrepair- 
 hble deftruftion. Whcfotver fhall fall en this /lone, Kc. 'i'hac 
 is, "He that ftumbles on this ftone, while Chrift is here on 
 earth, being offended at his do^rine, life and miracles, fljall 
 be broken by his fall upon it ; as the perfon ftor.ed is by the 
 Iharp ftone which he falls upon- But he on whom this ftone 
 fhall fall, when Chriftjs elevated to his throne of gjprj', fliall 
 be more violently fliattered by it, as is the perfon ftcned'by 
 the great ftone as big as two men can lift, thrown dowrf 
 violently upon his brcaft." ' ' 
 
 4^r^ And when the chief priefts and Pharifees had 
 heard his parables, they perceived he fpake of them. 
 ^6 But when they fought to lay hands on him, they 
 feared the multitude, becaufe they took him for a 
 prophet. 
 
 When the chief priefts came to underftand that thefeps- 
 rables were all applied to them, that they \\eTtt\iemurderer>t 
 of the king's fan, that they were the builders that rijefledikc 
 chif^f corner ftf/ne , they were enraged at the dole application 
 made to themfelves ; and had not fear reftrained them, wou'.d 
 have laid violent hands upon him. Learn thence, 1 hat no- 
 thing doth more provoke and exafperate unfound hypocrites, 
 than the particular application and clofe coming home of the 
 word of God unto their hearts and confciences. So Ioiit as 
 the truths of Cod are generally delivered, finners are eafy, 
 locking upon themfehes as unconcerned ; but when the 
 word of Cod comes clofe to thern, and fays. Thou art the, 
 wj«,this is thy witkedncfs; they are angry at the meffagc 
 ar.d rage at the meflenger. 
 
 • CHAP. xxir. 
 
 AND Jefus anfwered, and fpake unto them again 
 by parables, and faid, 2 Tlie kini,dom of heaven 
 is like unto a ctrtain king which made a marriage for 
 his fon, 3 And fent forth his fervants to call them 
 that were bidden to the wedding : and they would 
 not come. 4 Again he fent forth other frrvaHts, fay- 
 ing. 
 
 L2 
 
h 
 
 St. y ATT I^ E \r. 
 
 dlMV. >tnii 
 
 inT, Tell thim w^icHarc biidin, B"hoH', I hire ptt- 
 parjclniy dinner: my oxen aaimj^.fatlin^s .i?" kiilel. 
 and all things are read/ : con^ unto the marria 'e. 5 
 But they mide li fht of it, Ani went th.ir ways, oni 
 to his farm, and another to his m^rchan^iz^ : 6 AnJ 
 the rjmnant tajk his fervants, an! entreated them 
 ftjit'fu^'y, ixnd Hew ti'icm. 7 Bat when t!ie kin,' heard 
 thtreoF,h-i was wroth: and he fen t forth his armies, 
 and djilroyed thofe murderers, and burnt up th^ir ci- 
 ty. 8 Then he faith to his fervants, The wedding is 
 ready, but they which were bidden, were not worthy. 
 9 Go ye therefore into the hi;^hways, and as m\ny 
 as ye fh ill find, bid to the marriage, f.6 So thole fer- 
 vants went out into the high-wdys, and ;;jathered toge- 
 ther all, as many as they found, both bad and good ; 
 and thi weddinT was furnifhed vrith i^uefls. 11 5 
 And, when the kin^ came in to fee the guefts, he faw 
 there a man which had not oh a wedlin^-^arment : 
 12 .\nd he faith unto him, Friend, how cameftthou in 
 hither, not havin^ a wediin^-i^armcnt ? and he was 
 fpeechlefs. 13 Then faid the kin ^ to his fervants. 
 Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, andcafl 
 hint into utter darknefs : there Qiall be ^^eepinj and 
 gnafliing of teeth. 
 
 The defign and fcope of this parable of tlie marriage fup* 
 per, is to fet forth that gracious offer of mercy and fdlvatiou* 
 which was maJe by Godin a:id ihroagh the preaching of the 
 golpel to the cli rch oftlie Jews. I'he gofpel is herecom- 
 pared to a feafi, bfcaufe in a feaft th^re is pleiity, variety, 
 and dainties. Alfo to ^ marriage- fefl , bein^ full ofjoy, 
 delight, anil pleafure. And tda marritgt—feajl made by a 
 king, as being full offtate, magnificence and grandeur. Tb 
 this iti;!rriag£;fe'slft. or gofpc'l fiippcr, alihijrlit'y GoU Invited 
 the church of the Jews ; and the/Jn/Jw/r fent forth tb iti. 
 vite them, were the prophets and apoftles in general, and 
 John the Baf.tifl inparticul ir, whom they entreat*!dfpittful- 
 ly, and (lew. The making light of the im<itatiin, fignifi s the 
 generality of "he Jewsrefulal, and carelefs contempt of the 
 i/fiers of grace in the gofpel. By the armirs which Godftnt 
 f':'-:h to diflroy thofe murderers, are meant the Rom.in foloi- 
 ers, who iTpoiled and laid wafte the city of Jcrufalem, and 
 were the fevere executioners of God's wrath and Judgrtient 
 upon th- wicked Jews. The A/^AwJ'vr fignify the defpifed 
 Gentiles, who, upon the Jews refufjl, were invited to this 
 fupper, and prevailed v, ith to come in. The k'.nq' s coming 
 inn fee his s^iiejls, denotes that infpeiftion which Chrift m ikcs 
 Jntohis church »n the times of the gofpti. By \\icman-Mitb- 
 o-utihe xuedSng garment , u^identind Inch as are dettitute of 
 true grace and real hoiinels, both in heart and life, fn the 
 exiiniiiation of him, Chrill fiys Friend, hw rameji thou it 
 h'lther ? not, Friends, wiiycnme ye along with him .' Teach 
 :ng UJ, th.it if unlVoty'pei-lons will prefs into the Lord's fxip- 
 per, the Tin h theirs ; but if we come not, hecaiife iH^y v.-fll 
 ^onie, the fin is ours. 1 he prefence of an unholy perfon at 
 the Lord's table, ought not to difcourage us from ou du'y, 
 or canfe us t.^ turn oir back upon that ordinance. Ihe 
 command to bind the Uiujuahficd pei ftai hand ana foot, urJ 
 
 ti ciA */'•« fnti tiil-r iv^hff^ p'ii lif mt'mtiri^, Hia' the ciriJ 
 ditiJH of lu-'i p'*r!')Tt, is I J'' Mil l.-r tlic liir \r .-„ij ^jij ly 5(19' 
 l.oerty of ttii" ;» ifp'], b'ft w^!k n >t nrifveri >!/ to their pro- 
 ff (lion, I.S dcplonblV- fid and doleful : '( hey not o<ly iiicuP 
 d imivition, bVit n* d .r» utioii l.k? it. Biitd him hand and fitt 
 and cnjt himintt uttr durkn'f's. From the whole, n-) e 1, 
 1 h:it ihe gilp'li for its freenels a-ifi fiilnefs, fui- its vjr etici 
 and deticmes, is like \ mirrrjg.-luppr. %. I'hat n-ofptl^ 
 invita ions art lirghily diie(Uenv«;d. 3 ThatthepreTtrencfl 
 which th* world has in mn/s c(ttTin isj J^i»at c^nle ofthfr 
 gofpel's conteiDpf. 7/vj> w m, on, n hii fttrnt. nrJ anorh^y 
 to his merchaHditf. 4. I'hit lac'n as are cirelef. m the diy 
 of urac*, (hail untloubredly be fptcchlef!,in the d.iy cifjad*.* 
 ifttnt. 5. 1 hat Chriil ukes a imur p«rticnlar>«iice ofevft** 
 ^y ftuelt that cometh to his royul (Upper, iliaii any of hit 
 ininltcrs do it>ke, or tin taks Ther-,- -x ss bft: OnS perfotl 
 without ih* wedd ng garment, and hv falls «r«er the (rfi 
 and view of Chrid 6 1 hat ft Ijika foffitfCrtr ihit Wb cdMfj 
 but clothed we mult be bef. re we 'cothfe, if ever '.•/« Wpt€l 
 a grcioUs welcome to Chrift'^. Iiipptr; clothpiJ iiith lince- 
 rity, clofhed with humility, cli)tlifii uith loi-e and ch&rwy; 
 if we be not thus clothed wcfliafi appear naked^o^ur ttjairft' 
 and hear that dreadful ch.iTge, €ind himbutuiun'Xf^op^ani 
 Cti// hifTii'tOj Sic. Seef^ukexiv. }j., ,, 
 
 14 For raany arc calle<i, but tew are chorea. 
 
 This is our bkflld Sax ioiir'j application of tlii: foregoing 
 panible to ilie Jews ; he tells theBi,ihat'ihany tirthem, in* 
 deed afl'bfthem Wtfre c'aHed ; th-it ri?,'WvTted''fo the gofpA 
 fupper but with few, very few of them, was foUftd that fw- 
 cere faith, and that (ound repmtanre, whldi doth accompany 
 falvation. Lcurn thence, 1 hat amongll the muhitodc of 
 thofe that are called by the gofpel unto holir.efs and obedr. 
 ence, few, verv few coiiiparativel)*, do obey that call and 
 (hall he eternal! V fa ved, 
 
 15 9 Then went the Pharifees, and took counfttl 
 how they mi^ht entangle him in kis talk. 16 And 
 they fent but ilnto hiiti their difclples, with the H'e- 
 rodians, faying, Mafter, we know that thou art true, 
 and teacheft the way of God in truth, fteithe!r careft 
 thou for any man : for thrm regtirdeft not the perfdfc 
 of men. ly Tell Us tliercfbre, What thinkeft thou f 
 Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caefar, or not ? Butt 
 Jefiis perceived their wickediKfs, and laid, Wliy 
 tempt ye me, ye hypocrites ? 19 Shew me the tribute- 
 money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 
 And he faith unto them, V/hofe is this imai^e and 
 fuperfcription ? 21 They fay unto him, Caefar's. 
 Then faith he unto tliem, Render therefore unto 
 Cscl^ir the thinj;s which are C^far's, and unto God 
 the things that are God's. 42 When they had heartS 
 ihffe words, they marvelled, and Idt him, and wedt 
 their way. 
 
 Here we have another new defign trfentaigle our hfelTed 
 Saviour in hiv difcourfe. \Vhe\e of'/'rrv; , i. J he perfons 
 employed to pit the enfnar'ng qn''(lion 'o our Saviour ; 
 namely, r hi' i/tes .ind Herodu/nt. The rhari(ees were.iaiin(l 
 payintT tribute to Csefar, loiking upon iheinlelves as a fr e 
 people, and the emperor as a;i ufu.per. But the Mtrodians 
 
 were 
 
Gaa*. i«<i^. 
 
 St. MATTHEW 
 
 «5 
 
 <ttte ftn' it.' he^oJ being tnnia %f the Rom in emperor 
 king iff f!ie Jf'ws, wS^ zcaloa'! for linving the JewspiV 
 irilnue to Cxi'ir, an.l luih of the Jews as ildeJ with hi n, 
 iiid particularly li^s co.iniers and t'avoiir;t--s, werecilled 
 Herodians. 2. I'he policy and wkkej craft here iifid, in 
 t'liiilDNing tfiel'e i*\u con'rary iect-, lo pur the q lell on lo 
 ou • Savitrur concerninj tribute : thcrebv Ijying liim under 
 a nccelfity ^as they hoped) to offend one fide, let hiiw anf^'ir 
 how he would if, topl-afe the IMnnfees, he denied pay 
 Ing tribute to Cxfar, then he is accufed of feel'iion ; if, to 
 
 Era.ify th: Herodians, he voted tor paying tribute, then he 
 looked np'Mi as an enemy to the liberty of ius cou:Hry,and 
 txpofed to .1 popuhr cdiuni. It has been the old policy of 
 Satan and his inllruments, to draw the tninilters of God in- 
 to diflike, cither witu the ma^iltr.ites or with the people, 
 that they may either fall under the cenfurc of the one, or 
 che dilpleafure of the otiier. ■j. Wiih \\h.it wifcJoni and 
 Cajjtion out Lord anfwers thein ; hf firlt calU for the tribute- 
 rtoney, which was the R^'inaii penny, anfwrriiig to feveti- 
 Jjence halfpenry oi our money, two of which they paid by 
 way of tribute, or poll-money, for every head to the ein- 
 peror. Chrill alks them, It^fnfl' i'na^e o'' fuperfrription their 
 coin bore? they anfwi r, Ctrof's. Render thin, fiys Chrift, 
 to C*fur ths things thcU are C*far''%. As if he had f.iid, " The 
 admitting of the Roman coin amongft you is a teftimony 
 <hat you are under fiibjeolion to the Roman emperor, be— 
 «anfe the coining and i:iipofiiig of money is an aCt of fover- 
 *igfl aarhority. Now voii h.ive owned Cjefar's authority 
 «vcr you, by accepting of hi. coin as current amonc;ft you ; 
 '■grve unto hiin his jult dues, and rerdcr unto Cafar, tic." 
 "Learn hence, That there was no truer paymjft'.'r of the 
 'kir1g;'s dues, than he that was Kmg of kings ; he preached 
 it, and he pnftifd it. As Ch.ilt is no enemy to the civil 
 rights of princes, and his religion exempts none from pay- 
 ing their civil durres ; (fo pnnces (hould be as careful not to 
 rob him of his divine honour, as he is not to wrong them 
 of their civil rights. As Chrift requires all his followers to 
 render unto Cafar the thiags that are Cxfar's, fo fhould 
 princes oblige all their fubjeits t'i renderur.to Cod the ihlngt 
 thtttare'GJ'i. * 
 
 23 1 The fame A^y came to him the Saddue^es, 
 which fay that there is no refurre£lion, and aflced him, 
 24 Sayiiivj, Mafler, Mofcs faid, Ifamaiidie, hav- 
 ing nochildren, his brother (hall marry his tvife, and 
 raife up feed unto his brother. 25 No'v there were 
 vrith us feven brethren, and the firft whinhehaH 
 •married a wife, deccafed, and havin.^ no ilTuc, left 
 •his wife unto his brother. 26 Likev/ife the feeond 
 <alfo, and the third unto the feventh. 87 And laft 
 uf all the woman diedalfo. 28 Therefore in t ho re - 
 furreaion whofe wife fliall fbe be of the feven? for 
 they all had her. 29 Jefus anfwered and faid imt>"> 
 them, Ye do err, not knowing the fcriptures, nor the 
 'f)ower of God. 30 For in the refarreftion they 
 neither marry, nor are ;^ivenin marriaire, but are as. 
 the angels of God in heaven. 31 But as touching 
 "the rcfurreaionofthe dead, have ve not read that 
 which was fpoken unto you by God, fayin^-, 32 I 
 
 am the God of Abraham, and the God of I faac, and 
 the God of Jacob ! God is not the God of tbj d:ad, 
 but of the liviii^. 33 .\\\1 when the raultitudj h3«r4 
 tills, they w_roailo:iiihcd at his do'Slrinc. 
 
 Our I'lefled Sav our having pu: the Phai ifees and Hero- 
 dians 10 lilence. next tlie S-idduci-ts encounitr him. 'I hi» 
 i'eit denied the imnortahiy of the I'sirl. and the refurrfi!licn 
 of the body ; and, as an obj' cj on agjinft both, they pro- 
 pound a cafe to our aviour, of a wom..n that hud feven 
 brethren rucceifivtly to her h^ftinds : th«y d mand, W'Ao/t 
 ■wife of the I even this rjoman fhall hf- at thf rifur'efrirjn .' A« 
 if th-y had fjid, " If there be a rt Turreclion o' bodies, fure- 
 ly thtre will be a refurrection of rel.tions too, and the 
 Mher world will be like this, in which men will marry as 
 here. Aud if fo, whofe wife of ilie feven Ihall this woman 
 be, they all ha\ing an equ.d claim to her?" >.^o-.v our 
 Saviour, for refolving of ihi.- qucftiwn. 1. Shews the dif- 
 ferent ftate of men in thii world, and m the other world. 
 The chitdien ofthisiwrld, fays Chrift, tna-ry, and eireghun 
 in inarriage, but in the rejwre^ion Ihey do neither. As it our 
 Lord had faid, " After menhavelivcd a while in this world, 
 they die, and therefore marriage is neceffary, to maintain 
 a fuccelfion of mankiod ; but in the other world, men fliould 
 become iiiniortal, and live for ever ; and then the realon 
 of marriage will wholly ceafe. For when men c:in die no 
 •more, there will be no need of any new fiipplies of man- 
 kind." 2. Our Saviour hiving got clejr of the oadducecs 
 objection, hy taking away the ground and foundation of it, 
 he produceth an aiginientfor a proof of the foul's imnioi- 
 t.dity, and the body's refurredtion. 'Thus, " 'Ihofe to 
 whom Almighty God pronounced himfclf a God, arc alive ; 
 but God pronounced himlelf a Cod to Abraham, Ifaac, and 
 Jacob, many hundred years after their bodies were dead ; 
 therefore their fouls are yet alive, faederaliy alive unto God : 
 Their cowenan': relation lives ftiil, othcrwife. Cod could 
 not be their Gotl ; for he is not tht Cod nfihe deud, but of 
 the living. If one relation fails, the other necelTarily tails 
 with it ; if God be their God, then certainly thty are in 
 being, fur Cod is rot the God of ihs di-ad ; that is, of thole 
 that are utterly pertlh?d. Therefore itmuft need", be, that 
 al'hoUj^h their bodies be naturally dead, yet do their fouls 
 ft!! live, and their bixlies (hall aho live again at the r^fur- 
 redion of the juft." From the whole, ^o/e, i. That there 
 is no opinion foabfuixi. no error fo monlirous, that haviiKr 
 had a mother, will die for the lack of a nurfc. The beaflty 
 opinion of the mortality of the foul, and the annihilation of 
 the body, finds Sadducees toprofefs andpropogate it. 2. The 
 certainty of another life after this, in which men fhail be 
 eternally happ'/,or intolerably miferable, according as rhey 
 behaverhomlelveshere.tljoiighromemenlivelikebeafts they 
 Ihall not aie like them, nor ihall their laft end l)e like theirs. 
 ;{. That gl. 'rified faints, in the morning<if their refurreftion, 
 fliall i>e hke unto the glorious angtls : not like them in ef- 
 fence and. nature, but like them in :heir properties and dual- 
 ities, in holinefs andpunty, in imnortality and incorrupti- 
 biliiy, and in their manner of living ; they /hall no more 
 ftand in need of meat or drink thjii ilie angels do, but (h^ll 
 live the flue heavenly, irr>-Ti jrnl.inJinoiTUptible life that 
 the augih live. 4. That all thofi that are in coven.int'v.ith 
 God, whofe God the Lord is, their louls do immedi.,tply 
 pafs into glory, and their bodies at ihs reiurreclion lliall be 
 
 iuarers 
 
tC' 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap. xkm. 
 
 fhircrs in the fame happinefs with their fnuls. If God be 
 jiifl, the foul muft live, and the body miift rife ; for good 
 men muft be rewarded, and wicked nien puni.'hed : God will 
 I'loft certainly, fonie time or other, plentifully reward the 
 iio-hteou«, and punilh the evil djers, but this being not al- 
 ways doneinihis life, the jufticc of God requires it t« bedone 
 in the. next. 
 
 '• ^4 ^ Bv.t whcnthc Ph;iriftcs had heard that he had 
 ptitfhi; SaclJijccs to fiknce, they were gathcrcdtogc- 
 iher. 35 Then one of thcra,i:„/HV/ja;ff5 a lawyer, aflccd 
 him a qiicnion, tempting hinn, and fayini;, 36 Maf- 
 ler, which is the great commandment in the law ? 37 
 lel'us f.iid unto him. Thou lliah love the Lord thy 
 iiod with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with 
 al'I thy mind. 38 This is the firft andgreatcommand- 
 "mcnt. 39 And the fecond is like unto it, Thou fhalt 
 love thy neighbour as thyfelf. 40 On thefe two com- 
 mandments hang all the law and the prophets. 
 
 The Saddijcees being put by Chrift to filence, the Phari- 
 fecs again encounter him ; they Jend to him a lawyer, that 
 is one of their interpretors and expounders of the law of Mo- 
 .fes, who propounds this queftion to him, Which is the great 
 commandment e/ ihe lav) ? Our Saviour tells them, // is to 
 hve ihc Lorii'.-jitk all the htart, and 'xith all ihe foul, and -with 
 ^dlthc mind. That is, with all the powers, faculties, and 
 abilities of the foul, with the greateft meafure, and higheft 
 degrees of love. This is the fum and fubftance of the du- 
 -tics of the firft table, yfnd the fecond is lite unto it, not equal 
 with it, but like unto it. The duties of the fecond table 
 are of tlie fame authority, atid of the fame neceflity with the 
 firft. As a man cannot be faved without the love of God, 
 fo neither without the love of his neighbour. On thef tvio 
 cov^mondments hang all the lav) and the prophets : 1 hat is, 
 the whole duty of man, required by Mofcs and the prophets, 
 is cowipi ehcnded in, and may be reduced to thefc two heads 
 namelv, the love of God and our neighbour. From the 
 whole, ^•c/^, I. That the fervency of our affeftions, and par- 
 ticularly the fupremacy of our love, ij required by God as 
 hisrightanddue. Ixive muft pafs through, and poll'efs all the 
 powers and faculties of the foul ; the mind muft meditate 
 upnn God, the will muft chafe and embrace liim, and the 
 aifeftions muft take complacency and delight in him ; the 
 .meafure of loving God, is to love him without meafure. God 
 !,reckons that we love him not at all, if we love him not above 
 ♦ ^ll. I. We muft love him above M, aporeiiative, fo as 
 ' to prize him in our judgment and efteem above all, and 
 .before all things. 2. We are to love God above all things 
 cwJpiirutivp, prefering his favours above all things compa- 
 ratively hating whatever ftands in competition with him. 3. 
 We are to love God above all things intenfive. That is, our 
 longing defires ntuft run out after him, we muft pant and 
 thirit for the eiijoyment of him. 4. We muft love every 
 ih.ng in fubordination to God, and nothing co-ordinately, 
 or 'e(]i:aliy with God. N'jte 2. That thus to love God, is 
 t^ie firft and great commandment. Great, in regard of the 
 (Objcift, s\h:ch is God, the firft caufe, ami the thief good. 
 'Great, in regard of the obligation of it. To love God, is 
 To indifpenhble a command, that God hinifelf cannot free 
 us from the obligation of it ; for io long as he is God^ and 
 
 we his creatures, we (hall lie under a nitiiral and neccflary 
 obligation to love and fervc him. Great, in regard of the 
 duration of it, when f'uith fliall be fwallowed up in vifion, 
 and hope in fruition ; love will then be pertected in a full 
 enjoyment, t,. That every man may, yea, ought to love 
 himfelf, not his linful felf, but his natural felf, and efpe, 
 cialiy his fpiritual felf, the new nature in him. TlnsH 
 ought to be his particular care to encreale and ftrengthen. 
 Indeed there is no exprefs command in fcripture for a man 
 to love himfelf, becaufe the light of nature direfts, and thq 
 law ol nature binds and moves every min fo to do. Go<^ 
 has put a principle of felf love and cf felf-prefervation intq 
 all his creatures, bu: efpecially into man. 4. As every 
 man ought to love himfell, fo it is every man's duty to love 
 his neighh'.w as hiwfelf. i. Not as he does love himfelf, buf 
 as he ought to lovehimftlf. 2. Not in the fame degree an4 
 meafure that he loves himlelf, but after the fame manner, 
 and w ith the fame kind of love that he loves himfelf. As we 
 love ourlelves freely and readily, fmccrely and unfeignedly, 
 tenderlvand compalfionately, conftaiitly and perfeveringly j 
 fo Ihould we love our neighbour. Though we are not com- 
 manded to love our neighbour as much as we love ourfelve*. 
 yet we are commanded to love him like aswc loveourfelve^ 
 Laftly, That the duties of the firft and fecond tables arf 
 infeparable The love of God and our neighbour muft not 
 be parted, lie that kvetb n-it his neighbtur -jnhom be hath /teii, 
 ntv;r loved Cod whom he hath not feen. A confcientious re.- 
 gard to the duties of both tables, will be an arguincni of 
 our fincerity, and an ornament to our profefllon. Let it 
 then be our prayer ar.d daily endeavour, that uf may lave 
 the lord our Cod -with till our heart, and our neighbour as tur- 
 felves. For this is the fum of the law, and t.he fubftance of 
 the gofpel. 
 
 41? While the Pharifees were gathered together, 
 Jefusafkedthem, 42 SayingWhatthinkyeof Chrift ? 
 whofe fon is he ? They fay unto him, The f on of David. 
 43 He faith unto them, How then doth David in 
 fpirit call him Lord, faying, 44 The Lord faid unto 
 my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine 
 enemies thy footftool ? 45 If David then called him 
 Lord, how is he his fon ? 46 And no man was able 
 to anfwer him a word, neither durft any man from that 
 day forth afk him any more quefiims. 
 
 The Pharifees had otten put lorth fevcral queftions ma- 
 licioufly unto Chrift, and now Chrift puts forth one queftior. 
 innocently to them; nanielv, What they thought of the 
 MefTiah whom they expected ? They reply, that he was to 
 be the fon ofDcv'dji fecular prince defcendmg from David, 
 that fliould deliver them from the power of the Rowans, 
 and reftore them to their civil right'. This was the no- 
 tion they had of the Mefiiah. that he fhould be a man, fi^ 
 f'.n of David, and nothing more. Our Saviour replies. 
 Whence is it then that David calls the Mefliah Lard? 
 Pfal. cX. I. TkeLordfaidur.totnyl.ora: How could he be 
 both David's Lord, srd Davia's fon ? Nofon i* lord to his 
 father ; therefore, if Chrift v.ere David's fovereign, he 
 muft be more than man, more than David's fon. As man, 
 fohewas David's fon; a<^ God-man, lohe was David's Lord, 
 A'o/c hence, That although Chrift was truly and reaily man, 
 jct he was wore ihan a bare man ; he was Lord unto, 
 
 and 
 
Cha?. xxiii-» 
 
 SV. ^'M A T T H E W. 
 
 87 
 
 and was the falvation of his own forefathers. 2. That the 
 only way to reconcile the icriptures which fpeakconcernin}; 
 Chrift, is to believe and acknowledge him to he God and 
 man in one perlon. Ihc Melliali, is n man, was to come 
 forth out of David's loins, but as God-man he wjs Divid's 
 fovereign and faviour. As man. he was his father's fon ; 
 as God, he was lord to his own father. 
 
 CHAP. xxm. 
 
 THEN fpake Jefus to the multitude, and to his 
 difcipks, 2 Sayin^^.thcScribesandthePharifccs 
 fit in Mofes' feat. 3 All therefore whatfoever they 
 bid you obfcrve, Lhat obferve and do ; but do not yc 
 after their works : for they fay, and do not. 
 
 The Scribes and Pharifees, fo often mentioned in the 
 gofpels, were the great doc'iors and fpiritual guides amongft 
 the Jews. Scribe is the name of an office, Pharifee the name 
 of a feft. They were both learned in the law, and teach- 
 ers of the law of Mofes. Our Bleffed Saviour, in the for- 
 mer part of this gofpel, held many conferences with tlicfe 
 men, and ufed the moft perfuafive arguments to convince 
 thtiw both of their errors and wickednefs. But their ob- 
 ftinacy and malice being fuch, that neither our Saviour's 
 minillry nor miracles could convince them ; hereupon oar 
 Lord denounces in this chapter eight leveral woes againft 
 them. But firlt he charitably warns his difciples and the 
 multitude againft thepernicions praftices of this fort of men, 
 faying. The Scribes and Pharifessjlt in Mofes' s feat ; that is, 
 they teach and expound the law of Mofes, which they were 
 wont to do fitting : Whatfoever they bid you obferve, tkut oh- 
 f-rve and fio : that is,"\Vhr.t tiiey teach you confonant to 
 the word of God, and agreeable to the writings of Mofes 
 and the prophets ; if they go not out of Moles's chair into 
 their own unwritten traditions follow their doiftrine, and . 
 obey their precepts ; Btxf do not after thiir works; follow 
 not their example, take heed of their pride and hypocrify, 
 their ambition an-d vain glory. Obey their doftrine where- 
 iii it is found ; but follow not their example wherein it is 
 corrupt." Nzte, i. That the perlonal mifcarriages of 
 minifters muft by no means beget a dilefteem of their office 
 and miniftry Charity muft teach as to diftinguifli betwixt 
 the calling and the crime. 2. That the inf.illible truths of 
 God recommended to us by a vicious teacher, ought to be 
 entertained and obeyed by us, without either fcruple or 
 prejudice. Whav the Pharifees themfelves, fays Chrift, 
 bid you obferve, that obferve 4nJ do. 3. That no people 
 are obliged to follov/ th^ir teacher's pattern and example 
 any farther than it is agreeable to fcripture rule, and con- 
 formable to Chri(« example : Do not after their -jiorkr, -vho 
 fay, and do not. 
 
 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to 
 be borne, and lay tkem on mens Ihoulders ; but they 
 themfelves will not move them with one of their 
 finger:;. 
 
 Thefe heavy burdens which the Pharifees laid upon the 
 people; (houKlera, were counfels and direcbons, rules and 
 canons, auilerities and feventies, v. hich the Pharifees in- 
 troduced, and impofed upon tlieir hearers, but would net 
 undergo, the leall part of ihofe feverities themfelves. If 
 
 tve did not follow our oi^n cconfels, we muft rot think to 
 oblige our people to follow them. No man ought to prefs 
 upon others what he is unwilling to perform hinifelf. It is 
 very finful to give that counfsl toothers which we refufe 
 to take ourfelves. 
 
 5 But all their works they dofor to be feen of men. 
 They make broad their phyla6lerics, and enlarge the 
 borders of their garments, 6 And love the upper- 
 moft rooms at feafts, and the chief feats in the lyna- 
 gogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be 
 Called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 
 
 In thefe words our blefled Saviour admonifiieshis difciplcs 
 and the multitude to take heed of imitating the Pharifees 
 in their oftentation and hypocrify, in their ambition and 
 vain-glory ; and he inftances in three particulars wherein 
 they exprefled it : i. jlll their luorks , fays Chrift, they do 
 to bi feen of men. To do good works that men may fee 
 them, is a duty ; but to do all or ai.y of our works to be 
 I'een of men, is hypocrify. 2. Thty make broad their phy. 
 latteries, and enlargethe borders of 'jf thtir garnunts. Thefe 
 phyladeries were certain ftroUs and labels of parchment, 
 in which were written the ten commandments, and feme 
 fecTJons of the law ; thefe they tied upon their foreheads, 
 and- pinned upon their left fleeve, thai the law of God might 
 be continually before their eyes, and perpetually in their 
 remembrance. This ceremony they judged God prefcribcd 
 them, Deut. vi. 8. Thoufialt hind them fr a fign up.n thine 
 land, and they fhall he as Jror.tlcts upon thine eyes. By en- 
 larging the borders of their garments, our Saviour points 
 at the fringes and blue ribbons which the Jews did wear 
 upon their garments, in obedience to the command, Numb. 
 xr. 37,38. As the threads in thole fringes and ribbons 
 clofe woven together, did repreicnt the connexion, com- 
 plication, and infeparable conjunction of God's conmiand- 
 ments among themfelves ; fo the wearing of thefe fringes 
 was to put them in mind of the laws of God ; that whicli 
 way foever they turned their eyes,, they might meet fome 
 pious admonition to keep the law of God. The vain- glorious 
 Pharifees, that they might be thought more mindful of 
 the law of God than other men, did make their phylac'te- 
 ries broader, an«l their fringes thicker and longer than 
 other men. 3. They fondly afFecled, and ainbitioufly 
 contended for the lirft and uppermoft feats in all conventions, 
 as at feafts, and in the fynagogues, and loved to tc re- 
 fpeftfully falutetf in open and public places, and to hav« 
 titles of honour, fuch as Rabbi, Pilaflcr, Father, ard DoHoi-, 
 put upon them. Now that which our Saviou.'-condtnin', is 
 the Pharifees fond afFeftion of thefe litilc things, and un- 
 duly feekingtheir own honour and glory. It wasnottheir 
 taking, but thetr loving the uppermojt roan, at ferfts, that 
 ChrilT condemns. From the whojs riote, i. That hypo- 
 crites are fond of affecting ceremonial obfervations, and 
 outward parts of commanded duties, negieftiivj the liib- 
 ftance of religion itfelf. Thel'e Pharifees were lor carry- 
 ing a library of God's law on thfir clotlies, fcarcc i leitjr 
 of it in their hearts. They wore the lawofGod, zsfri^r.tUts, 
 before their eyes, but not engraven on the tables of their 
 hearts. 2. That the nature of hypocrjiy, is to ftudy more 
 to feem religious in the fight of men, than. to be religioUj^ 
 indeed, before Cod, The hypocriie is the world's faiui 
 
 ar.ti^ 
 
88 
 
 St. MATTHEW, 
 
 CuAV XXllti 
 
 n"d not God's : he courts the worlds acceptation more than 
 thedivine favour ami approb-ttioii. 
 
 8 But be not ye called Rabbi : for one is your 
 Maftcr, cvai Chiill : and all yc arc brethren. 9 And 
 call no. man )our father upon the earth : for one is 
 your Father which is in heaven. 10 Neither be yc 
 called miiflcLS : for one is your Mailer, even Chrift. 
 1 1 'But he that is greatefl. among you fhall be your 
 fervant. 12 And wholbever Hiali exalt himfclf ftiall 
 be abafed ; and he that fliall humble himfclf IhaH 
 be exalted. 
 
 The word Rd'ht, (ignifies a //o/f7or or tcachrr, eminently 
 endowed wirh variety of knowledgs. whole place '.t was to 
 fit ill an exslrcd chair, or chief feat in the fynagogue ; their 
 difciples and fcholars fat upon lower forms at the feet of 
 their teachers. Our Saviour doth not fiiiiply condemn the 
 oiving or receiving of thefe titles of Rabbi, Mafler, and 
 7'a!her ; but the things forbidden are, i. A vain glorious 
 afflftatlon of luch titles as thefe, the ambitious feeking of 
 them, and glorying in them. ^. He condemns that autho- 
 rity and dominion over the confciences of men, which the 
 Pharifaical doftors had ufurped , telling the people, that 
 they ought to believe all their doftrines, and practife all 
 their irjun^ftions, as the commands of the living God. — 
 They did in efFeft affume infallibility to themfelves.— Lfarn 
 hence, i. That there have been in all ages in the church, 
 a fort of teachers, w ho have ufurped authority and dominion 
 over the faith and confciences of men. l. That chriftians 
 ought not to fubmit their faith and confciences in matters 
 of religion to any human authority whatfoever, nor to give 
 up themfelves abfohitely to the conduft of any man's judg- 
 ment or opinion in matters of faith. 3. That Chrill alone, 
 the great prophet and intallible teacher of his church, is 
 the only perfon to whofe doctrine and precepts we oweab- 
 folute faith and obedience : One is your Majfer, even ChrUL 
 4. As God will abafe, and men will defpife the proud, efpe- 
 cially minifters who are fuch ; fo fliall God exalt, and men 
 will honour them that ftoop to the meaneft fervices for the 
 good of fouls : H'hnfo exalteth himjelfjhall he abafed. This 
 was a fentence often ufed by our Saviour, and was a fre- 
 quent laying among the Jews. 
 
 135 But WO unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hy- 
 pocrites ; for ye fhut up the kingdom of heaven 
 againft men : for ye neither go in ymrfelves, neither 
 fufiFer ye them that are entering to go in. 
 
 From the thirteenth verfe to the thirtieth, the Pharfees 
 have eight feveral woes denounced againfl them by our Sa- 
 viour : the firft is, for perverting the fcriptures, and keep- 
 ing the true fenfe and knowledge of them from the people. 
 This St. Matthew calls the /hulling up tkekingdom of heaven 
 ttgainjl men. St. Luke calls it, /I taking avjay the key of 
 knowledge Jrom we«, which is an allufion to a known cuftom 
 among the Jews in admiflion of their doftors ; for thofe 
 that had authority given the.Ti to Tnterpret the law and the 
 prophets, were folemnly admitted into that office, by deli- 
 vering to tht-ni a key and a table-book. So that by the key 
 
 of kno* If djf^e, ii aieant the interpretation and underftandiiig 
 of the fti ipiures ; and by taking away the Ly uj kna-^leilge^ 
 is iij;nifitd, i. That they arrogated to themfelves aloivs 
 the underlbndingof the fcripturts. 2. That they kept the 
 true knowledge of the fripturcs from the people, cfpecially 
 the prophecies concerning the Meliias, and fo they hinder- 
 ed men from embracing our Saviour's dodrinc, who were 
 others iie well cnougli.lifpofed for it. /,<w« hence, i. Th.at 
 the knowledge of the holy fcriptiwcs, is abfolutely and in- 
 difptnfably ncctflaryin onlertofalvatioii. "1 his our Saviour 
 calls the iity, which lets men into the kingdom ot heaven. 2. 
 That great is the guilt, and inexcufable the tiiAt of thofe 
 who deprive the people of theknowledj^c of the fcriiMures, 
 They/kut the kingdom »f 'heaven egainflmefi, and do what io 
 them lies, .to hinder their eternal fadvat'rtm. Men may nttf- 
 curry with their knowledge, but they are furc to perifli for 
 want of knoAledge. 
 
 1 4 Wo unto you Scribes «nd Pharifees, hypocrites; 
 for ye devour widows houfes, and for a pretence make 
 long prayers ; therefore ye fliall receive the greater 
 damnation. 
 
 The fecond woe denounced againft the PharrFecs, is for 
 their grofs hypocrify, in colouring over their covetoufnefs 
 with a pretence of religion ; making long prayers in the 
 temple and fynagogues for widows, and thereupon pcrfuad- 
 ing them to give bountifully to the corban, or the common 
 treafure of the temple, fome part of ■which was employed for 
 their maintenance. Lcam, i . It is no nev/ thing for defign- 
 ing hypocrites to cover the fouled tranfgreflions with the 
 cloke of religion. The Pharifees made long prayers a co- 
 ver for their covetoufnefs. z. That to make u(c of religion 
 in policy, for worldly advantage fake, is the way to be(Jam- 
 ned with a vengeance for religion fake : IVountoyou/cribeT, 
 &c. 
 
 15 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hypocritesJ 
 for ye compafs lea and land to make one profelyte. 
 and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the 
 child of hell than yourfelves. 
 
 The next wo denounced, is for their falfe-ended zeal and 
 earneftnefs in profelyting heathens to the Jewifhrehgion ; 
 not wirh 1 pious intention to fave them, but to fer'e them- 
 felves upon them, to have their con(ciences and purfes un- 
 der their power ; and when you have poifoned rhem, fays 
 our Saviour, by your corrupt duflrine, and hardened them 
 in a courfe of (in, by your wicked example, they are more 
 tb* children of hell than hefve you prattifed^ upon I hem. 
 Learn, i. Great is the diligi-nce, and indefatigable the iti- 
 duflry which falfc te3ch■er.^ life in gaining profylitts to»heir 
 opinion and party: they ronip-jfs J'ea and land to make on: 
 profelyte. z. Ihatfuchasproftlyted into error, areofttimes 
 fader riveted in their own opinions, than their teachers 
 themfelves : they are t77ade two-fold itiore the children of hell 
 thanyourfelve%. 
 
 16 Wo xmto you, ye blii:d guides, which fay, 
 Whofoever fhall iWcar by the temple, it is nothing ; 
 but whofoever fliall fwear by the gold of the temple, 
 
CoATi xxrtt> 
 
 St. ' M A T T H E W. 
 
 So 
 
 lielj^ii' debtor. *7' Ye fooJs, and blind: for tvhethcr 
 
 is greater, the gold, or the temple that fanftifieth the 
 
 gold? 18 AndH-hofoeVL^r fliall fwear by the altar, it 
 
 is nothing ; but wlioloever f-.vcareth by the gift that 
 
 is upon it, he is guilty, ig Ve fools, and blind: for 
 
 whether is greater, t^ic gift, or the altar that fanftifi- 
 
 eth the gift ? 20 Whafo therefore fliall fwear by tlis greatcft, in obedience to the conjmand of God. 77 yi? /y^:'; 
 
 altar, fweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 2 1 ""i^'fy" lo l^inje dene, nnJint to have tkcc'her uvd'ir.!. 
 
 And whofo fliall Avcar by the temple, fwcaretb hy it, 25 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifces, hypocrites- 
 
 and by him that dwellcth therein. 22 And he that for yc make clean ihe outfidc of the cup and of the 
 
 fliall fwear by heaven, fwearetii by the throne of God, platter, but within they are full of extortion and ex- 
 
 pflaces it Icaft. r^ title mint, &:c. h:it mg/.-^ theu-eidtiir -nat ■ 
 ttrsefthe law. This is iiulerd the banc of all religion and trt:a 
 pisty, to prefer riiunl and human inlHuiiioiv-, before divin- 
 commands, and the pradlico of natural reii^iun. Thiistodo. 
 IS a certain (ign oFgrofs hypocrify. 2. Tliat although fomt; 
 duties arc of greater moment than others, yet a good man W\\\ 
 omit noiie, but perform every duty, tiie Icalt ur; w.U aa tht 
 
 and by him that fitteth thereon 
 
 The fourth wo whic)) our Sav.iour dcnounceth againft the 
 Plinrifees, is for their falfe and erroneous dodlnnc cpncer ning 
 oaths. I. They taught men to fwcir by the cr^-atures. 2. They 
 taught that fomc oaths made by the creatures were obligatory 
 and binding.others not. Particularly,they affirmed, that ijaman 
 fxvtar by the icmplt,sr tke altar, it is netting ; that ir, he was not 
 bound by fuch an oath: but if a man fiueor by the gold cf the tem- 
 ple and the nitar \ that is, by the gifts offered to the corban, or 
 treafury of the temple, and by the facrificcs and oblations on 
 the altar ; fuch an oath they aflirmed was binding, bccaufe it 
 was for their profitj that the gifts on the altar, and the jjcld 
 brought into the treafury (hould be accounted molt hdy, Tte- 
 ing that would encourage the people to bcmore ready to con- 
 tribute and offer. This horrid hypocrify and covetoufnefsour 
 blefTcd Saviour here iharply reproves, and fhews, that oaths 
 made by the creatures, though unlawful, yet being once made, 
 <lid oblige, as if the parties nadfworn by i3od himfelf. For he 
 that fwears by the temple, fwears by it and him that dwelleth 
 therein. Learn, i. That fwearingby the creatures, is nonev/- 
 fin but asoldasthePharifees. 2. Thatfwearing by thecreatures 
 is a great profanation of the name of God, and a mighty pro- 
 vocation to him. 3. That this notwithitanding, if the matter 
 of fuch oaths be not flnful, they arc obligatory and binding. 
 He that fweareth by the creatures, fweareth by'lhe God of the 
 creatures: For, fays our Saviour, ke that j"veareth by the hea- 
 lent, fweareth by the throne ofGcd, afidhy him that fitteth there- 
 on. 
 
 ?3 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hypo- 
 crites ; for ye pay tithe of mint, and anife, and cum- 
 min, and have omitted the weightier matters of the 
 law, judgment, mercy, and faith : thefc ought ye to 
 have done, and not to leave the other undone.* '"!?4 
 Ye blind guides, which ftrain at a gnat, and fwanciw 
 a camel. 
 
 The next wo denounced,' is for tlie Pharifces oflentation of 
 a precife keeping of the law in fmaller matters, and negleift- 
 jngwett^hticr duties: They paid tithe ofrr.ittt, anifcx nr.d cummir.-^ 
 but at tJiefame naz,cmilted j".dgrient, nircy, and faith; that i<:, 
 jtifldcaling with n^.en, charity tOwardsthef pc-or.and faithfulncfs 
 m their promifes and coVenatirs, one with another. TIm's, fays 
 Our Saviour, is tofirnin at a fnat, and tofwaUow a camel. A 
 
 proverbial expre 
 great nicenefs an 
 
 flion, intimating, that fome perlons pretend 
 d fcru-pulcfity about fm.ill matters, and none, 
 or but lit:lc about duties of the greatcft mMiicrf. Hence ;ttfe, 
 I. That hypocrites lay thegreateft (Ircfs upon the Icaft matters 
 in religion, and place- hclincfs moft Li thofc things wh«TC God 
 
 cefs. 26 r/^ra blind Pharifce, cleanfefirft that zvhicf: 
 is within the cup and platter, that the outfide of 
 them may be clean alfo. 
 
 Our Saviour doth not here condemntheirJcgal or tradition- 
 al walhing of pots and cups, or any external decency and 
 cleanlinefs in converfation : But his defign isto fhew therathe 
 vanity of outward purity, without inward fan£lity, andtocon- 
 vincc them of the neceflity of deanfmg the heart, in order to 
 the purifying and reforming the life: Plainly intimating, t. 
 That mens lives could not be 10 bad, if their hearts were not 
 worfe, all the obliquity of tlieir lives proceeding from the im- 
 purity of their hearts and natures. 2. That an holy heart will 
 be accompanied with an holy life. A man may be outwardly 
 pure, and yet inwardly fihhy; but he that has a pure heart, will 
 live a pure and holy life. Cleanfe that which is within the cuf, 
 that tke autfide may be clean alfo. 
 
 27 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites; 
 for ye are like unto whited fepulchres, which indeed 
 appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead 
 rrum bones, and of all uncleannefs. 28 Even fo ye al- 
 fo outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within 
 ye are full of hypocrify and iniquity. 
 
 Here we have a wo denounced againfl the Pharifees for 
 cheating and deceiving the people with an outward fhew, an 
 external appearance of piety and religion : Their lives v/crc 
 feemingly very religious, but their hearts were full of hypoc- 
 rify and all impurity, like fepulchres painted without, and full 
 of rottennefs within. Whence learn. That the great dellgn 
 of hypocrify, is to cheat the v/orld with avainand empty fhew 
 of piety. The ambition of the hypocrite istobethoughtgood, 
 not to be fo ; he is the v/orld's faint, not God's. 
 
 •29 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites; 
 becaufc yc build the tombs of the prophets, and gar- 
 nilhthe Icpulchres of the righteous, 30 And fay, If 
 we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not 
 have been partakers with them in the blood of thcpro- 
 phets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnefles unto yourlelvcs 
 that ye are the children of them which killed the pro- 
 phets. 32 Fillyeup then the meafure of your fathers. 
 33 Ye ferpents. ye generation of vipers, how can ye 
 efcape the damnation of hell ' 
 
 1 his is theeighth wot'enoinctdbycurHercdSavieuragair.ft 
 the Pharifees for their grand hypocrify, in pretending great 
 honour tothc fain^tlcpufted, building their tombs, and garnift- 
 
 M 
 
90 
 
 Sr. MATTHEW. 
 
 Ctf-Ar. KXIIIi 
 
 ing tliolr fepulchr?*, anddcclarinj their fathers impiety, That 
 hrJ thev lived in thcr tiiiyt, /!:/■)• icnild not hav: hen parJakcrS 
 iiilh them in the hhod of the prophets. Now their hy pocrify.ap- 
 pcared in three particulars, i. In that they continued in thtir 
 own wickednefs, and yet rccominendcd the faints departed ; 
 they magnify the faints, but multiply their (ins, and inilead of 
 imitating their virtues, they content themfclves with ganiilh- 
 JMi^ their fepukhrcs. 2. In profe/Iin^ {;rcat refpeS to the dead 
 flints, and at the fame tiiix parfocuting the living. Palpable 
 hvpocrify! and yet, as grofs as it is, it prevails to this dav 
 The church of Rome, who magnify martyrs, and canonize 
 faints departed, have yet added to their numbers, by ffiediiinr' 
 of their blood. 3. In taking falfe meafurcs of their love to the 
 faints dep.irted, from their building their tombs, and garnini- 
 ing their fepukhrcs ; wliereasthebeft evidence of our love un- 
 tothem, is the imitatingtheir virtues, and cherifliing their fol- , 
 lowers. 1 1 is grofs hvpocrify 1(5 pay refpcfl to the relics of faints 
 unA ven;raiion to their images; and iit the fame time to per- 
 fjcutc and afflicl their followers. Learn\\cncc, i. Thai the 
 \.'oild all along loved the dead flints better than the living ones, 
 Mirfui r.tn mordent. The dead faints example, how bright 
 locver, is not fcorching and troublcfomeat .1 diftance ; and he 
 himfclf no longer fland.s in othcrmens light; whereasthcliv- 
 fng faints example is a cutting reproof to fin and vice. 2. 
 That there is a certain civility in human nature, which leads 
 men tc a juft commeni'.aiion of the dead, and to a due eilima- 
 tionof therr worth. The Tharifccs here, though they perfc- 
 iutcd the prophets whilft alive, yet, had they a mighty venera- 
 tion for their piety and virtue after they were dead,. and thought 
 no honour too great to be done unto them. 3. That it is the 
 grofiell hypocrify to pictcml to love goodncfs.and yet hate and 
 perfecute i^ooil men. Thefc hypocriiical Pharifees pretended 
 liighiy to piety and religion, and at the fame time killed the 
 prophets, and (loncd them that were fcnt untothem. 4. That- 
 tl;e higheft honour we can pay to the faints departed, is not by 
 raifmg monuments and building tombs to their memory ; but 
 by a careful imitation of thtir piety and virtue, following the 
 holinefs of their liycs and their patience and conflancy at thuir 
 deaths. ' • ' '"'* ' 
 
 34 ^ Wherefore behold, I fend unto you prophets, 
 mid wife men, and fcribes : and^^>?w of them ye flaall 
 kill and crucify ; and fimt of them ye fiiall fcourgc 
 in yourfynagogucs, and pcrrecute.'^^m from city to ci- 
 *y • ?,fi Hi'it upon you may come all the ri;^hteon3 
 blood filed upon the earth, from the blood of righte- 
 ous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias the fon of Ba- 
 rachias, whom he ilcw between the temple and the al- 
 tar. 36 Verily I fay unto you, All thefc things (hall 
 come upon this generation, 
 
 NctehcTC, Aprophetical prcdidlion, anda ft;vcre denuncia- 
 tion. I. A prediiflion foretelling whatcruehifagc the apoflles 
 Ihould meet with from the Jews, killing, and crucifying fome, 
 fcourging, and ftoningothers ; which accordingly was fulfill- 
 ed in the crucifying of St. Peter, the fcourging of St. P.aul,in 
 the ftonjng of St. Stephen, and killing of Sn James. The firfl 
 planters and propaoatois of the gofpti, feakd tlicir dodlrine 
 with their blood, and thcbhwd of tlie martyr.sh.is always been 
 the (ecd ofth-.- church. -2. A'feverc denunciation. That upon 
 ym may cfire all the righteous hlaodjht'd upon the earth from Abel 
 t:'lachariafthefi)<tofJrh-;a<ia,'i, Chion, X^v. 20. who was 
 
 the lall prophet ^Yhofc murder i*> Ttla\*J hf name in the Oli 
 Teflamcnt. Thefc words arc not ,to be undcrflooJ as if the 
 ends and intent of ChrilVs fending the pironhcts were, that the 
 Jews might put ihtm todeath, and bring their rightcousblood 
 upon themfclves. This was the confequencc and event of 
 their fending, but by no means the dcfign and int(nt of it. 
 Learn, i. That raging perfecutors have norcgardeithcr lothe 
 extraordinary miifion, or eminent fanftity of perfons who re- 
 provcthem fortheir fins. — I fend you pi cf-hets, Viy^our Saviour, 
 iijife men and fcribes, and fome of them ye jhall ViH and crucify. 2. 
 That as the piety of the pcrfonp, fo neither can the fan£\ity of 
 the place difcourage and deter bloodv perfecutors from their 
 rageand fury againft the prophets of God. I-n the tcmpleit- 
 fclf, in the court of thehoiifc ot the Lord,«rn tetu'ixt the porch 
 fl«i///'/ /7//<7r was Zacharias flain. That it is a righteous thing 
 with God to punifh good m.en for the impirtiesoftheirparents: 
 this is to be underftood, i. Where the children tread in their 
 parents f^epSj and continue in their parents fins; which they 
 do, if they , do hot confefs them, abhor them, and be humbled 
 for them. 2. This is to be undcrftood of temporal evils, not 
 of eternal punilhments. No man fhall for hisfather's fins lie 
 down in everlafling burnihgs. As our father's faith will not 
 let us into heaven, fo neither will their impiety fhut us into 
 hell. At the dav of judcmcnt, every nnan fliall be fcparatc!y 
 confidered. according to his deeds. 
 
 37 O Jertifaleni, ferufHleiii; tJiou thatkilleft the pro 
 phets, aiid ftoneft them which are fent'unio thee, how 
 often would I have gathered thy children together, 
 even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, 
 and ye would not. 38 Behold your houfe is left unto 
 you dcfolate. 39 For I fay uiuo you. Ye fliall not 
 ice me henceforth, till ye fliall fay, Blcflcd is he that 
 cometh in the name of the Lord. 
 
 Clirift concludes this chapter with a pathetical lamcntatio.n 
 over Jerufalem. His ingemination, or doubling of theword, 
 O 'Jerifakm, ycrufalem, (hews the vehcmcncy of liIs afteflion 
 towards them, and the fincerity of hisdefircs for their falvati- 
 on. Ohferve, i.The great kindnefsand compaflion ofChrift 
 to the Jews in gcner.il, and Jerufilem in particular, fet forth 
 hy a lively metaphor r.nd fimilitude ; that of an hen gatlcri^i^ 
 her chicken.! under her zvings. As the hendoth tenderly cherifh 
 .^nd carefully hide and cover her young from the eye of thede-i 
 ftroyer; fo would Chrifl have (hrouded and fiieltercd his pcc-< 
 pie from all thofe birds of prey, and particularly from the Ro- 
 man eagle, by whiclr they were at laft devoured. — Again, as 
 the hen continucth her call to her youne ones from mornir^g 
 till night, and holds out her wings for fheltcr to them all the 
 day long, fo did Chriil wait for his people 'srepentanceandcon- 
 vertion, for more than forty years after they had killed his 
 prophets and murdered himfelt, before they met with a final o- 
 verthrow. 2. The .imazing obflinacy and wilfulnefs of this 
 people, in rcje<3ing this grace and favour, this kindiKfs and 
 condefcenlion of the Lord Jefus Chrift i I would have gathered 
 you as an hen deth her chickcm, but ye zuould not. 3. The fatal 
 iliue of this obllinacy. Behold your houfe is left unts you deftlatCy 
 Is left, that is, certainly and fuddenly h ; theprefent tcnfe put 
 for the paiihpoft futurum, it denotes both the certainty and ncar- 
 nefs of this people's ruin; which was vcrifiedhythcir total o-_ 
 verthrow, and difperfion. Learn, t. That, tjie ruin and de- 
 ftruftion of finncrs wholly charijcablc upon thcmfelves j x^ix 
 
 is 
 
UJIAP. XXIV. 
 
 St. M a T T il E W. 
 
 9> 
 
 is, on their own willfulncfsandobftinacy: I '^vcufd havegather- 
 edyou, {^ysQhn^, but yc ifouui not. 2. How deplorably and 
 i/icxcufably they will perifh, who pcrifh by their own wiiful- 
 rtcfs under the goipil. 3. That there is nodcfire likeuntoGod's 
 defire of a people's repentance; no longing likeuntoGod's 
 longing for a people's lalvation : O JiruJ'ahm, Jerujalem, how 
 cften would I have gathered thee ? fnenjhal! it onceier' Chrift 
 did very ferioudy "defire the converfion of the Jews, whoftill 
 continued in their impcnitency and unbelief; andconfcquent- 
 ly, they whom he fo ferioufly defircd to convert, might have 
 been converted, but they would not be fo: IwAdd havegatkcr- 
 edymybutyou would mt. It is evident, from the longVlifpcr- 
 fion of the Jews, that they are yet labouring under heavy marks 
 of di\4nc difpleafure ; and will contimieto be fo, until they 
 acknowledge Chrift to be the proniifed Mcflias. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 AND Jcfus went out, and departed from the tem- 
 ple : and his difciples came to him for to Ihew 
 him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jcfus faid 
 unto them, See ye not all thcfe things? Verily I fay 
 unto ycu, There fliall not be left here one Hone up- 
 on another that fhall not be be thrown down. 
 
 Our blefTcd .Saviour had often acquainted his difciples with 
 his approaching death at Jeruf.ikm. The Son of man mujl go 
 up to Jcrujakm to he crucified. Now in this chapter hcacquamts 
 them with the dcftrucHon that ftiould come upon Jcrufalem 
 in general, and upon the temple in particular, for their putting 
 him the Son of God to death. The difciples looking upon the 
 temple with wonder and admiration, were apt to think th.it 
 the temple, in regard of its invincible Hrcngth, could not bede- 
 ftroyed ^ or at kafl, in regard of its incredible magnificence, 
 It was a great pity it fhould be deftroyed ; and accordinglv, 
 they faytoChrilf, See u'hat goodly Luildings etc here. As 'if 
 they had faid, Marter, what a great pity it is, that fuch a mag- 
 nificent ftrufture fiiould become a ruinous heap ? But hence 
 we learn, 1. That fin brings cities and kingdoms, as well as 
 particular and private perfons, to their end. There are no 
 places fo flrong, but an almighty God is able to dcflroy them- 
 -nd (m h fufficient to lay them wafte. 2. That the threaten- 
 mgs of God are to be feared, and (hall be fulfilled, whatever 
 appearing improbabilities there may be to the contrary. God 
 had threatened Jernfalemwith dcftrudionfor her fin, and now 
 it is not all her itrcngth that can oppofe his power. •?. That 
 notwithdanding magnificence, and worldly glory, doth migh- 
 tily dazzle our eye, yet how little doth it aflFeaChrift's heart 
 bven the temple itfelf, that magnificent ftrudure, Chrift val 
 ■luesRo more than a heap of rubbilh, when tlic'impiety of the 
 worHuppers katl dewtedit todettruaion. Net one fione Jhcdl be 
 l^rt upon another unthroivn doivn. This threatening was fulfilled 
 forty years after Chrift's death, when Titus, the Roman em- 
 peror deftroyed the city, and burnt th« temple, and Turnus 
 Kufus the general of his army, ploiichcdup the very foiindati 
 on upon which the temple Hood. "Thus was the threatenincr 
 ot God fulfilled, Jer.xxvi. 18. 'lion Ihall he ploughed a^afidl 
 cmd Jerujalem jhall become heap^. The truth and veracity the 
 fauhfulncfs and fidelity of Gcd is as much concerned in the ex 
 ecution of his thrcatenings, as in the performance of hisnro- 
 miles. '^ 
 
 difciples came unto him privately, faying, Tell us 
 when fhall thtfe things be ? And what fiall be 
 the fign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 
 4 And Jefusanfwered and faid unto them, Take heed 
 that no man deceive you. r, For many fhall come in 
 myname, faying, I aniChriil j andfiiall deceive ma- 
 ny, 
 
 A double queft ion is here propounded by the difciples to our 
 Saviour. Firll, as to the time of the temple's dcflrudion 
 Secondly, As to the figns of that dcltruflion. As to the for- 
 mer, the time when the temple fhould be deOroyed. SeC 
 the curiofity of human nature, both in dcfiring to know what 
 fhould be hereafter, and alfo when that hereafter fhould be. 
 
 1 hence Imm, That there is found with all of us an itchin^ 
 curiofity and dcfirc, rather to inquire and pry into the hidden 
 coiinfels of God's fccret will, than to obey the manifeft decla- 
 rationsof God's revealed will ; Tell us -when ilefe things /}ud/ie. 
 As to tlicir fccond qucftion, // hat fh-ould be the fign cf his co^r.tr.gi- 
 Our Saviour acquaints them with this among many othcrE, 
 That there Jhould arife faljc ChriftSjfalfe prophet's, iir.'J fcduccr.'i 
 a multitu'de of impollor.s, that would draw many after them ; 
 therefore he bidsthetn, Take heed and baoare. Where chfervr. 
 That Chrift doth not gratify his difciples curiofity, but ac 
 quaimsthem with their prcfcnt duty, to watch .igai/itl deceiv- 
 ers and I'educcr?, who fliould have the impudence to aihrm 
 themfclvcs to be Chrift. Some, Chriit perfor.al, or the 
 Mcfiiah ; others, Chrill doclrinat, affirming their erroneoub 
 opinions to be Chrill's mind and dodrine. Vrom t!;e whole, 
 note, I. 1 hat there will be m::ny fcducers, many erroneous 
 -erfons, and falfe opinions, befoic the end of the v.orid ; For 
 
 crufaiem's dtiliuction was a t)pe and emblem of the worlds 
 deftruolion. 2. That fuch feducers will ccr.ic in Chrift's 
 name, and their errors and falfc opinions ftiall be given out 
 to be the mind of Ci:rift. 3. That many will be fcduccd 
 and carried away by fair pretences and plaufible deceits. 4. 
 Tiiat Chrift's own diicipks had need to take heed, left they 
 theinfelves being led away by the error of the -jciclcd, do fall from 
 their oiLn Jledfifirejs . Take heed that no n:an-decelve ycu ; &c. 
 
 6 And ye fliall hear of wars, and rumours of war.s : 
 fee that ye be not troubled : for all tlufe thin<^i nuifl. 
 come to pafs ; but the end is not yet. 7 For nation 
 fliall rife againll nation, and kingdom againft king- 
 dom, and there fliall be famines, and peftdence.s, 
 and earthquakes in divers places, All thefe are the 
 beginning of forrows. 
 
 The next fign which our Saviour gives his difciples of [e- 
 rufalem's dcftrudion, is the many broils snd commotions, 
 civil difcordsand diffenfions, that ihould be found anicngftihe 
 Jews ; famines, pefiilenccs, and earthquales, featful fights, and 
 Jigns in the air. And Jofephus declares. That rhere appeared 
 in the air chariots and horics, men ikirmiftiing in the clouds, 
 and encnmpafling the city ; and that a blazing ft.»r,in fafliion 
 of a fword, hung over the city for a year together. Learn, 
 I. That war, pcftilcnce, and famine, are judgments and 
 calamities infiifled by God upon a finful people for their con- 
 tempt of Chrift and gofpcl grace. Ye fad hear of war, fa- 
 
 I 
 
 mine, and pejiibnce. 2. That aithotigh thcfe be mighty and 
 
 3 ^ And as he fat upon the mount of Olives the ^""'''*' ■'".^IT'?''' ^^V^'f '*?'^'^' forerunners of woife judg- 
 •* ^, wn, ments. All thcfe are the beginning afforrovLS. 
 
 M 2 -^ 
 
y^ 
 
 J^T. M A T T H E W. 
 
 Chap xxiv. 
 
 9 Tlien ihiU they deliver you up to be afflifted, 
 .uid lliall kill you : and ye fliali be hated ot" all na- 
 tions for my name's fake, lo And then fh.iU many 
 bj oHended, and ihall betray one anotlKT, and fliall 
 hate one another, li And many falfe prophets fiiall 
 rife, andlhalldeceivcmany. 12 And becaulc iniquity 
 ih.;!i abound, the love of many Ihall wax cold. 13 
 But he that ihall endure unto the end, the fame fhall 
 be favcd. 
 
 Our Saviour here goes on in giving farther fij^ns of the de- 
 (trtiif^ion of Jcritfaleni. i. He d^'clares the fharp perfecutions 
 whi>:h fliould fill upon the apolHes thc-mfelves ; They/hnU J.ill 
 _v:«. Thence learn, That the kcencftand fharpeft edge ofper- 
 fcciiiion is ufually turned againft the anibafl'adors ot Chrifl, 
 and falls heavieft on the miniftcrs of God. Tou flyall he haled 
 cr. J killed. The next fi^n is the apoftacy of profellors upon 
 the account of thofc perfecutions: Thenjhall mum he offended, 
 and fljall betray one another, and hate one another. Learn hence, 
 Thai times of perfecution for chriftianityare conflantly times 
 of apoftacy from the chriflian profcflion. 2. That opoftatcs 
 arc ufually the bittereft perfecutors ; Omni; apojiata ej) ojorfui 
 c-dinis. They (hall bet ray one another and hate one another. 
 A third fign is the abounding of falfe teachers; Many falfe 
 prophets fhall ar'ife, and JImU deceive many. \Vhere note, That 
 the fair pretences and fiibtle praftices of heretical teachers, 
 have drawn off many from the truth, whom open perfecutions 
 could not drive from it. A fourth fign is the decay and a- 
 batcment of zeal for God, and love one to another; The hvc 
 jf many jhall luax cold, th.it is, both towards God and to- 
 vards man. When iniquity abounds, trouble waxes hot; 
 id v.hcn trouble waxes hot, falfe love waxes cold, and 
 -a: love wixas colder than it was before: The cold 
 blails of perfecution blow up the love of a few, but blow out 
 tiic love of many more. Thefe arc the figns laid down by 
 our Saviour, foretelling the dcflrudion of Jertifalem : And 
 lorafmach as Jerufalc:n"sdeftriiclion was not only aforertmner, 
 but a figure oi ChrilVs coming to judgment, thefe are alfo the 
 figns foretelling the approach of that dreadful day. Verfe 
 13. lie that cwiurcth to the end, the jame fliall he favcd. Our 
 ■^uviour clofes his d!fco;;rfe with an exhortation to conftancy 
 •ind pcrfcverancc ; Teaching us. That there is no Aich wav to 
 overcome temptation and perfecution, as by keeping our in- 
 irgriiy, and pericvering in our fidelity to Chrifl. 2. That 
 eonitancy and pcrfcverancc in our integrity and tidelity towards 
 Chrift, is fometimcs atteivied with temporal falvation and de- 
 ave.-ance in this life, but fLall ccrt.iinly be rewarded with e- 
 ternal falvatian in the next: He that erJurdh unto the end, the 
 ' (I me Jhall be favcd. 
 
 1 4 And this goPpel of tlie kingdom Ihall be preach- 
 ed in all the world for a witncfs unto all nations ; and 
 then fliall the end conic. 
 
 H^re our blclTed Savi'iurc^-'.iiiort,- "js Mu.jjles with aihrec- 
 ,'.)ld conlderaiiort. i. That his g'^'f.l, how hated and perfc- 
 uted fot-ver. (hniiM fc plainly and perfualivcly preached ; 
 This ^frel of t.c li>yjirl:m/ht:ll he preached. Therefore Called 
 i.'ic pifprl of the kingdom, Tiecsufe it difeovers the way to 
 tie kingdom of li, v Ik -. Thi- extent of the gofpels piibli- 
 
 '.' nctions, that is, to the Ger- 
 
 '-aMin, itflii:! 
 'i.Jc world; r.oi 
 
 Jews, but ainon.g the eliicf 
 
 and principal nati^'tns of the Gentiles. 3. The defign and end 
 of thcgofpiU publica'.i^ii, and that is, tt>r a witrtefs or tcili- 
 mony } namely, for a witncis of Gods grace and inerey offer- 
 ed trt (inncrs, and of their obllinacy ^>h(> reject it. Ltarti 
 ihence, That the preaching of the gofpel, wherever it coitieSj 
 proves a tefUmony to them to whom it comes. To the hum- 
 ble and tt.nchable it is atcftimony for, to the fcorners andde- 
 fpir.-rs, it is a tcflimonv againit ; or, in the words of the a- 
 pjftlc, 1 Cor. ii. 16. To fomc it isthe favour of death unto death, 
 to others the favour of life Itnio life. 
 
 15 When yc therefore fliall fee the abomination of 
 defolation, fpokcn of by Daniel the prophet, Hand in 
 the holy place, (whofo rcadeth, let him undcrfland.); 
 
 The fcnfe is,*' When ye fhall fee the armies of the Romans, 
 who are an abominatioJi unto yoM, and an occafion of great dc- 
 folation where thoy go; when you fliull fee that abominable 
 dillbhite drmy begirtingf the holy city of Jcrufalem, then cal! 
 to mind the prophecy of Daniel, which primaiily belonged 
 to antiochiis, but focondarily to Titus, and ihall now be fiiUy 
 completed : For the fiegc fhall not be raifed, till both city and 
 temple be razed to the ground." Learn thence, That God has 
 inflrumeiits re.idy at hia call to lay wafte the (Irongeft cities, 
 and to ruinthc moH flojuifhing kingdoms which do oppofc the 
 tenders of his grace, and can make thofe whom mod men ab- 
 hor, to be the occafion of their deftruclion. 
 
 16 Then let them which be in Judea, flee unto 
 the mountains. \j Let him which is on the houfe- 
 top not come down to take any thing out of his 
 houfc: 18 Neither let him which is in the £cld re- 
 turn back to take his clothes. 
 
 T!ie me3ningis,"As foonas you (lialTlce the Roman a;iiiy 
 appear before the city of Jerufalem, let every one that values 
 his own fafety, fly as far and as faft .is he can, even as Lot 
 fled out of Sodom ; and let fuch as fly be glad If by flight they 
 can fave their lives, though they loofe their goods, their 
 cloihes, and all things bcfidc." From hence learn, i. That 
 when almighty God is pouring forth his fury upon a finful 
 people, it is lawful, yea, a nccelfary duty, by fiignt to endea- 
 vour the hiding and ilif Itering themfilves from the approach- 
 ing calamity and defolation: fVhcn ye Jhall fee 'JenfaU-m enconi- 
 paJfed'Jiitb armies, then flee to the mountains. :!.That in the Cafe 
 of flight before a bloody enemy and army, if vvc loofe all that 
 ive have, and our lives be given us, we fare well, and the 
 Lord deals very mercifully with us 
 
 1 9 And wo unto them that arc with child, and to 
 them that give fuck in thofc days. i20 But pray ye 
 that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the 
 fabbath-day. 
 
 Here our Saviour declares the doleful diftrcfs of thofe that 
 could not flee from the ficgc of Jerufalem; as ^\xmen \>'n' 
 wifh child, and fuch as give fuck, who by tfiat means ave Iii<e 
 to lofe their lives. And he farther adds, that ii fhould ?ntreaf; 
 the calamity if their I'light fliould happen to be in the win- 
 ter, when none can flv cither fador far; or if thcv flioidd be 
 forced to flee on the fabbath-d.ay, when the Jews fcraplcd to 
 travel farther than a fabbath-day 's journey, which was about 
 two miles. From thence learn, That it is a great addition to 
 the troiiWe anddifquict of a good man's fpirit, when ihc day 
 
 of 
 
ClfAP. X.\IV> 
 
 Sr. M A T T H £ W. 
 
 9i 
 
 6f hisfpiritualrcftis iiUerriipted; an:} infteadof enjoying com- 
 munion with GoJ in his houfe, he is driven from houfe anj 
 home, and flees before the face of an enraged enemy. Pray 
 yf, fays our Saviour, /,W your flight be vet en the fr.htath-tliiy ; 
 that bting a day of holy reft. 
 
 21 For then fliall be groat tribulation, fuch as was 
 not fince the beginning of the world to this time, no, 
 nor ever fliall be. 22 And e.tcept thofc days fliould 
 be fhortcned, there fliould no flefh hz favcd : but tor 
 fbe cleft's lake, thofe days (liall be fhortcned. 
 
 Tiie doleful miferies and dreadful calamities which w(?re 
 coming upon the Jews in general, and upon Jeriifalcm in 
 
 S articular, arc here foretold by our Saviour, partly from the 
 loman army without, and partly from the fcditions and fac- 
 tions of the zealots within, who committed fiich outrages ^nd 
 flatighters, that there vfere no Icfs than an hundred thoufand 
 flain, and nincty-feven thoufand carried away captive, and 
 made prifoners. They that boueht our Saviour for thirty 
 pence, were now thcmfelves fold thirty for a penny. Now 
 liid the temple itfclf become a facrifice, a whole burnt offer- 
 ing, and wa<; conuimed to antes. Yet note, Chrift promifes, 
 that thcfc calamitous d.iys fliall be fhortcned, for the ele£l's 
 fake. Godhad a remnant which hedetermined fhould furvive 
 this deftruflion, to be an holy feed ; and accordingly, the 
 providence of God fo ordered, that the city was taken in fix 
 months, and the whole country depopulated in eighteen. 
 Whence note. How the LordintermiKes fomc mercy with the 
 extremcft mifery that doth befal a people for their fin. On 
 this fide hell, no finner can fay that they feel the ftrokes of 
 juftice to the ittmoft, or that they have judgment without 
 mercy. 
 
 23 Then if any man fhall fay unto you, Lo, here 
 is Chrid, orthere; believeitnot. 24 Fortherc fhall 
 arife falfe Chrifls, and falfe prophets, and fliall fhew 
 great figns and wonders, inlbmuch, that, if it -xtrt 
 pofliblc, they fhall deceive the very elc6l. 25 Behold, 
 r have told you before. 26 Wherefore, if they fliall 
 fey unto you, Behold he is in thedefert; go not forth : 
 Behold, he ii in the fecrct chambers; believO'Jt not. 
 
 The Jews had all along chcri.fhcd in themfclves a vain ex- 
 pcflaticn, that the prcmifed Mefllas (hould be a tcir.poral de- 
 liverer, that fhontd fct them at liberty from the power and 
 flavery of the Romans; snd accordingly Chriil declares to his 
 difciplcs here, that immediately before Jcrufalem'sdertru(5lior>, 
 feveral perfons, taking advantage of this e,xpr£tation, would 
 make themfelvcs heads ct parties, and pretend that they were 
 the true Mefilah, who would favc aiui deliver them from 
 ♦heir enemies, if they would repair fo them, and follow after 
 them. Hereupon cur Lord cautions hij difciples againft fuch 
 falie Chrifts, and falfe prophet.', and bids them heliroe thim 
 nni, though they did never lb many great figns ^nd wonder?, 
 Md prcmifed them never fuch cloriotJS deliverances. Leanh 
 hence, that the chrrches great danger is trom fedncers that 
 come i.T Chrifl's name, and^re'endto woik fig.ns and wonders 
 by his authority. 2. That fuch is the power of fedudlion, 
 that many are carriedaway with feduccrrand falfe teachers. — 
 ?. T|at the elcft themfelve?, if left to themfelvcs^ m.ii'ht \;t 
 iduccdi but divinepowcr gaurds them agaijil fedudion.and 
 
 ddufion ; they fliall deceive if it were pijjihie the \ts e-e.-.t. — 
 Which phrafe imports, not what the event v.'ojld b: Upon the 
 cleft, but the %'fchcmency of the cndeavoursof reducer?; ; name- 
 ly, that they would do the utmoft they could to fliock the 
 chrjftian, and caufe him to fall from hisftcdfaftntfs. 
 
 27 For as the li^htnin^ Cometh out ofthecaft, 
 and fhincth even unto the weft ; fo fhall alio the 
 coming of the fon of man be. 
 
 There is a threefold coming of Chrill fpoken of ^in the 
 New Tcftamcnt. i. His coming in his fpiritual kingdom, 
 by the preaching of the gofpel among the Gentiles. 2. His 
 coming to deftroy Jerufalom forty years after his afccnfion. 
 3. His final coming to judgment at the great day. All thcle 
 comings of the Son of man, for their fuddcnnefs and unex- 
 peftednefs, are compared unto lightning, which in a moment 
 breaketh out of the cart, and fhincth unto the wclf . Learn 
 hence. That the coming and appearance of the Lotd Jcfus 
 Chriit, to the judging of the wicked and impenitent finners, 
 will be a very certain, fudden, and unexpected .nppcarance. 
 
 28 For whercfocver the carcafe i<, there will the 
 eagles be gathered together. 
 
 If the coming of Chrift be underftood, in the former verfe, 
 of his coming to tleilroy Jcrufalem, then, by the carcafe in 
 this verfe, are to be underltood the people of Jerufalem, and 
 the body of the Jewifii nation ; and by eagles are to be under- 
 ftood the Roman armies, who carried an eagle in their ftand- 
 ard. Thefe were the inftruments which almighty God made 
 ufe of, as his rod and fcourgeto challifeand punilTi the people 
 of Jerufalem. Learn, That the appointed melfcngers of 
 God's wrath, and the inftruments ^i tiis vengeance will cer- 
 tainly find out, and feverely punifti and plague an impenitent 
 people devoted to dcftruclion. IP'kere the carcaje is (the body 
 of the Jewifh nz\'\ori) there will the etigles (the Roman foldicr?) 
 te gathered together. 
 
 29 5 Immediately after the tribulation of thofc 
 days fhall the fun be darkened, and the moon fliall 
 not give her light, and the ftars fhall fall from heaven, 
 and the pov/ers of heaven fhall be fhaken. 30 And 
 then fhall appear the fignof the Sonof maninhcavcn : 
 
 Our Saviour goes on, in figurative exprefliony, to ftt forth 
 the calamities that fhould befal the Jewilh nation, immtdiate- 
 ly after the deflruciion of Jerufalem : The jun fluilihe darkened; 
 that is, all their glory and excellency fhall be eclipftd, all 
 their wealth and profperity fhall be laid waftc, the wholfc 
 government, civil and ecclefiaftical, deftroyed ; and fi.;ch 
 marksof mifery fcund upon them, asncvcr were fecn upon a 
 people. But thef.gncfthe Si-.txcfman, the Papifts v.ill have 
 underftood the fign of the crofs ; others underftund it of thcfc 
 prodigies which were feen a little before the dcftrufticn of 
 Jerufalem, v.hich Jofephus mentions; nanuly, a comet in 
 the form of a lV,-ord hanging overthe city for a year togcihcr: 
 a light in the temple and about the altar, fccn at midnight for 
 half an hoar : a cow led by the priift to be fuciificcd, calved 
 a lamb : a Voice heard in the temple faying, Aleamus hhu~, 
 " J.ct us go hence." — Z<'i:rv hence, God premcr.iihts before 
 he puniilies ; he Warns a people of defttudicn often, before 
 he anftroys thcni once,, 
 
 A.'id 
 
9i 
 
 St. matt HK W. 
 
 Cjiap. x.\iv« 
 
 And thtn fhall all the tribes of the earth 
 
 momu, and they Dial I Ice the Son of man coming 
 in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 
 31 And he Ihall lend his angels with a ;;reat found 
 of a trumpet, and they Ihall gather together his cleft 
 from the tour winds, from one end of heaven to-thc 
 other. 
 
 Yhcr, Jhal/ th( tribes risurn ; that is, then fliall the Jews be 
 eonvinccd that their dci^ru<flion was the punifhment of their 
 fin, ill rejc£>ing and crucifying Chrill ; and acdordingly they 
 that pierced him, f?;ali behold him, and mourn over him. 
 Thus it was be for? the deftruiStion of Jerufalem, and thtis 
 will it be before the r.nal judgment. They that pierced him 
 fliall be brought befcrc him. Lord, how will the fight of a 
 pieiccd Chriii pierce thoir fouls v/ith horror! they who have 
 uot fccn a pierced Chrill in t!ic forrows of repentance, fhall 
 hereafter fee hi;n in the forrows of defpair. To behold Chrift 
 with tile eye of fenle hereafter, will be very dreadful and ter- 
 jiblc to all thofe that have not beheld him with the eye of faith 
 here. And he JhaU fend .his afigels zvith the Jhind of a trumpet. 
 Thofe that apply this to the deftrudlion of Jerufalem, by tlic 
 angels I'.ndcrltand the minifters of the gofpel, who by the. 
 trumpet of the word did bring in believers throughout ail 
 Judca, who were favcd from that dellrudlion. Thofe that 
 uhderiland it pf the general judgment, take it literally, that 
 Clujft at the great day will fend forth his holy angels, and 
 gather qll his clecl to himfelf with t!ie found of a trumpet 
 Probably, as tlicre was an audible found of a trumpet at the 
 giving of the lavs-, fo there fliall be the like found of a trumpet, 
 ■when Chrill fhall fummon the world to judgment, for tranf- 
 greiling of that law. A Joyliil found will this be to the friends 
 .of Chrill, a doleful dreadful found in the cars of his enemies. 
 
 32 Now learn a parable of the fig-tree ; When his 
 branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye 
 know that fuininer is nigh : So likewife ye, when yc 
 fhall fee all thcfc things, know that it is near, axn 
 at the doors. 34 Verily I fay unto you, This gene- 
 ration fliall not pafs, till thefe things be fulfilled. 
 35 Heaven and earth fliall pafs away, but my words 
 ftiall not pafs away. 36 H But of that day and hour 
 knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but 
 my Father only. 
 
 Here our blcflTed Saviour declares two things' with refer- 
 ence to his coming, i.The certainty of the things itfelf. 2. 
 The uncertainty of the time. The certainty ot his coming 
 he fet ftjrth by the fimilitudc of the^?-/;w, whofe beginninc; 
 to bud declares the fummcr at hand. Thus when they fhould 
 ftc the forementioncd ngn>, they might conclude the dcftruc- 
 tion of their city and temple to he nigh at hand, and that 
 fome then living ihould fee all thefe prediclions certainly ful^ 
 I'lilcd, what Chrill foretells fliall certainly be tulfilled, his 
 -aord being more tirm than the fabric ofheavcn and earth. 
 Note, Tho uncertainty, as to the prcCife time, when this 
 judgment fhould come. No angel in heaven, nor creature 
 o\\ earth, could determine the time, only the glorious perfons 
 in the Godhead ; the Father, Son, and' Holy GholK Learn 
 ^encc, I. That all things arc not revealed to the angels thcm- 
 frlvcs, but fuch only as it concerns thtm to know, and the 
 
 wifdom of God thinks fit to reveal. 2. That the precifc time 
 of the day of judgment is kept by God as a I'ecret to himfelf. 
 \\i will not have us know that hour, to tlic intent that wc 
 may be upon our watch tvcry hour. 
 
 37 But as the days of Noe vjtn, fo fhall alfo the 
 coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days 
 that were before the flood they were eating and drink- 
 ing, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day 
 that Noe entered into the aik, 39 And knew not un- 
 til the flood came, and took them all away ; fo fliall 
 alfo the coming of the Son of man be. 4oThen fhall 
 two be in the field; the one fliall be taken, and the 
 other left. 41 Two women JJiall be grinding at the 
 mill ; the one (hall be taken, and the other left.' 
 
 In thefe verfcs our Saviour declares that Jerufalem 's de- 
 ftruftion, and the word's final dcfolation at the great day, 
 would be much like the dcflrudion of the old world ; and 
 that in twn rcfpeds : i. In regard of unexpc£lednefs. 2, 
 In regard of fecurity and fenfuality. How ftnfual and fecure 
 was the old world before the flood ! They zirre eating and drink- 
 :ng, fnarrying and giving in marriage. That is, wholly given 
 up to fenfuality and debauchery, and did not know of the 
 flood's coming ; that is, did not confider it, till thc^ocd 
 fmept them away. Thus it was in thcdeftru£lion of Jerufalem, 
 and fo will it be in the end ofthewo-ld. Learn hence, r. 
 That as the old world pcrifhcd by infidelity, fecuritv, and fen- 
 fuality, fowill the fame fins be prevailing before the deflruc- 
 tion of this prefent world. As it was in the days of Noah, ft 
 Jhall it he when the Son of man ccnieth. 2. The rcafon why 
 finners arc drowned in fenfuality, and given over to fecurity, 
 is, becaufe they do not believe the certainty, or confider the 
 proximity and nearnefs of an approachingjudgment. The 
 old world knew not of the flood's com.ing. Strange ! When 
 Noah had told them of it an hundred and twenty years togeth- 
 er. The meaning is, they did not confider it, and prepare 
 for it. To fuch as arc unprepared,- and unapprehenfive of 
 death and judgment, thofe evils are always fuddcn, although 
 men be never fo often warned of them. But to fuch as arc 
 prepared, it is never fuddcn, let them die never fo fuddenly. 
 
 42 5 Watch therefore: for yc know not wliat 
 hour your Lord doth coine. 43 But know this, that 
 if the good man of the houfe had known in what 
 watch the thief would come, he would have watch- 
 ed, and would not have fuffered his houfe to be brok- 
 en up. 44 Therefore be ye alfo ready : for in fuch 
 an hour as ye think not, the Son of man rometh. 
 
 Here we have the application made by our Saviour of the 
 foregoing doftrine eoncerning the certainty and fuddenncfs of 
 a future judgment, •ff'atih ihtrcfore -always ^ not '.vjthout in- 
 termiflion, but xvithout giving over,; that yc may be not only 
 in an habitual, butadlual readinefs for iny appearance. Learn 
 thence, Tliat it is the indifpenfible duty, and ought fo be the 
 indefatigable endeavour of every chrilli.m, to Hand upon his 
 watch in a prepared readinefs for Chrill's appearance, both 
 for his coming to us, and for our going to him. Watch al- 
 ways, for ye \no'M mt the hour when your Lord ccmelh, 
 
 45 Who 
 
Cir/vr. xxv. 
 
 St. M a T T H E 
 
 'Jj 
 
 45' Wh") then is a faithful and wife fervant, whom 
 his Lord hith made ruler over his houdiold, to give 
 them ni cat in due feafon ! 46 Blelfedw that fen'ant 
 whom his Lord when he Cometh* (hail fiiidfo doing. 
 47 Verily I lay unto you, that he Ihall make him 
 ruler over all his goods. 
 
 Tliefc words mny be applied two ways. i.To all the faith- 
 ful fervanrs of Chrid in general. Thence learn. That for a 
 Serfon to fpend and end his days in the fervicc of Chrift, and 
 oin? his will, gives good aiRirance of a blclTcd condition. 
 EleJJcd IS that Jervant. 2. To the minillers of the gofptl in 
 fpecial, may thcfe words be applied. AnJ here ffi^rj/i*, i. 
 'i'iie charaftcr and duty of a gofpclminifttr : he is ihcfimwd 
 ifChriJi's houpyJdy to give them tl.cir meat in due Jeajcn. 1. 
 The qualifications rcqiiifite in fiich ftewards. faithfulnefs and 
 prudence. IPlio then is that faithful and wife Jlrjjard? 3. The 
 reward infuredto fuch ftewards as anfwcr thcfe qualifications : 
 Bhfjcd is that feivant. Learn hence. That the miniftcrs of 
 the gofpel arc in a fpecial fenfe the Rewards of Chrift's 
 houfhold. 2. That faithfulnefs and prudence are indifpenfible 
 qualifications of Chriil's ftewards. 3. That wherever thefe 
 qualifications arc found, Chrift will gracioufly and abundant- 
 ly reward them. Our faithfulnefs muft rcfpeft God, our- 
 fidves, and our flock, and includes our integrity of heart, 
 purity of intention, induftry of endeavour, and impartiality 
 in our adminiftrations. Prudence appears in the choice of 
 fuitable fubjc^s, in the choice of fit language, in exciting 
 our own afFe<Sions in order to the moving of ti-.e affedlions or 
 our people. Miniftcri.il prudence will teach us, by the ftrift- 
 nefs, and gravity of our deportment, to maintain ourtfteem in 
 the confcicnces of our people. It will aftift us to bear re- 
 proach, and direct us to give reproof ; he that is filent cannot 
 be innocent : reprove v/e muft, or we cannot be faithful ; 
 but prudently, or we cannot be fuccefsful. 
 
 48 But and if that evil fcrvant fhall fay in his 
 heart, My lord delayeth his coming ; 49 And Ihall 
 begin to fmitc his felloiv^-fervants, and to eat and 
 drink with the drunken ; 50 The lord of that fcr- 
 vant fliall come in a day when he looketh not for him, 
 and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And (hall 
 cut him afunder,and|appoint, him his portion with the 
 hypocrites : there fliail be weeping and gnafliing. of 
 teeth. 
 
 Our Lord in thcfe vcrfes defcribes an unfaithful and negli- 
 gent fteward, and denounces the dreadful fentence of wrath 
 haneing owr him. He is defcribcd, i. By the charafter of 
 infiaelity ; he bellcvcth not Chrift's coming to judgment, 
 though he preaches it to others ; he faith in his heart, My 
 hrd delayeth his coming. 2. He is defcribed by his hatred, envy, 
 and malignity againft his felIow-fcrvants,that were more pain- 
 ful and faithful thai^ himftlf. He begins to fmite.at leaft^ 
 •with the virulence of his tongue, if not with the violence of 
 his hand. 3. By his afibciafir^ with the wicked, andftrcngth- 
 fning their hands by his ill example, //^ eateth and drinkctb with 
 the drunkeii^, that is, as their aflbciate and fellow-companion. 
 Thus}theunfaitlifulfervant is defcribed ; next hisjudgmentand 
 fentence is declared. Ncte, The trcmcndousjudgmcnt that ftiall 
 come upon unlaithfulilewrirds. i. Chiift,willfurprizeihemiu 
 
 their fm and fectirity , hy csming in an t;;;:r::l.ei^ ih:-) h:k r.'.: fc'r 
 him. 2. He will execute temporal vengeance upon them : he 
 will cut them af under , or hew them in pieces, as thej^wsdid 
 their facrificcs ; that is, fcperatc their fouls fiom their bodi(s 
 by untimely death. God fcldom fuifers flothfiil, fenfual, 
 wicked and debauched miniftcrs to live out half their days. 3 
 Chrift will punifh them with eternal dcftrudlion alfo : Ap- 
 pointing them their portion, &:c. that is, with the worft offin- 
 ners, they (hall have a <loublc damnation. As the hypocrite 
 has a double tongue, a double heart, and is a double finncr, fo 
 ftiall he imdergo a double darr.ration. Learn hence. That 
 fuch miniftcrs as negledl the fervicc of God, and the fouls of 
 their people: as they are ranked amongft the worft of finncrs 
 in this iitc, fo ftiall ihcy be puiiiftitd with them in the fevereft 
 manner in the next. When Satan deftroys the fouls of men, 
 he fhali anfwer for it .-is a murderer only, not ns zn officer 
 that was intruftcd with the care of the foul. But ii the ftew- 
 ard doth not provide, if the fhephfrd doth not feed, if the 
 watchman doth not warn, they ftiall anfucr not only for iho 
 fouls that have mifcarried, but for an otTi<:e neglcfltd, for a 
 talent hidden, and for aftewardlhip unfaiilifidly adminiftertd. 
 VVo unto us, it at the great day we hear dillrefied fouls roaring 
 out their complaints, and howling forth that doleful accu- 
 fation againft us. Lord ! our ftewards have defrauded us, cur 
 watchmen have betrayed us, our guides have milled us. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 Our hlrffcd Saviour, in the clofe of the foregoing chiapter, had ex- 
 horted all chri/litim to the great duty ofivai:hfulnejs, and lo be 
 in readinefs againfi his coming. U-^iich duty he again incul- 
 cates in this chapter, and accordingh he urges the nccf£ity of it 
 from tivo parahles : the former, Of the ten \iTgins, and fhs 
 latter, Of a man travelling into a far country. 
 
 THEN fhall the kingdom of heaven be likened 
 unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and 
 went forth to meet the bridegroom, c And five of 
 them were wife, and five zoere foolifh. 
 
 By the kingdom of heaven here, is meant that ilate rf the 
 vifible church on earth ; it cannot be undiirftood of the king- 
 dom of glory, for there are no foolifti virgins in that king- 
 dom ; nor yet of the inviftble kingdo.ti of grace, for therein 
 are no foolifh virgins neither. But in the vifible church here 
 on earth, there ever has bec.i a mixture of wife and unwifc, 
 of faints and hvpocrites. fivi of them v:ere 'uifc, and five 
 ■uere foolifh. Where ohfervc. Our Lord's great chiitily, in 
 fuppofing and hoping that among the profeftbrs of the gofpcI, 
 the number of flncerc chriilians is equal with hypocritical 
 profellbrs. Teaching us, that we flioiild not confine the 
 church of Chrift within a narrow compafs, nor ccnfac our 
 charity to a few, and think none fhall go to heaven but thcfe 
 of our own party, and perfuafion, but to extend our charity 
 to all chriftians mat hold the foundation with us, and to hope 
 well of them. Lord ! let me rather err on the charitablc- 
 h.nnd, than be found on the cenforious and damning fide \ 
 This is to imitate mv Saviour, whofe charity fuppofed .^vs 
 many wife as foolifti virgins, as m.any faints as hypocrites in 
 the church. All thefe virgins arc faid to /.r^^/^^jr /c-w/.r, and 
 go forth ta meet the bridegroom. For undcrftanding v.hich, wo 
 muft know that our Saviour alludes to the ancient cuftom ri 
 marriages, wliich were celebrated in the night ; wttn ufually 
 
 ten 
 
56 
 
 St. M a T T H. E W. 
 
 Chap, xxv. 
 
 ten young man attemlol the bridegroom, and as many virgins 
 atttndcd the bride, \\ ith ljir.p>; in their hands, the briJccroom 
 It-ading home his bride by the light of theft larnps. By thcl'c 
 xirciusare (lijdoucd torth the proicHbrs of chri'iianiiy. Tlic 
 toolifh virgins arc fuch as fatisfy themfi.!vcs \> ith the bard 
 profellicn, with a profcflion, without bringing forth fr<iiti 
 anfwerablc thereunto. The wife virgins arc fuch as walked 
 anfweraWy to tliii/ profeflion, pcrfcvcred and continued ftol- 
 fafc ihcr.iii, and abounded in the graces and virtues of a good 
 life. They arc called wife viri^ins, for the purity of their 
 faiih, for the purity of their worfiiip, and for the purity of 
 their ccnvcrfations. 
 
 3 They tliat were foolifli took their lamps, and took 
 no oil with them : 4 But the wife took oil in t.heir vcf- 
 fcls with their lumps. 
 
 By the Iftnifx, are meant an outward profcflion of faith and 
 holineft;. By the oil in the lamps, is to bcunderflood that fo- 
 fcmn 'profcflion of repentance and faith, which all chriflians 
 make in baptifm. By oil in their vejfels., is meant the fanclify- 
 ing and faving graces of the holy Spirit ; the growth and im- 
 provement of them, w ith conltancy and perfei'erance in them. 
 Note here, Wherein the wile and foolifh virgins agreed, and 
 ■wherein they difipered; — they agreed thus far, that both took 
 theirlamps,bothlightedthem, they bothhadoilin their lamps. 
 Tiij ditFerence wjs not, that the wife had oil, and the foolifli 
 had none ; but in this, that the wife took care of a future fup- 
 ply of oil to feed their lamps when the firft oil was fpent. 
 ."^omc profcilbrs, like foolifli virgins, content themfelves with 
 a blazing lamp of an outward profefiion, without concerning 
 themfelves to fecurc an inward principle of grace and love, 
 which fliould maintain that profeflion, as the oil maintains the 
 lamp. As the lamp will not hold burning, without a flock of 
 oil to feed it; fo a profeflion of religion, though never 
 fo gloriouy, will not be lailing nor preferving without a prin- 
 ciple of faith and love in the heart to fupport and maintain it. 
 Learn hence. That the true wifdom of a chriflian confifls in 
 this, to take care, that not only the lamp of this life may (hine 
 by outward profeflion, but that the veflel of his heart may be 
 furnifhed w ith the graces of the holy Spirit, as a prevailing 
 and abiding principle. 
 
 5 Wliilc the bridegroom tarried, they all fliimber- 
 edaiid flept. 
 
 That is, whilfl Chrifl delays his coming to perfonsby death 
 and judgment, they are not fo diligent as they ought, to prepare 
 themfelves for death and judgment. Infteadof bcingupon their 
 watch and z^\?ii^,iheyflumheredandjlefl. Nate^or. only vifible 
 prcSfcifors, but the holieft and beft of chriflians are very prone 
 tofpiritualflumber. Spiritual flumber confiftsinthis : when 
 graces arc not lively, and kept in cxcrcife, particularly faith, 
 liope, and love ; when there is an abatement of our love and 
 zeal, an intormifljcn of our care and watchfulnefs ; tbis is a 
 degree of fpiritual flumber, yet the faints flumber is not a pre- 
 'vailihg flumber,^t is not anuniverfal flumber, it is not in all the 
 faculties of the foul ; if there be deadnefs in the afl'eclions, yet 
 there is not fearednefs intheconfcience. /y7;»<'/>,fays the church, 
 but my heart awnkcth, CdiTiX.. v. 2. Still there is a principle in 
 the foul which takes God's part, and the chrillian groans un- 
 der the burden of his dull and drowfy flatc. But the greateft 
 w ifdom is, to maintain aconftant watcl^hat we may at no time 
 be furprifed by the bridegroom's commg, or be in 4 conftifion 
 
 when death and judgment fhall wertak-c us. Ble.Tcd are tfaofe 
 virgin: wliofe lamps always burn bright. 
 
 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, 
 the bridegroom coincth ; go ye out to meet him. 
 
 At mid/light, that is, at the moft difmal an.l unfenfonnble 
 time, when all the viigir.s were faft aflecp ; and when, awake- 
 ned in great aftrightm..-nt, could not on a fudden confider wliat 
 to do. Such is the cafe with thofc who put oft" their repen- 
 tance, and preparation for another world, till they are fur- 
 prixed by death and judgment. Lord, hew will the midnight 
 cry of the bridegroom's coming terrify and amaze the unpre- 
 pared foul ! What a furprifmg word w ill this bo, Bthold, the 
 bridegro'jin cometh ! Learn hence, That the bridegroom will 
 Certainly come, though at his own time ; and then all fnall 
 bo called upon, both prepared and unprepared, to go forth to 
 meet him. Rcafon fays he may come, becaufe there is a juft 
 God that will render to every one according to his deeds, and 
 reward both body and foul for all the fcrvices they have done 
 for God. The body fliall not always remain like a folitary 
 widow in the dufl, but fliall meet its eld companion, the foul, 
 again. And as reafon fays he may come, faith fays he will 
 come, and argues from the promifc ofChriil, John xiv. -5. 
 and from the purchafc of Chrifl ; from Chriit's afTeftion to 
 Mt:, and from our affbflion to him: faith has foen him upon 
 the crofs, and determines that fhe fhall fee him in the clouds. 
 The bridegroom will certainly come at his own time : happy 
 they that are ready to go forth to meet him. 
 
 7 Then all thofe virgins arofe and trim.med their 
 lamps. 8 And thcfooiilh laid unto the wife, Give us 
 of your oil j for our lamps are gone out. 
 
 The virgins arifmg and trimming their lamps, doth denote 
 their a£lual preparation for Chrift's coming and appearance, 
 and their putting themfelves into a poflure of readinefs to re- 
 ceive him. Thence learn, That a believing apprehenfion of 
 the certainty and fuddennefsof our Lord'scoming and approach, 
 will rouze us out of our fpiritual flmnbcr, and prepare us to 
 meet him with joy and aflurance. Then they arofe, and trimm- 
 ed their lamps. And the foolifli f aid to the tuife. Give us of your oil, 
 for our lamps are gone out. Ohfcrve here, I. A requeft made 
 Give us of ytur oil. There is« time when the ncgleflers of 
 grace will be made fenfible of the worth of grace by the want 
 of it. Such as now undervalue, yea, vilify the grace of God, 
 will be heard to fay, O give us cf your cil. 2. The reafon or 
 the requeft, For our lamps are gone out. Thence learn. That 
 the lamp of profeflion will certainly.go out, which has not a 
 (lock ot grace to feed and maintain it, 
 
 9 But the wife anfwered, faying, Nctfo; lelt there 
 be not enough for us and you : but go ye rather to 
 them tliat fell, and buy for yourfclves. 
 
 Ohfervehtrc, i. The wife virgins denial, A'ff^/^ ; they will 
 part with no oil. Z-ran; thence. That it niufl be the care of 
 every one to get grace of our own, othcrwife thegmceof 
 others will do him good. It is not what others have 
 done, nay, not what Chrifl himfelf has done, that will 
 fave us without our own endeavours. 2. The reafcn of 
 ^heir denial; Lefl there he vot enough for us and yov . Thenct 
 note. That fuch chriflians as have moft grace, orthe largcft 
 ftork'cf ffrace, have none to fpare ; noRc to fpr.re in regard of 
 
 their 
 
Chap. xxv. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 57 
 
 their expfftitions of glory in heavfn. j. The advice and 
 Lounfel given ; (J'j to them that/til ana buy for your ft Ives. 
 Some take this tor an exhortation, others for a mocking de- 
 rifion : Co to ihern that fell ; that is, fay fome, to the Ihop 
 of the ordinances, where it may be had. Thence ribte, That 
 luch as wouJd have grace, muft have timely recoiirfe to tlie 
 ordinances and means of grace : Gotothemar.dbuy. Others 
 iinderftand the words ironically, and as fpoken by way fif 
 derifion. Go to them that fell, if you know where to find 
 them, and either buy or borrow for yonrfelves. Learn 
 thence, That it is the grcateft folly in the world, for us 
 to have oil to buy when we flwJuld have oil to' burn : to 
 have our grace tofeek when we (hould have it to exert and 
 exerclfc. ft is no time to get grace when the bridegroom 
 is come, and the day of grace is pad and over. 
 
 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom 
 came : and they that were ready went in with liim 
 to the marriage : and the door was fhut. 
 
 Note here, i. Chrift will come at the great day to his 
 people as a bridegroom, and to the wicked as a judge. — 
 7'hc relation now begun betwixt Chrift and his church fhall 
 then be publicly folemnized. 2. The qualification of the 
 perfons who fhall enter with the bridegroom into heaven ; 
 Suc/j at vjer e ready 'aient in with him. The readinefs is two- 
 fold, habitual and adlual : habitual readinefs confifts in the 
 ftate of the perfons (jullified and pardoned) in the frame 
 of the heart (fanclified and renewed) and in the courfe of 
 life, univerf.lly and perfeveringly holy and righteous, coi»- 
 filts our adiial preparation. 3. The doleful condition of 
 Aich as were unready : the door is fiiut againft them ; the 
 door of repentance, the door of hope, the door of falvation, 
 all fhut, eternally fliut, and by him that flout teth and none can 
 open. Learn hence, The utter impoffibility of ever getting 
 our condition altered by us, when the day of grace and fal- 
 vation is over with us. Wo to fuch fouls, who, by the 
 folly of their own delays, have caufed the door of conver- 
 • fion and remilHon to be everlaflingly fliut againft their o\yn 
 fouls ! 
 
 1 1 Afterward came alfo the other virgins, faying. 
 Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he anfweredand 
 faid. Verily I fay unto you, I know you not. 
 
 Note here, The virgins petition, and the bridegroom's 
 reply. The petition. Lord, Lord, open to us. Learn hence. 
 That how negligent loevermen are of heaven and falvation 
 liere, there are none but will defire it earneftly and impor- 
 tunately hereafter : /f/tenuard; that is, when too late. — 
 //o/f farther. The bridegroom's reply, /^/jow you wo/; that is, 
 I own and approve you not ; there is a two fold knowledge 
 th.it Chrift has; a knowledge of fimple tuition, and a know- 
 ledge of fpecidi approbation ; the former knowledge Chrift 
 has of all men, the latter only of good men. Learn hence, 
 Th.it it will be a dreadful miferyfor any perfons, but efpe- 
 cially fur fuch as have been eminent profcff(;)r.',tobe difown- 
 ed by Chrift at his coming, to hear that dreadful word from 
 his mouth, P'erily J know you not . 
 
 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day 
 nor the hour wherein the Son of man coincth. 
 
 Here wchave our Loid's application of the foregoing pa- 
 rable, to be always upon our waich, continually upon riir 
 guard to meet the bridcgroo'u in death and judgmtnt, be- 
 caule we know not the time of his coming and approach. 
 /.f<v;-« thence. That watchfulnefs and a prepared readinefs 
 is a great duty that liejupon all thofe tl-.at believe ai.d lo(k 
 for thrift's coming and appearance. Hsppy fouls ! \slioarf 
 found in apofture of readinefs at the bridegroom's approach, 
 ftanding with lamps trimmed, hins girded, I'gi.ts hunting} 
 that is, improving and excrcifing their graces, abounding 
 in all the fruits of the Spirit, and in all the fubftantial virtues 
 of a good life : fuch and only fuch fliallhavean entrance a- 
 bundaiuly adminiftered unto them in the everlafting king- 
 dom. 
 
 14 For the'kin^dan ofheavtnis as a man travelling 
 into a far country, who called his own fcrvants, and 
 delivered unto them his goods. 15 Anduntoonehe 
 gave five talents to another two, and to another one. 
 to every man according to his feveral ability ; and 
 flraightway took his journey. 
 
 Obfervehere, Theperfon intruSing, Chrift ; the perfons 
 intrufted, i\\ chriftians; the talents they are intrufted with, 
 goods ; that is, goods of previdence, riches and honours ; 
 gifts of mind, wifdom, parts, and learning ; gifts of grace. 
 All thefe goods Chrift difpenfes varioufly ; more to lome, 
 fewer to others, but with expeftation of improvement from 
 all. Learn, I. That Chrift is the Lord of the univei fe, and 
 owner of all his fervants' goods and talents. 2. That every 
 talent is given us by our Lord to improve and employ for 
 our Mafter's ufe and fervice. 3. That it pleafes the 
 Lord to difpenfe his gifts varioufly among his fervants, to 
 fome he commits more, toothers fewer talents. 4. That to 
 this Lord of ours every one muft be accountable and refpon- 
 fible for every talent committed to us, and intrufted with 
 us. 
 
 16 Then he that had received the five talents went 
 and traded with the fame, and made them other five 
 talents. 17 And likewife he that had received t^vo, he 
 alfo gained other two. 18 But he that had received 
 one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's 
 money. 
 
 The former verfes give us an account of the Lord's dif- 
 tribution ; thefe acquaint us with the fervants negotiation. 
 Some traded with, and made improvement of their talents, 
 others traded not at all ; yet it is not faid they did embez- 
 zle their talent, but not improve it. Learn, It is not fuffi- 
 cient to juftify us, that we do not abule our talents ; it is 
 fault enough tohide them, and not improve them ; tbefloth- 
 ful fervant (lull no more tfcapepunilbcient,than the wafte- 
 ful fervant. 
 
 19 After a long time the Lord of thofe fervant? 
 Cometh and reckoneth with them. 20 Andfohethat 
 had received five talents came, and brought other 
 five talents, faying, Lord, thou deliveredft unto mc 
 five talents : Behold, I have gained befidcs them five 
 talents more. 2 1 His lord faid unto him, Well done, 
 
 N tim 
 
^8 
 
 St. mat T H E W; 
 
 Chap. kxv. 
 
 'fliou good and faithful fervant : thou haft been faith- 
 ful over afcw things, I will make thee ruler, over many 
 things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He 
 alfo that had received two talents came, and faid, 
 Lord, thou dtliveredft unto me two talents : behold, 
 I have gained two other talents befides them. 23 His 
 lord faid unto him, Well done, good and faithful 
 iervant : thou haft been faithful over a few things, I 
 will make* thee ruler over many things ; enter thou 
 into the joy of thy lord 
 
 ed fervan:, as well as the unfaithful and unjuft fervant. 1. 
 That wicked, and (loihful fervants, to excufe tliemrelves, 
 will not ftick to charffe their mifcar riages upon God hiinfelf: 
 Thou vjcrt an hard man. 5. That noexcnfes whaifocverlhall 
 ferve either the floiliful or unfaithful fervant at the bar of 
 Chrift. 
 
 28 Take therefore the talent from him, aud^ivc it 
 unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every 
 one that hath fliall be given, and he (hall have abuiT- 
 dance : but from him that hath not (hall be taken a- 
 
 Notc here; i . That the wifdoin of Goddifpenfeshis gifts way, even that which he hath. 30 And caft ye the 
 
 nd graces varioufly, as fo m.my talents to his fervants, to unprofitable fervant into outer darknefs ; there fhall 
 
 be employed and improved for his own glory, and his church's be weeping and gnaftiing of teeth. 
 That all fuch fervants as have received any ral 
 
 •good. 2 
 
 enrs, iiiufl look to reckon and account for iliem ; that this 
 account nuilt be p.inkular, perfonal, exaft, and impartial. 
 -;. That all fuch fervants as have been faithful in improving 
 their talents, at Chrill's coming, (hall be both commended 
 and rewarded alfo. Well dme, good and faithful fervant , en- 
 ter thou into the joy of thy lord. Where obferve, i . The Itate 
 of the blelTed is aflate of joy. 2. That'thc joy which the 
 blelTed partake of, \% the jny of thsir hrd ; that is, the joy 
 
 Thefe words contain the fentence denounced by Chrift 
 upon the llothful fervant : his puniflinient is firft a puniih- 
 mentoflofs; Take ye the talent from him. leirn hence. 
 That not improving the gifts of God given as talents to u., 
 provokes God to cake them from us, as well asniifunproving. 
 Erom hivi thai hath not ; that is, from him thatimproveth not, 
 Ji}all be takett that which he hath. 2. Follows thepuni/iimeht 
 of fenfe ; Cajl him into outer darknefs, vjhtre iivieeping and 
 
 joy IS too great 
 enter into that ; Enter thou, fee. 
 
 E \ Then he which had received the one talent, came 
 and faid. Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard 
 man, reaping where thou haft not fown, and gather- 
 in*^ where thou haft not ttrawed : 25 And I was 
 afraid, and went, and hid thy talent in the earth : 
 lo, there thou haft that is thine. 26 His lord anfwcr- 
 
 ing forrow and delpairing giief. Thegnufhing oftheirteeth 
 fignifies their being fiiM of rage and indignation againftGod, 
 againft the faints, and againfl thenifelves. 
 
 31 *![ When the Son of man fhall come in his glo- 
 ry, and all the holy angels with him, thenfttall befit 
 upon the throne of his glory. 32 And before him ftiall 
 be gathered all nations: and he fhall fepanite them 
 ed and faid unto him. Thou wicked and ftothful ferv- one from another, as a ft»epherd divideth his ftieep 
 ant, thou knoweft that I reap where I fowed not, from the goats : 33 And he ftiall fet the Iheepon his 
 and oather where I have not ftrawed : 27 Thou right hand, but the goats on the lelt. 
 
 ou"hteft therefore to have put my money to the ex 
 changers, and then at my coming I ftiould have re- 
 ceived mine ov/n with ufury. 
 
 Ohferv: here, i . That he that had received but one talent, 
 'is called to an account as well as he that received five. 
 Heaiht;:s that h.ive but one talentj naiiiely, the light of na- 
 ture, niuft give an account cf thit olie talent, as well as 
 chriuians that h-ve five Will: account for five. 2. Thefloth- 
 
 From hence to the end of the chapter, we have a draught 
 .•iivd fcheine of tlie general judgment. W here ohferve, I'he 
 perfon judging, the Son of man ; the perfons judged, ^^oe^/aW 
 bad; the onecalledy7jfC/>, for their iunocencyandmeekneG; 
 the oiMer goats, fortheirunrulinefs and nntleannefs. Alfo, 
 The maiintr of his coming to judgment, moft auguft and 
 glorious : glorious in his. perlbn, glorious in his attendance. 
 Learn, That Chrift's apptarance at the great day to tlie 
 
 fnl fervant's" allegation; Ih'.ev, thee tibe a.fhardman, and judgingof the work!. wiUbe a fplendid and a glorious nppear- 
 
 " - Vincz: He 'jjil! cviie'Mth po'dier and m great ghry,m regard 
 
 of the dignity of his perfon, and the quality of his office, mJ 
 the greatnefs of his work. He will appear as a king intfie 
 niidllofhis noble5,to takeofi the fcandal and ignominy of the 
 crofs; and, as a recompence for liisabafenient and humilia- 
 tion, toitrikeiljc hearts of his enemies with dread and fear, 
 and to fill the fouls of his people with joy and confidence. 
 Let us therefore propound it to our faith, to believe it ; to 
 our fear, to tremble at the thoughts of it ; to-oup hope aod ' 
 
 wait, look and long for it. 
 
 Ivius isfraid. W here note, his prejudice agaiuft his inafter, 
 and the eficifl of that prejudice, f:c'.vas ufraid : and the fruit 
 of his fear, he lid his Ir.lent in the eat'lh. Hence learn, Tiiat 
 niir.ers entertain in theirminds very hard and unkind thoughts 
 of God, they look upon him as an hard niafler, rigorous in 
 his commands, aftd^diincult to be plrnled. ^. Thatfuchhard 
 thoughts of God do naturally occafion flavjili fear, which is 
 ,-. jrreat hindrance to the ifaithful dli'thargc of our duty to 
 God, and alfr damps our .'cd for the obfervanre of focial 
 duties to each oihsrv 
 
 -1. TV.e m.i4cr's reply to the flothful love, that we mny expect and 
 ftrvant's allctration.wffich coht.vus an exf.robration, or 'up- .Farther, The work of .this judge ; he Ihajl i^iXgather at no- 
 braiding of him far bis ntoth'JiHd ntgi;ge«ce :• Timv^ici'ed ' tiom. learn. 1 hat dt the gt'neral judgment, nil that hav« 
 Ti aJfdlcr.'a:t. j<rx^. : . Ti.e i:c-nfi,llcrvaut is .t wick- lived fliall b« f'UUP.i^ed -o the o.-s of Cfa.ll ; perlon.of »U 
 
 lefts. J 
 
Chap. xxv. 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 59 
 
 Ce^s, of all nations, of all conditions : Iiav iiig gathered tliera 
 together, he /lull next Icparatc them as a flieplicrd, hislheep. 
 Learn ihence, That thoiicrh there be a mixture and confuli- 
 o;t of the godly and wicked here, yet at the day of judgment 
 there will be a fcpwation made betwixt them, and they Jhall 
 never come together more. 
 
 34 Then (hall the King fay unto them on his right 
 hand, Comcyeblefledof my Father .[inherit the king- 
 dom prepared foryoii before the foundation of the 
 world. 
 
 Here follows the fentcnce which Chrift will pronounce 
 upon the righteous and the wicked at the great day : firft, 
 the fentence of alil'olution upon the righteous, then the fen- 
 tence of condemnation upon the wicked. Learn, That at 
 the day of judgment the godly ihall be a'.ifolved before the 
 wicked are condemned. Thereafons arc, becaufc it is more 
 delightful to God to reward than to pnnilh, to lave than to 
 deftroy ; becaiife it is fuitabJe to ChriiVs love to begin with 
 his faints, and to be admired by them : alfo to puthis faints 
 out of fear as to their eternal condition, and to bring them 
 near to himfeif, and to fet them upon the throne with him- 
 felf, as alTeflbrsand judges of the wicked world, i Cor. vi. 
 3. KniTU ye not that the faints Jhall judge th viorld? Lallly, 
 With refpeft to the wicked, that they m.ny be the more af- 
 fected with their lofs, and have a vexatious and tormenting 
 lenfe of that happinefs which they have refuled. Cbferve 
 next, The joyful fentence pronounced, Come, ye bUfftd of my 
 Father. VVhcreno^f, I. The joyful compellation, r^i/;_^(/. • 
 which term is oppofed to thefe two things : i . To the world's 
 judgment of theni, which accounts them vile and acciitfed. 
 Here is an abfolution from their unjuft cenfurcs. 2 To the 
 fentence of the law, which pronounces all its iranfgrelfors 
 accHirfed, Gal. iii 13. But, fays Chrill, 1 that have redeenv- 
 ed you from the cnrie of the law, pronounce youtleffed. 
 But \\\\y blejjrd '.f my Father? i. To point out the fontal 
 caufe of all our h.ippinefs, the love of the Father, this/rf- 
 *paredthe kingdom. This exjireflion ftews Ijow the divine 
 perfons glorify one another. As the Spirit glorifiesthe Son, 
 fo the Son glorifies the Father, and refers all to him. 
 Therefore Chrifl fays not. Come, my redeemed ones ; but, 
 £orue, ye biffed ones .• not, Cinie, you that 'ojtre redeemed ky 
 rnei hat,Coine,yebl( ffld of tny Father ; ttis his good pleafure 
 to give yw the kingdom. Learn hence, That the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift at his fccond coming, will adjudge all his people into 
 * ftate of glorious and cvcrlafling happinefs, which his Fa- 
 ther has prepared, and hiniielf purchafed for them. 
 
 35 For I was^an hungred, .ind ye gave me meat : 
 
 was thirfty, and yc gave me drink : I was a ftrang- 
 
 ^1, and yc ^took me in : 36 Naked, and ye clothed 
 
 jne : I was fick, and yc vifited me : I was in prifon, 
 
 and ye came unto mc. 
 
 Here our Saviour fets forth, not the meritorious caufe of 
 his I'aints happinefs, but the infallible figns of iuch as 
 Ihould inherit that happinefs, and the cha rafter of the perlons 
 that micht expeftit. Such as fed him, clothed and vifited 
 him in his members. Where n2/f. i. That the godly hav- 
 ing theirfins forgottenin this world, lorre would gather that 
 there fhould no mention be made of them in the day of 
 judgment. For they obferve,that Chrift here only mentions 
 
 the good works of his faints ; ye fcdtr.t, ye olothcJn:e, not a 
 word of their f-iiling?. Obfn've, 1. That they are not ths 
 duties of the iirft,but of the fecond table, which here Chrift 
 mentions, becaufe the works of charity are more vfible to 
 the world than works of piety. Leamhenix, 1. That at 
 the great day, every man's fentence fliali be pronounced ^ac- 
 cording to his works. 2. That works of charity done out of 
 love to Chrift, fli.-»ll be particularly obferved, and bountiful, 
 ly rewarded by Chrift at the great day. The queftion then 
 will be, not only how have you heard, prayed, or preached, 
 but whein have you fed, clothed, and vifited? 3. That 
 whatever good or evil is done to the poor members of 
 Chrift, Chrift reckons it as done unto himfeif ; Jrjasan 
 hangred, andyegaveme meat. Chrift pcrfonal isnotth? 
 object of our pity and charity, but Chrift myftical is expofed 
 to want and neceflity ; he feels hunger .ind thirft cold and 
 n.ikednefs in his members, and is refrelLed r.nd comforted 
 in their refreJhments and comforts. He takes it as a cour- 
 tefy, who might demand it by authority. How can we be 
 clofe-handed or hard hearted to the necefiitous chriftian?, 
 did we fteadily believe that in adminiftering to them we 
 minifter refrefhments to Chrift himfeif, who parted with 
 the glory of heaven, yea with hi£ heart's blood forus? 
 
 37 Then fhall the righteous anfwcr him, faying. 
 Lord, when faw we thee an hungred and fed thee ? 
 or thirfty, and gave ihte drink? 38 When faw wc 
 thee a ftranger, and took thct in ? or naked, and clo- 
 thed thet ? 39 Or when faw we thee fick, or in pri- 
 fon, and came unto thee ? 40 And the King Ihall 
 anfwer and fay unto them. Verily I fay unto you, 
 Inafmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leafl of 
 thefe my brethren, ye have done U unto me. 
 
 Here we have a dialogue or interchangable difcourfe be- 
 twixt Chrift and his faithful fervants at the great day. 
 Where ohferve, Theirqueftion and his reply. I'heir quef. 
 tion. Lord, when did -,t)e feed thee, chthe, or vifit thee ? We 
 ha^e forgot the time, though fiich is thy goodnels to re- 
 member it. Learn thence. That Chrift keeps a faithful re. 
 cord of all ourafts of pious charity, wlien we have forgot- 
 ten them. If we remember to do good, Chrift will be lure 
 to remember the good wchave done ; ay, and reward it as 
 well as remember ir. Again, this queftion of theirs may 
 proceed from admiration and wonder, and from an humble 
 fenfe of their own nothingnefs, and from the grcatnc-fs of 
 Chrift's condefcenfion, in takinp; notice of fuch mean fer- 
 vices,and requiting them with fuch a tranfcendant rewsrcf. 
 Learn hence, That when Chrift comes to reward h:3 chil- 
 dren ar.d people, they will wonder and be aftoni/licd at the 
 poverty and meannefs of their o\\ n fcrvices, and at the 
 tranfcendency and greatnefs of his rewards* Cbferve next. 
 Our Lord's reply, Inafmuch as ye did it to the Icajt of thtfc 
 ni\ brethren, ye did it unto me. Where no.V, i. The title 
 jnit by Jtftts Chrift upon his poc.reft and meaneft members. 
 My brethren. 2. The reientment, of the kindnefs (hcwefi 
 to his brethren, asfhewn to himfeif ; Inafmueh aiye did it 
 to them, ye have don' it unto me. Learn thence, T hnt fuch 
 is the endearing intimacy between Chrift and his numbers, 
 that whaifoever i; done to any oneof them, is efteeniedby 
 him as done unto himfeif. 
 
 Ni 
 
 41 And 
 
too 
 
 St. M a T T It E W. 
 
 Chap, xxvi 
 
 41 Then fliill hi f.iy alfo unto them on the left 
 hand, Dt.'part from me, yc ciirfcl, into evorlaftin^ 
 fire, prcpiired for the d;;vil and his angels. 
 
 Here we have the fentence of condemnation denounced 
 againrt the wicked. Where o^/rrvf. i. The pofture in 
 which they were found ; /// Chrift's left hand. This doth 
 not fo much denote the ignominy of the place (thoii'^rh pla- 
 cing at the left hand is lefs honourabh) as the impieiy of 
 their choice, they took up with left hand mercies, the mer- 
 cies of a foot-llool, wealth and riches, digniiy and honour. 
 As for the good things, vjhich are at God's riqht hand for ev- 
 ermore, they never fought after thefe. Verily a mau may 
 know his future ftjte by his prefent choice 2 The title 
 jriven to wicked men. Ye curfed. Not curfed of my Father, 
 becaufe curling is God's ftrange work ; we force him to it, 
 hedeligkrsnot in it. 3. The lenience itf.-lf. Where wore, 
 1. The p inin»neiu of lofs, Depj't from me. Learn, That 
 it is the hell of hll to the damned, that they m.ift everUft- 
 iugly depart from, and lofe the comfortable frution and en- 
 joyment of God in Chrift ; it is to be deprived of an infinite 
 good. Hell is a deep dungeon, where the fun fliine ol 
 God's prefence never Cometh. 2. The punilhment of fenfe, 
 Depart into ever lafting fire. Where note. Its feverity, it is 
 fire; its eternity, h\s iverl-fiinfr fire, i^rn theme, That 
 there are everlalting torments in hell prepared fpr the wick- 
 ed; there is a ftate of torment, and a place of torment pro- 
 \Hded by God. Ail princes have not only their palace, but 
 their prifon. God has the palace of heaven, for the en- 
 ioymeiu of himfelf and his friends; and the prifon of hell 
 for punifliing his enemies. The nature of the damned's 
 inifery is fet out by fire; the whole man, body and foul, 
 fliall be tormented in it : (i.) The body in all its members; 
 their eyes with affrighted fpeftaeles, the dviland his angels, 
 and their old comp;inions in lin ; every time they behold 
 vhefc, it revives their guilt, and enrages their defpair. 
 Their ears are filled with yellings and howlings, and hide, 
 •us cries. (2.) The foul llia'.l fufter in hell by refleding up- 
 on its own choice, by remembering time finfuhy wafted, 
 fcafons of grace fadly flighted, the mercies of God unwor- 
 thily abufed. Lord ! how will the remembrance of pafh 
 mcrclesaggravate prefent miferies! A^&/e farther, i. That 
 Chrift faith not of the punifliment.as he doth of theblefTing, 
 that it was prepared from the beginning of the world, left 
 it flioulJ be thought that God dcfigned men's punilhment 
 before they finned, 2. That although Chrift faith. Come, 
 ye hlejfidoftny Father, he f?ith not, Gn,ye curfed cf my Fa- 
 ther ; becr.ule God is the author and procurer of men's 
 happinefs, but man only is the author of his own mifery. 3, 
 That our Saviour fpeaks of this eternal mifery by fire, as 
 deligned originally not for man, but for thedcvil and his an- 
 geh ; but iiiati, by giving up himfelf to the power and 
 thraldom of fin and Satan, an<i working himftlf down to 
 the infernal- regions, becomes I'ke unto him io tormeiws, 
 wiiom hefo much refemblcd in manners and qualities. 
 
 42 For I Av-as an hun'^rcd', and yc gave mc no 
 
 ' rteat ; I was thirfty, and yc gave me no drink; 43 
 
 I was a Rran^cr, and ye took me not in : naked, and 
 
 ye clothed me not : fick, and in prifon. and yc vilit- 
 
 ed mc not, .4 i Then Qiall they allod.nrwcr Iv., 1. i,-',-^ 
 
 in ', Lord, when faw we thcean hungered, or athirft, 
 or'a ttrm^er, or naked, or fick, or jn prifon, and did 
 not minifler unto thee ? 45 Then (hall he anfwer 
 them, faying. Verily I fay unto you. Inafmuch asyo 
 did It not to oa^ of the lead of tljcfe,yc did it not to 
 mc. 
 
 Ohfcrve here, i . How Chrift lays the charge ol the wick- 
 ed's danuatio:! upo i themfelves alone, Tc guv: mc «3 meot, 
 ye took me n.t in; man, and man alone, is the caufe of his 
 own deftrut^ion and damnation. 2. The kind of fin charg- 
 ed on the wicked at the great day. Confider it firft in gen- 
 craJ, it is a fin of omiflion. Whence learn. That fins ot o- 
 milTion are certainly damning, as well as fins of commifhon. 
 Confider it 2. In particuhr, it is a fin of unmercitu nefs, or 
 want of love to Chrift and his members. Learn thence. 
 That one reigning fi.i, one prevailing corruption, is enough 
 to damn a perfo 1, b;.aule it depr'ves a m.in of the grace of 
 the gofpel, and excludes him from all the benefit of the pro- 
 mifes. Note, laftly, If fuch as do not give to Chrift in his 
 members, Ihall b? miferabie at the great d.iy, what will the 
 condition of them be, that take from them, whoftrip and 
 ftarve them, who perfecute and hate them, who imprifon 
 or banifti them ? If the uncharitable fliall fcarcely be fayed, 
 yea iliall certainly be damned ; where Ihall the unmercifiJ 
 and cruel appear ! 
 
 46 And thefe fliall go away into everlafting puB* 
 ifhment: but the righteous into life eternal. 
 
 Ohferve here, I. That though the righteous are firft judg. 
 ed, yet the fentence is firft executed on the wicked. Thefe 
 fhali eo into cverl fiing piinifi.'ment . 2 .That mens ftates and coB 
 ditions in another world will be different, as their ways and 
 doing<i have been in this world. 5. That everlafting life 
 fhall be the portion of the godly, and everlafting punilhment 
 the portion ot the wicked. God grant that the horror* of 
 eternal darknefs, and the difmal thoughts of a miferabie e- 
 ternity, may cfFeftually difcourage every one of us from a* 
 wicked and impenitent courfe of life ! For ivho can dwell 
 wit h devour hig fire' Who can dwell witheverlafiing burningsS 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 AND it came to pafs, when Jefus had finilhedall 
 thefe fayin^s, he faid unto his difciples, 2 Ye 
 know that after two days is t/ie/^ajl of the paflbver, 
 and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. 3 
 Then alTcmbled together the chief pnefts, and the 
 fcribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace 
 of the high priefl, who was called Caiaphas. 4 And 
 confulted that they mi^ht take Jcfus by fubtilty, and 
 kiM-Am. 5 But they faid. Not on the fcaft-day, left 
 there be an uproar among the people. 
 
 J:everal th'.ngs rtreh^re oh/ervahle ; a?, t. Theperfous 
 cnnfpiring3g.unft our bltlTtd Redeemer's life, namely, the 
 ch'ffpr'iejft; andf.ribes anJeldtrs, that is, the whole funhe-' 
 drim, or gp"er 1 (outicil of the Jewilh church : 1 hefc lay 
 their malicious ht-.ids together, to contrive the drftruction 
 'of the jnfwcenr Jefus. Here w.ts a general ccunril cf thfm, 
 'r,-nr,!l:i"! of prieits, doctors, and elders, with the hi.'^h prief*, 
 
 their 
 
Chap. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 toi 
 
 their prtfidenr, yet erring in a point of do(flrine concerning 
 t'le Medtah, not, not believing Jelu. tube the Sdn of God, 
 notwithftanding all the convincing mirjcl s which he h..d 
 wrought before them. 2. The manner ot tliis confpiracy 
 againft our Saviour's life ; it was clandelline, fecret, and 
 fubtile : They confulted ho'JJ they mght take hhn by fubtilty 
 and kill him. Learn hence, Thu Satan makes ufe of the 
 fubtiliy of crafty men, and abufeih their parts as well as 
 their power, for his own purpofes. Satan never fends i' 
 fool on his errand. Chferve, 3. The time when his con- 
 fpiracy was managed; at ihetimeofthepafpivir. Indeed 
 at the firft the chief priefts <lid not incline to that time, 
 ftaririg a tumult and uproar anting the piopk ; but Judas 
 prefeniing them with a fair opportunity to apprehend him, 
 ihey changed their purpofe ; and accordingly, at the feaft of 
 the palTover our Saviour fuffered. T.iis was not without a 
 niyllery, that Chrill, the true Lamb of God, whom the 
 pafchal lamb typified and reprefented, fliould be offered up 
 at theftajl 0/ the t^affhver : Signifying thereby, that he was 
 the true pafchal lamb, and that the legal fliadow ought to 
 ceafe in the exhibition of him. Learn hence, That not only 
 the death of Chrift in general, but all the circumftances re. 
 lating to it, were fore-ordained by Gcd himfelf ; as the 
 place where, at Jerufalein ; the time when, at the feajl of 
 the pajpjver ; that time did God devife beft for this Lamb 
 to be af^crifice. 
 
 6 5 Now when Jefus was in Bethany, in the houfe 
 6f Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman 
 having an alabafter box of very precious ointment, 
 and poured it on his head as he Cat at meat. 
 
 Th s woman, St. John fays, was Mary, the filler of La- 
 larus, who to (hew her love to Chrift, and put honour 
 upon him, took a precious box of ointment, and poured it 
 upon our Saviour's head, according to the cuftomof the 
 eaftern countries, who uled fo to do at their fealts and ban- 
 ^uets ; to which David alludes, Pfal. xxiii. 5. Learn 
 hence, 1. That where true love to Chrift prevails in the 
 heart, nothing is adjudged too dear for Chrift. This box 
 of vintment murmuring Jiidas valued at three hundred 
 pence: which, reckoning the Roman penny at f»ven pence 
 half- penny, makes of our money nine pounds feven fhdlings 
 and lixpence. Love {•Kt fee) fpaies for no coft, but where 
 «he elleein of Chrift is high, the affec'tion will be ftrong. 2. 
 That where ftroag love prevails towards Jefus Chrift, it 
 fuffers not itfelf to be out- hined by any examples. The 
 weakeft woman that ftrongK loved Jefus Chrift, will pioufly 
 ftrive with the greateft apoftle to exprefs the fervour of her 
 love unto him. I tlo not find any of the apoftles at fo much 
 coft to put honour upon Chrift, as this poor woman was at. 
 Love knows no bounds, no meafures. 
 
 8 But when his difciples faw it, they had indigna- 
 tion, faymg. To what purpofe is this waflc ? 9 For 
 this ointment might have been ioid for much, and 
 nivcn to the poor. 
 
 That is, when Judas, and fome othfr difciples whom h.". 
 had influenced, faw this acl'on, they murmurtd ; p.irti- 
 cuhily, Judas blamed this h ly ^ onian for nee.llefb prod- 
 gality, and did taci;ly rcfl.-cT: upon Chrift himfelt, for fiif- 
 fering th..t wafteful expence. O ! hov dc'th^ covetous 
 
 heart think every thing too good for Chrift ; He that fees 
 a pious aftioii well done, and feeks to undervalue it, (hews 
 himfcl! poiffired '.vi:h a Ipirit of envy, Judas's invidious fpi- 
 nt ill ikcs him ccnfure an action which Chrift highly appro- 
 ved. L'-arn thence, That men who know not our hearts, 
 may, through ignorance or prejudice, cnfure and condemn 
 thofe aftion' wliiih God doth coinnii^nd, and will gratiyuny 
 rc'vard. Happy for this poor woman, that Ihe h..d a more 
 nglitfous judge lopaf-fentence upon her aftion than wicktd 
 Judas ! 
 
 10 When Jefus underflood it, he faid unto thcmJ 
 Why trouble ye the woman ? For flic hath wrought a 
 good work upon me. 1 1 For ye have the poor always 
 with you, but me ye have not always. 12 For in 
 that {h^ hath poured this ointment on my body, fhc 
 did it fprmy burial. 
 
 Chferve here. How readily our Lord vindicates this good 
 woman ; She fays nothing for lierfelf, nor need (lie, hav- 
 ing fuchan advocate, i, Chrift rebukes Judas, lyky trouble 
 ye the 'jjonicm .•> PI sinly intim ting, that it i; no fm:!ll trouble 
 to a gracious (p rit, to find iheir good work milinterpreted 
 and mifreprefented : Next, he defends the adlion, calling 
 it a good work, becaufe done out of a principle of love to 
 Chrilt ; Jbe hath 'jjrutght a good vjork upon me : And laftly. 
 He gives the reafon of her action, fl)e did it for my burial. 
 As kings and great perfons were wont in ihofe eaftern 
 countries, a: their funerals, to be embalmed with odours 
 and fwect perfumes ; fo, fays our Saviour, this woman, to 
 d^clire her faith in me as her King and Lord, doth with 
 this bos of ointment, as it were befo( ehand, embalm my 
 body tor its burial. True faith puts honour upon a cruci- 
 fied, as well as a glorified Saviour, The holy woman ac 
 counts ChriC: worthy of all honour in his death, believing 
 it would be a fweet fmelling facrifice unto God, and the 
 favour of life unto his people, Note farther, From thefe 
 words. But me ye huve not al~diayi, the dodlrine of tranfub- 
 ftantiation is overthrown ; For if Chrilt be as to foul, 
 body and divinity, perpetually prefent in the hoft amongft 
 thole of the church of flome, then have they Chrift always 
 with them : Contrary to what our '>aviour here declares j 
 though his poor members would be always prefent with them, 
 yet he biintelf ihould not be fo : The poor ye have alwayj, 
 but me yt hive not always, 
 
 i!^ Verily I fay unto you, Whercfocver this gofpel 
 fiiall be preached in the world, there fliall alfo this, 
 that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial 
 of l>er. 
 
 Our Saviour having defended this holy woman from tfie 
 calumny of Judasin the foregoing verles. in thi; he dednres, 
 that Hie (hoiild be rcivardtd with an hoivmrable memorial ia- 
 all ages of the church ; Whert/oeTer the gofpil is preached, 
 ti>iijkiill be rpoken of her. O what care doth Chlrft takte to 
 have the good deeds of his childr-n nwt buried in the duft 
 with them, but be had in ev^ rlu/lingrcrnemhrance J Thofrgh 
 (in caulcs men to rot above ground, to ftink alive ; ami- 
 when ihoy are dead, leaves an inglorious memory upr>n 
 thp'r graves, yet will the aclions of the juft fniell f-Aeet, and 
 bUflbin in the duft. Learn hence, That we may lawlably 
 
 prif- 
 
ioi 
 
 Sr. MATTHEW. 
 
 Chap xxvi. 
 
 profecutc that which will procure as a good name, aud 
 Iprend oiir repuratinn to future 3gis. 
 
 . 14 5 Then one of ihc twelve, called Judas Ilca- 
 liot, went unto the chief piiefts. 1,5 And Hn'idwU) 
 them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him 
 unto you ? And they covenanted with him for thirty 
 pieces of fi Ivor, 26 And from that time he fought 
 opportunity to betray him. 
 
 Not! here, i. The perfon betraying our blefied Re- 
 cfccmer, Judas : Judas, a profcflor ; Judas, a preacher : 
 Judas, an apollJe, anJ we if the tiuelve wlioin Chritt had 
 chofcn out ct' all the world to be hisdearell friends, and his 
 own family anJ houlholJ. Shall we wonder to ri'id friends 
 imfricndly and uufaithful towards us, when our Saviour 
 h.id a traitor in his own houie ? 2. The heinoufnefs of 
 his i\\\ in betraying Chrirt : He betrayed Chrilt Jefus, a 
 man ; Chrill Jefus his mafler ; Chrift Jefus his njnker : the 
 firll was murder, the fecond trcnfon. learn thence, that 
 it is no flrange or uncommon thing, for the vilefl of iins, 
 and moft horrid impieties, to be ac^ed by fuch perfons as 
 :nake the mod eminent profelfion of holinels and religion. 3. 
 What was the fnioccafioningaUd leading Jndas to the com- 
 mitting of this horrid tin ; it w.ns covetoufnefs. 1 do not 
 iind that Judas had any particular malice againft Chrift's 
 perfon, but a bafe and unworthy fpirit of covetoufnefs 
 pofTed'ed him ; this made him I'ell his mafter. Covetonfnels 
 is the root-liu, an inordinate defire and love of riches, an 
 eager and unfatiable thiril after the world, is the parent 
 of the moft monftrons and unnatural fins : Therefore re- 
 member we our Saviour's caution Luke xii. 15. Take hreJ 
 tindbe-.uareofcaveioufnefs; he doubles the caution, to (hew 
 us both the great danger of the fin, and the care we ought 
 to take to prelerve ourlelves from it. 4. How fmall a I'um 
 tempted the covetous mind of Judas to betray his mafter, 
 ih'irty pieces ofjiher ; which amounted but to three pound 
 fifteen (hillings of our money. This was the price of a flave 
 or common fervant, Exod. xxi. As Chriit took upon him 
 the form of a fervant, fo his life was valued at the rate of 
 an ordinary fervant's life. It may fecm a wonder, that 
 the high priefts fhould offer no more for the life of our 
 Saviour, and that Judas ihould accept fo little : feeing that 
 his covetoufnefs was fo great, and their rage fo grievous, 
 how comes it topafsthat he demands fo little, and that they 
 olter no more ? Had the reward been proportioned to the 
 greatnefs of their malice, it had been thirty thoufand rather 
 than thirty pieces of filver. liur the fcripture mult be ful- 
 filled ; accordingly the wifdom of God over-ruled this mat- 
 ter, for fulfilling that prophecy, Zech. xi. 12. Theyvjeigh- 
 cd f'jr rny price thirty pieces of filver. Let not any chriflian 
 be comrerned that he is defpiied and undervalued ; he can 
 , never meet with l"b great a reproacli, fo low an abafement 
 for Chrift, as Chrill underwent for him. Dbferve laftly, 
 Jndai's folly, as well as treachery ; he that might have de- 
 fir.andeJ what he plealed for this purchafe, h-.- fays unto the 
 chief prie[}s. What u-iU ye give me P As if he had faid, " I 
 am relolved to fell him at any rate, give me what you will 
 for him." Nay, farther Judas coveii.inted, and they pro- 
 miled, but whether it wasnow paid, appeareiii not. Learn, 
 That fuch a perfon as has a vile and bafe eftcem of Jefus 
 
 Chrift, will part with him upon any terms. The bareex- 
 peftation of a few (heiccls of (ilver, will make fucii a one 
 willing to part with the pearl of great price. Wonder not 
 then to fee feme perlbnj felling their country, their friends, 
 their God, and ttteir religion, for money. Judas 4id fo 
 before them. 
 
 17 5 Now the firfl riay of thc^f^ of unleavened 
 bread, the difciples came to Jefus, faying unto him. 
 Where wilt thou that wc prepare for thee to eat the 
 palTover ? 18 And he laid. Go unto the city to fuch 
 a man, and fay unto him, The Mailer faith, My 
 time is at hand ; I will keep the palfover at thy 
 houfe with my difciples. 19 And the difciples did 
 as Jefus had appcj.^'^ted them,, and they made ready 
 the pallbver. 
 
 The time for the ceUbration of the pafTover being now 
 at hand, ChrUl fends two of hisdilci(>les tojerufalero, topre- 
 pare things necedary, in order thereunto : Accordingly, 
 they enter the city, and find the mafter of an houfe, whofe 
 heart Chrift by his divine power, had fo inclined, that he 
 willingly accommodated them upon this occafion. Our 
 blelFed Saviour had not a lamb of his own, and poflibly no 
 money in his purl'e to buy one, but he finds as exceHent ac- 
 coinniodation in this poor man's houfe, as if he had dwelt 
 in Ahab's ivory palace, and had had the proviPons of Solo- 
 mon's table. Learn hence. That Chrift has fuch an in- 
 fluence upon, and command over the fpirits of men, that he 
 can incline them to do what fervice foever heplealeth.for 
 him. When Ciirift has a paflbver to celebrate, he wi'l pre- 
 pare an houfe, and difpofe ihe heart to a free reception of 
 himfelf. 2. That Chrift being under the law, ohferves and 
 keeps the law of the pafTover. Thus he fulfilled all 
 righteoufnefs ; and although the ceremonial law was to re- 
 ceive its abolifliment in the death of Chrift, yet all the time 
 of his life he punftually obferves it. 
 
 20 Now when the even was come, he fat dowfi 
 with the twelve. 
 
 jVote here. The impudent forehead of tliis bold traitor 
 Judas, who prefumed. a foon as he had fold his mafter, to fit 
 down at the table with him, and partake with the other dif- 
 ciples of the folemn ordnance of the pafTover : Had the 
 prcfence of Judas polluted the ordinance to any befide him- 
 felf, doubilefs our Saviour would never have permitted 
 this bold intrufion. /£?<?»« hence, i. That nothing is more 
 ordinary, than for unholv perfons prefun)ptuoufty to rufli ia 
 upon the folemn ordinances of God, which they have no 
 right, whitft fuch, to partake of. 2. That the prefence of 
 fuch perfons pollutes the ordinances only to themfclves ; 
 holy perfons a; e not polluted by the fins of fuch ; lor to ths 
 pure all things are pure. 
 
 21 And as they did eat, he faid, Verily I fay unto 
 you, that one of you fhall betray me. 
 
 What an aftonifliing word was this ! " One of you my 
 difciples fliall betray nie." Can any church on earth expert 
 purity in all its members, when Chrift's own family of tw el vff 
 had a traitor and devil in it ? Yet ibciigh it was very fad 
 
 to 
 
Chap, xxvji 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 4»3 
 
 to hear thai one Aiould betray him, it was matter of joy 
 that it was but one ; one hypocrite in a congregation is too 
 much, but there is a caufe of rejoicing if there be no more. 
 But why did not Chrill name Judas, and fay, " Thou art 
 he that Ihall betray me ?" Doubtlefs to drasv him to re- 
 pentance, and to prevent giving Judas any provocnioii. 
 Lord, how f.ul is it for fnch as pretend friendship to Chrift, 
 and call thenil'elvesof his lamily and acqu.iintance, who eut 
 oj his br^ail, and y it lift u» th" heel again jf him .' 
 
 22 And they were exceeding Ibrrowful, and bc- 
 pan every one of them to fay unto him, Lord, is 
 
 it I? 
 
 Nnte here, i. The difciples forrow, and next the efFeft 
 of that forrow. Their forrow was (as well it might^ ex- 
 ceeding great. Well might innocent difciples be over- 
 whelmed with forrow, to hear that their Mafter 
 fliould die ; that he fnoiild die by treafon ; that the traitor 
 /liould be one of themfelves. But though their forrow was 
 great, yet was the eifea of their forrow very good ; it 
 wrought in them a holv fufpicion of thetwfelves, and caufed 
 everv one lo fearch himfelf, and fay, Majier, is it I ? 
 Thence learn. That it is pofliblc for fuchJecret wickcdnefs 
 to lurkin our hearts as we never fufpeded, which time and 
 tcifiptatioa i^iay draw forth in fuch a manner as we cor.Id 
 not believe ; and therefore it is both wile and holy to iuf- 
 peft ourfelves, and be often faying, Lord, is it / .' There 
 is no better jj.-efervative from fin, than to be jealous over 
 ourfelves witha godly jealoufy. A'c-f^, farther, That 
 thougli tlie difciples fear and forrow made them jealous and 
 fufpicious, ytt was it of themfelves, not of one another, 
 uayj not of Judas himfelf: Everyone faid, Mafter Is it I 
 Kot, Muficr, Is it Judas 'f Learn hence, That true linceri- 
 IV and chriftian chanty will make us more fufpicious of our- 
 felves than of any other pcrfon whatfoever ; it always hopes 
 the bed of others, and fears the worft concerning ourfelves. 
 
 23 And he atifwercd and faid, He thatdippeth 
 ^•5 hand v^ith me in the difh, the fame Ihall betray 
 me. 24 The Son of man goo th, as it is written of 
 him : but wo unto that man by whom the Son of 
 man is betrayed : it had been good for that man if he 
 had not been born. 25 Then Judas, which be- 
 trayed him, aiifwered and faid, Mafter, Is it I? He 
 
 aid unto him, Thou hafl faid. 
 Here our Saviour acijuaints hi-i difciples v. ho it v^.is that 
 had defigned his death, even he that dipped with h:m in 
 the difh, or he to whom he gave the fop. Ohferve, The 
 traitor wtiom Chrift loved, he has the fop given to him ; the 
 other difciples, whom Chriftloved better, had no fuch par- 
 ticular boon. Outward good things are not alwnys given to 
 the children of men in love, but are fometimes beflowcd in 
 difpleafure ; there is no meafuring of ChriiVs affeifiiou by 
 temporal ■. blcflings, no concluding eitiier love or hatred by 
 tliefe things. Farther, How Judas could fit flill: and hear 
 ths threats of judgment denounced againft himfelf without 
 concer 1 ; he hears Chrift fay, Wn to the man hy -whom the 
 Son of man is betrayedjani] is no more blanked than innocence 
 itfelf : refolved fmners run on defperately in their wicked 
 courfes, and with open eyes fee and meet their own ilcflruc- 
 
 . tion are neither difmayed at it, nor concerned about it. 
 
 •Iv'ote, That- this lliainelefs man had tuc impudence to fay to 
 
 Chrift, MaJ^er, Lit IP Our Saviour gives him a dh-oft 
 aSirmatiou, Thou hrt/f /(lid. Dirf Judas, think ye, blufli, 
 and cill down his guilty eyes, and let fall his drooping head 
 at fo galling an intimation ? Nothing lefs. Lord, how 
 does obduracy in fin fteel the brow, and awke it incapable 
 of all relenting imprelRons ? Laftlv, How Chrift prefers 
 nonentity before damnation : // had been better for that man 
 if he had never hten born. A temporal niiferable being is ncc 
 worfe than no being, but .in eternal inifcrable being is 
 worfe than lio being at all ; eternal mifcry is much worfe 
 than non-entity. It had been better for Judas if he had ntvtr 
 been horn, than to commit fuch a fin, and lie under fuch wrath, 
 and that everlafting. O better to have no being, than net 
 to have a being in Chrift •, — for, through him alone we 
 can only obtain falvation. 
 
 26 f And as they were eating, Jefus took bread, 
 and bleffed it, and brake h, and gave it to the dif- 
 ciples, and faid, Take, cat : this is my body. 27 
 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, .ind gave tt 
 to them, faying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is 
 my blood of tiie new teftament which is fhed for 
 many for the remilfion of fins. 29 But I fay unto 
 you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the 
 vine, until that day when I drink it new with }'ou in 
 my Father's kingdom. 30 And when they hatl 
 fung an hymn, they went out into the mount of 
 Olives. 
 
 Immediately after the celebration of the pafTover , fol- 
 lows the inftitution of the Lord's fuppcr. In which ohferve, 
 I. The author of this new facramcnt, "Jefus ionk irend. 
 Note thence, That to inftitute a facrament is the fole pre- 
 rogative of Chrift : it is ihe church's duty to celebrate the 
 facraments, but flie has power to make none — this belongs 
 only to Chriit. 2. The time of the inltitution, the nigh: 
 before his pafiion : The night before he was betray ed_ &.c. 
 Thence learn, That it is very neceffary, when fufi'erings 
 are approaching, to have recourfe to the table of the Lord, 
 which affords both an antidote againft fear, auJ is a reflora- 
 tive to faith. r<. The facramer.tal elements, bread and 
 wine; ireai reprefenting his body, and ui/Hf his blood, j^. 
 The minifterial adions, ihe breaking of the bread, and ths 
 bUffi/ig of ihecup. As to the bread, Jtfus took it ; that is, 
 fet it apart from common ufe, and leperated it for holy ends 
 and purpofes. He bleffed tt : thr.t is, prayed for a blelfing 
 upon it : and brake it, thereby fiiadowing forth his body 
 broken upon the crofs : End he geve it to his difdp'.es, f'ayi.tg, 
 " This broken bread fignifies my body fuddenly to be brok- 
 en upon thp crofs for your redemption and iaivation, Z)o 
 this in rememliKance of me, and of my death." Thus the 
 fcriptures conftantly fpeak in facramenial matters. So cir- 
 cumcifion is called the covsncnt, and the hmb the -pKjp.ver. 
 In like manner here, the bread is cailed ^TArr// '/ />9<:(y, be- 
 caufe inftituted to reprefent to all future ages his body 
 broken. Morcovr, how could the difiiples think they 
 h.ideaten Chrift's body, wbeii ihsy f^w his boily whole be- 
 fore them? And befides, to eat humac Seih, and drink 
 blood, was not only againft the expceL letter of the law, 
 but abhorred by all mankind. True it is, that the.heathens 
 laid it to the chriftianschar-e, Uia: they ccit hu-ian flefh, bn: 
 
 ! alfly 
 
10.} 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Ch 
 
 AP. XXVI. 
 
 falfly, as it appears frdm the apology made for the primitive 
 chriflians ; m liich apology h.iil been falfe, had they daily eat- 
 en the ficfh of Chnll in the f.icrament, 7 he very hes- 
 thens, owned it a thing more deteftable than drnth to eat 
 human ficfh, ;ind more to cat the God they worlhip, and to 
 devour him w horn they pretended to adore. Again, as to 
 the cup, Chrill having fet it apart by prayer and thanks- 
 giving, he commands his difciples to drink all lif It, and fub- 
 joinsa reafon for it, /or this is my blond of thf -nevj tcjtamcnt, 
 •■ukich is //)e J fir the remiffi'in tf (int : That is, the wine in 
 this cup reprefents the Ihedding of my blood, by which the 
 new covenant between God and man was ratified and con- 
 firmed. Whence we /frtrw, T/i^/ every commur.icant has 
 as undoubted aright to a cup as to the bread, in the L,ord's 
 fupper: Drink ye all of it, fays Chntt: therefore to deny 
 the cup to the laity, is contrary to the infl tution of Chrift. 
 After tlic celebration was over, our Saviour and his difci- 
 plesfang an hymn, as the Jews were wont to do at thepafT- 
 over, the fix euchariftical pfalms, from the 113th to the 
 1 19th Pfalm. Learn hence. How fit it is that God be glo- 
 rified in his church, by finging of pfalms, and in particular 
 when the facrament of the Lord's fupper is celebrated. 
 IChen they hadfung an hymn, Thty -went out into the. mount of 
 Olives, 
 
 31 Then faith Jcfus unto them, All yc fhall be 
 offended bccaufe of me this night : for it is written, 
 I will fmite the fhepherd, and the fheep of the flock 
 fhall be fcattcred abroad, 
 
 Here our Saviour acquaints his difciples, that by reafon 
 of his approaching fulferings, they fliould all of them be fo 
 exceedingly offended, that they would certainly forfake and 
 leave him : which accordingly came to pafs. Thence learn. 
 That Chrift's deareft friends forfook him, and left him alone 
 i»- the midft of his greatcft diftrefs and danger. 2. What 
 was the caufe of this thtir flight, it was the prevalency of 
 their fear. Thence note, how fad it is for the koliefV and 
 befl of men to be left under the power of their own fears m 
 a diiy of temptation. 
 
 32 But after I am rifen again, I will go before 
 yoa into G.ililee. 
 
 Chferve here, The wonderful lenity of Chrift towards 
 his timorous and fearful difciples ; notwithftanding their 
 cowardly flight from h'm,he tell, them he would not forfake 
 them, but love them ftdl ; and as an evidence of it, would 
 meet them in Galilee : / tvill go before you into Galilee ; 
 there fliall you fee me. And when they did fee him, he 
 never upbraided them with their timoroulnefs, but was 
 
 friends with them, notwithftarnling their late cowardice 
 
 Chrift's love to his difciples if like hirafelf, unchangeable 
 and everlafling. Having lovcd his OJjn, he loved them to the 
 end. 
 
 33 Peter anfwcrcd and faid unto him. Though all 
 men Ihall be offended becaufe of thee, yet will I never 
 be offended. 34 Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay 
 unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow,thou 
 flialt deny my thrice. 35 Peter faid unto him, 
 Though I fhould die with thee, yet will I not deny 
 tJiee. Likewife alfo faid all the difciples. 
 
 See here what ftrong purpofc; and fettled refolutions 
 both Peter and all the apoflles had to keep clofe to Chrift ; 
 but how did their felf-confidence fail them ! Tlience lean:, 
 'I'hat fclf confidence is a fin, too, too incident to the holiefi 
 and be ft of men. Though all men forfake- tl>ee, yet -oill not 
 J. Good man, he refolved honeffy ; but too, too much 
 in his own ftrengih. Little, little did he think what a 
 feather he fhould be in the wind of temptation, if once Goil 
 left him to the power and prevalence of his own fears. — 
 A'o/f, That the reft of the apoftles had the like confident 
 opinion of their own ftrengih with St. Peter. UikevAfc alii, 
 faid they all. Alio, That the holieft men know not theit 
 o*n ftrength till it comes to the trial. Little did thefe 
 good men imagine what a cowardly fpiritthey had io them, 
 till temptation put it to the proof. 
 
 36 IT Then cometh Jefus with them unto a place 
 called Gethfemanc, and faith unto the difciples. Sit 
 ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he 
 took with him Peter, and the two fons of Zebedee, 
 and began to be forrowful and very heavy. 38 
 Then faith he unto them, My foul is exceeding for- 
 rowful even unto death : tarry ye here, and watch 
 with me. 39 And he went a little farther, and fell 
 on his face, and prayed, faying, O my Father, if it 
 be poffible, let this cup pafs from me : nevcrthelefs, 
 not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh 
 unto the difciples; and findeth themafleep, and faith 
 unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one 
 hour? 41 Watch and pray, that yc enter not into 
 temptation, the fpirit indeed is willing, but the flefh is 
 we_ak. 42 He went again the fecond time, and prayed, 
 faying, O my Father, if this cup may not pafs away 
 from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 
 And he came and found them afleep again : for their 
 eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them, and went 
 again, and prayed the third time, faying the fame 
 words. 
 
 Our bleflVd Saviour being now come with his difciples 
 into the garden, he falls there into a bitter and bloody 
 agony, in which he prayed with wonderful fervency and 
 importunity to his heavenly Father. His fufferings w.ere 
 no\" coming on a great pace, and he meets them upon his 
 knees, and would be found in a praying pofture. Thence 
 learn. That prayer is the beft preparative for, as well 
 as the inoft powerful fupport under the heavieft fuffer- 
 ings that can befal us. As to this prayer of our Saviour's 
 in the garden, many things are very obferveable : as, 
 I. The place where he prayed, in the garden ; but 
 why went he thither? Was it to hide or fhelter hi«)fclf 
 from his enemies ? Nothing lefs ; for, if fo, it had 
 been the moft improper place, becaufe he was wont to re- 
 tire hither to pray, John xviii. 2. Jtidat knevj the place, 
 for Jefus oft-times refo<-tcd hither ; fo that Chrift went thither 
 not to fliun, but to prepare himfelf by prayer to meet his 
 enemies. 2. The time when he entered the garden for 
 prayer, it was the evening ; here he fpent fome hours in 
 
 pouring 
 
Chat. 
 
 KXVU^ 
 
 «*5^ 
 
 pourm^ out }iis fou! to God ; for nbout midnight Jud*s and 
 the foldiers came, and apprehended him in a praying pofturo. 
 Teaching us by his example, that when imminent dangers 
 arc before us, cfpccially when death is apprehended by us, 
 to be very miiv'h in prayer to God, and very fervent in our 
 wreftling with him. 3* The matter of our Lord's prayer, 
 that IffoffihU ikf cup r,\ight fafs from him : that is, thoui bitfcr 
 fufferings wliich were llien before him ; particularlv tlic in- 
 fupportablo burden of his Father's wrath. Ha prays, if 
 poffiblc, that his Father would cxojfc him from this dread- 
 ful wrath, his foul being amazcrl at it. But tvhat ! Did 
 Chri(t th«i begin to repent of his undertaking for finners ? 
 Did he (brink and give back when it cam.e to the pinch ? No, 
 no ; as Chrill had two natures, being God and man, (o he 
 h.ad two diflinfl wills ; as man, he feared and fiiunncd death ; 
 as God-mai}, he willingly fubnpitted to it : the diyioc Spirit 
 and the human nature of Chrift did now aiTault each other 
 with difngrccing intercfts, till at laft viflory was got on the 
 Spirit's fide. Again, this prayer was not abfolute, but con- 
 ditional, If it he poffibic. Father, if it may be, if thou art 
 willing, if it plcafc thcc, letitpafs; if not, I will drink it. 
 £<'flr« hence, i. That the cup of fuftcrings is in itfclf con- 
 fidered .1 very bitter and diftaAefuJ cup^ '\vhich ^uman 
 nature abhors, and cannot but defire and pray may pals frotn 
 it. 2. That yet ofttimcs the wifdom of God is pleafcd to 
 put this bitter aip of affli£lion into the hands of thofe whom 
 he doth moft fmcercly love. 3. That when God doth fo, it 
 is their duty to drink it with humble fubmiflion, and cheerful 
 Tefignation. A'ic/ my xvill, hut thine be done. 4, The manner 
 how our Lord prayed ; and here we fhall find it, i. A folita- 
 ry prayer ; he went by himfelf alone, out of the hearing of 
 his difciples ; he faid unto them. Tarry ye here, while J ga and 
 fray yonder. Note, Chrift did neither defire his difciples to 
 pray with him, or to pray for him. No, he muft tread the 
 ■wine-prefs alone j not but that Chrift loved and delighted in 
 his difciples company ; but there were occafions when he 
 thought fit to leave them, and go alone to God in prayer. 
 Thence ham, That the company of our bcft friends is not 
 always feafonablc. Peter, James, and John were three good 
 men ; but Chrifl bids them tarry, while he went afide for 
 private prayer. There arc times and cafes when a chrillian 
 would not be willing that the dearcft friend he has in the 
 %vorld fliould be with him, or underftandand hear what palTes 
 betwixt him and his God. 2. This prayer of Chrift was an 
 humble prayer ; that is evident, by the poftures into which 
 he caft himfelf ; foinelimcs kneeling., tomcnmcs lying projl rate 
 upm his face, lie lyes in the veryduft ; lower .he canuot fall ; 
 and his heart was as low as his body. Aad fuch was the 
 fervour of his fpirit, that he prayed himfelf into an agony. 
 Q let us blufli to think how unlike we arc to Chrift in prayer, 
 as to our praying frame of Ipirit ! Lord, what drowfir^efs 
 and deadwels, what laziucfs and dulncfs, what ffupidity and 
 formality is found in ov.r pjavers ? How often do our lipis 
 move 9i>d our hearts ft.ind ftill ? 3. It was a repeated and 
 reiterated prayer. He preyed the fuji, fcccvd, cjid tinrd tine. 
 He returns upon God over and over, plies him agaiii and 
 ^^ain, rcfolvingto take no denial. J^arn thence. That chrif- 
 Hans ouglit not to be difcouraged, though they have bcfought 
 God again and agaia for a particular mercy, and no ar.fwer 
 fif prayer has come unto them. Ohjervf aUo, Kow our Lord 
 ufed the fafpe p.raycr tjirce lioics over, faying the fame zvsrds. 
 
 Sr. .'W A'T'T'H'E*W. 
 
 A perfon then may pi.iy with and By i forrfi b? prav.v, urA 
 
 yet not pray formally, but in a vcrv acccptahlcmanrtor unto 
 God. Chrift both gave a form of prayer -jnto his difciple.% 
 andalfo ufed one himfelf. Oiferve next. The poilure in 
 which our holy Lord found his own difciples, when he w.in 
 in his agony; they -were flccping, -when he was praying. O 
 wnndcrfiil ! th.it they could tlccp at furh a time. Ilen're wi 
 gather, That the beit of Chrift's difciples may be fonictime^ 
 overtaken with infirmiti.-f, with great infirmiiics, when the 
 moft important duties arc performing. He coMcth t9 his </'/- 
 ciphs, avdfndeth tl>tftnftc.-pit;g. Ohfene forther. The gentle 
 reproof he gave the difciples for fi'eeping ; hVl.nt ! coMym 
 not vrafch 'Mith me ore hour? Could not vou watch, whorv 
 your Mafter is in fuch danger? Coiild not you watch wit.S 
 me when I am going to deliver up my liie for you i What, 
 not one hour, and that the parting hour too? After this rc- 
 prchcnfion, he fubjoins an exhort.ition ; Wotch ar.dprr.y, that 
 ye enter not into trtnpfntior.; 3ndftjper.idd3 3 forcible rcafcn, F:r 
 ihiough the fpirit is willing, yet the fie fh is zueak. I'hence learn. 
 That theholicft and beft rcfolvcd ckriftians, who have wi!lir.» 
 fpirits for Chrift and his fervice, yet in regard of the weak"- 
 ncfs of theflefh, or the frailty of human nature, it is their 
 duty to watch and pray, and thereby guard therafclvcs ag;ainft 
 tcmj)tations. f'Fatch and fray— for though the fpirit is wiling, 
 yet thefie/h is zveai ; though you have fincertly refolved rather 
 to die with me th.in deny me, yet be affiired, that when 
 temptation aiSuaJly aftiuilts you, when fear and fhame, pain 
 and fufFering, death and danger are before you, andprcfent 
 to your fenfe, the weaknefs of your flcfh will prevail over 
 thefe refolutions, if you do not watch diligently and pray 
 fervently for divine aftiftance. 
 
 45 Then cometh he to his difciples, and faith 
 unto them, Sleep on now, and take your reft : Be- 
 hold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is 
 betrayed into the hands of finners. .j6 Rife, Ictus 
 be going : behold, he is at hand that doth betray 
 mc. 47 5 And while he yet fpake, lo, Judas one 
 of the twelve came, and with him a great multitude 
 with fwords and flaves from the chief prieftsand 
 elders of the people. 48 Now he that betrayed him 
 gave thcni a fign, faying, Whomfoever I fhall kifs, 
 that fame is he :• hold him faft. 49 And forthwith 
 he came to Jefus, and faid, Hail, Mafter ; and kiffed 
 him. 50 And Jefus faid unto him. Friend, where- 
 fore art thou rome ? Then came they and laid hajids 
 on Jefus, and took him. 
 
 Our Saviour having poured out his foul in prayer to God 
 in the garden, he is now ready, and waits for the coming af 
 hi.*; ''nemics ; being firft in the field : Accordingly, zvhile kt 
 yetffcle, enne Judas, tneofihrfjLeh'e, andund^r his condudt 
 a band of foldii;rs,to appreher.d him. It \vas the lot r.nd nor- 
 rion of our blofled Rtdecmer to he betrayed into the hands of 
 his mortal enemies, by the treachery of a falfc and diflenih- 
 ling friend. Nete here, The traitor, trcafon, the manner 
 how, and the time vjhcn this trrafonable defign was executed. 
 Ntte, t. Thebetrayc!, Judas: All the evangel ifts carefully 
 dtfciibe him Inr his name Juda.s by his firname Ifcaiiot ; 
 
 Q 
 
 it* 
 
to6 
 
 St, W a T T H E W. 
 
 ChAF. XXVI. 
 
 K-(l he ffioiiU be p'l/lntien for Jude the brother ofjamcji. 
 Goii is tender and carchil ot the iiamci and reputations of his 
 upii^hi hearted fcrvants. He is alfo dcfcribed by office, One 
 cfihc tzuehe. Tjic ttniiiencc otitis place and ilaiion was an 
 ^''o'> aggravation of his tranfgreffion : Nay, in I'omc rcipe£l, 
 ^t \vas preferred above the reft, having a peculiar trull re- 
 j)ofed in him ; he bare the bag ; that is, he was almoner and 
 llcwaidof Chrii: s tamily lo take for the neccliary accommo- 
 datioju of Chfill and his apoftles ; and yet this man, thus 
 called, thus honoured, thus rcfpedtfully treated by Chrill, for 
 the lucre of a little money, perHdioufly betrays him. O, 
 whither will not a bad heart and a bufy devil carry a man ? 
 I fence Itftrn, i. Tiiat the grcatell profcllbrs had need be 
 jealous of their own hearts, ar.J look well to the grounds and 
 principles, of liicir pfofelhon. A profelfion begun in hypo- 
 crify, vlll certainly end in apollacy. 2. That perfons are 
 never in inch imminent danger,as when they meet with temp- 
 tation cxaiTtly fiiited to their mafter-luft. Covetoufiiefs was 
 Judass maftL-r-fin ; the love of the world made him a (lave to 
 Satan, and the devil lays a temptation before him, which fuits 
 his temper, hits his humour, and it prevails immediately. 
 O pray, pray, that ye may be kept from a ftrong and fuitable 
 temptation, a temptati^'n fuited to your prcdominent luft and 
 inclination. Note 2. As the betrayer Juiias, fo thetreafon 
 itfclt with its aggravating circumftances : he led an armed 
 multitude to'the j)lace where Chrift was, gave them a fignal 
 lOdifcoverhim, and encouraged them to lay hands upon him, 
 and held him f lit}. This wasthe helliih defign Satan put in- 
 ti> his heart, and it has thefe aggravating circumftances at- 
 tending ir. He Itad feen the miracles which Chrift wrought 
 by the power of God, and could not but know him to be a 
 divine pcrfon. .He could not fm out o^ ignorance or blind 
 7ea] : tht- lovc'cf monev madehim do whftt hedid. Farther, 
 '•vliat he did, was nnt done by the perfuafions of any, but he 
 ^v.;s a volunteer in this fervice. 'i'he high-pricft neither fent 
 toiijm, nor fent iox him, but te ^offers hi.s fcrvice ; and no 
 dv^uht they -svcre vefvjn'.ich furpri/.cdfo find one of our Lord's 
 own difciplcs at the head of a confpiracy againft him. Hence 
 iear'-; 'J^hat no .man knows where he ihall itop or fl.ind when 
 he firft enters rhc -.my to fih : fliculdanyonc iiavc told Judas, 
 that his iove . .f money wouid at lait fo tar prevail upon him, 
 ?s to make him fell tiie blood of Jt ins Chrift, he would have 
 anfwered, as Hazael did Eiilha, /; thy fervant a dog, that he 
 piitdudi thii thhts:^ ? Wickcdnefs, like holincf'--, doth not pre- 
 ft-nily come to its full ftrcngth in the foul, but grows up by 
 iiifcnfihlc dfegrecr. Men do not commtnGC maftcrs in the art 
 of villainy in an inirant: they begin firft with lefter, then with 
 greater fins; firft with fccret, then with open fins. Doubl- 
 lefs Judas was an old, though fecrtt finner j fureiy he could 
 not immediately attain to fuch an height cf impudence, and fo 
 great a degree of ftupidity. Hear, ye profelFors of religion, 
 ye that partake of ordinances, frequent facraments ; take heed 
 of living as Judas did, in the allowed commilTion of any fecret 
 fin, to the wafting of your confcicnces, and the deftroying of 
 your fouls. 3. The manner this hellifti plot was executed ; 
 partly by force, and partly by fraud : By force, in that he 
 ^^mc zv!th a multitude m-mrd ivitk f words and Jiaves : And by 
 fraud, he gives him a kijsy end fays, Hfiil, Mtifler. Here 
 was honey in the tongue, and poifon in the heart. This 
 treacherous kifs enhanced his crime beyond exprcllicn. O 
 
 fm with fo rrinch Impideftr e ahd obftlnsry n< «p6flatcs. Le/tnt 
 ^vc hence, To beware of men : when we fee too, too ^lit- 
 tering appearances, we may fufpcifl the infidc. Charity for 
 others is our duty, but too great Confidence may be cur fnare. 
 There is fo much hypocrify in many, andfo much corruption 
 in all, that we muft not be too confident. 4. The time 
 when this trcafonable defign was ixccutcd upon Chrift; when 
 he was in the garden with his difciplts, exhorting them to 
 prayer and w^tcbfulncfs, dropping heavenly and moft feafon- 
 able counfcls upon them. Judas found our Saviour in the 
 moft heavenly anil cxccll>'nt employment, when he came to 
 apprehend him. O how happy is it, when otir futferings 
 find us in God's way, engaged in his fervice, and engaging his 
 aftiftnnce by fervent fupplicaiion ! Thus did our Lords 
 fufferingsraeet him : may they fo meet us. 
 
 51 And behold, one of thetn which were with 
 Jcfus ftretchcdout hh hand, and drew his fword, and 
 Ilrucka fervant of the high prieft. and fmote ofFhis 
 ear. 52 Then fa id Jcfus iinlo him, Put up a^ain 
 thy Avoid into his place : for all they that t;ike the 
 fword (hall perifh with "the fword. 53 Thinkefl: 
 thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he; 
 fliall prefently give me more than twelve legions of 
 angel.s ? 54 Biit how then fliall the Icriptucts be fiil- 
 hlled, that thus it mud beP 
 
 The nide multitude laying hands upon Chrift,- the difeiples 
 ■who had remitted their watch, do reiume their coinage, and 
 arc-willing [to refcue their mafter if they can; pariicularly, 
 Peter draws his fword, and cuts off the car of Malchus, one 
 of the forwardeft to lay hold on Jefus. Xs/r here, St. Peter's 
 zeal and finccre love for his Lord and Mafter ; it vvasin great 
 fincerity fpokcn, Thrjgb I die nith thrc, yet tviil I net deny thee. 
 Bnt why did not Peter craw his fivord upon Judas, rather than 
 Malchus? Perhaps becaui'c though Judas was more faulty, yet 
 Malchus V/2S morp for^vard to arreii .ind carry ofFour Saviour. 
 Hnw doth a pious brcaft fwell with indignation at the fight of 
 any open affront offerto unto Chrift r Nae here. That though 
 St. Peter's 'heart wais fmcere, yet his hand was rafti : Gotxl 
 intentions sre no v.umnt for irregnlarai\ions ; and accor- 
 dingly Chriu, v.ho accepted his ifTtdlir;-:, reproves him for 
 the adtion : Fut up thyftiord ; Ur they that t.:ke the f',.vord , fljall 
 perijh hy thej-.vor'd. Learn hence, '1 hat Chriit will thank no 
 man to figlit for him, without a warrant andcommiftion fiom 
 him. Torefift a lawful magiftfate, even in Chrift's ownde- 
 fence, is rafh zeal, and difcountenanced by the gofpcl. 'I'o a 
 lawful power lawfully executed, there muft be)ieldcd due o- 
 bedience. Laft'y, Our Lord's abfoluie refufal to he relcucd 
 out of his enemies hands, with the reafon of it : "Did I in- 
 cline to be rcfcucd by force, as if our Lord had faid, I could- 
 demand all the troops of angels in heaven to fhew- thcmfelvcs 
 upon that occafion ; but how can this ftand with the decree of 
 my Father, with the declarations of the fcripturc, with- the 
 demonftration of my mercy, and with the falvaiion of mifcra- 
 bk mankind?" Lcnrn thence. That Chriltwasinfinitelymore 
 concerned for the falvation of loft fiimers, than for his own 
 death and fuffering; more concerned foronreternal falvation, 
 than for his own temporal prefervation — manifefling the molt 
 imbounded love and benevolence towards mankind. Had he 
 
 vileft of hypocrites, how durft thou approach fo near thy Lord teen" rcfc'ued by the powe7of angels, wchad fallen a prcyin, 
 M the c.\crcifc of fo much Wfenels and ingratitude ! But none jq the paw of devils. 
 
Chap. xxvr. 
 
 StV^ MATTHEW; 
 
 »o-# 
 
 55 In that fame hour faid Jcfus to the multitudes, 
 Arc ye come out as againfl a thief with fvvords and 
 ftaves for to take me ? I Hit daily with you teaching 
 in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56 But 
 all this was done, that the fcriptures of the prophets 
 might be fulfilled. Then all the difciplcs forfook 
 him, and fled. 
 
 Wc had an account of our lords apprehenfion in the former 
 \erfcs, liere the fad efFeft of it upon his difciples ; they allfcr- 
 Joi\ h'nr. ar.df.cd. Had this been done by the giddy muhitude 
 who followed him for the loaves, it had been no caufe of won- 
 der ^ but for thofe vvhohadalready forfaken all to follow him, 
 who \verc faitiiful though fearful ; what an addition to his 
 ruffcrings n.ufl this be ! No doubt but the ingratitude of his 
 friends made dteper wounds in hisfrul, tl.an the malice ofhis 
 crvemies could make in liis body. They that faid all toChrift 
 ver.'jj, Thwgh w: jIjmIiI dlf zviih thtf, yet we tviil net deny thee, 
 Jo h(.-ie all of liicm tk-fcrt and forfake him •■, when it came to 
 the pufii, not a man of tlicm ftandi by him. Learn thtnce, 
 That the I'.oliefl of men know not their own hearts, when 
 great temp-ations and trials are before them, till thcv come to 
 grapple with them, and to be engaged in them. Wc know 
 i.dt our own rtrength, \\\\ temptation puts us to the proof. 
 
 57 1 And they that had laid hold on Jefus led him 
 away to Ctiiaphas the high priefl, where the fcnbes 
 and the ciders were afTcmbled. 58 But Peter follow- 
 ed him afar off unto the high prieft's palace, and went 
 in, and fat with the fervants to fee the end. 59 Now 
 the cliief priells and elders and all the council fought 
 lalfc witnefs againfl Jefus to put him to death ; 60 
 But found none: yea, thoui^h many falfe witneffes 
 came, yet found they none. At the laft came two 
 falft witnciTes, 61 And fiiid, This fdloxu faid, I am 
 able to deftroy the temple of God, and to build it in 
 three days, 62 And the high pried arofc, and faid 
 imto him, Anfwerefl thou nothing ? what h it zuhich 
 thefc witnefs againfl thee ? 6^ But Jefus held his 
 peace. 
 
 Judas having made good his promife to the high pried, and 
 delivered Jefus a prifoncr into their hands, thefe wolves of 
 the evening no (boner feize the lamb of God, but they thirll, 
 and long to fuck his innocent blood; Yet left it fhould look 
 like downright murder, they will allow him a mock-trial, by 
 abufing the law, and pervertiiigit to injuliice and bloodihed : 
 Accordingly they induftrioully fuborn falfe witneifes to take 
 away his life, not ftickingatthe greatcft perjury, fothey might 
 dertroy him. The chief priefls nnd cUcrs, and all the council, 
 JiHght falfe xvitnefs tigainji Jefus to put him to death. Abomina- 
 ble wickednefsl innocency itfelf cannot proteiS from flandcr 
 .'irfi ialfc accufation. No man is fo innocent or good, whom 
 t.illc witnefs may not condemn. Yet «/y^rTc farther, Our 
 Lord's meeknefsand patience, his fubmiflive fdcnce under all 
 thefe wicked fuggeftions and falfe accufaticns. Jefus held his 
 peace, ver. 63. Guilt is clamorous and impatient ; innocen- 
 cy is fdtnt, and carelefs of mifrcports. Learn\iCT\ce, That 
 to bear the revilinps, contradidions, and falfe accufations of 
 rr.fn, with a f lent and fubmilTivc fpiiit, is an excellent and 
 Chrill-likc temper. Jefus ftcod belore his ur.juft Jwlgcs and 
 
 falfe accufers, 15 zjheep he/ore hisfhe.^rer, durr.t, cr.d r.it efering 
 his miuth. Although a trial for his life was managed mod 
 malicioufiy and illegally againft him, iiken he tvas reviled, he 
 reviled not again ; when i.e fuffered, he tkrcatered rst, h:'t eov:~ 
 mitted Vvrfelf to him that judgeth rightewlh. O let the fan.c 
 humble mind be in us, which was alfo in Chrifl Jefus. 
 
 r — And the high prieft anfwered and faid unto him , 
 I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell ui 
 whether thou be the Chrift the Son of God. 64 Je- 
 fus faith unto him, Thou haft faid. Nevcrthelefs I 
 fay unto you, Hereafter (hall ye fee the Son of man 
 fitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the 
 clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high prieft rent liii 
 cloathes, faying, He hath fpoken blafphemy : what 
 farther need have we ofwitneflTos? behold, now yc* 
 have hoard his blafphemy. 66 Whatthinkye ? They 
 anfwered and faid, He is g'lilty of death. 67 Then 
 did they fpit in his face, and bufFeted him, and othcis 
 fmote hifn with the p.ilins of their hand.*, 68 Saying, 
 Prophcfy unto us, thou Ciirift, Who is he that fmoi'; 
 thee. 
 
 We oSferved even now, that our Lord was fllcnt, and d:i 
 make no reply to the falfc wirnefTes that cvidetxed againfl him 
 at his trial ; becaufe, being fo manifellly cnntradifting, they 
 did fall to theground of thf infelves. But now when the quel - 
 tion was folemnly put by the high prieff, Art thiuthe Cl-rif}? 
 he faid, I am: Thence learn. That although we art not oblig- 
 ed to anfwer every cavailing or enfnaring qucftion, yet we are 
 bound fairhfullv to own, and freely to confcTs the truth, v hen 
 we are folemnly calledthereunto. Chrifl, who in the former 
 verfes was filenr, and as a deaf man that heard k'J, now zvitncff- 
 es a zood confefjim: Teaching us, both by histxample andcom- 
 mand, toconfefsandown both him and his truth, when lav. fully ■ 
 required; when our lilence will be a denying of the truih, 
 a manifeff diihoncur to God, and a fcandal to our bre- 
 thren: Chriil knew that his anfwer would coft him hislifc, 
 and yet he duril not but give it. Art thou the Sen of the bleQed? 
 Jefus f aid, I am. Yea, farther obferve, That as Chriil anfwer- 
 ed direclly and plainly .it his trial, fo he did not refufe to an- 
 fwer upon oath, / adjure thee hy the living God, fays the judge 
 of the court, that thou tell us whether thou etrt the Chrifl: That 
 is, I require thee to anfwer this queftion upon oath; for ad- 
 juring a perfon, or requiring him to anfwer upon oath, was 
 the manner of (wearing among the Jews. Now to this adju- 
 ration onr Saviour anfwered plainly anddirtclly, I am, Mark 
 xiv. 61. Hence learn. That fwearing before a magillrate up- 
 on a jufl and great occafion, is lawful: If Ciuiil in the filth 
 of St. Matthew forbids all oaths, then here his pra^flice was 
 contrary to his own doclrine ; but it is evident that Chriil an- 
 fwered themagidratc uponoath, andfomay we. O^c/xv lalU 
 ly. The fentenceof condemnationwhich the council pafTed up- 
 on him for owning himfelftobe the Son of God ; JJe hath 
 fpohn llafphcmy,znA is worthy to die. Hert upon the unruly 
 r.ibblc affront him with the vileft abufcs, and mofl horrid in- 
 dignities: They fpit in his face, they Liihdfolded him, they Jmcte 
 himxvith their fifi sand paims of their h ends ; and in way of con- 
 tempt and mockery, they bid him divine or prophecy, luha it 
 ■Has that fmote him. Learn hence, That there is no degree of 
 contempt, no mark of flianie, no kind of fufFcjting, which we 
 
 O % -ougfit 
 
i08 
 
 St. MATTHEW, 
 
 Cma?. xxvli 
 
 <»uj^ht to dcclwc br flick at tor Clir1ft's>fatc?, v;ho hid not his 
 f^cc from fhamc adJ fpitting tiiion our account. O moiidrous 
 impioly ! how do they fpit on that awful, bvely face ? How 
 do they revile and blal'phcme liis nobl,- oilicc of a prophet of 
 f he mod high God ; prophefv, fay th-'v. in a mocking derilion, 
 ■:vhj was >ui'ul/>iiitc shei? To.fuch aifts) ipf inhumanity did the 
 b.i/bvifous rage of the bloody Jews carry them. 
 
 , 69 i[ Now Peter fat without ill the palace; and a 
 Jamfci came unto him, layiiig, Thou alfo waft with 
 
 fcfiis of Galilev. 70 liat he denied before them ^nll, 
 laying, I know not what tliou fdvcll. 71 And when 
 he was gone out into the porch, .another maid Jaw 
 l)iin, and faid unto them t.'int were tlicre, Thhfdlow 
 wai alfo with Jefus of Nazaretli. 72 And again he 
 denied witli an oatli, i do not know the man. 73 And 
 after a while came unto him they that flood by, and 
 laid to Peter, Surely thou alfo art one of them ; for 
 thy fpeecli bjwrayeth thej. 74 Then began heto 
 curfe and to iw tar, faying, 1 know not the man. And 
 immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remem- 
 bered the words of Jefus, which faid unto him, Be- 
 fore the cock crow, thou fhalt deny me thrice. And 
 lie went out and wept bitterly. 
 
 The I'Jfl paragraph of the chapter gives us an account of the 
 j'al! and rifing of Peter, of his fin in denying Chrill, and of 
 Ms rccovtrybv a fpccilyand fevere repentance. Both mull be 
 ■::6.^:"^derf(l dillinclly. Firft, as touching his iin andfall, there 
 are fof;r "particulars sbJervaHc., namtly, the finitfclf, theocca- 
 fion of that iin, the reiteration andrepciition of it, and theag- 
 >ravati:^.q circumibnccs attending it. I .- The fin itfelf, tlie dc- 
 r.ial of Chriu, / haw n.-t the men, a manifcll untruth : Nc.\t 
 -"c adds an oath to confirm that untruth ; h: /wire that hekntw 
 ••:.' the man. A.id laft of all, he wilhed an horrid curfe and 
 impiccation upon hinifcif : that is, lie wilhed himfclfe.xcom- 
 ntunicatcd and calt cut of the church fay ' fome : he wilhed 
 himfcifetcrna!!-,- fep.tralcdfroiu theprefcncc of God, fay others: 
 ^e wiiTicd in cfted, that the dc!vil mi^ht tai«e him if he were 
 acquainted r/ithJcfus.The inordinate lo/eof life, and the llavini 
 fe.tr of fuffrrings and death, may draw the beff of men to com- 
 :;ilt the woill (jf fins, 2. 'Phe occafions of this iin, and they 
 were three ; Iiis fcHowing Chriil afar oiY, his being in 
 bad cor.ip.iny, amongll Chri.l's enemies.; and hisprcfumptu- 
 ous confidence of his own llrtngth and ifandiiig. i. Hisfol- 
 '-vinr Chnfi afar cff'.- To follow Chi;ift is the work ol faith, 
 and frnitof Icvc ; but to follow him, afar off, was the effedl of 
 :"ear and frailtv. Wo unto us when a temptation comes, if 
 wcbc ^ar r,f from Chrift's prefence and affiflance. 2. His be- 
 ing in wicked company, among Chrift's enemies. O Peter, 
 iHcu hadit better have beena-cold by thyfclf alone, than fining 
 by a fire er.C'«^mpaJed with the blafphemies of the wicked ; 
 where thy confcitncc, though not feared, was yet made hard. 
 — Th; Way to elciqe prevailirig temptations'to Iin, is to (hun 
 fuch pl-!rc.«', and to avoid TjcIV companions, as in all probrfbij- 
 ify wiil invite and draw us into (in. -t,. Confidence othjsown 
 fhength and ilandinT, wasr.n'-fther occafion of Peters falling. 
 Pride and prefumptuous con<idence have been ever ihc fore- 
 .1.,, s ,r,^ •>-■..'■.,,. -0 r;f a fall. O Lo fci ! to pixdiiBe upoH 
 ■■:.'.: toprotck^ thee to lekv«.w.to our- 
 •-.-.: ;i e , .'.■'/■.■'..:„-.*' m the day of trial, it b'l utq lear oi 
 
 failifi " r.»We us to Hini. Not ohiy the/ wlio go forth 
 
 in t'k : of nature, butalfo theywho go forth ia Strength 
 
 of inlicreiit ^tace may quickly full frorntlitirownilcdfalinefs. 
 T,. The reiteration and repetition of his fin. He denies hi:n 
 a firft, a kcoTid,and a third 'rime. Hv denies him firft with a 
 lie, tnth with in oath, and after all, with an anathema and a 
 curfe. O h.ow dans^crous is at not to iclift thcfirft beginnings 
 of Iin I If we yield to one temptation, Satan will atfault us 
 Vr'ith more and ftcongcr. Peter ,pr(Kceded trom a bare dcaiaJ, 
 I jtiry, then to ctirftng andi'mprccation. 4. The ag- 
 
 L. . ; circumft:anccs iittetiding this fin of Peter, and they 
 aTC thefe, '{ '^- ) The charattsr of the perfon thus falling ; a 
 dillrlple, an apoftlc, a chielf spoftle, .i fpecial favonrite ; who, 
 With James and John, had the fpecial honour to be with Chrift 
 upon mou'i'i't Tabor ^ Poter, who had preached and prophefied 
 in Chrift's ftame, c.i'll out dcvHs, and wrought miracles by 
 Clirift's power, yit he denies him. ( 2. ) Confider the perfon 
 whom he denies ; his Mafter, his Saviour, and Redeemer; he 
 that had walhed Peter's feet but a little before ; that ate the 
 
 Eadbver with Peter, and gave the facrament to Peter ; yet this 
 ind and condefcc.nding Saviour was denied by Peter. ( 3. ) 
 Confider before whom he denies him, in the company and prc- 
 fence of the chief priefts, fcribes, and elders, and their fervanis, 
 who rejoiced at it,and were hardened by it ; that one dlfciple (hould 
 fell him for money,andaT;other4ifciple deny him through fear. 
 (4.) Confider the time when he denied him : veriiy it wasbut 
 a few hours after he l'.ad rieccived the facrament ot the Lord's 
 fuppci from Chrift's o'.vn hand. How unrcafonablc tfaqtj ;s 
 their objedfion againft coming to the Lord's table, becaufefomc 
 that go to it, dilhonour Chrift as foon as they come from it I 
 Stich examples niuft not difcourage us from coming to the or- 
 dinance, but excite and encreafe our watchfulnefs after wehave 
 bcdn there, to take heed that the future conduct of our lives 
 be fuited to thefolemnity ofafacramental table. (5.J Confid- 
 er the fmallnefs, of his temptation todeny Chrift ; a damfel on- 
 ly put the qucftion to him, Art thou nit one of his difcipks? \i 
 a band of armed foldiers had appeared to him, and affrighted 
 \i\t\ ; had he b^en terrifted by the high prieft's threatenings, 
 bound Uhd let! aWay to judgment, fentenced to an ignomi.n- 
 ious painful death, fomeexcufe pnight have been madefo.-him: 
 Blit tbdifcvvn his relation to Chrift at the queftion of a maid- 
 fervant that kept the door only : the fmallnefs of the temptati- 
 on was an aggravation of the crime. "Ah, Peter, how unlike 
 thvfelf art inou at this lime ! Not a rock, but arecd ; a pillar 
 blown dr.-,vn by a woman's breath. O frail humanity, whofe 
 ftrcngth ;s weaknefs and infirmity!" M/f here, That in molt 
 of the faints'/alls recorded in fcriplure, either the firllenticer.";, 
 or the accldttifal cccanons, were ■ivomcn. . Thus in Adam's, 
 Lot'i;, S-imtifon'.*, David's, SoJomon's, and Peter's. A weak 
 creature mav be a firOng; tempter ; nothing is too impotent or 
 ufelefs for the devil's fervice. It was a great aggravati,-n of 
 Peter's fin, that the voice of a maid, adoorkceperonly, ihould 
 be ftron^cr to overcome him than his faith in Jefns to fuitain 
 him. But what ftiall \ve fay ? Small thinfes arc luScier.r to 
 caft us down, if God doth not hold us up: We link under any 
 bunhen, if )ie foftains'us not, .ind yield to every temptation, 
 if he leaves us to ourfeIve.«. A damfel ftialt then make adif- 
 cipli ftirink, and a dnOr-keeper is enough to drive an cpoitic 
 before 'her. And immedinfch the rich crnr. Ar.: ' " fn- 
 
 k-y ! t'.- zcfr^'s c/Jifiit) which /quI unto hitn, • ;'< 
 
 Here we hare nn account of St. Pettr ;; 
 ..ri.''r.lii5lh!^cfultill, bv' - ■■ -- ■■■. -vl ?.f}. r-. 
 
OiiJiP. x>:vi. 
 
 St.' MATTHEW, 
 
 lo^ 
 
 of rcpcrttancc. Where ahfcrve. The fuddcnnefs of his re- 
 pentance, the means of his repentance, and the manner of it, 
 I, 1 he fiidfltniufs of his repentance: Although his fin was 
 great, yet his repentance was fpecdy, and without delay. Here 
 Mtc, That fms committed by the ftirprifal of a fuddcn tempta- 
 tion, are much fooncr repented of, than where the fin is pre- 
 furaptuous and deliberate. David's fms of murder and adul- 
 tery wtrc-prefiimptuoiis and deliberate fms: He continued a 
 loh^ tfmc'ii^then), and lived almofl a twelve month withouta- 
 n}) folcirmrcpentaaie of them. St. Peter's fin was hafty and 
 fucklen, under a violent paflion of fear, contrary to his fettled 
 purpofc and rdolution of conftancy ; and hctakesthe warning 
 of the fecoiid crowing of the cock, and goes forth to exprefs 
 his repentance. i. The means of his repentance, which was 
 t\yofold. Ivcfs principal, the crowingof the cock ; more prin- 
 cipal, Chrift looking upon Peter, and Peter'srememberingthe 
 words of Chrift. (i. The lefs principal means of St. Peter's 
 repentance, was the crowing of the cock: ( Bp. Reynolds w 
 •St. Peter'f/////. I As the voice of the maid bccafioned him to 
 /ill, fo the voice of the cock occafioned him to repent. That 
 God who can work without means, does fomctimes v/ork by 
 weak and contemptible means, and when he ptleafes can open 
 ihe mouth of a bird or beafl for the converlion of a man. 
 iut why fliould our Saviour chufc the crowing of a cock as a 
 tneans to bring St. Peter to repentance \ There is ever fome 
 myftery in Chrift's inllrument ; the cock was a preacher to 
 (Call Peter to repentance, there being fomething of emblem 
 between the cock and a preacher. A true minifter muft 
 have the wings of a cock to rouze up himfelf from fecurify, 
 and to awaken others to a fonfe of their duty. He muft have 
 the watchfulnefs of a cock, to be ever ready to difcover and 
 forewarn danger. He muft have the voice of a cock, to cry 
 aloud, and tdl Ifrad of their Jin, znd tcrnfy ihe roaring lion, 
 and riiake him tremble. In aword,hemullobferve thehours 
 of the Cock , to crow at all feafons of the night, to preach in fea- 
 yjw an-/ «// c'//ir(!7/i/j, the glad tidings of fal vat ion. But, 2. The 
 more principal meansof St. Peter's recovery, was, ('i.)Chrift's 
 Jooking upoii Peter. Ghrift firft looks upon Peter with an 
 eye of mercy, grace, and pity, before Peter looks upon his fin 
 in order to repentance. Here take notice of the greatncfs of 
 Chrift's grace, of his wonderful love and mercy to this poor 
 tlifciple. V/he.n otir Saviour v/as upon his trial for his life, a 
 time when our thoughts are wholly taken up about ourfelvcs; 
 even then did Chrift find leifure to think upon Peter, remem- 
 ber to turn about, and give him a pitiftil but piercing look \ a 
 Jobk that melted his heart, arnl diffolved it into tears. Wc 
 never begin to lament for fin, till we are firft lamented by our 
 Saviour. Jefus looked upon Peter. That is the firft more 
 principal means of Peter's repentance. The fccond is, Peter's 
 remembering the words of Chrift, Befon the cock oao twice, 
 Ihou/halt dcny'metkrice. Thisremembranceof Chrift's words 
 was an applicative and feeling remembrance of thtni. He re- 
 jmcmbcred the prediflion of Chrift, and applies it fcnfibly to 
 himfell. Teaching us, Th;U the cfticacy of Chrift's word', in 
 'order to the bringing of a I'o'jI ihtorepcnt.ince.depcnds'not iip- 
 tni the hiftorical remcrfitrahce of it, but upon the clofe appli- 
 cation of it to every mrn'r confclencc. A faiiftiiitd remcm- 
 irance of ChrilVs woris, iind otir own fins, is an excelletlt 
 preparative to repentance. Laftly, The manner of Sr. 
 Peter's repcnta.pCe^ i} vwas (t^crc, he went out; it was fin- 
 cere, he ivcpt iith'riy ; it was lafting and abiding all the days 
 <*'!Xis'Iifc, -ar-d :::t;i:i!t;l With an c.-iJraordliui;y zeal and fw'r- 
 
 wardnefs for the fcrvicc of Chrift to the end of tiis life. i. It 
 wa» fcctet, hewenliut: Vere dolet^ qui fine tefiedolet. Hefought 
 a place of retirement where he might mourn in fecrtt; he 
 cannot well be thought to difTcmblc his grief, v; ho chufcs noo- 
 ther witnefs but the nmniprcrcnt G<h1. Solitaiintfs is moft a- 
 greeablc to an affliited fpirit ; and as Peter's forrow cauftd 
 him to go forth, fb might alfo ftiame. Chrift locked upf)n 
 Peter, but how afhanied muft Peter bctolnnk upon, Chrift, 
 confidcring that he fo l.itely denied to have ever fccn nim ? 2. 
 His repentance was finccre, he zvept bitterly ; his grief was ex- 
 traordinary, and his tears abundant. There iscver a weeping 
 that follows fin ; fin muft coft the foul forrow, either here or 
 in hell ; we nuill mourn a while, or lament forever. Doubt- 
 lefs with Peter's tears there was joined a hearty confcflion of 
 fin to God, and fniart rcfleclions uponhimftlf, after this man- 
 ner: " Lord, what have I done ! I thatdidor.ceacknowledgc 
 my mafter tj be Chrijl, the Sri cf the Uving Gid, have fince de- 
 nied him with oaths, curfes, and imprecations ; I, that pro- 
 mifed to lay down my life for his fake, have yet difov/ned and 
 denied him at the voice of a damfel. O what unfaithfiilnefs, 
 what wcaknefs, what wickednefs! O that my head were wa- 
 ters, and mire eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep all 
 iny days for the fault of this one night!" BlelTcd indeed are 
 the tears of of a converted revolter, and happy is the very mif- 
 ery of a mournful offender. 3. This holy man's repentance 
 was lafting and abiding; he hail a lively fenfe and remembra.ncc 
 of this fin upon his foul all his life. Ecclelialtical hiftory re- 
 ports, that ever after, when St. Peter heard the crowing of a 
 cock, he fell upon his knees and mourned ; others fay, that he 
 was wont to rife at midnight, and fpend the tim.e in penitent 
 devotion between cock-crowing and day-light. And the pa- 
 pifts, who love to turn every thing into fuperftition, began that 
 pradice of fetting a cock upon the top of tower.s, and ftecple^, 
 and chimnies, to put the people in mind of this im of Peter, 
 and his repentance by that fignal. Laftly, St. Peter s repen- 
 tance was attended with an extraordinary zealaiiJ.torwardncfs 
 for the fervice of Chrift, to the end of his life. He had an 
 earneft love towards Chrift,, T'/^a// that kniwe/i nil things, inow- 
 e/i that Hove thee : And, as an evidence of it, he if:A Chrift's 
 fiieep ; for in the Acts of thcapoftlcs, we read of his extraor- 
 dinary dilligence to fprcad thegnfpel ; and his travels in order 
 thereunto, are compared to be nine hundre! r.:;d fifty miles : 
 And the wifdom of God thought fit that this apoltlc lliculd 
 preach the gofpcl to the Jews, as St. Paul did to the Gentiles; 
 that as he had joi.icd with the Jews in denying and difowning 
 Chrift, fo he fhould endeavour to perfuade them to join witi» 
 him fn repentance, as he had joined with them in their (in. 
 His fin was in fome refpei^like theiis, therefore he is lent to 
 preach the gofpcl to them, and his diligence therein, isan un- 
 doiibtcdproof and evidence of his repentance. Hive any of us 
 fallen with Peter, though not with a formal adjuring, yet by .h 
 praiHcal denying of him, let us go forth and weep with hiu»; 
 let us be more \igi'!a,Tr andwatchfidoverourfelVes forthctime 
 to come ; let us cxprefs more extraordinary l<;ve unto, and zeal 
 for Chrift, moro diligence in his fervice, and more concerncd- 
 Tiefs tor his honour and glory. This would be an happy jin- 
 provemcnt of this exa.mc-lc. The Lordgrant it may have.th^t 
 bleired cfFea-. Anun. ' 
 
 C H A P. XX VH. 
 
 w 
 
 HE>r the ir.ornin,; \fzs cotnc, all tho chi. ' 
 pricfls and e'deis ci' the ^epp"« took counlcl 
 
ito 
 
 Sr. M A T T n E W. 
 
 C»A 
 
 r xxvit. 
 
 a£;ainR 
 
 jefui to put him to death. 2 And when 
 they had bound him, they led him away, and deli- 
 vered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 
 
 The fnrcgoirg chapter gave us an account of Jiidas's trea- 
 fon, in cieliveringour Saviour into the hands of the chicfpriefts. 
 In this chapter wc find our lioly Lord brought by the chief 
 priefts unto Pontius Piiate the Roman governor, in order to 
 nis arraignment and condemnation. Whence etferve. That 
 it has. been the old policy of corrupt church governors to a- 
 b\ifc the power of the civil ma^iftrate, in executing their cru- 
 el and unjuft cenfuresiipon holy and innocent pcrfons. The 
 chief priciVs and elders do ni)t kill our Saviour thcmfclves, 
 but they deliver him over to the fecular power, and defire Pi- 
 late, the civil magiftrate, to fentcnce and condemn him, which 
 fnor. after vrc Oiall find he did. 7"hn l>au>id and hd him away : 
 But what need was there of binding him, that never made 
 any refiit.ir.'i'e ? And O, what ingratitude was it to bind him 
 with cordi, who came to unloofe ihofc bands of lin wherewith 
 wc were bound! 
 
 3 5 Then Judas which had betrayed him. when he 
 faw that he was condemned, repented himfelf, and 
 brought again the thirty pieces of filver to the chief 
 priells and elder.s, 4 Saying, I have finned, in that 
 I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they faid, 
 Wliat li that to lis ? fee thou to tliat. 5 And he caft 
 down the pieces of filver in the temple, and depart- 
 ed, and went and hanged himfelf. 
 
 Here wchave a fad relation' of Judas's defperate death, af- 
 ter an hypocritical life, as alfo of the horror of his mind and 
 confcicncc before his death, Ohfen-e here, i. The time 
 when Judas repented ; after it was too late. fPhcH hejaxu 
 that he ivas condemned, he repented. Learn thence, That they 
 that will not fee their fins timely to their converfion, fhall fee 
 them fooner or later in their confufion. 2. The repentance 
 itfelf, in the fcveral parts and branches of it : He was for- 
 rowfu! for the fa£l, he made confeflion of his fin, and made 
 reflitution for the wrong done. He repented faying, Ihavefm- 
 ved; and caj} di'wn the thirty pieces of filver. Learn thence, 
 That a wicked man, when confcience is thoroughly awakcn- 
 <d, may make conteffion of his fin, cxprefs fome forrow for 
 It, and endeavour alfo the making of fome fatisfadion and re- 
 fliftition tor tlie wrong and injury done by it. They that 
 mourn for fin as fin ; they that mourn more for the intrinfic 
 «vil that is in fin, than for the penal and confequential evils 
 that follow fin ; they that confels fin voluntarily and freely, 
 ■particularly, penitently, believingly, with an eye of forrow 
 upon their fin, and an eye of faith fixed upon their Saviour ; 
 they that make rcflitution as an a£l of obedience to the com- 
 mand of God, and as an adl of juftice and righteoufncfs to 
 their neighbour; fuch perfons repentance lliall nndacceptance 
 wiih God. 3. The anfwer and reply which the wicked high 
 prieHs and elders make to defpairing Judas, i. They cxcufe 
 thcmfclves, ff^hat is that to us? It isnatural to all finners to 
 <hift fin from thcmfclves, and to lay it at any door rather than 
 their own. Thofe that have had a (hare in the pleafure and 
 profit of fin, are yet very defirous to throw tiie odium and 
 guilt upon others. PVhat is that to us ? Say thefe monlters in 
 jln. O wonderful ftupidity! could they think it nothing-to 
 them to hire a man to betray innocent blood? Was not the 
 monev given, the price of blood } and the field they bought, 
 
 the field of blood ? yet do they impudently fay, IFhat is that 
 to us? 1. As they excufe and acquit thcmfclves, fo they load 
 and burden him ; Loci thou to that. Lord ! what miferablc 
 comforters arc companions in fin to one another, when dif- 
 trefs and forrow comes upon them ? When fin comes to be 
 queftioncd in order to its being punifhed, every finncr is for 
 fllifting for himfelf, and leaves his fellow in the lurch. Let 
 us then remember the words of the Holy Ghoft, He thai ivaii- 
 eth with zvife men fhall be wife, but a companion of fools /hall he de- 
 flroyed. How jolly foevcr finners are together, when in the 
 height of their lufts, they are but mifcrable com.forters to one 
 another upon a fick-bed, or under the lafhes of an awakened 
 confcience. But though tl.ey may avoid each other now, 
 there is a time coming when it will be impoilible; at the 
 great day, the finner (hall fee both his companions in fin, and 
 his fins thcmfclves, to be what he would never believe them 
 here, the vileft of monftcrs 4. The fad and fatal end of Ju- 
 das ; he wer.t forth end hanged himfelf. Horror and dcfpair 
 took hold upon him, ■xrAjei-z.ed his confcience ; which was fo 
 iiitollcrable that he ran to the halter for a remedy. Learn 
 thence, i. That confcience is a powerful, though invilTible 
 executioner ; the wrath of man may be endured, but the 
 wrath of God is infupportable, and the eruptions of confci- 
 ence are irrefiftable. O how intolerable are thofe fcourgc's 
 
 that lafh us in this tender and vital part! Judas, awakened 
 with the horror of his fail, confcience becjins to roufc, and 
 the man is unable to bear up under the furious revenge of his 
 own mind. There is an aflive principle in men's breaAs 
 and bofoms, which feklom fuffers daring linners to pafs in qui- 
 et to their graves. Guilt is naturally trotiblefome and unea- 
 fy ; it difiurbs the peace and ferenity of the mind, and fills 
 the foul with ll.orms and thunder, both in life and death. 
 How vainly did Judas hope to take fanfluary in a grave, and 
 to meet with that cafe in another world, which he could not 
 find in this! Thuscnded this miferablc man, Judas. Behold! 
 ye prefefiTors of religion, the terrible example of God's juftice 
 on a deceitful hypocrite. Behold! a difciple, an apoftle, firft 
 a traitor, then a felf-murdcrer. Behold! all ye covetous world- 
 lings, to wliat the love of that accurfed idol has brought 
 this wretched apolllc. Behold! Judas, once fliining in the 
 robes of a glorious profeflion, now fliining in the flames of 
 God's eternal wrath and vengeance. Lord ! how earned 
 ought we to be for thy preferving grace, when neither the 
 prefcncc, the miracles, the fermons, the facraments of Chrill, 
 could preferve and fecure a profelfor, a difciple and apoftle, 
 from the fatal mifchief of a ruinous apoftacy ! Let him thai 
 thinketh hejlandetb take keed leji befall. 
 
 6 And the chief priells took the filver piece.s, and 
 faid, it is not lawful for toput thein into the treafuiy, 
 becaufe it is the price of blood. 7 And they took 
 rounf( I, and bought with them the potters field, to 
 bnrv (Irangcrs in. 8 Wherefore that held was call- 
 ed, The field of blood. (9 Then was fu Hilled that 
 which was fpoken by Jeremy the prophet, faying, 
 And they took the thirty pieces of filver, the price 
 of him that was valued, whom they of the children 
 of Ilrael did value ; 10 And gave them for the pot- 
 ters field, as the Lord appointed m€. j 
 
 Note here, i. The nicenefs and forupuloCty of thefe hypo- 
 crites ; they made no fcruple to give money to fhed blood, 
 
 but 
 
Chap, xxvic? 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 :it 
 
 but they Temple (he rutting that money i:i»o th^ trcafury 
 which was the pjicc of Wood. They arc afraid to defilt; their 
 frtafiiry, but arc not afraid to pollute their foul.';. Thus hv- 
 pocrit«s/?;wi fit a riiat, and Jvjall'Av a camel \ fcruplc a cere- 
 mony, but make no. confcience of murder and p;.'rjury. 2. 
 The ufe which they put this money to, vvliich Judas brought 
 them; they bought with it a field tobury ftrangers in. Thus 
 Chrill, who v.'as himft-lf a {hanger in a borrowed grave, bv 
 the price of his blood (being thirty pieces of filver) conferred 
 graves on many ftrangers. Laflly, How the wifJom of God 
 ordered it, that hereby a fcripture-prophecy might be fulfdled, 
 Zech. xi. 13. They weighed for my price th:rt\ pieces offilvcr, 
 and 1 1 oak and raft them unto the potter. Whence learn,lL\\M. 
 all the indignities and abafing fufFerings which the Lord Je- 
 f'ls underwent, were not only foreordained by God, but alfo 
 f )retold by the holy prophets : His being fcourgcd, but^lted, 
 fpit upon, and here his being fold for thirty pieces of filver. 
 
 1 1 And Jcfus ftood before the governor : and the 
 governor afked him, faying, Art thou the King of 
 the Jew.s? And Jefus faid unto him. Thou i'ayelL 
 12 And when he wasaccufed of the chief priefls and 
 elders, he anfwered nothing. 13 Then faith Pilate 
 unto him. Hearefl thou not hou' many things they 
 witnefs againfl: thee ? 14 And he anfwered him to 
 never a word, infomuch that the governor marvelled 
 greatly. 
 
 AVr here, i. That our Saviour readily anfwers Pilate, 
 but refufes to anfwcr the chief priefts before Pilate. Pilate 
 artcs him, Art thou the King of the Jewsf' Jcfus readily an- 
 fwcrs, Thoufayefl; or. It is as thou fayeft. But to all the 
 accufations of the chief priefts, and to all that they laid to his 
 ciiarge before Pilate, our Saviour anfwers never a word : pro- 
 bably for tliefe rcafons; becaufe his innocency was luch as 
 needed no apology ; becaufe their calumnies and accufations 
 v-ere fo notoriouily falfe, that they needed no confutation ; to 
 niew his contempt of death, and to teach tis by his own ex- 
 ample patience and filcncc, when for his fake we are flander- 
 ed and traduced. Lcc.rn thence. That although we are not 
 obliged to anfwer every captious and enfnaring quefiion, nor 
 to refute every Handcr and falle accufation, yet are we bound 
 faithfully to own and confefs the truth, when we are foleinnly 
 Called there; into. Our Saviour, aj a deaf man, hears not, an- 
 Iwers not the columnies of the chief priefts; but when Pi- 
 late adcs him, Art thou the King of the JrMs? or, as St. Mark 
 has it, Art thou the Son of the llcf}'ed? Jefus faid, 1 am ; though 
 he knew that anfwer would coft him his life. Hence thea- 
 poftle, I Tim. vi. 13. izys. That Chri ft before Pontiu: Pilate 
 witnejfed agi':d confcffion. Teaching us. Sometimes to hold our 
 peace when our reputation isconcerned ; but never to be filent 
 .when the honour of God, the glory of his truth, the edificati- 
 on and confirmation of others, may eSFeftually be promoted 
 by our open confeJion : Then muft we with Chrift give a 
 direft, plain, and fi.ncere anfwer. For whofoever denies him, 
 or any truth of his, knowingly and wilfully, him will Chriji 
 deny in the prefence of his Father, and before all his holy angels. 
 
 15 Now at that feaft the governor was wont to re- 
 leafe unto the people a prifoner. whom they would. 
 16 And they had then a notable prifoner, called 
 Barrabbas. 17 Therefore v/hcn they were gathered 
 
 together, Pilate faid utito them, Whom will ye that 
 I rcleafeunto you ? Barrabbas, or Jefu,s which is cal- 
 led Chrill ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had 
 delivered him. 
 
 Now at that fenjl ,{\\2l\ is, at the feaft of the paFo-.-er, which 
 by way of emijicncy, is called the fen/I, the governor ufed it.) 
 rcleafi.: a prifoner fpofhbly by way of memonal of their de i- 
 verance out of Egypt) accordingly Pilate makes a moiion to 
 tlicm, that Chrift m.iy be theprifoner fet at liberty iti honour 
 of their feaft ; for he was fenfiblc that what they did wasout 
 of envy and malice. As covetoufncfs fold Chrift, fo envy 
 delivered hiin. Envy is a killing and murdering pa/Iion'; 
 Envyjlayetk tl;eflly:.r.e.]oh v. 2. that is, it flays the filly 
 pcrfon who harbours this pcftilciit luft in his bofom, and ij; 
 like a fire in his bo.nes continually preying upon him, caufini' 
 him to pine away, and die mifcrably, becaufe snother lives 
 happily. To envy another man's profperity, is an argument 
 of the worft fimplicity ; yea, as envy (layeth the filly one, fo 
 it prompts and provokes the finner to feck the flaying of inno- 
 cent ones. .Envy wifhes the envied pcrfon out of the wav, 
 yea, out of the world; and if need be, not only wifh it, but 
 lend a lift towards it too ; witnefs the chief priefts here, whole 
 envy was foconfpicuous, that Pilate himfelf takes notice of it, 
 and favs, He knew that fir envy they had delivered him. 
 
 ig When he was fet down on the judgment-ftat 
 his wife fent unto him, faying, Have thou nothing 
 to do with that juft man : for I have fufFered man/ 
 things this day in a dream becaufe of him. 
 
 There are feveral forts or kinds of dreams, natur.-il, moral* 
 diabolical, and divine. The queftion is, what kind of dream 
 this was? Not f?(7/://v7/, all agree; fome think it was diabolical, 
 and that Satan hoped thereby to prevent the work of man s 
 redemption by the death of Chrift. But if To, Why had nor 
 Pilate the dream rather than his wife ? Probably this drcmi 
 was from God, for even our dreams are ordered by God ; or.- 
 flceping as well as our waking times are in his liand. tean: 
 hence, How wonderfully the wifdom and power of God isfcen 
 in this womans tcftimony, which fhegave to the innocency cf 
 our Saviour. Wtien all his difciples v/ere fled from hi.n, 
 when none of his friends durft fpeak a word for him, Go'l 
 raifes up a woman, a ftranger, a Pagan, to give evidence of 
 his innocency. And it isobfcrvable, that at our Saviours tri- 
 al, not one mouth was opened fo plead or fpeak a v/ord for 
 him, in defence of innocency itfclf, but only Pilate's and his 
 wife's; they both pronounce him righteous, tiiough they were 
 Gentiles and P.igans,whilft his own kindred and coiintrymei;.' 
 the Jews, thirft after his righteous and innocent blood. 
 
 20 But the chief priefts and €Jders perfuadcd the 
 multitude that they Ihould afk Barrabbas;, and dellroy. 
 Jefus, 21 1'he governor anfwcrcd and faid unto 
 them, Whether of the twain will ye that I rcleafe un- 
 to you ? They faid, Barrabbas. 22 Pilate faith un- 
 to them, What fliall I do then with Jefus, which is 
 called Chnfl? They all fay unto him. Let him be 
 crucified. 23 And the governor faid, Why, what: 
 evil hath he done ? But they cried out the more, fay- 
 ing. Let him be crucified. 
 
Its 
 
 St. MATTHEW. 
 
 Cha?< x*V*tt 
 
 Qhffr:ic\virt, f. IJow e)(ce«lirigly uBwUHng and avarfa 
 niatc was to bo tV.c ii;(Viimo:it of our $u\ ioiirs dcatli ; on« 
 vlule lie bid.'; the Jews take him thcmfclycs, and judge him 
 nrcording to their own luw ; another while he ofters to lave 
 Chrift in honour of tbr-it fe.ift, when by cnftom he was fore- 
 Ifafe a prifoner, and this prifoncr he defired might be Jcfus. 
 Wljcn th|,-. would not fatisfy, he expoftiibtcs with them a- 
 boiitoiir Saviour's inr-octncy, ii hat evil hath l>e done (" Nay, 
 St. Lwke fays, chap, xxiii. Ti\rl Pilate came forth three tima, 
 qn^frrfrijij ll>al 'hffjund no fault in him. Yet though Pilate 
 was fatiMicd, the jews would notbedcnicd. Thcnce/^flr«, 
 That wivked m^n ard hypocrites within the vifiblc church, 
 may ho ^uilty of fuch tremendous ads of wickcdnefs, as tlie 
 confcience of inndels and pagans without the church may bog- 
 gle at, and prcteft againft. Pilate, a Pagan, abfolvcs Chrill, 
 whilft hypocritical Jews, which had heard his dodlnnc, and 
 feen his miracles, condemn him. But, 2. Who influenced 
 the main baiy of the Jews todcfirc Barrabbas, and to deftroy 
 jcfus? Ixviss Xhc chief priefis and elders, \)\ty perfuadcd the 
 vmkiliuie. Wo to the people when their guides and leaders 
 arc corrupt ; for then they (hall be tempted by wicked conn- 
 fcl ; and wo unto them, much more, if they follow their wjc- 
 ked andpernicious counfels. Thus did the Jews follow their 
 guides, the chief priefts, till they had prcferved Barrabbas, 
 and deftroycd Jcfus. 
 
 24 When Pilate faw that lie could prevail nothing, 
 but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and 
 wallicd hh hands before the multitude, faying, I am 
 innocent of the bloodof this juft pcrfon : kcyc toit. 
 Two \Vmgs-Mc\vcrt ohfervabh in Pilate's wafliing of his 
 hands, i. By this aaion'he pronounces our Saviour's inno- 
 «ency, and was willing thereby to teUify his own, that he did 
 net confent to our Saviour's death ; wafhing the hands being 
 a nfual ceremony in proteftationof a pcrfon 's iniiocency. But, 
 1. It was great folly and madnefs in Pilate, to think thatwafh- 
 i"ng of his hands did or could free him from the guilt of inno- 
 cent blood. «'0 Pilate! thou hadit need rub hard, if thou 
 meaneft to fcour from thy foul the guilt ofthatcrimfonfinlwhich 
 thou haft committed ; thy guilt cleaves fo dofeunto thee, that 
 nothint' can expiate it but the blood which thou hart fpilt." 
 Neithc° was it any excufc of Pilate's fm, that wliat he did was 
 to pkafe the people, or to gratify their importunity. It is a 
 fond apology for fins, when perfons pretend they were not 
 committed with their own confent, but at others inftigalion 
 and importunity. 
 
 25 Then nnfwcred all the people, and faid, His 
 blood he on us, and on our children. 
 
 That is, "Let the guilt and punifhmcnt of hisblood reft up- 
 on us and our polterity." A mod horrid and impious impre- 
 cation ! The dreadful effcas of it began to come upon them 
 forty years after, in the deftrudion of Jcrufalcm, and has rc- 
 flc<laml remained upon their poflerhy to this day, near eighteen 
 hundred years; the jews being vagabonds ovcr'tlieeartb, ab- 
 horred by all nations wherc^oe^ cr they come. The juft God 
 has heard their wicked willi, and caufed that blood to fall 
 upon them in fo fcverc, though righteous a manner, asmuft 
 pierce the heart of thofe that read and obferve it. Godhaf. giv- 
 en them blood to drink, as indeed they were worthy. iTus 
 ought to be a terror and a warning to all perfons, that they a- 
 void all curfc<l imprecations, and wicked wifhesupon them- 
 
 felves er others. Wo tofuoh as wifhtlamnation to thcmfelvts, 
 pox and plague upon others; what if God fays Ar^fn, ai:d ra! 
 ifi<?s in heaven thy curfcd imprecations made on earth, as he 
 did this of the wicked Jews, His blood be u^cn us emd cur chil- 
 dren F Yet what they with a wicked mind put up as a direful 
 imprecation.wc may with a pious mind offer up to God as an 
 humble petition; I^rd, let thy fon's blood, not in the guilt 
 and punifnment, but in the efficacy andmcritof it, beuponur, 
 and upon our pofterity after us, for evermore. 
 
 26 Thcti relcafed he Barrabbas unto them: and 
 when he had fcourgcd Jcfus, he delivered him to be 
 crucified. 
 
 As the death of the crofs wa.<: a Roman punifhmcnt, fo it 
 was the mar.r.cr of the Romans, firft to fcourgcand whip their 
 maIefa<3:ors, and then deliver them to be crucified. Now the 
 manner of the Romans fcourging is faid to be thus: They 
 ftripped the condemned perfon, and bound him to a poft ; two 
 ftrong men firft fcourgoxl him with rods of thorns ; then two 
 others fcourged him wlthv.hipsof cords full of knots; and laft- 
 ly, two more vath whips of wire, and therewith tore off the 
 very flefh and (kin from the perfon "s back and fidc«. That 
 our Saviour was thus cruelly fcourged, feems to fome not im.- 
 probable, from that of the 'Pfalmilt, Pfalm cxxix, ?. Tht 
 pktighers ploughed upon my back, and made long turrcivs. Which 
 if fpoken prophetically of Chrift, was literally fulfilled m the 
 day of his fcourging. But why was the precious body of our 
 blefted Lord thus galled and torn with fcourgings ? Doubtlefs 
 to fulfil that prophecy, /^arv myhack tithe fmiters, andmy checks 
 ttthcm that plucked off the hair.— That ky his f ripe s v:e might hi 
 healed. And to /f<7rn us patience from his example: Why 
 ftjould we think it ftrangc tobe fcourgedeitherwiththe tongue 
 or the hand, when we fee our dear Redeemer bleeding by 
 ftripes and fcourges before our eyes ? 
 
 27 Then the foldicrs of the governor took Jcfus 
 into the common-hall, and gathered unto him the 
 whole band o/"/oi/«>-s. 28 And they ftripped him., and 
 put on him a fcarlet robe. 29 And Avhen they had 
 platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, 
 and a reed in his right hand : and tliey bowed the 
 knee before him, and mocked him, faying, Hail, 
 King of the Jew.<; ? 30 And they fpit upon him, and 
 took the reed, and fmote him on the head. 3 1 ? And 
 after that they had mocked him, they took the robe 
 off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and 
 led him awayto crucify Azm. 
 
 The next part of our Lord'.-; fufferir.gr. ccnfifted of cruel 
 mockings. Our bleflied Saviour had fiid that l.c v.asthe king 
 of the Jew:; not a temporal king, to reign ever ti.cm with 
 pomp and power, but a (piritual king, to rule in the hearts of 
 his people; but the Jews, miffing <^' their cxpedation of .-» 
 temporal king in Chrift. look iipo:i him asanimpoftor; and 
 accordingly they treat him as a mock king, putting a crown 
 upon his head, but a very ignominious and paintul one, a 
 crnun ef thorns, afceptr: in Ins hand, but it wasjaf a^r.W, and a 
 robe cf ^ 
 hewed 
 
 . Thus i „ . A- r^ J I- I • 
 
 fed Redeemer: yet that which they did lojcft, Oodoidi? 
 
 carneft ; 
 
Chap, xxvji. 
 
 St. MATTHEW, 
 
 "3 
 
 carneft; for all thefc tilings were enfigns and marks of iove. 
 reignty ; and almighty God caufed the regal dignity of his 
 Son to appear and Oiine forth, even in themidft of his great- 
 eft ahafenienr. Whence was all this jeering and fport, but 
 to flout majefty ! And why did Clirift undergo all this igno- 
 miny, difgrace, and flianie, but to fhew us what was due 
 unto us for our fins, and to give us an example to bear all 
 the fcorn, reproach, and flianieiimgin^bleforhis fake, ICha, 
 
 for the joy that -was/et bcfon him, endured the crofs, and de- 
 
 fp'ffd the Jhame? 
 
 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cy- 
 rene, Simon by name : him they compelled to bear 
 his crofs. 33 And when they were come unto aplace 
 called Golgotha, that is to (ay, A place of a llcull, 34 
 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall : 
 and when he had tailed thereof, he would not drink. 
 35 And they crucified him, and parted hisgarments, 
 carting lots : that it might be fulfilled which wasfpo- 
 ken by the prophet. They parted my garments among 
 them, and upon my vefturc did they cart; lots. 36 
 And fitting down they watched him there. 
 
 The fentence of death being paffed by Pilate, who can 
 with dry eyes behold the fad pomp of our Saviour's bloody 
 execution ? Forth conies the blefled Jcfus out of Pilate's 
 gates, bearing that crofs which was loon after to bear him. 
 With his crofs on hisflioulder he marches towards Golgotha: 
 and when they fee he can go no fafter, they force Simon 
 the Cyrenian, not out of compalTion, but from indignation, • 
 tobe the porter of his crofs. This Cyrenian being a Gen- 
 tile, not a Jew, who bare our Saviour's crofs, might fignify 
 and fljpw that the Gentiles fhould have a part in Chrift, and 
 be fharers with the Jews in the benefits of his crofs. At 
 Jength Chrift comes to the place of execution, Golgotha, or 
 mount Calvary. Here in a public place, with infamous 
 company, betwixt two thieves, he is crucified ; that is, faf- 
 tened to a great crofs of wood, his hands ftretched forth a- 
 broad, and his feet clofe together, and both hands and feet 
 faftened with nails ; his naked body vvas lifted up in the o- 
 pen air, hanging betwixt heaven and earth ; thereby inti. 
 mating, that the crucified perfon was unfit to live in either. 
 This ihameful, painful, and accurfed death, did the holy and 
 innocent Jefus undergo for Tinners. Some (>bferve all the 
 dimenfionsof length, breadth, depth and heighth in our Sa- 
 viour's fufFerings. For length ; his paflion was feveral 
 hours long, from twelve to three, expoled all that time both 
 to hunger and cold ; the thieves crucified with him were not 
 dead io foon ; they endured but perfonal pain, he u.idergo- 
 ing the miferies of all mankind .«■ But what his paflion want- 
 ed in length, it had in breadth, extending over all the parts 
 and powers of his foul and body, no part free buthis tongue, 
 which was at liberty to pray for his enemies: His light was 
 tormented with the fcornful gefturcs of fuch as ptifjed'v.' Jig- 
 ging their heads; his hearing grieved with the taunts and 
 jeers of priefts and people ; his fnielling olTendcd with noi- 
 fome favours in the place of fkulls ; his tafte with the gall 
 and vinegar given him to drink : His feeling was wonder- 
 fully afFeftpd by the nails which pitrced his hands and feet, 
 and the crown of thorns which pierced his tender temples 
 with a multiplicity of wounds. And for the depth of his 
 
 pafTion, it was as deep as hell itfelf j enduring tortures inhis 
 foul, as well as torments in his body ; groaning under the 
 burden of defertion, and crying out, My Cod, viy Cod, why 
 hajl thou forfukenme? Laftly, lor the hciolu of his fuffering:', 
 they were as high as heaven, his perfon being innocent 11. <i 
 infinite, no lefs than the Son of God, which adds an infiniu- 
 worth and value to his fuflerings. Lord, let us he ahh n 
 comprehend with all fa'tiits what is the breadth and length, depi! 
 and heighth, and let us kno-w the love of C.hrifl , which in fuffcr 
 ing for uspajfelh knrjiledge: So infinite every way were the 
 dimenfions of it. 
 
 37 And fct up over his head his accufation writ- 
 ten,THlS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
 
 It was the manner of the Roman', when they crucified 
 any man, to publifli the caufe of his death in capital letters, 
 placed over the head of the perfon. Now, fee how the wifdoni 
 and providence ofGcd pov crfully ca cr-iuled theheartand 
 pen of Pilate to draw this title, which was truly honourable 
 and fix it to his crofs : Pilate is Chrift's herald, and proclaims 
 him, King of the Jews- Learn hence. That the regal digni- 
 ty of Chrift was proclaimed by an enemy, and that in a time 
 of his greateft fufFerings and reproaches. Pilate did Chrift 
 a fpecial honour, and an eminent piece of fervice. He did 
 that for Chrift which none of his owndifciples durft do ; but 
 he did it not defignedly for his glory, but from the fpecial o- 
 ver-ruling power of divine providence: But thehigheftfer- 
 vices performed to Chrift undefignedly, fliaJl never be accept- 
 ed nor rewarded by God. 
 
 38 Then were there two thieves cracifiod with 
 him. one on the right hand, and another on the left. 
 39 5 And they that parted by reviled him, waggine 
 their heads, 40 And faying, Thou that dertroyeft 
 the temple, and buildert it in three days, lave thyfeli': 
 if thou be the Son of God, comedown from the crofs. 
 41 Likewife alfo the chief prierts mocking Imn, with 
 the fcribes and elders, faid, 42 He faved others: 
 himfelf he cannot fave. If he be the king of Ifrael, 
 let him now come down from the crofs, and we will 
 believe him. 43 He tiufted in God ; let him deliver 
 him now, if he will have him : for he faid, i am the 
 Son of God. 44 The thieves alfo which were cruci- 
 fied with him, cart the fame in his teeth. 
 
 Here we have feveral aggravations of our Lord's I'lifftr- 
 ings upon the crofs. i. From the company he fuffered with, 
 two thieves. Ith.id been difp^ragcment enough to our 
 bleffed Saviour to have been forted with the belt oi" men; 
 but to I'c numl)ercd with the fcuni of mankind, is fuch an 
 indignity as confounds onr thoughts. " This was intended 
 by the Jews to ciiihonour him the more, and to pcrfuadc- 
 the world that he was the greateft of offenders ; but God 
 over-ruled this, that the fcripture might be fulfilled. He was 
 ntimhered with the tran/'grtjjors, 2. Ano'her aggravation of 
 our Lord's fufFerings on the crofs, was the fcorn and mock- 
 ing derifion which he met wiili in his dying moments from 
 the common people, from the chief priefts, and ficni the 
 thieves that fuffered with him. The commonpeople both 
 iji vords ctul a£lions exprcfTed their fcorn and deteftation a- 
 
 P -ainft 
 
lij 
 
 St. M a T T H E W, 
 
 C{^yv.p..x^5f^tj 
 
 gainft him ; Tmy rev'ileJ hint, '^^g^l>'-g their heads. The 
 chief prierts, though men of age and gravity, not only bar- 
 baroufly mock him in his exncmcil niifery, whom humani- 
 ty obliged them to pity ; but they feoff atheiflically and pro- 
 fanely, jeering at his faith and afllancc in God, tauntingly 
 ! jying, He trujhlin G:d that be waul J deliver him ; Ut htm 
 (/f liver him novj, if he will have him. Where ohferve, Tliat 
 perfecutors are generally athiefb, though they make a pro- 
 feirion of religion. The chief priclts and cldershere, though 
 learned and knowing men, yet they blafpheme God, mock 
 it his power, and deride his providence, which was as bad 
 as to deny hi« being. Hence we may gather, That thofe 
 who adminiller to God in holy tilings by way of olHce, if 
 they be not the belt, they are the word of men. No fuch 
 bitter enemies to the power of godlinefs, as the miniftersof 
 religion who are never acquainted with the eflicacy and pow- 
 er of it in their own hearts and lives. Nothing on this fide 
 hell is worfe than a wicked prieft, a minifter of God devoted 
 to the fer vice of" the devil. A third aggravation of our Lord's 
 I'lifferings on the crol's, was, that the thieves that fuffered 
 with him reviled him with the rell : That is, one of them, 
 as St. Luke has it, or perhaps both of them might da ft at 
 firft : Which, if fo, increafes the wonder of the penitent 
 thief's converfion. From the thief's impenitency we/farw, 
 That neither (haine nor pain will chinge the mind of a re- 
 iblute linner, but even then when he is in the very I'liburbs 
 of hell will he blafpheme. 
 
 45 Now from the fixth hour there was darknefso- 
 ver all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about 
 the ninth hour Jcfus cried with a loud voice, faying, 
 Eli, Eli. lama fabadhanai ? thac is to fay, My God, 
 my God, why haft thou forfaken me ? 47 Some of 
 rhcm that flood there, when they hcard//w/, faid, Thi^ 
 :v.an calleth for Elias. 48 And llraightway one of 
 rhcm ran, and took a fpunge,and filled it with vine- 
 ;ar, and put it on a reed, and gave bini to drink. 49 
 hic reft faid, Let be, let us fee wheiher Elias will 
 • omc to favehim. 50 5 Jefus, when he had cried a. 
 ^ain with a loud voice, yielded up the ghoft. 
 
 Chfirve here, i . How the rays of Chrift's divinity, and 
 •-he glory or his Godhead, break out and fliiiie forth in the 
 aidit of that infirmity which his haman nature laboured un- 
 der. He ii;ews himfclf to be the Gcd of nature, by alter- 
 ing riic courl'e of nature. The fun is eclipfed, and dark- 
 icl's overfpreads the earth for ihrcs hours ; namely, from 
 ; velvc o' clock to tlirec. Ti\us the fun in the firmament 
 becomes clofe mourner at our Lord's death, and the whole 
 ';anic of nature puts itfelf into a funeral habit. 2. That 
 !io cliiet oi Chriil's fufFerings confifted in the fuffcrings of 
 .5 1'oul ; the diilreis of his i'pirit was more intolerable than 
 ic torments of his body, as appears by his mournful com- 
 plain:. My God, my Cud, vjhy ha/i thau {'rfn!ieti vie ? Being 
 i he iirli v.orJs of the 22d Tlalm •, and fome conceive that he 
 : cpeateJ that whole pfalm, it being an admirable narrative 
 t'lho colours of his palfion. ' L^nm hence, That the Lord 
 Idas Chfilt, when fuftering for our (ifis, was really de* 
 d t'ora time, and left dt-ftitutie of all fenliblc confolation. 
 . 7// th'iu f->'-fi>ktn me? Lecrn fjrtljcr, Tint under this 
 
 defertion Chrifl defpaired not, butflill retained a firm per- 
 fuation of Cod's love unto him, and experienced neceflary 
 reports from him, My God, r,iy Cod: Thefe arc words of 
 faith and affiance,. ftriving under temptation. Chrift was 
 thus forfaken for us, that we might never be forlaken by 
 God ; yet by God's forfaking of Chrift, h not to be under- 
 Aood any abatement of divine love, but only a withdrawing 
 from the human nature the fenfe of his love, and a letting 
 out upon his foul a deep affliding fenfe of his difpleafure a- 
 gainltfin. There is a total and eternal defertion, by which 
 God utterly forfakes a man, both of his grace and glcry, 
 being wholly cafl out of God's prefencc, and adjudged to 
 eternal torments; this was not compatible to Chrilk, nor 
 agreeable to the dignity of his perfon. But there is a par- 
 tial and temporary defertion, when God for a litde moment 
 hides his face from his children : Now this was both agree- 
 able to the dignity of Chrift's nature, and alfo fuitable to 
 his office, who was to fatisfy the juftice of God for our for- 
 faking of him, and to bring us near to him, that we might 
 be received forever. Laftly, What a miraculous evidence 
 Chrift gave of his divinity inftantly before he gave up the 
 ghoft. He cried -aiith a loud voica. This Jhewed that he 
 did not die according to the ordinary courfe of naturf , gra- 
 dually departing and drawing on, as we exprefs it. No, 
 his life was whole in him, and nature as ftrong at laft as at 
 firft. Other men die gradually, and towards their end, 
 their fenfe of pain is much blunted ; they faulter, fumble, 
 and die by degrees : But Chrift ftood under the painsof 
 death in his full ftrength ; his life waswhole in him. This 
 was evident by the mighty outcry he made when he gave 
 up the ghoft, contrary to the fenfe and experience of all o* 
 therperfons; this argued him to be full of ftrength. And 
 he that could cry with fuch a loud voice (in articulo mortis) 
 as he did, could have kept himlalf from dying if he would. 
 Hence we learn, That when Chrift died, he ratherconquer- 
 ed death, than was conquered by death. He muft volunta* 
 rily and freely lay down his life, before death could come 
 at him. He yielded up the ghr>/}. O wonderful fight ! the 
 Lord of life hangs dead, dead on the accurfed tree! O fe- 
 vere and inexorable juftice in God ! O amazing and aftoniOi- 
 inglove in Chrift! love beyond exprelTion, beyond concep. 
 tion, beyond all comprehenfion ! with what comparifon 
 fhall we compare it! Verily with nothing butitfelf; never 
 was love like thine. 
 
 51 And behold, the vail of the temple was rent 
 in t^vain, from the top to the bottom : and the earth 
 did quake, and the rocks rent : 52 And the graves 
 were opened : and many bodies of faints which flcpt 
 arofc, 53 And came out of tlie graves after his re- 
 furreftion, and went into the holy city, and appeared 
 unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they 
 that v/ere with him, %vatching Jcfu:, faw the earth 
 quake, and thofe things that were done, they feai-ed 
 greatly, faying. Truly this was the Son cf God. 5- 
 And many women were there beholding afar off, 
 which followed Jcfus from Galilee, minifteringunto 
 him : 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and 
 Mary the mother of Jiimes and Jofes, and the mo- 
 ther of Zebcdec's chiWrc:; . 
 
Chap, xxvii. 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 ?'5 
 
 Here we have an nccouiu of feveral extraordinary and 
 honderfnl things which occurred anii fell out about the 
 time our Savionr died. j.Th: vail of the temple rent a funder. 
 That is, the hanging which parted the holy from the mod 
 holy place, to hide the niyfteries therein ; namely, tlie ark 
 of tiie covenant and mercy-(eat, from the view of the or- 
 dinary priefls. This vail was now rent from the top to the 
 bottom, and the rending of it did import thefe great myfle- 
 ries : I . That now our great high prieft was entering into 
 the niofl holy place with his own blood, having made the 
 atonement for us: Hcb. ix. 12. By his ovjr. blood he enter- 
 ed once into the rnijr holy place, having obtained eternal re- 
 demption for us. 1. Th.at the means whereby he entered 
 into thcmoft holy place, was by the rending of his humani- 
 ty, his foul from his body, typified by rending of this vail; 
 accordingly his body is called a vail, Heb. x. 20. Confe- 
 crated through the vail ofhisflefh. 3. That now by the death 
 of Chrift all thofe dark myfteries vailed up formerly in the 
 moft holy place, as tlic ark of the covenant and mercy-feat, 
 are now unfolded and laid open, and the ufe of the whole 
 ceremoniallaw at an end, and the Jewifti temple fervice 
 ceafed. 4. That now the kingdom of heaven, the moft ho- 
 ly place, is open to all believers. Chrift, our great High 
 Prieft, is entered in with his own blood, and hath not doled 
 'the vail after him, but rent it afunder, and made and left a 
 pafTage for all believers to follow him, firft in their prayers, 
 and next in their pcrfons. See Heb. x. 19. 20. Having 
 therefore boldnefs to enter into the holieji hy the hhod of Jefus, 
 by a new and living way which he hath confecrated for us 
 through the vail, that is to fay, his fieflj ; let us draw near 
 •with a true heart, &c. 2. The earth quaked. As there was 
 an univerfal eclipfe, fo likewife anuniverfal earthquake, at 
 J^our Lord's crucili(ftion, which did awaken many of the faints 
 '■(that died before our Saviour's incarnation) out of their 
 dead fleep. Thefe arofe both a: witnefTesof Chrift's refur- 
 rei^ion, and alfo as ftiarers in it. But none of them arofe 
 till Chrift was rilen, he being the fir/f fruits of them that flept. 
 And thofe holy perfons that arofe with him, pofllbly attend- 
 ed him to heaven at his afccniion. From hence we learn, 
 That Chrift was the Saviour of thofe who believed in him 
 before his incarnation, as well as of thofe that believed in 
 him fince his incarnation ; and that the former are partakers 
 of the fruit and benefit of his death and relurreftion, no lefs 
 'than the latter. Others conjefturc, that thofe who rofe 
 -out of their grai-es, were fuch as believed in Chrift, and died 
 -before him, as old Simeon, Ac. Accordingly they under- 
 ftand St. John V. 25. The hour is coming, and now is, that 
 the dead /hall hear ths voice of the Son of man, of his refurrec- 
 tion here mentioned. And v. hereas it is faid x.\\e.y went into 
 the holy city and appeared to many ; it is probable they were 
 known to them unto whom they did appear ; and if fo, they 
 muft have lived in the time of thei,r knowledge. Obferve 
 next, What influence and effed; the fight of thofe prodigious 
 . things had upon the centurion and the foldiers; it convin- 
 ced them, that verily ihi: was the Son'of6pd.^ ^ere we fee 
 the heathen foldiers are fooner convinced of tfie 'dkinity of 
 Chrift, than the unbelieving Jewiflidoftors. Obftjnaty dtnd 
 unbelief filled their minds with an invincible prejridia;.a- 
 gainft Chrift; fo that neither the miracles done by him ip 
 his life, nor wrought at his death, could convince the high 
 prieft, that Chrift was any other thanan impoftor 3E|* de- 
 
 ceiver. Laftly, Who of Chrift's frlcp.Js were witncfle; ol 
 liis death ; They are women who followed him from Galilee, 
 and minifhred unto li?it.- Not one of his dear difcij'.Ies, ex- 
 cept St. John, who ftood by the crofs with tlie Virgin Mary. 
 What a fliaine was this for the apoftlns, to he ablent from 
 a fpcftacle upon -which the falvatiori of tl:c whole world 
 did depend? and what an honour was this to the female 
 fex in general, and to thefe women in partiaslar, that they 
 had the courage to follow Chrift to the crofs, -uhen all the 
 di/ciples forfo'A him and fled.? God can make women glori- 
 ous profeffors of his truth, and arm them againft the fears 
 of fufferings, contrary to the natural timeroufnefs of their 
 tempers. Thefe women wait upon Chrift's cro(s, when 
 apoftlcs fly, and durft not come near. 
 
 57 When the cvcu was come, there came a rich 
 man of Arimathea, named Jofeph, who alfo himfelf 
 was Jefus' difcipic : 58 He v/ent to Pilate, and beg- 
 ged the body of Jefus. Then Pilate commanded 
 the body to be delivered. 59 And when Jofeph had 
 taken the body, he wrappeditin a clean linen cloth. 
 Go And laid it in his own new tomb, which lie had 
 hewn out in llie rock : and he rolled a great (lone to 
 the door of the fepulchre and departed. 61 And 
 there was Mary-Magdalene, and the other Mary fit- 
 ting over-againfl the fepulchre. 
 
 Here we have an account given of our Lord's funeral 
 and interment in the grave : Such a funeral as never was 
 linccgraves were firft digged. Concerning which, we have 
 thefe particulars obfcrvable ; Otferve, 1. The preparatives 
 that were made for our Lord's funeral, namely, the begging 
 and perfumingofhis dead body; his body could not be buried, 
 till by begging it was obtained of Pilate; the dead bodies 
 of malefaftors, being in the power and difpofal of the judge. 
 Pilate grants it, and to m^'nifeft their dear affeftion to their 
 dead Lord, they wrap the body in fine linen, with fpices to 
 perfume it. But what need of odours for that body which 
 could not fee corruption ! Though his holy body did not 
 want them, yet the affections of his friends could not with- 
 hold them. 2- The bearers that carried his body to the 
 grave, or the perfons concerned in folemnizing his funeral, 
 Jofeph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, two rich men, and 
 two fecret difciples. i. They were rich men, fenators, 
 honourable counfellors : and fo that prophecy was fulfilled, 
 J/a. liii. p. He made his grave with the wicked, and with the 
 rich in his death. 2. They were good men as well as'rich 
 men; difciples, thoughfecretly, forfear of the Jews. Gmce 
 doth not always make a public and open fliew where it is. 
 As there is much fecret riches in the bowels of the earth 
 which no eye ever faw, fo there may be grace in the heart 
 of a chriftian, which the world takes no notice of. We ne- 
 ver heard any news of Jofeph of A,rimathea, till now; yet 
 was he eminently rich, wife and good : A wo:-thy, though 
 a clofe difciple. Much grace may be where little is feen. 
 Some gracious perfons cannot put forward, and difcover 
 themfelves llkeothers, and yet fuch weakchriftianspcrhaps, 
 vhen a trial comes, fhall ftand their ground, when flronger 
 run away. We read of none of the apoftles at Chrift'-* iu- 
 ntral; fear had chafed them away, though they profefled a 
 
 P2 read- 
 
u6 
 
 Sr.T M A T T H E W. 
 
 Chap, xxvii. 
 
 readiiicfs to die with Chrift: But Jofeph and Nicodemus 
 .ippear boldly for him. Let it be a caution to llrong chrif- 
 tisris, neither toj;lory in tliemlclvcs, nor to glory over the 
 •."ok. If God defert the Itrong, and allill the weak, the 
 fichic p)all be as litrStd, and the jlrontr as torn . ^. The itiour- 
 iiors that follovved the hearfe ; namely, the women that 
 followfd him out of Galilee, and particid:irly the two 
 Mary's : A vtry poor train of n!i)urncrs, a i'l-w forrowtul 
 women. Others are attended to tiieir grdveshy their re- 
 lations and friends; but Cluill's difciples were fcatiered, 
 nnd afraid to own him either d.ing or dead. Our bicficd 
 Lord affo'^^tcd no pomp or gillantry in his life, and it was no 
 way fuitable either to the end or manner of his death. Hu- 
 miliation was dcfigned in his death, and his burial was the 
 lowed degree of his humiliation. 4. The grave or the fe- 
 pulchre in which they buried him ; it -was in a garden. As 
 bv the fin of the firft Adam we were driven out of the gar- 
 den of pleafure, the earthly paradife : fo by the fufferings 
 of the lecond Adam, who lay buried in a garden, we may 
 hope for an entrance into the heavenly paradife. It was 
 in diffpukhre hewn out cf a rock ; that fo his ene mies might 
 have no occafion to cavil, and fay, that his difciples ftole 
 him away by fecret holes, or unfeen paflages under ground. 
 And it was in a new fepulchre, in which never any man 
 was laid, led his adverfarics fhould fay, it was fome other 
 that was rifen, or that he rofe from the dead by touching 
 lome other corpfe. 5. The manner of our Lord's funeral, 
 hallily, openly, decently celebrated. It was done in hafle, 
 by reafon of the (Iraits of time., the preparation for the palT- 
 over caufed them to be very expeditious ; the fabbath was 
 approaching, and they lay all bufinefs afide to prepare for that. 
 Learn hente, How much it is our duty to difpatch our 
 worldly bufinefs as early as we can towards the end 
 of the week, that we may be the better prepared to 
 fanftify the Lord's day, if we live to enjoy it. \Ve ought 
 io remember that day before it comes, and to fanftify it 
 when it is come. Again, our Lord was buried openly, as 
 well as haftily ; all perfons had liberty to be fpeftators, 
 that none might ohjeft there \v*'as any deceit ufcd about his 
 burial. He was alfo interred decently, his body wmpt in 
 fine linen, and perfumed with odours, according to the Jew- 
 iih cu(ton), which ufed not to embowel, but embalm their 
 dead. 6. The reafon wh}- our Lord was buried, feeing he 
 wai to rife again in as (hort a time as other men lie by the 
 walls ; and had /lis dead body remained a thoufand years 
 imburicil, it could have feen no corruption, having never 
 heeu tainted with fin. Sin is the caufe of the bodys cor- 
 ruption, it is fin that tiiakes our bodies ftink worfe than car- 
 rion when they are dead. h. funeral then was not neccflary 
 for Chrift's body upon the fame accounts that it is ncceflary 
 for ours. But, i . He was buried to declare the certainty of 
 his death, and the reality of his refurreclion : and for this 
 reafon did the providence of God order it, that he fliouldbe 
 embalmed, tocut otfallpretenlions. For in this kind of em- 
 balming, h'ls mouth, his ears, and his noftrih, were all filled 
 with fpices and odours, fo that there could be no latent prin- 
 ciple of life in him : beingthus buried then, declareshim tobe 
 certainly dead. 2. He was buried to fulfil the types and 
 prophecies that v.-ent before concernng him. Jonas's 
 being three days and three nights in thft belly of the whale, 
 was a tyjic of Chrill's being tnree days and three nights in 
 
 the heart of the earth, arid the prophet Ifaiah liii. 9. had 
 declared the mannerof his funeral long before he was born. 
 He mads kis grave -with the wicked, and with the rich in his 
 death. Pointing by that expreilion atthjs tomb of Jofeph'S, 
 who was a nch man ; and the fcriptures cannot be broken. 
 3. He was buried to complete his humiliation ; They have 
 Of ought me to the diiji of death, fays David, a type of Chrift. 
 This was the loweil llep he could podibly defcend in his 
 ab.ifcd (Ute : lower he could not be laid, and fo low his 
 blelfed head mult be laid, ell'c he had not been humbled to 
 the lowelt. 4. He went into the grave, that he might con- 
 quer death in his own territories and dominions. Chrift's 
 victory over the grave, caufes his faints to triumph and fing, 
 grave where is thy deJlruCHon ! Our blefled Lord has per- 
 fumed the bed of the grave by his own lying in it .- fo that 
 a pillow of down is not fo foft to a believer's head, as a 
 pillow ofdufl. Note laftly, Of what ufe the doclrine of our 
 Lord's burial may be unto us. i . For inUruftion ; here we 
 fee the amazing depths of our Lord's humiliation. From 
 what, to what his love brought h.im ;! even from the bofom 
 of his Father, to the bofom of a grave. Now the depths 
 of his humiliation ihe>v us t.'ne fulnefs and fufficiency of his 
 fatisfaction, as well as the h':inoufnefs of our tranlgreflion. 
 2. For confolation ajrainfl; the fears of death and the grave. 
 The grave received Chrift, but could not retain him. Death 
 fwallowedhim up, as the filh did Jonas, but quickly vomited 
 him up again; fo Ihall it fare with ChriU mydical, as it did 
 with Chrift perfonal ; the grave could uot long keep him, it 
 fhall not forever keep us ; as his body refted in hope, fo fhall 
 ours alio ; and though they fee corruption, which he did not 
 yet ihall they not always lie under the power of corruption. 
 In a word, Chrift's lying in the grave, has changed and 
 altered the nature of the grave ; it was a prifon before, a 
 bed of reft now : a loathfome grave before, a perfumed bed 
 now. He whofe head is in heaven, need not fear to put 
 his foot into the grave. Awake andjlng, thou that dwellej} 
 in the dufl, for the enmity of the grave is llain by Chrift. 3. 
 For imitation ; let usftudy and endeavour to be buried with 
 Chrift, in refpecTc of our fins, I mean, Rom. vi. 4. Buried 
 with him into death.— Oar lins (hould be as a ilead body in 
 feveral refpedls. Are dead bodies removed far from the 
 fociety of men ? So Ihould our fins be removed far from us. 
 Do dead bodies in the grave fpend and confunie away 
 by little and little ? So (hould our fins daily. Will dead 
 bodies grow every day more and more loaihfotne to others .' 
 Sofliould our fins be to ourfelvcs. Do dead bodies wax out of 
 meniory and are quite forgotten ? So fliould our lins, in re- 
 fpeft of any tlelight that we take in remembringthem. We 
 fliould always remember our fins to our humiliation ; but 
 never think or fpeak of them with the leaft delight 01 fatis- 
 faction; for this, in God's account, is a new coromilTion of 
 them, and lays us all under additional guilt. 
 
 62 Now the next day, that followed the day of 
 the preparationl^ the chief priefls and Pharifees came 
 to^etheiuhto Pilate, 63 Saying, Sir, we remember 
 thafthat deceiver faid while he was yet alive, After 
 t]jree days Iwili rife again. 64 Command there- 
 fore that the fepulchre be made lure until the third 
 .idaVj icil his difdiples come by night, and Ileal him 
 
 away. 
 
Chap, xxvhi. 
 
 St. M a t T H E VV. 
 
 1 i: 
 
 away, and fay unto the people, He is rifen from the 
 dead. So the lafl; error fhall be worfe than the 
 firfl. 65 Pilate faid unto them, Ye have a watch : 
 go your way, make it as fure as you can. 66 So 
 they went and made the fepulchre fure, fealing the 
 ftone, and fetting a watch. 
 
 This lart paragraph of the chapter acquaints us with the 
 endeavours that the murderers of Chrift ufetl to prevent 
 his foretold refiirreclion : they alk and obtain of Pilate, that 
 his lepulchre might be ftrongly guarded till the third day 
 was pad and over, when probably they intended to have ex- 
 pofed his dead body to the view of the people : and accor- 
 dingly a three-fold guard is fet about the grave; the ftone, 
 the feal, and the watch; concluding thatChrift was lafe e- 
 nough either from rifing or ftealing : the ftone making the 
 grave fure, the feal making the ftone fure, and the watch 
 or band of foldiers making all fure. The ftone being feal- 
 ed with the publickfeal, no perfon might meddle with it up- 
 on pain of death. Where note, i. the wonderful wifdoin, 
 the over-ruling power and providence of God : by tliis ex^ 
 celfive care and extraordinary dilligencc the high prieft's 
 hoped to prevent our Saviour's refurreftion ; but the truth 
 and belief of it was hereby confirmed to all the world. 
 How much evidence had Chrift's refurrection wanted, if the 
 high prieft and elders had not been thus malicioufly induf 
 trious to prevent his rifing I 2. That the endeavours ufed to 
 obftruct our Lord's refurre<Sion, have rendered it more 
 certain and undoubted : had not all this care and caution 
 been ufed by his enemies, the grounds of our faith had not 
 been foftrong, fo evident, and fo clear. 'It was very happy 
 that the jews were thus jealous and fufpicious thus careful 
 and diftruftful ; for otlierwife the world had never receiv- 
 ed fo full and perfedt an evidence of Chrift's refurreftion as 
 now, whereon all our comfort and falvation doth depend. 
 Verily their folicitous care to fupprefs our Redeemer's re- 
 furreftion has rendered it more confpicuous, and freed it 
 from all fufpicion of forgery. 
 
 CHAP. XXVHI. 
 
 This la/I chapter of St. MaHhrw contains the hi/lory of our 
 Saviour's refurre&iortj and gives us an account of -what he 
 Jul on earth, between the time of his triumphant refurrec- 
 tion and his glorious afcenjlon. 
 
 IN the end of the fabbath, as it began to dawn 
 towards the firll day of the week, came Mary Mag- 
 dalene, and the other Mary, to fee the fepulchre. 
 
 The Lord of life was buried upon the Friday, in the eve- 
 of that day, on which he was crucified ; and his holy body 
 refted in the filent grave the next day, and apart ot the morn- 
 ing the day following. Thus he arofe again the third day, 
 neither Iboner nor later ; not fooner, left the truth of his 
 death fliould have been queftioned, that he d'd not die at 
 all, and not later, left the faith of his dilciples fhould have 
 failed. And accordingly when the fabbath was paft, and 
 it dawned towards the tirft day of the week, in the morning 
 very earl\', before day, Mary Magdalene, and other devout 
 women, go to vilit the fepulchre, intending with their fpices 
 and odours farther, to embalm our Lord's body. But o/yirir, 
 Although the hearts of thefe good women did burn with an 
 
 ardent love and zeal to their crucified Lord, yet the com- 
 manded duties of the fabbath are not omitted by them; they 
 ftay till the fabbath is ended; and then early in the morning 
 they go with odours in their hands to perfume his fatred 
 corps ; fearing neither the darkncfs of the night, nor the 
 prefence of the watchmen : How great atribute of refpect 
 and honour is due and payable to thefe women for their 
 in.ignanimity and courage ! They followed Chrift, when his 
 difciples left him ; they accompanied him to his crofs, and 
 followed his hearfe to the grave, when none of his difciples 
 durft appear. Learn hence, That courage is the Ipecial and 
 peculiar gift of God ; and where God gives courage, it is 
 not in man to make afraid. 
 
 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake r 
 For the angel of the Lord defccnded from heaven, 
 and came and rolled back the ftone from the door, 
 and fat upon it. 3 His countenance was like light- 
 ning, and his raiment white as fnow. 4 And for 
 fear of him the keepers did fhake, and became as dead 
 men. 
 
 Olfsrve here, I. With wh:it pomp and triumph doth our 
 Lord arife. The earth that quake before at his crucifixion, 
 quakes now again at his reiurrection ; it quaked then at the 
 dillblutioii, now at the reunion of his human nature", to tell 
 the world that the God of nature then fuffered, and now 
 conquered. 2. How an angelis employed in Chrift's refur- 
 rection ; He rolls a'^ay the Hone. But could not Chrift have 
 rifen then without the angels help? Yes fure, he that railed 
 himfelf, furely could have removed the ftone : But God 
 thinks fit to fend an officer from heaven to open the prifon 
 door of the grave; and by fetting our furety at liberty, jiro- 
 claims our debt to the divine juftice fully fatisfied. Beli des, 
 it was fit that the angels, who had been witnelfes of our Sa- 
 viour's paflion, fliould alfo be witnelfes of his relurrection. 3. 
 How unable the keepers of the grave were to bear the figlii 
 and prefence of the angel; they Jhook for fear, and became af 
 dead men. Angels being pure and perfeft fpiiits, man is not 
 able to bear the fight ot an angel, no not in human (hare 
 without terror and affrightment ; and if the fighi of an an- 
 gel be fo dreadful, what is tlic fight of God himlelf. 
 
 5 And the angel anfwered and faid unto the wo- 
 men, Fear not ye : for I know that ye feek Jefus, 
 which was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he is ri- 
 fen, as he faid. Come, fee the place where the Lord 
 lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his difciples that he 
 is rifen from the dead : and behold, he goeth befoi r 
 you into Galike : There Ihall ye fee him. Lo, I 
 have told you. 
 
 Cbferve here, i . Our Lord's refurredion alferted and de- 
 clared, He is rifen. God never intended that the dai ling of 
 his foul fliould be lo.^in an obfture lepulchre : }:c i< v.it here 
 fays the angel ; that is, in the grave, whc-c you laid him,' 
 where you left him. Death hath loft its prey, and the grave 
 her gueft. 2. It is not faid, H« is not here, for he is railed ; 
 but, He is rifen. The word imports the .-.ctive pow cr of Chrift' 
 or tile felf-quickening principle by which Chrift railifd him-^ 
 felf from the dead . Acts i . 3 . Hi^,fhevjcd bimjHf alive iftf,- 
 
ii8 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 Chap, xxviii. 
 
 /// t<sffim. Learn hence, That it was the divine nature or 
 Goil lie.id of ChriJt which raifcd his human nature from death 
 J.0 lite. Others were railed from the jTrave by Chrift's pow- 
 er, he raifed himfelf by his own power. 5. The icftiinony 
 nr witnefs given to our Lord's refurref^ion; that of an angel 
 The an^elfiid, he is not here, but rifen : But wliy is an angel 
 thchrftpublilher of ot:r Lord's refiirreftion? burely the dig- 
 nity of our Lctd's perfon, and theoxcUency of his refurrec 
 lion, required that it ihould be firft publiftied by an angel, 
 and acfordinf;ly it is wortliy our obfervation, how very ler- 
 viceablcand officious tlie holy angels were in attending upon 
 our Saviour in the days of his P.efh : An angel foretells his 
 conception to theblefted Virgin; anangelproclaimshisbirth 
 to the lliepherds ; an angel luccours him in his temptation in 
 the wildcrnefs ; an angel comforts him in his agony in the 
 garden ; and at his refurreiflion the angel roUs away the 
 Uone from the fepukhre, and brings the firll tidings of it to 
 the women : In his afcenfion the aitgels bore him company 
 to heaven ; and when he comes again to judgment, he ihall 
 be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. 4. The 
 perfons to whom our Lord's refurredion was firft made 
 known ; to women, to the two Mary's : But why to women 
 God w ill make choice of weak means for producing great ef- 
 fcc'ts, knowing that the wcaknefsof the inllrument redounds 
 totlie greater honour of the agent. In the whole difpenfa- 
 titm of the gofpel, almighty God intermixes divine power 
 with human weaknefs. Thus the conception of Chrift was 
 by the power of the Holy Ghoft ; but his mother, a poor 
 woman, a carpenter's fpoufe -. So the crucifixion of Chrift 
 ■was in muchmeannefs and outward bafenefs, being crucified 
 between two thieves ; but the powers of heaven and earth 
 trembling, the rocks.rending, and the graves opening, fliew- 
 ed a mixture of divine power. God will honour whaf in- 
 ftrumentshe pleafes, for the accomplifhment ofhisownpur- 
 pofes. But why to thefe two women, the two Mary's, is 
 the dil'covery of Chrift's refnrreftion firft made ? Poffibly it 
 was a reward for their magnanimity and mafculine courage. 
 Thefe women cleaved to Chrift when the apoftles fled from 
 liim, and forfnok him ; they aflifted at his crofs, they attend- 
 ed at his funeral, they watched his fepulchre. Thefe wo- 
 men had more courage than the apoftles, therefore God 
 in.ikes the women apoftles to the apoftles ; he fends them to 
 tt:ll the apoftles of tlie refurretJlion, and they niuft have the 
 newsatthe fecondhand. O what a tacit rebuke was there- 
 by given tothe apoftles ! a fecret check, that they fliouldbe 
 thus outdone by poor women. Thefe holy women went 
 before the apoftles in the laft fcrvices that were done for 
 Chrift, and therefore the apoftles here come after them in 
 their rewards and comforts. ^. The evidence wJuch the 
 angel offers to the women, to evince and prove the verity 
 and certainty of our Saviour's refurrcclion ; namely, by an 
 appeal to their fenfes : Come, fee the place where the Lordlay. 
 The fenfes, when riglilly difpofed, arc the proper judges of 
 all fenfible objefts ; Chrift himfelf did appeal to his difciples 
 fenfes concerning the truth of his own reiurrection ; Behold 
 my hands and my feet, that it is I my f elf : And indeed, if we 
 mull not believe our fenfes, wc ftiallwant the beft external 
 evidence for the proof of the truth of the chriftian religion; 
 namely, the miracles wrought by Chrift and his apoftles : 
 fur what afTurancc can we have of tlie reality of theli; mira- 
 
 cl<s, but from oui" fenfes? therefore fays ©nr Saviour, If ye 
 believe not me,yit helieiv the works thst I do ; That is, the 
 miracles wliicii I Ivave wrought before your eyes. Nov/, 
 as my fenfes tell me that Chrill's miracles were true, fothey 
 alTore me, that the doctrine of trdnfubftantiation is falfc. 
 From the whole K^te, Tiiat the Lord Jeius Chrift, by the 
 omnipotent pover of his godhead, revived and rofe again 
 fronrthedead, to the terror and confternationofhisenemies, 
 and the unfpeakable joy and confoiation of believers. 
 
 8 And they departed quickly from the fcptilchre 
 with fear and grcatjoy, ahd did run to bring his dif- 
 ciples word, 9 f And as they went to tell his difci- 
 ples, behold, Jcfus met them^ faying. All haih And 
 they came and held him by the feet, and worfhipped 
 him. 10 Then faid Jefus unto them, Be not afraid: 
 go teli my brethren, tliat they go into Galilee, and 
 thei eftiall they fee me. 
 
 Note here, i. What haftc and fpeed thefe holy womem 
 make to carry the news of Chrift's refurreftion to the apof- 
 tles; fuchasfind and feel their hearts grieved for the abfence 
 and want of Chrift, will be very ready to comfort fuch as 
 are in the fame condition. O how glad are thefe holy wo- 
 men to carry the good news of their Lord's refurredion to 
 the heart-broken difciples ! 2. How they haftened in obedi- 
 ence tothe angel's command, to tell the difciples to meet 
 with Chrift in the way. Such as obey the diredion of God's 
 minifters, feeking Chrift in his own way and means, /hall 
 iind him to their comfort fooner tlian they expected. Thefe 
 holy women find Chrift before they looked for him ; ^^s they 
 ■Went to tell the difciples, Jefus met them. O happy women ! 
 whilft they were weeping for a dead Chrift, they find a liv- 
 ing Jefus. 3. The affeftionate and loving title which Chrift 
 puts upon his difciples ; Tell my brethren. He might have 
 faid, "Go tell thofe apoftaie apoftles, that cowardly left me 
 in my danger, that durft not own me in the high-prieft's 
 hall, that durft not come within the ihadowofmy crols, nor • 
 within the fight of my lepulchre." Not a word of this, by 
 way of upbraiding them for their late (liameful cowardice, 
 but all word's of kindnefs, Go tell my brethren. Note, Chrift 
 calls his difciples brethren after his refurreclion and exalta- 
 tion, as he had done before in his ftatc of humiliation, to fhew | 
 the continuance of his former afFeclion towards them, and 
 that the change of his condition had wrought no change it-, 
 his affeftion towards his defpifed members : but thofe that 
 were his brethren before, in the time of his abafement, are 
 fo ftill after Jiis exaltation and advancement. Laftly, The 
 place where Chrift chufes to meet and fpeaktohis difciples, 
 not in Jerufalem, but in G.ililee ! I go before them into Gali- 
 lee, there (hall they fee me. Jerufalem was now a forfaken 
 place, a people abandoned to deftruftion ; Chrift would not 
 fliew himlelfopenly to them, but Galilee was a place where 
 Chrift's miniftry was more acceptable. Such places where- 
 in Chrift is moft welcome to preach, fhallbe moft honoured 
 with hisprcfcnce. In Galilee fl^all they fee me. 
 
 11 Now when they ^vere going, behold, fomc <. 
 the watch came into the city, and fliewed unto the 
 chief priefls all the things that were done, 12 And 
 
 ^ t^ti^. g.. ^^.^ 
 
Chap. xxviirX 
 
 St. M a T T H £ \V. 
 
 :l 
 
 when they were aflfembled with the elders, and had 
 taken counfel, they gave large money unto the foldi- 
 ers, 13 Saying, Say ye, His difciples came by night, 
 and dolchim away while we flept. 14 And ifthiscome 
 to the governor's ears, wc will pcrfuade him, andl'e- 
 cure you. 15 So they took the money and did as they 
 were taught : and this faying is commonly reported 
 among the Jews until this day. 
 
 Note here, 1. How the priefls and elders endeavour by a 
 notorious lie to hinder the belief of our Lonl'i refurreftion; 
 they luborne and bribe the foldiers to fay that his corpfe 
 was ftolenout of the grave: Lies have been an old refuge 
 which the enemies of Chrift have ail along had recourfe un- 
 to; lying is an ancient device of Satan. But h5/c, 2. What 
 an improbable and unlikely lie this was, which they put into 
 the foldiers mouths to vouch ; Say, His difciples came and 
 Jlole him awtiy, 'Mhile we flept. Frivilous excufe! carrying 
 whh it a molt felf-evident contradidtion. If the foldiers 
 were afleep, how could they difcovcr the difciples fte filing a 
 way the body ? If awake, why did they not prevent their 
 ft^aling it? Befides, how improbable was it that Chrifl's few 
 and fearful difciples fliould attempt to open the fepulchre 
 guarded by foldiers ? And as unlikely was it that the foldiers 
 fhould be all afleep together, andfo fall afleep too, that the 
 great ilone at the mouth of the lepulchre fliould be rolled a- 
 way, and not one of the foldiers awakened with the noife. 
 Infatuation is the certain confequence of defertion of God. 
 Yet cbferve farther, That this incredible fallliood finds a fall 
 and firm rooting in the belief of the Jews to this day. Note 
 thence, that it is a righteous thing with God to deliver up 
 thofe to ftrong dekifions, even to the believing of notorious 
 lies, who will not yield their aflent to divine truths apon the 
 cleareft evidence, and mod convincing demonflration. How 
 ftrange is it thatfuch a fal/Jiood as this fliould find belief a- 
 mong the Jews to this day ! But where truth is obllinately 
 rejefted,al c, though never fo improbable, is received! 
 
 16 ^ Then the eleven difciples went away into 
 Galilee, into a mountain where Jelus had appointed 
 them, 17 And when they faw him, they worfhipped • 
 him: but fomedoytbted. 
 
 The meetingof our Saviour and his apoftles upon a moun- 
 tain m Galilee, was an appointed and general nfeeting. The 
 mountain is fuppofed to be that near Caperiaum, where he 
 made that famous fermon called, Thejermon on the mitmt .• 
 And the meeting is fuppofed to be appointed as a general 
 rendevous, for confirming the faith of all his difciples in the 
 certainty of his refurreftion. Poffiblyour Lord appointed 
 this place in .Galilee, fo far from Jerufalem, that his difci- 
 ples might without danger come thither to fee their Saviour 
 alive again, after.his crucifixion. This is judged to bethat 
 famous appearance of whiih St. Paul fpeaks, i Cor, xv. 
 6. lyLer. he ijus /een of above fine hundred brethren at once. 
 And thofe who faw him worfliipped him, who had before 
 doubted. Learn hence, That when faith is once fatisfied, 
 andfeesChnfttobe God, it engages the foul to worlhiphiju. 
 Divme wor/liip is due to Chrift upon the account of his di- 
 ving natu.-c , ? Jo tre:/tur£ can be the ohjeft of divine wor- 
 
 <h»p ; therefore they tliat worlhip Chrift by praying tohirn , 
 and yet deny him to be God, are certainly ilolators. If 
 Chrift had had an angelic nature, that had not madehim ca- 
 pable of divine worfliip : For adoration is founded only on 
 divinity, and what is human or angelical, is not adorable. 
 
 18 And Jefus came and fpake unto them, faying, 
 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
 19 Go ye therefore and teach all nation.s, baptizing 
 them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 of the holy Ghoft ; 20 Teaching the;nto obferve all 
 things whatfoever I havecommandedyou. Andlo, 
 
 I am withyoualway,evenuntotheeniof the world. 
 Amen. 
 
 Oi/erve here, i. A power affcrted. 2. An authority de- 
 legated. 3. A command injoined. 4. A promife liibjomed. 
 Nute, I. A power and authority aflerted by our Savuiur, 
 as belonging to himfelf : /^ll power is given unto m- both in 
 heaven and in earth. ( i .) In heaven ; which comprehends a 
 power of fending the Holy Ghoft; a power over the angels, 
 and all the hoft of heaven, and a power to difpofe of heaven 
 to all that dial] believe in him. 2. In earth ; which compre- 
 hends a power to gather a church out of all nations, and 
 authority to rule, govern, and defend the fame againft all 
 its enemies. Learn hence. That all power and authority 
 concerning the church of God, was given untoChrill and 
 conferred upon him: upon the account of his meritorious 
 death and triumphant refurredlion. All power is given tmtc 
 rue: That is, as mediator ; but this power was inherent in 
 him, as God, from all eternity. Note, 2. This power dele- 
 gated by Chrift to hisapoftles; Co ye therefore a.'id teach, 
 and baptize f.ll nations ; injlrucling them to ohferve all things 
 whatfoever I command yw. Here is a threefold powerdele- 
 gated by Chrift to his apoftles : i. To congregate and ga- 
 ther ^chriftian church, out of all thcheathen nations through- 
 cut tht world. Before, he hadcoHfined them only to Ifrael; 
 now, they muft travel from country to country, and profe- 
 lyte the heathen nations, which before had been taught of 
 the devil, and were led away by his oracles and delulions. 
 Co and difciple ah nations, without any diftinftion of cotui- 
 tr)', fex, or age >vhatfover, and make the gofpel church as 
 large as youcan. Thence note, That the apoftles and lirft 
 planters of the gofpel.had a commiflion from Chrift to go a- 
 mongft the Pagan Gentiles, without limitation; and were 
 not to take up their fettled relidence in any one nation, but 
 to travel from country to country, inftrufting them in the 
 favingmyfteries of the gofpel. The fecond branch of their 
 power was to baptize in the name of the whola trinity ; bap- 
 tizing in the name of the Father and of the Son, ard of the Holy 
 Chpjt. Where pote. That all adult and grown perfons arc 
 to be firft taught .-Ind inflructed before they be baptized. 
 But it follows not from hence, that the children of fuch par- 
 ents may not be baptized before they ape taut>ht ; for the 
 apoftles are to baptize all nations, of which children are a 
 chief, if not the chiefeft part. Befides, thoi'u that were 
 prolciyted to the Jewilh religion, though before they were 
 circumcifed themlelves they were inftruftedinthelaw of God; 
 yet when they were circumcifed iheml'clves, thtir chi!dr>;n 
 were not denied circUrjcilioLJ at eight daysold. In iikcnian 
 
120 
 
 St. M a T T H E W. 
 
 Chap, xxviii 
 
 ner, we have no rcafon to deny the children of baptized par- 
 ents, who are in covenant themfelves, the lign and leal of 
 the coven:i[it \\hich is baptifiii. God liaving affured 
 his peaple, that he viill be the God of them, and of their feed. 
 It" this privilege be denied, the children of Chriftian parents 
 ;ire in a worle condition than the children of Jews ; and 
 ronfequently infants are in a worfe condition lince Chrift's 
 cominiT, than they were iiefore, and the privileges of thofe 
 that live nnder the gofpel, are ftraiter and narrower than of 
 thofe that lived under the law. Chfcrvc farther. In whofe 
 name perfons are to be baptized ; Jn the name of the Father, 
 Sou, and Holy Cho/i. Where we have a profeflion of our be- 
 lief in the holy Trinity, a dedication of the perfon to the 
 worlliip and fervice of the holy Trinity, and a ftipulationor 
 covenant-promife that we will continue faithful in the fer- 
 vice of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to our life's end. 
 The third branch of the power which Chrifl delegated to his 
 apoftles, was by their miniftry to prcfs upon all their con- 
 verts an univcrfal obfervance of, and obedience to all his 
 commands ; teaching them to obferve all things vihatfoever I 
 iommandyou. Where note, j. That preaching is the ordi- 
 nary and inllituted means to convert nations unto God. 2. 
 That preaching muft not only go before baptifni, but follow- 
 after it. Obedience muft be prefled upon, and pradifed by 
 :ill thofe that enter into covenant with God ; otherwife they 
 lie under a great condemnation. 3. That preaching of the 
 gofpel is a chiel part of the minifter's work, and no apoftle 
 thought himfelf above that duty. 4. As the apoftles did not, 
 ia the miniftersof Chxift ought not to teach any thing but 
 
 what Chrift commands them. 5. As they are to tearh what 
 Chrift commands them, l"o they are to teach all things what-, 
 foever Chrift commands them : Teachirg them to ohfcrve all 
 things 'jihatfoevfr I Cbmmtind ycu. Laftly, note rhe promife 
 injomed ; Lo, I am with you always to the er.d of the -world. 
 That is, I am and will be with you and your fucceffors, law- 
 fully called by my power ?nd authority, by the bleffing and 
 afliftance of my Holy Spirit. I will be with you to uphold 
 my own ordinance, to prote<fl, encourage, and reward you, 
 and all your fucceffors, in the faithful dikharge of your truft; 
 ' and this not for a day, a year, or an .nge, but to the end and 
 confummationof all ages. Learn thence, That the miniflry 
 of the word, and adminiftration of the facraments, arc a ftand 
 ing and perpetual ordinance, to continue in the chriftian 
 church throughout all ages. 2. That all the faithful min- 
 ifters of Chrift, in what part of the world foever God ftiall 
 caft their lot, and in what time foever they Ihall happen to 
 live, may comfortably expedl Chrift's gracious prefence with 
 ilieir perfons, and his bleiTing upon their endeavours, io, 
 I am with you, I am always with you, and to the end oftL 
 world I will be with you. Thanks be to Chrift for the gra- 
 cious promife of his fpiritual and perpetual prefence with his 
 minifters to the end of the world. May this promife caufe 
 us to gird up the loins of our minds, increafe our diligence, 
 zeal, and fervour, accounting no labour too great, no fervice 
 too much, no lufFerings too fevere, fo that we may hutfinij}} 
 our courfe with joy, and fulfil the miniftry wc are engaged in, 
 Amen. Amen. 
 
 THE END OF St. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 
 
 o 
 
 THE 
 
 E 
 
 ACCORDING TO 
 
 >T. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 St. Mark, the writer of this compendious Hiftory of our bleffed Saviour's Life and Death, was the difciple and c$mpanion of St. 
 I'cter; and fome affirm, that he wrote his gofpet from St. Peter's mouth ; it being dilated by St. Peter, and indited by the 
 HolyChofL Bntjince we are affured thai the Spirit of Cod indited the book, we need not trouble ourfelves to find out whofe 
 hand it was that held the pen. 
 
 I 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 THE beginning of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift the 
 Son of God ; 
 
 The word gofpel fignifies a meffagc of glad tidings, and 
 intimates to us, that the doctrine of the gofpel contains the 
 moftgladfome tidings, the moft joyful meffage that ever was 
 lent irom God to mankind : Happy tidings concerning our 
 reconciliation with God, and falvationby Jefus Chrift. O 
 how highly (hould we prize, how ftedfaftly believe, how cor- 
 dially embrace, thefe good tidings of great joy ! }Voie, 2. 
 Thisgofpel is called the gofprl of Jefos Chvijl, becaufc, Chrift, 
 
 as God, is the author of this gofpel, and alfo the principal 
 fubjeft and matter of it : Indeed St. John the Daptift was, 
 the firft publifher and preacher of the gofpel doclrine, but 
 Chrift himfelf was the firft and principal author, and likewife 
 the chief fubject-matter of it ; For whatever is taught in 
 the gofpel, relates either to the perfon and offices of Chrift, 
 or to the benefits received by him, or the means of enjoying 
 thofe benefits fr«m him. 3. How St. Mark ftyles Chrift 
 the Son of God, as St. Matthew had ftylcd him before <^f 5c 
 of David; the one fets forth the verity of iiis human nature, 
 the other the reality of his divine nature ; fignifying te us, 
 that the true and promifed Meffias was both God and ma'- 
 
Chap. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 in two diftinil natures, and one perfon forever. He is true 
 and real God, .is well as the Father and tlic holy-Ghofl ; not 
 a n)cre man, but God as well as man. 
 
 2 As it is written in the prophets, Rchold, I fend 
 my meflenger before thy face, which fliall prepare thy 
 way before thee. 
 
 St. Mark begins his gofpel witli an accoiint of St. John the 
 Baptift's preaching and miniftry, and declares, i. That the 
 prophets of old, particularly Ifaiah and Malachi, did long be- 
 fore foretell the Baptills nicfTageand miniihy : that he fhoiild 
 go before Chrift at his harEftngcr to preparethe way for him. 
 Behold , I fend my meffenger to prepare thy way. Where note. I . 
 The dignity and authority of the mini'fters of Chrift ; they 
 are his melTengcrs, fcnt by him to deliver his mind and will 
 unto his people. Thisminiitcrial million is two-fold, extra- 
 ordinary and ordinary i the former, when God immediately 
 by iiimfelf calls men to the holy funflionj the latter, when 
 he ufes the miniftryof man in order thereunto, a. The work 
 and ofTicc of the miniilers of Chrift declared, and that is, to 
 pr.'pare people to receive Jefus Chrift, offered and tendered to 
 them in the gofpel. Behold, IJ'cnd my mefjenger, tie. Learn 
 thence. That the great dcfign and end of the miniftry of 
 the word, is to prepare and fit men for entertaining the holy 
 religion of Chrilt in their hearts, and to oblige them to walk 
 sccordiug to the rules and directions of it in their lives. 
 
 3 The voice of one crying in the wildcrnefs. 
 Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths 
 ' flraight. 
 
 Here «j/^, i. The title given to John the Baptid: he is 
 ■called a voice, in refped of his minifterial office, which was 
 to fpeak forth, to promulgc and publiih the doftrine of falva- 
 tion. 2. The quality or kind of this voice, a crying voice, 
 the voice of one crying. This implies, i. His earncftnefs 
 and vchcmcncy, his zeal and fervency, in preaching. When 
 we lift up our voice, and cry aloud, we fpeak with earneftnefs 
 and fervour. When our hearts are warmly affeS'cd with what 
 we preach, we may hope to affecl the hearts of our hearers. 
 Why has God commilTion'-d men, rather than angels, to be 
 the preachers and difpenfers of his word, but becaiifc we can 
 fpeak to, and treat with finners more feelingly and more' affec- 
 tionately than the angels can. 'a. This crying of the holy 
 Baptill in his preaching, implies his liberty and bolilnefs, as 
 well a.s his vehemency and earneftnefs, in deli-verinijof his 
 meflage. The lifting up the voice in preaching, argii^ bold- 
 nefs and courage in the preacher ; a?, on the contrary, the de- 
 preiling of the voice flicwethtimoroufncfs. Za-(7r;;herice,-That 
 the minlllers of the word arc to i:fc both zeal and earnednefs, 
 and alfo courage and boldnefs of fpirit, in delivering the word 
 and melTage of God. Not forbearing to reprove fin, not con- 
 cealing any part of GckI's truth, for fjiar of men's difpleafure. 
 1. The Aim and fubrtancc of what^c-cricd, Prepnrcyc theiin-i 
 ' the Lord, make his paths Jhairhf. that is, " Make ready 
 .I'urklves, prepare your own hearts, to entertain the dodlrinc 
 ot glad tidings of the gofpel." It is a metaphorical fpcech, 
 taken from thecuftomof loyal and dutitijl fubjccls, who, when 
 their prince is coming to lodge in their city, they prepare and 
 make ready the way lor his coming, by removing every thin" 
 that may obftrua or hinder his progrcfs. Learn hence. Thai, 
 man s heart by nature is very unfit to embrace and entertain 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift, We have naturallv no fitncfs, no dif- 
 
 pofition» no inclination io believe in him, er to {i^LmI: un;o 
 him. 2. If ever wed', fire to entertain Oiriil in our hear;:-. 
 \ve muft full prepare and make fit our lieaiir for the receiving 
 and embracing him. For though tlie preparation of the hear 
 be fromthcLord, yet he requires the cxcrcifcof our facultie.- 
 am! the ufe of our endeavours. He prepares our hcans hy c- 
 nabling us to the preparations of our own hearts. TliU j 
 
 done by getting a fgiit of the evil of fin, a fcnfc of our inii'c 
 out Chrifl, an liungering and thirlling dcilrc after iiin 
 
 ry without v imn, <iii Hungering ana Tniriiiiig oclirc alter ium 
 a true faith in him. Clirift will lodge in ".o heart that is r.-r 
 thusm.ide ready to receive him. 
 
 4 John did baptize in the wildcrncfi;, and preach 
 the baptifm of repentance for the rcmiflion of fins. 
 
 A two-fold account is here given of St. John's exccutio* 
 ofiiisir.iniflry and oflicc, firft, "his baptizing; ferondlv, hi, 
 preaching. John did baptize ; that is, admit perfons into tlx 
 church, by wafhing them with water : John baptized in thf. 
 nameof Chrift, who was to come ;the apoftlcs baptized in th" 
 name of Chrift already come. 1 he fecond part of his offic- 
 was preaching. Where ws/r, i hat preaching of the word, 
 and adminiftration of the facraments, are to go together, and 
 belong only to the miniRers of the word.'iawt'uiiy called. 
 
 ?ohn did baptize and preaeh ; but where and what did he preach!" 
 heplace where, was the wildcrnefs; a place not much fre- 
 quented, though not altogether uninhabited ; a folitarv, mear, 
 and obfcurc place. Thither God had called him, and'lhere he 
 contents himfelf. Learn hcnce,That the miniflers of God mu.f- 
 
 . be content toexecute their miniftry,whcre God calls them, be 
 the place never fo mean and obfcurc, and the peoplenevc r fo rude 
 and barbarous ; John was a preacher of great note and fame ; 
 
 -^Jerufalem the chief city might feem more fit forhim ;hm Gcd 
 had called him to preach in the wildcrnefs, and he would not 
 leave it. We muft not leave our place faecaufe it is mean and 
 obfcure, nor defert our people, thinking them too bafe to in-- 
 ftruifl: ; but where God has called ;is, we mufl there abide, till ^ 
 he that called us thither, remove us thence. Farther, As the -J^ 
 place where the Baptift preached, in the wildcrnefs, fo the doc- 
 trine which he preached, namely, the baptifm of repentance 
 for the remiffion of rms,_that is, 'the docfirine of baptifm wliicli 
 fealeth theremiflionof fins tothe partyhaptized. Learn hence 
 That the preaching of the doftrine of repentance is abfolutly 
 neceffary , and the indifpenfable duty of every gofpel minifter. 
 John the Baptifl preached it, our Saviourpreachedit, hisapof- 
 ties preached it : They went out preaching «rrv where, that vm. 
 
 Jhctdd repent. The baptifm of repentance f fays the learned 
 Lightfoot) belongs to children, though they know not wliat 
 repentance means, bcc^ufe it engagesthem to repentance >*1iei^ 
 they come to yeais to underftand that engagement. " For thus 
 it was with the children circumcifed, they became debtors to 
 obferve the whole law, though they knew not what the law- 
 meant, yet circiuncifion bound them to it, w.'ien they came to 
 years of difcretion. 
 
 .t5 ^"^ ^^^^^^ went out unto him all the laiitl of [n- 
 dca, and they of Jerufalein, and wnc all baptized of 
 him in the river of Jordan, confclliug their, lins. 
 
 Here wc have an account of the fuccefs of St. John's min- 
 iftry, r. In the reneral concourfe and refort of the people r») 
 it. All Judea tiKdjerufoleni : that is, a great many of i-il Cr- 
 grees and ranks, of all ages and fexes. John was famed fora 
 prophet, and a prophet was now agreat rarity. Malachi was 
 
 ?5! 
 
St. 
 
 M ARK. 
 
 Chaf 
 
 t. 
 
 The Ij-.'t prophet before Jolin, and lis lived about five lumdrcJ 8 I indccJ luvc baptl/.tcl you with wMir : but he 
 
 by the operati 
 his holy Spirit. Thence /earn, That though the niiniftcrs of 
 Chrilt do by Chrill's command dirpcnfc the outward ordi- 
 nance of baptifm, yet it is Chritt himfdf, that by tlie in- 
 ward work of his Spirit doth make it cftci^tual to fiich as re- 
 ceive it. / tapthi 'U'it/j iVnUr, but he xvith thi Hclf Ghoft. 
 
 9 S. And it catni' to p;ifs in thofe days, that Jffus 
 canu- from N.izareth of Ciiililec, and was baptized 
 of Joltn in Jordan, lo And ftrdij^htway coinmjr up 
 out of tlic water, he faw the heavens opened, and 
 the Spirit like a dove defcciidin<^ upon him. ji And 
 
 Iters ot'Chrilt when people (hew thcmkKcs ready and for- 
 ward to repair iintothe pl.iccs where the word and facramtnts 
 -.ire difpcnocd to them: AWJudra nnd they/ 'JtrufiiUm i.\X\ixv\- 
 ded upon Iiihn's ininilhv. The fecond fruit of Jolin's mini- 
 Ary, was, tl'.ir the people were ready to receive at hi.s lund 
 the facraincnt of baptifm : Thn-ivere allbapt'tzrd of him m J'-r- 
 dtin. Learn hence, That the miuUfers ot'Chrill ought not 
 only to preach the word, but alfo to dil'pcnce the facramciits 
 to them, even toall that dodre them, and arc fit to be partakers 
 of them. A third fruit of John'.s minilfrv, was his hearers 
 p.-ofcilion of their trtie repentance, bv tlie.j'/Ay/TsH o/'theirjlns: 
 
 ac the profefTion of repeTitancc is requilite in all that are bap- - • r t r • ti 
 
 tizcd. fo a free and voluntary, an ingenious and impartial there cainc a voice trom hcAVtnJaying, 1 hou art mji 
 confellion of fm, is a good evidence and'telliiiiony of the truth beloved Son, in whom I am well plealed. 
 
 and fmccrity of our repentance. _ . ,, ... »- t -r-i 
 
 ; , , , •, V t. • J Sec the note on Matt. in. 13. As/*- here, i. The great 
 
 G And Jolni was clothed with camel .s hair, and condefcenfion of Chrilt. in feeking and fubniitting to th<r 
 
 with a girdle of ikin about his loins; and he did eat ba^nifm of John ; Chrilt, though he was John's Lord and 
 
 lociifti and wild honey ; Maffcr, yea, Lord of heaven and earth, yet coincth to hear 
 
 „„ . r ■ ■iL/i--ir 1(1- c him preach, and will be baptized of his mei'l-nzer. Thence 
 
 I his verfc acquaints us with the ItrKMneis and auitcrity or 1 _.. ' . . ' , - .. ..^ 
 
 St. John's life in the wildernefs; wliich is laid down in two 
 
 ihincs, in liis mean and frugal apparel, and in his fober and 
 
 •• niperatc diet. His apparel was rough and hairy, and his 
 
 ^'rtiU tf leathir; ns Llijali his forerunner was dud before him, 
 
 1 Kings i. S. His diet was coiirfc and onVuvdiy, locii^s nml 
 
 .iiiJ /'jney ; that is, fiich jilain and ordinary food as the wiklcr- 
 
 r.^fs aftbrded. His ex.implc teaches us. That the miniilers ot 
 
 the gofpel are not to cffed eitlier bravery in apparel, or deli- 
 
 .'.■:CV in diet; but bcth by their habit and diet to fet an exani- 
 
 rle of gravity anJ fohriety before their people ; being inthefc, 
 
 ai'.vtll as in other tl.ings, an example unto their liocks. 
 
 7 And preached, faying. There cometh one migh- 
 tier than I after me, the latchet of whole flioes I am 
 cot worthy to ftoop down and unloole. 
 
 Ofifcrve here, I. The high opinion that the Bapti(l had of of the blefled Trinity. The Father foe aks from heaven, the 
 
 C!hiilL }{f is mightier than I , that is, a perfoii of greater Son comes out of the wafer, and the Holv (iholt dcfccnds in 
 
 ciigoity and excellency by far than myfclf; whence may be the likencfs of a dove. But why did the Holy Gholl now de- 
 
 j^.ithered, that though Chrift was a man, he was not mere man, fcend upon Chriit .' Firft, for the dcfignation of his perfon, 
 
 but more thari man; evsii very God, equal with his Father, to ftiew that he was the perfon fet apart for the work and 
 
 lor '}ihH ikf Raptiji uas the greatcji of them that were born cf olficc of a mediator. Secondly, for the fanilification of hi* 
 
 U'srw.-;, Matt. xi. II. yet fays he, Chrij} is mightier or great- pcrlbn for the performance of that otScc. 'I'his was Chrift'* 
 
 er than I. How fo; but in regard to the dignity of his per- uniilion, the day in which he was anointed above his fellows 
 
 fon, being both God and man in two diilinft natures and one to be the King, PrielU and prophet of his church : I fa. Jxi; 
 
 perfon? 2. The humble and low tltimation that the Baptill ver. I. The Spirit cf the Lord is upon mc, he hath anointed me y 
 
 had of himfclf: his Jhoe latchet I am not worthy to unloo/e : a pro- &e. Nile 3. The voice of Cjod the Father pronounced, i. 
 
 vcrbial freech, implying that he was unworthy to do the ba- The nearnefs of Chrill's relation to himfelf ; This is my Sort 
 
 fell and inraneft ftrvice for Chrill. O how well doth humi- 2. The endcarednets of his perfon ; This is my bdrjed Son. -7. 
 
 !ity ofmir.d, an humble apprehenfion, a low cftcem andopini«in The fruit and benefit of this near and dear relation to us; Jr. 
 
 of themfcives, and theirowngiftsandabilities,becomethemef- 'u-hom I am ■iceli plea/ed. Hence learn, I. That there is no 
 
 fcngers and miniflcrs of Chriit! John was a man of eminent poilibility for a perfon to pleafe God out ofChrift; neither 
 
 abilities, yet of exemplary humility ; he thought himfclf un- our perfons nor our performances can find acceptance but 
 
 worthy to unloofc Chriit s (hoe, or to do the ineanclt office through him, and for his fake. 2. That the Lord Jf fus Chritl 
 
 for 1 im. is the grou.id and caufc of all that love which God the Father 
 
 fliew- 
 
 learn. That the greatcll perfons (hould neither think thcm- 
 fehes too great, nor too goo<l, to come unto the miniilers ot 
 God, to hear the word from therr mouth, or to receive the 
 facrament at their hand. Cluill, the Son ot Gixl, was con- 
 tent to be baptized of John, a mean pcrlon in comparifonof 
 himfelf. How dare then the grciteft upon earth defpife the 
 minillry of man, being appoin;ed by God? 2. The folemn 
 invefting of Chrill intb-ihe office ot mediator, by a threefold 
 miracle; namely, the openini; of the heavens, dcfccnt of the 
 Holv Ghoft, and C/od the Father's voice or tcllimony con- 
 cerning his Son: The heavens were optned, to (licw, that hea- 
 ven, which was clofcd and ibut againlt us for our fins, is now 
 opened to us by ChrilVs-underukiug for us. As Chrift open- 
 ed heaven by his meritorious palliofi, fo he keeps it open by 
 his prevailing interceiilon. Next, the Ib.ly Ghoft defccnds lilc 
 « diVe upon our Saviour. Here we^havc a proof and e\ idcnce 
 
Cn 
 
 \f. I. 
 
 Sr. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 »2J 
 
 fliewcth to the fons of men. In Chrif: God is well pleared 
 with us, as a reconciled father ; out of him, a coiifuming firr. 
 
 12 And immeiliately ihe Spirit driveth him into 
 the wildernels. 13 And he was there in the wildtr- 
 ncfs forty days tempted of Satan, and was with the 
 wild beads ; and the angels miniflered unto him. 
 
 ImmeJiatily., That is, I. After bis baptifm. Chrift is no 
 fooncr out of the water of baj)tifm, but he is in the fire of 
 temptation: Suth as are baptized with C'hrifl, and entered 
 into the pofleflion of chriftianity, niuft look to be afiaultcd 
 with Satan's temptations. Again, immediateh, that is, 2. 
 After the Father had declared his complacency in him, and 
 being well pleafcd with him. Learn thence. That great 
 manifeibtions of iovc from God, arc ufually followed with 
 great temptations from God. The Spirit Jrivcth him ; tliat is, 
 the holy iipirit of God. For the devil is fcidom, if ever, 
 called tile Spirit, but ufually fonie bnmd of reproach is annex- 
 ed, as the (•:■// fpirit, nr the und.-an fpirit, r.nd the like ; ChrlJ} 
 leas led l'\ thf Spin, (iys'<X. Mtit/he-r, chup. iv. i. Hr zoas 
 driven hy the Spiri; , fays St. Mnri ; that is he was carried by 
 a ilrong impulleof thj Spirit of God to be tempted by Satan, 
 and did not go of his own private motion to enter the lifts with 
 Satan. Teaching us o\ir duty, not ft) nm into, or rulh upon 
 temptations, without a warrant and call from God, Oblervc 
 next. The place where S.-itan aliiiuhed Chrift with his temo- 
 tations : It was a folitary wild^ rnefs. No place whatever can 
 privilege lis frora temptations, or be a fanctuary from Satan's 
 atlauts. The lolitr.ry wildernefs has a tempter in it ; vea 
 Satan ofteniimc.s makes ufc of mens folitarinefs to further his 
 temptations; and fuch as fcparate thcmfehcs from huinan fo- 
 cicty, and giv<; thcmfclves up to folitiidc and retirement, pi\c 
 great advantage to the tempter to tempt thein. Next, i'he 
 time and continuance of our holy Lords temptations; not for 
 an hour, a day, a week, or a month, but for forty dn^s and for- 
 ty nights ; not all the time, but very often 'in that time. 
 Teu<hingm, what we are to cxpeil from Satan, temptations 
 not a few-; He will not folicit us once, but often, and follow 
 us with freOi adaults ; but the only way to overcome him is, 
 iJ often to rcfirt him. Ohjcrv,- farthcr,'A fpccial aggravatiori 
 of our Lord's temptations in the wildernefs. He ivas with the 
 •uild hi;j}s, liaviiig no comfort from man, but only wild bea(ts 
 for his companions, which were more likely t;> annoy and 
 hurt him, than any way to help and comfort him. Here wc 
 have an ev idcnce of the divine power of Chrift ; who, as Lord 
 of the creatures, can alter and change the nature of the crea- 
 tuirs at his pleafure; rcftraining the moft fuvage and htirt- 
 fu! hc-ifts tn>m hurting cither" himfelf or any of his peo- 
 ple. Lallly, The ftipply fcnt in to Chrift in the hour of 
 temptation; The angfls c<ime and minijiered ttnlo him; food to 
 tiis hungry body, and comfort to his tempted foul. Learn 
 thence, That thofe who, in the hour of temptation, do hold 
 out in rcfifting Satan, ftiall f.nd that the power and faithfid- 
 nefsof God will not be wantino; to them, to fend in fuccotir 
 jnd relief at laft. Then ti>e devil Icavtth him, and behold an- 
 £els came audminijlcrcdunto him. ' 
 
 14 ? Now after that John was put in prifon. Je- 
 fus came into Galilee, preaching tiic goIp-1 of the 
 kingdom of God, 15 And faying. The time is fulfil- 
 led, and the kingdom of Cod is at hand ; repent yc, 
 '.-•id believe the golpel, 
 
 In this onr Saviour's fir.T bcginnins ^° preach the gofpcl, 
 we have an account of the time when, the place where, and 
 the fum of what he preached. Ohferve, i. The time when 
 our Lord began to preach, and that wa.s after John the Bapti/i 
 xias cajl ints prifon. Note, fi.) The undue reward which tho 
 miniftors of God do fomctimcs meet vith from a ■wicked 
 world: they arc hated, pcrfe.utcd, and imprifoned for thtir 
 courage in reproving fin: John, for reproving Herod's inceff. 
 was put in prifon. (2.) John was no fooner in prifon, and 
 flopped, and hindered from preaching, but Chrift began to 
 preach. See the care and kindntfs" of God towards his 
 church, in that he never leaves it whollvdcftitutcnf the means 
 of inftruclion: when fome of his faithful ininiiier j are re- 
 ftrained from preaching, he fUrrcthup others inthcir rooms, 
 not fufJering all their mouths to be flopped at once. 2. The 
 place where our Lord firft preached, in Galilee. The land 
 of Canaan, in our Saviour's tin.e, was divided into three prin- 
 cipal provinces: On the fomh, Jtidea; on the north, Galilee; 
 in the tnidft Samaria. Galilee was divided into upper atid 
 lower Galilee; the higher wasc;i'.!ed Caltiee of the Gentiles, hr~ 
 caufc it was the outmoit part of the land, and lb next unto the 
 Gentiles. In this upper Galilee, Cupernaurn w.<s the me- 
 tropolis, or chief; and Chorarin a leHer city. Now much 
 of our Saviour's time was fpent in Galilee ;' he was co.-»cei'- 
 vcd and brought up at Nazareth, a ..:ry in Galilee ; he frrft 
 preached at 'Capern3t:in in Galilee; lie wrotight liis firft mi- 
 racle atCana in GaUlte ; his ;rat;s:iguriti 'ii nas upon .T.otjrr 
 1 a'bor in Galilee ; and cur Saviour's ordinary rcddcnce was 
 m Galilee. He came into Judca, and up to jcrufalem, on'v 
 at the feafts; and after hi.s rcl'urrectior. he appoints hiv 
 difaplcs to meet him in Galilee. Onlv hi<i nativity, h^s 
 aftion and afcenfton, were proper to Jiide'a. His nativity at 
 3cthkhcm, his paflio.T at Jcrufalcra. and his afctnflan i;po'i 
 
 mount Olivet, hard by JcrJfaLm. Now all this dcmonff'ra't' s 
 (- hnft to be the true and promifed Mei%s ; for, according- fo 
 prophecy, the Mellias was to have hisf>i-efc-.ice and princfnjl 
 abode 111 the provinccof Galilee, Ifa. ix. i, 2, 3, &c. S'ct 
 becaufe he was of Galilee, the Jews would notbtlicvehim to 
 be the Mcmah, faying in fcorn, Qm any gcotJ thin^eome out of 
 Gaiilccr' Whereas our Saviotir's habitation and irce convert- 
 fation there, was a proof unto thein, and ought to have pcr- 
 fuaded them, that, according to the pronhe.-v, he was the ve- 
 ry Chrift. 3. The fum of what our Lord preached; nanulv 
 a do(!1rinc, and an exlvirtation. His dodrine is' 7 ha/ the 
 time isfulfilkd, and the kingdom of G^d is at hand: t!ut is, thai 
 the tunc foretold by the prophets, when the kingdom of the 
 Meftiah (hould begin, was -.now come.— The exhortation is 
 yJ-''-refn- repent, and bclig^r the gofpel. From t he former n':U ' 
 1 hat the Mcftidh's coming, or our .'Saviour's appeariru- in the 
 liclh, was cxaclly-at tiic time foretold by the pru|j)hers • 7/ - 
 f'mc !sf/lf//cd, the hi'igdom cf the Mrjjiah 'is at harni. 2. That 
 the grtat docifines of repentance and faith ar<.- Taui;ht onlv in 
 and by the gofpel, and accordingly ou^ht in a fpcc1:il manner 
 to be preached and inllftcd upon by the miniifersuf the "ofncl 
 The doctrine dt Chrift, and his ambaft.idors, iv and ought to 
 be the fame; they both teach the great iWlrines of faith and 
 repentance to a loft world : J^cpent, and Micje the gofpd. 
 
 1 6 "5 Now as he walk/--d i>y the fea-of Galilee, lie 
 faw Simon and .Andrew his brother cafiing anet inf'» 
 thefea: for they were filhers. 17 v\.nd Jefus fa.,f 
 unto them. Come yc after me. and I will make v*)u 
 
I'Jl 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 to become fifhers of men. r8 And ftiaightway the gofpcl ; here wc may obfervc how he went himfcif along 
 
 they forfo(,k their nets and followed him. 19 And ^i^h them, teaching perfonally m the fynagoeues wherever he 
 
 ,•',,, 1- 1 r .1 ..u u. f came: he did not feml his dilcipics torth as Ins curates, and 
 
 when hchadftonc a httle farther thence he law Ue at home himfelf upon his couch of eafe. What (halUe fay to 
 
 James the/on ot Zcbedee, and John his brother, who ji^^f^. ^^.^^ fiihermcn that fct others to the drag, but care only 
 
 to feed thcmfelves with the fifli ? not willingto wet their hands 
 with the net, or take any pains themfelves? Our Saviour did 
 not thus ; but wlicn he font forth his apoftles, he lUll prcachecj 
 liirafelf, he went into their fynaj&gucs and taught. Obferve 
 farther, The fucccfs of his preaching ; the people were afton- 
 i(hed at his dodrinc, ftruck with admiration, apprehendiBg 
 and believing him to be an extraordinary prophet, fcnt from 
 
 alio were in the (hip mending their nets. 20 And 
 
 ftraightway he called them: and they left their 
 
 father Zebedec in the fhip with the hired fcrvants, 
 
 and went after him. 
 
 In this hiflory of our Saviour's calling the four difciples, 
 Peter and Aiulrew, James and John, obl'cn-cthcfe particulars. 
 
 I . The mcannefs of the perfons whom he calls, illiterate filh- God. Learn thence. That fuch is the ef^c'acy'of Chrift's doc- 
 
 ermcn ; Chrilhook hereby eftciSlual caie thathis gofpcl (hoiild trine, cfpecially when accompanied with the energy and ope- 
 
 bc known to be the power of God ; notthcwildom and device ration of the Holy Spirit, that it makes alt his auditors admir- 
 
 of man — that the inltruments fhould not carry away the glory g^s ; caufing aftoni(hment in their minds, and reformation in 
 
 of the work. 2. Chrill cilled his apolUcs by couples, two and their manners. Laftly, The reafon of our Lord's fuccefs in 
 
 two; firlt Peter and Andrew, then James and John ; thereby preaching. He taught us ont having authority. He taught in 
 
 fignifying to us, that the work of the miniftry requires the his own name, as being Lord of his own doftrine ; not fay- 
 
 concurrence of all hands that are called to it. All lite minif- jng with the prophets, Thus faith the Lord ; but I fay untayouT 
 
 tors of God ihould join their hearts and hands, and fet their and he wrought powerful miracles, which accompanied hi» 
 
 Ihoulders as one man to.this great work ; and all little enough, doctrine. As Chrift was careful to preferve the authority of 
 
 God knows, to carry it on with advantage and fuccefs. 3.The his perfon and doftrine with the people : fo it is the duty of 
 
 work which they are called from, and called to, from being his minifters to demean them(clves amongft their people, that 
 
 fijhermen, tohcfjhers of men ; from catching fifh with the la- neither tlieir authority may be contemned nor their perfons 
 
 hour of their hands, to catch men with the labour of their dcfpifed, but their doftrine and thcmfelves reverenced and o- 
 
 tengues. 4. Our Saviour's command: firft to follow him, be- beycd. 
 
 fore they be font out hyh\m:?j,Mome and I^J'''l'''f >^« Ahd there was in their fynagogue a man with 
 
 hlhers of men. We muft be Chrill s difciples betorc we arc o . . y 6 o 
 
 his minifters ; his follosvers, before we are his ambafTadors : an unclean fpint : and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let 
 we muft learn Chrill before we preach him ; otherwife wc us alone ; what have we to do with thee, thou Jefus 
 may fiih for a livelihood, but not for fouls. 5. The gracious of Nazareth ? art thou come to deftroy us ? I know 
 promifewhichChrirtgiveshisapolllesfortheir encouragement; thee whothou art, the holy oneof God. 25 And Jefus 
 
 n.imely, to qualify them for, and to fuccecd them in thsir of- - • -- - . - 
 
 hct: \ I will make you fijhers of men. Faithfulnefs and care, 
 diligence and endeavour, is our part ; but the bleding andfuc- 
 ■.:t Is is Chrift's; our labour is only in the caft ; Chrift's pow- 
 er is wholly in the draught. Some fifli cleave fo the rocks,o- 
 
 rebuked him, faying, Hold thy peace, and come out 
 of him, 26 And when the unclean fpirithad torn him, 
 and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 
 And they were all amazed, infomuch that they quef* 
 
 thers play upon the fands, more wallow in mud;^ and verily tioned among themfelves, faying, What thing is this? 
 
 wc Ihall labour all our days and catch nothing, if Chriftdo not What new do^rine is this ? for with authority com- 
 
 .- , , , „• ,-• £1-1. ai J mandeth he even the unclean fpirits, and thev do o- 
 
 us m the throwing and caftingot It. 6. 1 he apoltles ready ,^„,, ^;^^ *^ ^ 
 
 lie gofpcl ihould whollypivcthcnifelvcsuptothcirgreatwork, ter's wife's Kothtr of a fever, vcr. 29 
 
 brill" our iiih to the net, and iiiclofe them in^it,as well as aflift 
 
 compliance with our Saviour's^call. Straightway they forfook "^Y "^"'* 
 their father and friends, iTiip and nets, and followed Jefus. — • St. Mark having given an account of our Saviour'sdo£lrin» 
 Whom C'tirift cali.<, he calls effectually ; and draws whom he which he preached, ver. 15. namely, thedoc^rinc of faith am:" 
 calif, .in;l works thiir heart.? fo a ready compliance^vith their repentance, he now acquaints us in the remaining part of thiy 
 duf V. 7. That upon their call to the miniftry they leave their chapter with the miracles which hewrought for the confirma- 
 iradc, they forfakc their Ibip aiu! nets, and lie clofe to their tion of his doclrine, and they are three. Firft, The r<7^»«(T ^f 
 I :;iui.lerial employment. Teaching us, That the minifters of a dcvilout if one pojjijjed, ver. 23. Secondly, The curing tf Pe- 
 ter's wife's yr.other of a fever, vcr. 29. Thirdly, The clennfinj; 
 of akper, Uon\yei. 40. to the end ofthe chapter. His firll 
 miracle was the calling a dtvil out of onepoffelfed : T'-yere ujs 
 a man iiith an unclean fpirit : that is, an unclean fpirit did en- 
 ter into him, and bodily pofll-fs him. Amongft the many ca- 
 lamatic- which fin has brought upon our bodice, thisispnt, 
 that we arc liable to be bodily poftelTcd by Satnn. T?i<_ 
 devil has an inveterate malice againft mankind, fcekingto r.; 
 in our fouls by his fuggeftions and temptations, and to dr- 
 li^oy our bodies by fome means or other : but blcfted be G<r\ 
 t.hough his malice be infinite yet his power is limited and 
 bounded ; as he cannot do all the mifchief he v.viuld, fo he 
 fhall not <ic! all he can. O, how much is it our i.atercft, a": 
 
 well 
 
 .1 id not encumber themfelves with fccular aftairs and worldly 
 B-.ilincfs. Nothing but an indifpenfible ncceifity in provid- 
 i.)!,' for a family, cancxcufc a miiiiller's encumbering hiinlelf 
 •vit.h worldly concerns and bufmefs. 
 
 ii And thry went intoCapcvnaum ; and flraight- 
 way ontho fabbath-day he entered into the fynagogue, 
 and taught. 22 And they were ailotiilhcd at hi.sdoe- 
 tvinc : for he taught them as one that had atithority, 
 and not a.s the fcribes. 
 
 Our Saviour having called histlifciples, Pcterand Andrew. 
 [aur. - a.nd Joha, ta follow hini, in order to tbeir preaching of 
 
 f'' ' ■ .. Jiw;yttkv;^j»<»j^.v,i4ii»>^^ .- 3i^&e^ . 
 
 ;. ri-. te 
 
 ■4>ate<:A: ' -^k'ijrtit;.«it.fa^{.*ui;ii?<te''.tairii'^i^ . ■ v JH 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 Sr. MA R K. 
 
 well as our duty, by prayer, lo put ourfelvcs morningand e- 
 vening, under the divine prcteftion, that wcmaybe preferved 
 from the power and malice of evil fpirits! 2. The tribute or 
 -title given to the devil, he is called an uncltan fpirit. Thede- 
 vils, whofc wicked fpirits of hell, are moft impure and filthy 
 creatures; impure by means of their adual and daily fins, 
 fuch^ as murder, malice, lying, and the like, by which they 
 continually pollute thcmfclvcs ; impure bymeansof their con- 
 tinual delire and endeavotir to pollute mankind with the con- 
 tagion of their own fm. Lord, ho^v foul is the nature oi fin, 
 ivhich makes the evil fuch a foul and unclean creature! 3. 
 This unclean fptrit no fooncr faw Chrift, \)m ke cried out. 
 Note, That the greatnefs of Chrift's power (being the Son of 
 GodJ over devils and wicked fpirits is fuch, that it is very ter- 
 rible and tormenting to them : It was terrible to them in a 
 flatc of humiliation on earth, and made them cry out ; but,0 
 how terrible will his power be to them at the great day,when 
 Chrtji frail emu injiaming fire, to render ven,^ean»e both to men 
 and devils! Obfetye, 4. The fiibftance of the devils outcry ; 
 Let us alone, what have lue to douith thee? Art thou come to dejirey 
 us? Where note, i. That though the devils are now as 
 as full of iin and difcontent as they can be, yet are they notfo 
 full of mifcry and torment as they'ftiall be. Art thou come to 
 tsrment us before the time ? fays St. Matthew, chapter viii. 29. 
 Art thou came to dejiroy us? fays St. Mark: That is, to bring 
 upon us our full and final deftrudion. Implying, that the 
 ^vil has not yet his full judgment and complete damnation. 
 Therefore there is certainly a day of judgment to come, and 
 the devils arc in chains of darknefs, referred to the judgment 
 of that great day. But fome by thcfe words, Art thou come to 
 dejlr'.y us? underftand as much as, "Art thou come to. reftrain 
 us from the exercife of our power?" Learn wc thence, That 
 the devil thinks himfelf deftroyerl when he is refiralned from 
 doing mifchief. Ohferve 5. The title which thedevilput up- 
 on our Saviour ; Jefus of Nazareth, the holy One of God. Al- 
 though there was ground forthecommon people's calling Chrift 
 Jefus cf Nazareth, becaufc he was bred and brought up 
 there, and lived there during his private lifb, till a- 
 bout thirty years of age ; though he was not born there, bur 
 at Bethlehem ; yet it is conceived that the devil gave this title 
 to our Saviour in policy, to difguifc the place of Chrill's na- 
 
 Ji'y"/y^' u^^' ^^ *^^ J^""* ""l"^' ^^^ believe him to be the true 
 Mcniah, bccaufe he was of Nazareth, whereas the MeUiah 
 was to come out of Bethlehem. Therefore, to the intent 
 that the Jews might be at the greater lofs concerning Chriff 
 and m doubt of hi? being the true Mcffiah,the devil here ca'ls 
 him not Jefus of Bethlehem, but Jefus of Nazareth. Biit 
 how comes the next.title out of the devil s mouth ; the holy One 
 *rGod? Could an apoAle, couid Peter himfelf make a pro- 
 tcflion beyond this >. But how conies the devil to make it' 
 i-or no good end or purpofe wc may be fure; for he never 
 (peaks truth for truth's fake, but for' advantage. Probably, 
 I. He niatle this protcrtion, that fo he might bring tie truth 
 profcircd into fufpicion, hoping that n truth which received 
 trftimony from the father of lies would be fufpefted. 2 It 
 might perhaps be done that the peoole might btiicvc thnt cur 
 Mvioiir had fome familwrity with Satan, and did work n-ira- 
 cles h\' his help, becaitfe he did confefs him, andftemfo.-nu h 
 10 honour him. From this inftance and example ham, Thar 
 It IS poffiblc for a perfon to own and acknowledgeChrirt to be 
 the true and only Saviour, and yet to mif.of falvaticn bv hiin. 
 it a Ipeculhtive knowledge, and a verbal rrotVi]>- c+'C^-M 
 
 ^-5 
 
 were fuPicient to falvation, the de\il hiar.ftlf would not mils 
 of happinefs. Ohferve, 6. How our Saviotr rebukes the de- 
 vil for his confeflion, and commands him filence ; And Jefus 
 rebuked him, ftyi no. Hold thy peace. But why was this rebuke 
 given the devil when he fpake the truth ? Anfuer, 1. Bccaufe 
 Chrift knew that the devil confeffcd this truth on purpofe to 
 difgrace the truth. 2. Bccaufe the devil was no fit perfon to 
 make this profcffion. A teltimony of truth from the father of 
 lies, is enough to render truth itfclf fiifpcfted. Yet thedcvil's 
 evidence that Chrift was the holy One of God, will rife up 
 in judgment againft the wicked Pharifccs who fliut their eyts 
 apinft the miracles, and ftopt their ears againft the docftrineof 
 the holy One of God. Laftly, Howthe unclcanYpiritobeysthc voice 
 ofChrift.though with great reluftancy and regret ; jyinntheun- 
 clean fpirit had tern him, and cried 'Mith a loud voice, he came out. 
 ChriltisLordover the wicked angels, and has anabfolutr power 
 andauthoritytoover-rulc them, and command themathisplea- 
 furc ; \£ Chrift fays to the evil fpirit, C:me cut, out he muft 
 come. Yet objervelhe devil's fpitc at parting, he tears the man, 
 tortures his body, throws him violently from the place, fnew. 
 ing how loth he was to be difpolfefled. Wherefatan has once 
 gotten an hold, and fettk-d himfelf for a time, how iimvillino 
 IS he to be caft out of pollLlIion ? yea, it is a torture and vexa- 
 tion to him to be caft out ; it is much eaficr to keep him out 
 than fo caft him out. Satan may i)oli"efs the body by Gbd's- 
 permiflion, but he cannot pollcfs our hearts without our own 
 confent and approbation ; it w 111 be our wifdom to deny him 
 entrance intoour fouls at firft,bv rejcclinghis wicked motions 
 and fuggeftions ; for when once entered, he will, like the 
 Jirong man armed, keep the hcife till a flronger than he calls him 
 »ut: •' 
 
 28 And itrincdiatcly his fame fprcad ubroad 
 throughout all the region round about Galilee. 29 
 And forthwith, wiicn they were come out of the fyna- 
 gouguc, they entered into the houfe of Simon 'and 
 Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon's 
 wife's motbcr lay fick of a fever; and anon they tc!I, 
 him of her. 3 \ And he came and took her by the- 
 hand, and lifted her up : and immediately the fcvc; 
 left her, and fheminiftered unto them. 
 
 The fecond miracle which our Saviour wrought in this chan- 
 ter to confirm the truth and authority of his dodrinc, was his 
 railing up of Peters wife's mother 'from her bed of fickncl. 
 Where ;)<;/<•, r. That St. Peter, now a difciplc, and after- 
 w_ardsan apoftlc, was a married perfon. IsTelthcr the prophets 
 of the Old Tftament, nor the minilfers of the N"ew, did ab- 
 hor the marriage-ned, nor think thcmfeives too pure forcn jn- 
 ftitutior of their Maker. The church of Rome, bv dcnvine. 
 the lawtulnefs of prieft's marriage, makes herfelf wifer t.han 
 God, who fays, Heb. xiii. 4. Marriage is honorable amorf^-i 
 oilmen. Note, 2. Peter, though a goixi man, and his wifj's 
 mother probably a gracious woman, yet is his family vifited 
 wirh licKnefs : Strength of grace, and dearnefs of refpefl, p. 
 vcn from Chrift himfclf, cannot prevail againft difeafes. God's 
 own children are vr/itcdwiihbodilyfickncilcsas well a< other'^ 
 3. The charitable v-arc of St. Peter, and the other difciple/ 
 lorthwjth to acquai.nt Chrift of the co.ndition of thisii^k oc.-I 
 fen : Anon they tell i,!m of her. The care of our feliuw chrii- 
 tianr, efpecially when of the munberof-our near and dear re- 
 hiticis, m a tiine of fickncfs, is not to be dcferrc-' -- ■' ' -■ ' 
 
 Ikl; 
 
 »*iti' 
 
136 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 ChAi 
 
 (Outward help for their bodies, and the fpi ritual help of our 
 prayers for their fouls, arc both (traight way to be afforded them. 
 4. Chrilt's divine power nianiftilcd in this miraculous cure: 
 tic no foot. sf took her by the hand, but the fever left her. 
 'i'he miracle was liOt in curing an incurable diftcmper, but 
 in curing an ordinary diltcmper after a miraculous manner ; 
 Namely, I. }Jy a totich ot the hand. 2.' The recovery was 
 JiiltantaneoKi and fiidd^-n ; Immediately thefcfer left her. 3. 
 i'hc vifibic eftVits of her recovery iiiftantly appeared ; She a- 
 ' //.• and 7>;imfurcd unti C.hriji tind his difcipUs. 'I'hat fhc could 
 .'irile, argued her 'nrf miraculous; tliat flic didarife, and did 
 :idmi')illi;riimo"Chriil,arg'.icdihcr thank fulnefs. Learn thence, 
 'J'hat ;;ttcrC!iriil hath<jraciini{ly hcalt-d any of us, it ought to 
 l>coi;r tirft care to iidminincr unto ChrKl : That is, to employ 
 Onr recovered hcultii in the fervicc of Chrift, and to improve 
 our renewed llrci'.gth to the honourand glory of Chrill. 
 
 32 ^ And at even, when the fun did fet, rhcy 
 Lroiiglit unto liiin aH that were dileafed, and them 
 that were poiVeiled with devils. 33 And all the 
 city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he 
 hcahd iiianv ihat were firk of divers dileafes, and 
 tall out many devils ; and fiiflered not the devils to 
 fpeak, becaufe they knew him. 
 
 ThcKvangelift here declares fundrv other miracleswrought 
 by our Saviour before the door of St. Peter's hoiifc, where he 
 now was : lie healed all the difeafcd that were brought unto 
 hull, and caddtvilsout of thtmthat were polTcircd with them. 
 But hnw comes it to pafs, that we read of fo many pofll-fled 
 with dc\i)s in our Saviour's time, and fo few either b«fnre or 
 fincc ? Anfwcr, I. Probably Satan, perctixing that the Mef- 
 
 fiah was come in the fiefh to deflrov 
 
 perctiM 
 his kin "I 
 
 dom, did rage the 
 
 jrorc, anddifcovcr greater malice and enmity againd mankind. 
 :::. Terhaps Almighty (Jod permitted Satan at that time to 
 pofTcfsfomany, that Chrill might haveoccafion to manifeft his 
 divine power in calling Satan out : And accordingly, we find 
 our Saviour difpolfcfling all that were polFtfTcd by Satan. 
 It is added, That he fufferei not the devils to fpcnh, becauje they 
 knew hin. That is, Chrift would not be made known to be 
 the Son of God "by the preaching of the devil, to whom it be- 
 longed not topublifli the gofpcfleft thcworldfhouldtake from 
 thence an occafion to think that our Saviour held a correfpon- 
 dance with thofc wicked fpirits, and that the mi raclcs he wrought 
 were performed by the devils afhllance, as being one in com- 
 bination with him. Poflibly, from the devil's owning Chrift 
 10 he the holy one of God, the Pharifccs concluded that there 
 ^^asa cnmpaifl and agrceinent bctwi.xt them, and thereupon 
 their aftrrmation was grounded. He cafteih oui devils by Beel- 
 zebub, he. 
 
 35 And in the mortiing, rifin;j tip a groat while be- 
 fore day, he went out, and departed into a folitary 
 jilace, and there prayed. 
 
 Kote here, i. The duty performed by our Sa\iour, namc- 
 ]v, prayer, folitary and private prayer. He vsent by himfclf 
 r.lone, (Jilt of the hearing of his dikiples.- The company of 
 <'ur bertfriends is not alwaysfcafonable, nor acceptable ; there 
 arc times and cafes when a chriftian would not be willing that 
 his dearcfl rclatiotis upon earth flioiild hear that intcrcourfc 
 %vhich pafTes between him and his God. 2. Chriflchufesthe 
 opportjnity 01 the ;norni:i£ for prayer, He rijes a great i^-hile 
 
 iefore Jay to fet about this work. 7frii7j»«^us,Thal themorn- 
 ing is a fit feafon, yea, the beft feifon,forprivatcdutics : Now 
 our fpirits are frefliell and our r.iinds frec.t, befcre the dirtra 
 tionsof the day break in upon us. It isbcttcrto go from prayt: 
 to bufinefs, than from ojhnefs to prayer. 
 
 36 And Simon, and tlicy that were with him, 
 followed after him. 37 And when llicy had found 
 Iiim. they faid unto him, All men ftck for thee. 
 38 And he faid unto them. Let ti,s go into the next 
 towns, that I may preach there alio : For there- 
 fore came I forth. 39 And he preached in their 
 fynago^ues throughout aH Galilee, and cafl out de- 
 vils. 
 
 Note here two things t Fi.'ft, The i;rcat end of Chrifl in 
 his incarnation and coming into the world, nannly, as a pro- 
 phet fent from (jod tn reveal his will, and to pub!i;h the doc- 
 trine of the gofpel. Therefore eame I forth \ that is, to preach, 
 and plant the gofpi I. Secondly, It being CluiU's dciign not 
 only to plant biittopropogate the gofre';, he would not confine 
 hisniinillry to any particular place, no, not to the great city 
 ot Capernaum, but rcfolves to preach th': word in the fmallell 
 towns and villages. Leaving his minilters herein an inltruc- 
 tivc example, to be as willing toprcachtliegofpel in the fmallefl: 
 villages, as in the largeft cities, if God calls them thereunto. 
 Let the place be never fo cbfcurcand mean, and the congrega- 
 tion never fo fmall andlittle, if (jixl fends us thither, the great- 
 ell of us mull not think it beneath us to go arid inflruft an 
 handful of people. 
 
 40 And there came a leper to liimbefceching him, 
 and kneeling down to liim, and fa}'ing unto him, If 
 thou wilt, thou can ft make me clean. 41 And Je- 
 fus moved with compadion put forth his hand, and 
 touched him, and faith unto him, I will ; be thou 
 clean. 42 And as foon as he had fpoken, immedi- 
 ately the leprofy departed from him, and he wa.s 
 cleanfed. 43 And he llraitly charged him, and forth- 
 with fent him away ; 44 And faith unto him, .St^ 
 thou fay nothing to any man : but go thy way, ftiew 
 thyfelf to the pritft, and offer for thycleanfing thof- 
 things whicli Mofes commanded for a teftimony un- 
 to them. 45 But he went out, and began to publifh 
 it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, inlomuch 
 that Jefus could no more openly enter into the city, 
 but was without in defert places: and they came to 
 him from every quarter. 
 
 The laft miracle of our Saviour's recorded in this chapter, 
 is the helling of a leper ; he came, befecchiiig Chrill to heal 
 liiiii, Saying, if thou ■u.'ilt, thou ean/l make me clean. Where njte, 
 I. He doth not quellion Chad's power, but diflrufls his wil- 
 lingneCs to Ileal him; Lord, ifthewuilt, thou can/}. Chrill's 
 divine power mull be fully aifentcd to, and firmly believed bv 
 all thofe tliat exped benefit by him, and healing from h:rn. 2. ■ 
 The great rcadinefs of Chrill to help and heal this diilrellird « 
 pcrfon. yefu! touched him, faying, I -uill; be thcu clean. Df 
 the ceremonial law, the leper was forbidden to be touched, 
 therefore Chrift's touching thi'^ leper iliewrd h!::i to be above 
 
 th6. 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 1^ 
 
 the law, and that he was the Lord of it) and might difpcnfc 
 with it ; and his hcaline; the leper bv the word of his mouth 
 and touch of his hand, Oicwcd him to be truly and really Grxl. 
 I^profy amoHij the Jews was an incurable diltemper, called 
 the hnc;tr of Goil, a difeafc of his fending, and of his remo- 
 viiiL;. Our Saviour, tlierefore.asa proof of his being the true 
 Mefli.ih, tells John's difciples, Matr. \i. 5. that the lepers 
 were cleanfed, and the vJeaJ raifed by him ; which two being 
 joined together, do imply that the clcanfmg of the lepers is as 
 much an ad of divine power as the raifmg of thedesd. And 
 accordingly. Z Kings v. 7. it is faid, Am I a God, that thti 
 "tanjeniis ti nic to cure a man of his li-profy r Note t,. The cer- 
 tainty and fuddenntfs of the cure was a proof of Chrift's di- 
 vine power ; ImyyicHate'y his Itprifi icas cUurtfcJ. Chrirt not 
 only cured him without nuan*, but without the ordinary time 
 requiretl for fuch a cure. Thus Chrill Ihcwcd both power 
 and will to cure him miraculoully, who believed his power, 
 but quellioned his wiUingncfs. 4. The caufc moving our Sa- 
 viour to cure tins leper; his bowels were niovod with tender 
 pity and compailion towards him. ChriiVs exercifing aifls of 
 mercy and companion, with fuch condolency andfynipathizing 
 pity, Ihould by way of example teach us to be inwardly moved 
 ivith tender companion and mercy towards fuch as arc in mi- 
 fery. VVc arc not only to draw out our bread, but to draw 
 outour fouls to the hungry. 5.A two-fold charge and command 
 given by Chrirt to the leper after his cure. i. To conceal, 
 and fell it to no man. Where the great mcdefty, humility, and 
 piety of Chrirt is difcovored, together with the care of his own 
 iUfety. His modeily, in not deiiring his good deeds lliou Id be 
 piiblillied and proclaimed. His humillity, in ihunning vain- 
 glorious appiuufe and commendation. His piety, in dcfiring 
 all honour and glory fliould redound entirely to God. And 
 the care of his own fafety appeared, lelt the publifhing of his 
 miracle' ilionld create him innimely danger from the I'hari- 
 fecs. The fecond part of the charge given to the recovered 
 leper, wai, to Jhc.v himjelf to the prirjl, and offer the gift xvhich 
 M'jfi! commar.ded,for a Itfiminy unto them : That is, to tellitV 
 to the Jews, that he did not oppofe the ceremonial law, which 
 required a thank-oflerring at his hand, and that he was the 
 trvtc and promifcd Meiliah. Learn thence. That our Saviour 
 would have the ceremonial law punctually obferved, fo long as 
 the time of its continuance did endure ; though he came to de- 
 rtroy that law, yet while it ftood, he would have it pvmdually 
 cbtervcd. 6. Notwithftanding our Saviour's ftri<fl prohibiti- 
 on, the leper pub!i;iics the fa.-.ic of this miracle. It is like- 
 ly his intention mi.'jht be good, in extolling his great benefac- 
 tor, but his aAing contrary to his command was a fault, 
 and (hews the corriiption of human nature, it being moft for- 
 ward to that v/hich i.? moii forbidden. It is a fur to do any 
 thing agair.ft the command of Chrift, though with never fo 
 good a meaning, purpofc, and intention to exalt and honour 
 *.]lhrilf . Laftly, The inconveniences which attend our Savi- 
 cur upon this indifcreet publication of the miracle ; and they 
 were two: i. Our Saviour could no more enter into Capernaum. 
 aad other cities, to preachin an open manner as he had done, 
 by roafon of the great concourfe of people after him. 2. The 
 tame ot this miracle brought the people about him//-sw all 
 quarters ; not fomuch to hear, as to fee ; not fo much to he.ir 
 his holy and heavenly doii^lrine wtich he taught, as to gratify 
 their curiofity withthe fight of themiracleswhich he wrought. 
 '' O ! how many thronged after Chrill, more to have their^bo- 
 i 4ily dilcafes cured, than their fouls healed. Chrill defired not 
 
 their flocking after him upon this account ; therefore he re- 
 tires from the breath of popular applaijfe: He would not »- 
 penly enter into the city, but 'was without in dejert places. (> 
 great hiiinilitv! How little did our bletlcd Redeemer regard 
 the applaiife and commendation of men! Conllantly wc find 
 him, as foon as his public preaching and working ot miracles 
 was over, withdrawing himfelf from the multitude into foma 
 private place apart: He doih not flay in the crowd with hi? 
 ear open to lidenhow men admire the preacher, and applaud 
 the fermon. Plainly fliewiiig, that he fought his Father'^ 
 glory, not his own prairc,or the peoples commendation ; lea- 
 ving his example as an intlruftive pattern to all his minifters 
 avd ambafTadors to take heed of vain-glory; not ta affect po- 
 pularity, or tofeek the applaulcand commendation of nun in 
 what they do; refolving that man's opinion Ihall be nothirg 
 with them, but that the pleafing of Goil, and doing their du- 
 ty to the fouls of tlicir people, nuiU always be their whole; 
 fcope. 
 
 CHAP. ir. 
 
 AND again he cntrred into Gapernatim. after 
 .fitne days ; and it w.as noilcd that iie was in the 
 houfc. 2 And fliaijjhtway many were gathered ta^ 
 gcther, infomuch, that there w.as no room to receive 
 them, no, not fo much a,s about the door: and h'^*^ 
 preached the word unto them. 
 
 In the laft verfe of the foregoing chapter we find how in- 
 duftriouflv our bleffed Saviour withdrew himfelf from thecon- 
 courfe and throng of people which flocked after himfrom eve- 
 ry quarter ; and to fliew how little he aflceted tli'c applautc 
 andcommendation of the multitude, he left the cities, and was 
 'utthout in defert places. Hereby giving his miniitersan in- 
 ftrne'live cxamplb to decline vain glory, and ta flhin popular 
 applaufe. But now the words before us ihew t.hat our Savi- 
 our having entered I'privatelv as is probable) into the ci'-j of Ca- 
 pernaum, ir is prefently noifed and reported irAj/ /'«• wv.-; in the 
 houfe, and a mighty concourfe and throng of people aitcr him, 
 infomuch, that neither the houfe, nor hardly the (tr'^cts could 
 contain them. Thence learn. That fnch as Icaft fctk after 
 honour and applaufe from men, are oft-tiines molt famous 
 and renowned. Our Saviour wasfo fartrom fecking the pec- 
 pie's praife andcommendation, thit he car:TC into Capernau:'» 
 without obfervation, and betook himfelf to his dwclliiig-houio 
 there; but the more he ("ought to lie hid, th;; more he wnst.ike'i 
 notice of. Honour flics from them that purfue ir, anJ purlues 
 thofe that fly from ir. The way to be honoured is to be hun:- 
 blc. God feldom honours a proud man, by making him ei- 
 ther eminently ferviceable or lufCefsful. Kote farther, thr; 
 people being come together, our Saviour takes the oninirtiir.i- 
 ty to'preach : And he preached the xv:rd unto tl .• n. i ea-iurg 
 his minilters by his example, to embrace alloppoftunirits, in 
 feafon and out of feafon, on the Lord's day, and on the Aveck 
 day, to edify our people by onr miniltry,by our publicexho.''- 
 tations, by our private initnuftions, pruden' ac.iionitinns, and 
 holy examples. Being well allured, that we ih'all bs abun- 
 dantly rewarded by the Lord of life and falvation hereafter. 
 
 3 And they come unto him, bringing one fick ot" 
 the paify, which was borne ot four. 4 And when 
 they could nut come ni;^h unto hitn tor thr prcis, 
 they uncovered the roof where he was: and when 
 
 t!ity 
 
 -It,..' '.».L. 
 
 •.Aw*t.^-,<rf/.' 
 
liiS 
 
 Sr. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Chap 
 
 li, 
 
 ■ tiiey had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein 
 the iick of the palfy lay. 5 When Jefus faw their 
 faith-, he faid unto the hck of the palfy, Soii, thy fine 
 bf! forj^iven tlu'e. C But there were CcTtain oi the 
 friibcs littiuy there, aiid reafoningm tlicir hearts, 7 
 ^Vhy doth this w^w thus fpeak bialphenues :* . Who 
 can forgive fins but God only ? 8 A.nd immediately, 
 uhen Jcfns perceived in liis fpint that they fo rca- 
 foned within thcmfclvcs, ihcliid unto them, Why 
 rcafon ye thcfc things in your hearts ? q Wlicthcr is 
 it eafier to fay to the Hckof the palfy, Tiiy fin:; be 
 forgiven thee; or to fay, Arife, and take up t!iy bed, 
 and walk ? 10 But that yc may know that the Son of 
 man hath poweron earth to forgive fins, (he faith to 
 the fick of the palfy) 1 1 I fay unto thee. Arife, and 
 take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine houfe. 
 12 And immediately he arofe, took up the bed, and 
 went forth before them all. infomuch, thatthey w^erc 
 .ill amazed, and glorified God, faying, We never faw 
 it on this faihion. 
 
 Here wc have the relation of our Saviour's mi raculous heal- 
 ing of one fick of tl>e palfy at Capernavim. Where note, i. 
 The (lifcafcd and diftreffed pcrfon ; one ftci of th( palfy, which 
 diftafc being a rcfclution and wcaknelsofthe nerves, enfeebles 
 the joints, and confines the pcrfon to his bed or couch. As a 
 demonftration of Chrift's divine power, he was plcafcd to fin- 
 glc out the palfy and Icprofy, incurable difeafes, to work a 
 cure upon futh as were afflicted v.ith them. Now, this per- 
 foii w.Tsfo great a cripple, by reafon of the palfy, that he was 
 borne of four. He could not go, nor was he capable of being 
 led, but was carried bv four in his bed or couch. 2. As the 
 gricvoufnefs of the difeafc fo the greatnefs of their faith. The 
 man and his friends had a firm pcrfuafion that Chrift was 
 t lothed with di\ ine power, andablc to help him. According- 
 ly, the roof of the Jewiln houfes being flat, they uncovered 
 feme part of it, and let the bed down with the fick man in it, 
 into the room where Chrifl was. 3. No fcwncr did they exer- 
 eifc their faithin believing, but Chrillexcrtshisdivine power in 
 healing. And fee the marvellous efficacy of faith, it obtain- 
 ed not only what was dcfircd, but more than was cxpefted. 
 They defi red only the healing of thcbody, butChrift healsbo- 
 dy and foul too. Son, be of good cheer, thyjins are forgiven thee. 
 Thereby our .Saviour fhcws them, that fin is the original 
 caufe of all bodily difeafes ; and confequently, that in fickncfs 
 the bcft way to find cafe and deliverance from pain, is firft to 
 fcek for pardon. The fcnfc of pardon in fome degree will 
 take away the fcnfc of pain. 4. The exception which the 
 fi ribcs took againft our Saviour for pronouncing that this 
 iiLin'slins were forgi\cn him. They accufe him of the fin of 
 hlafphcmy ; urcing, that it is Gods peculiar prerogative to 
 pardon fin. Their do6lrinc was true, but their application 
 talfe. Nothing more true, than that it is the greatert degree 
 cf blafphcmy for any mere man to arrogate to himfclf the in- 
 communicable prerogative of God, which conillh in an abfo- 
 lute and authoritative power to forgive fin. But then their 
 tlcnying this power to Chrift of forgiving fin, which he had 
 as (iod from all eternity, and as Medintor, God and man in 
 one pcrfon when here upon earth ; this was blafphemy in 
 
 them ; the challenging of it none in him. 5. Our Saviour 
 gives thefe fcribes a twofold demonftration of his Givlhead, 
 I. Bn' letting them underiland that he knew their thoi;"" 
 'yefu: pcrcci'jhg in tf e Spirit that they reafonedutthin thrtnl, 
 rofearch the hearts, and toknow the tnoughts and realor.ir.:; 
 ot men, is not in the power of angels or men, but the preror; 
 alive of God only. 2. By affuming to himfclf a power to for 
 give f•.n^ For our Siaviour here by affuming to himfclf a pow- 
 er toforgive finsinhisown|name, and by his own authority, doth 
 give the world an undeniable proof a:id convincing evidence 
 or his Godhead : For who ceittfcrgiie f.nsi^irGcd only ? 6 
 The effect of this mir.icle upon thcmindsof thejpeople; thr 
 marvelled and were amazed, but did not believe. They a.' 
 mire curSa\ioiir for an extraordinary man, bntdidnotbelic" 
 him to be Ctof!. JLenr.ixhcnce, that the fight of Chrilfsmir.i^ 
 clcs is not fuffieient to work faith in the fou!,withcutthccor 
 curring operation of the Holy Spirit. T'he one may tnakei 
 marvel, the other muft make us believe. 
 
 1 3 And he went forth again by the (c3.-JiiJe; and 
 ail the multitude refortcd unto him, and he taught 
 them. 14 ? And as he palled by, he faw Levi, the 
 [on of Alpheus, fittingat the receipt of cuftom, and faid 
 unto him, Follow me. And he arofe and followed 
 him. 15 ^ And it came to pafs, that as Jefus fat at 
 meat in his houfe, many publicans and finncrs fat 
 alfo together with Jefus and his difciples; for there 
 were many, and they followed him. 16 And when 
 ; the fcribes and Pharifces faw him eat with publicans 
 and finncrs, they faid unto his difcipics. How is it 
 that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and fiii- 
 ners ? 17 When Jefus heard it, he faith unto them, 
 They that are wliolc have no need of the phyilcian, 
 but they that arc fick : I came not to call the righte- 
 ous, but finncrs to repentance. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The unwearied pains and diligence which 
 our Saviour ufed in the execution of his minifterial office and 
 calling ; no fooncr had he done preaching in Capernaum, and 
 healing the fick of the palfy, but he gocth out thence to the 
 fea-fide, to preach there. O, blefTcd Saviour ! how perpet- 
 ually wert thou employed in the labours of thy calling, in the 
 fervice of thy Father, and for the good of mankind I Thou 
 wcnteft about doing gootl, fetting a pattern for all thy mini- 
 fters to follow. How doth the example of thy laborious dil- 
 igence at once inftrutSl and (liame us I 2. The number of our 
 Lord's difciples not being filled up, obfcrve what a isce and 
 gracious, unexpe£led and undcfcrvcd choice he makes. Levi, 
 that is Matthew(for he hath both namesla grinding publican, 
 who gathered the taxes for the Romans, and was probably 
 guilty, as others were, of l!ic fins of covetoufnrfs, extortion; 
 and oppreflion ; yet he Is called to follow Chrill as a fpecial 
 difciple. Learn, Such is the freenefs of God's grace, that it 
 calls and converts linners unto Chriil, when they think not 
 of him, nor feck unto him. Little did Levi now think of a 
 Saviour, much Icfs feck after him: yet he is at this timecalU 
 led by him. Matthew a publican, Zaccheiis an extortioner, 
 Saul a pcifccutor; all thcie are brought home to God, as in- 
 ftances and evidences of the mighty power of converting 
 grace. 3. Matthew's ready compliance with Chrill s calU 
 
 he 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 He anfe and foUozvei hhr. . — V."hen tlic inward call of the Ho- 
 ly Spirit accompanieth tlic outward call of the word, the foul 
 readily compliis, and prefently yicldi obcdiance to the voice 
 ofCh'rilt. Chilli oftimcs fpcaks by his word to our ears, 
 and we hear not, we ftir not; but when he fpcaks by his 
 Spirit efEcatioiiHy to oi:r hearts, Satan (hall not hold us down, 
 the world fliall not keep us back, but wc (hall with Levi in- 
 (lantly arifc, and follow our Saviour. 4. Levi, or Matthew, 
 to fhew his thnnkfulnefs to Chrift, makes him a great feaft. 
 Chrift invited Matthew to a difciplelTiip, Matthew invites 
 him to a dinner. The fervant invites his Mafter, a finncr 
 invites his Saviour. We do not find, that when Chri(t was 
 invited to any table, that he everrcfufcd to go ; if a publican, 
 if a pharifee' invited him, he conllantly went; not fo much 
 for the ploafiireof eating, as for the opportunityof doinggood. 
 Chrift feafts us, when we fcaft him. I.earn hence, That 
 new converts are full of affcflion towards Chrill, and very 
 exprcftive in their love unto him. Matthew, touched with a 
 fenfe of the rich love of Chri(t, makes him a royal fcaft. 5. 
 The cavil and exception which the Scribes and Phariftcs made 
 at our Lord's free converfation. They cenfure him for con- 
 vcrfing with finners ; ho juftifies himftlf, telling them, that 
 he cnnverfed with them as their phyficlun, not as thtir corr- 
 panion. They thul arc ivhcle need no phyjifian, fays Chrift, 
 i:it they that arejick. As if our Lord had laid, "V/'i;h whom 
 fhould a phyfici.)nconvcife,but with his fick patitnts ? New 
 I am come into the world to do the office rf a kind phy'dcian 
 unto men ; furcly then I am to take all opportunities of con- 
 verling with theni, that I may help and heal them, for thy 
 that crefick need the phyjiciun: but as for ycu, Scribes and Pha- 
 rifees. ivho are well and whole in your own opinion and ccn- 
 ceit, I have no hopes of doing good upon you; for fuch as 
 think thcmfclves whole, dtfire no phyfician's help." From 
 thisaifertion of our Saviour, thtfe truths are fuggeftcd to us: 
 I. That fm is the foul's malady, its fpiritual diftafe and Hck- 
 r.ch. 2. Tlut Chrift is the phyfician appointed by God for 
 ;'"'.c cure and healing of this difeafe. 3. That there are mul- 
 titudes of linners fpiritually (Ick, who yet think themfelves 
 found and whole. 4. That fuch, and only fuch, as find and 
 feel themfelves fpiritually fick, are the fubjecfls capable of 
 Chrifts healing. They that are whcle need not tie phyftcian, 
 hut they that areftck. I came not to call the ( opinionativtiy ) 
 "gh!e:us, htt the [ fenfibic )J'mnerto repentance. 
 
 18 And the difeiples of John and of the Pharifecs 
 jfed to f.ift. And they come, and fay unto him, 
 Why do the dilciples of John and of the Pharifecs 
 faft, but thy dilciples faft not ? 19 And Jeius laid 
 into theni, Can the children of the bridechamber faft 
 while the bridegroom is with them ? as long as they 
 tave the bridegroom with them they cannot faft. 
 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom ftiall 
 be taken away from them, and then ftiall they faft in 
 thofc days. 21 No man alfo fcwclh a piece of new 
 cloth into an old gannent : elfe the new piece that 
 filled it up taketh aw.iy from the old, and the rent 
 is made worfe. 22 And no man putieth new wine 
 into old bottles : elfe the new wine doth burft the 
 bottles, and the wine is fpilled. and the bottles will 
 
 be mnntd: Li.t new "wine n lift be pui. into new 
 bottles. 
 
 Oh^ernchctc, i. A great dificrcnccbetvs ixt Jrhn's difcipks 
 andChrift'sin the matter of fafting. John's difeiples imiiat- 
 cd him, V ho w ss a man of an auftcre life, .ind much given to 
 fafting ; therefore is faid /» ccme reilher eating nor drinkini'. 
 Matt. xi. 18. On the otherfide, Chrift's dilciplcsfoliow hiin 
 who came eating and drinking, as other men did ; and yet, 
 though there was a great ditttrencc betwixt John's difcipks 
 and Chrift's in matters of praflice, yet they wereof one faith 
 and religion. Thence learn, That thercmay be unityof faith 
 and religion among thofe who do not maintain a unitormitv 
 in practice. Men may differ in fi^mc outward rclii^ious ob- 
 fervances and cuftoms, and yet agree in the fundamentals of 
 faith and religion. Thus did John's difeiples and Chrift's ; 
 the one fafted often, the other faftcd not, 1 In that thedif- 
 ciples of the Pharifecs ufrd to faft as well as John's difcipler, 
 we may learn, That hypocrites and vickcd men maybe, and 
 fomt'imes are, as ftrift and forward in the cu'.ward duties of 
 rtlii:ion, as the holieft sr.d left of chriftians ; thry pruy, they 
 faft, they hear the word, they rcctivcthe facramcnts: they do, 
 yea, it may be, they cut do and go beyond thefincercehriAian, 
 in external duties and cutw ard pcrfr^rmznces. 3. The de- 
 fcnfative plea which our blefted Sriviour mnkes for the not 
 fafting cf hii clifciples, he declares, that it was neiiher fuita- 
 ble to them, nor tolerable for them thus to faft at prcftr.r. 
 Norfuitable, in regard of Chiift's bcdily prefencc wiih them. 
 This made it a time of joy and rejoicing, not of mourning 
 and fafting. Chrift is the bridegroom, and his church the 
 bride ; whilft therefore his church did enjoy his bcdily pre- 
 fince with her, it was a day of rejoicing to her, and mourn- 
 ing and tafting were improper for her. But when Chrift's 
 bodily prefence fhall be removed, there Ihall be caufe enough 
 to faft and to mourn. Again, this difeipline of fafting was 
 not at prefent tolerable for the difeiples ; lor they were raw, 
 green, and tender, not fit for auftciitits ; nor could hear as 
 ye't the feverities of religion, no more than an old garment could 
 bear a piece of new ftift" cloth fet into it, which will make 
 the rent worfe, if the garment come to a (Iretch : or iu> more 
 than old bottles can keep new wine. .As if our Saviour had 
 faid,"My difeiples at prefent are fender a'nd weak, iie\'\,ly call- 
 ed and converted ; they cannot therefore bear the fc\eiiiics of 
 religion prcfently, but ere long I (hall le.".vc them, :;nd go to 
 heaven, from whence I will fend down my holy Spirit upon 
 them, M'hich fliall enable theni to do all ilie duties which the 
 gofpel enjoins.'' Now the intended lefli)n cf inftru(£lio:i 
 from hence is this. That it is hurtful ?nd ('angcrcuifcr young 
 converts, for weak chriftians, to be put upon tiic fcvcrer e.\- 
 ercifes of religion, or be urged to the performance of fuoli 
 du'.'. - .3 are above their ftrtngth ; but they ought to be hand- 
 led %. i'.h that tendernefs which becomes the mild and gentle 
 difpoution of the gofpel. Our Saviour her» commends pru- 
 dence to his mii'.iftcrs, in treating their people according to 
 their ftrenglh, and putting them upon dutiesaccurding to their 
 time and ftanding. 
 
 23 5 And it came to pafs that he went through 
 the com fields on the fabbath day, and his difeiples 
 began as they went to pluck the ears of cornT 2.^ 
 And the Pharifees faid unto him, Behold, why do 
 
 R th'v 
 
13© 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Cha 
 
 p. i:i. 
 
 they on tlie Hibbath d.iy that which is not lawful i* 
 25 And he laid unto them, Have ye never read what 
 J)avid did when he had need and was an hungered, 
 he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went 
 into (he houtf o( God in the days of Abi.ithar the 
 hii^h pried, and did eat the Ihew bread, which is not 
 lawful to eat but lor tlie priells, and gave alfo to 
 them that were wiili hini .' 27 And he faid unto 
 them, The fabbath was made for man, not man for 
 the (abb.ith : 28 Tlicrtfoic the Son of man is Lord 
 alio of the fabbath, 
 
 yV/.V here, i. The poverty, the low cFtatc and coiHltiion 
 of ChriR's own dir>.ipks in this world ; they waiilcd bread, 
 nnd arc forced to plitik the ears of corn to fatisfy their limigtr. 
 God may, and foinctinKs doth fufFcr his dcanfl cliiiilrcn to 
 tall into (traits, to tallc of want, for the trial of thtir faiih 
 and dependence upon his power an<l providence. 2. How 
 x\u Pharifcos^'who accompanied our S.ivioiironlv, cither v\ith 
 a deligii to cavil at, and quarrel \v'n\\ every thing that either 
 he or his difciples did) blame this aftioii of the dilciplcs, 
 namely, the ]iliicl-:ing the ears of corn on the fabbath day. 
 Yet w»/r, I. It\vrs not any theft which the difciplcs were 
 chari^dwith; for to take in otir ncccllity fo much of our 
 nvi..diboiirs goods, as we may rcafonably fiippofc that, if he 
 '.vcrc prefc-nt, and knewctir circiniil1.anccs, he would gi\e us 
 is no theft. But it is the fervile labour on the fabbath, in ga- 
 thering the cars of corn, whichthe Pharifces fcniple. Whence 
 vjIc, How zealous hvpocritcs arc for the Iclfcr things of the 
 l.iw, whilft they nenle£l the greater, and arc fuperfiicioiilly 
 aldidc.l to outward ceremonies, placing all holinefs in 
 theobfervation of them, neglcdting moral duties. Farther, 
 3 .How our Saviour defends the adion of his difciples, in 
 gathering the ears of corn in their in ceility, by the prafticc 
 and example of David. Ncceflity freed him from 
 fault and blame in eating the confecrated bread, which 
 'none but t he priefts might lawfullv cat. For in caf 
 cs of n?cclliiy, a ceremonial precept mufi: give -^vaytoa 
 moral duty. Works of mercy and neceflity for preferving 
 our lives, and for the better fitting us for the fabbath-<lay. 4. 
 A (IoiiM;*'r.r*umcRt wliich our .S3\ii iir u(i:'S', to prove that the 
 obfervation may be difpenfcd w iih in cafe of an ab- 
 ceniiy, I. Drawn from the end oi thcfahhalh's infti- 
 m: The fabhnth wa^ riiii'c f:i- man \ that is, inditiitcd of 
 Cii for the -ood and benefit of mankind, both with rcrpc(5l 
 to their foils' and to tiieir htxlics. The outward obfcrvinu- 
 and keeping of the fabbath is ftibortlinatc to the gootl ot man, 
 and therefore the good of man is to be preferred before the 
 outward keeping of the fabbath. 2. Another argument is 
 drawn from the authority which Chrift, the inftitutor of the 
 fabbath, has over it. The Son cf man is Lord alfo of the fab- 
 hath; that is, he has authority and power, both as God and as 
 Mediator, toinilitute and appoint a fabbath, toalter andchance 
 the fabbath, todifpcnfe with the breach of it upon 'a juft and 
 great occaiion ; and confequenily, acts of mercy, which tend 
 tofit us tor works of piety, not only may, but oughttobc done 
 upon the fabbath-day : which was the propolition which our 
 Saviour undertook to prove. 
 
 CHAP. in. 
 
 AN D he entered again into th; fyna;io guc ; and 
 there was a man there which had a witiiered 
 liand. 2 And they watched him whether he would 
 heal him on the fabbath day, that they mi';5ht accufe 
 him. 3 And he faith unto thj man which Jiad tlie 
 withered hand. Stand forth. 4 And he laith unto 
 them, Is it lawful to do </ood (jn the fabbath d.-i).s. 
 or to do evil ? to favc life or to kill ? but they held 
 their peace. 
 
 1 he former part of this chapter reports to us a miraculous 
 ciirc wrought by Chrill upon a manwhoh.ad a withered hand. 
 J he place where he wrought if, was t'e fynagoguc; the time 
 ^vhcn, was the fabbath daf ^ the manner how, ^vas bv fpeak- 
 iiig a word ; the perfons before whom, were the cn\ious and 
 malicious Pharifees. Thefe men wcr.- ;.iwayscavilling at our 
 i^aviour's dotfrine, and (lar.dering his miracles i vet our Su- 
 nourgoes on with his work before thcirfaces, without either 
 interruption or difcouragemtnt. Learn thence, That the un- 
 Jiiff cenfures and malicious cavils of wiikei men againft us 
 f:)r well-doing, mi;ft not difcoiirage us from doing our dutv, 
 either towards God, or towards our neighbour. 'I'liough tl'c 
 1 harifc>es M-atched our Saviour, w hen th.eir envy and malice 
 could find no cKcalien of quarrel, they coidd invent and mal.P 
 one ; yet Inch was our Lords courage and refolution, that he 
 bids the man ivhich had the tvithered hand. Stand forth : Tn 
 ihew, that he was refohed to heal him, not with (landing their 
 malicious purpofc fo accufe him for it, as a breaker of the fab- 
 bath. Oppolition met with in doing our duty, mv.d not dif- 
 coiirage us from doing good, if we will follovi^ the example of 
 our blcllL-d Redeemer. • , 
 
 5 And when he had looked round about on them 
 with anger, being grieved for the hardnefs of their 
 hearts, he faith unto the man. Stretch foiili thine 
 hand. And he 11 retched tt out. And his hand Avas 
 reftoied whole as the other. 
 
 O/.frrrhen:, i. The Pharifees finful andgracelefsdifpotl- 
 tion, and that was hardnefs of heart. The heart of man is 
 naturally hard, and full of oblflnacyand enmity againff Chriil; 
 but theie is an acquired hardnefs.' which continuance in (in 
 occalions; the Pharifees laboured under both. "2. A double 
 affiaion which this hardnefs of heart found in the Pharifees 
 did Itir up in Chrili ; namely, anger and indignation, grief" 
 and cominileration : He -.uas grieved fo'- the hardnefs inhclr 
 hearts. Learn hence, i. That huinuii pallions are not finful, 
 and that chriiiian religion doth not licrtroy natural afj-'edioiis. 
 
 2. That anger at fin, either in ourfelves or others, if kept 
 within its due bounds, is not only lawful, but commendable, 
 This paflion of anger was foimd'in him, in whom was no fin. 
 
 3. That our anger and fin, ought to be accompanied with 
 grief and companion towards fmners. We fliould pour out 
 tears of companion: when men pour out their abominations, 
 
 4. That of all fins, hardnefs of heart and unbelief are moft 
 grievou.s and offenlive, molt difpleafing ^and provoking to Je- 
 fus Chrill : He looked about ivith anger, being grieved for tl^ 
 hardnefs cf their l.'earts. Obferve 3. The fudden and inftant.a- 
 neouscure which our S.iviour wrought ':pon the man that h.ni 
 the withered hand : our Saviour did not touch him, but only 
 faid to him, Stretch forth thy hand, Andh was prefcaily cured. 
 
 Lcaiv 
 
 ■i 
 
^■HA?. in. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 13' 
 
 I^am hence, That ChriR'j having abfoliitc power over dif- 
 ctfesand infirmities, tocure them miraculoufly without means, 
 only by a word fpeaking, is one argument that prores him to 
 be truly and really God. 
 
 6 And the Pharifces went forth and ftraightway 
 took coutifcl with the Herodians a^ainll him, how 
 they mij^ht deflroy him. 7 But Jcfus withdrew him- 
 felf with his dilciplcs to the fea : and a great muhi- 
 tudc from Gahlec followed him, and from Judea, 
 8 And from Jerufalem. and from Idumca. and from 
 beyond Jordan: and about Tyre and Sidon, a groat 
 iimltitudr, when they had heard what gn-at things he 
 did, came unto him. 9 And he Ipake to his difciplcs, 
 that a finall fliip fliould w.iit on him, btcaule of the 
 multitude, Icil they Ihould throng him. 10 For he 
 had healed many ; infomuch that they prcffcd upon 
 liim for to touch him, as many as had plagues, 
 ji And unclean fpirits, when they law him, fell 
 down before him, and cried, faying, Thou art the 
 Son of God. 12 And he llraitly charged them that 
 ihev flioiild not make him known. 
 
 0/>ffnr here, i. What difmal efFi.fl this famous miracle of 
 Chrilt hail upon the Pharilccs and Herodians. Inflcad of 
 being convinced by it, they confpire againrt himfor it. TIkTc 
 Henxlians and Pharifees were of different opinions, enemies 
 to one another, yet they Join together in feeking the death of 
 Chrifl. The Pharifees were againfl paying tribute to CaL'far, 
 ]o<jking upon themfeives as a irec people, and accounting the 
 Roman emperor an ufurper. The HercKlians were for it. 
 Hcrixl, being made by the Roman emperor king of the Jews, 
 was zealous for having the Jews pay tribute to Casfar; and 
 fuch ot' the Jews as fided with him particularly his courtiers 
 and favourites, were Ih'led Herodians ; hi-t both Pharifees 
 and Herodians take counfel againft Chrili. Learn thence, 
 That unity andconfent is of itfelf alone farfrom being a mark 
 and note of the true crurch. Unity in the faith and dodlrinc 
 of Chrilt, and in the profefHon and praflice of the true reli- 
 gion, is a note indeed of the true church : but unity in oppo- 
 fing Chritl, hiv perfon, his doftrinc, his people, is fo far from 
 being a mark of the true cluirch that it i.s the badge of the 
 antichrilti-u fynagogue. 2. The prudent means which our 
 Saviour ufcsto]>rclcTve himfelf from therage of the Pharifees, 
 te iclfhilrtw himfelffnin them. ChriIVs example teaches his 
 ininilleis their duty in a time of danger to fly from perfecuti- 
 on, ;tiul to civdeavour to preferve their lives, unlefs when iheir 
 lufferlngs are like to do more gsKxl than their lives. -^. The 
 great ze:d .ind torwardncfs of the people in flocking after our 
 Saviour's miniflry ; people come now at full from all plates 
 and counuies, Irom Judea, from Idumea, from beyond Jor- 
 don, from Tyre and Sidon, to hear his djclrine, and fee his 
 niiraclts. The people came from all parts when our Sa\ i- 
 our firll began to preach. IIis minillurs find it thus i at 
 their hrll coming amongft a pco|)lc' their labours arc moft ac- 
 ceptable, .tikI ihey do moft good; our peoples attlclionsare 
 then ^varmelt, and perhaps our owjt too. 4. What fort of 
 people were tlity which attended thus zcaloully upon our 
 ijasiour's iriniltry; they were the common and ordinary 
 
 people; lie psor received tfjc go/pel, vthild the Pharifees, and 
 other men of moft account, the mighty, the noble, and the 
 wife men after the flefh, defpifcd our Lord's perfon, flight- 
 ed his miniftry, andfought his lifv. The ordinary and mran- 
 eft fort of people have ever been more zealous and forward in 
 embracing the gofpel, than ever ihe grcal, the rich, and tlie 
 honouablc part of the world have been. It is a faJ, but .1 
 certain truth, heaven is the place where few, comparativciv, 
 of the great men of the w;)rld are like to come ; their tempta- 
 tions are many, their lulls arc ftrong, and their great clfate^, 
 through their own abufc, becnmc fuel to their lulls. 5. The 
 behau'our otthe unclLuu fpirits the de\ils; towards our Sa\i- 
 <nir, and our Saviour's carriage towards them, They fall il-r^in 
 ot the ver\ Jight cf him, nr.ii cry out, nud anfeji him to bi ll e S\,it 
 cfG<,d: but Ue jhar///y rebuiei them, cinj ch//r^es thern,t/;it thet 
 Jhokl/l mt iihile him knoivn. Not that our Sjwour would have 
 the knowledge of his perfon fuppreil, but bcvaufc the deviU 
 were not fit pcrfonsto preach Jt-fus Clirill. .\ truth out of 
 the mouth of the father of lies, is enough to nuke truth ii'llf 
 fufjieclcd. Bclides, tho time appointed for the full and cle;:r 
 maniftlhuion of the G.Kihead of Chriil \vas not vtt con e. 
 This was not to be done till after hi? rc-furrciTtion ; the divine 
 nature was to be hid under the veil ofCiniil's fiefli, during 
 his Itate of humiliation and abafcment. 
 
 13 ? .A-nd he qocth up into a mountain, and call- 
 eth unto him whom he would: and they cairieutito 
 him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that tliey fliould 
 be with him, and 'that he might fend them forth tu 
 preach, 15 And to have poiver to heal fickneiles, 
 and to cafl out dc\ ils. 16 And Simon he lurnamed 
 Peter. 1 7 And James ihc fen of Zebedee. and John 
 the brother of James: and he luvnatncd them Hoti- 
 nerges, which is, the fons of thunder. 18 And .\n- 
 drtw. and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matt.hcw, 
 and Thomas, and James tiit [on of Alphcus, and 
 Thaddeus, and Sitnon the Canaanite. 19 An.l 
 Judas Ifcariot, which alio betrayed him. And thoy 
 went into an houfe. 
 
 As the Jewifn church arofc from ttvelve pa 
 cliriffian church became planted by /icc/ir api'ltlcs. '^le pi-*—, 
 foil commillioning thtni was Chriil : none may undcrlaKL- 
 the work and calling of the minilfry, but thrU' whrin ©8:iil 
 appoints and calls. The pcrfons commillional were dilcipJes 
 before they were apoRks ; to teach us. That Chriil will have 
 fuch as preach the gofpel to be difcijiles before they are mi- 
 nillers, trained up in tlie faith and doftrinc of ih.c gofpel be- 
 fore tiiev undertake a public charge. Farther, Thehdv 
 preparative which our Saviour ulLs in order to this electionof 
 hii apoftles, he goelii up into a mountain to pray upon that 
 great occafion. So fays St. Luke, chap. vi. 12. He nvnt fp 
 into a mountnin to pray, andj'pent the night in prayerjo GhI. 
 And ivhcn it ivas Juy^ he colic d Lis dijci pie i, and if'tl. em *''*^'.f' 
 twelve. In this prayer, no doubt, he pleaded with hiS^aPIK- 
 to furnilh al! thofo that v.ere to he fent fonli by him, withalT 
 niiailterial gifts and ijr.ices. Leitrv thence, Thut a prayir is 
 a nece-llarv preparatixe to all dutii.s f) more efjiecially before 
 the public election ai.d ort!inatii-.n cf the Ewniiters of rh; 
 church, folcmn prayer is to be th'td ay fuch is arc to crduin 
 
 R2 
 
 an eV 
 
132 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 CuAr. III. 
 
 and chufe them ; our Lord's pruillce is to be a ftanding rule houfe, and fpoil his goods, c;^cept he will firll bind 
 herein to all church officers. Again, Though Chrift called the flrong man, and then he will Ipoil his houfc. 28 
 
 """ "' ' " " ' ito 
 
 thus with Chrift, and fittctl and prepared by him for tlieir pheme agahift thu Holy Ghoft hith never for^ive- 
 woik, afterwards they went forth. Thence learn, That ncfs, but is in d in;er of etcrn.il damn ition: 30 J}c- 
 
 narily, were to fpend fomctime with Chrill: to receive dirc<5l- 
 ion an iin(irii£lion from hiir before they went forth to i;rcach ; 
 how much more needful is it for fuch as are ordina.ily called, 
 lobe Will fitted and furnilhe.lfor the minillcrial ferviie before 
 they undertake it ? Next, H jw the feveral names of the apof- 
 tles arc here rcgift-red and recorded: God will honour thofe 
 that honour liim, and are the fpecial iuRruments of his glory. 
 Of thefe apolllcs Peter is named firft, bccaufe probably elder 
 tliari the reft, or bjcaufe for order fake hi might fpcak before 
 the reft. From wlience may be inferred, a ])rim-.icy, but no 
 fuprcmacy: a priority of order, not a fuperiority ot degree ; 
 as the foreman of a c;rand jury has a precedency, but no pre- 
 cminency: he is firll in order bjfore the reft, but iias no au- 
 thority or power over the red. Judas is named hft, with a 
 brand of intamy iip-in iiin ; that he was a traitor, t!ie perfon 
 that betrayed his L'lrd and Mifter. Whence leant. That 
 though the truth of grace be abfolutely necedary to a mini- 
 fte -^ -- ■ 
 
 Red, 
 or 
 po'tles g nni into an ha-ile to retrclli tliemlelves in 
 tlieir hunger, the people prelfing upon him fo fait to hear the 
 word, that he regards n>t the fatisfyin^ of his hunger, but ap- 
 plies him'elf to inftru'ft the people. Lord! how exemplary 
 was thy zeal and diligence in preaching the everlafting gofpel 
 to a IjII world! As it is inftrutSlive to, may be imitated and 
 fo!io^vc:! by all thy ambaifadors. i. The rafli ccrifure of our 
 Saviour's friends, that is, hiskinfmen, concerning this action, 
 in nei^leftin;^ to eat bread, and fufjring the multitude thu> 
 uhfcif.nably to prefs upon him : Thr-y conclude he is befid? 
 himfclf, out of his right mind : and accordingly went out to 
 hiy hold on him. Learn hence, i. That the forward Zealand 
 diligence of C:»ri.t ind his minidirs in prei:hing the gofpel, 
 is .accounted miinefs anl fren/,y by a blini wirld. Bit they 
 may fay with the apo'lle, 2 Car. v. 13. !fwe be hrfule eur- 
 fclves, /.' it unto God. But who w :re the perfons that thus 
 looked upon our Saviour as bc.ide himfjlf ? Verily hi> own 
 kindred and relations according totheflen]. Z.f/7r« thence. 
 
 ter s falvation, vet the want of it doth not ditannul his office, t^, r^ ■ , ^ ,. ^, , • l ^u a i\ 
 
 ■ • , .1 t 1- 1 r r u- • -n. 1 j .k .-u 1 hat ott-times the lervants or Cjod meet with the llroneelt 
 
 nor nmler the iawtuinc.s of his miniitrv. Jucias, tnouen a ^ , .• r j a jt i i i a j l 
 
 , J- 1 • -n T^i -.T r r tcTiptations from, and are m ).t dilcoura^ed anJ molelted bv. 
 
 traitor, was vet a lawful minifter. The million of a perfon 
 may be valid, though he be not fandlilied. Laftly, That our 
 Sa\Iour furnamed James and John, Boanerges, the fons of 
 thunder. .St. Jerome thinks this name was ^iven them, bc- 
 caufe, being with Chrift in the mount at his transfiguration, 
 they lieard the Father's voice out of the cloud like thimder : 
 Oihtrs thinic them fo called, bccaufe they were more vehe- 
 ment and earnelt than the reit in prcachin7, and did with 
 
 g 
 li 
 
 this name from a forefigh 
 
 per, of which thcv T-ion pave an inil.TPCe, in defiring fire to 
 
 come dow.o from heaven to confuir.e the Samaritans. 
 
 fuch as are their ncarcfl relations by blood or alliance. This 
 is a great trial, to find our rela'ions fetting us back, in.tead 
 of helping us in the ways of religion; but we mull bear i^ 
 
 Jatiendy, knowing that not only others of God's children, but 
 efus Chrill, his own and only Son, did experience this trial. 
 3. The malicious and wicked (lander which the Tcribcs en- 
 deavoured to fix on our blefTcd Saviour; namely. That he 
 " ' nd 
 
 .11.111 rtiivi c£iiii;.ii mjii iiic rcii i£i uicui^^iiirj, *iiiw uiu r\ iiii ir ir j f l j •» j t r ••■ • • i u* 
 
 , , f 1 1- u I J f\ ■ f .u c \ v.-as poirelled of the devu, and by famiiun'v with him, am 
 
 jrcatcr zeal and pov.er found forth the doarmc ot the colpel . , ■;• ,. n. 1- u j -i ' . r u' /'•' a h a 
 
 •I .11 il - L i_i 1 i^L -a .k help trom him, calt forth devils out of others. Cjr.iod Uod 
 
 ikc thunder. It is very probable, that Lhrilt gave tncm , '^ .. ' j 1 o 1 w 1 j • ., ,. i 
 
 .• „ f f r 1/. r 1. i_ 1 I f u • . how was thine own and only Son, the holy and innocent Je 
 
 his name from a torefieht of the heat and zeal of their tern- , r 1 /i j j 1 r i,i r a c .\ a c 
 
 fus, censured, (landered, and fallly accufed of the worlt 01 
 
 crimes; of gluttony, of biafphemy, of forcery! Can any of 
 
 thy children expeil freedom from the pcrftcu'i'jn of the 
 
 20 And the multitude cometh together again, fo tongue, when innocency itfelf could not pro'efl thy holy Son 
 
 that they co;ild not fo mnch as cat bread. 21 And frorn (lander and falfe accufation.' 4. Our Saviours anfwer 
 
 fulem, laid, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of ly it is that the dcviffhould caft out himfelf, and any wayr 
 the devils he cafteth out devils. 23 And he called feck to oppofe and deft roy his own kmgdom. As if our Sa- 
 thcm unto him, and f.ud unto them in parables, how viour had faid, "Is it likely that Satan would lend mc his 
 can Satan caft out Satan ? 24 And if a kingdom be P°"?' ^". V'"'' "^^'."^ ^''[?'^''*n ^"".1^ ^';?" '"'",'!" '""''!"? '^ 
 divided ag.iinft itfelf, that kins^dbin cannot ftand. 
 25 And if a houfe be divided againfl itfelf, that 
 houfe cannot fland. 26 And jf Satan rife up againft 
 himfclf, and bs divided, he cannot Hand, but hath an 
 ciid. 27 No man can enter into a 
 
 ftron^ man's 
 
 v,-eaken his own intercft,or (hake the pillars of his own kint; 
 dom: Now, if I have received any power from Satan, for 
 dellroying him and his kingdom, then is Satan litea family 
 divided witliin ilftlf, and like a kingdom divided agaiiift iifell, 
 which can nrvtr fland, but be brought to dcfclaiion." Our 
 SavlkUr having fufficiLiitly (hewn that he did not work his 
 
 mi. 
 
Chai'. IV. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 »33 
 
 miracles by (he powerof the devil, he next informs them from unfeafohably at llus ti.;.|-, ^vhen he was preachh? tho gofp^cl 
 whence he' had that power, even from Go-l himfeU ; and ac-- 
 cordingly he compares Satan to a ftrot.g man. well armed with 
 weapons to defend his hoiife ; and V.e compares himfclt, clo- 
 
 to the pcopfe i The like we fee in her at o'.hcr times, St. 
 Luke ii. 48. and Sf. John ii. 3. No faint here or. earth 
 ever was in a ftatc of (inlcfs pcrfoclion : Rlcill-d be Gixl, we 
 arc haftcning to fuch a nate. 3. Thai Chrill did not neg • 
 led his holy mother, or difregard his poor kindred and rela- 
 tions, but only fhcwed that he preferred his Father's work 
 and bufinefs before their company and acquaintance at this 
 time. 4. How exceeding djar obedient ChriiUans are to 
 Jefus Chrill : he prcfers'his fpiritual kindred before hi. na 
 
 ; prcters 
 
 faith is more valued by our Saviour than 
 alliance bv blood ; to bear Chrift in the heart is a greater 
 
 thcd with divine power, to one that is ftronsrer than the (Iron 
 
 man. So that the argument runs thus : Th: devil is very 
 
 tirongand powerful, and there is no power bnt Gods only 
 
 that is flronger than his: If then, fays Chrill, I were not a(- 
 
 (iflcd ^vilh a divine power, I could never call out this ftron^ 
 
 man, who reigns in the bodies and folds of men as in hishoufe i 
 
 for it mufl be a Rronsrer than the ftrong man that (hall bind tural ; alliance by 
 
 Satan; and who i, he but the G.xl of llrent^th? I,r^r;7 hence, alliance by blood ; r, ,t i 1 r;^,i.- 
 
 That Chrill's divincpower onlyis fuperior to Satan's flrength: honour than to bear hi.n t« the womb. BlelTed be God, this 
 
 he otdy can vanquilh and over-rule him at his pleafure, and great and gracious P'^^^^ '^ ""« dented us even now : al- 
 
 drivehim out of that poffefiion which he holds either in the though we cannot lee Chrnl, yet love hunwe ri:ay : H.sbo- 
 
 bodies or in the fouls of tiicn. 5. The charge which our Sa- chly prefcnce cannot be enjoyed bv us bcit h.s Ijuntual prc- 
 
 viour brings aijainft the fcribos and Pharifces blafpheming his fence .s not demcJ us: though Chnll be not our s in houfe, 
 
 di^ir.e power in working miracles: He charges them with «n arms, ,n affinity, in confatiguinuy ; yet, ,n heart, infa.th 
 
 finning the unpardonable iin againfl the Holy Gholl ; A/ZJin m love, in fervice, he is, or may be our s. Vcr.ly, fp.ritua! 
 
 ^Kd hU,l}hmy Ihall be forgiven, hut he thnt JkaUhh/pherm agcinjl regeneration br.ngeth men tnto a more honorable relaacn tQ 
 
 ike H'JlyChcJi hath nexerfirglvauf^. As if Chrill had faid," Chnll than natural generation ever did. 
 
 All the reproaches which you cafl upon me, as man, arc par- CHAP IV, 
 
 don.ible; ^^^.^^J*^'' X"" ^^'^'^^'^ '""^ ;^' ^^^^^.t""^^^^^^^^^^ A N D he began again to le^ch by the fea- 
 
 nefs of mv biitli, when you cenfure me tor a wme-biber, a /A _ , . , ? ° , , , ,- 
 
 glutton, aVriend and companion of finners, and the like un- i^fidc : And there was gathered unto him a gre:it 
 
 jt;fl Climes: But when ycu blafpheme that divine power by multitude, lb that he entered into a fhip. and \7X 
 
 which all my miracles are wroiii;ht, and, contrary to the con- in the fea ; And the whole multitude was by the 
 
 viclion of yr.ur own tnlightened minds, maliciouilyafcribe all {-g,, ^^ ^^ j^j^j g y^nj he taught them many 
 
 my miracles to the power of the dcv^l, which were wrought ^ bv parables, and faid unto them in his doc- 
 
 indeed by the power of the Holy Gholl, this makes your • ° - ^ 
 
 condition' not only daiiyerows but defperate; bccaufe you re- "'"5' . . , . , • i i, ui r u 
 
 f.fl the laft remedy, and oppofe the beft means for your con- The foregoing chap-er .acquainted us wuh the b.afphe- 
 
 vidlion: For what can be clone more to convince you that I "^O'l^ ^f ^er whicli the Scnoes and Phanftes ca I upon our 
 
 am the true and promifed MeiHah.than to wotk fo many mi- bleded Saviour accuung h.m of calling out devils by the help 
 
 racles before yo,:r eves to that purpofe ? Now, if when you f tne dev.l. This thcv did, no doubt to difcredit hi= per- 
 
 . r ' ■:, r- T. • .' . L ' c_ : ^r. - ^- ^■>- J .1,.. 1„ fon , and hiudcr his ml -iidry ; yet torai! this the people 
 
 to hear hi.Ti, 
 
 uu — — — . .-..,,_- , J 
 
 fee thcfe you V ill fa'y, It is not' the Spirit of God that works .^n, and hinder his mi-iillry ; yet for all this the people lol- 
 
 low him ingieat miiliiiudes, more than ever, 
 and be inflrufted by him. Thence le^nn, i. That all the pov/- 
 er and malice of Satan and wicked men Ihr.ll not be able to 
 fupprefs ihjgofpel, or hinder the free courfc of it ; yea, the 
 more it is oppcifed, the-moie it iTiall prevail : The more the 
 Scribes and Pl^rifecs dlfgraccd our Saviour and viiliSed his 
 do<Slrine, the more the people followed him in troops, to be 
 
 Imn. 32 And the multitude la: aoout nun, ana now preacnea ; in a imp. i>oi iii.ii nc ^.l-liliuu mc leiupic 
 
 they faid unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy bre- or '^e fynago^ue, when he had an opportunity, but in wan 
 
 , ■' • , i- 1 r .t A 1 1 « r • J ot thsm, Chrill ihonjht an h.r.uc, a mountain, a wiip, n 
 
 ihren without Icck for thee. r>o And he anlwered "' '^ '- '■> » . ' ,k i^ ,V » r a-c 
 
 - . ,^., . P^ , , , unmeet place to preach in. It li. not the [)!.ice that fanaihe 
 
 ihem, favintr, "» ho is my mother, or my brethren i" .^^ „.,t:.,,n ^ h„t ,hr. ,^^,l:n^n^^ tK.-.- r,iifliS,.c th^ r,lnr.. - 
 
 thcfe, but the power cf the devil (is if Satan would confpire 
 againil himfelf, and fetk the ruin of his own kingdom) there 
 is no way or means left to convince you, but you will con- 
 tinue in your obflinncv, and malicious oppofition to truth, 
 to your unutterable and i.iLvitable condemnation.' 
 
 31 ? There came then his brethren and his mo- 
 ther, and (landing without, fent unto him, calling partakers of hU minidry. " 2. The place v.here our Lord 
 him. 32 And the multitude fat about him, and now preached ; ina fliip. Not that he declined the temple, 
 
 no 
 
 - . ,^., . , uhhk;.,^ place to preach in. It ii. not the [)l.ice that fanfti.'-.es 
 
 . faying, \\ ho is my mother, or my brethren ? ^^^ ordinan. e, but the ordinance tha- faiidin^ the place. 3. 
 
 34 And he looked roundabout on them which fat a- Our Saviour SL'clb.ires in preaching, he far, it being the ctif- 
 
 bout him, and faid, Eeliold, my mother, and my tonti of the Jewifh church ibto do, Matt.xxiii. a. Thefcn/es 
 
 brethren. 35 For whotbever fhall do the will of and Phnr'ijces Jit in Ahfa' chair. Learn ^\\c\-xz. That in in- 
 
 God, the fame is my brother, and my filler, and mo- ''i'^^'^"^ "'" ='"d °/'^'='-^' t"'>'^hing the catNyard worfhip of 
 
 ■^ ' ' God. we are to conform ourlclvcs to the lau:!able cultom and 
 
 * pradlife of the church in which v.-e live, ind whereof we arc 
 
 OhJerve\\<ixi, i. The verity and truth cf ChriiVs liU- nutnb.MS : This didour Savi>ur, and fj ouc;ht wc. 4. The 
 
 man nature'; He had f.flinity and conlanu'iiinity with men, mnnner of our Lords preaching ; it was by parables and fi-- 
 
 perfons near in blood to him by the mother's fide, calltd militudo*, which was.in ancient way of inlliuiSlionamonethe 
 
 hi re his brethren ; that is, his kinfmen, 2. That the mo- Jews, and a very coiivincini; way ; \\'0iking upon men's 
 
 tlier ot Cbrill, though Iho was a bleife.! and h' ly womm, mini's, memoric;, and arl'eiSlions, alla^in.c; making 'he 
 
 yet (Ik- was not free from fin, but t.iilurcs and infirn.iii s nnnd attentive, the mcmo.y ret. ntive, and theaiiditois in>Ti;i- 
 
 are found villi her: It was a fault to interrupt oui Savi;/u;- fitive after the in cr;rctatl^n of the parab!g.S*ir.c:irc of'^tv- 
 
 n" ;n 
 
'H 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Ch 
 
 AP. J V. 
 
 iiion tint our Savioiifs parubfes were (iiital tq l»i* fearers cnv- 
 plovmentr ; ajid accord int^ly many of his hfarcrs beiiia huf. 
 nan.lme.i Ic rcl..-mblcs his doariiic to Iced (own in thc'ficld. 
 ror thiisJu- l|H-aks: 
 
 ■S Heatki-n : Belinld. there Kent out a fouer 
 fo li.w : ^ And it ranic to pals as he lowed 
 U»nc feeds lell In- the ivay fide, and the fowls of the 
 .'irr.inx- ..nd dtvonred it up. 5 And foinc fell on 
 Itnny j^round, where it had not much ctrth And 
 irinMnfly it fpr.in^r y., .bjcauL- it hid no depth 
 «>. earth. 6. Rut when the fun was up, it was fcorch- 
 ed ; and bccanfe it had no root it withered away. 
 7 And loMR- fell among tliorns, and the thorn.s grew 
 up, and rhoikcd it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 
 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit 
 that fpianij up and increafed, and brought forth 
 fome thirty, and fome fixty. and fome an hundred. 
 9 And he laid unto them. He that huth ears to hear 
 Jet him hear. • 
 
 Several things'arc here rJjWvaMc; .\< 1. How Chrill hctrins 
 and ends the parable uith an admoniii,.n to dilligcnt and fe- 
 noiis attention. H.virken, fays Chriil, vcr. 3. and k- that 
 hath ran ti hear, let him hear, vcr. q. This fliews (is at once 
 !he |>toj)li:'s back\va!dnc^^ and ncs;li£;cnce in applying their 
 nuiuls to hear and receive thi; word ot Go<i, and alVo '(h,;ws 
 ihe minlHersdutv toexciicand (lir up theirpcople'sdilliijence 
 .'i'k! attention in hearing GikI's word. 2. What is the gene- 
 ral fcopc and defign of this parable ; naniclv, to Ihew that 
 there are four fevcral forts of hearers of God's word, and 
 hut one gom! one, bat one fort only who hear to a favin<r ad- 
 xaiitagc. Now as to the matter of the parable. Ko7e, 1 
 I Ik (ower is Chiiit and his apoftles ; he the principle fow 
 cr, llieythe fubordinate feedfmcn. Chrift fows l.i; own 
 i;;ld, his ininiflers fow his field. He fows his own feed, they 
 his (ced. Wo unto us if we fow onr own feed,, not ChrifPs- 
 -■ 1 he feed fown, the word of God : Fabulous leijcnds and 
 "nwntten traditions, wbich the feedfmcn of the church of 
 Komelow.thefeare not feed, but chaff, or their own feed and 
 "Ot Chiirts. Our Lords field muft be all fown with "his 
 o«nfeed, with no mixt grain. Learn, 1. That the word 
 pre.iched is like feed fown in the furrows of the field As 
 (eedhasafrudifyinn;virtucinit, by which it iucreafes and " 
 brings forth more of its own kind, fo has the word of God 
 a quickening power to regenerate and make alive dead r)ids 
 .2. l-ronn tins parable, th.ii the feed of the word w!;crf it is 
 mod j.!en;itully fown, is not alike fruitfuj. Seed doth net 
 shrue in all ground alike, neither doth the word fruc'lify a- 
 hke in thcfouisof men. There is a difference both from 
 the nature ot the foil, and from the influence of the Spirit 
 i' or though no ground be naturally good, vet fome Is worfe 
 than other. 3. ITwt the eaufe of the word's unfruitful- 
 •lefs is very different; not the fame in all. In fume it is 
 ri hard heart of unbelief, in others the diflruainiT cares of 
 . the world choke the word ; like thorns, wiiieh hinder the 
 ► corn's growtli, by ovcrdiadowijigit, by drawing away the 
 moilhire and licut of the canh from it, and by hindering 
 tiK- iMfl;iences ot the fun from cheriihing it. Unto which 
 may he addc-d the policy of Satan, that bird ot prey, wliich 
 . <i.JJoM.s Gwl'.^ ]-.i-i\iih, and deals aw-v the previous Red of 
 
 the word out of the furrows of their fouls. 4. 7 hat the 
 bell gronnd doth not bring forth incrcafc alike. Some crood 
 ground brings forth more, others Icfs ; fome thirty, fomc'fix- 
 ty,fome an hundred fold. In like manner, a perlon maybe a 
 profitable hearer of the word, although he doih not brint< forth 
 lo great a proportion of fruii as others, provided he "brings 
 forth as muchjas he can. " 
 
 10 And when he was alone, they that were about 
 him with the twelve alked of him the parable. 11 
 And he f.iid unto them, Unto you it is given to know 
 the myRery of the kingdom of God : but unto there 
 that are without, all thcle things arc done in parables 
 12 Th^t feeing they may fee, and not perceive ; and 
 hearing they may hear, and not underftand ; left at 
 any time they Ihould be converted, and their fins 
 Ihould be forgiven them. 13 And he laid unto thcni. 
 Know yc not thi.s parable ? and how then will ye 
 know all parables ^ 
 
 Ohfenu: here, The difciples qncftion, and our Saviour's 
 reply. Their quediou is about the fe-nfe and meanini; of ihe 
 par.ible. They own their ignorance, and delire betie7 infor- 
 mation. 1 1 is no fli.-ime for the bcfl of miiiiftcrs, yea, ihe 
 bcft of men, to acknowledge their own ignorance in the mvf- 
 teries ofreligion, and to attynd upon the means of inftrticllon 
 in order tothcir further informaiion. In our Saviour's a 11 fwer 
 To you it is gh.rn to iir.zv the myfieries of the hiigthm of Cod, L.C. 
 obferve, 1. That the elo(^rines of the gofpel are great myfte- 
 ries. 2. That it is a inatchlefs and invaluable priviled^c prac- 
 tically to undcrftand g )fpel mjrterics. 3. That this p'rivilege 
 all arc notiharers in, and partakers of, but thofe to whomit 
 is given. 4. That it is a righteous thing with Go<l to oive 
 fuch perfons over to farther blindnefs and ignorance in fpiri- 
 tual things, who wilfully rejcft the truth, and fliiit their eyes 
 againrt the light and evidence of it. The Pharifees had 'all 
 along (hut theireyes; and faid, they would not fee; and now 
 Chrift clofes their eyesjudicially, and fays, they (liall not fee. 
 Seeing ye Jhall fee, and not perceive; and hearing ye fhall hear, 
 and not under/land. 
 
 J.J f The fower fowcth the word. 15 And thefc 
 are they by the way^i^r, where t lie word is fown; 
 but when they have heard, Satan comcth immediate- 
 ly, and takcth away the word that was fown in their 
 hearts. 16 And thefe are they likcwife wiiich are 
 fown on ftony ground : who when the)- ha\e heard 
 the word, immediately receive it with gladncfs : j -r 
 And have no root in thcinfelve.s, and fo endure but 
 for a time ; aftcnvard when afFliflion or perfccution 
 arifeth for the word's fake, immcdiaicJy they are of- 
 fended. 18 And thefe arc they which are fown am- 
 ong thoins; fuch as hear the word, 19 And tlie 
 cares of this world, and the dcceitfulncfs of riches 
 and the lulls of other things entering in, choke the 
 v'ord, and it bccomcth un^ruiiful. 20 And thefe are 
 they which are fown on good ground ; fuch as hear 
 ihc word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, fon.c 
 xh'ixiy-fvld fome lixty, and ibnie an hundercd. 
 
 L 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 St, 
 
 MARK. 
 
 »3j 
 
 Here our Saviour applies Iittnfclt* to interpret and explain 
 the foregoing parable: TheJ'ced is the word, ihe/iwir is tlic 
 prcacl'.L-r, ihe_/i(Vis the heart and fool ot' man. Some hear- 
 ers Chrill tfompares to the highway ground, in which the feed 
 Ii~s iMicovcVtJ t;)r w^int ot' the harr;Hv of miilitalicn. Others 
 to fjiny ^roii'id, in wl.ioh the word has n<i rcKit. No root in 
 their i;nderllan(ling<;, in their memories, wills and atieclions ; 
 but they are inlbmly ofTended, cither at the depth acid orn- 
 foundnefs of the word, or at the (iindiiv and ftridncfs of- the 
 word, or eUc at the plainnefs and fimplicity of it. Again, 
 fome hearers our Lord compares fo/^';rwv giomid; w^^rldly 
 and coveto'.ts dedres are asthorns choi<ingthe u;oo(i feed ; they 
 (hadow liic hljde when fprung up, lc(ep oft ilie influences of 
 tiie fun, and draw a\Nav the fatneii ofthc foil from the feed. 
 All thffe mifchcvious effects have thorns among the feed. 
 .\nd the like ill ctfl-cls have worldly affeilions and covetous 
 di:rires in the foid of man, rendering the feed of the word im- 
 fruitful and unprofitable. But the good Chrifti;in hears the 
 word attentively, keeps it retcnthelv, believesit fltdfaiUv, ap- 
 plies it particularly, praiSlifcs it univerfallv, and brings forth 
 truit pcrfevtriiiglv. Learn, I. That no hearersarein Chrift's 
 account go<xl hearers of the word, but Aich asbringforth fruit 
 ^nfvverable to their hearing. 2. That a pcrfon may be a good 
 hearcnofthe word in Chriit's account, if he bring forth the 
 U.'(!: fruit he can, thoiigii it be not in fo great a proportion as 
 others do. As fome grounds bring forth thirty, fome fixtv, 
 and fome an himdrcd fold ; in like mannerdoall fincere hear- 
 ers of the word. They all Iring forth fruit, thoughnot all a- 
 like ; all in (incerity, tliough ncit all equally, andKonetoper- 
 foilion. It is Thtophylafl's note on tb.e place : " How 
 fmall is the number of good men, and how few are flived ! 
 For onlv the fmirth part of the feed fell upon good grotmd, 
 and was prefer\ed." Others obferve a gradation here : The 
 feed fown in the highway comes not up at all ; that on ftony 
 ground comes up, but iticreafeth not; that among thorns in- 
 creafcth, but bears no fruit ; only that feed which fell on good 
 ground brings forth fri'.it unto perfection. 
 
 2 1 And he faid untotlicm, Is a candle brought 
 ttj be put under a bufhel, or under a bed ? and not 
 10 be fet on a candleftick ? 22 For there is nothing 
 hid which fhall not be manifefted ; neither was any 
 lhin;jkipt fecret but that it fhould come abroad. 23 
 If any man have cars to hear. let him hear. 2.] And 
 he laid unto them: Take heed what ye hear. With 
 what meafure ye. mctc, it fliall be mcafured to you : 
 and unto you that hear Oiall more be given. 25 For 
 he that hath, to hitn fliall be given : and he that 
 hath not, from him Ihall be taken even that which 
 ire hath. 
 
 OlfeJ-vehcxt, I. The end deftgnof Chrift in revealing his 
 word and will to/;is difciples, and in communicating to them 
 the light of fpiritual knowledge; namely, That they may 
 comm.unicate it toothers, andnotkeeo it clofeuntothcmfelves. 
 Even as the candle in an houfe dirfuie and difperfesits light to 
 ail that come within the reach of it ; jn like manner ought all 
 chrilHans, and particularly ChrilVs minilU-rs, by the light of 
 life and doiElrine, todircflperfons in their way towards heaven. 
 Such as arc enlichtencd by God tn any meafure, with 
 the kopwltdgc and und.e'rflanding of 'his word, ciight 
 
 iioi to conce«[ ;'nd hide this kivnvTedgc witin'n thcmftlvcF, but 
 conmumicatc it to others, and employ it for the good and ben- 
 efit of others. 2. The cautionary dircdlion given by Chri:"t 
 to his difciples, To take heed hoiu I hey hear lie word. Sucli 
 as would profit by hearing of the word, mull dillitjently attend 
 to the matter of the doctrine which they hear, and .alfo i! 
 manner how they hear. Such is the niajelly and auihori'." 
 otihe pcrfon that fpeaksfo us in the word, fuch is the fiiblim- 
 iiy ard fpiritualiiy of the matter, and fo great is cur danger if 
 we mifcarry under the v.ord,that it nearly concerns us to take 
 heed, both -what ive Lear, and hytv zir hear. 3. The artii- 
 iTient which our Saviour makes life of to (|i,ickcn his difciples 
 to communicate the knowledge, and improve the erace thcv 
 fad received for the good and benefit of others. To him thtif 
 hiith JhaU he given: That is, fuch as improve their fpiiittial 
 giftsfliall have them increafcd; fuch as improve them not, d'a!' 
 Iiave them blafled. Learn hence, That the beftcourfewe cati 
 take to increiife and thrive in grace, is toexcrcifc and improve 
 it. He that hides his talent, doth not only forfeit it, but is in 
 danger of being punifhed ftvercly for the non improvement 
 of it. 
 
 26 IT And he faid, So is the kingdom of God as 
 if a man fhould caft feed into the ground, 27 And 
 fhould fleep, and rile, night and day, and the feed 
 fhould fpring and grow up heknoweih not how. 28 
 For the earth bringcth forth fruit of herfelf. firQ the 
 blade, then the car, after that the full corn in the car. 
 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, iinmcdiatcly 
 he pulteth in the fickle, bccaufe the harvefl is come. 
 
 This parable of our Saviour's, is an inftnidive Icilbn to 
 the miniflers of the gofpcl, faithfirlly to do their parts in fow- 
 ing the i\:ii<k of the word anionglf their pet pie, and then not 
 to be over-folicitous about the'cvcnt, but to leave the iiliie to 
 God ; not to be difcouraged, though the fruit of their labour 
 doth not prefently appear. Accordingly Chrift propounds 
 the laborious hufliandman to his minifters imitation. As the 
 huihandman, when he has prudently, and painfully call his 
 feed into the ground, is not anxioully difc]uietcd, biit goes to 
 bed, and refts in hope, and at length the corn fprings up ; 
 firft the bhide, then the ear, then the grain. In likenianner, 
 let the minifters of God do their duty without difcouragemcn', 
 in the morning fow their feed, and in the evening not with- 
 hold their hand. And although the feed fown doth not appear 
 prefently, it m.ay be not in our days, but feen.s rotten among 
 the clods ; yet it may appear afterwards with a plentiful in- 
 creale, when our own heads are laid among the cli;ds ; veri- 
 fying that faying of our Saviour, One Jweil and inrjler rcob. 
 eth. Learn hence, i. That the minillry of the word is the 
 ordinary, the neceifary, .and the principal means ubich 
 God has appointed forfowing the feed of grace in the hearts, 
 of his people. So is the h\<;dom fdd, in if a manflrndd eaji 
 feed into the ground. 2. That the virtue and efficacy of the 
 word preached doth not depend upon the parts of a man, bm 
 upon the power of God. Tie feed fpring, th up, he imwefh net 
 how. -J. T hat the word of God iincerelv preached may be 
 fuccefstul, though it he not prefently fuccefsful ; the feed fown 
 inone mlniftcr's days, may fpring up in another's. Happy 
 we, it as God"s hufbandnicn we be employed in ploughing, 
 fowing, or reaping ; our Lord will reward w&feamdum labo- 
 rem, nonfru^um j not according to our fuccefs, but accor- 
 ding 
 
136 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Chat. v. 
 
 ting to our endeavours. The care aiid endeavotr is ours, but 
 
 the bUniing ami fucci Is is God's. 
 
 30 ^ And lu' faid, Wheieunto fliall we liken llic 
 
 kingdom of C.od ? or with wliat compaufon (liall 
 we comparo it ? 31 It is like a grain ofmuflard-fccd, 
 which when it is Ibwn in the eartli, is lets than all 
 the iVcds that be in the earth. 32 But when it is fown, 
 it nrowcth up. and becoincth j^rcatcr than all herbs, 
 and fhootcth out great banches; To that the fowls of 
 the air may lodge under the fhadow of it. 33 And 
 with many fuch parables fpakc he the word unto 
 them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a 
 parable fpakc he not unto them : and when they 
 were alone, he expounded all things to his difciples. 
 
 The defigii ofo\ir S.i\iour in this parable, is toficw how 
 the gofpcl church, from fmall and little, from unlikely and 
 contemptible beginnings iliould fpread and increafe, fniflify 
 and grow lip; Like as mu (lard feed, one of the fmallt-ft ot 
 grains, s;rowsup to a confiderable tallnefs, even foChrilt fore 
 tels, that the gofpel (limild fprcad and increafe, nations and 
 countrits becoming Chriftians. Hence karn, That how fmall 
 bcc^inninrjs foever the t^ofpel had in its firlt plantation, yet by 
 the fniaiVying blefilng of God, h has had, and ihall have, a 
 wonderful increafe. 
 
 35 And the fame day, when the even was come, 
 he faith unto them, Let us pafs over unto the other 
 fide. 36 And when they had lent aAvay the multi- 
 tude, they took [him, Pcvcn as he was, inthe ftiip. 
 And there were alfo with him other little Ihips. 37 
 And there arofc a great ftorm of wind, and the 
 waves beat into the fhip, fo that the fhip was now 
 full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the fhip, 
 alleepon a pillow. And they awake "him, and lay 
 unto him, Mailer, carefl thou not that w6 perifh ? 
 39 And he arol'e, and rebuked the wind, JHid faid 
 unto the fea. Peace, be Hill. And thie jyihd ceafcd, 
 and there was a great calm, 40 And he faid unto 
 them, Why are ye fo fearful ? How is it that ye 
 have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and 
 faid one to another, What manner of man is this, 
 that even the wind and fea obey him P 
 
 O^/ervehere, i. Our Saviour and his difciples no fooncr 
 nut forth to fea, but dingers attend, and difficulties do accom- 
 pany them ; a tempeft arofc, and the lliip is covered with 
 waves, which Chril^ liimlclt'was in, vvitii his difciples. Letirn 
 hence That the prcfence of Chrillhimfclf does not exempt his 
 difciples and fwUowcrs from trouble and danger. Here is a 
 rrcat temped about the difciples cars, tliough Cluill himfelf 
 was in their company. 2. The pofhire our Lord was in, 
 whin this tcmpcft arofe ; he being wearied with the labours 
 of the day, was laid down upon a pUlaw to deep at night, 
 thereby (hewing hin\fclf to be truly and really man, and that 
 as he took upon him our human nature, fo healfumcd the in- 
 firmities of our nature alfo, as wcarincfs and pain, hunger 
 and thirft. 3. The difciples, applicu ion n adc to Chriit ; 
 
 they awoke him with a fad out Cry, Alajitr, careft ihou no! that 
 U'c penjh? Here was faiih mixed with humar frailty. They 
 b.iievedthat hecould fave them ; but being afleop, they con- 
 cluded he muft be av.aked before they can be favrd by bur 
 whereas, though his human nature was afletp. yet his divin 
 nature neither fiumbcred nor ilept. Z^rn hence, That the 
 prevalence of fear iu the time of great danger, though it niay 
 argue weaknels of faith, yet is no evidence of a total want of 
 faith; ill the mid(^ of the difciples weaknefs, they believed 
 Chrid's power. A double rebuke given by our Saviour, firft ( 
 to the winds, next totlie fears of his difciples. He niities the .. 
 ivinJs, and inftantly they are calm. Wiien the fea was furi- 
 ous as a madman, Chrid with a fmgle word calms it. Learn 
 hence. That the mofl raging winds and outrageous fcas can- 
 not (land before the rebukes of Chrill. Chrill, as God, la, 
 a law upon the mod lawlefs creature?, even when they fee::i 
 to aft mod lawledy. Farther, Chrid rebukes his difciples 
 fear?, ff'hy are ye fearful? No fooner was the dorm up but 
 their fears were up ; they forgot that the Lord High Admir- 
 al of the ocean, was on board the (liip ; and were as much 
 ovcrfet by their boiderous p-)(Tion, as thevelfel was with the tcm 
 peduous \vi;ids ; and accordiniL,ly, Child rebukes the tempeft 
 within, before the dorm without. Firdhe calms their hearts, 
 then he quiets the feas. From this ind^nce of the difciples 
 we may gather, that great faith in the habit, may appear lit- 
 tle in aft andexercife ; but in this prefent aft, their faith was 
 weak, through the prcvalency of their fears, O the imper- 
 feft compnfition of faints! F..ith and fear will take their 
 turns, and aft their parts, whild we are upon the dage of 
 this world ; ere long our fear will be vanquidisd, and our 
 faith fwallowed up in vifion ! Lord! fet our fouls a-longi 
 for that joyful hour. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 AND they came over unto the other fide of tlio 
 fea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And 
 when he was come out of the fhip, immediatelv 
 there met him out of the tombs a man with an un- 
 clean fpirit. 3 Who had his dwelling amon^^ the 
 tombs : and no man could bind him. no not with 
 chains : 4 Becaufe that he had been often bound 
 with fetters and chains, and the chains had been 
 plucked afundcr by him, and the fetters broken in 
 pieces: neither could 7\ny man tame him. 5 And 
 always night and day, he was in the mountains, and 
 in the tombs, crying and cutting himfelf with Itoncs. 
 C But when he law Jefus afar ofFhe ran and wor- 
 (hippcd him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and faid 
 What have I to do with ihee, Jefus, thou Son of the 
 moll high God ? I adjure thee by God that thou toi- 
 ment me not. 8 For he faid unto him, Comenur 
 of the man, <^o;^ unclean fpirit. 9 And he afkcd him 1 
 What is thy name ? 'and he anfwered, fayinf^. m\' ' 
 name is Legion : for we are many. 10 And he !> 
 fought him much that he would not fend them away 
 out of the country. ii Now there was there ni^h ' 
 unto the mountains a great herd of fwine feedin 
 12 And all the devils befought him, fayincr, Send i> 
 
 iw 
 
Chap. 
 
 St. 
 
 M ARK. 
 
 '37 
 
 into the fwine, that we may enter into them. 13 
 And forthwith Jefus gave them leave. And tlie 
 unclean fpirits went out, and entered into the Iwine: 
 and the whole herd ran violently down afteepplace 
 into the fea (they were about two thoufand) and 
 were choked in the lea, 14 And they that fed the 
 fwine fled, and told it in tlie city and in the coun- 
 try. And they went out to fee what it was that was 
 done. 15 And they come to Jefus, and fee him that 
 was poirefled with a devil, and had the legion, fit- 
 ting, and clothed, and in his right mind : And 
 they were afraid. 16 And they that faw it told 
 them how it befel to him that was polfefled with the 
 devil, andalfo concerning the fwine. 17 And they 
 began to pray him to depart out of their coafts. i8 
 And when he was come into the fhip, he that had 
 been polfeifed with a devil prayed him that he 
 might be with him. 19 Howbcit, Jefus fufFered 
 him not, but faith unto him. Go home to thy friends, 
 and tell them how great things the Lord hath done 
 for thee, and hath had compaifion on thee. 20 And 
 he departed, and began to publifh in Decapolis how 
 great thing? Jefus had done for him. And all men 
 did marvel. 
 
 This piece of hillory gives us a very fad relation of a per- 
 fon that was pciTt fled witii a legion of devils ; we read of few 
 if any, in the Old Teftamciit, that were thuspollVfled, but 
 of many ia the New Teftanient. Our Saviour came into 
 the world to dellroy the works of the devil ; therefore he 
 fufFered Satnn to enter fome human bodies, to fliew his di- 
 vine power in ending them out, Note here, i. That the 
 ^vil angels by their fall loft their purity, but not their pow- 
 er; for with God's permilhon they have power, not only 
 to enter into men'j btxiies, and to pofTefs them, but alfo to 
 difteuiper their minds, and drive them to frenzy and mad- 
 nefs, caufing them to offer violence to their own lives, and 
 to do hurt and niifchief to their own bodies. Thus did this 
 poUeiled perfon, wounding and cutting himfelf with ftones. 
 2. That the reafon why the evil an;;els do not oftncr ex- 
 ert their power in doing ni'fchief to the bodies and lives of 
 men, is from the reftraining power of God. The devils 
 cannot do all the mifchief they v\ould, and they fliall not -do 
 all ihey can. 3. The place where thefe evil fpirits deligh- 
 ted to make their abode, among the tombs or graves, pla- 
 ces defolate, forlorn and folitary, which are apt to breed 
 horror of mind, and give advant;ige to temptations. Learn 
 thence. That it iidangtrous, and very unfaie, for perfons, 
 elpeciallyin whom melanclioUy prevails, to give thenifelves 
 to folitdriucjs, to frequent defolate and forlorn places, and 
 to eflecl: the being much alone ; it living advantage to Sa- 
 ian to fet upon them with powerful temptations, it is bet 
 ter to frequent human fociety, and efpecially to delight in 
 the fociety and communion of the faints, by means where- 
 of we may be more and more firengthened and fortified a- 
 gainh Satan's temptations. 4. That the devils own Chrilt 
 to be tlie Son of God, and that he cnme into the world to 
 be a i^aviour, but no: a Saviour to them ; therefore they 
 
 cry out, Whut have vie to do with thee > or thou with 
 us? O ? what an uncomfortable confcliion and acknow- 
 ledgement is this, to own Cliriil to be a Saviour, and 
 at the fame time to know that he is none of our Sa- 
 viour ! 5. That though the devils do own Chrift to be 
 the Son of God, and do pay homage and worlhip, snd yield 
 fervice and fubjection to him, as his flaves and vafTals, yet 
 it is not a free and voluntary fervice, but extorted rather, 
 and forced from them by the power of CliriU. He vinrjhl^ 
 ed, anil cried out, faying, What have I to do with thee > 6. 
 What a multitude of evil fpirits do enter into one man. O 
 the extreme malice and cruelty of the devil againft mankind, 
 in that fo many evil fpirits did at once afllict and torment a 
 fingle perfon, even a legion, many thoufands of them. 
 Ohferve alfo. The unity and agreement which is amongft^ 
 thefe evil fpirits in doing mifchief ; though there was a le- 
 gion of them in this one perfon, yet they have all but one 
 name. Learn, That the very devils have a fort of unity a- 
 mongll themfelves, and in their malice and mifchievous de- 
 figns aguinft mankind they are as one. How happy were 
 it if good men were as much united in defigns and endea- 
 vours for the glory of God, as devils are to confpire and 
 combine againit it ! 7. The out cry which the devil makes 
 at the appearance of Chrift, j^rt thoucumeto torment us be- 
 fore the time ? From thence /if^;r«, i. That there are tor- 
 tures appointed to the fpiritual natures of evil angels. 2. 
 That the devils are not fo full of torment as they fhall be- 
 Although they are as full of difcontent as they can be, there 
 will be a time when their torments iliall be increafed, when 
 they Ihall have their fill of torment. This they know, and 
 accordingly thus they pray. Torment us not before our t'me • 
 that is, increale not our toments before the appointed time 
 of their increafe. 8. The devils requeft, i. Not to fend 
 them out of the country, ver. 10. for being now among hea- 
 thens, they thought they were among their own, and 
 not in Chrift's jurifdiction, as being not amongft his 
 people. 2. For permiflion and leave to go into the nerd of 
 fwine. Where c/iyd'n;£', firft, The devils malice; he will 
 hurt the poor beafts, rather than not hurt at all. Second- 
 ly, his powerful reftraint ; he cannot hurt a pig without 
 permiflion : Suffer us to enter. Satan's malice indeed is in- 
 finite, but his power is bounded ; it is poteftas fub potefiate^ 
 A power under a power. If he could not hurt the iwine, 
 much lefs can he anii.;"t the body or foul of man withoutleave 
 or licence. 9. Hf/.v Satan's requeft isyielded to by our Sa- 
 viour, he permits the devil's to enter into the fwine ; not 
 to fatisfy their dcfire in doing mifchief; but, firft, to (hew 
 his power over the devils, that they could do n:>ih!ng with- 
 out his permifp.ou : Next, Tolhew how great tiie power 
 and malice of the devil would be, if not reltrainea : And, 
 laflly, That the miracle of carting out fuch a multitude of 
 devils might appcrr to be the greater. Learn hence, Tha; 
 ioii.etiraes almighty God, for wife ends, and juft caufes, 
 doth futTtr li^ic devil to enjoy his defire, in doing hurt and 
 mifchief unto the creatures, Jejus fu'id unto them, Go. 10. 
 What a contrary eifectthis miracle which Chrift wrought 
 liad upon thefe people ; inftead of believing his divine pow- 
 er, upon ihefight of his miraruloiiriy healing the pofr«fl"ed, 
 the lofs of their fwine enrages them, snd makes them de- 
 ilre Chrift, to depart from them: Carnal hearts prefer 
 their fwine before their Saviour, and had rather lofe Clirifts 
 
 5 prefencj 
 
138 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 prtiy ami bift-ech him to ('fpart out of tkeir coups-. Lfurrt 
 lieiice, Sail is the condition of fiicli from wlioiii C'hrilt i!c- 
 paits, more f.:d tlitrconiiiton of hich wlio fuy unto Chriil^, 
 Dfpart •, but nioft fad the cafe of ihe:n wh;» pray ami be- 
 fceth Chrill to <Iepart from thcni. LalMy, Won «1dn-oiis 
 the pofltll'ed in?n was to continue w iih CbrilV ; afier he was 
 come 111 hinifilf, He prjycii th.it he might he ■I'-ithhim. 1 liis 
 he might define, partly to tellify his thaiikruliiefs to Chnft, 
 partly out of fear of bcinjr repofTt fled aj^ain by Sa:«n, or 
 psrhaps to have the oppi>riuiiity of hc;iripj^ Chrift's i!oc- 
 trine. and feeins his miracles. Fcr Inch as have once taf- 
 ted that the l,ord is prncions, nnd experienced the plea- 
 fure and profit of Chrill's company, are very defirous of 
 the continuance of it, ami exceeding loth to part with it. 
 However, our Saviour at tliis time did not iliinkfit to luf- 
 fer him, knowing that more glory wovild redound to Gotl, 
 by publifliing the miracle to his friends. Chrift expefts, af- 
 ter eminent deliverances wrought for us, that we UiouUl 
 be the publifliers of his praifc, anil declare to all, far and 
 near, the great things which God hath done for us. Add 
 to this, that our Saviour might not permit this man to be 
 ■»iith him, to avoiJ the fufpicion of vain-glory ; of which 
 he might have given Ibme umbrage, had he carried a- 
 hotit with him thole upon whom his greaieil miracles 
 were wniighr. Atid, Jaftly, To fliew that Chrill in 
 his abfencp, as well as when prefent, is able to protect 
 thole that believe and trull in him from the malice of evil 
 fpirits. 
 
 21 5 And when Jcfiis HT.s palRd over again by 
 fliip unto the other lidc, much people gathered un- 
 f o him : and he was nigh unto the ic;i. 22 And 
 behold, there cometh one of tlie ixilers of the fyna- 
 •ogiie, J.Tiius by name ; and when he faw him. he 
 I'cll at his feet. "3 And befought him greatly, fay- 
 ing, My little daughter licth at the point of death: 
 / pray thee come and lay thine hands on her, that 
 flicmay be healed ; and flic (hall live. 24 And Je- 
 fus went with him, and much people followed him, 
 and thronged him. 
 
 Oh/erve licre, i. The perfoti who came to Chrift on he- 
 halt of his fick daughter, delcribed by his name Tairus : 
 by his office, a ruler ',f the lynapogue ; by his gefture, he 
 Jt II JoiL-tt at Jt/uj' t feet, and ivor/hipped him. This gefture 
 of his was not only a lign of lender alFeftion in him towards 
 his daughter, bur alio an evidence of his faith in otn- blef- 
 fcd Saviour : yet his confining Chrift's power to his bodi- 
 Iv prelVnie, and tothe t juch of his hand, wasatokcncf the 
 V, eaknefs of his faith. Cow?, /a\j he, and lay thine hand on 
 ier, ar.djhejijall llvf. As if Cl. rift could not have cured her 
 ^\ithout either coming to her, or laying his hand npmi her. 
 yce, AH that come to Chrill ire not alike ftrong in faith. 
 \ et our blelled Kcdceuier refufes none who come to him 
 with a fiMcere faith, though in much weaknefs of faith. 
 Clferve, 2. How readily our Saviour complies with Jai- 
 rub's requeft ; Je/us went '.nith him. Although his faith was 
 but weak, yet our Savioiw deth not rejefl hitij, or deny kis 
 
 \\c llitu! i be tu j^j .- 1-... ..I :ji ~..i ^::T tiillritics, ;.;(.:^:..,.i,i 
 and ncceflities, wlio is fo ready to Iicar, and fo furward to 
 help us, ifwcfeek him in (incerity, though onr faith be 
 feeble. -5. The greut huiril'tv of cur blclFcd Saviour, i:\ 
 fufrcrjnghimfcll to be tlirorged by pror people. M,n-h pet- 
 fie foltTMedhim andthrovged i-im. O humble and \o\\ Iv Sn. 
 viour ! How free was thy coBver/ation from pride and 
 haughiinefs ! how willing to couverfe with the meatieft 
 of 'he ptcple for their advantage ! Our Lord did not on- 
 ly fufilr them to come mar him, Wot even 10 throng 
 him ; Wh.tt an exaHipIe is here for tlie grcatcil prrlons 
 upon earth to imitate and follow, not to del'pife the perfons 
 nor dildain the prefence of the nseaiiell and' pcorell of the 
 people ; but to look upon tome witli an cye^^{ favour, up- 
 on others with an eye of pity, upon none \\ iih an eye of coti- 
 tempt. 
 
 25 And a certain woman which had an ilfue o^ 
 blood twelve years. 26 And had fulft red many 
 things of mairy phyficians.and had Ipent all flie had, 
 and was nothing bettered, but rather grew woric, 
 27 When fhe had heard of fcfu-;, came in the prels 
 behind and touched his garment. 28 For flie faid, 
 If I may but touch his clothes, 1 ihall be made whole. 
 29 And ftraightway the fountain of her blood wa? 
 dried up ; and fhe felt inher body that Ihe was heal- 
 ed of thatplague. 30 And Jefus immediately know- 
 ing in himfelt that virtue had gone out of him, turn- 
 ed him about in the prcfs, and laid, Who touched my 
 clothes ? 31 And his difciples faid unto him. Thou 
 fecth the multitude thronging thee, and fayeli thou, , J 
 Who touched mc ? 32 And he looked round about 
 to fee her that had done this thing. 33 But the wo- 
 man fearing and trembling, knowing what was done 
 in her, came and fell down befor.e him, and told him 
 all the truth. 34 And he faid unto her, Daughter, 
 thy faith hath made thee whole : go in peace, and 
 be whole of thy plague. 
 
 As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus'j houfe, a difea- 
 fed woman comes beh-nd him, and touches his clothes, and 
 is prefently healed; the virtue lay not in her finger, biu in 
 her faith, or rather in Chrill, which her faith inllrumental- 
 ly drew forth. Ohferve here, i. The difeafed perfon, a 
 woman with a bloody-flux. Let women here take notice 
 of the miferies which the fin of the firft woman has brought 
 upon all women, amongll which this is one, that it has made 
 their bodies fubjecl to unnatural iflues and fluxes of blood. 
 1. The long continuance of this difeafe, t'juelve years. It 
 pleafes God to lay long and tedious affliclions upon lomeot 
 them a very long time under boilily weaknefs, to manifelt 
 his power in fupporting them, and to magnify his mercy in 
 delivering them. 3. This poor woman was found in theufc 
 of means ; flie fought tophyficians for help, and is not bla- 
 med for it, though_/Z>^_//>f«/ all/lie haa upon them. The ufe 
 of phyfic is not to be negledled by us in times of litknefs, 
 efpecially in dangerous difeafes of tlie body. To truftto 
 
 meaps 
 
ClIAP. V. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 »39 
 
 means is to neglccl God, and to ncglecl the means is to 
 tempt God. The healihof our bodies ought to be dear and 
 precious to us, and all lawful means ought to be ufed, both 
 to prel'erve it, to recover it, and confirm it. 4. the work- 
 ings and actings of this poor woman's faith ; her difeafe was 
 unclean by the ceremonial law, and therefore to be feparr.te 
 from fociety ; accordingly flie is afliamed to appear before 
 Chrift, but comes behind him to touch his clothes, being 
 firmly perfuaded that Chrift had a power communicated by 
 God unto him, miraculoufly to cure incurable difeafes. 
 And fee how our Saviour encouraged her faith, though flie 
 did not beheve him to be the eternal Son of God, but one 
 to whom God had communicated a power of healing bodily 
 difeafes ; yet, fays Chrift, This thy faith hath made thee 
 vibole. Leant hence, That faith oft-times meets with a 
 better welcome from Chrift, than it did or could exped. 
 This poor woman came to Chrift trembling, but went away 
 triumphing. 15. Chrift would liave this miracle tlifcover^d ; 
 he therefore i.^ys, JVho iouched nie ? and, J perceir.e that vir- 
 tue is i;one out of me. Firft, in reference to himfelf, to ma- 
 nifeft his divine power, that by the touch of his cloihes he 
 could cure fuch incurable difeafes. Secondly, In relation 
 to the woman, that flie might have opportunity to give God 
 the praife and glory for the cure. And, thirdly, with re- 
 fprtt to Jairus, that his faith might be ftrengthened in the 
 belief of Chrift's power to raife liis daughter. Now from 
 ihitiewovAs, yirtue went out of Chriji , and he healed them, 
 it is evident, thai the virtue which did thefe miraculous 
 cures, refided in Chrift, and was not communicated to him ; 
 and confequently proves him to he God ; for the divine vir- 
 tue, by which the prophets and apoftles did their cures, is 
 afcribed to God ; as ads xix. u. Cod -Mnuoht miracles by 
 the hands of Paul- But the miracles done by Chrift, are af- 
 cribed to the divine virtue dwelling within him. Accor- 
 dingly, here he fays, I perceive virtue is gone out of me. 
 
 35 While he yet fpake, there came from the ruler 
 of the fynogogue's hcrufe certain which faid, Thy 
 daughter is dead: why troubled thou the Mailer a- 
 ny farther ? 36 As foon as Jefus heard the word 
 that was fpoken, he faith unto the ruler of the fyna- 
 gogiic, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he fuf- 
 fcred no man to follow him, lave Peter, and James, 
 and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh 
 to the houfe of the ruler of the fynagogue, and feeth 
 the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 
 39 And when he was come in, he Htith unto them, 
 Why make ye this ado, vid we«p ? The damfel is 
 not dead, but flecpeth. 40 And they laughed hiin 
 to fcorn. But when he had put them all out, he 
 taketh the father and the mother of the damfel, and 
 them that were with him, and entereth in where the 
 damfel was lying. 41 And he took the damfel by 
 the hand, and faith unto hcr,Talitha, cumi; which is, 
 being interpreted, Damfel. (I fay unto thee)arife. 42 
 And ftraightway the damfel arofe, and walked: for 
 £hc was of the a^e of twelve years. And they were 
 alloniflied with a great aftoniflimcnt, 43 And he 
 
 charged thefti flraitly that no man fliould know it; 
 and commanded that fomcthing fhould be given her 
 to eat. 
 
 Cbferve hert, i. The doleful news brought to Jairus's 
 ears, Thy daughter is dead. The Lord doth fometimes fuf- 
 fer the faith of his faints to be hard put to it, greatly af- 
 faulted with ditRculiics and trials. 2. Our Saviour's fea- 
 fonable word of comfort. Be net afraid, only hcftive. Chrift 
 is ready to comfort believers in the hour of their ftrongtft 
 temptations and greateft trials. 3. Chrift's application of 
 himfelf to the railing unto life Jairus's dead daughter. In 
 order to which, ( i.) He goes into the houfe only with three 
 of his difciples, which were fufficicnt to witnefs the truth of 
 the miracle. Our Saviour, to avoid all fliew of vain glory, 
 and to evidence that he fought not ambitioufly his own 
 honour and praife, would not work this great miracle pub- 
 licly before all the pcojilc. z. He rebukes them for the 
 fliew they make of immodentc grief and forrow for the 
 dead d.imlel : they wept and waikJ greatly with miiiftrels ami 
 mufical inftruinents, according to the cuftom of the hea- 
 thens who by a mournful fort of nuilic, did ftir up the paf- 
 fions of grief at their funerals. To mourn immoderately 
 for the dead, is an heathenifli pradice and cullom. Itii 
 hurtful to the living, and oillionour.-.ble to the de;id ; nor 
 is it an argument of more love, but .in evidence cf lei's 
 •Trace. 3. He adds a re.'.fon for this rebuke and reproof 
 given them ; The damfel is not dead hut flteptth. I' obis m',r. 
 tua, mihidormit ; "She is dead to you, but aflcep to me ;" 
 not fo dead, as to be beyond my power to raife her to life. 
 Soulsdeparttd are under the conducT: of angels to their fe- 
 veral regions ofb!if> or mifery. It is very probable that 
 the foul of this d.smfel was under the guard of angels, nrar 
 her dead body, wailing the pleafiire of God, in order to i.s 
 difpofal, either to reftore it again to the body, or to tranf- 
 lue it to its etern.il manfion. nhferv; Farther, the nature 
 of death is general, and that ol the faints in particular, de 
 fcribed ; It is a flcep. Sleep is a ftate of reft ; deep is a 
 fiidden furprifal"; in fleep there is au infenlible pafTage cf 
 our time ; the perfon fleeping ibal! certainly awake, either 
 in this world, or in the next, it will be our wifd'jr.i to 
 prepare for the bed of the grave' and fo 10 live, that when 
 we lie down in it,there may he nothing to difturb orrreft. 
 Note, The words which -our Saviour ufed at the railiiiii; o.^ 
 the damfel, Talithacumi, Syiiac words, to fnew the truth of 
 the miracle, not like a conjurer, muttering a charm in un- 
 known words to himfelf : and alfo to ihew die greatncl's <-f 
 the miracle, that he was able to raife her by a word fpcr.k- 
 iiig. Lartly, The charge given by cur Saviour not to di- 
 vulge this miracle ; Jie charged them flraitly that none Jhoi.ld 
 kno'Mlt. That is, not to divulge it imprudently to luch of 
 the fcribes and Pharifees as would noc be convinced by It, 
 but only cavil at it, and be the more enraged at him, and 
 I'eck his death before his time was come. Alio not to di- 
 vulire it uni'eafonably, and all at cncc, but gradually, and by 
 deg~rees; for it was the will of God that the divine glory of 
 Chrift fliould nf.tbe mr.n feftedto the world all at once, and 
 on a fndden, but by Ittle and little, during his ftate of hu- 
 miliation ; for his refurrec^ion was the time appointed for 
 The fiillmanifeft ition of his Gcd-hcad, Rora. i. 4. Deri. red 
 to he the Son of Cod with po-ver, ty th; re/urre^ion of the 
 deed. -Sa 
 
tio 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap, vi- 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 AND he went out from thence, and came into 
 his own country ; and his difciples follow him. 
 i And when the fabbath-day was come, he began 
 to teach in the lyna^^ogue : and many hearing him 
 were aftonifhed, fayinj;, From whence hath this min 
 thcfe things ? and what wifdom is this which is given 
 unto him, that even luch mighty works are wrought 
 by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the ("on 
 of Mary, the brother of James and Jofes, and of 
 Judah and Simon ? and are not his fillers herewith 
 us ? and they were olFindcdat him. 4 But Jefus faid 
 unto them, A prophet i$ not without honour but 
 in his own country, and among his own kin, and 
 in his own houfe, 5 And he could there do no 
 mighty work, fave that he laid his hands upon a few 
 fickfolk, and healed Ihfm. 6 And he marvelled be- 
 caufe ol their unbelief. And he went round about 
 the villages teaching. 
 
 Our bleflcd Saviour having in the former chapter 
 ■wrought two famous miracles, in curing n woman of her 
 bloody iffue, and railing Jairns's daughter from death, we 
 find him here in the beginning of this chapter, pafTing //j/o 
 his own country, that is, the city Nazareth in Galilee, cal- 
 led iiis own city and country, bec.iufe he was there conceiv- 
 ed, there brougbt up; there Joteph and Mary, and his 
 kindred dwelt, and Chnft with them, during his private life, 
 which was till he was about thirty years of age. Now our 
 Saviour being come into his own country ; Obftrvc, 1. 
 What his employment v.-as, he preached in their fyna- 
 gogues, and held communion with the Jewiih church, al- 
 though fhe had many corruptions in her. Teaching us', by 
 his example, not to dcfert and forl'ake the communion of 
 fudi a- church, in which there is found neither heretical 
 dodrine nor idolatrous worfhip, although many things be 
 found in' her culpable and blauie -worthy. The Jewifli 
 church was certainly fuch, and yet our Saviour maintained 
 not occafional only, but conftant communion with her. 
 Ohferve, 7.. The inllicnre and elfea which our Saviour's 
 preaching had upon his own countrymen, the people of 
 Nazaredv; it did work admiration in them, but not faith ; 
 Ihey 'Mere aftinijhed, but did not believe. Men may be 
 mightily moved and affected by the word, and yet may ne- 
 ver be converted by it ; the men of Nazareth wondered, 
 and yet were oifended ; they did not believe in him, but 
 were offended at him. 3. The ground and caufe of this 
 their offence, and that was the me.nnnefs of his extraa^on, 
 and the poverty of his condition, Is not this the carpenter !> 
 From whence the ancient fathers, particularly Juftin Mar- 
 tyr, concluded, that our Saviour did work at his father 
 Jofcph's trade, during his father's life, and thence was 
 called the carpenter's /on ; and when foCeph his father was 
 dead (which was before Chrifl was thipty years old, when 
 he entered upon hi? public office) he w as then called the 
 tarpenter. The ancients lay, he fpent his time in m .kln-r 
 ploughs and yokes, and tnat thence i: was he drew fo mny 
 
 fimilitudes in preaching from the yoke and the j)lough. 
 This we arc lure of, that Our Lord lived not thirty years, 
 before his manifeltation, idly and unprofitably. It is mod 
 probable tha: he t\>Ilowed his father's calling, an<l wrought 
 under him, it being laid, that hewasfuhjefl to him, Luke ii, 
 15. as a child to a parent, .and a? a fervant to his mailer. 
 As to this that it feems not orily true, but requifite, that 
 Chrifl Ihould be of fome trade becaufc by the Jewiih can- 
 oni, all fathers were bound to teach their children forae 
 trade ; yea, fiys the learned JVhltby, their moll celebrated 
 Rabbins thought it a great reproach not to be of fome trade; 
 doubtlefs ()'".r Lord, during his private life, did give no ex- 
 ample of idlenefs. Indeed, after he entered upon his pro- 
 phetic office, he no longer followed Joleph's calling, but ap- 
 plied himfelf wholly to the work of the miniftry ; he made 
 no more ploughs, but one to break up hard hearts ; no 
 more yokes, but one for the devil's neck. However, in 
 regard to eur Saviour's low extracTion, and mean educa- 
 tion, his countrymen -were o£ ended at him. Leutn hence, 
 That the poverty and meannei's of Chrill's condition, was 
 that which multitudes Humbled at, and which kept many, 
 yea niofl, from believing on him .- none but a fpiritual eye 
 can difcern beauty in an humbled andabafed Saviour. — 2. 
 That it is the property and practice of prophane men, to 
 take occalion, from the ontv.ard quality and condition of 
 God's miniilers, both todefpife their perfoos, and to rejeft 
 their dodrine. 4. The realon afligned by our Saviour why 
 the men of Nazareth defpiled him and let him at nought : 
 becaufe he was their countryman and acquaintance; their 
 familiarity bred contempt. Teaching us, That very of- 
 ten the faithful minillers of God are moil contemned and 
 didionoured where they arc moll familiarly known : fome- 
 times the remembranci of their mean original and extrac- 
 tion, fometimes the poverty of their parents condition, 
 fometimes the indecencies of their childhood, fometimes the 
 follies of their youth, are Yipped up ; all which are occali- 
 ons of contempt, and give ground for this proverbial faying, 
 That a prophet is not -without huniur favc in his o'-un country ; 
 which, like other proverbial fpeeches, holds true in the 
 general, and for the mollpirt it ii !o; b'Jt i: is not univcr- 
 I'ally true in all perlbns and cafes. However, this good ufe 
 may be made of our Saviour's obfervation, To teach his 
 minillers to be wife in convcrfing with their people, not 
 to make themfclvcs cheap and common in every company, 
 not too familiar with all forts of perfoiis, not to belight or 
 vain in any company ; for this will certainly breed contempt 
 b )th of their penb.is and miniftry. Our duty is, by ftriclntfs 
 aiidgrivity ofdepjr.ment, to maintain our elleem iiuhecon- 
 fciencesof ourptopie, andtotcmpe-r gravity with cordeken 
 ding affability. 'Ihat miniller which proflitute^ his author 
 ity, frultrates the end of his iiiiniHry, and is the occ tlion of 
 his own contempt. 5. How this people's contempt of Chrift's 
 pcrfon, and unbelief of his doftrine, did hinder Chii.l from 
 wo;ki-.g miracles .imong ihein: He could do nt mighty -joorks 
 th-re : not bccaule lie was unable, but becaufe they were 
 unwilling ; not as if their infidelity abated his divine power, 
 but they v/ere unprepared to recieve any benefit by him ; 
 his miracles wo ild have been call away upon fuch incon- 
 vmcible pcrfons : who will fow upon barren fands, or wa- 
 ter dead plants > I' was at: .i:i of juflice in Chriil to deprive 
 
 the 
 
 I 
 
Chap. vi. St. 
 
 * 
 the Pharifces of thofc advantsgf s which they had fo long 
 refifted. Chrift had a natural ability to do mighty works 
 there, but no moral ability : he could not do it honourably, 
 their unbelief was a moral hindrance ; fo then this inability 
 proceeded from no deficiency in Chrill's power, but from a 
 dcfeifl in rhe'T faith : he could not, bccaufe he would not : 
 and_he woiiKl not, becaufe it was not fit for him fo to do. 
 Although Chrift be omnipotent, and has all power in his 
 liands, yet unbelief binds his hands, and hinders him in the 
 execution of that power: unbelief is fuch a (in, as keeps 
 men from being partakers of the benefits of Chrift. 6. How 
 the incredulity and unbelief of this people was fo great, 
 that Chrift wondered at it : He mjrvelled becattfe o] thtir un- 
 btlief: riot becaufe he was ignorant of the caufe of it, but 
 becaufe he had ufed fuch marvellous means for the curing 
 them of their unbelief. Learn hence, 1 hat unbelief is a 
 great fin at all times ; but when marvels ar» ■wrought for 
 the cure and healing of it, and it remains uncured, it is a 
 marvellous fin, and jiiftly caufes admiration and wonder in 
 Chrift himfelf : He marvelled, Sec. 
 
 7 f And he calleth unto him the twelve, and 
 began to fend them forth by two and two ; and gave 
 them power aver unclean fpirits; 8 And command- 
 ed them (hat they fliouid take nothing for M«V jour- 
 ney, fave a ftaff only; no fcrip, no bread no money 
 in their purfe : 9 But he fhod with fandals, and not 
 put on two coats. loAnd he faid unto them, In what 
 place foever ye enter into an houfe, there abide till 
 ye depart from that place. 1 1 And whofoever fhall 
 not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, 
 fhake ofF the dull under your feet for a teflimony a- 
 gainft them. Verily I fay unto you, It fhall be 
 more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day 
 of judgment than for that city. 12 And they went 
 out, and preached that men (hould repent. 13 And 
 they call out many devils, and anointed with oil, 
 many that v.-cre fick, and healed them. 
 
 We heard before, cii.ip. iii. of our Saviour's folemn call- 
 ing his apoftles to their work and office : now he fends them 
 forth to execu'e their office. Where chfeivf, i The per- 
 fon that fends them forth, Chrift. Leurn thence, That 
 none ouglit to take up the otfice of preaching, or any o- 
 ihcr minifterial fuiu^ion in the church, till thereunto law- 
 fully cnlled by Chrift hiinftlt, and received the doctrine 
 which they taught immcili.ittly from Chrift's own mouth : 
 his miniftersnow are called mediately ; they receive their 
 authority from Chrift by the hands of the governors of his 
 church. 2. The manner of ihcir fending ; by tv/o and 
 two in a company : Partly to n-.uke their meffage of the 
 more authority ; partly to tcftify their mutual confent in 
 the doftrine which they taught ; and partly to comfort :ind 
 encour.nge, tt)lKlp and ftrengtlien, toaflift and iiippon each 
 other : n imitation of this example, the Jefu'^ts fend forth 
 their emifiai ies by pairs. Learn hence. That the miniftcrs 
 of tlie word do ftand in great need of mutual help and com- 
 fort, of the united affiftance and encour;igcmenc of 
 each other, in the we-ghty duties of their call ng 
 and funiftion : Like labourers in the harveft field, they 
 ftiouldhelp one another, the ftrong endeavouring to Uren;^:li 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 141 
 
 en the h^nds of the weak : B Jt Lord, wh.it tears are fa/fi • 
 cient to bewail the want of love and unity, yea, the preva- 
 lency of that fear and malignity which is found too often a- 
 mongfl the ininifters of the gofpel ! So that iiiltead of going 
 two by two, happy is he that is alcme in a plate. Well 
 might Me!an(fthon blefs God, when he lay a dying, that he 
 was going to the place where he (liould be freed from the 
 imphcable hatred of divines : This is, ami ought to be for 
 a lamentation. 3. The power given by Chrift to work 
 m'racles for confirming the doctrine of the gofpel which his 
 apoftles preached : He gave them power over unclean fpi. 
 rits, and they caft out devils, and anointed with oil theui 
 that were fick, and healed them. This power to work mi- 
 racles was neceflary for the apoftles: partly to procure re- 
 verence to their perfons, being poor and unlearned men ; 
 hut principallv to gain creilitand authority to ihcirdoclrine: 
 For the doctrine of faith in the Mclliah, as now come, and 
 exhibitecl in the tieili, being a ftrange and new doctrine to 
 the few?, the truth and certainty ot it was to be extraordi- 
 narily ratififd i)y Chrift and his apoftles miracles, fome of 
 wli'ch were c.irting out of de\ ijls, and by anointing with oil, 
 to heal and recover fick perfons. This gift of healing re- 
 mnined U nistime in the church, as appeared by St. James 
 V. 14. Isanyjiik? /Jtiointhim 'ojith r.il in the v.aTie cf the 
 Lord. Where rihfer-ce, That the apulile; did no-t i.fe oil .'-.s 
 the iiiftrumeiit and means of healFng (for then tliccnre had 
 not been ni'raiulous) but only as a iymbol of the cure, or as 
 an outw nrd (ign and tcftimony of miraculous healing : 
 Which outward (ign was for the ftrengthening of the faith 
 of fuch as were healed : afTuring them, thnt as certainly-as 
 their bodies were anointed, fo certainly (hould their healtli 
 and ftrength be reftored. The Papilts upon this ground 
 their facr.iinrnt of fxirif?w .vrc7/9« ; but very vainly : For- 
 the apoftles anointed thofe that were lick, as a (ign for their 
 recovery; but the papifts anoint thofe that have the pangs 
 of death upon them that their fins may be blotted out, and 
 the ("nares of the devil avoided. 4. The charge given bv 
 Chrift to his apoftles at the time of their fending out. This 
 is threefold. Firft, Touching their preparation for their 
 journey, he bids them not take much care, nor fpend much 
 time in furnidiing themfelves vvith victuals, money, ."ppar- 
 els, weapons of defence, and the like ; only taking a walk- 
 ing ftart" in their hands, becattfe they were to fini/h 
 their jnnrnev fpecddy, and to return again to Chrift. This 
 command of our Saviour to his apoftles, not to incumber 
 themfelves when going forth to preach the gofpel, teaches 
 his minifters their duty, to free themfelves asnirch as pofli- 
 bly they can from worldly incumbrsnces which may h'lider 
 thera in the performince of their o.lici and functioii.i. Tia). 
 ii. 4. No man th/ 1 vj:irrttb entangleth himfelf vjith the alfairs 
 ifthislife. Secondly, Touching their lodging in their 
 journey. Oar Saviour advifes them not to ch.inge it, dur- 
 ing their ftay in one pl.nce ; but into 'Mha'.J'n-i'er h'jufe they 
 fir/} entered, thcyjliould there onlimie till ih.y departed out of 
 that place ; that fo they might avoifl all ihew of lightnefs 
 and inconftancy, and teftify ;dl gravity and ftability in 
 their behaviour, this being a fpecial mean to win autliority 
 to their perfons and niiniftry. Thirdly, Chrift gives a 
 charge to his apoftles touching their carriage towards fr.ch 
 as flumld rcfife to .nveentertaiu'nent totheni and thc:rd''c- 
 trine. T"uey were to denoun'.e tlieju 1^ nentsof GoJ agiin^t 
 
J^a 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Ch< 
 
 VI- 
 
 fiich f ontcjiirers, I'j Pjak'iug nffi'rc ciuft >>[ thtir feet fcr a tcf- 
 ti'nony agu'oijt them. Thence karr.. That the contempt of 
 Cod's n^inifters.anil efpeciallyof their niiniflry anddotlrine, 
 i? an odious and txecrable fin, dctefted by God, and which 
 might to he abhorred by man ; Shake -jlf the dujl of y.ur 
 fett. Tliis action was emblematical, rij;nifying that ahuigli- 
 ty God would (hake them off as the vileil of dull. Lcjrn, 2. 
 That wherever die word is preached, it is for a teitimony; 
 either a tellimoiiy foror againft a people. For if the duft 
 of a ininifter's feet bear wimefs againit the defpifers of the 
 pofpel. their fermons much more. Chferve laflly. The 
 cireadliil judgment denounced bv our .Saviour againft the 
 contemners of the apoilies doctrine ; I'erily It /hall he n-.'ire 
 l-'cri-.h'.e J'lr Scd'.ni and Gim-^rrah In the day of jutlgment than 
 fir ihtit riiy. Where not', i. That there lliall be a day of 
 jnc'gmeiu. 2. That in the day of judgment fonie (inners 
 Ihall fnrc wiirle than otiiers. 3. Vhatofall finners the 
 condition tif fuch will be faddeft at the day of judg- 
 ment, who havingjived under the gofpel, havedied afierall 
 in impeniter.cy and infidefuy; /Vr'/v Ifuy unit yai, itfiallbe 
 more tiU-riihU fr ScH'jm, anJCom:rraJ: inthe day 'jf judgment 
 than /or that city. 
 
 14 And king ITcrod heard o//i/m; for his name 
 ivas Ipread abroad ; he faid, That John the Baptifl 
 vas rifen from the dead, and therefore mighty works 
 
 do fliew forth thcmfehcs in him. 
 
 15 Others faid, 
 
 That it i( Elias. And others faid, That it is a prophet, 
 or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod 
 heard tliereof. he faid, It is John whom I beheaded : 
 he i»i rifcn from the dead. 17 For Herod himfelf 
 had lent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound 
 him in prison, for Herodias' fake his brother Philip's 
 wife : for he had married her, 1 8 For John had 
 faid unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy 
 brother's wife. 19 Therefore Herodias had a quar- 
 rel agama him, and would have killed him ; but flie 
 eould not. 20 For Herod feared John, knowing 
 that he was a jufl man and an holy, and obferved 
 him; and when he heard him, he did many things, 
 and heard him gladly. 21 And when a convenient 
 day wjs come that Herod on his birth-day made a 
 fuppcr to hi$ lords, high captains, and chief cflatcs 
 of Galilee: 22 And the daughter of the faid Hero- 
 dias came in, and danced, and pleafed Herod, and 
 thcin that fat with him. the king faid unto the dam- 
 fel, Afk ofme whatfoevcr thou wilt, and I will give 
 li thee. 23 And he fware unto her, Whatfoever 
 thou fhall aik ofme, I will give li thee, unto the 
 half of my kingdom. 24 And Hie \Tent forth and 
 faid unto hcrmother. What fliall I afk ? and Ihefaid 
 The head of John the liaptiit. 3.-, And flie came 
 in araightway with haUe unto the 'king, and afked, 
 faying, I will ihat thou give me. by and by in a 
 charger the head of John theBaptin.' 26 And the 
 king was exceedingly forry ; rrf for his :^ih\ fake. 
 
 and for their fakes which fat with him, he wouldnot 
 rejefther. 27 And immediately the king fent an 
 executioner, and commanded his head to be brought. 
 And he went and beheaded him in the prifon, 28 
 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to . 
 the damfel : and the damfel gave it to her mother-. 
 29 And when his difciples heard of it, they came and 
 took up his corpfe, and laid it in a tomb. 
 
 The hiftory of John the Baptilt's death is here recorded 
 by this Evangelift, as St. Matthew had done before, chap. ■ 
 xiv. I, 2. Here we have thel'e particulars farther ibjervable 
 I. The chara^er and defcription of a zealous and faithful 
 miniller. He is one that deals plainly, and dares tell the 
 greatefl-perfons of their faults. Herod, though a king, is 
 reproved by the Baptift for hisinceft, in taking his brother's 
 wife. The crown and fceptrc of Herod could not daunt ti;e 
 faithful mefTenger of God. There ought to meet in t' 
 minilters of God both courage and impartiality. Coura 
 in fearing no faces ; impartiality, in fparing no iins. 
 Who it was that condemned the Baptift to be beheaded, 
 was Herod the king, 'j/hom he had reproved. How fad is it 
 when -kings, who ihould be nurfing fathers to the church, 
 do prove the bloody butchers ol the prophets of God. The 
 fevereft perfecutions which the prophets of God have fall- " 
 en under, are ufually occafioncd by their telling great men 
 of their crimes. Men in power are impatient of reproof, 
 and imagine that their authority gives them a licenfe to 
 tranfgrels. 3. The time of the Baptilt'sdeath ; itwasu;i- 
 on He.'-od's birth-day. It was an ancient cullom among the 
 eaftern kings, to celebrate their birth days ; Pharaoh did fo, 
 Gen. xl. and Herod here, but both with blood; yet thefe 
 perfonal Iins do not make the practice unlawful, when wefo- 
 lemnize our binb-days with thankfulnefs to our Creator 
 andPrefervcr, and recommend ourfelves by prayer to liis 
 gracious providence and proteftjon for the remainder of our 
 days; thisisanaftofpiety andreligioii. But Herod's birth- 
 day was kept with revelling, with feafting, with mufic and 
 dancing : All which were made finful to him by the circum- ' 
 Itances which did atten3 it. Great men's feafts and frolics 
 are too often the feafon and occalion of mudi fin. 4. The 
 inftigators and promoters of the holy Baptift't death ; Hen- 
 dias and her daughter. Lord I how deadly is the malice of 
 fouls debauched with lufts ! Imprifonment would not fatisfy 
 them, they niufl have his blood. Refol ute iinners who are 
 mad upon their Iiifts, run furioufly upon their oppofers, r. 
 relolvc to bear down all oppofiton they meet with in '.;... 
 gratification of their unlawful defires. <;. With what great* 
 reluctance Herod confented to this villiany ; The king waf 
 exceeding forry. Wicked men oft tin>es fin with a troubled 
 and difturbed confcience ; there is a mighty flruggle be- 
 twixt their reafim and their liifti ; but at Lit ihey maftcr 
 their confcicnces, and chiife rather to gratify their lufls, 
 than to obey their reafon. So did Herod here ; for not- 
 witiiflanding his forrow, he commands the aft ; he fent and 
 beheaded John in the prifon. 6. The motives and induce- 
 ments whiih prevailed with Herod to behead this holy man. 
 ( I .) The confcience of his oath ; jXcztrthel'ff, for his or.tl.^'s 
 fake. See his hypocrify; he made fcrtiple of a raft oath, \ 
 who made no fcrnple of real nmrder. See here not onljr J 
 the folly, but grcit impiety of rsfli vows ; cfpccially in ig- ' 
 
 no . 
 
C«.\p. VI. 
 
 S: 
 
 MARK, 
 
 »13 
 
 „..»-.•,[ rrrrvri*, V-' ' m'l'vrt r' ■'•--;! !■••• t'l '"i .• 
 
 ^v'lu■l•e:lF, it 15 their i. ... , ... .1 toreprntof tlieiii, unci liieu 
 to break them as faft as iheycan St. Ciiryfoiloni fays, 
 HcrocJ mi^lit Iiuve fjiared tlie Baptift's head, atid yet luive 
 kept his oath to Her^tlins ; for lie fwors to give her only 
 half o! his ki.igdom, ;iu'! his !ient! was worth mors than his 
 whole krni^don). (2.) RefpcCl to his reputation, not only 
 for his oath's fiUe, b\it/?r them tbnt/ht with h-.m. They 
 lieard him promile, ami «il! be witncft ngainft him if he 
 do not perform. Iiiilfting upon punftilliosof honour, has 
 h-iz.irdtd the lofs of inillions of fouFs. (3.) His great un- 
 willingnefs to difcontent Herodias and her daughter. O 
 vnin and foolifli hypocrite, who I'rcaded ilic difpleafiiig i;f a 
 wanton niiilrefs, mire tlian the (Wfeiiding of God and confti- 
 ence!' 7.- 1 hele bloodv wonRti do not only require the 
 Baptift to be beheaded, bnt th.tt his heiidbe brought in a char. 
 ger to them. What a difli was here to be fcrved at a prin- 
 ces table on his birch dav ! a dead man's head fwimming in 
 blood. Ho.v prcdigiotidy infatiible is cruelty and revenge! 
 Herodias did ndt think herfclf fr.fe till John was dead ; fhe 
 would, not tliii'k him dead till his head was off, and would 
 not believe his head oft" till fhe had it in her hand. Re- 
 venge never think.? it had made lure enough. O! how 
 cruel is a wicked heart, that could take pleafurc iiu. fptdlacle 
 of fo much horror ! Methinks I fee how that holy head was 
 tolled upon Herod's table by impure and filthy hands. That 
 true and faithful tongue, thofe facred lip?, thofe chsfle eyes, 
 thole mortified cheeks, are now infukingly handled by a 
 licentious harlot, and mide a fcorn to Herod's drunken 
 guefts. 8. That neither the holincfs of the prophets, nor 
 the beft of men, are more fecure from violence than from 
 natural death. The holy Baptift who wasfanftified in the 
 womb, conceived and born with fo much miracle, lived with 
 fo much reverence and obfervation, is now at midnight ob- 
 Icurely murdered in a clofe prifon. 9. That it is as true a 
 martyrdom to fuffrr for duty as for faith. He dies as truly 
 a martyr that dies fordoing his duty, as he that dies for pro 
 fefling his faith, and bearing v.-itnefs to thetruth. 10. How 
 i^T men may go in religion, and yet be far enough from fa- 
 ving grace; they may reverence God's rainifters, believe 
 them tn be holy and jiift men, hear them with delight and 
 pleafure, proted and defend them from their oppofers ; 
 they may reform and do many things ; ^v\A yet be far froin 
 the kingdom 9} God. Herod did all this ; he knew John to 
 be a holy and joft man, reverenced and refpefted him, 
 guarded and kept him fafe from Herodias' malice. For 
 though he was imprifoned before, yet Herod fulFered none 
 to hurt him, but heard him often with pleafure and delight. 
 Wicked an-1 unregenerate men may be lb afFecied with the 
 word of God, as to become proteftorsaad defenders of thole 
 that dilpenfe it, and yet may be, after all, remain under 
 the power ofhypocrify. Nay, from Herod's example we 
 jn.iy hofn, That a wicked man may take foine pleafure and 
 delight in bearing :he word preached ; either the generali- 
 ty of the truths alterted, or the novelty of the notions deliv- 
 ered, or the wit and fancy, the graceful elocution and de- 
 livery of the preacher, may create a prefent delight ; but 
 it is neither a fpiritual delight, nor an abiding delight. And 
 vjhen his difciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpfe, 
 and laid it in a tomb. When his difciples heard of it, that 
 is, the diliciples of John hearing that their holy mafter wjs 
 
 lic-cciuly iuti-'ifiid if. I c\ii ri liumx", That tnc faitiiiid lor- 
 vants of God arc not alhained of the fulFerings of the faints, 
 but will teftify their refpcccs unto them, both living, dying, 
 and dead. The difciijles of John gave their in;. fter an hon- 
 ourable andrffpedfiil burial, fearing ntahtr ikrod'spuw*- 
 "r, nor Herodias' malice. 
 
 30 1 And the apofllcs gathered thcnifclvcs togc- 
 tlicr unto Jefiis, and told them all tlun^s, both what, 
 thrv had done, and what they h .d tau'^hc. 3 1 And 
 he fiiid unto thctn. Come ye yourrt'lvcs apart into a 
 dcfcrt place, and reft, a-while : forthcrc were manv 
 cominiT and going, and they had no leiCure lo much 
 as to cat. 32 Andthey. departed into a dclert plac;; 
 by (hip privately. 30 And the people faw them 
 departini^, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither 
 out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together 
 unto him. 34 And Jefus, when he came out, fau' 
 much people, and was moved with tompaffion tow- 
 ard them, bocauic they were as Qieep not having a 
 fliepherd : aud he began to teach them many thing.s. 
 
 &bfer~L'e here. I. How the report of John's death being 
 brought toChr:ft,he prefently withdraws, and his difciples 
 with him, from that plice into the defert. Chriii will ijos 
 long continue his prefence in thofe places where an)' of tiis 
 fervanis are fain, sr.d otitis are in danger. — How cur 
 Saviour, upon the fnorteft notice of John's death, flies into 
 the defert for his own prefervation ; Bis I::ur v.'as n'A ytt 
 csme, and theiefcre he keeps out of Herod's way. It is lio 
 cowartlice to fly from the rsge of perfecuiors. Chrift him- 
 fclf both pr.iftifed it, and directed his difciples to it, faying. 
 When they persecute you in one city, fly to another. We 
 muft not expofe our lives ic hazard, but when the laying 
 down our lives will do God and religion more fervice than 
 we caadoby living. 3. With what condolency and fym- 
 pathizing pity our blefied Saviour exercized acl:sofincrcv 
 and compaflion, when the objefts of compafTion were be- 
 fore him. Jr/us/eting the multitude, 'jjaf moved -jjith CjW- 
 pajfion iivjards them. Chrifl, when here on earth, did 
 bear a tender and compaflionate heart towards poor crea- 
 tures in diftrefs andmifery ; and to our comfort he retains 
 the fame coBipalfionate nature and difpolition new in heaven 
 which he had here on earth. 4. 1 he ground or cnufe of 
 tliisconipaflion in our Saviour, becaufe they were at/teip 
 having no Jliepberd. Learn thence. That the cafe of fuch a 
 people is very fad, and their condition to be much lament, 
 ed and pitied, who are deltitute of able, faithful, and con. 
 fciencious paflors and teachers, to feed them with the fpir- 
 itual food of the word and facraments. Where proviflon 
 fails, the people periih. But w.as the Jewilh chunh no\v 
 without paftors, as Oieep without a fliepherd ? Had they 
 not the Pharifees' the fcribes and doctors 10 teach and in. 
 ftrutl them? Yes, no doubt; but they were no pallors in 
 Chrift's account, becaufe unfaithful pallors. Thence Irarn, 
 That idle, negligent, and unfaithful pallors, are no paftors 
 in the flght of God, and in the account of Chrift. J<fus bad 
 compajjiin on thf multitude, becaujt, ice. 
 
 35 And when the d^y was now far fpent, his dif- 
 
 dil- 
 
144 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 ciples came unto him, and faid, This is a defert 
 place, and now the- time is farpalFed: 36 Send 
 t'lem away, that they m.iy go into the country round 
 about, and into (he viHages, and buy themlclvcs 
 bread : for they have nolhin;^ to eat. 37 IIj an- 
 fwercd and faid unto them, Giveyc them to eat. And 
 they fay unto him, Shall we go and buv two hun- 
 dred peimy worth ofbrcid, and give them to eat i" 
 38 He faith unto them, How many loaves have ye ? 
 go and fee. And when they knew, they fay, Five, 
 and two fiflii^s. And he commanded them to make 
 nil fit down by companies upon the green grafs. 40 
 And they fat down in ranks by hundreds and by fif- 
 ties. 41 And when he liad taken the five loaves 
 and the two fi flies, he looked up to heaven, and blef- 
 fed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his dif- 
 ciples to fet before them ; and the two fifties divi- 
 ded he amongfl them all. 42 And they did all eat, 
 and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baf- 
 kets full of the fragments, and of the filhes. 44 And 
 they that did eat of the loaves, were about five thou- 
 iandmen. 
 
 This miracle of our Saviour's feeding five thoufand men, 
 befide women and children, with five loaves .ind two fifli- 
 es, is recorded by all the four evangelifts ; and in the hif- 
 tory of it thele following particulars are obfervable : i. 
 The dil'ciples pity towards the mu]ti(ude, who had long 
 f.dtcJ, and wanted now the ordinary comforts and fupports 
 of life. It v.ell becomes the miniflers of Chrifl to refpeft 
 the bodily nerellities as well as regard the fpiritual wants 
 of perfons. 2. The moticn which the difciples make to 
 Clirilt, on behalf of the multitude, Send them away, that 
 they may buy vicluals . Here was a flrong charity, but a 
 weak faith. Aftrong charity, in dcfiring the people's re- 
 lief; but a weak faith, in fuppoling that they could not o- 
 therwife be relieved but by lending them away ; Forget- 
 ting that Chrift, who had healed the multitudenuraculoufly, 
 coiiid alfo feed them ruiiaculoufiy if he pleafed ; all things 
 being equally eal'y to an almigluy power. 3. Our Savi- 
 our's ftrange reply to the difciples requeft : They need 
 not depart ; Give ye them to eat. Need not depart ! Why, 
 the people mull either feed or famifh. Vicluals they muft 
 have, and a dry defert will afford none. Yes, fays Chrift, 
 t3 his difciples. Give ye them to cut. Alas I poor tlifciples ! 
 they had nothing for theinfelves to eat, how then fltould 
 they give the multitude to e.u? When Chrift requires of 
 us what we aie unable to perform, it is to Ihew us our ini- 
 potency and weaknels, ant! to provoke us to look up to him, 
 and depend by faith on his almighty power. 4. What a 
 poor and llcndrr provifion the Lord of the earth has for 
 his osvn houlliold .ind i:\nv\y , five barley loai'cs and t'jto fmall 
 f[[het. Teathinii; us, I'liat thefe bodies of our's muft be 
 fed, but not pampered ; our bvdly muft not be our mafter, 
 mujli lei's >ai- g > '. Fae end of food is to fuftain niiture, we 
 muft not ftifle it with a gluttonous variety. And as the qua 
 I'ty of the viduals WAS plain, fo the c]unntity was finall » 
 five li'aves and two fillies. Well might the difciples fay, 
 W'l.ut are thefe am>ngfa many ? The eye of fenfe and rt 3- 
 
 fon fees an utter irapoffibility of thofe cfFefts which faith 
 can eafdy apprehend, ami divine power more eafily produce. 
 5. How Chrift, the great mafter of the feaft, doihmarlhal 
 his guefts. He ommanJs them all to [it d'Aun in ranks, by 
 hundreds and by fifties. None of them reply, <'Sit do>\ii, 
 but to what? Here are the mouths, but where is the meat? 
 We may foon be let, but when or whence flial! we be lerv- 
 cd ?" Not a word like this ; but they obey and expert. 
 I<ord, how eafy is it to truft to thy providence, and rely 
 upon thy power, when there is corn in the barn, bread in 
 the cup'ioard, or money in the purfe ; but when ouritore* 
 are all empty, and we have nothing in hand, then to depend 
 upon an invilible bounty, is a true and noble aclof faith. 6. 
 The actions performed by qMrbleflctl Saviour ; He hlejjed, 
 andhrake, and gave the haves to his Sfc\pks, and they to the, 
 multitude. I. He hlejfed x.\\cm, teaching us by his example 
 never to ufe or receive the good creatures of God for our 
 nourifhment, without prayer and praife ; never to fit down 
 to our food as a beaft to his forage. He brake the loaves. 
 He could have multiplied them whole, why then would he 
 rather do it m the breaking! Perhaps to teach us, that we 
 may rather expect his bleliingin thediftribution of his boun- 
 ty, than in the refervatioa of it. Scattering is the way to 
 increaling, liberality is the way to riches. 3. Chrift _f<ivtf 
 the bread thus broken to his dfcipics, that they might diftri-, 
 bute it to the multitude. But why did our Lord diftribute 
 the loaves by his difciples hands? Doubtlefs to gain refped: 
 to his difciples from the people. And the fame courfc cloth 
 our Lord take in fpiritual diftributions. He that could feed 
 the world by his own immediate hand, cliufes rather by the 
 hand of his ininifters to divide the bread of life among his 
 people. 7. The certainty and greatnefs of the miracle : 
 They did all eat, and -jjere filled. They did all eat, not a 
 crumb nor a bit, but to fatiety and fulhiefs. All that were 
 hungrv did eat, and all that did eat, were fatisfied, and yet 
 t'jjelve bafkets of fragments remain. More was left than was 
 at firft fet on. It is hard to fay which was the greateft mi- 
 racle, the miraculous eating, or the miraculous leaving. If • 
 v.'e confider what they ate, we may wonder that they left 
 any thing. If what they left, that they eat any thing. 
 8. Thefe fragments, though of barley loaves, and [fifii- 
 bones, muft not be loft, but at our Saviours command, 
 gathered up. The liberal houfekeeper of the world, 
 will not allow the lofs of his orts. O how tremendous will 
 their account be, who hiving large and plentiful eftates, 
 fpend them upon their lufts, being worfe than loll in God's 
 account. 
 
 45 9 And ftraightway he conftrained his difciples 
 to get into a fhip, and to go to the other fide before 
 unto Bethfaida, while he fent away the people. 46 
 And when he had fent them away, he departed into a 
 mountain to pray. ^j And when even was come, 
 the fhip was in the niidll of the fea, and he alone on 
 the land. 48 And he law them toiling in rowing : 
 for the wind was contrary unto them : and about the 
 fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, 
 walking upon the fea, and would have palfed by 
 them. 49 But when they faw him walking upon 
 the fea, they fuppofed it had been a fpirit, and cried 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 H-: 
 
 oiit, 50 For ihcy all faw him and were troubled. 
 And immediately he talked with them, and laid unto 
 them, be of good cheer; It is I ; be not afraid. 51 
 And he went up unto them into the Ihip ; 
 and the wind ceaicd. And they were fore a- 
 TOazed in themfelves beyond meafurc, and wonder- 
 ed. 52 For they confidered not M^? OT:rc:<:/e of the 
 loaves : for their heart was hardened. 
 
 This paragraph acquaints 'is with another miracle which 
 our Saviour wrought, inivalking upon the fca to his dijcipks \ 
 and herein we have <;l^/'<'r^•^:/^V, i. His ftniling his nifciplcs 
 tofea, ki c'jnj}rav\ed them to go Into the Jh!p\ not compehing 
 them againlt their wills, buttommandingthem to take fliip, 
 and go before him. No doubt the difciples were loath to do 
 this,"" imwilling to leave iiim, and to go -without him ; for 
 they tliat have once tidied the fu-ectnefs of Chrifts company 
 and acquaintance, are hardly andtiirncukly drawn away from 
 him. 2. Chi ift having difmilfed his difciples and the com- 
 pany, retires into a mcuntaiii to pray ; to teach us. That when 
 we addrcfs ourfelves to God in duty, we take all helps, fur- 
 therances and ad\antageEfiir the doing of our duty. We muR 
 difmifs the multitude, before we addrefs to God in prayer ; 
 Me mud fend away the nudtitude of -vvordly cares, worldly 
 Concerns and bufinefs, wiien we would wait upon Go<I in du- 
 ty. 7. The great danger the difciples were in, and the diffi- 
 culties they were to encoimtcr with. They zvere in the tnidjl 
 tf the Jen, toffecl with the iva-es and the zviiulwas cotitrary \ and 
 which was faddvfl of all, Chrill was abfent. The wifdom of 
 God fomctimes fuffers his children and people, not only to be 
 diftreflcd, but greatly diltrelled with a variety of diftreflTes. 4. 
 Tiie feafonable fuccour and relief which Chrift afforded his 
 difciples; In the fourth ivatch of the flight he came unto them 
 waiiing upon the ivaiers. It was not a (tormy andtempeftuous 
 fea that coidd feparate betwixt him and them ; he that wa- 
 ded through a fca of blood and a fea of wrath to fare his peo- 
 ple, will walk upon a fca of waters to fuccour and relieve 
 them. And the tiinc was the fourth watch, about four in the 
 morning, when they had been many hours confli£ling with 
 the waves, and in great danger of their lives. To teach us, 
 Tiiat Chrill fometimcs lengthens out the trials of his children 
 lieforc he delivers them ; but when they come to an extrem- 
 ity, that is the feafon of his fuccour. 5. How the difciples 
 took their deliverer for their deflroyer ; /A7v« theyfaiv Chriji^ 
 they cried out. Their fears were higheft when their deliverer 
 and deliverance were nearell ; G<xl may be coming with fal- 
 vation and deliverance to his people, when tlicy for the pre- 
 fent cannot difcern it. 6. When the difciples were in the 
 faddeft condition, one word frum Chrill revives them; it is 
 a fufficient fupport in all our afRidUons, to hear Chrift's voice 
 fpeaking tons, and tf^cnjoy his iavourablc prefonce with us. 
 Say but, O Saviour, // m /, and then let evils do the worfl: 
 That one word, // is I, is fiillicicnt to allay all ilorms, and 
 to calm a thoufand tempeft's. Laflly, What influence and 
 tftecl this miracle had upon the difciples. They iiere fore ama- 
 zed, and beysnd nuajure iijionijhed; they wonder at the ceafing 
 of the winds, and calming of the fcas ; but they had forgotten 
 the miracle «f the loaves, which was agreat ftupiclity and ('u'. 
 nefs in them, and argued hardnefs of heart, and want of 
 confideraiion in them, Learn thence. That there is much 
 Ihipidity of mind, and har<l.icfs cf heart, remaining unmor- 
 
 tificd in the btfl of f.iints ; 'Whilft I'le in an i»f j frful fTaii; 
 the work of grace and fan£lificaiicn is but iirperftifl in the 
 befh 
 
 53 And when they had pnfTcd over, tlicy came 
 into the land of (icnrllarct, and drew near the 
 fliore, 54 And when they were come out of thf. 
 fliip, flraightway they knew hiin. 5/5 And ran 
 through that whole rej^ion roundabout, ;ind beqoti 
 to cany about in beds thofe that wen: fick wherr: 
 they heard he was. 56 And whitherfocvsr he en- 
 tered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid 
 thefick in the ftreets, and bcfought him that they 
 might touch jf it were but the border of his gar- 
 ment : And as many as touched him ^verc mad« 
 whole. 
 
 Here dferve, i. The unwearied diligence and indiif- 
 try of our Saviour in going about to do good .• He no foon- 
 cr landeth, but he goeth into Geneilaret, and healeth their 
 tick. It was the great bufinefs and conflant tmplov'ment 
 of our Saviour's life to travel from piace to place, that he 
 might be ufeful and beneficent to mankind : He went to 
 thofe that coidd not, and to thofe that would not, come 
 to him. 2. The people of GenefFaret's charity to their 
 fick neighbours ; They fent abroad, to let the cou.ntrv 
 know that Chriil the great phyfician ivns come amongfl 
 them. There is a duty of love and mercy which we owe 
 imto thofe that are in affliction and mifcrv ; N.-:melv, To 
 afford them the befl help, relief and fuccour we art' r.ble, 
 both in their inward and outward afflictions. •^. The 
 fuddenncfs and certainty of the aire: They touched him, 
 and were made whole. The healing virtue lay not in their 
 fingers, but in their faith ; or rather in Chrift, whom their 
 faith apprehended. 
 
 CHAP, VII. 
 
 TH E N came together unto him the Pharifees, 
 and certain of the Scribes, which came fiom fc- 
 rufaleiB. 2 .-Vnd when they faw fome of his difci- 
 ples eat bread with defiled (that is to fay, with un- 
 waflien) hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pha- 
 rifees, and all the Jews, except they walh theiv 
 hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the el- 
 ders. 4 And when they come from the marker, ex- 
 cept they wafli, they cat not. And many other 
 things there be which they have received to hold, as 
 the walhing of pots and cups, of brazen velFcls. and 
 tables. 5. Then the Pharilees and Scribes afked 
 him. Why walk not thy difciples according to tha 
 tradition of the elders, but eat bread with un- 
 waflien h.-^.nds ? 6 Mo aniwcixdandfaidunto them. 
 Well hath Efaias prupheficd of you hypocrites, as 
 it is written. This people honoureth me with their 
 lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbcit, 
 in vain do they worfliip mc, teaching for doftrinei, 
 the commandments of men. 8 For layin ' ande '"% 
 the coinmandmeut of God, ye hold the traJjfii.n 
 
 T of 
 
ti6 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 VII. 
 
 of men, as the w.ifhing of pots and cups: And ma- 
 ny other fuch like things ye do. 9 And he faid 
 
 the Pinrifccs tasight, That in cafe the chilJ of a pD^^r pa- 
 rent, tliat wanted relief, would give a gift to the temple, which 
 
 , 1- 11 11 " ■' Ci. ^\. ' J . f gift they called r;r/>(7w, that i<:, a cift confecrated to God and 
 
 tmlo them, 1 uliwcll ye reject the commandment ot t- .. ' . .' .'.. .^ -. . 
 
 (iod, that yr may keep your own tradition. 10 
 For Mofcs faid, Honour thy Father and thy mother : 
 And, Whofo curfcth father or mother let him die 
 the death : 1 1 But ye fay. If a man fliall fay to Iiis 
 fathcror mother, // is Corban, that is to fay, a <^ift. 
 
 relieious ufcs; tliat tiien the children of Inch poor parents were 
 ilrfcnarged from making any fartlier provilion for their aged 
 and impotent parents ; but mi^lit reply after this manner, 
 "That which ihou afkefl for thy fupply, is given to God, and 
 therefore I cannot relieve thee :" So (hat covetous arKl grace- 
 lefs children look upon it as the mofl frugal waj, once for alf, 
 , r 1 • 1 a 1 r j\ L to find to the templc, rather than oav the condant rcfit of rc- 
 
 by ^vhatfocvcr thou mightcR be profited by me ; he ,i^f ^^^ ^,,^.5^ poor parents. X/^r/,hencc, That the prafticc of 
 fiallhcjrce. la And ye fufPer hiin no more to do moral duties is required bcf(TC, and is more acceptable to al- 
 oui^ht for his father or mother; 13 Makinf^ the inighty God than themoftfoleiiinaclsandexccrcifcsofinflitnt- 
 v.ord of God. of none cffe6l through your tradition cd worfhip whatfoever : I will^ave mercy, fzys God, ra.'/jer than 
 -.vliicli vc have deli\ercd. And many fuch like things ff'''f"' A>id h^do jujlhe rjndyudgfntntls more acceptable iha,: 
 , ' burnt -ojjenng. Secondly, That i\o duty, gift, or otfermg to 
 
 ^'^ ) Gcxl is accepted, where the duty of charity is neglc»ltcd: It is 
 
 The f-jrmcr part of thischaptcr acquaints us with tliecon- much more acceptable to G(xl to refreOt the bowels of Jiis 
 ftrencc and difputation which our Saviour had with the Pha- faints, whoare the living teinples of the Holy Ghod, than to 
 •"ifecs about thtir fuptrititious obfervation of the Jewilh tradi- adorn material temples \sith gold andfilvcr. Cicrban is a S)»- 
 lions \ thcfe traditions were fuch rites and cuftoms as were riac word, fignifying a gift given untoGod : The I'harifecs 
 -ielivsred to them by the ciders and rulers of the Jcwifii church applied thcfe gifts to the ufe and fervice of the temple, pofii?- 
 iri former times i wliich traditions thev retjardcd and valued biv to repair, beautify, and adorn it; which had not been ar 
 more than the exprtfs commandments of God. L^rn thence, mifs, if they. had not taught that fuch gifts to tlie temple di<i 
 That fupcrftitious men are always mo.rc fond of, and 7,cal(nis difchaige children from the duty ot charity to their natural 
 for, the traditioiis of men in divine worlhip, than tor the ex- parents: Thcjc things they ought t-jhcrvc done, in the fir!! place, 
 prels commands of God. Secondly, -that it is the manner of 
 iuch pcrfons to tie others to their pra^lice and example in mat- 
 ters of religious worfliip, and to cenfurc and condemn all 
 ihofe who do not conform to tliein in the fmallcft matters. 
 The rinrifees here cenfurc the difciples for eating with wxk- 
 ^valhin har.ds, becaufeit was their cuitom towaflt when ihcy 
 did cat; Yet diil not Chrifl or his difciples rcfufe to walh 
 before meat, as it was a civil and decent cudom, but becaufc 
 the Pharifees made it a religious :iic: 'leaching us, That 
 what i.s in iifelf indiftercnt, and may without oftence be done 
 as a civil cuilom, oiicht tobc uircouiUenanccd, and oppofed 
 when required of- us as an ac-l of religion. The Jews, fear- 
 
 and Hit to have the other iindifie. 
 
 14 IT And when he had called all the pcoplcunio 
 him, he faid unto them, lieaiken unto mc every oru; 
 of you, and underftand. 15 There is nothing from 
 without a man thatentering into him can defile him : 
 but the things which conic out of him, thofe arc 
 they that defile the man. \6 If any man have ears 
 to hear, let Inm hear. 17 Aiul when he was entered 
 into tJte ho.ufc from the people, his difciples afked 
 him coi>cermng the parable. 18 And-he faith untp 
 
 ing led thc\ ihoiijd to'.ich any perfon orthing thutA\asiiuclean, them, Are vc ("0 without underftanding alfo ? Do yc 
 andfoli^ defiled un.iwares, did ufe frequent walhings, as not perricvV, that whatfoever lb ing from without en- 
 ofoip.s, pot.s vcCei.s tab^s bed., or couchc.s win. h they tereth into'a man, it cannot defilc'him ; 10 Becaulc 
 
 it entercth not into his heart, but inio the bellv. and 
 
 i.iy iip'in when thcv «!c: Tlif.s Pharifaical hypocril'y puts 
 
 (lod off with oi!t-.vard chiamlncinlle.Ki of inward purity ; re- . - 
 
 garding more the cmwardcieannefs of the hand, than the in- goeth out into the draught, purguig all ineat.s ? 20 
 n:,rd p'.nhv ofthe heart. Tiii.s wis the accnfjtion of the And he faid, that which Cometh out of a man, that 
 Piiariftes ; to which cur Saviour replies, by way of recri- defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the 
 
 heart of mc:i. proceed evil thotights, adulteries, for- 
 nications murders. 22 Thefts, covetoufnefs,wicked- 
 nefs, deceit, lacivioufnefs, an evil eve, blafphemv, 
 pride, foolifhntis ; 23 All thei'e evil tliin...is come 
 
 : 'U! 
 
 :!pic^■ did not cbfcrvc the traditions of 
 
 injnation, that if his 
 
 the 'cUlcr.'^, thev '' the Phariroe? ) did rcjecl and male vJd lie 
 
 c;'i!'''-a':dr;('^t oj G'.d, nvd d'ul ivzrlh'tf. htviinvenn, teaching for 
 \d-jfirln,'s the tamrnnnhr^rts 'ftnen. Lenrn hence. That :1! fcr- 
 
 »iec and worlhip which i^■ oficrcd to God, according to man's 
 
 , will and orvlinam-cs, and rot according to the rule of Gods from within, and defile the man 
 '.-.vn v^-ord, i= vain .'Jid .;r)protltablc:_ Divine inliituticn is Our blelTcd Sixiour, leaving the Phaiifees v iilv fomc dif- 
 
 fht onjy p'lrr rr.lc o rvi.gious worfiiip as to the fubllanccof jjk applies i.imftlVio the m.iltimde, and inilruds them inr. 
 
 ,rr Inn ''^' !'?-^ not command, he forhds. A./. ,^^^ n'^,^{^(^^,^...3„^ ,,r^,f^^^ -- - 
 
 -.c\t. I ew men our Saviour proiltices of tlie I'iiari- 
 
 j»-s ^ i'ji_ti:>.: ;.n uyprefs comm.andof G<Kl,niidpreferringtheir 
 ' ' ;i i.nii'. i'..4.s ; ;.t«irt it : He indances in the fifth ccmmand- 
 n;, which requires children to, relieve their parents in their 
 icciliiics. K'ivv though the Pliarifces did not deny tliis i;i 
 ri term*,' Vet i)'ey made an cxccpiiun from it : ^v!licll, if 
 t lfTMrcnp'.t'a<v'd,-:T;i2ht render it vain, void, and ufclefj ; for 
 
 touching the true oiifrins^ 
 caufe of all fpirir.ial pollution and imcleannefs; namely, Thr 
 filihinefs end impurity of man's heart and nature. And'hn- 
 it is not the meat eaten with the mouth, which pollutes a per- 
 fon in God s .ncco'.int. The heart and foul of man alo.'ir is 
 capable of (iiifid dcfileinent. Notliing can defile a perlbn i;i 
 GodB J^coi:nt, hut that which defileth the inward' mart 
 Leum thence, i. That the heart of man is the link and feed- 
 plot 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 M7 
 
 plot of all fin, the foil rci and fountain rf niJ polluticii, 2. 
 That all tlx impiciy of tiic life proceeds from ihe iinpuriiy 
 iind filthinefs of the' heart. Men's lives Monld not be li bad, 
 it^' their hearts-ivcrc not worfe. The diiciples deiiring the in- 
 terpretation of the i')rtgx)in^4 paraM.-, our Saviour gives it 
 them; but withal, CNpouiil.iies with them for not iinder- 
 il.nnding a mailer fo obvious and plain, .^n-yf yet ■tcithout un- 
 derJiarJlng? As if he had faid,"Have yr.u fat t'luslong under 
 my minilkrial teaching, and enjoyed the benefit of my con- 
 verfation, and yet are no farther proficients in knowledge:'' 
 Plainly intimating, that Chrifl cxpeds a proficiency in know- 
 ledge from us, prop'>rtionab!e to the opportiir.itl^s lod means 
 of knowledge enjoyed by us. Having given them this r£bukc, 
 he next acquaints them with the fenf:; and meani;-:g of the pa- 
 rable ; namely, that it is out of a wicked and finfu! heart, 
 that all fm and -vvickcdnefs doih proceed. Though the occa- 
 lions of fin are from without, yet the fource and original of it 
 is from witliin. The heart of man is as a cage full of un- 
 clean birds ; Hen:c proceed evil jhoughts, either againft God or 
 our neighb(/iirs. AflidUries\ or all the fihs of the flefh.. 
 Murders ; that is, all cruelty and hard dealing towards o- 
 thcrs. An evil eye-, that is an en\icus fpirit, which frets 
 and grieves at the happinefs of other? ; called an evil eye, bc- 
 caufe envy doth much llic\v and manifcfl itfelf in the outward 
 countenance, and efpccially by the eyes. From the whole, 
 ui/e, That the bed way to hinder the progrefs of fin in tlie 
 life, is to mortify it in the heart, to crucify all inordinate mo- 
 tions, luds, and corruptii>ns in their root ; for the heart is the 
 firft feat and fubjcdl of jiu, from >vhencc it ilows forth into 
 life and converfation. 
 
 24 And fiom thence he arofe, and went into thebor 
 clers of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an houfe, 
 and would have no man know it : but he could not 
 be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whofe young 
 daughter had an unclean fpirit, heard of him, and 
 came <ind fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a 
 Greek, a Syrophenician by nation. And fhe be- 
 fought him that he would call forth the devil out of 
 her daughter. 27 But jefus faid unto her, Let the 
 children firfl be filled : for it is not meet to take the 
 children's bread, and to call it unto the dogs. 28 
 And fhc anfwered, and faid unto him, Yes, Lord : 
 yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's 
 Crumbs. 29 And he faid unto her, For this faying, 
 go thy way ; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 
 30 And when (he was come to her houfe, Ihe found 
 the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the 
 bed. 
 
 All along in thehiitory ofour Saviour's life, we arc to take 
 notice how he went about from place to place doing good. 
 Being now come into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, he 
 finds a poor woman of the race of the Canaanites, who be- 
 come at firft an humble fupplicant, and then a bold beggar, on 
 the bclialf of her pollcllcd daughter. VVhtre otferze, i. 
 That though all Ifrael could not example the faith of this 
 Canaanite, yet was her daughter torir.ented with the dc\i!. 
 Learn thence. That neither truth nor fsith, nor ilrength of 
 fidth, can fccure againll Satan's afiaultr, or outward vexations; 
 
 and confe(|ucntIy, the woifl of bodily aT if? ions ure rr fiifTi-* 
 cicnt proot of divine dilpltrdurc. 2. l"li? d3\:glitcr illl not 
 cometo Chri/l for hcifiH, but the motlicr for her. Perhapv 
 the child was not fo finfible of its own ir.L''cr':, Hut the mother 
 fei-!s both tile child's forrovf^ and her O'.rn. Trtic goodntfi 
 teaches us to appropriate the all'ictinns of ofhc!"! toouift ivc?, 
 caufing us to bear their grief?, and to fympaihi/.e witliihcm 
 in their forrow<!. ^. The fccming fce.ity of Chrifl to this 
 poor woman; he calls her not a woman, but a //jj-; and, 3^, 
 ir were, fpurnshcr t'roiu the table. Did ever fo fcveic a 
 word drop from ihoR- m'M lips r What lliall we fay ? Is the 
 Lamb of God iiirncd a lion, that a woman in diftreO, implo- 
 ring pity, fhould be thu."; rated out of C'i.rilt's prefence f iiirt 
 Lence we learn. How Chrift puts tlie itr< :iig» !l faith c-f i.ii 
 own children upon the ftvercfl trial. Tids tfiil had never 
 been fo (harp, if her faith had not been fort rong : Ufiial'v, 
 where God gives much grace, he tries grace much. 4. The 
 h;imb!e carriage of this holy woman; her hnmillty granN 
 a]', her patience overcomes all, flie meekly dtfires 10 pollc.'s 
 the dogs place ; not to croud to the table, but to creep under 
 it, and partake of the cniinbs ofmercv that fall from thence. 
 Nothing is fo pleating to Chrift as to fee his people follow 
 him with faith and importunity when he fcemsto v.ithdrat.- 
 himfelf from them. 
 
 31 5 And again, departing from the coafls o- 
 Tyrc and Sidon, he came unto the fea oE/Jalilec, 
 througli the midfl of the coafts of Decapolis. 32 
 And they bring unto him on? that wa-; deaf, and 
 had an impediment in his fpeech; and they befeech 
 him to put his hand upon him. 33 Arid he took 
 him afide from the multitude, and put his lingers 
 into his ears, and he fpit, and touched his tongue ; 
 34 And looking up to heaven, he fighed, and faith 
 unto him, Ephphatha, that is. Be opened. 35 And 
 ftraightway his ears were opened, and the Ibing of 
 his tongue was loofed. and he fpake plain. 36 And 
 he charged them that they fhould tell no man : But 
 the more he charged them, fo much the more ;i 
 great deal they publiflied ?^; 37 And were beyond 
 meafure aflonifhed, faying. He hath done all thini.s 
 well : he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the 
 dumb to fpeak. 
 
 See here, i. The bitter fruits and fad e.ffccls of fin, ■v\ liicij 
 has brough' deafnefs, dumbnefs, and blindncfs upon the hu- 
 man nature. As death, fo all difeafes entered into the world 
 by fin : fin fitfl brought infirmities and mort.^dity in",) oiir na- 
 tures, and the wages of fin are difeafes and death. 2. That 
 the blefiiiig of bodily health and healing is from Cliriit ; who 
 by his divine power, as he was God, miraculouily and im- 
 mediately healed them that were brought unto him. 3. TUk 
 aflions and geftures which our Saviuur iifed-in healing thi> 
 deaf perfiiii. He puts his fingurcs into his cars, he fpit, and 
 touched his tongue. Not that thefe were means or naiural 
 caufes effedling the cure, for there was no h-'uling virtues in 
 thelpittle; but only outward figns, tcllimoriics, and pled:>c ; 
 of Chrilt's divine power and gracious readinefi to cure tlic 
 pcrfon in diihefs. 4. How Chrift withdrew the perfon frofti' 
 the multitude, whom he yv^s about to help and heal. Teacf.- 
 
»48 
 
 »T. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. vii. 
 
 ^^us, In :i'.I oiirjjootl works to avniil all fhcw and appear- 
 ance ot'oftentatioii and vain-glory : To fct G(xl's glory before 
 our eyes, aiul not feck our own praife. 5. The efFc« which 
 this mir.icle had upon the multitude; it occalioned their a- 
 ftonilliment and applaufc. Ti'fy ivere ajl'.mjhed, andjald. He 
 hdh done all lhin*s ivell. It becomes u» both to take notice of 
 the woixLrful works of God, and alfo to ma'j;nifv and extol 
 the rturhcl of them. This is one way of glorifying our Cre- 
 ator. 
 
 CHAP. viir. 
 
 IX thole days the niuhitudc bcinq very great, and 
 having nothin.; to eat, Jefui-. called his difciples 
 unto him, and faith unto tlioni, 2 I have compaffion 
 oa tlie multitude, becaufe they have now been with 
 ?ne three days, and have nothini; to cat : 3 And if 
 I lend them away failing to their own houfcs, they 
 will faint by the way : for divers of them came from 
 far. 4 And his difciples anfwercd him, From whence 
 ran a man fatisfy thcfc men witit bread here in the 
 wildcrnels ? 5 And he afked them, How many 
 loaves have ye ? And they laid. Seven. 6 And he 
 commanded the people to fit down on the ground : 
 and he took the fcven loaves, and gave thanks, and 
 brake, and gave to his difciples to let before i/;CTi; 
 and they did ftti/^wj before the people. 7 And they 
 had a few fmall fiflies : and he bleffed, and com- 
 manded to fet them alfo before than. 8 So they did 
 f.it, an^d v.'cre filled: and they took up of the bro- 
 ken meat lh.nt was left, feven bafkets. 9 And they 
 that had eaten were about four thoufand: And he 
 fent them away. 
 
 This chapter begins with the relation of a famous miracle 
 T/rouglu by our Saviour ; namely, his feeding of four thouf- 
 and perfons with I'ercn loaves and a few fillicF. And here we 
 have, shj'ervf:ble, firA, The tender care which Chrift took of 
 the bodies of men, to provide all nccciFaries for their fupport 
 «nil Comfort ; He gh clh us richly all things to enjoy. The great 
 Houfckccperoftlie world ipenctb his hands, mulfilkth nil things 
 xjlth flir.te-AiJneJs. }Iow careful was our Saviour here, that 
 the liodiis of poor creatures mi»ht not faint, nor beovcr weak 
 ind weary 'jy the way ' Therefore he would not difmifs t!uin 
 V Ith.iut refrefhmcnt. 2. The original fourcc and Ipring frr.in 
 vhe,n,-c thiscareihat Chrillhadof the multitudedid proceed and 
 How ; namely, from that fympathizing pity and tender rom- 
 pafli.iu wl.ich the merciful heart of Chrid did bear towards 
 perfons in di-'^rcfs and mifery. I.earn hence, That the len- 
 der |)i!y and compafHon of Chri.1 is not the fpring and foun- 
 i.:iii of fpii itual mcrcic; only, but of temporal blcfTiags alfo ; 
 I /•.;■;■<• c-jmpr,(fu,n on the ■multitude who have nothing to eat. 7. 
 How the difciples, not feeing any outward vifible meatis for 
 the peoples fupport, conclude it impoffiblc for fo many *o be 
 faiisfitd wiih the little fupply they had ; namely, feven loaves 
 and a few fmall (iflies. if/7r« thence, Thata^\eak faith 
 foon ;',vov\-s thoughtful, and fometimcs diftruflful at the fight 
 of <lilficulties. IVhence, fays the difcipk-, can thejc vieh /'.y;.- 
 lisfitil<u.uh bread? Not confidering that the power of God''r; 
 
 bleffrng our fxxl, is far above the mean-^ of food. It is as ca- 
 fy for him tofiiflain and nourilh us with a little as with much; 
 Miin liveth not by bread alcne, but by the blelfrng of 
 CJod upon the bread he eats. 4. That although Chrifl 
 could nave fed thcfe four thoufand without the loaves, 
 yet he takes and makes ufc of them, feeing they may be had. 
 Learn hence, That Chriil did not negk£l his own appointed '■ 
 ordinary means, nor do any thing in asi e.xtraordmary way, . 
 farther than was abfoliitely neceffary. Chrift was abo\o 
 means, and could work without them, and when they failed, 
 didfo; but when the ineans were at hand, he made ufe of 
 them himfclf, to teach us never toexpcdl that in a way of mi- 
 racle, whch may be come at in a wiv of means. 5. From 
 our Lord's example, the religious cuftoin of begging a blelT- 
 ing upon our food before we fit down to it, annof receiving 
 the giod creatures ofGodivith thanhjglving. How unworthy is 
 he of the crumbs that fall fiom his ov. n tabic, who with the 
 fwine looks not up imto, and takes no thankful notice of, the 
 hand that feeds him ! 6. The certainty and greatnefsof the 
 mir.icle ; they did all eat and were f.llcd. They did all eat, not 
 a cruft of bread, or a bit of fifli, but to fatiety and fulncfs.All 
 that were hungry did cat, and all that did eat were fatisfied, 
 and yet /even bajkets remain ; more is left than was at firit fet 
 on. It is hard to fay which v.-as the grcatcil miracle, the mi- 
 raculous eating or miracidous leaving. If we confider what 
 they ate, we may wonder that they left any thing ; if what 
 tiiey left, that they ate any thing. Laftly, Our Lord's com- 
 inand to gather up the fragments, tenches us. That we make 
 no waft.e of the goodcreatures of GikI. Thefragmentsof filh- 
 bones and broken bread mu ft be gathered up: The liberal 
 Houftkeeper of the world will not allow the lofs of his 
 <ns. Frugality is a commendable duty. Gotl hath made us 
 ftewards, but not abfolute lords of hisblcftings. We muft]oe 
 accountable to him for all the inftances of his bounty received 
 from him. 
 
 to ? And flraightway he entered into a fhip with 
 his difciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha 
 1 1 And the Pharifees came forth, and began to quef- 
 tion with him, fecking of him a fign from heaven, 
 tempting l)im. 12 And he fighed deeply in hlslpi- 
 rit, and faith, Why dolh this generation feek after a 
 fign ? Verily I fay unto you. There fliall no fign be 
 given to this generation. 13 -And he left tiieni, 
 und entrring'into the Ihip again, departed to the o- 
 ther fide. 
 
 Ohferie here, i. The unreafonablc praclice of the wicked 
 Pharifees in afking a flgn of Chrift , that is, fomc nev,- and 
 extraordinary miracle to be wrought by him, to demon- 
 ftrate him to be the true and promifed Meflias; But had not 
 our Saviour ihewed them figns enough already r What were 
 a!! the miracles daily wrought before their eyes, but conviiic- 
 irig figns of his divine power? Hut infidelity mixed with ob- 
 ftinacy, is never fatisfied. 2. Our Saviour's carriage towards 
 thefe obftinate Fhaiifecs, whoperfiftcd in their unbelief; He 
 fighcd deeply in hisfj'irlt, and mourned fir thehardnefs of their 
 hearts. Learn thence. That to gritve and mourn for tlic fins 
 of others, to be sfFeftcd with tlicm, und deeply afflicted for 
 them, is a gracious and Chrift-like temper. 1; is not AilTici- 
 cm touiak'- an outward fliew of grieving for others fius, but 
 
 we 
 
 ritaifa 
 
 ^^^^^^^ 
 
Cha?. vmi. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Uy 
 
 we ought to lay tlicm to heart, nnd to be inwardly affliclcd 
 for them. Jcfusfighcd deeply in hisfpiriu 3. A fharp reproof 
 given by our Saviour tothcm. At the fame time that our Sa- 
 viour did inwardly grieve for the Pharifces vvickedncfs, 
 He did openly reprove them for it. It is not fufficicnt that 
 we nionrn forthefln of others, but wemufl prudently reprove 
 them, as occalion is offered, and our duty rcquircth. 4. The 
 iin which the Pharifeesare reproved for; namely, for feding 
 tifter (ifign: That is, for demanding new miracles, after he 
 I\ad wroui^ht fo maii\' before their eyes to prove thcdivinity 
 of his perfon. Learn thence. That it is a fin for any to re- 
 nuire new figns and miracles for the confirmation of that d-jc- 
 trine, which has been already fulTiciently confirmed by mira- 
 cles ; yea, an Iicinous fin, which defervtih a fharp reproof 
 and cenfurc. LafUy, Our Saviour's prcremtory denial of the 
 Pharifces prefumpluous reqiicft ; 1 here Jkall no Jlgn he given lo 
 this generation: That is, no iiich fign or miracle as they defire 
 or would have: No iign or miracle (hall be wrought at their 
 motion and fuit ; although after this, Chrift of hisown accord, 
 and at his own plcafuie, wrought many miracles before their 
 eyes. Such as wilfully harden themfelvcs againft the light of 
 their owH confciences, are rightcuiilly delivered up to hardiiefs 
 of heart, and iinal impeiiitency. Thcfe hypocritical Phari- 
 fces Oiiit their cycsagainl't the moft convictlve evidence ; and 
 they arc given up to tiieir own obftinacy : Our Saviour left 
 them, and entering intc a pip again, departed to the other Jide. 
 
 1 4 Now ilii difclpus had forgotten to take bread, 
 neither had they in the fhip with them more than 
 one loaf. 15 And he churgedthem. Inlying, Take 
 heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharifecs, and of 
 the leaven of Herod. 16 And they rcafoned a- 
 mong themfelves, faying. It is becaufe we have no 
 bread? 17 And when Jefus knew iV, he faith unto 
 them, Why reafon vc, becauloyc have no bread ? 
 perceive ye not yet, nor undcrlland ? have 
 ye your hearts yet hardened? tSHaving eyes, fee ye 
 not ? and having ears hear ye not ? and do yc not 
 remember ? 19 When 1 brake the five loaves among 
 five thoufand, how many balkets took yc up? They 
 fay unto him. Twelve. 20 And when the feven 
 among four thoufand, how many bafkets full of frag- 
 ments took yc up ? and they faid, Seven. 2 1 And 
 he faid unto them, How is it that vo do'not under- 
 ftand ? 
 
 Obferve here, I. How dull llie difciplcs of Ch rift were, 
 under ChrilVs own teaching, and how apt to put a carnal 
 fenfe upon his v.ords. They apprehended he had fpoken un- 
 to them of the leaven of bread, what he intended ot the leaven 
 of liie Pharifecs dcclrinc. 2. The rebuke our Saviour gives 
 Jiis difciplcs for not iinder(\andirig the ftnfe and iignification 
 of what hefpake. Chrift is much offended with hisown peo- 
 ple, when he difeerns blindnefs end ignorance in them, after 
 more than ordinary means of knowledge enjoyed by them : 
 How is it tL't \e do not yet underfiitr.d ? -^ The metaphor by 
 which Chri'l fets forth the corrupt do(flrincs of the Pharifces 
 and Hercdians. He compares it to kiivtn. Partly for its 
 fotirncfs, nnd partly for its difFiifivenef-. Now tire leaven of 
 Ihrod, or the Herodian.':, is fuppofc 1 i.k^o tiiis. That becaufe 
 Herod was made kin^ of the }■■:•' i ?tthc time when 
 
 the prnmifed MefTiah tvns cxpcAeJ, tlierc v.crc thofe that 
 maintained the opinion that he was tlie promifcd Mtlliah; 
 which opinion Clirift compares to leaven, becaufe as thatdif- 
 fufes itfelf into the whole mafs or lump of bread with which 
 it is mixed, fo falfe dodtrine was not only evil and corrupt in 
 itfelf, but apt to fpread its contagion fariherandfartlier, tothc 
 infedling of others with it. Zira;v7 thence. That error is as 
 damnable as vice ; and ptrf)ns erroneous in judgment are to be 
 av(.i led, a.< well as thofe that are wicked in crnvcrfalion ; and 
 he that has due care of his foul's falvation, will be as much a- 
 fraid of erroneous principles, as he is of debauched prafliccs. 
 4- Our Saviour does not command his difciplcs to feparate 
 from communion with the Pharifecs, and (blige them not to 
 hear their doftrinc ; but only to beware of their errors, which 
 they mixed witli their doftrine. We may and ought to hold 
 communion witlia church, though erroneous in judgment, if 
 not fundamentally erronco; s. For feparaticn frem a church 
 isnot jiifliliable upon any othergroundsthan that which makes 
 a (eparation between Gixl and that church, which is either .i- 
 poffafy intogiofs idolatry, or in point of doftrinc, into data- 
 nable herefy. 5. Tiie fault obferved by our Saviour in his 
 diiciples, hardnefs of heart ; Have \c your hearts yet hardened? 
 There mav be, and ott-times is, fome degree of hardnefs ui 
 heart in fmoere chriitians; but this is not indulged and de- 
 lighted ill. As Chrill is grieved for the hardnefs of his peo- 
 ple's hearts, foare they grieved alfoi it is both bitter and bur- 
 denfome fo them. I 
 
 22 5 And he cotneth to Befhfaida; and they' 
 briiiq; a blind man unto him, and bcfought liiin to 
 touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the 
 hand, and led him out of the town ; and when he 
 had fpit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he- 
 afkcd him, If he faw ought ? 24 And he looked up; ■ 
 and laid, I lee men as Liees, walking. 25 After 
 that, he put Kli hands again upon his eyes, and made 
 him look up : and he was reftored, and faw eveiy 
 man clearh', 26 And he lent him away to his houlc 
 faying, Neither go into the tov/n, nor tell it to any • 
 in the town. 
 
 Here we have recorded a fpecial miracle wrought by our 
 Siviour at Eethfaida,i.i curing u blind irnn brought unto him. 
 Where chjerve, I. What evident proof the Pharifecs had (jf 
 Cl;rift's divine power and (^^Klhead : lie had before caufed 
 the deaf to hear, the d'.mh to fjiea^, iwd the lame to xvath; no-.v 
 he makes the blind to fee; yet did the Pharifecsobftinately re:l!l 
 all means of their conviction, and continued inoppofinon to 
 truth, to their inevitable and unutterable condemnation. . z. 
 The wonderful humility, the great c- ndeicenfion ofje.^us 
 Chrill towards this h'ind man: He t)ek him by the hand, and 
 hd him, himfelf. A great evidence of his condefcending iiu- 
 mility, and of his goodnefs and mercy ; fhcwi:ighow ready 
 and willing he was to help and heal him : S>;ehere afmgular j 
 pattern of humility andcondefcending grace and mercy in our ■ 
 dear Redeemer, in that he vouchfafed with hisown hanJs 
 fo take and lead a poor blifid man through the Jlreets of Beth- 
 f.iida, in the fight of ail the people. Let us learn of hi.-.-,, 
 ruhoxuas thus tneth andhjivh in heort. 3. Our Lord leads the 
 blind man out qf the town before he hjsl.s.jiim ; not in ;hc 
 town, where all the people migiit take notice of jt. There- 
 by teaching us to avoid ill ilitw of anibi'.icn, ail .ippcaruncc 
 
 of 
 
.i^a^ 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 CuAP. vm 
 
 of vain-glory, in wiiaf we do. tvcn at Chrlfi Jwgkt not his 
 *'lLn gkry, hut tki ghry cf Urn thit fent him. .\. The man- 
 ner f'l ihc cure wrought upon tl:isl;liiid ni:in : it v.as gra'Ki-i, 
 .uid by J .c;rces ; not inllantaiicoiis and at once: lie hid firfl 
 4 fjaik, dim, and obfcure fight ; attorwnrds a cicjrand pt-rltifl 
 ^l^^lt. Ciirilt thereby gave exidcnce of his abfolate and om- 
 nipotent power, that he was not :ied to any particular jncar.s, 
 or manner, or order of woikintj ; but wrought Ms miracL-s 
 \ariiiiitly, Bs he faw to be moft tit for the glory of GoJ, and 
 the bLnLi'it of his pe*.plc. Laltly, The tharge given I/y 
 riir Savinur not to publifh this miracle in the t.-.wn of Ecth- 
 faida; a place where Chii.t had fo often preached, and 
 ^vrought fo many miracles ; but the jiihabitunts h;.d fo oblti- 
 ratcly and contemptnoully undervalued and (icrp'fed both his 
 d )£lrine and miracles; therefcrs we read. Matt. Tii. i\. that 
 ur Sa\iour denounced a zvj j'la'mfl Btthfiiua, airuriri;^ her, 
 
 hat it ivoiiU be more tokrahli f:r Tyre ttK.l Sid^.'r trw; Jcr 
 \her. The liighcr a people rife under tlie means, the 
 
 owcrthey fail if they mifcurry. S'.ich a pcojde.as have been 
 iicarell to convcrfion, being not converted, lliaU have the 
 greatclt condemnation when they arc judged. 
 
 27 And Jcfus went out, and his dil'ciples. into the 
 towns of Cclarea Philiupi : and bj- the way he alkcd 
 his difciples, faying unto them, Whom do men fay 
 that I am? 28 Aiidtheya;ifweied, John the Baptiil: 
 but iomc fay, Ellas : andothcrs, One ofthcpiophcts. 
 2^ And he faith unto them, But whom lay ye that 
 lam? And Peter anfweieth, and faith unto him. 
 Thou ait the Chrift. 30 And he charged themthal- 
 lliev fhould tell no man of Jiim- 31 And he began 
 to teach them, that the Son of man mufl fuITer ma- 
 any things, and be rejcflcd of the elders, and the 
 chief priefls and fcribcs, and be killed, and after 
 three days rife again. 32 And hefpake that laying 
 openly. And Peter took liim, and began to rebuke 
 him. 33 But when he iiad turned about, and look- 
 ed on his difciples, he rebuked Peter, faying, Get 
 thee behind me, Satan : for thou favoureft not the 
 things that be of God, but the things that be of men. 
 
 Thefe verfes rrdafe to us a conference whieh our Saviour 
 had with his difciples, touching their own and others o- 
 pinionofhis perfon. Where n^cny, i. The place where 
 Chrift and his difciples did confer : It v/as in the ivny as they 
 xialked t'igether. Teaching us our duty to take all occafions 
 and opporinnities for holv conference, for good di'courfe 
 touching fpi: i;ual things, when in the houfe, when in the 
 field, when travelling in the way, Mai. iii. 16. Then they 
 tl}ui feared /he Lcrdjfaie cffrn one lic.ncthcr. 2. Tlic ctntcr- 
 cnce iiftlf : // hem do men Jay that I am ? T'lat •»> What do 
 I'le comincn people think and fpeak of -mc? Not as if Chrifl 
 v^cre iiTiorant whut men faid of him, or did vain-glorioully 
 inquire after the opinion of the muliitude concerning him; 
 but with an intention more iirmly to fetile and clh-.blifli iiis 
 difciples in the belief of hia being tne true and promifed Mef- 
 lias. ^["I'.e difciples tell him, ihMjome fnid. He was Joh'H 
 the B.-'pifl, others Elias, ithtrs one of the prophets. It is no new 
 ihiii^, it fecuK to fe»J dircrlity of judomvnts and opinions 
 
 concerning Chrifl and the aflFairsof hiskingdcm : When our 
 
 Sjviour was amongft r.v-n, v.ho daily conv trfed wi'hhim, ycr 
 was there then a great divcrfity of opinions ctncerning him. '" 
 ll'iw St. Peter, as the mouth of all the apoftlc.:, and in th i. 
 names, inikcs a full an.l ope-n confeflion of Chrifl, '..v- 
 knowledging him to b; the true and promifed Mefliali ; Pet- ■ 
 faid, tljo.i art the Chrift. Whence /rs/r, that theveilof Chiili 
 human nature diil not keep the c^c of his difciples laith frc: 
 I'eeinghim to be truly and really Ciod. (2.) Tiw Jehis, ti. 
 fon of tlic Virgin Mary, was the Chrifl, the true MefTiah, or 
 the perfon ordained by Got! to be the Mediator betwi>.t G'>d 
 and men, the Redeemer and Saviour cf mankind; Tli-jua: 
 the Chrift. 4. The charge and fpccial injuncliu.-. given I- 
 our Saviour, ti tell ho man of him \ that is, yyoi c.-nnmcnly a: 
 openly to declare that he was the Son of Goil,the true ?vfcl: 
 ah ; becaufe he was now in his Rate of humiliatiim, and tl. 
 glory of his divinity was to be c/>nccalcd till his rcfurruiflio: 
 Chrift had his own fit times and proper U;afons, in wiiich \: 
 revealed th-- great mvfteries of his kuigdom to ilic- world. 
 The great w ifdom of our Saviour in acquainting his difcipL- 
 wlth the near approach of his death and paffion ; thereby : . 
 prevent that fcandal and offence which othirvafe they mig' 
 have taken of his fiifFerings.; the better to fit and prepare the., 
 to bear that great trial ; and to correct the error v. Iiich they 
 had entertained, touching an cailhly kingdrm of Chri'f, 
 That the Mefliah was to be a temporal prince. 6. St. Peter 
 Carriage towards Clirift upon this occafion : He took him 
 fide, and began to blame him for aiTirmlng that he mult di-. 
 O how ready is flefh and blooil to oppofe every thing that 
 tends t(j fiirfering ; What need have we to be fortified again'^ 
 the temptations of our friends as well as of our enemies ! Sj- 
 t.m fomo times makes ufc of good m.en as his inftnmients to J j 
 his work by, when they little fufpccl: Little did Pcterthink, 
 that Satan now fet him on work to hinder the redemption < f 
 mankind, by diftiiading Chrift from dying. 7. With what indig 
 nation Chrift rejefls Peter's advice: Get tliee iebind jne, Satan 
 Chrift heard Satan fpeakinj in Peter ; It was Peter's tongue 
 but Satan tuned it ; therefore Chriil calls Peter by Satan's 
 name : They that will do the devil's work, rauft have the dc 
 vils name too ; He that would hinder the redcmptionofman- 
 kind, is Satan, an adverfary to mankind. From our Saviour's 
 fmart reproof given to Peter, -wc learn. That no refpeft to 
 men's perfons, or regani to their piety, muft caufe us tofiatter 
 them in their lins, or move us to fpeak favourably of their fins: 
 As well as our Saviour loved Peter, he rebukes him feverely. 
 O Lord ! fo intent w.uthy heart upon the great work of our 
 rcdtniptioii, that thou couldil not hear the leaft word thr' 
 fliould obftruiS thee Ik it, or divert ihec from it. Get thee Ic 
 hiiid fite, Sfitan : for thou favourej} not thclhings ivhichbeof Gid, 
 but tlye things that be of men. 
 
 34 And when he had called the people unto him 
 with his difciples alfo, he faid unto them, Whofoe- 
 ver will come after me, let him deny himlelf, and 
 take up his crols. and follow me. 35 Tor wholoc- 
 vcr will favc his life, fhall lofeit; but whofoever 
 fliall lolc hi.s life for my lake and the gofpel'.'!, the 
 fame fhall lave it. 
 
 Olferve here, How our bleficd Saviour reccoir.mends hi 
 Jeligion to every cnc'sclefticn and choice, not attcmping b' 
 
 lorv 
 
ClIA". VI. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R Id 
 
 *5i 
 
 force and violence to comp?! any pcrfon to the embracing nf 
 it: ff any invi u-i!l romc lifter trie \ that is, if any man chiifes 
 and rcfolvcs to be a Chriltian. 2. Our Saviour's terms pro- 
 pounded ; namely, fclf-dcnial, gofpel-fuffcring, and gol^pel- 
 fcrvice. (l.) Self-denial; Let h'lm deny hlmjelf. By which 
 we arc not to nnderfland, cither the denying of our fcnfes in 
 matters of faith, or the rcnoimcing our reafon in the matters 
 of religion ; but a willingncfs to part with all our earthly com- 
 forts, and tcmporr.l enjovments, tor the fuke of Chrift, when 
 called thcreun'.o. (2.) Gofptl fuftering ; He inuji take up his 
 cfifs. An allufionto the Roman cuftom, that the malefaiftor 
 who was to be crucified took his crofs upon his (houldcr, and 
 carried it to the place of execution. Where ;:5/c. That not 
 the making of the crols, but the patient bearing of it, when 
 God has made it, and laid it upon our fhoulders, is the duty 
 enjoined; Let h'lm take up hU crofs. (3.) Gofpel-fcrvicc ; Let 
 himfollc/w ;w, fays Chrilh that is, obey my commands, and 
 imitate my example. lie muft fct my tifc and dodrine con- 
 tinually before him, and be daily correcting and reforming 
 of his life by that rule and pattern, t,. The reafons urged by 
 our Sa\iour to induce men to a willingncfs to lay down their 
 Jives for the fake of Cirifl and his religion ; He 'that ivlll fave 
 his Ufc,jhall l-.fe It , and he that it zvHiing to loj'e his lifepjr the 
 gifpcrsfaie, the fume Jhall find it. Intimating tons, i.That 
 the love of this temporal life is a great temptation to men to 
 deny Chrifl, and to renounce his holy religion. _ And, 2. 
 That the fureft way to attain eternal life, is cheerfully to lay 
 down our temporal life, when the glory of Chrift, and the 
 ' 'lour of religion, requires it at cur hand. 
 
 36 For what fliall it profit a man, if he fliall gnia 
 the whole world, and lofc his own foul ? 37 Or what 
 , ,iliail a man give in exchange for his. foul ? • 
 
 Our Saviour had ihewn in the former verfes the great dan" 
 ger of feekii'.g ii) favc our temporal life, by expofing to iiaz- 
 ard our eternal life. This he confirms in the words before 
 _HS by a double argir.ncat ; thcnrft drawn from the excellency 
 of etern.-il life, orViielife of the foul ; the feconddmwn from 
 the irrccovcrablti'.trs of this lofs, or the impofubiiity ofre- 
 (^ecming the lofs of the foul by anyway or means whatfoevcr; 
 IVhat ihfiU n m.m groe in exchange for ijii foul'? Learn, i . That 
 .almighty God has inllruclcd everyone of us with a foiii of 
 inc(ud>able woiih and precioufncfs, capable of being iavtd or 
 }o'X, and that to all eternity. 2. That the gain of the whole 
 world is not comparable witii the lols of one precious fo!;l : 
 The foul's lofs is an inconceiv.sble, irrecompe.ncib'e, and ir- 
 recoverable lot's; 
 
 38 V/hofocvPrthercfdrc fliall be aflia-mfdofme and 
 
 «•! my words in this adulterons aird finful generation ; 
 
 oi him alfd fhall the Sun of man be afnamcd when 
 
 Jjc comcth in the glory of his Father, with the holy 
 
 ."ngels;.- 
 
 Tiiar is, wHofocver fliall deny ordifewn me. either in my 
 penon, m-. gofptl, or "my member^, for any iesr r>r favour of 
 man, he f'l.ill with iTiam'e be-difotvned ami citrnally rejected 
 by me at the trreat day. There are two pailior.s that make 
 perfcns difown Chrift and i^ligion in tiic day of temptation; 
 inmelv, fear and (hame: Many good men have been over- 
 come by the former, as St. Peter, and others ; but we find 
 •■not any good nun in fcripture guilty of the latter, namely. 
 
 that denied Chrifl out of Htime ; this argues a rotten, un- 
 foundand corrupt heart. If any man thinks it bi.neath his ho- 
 nour and quality to own the oppjfed truthsauddcfpifed mem- 
 bers of Jcfus Chrifl, he will think it much more beneath him, 
 his honour aiid dignity, to own them atthcgreat day. Learn 
 hence. That it is not fuflicient that wo own Chrill in believ- 
 ing in him, but we mull honour him byan outward i)r()felling 
 of him alfo. Secondly, That fuch as are alhamcd of Chriifs 
 doctrine or members, a.'c afliamedof Ciuill iiimfilf. Third- 
 ly, That fuch as cither for fear dare not, or for lliame will 
 not, own the doctrine ef Chrill, or the members of Chriit 
 now, fhall find Chriit alliamed to own and confcfs them at 
 the great dav : Il'h^f'.everis ajhamed of me, and if mt xvorJi , 
 ice. ' ' 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 AXD he faid untothem, \'erily I fay unto you, 
 that there be fomc of them that Hand here v/hich 
 ihall not tafl.e of dcatli, till they have fcen the king- - 
 d'jiu of God come with power. 
 
 There is a threefold fen fe and interpretation t^ivcn of thcfo 
 words by expofitors. i.- Some refer the words to the times 
 of the gofpel after Chrift's refurrciEtion and afccnfion v, htn 
 the gofpel was fpread and propagated far and near, and tie 
 kingdom of God came with pou-cr. I^nrn hence. That \\ here 
 the go.fpel is powcrfaliy preached, and cheerfully cbevc<i, 
 there Chriit comcth moil gloriouilv in his kingdom. 2. O- 
 thcrsundetil.uid thcfe words, otChrilt's comingand cxerciflng 
 his kingly pcrvver in the deflruclion of Jerufaj^m ; which 
 fome of the apollles then Handing bv lived to fee; 3. Othe.-s 
 i'as mofl agreeable to the context undcrftai'.dthc words as ri - 
 Jatingtocur S.sviour's transfiguration : As if he h.ad fai.i, 
 Sjw." cf y-ju, nieaning Pcier, James, and John, iiiali Jliortlv 
 fee meupon mount 'I'abor, infuch fplendor and glory, as Ihjll 
 be a pnludiuin, a ihaaow and reprcfcntation of that jjlorv 
 wJiich I Oiali appear in when I come to judge the work! a: 
 the great day. And whereas our Saviour fays, not, there be 
 fome ftanding here which ihall not die, but uhicliyru,'/ «;.* 
 tr./)e of deiith, this-implies two things.. I. That after the v 
 had feen hi.-; transhsuration, they mult tafte of dentil as vtli 
 ai others. 1. That thsv fhould but tadc of it, and no rri.ire. 
 From v.hena /i'«r//; I. That the faithful fer\ants and Jifjiptes 
 of Chri.'t ni'j.'l at length, hi Gods appointed time, t.'.'i ui'ivi 
 \\i\c expt:risrii;.e of death as well asothers, 2. Tliu? .';!:;].'• 
 they mitdlalte, yei thev Ihail but tafte of death, t:i 
 tirink oftht dregs of that bitter tup; though they ;...: . 
 .iz:\d of death, yet fhall they not bt overcome by it, ]iy.\ ;,;.l.c 
 \ery fall get victory over it; 
 
 2 And after fix days Jcfus taketh with hi;:. . 
 and James :md John, and leadcth them up ir ' 
 Li:^h mountain apart by themfcives; an.dh^^ 
 figured before them. 
 
 Here we have tlie hiftory of our Saviour's tn'T:":Tnratic»n : 
 when he Li.!, as it were, the garments nf our ' 
 afidc for a littletime, affiimingto himfelf the r . •. • 
 
 ."ind glor}', to deinonflrate and teftify the truth ct hisdix::... v 
 f f r this divine glorv was an evidence of his di\ine nature. : 
 nlfo en emblem of that glorv which he audhisdifciplcs; iX. w 
 faithful fervants and- foiloweir, thail enjoy itcgtihei i.T ... 
 vtn. 
 
'5« 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap, 
 
 IX. 
 
 3 And his raiment became fliining, exceoding 
 white ae fno-.v. lo as no fuller on earth can white 
 tliem. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with 
 
 .Mofcs: and tliey wcr.' talkin',^ with Jefus. 5 And 
 Peter anfu'crcd/and faid to Jeliis. Maftcr. itis good 
 
 for us to be here : and let us make three tabernacles ; 
 one for thco, and one for Mofes. and onefor Elias, 
 <5 For he wifl; not what to lay : for they were fore 
 afraid. 7 And there was a cloud that overlhadowcd 
 thcni : and a vojce came out of the cloud, fiiying, 
 This is my beloved Son : hear him. S And fuddcn- 
 ly, when they had looked round about, they faw no 
 man anv more, lave Jefus only with themfelves. 
 
 Ohfn-ve here, I. That to confirm his difciples' faith in the 
 truih ofChrilt's divine nature, he was pleafcd to fuftlr the 
 rays of his divinitv to dart forth before their eyv-s fo far as 
 they were able to bear it.' His face Ihiiicd with a plcafing 
 bil^htr.efs, and his raiment \\\\\\ fuch a glorious hiftrc, as did 
 
 ■ at once both dazzle and deliglu the eyes of the d'ilciplcs. 2. 
 The choice vhich our Saviour makes of the v itncircs c>fhis 
 piorioustransfeuraticn ; his three difciples, Peter, James, and 
 Johiirbutwhy dilciples? Why three difeiples? Why thefethrec? 
 I. Why difciples.' Pccaufe this transtiguratiori was a type and 
 Ihadow of his glory in heaven: Chriil vouchlafes therefore 
 the earncft and'iiill: fruits ofthatt;lory only to faint.s upon 
 whom he intended to beftow the full harvelt in due time. 2. 
 Why three difciples? Becaufe three were fufficient to wit- 
 ncfs the truth and reality of this miracle. Jiidas was unwor- 
 thy of this favour ; yet.'left he Ihould murmur, or be difcon- 
 ttnted, others are left out as well as he. But, 3. Why thefe 
 three, rather than others? Probably, .(i.) Becaufe thefe three 
 were m.ore eminent for grace, zeal, and love towards Chrift. 
 Now, the m.oft eminent" manifeflations of glory are made to 
 thofc 'that are mod excelling in grace. (2.) Thefe three diftn- 
 pleswcre %\itneircsof ChrilVs agony and paflion ; to prepare 
 tbcm for which, they are here made witncflcs of his transfi- 
 guration. This glorious vif.on upon mount Tabor fitted 
 them to abide the terrorof mount Calvary. Ohjirvc, 3. The 
 glorious attendants upon our Saviour at his transfiguration. 
 They were tivo, two men, and thofc tw« men, AIoJss and E- 
 lias. This being but a glimpfe of Chrift's glory, not a full 
 manifcftation of it, only two of the glorified faints attend at it. 
 Thefetwo attendants are not two angels, but two men ; becaufe 
 men were more nearly concerned than angels in what was 
 done, But why Mofcs and Elias rather than other men ? (i.) 
 Becaufe Mofcs was the giver of the lav.-, and Elias was the 
 chief of the prophets. Now both thefe attending upon Chrifl, 
 did flmw th-; confent of the law and the prophets with Chriil, 
 and their accompUnimtnt and fulfilling in him. [2.) Becaufe 
 thefe two were the mod laborious fcrvantsof Chrift ; both ad- 
 ventured their lives in Givi'scaufc, and therefore are highly 
 ■ honoured by hiin. For, tlyje that honour him, he will honour. 
 4. The carriage and demeanour of the difciples upon this 
 great occafion ; {i.) They fupplicate Jcfiis, not Mofcs and E- 
 fias ; they make no fuit to them, but to Chrift only : Majler, 
 it is gocd being here. O what a ravilhing comfort and fatis- 
 fadion is the communion and fellowlhip of the faints! But 
 the preftncc of Chiift wwigft tkcm readers their joys tran- 
 
 porting. (2.) They proffer their fcrvice to farther the cop 
 tinuancc of what they did enjoy. Lei us mah three tahcn,, 
 da. Saints will ftitk at no pains or cort for the enjoyment 
 of Chrift's prefence, aitil his peoples company. Learn her.ae, 
 That a glimpfe of heaven's glory \i fufficient to wrap a foul 
 into ecftacy, and to make it out of love with worldly compa- 
 ny. (2.) That we are too apt to defire more of heaven upon 
 earth than God will allow. We would have the heavenly 
 glory come down to us, but are unwilling by death to go up 
 to that. 5. How a cloud was put before the difciples eyes 
 when the divine glory was manlteftcd to them ; partly to al- 
 lay the luftrc and rcfplcndency of that glory which they were 
 fwallowcd up with. The glory of heaven is infupportablein 
 this finful rtate; we cannot bear it unveiled; and partly to 
 hinder their farther prying and looking into that glory. We 
 mull be content to behold God through a cloud darkly henc, 
 ere long we frail fee himfnce f)face. 6. The teftimony given 
 out oftlie cloud, by God the Father, concerning Jefus Chriil 
 his Son: This is my L'ehved Son, hear him. VVhere na^f, i. 
 The dignity of his perfon ; lie is my Sen. For nature co-ef- 
 fential, and for duration co-eternal, with his Father. 2. The 
 endearedncfs of his relation, he is my bchvtd i'.tr., becaufe of 
 his conformity to mc, and coiupiiance with me. Likenefsi* 
 the caufe of love ; and an ♦tion and harmony of wills caufcs 
 a mutual endearing of afteclions. 3. The authority of his 
 dodrine, //c.vr ye him : not Mofes and Elias, who were fer- 
 vants; but Chriil, my Son, whom I have commillioned to be 
 the great prophet and teacher of my church. Therefore a- 
 dore him as mv Son, believe in him as your Saviour, and hear 
 him as your lawgiver. The obedient ear honours Chrift 
 more than either the gazing eye, the adoring knee, or the ap- 
 plauding tongiie. 
 
 o And as they came do\vTi from the mountain, 
 he charged them, that they Ihould tell no man what 
 things they had fcen, till the Son of man were rifen 
 from the dead. 10 And they kept that faying with 
 themfelves queflioning one with another what the ri- 
 fing from the dead fliould mean. 1 1 And they afk 
 ed him, faying. Why fay the fcribes that Elias muft 
 firft come ? 12 And he anfwered and told them, 
 Elias verily cometli firft, and reiloreth all things ; 
 and how it is written of the Son of man, that he 
 muft fufFer many things, and be let at nought, i;^ 
 But I fay unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and 
 they have done unto him whatfoeverthey lifted, a« 
 . it is written of him. 
 
 'Ohfervchtitc, I. The ftricl injundlion given by Chrift t« 
 his difciples, not to publiih or proclaim this glorious vitioB 
 at his transfiguration till after his refurreclion ; becaufe be- 
 in o- now in a ftate of humiliation, he would have his divine 
 majeftv and glory \ tiled and concealed. Learn Iitiice, That 
 the divine glory of Chrift's perfon, as God, he was not to hs 
 maniftftc(r fuddcnl)', and all at once, but gradually, and by 
 rteps. Firft more obfcurely, by his miracles, by the forced 
 acknowledgments of devils, by the free confcllion of his dif- 
 ciples, and by the glorious vifion of his transfiguration ; but 
 the more clear and fidl, the more public and open nianifefta- 
 tion of his divine glory, was at the time of his relurreclioa 
 
 aiij 
 
 ^mimAmMi 
 
iiAP. i>:. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R X. 
 
 153 
 
 and aflenfion. 2. The difciplcs obedience to Chrill's in- 
 juiK^ion, touching the concealing of his transfiguration till 
 after his refurrec'tion, tkey kept thot faying '.uith them/ches, 
 queji'r,;iing one 'uiilh anitker what the rifing fr:m the dead 
 jfh'jild mean. Not tliit they queftioned the refurreclion in 
 general, but Chriit's relurreclion only in particular, be- 
 caui'e Ijis refurrciition did luppofe his dejth ; and they 
 could not conceive how the MefTiah, whom they trroneoui- 
 ly luppofed mult be a temporrl prince, (hould fufFcr death 
 at the liands of men. 3, The queftion whicii the difciples 
 put to Clirid, how the obfervation of the Jew ifh dodors 
 holds good : namely, That Elias mull come before the 
 Moflias came : we fee the Mefiias, but no Klias. Our Sa- 
 viour anfwers. That EHas vas came already ; not Elias in 
 perfbn, but one in the j'piric and power of Elias, to wit, 
 John the Baptiil, who was prophefied of under the name 
 of Elias : there being a great refemblance between the 
 Elias of the Old Teikment and the New, viz. John the 
 Baptilt ; they were both men of great zeal for God and 
 religion, they \\ ere both undaunted reprovers of the faults 
 of princes, and they were both implacably hated and per- 
 fecuted for the lame. 'ihence kart:, 'i'hat hatred and 
 perfecution, even unto death, has often been the lot and 
 portion of fuch perfons who have had the courage and zeal 
 to reprove the faults of princes. EUas is indeed come, &c. 
 
 145 And when he came to his difciples, he faw 
 a great multitude about them, and the fcribes quefli- 
 oning with them. 15 And flraightway all the peo- 
 ple, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, 
 and running to him, faluted him. 16 And he afk- 
 ed tlie Icribes, What queftion ye with them? 17 
 And one of the multitude anfwered and faid, Mafler 
 I have brought unto thee my fon, which hath a dumb 
 fpirit ; 18 And wherefoever he taketh him, he tear- 
 eth him, and he foameth, and gnaflieth with his teeth 
 •and pineth away. And I fpake to thy difciples, that 
 they fhould call him out ; and they could not. ig 
 He anfwered him, and faith, Ofaithlefs generation, 
 how long fhall I be with you ? how long fhall I fuf- 
 fer you ? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought 
 him unto him. And when he faw him, flraightway 
 the fpirit tare him ; and he fell on the ground, and 
 wallowed foaming. 31 And he afked his father. 
 How long is it ago fmcc this came unto him ? and 
 lie faid, OfacJiild. 22 And oft times it hath call 
 him into the fire, and into the waters to deflroy him; 
 but if thou canfl do any thing, have compalfion on 
 . and help us. 23 Jeius faid unto him. If thou 
 ,!iil believe, all things are polliblc to him that be- 
 licvcth. 24 And flraightway the father of the child 
 cried out, and faid, Lord, I believe ; help thou mine 
 unbelief, 25 When Jefus faw the people came runn- 
 ing together, he rebuked the foul fpirit, faying, T/'xu 
 dumb and deaf fpirit, I charge thee, comeoutofhim, 
 and enter no more into him. 26 And ike /pint cri- 
 ed, and rent him fore, and came out of him ; and he 
 
 was as one dead; infomUch that many faid, He is 
 dead. 27 But Jefus took him by thehand, and lift- 
 ed him up; and he arofe. j8 And when fee was 
 co'me into the houfe, his difciples aflcedhun private- 
 ly, Why could not we call him out ? 29 And he 
 laid unto them, Thiikind can come forth by nothing 
 but by prayer and falling. 
 
 ObfenieheTe, i. The perfon brought to Chrifl for help 
 and healing, one bodily pofTefTed by Satan, who had made 
 him deaf and dumb from his childhood ; and oft-times calt 
 him into the fire and water, but rather to torment than to 
 difp.itch him. O how does Satan, that malicious tyrant, 
 rejoice in doing hurt to the bodies, as well as the fouls of 
 mankind ! Lord abate his power, fince his malicce will not 
 be abated. How great is thy goodnels, in prcferving uS 
 from the power and malice of evil fpirits ! and how watch- 
 ful is thy Providence over us, to preferve us, when Satan i-. 
 feeking, by all Imaginary means and methods, to deflroy 
 us ! 2. The perfon that reprefents his fad condition to our 
 Saviour, his con\^:i[licnzte.hthtr, -jiln kneeled d'^wr. arJcry. 
 ed nut : Need v. ill mahe a perfon both humble and eloquent. 
 Every one has a tongue to fpeak for himfelf, happy is he 
 that has atongue for others. 3. The circumllanccof time, 
 Satan had got poffefiion of his perfqn very young, in his 
 youth ; nay, in his childhood ; And O how hard w.ts it to 
 cill hini out after fo long paTofilon I The difciples could no: 
 do it with all their power and prayers ; and when our Savi- 
 our himfelf, by the power ofhis Godhead did difpolTefs hia», 
 it wa; wuh foaming and rending that he left him. Thus, 
 when Satan gets poirelEon of perfons hearts in their youth, 
 O how hard will it be to caft hiui out • It will put the foul 
 to great grief, gre.nt pain, great forrow of heart, Saiaii 
 will endeavour to hold his own, and keep the iinner his 
 ilave and vafTal, if all the power of heil can keep him. 
 Lord ! convince young perfons, that it is eafier to keep Sa- 
 tan out, than it is to caft him out of the pofleliion of their 
 hearts. 4. The phyficians which this dillrelled perfon is 
 brought unto. Firil to the difciples, and then to Jefus. We 
 never apply ourfelves importunately to the God of power, 
 till we delpair of the creature's help. But why could not 
 the difciples call him out ? Chrill cells them, becaufe of their 
 unbelief; that is, becaufe of the v,eaknefs of their faith, 
 not the total want of faith. Whence/f^rw, That fecret un' 
 belief may lie hid and undifcerned in the heart, which nei- 
 ther otijers nor ourfelves may take notice of, uniil fome tri- 
 al doth dilcover it. 5. This poor man's Iiumble requcft, 
 and Chriit's gracious reply. IfUv.u carjl do any thing, htlp 
 vie, fays the father ; If thou canjl bdUve, all things are p-,j: 
 fible, f;ys our Saviour. A':/i' thence. That the Jauk is not 
 in Chrifl, but in ourfelves, if we receive not that mercy 
 from him which we deilreand need. There is no deficien- 
 cy in Chrill's power, thedefect lies in our faith. Hereupon 
 the man criej out -jjtth tears, Lord, J i>elic-.'e, help thou wine 
 unbeliff. If thefe were tears of joy for the t: inh of his fai:h 
 then we may gather, that the lowelt degree, and leaftmea- 
 fure of faith, is matter of joy unfpe-.kable to the owner 
 and pofleillTof it : If thefe were tears of forrov/ for the 
 weukneisof his faith, then we may collett, that the remains 
 of unbcliff in the children of God do coll them many tears: 
 They are the burden and forrow of the giacious fouls. The 
 
 U father 
 
'•54 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Ch 
 
 AP. IX, 
 
 falht'r '.fthi child crud out with tears, f.orJ, I helirj!, help 
 my unbelief, d. Wiih what facility and eaie our Saviour 
 taft oat this flubborn devil, that had To long pofiefled this 
 poor child, even with a word ipeakiriif. How long foever 
 Satan has kept poITelllo'i of a foul, Chrirt can ejeft and calt 
 him out both ealily and fpeedily ; one word of Chrift's 
 inouth i? fuificienr to help us out of all diflrefs, both bodily 
 and fpiritual. Yet did our Lord fuffer the wicUed 
 fpirit to rage and rend the child before he went out ot 
 him : not from any del'giit in the poor childs inifery, 
 but ih.u :nul:itudes, feeing the defperatenefs of the cafe, 
 niipht the more admire the power of Chrift in his deltver- 
 cnce. 7. The fovereij^n power and ablbhue authority 
 which Chrift had even here on earth, when in his ftate of 
 humiliation, over the devil and his angels : He commands 
 him to go out, and enter no more into the child, and is o- 
 beyed. This was a proof and dcnionftration of the God- 
 head of our Saviour, that he had power and authority over 
 devils, to command and over-rule them, tocurband reftrain 
 them at his plcafure. And whereas Chtift commands the 
 devil not only to come out, but to enter no more into the 
 pcrfon ; it implies, that Satan being cafl out of his hold, 
 ejrncftly dellres to enter in again to recover his hold, and 
 regain his pofieiiion ; but if Chrill fays. Enter no more, 
 Satan ihall obey his voice. 8. The difciplcs inquire into 
 die reafons why they could not caft this ftubborn devil out, 
 according to the power which he had given them to work 
 miracles. ChrilUellstliem, it was (i.) liecaufe r.f their un- 
 belief ; by which underftand the wc.iknei's of tlieir faith, 
 not their total want of faith, (i.) Becaufe they did irot, in 
 this extraordinary cafe, apply themfe'.ves to the ufe of extra- 
 ordinan,- means ; namely prayer andfijring. Learn hence, 
 Firil, That in extraordinary cafes, where the neceliities ei- 
 ther of fo-il or body do require it, reccnrie muft be had to 
 tl'.c ule of extraordinrvry means ; one of which is an impor- 
 tunate appllcatloa unto God by folemn pr.nyer. Secondly, 
 That fuii^ing and prayer are two Ipecial means of Chrift's 
 own appointment foi' the enabling of his people victorioufly 
 to overcome Satan, and ca'.t him out of ourfdves or others. 
 We inuil let an edge upon our faith hy prayer, and upon 
 our prayer by falling. 
 
 30 And they dc parted thence, and paffed ihroiigh 
 G.Uilce: and he would not that any man fhould 
 know/;. 31 For he taught his difciplcs, and faid 
 unto them. The Son of m.m is delivered into the 
 hands of men, and they fh ill kill hiin : and after 
 that he is killed, he fliall rife the third day. 32 
 hut they underllood not that faying, and were afraid 
 to nfk him.. 
 
 Cl>rervable'\t is, How frequently our Saviour forewarned 
 ) i- difciples of his approaching futferings ; and as the time 
 of his fnferin^s drew near, he did more trequently warn 
 ;hrm of it. Biit all was little enough to nrm them againft 
 tiie fcandal cf the crols, and to reconcile their thoughts to a 
 fiiSdrijig rondirion. The difciples had taken up the com- 
 mon opinion, that the Mo'rrali wis to be a temporal prince, 
 and a-, ("uch, to reign here upon earth, and tiiey knew not 
 how to reconcile this with hisAc/'r? delivered up into the 
 hands of mer that fi:ouLi kill rim ; and yet they -Mere a/raid /» 
 
 fljh him concerning this matter. Now, from Chrift's frequent 
 forewarning his difciples of approaching luffcriiigs, we may. 
 gather, That wc can never hear cither too often, cr-tco 
 much, of the doi'trine of the crofs, nor be too frequently 
 inftruJled ni our duty to prepare for a fufforing ftate. As 
 Chtift went by his crofs to his crov/n, from a ftate of abafc- 
 ment to a ftate of exaltation, fo niuft all his difciples and 
 followers likewife. 
 
 33 ^ A ud ho came to Capernaum : and being in 
 the houle, he alked them, What was it that yc dif- 
 puted among yourfclves by the way ? 34 But the\- 
 held their peace. For by the way they haddifputed 
 among thcmfclves, who Jhoidd be the grcatefl. 35 
 And he fat down, and called the twelve, and faith 
 unto them, if any man dcGre to be firfl, the famr- 
 ihall be lad of all, and ferviint of all. 36 And h 
 look a diild, and fct it in the midft of them : and 
 when he had taken it in his arms, he faid unto them, 
 37 Whofoever fliall receive one of fuch children in 
 my name, receivethme: and whofoever Ihall re. 
 ceivc me, leceiveth not me, but him that fent me. 
 
 It mav juftly feem a wonder, that when our blcfled Sa- 
 viour difcourfcd fo frequently with his difciples about hii 
 fufferings, they fliould at the fame time be difputing among 
 themlelves about precedency and pre— eminency, which of 
 them (hou'd be greateft, the firft in place, the higheft indig- 
 nity and honour. But from this rnftance we may learn, 
 That the holieft and heft of men are fiibjcci topride and am- 
 bition, prone to covet worldly dignity and greatnefs, ready 
 to catdi at the bait of honour, to siTect a precedency before, 
 and a fuprriority over others. The apoftles themftlvcs 
 were touched, if not tainted with the itch of ambition. To 
 cure which our Saviour preaches to them the doclrine ofhu- 
 mility. Where i.y^rvf i. Our Lord doth not fay, he that 
 is firft, but he thai dejiieth to be flrj}, p?alt be la/} of all, and 
 fervant of all. Ttaching us, That all pcrfons in general, 
 and minifters in particular, o'jght not to feek out places of 
 dignity and pre-eminency for themlelves,. but be fought 
 out for them; he that is firft in feeking them, ufuallyleaft 
 delcrves them, knd laft obtains them ; J/ any ir.an defre to 
 he firfl, thefamefnallbelaflc'fall. 2. Our Saviour teaches 
 his difciples humility liy the t}pe and example of a little 
 child, which he fets before them, as the proper emblem of 
 humility : (hewing them, that t!iey ought to be as free from 
 ambition as a young child, which a£'ec:s nothing of preced- 
 ency or fuperiority. £uch as are of h'gheft eminency in 
 the church of Chrift, ought to be r.dorncd -.virh humility, 
 and look on themfelves as lying under tiic greateft obligati- 
 ons to be nioft eminently ufef ul and fsirvicablefor the churcli's 
 good. ■},. How exceeding dear and precious fuch perfons 
 are to Chrift, v,ho refemble little children in true humility 
 and lowlinefs of mind ; tffluing the world, that whaifoevcr 
 kindnefsor rcfpe>^ they flicw tothtm, he accounts ihewn to 
 himfelf; He that recciveth them, fr.ys Chrift, receivethme. 
 So neari s the union, fodear the relation, betwixt Chrift 
 and hismemhcrs, that whatever good orevil is done to them 
 he reckons it as done unto himfelf. 
 
 38 -\nd John ahfwered him, fi^ying, Mafler, wc 
 
 faw 
 
 MMiMliia 
 
'Ckap. IX. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 '50 
 
 fa-.\- one cnflinq out devils in tliy n.itnc, and he fol- 
 Jowcth not us : and \vc forbade him, bccaufe he fol- 
 lowcth not us. 39 But Jcfus faid, Forbid him not; for 
 (hero is no man that fhall do a miracle in my name, 
 that ran fpeak evil of mc. 40 For lie that i; not a- 
 nainfl; us, is on our part. 41 For whofoevcr fhall 
 give you a cup of water to drink in my name, bc- 
 caufe ve btlonii to Chrift, verily I fay unto you, He 
 {hall not lofc hi< reward. 42 And v.'hofoever fhall 
 efl-end one oi tiufe little ones that believe in me, it is 
 better for him that a millfione is'crc hanged about 
 -his neck, and he were cafl into the fea. 
 
 The Evangelid here fets down a conference betwixt our 
 Saviour Chrift and John -his crifciple. Where ohferve, i. 
 St. John's relation of a matter of faf: to Chrift, namely, 
 his forbidding one to caft our devils in Chrifl'sname, that 
 did not follow Chrift as they did, being his nrofefled difciples. 
 Though only the difciples that followed Chrift h.id a com- 
 piidion to workmirackf., yet there were others ro enemies 
 to Chrift, who in imit.uion of the dirciplcs, did attempt to 
 do the like ; .ind God was pleafed for the hcrour of his Son, 
 in wbofc name they caft out devils, to give them fometimes 
 fuccefs. Almighty God may, and fometimes doth, givefuc- 
 cefs to fuch adlions and enterprlzcs ;is are good in themfelves, 
 though undertaken by perfons th.i; have no lawful call or 
 warrant from God to do them. However it was no fmall 
 confirmation of the iruth of Chriftianity, that Chrift's name 
 was thus powerf il, even among thofe that did not follow 
 him, and therefore could do nothing by compaiTt with him. 
 1. The action of the difciples tow.-.rd this pcrfon ; IFe for- 
 bade him. This iliewed, i. Their ignorance, in fnppofing 
 that none could be true difciples, nor work miracles, but 
 fuch 31 followed them ; JVefurhade him, beca-.ife ht f Mowed 
 r.ot us. 2. Their rafhnefs, in forbidding liWn of their own 
 heads, before they had confiilted Chrift about it. 3. Their 
 ei^vy and emulation, in that they were grieved and difcon- 
 jented at this perfon's cnfting out devils, becaufe he was not 
 a follower of them. O, the imperfect compofition of the 
 bcft of faints ! how much weakncfs, infirmity, and corrupti- 
 on doth John the beloved difciple difcover upon this occafi- 
 on ! The fin of envy and emulation againft the gil'ts of God 
 in others, is very natural to man, and to good men, yea, to 
 the beft of men : it is as difficult to look upon other mens 
 gins without envy, as to look upon our own without pride. 
 3. Our Saviour's aniwer and reply ; Forbid him not .- Becaufe 
 our Saviour knew that his enterj-'rijc of cafting out devils in 
 his najne, would in fome manner and mcafure redound to 
 the glor)' of his name, although he undcrto(>k the matter 
 without fufficient warrant from Chrift. We ought not to 
 cenfure and condemn thcfe ■who do that which is good in 
 itfelf, th'jugh they fail in the m.nnncr of it, and in the means 
 they ufe for effecting ir. 4. What encouragement our Sa- 
 vjour gives the world to be kind to his followers: He af- 
 furcs them, thai even a cup cf cold 'jjatcr givi nfjr his fijkc, 
 to fuch as profels his n^xme, /})all not mifs'.fa regard. 
 Learn, that the leaft office of love and refpecl, ofkindnefs 
 and charity, f'lewn to any of the minifteri or mcmhers of 
 Jefus Clirift, for his fake, is accounted a? done unto himfelf, 
 and fliall be rewarded by himftlf. 5. He Jliall gain that 
 
 which he cannot lofe, by parting with that «hich he foiiM 
 not keep. 6. What a licinous and grievous fin it i^ to 
 fcandalir.c or ofl'end any of ilie difciples of Jcf»u Chrift : 
 He will inoft feverely judge and punilh fuch a; give otTenc- 
 to them, by any wrong or injurydone unto them, bo'h it; 
 this life and the next : // v;ere- hrttrr it ntiltj} oie ivre h/irji. 
 ed about his neck, and he were cafl irt'i thefr-a. 
 
 4'5 And if thy hand offend the :, cut ir off: it is 
 better for thee to enter into lifem.auncd. than hat in;; 
 two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never 
 fhall be quenched: 4^ Where their worm dieth 
 nor, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy 
 foot offend thee, cut it off: it isbcttcr forthccto en- 
 ter halt into life, than iiavin;' two feet to be cafl into 
 hell, into the fire that never fhall be quenched : 46 
 W'hcre their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
 quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck 
 k out : it IS better for thee to enter into the 
 kingdom of God with one eye, than having two cyti 
 to be call into hell hre: 48 "Where their worm di- 
 Clh not, andthc fire is not quenched. 
 
 In the former verfe our Saviour difluaded from the fin 
 of fcandal, or giving offence to ferious?.n;! fincei-e chriftian?. 
 threatening a very grievous jiidgmpnt againft fuch as 
 fhonld any ways offend them ; now, in thefe fix verfes he 
 prefcribes a remedy ag.iinft that and ali other fins, namely, 
 by avoiding all occafion that kad to fin. Here ^/'/c/tr, i. 
 The admonition and warning given by Chrift unto us, to re- 
 move us far from all occafion of fm, tlioii'^h never fo desr 
 unto us. We are not to nndcrftand the ccmmand litcraiiv, 
 as if it were our duty to maim our bodily ir.embers ; but 
 metaphorically, to cut off all occafions that may betray us 
 into fin. Hence note , That fin may be avoided ; it is our 
 duty to avoid whatever leads unto it, or may be the inftrii- 
 ment and occafion of it. 2. A reaion enforcing the admo- 
 nition : this is drawn from the benefit and advantage that 
 will come by cutting off all occafions of fin : it will fur- 
 ther us in our attainment of eternal life, and prevent cur 
 being caft into hell fire. Now our Saviour afHrms, that ir 
 is better for a man to enter into life with the lofs of all 
 thofe things that are dear and precious to him in this world 
 rather than go into hell with the fruition of aii thofe things, 
 in the enjoyment of them. Leurn thence. That a diligent 
 and daily care to avoid (in, and nil occafions that kad iuud 
 it, will be a fpecial means toefcape the torments rf hell, and 
 further ns in our attainments of heaven and eternal life. — 
 3. The defcription whichour Saviour gives of the torments 
 of bell, Firft, By its extremity ; it is like a gr.a-ccing lucrri 
 and a coifumitig fire. Secontily, And by its eternity : a 
 worm that never dieth, ard a fire that is never quenched. 
 Where >:;.v, That the remembrance cf things paft, the 
 experience of thii-gs prefent, and the c:;pe<ftaticn of 
 things to come, are the bitings of the Morm of con- 
 fcience ; at every bite whereof damned fouls give a 
 dreadful fliriek : fuch as \vill not hear the voice of 
 confcience, fhall feel, and to thatpurpole, thcfting of con- 
 fcicnee. Learn hence. That there is moft certainly a pl.ice 
 of punifhment and torment in another world forwickeu' iiie:i 
 to fiiffer in, upon the fcore of lin cummited in this world. 
 
 U?. Se. 
 
15S 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Cha 
 
 p. IX. 
 
 Secondly, Tlut ilie pu 11 illi merit and torments of the wkked 
 in hell are intolerable and indetcrniinahle, of exqiiilitc pain 
 and endlefs durjtion : Their wyrmnn'.r dirth, Sec- 
 
 42 For every one fhall be f.iltcd with fire, and c- 
 vcry facrifice ihall be failed with fa.lt. 
 
 Eirry cue /hull h: railed with f re .• That i*, every one of 
 sheni nieniioned in the foregoing verfes, who retufe to itit 
 '■£ "? '■'.C^-'' hand, and plurk out a right eye ; that is, to mortify 
 their bolom lulls and beloved corruptions, which arc as 
 dear as a righr hand or aright eye ; every fnch wicked iin- 
 mortifieil [-.evion f^all he Jalt.d -^hh fire ; that '\%,thr(A.vn in- 
 f) hrll-jlre, '.vhere the 'Mom dlelh ml, and the fire is not quench- 
 rd : as our Saviour fpeaks, verfe 4. And their he\v\g/alted 
 -luith fre, imports and implies, That, as to their beings, 
 they /h.dl be prefervcd, even as fait prclerves things from 
 inrrup;ion,thnt they may be the objefts of the eternal wrath 
 I'J God : So that lor finners to bt falti-d with fire, is to be 
 ) "ven up tocverlafting dcftruction. Learn hence. That all 
 1'jch unl-ivoury finners asindulge their corrupt luftsandaf- 
 fec'tions, flialt he falted with fire, that is. given up to evcr- 
 lafting deftruftion in hell fire : But every f.icrifice (hall he 
 fatUd with filth ; that is, every Chriftian wJio Ins given up 
 himfelfa real facrifice unto God, Ihall be fjlced, not with 
 I'.re, but with fair ; not with fire to be confumed and deflroy- 
 cd ; but v.'iih fait ; to beprcferved and kept favaury. The 
 grace of mortification, is that to the foul which fait is to the 
 body ; it preferves it from putrefaction, and renders it fa- 
 Toury, Ije»rn hence, i. 'I'hat every Chriftian in this life 
 ought to be a fpiritual facrifice or oblation unto God. 2. 
 That there is a putrid and corrupt part in every facrifice, in 
 every Chriflian, which muft be purged out, and the facri- 
 fice purified and cleanfed from. 3. That the grace of mor- 
 tification is the true fait which miift clarH'y the foul, and 
 with which every facrifice muftbe falted, that will bo a fa- 
 voury OiiVring unto God : Every cne fhall he falted with fire, 
 dud every facrifice Jhall be failed with fait . 
 
 50 Salt is good : but if the fait have loft lii.s falt- 
 ncfs, wherewith will ye feafon it? Have fait in 
 yourfelves, and have peace one with another. 
 
 Our bleffed Saviour here compares Chriflians in general, 
 and his niinillcrs in particular, unto fait, for a double rea- 
 fon. Pirfl, Becaufe it is the nature of fait to preferve 
 things from corruption and putrefaftion, and to render 
 them fivory and pleafant. Thus are the miniflers of 
 Chrifl to labour and endeavour, by the purity of their 
 doclrine, to fweeten putrifying finners, that they way be- 
 come favory unto God and man, and be kept from being 
 Hy-blown with errors and falle doftrines. Secondly, be- 
 canfe fait has an acrimony, a piercing power in it, which 
 fubdues ilie whole lump, and turns it into its own nature : 
 Such a piercing power is there in the "ninidry of the word, 
 that it fubdues the whole man to the obedience of iifelf. 
 Niroefjlt in yourfehes, ar.d have peace C"!e with another : 
 That is, let all perfons, efpecially ininilters, retain a fea- 
 foning virtue in ihemfelves, that they may f^vteten and lea- 
 i'cn others, even sll that ihey cc nverfe witti : And as fait 
 his in uniting power, and knits th e parts of the body falted 
 together, fo the upholding of union and i»€ace- one with 
 
 another, uiU declare that ye have fait in yourfelves. 
 Learn hence. That it is the duty of all Chrirtians, but efjicci- 
 allyofthc minifters of the gofpel, to maintain brotherly 
 concord and agreement among thcmfelvcs, both as an argu- 
 ment of their fincerity, ami an ornament to their pro fefilou. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 AND he arofe from thence, and cometh into the 
 coafts of Judea, by the farther fide of Jordan : 
 and the people refort unto him again ; and, as he 
 wa.<; wont, he tauglit them a<;ain. 2 ? And the Ph-i- 
 rifee.s came to him, and alkcd him, I.s it lawful for 
 a man toput away his \^-ife ? tempting him. 3 And 
 he anfwcred and faid unto them, What did Mofes 
 command you ? 4 And they faid, Mofes fiiffered to 
 write a bill of divorcement, and put her away. 5 
 And Jelus anfwcred and faid unto them, For the 
 hardnefs of your heart he wrote you this precept, 
 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made 
 them male and female. 7 For this cau/e fhall a 
 man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his 
 wife; 8 And they twain fliall be one flcfii : fo then 
 they arc no more twain, but one fle.fh. 9 What 
 therefore God hath joined together let not man put 
 afunder. 10 And in the houfc his difciples afked 
 him again of the fame matter. 11 And faith unlo 
 them, Whofocverniall put away Jiis wife, niad mar- 
 ry another, committeth aduhery againfl her. is 
 And if a woman fliall put away her hufban<l, and be 
 married to another, flic committeth adultery. 
 
 The firlt verfe of this chapter acquaints us with the great 
 labour and pains our Saviour took in the exercife cf his min- 
 iftry, travelling from place to place, in an hot country, and 
 that on foot, to preach the golpcl, wlien he was here upon 
 earth : Teaching all perfons, bu: efj>rcially miniriers, by his 
 example, to be v/illing to undergo pnins and labour, even 
 inito much wcarincfi in the fervicc of God, and in ihe du- 
 ties of their calling. For iliisis God's ordinance, that eve- 
 ryonefiiould ieel the burden of his calling, and the pair.ful- 
 nefs of it. But, Lord, how nice rnd delicate are fume la- 
 bourers in thy vineyard, who arc willing to do nothing but 
 what they can do with cafe ; they cannot endure to think- 
 of labouring unto wearinefs, but are fparing of their pains, 
 for fear of fiiortening their days and haftening their end ; 
 Whereas tlie lamp of our lives can never be better fjicnt, or 
 burnt out, than in lighting others to Iicave.i. The follow- 
 ing verfes acquaint us with an cnfmring qucflion which the 
 Pharifces put to our Saviour concerning the matter of di- 
 vorce ; concluding tbit they fiiould entrap him in his an- 
 fwer, whatever it was : If he denied the lawfnlnefs of di. 
 vorce, theu they would charge him v.iih contradicting Mo. 
 fes, i^fio allowed it. Ifhe affirmed it, then they would con. 
 demnhim for contr.idicting his own doctrine. St. Matr.v. 
 31. for favouring nvenslults, and complying with the wick- 
 ed ctiflom of the Jews, who, upon every IligTtt and frivolous 
 occafion, put away their wives from them. But inch was 
 the wifdoni of our Saviour in all his aufwerj to the crjfuarinc 
 
 Pha- 
 
Ghap. XI. 
 
 MAR K'. 
 
 '57 
 
 Pharifees, that neithcf their wit nor malice could lay hold 
 upon any thing to entangle him in his talk. Chfvv; there- 
 fore, the piety ami prudence of our Saviour's anfwer to tiie 
 Ph^'.rifees ; he refers thcin firft to the inflitution of marri- 
 age, when God mide hulband and wile one fleOi, to the in- 
 tent that matrimonial lovemight he both incconiunicahle and 
 indifloInUe ; and accordingly alks them, What did Mofes 
 commr.rid yr.u r Thereby teaching us, That the bed means 
 for deciding all doubts, and refolving all controverlies about 
 matters of religion, is to have recoiirfe unto the fcripture, 
 or the written word of God : Jl'hat did l^P^/cS c^mmandx'.ur 
 Ch/crve farther, How cuir Saviour to confute the Pharifees, 
 and convince them of the uniav/fulnefs of divorce, ufed by 
 the Jews, lays down the fird inftitution of marriage, and 
 fliev.-s them, firiX the author, next the time, then the 
 end of the inflitution. The author, God. U'h«t Cod has 
 joined tr,gct}^er, Sec. Marriage is an ordinance of God's own 
 appointment, as the ground and foundation ofallfacred and 
 civil fociety. TJie time of the inflitution was, in the begin- 
 ning. Marriage is almoft as old as the world, as old as 
 nature itfelf ; there was no fooner one pcrfon, butGod di- 
 vided them into two ; and no fooner was there two; but 
 he united them into one. And the end of the inflitution of 
 marriage Chrifl declares was thi;. That there might be not 
 only an intimacy and nearnefs, but alfo an infeparible uni- 
 on and onencfs, by means of this endearing relation : the 
 conjugal knot is tied fo clofe, that the bondi of matrimoni- 
 al love are ftionger thnn thofe of nature. Stricter is the 
 tie betwixt hufoand and wife, than that betwixt parent and 
 child, according to God's own appointment. For this caufe 
 Jknll a manl^ave fuiher otid ivAher, and dtave to his ivife, 
 and they twain/ljaU he cinf flf/h. And whereas our Saviour 
 idds, what C'jd hm joined together, let «3 man put aftinder : 
 Two things are hereby intimated to us, i. That God is the 
 author of the clofe and intimate union whidi is betwixt man 
 and V, ife in the married condition. i. That it is not in the 
 power of man to unite or difiolve thatunion v;hich God has 
 made betwixt man and wife in the married ftate ; yea, it is a 
 great fm to advife unto, or endeavour after the fcparation 
 of them. Ohfa~j;, Isftly, Our Saviour's private confcrance 
 with theriifciples after h'ls public difputation with the I'ha- 
 rifees, .nb.wt this mattf-r of divorce. He tells his difciples, 
 and in them h? tells sH Chriftians to the end of the world, 
 that it is utterly unlawful for man and wife to In; feparated 
 by divorecmevit one from anotiier, for any caufe whatfocver^ 
 except only for the fin of adultery cnmmited l>y cither of them 
 after tb«ir marriage. ZMr« hence. That nccorcingto the 
 word and will of God, nothing can violat'ethe bordsof mar- 
 riage, andjuftify a divorr-e betwixt manr.nd v..fe, favc only 
 the defil'ng of the marriage bed by adultery nnd uncleannefs. 
 This is the only cafe in which man .->nd wife may lawfully 
 part; and being fur this caufe parted, whether they may 
 afterwards marry again to other perfon^, has been much 
 difputed ; but that the innocent :ind injured pcrlon, whe- 
 ther man or woman, ( for th«-e iian equal right on both 
 fides) may not marry again ftems very unreafonable ; for 
 ■nhy fliould one lutfer for another's faiUt? 
 
 13 1 And they brought young children to him. 
 that he fliould touch them : and hh dilciples rebuked 
 
 thofc that brought tkivn. 14 But when Jcfus f.iw ;/, 
 he was much difplcadd, and faid unto them Suffer 
 the little children to co:nc unto nic, and forbid thcni 
 not : for of fuch is the kinijdom of God. 15 Verily 
 I fay unto you, Whofoover fhall not receive the 
 kingdom of God as a little child, he fliall not enter 
 therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put 
 his hands upon them, and bleffed them. 
 
 Cl'fvrve here, A folenui .-itlion performed ; children arc 
 brought to Chrift to be blcU'ed by him. Where note, i. 
 The perfons brought, children, youn;: children, fucking 
 chddren, as the words imports, St. Lake y,\-\V\. 115. They 
 brought thiem in ihiir arms, not led ihcni by the hands. 2. 
 The perfon they are brought unto, Jefus (.hriJJ. U jt for 
 what end.' Not to baptize them, but to biffs them: The 
 parents looking upon Chrifl as a prophet, a great prophet, 
 the great prophet, i.\^ bring their infants to him, that'thcy 
 might receive the benefit of his blefling and prayers. 
 Whence /rarjf, i. That infants are capaljle of benefit by 
 Jefus Chrifl. 2. That it is the befl office tliut parents can 
 perform unto their children, to bring (hem unto ChriA, 
 that they may be made partakers of that benefit. 3. If in- 
 f^anti be capable of benefit by Chrifl, if capa'ole of his blef- 
 iing on earth and prefence in heaven, if tlipy be fubjeas 
 cfhis kingdom of grace, and heirs of his kingdom of glory, 
 then may they be baptized : For they that are in covenant, 
 have a right to the teal of the covenant. Jf Chrifl denies 
 not infants the kingdom of heaven, which is the greater, 
 what realon liave minifters to deny iheui the b^inefit of 
 baptifm, which is the iefs? 
 
 17 And when he was gone forth into ti;e v.'ay, 
 there came one runninij, and kneeled to him, anci 
 .ifked him, Good Mafter, what fhall I do that ! may 
 inherit eternal life ? 
 
 Obferve'neve, i. A perfon sddrcfTing liiinfeif to Chrifl 
 with an important queilion in his niouth. This ;)erlon was 
 a young man, a rich man, and a rule:- ; a young man in the 
 prime of his age, a rich man in the fulnefs of his wealth, 
 and a ruler in the prime of his authority and power. From 
 whence /</7/n, That for young men., rich sjen, efpecially 
 noblemen, to inquire the way tofalvation, is very commen- 
 dable, but very rare. 1. As the perfon addreiling, fo ihe 
 manner of the addrefs, he came runni.ig and kneeling to 
 Chrifl. Where oh fcnie his volunrarinels, hs fi/>/?.* of him- 
 felf, not drawn by others importunity, bu: drawn by his 
 own perfonal affecHons. And his readinefs, he came run- 
 ning. This fhewed his zeal and forwardr.efs to in;et with 
 Chrifl, and be refolved by him. And, Jaflly, Hishumility ; 
 he kneeltd to him, as an en-.inent )>rophet and teacher, not 
 knowing him to be the Son of God. 3. The addrefiitielf, 
 Whatjhflll 1 do to inherit eternal life ^'Wh^re >:iii^, 1. He 
 believes the certainty of a future flare. 2. He profefTes his 
 defireof an eternal happinefs in that fl.iie. 3. He declares 
 his readinefs to do fome good thing, in order to t!ie ob- 
 taining of that happinefs. Hence Igarn, That the Itght of 
 nature, or natural rriigion, tenches men that good woiks 
 are neceffary to lalvation : or that fome good thing mufl be 
 
 dene 
 
Tr,8 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 CilAP. IX. 
 
 is it Chrifl Iv.d faid, ll'hy calif/} thou me good, when 
 u iloi": not believe or own rac t>) be God .' For there it 
 
 done by them, who st death expecx eternal life. It is not 
 talking well, and prnfeinr.g well, but doing well, that en- 
 lilies us to heaven and eternal lite. 
 
 18 And JcFus faid unto him, Why callcfl thou 
 n\2 good ? tha-e is none good but one, that is, God. 
 
 A 
 
 tl.ou _- - ... 
 
 v.-MgotJ, that is, eGontully andor:g;naI!y goou, abfolutely 
 :.nd Mimiutablv Rcr.d, but Cod only ; nor any derivatively 
 i-ood, but he that receiveth his goodnefs from God alfo : 
 Tliere is no mereman that is abfolutely and perfectly good 
 of hinifelf, but b" participation and derivation from God 
 only. See :he note sn St. Matt. xix. 17. 
 
 19 Thou knowefl the commadments, Do not 
 commit adultciv. Do not kill, Do not fteal, Dq not 
 bcnr falfc witncls, Dctraud not, Honour thy father 
 and mother. 
 
 Ohtlrve here. That the duties which our Saviour inftances 
 
 in, are the duties of the fecond table, which hypocrites are 
 
 jTjoft failing in. But r.othing is a l)etter evidence of our 
 
 nnrVi"ieJ love to God, tlian the finccre performance of our 
 
 iliKv to our neighbour. Love to man is a fruit and tefti- 
 
 jnonv of our love to God ; for /:e that kvetb not his brother 
 
 '.v'mi he h^th fifK, ko:u can he love God whom he hath not 
 
 fren? I. John iy. 20. Learn hence, That fuch as are 
 
 "defective in the duties of the fecond table charity and jud- 
 
 ice, do make but a counterfeit /hew of religion, thougii they 
 
 pretend to th« highed meafures and degrees of love to 
 
 Cod. Here note. That there ere two ways of injuring our 
 
 fieijiUbour, which ought to lie avoided ; namely, i. By 
 
 theft; and this either privately and clandcflinely, v.ithout 
 
 the knowledge of the owner ; or openly by force, againfl 
 
 the confent of the owner; both thefe are forbidden in the 
 
 ci"hth commandment. 2. By fecret and cunning devices, 
 
 where the law and a pretence of right is made ufe of to 
 
 cover the injury. This isforbidden in the tenth command- 
 
 jnent, and here exprelTed by Thou /halt not ilefrjiud. And 
 
 furely all endeavours to detrauti, mull (hew a very covet- 
 
 ous mind, inclining a perfon, againft the diclates of his own 
 
 confcience, to defraud another of his right. 
 
 20 v\<nd he anfwered and faid unto him, Maftcv 
 all thcfe have I oblcrved from my youth. 
 
 This adertion of the young man might be very true, 
 accordiujT to tbe Pharifees fenfe and interpretation of the 
 l;j\v, which condemned only the grofs outv.-ard aft, not 
 the inward luft and motion of the heart. An nutlide obe- 
 dience to the law this yonng man had performed; this 
 made him think well of himl'eif, and conclude the good- 
 nefsofhisown condition. Learn hence, How prone men 
 are to think the heft of themfelves, and have too high an 
 opinion of their own goodnefs and righteoufnefs before 
 God; /III thr/e tl'inr^s hav J hrpt /rom wy youth. It is a 
 natural corruption in man to think too well of themfelves, 
 and of their o-,vn goodnefs and righteoufnefs before God ; 
 but it is very dangerous and fatal fo to do. 
 
 2 1 Then Jcfn.s, beholding him. loved him, and 
 
 faid unto him, One thing thou lacked : go thy way, 
 fell whatfocvcr thou haft, and give to tlie poor, 
 and thou Ihalt have treafure in heaven : and come; 
 take up the crofs, and follow me. 22 And he was 
 fad at that faying, and went away grieved: lor he 
 had great polfeffions. 
 
 Cb/ervehere, i. Chrift's compaiTion toward* this young 
 man. He loved him with a love of pity and compafhoK, 
 with a love of courtefy and refpett. There may be fome 
 very amiable and lovely qualities in natural and unregene- 
 rate men : and goodnefs, ni w hat kind or degree loever it 
 is, doth attract and draw forth Chrilt's love towards a per- 
 fon. ]fChriIi did love civility, what refpect has he for 
 iincere fandtity. 2. Our Lord's admonition. Ore thing thou 
 lachefi, w^hich was true feif-denial, in renouncing the fm 
 of covetoufnef?, and the ii:ordinate love of worldly w&alth. 
 We ought, upon God's call, to maintain fuch a readineis 
 of mind, as to be willing to part with all for God's fake 
 which is dear unto us in this wurld. 3. Our Lord's injunct- 
 ion. Sell vjLit thou ha/} and give to the poor. This was not 
 a common, but a fpccial precept belonging p.irticularly to 
 this young man. It was a comiiiandinent of trial given to 
 him, like that given to Abraham, Gci-.. xxii. to convince 
 hiin of his corrupt toniidence in his riches : \etif is thus 
 far of general ufe to us all- to teach us lo to contems 
 "Worldly pofTefnons, as to be willing to part with them when 
 they hinder our happinefs and falvation. It follows, y^«i 
 take up the cro/s ; an allufion to the Roman cuftom, when 
 the nialefaftor was to be crucified, he bore his crols upon • 
 his llioulder, and carried it to the place of execution. Jt is 
 not the taking, but the patient bearing the crofs, which is 
 our duty. Learn, That all Chrift's folio. vers Ihould pre- 
 pare their (lioulders for Chrifl's crofs. To bear tYie crofs, 
 implies faithfulnefs and integrity witliout fiiifting, patience 
 and fubmilhon without murmuring, joy and chearfulnefs 
 without fainting. 4. The elFtci which our Saviour's ad- 
 monition had upon this young perfon. He 'jias fad and 
 grieved at that/aying. Thence note, I. That carnal men 
 are fad, and exceeding forrowful, when they cannot win 
 heaven in their own way. 1. That fuch as are wedded to 
 the world, will renounce Chrift rather than the world, 
 when the world and Chrift ftand in competition. 
 
 23 And Jefus looked roimd about, and faith unto 
 his difciples. How hardly (hall they that have richcs 
 enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the dif- 
 ciples were aftoniflicd at his word.s. But Jefus an- 
 fwcreth again, and faith unto them. Children, how 
 hard it is for them that truft in riches to enter into 
 the kingdom of God ! 25 It is cafier for a camel to 
 go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man 
 to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And thev 
 were aflonilhcdout of meafure, faying among them- 
 felves, Who then can he faved? 27 And Jelu<; 
 looking upon them, faith With men it is impoflible, 
 but not with God : for with God all things are polli- 
 ble. 
 
 From this dilcourfe of our holy Lord's, concerning the 
 
 danger 
 
Chap. x. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 '59 
 
 Janger of riches, and the difficulty that attends rich men in 
 their way to heaven, we may collect and gather, fird, Th«t 
 ritli men do certainly meet with more difFKiikies in their 
 way to heaven than other men. It is difficult to withdraw 
 their afFcdions from riches, to place their fuprenie love up- 
 on God in tlie midft of their abundance. Ic is difficult to 
 depend-- entirely upo:> God in a rich condition ;. the rich 
 ■>uim's wealth is his /iron^ toiucr. Secondly. That yet the 
 fiult lies not in riches, but in rich men ; who by placing 
 their tnift, and repoling ilieir confidence in riches, do ren- 
 der thcmfelves incapable of the kingdom of God. 3. The 
 proverbial fpeech wl'.ich our Saviour makes ule of to fet 
 forth the difficulty of a rich man's falvaiion : // Is eafier 
 for a camel to go through a meJIi's eye. This was a pro- 
 verb among the Jews, iignifyiiig a thing of great difficulty, 
 next 10 an iinpolVibility ; and it implies thus much, That it is 
 not only a very great difnculty, but an utter impoffibility, 
 for fuch as abound in worldly wealth, and place their con- 
 fidence tkerein,robe laved, without an extraordinary grace 
 and aditlance from God. 4. The difciples arc affeifled with 
 wonder and admiration at this doctrine of our Saviour's, 
 and cry out, ll'hj then can be fuved ? Lei'ni thence. That 
 fuch are the fpecial and pecidiar difficulties which lie in the 
 rich man's way to falvation, that their getting to heaven is 
 matter of wonder and admiration to the difciples of Chrifl. 
 "J. How our Saviour refclves this doubt, by tellihg his dif- 
 diplcs, That what was impoffible with men, was poffible 
 with God : implying, That it is impoffible for any man, 
 rich or poor, by his own natural flrength to get to heaven. 
 And, 2. That when we are difcouraged with a fenfe of 
 our own impotency, we ffiould confider the power of God, 
 and fix our faith upon it ; IVith God all things are poffible, 
 
 28 Then Peter began to fay unto him, Lo. wc 
 have left all, and followed thee. 29 And Jefus 
 anfwered and faid. Verily I fay unto you, There is 
 no man that hath left houfe, or brethren, or fillers, or 
 father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for 
 my fake, and the gofpel's, 30 But he fhall receive 
 an hundred fold now in this time, houfes, and bre- 
 thren, and fillers, and mothers, and children, and 
 lands, with perfecu'ions; and in the world to come, 
 eternal life. 31 But many that art firll, fhall be laft; 
 and the laft, firft. 
 
 The apoftlcs having heard our Saviour's command to 
 fell all and give to the poor, St. Peter, in the nsme of the 
 reft, tells ChriU, that ihey had left all t^/f'y.hvj him, Wl'.ere 
 r.y,e, How Peter magnifies that little which he had left for 
 Chrift, and ufhers it in with a note of admiration ; Lo .' 
 -.ve have lift nil. Learn hence. That though it he very 
 little that we fuffer for Chrift, and have to forfake upon his 
 .Tcccunr, yet are we apt to magnify and extclit, as if it were 
 fome great matter : BehiUvtc have left all, and followed thee. 
 Next, Our Lord's kind and gracious anfwcr, that thofc 
 that leave all to follow him, fnal! be no iufers by him ; we 
 may be lol'ers for Chrilt, we IhsU never be lofers by him ; 
 for whatever we part within this world for the fake of 
 Chrift, Houfes 'jr lands, hrethrtn cr fiflers, vie fhall receive 
 an hundred fold rtTM in this life. But how fo ? Non formal- 
 liter. fed emincnter ; non infpedc, ftJ in valore ; "Not in 
 
 kind, but in equivalency:" not an h'.indred brethren, 
 (ifters, or lands in kind, but he fhall enjoy that in God, 
 which all creatures would be to him if they were mnlti. 
 plied an himdred times : And the gifts and graces, the com 
 forts and confolntions of the Holy Spirit, ffiall be an hun- 
 dred times better portion than any thing we can part with 
 for the fake of Ciirift. For the fenfe of thofe wordr. The 
 frf} fhall be laft, Sec. See the note on Matt. xx. 19. 
 
 32 H And they were in the way going up to Je- 
 rufalem; and Jefus went before them; and they 
 were amazed ; and as they followed they were afrnid. 
 And he took a^ain the twelve, and be<'an to tell 
 them what things fhould happen unto him, 33 Say- 
 ing, Behold wc go up to Jerufalem ; and the Scjn of 
 man fhall be delivered unto the chief pricfts, and 
 unto the fcribcsj and they fhall condemn hiin to 
 death, and fliall deliver him to the Genfiles : cjj 
 And they ftiall mock him, and fhall fcourge him, and 
 fliall fpit upon hiiri, and lliall kill hiin : and llic 
 third day he fliall rife again. 
 
 This is at leaft the" third time that Chrift had acquainted 
 hisdifciples with his approaching fuiierings. The firfttiinc 
 he told his difciples of his death in general ; the fecond time 
 he declares the m.eans, by ireafon ; now he. tells them. the 
 manner, by cri;cif\ ing him : All this he did, to prevent 
 their dejection at his iufferings. Learn hence, That it is 
 highly neceli'ary that tliedoclrineof thecrofsbe oiten preach- 
 ed to us, that fo being armed with expectations of fuffcr- 
 ings before they come, wemay be the lei's difinaycd and dif- 
 heartened when they come. Our Lord's forewarning his 
 difciples fo frequently of his death and fimerings, was 10 
 fore-warn rhein with expectations of his fuflerings, and with 
 preparation for their own. Farther, who were the peifons 
 that were the inftrumental cai'.fes of our Saviour's death, 
 they were both Jews and Gentiles ; The Son of man fhall be 
 delivered to the chief priefts, aKdtmyfi\ill deliver him to ike 
 Gentiles, As both Jews and Gentiles had a hand in the 
 death and fuHerings of our Lord jelus Chriir, fo arc 
 they by faith capable 01 an intereft in the merit of his 
 death, and in the virtue and efficacy ot hi«. fidFerings. Chrift 
 olFered up his blood to Goti-on the be'nali.of ihsjii that l.^ied 
 it. 
 
 055 And James ari3 John the fons of Ztbcdec 
 come unto him, fayin t, Mafler, we would that- thou 
 Ihouldefl do for us whatfoever v.-c fli-.ll defirc. 36 
 And he faid unto them, What would ye that I fnould 
 do for you ? 37 They faid unto him., Grant unto 
 us that we may fit the one on thy right hand, and 
 the other on thy left hand, in thy glor>'. 38 Bt-t 
 lefus faid unto them, Ye know not what ) e alk : ca-i 
 "ve drink of the cup that I drink of ? and be bapti- 
 zed with the baptil'm thiit I am baptized with ? jj") 
 And they faid unto him, Wc can. . And Jefus faid 
 unto them, Ye fhall indeed drink of the cup that I 
 drink of; and with the bapti&n that i am baptized 
 with;U fliall ye be baptized ; .^o Buc to fit on my 
 
i6o 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 riolu IiAud iiHiion my If ft hand, is not mine to give; 
 but it Ihall be >;ivcn to them for whom it is prepared. 
 4 1 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much 
 difpleafcd with Jamea and John. 
 
 A^.v here, r. Tlie .Trnbitiou'i fuit and reqaeft of thetwo 
 apoilles. James and John, for dignity and firperiority, Grant 
 t':et U'tf may fit, thtone or. thy right hand, and the other on thy 
 I ft kan.ii:'.t'hy ^Lry, or iu thv kingdom. Where ohferve 
 1 hat In- ChrilVs kingdom and glory, they underftood an 
 earthly temporal kingdom ; fcrofthat fort the Jews <iid 
 expefl the kingdom of the MeHiah (lumld he, and the dil- 
 ciplcs themfclves Were tainted with the common errors. — 
 Learn hence, That ambition and inordinate defireof world- 
 ly honour and d;;5nity, is a (in very natural and incident to 
 the befb of men : Who can wonder to fee fome fparks of 
 ambiticnin the holieft of God's minifters, whenChrill's own 
 apoftles were not free from afpiring thoughts, even when 
 they hv in the bofoni of our Saviour? 2. I'oththe unlea- 
 fonablenefs and unreafonablenei's cf this requell made by 
 James ami John ; Chriit fpe^-ks of his fufierings to them, 
 and they fue for dignity and great places from him. Inop- 
 tiwu) nwivhlt eP prjpinl : 1 he holiett, the wifeft, and the 
 belt of men are not wholly free from pallionate infirmities : 
 Who could have thought that when our Saviour had been 
 preaching the doctrine of the crofs to his disciples, that 
 they Ihouldat the fame time be J'ceki igaid fuing to him for 
 fecular dignity and honour, pre-eminence and power? But 
 the bell of men are but men ; nor.e are in altatc of perfec- 
 tion on this (ide heaven. 3. Our i^aviour's anhser to his 
 difciples' ambitious requeff , and the courfe which he takes 
 t'^ cool their ambition ; he tells ihem they unillexpctt here, 
 not crowns on their heads, but a crofs on their backs ; they 
 miift tirft tafte of his luffenngs, before they partake of his 
 florv; and thofe that fufler moll for Chriit, ihall partake 
 of the higheft dignity and glory from him. 4. The pre- 
 fnmptuous confidence which the apoftles had of their own 
 ftrength and ability for fufferings, /ire ye ahk, fays Chriit, 
 to drink <jfv\ycup? Wcare ihk, fay the difciples. Alas, 
 poor men, \\hen it came to the trial, they all cowardly for- 
 fook him and fled. Thcfe that are lealt acquainted with 
 fulFering, are ufually the molt confident undertakers. See 
 note on Matt. xx. 22, 23. 
 
 ji But Jefus called them to him, and faith unto 
 them. Ye know that they which are accounted to 
 rule over the Gentiles, excrcife lordfhip over them j 
 and their great ones e-xercile authority upon them. 
 43 But lb fhall it not be among you : but who- 
 loever will be i^reat among you, Ihall beyourminil- 
 ter: 44 And wholoever ol you will be the chietell, 
 Chall be fcrvant of all. 45 For even the ion of man 
 came not to be miniltred unto, but to minifter, 
 and to give his life a ranfom for many. 
 
 To the end that our blefled Saviour might effectually 
 quench thofe imhappy fparks '>; jinbition wh ch were kind- 
 led in bis apolUes' iinnds.he tells them, That lupremacy and 
 dominion belor.g to (f cular princes, not to golpej minifters, 
 who ought to carry themfclves with humilitj >nd condefcen 
 
 fion one towards another, Xot that CI. rift direct.- a parfty 
 and equality amongft his min titers, bu: only condemns the 
 affectation of fuperiority, and the love of prc-eminency. 
 I.ewrt hence, i. 1 lint tjis rninilters of Chriit eight to be lo 
 far fro.Ti affecting a domination and fjperiori:y over their 
 brethren, that in imitation of their Lord and Matter, they 
 ought to account themfelves fellow-fervants ; The Son of 
 man came not to hi mini/] red u>:to, hut lo minijler. a. Tha: 
 luch rninilters as do love and affeif; pre eminence and fu- 
 periority are mofl unfit for it ; and they {leferve it beft who 
 leek it lealt. 3. That the dignity and hor.our wliich the 
 miiiiltcrs of Chriit Ihould chiefly, yea only aifcct, is in ano- 
 ther work! ; and the way to be greattft and higheft there, 
 is to be low and humble, mean in our own eyes, and little 
 inour ov/n efteem. See note on Mart. xx. 28. 
 
 46 \ And they came to Jericho : And as he 
 went out of Jericho with hii difciples, and a great 
 number of people, blind Bartimeus, thefonofTi- 
 meus, fat by the highway-fide begging. 47 And 
 when he heard that it was Jefus of Nazareth, he be- 
 gan to cry out, and fay, Jefus, thou Son of David, 
 have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him 
 that he fliould hold his peace: but he cried the 
 more a great dtal. Thou Son of David, have mercy 
 on me. 49 And Jefus Itood ftill, and comnianded 
 him to be called : And they call the blind man^ 
 faying unto him, Be of good comfort, rife; he calletk 
 thee. 50 And he calling away his garment, arofc, 
 and came to Jefu.s. 51 And Jefus anfwered, and 
 laid unto him, What wilt thou that I fhould do un- 
 to thee ? the blind man laid unto him. Lord, That 
 I may receive my fight. 51 And Jefus faid unto 
 him. Go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. 
 And immediately he received his fight, and followed 
 Jefus in the wa)-. 
 
 This di.ipter concludes v. ith a recital of a famous miracle 
 wrought by our blefled Saviour upon blind Bjrtimeus, in 
 the fight of a great multitude which followed him. — Where 
 note, I. 1 he blind man's faith, in ackno\%ledging Jefus ta 
 be ilie Melhah ; for fo much the title ofti'.e Son of David 
 fignificd. 2. His fervency, in crying fo earneltly :o Chrirt 
 for mercy and healing. Have mercy upin me, thou Son of 
 David. A true fenfe of want will make the foul cry un'.o 
 Chrift with earncltnefs and importunity. 3. The grcK 
 companion and condefcenlion cf Chriit towards this poor 
 blind nun, he ftood Hill, he called him, and enligthtened 
 his eyes. A mighty inltance of Chrift's divine'pov.er : he 
 that can open blind eyes with a touch ol his finger, and that 
 by his own power, is really God: his touch ii an omnipo- 
 tent touch. 4. Although Chriit well knew the condition of 
 this blmd m.in, yet before he will reftore his light, he mult 
 fenlitiiy complain of the want of fight, and cry for help and 
 healing- Chriit knows all his creatures wants, but takes 
 no nonce of them, till they make them known to him by 
 prayer. ^. The way and courfe which the blind man takes 
 toe:<prelsliis thaukfulneft toChrilt for recovered light, b'e 
 
 r^fe 
 
Chap. XI. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 i6t 
 
 roCe "nd followed Jefus. — Mercy from Chrift is then well 
 improved, when it engages us to ioUow Chrift. This 
 iiioiild he the effect of all lalvatioiis wrought for us. He 
 praifeth God bell that ferveth him moft : the life of thank- 
 fuliiefs confiftsin the thankfulnefs of the life. 
 
 ?i:s, 
 
 CHAP- XI. 
 
 And', when they came nigh to Jerufalcm, unto 
 Bcthpage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, 
 he fcndeth forth two of his difciples. 2 And failh 
 unto them. Go your way into the village over againll 
 you ; and as foon as ye be entered into it, ye fhall 
 find a colt tied, whereon never man fat ; loofe him, 
 and bring him. 3 And if any man fay unto you, 
 Why doyc this ? Say yc that the Lord hath need 
 of him, and ftraiglitway he will fend him hither. 4 
 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by 
 the door without, in a place where two ways met ; 
 and they looie him. 5 And certain of them that 
 flood there, faid unto them, What do ye loo- 
 fiHT the colt ? 6 And they faid unto them e- 
 vcn as Jefus had commanded : And they let them 
 go. 
 
 The former part of this chapter acquaints us with our 
 Saviour's folemn and triumphant riding into the city of Je 
 rnfalenn : He who in all his journey; travelled like a poor 
 }nun on foot, without noiie, :ind without train ; now he 
 goes up tc Jerufalc:n to die forfl&nncrs, he rides, to fliew 
 his great forwardncfs to l.iy down hi- J'fe tor us : The bealt 
 he rides on is an als, as the manner of kings and great per- 
 fons anciently was, ;ind to fulfil that prophecy, ^ecTi. ix. 
 o. Till yc the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King coimth 
 riding upon an vfs. It was alfo an afs upon \\ hich never man 
 fat before; lignifying thereby, th.it the moft unruly and 
 untamed creatures become obfequions to Chrilt. Grotious 
 obferves, That fuch animals as had not been employed in 
 theufeofnian, were wont to be cholen for facred ufes. 
 Even heathens adjudged thofe things moft proper for the fer 
 vice of the gods, which had never been put to fuch profane 
 nfes. Thus in i.Sam. vi. 7. we read,Thatthe PhililHnes 
 returned the ark in a ncM' cart, drawn by heifers never put 
 into the yoke : They thinking them polluted by being put 
 to profane work. Our S.Tviour here chufes an afs which 
 had never been backed before ; and that the colt iliould fo 
 patiently fulfer Chrift to ride upon him, was miraculous. 
 And this was a borrowed afs, whereby our Saviour's right 
 to all the Creatures was manifefted ; and accordingly he 
 bids hii difciples tell the owner, The Lord hath need of him. 
 Not your Lord or our Lord, hulthe Lord; That is, he that 
 is Lord of all, whofearethe cattle on athoufav.d kitlf. Oh- 
 /I'/vi? farther, That not \\ichftanding Chrift's (uprcme rijiht 
 to the co]r, he v-ill not have it taken without the owner's 
 kno. V ledge and confent, Tell him that the Lord hath need cf 
 him. Laftiy, What a clear and full demonftration Chrift 
 gave of his divine nature ; of his omnifciency,. in fore fee- 
 ing and foretelling the event; of hisomnipotency, in incli- 
 ning the heart, and overuling the will of the owner to let 
 t!»e colt go ; and of his fovereignty, as he was Lord of the 
 creatures, to command and call for their fervice when he 
 needed tliein. 
 
 7 And they brought the colt to Jefus, and call 
 their garments on him ; and he fat upon him. 8 
 And many fpread their garments in the way : and 
 others cut down branches olF the trees, and flraw- 
 ed them in the way. 9 And they that went before, 
 and they that followed, cried, faying, Hofanna : blef- 
 fed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 10 
 Blefled be the kingdom of our father David, that co- 
 meth in the name of the Lord : Hofanna in the 
 highcft. 
 
 Gbfei~je h^vc, The obedience of his difciples. Firft, They 
 did as Jefus had commanded, they donot diipute their Lords 
 commands, nor raife objections, nor are afraid of dangers ; 
 when our call is clear, our obedience muft befpeedy ; what 
 Chrift commands we are not to difpnie, but to obey. 2. 
 The aftions of the multitude in acknowledging Chrift to l>€ 
 their King ; tliey caft their garments on the ground for bini 
 to ride upon, according to the ciiftom of princes when they 
 ride in ftate ; and lio not only difrobe their back?, but ex- 
 pend their breath in joyful acclamations, and loud hofanna*, 
 wilhing all manner of prcfperity to ihcir meek but mighty 
 King. In this princely yet poor and defpicable pomp, doth 
 our Saviour enter thefamous city of Jerufalem. O ! how 
 far v/as our holy Lord from ailccting worldly greatnefs and 
 grandeur ! lie defpifed that glory which worldJv hearts 
 fondly admire ; yet becajfe he was a King, he wonkl he 
 proclaimed fuch, and have his kingdom confefTed, applauded, 
 and bleffed. But that it might appear, that his kingdo'ti 
 was not of this world, he abandons all wordly magnifi- 
 cence, O glorious, yet homely pomp ! O meek, but mighty 
 prince ! 
 
 1 1 And Jefus entered into Jerufalem, and into 
 the temple : and when he had looked round about 
 upon all things, and now the even tide was come, 
 he went out unto Bethany with the twelve, a 2 5 
 And on the morrow, when they were come from 
 Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And feeing a fig-tree 
 afar oIT, liaving leaves, became, if haply he might 
 find any thing thereon : and when they came to it 
 he found nothing but leaves; for the time of fijgs was 
 noiytt. 14 And Jefus anfwercd, and fdid unto it, No 
 man cat fruit of thee heieafter forever. And his dif- 
 ciples heard it. 
 
 Some move the queftion here, how -Chrift came xo curfe a 
 tree for want of that fruit which the fcafon afforded not? It 
 is anfwered, that naturalifts chjervc, that the fig-iree puts forth 
 her fruit as foon as her leaf; that tree is always bearing; an*! 
 whilft one fig is ripe another is green. And wliercas it is faid, 
 That the time of figs was not yet : the ineaning is, "That the time 
 of ingathering of figs was not yet;" but the tree having leaves, 
 fliewcd it might have fruit ; accordingly Chrift goes in expec- 
 tation of its havingfruit ; but finding none either ripe or green 
 he curfcsthctree for totally difappointinghisjexpedtation, Pe. 
 fides, Ciirift was wont not only to fpeak, l3it to work para- 
 bles ; and this aftion of his was typical ; an emblem of Je_ 
 rufalem's dcftmdtion in ceneral, anJof every perfon'sin par- 
 ticular, that ftttisf>cs hinifclf with a withered profcflion ; bear- 
 
 X Jjvr 
 
id 
 
 M ARK. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XI. 
 
 nz Icavvs otilv, but nu truii ; as this I'g-iree was, fo arc they 
 nigh iiiito curling. From whence Nou, Thatall fiicli as con 
 tent themfflvcs with a triiitlcfs profeflion ot" religion, art in 
 «;reat il.mqcr of ha\insj Gods blalUiur added to their bajrcn- 
 nels. 
 
 15 And they come to jcrufalem : And Jcfus 
 went into tlu- temple, and began to cafl ouc them 
 that fold and bou-lit ia the temple, and overthrew 
 the tables of the inouey-chan^ers and the I'eats of 
 them thai fold dovCs; 16 -And would not fulFer 
 that any man llioiild carry any \ eHcl throu'di the 
 temple. 17 And he taught, faying unto them, Is 
 it not written, My honfe Ihall be called of all na- 
 tions, Tlie hoLife of prayer ? but ye have made it a 
 den of thieves. 18 And the fcribes and chief priclb 
 heard it, and fought how they miglit dellroy him: 
 for they feared him, becaufe all the people were aflo 
 nilhed at his doftrine. 19 And when even was come 
 he went out of the city. 
 
 No fooner had our blcULd Saviour entered JcruHilem, but 
 his firft walk was to the temple, and his tlrlt \vork was to 
 purge and reform. All reformation of manners muft be^in 
 at the houlc of God. Yet oZ-jl-rv,-, Our J,ord's bufinefs at'the 
 temple was not to ruin, but to reform it oidy. Places dedi- 
 cated to public worll-,ip, if profaned and polluted, ought to 
 he purged trom their abufes ; not pulled down and dcltroyed, 
 becaule they have beenabufed. But whatisthe profanation of 
 the temple, which fo offended our Saviour ? I anfwcr, In 
 the outward court of the temple there was a public mart or 
 market kept, where were fold oxen, Hieep, and doves, for fa- 
 cnhce. Many of the Jews coining an hundred miles to the 
 temple, it was burdenfomc to bring their facrifice Co far with 
 them ; wherefore the prieils ordered, that (licep and oxen, 
 mcul anJoil, and fuch other requifitesfor facrifice, (hould be 
 had for money clofe by the altar, to thegrcat eafe of the offer- 
 er. Nothing could be more plaufible than this plea: But 
 the taircfl pretences cannot bear out a /in with God : There- 
 fore our blelfed Saviour, ina jiifl indignation, whipsouc thefc 
 chapmen, cads down their table.s and vindicates the honour 
 2«d reputation of his Fathers houfe. Learn lience, 'I"hat 
 there is reverence due to G.xls houfe, for the owners fake 
 and tor the fervice fake : N.nhing but holinefs can become 
 the place where God is worlhipped in the beauty of Jioliiitfv. 
 J.altiy, i he reaton whichoiir Saviourgivesfor this a^ of his- 
 is.it not vvrittcn, lays he, my hcnfi jhall h, cnlU-d a h.ujc cf 
 prayer P \S iicre, by prayer, is to be undcrlbod the whole 
 worlhip aijd fervice of God, of which prayer is an eminent 
 and principal part. That which gives' denomination to 
 jin hoUiC, IS certainly the chief thing to be done in the 
 houfe : Now God's houfe being csllJd an houfe of prayer 
 certainly implies, that prayer is the chief and principal 
 worK to be performed in (J.kI's houfe : Yet take we heed, 
 t.iar wc fct not the ordinances of God at variance: We miift 
 not idolize one ordinance, and viiliiV another, but reverence 
 them all. 
 
 20 And in the riornin;-, as thcv pr-.fild by, tliey 
 faw the fi^ircc dried up from the' roots. 21 .\iid 
 
 Peter calling to remembrance, faith unto him, Ma- 
 iler, behold, the fig-tree which thou curfcdft is wi- 
 thered away. 22 And Jcfus anfwering, faith unto 
 them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I fay 
 unto )ou, That whofoever Ihall lay unto this moun- 
 tain. Be thou removed, and be thou cafl ^ntq the 
 fea ; and iliall not doubt in his heart, but fti'all be- 
 lieve that thole things which he faith fliall come to 
 pafs; he ihall have whatioever he faith". 24 There- 
 fore I fay unto you, What things foever ye defire 
 when ye pray, believe that ye recievc them, and ye 
 Ihall have them. 
 
 The blading and fudden withering of the figtrcc at the 
 word of Clirift, plainly Hievyed his divine power : and by this 
 nviraculous operation, our Saviour deligned to (hew his difci- 
 ples the mighty power of faith ; that is, a full perfuafion of 
 the power ot God, that he is able, and of iliegoodnefs of God 
 that he is willing, to grant whatever we aflc according to his 
 •will, that lias a tendency to his glory and our good. Leant 
 hence, That faith is a nccellary and prin«.-ipal ingredient in 
 prayer. Praying without faith, is like to a man's fliootin<» 
 without a bullet ; it makes a noife, but doth no execution. 
 Secondly, That whatfoever good thing God has made the 
 matter of his promifc, iTiall be given to good men in 
 a way of performance, provided they pray in faith, ll-'hut- 
 foever ye ihftre, believe thut yc teceive them, and te jhall have 
 them. 
 
 25 And when yc fla«t praying, forgive, if you 
 have ought againft any: That your Father alio 
 which is in heaven may forgive you your trcl"- 
 pafles. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will 
 3-our father which is in heaven forgive your trefpaf- 
 fcs. 
 
 Thefe arc two qualifications rcqtiifite in prayer, ifweex- 
 pecl fo find acceptance with God, namely, faith and love : 
 to thcfird Chrill had fpoken inthc former verfe, to the lat- 
 ter in this, JVhcn ye 'ftand praying forgive. It was ordinary 
 for the Jews to pray ilanding ; yet in their folemn days of 
 farting, they did kneel and' proflratc thcmfclves before the 
 Lord : But thcchrillians ufually kneelled down and prayed, 
 Afts ix. 40. Now the command here to forgive tliofc that 
 offend us before wc pray, Hiews, i. That no rcfentments 
 ot what ourbrothcr doth, flioidd (lick long upon our fpirits. 
 becaufe they indifpofe us for that duty we are to be coniinu- 
 ally prepared for. 2. That there is' fome fort and kind of 
 forgivenels to be exercifed towards an o.ffcnding brother before 
 he a(ks it, though he doih not (hew any token of repentance 
 and lorrow for it, becaufe I am to pray fyr him out of love 
 unto him, and mud lift up pure hands, without wrath. Lcani 
 hence, That^ they who arefuing for, and cxpedingforgive- 
 ncfs from Gfxl, mull exercifc forgivenels towards other?, 
 or elfe their prayers are a fort of ' imprecations on thcm- 
 (clvcs. Chrid (peaks indefiniiely ; When ye pray, fir- 
 give : He doth not fay, your brcthrer, but men. Matt. vi. 
 14. IJ 'M forgive men Iheir I rr fpajfes ; that is. all men, gotd 
 and bad, friends and enemies; if we forgive one another 
 freely, our heavenly Father will forgive us fully. Our for- 
 giving one a.nothcr is the indifpcnfible condition 'of Cod^s for- 
 
 giv- 
 
CiiAr. XII. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 to >. 
 
 •iving us, and of hearing tlic prayers which arc put up by 
 
 us. 
 
 27 f And they come again to Jciufalem : And 
 as he was walkinjj in the ttmpk', there come to 
 hhn the chief pvicfts, and the icribcs, and the el- 
 ders, 28 And fay unto him. By what authority 
 doeft thou thefc things ? And who ^-ave thee this 
 authority to do thefe things ;' 29 And Jcfus an- 
 Isvered.. and faid unto them, I will alio alk of you 
 one queftion, and anfwcr me, and I will tell you 
 by what authority I do thefe things. 30 Thi bap- 
 tifm of John, was it from heaven, or of men ? an- 
 fwerme. 31 And they reafoncd with thcmfelvcs, 
 faying, If we (hall f.iy, From licaven ; lie will fay, 
 Why then did ye not believe him ? 32 But if we 
 fliall fay, of men ; they feared the people : For all 
 7}!en counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33 
 And they aniwered, and faid unto Jefus, "We can- 
 not tell.' And Jefus anfwenng, and laithunto them, 
 Xeitlicr do I tell you by what authority I do thefe 
 
 things. 
 
 The Pharifecs liavin^ often queftioned our Saviour's d<TC- 
 trine before, they call m (picllion his million aiid authority 
 now, ahhough they might have cafily undcrftond his divine 
 million by his daily miracles : For almighty God never im- 
 powered any to work miracles that were not fcnt by him. 
 Our bicired Saviour underltanding their dcfign, arifwers them 
 one qucrtion by afking them another : Says Chrill, ^e hap- 
 t'lfm cfjohn, ivas it yr'^m heaven, or if men ? Was it of di- 
 vine inftitution, or of human invention ? Implying very 
 plainly, that thecalling of fuchas call thcmfelves the miniRers 
 of God, ought to be from God : No man ought ts take that 
 hwAir upon )jim, but he that is called ofGccl, as ivas Aaron, Heb. 
 V. 4. The Pharifees replv, They could not tell whence John 
 had his million and authority : This was a manifelf untruth. 
 Bv refuling to tell the truth, they fall into a lie againfl the 
 truth : One lin enfnarcs and draws inen into the commillion 
 of many more. Such as will not fpeak exa<5l truth acconiing 
 to their knowledge, fall into the fui of lying agaiiill their 
 knowledge and tlieir confcience. Our Sa\ iour anfvvers them, 
 Kdlher tell I \ui hywhut authority I do thefe things : He doth 
 not fay I cannot, or I will not tell you, but I do not, I need 
 not tell you, bccr.ufe the miracles vvhich I work before you 
 arc a fufficientdcmonltration of my divine commillion, that I 
 am llntof God amongft you ; for God never fet the feal of his 
 omnipotence to a lie, nor inipowcri.d an inipollor to woik 
 real miracles. 
 
 CHAP. XTI. 
 
 AND he began to fpeak unto them by parables; 
 A certain man plained a vineyavd. and ft-r an 
 hedge about it, and digged a place /,'>• the wine-vat, 
 and budt a tower, and let it out to hiifliand-nicn, and 
 went into a far country. 2 And at the feafon he 
 fcnt to the Inifbandmen a fenant, that he miL-ht re- 
 ceive from the hulbandmon of the fruit of the 
 vineyard. 3 And they caught him, .'md beat him, 
 and lent him av.-.iy empty. 4 And again lu: lent 
 
 unto them another fenaiu : And at iam liny calL 
 Hones, and wounded him in the head, and lent him 
 away fliamefully handled. 5 And again he lent a- 
 nothei , and him tliey killed : And many oilicis ; 
 beating fomc, and killing fomc. 6 Having yet 
 thereforeone fon, his well-beloved, lie fent him al- 
 io lall unto tlicm, faying, They will reverence mv 
 fon. 7 But thofc hulbandmen faid amongll them- 
 felves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and 
 the inheritance fliall be oui's. 8 And they took him, 
 and killed him, and call liiin out of the vine- 
 }'aid. 
 
 In this parable, the Jewilli church is compared ^to av/ne- 
 yard\ almighty God to an /urz/Zis/./c;- ; Wis planting, pruning, 
 and fencing /.is vineyard, denotes his cure to furnilh his church 
 with all needful helps and means to make it fpiritually fruit- 
 ful ; His letting it out to hufhandmen, (ignifies the committing 
 the care of his church to the priefls and Levitcs, the public 
 paftors and go\ernors of the Church ; His fcrv ants are the 
 prophets and a]ioitles, whom lie fent time after time to admo- 
 nilh them to bring forth fruit anlVerablc to the coll whicli 
 God had expended on them; His Hon is Jeliis Chrill, wiioni 
 the rulers of the Jcwilli church flew and murdered. The 
 deflgn and fcope of the parable, is to difcover to the Jews, 
 particularly to the Pharifees, their obfHnatc impenitencv, un- 
 der all the means of grace, their bloody cruelty towards ilie 
 prophets of God, their tremendousguilt in crucifving the Sou 
 of God: For all which God would unchurch them fmally, 
 ruin their nation, and lit up a ciuircli among the Gentiles 
 that llioukl bring forth better fruit than the Jewilli church c- 
 vcr did. From the whole note, I. That the church is God's 
 vineyard ; A vine\ard is a place inclofed,a place well plan'td. 
 Well fruited, and exceeding dear and precious to the planter 
 and owner of it. 2. As dear as God's vineyard is unto him, 
 in cafe of barrenncfs and unfiuitfulnefs, it is in great danger 
 of bei))g (leftroyed and laid vvafle by him. 3. That the only 
 wav and courle to engage Gixl's care over his vint) aril, and 
 to prevent its bcin;^ given to other luifljandmcn, // to givehim 
 the fruit of it; it is but a vinevard that God lets out; it is no 
 inheritance. No people e\er had fo many promifcs of God's 
 favour as the Jews had, nor ever enjoyed fo many privileges, 
 wliilll they continued in his favour, as they did ; \e' ihougli 
 they were the firft asid natural branches, they are hr-Aen cff,and 
 we Gentiles /land hy faith ; let us not he high-minded, Lut fear, 
 Rom. xi. 20. 
 
 9 What fliall therefore the Lord of the vine\-arJ 
 do? he will come and dcltroy the Juilbandmtn, and 
 will give the vinc)'ard to others. 10 And have ye 
 not read this fciipturc ? The flonc which thebuilders 
 iejc<r(ed is become the head of the corner: 11 'I'his 
 w.is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our 
 eyes. 1:2 And thcv fought to lay hold on him, but 
 feared the people : for they knew that he had Ipoken 
 the parable againd them: and they kit him. and 
 went their way. 
 
 Thefe words of our Sa\ iour are taken out ot ihecxviiiili 
 pfalin, vhich tlie Jews uiidcrftood to be a p!-ophec\ ft ilie 
 Melliah ; accordingl) Clirill applies them to hiuifelr : The 
 church is the building iutcii.led, Chrill himfelf theyM*^ re- 
 
 X2 
 
 I.. I 
 
i6.i 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap, xn, 
 
 ic£\e>l. The tfjiSltrs, or tlic buililcrj ftjefUng, arc the heails 
 of the JtwKh church ; lliat \<, the chief pricfls ami Pharlfccs. 
 God, the great maftcr-biiiUler of his church, takes this pre- 
 cious foundation-ltonc nut of the riibbHh, anil fcts it in the 
 head of the corner. Ncvorthclefs, there are many that (luni- 
 bli: it this ftone ; fotno throiu'Ji ignorance, others through 
 malice: Some arc oiiemlfcl at his perfon, others at his do«-- 
 trinc. Jhrfe fJiall he broken in plects: hut omvlr.tnjuver this 
 Jhnc will fall, it will giiwl tiem to pnvder : that is, Chrift 
 himfelt will fall as a burdcnfome ftone upon all them that 
 knowingly and malicioudy oppolehim; and pariicularly to 
 the Jcvvs, who not only rejcacd, but perfeciitcd and dcllr.-.y- 
 cd hini. Thus Chriit tells the chief pricfls and Pharifees 
 their own particular dix)m, and alfo declares what will be the 
 fatal illiie of all that oppolition wiiich is made asjainft him- 
 Itlf and his church; it will terminate iij the inc-vitable de- 
 Uruaionof all its oppofcrs : I(T",f:ever fhall fall mthisjlone, 
 Jhall be broken; and onivhunfocver it Jhnllfall, it uill grind them to 
 powder. 
 
 13 f And they fend unto him certain of the Pha- 
 rifees, and of the Herodians, to catch him in his 
 words. 14 And when they were come, they fay un- 
 to him, Mafler, we know that thou art true, and ca- 
 red for no man : for thou regarded not the perfon 
 of men, but tcacheft the way of Cod in truth : Is it 
 lawful to give tribute to Caefar, or not ? 15 Shall 
 we give, or fhall we not give? But he knowing 
 their hypocrify, faid unto them, Why tempt ye me ? 
 bring me a penny, that I may fee it. 16 And they 
 brought it: And he faith unto them, Whofe 25 this 
 image and fuperfcription ? And they faid unto him, 
 Caelar's. 17 And Jefusanfwering, faid unto them. 
 Render to Cacfar the things that are Cicfar's, and 
 to God the things that are God's. And they mar- 
 velled at him. 
 
 Ohferve here. A grand defign to entangle our blelTed Savi- 
 our in his difcciirre. Where mte, i. The perfons employ- 
 ed to put the enfnaring nneAion to Chrift, namely, the Pha- 
 rifees and licrodians. The Pharifees were agai'nft paying 
 tribute to Cx-far, looking upon themfelves as a free people, 
 and ihe emperor as an ufurpcr; but the Herodians weie for 
 '[■• Herod being made by the Roman emperor king over 
 the Jew.-:, he was very zealot;-, for having the Jews pay tri- 
 bute to Cxfar; and' fiich of the Jews as fided with him, 
 pariicuiarly his courtiers and favourite?, were called Herodi- 
 nns. Note, 7. The policy and wicked craft here ufcd, in 
 employing thcfe two contrary parties to put this qiieftion to 
 our Saviour concerning tribute, thereby laying him under 
 a ncceflity, as they hoped, to offend one fide, Ict-him anfwer 
 Jiow he would ; if, to pleafc the Pharifees, he denied pay- 
 mg tribute to Ca?far, then he is accufcd of ftdition ; if, to 
 gratify the Herodians, he voted for paying tribute to Cxfar, 
 then he is looked upon as an enemy to the liberty of his 
 co>mtry,and expofed to a popular odium.Thus has it all along 
 been the praa ice of Satan and his inrtruments, to draw the 
 mmif^crs of God into dillike, either with the inagiflrates or 
 with the people , that they may fall under the ccnfure of one 
 or the dilpleafure of the other. 3. With what wifdom and 
 
 caiition our Lord anfwcrs them; h; calL for a Roman penrv 
 anfw'cringto (even-pence halfpenny of our money, ,w,/yf 
 which they paid by wav of tribute, as poll-money ior every 
 h-nd to the emperor. Chrift afks them, ff^hofe image or fupd 
 Jcnpiton tht. their com bore ? Tlc^ „nfiver, C^ars. kfnder 
 
 Y"\ V\ r'\ "Sf^'"" 'H 'l""i' "'"* "" ^-V'"-''- As if our 
 X.or.1 had lai.," Your adautting .>f ,he Reman coin amon,- 
 you IS an evidence that you arc under fubjeolion to the empel 
 ror, becaufc the coining and impofing of money is an aft of 
 fovcreign authority ; therefore you have o^yned Ca;far's au- 
 thority over you, by accepting of his coin among you ; give 
 untoh,mhi.jurt dues and nnder unto C^far the ihin<rukit 
 are Qsjar s. Ir<,r« hence, ,. That our "Saviour was no c- 
 nemy to magjllracy and civil government; there was notru- 
 er paymaflor of the king's dues, than he that was King of 
 kings ; he preached It. and h^ pradifed it, Man. xvii. 27. 
 
 wJT-" .'^'^f"'"'^i" f"bje6lion to a temporal prince, 
 whether his right be by defcent, eleaion, or by conqu'lt. the 
 fubjecl, ought tiom a principle of confeience.'to pay tribute 
 to him. 3. 1 hat as Ouiil is no enemy to the civil rights of 
 princes, andh.s i^ligion exempts none trom paying their'civil 
 dues; fo princes fhould be as careful not to rob him of his di- 
 vine honour, as he IS not to wrong them of their civil rights 
 as Chnft requires all his followers to render unto Ufar the 
 th,ng! that are C^far's, fo fhould princes oblige all their fub- 
 jedts to render unto Goil the things that are God's. 
 
 18 5 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which 
 fay there is no rcfurreftion; and they alked him, 
 laying. 19 Mafter, Mofes wrote unto us. If a man's 
 brother die, and leave his wife behind him, andleavc 
 no children, that his brother niould take his wife 
 and raife up feed to his brother. 20 Now there' 
 were feven brethren : And the firft too^ a wife, and 
 dying left no feed. 21 And the fecond took her, 
 and died, neither left he any feed : and the third 
 likewife. 22 And the feven had her, and left no 
 ieed. Lafl of all the woman died alfo. 23 In the 
 rerurreaion therefore, when they (liall rife, whofe 
 wifelhall (he be of them? for the feven had her 
 to wife. 24 And Jefus anfwcring, faid unto them, 
 IJo ye not therefore err, becaufe ye know not the 
 Icriptures, neither the power of God ? 25 For when 
 they fhall rife from the dead, they neither marry, nor 
 are given in marriage ; but are as the angels which 
 arc in heaven. 26 And as touching the dead, that 
 they rile; have ye not read in the book of Mofes 
 
 i°'V"/^''r ^"'^. ^""^ fpal'eunto him, faying, I a7n 
 the God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, and the 
 God of Jacob ? 27 He is not the God of the dead, 
 but the God of the living. Ye therefore do greatly 
 err. ° ' 
 
 nnPrrl''*'"^''-^'^"/ '''^'"S f" *''^ Pharifees and Herodi- 
 ans to fijcnce in the former verfes, here he encounters the 
 Sadducees. This fed derived its name from one Sadock 
 who denied the immortality of the foul, the rcfurreftion o' 
 he body, and angels and fpirits. Here they propound a cafe 
 to .our Saviour, of a woman who had feven brethren fuccef- 
 
 fivc- 
 
Caai'. xit. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 165 
 
 fn-cly to her as hiin)ands; they Hcmand, whnfe wife of the 
 ftvcn this wonnm ilicuU be at the refiii rf.ition ? As it they 
 liaci fold, "If there be a icfuricftion of bodies, furely there 
 will be of relations too ; and the other world, if th.erc be fuch 
 a ph'.cr, will be like this, in which men will inarry, as they do 
 here ; andif lb, wiioic wife of the feven (hall tliis woman be, 
 .they all having an equal claim to her?" Now onr Saviour, 
 for rcfolving of this qiielVion, firll flicws the different ftatc of 
 men in this and the other world. Thechildren ofthis world, 
 fays onr Saviour, niarrv and are given in marriage, but in 
 the refiirrcclion they do n:.ither. As if Chrift had laid, "Af- 
 ter men have lived a while in this world, thov die, and there- 
 fore marriage is nccelVary to maintain a fucccilion ot mankind ; 
 but in the olher world men fliall become immortal, and live 
 for ever, and then the rcafon of marriage will wholly ccafe; 
 for when men can die no more, there will be no need of any 
 new fupplies of mankind.'' Secondly, That onr Saviour be- 
 ing got clear of the Saddiicees obje£tion, by taking away the 
 foundation and ground of it, he prodnceth an argument for 
 the proof of the foul's immortality and tiic body's fel'iirre(nion. 
 "Thofe to whom almighty God pronounces himfelf a God, 
 are certainly alive; but God pronounces himfclta God to A- 
 braham, Ifaac, and Jacob, many hundred years after their 
 bodies were dead, therefoie their foul's are yet alive; for o- 
 thcrwife God could not be their God; hcCM\{e he is 7ict the 
 Gcilcfil]eileiid,butoflhe living. From the whole, w^.V, i. 
 7'hal there is no opinion fo monftrous and abfurd, that ha- 
 ving had a mother, will die for lack of a nurfe. The beartly 
 opinion of the mortality of the foul, and the annihilation of 
 the body, find S.adducecs to profcfs and propagate it. 2. The 
 certainty of another life after this, in which men fliall be e- 
 ternally happy, or intolerably ir.iferablc, according as they be- 
 have themfclves here. Though fomc men live like bcafts. 
 yet they fliall not die like them, nor iTiall their laft end be 
 like theirs. 3. That glorified faints, in the morning of the 
 rcfurreftion, fliall be like the glorious angels; not like them 
 ill ellence and nature, but like them in thtir properties and 
 qualities, in holinefs and purity, in immortality and incor- 
 ruptibility; as alio in their manner of living, they fhall fland 
 in no more need of meat and drink than the angels do, but 
 fliall live the fame heavenly, immortal, and incorruptible life 
 that the angels live. 4. That all thcfe who are in covenant 
 with God, whofe God the Lord is, their fouls do immediately 
 pafs into glory, and their bodies at the refurredlion fliall be 
 iharers in the fame happincfs with their fouls ; if God be 
 juft, theirfoulsmuft live, and their bodies muft rife ; for good 
 men mtili he rewarded, and wicked men puniihed fomewdierc, 
 either in this life or in another. God will moft certainly at 
 one timeor other, plentifully reward the righteous, and pi:- 
 nifli the wicked doers. But, this being not always done in 
 this lift;, the juftlce of God requires it to be done in the 
 next. 
 
 28 And one of the fcribes came, and having heard 
 them reafoning together, and perceiving that he had 
 anfwered them well, aflced him, which is the firfl 
 commandment of all ? 29 And J efus anfwered him, 
 The firft of all the commandments is, hear. O Ifrael; 
 The Lord our God is one Lord: goAnd thou fhalt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy 
 foul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ftrength 
 
 this is the firft commandment. 31 And the* fecond 
 is like, namely this, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as 
 thyfcir. There is none other commandment great- 
 er than tliefe. 32 And the fcribe faid unto him, 
 'Well, Mailer, thou hafl faid tlic truth : for there is 
 one God; and there is none other but he. 33 And 
 to love him with all the heart, and with all the un- 
 derflanding, and with all the foul, and v.ithall the 
 ftrength, and to love Am neighbour as himfelf, is more 
 than all whole burnt-ofFcrings and facrifices. 34 
 And when Jcfus f iv/ that he anfwered him difcreet- 
 ly, he faid unto hitn. Thou art not far from the king- 
 dom of God. And no man after that durft a(k him 
 any qucjlum. 
 
 Ohjcrve here, r. A queflion propounded to our blefied Sa^ 
 viour, and his anfwer thereunto. The queflion propounded 
 is, JVi-Hch is thejir/} and great ammandment ? Our Saviour 
 tells them, It is ts love Gcd with all their heart and foul, with 
 all their mind and Jirength ; that is, with all the powers, facid- 
 ties, and abilities of the foul, with the higliefl meafures, and 
 moft intenfe degrees of lore ; this is the fum of the duties of 
 the firft table, 7 his is the firjl and great ccmmundmcnt, and the 
 fecond is like unto it. He doth not fay equal with it : Although 
 the duties of the fecond table are of the fame authority, and 
 of the fame neceflity with the firfl, as no man can be faved 
 without the love of God, fo neither without t!-.e love of his 
 neighbour. Whence ws/f, i. That the fervency of all our 
 afFc£lions, and particularly the fuprtmacy of our iuve, is re- 
 quired by Gixl ashis right and due : love mufl: pafs through, 
 and poflefs all the powers and faculties of our fouls ; the 
 mind mufl; meditate upon God, the will mult chiife and cm- 
 brace him, and the affcflions muft delight in him. The 
 meafure of loving God is to love him w ithout meafure ; God 
 reckons that we love him not at all, if we love him not above 
 all. 2. That thus to love Gotl, is tl>e firfi great commandment; 
 great in regard of its object, which is G<id, the firfl caufe and 
 chief good ; great in regard of the obligation of it ; for fo long- 
 as he is God, we are his creatures; we fhall lie under a nat- 
 ural and neceflary obligation to love and ferve him. Great 
 alfo is this command and duty, in regard to the duration and 
 continuance of it; when faith fliall be fwallowed up in vifion 
 and hope in fruition, love will then be perfected in a full en- 
 joyment. — ^. That every man may, yea, ought to love him • 
 felf; not his finful felf, hut his natural felf; efpccially hi.? 
 fpirifual felf, the new nature in him. This it ought to.be his 
 particular care to flrengthen and incrcafe. Indeed there is na 
 cxprcfs command in fcripture, for a man to love himfelf, he- 
 caufe the light of nature direds, and the law of nature bindi 
 him fo to do. God has put a principle of felf-love, and of 
 felf-prefervation, into all hiscreatures, hutefpccially into man. 
 4. That as every one ought to love himfelf, ib is it every man's 
 chity to love his nrighhour as himfelf ; not as he doth love him- 
 felf, but as he ought to love himfelf; yet not in the fame de- 
 gree that he loves himfelf, but after the fame manner, ar.J 
 with the fame kind of love that he loves himfelf. As we love 
 ourfelves freely and readily, finccrely and imfcignedlv,tende;Iy 
 and corrpafhonately, conflantly and continually, fo fhould we 
 love our neighbour alfo; though we love him not as mtich as 
 we love ourfelves, yet muft we love him as truly as ourfelves 
 
 A>.v' 
 
i66 
 
 Ss 
 
 M ARK. 
 
 Ckap. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 A'A- hiftlv, 'rii.!! ihetliiticsof ihc firft and ll-coiul t;il)le arc 
 inftparahlc, ».-.mtly, love lo God, and love to our nti'^liboiir. 
 Thcfc two n;u(l. nut bu ft-paratcd ; ho that lovctli not his nci-li. 
 bour whom he hath Cecn, luvcr loved God whom lie hathTiot 
 (ein. A conrcieiitiotis rt-gard to the dinies of both tables will 
 tie an arijinniiit of our finei i itv, and an ornament to our ]\ro- 
 tvHirm. 0//i-richft\y, The favourable cenfMre wliich our 
 .^a\iour pafl'es upon the fcribe: he tells him, //^ttv/f ml far 
 I'hm /L- kin^^thm cf Gofl. Ncfe here, i. Some perfons may 
 he faid to be far, am! farther than others from the kingdom of 
 heaven ; lome arc fartiier, in regard of the means ; they want 
 the ordinances, the dilpenfation of the- word and faeraiTients ; 
 othws arc far from the kingdom of G(x! in regard of qiialihca- 
 tions and difpolitions ; of the former fort are all heathen,- 
 v.-itiiom the p:de of the church ; they an; t:f'»r off\ as the apof- 
 tL- exprcfles it, Eph. ii. 13. of tlie latter fort are all grofs 
 .Jidclofe liypocritLS withinthechiircli, w ho, whilll they con- 
 <lauel'iich,(liall not inherit the kingdom of God. a. As fome 
 I'erfons may be laid to be far fron\ tiie kingdom of God, io 
 are there others which may be laid, noltol<efar\ fuch who 
 have cfcape<l the pollutions of the world, ablbined from open 
 and fcandalous lins, are lefs wicked than the midtitudes are, 
 but are llrangers to an inward, thorough, and prevailin-' 
 change in the fraine of their hearts, and courfe of their lives^ 
 they h.ive often faid, 1 ivjidd he , but they never faid, I -will k- 
 tile J.ord's. When tlie work of regeneration is brought to 
 the birth, after all it ])roves an abortion. Lord! whatadif- 
 appointment will this be, topcrifh within fight of the prom- 
 ilcd land; to be near heaven in our expedation, and yet 
 nearer hell in thciHiie' and e\ent? Wo unto us, if this be the 
 condition of any of us, who havcall our days fat under the dif- 
 penfation of the gofpci. 
 
 35 IT And Jcliis anfwcred and faid, wliilc he 
 tau<.,rht in tlic temple, Mow fay tlic fcribcs that Chrill 
 is the Son of David P 36 For David himfelf faid 
 by the Holy Ghoft, Tlie Lord faid lo niv Lord, Sit 
 •thou on in)- ri^hi hand, till I make thine enemies thy 
 foolllool. 37 David 'therefore himfelf calleth him 
 Lord ; and whence is he then his fon i' And the coni- 
 .mon people heard him gladly. 
 
 The Pharifceshad often put forth feveral qucflions malici- 
 ouny unto Chriil, and now Chrill puts one quellion innocent- 
 ly unto them i namely. What they thought of the Melliah 
 whom they cvpcded r They replv, 'Lhat he was to be the 
 loll ot Daxid; that is, a fecular prince defcending from Da- 
 vid, who (houid deliver them from the pouer of the Romans 
 and relbrc them to their civil rights. Tiiis was the -loti.jn 
 iliey hadoftheMtlliah, that he Ihoidd.bc a mere man, the 
 Ion of Da^ id according to the Helh, and nothing more. Our 
 .^aviuur replies, ir/jaue is it then that D.ivid calls the Mcffiah 
 I.^rclf' Plal. ex. I. The L',rd faid to my Lord, Si: thou OH my 
 right hand. How coidd he be both David's Lord, and Da- 
 ud's Ion ; no fon being lord to his father? 'i'herefore, if 
 Chrid were David's Sovereign, he mull be more than man, 
 "lore than David's I'on ; as man, fo he was ]:)avid's ion; as 
 God-man, fo lie was i:)a\id's Lord. Note lience, I. That al- 
 though Chrifl was tridy and really man, vet he was more 
 'hati a bare inan ; he was Lord unto, and tlic falvation of, his 
 own forefatliers:. 2. That tlic only way to reconcile ihc 
 Icriptures which, fpeak concerning Chrill, is to believe and 
 
 acknowledge him to be G<xl and man in one perfon ; the 
 Mefliah as man, was to come f(>rth out of David s l>jins: but 
 as GfKl-man, he was Davids fovereign and Saviour : As man 
 he was his Father's fon ; as God, he was Lord to his own fa- 
 ther. 
 
 38 And he faid unto them in his do6lnne, Beware 
 of the fcribes, wliich love to go in long clothina, ancf 
 hve falutations in the market places, 39 yViid ti 
 chief feats in the fynago;;ues, and the upperinoU 
 rooms at feads : 40 AVhich devour widows houfc.<! 
 and for a pretence make long prayers: thefc (hall 
 receive greater damnation. 
 
 Ohfcrve here. What it is that our Saviour condemns; not 
 civil falutations in the market-place, not the chief feats in 
 fynagogues, not the uppermoft rooms at feafls, but their fond 
 affeding of thcfe things, and their ambitious afplrini; after 
 them. It was not their takin<', but their loving the imper- 
 inoll rooms at fealts, wliich CTirid condemns. 2. How our 
 Saviour condemns the Pharifecs for their grofs hypocrify, in 
 colouring over their covetoufnefs with a pretence of religion 
 linking long prayersin the temple and fynagogues forwidows^ 
 and thereupon pcrfiiading them to give bounlifuliy to corhan 
 that is, the common tieafury for the temple, fome part of which 
 was employed for their maintenance. Whence we learn 
 That it is no new thing for defigning hypocrites to cover the 
 fouled tranfgreinons w ith the cloke of religicn. The Phari- 
 fecs made long prayers a cloke and cover for their covetouf- 
 nefs. 
 
 41 f And Jefus fat over againft the treafury, and 
 beheld how the people caff money into the treafury : 
 and many that were rich cafl in much. 42 And 
 there came a certain poor widow, and flic threw in 
 two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he call- 
 ed unto him his difciplcs, and faith unto them, Ve- 
 rily I fay unto vou, that this poor widow hath call 
 more in, than all they which have c.ifl into the trea- 
 fury : 44 For all lh(y did call in of their abundance; 
 but fhe of her want did cafl in all that fhe had, com 
 all her livin'T. 
 
 As our blelled Lord fat over againft the treafury, tliat is 
 that part of the court of the temple, whore the or/W, orchclls 
 lor receiving the people's offerings and gifts were fet, he ob- 
 lerved and took notice of thofe that ottered their oblations • 
 and lome that were rich offlred very liberallv ; but a ccrtai, 
 poor ivoman came and offcrnd two mites. Our Saviour here 
 upon takes occalion to inllrud his dil'ciples in this comforta- 
 ble truth ; namely, "That almighty God accepts the \v\\{ of 
 thole that give cheerfully, though they cannot give largely ;" 
 This poor woman call iii morcm refpecl of tJK inward afi'ec- 
 tion ot her heart, and in proportion to hereftate, thanall thole 
 that were rich and wealthy, that had call in before her ; a 
 iniie to her being more than a pound to them. From the 
 vvholew/f, I. That the poorer, yea, the poorell fort ufpeo- 
 j)Ie are not exempted from good' works; even they mull ex- 
 ercile charity according to tiTeir abilities. a.That in all works 
 of pious charity which we perform, God looks at the heart, 
 the will, andafreclion of the giver, more than at the larg.nef> 
 and liberality of the gift : j} there ie a uiUin^ mivd, (ays th« 
 
Chap. xiii. 
 
 Sr. 
 
 M ARK. 
 
 167 
 
 apoftic, 2 Cor. vi'ii. I2. it Is acctpftd acccrding ti ivhat a man 
 hath, and not according to what he bath n-t. ■^. That a perfon 
 ouglit f-nnetimcs to give what he cannot well fpare hinifcif ; 
 and be ready to diftributc not only to his power, but even .1- 
 bovc and beyond his power, 2 Cor. viii. 2.3. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 AND as he went out of the temple, one of his dif- 
 ciplcs faith unto him, Mafler, fee what manner 
 of floncs, and what buildings arc here! 2 And Je- 
 fus anfwcring, faid unto him, Seefl thou thele great 
 buildings ? there fliall not be left one flonc upon a- 
 nothcr that Hiall not be thrown down. 
 
 Our bklfed Saviour being now ready to depart from the 
 temple ; never more, after this, entering into it ; and his dif- 
 ciplcs flicwing him with wonder and admiration the magni- 
 ficent ftriiifliires and buildings thereof, apprehending that in 
 regard of its invincible ftrcngth it could not be deftroyed, or 
 that, at lealV, in regard of its incredible magnificence, it was 
 great pity it (hould bedeftroy«l ; they fay to Chrill, Ma/ler, 
 beheld, nh.^t great buildings are here! Not confidering how 
 fin will undermine and blow up the moll famons itrudiires. 
 Sin brings cities and kingdoms, as well as particular perfons, 
 to their end ; not one ftone of this magnificent (Inicliirc, fays 
 Chrirt, fliall remain unpullcd down. Which threatening was 
 cxadly fulfilled after Chrift, when Titus, the Roman emp- 
 eror deftroycd the city, burnt the temple, and Tiirniis Rufus, 
 the general of his army, ploughed up the very foundation on 
 which the temple ftood: Thus was the threatening of God ful- 
 filled, Jcr. xwi. 18. 2.ion jhall he ploughed as a field, andfe- 
 rujalem jhall become an heap. Learn hence i. That (in has laid 
 the foundation of ruin in the moft flourilhing cities and king- 
 doms. 2. That the threatenings of God are to be fear- 
 ed, and fh.all be lulfilled, whatever appearing improbabi- 
 lities theremay be tothe contrary. It is neither the temple's 
 ftrcngth nor beauty thjl can oppofe or wifhrtand God's pow- 
 er. 
 
 3 And as he fat'iipon the mount of Olives, ovc^' 
 aqninll the temple, Peter, and James, and John, 
 and Andrew afked him privately, 4 Tell us, when 
 fliall thefe tliin'j;s be ? and \vha.t /hallk the fign when 
 all thefe things ihall be fulfilled ? 
 
 A double qiieflion is here propoundedto our Saviour by his 
 difciples; namely. When the deitruciioa of Jeruililein Ih.tll 
 be? and what ihall be the ilgns of that dcilruftionr See here 
 ivhat an itching curiofity there is in the bell of men to know 
 futiiiitics-. to know thini;s that lliall come to oafb hercaftcr> 
 and when that hereafter is to come to pafs. Oh! how hap- 
 py were we, if as forward to obey the declaration of God s 
 will, as we are to-prv into the hiJiien counfcls of his fecret 
 will ! Tell us, fay the difciples, luhenjiiall thefe things be ? 
 
 5 And Jefus anfwerhig them, began to fay, Take 
 hcfd left any man deceive you. 6 For many Ihall 
 come in my name, faying, I am Chrijl ; and fliall de- 
 ceive many. 7 And when ye fliall hear of wars, 
 and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: ioifucli 
 ikn^s mull- needs be; but the end fhall not ^^ yet.. 
 
 8 For nation fliall rife againft nation, ani' kingdom 
 againlt kingdom ; and there fliall be carthquakes-m 
 divers places, and there fliall be famines and trou- 
 bles: thefe j;-f the beginnings of iorrows. 9 f Eat 
 take heed of yourfelvcs : for they Ihall deliver vou 
 up to councils: and in the fyuagogues yc fliall be 
 beaten: and yc fliall be brought before rulers and 
 kings for my fake, for a tcftimony again (I them. 1 o 
 And the gofpel mull firll bo preached among all 
 nations. 
 
 Here, and in the following verfcs, our Saviour gives hi 
 difciples the figns which Ihould forerun the dellrudion of Je- 
 riifalem. The firll of which was this, \\\:iX flure /hoiild arife 
 falfe Chrijis, fafe pnphcls and fediicers \ fuch as Theudas, and 
 others, under the name and perfon of the Mellias, fome af- 
 firming themfelves to be Chrill p^-rfoiial, or the proniitej 
 MelTiah ; others to be Chrill doclrinal, allirming their errone- 
 ous opinions to be the mind and opinions of Jefus Chrill. 
 Learn hence. That as there will be many leducers before 
 the end of the world ^for Jeriifalem's deilruilion was a typ: 
 and" emblem of the world's dellruflion; and many will be re- 
 duced and milled by them ; fo it is the duty of Chriirs own 
 dilciplcs to take heed, left they being alfo led away by t1 e crr:r 
 of the luieked do fall from their oicn /ledfaflnefs : Taie heed, fav5 
 Chrifl, that no man deceive you, /or many zvill come in my name, 
 faying, I am Chrijl, and will deceive many. The fecond \\nn 
 of Jcrufalem's dellrudlion, was ivars and riur.onrs cfw.trs; 
 that is, civil broils, 'and inteilinc commotions amon" them- 
 felves, as Mo famine and earthqakuake. Whence ;/5/t-. That 
 war and fire, earthquakes and famines, are judgments and 
 calamities infiiclcd by God upon a finfnl people for their 
 contempt of Chrill and gofpcl gr.ice. 2. That although thefe 
 be very terrible judgments, and defolating calamities, yet 
 to an incorrigible and irreclaimable people they are the fore- 
 runners of worfe judgments. Thefe are, f^ys ChvUl, tie be- 
 ginnings of forrozus. The third fign of this appro-achino- do- 
 llruiflion, was a general perfecution of the miniilers of the 
 gofpcl, for preaching thedoclrine ofthc gofptl to a loll worlds 
 } e Jhall be beaten and brought before lings fr my faie, for a lefti- 
 mony. — Whence note. That the preaching ot the gofpel, 
 wherever it come':, will be for a telliinony inito ilictn to 
 whom it comes; either a tcfliminy for themor againfl them ; 
 to the humble.it is a tellimony for, to dcfpifers and fcorncrs it 
 is a teftiinony againll; if the dull of the minillers feet bear 
 witncfs againll the defpifers of the gofpel, their fermons 
 much more. The word of God delivered in ihc fcriptures, 
 and (lif|)enfcd in tiie miniftry thereof, hath its divers and con- 
 tr.irv eftecls upon different and contrary fubjefti; from kjth 
 wfiich,. vet almighty God knows how to raife his own glory : 
 to the humble and teachable, the gofpel is adjutirium, to the' 
 fcorners and defpifers in teftimonium ; to fome the favour of 
 life unto life, to others the favour of death unto death. 
 
 11 But when they (hall lead yon and deliver yo'i 
 up, take no thought beforehand whit ye fhall Ipeik, 
 neither do ye premidiiate : But whailo.ver iliail 
 be given you in that hour, that fpcak yc : for it is 
 not ye tha.t fpeak, but the Holy Gholt. 12 Now 
 
 the 
 
i68 
 
 )r. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 CmAP. XIII. 
 
 the brother (liall bctniv tlic brother to death, and the 
 father the fon : and children Iball rife up againd 
 their parents, and fliall caufe thcrn to be put lodvath. 
 1^ And ve fliall be hated of all men for my name's 
 fake: But he thai fliall endure unto the end, the fame 
 fhail be favcd. 
 
 Here v\n Saviour acquaints his difcinles, that for preach- 
 ing tile ijofpcl they flionlJbc broiigln before kings and rulers, 
 hilt ajlvifcs them, when they (hoiild be fo brought not to be 
 aiixioiifly ihoiiglitful and fohciious what they (liould fay ; for 
 it ihoukl be fuj^gclled to them by the Holy Cjlioll what to 
 lay ill tlut hour. A'i/c here, that this proniife feenis to be 
 pLCiilijrto tl'.s apoftles, and that it belonged to thcni only, 
 w hen thcv v ere brought before kinu;s and rulers, to plead 
 the caufe of Clifiil. Learn hence, That though the trutli of 
 Clirilt may bs oppofed, yet the defenders of it Ihall never be 
 alhamed; for rather than they (hall wan"- a tongue to plead 
 for it, God hinifclf will promp them by his Holy Spirit, and 
 fu£jgi*(l fucli arguuunls to them as all their enemies Ihall not 
 be able to yainfay. Farther, How our Saviour defcribcs the 
 bitter enmity of the world againft the preachers of the golpeU 
 to be fueh as would overcome end extinguiflieven the natural 
 afffflion of the dcarcll relations one tow ards another.ZZ),? l-n- 
 therjhcill betray the brother to death. Grace teaches i!S to lay 
 down our lives tor the brethren ; but corruption in general, 
 and enmity to the gofpel in particular, teaches brother to take 
 away the life of brother; The brother Jhall betray the brother to 
 death. Ladly, how our Saviour comforts his difciples, that 
 there would be an endof thefe their (harp and bitter fufferings; 
 ailuring them, that if their faith and patience did holdout unto 
 the end, they fiy.uld bcfa-jtd. This is our comfort, our fufFer- 
 in?s for Chrill mull be fharp, but they fliall be ihort ; if our 
 fufrcrings for Chrifl end not in our life-time, they will end 
 wiih our lives. 
 
 1 4 f But when yc fhall fee the abomination of 
 defolation, fpoken of by Daniel the prophet, ftand- 
 ing where it ought not (let him that rcadeth under- 
 
 ftand)— 
 
 The feufc is, " When yefliall fee the Roman army, which 
 is an abomination to you, andanoccafion of dcfolation where- 
 cver it goes ; when you Ihall fee that abominable defolating 
 army, begirting the city of Jerufalcm, in order to her ruin 
 and being laid wafte, then call to mind the prophecy of 
 ])aniel, which primarily refpeded Antiochiis, but fcconda- 
 riiv, Titus.the Roman emperor, and fhall now be fiiljy com- 
 pleted; for the (iegc (hall nnt be raifed till both city and tem- 
 ple be razed to the ground." From whence /^-rtr;/', r. That 
 (Jodhas iiUlnuuents ready at his call to lay wafte the ftrontr. 
 «-ft cities, and to ruin the moft floiiridiing kingdoms which 
 do rcjcft his Son, and refufe thctenders of his grace. 2. That 
 Gixl can, and fomctimcsdoth, make ufe of thole very perfons 
 whom (Miners mod abhor, to be tlic inlfrumenis of their pu_ 
 nilhmeut, and the occafions of their dtfiruaion. The Ro- 
 man army, which was an abomination to the Jews, did God 
 dcftroy tlum by. 
 
 — Then let them that be in Judea, flee to the moun- 
 tains: i5And let him that is on the houfe-top not go 
 down into the lioufc, neither enter therein, to take 
 any thing out of his houfe: _i6 And let him that is 
 
 in the field not turnback again to take up his garment. 
 17 But wo unto them that are with child, and thofe 
 that give fuck in thofe days ? 18 And pray ye that 
 your flight be not in the winter, 
 
 The meaning is, "As foonas ye (hall fee the Roman army 
 appear before the city of Jerufalem, let every one that values 
 his own fafety fiy, as far 2nd as fait as he can, as Lot (led (rom 
 the flames of Sodom ; and be glad if by (?ight he can favc his 
 life, though he lofe goods hnd clothes, and all things belide." 
 Whence UarnyT\\-\x. when almighty Gotl is pouring forth his 
 fury upon a fmful people, it is both lawful, and a nccelTary 
 duty, by flight to endeavour to (hcltcr and fecure ourfelves 
 from the approaching calamity and defolation ; when ye fee 
 jfertifalem cncompajj'ed with armies, fee to the mountains. 2. 
 That in cafe of flight before an enraged enemy, and bloody 
 army, if we loft- all that we have, and our lives be given us 
 for a prey, we fare well, and the Lord deals very gracioufly 
 and mercifully with us. Next, our Saviour declaresthe dole- 
 ful dillrefs of thofe that could not flee from the Roman army 
 encompaillrgjerufalem, as women great with child, and ithcn 
 giving fuck, who by that means are like to lofe their lives : 
 and adds farther. That it would increafe the calamity, if their 
 Jlight Jhould happen te be in the winter; or, as St. Matthew adds 
 an the/abbath day, Matt. xxiv. 20. Pray ye that your Jlight be 
 net in the winter, n:r en thefalbath~day. Flight in the winter 
 is fad, b-caufe we can then fly neither faft nor far; and on th^ 
 fabbath-day it is very forrowful, that being the day of our (pi- 
 ritual labou.%-and of our bodily Tcft. Learn thence, That it 
 is a great adaitionto the trouble and difqiiiet of a go<id man's 
 fpirit, wiicnthe day of his fpiritual reft is interrupted ; and 
 ijifteadot enjoyinj:; communion with Gud in his houfe, he is 
 driven from houfe and home. 
 
 19 For in thofe days fliall be aflliftion, fuch as 
 ivas not from the beginning of lac creation, which 
 God created, unto this time, neither fhall be. 
 20 And except that the Lord had fliortcned thofe 
 days, no flefh fhould be faved : But for tlie cleft's 
 fake, whom he hath chofen, he hath fliortencd the 
 days. 
 
 The dreadful calamities which were coming upon the 
 Jews in general, and Jerufalcm in particulav, arc here fore- 
 told by our blelfed Saviour, partly from the Roman arm^■ 
 without, and partly from the fcditions and fadions of the zca- 
 hts witliin ; who committed fuch outrygcs and (laughters, 
 that thfire were no lefs than an hundred thoufand Jews (lain, 
 and ninety-feven thoufiind taken prifoners. They that 
 bought our Saviour for thirty pence, were now themfelves fold 
 thirty for a penny. Now did the temple itfelf become a 
 facrifice, a whole burnt-ofl'ering, and was confumed to a(hcs. 
 Yet chjerve, Chriil promifes that thcfe days cf vengeance 
 Jhould be fljorlened for the cieiVs J'ule; God h.id a remnant 
 which he dcdgncd (liould fiirvivc that delfruition, to be an 
 holy feed; and accordingly the providence of God fo ordered 
 it, that the city was taken in fix months, and the whole coun- 
 try depopulated in eighteen. Prom whence obferve, How 
 the Lord intermixes fome merry \vith the cxtrcmed inifcry 
 that dolh bcfaj a people (or their fuion this lide hell. No 
 finnerscan fyy in this life, that they feci the ftrokesofjufticc 
 to the utmofl, cr that they ha-ic judgment without incicy. 
 
 . 11 AnR 
 
 ■ 
 
 wmam 
 
Chap. xiir. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 169 
 
 2 1 And then, if any man ftiall fay to yon, Lo, 
 here is Chi ift ; or h), he is there ; believe him not. 
 22 For faUeChrill's andfalfo prophets (hall rife, and 
 ihall Ihew figns and wonders, to fcducc, if it were 
 poOible, even the elea.23Bat take ye heed: behold, 
 I have foretold )ou all things. 
 
 28 Now learn a parable of tJie fij^-trcc : When 
 her branch is yet tender, and puttcih forth leaves, 
 ye know that fummer is near : nj So ye in lika 
 manner, when ye Ihall fee ihcfc things come to pafs, 
 know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I 
 fay unto you. That this generation fluill not pafs till 
 
 The Tews had all along cherinied in themfelves a vain all thefe things be done. 31 Heaven and earth Ihall 
 
 xpeftation, that the proinifed Meff.as Ihoukl be a temporal p:ds away ; but my words Ihall not pals away. 32 
 
 •■ " ' ' " But of that day and ihat hour, knoweth no man, no 
 
 not the angels which arc in heaven, neither the Son, 
 but the Father, 
 
 deliverer, andfet them at liberty from the powerand llave- 
 ry of the Romans ; and accordingly our Saviour declares to 
 hii difciples here, That, immediately before Jerufalem^s 
 
 denruaion, feveral perfons, taking the advantage of this 
 expecTiation, would make ihenifclvcs heads of parties, and 
 pretend that they were the true and proniifed Mefltah, who 
 fhould fave and dtlivcr them from tlieir enemies, if they 
 would follow them. Hereupon our Saviour cautions his 
 difciples againft fuch falle ChrilVs, and falfe prophets ; and 
 bids them not believe, though they did never lb many figns 
 and wonders, and promifed them never fuch glorious deliv- 
 erances. From hence note, i . That the church's great dan- 
 ger is from.feducers, that come in Chrift's name, and pre- 
 tend to work figns and wonders by his authority. 2. "1 hat 
 fuch is the power of feduction and delulion, that many in all 
 ages of the church, have been carried away with feducers 
 and falfe teachers. 3. Th.it the eleft themfelves, if left to 
 ihemfelves, might be feduced ; but beingguarded by divine 
 power, againft feduftion and delufion, they fliall be preferv- 
 ed from that fatal mifchief ; TheyJIiallfeattce, ifpojfible, even 
 the eka. 
 
 24 5 But in thoGe days, after that tribulation, the 
 fun Ihall be darkened, and the moon Ihall not give 
 her light, 25 And the ftars of heaven fhall fall, and 
 the powers that are in heaven fhall be fhaken. 26 
 And then fhall they fee the Son of man coming in 
 tile clouds with great power and glory. 27 And 
 then fliail he fend his angels, and fhall gather toge- 
 ther his eleft from the foiu" winds, from the utter- 
 moft part of the earth to the uttermoft part of heav- 
 en. 
 
 Our Saviour goes on, in figurative exprefllons, to fct 
 forth the calamities that fl;ou!d befil the Jtwilh nation im- 
 jnediately al'cer Jerufjlem's deftrutbon, The funjkatl be 
 dflrkened ; that is, all their glory and ey.cUency Ihall be z-> 
 clipfed, all their wealtii and prolperity Ihall be laid walte; 
 their whole government, civil and ecclefiaftical, deftroyed ; 
 and fuch marks of inifcry found upon them, as never were 
 ften upon a people. Tliofe that apply this to the general 
 uiJgmenr, underftaiid the wordi literaliy, that the fun and 
 jiioo.) will then have their influences fufpended. That the 
 holy angeh will be fent forth to gatlur the elect frnm all 
 //:iiiiters cf the viorld, with the Jhuitd of a trinnpet, hys St. 
 Matthew: probably, as tJi£re was an audible found of a trum- 
 pet at the giving of the fljk, fo there (hall be tlie like found 
 of a trumpet, when Chi^umall fummon the world to judg- 
 ment for tlie tranfgrelling of that law. A joyful found will 
 this be to th: friends of Chrift ; a doleful, dreadful found, 
 in the ears of hij enemies. 
 
 Here ourblelTed Saviour declares two things with refer- 
 ence to his coming. I. The certainty of the thing iifclf. 
 2. The uncertaintyof the time. The certainty of his com- 
 ing he lets forth by the limilitude of tiie fig-tree, whofe be- 
 ginning to bud, declares the fummer at hand. Thus our 
 Saviour tells them, that when they fiiculd fee the fore-men- 
 tioned figns, they might conclude the deitrucTion of their ci- 
 ty and temple to be nigh at hand ; and accordingly, feme 
 then livingdid fee thefe prediiftions fulfilled. Clfrve, The 
 uncertainty as to the precife time when this judgment fhould 
 come : no angel iii heaven, nor creature upon earth, could 
 determine the time, only the glorious perfons in the godhead 
 the Father, Son, and Holy Choft- Laim hence, That all 
 things are not revealed to the angels themfelves, but fuch 
 things only as it concerns them to know, and the wifdcirnof 
 God thinks fit to reveal. 2. That the precife time of the 
 day of judgment is kept by God as a fecret to himfelf : we 
 are not to know the hour, to the intent that we may be upon 
 our watch every hour ; Chrifl himfelf did not know it as man, 
 but as God only : the knowledge and revelation of this was 
 no part of Chrifl's prophetic office, it being one of thofc 
 tiiiies and feafons which the father lias put in his own po w- 
 er, AcT:s i. 7. Conlider Chrill is God,or the fecondperfon 
 in the Trinity, and to affirm that there is any thing that he 
 does not know, is blafphemy : but confider him as the Mef- 
 lias, and to fay there were fome things which Chrift, as fuch, 
 did not know, is no blafphemy : for thoug'i Chrift, as God, 
 was equal with the Father ; yet, as Meffias, or God— man, 
 he was inferior to the Father, his fervant or meffenger, 
 and coulil do nothing of himfelf, and did not know alhhings. 
 
 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray : for ye know 
 not when the time is. 34 Fort/iefoiiofjii:in ij as a 
 man taking a far journey, v/ho lett his houfe, and 
 gave authority to his fervants, and to every man hij 
 work, and commanded the porter to watcli. 35 
 Watch ye therefore ; for ye know not ^vhen the mai- 
 ler of the houfe cometh, at even, or at mid-night, or 
 at the cock-crowing, or in the morning : 36 Left 
 coming iuddeni)-, he find you flecping. 37 And 
 ^vhat I fay unto you, I fay unto all, Watch. 
 
 Our blelfed Saviour takes occalion, from the foregoing 
 doLuirie of the certainty and f'uddenefs of his coining tojudg- 
 ment, to inforccthe duty of dilligent and induftrious watch- 
 fulnefs upon all his dilciples and followers ; that is, to be 
 upon their guard againft all fin,' and to be in actual readinels 
 fcr his appearance and approach. Leurn hence, Thu it is 
 
 Y thr 
 
i7» 
 
 Sr. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 ix 
 
 tlieinilirpenfiljle duty, and ought to bethe indefatigable cii- 
 deavour ot" every chiKtian, to rt.ind upon his puard, in a 
 prepared readinefs for Chrlft's appearance, both for his com- 
 ing to them, and for their going to him. There is a two- 
 fold readinefs for Chrift's coming, namely, habitual and ac- 
 tual : An habitual readinefs, is a readinefs of the ftate and 
 conditioti ; actual readinefs, is the readinefs of the perfon. 
 When we are fLirnillied with all the graces and virtues of a 
 good life, w hen our lamps are burning, and our loins girded, 
 our fouls' fnrniftied with all the graces of God's holy Spirit, 
 our lives fruitful in good works, Dlifjid is that fervant, who, 
 w/fen his Lord comtth,fi]all he found thus ■watching. 
 
 C H A P. XIV. 
 
 AFTER two days \v3.s,lhe/enjl o/the palTover, and 
 of unleavened bread : and the chief priells and 
 the fcribes fought how they might take him by craft, 
 and put him to death. 2 But they laid, Not on the 
 fcd!l-^^>, left there be an uproar of the people. 
 
 This chapter gives us a fad and forrowfui account of the 
 high priefts conlpiracy againfl the life of ourbleflcd Saviour. 
 In wliich we have (thfaviilh. The perfons that made this 
 confpiracy, the manner of the confpiracy, and the time when 
 this confpiracy was made, i. The perfons confpiring are 
 the chief priefts, fcribes, and elders ; that is, the whole 
 Jewiih fanhedrim, or general council : They lay their ma- 
 licous heads together 10 contrive the deftrudion of the inno- 
 cent Jefus. Thence learn. That general counfels have er- 
 red, and may err fundamentally in matters of dodrine ; fo 
 did this general council at Jeruf'alem, coniilling of thief 
 priefts, doctors, and elders, with the high prielt their prefi— 
 dent, in not believing Jefus to be the Mefiias, after all the 
 miracles wrought before their eyes. 1. The manner of this 
 confpiracy againfl our Saviour's life : It was clandeftine, 
 fecret and fubtfc; They confult how they might take him by 
 craft, and put him to death. Thence note, That Satan makes 
 ufe of the fubtlety of crafty men, and abufeth their parts, 
 as well as their povvcr, for his own piirpofes and deligns ; 
 The devil fends no fools of his errands. 3. The circuni- 
 flance of time when tliis confpiracy was managed : yft the 
 feaft of the palpjvir ; it being a cuftom among the Jews to 
 execute malefactors at their folemn feafls, as at the feaft of 
 the puflover, the feaft of weeks, and the feaft of tabernacles; 
 at which times all the Jews came up to Jerufajem to iacri- 
 Hce, and when they put innlafactors to d«.ath, that all llrael 
 might fee anil hear, and not d fo wickedly : Accordingly, 
 this feaft of the paCbver was waited for by the Jews as a fit 
 opportunity to put our Saviour todeath ; The only objedi- 
 on was. That it might occafion a tumult amongft the people, 
 the. c being fuch a mighty concourfe at that time in Jerufalem. 
 But Judas making them a proffer, they readily comply with 
 the motion, and refolve to take the firft opportunity to put 
 our Saviour to death. 
 
 3 5 And being in Bethany, in the houfe of Simon 
 the leper, as he Tat at meat, there came a woman 
 having an alaballer box of ointment of fpikenard, 
 very precious; and flie brake the box, and poured it 
 on Lis head. 4 And there were fomc that had ia- 
 
 diL;nation within themfelves, and faid, Why was this 
 wafle of ointment made ? 5 For it might have 
 been fold for more than three hundred pence, and 
 have been given to the poor. And they murmured 
 againllhei. 6 And Jefus faid, Let her alone ; why 
 trouble ye her ? (he hath wrought a good work on 
 me. 7 jFor ye have the poor with you always, and 
 whcnfoever ye wdl ye may do them good : but me 
 ye have not always. 8 She hath done what flie could: 
 fhe is come aforehand to anoint my body to the bu- 
 rying. 9 Verily I fay unto you, Wherefoever this 
 gofpel fliall be preached throughout the whole world 
 this alfo that flie hath done fliall be fpoken of, for a 
 memorial of her. 
 
 Several particulars are obfen>ahle in this piece of hiftory r 
 As, firft, the action which this holy woman performed : 
 She pours a box of precious ointment upon our Saviour's 
 head as he fat at meat, according to the cuftom oftheeaftern 
 countries at their feafts. Murmuring Judas valued this 
 ointment at three hundred pence, which makes of our mo- 
 ney nme pounds feven fliillings and fixpence, reckoning the 
 Roman penny at feven pence lialf-penny. I do not find 
 that any of the apoftles were at thus much coft and charge 
 to put honour upon our Saviour as this poor woman was. 
 Learn hence, That where ftrong love prevails in the he»rt 
 towards Chrift, nothing is adjudged too tiear for him, neither 
 will it fufFer itfelf to be outrtiined by any examples ; the 
 ■weakeft woman that ftrongly loves her Saviour, will pioufly 
 ftr ive with the greateft apoftle to exprcfs the fervour of her 
 alFcclion towards him. 2. How this adVion was refcnted 
 and reflected upon by Judis, and fome other difciples whom 
 he had influenced ; they had indignation viithin themfelves, 
 and /aid, To luhat purpo/e is this -^jafle? O ! how doth a cov- 
 etous heart think every thing too good for Chrift ! Happy 
 was it lor this poor woman, that fhe had a more righteous 
 judge to pafs fentance upon her aflion, than murmtiring Ju- 
 das. 3. How readily our holy Lord vindicates this good woman; 
 flie fays nothing for herfelf, nor nted (he, havingfo good an 
 advocate. Firii he rebukes Judas, Let her a/one, why trouble 
 ye the -woman? Next, he juftifies the iH'ion, She hathivrought 
 a good -jjork, becaufe it flowed from a principle of love to 
 Chrift. Andjlaitly, He gives the reafon of her aifiion ; She 
 did it for my burial. As kings and great perfons were wont 
 in thofe caftern countries, at their funerals, to be embalmed 
 with odours and fweet perfumes ; fo, fays our Saviour, this 
 woman, to declare her faith in me as her King and Lord, 
 doth with this box of ointment, as it were before hand, em- 
 balm my body for its burial. True faith puts honour upon a 
 crucified as well as glorified Saviour. This holy woman ac- 
 counts Chrift worthy of all honour in his death, believing 
 it would be a fweet fmelling facrifice unto God, and the fa- 
 vour of life unto his. people. 4. Our Saviour doth not on- 
 ly juftify and defend the aftion of this poor w oman, but mag- 
 nifies and extols it, declaring that flie flicnld be rewarded 
 for it with an honourable memorial in all ages of ihechurch, 
 IVherel'oevtr this gofpel is preached, thisfluill b' fpoken (-/ for 
 a m'm'irial of htr. N^jte hence, The ca-e which Chiifl takes 
 to have the good deeds of his childicn not buried in the dull 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
Cha?. xiv. 
 
 St. mar K. 
 
 171 
 
 with thetn, but had in everlafting remembrance. Though 
 fin caufes men to rot above the ground, and (tink ahve, and 
 •when they are dead, leaves an ignominy upon their graves, 
 yet will the aftions ofthe juft fmell l\veet,and bloflbniin the 
 duft. 
 
 10 ? And Judas Ifcariot, one of the twelve, went 
 unto the chief priefts, to betray him unto them. 11 
 And when they heard of it, they were glad, and pvo- 
 mii'ed to give him money. And he fought how he 
 mii'ht conveniently betray him. 
 
 Obferve here, i. The perfon betraying our bleffed Re- 
 deemer, Judtis : Judas a profefltir, Judas a preacher, Jiulas 
 an apofile and sne of the twelve, whom Chi ill had choftn out 
 of all the world to be his deareft friends, his family and 
 houfliold : Shall we wonder to find friends unfriendly or 
 unfaithful to us, when our Saviour had a traitor in his own 
 family ? 2. The heinous nature of Juda's's fin. He betrayed 
 Jefus ; Jcfus his maker, Jefus his m.ifter. It is no ftrange 
 or uncommon thing for the vileft of fins, and moft horrid im- 
 pieties to be acted by fuch perl'ons as make the moft emi- 
 nent profefllonof holinefs and religion. 3. What was the 
 occafion that led Judas to the commiflion of this fin? It was 
 his inordinate love of money. 1 do not find that Judas had 
 any particular malice, fjiite or ill-will againft our Saviour, 
 but a bafe and unworthy fpirit of covetoufnefs poffefTed 
 him, that made him fell his mafter. Covetoufnefs is .the 
 root— fin. An eager and infatiable thirft after the world, 
 is a parent of the moft monftrous and unnatural fins ; for 
 which rcafon our Saviour doubleshis caution, Luke xii. 15. 
 Take heed, and be 11 are ofovetvifnefs. Jt fliews us both the 
 danger of the fin, and the great care we ought to take to 
 preferve ourlelves from it. 
 
 12 1 And the firft day of unleavened bread, when 
 they killed the paffovcr, his difciples faid unto him, 
 Where wilt ihou that we go and prepare, that thou 
 jTiayeft eat the pallover ? 1 3 And he fendeth forth 
 two of his difciples, and faith unto them, Go ye in- 
 to the city, and there fhall meet you a man bearing 
 a pitcher of water: follow him. 14 Andwheiefo- 
 ever he fhall go in, fay ye to the good-man of the 
 houfe, The Mafter faith. Where is the gueft cham- 
 ber, where I fhall eat thepalTovcr with my difciples ? 
 15 And he will fhew you a large upper room fur- 
 nilhed and prepared : there make ready for us. 16 
 And his difciples went forth, and came into the city, 
 p.pd found as he had faid unto them ; and they made 
 ready the pafTover. 
 
 The time for the celebration of the pafiover being now 
 at hand, Chrift fends two of his difciples to Jerufalem to 
 prepare thinirs necefiary in order thereUf"to. And here we 
 have t/v'iri'i'/'/e, i. An eminent proof of Chrift's divine 
 nature in telling them all t;ie pariiculars which they flmnld 
 meet with in the city, as a man hearing a p.fhtrofwsrer, 
 Si-c. 2. Ho.v readily the heart of this hou;lK)ldi.T was dif- 
 pofed to receive our S«vio;ir and \y- ■'■'-■■'•- -nd 10 ac- 
 c(.:niiioviate tbcmwilh all i ■ "f.(:i'i..n. 
 
 venture no money wherewith to buy «n*, yet he finds as 
 excellent accommod.itioiisin this poor man's lioule, as if he 
 had dwelt in Ahab's ivory palace, and had the provifibn 
 of Solomon's table. When Chrift has a paflbver to cele- 
 brate, he will difpofe the heart to a free reception of him- 
 felf. 1 he room which Chrift will enter into, muft be a 
 large room, an upper room, a roimjumifhed and prepared. 
 Alarge room, is an enlarged heart, enlarged with love and 
 thankfulnefs ; an upper room, is an heart exalted, not puf- 
 fed up with pride, but lifted up by heavenly mindedncfb ; a 
 rowi furnrjlied, is a foul adorned with the graces of rlie 
 Holy Spirit: Into fuch an heart and only fuch, will Chrill 
 enter. 
 
 17 And in the evening hccomcth with the twelve. 
 18 And as they fat and did eat, Jcfu.*: faid, Verily I 
 fay unto you. One of you which eatcth with me 
 fhall betray me. 19 And they began to be forrow- 
 ful, and to fay unto him one by one, Is it I ? and a- 
 noihcr faid, Is it I ? 20 And he anfwered, and faid 
 unto them. It is one of the twelve that dippeth with 
 me in the difh, 21 The Son of man indeed gocth, 
 as it is written of him : but wo to thatman by whom 
 the Son of man is betrayed ! good were it for that 
 man if he had never been born. 
 
 0/ferve here, i. The unexampled boldnefs of this impu- 
 dent traitor Judas : he prefumed, as foon as he had fold 
 his M.dter, to fit down at the table with him, and did cat 
 the paJfoverwiih the difciples. H.id tlie prefence of Jud.is 
 pollnted this ordinance to any but himfelf, duubtleis our 
 Saviour would never have fuffered him to approach unto ir. 
 But hence we learn, i. That nothing is more ordinary than 
 for unholy perfons to prels in unto the holy ordir.ancesof 
 God, which they have no right, while fuch, to partake of, 
 :• That the prefence of fuch perfons doth polhue the or- 
 dinance only to themfelves; holy perfons are not pollnted 
 by their fins, therefore ought not to be difcouraged from 
 coming by iheir prefence there. Cbfer^e, ?. Whatafur- 
 prifing and aftonifliing word it was which dropt from our 
 Saviour's mouth among his difciples; One fiull hetmy rht, 
 yea, one ofyouJ1iallb:tray me. Can any church upon eartli 
 expecl purity in all its members, when Chrift's own family 
 of twelve had a traitor and a devil in it ? Yet though it was 
 very fad to hear of one, it was matter of joy to underftand 
 that there was but one. One hypocriie in a congregation 
 is too much, but there is caufc of rejoicing if there be no 
 more. 3. Chrift did not name Judas, and fay, "Thou, O 
 perfidious Judas, art the traitor; h\it, Cne '.f you Jhall betray 
 mi :" Doubtlefs it was to draw him to repentance and to 
 prevent the giving him any provocation. Lord ! how fad 
 is it for any of thy family, who pretend frieiUilhip to thee, 
 to confp're with thine enemies againft thee ? for any that 
 eat '.flhy bread to lift up their heel againjl thee ! 4. The dif- 
 ciple^i forrow upon thtfa words of Chrift, and the effect of 
 of'th-it (orrovv. Their forrow was (as well it might be) 
 exceeding great: well might innocnt difciples be over, 
 v^hehned writ forrow, to hear tliat ih'ir Mafter fliouldilie, 
 that he Ihnuid die by treafon,.tHat the trailer Ihould be cne 
 of th' mielvcs. I'pf ih'"."Th jheir ff.irow was very grfat. 
 
172 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 them a» holy fufpic'un of tliemfclvcs, and caufed every one 
 to fearch hiiiiCelf, and lay, Ma/rer, Js it I ? Learn hence, 
 That it is polTible for fuch fecret wickednefs to lodge in the 
 heart we never fufpefted, my, Judj? himfelf never appre- 
 liended thit depth of iniquity and hypjcrify which was 
 found lodging in liim. Yet mtf, That th-Jugh the difciples 
 were jualous and fufpiciou?, yet was it of the^nlelves, not 
 of one another ; my, not of Judis himfelf : every one faid, 
 MaJJcr, Is it I ' Not, Majhr, is it Judas r True fincerity 
 and chriftian charity will make us more fufpicious ofour- 
 felves th?n of any other; it hopes the beft of others, and 
 fears the worfl of ourfelves. 5. That though Judas fees 
 himfelf pointed at by our Saviour, and hears the dreadful 
 threatnings denounced againft him, thai it bad been better for 
 him that be bad ncv;r been birn, yet he is no more blanked 
 than innocence itfelf. Refolutefinners run on defperately 
 in their evil courfes, and with open eyes fee and meet their 
 own diftruiflion, without either being difmiyed at it, or 
 concerned about it. This fliarnelefs man had ilie impu- 
 dence to fiiy to our blefled Saviour, M.ifler, is it I ? Our 
 Saviour gives him a d\rect3nf\ver, Tbou faye/} it, Did not 
 JuJas (think we) blufli extremely, caftdown his guilty eyes, 
 and let fall his drojpinjr head, at fo galling an intimation ? 
 Nothing lefi : we read of nothing like it. Lord ! how 
 does obduracy in fm fteel the brow, and make it incapable 
 of all relenting imprefl'uns! Laftly, How our Saviour pre- 
 fers non-entity before danina: n ; It bad b:en better for 
 that mm he had never been born. A temporal, miferable be- 
 ing is not worfe than no being ; but eternal mifery is much 
 worfe than non-;ntity ; better to have no being, than not 
 to hjve a being in Chrift. It had been better for Judss 
 tlia: he had never been born, than to lie under everlaiting 
 wrath. 
 
 our dear Redeemer. 4. The minifterial aclions, The break- 
 ing of the bread, and the Ihffing of the cup ; as to the bread, 
 Jefustookit ; that is, fet it apart from common ufe, and fe- 
 parated it for holy ends and purpofes. He hie [fed it ; that 
 is, prayed forablefFnig upon it, and brake it ; thereby (had- 
 owing forth his body broken upon the crofs ; and ht gave it 
 to bis difciples, fiiying, This broken bread fignifiesmy bon'y, 
 fudJenly to be broken upon the crofs, for the redemption 
 and falvation of a loft world ; Do this in remembrance of my 
 death. As to the cup, Chrilt having fet it apart by prayer 
 and thankfgiving, he commands his <Mc\^\es to drink all of 
 it ; and accordingly they all drank of it, fays thisEvangelift ; 
 and our Saviour gives his realbn for it, ver. 24. For this 
 is my blood of the New Teflanunt, which isfhedforreniifpon 
 of fins ; that is, the wine in this cup rcprefents the fhed- 
 ding of my blood, by which thiinew covenant between God 
 and man is ratified and confirmed. Whence we gather 
 That every communicant hath as undoubted a right to the 
 cup, as to the bread of the Lord's fupper ; Drink ye all of 
 this, fays Chrift ; therefore to deny the cup to the commoa 
 people, is facrilege, and directly contrary to our Saviour's 
 inftitution. And Chrift calling the cup thf fruit of the vine, 
 affords, a llrong argument jgainft the docbrine of tranlub- 
 Itantiation, thus : "That which after confecration remains 
 the fruit of the vine, is not fubftaiuially changed into the 
 blood of Chrift. But Chrift called the wine in the cup the 
 fruit of the vine after confecration ; therefore that which 
 Chrift gave the apofties to drink, was not fubftantially chan- 
 ged into his blood. Wine is gmetaphorrically fcalled the 
 blood of the grape, why may it not, by a like metaphor, be 
 ftyled the blood of Chrift ?" After tiie celel^ration was o- 
 ver, our Saviour and his difciples lung an hymn, as the 
 Jews were wont to do at the pafTover the fix euchariftical, 
 
 22 f And as they did eat, Jefiis took bread, atid pfalms, from the 113th to the tipth pfalm. From Chrift's 
 
 bleifed, and brake it, and gave it to them, and (aid, 
 Take, cat : this is my body. 23 And he took the 
 cup ; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to 
 ihcm : and they all drank of it. 24 And he faid 
 unto them, This is my blood of the new tellament, 
 which is fhed for many. 25 Verily I fay unto you, 
 
 example we may gather, how fuitable it is to fing a pfalm 
 after the celebration of the Lord's fupper ; how fit it is that 
 God be glorified in his Church by finging of pfalms ; and 
 in particular when the Lord's fupper is celebrated. IVhen 
 they badfongan hymn, they \uer.t into the muint of Olives. 
 
 27 And Jefus faith unto them, All ye fhall be of- 
 
 I will dnnk no more of the fruit of the vine, until ^''f'^ bccaufc of me this night : for U is written, I 
 
 that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. ^^''ll/>n"e the fhepherd. and the fheep fhall befcat- 
 
 .6 And when they had fung an hymn, they wentout ^''''^: ^^ Lut after that I am nfen 1 will go before 
 
 • , , ^ ,v-ii- „ you into Galilee. 20 But Peter laid unto him, 
 
 into the mount 01 Oaves. ■', , . , ,, n. n i "^ rr i 1 j, t 
 
 Although all ihall be offended, yet ti-Vi!/ not I. 30 
 
 Immediately after the celebration of the pafTover, our ^nd Tefus faith unto him, \'erilv I fay unto thee. 
 
 Lord inftitutes his holy fup.icr; in which inftitution we have .t „► ,1' :, j,„ „..„:., tU-. .,; .1,1 T,„f\ *u i 
 
 ir ;; T-u .1 u • l 1 1 • • that this day, a/«i in tnis iiight, Deiore the COCK Cfow 
 
 t/'/Iri'.'/*/.-', The author, the tnne, the elements, and mini- - , ri 1 1 °. • t^ , r , 
 
 llcrial actions. Obfer-.'e htve, i. The author of this new twice, thou flialt deny methnce. _ 31 Buthcfpakc 
 
 f'acrament : Jffus took bread. Note, thence, That to infti- 
 lue a ficramsnt is the fole prerogative of Jefus Chrift. 
 ']'he (furch has no power to make new facraments : it is 
 oily her durv to celebrate thofe which our Saviour has 
 made. z. The time of the inftitution, the night beTore his 
 jjalilon ; The night in -which he ijjs betrayed, Jefus took bread. 
 Learn ihencc. That it is very neceffary, wlien lutferings are 
 approacliing, to have reconrfe to the table of the Lord, 
 which affords both an antidote againft fear, and a reftora- 
 
 the more vehemently, if I fhould die with thee, I 
 will not deny thee in any wife. Likewife alio faid 
 they all. 
 
 Ob/erve here, i. The warning that our Saviourgives his 
 difciples of their forfaking him in the time of his fiitferings ; 
 j^ll ye/h' II be offended bccaule if me this ni^jht. Learn, That 
 Chrift's (learcft friends forfook and left him alone in the 
 midft of his greatcft diftrefs and danger. Objerve 2. Wliat 
 was the caufe of theirfliiht ; it'was their f-ar, the weakncfs 
 
 live to our faith. ^. The fAcramental elements, irc-<7i^rrrf of their faith, and the prevalency of their fear. O how 
 ■Mine: bread rcMrslenting the bady, and wine the b'ood, of fad and dangerous it is for the beft of men to be left under 
 
 the 
 
GiJAP. XIV. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 '73 
 
 the power of their own feirs in the day of temptation ! 3. 
 Notwithftaiuling our Saviour's prediiftion, St. Peter's pre- 
 Aimption of his own ftrcngth and (landing ; Th'.ugh ail ir.':n 
 forfake thee, yet will not I. Learn thence, That lelf-con- 
 fidence, and a prefuinptious opinion of their own flrenp.th, 
 is a fin very incident to the holieft and beft of men. This 
 good man refolved honeftly, no doubt ; but too, too much 
 in his own ftrcngth. Little, little did h^^ think what a fea- 
 ther he fliould be in the wind of temptation, it once left to 
 the power and prevalency of their own fears. None are fo 
 near falling, as thofe who are mod confiden: of their own 
 {landing ; if ever we (land in the day of trial, it is the fear 
 •f falling that muft enable us to ftand. 
 
 32 And they came to a place which was named 
 Gethfcmane : And he faith to his difciplcs, Sit 
 ye here, while I fliall pray. 33 And he takcth 
 with him Peter and James and John, and be- 
 gan to be fore amazed, and to be very heavy; 31 
 And faith unto them. My foul is exceedin^r forrow- 
 ful unto death : Tarry yc here, and watch. 35 
 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, 
 and prayed, that, if it weie poffible, the hour might 
 pafs from him, 36 And he faid, Abba, Father, 
 all things are poffible unto thee : Take away this 
 cup from me : nc\erthelefs, not what I will, but 
 what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth 
 them Deeping, and faith unto Peter, Simon, fleep- 
 cfl tliou ? Couldcfl thou not watch one hour ? 38 
 Watch ye and pray, left yc enter into temptation. 
 The fpirit truly is ready, but the flefh i< weak. 39 
 And again he went away, and praj-ed, and fpake 
 the fame words. 40 And when he returned, he 
 found them afleep again : for their eyes were heavy : 
 neither wift they what to anfwer him. 41 And he 
 cometh the tlwrd time, and faith unto them. Sleep 
 on now, and take your reft : It is enough, the 
 hour is come ; Behold, the Son of man is betrayed 
 into the hands of finners. 42 Rife up, let us go : lo, 
 he that bctrayeth me is at hand. 
 
 Our blefTed Saviour being now come with his difciples in 
 to the garden, he falls there into a bitter and bloody ago- 
 ny, m which he prayed with wonderful fervency and im- 
 portunuy to his heavenly Father : his fufFerings were now 
 coming on a great pace, and he meets them upon his knees, 
 aiid would be found in a praying poflure. Lenr>, thence, 
 1 hat prayer is the heft preparative for, as well as the moft 
 powerful fupport under, the heaviefl fufFerin-s that can be- 
 lal us. As to the prayer of our Saviour in the garden, 
 nuny things are very olfervMe ; as, firft, the pbce where 
 he prayed, the garden. But why went Chrift thither > 
 Aot, With cur hrft parents, to hide himfelf there among 
 the trees of the garden, from the notice and obfervation of 
 his enemies, but as a garden was the pb.ce where our mi- 
 lery began, as the firll fcene of human (in and mifery was 
 a ed ,n a garden, lo does our Lord chufe a garden as the 
 htteil place for his agony and iatisfactorv pains to be^^in \r.. 
 
 Again, this garden was a place of privacy and retirement, 
 where our Lord might bell attend the cHi'-es of devotion 
 preparatory to his patrion : St. John xviii. 2. tells us; 
 That Jefus 'jft-linus reforted ta this garden with hi f difciples, 
 and that Judas -jjell kne-ai the place. It is evident then, that 
 Chrill went not into the garden to (liun his fufferings, but 
 to prepare himfelf by prayer to meet his enemies. 2. 
 The time when he entered into the garden for prayer, it 
 was in the evening before he fuflered ; h(;re he fpent fome 
 hours in pouring torth his foul to God; for about midnight 
 Judas with his black guard came, and apprehended him in 
 a prayin;>, pofturo. Out Lord teaching us, by his example, 
 That when imminent dangers are before us, efpecialiy 
 when death is apprehended by us, tobe very much in pray- 
 er to God, and very fervent in our wrclllings with him. 3 . 
 The matter of our Lord's prayer ; That if pr.Jf.hle the cup 
 might pafs from him ; and he might be kept from tiie honr 
 ot luflFering, that his foul might efctipe that dreadful wrjth 
 at which he was fo fore amazed. "But what did Chrill 
 then begin to repent of his undertaking for (inners ? Did 
 he fhrink and give back when it came to the pinch ?'' No, 
 nothing lefs ; but as he had two natures, being Cod and 
 man, Cti he had two dillinci wills : as man, he feared and 
 fiiunned death ; as God-man, he v/illingly fubmitted to it. 
 The divine nature, and the human fpirit ofChrifl, did now 
 aflaulc each other with difagreeing interells. Again, this 
 prayei- was not abfolute, but conditional, Jf it l>£ pojfhJe, 
 Father; if it maybe; if thou art AViUing, if it pleafe thee, 
 let this cup pafs ; if not, I -j.-lll drink it. r,he cup of fufFer- 
 ings we lee is a very bitter and dillafleful cup ; :.cup whicfv 
 human nature abhors, and cannot defire, but pcay againft ; 
 yet God doth put this bitter cup of affliflion into the hands 
 oft-times of thofe whom lie doth fincerely love ; and when 
 he doth fo, it is their duty to drink it with lilence and fiib. 
 million, as here their Lord did before them ; Father, let 
 the cup pafs; yet not my 'jjill, but thine be dwe. 4. The man- 
 ner of our Lord's prayer in the garden : And here we 
 may remark, i. It was a folitary, prayer ; he went by h:::!- 
 felf alone, out ot the hearing ot hi; difciples. The cosn])?.- 
 ny of cw bell and deareft friends is not always fealbnsbic : 
 There is a time to be folitary as well as to be fociable ; there 
 are times and cafes when a man would not be willing that 
 the moft intimate friend he has in the world Ihould be ■ 
 wi:h him to hear what palTes in fecret between him and his 
 God. 2. It was an humble prayer, that is evident by the 
 poila.'-es into which he call himfelf, Ibmetimes knee!:;-,:, 
 fometimes lying proirrate upon his face ; He lies in tiie • c 
 ry dufl:, and lower lie cannot lie ; And his heart was as low 
 as his body. 3. It was a vehement, fervent, and molt im- 
 portunate prayer ; Such was the fervour of our Lord's 
 fpirit, that he prayed himlelf into, an agony. O let us blufli 
 to think how unhke we are to Chrift in prayer, as :n our 
 praying frame of fpirit. Lord, what a dendnels and drou- . 
 linels, what (Ixipidity and formality wliat dulnefs and la/.i- 
 nefs is fojnd in onr prayers ! hov.- often do our hps move, 
 when our hearts Hand ftill ! 4. It v.-as reiterated 
 and repeated prayer : He prayed the finl, fecond, 
 ana third time, for xhs pnjfrg r'f the cup from him ; he re- 
 turns upon God over and over again, relolving to take no 
 denial. Let us not be difcouraged, though we"have foujhT 
 God often fc)r a particular mercy, and yet r.o anfAtr lias 
 been given ia unto u*. Ol" prayers mny be anfwereJ, 
 
TI 
 
 •■^1 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Cii/ 
 
 \P. MV, 
 
 tliOTi^rh their ail fwer for ilic prelent is fufpeiKlL-d. A pray- 
 er put up in f.iiili, according to the will of God, though it 
 inny be delayed, Ihall r.ct be K (1. Our Saviour prayed the 
 lirlt, Jecond, and third time, for the palling ot the bitter 
 cup; and ahhougli he was not heard as to exemption from 
 Jurttring, yet he was heard to fupport under fulTering. Ob- 
 fiive, 5. The poflure the difcipl.'s were found in when our 
 Lord was in this agony, praying to his Father ; They were 
 fafl eflifp. Good God ! Could they poflibly fleep at fuch 
 a lime as that v/as, whc-n Chrill's foul was exceeding for- 
 lowful ? Could their eyes be thus heavy ? Learn thence, 
 Tliat the beft ofChrift's difciptes maybe, and oft-times are, 
 overtaken with infirmities, with great inlirmitics, when the 
 moft Mnportant duties arc performing : He ameth to his d'tf 
 dples, and Jinds thcni flccpi-tg. 6. The mild and gentle re- 
 proof which he gi vcs hisdifciples for their deeping ; Cottld 
 ye not -Match vj'iloine one hour .' "Could ye not watch when 
 your Ma-fter is in fuch danger ? Could ye not watch with 
 me when I am going to deliver up my life for you ? What 
 not one hour ? And that the parting hour too ?" After 
 his repreheniion he fubjoins an exhortation, IVatchandpray, 
 that ye enter not into tetnpiat'rtn ; And fuperadds a forcible 
 reafon, For though the fpirit is ■willing, yet ihefljk is wtak. 
 Thence learn. That the holiefc and heft refolved Chriflians, 
 V ho have willing fpirits for Chrift and his fervice, yet in re- 
 gard of the weakel's of the flell), or frailty of human nature, 
 it is their duty to watch and pray, and thereby guard them- 
 fclvesagainft temptation ; IVutch and pray , that ye enter not 
 into temptation ; for though the fpirit is 'oiilling, yet the fief) 
 is wieak. 
 
 43 ? And immediately, while he yet fpake> 
 Gometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a 
 great multitude, with fwords, and ftaves, from the 
 ciiief prielLs, and the fcribes, and the eldcn. 44 
 And he that betrayed him had given them a to- 
 ken, faying, Whomfoever I fliall kifs, that faine is 
 he : 'lake him and lead Ktm away fafely. 45 And 
 as foon as he was come, he goethftraightway to him, 
 and faith, Mafler, mafter ; and killed him. 46 
 And they laid their haudi on him, and took him. 
 47 And one of them that ftood by drew a fword, and 
 fmote a fcrvant of the hi^^h-priefl. and cut olF his 
 ear. 48 And Jelus anf,vcred and faid unto them, 
 Arc ye come out as againft a thief with fwords and 
 with ftaves to take me ? 49 I was daily without in 
 the temple, teaching, and ye took me not: But 
 the fcriptures muft befuUilled. 50 And they allfor- 
 look him and fled. 
 
 The hour is now almoft come, even that hour of forrow 
 
 ^-Iiil!! Cir-it hnd To often rp«'ken of, Td a little v.-l.ile, and 
 
 ■ 'f nun is beirnyedintu thi hjnds r,f fmntrs ; for -while 
 
 «"',;••'• ": ■I.I t wit Ira band iif fdditrs f'oppre- 
 
 ,..: ..lid portion of our dear Rtdee 
 
 • hands of hio monal enemies by 
 
 • ircmblipg friend. Here we 
 
 .r i.Ths trcc'nn. 3. The 
 
 hfn t!.: Te.-.fjriahlc a(fl was 
 
 ■""•• 'Jvd.'s. All the e- 
 
 vangelifts carefully dcfcribe him by his name, Judas ; By 
 hislurname, Judas Ifcariot ; left he fliouhi be niill;.ken for 
 Jude, the brother of Jaines. Almighty God takes great 
 care to preferve the names of his upright-hearted fervants. 
 He is farther defcribed by his office, One of the t-jielve. The 
 cminency of his place and ftatiun was an high aggravatioH 
 of his tranfgrellion. Learnhcnce, That the grcaieft pro- 
 feflors had neeil be very jealous of themlelves, and fufpici- 
 ous of their ow n hearts, and look well to the grounds and 
 principles of their profeflion ; for a profefiion begun in 
 hypocrify will certainly end in apoftacy. i/'rtrw larthcr, 
 That pcrfons never are in fuchimminentdanger,as when they 
 meet with temptations exaclly fuited to their mafter lufts. 
 Covetoufuefs was Judah's maih'r-fin ; 1 he love of the 
 world made him a flave to Satan, and the devil lays a teia- 
 ptation before him exactly fuited to his temper and intlina- 
 tiori, and it initantly overcomes him. O! pray we, that 
 we may be kept from a ftrong and fuirable temptation ; a 
 temptation fuited to our inclination »nd predominant hift 
 and corruption. 2. The treafon of this traitor Judas ; he 
 led on an armed multitude to the place where Chrilt was, 
 gave thsm afignaltodifcover him by, and bids them lay hands 
 on him, and hold him faft. Some conje(flure, that when Ju- 
 das bade them hoUl Chriftfaft, he thought they could not 
 do it ; but that as ChrifV had at other times conveyed him- 
 felf from the multitude, when they attempted to kill or 
 ftone him, io he would have done now : But his hour was 
 now come, and accordingly he fuffers himfelf to be deliver- 
 ed by the treachery of Judas into his enemies hands. And 
 this his treafon is attended with thefe hcllifh aggravations* 
 he had been a witnefs to the miracles which our Saviour had 
 wrought by his divine power, and therefore could not fm 
 out of ignorance ; -what he did was not at the folicitation 
 and perfaulion of others, but he was a volunteer in this U: 
 vice ; the highpriefts did not fend to him, but he went u 
 them, otfering his aH'iftanee ; no doubt it was a matter of 
 furprize to the chief priefts, to find one of Chrifl's own d.f- 
 ciples at the head of a confpiracy againft him. Lord! how 
 dangerous is it to allow ourielves in any one fecrct or open 
 fin ! None can fay how far that one fm may in time lead us. 
 Should any have told Judas, that his love of money would 
 at lad make him fell his Saviour, he w ould have faid with 
 H.izael, Is thy fervant a dog, that he fiouLl do this thing F 
 That foul can never be fa/e, that harbours one fin within 
 its breaft. 3. The manner how this hellifii plot was exe- 
 cuted ; partly by force, and partly by fraud ; by force in 
 that Judas came wilh a muhirude armed with foords and 
 fiaves ; and by fraud, gizing akf !,3n<i iny'ing, Hail, Alaftr. 
 Here was honey in the lips, butpiofon in the heart. 4. 
 The lime when, the place where, and ibe work which our 
 Saviour wis a'lout, when this treafonable delii^n was execut- 
 ed : lie was in the garden with his diftiples, exhorting 
 them to praver and watchftilnei's, dropj'ing heavenly adviiC 
 and comfort upon them. While he ytt fpake, Lo.' Judus 
 came. Our Saviour was found in the moft heavenly and 
 excellent employment when h':s enemies came to appreher.l 
 him. Lord ! how happy is it when our luffcrings find i' 
 in God's way, engaged in h's work, and engaging his af- 
 fiftinceby lervent liipplicavion ! ThusdiJ our Lord's fuf- 
 fcrings meet him : May ours in like manner meet us. k. 
 1 he endeavours ufed by the difciples for the Mafters rei*. 
 cue ir.t (fthem {St. Mat. faysit wasPeter^s'r/zw/ /■;/_/«;'/'//, 
 
Chap- xiv. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 '75 
 
 anJ cuts off' the ear nf Milchus, wlio probably was one of 
 the forwardeft to lay hands on Chrift. But why did not St. 
 Peter draw npon Judas rather than Malchns ? becaufe, 
 thougli Judas was more faulty, yet Malchus was more for- 
 ward to arrell and carry off our Saviour. How doth a pious 
 bre.ift fwell with indignation at the fight of any open affront 
 offered to its Saviour? Yet though St. Petei-'s heart was 
 fincere, his hand was rafli ; good intentions are no warrant 
 for irregular actions ; and accordingly Chrift who accepted 
 the affection, reproves the aftion : Put up thy fvjortf ; f',r 
 they that take the p-^ord, fhcll perijh by the f'M'ird ; Chrift will 
 thank no man to fight for him without a warrant and coin- 
 mifiion from him. to refift a lawful magiftrate, in Chrift's 
 own defence, is rafh zeal, anddifcountenaced by the gofpel. 
 Laflly, The effect which our Saviour's appreitenfion had 
 upon the difcipies ; Thty all foi'fookhimand fled. They that 
 faid to Chrift a little before. Though viejhould die -with thee, 
 yet -^e will no/ deny thee; do all here defert and cowardly 
 forfake him, when it came to the trial. Learn hence. That 
 the beft and holieft of men know not their own hearts, 
 when great temptations and trials are before them, until 
 fucii time as they come to grapple with them. No man 
 knows his own ftrength till temptation puts it to the proof. 
 
 51 \nd there follou-ed him a certain young man, 
 having a linen cloth call about his naked body ; and 
 the young man laid hold on him: 52 And he left 
 the linen cloth, and fled From them naked. 53 And 
 they led jefus away to the high prieft and with him 
 were affembled all the chief priefls, and the elders, 
 and the Icribes. 54 And Peter followed him afar 
 ofF, even unto the palace of the high prieft : and he 
 fat with the fervants, and warmed hirfifelf at the fire. 
 55 And the chief priefts, and all the council, fought 
 for witnefs again fl: Jelus to put him to death; and 
 fouud none. 56 For many bear falfe witnefs againft 
 him, but their witnefs agreed not together. 57 And 
 there arofe certain, and bear falfe witnefs againft him, 
 faying, 58 We heard him fay, I will deftroy this 
 temple that is made with hands, and within three 
 days I will build another made without hands. 59 
 But neither fo did their witnefs agree together. 60 
 And the high prieft flood up in the midft, and afked 
 Jefus, faying, Anfwereft thou nothing ? what is it 
 which thefe witnefs againft thee ? 61 But he held 
 his peace, and anfwered nothing. Again the high 
 prieft alked him, and faid unto him, Art thou The 
 Chiift, the Son of the BlefTed ? 62 And Jefus faid, 
 1 am : and ye fhall fee the Son of man fitting on the 
 right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of 
 heaven. 63 Then the high prieft rent his cloaths, 
 and faith. What need we any further witnelTes ? 64 
 Ye have heard the blafpbemy; what think ye? And 
 they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 ? 
 And fomc began to fpit on him, and to cover his 
 face, and to buffet him. and to fiy unto him, Prophe- 
 fy : and the fervants did ftrikc him with tl*e palms 
 of their hands. 
 
 Here we have the hiftory of our Saviour's examination 
 before tlie high-prieft and council, who fat up all night to 
 arraign and try the holy anti innocent Jefus ; for, left his 
 death fliculd look like a downright murder, they allow hiin 
 a mock trial, and abufe the lasv by perverting it to injuftice 
 and bloodlhed : accordingly falfe witneflcs arefuborned w lio 
 depo/e that they heard him fay, He would dejlroy their ttm- 
 pie, and build it again in three days. It is not in the power 
 of the greateft innocency to proteft the moft iioly and inno- 
 cent perfon from flander and falfe accufation : yea, no per- 
 fon is fo innocent and good, whom falfe witnefs mav not 
 condemn. 2. Our Lord'smeeknefsand patience, his filence 
 under all thefe wicked fuggeftions and filte accufations; 
 Jefus bf id ki! peace, and anfwered nothing. Guilt isnatural- 
 ly clamorous and impatient, but innocency is filcnt, and cire- 
 lefs of mifreports. Learn hence. That tc bear the revilings 
 contradictions, and falfe accufations of men, with a iilent ami 
 lubniifllvc fpirit is an excellent and Chrift Tke temper. Our 
 Lord ftood before his unjuft judge, and falfe acculcrs, even 
 as a iheep before the fliearer, dumb, and not opening his 
 mouth ; even then when a trial for his lif? was managed 
 moft malicioufly and illegally againft \\\m,When he was re- 
 viled he reviled not again ; when he fuffered, he threat' 
 ened not. May the fame humble mind and forgiving 
 fpirit be in us, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus. 3. That al- 
 though our Saviour was filent, and made no reply to the 
 falfe witneffes, yet now, when the qneftion was folemnly 
 put by the high prieft, Jrt thcu the Chrifi, the Son cfthe 
 Bleffed? He anfwered, I am. Thence learn. That al- 
 though we are not obliged by every cnfraring qucftion to 
 make anfwer, yet are we bound faithfully to own, and free- 
 ly to confefs the truth, when folemniy called there unto: 
 when our lilcnce will be interpreted a denial f.f the truth, 
 adiflionour to God, a reproach and Icandal to our brethren, 
 it will be a great fin to hold cur pence ; and we muft not 
 be fiient, though our confcilion of the truth hazards our li- 
 berty, yea, onr life ; Clirii: knew that his anfwer would coft 
 him his life, yet he durft not but give it ; Art thou the Son 
 cf the blefjed ? Jefus faid, I am. 4. The crime which the 
 high prieft pronounces our Saviour to be guilry of, that of 
 blafphemy ; Hebathfpokenhlafphemy. Hereupon the high 
 prieft rends his cloches ; it being ufual with the Jews fo to 
 do, both tofhew their forrow for it, and great drteftaiion of 
 it, and indignation againft it. 5. T lie vile affronts and hor- 
 rid abu.'es which the enemies of our Saviour put upon him : 
 They fpit in his face, they hlimlfold hitv, they fmite him with 
 their hands, an6 in con:empt and moi.kery rid him pr'pheiy 
 who it was that fmote him. Verily there is no degree of 
 contempt, no mark of fiiame, no kind offuffering, which wc 
 ought to decline, or Itick at, for Chrift's lake, who h'd not 
 his face from fliame and fpitting upon cur account. 6- The 
 high-prieft rends his clothes at Chrift's telling him, Hef.all 
 fee the Son of matt fitting at Cod's right hand, and coming in 
 the clouds of heaven. And well might his clothes and his 
 heart rend alio. It was as if our Lord had faid, "Ithatam 
 now your prifoner, fhall fnorily be your judge. I now ftand 
 at your bar; and, ere long, you muft ftand at my tribunal. 
 1 hofe eyes of yours, that now fee me in the form of a fer- 
 vant fliall behold me in the clouds, at the right hand of 
 Tour God and m\ Father." 
 
 66 5 And as Peter was beneath in ;' 
 
T76 
 
 St. 
 
 MAR K. 
 
 Chap. fiv. 
 
 there comcth one of the maids of the' high-priefl : 
 67 And;vhen(hc faw Peter warming himlelf, flic 
 looked upon him, aiid faid, And thou alfo wafl with 
 jcfus of Na/aivih. 63 But he denied, faying, I 
 know not, neither iinderftand 1 what thou fayeR. 
 And he went out into the porch ; and the cock crew. 
 69 And a maid faw jiini jigain, and began to fay to 
 them that flood by, This is (>j:« of ihcm. 70 And he 
 denied it again. And a little after, they that flood 
 by faid again to Peter, Surely thou art cie of them : 
 for thou art a Gulliean, and th}' fpeech agrecth (hcrc- 
 uiUo. 71 But he began to curfe and fwcar, faying,l 
 know not'thi> man of whom ye fpeak. 72 And the 
 fecond time the cock crew. And Peter called to 
 mind the word that Jcfus faid luito him, Before the 
 cockcrow twice, thou ihalt deny me thrice. And 
 whcnjie thought thereon, he wept. 
 
 This bft paragraph of the chapter gives us an account of 
 ihe fall and riling of Peter ; of his fin in denying Clirifl, 
 ;ind of his recovery by repentance. Both are conlldered 
 diflinctly in the notes of St. Matt. xxvi. 69. That which 
 is here farther to be taken notice of, is as followeth. Ob- 
 ferine, I. That ainongft all th« apoHles and difciples of 
 ChriiV, we meet no: with any fo extraordinary, either for 
 faith or obedience, as St. Peter. He was an early profef 
 for, St. Matt. iv. 18. ant! a glorious confefl'or, St. Matt. 
 :-:vi. 16. Thou art the Cbnjt, the Son of the living Cod : 
 Which confeflTion of his faith, like a rock, was to be the 
 foundation of the gofpel-church in all ages. And Chrift 
 was pleafed to put that honour upon Peter, as to ufc his 
 minlltry in firtt laying the foundation ofaChriltian church 
 among the Jews and Gentiles, he being the firft preacher 
 to them of that faith which lie did here ccnfefs : To the 
 Jews, afts ii. where we read of three thoufand fouls con- 
 verted and baptized; and to the Gentiles, Ads x. in the 
 converfion of Cornelius and his friends, whom God directed 
 10 fend, not to Jcrufalem for James, nor to Damafcus for 
 St. Paul, but to Joppa for Peter : whom Chrift had ap- 
 jiointed for that work, that he might tell him words by which 
 he and lis hoiifliold Jhauld befaved. 2. The great and migli- 
 ty courage which was found in St. Peter, f . at the coni- 
 iiiand of Chrift he adventures to walk on the fea. Matt. xiv. 
 :iG. being firmly perfuaded that whaifoever Chrift com- 
 niandctl his diiciplcs ic) do, he would give theni Itrength 
 and ability to perform. And 2. It was a noble courage 
 v.hich enabled him to fay, Though 1 die 'Mtth thee, yet I 'mHI 
 /nt deny thee. No doubt the good man really refolved to 
 do as he laid, little fulpcding that he lliould, with horrid 
 oaths and imprecations, deny and abjure his dying mafter. 
 '•Lord, how prone are we to think our hearts better than 
 they are ! our grace Ibonger than it is ! X'ot all the inftau- 
 ces we have of human frailty in ourlelvcs, nor all the fears, 
 marks, and wounds, uponfome of thebcft andholieftofmen, 
 by reafon of their fad and fliameful falls, \\ill fuHicienily 
 convince us of our wretched impotency, and liow unable 
 we are to do good, or refilt evil, by our own ihattered and 
 impairctl ftrcugth." 3. An undaunted courage, and he- 
 roic grcatutfs of mind, appeared in this apoftle, when he 
 
 told the Jews to their faces, that they were guilty of murde. 
 and mult never e.xpcft falvaiion any other way, th in hj 
 faith in th:)t Jefus \vho:ii they had ignominioully cruciiied. 
 and unjuftiy llain ; nor did Peter lay this in a corner, i^ 
 behind the curtain, but in the fanhcdrim, that open court 01 
 judicature which had fo lately fentenccd and condemned hi- 
 Lord and Mafter, "j. St. Peter's profound humility and 
 lowlinefs cf mind : it was a mighiy honour that our LitcJ " 
 piu upon him, in making' ufe of his miniftry for laying the 
 fo.mdation of a chriltiaii church both among the Jews and 
 Gentiles ; and accordingly Cornelius, AtSs x. would have 
 entertained him with exprelfionsof more than ordinary hon- 
 our and veneration, falling down at his feet, and ready to a- 
 dore him ; but this humble apoftle was fo far from com- 
 plying with it, that he plainly told him, that h; was no eth- 
 er than fuch a man as himfelf. And when our Lord, by : 
 ftupenduous act of condefcenfion, ftooped fo low as to war 
 his difciples feet, Peter could by no means be perfuaded t 
 admit of it, neither could be induced pcrfonally to accept it, 
 till Chrift was in a manner forced to threaten him into obe- 
 dience, and a compliance with it, John xiii. 8. Chfirve. 
 Hcnv admirable v>as his love unto, and how burning h: 
 zeal for, his Lord and Mafter, infomuch that he could and 
 did appeal to his omnifciency for the truth ard fincerity of 
 it. Lord thou kno-McJt all things : Thou kno~J)eJI that I love thee. 
 It was love tliaicaufed him to draw hisfword in the defence 
 of his Mafter, againft a band of foldiers, and an armed mui- 
 tude ; it was love that caufed him to adventure en the 
 greateft difficulties, and to expofe his life to the greateft haz- 
 ards; it was love that caufed him to engage fo deep as t' 
 iulfer and die rather than deny him. 1 hefe were his ex- 
 emplary virtues. His failings were thcfe : Firrt, Toogrea: 
 a confidence of his own ftrength notwithftanding Chrilt 
 had particularly told him that Satan had defired to winncv. 
 him as wheat. None are lo likely to beovcrcomc by temp- 
 tation, as thofe who are leatt afraid of it ; none fo ready to j 
 fall, as thofe that think it impoflible to fall. It is a dange- 
 rous thing to believe, that, becaufe we have long kept our 
 innocence, we can never lofe it ; and to conclude, becaufe 
 we have been once or twice victorious over temptations, we 
 inuftbeforevcr conquerors, i. Cor. x. \z. Let Jiim that 
 thinkelh he Jiandeth, take heed leji he fall ; that is, let him 
 keep a jealous eye upon the weaknefs and inconftancy of his 
 nature, and wiili a believing eye look up to the power and 
 promife of God, that lie may bepreferved from falling, and 
 prelc'ntcd faultlefs in the day of Chrift. Secondly, His 
 fears overcame his faiht. The infoltnt affronts offered to 
 his Mafter, caufed him to forget his former refolutions, and 
 inftead of being a valient confeiTor, he turns a Ihameful ren- • 
 egado, renouncing him for whom a little before^ he refolved 
 to die. /.f^r« hence, That ila villi fear is a raoft tumultuous 
 and ungovernable paflion ; its powerful ; -'lults not only 
 ' van(]ui(h the ftrongrft rcafen, but fometimes overcome 
 the ftrongeft faith, it is a weapon which the tempter ufi 
 to the dil com fort of fome, and deftruction of others, a 
 therefore ought to be guarded againft by thofe who 1 
 any value on the peace and comrort of their fouls. ThiriM 
 One fin drew on another ; his finful eqvivocation, in f;r. 
 ing, 1 knovj not the man, prepared him for a downright de. 
 ■ nial, and that for an abjuration of him, with an i.-npreca. 
 tion and anathema, fwearing that he knexv not the man 
 
 ^ "Ah- 
 
ClIAP. XV. 
 
 St. 
 
 iM ARK. 
 
 Ah! Peter, Is this thy owning thy Lord r Is this thy not being 
 offended, though all ftioiild be offended r Is this thyd)ing 
 with him, rather than deny him? What! iiaft thou forgot 
 all thy promircs and engagements to him, and all the dear 
 and fweet pledges of his love, fo lately ihcwn to thee ? 
 Surely I have learnt from thy example, that it is as danger- 
 ous to trull an heart of fttSh, as to rely upon an arm of flefli ; 
 for had not thy denied and forfakcn Maltur prayed for thee, 
 and timely fuccourcd thee, Satan would not only have win- 
 nowed thee like wheat, but ground thee to powder. 
 Fourthly, obferve how many complicated fins were included 
 in this fm of Peter's. The higheft ingiatitudc to his mafler ; 
 unpardonable ralhncfs, in venturing into fuch company, tar- 
 r\ in" there fo long, and without a call ; making bold with a 
 temptation ; and for a time there was impenitence and 
 hardncfs of heart. It is holy and fafe to refill the beginnings 
 of fin; if we yield to Satan in one temptation, he will cer- 
 tainly affaiilt us with more and (Irongcr. Peter proceeded 
 here from a denial to a lie, from a lie to an oath, from an 
 oath to a curfe. Let us refilt fin at firrt ; for then have we 
 nioft power, and im has leaft. And the Lord looked on Peter, 
 ami Peter rememhered the ward of the Lc id, and zvetit out, and 
 urt't hitt.-m. ObfeT-je, If Clirill had not looked towards 
 Po'tcr, Peter woidd never more have looked after Chrift; nor 
 A\as it barely the turn of Chrift's bodily eye that wrought this 
 .difcipie to a forrowful remembrance c^i his fin ; had not this 
 outward look been accompanied with the inward and fecrtt 
 influences of the Spirit, it had certainly proved incftl6lual. 
 Chrift looked on Judas after his treafon. ay, and reproved 
 him too ; but neither that look nor that reproof did break his 
 heart. As the Am with the fame beams foftens wax and 
 hardens clay, fo a look from the fame Chrifl leaves Judas 
 hard and impenitent, and melts down Peter into tears. 
 Though none can fay, that tears are always a fign of true re- 
 pentance, yet certainly when they flow from a lieart duly 
 fenfible of fin, and deeply affected with forrow, it admini- 
 fters matter of hope that there is fincere repentance. Peter, 
 after he had wept bitterly for fin, never niore returned to the 
 after commiffion of fin; but he that was before timerous as 
 an hare, became afterwards bold as a lion. He that once fo 
 (liamefully denied, nay, abjured his mafter, afterwards o- 
 penly confefled him, and feukd that confcdion joyfully with 
 his blood. It is ufually obferved, that a broken bone once 
 well fet, never more breaks again in the fame place : a re- 
 turning backflider, when once reftorcd, contracts fiich an 
 hatred of former fins, as never, never more to run into the 
 commiflion of them. Let St. Peter's fall tlien be a warning 
 to all profcilbrs agamft prefumptuous confidence, and his re- 
 ftoration be an enceuragement to all backfliders, to renew 
 their faith and repentance. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 AND ftraightway in the morning the chief priefts 
 held a confultation with the elders and fcribes, 
 and the whole council, and bound Jelus, andcanied 
 him away ; and dehvered him to Pilate. 
 
 The foregoing chapter gave us an account of Judas 's trea- 
 fon, in delivering our Saviour into the hands of the chief 
 priefts. In this chapter we find our holy Lord brought by 
 the chief priefts to Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, in 
 
 order to his condemnation. Where «/y^nr, That it has been 
 the old policy of corrupt church governors to abufc the power 
 ot tile ci\il magiftratc, in executing their cruel and unjuft 
 ccnfurcs andfentenccs upon holy and innocent pcrfons. 'I'iic 
 chief priefts and elders do not kill our Saviour themfelves, for 
 it was not lawful for them to put any man to death, being 
 themfelves imder the power of the Roman government ; ac- 
 cordingly they deliver Chrift over to the fccular power, and 
 defire Pilate, the civil magiftrate, to fcntcnce, and coudcir.n 
 him. 
 
 2 And Pilate aflced him, Art thou the kin:; of 
 the Jews? And he anfwering, fair] unto him, Thou 
 faycfl it. 3 And the chief priefts accufcd him of 
 many things: But he anfwered nothing. 4 And 
 Pilate afked him again, faying, Anfwcrell thou no- 
 thing ? behold, how many things they witnefs a- 
 gainft thee. 5 But Jtfus anfwered nothing; fo thnt 
 Pilate marvelled. 
 
 It la very oi/ervdle, how rcadllyour Saviouranfwers before 
 Pilate; Pilate faid, Art thou the king ofthejetcs? J crn.^ an- 
 fwered, 'Thou fnyc flit; or, it is as thou faycil. Buttoaliihs 
 acciifations of the chief priefts, and toall tliat t'ley faifiy laid 
 to his charge before Pilate, our .Savirxir anfwered never a 
 word. Heanfwcred Pilate, but woidtl not anfwer the chief 
 priefts a word before Pilate ; probably for thcfc reafons, hc- 
 caufe his innocency was fiich as needed no apology : becaufe, 
 their cali'mnies and accufatioiis were fo nolorioufly fa!fc, that 
 they needed no confutation; to ftiew his contempt of death, 
 and teach us by his example, to defpil't- the faife accufations 
 of iTialicious men, and to learn us patience .Tiid fubmilTior, 
 when for his fake we are flandcred and trnductd; for thefc 
 reafons our Saviour was a dcat man, not anfwering the c-j- 
 iiimnics of the chief priefts ; but when Pilate afks him a qiief- 
 tion, which our Saviour knew that a direcl anfwer wouldcoil 
 him his life, Art thou the hing of the Jr^vsf' Hereplies, I am. 
 Hence, fays the apoftle, i Tim. vi. i:;. thm Jff us Urif} 
 hefcre Pintiuf PUale latmjj'cd a go:d anffjion. Teaching us. 
 That although we may, and finnetimcs ought, to hold our 
 peace, when our own reputation is coHcerned, yet mult we 
 never befiknt when the honour of God and his truth may ef- 
 fectually be prom<5led by a free and lull confcliion : Fcr, fays 
 Chrift, uhojoevcr denies me before men, him iviil I deny inthe 
 pnfnce of my Father, and before all his holy angels. 
 
 6 !^ow at that feafl he releafed unto them one 
 prifoner, whomfoever they defircd. 7 And there 
 was ont named Barrabbas, which lay bound with 
 them that had made nifurre£lion with him, who had 
 cominitted murder in the fame infurrcftion. 8 And 
 the multitude, crying aloud, began to defire him lo 
 do as he had ever done unto thern. 9 But Pilate 
 anfwered them, faying, Will ye that I releafe unto 
 you the king of the Jews ? 10 (Tor he knew that 
 the chief priefts had delivered him for envy). 11 
 But the chief priefts moved the people to de/ire that 
 he ftiould releafe Barrabbas unto them. 12 Av.d 
 Pilate anfwered, and i'.:id agnin unto them, V.'hr.t 
 
 Z . tv-iil 
 
178 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Chap. xv. 
 
 will ye then that I fhould do unto him whom ye call 
 the kin;; of the Jews ? 13 And they cried outat;ain, 
 Crucify him. 14 Then Pilate faid unto them, Why, 
 what evil hath he done ? and they cried out the more 
 exceedingly, Cmcify him. 15 f And fo Pilate, 
 willing to content the people, releafed Barrabbas un- 
 to them, and delivered Jcfus, when he had fcourg- 
 cd him, to be crucified. 
 
 Now af thi faij}, that is, at the feaft of the paflTover, which 
 by way of einincncy is called thefeaj}, the governor iifcil to 
 rcleafe a prifoner ; poflibly by way of memorial of their de- 
 liverance out of Egypt: Accordingly Pilate makes a motion 
 that Chrift may be the prifoner fct at liberty in honour of 
 their fcafl; for he was feufible that what they did was out of 
 cnvv and malice. Obferve here, i. What were the fins 
 which immediately occafioned the death of Chrift ; they were 
 covetoufnefs and envy. Covetoufnefscaufed Judas to fell him 
 to the chief priefts, and envy caufed the chief pricfts to de- 
 liver him lip to Pilate to crucify him : Envy is a killing, a 
 murdering palfion ; Envy flayeth ikejilly otte. Job. v. 2. that 
 is, it flayeth the filly perfonwho harbours this peftilent luft 
 in his bread and bofom ; being like a fire in his bones, con- 
 tinually preying upon his fpirits ; and it is alfo the occafion 
 of flaying many an holy and innocent perfon ; for who can 
 Hand before envy r The perfon envying Avilhes the envied 
 out of the way, vea, out of the world; and, if need be, will 
 not only wifli it, but lend a lift upon occafion towards it alfo : 
 Wituefs the chief priefts here, whofe envy was fo confpicu- 
 ous and bare-faced, that Pilate himfelf takes notice of it ; he 
 knew that the chief priefts had delivered him for envy. 2. 
 How unwilling, how very unwilling Pilate was to be the 
 inftrument of our Saviour's death : One while he expoftulates 
 with the chief priefts, faving, What evil hath he done? Ano- 
 ther while he bids them. Take him atid fudge him according to 
 tl.eir law : Nay, St. Luke fays, that Pilate came forth three 
 feveral times, profefiing. That he found no fault in him, Luke 
 xxiii. From hence note. That hypocrites within the vifible 
 -■hurchmav be guilty of fuch tremenduous afts of wickednefs, 
 ■• the confcienccs of infidels and Pagans without the church 
 may boggle at and proteft againft. Pilate, a Pagan, abfolves 
 Chrift, whilft the hypocritical Jews, that heard his doftrinc, 
 and favv his miracles, do condemn him. Laftly, How Pi- 
 late fuffers himfelf to be overcome with the Jews importunity, 
 and, contrary 10 the light of his own rcal'on and judgment, 
 delivers the holy and innocent Jefus, firft to be fcourged, and 
 then crucified. It is a vain apology for fin, when perfons 
 pretend that it w^s not committed with their own confent, 
 but at the inftigatinn and importunity of others; fiich is the 
 frame and conftitwiion of man's foid, that none can make him 
 cither wicked or miferablc without his own confent. Pilate, 
 willing to content the people, %vhcn he had fcourged Jefus, de- 
 livered him to be crucified. Here obferve. That as the death 
 of the crofs was a Roman punilhment, fo it was the manner 
 of the Romans firft to v.hip their malefactor?, and then cruci- 
 fy them. Now the manner of the Romnii fcourging is faid to 
 be thus: "They ftrippcd the condemned perfon, and bound 
 him to a poft ; two ftrong men firft fcourged him with rods of 
 lliorns, th..!i two oth.crs fcourged him with rods of cords full 
 
 of knots, and I aft of all two more with whips of wire, and 
 therewith tore off the very flcftt and fkin from the malefac- 
 tor's back and fidos." That our blelfed Saviour was thus 
 cruelly fcourged by Pilate's command, fecms to fume not 
 improbable, from that of the Pfalmift, Pfal. cxxix. 3. The 
 floughers pl'jughcd upon m\ back, and made long furrows : which, 
 if fpokcn prophetically ofChrilt, was literally fulfilled in the 
 day of his fcourging, But why was the precious and tender body 
 ot our holy Lord thus galled, rent and torn with fcourging? 
 Doubtlcfj to fulfil that prophecy, Ifa'iah I. 6. I gave my back 
 to the f miters, and my cheeks to them that pluck off the hair: That 
 hyhisflripes ive might be healed. And from his example, Afar;;, 
 Not to think it ftrange, if we find ourfelves fcourged with 
 the tongue, with the hand, or with both, when we fee our 
 dear Redeemer bleeding by ftripes and fcourges before our 
 eyes. 
 
 a 6 And the foldiers led him away into the hall 
 called Pretorium ; and they called together the 
 whole band. 17 And they clothed him with pur- 
 ple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about 
 his head, 18 And began to falute him, Hail, king 
 of the Jews! 19 And they finote him on the head 
 with a reed, and did fpit on him, and howiri^their 
 knees, worfhipped him. 20 And when they had 
 mocked him, they took ofF the puq^le from him, 
 and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to 
 crucify him. 
 
 The next part of our Saviour's fufFerings confifted of cnicl 
 mockings; he had owned himfelf to be th.c king of the Jews ; 
 that is, a fpiritual King in and o\cr his church; but the 
 Jews cxpetSing that the Mefliah fhould have appeared in the 
 pomp of an earthly prince, and finding themfelves difappoin- 
 ted in their expe£lation in our Saviour, they look upon him 
 as a deceiver and impoftor ; and accordingly treat him with 
 mcKking, with all the marks and derifion of fcorn; for firft 
 they put a crown upon his head, but a very ignominious and 
 cruel one, a croiun of thorns ; they place a fcepture in his 
 hand, but that of a reed; li robe of fcarlet or purple upon his 
 body, and then bowed their knees before him, as they were 
 wont to do before their princes, crying, Hail, King. Thus 
 were all the marks of fcorn imaginable put upon our dear Re- 
 deemer ; vet what they did in jcft, God permitted to be done 
 in earncft ; for all thefe things were figns and marks of fovc- 
 reignty ; and almighty GcKi caufed the regal dignity ol his 
 Son to ftiine forth, even in the midft of his greatcft abafe- 
 ment ; whjt was all this jeering, but to flout majefty? And 
 why did Chrift undergo all this ignominy, difgrace, and 
 fhamc,- but to fhcw what was due unto us for our lins ? As 
 alfo to gi\e us an example to bear all the fcorn, reproach, 
 and fliame imaginable for his fake, zvho for the joy that was 
 fet before him, defpifcd the fiiame, as well as endured the crofi. 
 
 2t And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who 
 pafled by, coming out of the country, the father of 
 Alexander and Rufus, to bear his crofs. 22 And 
 they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is, be- 
 ing interpreted. The place of a fcull. 23 And they 
 
 gave 
 
Chap. xm. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 aave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh : 
 But he received it not. 24 And when they had cru- 
 cified him, they parted his garments, carting lots 
 upon them, what cverv man fhould take. 25 And 
 it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26 
 And the fupe) I'cription of his accufation was written 
 6vcr. THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27 1 And 
 with him they crucify two thieves ; the one on the 
 ri"ht hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the 
 fcripture was fulfilled, which faith, And he was 
 numbered with the tranfgrelfors. 29 And they that 
 palltd by railed on him. wagging their heads, and 
 faying, Ah, thou that deflroyefl the temple, and 
 buildcft it in three days, 30 Save thyfclf, and come 
 down from the crofs.3iLike\vife alfo the chief priefts 
 mockincr, faid among thcmfelves, with the fcribes, 
 He fared others, himfelf he cannot fave. 32 Let 
 Chrift the king of Ifrael defcend now from the crols 
 that we may fee and believe. And they that were 
 crucified with him, reviled him. 33 And when 
 the fixth hour was come, there was a darknefs over 
 tlie whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the 
 ninth hour jefus cried with a loud voice, faying, 
 Eloi, Eloi, lama fabafthani ? Which, being in- 
 terpreted. My God. my God, why haft thou forfa- 
 kcn me ? 35 And fome of them that flood by, 
 when they heard it, faid. Behold, hecalleth forEIias. 
 36 And one ran, and filled a fpunge full of vinegar, 
 and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, laying, 
 let alone ; let us fee whether Elias will come to take 
 him down. 97 And Jefus cried with a loud voice, 
 and gave up the ghoft. 
 
 The fentcnce of death being pafTeil by Pilate, whocanwith 
 dry eyes, behold the fad pomp of our Saviour's bloody exe- 
 cuVon P Forth comes the bleiled Jefus out of Pilate's gate, 
 bearing that crofs which was foon after to bear him. ; with 
 his crofs on his ihoulders he marches towards Golgotha ; and 
 when they fee he can go no fafter, they force Simon the Cy- 
 reniaa, not out of compaflion, but indignation, to be the por- 
 ter of his crofs. The Cyrenian being a Gentile, not a Jew, 
 that bare our Saviour's crofs, thereby might be fignified, that 
 the Gentiles ihould have a part in the benefits of the crofs. 
 At length our holy Lord comes to Golgotha, the place of his 
 bitter and bloody execution ; here in a public place, with in- 
 famous company, betwixt two thieves, is he crucified \ that 
 is, faflcnedto a great crofs of wood, his Iiands (Iretclied forth 
 abroad, and his feet clofcd together, and both hands and feet 
 fattened with nails ; his naked body was lifted up in the o- 
 pen air, hanging betwixt heaven and earth ; fignifying there- 
 by, that the crucified perfon defer ved to live in neither. This 
 fiiametul, painful, and accurfed death did the holy and in- 
 nocent Jefiis fuffcr and undergo for fhamelefs finners. Some 
 obfcrve all the dimenfions of length, breadth, depth, and 
 height, in our Saviour's fuffcrings ; for length, his paflion 
 . as feveral hours long, from twelve to three, cxpofed all 
 i. at time both to hunt-er and cold. The thieves that were 
 
 crucified with him cntlnrcdcnly pcrfoiial pains, but he un- 
 derwent the miferies of all mankind. As to its breadth, his 
 padioa exi'.-nded o\ tr all the powers and parts of his foul ard 
 bcxly ; no part fr';e biit his tongue, which was at liberty to 
 pray for his encinies. His fight was tormcBtcd with the fcorn- 
 fiil geftures of thole who palled by wagging their heads : His 
 hearijig grieved with the taunts and jeers of the priefts and 
 people: His fmclling offended with noifomc favours in the 
 place of fculls ; his tafie with the ^all and vinegar given him 
 to drink ; his feeling v/as wonilerfuliv affcfted by the nails 
 which piercedhis tender nerves with a multiplicity of wounds. 
 And for the depth of his paffion, it was deep as hell itfclf ; 
 enduring tortures in his foul, as well as torments in his body; 
 groaning under the burden of defertion, and crying out, yj/v 
 G:,/, Afy God, ivhy kafl thou forfaken me ? Laftly, for the 
 ''eight of his paflion, his fufferings were as high as heaven, 
 his perfon being infinite, as well as innocent, no lefs than 
 the Son of God, which adds infinite worth and value to his 
 fiifFerings. Lord, let us be able to comprehend with faints, 
 what is the breadth and length, depth and iieighth of our Sa- 
 viour's love in fuftering for us, and let us know that lo\c 
 which pafl'eth knowledge. Ohjcive next, The infcription 
 wrote by Pilate over our fufTering Saviour, This is Jf/us the 
 King of the Jews : It wasthe manner of the Romans, \\ hen 
 thcycrucificd a malefaftor, to publifii the caufe of his death 
 in capital letters, placed over the head ot the perfon. Ne-w it. 
 isobferfable, how wonderfully the wifdom ot G(xl over-ruled 
 the heart and pen of Pilate, to draw his title, which was tru- 
 ly honorable, and fix it to his crofs : Pilate is Chrift's he- 
 rald,. and^proclaiiTis him AV;;^ of the Jczvs. Learn hence,That 
 the regal dignity ol Chrift was proclaimed by an cnciny, and 
 that in a time of his greateft futferings and reproaches ; Pi- 
 late, without his own knowledge, did our Saviour an emin- 
 ent piece of fervice ; he did that forChrill which none of his 
 own difciplesdurltdo; not that he did it dcfigntdly, but from 
 the fpecial over-ruling providence of God ; no thanks to Pi- 
 lateforall this, becaufe the highellfer\ ices performed toChrift 
 undefigncdiy, fliall neither be accepted nor rewarded by God. 
 Ol'/erve farther. The feveral aggravations of our Lord's fijf- 
 ferings upon the crofs. i. From the company he fufFered 
 with, iivo thie'ocs : It had been a fufficicnt difparagement to 
 our bleifed Saviour to have been forted with the bed of men ; 
 but to be numbered with the fcum of mankirid, is fuch an in- 
 dignity as confotmds our thoughts. This was defigned by the 
 Jews to diOionour and difgrace our Saviour the more, and to 
 perfuade the world that he was the greateft of oftenders ; but 
 God over-ruled this alio, for fulfilling an ancient prophecy 
 concerning the Meifiah,, Ij'a, liii. laftverfe : And he 'oias 
 numbered zvtth the tranfgrfffirs. 2. Another aggravation of 
 our Lord's fiifFerings upon the crofs, was the fcorn and mock- 
 i^igderifion which he met with in his dying momci.ts, hotii 
 from the common people, froin the chief pritfts, and from 
 the thieves that fuffered with him. The common people re- 
 I'iled him, uw^ging their hends ; the chief priefts, though men 
 of age and gravity, yet barbaroufly mocked him in his mifery: 
 and not only fo, btit they atheiltically fcofFand jeer at his 
 faith and affiance in God; faying. He triifted in Gcd thttt he 
 ivotild deliver him ; let him deliver hivi, if he zvoiild have him. 
 Where n-te, T. hat pcrfccutors are generally atheiftical fcof- 
 fers ; the chief priefts and elders thoi;gh knowing men, yet 
 
 ley blafphcme God ; they mock at his power, and deride i is 
 rovidence, which is as bad as fo deny his being: So that 
 
 \ Z2 Ironj 
 
tSo 
 
 Sr. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 Chap. xv. 
 
 Trom hence we mo.y gather, That thofc \vho atlmiiiifter to 
 C'od in holy t!uap;s bv way of orficc, it they be not t lie bed, 
 they are the word of men. No fi:ch bitter enemies to the pow- 
 er of Godlinefs, as the minillers of religion who were never 
 acquainted with the efficacy and power of it upon their own hearts 
 and livee. Nothing on this fide hell is worfc 'han a wicked 
 pricft, a minillcr of God devoted to the fcrvicc of the devil. A 
 third aggravation of our Lord's fuffcrings upon the crofs, was 
 this, That the thieves that fuffcred vith him reviled him with 
 the reft; tliat is, one of them, as St. J^ukc has it, or perhaps 
 both of them miyht do it at firft ; which, jffo, incrcafcs the 
 wonder of the penitent thief's convcrfion. From the impen- 
 i:cnt thief's reviling Chrill we /(-(y/v/.That neither lliame nor 
 pain will chaiv^e the miiul of a refolute (inner, but even when 
 he is in the fuburbsof hell will he blafpheme. They thnt ivcre 
 . ' liilfud rvith him m.-Ueil him. But the molt ags^ravating cir- 
 > iiuiilance of all tlie red in our Lord's fnfferini^s,wasthis, that 
 1.0 was fori'aken of his Father ; iMy GotI, my Gul, ivhy l.<afl 
 ou for fake n me? Thence learn. That the Loid Jefus Chrilt, 
 \'. hen futfcring for our fins, was rcallv forfaken by his Father, 
 .'.nd kft deditiue of all fcnfible confolation. U'hy haft thni for- 
 Jaken me ? Learn farther, That under tiiis defertion Chrilt 
 defpaircd not, but ftill retained a lirm pcrfuafion ot God's 
 I.T/e imto him, and experienced necclTary fujiports trom him: 
 My Gitl, AI\ GiJ ! thcfe arewurds ofafliance and faith. Chrill 
 was thus forfaken for us, that wc might never be forfaken by 
 ("nA; yet by Gods forlaking of Chrilt, we are not to undcr- 
 itand any abatement of divine love, but only a withdrawing 
 from the human nature ihc fcnfc <if his love, and a letting out 
 i:pon his foul a dcepaWicling fenfo of his difpleafurc againft 
 !in. There is a twofold deilrlion ; the one total, final, and 
 cernal, by -which CrA utterly forfakes a perfon, both as to 
 _i;'ruce and glory, being for fin wholly cafl out ot God's prc- 
 fciice, andadiudt'cd to eternal torments. This Chrill was not 
 cajiablc of, nor coidJ the dit^niiy of his perfon admit it : the 
 "thcr is a partial, temporary dcfcriion ; when God for a lit- 
 tle moment hides his face from his children. Now this was 
 moll agreeable to Chriil's nature, and aifo fuitable to his of- 
 lice, who was to fatisfy the jullice of God for our forfaking 
 of him, and to bring usback again to God, that we might be 
 received again forever. Laftly, What a miraculous evidence 
 Chrilt gave of h».=i G;>d-head : Inflaatly before he gave up 
 theGlioll, hecriid-with a kudioicc. This lliews he did not 
 ■.'ie according to thcordinary courfe of natiue, gradually draw- 
 ing on, as we expref^ it ; but his life was w hole in him to tiie 
 laft, and nature as ftrong as it was at firft. Other men die 
 by degrees, and towards their end their fenfcof pain is much 
 blunted : But Clu ill ftocd under the pains of death in his full 
 ftrength, and his life was whole and entire in him tc the very 
 laft moment. This was evident by the mighty outcry he made 
 when he gave up the ghoft, contrary to the fcnfe and experi- 
 ence of all perfons. Now he tliat could cry with fuch a loud voice 
 as he did(/w articulotn!>r/is,)coi\\d have kept himfelf from dying 
 if he would. Hence we Jearn, That w hen Chrift died, he ra- 
 ther conquered death, than was conquered by it; he muft vo- 
 luntarily and freely lav down his life, before death could come 
 at him. Thus died Chrift the captain cf our falvalion ; and, 
 like vSamplon, became more vitloriousby his death, than he 
 ^vas in his life. 
 
 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain, 
 i'lom the top to the bottom. 39 II And when the 
 
 centurion, ^vhich flood over againft hi'm, Lw that he 
 To cried out and gave up the ghofl, he faid, truly this 
 man was the Son of God. 40 There were aifo wotncn, 
 looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magda- 
 lene, and Mary the mother of James the lefs, and of 
 Jofes, and Salome ; 41 Who alfo, when he was in 
 Galilce.followed him, and miniftered unto him ; and 
 many other women which came up with him unto 
 Jerufalein. 
 
 Three circumftances are here obfervable ; i. A ftupcndous 
 prodigy happening upon the death of our Saviour, the veil of 
 the temple was rent in twain, from top to bottom ; the veil was a 
 hanging which parted the moft holy place from the holy fanc- 
 tuary. By the rending of which, God teftified that he was 
 now about to forfake his temple ; that the ceremonial lavr 
 was now abolithed by the death of Chrift, and that hy the blood 
 of Jefus we have accefs unto God,and may enter into the ho- 
 lies. See the Hj/c- on Matt. xvii. 51. Note. 1. What influ- 
 ence the manner and circumftances of our Saviours death had 
 upon the centurion, and the foldiers with him ; they cry out, 
 I'erily this wm the Son of God, Where note. That the heathen 
 foldiers are fooncr convinced of the divinity of our Saviour, 
 than the unbelieving Jewifh doctors. Obftinacy and tmbelief 
 filled their minds with an invincible prejudice againft Chrift ; 
 fo that neither the miracles wrought by him in his life, or at 
 his death, coidd convince them that Chrift was any thing bet- 
 ter than an impoftorand deceiver. None are fo blind as thofe 
 who through malicious obftinacy and inveterate prejudice will 
 notfee. 3. Whoof Chriil's friends were witiieflcsofhisdealh; 
 they are Z^'/" w"/ff;c;7 that folhxved him, and miniftercd unto him; 
 notoneofhis dear difciples came near him, except John, who 
 Hood by the crofs with the virgin Mary. O ! m hat a lliame 
 was this, for apollles to be abfcnt from a fpedlacle upon whieh 
 the falvation ot the world did depend ? And ^^ hat an honour 
 was this to the female fox in general, and tothefe holy women 
 ill particular, that they had the courage to follow Chrift to his 
 crofs, when all his difciples forfosikhim and fled ? God can 
 make timorous and feavful women bold and courageous con- 
 felfors of his truth, and fortify them againft the fears of fufler- 
 ing, contraryto the natural timoroufnels ot thcirtemper ; thefe 
 women wait upon Chrift's crofs, when his apoftles fly, and 
 durft not come nigh it. 
 
 42 ? And now when the even was come (becaufe 
 it was the preparation, that is, the day before the 
 fabbath) ; 43 Jofeph of Arimathea, an honourable 
 councellor, which alio waited for the kingdom of 
 God, came, and went in boldly unto pilate, and cra- 
 ved the body of Jefus. 44 And pilate marv-elled if 
 he were already dead : and calling unto him the cen- 
 turion, he afked him. Whether he had been any 
 while dead. 45 And when he knew it of the cen- 
 turion, he gave the body to Jolcph. ^6 And he 
 brought fine linen, and took him do«'n, and wrap- 
 ped him in the linen, and laid him in a fcpulchre 
 which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a ftone un- 
 to the door of the fcpulchre. 47 And Mary Mag- 
 dalene, and Mary the molherof Jofes, beheld where 
 he was laid. 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 i8i 
 
 The circumftanccs of our Lord's funeral, and honourable 
 interment in the grave, are here recoriled by the Evangclill ; 
 fiich a funeral as never was, lince graves v.erc firft digged. 
 Where ohjerve i. Our Lord's body muft be begged before it 
 could be buried i the dead bodies of the malefadors being m 
 the power, and at the difpofal of the Judge. Pilate grants it, 
 and accordingly the dead body is taken down, wrapped in fine 
 linen, and prepared for the iepulchre . 2 The perfon thaf 
 buftows this honourable burial upon our Saviour, Jofcph of 
 Arimathca ; a difciple no doubt, though he did not make a 
 public and open profefTion ; a worthy, though a clofe difci- 
 ple. Grace doth not always make a public and open Ihcw 
 where it is : as there is much fecret riches in the bowels of 
 the earth, which no eye ever faw ; fo there is much grace in 
 the hearts of fome Chrillians that the eye of the world takes 
 little notice of. Some gracious perfons cannot 'put forward, 
 and difcovcr themfelves in difcourfe as others, and yet fiich 
 weak chriftians, as the world counts them, perhaps fhallftand 
 their ground when ftronger run away. We read of none of 
 the anollles at ChriIVs funeral. Fear had chafed them away, 
 hut jofcph of Arimathca appears boldly ; if God ftrengthens 
 the weak, and leaves the ftrong to the prevalency of their own 
 fears, 7 he iveak Jhall be as Dav'ul, mid the firong ai tow. 3. 
 V The mourners that followed our Saviour's hearfc, namely. 
 The women which came out of Galilee, and particularly 
 the two Marys ;J a very poor train of Mourners ; the apoftles 
 were all fcattered, and afraid to own their Lord and 
 mafter either dving or dead. And as our Lord afFedttd no 
 pomp nor gallantry' in his life, fo funeral pomp had been no 
 way fuitablc, either to the end or manner of his death. Hu- 
 miliation wasdeligned in his death, and his burial was the 
 oweft degree of humiliation, and therefore might not be pom- 
 pous. 4. The grave or Iepulchre in which our Lord was 
 buried : It was in a fepulchrc hewn out of a rock \ In a new 
 fcpulchre ; in a new iepulchre in a garden. 1. Our Lord 
 was buried in a garden. As by the fins of thcHrft Adam wc 
 were driven out of the garden of ploafure, the earthly paradife, 
 fo by the fufterings of the fecond Adam who lay buried in a 
 garden, we may hope for entrance into the heavenly paradife. 
 a. It was in a fepulchre hewn out of a rock, that fo his ene- 
 mies might have no occalion tocavil.andfay that his difciples 
 Hole him away by fecret holes, orunfecn paflagcsundcrground. 
 3. It was in a new fepulchre, in which never mnn zvas laid ; 
 iell his adverfaries (hould fay it was Ibme other that was rif- 
 cn, who was buried there before him; or that he rofe from 
 the dead by touching fome other corps. 5. The manner of 
 our Lord's funeral, it was hai\v, open, and decent ; it was 
 performed in hafte, bv reaion of the ftraiis of the time ; the 
 fabbath was approaching, and they lay all bufinefs afide to 
 prepare for that. Lcr.rn hence, How much it is our duty to 
 liifpatch our worldly bufinefs as early as we can towards the 
 end of the week, that we may be the better prepared to fanc- 
 lity the Lord's day, ifwe live to enjoy it. Hence it is that we 
 are called upon to remember that day before it comes, and to 
 ianclity it when it is come. Again our Lord was buried o- 
 pcnly, as well as haftily ; all perfons had liberty to be fpefla- 
 tors, Itil any fhould obje£l that there was deceit or fraud ufed 
 in or about our Saviour's burial : yet was he alio decently in- 
 terred, his holy body being wrapped in finelincn,nnd perfum- 
 ed with fpices, according to tl-.c Jcwilli cuftcm. 6. The rcafons 
 why our Lord was buried, feeing he was to rife again in as 
 
 flinrt a tiineas other men lie bythc tval!^ ; and, li-d hi? dead 
 bajy remained a thoufand years unburicd, it would 
 have feen no corruption, having never been tainted with 
 fin. Sin Is the caufc of the body's corruption, it is fin 
 that makes our bodies (link worfe than can ion when 
 they are dead. A funeral then was aot neccffary for Chrifl'.s 
 body, iijjon the fame accotnits that it was necellary for ours. 
 But, I. Our Lord was buried, to declare the certainty of his 
 death, and the reality of his rcfurre£Uon ; and for this rcafon 
 did God's providence order it, that he (liould be einbalmed, to 
 cut off all prctcnfions : for in this kind of embalming, his 
 month, his ears, and his noflrils, were all filled vvitii odours 
 and fi)iccs, fo that tlierc coidd be no latent principle of life in 
 him ; his being thus buried then, did demonflrate him tc be 
 certainly de.id. 2. Chrift was buried todemonftrate the types 
 and prophecies that went concerning him. 'Jwas's hehig 
 three days mid three nights in tin belly of the whale \\ as a type of ' 
 Chrlji's being three days and three nights in the heart <f the earth ; 
 yea, the prophet Ifaiah, chap. liii. 9. declared our Lord's fu- 
 neral, and the mannerof it, long before he was born ; He made 
 hh grave with the ivicked^ and with the rich in his death ; 
 pointing by that expreflion at this tomb of Joftph's, who was 
 a rich man, and laid him in a tomb defigned for l.imfclf. 3. 
 He \vas buried tocompletehis himiiliation ; They have brought 
 tne to the duji of death ; fays David, a typcof Clirilh This was 
 the lowefl ftep he could pollibly defcend in his abaled ftaie ; 
 lower he could not be laid, and fo low his blcifed head mud be 
 laid, elfe he had not been humbled to the lowefl degree of hu- 
 miliation. 4. Chrid went into the gra\e that he miglu con- 
 quer death i'l its own territories and dominions. His viclo- 
 ry over the grave caufes liis faints to trinmph and fing, grave, 
 zvhere is thy dcjiruttlon I Our dear Redeemer has perfumed the 
 bed of the grave by his own lying in it, fo that a pillow of 
 down is not fi) foft to a believer's head as a pillow of dull. 
 Lallly, Of what ufc the do6lrine of otir Lord's burial may be 
 unto his difciples and followers : i. For inflrudlion. Here 
 we fee the amazing depth of our Lord's humiliation ; from 
 what, and towhat, his loA'e brouglit him ; even from the bo- 
 fom of his Fatlier, to the bofom of the grave. O how doth 
 the depth of his humiliation Ihew us the fiifliciency of his fatis 
 fa£lion,and therewith the heinoufncfs of ourtranfgrcllion ! 2. 
 For confolation againil the fears of death and the gr.i\e ; tlir 
 grave received Chrill, but could not retain him : death fwal- 
 lowed him up , as the fi(h did Jonas, but quickly vomited 
 him up as:ain : And fo fhall it fare with Chrill n;yllic:d, as 
 it did M iili Chrill perfonal: As it was done to the iitad, fo 
 it (liall be done to the members : The grave coidd not long 
 keep him, it fliall not alv.avs keep ls ; as his body relied in 
 hope, fo fliall ours alio i and although we fee corruption, VvJt 
 fliall we not always lie under the power of corruption. In 
 Olort, Chrifl's lying in the grave hr;S changed andulterLd the 
 nature of the grave ; it wasaprifon before, a bed of re (I now ; 
 he whofe head is in heaven, need not fear to put his feet into 
 the grave : Jwake, andftng, thou that divellej] in the dujl, for 
 the enmity of the grave is (lain by Chrill. 1. Foroiir imi- 
 tation : Let us (ludy andendea\our to be buiied with Cnnll; 
 in refpedl of our fins, I mean, Rom. \i 4. Buried uitit him 
 into death. Our fins liiould be .'.s a dead body in feveral ref- 
 pt<Ss. Are dead bodies removed cut of the f<.cicty of nM.n ? 
 So (hould cur fins be rtmcved far fr'-m us. Do ue.-;d b( di£s 
 in the grate fpcnJ and cjufunic by degrees r So (hyulJ our 
 
i8a 
 
 Ss 
 
 MARK. 
 
 'Chap. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 fins daily. Will tie.iil IwHi^'s £;r-iw every diy more and more 
 InatlilbiTie to oihers ? So ftiould oijr i;ns be to oiirfelvts. Do 
 ilr lu bodies wax out of m<'morv, and are quite forgotten r So 
 i.'inld our fins alio, in refped of any delight ill at we take in 
 unienibering of them ; we lliould remember our fins to our 
 I iimiliation, but never think or fpe;.k of them viih the leaf! 
 dtlinhtor fatisfaclion ; for this in Gcxi's account is a new com- 
 miiTion of them, and lays us under an aggravated condemna- 
 tion. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Tlni up chapter of Si. Mar\'$gijpel contains the hij}-)ry of o'lr 
 Saviour's refurreclion, ami gives u s an account of u'hat he did 
 upon earth between the time of his triumphant r<furrciion and 
 his glorious afceii/ion. 
 
 AND when the fabbath was pafl, Mary Magdalene, 
 and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, 
 had bought fvvcet fpices, that they might come and 
 anoint him. 2. And very early in the morning the 
 firfl day of the tveck they came unto the fepulchre, 
 at the rifing of the fun. 
 
 The Lord of life was buried on the Friday, in thecvenmg 
 of that day in which he was crucified, and his holy body reftcd 
 in the filent grave all the next day, and a part of the day fcl- 
 lowinjr. Thus rofe he again the third day, neither fooner 
 i!or later ; not fooner, leli the truth of his death flioiild ha\e 
 been queflioncd; that he did not die at all ; and not later, 
 left the faith of his difciplcs fhould have failed. According- 
 ly, when the fabbath was part, Mary Magdalene getting the 
 other women together, flic and they fet out before day to vi- 
 fit the holv fepulchre ; and about fim-rifing they get to it, in- 
 tending with their fpices and odours farther to embalm their 
 Lord's body. Hcreoife>\e I. That although the hearts of 
 thefe holy Avomen did burn with an ardent zeal and aft'ecSion 
 to their crucified Lord, yet the commanded duties of the fab- 
 bath are not omitted by them : they keep clofe, and filently 
 fpcnd that holy day in a mixture of grief and hope. A good 
 pattern of fabbath- fan£lification, and worthy of ourchriftinn 
 imitation. 2. Tlicfc holy women go, but not empty handed: 
 Shethat had beftowcd a collly alabafler box of ointment upon 
 Chrilt whilrt alive, has prepared no lefs precious odours for 
 him now dead ; thereby paying their laft homage to our Sa- 
 viour's corpfe. But what need of odours to perfume a body 
 which could not fee corruption r True, his holy btxiy did not 
 want them, but the love and affedtion of his friends could not 
 withhold them. 3. How great a tribute of refpciSt and hon- 
 our is due and payable to the memory of thefe holy women, 
 for their great magnanimity and courage ; theyfollowed Chrift 
 when his cowardly difciples left him, they acompanied hin> 
 to the crofs, they followed his hcarfe to the grave, when 
 his difciplcs durft not appear; and now, very early in the 
 morning, they go to vi fit his fepulchre, fearing neither the 
 darknefs of the night, nor the prefence of the watchmen. 
 Learn hence. That courage is the fpecial gift of God : and if 
 he gives it to the feebler fe.\, even to timorous and fearful wo- 
 men, it is not in the power of men to make them afraid. 
 
 4 And ihcy faid among thcmfelvcs, Who fhall 
 roll us away the flone from the door of the fepulchre? 
 (4 And vihcn they looked, tijcy faw that the Hone 
 
 was rolled away) for it was very great. 5 And ' 
 entering into the fepulchre, they law a young man 
 fating on the right fide, clothed in a long white gar- 
 ment ; and they were affrighted. 6 And he faith 
 unto them., Be not affrighted: Ye feck Jcfus of Na- 
 zareth, which was crucified ; he is rifen : he is not • 
 here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 
 But go your way, tell his difciples, and Peter, that 
 he goeth before you into Galilee: there fliall ye fee 
 him, as he faid unto you. 8 And they went out 
 quickly, and fled from the fepulchre : for they trerh- 
 bled, and were amazed : neither faid tlicy any thing 
 to any man; for they were afraid. 
 
 Ohferve here, I. With what pomp and triumph doth 
 our Ivordarile ; an angel is f ft nt from heaven to roll .'.way 
 the ftone. But coukl not Chrift have rifen without tlie angel's 
 help? Yes, doubtlefs; he that raifed himfelf, could furely 
 have rolled away the ftonc ; but God thinks fit to fend an of- 
 ficer from heaven to open the prifon door of the grave, and, 
 by fetting our furety at liberty, proclaims our debt to the di- 
 vine juftice fully fatisfied. Belides, it was fit that the angels, 
 who had been vsitnefles of our Savicur's paflions, Ihould alfo 
 be witneiles of his refitrreftion. 2. Our Ixird's refurreilion 
 declared, //i: is rifcn, he is not here. Almighty God ne\cr in- 
 tended that the darling of his foul ftiould be left in an ohfcure 
 fepulchre ; He is not here, faid theangel, where they laid him, 
 where you left him. Death hath loft, its prey, and the grave 
 has loft its prifoner. 3. It is not faid, he is not here, for he 
 is raifed, hui he is rifen. Thewor-i imports the ae'^ivepower 
 ot Chrift, or the felf-quickening principle by wliich Chrift 
 raifed hitnfelf from the dead, «fl/ i. 3. He Jkeued himfelf a- 
 live after his ptifflon. Hence learn, I'hat it was the divine 
 nature, or God-head of Chrift, which raifed the human na- 
 ture from death to life ; others were raifed from the grave by 
 Chrift's power, but he raifed himfelt by his own power. 4. 
 The teftimony of the witncfs given ot ourLordsrcliirreclion ; 
 that of an angel in human ftiape, ji young man clothed in a long 
 zuhltc garment. But why is an nngclthe firft puWillier of our 
 Saviour's rcfurredlion? furelythc dignity of our Lords pcrfon, 
 and the excellency of his refurredion, require that it ftiould 
 be thus publiftied. — How very ferviceable and officious the 
 holy angels were in attending upon our Saviour in the days 
 of his flefti, fee note on Matt, xxviii. 6, 7. ';. The perfons 
 to whom our Lord's refurredion was firft declared and made 
 known ; to women, to the Marys. But why to women r 
 and why to thefe women? Why towe)menr Becaufe God 
 will make choice of weak means for proehicing great eftl-ds ; 
 knowing, that the weaknefs of the inftrument redounds to the 
 greater honour of the agent. .In the whole difpcnfatio"; of 
 the gofpel, God inteniiixcs divine power with human weak- 
 nefs. Thus the conception of Chrift was by the power of 
 the Holy Ghoft, but his mother, a poor woman, a carpen- 
 ter's fpoufe : fo the crucifixion of Chrift was in much mean- 
 nefs and outv.ardbafenefs. being crucified between two thieve.*;. 
 But the powers of heaven and earth trembling, there, ks rend- 
 ing, ihegraAcs opening, ftievved a mixture of divine pow er. 
 Thus here, God will honour what inftrtimcnts he pleafcs for 
 the accomplifliment of his own piirpnfcs. But why to thefe 
 women, the two Marys/ is the firft difcovery m.ide of ou r 
 
 Saviour's 
 
CiiAP. xvr. 
 
 St. 
 
 M A R K. 
 
 183 
 
 Saviour's rcfurrc£lion r Pofllbly it was a reward for their 
 magnanimity and mafculine courage; thefc women cleaved 
 to Clirift when the apolHcs forfook him ; they afliftcd at his 
 crofs, they attendetl at his funeral, they waited at his fepul- 
 chre ; thcfe women had more courage than the aportles, 
 therefore God makes themapoftles to the aportles. Thisvvas 
 a tacit rebuke, a fecret check given to the apoftles, that they 
 Ihould be thus outdone by women ; thcfs holy women went 
 before the apoftlcs in the lad: fervices that were done for 
 Chrilt, and therefore the apoftles here come after them in 
 their rewards and comforts. 6. The evidence which the an- 
 gel offers to the women, to evince and prove the verity and 
 certainty of our Saviour's refurreftion, namely, by an appeal 
 to their fenfes ; Behold the place where they laid him : The 
 fenfes when rightly difpofed, are the proper judges of all 
 fenlible objedls ; and accordingly Chrift himfelf did appeal to 
 his difciples' fenfes concerning the truth of his own refurrec- 
 tion : Beh'Jd my hands and my feet, that it is I myfelf. And in- 
 deed if we mull not believe our fenfes, we ihall want the 
 beft external evidence for the proof and ot the certainty and 
 truth of the chriftian religion ; namely, the miracles wrought 
 by Chri!l and his apoftles: For what alfurance can we have 
 , of the reality of thofe miracles but from our fenfes 1 There- 
 \ fore, fays our Saviour, Jf ye believe not me ; yet believe the 
 \ works that I do\ that is, the miracles which I have wrought 
 i before your eyes. Now as my fenfes tell me that Chrift's 
 miracles were true, fo they alTlire ine that the dodtrine of 
 tranfubftaniiaricn is f.ilfe. From the whole n-Je, That the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, bv the omnipotent power of his God-head, 
 revived and rofc again from the dead the third day, to the 
 terror and confternatfon of his enemies, and the unfpeakable 
 j oy and confolation of believers I.aftly, the quick difpatch 
 made of the joyful news of our Lord's refurredlion to the 
 forrowful difciples; Go tell the dijciples, fays the angel, Go 
 tell my Irethretu fays Chrift, Matt, xxviii. 10. Chrift might 
 have faid, "Go tell thofe apofta'.e apoftles, that cowardly 
 left me in my danger, that d'lrft not own me in the high- 
 prieft's hall, that durll not come within the (hadow of my 
 crofs, nor within fight of my fcpulchre;" not a word of this 
 by way of upbraiding them tor their late fliameful cowardice, 
 but all words of kindncfs : Go tell my hethreti. Where tio/e, 
 That Chrift calls them brethren after his refurrcftion and ex- 
 altation ; tliereby fhewing, that the change of his condition 
 had wrought no change in his affc(Slion towards his poor difci- 
 ples ; but thofe that were his brethren before, in the lime of 
 his abafement, are ftill fo after hisexaltationandadvancement; 
 Go tell my brethren, fays Chrift ; Go tell his difciples and Peter, 
 fays the angel. Wiiere nUe, That St. Peter is particularly 
 named, not becaufe of his primacy and fuperiority over the 
 reft of the apoftles, as the church of Rome would have it, 
 but becaufe he had denied Chrift, and for that denial was 
 fnallowed up with forrow, and ftood mcft in need of com- 
 fjrt , therefore, fays Chrift by the angel, fpeak particularly 
 to Peter, be fure that his fad l\eart be Cdmforted with this 
 joyful news, that he may know that I am friends with him, 
 not withftanding his late cowardice. Tell the difciples and Pe- 
 fer, that he goeth before y'M into Cidilee. But why to Galilee? 
 Becaufe Jcrufalcm was now a forfakcn place, a people a- 
 bandoncd to dcftru<Slion ; but Galilee was a place where 
 Chrift's miniftry was inore acceptable. Such places fhall I)c 
 m>ft honoured with Chrift's prcfence, where his gofpel is 
 iin.'l accepted. * 
 
 g 1 Now Avhen Jefin was rifcn early the firft day 
 of the week, he appeared firft to Mary Magdalene, out 
 of whom he had call feveri devihs. 10 And fhe went 
 and told them that had been with him, as they mourn- 
 ed and wept. 1 1 Atid they, when they had heard that 
 he was alive, and had been Teen of her, believed not. 
 1 2 H After that he appeared in another form unto two 
 ofthem, as they walked; and went into the country. 
 1 3 And they went and told it unto the rcfidue : nei- 
 ther believed they them. 14 1 Afterward he appeared 
 unto the eleven, as they fat at meat, and upbraided 
 them with their unbelief and hardncls of heart, be- 
 caufe they believed not them which had feenhim af- 
 ter he was rilcn. 
 
 An accotmt is heregivenof a threefold appearance of Chrift 
 after his refurreclion. i. To Mary Magdalene, not to the 
 Virgin Mary; and it is obfcrvable, that our bleffcd Saviour 
 after his refurreftion, firft appeared to Mary Magdalene, a 
 grievous finner, for the comfort of all true penitents. Mary 
 goes immediately to his difciples, whom Ihe finds weeping 
 and mourning, and tells xniim,Jhe had feen the Lord ; but they 
 belived her not . The fccond appearance was to the two dif- 
 ciples going into the country, that i?, intothe village otEmma- 
 us; as they were in the way, Jefus joined himfelf to their 
 company, but their eyes were holden, by the power of God, that 
 they did not difcern him in his own proper fti.ipe, but appre- 
 hended him to be another perfon whom they converfej with. 
 His third appearance was to the eleven as they fat at meat, ivho'n 
 he upbrai Is with their unbelief ; and, to convince ihcm crTectu- 
 ally that he was rifen from the dead, he er.t with them a piece cf 
 broiled fijh, and of an honey-comb. Not that he needed it, fee- 
 ing he w.as now become immortal, but toalfure them, he had 
 ftill the fame body. From the whole note. How induftri- 
 oufly our Lord endeavours to confirm his difciples' faith in the 
 doftrine of his refurreftioii : So Hack and backward were 
 they to believe that the Melliah was rifen again from the 
 dead, that all the predidlions of fcriplure, all the aHiiranccs 
 they had from our Saviour's mouth, yea, all the appearances 
 of our Saviour to them, after he was aftually rifen from rhe 
 dead, were little enough to confirm and eftablilhthem in the 
 certain belief that he was rifen from the dead. 
 
 15 And he faid unto them, Go ye into all the world 
 and preach the gofpel to every creature. 16 He that 
 believeth and ii baptized, (hall be faved ; but he that 
 believeth not, Ihali be damned. 
 
 Here our SaviourgivescommilTion to his difciplesto congre- 
 gate and gather a chriftian church out of all nations, to go 
 forth and preach the g-fpelto every creature:, that is, to all rea 
 fonable creatures capable of it ; not to the Jews only, but to 
 the Gentiles alfo, without any diftinclion of country, age, or 
 fex, whatfo<;ver. LearnXhenC(i, That the apoftles and firft 
 planters of the gofpel had a coinmiftion from Chrift, to go a- 
 mon»thc Pagan Gentiles, without limitation or diftinJSion, 
 to inftruct them in the faving myfteries of the gofpel. The 
 fecond branch of their commillion was to baptize. Whjre 
 obftrve the encouraging promife made by Chrift, He that be- 
 lieveth and is baptized, jhall be Javed : That is, he that rccci- 
 vcijiand cmbraceth th^- gofpel preached by you, and thereup- 
 on 
 
184 
 
 St. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 rnb?com«a profclytc and <Hf>.iiik of Chrift, and receives 
 l>.iptifni, ihe fcal cf ilie new covtnant Hull tor all his former 
 fins receive pardon, and upon liis pcrfevcrance, obtain elcr- 
 i-.LiI life ; 13jt he that ftands out obftinately and impenitent!/ 
 ili.dl ccrtai'ily be damned. The twodamiiing fins under the 
 i:<i(|Kl are iiifidcliiv and hypcicriiy ; not rcciving Chrill tor 
 their Lord and S.tviour by ioinc or doing it tcigncdly by others. 
 Hapi)y arc they in whom the preaching ot the golpel produ- 
 ces (uch a faith as is the parent and principal of obcdieincc; 
 Ht llu.l fo Mii-i es, and ii Lpiizcl, Jhall hcjnvcd. According- 
 ly, fonic paraphiafe the words thus, "He that believcth and 
 is baptised lh.dl be faved ; That is, He ihall by virtue of 
 the faith in baptifm. be pat into a (late of fulvation ; in that 
 if he continue in thnt faith, and do not willingly recede Irom 
 his bapiilmal covenant, he fh.dl actually be fayed." A'c/-" far- 
 ther, Ihat thiy wiio hence conclude that infants are not ca- 
 pable of baptifm, bccaufe they cannot believe; lor faith is 
 more cxprelllv reqnircdtofalvation than to baptifm. Laftly, 
 ThatthoiiLihit be faid, I Lthat heilrvclh, ami iihaftheJyflmllh 
 4-fA7; it is not faid. He that is not baptized Ihall be damned; 
 becaufe it is not the want, but the contempt of baptifm, that 
 damns, otherwifc infants might be damned for their parents 
 neijleiSls. 
 
 1 7 And thcfc figns (hall follow them that believe ; 
 In my name fliall they call out devils ; they Ihall 
 Ipcak with new tongues ; 18 They fhall take upiei- 
 pcnts ; and if they driiik any deadly thing, it fliall 
 not hurt them ; they fliall lay hands on the fick, and 
 they fhall recover. 
 
 Here we have a gracious promifc in Chrill, that in order 
 to the fpreadingand propagating the gofpcl, as far as may be, 
 tlic fpirit fhoufd be poured forth abundantly from on h.igh up- 
 on the aportles, and thereby they fhould be enabled to work 
 miracles,to call out devils, to fpeak (trange languages, which 
 •we read thev did, Afts ii. And this power of working mira- 
 cles continued in the church an hundred years after Chrift's 
 nfcenfion, until Chriftianity had taken root in theheartsof men. 
 Irxneus, lib. H. c. 58. Says, That many believers, be- 
 fides the apoflles, had this power of working miracles ; as new 
 fet plants are watered at firft, till they have taken faft rooting; 
 fo, that the chriiiian faith might grow the faftcr.God water- 
 ed it with miracles at its firlt plantation. Yet chferve, That 
 all the iniracles which they had power to work were healing 
 and beneficent ; not terrifying judgments, but ach of kindneis 
 and mercy. It was our Saviour's defign to bring over pcrfons 
 tochrilViaiiiiy bv lenity, mildncfs, and gentlenefs, not to affright 
 them into a compliance with aftor.idiing judgments, which 
 might not alfccl their ear,lnit influence their faith: for the will 
 nncfconfentof pcrfons to the print iplcs of any religion, efpeci- 
 ally the chrilUan, is like a royal fort which muft not be ftor- 
 iiied by violence, but taken by furrendtr. 
 
 19 f So then after the Lord had fpoken unto them, 
 "he was received up into heaven, and fat on the right 
 hand of God. 
 
 Here we have ih.it grand article of our Chridian faith 
 alTertcd, namely, our Saviour's afcenfion into heaven, to- 
 pethcr with hi^ exaltation there, cMpreifed by his iitting at 
 CukI's right hand ; he afcendcd now to heaven in his human 
 
 nature, for in his divine nature he was there already . 
 as it was iicccH'ary he Hiould thus afccnd, in order to' 
 his own pcrfonal exaltation and glorification. When he was 
 on earth, his humility, patience and felf-denial, were cxcr- 
 cifcd by uadcrgoingGod'b wrath, the devil's rage, and man's- 
 Cruelty ; now ne goes to he-aven, that thev may be rewarded ; _ 
 he that is a patient fuffcrer upon earth, ihall be a triumphant 1 
 conquerer in heaven ; alfo with rcfpe6l to his church on earth, 
 it was needful and necellary that our Lord Ihould afccnd up 
 into lieaven, namely, to fend dov/n the Holy Spirit upon his 
 apoftles, which he did at the feafl of Pcnticoil. If I gc not a- 
 ^vay, fays Chrift, the comforter wUl n-A amei but if I depart^ I 
 ZL'fll fend l.im to you. And likewife to be a powerful advocate 
 and intercelfor with his Father in heaven, on the behalf of his 
 church and childrenhere Upon earth. Heb. ix. 24. Chrifi is en- 
 tered inlahsavenilfef, there to appear in the prcfence 5/ God for us. 
 Finally, Chrilt afcended into heaven, to give us an affurance, 
 tliat indue time we fliould afcend after him, Jf)hn xiv. a. / 
 go t^ prspare n plice f'.r you. Hence the apoiUe calls our Sa- 
 viour our forerunner, Heb. vi. 19. Now if Chrill in the 
 afcenfion was aforerunner, then there are fome to tallow after. 
 To the fame purpofe is that expreflion of the apoftle, Fph. ii. 
 5. He hath made us fit together in heavenly places in Chrifl ; that 
 is, we are already fat down in him and erelong Ihall lit down 
 by him; we are already fat down in him as our head, and (hall 
 here after fit down by him as his members. The only way 
 to this, namely, to afccnd unto, and fit down \\ iih Chrirt in 
 heaven, is is to live like hiin, and to live UHtohiin here on canh 
 If any man love me, he uili fillvw me, andtvhere I am, there 
 fhall alfo my fervant be. St. John xii. 26. 
 
 20 And they went forth, and preached every 
 where, the Lord working v.-ith them, and confirm- 
 ing the word with figns following. Amen. 
 
 6//i;T.'e here, firft the general publication of the gofpel 
 by the apollles ; they went forth and preached every 'jjhere. 
 Secondly , Thereafon of the efficacy and fuccefs of it, name- 
 ly that divine and miraculous power which accompanied 
 the preaching of it. The Lord wrought with them, andconfir. 
 med the wfjrd with figns following. Note I. The general 
 publication of the' gofpel by the ipoMes ; 1 hey went forth 
 and preached every where. The induftry of the holy apoftle* 
 was incredibly Treat, yet was their fuccefs greater than their 
 induftry ; even beyond all humane expectation ; which will 
 evidently appear, if we confider, i The vaft fpreading of 
 the gofpel fo far in .'"o lliort a fpace of time : for in thirty 
 years time after Chrift's death, it was fpread through the 
 greatcft part of the ronian empire, and reached as far aspar- 
 thia and India. 2 The wonderful power and efficacy which 
 the gofpel had upim the lives and manners of men ; the 
 jrenerality of thofe that entertained the gofpel were obedi- 
 ent to it both in word and deed, becaufe, chriftianity being 
 an hated and perfecuted profellion, no man could have any 
 inducement to embrace it,that did not refolve to practice 
 it and live up to it. 3. The wer.knefs and meannefs of 
 the inftruniCBts that were employed in propagating the gof- 
 pel, Ihews the fuccefs of it to be very great and ftrange ; a 
 company of plain and illiterate men, moft of them deltitute 
 of the advantages of education, and unaflifted by the coun_ 
 tcnance of any authority whaifoevcr, yet did they in a Ihor t 
 
 fpace 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 185 
 
 fpace draw the world after them. The powerful oppofiti- 
 011 which was raifed agair.lt the gofpel, namely, the preju- 
 dices of education, the power of indwelling lufts, and alfo 
 the powers of the world then in being, did Urongly combine 
 aTainlt it ; yet did chriltianity bear up againft all this oppo- 
 fuion, and made its way through all the reliftance that the 
 lufts and prejudices of men armed with the power and au- 
 thority of the world could make againft it. 4. The great 
 difcouragements th.it men were then under to embrace the 
 ffofpel and the chriftian proftllion ; all the evils of this world 
 threatened them.mockings and fcourgings. banifhments and 
 imprifonments, reproach and ruin ; death in all its fearful 
 /kapes was prefouted to them, to deter them from embra- 
 cing this religion. A'o/f therefore, 2. The reafonofthis 
 wonderful fuccefs j Tbs Lord vjrought with them, and con- 
 
 firmed the 'xonis 'ivi:h figns folloruhrg. ^he Lird-.vroughl 
 ■with them ; this points at the inward operation of the holy 
 Spirit upon the minds of men. O! it is fwcet and prol- 
 pcrous working in fellow fliip with Chrift and his holy fpi- 
 rit ! He directs his minifters, he aflifts them, he guides their 
 lips, influences their minds, quickens their afl'ections, fets 
 home their inftrudions, and crowns all their endeavours 
 with his blefllng. Jnd ccrfirmed the word with jigns ; that 
 is confirmed their dodrines with miracles, fuch as, healing 
 difeafes, raifuig the dead, carting out devils, inflifting cor- 
 poral difeafeson fcandalous perfons,and fcmeiinics death it- 
 fclf. From the whole we gather the truth and divini- 
 ty of the chriftian religion, that it w:sand is certainly of 
 God, and therefore never could, never lsh be overthrown. 
 
 THE 
 
 GOSPEL 
 
 ACCORDING, TO 
 
 St. 
 
 U K E. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 FORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to 
 let forth in order a declaration of thofe things 
 which are moil furely believed among us, 2 Even 
 as they delivered them unto us, which from the be- 
 ginning wereeye-witnelFes, and minifters of the word; 
 3 It feemed good to me alfo, having hadperfeft un- 
 derftanding of all things from the very firll, to write 
 unto thee in order, moft excellent Theophilus, 4 
 That thou mighteft know the certainty of thofe things 
 wherem thou liaft been inftru6led. 
 
 This gofpel, together with the Ai^s of the j^poflles, were 
 written by St. Luke, the beloved phyfician and compani- 
 on of St. Paul, who wrote, as did the reft of the evaiige- 
 lilts, by the fpecial direction and infpiration of the Holy 
 Choft ; where we may profitably remark the wonderful 
 wifdomof God, who. In order to the confirming of our faith 
 in the truth of the gofpel, raifed up a fuflicient number of 
 witnefl'cs to tcftify the verity and infallible certainty of all 
 that the golpel delivers unto us. Now this evangelift, St. 
 Luke, dedicates this pofpel, together with the ABs of the A- 
 pnftles, to Theophilus, who was, as fome think, an ho- 
 notirable fenator ; «r a renounfd and eminent perfon in 
 the church, as others fuppofe : Lut many take the word 
 
 Theophilus, not for a proper name, but common name, figni- 
 fying every one that loveth Cod; to whom St. Luke addrel- 
 fes his difcourfe. The firft four verfes of thi.^ chapter arc 
 a preface to the following hilt.iry, and acquaints us with the 
 reafons which induced St. Luke to write, namely, bfcaule 
 divers perfons in that age had imprudently and inconUder- 
 ately fet upon writing golpels, without dire^ion from the 
 Spirit of God, whofe errors and miftakes were to he cor- 
 rected by a true narrative. This St. Luke declares he was 
 able to make, having had perfedt underftanding and know- 
 ledge of the futh of th ofe things he was abour to relate ; 
 partly by his familiarity with St. Paul, and partly by hisccn- 
 verfation with the other apoftles, who, conllantly attend- 
 ing our Saviour, were eye and ear-witneffes of thofe things 
 that are the fubject matter of the enfuing hiftory. Hence 
 learn; 1. That tiierc were fome apocryphal writings (or 
 writings which were not of divine authority) relating to the 
 New teftament, as well as to the old : As the books ot Afher, 
 Gad, and Iddo are recited in the Old teftament, hut \\ere 
 never received into the caimon ot the Icripiure ; fo were 
 there fome gofpels, or hiftoricr.l lelations of our Saviour's 
 hfe and actions, wrote by perfons which the church never 
 received, as not having the imprefs of God's ordination. 
 2. That the golpels which St. Luke and the other evan- 
 g(;lifts wrote having nothing of falability or uncertainty in 
 them : They wrote nothing but what they either heard: or' 
 
 A a f;rw 
 
iB6 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 Chap. 
 
 faw theuifel'Ci, orelfe received from thofe thit were eye 
 and ear-witnefles of the matter of fadl. Itfeemedgtodto mi 
 to lurite, having Ihid pcrfeii knowledgi of all things from the 
 very fir ft. 
 
 5 T^HERE was in the days of Herod the king of 
 X judea, a certain pricft named Zacharias, of 
 the couric of Abia : and his wife was of the daugh- 
 ters of Aaron, and her name wai EHzabeth. 
 
 In this and the following verfes, the Holy Ghoft gives 
 us a dcfciip'.ion of John the Baptift, who was the harbinger 
 and forciLinner of our Saviour Chrilt; he is defcribed, firft 
 by his parentage, being the fon of Zachsrias and Elitabcth. 
 This Zacharias was a prieft, who had a courfe in the teni- 
 ]ile, or a right to officiate there when it came to his turn; 
 for we read in i Chron. xxiv. lo. That David appointed 
 the priejls, thefons of Aaron, to niinifter by turns, and di. 
 vlded them into four and twenty courfes, everyone minifl- 
 ring in the temple by thnr weeks. Here note. That Zacha- 
 rias, a prieft, and attending the fervice of the temple, was 
 a married perfon, having one_of the daughters of Aaron to 
 wife, according to the command of God, Levit. xxi, 14. 
 where the prieft is required to marry one of his people. 
 Learn hence, That neither tlie prieft under the law did, 
 nor the minifters of Chrift under the gofpel ought, to ab- 
 hor the marriage-bed, nor judge themielves too pure for an 
 inftitution of their M:iker. The doctrine of the church of 
 Kome, which forhidf to marry , St. Paul calls a do^rine of 
 devils. 
 
 6 And they were both righteous before God, wal- 
 king in all the commandments and ordinances of 
 the Lordblamelcfs. 
 
 Note here, i. Thefweet harmony of this religious couple 
 in the ways of God : 'They both walked in the commandments 
 »fGod. It is an happy match when hufband and wife are 
 one, not only in themfelves but in the Lord. 2. The uni- 
 verfality of their holinefs and obedience : They walked, not 
 in feme, but in all the ordinances and commandments of the 
 Lord. Such as will approve themfelves to be lincerely re- 
 ligious, murt make confcience of every known duty, and 
 endeavour to obey every command and precept of God. 3. 
 The high commendation of which the holy fpirit of God 
 gives of this their religious courfe of holinefs and obedience : 
 'They are pronounced blamelefs. He that liveth without 
 t;rofs iin, in a gofpel fenfe, liveth blamelefs, and without 
 \m. To live without grofs (in, is our holinefs on earth ; 
 to live witliout any fm, will be our happinefs in heaven. 
 Many fins may be in him that has true grace ; that fincere 
 obedience is called perfection. Truth of grace is our per- 
 fection on earth, i)ut in heaven we lliall have perfection as 
 well as truth. Laltly, A pattern for their imitation who 
 wait at God's altar, and are employed in and about holy 
 things : Such ought all the minifteri of the gofpel and their 
 wives to be, what Zacharias and Eli/,abeth are here laid 
 to be, namely, blamelefs ; that is, very innocent and inof- 
 fc-nlivein their daily converfation. ' 
 
 7 And they had no child, bccaufethat Elizabeth 
 was barren, and they both were ima well flricken in 
 years. 
 
 Note here, i. This holy pair, Zacharias and Eliiabeta, 
 were fruitful in holy obedience, but barren in children : A 
 fruitful foul and a barren womb are confident and do oft- 
 times meet together. This religious couple made no lefs 
 progrefs in virtue than in age, and yet tlieir virtue could 
 not make their age fruitful. 2. Elizabeth was barren in 
 the dower of her age, but much more in old age. Here 
 was a double obftacle, and confequently a double inftancc 
 of divine power in the birth of John the Baptift, fljewing 
 him to be a prophet very extraordinary, and miraculoufly 
 fent by God. 3. That when almighty God in old times 
 did lon'^ delay to give the blefllng of children to holy women 
 he rewarded their expectation with the birth of fonie emi- 
 nent and extraordinary perfon : Thus Sarah, after long 
 barrennefs, brought forth an Ifaac ; Rebecca, a Jacob ; Ra- 
 chel, a Jofeph ; Hannah, a Samuel; and Elizabeth, St. 
 John the Baptift. When God makes his people wait long 
 for a particular mercy, if he fees it good for them, he gives 
 it in at laft with a double reward for their expectation. 
 
 8 And it came to pafs, that while he executed 
 the priell's office before God in the order of his 
 courfe, 9 According to the cuflom of the piiell's 
 office, his lot was to burn inccnfe-whcn he went 
 into the temple of the Lord. 
 
 Herewo/^, i. That none but a fon of Aaron might offer 
 incenfe to God in the temple, and not every fon of Aaron 
 neither, nay, not'any of them at all feafons. God is a God 
 of order, and hates confufion no lefs than irreligion. And 
 as under the law of old, fo under the gofpel of this day, No 
 man ought to take this honour upon him, but he that is called, 
 of Cod, as was Aaron. 2. That there were courfes of admi- 
 niftration in the legal fervices, in which the priefts did re- 
 lieve one another weekly. God never purpofed to burden 
 any of his fervants with devotion, nor is he pleafed when 
 his fervice is made burdenfome, either to or by his mini- 
 fters. Many of the fons of Aaron ferved together in the 
 temple, according to the variety of their eHiployments, 
 which were alFigned them by lot ; and accordingly it tell 
 out this time, that Zacharias was chofen by lot to burn in- 
 cenfe. 3. That morning and evening, twice a day, the 
 priefts offered up their incenfe to God. that both parts of 
 the day might be confecrated to him, who was the maker 
 and giver of our time. This incenfe offered under the 
 law, reprefents our prayers offered to God under the gol*- 
 pel. Thefe almighty God expeds that we fliouid, all his 
 church over, fend up to him morning and evening. The 
 cjaculatory elevations of our hearts (houldbe perpetual ; but 
 if twice a d^y we do not prefent God with our folemn in- 
 vocation, we make the gofpel lefs ofKcious than the law : 
 And can we reafonably think that almighty God will accept 
 of lefs now than would content him then ? 
 
 10 And the whole multitude of the people were 
 praying without, at the time of incenfe. 
 
 Obferve here, i. While the incenfe was burning, the 
 people were praying ; while the prieft fends up his incenfe 
 in the temple within, the people fend up their prayers in 
 the court without : The incenfe of the prieft and the pra- 
 yers of the people niettj and go up to heaven together. 
 
 Hence 
 
 
ClIAP. I. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 E. 
 
 18: 
 
 Hence lean:. That it is a blefTed thing when both mini- 
 fter and people jointly offer up their prayers for each other 
 at the (anie throne of grace, and mntnally Ibive together 
 in their fiipplications, one with, and for another. 2. Hovv 
 doprieft and people keep their place and fbation : Thr priclt 
 burns incenle in the holy place, and the people offer up 
 their pravers in the outward court. The people might no 
 more go into the holy place to offer up their prayers, than 
 Zachary mi^rht go into the holy of holies to burn incenfe. 
 Whililthe partition wall flood betwixt Jew ind G-ntile, 
 there was alfo a partition betwixt the Jews themfelves-^: 
 But now, under the golpel, every man is a pneft to God, 
 and may enter the holy of holies by the blood of Jef us. 
 But, Lord ! what are we better for this great and gracious 
 freedom of accefs to thee, if we want hearts to prize and 
 improve our privilege from thee ! 
 
 t 1 And there appeared unto him an angel of 
 the Lord ftanding on the right fide of the altar of in- 
 cenfe. 
 
 Whilft Zach.-.ry was praying to God, an angel appears 
 to him. When we are neareft to God, the good angels are 
 nighefl us ; tliev are mofl with us when we are molt with 
 him. The prefence of angels with us, is no novelty, but 
 their apparition to ui is fo. They are always with us, but 
 rarely feen by us. Let our faith fee them, whom our fen- 
 fes cannot difcern. Their alTumed Ihapes do not make them 
 more prefent, but only more vifible. Ohferve, The place as 
 well as the time where the angel appeared : in the temple, 
 and at the altar, and on the right hand of the altar ofincenje. 
 As the holy angels are always prefent with us in our devo- 
 tions, fo efpecially in religious afTemblies ; as in all places, 
 fomoftofallin God's houfe ; they rejoice to be with us 
 whilfl we are with God, but they turn their laces from us 
 when we go about our fins. 
 
 1 2 And when Zacharias faw him, he was trou- 
 bled, and fear fell upon him. 
 
 It was partly the fuddennefs, partly the unexpeaednefs, 
 and partly the glory of the apparition, that affrighted this 
 good man. Glorious and fudden apparitions do affright 
 even the holiefl and beft of men. We cannot bear the 
 fight and prefence of an angel without confternation and 
 fear, in our frail and finful ftate. O happy hour, when 
 mortality and fin being taken out of our natures, we fliall 
 not only behold the glorified angels without fear, but the 
 glorious God with delight and love. Lord ! lee me now 
 fee rhee by faith, hereafter by fight. Sit in aliofeculo, non 
 in hoc' vijiotua, uiirces mea. Gerfon. 
 
 13 But the angel faid unto him, Fearnot, Za- 
 charias: for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife E- 
 lizabeth fliall bear thee a fon, and thou fhalt call 
 his name John. 
 
 Ohferve here, I . How apprehenfive this good angel was 
 of Zachary's furprifing fear, and encourages hiin againfl 
 it. The holy angels, though they do nut exprefs it in 
 words, yet they pity our frailties, and fnggeft comfort to 
 us. The evil angels, if they might, would kill us with 
 terror ; the good angels labour altogether for our tran- 
 quility and chearfulnels. The angel/aid unto him, fear not. 
 
 1. The comfort.ible words fpaken by the angel to Zacha- 
 rias : Thy prayer is heard, and ihy -ijife Elizabeth fludl hear 
 thee a fon. No doubt, Zachary and Elizabeth had often 
 prayed for a child, and now God fer.di them one when 
 they leaft expefted it. Learn hence. That Cod gives in a 
 mercy tons when we leaft expecl: it : yea, when we iiave 
 given over looking for it. No doubt it wa=; the cafe here, 
 Zachary and Elizabeth being l",th well J}> icken in aee. q. 
 The name which the angel directed Zachary to give his fon : 
 Thou fialt call his nam' John, which fign'fiss ^/v/do!^/ ; be- 
 caufe he was to open the kingdom of grace, and to preach 
 the grace of the gofpel through Jefus Chrift. The giving 
 offignificant names to children, has been an anLient and 
 pious practice ; names which either carried a remembrance 
 of duty or of mercy in them. 
 
 14 And thou flialt have joy andgladnefs; and 
 many fhall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he fliall be 
 great in the fight of the Lord, and fliall drink neither 
 wine nor fl^rong drink; and he fliall be filled with 
 the Holy Gholl even from his mother's womb. 16 
 And many of the childron of Ifrael fliall he turn to 
 the Lord their God. 17 And he fliall go before 
 him, in the fpirit and power of Elias, to turn the 
 hearts of the Fathers to the children, andthcdilo- 
 bcdient to the wifdom of the jufl: ; to make ready a 
 people prepared for the Lord. 
 
 Here the angel declares to Zachary, what kind of fon 
 fliould be born unto h'lm, even one of eminent endowments, 
 and defigned for extraordinary fervices. The proof of 
 children makes them either the bleffings or croffes of their 
 parents. What greater comfort could Zachary deflre in a 
 child, than is here promifed to him? i. He hears of a 
 fon that Ihould bring joy to hinfelf, and many others ; even 
 to all that did expecT; the coming of the Meflias, whofe fore- 
 runner the Baptifl: was. 2. That he Pculd be great in^hr 
 Jight of the Lord; that is, a perfon of great eminency, and 
 oreat ulefulnefs, in the church. A perfon of great riches 
 ^nd reputation is great in the fight of men: but the man 
 of great abilitv and ufefulnefs, the man of gre it integrity 
 and ferviceab'lenefs, he \s great in the fght of the Lora. 
 They are little men in the fight of the Lord, that live in 
 the world to little purpofes ; who do little fcrvice to God, 
 and bring little honour and glory to him. But the m.iii 
 that does all the pofhble fervice he can for God, and the 
 utnio'.f good that he is capable of doing 10 all mankind ; he 
 is a perfon great in the fight of the Lord.- and fuch was the 
 holy Baptift. ^. It is foretold that he fluiild drink neither 
 ■wine nor firong drink; that is, that he fliould be a tempe- 
 rate and"abftcmious perfon, living after the manner of the 
 Nazarites, though he was not feparated by any vow of his 
 own, or his parents, but by the fpecial defignation and ap- 
 pointment of God onlv. It was forbidden tl,e pnefts under 
 the law, to drink either wine or flrong drirk, upon pain 
 of death, during the time of their miniflration. Lev. x. y. 
 And the miniiters of Chrifl under the &'^P^^' J"^f,f°^^''^; 
 den to be lovers of wine, i.Tim. iii. •3.4- He (hall be filled 
 'xith the Holy Ch'JIfrun his mother's womb.- that is, he Ili-il 
 be furniihcd abundantly with the extraordinary gifts and 
 fanaifvino- uraces of the Holy fp'rit, vhich fliall very erriy 
 ' ° '^ Aa 2 arP«'-'r 
 
i88 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 Ch.\p. 
 
 appear to I.e in him. a:iJ upon him. t;. His high and ho- 
 iiojraWe office is declared, that he ihould go hrfnn the 
 Melluh, a,- his h^iriiinger and forerunner, with the fame 
 fpint of 7.eal and courage againft lln, which was found in 
 tne old prophet Eiias, whom he did fo nearly rc-leniMe. 
 6. 1 he great fuccefs of his minillry foretold : namely, 
 Thatlji JlrmUiurn the heatts nftht fathers to the chlUren, 
 and the dif^beilient to the vitjd;m cf the juft .• That is the 
 hearts of the Jews to the Gentiles, fay fomc : that he 
 iliould bring men, fay others, even the molt difohedient 
 andrehfllious Pharilees and Saddiuees, publicans and (in- 
 ners unto repentance, unto the minding of juftice and 
 righreonlnuls, and all moral duties ; zi\A thus he m.ide ready 
 ^pecpU/;,- tie Lord, by fi. ting men to receive Chrift upon 
 his own terms and conditions; namely, faith and repent- 
 ance. Fnm the whole mo/^, That thofc whom almighty 
 Ooddelignsfcr eminent ulefulnds in his church, he fur- 
 rnlkcs with endowments fuitable to their emplovment : 
 jnd when he calls to extraordinary fervice, comes in with 
 mure thin ordinary atliilance. Here was the holy bap- 
 nil exirtordinanly called, and as extraordinarily fiirnilhed 
 for his oflke and miniftry. 
 
 18 Aiid Zacharias faid unto theangel, Whereby 
 fii.ill 1 know this ? for I am an old man, and mv 
 wite well flrickcnin years. 19 And the angel, an- 
 iwering, faid umo hitn, I am Gabriel, tha* iland 
 m the prelence of God : and am fcnt to fpeak unto 
 thee, and to fbew thee thefc glad tidin<rs, 20 And 
 behold thou (lialt be dumb and not able to fpeak, 
 until ihc. day that thefe things [hall be perfor- 
 med, becaufe thou believcft not my words, which 
 Ihall be fulfilled in their feafon. 21 And tlie 
 people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that 
 he tarried fo long in the temple. 22 And when 
 he come out he could not fpeak unto them : And 
 th?y perceived that he had feen a vifion in the tem- 
 ple: for he beckoned unto them and remained fpecch- 
 lefs. 
 
 24. 25 ^'■•h-tn when Z^chary was abo-jt to do, he is ftru.k 
 cu.nb,and cannot perforD, it; Hgnifyh^g thcrebv.thar the (11- 
 encmg the Lev,t.caIpri..ah<.od «as now at hand; that they 
 nu.ft expect another kmd of wormip, and he who w« ab'c 
 to b.c-U indeed namely, the Mc-.r.aii, was near at hand. 
 l^alHy,_l„ac though Zachary ccafed to fpe.ik. vet he did 
 not ceale to min.fter ; he takes not his dumbncfsfor a d.f- 
 m.mon, but flays out the eigu days of his courfc, knowinc 
 h the r.rvtce of Im heart at.d hand would be accepted of 
 that God which had bereaved him of his tongue. Thcfe 
 powers which we have, we mud nuke u!e ot in the pnl,. 
 l.cferv.ce of God, who will accept us accordincr t„ what 
 we have ; pardoning our infirmity, and rewardii^g cur fiu- 
 ceruy. " "" 
 
 23 And it came to pafs, that, as foon as the 
 days ot his mmill ration were accomplifhed, h- 
 departed to his own houfe. 24 And after thofc 
 days his wife Elifabeth conceived, and hid hcr- 
 lelt five months, faying, 25 Thus hath the 
 Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he 
 looked on me, to take away my reproach among 
 
 Oh/erve here, Zachary beirg flow to believe fo ftrange 
 a meflage, --Iks the. angel by what flgn he fhould know 
 that this thing, i'u far above the ordinary courfe of n.n- 
 turc, /liould come to pal's ? The angel anfwers, that he 
 was difpatched by God as a meffenger extraordinary, to 
 declare this good news to hitn. And feeing he was lo hard 
 to believe it, and required a fign, he ihould have it 
 but fuch a one as (hould be a puniflimenr of his unbelief, as 
 wtll as a fign to confirm his faith ; namely, he fhould 
 from thence forward, to the birth of the child, be dumb 
 and deaf; and becaufe he had gainfaid it, he was dumb 
 learn hence. That the t\'ord of God in the mouth of his 
 meflengers, is God's own word, and as fuch (liould be re- 
 ceived aiad believed. 2. That not believing their word is 
 a lin which God will fevcrely punifii ; it is all one not 'to 
 believe God, and not to believe the meflengers of Godfpea. 
 king from him. Some expofitors will have this dumbnefs 
 of Zachary to be prefigurative. The prieft, at the difmif- 
 fion of the people, when the fervicc of the temple was fin. 
 ilted, was to pronounce the blefllng, recorded Numb, vi" 
 
 The priefls, dunng the time of their .idminiaration, had 
 their lodgings in buildings appertaining to the temple. 
 Zachary having ended his adminiUration, leaves his lodg- 
 ings, and returns to his houfe, where his wife Elifabeth 
 conceiving, fie hide, herfelf -, that is, retires from compa- 
 ny, partly to prevent the difcourfe of people, until it 
 was out of all doubt that Ihe had conceived; and partly to 
 give herfelf opportunity of returning her thankful acknow- 
 ledgements unto God, who had given her this miraculous 
 mercy ? and had thereby taken awavher reproach of bar- 
 rennefs, which was lo heavy and infnpportable among the 
 Jews. Ao/.- here two things, i. How pioufly Elifabeth 
 aicribes this nriercy to the power of God : Thm hath the 
 Lord dealt -^nth me. It is God that keeps the key of the 
 womb m his own hand, and makes the fruit of it his re. 
 ward, and therefore children are to be o.vned as hii fpe- 
 cial gi»t. 2. How great a reproach bodily harrennefsis in 
 the light of n,an, bin not fo great as fpiritual barrernefs 
 in the fight of God : For this is at once a reproach to God, 
 a reproach to religion, a reproach to profellbrs, and to our- 
 lelves. 
 
 26 5 And in the fixth month the angel Gabriel 
 was fcnt from God unto a city of Galilee, named 
 Nazareth, 27 To a virgin efpoufed to a man whofe 
 name was Jofeph, of the houfe of David; and the 
 Virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came 
 in unto her, and faid. Hail, thou that art hiahly fa- 
 voured, the Lord is with thee : Bleffed art°thou a- 
 mong women. 29 And when (he faw him. flie was 
 troubled at his faying, and call in her mind what 
 manner of falution this fhould be. 30 And the an. 
 gel faid unto her. Fear not, Mary ; for thou hafl 
 tound favour with God. 31 And behold, thou fhalt 
 conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a fon, and 
 flialt call his name Jefus. 32 He fliall be great, 
 
 and 
 
Chap. t. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 .md fliall be called the Son of the Highcfl: : and the 
 Lord fhall give unto him the throne of his father Da- 
 vid. 33 And he fliall rci^n over the houfe of Ja- 
 cob for ever; and of his kingdom there fhall be no 
 end. 
 
 In this hiftory of our Saviour's miraculous and immaculate 
 c6nfcption,_ we hare fevera! thiiiiTj obltTvalile, as, i. Tlie 
 iiuflenger lent from heaven to publidi tiie news of ilie con- 
 ception of the Son ofGod ; an argil. An evil angel waz 
 the tirft author of our ruin ; a good angel could not be i lie 
 autlior of our refloration, but is tlie joyful reporter of it. 
 2. The angel's name, Gabriel, which fignitlcs the power 
 of God ; the f.inie angel who had many hundred years be- 
 fore decLired to the prophet Daniel the coming of the 
 Melfiah. 3. The place which the angel is fent unto, Na- 
 7.areth ; an obfcure place Itdi taken notice of ; yea, a city 
 in Galilee, out of which ariies no prophet: Kven there doth 
 the God of prophets condefcen I to be conceived. No blind 
 corner of Nazareth can hide the blelTed Virgin from the 
 , angel : The Javours of God will Hnd out liis children 
 wherever they are withdrawn. 4. The perfon whom the 
 angel is fent unto .• To a virgin efpwfed, vihofe name war 
 Mary. For the honour of virginity, Chrift chofe a virgin 
 for his mother ; For the honour of marriage^ a virgin ef- 
 poufed to an hnlband. 5. The meffage itfelf, Hail, thtu 
 that art highly J avored, tht Lord is -vith thee, Blejfed art thou 
 among 'Momen. Where note-, That the angel falutes the vir- 
 gin as a/aint, he dotii not pray to her as a goddefs. Ths 
 church of Rome idolatroufly ufes thefe words as a prayer 
 to tlie holy Virgin (faying ten Ave Maries for one Paler NoJ- 
 t'r) whereas they are only a falutation ; declaring that Ihe 
 above all women, had the honour freely confered by God 
 upon her robe the mother of the Melliah. The original 
 word llgnifies, not /«//fl/^n^.-r, hut freely hehved. Com- 
 pare Mary with other renowned women, and what had fhe 
 belides this favour, more than they .' Had ftie the fpirit of 
 prophecy ? fo had they: flad (lie the fpirit of fandification .' 
 iohad they : And ihe had no more immunity and freedom 
 from fin and death than they. Accordingly, fays the angel, 
 Blejjed art thou among women: He doth not fay, Blefled 
 ^xiihow above -women. Let the church of Rome be as co'- 
 pious as they will in commendation of the mother, fo they 
 do not derogate from the glory of the Son. But how fenfe 
 kis are they, (t.) Li turning a falutation into a prayer ? 
 (2) In making ufe of ihefe words upon every occafion, 
 which were fpoken by an angel upon a fpecial occafion ? (3.) 
 In applying thefe words ro her now in heaven, %\hich fui- 
 ted with her only when flie was on er.rth faying, Full e/ 
 grace to her who is full of glory ; and, The Lord is luitk thee 
 to her that is -with the Lord? 6. The effecT: which the fight 
 and falutation of the angel, had upon the holy Virgin : die 
 was afraid. If Zachary before was amazed at the fight of 
 the angel, much more the Virgin, her fex fubjecfting her to 
 fear. All palTions, but particularly the palTion of fear, dif- 
 quiets the heart, and makes it unfit to receive the meflages 
 of God ; therefore the angel infiantly favs unto her, Fear 
 not ■ let joy enter into thy heart, out ot whofe womb fliall 
 come forth falvation. Thus the fears of holy perfonsdo end 
 m comfort : Joy was the errand which the auijel came upon 
 
 1S9 
 
 and nor terror. What l\u\: cau^e f?ie iia.I to fear the prp- 
 (ence of an angel, who was fo highly favoured of him ,i^ 
 whofe prefence the angels tremWe ! But we Ice the hcli'.ll 
 perfcm on earth cannot bear the prefence of an holy angel 
 much Ic^f.; the prefence of an holy God ; nor ftand bctorc 
 the manitcftations of his favours : Lcrd, how unable then 
 wril the wicked be at the great day to Itand before the ma- 
 nikrtations ot thy fury ? If the fight of a holy angel nou- 
 makes thebefl:ofiai:Ust(.qnakeand tremble, what will iheficrhi: 
 of an infinitely holy and jult God then do, when the wicked 
 fiiall be flain by the brightnefs of his prefence .' L.^aly, 
 I he cliaraftcr which the angel gives of the perfon thatlhould 
 be born of the bl e ifed Virgi n : Hefiall be great, and called 
 the Son of the HigheJL Great, inrefpecT: of his perfon : Greet 
 in relpect of his office s : Great, in refpec^ of his kingdom - 
 for God would fettle upon him a fpiritual king.lo'm, of 
 which David's earthly one was a type, which (]i':,Il uevcr^ 
 be abohfted ; though the adminiftration of it by the word 
 and (acraments Ihail ccafe at the day of judgment, when he 
 iMl deliver upvthe kingdom, in that relpect, to his Father. 
 All other kingdoms have had, or fliall have their periods, 
 but thegofpcl-church, which is Chrift's kingdom, fliall con- 
 tinue till his kingdom of glory be revealed. 
 
 34 Then faid Mary unto the angel, How flial^ 
 this be, feeing I know not a man ? 35 And the 
 angel anfwered, and faid unto her, The holy Gholt 
 fliall come upon thee, and the power of the Hiohefl 
 fhall overfhadow thee : therefore alfo that holy thin.rr 
 which fliall be boin of thee, fliall be called the Son 
 of God. 36 And behold, thy coufin Elifabeth. flie 
 hath alfo conceived a fon in her old age : and this is 
 the fixth month with her, who was called barren. 3 7 
 For with God nothing fliall be impoflible. 38 And 
 Mary faid, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it 
 unto me according to thy word. And the an'^el de- 
 parted from her. 
 
 Cbferve here, i. The Virgin's quefiion, How jhall this heP 
 This quefiion did not import her denial of the poflibility of 
 the thing, but her wonder at the ftrangenefs of the thing ; 
 it proceeded rather from a defireof information^ than from a 
 doubt of infidelity. Therefore ftie doth not fay, this can- 
 not be. nor, how can this be ? But Ho-^u fhall this be? i Shfi 
 doth not diflruft, but demand howher virginity fhall become 
 fruitful, and how the, being a Virgin, could bring forth a 
 fon. 2. The angel's reply to the Virgin's queftion : The 
 Holy Ghofl fl)an come upon thee. Where note. The angel .le- 
 clares the author who, but not the manner how : Tiic- H;>- 
 lyGholt ihall come upon thee ; but in what way, and after 
 what manner is notdeclared. No mother knows the min- 
 ner of her natural conception; what prefuinption had it been " 
 for the mother of the Meffiah to have inquired how the Son 
 of God could take fleih and blood of his creature ? It is for 
 none but the Almighty to know thofe works which do im- 
 mediately concern himfelf. 3. The holy and immaculate 
 conception of our blelTed Redeemer : The Holy Giiofljhall 
 come upon thee, and the power of the mofl High fhall werfhad. 
 o'dithce; vjherefors thai Holy thing -which Jhall be bom of thee, 
 
 fl^M 
 
190 
 
 St. 
 
 1, 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 Chap. 1. 
 
 Oj.ill !,:■ r. " ".n'JCn:!; that is. the Ifoly Ghcfi fliDU 
 
 prcpnrp ■ rnmiicli of thy flcfli, blood, or feed, as 
 
 fli.ll coi ttitute ihe body ofChrilJ: For thini,i;h it was a 
 woik of the whole trinitv, yet it is afcribcd particuLrly to 
 the Ho'y CI < fl. fanailication being his peculiar work. 
 And the title and epithet of that holy thing, (heweth the pa- 
 rity and immaciilatenefs of Chrift's human nature, and ihnt 
 none was ever born tl;u? holy and.imniaculate but Chrift on- 
 Iv ; becaufe none had ever fuch a way ard means ot con- 
 ception, but only he : Thercfire that hJy thhg fhall be called 
 ;hg Sin rj CoJ; not conilituted and mncie, but evidenced and 
 declared. Chrift was God before heafl"umed flefh, even from 
 et:rnity : but his taking fltih in this manner evidences him 
 be the Son of Cod. 4.The argnmentufedby the angel to 
 tonfirm Marv in the belief of what he had told her, namely, 
 the wonderful conception of hercoiidn Ehfabeth in her old 
 age, who was now //x- months gone vjith child. Where note 
 (i.) What an exact knowledge God has, and what a parti- 
 cular notice he takes of all the chddren ot men: he knoweth 
 ■ not only ourfclves but our relations alfo ; Behold thy couftn 
 Etifafteth .• The knowledge which God has of every perfon, 
 and every action, is a clear and diftinft knowledge. (2.) 
 ilow the angel strengthens her faith by a coniideration 
 drawn from the :ilniigluy power of God : IVith Cod nothing 
 fl?all be imp',(JibU, be it never fo ftrange and diflicuk. 
 There is no fuch way to overcome difficulties, asby ftrength- 
 cning our faith in the almighty power of God. Faith will 
 enable us to alfent to truth, though feemingly incredible; 
 and to believe thepolfibility of things, though appearing im 
 pollible. Laaiy, How the Virgin expreffes her faith and 
 obedieiicejherfubmiflion and entire relignation to the divine 
 jile.ifure, to bedirpofed of by God as he thought fit : Be- 
 hJd thi handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy 
 'Mord. We hear of ro more objeclions or interrogations, 
 but an humble and fiibmiflive fdence. Learn hence, That a 
 gracious heart, when once it underftands the pleafure of 
 God, ^gues no farther, but quietly refts in a believing ex- 
 pedatBp of w hat God will do. All difputations with God, 
 jitcv 1ms will is madeknown and underftood, arife from in- 
 fidelity and unbelief. The Virgin having thus confentcd, 
 '^"^nfhnily'conce'ved by the overfhadowing power of the ho- 
 W Ghoft. 
 
 on -f And Mary arofe in thofe days, and went 
 into the hill country withhafte, into a cityof Judah; 
 ^o ^nd entered into the houfe of Zachanas, and fa- 
 luted EH (abeth. 41 And it came to pafs, that when 
 Elifaheth heard the fahitation of Mary, the babe 
 Icapcdin her womb ; and Elifabeth was filled with 
 ■ i\]4 holy Ghofl: 42 And fhe fpake out with aloud 
 voice, ^nd laid, Blelfed art thou among women, and 
 blcilcd is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence » 
 this to me, that tliC mother of my Lord Ihouldcome 
 to me ? 44 For lo, as foon as the voice of thy falu- 
 tation founded in my cars, the babe leaped in my 
 womb for joy. 45 And blefled zs flie that believed: 
 for there (hall be a performance of thoie things which 
 were told her from the Lord. 
 
 i^otc here, i. The viiuinade by the Virgin Mary to her 
 
 coutin Elifabeth. The holy Virgin hsd unJerftcod by the 
 a'l'-el, that Elifabeth was no lefs a kin to her in condition 
 th^n relation, being both fruitful in conception; Ihe haltens. 
 into the hill-country to vilit that holy matron : The two 
 wonders of the world were now met underoneroof, to con- 
 gratnlate their mutual hnppinefs; only the meeting of the 
 iaints in heaven can paralel the meeting of thcfe two (aints 
 on earth. 2. The defign and intention ot this vdit, which 
 was partly to communicate their joys toeach other, and part- 
 ly to ftrengthcn the faith of each other : Such a foul as 
 has Chrift (piritually conceived in it, is reftlefs, and cannot 
 be quiet till it has imparted its joy. 3. The effed of the 
 Virgin's falutation : She had no fooner fainted Elifabeth, 
 hut the babe in Elifabeth' s womb leaped fjr joy, doing homage 
 and paying adoration to his Lord, who was then in prelcnce. 
 If Elifabeth and her holy babe were thus rejoiced, w hen 
 Chrift came under their roof, how (hould our hearts leap 
 within us, when the fon of God vouchfafes to come into 
 the fecret of our fouls, not to vifit us for an hour, but to 
 dwell with us, vea, to dwell in us, and that forever ? 
 4; How Elifabeth, by an extraordinary fpirit of prophecy, 
 confirms what the angel before had told he holy Virgin, 
 Bltffcd, fays flie, art thou among women, and blejjldis the fruit 
 of thy womb. ver. 42. Where oZ/c-rvf, How Elifabeth ac- 
 knowledged the incarnation of Chrift, and the luiion of the 
 divine and human nature in the perfon of the Mediator. 
 She acknowledges Chrift her Lord, and Mary to be the mo- 
 ther of the Son of God. Laftly, how the Virgin is pro- 
 nounced blefled, not fo much for carrying Chrift in her 
 womb by fenfe, as for bearing him in her heart by faith : 
 Bleffcd is fhe that believed. Mary was not (o blelTed in 
 bringing forth Chrift, as believing in him ; yet the believing 
 here mentioned, I take to be her firm afient to the mtflTage 
 which was brought her by the angel ; as if Elifabeth had . 
 faid, "Dumbnefs was inflicted on my hufband for his unbe- 
 lief of what the angel faid, but 'Bl'effed art thou that didrt 
 believe the angel :' My hufband, a man, an aged man, a 
 learned and eminent man, aprieft of the nioft high God ; 
 and the meflage to him of more appearing pollibility, yet he 
 difbelieved. But thou a woman, a mean, unlearned wo- 
 man, of aprivate condition, and the meflage brought moft 
 incredible to nature and realon, and yet it is believed by 
 thee ! Bleffed therefore is fie that believeth; and know, that 
 as a reward for thy faith," all things fijall certainly b: per for- 
 med that were foretold thee from the Lord." Learn hence, I . 
 That it is the property of Cod to do great [and wonderful 
 things. Our faith nnift be great, and our expeaation 
 great ; great expedaiions from God honour the greatnefs 
 of God. 2. Thus if our faith be great, Coi\'sperformanc. 
 es will be gracious and full. Bleffed, &c. ver. 45. 
 
 46 ir And Mary faid. My foul doth magnify the " 
 Lord, \-j And my fpirit hath rejoiced in G9d my 
 Saviour: 48 For he hath regarded the low efiate 
 of his hand maiden : for beheld, from henceforth all 
 generations Ihall call me blefled. 49 For he that 
 is mighty hath dope to me great things, and holy 
 in his name. 50, \yn\ hismercy ii onthcm t'l^^ *ear 
 him, fmm generation to generation. 51 He ham 
 fhewcd ftrength with hi* arm ; he hath Icattcrcd the 
 ^ proud 
 
CHA», 
 
 St. 
 
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 191 
 
 proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He them with a Saviour, who lived in the faith, hope, and cx- 
 Jiath put down the mighty from tlieir feats, and ex- pecLition of the proinifcd Melliah, and this blefiingflie de- 
 clares was, ^i.) The relult of great mercy, i'/t-rewfrnAfr/w^ 
 hir mercy, bath bolpfn his fcivant Ijrael. (a.) The effect of 
 his trutii and faithfulnefs in his promifes, as he promlftd to 
 our forefathers, Abraham, and his feed forever. Learn hence. 
 That the appearance of the promilcd Mtfliah in the fulnefs 
 of time, in order to the redemption and falvation of a loft 
 world, it was the fruit of God's tender love, and the effed 
 of his faithfulnefs in the promifes made of old to his church 
 and children : He hath holpen, &c. v. 54. 
 
 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, 
 and returned to her own houl'e. 57 If Now Elifa- 
 beth's full time came, that fhe fliould be delivered ; 
 and fhe brought fortli a fon. 58 And her neigh- 
 bours and her coufins heard how the Lord iiad fhew- 
 ed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with 
 her. 
 
 alted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the 
 hungry with good things, and the rich he hath fcnt 
 away empty, 54 He hath holpen his fervant Ifrael 
 in retnembrance of A/i mercy, 55 As he fpake to 
 our fathers, to Abrahain, and to his feed forever. 
 
 This is the firft canticle, or fong of praife, recorded in the 
 New Teftament, compcfed by the bleOed Virgin with un- 
 fpeakable joy, for defigning her to be the inftrument of the 
 conception and birth of the Saviour of the world : Where 
 ohJtrve,\. The manner of her praife, her i'oul and fpirit 
 bear their part in the work of thanklgiving, My fwl doth 
 magnify, my fpirit hath rejoiced. As the fweeteft mufic is 
 made in the belly of the inftrument, fo the moft delightful 
 praife arifes from the bottom of the heart. 2. The objedt 
 of her praife ; fhe doth not magnify herfelf, but the Lord ; 
 yea, flie doth not rejoice fo much in her fon, as in her Savi- 
 our. Where ;;3/^, (i.) That flie doth implicitly own and 
 confefs herfelf afinner ; for none need a Saviour, buta (in- 
 ner : And (2 ) By rejoicing in Chrill as her Saviour, (lie 
 declares how (he values herfelf, rather by her fpiritual rela- 
 tion to Chrift as his member, than by naturalrelation tohim 
 as his mother, according 10 that of St. Auftin, Beatior fuit 
 IMaria percipiindo Chrijti ftdem, quam concipiendo carnem ; 
 (lie might have been miferable, notwithftanding (lie bore 
 him as her fon, had (lie not believed in him as her Saviour: 
 Therefore (lie fings. My fpirit hathrejoiced in Cod my Saviour. 
 3. How (lie admires and magni(ies God's peculiar favour 
 towards herfelf, in cafting an eye upon her poverty and 
 lowly condition > that (he, a poor obfcure maid, unk^ovl'n 
 to the world, (hould be looked upon with an eye of regard 
 by him that dwells in the highell heavens. Where «o/e. 
 That as God magni(ied her, (he magnified him, afcribing all 
 honour and glory to him that had thus dignilied and exaked 
 her. He that is mighty hath done for me gre.it things, and 
 glorified be hts r.ame. 4. She thankfully cakes notice, that it 
 was not only an high honour, but a lafting honour which 
 was confered upon her. All generations J}i ad call me blejfed. 
 She beholds an infinite lafting honour prepared for lier, as 
 being the mother of an univcrfal and everlaiting blefling, 
 which all former ages haddefired, and all I'ucceeding ages 
 fliould rejoice in, and proclaim her happy for being the in- 
 ftrument of. 5. How the holy Virgin pafTes from the con. 
 liderr.tion of her perfonal privileges to the univerfal good- 
 nels of God ; fliewing us, that the mercies and favours of 
 God were not confined and limited to herfelf. But his mercy 
 is on all them that fear him, throughout all gcneratir^ns. She 
 declares the general providence of God towards all perfons, 
 his mercy to the pious, his mercy is on all ihtm t.hut fear him; 
 hisjaftice on the proud, hehathput doivnthe mighty frcmtheir 
 fat, i)nd fcattered the proud in the imaginatior: of their hearts: 
 his bounty to the poor, he fills the hungry miih good tbivgs. 
 Learn hence, "Phe excellency and advantageous ufefulneisof 
 the grace of humility ; how good it is to be meek and low- 
 ly in h'^arr. This will render us lovely in God's eye, and 
 though the world trample upon us, he will exalt us to the 
 sdmiration of ourlelves, and the envy of our defpil'erf. 
 Lafily, How (he magnifies the i'pecial grace (if^lod in our 
 redemption, he hath holpen his fervant Ifrael ; that is, blclRd 
 
 Two things are here obfcrvchle, i . The civil couitefy of 
 the Virgin Mary towards her coulin Elifabcth. She flays 
 with her three months, probably till (he was delivered and 
 brought to bed, not leaving her juft ai; the time of her tra- 
 vail ; for the angel told Mary, ver. 36. That it was then 
 the fixlh month with Elifabcth, after which Mary ftays with 
 her three months, which made the full time. To vilit and 
 accompany our friends in the time of their diflrefs, is not 
 only an aft of civil courtcfy, but of religion and piety ; not 
 a matter of indifference, but of duty, James i. 27. Pure re- 
 ligion andundcfikdis this, to vifit in affliction ; thatis, this is 
 an eminent adt and exercife of religion, the evidence and 
 fruit of'fincere religion ; and the Virgin's cToing this, was 
 an act and inflance of her piety, as well as of her civil cour- 
 tely- 2. The religious joy, and fpiritual rejoicing, which 
 the neigboursand kindred exprefTedat thelying in of Elifa- 
 betii : They did not meet together upon that great occafion 
 only to eat and 'drink and ;_make merry ; but they rejoiced 
 that the Lord had fijewed great mercy upon her. Oh, how 
 rarely is this example followed in our age ! At the deli^'Ery 
 of the mother, and at the birth of the child, how little is 
 God taken notice of? How little is his po^cr magnified, and 
 his goodnefs celebrated in opening the womb, in giv^i^ 
 flrength to bring forth? And howraiely is this the lu'ojecT: 
 ofdifcourle atth.- woman's labour? Verily, if the mercy 
 of a child, and the fafe delivery of the mother be tlot the 
 firft and principle things taken notice of at fuch rejoicing 
 meetings, they look more like P.igan than Chriftian rejoic- 
 ings. 
 
 f' 59 And it came to pafs, that on the eighth day, 
 they Game to circumcife the child ; and they called 
 him Zacharias, after the name of his father; 60 And 
 his mother anfwcrcd, and'faid, Not fo; but he fliall 
 be called John. 61 And ibey faid unto her, There 
 is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 6 
 And they made figns unto bis father how he would 
 have him called. 6^ And he aflced for a writing ta- 
 ble, and wrote, faying, His name is John. And 
 they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth w<is opened 
 
 i in 
 
X92 
 
 St. 
 
 L 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 Ch; 
 
 \p. I- 
 
 iimnediattly, ;ind his tongue locfd, and he fpakc, 
 and pr.ufcd God. 65 And fear came on all that 
 dwelt round about them: and all thcfe fayinqs were 
 noilcd abroiul throughout the hill-country of Judca. 
 66 And all they that heard tkm, laid thtm up in 
 their hearts, faying. AVhat manner of child fliall this 
 be ? And the hand of the Lord was with him. 
 
 Ohftrve\\trt, 1 .The circunicilion cf '..lO child at eigli: 
 days old, atcordin;; to the comiiiandiiient, Gen. y.vii. where 
 A'//,-, ftrrt, Tlie .irt, c'trcu-.ncifwg;. Srciuidly, The time, 
 Jl fifht ti.tvs oil. Ood comiiunded every inrile-i-hild lu 
 bccircunKiVtd, htcaulc ihc males by the forelkiii propagate 
 lin, and coiuey orij!;in:il impurity. By this ordinance God 
 gnve his people to iiiiderlhnd the exceeding Hlthinefs of lin, 
 and that man Uriiu^,^ fomethinsr into the world with him, 
 which ought prd'ertly to be cut off. N^Je alfo, Tlie time 
 of circuiiicifing the child, alright ilaysoit: not before, 
 Itll the child (hoiild be too weak to 'bear the p-iin ; ;ind it 
 nuift not be defered longer, left God interpret the delayto 
 be a contempt of the ordinance. Hence by the wuy we 
 may leant, 'J'hat GoJ did not tie falvntion to the outward 
 fjcramcnt ; for if the child had perifhed that died uncir- 
 cumcifed, it had been an hard thing to defer cir^umcilion 
 eight hours. Ti? not the want, but the contempt and 
 iie'rleft of the facranient that damns. It cgme to pafs on 
 ihs eighth day they came to c'trcumcife the child. We find 
 in fcripture the ordinance appointed, and the time limited, 
 but neither the perfon nor the place declared; Mofes's wife 
 tlrcumc'i/td the child, and that in an inn, Exod. iv. A 
 duty is fometimes pofitively enjoined in the fcripture, when 
 the circumftanccs belonging to the duty are undetermined. 
 Thus the facrameut of the Lord's fupper is appointed by 
 Chtiit; but the time, the place, the gefture, are not pofi- 
 tively commanded, but to be prudentially determined. 
 O'cfnve 2. The name is given, or at leaft declared at the 
 time of the child's circumcifing, and that by his parents ; 
 his mother /aid hejkall he cnUedJohn. But how did the lao- 
 ther know that, when her hulband was dumb? Anjjier,' J'is 
 like her hulband Zachary had by a writing informed his 
 wife concerning tlie whole vifion, and what name was im- 
 poitd uponhini by the angel therefore fhe fays, Hejl.all he 
 called "J'-bn, andZachary ratafies it. His name is John. The 
 nomination was originally from the angel, the impofition of 
 the name is now at circumcifion froRi the parents. 3. How 
 ancient a cuftom it has been to give names to the children 
 nccording to tlie names of their fathers or kindred. There 
 is n'.r.cof thy kindred cf this naync, fay they : The Jews 
 made it a part of their religion to give fnitable names to their 
 children, and Hgnilicanr names, Accordingly they either 
 gave them narnes to put them in remembrance of God's 
 mercy to them, or of their duty to him, TliusZatharv fig- 
 \mizitlie rememhrance of Cud- v,Iiich name points at God's 
 mercy in remembering him, and his duty in remembering. 
 God. Well then, it is iifual and ulefnl for parents to give 
 figiiilicatit names to their children : Then let children have 
 nn holy ambition to make good the fignilicat ion «5f their names. 
 Thus John lignifies the grace cj Cod ; btuhow wi.l that gra- 
 cious nsme rife up in judgment agaiiill that child that is 
 gracelefs ? 4. How Zachary's fpeech is immediately reflor- 
 cdtohiai ;ipon the iiaminj^ of liis child. The angel ver. 
 
 1 
 
 20. toKl him, heJlrMldhe dumh tiH the things he had told I' 
 fhould leptrfortned : and no. v that they were per:or:»ci;, 
 his torque is lo-fed, and he praifcd Cod in a moil thankful tn-.n- 
 ner. <. The effect which all this had upon the ncighL.nir- 
 hood -Fear came upon all them that dwelt round ahou: the;. 
 that is, an awful and religious fear of GoJ, occafio.^.ed by 
 thefc miraculous operations ; and they laid up ihefe fayirg: 
 in their heat Is ; that is, conlldercd of them, and pondered 
 upon them. It argues a very vain fpirit and temper of 
 i:iind, when we pafs over the obfervaiion of God's v.ondcr- 
 ful ads with a flight regard. The true reafon why we do 
 fo little admire the wonderful ads 01 God, is becaufe we 
 confider fo little ol them. 6. The fpecial favour vouchfaf- 
 ed by God to this child John, The hand of the Lord -was upor. 
 him ; that is, God was in a fpecial manner prefent with him, 
 to dircfl and afi'.l^ him, to protect and profper him. The 
 hand of God in fcripture (ignifies the help of God, the 
 ftrength and afii{lance of God. The hand of man is a 
 weak and impotent hand, a fliort and ineffetflual hand ; but 
 the hand of God, is a ftrong hand, an almighty hand, able 
 to aflifl and help, able to proted and preferve : Th.- hand rf 
 thi Lord was -jjith him ; that is, the hand of God and the help 
 of God, the love and favour of God to fupporthim, the pow- 
 er and providence of God to proteft and preferve him. Lord, 
 let our hearts be with thee, and then thy heart and thy help- 
 ing hand will be with us. 
 
 e-j 5 And his father Zacharias was filled with the 
 holy.Ghofl, and prophefied, faying, 68 Bleiled be 
 the Lord God of Ifrae], for he hath vifited and re- 
 deemed his people, 69 And hath raifed up an horn 
 of falvation for us in the houle of his fervant David, 
 70 As he fpakc by the mouth of his holy prophets, 
 which have been fmce the world began; 71 That 
 we Ihould be favcd from our enemies, and from the 
 hand of all that hate us ; 72 To perform the mtr- 
 cy promijedlo our fathers, and to remember his holy 
 covenant, 73 The oath which he fware to our fa- 
 ther Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, 
 that we, being delivered out of the hand of our ene- 
 mies, might fcnc him without fear, 75 Inholinels 
 and rightcoufnefs before him, all the days of our life, 
 76 f And thou, child, flialt be called the prophe 
 of the Highcft : for thou fhalt go before the face oi 
 the Lord, to prepare his ways ; "^y To give know- 
 ledge of falvation unto his people, by the reminTion 
 of their fins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our 
 God ; whereby the day fpring from on high hath vi- 
 fited us, 79 To give light to them that fit in dark- 
 nefs, and in the fliadow of death, to gtiide out feet 
 into the way of peace. 
 
 Here ohferve, t. That no fooner was Zacliary recovered 
 and reftored to his fpeech but he lings the praifes of his Re- 
 deemer, and otiers np a thanksgiving to (»od : The belt 
 return we can mjke to God for the ufe of our tongue, tor 
 the giving or reftoring of ou*- fpeech, is to puhlifiiour Cre- 
 ator'spragP^to plead liis caufe, an<i vindicate his honour. 1. 
 What it ii that Zachaiy luakcs the iubjefi-maiter of his 
 
 long 
 
'Ca-CP, I. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 »93 
 
 fon": What is the particular nnd fpecial mercy which he 
 prarfcs ami blcfTcs God for. It is not for his own particular 
 end private mercy; namely, the recovery of his fpecch, 
 though undoubhtedly he was very thankful to God for tliat 
 mercy ; but he blelFcs and praifes God for catholic and iini- 
 verfal mercies bellowed upon his church and people: He doth 
 not fay, BlelFed be the Lord God of Ifrael, that hath vifitcd 
 me in his mercy, and hath once more loofed my tongue, and 
 rcftored my fpecch ; But, BkJJ'ed be the Lord that hath vifitcd 
 and redeemed hh people. Whence /ffl/-w, that it is both the du- 
 ty and difpofition of a gracious foul to abound in praife and 
 thankfulncfs to God, more for catholic and univerfal mercies 
 towards the Church of God, than for any particular and pri- 
 vate mercies, how great focvcr, towards Iiimlelf. BlcJJ'r/i he 
 Cod for vif.ting and redeeming his people. Ohjenr 3. In this c- 
 vancclical liymn there is a prophetical prcdiclion, both con- 
 cerning Chritl, and concerning John. Concerning Chrift 
 he declares, that God the Father had fent him of his free 
 ^uiercy and rich grace, yet in performance of his truth and 
 laithfulncfs ; and according to his promife and oath which 
 he had made to Abraham and the fathers of the Old Tefta- 
 iiicnt. Where note (i.) He blefles God tor the comprchenfive 
 blcfling of the Meir\ah, Bhjpd he the hrd God cf Ifrael, nvho 
 hath vifited, his people \ namely, in his'Son's incarnation. The 
 Lord jefiis Chrift, in the fulnefs of time, made fuch a vifit to 
 this finful world, as men and angel? admire at, and will ad- 
 mire to all eternity. (2.) The fpccial fruit and benefit of 
 this gracious and merciful vifitation, and that was the re- 
 demption of a loft world ; he hath vifited and re-leetncd his 
 people. T. his implies that miferable thraldom and bondage 
 which we were under to fm and fatan, and exprcfTes the ftu- 
 pendous love of Chrift, in buying our lives with his deareft 
 blood ; and both by price and power refcuing us ^out of the 
 hands of our fpiritual enemies. (3.) The charafter given 
 of this Saviour and redeemer; he is an horn of fidvation; that 
 is, a royal and glorious, a ftrong and powcriul Saviour to 
 his church and people. The horn in Icriplure figiiifies glo- 
 ry and dignity, ftrength and power; as the bcautv, fo ihc 
 ftrcngth of the beaft lies in its horn; Now Chrift being 
 ftyled an horn of falvation, intimates, that he himfelf is a 
 royal antl princely Saviour, and that the Salvation, which he 
 brings is great and plentiful, glorious and powerful : God 
 hath rafed up an horn of falvation for us in the houfe of his fr- 
 vant David. (4.) The nattire and quality of that falvation 
 .nnd deliverance which the Son of God came to accomplilh 
 for us: not a temporal deliverance, as the Jews expected, 
 from the power of the Romans ; but fpiritual, frojji the hands 
 of fin and Satan, death ard hell : his defigii was to purchafe 
 a fpiritual freedom and liberty for tis, that we might he enabled 
 to ftrve him xvithout fear \ th.it is, without the fervile and of- 
 Icndingfcar of a flave, btit with the dutiful and ingenuous fear 
 
 i of a child : and this in hclinefs and right eoificfs ; that is, in 
 the duties of the firft and fecond table, all the days of our life. 
 Lrnrn hence. That believers who were flaves of Satan, are by 
 Chrift made God's free men. Secondly, That as fuch, they 
 cnye Goda fcrvice, a willing, cheerful, anddelightftd fervice» 
 withoTit tcsr; and a conftan! p-.-rfevering fcrvice all the davsof 
 their life, that we being delivered out of the hands, kc. 5. The 
 fource and lountain from whence this dorious Saviour and 
 
 gracious falvatisn didar'.fe aud fpring, namely, from the mer- 
 cy and faithfulnefs of God ; To perform the mercy promifcd ti 
 our forefathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which 
 he fxvare to our father Abraham. Learn hence. That the Lord 
 Jefiis Chrift, the mercy of mercies, was gracioufly promifed, 
 and faithfully performed by God to his church and people. 
 Chrift was a free and full mercy ; a fuitable, a feafona- 
 ble, and a fatisfying [^mercy ; an incomparable, unfcarch- 
 ahlc, and everlafting mercy ; which God gracioufly promifcd 
 in the beginning of time, and faithfully performed in the fulnefs 
 of time'Thus far this hymn of Zachary refpedls the MelTiah. 
 Obferve 4. How he next turns himfelf to his child, and pro- 
 phecies concerning him : And thou, child, Jhall be railed the 
 froplet of ll.'c Iligheil, &:c. N'.tc (i .jTlic nattire of his (.ft'ce, 
 thou /halt be a pr'phet ; not a coinmon and ordinarv ( ne, but ;i 
 prophet of the higheft rank ; the mtUcnger of the Lord of 
 hofts. A prophet thou ftialt be, and more thana prophet. fa.) 
 As the nature of his office, fo the quality of his'work. "Jhou 
 fhclt go before the Lord, to prepare his iiai : Tliou.ftjalt be an 
 herald and harbinger to to the Moft High, thou fli.iltgobtfcire 
 the face of the Mcftias, and by thv fcvcre reproofs, and power- 
 ful exhoitations, fliall prepare his way before him, and make 
 men fit to receive this mighty Saviour. Thou, child, llialt 
 be as the morning ft.nr, t^ foretel the glorious arifmg of this 
 Sun of rightcoufnefs. I.earn hence (i.) That it is the high- 
 eft honour and dignity to ferve Chrift in the quality and rela- 
 (ion of a prophet. (2.) That it is the ofFce and duty of the 
 prophets of Chrift to prepare and make fit the hearts of ir.cn 
 to receive and embrace him. 5. That Zachary having Jpok- 
 cn a fe-\v words concerning his fon, he returns inftantly toce- 
 Icbrate the praifes of our Saviour, comparing him to the rifing 
 f^un, which ihined forth in the brightnefs of iiis gofpel, to en- 
 lighten the dark corners of the world Through the tc-nder mercies 
 of our God, whereby the day-fpring from on high hath vifitcd us, 
 to give light to them that fit in dnrkr.cfs. Learn hence ( I . ,Thai 
 Jelus Chrift is that true Sun of rightcoufnefs, which in the 
 fulnefs of time did fpiring from en high to vifjt a loll and un- 
 done world. (2.) That the great -errand of Chrifts coming 
 into the world, and the particular end of his appearing in the 
 flefti, was to give light to them that fit in darhicf'. (3.; That 
 it was nothing lefs than an infinite mercy, and bowclsof com- 
 paftion in God and Chrift, which inclined him to Come from 
 on high to vifit them that fit in darknefs : Through the tender 
 bowels of mercy in our God, whereby his own anilouly Son 
 fprung from on high to vifit i:s here below, who fat in darknefs 
 and tl-.efhadow of death ; and to guide our feet into the way 
 that leads to everlafting peace. 
 
 80 And the child grew, and wnxed flrong infpi- 
 rit, and was in the del'crts till the day of hisfhcwin^j 
 unto liVacl. 
 
 Here we have a fliort account of John's private lite before 
 he entered upon his pid)lic miniftr), which was at thirty year? 
 of age; He grcw,x\\zt\s, in bodily ftature, and ivaxed flrong 
 infpirif i that is, in the gifts and graces of the holy Spirit, 
 whicl'iiicreafed with his age, and fticvvid ihemfilves inhime- 
 very day more and more. Jnd be was in the deferts; that is,the 
 moununious country of Judca, where he was born, .till the 
 
 B B tin\e 
 
'34 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 Chat. {. 
 
 time of his piearhing t«, and am«r»ftthe J^ws ; nol that he 
 lived like a hermit, reciufL' from all fo.icty with men, but 
 comcntcd liiinfclf to continue in an obfciirc privacy, till called 
 forth to promulae and preach the gofpcl : And when that 
 time was coir.e, John leaves the hill country, and enters ^virll 
 unwearied diligence upon his ininillry : Jiachhig us, by his 
 example, That when we arc fit and ri[)e for public fervicc, 
 we fhouki no kfs willingly leave our obfi.uritv, than when wc 
 took the benefit of it for our preparation. John »bode in the 
 dejertstill his fheivlng unto Ifrael ; that is, till tlic time of his 
 fetting forth to execute his odice among the Jews. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 N D it came to pafs in thofe days, that there 
 
 A 
 
 wont out a decree from Caefar Aguflus, that 
 all the world fhould be taxed. 2 (And this ta.xing 
 was firfl made when Cyrenius was governor of Sy- 
 ria). 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into 
 his own city. 4 And Jofeph alio went up from Ga- 
 lilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto 
 the city of David, which is called Bethlehem ; bccaufe 
 lie was of the houfe and lineage of David : 5 To 
 be ta.ved, with his efpoufcd wile, being great with 
 child. 6 ? And fo it was, that while they were 
 there, the days were accomplifhed that flie fhould 
 be delivered. 7 And (he brought forth her firft-born 
 Ion, and wrapped him in fwaddling clothes, and 
 laid him in a manger; becaufe there was no room 
 for them in the inn. 
 
 The conclufion of the former chapter acquainted us with 
 the birth ot John the Baptifl ; the beeinning of this chapter 
 relates the birth of our S;iviour Jefus Chrift, and the remar- 
 kable circumftsnces which did attend it. And here wc have 
 ahfervabk, I. The place where he was born, not at Nazareth, 
 but at Bethlehem, according to the prcdidion of the prophet 
 Micah, chap. v. 2. And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Jiidah 
 mrt not the haft among the princes of ytiduh, for out cfthce fhall 
 torn: a governor that (hall rule my people Ifrael. We may fup- 
 pofe thattheblcffcd Virgin little thoiit;ht of changing her place 
 but to have been delivered of her holy burden at Nazareth, 
 where it wasconccivcd. Her houfeat Nazsreih, was honoured 
 by the prefence of the angel ; yea, by the overfhadowing 
 power of the holy Ghoft : That houfe there, we may fup- 
 pofe, was moft fatifTadory to the Virgin's defire. }3ut he 
 that made choice of the womb where his Ton fhouki be con- 
 ceived it ■was fit he lljould alfo cliufc the place where his Son 
 ftiould be born. And this place, many himdrcd years before 
 the nativity, was foretold llionld be Bethlehem, i. How rc- 
 nurkable the providence of God was in bringing the Virgin 
 up from Nazareth to Bethlehem, that Chrilt, as it was pro- 
 phefied of him, might be born there. Auguilus, the Roman 
 emperor, to whom the nation of the Jews was now become 
 tributary, puts forth a decree, that all the Roman empire (hould 
 have their namesar.d families enrolled, in order to their bemg 
 taxed. This edict required, that every family (hould repair 
 to that city to which they did belong to be enrolled and taxed 
 there. Accordingly Jofeph and Mary, being of the houfe and 
 lineage of David, have recourfc to Bethlehem, tliccity of Da- 
 fid, where, according to the prophecy, the Mefliss was to 
 
 be born. Here n-He, How the wif4oni of God over-rules the 
 aftions of men, for higher or nobler ends than what ihey aim- 
 ed at. The emperor's aim by thisedi<5l was to fill his coffers; 
 God's end was to fulfil his prophecies. 3. How readily Jo- 
 feph and Miry yid led obedience to the edidt and decree of 
 this hc.Ttiicn emperrif. It was no lefs than four days journey 
 from Nazareth to Bethlehem : How jufl an excufe might the 
 Virgin have pleaded for her abllnce ? What woman ever 
 undertook fo hazardous a journey, that was fonear her delivery \ 
 And Jofeph, no doubt, was fulfil iently unwilling to draw her 
 forth into fo maiiifift a hazard. But as ihc cmperor'scommand 
 WIS fo prer^mptory, fo their ohd'cnce was exemplary. Wo 
 mufl not plead diificuly for withdrawing our obedience to fu- 
 preme commands. How did our bkiled Saviour, even in the 
 womb of his mo'her.vicl.l homise to civil rules and gnern- 
 ors ! the firlt leflim which Chrilfs example lauaht the world, 
 was loyalty and (bedicnce to the (upreme magilfrate. 4. Af- 
 ter many weary Heps, the holy Virgin comes to Betfilchem, 
 where every houfe is taken up by reafon of the great conflu- 
 ence of people that came to be taxed ; and there is "no room f r 
 Chrifl but in a ftahlc : The flnblc is our Lord's palace, the 
 manger is his cr.-»dlc. Oh, how can we be abafed low enough 
 for him that thus negleded himfclf for us! What anearlyin- 
 dication was this, that our Lord's kingdom was not of this 
 world 1 Yet fome obferve a myflery in all this :' An inn 
 is domus puhlici juris, not a private houfe, btit open and 
 free for all paiTcngers, and the ftable is the commoneft 
 place in the inn ; to mind us, that he who was born there, 
 would be a common S.niour to high and low, nible and bife, 
 rich and prx)r, Jew and G -utile ; call d therefore f.> often the 
 Son of man ; the defign of his birth being for the benefit of 
 mankind. 
 
 8 ? And there were in the fame country Ihep- 
 herds abidin:^ in the field, keeping watch over their 
 flockliy night, g And lo, the an^el of the Lord 
 came upon them, and the, glory of the Lord flione 
 round about them; and they were fore afraid. 10 
 And the angel faid unto them, Fear not : for behold, 
 I bring you good tidings of great joy, v/hichfliall be to 
 all people. 1 1 For unto you is born this day; in the 
 city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrifl the Lord. 
 12 And this fliall be a fign unto you ; Ye fhall find 
 the babe wrapped m fwaddling clothes, lying in a 
 manger. 
 
 Here wetiave tlie promulgation, andfirftpublifliing of our 
 Saviour's birth to the world. The angel faid unto the (liepherdi 
 I Lring you glad tidings. A Saviour is born. "Whcic cfferve, 
 I. The meilengers employed by God to publilh the joyful 
 news of a Saviour's binh ; the holy angels, heavenly melTcn- 
 gers employed about a heavenly work : It is worth notice, 
 how ferviceablc the angels were to Chrii^ upon all occafions, 
 when he was here upon earth ; an angel declares his concep- 
 tion ; an hofl •>f nncels publilli his birth ; in his temptation, 
 an angel ftrengthenshim ; in his agony, an angel comforts him; 
 at his refurreaion, an angel rolls' away the ftcne from tha 
 door of the fepulchre ; at his afcenfion, the angels attend iiim 
 up to heaven ; and.it his fecond coming to judge the world he 
 fhall be revealed /row heaven with his holy angels. And great 
 reafon there i^that ths angels fhould be thus officious in their 
 
 at 
 
Chap, it. 
 
 £t. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 »95 
 
 attendances upon Chrirt, who is an head of confirmation tb them, 
 as he was an head of redemption to fallen man. 2. 
 Tlieperfon's to whom this joyful meflage of a Saviour's birth 
 is firlt brought, and they are the Hiepherdj. The angel Jaid 
 nnto the /hfpherds, Fear not. [i.) Becaufe Chri(l tht great 
 flicpherd of his churcli was come into the world. (2.) Be- 
 caufe he was of old promifed to ihephcrds, the old patriarchs, 
 Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, who by thiir occupation were 
 flicpherds. 3. The time when thefe fhcpherds had the ho- 
 nour of this revelation ; it was not when they were aflecp on 
 their beds of idlcnefs and floth, but when they were lying a- 
 broad,and watching their flocks. The bleflings of heaven u- 
 fuallymcet U5 in the way of an honefl and induftrious dili- 
 gence ; whereas the idle are fit for nothing hut temptation to 
 work upon. Ifthefe fhepherds had been fnoringin their bedy, 
 they had no more fcen angels, nor yet heard the news ot a 
 Saviour, than their neighbours. 4. The nature and quality 
 of the mefiagc which the angel brought, it was a melFage of 
 joy, a mcdage oi grent jcy, a meflage oi great joy unto all people. 
 For here w as born a Son, that Son a Prince, that PrinccaSa- 
 viour, that Saviour not a particular Saviourof the Jews only, 
 I but an univcrfal Saviour whofe /alvalton is to the ends cf the 
 emrth. Well might the angel call it a melTage, or glad tidings 
 of great joy unto all people. 5. The ground and occafion of 
 this joy, the foundation of all this gocxl news which was pro- 
 claimed in the ears of a loft world : And that was the birth of 
 a S.aviour, ver. 11. Zir(7r?j hence, (i.) That the incarnation 
 and birth of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and his manifeftatoin in 
 our flefti and nature, was and is matter of exceeding joy and 
 rejoicing unto all piople. (2.) That the great end and defign 
 of our Lord's incarnation, and corning into the world, wasto 
 be the Saviour of loft finners: Unto you isbcr,i a Saviour; which 
 is Chriji the Lord. 
 
 13 And fiiddcnly there was with the angel a mul- 
 titude of the heavenly hofl, praifini^ God, and faying, 
 J 4 Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace, 
 good- will towards men. 
 
 Although the birth of ourblefTed Saviour was publifhed by 
 one angel, yet it is celebarted by an hoft of angels; a whole 
 choir of angels chant forth the praifes of almighty GckI, upon 
 this great and joyful occafion. Here obferve,i. The fingers. 
 2. The fong itfclf. The fingers of this heavenly anthem are 
 holy angels; called «■« /^s/?, partly for their number, and partly 
 for thei'r order. Where /r^zn?, (i.) The goodnefs and fweet 
 difpofition of thefe blciredfpii its, inwhofcbofom that canker- 
 ed pafllon has no place , if it had, there was neveafuch an oc- 
 cafion to ftir it up as now : But heaven admits of no fuch paf- 
 fion ; envy isa native of hell, it is the fmoke of the bottomlcfs 
 pit, the charadlcr and temper of the apcftate fpiri'.s: thefe 
 rrrieve at the happincfs of man, as m.uch as the angels rejoice, 
 b ye bleffed angels, what did thefe tidings concern you, that 
 ruined mankind fhoiild be taken again into favour ; whereas 
 fhofe of yourown hoft, which fell likcwife, remained tlill in 
 thatgulph of perdition, into which their fin had plimgcd them, 
 without either hope of mercy, or poffibility of recovery ? the 
 lefs we repine at the good, and the more we rejoice at the hap- 
 pincfs of others, the more like we are to the holy angels ; yea, 
 the more we refemble God himfelf. (2.) Did the angels thus 
 joy and rejoice for us ? Then what joy ought we to exprcfs 
 for ourfelvcs? Had we the tongue cf jn^els,^e cotiW r.ot 
 
 fufficicntly cltant forth the praifts of our Redeemer. Eterni- 
 ty itfelf would bo too fhort to fpond irr the rapturous contem- 
 platbn of redeeming mercy. 3. The anthem or fong itfelf, 
 which begins with a doxology. Glory be to Gid inlhehighe/l; 
 that is, let God in the hii;hefl heavens be glorified by the an- 
 gelsthatdwcll on high. The angelical choir excite thcmfilves, 
 and all the hoft of angels, to give glory to God for thcfc won- 
 derful tidings ; asifthey had faid, "Let the power the wif- 
 dom, the goodnefs and incrcy of God, be acknowledged and 
 revered by all the hoft of heaven forever and ever." Next to 
 the doxology follows a gratulation : Glory be to God in the 
 \n^c^, for their is peace on earth, tind good-ui II tnvards men. 
 ThcbirthofChrift has brought a peace of reconciliation betwixt 
 God and man upon earth ; andalioa pieccofamity and concord 
 betwixt man and man, and is therefore to be celebrated with ac- 
 clamations of joy, 
 
 15 And itcame to pafs, as the angels wdre gone 
 away from them into heaven, the fhepherds faid one 
 to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, 
 and fee this thing which has come to pafs, which the 
 Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they 
 came with hafte, and found Mary and Jofeph. and 
 the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they 
 had feen it, they made known abroad the fiiying 
 which was told them concerning this child. 28 And 
 all they thatheardit, wonderedat thofe things which 
 were told them by the fliepherds. 19 But Mary 
 kept all thefe fayings, and pondered them in her heart. 
 20 And the fhepherds returned glorifying and prailing 
 God for all the things that they-had heard and feen, as ic 
 was told unto them. 
 
 Several particulars are here ohfervible, as, I. That the 
 fhepherds nofooner heard the news of a Saviour, but they ran 
 to Bethlehem to feek him ; and though it was'at midnight, yet 
 they delayed not to go. Thofe that left their beds 10 attend 
 their flocks, now leave their flecks to enquire after their Savi- 
 our. Learn \.\\cncc, That a gracious fmil nofooner hears where 
 Chrift is, but iiiftantly inakes out after him, and judges no 
 earthly comfort too dear to be left and forfaken for hiir. 
 Thefe fhew, that they prefercd their Saviour before flieep. 1. 
 Thefe fhepherds having found Chrift thcmftlves. do make 
 him known unto others, ver. 17. Z.'^arn, That fuch as havr' 
 found Chrili to their comfort, and taftcd that the Lord is 
 gracious to thcmftlves, cannot hut recommend 1 im to the love 
 and admiration of others. %. What efFcft thih relation had 
 upon the generality of pcopte that heard it ; it wrought in 
 them amazement and aftoniftimeiit, but not faith : 7 he pec- 
 pie zio'^dered, but not believed. It is not the hcarinsr of Chrift 
 with the hearing of the ear, ror the feeing of Chrift wi hthe 
 outward eye; nciihcr the hearing ot his doftrinc, nor the fight 
 of his miracles, will work divine faith in the foul, without the 
 concurring operation of the hrly Spirit: The cffcft which 
 thefe things had upon Mary, quite different from what they 
 had upon the common people; they zv:r.deri-d, Jhe pondered ; 
 the things that affe£ttd their heads influenced her heart ; Sht 
 kept all thofe fciyings, ar.d pjndercd them in her heart. 
 
 2 1 % .And when ci^ht days were accompli Ihcd for ' 
 
 R B 2 thr 
 
39^ 
 
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 Chap, rt 
 
 the circumcifin» of the child, his name was called 
 Jesus, which v/as fo named of the angel before 
 he was conceived in the womb. 
 
 Two things are here o^mi/Wif, i. Our Saviour's circiim- 
 cifion, and tnc name given him at lus criuincifion, Tiicre 
 «as no impurity in the Son of GoJ, anilyct he iscircumcifcd, 
 iind baptized alCo, though he had ncitiicr fihh nor forcdcin, 
 whicli wanted cither tlie circunicilint; knife, or the baptifmal 
 ■v\'ater,yei lie conilefcends lo be botii circumciftdand baptized; 
 thereby llicwing that as he was made of awonian, Co he would 
 be made under the law, which he punfliially obfervcd to a 
 little. And accordingly, he was not oiilycircunicifed, but cir- 
 i'liincifed the tii;htliday, as theceremoniallaw required: And 
 thus our Lord /Ji^W.'^ (7/7 r;V/'/.-5(<//;</j(, Mat. iii. 15. 2. The 
 ii.inic gi\ en at our SayioiKS tirctmicifion, His name uvis call- 
 etl'Jejus: that i^, a Saviour, he being to f rive his people from 
 tie'rfins. Matt", i. 21. The great end of Chrift's con-iing 
 into the vvorld was to fave pcrfoiis from the piuiiihincnt and 
 power of their fins. Had he not faved.iis from our fins, we. 
 midt ha\e died in our fins, anddied for our fins, andthateter- 
 II illy. Never let us then fit down defpondins:, cither under 
 ih-.' guil', or under ihe power of our fins; and coiuhulc, that 
 thev are either To great, that they cannot be forgiven, or fo 
 Hro.ng that they can never bo overcome. 
 
 22 ? And when the days of her purification, ac- 
 cordin:j to the law of Mofcs, were accomplifhed they 
 brought hitn to ferufalcm, to prefent him to (he 
 Lord ; 23 ( As it is wnttcn in the law of the Lord, 
 Every male that openeth the womb fhall be called 
 holy to the Lord ;) 24 And to olFcra facrifire, ac- 
 cordin;j to that which is laid in the law of the Lord, 
 A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. 
 
 A twofold adl of obedience doth the h(^ly Virgin here per- 
 form to two ceremonial laws ; the one conccrningtlie purifi- 
 cation of women after child-birth, the other concerning the 
 prtfenting the male-child before the Lord. The law con- 
 cerning the puiificat ion of women we have recorded, Levit. 
 -xii. where tlie time mentioned for t!ie woman's purification 
 is fet down ; namely, after a male child forty tkiys, after a fe- 
 male foinjcre days : After which time Ihe was to bring a- 
 iamb of (I year old for a burnt offering, in cafe flie wasa pcrfon 
 ot ability ; or a pair of -tujik dtn/ts, or tu)0 young pigeoiii-, in 
 cafe of extreme po\crty. Now as fothe Virgin's purificati- 
 on, ol'fcrvc, I. That no fooner was flic able to \valk, but fiic 
 travels to the temple. Where note, that fhc vifited God's 
 honfi: at Jerufidtm before her own houfe at N.izareth. Leant 
 thence, That fuch women whom God has blelfed with fafety 
 of deliverance, if they make not tiieir firft vilit to the temple 
 of God, to offer up their praifes and thankfgivings there, they 
 iire fttangers to the Virgin's piety and devotion. 2. Another^ 
 aft of Mary's obedience to the ceremonial law : She prefent- 
 c(l her child at Jerufalein to the Lord. But how durft the 
 Lleffed Virgin carry her holy babe to Jcrufilcm, into Herod's 
 momh ? It was but a little before that Herod fiiuyht the young 
 child's life to deflroy it ; yet the holy Virgin fticks not, in c- 
 bedience to the commands of Go<l, to carry him to Jertifalem, 
 Learn hence, That no apprehenfion of clangors, cither immi- 
 nent or approaching, either at hand or afar off", ought to hin- 
 der u: from pcrforniingour duty to almighty God: Wc ought 
 
 not fo neglccl a certain duty, to cfcape an uncertain danger- 
 Farther, Ar.thc obedience, fo the humility ofthe holy Virgin,, 
 in fubmitiif>g to the law for purifying of uncleannefs : For 
 thus (he might have pleaded, "What need have I of purging, 
 who did not conceive in fiti ? Other births arc from men, but 
 mine is from the Holy Ghoft, u ho i.< purity iifelf : Other 
 women's children are under the law, but mine is above the 
 law." But like the mother of him whom it behoved to fulfil 
 all rightcoufners, (lie dutifully fulfils the law of God without 
 qiwrrellingordifputing. Lallly, As. the exemplary humility, 
 10 the great poverty ot the IrJv Virgin : She has not u iamb, 
 but comes with her two doves to God. Her oftcriiig declares 
 htr penury. The beft are fometimcs the poorcft, fcldom the' 
 vvcalthiell ; yet nt.ne are fo poor, but God expects an offer- 
 ing from them: He looks for fomcwhat from every one, not 
 from every one alike. The providence of God it is that m; kts 
 a difference in perfons abilitiey, but his pleafuj-e will make no 
 difference in the acceptation: fVhere there is a willing minu, it 
 Jhall be accepted according t<i ivhat a perjon hath ^ % Cor. viii. 
 12. 
 
 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerufalcm, 
 whole name -wai Simeon ; and the fame man a'fli jufl: 
 and devout waitn^ forthe confolation of HVael : and 
 tiic Holy Gholl was upon him. 26 And it was re- i 
 vealed unto hiin by the Holy Ghofl, that he fliould 
 not fee death before he had feeii the Lord's Chrift. 
 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and 
 when the parents brought in the child Jcfus, to dolor 
 him after the cufloin of the law, 28 Then took he 
 liim up in his arms, and blefled God, and laid, , 
 
 No fooner was our Saviour brought into the temple, and 
 p.refcnled to the Lord by his devout parents, but in fpiingsold 
 Simeon, a pious and devout man, vvho had a revelation from 
 G(xl, that he fliould not die, until he had, with his own 
 mortal eyes, feen the promifed Melfiah. Accordingly, He 
 tales up the child Jejus in his arms, but hugs him faflcr by his 
 faith, than by his feeble arms, and with rr.vilhment of heart, 
 prail'os God for the fight of his Saviour, whom he calls //«• 
 cmifolatim cf. Ifrccl ; that is, the Mcfliah, whom the Ifratl of 
 God had long looked and waited for, and now tcick comfort and 
 confolation in. A'e/f here, i. HowGod always'performs his 
 promifes to his children with wonderful advantages. Sirresn 
 had a revelation, that he fliould not die till he had (een Chrifl: 
 Now he not only fees him, but tcels him too; he not only, 
 has liim in l^s eye, but holds him in his hands. Though God 
 flays long before he fulfils liis promife^, he certainly comes at , 
 lalt with a double reward for our e.xpedlation. 2. That the 
 coming of the MelTiah in the fulnefs of time, and his appear- 
 ing in our flefb and nature, was and is matter of tmfpcskable 
 confolation to the Ifrael of God. And now that he is come, 
 let us live by faith in him, as the foundation of all comfort and 
 confolation both in life and death. Alas! what are all other 
 confolations bcfides this, and without this ? They are impo- 
 tent and infiiflicient ccnf lations, they are dying .and peri/lia- 
 ble confolations; n.iy. 'hey are fiimctimcsafflidlive and difirelf- 
 ing confolations. The bittcinefs accompanying them, is 
 fometimes more than the fwcctnefs that is tafted in them. JJut 
 in Chrift, who \s. ihe conjolat'cn 'f Ijracl, there islight without 
 datknefs, joy without forrow, all confolation without any mix- 
 ture of difcoinfSrt. 
 
 29 Lord 
 
Chap. ir. 
 
 Sr. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 197 
 
 29 Lord, now lettefl thou thy fervant depart in 
 peace, acrordincj to thy word : 30 For mine eyes 
 have fccn thy (alvation, 31 Which thou hafl pre- 
 pared before the face of all people; 32 A light to 
 lighten tjie Gentiles, and th.e glory of thy people If- 
 rel. 33 And Joleph and his trothcr inarrclled at 
 thofe things which werefpokcn of him. 
 
 Thcfc words are a fweet CEmicli', or fwan-like forgof old 
 Simeon, a little before his dllloiiitlon. He had feenthc Mef- 
 fias before by fai;h, now by fight, and wiflicsto have his eyes 
 elofed, that he miiiht fee nothing afterthisdciirable fight, ft 
 is faid of fomc Turk";, that after ihey have fccn Mahoinct's 
 tomb, ihey put out their lycs, that they n.ay r.cverdcfiiethcin 
 after they have fecn fo^loiiiiis aiiobjetl: Thus old Simeon 
 dcfires to fee no more < f tliis world, after he had fccn Chrift 
 the Saviour of the world ; but fues for his difmiiFion, Lore/, 
 L-l thyfervar.t Heparr. Kete here, i. That a good man having 
 ferved his gtncraii'T, nndGod in his generation faithfully, is 
 weary otthewoild, and ^vi Ming to be difn^illi-d from it. 2. 
 That the death of a ^ord man is nothing dfe but a quiet and 
 penceable departure ; it i' a departure in petice to the God of 
 pc'Ce. That it b only a (pi ritual fight of Chrifl by faith that 
 can welcome the aj>prn>chof death, and rcnderit anobjedl de- 
 defir-ble to the Chiiltians choice ? he only that can fay, My 
 eves he,tie fern thy JalviilUn, will be able to fay, Lirel, id tly 
 Jtfoanl depart. Fait!er, Hrly Simeon having declared the 
 ' ihtuhufsot God to I iiiifill in the gift of Chrift, next he 
 
 !.bra'es 'he mercy oi God in btilowint' this invrlnable gift 
 of a Sa\ io'.ir upon the whole world. The world eonfifls of 
 J.ws and Gentiles : Chrill is alight to the one, and 11 e glary 
 of theotiier. A light to the blind and dark Gen'ilij, and tiie 
 glory of the renowned church of the Jews ; tlicMtflias being 
 proiiiifeJ to them, born and bredwith them, living amongli 
 them, preaching his doflrine to them, and \\oikinghis mira- 
 cles before them : And thus was Q\\nii the glory of his people 
 Ifr~c!. 
 
 34 And Simeon blelfed them, and' faid unto 
 Mary his mother, liehold, this cA;7.i is fct for the fall 
 and riling again of many in Ifrael : and for a fign 
 which fhall be fpoken atainfl. ; 35 ( Yea a fword 
 fhall pierce through thy own foul alfo) that the 
 thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 
 
 Two things areh(re'obfervcd, Simeon's bleflii^g, and Sim- 
 eon's predidion. He bkjfed ticm \ that is, the parents and 
 the child Jcfiis ; not authorita'ively, but prophetically, de- 
 claring how' God would bkfs them. His prediiSt ion is two- 
 fold, (i.) Concerning Chrift. (2.) Concerning his mother. 
 Concerning Chriit, Simeon declaies, that he Ihould be /,v 
 ihe rife of many in Ifrael : I a nelv, all fuch as fhould embrace 
 and obey his dcdhinc, and imitate and follow his example : 
 ZTi'ifor the fall of otlters \ that is, (hall bring puniihinent and 
 ruin upon all obdurate and impenitent iinners : and 3 fign to 
 be fpoken -^igtrnfl ; that is, he fhall be as a mark for obllinate 
 finncrs to fct themfelves againft. Chrift himfclt, when here 
 in the world, was s ftone offiumhling, and a rack cf offence, to 
 the men of the world ; enduring the contradiHions off inner s a^ 
 gain/} himjelf, both the virulcni.'e of their tonL'ues, and the v i- 
 oknce ot their hands. Doub;leff God's fiift dcligu in fending 
 t'Jiis Son into the world, was, That thnugh him the woild might 
 
 hefaved, John iii. 16. but to fucTt pcrfons whole minJn had 
 no lelifh for fpiritvrl tMigs, he hct:rr.e cc.idcnially 
 a ftone of ftumbiing and a rock of otl'tncc. S^condlv, 
 Concerning the n^othcr of Chrift, Simeon declares, that thi 
 fight of her Sen's bitter fufferip^-s, would, like ayt'.5;v/, plercr 
 herhenrl : For thouuh he might be born yet fhould he not die* 
 without the pains of hismother : as if the throes fuffc red by o- 
 thcr women at the birth, were referved for her to endure ar 
 the death of her Son. The filfTerings of the holy Jefusoi: 
 the crofs, were as a fword or dagger at the heart of the holy 
 Virgin ; and fhe fiiftlred ^^i;h h.im, both .-;s a tender inothei, 
 aiid as a fympath.i7.ing member of his body: Yea, fu.'i'ercJ 
 martyrdom after him, faith Epiphanius. 
 
 36 And there was one Anna a prophetels, tlici 
 daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Afer : flic was. 
 of a great age, and had lived' with an hiifband (even 
 years from her virginity; 37 And fhe was a widow 
 of about fourfcore and four years, v/hicli departed 
 not from the temple, but ferved God with faftki'TS. 
 and prayers night and day. 38 And Ihe coming in- 
 that infiant gave thanks likewife unto the Lord, and 
 fpake of him to-all them that looked for redemption 
 in Jerufalem, 
 
 Simeon is fecondcd by Anna,, a propiwters ; fnc alio de- 
 clares, that the child Jefus was the promifcd and expe(5ted 
 Meflias : and thus Chrift was proclaimed in the temple by tW4> 
 heralds of I'iJferent fexes. Cuncerningti/is a^ed woman An- 
 na, ir is faid, that/Zc deported not from tie temple night nor da\\ 
 not that file lived and lodged there, but by her never depar- 
 ting from undcrftand her daily repairing to the temple. That 
 which is often don f?, is faid in fciiptiirc tobi ahvays donc;\\'e 
 are faid to do a thing continually, when we do it fcafonably ; 
 thus we pray continually, v\ hen wc )jray as often as duty re- 
 quires us to pray. Xc(/;7; That fuchdjties as a ciiriilian per 
 forms out of confcicnce, he will perform with constancy rnd 
 perfeverancc: Nature -will have her good moods, but grace 
 is ftcady. The devotions of a pious foul, like Aatia's, are 
 as conftant, but more frequent, than the rciurnsof day and 
 night, 
 
 39 And when they had performed all things ac- 
 cording to the law of the Lord, thcy'retnincd into 
 Galilee, to their own city Nazarcfh. 40 5 And the 
 child grev/, and waxed llrong in fpirit, filled witli 
 wifdom : and the grr.cc of God w£s upon him. 
 
 Here we fee the truth and reality of ChiilVshiimnnnatnrei 
 he grew as we do, from infancy to childhood, froin child- 
 hood to youth and manhood. To his divine nature no accef- 
 fion or addition could be made ; for that wliich is infinitecan- 
 not incrcafe. The Deify was infinite in Chrill, fo was not 
 the humanity, but capable of additions : And accordingly, 
 as Chrift grew up in the ftaturc of his bc/Jy, the faculties- of 
 his mind increafed, through the grace and power of God's 
 Spirit upon him. 
 
 41 Now his parents went to Jcruf.ilem every year 
 at the feafl; of the pallover. 42 And when he w.;i 
 twelve years old. they r.ent to Jerufalem, after the 
 cultom of the feaft. 
 
198 
 
 St. 
 
 L 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 Jtfiip, II, 
 
 Ohf,-i\'f htxf, The per fens making tliis yearly journey to 
 Jcrnfjlem, our Saviours parents and hirnfclf; (i.) Juftpli, 
 who is called Clii ill's father, ni)t tiiat he was his natural fa- 
 il-cr, for Chriil had no father upnn eaiih ; but Jofeph ^^■a5 
 liis reputed and fnppofed father, liis ntirflng father; w ho by 
 the sppcintment fif God, icvk a fatherly care of him; and 
 his father-in-law, being hufband to Mary. (2.) Mary, the 
 mother of Chriil, went up to Jerufalem, with lier hufband 
 and her fon ; GoJ conimsiulcd only the males to go up to 
 Jertifalcm, the weaker fex were cxcufed ; but the holy Vir- 
 gin, well knowing the fpiritual profit of that long journcv, 
 would not flay at hon-c.Such as will go nofaithcr than they are 
 dragged in religious ex.ercift»,are (Irangers to theVirgin's pie- 
 ty and devotion. But, (3.) The child fefus, in his minority 
 goes up with his parents to this holy (olemnity, thereby, no 
 doubt, intending our inIlrui5lion, when we arc young to give 
 God an early polieflion of cvir fouls, to confccrate the virgin 
 rppcrations ol our minds to him, and in our youth to keep 
 clofe to the worOiip and fervice ofGcxl, when we arc fo im- 
 portunately courted by the world. Farther, this holy family 
 came not to lock at the fead and be gone, but they duly flay- 
 ed out the appointed time. Jofeph's calling, and the Virgin's 
 houOiould bufincfs, could neither keep them at home, nor 
 haflcn them home before the public duties of the temple were 
 difpatched and ended. All worldly bufincfs mult give place 
 to divine olT.ces, and we mull attend God's fervice to the end, 
 except we wiihlepartunbieft. Laftly, The conflant returns 
 of their devotions, They went up to yeriifalNn every year. No 
 'difficulties, no difcouragemcnts, coukl hinder their attend- 
 ance. Though it is no certain evidence of the truth ofgrace 
 to frequent the public ademblies, yet it is an infallible fign 
 wf the want of grace cuftomarily to negleil them. 
 
 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they 
 returned, tlie child Jcfas tarried beliind in Jerufa- 
 lem ; and jofeph and his mother knew not of it. 
 .\\ But tliey fuppofing him to have been in the com- 
 pany, went a day's journe;y ; and they fought him 
 among their kinsfolk and among their acquaintance. 
 45 And when they found liim not, they turned back 
 again to Jerufalem, feeking hitn. 
 
 The fervice of the temple being ended, they return home 
 to Nazareth. Religious duties are not to be attended, to the 
 prejudice and ncgleft of our particular callings. God calls 
 us as well from hishoufeasto his houfe. They arc much 
 midaken who think Godis not plenfed with nothingbut devo- 
 tion ; he that fays, he fervent in fpirit, feming the Lord, fays 
 alfo. Be not Jlotlful in bufiiiefs. Piety and indnftry mufl keep 
 pace with one another; God is well pleafed with our return 
 toNav-arelh, ns wiih our going up to Jerufalem. Note far- 
 ther, though Jofeph and Mary returned home, the child Jefus, 
 unknown to them, flays behind. Their back was nofooner 
 turned upon the temple, but his face was towards it : Chrift 
 had bufinefs in that place, which his parents knew not of. 
 They mining him, Jcek him in the ccmpany, concluding him 
 T'ith their hiinfotk and iicqiniintancc : From whence we may 
 gather, That the parents of Chriil knew him to be of a fwcet 
 and fociable, of a free and convcrfluivc, not of a fulicn and 
 morofe difpoiition. They did not fufpid him to be wan- 
 ilering in the fields or dcferts, but when they miffed him, 
 fon^jht him among their kinsfolk: Had he not wanted to 
 
 converfe formerly with them, he had not now been fought 
 amongll them. Our blcflld Saviour, when en earth, did not 
 take plcafure in a wild retirednefs, in a forward aullerity 
 but in a mild affability and r^miable converfation ; and here- 
 in alfo his example is very inllruflive to us. 
 
 46 f And i:camc topafs, that after three days 
 they found liim in the temple, fitting in the midflof 
 the doftors, both hearing them and afking them 
 queftions. ^y And all that heard him were aflo- 
 nifhed at his underftanding and anfwers. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The place where the child Jefus is found, 
 in the temple: where could there be a more likely place to 
 find the Son of God, than in his Father's houfe! No wonder 
 tiiat liisparents found him there; but that they went not firft 
 to feek him there. 2. At twelve years old, otir Saviour dif- 
 putes in the temple with the dodiors of the law: never had 
 thofe great rabbies heard the voice of fuch a tutor. Thus, in 
 our Saviour's nonage, he gives us a proof of his proficiency ; 
 even as the fpring (hews us what we may hope from the tree 
 in fiimmer. Our Saviour difcovered his accomplifliments by 
 degrees ; had l.is perfeftions appeared all at once, they had 
 rather dazzled than delighted the eyes of the beholders ; even 
 as the fun would confound all eyes, fliould it appear at its 
 firfl in its full flrength. Chrifl could now have taught all 
 thofe great rabbies the deep myfleiies of God ; but being not 
 vet called by his Father to be a public teacher, he contents 
 himfelf to hear with dilligcnce, and to afk with modc.^y. 
 Learn hence, That parts and abilities for the miniflorial func- 
 tion are not fuflicient tD warrant our undertaking it without 
 a regtdar c;Il. Chrifl hiirfelf woidd not run, no not on his 
 heavenly Father's errand, before he was fent, much lefj 
 fhould we. 
 
 48 And vsrhen they faw him, they were amazed : 
 and his mother faid unto him, Son, why hafl thou 
 thus dealt with us ? behold, thy father and I hav« 
 fought thee, forrowing. 
 
 ■Without doubt it was impoflible to exprefs theforrowof 
 the holy"Virgin'sfoul, when all the fearch of three days could 
 bring them no tidi gs of their holy child. How did fhe 
 blame her eyes for once looking off this objefl of her love, 
 and fpend both days and nights in a pallionate bemoaning of 
 her lofs! O blellcd Saviour! who can mifs thee, and not 
 mourn thee? never any foul conceived thee by faith, but was 
 apprehcnfiveof thy worth, and fenfiblc of thy want : what 
 comforts are we capable of, while we want thee? and what 
 relifli can we talle in an earthly delight without thee ! 
 
 49 And he faid unto them. How is it that ye 
 fought me ? will ye not th.it I muft be about my 
 Father's bufincfs? 
 
 Ohferve here. That Chrifl blames not his parents for •At. 
 folicitous care of him, but fhewsthcm how able he wastoliv 
 without any dependency upon them and their care ; and a., 
 to let them underfland, that higher refpeds had called hir 
 away ; that as he had meat to eat, fo had be work to d- 
 which they knew not of. For, fays he, tVifl ye not that 
 mull he about my Father's hftnejs? As if he liad faid, "Ai 
 though I owe rcfpcd to you as tuy natural parents, yet m> 
 duty to mv heavcnlv F^tUr mufl be preferred. I am aboi: 
 J • ' hi 
 
Chap. 
 
 M. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 his work, promotuig his glory, and propngating his truth." 
 We have alio a Father in heaven. O! how good it is to 
 fteal away from our eanhly diftraaioiis, that wc may employ 
 ourfeivcs immediately in liis fervicc ; that wherk the world 
 mikes enquiry afrer us, we may fay, as our S.ivi,>ur did be- 
 fore us, fViJije not that I mnjl be about my Fathers bvfinej'i ? 
 
 50 And they underflood not the faying which he 
 fpake unto the-n. 51? And he went do*vn with thetn 
 and c.ime to Mazareth, and was fubjeft unto them: 
 but his mother kept all thefe fayin'^s in her heart. 52 
 And Jefus increafed in wifdom and ftature, and in 
 favour with God and man. 
 
 The mofl material pafTase of our Savious's life for the firft 
 twelve years is here recorded ; namely, his difpuiini? with 
 the d oiftors in the temple ; how he fpenr the next eij^htecn 
 years, namely, till he was thirty, the fcripture doth not 
 rncn'ion. Ii is here faid, that he lived with, and was fub- 
 je.T to his parents, obeying thcircommands, and, as it is be- 
 lieved, followed their employment, workioi?: at the trade of 
 a carpenter, as is obferved, Mark vi. 3.— Doubilcfs he did 
 not live an idle life; and why fh luld he that did not abhor 
 the Virgin's womb, a ft.tblc and a manger, be fnppofeti to 
 abhor the wirks of an hon°fl vocai'^n. Farther, What a 
 rnciilar p^.ttern is here for cliWrcn ro iiri aie ard frllmv, in 
 their fubjeflion to their parents: If ihe pjcaicft and hi-hcft 
 of mortals thirk themfJves above their p rents com mands, 
 our Sjvioiir did not fo ; hen: id honn^e to the womb that 
 bire him, and to his fnppokd fa'hcr that provi !cel \'or him. 
 Letaperfonbe never fo high above o- hers, he is ll ill below 
 and inferior to his parents. Jefus dwelt wi hliis parciv.s. and 
 Ua^Juhjea tothem. Laftly, A further evidence of our Savi- 
 our's humani'v, wi:h refpeft to 'lis human nature, which 
 confilled of body and foul; he did grow and improve his 
 body in ftature, his foul in wlfdom; and he became every 
 day a more eminent and illuftrious pcrfon in the eyes of all, 
 being highly in favour both with God and man. Vain then is 
 the concliifion of the Socinians from this text, that Chrill 
 could not be God : Becaufe Go.i cannot wa.\ ftiong in fpirit, 
 or increafe in wifdom, as Chriil is here faid to do; for Goel's 
 pcrfeftions are infinite, and will admit of no increafe. 
 Whereas it is plain, that this increafe here attributed to Chrili 
 in age and ilature, refpeas his humanity ; the wifdom and 
 endowments of his human mind were capable of increafe, 
 though his divine pcrfeflions were abfolutely perfeft. So 
 glad arc thefe men of the Icaft fhadow of a text, that may 
 cloud the divinity of the Son of God. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tibe- 
 rias CxHir, Pontius Pilate being governor of 
 Judea, and Herod being tctrarch of Galilee, and 
 his brother Philip tetrarch oflturea, and of the re- 
 gion of trachonitis, and Lyfanias the tetrarch of 
 Abalene, 2 Annas and Caiphas being the hi-h- 
 pnens, the word of God came unto John the (on 
 of Zacharias in the wildernefs. 
 
 The foregoing chapters gave us an account of the birth 
 of our Saviour Chrirt, and John the Baptiit. The Kvan-^c- 
 lilt, now leaving the hiitory of our bleilcd Saviour for ei^h- 
 
 'i»9 
 
 teen years, namely, till he was thirty years old fth-! holy 
 Gholl having thought fit to conceal that part of our Saviour's 
 rrivite life from our knowledge) he bccins this chapter wi h 
 a relation of the Baptiil's miniftry, acquainting us with the 
 time when, and the pbcc where, and the doArine which, 
 the Baptift taught. Obfcrve i. The time defcribod when St. 
 John began his public miniftry, namoly, when Tibt'rias was 
 emperor, and Annas and Caiphas high-pricfts. 2. In the fif- 
 teenth year of Tiberias, when the jews were entirely under 
 the power of the Romans, who fet (our governors over them, 
 called Tctrarchs, fo named from their "ruling over a fourth 
 part ot the kingdom. From hence the Jews might have ob- 
 ferved, had not prejudice blinded their eyes, that the fcep- 
 tcr being now departed from the houfe of'Judah, according 
 to Jacob's prophecy, Gen. xlix Shiloh, or the Mefllas, 
 was now come. • Again, the time when St. John bc^an his 
 itiiniftry was, when Annas and Caiphas were high priefts- 
 Under the law there were three forts of miniilcrs that attend- 
 ed the fervicc of the temple, n imcly, prielts, levitcs, and 
 ncthinuns; over thcfc the high prieft was chief, who, by 
 God's command, was to be the fuft-born of Aaron's family. 
 But how came two high-pricfts here, feeing God never ap- 
 P'Jinted but one at a lime? In anfwcr to this, fay fomc. The 
 power of covctoufnefs of the Romans put in high priefts at 
 pleafu re to officiate for gain. Say others. The" hiffh prieft 
 was allowed his afliilant or deputy, who, in cafe ot' his pol- 
 lution or ficknefs, did officiate in his place. But that which 
 we may profitably ohfenie from hence, is this, The exad- 
 ncfs and taithtulnefs of this hiftorian St. Luke, in relating 
 the eiicumfttmces of our Saviour's nativi-y, and the Baptift's 
 mitditry. That the truth might eviJcnLly appear, he is ex- 
 act in recording the time. 
 
 3 And he came into all th^- country about Jor- 
 dan, preachin^r the baptifm of repentance, for the 
 remilfion of fins ; 4 As it i* written in the book of 
 the words of Efaias the prop'iet, faying, The voice 
 of one crying in the wildernefs, Prepare ye the way 
 of the Lord i make his paths ftraii^ht. 5 Every vaU 
 ley fhall be filled, and every mountain and hill fhall 
 be brought low ; and the crooked fiiall be made 
 ftraight, and the rough ways (hall be made finooth: 
 6 And all fleOi (liall fee the falvation of God. 
 
 Ob/erve here, i. The place where the Baptiit exercified 
 his miniltry, in the wildernefs of Judea, where were fomc 
 cities and vilLigcs, thdigh thinly inhabited. A'j/^ here, Tiie 
 great humility of the Bapiift, in preaching in an obfcure 
 place, and to a fmall handful of people. Jerufakin, fome 
 might think, was a fitter place for fo celebrated a preacher, 
 but Gcd had called him to preach in the wildernefs, and there 
 he opens his commillion. Learn hence. That the moft emi- 
 nent of God's mini.lers muft ' be content to execute their of- 
 fice, and exercifi iheir miniftry where Gjd calls them, be the 
 place never fo mean and obfcure, and the people never h 
 
 rude and barbarous. In the place where Gi»d by his provi- 
 dence fixes us, we muft abide, till he liiat called us thither, 
 remove us thence. And this was the Baoiilr's cafe here. He 
 leaves the wilJeriiefs at God's command, and comes to more 
 inhabited places ; Hf came into the nuntrv about Jordan, preach- 
 ing. It is not only lawful, but a neceiihry duty, for he mi- 
 niittrs of GoJ to rcnove from one place and poplc to a 10- 
 
 ihcr 
 
200 
 
 St. 
 
 T. 
 
 K 
 
 CiiAP. in. 
 
 tlicr, provided llicir call be clear, their way plain, the gfxxl 
 ci fouls thtir motive, and the glory of God their end. 2. The 
 dodrinc Avliich the Bapiill j>reachcd, namely, lit baplifm cf 
 rtptiUancr fv lit remij!i:n cfjtns ; that is, the doiElrine of bap • 
 Jlifm, which feaieth rcmiilion of fins to the party baptizi-d. 
 Lenri hence. That tlic preaching of the doiHrinc of repent- 
 ani-C- is tlic indifpcnfiblc <luty of every gofpcl minider: John 
 ihc Rant ill prcDchcd it, our Saviour prcaclud it, his apoiUes 
 j;rcacli'cd it : 7/.v went out rjcnwher,- prtachir.gthnt maijhzuld 
 rtfcnt. Till we'are in a ftatc of rmlcls pcrfcdion, the doc- 
 trine of repentance incfl be preached unto us, and pradifed 
 by us. 3. The motive and inducement which prompted tlie 
 Eapiift to his diitv, vhich was to fulHll the prophcciesthat 
 vent before hirn, as il is 'iOrilten in /.be l>Mi, Sec. vci. 4.— -6. 
 Wilt re /•;/,•. I. The title given to John the Baptift, a voice, 
 a cryirq ^.)ice.— This implies both his vchcmcncy and ear- 
 neftnefr, and bis freedom and boldncfs in delivering of his 
 ineirage ; when a miniikr's own Itcart is warmly affcdlcd with 
 Avhat he preaches, he may hope to affcd the hearts of others. 
 2. The fum asid fubfl-mcc of what he cried. Prepare ye the 
 wayA the Lord, &c. that is, Makeyourftlves ready to receive 
 the Klcihah, to embrace and entertain his dodrine. As loy- 
 al fubjcds, when their prince is coming near their city, re- 
 move every thing out of the-way that may impede his pro- 
 grcfs; all anoyances, and all impediments; in like manner 
 tlie preparatory work of the gofpcl upon the hearts of linners, 
 lies in pulling down mountains, and filling up vallies ; that is, 
 in humbling the proud hearts of Tinners, puffed up, as the 
 Pliarifccs were, with a conceit of their own riglieoufnefs, 
 Vho would be tlieir own faviours, and not beholden to Chrill, 
 and his free grace, for falvation. Learn hence, I. That 
 man's heart is naturally very unfit to receive and entertain the 
 Lord Jefus Chrill, and his holy doarinc : We have naturally 
 no fitnefs, no inclination, nor difpofition to believe in him, 
 «r fubmit unto him. 2. That if ever we defign to entertain 
 Chrift in our hearts, we mufl firft prepare and make ready 
 our hearts for the receiving and embracing of him. For though 
 the Pre*ara!i'.n -/the hurt he frwi tie Lord, )i.\ he requires tlio 
 cxercife of our faculties, and the ufeof our endeavours ; he pre- 
 pares our hearts, by enabling us to prepare our own hearts,. 
 bv getting a fight of theevil of fin. .-md a fcnfe of our mifery 
 without Chrift; an hungering defire after him, and a lively 
 faith in him. GoJ does not work upon man, as mafons 
 work upon ftone \ what he doth in and for us, he doth it by 
 us, he works by fetling us to work; therefore fays the holy 
 Bapiifl, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make, fcc.^ The ad 
 of endeavour is ours, the aid and aiiidance isGod'<^. Lallly, 
 the encouragement which the Baptift gives to pcrfons to pre- 
 pare the way of the Lnrd;/«r, fays he, aHftc/h Jhnlljeethc 
 fahalioii of God: that if, now is the time that all perfons, 
 "lews and Gentiles, mav fee the author of falvation, whom 
 God has promifed to the world ; and may by fiith be made 
 partakers of that falvation which the Mtfliah fhall purchsfe for 
 ihcm,andinhisgofpel tendertothcm.ThegreatendofChri.l's 
 comint' intothe world, was to purchafe falvation for all ilefh 
 willing to be faved by him. 
 
 • 7 Then faid he to the multitude that came forth 
 to be b,ipti7.cd of him, O generation of vipers, who 
 hath warned you to flee from the wardi to come ? 8 
 Brin:; fortli therefore fruits wortliy of repentance, 
 and be>'in not to fay ^-ithin youifclves, Wc have 
 
 Abraham to our father : Fori fay unto you. That 
 God is able of thefe ftones to raife up children unto 
 
 Abraham. .„ r t 
 
 St. Matthew, chap. iii. 7, 8. fays, that the Baptift fpake 
 thefe words to the Pharifecs and Sadducees, whom he gives, 
 firft, a quick andcuttingcompellation, O generation ofi:ipers, 
 then a fharp and feverc reprchcnfion, who hath warned you t$ 
 fee from the wrath to come? andlalt of all, a fcafonable ex- 
 hortation ; Brina; forth therefore fruits meet for repenlanec. As 
 if he had faid, «'0 ye Pharifecs, and worft of men, I per- 
 ceive by your coming hither, fome body has alarrned you 
 with the notice of that dreadful vengeance that is coming upon 
 this generation ; to prevent which, you pretend repentance of 
 your rins,but let me fee bv your adions tliat you are not only 
 demure, but fincere penitents ; let m.e fee the fruits of_^ 
 your repentance in the dailv courfc of your converfation." 
 Z^n/hcre, i. That the condition of proud Pharifecs, pre- 
 tending and falfe-heartcd hypocrites, though very dangerous 
 yet is not hopelefs and dcfpcratc ; and their falvation, though 
 the worft of men, iruft not be defpaired of. St. John re- 
 proves them for their fins, but yet encourages their repent- 
 ance. 2. That fincere repentance is not a barren thing, but 
 does conftantly bring forth fruits anfwerable to its natrire ; 
 as faith without works, fo repentance without fruits isdead 
 aifo The genuine fruitj of repentance, are humility ot 
 heart, and holincfs of life. Laftly, The cautionary direc- 
 tion which he gives to thefe hypocrites, not to reft in their 
 external privileges ; Think not tofny wi thin yourf elves, Uehavr- 
 Ahrah-.m to our father; glory not in this, that you are the on- 
 ly vifible church that Gal has upon earth, tor God can, out 
 o'f the obdura'e Gentile world, raife up a people to himfelf, 
 take them into covenant Jwiih himfelf, and caft you our. 
 Learn hence, i. That men are exceeding apt to boaft 
 of and glory in their external privileges, and to pla. 
 rdligion in thofe things wherein God places it lea,';. 
 How .did the Jews glorv in thtir fielhly defcent fror- 
 Abraham, As if God was tied to Abiaham's line, and could 
 have nopeople, if he had not them for his people? 2. 1 hat 
 it is a v.iin thing toexped exemption from the judgments ot 
 God, becaufe of outward privileges enjoyed by us. Ir we be 
 notbo.n again of the Spirit, it >vill avadus nothing to be 
 born of Abraham's tlefti: If Abraham's faith be not found 
 in our hearts, it will be to no advant.-ige to us, that Abra- 
 ham's bhxxl is running in our veins. ^ 
 
 9 And now alfo the ax is laid unto the root ot t... 
 trees: Every tree therefore which bringeth not 
 forth good fruit is hewn down, and caft into the 
 
 fire. ^ . , 
 
 St. John having preached the dodrine of repentance in the 
 foref'oingverfcs,he backs it with apowerfu! argument in t.iis 
 verf?, drawn from tlic certainty and fcverity ot that judgment 
 which ftiould comeuponthem, it they cominued '"lli^ir lir-; 
 KiW is the ax laid to the root cfthe tree. Learn i . 1 hat -it 
 notunfuitable for eofpcl-preachers to prcfs repentance z 
 holinefs oflife upon thtir hearers from arguments ot tern .. 
 John does it here, and Chrift elfejvhere. 2. That tho^'^/^':"''; 
 hearts arc not pierced with tlie fword of God s_ word, Ihatl 
 certainly be cut down and deftroyed by theax of his judgmeiv 
 Farther,Tha' forafmuch asthe lla here fpecif^ncd is a Imof . 
 miillon, every tree wimh brixgeth r.'.t forth good fur,t, as w 
 as that \^ hich bringeth forth evil fruit, ts hrua duvn anet ■ 
 
Chap. m. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 «9» 
 
 into the fire: We h.irn, 1 hat Tins of omiflion are Certain- 
 ly damning, as -vvcll as fins of com mi (lion. The negkfts of du- 
 ty arc as dangerous and damnable as the afls offm. Such 
 trees as ftand in God's orchard, the Church, and bring 
 forth no good fruit, arc marked out as fewel for the devil's 
 fire. 
 
 lo And the people afked him, Hiying, What fhall 
 we do then ? 1 1 He anfwereth, and faith unto them, 
 He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that 
 halh none ; and he that hath meat, let him do like- 
 wife. 
 
 The Baptift havmg preft his hearers to bring forth fruits 
 meet for repentance, "here they inquire of him what fruit? they 
 Ihould bring forth ? He tells them firft, the fruits of charity 
 and mercy, He that hath two coats ^ Sec. This is not to be un- 
 dcrdootl ftridly, as if the command required us to give the 
 clothes off our back to every one that wanted them ; but itdi- 
 rcdts thofc that have the things of this life in abundance, to 
 didribute and communicate to thofe that are in want. Learn 
 hence. That an extenfive liberality and a diffufive charity, in 
 diftributinw (uch things as we can well fparc towards the relief 
 of others neceirities,is an excellent fruit of repentance, and a 
 COo<l proof and evidence of the truth and fincerity of it. Kite, 
 That the Baptiil here doth not make it imlawful for a man to 
 have uvo coats, but means only, that he that has one coat 
 which his brother wants, and he at prefent doth not, fliould 
 rather give it him, than fufter ' him to be in want of it. 
 Teaching us. That it is not lawful to abound in thofe things 
 which our brother wants, when we have fufficient both to re- 
 lic\e his and our neceffities. 
 
 12 Then came alfo publicans to be baptized, and 
 faid unto him, Mafter, what fhall we do ? 13 Andhe 
 faid unto them, Exaft no more than that which is ap- 
 pointed you. 
 
 The publicans were perlons employed by the Romans to 
 gather the tax of tribute among the Jews, who were now 
 tributaries to the Romans, and paid them a public revenue. 
 Thele publicans were c,reat opprelTors, exacting more than 
 was the emperor's due ; therefore we find the publicans 
 and finners fo often joined together in the golpel. Thefe 
 men inquiring what fruit-; of repentance they Hiould bring 
 forth, St. John directs them to acls of juftice, Exaii itct, 
 &:c. Where n'Je, i. That acts of juftice and righteouf— 
 nefs, as well as of charity and mercy, are real fruits of fm- 
 cere repentance. i. John doth not condemn the cfiice, 
 but cautions the officer . If msgiftrates may inipofe taxes, 
 they may doubtlels appoint officers to collect thofe taxes : 
 Chriftian charity then mull always tesch us to diftiiipuilh 
 betwixt the calling and the crime. We muft rot cenfure 
 any offlce. either in church or (late, for the f: ke of tbeir 
 ;-iis'-jd:niniftration wiio arc employed in that office. 
 
 14 And the foldiers likewife demanded of him, 
 faying. And what Ihall we do ? And he faid unto 
 them, Do violence to no man, neither accufe ariy 
 falfely ; and be content with your wages. 
 
 Ol'/erzshere, What a general refort there wa«of all forts 
 efperfons to John's niiniflry ; Pharifees, Sadducees, pilb- 
 
 licans, and foldiers: T hefe laft here inquire of hiw, What 
 they (houlddo to gain acceptance with God? He anfwers, 
 Dn no violence, de-fraud no man of his own by falfr accu- 
 fation, but be content with the allowance aiVigned forvour 
 maintenance. Where it is, i. Strongly lu]'poled, iliac 
 foldiers are infolent opprefl'ors, making no ccnfcience of 
 injuflice, falfe accufation, and violent opprefHon ; Yet, 2. 
 The office and employment of a foldier is not comlemned, 
 butrcgulated : he does not bid them cart away their arm<, 
 abandon war, appear no more as military men in the field, 
 but manage their employment inolFeniJve. Whence we 
 learn, That in feme cafes, and imder fonie cipcumftances, 
 for chriftians to make war, is both lawfui and neceffary. 
 To make a war lawful, there is required a lawful authority, 
 a riglueous caufe, an honourable aim and intention, and a 
 juft and righteous manner of profecution, without vanity 
 and oftentation, without cruelty and opprefTion. Courage 
 and compaifion on the one hand, and cowardice and cruelty 
 to the other hand, do frequently accompany one another. 
 
 15 f And as the people were in expeclation.and 
 all viai mufed in their hearts of John, whether he 
 were the Chi ill, or not ; 16 John anfwered, fayin-r 
 unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but 
 one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whofc 
 fhoes I am not worthy to unlofe : he fhall baptize 
 you with the Holy Ghoft and with fire, 17 Whofc 
 fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his 
 floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but 
 the chafFhe will burnAvith fire unquenchable. 
 
 Chferi'e \\ere , i. How the extraordinarinefs of John the 
 Baptift's perfon, the earneftnefs of his preaching, the ac- 
 ceptablenefs of his dodlrine, and the exemplarinefs of his 
 converfation, drew all perfons to an admiration of him ; 
 infomuch that they began to think within themfelves, whe- 
 ther he was not the Melfias himfelf. He plainly tells them 
 he was not, but only his fervant, his harbinger, and fore- 
 runner. 2. The high opinion which John had of Chrift : 
 He is mightier than 1; that is, a perfon of greater authority, 
 dignity, and excellency than myfelf. From whence may 
 be gathered, That though Chrilf was man, he \\ as more 
 than man, even very God, equal with the Father : For 
 John himfelf was the greateft of them th.-.t wprs born cf 
 women, Alait. .xi. ii- Yet, fays John, Cbrilt is mightier 
 than I. How fo .' In regard of the dignity of his perfon, 
 being both Cod and man : He that cometh after me is 
 mightier than I. 3. The humble and low eftiniation that 
 the holy Baptift had of hiniftif : His jlnc- latchet I am net' 
 iiorihy to unho/e .• A proverbial fpecch, implying, that he 
 was unworthy to do the lowefl offices and meant fl fet vices 
 for Chrift. Lord, how well does himiiiity of mind , an 
 humble .nppreher.rion, and a low opinion of ihem(el\es, 
 become the mefTengcrs and minillers of Chrill? John was 
 a man of eminent sbiliiies, yet of exemplary humility ; he 
 thought himftlf unworthy to mdcofe Chrifi's (lioe. 4. 
 John does not only declare the dignity of Chrift's perfcn, 
 but the excellency of his oilice : He fall baptize you luUh 
 the Holy Ghojt and -mith fire. As if he had faid, " I only wafli 
 the body with Aater, but Chrill deanfes the foul bv ;he 
 operation of his holy fpiric, which is as fire in the eifects 
 
 C c of 
 
aot 
 
 bi, 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 Chap. ar. 
 
 of it, jiuril} 'u;g rl-ie hearti ot his people from fu;, and coii- 
 luining their lulls and torruptions ; yet at the fsme time 
 having fisn' iiidijnatif^n, and flaming jii-lirniciics, to dedroy 
 and burn lip impenitent (inncrs like »!ry lhil)hle. ^' Ohferve- 
 uhlfh 15 in Icripture, that Chrill is reprel'ented by one and 
 the fame :netaphor of fire, in a way of comfort to his 
 t-hildren, and in a way of terror to his enemies ; he is fire 
 tinto both. He fits in the hearts of his people as a refiner's 
 fire ; he is amongft his enemies as a tonfuming fire : A fire 
 for his chnvch to take comfort in ; a fire for his enemies 
 to perilh by . LalUy, How the holy Baptit'c compares our 
 Saviour to an hulbandin.m, and the Jewilh church to a barn 
 floor: the olliceof an luifbandman is to tlirclli, fan, and win - 
 now his corn, feparating it from the chaft"; preferving the 
 one, and confuming the other. Ohftrve, i. That the church 
 is ChrilVs floor. 2. That this floor Chrift will purge, and 
 that thorouohiy. 3. That the word of Chrift is the fan in 
 li.ind^ by anil with which he will thoroughly purge his floor. 
 The church is conipared to a floor, upon the account of that 
 mixture which is in the church. In a fltor there isftraw ix\<S. 
 grain, chalFas well as corn, tares as well as wheat, cockeland 
 darnal as well as good feed : Thus in the church there has 
 been, there is, and ever will be, a mixture of good and bad, 
 faints and iinncrs, hypocrites and fincere chriftians ; but 
 this floor Chrilt will purge, purge it, but not break it up ; 
 purge out its corruptions, but not deftroy its cflVnce and 
 exigence. And the fan in Chrift's hand, with which he 
 will purge his floor, is his holy word, accompanied with 
 the wiOjj of difcipline : the fan detects and dilcovers the 
 cbafF, and the wing diffipates and fcatters it; and by the 
 help of both the floor is purged : His fun is in his band, 
 and be ivill thoroughly purge, <i;c. 
 
 18 And many other things in Im exhortation 
 preached he unto the people. ig1[ ButUcrod the 
 tetrarch, being reproved by him for hcrodias his 
 brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which 
 Herod had done. 20 Added yet this above all, that 
 he ftiut up John in prifon. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. In John the Baptift, the character of 
 : zealous and faithful minifter of thegofpel ; he is one that 
 deals plainly, and durfl: tell the grcatell perfons of their 
 faults. Herod, thcugh a king, is reproved by hiniforhis 
 adultery and inceft. 'fhe crown and iceptre of Herod could 
 not daunt the faithful niefienger of Cod. There ouglit 
 to meet in the niinifters of Chrift both courage and im- 
 partiality; courage in fearing no faces, and impartiality in 
 fparing no fins. 1. Who it was that imprifoned and be- 
 headedthe holy B.iptift; Heiod, a king. How fad is it, 
 when kings, vho(hou!dbe nuifing fathers to the church, 
 do prove the bloody butchers of the prophets of God. 
 Many of the fevcreft pcrfecutions which theminifters of 
 God have fallen under, have been occafioned by their tel- 
 ling prcat men of their crimes : men in power are impa- 
 tient of reproof, and imagine that their authority g ves 
 them a licence 'o tranlgrefs. 3. The heinous aggravation 
 of this fin in Heroij, /;,? added this to all bis (,th.r fins, ihat he 
 P.'ut up J'lhn the Buptifi in prifr,n. This evidenced him in- 
 corrigible, and unrtclaimable. John hid preached before 
 Herod, ani Herod had heard Joluiwith foiue delight ; Lut 
 
 he had a darling luft, which bccafionrd his dcflrudion 
 Ltarn hence. That hypocrites may hear t'ae word witk 
 foine pleafure, .ihd do many things with fome delight : but 
 they have always lonie beloved lift that mult be Iparrd, 
 tlisy will neither part with it, nor bear reproof for it. He- 
 rod fticks not to cutoff tiiJt head, whofe tongue was fo 
 bold to reprove him for his lulls. 
 
 2i f Now when all the people were baptized, 
 it came to pafs that Jefus alfo being baptized, and 
 praying, the he.ivcti was opened, 
 
 Ol-ftfrvi I. The great condefcenljon of Chrift in feek- 
 ing and fubmitting to the baptifm of John. Chrift, though 
 John's Lord and Mafter, yet he yields to be baptized of 
 his lervant and mcflenger. 2. The rcafons why Chrift 
 would be baptized: (i-) That bv his rice he mi^ht en- , 
 ter himielf into the fociety of chriftians, as he had before 
 by, circumcifion entered into the fociety of the Jews, (i.) 
 That he might by his own baptilm fanftify the ordinance 
 of baptifm unto us. (3.) That thereby he might fulfil the ; 
 righteoufnefs of the ceremonial law, which required the 
 wafhing of the priefts in water, before they ;cnier upon 
 their olfice, as appears, Exod. xxix. 4. 3. How the duty 
 of prayer accompanieth the ordinance of baptifm i Jefus 
 heing baptized, and praying : Teaching us by his example to 
 lanctify 'ivery ordinance, and every action with prayer. 
 Chrift, when he was baptifed, prayed : when he was 
 tempted, he prayed ; when he brake bread, he prayed; 
 when he wrought miracles, he prayed ; in his agony in the 
 garden, he prayed ; when he fuftered on the crofs, he 
 prayed. What was the fubjei-T: mitter of our Lord's praycf 
 at this time, is not exprelTed ; but by what followed, name- 
 ly, the heavens opening, and the Holy Ghoft defcending, 
 it 'is probably conjectured, that he prayed (for fome telli- 
 mony to be given from heaven concerning hiirifelfj- for it 
 immediately follows, 
 
 2 2 And the Holy Ghofl defcended in a bodily 
 fhapc like a dove upon him , and a voice came from 
 heaven, which laid, Thou art my beloved Son ; in 
 thee I am well pleafed. 
 
 Ohferve here, The folemn inverting of Chrift into his 
 offiicc, as Mediator, is attended with a three fold miracle, 
 namely, the opening of tbe heavens, the defcending of the 
 Holy Ghoft, and God the Father's voice concerning his 
 Son. The heavens were opened: to fliew, that heaven, 
 which was clofed and flint againft us for our fins, is now 
 opened to us, .by Chrift's undertaking for as : Next, The 
 llnly Ghofl defcend; like a dove upnn our favicur : bere we 
 have a proof and evidence of the blefTed trinity; the F.'.» 
 then fpeaks from heaven, the Son comes tmt of the water, 
 and the Holy Ghoft delcends after the maniier of a dove, 
 hovering and overfhadowing him. But why did the Holy 
 Ghoft no A' dcfrend upon Chrift ? Fuit, For the dcfignatioii 
 of hisperfon, tofliew that he was the perfon let apart for 
 the work and office of a Mediator. Secondly, For the unc- 
 tion- and ianctincarionof his perfon, for the performance of 
 that office: rio.v he was anointed robe the King, Pricft, and 
 Prophet of his churcli. Laflly, We have here th-^ viice of 
 Cid the Father, pronouncing, i. The ijeUrnefs of Chrift's 
 
 relation, 
 
CrrAP IV. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 203 
 
 ri]auon,This h my S911. 2. The endeareilnefs of his pcrfon, 
 This is my bet:v.'d Son. j, Tlie fruit ami benefit of (his 
 near relation unious, \.\ihce I urn -well pkaffd. Leant hence , 
 1, That tlicre is nopoUibility forany perfons to pleafe God 
 out of Chrill ; iiw'iiher our perlbns, nor our performances can 
 finti acceptance witli God, but only in and tlirougli him and 
 forhis fake, 2. That the Lord JefusChrift is the ground and 
 
 JcfTe, which was the/on of Ohec?, which was fhr fen of 
 Booz, which was the fen of Sahnoii, whirh was l/ic/cn 
 ofNaallbn, 33 Whicii \ya.s tf'.e /ai of Amiiiidab, 
 which was the/m ofAratn.whicJi \v.is//jfy^K of ifroni, 
 ivhich was tfiofon of Pharcs, which Wrjs rhr/jn of Ju- 
 da, 34 Which was tliejbn ot Jacob, which w..s :/x 
 dauCc of all that lov e, and goodwill, wl>ich God the Ft ther fon of Ifaac, which was tlief.^n of Abraham, which was 
 (hcweth to the funs of men. In Chrift God is well pleafed (f,ffin ofThara, which was the fon of Nachor on 
 ;:!'^ !!!"' 11''"''"^"^ ^ •*'^^^' °"^ ^* '"'"^ =« conluming hre. ^^.^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^j^^ ^^ Saruch, which was thcj,^ of Ra- 
 
 gau, which was the fon of Phalcc, which was the fon of 
 Hebcr, which was the fon of Snla, 36 Which was 
 tliefon of Cainan, which was//if/()«of Aiphaxad, which 
 wasM^ycOTof Sem, which was the fon of Noe, whicii 
 was the fon of Lamedi, 37 Which was t'w fonot' Ma- 
 thufala, which was //;ey(;?iof Jared, which was thifrt 
 ofMaleleel, which was Mfyoj; of Cainan, 38 Which 
 was the fon of Enos, wJiich was thcfon of Scth, which 
 was the fon of Adam, wh?'ch was the fan of God. 
 
 We find the genealogy of cnr blefled Saviour recorded 
 by twoEvangelill's, St. Matthew, and Sr. Luke; his pe- 
 digree is fet forth by St. Matthew from Iiis father Jofeph, 
 by St. Luke from his mother Mary ; the defign of both is, 
 to prove hini lineally defcended from Abraham and David, 
 and confequently, the true and promifed Mefliah. — St. 
 Matthew, intending his hillory primarily for the Jews, 
 prove him to be the Ion of Abraham and David, for t'lcir 
 comfort. St. Luke, deri<rnin5i the information and com- 
 fort of the Gentiles, derives our Lord's pedigree from A- 
 dam, the common parent of mankind ; to aflure the Gen- 
 tiles of their poflibility of an intereft in Chrill, tiiey being 
 I'ons of Adam. Neither of thefe Evangelift's are llrifl: and 
 accurate in enumerating every individual perfon ; which 
 lliould teflch us, not to be over-curious in franning thr 
 parts of this genealogy, muchlefs captioufly toobjedlagainft 
 it, becaufe of fonie Jeeming contradictions to it } for if the 
 ^■vangelifts were not nice and critical in compofing this ge- 
 nealogy, why fliould we be fo in examining of it ? Let us 
 rather attend the defign of the Holy Ghoftin writing of it, 
 which was two-fold : i. For the honour of our Saviour as 
 man, (liewingus who were his royal and noble progenitors 
 according to the flelli. 2. For the ccrfirmation of our faith, 
 touching the reality of our Saviour's incarnation. The 
 fcripture making mention of all his progenitors frcm the 
 firft Ad;im to his reputed father Jofeph, v.e cannot res- 
 fonably doubt either of the truth of his human nature, or 
 of the certainty of his being ihe proiiiifed Meiliah. Hence 
 we may learn. That the wildom of God has taken all ne- 
 ceflary care, and ufed all needful means for fatisfying the 
 minds of all luiprejudiced perfons, touching the rcidity of 
 ChriiVs human nature, ^and tlie certainty uf his being the 
 proinifed Mellias : for both thei'e ends is oi;r Saviour's ge- 
 nealogy and pedigree, recorJed in fcripture. 
 
 C H A V. IV. 
 
 AX D Jcfus being full of the Holy Ghofi,, re- 
 turned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit 
 into the wildvTUcfs, 
 
 At the twenty-fecond verfi of the foregoing chapter, we 
 
 C c 2 fi"<^ 
 
 Tkou art, <S:c. 
 
 "3 9 And Jcfus himfelf began to be about thirty 
 years of age, bcing(as was fuppofed;thc Ion of Jofeph 
 which was thefnoi Heli. 
 
 At thirty yeai« of rige, the priefts under the law entered 
 Upon their public office ; accordingly Chrift ftays the full 
 time prcfcribec by the law, before ne undertakes his public 
 minitiry ; and he gives the reafon for it, Matt. iii. 15. 
 That be might Julfl ail righteoufncfs ; That is, the riglu- 
 eoufnefs of the ceremonial lav/, which require perfons 
 to be baptized or wafliedin water ; when they undertook 
 that office. SceExod. xxix. 4. I.eamhevxc, That what- 
 ever the law required in order to perfect righteoufnefs, that 
 Ghrift fulfilled in moft abfolute perfedtion, both in his own 
 perfon, and alio in the name of all believers. Note farther, 
 The title given tojofeph here ; he is called the fiippofed fa- 
 ther of Chrift. Jofeph was not his natural father, though 
 fuppoled by the Jews ; but he was his legal father, being 
 married to the Virgin when our Saviour was born ; and he 
 was his nurfing fathe*-, that took care of him, and provided 
 for him, though our Lord fometimefhewed both his parents, 
 that if he pleufed, he could live withoatany dependence up- 
 on their care. 
 
 24 Which was //juycOT of Matthat, which was tlie 
 yon of Levi, which was M^ycw of Melchi, which was 
 the fon oi ]Ani\^, which was the fon of Jofeph, 25 
 Which \\\\s the fo^i of Mattathias, which was the fon 
 of Amos, which was the fon of Naum, which was 
 tJiefon of Efli, which was the fon of Nagge, 26 Which 
 was thefonoi Maath, which was the fin of Mattathias, 
 whicii was //^ey^?? of Semci, which -WTnthcfon of Jofeph, 
 which was the fin of }uda, 27 Which was tlie fn of 
 Joanna, which was the fin of Rhefa, which was thfvn 
 of Zorobabel, which was the fon of Salathiel. which 
 was the fin of Neri, 28 Which was the fin of Melchi, 
 which was Mcyt7Z of Addi, which wasfA^fonof Cofam, 
 which was i/ieyon of Elmodam, which was^/jeyt>Kof Er, 
 99 Which was the fin of Jofc, which was thcfonoi 
 Eliezer, which was the fin of Jorim, which was the 
 • n of Matthat, which was the fin of Levi, 30 Which 
 ..•as tlie fin of Simeon, wliich was the fon of Juda, 
 which was tlie fin of jofeph, which was the ficn ot]on7in, 
 v,-hich was Mf/vz of Eliakim, 31 Which was M^/c/j 
 ofMelea, which was the fon oi Menan, which was 
 thefin of Mattatha, which was the fon of Nathan, 
 which was thefvn of David, 32 Which was thefin of 
 
204 
 
 St- 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 find the Holy Ghoft JefccnJing in a bodily ftiape like a dove 
 Upon our Saviour; here we tinJ the extr.iardinary effeft? 
 and fruits of" the Holy Chjil's defcent upon our Saviour; 
 hi was fi'leil with all the j/ifts and graces of the bleflisJ- 
 Spirit, to fit and furnifli him for that minillerial fervicc 
 which he was now entering upon. Hat ohjervuhle it is, 
 Th.Tt before our Saviour uudertooli the miniftenal office, 
 hf is led by the Spirit iif) the luiUernefs , and there furioufly' 
 dlTaultcd by Satan's temptations. Temptations, m-dita. 
 lion, aoil prayer, fays Luther, inak? a minillcr ; great 
 temptatio.is of Satan, do fit us for greater fervices for Go 1. 
 And whereas it is faid, that Chnll was led by the Spirit 
 into the wildernefs, ti i: tempted hy thedev'l; by the Spirit, 
 we mu(t underftand the Holy Spirit of God ; for the devil 
 I think, is never called the Spirit, but has always a brand 
 of reproach annexed, as, the evil fpirit, the unclean fpirit, 
 and the like. By his being led by the Spii-it (St. Mark 
 fays, he was drove by the Spirit) we may either under- 
 Aand a potent and efficacious perfuafion, without any vio- 
 lent emotion; or elle, as the learned Dr. Lightfoot thinks, 
 Chrill was bodily caufrht up by the holy Spirit into the air, 
 and carried from Jordan, where he was baptized, into the 
 wildcrnel's, where he was tempted. God had put great 
 honour upon Chrill at his baptifm^ declared him to be his 
 well beloved Son, in whom he was well pleafed ; and the 
 next news we hear, is, the devil alTaulting him witli his 
 temptations. Learn thence, That the more any are belov- 
 ed of God, and dignified with more eminent teflimonies 
 of his favour, fb much the more is the devil enraged and 
 Bialicioufly bent againfl them. 
 
 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And 
 in thofe days he did eat nothing : and when they 
 were ended, he afterwards hungred. 
 
 Note here, How the divine power uplicld Chrifl's human 
 nature without food : What Mofes did at the giving of the 
 law, Chrift doth at the beginning of the gofpFl, viz. Fufi 
 forty days andfjriy nights. Chrill hereby intended our 
 admiration rather than our imitation ; or if our imitation, 
 of the aclion onlv, not of the time. From this example of 
 Chrifl we leurn. That it is our duty, by fafting and prayer, 
 to prepare ourfelves for a conflift with our fpiritual ene- 
 mies. As Chrill prepared himfelf, by falling, to grapple 
 with the tempter, fo Ihuuld we. 
 
 3 And the devil f.iid, if thou be the Son of God, 
 command this ftonc that it be made bread. 
 
 Ohferve here, I. The occafion of the temptation ; and, 
 2. The temptation itlelf : The occafion of the temptation 
 was onr Saviour's hunger and want of bread. Learn 
 thence, That when Cod lulfers any of his children to fall 
 into want, and to be ftraitened for outward things, Sstan 
 takes a mighty advantage thereupon to tempt and affault 
 tliem. ■>. What it is he tempts our Saviour to; it is the 
 fi.i of diitnill, to call in qncllion his Soiilliip, If thou be the 
 Son rf jid ; and then to dillrnd God's providence and 
 Cire, crunmandihat thefcftoncs be tuade bread: it is the grand 
 P''llcy of Satan, firfl to tempt the children of God to doubt 
 of their adoption ; next, to diftrull God's/atherly care and 
 proviiion ; and, laftofall, to ufe >in*arrantable means to 
 help thcmlelve . Thm Satan der.lc with Chrdl, and thus 
 
 he deals with Chriftians ; for to work a miracle at Satan's 
 direclion, was not a lawful mean of providing food for him- 
 felf. 
 
 4 And Jefiisanfwered him, faying, It is written, 
 That man fhall not live by bread alone, but by e- 
 vcry word of God. 
 
 Ncte I. That though the devil abufed fcripture, ye'. 
 Chrifl ufes it. Good things are never the worfe for bting^ 
 abufed by Satan and his indruments. 2. The weapon 
 which our Saviour made ufe of to vanquifh Satan, it was 
 the word of God : It is -writtcr, fays Chrifl. Learn, 
 That the fcripture, or the written word of God, is the 
 only fure weapon wherewith to vanquifli Satan, and beat 
 back all his fiery temptations. The fcripture is God's ar- 
 mory, ont of which all our weapons of war muft be taken, 
 for managing our conflid with fm and Satan. 
 
 5 And the devil taking him up into an high 
 mountain, (hewed unto him all the kingdoms of the 
 world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil laid 
 unto him. All this power will I give thee, and th<; 
 glory of them : for that is delivered unto me ; and 
 to whomfoevcr I will, I give it. 7 If thou there- 
 fore wilt worfliip me, all ihall be thine. 8 Andjc- 
 fus anfwered, and faid unto him, Get thee behind 
 me, Satan .' for it is written. Thou (halt worfhip 
 the Lord thy God, and him only (halt thou ferve_ 
 
 Cbferve, i. The next fin which Satan tempts our Savi. 
 our to, is the fin of idolatry, even to worlhip the devil 
 himfelf. O thou impudent and foul fpirit, to defire thy 
 Creator to worfliip thee, an apoflate creature ! Doubilefs 
 there is no fin fo black and foul, fo horrid and monftrous, 
 but the chriflian may be tempted to it, but when Chrifl 
 himfelf was tempted to worflup the tempter, even the de- 
 vil himfelf. St. Matthew reads it, ]fth'juv.'ilt worjkip me ; 
 St. Luke, If thou -uilt -jucrfh'p before me; From whence 
 we may gather, that if to worfhip before the devil, be to 
 worfhip the devil, then to worfhip before an image, is to 
 worlhip the image. (Dr Lightf.ct J 2. The bait which 
 Satan makes ufe of to allure our Saviour to the fin of ido- 
 latry, reprefenting to his eye and view all the glories of the 
 vorld in the mofl inviting manner, and that in a moment 
 of time, that fo he might afleft him the more, and prevail 
 the fooner. Learn thence. That the pomp ami grandeur 
 of the wpi;jd is made ufe of by Satan, as a dangerous fnare 
 to draw men into a complafance with him in his temptati- 
 ons unto fin. He /J:c-Med him, &c. 3. What an impudent 
 liar and proud boafler the devil is : he was a liar from the 
 beginning: All this will I give, ice. An impudent untruth, 
 f(^r the dominion over the things of the worU was never 
 given to the angels, neither has the de\ il any power over 
 the creatures, but by permillion from God. The devil 
 is a mofl impudent liar, he told the firfl lie, and by long 
 praalice has become a perfecl mafler in the art of lying. 
 Ohferve alio. The devil's boafling as well as lying, y^'ll 
 this will I give ihce ; when iie had not one foot of ground 
 to difpofe of. Great bonflers are for the moll part great 
 liars, and luch boadcrs and liars are like the devil. 4. How 
 our Saviour declares the true and only objeJl of rcligiou 
 
 worfhip. 
 
Cha?. 
 
 IV. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 so. 
 
 worfhip ; namely, God hlmfclf : Thou (halt '.vor/li'i) the 
 Lord thy God, Sec. Religious worfhip is to be given to none 
 of the craatures, neither to anj:;eh nor men, how excel- 
 lent foever, but God alone. We read of bin two crea- 
 tures that ever defired in ftripture to be wordiipped with 
 divine worfliip ; namely, The devil and anticiiriil ; hut 
 the command is peremptory, Thou /halt xuor/hip the Lard, 
 and him only. 
 
 9 And he brought him to Jerufalem,. and fet 
 him on a pinnacle of the temple, and faid unto him, If 
 thou be the Son of God, call thyfelf down from 
 lience : lo For it is written, he (hall give his an- 
 gels charge over thee, to keep thee : i x And in their 
 hands they (hall bear thee up, left at any time thou 
 dafli thy foot again ft a ftone. 12 yVnd Jefus an- 
 fwering, faid unto him, It is faid, Thou fhaltnot 
 tempt the Lord thy God. 13 ? And when the de- 
 vil had ended all the temptation, he departed from 
 him for a feafon. 
 
 Ohftrie here, i. The power which Satan, by God's pcr- 
 iniiiiou, had over the body of our blelled Saviour ; he to( k 
 him up, and carried his body through the air, from ihe 
 wildernef's cf Jerufalem, and there fet him upon one of the 
 pinnacles of the temple. Learn hence, ( i.) That Satan, 
 by God's permill^on, tnay have power over the bodies 
 of men, yea, over the bodies of the bell of men (2.) 1 hat 
 thisexercife of Satan's power over the bodies of men, is no 
 argument that fuch perfons do not belong to God. Our 
 Saviour hiinfelf, who was dear to God, is yet left for a 
 time in Satan's hand?. But thou^ii S^jmi had a po.ver to 
 fet him upon the pinnacle "f the ttniple, yet he had no 
 power tu cail him down; tiiongh Satan's malice be innaite, 
 his power is li.ni'.ed and bounded ; he cannot do allthe mil- 
 thief he would, fo he (hall not do all he can x. The lin 
 which Satan tempts Chrill to. the fin of felf murder : CriJ- 
 thyfelf down. Learn, Thnt felf- murder isalin which Chriit 
 himfelfwas, and the luft of children mav be tempted to,; 
 yet thoui^h Satan iblicited Chri.fl to the lin, he could not 
 Compel him to comply with tlie temptation. Thence n'jtc. 
 That how much earneltnefs and importunity foever Satan 
 ufes in prelhng his temptation, he can only perfuade, he 
 cannot compel ; he may entice, but cannot enforce. 3. 
 The argument which Satan ufes, to perfuade Clirift to the 
 fm of felf— murder : it is a fcripture argument ; he quotes 
 a promiie; Hi Jhall gh-e his angtls charge over thee. What a 
 wonder is here, to fee the devil with a bible under his arm, 
 and with a text of fcripture m his mouth ! Chrift had al- 
 leJged fcripture before to Satan ; here Satan retorts fcrip- 
 ture back again to Chrift. Itisvjrlttfn, fay« Chrift, // ;/ 
 -xril-ten, fays Satan. Learn, That Satan knows how to a- 
 biifu the inoft excellent and comfortable fcriptures to the 
 niotl horrid and pernicious ends and purpofes : He that had 
 l)rofanely touched the facred body of Chrift with his hands, 
 flicks not preiumptuouily to handle the holy fcriptures with 
 his tongiie. 4. The text of fcripture which Satan makes 
 ufe of, Ffalni xci. 11, 12. Htlhallglve hU anpels charge 
 over thee, to keep thee ; where the dodtrine is good, but the 
 application is had. The doftrine istrue, that Go 1 is ple.nf- 
 td to employ his r.njels for the jood of his lervarit?, trjd 
 
 particularly for tijtir prefervation in times of danger : Dut 
 fee how falftly the devil preverts, mifapplics, and wrtfts 
 that facred fcripture. When God promifes that his angels 
 fiiall kc-cp us, it is In all his -.ujv-f, not in otir crooked path";. 
 Learn, That although tlie children tif God have iheproinifc 
 of the g'jardiaiilhip of his holy angels, yet then only may 
 they e.\pei5t their protedlion, when w ajking in the way of 
 their duty. Laftly, The iiTue of this conibat, Satan is 
 vanquiflird, and departs from our Saviour. St. Matthew 
 fays, Thi dcvil left him, and angels c,7ine and minlffered unto 
 him .• Satan i? conquered, and quits the field. Teaching tr, 
 That nothing but a vigorous refinance of temptation caid'es 
 the tempter to flee from us. Satan i» both a lowardly ene 
 my, and a conquered enemy ; relift him, and he will run. 
 
 14 IT And Jefus returned in the power of the Spi* 
 rit into Galilee : and there went out a fame of him 
 through all the region round about. 15 And he 
 taught in their fynagogucs, being glorified of all. 16 
 ITAud he came to Nazareth, where he had been 
 brought up : and, as his cuftom was, he went into 
 the fynagogue on the labbath-day, and flood up for 
 to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the 
 book of the prophet Elaias. And when he had open- 
 ed the book, he found the place where it was writ- 
 en, i8 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, becaufe 
 lie 4ia.th anointed me to preach the gofpel to the poor 
 he hath fent me to. heal the brokenhearted, to preach 
 deliverance to the captives, and lecoveving of fight 
 to the blind, to let- at liberty tlicm tliat are bruiftd*: 
 ly To preach the acceptable year of tlic Lofd.' 20 
 And he clofcd the book, and he gave it again to the 
 niinifter, and fat down. And the eyes of alJ them 
 that were in, the fynagogue were failened on hiia. 
 21 And he began to fay unto them, This day is this 
 fcripture fulfilled in your ears. 
 
 Gur blelled- Saviour being. thus fitted sncl prepared by 
 his haptUm and tcmptaticms, for the execution ofh.is rai- 
 nifterial offn.Pj he «iow enters upon the grent w<>rk of 
 preaching the goi'pel, and St. Luke here <lcclares the firil 
 place he preached at, namely, Nazareth ; and. the Hrft 
 text he preached upon, 1 fa, Ixi. i. Objerve i. The pl.Tce 
 where our Saviour preached at; he'oeftovvtd his firft fermon ' 
 upon Nazareth, the pl.ice of hi? conception ;ind educat'on : 
 forthough Chrift wa? born at Uethlehem, yet he was bred 
 and brought up at Nazareth ; there he h.id his poor hut 
 painful education, working at his father's trade, that of a 
 carpenter. This prejudiced the Jews againit him, who 
 looked for a fteptre, not an ax, in the hand of him that was 
 burn kinrr of the Jevjs. Our Saviour's fliort and lecrct abode 
 at Bethlehem, and h's long and p'lblic li\'ing at i\aiaretb, 
 orcafioned him to be called Jel'nf nf Nazareth ; ye t fo:iie 
 conceive it was a nick-name faftencd by the devil upon our 
 Saviour, that he in'ghidifguile the ])lace of his nativity, and 
 leave the Jews at a greater lols refpcc^ing their Mefliah. 
 Sure it is, that thi'- name, Jefus of NiiZ'ircth, flui k uppn 
 our Saviour all his life ; and ;it his death, was tixed liy f*.!- 
 lai.» on his trois, \ea, after ids alccBlion, fuch as believed 
 
 on 
 
206 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 CirAP. IV. 
 
 •nhiin, were cslIeJ, lheff!Jcfh^azarenfs, or, /Zi/siE/cu- 
 fis t.j Jfftis (jf, hai(.reth. 2. The text which our fcavioiir 
 prcjchfd Upmi at N':ir.areih ; he tikes it out of ilie prophet 
 Efaisi, diap. Ixi. I. 7he Spirit cf the l.orJ h vpcn nte, le 
 hath ou'.iittc'il me to frfuch the g'^rpclt'i theponr ; that is, Gcd 
 thj Fdiher hn;ii poured forth his holy Spirit without meo- 
 fore ypon Hit", iu all the gii'ts and graces of it, ard to fit 
 and furnifii uif for the work of a Mediator; aa:d particular- 
 ly, to pi each the golpel to the poor in fpirit, ar.il to ri!ch as 
 are poor in ouiwciid coudiiiou illb, if lueckcncd and huir.- 
 hlcil with the li^ijlic and fcnfc of tlieirlins. To lind up the 
 broken l.eai ied ; that is, tocomfoit them with the glad tid . 
 ings of the gofpel. To precch -dcUvcrmce I0 the captive f ; 
 toiet luth finiiers know, who were flaves to fin and Satan, 
 that a deliverer isccme, if they be willing to be delivered 
 by him. To preach the acctptable year of the Lord ; or to 
 prod lima fpiritual jubilee, in which God pruiFers pardon of 
 liu and reconcilliation uitli himself upon the tcinis of the 
 gofptl. Z£(/r« hence, i. That God ftirred up none to take 
 upon them the office of theminiftry, whom he hath not fitted 
 and furniflied with gifts for the regular dilth;.rge of it. 2. 
 That Chrifl hiniiVlf did not undertake the office of a Medi- 
 ator, but by the ordination of God the Hcly Spirit ; 7 he 
 Spirit of the lord; kc. 3. That no crcaiure, angel, or 
 uian, could perform the office of a iVi^diator, but only Chrifl 
 who was confccrated to that cflice by an appointing from the 
 Hcly Spirit, without n^eafure : The Spirit of the Lord hath 
 anointed me. i\. That the preaching of the gofpel is the 
 great ordinance which Clirilt hinifelf made ufe of, and re- 
 commended to his apoflles and miniilers, for enlightening 
 blind liiiners, for comforting broken hearts, and delivering 
 captive fouls from the Oavcry and dominion of lin and Satan; 
 he hath J'cnt mc ; &c. What enemies then are ihey to the 
 fouls ot men, who have lo* anti mean thcnghtsof this high 
 and honourable ordinance of God. the preaching of the ever- 
 lading gofpel, which is the power of God unto falvation ? 
 3. 1 he bf h..viour of our Savioijr's auditors, the men of 
 Nar.areth, under his preaching ; their eyes were fixed, and 
 their minds intent on him, and what was I'poken by him ; 
 The eyes of all ; &c. not dofed with fleep, nor gazing about 
 upon others ; but fixed upon Chrifb the preacher. Fixing 
 of the eye is a great help to the attention of the ear, and 
 the intention of the mind ; a faftened eye is a mean tohelp 
 us to a fixed heart ; a wandering eye is both a fign and a 
 caufe of a wandering heart. O that our hearers would im- 
 itate our Saviour's hearers under the world ! They faftened 
 their fycsDpon him, asif thtv meant to hear with their eyes 
 as well as with their ears ; and yet we have caule to fuf- 
 pett, that curiofity rather than piety caufed this their atten. 
 lion; feeing, as you will find, ver. 29. that thefe very 
 perions who out of novelty were ready to eat his words, 
 foon after, out of cruelty, were ready to devettr the fjieak- 
 er ; for they thurft him out of the city, led him to the bro-u of 
 the hill, and -jumtld hai'e cafi him doiun headlong. O bleflcd 
 Saviour! what wonder i-> it, that the pcrfons of thy minif- 
 ters are defpifed, and their d(»ftrine negie«^ed, when thou 
 thyfdf, the firlt preaiher of the gofpd, and for thy firrt 
 fermon at Nazareth, wcrt thus igiitiaiinioufly treated! Lall- 
 ly. How Chrilt conforms to the ceremonies of the Jewilh 
 doctrine, who in honour of the hnv and the prophets J/o'id 
 up when they read them, and according to cuttom,Jat do-xn 
 vhen tlieycx^l.iined them. And although the fynagogual 
 
 worjliip was then loaded with rule"! and ceremonies of hn^' 
 man invention, ami alfo the lives and manners both of prieft* 
 and ptc]5!e wfremuih ccrrupted, yetboih cur Sa\:cur an({ 
 his tlijciples went to the numbers of the church of XazuretU 
 every fjbiiath tlay, joiningwith iheni in the public uorfhip. 
 From whence we may rc.ifvuiably infer, that fuch thriftians 
 as do c,u'etly and pcacesMy cen)p!y with the practice of the 
 church in whole communion they Jive, in the obfervation 
 of fuch indifterenr riteaas are life d by her, ai't moil agreea- 
 ble to cur Savioar's praclice and example. 
 
 22 And ail bare him witnefs, and wondered at the 
 gracious words which proceeded wit of his nioiuli. 
 And they f:iid, Is not this Joleph's Ion ? 23 And 
 he laid unto thcm,Ye will lure ly fay unto me this 
 proveib, Phyfician heal thyfelt : whalfoever' wc 
 have heard done in Capernaum, do alio here in thr 
 country. 24 And he faid, Verily I l^ay unto you, 
 No prophet is accepted irt his own country. 
 
 Chferve here, i. 1 he efTrct of cur Saviour's miniflry .'t 
 Nazareth, it created wtmder, but did not produce faith ; 
 they marvelled, but not believed ; they admired the wifdom 
 of his difcourfes, but will liot own hitn to be the promifed 
 Mefllah, becaufe of the poverty and meannefs of Chrift's 
 condition ; Is not this Jojeph'sfn ? 1 hey expect the fon of 
 a prince, not the fon of a carpenter, to be rheir Mefliah. 
 Thence note, That the poverty and meannefs of Chrift's 
 condition was that which multitudes ftumbled at, and kept 
 many, yea, mofl from believing on him. None but a fpi- 
 ritual eye can difcern beauty in an humble and abafcd Savi- 
 our. 2. Our Saviour wonders not that fo few of his 
 countrymen, among whom he had been bred a-'.d brought 
 up, and with whom he had lived moll part of his time, did 
 defpife his perfon, and reject his doftrine ; he tells them, 
 No prophet has honour in hii own country ; that is, very {fel- 
 dom has : Teaching us. That ufually the miniftcrs of God 
 are moft defpifed where tiiey are moft familiarly known ; 
 fometimes the remembrance of their mean original and cx-« 
 tradion, fometimes the poverty of their parents, fometimes A 
 the indecencies of their childhood, fometimes the follies of li 
 their youth, fometimes the faults of theirfamilies and relati- 
 ons are ript up, and made occafion of contempt ; and there- 
 fore that prophet which comes from afar, and has not been 
 much known, gains the greatefl reputation amongft a peo- 
 ple, who, being ignorant of his extraction, look upon his 
 breeding as well as his calling to be divine. This good ufe 
 ought to be made of our Saviour's obfervation, that his mi- 
 iiilters be very wife and difcreet in their converfation with 
 their people, not making themfelves cheap and common in 
 every company, nor light and vain in any company : For 
 fuch familiarity will breed contempt, both of their perfons 
 and their doctrine. But our d uty is by llridnefs and gravi- 
 ty of deportment to keep up an awe anti efteem in the con— 
 fcicnces of our people ; always tempering cur gravity with 
 iourtcfy and a condefcending afiral>ility. That miniUcr 
 which proltitutes his authority, fruftiates the end of his 
 Hilnidry, and is the occafion of his own contempt. 
 
 25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were 
 in Ifrael in the days of Elias, when the heaven was 
 fhut up three ycT.xi and fix months, when great fa- 
 mines 
 
Chap, iv. 
 
 ■St. 
 
 U 
 
 £. 
 
 201 
 
 mine was throughout all the land; 26 But unto 
 none of tlic-m was Elias fent, lave unto Sarcpta a 
 city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27 
 And many lepers were in Ifrael in the time oi Elifcus 
 (he prophet; and none of them was cleanlcd, fav- 
 ing Naaman the Syrian. 
 
 Here our Saviour, by a double inftance, confirms what 
 lie had lift told his countrymen at Nazareth, namely, that 
 prophets are moft defpifed by their own countrymen and 
 acquaintance, and that (h-angers oft-times have more ad- 
 vantaj^e by a prophet than his own people. The firlt in- 
 fl:ince3 Of this which our Saviour gives them, is in the days 
 of Elias, though there were many widows thej' in his own 
 nation, yet none of them were qualified to receive his mi- 
 racles, but a flranger, a -u'tdo-a of Serepta. The fecondiii- 
 ftince was in the days of Eiiflia : when though there svere 
 many lepers in and about the neighbourhood, yet they be- 
 i ng his countrymen, defpifed liim, and none werequaliHed 
 for a cure but Naaman the Syrian, a man of another coun- 
 try. Thus the prophets of God, likefonie fidiermen, catcli 
 leaft in their own pond, and do more good by their minil- 
 try among (Irangers, than among their own countrymen, 
 kinsfolk, and near relations : No prophet is accept, d In his 
 own country. 
 
 28 And all they in the fynagogue, when they 
 heard thofe thin'.rs,were filled with wrath, 29Androfe 
 up, and thriilb him oat of the city, ind led him unto 
 the top of the brow'of the hill w^hereoii their city was 
 built, that they might call l>im down headlong. 30 
 But he pafli.*ig th.io^gh the 'midll of them went his 
 way^ 
 
 Obferve licre, 1. The iiorrid impie;y of the people of Na- 
 zareth in thrufting their Savidiir but of tlieir city ; and 
 their biirb.irous ami Moody criichy hi brfnging him to the 
 lirow of the hill, with full intent tocafthim down head- 
 long. . liut Chrift was to die a clean contrary way, not by 
 throwing down, but by lifting up. O ungrateful and tm- 
 happy Nazareth ! Is t!i is the return you make that divine 
 guetl, wliich for thirty years had fojourned in vourcoafls? 
 No wonder that the ableft preadiing, and moft exemplary 
 living of the holiefl and heft of Chrill's miniflers, obtain 
 no greater fuccefs at this day amcngft a people, when the 
 prefence of Chrifl: at Nazaretli, for thirty years together, 
 had no- better influence upon the minds and manners of 
 the people ; but inftead of their receiving his iiiefTage, they 
 rage at the mefTcnger. Neither let any of the minifters of 
 Ciirift think it llrange that they are ignomlnioufly defpifed, 
 when our Mailer before n'-. was in danger of being barba- 
 riudy murdered, and that for his plain preaching to his own 
 people, the men of Nazareth. But, 2. The miraculous 
 efcape of our blefild Lord from the murdering hands of 
 the wicked Na'Zarites : He pijfng thrwgh the m'lilft nf them, 
 vj:nt Irs isjav. How and after what manner he efcapcd is 
 not declared, and therefore cannot without prefumption be 
 determ'ned ; although the Ilomanifts, to make way for 
 their doflrinc of traiifubftantiaiion, pofnivcly, affirm, that, 
 contrary to tlie nature of a b^dy, he pcnetVa'tcd 'throijgh 
 the brcafls of the people. Btit whethi^r he 'ftruck them 
 
 with blind:i3rs, tliat they did not fee ; or fmote them witk 
 fear, that they durd not hold him ; or wlicther by a greater 
 ftrength than theirs (which his Cod-head could ealily fupply 
 his human nature -Jiith) he efcapcd from tiiem ; it is lu-ithcr 
 prudent to inquire, nor polFible 10 determine: We I; now 
 it was an eafy thing for him, who was God as well as man, 
 to quit hinilelf of any mortal enemies ; and at the fame 
 time, when he rcfcucd himfelf could have ruined them, by 
 frowning them into hell, ©r looking them into nothing. 
 
 31 And came dov/n to Capernaum, a city of 
 Galilee, and taught them on the fabbath-days. 32 
 And they were aftoniflied at hisdo£trine: for his 
 word was with power. 33 5 And in the fynagogue 
 there was a man which had a fpirit of an unclean 
 devil; and he cried out with a loud voice, 31 Say- 
 ing, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, 
 t^wu jefus of Nazareth ? art thou come to dcflroy 
 us ? I know thee who thou art ; the holy One of 
 God. 35 And Jtfus rebuked him, faying. Hold 
 thy peace, and come out of him. And when the 
 devil had thrown l^im in the niidll, he came out of 
 him, and hurt him not. 36 And they were all 
 amazed, and fpake among themfclves, faying, What 
 a word is this ! for with iiuthority and power he 
 commandeth the unclean fpirits, and they come out. 
 37 And the fame of him went out into every place 
 of the country round about. 
 
 Our bleffed Saviour, being driven out of Nazareth bf 
 the fury of his countrymen, departs to Capernaum, where 
 he entered inro their fynagogues and taughr. Who caii 
 declare the pains that our Saviour took, and the hazard* 
 %\hich he ran in preaching the everlalling goi'pel to loll (in- 
 ners? but obferve the fmallnefsof his fuccefs r The people 
 were aftoniflied, but not believed; iiis doctrine produced 
 admiration, but not faith; his auditors were admirers, but 
 not believers. Tke people zuere a/twijbi-d at his docrrine •• 
 The reafon of which allonilhment is added, Fi,r his ivord 
 vjas with po-Mcr ; that is, there was majefty in his perfon, 
 fpirituaUty in his preaching, and powerful miracles accom- 
 panyin<T both, and confirming both; of which the Evan- 
 gelift here gives us an account, namely, the calling out of 
 a devil in one poffelfed, verl'e 3;. Ther^ -^as amun \uhich 
 had a fpirit of an unclean dtvil, and he rricd wt ; that is, 
 the devil, that unclean fpirit, did enter into. him, and bo- 
 dily pofTefs him. Amongfl other calamities, wh'ch fin has 
 brought upon our bodies, tnis is one, to be bodily polTefTed 
 by Satan. The devil has an inveterate malice againfl man- 
 kind, leeking to ruin our fouls by his fuggeflions and temp- 
 tations, and to deflroy our bodies by fom^ means or other. 
 O ! how n\uch it is our interefl, as well as our duty, by 
 praver to put ourfelves morning and evening under the 
 divine care and proteftion, that we may be preferved frorii 
 the power and malice of evil fpirits? 2. The tiiJe hei c 
 given to the devil : He is called the uncLan fpirit. The 
 devils, thofe wicked f]>irits of hell, ?re moft impure and 
 filthy creatures: Impure by reafon o> their origin.nl apol- 
 tady ; impure bv reafon of their .iftuai ar;d daily fins, fiicli 
 asHUlrdb'r and malice, lying, and ihe lilvC, by which they 
 
 con— 
 
2o8 
 
 >T. 
 
 u 
 
 K 
 
 Chhp. IV. 
 
 coni'muully pollaie ihemfelves ; and impure by jneans of 
 iluir continual dclire anil entleavours to polkilc iii;inkind 
 Willi the coiiiagion of iheir own fins. Lord, how foul is 
 tiif nature of lin, \^ll:c!l makes the devil fuch a foul and 
 filthy, fuih an impure and untU-ai) creature! 3. The fub- 
 Icance of the devil's outcry : iM us alor.e : what have we 
 IoJq wilhthi-e ; art thcu come to dejlroy us? that is, to re- 
 rtrain us frum the cxercife of our power : The devil thinks 
 liiinftrlf dcUroyed when he is rellrained from doing mif- 
 ch.cf. 4. The title given by the devil to our Saviour : 
 lie flylci him, 7l:: Ihly One <f Cijd. How comes this ac- 
 fcnowitdgnient out of- the devil's inouih? Could an a- 
 pollle make a profeirioii beyond th's? But how comes 
 Satan to make it? For no good end, and with no good 
 intention, we n.ay be fure ; for the den/ never fpeaks 
 truth for truih'i lake, but for advantage fake. IVobably, 
 1. He might make tiiis profcdion, that fo he might bring 
 the truth profcf.td into quefticn ; hoping that the truth, 
 which received teftimony from the lather of lies, would be 
 lulpeclcd. Or, 2. it might perhaps be don.* to make the 
 people believe our Saviour had fome fasniliarity wiih Satan, 
 anil did work miracles by his help, bccaufe he did confels 
 him, and fecm to put honour upon him. Hence we may 
 i^ar'i, That it is polllblc for a perlbr. to own and acknow- 
 Ifdge Chrift tobe the true and only Saviour, and yet mifs 
 of falvation by Mm: If a fpeculative knowledge, and a 
 vrrbal prolelTion ofChrift, were (iiflicient for falvation, the 
 devil himlelf would not mifs of happinefs. 5. How our 
 Saviour rebukes the devil for this cor.feflion, andcommandj 
 liiin (Hence : "Jefus rebuked him, faytttg, H-ld thy peace. 
 But why was this rebuke given the devil, and his mouth 
 flopped, when he fpake the truth? /Infw. i. Becaufe 
 Chrift knew that the devil confefled this truth on purpofe 
 to dif^race trulh. 2. Bccaufe the devil was no fitperlon 
 tom:ike this profclTioii : A tellimony of truth from the fa- 
 ther of lies, is enough to render truth itfelf lufpccted. Yet 
 the devil's evidence, that Clirill was the Holy One of God, 
 •will rife up in judgment againil the wicked Pharifees, who 
 fhut their eyes sgatnft the miracles, and Hopped their ears a- 
 gaiiid the do«.^rine of the Holy One of God. Laftly, How 
 the unclean fpirits ob"y the voice of Chrift, but with reluc- 
 rancy and regret : \V hen the unclean fpirit had thrown him 
 in the miJft, he came out. Where ahferve ,T\\q. deviPsfpite 
 at parting : he tear; the man, throw shim violently from place 
 to place, fhewing how loath he was tobe dilpod'eHed. Where 
 ^dtan has once j'.ottcn an hold, and fettled himlelf for a 
 lime, how unwilling he is tobe caft out of pollf-lfion ? Yea, 
 it ii a torment and venation to him to be call out : It is 
 much eaficr to keep out Satan, than to cart him out. Sa- 
 tan may poflefs the body by Cod's permiflion, but he can- 
 not pullers our hearts without our own confent and appro- 
 bation. It will be ourwifdom to deny him entrance into 
 our fouls at firlt, by rejeftiiig his wicked motions and fug- 
 gcftionf; for when he is Hril entered, he will, like the 
 iirong man armed, keep the houfe, till a llronger than he 
 calt liim out. 
 
 38 And he aiofc out of the fvnagoguc, and enter- 
 ed into Simon's h"ufe: and Siinon'.s wife's mother was 
 l.iken with a great fever ;and they bcfought him for her. 
 ^9 /ind he flood over her, and rebuked the fever; and 
 
 it left her : and immediately flie arofc, and rainiflered 
 unto them. 
 
 Here note, 1. That St. Peter, a difciple, yea, an apoflle, 
 was a married perl'on. Neither the prophets of the old tef- 
 tament, nor the apoftles of the New, did abhor the marriage 
 bed, nor judge themfclves too pure foraninftitution of their 
 Maker. The church of Pionie, by denying the lawfulrefs of 
 priefts marriage, makes herfelf wifer than God, who fays, 
 Heb. xiii. /^. Marriage is hor.orelile am'jtgf] all men. 2. Pe- 
 ter, though a good n.an, and his wife's mother probably a 
 gracious worn in,yet is his family vifited with fickncfs: ftrength 
 ofgrare, and dearneH of refpecl, even from Chrift himfelf, 
 cannot prevail againil difcafes ; God's own cliildren are vi- 
 fited with bodily licknefs as well as others. 3. The divine 
 power of Chrift maniiefted in this miraculous cure ; He 
 Jloodovcrl:tr,ijLys St. Luke: He toik her by the hand, and lif- 
 ted her up, fays St. Mark. Here was an ordinjry diflemp- 
 crcured after an extraordinary manner, by a touch'pf Chrift's 
 hand, in an inftant : Immediately the fever left her, and/he arofe 
 and minijlered unto them. That (he could arife, argued her 
 cure tobe miraculous ; that ihe could and did arife, and ad- 
 niiniftcr to Chriftand his difciples, argued her thankfulncfs. 
 After Chrift hath healed any of us, it ought to be our firlt care 
 to adminifter unto him ; that is, to employ our recovered 
 ftrength in the fervice of Chrift, and to improve our refto- 
 red health to the honour and glory of Chrift. 
 
 40 Now when the fun was fetting, all they that 
 had any fick with divers difeafes brought them unto 
 him : and he laid his hands on every one of them, 
 and healed them. 41 And devils alfo came out of 
 many, crying out, and faying, Thou art Chrift the 
 Son of God. And he rebuking them, fuffcred them 
 not to fpeak : for they knew that he was Chrift. 
 
 The Evangelift here declares fundry other cure; wrought 
 by our Saviour ; he healed the Tick, and difpo/TelTed the de- 
 vils. In our Saviour's time we read of many polFefTed with 
 devils, and but of feweuherbefore or afterwanls. Probably, 
 I. Becatife Satan, perceiving iTie MefTiah to be come in the 
 tiefii to deftroy his kingdom, did rage the more, and difcover 
 the greater malice and enmity againft mankind. 2. Perhaps 
 almighty God fufFered Satan at that time topolTefs (omany, 
 that Chrift might have occafion to manifeft his divine power 
 by cafting Satan out. And accordingly we find our Sa\ iour 
 difpofTelTing all that were polfelTed by Satan. It is added. 
 That hefiijfcred not the dcvih tojpeak, becaufe they knew him; 
 That is, Chrift would not be made to be the Son of God by 
 the preaching of the devil, left the world fliculd from thence 
 lake occalion to think thatour Saviour helii acorrefpondence 
 with tliofe wicked fpirits, and that the miracles which he 
 wrought were performed by the devils adiftance, as being 
 one in a combination with him. Poilibly from the 
 Devil's owning Chrift to be the Holy One of Cod, 
 the Pharifees conchultd there was a compact and agree- 
 nient betwixt them ; and thereupon their affirmation was 
 grounded, JJe eajfcth out devils by /Beelzebub the prince rf de- 
 vils. 
 
 42 f And when it was day, he departed and went 
 into a defert place. And the people fought him and 
 came unto him, and ftaycd him, that he Ihould not de- 
 part 
 
Cha?. v. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 ^''9 
 
 part from them. 43 And he faid unto them, I 
 mufl preach the kingdom of God to other cities alfo: 
 for therefore am I fent; 44 And he preached in the 
 fynagogues of Galilee. 
 
 Gbferve here, i. The great work and bufinefs of our 
 Saviour's life, to preach the gofpel ; 1 mufl preach the king- 
 dr,ni of Cod, for therefore cunie I forth. Preaching Was 
 Chrift's great work, it is undoubtedly his minifters'. Chrift 
 omitted (bnie opportunities of working miracles, that he 
 might preach to other cities : This was his great work. 2. 
 It beiiijr Chrift's great delign to plant and propagate the 
 gofpel, he would not confine his miniftry to one particular 
 place, not to the great city of Capernaum, but refolves to 
 preach the word in fmaller towns and villages ; leaving 
 his minillers herein an inftructive example, to be as willing 
 to preach thepofpel in the fmalleft villages, as in the largelt 
 and mort populous cities, if God calls us thereunto. Let 
 the place be never fo obfcure and mean, and the congrega- 
 tion never fo fmall and little, if God fends us thither, the 
 greateft of us muftnot think it beneath us to go and inflruct 
 an handful of people. 
 
 GAAP. V. 
 
 A AD it came to pafs, that as the people preffed 
 upon him to hear the word of God, he flood 
 by the lake of Genncfareth. 2 And faw two fhips 
 (landing by the lake : but the fifhcrmen were gone 
 out of them, and were wafhing their nets. 3 And 
 he entered into one of the fhips, which was Simon's, 
 and prayed him that he would thru ft out a little from 
 the land. And he fat down, and taught thepeople 
 out of the fliip. 
 
 Here ohfcrvs, i. That our Saviour ufed the fea as well 
 as the land in his paff-ige from place to place to preach the 
 gofpel ; and the realons why he did fo, might probably be 
 thefe : (i.) To ftiew nature's intent in making of the lea, 
 namely, to be failed upon, as the land to be walked upon. 
 (2.) That Chrift might take occaiion to mauifell his deiry, 
 in working miracles upon the fea ; namely, by calming of 
 the waves and ftiiling of the winds. 3. It might be to 
 comfort fea-faring men in their diftrefi'es, and to encourage 
 them to pray to fiich a Saviour as had an experimental 
 knowledge of the dapgers ot the fea ; it were well if failors 
 would confider this, andinlleadof inuring themfelves to 
 the language of hell, when they go down into the deep, 
 would direcl their prayer unto Chri(t, and lock up tc him, 
 ■who now in heaven has the remembrance of what he him- 
 iclf endured and underwent here on earth, and on the 
 iea. 2. The circumftance of time, when Chriit ufed to 
 put forth to fea : It was ul'ually after he had wrought feme 
 extraordinary miracle, which fetthem on admiring and 
 commending ot him ; j.s after he had fed i'o many ihou- 
 fands with a few barley-loaves and fillies, prefently he put 
 forth to fea, fliunning thereby all popularity and vain-glo- 
 rious applaufe from the multitude, which he was never am- 
 bitious of, but iuduftrioully avoided. 3. That after our 
 Saviour's refiirrettion, we never find him failir.g ar.y more 
 [ upon the fea. For fuch a ihivftuating and turbulent con- 
 dition, which neteflarily attends fea voyages, was utterly 
 
 inconfiftent with the cnuftaiifT, ftibility, and ptrprtuiiy cf 
 Chrift's cftate when rifeu from the grave. Tlie firm \.\nA 
 better agreeing-with his fixed ftate, he keeps upon it, nil 
 his accellion into heaven. 4. ■ That Chrift ftruples not 
 to preach to the people in and out of the (hip; He pit 
 do-jJti and taut^ht the people out of the finp. bometime's we 
 find our holy Lord preathing upon a inountaiii, fonietimes 
 in a fliip, fometimes in a houle, as often as maybe in a fy- 
 nagogue : He that laid hold of all feafons for preaching 
 the gofpel, never fcrupled any place which conveniency 
 offered to preach in ; well knowing, thatitis the urdinaiice 
 that fanftifies the place, and not the place the orditiancc. 
 
 4 5 Now when he had left fpeaking, lie faid un- 
 to Simon launch out into the deep, and let down 
 your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon anfwering, faid 
 unto him, Maflcr, we have toiled all the night, and 
 have taken nothing: neverthelefs, at thy word I will 
 let down the net . 6 \x\A. when they had thi.s done, 
 they encloled a great mulitude of (ifhcs : and their 
 net brake. 7 And they beckoned unto the'rr part- 
 ners which were in the other ftip, that they fhould 
 come and help them. And they carae, and filled 
 both the fhips, fo that they began to fink. 8 When 
 Simon Peter faw it, he fell down at Jefus's knees, 
 faying. Depart from me ; for I am a finful man, O 
 Lord. 9 lor lie was afloniflied, and all that were 
 with him, at the draught of the fifhes which they had 
 taken; 10 And fo luoi alfo James and John, the 
 fons of Zebedce, which were partners with Simon. 
 And Jefus faid unto Simon. Fear not: From hence- 
 forth thou fhalt catch men. 11 And when they 
 had brought their fhips to land, they forfook all, 
 and followed him. 
 
 Ohftme here, i. Our Saviour, having delivered his docl- 
 rinc to the people, confirms his dodlrinc with a miracle, 
 and with futh a miracle as did not at once inftruct and 
 encouiage his apoftles ; the miraculous number of filh 
 which they caught did prelage and prefigure their miracu- 
 lous fuccefs in preaching, planting, and propagating the 
 gofpel. 2. Our Saviour's command to Peter, and his 
 ready compliance with Chrift's command: Ltt dr^uni yotir 
 nets fr a draught, fays Chrift: We have tii/edull night 
 fays Peter, and caught if^tbing ; neverthchfs, at thyxord I 
 ■ixiiU let duvjn the net. This myftitally reprefents to us 
 1. That the fiihers of men may labour all night and all 
 day too, and catch nothing. Tliis is fometimes the filher- 
 meii's fault, but oftcner the filhes. It is the fifher's fault 
 that nothing is taken, if he d'.th only play upon the fands, 
 and not launch out into the deep ; deliver i'ome fuperficial 
 and lefs neceflary truths, without opening to t.ic people the 
 great myfteries of godlinefs. If they fiih with breken nets, 
 or deliver unfound doiflrine, or lead uncxemplary lives;' if 
 they do not ccfl the net on the right fide of the fl.'ip, tint is, 
 rightly divide the work, as workmen that need not be r.— 
 fhamed; and if they do not lilh at Chrift's command, but 
 run a-filhing unfcnt, it is then no wonder that they labour 
 all their days and catch nothing. But very often it is th^. 
 filhes fault, rather than the fiflierman's; worldly men ar^ 
 
 Dd cr»ft„ 
 
210 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 Chap, v* 
 
 crafty and cunning, they w ill not come near the net ; hy- 
 pocrites arc flippery, like eels, the filhcnuen cannot long 
 holJ them, but ihey dart into their holes; priding them- 
 feivesin their external perfornnnces, and t'atisfying them- 
 felves Kith a round of duties. If the great men of the world 
 bre.ik'th rough the net, the divine commands cannot help 
 theiii^ jtr. V. 5. 1 will go to the grc'iit men, and fpeak to 
 tkfm, but ibcy Ihrje brokm the yoke, and burji the bonds. 3. 
 '1 he miraculous fuccefs which Peter had, when at Chrift's 
 omaiand he let down the net ; They tnclnfed fuch a multl- 
 iude 'ffP.'ti, that their net brake. Two things our Saviour 
 iiimed at in this miracle, i. To manifelt to his difciples the 
 power of his Godhe;d, that they might not be olVended at 
 the povenv and niean:;efs of his manhood : 2. To aflure 
 them of the greaf fuccefs which his apoftles their I'uccelTors 
 might expect in planting and propagating the gofpel. — 
 If the niinillers of Chrilt, whom he call s^j/^frj- 0/ men, be 
 faithful in the caft, his power fliall be magnified in the 
 drauglu. Some of our fifli will cleave eternally to the 
 ro;l;s, others play upon the fands, more will wallow in the 
 iniid, and continue all their days in the filth ot fin, if our 
 Mafler, at whofe command we let down the net, doth not 
 nidofe theminit, as well asaliiftus in the calling of it. 
 4. What inHuence the light of this miracle hid upon St. 
 Peter; it occafioned fear and amazenjeut, and caufed him 
 to adore Chrift, and declare himfelf unworthy of his pre- 
 sence : Depart from me, Sec. Not that the good man was 
 weary of Chrift's prefence, but acknowledged himfelf un- 
 worthy of it. It is a great difcovery of our holinefs, to 
 revere God, and fear before him, when he doth wonder- 
 ful things before us, though they he wonders of love and 
 mercy ; here was a wonderful appearance of Chrift's power 
 and mercy to St. Peter, but it affects him with a reveren- 
 tial fear and aftonifiimcnt. 5. How Peter and the reft of 
 the apoftles, at Chrift's call, forfook all and followed him ; 
 they left father and friends, fhip and nets, and followed 
 JcCus; Who Chrift calls, he calls effedVually : he draws 
 whoTi he calls, nnd works their heart to a ready compli- 
 ance to their duty. And although when they v/ere firft 
 called to be dilciples, they foilowe<l their trades of fifhing 
 for a time, yet upon their fecond call to the apoftlefhip, 
 ihcy left off their tratle, and forfook all to follow the mi- 
 niftry. Teaching the minifters of th3 gofpel, that it is their 
 dnty '.o give theiiifelves wholly up to their great work, and 
 not to encumber themfelves with fecvilaralfairs and worldly 
 hufinefs. Nothing but an indilpenllble necellity of pro- 
 viding for a family, can excule a minifter's incumbering 
 himfelf with worldly concerns and bufinefs. 
 
 12 ^ And it came to pafs, when he was in a cer- 
 tiiu city, behold, a man full of leprofy : who fec- 
 ng Jclus, fell on liii face, and bcfoui^ht him, faying, 
 
 Lord, if thou wilt, thou canft make me clean. 
 
 »3 
 
 And he put forth hb hand, and touched him, fayin^-, 
 1 will: Be thou clean. And immediately the Ic- 
 proly departed from him. 14 And lie char^'cd him 
 to tell no man : but go and Ihcw thyfclf to the pricft, 
 and offer for thy cleanfing according as Mofes com- 
 manded for a teflimony unto them. 15 But fo 
 Kiuch the more went tiiere a fame abroad of him : 
 
 and great multitudes came together to hear, and to 
 be healed by him of their infirmities. 
 
 Note here, 1. The petitioner, that in a very humble and 
 fubmiflive manner fues unto Chrift for cure and healin^ 1 
 A lepir fell on his face, and befuugbt him, faying, Lord, ifthw 
 'Milt, thou canft make me clean. He doth not queftion our 
 Lord's power, but diftrufts his willingnefs to help and heal 
 him. Chrift's divin? power inuft be fully sfiented to, and 
 firmly believed by all thole that expect benefit by him.— 
 2. The great readinefs; of Chrift to help and heal this dif- 
 trefted peribn; J tf us touched him, faying, I will ; Be thou 
 xlean. By the cerimoinal law, the leper was forbidden to 
 be touched : therefore Chrift touching this leper, Ihews 
 himfelf to be above the law : that he was the Lord of it 
 and might difpenfe with it : and his healing this leper by, 
 the word of his mouth and the touch of his hand, fkewcd 
 him to be truly and really fent of God ; for leprofy among 
 the Jews was accounted an incurable difteniper, called the 
 finger of God ; a difeafe of his fending, and of his re- 
 moving. Our Saviour therefore as a proof of his being 
 the Melllas, tells John's difciples. Matt. xi. 5. That the 
 lepers were cltanfed, and the dead raifed by him ; which two 
 being joined together, do imply, that the cleanfing of that 
 leper is as much an act of divine power, as the railing of 
 the dead: and accordingly, 2 Kings v. 7. Itisfaid, Ami 
 a Cod, that this man fends unto me to cure a perfon of his le- 
 profy P The certainty and fuddennefs of the cure was 
 a further proof of Chrift's divine power. Immediately 
 the leprofy departed, Chrift not only cured him immedi- 
 ately, but inftantaneoufly ; not only without means, bun 
 without the ordinary time required for fuch a cure. Chrift 
 fliewed both power and will to cure him miraculoufly, who 
 believed his power, but queftioned his willingnefs. 4. A 
 twoiold charge and command given by Chrift to the leper, 
 I. To tell it to no man : Where the great modefty, piety, 
 and humility of our Saviour are difcovered, together with 
 the prudent care he took of his own fafety ; his modefty, 
 in concealing his own praife ; his humility, in fliun- 
 ning all vainglorious applaufe and comwendation ; his 
 piety, in referring all the honour to God his Father ; and 
 the care of his own fafety appeared, left the publifhing of 
 his miracles Ihould create untimely danger from the Phari- 
 fees. 2. The next part of the charge given to the reco- 
 vered leper, is to go and fliew himfelf unto the prieft, and 
 offer the gift v.^hich Mofes commanded for a teftimony 
 unto them; that is, to tcftii'y to the Jews, that he did not 
 oppole the ceremonial law, which required a tliank-offerin^g- 
 at his hand ; and alfo, that the miracle might teftify that 
 he was the true and promifed mefTiah. Learn hence, 
 1 hat our blefled Saviour would have the cerimonial law 
 punctually obierved, fb long as the time of its continuance 
 did endure ; though he came to deftroy tliat lav.-, yet while 
 it rtood, he would have it exad'tly obferved. See note on 
 St. Matt. viii. 2 
 
 16 f And he withdrew himfelf into the wilder- 
 nefs, and ijrayed. 
 
 The duty of private and folitary prayer is rot more 
 ftriclly enjoined by our Saviour's command, than it is re- 
 commended to us by his example. Objerve i. The duty 
 whi:b our holy Lord performeil, prayer- W'e have much 
 
 more 
 
Chap, v, 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 E. 
 
 211 
 
 mere biifinefs with Cod in prayer than Chrift had ; he 
 had no ;ins to be humbled for, no need to pray for any 
 fanftityiiig habits of grace, the lioly fpirit being given to 
 him without meafure ; yet did our holy Lord Ipend much 
 of his time in prayer; he took delight in paying this 
 homage to his heavenly Father. 2. What kind of prayer 
 our Lord did emiiienily delight in ; it was folitary and pri- 
 vate prayer. He often went alone, even out of hearing of 
 his own dii'ciples. The company of our bcft friends is 
 not always lealonable or acceptable. There are times and 
 feafons when a Chrillian would not be willing that his 
 dea'eft relations upon earth (hould hear that intercourfe 
 which pafles between him and his God. The place our 
 Lord withdraws to for private prayer, it is the defa-t; he 
 V'ithdrev.- into the wildernefs and prayed, both to avoid 
 oftentation, and alfo to enjoy communion with his Father, 
 The modeft brldegrocni cf his church, fays St. Bernard, 
 will not impart himfelf To freely to his fpoufe before com- 
 pany. St. Mark I. ■?■;. adds. That our Saviour rofe up 
 a oreat while before day, and yjent into this dejert place to 
 pray. Teaching us. That the morning is the fit fealbn, 
 yea, the beft oi feafons, for private duties; now are our 
 ipirits frefheft, and our minds freeft, before the diftraftions 
 of the day break in upon us : It is certainly much better 
 to go from prayer to bulinefs, than from bulinefs to prayer. 
 Laftly, That our blefled Saviour had no idle hours here 
 inthe world; his time did not lie upon his hands as ours 
 does; he was always either preaching, or praying, or work- 
 ing miracles ; either paying honour to God, or doing good 
 toman. Lord! help us to imitate this thy inltruftive 
 example, by embracing all opportunities of glorifying 
 God, and doing good to one another. 
 
 17 f And it came to pafs on a certain day, as he 
 was teaching, that there were Pharifees and dodors 
 of the law fitting by, which were come out of every 
 town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerufalem : and 
 the power of the Lord was prefcnt to heal them. 
 18 And behold, men brought in a bed a man which 
 was taken with the palfy : and they foughtmeansto 
 bring him in, and to lay him before him. ig And 
 when they could not find by what way they might 
 brinsi him in, becaufe of the multitude, thev went 
 upon the houfe-top, and let him down through the 
 tilin<T with hh couch, into the midft before Jefus. 
 20 And when he faw their faith, he faid unto him, 
 Man, thy fins are forgiven thee. 21 And the 
 fcribes and Pharifees began to reafon, faying, ^V'ho 
 is this that fpeakcth blafphemies ? Who can 
 forgive fins but God alone? 22 But when Jefus 
 perceived their thouglits, he anfwering faid unto 
 them. What reafon ye in your hearts ? 23 Whe- 
 ther is it eafier to fay, Thy fins be forgiven thee; 
 or to fay, Rife up and walk? 24 But that ye may 
 know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to 
 forgive fins, (he faid to the fick of the palfy) I fay 
 unto thee, Arife, and take up thy couch, and go 
 into thine houfe. 25 And immediately he rofe up 
 
 before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and 
 departed to his own houfc, g]orif)inif God. 26 
 And they were all amazed, and tlicy glorified God, 
 and were filled with fear, faying. We Jiave fceil 
 flrangc things to-day. 
 
 As the great end of our Saviour's miricles was to con- 
 firm ills doctrine ; fo commonly after his preaching he 
 wrought his miracles : The fcribes and Phanlees, though 
 they had no love for our Saviour's perfon, nor value for 
 his miniftry, yet they frequently accompanied him wherever 
 he went, partly to cavil at his doctrine, and partly out of 
 curiolity to fee his miracles : But ohfcrve the gracious con- 
 defcenfion of«ur Saviour, although he well knew that the 
 Pharifees at this time attended upon him with no good in- 
 tention, yet he put forth his divine power in working mira- 
 cles before them ; The po-wer of the Lord was prefent it 
 heal.- Not that Chrift's power was at any time abfenf, 
 but it is faid now to be prefent, becaufe it was now exerted 
 and put forth at his will and pleafure. And accordingly 
 at this time before the Pharifees eyes, he miraculoufly cures 
 a perfon fick of the palfy, as the paragraph before us docs 
 inform us. Wherein obferve, i. The difeafed and dif- 
 trefled perfon, one fick of the palfy, which being a refolution 
 and weaknefs of the nerves, enfeebles the joints, and 
 confines a perfon to his bed or couch. A? a demonitration 
 of Chrift's divine power, he was pleafed to iingle out the 
 palfy and leprofy, incurable difeafes, to work a cure up- 
 on. Now this perfon was fo great a cripple, by reafoa 
 of the palfy, that he could not go, nor be led, but was 
 carried in his bed or couch. 2. As the grievoufnefs of 
 the difeafe, fo the greatnefs of the people's faith. The 
 man and his friends had a fir;n and full perfualion, that 
 Chrift was clothed with a divin ; power, and able to help 
 him ; and they hope in his goodnefs that he was willing as 
 well as able. And accordingly, the roof of the Jewilli 
 houfes being flat, they uncover fome part of it, and let 
 the bed down with the fick man in it, and lay him at the 
 foot of Chrift, in hopes of help and healing. 3. That 
 no fooner did they exercile their faith in believing, but 
 Chrift exerts his divine power in healing ; yet the objeft 
 of their faith probably was not Chrift's divine power as 
 God, but they looked upon him as an extraordinary pro- 
 phet, to whom God hath communicated fnch a divine 
 power as Elijah and Eii/ha had before him. Yet, fee the 
 marvellous efficacy even of this faith, which obtained not 
 only what was defired, bnt more than was expected. They 
 deiired only the healing of the body, but Chrift heals body 
 and foul toj, faying, 5o«, he 'J good cheer, thy {in s h: fvgiven 
 thee. Thereby our Saviour (ignifies to them, tliat iin is 
 the meritorious caufe of ficknefs, and confequentiy, that 
 in ficknefs the belt way to find eafe and deliverance from 
 pain, is firft_to feek pardon ; for the fenfe of pardon will 
 in fome degree takeaway the fen le of pain. 4. The ex- 
 ception which the Pharilces take againft our Savioiu- for 
 pronouncing that this man's (ins were forgiven him ; the\' 
 charge him with blafphcniy, urging that 1: is Cod's pecu- 
 liar prerogative to pardon Iin: Indeed their propolition 
 was true, but their application was fall'e. Nothing more 
 true, than that it is the higheft blafphemy for any mere 
 man to arrogate and alTume to himfelf the incommui>icable 
 
 Dd 2 pro. 
 
St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 Chap, r 
 
 property of God, abfolutely and autlioritavely to forgive 
 iln. But when their denying this power to Chrifl of for- 
 giving fins, which he had as God from all eternity, and as 
 Mediator, Cod and man in one perfon, when here on earrli, 
 this was blafphenjy in them ; but the afluming and chal- 
 lenging of it, none in him. 5. To cure, if poflihie, the 
 obftinacy and blindnefsof the Pharifees, our bavionr gives 
 them a two-fold demonftrarion of his goJ-head ; (i.) By 
 letting them underftand, that he knew their thoughts; 
 jefus perci'rved thfir thoughli, ver. 22. To know the 
 thoughts, to i'earch the hearts, and undei-ftand the rcafon- 
 ings ofnv.n, is not in the power of angels or men, but the 
 prerogative of Cod only. (2.) By afluming to hinifelfa 
 power to forgive lins ; for our Saviour here, by taking up- 
 on him to forgive iins in his own name, and by his own 
 authority, doth give the world an undeniable proof, and 
 : convincing endence of his God-head ; For 'diho canf'jr- 
 r:veJ:nsbutGodo^ly' 6. Tlie eiVeft which this miracle 
 hjd upon the minds of the people, they marvelled and were 
 amazed, were filled with fear, but not with faith ; aifo- 
 nithed, but did not believe. Learn hence, That the fight 
 ofChrirt's own miracles is not fufficient to work faith in 
 the foul, without the eflicacious grace of God; the oae 
 nny make us marvel, the other mud make us believe. 
 
 27 S. And after tliefe things he went forth, and 
 faw a publican named Levi, fitting at the receipt of 
 cu(lom:,and he faid unto him, Follow me. 28 
 And he left all, rofe up, and followed him. 29And 
 Levi made him a great feaft in his own houfe : and 
 there was a great company of publicans and of others 
 that fat down with them. 30 But their fcribes and 
 Phaiilees murmured againft his difciples, faying, 
 Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and fin- 
 ners ? 3I And Jefus anfwering, faid unto them, 
 They that are whole need not a phyfician: but they 
 that are fick. 32 I come not to call the righteous, 
 but finners to repentance. 
 
 The number of our Lord's apoftles not being filled up, 
 thj^rve, I. What a free and gracious, what an unexpefted 
 and undeferving choice Clirift makes. Levi, that is,*_Mat- 
 fhew, (for he had both names) a grinding publican, who 
 nathered the tax ii r the Roman emperor, and was proba. 
 bly guilty, as others were, of the fins of covetoufnefs and 
 extortion, yet is he called to follow Chrift, as a fpecial 
 difciple. Learn hence, that fuch is the freenefs of divine 
 •race, that it fometiiifcs calh and converts iinners unto 
 Chrift, when they tliink not of him, nor feck unto him. 
 Little did Levi now think of a Saviour, much lefs feek af- 
 •or hiin, yet he it here called by him, and that with an ef- 
 '.ic'cous call ; Matthew, a publican ; Zacchcus, an extor- 
 •ioner ; Saul, a perfecuror : all thefe are effeftually called 
 ',-.v Chrift, as inftaiices and evidences of the mighty power 
 . f (.onverting pracc. 2. Levi or Matthcv.'s ready conipli- 
 .:-.;« with Chrilt's call : He preftnlly arofe andf'jUowedlim : 
 .\hen the inward call of the holy Spirit accompanieth the 
 rurward call of the won^, the foul readily complies and 
 yields obedience to the voice of Chrift Our Saviour, fays 
 the pious Bp. ILll, fpeaks by his word to our ears, and 
 we hear not ; \rc Air nor, but when he (peaks by his Ipirit 
 
 eificacioufly to our hearts, Satan cannot hold us down, 
 the world fiiall not keep us back; but we fhall with Levi 
 inftantly arife and follow our Saviour. 3. Levi, to (hew 
 his thankfulnefs to Chrift, makes him a great feaft. Chrift 
 invited Levi to a dilViplediip, Levi invites Chrift to a din- 
 ner; the fcrvant invites his Mafter, a (inner invites his 
 Saviour ; a better gueft he could not invite, Chrift always 
 comes with his coft with him. We do not find that when 
 Chrift wrs invited to any table, he ever refufed to go ; if a. 
 publican, if a Pharifee invited him, he conftantly went; 
 not fo much for the pleafure of eating, as for the opportu. 
 nity of con»-erfing and doing good: Chrift feafts us when 
 we feed him. Levi, to give Chrift a pledge and fpecimen 
 of his love, makes him a feaft. /^d/« thence. That new 
 converts are full of affeftion towards Chrift, and \irj ex- 
 prcifive of their Jove unto him. Levi's heart being touch- 
 ed with a fenff of Chrift's rich love, makes him a royal 
 feaft. 4. The cavil and exception which the fcribes and 
 Pharifees made at our Lord's free converfation. They 
 cenfure him for converfing with finners; Malice will never 
 want matter of accufation. Our Saviour joftifies himfelf, 
 telling them, he converfed with finners as their phyfician, 
 not as their conipanion ; They thai are -j.h'jle need not a phy- 
 fic'ian, hut they that are Jick : As if our Lord had faid. With 
 whom fhould a phyilcian converfe, but with fick patients ? 
 And is he to be accufed for that? Now, this is my cafe. I am 
 come into the world to do the office of a kindpayficiau un- 
 to men : Surely then I am come to take all opportunities 
 of converfing with them, that I may help and heal them, 
 for they that are fick need the phyfician ; but as for you fcribes 
 and Pharifees, who are well and whole in your opinion and 
 conceit, I have no hopes of doing good upon you ; for fuch 
 as think themfelves whole, defire n>>i the pliyfician's help. 
 Now, from this aflertion of our Saviour, The whole need 
 mt the phyjician hut the Jick, thefe truths were fuggefted to 
 us, I. That fin is the ibul's malady, its fpiritual difeafe and 
 ficknefs. 2. That Chrift is the phyfician appointed by God 
 for the cure and healing of this difeafe, 3. That there are 
 multitudes of finners fpiritually fick, who yet think them- 
 felves found and whole. 4. That fuch, and only fuch as 
 find themfelves fin-f.ck, and fpiritually difeafed, are objecls 
 capable of Chrift's healing. They that are -juhole need not 
 the phyfician, hut they that are fck. J come not, fays Chri(V, 
 to call the (opinionativcly) righteous, but the (feniiblej fin- 
 Hcr to repentance. 
 
 33 f And they faid unto him, Why do the dif- 
 ciples of John faft often, and make loHg prayers 
 and likcwife ^A; if//?;//^ of the Pharifees; but thin* 
 eat and drink? 35 And he faid unto them, Can yc 
 make the children of the bride chamber faft, while 
 the bridegroom is with them ? 35 But the days 
 will come, when the bridegroom fliall be taken away 
 from them, and then fliall they fall in thofe days. 36 
 %. And he fpake alfo a parable unto them: No man 
 putteth a piece of new garment upon an old: ifo- 
 therwife, then both the new raaketh a rent, and the 
 piece that was tak^ out of the new, agrecth not 
 with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine 
 into old bottles; clfe the new wine will burft the 
 
 bot- 
 
Cn\r. VI. 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 2 1,3 
 
 bottles, and be fpillcd, and the bottles fhall perifli. 
 38 But new wine muft be put into new bottles; and 
 both are preferved. 39 No man alfe having drunk 
 old luine, ftraightway defireth new : for he laith, 
 The old is better. 
 
 An objection is here made againft the difciples of our S.i- 
 vioiir, that they did not faA fo much, ami fo often .is John 
 the Baptift's difciples did. John's difciplesimitatetheir maf- 
 ter,who was a man of an auftere life ; Chrifl's difciples imi - 
 tated him, who was of a more free converfation. Obfcrvc, 
 therefore, our Saviour's defence, which he makes for the 
 not falling of his difciples ; he declares that at prefent it was 
 neither fuitable nor tolerable ; not fuitable. in regard to 
 Chrift's bodily prefence with them, who being their bride- 
 groom, and his disciples ciiildren of the bride-chamber, it 
 was now a day of joy and rejoicing to them, and mourning 
 and fading would be very improper for them. But when 
 the Bridegroom ihall hf taken away, tliat is, Chrift's bodily 
 prefence removed, then there will be caufe enough for the 
 tlifciples to f.Tft and mourn. Learn, i. That Jefus Chrift is 
 the bridegroom of his fpoufe the church. 2. That this 
 bridegroom was to be taken away. q. That becaufe of 
 the bridegroom's removal, the church did, fliall, and muft 
 faft ; The days lu'tll come 'ijuhen the bridegroom Jhall be taken 
 away, and then pjall tkey fafi . Again, our Saviour declares 
 that this difcipline of falling was not at prefent tolerable for 
 his difciples, for they were at prefent but raw, green and 
 tender, unable to bear the feveritiesand rigours of religion 
 any more than an old garment can bear a piece of new 
 cloth to be fetintoit, or any more than old bottles can bear 
 new wine to be put into them. The fenfe of our Saviour's 
 words feems to be this, "My difciples at prefent are ten- 
 der and weak, newly called and converted, they cannot 
 therefore at prefent undergo the aiifteritie? of religion, faf- 
 tings, weepings, and watchiiigs ; hut e/e long I fhall leave 
 them, and go to heaven, from "vhente I will fend down 
 my holy Spirit upon them, which will enable them to all the 
 duties which the gofpel enjoins." The leiTon of inftruftfon 
 which we may poiiibly gather from thence, is this, That it 
 is hurtful and dangerous foryoung converts, for weakchrif 
 tians, to be put upon the feverer exercifes of rel'gion, or to 
 be urged to the performance of all fuch duties as are above 
 their ftrength, but they ought to be treated with that 
 tendernefs which becomes the mild and gentle difpenlation 
 of the gofpel. Our Saviour, fays one, dots here commend 
 prudence to his minifters, in treating their people according 
 to theh ftrength, and putting them upon duties according 
 to their time and (landing •. We muftconfult what progrels 
 our people have made in Chriftianity , and manage accordmg- 
 
 CHAP VI, 
 
 AX D it catne to pafs on the fecond fabbath after 
 tlic firft, that he went through the corn-fields : 
 iJid his difciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat 
 rubbing them in their hands. 2 And certain of the 
 Pharifees faid im'to them, Why do yefthat which is 
 not lawful on the fabbath-days ? 3 And Jefus an- 
 f'vcringthem, fiid, Ilavcye not read fo mich as ihi:. 
 
 what David did when himfelf was an hungred, and 
 they that were with him ; 4 How he went into the 
 houfe of,God, and did take and eat the (licwbread, and 
 gave alfo to them that were with him ; which is not 
 lawful to cat, but for the priefts alone ? And he faid 
 unto them, That the Son of man is Lord alfo of the 
 fabbath. 
 
 In the former part of this chapter we find our blelFed 
 Saviour defending his difciples from the clamorous ac- 
 cufations of the Pharifees for breaking the fabbath-day, 
 becaufe they plucked the ears of corn, and rubbed them 
 in their hands, in order to the fatisfying of their hun- 
 ger. Where note, i. The great poverty, the low el- 
 tate, and condition of Chrift's own diiciples in the world : 
 they wanted bread , and were forced to pluck the ear; 
 of corn to fatisfy their hunger. God may, and Ibme- 
 times does fuffer his deareft children to fall into ftraits 
 and to tafte of want, for the trial of their faith and dcpend- 
 ance upon his po.ver and goodnefs. 2. How the hypo- 
 critical Pharifees blame this action of the difciples, iiamely- 
 their plucking of the ears of corn ; yet did they not charge 
 them with theft for fo doing ; becaufe to take, in our gre..t 
 neceflity fo much of our neighbour's goods as we may rea- 
 fonably luppofe, that, if he were prefent and knew our cir- 
 cumllances, he would not deny us, is not theft. But ic 
 was the fervile labour on the faboath, in gathering the 
 ears of corn, which the Pharifees fcruple and object againft. 
 Where note, How hypocrites expend their zeal in and upon 
 the lefler things of the law, whiUl they neglect the greater; 
 placing nil holinefs in the obfervadon of outw:-.rd ceremonies 
 whilft they neglect the moral duties. 3. The argument 
 with which our Saviour defends this action of his difciples. 
 It is taken from the example ofDavid : Neceflity freed him 
 from fault and blame in eating the cunfecrated bread, 
 which none but the priefts might lawfully eat: For in cafes 
 of necefTity, a ceremonial precept nuift give place to a moral 
 duty : Works of mercy for the [jreferving of our lives, and 
 the better fitting us for fabbath fervices, are certainly law- 
 ful on the fabbath-day. Laftly, The argument which our 
 Saviour ufes to prove that the fabbath'sobfervation may be 
 difpenfed with in a cafe of abfolute neceflity : And that it 
 drawn from that authority which Chrift, the inftitutor of 
 the fabbath, had over it ; The Son '•f manis Lord alfo of the 
 fabbath ; that is, he has authonty and power, as God, and 
 as Mediator, to inftitute and appoint a fabbath ; to alter and 
 change it ; to difpenfc with a breach of it upon a great and 
 juft occafion : And. confequently, acts of mercy, which 
 tend to fit us lor works of piety, not only may, but ought 
 to be done upon the fabbath day. This action of the difci- 
 ples being of that nature, is svithou: juftcaufe cenfured and 
 condemned by the Pharifees ; a- for: of men who were re- 
 folved to cavail at, and quarrel wiili wliatcver our Saviour 
 or his difciples either did or faid-. 
 
 6 5 And it came ta paf« alfo on another fabbath 
 that he entered uito the fyna^o^^ue, and taught: and 
 there was there a manwhofc xIj^lII hand was wither* 
 ed : 7 And the fcribes and Pharifees watched hiui 
 whether he would kill him on the fabbath-day; th.it 
 th'^ymi^ht find an accufahon a-gi'iuQ hiin. 8 Bu- 
 
213 
 
 St. 
 
 U 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 C.i 
 
 AP. VI. 
 
 lickficw ihejr ihoufthts, ami faid to the man which 
 had the withered hand, Rife up, and fland forth i" 
 (he midft. And he arofo and Hood forth. 9 Then 
 faidjefus unto them, I will afk you one thing; is 
 it Ia.wful on the fabbath days to do good or 
 to do evil ? 10 fave I'fe, or to deftroy it ? 10 
 And looking round about upon them all, he faid un- 
 to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did lb: 
 and hi<! Iiand was rcftored whole a.s the other. 11 
 And ihcy were filled with madnefs ; and commun- 
 ed one with another what they might do to Jelus. 
 
 C/y^/'v; here, \. The mir.nciilcus cure which our Sa\iour 
 wrought upon the man which h.nl tlic withered li:uiJ ; and 
 2. The effeCt wjiirh this miracle hail upon the wicked Pha- 
 rifecs. In ihe former, note, The place where our Sr.viour 
 M fought this miracle, in the /y'-'gogi-c ; the time when, 
 0!t the fabihith-day ; the manner how, by fpeaking of a 
 w'jrd ; the perlbiis before whom, namely, the envious and 
 malicious Pharifees : Thefe men were always flandering 
 Chrift's dcclriue, and cavailing at his miracles, yet does 
 our holy Lord go on with his work before their faces with- 
 out difcouragCTDcnt. Lecirn thence, That the unjuft cen- 
 fures and malicious cavails of wicked men agaiiift us, for 
 well-doing, mult not difcourage us from doing our duty, 
 either towards God or towards our neighbour. Although 
 the Pharifees watched our Saviour wherever he wenf, and 
 when they could find no occafion of. quarrel, would invent 
 and make one, yet fuch was our Lord's courage and refolu- 
 tion, that he htds the man that had the ivilheted hand J}and 
 j'jith, to fliew that he was refolved to heal him, notwith- 
 llanding their malicious purpofe to accufe him for it as a 
 breaker of the fabbath. Oppofition met with in doing our 
 duty, nnift not difcourage us from doinggood, if we follow 
 the example of our blefl'ed Redeemer. 2. The influence 
 and effect which this miracle had upon the wicked Pharifees: 
 They were filled with madnefs, and took counfeltokillhim; 
 inftead of being convinced by this miracle, they confpirea- 
 gainft him for it. The enemies of Chrift and his holy reli- 
 gion, when arguments lail, fall to violence. It is a certain 
 tign of a we;;k caule, that mull be fupported by palfion ; 
 which is all tongue and no ear. 
 
 12 5 And it came to pafs in thofe days, that he 
 went out into a mountain to pray, and continued 
 all night in prayer to God. 
 
 (jhferve here, 1. The duty which our holy Lord per- 
 formed: The duty of prayer. We have much more buli- 
 nel's with God in prayer than Chrift had : He had no fins to 
 confefs, no want of grace to make known, yet did our Lord 
 Ipend much time, even a whole night, in this duty. Lord, 
 what delight didll thou take in paying this homage to thy 
 heavenly Father ! O how does thy zeal and forwardnefs 
 condemn our remilTnefsand lukewarmnefs ! 2. It was fo— 
 litary prayer that our Lord did fo exceedingly delight in ; 
 He 'jjer.t into the mountain alone to pray, not I'ufFering his ve- 
 ry difciples to be with him. There are times and feafons 
 when a Chriftian would not be willing that his deareft re- 
 lations upon earth (honld hear that intercourfc which pafles 
 betwixt him and his God. ^. The place which our Lord 
 
 withdrasys to for privacy in prayer : He-j>ent into a moun- \ 
 tain, as a place of retircdnefs. God delights to meet with ' 
 his children alone. The niodeft: Bridegroom of the church 1 
 fnys St. Bernard, will not impart himfelf to his fpoulc be- 
 fore company. 4. The time when Chiftt retired into this 
 mountain to pray, and to Ipend a w hoie night in prayer to , 
 God. If we look back to the former part of this chapter, 
 we fliall find that it was at a time w hen the Pharifees were 
 filled with rage and madnefs againft him, and confpired to 
 take away his life. Thence learn, That it is our duly at 
 fuch times, efpecially when enemies lie in wait to do us 
 hurt, to give ourft;lves much unto prayer. .Again if we 
 look forward^ the next vcrfe tells us, that our Saviour was 
 now about to fend forth his twelve apoftles to preach and 
 propagate the gofpel. Chrift thought lb great a work was 
 not to be done without folemn and extraordinary prayer. 
 Accordingly h; fpends a whole night in prayer loGod upon 
 that occalion, leaving herein a moft inftructive example to 
 his church, to continue in prayer at all times ; but then e- 
 fpecially to abound in if, when perfons are to be fet apart 
 for the momentous work of the miniftry, that they may 
 enterprife it with extraordinary dread and caution ; not 
 with afpiring, but tremcnduous thoughts ; for who isiuiS- 
 cient for thel'e things > 
 
 13 And when it was day he called unto him his 
 difciples : and of them he chofe twelve, whom alfo 
 he named apoftles ; 14 Simon, whom he alfo nam- 
 ed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, 
 Philip and. Bartholomew, 1 5 Matthew and 1 ho- 
 mas, James tlie Jon of Alpheus, and Simon called 
 Zelotes, 16 And Judas the hrot/ier of James, and 
 Judaslfcariot, which alfo was the traitor. 
 
 As the Jewifti church arofe from twelve patriarchs, fo 
 the Chriftian church became planted by twelve apoftles. The 
 perlon fending them forth was Chrift ; none may under- 
 take the work and calling of the miniftry, but thofe whom 
 Chrift appoints and calls, not immediately by himfelf, but 
 mediately by the governors of his church : The perfons 
 commiifioned v^-^re difciples before they were apoftles; to 
 teach us, that Chrift will have fuch as preach the goi'pel to 
 be difciples before they are minifters ; trained up in the 
 faith and doctrine of the gofpel, before they undertake a 
 public charge. Next, How carefully [the nawes of the 
 twelve apoftles, thofe laborious perfons in the fervice of 
 foulsjare recorded and tranfniitted with honour to pofterity. 
 God will fignally honour thofe who fignally honour 
 him, and are the fpecial inftruments of his glory. Of 
 the twelve apoftles, Peter is named firft, and Judas laft ; 
 Peter is firft named, becaufe probably elder than the 
 reft, or becaufe, for order fake, he might fpeak before the . 
 reft ; from whence may be inferred a primacy, but no fu- • 
 premacy; a priority of order, but no fuperiority cf degree ; « 
 as a fore-man of a grand-jury has a precedency, but no 
 preeminency ; he is firft in order before the relt, but has 
 no authority over the reft; neither did St. Peter aflTume 
 to himfelf a power of deciding controverfies : But we find 
 St. James i-i their firft general council, mentioned in At^s 
 XV. 13. fpeaking fomewhat definitively, Thus I judge, or 
 determine the^matter, and yet St. Peter was then and 
 
 there 
 
C.IAF 
 
 \'I. 
 
 u 
 
 K 
 
 E. 
 
 214 
 
 there prc'cnt. Had rhe champions of the church of Rome 
 ilich a p.ni];ige in all the fcripture for St. Peter's authority, 
 it would make a louder noife than fajce oves, Feed my 
 fheep, John xxi. 16. Again, as St. Peter is named firlt, 
 fojud.isis named laft, with a brand of infamy upon him, 
 the traitor ; ilie perfon that betrayed his Lord andMa'fter ; 
 From whence we may gather, that though the truth of 
 grace be abfokitely necellary to a minifter's falvation, yet 
 the want of it doth not difannul his office, nor hinder the 
 Jawfulncfs of his minillry. Judas, thongh a traitor, was 
 yet a lawful minifter ; and a heart-hypocrite is no hypo- 
 crite /«/sro (frc7<f/;af, before the church, though he fliould 
 be damned for his hypocrify before God. 
 
 17 H And he came down with thcin, and flood 
 in the phiin ; and the company of his difcples, and 
 a great multitude of people out of all Judoa and Je- 
 ruialem , and from the lea coafl of Tyre and Sidon, 
 which came to hear him, ^ndto be healed of their 
 difeafes; 18 And they that were vexed with un- 
 clean fpirits: and they were healed, if) And the 
 whole multitude fought to touch him : for there 
 ,went virtue out of him, and healed them all. 
 
 Cbferve here, (i.j The great aeal and forwardnels of the 
 people in attending upon our Saviour's minif.. ; ; he had 
 newly begun :o preach in this place, and the people flock 
 after him from all parts, from Judea, fron Jerufalcni, from 
 Tyre and Sidon, to hear, his dodrine and lee his miracles. 
 When our Saviour firft began to preach, the people came 
 unto him fro;n every quarter. His iiiinilters find it thus : 
 Ac oui' firft coming among a pcbple, our labours are mod 
 accepiable, and they do mod good ; our people's affedions 
 are then warmeft, and perhaps our own loo. (2 J VV^hat 
 fort of people they were who attended thus zealoufly on 
 our Saviour's miniftryj they were the cDinmon and ordi-^ 
 nary people : tlie poor received the gofpel ; the learned 
 fcribes, the knowing Pharifces, thofe wife men after the 
 ilefli, the mignty , the noble^ the great apd honourable, 
 thefe difpifed our Saviour'i p6rfon; Highted hi^ mlhiftry, 
 yea, fought to take away his life. Thus from the lirrf ' 
 plantation of the gofpel to this day, tlie poorer and meaner 
 fort of people have entertained the glad tidings of falvatipn : 
 It is a fad but a certain truth, that lieaven is a place wljere 
 fesv comparatively but very few, of the great men of the 
 world are lik* to come ; their temptations are many, their 
 corruptions ftrong., and their great eftates, through their ' 
 own abufe, become fuel to their luds. Lord', how rare 
 it is to find thofe that are eminently great, exemplarily 
 good! (3.} The nature of cur Saviour's miracles. 
 IVIofes's miracles svere as great judgments as wonders, but 
 Christ's were as great mercies as wonders, they vtc falu- 
 brious and healing ; thtre -went virtue out cfhmi, eivd htaled 
 thtm all. Chrifl's miracles were, like the author of thenij 
 fnU of goodiiefs ; yet would not the obftinate Phai-ifees be 
 convinced, ei.thcr by the goodnefs that was in them, or by 
 that omnipotent power v.-hich wrought them : All our- Sa- 
 viour's miracles were wonderful ; but wonders of love and 
 mercy. 
 
 so IT And he lifted up his eyesupon his difciplcs, 
 and faid, BleiTed ^c yc poor : for yours i:> clicking-.-' 
 domofCod. 
 
 A? our Saviour's condition in this world was xery poor, 
 fo %yas his difciples condition alfo ; therefore to relieve them 
 againlt their poverty and low ellate in the world, he thus 
 bt'fpeaks them, Bkjfed be ye poor ; you that believe in me, 
 and follow me, are in a happier condition than thofe that 
 are rich, and have received their confolation ; for ywrs is 
 the kingdom ofheavirt. Chrift was the poor man's pi'cacher 
 and thepoor man'scomforter; yet a bare outward poverty, 
 or an avowed voluntary poverty, will entitle none to the 
 blelling. It is not a poverty of poflefiion, but a poverty of 
 fpirit, that makes us members of the kingdom of grace, and 
 heirs of the kingdom of glory. 
 
 2 1 BlcfTedareye that hunger now : foi ye {hal[ 
 be filled. Bleffed arf ye that weep now : forycfhall 
 laugh. 
 
 Hunger and thirft are not bkflings in thenifelves, nor 
 yet are they curies in thenifelves. Sanftified hunger is a 
 far greater blelfing 'han forfeiting fuliiefs: St. Matthew 
 therefore adds, chap. v. 6. Bleffcdare tkty thut hunger 
 and ihirfl after right eotifnefs. Learn thence, (i.) That 
 fuch as fpiritually hunger and thirft after Chrift and his 
 righteoufnefs, are certainly in a happy and blefled condi- 
 tion. (2.) That the happinefs of thole who do hunger and 
 thirft after righteoufnefs, confifts in being filled. Btefjtd 
 ore ye that lueep now, for ye /hall laugh. As if he had faid, 
 "You my difciples that are now in a fad, mournful, and af- 
 flicted ftate, are blefled ; for there will come a time, when 
 ye fliall be comforted, a time when God fliall wipe away :.I1 
 tears from your eyes ;" Yet muft we not think that v.c- 
 have nothing te do but to mourn; there is a time to rejoice, 
 as well as to mourn ; not tiiat bare mourning and w eep- 
 ing in itfelf, and for its own fake, is acceptable unto God : 
 But when we mourn rationally for our lins, and the ilii-> 
 of others, God will comfort us in this world by his word 
 and Fpirit, and in the world to cunie with the light of 
 himfelf. ,. 
 
 22 Bleffed are ye when men Ihali hate yuu, and 
 when tliey fliall feparate you from their -companw and 
 fliall reproach ^o?«, and call out your name as evrii, 
 for the Son of man's lake, 2j Rejoice' ye in that: 
 day, and leap for joy ; for behold, your reward o 
 great iti Jieaven: -for in the like manner did: itive^i' 
 fathers unto the prophets, 
 
 Obfeive he\c, The fufFerers defcribed, thd diCfiplCs ; ar i 
 their fnfferingsforetold, ye fliall be hated, feparated, and 
 reproached. Hatred of Chrift's difciples is the bitter root 
 from which Pe^fecution grows : Where there is hatred in 
 the heart, no' wonder that reviling is in the lips. And as 
 the difciples of Chrift then were for his fake h.ited, re- 
 proached, antf-'caft out of the Jewifh church, ib now.Aicii 
 difciples as will cordially embrace, and ftedfaftly. hold fait 
 the f.iith delivered by our Saviour, rtiijft e^ipedt aujd pre- 
 jiare for hatred and perfecurion ; to be . feparated from civil 
 fociety, excommunicated from church-fellow fliip, and ail 
 this by them who Ihall call themlelves the gil'idesi and go- _ 
 vcrnoriof an infallible church. . : . 1 
 
 jt"! But •.*'o' ttnto you that art" Tpch ' fo^veh. 
 
 / 
 
:l6 
 
 u 
 
 Cii.' 
 
 Ar. VI. 
 
 loc.'ivpj )Our roiiiol'.tion. 85 Wo unto you that 
 arc full! I'or yc ih^ill hunger. Wo unto you that 
 laugh now ! for ye fhall mourn and weep. 
 
 Ci'fft-fr here , ri.j Tint thongh St. Luke omits diver* 
 of tliebc.ititii'iesinemioneJ by St. Mattliew, thap. v. yet 
 he ret-iteth the woes which St Matthew omitteth. It' we 
 will underitam! our Saviour's doftrine fully, we niuft con- 
 fult all th? cvaii,re1ifts thoroughly. (2.) Thefe woes are 
 not' to be un;IerftooJ abfolutely, but reilr.iinedly ; the wo 
 il.iej not belong to me;, liecaufe they ure rich, bccaufe they 
 
 *vcfu!l, becaufe they do laugh ; but becaufe they place 
 
 fc their liappinefs in iliefc things, take up with them for their 
 
 » portion*, and r<;j.iice iu them as their chief good, valuir.g 
 
 thcnifelves by what they have in hand, not by what they 
 
 have in hope : He that is rich and rig!jteou<-., he that is 
 great and gracious, he that has his hands full of this world, 
 and his heart empty of pride and vain confidence: he that 
 laughs when God (miles, he that expreffes hiuil'elfjoyfi;lly 
 when God exprelTes himlelf gracioufly, futh a man is rich 
 in grace: who is thus gracious in the midft of riches : For 
 10 be rich and holy argues much riches of holincfs, 
 
 26 Wo uulo you when all men fhall fpeak well 
 •fyou! for fo did their fathers unto the falfe pro- 
 phets. 
 
 Our Saviour's defign in thefe words, is not to condemn 
 any of his difciples or minifters, who have, by doing their 
 duly, gained a fair reputation amongfl: the men of the 
 work), but to let us untlerftand how rarely ard feldom it 
 is attained : for ufually ihebeftofmen are the word fpoken 
 of: Neither the psophets of the Old Tcllament, nor 
 John Haptift, the prophet of the New Tellament, nor 
 Chrift himfelf, nor his apoftks, did ever gain either the 
 good will, or the good word of the men of the genera- 
 tion in which they lived. The applaufe of the multitude, 
 the contingent judge of good and evil, ratlier attends the 
 vain than the virtuous. None have ever been Co much re- 
 proached by man as the faithful minillers of God, who 
 have learned to take pleafure in reproaches : For though 
 grace does not bid us invite reproaches, yet it teaches us 
 to bid them welcome. The world has all along taken ef- 
 fectual care by their cruel mockings, bitter reproaches, 
 Iharp invetTtivcs, to free the minifters of C/od in all ages 
 from the danger of our Savioar's wo here denounced ; 
 11' unto you v)hen c.ll men Jhallfpeuk -well of you. ^ 
 
 27 ? But I f.iy unto you which hear, Love your 
 enemies, do good to them wliich hate you. 28 
 Blcfs them that curfe you, and pray for them which 
 dcCpitcfuUy ufe yon. 29 And unto hini.that fmit- 
 clli thee on one check, offer alfo theblhcr: and 
 him that taketh away thy clokc, forbid' not to take 
 thy coat alio. 
 
 • OI'/^Tv: here, (1.) The noble fpirit of Chriflianity, and 
 the large extent of Chriftian charity; the Jewilh kiadnefs 
 was limited and confined to thole of their own religion, 
 kindred and nation, their charity began and ende<l at home ; . 
 but our Saviour obliges his followers to the exercife of a 
 more extenfive charity, even toall niankind^even the word: 
 of men, our enemies that feck our deflruftion. Chriltianify 
 
 is fo far from allo\ring us to perfecute them that hate us, 
 that it commands us to love them that perlecute us, 2. 
 The nature and iiuallty of the duty enjoined; Lev f your 
 enemies; there the inward affedtion is required. Blefsthtm 
 that curfe you; there outward civility and affability is re- 
 quired. Do £coJ to them thai hate you; here real acts of 
 kindnefs ar.d beneficence are required to be done to the 
 worfl of enemies, though they be guilty of tlie word of 
 crimes, ca!umny and cruelty ; ftriking both at our reputa- 
 tion and our life. Learn, Ihat chrillianity obliges us to 
 bear a fiucere love to our moll malicious enemies, to be 
 ready at all times to pray for them, and upon all occafions 
 to do good unto them. Thus to do, is an imitation of God 
 our Maker, of Chrifl our Mailer : It is for the good of 
 this lower world, and the way to a better; it is the otna- ■ 
 ment of our religion, and the perteftion of our nature, and ' 
 an high degree and pitch of virtue. Towhich may be ad- ■ 
 ded the next duty, not to revenge Injuries ; where private 
 revenge is tlie thing forbidden, and we are directed rather 
 to fuffer a double wrong than to feek a private revenge : 
 Chriftianity obhges us to bear many injuries patiently, ra- 
 ther than to revenge one privately, we mulT: leave the 
 matter toHjod and the magiflrate. The truth is, Revenge 
 isa very tr6ublefome and vexatious paflion, the man's foul 
 I'wells and boils, and is in pain and anguilli, and has no 
 eafe. Bcfides by our avenging of one injury, we necefTari-' 
 ly draw on another, and i"o bring on a perpetual circula- 
 tion of injuries and revenges ; whereas forgivenefs prevents 
 vexation to others, difquietment to ourfelves. 
 
 go Give to every man that aflccth of thee; and 
 of him that taketh away thy goods, afk than not a- 
 gain. 
 
 Thefe and the like precepts of our Saviour, are not to 
 be taken flridly but rcftrainedly ; we arc thereby obliged 
 to charity according to otliers neceffiries, and our own abi- 
 lities, but not bound to give to every one that has the con- 
 fidence to afk for what we have. Indeed, any man that 
 really wants is the proper objeft of our chriftian chariy ; 
 and we muft, with a compaffionate heart and open hand, 
 relieve him according to his necefTity, but anfwerable to 
 our ability. Nor muft the fecond part of the verfe be un- 
 derftood as forbidding chriftians to leek the recovery of 
 their juft rights, by j.urfuing thieves, and following the 
 law upon opprefTors : but requiring us to forbear all acts of 
 private revenge, as diredlly contrary to the fpirit and ten). 
 per of chriftianity. As jealoufy is the rage of a men, fo 
 re\enge is the rage of the devil ; it is the very foul and 
 J'pirit of the apoftate nature. 
 
 31 And as ye would that men fliould do to you, 
 do alfo to them likewife. 
 
 Here our Saviour lavs dov.n a moft exccllenl rule of lif 
 for all his difciples and followers to walk by, namely, alwa. 
 10 do as we would be done by. The golden rule of jufticc 
 and equity in al! our dealings with men is this, T: do as we 
 ■wiuld be dint unto. It is a full rule, a clear rule, a moil 
 juft and equitable rule, which the light ot nature, and the 
 law of Chrill binds upon us. St. Jk?[atthew, chap. vii. 14, 
 adds, th.at tlis isthe Imv and the trophcts; that is, the fir 
 of the Old teftament, and the fubitance of the fccor.d lab': 
 The whole of the law is this, To bve God above ourl'elvr 
 r.n(i to lovr our nrii'hbour as ourfclve?. 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 217 
 
 32 For if ye love them wljich love you, what 
 . thank have ye P for finners alfo love thofe that love 
 them. 33 And if yc do good to them which do 
 good to you, what thank have ye ? for finneis alfo 
 do even the fame. 34 And if ye lend to them of 
 whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye ? 
 for finners alio lend to finners, to receive as much 
 again. But love yc your enemies, and do good, 
 and lend, hopmg for nothing again ; and your 
 reward fnall be great, and ye Ihall be children of 
 the Highed : for he is kind to the unthankful, and 
 to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your 
 father alfo is merciful. 
 
 The defign of our blefTcd Saviour in all and every of 
 thele precepts is to recommend unto us all forts and kinds 
 of mercy and charity ; namely, charity in giving, charity 
 in forgiving, charity in lencfing; it is fometimesour duty 
 (if we have ability) to lend tofuch poorperfons as we can- 
 not expe(ft will ever be in a capacity, either to repay or 
 to requite us. This is to imitate the divine bounty, 
 wliich does good to all, even to the unthankful and the 
 unholy. Love for love is juftice ; love for no love is 
 favour and kindnefs; but love and charity, mercy and 
 companion to all perfoiis, even the undeferving and tlie 
 ill-deCerving, this is a divine goodnefs, aClirift-like tern- 
 per, v,hich will render us illullrious on eartli, and glo- 
 rious in heaven. St. Luke fays here, I^e ye merciful as 
 your Father is merciful. St. Matthew fays, Be ye pcr- 
 feSi as ynur Father in heaven is perfe^ ; implying, that 
 love and mercy, charity and compaillon, is the perfeftion 
 of a chriUian's graces : he that is made perfect in love, 
 is pcrfeft in all divine graces in the account of God. 
 Perfedlion in graces, but efpecially in love and charity, 
 ought to be our aim in this life, and Ihall be our attain- 
 ment in the next. 
 
 37 J"^S^ ^^^' and-ye (hall not be judged : con- 
 demn not, and ye fhall not be condemned : for- 
 give, and ye fhall be forgiven : 
 
 This prohibition, TudgeMt; is not tobe underftood of 
 ourfelves but our neiglibours. Stli'-jinljring is a great 
 ajpd necelTary di^ty ; ru/h judging of others is an heinous 
 and grievous iin, which expofes to the righteous judg- 
 nient of God ; it is private judging and private condenin- 
 ir>g of perfons which Chrili forbids. It foHows, Fr.rgive 
 and ye JJfall lie forgiven. Not that a bare forgiving of 
 others is all that CutA requires in order to our foi-^^ive- 
 nefs, but is one part of that obedience which we owe to 
 ^ God, v;ithdut which it is in vain to expert forgix-enefs 
 from God, Forgive, and ye fjall be fcrgivei). Sea the 
 note on Matt. vii. j. 
 
 38 Give, and it fhall be given unto you ; good 
 meafure, prefled down, and fhaken together, and 
 running over, fhall men give into your bofoni. 
 por with the 'fame meafure that ye mctc withuil, 
 it fliall be mcafurcd to you again. 
 
 I think there is not any one text hi fcripture that rle- 
 clares the bounty of God more fully in rewarding ailrs of 
 charity and mercy than this before us. () how liberal a- 
 paymafter is God ! How lure and bountiful are the r*"- 
 turns Chrili makes to us for the relief given to him in 
 members! He promifes here (i.) Not bare meafuie, but 
 g^od menfure. (2.) Prejfcd d'rjjn, fhaken together, and 
 running over ; nothing adds more to the meafure than 
 the liiaking of the bufhel, the crowding anJ prcfling of 
 the corn, and heaping till the mealure runneth over ; 
 now a meafure will run over as long as you will pour. 
 Learn hence, That charities done in faith, in obedience 
 to God, and with an eye to the gloiy of God, will pro- 
 duce a certain and plentiful increafc. Liberality is the 
 way to riches; giving is the bell and lure 11 way of thriv- 
 ing. A little charity from us, if we have but a little, is 
 looked upon by God as a great deal. But it is the great- 
 eft imprudence as well as impiety, to do but a little 
 when we have ability to do nuicli ; for he that fowetli 
 bountifully fliall reap bountifidly ; gad meafure, Sec. 
 
 39 And he fpake a parable unto them, Can the 
 blind lead the blind ? Ihall they not both fall into 
 the ditch ? 
 
 Our Saviour doubtlefs applied thefe words to the 
 fcribes and pharifees, the Jewilh leatlers, doflors and 
 teachers, who being ignorant of the fpiritual fenfe of the. 
 law (interpreting it only to retraining of the outward 
 man) were very unfit to inflrjift and lead others; for 
 where one blind man leads another, both are in danger 
 of the ditch; that is, to run into ruin and deflrufticn. 
 Learn, i.- That ignorant, erroneous, or unfaithlul mini- 
 fters, are the greateft plague and forell punilhment that 
 can befal a people. 2. That Chrili having furewanied 
 us of fuch guides, to follow them will be an inexcufable 
 fin and folly, and never free us from th? danger of' 
 deflruclion, but rather be an aggravation iif our condem- 
 nation : Jfihe blind foll'yv the blind, both vfill, inevita- 
 Liy, yet inexcufahly, fall into the tktch. 
 
 40 The difciple is not above his maflcr: but 
 every one that is perfedt fliall be as his mailer. 
 
 The application of ihefe word?, kg doubt, our Saviour 
 intended to his ow n difciples, partly to comfort thtni im- 
 der fufferings, and partly to cnct.urage them to obedi- 
 ence : Did they fulFer hard things from an unkind world i 
 The remembrance of what their mailer fuffered before 
 them, may fupport them. Did they meet with hard 
 and dilEculc duties, fuch as loving enemies, doing gccd 
 to them that hate and perfecute them? Their Lords 
 example may encourage and inftruift them, who loved 
 them when they were enemies, who prayed for his mur- 
 derers, and offered up h:s blood to God on the behalf 
 of thera that Awd it. — Learn hence. That the perfeilion 
 of a chriflian in this world, conlifleth in his imitation 
 of Chrifl Jefus, in being as our Mafitr ; in coming as 
 near to his example as it is pofllhlc i^v perfons cloilud 
 with flelli and blood to arrive at. 
 
 4t And v/hy bcholdcfl thoa the mote that is 
 
2l8 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap. vr. 
 
 in thy brother's eye, but perceived not tlic beam 
 that IS in thine o^vn eye? 42 Either how canft 
 thou fay to thy brother, Brother, let mc pull out 
 the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyftlf 
 beholden not the beam that is in thine own eye ? 
 Thou hypocrite, call out firfl the beam out of 
 thine own eye, and then flialt thou fee clearly to 
 pull out the mote that is in :hy brother's eye. 
 
 By tlie mote in our brother's eye, is meant foine fmall 
 anil liiile lins difcerneil, or fomc fin fufpefted. By the 
 beam in our O'vn eye, fon>e greater fin nndifcerned : 
 Now, fays our Saviour, there is no greater (ign of hvpo- 
 crify than to be curious in fpying nut the fmaller faults in 
 others, and at the fame time indulge greater in ourfelves. 
 l.tarn hence, That there is no fnch way to teach us cha- 
 rity in judging of others, as to exercife feverity in judg- 
 ing of ourfelves. 2. That thofe who dcfirc others 
 Ihoiild look upon tlieir failings wi;h a companionate eye, 
 nuift not look upon the failings of others with a cenfori- 
 ous eye ; For -diilh what meafure vie mete, Sec. 
 
 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt 
 fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good 
 fruit. 44 For every tree his known by its own 
 fruit : for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor 
 of a bramble-bufli gather they grapes. 45 A good 
 jnan out of the good treafure of his heart, bring- 
 eth forth that which is good ; and an evil man out 
 of the evil treafure of his heart, bringeth forth 
 that which is evil; for of the abundance of the 
 heart his mouth fpeaketh. 
 
 Our Saviour here and elfewhere frequently compares 
 perfons to trees, the heart of man is as the root, the ac- 
 tions as the fruit ; as the root is the principle from which 
 the fruit fprings, fo the heart of man is the principle 
 from which r.ll human actions flow ; an holy heart will 
 be accompanied with an holy life ; where there is a vital 
 principle of grace within, there will be an acting of grace 
 without; a good confcience will be accompanied with a 
 good converfation. Farther, A double treafure difco- 
 vered in the heart of man. 1. An evil treafure of fin 
 and corruption from whence flow evil things ; but why 
 fliould (in be called a treafure? Not for the precioufnefs 
 of it, hut for the abundance of it ; a little doth not make 
 a treafure : And alio for the continuance of it; for though 
 lln be perpetually overflowing in the life, yet doth the 
 heart continue full. The treafure of original corruption 
 in man's heart and nature, though by fanffifying grace it 
 be drawn low, yet it is never in this life drawn dry. 
 2. Here i< a good treafure or grace difcovered in a fanc- 
 tified and renewed man ; which is the fource and fpring 
 from whence all gracious actions do proceed and flow; 
 namely, a fandtified and renewed heart and nature. 
 Wlien once the will of man is made conformable to the 
 will of God, it doth will and defir?, cliufe and embrace, 
 take plcifure and delight in what God approves, com- 
 mands, and loves: And it will lay an injuniftion upon all 
 
 the members of the body to act conformably there- 
 unto. 
 
 46 ? And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do 
 not the things which I fay ? 47 Wholoever com- 
 cth to me, and hearclh my layings, and doeth 
 them, I will fliew you to whom he is like : 48 He 
 is like a man which built an houfe, and disroed 
 deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and 
 when the flood arofe, the ftream beat vehemently 
 upon that houfe, and could not fhake it : for it 
 was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that hear- 
 eth, and doeth not, is like a man that without 
 a foundation built an houfe upon the earth, againft 
 which the ftream did beat vehemently, and im- 
 mediately it fell, and the ruin of that houfe was 
 great. 
 
 Our Saviour here concludes his fermon with an ele- 
 gant fimiiitude : He compares the faithful doer of the 
 word to a wife builder, wliich founded his houfe upon a 
 rock. Others he refembles to a foolilh builder, that 
 built his houfe upon the fand. The houfe is the hope of 
 heaven and eternal life; the roc/- is Chrift; the building 
 upon the fand, is retting upon the bare performance of 
 outward duties ; the tain, the winds, and the floods, are 
 all kinds of affliding evils, fufferings and perfecutions 
 that befal us. The fum is. Men's hopes of falvation 
 built upon any other befides Chriil, or built upon Chrift 
 without a finccre and uniform obedience to him, are vain 
 hopes, deceitful hopes ; for wjjen the florm arifes, when 
 afHiclion or perfecutions conies, their confidence will fail 
 them, their foundation will be fliaken. Learn, 1. That 
 the obedient believer is the only wife man, that builds 
 his hopes of heaven upon a fure and abiding foundation ; 
 Chrift is the rock that he builds upon, and one Chrift is 
 before a thoufand creatures, one reck better than mil- 
 lions of fands to build upon. 2. That fuch profeflbrs 
 as reft in the bare performance of outward duties, arc 
 foolifli builders; their foundation is v/eak and fandy, 
 and all their hopes of falvation vain and deceitful. 
 Lord! how does the carnal world build all their hopes 
 upon the fand, on the wifdom of the flefh, on their poli- 
 cies, couafels, friends and riches! They bottom their 
 very fouls upon fancies, prefumptions, dclufions, and 
 vain hopes ; they expeft to be happy without being 
 holy, which is to expect to be eafy, v.itliout being heal- 
 thy. Wo to that man whofe portion lies in the crea- 
 tures hands, who builds all his hopes upon this earth ; 
 for when the earth is fliaken, his hopes are fliaken, his 
 heart is fliaken, and he is even at his wits end ; whereas 
 the Chriftian, that builds upon the rock, ftands firm and 
 fure ; for if ever the chriftian falls, Chrift rouft fall with 
 him : He fliall never be difappointcd of his hopes, unlefs 
 faithfulnefs can difappoint ; he fliall never be deceived, 
 unlefs truth itfelf can deceive. If it be impoRible for 
 God to lie, then it is inipofilhle for the obedient, hoi/, 
 and circuiiifpedl chriftian liiially to mifcsrry. 
 
 CHAPTLR 
 
Chap. vir. 
 
 ^T 
 >~>l» 
 
 L U K E. 
 
 219 
 
 C II A P. VII. 
 
 Thejormtr part ofthh chapter rdatn to lis a double mira- 
 cle wrought by our hkjfid Saviour, the one in raijing 
 the centurion s ft- rvant from Ids bed, the other inraifvig 
 the widow's fan from his bier ; both 0/ than eminait 
 aBs and injlances of his divine and almighty power. The 
 hiflory oj the Joiirurjlands tints : 
 
 NOW when he had ended all thefe fayings in 
 the audiance of the people, he entered into 
 Capernaum: 2 And aceitain centurion's fervant 
 who was dear unto him, was fick, and ready to 
 die. 3 And when he heard of Jefus, he fent un- 
 to him that he would come and heal his fervant. 
 4 And when they came to Jefus, they befought 
 him inflantly, faying, That he was worthy for 
 whom he fhould do this : 5 For he loveth our 
 nation,, and he hath built us a fynagogue. 6 Then 
 Jefus went with them, And when he was noAV 
 not far from the houfe, the centurion fent friends 
 to him, laying unto him. Lord, trouble not thy- 
 felf ; for I am not worthy that thou fliouldeft en- 
 ter under my roof : 7 Wherefore neither thought 
 I myfelf worthy to come unto thee ; but fay in a 
 word and my fervant fhall be healed. 8 For J. 
 alfo am a man fet under authority, having under 
 me foldiers; and I fay unto one, Go, and he go- 
 cth ; and to another, Come, and he cometh ; and 
 to my fervant. Do this and he doeth it. g When 
 Jefus heard thefe things, he marvelled at him, 
 and turned him about, and faid unto the people 
 that followed him, I fay unto you, I have not 
 found fo great faith, no, not in Ifrael. 10 ? And 
 they that were fent, returning to the houfe, found 
 the fervant whole that had been fick. 
 
 In our Saviour's miraculous cure of the centurion's 
 fervant we have feveral particulars very ohfervable, as, 
 I. The perfon applying hinifelf to our blelTecl Saviour for 
 help and healing : he was a gentile, an heathen, a Ro- 
 man foldier, an olficer and commander ; yet he believes 
 in, and relies upon the power of Chrift. Note, That 
 fuch is the freenefs of divine grace, that it extends itfelf 
 to all forts and ranks, to all orders and degrees without 
 exception ; even the bloody trade of war yields worthy 
 clients to Chrift ; he doth not fo much regard what we 
 are, and whence we are, as with what difpofitions and 
 delires, with what purpoles and inclinations we come 
 unto him. 2. The perfon whom the centurion came to 
 Chrift for ; nbt for himfelf, not for his fon, but for his 
 fervant. His fervant ivas jkk ; He doth not drive him 
 out of doors, nor ftand gazing by his bed-fide, but looks 
 cut for help aud relief for him : A worthy example of 
 humanity ! Some mafters have not fo much regard for 
 their fick fervants as they have to their oxen and their 
 fwine. But he is not worthy of a good fervant that in 
 
 time of ficknefs is not willing to ferve his fervant. 
 3. Unto whom the centurion feeks, and with what zeal 
 and application ; he leeks not to wizards and conjurors, 
 but to the phyfic'an, for his (ick fervant ; yea, toClirift, 
 the chief Phylician ; and this not with a formal rebition 
 in his mouth, but with a vehement aggravation of his 
 difeafe. My Jirvant lies fick cf the pulfy grievoujly tor- 
 nicnted, St. Mxtt. viii. 6. where the mafter's condolen- 
 cy, and tender fympathy with his afflicted fervant, is 
 both matter of commendation and imitation. 4. The 
 happy mixture of humility and faith which was found in 
 thisccntution. See his humility in not thinking himfcif 
 worthy to come into Chrift's prefence, or that Chrilt 
 (hould come under his roof. The beft men have always 
 tile loweft thoughts of themfelves ; when we efteeni 
 ourfelves unworthy of any favours, Chrift accounts us 
 worthy of all. See alfo his faith in Chrift's divine pow- 
 er ; he believed that Chrift was able, at a diftance, and 
 by a lingle word, to command off the diftemper of his 
 fervant ; he tells him that difeafes were as much at Chrift's 
 command, as his fervants were at his command. Hu- 
 mility, w'e fee, is both the fruit and the companion of 
 fai'tli. An humble foul has evermore an high elteem of 
 Chrift's power, and a low efteem of itfelf. 5 How our 
 blefled Saviour exceeds not only the centurion's defires, 
 but his expedations alfo, St. Matt. viii. 7. Jefus Jaith 
 unto him, I 'jjill come and heal him. O wonderful con- 
 deicenfion ! In St. John iv. 47. we read of a certain no- 
 bleman and ruler that twice intreated our Saviour t(i 
 come to his houfe and heal his fon, but our Lord refuf- 
 ed. Here the centurion doth but barely tell Chrift of 
 his fervants ficknels, and Chrift, unafked and undefired, 
 fays, / will come and heal him. O how far is Chrift 
 from feeming in the leaft to honour riches and defpife 
 poverty ! He that came in the form of a fervant, goes 
 down to vifit a iick fervant upon his poor pallet-bed, who 
 did not come near the rich couch of the ruler's fon. 
 6. The notice and obfervation which our Saviour takes 
 of the centurion's faith ; he wondered at it from him : 
 Admiration agreed not to Chrift as God, but as man ic 
 did. Chrift wrought faith as God, and wondered at it 
 as man. What can he more wonderful than 10 fee 
 Chrift wonder? We find not our Saviour wondering at 
 worldly pomp and greatnefs ; when the difciples won- 
 dered at the inagniricence and ftately buildings of the 
 temple, Chrift rather rebuked them, than wondered with 
 them : But when he Ices the gracious aftand exercife of 
 faith he is ravillied w ith wonder. Let it teach us, to 
 place our admiration where Chrift fixes Iiis ; let us be 
 more aftedted with the leaft meafures of grace in a good 
 man, than with all the gaieties and glories of a great man; 
 let us not envy the one, but admire and imitate the other. 
 Laftly, Chriftdoth not only admire the centurion's faith» 
 but publilhes it ; yerily I have not found fo great faith, 
 no not in Ifrael ; that is, among the generality of the 
 Jewifli nation. For as to particular perfons, feveral 
 had fhewed a greater faith than this, as Jofeph and Ma. 
 ry. This expreflion lets us know, that where the means 
 of faith are but fmail, the noble acts andcxercife of faith 
 are wonderful and foul-amazing. 
 
 E F. S 
 
 1 1 5 And 
 
««o 
 
 5t. -L U K E. 
 
 Chap. vii. 
 
 11 9 And it cimc to pafs the day after, that 
 
 "he went into a city called Nain and many of 
 
 his dilciplcs went with him, and much people. 
 
 12 Now wiicn he came nigh to (he gate of the ci- 
 ty, behold, there was a dead man carried out, 
 the only I'o.i of his mother, and fhe was a wi- 
 dow : and much people of the city was with her. 
 
 13 And when the Lord faw her, he had com- 
 pafhon on her, and he faid unto her, Weep not. 
 
 14 And he came and touched the bier : and they 
 that bare him flood flill. And he faid. Young 
 man, I fay unto thee, Arife. 1 5 And he that was 
 dead fat up and began to fpeak. And ho delivered 
 him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear oij 
 all : and they glorified Cod faying. That a great 
 prophet is rilcn up among us ; and, that God hath 
 vifucd his people. 17 And this rumor of him 
 went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout 
 all the region round about. 
 
 There were three perfons raifed from death to life by 
 the powerful word of Chrift's mouth ; namely, Jarus's 
 claiighter, mentioned by St. M.Ttthew; Lazaru?, record- 
 ed by St. John; and here the widow's fon, only taken 
 notice of by St. Luke. The place where this miracle 
 was wrought wastlie city of Nain : out of their cities, 
 and not within them, the Jews were wont to bury their 
 dead. Our Saviour at the gates of the city meets wiih 
 the fad pomp of a funeral, a forrowful widow, attended 
 with her mournful neijrhbours, following her only fon 
 to the grave. Where note, i. The doleful and diftreff- 
 ed condition of the widow. There were many heart- 
 piercing circuiii.'^ances in her afiliiflion : i. It was the 
 death of a fon. To bury a child rends the heart of a 
 parent, for what are children but the parent multi- 
 plied? But to lay a fon in the grave, which continues the 
 name, and fupports the family, is a fore affliction. ;.This 
 fon was a young man in the ftrength and flower of his 
 age; not carried from the cradle to the coffin : Had'he 
 died rn infant, he had not been fo much lamented ; but 
 then, when the mother's expectations were higheft, and 
 tije endearments greateft, even in the flower of his 
 age he is cut off. 3. He was not only a Ion, but an only 
 fon ; one in whom all his mother's hopes and comforts 
 ■were bound up. The death of one out of many, is much 
 more tolerable, than of all in one : The lols of that one 
 admits of no confolation. 4 Still to heighten the affliction 
 it is added, thai/hetvaj a widow ; flie wanted thecounfel 
 and fiipportof a loving yokefellow ; Had the root been 
 left entire flie niicht better have fpared the branch ; now 
 both are cut down, and flie has none left to comfort her 
 in htr comfortlefs Itate of widowhood. In thisdiflrefl'ed 
 condition, Chrill, the God of comfort, meets her, j)iiies 
 her, relieves her. 2. The compaflion of Chrill toward 
 this diftrefled widow : He faw her and had compajpon on 
 her. Chrill faw her, (lie did not fpeak to him : No tears 
 no prayers, can move Chriftfo much as our afflidionsard 
 his own companion. .Ciirift's heart pitied her ; his 
 tongue faid to her, Weep not ; his feet went to the bier : 
 his hand touched the coffin; and the power of his Godhead 
 
 r/ii^fJ the de.-rd, But how firiiigc doth Chrift's counfel 
 fcein ! To bid a mother not weep for luch a USs, was to 
 to perfuade her to be milerable, and not ftel it, to fee! it 
 and not regard it ; to regard ic, and yet conceal and hide: 
 It isnot the decent expreillon ofourCorrow then which 
 Chrill condemns, but the undue cxcefs and extravagan- 
 cies of it, which our Saviour blames. And the lellon of 
 jnftrudtion which we learn from hence, is this, That 
 Chriftians ought to moderate their forrow for their dead 
 relations, how many afiiiifting cirtuiiillances and aggra- 
 vations foeverdo meet together in their death : Here was 
 a child, that child a Ion," that fon an only fon, that only 
 fon carried to his grave in the Uower of his age ; yec 
 Chrift fays to the penfive motlier, a forrowful widow, 
 Werp not. 3. The power of Chrill in railing the widows 
 Ton to life. The Lord of life arrells the feijeant Death, 
 and reftiies theprifonerout of his hand. Chrilt fays not 
 in the name of God, yoimg man arife ; but, 1 Jay unto 
 thee, Arife : Chrift had a power in himfelf, and of him- 
 felf to command the dead to arife : And the fame pow- 
 erful voice which raifed this young man, Ihall in the laft 
 day raife up our dead bodies ; for it is as eafy for Omiii- 
 potency to lav, Let them be repaired, .^s to lay at tirll let 
 them be made. The Socinians here own, that Chrill 
 railed this young man by a divine power which God had 
 communicated to him, yet deny him at ilie fame time to 
 be efientially God : But let them prove if they can, that 
 a divine power which is proper to God alone, ever was, 
 or ever can be communicated to a creature, without the 
 communication of the divine nature : True, we find St. 
 Peter, Acts ix. 40. commanding Tabitha to arife, but 
 we iind all that he did was by faitli in Chrill, and by pray- 
 eruntoChrifl. Aclsix. -i,!,. Jefus Chrifi healeththee, arife . • 
 Chrifl here railed the widow's fon wjthout prayer, pure- 
 ly by his own power, which undeniablyproves him to be 
 God. 4. The reality of the miracle : He fits up, he be- 
 "ir.s to fpeak, ?ini is delivered to his mother. Death has 
 no power to hold himdown, whom the Son of God bids 
 rife up ; Immediately he that was dead fat up, And the 
 fame power v/hich raifed one man, can raife a thoufand, 
 a million, a world : No po.wtr can raife one fJi4"h, but 
 an almighty power ; and that which is almighty can raife 
 all men. It was not fo much for the child's fake as the 
 mother's fake, that the fon was raifed : It was an injury 
 to the fon though a kindnefs to the mother ; for he mull 
 twice pafs through the gates of death, to others once ; 
 it returned him from reft to labour, from the peaceful 
 harbour back again to the tempeftuous ocean. LalHy, 
 What effefls this miracle had upon the multitude. Seeing 
 the divine power thus manifellly exerted, they are filled 
 with aflonilliment and araazement ; they look upon our 
 Saviour with awful admiring looks ; They glorify and 
 praife Cod for fending a great prophet amor, ^fr them ; ac- 
 couniing it a great act of favor thatGoi! had in this won- 
 derful manner v)fifedhisi>oople : Yet a prophet was the 
 highrft name they could find for him, whom they faw 
 like thcmfelves in Ihape, but above themfelves in power; 
 A great prophet it rifen up amorgfr us, and Cod hath vijit- 
 ed his people. 
 
 18 1 And the difciplcs of John fliewed him all 
 thefe thing.s. 19 And John calling untohini two 
 of his difciplcs, lent them unto Jcfus, faying, Art 
 
Chap. vti. 
 
 St. 
 
 L U K E. 
 
 !2l 
 
 thou he that {ho"uld come ? or look wc for ano- 
 ther? 20 When the men were come unto him, 
 they faid, John Baptift hath fcnt unto thee, fay- 
 in;^, Art thou he that fliould come, or look we for 
 another? 21 And in that fame hour he cured 
 many of //i^rir infirmities and plagues, and of evil 
 fpirits; and unto many that were bhnd lie gave 
 fight. 22 Then Jcfus anfwering, faid unto them, 
 Go your ^vay, and tell John what things ye have 
 feen and hcr.rd : how that the bUnd fee, tlie lame 
 walk, the lepers are cleanfed, the deaf hear, the 
 dead are raifed, — 
 
 About the time of our Saviour's .nppearing in the worlJ, 
 there was a general expeft.ition of a gre.it prince that 
 fliould come out of Judea, .iiul govern all nations : This 
 prir.ce the Jews called the Melfuis, or the Anointed, .nnd 
 waited for his apperance. Accordingly, when John the 
 Baptift appeared in the quality of an extraordinary pro- 
 phet, the Jews fent to know of him, whether he was the 
 Mefliasor not, John i. ly. Heanfwered, he was not, but 
 only the Jiarbingcr and forerunner of the MelTias : So 
 that it was very evident tiiat it was not far John's own 
 information that he fent two of his difciples to Chrifl, to 
 know whether he was the Meflias or not ; for John was 
 affured of it hinifelf by a voice from heaven at our Sa- 
 viour'c baptifm, Matt. iii. But it was for his difciples fa- 
 tisfaclion that he fent them to Jefus ? becaufe John's dif- 
 ciples were unwillingtoacknowledgcGhr;fttobe theMef- 
 
 \ lias, out of a great zeal for the honour of him their maf- 
 ter ; they were not willing to own any perfon greater 
 than John their mafter, left fuch an acknowledge- 
 ment ihoutd eclipfe and cloud him. From whence we 
 may note, How the judgements ofthebeft of'men are ve- 
 ry apt to be binffed and perverted by faction or intereft. 
 No doubt John's difciples were good men, and no doubt 
 their Mafter had often told them, as he did others, that 
 lie was not the Meflias ; yet they will not believe their 
 Qiy^i mafter wf^en ^heyapprehcyij-hmi to fpeak againft 
 their own intereft ; .for they knew ihaithey muftrile jind 
 fall in their own reputation and eueein, as their, niafter 
 
 ■r did : Therefore, that John's difciples might receive full 
 
 ■ faiisfaction from Chfift, he fends two of his difciples to 
 hear his doctrine, and fee his miracles ; for John perceiv- 
 ing his difciples to be ill affected towards.our Saviour, and 
 hearing them fpesk with fome.envy of his miracles, he 
 fent them to him, that being eye witnelTes of what he did 
 they might be convinced w ho he was. Next, The way 
 and means which our Saviour takes to convince and fa- 
 tisfy John's difciples that he was the true INjIefrias.- He 
 nppeals to the mirnc'es wrought by himfelf, and fubniUs 
 thofe miracles to thcjudgmen,t i.nd' e^amit:a<ion o( their 
 
 . fenfes ; Go and Jlie-iu John the miracles which you hear and 
 fee; the bliiii receive thc'irjight, the . lame 'JJalk, tic deaf 
 hear. Chrilt was all this in a literal and fpiriiual fenle 
 alfo : He was an eyeof undcrftanding to the ignorant, a 
 foot of power to the weak ; he opened an car in deaf hearts 
 to receive the word of life, andihe po<^)r receive a\idcm-, 
 brace the gofpel. Miracles are jjie higheft atteftation, 
 and the greateft external confirmation and evidence that 
 
 can be given to the truth and divinity of any dnflrine. 
 Now our Saviours miracles, for their n: mre, were divins 
 andGod-like; they were healing and bencticial to man- 
 kind, freeing men from the greateft calamities of human 
 life : For their nnmber, they werem.iny : /.'or the man- 
 ner of their operation, they were publickly wrought in 
 the fight and view of multitudes of people : To freethem 
 from all fufpicion of fraud and impolturi;, he wrought 
 them before hisenemies, as well as in the prcfcnce of his 
 friends and followers ; and this not once or twice, or in 
 one place, but at feveral times, and in levcral places, 
 wherever he came ; and this for a long time, even for 
 three years and a half: So that our bleilVd Saviour 
 had all the atteftation that miracles can give, to evidence 
 himfelf the true andpromifed Meflias. 'The blind fee, the 
 lame walk, the lepers are clennjed, the deaf hear ^ the dead 
 are raifed. 
 
 — To the poor the gofpel is preached. 
 
 The poor hear and receive the gofpel, fee Matt. xi. i. 
 It was prophefied of the Mtiiias, that he fliould preach 
 the gofpel to the poor, 11a. 49. i. accordingly they were 
 the poor whom Chrill preaclied unto : for the pharifees 
 and Rabbles neglected them as the people of the earth, 
 Job vii. 49 And Groiius fays, that they had a proverb. 
 That the ipirit of God never refts but upon a rich man. 
 Note, That all along, in our Saviour's time and lince, 
 the poor of the world have been more difpofed to hear, 
 and embrace the gofpel than other men : And the rea- 
 fons of it are thele : i, Becaufe the poor have no world- 
 ly intereft to engage them to reject Chrift and his gofpel. 
 The high prieft, the fcribes and pharifees, had a plain 
 worldly intereft to engage them tooppofe Chrift and his 
 dodlrine; but the poor were free from thefe incumbran- 
 ces and temptations ; They had nothing to lofe, there- 
 fore our Saviour's doiftrine went down more ealily with 
 them, becaufe it did not contradict their intereft, as it 
 did the intereft of thofe who had great pofleflrons. 
 2. Thofe that arcpoor, and enjoy little of the good things 
 of this life, are willing to entertain the glad tidings of 
 hnppinefs in another life : Such as arc in a ftate of mife- 
 ry here, are glad to underftand that it Uiall be well with 
 them hereafter, and are willing to liften to the good news 
 of a future happinefs : Whereas the rich who have had 
 their confolation here, are not much concerned what will 
 become of them hereafter. 
 
 23 And blelTed is he whofoever (hall not be of- 
 fended in me. 
 
 No doiibt our Saviour uttered thefe words uiih par- 
 ticular refpeft and icverence to John's difciples, who, out 
 of an ex.traorclinary zealfor the honor of their mafter, 
 were prejudiced ag;ainft our Saviour. But the genei-al 
 import of file words doth Ciew, That there are many to 
 whoni Chi ill is arock of offence. The J'-'ws were offend- 
 ed at the mc-aunefs of his extraction, at the poverty of his 
 parents, at the lownefs of his breeding, at his fuffering 
 condition : From their tradition"- thsy espccted the MelTias 
 fhould be a temporal prince ; whereas the prophets de- 
 clared he (hould be a man oi hr\o:,i, and aiquaiiiUd with 
 grief i be defpifed and pui 10 death. 'I'hus, at this d.iy 
 
 ■lany 
 
522 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap. vir. 
 
 mnny nrc offemleil at Chrift: Seme are rffended at the 
 alTertcd ilivinity of his peri'on and the meritorioufnefs of 
 his fatiifaition ; fonie are oHciided at the fublimity of his 
 dnilrine, others at the faiuTity anil Itrictncfs of his laws : 
 foine art of*Vnded r.t the fiie difi)enfatioii of his grace, o- 
 thci-s: th.it the terms of Chrilb.mity are very hard, and 
 lay too c;rcat a redraJnt upon human nature : Jht bl^JPcd 
 is he, i'aysChni\,tl:atJhall ivj! Ik- njfendfd inme ; intimating 
 that fiich as, ii.llead of being offended at Chrift, do be- 
 lieve in him, and ground their eupeclations of heaven 
 and falvation wholly upon him, are in a happy and 
 bleffcd condition : BUffid is he that Jh all not be offended in 
 me. 
 
 24 5 And when the mefTengers of John were 
 departed, he began to Ipeak unto the people con- 
 cerning John, What went ye out into the wil- 
 dcrnefs for to fee a reed Ihaken with the wind ? 
 25 But what went ye out for to fee ? a man clo- 
 thed in foft raiment ? Behold, they which are 
 gorgeoudy apparelled, and live delicately arc in 
 king's courts. 26 But what went ye out for to 
 fee? A prophet? Yea, I fay unto you, and 
 much more than a prophet, 27 This is he of 
 whom it is written, Behold I fend my meflenger 
 before thy face, which fliall prepare thy way before 
 thee. 
 
 Our Saviour having given as we may fuppole, full fa- 
 tisfaiflion to John's difciples, and fent them away, he 
 enters upon a large commendation of John himfelf: 
 where we have oherfervable, i. The perlbns whom he 
 commended John before, not before his own difciples, 
 but before the multitude : for John's difciples had too 
 high an opinion of their mafter already, infomuch, that 
 they envied our Saviour for o\erfliadowing their mafter ; 
 John \ii. 26. Deh'.ld Chrijt baptizeth, and all men come 
 unto him. It was a great eye-lore to John's difciples, 
 that Chrift had more hearers and followers than their 
 mailer; therefore not before John's difciples but before 
 the multitudt; is John commended : for as John's dif- 
 ciples liad too high, fo the multitude had too low an 
 opinion of John ; poflibly becaufe of his imprifonment 
 and fufferings : there was a time when the people had 
 high thoughts of John's perfon and miniftry : but being 
 BOW clouded with fufferings, they difefteem and under- 
 value him. Learn hence. How vain it is for any men- 
 but efpecially for the minifters of the gofpel, to value 
 themfelvesby popular applaule. The people contemn to- 
 day whom they admired yefterday ; he who to-day is tried 
 up, to-morrow is trodden down : the word and minifters 
 arc the fame, but this proceeds from the ficklenefs 
 and inconftancy of the people ; nothing is fo mutable 
 as the mind of man ; nothing fo variable as the opinion 
 of the multitude. 2. The time when our Saviour thus 
 commended John, '^hcn he -uias c/i/l into prifon by Herod.- 
 Not when he was in profperity, when the people flocked 
 after him, when he preached at court, and was reveren- 
 ced by Herod : but when the giddy multitude ha/l forl'a- 
 ken him, when he wasdifgraced at court, and had prca. 
 
 died himfelf into prifcn, now itis that Chrift proclaims 
 his worth, maintains his honor, and tdls the peo- 
 ple that the world was not worthy of fnch a preacher. 
 Learn thcnci?, That Chrift will evermore ftand by, 
 and ftick faft unto his faithful minifters, when all the 
 worUI forfakes them : Let the world flight and defpifc 
 them at their pleafure, yet Chrift will maintain their ho- 
 nour, and fupport their caufc; as they bear a faithful 
 witnefs to Chrift, fo Chrift will bear witnefs to their 
 faithfulnefsfor him. 3. The comnendation itfelf. Our 
 Saviour commends John for four things ; for his conftan- 
 cy, for his fobriety, for his humility, for his gofpel-mi- 
 niftry. i. For his conftancy, he was not a reed Jhaken 
 ~d)i/h the wind; that is, a man of an unftable and unfet- 
 tledjud^^ment, but fixed and ftcady. 2. For his fobrie- 
 ty, aufterity, and high degrees of mortification and felf- 
 denial ; he was no delicate voluptuous perf(m, but grave 
 'fober and fevere : He was mortified to the glory and * 
 honour, to the eafe and pleafures of the worid : Johii 
 wrought no miracles, but his coin-erlation wjsalmoft mi- 
 raculous, and as efteclual as miracles to prevail upon the 
 people. 3. For his humility ; John might once have 
 been what he would, the people were readv to cry him 
 up for the Melfia?, the Chrift of God ; but John's hum- 
 ble and lowly fpirit refutes all : He confeJJ'ed, and denied 
 not; faying, lam n'jt the Chrifi, but a poor minifter of his, 
 willing, but not worthy to do him the meaneft fervice. 
 This will commend our miniftry to the confciences of our 
 people ; when we feek not our own glory, but the glo- 
 ry of Chrift. 4. Our Saviour commends John for 
 hi's clear preaching the gofpel, and for his making 
 known the coming of the Medias to the people ; He 
 was more than a prophet, becaufe he pointed out Chrift 
 more clearly and fully than any of the prophets be- 
 fore him ; The ancient prophets beheld Chrift afar ofF 
 but John faw him face to face. They prophefied of him 
 he pointed at him, faying. This is he ; Ihe clearer any 
 miniftry is in difcoveringof Chrift, the more excellent 
 and ufeful it is. 
 
 28 For I fay unto you, Among thofe that are 
 born of women, thereis not a greater prophet than 
 John the Baptifl: but he that is leafl in the king- 
 dom of God, is greater than he. 
 
 Our Saviour having highly commended John in the 
 former verfes, here he fets bounds to the honor of hii 
 miniftry ; adding, that though John wasgreaterthan all 
 the prophets that went before him, feeing more of Chrift 
 than all of them, yethefawlefs than thofethat came after 
 him. The meaneft gofpel minifter that preaches Chrift 
 as come, is to be prefered before all the old proph»ts, who 
 prophefied of Chrift to come. That minifter who fets 
 forth the life and death, refurreftion and afcenfion of 
 Chrift, is greater in the kingdom of heaven, that is, has 
 an higher office in the church, and a more excellent mi- 
 niftry than all the prophets, yea, than John himfelf. 
 The excellency of a miniftry conlifts in the light and 
 clearnefs of it : Now though John's light did exceed all 
 that went before him, yet it fell fhort of them that came 
 after him; and thus he that was laft in the kingdom of 
 
 grace 
 
ClIAP. VII. 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 223 
 
 grace on e.irth, much more he that was laft in the king- 
 dom of glory in heaven was greater than John. See 
 note on Matt. xi. 11. 
 
 29 And all the people that heard him, and the 
 publicans, juflified God, being baptized with tlie 
 baptifin of John. 30 5 But the Pharifees and 
 lawyers reje6led the counfel of God againfl them- 
 selves, being not baptized of him. 
 
 Thefe words are our Saviour's farther commendation 
 of John the Baptift; he tells us, that John had two forts 
 of lie.trers. i. The common people and publicans. 
 \- 2. The Pharifees and lawyers ; and declares the differ- 
 ent efFeft which John's niiniftry had upon thefe two 
 di/Fereiit (orts of perfons. As to the former, the com- 
 mon people and the publicans; the conmion people were 
 accounted by the Jcwilh doiflors as the dregs of mankind, 
 an ignorant and rude mob; the publicans were efteemed 
 notorioufly wicked, guilty of great injuftice, oppreflion, 
 and extortion ; yet ihffe perfons were converted foon- 
 erthan the knowing men of the time, the felt'-juftifying 
 Pharifees and lawyers; for it is faid. The publicans -Mere 
 baptized of John, and juflified Grid; that is, they look- 
 ed upon John as a prophet fent of God ; tliey owned liis 
 miniflry, received his incfTage, and fubmitted to his bap- 
 tifin. Thofe who believe the meflage that God fendeth, 
 and obey it, juftify God; they who do not believe and 
 obey, accufe and condemn God. But of the others it is 
 faid , namely, of the pharifees and lawyers, That they 
 rejeiffed the counfel of God againfl thttnfelves .• That is, 
 the revealed will of God, refufmg to be baptized of him. 
 This rejecting the counfel of God wc are guilty of, when 
 ■we have low and undervaluing thoughts of Chrift and 
 Lis gofpcl, when we are afliamed, in times of perfecu- 
 tioi), to own and profefs him, when we ftop our ears to 
 the voice of his miuifters and mefl'engcrs, when wc fub- 
 jnit not ourfelves to the reafonable laws aud commands 
 of Chrift; and this rejection of Chrift at the great day, 
 will render our condition worfe than the condition of 
 heathens, that never heard of a Saviour; than the con- 
 dition of Jews, which crucified their S3vi<(ur; yea, than 
 the condition of devils, for whom a Saviour never was 
 intended ! Lord ! where (hall we appear, if we either 
 reject, or negleft thy great falvstion? The chie_f thing 
 then obfervable here, is this, That in rejecting John's 
 baptifm and miuiftry, tliey are faid to reject the counfel 
 of God towards themfelves; that is, the gracious defign 
 of Cod in calling them to repentance, by John's minilfry, 
 by which refufal they declared, that they approved not 
 of God's counfel asjuft ar.d righteous in calling them 
 to repentance, who were fucli zealots for the law, and 
 fo unblameable in their converfation, that it became a 
 proverb amongft them, Thar if but two perfons went 
 to heaven, one of them muft be a Ph^rifee. They 
 therefij:e jutiged it an incongruous tiiiiig to call fuch 
 righteous perfons 10 repentance, as they took them- 
 felves to be, and to threaten them with ruin, who were 
 fo dear to God : Bur the publicans and common people, 
 being confciotio to themfelves of their Hn and guilr, did 
 approve of this counfel which God feat them by his 
 
 mefTenger, and fubmitted 10 this baptifni of repentance 
 for the remiflion of lins, to which God by the IJ.ipiill 
 now called them. 
 
 31 And the Lord faid, Whcreunto then fhall 
 I liken the men of this generation ? and to what 
 are they like? 32 They are like unto children 
 fitting in the market-place, and calling one to 
 another, and faying. We have piped unto you,, 
 and ye have not danced ; wc have mourned un- 
 to you, and ye have not wept. 33 For John the 
 Baptift came neither eating bread, nor drinking 
 wine; and ye fay. He hath a devil. 34 The fon 
 of man is come eating and drinking ; and ye fay, 
 Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a 
 friend of publicans and finncrs. 35 But wifdom 
 IS juftified of all her children. 
 
 Our blefled Saviour, in thefe words, defcribes the per- 
 verfe humour of the Pharifees, who nothing could allure 
 to the embracing of the gofpcl, neither John's miniftrv, 
 nor Chrift's. This our Saviour fets forth two way's, 
 allegorically and properly ; by way of allegory he com- 
 pares them to fuUen children, whom nothing could pleafc 
 neither mirth nor mourning ; if their fellows piped be- 
 fore them, they would not dance; if they fang mourn- 
 ful fongs to them, they would not lament : That is, tiie 
 Pharifees were of fuch a cenforious and capricious hu- 
 mour, that God himfelf could not pleafe them, although 
 he ufed variety of means and methods in order to that 
 end. Next our Lord plainly interprets this allegory, 
 by telling them, that John came to them neither eating 
 nor drinking ; that is, not fo freely and plentifully as 
 other men, being a very auftere, and mortified man, 
 both in his diet and habit, all which was dcfigned by 
 God to »bring the Pharifees to repentance and amend- 
 ment of life. But ip.ftead of this, they ceiifure liim for 
 having a devil, becaufe he delighted in foliiude, and was 
 not fo free in converfation as feme men, according to the 
 ancient obfervation, "That he that delighted in folitude 
 is either an ange or a devil," either a wild beaft or 
 a god. John being thus rejected, Chrift himftjf comes 
 to them, who being of a free and familiar converfation, 
 not fhunning the fociety of the worft; of men, no, not 
 of the Pharilees themfelves, but complying with their 
 cuftoTOs, and accompanying them innocently at their 
 feafts, yet the freedom of our Saviour's converfation 
 difpleaied them as much as John's referveduefs of tern- " 
 per; for they cry, Beh'ld a man qIkIIokous, a friend cf 
 publicans and flnners: Chrift's affability towards fmners 
 they account an approbation of their (ins ; and his focia- 
 ble difpofition, loofenefs and luxury. Leatn hence, 
 That the faithful and zealous minifters of Chrift, let their 
 temper and converfe be what it will, cannot j)leafe the 
 enemies of religion, and the iiaters of the |io«tr of god- 
 lincfs, neither John's .-^ufterity, nor Chrift's fumiliariiy, 
 could gain upon the Pharifees: It is tl.e duty of the mi- 
 nifters of God, in the courfe of ihtir minillry, to (eck to 
 pleafe all men for their good, but af.er all our endea- 
 vor* 
 
-J, 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap. vil. 
 
 vers 10 plcjfc all, if we ftreiuciifiy oppofe ihe errors 
 »nii vices of ihe times, we fliall pleafe buc very few. 
 Uiit if God and cciifcience be of the number of tlicfe 
 few, we are Cafe and happy. 2. That it has been the 
 old policy oi tl'.e tievil, that he niigiit hinder the fuccefs 
 of the goipe', to fill the minds of ptrlons w ith an invin- 
 cible prej1uiiccag3ir.il the niiniflers anddifpenlers of the 
 grfpel. Here the pli.Trifees are prejUiliced up.reafon- 
 ably both againft John .nnd againll Chrift, that the fiic- 
 eel's of both th^ir niinifteries n<u(l be fri:ftrnted and 
 diiappointed. 3. That at'cer all the fcandalous re- 
 proaches call upon the thriftian religion, and the mini- 
 fters and profeflbrs of it, fuch as are wifdoni's children, 
 wile ai:d good men will jullify religion, that is, approve 
 it in their judgments, honor it in their difcourfes, and 
 jdorn it in their lives ; li'ij'dom is jujlifed of all her chil- 
 drcn. 
 
 36 H And otic of the Pharifces defired him thnt 
 Jie would eat with hini. And lie went into the 
 Pharifee's houle, and fat down to meat. 37 And 
 beliold, a woman in the city, which was a finner, 
 when fhe knew that jefus fat at meat in the Pha- 
 rifee's houfe, brought an alabafter box of oint- 
 ment: 38 And flood at his feet behind him, weep- 
 ing, and began to wafli Ifis feet with tears, and 
 did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kif- 
 icd his feet, and anointed them with the oint.- 
 inent. 
 
 Cbjcrve here, i. The Pharifee's civility, and our Sa- 
 viour's courtefy ; the Pharifee invites Chrift to eat with 
 linn, Chrid readily accepts the invitation, never refufing 
 any cpportnnity for doing good. There is a duty of 
 civil courtfly which we owe to the word of men ; none 
 are fo bad but we may foberly eat and drink with them ; 
 only let us take care, that if our converfe do nd* nnke 
 them better, their example may not make us worfe. 
 a. What an opportunity our Saviour lays hold upon, in 
 the Pharifee's houfe, of doing good to a finful woman ; 
 who coming to Chntl bowed down in a forrowfol fight 
 and fer.fe of her fins, finds an hearty welcome to him, 
 and is diimiflcd with comfort from him. The hiftory 
 runs thus : Ueholil, a v/r/man in the city 'johich was afwner, 
 that is, a Gentile, fay fome; a remarkable, notorious 
 and inf.imoui linner, fay others; probably a lewd, ud- 
 clcan woiii.-.n ; fhe is led in with a note of admiratiin, 
 Bihzlci, a woman that was a fnmr .' Leiirn, That to fee a 
 Icnlual and noiorious (inner, out of true remorfe of con- 
 fcience, feck unto a Saviour, is a rare and wonderful 
 fight. 6A/;f/iv farther, It is not faid, Behold a woman 
 that (innrd ; hut, Dfhdd, a -woman that was a firner : One 
 attiondoes not denominate a perfon a finner, hut an ha- 
 bit and trade of fin. Again, it is faid, £d'./d a woman 
 in the city ; the place where flie acted her lewdnefs, .--d- 
 di.J to the heinciifncft of her fm, it was in the city; rhe 
 fljore public theofFt-nre, the greater the fcand.il. Sin is 
 tin though in the defart, wjiere no eyes fees it, bur the 
 cdtT.ie li a;giavatcd by the number and multitude of 
 bcholJert : Yet obfcrvable it is, that there is no mention 
 
 made, either of the woman's name, or of the city's 
 name : and it is both prefumption and iojurioufncfs for 
 any to name her, whole name God has been plcafed to 
 conceal ; for this is not the fame woman that anointed 
 ChrilPs feet, Matt. xxvi. Markxiv. and John vii. that 
 was in Bethany, this in Galilee; that in the houfe of 
 Simon the leper, this of Simo-.nthe PJiarifee. 3. The 
 behaviour and demeanour of this poor woman, ihe .ap- 
 pears in thepofturc of a penitent: She Jland at Chr'ijt't 
 feet behind him, wcepirp. Where note, i. The great 
 change wrought in this finful woman, and the evident 
 cffecti of it ; her eyes, which had been formerly lamps 
 of tire by Kift,are now an holy fountain of penitential 
 tears; her hair which Ihe had ufed as a net to catch her 
 fond and foolifli lovers, doth now bcconie a towel for her 
 Saviour's feet. Verily, futh an heart, as has once fel: 
 the fting and fmartof (in, will make plentiful expreflions 
 of tlie greatnefs of its forrow. Again, 2. She fiands be- 
 hind Chrift, and weeps : this proceeded, no doubt, from 
 an holy baftfutnefs; flic that was wont to look boldly 
 upon the face of her lovers, dare not now behold the 
 face of her Saviour: She that was wont to 'iend her al- 
 luring beams forth into the eyes of her wanton lovers, 
 now cafls her dejected eyes down upon the earth, and 
 behold the plenty of her tears, they flow in fuch abund- 
 ance, that fhe waflies Chrift'sfeet with tkem. She hrgan 
 to waft} Chrijfs feet, fays the text, but we read not when 
 fite ended : never were our Saviour's feet bedewed with 
 nwre precious liquor than this of remorfeful tears. Thui 
 doth an holy penitent account no office too mean tliat it 
 done to the honor of its Saviour. 
 
 ■ 39 Now when the Pharifee which had bidden -jl 
 him, faw 7V, he fpoke within hiinfelf, faying, Thit " 
 man, if he were a prophet, would have known 
 who, and what manner of woman this is, that '-J 
 toucheth him : for flie is a finner. 40 Andjefus * 
 anfwenng, faid unto him, Simon, I have fome- 
 whatto fay unto thee. And he faith, Mafter, fay 
 on. 41 There was a certain creditor, which had 
 two debttftrs : the one owed five hundred pence, 
 and the other fifty. 42 And when they had no- 
 thing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell 
 me therefore, which of them will love him moft ? 
 43 Simon af.fwercd and faid. I fuppofe that he to 
 whom he forgave moft. And he faid unto him, 
 Thou haft rightly judged. 
 
 Obferve here. i. How unreafonably the Pharifee was 
 offended with Chrift, for permitting this poor woman to 
 come near and touch him. Admit Ihe had beenthegreat- 
 e{\ of Tinners, might not fuch come to Clirid, when he 
 was come from heaven for them. O bleflcd Saviour! 
 there is rmerit enough in thy blood, and mercy enough in 
 thy bowels, tojuftifyand fave the vileftfinncrs, which by 
 repentance and faith do m:ike a timely application to thee. 
 2. The pnr:ible which ChriO makes ule of for the Pha- 
 rilee's convidiion, and th.c woman's ccmfurt, namely, 
 the parable of twodebtors, oneofwhom owed a greater 
 fi:>n^ and the other a Icfs, \khoboth ha-, ing nothing to 
 
 i>.ay 
 
Chap. viir. 
 
 5t. 
 
 L u K "t:. 
 
 22 
 
 o 
 
 were both freely forgiven : and both upon their forgive- 
 ftefs loveii their creditor much, but he moft to whom nioft 
 <»'3s forgiven. Now from this parable we gather tliefe 
 leffbns of inftruclion : i That great is the debt which all 
 mankind have contracled, andiie under to the juftice of 
 God: 'Tis here fxprcfTtd h'^ fiv!" Imndrett pence. Our 
 debt is infinite, and had nut miraculous mercy interpofed, 
 divine juftice could never have been fatisficd, but by un- 
 dergoing an infinite punifhment. 2. That yet all (inners 
 ftand not alike in.kbted to the juftice of Gf^A ; fome owe 
 more and others lefs, all are guilty, but not all alike, fome 
 owe five hundred talents, others fifty pence. 3. That 
 be men's debt greater or lefs, their (ins more or fewer, it 
 is utterly inipoflible for any perfon of hiinfelf to clear his 
 debt, and niuke fatisfaflion, they that owe leaft ftand in 
 need of mercy aiid forgivenefs: He f'jre:uve them both. 
 ■4: That the forgivenefs that is in God, is a free, gratui- 
 tous and gracious forgivenefs : he frankly forgave them 
 both. Cract'jus art thou, Lord, in ihv d',mgs totuarelsthy 
 chilJrett, and thy tendct mercy Is over all thy -works ! 
 
 44 And he turned to the woman, and faid un- 
 to Simon, Seed thou this woman ? I entered into 
 thine houfe, thou gaveft me no water for my feet: 
 but fhe hath waflied my feet with tears, and wip- 
 ed than with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou ga- 
 veft me no kifs ; but this woman, fmce the 
 time I came in, hath not ceafed to kifs my feet. 
 
 46 Mine head with oil thou didft not anoint : but 
 this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 
 
 47 Wherefore I fay unto thee, Her fins, which 
 are many, are forgiven ; for (he loved much, but 
 to whom little is forgiven the fame loveth little. 
 
 48 And he faid unto her. Thy fins are forgiven. 
 
 49 And they that fat at meat with hira, began to 
 fay within themfelves, who is this that forgiveth 
 fins alfo ? 50 And he faid to the woman, Thy 
 faith hath faved thee ; go in peace. 
 
 Oh/ervehcre, i. How our Saviour recounts atid fums 
 up the feveral particularinftances of this woman'slove and 
 refpeft towards himfelf ; Die wafhed, wiped, kiffed, and 
 anointed his feet, according to the cuftoin of thofe ealtern 
 countries. Love will creep where it cannot go, it will 
 ftnop CO the meaneftoffices, and is ambitious of fhe higheft 
 fervices, for and towards the perfons we fincerely love. 
 2. The words of comfort given by our Savionr to thispoor 
 woman, Thy fins, -which are many, are frirgtven thee. 
 Thence learn, That the pardoning mercy of Gorl is 
 boundlefs and unlimited ; it is not limited to any fort ol 
 fins or finners ; it is not limited to any degree of fins or 
 linners ; Thy ftns, that are many , are forgiven thee; and 
 thy fins, which are henions, are forgiven alio. ^. What 
 is the efFetland fru't of great pardoningmercy? Itispreat 
 love; her fins, which are many, are forgiven, /"or /Ae lov&d 
 much. Her love 10 Chrift was the effeft of his pardontpg 
 love to her, and not the caufe of it : She did not firft 
 love much, and then Chrift forgave her ; but Chrift firft 
 forg.nve her, and then (he loved much. Her love was a 
 love of gratiiucie, becaufe flie wai pardoned, and not a 
 
 lov^bf rrierit td pnpci)a;e"and proiurc her pardon. The 
 pajjiftslnterpret this wcrd f/irj as if it were the antece- 
 dent caufe of her forgivenefs ; whereas it is a coufcquen- 
 tial fign and evidence, that the free grace and mercy of 
 Chrift liad forgivtn lier ; her many and great fins were 
 forgiven her, arid '.herefoVe flie loved much. "The debt 
 is not forgiven becaufe the debtor loves his creditor ; but 
 the debtor tl ere fore loves, becaufe the debt is forgiven. 
 Forgivenefs goes before, and love follows after. Hence 
 U'irn, That mncli love will follow great forgivenefs. Love 
 Will work in the heart towardsGod in fonic proportion to 
 that love which we have experienced from God. Laftly, 
 The very gracious difmiffion Which this woman meets 
 with from our bhfled Saviour : What could fhe defire 
 that is nothere granred to her? Here is remiffion, fafety, 
 faith, and peace, all tl.efe here meet to make a contrite 
 foul happy : reihllfion is the ground of her fafety, faith 
 the ground of her peace, pe.ice the fruit of her faith, and 
 falvJtion the iflue of her remiffion. Owomin! great 
 thy fin, great was Chrift's pardoning grace, and great 
 was thy joy aad comfort; Thy fins are forgiven thee, thy 
 faith hath faved thee, g» m peace. 
 
 CHAP. VHI. 
 
 AN D it came to pafs afterward, that he went 
 throughout every city and villate, preaching 
 and fhewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of 
 God : and the twelve were vyith him : 
 
 Offerve here, The great work and bufinefs, which not 
 only the apoftles, but Chrift himfelf was engaged in, and 
 employed about, namely, preaching the gofpel, thofe glad 
 tidings of falvation to a U.rt WO! Id. Where note, That 
 Chrift himfelf laboured in this work of public preaching^; 
 he did not fend forth his apoftles as his curates to work and 
 f\\4at in the vineyard, whilft he himfelf took his eale at 
 home ; but he accompanieth them himfelf, yea, he goes 
 before them himfelf, in this great and excellent work, Jefus 
 -juent preaching the glad tidings of the g'fpel, and the twelve 
 •were -.vith him. Learn thence. That preaching of the 
 gofpel is a great and necefl'.iry work, incumbent upon all 
 the minifters of Chrift, let their dignity and pre- eminence 
 in the church be what it will. Surely none of the fervants 
 are above their Lord and Mafter ! Did he labour in the 
 word and doftrine .' Well may they. 2. The places 
 where Chrift and his apoftles preached, not only in the 
 po;?ulous cities, but in the poor country villages . They 
 -went through every city and village preaching the gofpel. 
 Some will preach the gofpel, provi ded they may preach at 
 court, or in the capital cities of the nation; but the poor 
 country villages are Overlooked by them. Our Saviour 
 and his apoftles were rot ofthis'mind ; it is true they were 
 itinerary preachers, we are fettled; but be (hcplace never 
 fo mean and obfcure, and the people never fo rude and 
 barbarous, we iiiuft not think it beneath the greateft of us 
 to exercife our miniftry there if God calls ns thither : 
 Chrift -went tb'Qiigh the vilhges, as well as cities, freae'h- 
 ing. ' ' 
 
 F F a. And 
 
St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chaip. vui. 
 
 s And ccrtam women, 'whick had been healed 
 of evil fpiiits and infirmities, Mary called Magda- 
 lanc, out of whom went leven devils, 3 And 
 Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's Howard, and 
 Sufanna, and many others, which minittercd un- 
 H) liim of their fubllance. 
 
 Amongll the number of tliofe that did accompai^y our 
 Saviour anJ his apuflles, mention is here made of certain 
 women, *ho haJ been healed by Chriftof evil fpirits and 
 iiiHrniitics ; that is, of fpiritual and corporeal difeafes, for 
 the Jews \^ere wont to call vices and evil habits by the 
 iiaiae ol devils, .as the devil of pride, the devil of malice. 
 &c. Now as concerning thefe women following of Chrift 
 and adminillering to him, feveral circuniftanccs ^rtobfer- 
 
 occafion fupplied their neceffities ; and thv.rc were certiin 
 mji)^^*!^ fifters, or chriAian women, as the learned Dr. 
 Hamniun.l obierves, who accompanied Chrift and his 
 apoltles in their traveh, and provided neceflaries for 
 them, when they went up and down preaching the gof- 
 pel. Kot^ alfo, 2. The condefccnding grace and humil- 
 ity of Chrjft ; he was not afhamed either of thefe women 
 following of him, or adminiftering to him, becaufe of 
 their former vicious coorfe of life ; it is not what we for- 
 merly were, but what we now are, that Chrift coufiders; 
 it is a glory to him, to have great and notorioas finners 
 brought to 3 clofure and compliance with iiim. The re- 
 proach is not, that they have been finners, for Chriit did 
 not give himrdf for a people that were pure and holy, 
 without fpot and Wrinkle, but to make them fo by his 
 word and fpirii, Eph. v. 26. Chriit is only aflianicd of 
 
 vabU ; lU i. That women did make up a confiderjblenum- thofe that eat of his bread, and lift up the heel agaiuft 
 
 ber of Chrift's followers, ay, and of his apoitles followers him. 
 
 \ 
 
 too. The Jevout, -Jiotnen not c ff-.", AAs xvii. 4, And 
 verily it is no difgrace or fliame, but matter of glory, and 
 caufeof ihankfuhicfjj if our miniftry be, attended by, and 
 bleft unto the weaker fex. 1 believe, in many of our 
 congregations, and at mod of our communions, are found 
 two women for one man : God grant them knowledge 
 anfwerable to their Teal, and obedience proportionable to 
 their devotion. 2. One of thefe women that followed 
 
 4 1 And when much peopk were gathered to* 
 gether, and were come to hi.n out of every city, 
 he fpake by a parable : ij A fower went out to 
 fow his feed: and as he fowcd, fome fell by 
 the way -//if; and it was trodden down, and th« 
 fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And fome fell 
 
 Chriit v/as Joanna the wife of Herod'sjleward. What ! upon a rock ; and as foon as it was fprung up, it 
 «ne of Herod'i family tranfplanted into Chriit'shvufliald! withered away, becaufe it lacked moifture 7 
 Othefreenefsofthegrace.ofGod! Even in the worft ^^^ fome fell amon;. thorns: and tht; thorn j 
 jocieties and places God has a number to ftaml up for his c -..i. •. j 1 i j • r, » i ■ 
 
 name, and beat w,tn«fs to his truth ; we read of a Jofeph [P""S "P ^^^'^^ it, and choaked it. 8 And others 
 in Pharaoh's court ; of an Obad.ah in Ahab's court ; of a tell on good ground, and fprana; up, and bar* 
 Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar'scourt; of achurch in Nero's fruit an hundred-fold. And when he had faid. 
 lioufe, and of a Joanna here in bloody Herod's family, thefe things, lie cried, He that hath ears to hear, 
 who had put John the Baptill to death. 3. The holy Jgt him hear 
 courage and refolution of our Saviour's female followers: 
 no doubt ihey met with taunts and jeers, with feoffs and 
 fcorns enough, and perhaps from their hulbands too,%for 
 following the carpenter's fon, and a tew fifliermen ; but 
 this does not damp, but inflame their xeal. The holy 
 Choft acquaints ut with feveral inftances of mafculine cou- 
 rage, and manly refolutions in the womeii that followed 
 Chriit as his female difciples. At our Saviour's trial, the 
 women clave to him, w^hen his difciples fled from him; 
 ihey accompanied him to his crofs, they aflifted at his 
 funeral, they attended at his hearfe to the grave, they 
 watched his fepulchre, fearingneither the darknefsofthe 
 night nor, therudenefsofthe foidiers. Thefe feeble women 
 had more courage than all the apoftles. Learn That cou- 
 rage is the fpecial and peculiar gift of God ; and where he 
 gives courage, it is not in man to make afraid. 4. The 
 pious and charitable care of thefe holy women, to fupply 
 the wants and outward neceflities of our Saviour j They 
 adminijiered to him of their fuhjifjance .W here note, I . The 
 great poverty of Chrill ; he lived upon the bafket, he would 
 not honour the world fo far as to have any part of it in 
 
 The defign and fcope of this parable is, to Ihew what 
 are the caul'cs of men's improving or not improving under 
 hearing of the word, and to let us know, that there are 
 three forts of bad hearers, and but one good one. The 
 carelefsand inconfiderate hearer is like the highway ground, 
 where the feed is trodden down and trampled upon. Hard- 
 hearted linners, whom the mollifying word dothnot foftea 
 thefe are WVx Jiony ground, where the feed takes no root, 
 the word makes no impre.'lion. Thofe whofe heads and 
 hearts are ftufl'ed with the cares of the world, are like the 
 thorny ground, in which the feed is choaked, whicii lliould 
 fruftity to an holy immortality : this is the fcope of the 
 parable. Now from the fubjcct matter of it, Uarn, t. 
 That by the fo-wer you arc to underftand Chrifl and his 
 apoAIes, and their fucceflbrs, the miniftersof the gofpel.— 
 Chrift the principal fower, they thefubordinate feedfmen. 
 Chrifl fows his own Held, ihey fow histielU ; he fows his 
 own feed, they hie feed. Wu untous, it we foiv our o*n 
 feed and not Chrilt's. 2. The leed fown is the word of 
 God: Fabulous legends, and unwritten traditions, which 
 his own hand, but was beholden to oihers for what he eat « the feedlmen ©f the church of Rome fow, are not feed, but 
 
 and drank ; yet muft we not fuppole that cither Chrifl or 
 his apoliles were cpmyvon beggars, but it is probable there 
 vas a bag, or common purfe aniongft tbep, ¥,hith qpoji 
 
 chaff i or if feed (for they fruft ty too fall in the minds of 
 ibvir people) tbeic nwu, 901 Chrill's. Our Lord's litlii 
 
 mil (I- 
 
Chap. viii. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 -»7 
 
 Hjiiftbe all fown with h"i» Ovvn feed, witli no mixt gr.iiii. 
 l^arn thence, That the word preached is like feed Town 
 jn the furrows of the field. Seed, aaafriidifying, growing 
 and increafing nature, has in it an adive principle, and 
 willfpring up, if not killed by accidental injuries, Inch a 
 quickening power lias the word of God to rcgenerare and 
 make alive dead fouls, if we fufFer it to take deep root in 
 our hearts; yet is this feed not alike fruitful in every foil ; 
 all ground is not alike, neitlierdoth the word fructify alike 
 in the fouls of men ; there is a difference, both from the 
 nature of the foil, and the influence of the fpirit ; for though 
 no ground is naturally good, yetfonie is worfe than other; 
 ray, even the beft ground doth not bring forth increafe 
 alike : Some good ground brings forth an hundred fold 
 others but fixty, apd fonic but thirty : In like manner, 
 a chriftian maybe a profitable hearerof the word although 
 he doth not bring forth fo great a proportion of fruit as 
 others, provided he bring fortii as much as he can. 
 
 9 And his difciples afked him, fitying, What 
 might tliis parable be ? lo And he faid, unto you 
 it is given to know themyfteries of the kingdom 
 God: but toothers in parables; that feeing they 
 might not fee, and hearing they might not under- 
 ftand. 
 
 Here we have the difciples queflion, and our Saviour's 
 reply; their inquiry is concerning the fenfe and Significa- 
 tion of the parable ; they own their ignorance, and defire 
 better information. It is no flianie for tlie beft of minflers 
 yea, for the beft of men, to acknowledge their ignorance 
 in the myfteries of religion, and to attend upon the means 
 of inftruftion, in or to their farther information. In 
 our Saviour's anfwer. To ycu It is given to knovj the myjle- 
 riesof the kingdom, See. Note i. That the doctrines of the 
 gofpel are great myfteries. 2. That it is an invaluable pri- 
 vilege rightly to undcrftaiid and knowgofpel-myfteries. 3. 
 That thisprivilegcallare notfliarers in, and partakers of, 
 but only thofe to whom it is given. 4. That it is a right- 
 eons thing with God to give fuch perfons over to farther 
 bllndncfsand ignorance in fpiritual things, who wilfully re- 
 ject the truth, andfliuttheireyes,againft the evidence of it. 
 The Pharifees had all along fliut their eyes, and faid, they 
 would not fee ; and now Chrift doles their eyes judicial- 
 ly, and fays, they fliall not fee. 
 
 1 1 Now the p arable is this , The feed is the word 
 of God. 12 Thofcby the way-fide, are they that 
 hear; then cometh the devil and taketh away the 
 word out of their hearts, left they fhould believe and 
 be faved, 13 They on the rock arc they, which, 
 when they hear, receive the word with joy; andthefe 
 have no root, which for a while believe, and in 
 time of tenptation fall away. 14 And that which 
 f-ll among thorns arc they, which, when they have 
 heard, gotoith, and are choked with cares and 
 rici s, and picafures of this life and bring no frait 
 topeife£lion. 15 Bu; that on the good^'-onnf'-^re 
 ■they, whicli, in an honefl. and j;ood hcait having 
 
 heard the word tecp it and brinij fortlj fruit witU 
 patience. 
 
 Here our Saviour applies liinifelf to interpret and explain 
 the foregoing parable toliis difciples ;-he tells them, Tl.e 
 Jet d is the word: theyoiufr is the preacher ; the foil or 
 ground, is the heart and foul of man : Some hearers he 
 compares to the highway ground, in which the feed lici 
 uncovered for want of the harrow of meditation ; otheri 
 to lfony^roKnf/,in which the word has no root ; no rootia 
 their underftanding, no root in their wills, or in their affec-. 
 tions, but arc infiantly offended : either at the depth and 
 profoundnefs of the word, or at the fanclity and ftrictnefs 
 of the word, or elfe at the plainncis and Simplicity of it. 
 Again fome hearers our I^ord compares to thorvy ground. 
 Worldly defires and inordinate caresfor the ihingsof this 
 life choke the word, as thorns overfhadovv the corn, draw- 
 away the heart of the earth from it, hintler the iiifiiiencc 
 of the fun from cherifliing it : the like ill eitocts have 
 worldly atfeftions and defires in the foul of man, rendering 
 the feed of the word unfruitful. But the good chriftiaia 
 hears the word attentively, keeps it retentively, believes 
 it ftcdfaflly, applies it particularly, praitifes it univerfal- 
 ly, and brings forth fruit perfeveringly. Learn hence, 
 I. That no hearers are in Chrift's account good hearers of 
 the word, but fuch as bring forth fruit anfwerable to their 
 hearing. 2. That aperfon may be a good hearer of the 
 word in Chrift'saccount, if hebring forth thebefl fruithe 
 can, though not in fo great a proportion as others do ; ai 
 fome ground brings forth thirty, fome fixty, fome an hun- 
 dred fold ; in like manner do all the fincere hearersotthe 
 word, they all bring forth fruit, though not all.-ilike; all in 
 fincerity, though not all equally, and none to perfection. — 
 3. That it is not fufficient, that we do at prefent believe, 
 approve, and praftife the truth delivered to us, or that we 
 are afFeifled with the word, and receive it with fome kind 
 of joy, delight and pleafure ; unlefs we perfift and perfe- 
 vere in obedience to all its precepts, and continue to bring 
 forth fruit with patience. ; 
 
 16 5 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, 
 covered it with a veflTel, or putteth it under a bed ; 
 but fetteth it on a candleftick. that they which en- 
 ter in may fee the light. 17 For nothing is fecrct, 
 that fliall not be made manileft ; neither any thing 
 hid, that fhall not be known and cotne abroad. 
 18 Take heed therefore how ye h^ar, for whofo- 
 ever hath, to him fliall be given ; and whofoever 
 hath not, from him fhall be taken, even that v.'iicb 
 he feemcth to have. 
 
 In thefe words, Chrift declares his end and defign inr"*- 
 vealjng unto his liifciple.'^ the fori;goiag parable:, .mid why 
 he communicated to thcui the light of fcriptureknow le Jg!» 
 and gf'pel myfteries, that they may c'omtnunicite '.'. "^ 
 others, and to keep i: dofeunto theintcH'r' ■ ^"°n .1? • '■ 
 candle in an houfc difrufesand"!:''p'" ' 
 come within the rpr.ch of it. S\,- r 
 God in any meaf - 
 of his wordjOu^ht '.m.. •.- vw,,.... a... 
 
223 
 
 St. J L UI K E. 
 
 Chap. viii. 
 
 within thenifclves, butcommufikatc it (o. ethers, anJ im- 
 prove it for the good and benefit of others. Oh/'erve ill'n. 
 The argument which our Saviour makes ufe of to quicken 
 his difciplesTocommunicite their kaov\ledge, and improve 
 the grace tiicy had received for the good and ad%'antageof 
 others. 7o hhn ikut hath /kali he ghcii, that is, fuch as 
 improve tlieir Ipiriiuai ^Ifts, (hall liave them increafed ; 
 fuch as improve them not fhall have them Wafted. Lmm 
 hence, That there is no fuch way to shrive in grace, and 
 increafcin gifts, .is toexercife and improve tliem ; hethat 
 hides his talent, forfeits it. is in danger of lofmg it, and 
 alio of being punidicd for not inipri)ving it. Chfcrve laftly, 
 How our Lord Ihiits up this parable of the fower and the 
 feed, wiiha cautionary diredion to all his auditors, to take 
 heed how they hear the word. Take heed therefore how ye 
 tear: Such as would profit by hearing the word, rauft 
 diligently attend to the matter of the doctrine which they 
 hear, and alfo the manner how they hear : fuch is the ma- 
 jefly and authority of the perfon that fpeaks to us in the 
 word, fuch is thefublimity and fpirituality of the matter, 
 and io great is our danger if we mifcarry under the word 
 that it nearly concerns us to take heed both what we hear 
 who we hear, and how we hear. 
 
 19 5 Then came to him his mother and his bre- 
 thren, and could not come at him for the prefs. 20 
 And hwixs told him hj certain, which faid, Thy mo- 
 ther and thy brethren (land without, defiringto fee 
 thee. 2 1 And he anfwered, and faid unto them, M y 
 mother and my brethren are thcfe which hear the 
 word of God and do it. 
 
 Two things are here obfervable, i. The truth and verity 
 ©f Chrift's human nature : hehad affinity and coni'angiii- 
 niry with men, perfons near in blood to him by the mo- 
 thers fide, called here his kinfmen. a. That Chrift's 
 fpiritual kindred were much dearer to him than his natural 
 alliance by faith is more valued by Chrift than alliance by 
 blood ; to bear Chrift in the heart is a greater honour than 
 to carry him in the womb. iBlefled be God, this great 
 and gracious privilege is not denied us even now. Al- 
 though we cannot fee Chrift, yet love him we may: his 
 bodily prefence cannot be enjoyed by us, but his fpiritual 
 prefcnce is not denied to us. Though Chrift be notour's 
 in houfe, inarms, in affinity, and confanguinity, yet in 
 heart, in faith, in love and fervice, he is, and maybe ours, 
 yerilyfpiritual regeneration bringeth men into a more ho- 
 norable relation to Chrift, than natural generation ever 
 did. O how dear are obedient Chriftians to Chrift! he 
 prefers them in efteem before thofe of his own flelh and 
 blood ; Aljf hrethre>iare thej'e which hear the -jiord of Cad 
 and do it. 
 
 2 2 Now It came to pafs on a certain day, that 
 he went into a fhip with his difciples : and he faid 
 unto them let us. go over unto the other fide of 
 thclake. And they launched forth. 23 But as they 
 failed, he fell afleep : and there came down a ftorm 
 of wind on the lake; and they were filled xuithwatcr. 
 
 and vf^YC in jeopardy. 24 .Vnd they came to him 
 and awoke him, faying, Mafter, Maftcr, weperifli. 
 Then he arofe, and rebuked the wind, and the ra- 
 ging of the water : and they ccafed, and there was 
 a calm. 25 And he faid unto them. Where is your 
 faith ? And they being afraid wondered, faying one 
 to another, What manner of man is this ? for he 
 commandeth even the winds and water and they o- 
 bcy him. 
 
 Here obferve, i. Our Saviour and his difciplcf no fooner 
 put forth to fea, but difficultv attends them, and danger 
 overtakes them ; a teinpeft arofe, and the ftiip was cover- 
 ed with waves which Chrift himfelf was in with his difci- 
 ples. Learn hence. That the prefcnce of Chrift iifelf 
 doth not e.Hempi his difciples and followers from trouble 
 and danger. Here was a great tempeft about the difciples 
 ears, though Chrift himfelf was in their company. 2. The 
 pofture our Saviour was in when this tempeft arofe ; being 
 wearied with the labours of the day, he was laid down to 
 fleep ; thei-eby /hewing himfelf to be truly and really man 
 and that he not only took upon him the human nature, but 
 the infirmities of that nature alfo ; he was fubject to pain 
 and wearincfs to hunger and thirft. 3. The difciples ap- 
 lication made to Chrift; they awake him with a fad out- 
 cry, A/fl/?fr, majler, we perijh ; here was faith mixed with 
 human frailty. They believed that he could fave them, 
 but being afteep, they concluded he muft be awaked before 
 lie could fave them. Whereas, though his human nature 
 was adeep yet his divine nature nei therfflnmbered nor flept. 
 Learn hence, That the prevalency of fcarin atime ofgrer.t 
 and emminent danger, though it may evidence weak- 
 nefs of faith, yet it is no evidence of a total want of faith; 
 in the midft of the difciples fears, they believed our 
 Lord'spowerand ability to fave them : Ma/hr.fave us, we 
 perijh. 4. A double rebuke given by our Saviour, ( i.) 
 To the windr!. fz.) To the fears of his difciples : Chrifl 
 .rebuked the winds, and irtj/antly they were colm : when the 
 fea was as furious as a madman, Chrift with a fmgle word 
 calms it. Learn thence, That the moft raging windi; and 
 outrageous fcas,cannot ftand before the rebukes of Chrift; 
 Chrift as God, lays a law upon the moft lawlefs creatures 
 even when they feein to aft moft lawlefTly. F.irther, 
 Chrift rebukes his difciples fears, and their want of faith, 
 Why are ye fearful P Where it your failhP No fooner was 
 the ftorm up but their fears were up, and their faith was 
 down. Tliey forgot that the Lord High-Admiral of the 
 ocean was now on board tlieir fhip, and were as much o- 
 verfet with their boifterous palfions, as the fiiip was * ilh 
 tenipeftuous winds; and accordmglv Chrift rebukes the 
 tempeft within, before he calms the ttorni without : firft, 
 he quickens their faith, then he quiets the fea. I\'oic from 
 hence. That great faith in the habit may appear but little 
 inaftand cxcrcife. The difciples faith, in furfakingalland 
 following Chrift, wasgreat Jaith; but in this prefent act, 
 their faith was weak through the prevalency of their fea.-, 
 O the imperfect compolitioii of the beft of faints ! Faith 
 and fear will take their turns, and aft their feveral p.ircs 
 wUilft we are here; ere lonvi; i hi- f.-rirswiJl bevanquilhed, 
 
 and 
 
 
Chap. viit. 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 a2;;» 
 
 and our faith rwallowcti up In vifion, ourhopes in fruition. 
 Then rtiall we obey with vigour, pr.iife with cljeerfulnefs, 
 los'e without meafure, fear without torment, truft without 
 Hefpondency. Lord ftrengtlien our faith in tlic belief of 
 i))is defireabie happincl;,and fetour fouls alonging forthe 
 full fruition and final enjoyment of it. 
 
 26 ? And they arrived at the country of the Ga- 
 darcnes, which is over againft Galilee. 27 And 
 when he went forth to land, there met him out of 
 thccity a certain man which had devils a long time, 
 and ware no clothes, neither abode in any houfe, 
 but in the tombs. 28 When he fawjcfus, he cried 
 out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice 
 ("aid, What have I to do with thee, Jefus, thou Son 
 of God mod high ? I befeech thee torment me not. 
 2g (For he had commanded _ the unclean fpirit to 
 come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught 
 him : and he was kept bound with chains and in fet- 
 ters ; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the 
 devil into the wildernefs.) 30 And Jefus aflced him, 
 faying, What is thy name ? and he faid. Legion ; 
 bccaufe many devils were entered into him. 3 1 And 
 they befought him that he would not command them 
 to go out into the deep. 32 And there was there an 
 herd of many fwine feeding on the mountain : and 
 they befought him that he would fuffer them to enter 
 into them. And he fufFered them. 33Then went the 
 devils oiit of the man, and entered into the fwine 
 and the herd ran violently down afteep place into 
 the lake, and were choaked. 34 When they that 
 fed them, faw what was done, they fled and went 
 and told it in the city, and in the country. 55Then 
 they went out for to fee what was done ; and came 
 to Jefus, aad found the man out of whom the devils 
 were departed fitting at the feet of Jefus, clothed, 
 and in his ri^ht mind : and they were afraid. 36 
 They alfo which faw it, told them by what means 
 he that was poflT^iffed of the devils was healed. 37 
 H Then the whole tnultitudc of the country of the 
 Gadarencs round about, befought him to depart 
 from them; for they were taken with great fear: and 
 he went up into the fhip, and returned back again. 
 38 Now the man out of whom the devils were 
 departed, befought him that he might be with him: 
 but Jelus fent him away, faying, 39 Return to 
 thine own houfe, and fhew how great things God 
 li til done unto thee. And he went his way, and 
 publiflied throughout the whole city, how great 
 things Jefus had done unto him. 40 And it came to 
 pafs, that when Jefus was returned, the pcoplegladly 
 received lum : for they were all waiting for him. 
 
 This piece of hiAory gives us a very fad relation of a 
 
 perfon that was pofftfled with a legion of dcvHc; we rc.->d of 
 few, if any, in the Old Teftamcnt i^at were thus pol- 
 fcrt, but of many in the New. Our Saviour came into 
 the world to dcdroy the works of the devil ; iherefore he 
 luR-'red Sat.in to enter fonie human bodies, to fhew Iiis 
 divine power in calling him out. Ohfcrv^ here, i. That 
 thee\il angels by their fall loft their purity, but not their 
 power: for with God's permidinn they have power not 
 only to enter men's bodies, and to poflefs them, but alfo 
 to dirtemper their minds, and to drive them to frenzy and 
 niadnefs, fuch was the deplorable cafe here. i. 'J'hat the 
 reafon why the evil angels donotoftner exert their power 
 induing railchief to the bodies and lives of men, is from 
 the retraining power of God ; the devil cannot do .ill 
 the mifchief he would, and he /hall not do all he can. 3. 
 The place where thefeevil fpirits delighted to make their 
 abode, amongfl the tmihsoT graves, places defolate, forlorn 
 and folitary, which are apt to breed horror of mind, and to 
 give advantage to temptation : From v/hence I gather. 
 That itisvery dangerous and unfafe for perfoi.is,cfpecially 
 in whom melancholy prevails, to give ihemfelves toomuch 
 to folitarinefs, to frequent defolate places, and to affedl: 
 being much alone ; for it gives advantage to Satan, to fee 
 upon them with powerful temptations. It ismutlibetter 
 to frequent human fociety, elpecially to delight in the com- 
 nuinion of the faints, by means whereof we may be more 
 and more Itrengthened againft Satan's temptations. 4, 
 How the devils own Chrift to he the Son of God, and pay 
 linwillingly worthipand homage nnto him, yielding fubjec- 
 tion to liiin as his flavcs and vaflals, not free and volun- 
 tary fervice, They cried unto him, faying, IV hat have uv to 
 do with thee, Jefus, thou Son of God ? Thereby owninj^ 
 him to be a Saviour, but none of their Saviour, What have 
 ■we to do with thee, Jefus? Oh! what an uncomfortable 
 enprefllon is this, to own Chrift to be a Saviour and at the 
 fame time to know and declare, that he is none of our Sa- 
 viour! Qjiid f/i Deus, f non jit meus ? "What i; God 
 if he be not my God?" What comfort in a Saviour ? — 
 4. What a multitude of thefe evd and malicious (piritsdo 
 enter into one man. Oh! the extreme and inexpreiribic 
 malice and enmity of the devil againft mankiini!, in that 
 fo many of thefe wicked fpirits Oiould at once affli£t and 
 torment a fingle perfon ; a whole legion, tlut is, many 
 thoul'ands of them ! A'c//? likewile, Thetmityand ajrrte- 
 ment which is amongft thele wicked and malicious i'p'.nts 
 in doing mifchief; though there was a multitude of thom 
 in this one perfon, yet have they all but one name. We 
 fee thefe devils have a fortof unity among thei;>filvcs,and 
 in their malicious and milchevious deligns againft man- 
 kind, they areas one. Oh! happy were it, if good men 
 were as united in their defigns aud endeavours for the ho- 
 jiour and glory ot God, anu th" good of one another, as 
 thefe wicked fpirits confpire and contrive againft them. — 
 Cbferve 6. The requeit which thefe wicked ipJrits make 
 to our Saviour, H'e befeech thee, torment us not. From 
 whence we may gather, i. That there are piini/hments 
 and torments appointed to the fpiritUol ar.d depraved na- 
 ture of wicked and evil angels. Their pur.ithment will 
 be without end, and repentance will no: avail then), njr 
 mitigate their torments ; fuch will be their condemnation. 
 
 2 Tiat 
 
eso 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 Chap. vin. 
 
 5. Thvt t1iee\il angels, or devils, arc not fo full of tor- 
 ment :is they IImH be, although they are as full of fin and 
 diftontent .isihcy can he : there will bea time when their 
 torments Ih ill be increa fed ^therefore they pray, T'ormfK'w/ 
 mt hf/ore the ibiie ; that is, do not increnfe our torments 
 before the apj-oiiited time of their increafe. 7. The devils 
 reqiieft for penuiflion and leave to go into the herd of 
 fwine. Where note, i. The devil's malice, he will hurt 
 the poorbcalts, rather than not hurt at all. 2. His power- 
 .ful reftraint, he cannot hnrt a poor pig without permiHion, 
 Suffer us to enter. Satnn's milice indeed is infinite, but 
 liis power is bounded : It is p'jfjfas fuh fiiepate, a power 
 under a power : if he could not hurt the fwine, much Icfs 
 can he afllid the children of men without leave. 8. How 
 Satan's rcqncll is yielded to by our Saviour, hefufferedthcm 
 tjg'j into the fwine, not to gratify their dcftre in doing mil- 
 thief, bur, firft, hereby Chrill ihewcd his power over the 
 <levils, that they conKi not act withrut his pcrmillion and 
 leave ; next, to fhew how great the malice and power of 
 the devil is, if not rellrained; and l.ilHy, that the miracle 
 of cafting out fo many devils might be the greater. Learn 
 hence. That fometimes almighty Go<l, for wife ends and 
 jull caufes, doth fuffcr the devil to Ci' 'V his defire, in do- 
 ing mifchief unto the creatures. 9 bad tlfccl tliis 
 miracle had upon ihf minds of :!> s, indead of 
 believing and owning Chrill'?. i er, the lofs of their 
 
 fwine enr.iges them, and n;ak^. Jclkc Chrift's de- 
 
 jjarture from them. Learn, Thatcarn.il hearts prefer their 
 i'wine before their favioiir, and w<<nld raiher lofe Chrift's 
 prefence than their worldly profit. 7 hfy hefought hhn to de- 
 fart frein them. Sad is the condition of thole from^^hom 
 Chrift departs, more fad the condition of fuch, who f;iy 
 wnxo Chrill, Depart; but moft fad the condition of them 
 v'ho befsech and entreat Chrill to depart from them. — 
 Thus did the Gadarenes here, and we do not read that 
 Chrift ever returned more to them. 10. How defirous 
 the poflefied man was tocontinue with Chrift after he was 
 -come to himfelf, he prayed that he might he'jjhh him : This 
 Jie might dedre partly to teftify his thankfulnefs to Chrift, 
 partly out of fear of being repoHeffed again by Satan, or 
 perhaps to have the opportunity of hearing Chrift's doc- 
 trine, and feeinghis miracles; for fuch as have once tafted 
 that the Lord is gracious, and experienced the pleafure and 
 profit of Chrift's company, are very defirous of the conti- 
 nuance of it, and exceeding loath to part with it. How- 
 ever, our Siviour at this time did not think fit to fufFer 
 him, knowing that more glory would redound to God by 
 publilhing this miracle among his friends. Chrift experts 
 aftereniminentdeliverances wrought for us, that we flionld 
 be thepublifliers of his praifes, and declare to all, far and 
 Jiear, the great and wonderful things which he has done 
 for us. Cbferve l.nftly, How Chi ift afcribes that power to 
 God, by which he had wrought this miracle of healing; 
 Sheiu ho-JJ great things Cod has d'jne for thee. From whence 
 the Socinians infer, that had he been God moft high, and 
 the author of that power by which he wrought this mi- 
 racle, he would have afcribed it to himfelf. j4nfwer, 
 Chrift doth this as net feeking his own glory, but the 
 glory of him that fent him : That is, as executing his pro- 
 .pbetic office in his Father's name, and cafting out devils 
 \iy that Spirit, which he had received from his father. 
 
 41 ? And behold, there (iimc a m.nn nnmcd 
 Jairu-s, and he was a ruler of the fynagoguc : and 
 he fell down at Jefus feet, and befought him that 
 he would come into his houfc : 42 For he had one 
 only daughter, about tTvelve years of age, and (he 
 lay a dying. But as he went the people throng- 
 ed him. 
 
 Ohferve here, t. The perfon defcribed who came to 
 Chrift on behalf of his fi-k daughter, by his name Jairus ; 
 by his office, a ruler ofthe/ynagogue; by his gefture he felt 
 do'xn at J efus' s fett : This gefture of his was not only a 
 ilgn of tender affeftion in hni towardr his d.iughter, but 
 alio an evidence of his faith in onr bleifcJ Saviour; he 
 believed him either to be God, or an extraordinary man, 
 who had a miraculous power of healing. 2. How readily 
 Chrift complies with Jairus's requeft, Jefus vent -diish him. 
 Although his faith was tur weak, yet our Savioiirdoth not 
 rejedt him, or deny his fuit : O how ready Ihould we be to 
 go to Chrift in all our dift.'-eTes; M-ho is fo ready to hear, 
 and fo forward to help us, if we fcek him in fincerity, 
 though our faith be we.ik ar.d feeble. 3, The great hu- 
 mility of our bleffed Saviour in fntFcring himlelf to be 
 thronged by poor people ; much people followed him and 
 thronged him. O humble and lowly Saviour! how free 
 was thy converfation from pride and hauphtinefs! hosv 
 willing to converfe with the meaneft of the people for 
 their advantage ! Chrift did not only fulTer them to come 
 near him, but even to throng him. Let not then the 
 greateft perfons upon earth, defpife or difdain tlie poor-* 
 eft of the people ; but look upon forae with an eye o ' 
 favor, upon other"; with an eye of pity, upon none with 
 an eye of contempt. 
 
 43 f And 9 woman having an ifTue of blood 
 twelve years, which had fpcnt all her living'"upon 
 phyficians, neithercould be healed of any. 44 Came 
 behind him, and touched the border of his garment; 
 and immediately her iffue of blood (launched, 45 
 And Jefus faid. Who touched me? When all denied, 
 Peter, and they that were with him, faid.Madcr, the 
 multitude throng thee, and prcfs thxe, ^ind faj-eft thou 
 Who touched me .■* 46 And Jefus faid. Some- 
 body hath touched me : for I perceive that virtue is 
 gone out of me. 47 And when the woman faw 
 that fhe was not hid, (he came trembling, and fall- 
 ins: down before him, (he declared unto him before 
 all the people, for what caufc (he had touched him, 
 and hov,- (lie was healed immediately. 48 And he 
 faid unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy 
 faith hath made thee whole : go in peace.) 
 
 As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus'shoufe, a dif- 
 cafed woman coineth behind, toiicheth his clothes, and is 
 prefcntly healed. The virtue lay not in her finger, but in 
 her faith ; or rather in Chrift, \\ hich her fai;hiiiftrunu..Cai. 
 ly drew forth. Chferve, 1 . '1 he difcai'ed woman, with a 
 bloody flux : Let women here take uotice of themif- r i 
 
 whkJi 
 
 \ 
 
Chap. 'Viii. 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 ?3i 
 
 •which the fin of the firft womnn brought upon all women; 
 ainongft which this is one, that it has made their boJies 
 fubjeft to preternatural ifTues and fluxes of the blood. 
 j.The long continuince of this dileafe; tiuetve years. It 
 pieafes God to lay long and tedious affli(5lions upon fonie 
 of his children in this life ; and particularly, to keep fome 
 of them a very long time under bodily weaknefs, to niani- 
 feft his power in I'upporting them, and to magnify his 
 mercy in delivering them. 3. This poor woman was 
 found in the ufe of means : ftie fought to phyficians 
 for help, and is not blamed for lb doing, although /he 
 fpent all (lie had upon them. The ufe and help of phyfic 
 is by no means to be neglected by us in times of ficknels, 
 efpecially in dangerous difeafes of the body : to trull to 
 me^ns is to neglcrt God ; and to neglect the means is to 
 tempt God. The health of our body ought to be 
 dear unto us, and all lawful means ufed both to pre- 
 ferve it, to recover it, and to confirm it. 4. The actings 
 of this poor woman's faith : her difeafe was unclean by 
 the ceremonial law, and Ihe to be feparatedfrom fociety ; 
 accordingly llie is alh.imed to nppear before Cluilt, but 
 comes behind him to touch his clothes ; being lirmly per- 
 fuaded, that Chrift had a power communicated to him 
 niiraciiloufly to cure incurable difeafes: And fee how our 
 Saviour encouraged her faith ; he faith, 'Thy fulth hath 
 mode thee 'iuhole. Learn hence, That faith oft-time> meets 
 with a better welcome from Chrift than it did or could ex- 
 petSt: This poor woman came to Chrift trembling, but 
 went away triumphing. 5. Chrift would hqve thismiracle 
 difccvercd ; he therefore fays, //'7;c/5i/f^'f/* m^.* Fcr J per. 
 (eive that virtue if gone out of me. Chrift fays this,firftin 
 reference to himfelf, to manifeft his divine power, that by 
 the touch of his clothet he could cure fuch an incurable 
 difenfe. Secondly, in relation to the woman, that Ihe 
 might have opportunity to give God the praife and glory 
 for the cure. Aud, thirdly, with refpe(ft to Jairus, that 
 his faith might be llrengthened in the belief of Chrift's 
 power to raife his daughter. 
 
 49 5 While he yet fpake, there cotneth one from 
 ihe ruler of the fynagogue's/zou^/J, faying to him, Thy 
 daughter is dead ; trouble not the Mafter. 50 But 
 when Jefus heard jV, he ani'wered him, faying, Fear 
 not: believe only, andfhe Ihall be made whole. 51 
 And when he came into the houfe, he fuffered no 
 man to go in, Save Peter, and James, and John, and 
 the father and mother of the maiden. 52 And 
 all wept and bewailed her : but he faid,Weep not; 
 Ihe is not dead but fleepeth. 53 And thev laughed 
 him to fcorn, knowing that (he was dead. 54 And 
 he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and 
 called, faying, Maid arife. 55 And her fpiritcame 
 again, and flie arofc ftraightway : and he com- 
 manded to give her meat. 56 And her parents 
 ■«vere aftonilhed : but he charged them that they 
 fhould tell no man what was done. 
 
 Obferve h^re, i . 1 he doleful news brought to Jairus's 
 6ar^ 2hy daughter U deAd.y\\z Lord uoth ibmetiwes fof- 
 
 fer the faith and patience of his children tube gteatly ex- 
 crcifed and tried. The lofs of dearrelatioi.s, p.iriicularly 
 of children, efpecially ofan only child, is one of ihegrcatelt 
 forrows of human life ; a trial which has often Ihockedan 
 ordinary patience and conftancy of mind. 2. Our Sa- 
 viour's feafonable word of advice and comfort, Fear not, 
 inly believe. Chrift ftands ready to comfort believers in 
 the hour of their greateft trials and temptations. 3. Chrift's 
 application of himfelf, in order to the railing to life Jairus's 
 dead daughter. And here, (i.) He goes in:o the houfe 
 only with three of his difciples^and the father and mother 
 of the maid, which was fufficient to bear witnefs to the 
 truth of the miracle. Our Saviour, to avoid all iliesv of 
 Vain glory, would not work this miracle publicly before all 
 the people. (2.) Our Saviour rebukes them for the fliew 
 they made of immoderate grief and forrow for the dead 
 damfel; they wept and wailed greatly, with minftrels mak- 
 ing a ooife, /ay the other Evangelifts, according to ihecnf- 
 tom of the heathens, whobya mournfulfort of iniific did, 
 feek to ftirupthe pafTion of grief at their funerals. To 
 mourn immoderately for their dead is a heathenilh cuftom 
 and pradice ; 'tis hurtful to the living, 'tis difhonorable 
 to the dead, nor is it an argument of more love, but an 
 evidence of left grace. (3.) Chrift adds a reafon for this 
 rebuke given by him,/ar the daryifd iimt dead, hut Jleepelh; 
 P'obiit mortua, mibi dormit : "Sheis:dead loyou, but afleep 
 to me ;" not fo dead as to be beyond my power to raife 
 her to life. Souls departed areunderthe condudt of angels 
 to their leveral regions of blifs or mifery : It is very pro- 
 bable, that the foul of this damfel was under the guard of 
 angels near her dead body, waiting the pleafure of God, 
 in order to its dilpofal, either to reltore itagain to the body 
 or to tranflate it to its eternal manfion. CA/e/T/f farther. 
 The nature of death in general, and of the faints death in 
 particular; 'tis a fleep. Sleep is a ftate of reft, fleepisa 
 Auiden lurprilal ; in fleep there is an infenfible psflage of 
 our time, the perfon fleej>ing (hall certainly awake. O how 
 much is it our wifdom to prepare for the bed of the grave 
 and fo to live, that when we lye down in it, there mjv be 
 nothing to difturbour reft. Farther, Witli what facility 
 and ea(e our Saviour raifes the dead damfel with a word 
 fpeiiking, and St. Mark tells us what the words were, 
 telithi cumi, Syriac words, to fiiew the truth of the mi- 
 racle ; not like a conjuror muttering a charm in an on- 
 known tengue. The miracles which Cl.^. ft wrought were 
 real miracles, and carried their own evidence along with 
 them. Laftly, The charge given by our Saviour, not 10 
 publifli this miracle; he charged them to tell no man what 
 was done that is, divulge it not imprudently to fuch of the 
 fcribes and pharifees as would not be convinced bv it, but 
 only cavil at it, and be the more enraged againft him for it, 
 
 and fcck his death before his appointed time was ccme 
 
 Again, tell it no man unfeafonably, and all at once, but 
 gradually and by degrees : For it was the will of God, 
 that the divine glory of Chrift fhould not be manifefled to 
 the world all at once, and on the fudden, but by little and 
 little, during his ftite of humiliation ; for his refurrectiou 
 was the time appointed by G-.ui hr the full manifeftatiou 
 of Chrift's Godhead. Rom. i. 4. Declared to be the San 
 of God, -wilt power, hy the refurreilimfriDn the dead. 
 
 CIL-^P. 
 

 
 ■1. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 CrtAi>. iji. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 THEN he called his twelve difciples togclhcr, 
 ,, and g^'^ft them power and authority over all 
 ,devib, and to cure diieafes. 2 And he lent them 
 to preach the kingdom of God. and to heal the fick. 
 7 And he f-iid unto them, Take nothinij for your 
 journey, neither Haves nor fcrip, neither bread, 
 „nei the r money; neither have two coats a-piecc. 
 4 And whatlocverhoufe ye enter into, there abide, 
 and thf.nce depart. 5 And whofoever will not re- 
 ceiver you, when you go out of that city, (hake olF 
 the very dull from your feet for a tcllimony againft 
 them. 6 And they departed and went through the 
 towns, preaching the gofpel, and healing every 
 where. 
 
 We heard before, ch.ip.vi. 13. of our Saviour's chufinsr 
 his twelve apDlUes, ami their feveral names; they were firll 
 choi'eii difcipli-s, to be with Chrift, to learn of him, and be 
 initruc^cd by him. and to be witnefles of wiiat he faid and 
 did) \'ou' after fome time thus fpent in preparing and fit- 
 ting them for pubhc fervice, our Saviour fends them forth 
 to preach ihe gofpel, and gives rhem a power to confirm 
 tiicir doiftrine by miracles. Olifcri'e here, i. The perfon 
 that fends the ajjortles forth to preach the gofpel ; it is 
 Chrilt ii mfelf. l.earn thence, that none ought to take up- 
 on them the office of preaching, or ai\y other minifterial 
 funftion of the church, till thereunto called by Chrift him. 
 felf. The apoftles were called by Chrift, and iminediately 
 fent for;h by himlelf. The miniftersof the gofpel are now 
 called mfdi;itely and receive authority from Chrift by the 
 h.iiid of the governor.' of the church. 2. The power given 
 to the apoftles by our Saviour to work miracles, for con- 
 firming that doftrine which they preached, He gave them 
 pover ov.r unclean fp'trlts, ice. Now thi.s miraculous pow- 
 er given to the apoftles was neceflary, partly to procure 
 reverence to their perfons, being poor and unlearned men ; 
 but principally to gain credit and authority to their doc- 
 trine; for the doftrine of faith in the Mefilah asnow come, 
 and exhibited in thefltfli.beinga ftrangeand newdodtrine 
 lo the Jews, the truth and certainty of it was to be extra- 
 •jordinarily ratifi.vl by miracles, which are the broad feal of 
 heaven, to teftify that fuch a doftrine comes from Cod. 5. 
 The charge here given by Chrift to his apoftles at the 
 lime of their fending forth, and this is three-fold. Firft, 
 Touching their preparation for their journey ; he forbids 
 them to take much care, or to fpend much time in fur- 
 nilhing thetnfelves with vicliials, money, or clothes ; be- 
 caufe ihey were to finilh their journey fpeedily, and to re- 
 . turn again to Chrifl their mafttr. This command of our 
 Saviour to his apoftles, not to incumber thenifelves, when 
 going-forih to preach the gofpel, teaches his minifters their 
 duty to free thenifelves as much as poflibly they can from 
 worldly incumbrances, which may hinder them in their 
 , niiniilerial fervices. 2 Tim. ii. 14. No man that -warrth, 
 . en'angleth himf.lfwith the fjfairr 'f this life. Secondly, 
 Touching their lodging in ilieir journey ; Chrift advifes 
 them not to change it, during thtir ftay in one place ; L'ut 
 
 into \jjha t/hakr houfe they enltrei, they fhoulu there continue 
 till they departed out of that place, that fo they miglit avoid 
 all (hewof lightnefs and inconftancy, and teftify all gravity 
 and ft.iyedncfs, in their behavior ; this being a fpecial mean 
 to gain reverence to their perfons, and authority to their 
 dodrine. Thirdly, Chrift gives a .Special charge to his apof- 
 tles concerning thcircarriage towards fuch as (hould refufe 
 to give entertainment to them and their doctrine, they 
 were to denounce the judgments of God againft fuch con- 
 temners, i^yZ^a^/w^ off t^e dujt of their feet for a tejlimony 
 as^ainf} them. This action was etiiblematical, lignifying 
 tliat Almighty God would in l.ke manner ftiake them off, 
 as the vilelt duft ; for wherever the uord is preached, it 
 is for a teftimony, either a teftimony for, or againft a peo- 
 ple; for if the duft of a minifter's feet whilft alive, and 
 the afhes of his grave when dead, do bear witnefs againft 
 the defpifers of his gofpel, their fermons much more. 
 
 7 f NoviT Herod the tetrarch heard of all that 
 was done by him : and he was perplexed, becaufe 
 that it was faid of fome, that John was rifen from 
 the dead: 8 And of fome, that Elias had appeared : 
 and of others, that one of the old prophets was ri- 
 fen again. 9 And Herod faid, John have I be- 
 headed : but who is this of whom I hear fuch 
 things ? And he dehred to fee him. 
 
 The hiftory of the holy Baptift's beheading by Herod, 
 is briefly hinted at by St. Luke, but not fo largely fet 
 forth by him, as we find it by St. Matthew, chap. xiv. and 
 St. Mark, chap. vi. See the notes there. That which 
 St. Luke takes particul.ir notice of, is that great perplex- 
 ity of mind, which Herod's pniky confcience tlid occaficn ; 
 he had murdered John, and now is afraid hisghoft haunt- 
 ed him : Herod -was perplexed. Learn hence. That guilt 
 is naturally troublefomc and uneafy ; ir difturbs the peace 
 and ferenity of the mind, and fills the foul with ftorms 
 and thunder. Guilt is always full of fear; every thing 
 affrights the guilty ; a bad man is a terror to himfelf, ancl 
 needs no farther difquietment, than what his own guilty 
 confcience doth occafion him. 
 
 10 1 And the apoftles, when they were returned, 
 told him all that they had done. And he took them, 
 and went afide privately, into a defart place, be- 
 longing to the city called Bethfaida. 1 1 And the 
 people, when they knew it, followed him : and he 
 received them, and fpakc unto them of the kingdom 
 of God, and healed them that had need of healing. 
 
 St. Luke here gives a flicrt account of feveral material 
 paffages, as i. Concerning the apoftles return to Chrilt 
 after their firft miffion and fending forth, ihey acquaint 
 their Mafter how they had executed their office, and dil- 
 charged the truft he had repofed in them. 2 He with- 
 draws privately intoadefert placefrcm themultitude, that 
 he might enjoy himfelf and his difciples, but there the 
 people find him out, and fifck after him ; and Chrift, 
 whfife meat it was by day, and fleep by night, to do good, 
 embraces the opportunity, beftowing upon their fouK- in- 
 
 ftructioi:, 
 
 ^1 
 
Cha?. IX. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 
 Hruclion reproof, and counfel; upon their bodies, liealth 
 and healing ; tcacliing us by his example, to mix Ipiritual 
 alms witii liodily rcleif. Wcmultbc in fee with the body 
 fomctimes, that we may come at the foul. Happy is that 
 Chriftian whom God haih made both ab'e and willing to 
 iiuerniix fpiritual alms with corporeal, and knows how to 
 feed twyat once, foul and body both : This is the duty 
 of all, but tfpecially of Ipiriiuaf perlbns: The Lord give 
 us wifdjm and grace to msnage it to advantage! 
 
 12 And when the day began to wear away, then 
 eame the twelve and Hiid unto him, Send the mul- 
 titude away, that they may go into the towns and 
 country round about, and lodge, and get vi£luals : 
 for we are here in a defart place. 13 But he faid, 
 unto them. Give ye them to eat. And they faid, 
 We have no more but five loaves and two fiflies ; 
 except we (hould go buy meat for all this people. 
 14 For they were about five thoufand men. And 
 he faid to his difciples make them fit down by fifties 
 in a company. 15 And they did fo, and made 
 them all fit down. 1 6 Then he took the five loaves 
 and the two fifhes, and looking up to heaven," 
 he blcfTed them and brake, and gave to the difci- 
 ples to fet before the multitude. 17 And they 
 did eat, and were all filled : and there was taken 
 up of fragments that remained to them, twelve baf- 
 kets. 
 
 Thi"! 'miracle of our Saviour's feeding five thoufand 
 with five loaves and twotilhes.is recorded by all tlie evan. 
 jrelilb, and in the hiftory of it, we have thefe obfervable 
 particulars: I. The feafonable exprefiion of the difciples 
 pity towards the multitude, who had long failed, and 
 wanted now tlie ordinary comforts and fupports of life ; 
 it well beconiestheminirters of Chrift to have refpedl to 
 the bodily v/ants, as well as to the fpiritual necefllties of 
 their people. 2. Tlie motion which the difciples make 
 to Chrilt in behalf of the multitude ; Send them a-woy; 
 that tbty may go into the to-jjm and country and get viSIuals. 
 Here was a .'trong charity, but a weak faith ; a flrong cha- 
 rity in defir'uig the peoples relief, but a weak faith infup- 
 , poling that they could jio other way be relieved but by 
 'fending them away ; forgetting that Chrift who had hcal- 
 'ed the multitude miraculoufly, could alfo feed them niira- 
 culoufly whenever he pleafed ; all things being equally 
 ♦eafy to an almighty pawer. 3. Our Saviour's ftrange reply 
 to the difciples requed, they need not depart, give ye them 
 to eat. Need not depart ! Why, the people muil cither 
 feed orfamiDi ; victuals tliey mufl have, and a dry defart 
 will afford none. Yet fays Chrift to his difciples, Civeyc 
 'them to eat. Alas, poor difciples, they had no'h'n^ for 
 thcnifclves to eat, how then fliould they give tlie multi- 
 tude to eat? When Chrilt requires of us vrhat we our- 
 felves arc unable to perform, ic is to uifcover to us our 
 own impotency and weaknefs to provoke us to look up to 
 ' im, and todependby faithonhisalniighty power. 4 |\Vh..t 
 .. )i->or and (lender provilion the Lord of the whole earth 
 ha; for himfelf and his family, five barJey loaves and two 
 
 fjhis; teaching us, that ihefe todies of curs mufl he fed 
 but not pampered. Our belly mull not be our malier, 
 much lefs our Cjod. 'I'hc end of food is to fiilluinnariirc; 
 we mult not llific her with a gluttonous variety. And as 
 the quality of the victuals was plain,' fo the quantity of it 
 was Imall, five loaves and two fillies ; well niigln th ; dif- 
 ciples fay. What are thefe imiorg fi many ? The eye of fenll* 
 and reafon fees an utter impoflibility of thofeelFecfls which 
 faith can ealily apprehend, and divine power more eafily 
 produce. 5. How Chrift, the great mafter of the fealc, 
 dotli marfljal! his guelts, He commands them all to Jit drjun 
 by fifties in a company. None of them reply, "'Sic down ! 
 but to what, here are the mouths, but where is the meat. 
 We iiiayfoon be fet, but whence fliall we beferved?" Nor 
 a word like thU, but thoy obey and expeft. Lord: how 
 eafy is it to truft thy providence, and rely upon thy power, 
 when there is corn in the barn, bread in the cupboard, 
 money in the purfe, but when our ftores are empty, 
 when we have nathing in hand, then to depend upon an 
 in vilible bounty, is a noble aft of faith indeed. 6. Theaclions 
 performed by our blelTed Saviour ; He bUjfied and brake, and 
 gave the loaves to his difciphs, and they to the multitude, i. 
 He bleffed them, teaching us by his example, never to ufe 
 or receive the good creatures of God, without prayer and 
 praife ; never to fit down to our food, as a beaft to his 
 fodder. 2. Chrill brake the loaves: He could have multi- 
 plied them whole ; why then would he rather do it in the 
 breaking? Perhaps to teach us that we may rather expect 
 his bleliinp in the diftribution of his bounty, than in the 
 prefervation of ic. Scattering is the way to incrcaling, libe- 
 rality is the way to riches. 3. Chriit£<7t-r the loaves thus 
 broken to his difciples, that they might diftribute to the 
 multitude. But why did Chrift diilribute by his difciples' 
 hands ? Dcubtlefs to gain refped to his difciples from the 
 people ; and the fame courfe doth our Lord take in a fpi- 
 ritual diftribution : He that could feed the world by his 
 own immediate hand, chufes rather by thehandjof hismin- 
 iftcrs to divide the bread of life amongft his people. 7. The 
 certainty and greatnefs of the miracle Th-ey did all est and 
 were filled; they did all eat, note crumb orbit, but to fa- 
 tiety and fulnefs; all that were hungry did cat, .ill that 
 (lid eat were fatistied ; and yet twelve ba&ets of fragmets 
 remain : more is left than was at firft fet on. 'Tis hard to 
 fay whicli was the greateft miracle, the miraculous eating 
 or the miraculous leaving. If we confider what they left, 
 we may wonder that they ate any thing ; if wliat they ate 
 thatthey left anything- Laftly, Thefe fragments though 
 of barley loaves and H(h-bones, muft not be loft, but ac 
 our Saviour's command gathered up ; the grc;!t hi^iife- 
 keeper of the world v.'ill not allow the lofa of liis orts. 
 Lord ! how tremcnduous will their accounts be, who ha- 
 ving large and plentiful eftates, do confume them upon tleir 
 liifts! how will they wifli they had been born to poverty 
 and svanr, when they appear to make up their accounts 
 before God ? » 
 
 18 f And it cametopafs, as he was alone pray- 
 {■n", his difciples were with him : and he afkcd theni 
 faying, Whom fay the people that I am ? 19 They 
 anfwering, faid, John the Baptifl: but fomc fay, 
 
 Elias : 
 Gg 
 
^Si 
 
 St. L U k E. 
 
 'Ww.. j... -.: 
 
 Chat. ix. 
 
 Elias : and others/Jv, that one of the old prophets 
 is rifen again. 20 lie faid unto them, But whom 
 fay ye that lam? Peter anfwering, faid, The Chrill 
 of God. ti And he ftraightly charged them, and 
 commanded them to tell no man that thin^: 22 
 Saying, The Son of man mull fuffer many things, 
 and be rcjetled of the elders, and chief priefts, nnd 
 fcribes, and be flain, and be raifed the third diy. 
 
 Thefe verfcsrelate to us a private conference which our 
 Saviour iiad with his difciples, touching their own and 
 otiiers opinion'conccrninjThimfelf. Where ohferve, i. Our 
 S.iviour's inquiry, wh.1t the generality of the people thought 
 and faid of him. ll'/ivn Jo men fay that I am? Not as if 
 Chrift was ignorant, or did vain-glorioufly inquire after 
 the opinion of the multitude; but his intention andaefign 
 was to fctile and more firmly tftablifli bis difciples in the 
 belief of his being tlie true and proniifed Meliias. The 
 difciples tell him, fonie took him to be Johnthe Baptifl,f'jme 
 Elias, foir.e one of the prophets. It is no new thing it feems, 
 to find diverfity of judgments and opinions concerningChrift 
 and the affairs of his kingdom. 2. Peter, as the mouth 
 of all the apoftles, and in their names, makes a full and 
 open confeflion of Chrift, acknowledging him to be the 
 true and promifed Meflias ; Thou art the Chrifi of Cod. 
 Learn thence, That the veil of Chrift's human nature did 
 not keep the eye of his difciples faith from dilcerning hi;7i 
 to be truly anil really God, Thou art the Chr'iJ} of Cid. 
 3. The charge and fpecial injundion given by Chrilt /5/f/y 
 710 man of him : that is, not commonly to publifti, and 
 openly to declare him to be the Son of God, becaufc, beinti; 
 in a llate of humiliation, the glory of his divinity was to 
 be concealed till his refurreftion : He was then c'eclartdt'j 
 be the Snn of Cod with prjier, Rom. i. 4. Lalily, Tlie 
 great wifdom of our Saviour in acquainting his difciples 
 with the near approach of his death and fuftenngs ; The 
 Son of man mufi fuffer many things, Sec. This our Saviour 
 did. I. To prevent the fcandal and offence which other- 
 ^■ife they might have taken at his fufferings. 2. The better 
 10 prepare them to bear th.u great trial when it did come. 
 3. To correcl the error which they had entertained con- 
 cerning the temporal kingdonj of tlie Meifns, and that he 
 was to be a mighty prince upon earth ; for thefe rcalons 
 did Chrift fVequently acquaint his difciples with his fuf- 
 ferings. 
 
 23 H And he faid to them all, If any mnn will 
 come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up 
 his crofs daily, and follow me. 34 For wholoever 
 will fave his life, fhall lole it : but whofoever will 
 lofe his life for my fake, the fame Ihall fave it. 
 
 Ohfirve here, i. How our Saviour recommends his re- 
 ligion to every perfon's election and choice, not compel- 
 ling any one by force anfl violence to embrace er enter-. 
 4:iin it : Ifany man-xillbe try difi-iple, that is, if any man 
 chufes and refolves to be a Chriitian. 2. Our Saviour's 
 terras propounded, namely, felf-denial, gofpel-fuft'ering, 
 and gofpelfervice. i. iielf-denial, let him deny himjelf ; 
 by which v.e are not to underffand, either the iknyiiig of 
 cur fenfes in matiers of faith, or the renouncing of our 
 
 reafon in matters of religion ; butawillingnefs to part with 
 all our earthly comforts and temporal enjoyments for the 
 fake of Chrift, when called thereunto. They to whom 
 w« b:ar the greateft natural affe«ftioii, even the wife of our 
 bofom, and the offspring of our bowels, and thofe to I 
 wh.im we yield the highefl reverence, and to whofe com- 
 mands we owe moft entire ob-^dience, as our fathers and 
 mothers; if the authority of natural, civil, or ecdctla- 
 ftical fupfriors Ihould combine to tempt us to do what 
 Chnft forbid , yet Clirilt mud be loved more than thefe, 
 and obeyed before all ihefe ; yea, all thefe muft be com- 
 paratively hated in refpccl of him. Farther, this precept 
 requires us to deny our honor arid reputation, our wealth 
 and out ward eft.ue, our w holt; l'ub!i'.ti.nce,and all our tem- 
 poral good things, even life itfelf, when the intcrefl of 
 Chrilt and religion calls for it; otherwife we cannot be his 
 difciples. 2. Cofpel-fufferings; he muft take up his crofs 
 daily ; an allufion to a Roman cullom, when a malefactor 
 was to be crucified, he took up his crofs upon his Ihoul- 
 dc-r, and carried it to the place of execution. Here note, 
 That not the taking of the crofs, but patient bearing of 
 it, when God has made it, and laid it upon cur fhotilder, 
 is the duty enjoined ; let him take up his crofs. 3. Gofpel- 
 fervice: Let him fUoiu me, fiys Chr'td; that is. obey my 
 commands, and imitate my example : He mult fet my lif« 
 and doctrine continually before him, and be daily correift- 
 ing and reforming of his life by that rule an^i nu-.tern. 4. 
 The arguments urged by our Saviour, to induce men to a 
 willingnefs to lay down their lives for the fake of Chrift 
 and his holy religion; fJs that -mHI fave his life JJjail I'/t 
 it, and he timt is -Mllhig to loft his life for the fake of the 
 g-)fpcl, p;allfind it ; intimating to us, i. That the love of 
 this temporal life is a great teiiiptation to men to deny 
 Chrift, and to renounce his holy religion. 2. That the 
 furelf way to attain eternal life, is cheerfully to lay down 
 our temporal life, when the glory of Chrift and the honor 
 of religion require it at our hands. 
 
 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain th« 
 whole world, and lofe himfelf, or be cad away ? 
 
 Here our Saviour goes on to (hew the folly of thofe that 
 for faving their temporal lives will expofe their eternal 
 life, or the life of their fouls to hazard and djnger; yea, 
 fometimes by refufing to lay down our temporal life for 
 Chrift, we lofe that alJb; which renders it the greateft 
 folly in the world to reiufe to part with any enjoyment, 
 even life itfelf, at the call and command of Chrift. 
 
 26 For whofoever fliall be alhamedof me, an4 
 of my words, of him ihall the Son of man be afham- 
 ed, when he fliall come in his own glory, and ii> 
 hii Father's, and of the holy angela. 
 
 That is, v/hofoevcr (liall deny and dilbwn me, either in 
 my perfon, in iny doctrine, or my members, for any ftar 
 or favour of man, he iliall with (hame be dilbwned by r/c, 
 and rejedled of mt at the great day. 'i here are two paf- 
 fions which caufe njen todil'own Cliriftin theday of leinp- 
 tatioii^ namely, fear and fhame. Many good men hav« 
 been overcome by the former, as St. Peterand others, but 
 we find not aiany goctliiieuijifcripturc gudty of the latter, 
 
 jiainely, 
 
Chap. rx. 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 »3S 
 
 aamcly, that denied Chrift out of fhanie ; this argues a 
 rotten found and corrupt hc^rt : if any man think it 
 beneath his honour and quality to own the tppofcd truths 
 and defpifcd members ct Chrilt, Clirill \*ili think it be- 
 neath him to own luih perfons at the great day. Let-rn 
 hence, i. Tliat fuch as are a(hanied of Chrill's doOrine 
 or members, are ir>God's accounta(hamed of Chrill him, 
 felf. I. That fuch as for fear dare not, or for (hanie 
 will not, own the doctrine and n>enibers cf Chnlt, t;o\'', 
 Ihall certainly find Chrillalhamed to own andconfefstbem 
 at the great d:iy. 
 
 27 But I tell you of a truth, there be fome ftand- 
 ing here which {hall not talle of death till they fee the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 There is a threefold fenfe and interpretation of tliefe 
 V'orils given by exprfitors. i. Some refer the words to 
 the times of the gofpil after Chrift'srefurredion andafcen- 
 fjon, when the gofpel was propagated far and near, and 
 the kingdom of God came with power. Learn thence, 
 where the gofpel is powerfully preached, and cheerful- 
 ly olieyed, there Chrift cometh mod glorioufly in his 
 kingdom. 3. Others underftand thefe word: of Chrift's 
 coming and excrciling his kingly power, in thedeflriidtion 
 ofjerufalem, which fome of theapolUes, then {landing by 
 lived to fee. 3. Others (as moft agreeable to the context] 
 nnderft.ind the M'ord? with reference to our Saviour's tranf- 
 figur«tion; as if he had faid, "Some of you, (meaning 
 I'eter, James, and John) (hall lliortly fee niei:pon mount 
 Tahor, and that in fuch fplendourand glory, as (hall be a 
 preludium, a {liadow and reprefentation ot tiiat glor)' which 
 I Ihall appear in, when I Ihall come with power to judge 
 the world at the great day." And whereas our Saviour 
 faith not, there be fome (landing here which fliiill not die 
 but which (hall not tafte of death, till they have feen the 
 glorious fi^jht ; this implies twothings, i. That after they 
 had fern this tran-figuration, they muft tafte death as well 
 «sothers : 2. That they (lionld but talle of it, and no 
 more. From whence learn, i. Thst the mofl renowned 
 fervants of Chrill, fur fai:h, holineff, andfervice, muftat 
 length, in God's appointed time, taile and have ex|*ri- 
 ence of death as well as others. 2. That ahhougli they 
 mull tr.flc, yet they Ihal! but tafte of death ; they fliall not 
 '. drink of the drcgi of that birter/Up : though they fall by 
 the hand of death, yet (Ijall they not be hurt by'it, but in 
 the very fall be viftorif'us over it. 
 
 28 ^ And it came to pafs about eight days 
 .*ftcrthefe f.iyin^s, he took. Peter, and John and 
 J.imcs.andwentupintoamountain topray. 29.\nd 
 as he prayed, thef.dhion of his countenance was al- 
 tert-d, and his raiment was white and gliRcning. 30 
 And behold, there tal'ted with him two n)cn, which 
 were Mofes and Ehas : 31 Who appeared in glory, 
 fpakc of his deceafe, whicli he 'Ihould accomplifli at 
 Jcra'.detii. 52 But Peter, and they that were with 
 him, were heavy with fleep : and when they were 
 •tvalic.thcy law his glor/.and the two men that Hood 
 
 with him. 33 And it camctopafi, as they dcpart- 
 edfrom him, Peter laid unto Jelus, Mafler it is]t;ood 
 for us to be here ; and let us make three tabernacle.'? 
 one for thee and one for Mofes, and one for Ehas: 
 not knowinj; what he faid. 34 While he thus fpake 
 there came a cloud and overlhadowcd them : and. 
 they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And 
 there came a voice out of the cloud, faying, Thi:; 
 is my beloved fon hear him. 36 And when the 
 voicewaspaft, Jefus was found alone. Andthey 
 kept it dole, and told no man in thofe days any oL 
 thofe things which they had fecn. 
 
 Here we have recorded the hiflory of our holy Saviour'.^ 
 transfiguration ; when he laid, as it were, the garments of 
 our frail humanity {or a little feafbn ; and put en the 
 robes of his divine glory, to dcMonftrate and teftify the 
 truth othisdivinity ; for this divine glory, was an evidence 
 of his divine nature, and alfo an emblem of that glory 
 which he andhis difciples, and all his faithful fervants and 
 followers, fliallenjoy togetherin heaven. Chfetve,i. The 
 defign ofourSaviovirinihishis transfiguration, namely, to 
 confirm his difciples faith in the truth of his divine nature 
 he was therefore pleafed to fufFer the rays of his divinity 
 to dart forth before their t yes ib far as they were able to 
 bear it; his face (hined with a pleaiing brightnefs, andhis 
 raiment with fuch a glorious ludre, as did st once both de- 
 light and darzle the eyes of his difciples. a. 1 he choice 
 which our Saviour makes cfthe witnelles ofhis transfigura- 
 tion, his three difciples, Peter, Jan^es, and John : but w hy 
 difciples? why three difciples? and why thefe three.' i. 
 Why difciples? Becaufe this transfiguration was a type 
 of heaven : Chrift vouchfafcs therefore the earneft and 
 firlt fruits of that glory only tolaints upon earth, on whtni 
 he intended 10 bellow the full crop in due linie. 2. W hy 
 three diJciples? Becaufe three were fi;tlicient to witnel's 
 the truih of this miracle. Judas was unworthy of this favour 
 yet kit helhould muiiuLr or be ditccntfnted, others ere left 
 out as well as he. 5. But why ihcfe three, rather than 
 others? Probably, I. Becaule tliefe three were more eminei.t 
 for great zeal and love tow ards Chrift ; row the ir.oit 
 eniii.cnt manifedationsof glory arc made to thofe that are 
 im ft excelling in grace. 2. Becaufe ihefe three diiciples 
 Wire 10 be wtnef;is of Chrift's agony and piT'o;-'. To 
 prepar? them for wiiich, they areherenirde wi:nefies of 
 his transiiguration.Tliis glorious vifion upon mount 1 sbcr 
 fitted iheni to abide the tc-rror of mount Calvar) . •:. The 
 glorious attendants upon our Saviourat histransfiauraticn 
 they were t*vo, thti'e two men ; theJe two men Alofcs 
 and Elias. This being but a glimpfe of heaven's glory, 
 and not a full majiifeilaticn of it, only two of the g'orifucl 
 faints attended it, anti ihelc two attendants are net two 
 angtls but t>^<i n;cn ; becaule uicn were more nearly con- 
 cerned than ai.gcls in what was con:. I;ut why Moles 
 and Ellas rather ihi'.n any otl-,er nun : i. Bccsufe Mofes 
 wai the g'Ver of the law,. and El:as the chief ftf ;he pro- 
 phets : t\cw ! . attend!; it I poit Chrill did ft.cw 
 the confeniol ■ • iJ t! r ]-•'■■-, ]-f:-~ \:'\h Chrift, ar.d 
 tlicir accomphinntciirs and caul'o 
 
 Get" ' l.'.,f; 
 
i-^tS 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 iliefc t«o rocii were ilit wolt laborious fervants «)f Chrift; 
 hotlj Adventured ihcir lives in God's c.iiiff, nnd therefore 
 f:cri highly Iionoureii by h.iin ; for tiv-le that lionour liim 
 ♦ic will honour. /^. '1 lie carriage and behaviour of the dil- 
 liples upon ihisgreiftoccarioii. (i .) They fupplicate Jcfus; 
 ihey do not pray to Mofcs or Elias but toCiirill, Mjfler 
 ••t\s ^i:d b:ing hert : O whJt a ravifliinjr comfort and 
 fjlJifaiU'on is the communion and fellowfljipof the faints! 
 but \\:Z ]-.rerer.ccof Chrill antongftthein, renders their joy 
 tranfporting. (2.) Theyi)t-otFerthe:rfer\ice to further the 
 continuance of what they liid enjoy ; IM us muke three 
 iaift:rnachs : Saints will flick at no colt or pains fo'r the en- 
 joyment of ChrUl's prefcnce and his people's company. 
 I^iirr. hence, 'J'hat a glinipfe of heaven's glory is fufficieni 
 to raife a foul into ecttafy, and to make it out of love with 
 worldly company. [^.) That we are apt to dcfire more of 
 lie.Tven upon carih tiian God will allow us; we would have 
 the heavenly glory come down to us, but are not willing 
 by death to go up to that. «;. Haw a cloud was put before 
 the ilifciples eyes, when the divine glory was inanifefled to 
 them, partly to allay the luilre and rcfplendcncy of that 
 glory, which they were fwallowed up with ; the glory of 
 heaven is inlupportable in this inii)erfect flate, sve cannot 
 bear it unveiled; and partly did this cloud come to hinder 
 their looking and pry i n't farther into this glory: Wemuft 
 be content to behold God through a cloud darkly here, ere 
 Jong wefliall fee him face to face. 6.Theteftiniony given 
 out of the cloud by God the father, concerning Jefus 
 Chrift his Son ; This is my hchved Son, hear him. Where 
 r.ote, I. The dignity of his perfon,he;Vw)' Sow, for nature 
 co-efieiitial, and for duration co-eternal with his Father. 
 2. The cndearednefsof his relation. He is my hehvceJ Son 
 becaufe ofhi^ conformity to ine, and compliance with me; 
 l.kenefs is the caufe of love, and an union or harmony 
 of wills, caufes a mutual endearing of afreftions. 3. The 
 authority of his doiJlrine, Hear ye him ; " Not Moles and 
 £lias, who werefervants, butChriftmy Son, whom I have 
 authorifed and appointed to be the great prophet and teach- 
 er of niy church; therefore adore him as my Sou, believe 
 in him as your Saviour, and hear him as your Lawgiver." 
 The obedient ear honours Clirift more than either thega- 
 zing eye, the adoring knee, or the applauding tongue. 
 
 37 And it came to pafs, that on the next day., 
 when they were come down from the hill, much 
 people met him : 38 And behold, a man of the 
 company cried out, faying, Mader, I befeech thee 
 look upon my fon ; for he is mine only child, gg 
 And lo, a fpirit takcth him, and he fuddenly cricth 
 out ; and it tearethhim that he foamcth again, and 
 hruifing him hardly departcth from him. 40 And 
 1 befou^htthy difciplcs to call him out; and they 
 could not. 4 1 Andjcfus anfwcring, faid, O faith- 
 kfsandpreverfe generation, how long (hall I be 
 with you, and fuller you? bring thy fon hither. 42 
 And as he wasyet a comjng, the devil threw him 
 down, and tare him. And Jefus rebuked the un- 
 clean fpirit, and healed the child, ani delivered 
 iiim at'-un !■• }-.\'. farhcr. 
 
 Ohfer-je here, I. The perfon brought to Chrift for help 
 and healing, one b^idily polTeftby Satan, who rent and tore 
 him, but r.ither to torment than to difpatch him; O ho^ 
 does Satan delight to do hurt to the bodies as well as the 
 fouls of 'mankind ! Lord! abate hij po.ver, fince his 
 malice will not be abated. 2. I'he perfon whoreprcfented 
 his fad condition to our Saviour, his compalfionatc father 
 who kneeled down and cried out. Need will rikake a per- 
 fon both humble and eloquent ; every one has a tongue 
 to fpeak for himfelf, hai»py|lie that keeps a tongue for others 
 3. The phyficians which this diftreiled perfon is brought 
 unto, fir!t to the difciplcs, and then to jcfus : We never 
 apply ourfelvesimportunately tothe God of power, till we 
 defpair of the creatures help. 15ut what hindered thedif- 
 ciples that they could not caft this evil fpiritout. Why it 
 was their unbelief; faithUfs generation J Learn thence. 
 That the great obftacleandobftrudion of all blellings, both 
 fpiritual and temporal, coming to us, is our wretched infi- 
 delity arid unbelief. 4. The fovereign power and abfolute 
 authority which Chridt had when on earth over the devil 
 and his angels ! Jefus rebuked him, cajt him out, andcharged 
 him to return no more into him. This was a proof and de- 
 monflratiou of the Godhead of our Saviour, that in his 
 own name, that is by his own power and authority, he 
 could and did caft the devils out. 
 
 43 H And they were all amazed at the mighty 
 power of God. Biit while they wondered every ont 
 at all things which Jefus did, he faid nnto his dil- 
 ciples,44Let thefefayingsCnk down into your ears: 
 for the fon of man fhall be delivered into the hands 
 of men. 45 But they underftood not this faying, 
 and it was hid from them, that they perceived it 
 not : and they feared to alk him of that faying, 
 
 Obfcrvable it is, how frequently our Saviour forewarned 
 liis difciples of his approaching fuffcrings, and as the time 
 of his fuffcrings drew nearer, he did more frepuently warn 
 them of his death. But all was little enough to arm them 
 againft the fcandal of the crofs ; and to reconcile them to 
 the thoughts ol his fuffering condition ; how an ordinary 
 prophet Ihould be delivered into the hands of men they 
 could eafily unlcrftand, but how theMefliah Ihould be fo 
 treated they cculd no: apprehend; fo.r the difciples had 
 taken up the common opinion. That the MefTias was to 
 be a temporal prince, and Ihould conquer and reign here 
 upon earth ; and how to reconcile this with being killed, 
 they could no ways.ipprehend : and they were afraid to 
 be too particular in their enquiries about i-t. Now, from 
 Chriil'« fo frequently warning his difciples of liis approach- 
 ing fulferings, we may gather. That we cr.n never h.car, 
 either too often, or too much, of the doiflrineof the crols 
 nor be too frequently inflruftcd Hi our duty to prepare for 
 a« fuffering flate ; as Chrifl went from his crofs to his 
 . crown, from a Ifate of abafement to a Hate of exaltation, 
 fo inuft all his di.''ciples and followers cxpetft likewife. 
 
 46 1 Then there arofea rcafoiiing among them 
 which of them Ihould be greatell. 47 Andjcfus 
 perceiving the thought of thrir heart, took ;i child 
 
.Chai*. IX, 
 
 St, 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 »37 
 
 and fet it by him, .^8 And faid unto them, Who- 
 focvcr ihall receive this child in my name, receiv- 
 cth me; and whofoever fhall receive me, rcceiveth 
 him that fent me : for he that is leaft among you 
 all, the fame fhall be great. 
 
 It niav juftly fcem a wonder, thnr when our blelTed Sa- 
 viour difcourled Co frequently with the difciples ahout his 
 fufferings, that they fhould at the fame time he difpuiing 
 about precedpncy and pre-tminency, which of them fhoiild 
 be the greateft, liie firft in place, and the highert in dignity 
 and honor. But from thisinftance wc nny /earn, That 
 the hoiielt and b;'ft of men are too prone to ambition, rea- 
 dy to catch at the biit of honor, to afFt Jt a precedency be- 
 fore, and fupcrioriiv over others: Here the apolUes them- 
 felves were touched with the itch of unhiti m ; to cure 
 thif, our Saviour fets before tliein n little child, asthe pro- 
 per emblem of humility ; lliewing th.it wc ought to be as 
 free from pride and ambition as a young child, which af- 
 fects nothing of precedency. Such as are' of the higheft 
 eminency in the church, ought to be fingvilarly adorned 
 with the grace of humility, looking upon themfelvesas ly- 
 ing under the greateft obligation to be moll eminently 
 ufeful and ferviceable to the church's good. 
 
 49 And John anfvvered, and faid, Mafter, we faw 
 one calling out devils in thy name; and we for- 
 bade him, becaufe he followeth not with us. 50 
 And Ji'.fus faid unto him. Forbid him not: for he 
 that is not againfl; us, is for us. 
 
 Cbferve here, i. St. John's relation of a matter of fact 
 to our Saviour, namely, his forbidding one to cafl out de- 
 vils in Chrift's n.'.ine, that did not follow Chrill as they 
 did. Though only the difciples which followed Chrift had 
 a commillion to work miracles, yet were there others, no 
 enemies to Chrift, who in imitation of the difciples, did 
 tttempt to do the like; and God was pleafed, for the ho- 
 nor of his Son, in whofe name they caft out devils, to give 
 them fometimes fuccefs. 2. The action of his difciples 
 towards this perfon: We forb.-jde him, becaufe he fd- 
 h-jjetb not with us. Where is obfervable, their raflinefs, 
 in forbidding him of their own heads, before they had 
 confuUed Chrift about it; and their envy and ennilation, 
 in that they were grieved and difcontented that good was 
 done, bec.nufe they did not do it : It is as hard a matter 
 to look upon the gifts of others without envy, as it is to 
 look upon our own without pride. ■^. Our Saviour's re- 
 ply; Forbid him not: Becisfe our Saviour knew, that this 
 action of carting out devils in his name, would fome ways 
 redound to his glory; although he undertook the matter 
 without direftion from Chrift: We ought not to cenfure 
 :.nd condemn thofe, who do that which is good in iifclf, 
 though they fail in the manner of their doing it. ^ 
 
 51 9 And it came to pafs, when the time was 
 come that he Ihould be received up, he iledfaflly 
 fct his face to go to Jcrufalem. 
 
 The time now drew on, wherein our Saviour was to be 
 received up into heaven ; and .iccordhigly, he fcts his fic« 
 
 to go to Jerufalein, that he might there fulTer, and from 
 thence afcend. Now here we have obfervable, i. That 
 although Jerufalein was the neft of his enemies, the ftage 
 on which his bloody fufferings were to be acled, the fatal 
 place of his death, yet, not terrified with d.inger,' he 
 fets his face for Jerufalein; that is, come v.'hat will, he 
 will go with an invincible courage and refolution. Learn 
 thence, That although Chrift had a perfeft and exact 
 knowledge of all the bitter fufferings he was to undergo, 
 for and on behalf of his members, yet did it not in the 
 leaft didiearten him in, or difcourage him from, that great 
 and glorious undertaking. 2. That though Chrift was to 
 fuffer before he diil afcend, and to be lifted up upon the 
 crofs before received up into heaven, yet is ther6 no men- 
 tion of his death here, but of his afcenfioii only ; as if all 
 thoughts of deitii were fwallowed up in his victory over 
 death ; teaching us, by his exaniple, to overlook our fuf- 
 ferings and death, as not worthy to be named or mention, 
 ed with that glory which we are received into after death. 
 The Evangelift does not fay the time was come when he 
 fliould fuffer, but when he iliould be received up. 
 
 52 And fent meflengers before his face : and 
 they went, and entered into a village of the Sama- 
 ritans to make ready for him. 53 And they did 
 not receive him, becaufe his face was as though 
 he would go to Jerufalem. 
 
 Our Saviour was now going from Galilee to Jerufalem ; 
 and being to pafs through a village of Samaria, he fent 
 meflengers before him to prepare entertainment for him. 
 The Son of God, who was heir of all things, fends to, 
 and fues for lodgings in a Samaritan cottage. O blcfled 
 Saviour, how can wc be abafed enough for thee, who thus 
 neglected thyfclf for us! It was thy v. ill to ajipiMr, not in 
 the figure of a prince, but in the form of a iervant ; yec 
 the people in the Samaritan villages would not receive him. 
 Strange! to hear the Son of Cod fue'for a lodging, and be 
 denied: But the reafon was, the difference of religion 
 which was between the Jews and Samaritans : The Jews 
 wordiipped at the temple in Jerufalem ; the Samaritans at 
 a temple of their own, built upon mount Geriziin. Upon 
 the building of this new temple, there arofe fo great a 
 feud between the Jews and Samaritans, and in procefs of 
 time fuch an implacable hatred, that they would not (hew 
 common civility one to another. A Samaritan's bread to 
 ajew, was no better than fwine's flelh: They would ra- 
 ther thirft than drink of Samaritan water. Hence v»e 
 learn. That no enmity is fo dcfperate, as :har which arifes 
 from matters of religion. 
 
 54 And when his difciples James and John faw 
 this, they fafd, Lord, wilt thou wc comm.uid fire 
 to come down from heaven, and confume them, 
 even as Elias did ? 
 
 Here zbfcrvr, i. The crime which the Samaritans were 
 guilty of. No affront muft be accounted little, no indig- 
 nity light, that is offered to the Son of God : But the'.e 
 men did not revile Chrift, nor any of his retinue, tbat we 
 read of; they dial not violently aClu!: !.; :i^ they did not 
 
 follow 
 
«38 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 follow him with ftrnes in their hands, or l>Iafj)hf mies in 
 their mouth'! ; but the wrong and injury was only nega. 
 tive, Thty receividhim not : They denied him a night's 
 IcK.'ging, and tiiis not out of any diflike of his perfon, but 
 from an antipathy againft his nation. 2. The carriage of 
 the dilciples upon this occalion. It was thus far com- 
 mendable, that, from the endeared love which they bore 
 to their Marter, they did highly relent the churlifh denial 
 of an aft of kindnefs towards him : A gracious heart is 
 holily impatient a; the fight of any indignity offered to 
 Chrilh Uut the r fault was, that they were too far tranf- 
 ported with pallion and revenge, even to.delirethe death 
 and deftruftion of the uncivil c-amaritans : H'ilt thou that 
 lue coninianJ fire to come do'vn frt/tu heaven and confume 
 them .' rhey did not fay, Mafter, will it pleafe thee, who 
 art Lord of the creature, toconin)and fire to come down; 
 Nor did they fay. If it be thy pleafure, command us to 
 call down fire : But, Wilt thou that we command fire ? 
 Tliis favours too much of pride, cruelty, and revenge ; 
 fo dangerous is a mifguided zeal. 
 
 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, andfaid, 
 Ye know not what manner offpirit ye are of. 56 
 "For the Son of man is not come to deftroy men's 
 lives, but to fave than. And they went to another 
 village. 
 
 Here we have our Saviour's cenfure of the rafh and hot 
 •motion of his difciples, which proceeded firftfrom igno- 
 rance of thcmfelves. Ye know not -wbut fpirit ye are of: Ve 
 are not now under the rough and four difpenfation of the 
 law, but under the calm and gentle inflitution of the gof- 
 pel, which deligns univerfal love, peace, and good will to 
 all mankind. Hence learn, firft,That a cruel and revenge- 
 ful fpirit is dircdlly contrary to the defign and temper of 
 chri(iianity. Secondly, That no difference in religion, 
 no patience of zeal for God, can warrant and iuftify fuch a 
 fpirit and temper. Again, this rafVinefb in the difciples 
 proceeded frorn their ignorance of Chrill their I^ord and 
 Mailer, as well as of themfelves; The S'm of r:an did not 
 come to dejlroymcn's lives but to fave them ; that is the pro- 
 per intent and defign of my coming, was to fave and not 
 deftroy, though the accidental event of it may be otherv> i(e 
 through the rnalice and prevcrfcnefs of men. Learn, That 
 it wasthe defign of Chrift, and his holy religion, to dif- 
 CDunrenance all fircenefs, rage, and cruelty, in men one 
 towardr another; and toinfpire them univerfally with a 
 fpirit of love and unity. Chrift is fo far from allowing Ui 
 to perfecute rhcm that hate us, that he forbids us to haic 
 them that perfecute us, 
 
 57 ^ And it came to pafs, that as they went in 
 the way, a certain iiwn i.iid untohim. Lord, I will 
 follow thee whitherfocier thou gocft. ^SAndJe- 
 {'\\^ faid unto him, Fo.xte luve holes, and birds of 
 the air have ncfts ; but tLc Son 'of man liath not 
 where to lay his head. 
 
 Obftrve hrre,i. A p' rion rcfolving to follow Chrift ; a 
 /XonJ reCohirion, if made deliberately and wiftly, not for 
 .JJoifter cnds,or fccii! ir advantagc£,which it i- to be ftared 
 
 Chap. rx. \ 
 
 Saviour's infwer; /"o , fayihe ' 
 
 was the cafe here, by our Sa 
 
 Foxes hai'e holei, and the birdi (f the a'lr have r.rjl s. hut tie 
 Son of man has not -jubere to lay hit head • As if Ciirilt h. d 
 faid, "My condition in the world is very poor, J h.tve no 
 houfe of refidence that I call my own, the birds of the air 
 have their fixed nefts, and the beaftsof theeanh have ili. ir 
 dens and holes, but I have no fixed habitation ; thcr'.fore 
 if you think to follow me for the fake of worldly advantage 
 you will find yourfelf greatly difappointed," Learn beiice 
 'i hat fuch men will find themfelves miferably mili-k-:!), 
 snti preatly difappointed who cxpeft to gain any thing bj 
 following of Chriil, but their fouls f I a ion. It was a 
 common opinion among the Jews, th..t lu dilciples of the 
 Mediah fhould get wealth and honour by following of hiai 
 'Tis likely what this perfon faid, proceeded.from this opi- 
 nion : Accordingly, Chrift difcourages him from fuch ex- 
 ptcT:ation, by laying before him, his mean, poor, and low 
 condition, in which lie was to be follow f d by his ddcipies; 
 as if Chrifl had faid, "If you expedl temporal advantage* 
 by following of me, you will be muchmiitaken, for liia\c 
 nothing I can call my own." 
 
 59 And he faid unto another, Follow me. But he 
 faid. Lord, fuEFer me firll to j^o and bury my f.ither. 
 60 Jefus laid unto him, Let thj de.id bury their 
 dead; but ^o thou and preach tiic kiuj^dom of God. 
 
 We are not to fuppofe by this prohilntion, that Chrift 
 difallows or difapproves of ary civil, jlHce from one jierlon 
 to another, much ieis of a child to a parent, either living 
 or dying : but he lets us know, i. I'hut no office of love 
 and fervice to man muft be preferred bei'ore our duty to 
 God, to whom we OA'e our firll and chief obedience, i- 
 That lawful and decent offices become finful, when they 
 hindergreater duues. 3. I'hat fuch as are called hv Chrift 
 to preach the gofpcl, miifl mind that ..lone, and le«. e in- 
 ferior duties to inferior pcrfons ; as if Chrift had fa;d, 
 "Others willferve wellenough tobury the d^ad, but thou 
 that art called to minifter unto God, mull do that unto 
 which thou art called." Under the law the prielh might 
 not come near a dead corpfe, nor meddle with the intcr- 
 nient of their own parents ; unto which cur Saviour here 
 probiibly alludes. 
 
 61 Another alfo faid, Lord, I will follow thee ; 
 but let me firll go bid them farewel tvliich are at 
 home at my houfe. 62 And Jefus faid unto hitn. 
 No man having put his hand to the plough, and 
 Jookin^ back, is fit for the kingdom of God. 
 
 Here we lijve another perfon that j,>romifeth to follow 
 Chrift, but dfiireth leave firft to feiile the affairs of his 
 family, and to take If ave of his friends: Our Saviour tclU 
 liim, li he would be one of his inmUU-rs, he mufl be like 
 a^ioughman, who I^'oks forward, and not b-ick-vard, or 
 he wll ne\cr make- his furrows right, they v.ill be eiilier 
 too deep or too narrow, he mult mind his plough only, 
 1 In?'. ii;ulf they thatare called to the work of the minilfry 
 mind it wholly, atteiul to thm alone: their iwhole time, tlicir 
 whole (l!ei)<.yh imill be dt voted to it : The thi'.ig- of th; 
 world are things behind hem, they luufl nui Ivuk back 
 
Chap. X. 
 
 3r. L U K E. 
 
 239 
 
 upon them: Nothing can juftifya min'ifler concerning him- 
 ftlf with the incumbrances of worldly bufinefs, but only 
 perfecl iiecclTity for the fiip-^ort of himfelf ami his family. 
 Again, ploiighinp; work is hard work, a ilrong and ileady 
 hand is required tor it ; iie th.it ploughs muU keep on, and 
 make no baulk? of the hardeft ground he lueeis with : 
 Verily no difficulties mull difcourage either miniflertor 
 people in th€ way of th«ir duty. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 AFTER thcfe things, the Lord appointed other 
 leventy allb, and lent them two and two be- 
 fore hisface into every city, and place whither he 
 himfelf would come. 
 
 The captain general of our falvation, Chrift Jefus, ha- 
 vingcalledjComir.iirioned, and fentforth his twelve jpollles 
 as great coumanders, to fubdue his native kingdom of 
 Ilrael to himfelf, at the fixth chapter of this g.<lpel ; in 
 this chapter he fendeth after themaband of feveniy aux- 
 jllery forces to aid and alliit them. Where no/r i. The 
 perfon comn)ilEoiiing snd fending tliem forth ; Chrill 
 liimfelf.Thence lc\irnl hit none ought to take upon them 
 the o(Scc r.f preaching, or other mii:;lif rial functions in 
 the church till there unto called by Chrift himfelf. The 
 twelve apoftles, v.nd leventy diciples, had an immediate 
 mi/Tion from Chrift himfelf : All his minifters now are 
 callevi mediately, and receive their authority from Clirift 
 by the hands of the governors of his church. 2 The 
 manner of their fendiro;. twoandtwoina company, partly 
 to luake their meflageof more authority, partly to ttftify 
 their mutual confent in the Jo«ftr;iiC they tnught, andpar:ly 
 to comfort and encourage, to help and ftrengthen, to aflift 
 and fupport each other. In imitation of this example, the 
 Jefuits lend forth their emiffaries by pairs, "Jcfuxts femptr 
 J'unt bini, ic. Letirn hence, That the minifters of the 
 gofpcl do ftand in great need of the mutual help and com- 
 fort, of the united afl'iftance a;;d encourarrenient of each 
 other, in the weighty duties of ;heir calling and funftion. 
 Our Saviour, in the next vei fe, compares his minifters to 
 harveft labourers, who are to help and aflift one another, 
 the ftrong endeavouring to ftrengihen the hands of the 
 weak. But Lord ! what tears arc fuflicient to bewail the 
 want of love and unity, yea the prevaltncy of that envy 
 and malignity which is found too often among the minif- 
 ters ot the gofpel ? fo that inftead of going forth two by 
 two, happy is he that is alone in a place. Well might 
 Melanfthon blefs God, when he lay a dying, that he was 
 going to a place where he (hould be freed from the impla- 
 cable hatred of divines ; this is, and ought to be for a la- 
 mentation. 
 
 2 Therefore faid he unto them, the harveft tru- 
 ly n great, but the labourers are few : pray ye 
 tiierefore the Lord of the harveft, that he would 
 fend forth labourers into his han^eft. 
 
 * 
 
 Note here, \. That God's church is an harveft field. 2.. 
 That the minifters of God are labourers in his harveft, un- 
 der God, the Lord of the harveft. 3. That to God alone 
 dpthir belong tg fend forth labourers into his harveft. and 
 
 none niuft thruft thcmfelves in till God fends them forth. 
 Pray ye ike Lord of the harvtj}, that he ijouU fend firth 
 labourers. 4. That the number of faithful labourers is 
 comparatively fmall and few : The fcribes and Pharifees 
 in the Jewilh harveft field are many ; yet, (ays Chrift, 
 The labourers are fe-j). 5. That it is the church's duty 
 to pray, and (hat earnelUy and incelT'antly, 10 God the 
 Lord of the harveft, (o incrcafe thejiumber of faithful la- 
 bourers J and to fend forth more labourers into his bar- 
 veft. 
 
 3 Go your ways : behold, I fend you forth as 
 lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purle, nor 
 fcrip, nor fhoes : and f.ilutc no man by the way_ 
 
 Our Saviour, i. Arms his difciples againft the difiicul- 
 ties, dangers and difcouragements which theyn»ight meet 
 with in the conrfe of their miniftry, by telling them, that 
 he feat ihem forth as iambs among wolves; thereby in- 
 timating, that the enemies of the gofpel have as great an 
 inclination, from their malicious nature, to devour an J 
 deftroy the minifters cf Chrilt, as wolves have from their 
 natural temper to devour lambs; Bthild Ijend ywfnrth as 
 iambs atnong vjolves. 2. Our Saviour direfts thera in this 
 their firuiexpcdition to preach the gofpel, to committhem- 
 felves to the gracious care and good providence of God, 
 both for provifion .nd proiectioii ; carry neither purfe, r.or 
 fcrip, n-ir f}ug\ fays St. Matthew; as if he had faid, Truft 
 Ccd with the care of our lives, rely upon his providence 
 both foi protection and provifion : Yet mult we take no- 
 tice, that this W.1S only a temporary command, given to 
 the dilciplcs for this particular journey, which they were 
 quickly to Jifpatch ; for in the general, Chrift allows his 
 minifters, as well as others, to exercife a prudent and pro- 
 vident ere for themltlves, and their families. And as:: 
 is the minifter's duty to truft God in the ufe of prudential 
 means for their maintenance, fo it is the people's duty to 
 take care for their minifters' comfortable Uibiiitcnce. Toe 
 -aiorkmar. ;j -.worthy of his meat, fays our Saviour ; that a, 
 of all neceflary fupplies ; he is worthy of a comfortable 
 fublirtence, and, where it may be had, of an honorable 
 maintenance. 
 
 5 And into whatfoever houfe ye enter, frrft fay. 
 Peace he to this houfe. 6 And if the Ion of peact 
 be there, your peace ftiall reft upon it ; if not, it 
 fliall turn to you again. 
 
 Here our blefled Saviour direfts his difciples liow 10 
 manage theinfelves in the executing of their office ; /'"o 
 •whatfoever houfe ye enter, firit fay. Peace be to this ko'ij^- 
 They muft wilh peace lo the fons of peace, yea to i^^ 
 enemies of peace alfo ; and as their peace fhall reft tip"^ 
 the one, ib fliall it return from the other. Pence ie to 
 -this houfe is a fit falutation for them to ufe, who were 
 the difciples and ainbafladors of the Prince of Peace; and 
 very agreeable to the gofpel they were to preach, w Jiicji 
 was a gofpel of peace; And it was a prjyer as well as a 
 falutatio!) ; the difciples were to fpeak it not from the lips 
 only, but from the heart alfo. Peace is the inulic v hicii 
 both men and angels are delighted with, and ihcchriftinn 
 religion is the. greatcll proa;o;cr aiidprel'erver of it, thu 
 
 coinin.'inJ'j 
 
2.1,0 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap, ix. 
 
 commands us to pray for peace, U ftllow c/ier peace, to 
 part viUb our coat and cloak, that is, with our civil rights, 
 fcr peace : andifit he pifjlhle, to live peacetiblyiuith all men. 
 2. As the injuniflioii given by our Saviour to his dil'ciples 
 fo ddivera (iiefiageof peace, rirlt fay, I'eace he to this /mtj'c; 
 To the prediclion of what fliould bclal them in the deiivtry 
 of this their mcfl'age. Their lalutation, though it be peaca 
 j'et will not find a we'conie and entertainment with all 
 perfons, but only with the fons of peace. Jf the Jons of 
 peace be there, your peace Jhall refi upw It. 3. An encou- 
 ragement not to be afraid of delivering their; raeifuge, 
 though it v.anted fnccefs_,//_)owr peacerejl net, itjhall re- 
 turn to you again. Learti, i .That as there was at the firft 
 preaching of the gofpel, fo there is, and always will be 
 fome that are fons of peace, and others that trc enemies 
 Unio peace. 2. That this peace will reft on none but 
 thofe that arc fit to receive it. 3. That though it doth 
 not reft, yet it fnall not be loft but return again to thole 
 that publi:-Ii it. Minifters can but fay, reace be to this 
 houje, they cannot make it reft there ; we can offtr terms 
 of peace to a loft world, but cannot compel men to accept 
 them"; and if they finally refufe them, 'i.'e fuall tie ajwect 
 fuvour unto Cod, as wdi in them that pirijb, as in them, Sec. 
 
 7 And in the fame houfe remain, eating and 
 drinking fuch things as they ,:,ive: for the labourer 
 is %vorthy of his hire. Go not from houfe to lioul'e. 
 8 And into whatfoever cityye enter, and they re- 
 ceive you, cat fuch things as are let before you: g 
 And heal the lick that are therein, and L\y unto them 
 The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you: 10 
 But into whatfocver city ye enter, and they receive 
 you not, go your ways out into tbc ftreets of the 
 fame, and fay, 11 Even the very dull of your ci- 
 ty, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off againft 
 you: notwithftanding, be ye fure of this, that the 
 kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12 But 
 1 fav unto you. That it fliall be more tolerable in 
 that day for Sodom than for that city. 
 
 Here our Saviour gives his difciples fundry directions 
 lio'.v tomanageihenifelves in this expedition forpreaching 
 the gofpel. He enjoins them, i.Toobferve the rules of de- 
 cency ingoing from place toplace, having entered an houfe 
 tocontinue there, not changing their,! odgingand'goingfroH 
 houfe to houfe, thereby avoiding all fliew of lightnefs and 
 inconftancy, and tellifying all gravity and ftayedncfs in 
 iheir behaviour ; this being afpecial mean to win autho- 
 rity to their perfons and miniftry.2. He gives them a pow- 
 er to workmiracles for the confirming of the dodlrine which 
 ihey preached ; Heal the fie k that are therein. This was 
 necellary, partly to procure reverence totheirperfons, be- 
 ing poor unlearned men; and partly to' gain credit to their 
 doctrine; For the doctrine of laith in the Melfias, as now 
 come and exhibited in theflefli, being a ftrange and new 
 doctrine to thejews,the truth and certainty of it v.astobe 
 extraordinary ratified and confirmed by working miracles; 
 one fort of which was healing of difeafcs in an c.xtraordi- 
 nary manner. 3. How Chrift encourages his difcinles 
 
 againft the want of fuccefs; he bids them denounce the judg 
 ments of God againlt fuch contemners of their doLlri.T 
 byjhaking off the dujt of their feel : which aition was em- 
 blematical, and lignified, tliat Cod in l:ke manner would 
 ihihi o!f them, and elleem thenj no better than the vilcft 
 dult. Leurn hence, That tliofc which defpife the mcflage 
 that the minifters of the gofpel bring, Ihall hereafter find 
 the i!u!b of their feet, ai;d the afhesof their graves, to givo 
 a judicial teltimouv againlt them in the day of thrift : 
 Wherever the word is preached, it is torn tcftimony, ei- 
 ther a teftimony for, or againft a people. For, it the duft 
 of a minifters feet bear witnel's againit a people, their fer- 
 mons much more. Lallly, The dreadful judgment de- 
 nounced by our Saviour againit the contemners of hisdif- 
 ciples doiftrine ; Verily it Ihall be more tolerable for Sodom 
 and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. 
 Where note, i. That there fliall be a day of judgment. 2. 
 That in the day of judgment fome finners Ihall fare worfc 
 than others. 3. That of all finners, the condition of fuch 
 fliall be faddeit at the day of judgment, who living under j 
 the gofjjtl, die alter all in their impcnitency and infidelity. I 
 
 13 Wo unto thee, Chorazin : wo unto thee Beth* 
 faida : for if the mighty works have been done m 
 Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they 
 had a great while ago repented, fittmgin iackclorh 
 and alhes. 14 But it Oiall be more tolerable for 
 Tyre and Sidun at the judgment than for you. 15 
 And tliou Capernaum, which art exalted to hea- 
 ven, fhall be tnruft down to hell. 
 
 Thefe cities in Galilee, Chorazin, Bethfai Ja, and Caper- 
 naum, having been the places where Chrift preached and 
 wrought his miracles, they hrwc a wo denounced here 
 againft them, for the ;,- concer.ipt of Chr:ft, and the offers 
 of his grace ; ;Vo unto thee, Chorazin, &:c. The higher a 
 people rife under the means, the lower they fall if they rnif- 
 carry. They that have been neartft to converfion, being 
 not converted, ftiall have the greateftcondemnation when 
 they arejudj^cd : Capernaum's Icrtence will enceed Sodoms 
 for feverit, , becaufe /he exceeded Sodom in theenjoymcnt 
 of means and mercy. Clferve here, i. Capernaum'spri- 
 vilege C! joyed, She was lifedup to beaivn ; that is, enjoyed 
 privileges above all other places, namely, the prefence, 
 prccurhing, and miracles of our Saviour. 1. Capernaum's 
 doom ironounctd, 7hwjhalt be thruj} do-jjn to hell ; that 
 is, thy condition Ihall be ladder than ihofe that never heard 
 of a S.':\iour, e venTj-re and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorr.ib, 
 thofe rude aiui barbarous nations, out of the pale of the 
 church, Ihall l;t in an e.ifier ftate and condition, than thofe 
 that ha ve enjoyed gofpel ordinances and church privileges, 
 but not iii)pro\cd them. Learn hence, i . That gofpel- 
 ordinances enjcyed, are a mighty honor and advancement 
 to the pooreft i-erlons and obfcureft places, Tlou, Caper- 
 r^um, art cxulu.i to heaven. 2. That gofpel ordinances, 
 ami church-privilcgcscnjoyed, but not improved, provoke 
 alinightyGod to iuliiin: thol'orelt judgmentsnpon a people : 
 7/jtK ihat art exalted to bdwcn Jball be thrujt down to hell. 
 
 16, lie thathcareth you, heareth me : and he tj^at 
 
 defpil^th 
 
Cha^. *. 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 241 
 
 derjjifetb you, defpiscth me : aadhc thet defpifcth 
 me defpifeth him that fcnt me. 
 
 Here our Saviour encourages liis niiuif^ers to faithful- 
 nels in their office, by nfriiriiiR tlicni, thatheflunild reckon 
 and efteem ail the kindnefs fhewn to them, as done unto 
 hinifelf. He that receiveth you, receivtth me, ke that de- 
 fpifcth you, dtfplfethme. Where wo/^ That all the offices 
 oflqve and relpta, of kindnefs and charity, which we 
 ftiew to the miiiilleri or metnlirers of Chnrt for his Hike, 
 Chrift reckons it as done unto himftlf, Note farther. 
 That the contempt of the meffage and indrengers of the 
 Gofpel runs much higher than men arc aware of. They 
 •think it no great matter to (light crnce,left the meflengers 
 of Chrill; but verily, that contempt flies in the face and 
 authority of Chrift himfelf,who gavethem their commiiri- 
 on; yea in the very faceof Godthe Father who gave Chrift 
 commiiTion ; accordingly they arecalled God'fuiouih, Jer. 
 itv. la. their mcfiage and iheir miffion being both from 
 hitn. Nay farther, this fin ftrikesat our own fouls, and we 
 are injurious to them as well as unto Chrift, He that defpi- 
 feth you, defpifeth me; yet certainly no age was ever 
 Vleeper drenchedin the guilt of tUii ^\ than theprelent age 
 is. 
 
 17 ? And the fcventy returned again with joy, 
 faymg, Lord, even the devils arcfubje£l unto us 
 through thy name. 18 And he laid unto tbem, I 
 fcehcld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 
 
 ObftrvehcTC, i. The feventy difciples return to give 
 Chrift an account of the fuccefs of their expedition : They 
 return as victors with joy and triumph, fliewing Chrift the 
 trophies of their conqueft, L^rd even the devils arefuhjeSi 
 UKto us through thy ruw.c ; the weapons of their warfare 
 were not carnal but Ipiritual.and mighty through Chrift: 
 the powers of darknefs cannot ftand, but muftfall before 
 the power of Chrift ; the devils are no match for Chrift, 
 no not for the meaneft of the miniftcrs of Chrift who go 
 forth in his name, armed with his authority and power. 
 1. Our Saviour's reply 10 the feventy difciples upon this 
 occafion : I behdd Satan as Ughtnir.g fall from hem-rn. A 
 twofold interpretation is given of thefe words: i. Seme 
 look upon them as afecret rebuke given b^ our Saviour to 
 the feventy, for,that cxccfs of joy; and mixture of vain- 
 glory which was found with them upon the account of 
 thofe extraordintry gifts and abilities of caftingout devils 
 and healin.T dife-ifes, which were conferred upon them. 
 I beheld Satan fays Chrift, falling like lightning from 
 hea\<en; asif Chrilt had faid, "I'ake heed of being puft 
 tip with pride, upon account of thole endowments v hich 
 1 have beftowed upon yon ; Remember Lucifer the prince 
 of pride, bow befell from heaven by his arrogancy, and 
 labour you to afcend thither by humility. The words 
 in this fenfe afford this inftruftion, That thofe whom 
 Chrift hasbeftowed the greateftmeafure of fpiritual graces 
 minifte rial gifts, and icn;pcral blellings npon, cup.htto 
 be very watchful agaioft that hateful fin of pride, which 
 has ruined and deltrcyed fu many thoufands of angels and 
 men. 2. Some underftard this fall of Satan not literal'y, 
 but figuratively and myftically,- of his riiin by the po.ver 
 
 Hh 
 
 and preacliing of tlK gofpel ; as »T Chrift had faid," I 
 know that this is no vain boaft of yours, no vaunt nca 
 brag of your valour, that devili are conquered by your 
 courage ; for when 1 firft fent you forth to preach the 
 ggfpel, and armed you with divine power, I ealily forefav 
 that the devils kingdom would (liake about iiis ears, anu 
 that his power would be ruined by the power of the gofpci 
 »nd that wherever you preacheil, Satan's ftrength and 
 power (liould vani.Qi like a flafli of lightning fuddenly aniJ 
 irrecoverably." Learn hence, That the powerful and 
 eflicacions preaching of the gofpel is the fpc cial means or- 
 dained i.nd appointed by Chrift for the ruin and fubver- 
 lion of Satan's kingdom in the world ; as the goljiel is the 
 power of God unto falvation to them that believe ani 
 obey it, fo it is the power of God unto deftfuftioii 
 to Satan, and all that fight under his banr.er againft 
 it. 
 
 igBehold I give unto you power to trcadon (cor- 
 pions and ferpents, and over all the power ot the 
 enemy and nothing fhall by any means hurt you. 
 Our Lord, finding that his feventy ambafladors harf 
 managed their former commillion fo well, he here enlarged 
 ir,adding thereunto a promife of dirineprotcclion: Behold 
 I give you power to tread on ferpents, end nothing Jliall hurt 
 you; as it Chrift had faid. Go forth again in this armour 
 of power, with which 1 have girt you, and I warrant yon, 
 fword-free and ttiot-free, nothing Ihall by any means hurt 
 you, neither ftrength and ftratagem fhall overcome you 
 Neither the power, the prefcnce nor proteaion of God 
 fliall be wanting to any of Chrift's minilters or members, 
 who go forth in his ftrength againft the fpiritual enemies 
 of their falvation. Aswehave a promife of pov/er in this 
 text to enable us torefift the devil, fo we have a promife 
 of fuccefs elfewhere, upon or refifting him; Rtffi ths 
 devil and he 'jjill flee from you. St. James iv. 7. 
 
 20 Notwithftanding, in this rejoice not, that the 
 fpirits are fubjea unto you : but rather rejoice, be 
 caufe your names are written in heaven. 
 
 In thefe words of our Saviour there is fomething cor- 
 reftive and fomething direcTive. The corrcftivepart liei 
 in the firft words, wherein Chrift checks the (ufpcacdex- 
 cefiesof their joy for vi(Jtories gained over evil fpints ; 
 In this rejoice not ; that is, let not your hearts too much 
 overflow with joy upon this occafion : The negation is not 
 abfolute, bin comparitive only. Chrift doth not forbid, 
 but only qualify and moderate their joy, that the Ipirits 
 are fubjefttoyou.thatis, the devils. Where «:<<?, i. That 
 thouch the evil angels, by their fall, have loft their happy 
 condrt;on,yet not their original conftitution ; theirhonor 
 but not their nature: They are fpiritsftill. 2. The lub 
 jeftion of thofe evil fpints to the power of Chrift, is not a 
 tree and polTcfled, but an involuntary andimpofed lubjec- 
 tion hke that of a flave to his Lord, whether he will or 
 no. Learn hence,.,!. That evil fpirits are fubjeft to the 
 power of Chrift, not only to hi* pericnul, but 10 his mi- 
 nifter 3I power. 2. 1 hat it is m.itttr of great joy to ke 
 evil fpirits brought into fnbjeclic.n by the power of Chrift 
 To fee th-evil (pirit of prideand contention, of envy aud 
 mihce, of error »ncJfalfehocd, cfjealoufy and felf-love. 
 
 of 
 
C4« 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap, Xc 
 
 of animofity anddiv*fion, not only chained but changed ; 
 to fee not only an unwilling fuhjec'bion, bur afubjeaion of 
 the Will given to Chrif}, is matter cf great joy and un- 
 Ipeakable rejoicing. T he directive part cf our'Saviour's 
 words lies in the latterpart of the verfe; hinrather rejoice 
 that your names are -written in heaven: There are no literal 
 record* in the court of heaven, no pen or ink, paper or 
 parchment ; but to be written in hewen, is to have a title 
 to eternal life, and to be made meet forthe inheritance of 
 the faints in light. Learn i. That God has in heaven 
 a book of life ; a bock written with the golden rays, and 
 be.ims of his own eternal love. i. That there are names 
 written in this book. 5. That perfons may know that 
 their names are written in that book, other wife they could 
 not rejoice, for no man can rejoice in an unknown good. 
 4. Thar itis greater matter of joy and rejoicing, to know 
 that our namesare written in heaven, than to have a power 
 to cart out devils here on earth. A man may have 
 power to caft forth devils out of others, and yet at the 
 fame time the devil may have power in and over himfelf. 
 There fort in this rejoice not, that the tleruls are fuhjea unto 
 you, hut rather rejoice that your names are -written in 
 heaven. If you fay. With what fpettacles (hall we read 
 
 ..u . A-.n. > Tin. -ii .• . . . 
 
 tion : 7hw hajl revealed thim unto babes. 4. That this it 
 not more plealing to Chrift than it it the pleafure of hij 
 Father: Even j'o FatI.er, for)fQ it feemed good in thy jight. 
 Cbfcrve, 2. Our Saviour raagnifies himCelf : i. His au- 
 ihority and commifllon : All things are tidhered unto me ; 
 that is, all power isconmiitteduntome, as Mediator, from 
 God the Father. 1. His office ro reveal bis Father's will 
 to a loft world : No man kno-ujetb the Father but the Son 
 or the Son but the Father ; that i«, no man knoweth their 
 eflence and nature, their will and pleafure, their counfel 
 and content, theirmutual compacft and agreement bntwixt 
 thcmfelves, for laving a lo(l world, but only themfelves 
 and Ihtfe to -whomthty have reveaUdil. Learn thence' 
 That all faving knowledge of God, is in, by and through 
 Chrift; he, as the great prophet of his church, reveals unto 
 us the mind and will of God for our falvation : None 
 kno-jjcth, but he to -Mh:m the /on reveakth. 
 
 23 f And he turneti him unto hii difciples, and 
 faid privately, Bleflld are the eyes which fee the 
 things that ye fee. 24 For I tell you, that many- 
 prophets and kings have defired to fee thofe things 
 which ye fee, and have not feen them; and to hear 
 
 that at fuch a diftance I Who w.lVlbend up no heaven ^OW ' w? u T^ ''""' ^"^'^^ea 
 
 to fee whether his name be wntten there 7 Or who cTti °^'- '^'"S^ '^^'''^^ ^^ ^^^'"' '"^"^ '^"^'^ "«' ^eard them^ 
 
 From the verv firft giving out of the promife of Chrift 
 
 A.l,~- »f.«_ .l,_ r-11 /-_ ° •" . ' ... 
 
 fend a meflenger thither.ro fearch the records? I anfwer. 
 Turn thine eyes inward ; if the name of God be wi itten 
 in thy heart, thy name is certainly written in heaven ; 
 if you in your daily aftions write out a copy of God's 
 book (the blefl'ed Bible) here below, iffure yourfelves the 
 band of God has written your names in hib book above, 
 that is, you Ihall certainly be faved. 
 
 2 1 1[ In that hour Jefus rejoiced infpirit, and faid 
 
 to Adam after the fall, Gen. iii. i <;. there was in all good 
 
 men a longing defire and expeftation to fee that perfon who 
 
 fliould be fogreat a Welling to mankind ; the prophetsand 
 
 kings defired to fee the proniilVd Mefliah. Now, faysour 
 
 Saviour to his difciples, DltJpedareyou,for you have fee* 
 
 with the eyes of your body, what others only fa w with 
 
 the eyes of their mind; with your bodily eyes ye have feen 
 
 the proinifed Meflias coming in the flefh : and alfo the 
 „,; i„_ . c__. 1- - T 1 i . 
 
 T thanl- fV,,.,. r» r^fJw... T J f 1 J L ^"^ proiniled .'Vlellias coming in the flefh : and alfo the 
 
 tVa^ .bo, b H^-^ t f Z °?''''? ^"d ^'->r^h n,i,,aes, to confirm you rhat^I am he, have'been wrought 
 
 that tho^ haft hid thcfe things from the wife and before your eyes ; therefore blelTed arc the eyes of your 
 
 tjrudent, and hall revealed rhpm iintr» h:iKp« • »»,.<:.», SnHt/ Muhirti hav<. ^.P^.»I,^ .«. ^„.-.,«„ii., . .„.i ui^/r.j .ir 
 
 prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes : even 
 fo. Father, for it fceoied good in thy fighi. 22 All 
 things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man 
 knoweth who the Son is, but the Father ; and who 
 the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom theSon 
 will reveal him. 
 
 Here we find our blefled Saviour glorifying his Father, 
 and magnifying himfelf. i. He glorifies his Father for 
 the wife and free difpenfation of his gofpel grace to the 
 meaneft and moft ignorant perlons, whilll the great and 
 learned men of the world undervalued and defpifed it 
 
 body, which have beheld me corporally ; and blefled alfo 
 are the eyes of your mind, which have beheld me fpiritu- 
 ally. A fight of Chrift by a believing eye, much more by 
 a glorified eye, is a blefied fight. Blefled are thofe eyes 
 which fee Chrift in his difpenfations of glory hereafter. 
 
 *5 f And behold a certain lawyer ftood up, and 
 tempted him, faying, Mafter, what ftiall I do to 
 inherit eternal life ?26And he faid unto him, What 
 is written in the law ? how readeft thou ? 17 And 
 he anfwering, faid, Thou ftialt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and 
 
 .v».,.^v. ...^.. ^. ...t „uiiu uiiuci vaiueu ana acipiiea It : Kjoa witn au my ncart, ana with all thv loul and 
 
 J thank thee Futhcr, that thou ha/f re^'ealed thefe things ^-fth all thy ftrength, and with all thy 'mind ] and 
 
 tobabes. if«r«hence, I. That till God reveals himfelf, .>,,, ne,rTbl,n..r:.cfbv<V.lf oR\.,^I,»r;j . i- 
 
 hisiutureandwHl. no man can know either what he is Jy neig bour as th> felt. b8 And he (aid unto him, 
 
 or what he requires ; Thou hajl rex'eakd. 2. That the ^.^^^ anlwered right : this do, and thou Oialt 
 
 wife and knowing men in the world have in all aces de- I*^'*^ 
 
 fpifedthe myfteries ofthegofpel, and have therefore been 
 judicially blinded by God : Thou haft hid thefe things from 
 ihe-uiife and prudent. When men'lhut their eyes againft 
 the dcareft light, and fay they will not fee, God clofes 
 their eyes and fays they fliall not fee. 3. That the moft 
 ignorant, if humble, and defirous of fpiritual illumination, 
 ^le in the rcadicftdifpolitiontoembracethcgofpel-revela- 
 
 Here we have a lawyer, that is, an expounder of tlie 
 law c)f Mofes, tempting oui- Saviour; that is, making trial 
 of him, whether he would deliver any dodrine contrary 
 to the law of Mofes : He prt'pounds therefore a queftion, 
 IVhat he fliould do to inherit ttrrnal lift ? \\ here n-Ae, 1. 
 He believed in the certainty of a future ftate. 1. Hepro, 
 fefles his delire of an ettrual hifpinefs iu that ft,ite. 3. He 
 
 declares 
 
CHAr. X. 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 24>T 
 
 declares his readinefs to do fomething in ordtr to the ob- 
 taining of that happinels. Hence Itiirn, That all religion 
 both natural and revealed, teaches men that good works 
 are nccefl'ary to falvation, or that fomething muft be done 
 bji them who defire to enter into life : l-H'^it 'hall 1 de to 
 inherit eternal life? It is not talking well, and profcflTrng 
 well, but doing well, that entitles us to heavenandeternal 
 falvation : and this the very light of nature teaches. 2. Our 
 Saviour's anf-.ver : What is written in tkflawP how read'Jl 
 thou? Intimating to us. That the word and law of God, 
 is the rule and nieafure of our duty ; our guide to direft 
 us in the way to eternal life. The man replies, That the 
 law of God requires, that we love Codwitb all our hearts, 
 foul, anJftrength, and our neighbor as ourfdves. Where 
 note, I. That the fervor of all our alFeftions. and particu- 
 larly the fupremacy of our love, is required by God as his 
 right and du^. I.ove muO pafs through, and poflefs all 
 the powers and faculties of our fouls. The mind mull 
 meditate upon God, the will muft chufe and embrace h^m, 
 the affeftions mult take complacency and delight in him : 
 The meafure of loving God is to love him without mea- 
 fure. 2. That the heft evidence of our iincere love to God, 
 is, the unfeigned love of our neighbor : Love to man, is 
 both a fruit and teflimony of our love to God ; for he that 
 loveth not his brother whom he hathfeen, how canhe love 
 Cod whom he hath not itcn? 3. That as it is every 
 man's duty to love himfelf, fo is he to love his neighbor as 
 himfelf ; not a? he does love himfelf, bur. as he ought to 
 love himfelf; not with the fame meafure and degree ot 
 love, but in the fame manner and kind of love, that we 
 love ourfelves. Do we love ourfelves freely and readdy, 
 fincerely and unfeignedly, tenderly and compafiionately, 
 conftantly and perfeveringly ? So fhould we love our neigh- 
 bour alfo : Though we are not required to love our neigh- 
 bour as much as we love ourfelves, yet are we commanded 
 to love him like as we love ourfelves. Laftly, Our Lord's 
 reply: Thou haft anfwered riglt: this do, and thou /halt 
 live : Where note. That Chrift intimates to him, that the 
 law confidered in iifelf, could give life ; but then a peribn 
 mult keep it perfeftly and exaftly, without the leaft defi- 
 ciency, whichis impolfibie tnmanin hisfallen ftate; forthe 
 Jaw is not weak to ui, but we are weak to that,Roni. viii. 3 
 the law becomes weak through the weaknefs of our flefh : 
 Such as fcek falvation by the works of the law, mult keep 
 the law perfectly and exactly ; which being impoliible in 
 our fallen ftate, Chrift has obtained of his father, that for 
 his f3ke,our Iincere, thoughimperfec^obedience.ftiallfiud 
 acceptance with God, and be available to our falvation. 
 
 29 But he willing to juftify himfelf, faid unto Jc- 
 fus. And who is my heighbor ? 30 And Jefus 
 anlwering, faid, A cert.iin man went down from Je- 
 rufalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which 
 Gripped him of his raiment, and wounded km, and 
 departed, leavinghim half dead. 31 And by chance 
 there came down a certain prieft that way; ajid when 
 he fawhim,hepa(redbyon the other fide. 32 And 
 likewife a Lcvite, when he was at the place, came and 
 looked on hup, and paffed by on the other fide, 33 
 
 But a certain Samaritan, as he joumeycd.came where 
 he was: and when he faw him he had compaffion on 
 /jiw»,34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, 
 pouring in oil and wmc, and let him on his own beaft 
 and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 
 
 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took 
 out two pence, and gave them to the hoft, and laid 
 unto him, Take care of him ; and whatfoever thou 
 fpendcft more, when I come again I will repay thee. 
 
 36 Which now of thefc three, thinkeft thou, was 
 neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 
 And he faid, He that fliewcd mercy on him. Then 
 faid Jefus unto hnn, Go, and dothou liktwile. 
 
 The defign of our Saviour in this parable, is to con- 
 vince the lawyer, who put that queftion to him, Who is 
 my neighbour ? ver. 2y. thai every one is, and ought to 
 be accounted our neighbour, to whom God affords us an 
 opportunity of doing good ; contrary to the ftrait notion of 
 the Phnrifees, that, by the word neighbour, underftood 
 friends and kinsfolk, brethren by blood, neighbours by 
 habitation, and perfons of the fame religion. Our Saviour 
 by this parable, taught him, that even Itrangers and pro- 
 fefled enemies, every one thatneedeth our help and relief, 
 is to be accounted our neighbour. To convince him 
 hereof, Chrilt propounds this parable of a Jew that fell 
 among thieves; who was neglected by his own country- 
 men, but relieved by a Samaritan, who, though a profeiTed 
 enemy upon the fcore of religion, yet was fo exceeding 
 kind and charitable, that he became phyfician, furgeon, and 
 hoft, and a re.il neighbour to the unknown traveller, 
 wounded by thieves in his journey to Jericho. From the 
 whole, learn, i.That every perfon in mifery is the object 
 of our mercy, our neighbour, and capable of our charity. 
 2. That no difference in relig!on,much lels in fome doubt- 
 ful opinion, will excufe us from exercifmg ads of charity 
 and compaffion towards fuch as are really in want, and 
 need our affiftance : Our holy and merciful religion, makes 
 all perfons the objeft of our compaffion, who are indigene 
 and helplefs ; though they be ftrangers and foreigners, 
 heathens or heretics, friends or enemies ; yea, be they 
 good or bad, holy or wicked, as we have opportunity, we 
 tnuft do good unto all, and imitate the example of our merciful 
 God,vjho is kind to the unthankful, and to the ivil. 3. That 
 real charity is au active operative thiiig; it confifts not m 
 good words given to the diftreffed, nor in aconipaffionate 
 beholding of them, nor in a pitiful mourning over them, 
 but in politive aifts of kindnefs towards them. The S.-.- 
 maritan here is an exainplc of a real and thorough cha- 
 rity ; he turns his face towards the forlorn man, his feet 
 haften to him,his hand pours in wine and oil into his wounds 
 after which he fets him upon his own bealt, brings him to 
 the inn, Uays with hiin all night ; and the next day, 
 bccaufe his recovery would be a work of time and ex- 
 pence, he leaves him, but firft leaves money with the 
 Jioft, a'nd a fpecial charge to take care of hiui ; w iih 
 a punausl promife, that whatever was expended more 
 fhould be repaid. Behold here an inftance and pattern 
 of a complete charity, managed with as much dilcrction 
 il H 2- 
 
 as 
 
9^1 
 
 St. L U' K E. 
 
 M coajpafiion i wcU H»ight «ur Lord fay to tliis perfou, 
 and in him to every one of us, Co, and do thou likewlfe. 
 
 38 9 Now it came to p.ifs, as ttey went, that 
 he entered into a certain vjJla^e : and a certain wo- 
 man named Martha, received him into her houfe. 
 
 Ohftrve here, i.The great work and bulincfs of our Sa- 
 viour's life, it wastogiiaboutpreaching thegofpel. 2. The 
 nature of the place which Chrilt at cbis time preached in, 
 it was a poor village, BL-thany, as fome think. Chrjrtdid 
 not only take care of populous cities and great tosvn?, Ixit 
 private vili.igesand ohfcure places enjoyed alfo the ble.Ting 
 of h.i liiiniltry. Our Saviour^s example herein, is inltruc- 
 tive to his minifters, not to affbd great auditories, and to 
 preach only in populous cities, but to fcatter the feed of 
 the word in country villages, where are like precious fouls 
 to be taken care of and provided for ; as Chrift was fent 
 himfelf, lo he fends his niinilters to preach the gofpel to 
 the poor. 3: The party that entertained him in the vil- 
 lage. Alartha received hhn into her houfe ; Martha is nam- 
 ed, becaufe (he was probably the owner of Vhe houfe : 
 Though Chrift iiad no houfe of his own, yet he had as 
 many as he pleafed at his command ; for whereever he 
 had an heart, he was Aire to have an houfe ; Martha re- 
 tched him into her houfe, 
 
 39 Aiidfhe had a filler, called Mary, whichalfo 
 fat at Jefus' feet, and heard his word. 
 
 Clferve, i . Both thefe fifters were holy and devout wo- 
 Kien,both had an honor and reverence for Chrift, and both 
 are forward to entertain him ; thefe were fifters by grace 
 liS well as by nature ; yea they both for a time attended 
 upon ChriU's preaching. Mary (alio) fat at Jefus's feet, 
 implying that Martha fat there too, till houfehold occafi- 
 ons called her aw.iy : O how happy is that family, where 
 all parties are agreed to receive and entertain the Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift! 2. No fooner is Chrift entered into Martha's 
 houfe, but he falls a preaching ; whilft they provide bo- 
 dily food for him, he prepares fpiritual bread for them ; O 
 that in our place and meafure we might all imitate Chrift 
 in this .' Can we come into any houfe or company, and 
 ^n.l nothing to fay or do for God ! 3. The holy and hum 
 ble deportment of Mary upon this occafion, She fat at Je- 
 fiis^sfeet and heard his -words. When Chrift was fpeaking 
 Mary was hearing, and little things could not take heroff 
 Lord! how carefully flioiild we take the prefent opportu- 
 nity for our fouls, to bear and learn of thee, as Mary did: 
 She was not fure of another opportunity, therefore hears 
 humbly, attentively, affeaionatly, as if it were her laft 
 hearing feafon. 
 
 40 But Martha was cumbered about much ferv- 
 ing, and came to him and faid, Lord, dolt thou not 
 care that my fifter hath left me to ferve alone? bid 
 her therefore that (he help me. 
 
 Cbferve liere, i. Martha's behaviour, She was cumbered 
 ahout much ferving ; that is, much taken up v*rith providing 
 for the entertainment of Chrift and his friends ; all which 
 konfidered in itfelf was tio mifcariage, but a token of Mar- 
 
 Chap. X. 
 
 i perfon that 1 
 he can never ' 
 
 tha's endeiifed refpeft to her beft friend. A 
 iincerely loves Chrift, as Martha did, thinks 
 (hew enough of rcfpc-a un: ' Martha having fucUa 
 
 gaeft to honour her hou!\ rUi herlelf all (he can, 
 
 yea more than (he was al ; .e him entertainment, 
 
 She ivtts cumber ed about rr.u.. ^ v 2- Martha's complaint 
 to Chrilt ccnceruiiig her lifter's not joining with her in the 
 work that lay fo hard upon her ; Urd, d'lfl riit thou care 
 thrJ r.ty fijicr hath kf. mt to ferve alone. f Hid her therefore 
 th:!tjhe help me ; as if Manila had faid, Is it a fit thing, 
 both thyftjf, .in 1 all this company (liould be unprovided 
 for? Or i' ik rcalonabie, that the whole burden Ihould lie 
 upon me, whilft Mary fits ftill, an^I does not touch the leatt 
 houdiul.! hufinefs with one of her niigers ? Lord! what in- 
 firmity and weakiiefsintermixes and mingles wi'hthe vir- 
 tues and graces of the beft of thy fervants, efpecially when 
 they give way to their diftempcred pailions ? This good 
 woman at this time did not attend upon Chrift's preaching 
 herfelfjbut interrupts him with a frivolous complaint about 
 her fifter, Bid her thatjhe help me. lint why did not Mar- 
 tha fpeak te her fifter herfelf, -and whifper in her ear, and 
 acquaint her how (he wanted herhclp, but makes her moan 
 to Chrift ? j^nfwer It is like (he thought her fifter was fo 
 lied by the ear with thofe adjmantine chains of Chrift's 
 heavenly dodrine, that until Chrift was filent (he had no 
 power to ftir ; doubtlefs (hebel^.ed that Mary would not 
 move unlefs Chrift fpake to her fo to do. 3. That all 
 this while, Mary fpeaks not one word for herfelf; no doubt 
 It troubled her, good woman, to kear her fifter complain 
 of her to Chrift, and to find herfelf blamed for her piety, 
 and implicitly condemned for laying hold upon fuch a fweet- 
 opportunity of l^earing the beloved of her l"oul,whofe lips 
 dropped as the honey comb ; however, (lie fpeaks not » 
 word in her own vindication,but leaves her anfwer to her 
 Saviour. Um'n thence,That when we are complained of 
 for well doing, it is ouf duty, and may beour prudence 
 to feal up our lips in (ilence, and to expeftour vindication 
 from above. Mary fays nothing, but Chrift fpeaks for 
 her in the next verfes. 
 
 41 And Jefus anfwered, and faid unto her Mar- 
 tha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about 
 many things : 42 But one thing is needful. And Ma- 
 ry hath chofen that good part, which (hall not be 
 taken away from her. 
 
 Asif Chrift had faid, Martha, Martha, I well knov/tho« 
 Hoeft all this in love to me, and it is no more than what is 
 thy duty in its proper leafon, but thou had ft now an op- 
 portunity to hear my word, which thou canft not have 
 every day, ami it would have pleafed me better, to whom 
 it isincat and drink to feed fouls,if I had fceii thee litting 
 with thy dear (Ifter at my feet, and yielding an attentive 
 regard to my holy doctrine, than to find thee performing 
 a necelfary civility to my perfon. Thou haft \^g)t made a 
 bad choice, but Mary has made a better ; (he has laid all 
 a(ide to attend upon my miniftry, ami the fruit of it w ill 
 continue with her to all eternity; It '.s t'talgoodpart which 
 Jhail never be taken a-way from her. Note here, 1. The 
 uccxpee^edRcfs of our Saviour's anfwsr to Martha, how 
 
 contrary 
 
Chap. XI. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 «45 
 
 •entrary it was to her er.pcirlacion ; Hat thought that her 
 fiftter'houldhave been fent aw.iv wirha check, and herfelf 
 with ihanks, but ilie is quite millaken; for all her good 
 cheer tha:iiie h.idprovHedforChrill' hefparesnot to tell 
 her of her fault ; Martha, iSIartha, thou art troubled about 
 many things. Learn hence, That no oblisrations to any 
 particularperfonsfhouldfo inthral us, but that our tongues 
 ihould be at liberty to reprove ihe faults of our beflfriends, 
 1%-herever werind them. Martha, though apiousand good 
 woman, though a friendly and kind woman, though a wo- 
 man greatly beloved by Chriil, yet is Ihe reproved by 
 Chrift. 2. The reproof given to Martha, Thou art troubled 
 (iboutminy things ; where Chrift condemns not her holpi- 
 tality, bather folicitude and fuperfluity,herdiltrAftionand 
 perplexity. O how prone are we to exceed in things law- 
 ful and neceflary, and to go beyond our bounds in them: 
 When we are faiisfied in the matter, we are prone to ex- 
 ceed in the meafure. Martha's entertainment of Chrift 
 was a noble fervice, but Ihe was too aiixious and folicitons 
 about it ; (he was cumbered, Uie was careful, (he \\s.stroubUd. 
 3. Our Saviour's admonition, But one thing is nee'Jful ; 
 that is, there is one thing which ought firft and pr'incipally 
 to be regarded by us, and is of the greateft concernment 
 to us; namely, the bufinefs of religion, and the care of 
 our foul's falvation. Learn, hence, That the care of re- 
 ligion, and our foul's falvation, is the one thing neceflary, 
 and that which every man is concerned in the firft place, 
 and above all other things, to regard and mind. 4 Our 
 Saviour's julbification of Mary's choice, Mary hath chcfen 
 that fiod part ; " Non tu malam, fed ilia meliorem." 
 Chrift did not tell Martha flie had chofen a bad part, but 
 her fifter had chofen the better. Martha's entertainment 
 of Chrift was good, but Mary's attendance upon Chrift's 
 miniftry was better and more pleallag unto Chrift, Chrift 
 was better pleafed to fee Mary in the chapel, than Mar- 
 tha in the kitchen ; though he doth not condemn the one, 
 yet he extols the other; Mary bad chofen the good part. 
 Learn hence, that j-eligion and the fervice of God muftbe 
 the matter of our election and cho'ce ; we inuft chufe the 
 good part, and it being once chcfen by us, it ftiall never 
 b( taken away from us. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 AND it came to pafs, that as he was praying in 
 a certain place, when he ceafed, one of his 
 difciples faid unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as 
 John alfo taught his difciples. 
 
 The learned Mr. Mede upon this place apprehenc'sthat 
 it was the cuftom of the Jewiili doftors to deliver fome 
 certain form of prayer to their difciples toufe, at leaftthat 
 John Baptift had done fo to his difciples : Thereupon our 
 Saviour's difciples befought him, that he alfo would give 
 them in li^e manner fome fo.-m of his own compofjng, that 
 they might pray with their mafter's fpirit, as John's difci- 
 ples did with his. Accordingly our Saviour gives them 
 hers a form Oi his own, and commands them when ihey 
 pray to ufe it. Indeed he had given them this prayer, 
 about a year and a hah' before, in his ferraon upon the 
 
 mount. Matt. vi. 9. AJKrthls manner pray ye; where itis 
 probable, that the dilciples looked upon it onl)- as n pattern 
 of prayer, and not as a form ; for had they thought that 
 Chrift had given them a form of pray.'r before, they had 
 not alked him for one now : Therefore, fays Chrift, IVhen 
 ye pray, fay . Certainly this gives us to underftand, that 
 our Saviour intendetl and commended it for a fet form of 
 prayer unto his church. Learn hence, 'J'hat the Lord's 
 prayer is both a pattern and platform, according to which 
 all our prayers ought to be framed ; and alfo an exatl 
 form of prayer, which ougUt to be ufed by us in our ad- 
 dreflTes to the throne of grace : /^jter this manner pray ye, 
 fays St. Matthew: When ye pray, fay, fays St. Luke. 
 
 2 And he faid unto them. When ye pray, fay, 
 
 Chfer-je here, The favor which Chrift does us in pre- 
 fcribing a form of prayer to us ; a great favor no doubt, 
 though the world sjrows weary of it : Wc know not, alas! 
 what to alk^ but he liimlelf teaches us, and frames our fu))- 
 plication for us, that it may be accepted. Should a king's 
 fon draw a petition for a poor fubjedl, to be put up to his 
 father, what a g;ouiid of hope would there be, that what- 
 ever is defircd would be obtained? If any of us then think 
 meanly of our Lord'i prayer. Ohow meanly may h* think 
 of us, and of our prayers ! 
 
 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy 
 name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as 
 in ht.'aven fo in earth. 3 Give us day by day our 
 daily bread. 4 And forgive us our fins ; for we 
 alfo forgive every one that is indebted to us. And 
 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, 
 
 The fenfe andfignification of this beft of prayers is this, 
 " O thou ourFatherin JefusChrift ! whoremaineft in thy 
 " throne in heaven, and art tjiere perpetually praifed and 
 " perfefily obeyed by glorious angels and glorified faints, 
 " Grant that thy name maybe glorified, tiiy throne ac- 
 " knowledged, and thy holy will obeyed here on earth be- 
 " low, by us thy font and fervants, asreadily, ascheerfully, 
 " and fincerely , and in fome degree of proportion to what is 
 " done in the above. And becaufe, by reafcn of the 
 " frailty of our natures, we cannot fubfift without the com- 
 " forts and fupportsof life, we crave onr daily bread at thy 
 " bountiful hand ; even fuch a proportion of the good things 
 " of this life as thy wifdom (hail fee convenient for us. — 
 " And knowing, that thy holinefs and juftice doth obli£,e 
 " thee to puniflifin and rniners,we plead with thee, for the 
 " fake of thy Son's fatisfaftion, to forgive i^s our daily 
 " trefpaffes; for it is our delire and endeavour, heartily to 
 " forgive thofe that have offended us; and feeing this wick- 
 " ed world wherein we live is fo full of fnares and tempt- 1 
 " rations of all forts, we pray, that by the power of thy 
 " grace, and the concurrence of our own careful endea- 
 " vours,wemay be kept from Satan's temptations, from the 
 " world'salluremeents, and from our own evij inclinations; 
 ' ' and be preferved unblameabie to thine everlafting king- 
 "dom-andin teftimony of our defines and aflurance to be 
 "heard, we fay y^/wew, fo 1 eit, fo letit be, evenfo,OLord, 
 " let it be for evar." Learn, i.That Godis the Father cf all 
 
 bis 
 
^6 
 
 St, LUKE. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 his peop!* ; i^a Father lie knows all Iiis cliiliircn, he loves 
 thcrn anJ takes care of them ; as his children, it is our 
 duty to honor him, to obey him, to imitate him, to cadour 
 care upon him, and to long for the enjoyment of him. 2. 
 From the word, our, learn. That it is our duty to pray for 
 others, as well .is for ourfelves; we cannot pray acceptably 
 for ourfelves, if we pray only for curfelves. 3. That the 
 hallowing, honoring, and fandlifying of God's name, asit 
 js the firft thing we are to pray for, fo it ought to be pre- 
 ferred before ail other things whatfoever ; we pr.iy for it 
 before we pray for own falvation ; we fay, Halhwe/i h 
 thy nanir, before we fay, Forgive us our debts. 4. Learn, 
 That iins are debts, and finners are indebted to divine 
 •uftice. Sin is .t\) intinite debt, a multiplied debt, an inex- 
 tulable debt, and if not difcharged by our Surety, wemuft 
 lie in prifon to all eternity, for non-payment of this debt. 
 5. That God hns made our forgivenefs of others the con- 
 dition of his forgiving us : The word as, is not a note of 
 equality, but of limilitude; we cannot equal God in for- 
 giving, but we muft imitate him. 6. No fooner is fin 
 pardoned, but Satan will be bufy with his temptation. — 
 Forgive ui cur Jms and lead us not Into temptation. 7. That 
 it is a greater mercy to be delivered from the evil of temp- 
 tation, than from temptations to evil. The evil of temp- 
 tations is the evil of fin, but temptation 10 evil is at moft 
 but the evil of punifliinent. Lead us not into temptation, 
 hut deliver us from evil ; fuffer us not to be led into temp- 
 tation, or, if fo, leave us not when we are tempted. 
 
 5 And he faid unto them, Which of you (hall 
 have z friend, and (hall go unto him at midnight, 
 and fay unto him. Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 
 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, 
 • and I have nothing to fet before him : 7 And he 
 from within (hall anfwer and fay. Trouble me not : 
 the door is now (hut, and my children are with me 
 in bed; I cannot rife and give thee. 8 I fay unto 
 you, Though he will not rife and give him becaufe 
 he is his friend; yet becaufe of his importunity, 
 he will rife and give him as many as he needeth. 
 
 The defign of ourblelTed Saviour in thefe, and the fol- 
 Jowing veries,Ts to excite and ftir up his difciples to fervency, 
 >fiiportunity,afldcon(lancy in theduty of prayer, and to this 
 purpofe he makes ufe of a double argument, the one of a 
 friend, and the oth»«r of a father, i. He lays before them 
 the parable of a friend, coming to his friend at midnight, 
 and by his importunity obtaining ihat of him which ctlier- 
 wife he mull have gone without. From whence our Lord 
 leaves us to infer. That if an impudent and bold beggar 
 can obtain fo much from man, what cannot an humble, 
 eameft, and daily petitioner obtain from God? What friend 
 fo faithful and helpful to his deareft friend, as Godistous 
 his children? From the whole, note, i. That a man muft 
 be brought into a ftate of friendfhfp and reconciliation with 
 God, if he hopes his prayer: /lull be accepted, i. That 
 n hen any of the friends of God are in necefiities and (traits, 
 he allows them the liberty at all hours to call upon him, and 
 pray unto him ; at mi-dnight, as well as at mid-day, God's 
 ear is open to his p.'"aying frieiiJ;. 3- Thst alniighty God 
 
 takes pleafure in being urged in prayer by the holy impor- 
 tunity of his friends : Never is hebetterpleafed, than when 
 his people, with holy Jacob, vjreJiU -juith him, and will not 
 let him go till he hath hUlPed thtm. 4. That fuch holy and 
 humble importunity fliall not only obtain what we delired, 
 butniorethan wecxpecled ; only three loaves weredefired 
 here, but becaufe of importunity, he had as many as he 
 needed ; more is given in the concefiion, thaw was (Jefired 
 in the fupplication. The original word here rendered ir»j- 
 portumty,f\gi\\^eiiTnpudence,iccoTii\t\g to that faying among 
 the Jews, rhe impudent man overcomes the modeit and 
 the bsfliful : how much more God, who is goodnefs itfelf ? 
 
 9 And I fay unto you, Afk, and it fliall be given 
 you: feek, and ye fliall find: knock, and it (hall 
 be opened unto you. lO For every one that a(k- 
 cth. rccciveth : and be that feekcth. findeth: and 
 to him that knocketh, it (hall be opened. 
 
 Our Saviour here goes on, to urge us toitnponunity arid 
 conftancy in prayer; he bids us cjk, feek, find knock, and 
 afTuresus we fliall be accepted, heard, andanfuered. Here 
 note, I. Thit man is a poor indigent creature full of wairts 
 but unable to fupply them. 2. As man is an indigent and 
 infufficient creature, foGod is anall-fufficient good, able to 
 fupply the wants, and relieve the neccflities of his creatures. 
 3. 1 hat almii^hty God ftands ready to fupply all our wants, 
 not temporal only, but fpiritual alfo, afTording his grace 
 and the aifirtance of his holy Spirit to them that alk it. 4. 
 If therefore we want the grace of God, and the alliftancc 
 of his holy Ipirit, it is our own fault, and not God's; it 
 is either for w.int of feeking, or for want of earneflnefs 
 in alking ; for our S.iviour expreflly aflures us, that God 
 denies it to none ; hut eviry one that afkeih receiveth. 
 
 1 1 If a fon (hall afk bread of any of you that 
 is a father, will he give him a (lone ? or if he a/k a. 
 fifh, will he for a fifh give him a feipant ? 12 Or 
 if he (hall afk an egg, w'ill he olFer him a fcorpion ? 
 13 If ye then being evil, know how to give good 
 gifts unto your children : how much more ihall 
 your heavenly Father give rhe holy Spirit to them 
 that a(k him. 
 
 The fecond parable which our Saviour makes ufe of, ie 
 that of a father to his children : Chrift reprefcnts the care 
 and kindnefs of God towards us by the affedlions which 
 earthly parents bear to thetr natural children, who though 
 they be many times evil themfelves, yet are not wont to 
 deny their children neceflary good things, when they du- 
 tifully and decently beg them at their hands: If ye being 
 
 evil hovj much mere fhdll your heavenly Father give his 
 
 hily Spirit ; that is, the continual prefence and influence 
 of his holy Spirit, to all the purpoi'es of guidance and di- 
 reftion, of gr.ice and alTiftance, of comfort and(upportiu 
 our chriflian courfe. Learnhcnce, That the prefence and 
 alfiftance of God's holy fpirit, to enable us to d« what 
 God requires, Ihall never be wanting to thole that defire it, 
 and endeavour after it. But we muft always remember, 
 that the alfiftance ofGod's holy Spirit, though it be offered 
 and tendered to us, yet it is not forced upon us; for if 
 
 we beg 
 
Chap. X. 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 ■Hr 
 
 beg the holy Spirft ami his afliftance, but refufe to make 
 life of it, or if we crjr to iiim for his help to mortify our 
 Jufts, but do not put forth our own endeavours, we forfeit 
 the divine afliftance, and God will certainly withdraw his 
 holy Spirit from us, 
 
 14 ? And he was cafling out a devil, and it was 
 dumb. And rt came to pafs whf n the devil was 
 gone out, the dumb fpake : and the people won- 
 dered. 15 But feme of them faid, Hccaftethout 
 devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. i6 
 And others tempting him fought of him a fign from 
 heaven. 17 But he knowing their thoughts faid un- 
 to them, Every kingdom divided agaiiift itfelf is 
 brought to defolation ; and a houfe divided againft a 
 houfe, falleth. 18 If Satan alfo be divided againfl 
 himfelf, how fhall hiskingdom Hand ? becaufe ye (ay 
 that I cafl out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And 
 if I by Beelzebub caft out devils, by whom do your 
 fons caft them out ? therefore they fliall be your 
 judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God caft out 
 devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon 
 you. 
 
 A relation is here gi'ven of a famous miracle wroughiby 
 our Saviour in carting a devil out of a pr^fPefTed man : It is 
 called a dumb devil, becaufe of the t{\'ei\ upon the poor 
 poflefledperfonin reftraining theufeofhistongue. Learn 
 here, i. That among the many calamities which fin has 
 rendered human nature liable and obnoxiousto, thisisone 
 to be bodily poflefTed by Satan. 2.That one denionftr«ion 
 of Chrift's divine power, and a conviclive evidence of 
 his being truly and really God, was his cafting out devils 
 by the word of his power. 3 What a fad and contrary 
 eifetT: this miracle had uponthc wicked Pharifees, through 
 their own blindnefsjObflinacy, and malice : Infteadofmag. 
 rifying his divine power, theymalicioufly accufe him for 
 holding correfpondence with the devil, and afting by a 
 power derived from him ; as if Satan fliould lend our Sa- 
 viour a power againft himfelf, and that for the deftruflion 
 of his own kingdom. Lord ! how dangerous is a willful 
 oppofition againft the truth : it provokes the Almighty to 
 deliver perfonsupto the nioft unreafonable infidelity, and 
 obftmate obduracy. 4. Our Saviour knowing their thoughts 
 makes a juft apology for himfelf, by (liewing how impro- 
 bable and unlikely, how unreafonable andabfurd it is once 
 to imagine or fuopofe that Satan fhould caft out himfelf 
 and any wife feck to oppofe or deftroy his ow n kingdom; 
 ijow, if 1 haveretiived ;faysChrift) mypowtrfroin Sa- 
 tan, for cafting out Satan, then i< the devil like a family 
 divided within itleif, and dividtd like a kit^gdom againft 
 itfelf, which can never ftr.nd, but n;uft bt brought to de- 
 ftruftion. Laftly, Our Saviour tells the Pharifees, that 
 they might with as much reafon attribute all other mira- 
 cles to the power of the devil, asthofe wrought by himftlf 
 for there were certain Jewsamong them thaic-ftourdevils 
 in the name of the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and [acob; 
 «ow our Saviour alks them by whatpower iheie theirchil. 
 
 dren caft them out? Tliey cdiaowicdged what they did 
 was by the power of God, and there was no caufc, but 
 their malice, why tliey fliould not acknowledge that what 
 he did was by the fame power. If I by Beelzeiuh c:ijl out 
 devils, by -xhom do your Jons cj^f them out ^ But if J -wllit 
 the finger 0/ God cajl them out, no doubt the kingdom of Cod 
 if come upon you; that is, the long expefted kingdom of 
 the Meflias is certainly come, and I have wrought thefe 
 miracles by my own power, is a demonftrative proof that 
 I am the promifed Meiilas. 
 
 2 1 When a ftrong man armed keepcth liis palace, 
 his goods are in peace: 22 But when a ftrongcr 
 than he ftiall come upon him, and overcome him, 
 he taketh from him all his armour wherein he truft- 
 ed, and divideth his fpoils. 23 He that is not with 
 me, is againft me : and he that gatheretli not witk 
 me, fcattercth, 24 When the unclean Ipirit is 
 gone out of a man, he walketh through dry place*, 
 feeking reft : and finding none, he faith, I will re- 
 turn unto my houfe, whence I came out. 25- And 
 when he cometh, he findeth it fwcpt and garnifhed. 
 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him feven other 
 fpirits more wicked than himfelf, and they enter in, 
 and dwell there : and the laft ftate of that man u 
 worfe than the firft. 
 
 Our Saviour having fu/Eciently ftiewn, thai he did net: 
 work his miracles by the jiower of the devil, he next in- 
 forms the pharifees from whence he had that power, even 
 from God himfelf; accorrlingly, he compares Satan to a 
 ftrong man armed with weapons to defend his houfe ; and 
 himfelfcloathed with divine power, he compares to one thai: 
 is ftronjTcr than the ftrong man : So that the argument runs 
 thus, The devil is very ftrong and powerful, and there is 
 no power but only God's that is ftronger than his; If then 
 fays Chrift, I were riot aflifted withadivine power,Icoul(3 
 never caft out this ftrong mm, who reigns in the bodies 
 and fouls of men, as in his houfe ; for it mull be a ftronger 
 than the ftrong man, that (hall bind Satan, and who ishe 
 but the Gcd of ftrength? /r^rrn thence. That only Chnft'i 
 divine pow er is fuperior to Satan's ftrength ; he only cat; 
 vanquifh and o\'er rule him at hit pleafure, and drive him 
 out of that polliiTion, which he holds either in the bodies 
 orfoulsof men : The ftrong menarmed, keeps the h'ji./e, til!., 
 &c. A'<;/f here, i. That Satan isan unclean fpii it, he hath 
 lolt his original purity, his holy nature in wh.ch he was 
 cremated, siul is by fin become univerfally finful and impure 
 No means being allowed him by God, for the purging of 
 his filthy and impure nature; yea, he is a perfeiit enemy to 
 purity and holinefs; maligning all that love it and would 
 proni'ite it. 2. That Satan isa reftlefs and unquiet fpirit 
 bc;ng cart out of heaven, he can reft now herr ; when he 
 is eiti-er gone out ofamanbv policv, or caft om by power. 
 Hehas nctontent or fatiffyiuon, till he returns into a filthy 
 heart, where he delights tobe, as thcfw ii ein miryplaces. 
 3. '{'hat wicked and profane linners have thi unclean fpirit 
 dwelling in them; their hearts are Satans hoiife and habi- 
 tat!^), and the lufts of pride and unbelief, malice and 
 
 reveng* 
 
■i8 
 
 -St. L U K E. 
 
 CHAt. X. 
 
 revenge, envy and hypocrify, thefe are the garnifliings and 
 furniture of Satan's houfe : man's heart was God's hoiife 
 by creation, it is p.orv Satan's by ufurpation and judiciary 
 tradition. 4. That Satan, by the preaching of the gofpel 
 may feeni to go outof perfons, and they become fobcr and 
 
 example of the queen of the South, and the men of Nine- 
 veh. From thence /fdrw That the iijis of infidelity andim- 
 penitcncy are exceedingly heightened, and their guilt ag- 
 grav.ntcd, from the nieans alforded by Ood to bring men 
 to f.iith and obedience. The (in of ihe Pharifees was in- 
 
 civihzed; yet may he return again to his old habitation, finitely greater in rejecting the evidence of Chrill's mira- 
 
 e- clcs, than the fin of the Ninivitcs would have been in re- 
 
 and the latter end maybe that man is worfe than the be- 
 ginning. 
 
 275 And it came to pafs, as he fpake thefe things 
 a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice 
 and faid unto him, Bleffed is the womb that bare 
 thee, and the paps which thou haft fucked. 28 But 
 he faid, yearather bleffed are they that hear the 
 word of God, and keep it. 
 
 Obftrveheve, i. How ready we are to admire perfons 
 fnr their external privileges, and the favours of divine 
 providence, and to pronounce Aich biefTed ; Dlejfed is the 
 ~d)omh that bare thee. 1. That Chrift makes another jadg- 
 men: of perfons, and pronounces them more biefTed, that 
 bear him in their lieart by faith than his own mother, who 
 bare him in her womb by fenfe. The bleflednefs of being 
 an obedient believer is far greater than that of being the 
 mother of our bleffed Saviour. BlelTed be God, this great 
 and gracious priviledge is not deni*d to u« now; although 
 we cannot fee Chrift, ypt love him we njay ; his bodily 
 prefence cannot be enjoyed by us, but his fpiritual gracious 
 preli-nce is not denied us : Though Chrift be not curs in 
 iioufe, in arms, by affinity, by confanguinity ; yet in heart 
 in faith, in love in fervice, he is, or may beouc's ; verily . 
 fpiritual regeneration, and an obediential doing of God's 
 will, bringtth men into a more honorable relation to 
 Chrift, than natural generation ever did ; Tea, rather biej- 
 ed are t hey that htar the word nf Cod, and keep it. 
 
 29 ? And when the people were gathered thick 
 together, he began to lay, This is an evil generation 
 •they. leek a fign, and there (hall no fign be given 
 it, but the fign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as 
 Jonas was a fign unto the Nintvitcs, fo fhallalfo 
 the Ion of man be to this generation, 31 The 
 queen of the fouth fhallrifeup in thejudgment with 
 the men of this generation, and condemn them for 
 fhe came from the utmoft parts of the earth to hear 
 the wifdom of Solomon : and behold, a greater than 
 Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh Ihall rife 
 up in the judgement with this generation, and fliall 
 condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of 
 Jonas : and behold a greater than Jonas is here. 
 
 The fign which the Pharifees here defired of our Saviour 
 .was a miracle wrought by him: Now our Saviour, though 
 he was very ready 10 work miracles, to encouragf and con- 
 firm his hearers faith, yet not to f'atisfy the unbelieving 
 Pharifees curioilty : And accordingly he tells ihtni, they 
 Jh<!uld have no other fign than that of his refurrcclicn, 
 which Jonas was a type of. Next he threatens them for 
 (UieJcobftinacy and iufidcliry, which ie aggravates from the 
 
 t 
 
 fufing to hearken to Jonas's niiniftry 
 neviies fliall condemn the Pharifees. 
 
 thertfore, the Ni- 
 
 33 No man when he hath lighted a candle, putteth 
 it in a fecret place, neither under a bufhcl : but on 
 acandleftick, that they which come in may fee the 
 light. 34 The light of the body is the eye : There- 
 fore, when thine eye is finglc, the whole body alfo 
 is full of light: but vf hen thine tye is evil, thy body alf© 
 is full of darknefs: 35 Take heed thertfore, that 
 the light which is in thee be not darknefs. 36 If 
 thy whole body therefore ^cfuU of light, having no 
 part dark, the whole fliall be full of light, as whca 
 tbe bright fliining of a candle doth give the light. 
 
 Our Saviour, in thefe words does thefe two things: 
 I. He declares, that ahhough his miiiiftry had no eflect 
 upon the proud and obftinate Pharifees, yet he would not 
 hide the light which he came into the world to bring, nor 
 conceal that heavenly doftrine which his Faiher had com- 
 mitted to him to communicate to the children of men : 
 Teaching us, That fuch as are enlightened by God with 
 the knowledge of his word and will, ought not to conceal 
 and hide this knowledge within themfelves,but communi- 
 cate it to others, and improve it for the good and 
 benefit of ethers ; No nan that lighteth a candle, putteth it 
 under ahuff el. 2. Our Saviour here difcoverstlie reafon 
 why the Pharifees continued hlind under fo clear a light as 
 that of his miniltry : namely, becaufe tiie eye of their un- 
 derftanding was darkeiied, not fo much with ignorance as 
 with prejudice, whereby they oppofcd Chrifl and his holy 
 doftrine ; for if the mind be clearly eidightened by the 
 word and Spirit of God, that light v^ill ditfufe and fpread 
 itfelf in the foul, as the blight fliining of a candle doth in 
 the houfe ; enlightening all the inward faculties, and di- 
 rerting all the outward actions, and communicating its light 
 alfo to the enlightening of others. 
 
 37 1 And as he fpakc, a certain Pharifec befought 
 him to dine with hiin : and he went in, and fat down 
 to meat. 38 And when the Pharifee faw it he mar- 
 velled that he had no^ firft wafhed before dinner. 
 39 And the Lord faid unto him. Now do ye Pha- 
 rifees make clean the outfide of the cup and the 
 platter: but your inward part is full of ravening and 
 wickednefs. 40 Ye fools, did not he that madcthat 
 which is without, make that which is within alfo f 
 
 Ob/erve hfrre, 1. The free converfation of our biefTed 
 S-^viour, how readiiy he complies with the Pharifee's invi- 
 tation to dine with him. 1 do not find that when Cliriit 
 was invited to any table, that ever he refufed to go : If a 
 
 Pharifee 
 
CHiVP. XI. 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 «4i< 
 
 Pharifee, if a publican invited hiin, he conftantly went ; 
 not fo much for the pleal'ure of eating, as for the oppor- 
 iiity of converllngand doing good. Chrift feallsus when 
 we feed him : He fays of hiinfelf, that he came eating and 
 drinking; that is, allowing iiiinfelf a free thoughinnocent 
 converfation with al! forts of perfons, rhathe mightgain 
 fonie. 2. The exception which the Pharifee takes at our 
 Saviour's not wafliing his hands before dinner. This they 
 made (but without any warrant for itj a religious act, 
 abounding in external walkings, bntneglefting the inward 
 purgation of their hearts and confciences from fin and un- 
 cleanncfs. Thus Pharifaicalhypocrify puti God off with 
 oiitward cleaning, infteail of inward purity ; regarding 
 more the outward cieannefs of the hand, than the inward 
 purity of the heart. 3. Our bkfTed Saviour does not 
 condemn any external decency and cleanlincfs in conver- 
 fation, but his defign is to (liew the vanity of outward pu- 
 rity, without inward fanclity, and to convince them of the 
 neceflity of cleaning the heart, in order to the purifying 
 and reforming the life. 'J lie Pharifee waflied his hands 
 clean, but left h';s foul full of undeannefs, notconfidering, 
 that he that made the foul as well as the body, requires 
 that bothlhould be kept pure, all the impiety of men's lives 
 proceeding from the impurity of their hearts and natures. 
 
 41. But rather give alms of fuch things as you 
 have : and behold, all things are clean unto you. 
 
 As if Chrift had faid, The wav to purify your meats 
 and drinks, andeftatcs, from all pollution cleaving to them 
 and to have them fanclified bleilings to you, is (in con- 
 juncUon with other gracei) by doing works ofniercy, and 
 by liberal almsgiving, according to your ability. Learn, 
 That charity and alms giving, according to ourability and 
 opportunity, is a fpecial mean to fanftify oureltatesto us, 
 and tocaufe us holily and comfortably to enjoy whatever 
 we do polTefs ; .Give alms of fuch things as ye have, and be- 
 hold ell things are clean untoynu. As if Lhrift had faid, 
 Your temporal enjoyments are unclean ; that is, unlawful 
 to be ufed by you, till you have fanctiiied them by fome 
 aft of charity, which will procure a blelling upon your 
 fubltance. 
 
 42 But wo unto you, Phnrifees : for ye tithe mint 
 and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pafs over 
 judgment and the love of God : thefe ought ye to 
 have done, and not to leave the other undone. 
 
 Our Saviour here denounces a wo againft the Pharifecs 
 for their Uriel fcrupulousobferving the lefTer things of the 
 the law, as tithing mint and rue, whiift they wereregard- 
 lels of the principle and fubftantial duties, whichthey ow- 
 ed both toGod and man. Leurn hence, That although 
 fome duties are of greater moment and importance than 
 others, yet a good man will omit none, but make confcience 
 of all, both great and fmall, in obedience to the command 
 of God : There is no duty fo little as to be neglected, no 
 command fo fmall as to be difobeyed ; but yet there is a 
 difference in duties, and our firft regard ought rather tobe 
 to the greater than to the lefs Chrift doth rot condemn 
 them for tithing mint and rue, hut far fcfftrg over judg- 
 mcni and the love oj Cod. 
 
 43 Wo unto you, Pharifees : for ye love the up- 
 pennofl feats in the fynagogues, and greetings in 
 
 he markets. 
 
 The next wo denounced againft the Pharifecs, h for 
 theirambition, pride, and popularity, affeftingthe uppcr- 
 moft feats in the fynagoguts,and falutationsin the markets 
 Where their fault was, not in taking, but affec'tiiip thefe 
 upperniofl pin.ces: God is the God of order ; there ni.".V 
 and ought to be a precedency amongft perfons : Honouv 
 is given to whom honour is due, and that by God's coui- 
 mand : But pride and ambition are deteftable vices, cfpe- 
 cially in fuch as are preachers, and ought to be patterns 
 of humiliiy. 
 
 44 Wo unto you, fcribes and Pharifees, hypo- 
 crites : for ye are as graves which appear not, and 
 the men that walk over them, are not aware of them. 
 
 Another wo is here denounced againft the Pharifees, for 
 cheating and deceiving the people with an outward lliew 
 and appearance of piety and religion. They were like 
 graves and fepulchres grown over with grafs,which, though 
 they held dead mens bones, yet the piitrefaiflion not out- 
 wardly appearing, men walked unawares over them, and 
 fo were polluted by them ; intimating,that the inward rot- 
 tennefs and filthy corruptions of the Pharifees not appear* 
 ingunto men, the people were eafily deceived by outward 
 fliews of Pharafaical fan£tity,and fo fell into a dangerous 
 imitation of chem. Z.f<jrw thence, That the great dtfign 
 of hypocrites, is to cheat the world with an eirpty flievv 
 of piety ; the hypocrites ambition is to be thought good, 
 not to be fo. 2. That nothing is more fatally dangerousto 
 the fouls of men, and draws perfons toan admiration and 
 imitationofhypocriticalprofeffors, like their out ward Ihews 
 offanftity, and their extraordinary appearances of devo- 
 tion and piety. This it was that gained the Pharifees fuch 
 a veneration and efteem among the people, that it becamea 
 proverb amongft them, "If but tw o men went to heaven 
 theonemuftbe a Pharifee ; But their counterfeit piety 
 being double iniquity, they did receive for it double dam- 
 nation. 
 
 45 1 Then atifwered one of the lawyers, and faid 
 unto him, Maflcr, thus faying, thou reproached; 
 us alfo. 46 And he faid. Wo unto you alfo ye law- 
 yers : for ye lade men with burdens grievous tobe 
 borne, and ye yourfelves touch not the burdens 
 with one of your fingers. 
 
 The former woes were denounced by our Saviour againft 
 the Pharifees, who had their names from an Hebrew word 
 which fignifies to ft perate. hecouie they were perfons fcpe- 
 rated and fet apart for ftudying the lawof God,and teach- 
 ing it to others. The next wo is here denounced againft 
 the lawyers, that is, the fcribes of the law ; of which there 
 were two forts, the civil fcribe, and the ecclelinftical 
 fcribe; the civil fcribe was a public notary, or a regifter 
 of the fynagogue, employed in writing bills of divorce, 
 and fentences in the phylacteries. The ecclcli;iflical 
 fcribe, was an expounder of th«icriptiire, an interpretorof 
 the law, men of great learning and know ledge, whofr de- 
 crees and interpretations the Pharifecs flriftly ob.'"crved. 
 
 1 I 1 his 
 
S50 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap, ft. 
 
 This lawyer here infolently calls our Saviour's reproof a 
 reproach: However, our Saviour, who never feared the 
 face, nor regarded the perfon of any man, gives them their 
 portion, and lets them know wherein they were faulty as 
 well as the I'harifees; and accordingly pronounces a wo 
 unto them alfo, for a threefold crime: i. For their lay- 
 ing heavy burdens upon others ihoiilders, which they 
 would not touch with one of their fingers. Thefe burdens 
 in general, were a ripid exadlion ofobedience in the whole 
 ceremonial law ; and, in particular, the burden of tradi- 
 tions, certain aufteritics and feverities, which they impo- 
 fed upon the people, but would not undergo any part of 
 them thcmfelves. In vain do we hope to oblige our hear- 
 ers to follow thofe rules of life, which we refufe or ne- 
 glect to put in praftice ourfelves. 
 
 47 Wo unto you : for ye build the fepulchres of 
 the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 
 Truly, ye bear witnefs that ye allow the deeds of 
 your fathers : for they indeed killed them, and ye 
 build their fepulchres. 49 Therefore alfo faid the 
 wifdom of God, I will fend them prophets and apof- 
 tles, ^ndfcmie of them they fhall flay and perfecute: 
 f,o That the blood of all the prophets which was 
 flicd from the foundation of the world, may be 
 required of this generation; 51 From the blood of 
 Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, which perifhed 
 between the altar and the temple : Verily I fay 
 unto you, It fhall be required of this generation. 
 
 The fecond crime which Chrift reproves in thefe men, 
 is their grand hypocrify, in pretending great honor to the 
 faints departed, building their tombs, and garniihing their 
 fepu!chres,declaimingagainrt their fathers impiety, that had 
 they lived intheirday. they would not have been partakers 
 with them in their fins. Now their hypocrify appeared in 
 three particulars: i. In that they continued in their own 
 wickednefs, and yet commended the faints departed ; they 
 magnify the faints, but multiply their fins, and, inftead of 
 imitating their virtues, they content thenifelves with gar- 
 nifliing their fepulchres. 2. In profefling great refped to 
 the dead faints, and at the fame time perfecuting the living: 
 Palpable hypocrifj ! and yet, as grofs as it is, it prevails to 
 this day. The church of Rome, who magnify martyrs, 
 and canonize faints departed, haveyet added to their num- 
 ber, by fliedding s>f their blood. 3. In taking falfe mea- 
 fures of thoir love to the faints departed, from their build- 
 ing their tombs, andgarnifhing their fepulchres ; whereas 
 the beft evidence of our love to them, is the imitating their 
 virtues, and cherifliing their followers. It is grofs hypo- 
 crify to pay refpcft to the relifts of faints, and veneration to 
 their images, and at the fame time to perfecute and hate 
 their followers. From the whole, note, i. That the world 
 lias all along loved dead faints better than living ones, /l/»r- 
 tu't non trior dent .- The dead faint's example, how bright So- 
 ever, is not fo korching and troublefonie at a diftance, and 
 he himfell Hands no longer in other men's light ; whereai 
 the bvnig faint's example is a cutting reproof to fin and 
 vice. 2. Thar there is a certain civility in human nature, 
 which leads men to a jaft commendation of the dead, and 
 
 to a due eftimation of their worth. The Pharifecs here, 
 tho' they perfecuted the prophets wliilft alive, yet did they 
 pretend to a mighty vener?tion for their piety and virtue 
 after they were dead, and thought no honor teo great to 
 be done unto them. 3. That it is the greateft hypocrify 
 imaginable to pretend to love goodnefs, and at the fame 
 time to hate and perfecute good men. Thefe Pharifees and 
 lawyers pretended highly to piety and religion, and at the 
 fame time killed the prophets. 4. That the higheft honor 
 we can pay to the faints departed, is not by raifing monu- 
 ments, and building tombs to their memories, but by a 
 careful imitation of their piety and virtue, following the 
 holinefs of their lives, and their patience and conftancy at 
 their death. LalUy, learn, That it is a righteous thing 
 with God to punifh children for the impiety of their parents, 
 when they walk in their ungodly parents footlleps. Upon 
 you fliall come the blood of all the prophets, from the 
 blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias : Yet mufl this 
 be underftood of temporal evils, not of eternal punifh- 
 ments; no man for his father's fins fliall lie down in ever- 
 lafting burnings : As our father's faith will not let us 
 into heaven, fo neither will their impiety fliut us into hell: 
 At the day of judgment, every man fhall be feparately 
 cosfidered according to his own deeds. 
 
 52 Wo unto you lawyers : for ye have tak'en a- 
 way the key of knowledge, ye entered not in your- 
 felves, and them that were entering in, ye hintiered. 
 
 The lafl wo pronounced by our Saviour againft the fcribes 
 and Pharifees, is for perverting the holy fcriptures, ant' 
 keeping the true fenfe and knowledge of them from the 
 people : This St. Luke hdte calls, The taking away the key 
 of kno'Jiledge from men ; alluding to a cuftom among the 
 Jews, in admiflion of their doctors : Thofe that hrid au- 
 thority given them to interpret the lasv and the prophets, 
 ■were folemnly admitted into that office, by delivering to 
 ihcm a key and a table-book; fo that by the key of know- 
 ledge is meant the interpretation and underftanding of the 
 fcriptures: And by taking away that key , ii ligniHed, i. 
 That they arrogated to themfelves the fole power of un- 
 derftanding and interpreting the holy Icriptures. 2. That 
 they kept the true knowledge of the fcriptures from the 
 people, efpecially the prophecies which concern the king- 
 dom and coming of the Meflias ; and fo they hindered men 
 from embracing our Saviour's dodrine, who were other- 
 wife well enough difpofed for it. Learn, i . That the writ- 
 ten word is the key whereby an entrance into heaven is 
 opened unto men. 2. That the ufe of this key, or the 
 knowledgeof the word of God, isabfolutely and indifpen- 
 fably necefTary in order to falvation. 3. That great is 
 the guilt, and inexcufable the fault of thofe who deny the 
 people the ufe of this key, and deprive them of the know- 
 ledge of the holy Scriptures, which alone can make them _ 
 wile unto falvation. 4. That fuch as do fo, fhut the 
 kingdom ot heaven againft men, endeavouring what in 
 them lies to hinder their falvation : Men may mifcarry 
 with their knowledge, but they are fure to periili for lack 
 of knowledge. 
 
 53 Aud as he faid thefe things unto them, the 
 
 fcribes. 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 2i?l 
 
 fcribes and the Pharifees began to urge him vehe- 
 mently, and to provoke him to fpeak of many 
 things : 5 4 Laying wait for him, and feeking to catch 
 foraethingout of his mouth, that they might accufe 
 him. 
 
 Chferve here, How our blelTecI Saviour'splain and faith- 
 ful dealing with thefe men, doth enrage, inllead of reforming 
 them; they are filled with anger and indignation. 1. Their 
 wrath fets their wits on work toenfnare him. Lord! when 
 any of tSy faithfulminillersandambafladors meet with the 
 likeufage and treatment from a witkedworld; when any Jie 
 in wail to catch fomethingout of our mouth, that therewith 
 they may enfn ire us; give us thy prudence and thy patience 
 that we may cut offoccalion from thofcthat feekoccafion 
 again{t us, and difappoint them of tlieir purpofe ; or elfe 
 furnifli us with fuch meafures of meeknefs and patience as 
 becomes peribns of our holy character and profelHon, that 
 we may glory in reproaches, inperfecniions, and diftreffes 
 for Chrilt's fake; and that the ipirit of glory and of God 
 may relt upon us. 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 IN the mean time, when there- were gathered to- 
 gether an innumerable multitude of people info- 
 much that they trode one upon another: he began to 
 fay unto his difciples firfl of all, BJWare ye of the 
 leaven of tlie Pharifees, which is hypocrify. 2 For 
 there is nothing covered that ftiall not be revealed; 
 neither hid, that fhall not be known. 3 Therefore, 
 whatfoeverye have fpoken in darknefs (hall be heard 
 in the light: and that which ye have fpoken in the 
 ear in clofets (hall be proclaimed upon the houfe tops 
 
 In this chapter our blefled Saviourfurnifhes his difciples 
 with inflrudtions for the worthy difcharge of their function 
 in preaching the gofpel ; particularly he reccommends unto 
 them two gracious qualifications, namely, uprightnefsand 
 fincerity, ver. i. 3. Secondly, courage and magnanimity, 
 ver. 4, 5. I. He recommends unto them thegrace and vir- 
 tue of fincerity ; Beware oftheleavettofthe Pharifees which 
 it hypicrify. Learnhence, that hypocrify is a dangerous 
 leaven, which miniilers and people are chiefly and efpecially 
 to beware of, and topreferve themfelvesfrom. Hypocrify 
 is a vice in vizor, the face is vice, the vizor is virtue ; God 
 is pretended, felf-mtended. Hypocrify is refeinbled to lea- 
 ven, partly for its fournefs, partly for its dilfufivenels. 
 Leaven is a piece of four dough, that diffufesitfelf intothe 
 whole mafsor lump of bread with which it is mixed. Thus 
 hypocrify fpreads over all the man ; all his duties, parts and 
 performances are leavened with it. Again, leaven is of a 
 dwelling as well as of a fpreading nature ; it puffs up the 
 dcugh, and fodoes hypocrify the heart. The Pharifees 
 were a lour and proud fort of people; they were all for pre- 
 eminence, chief places, chief feats, chief titles, to be called 
 Riibbi, Rahhi.- In a word, as leaven is hardly difcerned 
 from good dough at firfl fight fo is hypocrify hardly dif- 
 cerned and diftinguiflied from fincerity. The Pharifees 
 outwardly appeared righteous unto men, but within were 
 fullof hypocrify and iniq'iity. Next, The argument which 
 
 Chrift ufes to dilTnadc men from hypocrify ; There is no. 
 thing covered that Jhall not be revealed; as ifhehadfaid. 
 The day is coining, when a rotten andcorrupt heart fliall 
 no longer pifs under the vizor and difguife of a demure 
 look : In the day of judgment, hypocritical fmners (liall 
 walk naked; God, angels and men fhall fee their fliame. 
 Learn hence. That God will certainly, ere long, wafh off 
 all the varnilh and paint that the hypocrite has put upon 
 the face of his profelTion, and lay him open to the terror of 
 himfelf and the aftonifhment of the world. 
 
 4 And I fay unto you, my friends, Be not afraid 
 of them that kill the body and after that have no 
 more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you 
 whom you (hall fear : fear him which, after he hath 
 killed, hath power to cafl into hell : yea, I fay unto 
 you, fear him. 
 
 The fecond duty which our Saviour prelTesupon his dif- 
 ciples, is that of holy ccnirage and refolution : Asif Chrift 
 had faid, the preaching of the gofpel will ftir upmany ene- 
 mies againft you ; which will malign and oppofe you, vex 
 and perfecute you ; but I fay unto you, fear them not who 
 can only kill the body ;butfear him whoif youfail inyour 
 duty, can caftboth the body and foul intohell. Here note, 
 
 1. An unwarrantable fear condemned, and that is, the 
 finful fervile fear of man ; Fear not them that kill the body. 
 
 2. An holy awful and prudential fear of the oninipoientGod 
 commended ; Fear him that is able to kill both body andfoul. 
 
 3. The pe rfons whom this duty of fear is reccommended 
 
 to, and bound upon; difciples, minifters, and ambaJadors 
 
 all the friends of Chrift : They not only may, but oughr 
 
 to fear him ; not only for his greatnefsand goodnefs, but 
 
 upon the account of his punitive juflice, as being ablq to 
 
 caft both fouland body into hell. Such a fear is not only 
 
 lawful but laudable; not only commendable, but comm.an- 
 
 ded, and not mifoecoming the friends of Chrill : The 
 
 minifters of God may ufe arguments from fear of judgmenr 
 
 boh to dilTuade from fin,and to perfuade to duty. It is not 
 
 unfuitable to the beft of faints to keep in heaven's way for 
 
 fear of hell ; it is good to bid a friend fear, when that fear 
 
 tendeth to his good. 
 
 6 Are not (ive fprfrrows fold for two farthings 
 and not one of them is forgotten before God ? 7 
 But e-'en the very hairs of your head are all number- 
 ed. Fear not therefore yc are of more value than 
 many fparrows. 
 
 Oh/trvehere, i. Thedo(flrine which our Saviour preaches 
 to his difciples, and that is, the doiftrine of the divine pro- 
 vidence, w hich concerns itfelf for the meaneftof crea'ures. 
 Even the birds of the air, and the hairs of our heads, do 
 fall within the compafs of Gotl'sproteftingcare. 2. 1 he 
 ufe which our i^aviour makes of this doctrine, namely, to 
 fortify his difciples fpirits againfl all diftrullful fears and dif- 
 trac^ng cares. Lecs>n hence, 1. That the conlidcration of 
 the divine care, and gracious providence cf God over us 
 and ours, ought to antidote our fpirits againit all dillrultful 
 fears whatfoever. If -an hair from the head falls ^lt)C to 
 the ground without a providence, much kfs Ihall the head 
 itfelf: If the very excrefccnces oftiiebuJy (fuch are the 
 
 1 1 2 hairs 
 
2*2 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 CHAr. xir. 
 
 Iiairs) be tnken care of by Cod, fiirely tlie more noljle 
 pins of the body, but cfpecially the nobleft part of our- 
 felves, our foul fllll! fall under his peculiar regard. 
 
 8 Alfo I fay unto you, Whofocver fhall confefs 
 me before men, him Ihall the Sonof inan alfo con- 
 fefs before the angels of God. 9 But he that dcni- 
 eth me before men, fhall be denied before the an- 
 gels of God. 
 
 Note here, i . That not to confefs Chrift, is in his account 
 to deny him, and to be .liliamed of him. 2. That whofo- 
 pvcr l]\-i\\ deny or be aflvimed of Chrift, either in his per. 
 Ion in \\\i gofpcl, or in his members, for any fear or fa- 
 vor of man, Ihall with fliame be difowned, and eternally 
 rcjefted by him at the dreadful judgment of the great day. 
 Chrift may be denied three w.iys; doiflrinally, by an er- 
 roneous and heretical judgment ; verbally, by oral ex- 
 prcllions ; vitally, by a wicked and unholy life : but wo to 
 lijat foul that denies Chrill any of tliefe ways. 
 
 \o And whofoever (hall fpeak a word againfl; the 
 Son of man, it fhall be forgiven him : but unto 
 him that blafphcmeth againfl the Holy Ghofl, it 
 fliall not be forgiven. 
 
 Although never man preached or lived asChrifldid,yet 
 there were thofe thatfpake againfbhim ; theperfonof Jefus 
 was contemned and reproached, for the meannefs of his 
 birth, for the ])overty of his condition, for the freedom of 
 his converfation ; but this fin did not exclude the hope of 
 pardon : Whofoever JI)all fpeak a word againjl the Son 0/ man 
 it/tjall ki forgiven him ; all the reproaches call upon Chrift, 
 as inai), were pardonable ; Intt -whofoever fpeaketh a word 
 againfl the Holy Ghofl , it fhall not he for given him; that is, 
 ■whoever affirms that divine power by which I do all my 
 miracles, to be the power of the devil, fuch blafphemy will 
 be unpardonable, becaufe it is to refill the laft remedy, and 
 to oppofe the beft means of men's conviction: For what 
 could be done more to convir.ce men that Chrift was the 
 true and promifed Meflias, than to work fo many miracles 
 before their eyes to that purpofe ? Now thefe miracles, 
 though evidently wrought by the power of God, the Pha- 
 rifeesafcribed to the powerof the devil, which our Saviour 
 QMihliifphemy againfl the Holy Ghofl, and a fin unpardonable 
 
 1 lAnd when they bringyou unto the fynagogues> 
 and unlo magiflrates and powers, take ye no thought 
 how or what thing ye fhall anfwer, or what ye fhall 
 fay : 12 For the Holy Ghofl fhall teach you, in 
 the fame hour, what ye ought to fay. 
 
 Here our Saviour acquaints his apoftles,that for preach- 
 ing his doftrine, and profeffing his religion, they (liouM be 
 brought before all forts of magiftrates, and into all kinds 
 of courts ; but advifes them when ihey fhonld be fo brought 
 not to be anxioufly thouRhifiil, or folicitoufly careful, what 
 they Ihould fay, for it ttiould be fnggefted to them by the 
 Holy Ghcft what they lliould fpeakin that hour. Thence 
 note. That though the truth of Chrift maybe oppofed, yet 
 the defenders of it fliall never be aihamed ; for rather than 
 
 they fliall want a tongue to plead for it, God himfelf will 
 prompt them by his holy Spirit, and furiiilli them with 
 fuch arguments to defend the truth, as all their adverfa- 
 ries fliall not be able to gainfay ; In thai hour the Holy Chofl 
 fljall teach you vihat you ought to fay. 
 
 13 H And one of the company faid unto him, 
 Mafler, fpeak to my brother, that he divide the in- 
 heritance with me. 1 4 And he faid unto him, Man, 
 who made me a judg<:, or a divider over you ? 
 
 Whilft our Saviour was thus inftrufting his difciplesand 
 the reft of his auditors in things appertaining to the king- 
 dom of heaven, one of the company being more intent, as 
 it feems, upon his temporal than his eternal concerns, de- 
 fired him to fpeak to his brother, todivide the inneritjnce 
 with him. Chrift tells him, he would be neither judge nor 
 arbitrator in any civil affairs, or fecular concerns. This 
 work, as ifChrifthad faid, belongs to the civil niagiftrate, 
 to divide inheritances, and decide controveifies betwixt 
 man and man ; but my work is of another nature, mmely, 
 to preach the gofpel to a loft v.orlil, and to dirt 61 men 
 how to fccure an inheritance in licaven, roi todivide in- 
 heritances here on earth: Teaching lis, That matters of 
 civil juftice donot belong tothofe wliom Chrift fends forth 
 to preach the gofpel ; that v/ork alone is luilic'.ent for them : 
 Theproperwork ofaminifter iswork enough ; onebranch 
 of which is, to manage a perfuading talk berwixt neighbor 
 and neighbor, to prevent differences, and to tompofe them : 
 But asChrift's commiiTioners, snd miniftcrs of the gofpel, 
 they have no authority to intermeddle in civil judgments ; 
 K^ho made me a judge over you P faid our great Mafter ; 
 that is, a judge in civil .ifFairs. 
 
 15 And he faid unto thera. Take hedd, and be- 
 ware of covetoufnefs : for a man's life confifleth not 
 in the abundance of the things which he poffefleth. 
 
 Our Saviour, upon the occafion given him in the fore- 
 going verfes, admoniflies all his difciples and followers to 
 take heed and beware of the fin of covetoufnefs ; aflurinp; 
 them, that neither the comfort nor continuance of man's 
 life doth confift in an abundance ; for though fomething 
 of this world's goods is nccefTary to the comfort and hap- 
 pinefs of life, yet abundance is not neceffary. Here olferve, 
 I. The manner of our Lord's caution ; he doubles it; not 
 faying. Take heed alone, or beware only ; but. Take heed, 
 and he-Mare both: This argues, that there is a ftrong in- 
 clination in our natures to this fin ; the great danger we 
 are in of falling into it, and of what fatal confequence it 
 is to them, in whom this fin reigns, 2. The matter of the 
 caution, of the fin of which our Saviour warns his hearers 
 againft, and that is covetoufnefs; Take heed and beware of 
 civetoufneff ; where, under the name and notiiin of covet- 
 oufnefs, our Saviour doth not condemn a provident care 
 for the things of this life, nor a regulnr indiiftry and di- 
 ligence for obtaining of them, nor every degree of love and 
 aifcdtiontotlicm ; butby covetoufnefsit istobcunderftood, 
 an eager and infatiable dcfire after the tliingsof this life, or 
 iifing Biijuft w.iys and means to get or increafe ancftate; 
 fecking the things of this life, with the neglect of things 
 
 infinitely 
 
Chap. x-ir. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 ^53 
 
 finitely better, an J placing their chief happinefs in riches. 
 3. The reafon of ihis caution ; Bc^catife a man's life con- 
 jtfteth mt in the abundance of the things which he pojfcjfeth. 
 Human life is fuftained by a little ; therefore abundance 
 is not neceflary, either to the fupport or comfort of it. 
 'Tis not a great eftate and vartpoflTeflionthat makes .t man 
 happy in this world, but a mind fuited to our condition, 
 whatever it be. 
 
 J 6 And he fpake a parable unto them, faying, 
 The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plen- 
 tifully : 17 And he thought within hiinfelf, fay- 
 ing, What (hall I do, becaufe I have no room where 
 to bellow my fruits ? 18 And he laid, This will I 
 do : I will pull down my barns, and build greater ; 
 and there will I beftow all my fruits and my goods! 
 19 And I will fay to my foul', Soul, thou haffmuch 
 goods laid up for many years ; take thine eafe, eat, 
 drink, and be merry. 20 But God faid unto him. 
 Thou fool, this night thy foul Ihall be required of 
 thee : then whofe fliaJl thofe things be which thou 
 haft provided ? 21 So is he that iavcth up treafure 
 for himlelf, and is not rich towards God'. 
 
 The defign and fcope of onr Saviour in this parab!.-, is 
 
 tofhewmenthevilencfsandvanityofthefmofcovetouln'efs 
 or an eager and infatiable defire after the thir.-s of this 
 world ; when men heap up riches, and lay up trea'.'uresin 
 this life, takinp; no care to be rich towards God in f.oth and 
 good works. Our Saviour ilkiftrates this by tlu pnr:ihleof 
 a rich man, whom God had ble/Ted with great plentv, yet 
 his defire of more wealth was never fatisfied.but he is pro. 
 jeftmg how he may lay up goods in ftore for many years 
 \yhere n-Je, 1. That the par.nble doth not intiwate anv inl 
 direa and unjuft ways of gain which this man ufed to in- 
 creafe his eftate,but condemns his infatiable defire and ihirft 
 after more. So that hence we may leetm. That an eager 
 and inordinate defire after the things of this world, thoujih 
 It be free from injuflice, and doing wrong to others, is one 
 fpecies or kind of the fm of covetoufnefs. 2. How this rich 
 man looked no farther than himlelf, not looking uponhim- 
 felf as God's fteward, hut his own carver, he cries out, 
 What /hall Iih, becaufe I have no room -ayhert t'j lay my fruits '? 
 Not confidering, that the hoiifes of the poor'fliould have 
 been his granaries for the abundance of his i"ncreafe. Cha. 
 rity to the neceffitous is the bcft way of bpftowing our a- 
 bundance, God's extraordinary bounty is to be hid outfor 
 the reliefof others neceirities, not for the gratifyino-of our 
 own luxurious defires. 3. The b.-and of infam; which 
 the wie God fixes upon this covetous rich man: Thoufod 
 fays God Lecm thence. That it is an aft and inftance 
 of the moft egregious folly imaginable, for perfons to fpend 
 
 their time and ftrength in getting and Invingup treafure up- 
 on earth ; in the mean time ncglefting to be rich towards 
 God m faith and good works ; Thou fool. 4. The doleful 
 tidings, anathreatening news brought untohim ; Thisnight 
 Jcatt thy j,J be required ^f thee. Learn hf:uce , i . That all 
 a man s wealth is not able to preferve his life, much lefs to 
 lave his foul ; and if w«slth cannot .'ave a man'; life why 
 
 fhould men endanger their lives, nay, hazard their fouls, 
 to get or increafe wealth? 2. That God takes away men's 
 lives manytimes when they leaftfufpeftit; This night, hvs 
 God ; Many years, fays he: God will not have us think 
 of rert in a placcof difquiet, nor of certainty in a condition 
 of inconftancy ; we are dependent creatures, and our time 
 is in God's hands ; This night fball thy fiul be taken Jrom 
 thee. 3. That the fouls of ungodly men are taken from 
 them by force and compuKion ; Thy foul fkall be required of 
 thee. Good men have the fame rclndances of nature 
 which others have, yet they fweetlyrefign their fouk into 
 the hands of God in a dying hour; whereas a wicked man 
 though he fometimes dies by his own hand, yet he never 
 dies with the confent of his own will ; he chufes rather to 
 eat duft (with the ferpeiit) than to return to dufl. Cbferve 
 5. The expoftulatory queftion, Whofe then fhallthefe things 
 be which thou h.f} provided.' Intimating, i. That they 
 Ihould not be his : A ma n's wealth lafts no longer than his 
 life, neither has he any longer the comfort of it; Ijy up 
 gold, and it peridies with thee ; but treafure upgrace, and 
 it Ihall accompany thee: IVhofefliall ihefe things he? Not 
 th=ne undoubtedly. 2. As thefe things fliall not be thine, 
 when thou art gone, fo thou knov/eft not whofe they Ihall 
 be after thoii art gone ; whether they fliall fall into the 
 hand of a child or a ftranger, of a wife manor a fool ; the 
 weaithiell man cannot be certain who fliall be his heir, and 
 whofe good-^ ins (liall be. Laftly, The application which 
 our Saviour makes of this parable to his difciples, Si is 
 rjery one that layelh up treafure for hhrtfeif, and it not rich 
 towards Cod. f.f^r» hence, That fuch as are not rich in 
 grace,rich in good works, fhal! find no benefit by, and take 
 no comfort in all their worldly riches in the time of their 
 greatefl nted, at the hour of death, and in the day of judg- 
 ment. Lf^rw farther, How brutifh and unworthy of a 
 man i: was, for this perfon to cheer up his foul with the 
 hopes of worldly provifions, to bid his foul eat, drink, and 
 be merry ; Alas! the foul can no more eat, drink, and be 
 merry withcarnal things, thanthebody can with fpiritual 
 and immaterial things ; it cannot feed upon bread that pe. 
 rifiieth; but bring it toa reconciled God in Chrift, to the cov. 
 enantofgrace,an(ll\veetpfomifesof ihegofpel; fet before 
 it thejoys and comforts of the Spirit; and if it be a fanfti- 
 fied and renewed foul, it can make a rich feaft uponthefe: 
 fpiritual things are proper food for fpiritual fouls. De- 
 fervediy then is this perfon branded with the name of/j;/ 
 for faying, Sotil thou haf} goods laid up for many years eat 
 drink and be merry. 
 
 22 5 And he faid unto his difciples. Therefore I 
 fay unto you.Take no thought for your life,whatve 
 ftiall eat; neither for the body, what ye fhall put on. 
 23 The life is more than meat, and the body ii more 
 than raiment. 24 Confider the ravens : for they 
 neither fow nor reap; which neither have florehoufe 
 nor barn; and God feedeth them : How much more 
 are ye better than the fowls ? 25 And which of you 
 with taking thought can add to his ftature one cubit? 
 26 If ye thenbe not able to do that thing which is 
 Icaft, why take ye thought for the reft > 27 Confider 
 
 the 
 
254 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap. xif. 
 
 the lillies how they grow: they toil not, they fpin not: 
 and yet I fay nnto you, that Solomon in all his 
 glory was not arrayed like one of thefe, 28 If then 
 God fo clothe the grafs, which is to-day in the 
 field, and to-morrow is call into the oven : how 
 much more xvillhe clothe you.O ye of little faith? 29 
 And feek not ye what yc Ihall eat, or what ye fliall 
 drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all 
 thefe things do the nations of the world feek after ; 
 and your Father knoweth that yc have need of 
 thefe thnigs. 
 
 Thereisa twofold fenfe and interpr»tation given of thefe 
 verfes. SoHie take them as fpoken only to the apoftles, 
 direclipg theui abfulutely to cad off all care for the things 
 of this lite, that fo they might attend uponChrilVs perfon, 
 and wholly give themfelves to that work to which he had 
 called them: And therefore St. Luke here takes notice, 
 that after he had cautioned his hearers in general againft 
 covetoufnefs, he applies himfelf particularly to his difciples 
 and tells them, that he would have them fo far from this 
 fin of covetoufnefs, that they (hould not ufe that ordinary 
 care, and common induftry about the things of this life 
 which is not only lawful but ncceflary for men in all ordi- 
 nary cafes, ver. 22. And he faid unto hh difciples. Therefore 
 J fay unto you, Take no thwglyt for your life, what ye fhall 
 eat or drink. But if we underftand the words in this 
 feu^e, we muft look upon it only as a temporary command 
 given to the apoflles for that time only ; like that in St. 
 Matthew, x. 9. Provide neither gold, nor fiver, nor braCs 
 in your purfei, neither coat nor fcrip ; which 00 man ever 
 underftood as a general law to all Chriftians, but as a par- 
 ticular precept to the apoftles at that time. 1. Others un- 
 derftand thefe injundions of our Saviour, to be confillent 
 with a prudent and provident care for the things of this 
 life, not forbidding a regularinduftry anddiligenceforthe 
 obtaining of them, but condemning only an anxious, vex- 
 atious, tormentingcare, and an over folicitous diligence for 
 the things of this life ; and takinj; our Saviour's words for 
 a general and ftanding rule toallChriftians, they only for- 
 bid diftruflfulthoughtfulnefs,dillracTmg cares, which drive 
 a man's mind this way and that w.iy, (like meteors or 
 clouds in the air, as the word rigni.*ics.) Now againft this 
 vexatious care, and felicitous thougiufulnefs ; our Saviour 
 propounds many weighty arguments or confiderations : 
 Four efpedally. He tells us, fuch cares are needlefs, fruit- 
 lefs, heatheniftiandbrutifh. i. his r.csfileCs; your heavenly 
 Father kno-Mtth that ye have need of thefe things ; and will 
 certainly provide for you ; and what need you take care 
 and God too? Calt yo;ir care upon him. 2. It is fruit- 
 Jcfs ; Which of you by taking care can add-one cubit to his 
 J}ature? We may fooiwrby our carping care add a furlong 
 to our grief, than a cubit to our comfort- All our care, 
 without God's help, will neither feed us when we .ire hun- 
 gry, nor nourifli us when we are fed. 3. It is heathenilh; 
 Jfter all thife things do the Gtntilcs f-ek, Matt. vi. 32. 
 The ends and objects of a Chriftian's thoughts ought to 
 be higher and more I'ubliine than that of heathens. Laftly, 
 Jiis bruiifh, nay worfe than brutifh. The birds of tnc 
 air^ the beads of the field, the ravens of the valley, all are 
 
 fed and fuftainetl by God, without any care of their own, 
 much more his children. Has God a breakfaft ready for 
 every little bird that comes chirping out of its neft, and for 
 every beaft of the fu'ld that comes leaping out of its den, 
 and will he not much more provide for you? Surely, th.n 
 God that feeds the ravens when they cry, will not ftarvc 
 his children when they pray. 
 
 31 f But rather feek yc the kingdom of God, and 
 all thefe things fhall be added unto you. 
 
 Asif Chrift hadlaid, "Let your chief care be to pro- 
 mote the kingdom of grace in this world, and to fecure the 
 kingdom of glory in the ne.Kt, and then fear not the want 
 of thefe outward comforts ; they Ihailbe added in meafure 
 though not in excefs ; to fausfy, thouirh not to iatiate ; 
 for helath, though not for furfeit." Learn, i. That 
 Chrirtians ought not lobe fo.folicitous about the necelTaries 
 and conveuiencies of this Ufe, as about the luppinefs of the 
 next; rather r^ek ye the kingdom of God. 2. That hea- 
 ven or the kmgdom of God, muft be fought in the firft 
 place; that is, with our principal care and chief endea- 
 vours. 3. That heaven being once fecured by us, all 
 earthly things fliall be fuperadded to us .is God fees need- 
 ful and convenient for us. But few men like our Saviour's 
 method ; they would feek the things of this world in ths 
 firft place, and get heaven at laft ; they would be con- 
 tent to feek the world, and to have heaven thrown in 
 without their feeking; but this will not be granted; if we 
 make religion and the falvationof our fouls, our firft and 
 chief care, all other things (hall he added unto us, fo far as 
 the .viidom of God fees them fit and convenient for us. 
 
 32 Fear not, little flock : for it is your Father's 
 good pleafure to give you the kingdom. 
 
 That is, fear not the want if any of thefe outward com- 
 forts, and be not over folicitous for them ; for your Fa- 
 ther, which has provided a kingdom for you hereafter, 
 •will not fuffcr you to want fuch things as are needful for 
 you here. Learn, i. That the difciples of Chrift are very 
 lubject to difquietingand perplexing fears, but muft by no 
 means cherifli, but oppofe them ; a fearof prtfent wants, 
 a fear of future fufferings, a fear of death approaching, a 
 fear that they fliall not find acceptance with God, a fear 
 left they fliould fall foully or finally from God ; the fear 
 of all thefe evils doth oftentimes difturb them, and difcom- 
 pofethem. 2. That Jefus Chrift is tlie grfi.it flicpherd 
 of his church ; the love and care, the compaflion and len- 
 dernefs, the prudence and providence, the guidance and 
 vigilance of a good Ihepherd, are found with him. 3- As 
 Chrift is the church's fliepherd, fo the church is Chnft's 
 flock, though a little flock, in oppofitionto the huge herds 
 and droves of the men of the world, 4. Thit God the 
 Father has a kingdom in ftore for his little flock, his church 
 and children- <;'■ That the good will nnd gracious plea- 
 fure of God is the original fpriiig, and formal caufe, from 
 whence all divine favours do proceed nnd flow ; // is your 
 Father'' s good pleafure to give you the kingdom. 
 
 33 Sell that ye have and give alms: provide your- 
 fclvcs ba-s which wa-\notold, a treafure in the 
 
 heavens 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 heavens that faileth not,wherc no thief approacheth 
 neither moth corruptcth. 34 For where your 
 trcafure is, there will your heart be alfo. 
 
 The next duty which our Sa viour exhorts his difciples to, 
 is The duty of alms giving ; that they fliould be fo tar from 
 diflrufting God's provifioii forthemfelves, that they flioidd 
 be always forward to a ready didribution towards nthcrs; 
 yea, in cafes of neceffiiy, to be willing to fell their goods 
 TO relieve others; yet this precept is not to betaken as if it 
 concerned all perfons, at all times, and in all places ; but 
 relpefts only cafes of extreme necejiity, or if it concerns all, 
 it is only as to the readinefs and preparation of the mind ; 
 that when neceffity calls for it, webefoiind willing topart 
 with any thing we have for the relief of Chrift inhismeni- 
 bers. Ohferve alfo. The argument ufed to excite to this 
 duty of alms-giving ; hereby we lay up our treafure in a 
 fafe hand, even in God's, who will reward us openly. The 
 bellies ofthepoor are bags that wax not old; what is lodged 
 there is laid up fecurely out of the reach of danger. We 
 imitate the wife merchant in tranfmitting our eftates into 
 another w^orld, by bills of exchange, where we are fure to 
 receive our own with ufury. 
 
 55 Let your loins be girded about, andjyoi^r lights 
 burning : 36 And ye yourfelves like unto men that 
 wait for their lord, when he will return from the 
 wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they 
 may open unto him immediately. 
 
 The next duty Chrift exhorts his difciples to, is that of 
 vatchfulnefs, with reference to his fecond coming. Let 
 your hint be girded, and lighti {turning; the words may be 
 underftood two ways, Ipoken either in a martial phrafe 
 •as to folciicTs : or in a dnmeftic, as to fervants : If as to fol- 
 diers, then let your loins be girded, and your lights burn- 
 ing, is as much as that we fhould be always ready for a 
 riarch, having our armour on, and our match lighted, 
 ready to givefire at the alarm of temptation. If the words 
 are fpoken as to fervants, then our mafler bids us carefully 
 expea his fecond coming, like a lord's returning from a 
 wedding fupper (which ufed tobe celebrated in thenight) 
 that they fliould not put off their clothes, nor put out their 
 lights, but Hand ready to open, though he comes at mid- 
 night. When Chrift comes, that foul only fliall have Jiis 
 blefling, whom he finds watching. 
 
 37 Bleffcd are thofe fen'ants whom the lord when 
 he Cometh fhall find watching : verily, I fay unto 
 you, that he (hall gird himfelf, and make them to fit 
 down to meat, and will come forth and fcr^'c them. 
 38 And if he fhall come in the fecond watch, or 
 come in the third watch, and find them fo, bleffcd 
 are thofe fervants. 39 And this know, that if the 
 good man of the houfe had known what hour the 
 thief would come; he would have watched, and not 
 have fufftred his houfe to be broken through. 40 
 Be ye therefore ready alfo : for the Son of man 
 cometh at an hour when ye think not. 
 
 ^5S 
 
 Here our Saviour makes ufe of fereral arguments toeu- 
 force the duty of watchfulncfs upon his difciples, the firft 
 is drawn from the tranfcendent reward which Chrift will 
 beftow upon his watchful fervants. fit -will gird himfelf 
 make them to Jit down to meat, and tuillccme firth cndjerve 
 them; a very high mct.iphorica! exprefTion; as if a nwfter 
 lliouldbefo trsnlported with the dilligence and faithfuloeffi 
 of his fcrvant,asto vouchfafe not only to let him fet down 
 to meat in his prefence, but to take ihe napkin upon his 
 arm, and wait upon him himfelf at his table. Lord! how- 
 poor and how inconfiderableis that fervice, which the beft 
 of us to do for thee, and yet thou fpeakeft of it, as if thou 
 wert beholden to us for it. Thou doft not only adininifter 
 to us a fupper, but thou miniftereft and waiteft upon us .it 
 fupper ; he -will gird himfelf and ferve them. The fecond 
 argument to excite to watchfulncfs, is drawn from the be- 
 nefit which we fhall receive by watching in this life; that 
 let the Lord come when he will, w hcther in the fecond or 
 third watch, they fhall be found ready, and in a bleffed 
 condition, who are found dilligent in hisfervice, and wait- 
 ing for his appearance. Note here, i. The Son of man will 
 certainly come at one hour or other. 2. At what hour the 
 Son of man will come, cannot certainly be known. 3. 
 That there is no hour wherein we can promife ourfelves 
 that the Son of man will not come. 4. Very joyful will 
 the coming of the Son of man be, if we be found upon our 
 watch, and ready for his coming; De ye therefore ready al- 
 fo, for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. 
 
 41 f Then Peter faid unto him. Lord, fpeakeft 
 thou this parable unto us, or even to all ? 42 And 
 the Lord faid. Who then is that faithful and wife 
 fteward, whom Ms lord fhall make ruler over hi« 
 houfhold, to give them their portion of meat in due 
 feafon ? 43 Bleffed is that fervant, whom his lord, 
 when he cometh, fliall find fo doing. 44 Of a truth 
 I fay unto you, that he will make him ruler over 
 all that he hath. 
 
 Thefe words may be .nppli'ed thcfe two ways; Firft, ta 
 all the faithful fervants of God in general ; and then tlie 
 mte is this, That for a chriftian to fpend and end his days 
 in the fervice of Chrift, and doing his will, gives a good 
 afTurancc of a happy and bleffed condition : BL-Jfed is that 
 fervant. Secondly, Thefe woids may be applied to the 
 niinifters of the gofpel in fpecial ; and then obfave. i .The 
 charafter and duty of a gofpel-minifler, he is ttie fkward 
 of Chrift's houfhold, to give them their meat in due feafon. 
 2. A doublelqualificationrequifite in fuchrte wards; namely 
 prudence and faiihfulnefs. Who then is that faithful and 
 wife fteward? 3. The reward infufed to fuch ftewards, 
 with whom are found thcfe qnahfications ;• Hepd is that 
 fervant. Learn hence, 1. That the miniflersof the gof- 
 pel are in a fpiritual fenfe ftewards of Chrift's houfliold. 2. 
 That faith'"uliief5 and prudence are the indifpenfable qaul- 
 ifications of Chrift's ftewards. 3. 7 hat where thefe quali- 
 fications are found, Chrift will gracioufly and abundantly 
 reward them. Our faiihfulnefs inuft refpeft God, our- _, 
 felves, andour flock; and lixludes inre-rity of heart, purity 
 of intention, induftry if endeavour, and impaniality in all 
 
 our 
 
25^ 
 
 St: 
 
 our admiiiidratlcns. Our prudence inuft appear iii the 
 choice of luicable fubjefcs.in the choice of fit bnguage, in 
 exciting our o^vn afFeaions in order to the moving of our 
 people's. Miniflerial prudence alfo nuirt leach us, by the 
 itriftnefs and gravity of our deportment, to maintain our 
 authority, an J keep up our efteem in the confciences of our 
 people ; i: will alfoalTift us tobear reproach, and direftus 
 ro give reproof: He that is filent cannot be innocent; re- 
 prove we muft, or we cannot be faitliful ; but prudently, 
 or wc cannot be fuccefsful 
 
 415 Butand if that fervant fay inhis heart, M7 
 lord dclaycth his coming; and fhall begin to beat the 
 men-fervants, and maidens, and to eat and drink and 
 to be drunken; 46 The lord of that fervant will 
 come in a day when he looketh not for jhim, and 
 at an hour when he is not aware, and will cui him 
 in (under, and will appoint him his portion with the 
 unbelievers: 47 And that fervant which knew his 
 lord's will, and prepared not ^wi/J-//", neither did ac- 
 cording to his wilLfhallbe beaten withmanyy?;7/^«. 
 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things 
 worthy of ibipes, fhall be beaten with iewjlripes. 
 For unto whomfoevcr much is given, of him much 
 fhall be required: and to whom men have committed 
 much, of hira they will afk the more. 
 
 Our Lord in thefe verfes deftribes a negligent and un- 
 faithful fteward of his houfliold, and then declares thnt 
 dreadful fentence of wrath which hangs over him. 1 he 
 unfaithful fteward, or negligent minifter of the grfpc! is 
 defcribed, i. By his infidelity ; he believeth not Chriil's 
 coming to judgment, ihough he preaches it to others-. He 
 faith in his heart. My Lord delay eth his coming. 2. Ke is 
 dofcribed by his hatred, envy and malignity againft his fel 
 low-fervants, that were more faithful than himlelt ; He 
 begins to /mite them, atleaft with the virulence of his tongue 
 if not with the violence of his hand. 3. He is farther 
 defcribed by his affociating with thewicked, awl ftrcngth- 
 ening their hands by his ill-example, he cateth and drink- 
 e/Aw//A //-e </rr<«^f«; that is, as their aflbciate and fellow com- 
 panion. Thus the negligent fteward and unfaithful mi- 
 nifter is defcribed : Next is fentence declared, i. Chrift 
 will furprife him in his finandfecurity./^jcom/nf in an h^.ur 
 ■when he looketh not for him. 1. He v,;ill execute temporal 
 vengeance upon him, he will cut him in pieces, as thejews 
 di.l their facrsfices, dividing them into two parts. Hence 
 fome clferve, That God feldom fufllrs flothful fenfual mi- 
 nifters to live out half their days. 3. Chrift will punifli 
 them with eternal d«ftriiftion alfo, appoint them their por- 
 tion with unbelievers.- Teaching us, That fuch minifters as 
 negled the fervice of God. and the fouls of their people, 
 as they are ranked amongft the. woift of finners in this life, 
 fo fliall they be punifhed with them inihelevereft manner 
 in the next. When Satan dtftroys the fouls of men, he 
 fliall anfwer for it as a niurdereronly,not as an oflicerihat 
 was intrufted with the care of fouls. But if the fteward 
 ' doth not provide, if the fliepherd dcth not feed, if the 
 watchmen doth not warn, they fhall anfwer, not only for 
 
 U K E. CuAP. xn. 
 
 the fouls that have mifcarricd, but for an office negleifled, \ 
 for a talent hidden, and for a ftewardfliip unfaithfully ma- 
 naged. Wounto us, ifatthe great daywehear diftreffed 
 foul* roaring ont their complaints, and howling cut that 
 doleful acculation agaiuft us, faying, "Lord! our Rewards 
 " have defraudedns, our watchmen have betrayed us, our 
 guides have mifled us," ver. 48. — For unto whtrfifotver 
 Tituth is "iven, of him much P: nil be required : Audio whom 
 men have committed tiuch, Cf him they will afk more. Here 
 we learn, i.Thzi whatever we receive from God, is both a 
 gift and a talent, a. That every one has fome gift or 
 talent from God to be improved for God. 3. That God's 
 gifts or talents are not given to all in the lame mealuro. 
 4. That whether we receive little or much, all is in order 
 to an account. 5. That anfwerable to our prefent talents 
 will be our future accounts. The greater opportunities a 
 man lusofknowing hisduty, and the greater abilityhehag 
 for doing good, if he doit not, the greater will be his con- 
 demnation ; becaufe the neglccl of his duty in this cafe, 
 can«ot be without a great deal of wilfnlnefs and contempt, 
 which is an heinous aggravation. If thy gifts be mean, 
 the lefi thou haft to account for : If greater than others, 
 God expects ihou Ihouldrft do more good than others,for 
 where much is given, much will be required. 
 
 49 I am come to fend fire on the earth, and what 
 will i,ifit be already kindled? 50 But I have a bap- 
 tifm to be b.iptifed with, and how am I flraitened 
 till it be accompliflied! 51 Suppofe ye that I am 
 come to give peace on earth ? I tell you. Nay ; but 
 rather divifion. 52 For from henceforth there fhall 
 be five in one houfe divided, three againfttwo, and 
 two againlt three. 53 The Father flaall be divided 
 againll the fori, and the fon againfl the father: the 
 mother agalnft the daughter, and the daughter a- 
 gainll the mother : the mother-in-]aw againft her 
 daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law againft 
 her mother-in-law. 
 
 Our Saviour in thefe verfes declares what willbe the ao 
 cidental event and effecl, but not the natural tendency of 
 his religion ; fo that we muft diftingui/h between the inten- 
 tional aim of Chrift's coming, and the accidental event of 
 it. Chiift's intentional aim, was to plant, prnpagne, an* 
 promote peace in the world ; but through the luils and cor- 
 ruptions of men's natures, the iflue ai.d event oi his com- 
 ing is war and divifion ; not that liiefesre the genuine and 
 natural fruits of the gofpel ; but occafional anrt accidental 
 only. Hence learn, That thepreachingof the gofpel, and 
 fetting up the kingdom of Chrift, thonnh it be not the ge- 
 nuine and natural caufe, yet it is the accidentjl occafionof 
 that war and tumult, of all that diflention and divihon, 
 of all that diftraaion and confufion, which the woild 
 abounds with; I am come to fend fire on tarth, Heis 
 faid to lend the fire of diflention, becaufe he forcfaw thit 
 would be the certain ccniequence, ihough notihepropcr 
 and natural efleft of the preaching of the gofpel. There 
 was another fire of Clirill's fending, the holy Sprit ; this 
 was a fire to warm, not to burn ; or if fo, not men'sper- 
 
 lons. 
 
Chap, mtit 
 
 St. L UK E. 
 
 ssy 
 
 fans, buc corruptions ; but that tcf rns not to be intended 
 in this place. Ohferve farther, the metaphor by which 
 Chrift fets forth his own fuSPerinps. He ftiles them i bap- 
 tifm} I have a hapti/'m to be baptized lulth. There is a 
 threefold baptifmfp«ken of; abaptifin with water, a bap. 
 tifm#f the Spirit; both thefe Chrift had been baptized 
 with ; but the third was the baptifm of blood, he was loon 
 to be drenched and walhed in his own blood, in the gar- 
 den, and on the crof*; aiid'he wasdraiteived or pained with 
 defire, hke a womaa in travail, till his lufFerings were ac- 
 compli (lied. 
 
 54 f And he faid alfo to the, people, When ye 
 (ee acloud arifeoutof the weft, flraightway ye fay 
 There cometh a fhower : and fo it is. 55 And when 
 yefathc foutli wind blow, ye fay, There will be 
 heat; and it cometh to pafs. 56 Ye hypocrites, 
 ye can difccrn the face of the flcy, and of the earth: 
 but how is it that ye do not difcem this time ? 57 
 Yea, and why even of yourfelves jud^e yc not what 
 is ri^ht ? 
 
 Our Saviour in thefe words cToes at once upbraid the 
 "upid ignorance of the Jews in general, and the obftinate 
 uifidclity of the Pharifees in particular, in that they could 
 make a judgment of the weather by the fight of rhe Iky, 
 by the appearance of the heavens, and the motion of the 
 winds, but could not dileern this time of the Mellias, 
 though they had fo many miraculous lij^ns and evidences 
 of it, and for this he upbraids them with hypocrify ; Te 
 hypocrites, ye can difcern the face of the Jky, but you do not 
 di/'cern this time. Learn thence, That to pretend either 
 more ignorance, or greater uncertainty in dilcerning the 
 figns of gofpcl times (the times of our gracious vifitation) 
 th^n the ligns of the weather, is great hypocrify ; Ye hy- 
 pocrites, can ye not difcern this time.* Ohferve farther, 
 That Chrift does not here condemn theftudy of nature, or 
 making obfervations of the fta e ofthe weather by thefare 
 of the iky : For almighty God, by natural figns, gives us 
 warning of a change in natural things, and in like manner 
 by his providential difpenfations, he gives us warnicgof a 
 change in civil things. He that is wife will obfrrve both, 
 and by their obfervation will come fo under/} and the plea- 
 fure ofthe ly^rd, 
 
 58 ? When thou goeft with thine adverfary to 
 the magiftratc,fl5 tliouart in the way, give diligence 
 that thou maycft be delivered from him; left he hale 
 thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the 
 officer, and the officer caft thee into prifon. 59 I 
 tell thee, thou fhait not depart thence, till thou haft 
 paid the very laft mite. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour ad vifes perfons to ufe the 
 fame prudence in divine matters, which they ufe in worldly 
 aft'iirs, and the fame endeavours to leek reconciliation with 
 Goil, which they put forth in order totheit beingreconci- 
 led to men ; for in fiich a cafe, v hen they fee an aftion 
 liringing againd thrm whertin they are fure to b9 caft, their 
 beft way is preiently to fetk to reconcile their adverfary, 
 
 and make their peace with huu, liiat to they vnTxy efcape 
 the tbeateiiing danger : In like nunner (hould they do 
 here, hy hold ofthe prefent opportunity ofniercy now 
 offered to them; becaufeitis a fearful thing to die without 
 reconciliation with God. Note here, i. That God an«l 
 man were once friends, 2. That God and man are now 
 adverfar;es. That man, and not God, is averfe to re- 
 concilation and agreement. 4. That it is the wifdom, 
 the duty, and intereft of fallen man, fpeedily to accept of 
 terms of peace and reconciliation with God. 5. That an 
 eternal prifon will be their portion, who die in their en- 
 mity agaiuft God. 
 
 C H A P. XIII. 
 
 THERE were prefent at that feafon, lome that 
 told him of the Galileans, whofe blood Pilate 
 had mingled with their facriSccs. 2 And Jefus 
 anfwering laid unto them, Suppofc ye that thefe 
 Galileans were finners above all the Galileans, be- 
 caufe they fufFered fuch things ? 3 I tell you, nay : 
 but except ye repent, ye fliall all likewife perifli. 
 
 There were two eiiii«ent feels among the Jews in our 
 Saviour's time, namely, the Herodians and Galileans ; 
 The former flood ftiffly for having paid tribute to the Ro- 
 man emperor, whofe fubje-flsthe Jewsnow were : but the 
 Galileans (fo called probably from Judas of Galilee, men- 
 tioned Ads V. 37.) oppofed this tribute, and often raifed 
 rebellion againlt the Roman power. Pilate takes opportu- 
 nity, when thefe Galileans were come up at the palTover 
 and facrificing in the temple, to fall upon them with his 
 foldiers,and barbnroully mingled theirowa blood with the 
 Wood of thcifaerifices which thtj: offered : Neither the ho- 
 linefs of the place (the temple) nor the facrednef; of the 
 a£lion (facrificing) could divert Pilate from his barbarous 
 impiety. Our Saviour tinderftanding that fome of his 
 hearers then prefent concluded thefe perfons to be the 
 greateft finners, becaufethey were the greateftfufferers, he ■ 
 corrects their error in this matter, and alfures thent, that 
 the fame or like Judgment did hang over all other finners, 
 as well as thefe, if timely and fincere repentance prevented 
 not. Learn hence, i . That a violent .-nd fudden death i« 
 no argument of God's disfavour. 2. That notwithftand, 
 ing, perfons are exceeding prone to pafsralh cenfures ani 
 uncharitable judgment upon fuch as die fuddenly, efpecially 
 if they die violently. 3. That none juftly can conclude 
 fuch perfons to have been the greatefi finnejs who have 
 been in this world the inoft fignal fufferers. 4. That the 
 beft ufe we can make of fuch inftances atid examples of 
 God's feverity, is to examine our own lives, and by «t 
 fpeedy repentance to prevent our own perdition. / fell 
 you Noy, itc. ' 
 
 4 Orthofc eighteen, upon whom the tower i« 
 Siloamfell, and flew them, think ye that they were 
 finners above all men that dwelt in Jcrufalem? 5 I 
 tell you, Nay: but except yc repent, 'ye fhall all 
 likewife perifti. 
 
 Another inftance our Saviour givesof perfons thatfell 
 
258 
 
 St. ^L; U 'K E. 
 
 Gbiap. -kwC. 
 
 by a fuJJen death ; even eigliteer:, that were flain by the 
 fall ofa tower in jeruralem : He takes occafion fro'ii thence 
 to caution ihe Jews, that they do no: rigidly ceni'iire the 
 Jiitt'erers, or conclude that thofe have wrought tlie nioft 
 ■fin, who arc brought to inofKhaine. O ! how ready are 
 we to judge of men's eternal condition, by their prefent 
 \ifitation; and to conclude them the greatcft offenders, 
 upon whom God inflicts the nioft vifible puniflimeius! 
 Our Saviour forbids this, and advifes everyone to look at 
 heme ; telling the svhole body cf the Jews, Th?t if they 
 tlid not repent, they (hould 9II likewife perilli ; and that 
 two ways ; i. CtrtUuiltne p.tn£, by ascertain a punifhment 
 as the fe did. 1. Ye ihall likewife perifli,/'V;i;7i7i/^i»;f/).r»;jr, 
 by the fame kind, of puniflmient, you fliail periSi by the 
 ruin of your whole city, as they did by the, downfall o( 
 that tower, if a timely and liucere repentance doth not 
 intervene. Lfamhence, That we niuft jiid^e perfons by 
 their convcrfation towards God, net by God's difpcnfatU 
 on towards them. AH thifigs here fall alike jto all ; A Aid- 
 den death, yea, a vicleot, deatji, as it comifs uppi) niaiiy 
 men, fo it may come uponthf bpftof pien, as well a^piihers 
 Think not, fays Chrift j tliat tliofe eighteen werefinnerj 
 above all that dwelt in Jerufalem,' bec^ufe tiiey fuffei-ed 
 fuch things ; J t^ll y9u, T^ny i but except ye repent j yc 
 fl.'all all Ithenvi/e perijh.- Teaching us, tlutarepentance \i 
 the only way and means to prevent punifhment here, and 
 '^cv\i\»vghereaUer: Except ye repent, ye Jhallperijhi 
 
 6 ? He fpake alfo this parable: A certain man 
 had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came 
 and fought fiuit thereon, and found none. 7 Then 
 faidheunto the dreffer of his vineyard, Behold, 
 thefe three years I come fecking fruit on tjiis fig- 
 Irec, and find none j cut it down, why Gumbereth 
 it the ground ? ' ' ' 
 
 Our blefled Saviour, that he might excite the Jews to 
 the pracflice of the laft-mcntioned duty of repentance, fets 
 forth his long- fufFering with them, and forbearance toward 
 them, by the parable of the fig-tree, whom the maflerof 
 the vineyard had long expected fruit f^rom, but found none. 
 Where note, i. The great care that God takes tomakepoor 
 finners happy : He plants them in his church, as in a vine- 
 yanl, that by the cultivating care of his minifters, and the 
 fruiflifying influence of his Spirit, they may be fruitful in 
 good works. 2. That God keeps an exad account or 
 reckoning, what means and advantages every place and 
 people liave enjoyed : Thefe three years have I come feeking 
 fruit ; alluding to the three years of his own miniflry 
 among them. Cod keeps a memorial how many yearsthe 
 gofpel has been amongft a people ; how many minifters 
 they have had, and how long with them: What paihetical 
 exhortation?, what ijrefling admonitions, what cutting re- 
 proofs ! All are upon the file and muft be accounted for, 
 3. That God expeftsfuitableandprsportionable finiit from 
 a people according to liie time of their fianding in his 
 vineyard, and anfwering to the ccft and culture which his 
 minifters have expended upon thcni, atui ilie pains they 
 have taken with them. Farther, 4. T lint although God 
 doih and juftly may expect fruit from fuch as are planted 
 
 in his vinej'Srd, to wit the Chriftain Church, yet ile ex. 
 peels it with u»uch patience and fwbearance, waitng from 
 year to year, to lee if time will work amendment : Thefa 
 three peat's 1 have ame feeking fruit and f^jund nincf. 
 LafUy, .i/,af(jer ail the coft that God baft beflowed upon a 
 people by his minifters and ordinance}, they continiy un- 
 fruitful, there is nothing to be expeded but exciiion and 
 finaj deflruCtion : Cut it tlo'jin, -why cumber eth it the ground, 
 
 8 Andhe anfwenng, (ciid unto him, Lord, let it 
 alone this year, alfo, till I fliall dig about it, ani 
 dung it. ^ 9 And if it bear fruit, well ; an<i if not. 
 ihln aftcr'tha-t thoii fhalt cut it down. ' ' ^ 
 
 CJfcrve here, i. The vine-dreiTer's petition and request 
 torii, let it alone this year «^7. This points out unio ui, 
 the Office and duty of the minrftefs of God, who are la-'. 
 bourcr4 in his \rfneyard,.to be intei-ceflbrs with God, for 
 fparing a barren and utlfruitful people. Lord fparc them 
 a little longer ; Le( it ahiie this year tl/'o. If they cannot 
 a^folutely prevent judguient coming upon an unfruitful 
 people, yet they endeavour to refpite it, and delay its cpm^ 
 iiig, all they can. 2. The condition upon which the vine- 
 dreffer's petition is groundied^ Ti// JJhalldigabfat it, and 
 dung it '.- Phrifes which intimate unto us the nature ami" 
 ^hality of the minifterial workandfervjce, fignifying it 10 
 be a very difiicultand Ijburiouslervice.Diggmg is a pain-' 
 ful work, and a fpending work, and fuch is our minifterial 
 work, if followed as it ought to be : We deal in myfteries, 
 in the deep things of God which are not received without 
 much digging. 3. A double fiippolition here made by the 
 vine- dreffer : Firft, Of future fruitfiilnefs ; If it bear fruit 
 lucU : Secondly, of future incorrigiblenefs ; If nit, after 
 that thou ffjalt cut it do\un..\. iiere isa fuppolitiun of 
 future fruitfulnefs,.^"/'/ bear fruit, well ; That is , it will 
 be well for the maftcr of the vineyard ; herein is he glori- 
 fied when his fig-trees bear much fruit: Well for the dref- 
 fer of the vineyard: it rejoices the minifters of God to fee 
 their people bring forth fruit unto God. Well forthe vine- 
 yard, and the reft of the trees that are in it ; but more ef- 
 pecially, well for the tree itfelf ; whereby avoiding the 
 punifhment of barrennefs, and procuring the reward of 
 fruitfulnefs : Thus if it bear fruit, well . Hereis a fup- 
 pofition of future inct)rrigil>lenefs ; j4fter that thou /halt 
 cut it do'jjH : That is. After thou haft Qjaredit, and 1 have 
 pruned it ; after thy patience, and my pains; after thou 
 haft forborn it, and I have mar.ured it, digged and dunged 
 it ; if, after all this, it bear no fruit, then I have not i 
 word more to fay ; Thou fmll cut it diwn : Thou niayefl 
 cue ic down ; ntibody will go about to hinder thee. From 
 hence learn, That a people's continued u;,rruitfulnefs un- 
 der the means of gracej doth in time t.ikf of? the pray- 
 ers and intcrccflions of the miniltcr.'. of Gud for rhem« 
 and provokes God to bring his juUgmenrs unavoidably 
 and irrevocably upon them ^fter that thou Jhult cut it damn 
 
 1,6 And he was teaching in one of the fynagogucs 
 on the fabbath. 11 ? And behold, there was a 
 woman which had a Ipiiit of innniuty eighteen 
 years, and was bowed together, and could in nowifc 
 
Chap.' XI I » 
 
 St. 
 
 L U KV E. 
 
 '59 
 
 I 
 
 ]ift iip'lierfelf. i» And when Jefus faw her, he 
 called •/?<rr to him, and faid unto her, Woman, thou 
 art loofed from thine infirmity. 13 And he laid his 
 hands on her : and immediately (he was made 
 ftraight, and glorified God. 1 4 And the ruler ofthe 
 fynagogue arifweried with indignation, becaufe that 
 Jefus had healed on the fabbath-day, andfaidunto 
 the people, there are fix days on which men ought 
 to work: in them therefore come and be healed, 
 and not on the fabbath day. 15 The Lord then an- 
 fwercd him, and faid, Thou hypocrite, doth not each 
 oneofyouon the fabbath lofe bis ox or ^wafs from 
 the ftail, ^nd lead him away to watering? 16 And 
 ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham 
 whom Satan hath bound, Ic thefe eighteen ycars,be 
 loofed from this bond on the fabbath day ? t; And 
 when he had faid thefe things, all his adverfaries 
 •were alhaincd : and all the people rejoiced for all 
 tljje glorious things that were done by him. 
 
 Otferve here, i. The afflifted perfon ; ••» woman which 
 h.itl a fore dife-ife inflicted upon her by the devil iorti^Ijwen 
 years which ahiioft bowed her tojrethcr. 'I'heie is notliing 
 that the evil delights more in than the miferieE and cala- 
 mities' of mankind : Satan is not fatisfifd barely to. inteifV 
 the mind, and poifon the fouls of men : but he delights to 
 afflivft and hurt the body, where and when he can obtain 
 leave. 2. Chrift'scompafiiou towards her, and his mira- 
 culous healing of her ; Jejlis called ker to him, and with a 
 word fpeaking healed her. Where mfc, 'I'hat the invete- 
 ratenels cf the difeafe, and the inftantaneoufnefs ofthe' 
 cure made the miracle evident. She that ha<! been bowed , 
 downeighteen years, in an inrt-int isniadeftraight, and on- 
 ly by a word of Chrift's mouth: Such a miraculous opera- 
 . tion was an evident teftimony of his divine miffion, th:ithe 
 was the Son of God. ■^. How the heart of the poor wo- 
 man is affcfted with thrift's hand : She glorified God; 
 that is, flie gave thanks to God, and attributed the mira- 
 cle to him. As the chief end of all God's extraordinary 
 works eitlier of power or mercy, is the exaltation ofhisown 
 glory; fo the only way that we can fct forth his glory is-by 
 celebrating his pr.dfes, and e.\preiiing our own, thankfulneH ; 
 He that offer eth me praifet and thanks, glorifies- me, Pfalm 1. 
 ult. 4. The unreafonable anger, and unjiift indignation 
 which was found with the ruler ofthe fynagogue againft" 
 our holy Lord, for working this miraculous cure on the 
 iabbath day. There is no perfon fo holy, no action fo in- 
 nocent but may fall underunjuftcenfure,efpecially where 
 malice and ignorance are combined. What a fcvere re- 
 flection doth this man make upon our blelTed Lord, for 
 performing a work of mercy on the fabbath day ! <;. Our 
 Lord's vindication ofbimrflf from calumny andfolfe accu- 
 fation.^ I Ke charges his acruier with hypocrify : 7hou 
 hypocrite, doth not each of you loofe htj ox,or his afi, from the 
 J/all r.n the f<Hiath-dt)y and -water him ? It is one note of 
 an hypocrite, to condemn that in another which he doth 
 liimfelf : The Jews held it lawful toloofe and lead abeaft 
 
 to watering on thd fabbath day, which wa» a work of fcr- 
 vile labour, and yet would condemn Chrift for healing a 
 poor woman, only with a word fpeaking. 2. Chrift vin- 
 dicates his own aitiorj, by comparing it with theirs, which 
 they judged lawful on the fabbath day. Wa? their loofing 
 and watering the bead, a work of neceflity ? moch'more 
 was his: W'as their's a work of mercy ? -his much more : 
 Their companion was to a brute beaft, his to a rational 
 creature, to a woman, and that not a (Iranger, an heathen 
 woman, but one of their own, ajewifli woman, a daughter 
 of Abraham. Nay, farther, Chrift's ad was an act of far 
 greater neceliity, and more efpecial mercy than theirs. 
 The bead might live a day without water; the beaft might 
 not be lick ; but this woman was in fore diftrefs, and had 
 been fa for eighteen years; nJy, (he was in the hands ofthe 
 enemy of mankind, bound by Satan : Was it not then a 
 greater acl of mercy and compaliion , to loofe her, than to 
 lead a bealt. 6. What elFect our Lord's vindication of 
 himfelf had upon the hearers of it ; His adverfaries -were 
 a/hamed, and the people rejoiced, ver. 17^ His accufers were 
 alhamed, and probably convinced, perhaps (ilenced ; buc 
 we read not that they confufl'ed their error, or acknow- 
 ledged their unjuft cenfure, or craved C-iirift's pardon..^ — 
 When ptrfons' judgments are under conviction of an error 
 or miftake, it is very hard to bring themfelves to confefs 
 and own their miftake ; becaufe all men ftand very much 
 upon thecrcditandreputation of their underftanding',and 
 look upon it as a reproach to own thenifelves miftaken ; 
 thoneh it is rerdly otherwife. But though our Saviour's 
 adveriatics were only aihamed, others rejoiced for all the 
 glorious things thai were done by him. 
 
 '18^ Then faid he, Unto what i.s the kingdom 
 of God like ? and whereunto Ihall I rcfemble it ? 
 19^- It is like a grain ofmuftard feed, which a man 
 took, and call into his garden, and it gre'w and wax- 
 ed a great tree: and the fowls of the air lodged in the 
 branches of it. 20 Arid again he faid, Whereunto 
 fhall I liken the kingdom of God ? 21 It is- like 
 leaven, which a woman took and hid in three mca- 
 fures of meal, till the whole was leaventd. 
 
 Our Saviour's defign in both' theJe parables, is to keep 
 his difciplesand followers from- being offended at the Huall 
 beginnlnjTsof h's kingdom. and to foretell the futuie great 
 fuccefsofthe gofpel, notwithft.-rnding iheprefcnt final! ap. 
 pearance of the efficacv of it. To this purpofe hecompares 
 the kingdom of God, that is, the gofpe! church, tq j grain 
 ofmuftard feed, which being one of rhe leaft feeds, yet \\\ 
 that country grew intofo large a tree', that the birds d''^ 
 ronft and lodge in the boughs of it. He a!fo likens it to 
 leaven, which quickly dlffufes iifelf through the w'liol< mafs 
 and lump, inftantiy turning a great heap of meal "into its 
 own nature. Chrift flicws hereby of what a fpreading x;,?.- 
 ture the doctrine of the gofpel would be notwichfiahiltny; 
 all the malice and oppcfuion of witked men. I.earn hence. 
 That how fmail beginnings foever the gofpel hal^in•itsfirft 
 planation, yet, by the fructifving blelling ofGoJ^ and the 
 influence of the holy Spirit, it has haJ; and fhallf^Have a 
 wonderful increafe. ::., . ■i-; 
 
 K K 2 
 
2(i0 
 
 St. 
 
 L UI Kl E. -^ 
 
 Chap.- xm. 
 
 2 2 And he went through the cities and villages 
 teaching and journeying towards Jcrufalem.' 23 
 ? Then faid one unto him, Lord, arc there few 
 that be faved ? and he faid unto them, t^ Strive 
 to enter in at the ftrait gate : for many, I fay 
 unto you, will feek to enter, in and Ihall luot be 
 able. 
 
 Ohf-nr here, 1. The unwearied pnins and diligence of 
 onr holy Lortl in preaching andpublifhing the glad lidings 
 of the gol'pel to loft finners : He went through the c'ltiet and 
 villages teaching ; not in great and populous cities only but 
 in poor and obfcure villages aifo ; not preaching by his ex- 
 emplary lile only, but by hii holy doflrine like wile. Let Inch 
 preachers who look upon the work of preaching as the leaft 
 part of theirbu(inefs,con(ider the indefatigable paioswhich 
 our Lord took in that work, and how will his diligence 
 fliame our negligence ? 2. A curious queftion put to cur 
 Saviour concerning tlie number of thole that fliould be 
 faved,whetherthey' fhouldbe fewormany : LorJarethrre 
 few that befavedi Where note, How curioufly inquifitive 
 we naturally are after the knowledge of things that do not 
 concern us, how forward topry intounrevealedfecretsand 
 to fearch into God's hidden council : it concerns us rather 
 to underftand what fortof perfons Uiallbe laved, than how 
 many ftiallbe faved, andto makefure that we beofthatfort 
 3. Our Saviour gives no direft anfwer to the curiofityof 
 this inquirer, but turnshisfpeech from him to the peo])Ie ; 
 Jefus fuid unto them. Strive toenter in at the p rait gate, k.c. 
 For the clear underftanding of which cxpreffion, we muft 
 know, that Chrift alludes to thefeafts andmarriage-fuppers 
 amongft the Jews ; they that were invited, did enter b/a 
 gate which was very ftrait and narrow, and, as foon as the 
 invited were once entered, the gate was fhut and bpened 
 no more : Here Chriftbids them ftrive toenter into the 
 kingdom of heaven, before the gate is ihut againft ihem, 
 and their entrance, by means of their coming too late, 
 be made impoflible to them : Strive to enter, &c. for many 
 •Mill/eek, Sec. Where note, i. The metaphor which Chrift 
 is pleafed to fetforth heaven and the happinefs of a future 
 ftate by : He compares it to aj/rait gate, ; to a gate to 
 denote the poflibiljty of entering ; toa/Zraitgate, todenote 
 the difficulty of entrance ; a gate fuppofes the entrance pof- 
 fible, but a ftrait gate befpeaks the entrance difficult. 2. 
 Here is a duty urged and enforced upon all thofe that ex- 
 pe<fl thehnppinefs of another life, and defire to enter in at 
 this ftrait gate ; and that is, a diligent and induftriousflriv- 
 ing : Strive to enter in at ihejlrait gate. 3. We have a 
 forcible argument and motive to excite and quicken us to 
 the pratfliceof thi^duty, drawn from the paucity, or fmall 
 number^of thofe that fhall obtain falvjtion inia dying hour 
 P-'any^tHftck toenter in, but Jhall not he able. Learn thence 
 I. That heaven or the happinefs of a future flate, is 
 attainable. 2. That it is not attainable without labour 
 and difficulty.. 3. That all thofe difficulties may be 
 happily overeome by a diligent and indultrious ftriving. 
 
 25. When once the Maitcr of the honfc is rifen up 
 ;ind hath fliut to the door, and }e begin to ftand with 
 
 out, and to knock at the door, faying. Lord, Lord, 
 open untons, and \\c Qiall anfwer, and fay unto you 
 I know you not whence ye are : 26 Then ftiall ye 
 begin to fay, We have eaten and drunk in thy pre- 
 fcncc, and thou haft taught in our ftreets. 27 Btit 
 he ihall fay, I tell you I know you not whence yc 
 arc ; depart from me, all ye wchkers of iniquity. 
 28 Tlicre fhall be weeping and gnalhing of teeth, 
 when ye ftiall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, 
 -and all the prophets m the kingdom of God, and 
 '•yoxiyourfdvtsthm^OMX.. 29 And they (hall come 
 from the eaft, and /ro?n the weft, and from the north 
 and from the fouth, and ftiall fit down in the king- 
 dom of God. 33 And behold, there are laft which 
 ftiall be firft, and there are firft^ which ftiall be laft. 
 
 Our Saviour having exhorted all his followers in the 
 foregoing verfes to make fure of heaven and falvation to 
 themfelves, whilft the door of liope and falvation i8«){>eii 
 to them, by this parable of a matter of a family invitiiig 
 gueits to his table, and waiting for their coming, and ac 
 laft flnittingthe door againftthem, becaufe they either de- 
 nied or delayed coming, Chrift hereby reprefented to the 
 Jews the great danger they were in, if the neglefted tile 
 prefent fealbn of grace and falvation, which now they did 
 enjoy ; telling them farther how little it would profit them 
 at the day of judgment, to alledge that they had eaten and 
 drank in his prefence, and that they had heardhim preach 
 in their ftreets, if they did not forfake their <i;)S, and obey 
 his gofpel. Adding farther, that it would be an heart- 
 piercing furrow, a foul rending grief ro them at the great 
 day, to fee not only the patriarchs and prophets, and other 
 Jews, but even the defpifed Gentiles from all quarters 
 andnations, whom they thought accurfed, admitted into the 
 kingdom of heaven, and themfelves eternally ftiut out : 
 For the lafl Jhall he firft, and the firft laji ; that it, the 
 Gentiles who were afar ol7, Ihall receive the gofpel, when 
 you for rejefting it flia!! be caft off. From the whole, note, 
 I. That there is a determinate time when fouls muft (if 
 ever) accept of the offers of grace and falvation, which are 
 made unto them ; row is the door open, and perfons in- . 
 vited in. 2. That ere long Jefus Chrift, who now ftands 
 at every one of our doors waiting for ourcompliance witii 
 his gofpel- terms, willwait nolonger uponns,norflnveaiiy 
 farther by the motions of his holy fpirit with \\%,\\}hen once 
 the mafter of the hou/'e is rifen up, and hath /hut to tlye door, 
 
 3. That doleful is the condition of fuch iniferable fouls 
 againft whom the iloorisfliut; the door of repentance, the 
 door of hope, the <loor of falvation; all ihut, eternally 
 fliut ; and that by him who (hutteth, and none can open. 
 
 4. That all would be faved at laft; all will cry for mercy 
 when it is too late, even fuch as now finfully undervalue- 
 and fcornfully defpife it ; ye /hall Ji and without , and knock 
 at the door, /dying. Lord, Lord, open to us. Note. 5.- That 
 it is no good plea for admittance into heaven, becaufe we 
 have been church-members here on earth ; no outward 
 privileges, though Chrift has taught in our ftreets; no 
 c.'iternal acts of communion, though v.e have eaten and 
 
 drank 
 
Chap, xiii. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 261 
 
 drank in liis preftnce, and athis holy table, will juftify our 
 iiopes of entering into heaven when we die, if we be 
 •workers of iniquity whilft we live; Lord, we have eaten 
 tnddrMnk in ihy prefence ; iiit he (hall fay, J know you not 
 ye workers of iniquity. Note, 6. That as hell will be a 
 fecond heaven to the glorified, fo heaven will be a fecond 
 hell to the damned. Hell will be a fecond heaven to the 
 glorified, that is, it will add exceedingly to the happinefs 
 of the faint? in heaven, to fee and befenfibleof that inifery 
 which they efcaped, and the damned endure ; and on the 
 other hand, heaven will be a fecond hell to the damned ; 
 that is, it will increafe their torments, and add to the vexa- 
 tion of their fpirits, to fee fomein heaven whom they little 
 expefted to have ^^aw there; foine that never faw nor 
 heard, nor enjoyed what they hid done; ftrangers, yea, 
 heathfns taken in, when the children of the king<ioni, that 
 It, the members of the vifible church, are fliut out: Theyfjall 
 ■come from the eafl, from the wieji , from the north, and from 
 ■thefouth, and fit down in the kingdom of Cod, but the chil- 
 dren of the kingdomjhall be cojl into outer darknefs. 
 
 31 H The fame day there came certain of the 
 Pharifees, faying unto him, Get thee out, and de- 
 part hence; for Herod will kill thee. 32 And he 
 faid unto them. Go ye and tell that fox. Behold, I 
 call out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-mor- 
 row, and the third d<iy I fliall be perfefted. 33 Ne- 
 verthelefs, I muft walktoday, and to-morrow, and 
 ;the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet 
 perifhout of Jerufalcm. 
 
 It may feem ftrange, that the Pharifees, whohad no kind- 
 nefs for our Saviour fliould come here and acquaint him 
 with a danger that he was in from WtrciA-.Cet thee hence, 
 for Fferod will kill thee. It is probable they had a defign to 
 drive him out of the country, becaufe his reputation was 
 fogreat amongft the people, who were admirers of hisper- 
 fon, hearers of hi« do(?lrine, and Witnefles of his miracles. 
 But what intention foever they had in acquainting Chrtfl 
 with this danger, it is very evident that our Saviour/light- 
 ed it, by the me/Tage which he fern to Herod ; Ci and tell 
 ■that fox.- Where we muft not fuppofe, that our Lord did fis 
 this naxncof fox upon Herod asanopprobioustitle, thereby 
 refleftingthe lea(tdi(honor upon him asa king; bwt it was 
 as a prophet, to let him know, that being about his Father's 
 work, he feared neither his power or his policy ; neither 
 hi? cruelty or his craft ; and that nothing (hould take him 
 off frora finifliing the work of man's redemption. Learn 
 
 • hence, that when God calls forth any of his fervants to 
 any fpecial fervice for liim.all the combined power and 
 policy of the prince of darknefs, and his inftrumcnts, Hiall 
 neve- be able to hinder them, til! they have finiftied their 
 
 I courfe, and done the fervice which Gtxi defigned ; J>nu/} 
 
 work to-day and to-morrow, and the day foUo-^tng ; as if 
 
 •. Chriil had faid, «' Let Hei-od know that my time is not 
 
 ' in his hand ; and as to this matter, I am not under his com- 
 
 • inand or power: ere long my work will be finillied, and 
 . then 1 fliall be perfefted." Ohfervehtire, That ro impofe 
 
 riiis ignommious but agreeable name on Herod, isnot con- 
 trary to the coi-nmand; not to fpeak evil of the ruler of the 
 
 people ; it being the office of a prophet, not to fpare kings 
 when they reprove their offences. Accordingly Chfift 
 here ufes his prophetic tall and power, In giving this ty- 
 rant a name fo fuitablcto his a<ftions,go tell that/&.v,.fvom 
 me, a prophet fent of God, and therefore auihoriiVd fo to 
 flyle him, That 1 am haflening to Jerufalem to lay down 
 my life there, not fearing to be killed by him in the way ; 
 for it cannot be, that a prophet peri fli out of Jeriifalem ; 
 where the Sanhedrim fit, who are to pafs judgnient uf on 
 me. Dr. Whitby, 
 
 34 O Jcrufalern, Jerufalcm, which killefl the 
 prophets, and ftoneft them that are fent unto thee; 
 how often would I have gathered thy children to- 
 gether, as a hen dolli gather her brood under ha- 
 wings, and ye would not ! 35 Behold, yotir houfe 
 is left unto you dcfolate : And verily I fay unto 
 you. Ye fhall not fee me until the time come when 
 ye fhall fay, Blcflcd ti he that cometh in the name 
 of the Lord. 
 
 Our Lord concludes this chapter with a coirpaflionate 
 lamentation over Jerufalem, the place \\ here he was to 
 fuffer. His ingemination, or doubling of the word, Je- 
 rufalem Jemfalem.fhewi the vehemency of his aflfeftion 10 
 wards them, and the fincerity of his defires for their fal- 
 vatioi!. Objerve i. The kindnefs and compalTion of Chrifl 
 to tlia Jews in general, and Jerufalem in particular, fee 
 forth by a lively metaphor and fimilitude, namely, that of 
 a hen gathering her chickens under her wings : As the 
 hen doth tenderly cherifh, and carefully hide and cover 
 her young from the eye of the deltroyer, fo would Chrifb 
 have flirouded and flieltered his people from all tbofe birds 
 of prey , and particularly from the Roman eagle, by w hole 
 talons they were at lad deftroyed. Again, as the hen 
 c-ontinueth her call to her young ones from morning to 
 night, and holds out her wings for fhelter to them nil ilie 
 day long, fo did Chriil wait for this j)eoples repentancfe and 
 converfion; for it was more than forty years after they 
 had killed his prophets, and murdered himfelf, before they 
 met with a final overthrow. 2. The amazing obrtinacy 
 and wilfulnefs of this people, in rejetfiirg the grace and 
 favour, the kindnefs and condefcenfion of the Lord Jefus 
 Chr'id, I would have gathered ysu, ittt ye %vcutd not. -5. The 
 fatal ilTue of this obllinacy, Behold your koufe is left unto 
 you defolate ; is left, that is, certainly and fuddenly will 
 be left defolate (the prefent tenfe being put for the *iauh 
 pop futurum J whhh denotes both the certainty and prox- 
 imity of this people's ruin. Lccrn 1. That the ruin and 
 deftrui5lion of linners is wholly chargeable upon ihem- 
 felves, that is, on their own wilfulnel's and impeniieii- 
 cy, on their own obilinacy and obduracy. / -jji-uld h:r.\- 
 gathered you, fays Chrift, hut ye would not. 1. How de- 
 plorably and inexcufably they will periih, who perilli by 
 their own wilfulnefsan<l obduracy under the golpel. '.(. 
 1'hat there is no defire like unto God's delire of a people's 
 repentance, no longing like unto God's loiiging for a peo- 
 ple's falvation. Jerufalem, how ift would I have gather- 
 ed thee.' When fhall it once be? Jer. xiii. 27. 
 
 C H A P. 
 
s6s 
 
 3T. L U K E. 
 
 Chap. xiv. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 A ND it came to pafs, as he went iiito the houfe 
 J~\. of one of the chief Pharifees to eat bread on 
 the fabbath-day, that they watched him. 2 And 
 behold, there was a certain man before him, which 
 had the drppfy. 3 And Jefus anfwering, fpake 
 unto the lawyers and Phirifecs, faying, Is it hiwful 
 to heal on the fabbath-day ? 4 And they held their 
 peace. And he took liim, and healed him, and let 
 ni'K <^b: 5 Andanfwered them, faying, Which of 
 yoii ihall have an afs or an ox fallen into a pit, and 
 Avill not flraightway pull him out on the fabbath- 
 day ? 6 Ajid they could not anfwer him again to 
 t/iefe things. 
 
 Si^vcral pirtitulars are here worthy of our obfcrvation 
 iind !r.iitati(Hi. A'o/e- 1 . The frecilom of our Lord's con- 
 X'erfation with men ; he delighted in human fociety, and was 
 of a foci.ible temper ; we do not find, that whenever he was 
 invititd by a (inner, that he difdained to ro; not fo much 
 for the pleafure of eating, as for the opportunity of con- 
 vtrfinf; and doing good. 2. The houfe he goes into, atid 
 h entertained in, one of f}ie chief Pharifees, who were 
 fomeof hischiefeft enemies; a great in ftance of our Lord's 
 humanity, humility, .Tud felfdenial, in that herefufesnot 
 the converfaiipn of thofe whom he knew did not affedt 
 ]iim ; teaching us to love our enemies, and not to fliun 
 couverfing wiih them, that thereby we may gain an oppor- 
 tunity of being reconciled to them. 3. The day when our 
 Saviour dined publicly at the Pharifee's houfe, among the 
 lawyers and Pharifees, it was on the fabbath-day. Learn 
 hence. That it is not tlmply unlawful for us to entertain 
 cur frieiuis and neigl)bours with a plentiful meal on ihe 
 April's day : it mutt be acknowledged, thai feafting upon 
 •,«ny day is one of thofe lawful things which is difficultly 
 Wanaged without fm, hut more efpccially upon that day, 
 that, it does not unfit us for the duties of the fabbath : 
 However, our Lord's example in going to a public dinner 
 amongft lawyers and Pharifees, evidently fhews the law- 
 fulnelsof feaftiHg on that day, provided we ufe the fame 
 jnoderaiion in eating and drinking, that he did, and im- 
 prove the opportunity as a feafon fordoing good, as he has 
 taught us by his example. 4 How contrary to all the 
 laws of behaviour, the decency of converfation, and the 
 rules of hofpitality, the Pharifees watehed him, making 
 iheir table a fnare to catch him, hoping they might hear 
 fomething from him, or fee fomeihing of him, for which 
 they might accufc him ; He entered into ihe htufe 0/ the 
 Phur'i/cc to eat hread, and they are 'Matched. <;. Our Savi- 
 our chole the fabbath-day as the fitted feafoii to woik his 
 miraculous cures in ; in the Pharifees houfe he heals a man 
 ihat had the dropfy, on the fabbath-day. Chrift would 
 not forbear doing good, nor omit .my opportunity of help- 
 ing ^nd healing the dittrefled, though he knew his enemies 
 \Uf Pharifees wouldcarp and cavil at if, calumniate and 
 r«j)roacj} hin> for it ; it beir.g the coiitt.mt guife of hypo- 
 crites, to prefer ceremonial and ritual oblervation.":, before 
 Jiecefliiry and moral duties. 6. How cur Saviou* defends 
 
 the lawfulnefsof hisaftinheilingihe difeafed man,frflm 
 tbeir own act in helping 4 bealt out of (he pit on the fab- 
 bath-day ; as if Chrilt had faid, " is it lawful for you ou 
 the fabbath-day to help a beaft ? and is it fioful for me to 
 help a man?" Note, laflly. How the reafon and force of 
 our Saviour'sarguinent filenced the Pharifees; convinced 
 them, nodoilht, but we read nothing of their converfion ; 
 the obllinate and malicious are much harder to be tifrought 
 wpon, than the ignorant and fcandalous ; it is ealier tQ 
 ■filence fuch men than to fatisfy them ; to flop their moiuhs 
 than to remove their prejudices; for obftinacy will hold 
 the condu.'ion, though reafon cannot maintain the pre 
 mifes; They could not anf-jjer him again to ihofe things, 
 
 7 IT And he put forth a parable to thofe which 
 were bidden, when he marked how they chofe out 
 the chief rooms ; faying unto them, 8 When thou 
 art bidden of any jnan to a wedding, fit not down 
 in the highefl room ; left a more honorable man 
 than thou be bidden of him : 9 And he that bade 
 thee and him, come and fay to theCj .Give this 
 man place; and thou begin with fhame to take the 
 loweft room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go 
 and fit down in the lowefl room; that when he 
 that bade thee cometh, he may fay unto thee, Friend 
 go up higher : then (halt thou have worfhip in thp 
 prelence of them that fit at meat with thee, n 
 For whofoever exalteth-himfclf fhall be abafcd; 
 and he that humbleth himfelf Ihall be exalted. 
 
 It was obfprved before. That onrblefled Saviour dined 
 publicly on the fabbath-day, with feveral Ph«rifces and 
 lawyer';; that uhich is here worthy of our notice is tbisi 
 How holy and fuitable our Lord's dlfc<>\irfe was to the fo- 
 lemnity of that day ; may it be the matter of our imitation. 
 It is not unlawful for friends to dine togetheron theLordfs 
 day, provided their difcourfebe fuitable to the day, fuch as 
 our Lord's here ; for obferviiig how the company then at 
 the. table did affed precedency, and taking place one of 
 another ; he that before their eyes had cured a man of a 
 bodily dropfy, attempts to cure the perfons thatdint^d-with 
 him of a tympany of pride. Where nite, that it is not 
 the taking, but the affecting of the higheft placet and up. 
 permoft rooms that our Saviour condemns. There may 
 and ought to be a precedency amongft perfons; it is ac- 
 cording to the will of God, That honor ke given to isthom 
 hoK'jr is due ; and that the molt honorable perfons fhoulil 
 fit in the moft honorable places; for grace gives a man no 
 exterior preference : It makes a man glorious indeed, but 
 it is glorious within. Note farther, Tke way and conrfe, 
 the method and means which our Saviour directs perfons 
 . to, in order to their attaining real honor, both from, God 
 and men, namely, by being lutle in our own ej-es, and 
 in h-wUnefs of mind, epeeming othirs Ix tier than ourftlves ; 
 as Cod will abafe, and men will difpife the proud and 
 haughty, fo God will exalt, and men will honor the 
 humble perfon : Whofzevtr exalteth himfelf Jlicll ie abafed, . 
 and he that humbleth himfelf Jk nil be rxal.'ed. 
 
 12 f Thcr. 
 
Chap. xit. 
 
 St. l y .K E. 
 
 ^OA 
 
 -■.12 f Theft faid he alfb to him tliat bade him, 
 . When thou makefl a dinner era I'uppcr, call not thy 
 friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinfmen, nor 
 thy rich neighbours ; left they alfo bid thee again, 
 and a rccompc nfe be made thee. 13 But when thou 
 itiakcft a feaft, call the poor, the maimed, the lame 
 the blind : 1 4 And thou flialt be blcffed ; for they 
 cannot recompenfe thee : for thou (halt be recom- 
 penl'ed at the refurreftion of the juft. 
 •"'Obrerve here. That this is not an abfolutedenialof ull- 
 inp brethren and kinsfolk, and rich neighbours; butChrift 
 ftjrbids the bidding of them alone, and requires that the 
 poor be refrefhed at or from our table : For when the rich 
 feaft one another, and let the poor faft and pine, this is 
 very finful. Accordingly our Saviour, obferving how the 
 Pharifees that invited him to dinner invited only the rich, 
 over-looking and neglecting the poor, he exhorts him and 
 the company, that whenever they make entertainments for 
 the time to come, they fhould not only invite their rich 
 neighbours and friends, who can and will invite them again 
 bur remember the poor. Here nott, i. That civil cour- 
 tefies, and hofpitable entertainments of kindred and friends 
 for maintaining and prefer ving love and concord, is'not only 
 lawful, but anexpedientand necefTary duty.Ufi; hofpilality 
 one to another, (fays St. Peter) without grudging. 2. That 
 though it be not unlawful to invite and feaft the rich, yet 
 it is moft acceptable to God, when we feed and refrelh the 
 poor; When timt makeP a fea/} call rather the poor, and 
 thou /halt he Iflejffd. We muft prefer the duties of Chrif- 
 tian charity, before the afts of common civility, blelFed arc 
 thofe feaft-makers, who make the bowels of the hungry 
 foblefsthem. 3. That God oft-times rewards our libe- 
 rality to the poor very fignally in this life ; but if it be de- 
 ferred we (hall not fail to receive it at the refurrection of 
 the juft ; Thepocr cannot recompenfe thee but thou /halt be 
 rccompenfed at the refurrefl'ion ofthejuji. 
 
 15 5 And whenoneof them that fat at meat with 
 him, heard thefe things, he faid unto him, Bleffed 
 is he that fhall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 
 l6 9 Then faid he untohitn, A certain man made 
 a great fupper, and bade many : ty And he fent 
 his fervant at fupper time to fay to them that were 
 bid'len, Come, for all things are now ready. i8 
 And they all with one confent began to make excufe. 
 The firft faid I have bought a piece of ground, and 
 I muft needs go and fee it : I pray thee have me 
 excufed. 19 And another faid I have bought five 
 yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray 
 th.c have me excufed. 20 And another faid, I have 
 married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So 
 that fcrv.^nt came and fliewed his Lord thefe things. 
 Tlion the mafter of the houfe being angry, faid to 
 his fervant, Goout quickly into the ftreets andlanes 
 of tJie city, and bring in hither the poor, and the 
 
 maimed, and the halt and the blind. 22 And the 
 fervant faid, Lord it is done as thou h.ift co;n- 
 mandcd, and yet there is room. 23Andthelord 
 faid unto the fervant. Go out into the hig.h-ways and 
 hedges, and compel them to come in, that my houfe 
 may be filled. 24 For I fay unto you, that none of 
 thofe men which were bidden, ftiall tafte of my fup-- 
 per. ,',.:'.. 
 
 One of them which fat at meat with our Saviour in the^ 
 Pharife's houfe, hearing Chriftfpeak of beingrecompenfed • 
 at the refurredion of the juft, repeats that known faying 
 among the Rabbins, BliJJed is he that Jl jail eat bread in tbs 
 kingdom of Cod ; that is, who (hall be partaker of thejoys of 
 heaven. Hereupon Chrift utters the parable of the marri-' 
 age fupper, recorded here by St. Luke, with finall variati- 
 on from what was delivered by St. Watthcw, chap. xxii. 
 The firft intention of our Saviour in that parable fcems to 
 be this, to fet forth that gracious offer of mercy audlalva- 
 tion which was made by the preaching of the gofpel unto 
 the Jews, and to declare God's purpofe of receiving the 
 Gentiles into the fold of Chrift, upon the Jews defpifing 
 and rejecting this ineftimable favour. But befides this, it 
 has an afpect upon us Chriftians, who haveembraced the 
 do(ftrinc of the gofpel. Here n^Ae, i. That the gofpel for 
 its freenefs andfulnefs, foritsjvarietics and delicacies is like 
 a marriage fupper: For, i. It does create the fame rela- 
 tion between Chrift and believers, that marriage doth be- 
 tween hufband and wife. 2. Itincitles to the fame pri- 
 vileges that acongugal relation doth •, to the fame endear- 
 ing love and tendernels, to the fame care and protection, to 
 the fame honour and to the fame happinefs. 3. It obliges 
 to the like duties, namely, unfpotted love and fidelity, 
 cheerful obedience to his connnands, reverence tohisper- 
 fon, fubmilfion to his authority. 4. It produceth the fame 
 efFefts ; as the efFe^ of marriage is increafe of children, fo 
 the fruit of the gofpel is bringing many fons to God. Note 
 2. That gofpel invitations are mightily difefteemed; they 
 made light of the invitation, and offered frivolous e.xcufes 
 fo>- their refufal of it. 3. That the preference which the 
 world has in men's efteem, is a great caufe of the gofpel 
 contempt; One had purchafed a piece cf ground, another 
 had hou^l five yoke cf oxen, 4. The deplorable fadnels 
 of their conditon who refufe,upon any pretence whatever 
 to comply with the gofpel-tender of reconciliation and 
 mercy. The king vias wroth, pronounced them unwsrtJ>y 
 of his favour, and refolved they Jhould not laflc of kit fupper; 
 but fends forth his fervants to invite others to hii I'upper 
 5. The notion under which the Gentiles are fet forth unto 
 us, fuch as were in lanes, flreels, and highways ; that 
 is, a rude, ruftic, and barbarous people, whom the Jews 
 defpifed, yea, whom they held accurfed ; yet even thefe 
 are called and accepted, whilll the Jews, the firft intended 
 guefts, are excluded by means of their own contempt.— 
 Laftly, The means ufcd to brnig in the Gentiles to the 
 gofpel fupper ; Co and compel them to come iM;not by vio* 
 leuce.but perfuafion ; by argumentation not coinpulfion; 
 the plain and perfuafive, the powerful and eificacioue 
 preaching of the word, with the motions and influei.cesof 
 
 tJip 
 
^^ 
 
 St. L U K K^ 
 
 Chap. xV. 
 
 the boly Spirit, arc 'tWcompulfiorislitfre Intended; not ex- 
 rernal force; nor temporal punifhnients, not outward vio- 
 lence, Nin rtlig'isnls f/i cogereretigiQiitni, lays Tcrtullian; 
 *• Neman ougiit by fgrc^ and violence to be coHipelled to 
 tie prcfcirion of the true faith." Objerve then, How vainly 
 thefe ttordt are brought to prove, that men may be com- 
 pelled by the fecuhr arai to euibrnce the chriftian faith. — 
 This appears, i. From the nature of a banquet, to which 
 none arc conipellcd by force, but by perfuafnui only. 2. 
 from the fcopc of the parable, w hich rd'pects the callijigof 
 . the Gentiles, who belie^'ed by the great povverof God. 
 
 25 IT And there were great multitudes with him: 
 ^p(J h« tuined; andfaid unto them, 26 If any man 
 come to mo, and hate not his father and mother, and 
 wife and children, and brethren and fillers, yea, and 
 his own life alfo, he cannot be my dilciplc. 27 And 
 whofoever doth not bear his crols, and come after 
 tild, cannot be my difciple. 
 
 Our Saviour by thefe exprellionsdoth not^ondentn na- 
 tural love and ?ffe6tion, either to our relations, or our own 
 lives, but only regulates and directs it; fliewing. That our 
 Crfl and chief love mult be beftowed upon himfclf; we may 
 have, and ought to cherifli, tender and relenting afFecTions 
 towards our near and dear relations : But then the confi- 
 deratioii of Chrift's truth and religion muft take place of 
 thefe ; yea, of life itfelf ; and when they ftandin compe- 
 tition with thefe, we are to regard them no more than if 
 they were the objects of our hatred. Learn hence, i.That 
 bo man can be a lincere difciple of Chrift, who gives ariy 
 relation, or outward enjoyment, a preference to Chrifl in 
 jiis heart and aflTeaions. Chrirt mutt be loved above all, 
 or we love h'm not at all ; lefs love he accounts and calls 
 hatred. That which we can leave for Chrift, we hate, in 
 comparifon of that love which we bear to Chrift. It is both 
 impious and inipodible to hate father and morher,and our- 
 felves abfolutely: Itmuft then be underftood comparatively 
 pply ■ what we love lefs, we are comparatively laid to hate, 
 a. That all the difciples of Chrift muft be ready and will- 
 ing, whenever called to it, to quit all jtheir temporal in- 
 trcfts and enjoyments,even life itfelf, and fubmit to anytem 
 poral inconveniences, even death itftlf,and this willingly 
 and cheerfully, rather than difown their relation to Chrift, 
 and quit the profeflion of his holy religion : Upon eafier 
 terms than thefe, can none of us be the dfciples of Jefus, 
 
 28 For which of you intendingto build a tower, 
 fittcth not down firft, andcountcth the coft, whether 
 ye have M«V7t< to finifli it ? 29 LeR haply after 
 he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finifli 
 it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, 
 This man began to build, and was notable to finiih 
 qtOr what king going to make waragainft another 
 king,fitteth not down fira, and confulteth whclhcr 
 he be able with ten thoufand to meet htm that 
 comcth againft him with twenty thoufand? 32 Or 
 elfc, while the other is yet a great way off, he fendeth 
 jUldarabalTagc, anddefireth conditions of peace. 33 
 
 S6 likewife,' whofoever lie he of you that forfaketh 
 not all that he hath, he cannot h>i my dilciplc. 
 
 Our blefled.Saviour by thefe twopar;»b1e$ia<lvifes all hi* 
 follows ers to lit down and confidtr, to weigh well, and caft 
 up beforehand, s\hatit i s like to coft iliem logo through^ 
 with their profeflion of religion : This, he tells us, com • 
 moa piudeuce will dire<ft men to do in other cafes; parti- 
 cularly, when they either go to build or to fight. Asa 
 man that intends to build, .will confult whether he is able 
 to defray the charges; and a king that goeth forth to war, 
 will confider what ftrength he has to make oppofition; ia 
 butadvifedly, with coniiderationand judgiiieni : Itisgooct 
 to remember the iflues of action before we a£t; before w« 
 engage in the fpiritual combat, to confider the difficulty of 
 the biiile, what proud leviathians we have to conflict with 
 what mighty giants to contend and ftrive againft, even the 
 world, tneiielb, and the devil. But then we muft take 
 great care that our deliberation and confideration of diffi- 
 culties and dangers may not deter us from, but work in 
 us aiteady reloiution for the combat, looking up to Chrift 
 for his auxillery aid and ftrength to render us victorious, 
 who,thoagrt of ourfelves we can do nothing.yet may do nil 
 things through him that ftrenpthens m. Ixarn' from hence, 
 1 hat fuch ai take np a profeflion of Chriftianity, without 
 contidering the dangeri aiiddiffiiulties, thetrialsand trou- 
 bles, the affliiti.ns and temptations which may accompany 
 it, will never hold out in the fpiritual welfare, but either 
 fall in it, or run from it. 
 
 34 f Salt ii good : but if the fait have loft its 
 favour, wherewith fliall it be feafoned ? 35 It is 
 neither fit for the Lind, nor yet for the dunghill ; 
 but men call it out. He that hath ears to hear, let 
 him hear. 
 
 Our Saviour here compares his difciples t^ fait, therebjj 
 denoting their ufefulnefs, fait being one ofthemoft ufeful 
 things in nature; and pointing fflfo out their duty, which 
 is toTealon ihemfelves and others withfomiddoftnne. But 
 hypocritical profeflTors are like unfavory fait; they are nei- 
 ther favoury in theinl'elves,nor ferviceable to others. Our 
 Saviour compares fuch Chriftians, who have no lavour of 
 piety and goodnefsupon their fpirits, to fait, that havmg 
 loft its goodnefs, is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the 
 dunghill; that is, being of a bhckifh nature, it is wholly 
 unfit to manure the ground, and will rather occalion bar- 
 rei.nefs than any fruHfnlnefs or increafe Learn hence. 
 That fincere and fenous Chriftians are and wUl be as fait 
 of the earth; that is, good and favoury in the.nfelvcs,and 
 endeavouring by exhortation and ggod example to leafc« 
 othei-s : But hypocritical profVffors and apolUtizing Chrif- 
 tians will be caft out, and trampled upon as unfavoury lalt. 
 
 C II A P. XV. 
 
 Thh diaptcrrmfp of three par abUs ■ i. 0/a nan 
 
 fcckmg dilliKctuly a Jlictp tluu he hcd Ijl, avd/utvmg 
 
 /mid it rqmced peally, and mvUcd his nagldmrf 
 
 to partake of /us m. z. Of a wonum having Ljt a 
 
 * •*■'■' piece 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 pineoffilver.andfcfkhKr till Jhe had fnmd it, and 
 then in like mmntr rejoicing with her friends. 3. Of 
 apr.xligal fn, who liavhigfprnt his time, and confianed 
 his ejhti in rit arid excfs, at kn^th returns to his fa- 
 ther's hmfe, a>ui is fyfiilly received. 
 
 THEN drew near unto him all the publicans 
 and fmncrs for to hear him. 2 And the Pha- 
 rilces and fcribts murmured, fayinr. This man re- 
 ccivcth finners, andeatcth with them. 
 
 The publicans .•indliiiMfrs.a'. thiy had done feveral times 
 before, came to hear our Savinir's nilli uduju .; he treated 
 them very kin.lly, and converfcd farniluily with iheni; ac 
 rhi^thePliarifees \ere dilpleifed and mnrnmred, cenl'ured 
 our Saviourfor toonnidi f.miiliarity withihofe inen,uhom 
 they looked iipona<. fcanJalous to converle with; lu't ton- 
 fideraij: that heconverfed with them as their phyfirian, 
 not as thtir companion; and therefore hisnroper work and 
 employment lay among his patients : And, that Jie might 
 give nil polTihle enconrijiement to the re .entance of the 
 greateiHinners, hefetsforth at once the tender care of God 
 in recoverinfrriich loll linners and !heintxpre(rihle joy that 
 is found in heaven at the welcome news of their recovery: 
 if or thus it follows in the parables. 
 
 3 f And he fpake this parable unto them, faying, 
 4 What man of you having an hundred fheep,ifhe 
 lofe one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine 
 inthe wilderncfs.and goaficrthat whichis loft, un- 
 til he find it ? 5 And when he hath found ti he 
 layethzVon his fhoulders rcjoicin;.. 6 And when 
 he Cometh home he calleth together his friends and 
 neighbours, faying unto them, Rejoice with me: for 
 I have found my (heep which M-asloft. 7 I fay unto 
 you, that likewife joy fliall be in heaven over one 
 finner that repenteth, more than over ninety and 
 nine jufl. perfons, wliich need no repentance. 
 
 In thi' parable Chrift compares finners to flippp g-.injr 
 aftray.-^ndGod the Fathsrto a tender and careful Iheph-rd 
 fe^k.ng hisltrav fheep-, wherein he fccr tly tnxe:th' Piia- 
 rifee. for their nncharit.iblenefs in cenlnring him for ccui- 
 vening with pubHcansand linners, and for their cnvv at the 
 recovery of filch finners by repenrancf ; allliring them, that 
 theyare far from the temper of theholy angels, whorejoice 
 more at the news cfone nctorions finner'iconverfion, t(ir.n 
 for many righteous perfon- who went noraftnv • llf- isa 
 fathjris touched with amore fenlihie joy, for the recovery 
 ol one for, who wa^ dangcronllv fick.ihan forthe health of 
 all the rejt who were in no fuch danger. From the whole 
 tn.e, K 1 hat t'^e creature's jberation may fi-rve for cur 
 inft.uft.on: the n,cep% (Ir.-ying away from tis, (liould put 
 nsin mind of our wandering away from God. 2. That 
 Lhnd the great (hei her.l of his iluirth, wwh vigilarc.-and 
 care, (etk.tli up, aod findeth out his I,,!} (heep, and will 
 nev.rg.v. ov.rh.r-,,.., ,;,,!.. b.,-. ^ „..,' ,,,g,„. 
 1 bar t^-.e rt . ^ 
 
 -■,1.' mat- 
 
 2% 
 
 herd, and to all the bleffed company of h-aven ; There it 
 joy in h iv n '^.v^rr.nt- Jir.mr that rtpentctk, orchangeth the 
 whole courle of his lite, imre ttan ovir nii:ely and nine jujt 
 perfons th.it ne^'l n't fuch rtpsntunce. The opening of a lin 
 ner's heart to Chrift, makes joy in heaven; and occalion 
 triumph in the city of our Gud above : A» whf n a vouu 
 prince is born, all the kingdom rtjoiceth, and the coi'uluir 
 run wine ; fowlien a fou! is born to Chrift imder the gof 
 pel, O whit a mighty fatisfurtu.n is it to the heart" o 
 Chrift, and to all the angclsand faints, that another ion 
 iseCpoufedto him. "O (inner, Chrjft never rejoiced over 
 thee before, thou haft grieved him, and woundfd him a 
 
 thoufand times, but he never rtjoiceil in thee till now.'' 
 
 And if there be fuch joy in heaven at the convcrfion of .-» 
 fiimer, Lord, what rejoicing muft there be at the glorifi- 
 cation of flints ! 
 
 8 f Eithe'r what woman having ten pieces of fil- 
 ver; if fhe lofe one piece, dolh not li^ht a candle, 
 and fweep the houfe,and feek diligently till flie hnd 
 it? 9 And when file h,uh found /V, flie calletji /^fr 
 friends and/i(T neighbours together, faying, Rejoice 
 with me, for I have found the piece which I had 
 loft. 10 Likewife I fay unto you, There is joy in 
 the prefence of the angels of God over one linner 
 that repenteth. 
 
 The fcopr of this parable is the fame with the formrr. 
 
 1. To exprefi the joy that is found with God and liibholy 
 angels, at therecovery andconverlion nfanotorious finner. 
 
 2. To jufti^'v Chrift in con veHing with fuch linners inor- 
 der to their repentance ami converfion, from the malicious 
 reflpvlions of the I'h.irilces made upon our Saviour for ("0 
 doing. The Icnfeof the words iVemstobe this: 'If you 
 doajl juftify the diligence and c.ireof a woman, ufing all 
 pofilble means to recover the lols of a piece of (ilver ihac 
 ha- Csfar's image upon it, why fn.ight our Saviour fay) 
 will yon Pharifees cuifure and tondeiiiii me for lc'tkiii"'to 
 recover and fave loft finners, that have the image ot an 
 holy God ii.ftampfd upe.n them J" learn hence, i. That 
 the converfion ofa (inner from a criirle .md ftaic offin.-.nd 
 wsekednefs.is highly acceptable and pleafing unio God. 2. 
 That it is reafonable to fuppole, that th<f holy angels in 
 heaven do concieve a nevjoy at the notice and news of a 
 finner's repentance and converfion unto God : h'ow the 
 angels con^e b\ this kno.«. ledge, whether by virtue of ih< ir 
 miniftry herebelow, or whether God is plealcd to reveal it 
 to them above, as a thing exiremt ly welcome and delight- 
 ful togcndfpirits, it is neither material to enquire, nor pof. 
 fible to determine. But iheir happinefs not being inttn- 
 fively infinite, it is certain that they may be h.ippier than 
 they are. v. That God is not only willing to receive .ind 
 embrace repenting and returning finncr.s, but the-news of 
 their repentance is eiitpri.iipt J s\ith fo nmth joy in heaven 
 that if it be pofTible fvrthe bhflid inhf:bit:.'nt.s tf that phice 
 to have any thing add; d to ilicT h.ip,.int fi, this will be ,1 
 r w acredioii to jt : F-.r.iungh ih( h;.pi)intfs i-f Cod 
 liuii'.i If hi. imenfivcly ii.fi.-r.-, and cuih-ne no;hiiig added 
 
 ter oft'xcei.. 
 
 iur rrcAt 
 
 toil, yet thiil!«ppinefiof .,1 i^tK ..ndglorfiMl Iplrit.- being' 
 but finite, is capable of aJ'Jiuuii ; ai.d as their k:.ov.-lt(:gi: 
 
 aiiJ 
 
 L L 
 
oets 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap, xy. 
 
 nm. iLivcuo Ki.rcii^. iothcir felicity may be gnnvmg .ir.ci 
 jinprovirni co all eternity : So that is reafpnable enoui»h 
 to fuppole, that there is really joy among the angels and 
 fj^irits; oljafl men made pcrfeft, over every finnertlut re- 
 ^criteth. 
 
 I I ? And he faid, A certain man had two' fons : 
 12 And the }Oungcr of them laid tolas father, 
 Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to 
 vu. And he divided unto themAis living. i3And 
 not many days after, the younger Ion gathered all 
 together, and took his journey into a far country, 
 and there waflcd his fubftance with riotous living. 
 14 And when he had ipent all, there arofc a mighty 
 famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 
 And he went and joined him ielf to a citizen of that 
 country, and he fent Iiim into his fields to feed 1 wine. 
 16 And he wouldfain have filled his belly with the 
 hulks that the fwine did eat ; and no man gaveunto 
 him. 17 And when he came to himielf, he laid 
 How many hired fervants of my fathers have bread 
 enough and to fpare, and I pcrifli with hunger! a8 
 I will arife, and go to my father, and will fay unto 
 him. Father I have finned againft heaven. and before 
 thee, 19 Andam nomore worthy totobecalled thy 
 fon: make me as one of thy hired fervants. 2oAnd 
 he arofe and came to his father.But when he was yet 
 a great way o(F, his father faw him, and had compaf- 
 ilon, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiflcd him. 
 2 1 And the fon faid unto him, Fiither, I have finned 
 againlt heaven, and in thy fight, and am" no more 
 ■worthy to be called thy fon. 22 But tire father faid 
 to his fen'ants, Bring forth the befl; robe and put it 
 on him; and put a ring on his hand, and fhocs on kis 
 feet; 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill 
 U; and let us eat, and be merry. 24 For this my 
 Ion was dead, and is a'ivt ;-,a!n ; he was loft, and is 
 found. And they began to be merry. 
 
 III the two former parables, of the loftlhefr', snd loft 
 groat, was repreftntcd 10 us the j^reat pains a. 'i"i.h 
 Chrift takes for the recovery of l()(i (inncrs. ... -d 
 parableof the prodij^al fon, is lliadowed forth unir 
 wIiatgrcatreadfnefs,joyandgla(iiit'rr., our heavenly ; -.iir 
 reccives rcpcntln;^ anil returning linners. In the fiKC of 
 this prodig.d, as in a {il.ih, \vc nK<y bdiold, fnltjA riotovis 
 finners averfitin from God ; reconiilv,""a penitent Ininer's 
 converfion to God ; tliiriily, A p:i:(ionpd finner's accept- 
 nnce and entertainment with God. Fromilie whole learn, 
 1. What is the nature of fin, and the practice of finncrs : 
 Sin is a lieparting from God, and every fninerdoth volun- 
 tarily and of Jiis' own arcord, depart from hhn ; he took his 
 joiirnry iiilo a fir country . 2. 1 he great extravagancy 
 
 which linners run into when thty forfjke God, and give 
 up tliemfslves to the conduct of their lulls atid vile alfec- 
 tions ; he \^aftedall his fubltance vjith rktcuf Ihivg; that 
 is, fpcnt his time, and conlumed his treaiure it) riot andtx- 
 
 cins. 3. That fin will certainly brint* men into flraits, but 
 flraits do not always bring off men from fin ; /:e brgun ti h: 
 in "Mt!nt,yei thinks not of returning to his father's houl'c. 
 4. That linners will try always, and go through the great, 
 ell hard/hips and (liificukiesbefore they will leave their fins 
 anil return home to their heavenly Father ; hf j'/mcd him- 
 J'tlfto a citizen if that country, cndvient into the f elds to feed 
 f'jiiine : He chutes rather tofeed at the hogs* trough, than 
 to feafl in his father's houfe. 5. At lalt the happy fruits 
 ofa fandified affliction ; they put the prodigrd upon ferious 
 conlideration; he came to bimfrlf ; Upon wife confultation 
 J perijl) with hunger : And upon a fixed refolution; I vjHI 
 arife, and go to my father. Seriousconfidcration,and folid 
 rel'oluiions, aregreatfleps to a founil converfion and tho- 
 rouijh reformation, 6. The affectionate tendcrncfs and 
 compallion of the father towards the returning prodigal ; 
 though hehad ikfcrved tobefharplyreproved.fcvcreiy cor 
 refted, and finally rcjedled and fliut out of doors, yet the 
 father's coinpafJion is above his anger; not a word of his 
 mifcarriagcs dropsfrom his father's mouth, but as foon as 
 ever the ton looks back, mercy looks out, and the father 
 exprelles, 1. Hisfpeedy readincfs to receive his Ccn,he ran 
 unto kirn ; the fon did only arife sn.l co, but the father made 
 hafie and ran; mercy has not only a quick eye to fpy out 
 a penitent, but a fwifc foot ; it rjiis toembrace a penitent 
 2. V/onderful tendernefs, he f^lli(pon his neck; it had been 
 much to have looked uponhi'n with the eye, more to h.ive 
 taken him by I'le hand, hutmoftofall to fall upon his 
 neck. Divine ncrcy wi'i not only meet a penitent, but 
 embrace him alfo. 3. Strong affeftitinatencfs, he k'ljh'd 
 hinj; giving him thereby apledgcand afiurance of perfect 
 fricndlhip and reconciliation with him. Learn hence,!, hat 
 God is not only ready to give demonftrations of his mercy 
 to penitent finners, but alfo to give the Teals and tokens of 
 his fpecial reconciled favour to them ; ihey/hall now have 
 thekiffes cfhis lips, who formerly defervcd the blows of 
 his hand : 7hc father ran unto him, fell on his mck, and 
 kiJJ'ed him. Lartly, The great joy that iippcared in the 
 whole houfe, as well a? in ths father's heart, upon this great 
 occafion, the prodigal fon's returning, they oil began to be 
 merry, there was iinific and dancing. Learn hence, That 
 fincere converfion brings the foul into a joyful, into a icry 
 joyfid ftate andconclition. Thejoy that converfion brings 
 is an holy and fpiritual joy, a folid and fubftantial joy, a 
 wonderful and tranfceiident joy, an inere.ifingaKd ncver- 
 fiiding jov. Oar joy on earth is an earncU of the joys tif 
 heaven, where there will be rejoicing in the prefcntc of 
 our heavenly Fatlu rand his holy angcl.s to all eiemity; hs- 
 caufc I!'.- 'jjcre dead, but are noiu ullve again; xueivere I J: , hut 
 arc Jc.und. 
 
 25 Now his cider fon was m the CciJ; and as he 
 came and drew nigh to the houfe, he heard nniiic 
 and dancing. 26 And he called one of the fei-vnuts 
 and afkcd what thefe things meant. 27 And he 
 {aid unto him, Tiiy brother is come; and tin father 
 hath killed the fatted calf, becaufc he hath received 
 him fafc and found. 28 And he w '.s angry, and 
 would not HI in : therefore came liis father out, an 1 
 
 intreated 
 
Chap, xv i. 
 
 St. L y K E. 
 
 S67 
 
 intreated him . 29 A^d he anfwering, faid to his 
 father, Lo. thefemany years do I fcrve thee neither 
 tranlgrefTcd I at any lime thy co'.nmandment andyet 
 thou never ga vcfl me a kid, that I might make mer- 
 ry with my friends: 30 But as foonas this thy foa 
 was come, which huh devoured tiiy hving with har- 
 lots, thou tliou hdft killed for him the fatted calf. 3 1 
 And he faid unt6 hnn, Son, thou art ever with me, 
 and all th.u 1 hive is thine. 32 It was meet that we 
 ihouM make merry and be glad: for this thy brother 
 was dead, and is alive againj and was loll and is 
 found. 
 
 By the murmuring of the elder fon at theprodigal's re- 
 turning to; and retepting with hi? fnther, fome think the 
 Je vs ill general aretobe uiiderltood, whofepeevillinefs to 
 the Gentiles, and the repining? at the ofFcr of falvation 
 made nnto th m by the gofpel; is very evident from many 
 places of fcripture : Others undcrftjnd itof thefcribesand 
 Pharifees in psrticnlar, who, prefuming on their own righ- 
 teoufncfs, as if they had never tranfgreiTed God's command- 
 ments at any time, ninrimired at our Saviour for conver- 
 fing with (inncrs, though "it wcrcin order to the bringing 
 of ihem to repentance ; whicli inftead of bein<Tfrowardly 
 iliicontcnted at, they ought to have rejoiced at. Learr. 
 hence, There is fuch an envious fpirit in men; yea, even 
 ill the beft of men, as incfineth them to repine at fuch dif- 
 . penfations of divine grace and favour, as others receive, 
 and they want. 2. Thatto indulge Inch a fpirit and tem- 
 per in ourfelves, argues great iri andgreatful'y : Greatfin 
 in being difljtisfied with God's difpeHfationi and affronting 
 his wifdom andiultice; andgreat folly in making another's 
 good ourgnef, as if we had lefsbecaufe another has more 
 7he eUeJtfon tvas angry, ami would >int go in ; it follows, 
 there/ere came thi father out and intreated him : Thisdiews 
 the iiiee knefs of God !n;dealing with u' under our fro ward- 
 nefs; and the high fatid'.icT-ion he takes ina Tinner's con- 
 verfion and returning to his duty. L iftly, Thirpoints out 
 unto us our duty'to imitate God, and be followers of hiui 
 as dear children : Doth he rejoiceat a liiiner'sretnrn tohis 
 duty? fo fliould we. It is thedevil's temperto regret and 
 envy the good and happinefs of others ; he gnalhes his teeth 
 when the prey he thougiithimfclffuroof, is fnatchedoutof 
 his jaws; But to God and all his holy angels, nothing is fo 
 agreable as the repentance and con verfwn of a finnerfrom 
 the error of his ways, and the faving of afcrilfrom death: 
 this 15 looked upon as a refurreftion from the dead, and a 
 ground of the greateft joy and rejoicing ;/; -Mat m?et that 
 'jjijhotdd make merry and h^ glad, for this thy brother vjat 
 dead and is alive again, he 'mus hjt and is found. Where 
 note. That regeneration is the term from v/hich all true 
 pleafure commences. We never live a merry day till we 
 begni to live unto God : When the prodigal fon returned 
 to his father,then, and not till then, they began to be merry. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 ND he faidalfo unto his difciples, Therewas 
 .a certain rich man which had a fteward ; and 
 tke Ikrac was acculed unto him that he had wafted 
 
 A 
 
 his goods. 2 And he called him, and faid unto 
 him. How it is that I hear this account of thee: give 
 an account of thy flev\'ardfhip for thou mayeft be 
 no longer fleward. 3 Then the fteward faid within 
 himfelf, What fliall I do ? for my lord taketh away 
 frommc the ftewardihip, I cannot dig : to beg I 
 am aflianied,4l am refolved what to do, Ihat when 
 lam put out of the ftewardihip, they may receive 
 me into their houies. 5 So he called every one of 
 his Lords debtor's unto him, and faid unto the firft 
 Plow much oweft thou unto my Lord ? 6 And 
 he faid. An hundred mcafures of oil. And he faid 
 unto him. Take thy bill, and fit down quickly, and 
 write fifty. 7 Then faid he to another, And how 
 much oweft tiiou ? Andhe faid. An hundred mca- 
 fures of wheat. Andhe laid unto him, Take thy 
 bill, and write fourfcore. 
 
 Our Lord begins this chapter with the parable of a rich 
 man's fteward, who beingcallednpon by hismalter to give 
 up his accounts, in order to his being difcharged from Ids 
 ciV.(.c, call about with himfelf what courle he had bed ro 
 take to provide for his fublillenrc.whfn heflinuld be turn- 
 ed ontofhiscmployiiTent; at laltherefolvesupon thiscourfe 
 That he will go to his "lord's debtors and take a favorable 
 account of them, writing down fifty for an hundred, that 
 by this means he might oblige them to be kind to him in 
 his necelTity; thisistiie funiof the parable. Now the fcope 
 and defign of iris this, To exhort all men that are entrnlled 
 by God here, with tftates, honours, and authority, tomake 
 ufe of all thefe unto fpiritual ends, the glory of (lod and 
 the benefit of others; for we are not proprietors and owners 
 but Itewards only of the manifold gifts of God, and muit 
 be accountable unto him for all at laft ; but in the mean 
 time, to ufe, employ, and improve our Lordsgoods to the 
 beft advantage for ourfelves, whiHl we are entrufted wiuli 
 tliem ; ihis is the fcope of the paiable.. Now, the obfer- 
 vations from it are thefe; i. That ail perfons, even the 
 highefi: and greatcftof perfons arebut llewardscf the good 
 things of God. 2- That our ftewardfliip mufl and Iha'l 
 have an end ; we (hall not be always, nay we (lull no: be 
 long ftewards. 3. That when we are put out of our 
 ftewardfhip,wemuft''give an account of our carriage therein 
 and the greater our trurt was, tiie heavier wilt our reckon 
 ing be. 4. That therefore it will be our higheit prudence 
 whilft we are intrufted with our Mafler's goods, I'o to ufe 
 and improve them, as may make moft for our comfort and 
 advantage, when we give up our account. 
 
 8 And the lord comtnended the unjuft fteward be 
 caufe he had done wifely : for the children of this 
 world are in their generation wifer than the chil- 
 dren of light. 
 
 Wifely, that is difcreetly, according to the wifdom ff the 
 men i.fthis woild.whol'econcern is only forthegood things 
 of this life. Chrift commends him not abfolutely, as a fit 
 example to be fvillowed in wafting his mailer'* goods, but 
 comparitively, asbeing wor:hy to be fo far imitated by the 
 children of iightjas to take the^lanie care tofecurt htaven 
 L L 2 - as 
 
s68 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 !is others do fog.rt the worW. ChritV commends him no 
 fapchep, than wt do ;i perfon, wlitii ve fay, fucli a one is 
 a flirewd mm for tlic wcrld. In a word, the lieward is 
 here cofnuirtiiwcd, r.oi for his diflionelly, but for his policy, 
 (hrewdnefsaiid fa^ncity, having done cunningly for hini- 
 felf, ihoii|Th kiiavllhly for his maftcr ; frcni whence our 
 Saviour djaws this conclnfion. Thtit the thiUrtn of this 
 world are in their generation ivi/'er than the children of light. 
 Hence »rf<", That the generality ot men are not fo wife 
 and provident for ihe loul, .muI tlie concernments of ano- 
 tlitr world, js worldly men for tlit- intered ,tiu1 concerns 
 of this life. It is feldom iVtn, that good men are fo wife 
 for the concerns of their fouls, a» worldly men arc for 
 their worldly interefls. 
 
 9 And I fay unto you, Make to yourfclves friends 
 of the mammon of ri^hteoulnels ; that, when ye 
 lail, they may receive you into cverlafling habita- 
 tions. 
 
 Here our S.ivionr makes applic.ition of the foregoing pa- 
 raMe to his tiifciples. Where KO/r, i. The title given by 
 our Saviour to wealth and richek ; he C2.\\i\iniam>wn, and 
 mammon 0/ wwr/gA/cOii/nf/V; Mammon was the name given 
 by the heathens to the God of riches; ihe mammon of 
 unrighteoufnefs, is'riches unrightconlly gotten. 2. The 
 advice given by our Saviour 10 the men of weahh, /I/rt^if to 
 yfjurfcives frirnd>of the rnartmi'jn of unrightt nufnefs j that is, 
 nuke God your friend by a charitable d:ftrJbation, that he 
 may blefsyou; m.ike tlie poor your friend;, that they may 
 unitedly engage their prayers, fory on ; make your owncon- 
 fciencesyourtriends, th;it they may not reproach and fliame 
 you, Ifnig and torment you. 1 he argument ul'ed to ex- 
 cite the rich to thik improve;nent of their wealth, 'i hat 
 ■whtnyefuii, they may rtceive you into t verl^flini; habitations.- 
 IVbenye fuil, that ib, when ye die, and your riches fail you, 
 anil can Itand yon in no farther (lead ; 'They may receive yow, 
 W hat they ? Some underlfandit of the holy Trinity , others 
 of the bleflc'd angels, whofe oflice it is so convey the charit- 
 able and good man's foul to heaven, itseternalhabiiaiitm. 
 Some underiland it of riches ihemlelves,7'/>ifr may receive 
 you; that is, yourelhates, laid out forGodin wujrksof pieiy 
 and charity, may enter before you into heaven, and open 
 the gates of eternal life for you, not in the way of merit, but 
 in a way of means. l^2(i\y , They may receive you: Seme 
 underfland it of Ihe poor thf m'.elves, whofe bowels ot;r 
 charity hath refreflied.thatihey will welcome us to heaven, 
 and receive us with joyful acclamations into the ettrnal 
 nanfioiis, which are prepared for the irtercifiil. Others 
 fay, the wordi^. They m>iy receive you, are imperfon.dly 
 put, for. That you may be received into heaven 'vhen yon 
 die. This is to imitate tlie wife merchant in fend'ng over 
 money into another touniry by bills of exchange. 
 
 10 He that is faithful in that ^vhich is Icaft is/aith- 
 ftil alfo in much : and he that is unjufl in the Ija.ft 
 is unjui't alio in much. 1 \ If therefore ye have not 
 been faithful in the unri^^htcous mammon, who will 
 commit to your trufl the true riches? 12 And if 
 ye have not been faithful in that which is another 
 man's, who lliali ^ive you that wliich is your own ? 
 
 Onr bklTed Saviour havin^edared torhis followers, in 
 the foregoing verfes, the great advantage they (iiall reap 
 by a charitable dillribution of teiii|)oralgooU things, he ac- 
 quaint;, them in thefe verfes with a great detriment and 
 tlifaitvantage that will redound to them if they do other- 
 w'ife. i.lf ihev be not faithful in right eniploying tempo- 
 ral Itches, they muft not expeft that God will entruft them 
 Willi fpiniualand heavenly, v\hi:h are the true riches : God 
 will deal with his lervants, a^ we deal with ours, never 
 trufi ihem with much, u horn we find unfaiihail in a little. 
 
 2. If they be not fjithful in the improv;inent of ihefe out- 
 ward tilings, which God em mils them ^*ithbut for a time, 
 and mull liiortly leave them to others; how cm they ex- 
 p( (ft that God Ihould give thcii thvfe fpiritiial good things, 
 which Ihall never be tdken away from ihemto who:ii they 
 are given? \Vhere«5fe, i. Tliat the nclies we have, are 
 called n«>t our own, but another man's: ^Jf ye have not 
 be;n fuithjul in that whiih is unjtker man's : becaufe Cod 
 hath not made us proprietors, but difpenfers; nut o\> n- 
 er.s, but ftewaidb of thefe thi;gs; we have them for 
 01 hers, and midl leave them to others ; we are only truf- 
 tees for the poor; if much be put into our hands, it is to 
 difpenfe to others according to our maiiei'.s orders : Let 
 us be faiihful then in tliat which is another man's; that 
 is, ^ith what God puts into our hand for the benefit of 
 others. 2. rh.it though our gifts arc not our own, yet 
 grace or fpiritual goods are our own ; others may have all 
 the benefit of our gifts, but «e (hall h,ivc the bpr.ffji and 
 comfort of our own grace ; this trcifure we cannot leave* 
 to others, and it (iiall never be takirn a •• ay from i.uriei> es 
 
 3. ') hat God is jiilt, and will be eicriiatly jultified in de* 
 nyitig his fpecial grace 'o thole v\ho do not make ufe of 
 his common gifts : Would men be faiihiulin improvinga 
 little, God would cntrult them wiih more ; did rhey vox. 
 abufe the truft of his common gift.s, he would not deny 
 them the treafure of his laving grace, called here, Tnt 
 true riches. 
 
 135 Xo fcrvant can ferve two martens : for ei- 
 ther he will hate the one, and love the other; or 
 eUc he will hold to the one, and dcCpife the other. 
 Ye cannot ferve God and mammon. 
 
 Chfrvehtre, A t.vo-foLl m;.fler fp. ken of. God andthe 
 vorld: God is our nr'flcr by trcanon prefervarioo, snd 
 r'demption; he has appointed us our work, and Iccnred 
 u ourwiige-: 1 he wotlil has become our mallerby intru- 
 fiort, ufurp.ition, and a general eftiination ; too many ef- 
 tecming it as their chief good, and di-lighrlngin it as their 
 chief joy. 2. '1 liacno man can iVrve thefe two m;.(L-rs, 
 who are of cimtrary i'.uereUs, and ifliie out conirarv com- 
 mands: When two mailers are fubordmate, and in their 
 commands fubfervient to each other, the difliculry of fcrv- 
 ing both is not great; but where commands interfere, and 
 inttrelts djlh, it is impodible: No man can f^TveGodand 
 the world, but he may ierve God with the " orlr! ; we may 
 be ferved of riches and yet IcrveGod ; bur u e c :iiiootf»-r' e 
 riches, but we muft d llerve God; we cannot ferve God 
 aftd the world both, and fetk the in a^ our •' •" ■••■■•^■\ and 
 iiltiinate end, becaufe no m.m candisideb. ■ ' ist 
 
 G'ld and the \vorld. /f/.vn hence, T h;:i to liv; '.I'f woilJ 
 as our chief C"od, to fttk it as cur hig'iclt luterell, .''nd to 
 
Chap. xvt. 
 
 ^T. L U K E. 
 
 j% 
 
 ■ferveira«oiirc1iIef conimnndcr.ranrot ftandwiih the love 
 aiifl fervice wliicli we hear and rtue tdGod our m:iker. 
 The world's flaves, while fuch, can bs none of God's free 
 men. 
 
 14 And the Pharifees alfo, who were covetous, 
 heard all thefe things; and they derided him. 
 
 The Pharifees were notoriouflj' given lo the (in of cove- 
 tonrnefs, accounting no nun happy but them that were 
 rich ; and becaul'e the proniifes made to the Jews were 
 generally (though not only) of temporal bleinngt, they 
 looked upon poverty as a cnrfe, and elleemed the poor ac- 
 curled, John vii. 49. The Pharifees hearing their cove- 
 toulnels reproved, and the doctrine of charity and alms 
 preached and enforced by our Saviour, they dcriiled him 
 in the fliamefulieil manner, wiihthe highcft contempt and 
 fcorn, wringing the nofe, and making mouths at him, as 
 the original wordfcems to import. Learn hence, I. That 
 fniners grow very angry and im|)atient under the minillry 
 ofthe word, when they hear their darling lin, their belov- 
 ed luft, ftruck at, and fliarply re proved. 2. That cove- 
 tous men, who make wealth their idol, when they hear 
 the doctrine oj an holy contempt of the world preached, 
 and the great duty of alms giving urged and enforce^, 
 ihey make it the matter of their contenipt and derilion ; 
 The Pharifees heard and derided him. 
 
 15 And he faid unto them. Ye are they which 
 juftjfy yourlelvcs before men : but Godknoweth 
 your heart.s : for that which is highly cfteemed 
 amongfl; men, is abomination in the fight of God. 
 
 Here our Saviour fliarply reproves the Pharifees for 
 their horrible pride, their felf-j unification, and vain af- 
 feaion of the opinion and efteem of others ; As if Chrift 
 hid faid, " You bear upyourlelves, and t,-ke apride in 
 th s that men know no ill by you, that no man can fay 
 B^.^ck is your eye ; but God can fee, that black is your 
 heart. Itou think, that becaufe you glory in your own 
 ex< ellencies, that Cod glory in you too; but who is highly 
 clttemed by you, is abominated by God." Learn, 'iWdt 
 no man onght to think himfelf approved of God, barely 
 becnafe he isapproved by himfelf; for all whojuftify them- 
 felves upon the goodnefs of their works are not good. 
 
 :6 The law and the Prophets were until John : 
 fince that time thekingdom of God is preached and 
 every man prcfled mto it. 17 And it is eafier for 
 heaven and earth to pafs, than one tittle of the law 
 to fail. Whofocverputtelh away his wife, andmar- 
 neth another, committeth adultery : and whofo- 
 cver marrieth her chat i.s put away from her huf- 
 band, committeth adultery. 
 
 Our Saviour in thefe words give the Pharifees to under- 
 Itand th..t theirco.uempt of hisperfon anddodrine was ihe 
 m^.re inexcnlable, becaufe they lived in and under the 
 cleared hght ot the gofpel :Thc preaching of (he law and 
 the pP>pheisc<MUinned battill Jol;,, the B.ptiltcarne anioncr 
 you J (nice ^^ Inch time i'm ^olV^lhas been clearly preached 
 
 botJi by htm, and myfelf, unto ymi; and It hath pleafcd 
 God to give my dodtrine great acceptation in the world. 
 Though you Pharilees reject it; yet every cue that is, very 
 many, pafs into it : fo that the doarine which you mock, 
 the holy doarine of the gofpcl, others will embrace, yet 
 leO.whileChrift fpake thus highly of the gofpel, the Pha- 
 rifees fliould reproach him as a deftroyer of theJaw, he 
 fliewsthat the obligation of the moral law was of eternal 
 force, .ind that heaven and earth (hould fooner pafs, than 
 the oblip;ation of that law ceafe ; which yet the Pharifees 
 nioJt fliamefully violated, particularly the feventh com- 
 mandment, which they brake by permitting and prafti- 
 fing divorces, upon unjnftifiable grounds. Learn hence. 
 That the moral law, in all the branches of it which 
 is fummarily comprehended in the ten commandments^ 
 is an eternal rule of life and manners, which is to ftand 
 in force as long as the world ftands and the frame of hea- 
 ven and earth endures. 
 
 19 f There was a certain rich man, which was 
 cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared 
 fumptuoufly every day. 20 And there was a cer- 
 tain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his 
 gate full of fores, 21 And defi ring to be fed with 
 the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table : 
 moreover, the dogs came and licked his fores. 
 
 Our Saviour in his parabolicalhiftory of Dives and La- 
 zarus, inftruds us concerning the right ufe of riches, 
 which is to capaciate us to do good to others, declaring. 
 That in the life to come, the pious poor man fliall be e- 
 ternally happy, whillt the unmerciful rich man (liall be in 
 tolerably miferable. lleie Ohferve, I. The diffirent flatc 
 and condition of good and bad men in the other world, 
 from what they are in this ; here the wicked profper, 
 grow rich and great, and the good and virtuous are in 
 calamity, fufler poverty and didrefs, which has daggered 
 many men, yea, the beft of men, in the belief of a di- 
 vine providence. 2. That our Saviour did not ccnfurc 
 the rich for being rich, but for being fenfual ; not for 
 wearing codly apparal, and keeping a jilentiful table 
 (which if managed according to men'squaliiit-s andelbres 
 is a commendible virtuejbut his fenfualiry and luxury, and 
 forgetting to feed the hungry with the fuperfiuiries of his 
 table: thefe are the tiniigs for which he is cenfured. From 
 whence we may learn, That pride and luxury, intempcr^ 
 ance andfenfuality, are fiich abules of worldly riches, as 
 worldly men are very prone and incident to. Rich .f.en toe 
 often mike their back and their beily their God: facritic- 
 ingand devoting all they have to the fervjce of ihcfe idols. 
 3. fhat a pooraiid mean condition is the lot 0} niany good 
 men, n.ny, perhaps of the moft in ihis world. .\.l hat a man 
 m.iy be poor and miferable in this world, and yet he very 
 de.irtoCod; the grace of frnctiiication isfometimcsbcftowed 
 nioUemincniiy, where the gifts of Providence have been 
 difptnfedmoit fpiringly : coniequenily , from thcprefenc 
 (late of men in the world, we can make no judgement of 
 their future condition in the world to come. 
 
 22 And it c.ime to pafs that the beggar died, and 
 
 was 
 
ayo 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 was carried by the angels into Abraham's bofom : 
 the rich man alfo died, and was buried : 23 And in 
 hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and 
 fceth Abraham afar ofF, and Lazarus in his bofom. 
 
 Ohfervc here, i. That our Saviour reprefents all men, 
 both gpod and bjJ, pairing immediately out of life into a 
 flate of happinefsiT milciy; Lazarus died, and-j>at carried^ 
 by asoflt into /^kraham's b^/'jm .• Thence note, 1 . That the 
 loiilsof menlurvive in fenlibility and atlivity, after the dif- 
 I'ohition of their bodies, and do not ficf p v. ith the body till 
 the day of tlie refurrctVion. 2. Th:it all lioly fouls, and 
 amongil the reft the godly poor, are inftantly , after xleath, 
 conveyed by angels to their place of rcfl and blefll'dnefs. 
 7hi: I'ubman al/o died ; this is added, tolet us kiiosv. That 
 riches, for all men's confidence in them, will not deliver us 
 from death ; the rich mnn might be forfeited by faring 
 delicioufly every day, whilft Lazirus was faniilbed. ^-fud 
 he zviiJ hurled ; Here is no menriou of Lazarus';, burial, 
 probably he had none, but vv3s flung out of the way into 
 Inme hole or pii ; or if he had a bm-ial, a very mean one 
 vhich is pad over in filence : All the advantage which a 
 rich nian has by a great eftate after he is dead, is only to 
 have a pompous funeral, v.hich yet fignifit-s nothiiig to 
 lijm, becaufe he is not fenfible of it. j^nd in kell be lift 
 up kis eyes, ?;c. He feels at once both his own mifery, 
 and fenfibly perceives Lazaius's happinefs. Thence nite. 
 That the fouls of wicked men, whiUl their bodies lye in 
 the grave, are in a flate of the greated mifery, which is 
 aggravated by the fcnfe they have at the fame time of the. 
 faints happineis. For probably the blefTed (liall fee the 
 torments of the damned, and the damned probably /hall 
 fee the glory of the hlefled. 
 
 24 And he cried, and faid, Father Abraham, 
 have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus, that he may 
 dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my 
 tongue ; for I am tormented in this flame. 
 
 6/yJ7ff here, i. The place where the rich man fullers, 
 it is in hell ; the fouls of wicked men, when they leave 
 their bodies, do certainlv go into a place of torment, \Chich 
 is not only beyond expreflion, but our apprehenfion alfo; 
 eye hath not Jeer), nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the 
 heart of man tu conceive, ihofe dreadful things which Cod has 
 prepared fir them that hate him. I. The (in for which he 
 fiiffers, it is the fin of unmercifulnefs. Thence learn, 
 That uncharitablenefs and unmercifulnefs to the poor, is a 
 veiy great fin, and fuch a fin as alone, and without any 
 other guilt, is fufficient to ruin a man for ever; there is 
 found in this fin great impiety towards God. and great in- 
 humanity to our own nature. 3. The nature and quality 
 of his fufferings, they are exquifitely painful, and void of 
 the leaft degree of comfort ; not a drop of water is granted 
 to cool an inflamed tongue. Learn thence, That the leaft 
 refrt fhincnts are impatiently defired by damned fouls in 
 hel!, but righteoufly denied and with-held from them ; a 
 tlropof water was defired, but not granted. No cup of 
 water, no bowls of wine in hell ; there is but one full cup 
 >n hcUj and that is the cup cf Cod's wrath^ without any 
 
 mi.xture of mercy or pity. That throat will be for ever 
 parched with third then, which is drenched and drowned 
 with excefs now ; the fons of the drunkard here will be 
 .urned into howlings and lamentations there. 
 
 25 But Abrahaun faid, Son, remember that thou 
 in thy life-time rcceivcdil thy good tilings, and 
 likcwifc Lazarus evil things : but.now he is com- 
 forted, and thou art tormented. 
 
 Chferve, i. The title given to the rich man by Father 
 Abr.iham, yb« : He doth not revil-jhim, thuugh a ^-erj bad 
 man ; if we revile the good, we are unjcft, they'defei ve it 
 not ; if we revile the bad, we are unwife, we ihall get no- 
 thing by it ; a wife man knows not what it is to gi"c bad 
 language. 1. The adtnonition given, Reme-ither. thatthik 
 in thy life-time receivedft thy good :hings ; thy good things 
 which thou placedft all thy h^ppincls; thy good things 
 which thou lockcdlt upon thyfelf as the prcprie'.or, and 
 not as the difpenfer of* now remember what thou hadft, 
 and what thou abuftdft. Leiint hence. That iheoutwr>rd 
 bleflings which are affurded to wicked men upon earth, 
 will be fiidly remeTiibercd inhcll : S^n, remei'rl'er that thou 
 in thy tife-time rectivedft thy good th':n£s. 2. Thar no man 
 flight to mealure his happinefs hereafter by his temporal 
 felicity here; we may receive, our good tilings here, and 
 yet be tormented hereafter. 3. That no man ought to be 
 excelTl vely troubled if he meets with hardfliijis here, bccaufe 
 thofe for whom God defigns good things hereafter may 
 have their evil things here : Son, thouhadj} thy f^:od things 
 and Lazarus ezil things. 4. The ■vo\6 (Henhtribfr) im- 
 plies, th.Tt human fouls, in their ftate of fcparation, do 
 exercife memory, thought, and reflet't'on on the part oc- 
 currences and anions of the'r lives'; and confeqnenily, 
 that they do not ^ticf^ or fall into a (lateof infenlibility and 
 inaiTtivity at death till the rcfurrcction, 
 
 26 And befides all this, between us and you 
 there is a' great gulf fixed : fo that they which would 
 pafs from hence to you, cannot ; neither can they 
 pafs to us, that xumdd come from thence. 
 
 The meaning is. That there neither is, nor can be any 
 commerce or intercourfe between the glorified faims and 
 damned finners ; but the flate of fouls at death is unalter- 
 ably fixed and dated. Learn, That the mifcrable condi- 
 tion of damned fouls in the next world, and the blclTed 
 condition of glorified fouls is unchangeably and unalter- 
 ably fuch, the power of God is irrefilhble, and the will of 
 God is invariable, the oath of God is immutable ; I have 
 f-d>orn that they fhall ntver enter into my reft. 
 
 27 Then he fard, I pray thee therefore, father, 
 that thou wouldeft fend him to my father's houfe: 
 28 For I have five brethren ; that he may teftify 
 unto them, left they alfo come into this place of 
 tonnent. 
 
 Here the rich manisreprefented as retaining even inhcll 
 fome lendcrnefs for his relations on car:h ; yet others 
 thi nk, t h:!tt he kindnefb in tended, was rather to himfelf than 
 to his rtlaiior.s ; fearing, that their finning by hiscx.Tmple 
 
 flioulJ 
 
Chap. XVII. 
 
 St. 
 
 L U K E. 
 
 flioiiid be .nti agp;r3V."5t!on of li'.s own torments. Note 
 thence, That the prefence of finful relations and compa- 
 nions in hell, in.iy be Itippofcd to make a condderable ad- 
 dition to the miferies of the damned ; the fight of thofe 
 whom they have (ianed with, is a fredi revival of their own 
 guile ; all thccircumftuices of their part and proilig-.te lives 
 are upon ttiis occafion continually in their remembrance. 
 Farther, This miferable wretch is convinced that he could 
 not get out of hell, therefore defires that no friend of his 
 might come in. He knew well enough, ihat if they were 
 once there, they would conic out no more. Indeed, God 
 will at the great day fend forth his writ to the grave, to 
 bring out the bodies of the wicked that .nre Ihut up there; 
 and will fend out his writ lo hell, to bring forth the fpi- 
 rits that are fl)ut in there; but it is in order to this, that 
 both foul and body together may receive an eternal fen- 
 tence for an everlafling imprifonment with the devil and 
 liis angels, and there will be no more opening for ever. 
 
 29 Abraham fiith unto him. They have Mofcs 
 and tht prophets ; let them hear them. 
 
 That rs, they have the infpired writings of Mofes and 
 the prophets, which fufficiently declare the mind and will 
 ot God to mankind, and therefore it is unreafonable to 
 exptft any further revelation- Learn theiice, That a 
 Handing revelation of God is evidence fufficient for divine 
 things ; it is a more certain way of cor^veyance. and more 
 fetured from impoflnre. Secondly, That there is fuffici- 
 ent evidence that Mdies and the prophets, and the writ- 
 ings of the holy fcriptm-es are of divine authority, are 
 therefore to be read and heard, to be believed and alTent- 
 ed to ; They have Mofcs, i:c 
 
 30 And he Hiid, nay, father Abraham : but if 
 one went unto tliem from tJie dead, they will repent. 
 
 As if he had faid, they have always had Mofes and the 
 prophets in their h,:nds, bur vet their hearts remain ini • 
 penitent; but if a fpecial mrflenger be fent to thein from 
 the dead, this will not t.iil toawaken them, and bring them 
 to repentance. /.<•.'.■;» hc-n<.e, How prone we are to didike 
 God's methdu and means whiih he has appointed for re- 
 claiming us from our fins, and imagine fome methods -of 
 our own would be more fuccefsful. The fcripcnres read, 
 the word preached, the f.icraments adminilkred ; thefe 
 are the ordinary. means v.hirh the wifdom of God has 
 appointed for msns cmviaion ; and if we think a meflen- 
 ger from the dead would be a more conducible means, the 
 next verle wiil refute us, and thoroughly fatisfy us, that 
 whom the fcripuire convinces not, probably nothinjr will • 
 lor thus it follows ; . ' 
 
 31 And he faid unto him, If they hearnot Mofes 
 and the prophets, neither will they be pcrfuaded, 
 tl-.ough one rcfe from the dead. 
 
 Avery awakening text this is, which fpeaks drcnOfully 
 to perfons fitting all their days under the miniftry of the 
 golpel, and yet find not their nnderfl,;nding- enlightened, 
 thcij judgments convinced, their wills fubdurd, «nd their 
 hvci reformed by it.Wereit poOible for fuchperfons to fee 
 
 one come from the dead, yea, from the damned, with th» 
 flames of hell about his ears, wringing his hands, and 
 gnalhing his teeth, bewailing his mifery, and bcfeechirg 
 them to take warning by his example, and in time to ac- 
 quaint themfelves with God, and be at peace; all this 
 would have no farther cfFevfh upon them, than tomovetheir 
 pafllon a little for the prcfent, whilll the dreadful found is 
 in their ears ; the ordiuantes of CotI , and not liis'provi- 
 dences, are the iuftitutcd and appointed means for mens 
 converllon and falvatjon, Note then, i. That no villous 
 or apparations, no new revelations concerning external re- 
 wards andpui:ifhments, are to be expe>.1ed from the other 
 ■world, in order tomenstonverfions and falvation. 2 Thac 
 the word of God difnenfctl to us, and the ordinary means; 
 of grace enjoyed by us, are more conducible and effectual 
 means to perfuade men to repentance, than if one (hould 
 arife from the dead and preach unto us. Ameflengerfroni 
 the dead cannot bring with him either a more ncceflary 
 doctrine, or a more certain and infallible do<S:rine,nor bring 
 with him better arguments for our convidion, than what 
 the fcriptures do propound to our confideration ; nor can 
 v.-e cxpecl a greater co-operation of the holy Spirit, or a 
 greater concurrence of divine power, to render a mefiage 
 from the dead more effectual than doth ordinarily attend 
 the miniftry of the word. Henceforward then let us not 
 wonder, if when a drunkard drops down dead upon the 
 fpot, the companions fay to one another. Drink on : If 
 finners daily tumble one another into the grave, without 
 confidering the operation of God's hand ; this, to thofe 
 thatconfider this text, will notleem ftrange; For if they 
 hear not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they bs co>:~ 
 tw/fi-y though hundreds of finners before their eyes drop 
 down dead j nay, If they hear not Mofes, &C. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 THEN' faid he unto the difciplcs,. It isimpoffiblc 
 but that offences will come: but wo unto him 
 through whom they come ! 2 It were better for 
 him that a millftone were hanged about his neck, 
 and he cafl into the fea, than that he fhould oifend 
 one of thefe little ones. 
 
 -Two things are obfcrvable. i. Thencceflity of fcan- 
 dalous offences, // ttiuJ? needs he that offences come, if we 
 ccnfider mens corruptions, Satan's malice, God's per- 
 niiffion and jud judgji'fnt. 2. The mifery and inifchief 
 which comet by thefe fcandals: li'c unto the -^or'lJ hecaufe 
 of offences ; \V« to fuch as give the fcandal : this is va in- 
 oignantis, ilie wo or one denouncing; and wo to fuch as 
 ftnmhle at offences given; this is r<e dolentis the wo of one 
 lamenting. From the whole note, i.That fcandalous or of 
 fentive nclionsin the church of Chrift v. ill certainly happen 
 andfrcquenily fnl] out among thofe that profels religion and 
 thenams of Chrift; It is imp'ff!!!: but ihat ofcr.ces -.vill 
 come. Seconciiy, That fcandalous and offenlive ridions 
 from fuch asprofefs the name of Chrifl, are baneful and 
 
 fat.il fhmihling blocks to wicked and worldly men 
 
 Thirdly, That the offences wliich wicked men take at the 
 f^lls of theprofcflbrsofrcligior, to the hardening ofthem- 
 
 lel.'et 
 
t^z 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap. xvi!. 
 
 felvcJ in their wicked and finfiil praft'ces, i] a matter of 
 ju!l and great lamentation j /f o unto the worU becaufe of 
 bffcvas. Matt, xviii. 7. 
 
 3 f Take heed to yourfelres : if thy brother tref- 
 pafsac^ainll thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, for- 
 give him. 4 And if he trefpafsaijianll thee fevcn 
 times in a day, and levcn times in a d<iy turn ai^ain 
 to thee, Hiying, I repent; tliou fhalt forgive him. 
 
 The (li^ctrine of forgiving an offended brother, ispref- 
 fed upon \\» with many forcible arguiiicntsin the new tef- 
 tamenr, which (peaks it to be a duty of indifpenfible ne- 
 celfry. I'his pl.ice is to be nnderllood of private oifences, 
 and perfonal wrongs and injuries ilone by onenmn to ano- 
 ther; wiiith we nuift firll reprove, and then remit: And 
 aiiiioiigh it be faid, If he repent, forgive him ; that is not 
 to be uiulerllood as if we needed not to p.irilon our bro- 
 ther as if he neglects to repent and a/k forgivenefs ; but 
 whether he atknowledges his offence or not to us, our 
 hearts nnift fland ready to do any office of h)ve and fervice 
 to our offending brother. Lc'^/rM hence, i.Th it to fall often 
 into the fame olfence againllour brotiicris agreataggra- 
 ration of our offence ; If thy brother trcfpufs agatnjt thee 
 /even times in a day ; That is, very often. 2. That as the 
 snultiplication oi offences, is a great aggravation of offen- 
 ces, fothe multiplying of forgivenefsisa great demonftra- 
 tion of a Godlike temper in us : f^Ie tliat multiplieth fin, 
 cloth, like Satan, fin abundantly ;' and he that niultiplycth 
 pardon, doth, like God, pardon abandantly. 
 
 5 And the apoflles faid unto the Lord, incrcafe 
 our faith. 
 
 Otfer-e her, I. The fupplicants, //;?«/>()/?/?/ .• 2. The 
 perfon fupplicated, the Lord : 3. The fuppiication itfelf, 
 Jncreafe our faith .• 4. The occafion of this fup])lication, 
 Our Saviour urging the duty of forgiving injuries. Learn 
 I. That as all graces in general, fo the grace of faith in 
 particular, is weak and imperfeiS in the befl of faints. 2. 
 Tlut the moft eminent faints (.ipoftles not excepted) are 
 very fenfible of tlic imperfetlion of their faith, and very 
 importunate with God daily for the increafe of it, Lord, 
 incre/ife our faith. 3. That faith ffrengthened, enables 
 the foul to the mod difficult duties of obedience, and par- 
 ticularly helps to the praclifeof forgiving injuries. When 
 our Saviour had preached thedoclrine and duty of forgive- 
 ncfs, the npolUes inflantiy pray, Lord, increafe ourfaith. 
 
 6 And the Lord faid, Ifye had faith as a grain 
 of muRard ftcd ye mi;^ht fay unto this fycairiine 
 tree. Be tliou plucked up by the roots, and be thou 
 planted in the lea ; and it fhould obey you. 
 
 Here our Saviour tells hisdifciples, thatif they have the 
 fn^allell degree of true faith, lively, operative faith, it will 
 enable them to perform this difficult duly of forgiving in- 
 juries; and all o'her duties with as much facility and eafe 
 as a miraculous f'aiih would enable them to remove moun- 
 tains and tranfplant trees. Ixarn, That there is nothing 
 vh'uh may tend to the glory of Cod. or to our own good 
 and totnfort, but may be obtained of God, by a firta cxer- 
 
 cife of faith in him : .■41! things aref^ffible to him that bciiev 
 eth. 
 
 7 But which of you having afcrvant plou^^hing 
 or feeding cattle, will lay unto i^im by and by, 
 when he is come from the field, Go, and lit dovvu 
 to meat ? 8 And will not rather fay unto hmi, make 
 ready where with I may fup, and /^ird thyfflf, and 
 ferve nic till I have eaten and drunken ; and after- 
 ward thou Ihait eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank 
 that fervant, bt;caufe he did the things that were 
 commanded him ; I trow not. lo So likcwtlc ya 
 when ye fhall have done all thole thin-s which arc 
 commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable fcrvant» 
 we have done that which was our duty to do. 
 
 The defign and fcope of this parable is to fliew, that 
 Almighty God neither is mr can be a debtor to any of his 
 creatures for the befl fervice which they are able to per- 
 ioral unto him ; and that they arefo f.ir f rom mcritin'r 3 
 reward of juflice, that theyilo not delerve a return of 
 thanks. Three arguments our Saviour makes nfe of toevi, 
 dence and prove this ; i. In reCpcct to God, who is our 
 abfoluie Lord and Malter ; and the argument lies thus, 
 "if earthly mafters do not owe fo mncn as thank"; to their 
 ■ fervants fordoing what was commanded them, how much 
 lefs can God owe the reward of eternal life to his fervanti 
 when they are neverabkto do all that iscommanrfcd them 
 ill a perfect and (inlefs manner !" 2. In refpet^ to our- 
 felvcs, who arc Ilia b()iid-fervants,hisranfoined fla\es, and 
 confequently vve are not our own men, but his who has re- 
 deemed us; and iiccordingly do owe-him all that lervica 
 yea, more than all that we are able to per'orm unto him: 
 And therefore, whatever reward is either projnifcdor giv 
 en it is wholly to be aftribed to the mailer's bounty, and 
 not to the fervant's merit 3. To merit any thing by our 
 good works is inipoffible.in regard of the works ihemfelves 
 becaufe all that we can do, although we do all ihatiscoiu* 
 manded u<>, is but our duty. The arguiuenr runs thus: 
 " To bouiiden duty belongs no reward otjuUice ; butall 
 the fervice we doperfiTin,yea, more thanwe can perform 
 to God is a boiinden duty ; therefore there is due unto us 
 no reward of jullice but free mercy.'' From the whole 
 note, I . That wc are wholly the Lord's, both by a right of 
 creation, and redemption alfo. 2. That as his we are lb 
 him we ought to ferve by doing all thofe things \s hich he 
 hath commanded us. 3. That when we have done all 
 we are to look for our reward not of debt hut of grace, 
 4. That were our fervice and obedience ablolutely pcrleft 
 yet it coultl not merit any thing at the hand of juftice : 
 When ye hai'e dwe all, fay. We are unpr'jfituble Javunts t 
 ■we have d^jne that ■which -j-'ai our duty to do. 
 
 1 1 5 And it came to pafs, ashe went to Jorufa- 
 lein, that he pafled through the midrt of Samaria 
 and Galilee. 12 And as he enterird into a certain 
 village, there met him ten men that were lepers, 
 which flood afar off. 13 And they lifted up//«:rvoic- 
 66, andlaid Jcfus,Maller, have incrcy on us. 
 
 Oh/erie 
 
Chap. XV I r. 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 «75 
 
 Chfenjehtre, i. Thongiuhe'Samari tans were bitter ene- 
 mies lo the Jews, and h;id been guilty of great incivility 
 towards our Saviour, yet ntir Saviour in his journey to Je- 
 rufnlem balks them not, but beftows the favour of a mira- 
 cle upon them. Civil courtefy and refpeiflmay and ought 
 *o be paid to thofe that are the profefled enemies of us, and 
 
 God. 16 And fell down on hh face at Iiis feet, gi- 
 ving him thanks : and he was a Samaritan. 
 
 Ohfave here , 1 . All were healed , but only one was thanL- 
 ful ; the cure is wrought upou the bodies of all, thankiul- 
 nefs is found but in the heart of qnc ; the u ill makes the 
 
 our hoJy religion. 2. Thoujrh the leper, by the law of <''^5''ence in men, but he makes the difference in wills, who 
 Cod, was to be feparated .frotn all other fociety fGod ^' ''"'^ xn-AAe^ the will. All thtfe lepers were cured, ail fav/ 
 thereby fignifj.ing to his people, that the fociety of thofe tl'dnfelves cured, their fenfc was alike, their hearts were 
 th.it are fpiritually contagious, ought to be avoided) yet the ""'^ alike. 2. The perfon that made this return of thank- 
 Jaw of God d.d not reftraiw them from converfing with f"'"^ f* 'o Chrift, he -was a Samaritan; that is, none of the 
 one another : Accordingly thefe ten lepers get together J^^'"' nation, but one that wasaftrangcr to the common- 
 and are company for tliemfclves. Fellowlliip is what we wealth of Ifrael ; neither place norpjrentage can Wockup 
 all naturally affecl:, though even in Icprofy ; lepers will 'he way, or ftop the current of Cod's free mercy, which 
 flock together, where fliall we find one fpirituallep'er alone? readies the tin worthy and the ill deferving. 3. How fingly 
 Drunkards and profane perfons will be fure toconfort with ^^ returns his thanks ; he gets away from his fellows to 
 one another! Why fliould not God's children delight in an "^^'^^ hisacknowkdgnient : there are cafes wherein fingu- 
 iioly communion, when the wicked join hand in hand? 3. ]^"^y '^"*'^ °"'y lawful, but laudable ; inllead of fubjeft- 
 Though Jews and Samaritans could not abide one another, 'ngourlclves to others examples,, it is fometiracs ou"- duty 
 yet here in leprofy they accord : Here was one Samaritan ^° refolve to fet an example to others ; for it is much bet- 
 leper with the Jewifti : Common fufferings had made them ^^'" ^° B° the right way alone, than to err with company, 
 friends, whom religion had disjoined. O what virtue is 4- ^°^ fpeedily hereturnshis thanks; no foonerdoth he 
 
 there in affliclion, to unite the moft alienated and eftrang- 
 ed hearts ? 4. Thefe lepers apply theinfelves to Chrill 
 the great Phyfician ; they cry unto him for mercy, with 
 refpeft td their voice with fervent importunity. Teach- 
 ing us our duty, to'join our ipiritual forces together, and 
 fet upon God by troops. O holy and happy violence that 
 is thus offered to heaven! How can we want blffflngs, 
 when fo many cords draw them down upon our heads ? 
 
 14 And when he faw thnn, he faid unto them. 
 Go flicw yourfelves unto the pricfls. Aud it came 
 to pafs, that as they went, they were cleanfed. 
 
 Ob/crve here, i. Tlie preventing grace and mercy of 
 Chrift, their difeafe is cured ere it can be complained of; 
 
 fee his cure, but he haftes to acknowledge it, a noble pattern 
 of thankfiilnefs! What fpeed of retribution is here ! Late 
 favours of our thankfiilnefs favours of ingratitude: It were 
 happy for u. cbriftiansdid we learn our duty of this Sbhu- 
 ritan. 
 
 17 And Jefus anfwering, faid, Were there not 
 ten dcaiifeti ? but where arc the nine ? 18 There 
 are not found that returencd to give glory to God, 
 fave this ftranger. ig And he faid unto him, Arife, 
 go thy way ; thy faith hath made thee whole. 
 
 In the face of thefe ten lepers, we may, as in a glafs be- 
 hold the face and complexion of all mankind: How few 
 are there, O Lord ! fcarce more than one in ten,whoaftcr 
 
 Co,fie-j}yo-ur/cIves unto thsprhps, fays Chrift, and in go' ^5"^' niercies return luitable thauks. Men howl to God 
 ing they were c'.eanfed, tbey were healed before they ' 'i— •- '>—'- ' c- ^_j — r 
 
 could come at the priefts; that as the power that healed 
 them was wholly Chrift's, fo might the pr.Vifebe alfo. 2. 
 A two-fold reafon why Chrift commanded them to go to 
 the priefts. (i.) Incompliance with the ceremoniaflaw, 
 *ihich required the leper to be brought to them, to judge 
 v/hether healed or not; and if fo, to receive the offering 
 preCcribed in token of ihankfulnefs. (2.) For the trial of 
 their obedience : Had they ftond upon terms with Chrift, 
 and f.nd, alas ! to what purpofe is it to (hew ourfclves to 
 the priefts; what good can their eyes do us ? We Ihould 
 be gbd to lee ourfelves cured ; but why fliould we go 10 
 thrm to fee ourfelves loathed ! Had th;y thus expoftulat- 
 ed, ihey had not been healed ; what command foever we 
 receu-efroni Chrift, we muft rather confider the authori- 
 ty of the commajider, than the weight of the thing com- 
 Kianded, for'Cod delights to try. our obedience by finall 
 precepts; happy f.p thcfe lej-Mf/s, that in obedience to 
 Chrift they went to the priefts, /i;r«/ //^,y -jjent ticy were 
 heaLd. 
 
 15 And one of them, when he faw that he was 
 healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified 
 
 upon their beds, but run away from God as foon as they 
 are raifed up by him. Ohferve f.irther. What an exacl ac- 
 count Chrifl keeps of his own difpenfed fivours ; Were 
 there not ten cleanfed? He forgets our fins, but records his 
 own mercies ; it is one of his glorious titles, A God for- 
 giving and forgetting iniquity, but his mercies are overall 
 his works, and deferve everlafting remerubrancc. God 
 keeps a regifter of his niercies tciivards us. O/linll we not 
 record the favours received from him, at once declare hij 
 bounty towards us, and our thankfulnefs towards him, — ■ 
 Laftly, the thankful leperwas a Samaritan, but the nine 
 tbat were unthankful vvere Ifraelites. Learn hence, That 
 the more we are bound to God, the more Ihameful is our 
 ingratitude to him; where God m.iy juftly expecl the 
 greateft rrturns of praife and lervice, he fometimes receiv 
 eth leaft. Cod has more rent, and better paid him from a 
 fmoaky cottage, than he has from fpme ftately palaces. 
 
 20 5 And when he was demanded of the Pha- 
 rifee-s when the kingdom of God Ihould come; he 
 anfwered them and faid, The kingdom of God 
 Cometh not withoblervation. 21 Neither fliall they 
 
 Mm fu^. 
 
St. L U K E. 
 
 Cha?. XVI I. 
 
 f.iy, Lo here ; or lo there : lor behold the kingdom 
 of God is within yon. 
 
 The generality of the Jews, and particularly the Piiari- 
 lee*, expefte.l that the promifed Medhs iiiould be a tein- 
 pjr.ii prince, nnd deliver. hem from the Roman) oke, under 
 whitii they groaned. Accordingly the Pliarifecs here de- 
 manded of our Saviour, IVhcnthe klngrlom tf God,oi which 
 he had fo often fpokea, JbouU corned Chrid anfwers them, 
 T/\-it his kingdom comtlh not with ohfervatinn ; that is, 
 villi pomp and fplendonr, which mtn may obferve and 
 ga7,c upon : hut he tells them, The kingdom of God was 
 now among them, by the minillry of JohnBaptiftand him- 
 felf : mill was already fet up in the hearts of his people, 
 by ihe iVicret operations of his holy Spirit. Learn hence. 
 That the falfe notion which the jews had of the Meffiah 
 'and his kingdom, that he himfelf was to be a temporal 
 prince, and his kingdom a fecular kingdom, to be fet 
 up with a great deal of nolle, pomp, and fplendonr, did 
 hinder the generality of them from believing in him. Se- 
 condly, That the kingdom which Chrift deligned to fet up 
 in the world, was altogether fpiritual, not obvious to hu- 
 nian fenfes, but managed in the hearts of his people, by 
 the fccptre of his Spirit. My kingditm comtth not -juith ob- 
 fervation, but is vjiihin you . 
 
 22 And he faid unto the difciple.<!, The days will 
 rome when ye fhall dcfire to lee one of the days 
 of the Son of man, and ye fhall notfee it. 23 And 
 they fhall fay to you, See here, or fee there : go 
 not after them, nor follow theni. 24 For as the light- 
 ning, that light, neth out of the oncpart underhea- 
 ven, fhinethunto the other pari under heaven; fo 
 fhall alfo the Son of man be in his day. 25 But 
 firfl mufl he fuffcr many things, and be rejetted 
 of thi.s generation. 
 
 In the remaining part of this chapter, our Saviour ac- 
 quaints hisdifciples with what daysof tribulationanddif- 
 trefs were coming on the Jewifli nation in general, and on 
 Jerufalem in particular. " Days of Coffering (as if our 
 Saviour had (aid) are not far ofl", when you will wifh for 
 my bodily prefence again among you, to fupport and com- 
 fort you ; and w hen many feducers will rife up, pretending 
 to be deliverers : hut go not you after them; for after this 
 generation have rejefted and crucified me, my coming (fays 
 Chrilt; to execute vegeance upon my enemies and mur- 
 derers at Jerufalem by the Roman ibldiers, will be fudden, 
 and like the lightning that fhines in an indant, from one 
 part of the heavens to the other." From this coming of 
 Chrirt to judge Jerufalem, which was an emblem of the 
 final judgment, v/e may gather this inftrufcion, That the 
 coming and appearance of the Lord Jefus Chrift, to the 
 judging of wicked and impenitent iinner-s will be a very 
 certain, fi!(!d< n, and unexpected appearance. 
 
 '1^ And as it wasin the (Jays of Xoe, fo fhnll it be 
 alfo in the days of the Son of man. '27 They did cat, 
 they drank, they married wi\es, they were given in 
 maniagc.imtil the day that Noe entered into theark : 
 
 and the flood came and deflroyed them all. 28 
 Likewife alfo w^.s it in the days of Lot: they did 
 tat, they drank, they bou'^ht, they fold, they planted 
 they buildcd: 29 But the fame day that Lot went 
 out of Sodom, it rained Hrc and brimftonC from hea- 
 ven, and dellroyed them all : 30 Lven thus (hall it 
 be in the day when the Son of man \% rc'caled. 
 
 In thefe verfes our Saviour declares. That Jerufalem's 
 iteftrutlion, and the world's final liefolation at the great 
 day, would be like the deftruiflion of the old world in the 
 days of Noah, and like the dellruftion of Sodom in the 
 days of Lot, and that both in regard of unexpecVednefs, 
 and in regard of fenfuality and fecurity ; asthcy before the 
 flood wete eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in 
 marriage; that is, wholly given up to fenfuaUty and de 
 bauchery ; and did not knor, that is, did not conliderthe 
 flood's coining, till it fwept them away ; thus wasit before 
 the deftriiclion of Jerufalem, and thus will it be before the 
 end of the world. Hence we /c'«r»,That as the old world 
 perilhcd by infidelity, fecurity, and fenfualiiy, fo will the 
 fame fmsbe prevailiiig before the deflructionof the prefent 
 world. As it ivas in the days of Nuah, fojhall it be in the 
 days of tire Son of man, 
 
 3 1 In that day,he which (hall be upon the houfc- 
 top.and his Hull in the houle,let him not come down 
 to take it away : and he that is in the field, let 
 him likewife not return back. 32 Remember Lot's 
 wife. 
 
 Here our Saviour adviles thejn,That when they fliall fee 
 the judgments of God breaking out upon Jerufalem, th:rt 
 they make all poflible fpeed to getout of it,as Lot and hi« 
 family did out of Sodom ; and to take heed of imitating 
 Lot's wife, who looking back became a piilarof fait, Gen. 
 xix. \iJ\\tTeChferve, i. Wtr (Axt:ncf:, Sht^ looked back. 1. 
 The pnriilhment of her olrencc, Six became a p'dlur of fait. 
 Her offence in looking behind her was manifeft diibbe- 
 dienceto the divine command, which faid, Look not behind 
 thre ; and proceeded either from careleffncff, or fromco- 
 vctoufnels, or fromcuriolity, or from compaffion to thofe 
 flie left behind her, and was undoubtedly the effedl of great 
 infidelity, ihe not believeing the truth of what the angel 
 had declared, as touchingthe certainty and fuddt-nnefs of 
 Sodom's deltruL^ion. Ihe puniflimentof her offence was 
 exemplary , She became apilli.r of fait ; that \y, a perpetual 
 monument of divine fevcrity for herinficfelity and clifobe- 
 dience. Where note, \. The fuddenefs ofherpnnilh- 
 ment : the jultice of God furprizes her in the very act of fin 
 with a preient revenge. 2. The I'eennng dilproportion 
 betwixt the pimifhment and the offence : Htr offence was 
 a forbidden hok : from whence carnal rcafon may plead, 
 " Wasit not fnfHcient for her to lofcher eye?, butfhenuift 
 lofe her life?" But the eafinefs anctreafoii.d)lenefs of the 
 command aggravated her difobedience ; and though her 
 punifhment may ieem fcvere, it was not uiijulh Now, 
 fays our Saviour, Remember Lot's wife ; that is, let her 
 example caution all of you againlt nnbehcf, diibbcdicnce, 
 V. orlJly inindcduefs contempt of God's tlueatenings, and 
 
 lingcrings 
 
Chap. xvnr. 
 
 Sr. L U K K, 
 
 
 lingerings after the forbidden fociety of lewd and witked 
 perfbris. 
 
 33 Whofocver Ihall feek to fave his life, fljall 
 Jofc it ; and wholocvcr fhall lofe his hfc, fiiall pic- 
 fcrve it, 34 1 tell you, in that ni,<jljt there Ihall ha 
 t'wovunin one bed; tliconc fliallbir taken, and the 
 other fhall be left. 35 Two xunnen fliall be grind- 
 ing to.,etlier; the one fliall be taken and the other 
 lelt. 36 Ivvo mm fliall be in the field ; tlie one ILall 
 be taken, and the other left. 
 
 In this hcnr, when Ju(lf;nient is come upon Jerufalem, 
 Clirift declares, That whoioever fliall take any untliriltian 
 ccurfe to preferve his lite, hy denying him and his hwly 
 religion, he fliall lofe his eternal life, but he that for Chrift's 
 fate fliall lofe his nntoral life, inftead of a mort.-;], fliall 
 tnjoy an immortal life in blifs and glory. Here we 
 learn, 1. That the Icveof temporni life is a great tempta- 
 tion to men to deny Chiift and hii lioiy religion in a d.iy 
 of tri;.l. 2.1 hat the fnrtlt way to attain eternal life, is 
 cheerfully to lay down our temporal life, when thegloryof 
 Cl.rid, .;nd the honour of religion requires it of us. Chrifl 
 farther :jdds,That in this terrible night of Jernfalem's ca- 
 lamity, when deltruftion comes upon her, the providence 
 of GoJ will remarkably dillinguKii Iirtweeu one perfon and 
 another: true believers, and coultant profefibrsj (hall he 
 delivered, and none elfc; fuch Ihall efc.ipe the danger, o- 
 thers (liall fall by it. 
 
 And they anfwcrcd and faid unto him, 
 
 .^7 
 
 Where Lord? And hefaid unto tllcm,Wherefoever 
 the body is, thither will theeagles be gathered to- 
 
 gether 
 
 ^ The difciples hearing our Saviour fpeak of fuch tremen- 
 dous calamities, enquire, where thele judgments fhould 
 fallr He anfwers them figuratively, and by a proverbial 
 fpeech.That -^lare iJiecarcafe is, Ih^rewUl the ceigUf hega- 
 thered tigtther .- Signifying", That Jerufaieni, and the oh. 
 durate nation of the Jews, was the carcafe which the Un- 
 man r.rmies, whofe eniign was the eagle, would quickly 
 find out and feed upon ; and that Judea in general, and 
 Jeruialem, in particular, would be the theatre and flage 
 of thofe -tragical calamities. Le.-im thence. That the ap- 
 pointed meflcngers of God's wrath, and the inltrunients 
 of Lis vengeance, wiilfuddenly gather together, certainly 
 Knd out, and feverely puiiifli,an impenitent people, devoted 
 to deftruftion : Where the carcoje is, (that is, the body of 
 the Jewilh nation; there will the iagks 'that is, tiie Uoman 
 foldiers; he gathered tn^ahcr, 
 
 -C H A P. XVIII. 
 
 AXD he fpake a parable unto them, la this ml 
 that men ought ah.rays to pra)-. and not to 
 famt ; 2 Saying, There was in a city a Judge, 
 which feared not Cod, neither regarded man. 3 
 Aild there was a widow in (hat city, and Ihc came 
 untohmi, faying, Avenge me of mine adverfary. 
 
 4 And he would not for a while: but afterx\'flrd 
 he faid within himlelf. Though I fear not God, nor 
 regard man ; 5 Yet bccaufc this widow troubleth 
 me, I will avenge her, led by her continual coming 
 Ihe weary me. 6 And the Lord faid, Hear tvhal the 
 uiijufl judge faith. 7 And fliall not (;od avenge 
 his own cleft', which cry day and night unto him, 
 though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you 
 that he will avenge them fpcedily. Neverthckfs, 
 whon the Son of man ccmeth, Ihall he find faith 
 on the earth ? 
 
 There is no duty in Chriilianity, the pr.iclice of which 
 our Saviour prefltth upon us more frequently ihari this 
 duty of prayer. To encourage his difciples ;,:,d us in 
 them to fervency, importunity, and perieverai.ce in this 
 duty, he propounds here the parable of an unjufl judge, who 
 was overcome by an importunate widow to doher juftice 
 contrary to his inclination j from whence our Saviour ar- 
 gues, That if importunity will prevail with a finful man, 
 to grant petitions offered to him ; how much more preva- 
 lent will fuch importunity be with the infinitely good God 
 to relieve the necefliiies of fuch as devoutly implore his 
 help? And the force of the argument lies thus; "ie 
 judge in the parable was an inferior and fubordinate judge 
 was an unrighteous and unjult judge, was a mercilefi and 
 hard-hearted judge; and yet, upon her importunity, he 
 avenged her; how much more will the fovereign and fu- 
 preme Judge, the holy and righteous, the merciful and 
 coinpallionite Judge of all the earth, hear and help his 
 graying people, and be the jutt avenger of thofe that 
 fear him. "From thewhole note, I. That prayer, oraliber- 
 ty of making our requelh known to God, is an ineilimable 
 favour and privilege. He that confiders the nature of 
 God, and the nature of man, cannot quettion it : God is 
 a being of infinite fullnefs and perfea:ions,a felf-fu/licient 
 and an all fuflicient good ; and man an indigent, helplefs, 
 dependant creature, full of wants, and obnoxious to dan' 
 gers. 2. That prayer is not only an ineilimable privilege 
 but an indifpenlible duty : So folicitous is God for our 
 welfare and happinefs, that he makes our privilege our 
 duty, by the authority of his command ; fo that we are 
 at once ungrateful to God, and unjuft to ourfelves, in the 
 moft exalted degree, if we do not pray to him, andip.-ead 
 our wants before him. 5. That this duty of pra\ er is not 
 an occafional but a conlfant duty ; Men citght itl-x'avs fy 
 pray; That is, I. At alljfeafonahle times and fit opp'ortu- 
 nities : We are faid to do a thing continually, when we do 
 it fe.ifonabIy. Now the feafons for prayer are morninT and 
 evening, As the morning and evening facrafice was*con- 
 ftant among the Jews, and the fire was always upon the 
 altar, and never went out ; fo he that prays morning and 
 evening, may be faid to be injtant in prayer, and fj pray 
 without ceafmg. 2. Alwaystopray, is an endeav<;ur always 
 to keep the heart in a praying frame, and to be very fre- 
 quent in offering up pious tjaculati.)ns, and (hort- mentjl 
 prayers to God, as occafion fhall offer ; when in the field, 
 in the fhop, in the bed when deep departs, in the jiiurney 
 when alone, this may be done advaniageoiifly, without I<,)s 
 
 Mm 2 
 
a^e? 
 
 St, 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 CnAr. xviii. 
 
 of time, and acceptably, v^ithoDt danger of hypocrify, 
 whicii too often mingles itfelf with our more fet prayers. 
 4. We inuft n ot only pray conll«ntly , but pray fervently, 
 yea, importunately; if we would pray fuccefsfuliyjWe niuft 
 cry to God, as the widow to the judge : Vehemepcy and 
 importunity are both helps and ornaments to prayer; they 
 both fortify and beautify our prayers ; they pierce the hea- 
 vens, and oiFer an holy violence to God : Oiatiu vincil 
 invinclhll'.m et I'tgat Oir.nipotentem ; hdc vis Deo grata </}, 
 lays Tertullian ; "God delights in fuch importunity." — 
 — N evert be lefs ,-jjhen the Son of man cometb Jliall he find 
 faith on the earlb? If by the Son of man's coming, ' wc un- 
 derllaiiu ChrilVs coming in judgment againft Jerufalem, 
 then the feiife is this; "That when becomes to take 
 vengeance on the obltlnate Jews, andtodeftroy their city 
 he will find but little faith, and patient waitinjr for help 
 froin God, in the land of Judea, and, confequently, little 
 importuning him with inceflant cries and ftipplicaiions, as 
 this poor widow did the unjuft judjre," 2. If by the Son 
 of man's coming, we underftand Chrifl's coming to judge 
 the world at the laft day, then the fenfe is, "When he 
 Cometh, he will find hut few faithful ones, comparatively 
 fpeakJng ; he will find but fewfmcere and ferious chriftians 
 in whom the genuine efTefts and fruits are found." Learn, 
 That when Chrift (hall come to judgment, he will find 
 comparatively, very few whofeheart have not fainted, and 
 very many, who through the power that temptation has 
 upon the frailty of human nature are fallen away : When 
 the Son of man cometh, -will he find faith on the earth ? 
 Verily, but little faith, and fevv faithful ones. 
 
 9 f And he fpake this parable unto certain which 
 truftcd in themfelves that they were righteous, and 
 defpifed others: 10 Two men went up into the 
 temple to pray ; the one a Pharifee, and the other 
 a publican. 1 1 The Pharilee ftood and prayed thus 
 with himfelf, God, I thank thee, that I am not as 
 other men are, extortioners, unjuft, adulterers, or 
 even as this publican. 12 I fall twice in the week, 
 I give tithes of all that I polTefs. 13 And the pub- 
 lican, {landing afar off, would not lift up lo much 
 as his eyes unto heaven, but fmote upon his breaft., 
 faying, God be merciful tome a fmner. 14 I tell 
 you, this man went down tohishoufejuflified rather 
 than the other : for every one that exalteth iiimlelf 
 fliull be abafed ; and he that humbleth himfelf iball 
 be exalted. 
 
 The defign and fcope of our Saviour, in this parable, is 
 to reprove and condemn the Pharifees, and in them all 
 other ftlfjufliciaries, who having a high opinion of, and 
 
 trufting in their o.v n righteoufnefs, defpifed others, as vile ^^"abic'iohnnthairall pompous performances whatfoever 
 perfons, whole religion isnot accompanied with olteiitation ^^^^ laflW/The publican being thus condemned of him. 
 and whopretend not to fuch extraordinary degreesot them- ' - . o .• < /■ 
 
 fclves. And the parable further Siews, Tiiac au hwnhle 
 fcifcondemncd prifoner, who, though he has been wicked 
 is now fenfible of it, and with fbame and forrow confeHes 
 It before God, is more acceptable than he that vaunts of 
 XL) virtue^ and reds iu the outward duties of religion; Uis 
 
 pride and exaltation of himfelf /hall abafe him, while th« 
 other's humility (hall exalt him. This is the general fcope 
 of the parable : The particular obfervationv from it are 
 thel'e : i. The Pharifee and the publican both pray; they 
 both pray together in the place of prayer, the holy temple; 
 and they both pray, eipudfc, with and within themfelves. 
 Where the duty and. action is the fame, there may beavjft 
 difference in thepurpofc and intention : Doth an humble 
 faint pray? I'o may an haughty hypocrite : Tvjo mtn went 
 i/f) ititj the temple to pray, the one a Pharifee, the other a pub- 
 lican. 2. The Pharifees prayer : He ftood and prayed -Mith 
 himfelf, Cod, I thank thee, kc. Where «9/?, Hisgclture; 
 Heftood and prayed: Standing and kneeling are praying 
 gellures, but fitting is a rude indecency, except incafesot 
 necelhty. "In prayer (fays pious Bifliop Hall) 1 will either 
 " ftand as a fsrv.int to mv mafter, or kneel as a fubject to 
 " my prince." Note father. It is laid, he frayed, but here 
 is not one petition, but thankfgiving; Cod 1 thank thce,8ic. 
 Wlience learn, That thankfgiving is apart of prayer : 
 Hannah's prayer, as it is called, 1 . Sam. ii. is a canticle, or 
 fong of praife: We then pray heft, when we praife God 
 molt. Again, See the Pharifee's pride in this his prayer: 
 This proud beggar (hews not his wuunds, but his worth, 
 not his rags but his robes, not his inifery but his bravery, 
 he brings God almighty in a reckoning of his fervices ; / 
 Jaft t'jaice a'jieek, 1 give alms of all that I p''lpfs; and thanks 
 God more, that others were bad, than that himfelf was good 
 Had the Pharifee, with an humble mind, thanked God for 
 his retraining grace, that though he was not fo good as h« 
 fhould be, that>eihe wasnoifo vile and badas feme others, 
 this had been no fault ; but when he comes before God 
 withaprCmdandfcornfiil mind, inwardly pleafed that others 
 wercfo bad,andfomuch worfethan himfelf, giving thanks 
 rather for others badnefs than for hisowngoodnr fs; ihisis 
 a wickednefs incident to none but deviliih dilpoliticns. 
 Learn hence, That whatfocvtr (hews of goodtiefs an hy- 
 pocrite may make, yet he is inwardly glid of, and takes a 
 fecret delight in, others badnefs-. God, I thank thee, that! 
 am not as this publican ; which was a kind of triumph and 
 proud infi:ltation, over the poor publican ; he would feen* 
 to thank God that he was not lb hsi as the publican, when 
 indeed he was glad that the publican was not fo good as 
 hmifelf. 3. The publican's behaviour : In an hunible 
 fifrhtand fenfe of his own fmfulnefsand unworthinels, he 
 Jiood cifar off, probably in the courtof Gentiles, where alF 
 forts of fiiiners might come ; acknowledging thereby, that 
 he was unworthy to come near the holy majefty of God;: 
 not prefuming to lift up his eyes to heaven, that place of per- 
 feft hulinefs and purity ; but like a true felf-condemned- 
 patient, Imote upon his bread, and, in bitter remorfe of 
 h\i\, ^ji'u\. Cod, he merciful tome a finner. Hence learn. 
 That a truly humble temper of mind well becomes us ia 
 all our approaches and addre(res to God and is more .'ic-' 
 
 felf, departs juibhcd by God: He went doiun to his houfe 
 juf/lfied rather than the Pharifee: the Pharifee juflifif d him- 
 felf.but the publican was juftified by God. Thericc learn^ 
 That a penitent fiimer, who is indeed poor in fpirit, isfar 
 more citeemed of God^ than he that makes long prayers^ 
 
 faft« 
 
Chap. TL\ni. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 277 
 
 fafts often, tithes all hit fabftance, and prides hinifelF in 
 all this. Without humility all is vain glory and hypocri- 
 fy ; and the feeming molt fandlified peiTon, that has it 
 rot, is like a painted fepukhrCj beautiful without, but full 
 of rottennefs within- 
 
 15 9 And they brought unto him alfo infants, 
 that he would touch them: but when kis difciples 
 faw iV, they rebuked them. 16 But Jefus called 
 them unto hiin, and faid, Suffer little children to 
 come unto me, and forbid them not: for of fuch is 
 the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I fay unto you, 
 Whofoevcr fhall not receive the kingdom of God 
 as a little child, ftiall in no wife enter therein. 
 
 Ol/erve here, i. A folenin aftion performed; children, 
 infants, i'uckiiip; children, as the word fignifies, are brought 
 to Chrift, thnt he might blefs them ; the parents looking 
 upon Chriftas a prophet, as a great and extraordinary pro- 
 phet, perfuade theinfelves, thatby his prayers, and laying 
 his hands on their children, they fhould be prefer ved from 
 bodily difcafes, and from Satan's power, that he would 
 confer upon them all needful bleiTings. Learn, i. That 
 infants are capable of benefit by Jefus Chrift. 2. That it 
 is the beft ofH'.e that parents can perform unto their chil- 
 dren, to bring them unto Chrift, that they may be made 
 partakers of that benefit. '^. That if infants are capable 
 of benefit by Chrift, if capable of his blefllng on earth, and 
 jirefence in heaven, if they be fubjefts of his kingdom of 
 grace, and heirs of his kingdom ot glory, then nny they be 
 baptized ; for they that are wichin the covenant, Aifts ii. 
 39. have a right to the privileges of the covena?it, and to 
 baptifm, the feal of the covenant : and if Chrift denies not 
 infants the kingdom of heaven, which is the greater, what 
 rcalbn have his niinifters to deny them the benefit of bap- 
 tifm, which is the lefs? 4. That Chrift will have all his 
 difciples and followers to refenihle little children in fuch 
 properties wherein they may be prttternr, to them, viz. in 
 humility and innocence, in freedom from malice and re- 
 venge, in doeibility and teachablenefs, in cleaving to, and 
 depending upon their pirents, and in contentednefs with 
 their~condition ; WtK/'^'Vcr PjcU Mt receive the kingdom nf 
 Cod as a Utile child, jhall in no lui/e enter therein. 
 
 18 And a certain ruler afked hrm, faying, Good 
 Maftcr, what fhall I do to inherit eternal life ? 
 
 We have here a confiderable perfon, a ruler, coming to 
 Chrift with an important queftion in his mouth, What muft 
 I do to inherit ettrnallifc? Where «o/e, r. Hebelieves the 
 certainty of a future ftate. 2. He profefTes a defire of an 
 eternal happinefs in that ftate. 3. He declares his readi- 
 iiefs and willingncfs to do fome good thing in order to 
 the obtaining of that happinefs. Hence /c<7rM, That the 
 light of nature or natural religion, teaches men that gocd 
 works are necelTary to falvation ; or that fome good thing 
 muft be done by them who at death expetT: eternal life ; 
 it ii not talking well, and profefling well, but living well, 
 that entities us to heaven and eternal life. 
 
 19 And Jefus faid unto him, Why callefl thou 
 me good? noneii good, lave one, that « God. 
 
 Our Saviour here reproves this perfon for calling him 
 good, when hedid notownhim tobcCod ; faying There- is 
 none good, that is, eflentially and originally qood, abfolute- 
 ly and immutably good, but C'td only ; nor any derivative- 
 ly good, but he that receives hisgoodnefs from Gud alio. 
 
 20 Thou knoweft the cwnmandments, Do not 
 commit adultery, Do not kill. Do not ftcal, Do 
 not bear falfe witnels. Honour thy father ^nd tliy 
 mother. 
 
 Note here, That the duties direfted to by our Saviour 
 are the duties of the fecond table, nothing being a better 
 evidence of our unfeigned love to God, than a fincere 
 performance of our duty to our neighbour : Love to man 
 is a fruit and teftimony of our love to God. Learn thence. 
 That fuch as are defective in the duties of the fecond ta- 
 ble, charity and juftice towards man, do make but a coun- 
 terfeit fhew of religion, though they pretend to the high- 
 eft degree of holinel's and love towards God. 
 
 2 1 And he faid, All thefe have I kept from my 
 youth up. 
 
 This alTertion might be very true, accordingto thePha- 
 rifees fenfeand interpretation of the law, which condemned 
 only the grofs outward aft, not tiie inward hifts and mo- 
 tions of the heart. An external obedience to liie letter of 
 the law this man might polfibly have performed ; this 
 made him think wellofhimfclf, and conclude thegoodnefs 
 of his own condition. Learn hence, flow prone men are 
 to think beft of themfelves, and to have too high an opi- 
 nion of their owngooduefsand riglueoufnefs before God; 
 this is very natural, but dangerous and fatal. 
 
 22 Now when Jefus heard thcfe things, he faid 
 unto him. Yet lackefl thou one thing : fell all that 
 thou haft, and diflribute unto the poor, and thou 
 fhalt have treafurein heaven : and come, follovv me. 
 
 Here o/'/i-rre, I. Our Lord's admonition, Tet lachji 
 thou one thing, which was true felf-denial, in renouncing 
 the fin of covetoufnefs, and the inordinate love of worldly 
 wealth. We ought, in the i\iidft of our abundance, to 
 maintain 2 readinefoof difpoGilon to part withall, for God's 
 fake, that is dear unto us in this world. 2. Our Lord's 
 itjjunftion, Sell all that thov. hajt and give to the poor. This 
 was not a common, but a fpecial precept, given particu. 
 larly to this rich man for trial; like that given to Abra- 
 ham, Gen. xxii. and to convince him of his corrupt con- 
 fidence in riches : Yet is the precept thus far for gener.il 
 ule to us all, to teach us to contemn worldly poflefiions, 
 as to be willing to part with them all at God's plejfiire, 
 and when they prejudice our falvation. 
 
 23 And when he heard thi.s, he was very fcrrow- 
 ful : for he v/as very rich. 
 
 Here note, The efftift which oar Saviour's admonition 
 had upon this perlon ; He ivas f.rrij-wfll. Learn thence, 
 1 hat carnal men are exceedingly fcrrowful when they 
 cannot win hea^'en in their own way. 1. That fuch as 
 are wedded to the world will renounce Chrift rather than 
 the world, when the world and Chrift ftand in ccmpeti:ion. 
 
 24 And • 
 
a 73 
 
 
 L U K E. 
 
 CiiAr. XV! ir. 
 
 24 And when fclus faw tluu he was very for- 
 roivful. he laid, how hardly Ihall they that have 
 rjclies cnicr into liic kingdom ot" God ! 2f, For it is 
 cvrfier tor a'camel to go throuj^h a nccdk-'s eye, 
 than for a rich man toenter into the kingdom of God 
 26 And they that heard it, faid Who tlicn can be 
 iavcdi' 17 And he faid, The thinj^s which arc im- 
 polfible with ii;cn, are podible with God. 
 
 Our holy Lord lakes occalio.ti, froui ihe rich man's de- 
 parture front aim. to difcourfe concerning the djiiger of 
 riches, an I tlie Jitficultiesthat attend rich men in their way 
 to heaven. From whence we may coUtcc and jrather, i. 
 Thic ricii men do certainly meet with more difficidties in 
 their wav to heaven than othrr men ; it is diHicidt to 
 \\i;hdraw their .iffeclinns fromlriche.';, to place their fu- 
 jjrelne love upon God in the niidll of their riches, and to 
 depend entirely upon God in a rich condition ; For the rich 
 ni.,u's \uia!th is his (irong tower. 2. That yet the fault 
 lies not in riches, but in rich men, who by placing their 
 :riill, and repofing their confidence in riches, do render 
 vheir fa'.v.ition diflitult, if not iinpofiible. 5. Oiir Lord's 
 proverbial fpecch ofacameli going through the eye of a nee- 
 dle, implies thus much, That it isnot only a great difficuU 
 ty, but an utterimpoilibility, for fuch as abound in world- 
 ly wealth, and place their conlidence therein, to be 
 laved, V. ithonc an extraordinary graceand alhrtance from 
 Coii. It is hard for God to make a rich m.<n happy, be- 
 caufe he thinks himfelf happy without God. 4. 1 hat as 
 tlifficult and impoHible as this may feem romen, yttjnothing 
 is impoflible with God; he can change the heart of the 
 rich, by the rich and powerful influences of bis holy Spi- 
 rit : 7 hilt which is imp'jjfihle with man '■* t'^ff-l'^^ wUhGod, 
 
 28 Then Peter faid, Lo, we havo left all, and 
 followed thee.. 
 
 It was well donfc, and wifely dene of Peter to leave all 
 nnd follow Chrift : it was the bell bargain he ever made 
 in all his life. But 'tbftrve. How he magnifies th:it little he 
 liaH left for Ciirirt.and nfiieri it inw-th a note of admira- 
 tion ; Lo .' we hcwe Irft all, and followed thre Learn 
 hence, That though it be very little that we fuffer for 
 Chrill,and have to forfake upon his account, yet we are 
 prone to magnify and admire it, as if it vereof fon-e great 
 matter. Lord, fays Peter, ivi'hjve left all. "What all, 
 man, hadft thou to leave? a few ragged net?, and a tat- 
 terred fiflierboat ; a ^reat nil, iYideed, ne.st to notliingat 
 all, fcarce worth mentioning ; and yet how it is magnified! 
 Beh'jld we have It ft ail, and followed thee. 
 
 29 And he faid unto thcin, Verily I fay unto you 
 there is no man that haih left houfe, or parents, or 
 "brethren, or wife or children, for the kingdom of 
 God's fake.QoWho Ihall not receive manifold more 
 in this prelent tiim-. and in the world to come life 
 gverlafting. 
 
 Olferve here, Theienity andkindnefsof our Lord'sgra- 
 cious anfwer : he tells his difciples. Thai they who had 
 left all and followed him; fliould beuo lofcrsby hitn ; that 
 
 is, Ml this wcr' J, they fliall receive manifold. Sr. Mark 
 fays, jIii hundred fold: But iiovv Co? Non fjrmoliter, fed 
 eminenter ; von injptci(,fedin valorc ; "Nut in kind, but 
 in equivalency, not an hundred brethren arwl fiftc-rs, and 
 piifielFions in kind, but lie Ihall enjoy all that in God, which 
 all creatures would beto him, if they were luultiplied an 
 hundred times. O the landifying gifts and Idvin;^ gr.iccs 
 the liipporting comforts and ravilhing confulatious ol the 
 holy Spirit, are a fulfitient compenfation for any thhig for 
 Hiore than all that we can part with forlhe fake of Chrift. 
 
 31 H Then he took unto him the twelve, and 
 faid unto them. Behold, we go up to Jerufalcm.and 
 all things that are written by the prophets concer- 
 ning the Son of man fhali be accomplilhed. 32 For 
 he (hall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and fliallbe 
 mocked, and fpitefully entreated, and fpitted on ; 
 33 And then fhall fcotirge him, and put hun to 
 death: and the third day he fhall rife again. 31 
 And tluv undcrflood none of thcfe thin i^s; and this 
 faying was hid from them, neither knew tliey the 
 things which were fpoken. 
 
 We find our blelTed Saviour very frequently acquainting 
 his difciples with hisapproaching fulFtrngs, to prf vent the 
 olTtnce that they might take at them, when thcprovidence 
 of God brought them on : hisdtfign was, to arm ilieni 
 with CN.pect.ition of his fufferings, and to quicken them to 
 preparation for their own ; yet it is here Did, That difci- 
 fles undcrflood none 0) thrfefayings : Whyfo? were not 
 the words eafy enough to be underftood ? Yes, but thty 
 could not reconcile them to the notion of the Mediah 
 which they drank in ; they concluded he fliould be a tem- 
 poral prince ; but could notconcei\e how he that fliould 
 redeem IlVaelfliouldd'e, and be thu< b.irb.trooily ufed. We 
 jiad great need to confider wtll v. hat notions ^m' have con- 
 cerning the thing; of God, before we entertain them; 
 for fall'e notions once taken up, are not without great dif- 
 ficulty laid down. 
 
 35 f And itcamctopafs, that, as he was come 
 nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man fat by the wav 
 fide begging : 36 And hearing the multitude pafs 
 by, ho alked what it meant. 37 And they told him 
 that Jcfus of Nazareth palFeth by. 38 Andhecricd 
 faying, Jefus thou Son of David have merry on me. 
 
 39 And they which went before, rebuked luni, that 
 he fliould hold his peace : but he cried fo much the 
 more, thou Son of David have mercy on me. 
 
 40 And Jefus Hood, and commanded him to be 
 brought unto him ; and when he was come.near. he 
 alkcd him, 41 Saying, What wilt thou thati fliall 
 do unto thee ? and he fi'id. Lord, that I may receive 
 my fight: 42 And jefus faid, unto him. Receive thy 
 fitjht : thy faith hath faved thee. 43 And immedi- 
 ately he received his fight, and followed him, glori- 
 fying God: and all the people, when they faw it; 
 gave praifcunto God. 
 
 This 
 
Chap. 5ctx. 
 
 St. 
 
 L U K E. 
 
 75 
 
 This chapter cijnclades with tiie recital of a famous mi- 
 racle wroujjht hy our Saviour on a bjinii man, whom St. 
 Mark calls Bartimeus. Where we have o//frva/'/<:, i. The 
 blind man's faitli, in acknowledging Chrift to be the Mef- 
 fiah ; for fo much the title of Son of Diivhi diti import. 
 I- His fervency as well as faith j he cried toChrift for the 
 mercy of heading. Have mercy on rne tknt fun of David, 
 A true fenfe of want, either bodily or fpiritu.il, will caulc 
 a foul to cry to Cariit with earnelhicfs and importunity. ;?. 
 The great compailion andtendi^rnefsof Chriit towardsthis 
 blind man ; H'- Jlii'iilJtUl, he called him, and enlightened his 
 eyes. 4. Before Clirift would relfore the blind man to 
 light, he mult fenlibly complain of the want of fight, and 
 cry unto him for it. Chrill knows all his creatures wants, 
 but takes no notice of them, till they make them known to 
 him bj prayer. 1; How much Chrill magnil^Ca faith, what 
 he attributes to it, and ho^v he rewards the leaft exercife 
 of it ; ji-fusfaiJ, Thy faith hath ftivtd thee. Note, 6. In 
 what w.Ty and manner the blind man doth exprels his 
 thankfulnefs to Chrift for liis recovered fight, hi' followed 
 him, gl'jrifyini; God. Mercy received from Chrift is thfii 
 well impro\ed, when it engages us to foilo'v Chri(t ; this 
 ihould be tiie etfed of all falvations wrought for us. He 
 praifctli God befl, that ferveth him moll The life of 
 thankfulnefs conlifts in the holinefs of the life. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 AND Jefus entered and palTed thiou:^h Jeri- 
 cho. 2. And behold, ^Af re wai a man named 
 Zacclicus, which was the chief among the publi- 
 cans, and he was rich. 
 
 The hiltory, which relates the calling and converfionof 
 Zaccheus the publican, is ulliercdin with a note of wonder, 
 Behold, there was a man named Zaccheus. It is both great 
 and good news, to hear of a foul converted unto God; 
 efpecially fuch a remarkable (Inner as Zaccheus was ; For, 
 I. He was by profelilon a publican; a calling that carried 
 extortion in its face, and bade defiance to his converlion ; 
 yet, behold, from the toll-booth is Zaccheus called to be 
 a dilciple, and Matthew an apoftle : Such is the freenefs 
 pf divine grace, that it often calls the greateft of (inners, 
 and 'riunphs in their powerful converlion. 2. He was a 
 chiefpublican, and probably one of the chief of linners ; yet 
 behold him among the chief of faints. Lord! what peni- 
 tent need defpair of thy mercy , when he fees a publican, nay 
 the chief of publicans, gone to heaven? 3. It is added, 
 as a farther circumft.ince, that he was rich ; his trade was 
 not a greater obftjcle to his converfion than his wealth: 
 not that there is any malignity in riches, conlidered in them - 
 ielves, but they become a fnare through the corruption of 
 our natures. Zaccheus hid not been fo famous a convert 
 if he had not been rich ; if more difficulty, yet was there 
 more glory in the converfion of rich Zaccheus. To all 
 thefe might bead('ed a fourth circuniftance, namely, That 
 Zjccheus wa? converted in his old age, after a long habit 
 of (in contrafted. Such inftances, though few, has God 
 left on record in fcripture, Abraham and ManalTes in the 
 Old Teftanient^ Zaccheus and Paul in the New, 
 
 3 And he fought to fee Jefus who he was, and cotild 
 not for the prefs, becaufe he was little of ftaturo. 
 4. And he ran before, and climbed up into a fyca- 
 niorc-trce, to fee him ; tor he was to pafs that way. 
 
 Zacdieus delired to fee Jefus ; this was a light that few 
 rich men defired to fee ; the fight of Cxfar's fice u])on 
 their coin is more pleating to them, than to fie the face of 
 Chriit in his ordinances ; yet it was not fuch faith, but 
 fancy and curiofiiy, that made Zaccheus d\mh the I'yca- 
 more tree to fee Jefo? ; but the curiofity of the eye g.ive 
 occafiou to the belief of the heart ; he that delires to fee 
 Jefus is in the way to enjoy him. 'Tis good to be near 
 the place where Chrift is, whatever principles bring us 
 tltither. 
 
 5 And when [efus came to the place, he lookt^ J 
 up and faw him, and faid unto him; Zaccheus, 
 make hade, and come down; for tu-day I mull 
 abide at thy houfe. 6 And he made haftc, and 
 came down, and received iiim joyfully. 
 
 What an inftance is here 01 Chrift's prevailing grace and 
 mercy ! Zaccheus climbs up intothelycamore tofcc Jtfus. 
 Jelusfirft feeks him; little didZacchcus think that Jelus 
 fliould call up his eyes to him ; Chrift's looks a.e conven- 
 ing looks; there went a divine power along with them, to 
 change the heart of him whom he looked upon ; he that 
 could heal a difeafe with the hem of his garment, could 
 change an henrt with the glance of his eye. Ohftrve far- 
 ther, Chrift does not only note, but name Zaccheus ; He 
 bids him come down, for /\- nitiJI ahide at his hou/r. Wh.it 
 a fweet familiarity was here! Though the dilfercnce be 
 infinitely great betwixt onr Saviour and ourfelvcs, yet he 
 treats us, not with a majeftic ftatelinefs, but with a gracious 
 aft'ability. Some note. That Zaccheus was the Hrft rnnti 
 we read of, to whofe houfe ChrilHnvited hiu)l"eIf.{//A-ri;f 
 laftly, NVit!) what (peed Zaccheu; haftens down, and with 
 what alacrity he entertains our Saviour ; curiofity carried 
 him up, but love brings him down, and he entertains 
 Chrift joyfully ; but alas! it was but for a few hours. 
 Lord, hosv great is the hippinefs of that man that receives 
 and entertains thee, not for a day or a year, or for s mil- 
 lion of years, but everlafiing ages ! O let us welcome thee 
 into our hearts by faith, uhillt we are here on earth, and 
 then thou «ilt make us welcome with thyfelf everlalling- 
 ly in thy kingdom. 
 
 7 And when they faw it they all murm.ured, fay- 
 ing. That he was gone to be guefi. with a man thai 
 is a {inner. 
 
 That ii, the Pharifees who were here, were hi^hfydif- 
 conten'cd that Chrift went to a publican's houfe, whom 
 they looked upon as the worft of men : their eye was evil, 
 becaufe Chrilt's was good. Whither ihould the phyfici-, 
 an go but to the (itk ? 1 he whole need him not. How. 
 ever, the envious Phiirlfees cenfin-e and condemn him for 
 it. Lord, who can hope to efcape the afperlions of cfn- 
 forious tongues, whilft fpotlefs innocence, and perfeft lio- 
 linefs, falls under the lafh of them! J: is fufiicient for the 
 fervunt to be as the m.ilter. 
 
 8 And 
 
£8o 
 
 St. L U IC E. 
 
 Chap. rvf. 
 
 • 8 And Zachcus flood,' and faid unto the Lord, 
 Behold, Lord the lialf of my goods I give to the 
 poor; and if I have taken any tfiing froiu any man 
 by falfc accufalion, I reflproium I'ouri'old. 
 
 Two things areh2rc obfervable, Tlie greatnefs of his 
 charity, and ihe juftnefs of !iis reftitution. As lo his ch^- 
 tity, (jhjirve, i. The t'reer.e-.'s of it ; not //en// but Jghc. 
 2. The readincfs of it ; noilwill, h\it T do give, 3. The 
 j:iftnefi and honelly of it ; my goo/Js, not my fpoils ; wl-jSt 
 is my own, and not rent fioni others by rapine or extor- 
 tion. 4. The largenefs and extenfivenefs of his charity; 
 haif of my gntds • not an inconfiderable pittance. <;. The 
 fitiiefs of his charity ; to tl>c poor, not to the rich : not to 
 his heirs, but to his poor neighbours. Again, as liis cha- 
 rity was large, fo his rcflitution was juft : as he gave half 
 to the poor, fo he redorcil fcurfolci to t/ie -pronged. What 
 an evidence was hereof a true penitent ! Confeflion and 
 fatisfadion are bo:h found with him. Whenever repent- 
 ance is firicere and faving, there is not only an hatred of 
 
 ornier fins, but a vigorous exercife of graces contrary to 
 
 ■'.ofe fins. 
 
 g And Jefusfaid unto him, This day is falvation 
 come to this houfe, forfomuchas lie alfo is the fon 
 of Abraham. 
 
 That which Zaccheus gave to the poor, was nothing 
 to what Chrift gave to him; it was but drofs he gave to 
 them, it was falvation Ciirift gave to him. Where is the 
 man that can fay, God is in his debt for afts of charity 
 and mercy ! Where is he that will not own God to be the 
 befl: and quickelt paymafter ? This day is falvation come to 
 this houfe ; it is thme in title, and ere long it fliatl be thine 
 in pofielFion ; For fo nmcl^as he alfiif a Jon 'f Abraham ; 
 that is, either a natural fon of Abraham, a Jew ; or a fpi- 
 ritual fon, a believer; the heir of Abraham's 'faith, which 
 was alfo imputed to hiniforrighteoufnefs lake. O hap- 
 py Z.iccheusl thou haft climbed up from ti^iy fyc.Tmore to 
 heaven, and by thy rhariiy and juftice hath purchafcd to 
 thyfelf a kingdom that fadeih not away. 
 
 10 For the Son ofmanis-come to feekandtofavc 
 that which was lofl. 
 
 Cfhferve here, i. A defcription of man's deplorable ftate 
 and undone condition, he is /^y?. 2. The care of Ciirift 
 to fcek and recover man out of that loft ftate ; The Son if 
 rnar.lscometofekandtofave that -ulich is hj}. Learn 
 I. That man's condition is a loft condition, and every un- 
 generate man is a loft man; he has loft his God, hio foul, 
 his happineis, his excellency, his liberty, his ability. 2. 
 1 he great errand tha: Chrift came into the world upon, it 
 was to feek and to fave loft fmners ; this he does by his 
 hlcod, by his word, by his Spirit and by his rod. 
 
 1 1 1[ And as they heard thefe tilings, he added, 
 and fpake.a parable becaufc he v/as ni^li to Jerula- 
 lem, andbccaufe they thought that the kinj^dom of 
 Cod fhouldiintnediately appear. 12 He faid there- 
 fore, A certain noblemaji waiit into a far country to 
 
 receive for himfelf a l-ingdom, and to return. 1 3 
 And he called his ten fervants, and delivered therq 
 ten pounds, and laid unto them, Occuppy till I 
 come. 14 But his citizens hated him, and fent a 
 mefTa^c after him, faying, We will not have this 
 man to reign over us. 15 And it came to pafswheu 
 he was returned, having received the kingdom, then 
 he commanded thefe fervants to be called unto him 
 to whom he had given the money, that he might 
 know how mucheveiy man hid gained by trading. 
 16 Then came the firft, faying, Lord, thy pound 
 hath gained ten pounds. 17 And he faid unto hnn 
 Well, thou good i'crvant : becaufe thou hafl been 
 faithful in a very little, have thou authority over 
 ten cities. 18 And the fccond came, faying, Lord, 
 thy pound hath gained five pounds, ig And he 
 laid likewifeto him,Be thou alfo over five cities. 20 
 And another came, faying, Lord, ^behold, here is 
 thy pound which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21 
 For I feared^hee, becaufe thou art anaufterc man, 
 thou takeft u^thattliou laidefl not down, andrea- 
 pefl that thou didfl not fow. 22 And he faith unto 
 him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, 
 thou wicked fervant. Thou kncwefl that I 
 was an auftere man, taking up that I laid not down, 
 and reaping that I did not fow: 23 Wherefore then 
 gavefl not thou my money into the bank, that at 
 my coming I might have required mine own with 
 ufury .? 24 And he faid unto them that flood by. 
 Take from him the pound, and give it to him that 
 hath ten pounds. 25 (And they faid unto him, 
 Lord, he hath ten pound?.) 26 For I fay unto 
 you, That unto every one that hatli fhall be given: 
 and from that hath not, even that he hath fhall be 
 taken away from him. 27 But thofe mine enemies, 
 which would not that I fliould reign over them, 
 bring hither, and £I.iy them before me. 
 
 For the belter nnderftandiiig of ihisparabfe, we mjft, 
 I . confider the occafion of it : 1. The dellgn and fcope of 
 it: 3. ThekfTonsofinflruclion which our Saviourinrciided 
 us by it. As to the former; the occafion of our Saviour's 
 uttering this paraiile, feems'to be this, He was now going 
 up to Jerufalem to die ; fome of the comp-iny ^vere of 
 opinion, That he would immediately enter upon his king- 
 dom, and ad as a temporal prince, delivering them from 
 the Roman;, and deftroying his and their enemies : He 
 lets them underftand the quite contrary; that he muftdie 
 /tnJ rile again, and afcend into h*^aven, and then return 
 sgainaiid receive the kingdom ; and that he was now 
 tuking his la(t journey to Jeruf.ilem, in t-rJerto that end. 
 The defign and I'copc of the parable, together with the in- 
 terpretation of it is this. The nQoLmiiK here mentioned, is 
 our Saviour himfeif, who in his ftate of great humiliation 
 was but like a nobleman ; Ms i^alrg inla a far country, 
 
 lignifies 
 
 ■i^HiH^ 
 
Chap. xix. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 281 
 
 figiiifies his return Irom earth to hearen ; his comirq back 
 again, figiiifies his coming to judgment ; his calling his 
 fervants, and deliveritig them thtir talents, intimates to us 
 the various gifts which he btftows upon the fons of men, 
 all which are to be emplriyed in his fervice, and injprovtd 
 to his glory; his calling his fervants to an arc-junt, plainly 
 fignifys, 1 hat when Chrill coTues to jiuigmenr, he ^^ill 
 hrtve an account of every individual perfon, how theyufed 
 the gifts, anJ improved the talents entrulled with tlient : 
 and that they may expect to be iiiip.iriiatiy rewarded ac- 
 cording to ti.t.T works, for God will appear a righteous 
 God, and wili condemn iinners out of their own mouths, 
 and aniollcertainandfin.il ruin will be their portion, 
 whilft thofe that were faithful in hi;- firvice fliall be crowned 
 witli his reward. Now from the whole weniay Icernthe^e 
 leflbnsof inftruc^ion: i. That our Lord's (late of humilia- 
 tion and great abafement on canh being paffed over,a glo- 
 rious ftaie of exaltation he is now afived at in heaven. 
 God his exalted him with great triumph to hi.s kingdom. 
 2. That clothed w iih infinite ii<a}efly and power, and at- 
 tended with an innumerable hollof angels and f.iints, this 
 exalted Saviour will come to judge angels and men. 3. 
 That in the mean time Chrill varioufly difpenfes to his 
 fervants particular taicntf, to be employed and improved 
 fiir his own glory and his church's good. 4. That there 
 will rnofl certainly be a reckoning diy, or a time when our 
 Lord will take an account of men's improving thofe gifts 
 and graces, which were given them as fo many talents to be 
 improved by them. i;.That there w ill be degrees of hap- 
 pincfs and niifery in the other world, according to men's 
 degrees of faitlifulnefs or negligence in this. 6. That it is 
 abominably falfe and impious to charge God, as being 
 rigid and fevere with men, and requiring impollibilities at 
 their hands; For out of thtir ovjn niouths Cod -djitl condemn 
 them. Laftly, That the condition of God's faithful fer- 
 vants will be unfpcakably happy, aaid that of the unprofi- 
 table fervant intolerably miltrabie, both in this world and 
 in the next; the r ghteouslhall eiuerinto the joy of their 
 Lord, and be confirmed therein, with an utter impofiibility 
 of lonng that happinefs. The wicked, wlw would not 
 fubmit to Chrift's authority, (hall not be able to refill his 
 power. They that w ould not fuiTer Chrift to reign over 
 them, (hall at the laftday be brought forth and llain before 
 him. Thofe mine enemies, that would not that 1, &;c. 
 
 28 9 And when he had thus fpoken, he went be- 
 fore, afcending up to Jerufalem. 29 And it came 
 to pafs when he was come nigh to ^Bclhpage, and 
 Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he 
 fent two of his difciples, 30 Saying, Go ye into the 
 village over againft you: in the which at your enter- 
 ing ye fhall find a colt tied, whereon never man 
 fat : loofe him, and bring him hither. 3 1 And if 
 any manaflcyou, Why do ye loofe /iwi ? thus fliall 
 ye fay unto him, Becaufe the Lord hath need of hini. 
 32 And they that were fent, went their way, and 
 found even as he had faid unto them, 33 And as 
 they were loofing the colt, the owners thereof faid 
 unto them, Why loofc ye the colt? 34 And they 
 
 Ciid, The Lord hatli need of hiai. 35 And they 
 brought him to Jcfus : and they call their garments 
 upon the colt, and they fct Jei'us thereon. 36 And 
 as he went, they fpread their clothes in the way. 37 
 And when he was come nigh, even now at the de- 
 fcent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of 
 the difciples began to rejoice andpraiie God with a 
 loud voice, for all the mighty wxjiks that they had 
 feen, 38 Saying, Blefled be the King that coincth 
 in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory 
 iiithehigheft. 39 yVnd fome of the Pharifees Irom 
 among the multitude faid unto him, Mailer rebuke 
 thy difciples, 40 And he anfwered and faid unto 
 them, I tell you, that if thefe fhould hold their peace 
 the ftones would immediately cry out. 
 
 Our Lord (as it is noted before) was now upon his laft 
 journey to Jerufalem, where he w as to Ihed his blood, ann 
 lay down his life for the redemption and f.ilvation ofalol^ 
 world; and it is oblervable, what a double demonflration 
 he gives of his great willingnefs and forwardnefe to go up 
 to Jerufalem, there to die. i.Roth St. Luke here, arnj 
 St. Maik, ch. r.. 32. tells us, That he went hi f re the 
 company, leading the way, when he went'n fuffer: Lord? 
 with what alacrity and holy chearfulnefsdidlt thou manage 
 the great woik of man's redemption ? None ever went lo 
 willingly to a crown, as thou to thy crofs. 2. Our S.t- 
 viour, wlio all his life travelled like a poor man on foot, 
 now he goes up tojcrufalem to die for us, he will ride, 10 
 fliew his great forw ardnefs to lay down his life for us: But 
 what was the beall he rode upon ? an afs's colt; to fulfil 
 that prophery, Zech. ix. 9. Tilt ye the daughters of Sion, 
 behold thy King cometh, riding up'jn an afs : yea, it was ■.\ 
 colt on which never man rode before ; to let us fee, how 
 the moft untamed creatures become obfiqueous to Chriil, 
 and render ihenifelves fervrceahle to him at his pleafure. 
 It was alfo a borrowed afs, whereby our Saviour's right 
 to all the creatures was manifefled ; and accordingly, he 
 bids the difciples to tell the owner. That the L',rd h,ith need 
 cfhim ; not your Lord, or our I.,ord, but the Lord, that 
 iSj he that is Lord of the whole earth, whfe are the calile 
 upon ei thoNfiind hilii-. Here «'./e. What a clear anil ftdl 
 denionftration Chrilb gave of his divine nature; of hisoni, 
 nifciency in forfeeing and foretelling theevent; of his om- 
 nipoiency in inclining the heart and over-ruling the will of 
 the owner, to let ihe tolt go ; and of his fovereignty,th,i£: 
 as he was Lord of the creatures,, h^could command and 
 call for tlie fervice whenever he needed them. The colt 
 being brought, and our Saviour fct thereon ; objtive next 
 The actions of the multitude in acknowledging Ghrift to 
 beourKiug; ihey fpread iheir cfeathesin ihe way, calling 
 their garments on the ground, 'for him to ride upon, ac- 
 cording to the cuftom of princes when tlicy ri<!e in ftate : 
 yea, the inuliitude do net ov.ly difrobt their backs, but 
 expend their breath in joyful acclamations, and loud ho- 
 fannahs, wiSing all manner of profperity to their meek but 
 mighty prince. \n this princely, yet poor and defpicable 
 pomp, doth our Savicur enter the famous city of Jerufalem. 
 N N Oho.v 
 
«iSa 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap, xitv 
 
 O how far'was our holy Lord from aflefting worldly great- 
 refs and gniuleur; he dflivired that glory, which worldly 
 Jiearts fondly admire; yet becaufe he was_a King, he 
 would be proclaimed fuch ; and have his kinfrdom con- 
 fetl'cd, applaiidcil, and blelTed : but that it might appear, 
 that his kingdom was not of this world, he abandons nil 
 Kiorldly magnificence. O glorious, yet h.miely pomp! O 
 meek but mighty prince ! Lallly, The peevilh envy of 
 the witktd Pharifees, who were then in company ; they 
 grudge our Saviour this poor honour, they envy him this 
 Imall triumph of coming into the city upon an afs's colt, 
 attended by a company of poor people, flrewing the ways 
 with b<'ii;Ti of trees, with ti ifannahs and joyful acclaim- 
 fions: Thsfe people's mouths they would have ilopped ; 
 Alj/fcr, rebuke thy elifdples: They did not like the the mulic- 
 But Ciirilt tells them, That they labour in vain to fiip- 
 pro-ls the tedimony given him by his difciples, for if they 
 ffjoulJ be fiknt the Jtonci ivoiilJ cry out ; yea, cry out 
 limine of them, for neglecting their duty : As if Chiifl 
 had faid. The fpeechlels (tones will fpeak and gave wimefs 
 tome, ifoicn will not. Learn hence, They that are 
 owned of God, fliall not want ownings and .witnefi'ings 
 from man at one time or other, in one way or other, 
 though the envy and malice of men do never fo much 
 gainlay and oppofe it. 
 
 4 1 1 And when he was come near, he beheld the 
 city and wept over it, 
 
 No fooner did our Saviour come \vithin the fight and 
 view of the city of Jrrufalem, but he burft out into tears 
 at the conlideration of their obflinacy, and wilful rcjejfting 
 of the olFers of grace and falvation made unto then ; and 
 alfo he wept to confiderthe dreadful judgments that hung 
 over their heads for thofe fins, even the utter ruin and de- 
 llruclion of their city and temple. Learn hence, i. That 
 good men ever h^ve been, and are, menoficnder and 
 compaffionate difnofitions,rorrowing nor only for iheir own 
 I'ufTerings, but 'others calamities, a. That Chrift fheds 
 tears as well as blood for the loft world, Chrifi wept over 
 Jfrw/^A'/w, as sveil as bled for her. 3. That Chrill was 
 infinitely more concerned for the falvation of poor finners, 
 than for his own death and fuffcrings; not the fight of His 
 own crofs, but Jerufalem's calamities made him w eep. 
 
 42 Saying, If thou hadfl known, even thou, at 
 lead in this thy day, the things a;/«cAWo?!g- unto thy 
 peace ! But now they are hid from thine eyes. 
 
 By the things belonging to their peace, we are to nnder- 
 ftand the prefence of Chrilt amongft them, the preaching 
 of the gofpel to tiiem ; She did not know, that is, fhc did 
 not coiifider,,Jhc did not prize and improve her privi- 
 leges, as (he ought, but flopped her ears againfl the words 
 ofChrifl and c^alVd her ears againft the miraculous works 
 of Chrill, till, at laft they were hidden from her eyes. 
 learn hence, t. That tlie time of a people's enjoying 
 • he light and Jiberty of the gofpel, is a limited day, it 
 is a lliort day. Jf thou haajt known in this thy day, 1, 
 'i"lut it is the fad and ufual lot of the gofpel not to be 
 embraced and entertained by a people to whom it is in 
 ni^rcy lent, till it be too lciie,and the linicot ihtir vilitalion 
 
 be pad and over ; that thou hddji known, hut now thou 
 flialt never know, now they are hid from thine eyes. But 
 how hid ? Wat there no more preaching in Jcrufalem ; 
 no public miniftry after that day? Yes, behold the pati- 
 ence and mfrcy of Clirift in waiting upon this people. 
 After this, Chrift fent the whole college of apollles, and 
 they preaclied there the things belonging to their tempo- 
 ral and eternal peace ; but ihey wanted hearers to confi. 
 der, and their ruin was unavoidable. 
 
 43 For the days (hall come upon thee, that thine 
 enemies fhall caft a trench about thee, and com- 
 pafs thee round, and keep thee in on every fide, 
 4 J And fhall lay thee even with the ground, and 
 thy cliildrcn within thee ; and they fliall not leave 
 in thee one ftone upon another : becaufe thou 
 knewefl not the time of thy vifitation. 
 
 Here is a prophetical predi(5lion of the total and final 
 deflruftion (^f the city of Jerufalem by the Roman armies, 
 who begirt the city round, b',;rnt the temple, ftarved the 
 people, and brought fuch ruiTi and deftrudion upon the 
 place, as no hiftory could ever parallel : the reafon is af- 
 figned, becaufe they knew not the tin:? of their vifitation', 
 that is, the time when God vifiied th?m with his gofpel, 
 firft by the miniftry of John ; then by tlie preaching of 
 Chrift himfelf, andafierwards by h'.s difciples and apollles. 
 Hence learn, i. J hat when God gives bis gol'pd to a 
 people, he gives that people a merciful vifitation. a. 
 That for a people not to know, but reglrct the time of 
 their gracious vifitation, is a God-provoking, and a wrath, 
 procuring fin : Becaufe thou knewej} not t'f time 'fthy v!- 
 Jitatinn, therefore the time /hall come, ihsi r ■ ■ ves fhall 
 
 lay thee ivcn with the ground, and n-,t ].\ ^r ut>on 
 
 an'ttlur; which hiftory tells us, wa« Hter:illy f; •en 
 
 Turr.us Kufus, with his plough, ph^ughed ■. y 
 
 foundation Itones upon which the teinplt il l! 
 
 how has fin laid the foundations of ruin in the :.u- 
 
 rifliing cities and kingdonis I 
 
 45 1 And he went into the temple, and began 
 to call out them that fold therein, and them that 
 bought. 46 Saying unto them, It is written, My 
 houfe is the houfe of prayer : but ye have made it 
 a den of thieves. 47 And he taught daily in the 
 temple. But the chief pricfls and the fciibes and 
 the chief of the people fought to dcftroy him. 48 
 And could not find what they might do : for all 
 the people were very attentive to hear him. 
 
 No fooncr was our blefled Saviour entered Jerufalem, 
 but his walk was to the temple, and his firft work was to 
 purge apd reform it from abufes, not to ruin and deftroy 
 it, becaufe it had been abufed. But what was the profa- 
 nation of the temple, that fo ofleoded our Saviour? //«/• 
 Jn the court of the Gentiles, the outward court of the 
 temple, there was a public mart or market kept, where 
 were fold oxen , flit-cp, and doves, for facrifire, wiiichpthe;- 
 wife they imift have brought up along with them from 
 their houfes : As a pretended eaic therefore lo the people, 
 
 tkf 
 
CflAP. XX. 
 
 Sr. L D K E. 
 
 thepripfts orderet! thtfe tlnngs to be Told hardby t^e altar 
 b\it ourblefTed Saviour being jiiflly offended at this profa- 
 nation of his Father's houfe, calt the buyers and feilersour 
 of the temple ; teschirg us, that there is a fpecial reverence 
 due to God's houfe, both for the owner's faAe, and the 
 fervice fake : nothing but holinefs can become the place 
 where God is wor/hippcd in the beauty of holinefs : The 
 reafon is added, My houfe is a houfe of prayer, where, by 
 prayer is to be underrtood, the whole worfliip and fervice of 
 God, of which prayer is an eminent and principal part. 
 That which gives denomination to an houfe, is moft cer- 
 rainly the chief work to be done in that houfe; now God's 
 houle being called an houfe of prayer, implies, that prayer 
 )s a chief and principal work to be done in this houfe ; yet 
 take weheed, that we fet not the ordinances of God at 
 variance one with another ; wemuft not idolize one ordi- 
 nance, and vilify another, but reverence them all, and pay 
 nn awful refpea to all divine inrtitutions. Our blefled Sa- 
 viour herein his houfe of prayer, preached daily to the 
 people, ns well as prayed with them; and all the people 
 were as attentive to hear his fermons, as he was conftant 
 at their prayers. Prayer fanclifiesthe word, and the 
 word fits us for prayer. If we would glorify God, and 
 edify ourfelves, we mufl: put honour upon all the ordi- 
 nances of God, and diligently attend them upon all 
 occaUona. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 A NO it came to pafs, that on one of thofe days, 
 1 l^and a.s he taught the people in the temple, and 
 preached the gofpel, the chief pnefts and the {bribes 
 came upon him with the elders, 2 And Ipakeunto 
 him raying, Tell us, By what authority doeft thou 
 thele things ? or who is he that gave thee this autho- 
 rity .'' 3 And he anfwered and laid unto them, I 
 vv^ill afk you one thing, andanfwerme : 4Thebap- 
 Uim of John, was it from heaven, or of men ? 5 
 And they realoned with themfelves, faying. If we 
 hall lay, From heaven ; he will fay, Why then be- 
 lieved ye him not? 6Butif we fay, Of men; all the 
 people will ftone us: for they be perfuaded that 
 JX)hn was a prophet. 7 And they anfwered, That 
 they could not tell whence it was.- 8 And Jefus 
 faidunto them. Neither tell I you by what autho- 
 rity I do theft things. 
 
 dnJnn ^J'"''^" ,'"^''"g °ffen quarrdied at our Saviour's 
 do«r.ne b.forc, they call in quellion his million and autho- 
 
 divhelfl-' ',"£'■ '\'-. "'ighteafily have uiid.ritood his 
 nZrin '''V'"'''""' "'i"^l«; for Ahnighiy God 
 
 bv him ^n'^f ^r, c° '""'^ "'iracles, hat were not fent 
 b him Our ble(red Saviour underft.inding their dedgn, 
 
 b • a -it"?. " '"'^^'^V"^--' '^-" replies tofheir ^ueftifn 
 L f T '?"l''" '. '^f''^"'I"-'f"' offohn.-w.s it from 
 
 oft .km"". • P'=:"''y ""P'y-^V,. That thecaling 
 of them who call thenj-clve. tiie luimliers of God, ougiu 
 
 28- 
 
 to be from GoJ .- No mar tuglt to i,--le that hoi-.rv.r upon 
 him, hit he that is called of God, as was Aarcr, Htb. v. 8 
 The Pharifees reply, That they could not id 1 whence 
 John had his initficn and authority, which was a inanilcli; 
 untruth ; they knew it, but durft notownit. By rrfulii... 
 to tell the truth, they fail into a licigainll the truth: thu*^ 
 one (ju eninares and dra'.vs men on to the conimiir-on of 
 more : Such as will not fpeak the exaft truth acccrdiuTto 
 their knowledge, they fall into the fmoflving .-gainft tl7eir 
 k.nowledge and their confcicnce. Our Saviour anfwcr.s 
 them, rveuher teli I you, by -jihat authority J do their things; 
 He did not fay, I cannot, or 1 will not tell you,' hut I do 
 not, I need not tell you; becaufe the miracles which I worl. 
 before you, are a fufficient demonrtration of my divine 
 conimiflion, that I am fent of God among you ; becaui- 
 God never fet the feal of his omnipotenry to a lie, nor 
 impo« ered an impoftor to work real miracles. 
 
 9 f Then began he to fpeak to the people this 
 parable: A certain man planted a vine-yard, and let 
 It forth to hufbandmen, and went into a far country 
 for along time. 10 And at the feafon he fent a 
 lervant to the hufbandmen tliat they lliould -ivc him 
 of the fruit of the vineyard , but the hulbTmdmen 
 beat him, and fent him away empty. uAnd again 
 he fent another lervant; and they beat him alfo and 
 entreated Aiwlhamefully, and (entA/;« away emptv 
 1 2 And again he fent the third; and they wounded 
 him alfo, and caR hm out. 13 Then faid the lord 
 of the vineyard What Ihall I do ? I will fend my be- 
 loved fon ; It may be they will reverence him when 
 they fee him. 14 But when the hufbandmen faw 
 him they reafoned among themfelves. fayiuT This 
 is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance 
 may be ours 15 So they call him out of the vine- 
 yard, and killed him. What therefore (hall the lord 
 of the vineyard do unto them ? i6 He fiiall come 
 and deflioy thele hufbandmen and Ihall aiye the 
 vineyard to others. And when thev heardtt, they 
 faid,God forbid. 17 And he beheld them, and faid 
 Wiiat IS this then that is written, The Uone which 
 the builders rejcaed, the fame is become the head 
 of the corner ? 1 8 Whofoever (hall fail on tliat ftone 
 mall be broken: but on whomfoeverit Ihall fall it 
 will grind him to powder. 19 H And the chief 
 priels and the fcribes the fame hour fought to lav 
 hands on him ; and they feared the people^ for thev 
 perceived that he had (poken this parable aoainfb 
 them. ° 
 
 to ^rJin' .f^H^r ^fl''^'''J^^-]^-'-^(^ church is co:npareJ 
 to a vineyard, God the Father to^nho.fioid,-^, h,s Lw. 
 ,«4',™,,^, and fencing his vineyard, denotes his care to 
 furn./l. hu church with .nil needful helps and meats to 
 rn.,keK fruitful; Xmlelti,,. it cut ,0 huJhandnt^C^Z^^"^ 
 the commuting Uic care of hi. diurch to the nr elS a." 
 
 N N 2 
 
 ? prieft 
 
 Lcvltc 
 
iS\ 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap, xiic- 
 
 Lcvi:c?, ths •pu'oV.c panors.ino governors cf tlie cliurch; 
 
 his fervants are the prophets aiiJ apolUcs whom he lent 
 
 from tTm? to time, to a<iiiioni(h them to bring forth an- 
 
 fwerable fruits to the ccft which God had expended on 
 
 them*. /liV .?9H is Jefus Chrift, whom the rulers of the 
 
 Jewilli church llew and niurdered. So that the defign and 
 
 Hope of the parable istodifcover tothe Ji'ws.partitulirly 
 
 to the Phirilees, their obftinate impcnitency under all the 
 
 ineatis of grace, their bloody cruelty to\\'ardithe prophets 
 
 pf God, their tremendous guilt in crucifying the Son of 
 
 Cod: for all which God would unchurch thetn finally, 
 
 ruin their nation, and fet up a church among the Gentiles 
 
 that (liould briniT forth much better fruit than the Jewifli 
 
 church ever did. From the whole note, i. That the 
 
 church is God's vineyard: a vineyard is a placeincloled,a 
 
 place well planted, well fruited, and exceeding de.ir[andpre 
 
 cious to the planter, and the owner of it. 2 That asdear as 
 
 God's vineyard is unto him, in cal'cof barrennefsand un- 
 
 fruitfulnefs, it is in great danger ofbeingdeftroyed.nnti laid 
 
 vafte by him. 3. That the only way and courfe to en- 
 gage God's care over his vineyard, and to prevent its be- 
 
 iiig given to o.her hufbandmen, is to give him the fruits 
 
 cf It ; it is but a vineyard that God lets out ; it is no in- 
 heritance ; no people ever had fo many promifesof Gods 
 
 favour as the Jews ; nor people ever enjoyed fo many pri- 
 vileges whilft they continued in his favour, as they did ; 
 
 but for rejecTing Chrift and his holy doftrine, they are a 
 
 tlefpifed fcattered people thoughout the world. See mte 
 
 on Matt. xxi. 39. 44. 
 
 20 And they watched him and fent forth fpies, 
 vhich (hould fci^n themfelves juft men, that they 
 might take hold olhis words, that fo they might de- 
 liver him unto the power and authority of the gover- 
 nor. 21 And they alked him, faying, Mafter, we 
 know that thou fayeft and teacheft rightly, neither 
 accepted thou the perlun of any, but teachcfl the 
 way of God truly. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tri- 
 bute to Cscfar, or no ? 23 But he perceived their craf- 
 tincfs, and faid unto them. Why tempt ye me ? 24 
 Shew me a penny : whofe image and fuperfcription 
 hath it ? Thcyanfwcred and faid, Casfar's. 25 And 
 he faid unto them, Render therefore unto Cxfarthe 
 things which beCasfar's, and unto God, the things 
 
 which be God-s. 26 And they cotild not take hold ----- ^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^, ^^^ „^^,.^. f^^ j^.^. ,,^ 
 of his words before the people: and they marvelled ;^^J^„to the an-els, and are tjie citildr.n of God, 
 at his anfwer, and held their peace. ^' ^^^ children of the refurrcdlion. 37 Now that 
 
 Both Matthew and Mark ttll us, That thefe fpies fent ^j,(.f^t.pd are raifed, even Mofes fliewed at the bu(h, 
 forth to enfnnre our Saviour about paying tribute to Cx- ^^^^ ^^ calif th the Lord the God of Abraham, and 
 
 wifJom and caution our Lord afuwers them ; he calls for 
 the Roman penny, and alks them, Whofe fuperfcription 
 it bare? They anfwer, Cacl'ar's. Then fays he, A'cn</fr 
 unti Cxfar the things thiit are C<tfar^s. As if he had faid, 
 " Your ad:nitting the Roman coin amongftyou.is an evi- 
 dence that you are under fubjettion to theK.oman emptror; 
 becaafe the coining and impoJing of money is an act of fo- 
 vereign authority; therefore you having owned Cefar's 
 authority over you, by accepthig his coin amongft you, 
 give unto hirnhis juftdues,and render uulo C<far th.lhingt 
 that lire Ctefars. Li-arn hence, I. That our Saviour was 
 no enemy to magiftracy and civil govrnment ; there was 
 no truer paymafter of the king's dues, than he that was 
 king ofkings; he preached and praftifed it. 2. Where 
 a Icingdom is in fubjection to a temporal prince, whether 
 by dtfctnt, election, or conqueft, he derives the title, the 
 fubjec^ts ought, from a principle of confcience, to pay tri- 
 bute to him. 3. That as Chrift is no enemy to the civil 
 rights ot princes, and his religion exempts none from pay- 
 ing their civd dues, fo princes (hould be as careful not to 
 rob him of his divine honour, as he is not to rob them of 
 their civil rights. As Chrift requires all his followers, to 
 render Ctcfar the thines that are Cafar's ; fo princes (hould 
 oblige all their fubjeds /o render imto Cod the things that 
 are Cod^s. 
 
 27 IT Then came to him certain of the Sadducees 
 (which deny that there is any refurrcftion) and they 
 afked him, 28 Saying, Mailer Mofes wrote unto 
 us. If any man's brother die; having a wife, and he 
 die without children, that his brother fhould take 
 his wife and raife up feed unto his brother. 29 There 
 were therefore fevm brethren : and the firfl took a 
 wife, and died without children. 30 And the fccond 
 took her to wife, and he died childlefs. 31 And the 
 third took her; and in like manner the feven alfo, 
 And they left nochildren, and died. 32 l.aft of all 
 the woman died alfo. 33 Therefore intherefur- 
 reflion, whofe wife of them is flic? for fcveu had her 
 to wife. 34 And Jefus anfwering. faid unto them 
 The children of tliis world many .•'.nd are given in 
 marriage : 35 But they which fliall be accounted 
 worthy to obtain that world and the lofiirieftion 
 from the dcad.neithcr marry nor are given in marri- 
 
 far were the Phnrifees andHerodlans; the former werea- 
 gainft paying tribute looking upon the Roman emperor as an 
 ulurper ; the latter were for it. Thefe two oppodte par- 
 tics concluded. That. let our Saviour anfwer liow he 
 would, ihcy (hould entrap him ; if, topleafe the Phanfeej 
 he denied paying tribute, then he is accufcd of fcdition ; if 
 to gratify the Herndians, he voted for paying tribute, then 
 he is pronounced an enemy to the liberty of his country, 
 and explored to a popular odium. But obfcirve, with what 
 
 theGodoflfaac, and the God of Jacob. sSForheis 
 not a God of the dead, but of the living : for all live 
 unto him, 
 
 OurhUfTcd Saviour h.-ivingput the Pharlfees .indHero- 
 dians to (ilence inth 'oregoing vcrfes, here the Saddiicees 
 enrou'.ter him. Tins (eel: denied the immortality oF tbe 
 foul and the rcfurreflioncfthe body ; and as an objeaon 
 
 agi nft 
 
Chap. xx. 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 ^B,> 
 
 againft both, they propounded a queflion to onr Saviour, of 
 a woman that hadfeven hufbands; they demanded whofe 
 wife cf the feven thiswomanfliouldbeat therfforreftioti? 
 As if they had faid, " If ilierebe a refiirreJlion of bodies 
 atthe great day, furclytherewillbea relurieclion cf re'i- 
 tions too, and the other world will be like this, in w!,: li 
 men will marry as they do here, and if fo, jyhofevjife cfthe 
 Jeven/hall this woman be ? tli;(t all having an equal claim 
 to her." Now our Saviour, for refolving of this queftion, 
 firfl Uiews the different ftate of men in this and the oiher 
 world. The children of this loorU, fays Chrift, tnarry, and 
 ere given in narriage ; but in t!ie refurreclion thev do 
 neither: asif our I..ord had faid, " After men have lived 
 a while in this world, they die, and therefore marriage is 
 necefluiry to maintain a fuccelfion of mankind ; but in ths 
 other world, menlhall become immortal, and liveforever; 
 and then the reafon of marriage will wholly ceafe : for 
 when men can die no more, there will be no need of any 
 new fuppliesof mankind." Secondly, Oi:r Saviour having 
 got clear of the Saddncees objection, by taking away the 
 ground and foundation of it, he produces an .Trgumentfor 
 the proof of the foul's immortality, and ihe body's re- 
 furredlion, thus: " Thofe to whom Almighty God pro- 
 nounces himfelf a Cod, are alive ; but God pronounces 
 hiriil'elf <a Co(^ to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jaci^b, many hun- 
 dred years after their bodies were dead, therefore their fouls 
 are yet alive, othcrwife God could not be their God -y'^ for 
 he is not the God cf the dead, but cfthe living. Frcm the 
 whole, m.V, i. That there is no opinion fo abfurd, no 
 error fo mnnftrouj, that having had a mother, will die for 
 Jack of a nurfe : the beaftly opinion of the mortality of the 
 loul, and of the annihilation of the body, finds Sadducees 
 to profcfs and propagate it. Note 2. The certainty of an- 
 otlier life after this, in wliich men flnll be etTnally happy 
 or intolerably miferable, accordin;^ly as they behave them- 
 felves here: though fome men live like beads, they fliall 
 not die like them, neither fliall their laft end be like theirs. 
 3. The gloriiled faints in the morning of the refurrefiion 
 Jhall be like unto the gloriou<; an;rfh : not like them in 
 eflence and nature, but like ihcm in their properties and 
 qujiities, in holinefsand pnriiy, in immortality and incor- 
 ruptibility ; and alio like them in their wny and manner of 
 living ; they fljaU no more ft.ind in need of nie;it or drink 
 than the angels do, bur Ihall live the fame heavenly and 
 mmortal lives that the angels live. 4. Tliat all thole 
 that are in covenant with God, whofe God tlie Lord is, 
 their fouls doini:ned'3tely pafs into glory, and their bodies 
 at the refurrectuin, fliall be (liarers of the fame happinefs 
 tviih their fouls. Jf God be jull, the foul mufl live, and 
 the body mail rife : for good men niufl be rewr.r'led, and 
 ■wicked men puniflied. God will, moft certainly, one ti^nc 
 or other, pltniifuilv reward the righteous, and pnnifii the 
 cvd doer;,; but this being not ahvays done in this life, the 
 jullice of God req'.iireb it to be done in the next. 
 
 39 f Then certain of the fcribe."; anfwering, faid. 
 Mailer, thou hall well faid. 40 And after that, they 
 durft not alk hitn any qucflion at all. 41 And he 
 faid unto them, How fay tlicy that Chrifl is David"s 
 fon :* 42 And David hiinftif laitli in the book of 
 
 Pfalins, The Lord faid mito my Lord, Sit thou on 
 my right hand, 43 Till I make thine enemies thy 
 foot-Hool. 44 David therefore calleth him Lord.- 
 how IS he then his fon ? 
 
 TliC d^ilgn of our blefied Saviour, in propounding thi^ 
 queftion to tlie Pharifces [how Chrifl could be David'.*: 
 fon, when David by iofpiration railed him Lord?] wa.s 
 t%vo-fold: I. To confute the people's erroneous opiniou 
 touching the perfon of the Mefiias, who they though 
 fhould be a mere man, of the ftock and lineage of David 
 only, and not the Son of God. 1. To ftrengthen the 
 faith of thedifciples touching his Godhead, againil the time 
 that they fhould fee him fuffer and rife again. The place 
 Chrifl alludes to, is Pfal. ex. i. The Lord faid unto my 
 Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. The Lord, that is, God 
 the Father, y^'V to my Lord, that is, to God the Son, who 
 was to be incarnate, whom David calleth his Lord, botli 
 as God and as Mediator, bis Lord by. a right of creation 
 and redemption alfo: Now the queftion our Saviour puts 
 to the Pharifees is this. How Chrifl could be both David's 
 Lord, and David's fon .' no fon being lord of his own fa- 
 ther : therefore, if Chrifl were David's fovereign, hemuft 
 be more than man. As a man, he was David's fon, as 
 God-;nan, he was David's Lord. Note hence, i. That 
 though Chrifl was truly and really man, yet he was more 
 than a mere man, he was Lrrdunto, and the f;.lvaticn 
 of his own forefathers. 2. That the only way to recon- 
 cile the fcriptures which fpeak concerning Chrifl, is to be- 
 lieve and acknowledge him to be both God and man in 
 one perfon. The Melfiah, as man, was to come forth out 
 of David's loins ; but, as God-man, was David's Lord, 
 his Sovereign and Saviour : As man, he was David's fon ; 
 as God-man, he was Lord of his own father. 
 
 45 f Then in the audience of all the people, he 
 faid unto his difciples, 46 Beware of the fcribcs, 
 which dcfire to v.'alkin long robes, aad loves greet- 
 ings in the markets and the liigheft feats in the lyna- 
 gogucs, and the chief rooms at feafis; 47 Which 
 devour widows houies, and for a flictv make long 
 prayers : the fame Ihall receive greater dair.nation. 
 
 Ohferve, here. What it is that our Saviour condemns: 
 Not civil falutations in the market-place; not the chief 
 feats in the lynagogue ; not the uppermofl rooms at ferfls ; 
 but their fond affe<ftipg of thefe things, and ambitious 
 sfpiring after them : It was not their taking but their lov- 
 ing the uppermofl: rooms at feafls, which our Saviour con- 
 dcmiiJ. God is the God of order; there may and ought 
 to be a precedency among perfons: God commandi u;to 
 give honor to v. horn honor is due : but pride and ai)ibi- 
 tion are deteflable and hateful vices, efpecially in luch as 
 are preachers, who ought to tie patterns of humility. 2. 
 How ot;r Saviour condemns the Pharifees for their grofs 
 hvppcrify, in colouring over their abominable covetouf- 
 ncfs with a fpecions pretence of religion, making long 
 prayers in the temple and fynagogues for •.\idow.', and 
 ther. upon perfuading t lem to give bo 'iit.f liy to corban, 
 t!i .t is, the common treni'ury of the temple ; fonie part 
 
 of 
 
286 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 Chap, xxt. 
 
 of which wnt emp'oyeJ for their maintenance. Whence' 
 we learH, Tt.at it is noncw thinjrfordcfifrninRhypocrites 
 to cover the fouiefl tranrgreilions with thecloylc of reli'^i- 
 on ; thus the Phr.rii'ces made their pr.iyers a .cloak and 
 lever for their toveioulnels. 
 
 CHAP. XXT. 
 
 A ND he looked up, and faw the rich men caH- 
 XJL ing their gifts into the treafuty. 2 And he faw 
 alfo a certain poor widow, cafling in thither two 
 mites. 3 And he faid, Of a truth I (ay unto you, 
 that ihi.': poor widow hath cafl in more than they 
 all. 4 For all thefe have of their abundance cafl 
 in unto the offerings of God : but flie of her pcnu-. 
 ry hath-caft in all the living that the had. 
 
 At the door of tlie temple, through which all the people 
 jtaifed in and cut, who came up three times a year at the 
 (olemn fealis, to worlhip alinigluy God at his own houfe, 
 there was 3 che(l let (like the poor man's box in fome of 
 our churches) into which nil pcrfonscad in their free-will 
 wfterings or oblations, which were employed either for the 
 life of the poor, or for the fervicc of the temple; anti 
 M liat was thus given, our Saviour calls an offering to God, 
 verfe 4. Thr/i of their MmnJance have dtjl in unto the offer- 
 ings of Cod. Thence leani, That what we rightly give 
 to the relief of tjje poor, or ff.r the fervicc, and towards 
 the fupport of God's public worfliip, isconfecrated to God, 
 and as fuch accepted by him, and ought to be eftecmed by 
 us. 2. With what pleafure and fatisf.-><fcion our Saviour 
 fets himfclC to view thofe offerings ; He behtldthe rich men 
 cafting tks'ir gifts into the ireajury. Thence mo'c", That 
 our Saviour fees v/ith pleafure, and beholds with delight, 
 whatever we have hearts to give unto him; whether for 
 the relief of his members, or for the fupport of his fervice 
 O bleifed Saviour, while now thou fittctt at thy Father's 
 right hand in glory, thou feed every hand that isflrecch- 
 ed forth to the relief of thy poor members here on earth. 
 Verfe a. But a certain foor wido-jj cnft in t-jjo mites. Seve- 
 ral circumfbnces, relating both to the perfon and action, 
 are here obfervable : As, i. The married woman is un- 
 der the careful provilion of her hufband; if flje fpends, he 
 earns ; but the widow has no hands but her own to work 
 for her. 2. She was a poor widrM ; poverty added to the 
 forrow of her widowhood ; fiie had no rich jointure tolive 
 upon; it is fome alleviation of the forrow that attends wi- 
 dowhood, when the h.ind is left full though the bed be 
 left empty ; this widow was needy and deiolatc, but yet 
 gives ; fome in her ciicumflances would have looked upon 
 themfclves as having a right to receive what was given by 
 others, rather th^n to give any thing themfelves. 3. Her 
 bounty and munificence in giving : Her t-uo mites are pro- 
 claimed by Chrifttobeinore than all the rich nien'sta\cr.tf:; 
 more i.n refj.cc^ to themindand afiection of the giver ; more 
 with refpect to a proportion of the gift, a mite to iter, be- 
 ing more than pounds toothers ; pounds were little to them, 
 two niitcs were all to her, (he leaves herfelf notiiing ; fo 
 ilut the poor woman gave net only iriore than any of them 
 
 all, but more than they all : Chrifl's eye looked at once 
 into the bottom of h«r purfe, and into the bottom of her 
 bea!)ttMH|BBto^the offering, rather by the mind of 
 the (^PmB^BR value of the gift. From this in- 
 ■ we learit, i. That the poorer, yea, ihepoorefl fort 
 pie .ire not exempted rrcm good works ; but even 
 tiiey mult and ought to exercife charity according to their 
 ability. This poor widov/, that had not a pound, nay not 
 a penny, prefents God with a farthing. 2. That in all 
 works of pious charity which we perform, God looks at 
 the heart, the will and the afteclion of the giver, more 
 than at trie largenefs and liberality of tlie gift. It is not 
 faid tlie Lord lovcth a liberal giver, but a chcarfiil giver; 
 He accepteth the gift according to ■what a man hath, and mA 
 according to luhat he hath not. O our God, ihepooreft of 
 us thy fervants have our tv^otnites alfo, a I'oul and a bo- 
 dy ; perl'uade arnl enable us to oiler both unto thee ; tho' 
 they are thine already, yet thou wilt gracioufly accept 
 them ; and O, how happy fliall we be in thy acceptation j 
 
 5 H And as fome fpake of the temple, how it 
 was adorned with goodly flones, and gifts, he faid, 
 6 Asj07- thefe things which ye behold, the days will 
 come, in the which there (hall not be left one flone 
 upon another, that fhall not be thrown down. 
 
 Our blefled Saviour Ijeing now ready to depart from 
 the temple, never more after this entering into it, and his 
 difcipks Hiewing him, with wonder and admiration, the 
 magniHcent Rrudures and buildings tiiereof, apprehending 
 that, in regard of its invincible flrength it could not be de- 
 ftroyed ; not confidering, that fin w ill undermine and blow 
 lip the mofl- magnificent and famous llruclures ; for fin 
 brings cities and kingdoms, as well as particular perfons 
 to their end. Ac/ une/lcne,-(syi Qhv\ft, Jhalt he left upon 
 another; which threatening was exaclly fultilled after 
 Chrifl's death, when Titus the Roman emperor deftroyed 
 the city, burnt the temple, and TurnusRufus, the gene- 
 ral of his army, ploughed up the very foundation on which 
 the temple flood : thui was the threatening of God fulfil- 
 led, Jer.-xxvi. I a. Zion P:al! he ploughed as a field, and 
 Jerufuiem Jl:all leco:re an heap. Learn hence, i. That lia 
 has laid the fmindation of ruin in the nioft flourilhing ci- 
 ties and kingdoms ; Jerufalem, the glory of the world, is 
 here by fin threatened to be made adelolaticn. 2.Tha£ 
 the threatf nings of God are to be feared, and (hall be ^<^\' 
 filled, wh^it'.'ver appearing improbabilities there may be 
 to the contrary. It is neither the temple's ftrcngth, nor 
 beauty, that can oppofe or withlland God's power. 
 
 7 And they aflced him faying, Mafler, but when 
 fliall thefe things be ? and what fign' will there be, 
 when thefe things fhall come to pafs. 
 
 A double qucftion is flill here propounded to our Savi- 
 our, namelv. When the deflruclion of Jrt-ufjlein fliould 
 be? and, V/hat would be the fi^^ns of it? From whence 
 l-arn, V/hatan itching curiofity there is in i!ic beil of 
 men, to know futurities, and to iinderfl.ind things that fliall 
 come topafs hereafter; and when th.u hereafter will ciime 
 to pafs. O how liapp^ were it, if we were as ("orv.ar J to 
 
 o'ji-y 
 
Chap. xix. 
 
 St.- L U K, E. 
 
 289 
 
 obey the declarations ofGod'^s revealed will, as we are to 
 pry into the hidden counfels ofhisfecret will. 
 
 8 And he faid Take heed that ye be not deceived: 
 for many (hall come in my name, faying, I am 
 Chrift; and the time drawethnear, go ye not there- 
 fore after them. 9 But when yc fliall hear of wars 
 and commotions, be not terrified : for thefe things 
 muft firft come to pafs ; but the end is not by and 
 by. to Then faid he unto them, Nation (hall rife 
 a^ainft nation, and kin<'dom againll kingdom : 1 1 
 And great earthquakes ihall be in divers places and 
 famines, and pettilencesand fearful fights and great 
 Ijgns (hall there be from heaven. 
 
 Ohfervehere, Chrift does not gratify hisdifciplescnri- 
 ofity, but acquaints them with ;heir prel'entduty : namely, 
 to watch againll deceivers .nnd feducers who Ihould havethe 
 impudence to affirin themfelves to be Chrifts, fayiig, lam 
 Chri/} : (onie Chriftperfonal, orthe MelFus rothers Chrill 
 doctrinal, ainrming tlicir erroneous opinion to be Chrilt's 
 mind and doiflrine ; Ta^e heed that ye he not decetvid^ &c. 
 Farther, The figns which our Saviour gives of Jerufuiem's 
 approaching deflruiftion ; namely, the many broils, and 
 commoiions, the civil diforders and dilTi-ntions, that (houid 
 be found amongft tlic Jews immediately before ; Te fl:all 
 hear of wars and commof hits, and fee fearful lights, and great 
 fignsfiomheaven. Jofcphii^ declares, That tiiere appeared 
 in the air chariots and horl'emen (kirmifliing ; and thai a 
 blazing ftar in falhion of a (word, hunr, overthe city for a 
 year together. Heiitt- /f;(rn, That war, pellileiic;, and 
 famine, are judgments and calamities inllict 'd by Cnd, 
 upon a linful p; ople, tor their contempt of Chriil andgof- 
 ptl grace • Yefiail hear cj war, faynine, and ptj} Hence. 
 
 12 Butbeforeall thefe, they (halllay their hands 
 on you and perfecute you, delivering you up to the 
 fynagogues, and into piifons, being brought before 
 kings and rulers for my names lake. 13 And it 
 fhall turn to you for a teftimony. 14 Settle it there- 
 fore in your hearts, not to meditate before what 
 ye fhall anfwer. 15 For I will give you a mouth and 
 wifdom which all youradverfaries fhall not be able 
 to gainfay, nor refill. 16 And ye (hall be betrayed 
 both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and 
 friends ; and fome of you (hall they caufe to be put 
 to death, ij And ye (hall be hated of all men 
 for my name's fake. 1 8 But there (hall not an hair 
 of your head perilh. ig In your patience poflTefs 
 ye your fouls. 
 
 Our Saviour heregoeson in giving fartherf:gns of Je- 
 rufalem's deifruifcion. He declares i. Th.e fl.aip perfecu- 
 tioii that /hould fall upon the apoltles ihemfelvs, 7hcy /l:all 
 laythtir hanisonyiUjO nd perfecute y'ju. Learn thence, Til at 
 rhf keeneft andtha pell edge of pcrfccution is ufujlly'turncd 
 upon the arabaffadop; of Ciirift. and falls heavielt on the 
 niinifiers of God. lie acquaints them, 2. That for 
 
 preaching his holy doctrine, they ftiould be brought before 
 kings and rulers bjt advifes them no: to be anxioufly 
 thoughtful, orexceedingly foli citous what they fliould fay 
 for it (houldbe fuggefted to them by the Holy Ghoft, whic 
 they fliould fay in chat hour. Learn thence, That though 
 the truth of Chrift may be oppofed, yet the defenders of 
 itfliali never be alliamed ; for rather than I'heylhall want a 
 tongueto pleadfor it, Godhiinrelfwillprompttheinbyhisholy 
 Spirit, and fuggeft fuch arguments to them, as all their 
 enemies fliall not be able to gainfay ; I -will give you a 
 mouth and -Mifdom.- Obferve, ■^. How he delcribes the 
 bitter enmity of the world againft the preachers of the 
 gofpcl to be fuch as would overcome and extinguil'h even 
 the natural aife<ftion of nearell relations •,yefhall bebitrayed 
 hy parents andhrcthren : Grace teacheth us to lay down our 
 lives for the brethren ; but corruption in general, and en- 
 mity to the gofpel in particular, will put brother upon ta- 
 king av/ay the life of brother, and caufe parents to hate 
 and perfecute their own bowels. Laftly, Onr Saviour's 
 admonition, In your paiience pojfefs ye your fouls. There 
 are three degrees of chriftian patience ; the firftconfifts in 
 a filent fiibinillion to God's will ; the fecond in a thankful 
 acceptation of Gods fatherly rod; the third in ferioiis. 
 chearfulnefs, under ibrrowful difpenfations, rejoicing in tri - 
 bulation, and counting it all joy when we fall into divers 
 temptations; by this patience we pofT^fsour fouls; as faiiii 
 gives us ths pofleflion of Chrift, fo patience gives us the 
 polTeffion of ourfelves; an impatient man is not in his own 
 hand ; for what title foever we have to our own fouls we 
 have no polTcnion of them without patience; In your pa- 
 tience pojfefs ye your fouls. 
 
 20 And when ye (hill lee Jerufalem compaffed 
 with armies, then know that the defolation thereof 
 hni'h. 21 Then let them which are in Judca flee to 
 the mountains ; and let them that nrein the midfl 
 of it depart out : and let not them which are in the 
 countries, enter thereinto. 22 For thefe be the days 
 of vengeance, that ail things which are written may 
 be fulfilled. 23 But wo unto them that are with 
 child, and to them that give fuck in thofe days : fbr 
 there (hall be great diflrefs in the land, and wrath 
 upon this people. 24 And they (hall fall by the 
 edge of the fword, and fliall be led away captive 
 into all nations : aad Jerufalem fhall be trodden 
 down of the Gentiles, until' the times of the Gen- 
 tiles be fulfilled. 25 H And there (hall be fi^ns in 
 the fun, and in the moon, and in the (lars; and upon 
 theearthdiftrefsof nations, with perplexity: thefea 
 and the waves roaring. 26 Men's hearts failing them 
 for fear, and for lookingafter thofe things which are 
 coming on the earth : for the powers of heaven (hall 
 be (haken. 27 And then (hall they fee the Son of 
 man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 
 28 And when thefe thingsbegin to come to pafs then 
 lookup, and lift up your heads; for your redemp- 
 tion draweth nii.h. 
 
 "" The 
 
288 
 
 St. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap. xxi. 
 
 The fenfe is this: " .*\i loon as yc (lijll fee the Roman 
 army appear before the city of Jenifalein (called by St., 
 Mattliew and St. Mark, The abomination r,f defolatkn, 
 tli.it is, the army whicli is fiich an abomination unto you, 
 and the orcalion of fuch defolation wherever it goes) then 
 let every one that values his own fafety, fly as far ami as 
 fjfl as he can, as Lot fled from the flames of Sodom ; ami 
 be^l.ul, if by flight he can fave his life, thongh he lofesall 
 belides." Learn thence, That when almighty God is 
 pouring forth his fury upon a finfiil people, it is botii law- 
 ful, and a neceflary duty, by fligiit to endeavor toflielter 
 ourfelves from the approaching calanrity and defolation. 
 IVhcn ys fcs Jerujakm compafflth •xith arthics, fiee to the 
 i^Viunt.t'mi . Chferiie farther, the dreadful relation that our 
 Saviour here gives of thole defolating calamities which 
 were comingupon Jerufalem, from the Romanarray with- 
 out, and fro:ii the fcditions and fac'^ions of the zealots with- 
 in, who committed fuch outrages and flaughters, that there 
 were no lefs than eleven hundred thnufand Jews (lain, and 
 ninety-feven thoufand taken prifoners. They that bought 
 our Saviour for thirty pence, were now themfelves fold 
 thirty for a penny. Now did the tetnple itfelf become a 
 facrifice, a whole burnt offering, and was confumed to 
 alhes. Lallly, What encouragement Chrifl gives to all 
 his faithful difciples and follow ers : he bids them look up, 
 and life up their "heads, when thefe calamities came upon 
 ethers; look op with confidence and joy, foryour redemp- 
 tion, falvation and deliverance then approaclieth. God 
 had a renuiant which he defigned fliould Inrvive that de- 
 ftruftion, to be an holy feed : thefe are called upon tn look 
 up with chearfiilnefs and joy, when the hearts of others 
 were failing them for fear. And thus fliall it be at the 
 general day of Judgment (of which Jerufalem's vifuation 
 was a type.) Lord! How will the glory and terror of that 
 day dazzle the eyes, and terrify the hearts of all the ene- 
 mies of Chrilt ; but delight the eyes and rejoice the hearts 
 of all that love and fear him, that ferve and obey ,hira: 
 then may the friends of Chrift look up, and lift up, 6c. 
 
 29 AntJhe fpake to them a parable; Behold the 
 fig-tree, and all the trees ; 30 When they now flioot 
 forth, ye fee and know of yourown felves that fum- 
 tner is now nigh at hand, So likewife ye, when 
 ye fee thefe things come to pafs, know ye that the 
 kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32. Verily I 
 fay unto you, This generation Ihall not pafs away 
 till all be fulfilled, 33 Heaven and earth fhall 
 pafs away : but my words fhall not pafs away. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour declares the certainty of his 
 toniing to vifit Jc rufalem for .ill her barbarous and bloody 
 cruelty towards himf'ilf, hrs prophets and apoflles ; he is 
 pleafed to let forth this by the fimilitude of the fig tree, 
 whole beginning to bud declares the fununer at hand ; thus 
 out Saviour tells them, That when they fliould fee the fore- 
 mentioned (igns, they might conclude the deflruv'^ion of 
 their ci'y and temple to be nigh at hand ; and accordingly 
 fome of that generation, then living, did fee thefe predic- 
 lions fulfilled. Ltarn, That God is no lefs pur.clual in 
 
 the execution of his tlircatenir.gsupon incorrigible fiimers 
 than he is faithful in the performance of .his jiromifes to- 
 Wards his own people: The truth and veracity of God is 
 as n)uch concerned to execute his ihreatctiii-.gs, as it is to 
 fulfil his promifes. 
 
 34 ? And take heed toyoutfelves,kfl at any time 
 your hearts be overchargt'd with luricitiiig and 
 drunkcnnefs, and cares of this life, and fo that day 
 come upon you unawares. 3.5 1" or as a fnarc fliall it 
 come on all them that dwell on the L\cc of the whole 
 eartii. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, 
 that yc may be accounted worthy tocfcape all thefe 
 things that fliall come to pals, and to ILurJ before 
 the Son of man. 
 
 Here our Lordcautionshisdlfcipleiagainfl fucha difletn 
 per and indifpofitionof mind, as may render them unfit and 
 unready for his coming and appearance; and to take heed 
 of two dangerous fins, namely, voUiptuoufnefiandearthly- 
 niindednefs, which above any other tin will indifpofe us 
 for the duty of watchfulnefs. There is a threefold reafon 
 why our Saviour forewarns us of thefe fins, with reference 
 to the day of judgment : Becaufc they are pcccata pra. 
 ciirrcntia, certain prognoflics of the day cf judgment ap- 
 proaching : yfs it vjiis in the days r.f Noah, J'ijl;ul! the con!~ 
 tug of the (hn of man he. a.Bccaufe they j-Ti. pecrata acclc- 
 rantia, they do not only foretel; but haften the coming of 
 Chrid. To fee the world drosvned in volnptucufnefs and 
 earthly wiindednef^i, in fecurity and fenfnaliry, is not only 
 a fign to fcretel', but a fin that hafiensjudginent, and pulls 
 down vengeaiK-e upon a wicked world. 4. Chri/l bidsus^ 
 beware of thefe (ins with reference tothcday of judgment 
 becai:!"e thefe fins are dirioriajudidi, they beget in men a 
 prophane fpirit of fcoffing and deriding at the notices of 
 Chrifli's appearing to judgment, 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4. In the la/} 
 days there fiall come /coffers -walking after the':r own lujis, 
 andjaying. Where is the promife of his coming ? Our Savi- 
 our having thus warned them vf thefefin?,. henext exhorts 
 them to watchfulnefs, Watch ye therefore, for as a/nare that 
 day will come uponyou: that is, very fuddenly, and very un- 
 cxpedtedly: Afnare hasathreefoldpropetty, tocatch fud- 
 denly, to hold fure, to deftri y certainly. Our Lord's 
 coming to Jcrufalem was very unexpe(fltd,and his coming 
 to us by death and judgment will (teal upon us, if we be 
 not watchful. Watch we then, for our Lord will come; 
 at what hour he will come, cannot certainly be known ; 
 there is no time which we can pronufe or alTure our- 
 felves, that our Lord will not come: the time of onr whole 
 life is little enough to prepare for his corning. Our pre- 
 paration for, will be no accelei-ation or haftening of, our 
 Lord's coining. And t>h I how dreadful will his coming 
 be, if we be found ofFour watch, and altogether unready 
 for his npre-irance? Appear we mull in ju Jgmcnt, but fliJlI 
 not be able to (land in the jutlgnient ; fee Chrill we ihall 
 as a judge, but not a redeemer. 
 
 37 And in the day-time he was teaching i n the 
 temple ; and at night he went out, and abode in the 
 mount that is called the mount of Olives. 38 And 
 
Chap. -xxik. 
 
 Sr. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 2.07 
 
 ftlf was alfo at Jcnil'ilctn at that time. 8 ^ And 
 when Herod faw Jcfus, he Was exceeding; g]ad: for 
 he was defivous to Ice him of a lon^^ feafon, becaiifo 
 he had heard many things of him. g Then he 
 queflioned with hira in many words ; but he anlwcr- 
 him nothin:». lo And the chief priefls and frvibcs 
 Hood, and vehemently ncculcd him. 1 1 And Ilerod 
 v/ith his men of war fot him at nbught, and mocked 
 him, and array e<l him in a gorgeous robe, and fsnt 
 him again to Pilate. 12 5 And the fame day Pilate 
 and Herod were made friends together; for before 
 they were at enmity between themfelves. 
 
 In this chapter we.have a relation of the blacktfi: and 
 faildefl traijedy th.it'erer was aclecl ujioii the iVij^e nf the 
 worKi, namely, tlie barbarous and bUioily murder of t!'.e 
 holy and innocent Jefus, by the Jewshisowncsuntryinen, 
 the bed of kings put to dcatli by his own (u!'jtA"t"-. And 
 the fi il (kp towards it, is hi? arrai^nement before Pilate 
 and llerod ; they poll him from one to another; Pilate 
 fends him to Herod, and Herod havino; made fuiEcient 
 I'port with, him, remands him to Pilate : neither ot them 
 finil any fault in him wortiiy of death, yet neither of them 
 would releai'e him. Here ohf: '■ve,Tb:xt our Saviour being 
 before Pilate, anlVers him readily and raiiticiifly : ■//rtthiu 
 the king of the Jews ? fays Pilate. Thou fay c(i it, fays our 
 Sa%iour. Ari thou the Chrijt, the 5on 'jf the DUffed? He 
 replied, / i?w. Hence, fays the apoftle, i Tim. vi. 13. 
 That Jefus Chrifl btf'ji'e Pwtiu! Pdatc-iiitAefftd apnodcr>>i' 
 feff-in. Teaching us. That thoujrh we may, and fomctinies' 
 ought to hold ourpeace when our reputation is concerned, 
 yet we mull never be(ilenr, when the honour of God and 
 his truth may be effeftually promoted by a free and full 
 confeifion. Yet it is farthei 'ibfervablc, That our Saviour 
 being before Herod, would neither ai^fwer him to any 
 qucltion, nor work any miracle before him. This was an 
 jnllance and evidence of our Lord's great humility, in 
 refuilng to work miracles before Herod, who defired it 
 only to gratify his curioiity. Thus do vile men abul'e the 
 holy power of God, defiring to fee it exerted for admiration 
 and paftime ; not to be convinced or converted by it, but 
 only to pleafe their foolifii fancy. And as admirable was 
 the patience, as the humility of Chrift, and his prefent 
 lilence, who neither at Herod's requeft, nor at the Jews 
 importunity and falfe accufations, could be moved to an- 
 fwer any thing. Olfirve farther, That though Herod had 
 murdered Chrifl's forerunner, John the Baptift, and our 
 Saviour's own life was in danger by Herod heretofore, yet 
 now he has him in his hands, he lets him go; only he iiril 
 abules h'.m, and mocks him, and arrays huii in a gorgeous 
 robe, like a mocking. Thus were all the marks of Icorn 
 iimginahle put upon our dear Redeemer; yet all this jeering 
 and fportir.g fliame did our Lord undergo, to fliew what 
 was due unto us for our fins ; and alfo to give us an e:c- 
 •mple to bear all the (liame and reproach imaginable for 
 his fake ; -^.uho, for the j-iy thai -jjj! fit before him, dtfp'fcd 
 thefhame, Heb..xiii. 2. Lnillv, The wicked accuiation 
 brought in againft our bleffcd Redeemer > IVe fwiid^ fay 
 
 they, this ftll'j-j} petvcriif.g the nation, forbidding In give 
 tribute to Cafar. (.) hdlilh untruth! how direOly ton- 
 trary to the whole courfe and teifor of ChrifPs life was 
 this accufation ! By his doctrine he pre.iched up fubjeiftioii 
 to governors and government, faying, Pftidcr to Cxjarthc 
 things that are C^far\f. And by his prailice, he confirmed 
 his osvn dodrino, working a niir.nclc to pay tribute to 
 Cxfar. Satan could help them to draiv up an indictiiienc 
 as black as hell ag,.inll the innocent Jefus; but all the 
 powers of hell and darknefs could not prove a tittle of it. 
 
 135 And Pilate, when he had called together the. 
 chief priefli!, and the rulers, and the people, 14 Said 
 imtothem, Ye have brought this man unto me, as 
 one that pci-vcrtclh thv.- people : and behold, I hav- 
 ing examined Am before you, have found nofault in 
 this man, touching thofe this wliercof ye accufo 
 him; 15 No, nor yet Herod: fori fent you to 
 him ; andlo, nothing worthy of death is done unto 
 him. 16 I will therefore chaftife hiin, and relcafe 
 him. 17 For of nccedity he mull releafeone unto 
 thorn at the feaft. i8 And they cried out all at once 
 faying, Away with this man, and rcleafe unto us 
 Baral)bas : 19 (Who for a certain fcdition made in 
 the city, and for murder, was call intoprifon.) 20 
 Pilate therefore, willing to releifc Jefus, fpake again 
 to them. 21 But they cried, faying. Crucify him, 
 aucify him. 22 Andhe faid unto them the third 
 time, Why, what evil hath he done : 1 have found 
 no caufe of death in him : 1 will therefore chaflifc 
 him,andletA/OTgo. 23 And they were inflant with 
 loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified : 
 and the voices of them,and'of the chief pricfls. pre- 
 vailed. 24 And Pilate gavefentance that it fliould 
 be as they required. 25 And he releafed unto them 
 him, that for fcdition and murder was cafl into 
 prifon, whom they had defired; but he delivered 
 Jefus to their will. 
 
 Ohfcrve here, i, How unwilling, how very unwilling, 
 Pilate was to be an inftrumeiit of cur Saviour's death : 
 One while he expoftulates with the chief priefts, faying, 
 IVhat evil hath he done? Nay, Sr. Luke here declares, that 
 Pilate caine forth three feveral times, profelnng that he 
 found no fault in him. Where note, How much more juf- 
 tice and equity Chrift met with from Pilate an heathen, 
 than from the chief priefts and people of thejewf, proft if- 
 ing the true religion? O bow defperate is the hatred thar 
 grows upon the root of religion! /.f.7rn hence, That hy- 
 pocrites within the church, n)ay be guilty of fuch tremen- 
 duous aifts of wickednefs. as the confciences of infidels and 
 pagans without the church m.-iy boggle out and prorert 
 againft. Pilate, a pagan, abfclves Clirift, whilft the hy- 
 pocritical Jews, that heard his doftrine, and faw his niira- 
 clfs do condemn him. 2. How Pilate at laft lufFcrs him- 
 felf tobc overcome with theiiiiportmnty of the Jews, and 
 delivers the hJy and inriCtent Jefu', ccnirary tohisjudg-, 
 
 Pf 
 
 KcnT 
 
2(;S 
 
 St. L U K E. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XXHf 
 
 «nent and confciencc, to ihe viH of -his murdcrfrs. It is 
 a viin apology for Un, when jierfons p.-f tend that tlicy are 
 not con:!uiitt(J witJi their own conftut, but at the inftig:<- 
 lion ami importunity of others ; for fuchisthe frAtne ;iiid 
 couftitution ofimu'sfoul, that none can niske a perlon 
 wiikeii withour his own confent : it was no extenuation 
 of Fibre's fm, no allevialion of his p'jnilhment, that to 
 plenic the people he dehvcrcdoar S.iviour, contrary to the 
 direifliors of his own confcier.ce, to be crucified. 3. The 
 perfoii whole li.'"e t!ie wicked Jews preferred before the 
 Jife of the holy Jeuis, B.irrabbas ; IVe rj'tH that thou re- 
 Urfc Burr abbas, am! Jeliv^'r J ejus. Mark thefe hypocritical 
 high pricfts, who pretend I'uch a seal for God and reli- 
 gion; they prefer the life cf aperfon guilty of the higheft 
 irnniorr.di'.iesand debauciieries, even murder and fcdition, 
 before the bed nian that ever lived in the world. But 
 whence fprang the malice a'ld hatred of the high priefts, 
 and people of the Jews, againlt our Saviour? Why, plainly 
 from hence, Chrift interpreted the law of God more 
 (Irictly, than their lults could bear ; and he lived a more 
 h>>ly ufeful, and excellent life, than they could endure. — 
 Now nothing enrages the men of the world more againik 
 rhc profeflors but efpecialiy the preachers of the gofpel, 
 than holinefs of doctrine, and ftridlnefi of life and conver- 
 faiion. Such as preach .ind live well, let them expect fuch 
 <nmity and oppofuion, fuch malice and perfecution, fuch 
 fulFerings and triah,as will fliock an ordinary patienceand 
 conftincy of mind. Our Mafler met with it, let his zea- 
 lous minifters prepare for it. 
 
 26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon 
 one Simon a Cyrcnian, coming out of the country, 
 and on him they laid the crols, that he might bear 
 it after Jefus. 
 
 The fentence of death being pafled by Pilate, who can 
 Mvitli dry eyes behold the fad pomp of our Saviour's exe- 
 cution ; Forth comes the blefled Jei'usontof Pilates gates, 
 bearing that crofs which /oon aftrr was to bear him. With 
 his crol'b on his rtiouldf-r, he marches towards Golgotha : 
 and when they fee lit can go no fall'.r. they compel Simon 
 of Cyrenia, not oil of comp.iflion, but indignation, to bear 
 liiscrofs : This Cyreiiiar h:ing a Grntile who bore our 
 LoriJ's crof', fome think t:;^i' '-.y was fi^rnified, that the 
 Gentiles (hould have a part in Ciirlft, as well as the J^wj, 
 and be fliarers with them in the benefits of the crofs. 
 
 27 ? And th'jre follov/ed him a great company 
 of people, and of women, which alfo bswailed and 
 lamented him, 28 But Jefus turning unto them, 
 faid, Daughters of Jerulalem, ^.'C'.-p not forme, but 
 weep foryourfelves, and for your children. 29 For 
 behold, the days arc coming, in which they fliall fay 
 BlclFcd arc the barren, and the wombs that never 
 bare, and the paps which never gave fuck. 3oThcn 
 Ihall they be^in to fay to the mountains. Fall on us, 
 and to the hills, cover us. 31 For if they dothcle 
 things in a green tree, what fliall be done in tile dry? 
 
 There were four forts of perfoas which attended our Sa- 
 
 viour at his crucifixion ; the executioners *ho tormented 
 him, the Jews that mock'd him, the fpeclatijrs and lookers 
 on that marked him, and fympathi/.ing friends who la- 
 mented him : thefe lalt Chirll thus hcfpoke, Wrrp not for 
 me, hut for ynurf fives ; that is, '' Weep rather upon your 
 own account than mine : Refeivc your forrows for theca- 
 Inmitics coming upon yourftlves and your tlnidien." It 
 is very probable, that the tears and lamentation!", of many 
 of thcl'e mourners were but the fruits of tender nai ure, 
 not the efTecls of faith, and flowing from a princip Je of 
 grace, /.fflrn thence, that melting a(Fec1ioii& and for- 
 rows, even from the fenfe of Chrifl's fulferings, are not in- 
 falliable marks of grace The hi:!ory of Chrdl's fiiffcrings^ 
 is very tragical and patheticaljJnd may melt ingenuous na- 
 ture,, where there is no renewed principle of grace. — 
 Thefe motioiis of the afTecTions my rather be a fit mooJ, 
 than the very frame and temper t.f the foul. There are 
 times and feafons when the roughed and mofl obdurate 
 hearts may be penfive and tender ; but that is not its tem- 
 per and frame, but only a fit, a pang, a traiifient pafTion. 
 There is no inferring, or concluding then a uork of grace 
 upon the heart, fimply and b.irely from the movings or 
 mtltings, of the affedions. Nature will have its good 
 moods, but grace is Heady ; Daughters cf Jerufalem, &c_ 
 
 32 And there were alfo two other malefadtorfi 
 led with him to be put to death. 33 And when 
 they were come to the place, which is called Cal- 
 vary, there th^y crucified him, and the malefaftors : 
 one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 
 
 Here we fee the infamous company, that our holy Lord 
 fuffered with ; tvji thieves ; It had been a fufficient tfifpa- 
 ragement to our bleflfed Saviour, to be fortcd with the 
 belt of men ; but to be numbered with the fcum of man- 
 kind, i<. Hich an indignity, as confounds our thoughis : This 
 was defigncd by the Jews to diflionor and difijrace our 
 Saviour the more ; and to perfu..de the world, that he was 
 the greateil of offenders : But God over-ruled this, fqr 
 fulfilling an ancient prophecy concerning the MefTiahjIfa. 
 liii. 12. And he was numbertd with the tranfgrejfors. 
 
 34^ Then faid Jefus, Father, forgivethem; for 
 they know not what they do. And they parted 
 his raiment, and call lots. 
 
 Clirifthad '■ ched the doiflrii^e offorpiving ene- 
 
 mies, had pray. .^^ ^. ihem ; he pradtifcs it here himfelf 
 in a mod exemplary manner. Where note. 1. The mercy 
 defired «nd prayed for; and that \% , f orgivenefs . 1. The 
 The pcrfoii defiring that mercv, Chrill, the dying Jefus. 3 
 The perfons for whom it is dtlired. hisbloody murderers 
 Father, forgive them. 4. The argument iifed, or motive 
 urged to procu-e this mercy : Forgive them for they knevj 
 not -whet they do- Learn hence, i. That ignorance is the 
 ufunl caufe of enmity tgainft Chrift. 2. That there is 
 forgivenefs with God, for fuch as oppofc, yea, perfecute 
 Chriftoutofignorap.ee. 3. That to forgive enemies, and 
 to beg forgivenefs for thein, is an evidence of a Chrift-like 
 frame of fpirit ; Father , forgive them : Not that the gofpe| 
 requires of us an infenfihility of wrongs and intaries ; that 
 
 sijfcws 
 
Chap. XKtii. 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 SS9 
 
 allows Bs a !"enfe of offered eviU, though it forbids us to 
 revenge them; yet th»lTior«- tender our rerentmeius are, 
 the more excellent our forjxiveneliis: So that a forgiviiij; 
 Jpirit doih not excluJa the fenfe of injuries; but the fenfj 
 of injuries )»r,iccs the forgiveiiefs of litem; neither dot!i 
 the go!pel require u\, under the notidn of forjfiving • :ie. 
 lilies, to dflivtr up our rights andpmpertits to the lu!h of 
 every ot>e ihit will invade the n, but meekly to receive 
 evil, and readilv to return good. 
 
 Sr^ Ar.d the people flood beholding: and the 
 rulers aifo with tii-::n dciidcd, him f.tymg, Hcfiived 
 others : kt liiin fave uimfclf, if he be Chrift the 
 chol'en ol" God. 36 And the foldiers alfo mocked 
 him, comin-^ to him, and ofFering him vinegar. 37 
 And faying. If thou be the king of the Jews, fave 
 thyleif. 38 And a fiipcricription alfb was written 
 over him in letters of Oreek, and Latin, and Hebretr, 
 THIS IS THE KING.OFTHE JEWS. 
 
 Cb'erve hzre, i. A mighty a4grav.ition of onr Lo^d^s 
 fufferings upon the crofs ; n.ime'ly, The mocking derilion 
 ^^hich he met with in his dying momenrs. As he endured 
 the pain, fo he deiplfed the ih.ime : Cruel mockings was 
 our Lord tried with, both from the common people and 
 from the chief prielts ; yet the common people's reviling 
 bim, and wagging their heads at him, was net fo much 
 to be taken notice of, as the chief priefts, who were 
 ipen of age and gravity, and the minifters of relig'on ; for 
 them barbaroully to mock him in his mifery, and, which 
 was worfe, atheiftically tojeer and fcoti at his faith and 
 affiance in God, faying, f/e trufhd in Cotl that he loould lU- 
 liver him, let him dtlivtr him, if he will have him; this 
 was fnch an indignity, as confounds our thoughts. But 
 from hence we learn, 1. That perfecurors are generally 
 atheiflical fcoffers ; the chief priefts and elders, who per- 
 fecuted Chrift do blafpheme God ; they mock at his power, 
 and deride his providence, which was as wicked as to deny 
 his being. 2. We learn from this example, that fuch as 
 luinifter to God in holy things by way of ofiice, if they be 
 not the beft, they are generally the w orft of rnen ; no fuch 
 bitter enemies to the power of godiinefs, as fuch preach- 
 ers who were never experimentally acquainted with the 
 efficacy and power of it upon their hejtrts and live*. Ohftrve 
 2. The infcxiption wrote by Pilate over cur fuffeihig Saviour 
 Ihisisjeftts the King afthe Jevjs. It was the cuflom of 
 the Romans, when they crucified a malefaflor, to publifh 
 the caul'e of his death in capital letters placed over the head 
 of the perfon. Now it is obfervable, How wonderfully the 
 wifdom of God over-ruled the heart and pen of Pilate, to 
 draw this title, which was truly hoiH)rable, and fix it to 
 his crof', Pilate is Chrift''s herald, and proclaims him 
 KingoftheJrMs. Learn, That the kingihip and regal dig- 
 nity of Chrift was proclaimed by an enemy, and that in a 
 time of his greatcft fufferings and reproaches. Pilate, 
 without his knowledge, did our Saviour an eminent piece 
 pffervice; Verily he did that for Chrift, which none of 
 his difciples durft do; not that he did it defignedly, and 
 with an intent to put honor upon Chrift, but from the 
 fpedal over-ruling providence of GoJ : no thanks to Pi- 
 
 late for all this ; becaufe thehigheft ferVices performed for 
 Chri.'l •.i-ideljgii''dly, (hall never be rewarded by h»n. 
 
 30 f And one of the maicfaftors. which were 
 hancjcd, railed on him, faying, If thou be Chrift, 
 fave'thyfelf audus. 40 But the other anfwering, 
 rebuked him, laying, Doft thou not fear God, feeing 
 thou art in the fame condemnation ? 41 And we 
 indeed jufliy ; for we reccivethe due reward of our 
 deeds : but this man hath done nothing amifs. 42 
 AndJielartl untojefus. Lord, remember mc when 
 thou comeft into thy kingdom. 
 
 Here we h.ive a further aggravation of our Lord's fuf- 
 ferings on the crofs, from the company he Aiffered with the 
 two thieves, whoreviled him v/nh the reft. Sr. Matthew 
 and St. Mark fay, They both reviled hin ;St. Luke fays, 
 One of them reviled ; poflibly both of ::ieni might do fo at 
 firft, and one of them repent ; which, if fo, increafes the , 
 wonder of the penit>:nt thief's convc-rfion. From the 
 impenitent thief's reviling of Chrift, when he was at the 
 very point of death, and even in tli* fuburbs of hell, we 
 /i-.irw, Th.it neither (hame nor pain will change the mind 
 ofarefolute finiier : btit even then, when he is in the 
 fuburbs of hell, will he blafpheme. JF'rom the penitent 
 thief's confeffmg of Chrift, and prying to him ; Lord, 
 rementk-r me when thou comej} into thy kingdom .• We learn, 
 both the efficacy and freenels of divine grace, i. The 
 efficacious power of it: O how powerful muft that grace 
 be, which wrought fuch a change in an inftant, which 
 fuppled that heart in a moment, wliich had been harden- 
 ing in fin for fo many years ! 2. 1 he freencfs of it; wh^ch 
 takes hold of his heart when he was at the height of fin, 
 and was not only void of grace, but fcemed paft grace. 
 O the powerful efficacy, and adorable Ireenefs of the 
 heart- changing grace of God in this vile perfon i it dif- 
 pt.led him to own his fin, to confefs the jufthefs of his 
 punilhment, to juftify Chrift's innocency, to reprove his 
 fellow. companion, to pray to a crucified Chrift, and to 
 intercede with him, notforprefent deliverance from death, 
 but for a place InChrift's kingdom. Where we /forw 1. 
 That true converhon is never too late for obtaining mercy 
 and falvation. a. That true converfion, how late loever, 
 will have its fruits : The forementioned fruits of faith and 
 repentance were found with this penitent thief: yet muft 
 not this extraordinary cafe be drawn inio example: this 
 extraordinary and miraculous grace of Cod is not to be 
 expedled ordinarily : We have no w arrant to expcci an 
 overpowering degree of God's grace, 10 turn our hearts 
 in an inftant at the hour cf death, when we have lived in 
 forgetfulnefs of Cod, and in a negled of our foul's concerns, 
 all the days of our life ; for it is evident as to this cafe of 
 the penitent thief's converiion at the laft hour, i . It is an 
 example without a promife. 2. It is but a lingle example. 
 3. It is an example recorded but by one Evangelift : The 
 Spirit of God, forefeeing what an ill ufc feme would make 
 of this inftance, leaves one example upon record, that none 
 might defpair; and hut one, that none might prefume. 4. 
 This thief probably h;.d never any knowledge of Chrift 
 before. 5. This thief improved his liine at L-ft, as 
 
 never 
 
 Pp 2 
 
500 
 
 L V K E. 
 
 Chap, xxiii. 
 
 never d'uf any beTorc or .ifirr ; fof- he believed Chrift to 
 be the . Saviour of the worki, when one difc'iile had be- 
 trayed, another denied him. and all had forlaken him, he 
 ov.neJ liim to be the Son of God, the Lord of Lile, when 
 he waj fulfeting the pains of death, and feemingly defert- 
 ed by his Father ; he proclaims hin) Lord of paradife, and 
 difpofer of the klnj^dom of heaven, when the Jews had 
 condemned him, and the Gentiles crucified him as the vll- 
 tltof importors ; he feared God, owned the jidtlce of his 
 puni.'hnicnt, was tolicitous,' not for the preiervation of 
 his body, but for the falvation of his fold ; yea, not of his 
 own only, but of his brother's that fufFered with him ; fo 
 that he ploritied Chrill more at the moment of his death, 
 than i'owe do iuthe whole courl'e of their lives. 6. This 
 was a miracle, with the glory whereof Chrifl: would ho- 
 nor the ignominy of his crofs: So that we have no more 
 gro.md to expecl fuch another converfion, than we have 
 to expect a fecond crucifixion. This converted perfon 
 was the firft fruits of the blood of the crofs. From whence 
 ■v,e learn, That God can, and fometimes doth, though very 
 feldom, prep.ire n),en for glory, immediately before their 
 difl'olution by deaih. His grace is his own, he may dif- 
 penfe it how and when, where, and to whom he pleafes; 
 yet this is no more warrant to neglect the ordinary, be- 
 caufe God doth fometimesmsnifeft his grace in an extra- 
 ordinary way. True, in this converfion we have a pattern 
 of M-hat free grace can do; where we have not a promife 
 to encourage our hope, our hope is nothing but prefuaip- 
 tion. 
 
 43 And Jefus faid unto him, Verily, I fay unto 
 thee, To-day (halt thou be with me in paradife. 
 
 Thele words are our Saviour's gracious anfwer to the 
 penitent thief's humble prayer, I.ortJ, nnicmher mc in thy 
 kiiv:id',m, fays the thief, To-dity fl)ult th'iube u'.'//. mu in my 
 Am^i^iim, fays our Saviour : Where no/r-, i. The immor- 
 tality of the fouls of men is without all doubt; our defires 
 after, and hopes for immortality, do prove our fouls im- 
 mortal, and capable of that liate. The fouls of men die nut 
 with their bodies, but remain in a flate of fenlibility. i. 
 Th.1t there is a future and eternal flate, into which fouls 
 p.ifs at death. Death is our pafDige out of the fwift liver 
 of time, into the boundlefs and bottomlefs ocean of eter- 
 nity. %. That the fouls of the righteous at death are im- 
 mediately received into a (late of happinefs and glory; 
 This day Jhah thou he with me ; not after ihy refurreclion, 
 but inimediately after ihy difiiilution. That man's foid is 
 afleep, or worl'e, that dreams of the fojil's fleeping till the 
 refnrreilion : For why fhould the believer's happinefs be 
 deferred, when they are immediately cajiable of enjoying 
 it? Why ftioidd their falvation /lumber, when the wicked's 
 damnation fluinbcycth not? Mow do fuch delays conlift 
 with Chrift's ardcqt de(l>-es, and his people's longing to be 
 together! 
 
 44 Anri' it Kas about the fixtli hour, and there 
 was a darknefi'ovtr all tlic earth until the ninth hour. 
 45 And the fun was darkened, and the vail of the 
 temple was rent in the midfl. 46 And when Jcfus 
 had cried with a loud voice, he faid, Father, into 
 th}: hands 1 commend my fpirit ; and Jia\in^ faid 
 
 thus, he gave up the gho.1. -47' Now whrnthe 
 centurion faw what was d(jnc> he glorified God, 
 faying, Certainly this was a ria;hteoustnan. 48 And 
 all the people that came together to that fight, be- 
 holding the things which were done, fmote their 
 brcafls, and returned. 49 And all his acquaint- 
 jence, and the woiticn that followed him from Gali- 
 lee, flood afar oIF beholding thefe things. 
 
 Ohfen)e, here, 1. What prodigies in nature happened 
 and fell out at the crucifiKion of our Saviour : The fun was 
 darkened at the fctting of the Sun of righteoufnefs; and 
 the vail cf the temple was rent ; figr.ifying that God was 
 now about to forfake his temple ; that the ceremonial 
 law was now abolilhing, and the partition wall betwixt 
 Jew and Gentile being now pulling down, all may have 
 accefstoGod through tho blood of a Mediator. 2. The 
 laft prayer of our Saviiur before his death. Father into thy 
 hands I commend my fpirit : They are words full of faith 
 and comfort, fit to be the laft breathings of every gracious 
 foul in this world. Lcamhence, That dying believers are 
 both warranted and encouraged by Chri/l's example, be- 
 lievingly to commend their precious fouls into the hands 
 of God, as a gracious Father. 3. What influence our Sai- 
 viour's death had upon the Centurion. " He glorified Cod, 
 faying, Ferily this -was a right; oiis man. Here /.'S//?, That 
 Chrifl had a tediniony of his liinocency and rightcoufnefi 
 given unto him from all forts of perfons whatibever; Pi- 
 late and Herod pronounced him innocent; Pilate's wife 
 proclaimed him a righteou'; man ; the thief on the crolis 
 declared he had done nothing amifs ; and the centurion 
 owned him to be a righteous man, yea, the Son of God, 
 Mark XV. 39. Only the Pharifees andchiefpricfts, which 
 were teachers of others ; not ignorance, but obiiinacy and 
 malice, blinded and hardened them to their ruin and de- 
 ftraclion ; inftead of owning and receiving him for their 
 Saviour, they ignominioufly put him to death as the vileft 
 impollor. 
 
 50 5 And behold, there was a man named Jofcph, 
 a counfellor, and hexuas a good man, and a juft : 
 5 1 (The fame had not confented to the counfel and 
 deed of them) he was of Arimathea, a city of the 
 jews (who alfo hiir.felf waited for the kingdom of 
 God.) 52 This- man went unto Pilate, and begged 
 the body of Jefus. 53 And he took it down, and 
 wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a fepulchre that 
 was hewn in flone, wherein never man before was 
 laid. 54 And that day ivas the preparation, and 
 the fabbath drew on. 55 And the women alfo, 
 which came with him from Galilee, followed aftet, 
 and beheld the fcpulchre, and how his body w^s 
 laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared fpices 
 and ointments ; and rcfled the fabbath-day accor- 
 ding to the commandment. 
 
 The circumfnnces of our Lord's fiiner.d, and henour- 
 able interment are here recorded by ourEv .ngeliil; fuch a 
 funcr.'.l as never was ftncc graves Wv.i c firft digged. W here 
 
 olftrir, 
 
Chap. xxiv. 
 
 St. 
 
 L i' K E. 
 
 5«i 
 
 ohferve, t. Our Lord's body ninft be begged before ic 
 could be buried ; the dead bodies of malefsctors being in 
 the power, and at the diTpofal of the Jud{;e tliat condemns 
 tlieni. I. The pcrfon that begged his body, and beftowed 
 a decent and honorable burial upon it ; Jofeph of Arinia- 
 theaj a worthy, tliough a clofe dilciple. Grace doth not 
 always make a public and open (liew where it is : But as 
 there is much fecret trcafure in the bowels of the earth,- 
 though unfeen, fo is there much grace in the hearts of 
 fonie faints, which the world takes little notice of. 3. The 
 mourners that followed bur Saviour's hearfc to tlie grave ; 
 the women which came out of Galilee; a poor train of 
 mourners: The apodles, who fliould have been mofl of- 
 ficious to bear his holy body to the ground, were fome time 
 fince all fcattered, afraid to own their Mailer, either dying 
 or dcdd. Funeral pomp had been no way fuitable, either 
 to the end or manner of our Lord's death, and according- 
 ly here is nothing like it. 4. The grave or fcpulchre, in 
 which our holy Lord lay ; it was in a fepulchre hnan out 
 cf a rock; that fo his enemies might have no occafion to 
 fay, That his difciples ftole him away by fecret holes, and 
 unfeen pafl'ages under ground ; It was in a new fepulchre, 
 Wherein nevLV niMt wrt-f/rf/z/^f/irf-jlefthisadverfariesfliould 
 fav. It was another that was rifen, who was buried there 
 before him. And he was buried in a garden : As, by the 
 fin of the firft Adam, we are drive !i out of the garden of 
 pleafure, tl\e eartlily paradife, or by the fufFering; of ilie 
 fecond Adam, aim lay buried in a garden, we may hope 
 for entrance into the heavenly paradife. 5. The manner 
 of our Lord's funeral ; it was hafty, open, and decent. 
 Hafty, becaufe of the preparation for the fabbath ; open, 
 that all pcrfons might be fpectators, and none might fay, 
 he was buried before he was dead ; decent, being wrapt 
 up in fine linen, and perfumed withfpices, 6. The reafou 
 why our Lord was thus buried, feeing he was to rife again 
 in as fluift a time as other men lie by the walls; doubt- 
 lefs it w.isto declare the certainty of his death, to fulfil the 
 types and prophecies which went before him : j4s Jonas 
 being three da\s and three nights in the -ivhals's helly. He 
 was alio buried, to complete his hum liation : This was the 
 loweft ftep to which he could defcend in his abafcd flate. 
 In a word, Chrill defcendeii into the grave , that he might 
 conquer death in its own territories and dominion. 7. Of 
 what ufe our Lord's burial is to his follo.wers; it (hews us 
 tlie amay.ing dtpih of his humiliation, from what, and to 
 what his love brought him, even from the bofol.T tf his 
 Father to the bofom of the grave. It may comfci-t us 
 bf'^ainft the fears of death, and the terrors of the' grave : 
 The grave could not long keep Chrift, it fhsll not always 
 keepchrirtiaus : It was a loathfome prifon before, it is a 
 perfumed bed now: He whofe head is in heaven, need 
 not fear to put his feet into the grave. Awake and (ing, 
 tliou that dwellr-ft in the dufb, fcr the ermiity of the grave 
 ;. Uain by Chrift. 
 
 C H A P. XXIV. 
 
 The lajl chapter of St. Luke's gefpd ccnlawi i;..,.Jlc-^ 
 of our Saviour's refuyrSmi, and gives us an cccx:: 
 
 cf xvJmt he did u/)jn car/fi, hduren tly iinr ■"/"'"■ 
 glorious rcfurreUioH and triumphant afanfwn. 
 
 NOW upon the firft day of the week, very cariv 
 in the morning, they came unto the fcpulchr;* 
 bringing the Ipiccs which tiicy had prepared, and 
 certain (!//;fri with them. 2 And they I'ound the 
 ftone rolled away from the fepulchre, o Andthev 
 entcredin. and found not the body of the Lord jefu.^ 
 4 And it came topafs, as they were much perplexed 
 thereabout, behold, two men flood by them in fhin- 
 incr garments, c And as ihev were afraid, and bow- 
 ed down their iiiccs to the earth, they faid unto them 
 Why feek ye the living among the dead ? 6 lie is 
 not here, but is rifen. RememberhoAv he {pake unto 
 you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saving, The 
 Son of man mufl be delivered into the hands of frn- 
 ful men. and be crucified, and the tliird day rife 
 again. 8 Andthev remembered his v.ords ; c) And 
 returnedfrom the fepulchre, and told all thefe things 
 unto the eleven, and to all the rcil. . 10 It was Mary 
 Magdalanc, and Joanna : and Marj' the mci/ier of 
 James, and other women that were with, them, 'whlch 
 "told thefe things unto the apoflles. 11 And their 
 words feemed to them as idle tales, and they believed 
 lliem not. 12 Then arofe Peter, and ran into thp 
 fepulchre ; and (looping down, he beheld the linen 
 clothes laid by themlelves, and departed, wonderin^"- 
 in himfelf at that which was come to pafs. 
 
 The Lord of life, who was put to death upon the Friday 
 was buried in the evening of the fame day ; and his holy 
 body refted in the filent grave all tliC next day, being the 
 Jewifli fabbath, and fome part of the morning following. 
 Thus rcfe he again the third day, according to the fcrij)- 
 tures, neither fooner nor later; not fooncr, lell I'le truth of 
 his death fliould have been queflioned, that he did not die 
 at all ; nor later, left the faith of his difciples fliould have 
 failed. Accordingly, when the labbath was pafied, Mary 
 Magdalene getting the other women together, Ihe and they 
 fet out very early in the morning, to vifit the holy fepul- 
 chre, and about fuu-riiing they get to it, iriending with 
 their fpices and odours farther to embalm the I.ord'sbody. 
 Cl:f<rve here, i. That although the hearts of thefe holy 
 women did burn with an ardent zeal and afFeaion to their 
 crucified Lord ; yet the commanded duties of the f.tbbath 
 arenot emitted by their. ; they keep clofe, and fileiuly fpend 
 that day in a holy mixtureof grief and hope.: A good pat- 
 tern of labbath fanftification, and worthy of our imitation. 
 2. l"hefe holy women go, but not empty handed : Slie, 
 thathad bellowed acoilly niabafterupon Chrifl whiiflalive, 
 prepares no lefspreciousodours for him now cc ^ ; 'u re ■ 
 by paying their latl homage to our Saviour' 
 what need of odours, to perfume a precious ^ .., i.!ii.,i 
 could notfee corruption ? IVue, hisholybodv didnot w.int 
 tin in, but the love and aiK-c"ti(ni of liis fr'< '1 net 
 
 witia-Lold the.Ti. 3. How ^reat a.tributc . and 
 
30S 
 
 St. LUKE. 
 
 Chap. xxiv. 
 
 honour '.J due anJ payable to tlie iT.emory of thefe hrly 
 women, tor their grcjt migiuiiimity and courage : They 
 followed Chiiit uliL'rthis cowardly difciples left him ; 
 ihey accoinp.iiiied him to hiscrofs, they atteniiedhis hearfe 
 to the gr.ive, when his diltiples did not, durft not ap- 
 peir; and how very early in the morning they villi his 
 fepulchre, fearing neither the darknefs of the night, 
 nor the prefence of the watchmen, though a band of rude 
 Joldiers. Leum hence, That courage and refolution is the 
 fpecial gift of God : If he givei it to the feeble fr\, even 
 to timorous and fearful women, it (hall not be in the power 
 of armed men to make ihein afraid. But to a clofe con- 
 fidsratioa of the ftveral tircumftances relating to the re- 
 furreftionof our holy Lord. N'jte, t. With what pomp 
 and triumph our holy Lord arifes : Two men, chat is, two 
 an>»els in the (liape of men, ver. 4. are/l'nt from htaven f) 
 roll avjav t'oejione. But could not Chrlil have rifen then 
 \kithout the angels help? Yes, doubtlcfs ; he that raifed 
 himfelf could ealily have rolled away the Hone hifufelf ; 
 but Go. 1 thinks lit to fend an officer from heaven to open 
 the priion door of the grave ; and by fetting our furety at 
 liberty, proclaims our debt to the divine julVice fully fa- 
 tistied. 15i tides, it was fit that the angels, who had been 
 witnelFes of our Saviour's pafTion, ihouid alfo be witnefles 
 of his refurreftion. 2. Our Lord's refu rreftion declared : 
 Ht is riftn, he it mt hen. Almighty God never intend- 
 ed that the darling ot bis (oul l.'iould le left in an obfcure 
 fepulchre. He is not here, fiid the angels, where you laid 
 liim, where you left him -. Death hjs loft its prey, and the 
 grave lias loll its prifoner. 3. It is not faid, He is not here, 
 for he is raifed r but heis rifen, ver. 6. The original word 
 imports the adive power of Chrift, or the felf-quickening 
 principle by which Chrill raifsd himfelf from the dead, 
 Ads i. 3. He Jhe-jjed himfelf alive after his pafpon. Hence 
 learn. That it was the divine nature, or Godhead of Chtift 
 which raifed the human nature from death to life : others 
 were raifed from the grave by Chrift's power, but he raif- 
 ed himfelf by his power. 4. The perfons to whom our 
 Lord's refurreition was firft declared and made known : 
 To women, to the two Marys. But why to women? 
 and why to thefe women? To women, fird, becaufe God 
 fometimcs makes choice of weak means for producing great 
 cffecls, knowing that the weaknefs of the inftrument re- 
 dimnds to the greater honor of the agent. In the whole 
 difp;nfation of the gofpel, God intermixes divine power 
 with human weaknefs : Thus the conception of Chrill was 
 by the power of the Holy Ghoft, but his mother a poor 
 woman, a carpenter's fponfe : So the crucifixion of Chrift 
 was in much meannefsand outward bafenefs, being cruci- 
 fied between two thieves ; but the powers of heaven and 
 enrth trembling, the rocks rending, the graves opening, 
 (hewed a mixture of divine power. T))u? here, God felefts 
 women, to declare that he will honour what inltruments 
 he pleafes, for the accompliflvnent of his own purpofes. 
 But why to thefe women, the two Mary's, is the firft dif- 
 covcry made of our Lord's refurreclion? Poffibly it was 
 a reward for their magnanimity and inalculine courage: 
 Thefe women cleave to Chrift, when the npuftlcs forfook 
 him ; ".hey alfifted at his crrfs, they al'ended at his fune- 
 ra', they t^-aitcd at his fepulchre : Th«fc women hid more 
 
 courajre than the apoftles, therefore God makes them apof- 
 ilestotheapoftles. This was a tacit rebuke, a fevere check 
 given to the apoftles, that they (hould be thus outdone by 
 women: Thefe holy women went before the apoftles in 
 the hift fervices that were done for Chrift, and therefore 
 the apoltles here come after them in their rewards and coiji- 
 forts. 5. The quick melTage which thefe holy women 
 carry to tlie difconfolaie difciples, of the joyful news of our 
 Saviour's refuriection : They returned from the fepulchre, 
 and told all thefe things to the eleven, ver. 9. And the 
 other evangelifts fay, That they were fcntand bidden togo 
 to the apoftles with the notice of the refurreftion : Cc tell 
 the liifdpL'f, fays the angel. Matt, xxviii. 7^ Ca tell my 
 /irf//,;-f«, fays Chrift, ver. 10. A moft endearing expref- 
 fio 1 ! Chrill might have faid, " Go tell my apoftate apof- 
 tles, my cowardly difciples, that left mc in my danger, and 
 durft not own me in the high prieft's hall, that duift not 
 come within the fliadow of my crofs, nor within fight of 
 my fepulchre:" But not one word of all this, by way of 
 upbraiding them for their late (liameful cowardice, but all 
 words of divine indulgence, and of endeyring kindnels ; 
 Co tell my brethren. Where mark. That Chrift calls thciu 
 brethren after his refurrection and exaltation, thereby (hew- 
 ing, That the change of his condition had wrought no 
 change in his afFeclion towards his poor difciples; but thofe 
 that werehiibrethrenbefore, in thetimeof his humiliation 
 and 3bafement,are Co llill, after his exaltation and advance- 
 ment ; Go tell my brethren. One thing more niuit be noted 
 with reference to our Lord's refurrecTion, and that is, 
 Why he did not firft chufe to appear to the Virgin Mary, 
 his difconfolate mother, whofe foul w as pierced' with a 
 quick and lively fight and fenfe of her fon's fufferings ; but 
 to Mary Magdalene, w ho h.-^d been a grievous (inner ! 
 Doubtiefs this was for the comfort of all true penitents ; 
 and admiuifters great conl'olation to them : As the angelt 
 in heaven rejoice, much more doth Chrift, in the recovery 
 of one repenting finner, than in multitudes of holy and 
 juft perfons (fuch was the blelTcd Virgin) who need no 
 repentance. For the fame reafon did our Saviour parti- 
 cuJarly name Peter : Co tell my difciples, and Peter ; he 
 being, for his denial of Chrift, fwallowed up with forrow, 
 and (landing in moft need of confolation ; therefore fpeak 
 particularly to Peter: As if Chrill had faid, " Be fure 
 that his hard heart be comforted with this joyful news, that 
 I am rifen : and let him know, that I am friends with hinj 
 notwithftanding his late cowardice." 
 
 1 3 9 And behold two of them went that fame day 
 to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerufa- 
 lem a^CT(Mhreefcore furlongs. 14 And they talked 
 together of all thefe thin;TS which had happened. 
 15 And it came to pafs, that while they communed 
 ffgclher, and reafoned, Jefus himfelf drew near, and 
 went with them. 16 But their eyes wereholden, that 
 Ihcy fhould not know him. 17 And he faid unto 
 them, What manner of communications arc thefs 
 that ye have one to another as ye walk, and arc fad ? 
 1 8 And the one of them, whofe name wasCleophas, 
 anfwering, faid unto hiai, Art thou only u fti anger 
 
 in 
 
Chap, xxiit. 
 
 Sr. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 3®;? 
 
 in Jerufalein, and haft not known the things which 
 arc come topafs there in thefe days ? 19 And he 
 faid unto them, What things ? And they faid unto 
 him, Concerning JiTiis of Nazarctli, which wa.s a 
 prophet mi;^hty in deed and word before God and 
 all the people : 20 And how the chief priefls and 
 our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, 
 and have crucified him. 21 But we trufled thatit 
 had been he which (hould have redeemed Ifrael: and 
 befide all this, to-day is the third day fince thefe 
 things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women alfo 
 of ourcompany made us afionifhed which were early 
 at the fepulchre : 23 And when they found not hii 
 body, they came, faying. That they had alfo feen a 
 
 vifion of angels, which faid that he was alive. 
 
 24 
 
 And certain of them which were with us went to 
 the fepulchre and found it even fo at the women 
 had faid : but him they faw not. 
 
 Here we have o^rrW? /if, i. The journey which twoof 
 the difciples took to Emmaus, a village not far from Jeru- 
 falem : The occafion of their journey is not told us, but 
 th? fcriptiirr acquaints uswith their difccurfeintheirjour- 
 ney, and as ihcy were walking by the way : It was holy and 
 ufeful, piousand profitable diCcourfe, that they entertained 
 one another with asihey walked ; they difcourCedofChrift's 
 death and refurreftion ; a good pattern for our imitation, 
 vhen providentially caft into fuch coinpanjas will bear it ; 
 That our lips drop as the honey-comb, and our tongue be as 
 choice Jilvcr. 2. How our holy Lord prefently n.ade one 
 in the company ; when they were difcourfing ferioufly about 
 the matters ef religion, he overtook ihem, and joined hini- 
 felf to them : The way to have Chrifts prefence and com- 
 pany with us, is to be difcourdngof Chrift, and the things 
 ofChrift. 3. Though Chrift came to them, it was ;«- 
 cogn'itia, he was not known to them, for their eyes were 
 holdenby the power of God, ttieirfighl was reftrained that 
 they could not difcern who he was, but took him for an- 
 other perfon, though his body had the fame dimenfionsihat 
 he had before. Whence we learn, The influence which 
 God has upon all our powers and faculties, upon all our 
 members and fenfes, and how much we depend upon God 
 for the ufe and exercile of our faculties and members ; 
 Their eyes uvr? holdt-n that they could net know him. 4. That 
 the notion of the IVleirias being a temporal Saviour, wasfo 
 deeply rooted in the minds of the difciples, that it remained 
 hiie \vi;h them, even after he was rifen from the dead. -^ 
 They here own and acknowledge him. To he a prophr-t, 
 ivighly in deed and in 'diord ; bjt they queftion whether he 
 were the Meflia.;, the Redeemer of Ifrael ! They could not 
 reconcile the ignominy of his death with the grandeur of 
 his office; nor concei.'e how the infamy of a crofs was con- 
 fident with the glory of a king : H'e tru/Ied that it hadbeen 
 he which Jhoiild have redetmed Ifrael. As if th^ had faid, 
 " We were full of hopes, that this h-id been the Mefllas 
 fo long exp''fted by us ; but this being the third day fuice 
 he (lied, we fear we(hallf;ndourfelves miftaken." 
 
 25 Thcti faid he unto thcr^, O fools and /low o^-" 
 heart to believe all that the prophets have fpokcn ' 
 26 Ought not Chrift to have fuffcred thefe things, 
 and to enter into his glory ? 27 And beginning ai. 
 Mofes and all the prophets, he expounded unto them 
 in all the fcriptures, the things concerning himfclf. 
 28 And they drew nigh unto the village whithei 
 they went; and he made as though he would have 
 gone further. 29 But theyconftrainedhim, faying, 
 Abide with us : for it is towards evening and the 
 day isfar fpent. And he went in to tarry with 
 them. 30 And it came to pafs as he fat at meat 
 with them he took bread and blelfed it, and brake, 
 and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened 
 ^nd they knew him ; and he vanifhedout of their 
 fight. 32 And they laid one to another. Did not 
 our heart burn within us, while he talked with us 
 by the way, and while he opened to us the fcrip- 
 tures ? 
 
 Ohjerve, I. Our Saviour reproves, and then inftrucls 
 them: He reproves them forbeing ignorant of the fenfeof 
 fcripture : They rhought the death of the Melfias a fuffi- 
 cient ground to queftion the truth of his office, when it 
 was an argument to confirm andeffablilh it : G fools, ought 
 not Chrift tofuffer ? As if he liad faid, " Do you not finil 
 that the perfon defcribedby the prophets in the Old Tef- 
 lament to be the Melfias, was to wade his glory through a 
 fea of blood? Why then do you think yourfelves deceived 
 in the perfon that fuft'ered three daysago, when his doth 
 agree fu well with the prediftions of the prophets, who 
 foretold. That the Mefiias fhoulJ be cut off, but not for 
 himfclf, and be fmitten for the iniquities of his people?" 
 Here we may ohferve, The great wifdom and grace of God, 
 whoiiiakes fometimes thediflidence of his jieople an occa- 
 fion of farther clearing up the choiceft truths unto them : 
 Never did thefe difciples hear lo excellent an expofuiouof 
 Mofes and the prophets concerning the MeiTias, as now ; 
 when their finful diftruft had io far prevailed over them. 
 2. The doftrines which Chrift inftrucls his difciples in, 
 namely. In the necf fhty of his death and paffion, and of his 
 glory and exaltation: Citghtnot Chrif/lo fi-Jfrr, r.id locKtcr 
 into his glory ? Learn, 1. That with relpect to God's de- 
 cree, and with relation to man's guilt, the death of Chrjfk 
 vcasnccelTary andindifpenfible. 2. That his refurrediou 
 and exaltation was as neceffary as his pafllon. 3. That 
 there was a meritorious connexion between Chnft's fuf- 
 ferings and his glory ; his exaltation was merited by his 
 paffion : Ht'iVJS t'l drink of the brock in the -way, and then 
 kefhou'.d lift up his head. 4. Chrift did not only put light 
 into ihefe his apoftles heads, but h^at alfo into their hearts, 
 which burned all the while hecommuntd with them ; Did 
 not our hearts hum within ui -whilg he opened to us the f crip ~ 
 tures? Oh what aii efficacious power is there in the word 
 ofChrift, when fet home upon the hearts of men by the 
 Spirit of Chrift ! 
 
 33 And tiiey role up the fame hour, and re- 
 turned 
 
501' 
 
 Sr. 
 
 L U K E. 
 
 Chap. xxiv. 
 
 turned to Jemralcm. and found the eleven gathered 
 to;^ethcr, and them that were with him. 3,} Sayin^j, 
 The Lord is rifen indeed, and liath appeared to Si- 
 mon. 35 And they told what thrnj^swero done in 
 the way, and how he was known of them in break- 
 ingof broad. 36 5 And as they thus fpake, JelVis 
 hinifolf flood in the midfl of them, and faith unto 
 then), Pence be untoyou. 37 But they were ter- 
 rified and affrighted, Jfnd fuppofedthat they had 
 leena (pirit. 38 And hefaid unto them. Why arc 
 ye troubled, and why do thoughts arife in your 
 hearts ? * 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it 
 is I myfe^f. Handle me, and fee : fora fpirit hath 
 not flelh and bones, as ye fee me have. 40 And 
 when he had thus fpoken, he fhewcd them his hands 
 and his feet. 41 And while they yet belisvcd not 
 lor joy, and wondered, he faid unto them, Hav^ 
 ■ye here any meat ? 42 And they gave him apiece 
 CI a broiltd fifl:, and of an honey-comb. 43 Ami 
 hf. took it, a^nd did eat before them. 44 And he 
 laid unto them, Thefe are the words which I fpake 
 unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things 
 jnull be fulfilled which were written in the law of 
 Mofes and in the prophets, and in the pfalms coh- 
 terningme. 
 
 C'bferve i. That thefe twodifciples at Emniaus, being 
 fully fatisfieJ in the truth of Chrilt's refurrciftion, by his 
 appearing to them in breaicina cf bread, they arofe prefently 
 and went from Emmaus to Jerufalein :. It niuft needs be 
 late at night, being after fupper, and feven miles diftant ; 
 yet confidering the forrow ihat thedifciplcs were under, 
 tliefe twoleave all their private affairs, and hafteii to com- 
 fort them with the glad tidings of our Lord'srefurreclion. 
 Teaching us. That all fecul.ir affairs, all private and parti- 
 cular bulinefs, mufl give place to the glory of God, and 
 the comfort and (alvationof fouls. 2. The great endeavours 
 which our Saviour ufed toconfirra his difciples faith in the 
 doctrine of tlie refurrcTtion, He comes andjlands'm the mldjl 
 fifthtm, and fays, Peace be\untoyou, Tt£xt,\l/e JJ^ews them his 
 p'urced hanJs.fide, and feet, with the fears and marks which 
 he yet retained, that they might fee it was their crucified 
 Mailer: Alterall tK\s.,He cats he/ore them n piece if a broiled 
 fifh , and hoiiey-c:mb ; not that he needed it, his body being 
 now become immortal, but to affiire them that it was his 
 own peifon.and that he had Hill the fame body: Yet fo 
 ll.ick and ba(k'.\ard were they to believe that Chrilt was 
 rifen, that all the predictions of the fcrii)ture, all the aflu- 
 raPices they h.id from cur Saviour's mouth, and the 
 fevcral appearingi of Chrift unto them, were little enough 
 toeflabliihand coi.fiini their faith in the refurreiftion of our 
 Saviour. 3. The higheft and fulled evidence which our 
 Saviour offers toevince and prove the certainty of Ws re- 
 furreift'oii, namely, by appealing to tij«:r fcnfes ; Handle 
 vif iind/i^"- Chrift admits the tellimoiiy of our fenfcs to 
 aiUtrc it to be liis real i)ody. And if the church of Rome 
 will r.ot allow us to believe our fs;i!cs/,ve IhsU lufc the belt 
 
 external evidence we c.in have to prn.ve the trinlj of the 
 chrillian religion ; n.imtly, The miraclt-s uf Ch.-ilt : for 
 how can I know tliofc miracles were. true, but by thejodir, 
 men t of my fenfet? No .v a sour fcnfes tell us, they vcre true 
 fo they alTore us, thedoftrine of tranfubiijntiation is falfc. 
 
 45 Then opened he their underflandin^, that they 
 might under/land the fcriptures. 46 And faid unto 
 them. Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chnll 
 to fufFer, and to rife from the dead the third -day : 
 47 And that repentance and rcmillionoffins Ihould 
 be preached in his name amon^' all nations, be^/in- 
 ninij at Jerufalcm. 48 And ye are witnclfes of thefe 
 tiling."!. 
 
 It is one thing to open t^e f-riptutes themfcUcs, or to 
 explain them, and anotiiertoopen ti.eir undtrlfandings to 
 perceive them : Chritldid thehtter. Whence «<,/f Jhat 
 the opening of the mind and heart efTcftually to receive tl.c 
 tiuthsofGod, is the peculiar prerogative and office of Jefus 
 Chrift; Then opened he their underjhndirgs • namely, bv 
 the illuminations of his holy Spirit. One of the grcateft 
 rniferies under which lapfed nature, labours, is fpiritml 
 blindnefs ; Chrift has the only eye-falve which can heal and 
 cure it, Rev. iii. iS. And there is no worfe cloud to ob- 
 fcure the light of the fpirir, than a proud conceit of our 
 own knowledge. 2. The fpccial charge given by our Sa- 
 viour to hisapoftles, to preach repentance and rcmilponof 
 Jins ; to preach it in Chrift's name, to preach it /5 all na- 
 tions, beginning fir ft at Jerufulem. Where note. The 
 aftonifliing mercy o*^Jefus Ciirift; although Jcrufalem was 
 the place where he loft his life, the city that barbaroufly 
 butchered, and inhumanly murdered him, yet thnrehe wiil 
 have thedoclrincof repentnncepreachfd, nay, firll preach- 
 cd ; there the gofptl-coinbination muflfirft begin, that re- 
 pentance and remilfion of fin be prer.ched, beginning at Jeru- 
 falem. Lord, how unwilling art thou thatany fliouldperilli 
 when thou not o:)ly prayed for thy murderers, and offered 
 up thy blood to God in the behalf of them that flied it, 
 but required thy ambalfadors to make Jerufalem the firft 
 tender of remilDon, upon condition of repentance! 
 
 49 5 And behold, I fend the promife of my Father 
 upon you: but tarry yein the city of Jerufalem, until 
 ye be endued with power from on high. 50 11 And 
 he led them out as far as Bethany : and he lifted up 
 his hand.<, and blclFedthem. 51 And it came to 
 pafs, while he blelTed them, he was parted from 
 them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they 
 worfhipped him, and returned to Jcrufalem with 
 great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple 
 praifingand blefTnig God. Amen. 
 
 Our Saviour being now about to leave his difcip!c5, 
 comforts them with the promife of his holy Spirit, which V 
 flioold fupc)!y the want of his bodily prcfence ; and bids ^ 
 them tarry ;it Jerufalem till they fliould.'atthe fcaftof Pen- 
 licoft, be tnncle part..kers of this invaluable blefling.. ;. 
 Our L'.ird huvingbleflcd his difciples, he takes hi., Iraveof 
 them, End g-jcs uji into heaven. As he raifed bimfeli out 
 
 of 
 
Chap, r. 
 
 St. 
 
 J O H Nil- 
 
 of his grave, fodid he afcend intoheavenbyhis ownnower, 
 there to appear in the prefence of God for us ; and as our 
 forerunner, to give us an aflurance, that in due time we 
 fliall afcend after hiin, -.uhilher our forerunner is fir us en- 
 tered. Heb. vi. 7Q. Ghferve Inftlv, The aft of homage 
 itid adoration which the apoftles perform to the Lord Jefus, 
 how* they worfhipped him, that is, as God, the eternal Son 
 
 of God, being fo declared by the refurreclion from the 
 dead, and by his afcenlion into heaven before their eyes, 
 from whencehc will certainly come at the end of the world, 
 to judge both the quick and the dead. For which folemu 
 hour, God almighty prepare all mankind by a renewed 
 frame of heart, and a gracious courfe of life; and then, 
 Come Lord Jefus to judgment, Come qu'tckly. Amen. 
 
 THE END OF St. LUKE's GOSPEL. 
 
 G O 
 
 THE 
 
 E 
 
 ACCORDING TO 
 
 OT. 
 
 O H N. 
 
 The fourth and hjl of the Holy Gofpels falls vnder confidtration; namely. That which was writtm ly the 
 Evangelif St. [ohn. Conceitiirtg which, we have obfervahle, the writer, the occafion, the defign, and ("cope 
 of this fiJilime book. Obfen'e, 1. The writer of it; St. John, the beloved difciple, that lay in tlie bofo^n of 
 Chrifl ; he that lay in Chrift's bcfom, reveals thefecrct of Chrift's heart. John, fays St. Auftin, drew out 
 of the bofotn of Chrifl. the very heart of Chrifl, and made it known to a loft world. Obfervc, 2. The occafion 
 of St. John's writing this gofpel: And that was the hercfy of Ebion and Cerinthus, which denied the 
 divinity of Jesus Christ. When God fiffers heretics to vent their blafphemous opinions, he takes occafiofn. 
 from thence to make a clearer difcovery of divine truth. We had perhaps wanted St. John's gofpel, if Ebion and- 
 Cerinthus had Ttot broaehedt/ieir lieref/ againft ChriU's divinity. Obferve, ■"'3. The defign and f cope of thii 
 gofpel : Which is to defcrihe the pafon of Chrift in his two natures, divine and human, as the objeH of our faith. 
 This he doth in afublime and lofty manner: Upon which account he was compared by the ancients to the eagle, tliai 
 fears aloft, and maketh her nefl on high; and was alfo called John the Divine. Obferve, lafily, Tlie difference 
 betzoeen this and the other gofpels. The other EvangeUfls mfifl ctiiefly upon Me humanity 0/" Christ, and 
 prove him to he tndy man, the fan of the Virgin Mary : This Evangelfl proves him to be God as well as man ; 
 God from eternity, and man in thefulnefs of time. The other three writers relate what Christ did: St. John 
 repoi'ts what Christ faid. They recount his miracles : he records his fermons and prayers. In fliort, Tlie 
 profound myfleries of our holy religion are here unfolded by the beloved difciple; and particularly the divinity and 
 mcarnation of our hlcjfed Saviour. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 IX the beginning was the Word, and the Word 
 was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The 
 fame was in the beginning with God. 
 
 Chferve htxe*i. The perfon fpoken of, Jefus Chrift, 
 under the name of the Word, In the leginuing -juas the 
 li'ord • bccaufe Cod fpcahs to us by him, and makes his 
 will known unto us by Chrill, as we make known our 
 minds to one another by our words. Again; As our 
 words are the conception and image of ourminds, fo Chnli 
 
 is the exprefs image of his Father's perfon, and wis be- 
 gotten of the Father, even as our words are begotten 01 
 our minds : For ihefe reafons he is fo often lljled </;;■ Il'orJ, 
 2. Whnt the Evangelift here afTertsconcerningthe Word, 
 Chrift Jefus, even three particulars; namely, his eternal 
 exiftcnte, his perfonal co-exiftence, and his divine cfTence. 
 I. His eternal exiftence : In the heghming Vi'as the IVcrd; 
 in the l)eginning, when all tilings received their being, the n 
 the World was, and did actually fubfift, even from all eter- 
 nity. Not in the beginning of the gofpel-ftate, but in the be- 
 ginning of the creation, as aj>pear$ from the following words. 
 
3o6 
 
 Si-. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 ell thingf were made hy him, and ivi/hout hint -was not any 
 thing tnade that wai made ■ Wliich plainly fliews, tliatthe 
 Evjngelift is here fpe;ikingof the creaiion, rife, or hrgin- 
 ning of all things created. i>(;r« hence, That JeUisChrift, 
 not only antecedent to his incarnation, but even before all 
 time, and the beginning of all things, had an actual being 
 and exiftence. 2. His perfonal co-exiftence with the Father; 
 7he -word was -with Cid ; that is, eternally and infeparably 
 ■with him, in the fame eflcnce and nature, being in the Fa- 
 ther, as well as with him ; fo thit the Father never was 
 without him : Prov. viii. 22. / war by him, as one brought 
 up -j)ith him. I was by his lide?, fays the Chaidee inter- 
 preter. Ijearn hence, That the Son is a perfon dillinft 
 from the Father, but of the famecflence and nature with 
 the Father ; he is God of God, very God of very God ; 
 being of one fubflance with the Father, by whom all things 
 were made : The inordvjas 'jjith Cod. 3. His divine ef- 
 fence; The Word 'm as Cod. Here St. John declares the 
 divinity, as he did before the eternity of our blefl'ed Saviour. 
 He was with God, and exifted in him ; therefore he muft 
 be God, and a perfon dirtmdl from the Fat/ier. The Word 
 was God, fay the Socinians, tliat is, a God by office, not 
 by nniure, as being God's ambafl'ador : but the word Cod, 
 is ufed eleven times in this chapter in its proper fenfe, and 
 it is not reafonable to conceive that it Ihould be here ufed 
 in an improper fenfe, in which this word in the lingular 
 number is never ufed throughout the whole New Tefta- 
 menr. Dr. IVhitby. Learn hence, 1 hat the eternity, the 
 perfonality, and the divinity of Chrift, are of nectllity to 
 be believed, if we will worlliip him aright. Chrift tells us, 
 John v. 23. That vje muji luorflnp the Son even as we wor- 
 Jhip the Father. Now untefs we acknowledge the eternity 
 and divinity of Chrift, thefecond perfon, as well as of God 
 tjie Father, the firft perfon, we honour neither the Father 
 nor the Son. There is this difference between natural 
 things and fupernatural : Natural things are firft under- 
 ftood and then believed ; but fupernatural myfteries muft 
 be firft believed, and then will be better underftood. If 
 we will firft fet reafon on work, and believe no more than 
 ■we can comprehend, this will hinder faith ; but if, after we 
 have alfented to gofpel-myfteries, we fet reafon on work, 
 this will help faith. 
 
 3 All things were made by him ; and without 
 him was not any thing made that was made, 
 
 Obfcrve here, The argument which St. John ufes to 
 prove Chrift to be God : it is taken from the work of 
 creation. He that made all things, is truly and really God ; 
 but Chrift made all things, and nothing was made with- 
 out him; therefore is Chrift truly and really God. Here 
 Kibferve. I. An affirmation of as large and va!t an extent as 
 the whole world : All things were made by him ; not this 
 or that particularbeing, but <j// created beingsreceived their 
 exiftence and being from Chrift. 2. That to prevent the 
 leaft imagination of any things having another author than 
 Chrift, here is the moft pofitive and particular negation that 
 can be. That without him was not any thing made that 
 was made ; not without him as an inftrument, but without 
 him as an agent. Chrift being a co-worker with the Fa- 
 ther and the Spirit in the work of creation. He was the 
 
 authorcf the creation, not an Inftrum^t in creating, learn 
 hence. That Chrift, as Cod, l)eing the Creator and Maker 
 of all things himfelf, ii excluded irom being a creature, or 
 any thing that was made. 
 
 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of 
 men. 5 And the light fhiiicth in darknefs, andthe 
 darknefs comprehended it not. 
 
 Here we have a farther proof ol Chrift's divinity, and an 
 evidence that he had a being as God, before his incarnation; 
 forafnnich as all life is centured in him, and communicated 
 byhim, and derived from him. Inhim was hfe, formaliter 
 (t cau/aliter. Life was formerly in Chrift as the fubjeft 
 of it ; and alfo cafually in him as the fountain of it. Learn 
 I. That Chrift is the author and difpenfer of all life unto 
 his creatures : He is original life in the order of nature, 
 Wecaiife by him man was created, Gen. i. 26. He is fpiri- 
 tual life in the order of grace, John xiv. 6. / am the way, 
 the truth, and the life, He is eternal life in the order of 
 glory, I John v. 20. This is the true Cod, and ettrnal life. 
 Learn, 2. That all creatures receiving light and life from 
 Chrift, not as an inftiumeiit, but as the fountain from 
 whence it fioweth, and in which it is preferved, is an evi- 
 dent proof of his divinity, and an argument that he is truly 
 and really God : In him was life, and the life was the light 
 if men. 
 
 6 There was a man fent from God whofe name 
 awi John. 7 The fame came for a witnefs, to bear 
 witnefs of the light, that all jjif^n through him might 
 believe. 8 He was not that light, but was fent to 
 bear witnefs of that iij;,ht. 9 That was the true 
 light which lightctli every man that comcth into 
 the world. 
 
 Here the Evangelift proceeds in declaring Chrift to be 
 really God, becaufe he was that origioal, thateflential light 
 which had no bej. inning, fufttrs no deciy, but is fo dinu- 
 five, as in fome kind, and in fonie meafure or other to en- 
 lighten every man chatcotneth into the world. Some of 
 the Jews had a conceit, that John theBaptift was thepro- 
 mifed Medias, .->.: appears by Lukeiii. 15. 7 he people were 
 in expe^ation, and all men mufed in their hearts of Jr,hn, 
 whether he wire the Chriji or not, Here therefore to un- 
 deceive the Jews, the Evangelift adds, that John was not 
 that light ; John was a great light, a burning and fliining 
 light, but not I'uch a light as the Meflias was to be. John - 
 wasa light inftrumentally, Chrift efficiently ; John was a f 
 light enlightened, Chrift wasa light enlightening ; John's 
 light was by derivation and participation, Chrift's was ef- 
 fential and original ; John's light was as the light of a can- 
 dle in a private lioufe, in and among Jews only, but Chrift's 
 light was as the light of the fun, fpreading over the face of 
 the whole earth : This is the true light that lighirth every 
 man that cometh into the world ; that is, lie enlighten^ all 
 mankind with the light of reafon, and i.< the author 61 all 
 fpiritual illumination in them that receive it. Chi ill is 
 called a light in regard of his office, which was tomanifeft 
 and declare that falvation to his church which lay hid be- 
 fore in the purpofe of God; and he is called thcTrue light 
 
 not 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 S^T. JOHN. 
 
 507 
 
 not fo rr.iKh in oppo.'ition to all falfe lights, but as oppnfed 
 to the types and fhsdows of the Mofaical difpenlation. 
 Learn, i. That every man and woman that comes into 
 jhe world is enliprlitened by Chrift in feme kind a'nd mea- 
 fiire or other. All areenlichtened with the light of reafon 
 and natural ronfcience ; fome with the li^ht of grace and 
 I'lipernstnral illumination. 2. Th.itChrift being the effcn- 
 f ial, oriyina'., ami ttci nal light, enli^;htening anvi enlivening 
 the whi?lecrc«tion,isan evident anduiuieniable demonftra- 
 tion that h^ is truly and really God. 
 
 10 He was in the world, and the world was made 
 by hiin, and the world knew him not. 1 1 He 
 came unto his own, and his own received him not. 
 
 He vjus :» the wbrH; ;hht is, he that was God from 
 eternity, made himlclf \ ifiblc to the "x orld in the fiilnefs of 
 time. The Evaniielirtrcnearsit again, that/^e vorldwas 
 made by him, to Jhesv hii omnipotency and divinity: and 
 then a<Kh, that the "WirlJ hne-jj /.'iii not, as an evidence of 
 the world's hlnidneA a.nd ingratitude, l^iirn hence, That 
 notwithilanding the t ttrnal Son of God rippearcd in ihe 
 world, and the world was made and created bv him ; yet 
 the generality of the world did not know him : that is, did 
 not own and acknov.Icdge him, did not receive and obey 
 hill. They neither ki:cw hiin as Creator, nor accepted t>f 
 hin; as Mediator : Yea, he cam? to h'ts o:on ; that is, his 
 own kindred and country, the church and people of the 
 Jews ; but the generality of tiirm gave him cold enter- 
 Tainmenr. It wasthefinof the Jewiflination, that though 
 they were Chnft's peculiar people, his o'vn by choice, 
 his own by purchafe, his own by covenant, by kindrcdyet 
 the generality of them did rejeft him, and would not own 
 him for the true andpromifed MefTias. /.I'iJrrr hence. That 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift met with manifeftand Ihameful re- 
 jection even at the hands of thofe that were neareft to him 
 by flelli and nature, John xi. 5. Neither did his brethren 
 believe on hint. 
 
 12 But as many as received him, to them gave 
 he pyower to become the Ions of God ; even to them 
 that believe on his name : 
 
 That is, although multitudes rejefled him, yet fome re- 
 ceived and owned him for the true Meflias ; and thofe that 
 did fo, he advanced to the high dignity of adoption and 
 fonDiip, giving them power, that is, right or privilege to 
 become the fnns of God. Here note, \. The nature of 
 juflifying faith declared ; As rnar.y as receive him. Now 
 this receiving of Chrilt implies thefe three things: i. The 
 alTent of the underftanding to that divine teftimony which 
 the fcripture gives of Christ : i- The confent of the will to ' 
 fubmit to this Jefus as Lord and King : 3. 1 he affiance 
 and truft of the heart in Chrift alone for fah ation ; for 
 faith is not a bare credence, but a divine affierce. and foch 
 an alliance in Chrift, and reliance upon him, as is ihe parent 
 and principal of obedience to him. Ncte,z. That it is the 
 high and honourable privilege of all futh as receive Chrift 
 by faith, to become the fons of God by adoption. This 
 is a precious privilege, a free privilege, an lienourable pri- 
 vilcge,an abidingprivilege, andcalUforallpclTible returns 
 
 of gratitude and thankfulnefs, of love snd fervice, of duty 
 and obedience, of fubmillion and Celf rflignation. 
 
 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the 
 will ofthefltfh, norof the will of man, but of God. 
 
 Becaufe the bragging Jewsdid much boaft of their natu- 
 ral birth and defcent fi om Abraham, as being his blood and 
 o(f5|)ring, therefore it is here aflertftd, 1 hat men become 
 not the children of God by natural propagation, but by 
 fpiritual regeneration ; They are not br.rnofchod. Graceruns 
 not in the blood ; piety isnot heriditary. Religious parents 
 propagate corruption, nor regeneration. Were the conve- 
 niences of grace natural, good parents would not be fo ill 
 fuited with children as fometimes they are. No perl'on 
 then whatfoever has the gracious privilege of adoption bv 
 the firft birth. 7hty are not born of blood, nor of the 'jjill 
 of the flej}), nor of the will of man; that is, No man by the 
 utmolt improvmein of nature can raife himfelf up to this 
 privilege of adoption, and be the autiinr nn6 efficient 
 c.iul'e of his own regeneration. Learn hence, That man 
 in .ill his capacities is too weak to produce the v/ork of re- 
 generation in himfelf. They, fays Dr. Hammond, who, 
 by the influence of the higheft rational prhiciples, live moft 
 exactly according to the rule of rational nature, that is, of 
 unregeneratc n:orality, are the perfons here defcribed. 2. 
 Tha: God alone is the prime efficient caufe of regeneration; 
 He works upon the underftanding by illumination, and 
 upon the will by fai:c'cifi Cation : Which -Mere born, not of 
 bhoJ, ttor of the 'mHI ofthefl<f}}, norof the will of man, but of 
 Cd. 
 
 14 Aad the word was made flclh, and dwelt 
 among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as 
 of the only begotten the Father full gf gnice and 
 
 truth. 
 
 The Evangclift having afferted the divinity of Chrift in 
 the foregoing vtrfes, conies now tofpeak of his humanity 
 and manifeftation in our nature. The wordwas made flejh. 
 VVhereno/e, i. Our Saviour's incarnation for us. 2. His 
 life and converfation here among us. He dwelt, or taber- 
 nacled for afeafon with us. In theincarnaiirn orafTump- 
 tion of our nature, ohfcrve, 1. The perfon afTuming, The 
 Word, that is, the fecond perfon fnbfifting in the glorious 
 Godhead. 2. The nature afiumed, flelh; that is, the 
 human nature, conlifting of foul and body. But why is it 
 not faid, The word was made man P hut, The word -was made 
 flejh. jinfw. To denote and fet forth the wonderful 
 abafementand condefcenfion of Chrift, there being more 
 of vilenefs and wcaknefs, and oppofition to Spirit in the 
 word flef:i, than the word w^n : Chrift's taking flefli im- 
 plies, That he did not oidy take upon hiin the human 
 nature, but all the weaknefTesand infirmities of that nature 
 alfo (fmful infirmities and perfonal infirnnities exceptedyhe 
 had nothing to do with our finful flefli: Though Chrift 
 loved fouls whh sn infinite and infiiperable love, yet he 
 would not fin to fave a foul. And he tock no perfonal 
 infirmities upon him, luu fuch as are common tothcwht'e 
 n.-iture, as hunger, thirft, wearJr.cfs. 3. '1 He aflumption 
 itfelf. He was nide jlcjh ; that is, he atfumed the human 
 nature into an union v.iih his Godhead, nnd fo became a 
 
 0,0,2 true 
 
3o8 
 
 St. J O H ; N 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 true ;inil rfal jian by that alTuiiipiioii. Leurn hence, That 
 Jclus Chrhl did realjy afludjC the true anil perfect nature 
 of man, iiuon perfonai union with his divine nature, and 
 i\\\] reniaii-.3 true Gudapd true man, in one perfon Vorever- 
 O hlefled union ! O thrice happy conjunction ! As man, 
 Clirill has an experimental lenfe i>f our iniirniitiesand 
 wants; as God he c.-.n fupport and fupply them all. Note 
 farther, 2, As our Saviour's incarnation for us, fohis life 
 nnd convcrfation among us : l/e dwelt, or tabernacled 
 amonpfl us. The tabernacle was a type of Chrift'b human 
 nature, i. As the outfidc of the t.ibernacle was mean, 
 nude of ordinary materials, but its infide glorious ; fo was 
 riie Son of God. 2. God's fpecial prefence cas in the 
 tabernacle ; there he dwelt, for he had a delight therein. 
 In like manner, dwelt all thcfulnefs of the Godhead bodily 
 in Chnll ; and the glory of his divinity lliined forth to the 
 eye and \'iew of hisdifciples ; for they lihc'id his glory, the 
 gliry as of thi only begotten of the Father ; that is, whilit 
 Chrilt appeared a-sa man anionglt us, he gave great and 
 glorious telliinonies of his being the Son of God. Learn 
 hence, That in the day of our Saviour's incarnation, the 
 divinity of his perfon did (hine forth through the veil of his 
 flcftj, and was feen by all them that had a fpiritual eye to 
 behold It, and a mind difpofed to confider it. WV beheld 
 bis glory, the glory as the srtly begotten of the Father. 
 
 15 9 Johnbare witncfsof him, and cried, faying. 
 This was he of whom 1 fpake. He that cometh after 
 me is preferred before me ; for he was before me. 
 16 And of his fulnefs have all we received, and 
 grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by 
 Mofes, but grace and truth came by Jefus Chrift. 
 18 No man hath feen God at any time; the only 
 begotten Sen, which is in the bol'om of the Father, 
 he hath declared /«?». 
 
 Here we have John Baptifl's firfl teftiinony concerning 
 Chrift the promifed MelTiah : And it conliils of four parts. 
 I. John prefers Chrift before himfelf, as being furpaflingly 
 above himfelf. He that cometh after trie, is preferred he/ore 
 me: tiiat is in the dignity o-f his perfon, and in the emi- 
 iiency of his office, asbeing the eternal God : N O'oj amrngft 
 them that'.uere born of'jjoman, there was mt a greater than 
 John the Baptiji : Lt" Chrift was then greater than John, it 
 was in regard of hisbeing God. He is xhtrtiove preferred 
 before him, becaufe he -was before him, as being God from 
 ail eternity. /.farM hence. That the dignity and eternity 
 of Chrift's perfon as God, fets him up above all his niini- 
 fters ; yea, above all creatures, liow excellent foever. He 
 that cometh after me in time, ;/ preferred before me indig- 
 nity ; /or />« -wds before me, even from all eternity. 2. 
 John prefers Chrift before al! believers in poi*t of fulnefs 
 and fufficiency of divine grace : Cf his julncfs do they re- 
 ceive. They have their failings, Chrift has his fulnefs: 
 Theirs is the fulnefs of a velTel, hisis the fulnefs ofa foun- 
 tain ; their fulnefs is derivative, his fulnefs is original, yet 
 alfominirterial, on purpofe in him to give out to us, tliat 
 ve may recewe grace f'r grace ; that is grace anfwerable 
 for kind and quality, though no: for inealure and degree. 
 
 As a child in generation receives from its parents member 
 for member, or the paper in the printing-prefs receives 
 letter for letter, and the wax under thefeal receivesprinc 
 for print, lo in the workof regeneration, whatever gr^ce is 
 in Chrift, there is the like for kind ftainped upon the chrif- 
 tian'sfoul. All the members of Chrift being made plen- 
 tiful partakers of his fpiritual endowments. Learn hence. 
 That all fulnefs of grace, by way of fupply for believers, 
 is treafureti up in Chrift, and conununicated by him, a^ 
 their wants and neceflities do require: His fulnefs is in., 
 exhauflible it can never be drawn low, much lefs drawn 
 dry : Of Ins fulnefs do we receive grace/or grace ; that is, 
 grace freely, grace plentifully : God grant that none ofui 
 may receive the grace of Chrill in vain. 3. John prefers 
 Chrift before Mofes, whom the JewsdoteJ fo much upon. 
 The law was giver, h Mofes, not as the author, but as thq 
 dil'penfer of it. Mofes was God's minifter, by whom the 
 law, which reveals wrath, was given to the Jews, but 
 grace and truth came by Jefus Chrijl. Grace, in oppofi. 
 tion (o the condemnatory curfe and fentence of the 4aw • 
 and truth, in oppofition to the types, fnadowi, and cere- 
 monies of the legal adminiftration. Learn iitncc. That 
 all grace for the remilRon of (in, and for performance of 
 duty, isgiven from Chrift the fountain ofgrace; gracecame 
 by Jefui Chr ifl. The grace of pardon and reconciliation; 
 the grace of holinefs and fmcftihcation ; the grace of love 
 and adoption ; even all that grace that fits us for fervice 
 here, and glory hereafter. Chriftis both the dil'penfer and 
 the authorof it. Cruee came by Jefus Chrift . Again, 4. 
 John the Bapiift here '.'cr. i 8.) doth not only prefer Chrift 
 before himfelf, before Mofes, before all believers, but even 
 before all perfons whatfoever, in point of knowing and re- 
 vealing the mind of God. No man hath feen Cod at any 
 time; that is, no mere man bath ever feen God in hisef- 
 fence, whilft he was in thio mortal ilatc. Here God's i.^- 
 vifibilicy is affened ; next Chrift's intimacy with the Father 
 is declared. The only begotten Son, that is in the bofom 'jfthe 
 Father. This exprelTion implies three tliirgs, i. Unity of 
 natures ; the bofom is the child's place, who is part of our- 
 I'elves, and of the fame nature withourfelves. 2. Nearnefs 
 of affeftion : None lie in the bofom, but the perfon that is 
 dear to us. A bofom friend is the deareft of friends. 3. 
 It implies communication of ferrets. Chrift's lying in 
 his Father's bofom, intimates his being confcious to all his 
 Father's fecrets, toknowallhiscounfels, and to underftand 
 his whole will and pleafure. Now, as Chrift'i lyirig in 
 the Father's bofom, implies unity of nature, it teaches us 
 to give the fame worfhip to Chrift, which we give to God 
 the Father, becaufe he is of the fame nature with tiie 
 Father: As it implies dearnefs of affeftion betwixt the 
 Father and the Son, it teaches us to place our chief love 
 upon Chrift the Son, becaufe God the Father doih fo: He 
 who is the Son of God's love, (hould be the oh\tSt of our 
 love ; as God hath a bofom for Chrift, fo ihould we have 
 alio, the noblell objccl: chailei'ges the liigheft affedion. 
 Again, as Chrift's lying in the father's bofom, inipliesihe 
 knowledge of his mind and will, it teaches us to apply 
 purfelves to Chrift, tflhis word and Spirit for illuuiination. 
 Whither (hould we go for inftrndion, but to this great 
 Prophet; for direction, but to this wonderful Counfellor ? 
 
 V\c 
 
Chap,i7 
 
 St.' J O H N. 
 
 309 
 
 We can never be made wiTe nntofalvation, if Ghrift, the 
 wifdom of the Father, doth not make us fo. 
 
 19 f And this is the record of John, when the 
 Jews fcnt priefts and Lcvites from Jerulalem 10 afk 
 him, Who art thou ? 20 And he confelf'td, and de- 
 nied not ; but confcfTed, I am not the Chrill. 21 
 And they aflced him, What then .•* Art thou Elias ? 
 And he faith, I am not. Art thou that prophet ? 
 And he anfwered, No. 22 Then faid they unto 
 him, Who art thou ? that we may give an anfwer 
 to them that fentus: what fayeft thou of thyfelf? 
 23 He faid, I am the voice of one cryinij in the wil- 
 dcrnefs, Make ftraight the way of the Lord, as 
 faid the prophet Efaias. 24 And they which were 
 fent wereofthe Pharifees. 25 Andthry allced him, 
 and faid unto him,Why baptized thou then, if thou 
 be not that Chrift, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 
 26 John anfwered them faying, I baptize with 
 water : but there llandcth one among vou, whom 
 ye know not ; 27 Heitis who, coming after me, is 
 preferred before me, whofe fhoes latchet I am not 
 worthy tounloofe. 28 Thefe things were done in 
 Bethabara beyond Jordan,whereJohn was baptizing 
 
 In thefe verfeswe have a lecond leflimonv which John 
 the Baptill gave of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, The Jews 
 ftnt priejis and Levites from Jtrufahm, faying, JVho art 
 thou? that is, the faiihedrim, or greitcounfel at Jerufalem 
 to whom it belonged to judge who were true prophets, 
 fent meflengersto the B.iptift toknow, whether he was the 
 Meflias or not? John reful'es to take this honour to him- 
 felf, but tells them plainly, he was his harbinger and fore- 
 runner, and that the Mefilas hinifelf was juft at hand. 
 From hence note. How very cautious, and exceeding care- 
 ful this meffenger of Chrift was, and all the niinifters of 
 Chrift ought to be, that they do not afliime or arrogate to 
 themfelves any part of that honour which is due ro Chrift; 
 but fet the crown of praife upon Chrifts own head, ac- 
 knowledging him to be All in Ail. i Cor. iii. 5. IVho 
 then is Paul? and who is .4ppolks ? hut mini/iers hy vhom 
 ye believed. Ob/ervehnher, in this teftimony of John the 
 Baptift, thefe two things: i. A negative declaration, who 
 he was not ; I am nut, fays he, tkeA:cJ/uih, whom you lock 
 tor,«9r Eiias, nor that prophet you expect ; not El'iis that 
 is,in-your fenfe, notEliasthetiftibite; not Elias for iden- 
 tity of perfon, but Elias for fimilitiide of gifts, office, and 
 callmg. John came, though not in thepeVlbn, yet in the 
 power and ipirit of Elias. He denies farther, that he was 
 that prfiphet ; that prophet which Mofes (pake of. Duet. 
 >:vin. 15. nor any ofthe old prophets rifen from tiie dead; 
 nay, ftridly fpeaking, he was not any prophet at all ; hut 
 more than a prophet.- Jhe Old Teftament prophets pro- 
 pheiied of Chrift to come ; but John pointed at, Ihewtd, 
 and declared a Chrift already come ; and in this fenfe l-.e 
 was BO mere prophet, but u;ore than a prophet. 2. We 
 have here the BaptiiVs pofitive affirmation, who he was; 
 namely, Chrift's hcrild-in the- N^ildcrncfs, his ullicr, his 
 
 forenmner to prepare rhepeople for receiving ofthe Mef- 
 fias, and to make them ready for tlie<?ntertaining of the 
 gofpel, by preaching the doitrinc of repentance to ihem. 
 From hence learn, Fhat the preaching of the doctrine of 
 repentance isindilpenfibly neced'ary, in order to the ptcpa- 
 ring ofthe heartsof linncrs for the receiving of J cfus Chrift. 
 Lajlly, The great and exemplary humility of the holy 
 Baptift, the mean and lowly opinion he had of himk-lf.— ^ 
 Although John was the greateft among thetn that were 
 born of a woman, and fo much efteeined by the Jews, and 
 h.id the honour to go before Chrift in the exercil'e of his 
 office and miniftry ; yet he judges himfelf unworthy to 
 carry Chrift's Ihoes after him. He that cometh after me, is 
 pnferredhtfore me, whrfefjoes lam not worthy to unk'jfe. 
 Learn hence, That the more eminent gifts the miniftersof 
 the gofpcl have, and the more ready men are to honor and 
 efteem them, the more will they abafe themfelves, if they 
 be truly gracious, and account themfelves highly honored 
 jn doing the meaneft offices of love and fervice for JefiK 
 Chrift. Thus doth the holy Baptift here: His fl.oes lat- 
 chet I am not worthy to unloufe, 
 
 29 f The next day Jor.n fcethjcfus coming unto 
 him, and laith, Behold the Lamb of God, which ta- 
 keth away the iin of the world. 30 This is he of 
 whom I faid. After me cometh a man which is pre- 
 ferred before me : for he was before me. 
 
 This is John the Baptift's third teftimony concerning 
 Chrift, in which he points out Chrift as the true facriiice 
 for the expiation of Iin. Behold the Lamb of Cod. The 
 Lamb of God's appointing, to be an expiatory f.icrificci 
 the Lamb of God's elcftion ; the Lamb of God's affection; 
 the Lamb of God's acceptation ; the Lamb of God's exr 
 altation; who, by the facrifice of his death, /;<7J- taken a\u ay 
 the fin of the world. The fin, not the fins, of the plural 
 number, to denote originalfin. As fome think;' or as 
 others, to fhew, that Chrift hath univerfally t.iken upon 
 himfelf the whole burthen of our fin and guilt. And there 
 feems to be a fecret antethcfis in the word world. In the 
 Leviiical facrifices, only the fins of the Jews were laid upon 
 the facrificed beaft ; but this Lamb takes away the fin 
 both of Jew and Gentile. The Lord hath caufcdto meet on 
 hint the ir.iiiuity of us all. And tiie w ord takelh away, being 
 in the prefent tcnfe, denotes a continued aft, nnd it inti- 
 mates to ns thus much, viz. That it is the daily office of 
 Chrift to take away our fin by prefenting to the Father the 
 memorials of his death. Chrift takes away from all be- 
 lievers the guilt and puniffimentof their fins, the filth and 
 pollution of them; the power and dpn)inion that is in 
 them; and as St. John called upon the Jews, ro behold 
 this Lamb of God with an eye of ohfcrvation ; fo it is ours 
 to behold him now with an eye of admiratioii, with an tye 
 of gr.ntulation; but efpecially with an eye of faith and deu - 
 pendance, improving the fruit of his death to oar own conu 
 folation and falvaiion, Ita. xlv. 22. Look unto me, &c. 
 
 3 1 And I knew him not : but that Jie fhould be 
 mademanifefttolfrael, therefore am I come baptiz- 
 ing with water, 32 And John bare record, faying, 
 
 I.faw 
 
319 
 
 St. J O II N. 
 
 CUAT. t. 
 
 I faw ihc Spirit dcfcending from heaven like a dove, 
 and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: 
 but he that fcnt me to baptize with water, the fame 
 faid unto me, Upon whom thou fhaU fee the Spirit 
 dcfcending and remaining on him, the fame is he 
 which baptizeth with the Holy Ghoft. 34 And I 
 iaw, and bare record tkat this is the Son of Cod. 
 
 Oh/e-rve here, That though John the Bipifft was a 
 near feiniiiiaii of Chrilt, according to the flelh, 5'et the pro- 
 virlence of God rot>rdered if, that for thirty yc.nrs together, 
 they did not know one another, nor converfe with each 
 other, nor probably ever faw the faces of each other; to 
 he fure he did not know him to be the MelFiah. This, no 
 iloubt, was over ruled by the wifdoni of God, to prevent 
 i\\ ful'picion, as if John andChrilt had compacted together, 
 to give one another credit; that the world might I'lifpect 
 nothing of the truth of John's teftiinony concerning Chrift, 
 •r have the leaft jealoufy that what he ('aid of Chrif}, was 
 from any bias of mind to his perfon ; therefore he repeats 
 it a fecond time, ver. 31, and 33. I kmiv him not. Hence 
 we may learn, That a corpor..! light of Chrilb, andnn out- 
 ward perfonal acquaintance with him, is not fiiiiply needful, 
 and abfolutely neceflary for enabling a minifter to fet him 
 forth and reprefent hitn f.tvingly to the world. 2. The 
 means declared by which John came to know Chrift to be 
 the true Mefliah ; it was by n fign from heaven, namely, 
 the holy Ghoft dcfcending like a dove upon our Saviour. 
 He thai fcnt me to baptize with -uater, the fame faid unti) me, 
 Upon -wbom thou fhalt /ee the Spirit defccndinfr, and remain- 
 ing , the fame is he. Ltarnhtncc, i. That Chrift takingnpon 
 him our nature, did fo cover his glory with the veil of our 
 flefli and common infirmities, that he could not be know n 
 by bodily light from another njan. Till John h;id a divine 
 revelation, and an evident fign from heaven, that Chrift 
 was the Son of God, he kne'-o him not._ a. That Chrift in 
 his folemn entry upon his office, as Mediator, was fealed 
 unto the work by the defcentling of the Holy Ghof} upon 
 him ; He was fealed by the Holy Ghoft's dcfcending, and 
 the Father's teftifs ing. That this was his beloved Son, in 
 whom he was well pleafed. Now it was, that God gave 
 not of the Spirit to Chrift by meafure, for the efFeftual 
 sdminiftration of his mediatori-^l cfEce ; now ;'/ pleafed the 
 Father, that in Chrip fh'iuld all fulncfs dwell. He was filled 
 ent^rnlively with all kinds of grace, and filled intenlively 
 with all degrees of grace, in the day of his inauguration, 
 when the holy Spirit defcended upon him. 
 
 35 ? Again the next day after, John flood, and 
 two of his difcipies : 36 And looking upon Jefus as 
 he walked, he faith, Beiiold the Lamb of God. 
 
 It is evident, that John's difciplies were never very willing 
 to acknowledge Jelus for the Melfias, becaiifethey thought 
 he did (hadow and cloud their Mafter. See therefore the 
 llncerity of the holy Baptift ; he takes every opportunity to 
 draw oft' the eyes of his own difcipies from hirafelf, and to 
 flK them upon Chrift ; he laid to two of his difcipies, Behold 
 the Lamh of Cod : As if he had faid, " Turn yonr eyes 
 from nie frf Chrift, take Ief» notice of ree his minifter; but 
 
 behold your and my Lord and Mafter, Behold the Lamh of 
 God," Learn hence, That the 'great defign of Chrift's 
 faithful minifters is to fet people upon admiring Chrift, and 
 not Hiagnifying themftlves. Oh! It is their great anibitioa 
 and defire, that fuch as love and refpeft them, and honour 
 their miniftry, may be led by them to Chrid; to behold 
 and admire him, to accept of liini, and to fuhwnitunto him: 
 John r.iid to his difcipU":, Behol.l the Lamb of God. 
 
 37 And the two difcipies her»rd him fpeak, and 
 they followed jefus. 38 Then Jefus turned, and 
 faw them following, and l.iith unto them, What icek 
 ye? They faid unto him, Rabbi, (which is to f^iy, 
 being interpreted, Maflar) where dwellcft thou? 39 
 He faith unto them, Com* and ice. They came 
 and faw where he dwelt, and abode with Jiim that 
 day : for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of 
 two which heard fohn fpeak, and follo'ved him,was 
 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 Hefirll find- 
 eth his own brother Simon and faith unto him, 
 Wc have found the Melfias ; which is being inter- 
 preted, the Chrift. 45 And he brought him to Jefus, 
 And when Jefus beheld him, he faid. Thou art 
 Simon, the fon of Jona : thou fhalt be called Cephas; 
 which is by interpretation, a flone. 43 The day 
 following Jefus would go forth into Galilee, and 
 findeth Philip, and faith unto him, Follow me. 44 
 Now Philip wasofBethfaida, thccity of Andrew aad 
 Peter. 
 
 This latter part of the chapter acquaints us with the 
 calling of fivedilciples; not to the apofvlefliip, for that was 
 afterwards ; nor yet fimply by converfion, for fomc of them 
 were John's difcipies already, and believed in the Mefliah 
 to ccujie ; but they are called toown and acknov^ ledge Jefus 
 Chrift to be the true and promil'ed MelTah. The difcipies 
 here called, were Andrew, Peter, and Philip, mean and 
 obfcure perfons, poor fifhermen, not any of the learnt il 
 Rabbles and docftors amoni; the Jews. Hereby Cf)rift 
 fhewed at once the freenefs of his grace in pafling by the 
 knowing men of the age ; the gnitnel'sof hispower, who 
 by fuch weak inftruments, could cfFedt fuch mi>;hty things: 
 and the glory of his wifdoin, in chuling fuch inftruments as 
 fhould not carry away theglorv of the work from him; but 
 caufe theentirehonour and glory of all their great fuccelFes 
 to redound to Chrift. As Chrift can do, I'o he chufes to 
 do great things by weak means, knowing that the weyknefs 
 of the inftruinent redounds to the greater honour of thea- 
 gent; for thefeperfons called now to be difcipies, were after 
 Vv-ards fenrfcMth by Chrift as his apoftles, to convert the 
 world to Chriftianity. Farther, The order according to 
 which the difcipies were called ; firft Andrew, then Peter: 
 which may make the r hurch of Rome afljamed of the 
 weaknef* of their argument for Peter 's iupreniucy. that h« 
 was firft called; whercis Andrew before him, ant: Peer was 
 brougiit to Jefus b\' him. Andrcu frdeth his ciun brother 
 Simon, and broujjht him to Jefus. Such as have gotten 
 any knowledge cf Chrift themftlves, and are let into ac- 
 
 quaiutunce 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 St, J O H N. 
 
 51' 
 
 ^uaintance with him, will be very diligent to invite, and 
 induftrious to bring in others to him. Peter being brought 
 to Ciirill, our Saviour names him Cephas, which fignifies 
 a_/?5Wf, a rock; to iniiniate to him his duty to be firm and 
 Heady in tlie chriftian profellion, full of courage and con- 
 Itancy. Thou /halt be culled Cephas, which is by interpreta- 
 tion a Pone . 
 
 45 Philip findeth Nathaniel, and faid unto him, 
 Wc have found him of whom Mofes in the law, and 
 the prophets did wnte, Jefus of Nazareth, the fon of 
 Jofeph. 46 And Nathanael faid unto him. Can 
 there any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Philip 
 faith unto him, Come and fee. 47 Jefus faw Na- 
 thanael coming to him, and faith of him, Behold an 
 I fraelite indeed in whom is no guile. 
 
 The laft: perfon mentioned in this chapter, who was 
 tailed to own and embrace Chrift for a Melfiah, is Natha- 
 nael : Who this Nathanael was, doth not certainly ap- 
 pear, but, it is evident, he was a fincere good man, though 
 prejudiced for the prefcnt againft Chriit, becaufe of the 
 place of his fuppofed birth and refidence, Nazareth : Can 
 any good thing come nut of Nazareth ? That is. Can any wor- 
 thy or excellent perfon; much lefs the promi fed Meflias, come 
 out of fuch an oblcure place as Nazareth is? Whereas 
 almighty God, whenever he pleafes, can raife worthy per- 
 sons out of contemptible places. Chftrve farther. How 
 merciiully and meekly our Saviour p;iires over the miftakes 
 and failings, the prepofTi. (lions and prejudicesof Nathanael, 
 but takes notice of, and publicly proclaims his fincerity : 
 Behold an Ifraelite indeed, in whom there is no guile; that 
 is, no guile imputed, no guile concealed, no prevailing 
 lile ; it being only true of Chrill, in a ftridt and abfolute 
 "enfe, that there was no guile found in his lips; but in a 
 qualified fenfe, it is true of Nathaneal, and every upright 
 man ; they are true Ifraelites, like their father Jacob, plain 
 men, men of great fincerity and uprightnefs of heart, both 
 in the light of God and man. And whereas our Saviour 
 fpeaks of him with a fort of admiration. Behold an J/rae lite, 
 in -whom is no guile ; we learn, That a perfon of great fin- 
 cerity and uprightnefs of heart towards God and man, a 
 true Nathanael and Ifraelite indeed, is a rare and worthy 
 fight; Behold an Ifraelite indeed. 2. That fuch indeed as 
 are Nathaniels, need not commend themfelves, Chrift will 
 be fure to do it for them : Nathanael conceals his worth, 
 Chrift publifhes and proclaims it, and calls upon others to 
 take notice of it -. Behold an Ifraelite indeed, in whom is no 
 guile. 
 
 48 Nathanael faith unto him. Whence knowefl; 
 thou me ? Jefus anftvercd and faid unto h'lm, Before 
 ^ that Philip called thee, when thou waft under the 
 fig-tree, I i.\\v thee. 49 Nathanat;! anfwered and 
 faid unto him. Rabbi, thou art the Son of Qod, thou 
 art the King of Ifrael. 50 Jefus anfwered and faid 
 unto him, Becaufe I faid unto thee, I faw thee under 
 the fig-tree, believeft thou > thou (halt fee greater 
 things than thefe. 
 
 f. 
 
 Ohferve here. Now Nathanael wondereth that Chrill 
 fliouid know him, having (as he thought; never Icen him. 
 Chrift gives him to underftand, that by hisi all-feeing eye 
 he had feen him, when he was not feen by him : When thou 
 waft under the fgtree I faw thee. Chrift's all-feeing eye 
 is an infallible proof of his Deity and Godhead. Chrill 
 feeth us wherever we are, and whatever w e do, though wc 
 fee not him ; he feeth the fincerity of our hearts, .ind will 
 own it, and bear witnefs to it, if we are upright in hisfight. 
 C bferve iivther, Mow Chrift's cmniprefence and omnifci- 
 ence convinces Nathanael that he was more than man, 
 even the Meflias, God and man, in two dift;n(fl natures, 
 and one perfon ; Rabbi, thou art the Son of Cod. Philip 
 called Chrift the Son of Jofeph; Nathanael c.ills him the 
 Son of God. Such as believe Chrift's omnifcience, will 
 never cail in queftion his divinity. Laftly, How Chr'ft 
 encourages the faith of this new difciple Nathanael, by 
 proraifing him that he fliall enjoy farther helps and means 
 for the confirmation of his faith than ever yet he had. All 
 that Chrift faid to him, was only this, that he faw him under 
 the fig-tree, before Philip called him. How ready art thou, 
 O Lord ! to encourage the beginningsof faith in the hearts 
 of thy people, and 10 furnilh them with farther means of 
 knowledge, when they wili^y improve what ihcy have re- 
 ceived? Never wilt thou be wanting, either in means or 
 mercy to us, if we be not wanting to thee and ourfelves. 
 
 51 And he faith unto him, Verily, verily, I fay 
 unto you, Hereafter you fhall fee heaven open, and 
 the angels of God afccnding and defcending upoa 
 the Son of man. 
 
 The heavens were open to Chrift, and the angels attended 
 upon him, firll at his baptifm, Matth. iii. ult. then at his 
 al'cenfion, Adls i. 9. Whether Chrift alludes to the one or 
 the other, or to both, I (hall not politively fay ; but gather 
 this note. That the miniftry and attendance of the holy 
 angels upon the Lord Jefus Chriit, in the time of his hu- 
 miliation, was very remarkable : An angel foretells his con- 
 cepiion to the Virgin, Luke i. 31. An angel publidies his 
 birth to rhn Ihef herds, Luke ii. 14. In his temptations in 
 the wilderncls, the angels came ?nd miniftered unto him. 
 Matt. iv. II. In his agony in the garden, an angel is. fenc- 
 to comfort him, Luke xxii. 42 At his refurredlion an an- 
 gel rolls aw av the ftone, and proclaims him rifen to the 
 women that fought for him. Matt, xxviii. 6. Athisafctn- 
 fion, the angels attended upon liim, and bare him company 
 to heaven: And at the day of judgment, he fliall be re- 
 vealed from heaven with his mighty angels. Now, thus 
 officious are the holy angels to our biefled Saviour, and 
 thui fubfervieni to him upon all occafions. 1. In point of 
 affeclion and fingular love to Chrift. 2. In point of duty 
 and fpecial obi gatioii to Chrift. 7 here is no fuchchcar- 
 fnl and ddighttul fervice, as the fervice of love: Siich is 
 the .Tngels fervice to Chrift, for the ferviccs he has dene 
 them, he being an head of corifii m i'ion to them ; for, that 
 they are eftabliflied in thai lioK aiidgloriou'ft itein which 
 they wer'' at firft created, is owing x<i the f[ ci.d grace of 
 the Rtiii enier : Glorify him then, ail ye angcis, and praife 
 him J all hishof}. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
3^2 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap, ir^ 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 AND the third day there was a marriage in Cana 
 of Galilee: and the mother of Jcl'us was there. 
 2 And both Jefus was called, and his difciplcs, to 
 the marriage. 
 
 The forinsr part of this chapter acquaints iis with the 
 firft miracle which dnr Saviour wrought, in turning water 
 into wine ; the occaiion of it was, his being invited to a 
 inarriageTfealt-. Here note, i . That whenever our Saviour 
 was invited to a public entertainment, he never refufcd the 
 in vi cation, but conftantly went; not lo much foriheplealure 
 of eating, as for the opportunity of converfing and doing 
 good, which was meat and drink unto him. 2. What 
 honour Chrift put upon the ordinance of marriage : He 
 honours it with his prefence and firft miracle. Some think 
 it was St. John tliat was now the bridegroom; others that 
 it was loaic near relation of the Virgin mothers; Bat 
 whoever it might be, doubtlefsChrift's defign was rather 
 to put honour upon the ordinance than upon the perfon. 
 How biild is the church of Rome in fpittmg upon the face 
 of this ordinance, by denying its lawfelnels to the niinif- 
 tersot religion? when theapoftle,Heb. xiii. 4. aifirmsthat 
 m,7rrfage is honourable among all. Neither the prophets of 
 the Old 'J'eftament. nor the apoftles of the New St, Peter 
 hinifeif not accepted did abhor :he marriage-bed, or judge 
 thenifelves too pure for an inflitution of tlieir M. ker. 3. 
 Thatit IS an ancient and laudable inltitution, that the rites 
 of marri.ikre ihould not want a folemn celebration. Fcaft- 
 ing with iriends upon fuch an occaCion is both lawful and 
 commendable, provided the rules of fobriety and charity, 
 modefty and dtcency be ol>lVrved, and no fmful liberty al- 
 ftmied : But i mull be Ord, tha: fealting in general, and 
 marriage-feafts in particular, are fomeof thofe lawful things 
 which are difficulty managed without fin. 4. That our 
 Saviour's workmga mir.*rle when he was at the marriage 
 feafl, Ihould teach us, b- his example, that in our chearlul 
 and free times, when we indulge a little more than ordi- 
 nary to mirth amongftour friends, wc fhould ftill be mind- 
 ful of God'> honour and glory, and lay hold upon an oc- 
 r.fion of doing all the good we can. Laftly, As Chrift 
 was perfonally invited to, and bodily prefent at this mar- 
 riage feaft, when here on earth; fohe will not refufenow 
 in heaven, tobe fpiritually prefent at hispeople's marriages: 
 They want his prefence with them upon that great occa- 
 fion ; they defire andfeekit; he is acquainted with it, and 
 invited to it, whoever is neglected : And where Chrilt is 
 made acquainted with the match, he willcertainly makeone 
 at the marriage. Happy is that,wedding where Chrill and 
 his friends (as here) are the invited, expected, and enjoyed 
 guefts. 
 
 3 And when they wanted ivine, the mother of 
 Jefus faith unto him. They have no wine. 4 Jefus 
 faith unto her) Womin, what have I do with thee ? 
 mine hour is not yet conic. 5 His mother faith un- 
 to the fervants, Whatloevcr he faith unto you do zV. 
 
 This want of wine was prob.ibly lo difpofed by the pro- 
 vidiiice of God, to give our Saviour an opportunity to 
 
 manifell his divine power in worTcing a miracle to fupply 
 it, Obferve here, i. How the Virgin inquires into the 
 family's wants, and then nukes them known to ChrifV. 
 Learn hence That it is an argument of piety, and an evi- 
 dence of chriftian love, to inquire into the wants, and to' 
 recommend the necellities of others to Chrift's care and 
 confideration whofe bounty and munificence can readily 
 and abundantly fupply them : Thus far tlie Virgin's a^ion 
 was good ; flie laid open the cafe t» Chnll ; They have ««■ 
 ■wine. ' But Chrift, who difcerned the thoughts of Mary's 
 heart, finds herguilty of prefumption : She thought by her 
 motherly authority, Uie might have expected, if not com^ 
 nianded a miracle from him : Whereas Chrift was fubject 
 to her, as man, during his private life ; but now beingr^ 
 entered upon his office as a Mediator, as God man, he 
 gives her to underlland (he had no power over hiiu, nor 
 any motherly authority in the bufinels of hispublic office ; 
 therefore he fays to her, li^oman, what have I to dovjiththee? 
 He that charges],his angels with folly, will not be taught 
 when and how to aft, by poor crawling duft and aflies. — 
 Obferve therefore, 2. Chrill calls the Virgin, vioman, not 
 mother; but this was not out of any contempt, but to pre- 
 vent her being thoughtmore fhan a woman, above or be- 
 yond a woman, having brought forth the Son of God: 
 IVoman, faysChrifl, uw goddefs ,!t%x\\e papifls would make 
 her, and proclaim her free from fin even from venial (in; 
 RurChrili's reproving her, fhewsthat fhe was not faultlefs. 
 3. Chr.ft would not bear with rhe Virgi^ls commanding 
 on earth ; will he then endure her intercf Ifion in heaven? 
 Mufl flie not meddle with mattersapptrt.iining to hisoffice 
 here below? and will it be endured by Chriil, or endea- 
 voured by her, to interpofe in (he woik of mediation above? 
 No, no; were it pofTible for her fo far to forget herfelf in 
 heaven, fhe would receive the anfwer from Chrill which 
 flie had on earth; Woman, -what have I to do with thee, or 
 thou with me, in my mediatorial office? But inflead o'' this, 
 Ihe returns anfwer from heaven to her idolatrous petitioners 
 here on earth, " What have I to do with you ? Get yoa 
 to my Son, go you to Chrifl, he that was the Mediator of 
 redemption ; he, and only he, continues the Mediator of 
 interceflion." O how fooffh as well as impious is it to 
 think, that flie who hatl not fo mucli power as to direct 
 the working of one miracle on earth, fliould have now 
 lodged in her hands all the power of heaven! 
 
 6 And there was fet there fix waterpots of ftone 
 after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, con- 
 taining two or three firkins a-piece. 7 Jefus faith 
 unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And 
 they filled them up to thq brim. 8 And he faith 
 unto them, Drjwoutnow and bear unto the gover- 
 nor of the feaft. And they bare it. 9 When the 
 ruler of the fcafl. had tailed the water that wasmade 
 wine, and knew not whence it was, (but tlie fer\'ants 
 which drew the water knew.) the governor of the 
 feaft called the bridegroom, 10 And faith unto him, 
 Every rnan at the bcgginning doth let forth good 
 wine; and when men liavc well drunk, then that 
 
 which is woric : 
 
Jhap. tl. 
 
 Sr^ JOHN. 
 
 S^'S 
 
 worfe : but thou hafi. kept the good wine until now. 
 11 This beginning of miracles did jtrfus in Canaof 
 Galilee, and manifcfted forth his glory ; andhis dilci- 
 plcs believed on him. 
 
 In this miracle of our Saviour's turning water into wine 
 ah/crve, i. Tlie reality of ihe miracle, .iiid the llncerity of 
 ChrJl} in the working of it. To evidence there was no 
 deceit in the miracle, not wine-cafl;s, but water-pots are 
 called for; wine-vcfl'els,iii which fome lees were remaining 
 might have given both a viniouscolour and talte to the 
 water; but llort'e pots ceiild contribute nothing of this 
 nature; and being open pots, there was no ftealmg wine 
 intothem without obfervation. Agiin, our Saviour'sem- 
 ploying the fervants, and not his difciples, takes off any 
 fufpicion of collufion ; and his lending it to the ruler or 
 governor of the fealt, was an evidence that the miracle 
 would bear examination. Our Saviour's miracles were 
 real and beneficial ; they were obvious to fenfe, not lying 
 wonders, not ficftitious miracles, which the jugglers in the 
 church of Rome cheat the people with : The greateft mi- 
 racle which they boaft of, traufubji untiatkn , is fo far from 
 being obvious to fenfe, that it contraditts the feule and 
 reafon ei iiiankind, and is the greateft affront to human 
 nature that ever the world was acquainted with. 2. 
 Though Clirift wrought a real miracle, yet he would not 
 work aiore of miracle than needed ; he would not create 
 wine out of nothing, but turned water into wine. Thus 
 lie multiplied the bre.nd, changed the water,reftored wither- 
 ed limb?, r.iifeddead bodies. Hill working upon that which 
 was, and not creating that which was not: Chrift never 
 wrought a miracle but when needful, and then wrought no 
 more of miracle than he needed. 3. The liberality and 
 bounty of Chrift in the miracle here wrought ; fix water- 
 pots are filled with wine; enough, fay fome writers, foran 
 hundred and fifty men; had he turned but one of thcfe 
 large velTels into wine, it had been a fufficient proof of his 
 power ; but to fill fo many, was an inftance both of his 
 power and mercy. The Lord of the family furniflies his 
 Jioufhould not barley for neceflity, but for delight, giving 
 richly all things to enjoy. And as the bounty of Chrift 
 appeared in the quantity, fo in the excellency cf the wine; 
 7htiu haji kept ike hef^-jj'tne till no'Ji, fays the governor of the 
 feaft. It was fit that Chrift's miraculous wine flrould be 
 more perfect than the natural. But, oh, ble/Ted Saviour 
 how delicate and delicious fliall that wine be, which we fliall 
 drink, ere long, with thee in thy P'ather's kingdom ! Let 
 thy holy Spirit fill the vefielof my heart v/ith water (with 
 godly forrow and contrition) and thou wilt turn it into 
 wine. For, hUJfidare they that mCLTrt, ibcy (kali h'; com- 
 forted. 4. The double elFefts of this miracle ; Chrifl 
 htrthjHwniJepedforth his glory , CKd his difciples beikvsdon 
 him. I. He manifefled forth his gLry : that is, the glory 
 vi his Godhead, as doing this by his own power. Here 
 jhined forth his omnipotence, his bounty and Hberalitv, 
 
 every thingthatmightbefpcak him both thegreatanfgjod 
 God. 1 he fecoijd efFeift of this miracle was, that the dif- 
 cipics believed on him. The great end of miracles is the 
 confirmation of faith ; God never fets the feal of his omni- 
 potency to a lie : All the miracles then that Chrift axidhis 
 
 apoftles did, were as fcmiaV fealt that the do<f>rifje of th« 
 gofpel is true. \f ye brlin-e «c/ me, fays Cluif\, belirvethe 
 ■wtrks which I do/for they bear vjitvefs of me, John v. 36. 
 
 12 1 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, 
 and his mother, andhis brethren, and his difciples, 
 and they continued there not many days. 13 H And 
 the Jews paCTover was at hand ; and Jelus went ijp 
 to Jerufalcm. 14 And found in the temple thole 
 that fold ooien, and {heep, and doves, and the 
 changers of money, fitting : 15 And when he had 
 made a fcourge of fmall cords, he^rove them all 
 out of the temple, and the fhecp, and the oxen : 
 and poured out the changers money, and overthrew 
 the tables : 16 And laid unto thcjtn that fold doves 
 Take thefe things hence : make not my Father's 
 houfean houfe of meichandife. 
 
 Obferve here, 1. How obedient in all things Chirift was 
 to ceremonial law. He was not naturally f'ubjecl to the 
 law ; but, to fulfil all righteoufncfs, he kept the palTover 
 yearly, according to the command of Cod, Exod. xxiii. 
 17. That all ihe males fijotdd appear hefjre /;/m in the 
 temple at Jerufalem. Hence it is probably concluded, that 
 Chrift came up to the pall'over continually during his pri- 
 vate life ; and being now come upto Jerufalem to this Hrfl 
 pafTover after his baptifm, andfolemn entrance on his office 
 his firft walk was to the temple, and his firft work was to 
 purge and reform it from abufes, not to ruin and deftroy 
 it: becanfe it had been abufed. Now, the abufe and pro- 
 fanation of the temple at that time was this : In the out- 
 ward court of the Gentiles, there was a public mart or 
 market, where were fold oxen, fliecp, and doTes for facri- 
 fice ; which otherwife the people, with great labour and 
 trouble mufthave brought up along with them forfacrifice 
 Therefore, as 3 pretended eale to the people, the prief ts or- 
 dered thefe things to be fold hard by the altar ; the inten- 
 tion was commendable, but the aftion not juftifiable. No 
 pretence ofgood ends can juftify that which is forbidden of 
 God : A good end can never juftify an irregular aclion. 
 2. Our Saviour's fervent zeal in purging and reforming his 
 Father's houfe. The fight of fin in any perfons, but eC- 
 pecially in and among profeflors, ought to kindle in our 
 hearts (as it did here in Chrift's breaft j a burning zeal 
 and indignation againil it, yet was not Chrift's zeal fo 
 warm as to dtvote the temple todeftruclion, becaufe of its 
 abufe and rrofaiintion. Places dedicated tothe worfliipand 
 fervice of GtKj,if idolatroufly abufed, muft not be pulled 
 down, but purged ; not ruined, but reformed. There is a 
 fpeciclrevere;:! e due to the houfe of God, both for the 
 owner's fahe, and tlie fervice lake. Nothing but holinefs 
 becomes that place, where God is worfliipped in the beauty 
 of holinefs. Chrift by purging the court of the Gentiles 
 from nierchandife, not unlawful in itfelf, but neceffary for 
 the facrifkes which were offered in the temple, though not 
 necefFary to be brought there, did plainly infinuate, That a 
 diftiudion is to he made betwixt places facred and pi ..fane; 
 and that what may be done as well elfewhere, oi:o.;r not 
 to be done in the houfe of God, the place appoir.ted im- 
 mediately 
 
3^4 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap, ii. 
 
 diately for his -.voidiip. x. The greatnefs of this miracle, 
 in the weuLiiefs of the means which Chrift made ufc of to 
 effect and work it : He drove the buyers and fellers before 
 him out of the temple : But how, and with what? St. 
 Hieroin, in Matt. xxi. fays, That certain fiery rays or 
 beams, darling from Chrift's eyes, drove out thefe merchants 
 from this place. I dire not avouch this, but I am fatisfied 
 that Chrilt drove them out, unarmed with any weapons 
 that might carry dread and terror with them, at moft but 
 with a whip of Imall cords; which probably might befcat- 
 tered by the drovers that came thither to fell their cattle. 
 Behold then the weaknefsof thenieansonthe one fide, and 
 confider the greainefsof theoppofuionon the other ; Herfe 
 was a confluence of people tooppofe Chrift, this being the 
 moft folemn mart of the pairover,ar)d here weremerchaiit- 
 riien, whole hearts were fct upon gain (the world's God) 
 to oppofe him. But neither the weaknefs of the means, 
 nor the greatnefs of the oppofuion, did difmay him, or 
 caufe our Saviour to defift from the attempt of reforming 
 what was aniifs in the'houfe of God. Learn we hence. 
 That it matters not how weak the means of the church 
 reformation is, nor how flrong the oppofite power is ; if we 
 engage Chrifl in the undertaking, the work iliall certainly 
 be accomplilhed. O, how gre.Tt was the work, and how 
 nn\.\eak and unlikely were the means here ! A parcel of 
 fturdy fellows, whofe hearts were fet upon their wealth, 
 Chrift no fooi^lr fpeaks to them, .ind fliakes his whip at 
 them, but like a company of fearful hares thty run before 
 him. Chrift, in purging his churth, will make every 
 thing yield and give way to his power. Let it comfort the 
 church under all unlikelihood of reformation. VVho art 
 thou, O great mountain ! before ourfpiritual Zerubabel, 
 thou fhalt become a ])laii). 1 Hull clofe my obfervations 
 upon this miracle of Chrift's whipping the buyi rs atid fellers 
 out of the temple, which both Origen and Ft. Jerom do 
 make the greateft miracle that ever Chi ill uronglu, all 
 circumltances cenfidercd ; I fliall clofe it with ih's reflec- 
 tion, viz. Was there fuch power and terror In Chrift's 
 countenance and fpeech here in the tempk", in the days of 
 the flefli? Oh, how terrible then will his face and his ap- 
 pearance be to the wicked and impenitent world at the 
 great day ! Lord, how fearful will his iron fcourge then be ! 
 how terrifying that voice, "Depart, depart from me; 
 depart accurfed, depart into fire ; depart into everlafling 
 fire, into a lire prepared for the puniftiment of apoftatefpi- 
 rits, the devil and his angels,'" God grant we may wifely 
 confider it, and timely flee from the wrath to come- 
 
 17 And his difciplcs remembered that it was 
 written. The zeal of thine houfe hath eaten me up. 
 
 The dilVip'es upon thisoccalion called to remembrance 
 the words of Divid, Pfal. kix. Thezeal of thine hmije hath 
 enten me up;- which was verified in Chrift .ts well as in 
 David. Where ohjlrvc, 1. The grace defcnbcd, zeal, 
 vhich is the ardour of the afFeiTtions, carrying forth to the 
 utinoft for God's glory, and his church's guod. Zesl is 
 not fo much one afFi ftion, as the iiiteiife degree of all the 
 rftftctio!)S. 1. I he objpft.aboui w hich our Saviour's zeiil 
 was coiiverfant, Cijd's hw/e ; th.it is,«aU things relating to 
 ibe worfliip of God, temple, tabernacle, aik, &c. which 
 
 were the pledges of God's grace. 3. The efFed of this,- 
 it hnthbren enten up,\\ke fire that eatsnp and devours that 
 whereon it lights. What was faid of St. Peter, That he 
 was a man made up all of fire ; and of St. Paul, in refjiect 
 of his fufferings, That he was a fpark of fire burning in 
 themidftofthe fea; may much more truly be faid of Chrift 
 when he was engaged in the work of church- reformation. 
 Learn, Tliat as Thrift was, fo chriftians ought to be, very 
 zealous for the glory of God, the honour of his houfe, and 
 the purity of hit wirdiip. Tie zt-al 'fli.lne houfe, that is, 
 for the honour of.ihine houfe, hath ealtr. me up, &c. 
 
 1 8 f Then anfwered the Jews, and faid unto him, 
 What fi'^n fhewell thou unto us, feeing that tliou 
 doll thele thini^s ? 19 Jcfus anfwered and faid un- 
 to them, Deftroy this tctnple, and in three days I 
 will raife it up. 20 Then (aid the Jews, Forty and 
 fix years was this temple in building, and wilt thou 
 rear it up in three days? 21 But he fpake of the 
 temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was 
 rifcn from the dead, his difciples remembered the 
 icripture, and the word which Jefus had faid. 
 
 Obferve here, i. How exceedingly offended the Jews 
 were at the reformation which our Saviour had made in 
 thehoufe of God, they were av.td indeed with the ma- 
 jefty of this great work, and dnrft not openly oppofe, but 
 lecrrtly malign it. Thence no/e. That redrefs of abufes 
 in God's worfhip, efpecially if it croffesour eafe, and con- 
 tronls our profit (as this did] is ufually diftafted. 1. How 
 thele Jews difcover their old in\eterate difeafe of infideli- 
 ty jthey require a fign, and call for a miracle tojuftifyChrifPs 
 coinniilTion. Why ? had they not a miracle before tfceir 
 eyes ? Was not the work of purging the temple a wonder- 
 ful miracle? Yet they demanded another miracle to make 
 this good . Learn thence. That obftinate infidelity will 
 not be fktisfied with the moft fiifficient means for fatis- 
 f.-)(5tion, but ftill objcii and oppofe againit the cleareft, the 
 fulltft, the moft convincing evidence. What fgn Jhe^uejt 
 thou us * fay the Jews when they had fo many figns and 
 wonders daily before their eyes. 3. The Jews demanding 
 a fign, our Saviour grants them one ; he remits them to 
 his death and refurredtion, to prove that he was the true 
 Meffiah. Dc/lroy this temple, and in three days J -will raife 
 it up. That is, " I know you will deftroy this temple of 
 my bodv, by putting me to death, But I will raife myfelf 
 ag;.in from the grave the third day." Chrift did not come 
 mand them to deftroy his body, but only foretold that they 
 would doit. Avj ejlverhum pr^cepti, fed pradiflionis : 
 " The words are not imperative, but only predictive and 
 permifTivc." Chrift did not bid them deftroy his hody,but 
 foretells what tl>ey would do ''Ye will deftroy this temple 
 but after three days I will raife it up." Where ko/?. That 
 Chrift afTerts his own power in raifing his ownbody from 
 the dead. True : the FatlM:r is often laid to rai.f^e him, and 
 it is necefTaiy that it be fo faid, that it might appear, that _ 
 divine juftice was fully fatisfied for our fins, in that he was *■ 
 by him delivered from that death which he underwent for 
 
CirAP. III. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 315^ 
 
 us. But yet it is olten affertcJ, thst Chrift raiTei] himfelt" 
 and that he wasquickenci hy the Spirit, which was as well 
 the Spirit of the Son, as of the Father, dwelling efTentially 
 in him. Now Chrift's foretelling his paffion and reilirrec- 
 tion. Learn thence, That all our Saviour's fufterings were 
 foreknown unto him, thatwfr?fcrst::Idby Iiim; he would 
 not prevent them, bin willingly permitted them, and cliear 
 fully underwent them ; Dejtrny this tetrple. Nalc here, i. 
 The ftate and dignity otChrift's holy body : It is a temp- 
 le He fpak; cfthe temple of hh body. The faints bodies are 
 temples by fpeciallanclification : ChriiVsbody was a tem- 
 ple by fubftantial inhabitation. The divinity ofChrift 
 dwelt in his humanity perfonally and immedi.itely. God 
 dwells in faints by regal authority, he dwelt in Chriil's 
 humanity by perfonal relidence. 2. The violence and in- 
 dignity otFered to his holy temple at our Saviour's death : 
 It was pulled down and dcftroyed. Death diflolved the union 
 betwixt our Saviour's foul and body j but there was a do- 
 fer union, which no violence of death could diffolve ; name- 
 ly, the union of his Godhead with his manhood ; this was 
 incapable either of diflblution or dcrtruftion. ■),. There- 
 pairing, reftoring, and raifing up of this temple out of the 
 ruins of it by our Saviour's refurreftion. In three days I 
 luill rai/f it up. Ob/erve, A full preof of our Saviours di- 
 vinity loraifc up a dead man, exceeds the power of nature 
 but for a dead man to raife himfelf, requires the power 
 of Cod. We read of deid men raifed by others but none 
 but Chrift ever raifed himfelf. The Jews could not 
 fay, He raifed others from the grave, himfelf he could 
 not raife. Jnfcrrence, i, Was Chrift's body a temple ? fo 
 fliall ours be too ; temples for the Holy Gofl to dwell in ; 
 temples by fpecial appropriation, temples by folemn con- 
 fecrarion, temples by actual employment. If any man defile 
 tkir temple, him will Cod de/}rrjy. 1. Was the temple of 
 Chrift's body pulled down by death, and deftroyed ?fo muft 
 alfo the temples of our bodies ere long. The temple of his 
 body was pulled down for our fin ; the temples of our 
 bodies ruined by our fin. Sin brought mortality into our 
 natures, and the wages of our fin is death. 3. Was the 
 temple of Chrift's body repaired in the morning of the re- 
 furre(flion ? fo (hall the temples of our bodies alio, if we 
 be the members of Chrift by a vital union. Thy dead men 
 oh bleflVd Redeemer ! /hall /-'vf ; together with thy dead 
 body Jh all they arife. A-vjake then and (ing, ye that diuellin 
 the du/}, for thy devj is the devj f hirbs, &c. Ifa.xxvi. 19. 
 
 23 H Now when he pas in Jcrufalem at the paff- 
 over, in thefcaft-^di', many believed in his name, 
 when they faw the miracles which he did. 24 But 
 }elus did not commit himfeif unto them becaufe he 
 knew all men. 
 
 Ohferve here. What influence the fight of our Savioiir's 
 miracles, had upon many of the common people. They be- 
 lieved in his name, when thty fuw the miracles which he did 
 xhat is, they wer-e convinced \>v the w«)rks which our Sa- 
 viour wrought, that he came from God, and what he faid 
 and did was really true and nt' iaipoftiire. But Jefus did 
 not commit himfelf unto tl:em, btcat'le he knevj ail men. Our 
 Saviour did not, and would not truft them who yft believed 
 
 on his name. Thence note. That a naked affent to the 
 hiftoi-y of the go/pel is not fujficient to entitle us tofaving 
 faith. We may aflent to the truth of al! that we fiml 
 there, and yet be far from the kingdumof God. Sa\-ing 
 faith implies more than the afTent of r'"' u.-.ic;!!-";!!;-^ ;.. 
 til* truths of tHe gofpel. We cannot believe nordilLelieve 
 what we pleaCe, but muft needs alTent to what is evideiiC 
 to our underlianding : fo that it ispofllble for a man to 
 afreiit to ihe truth of chriftianity, and yet remain in a llatc 
 of damnation. If he doth not embrace it as good, as well 
 as aifeut to it as true : if our faith be not the parent and 
 principle of obedience, if our belief doth not influtnce our 
 practice, though we pafs for believers amojigft men, we 
 are no better than unbelievers in the account of Chrift. It 
 we believe Jefus to be the true MelTias,and do not receive 
 liiiu in all his offices ; if we commit ourfelves to his fav- 
 ing mercy, but do not fubijiit ourfelves to his rulingpow- 
 er; if wedtfire him for our Saviour, but difown hiiii foi- 
 our Soveriegn : if we expect falvation by him, and do 
 not yield (ubjcftion to him, we put a cheat upon ourfelves ; 
 for he only believes as he fhould.that lives as he does believe 
 
 25 And needed not that any fhould tellify oF 
 man: for he knew what was in man. 
 
 St. John's defign in writing of this gofpel being to 
 afier: the divinity of Chrift, he fcatters evidences of it in 
 al.i.oft every chapter. Here he declares his omnifcience. 
 He knc-.v lukat -was in man ; that is, beingCod blefTed for 
 ever, he had an exaift knowledge of the hearts of men, 
 not by any revelation of men's hearts from God, but by 
 imniediate intuition from himfelf. Heknowsall men, and 
 all that is in men. See here anampleteftimony of the divi- 
 nity of Chrift, his knowledge of the fecrcts of the hearts 
 of all men, which is declared to be the undoubted proper- 
 ty of God alone, i Kings viii. ^(jTh'ju only knowejl the hearts 
 of all the children oj men, 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 THERE was a man of the Pharifces named 
 Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews : 2 The fame 
 came to Jefus by night, and faid unto him, Rabbi, 
 we know that thou art a teacher come from God : 
 for no man can do thefc miracles that thou doft, 
 except God be with him. 
 
 The former part of this chapter acquaints us with that 
 famous conference which our blelTed Saviour hail with 
 Nicodemus. This man by feci a Pharifee, which fignifies 
 a perfon fpperated and fei a part for the ftndy of the law of 
 God, and 10 teach it unto others; and by calling or pro: 
 feflion, a ruler of the Je-Jjs, that is, probably, one of the 
 Je.vifh fanhedrim, a chief perfon in their eccLefijftial court 
 and council. Confider we Nicodemus firft as a Pharifee 
 which fort of menwere filled with invitcrate prejudice and 
 enmity againft Chrift : yetfromhence we may gatherfhac 
 fuch is the efficacy of divine g'race, that it fomeiimes con- 
 vinces and converts alfo tholl that are the greateft enemies 
 to Chrift, and fierceft oppofers of him. No Inch bitter 
 enemies to Chrift as the Pharifces ; yet behold Nicomedos, 
 II R 2 ? Pbarifcs 
 
3i6 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 CHAf. HI. 
 
 a PhjrKue, coming to him, convinced and converted by 
 him. Coiifuler hi(n, fecondly, as a ruler of the Jews, as 
 a pcrfon of plice and power, making a figure in the world. 
 Though they were generally the poor which followed 
 Ciiriii, yet ionic Cf :!:' """^^^ ^^id rich men 9f the worW 
 as Nicodcmus, amafterot lltael, and Jofephof Arimathea 
 anhononrahle couHfellor, arccalled to Clirift, and received 
 ky him ; leil, if he had admitted illiterate and fin)ple men 
 pnly, the world might have thought that they weredecieved 
 through their fimplicicy. Chfervc farther, Ihe time when 
 Nicodemus came to Clirilt, it was by night, partly out of 
 fhame, left the world fliould think fuch a knowing man as 
 he was, wanted inftruiflion, and partly out of fear ; he had 
 fomethingto lofe, and therefore durftnot own Chrift pub- 
 li'.ly. However our dear Lord upbraids him not with timo- 
 roulnels, but gracioufly condefcends to inllrucl him in the 
 fundamental principle ofChrifbiaiiity, the great dodtrine of 
 regeneration. Such is the tendernefsof our compaiHonate 
 Saviour that he will i*)t extinguifh the leaft fparkof holy 
 iire, nor quench the fmoaking flax. 
 
 3 Jefus anfwcred and faid unto him, Verily, verily, 
 I lay unto thee. Except a man be born again, he can- 
 not fee the kingdom of God. 
 
 Chrift here acquaints Nicodemus, and in him all perfons, 
 that there muft be a change from nature to grace, before 
 there can be a change from grace to glory ; for though he 
 was a Jew, a doclior, andone that had good thoughts of 
 Ghrift, looking upon him as an extraordinary perfon, one 
 that had received power from God to work miracles ; yet 
 Chrift aflbres him thatnotliing fliort of the regenerateing 
 change would bring him to heaven. Jtis not enough that 
 ■we be new drtiTed, but we muft be new made ; that is, 
 thoroughly and univerfally changed, thcunderftandiiigby 
 illumination, the will by renovation, the affedions by 
 fandification, the bfe by reformation, or wc can never 
 come at heaven : Wc muft be like God, or we can never 
 Jive with him : If we be not like him in the temper of our 
 minds on earth, we can never be happy in the enjoyment 
 of him in heaven ; for heaven, which is a place of the 
 greateftholinels, would be a place of the greateft uiieaiinefs 
 to an unregeneraie and an unholy perfon ; the contagion 
 ii univerfal, deep, and inward, therefore fuch muft ice 
 change be. 
 
 4 Nicodemus faith unto him. How can a man be 
 born when he is old ? can he enter the fecond time 
 into his mothers womb, and be born ? 
 
 Two thingsare ohfervaih in this queftion of Nicodemus 
 F iw can a man he horn luh; n he is oU ? I . His ignorance 
 a^d wekknefs in propounding of fuch a queftion. So true 
 ii that of the apcftle, i Cnr. ii. 14. The natural man rp- 
 ceivtth not the things <if the Spirit of Cod. What a grofs 
 cohception had this learned man of the notion of regene- 
 ration? how ignorant is i.ature of the working of grace ? 
 Men of name and note, cf great parts andprofunnd Itarn- 
 ing, are very often muiii at a loi's in fpiritual matters. 
 Yet, z. In this queftion of his, there is difcovered a great 
 dcil of plainncfj and liiv.plicity ; He did not come, as 
 
 ufually the Pharifees did, with an infnaring queftion In his 
 mouth, but with a mind faiiiy difpoftd for infuriAation and 
 conviction ; with a pious delire to be inftrudted. What- 
 ever ignorance we labour under, it isf.ifcftand beft todif- 
 covcr It to our fpiritual guide, that '>\e may attain the mercy 
 of a fu'.'ir" );:i"^^iedic ; \)\i\ h<i?W 'IJany had father carry 
 their ignorance to heli with ihcm, than difcover it to their 
 minifter ! 
 
 5 Jefus anfwcred, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, 
 Except a man be born of water and (^^the Spirit, he 
 cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
 
 Nicodemns not rightly underftanding Chrift's meaning 
 in the former verfej our Saviour is plea/cd to explain him- 
 felf inthis, and tells htm, Ihat the birth he fjjake of was 
 not natural, but fpiritual, wrought in the foul by the fpirit 
 of God, whofe working is like water, cleanting aud puri- 
 fying the foul from all (inful dcfiletrient. Ltarn hence, 
 That the regenerating change is wrought in the fold by the 
 Spirit of God, which purifies itfrouiitsnatural defilement 
 and renews it .ifter the divine likenefs and image. We 
 never miderftanddivinetruthsaright, till Cbrlft uptns our 
 underftandings ; till then, they a\ ill be denied, nay, per- 
 haps derided, even by thofe that are profoundly learned. 
 
 6 That which is born of the flelh is flelh; and 
 that which is bom of the Spirit is fpirit. 
 
 As if Chrift had faid, "As men generate men, and na- 
 ture begets nature, fo the holy Spirit produceth bolyincli 
 nations, qualifications, and dilpolitions." Learnheuce, 
 That as original corruption is conveyed by natural genera- 
 tion, fo having regeneration is the effeifc and product of the 
 holy Spirit's oporation. 
 
 7 Marvel not that I faid unto thee, Ye muft be 
 born again. 8 The windbloweth where it lifteth, 
 and thou heareth the found thereof, but canfl. not tell 
 whence it cometh, and whither it goeth : fo is every 
 one that is born of the Spirit. 
 
 Nicodemus making an exception againft our Saviour's 
 notion of regeneration, from the abfurdity andiinpolFibility 
 of it (as he thought) our Saviour therefore proceeds t(» 
 clear the matter by alimilitude taken from the wind, which 
 at once declares the author, and defcribes the manner of 
 fpiritual regeneration : the author of it is the ho!y Spirit 
 of God, compared to the wind, firll. For the quality of his 
 motion : It b/o'vs -when and where it lifteth ; Secondly, 
 From thefenfihlt-nefs of its eifects ; Th-iu hearej} thcfuiind 
 thereof : Thirdly, P'rom the intricacy or myfteriojfnefsof 
 its proceedings: Thou knonueji not xuheme it cometh, .nor 
 •whither it g'ltth. As the natural wind is not under the 
 power of man either to fend it out or to reftrain it ; it 
 bloweih where it hlleth for all us, though not where it lifteth 
 in regard of God : In like manner, the holy Spirit is as 
 wind in freenefs of its morion, and in the variablenefs 
 of its motion alfo. Learn hcr.ce,! hat the way and work 
 of the holy Spirit of God in the foul's regeneration, is oft- 
 times very fecret, and ufually exceeding various :' Vario;»' 
 as to the time; foai« are wrought upon in youtb^ oihcrsm 
 
 Cid 
 
Chap. m. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Sty 
 
 old age : Various in his methods of working ; fome are 
 wroiijrht fipon by the ccrrofivenefs of the law, others by 
 the lenitives oi the gofpel : Various in the manner of his 
 working and in the means by which he works ; uponfome 
 by a powerful ordinance, upon others by an awakening 
 providence. But though there be l\i?h a variety jn th« 
 method cf the Spirit's working, yet is the work in all ftill 
 tlie fj:ne : There is no variety in the work wrought. The 
 erte6> produced by the holy Spirit in the work of regene- 
 ration is alike and the fame in all, namely , likenefs to God, 
 a conformity in our natures to ihe huly nanire of God, and 
 a conformity in our lives to the will of God. Ag;iin, it is 
 a very fecret work, and therefore compared to liic wind. 
 We hear the svind blow, we feel it blow, we obferve its 
 mighty force, and adtn're its llr^njie tifFcifts ; but we can- 
 not dcfcribe its nature, nor dfcl.ire its luiginal. Jhus the 
 holy Spirit, irr.a lecrct and hidden Bianner, quickens and 
 influences onr fouls. The eff-cts of its operations we fen- 
 (ibly difcern ; but how and after what manner he doth it 
 we know no more thin how the bones do grow in the 
 womb of her that is wUh child. Therefore it is called an 
 hidden !ife,C'clor. iii. 3. It is not only totally hidden from 
 carnal men, bu: in part hidden and unknown to fpiritual 
 men, though they themfelves are the fubjeftsof it. 
 
 9 Nicodemusanfwered and faid untohitn, How 
 can thefe things be ? 10 Jefus anfwered and (aid 
 unto him. Art thou a Mafter of Ifrael, and knowefl 
 not thele things ? n Verily, veriiy, I fay unto thee 
 We fpcak that we do know, and teftify that we 
 have feci*; and ye receive not our witnefs. 12 If I 
 have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, 
 how fhall ye believe if I tell you o/heavenly things ? 
 
 Cb/crve here, i. How Nicodemus, coufulting only with 
 carnal reafon, perdfts in his apprehenfion concerning the 
 ablurdity and impoffibility of our Savioiir's notion of re- 
 generation, or being born of the Spirit Nicodemus faid, 
 Hovj can thefe things he? Learn hence, That the great 
 caufe of men's ignorance in matters of falvation, and th.e 
 myfleries of religion, is confulting their own natural reafon 
 without I'ubmitting their underftandings to the authority of 
 divine revelation. Till they can give a reafon for every 
 thing they believe, they cry out with Nicodemus, How mn 
 tkefe things be? whereas, thi'ugh we cat>not give a reafon 
 forallgolpelmyfleries which we believe, we can give a good 
 reafon why we believe them, namely, becaiife God hath 
 revealed ihcm. No man can be a christian, who refufes to 
 fubmit hit, under/landing to theauthority of divine revela- 
 tion. 1. How our Saviour reproves Nicodemus for, and 
 upbraids him with his ignorance, ver. 10. and his infidelity, 
 ver. 12. Fir(\hisignorai3ce is reproved ; /Irt thou a rr.cfiir 
 «f Ifrael, and knawe/l net thefe things ? As if Chrifl: had 
 fjid," Ignorance in any as to the lundamentals of reli^iion, 
 is fhameful, though but a common learner, much more in 
 a leacherand malitrjand he a teacher andmafterin Ifrael; 
 j)ow thou art on« of them, atid yet knoweft not thefe 
 things.'' Learn hence, i< Thata man may be very know- 
 ing himfelf, and take upon him toteachand itiftruCi others 
 iiid yet be very ignorant of the nature, and ii;u';h ui;ac- 
 
 quainted with the work of regeneration upf>n his own foul 
 A man may be very fliarp-lighted, as the eagle, in the 
 myftiries of art and nature, and yet blind as a mole in the 
 thitigs of God. 1. That ignorance in the fundamentals 
 of religion efpecially, is very culpabk and (LaiDeful in any 
 ihat enjoy the means of kno\\ ledge, but efpecially inthofe 
 that undertake to teach ancj inltrinfl otlierS. ^rl ihcu a 
 teacher, thouamafler in ffrsel andknovief net thefe things ? 
 Next, our Saviour upbraids him for his infidelity, ver. 12. 
 If I h.ive tilil you earthly things, anJye believe not. This 
 infidelity received its aggravation from the facility and 
 perfpicuity of our Saviour's doftrine. I have told you 
 earthly things ; that is, I have fet forth fpiritual things 
 by earthly fimilitudes, not a flyle fuitable to the fublimiiy 
 of tluir own nature. Let theminilfers of Chrifl learn from 
 their Mafter's example, in all their diicourfes to accom- 
 modate themfelves, and defcend as low as may be to the 
 capacities of their people : I LivctoU you earthly things, 2. 
 'I'hat even fpiritual things, when they are fliadowcd forth 
 by earthly fimilitudes, and brought down in the plaineft 
 manner 10 the capacities of their people, yet they are very 
 flow to underftand them, and very backward to believe 
 them : I have totclyou of earthly things, and ye believe them notp 
 
 1 3 And no man hath afcended up toheaven, but 
 he that came down from heaven: even the Son of man 
 which is in heaven. 
 
 Here our Saviour declares to Nicodemus, that none 
 ever afcended up into heaven, to fetch down from thence 
 the knowledge of divine myfleries, and to reveal the way 
 ot life and falvation to mankind by a Mediator, but only 
 Chfift himfelf; who, though he took upon him the human 
 nature; and was then man upon earth, yet was he at the 
 fame time in his divine nature adually in heaven as God, 
 The text evidently proves two diftinft natures in Chrift ; 
 namely, a divine nature as he was God, and an liujnan 
 nature as a man. In his human nature, he was then upon 
 earth when he fpoke thefe words; in his divine natue he 
 was at that inftantin heaven. Here Ohfetve, That the Son 
 of GofI hath taken the human nature into fo ciofe and in- 
 timate an union with his Godhead, that what is proper to 
 either nature is afcribed unto the perfon of our faviour. 
 The fame perfon who was on earth as the Son of man was 
 then- in heaven as God, and yet the lame perfon ftiU.'Lord 
 what love hafhhoufliewn to our human nature, that under 
 that name thou afcribeft to thyfelf what is proper to thy 
 Godhead ! The Son cf man -which is in heavtn. The Soci- 
 nians produce th's text, to prove thai Chrifl, after his 
 baptifm, was taken up into heaven, there to be made ac- 
 quainted with the will of God, to iit him for the execu- 
 tion of his jiropheticalolHce here on earth, and that for this 
 reafon he was faid to be intht begir.ning'jjtih Cod, as Mofe« 
 liefore him was teken up into the iii< cut, aid taught by 
 God. Put, I. We have not the leaft word of any furl) 
 thirg in frripture, ihtjugh we have a psrticnlnr accc»ir of 
 our Saviour's birth, rircumcifion, baptifm, duftrines, tnira- 
 clfs, death, refurrttfticnj arcrriioii ; yea, of fmall things 
 ccnipartd w iih this ; as hi.' flight inK Egypt, his fit ting cm 
 a pinnacle of the t<mple ;yet not a word oi his afi'uti pti-"'.» 
 ir.ti>hf3\cn. 2. Tueie wispo nccJ-of it, btcaute ahnighty 
 
 God 
 
.318 
 
 St. j O H N. 
 
 Chap. rrr. 
 
 Coil could reveal himfelf to Chrift as well as to other 
 prophets out of heaven .is well as in it : B<T;cles, Clirift w.is 
 fitted fur hi? prophetic office, by the iinclion of the Spirit 
 he received here on earth; antJ therefore thisafcent was 
 altoijcther needlefs. 
 
 ! 1 IT And as Mofes lifted up the ferpent in the 
 wildcrnefs, even fomuft the Son of man be lifted 
 np : If, That whomfoevcr believcthin him ihould 
 not perilh, but have eternal life. 
 
 Chrift having inftrufted Nicodemus in the dncTtrinc of 
 •regeneration in the former verfes, here he indru^^shimin 
 ihe der.ihofthe Mefiiah, and in the neceliity of faith inhis 
 ileath. ThrSon i/miin vwji he li/fCdup; that is, upon the 
 crofs, and die ; :::at whi/oever hrlin-elh in kirn /hculd net 
 pfi'ijb. Cbferve here, i. An Old Teftanient type which 
 cur Saviour refers to, and that is, the brazen ferpent in the 
 wilderncfs, tht hiflory of which is recorded, Numb. xxi. 
 7,8. 1. '1 he antitype, or :he fubrtanceof what that type 
 did (hadow forth : The brazen ferpent's lifting np upon 
 ths pole, pre-figuring Chrift's exaltation or lifting upupon 
 hiscrofs. Si mu ft the S-)n of man be lifted up. Learnhencc, 
 That the Lord Jefus Chrilt is of the fame ufe and office 
 to a fin-ftiing foul, which the braten ferpent wasof old to 
 a ferpent-flnng Ifraelitc. Here ohjtrz'e, i. Wherein the 
 br.i7cn ferpent and Chrift do agree : And 2. Wherein they 
 ditfer. They agree thus : In the occajinn of their inftituthn; 
 rhcy were both appointed for cure and healing. Were they 
 ferpent- flung? we are fin-Aung, devilbitten. Was the 
 fling of the fiery ferpent inflaming? was it fpreading? was 
 it killing ? fo is (In, which is the venom and poifon of the 
 old ferpent. They agree in this ; that they both muft be 
 i'ftsd up, before cure could be obtained ; the brazen fer- 
 pent upon the pole, Chrift upon the crofs. They both 
 niuft be looked unto, before cure could be obtained ; the 
 looking up of the Ifraelites was as neceflary unto healing, 
 as the lifting up of the ferpent. Faith is as neceflary to 
 falvation as the. death of Chrift. The one renders God 
 ■^■econcileahle unto finners, the otherrender^him aftually 
 reccmciled. Again, Did the brazen ferpent heal all, that 
 lucked upon it, and looked unto it, though all h.id not 
 eyes alike, fome v^ith a weak, fome with a (Irongereye? In 
 like manner doth Chrifl juftifyand fave e//, that with afin- 
 cere faith, though weak, do rely upon him for falvation; 
 Uhfjoiver l>jl!tveth in hr)i Jl^all not perijli. Farther, The 
 brazen ferpent was efTeCcual for Ifrael's cure after many 
 flingings : If after they were healed they were ffungafrefii 
 and did look up to it, they were healed by it. Thus the 
 merit of Chrift's death is not onlyeffedlual for our cure 
 and healing at our firfl converfion, but after involuntary 
 relapfes and backflidings, if by faith we have reccurfc to 
 the blood of Chriil, we (hall find it efacacious for our far- 
 ther benefit and future healing. In a word, as the brazen 
 ferpent had the likenefs of a ferpent, the form, the figure, 
 the name, the colour ofa ferpent, but nothing of the venom 
 •nd poifon of the ferpent in it : fo Chriil did take upon him 
 our nature ; but (in, the venom and poifon of our nature, 
 Jie had nothing to Jo with : thoughChrift loved fouliwiih 
 sp invincible and infuperjble love, vet he would not (into 
 
 fave a foul. This was the fimiliti;<leand refemblance be- 
 tween Chriil and the brazen ferpent. The difparity or 
 diilimilitude follows : The brazen ferpent had no power in 
 itfelf, orof iffelf, to heal and cure ; outChrilthasa power 
 inherent in himfelf, for the curing and healing of all thac 
 do believe in him. Again, the brazen ferpent cured only 
 one particular nation and people, Jews only ; Chrift is for 
 the healing of alt nations, and his falvation to the end of 
 the earth. Farther, the brazen ferpent only cured one 
 particulardifeafe, namely, the flingingof the fiery ferpents: 
 Had a perfon been fickof the plague, orleprofy, be might 
 have died for all the br.izen ferpent; but Chriil pardons 
 all the inicjuities, and heals all the difeafes of bis people, 
 Pfal. ciii. 3. Yet again, Though the brazen ferpent healed 
 all that looked up to it, yet it gave an eye to none 10 
 look up unto it ; whereas Chriil doth not only heal them 
 that lock up to him, but beftows the eye of faith upon 
 them, to enable 1 hem to look unto him that they may be 
 faved. Ina word, thebrazen ferpent did not always retain 
 its healing virtue, but in time loftit,and wasitfeltdeltroyed 
 1 Kings xviii. 4. But now the healing virtoe and efficacy 
 of Chrifl's blood is eternal. All believers have and (hall 
 experience the healing power of our Redeemer's death to 
 the end of the world. Laftly, The Ifraelites that were 
 cured by looking up to the brazen ferpent died afterwards; 
 fome diftemper or ctlier foon carried them to iheir graves: 
 but the foul of the belipver that is healed by Chrift (hall 
 never die more. Wh-ifocver bduveih in kim,Jhall not pcrijh, 
 but have everlajiing life. 
 
 16 f For God fo loved the world, that he gave 
 his only-begotten Son, that wliofoever belicvethin 
 him, fhould not perilh, but have cverlaftuig hfe. 
 
 Here obferve, i . The original fource and fountain of 
 man's fabation ; and that is, God's free and undefcrved, 
 his great and wonderful love. Cod f') Kved the -vorld ; he 
 dorh not fay how much, but leaves ic ro onr moft folemn 
 raifed thoughts ; it is rather to be conc'^'.td than declared; 
 3nd admired ratherthan conceived. Godfj loved theworld ; 
 Heiiie note. That the original fpring ni'd firft caufc of our 
 falvation is the free favour and mere love of God. A love 
 worthy of Cod from whom ir proceeds, even love inex- 
 prefilble and inconceivable. 2. The grtainefs t»f the gift 
 by which God evinced and demonftratrd thr- grratnsfs of 
 h'ls love to a loft world. Heg.ive hit only begotten Son: that 
 is, he delivered him out of his own bofom antleverlafting 
 embraces. Now this will ajipear a ftupenduous exprefTion 
 of God's love^ if we confidtr that Gcd gave ffirn, who was 
 not only the greateft, but the dearell perfon to him in the 
 world, his o'.un Son ; that he gave him for fli.ners ; that he 
 gave him for a world of finners; that he gave him up to 
 become a man for finners ; that he gave him up to becoaie 
 a miferable man for finners; that he gave him up to be a 
 facrifice for the (in of finners. 3. The gracious end for 
 which God gave this great gift of his love to loft finners ; 
 That who/over bcliiveth in him, Ji.ould n{,t pcrijh, but kcvc 
 evcrlajtivg life. Where note, i.The j>,eiitle and merciful 
 condition upon which falvation depends ; U'hofotvei he- 
 iierelh in ChriJ}, ftiall rat pcri/h, t. The infinite gcoJnefs 
 
 uf 
 
Chap. in. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 3^9 
 
 ofGod in propofing fuch a vaft reward unto ns, npon our 
 performing of this condition ; He fltall have ever tajiing life. 
 Learn hence, Thai faith is tl)e vay which Gi d hatli ap- 
 pointed, and the condition which God hath required, in 
 order to our obtaininji; i'alvation by Jefus Chrill. This 
 faith confdts in the afl'ent of the underftanding, that Jefus 
 is the Saviour of the world ; in the confent of the will, to 
 accept ofjefus freely and voljntarilv,deliberately,advifedly 
 and rtiolvedly, for our baviour ; in accepting the merit of 
 his blood, and fubinitting to the authority of his laws ; it 
 being in vain to expect falvatiun by Chnit, if we do not 
 yield fubmilfion to hnn ; he that thus lulieves in ChriJI, 
 that fubn>its himfelf to his ruling power, as wcJl as com- 
 mits himfelf to his fa ving mercy, Jhall not perl//}, but have 
 tvirlajling life. 
 
 ly For God fent not his Son into the world to 
 condemn t!ie world : but that the world through him 
 might be faved. 18 ^ He that bclicveth on him, 
 is not condemned ; but he that bclicveth not is con- 
 demned already, becaufe he hath not believed in 
 the name of the only begotten Son of God. 
 
 Notehfre, That the falvation of finners was th; inten- 
 tional end, and the condtmnation of ihrm only the ;ccci- 
 dentai event, of Chrifl's coming into the world. The 
 idefign of Chrifl's firft coming iiiio tfre wcrl.! was to fave 
 it. The end of his fecond coining, will be to judge the 
 Unbelieving part of it. Secondly, That unbelief is the 
 formal caufe of thefinner's damnation ; it is that fin which 
 doth bind all other fins upon the finner, and configns him 
 over to damnation ; it is that fin which doth not only pro- 
 cure damnation, but no damnation like it ; which is inti- 
 mated in the next verl'e. 
 
 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is 
 come into the world, and men loved darkneis rather 
 than light, becaufe their deeds were evil. 
 
 Note here, i . The worth and dignity of a choice and 
 invaluable privilege declared, Light ts come into the luorU. 
 A perfonal light, Chriff ; a doctrinal light, the goppel. 2. 
 The unworthinefs, abufe, and gi eat indignity, which the 
 world, through infiilelity, offers to this benefit ; theyrejetfl 
 it, and love durknefs rather than light, 3. The dreadful 
 I'entance of wrath which (he rejediion of this benefit, and 
 the abufe of Chrift, bring? upon the impenitent and unbe- 
 lieving world. It terminates in their full and final con- 
 demnation : This is the condemnati-jn ;■ that is, it is a juft 
 and righteous condemnation it is an inevitable anil un- 
 avoidable condemnation, it is ;m heightened and aggravated 
 it isan accelerated and haftened, andirrecoverablcfnd eter- 
 nal condemnation. Learn hence, That the greater and 
 clearer the lightis, under which the unrcgcneraie andim- 
 penitent do live in this world, fo much the heavier will 
 ilieir condemnation and luifery be in the world to come,if 
 they wilfully and finally rcji"<fl it. 
 
 20 For everyone that doethevil, hateth tJie light 
 neither cometh to the liglit, left his deeds Ihould be 
 reproved. 2 1 But he that doth truth, cometh to the 
 
 light, that his deeds may bcmade manifeft, that they 
 
 are wrought in God. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour acqviaints us with the differ- 
 ent nature of fin and holincfs. It is the nature ot lin and 
 the property of finners, to hate the light, becaufe it dif- 
 covers the evil and finfulnefs of their ways unto them, and 
 condemns them for them ; as the Ethiopians are faid to 
 curfe the i)in for its bright and hot fiiining : Whereas holy 
 and gracious perfons, that walk uprightly, dolove the light 
 that is, til- V delight to have their thoughts, words and ac- 
 tions tr "-I t)y the light of the word, becsufe they are wrought 
 inCod.- ihatis, performed as in thefight of God, accordmg 
 to the diictftion of the word of God, and with a lingle eye 
 and finccre aim at the glory of God. Learn lience, i. 
 That the word of God, or the gofpel ofjefus Chrifl, has 
 all the properties of a great ancT true 'ight ; itisof apur^ 
 and purifying nature, it is of a nianifclhve and difcovcr- 
 inf, nature ; it has a piercing power and penetrating virtue 
 it en'.ers the darkefl recelTes of the foul, and detei^s the 
 eirors of men's judgments, as well as difcovers the enor- 
 mities of their lives. 2- That nothing is fo hatefid to, and 
 hated by a wicked man, as the difcovering and reproving 
 light of the word of God ; for at the fame time that it 
 diicovers the fin, it condenuis the (inner. 3. That a truly 
 gracious perlbn, who aftelh agreeably to the v/i!l of God 
 is not afraid to exainine his adtions, by the word of God ; 
 but defircs and delights, that what he doth may be niad^ 
 inanifctt both to God and man. He that doth truth, cometh 
 to the light, and rejoiceth, that his deeds may be made mani- 
 feft, becaui'e they are wrought in Cod. 
 
 22 5 After thefe things came Jefus and his difci- 
 ples into the land of Judea : and there he tarried 
 with them, and baptized. 23 H And John alio was 
 baptizing in Enon, near to Salem, becaufe there was 
 much water there : and they came and were bapti- 
 zed. 24 For John was not yet caft into prifon. 
 
 Our blelTed Saviour having now finifhed his excelletit 
 fermon, preached to Nicodemtis at Jerufalem, he departs 
 thence with his difciples into the country of Judea, tf)jn:l;e 
 profelytes by the ordinance of the Baptifm. Where r.cte,i. 
 GurLord'sunwearied diUigence in doing hisFather's work 
 and will. He goes from place toplace, from city tocoui^- 
 try, preaching with, and bnptizing by, his difciples ; for 
 Jefus himfelf baptized not , hut his difciples, John iv. 2.-.— 
 2. Th.it the enjoyment of Chrift's bodily prefence.did not 
 take away the ule of his own ordinances. None are above 
 ordinances till they come to heaven. The ordinance of 
 baptifm is here adminillered by the difciples, even in the 
 prefence of Chrilt himfelf. This is called the baptifm of 
 repentance, of which children, as well as others, were ca- 
 pable fubjccts, becaufe baptifm doth not require children's 
 repentance at prefent, but engages them to repentance for 
 lime to come; As children that werccircnmcifed were o- 
 bliged to obferve the whole law, but could not perform it 
 till they came to underftand it. 3. How John did go on 
 with his work of baptizing, though Chrift anil his difcples 
 did eclipfo nndobiVure him ; though the people now flotked 
 after Chrift. Ml men cams unlo him, ver. 26. yet John kept 
 
 to 
 
$20 
 
 St. JOHN 
 
 Ghap. m. 
 
 to his <}uty. It i« lliff <July of God's minifters to conrnue 
 in their clliligencf , and po on v.ith their work, when God 
 taiftfi upothfcrs about ihein of greater parts and better fiic- 
 cff*. O ;heudniir»bk humility of that niiniftcr, who can 
 lay with John the B.»ptilt, Let OKOthor iKcrenfe, though I 
 t'i'jrca/e, 
 
 25 IT Then there arofc a qucftion hety,'c<tr\ feme oi 
 John's dlTciplcs and the Jews about purifying. 26 
 And they came unto Jehn, and faidunto him, Rabbi, 
 he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou 
 bareft witntfs, behold, the fame baptizeth, and all 
 men come to him. 
 
 Note here, What a fplrit of envy there was in Jolin's 
 €ir..iples againfl Chrift, upon account of the muUitiide of 
 Jiis fi)liowcrs •■ He that vias tviih thee leyind Jordan hep- 
 tizeth, tird all men cr.me to kim. Where note, i. How 
 ireanly John's difciples think and Ipeak of our Saviour, 
 t'jcipared with John their maOer. They do not fo much 
 fs allow him a name, or give him any title , but he that was 
 \Jth thee beyond Jordan, the fame baptizeth. 2. How they 
 ir.iimate, as if Chrift had received all his credit and repu- 
 Ijtion from their mafter John ; I/e to whom thou harej} 
 wilnsff, baptizeth ; as if they iiad laid, "This man whom 
 the people flock after, neglecting thee and thy difciples, is 
 riuch inferior to thee ; for he came to thee, thou didft not 
 ro to him ; thou baptiiedft him, he did not baptize thee ; 
 thou gaveft tcfliinony to him, he did not give tclHm<iny to 
 ihee." Whence we note, What a bitter fpirit of envy 
 and emulation there has always been amongft the miniflers 
 cf the gofpel, even from the very firft plantation of the 
 ^ofpel, which caufes them to look upon the exalted parts 
 and gifts of others, as a diminution and debafing of their 
 iiwn ; but why fliould the profpering of the work of God 
 in one minifter's hand be matter of repining unto others? 
 Shall not God honour what inftruments hepleafeth? And 
 will he not reward all his faithful l-jbourers, according to 
 their fincerity, not according to their fuccefs? 
 
 27 John anfwercd and faid, A man can receive 
 nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 
 Yc youffelvcs bear me witnefs, that I faid, I ain not 
 the Chrilt, but that I am fent before him. 29 He 
 that hath the bride, is the bridegroom? but the friend 
 cf the bridegroom, which ftandethandhearcthhim 
 rejoiceth greatly becaufe of the bridegrooms voice: 
 this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He niufl. in- 
 crcafc, but I 7nifl decreafe. 31 He that cometh 
 from ebove, is above all : he that is of thf; earth, is 
 earthly, and fpeakcth of the earth : he that cometh 
 from heaven is above all. 
 
 Note here, How holily and wifely John the B.ipiift cor- 
 rects the envy and jealoufy of his own difciples, and en- 
 deavours to root all prejudice out of their minds agaiuft 
 Chrift ; In order to which, he (hews them a fivefold differ- 
 ence betwixt Chvift and h'mfelf. 1. Hetellsthem Chrift 
 wai the niafler, J''hn but hi4 minifter, and that he had told 
 ihtm Co fromihe beginning : Ye yonrfehet uearmeviiln^s 
 
 that If aid, I am n't the Chrif} : but that J amfent Irfore 
 him. The faithful miniflers of Chrifl fhir.k it honour 
 enough to be fcrvlnrs to h:m, and would not have their 
 followers attrihute the Icafl part of the honour and glory 
 to ihem -which is due to Jefu'* ChriiT. ;. John acquaint^ 
 his difciples, that Chrifl was the bridegroom of his church 
 to whom the cliriltian church was to he Ibleinnly cfpoufcd 
 and married ; andtiiathe had honour enrugh inbeingione 
 of the Bridegroom's friends and ("ervants ; and accord- 
 ingly, infteati of envying, he rejoiced at the fucccis which 
 the Bridegroom hajj, and took great pleafure in it. Learn 
 l.Thatthf relation betwixt Chrilt and his church is a con- 
 jugal relation, a relation of marriage ; yet fee forth under 
 the name of bride ajid biioegrcom, rather than under the 
 notion of a complete marriage, becaufe it is hut begiin 
 here, and tofae confuramatedin heaven : and alio tofhew, 
 that Chrift and his people's afTeclions are as warm and 
 frefl), as (Irong and vcheti.ent towards each other, as the 
 afJeCtions of efpcufed or neuly married perfonsare toone 
 another; Jfa. Ixii. 5. As the bridegroom rrjoiceth over the 
 bride, fojhall thy Cod rejoice over thee. 2. It is honour 
 fufficient to the minifters of Chnft, that they as friends of 
 the Bridegroom, are employed by him to further the mar- 
 riage relation betwixt him and his fpoufe. Their office is 
 to woo for Chriff, to commend his perfon, and to invite 
 allpcrfons to accept of him, for their head and hufband ; 
 ■I Cor. xi. 2. I have efpouftd you to one hufband, that I may 
 prefent yen as a chajte virgin to Chrif}. 7,. That there is 
 no greater joy to the miniflers of Chrift, than to lee ihem- 
 felves honoured by him, as his inftruments, inpreparirga 
 people fi-r Chrift, and happily imiting them unio him. 
 Oh! how little do our pec^plc know, and lefs confidcr, 
 how much of the cani^ort of their poor minifters lifes li« 
 at their mercy : Wc live as we fee any of them ftand fall 
 in the Lord ; we die as we fee others flick fail in their 
 fins. This was the fecond difference which John acqtjaintt 
 his difciples was found betwixt Chrift and himfelf. Tii« 
 third follows, ver. 30. Hcmuf ir.crepfe, but I mufl decreafe. 
 He mult increafe ; that is, in honour anfl dignity, in eftcem 
 and reputation, in difciivery ar.d nriauifeftation : He fliall 
 fhine forth as the riling-fun ; and I muftdiiappear as the 
 morning liar : Not tiiat John's light was dinnnifned, but 
 by a greater light obfcured only ; as all theftars dif»ppear 
 nt the appearance of the fun. Yet obferve what m: fterof 
 joy it was to fee John h'mfelf outfliined by Chrut : Let 
 him increafe, though I decreafe. That nimiftcr has true 
 light ill himfelf, thut can rejoice when he is outfliined by 
 others; who is content to be abafed and obirured, if he 
 may hut fee Chrift dignified and exalted in the lives of his 
 people, whofoever the perfon is whom God honours as his 
 inft^ument in that frrvite. The fourth d'fference wherein 
 Chrift excels John and all his minifters, is iiitthe divine 
 original of his perfon; ver. i^- He that cometh from above 
 is above all, fays John : Now Chrifi is from above, his 
 original is from heaven ; I am from the earth, (though 1 
 had my commillion from heaven) and accordingly my 
 words and adlions are earthly : My Matler therefore ii ri- 
 uitely furpafTeth and execels me in the dignity <.f his perl'on 
 and in thefublimity of his knowledge. From the whole, 
 note, How much it is the dciirc ai;d endeavcur of every 
 
 gofpe' 
 
GHAP. !rt. 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 32.1 
 
 gofpel minifter touugnify JelusCl)rifH'to tiifplay his glo- 
 rious excellencies .mil pertettlons before the people, that 
 they m.»>' reverence his jicrfun, revere his aiuhoriry, and 
 refpeclhis law5, , This was the care of the holy Baptilt 
 here, anJ it will he the endeavour of every faithful minif- 
 ter of Chrift that fucceeds John, to the end of the world. 
 
 32 And what he hath fecn and hsard, that he 
 iedificth ; and no man receiveth his tefliraony. 33 
 He that hath received his telUmony, hath let to 
 his fciij that God is true. 34 For he whom God 
 hath lent, Ipcaketh the words of God : for God 
 Givcth not the Spirit by mcafure unto him. 
 
 Okferve, I. Another great difference which John the 
 B.iptill te.icheth his difciple* to put between his teflimony 
 andChrilt's: To tiie intent that he might remove the 
 prejudice which was upon his difciples' minds againft the 
 Melllah, he (hews them, that his tertimoay, (which they lb 
 much admired) was bv revelation only ; Chrift's by im- 
 mediate intuition : John lefliticd only what he received ; 
 but Clirilt what he liad feen, lying in the bolbm of iiis Fa- 
 ther, jyhal he hath I'een aiui heard, that be ttjiificth. Learn 
 hence, That it is Chrill's (the great prophet of his church) 
 peculiar prerogative,'o have the knowledge of divine truths 
 imnv'diattly from the Father, by fpecial communication ; 
 and that all others receive their knowledge from him by 
 gracious illumination only. 2. How (adly and forrowfully 
 the holy Baptift refents it, that Chrift's tellimony was no 
 better received and enterniained by the world: He tfJJifietb 
 hut no man receiveth his teftimony. John's difciples mur- 
 inurfd, 'That all men came unto Chrij}, ver, 26. but John 
 mourns that there came not more, .ind complains, that 
 none; that it, very few, received his trjlimony. Thence 
 learn, That'll ought and willbe matter ofgre:it regretand 
 forrow to all the friends of Jei'u? Chriit, but efjiecialty to 
 his faithful minifters aiid fervant?, that his doctrine is lb 
 ill received and entertained in the world. It greatly affecls 
 and grievouflyafBifts them, that whenthey fe/fify of Chri/f 
 no man, thitis, comparatively, very few men, receive their 
 trjiimony. 3. The eulogy and high conmiendation given of 
 all true believers ;7'/j?_y receive Chri/l'j te/limony,ax\d there- 
 by yi? to their feal that Cod is true ; that is, have afcribed 
 to, and ratilied the truth of God ; that God in all his pro 
 mifesof the Mcffiah, under the old teftament, is faithful 
 and true^ Learn hence, The great honour that God puts 
 upsn the faith of believers: As unbelief defames God, 
 and makes him a liar, fo faith gives teflimony to the truth 
 of God, and fetteth to its feal that God is true. He that 
 receivith his t:'j7irno7ty, hath Jet to his feal that Cod is true. 
 4. The iiluftrious characlerwhirh tiieholy Baptift gives of 
 Chrift his mafter : He is the perfon '.jhom Cod hath Jent, 
 and unto whom God giveth nit his Spirit by meafure. Hi 
 'xhom Cod hath fent; that is, immediately and extraordi. 
 narily from heaven ; not as the prophets and apcftles (vere 
 fent, but immediately fiom heaven ; havin r authority for 
 fpeaking, not only from God, but as being God himfelf. 
 And accordingly, it is added, that CoJ^qiveth not the Spirit 
 hy mcafure wi:-j him; that is, the gifts and graces of theholy 
 Spirit were ;icur:d forth upon Chrift i::i a u^eafure far above 
 
 and beyond all finite creatures ; there being a double dif- 
 fcrcnce betwixt Chrift's fulnefs of the Spirit, and all other 
 perfons whatfoever. i. In the nieafure of it. God did not 
 give out the Spirit to Chrift fparingly, and with limitation, 
 as he did to the former prophets and John the Baptift, in 
 propornon to what their offices required, but he was 
 anointed more plentifully and abundantly with the holy 
 Spirit, above and beyond his fellows. 2. In the manner 
 of its working. The holy prophets that were filled with 
 the Spirit (accordingto their mealuresjyet could not door 
 declare all things, nor act upon all occaiions, but fometiiiies 
 the Spirit reftrained them, and fometimes departed from 
 them : But Chrift had no limits put upon the vigour of his 
 Spirit, but his own will; therefore could work what, ami 
 when he pleai'ed. Learn from hence. That Chrift had an 
 abundant fitnefs from God for the difcharge of his office, 
 and an abundant fulnefs for his jjeoplc. God did rot 
 nieafure to him a certain quantity and proportion of the 
 gifts and graces of his Spirit, but poured it forth upon hmi 
 without nieafure. 
 
 35 The father loveth the Son, and hath given all 
 things into his hand. 
 
 The Father loved the Son from eternity, as he v.-as his 
 Son by eternal generation ; and he loved him as Mediator 
 by fpecial conltitution : He loves him as the bnghtncfs of 
 his own glory, and the exprefs image of his own perfon, 
 with an efiential, natural, and iieceflary love ; he loves him 
 as Mediator, for undertaking our caufe, and inierpolingfor 
 our pesce. Learn hence, That God the Father had a fpe- 
 cial love and affedion to Chrift, not only in regard of his 
 eternal Sonfliip, but with refpecc of his office and Media- 
 torfliip : The Father loveth the Son : It follow?. He hath 
 given alt things into his hand ; that is, he hath intrufted 
 him with all things neceffary to our falvation. Lord! what 
 a privilege is this, that our happincfs is in Chi ift's hand, 
 hot in our own, without his. O wonderful goodncls, to 
 put our concerns into the fure hands of his Son, which 
 were lolt by the weak hands of Adam ! 
 
 36 He thatbelieveth on the Son, hath everlafting 
 life : and he that believeth not the Son, fhall not fee 
 life; but the wrath of Godabidethon hnn. 
 
 Learn, 1. That though all power be given to Chrift to 
 difpenie grace here, yet none more expect to enjoy it, but 
 upon condition of their believing in him, and of obeying 
 him for the original word figniiies both. No faith is ac- 
 ceptable to Chrift, not available to our falvation, but that 
 ■which is the parent and obedience. 2. That final unbelief 
 renders a man infallibly an objeft of the eternal s\rath of 
 God : He that htlievttb not the S',n, the v:rath of Cod 
 ahideth in him. The unbeliever now lies tinder the feirtencc 
 of God's wrath, hereafter he flKill lie uiu'erths full and 
 final execution of it. Lord ! how fad is it to be Jiere in :i 
 ftate of condemnation ! but how intolerable will it be in 
 hell, to continue <;iern.iUv wider conilenination I To lie 
 for ever in that nr.fterious fire of hell, whcfeftrange jim- 
 periy is rtlw.iys torture, but never to kill ; I'ralwnys tDk.'il 
 ■but never to conluine : For ..after iniilionst^f verirs ;n'i; ex- 
 pired, ilill it ij V, rath to cc::.e : and ihciigh the i::-.'..c'.: v-r 
 S ^ . .:. 
 
woo 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 h?% crdiirftl nrvcr fo mudi, yet ftill the r.ratli ef Ctd 
 uiu!(t\\ on him. Every word carries dread and terror w ith 
 it. The v/rall), noi the anger ; and \\\q \\ra\h oi Cod, nor 
 of man, .Tt whole relnike the devils tremhie. Aiid this 
 wrath of Gild not oidy llaHicsuut hke liglitcniiig, but ubiilei 
 dutlh, and lli<ks hilufzn l>'im; that is, on his perfon, the 
 whule inan^ I'oul and budy. 
 
 C II A P, IV. 
 
 WHEN therefore the Lord knew how the'Pha- 
 rileoshad heard that Jcfus made and baptized 
 moredifciplcs than John, 2 (Though Jtfus him- 
 Iclf baptized not. hut /us difciplcs) 3 He left Judea 
 and departed again inteGaUlce. 
 
 The former part of liiis chapter acquaints us wi:h our 
 Saviour's removal out of Jiidea into Galilee. The occcifion 
 of it wasthis: Chrift hearing that John w.ts cart into prifon, 
 and underftanding how the Plianfees were enraged attlie 
 Jr.creafiiig number of his difcipies ; to decline their fur/, 
 and prevent danger to himfelf, he leaves Judea, and departs 
 into GalJce for his own prcl'ervation. Hence lenrn, That 
 when the faithful niinifters ofChrifldomeet with eminent 
 fuccefs in their" Mafler'sfervice, they muft expecH: to meet 
 \vi;li a mighty flsock of malice arid envy from Satan and 
 his wicked inftrunients. Chrift himfelf experienced it ; 
 It t his rninirters expe(ft it, and prepare for it. 2. That 
 u is neither unlawful nor unbecoming for theminifters of 
 Chrift to flee when perfecution threatens them ; their Lord 
 and Mafterha ving fled before them ; and commanded alfo, 
 U'-hen they perfecutf in one city, tofiee into anothir. 
 
 4 And he mufl Heeds go through Samaria. 5 
 Then cotneth he to a city of Samaria, which is called 
 Sichar, near to a parcel of ground that Jacob gave 
 to his fonjofeph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. 
 Jcfus therefore being wearied with ^I'i journey, fat 
 thus on the well : and it was about the fixth hour. 
 
 Here note, i. How wonderfully the wifdom of God 
 overrules the laalice of men for his own glory, and the 
 good of others. The malice of the Pharifees in Judea 
 drives Chrift into Galilee, and in his palVage through Sama- 
 ria, the firft fruits of ilieGentiles ate called, and particularly 
 the woman of Saraari.i. 2. How in e.\'e:y ftcp of Chrift's 
 way he was doing good to the fouls of men. In his pafiage 
 through Sai-n-iria into Galilee, a poor woman is brought to 
 know him to be the true Mellias. 3. Our holy Lord, in 
 l)is journeying fiom place to place, did travel ufually on 
 foot : an«^the wcaknefsofhis body, upon travelling, fliews 
 him to be liuly and real!y man, and :n ail things like unto 
 us* Jin linijf'fxcepted. Ouj- lilefled Lord did not only take 
 uponhiraoBrjpature, butthe infiruiities of ournaturealfo. 
 
 / 
 
 water 
 
 Tlicreif 
 r. JeWs 
 
 ometh a woman of Samaria to draw 
 s faith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 
 for his difciplcs were gone away unto the city to buy 
 meat. 9 Then faith the woman of Samaria unto 
 him, How ii it that thou, being a few, aflceft drink 
 
 of me, which am a woman of Samaria ? For tha 
 Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 
 
 Ohferve here, 1. How all motions and aaions arc 
 under the (iiresSlion and government of G* d, ard how 
 divine providence duih Cotijctimci dilpofe of imall matters 
 to become uccalions of great good. 'J his poor woman's 
 coming to the well to draw water, beca^i.c the means of 
 her converiion. Obftrve, 2. Chrift I'peaks to, and iecki 
 after this poor woman, before flie takes ai.y notice of him, 
 God is found of iliofe that feck him not, »nd makes hini- 
 fisifmanifcft to them that cr.quire not af:cr hini.* Jcfu: 
 Jaid unto h:-r, Civetm to drink, •^. The great poverty of 
 our I^ord's outward CQnditi(in, he wanted a draught o 
 water for his refrefliment, and a meal's meat now at diimer- 
 time, to ref'redi his wearied nature. Oh ! what contempt 
 did Chrift caft upon the world when be v.ashere in it! He 
 would not honour it fo far as to keep any part of it in his 
 own hand. Yet, ob/eive, 4. That though Chriil had 
 neither houfe nor land, uor money of hisown, vet he lived 
 not. by hegging, nor upon mere alms. The difcipUs -were 
 gone into the city to buy, not to beg meat ; For there was a 
 bag which required a bearer, John xii. 6. And our Sa- 
 viour's friends and follower* fupplied him with money for 
 his ne>;cfiary occafions: His dijciptes viere pone to I'uy bread 
 Laftly, How bitter is the en.uity which differencesof reli- 
 gion, aiiddiveriliies of opinions, douccaiion : They do not 
 only alienate affeclions, but even violate the bonds of civil 
 fociety and common conv«rration. The Je^os had no deal- 
 ings zjith the Samaritans ; would nei".her cat nor 4<°iuk 
 v/ith them. 
 
 10 JefHS anfwered and faid unto her, if thou 
 knowell the gift of God, and who it is that faith to 
 thee. Give me to drink ; thou wouldeft have alked 
 of him, and he would have given thee living water. 
 
 The S.nmaritan woman had r«'''ured Chrift a draught of 
 water in the former verfe, he i>ftcrs her i!:e water of life 
 in this verfe. O ! how kindly dv th Chrift deal with thcfe 
 that dealt tttikmdly with him 1 If thou kncvft the g'fl of 
 Cod, &c. H«:re no'e, i. The mercy which Chrift h.iU for, 
 and wasfo defirous to beftow upon, this poor vonian: It 
 was the gift of Cod ; that is himfelf, his holy Spirit, in 
 the fandifying gitts and faving graces of it. All which are 
 compared towater, in regard to. heir effects and operations 
 which are to p'.irify the unclean, and fatis.'y- the thirfty. 
 2. The way and courfe which this woman and every loft 
 finncr ought to take, in order to the obtaining this inefti- 
 mable gift : and that is, by alking it, Thou wouldef} have 
 allied, and he luould have given thee living, ■water, f^arn 
 hence, That Chrift himft-U", his holy Spir;t, with all the 
 fanclifying graces of it, mijft be earneftly fought- of God ; 
 And fuch as do unfcignedly fcek them, (liall certai.-ily ob- 
 tain them. 3. The true caufe and reafon aifigned, «hy 
 Imners nfk not for, and ieek not aftcrjcfu* Chrift, and the 
 graces of the holy Spirit ; and that is, ignorance of the 
 worth and want of them. 7/ thou hnvjt/l the gift rfGod 
 thou -jiouldrft have afked. Learn hence, That it is ignorance 
 of the worth of Chrift, and infenfiblcners of the want of 
 him,, that makes perfons fo diffcrcot in their defires afier 
 
 hii»-. 
 
C!!A?j IV. 
 
 St. JOHN, 
 
 3^3 
 
 liini.and Co reaiifbiii thcir-enJeavours for the obtaining of 
 him. 0!i tinners! did yon but know whoandwhnl 
 Chrift is, thnr is offered lo you, did you but fee hisbeauiy 
 fulne's, arfd fuitableuefs, and were you but fenfible of the 
 WQith and want of him, al! the world could not keep you 
 fro.ii him; you would break through all difficulties and 
 dangers, thruiigh all fuftl-riugs and reproaches, to come 
 untu the cnjoyinfnt of hirn. 
 
 11 The women iiiith unto him, Sir, thou hall 
 nothiniTto draw with, and the well is deep : from 
 whence then haft thou that hving water ? 12 Art 
 thou greater than our father Jacob, which gav^ us 
 the well, and drank thereof, hiinfelf, and his chil- 
 dren, and his cattle : 13 Jefus anfwered and laid 
 unto her: Whofoever dnnketh of t.'iis water fhall 
 thirft a;^ain : 14 But whofoever drinketh of the 
 water that 1 fhall give him, Ihall never thult ; 
 but the water I (hall give him, fhall be in him a well 
 of water fpringing up into evcrlafling life. 
 
 jVote here, i.How ignorantperfonsare of fpiri:u:^l things 
 till euliwhtened by the iioly Spirit of God. This poor 
 woman's qucftion, li'hena hajt t'nu that Ihlng water ? 
 looks much hke that of Nicodemu-i, John iii. 9. iVoty can- 
 thife things be ? A natural perfon cannot perceive the mind. 
 of Chrilt when fpeaking to him about fpiritual tilings. 
 Spiritual objects muft have a fpiritual eye to difcern and 
 behold tlieni, i Co. ii. 14. The natural man percciveih nr.t 
 the thing! of the Spirit. 2. With what great hu.ajilicy and 
 <ondefcenfion our holy Lord treats this poor woman, pity- 
 ing her ignorance, and pardoning her inlidelity ; he ttlU 
 her, that the water of that well which (he was about to 
 dr^w, could not give an abiding fatisfaclion ; but the thirlt 
 quenched for the prefeiit, would certainly return again but 
 he tliat IlioulJ drink of the water he had ti' give, that is, 
 be made partaker of the graces of his Spirit, Ihall find fnth 
 refrcfhing fatisfaition therefrom, that allinordinatedefires 
 after earthly things v.'ill be quenched ander.iinguiflicdand 
 will be like a well of water fpringing up, till he come to 
 eternal glory. Learn hence, r. Ih-it as the body of man 
 is fubjert to a natural, fo is the foul of man iubjeft to a 
 fpiritual kmd of thirft. 2. That no creature-comfort or 
 earthly enjoyment, can quench this thirfl which the foul 
 of a man is liibject unto. -^. That the Spirit of grace which 
 our Saviour csUs here the watrr of life, is able fully and 
 perfeftly to quench the thirft of the ioul : and where it is 
 oncefavingly received, flull never be totally or finally loft. 
 It piall he in him a well of water fpringing up into ever- 
 lajiing life ; that is, the graces of the Spirit fhall be in be- 
 lievers as permanent habits, as fixed principles that fhall 
 not decay. Hence St. Peter cills it iucorruptabU feeil, 
 '.iihich liv^tb and ahidclh fur tver. i Pet. i, 23. 
 
 1 5 The woman faith unto him. Sir, give me thist 
 water, that I thirft not, neither come hitherto draw. 
 16 Jcfus faith unto her. Go tell thy hufband, and 
 come hither. 17 The woman anfwered and faid 
 I have no hulband. Jcfus faid iinto her, Thou haft 
 
 well faid, I have no hufband. \ 8 For thou liaft had 
 five huibands, and he whom thou now hall is not 
 thy hulband : in that faidll thou truly. 
 
 Thf I words fet forth Uiitons, i. What manner of per- 
 fon this woman was, whofe converlion Chrift fought to 
 induUrinully after. 1. The means he ufed in order to that 
 end. Note 1. What manner of perfon this woman was ; 
 belide th.it (he was nn idolator, as being a Samaritan, fhe 
 was alfo an adulterefs, and lived now in the fin of unclean- 
 nefs, wiih one that was not her hufband, afier fhe had had 
 five hutbandi before. Whence we learn, TYiM the ice of 
 old age will not quench the fire of lull, conctipifeenta non 
 Jenefcit ; fuch is the pollution of our nature, that luft will 
 be infati.ible, if gr.Tce doth net rcftrain it. This woman, 
 after five marriiges, yer lives in the (in of uncle annefs. 2. 
 The way and manner our Lord takes, the meihod and 
 means our Lord ufeb in order to her converliou. i. He 
 de.ds very tenderly and gently with her; heul'es no rough- 
 nefs or tartncls of (peech with her : He doth not call her 
 vi'hore; nor upbraid her tor htr impudent lewdnef^ in iiv- 
 in;r With a man that was none of her huiband, but only 
 gives her to underftand, that he knew the fin fhe-livcd in; 
 yet this he didl.kewife withyetimaginableprivacy, whilfl 
 Ills difciples were av/ay, and no body hy but they two eiilv 
 rience l.-irn, i. That private fins are not to be reproved 
 publicly. ' 2.That, in reproving (in, all Iharpnefs and bit- 
 rernefs ofexpreflion mufi be avoiiied ; the pill of reproof 
 muft be \vi ripped np in (ugar ; for if they to who:n it is 
 given to i\\{\:- the bitterneCs of gall and paifion mixed with 
 it, they, will .sririinly ("pit itout before, it inay be upon our 
 faces. Our r.,ord's practice here inftructs us, that (in is to 
 be fa reproved, as that the credit and eftiiiiatiou of the 
 finner may be prefervcd as much as may be. 2.. That a: 
 Chrift dealt with this woman tenderly and gently, fo he 
 dilcovers her (in to her particularly, and fets her letret fin 
 before the face of her conl'cience diftiniftly. If ever 
 the miniftry of the word works upon the minds of men 
 to their converlion, it muft be by a particular and dofe ap- 
 plication to the v/ord of every man's ccnfcience : generals 
 will not afFed. 3. What the p^irticular lin is, which 
 Chrift charges home upon the conl'cience of this woman ; 
 it is the lin of uncleannefs, that the man fhe kept with, 
 was not her hufband. Learn hence, That amimgft all 
 fins, the fin of uncleannefs will lie heavieft upon the con- 
 l'cience, and wound the foul moft deeply, when the Spirit 
 of God once effectually dilcovers it, and charges it home 
 upon the confcience. For there is nofin fo directly oppo 
 fite to f Jiiflification and holinefs a.s this fin : no iin tlu 
 quenches the holy Spirit ot God like this. 
 
 '■• 19 The v/oman faith unto him, Sir, Iperceive 
 that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worfliipped 
 in this mountain ; and ye fay, that in Jerufulem is 
 the place where men ought to worfhip. 
 
 In thefe verfes the Eva ngelift declares a threefold efTtiTt 
 and fruit ol the grace of converlion that appeared in this 
 wojnan. I. She neither denied, nor excufed, nor extf nur 
 ated tnis (in, which Chrift had charged her wiih, but tacitly 
 owns, and iinpliciily confef.es it. 2. Siie doth nt^only 
 S s 2 ^BMii 
 
St. J O li N 
 
 ClIAPs IV. 
 
 o.vn sr.il confcfs wh.uflie was charged witli, lnit;fli<? ili'th 
 piords rcveicnccfor our Saviour'sperl'fHi, anJpnys honor 
 to hitn as an txiraiii ilinnr); i nijiliet ; Sir, J pcrcchethat 
 t'"iii art a pr-pLti^ "i,. She ttVfirc iliiiftnitTiort and r^oliuJ- 
 ivfioin him conternmg the wcrlhip and fcrviccs of the 
 I rue God, lio.v ftie might liek him and where ihe might 
 iVrvc hini mci\ actepiably, whether at Jcrufjlein or upon 
 mount GtK!ii:n ; Our Fuihirs -worjhipptd in this mountain, 
 hit \ i fay jerufalem is the place where men ought to ivor/bip 
 Wlierc nole,ho\'J ready and forward perfons of a f.dfe re- 
 Ii-rlon are to afcribe too much to anticjuity, and to the 
 . xaniple and cuftom of thcirforefatliers ; vvhtreaf it is not 
 ihe continuance of athoufand or two thoufand years.that 
 . .m in:*ke any thing truly ancient in reUpion, except it 
 has bean from the beginning: Nothing is truly ancient in 
 matters of religion, but that which can derive its original 
 Tom him, that isiruly called the Ancient of days. 
 
 2 I Jefus faith unto her, Woman, believe me, the 
 hour comcth. when ye fhall neither in this moun- 
 tain, nor yet at Jerufalem worfliip the Father. 22 
 \\t worfhip ye know not what : we know what we 
 worfbip ; tor falvation is of the Jews. 23 Rut the 
 hour Cometh, and now is, when the true worfhip- 
 pers (hall worfhip the Father in Spirit and in truth : 
 for the Father fecketh fuch to worfhip him. 
 
 Here we have our Saviour's anfwer to the foregoing 
 queflion, which confifts of two parts: I. Concerning the 
 place of wordiip : 2. Concerning the worfliip itlelf. As 
 to the place of worfliip our Saviour fells her, That though 
 the Jews had heretofore, by warrant of God's word, regu- 
 larly worfliiped at Jerufalem, and the Sainari tan's fuper- 
 Uitioully worlhipped at mount Cerizim,yet the hour was 
 coming, namely, ar his death, when all differences of pla- 
 te* for God's wordiip fiiould be taken away, and there- 
 fore flie need not trouble herfelf about the place of God's 
 worlhip, to know whether of the twoplaces were holier, 
 and the better to ferve God in, for ere long the lervice of 
 God fiiould not be confined more to one place than ano- 
 ther /.tjr,i hence, I. That, (ince the death of Chrift, the 
 religious difference of places is taken away, and thewor- 
 iljip of God not confined to any one particular place or 
 nation. 2. Our bklfed Saviour refolves her concerning the 
 worfliip itfelf, namely, That the ceremonial w'orfliip, 
 which khe Jews and Samaritans ufed, fhould iliortly be a- 
 bolilhed, and inilead thereof a more fpiritual form ot wor- 
 Ihip fliould be eftabhihed, more fuitable to the fpiritual 
 nature of Hie great and holy God, and containing in it the 
 truth and fubltance of all that which the Jewifh ceremo- 
 nies pre-iigurcd and Ihadowcth forth. Learn hence, That 
 the true worfhip of God under the Gofpel doth not con- 
 lilt in the external pomp of any outward ceremonies, but 
 h fpiritual and fubftantial : No worlhip is acceptable tohiin 
 V ho is the Father of fpirits, but that which is truly fpiritual 
 
 24 God » a fpirit : and they that worfhip him, 
 jnuU worfhip him in fpirit and in truth. 
 
 Cod is a Spirit ; that is, he hath no body, nor bodily 
 pan&^ie is not a bare fpiritual fublbiicc, but a pure and 
 
 perfea Spirit ; anil therefor?; his wnr/liippersmi//? wor/^/;* 
 him in fpirit nn J in Huth ; where fpirit is oppnfed 10 the 
 legal ceremonies, and trutli to the Jeyvilh rites, hoi to hy- , 
 pocritical fervices ; for the old patriarchsdid woffhip God 
 iu/p/ri/and In irKtb. As truth is taken for fincerity,they 
 ferved him with a fiiicere confcietice, 'and witiia lingle 
 heart : But our Saviour's bufinefs is to fhew, that a new 
 worfhip, without legal rites and Jewifh ceremonies, is 
 proper to the times of the gofpel. In the words, obfervs, i 
 The nature of God declared; God is a Spirit. 2. The 
 duty of men inferred ; thfrcfore//;<fV thai w>rp:ip him, mufl 
 ■u)orf].ut> him in I'pirit and in truth. From thevvhole, ;jo/f, 
 I. I'hatGydisa pure fpiritual being. When bodily 
 parts, hands, and eyes, tec. are afcribed to him, it is only 
 in condefccnfion to our weaknefs, and n/fignify thofe afts 
 in God; which fuch members do perform in us. 2. That 
 the worlhip due from the creature to God is fpiritual wor- 
 fhip, and ought to be fpiritually performed ; that is, we 
 mufl worlhip him from fpiritual principles, fincere love, 
 and filial reverence, for fpiritual ends, that we may pleafe 
 him, and promote his glory ; and after a fpiritual manner, 
 with the whole heart, foul, and mind, and with a ferven- 
 cy of fpirit. We niuft have awful apprehenfions of him, 
 fuitable to the nature of his being ; but above all, we muft 
 endeavour torefemble him; 1 hen is God worlhipped bell 
 by us. when we are mofl hke unto him. The JewiSi cere- 
 monial worfliip was abolilhed.to promote the fpirituality 
 of divine worlhip ; yet muft not this be underllood as if 
 God rejeaed bodily wnrfliip, becaufe he requires fpiritual 
 under the gofpel; for JefusChrift, the moft fpiritual wor- 
 fliipper, wnrfhippcd God with his body. Befides, God has 
 appointed fome parts of worfliip, which cannot be perform- 
 ed without the body, as ficranient?. In a word, God has 
 created the body as well as the foul, Chrift hasredeemed 
 the body as well as the foul, and he will glorify the body as 
 well as the foul; therefore it is our duty to worfliip and 
 glorify God with our bodies,and with our fpirits, which are 
 his. 
 
 25 The woman faith unto him, I know that 
 Mellias cometh which is called Chrift : when he is 
 come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jefus faith 
 unto her, I that fpcak unto thee, am he: 
 
 Note here, i. What a general expectation there was in 
 the minds of all perfons (at the time of our i;;-i\>o'";'s ap- 
 pearing) of one whom the Jews call the Mefliah : I kno-M 
 that ilcffiah ccmlh. This woman, though a Samaritan, 
 vet knew that the Mefliah fliould come, and th.a he was 
 now expected. 2. What the work and office of the 
 Melfias was apprehended and beheved to be namely, to 
 reve.il the whole mind and will of God to a loft world ; 
 JVhcn the MtfPah is come, he -^ill It II us all things. Learn 
 hence, That the Lord Jefus Chrift, the prom.led and true 
 Mefliah, being called and appointed by Gcd to be the gre.at 
 
 Prophet of hirChurch, hath fully and perfectly revealed all 
 thiiiES needful to be known for ourldvation, John xv. 15. 
 
 All things that I have heard «/'f^ ^-•^•■''•,/ ^„t''.7rf 
 kno-^n unto you. Laftly, How freel, and ally Chrift re- 
 veals himfelf to this poor woman ; hetelh her pla.il) that 
 hP was the Mcllias.Whcn the lews afkcd him, John x. 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 St.' 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 in plain terms tell tlien who he was ; nay, when Jolm 
 B.iptill fent two of his diiftiplci to aHi liim, whether he 
 were He ih.it fizuH come ; he gave tlicm nodlreft anfwer : 
 Yet heholJ, he makes himfelf plainly known to this poor 
 woni.iti ; he dii'cerning her humility and great limplicity, 
 that Die was willinj; to be inllructed by him, and did not 
 come to him as the Jewsand+*liarirees did, captiiioully/vith 
 a dflirc to entanj^le and enfnnre him. ilencc /earn, That 
 the Lord Jefus Chrilt delights to reveal hirafelf, and make 
 known his mind and will to I'uch as, with an hunibie mind, 
 and an honeft fimplicity of heart, do dellfe to know him, 
 and underft.md tlicir duty to him. 
 
 27 5 And upon this came his difciplcs, and mar- 
 velled that he talked with the woman : yet no man 
 faid, what feekcfl tliou ? or, Why talked tliou with 
 her? 28 The woman then left her water-pot, and 
 went her way into the city, and faith to the men, 29 
 Come, fee a man which told me all things that ever 
 I did : is not this the Chrift ? 30 Then they went 
 out of the city, and came unto him. 
 
 Note here, i. How the providence of God fo ordered 
 and dil'pcfed of things, that the difciples did not return to 
 Chrili, till he had liniihed his difcourle with this poor 
 woman. An humbled linner may meet with fuch laiif- 
 fadlon and fweet refrcfliment in Chrifl's company, that the 
 prefence even of difciples themliflves (the belt and holieft 
 of faints) may be lookeii upon as injurious to it, and an 
 interruption of it. This poor woman had fo fweet a time 
 with Clirift, that an end beinjr put to the conference, by 
 the coming of the difciples, might be matter of grief and 
 refentment to her ; yet the providence of God fo ordered, 
 that the difciples did not come to break oft the conference, 
 till Chrift had made himfelf known as th.e Meflias to this 
 poor woman. 2. The carriage and behaviour of the dif- 
 ciples upon their reuirn to Chriil; finding him preaching 
 a fermon to a fingle woman, they marvel led, but yet were 
 filent. Learn, i. That the humility and condefcenfion of 
 the Lord Jefus Ciirift, in treating poor penitent and hum- 
 ble fmners, is a matter of wonder and admiration, even to 
 difciples themfelves. O bleffcd Saviour! there was more 
 kindnefs and condefccnllon, more love and compallion, 
 more nieeknels and humility in ihyfelf alone, ilian in all 
 thy difciples and followers put together. Yet note, 2. 
 Though ihey marvtlled, they were fdent, No man faid, 
 Ik'iiy talkejr thou 'Mtlh ha? Thence ohferve, That fuch 
 reverence is due to Chfifl: in all his difpenfations and 
 aiflions, that when v.-e can fee norcafon for what he doth, 
 it is not for us to enquire, much Icfs for us to quarrel ; but 
 we nnift awfully admire what we cannot comprehend. 3. 
 The behaviour of this woman after the conference was 
 over ; Ihe leaves her water-pot, and makes hafte to invite 
 
 A call her neighbours to Chrill, whofe grace and kind- 
 
 . H (lie had experienced. Learn hence, That fuch as 
 ^ truly knov.' Chrilt, have tailed fweeinefs in him, and de- 
 rived Lonifort and fatisfaction from him, will be forward 
 I to invite, and indultrious to draw others to a faving ac- 
 '•'laintance « i;h iimi. Come with me, and Jle a man that 
 
 >d me (ill that eier I did. Is not this the Chrijf f Farthei", 
 
 From the woman's Ica;'ir!g her W4ter-p< i.cr,ar<l 
 
 hartcning to the city, that when once r. fi-ui i.ai t»lle<! she 
 fweemel's and excellency that isin JeAisChrifr.thcfe thirjgs 
 which were highly cllcemed before, will be little regarded 
 then. The poor woman caiae to draw wa'erand thought 
 much, and fpake much of the water of that well which 
 was before her : But meeting with Jefus Clirift, and tail- 
 ing of his grace, ihe forgets both water and water-pot, and 
 away (lie goes to fetch in all her acquaintance to Chrflt. ■ 
 
 31 ? In the mean-while his difciples prayed him. 
 faying, Mafter, eat. 32 But he faid unto them, i 
 have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 There- 
 fore faid the difciplcs one to another, Hath any man 
 brought him ought to eat ? 34 Jefus faiih unto 
 them, my meat is to do thcwillof him thatfentrac, 
 and to finilh Iws work. 
 
 Note here, the fit and feafonable motion which our Sa- 
 viour's difciples make to him ; iMaJfer, eat. Learn from 
 thence. That though a perfon's chief care fhould be for his 
 own foul, and for improving all opportunities for doing 
 good to the fouls of others, yet thcbodiesof men muftnot; 
 be neglected, hut fupported by meat and drink ; efpecially 
 theirs, whofe health and ftrength maybe of greater life and 
 fervice to God and his church. The body is the fervant 
 of the fou', the inflniment whereby itworketh; and, 
 therefore, to neglect the body is to dtfable and nnfir the 
 foul for fervice, to hinder the functions and operations of 
 it. The fixth commandment, which forbids ns to kill, re- 
 quires us to ufe ail means for the prefervation of life both 
 in ourfelves and others. Next, Our Saviour's anfwer to 
 the difciple's motion ; Mafter, eat, fay they. / have meet' 
 to eat, that ye know not of, fays he ; for ivy meath to do the' 
 'jjill of himthatfent me. Not that our ;Saviour did net 
 want meat at this time, for he was both hungry and thirfly 
 as appears by his aflcing water of theuoman to drink and 
 by his fending his difciples into the city to buy meat; but 
 our Lord was more inrent upon doing his Father's work, 
 than upon fatisfying his -own hunger. Chrift hungered 
 more after an opportunity of doing pood to the fculs of" 
 men, than he did after meat and drink to f.itisfy his hun- 
 ger. Lord, let us, thy niinillers, learn of thee to prefer 
 the fpiritual welfare of our people before any temporal 
 advantages whatfoever. 
 
 35 Say not they there are yet four months, and 
 then Cometh harvcfi; ? behold, I fay unto you. Life 
 up your eyes, and look on tlie fields ; forthey are 
 white already to harvcfi. 36 And hethat reapeth 
 receiveth wages, and gathercth fruit unto life eternal: 
 that both he that foweth, and he that reapeth, may 
 rejoice together. 37 And herein is that faying true. 
 One foweth and another reapeth. 38 1 lent you to 
 leap that whereon ye beltowed no labour ; other men 
 laboured, and ye arc entered into thtir labours. 
 
 Our blelTed Saviourhavingin the former verfes given a 
 niolt ]5l.'in and evident deiuonilration of his fcrveni defire 
 to bnn^ fouls home to God, duth iu thele verfes labour to 
 
 ftir 
 
326 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 \i-. 
 
 ftir up and kiiv.iie ilie like dfTertions in his difciplo; ; And 
 this he ilotiiby three vtry eftj^'l'j.il argumenr;. The firft 
 argument is drasvii from tlif ripenefs of the jieoplc, and 
 tlicir willingnefs ro hear, and their readinefs to be reaped 
 and gathered by the gofpel [whereof there was a prefcnt 
 inibince in the Samaritjns, who v/ere no.v coming forth in 
 multitudes to Chriftj which opportunity tliercfore was ro 
 lie improved ; Lift I'p ytur eyes, and Ijok on theftlds, f'jr 
 th-y are 'jjkite oheadyf'X harvTfl. Learn hence, That as 
 a people i J ronietimes rijje for the niiniftry of the word, as 
 roru is ripe and ready for the reaper's hand, fo it is the 
 duty of tht: miiiiflers of Chrift to lay hold upon fuch op- 
 porrunitie? with as much d<rfire and delight, as the harveft 
 m°ii di) upon a reaping feafon. Tiie fecond argument to 
 ^tir lip the difcipics diligence in prsar hiiig the gnrpel, is 
 drawn from the great reward they (lioiild receive for tUis 
 tSeir work. He that reap^th, receiveth -jiagei. The har- 
 ve(t man's wages is double to what other labourers receive 
 Theniinillers of God fhall receive good wages at his hand, 
 how ill Ibever they are requited and rewarded by an un- 
 kind world. And, as a farther cncouraf;ement. it follows : 
 He that fo-Jjeth , and be that revpeih Jhall rejoice together : 
 tiiat is, The prophets who took fo much pains in fowing 
 thefrted of the golpel, and particularly John the Baptilt 
 and you my apoftles who fucceed him, and reap the fruit 
 of what they did fow, ihall have the fame rewatd in glory 
 and rejoice together. Learn hence, That not only the 
 iuccefsfu! but the faithful labourer in God's harveft (liall 
 be rewarded : not only thofe which fee the fruit of their 
 ininillry in thcconcerlion of finners, but fuch as are faith- 
 ful feeds men. Though the feed does not come up till 
 we are in our graves ; nav, though it rots under the clods, 
 and does not come upatall : yetfliall the faithful feedfman 
 be rewarded according to his labour, not according to bis 
 fuccefs. The third argument, to quicken the difciples di- 
 ligence, is drawn from th? eafinefs and facility of that 
 hbour which God required of them ; Others have iabottrrd 
 and ye are entered into their labours ; that is. The prophets 
 and John the Baptift have prepared the ground, andfown 
 the iced, and made ready a people for the lord, and now 
 you enter into their labours^ performing and gathering 
 them imo thegofpel-church ; yet this mull not be under- 
 llood abfoliitely, but comparatively, Notasif the prophets 
 reaped nothing, converted none ; but their fruit wasfmall 
 in comparifon with the fuccefs which the apoftles found. 
 Nor is it to be underftood as if the apoAles took no pains at 
 ;ill, butthat the prophets greater painsrender. the apoftles 
 labour fuccefoful, who tot)k lefs pains. Learn hence, That 
 the v.ifdom of God fe«s it fit that all his fervants in the 
 work of the niiniilry do not meet with the famedifficul- 
 tfes, nor enjoy the fame fuccefs. Some are laborious fow- 
 <rs, others are joyful reapers ; Some labour all their 
 days with -little vilible fuccefs, others bring in many to 
 Chrift, perhaps by a (ingle I'ermon ; fome labour even with 
 v/carinefsand re.ip little, others enter imo their labours, 
 and reap much. 
 
 39 5 And many of the Samaritans of that city 
 believed on him. for the faying of the woman, which 
 tdlificd. He told me all that ever I did. 40 So 
 
 when the S.imaritant v.-cre come ut^iro him, they be 
 fought him that he would tarry with them : and he 
 abode there twoditys. 41 And many more believed 
 becaufe of his own '.vord : 42 .\nd faid unto the 
 woman, Now we believe, not bccaulc of thy Oiying, 
 for we have heard him ollrfelves, and know that 
 this is indeeedthe Chrift, the Saviour of the world. 
 
 Here an acciimtis given of the converfion of more of 
 the Samaritans, from the city of Sichar. Sonic believed 
 on him, upon the full report which the woman had made. 
 That He hud told her all that ever fie did ; but (jtht.rs were 
 brought to believe by /;/'/ own -iu'jrj. Now from the 
 woman's being an inftrument to bring her acquaintance to 
 Chrift by her own experience of what (he had heard from 
 him ; learn i. That very weak inftruments, when they 
 employ ihemfelves for Ciirilt, dcliring toexto! his prailc, 
 and fet forth his glory, are fometimes richly blclTcd with 
 great fuccefs. tfuny of the Samaritans btUzvcd for the fay. 
 inqofthit pc^r -j-y'nan. i. That when a perfon can fay 
 but little of Chrift, yet if it be fpoken fron experience 
 andfenfible feeling, it will be more fuccefvful and perfua- 
 live than much more that is fpoken from notional know- 
 ledge Such as tills woman's teftiniony concerning Chrift; 
 Come, fie a man that told me al! things, that ever I didtsnot 
 this the Ckriji P She fpoke what (lie found, yea, what (he 
 felt within herfelf, imd fpeaking her own experience, many 
 believed in him for her faying. But farther, Thefe Samari- 
 tans believed Chrift to be a prophet upon the tellimony of 
 this woman ; but they believed him afterwards to be the 
 Meffias, or the Saviour of the world, upon the credit and 
 authority of his own word, ver. 41. And many more be - 
 leved becaufe of his r)-Mnv)brd. Thence Uarn. That althougli 
 iiirtroments fpeaking may be a mean to draw perfons to 
 give fome afTent to truth, yet it is Chrift himfelf thai mult 
 work a full perfualion, and his own word is the fureft 
 foundation for faith to build and depend upon : Noiviue 
 believe, not becaufe of thy faying, for -we have heard bim 
 ourfelves. 
 
 43 f Now after two da)'s he departed thence, 
 and went into Galilee. 44 For Jefus himfelf telli- 
 fied, that a prophet hath no honour in his own 
 country. 45 Then wlien he was come into Galilee, 
 the Galileans received him, having fecn all the 
 things that he did at Jerufalem^t the feaft ; for they 
 alfowent unto the feaft. 
 
 O.ir blefll'd Saviour having fpent two davs with the Sa- 
 maritans as an introduction to the calling ef the Gentiles, 
 he goes forward to Galilee, theplace \Khichhe was pleafed 
 to niakechoice of for the e;:frciie of the f^rcateft part ofhis 
 niniftry. Coming into Galilee, he pafleth by the city of 
 Nazareth, where he had had his education, knowing what 
 little refpetl he was like to find there ; a prophet ordinarly 
 having little honour in his own country; therefore, fliun- 
 ning Nazareth, he gocth to Cana, where he had done his 
 iirft miracle. Learn hence, i. T hat tiiere is a real tribute 
 of honour due unto every prop!iet and niinifter of God. 
 which ought to be teftificd by reverence to their perfoivs.by 
 
 a due 
 
Chap, v, 
 
 Sr, J O H N. 
 
 55; 
 
 aduJeft'HTiitionof tilt dignity of their calling, by obedience 
 10 tlieir <!oiftiinc, ;iin! by an lioiiourable maimcnaiicc. A 
 prophet /hould iiave honour ; and honour inchidesall thf fe. 
 i. It is very iifiial ar.d ordinary for the prophets of God 
 to meet wit!) leaft refpcLt where they are inoili<nown; their 
 neareil neighbours their ne.irell relations, tlieir neare'l 
 acquaintance, ore oftijiies furtlieft of from giving that 
 honour tiiat is due unto them. 3. That the rnie prophets 
 and iiiffrengers of Cod ftjal! be fure to find lomc that will 
 entertain theirperfons, and embrace theinniniftry, thou<^h 
 they Way be difefteemed and rejcdted by others. Thouj;h 
 cur Saviour h,,d no honour at Nazareth, yet he found en- 
 tertainment ainongfl the reft of the Galileans. 
 
 46 ^ So Jefus came again into Canaof Galilee 
 where he made the ivatcr wine. And there was a 
 certain nobleman whofe fon was fickat Capernaum. 
 47 When he heard that Jefus was come out of 
 Judea into Galilee, iic went unto him, and befought 
 him thetlic would come down, and heal his fon: for 
 he was at the point of death. 48 Then faid Jefus 
 unto him, E.Kcept ye fee fii<ns and wonders, ye will 
 not believe. 45 The noblcmanliiith unto him. Sir 
 come down ere my child die. 50 Jefus faith unto 
 him, go thy way, thy fon liveth. And the man 
 believed the word that Jefus had fpoken unto him 
 and he went his way. 5 1 And as he was now going 
 down, his fervants met him, and told him, faying, 
 Thy fon liveth, 52 Then inquired he of them the 
 hour when he began to amend : and they faid unto 
 him, Ycftcrday at the feventh hour the fever left 
 him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the 
 fame hour in the which Jefus faid unto him. Thy fon 
 liveth ; and himfelf believed and his whole houfe. 
 54 This IS again the fecond miracle that Jefus did, 
 when he was come out out of Judea into Galilee. 
 
 In this laft paragraph of the chapter, wefindour blefled 
 Saviour performing a fecond miracle in Can.i of Galilee, 
 curing a nobleman's fon that was llcfc of a fever. This 
 nobleman apprehended Ciirvit to be a prophet, and believed 
 that if he were bodily prefeiit with his fon he might pofTibly 
 cure him: but he did not believe him to, be the Meflias, 
 whowasthe true God, andevery vhereprefent: Therefore 
 to give an infallible pri^f that he was I'o, he tells him that 
 his ion vyas cured by the word of his mouth, even at that 
 diftance. By which miracle he cured not only the child of 
 his fever, but the father ofhisunbelief. From, whence \ve 
 ic'-^ I. Thepcrfon that here applies himfelf toChriit; a 
 nchlftnur.. Wedo not find Chriftoftn'tendcd with nobility. 
 JIdve any of the rulers bslteved on him? Yes ; here is one. 
 The fovcreign grace of God is free ; and he has hi:; num- 
 bers among all orders, ranks, and degrees of men : And 
 though not many nobles are called, yet foine arc. 2. Tlie 
 calamity which bef|l this noble perfoa : His fon vias 
 Jick; yen, dying. Earthly greatnefs is no defence againfl 
 afflictions ; great men arc in trouble as other men : Neither 
 *he wealth and riches of this ifobleman, nor his pcwctand 
 
 authority, nor his honour in hit co'intry, iior his favour 
 with his prince, could keep off God's hand either ircci 
 himfelf or from his fon ; I'ut the father feeh as inucli h/ 
 fynipathy, as the child by fenfe. 3. The caule and fpc i ■ 
 occaiion which brought this nobleman unto Chi ill i Ji'v:- ■ 
 in gcueral, an affliction; and in particular, the lickntf;. n 
 his child. Le:irn lience, That greatis the fruit and proir 
 of afflictions to the children of men. Many, v^i'.h th': r-i- 
 bleman, never cometo Chrill till they ba driven by the 
 crols; and particulirly, God lan<ft:fies the ficltnefs and 
 death of near and dear relations (children in fpscial' to 
 bring people nearer to himfelf. 4. This nob!en)»n was 
 neither faithlcfs nor faithful : Had he been tpiite faiiiilcfs, 
 he had not taken fuch pains to come to Chrifl : Had lie 
 been faithful he had not limited the Son of God, by faying. 
 Conic Joiun and hval my f»n ere he die : Come /iotvn, as if 
 Chrid contd not have cured him nbfent ; ere my Sort Jic, 
 as if the fame power required to heal him when lick, could 
 not raife him being dead : Lord heal jiiy /on, had been a 
 proper fuitto him who was the great Phylician ; but come 
 down y/nd heal him, was to teach Chrift how to work. He 
 who doth whatfoever he will, muftdo it how he will, and 
 when he will: It is for us to crave and receive, not to 
 prefcribe and appoint. 5. The meeknefs and great conde- 
 I'cending goodnefs of Jefus Chriil : Nowithilanding the 
 infirmity of this poor man, our Lord fsys, Go/Ayu'^v, 
 thy f 77 liveth. Worthiwefs in the crcaiure, is not the 
 motive that rules Chrift. Should we nicafure our hopc^ 
 by our worthinefs, there was noblelfing to be hoped lor; 
 but if we meafurc them by Chrlft's bounty and compaluoii 
 there is no blefling to bedefpairedof. 6. How Chrill not 
 only anfwers the deilres, but exceeds the expectations of 
 this dilh-efTed ptrfon ; His rcqufft was only. Come and 
 heal my fan: ChrliVs aiifwer was, Co tl.y way, thy /on liveth. 
 Our heavenly Fatheij. when he doth not give us vh-it we 
 a/k, gives us better tlian we pfked. We .-.ft what we think 
 hell, hut God gives v.'hat he knowstobe beft. Chrill here 
 gave a greater denionflration of hisomnipotency than was 
 craved. Laftly, With one word dcih Chrifl heal two 
 patients ; the fon of his fever, the father of his unbelief. 
 It v;as a low degree of faith that broiif;ht the father to 
 Chrifl; it was an higher degree that fentliim back to his 
 fon; but highefl of all, when finding his fon lieahd, lie 
 himfelf believed, and his whole houfe. if <7,-« hence, ThtiC 
 a weak faith may be true, but a true faith is ajways grow- 
 ing and increafing : // liketht path cftkejujf, that jhir.eth 
 niore and more until perfef} day. 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 AFTER this there was a feau of the Jews, and 
 Jefus went up to Jerufalem. 2 Now there is 
 at Jerufalem by the fhoep-market a pool, which is 
 called in the Hebrew tongue Belhcfda, having five 
 porches. 3 In thcfc lay a great multitude of impo- 
 tent folk, of blind, halt, and withered waiting for the 
 moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down 
 at a certain feafon into the pool, and troubled tho 
 water ; whofoever then firft after the troubling of tho 
 
 water 
 
'^/JR 
 
 5r, 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 water licpped in, w.is luade whole of whatfoevcr 
 tlireafi; he li^d. 
 
 Tliis dnpter begins with a ilcrcription of tlie famous 
 pool of Beclilnid.T, wliofe waters were ineiiicinal, tocure rhe 
 lirlt coiner t I'.ereiinto, wh.ufocver dileal'e he had. Some 
 tliinl: this \va^ etfec'ced in a natur^il way, and that the in- 
 trails of the facrificed hearts being waflied in this pool, an 
 healing virtue was communicated for curing the palfy, and 
 fucli cold difeales ; as perfoii&that have lame and withered 
 h.inds, are at this day directed to put them into the btUy of 
 a beaft newly opened. But others look upon the healing 
 virtue of this pool to be Uipernatural and miraculous, be- 
 caufc it cured all dil'eafes, how great and delperate I'oever 
 and this in a moment, or very quickly and but one at a 
 time; and that one, the firil that (tepped in only, after an 
 angel had dcfcended and troubled the w aters : All which 
 iiiew, that the healing virtue came not from the goodnefs 
 c.f the waters, but that it was a fupernatural work. Some 
 think that the miracle of this pool was granted to the Jews 
 partly to ftrengthen them in the true woriliip of God, and 
 to confirm them in their religious courfe of I'acrificing, 
 againltthefcoflTs of theRomans, whowere now their lords; 
 fuch a virtue being given to that water wherein their facri- 
 lices were wont to be waHied. Z,^rtr« thence, That means 
 ofGod's appointment, how improbable and unlikely foever 
 nuifl not be deCpifed, but awfully admired, and thank- 
 fully ufed; although the way and manner of their working 
 be not underrtood or comprehended by us. 
 
 15 And a certain man was there, t^-hich had an 
 infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 Wlicn Jefiis law 
 him lye,' and knew that he had been now a long time 
 in that cafe, he faith unto him, Wilt thou be made 
 whole? 7 The impotent man anfwered him. Sir, I 
 have no man, when the water is troubled to put mc 
 into the pool : but while I am coming, another ftep- 
 ptth down before me. 8 Jelus faith unto him, Rife 
 take up thy bed and walk, g And immediately the 
 man wa^ made whole, and took up his bed, and 
 walked : and on the fame day was the fiibbath. lo 
 ? The Jews therefore faid unto him that was cured 
 It is the fabbatli-day : it is not lawful for thee ' to 
 carry,Mv bed. 11 He anfwered them, He that made 
 me whoh>, the fame faid unto me, take up thy bed 
 and walk P i2Thenafked they him, Whatman 
 is that which laid unto thee. Take up thy bed and 
 *walk .■• 1 3 And he that was healed will not -who 
 it was; for Jcfus had conveyed himfelf away, a 
 luultitude being in that place. 
 
 It was very commendable that therlch nien did niH en- 
 grofs this pool, and the benefit of it to themfelves, but fuf- 
 Kred poor peoiile to come to it. In this college of cripples 
 a jioor man, who had been lame thirty-eight years, was 
 four d, who wanted ftrength to helphimfelf, wanted money 
 1(1 hire iitliers, and others wanting mercy to help him; 
 Chr;U i;:hci pity oiir||fns, e"^ bccaufe he could not go ;o 
 
 health, health is gracioufiy brought to him, and that by 
 the hanol of the great Phyilcian, Chrill Jefus. A'c/f here 
 1. That not only are men's bodies fubjeiH: to innumerable 
 infirmities and difeafes, but it pleafes God for wifeends to 
 continue fome of his fervants labouring under bodily weak- 
 nefs for many years together, yea, evenall the day* of their 
 life. Here is a poor man for eight and thirty years together 
 under the difcijiline of God's rod by bodily weakneh. 2. 
 That it is the duty of the afflicled to wait upon God in a 
 dilligcnt ute of all means which God has appointed for their 
 help and healing : As to trull to means, is to neglec> God: 
 To to neglc(fl the means is to tempt (»od. This poor man, 
 no doubt, had madeufc of the means before, yet waits at the 
 pool now. 3. 'J hough Chriit well knew the cife of this 
 afflicted pcrfon, and wanted no information, yet he aflts 
 him if he s\ill be made whole? to make him fenlinle of his 
 mifery, to quicken his detires after healing, and to raife 
 his expedations of help from him. -Though Chrift knows 
 our wants, yet he takes no notice of them, till we make 
 them known to him by prayer. 4. The time when Chrill 
 wrought this miracle of healing upon the impotent man, 
 it was ujjon the fabbaih day ; and as an evidence of the 
 certainty of the cure, Chrill bids him take up his bed, und 
 ivalJi. Our Saviour's miracles were real and beneficial, 
 they were obvious to the fenfe, and would bear the exami- 
 nation of ail perfons. The miracles which the church of 
 Rome boad of, will not bear the examination ofour fenfes 
 Their great miracle, tranfubllaniiation, is fo far from being 
 obvious to fenfe, that it contradifis the itn\'e and reafon of 
 mankind, and is the greatefl affront to human nature that 
 ever the world was acquainted with. And our Saviour's 
 working this and many other miracles on the fabbath day^ 
 was for the teftification of the miracles to all petfons 
 that would take notice of them. 5. How iinjullly the Jews 
 tax the cripple that was healed, with the breach of the fab- 
 bath, for taking up his bed and walking on the fabbath- 
 day ? whereas the law only forbade carrying burthens on 
 the fabbath day for profit in way of trade : But this man's 
 carrying his bed, was a teftimony of God's goodnels and 
 mercy roa-ardshim, and of his gratitude towards God. 
 Hypocritical and fiiperfticioiis perfons often-times pretend 
 much zeal for obfervii.g the letter of the law, little refpeft- 
 ing the moral fenfe andfignificationof it. Befides, our Sa- 
 viour has a mind to let the Jews know, that he was Lord 
 cf the fabbath, and that he hath power over it, and could 
 dilpenfe with it as he thought good. Laftly, The great 
 modtfty and humility ofour blefled Saviour, how hateful 
 all ollentation and vain-glory was unto him ; for having 
 wrought this famaus miracle before the people at a public 
 time, the feaft of thepalTover, to Ihun all applaufefrom the 
 muliitude he convt^s himfelf privately av.ay from them ; 
 Jrfiis conveyed j-Amf. If U'xay, a tnultituae hthsgiti that place. 
 Our Saviour's bulinefs was to do much good, and make 
 but litile noife ; he fought not his own glory. 
 
 1 .{ Afterwards fefus findeth him in the temple, 
 and faid unto him. Behold, thou art made whole: fin 
 no more, left a worfe thing come unto thcc. 
 
 Thefe words ar? our Saviour's feafouable advice and 
 couiifil to the poor impotent cripple, whom he had mira- 
 
 cukufiv 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 St. J O H N, 
 
 0^ 
 
 V 
 
 culouflyreftoreJ tohealili,nn<ironndoefs. Whence ohjlrve, 
 I. 'Ihe perfon adnioiiifiiing, Je/ut; he ihat had been his 
 phyfician before, is his iiioniror and teacher now : Hehold, 
 ih'jii art mails whole •• /in ui iwirc. Oh how nuich it is tlie 
 duty, but how IcldDin the prnclife, of thole wlioin God 
 in.ikes indriitnents for recovering bodily health, to put 
 their patients in mind of their obligations to thaiik'.'uineit 
 and new obedience ! Thus did oiir bavinur here. 1 he 
 recovered man's phyfici-in gavehitn iiifiruiifion : His healer 
 became his monitor. Sin no more. 2. The perfon admo- 
 iiilhed, the recovered cripple : Thou art nuide whole. But 
 what was he ? Not a difciple, not a believer ; Fnr he that 
 .was healed, vj'i/l not viho Jcjlis ivas, ver. 13. tfe knew 
 not Chrilt, therefore believed not on hini. and yet was 
 healed by him. Thence learn, That there are ni.iny out- 
 ward mercies and common blefl'ings, which Chriit bcftows 
 upon thofe that have no fpiritual knowledge of him, or 
 favinp; acquaintance with him. The man that was healed, 
 w'tjl not who it wat Ihat had healed him. 3. Th» place 
 where Chrift meets this his recovered patient ; not at the 
 tavern, bnt in the temple returning thanks to God for his 
 recovered health : V'hen God fends forth his word and 
 healeth us it i's our duty to niake our firfl: vifit to God's 
 houfe, and to pay our vows in the great congregation and 
 found forth the praifea of our great and gracious deliverer. 
 4. The ciriuaillances of time vvlien Chrift found him in 
 the temple, loon after his recovery, afterwards Jefus 
 finJt'th him in the ttniple. We muft not be clamorous and 
 importunateto receive mercies, and dumbandtongue-tjed 
 in retmiiing thanks; but make hafte, and not delay the 
 time to pay our acknowledgments to him that healeth us. 
 H. 'llie admonition iti'elf ; Behold thou art made whole, (in 
 no more ; If/? a worfe thing come upon thee ; where onr Sa- 
 viour adinonidics him of the greatnefsof the mercy , Behold 
 th'ju art made whoL- • and fubjoins a cautionary dipeifticn. 
 Sin no more. Where it is necefiarily implied, that lln is 
 always the deferving, and oft-times the procuring caufe of a 
 perfon's affliftion's and calamities ; and that the beft and 
 i'ureft way to prevent the return ofjudg;iientsand calami- 
 ties to a perfon, is for a perfon to return no more to (in ; 
 Hin no more, lefl a worfe thing come upon ih:e ; where it is 
 farther implied, that Almichty God has forer plagues and 
 feverer judgments in (lore for thofe Tinners u ho go on oh- 
 ftinarely in a courfe of fin and rebellion againft God, not- 
 withftanding all the fignal rebukes of his avenging angpr. 
 From the whole, note, I'hat when the Lord doth gr.icioufiy 
 heal a perfon, or a. people, ir is a mercy to be much ob- 
 ferved, and thankfully acknowledged. 
 
 1 5 The man departed, and told the Jews that it 
 was Jefus whicli had made him wlic'e. 16 And 
 therefore did the Jews perfecute Jefus, and fought to 
 flay him, becaule he had done theic things on the 
 Jabbath-day. ,, - 
 
 Alter the manunderftood who his henler aiid be.nefaSor 
 was,, he went and tol:'. ihe lirwiih magiUrates it was Chrift 
 that had healed him. TLis i,2 C\\-, not with any evil de- 
 fign, no doubt, to inform againft him, and ftirup thejews 
 10 perfecute him; but defirous to publifli whatClniAliad 
 
 done, to his honour, and to direct others to ir.r.kc nfe of 
 him. Learn thence, That it is the du'.y of all thofe tliat 
 have experienced the power and jiity of Chrift the i\i(e!vc : 
 to proclaim and j;iibli/li it to otlitTS, to the intent that 
 all that need him may expcritiKC help and iiealing ir":n 
 lii/n. Thisfcemsto be the poor man's ddign : But be- 
 hold the blindncfs, obiliiiacy, and malice of tiic Jews, wh<i 
 perfccuted Chrift, and fought to kill him for doing good, 
 and healing a cripple that had been thirty-eight years fci •. 
 7heref-ire aid the Jews perfecute J efus, andjhught to ft.iy 
 him. Yet obferve the cloke and pretence ihcy have for 
 their malicious perfccution of our Saviour; namely, the 
 fuppofed violation of the Sabbath-day ; They fought to (ley 
 him, hecaufe he had done thcje things on the fahhath-day. 
 Learn hence, That great cruelty againft Chrift and l)is 
 members, has always been, and ftill is, mafked and dii- 
 guifed with a fair pretence of zeal for God and his com- 
 mands. The Pharifees mortally hated our Saviour, there- 
 foie, they cover their malice, and traduce him as aprofaner 
 of the fabbath, and feek to take away his life. 
 
 17 ? But Jefiis anfwered them, My Father 
 worketh hitherto, and I work. 
 
 From. this verfe to the end of the chapter, we have our 
 Saviour's apology for his working the foregoing cure on 
 the iinpotent man on the fabbaih-ilay. And the chief ar- 
 gument he inlifts upon, is drawn from his unity and 
 equality in nature and operation with his Father : /Is th;; 
 Father worketh, fays he, fo I work. Here he fpeaks of hini 
 felf, not as a fervant, or inftrumcnt in the Father's hand, 
 but as the fellow- worker sviih the Father, both in the works 
 of creation and in the woi ks of providence and preferva- 
 tion alfo. Learn hence, 1. That though Almighty God 
 has long fince ceafed from the work of creation, yet not 
 from the work of prefervation. My Tatherworketh hitherto; 
 not by creating new kinds of creatures, bnt by upholding 
 and preferving what he has .Tlready created. 2. That 
 Chrift the Son of God, is joined with, and undivided from 
 the Father in working. As the Father created all things 
 by him. (not as a man, and an inftruinent in his Father's 
 hand ; for then he was notfuch) but as his ftllow-worker, 
 being equal in nature and power with the Father; in like 
 manner as theFatherpreferveth,fuftaineth,governeth, and 
 upholdeth all things, fo doth Chrift ; the Father'* action* 
 and hib being the fame. iMy Father w.tkcthhith'ert',, and 
 I work. 
 
 18 Therefore tlie Jews fought the more lokill 
 him, becaufc he not only had broken the fabbath, 
 but faid alfo that God was his Father, making him 
 feJf equal with God. igThen anfwered Jefus r.nd 
 faid unto thcm.Venly, verily, I fay unto yon, The 
 .Son can do nothing of himftlf, but w]iat he fccth 
 'thi Fa.tlicr do :'for what things foever he doeth, thefe 
 alfo doeth the Son likewife. ' 
 
 Olfervc here, The Jews inftead ofbeing fatiifiecl, were 
 the more enraged ; not only bcraufe he had violated the 
 fabbath, (as they pretended) by healing the cripple on the 
 fabbath- day,- bin becaolc thrift iiad'afierted, th.at GoJv.is 
 
 r'.s 
 
 i T 
 
yp 
 
 St. JOHN 
 
 Cj»Ar. r. 
 
 his Father in » ppciir:.r mannf r, and maiJe h'in'"tif eqiKiI 
 »iih GcxJ. Our S.iviour ihertfore goes on to afTrrt his 
 fqiijlity and coojuflion with the Father in his operations 
 «nJ woiVings ; wliiih doth at oticej'illify his work on the 
 fabbath-day, and prove hiinft If to be truly and really God. 
 No.v tiur holy Lord, to prove himf*!t' tqiial with God the 
 F.nhrr, prodiicss firit nt.my aigunients, to vcr. 31. then 
 ailcdj^es the tcilimony of many "Aiiiufles to the c,n\ of the 
 chapter. Our Saviour's firft argument to prove hiinfdf 
 tq'j.il wiih the Father in efience and iiature^is this, that the 
 Father and he are (qii.il in operation, in will and confent 
 f jr ".'orkin '^ ; that the Son djih all that the Father doth 
 and the Father doth nothing without the Son, ver. 19. 
 The Siin candin'.thlngnf I im/flf ; ihat i<^, as man, :i» the 
 Meffia', and as Mediator, he could do nothing' of liiinfelf. 
 liis perfecl obedience to, and compliance witli the will of 
 his Father thrt lent him, would not fudVr him to do any 
 thing without him ; but as God, he could do all things <if 
 hitnfelf. Learn htnce. That it is an undeniable proof 
 ih.it the Father and the Son are one in nature, eflenceaiid 
 being : in that they^re infeparable and undevidcd in ope- 
 ration and working ; What things f'jcvrr the Futher dolh 
 thc/e alp) tf'jih ike Son Itkew'^p ; and the Son d'jth nothing 'f 
 blmftif, kut what hefetth the Father do .• Tht refbre Father 
 atid Son being equal in operation and working, are equal 
 in nature and beihg ; and, confequently, both enVntially, 
 truly, and really God ; Therefore the Ariansof old, and 
 the Sociniar.s at this day, are wide wlunthey produce this 
 text, The S:n ran do nothing 'fhim/i 1/, to prove that Clirift 
 is not equal with God the Father. 'I'hey forget or iiegleJt 
 to diftinguifh bctwen his divine nature, which could do 
 all thing", and his mediatorial office, which could not do, 
 but what the Father that lent him had appointed him to do. 
 
 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and fhareth 
 him all thini^s th it himfclf tdoeth ; and he will Ihew 
 iiirn greater works than thefe that ye may marvel. 
 
 The fecond argument which CMir Saviour produces to 
 prove his unity in nature, and equality in (iperaiion with 
 the Father, i' drawn from that fpccial love u hich the Father 
 beareth to the Son; which inclines him to communicate all 
 things ro him by a divine and ineffable communication. 
 Learn, hiiice, i. That God the Father loveth JeCus Chrift 
 his Son, with an efTencial, natural, and neceflary love, as 
 being the fubftantial image of himftlf, and tke fplendour 
 ind brightnefs of his glory. The Father Ivvtth th; Son ; 
 that is, with an eflVntial, eternal, and ineffable love. 2. 
 That the Father's love to Chrifl: was communicative ;' the 
 Father communicated his effence and nature, his wifdtm 
 and poA'cr for operation to the Son. The Father Jljevjeth 
 the Son all things that himftlf doih : namely, by a divine, 
 inconrciv.ible, and unfpeakable comiiiunication. 
 
 21 For as the Father raifelh up the dead, and 
 quickencth them; even fo the Son quickeneth 
 whom he will. 
 
 A third argutirent proving Chrift to be God, and equal 
 viih the Father, is licre produced ; namely, his raifiiigof 
 the dead : He is joined AJth the Father in thtc woik, ai'.d 
 
 rqnal with h'ln .- /</ tte Futhr fir<lenrd'Kt<<m he pi afrih* 
 [■) dith the S',n udtm fe ti-lll; dr.t if, r< t as tht Father'* 
 irflriiment but as a principal age nt , by lie lame 3u hority» 
 with the like abfolute (reedi m <t will wh'th the F'ather 
 ufes, beinga foveriegn ardindipent'ent leirg, asthe Fn- 
 ther is ; Aj tie Father raifeth th:! deiid,ttni quuken^th thitr, 
 fo the Sen ^uukentth vhimhewll'. 1 his is nioie than ever 
 w as fa-d by prophet i r apofile, that he did Inch works at 
 his will, ludtn hence, i. I hat quiikening or rn ill tig of 
 the dead, is an aft of oniiiipottiiy, and proper to God 
 only ; The Father ratftth the di^ud, ond qulcktncth thcrr. 
 1. 1 hatChrift's power to riife the dead as well as the Fs- 
 thcr's, is a proof of his « quality with his Father, and an 
 evidence of his being truly ai.d rea'y God > the Sen quuk- 
 entth ivh'jm he will. 
 
 2 2 For the Father judgeth no man ; but hath 
 committed all jud^^ment unto the Son : 83 That 
 alltaen fhould honour the Son, even as they honor 
 the Father, He that honoureth not the Son, honoix- 
 eth not the Father whieh hath fent him. 
 
 A Fourth inflance of Chrift's Godhead, and proof of 
 his equality with the Father, is, That it is his «oik to 
 judge the world ; The Father, fays Chrhy,judgtj no man ; 
 that is, no niJ-n without nie, but all mt n by me, to thii 
 intent. That (ilhnenfl.'iuld h'.n'iur the f en, (Ten as they homr 
 the Father ; that is liontiur him with'he fame faith, love, 
 fear, worOiip, that is due and payable toCod ihe Father. 
 H<nce Irait;. i- Thnt Chri', as God, haih the a6rolute 
 power of life and death, of abfolution and condemnation, 
 uhch heexecntrsin conjunfliou wiif: his F-ther. 2. T hat 
 hiivini; this poA cr of judging the world with the Father, 
 doth lliew that the fame glnry is due to him, which is due 
 unto the Father. Jil nun /Jyutd hcn'jkr the Sen, even as 
 they Innour the F»thtr. 3. 1 hat fuch as pretend to horour 
 Chrifl, but ccny iiim to he Cod, equal with the Father, 
 withdraw the highifl honour from him ; and f-Jch aswith> 
 draw the honour fi oin the Son, ili ny it to the Father v\ ho 
 will not be honoured but in and through honouring of the 
 Son. This text fpeaks drc.id and terror to the Socinians 
 who pretend to hoi.our Chrifl, but not with the fame 
 honour with which they preieml to honour the Father: In 
 God's account, they honour him not at all ; Fcr he that 
 hon'.urtth net ihe ^r,nj!on',M eih net the Father,' True they 
 nrsy to Chrill, and give him divine worfhip, though they 
 believe him to be a creature; but w hat is this but idola'ry 
 to wordiipthat which by nature is not God, andtodoihat 
 to a creature, which God rt quires tobegi\tn ;o himfclf, 
 having faid, Afy glory lu-ll J net give to another i Il'aiah' 
 xlvi.i. 2. Divine honour can only be due to a di\ine per- 
 ron ; that if, to him that is God UlelTed for evermore. 
 
 24 Verily, verily, I fay unto you, Hcthatheareth 
 my word, and believeth on him that font me, hath 
 cverlaftin J life, and (hall not come into condemna- 
 tion ; but is paffcd from death unto life. 25 Verily 
 verily, I fay unto you, The hour is coming and 
 now is, when the dead fltall hear the voice of the 
 Son of God : and they that hear fhall live. 2G For 
 
CUAP. V. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 S3' 
 
 as the Father hatli life in himfcif ; fo hath he given 
 to the Son to have lifi in hi nfclt"; 27 And hath 
 given him autliority to execute juJ^mont aUo be- 
 ciofc he is the Son of man. 
 
 M< re \vc have a fifth eviilence of Chrift's Godhead, and 
 f quality w'ulithe Father; n.imcly, that he is the author of 
 fpiritu.il anil etern.1l life to j11 th.it believe 011 him. He 
 ^lat with a fuiitainor lite eqi.tl '.^ith the F.itlier, andcom- 
 inniiicated to hi'ii fr im the F-ith^T, is God : but Chrift 
 hj'h tliis ver 26. r,r as the Fjthe' hath life In himj'ilf, fo 
 ij hat g'tvfn to the V-iji tt havr if- in hiwftlf. Again, he 
 that h.uli aiitiiority to ex' ca;e j.idj^meii's ujinn angeU and 
 men, is Cod ; and Chr.fl h.iih (uch autliority, ver. ■27. 
 He hiith giv H him ji/thori/y tu execufe jtidgrtunt. Farther, 
 hchjt with hi •-voice quit ken th andin.iki'thalive them that 
 hear it i' Goil ; and Chiid doth thi«, ver. 25. The deud 
 fl\ill hear the vnice rf the "^n f G ,d e>id live. The dead, 
 thitis, I. 'Ihe fpiritually di':itl, fiich as are (if ail in *ief- 
 p..{res and fins : ih' fe hear-Mj^ ilie voice ot Chriil in the 
 Biinillry of the word Ihall 1 ve a life (if gr>ice on earth, and 
 a life of n'ory in heaven. 2- Such as are co'por.illv dead 
 «lfo ; thefe i^re likewiff qu'tkened and raifid by Chriil as 
 God. /.fflrf hence, i. 'ihat Gcd the Fathir hath enin- 
 mnnicated to Chr.ft his Son a power to qiiitki'n and en- 
 liven fnti) as are f|iiritually anil c()r|irally dead. 2.1 hat 
 the F.iiher's coniir'iniii.arinii ihi'-po.\er to the Son irgues 
 no inf quality or inferiority to the Son, but he harh the f .ine 
 lire nitinitely, indi pendantly, and equally \siih the Father 
 vs thr Futhcr hath it,/n hath the ^m . the Father h \<\\ it 
 inh Mirelf, and fo hith the Son alfo : therefore the Son, as 
 ve!! IS the Farh^r. iseflVntially and truly d'd. 3 Others 
 by the dead, uiiderltand ihofe w hoin Chriil raifed from 'he 
 dead, when he himftif arofe. Wh ti many of tlie bodies 
 of the fJint^ arofe with him, Matt, xxvii. it bemi; faid, 
 The h'jur ni-uis, &c. Dr. Whithy- 
 
 2S Marvel not at this ; for the hour is cominsr, 
 in th3 which all that are in thegraves fhall hear his 
 voice, eq And {hall come fortji, they that have 
 done good, unto the refurrcftion of life ; and they 
 that havs dona evil, unto the rel"urre£lion of dam- 
 n.>tion. 
 
 Our Savi'our, finding the Jews ama^.ed :ind afloniOied at 
 Mr dclaring hisfoveregn and fupr<"me authority and power 
 toqtiifkfn -nd rs'fe \ihom he pleafid from the dead, doih 
 ill thefe verfes a.Ture them, ihjt. there nould be a pener.il 
 refurredl'.on, and" an uniierfal day of judgment both of 1 lie 
 i:jjhteou3and th" wicked; and a future dirtrilni'ion of re- 
 wards and punifhrtienrs in another life, accorc'in ^ to men's 
 .nctipns here in thi« life. /■Ill that are in the gi ai'es Jhall 
 k.ar his voice, andjhall ameft.rth. Here- W/Zc. i.il'he 
 ccrt.iiniy and .univerfality of the rcfurreflim of t'le desd 
 declared : 7^e hour is cuniing, in which all thai are in the 
 graves Jlh>ll Ci^Me f'.rth. 2. Tne powerful and efficacious 
 means, by which this great and fudilen chjngs fliall be ef- 
 ffrt d and acconijiliihecl in the mon".ir,gof the refurredinn 
 miTicly, tltc o-nnipo'ent 'vpice of Chr.ll : All that are in 
 t ' - '• .rt'' -'Jh'rfl h^ifi^'hh v'lte, aptt /ha't co'ne forthri . Hef e 
 
 are the d'/firrcn" ends of the refurreifiion dec'arei', accflrd* 
 ing to the d ffi-rence ofpcrfons which (hi! ihtn be r.dfed, 
 good and bid: 7 ho/'e that have djne gtod.lo the r.JurrtfU.n 
 of lift- ; and thif'e that bitvi d'tne evil to the refurreiHon of 
 damnation. Learn, 1. 'Ihat there ihal! rertjiidy be a re. 
 furreftion of the body. 2.. Th it all in the gr.ives (lull be 
 raifed, though not all alike ; the wiiktil (lull be foifed by 
 the power ot Chriif, as their judge : '1 he righteous fljall 
 be raifed hy virtue of iheir uu'on with Chrift as their head. 
 3. According as men live in this world, and j out of it, 
 lothey w fllbt fuundat the reforrcclion, withoui a ly ch.oige 
 of their {l;itc-, there will thtvi be only two furtsofperfons 
 good and 'o.id. All that have do^e good, how fipall (oever 
 the degtf e ofthf ir goodnefs h; th jeen, Mi^ll be rewarded 
 and all thit have done evil (h. 11 ic everljllmgly ptirwlhed; 
 for all prrfons flidl be eternally happv,or intolerably m"i- 
 ferahle in theother worM, accordingvas thty manage their 
 deportment and behaviour iiiihis life : They that have dine 
 good, (hiilt go, &c. 
 
 30 I can of mine own fcif, do nothing : as I hea^ 
 Ijud.^e, and my ju. lament i.s jufl , bec.iufe I fcek 
 not mine own will, but the willof the Father which 
 bJ4:h fent me. 
 
 Here Chrift declare^ »n the Jew?, and in tlrm all mi:i- 
 kind th;it they might alTure theinfelvei his judgment would 
 be excftly righteous becaufe he had no pri^'^ite will or 
 p-nve ■ of his own contrary ro or difT rent from his Father. 
 Lrarn hence, '1 hat the Lord Jeiu Chrift being the fame 
 in efif. nee and n.iture, in power and operatun with the 
 F.ithi"r, had no private will orinircft ot his oi.v n.but ac'^ed 
 a'lihings a^. God, in coordinjtion wi'hihe Father : and 
 as man, in (u'iordination to him : / can rf my v.unflf do 
 nhthint; .• that is, neither as God, nor as Mediator ; not as 
 Go I, tor God the F.itlu"r and Chnft being one, equal in 
 po.^er, wh:it otie perfon did, tlie other doth : not aj Me- 
 diator, for fo Chriil finilhed the woik which his Father 
 gjve hiin to do; the will of the F.ither anel the will 
 of Chrirt being both one. As Chrift was fent hv his 
 Father's order, fo he was altrgether guided by his Fathers 
 \\ill, wherewith his own will exactly conciirrtd, 
 
 31 If I bearwitncfs of myfelf, my witnefs is nof 
 true. 32*1 There is another that beireth witnefs 
 of me, and I know that the witnefs which he wit-- 
 neffeth of me, is truc^ 
 
 Our bleffet^ Saviour hjvingprodiiced tliefe five foregoing 
 arpumtnts to prove his unity m elT'. nee, anel his equality in 
 p<iwer with the F.ither, corrcs now to the end of tiie 
 <h.ipter to produce fevernl teftimonies for the proof of it; 
 and the firft of them is the teftimony of God his Father ; 
 There if another tf'at h-areth witrc/s of me, whofe iviln.fs is 
 true. Kow the F.ither hjd lately, ntChrift'> bjptilin, by 
 a voice from heaven declared him to'.^e hi^btliAed Sen in 
 whom he was well pleated ; which liluftricus teftiin. ny, 
 given to Chrift, they hajnot rPg.Trd'el, Zr</« hence, T hal 
 as C'hi ift came into the world in obedif ncc to hi-i Fuller, 
 and bear ^^ilncfs v him ; f<> d-d t'e Fa'her honour Irai, 
 ar»d Siftrwitivefi of hun^ and h^s tcltiinonv coijceinng Ii.s 
 ' i~yii 
 
:33^ 
 
 St. J O H K. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 Son is undoutjttd?y iiJC, end to be depended and reftfd 
 upoii ; For we make the h'ather a liar, if wc do not depend 
 upon the record svhich he hath given of his Son. 
 
 33 Ye fcnt unto John, and he bare wilnefs unto 
 the truth. 34 Jiiu I receive not teltimony from 
 man : but theic thiri'js I fay, that ye might be faved. 
 
 The fccond teflimony toproveChrift to be the MeJTias, 
 was that of John the B.iptill. We re.id, John i. 19. how 
 the Jlws fcnt to cnquirc-of him, Whether he were the 
 Chrill, or not i and he denied it, anvl pointed tojefus, 
 i'jy'ing, BtrlyJd the fa:>:li of God : yet would not the Jews 
 abide by this teftimony of John concerning the MeiFias. 
 Neverthelefs, fays Chrill, J receive noteJttm'jnyfr(,m John: 
 that is, " John by his teHimonv added nothing to me; I 
 was whatl was, and / am 'jjhat I um, before John tcdified 
 of 111?, and iiuce. " Learn hence. That thedlvinity of 
 Chrift's pcrfon, and the verity of his dodrine, needs no 
 man's teltimony for the confirmation of it, being fulficient- 
 ly confirmed by Chrill's own authority, and his Father's 
 ttfliinony : I receive not tefiimony from man • that is,*' I 
 need if not, I defire it not npon my own account, but upon 
 yours only, thu upon the credit of John's teilimony ye 
 might believe in me, and be faved by lue ; 7/uy'e things I 
 <y that ye might be faved." 
 
 35 He was a burning and fhining light ; and 
 ye v.'cre nilHng for a fealon to rejoice in his light. 
 
 NrJehcre, John's charafter. and the people's c.irnage 
 I. John's thnr.-!(fter ; lie was a light, a burnlnf; andfhinlr.g 
 light ; He had in him a light of knowledge, to enlighten, 
 direct, and Comfort others; and this his knowledge was 
 accompanied with zeal ; lie was a burning light in hi« doc- 
 trine, and a Paining lamp in his converfation ; he had the 
 light of knowIedi^;e in his head, the warmth of 2eal in his 
 heart, and the influence of both in his life. Learn hence. 
 I. That ihofe whom God calls to the oiSce and work of 
 theminiflry, he fnrniflies with abilities and endowments 
 fuitable to their great employments ; he endows them with 
 a light of knowledge, which is animated by the heat and 
 warmth of zeal. 1. That ininifterial gifts a. id abilities 
 are not beftowed alike upon all, but difpenfed varioally.— 
 All are lights according to their meafure, but all are not 
 equally b-.irniiig and liiining lights for proportion and de- 
 gree. 3. 'J hat the brighteft burning, andcle.nreft ftiining 
 lights in the church of Chrift, have but their ti:nc in this 
 world ; they arefubjeft, as well as other men, to the com- 
 mon condition of mortality, and the lamps of their lives 
 burn outthefafler, by lighting others to heaven. John 
 was a hurtling and fhining light ; but now is put out and 
 pone. Notei. As John's chara^fter, fo the people's car- 
 riage : Te 'xerir rjllltng fr afeafw ti rtjnke In his light. 
 ITei-e is a threefold gradation; tUcyrejoictd, they rejoiced 
 inhis light, and they rcjmcedf.raffafm. I. They rejoiced 
 The word fignifies, lei.p«d> for joy, and danced about 
 him as chihhen doabout a bonfire, when he firit began his 
 miuillry among them. ,0, how warm are tht affcftionsof 
 a people, when a pions and zealous niiniller comes firft 
 among ihcin. 2. 'I hey rejoiced in his ii^ht, not in his 
 licat. Or, they rejoiced in John's li^^ht, not in Chrifl's ; 
 
 for when tliey found tiw. J )'"in bar? Tccc.rd to Chrift, they 
 foon grew cold in their aiiertion towards John. 3. Tliry 
 rejbiced on\y J or a frafon ; for an hour, as the word figni- 
 fies. For a fliort tune John's miniUry was acceptable. 
 Learn hence, 1 . Thai it has been an old praftice among 
 profcfTors, no: to like their paftors long, though they have 
 been ever fuch burning and fhining lights. John wasnot 
 changed, but bis hearers were changed ; he did burn and 
 fliine in the candleftick of the church with equal zeal and 
 ludre to thelaft ; b'Jt they had changed their thoughts of 
 him, and I0.I iheir efteem for him. 2 That as nothing in 
 general is lb mutable as the mind of man, fo nothing in 
 particular is fo variable as the aiTciJtions and opinions of' 
 people towards their minifters. The lamp of John's mi- 
 niilry was always alike, Ivurning and fliinir.g, his oil didnot^ 
 walte, but his hearers' zeal waited, and their affeiflions 
 cooled: Thofe whole gifts are not at all abated, nnyyec 
 find 1 great abatement in the acceptation of their gifts; 
 therefore let no man live upon the breath of men ; leaftof 
 all let minlllers live upon the popuLir air, or the fpecch of 
 the people. O,, let us live npon the credit which we have 
 with God, and rejoice chiefly in his efteem. If our per- 
 formances find acceptance with God, we are l"afe and h^ppv 
 though they fall under contempt with men. 
 
 36 5 But I have greater witnefs Jhan that of Jolin ; 
 for the works which the Father hath given me to 
 finitb, the fame work.s that I do, bear witnefs of me, • 
 that the Father hath fcnt me. 
 
 The third teftimony produced by Chrift, to evidence and 
 prove himfeif to be tne promifcd Mefliss, and Saviour of 
 the woild, is that of his miracles ; which, by an tminipo- 
 teni power as God, he was enabled to work. Chrilt's 
 miracles were fpeaking tcftimonies of his unity with the 
 Father, and of the divinity of his ]>cifon. Not fo the mi- . 
 racles of his apofUes ; for he wrought his miracles ia his 
 own name, and by his own power and authority ; but the 
 apoftles expreflly declared the contrary. Acts. iii. 12. i6. 
 IVhy look yefledfafily on us, as If -mc by uurorun pr.ver had ' 
 made this man ti/holeP His name, through faith In his name, 
 hath made this man f/rong. Learn hence. That the tefti- 
 mony of Chrift's own works, his miracles wrought in his 
 ownnjme, and by his own authority and power, is a clearer 
 confirmation of his God head, office, and doclrme, than the 
 beft of men's tcftimonies ; yea, than John Bapiift's own 
 teftimony. That hefaw the Spirit defcendlng on him. 
 
 C7 And the Father himfeif which hath fent mc 
 hath borne witnefs of me. Ye have never heard 
 his voice at any time, nor feen his fhape. 38 And 
 ve have not his word abiding in you : for whom he 
 hath fent, him ye believe not. 
 
 Here our blefied Saviour produces again the teftimony 
 ff his Father, that he was the true am! proniiftd MefTiar.: 
 This was given him both at his baptifm and irinsfigi:ra- ' 
 lion ; when God the F.ishcr owr.ed God to be his Son, by 
 an audible voice from heaven faying, This is my hckviJ 
 Son, in viL-wit ] am vidl pleafed. Which teftimony tic 
 Jc A'snowau^h: the more to have regarded, becaufe tjiciigh 
 
 tinir 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 their forefathers liad hc&rA the voice of GoJ at certain 
 lisies, Exod. ;:x. anclDiiet. iv.yetthey in tlieir tiiDeshad 
 never heard his voice. Lcurn hence, 'I'hat the Father's 
 immediate teftimoiiy of Chrilt from heaven,] s greater than 
 all the teftimonies givxjn to him here on earth ; greater th.in 
 John's, greater fiiau his miracles. The prefence of the 
 glorious Trinity, when that teflimony was given, Matt, 
 fii. uli. made that witnefs inoft awful and folemn. 
 
 39 5 Search the fcripturcs; for in them ye think 
 ye have eternal life: and they are they v/hich teftify 
 of me. 
 
 The next teflimony 'Ahich Chrift appeals to, is the tef- 
 timony of the luiprurt s, 'hrt is, the « ritii\g of Moles and 
 the prophets which Clir'ii bi-Js the Jews lidigently fearch 
 and they fli.JI fi:.,d that they abundantly teftiKed of him, 
 ai?d tliat ail the proplKciei.-.nd types were fulfilled in him 
 The word (ftravJ)) fignifying to fe.irch as men d» for a 
 golden mine in the bovseU of the earth, which they mult 
 diu; uoep for, before they can come at. It iniimates, i. 
 That there is an ineftimable treafuie lying hi.l in the holy 
 ftriptures, which we Jliall never fathom bya flight, fupcr- 
 ficial iVarch. 2. That this ineftimable trejUire may be 
 found o'Jt by the painful fearcher ; and it is the duty of all 
 the members of the vilible church to read and iearch the 
 fcripturcs,. which point out the way to eternal life. 
 
 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might 
 have life. 
 
 Here our Saviour upbraids the Jews for their ohftin.ite 
 in'fidelity ; that not withllanding God the Father, by a voice 
 from heaven, and John the Baptilt, by his teflimony on 
 earth, notwithflandiiig all the miracles which they h.".d feen 
 wrougiit by Chrilt himfelf, and nottvithflanding the fcrip- 
 turcs which they pretended lb highly toelleeni, did prove 
 liim ro be the iSledias, and the author of eternal life, 
 which they profefTed to feek ; yet fuch was their obflinacy 
 that they would not come unto him, nor believe in him : 
 Ysviiil not come unto nt!, that ye may have lif'.. Hence n^/e 
 I. A choice and invaluable mercy, which Chrifl (lands 
 ready to beflow upon poor finners, and that is life, both 
 fpiriiual and eternal : A life of grace in order to a life of 
 glory. 2- The gracious condition upon which this inva- 
 luable blelfing m.iy be had ; and that is, upon coming to 
 ClVrill, believing on him, and receiving of him. ■^. Here 
 is the true reafon declared why finners do inifs of life and 
 falvation br Jefiis Chrifl, when he has fo dirarly purchafed 
 it for them, and does fo freely render it unto them, and 
 that lies in their own wilfulntl's and obflinacy; Tc wUl not 
 cznie to me. Learn hence, That the true reafon why lo 
 many finners niifsof fnlvationand eternal life, after all that 
 Chrifl has done and fufFered tor them, is their own obfli- 
 i-..:cy and unwillingnefs to come to him, that they may have 
 life. Man by nature hr.s not cnly an inability, but a tixed 
 enmity in his will agair.fljefus Chrill. 
 
 41 I receive not honour from men. 42 But I 
 know you. that ye have not the love of God in you. 
 4^ I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive 
 
 333 
 
 me not if another fhall come in his own name, him 
 ye will receive. 
 
 Here note, i. How little our Saviour fought ;he .ippro* 
 bation and vain glorious efliination of men : / rereivf n/ 
 honour from men. The fanie Ihould all his diftiples and 
 followersdo; refl fatiified in tlie fecret teflimony and filent 
 applaule of their own confciences, without pumping for 
 popular applaufe. 2. The dreadful (in which Chrift 
 charged upon the Jews, as the caufe why they rejecled him 
 / knniu that ye have nit the love of Cod /nycu. Oh ! de- 
 plorable (late and cafe, to be void of all true love to God ! 
 love being the fpring of all aclion, and the root of all true 
 obedience; he that loves God, will not only fweat at his 
 work, but bleed at his work too, if his work cannot be 
 carried on without bleeding. But where lore of God is 
 wanting, and no care to pleafe God is fouiid, his authority 
 isdeipiied, his Son rejec'ted ; as the Jews here would not 
 come to Chrifl, that ihey might have light, becaufe they 
 had not the love of God in them. r^. The high affront 
 which the Jews offered to the Son of God, in preferring 
 anyfeducers or impoflors before him, who came in their 
 own names, whilft he was rejected who came in the name 
 of his father. Learn hence. That though Chrifl was the 
 great ambafTador of his father, not a fervant, but a fon, 
 and had his million, his approbation, and his teflinionv 
 from heaven, yet fo far did the perverfenefs and prejudice'; 
 of the Jews prevad, that he was rejected, whilll impollors 
 and deceivers, fdfe Chrifls and anti-chrifls, without anv 
 evidence and authority from God, (becaufe promiiing them 
 a temporal kingdom) were embraced and entertained ; / 
 am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: hut if 
 another (a feducer) (hould come in his ovjn name, himye-jjill 
 receive. As if Chrift had faid, i'ou are incredulous ta 
 none but me ; every deceiver, every cheat that has but wit 
 or wickednefs enough to tell you, "The Lord hath fent " 
 him," is believed by you ; but though I am come in mv 
 Father's name, (hewing a ccnimiinon figned and fcaled br 
 him, and doing tbofe works that none but a God can do 
 yet you receive me not. O unreafonable infidelity ! 
 
 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour 
 one of another, and feek. not the honour that comcli'i 
 from God only ? 
 
 Here Chrill tells the Jews,that it is impoflTble they (IiouM 
 believe aright in him, becaufe they were fo inlove with the 
 praife of men, that they woidd own him for the Mciiias, 
 who could promife them a temporal kingdom, and in the 
 mean time rejccl himfelf, who came authi>rifed with the 
 teflimony an approbation of God ; you will receive ho- 
 nour one of another, but reject the honour thn coineth 
 from God only. Lea; k. That fuch as ambitioufly hunt 
 after vain- g'^iry and refpecl from men, do evidence-, 
 ihemfslves to be regardlcfs of God's approbation and. 
 acceptatioi:. 
 
 45 Do not think that I will accufc you to the 
 Fatlier : there is one that at ciifeth you, even Mofes, 
 in whom ye truil. 46 For had ye believed Mofes, 
 yc Vv-;juld have believed me : for he wiute of me. 
 
 47 ^"f 
 
Wji 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 A 
 
 
 47 Rut if >t lulievc no'.lttswriiinjs, ho.v Ihill ye 
 believe mj wordi f 
 
 7mui n-it that I -vUl arcufcyw, tlutW, thit 1 only will 
 ?tf life you to the Futlxr ; 'hrrr h vn that accuf^ ikyoti.rUL n 
 A'i/ts ! that is, the writings of More?, which you pretend 
 tn dt-p-Md upon, ami to truft to ; for had ynu b.-lt ved hh 
 vjrUinyt, you would hj^'e been led by thcra tn b?heve in 
 nic ; for tliey ill poiiircJ at m;,andrcceived their accoin- 
 l^lilhnieiu in me: l>iit if M<>fe« cannot he hfard by you, 
 I miftenppa.no anrhority wiih you. Lfr.rn i, That the 
 whole frope of M.>fes'^ cerennnial hiw was to point out 
 and pr< figure Jpfu-. Chrilt; Chrift was the fuin of the law 
 ,TS well afthe luWft ince of the gofpel ; he wa'^ Abrah.mi's 
 rromifedSecd.Mofes'jrreat Pr iphet,} nob'i Shilo.E "an's 
 P:m..nucl I).,vid'sholv One, Zachjry'i. Bninch, and Ma- 
 LchiN An^el. »• Ihatfuch a^ believed the ancient pro- 
 phecies before Chria came, did fee their accoinplilhaieiits 
 in him, whtn he was come. 
 
 C H A p. VI. 
 
 F T E R thefc things Jcfus went over the fea of 
 Galilee, which is the fcaof Tibcriafs. 
 
 Knte here How bufy and induftriou'; our holy Lord was 
 aSouthi F.ther's work.bo.h onthe fea, and on the l.nd 
 bo-h by night and by day ; hU mrat was to Ho the -w.ll of 
 him, tlurt fnit him, a>-J t", nnr//, hh ■v.rk.- So-ne have in- 
 oMired into the re.fons why Chr-a travelled by fe,, asv^ll 
 .ns bv l..nd ; and they feem to be thefe : I. I ofhe v what 
 hisintent was in walkinjr the fe, ; namely, to he f-Ud upon 
 a. land was made to be wa1k-^d npuv 2. 1 kn Chrift 
 nii-iht t.,ke ocofion to r.,;,nifeft hiv deity .n work n^ mja- 
 ctes upon the Tea. as well as upon the land. 3. Might ,t 
 rot be to cotnfort and encourage ft afar.ng men that <Kvell 
 r.,uch upon the water., in ibe mi<!(t of thr.r diftrefTec, to 
 trnfl in. and p^ay to fucha Savionr. as h.,d h.mlelf .nex- 
 Pcr n-ntal km^vled..-e of the danger of the feas ? Some 
 have farther ohtVrved, Thataf^er oar Saviour ., refurrec 
 tion, we never Hnd him fading upon the feas more; for 
 fiVrh a turbulent conditi.in which necelT.rdv attends fea- 
 voyatres. wn< utterlv inco.ifift.nt with:he flibduvandivr- 
 r^iuitv of Chr.ft-s ftate, when he wa. nfen from the dead 
 ,l^e firm hnd better agf eeing with his fi^^ed eftate, than the 
 fluftating water. 
 
 2 And a great multitude followed hitn, becaufe 
 tfiey-nnv his miracles which he did on the.u that 
 were difeafed . 
 
 'A7fff her*-, Whu ancxaftknowledge Chrift had, not only 
 of iM hKfoHo'v.-rs, bin ofihemuives and principles which 
 
 d'd intluf them to tollo.v h m; it was n-.t the excellency 
 ofh!^perfon,no^theheavenlwe^sofh^^do^nne,th..td^e•v 
 ihp m.iliitude at this tim:? after h-m.butvh.^ tiovel.y of his 
 miracle^.; nevfa-o ihemir.ick,'vhlch h- MJ ; It ishet_:er 
 to feel one miracle wroug'u upon the hcirt, in ch.nTmtr 
 and renewing that, than to Uz a thoMU;i 1 outward mira- 
 flf f wrought before our eves. 
 
 g An I JiifutWvMt upinto-i :n.') mfain, and there 
 he fat with his difciplcs. 4 Aai the paflbrcr, & 
 fcaft of the Jcwswas ni^h . 5 ? VVaen Jcfus then 
 lifted up his eyes, ani faw a -;r«at company com* 
 unto him, he faith unto Puiiip, Wtencc fliall we 
 buy bread that th^'fc mty eit ? (6 A'ni this he faii 
 to prove him : for he himfclf kn^w what he would 
 do.) 7 Philip infvvorci hi n. Tvo-hundrcd penny- 
 worth ofbreadi.s not fuffi ii'nt for them, that every 
 on." of them m ly take a little. 8 O te of his difciples 
 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, f.iith unto him, 
 9 Tliereisa lad here which hath five b.irley-ioives, 
 and two fmall fifh^s : but wh.it ar? they .vnr>-i ; fo 
 m.iny ? 10 And Jefu.s faid. Make the men fit do n. 
 Now there was jnuch grafs in the place. So the 
 men fat down, in number about fivcthoufand. 1 1 
 And Jefustook the loaves, antl when he had ^ivrn 
 thanks, he diftributed to the difciples and ihi dif- 
 ciples to them that were fet down : and likewifc of 
 the fifhcs, as much as they would. 12 Whcnthcjr 
 were filled, he faid unto his difciples, Gather up the 
 fra;Tmcnts that remain, that not.hin^- be loft. 13 
 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled 
 twelve bafkets with the fragments of tiie five barley 
 loaves, which remain 'd over and above unto them 
 that had e.iten, 1 4 Then thofe m^n, when thejr 
 had feen the mir.acle that Jefus did, Ciid, Tnis is 
 of a truth that prophet that fliould come into the 
 world. 
 
 Thi' miracle of our SavioarNfcedinp; five thoufind per- 
 fonswith fivebirley loaves and 'wo finallfihes, is recorded 
 bv all fhef.Hir RvangelllH ; and fev. ril particiiKtr': therein 
 are very remirkihle. Note::. Whit a poor and fl-nder 
 provirio.i the Lord of the whole earth ha- for hisf.*m ly, 
 forhimfclf, fo1» his difciples and the multitude; nothing 
 more thin fivp harlev loaves and two fillies. Teaching us 
 That thffe b xlies of ours miilt be fed not pampered : Our 
 bcllv iTi'ift not he onr m ftcr, much Ids our God. And 
 a^ th>.' qu.ilitvoffhe vicl.nh was plain, fo was the quintny 
 f.n^ll : onlv fi-P loaves and t" o fi'lu-s. Well might the 
 difclpiec fav. What an they amo»sf "*'"">' ^ The eve of 
 lenfe and reafon fees an utter impolFibiiity of thofe efr.cts 
 which faith cm enfilv appreh.nd,anda divine power m-re 
 eiftlvprodrw. When men judge by frnfe and reafon, and 
 do not look to ChriiVs p>wer, if extremities come, they 
 .-.re ftion at their wit's end. and kno v not wh.it tc do. 
 AV.- ^. How the jrr°3t Mailer of this mir.icnlous feall 
 doth'marthill his gneih; he command^ them to lit down. 
 None of the peopk reply. "Sit do n ! but to what ? 
 Here's the mouths, but w here's the me«t > We may loon 
 b" fct but when fh.tl we be f-rved?" Not a word l.ke 
 this b It thev obev and espfd. Lord, how eafv is it to 
 truft ihy provi.l'.Mice, and rciv n^on thy pou cr^n hen there 
 is corn in the birn, br ad in th.- cnphoard, mon^"V m the 
 P rie ? '.iuv>>!>cn 
 
 'ir n ive' arr fn)p;y,whcn"irfV<'ik- u 1 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 Sr. J O H N. 
 
 .1?.'3 
 
 low, when ve haventuhing in h-ind, thtn to drptnd rj*fn 
 an invil!blt bounty is a n* blc aft of fai'h iiit!c<d. "J. -1 lie 
 s><ftioiis ptrfornK d by our l/l< flid Savii ur. i. Hr bl'JJkJ 
 the loavti •,'&euiHng u& by his exaniplf, Ntver to iiff or 
 receive tiie (:,or>d crtafures of God witbnut praverand 
 praife, not to lit down to our food a^ a be;ift to his foddt r 
 Chiift iroif il>e loaves : he could have multiplied them 
 whole, V hy then doih he rather chule to do it in the bi edit- 
 ing? 2 Perhaps to teath us, th;vc «e may rather expt<fl his 
 bleliinp; iij the diUribiitionof hi- bounty, than in the rel'er- 
 vatioii of it : 'Scattering is the way to incre.-.fini^, and 
 liberality the way to riches. Again, 3. He g(we tt h.s 
 dtJripUs, thut thty m'ght diflrtbute to the nuittiiuJf ; He 
 did not do it w iih his ovvn hands, but by theirs ; duuht- 
 lels it was togain repiitaiion to hisdilciples fiom the people 
 Ihe fame courfe doih Chrilt take in f|>iritiial dillriliutions; 
 He that could feed the fouls of his people iinmediattly by 
 the hand of his Spirit, chufes rather by the hands of his 
 niiniflcrs to divide ■the bread of lifeaniong them. 4. The 
 reality and greatncfsof the miracle, They oil eat and -ivcre 
 filled : thf y did eat, not a crumb or a bit, but to fatiify any 
 fullnefs iill that were hungry did eat,, and a I that did 
 eat were (atisfied, and yet twelve bafktts of fragments re- 
 main : More was left than was at firll fet on. it is hard 
 to fay which was the gre-ateil miracle, the miraculous eat- 
 ing, or miraculous leaving. Ifweconfider whattheyeat, 
 we may woiultr that they lift any thing ; if what they 
 left, that iht-y eat anything. Lafily, Thcfe yr^;_^mfwf/, 
 though ot barley-loaves and fifh-bones, n)ufl not be lofV, 
 but gathered up we muft excrcife frugaliiyin the enjoy- 
 ment of the greatcfl- plenty. Lord, ho.v tremendous will 
 their jcccunt be, who having large and j lenriful eftates, 
 d') cotifume them upon their lults ! how will they wifl) 
 they had been born to poverty and necelfiiy, when they 
 appear to m^ke up their accounts before Cod ! 
 
 15 1 When Jefus therefore perceived that they 
 would come and take him by force, to make him a 
 kin j^, he departed Jgaininto a mountainhimfelf alone 
 
 Here we have ohfenuil'le . The wot»derluI effeftofthe 
 forpg;iiiig miracle : the people feeing fo many fed with five 
 loaves, were fo tranlported, that they cncludfd that Jefus 
 was certainly the promil'ed Meflias. No'.v the notion they 
 had of the Mi (lias was this, that he fliould be a tcniporal 
 prince, that (hi'uld fiihdue all n;itiuni under his feet, and 
 part'cularly, free the Jews fr^mi the Qavery ofthc Roman 
 yoke, wnith was now upon their necks ; forgetting what 
 our Saviour had often told them, that hi kingdom was net 
 of this world, but within men : and that his bufincfs was 
 to free men from foul flavery, not from civd fubjeftion : 
 However, upon this milt.ike, the Jew s here in a furious 7,eal 
 dtligned to take Chrill by force, and miike liiin their king 
 but our Saviour (who came not into the world to dilhirb 
 the order of civil go\ ernnient) underftjuding their inten- 
 tions, withdraws hiinlilf into a mountain, to avoid giving 
 tiielearioccslion for any fuch jealcuiy or fufpicion. Hence 
 /far«, That although Jefus Ciii if! be the great King of 
 his church, atld doth txercife afpirilual kit gdctii in it, yet 
 he came not into the w orld to be a ttinpornl king, n< r was 
 Jiis fcingdonj of this world, or ever dti;gn«d to be piejit- 
 
 dicial to the thrones of prince*, .^nd civil gov^rninei t 
 of men. Therefore doth Chrilt withdraw lii-ivfelf, and 
 rcfufe this oiFcr as no ways agreeable to hiii, or coi;- 
 fiik'nt with his dcfign. . 
 
 16 And whencYcn waa come, his difciplcs went 
 down unto the fca, 17 And entered into a £bip 
 and went over the fe.t towards Capernaum : anci 
 it was no;/ dark, and Jelgus was not come to tliem. 
 1 8 And the fca aroi^c, by reafon oX a great wind that 
 blew. 19 So when they had rowed about Eve and 
 twenty or thirty furlon^^s, they fee Jefua walkin r 
 on the fea, and drawing niej'i unto the (hip ; and 
 they were afraid. 20 But he faith unto them, It 
 is I, be not afraid. 21 Then they willin^^ly re- 
 ceived him into thefhip : and immediately the fhip 
 was at the land whither they went, 
 
 IV'ite here, i. Tiie great danger the difclples were in, and 
 the diffi^ultiesthey encounter with,.after they had enjoyed 
 thefweet privih-ges ol Chrift'sgraciousprefence w iih thtni 
 They vere tolRd upon a tempefluous fea. Learn ihcncc. 
 That it is notuiuinial, after fweet refrelhments and mani- 
 feflitions from Chrirt unto his people, to meet w ith a (formy 
 and lliarp excicifeof faith and patience : ^.uch was the lot 
 of his difciples here : a coidtant gale of fweetnffs, and un- 
 intcnupted courfe of profperity and happincff,as it is not 
 to be expecl:ed here, fo neither can it be etjoyed here, with 
 out great peril and danger. 2. What halle cur Saviour 
 makes towards his difciples, wheii they were tofRd upon a 
 tempeftuous fea ; Jr/ns drew ni(;h unto thtjb'if. Nothing 
 can feperate between, nor keep Chrift fi'om his children 
 and people in a fuffcring hour. He thhi \Vitded through'a 
 fea of wrath to fave his people, will walfe'iipon a fea of 
 water to fuccour and relieve them in an htfur of tribula- 
 tion. ;, Thedifciples not Jifcerning Chrift, not knowing 
 him to be their Saviour, were afraid of him. Chrift may 
 be coming to fave his people, and they not able at prefenc 
 to difcern and apprehend him ; but their fears may be 
 highelt, when their dtliverer anc' deliverance is nearcfh 4 
 How fpeed'ly Chi ill relieves them of theirfcars by telling 
 them v\'ho he was : // is I ; be n'>t ojraid It is 3 fufR ■ 
 cient report in all our afflicTions to be afTared of Chrift's 
 gracious prefe^lce with us, Say but, O Saviour, // is I, 
 and thenlet evils do their worft ; but one word, // ;'/ /, \i 
 fulficicnt to allay all ftornis, and to cahti a thoufand tern- 
 pelts. Laftly, With wh.it joy'.and gladnefs the difciples 
 received and entertained Chrifl inihis hourof thtirdillrefi 
 They \mlling\y received kirn intQ the /hip .Thoug!) ihe com- 
 pany of Chrill is always fweet and welcome to his di'ciples 
 and friends, yet never it is fo vtry agreeable and defirable 
 to them as in the hour of trial .ind temptation : 1 hen ihey 
 willingly receive him, and joyfully welcome and entertain 
 him. 
 
 22 H The day following, when the people which 
 flood on the other fide of the fea law that there was 
 none other boat there, fave that one whertinto his 
 difciples were entered, and that Jefus went not witli 
 
 his 
 
.33^ 
 
 St. J O H N 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 his difriples into thetoat but ;:/w/ hisdifciples were 
 "oncaway alone ? 23 How be it there came other 
 boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they 
 did cat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks 
 
 24 When the people therefore faw that Jefus was 
 not there, neither his difciples, they a!fo took (hip- 
 ping, and came to Capernaum, fecking for Jefus. 
 
 25 And when they had found him on the other 
 fide of the fea, they faid unto him. Rabbi, when 
 camcfl thou hither? Jefus anfwcrcd them, and 
 faid, V^crily verily, I fay unto you, Ye feek me not 
 bccaufeyc faw the miracles, butbccaufe ye did cat 
 of the loaves and were filled. 27 Labour not for 
 the meat which pcrifhctli, but for that meat which 
 cndureth unto everlafting life, which the Son of 
 man (hall give unto you : for him hath God the 
 Fatlicr fcalcd. 
 
 Our bleflTed Saviour having wrought the foregoing mira- 
 cle, feeding five thoufand wiili five loaves, the people fol- 
 lowed him in troops from place to place. Chriil, who 
 knew ilieir hearts, tells them plainly, what was their end: 
 Tliey followed him indeed, but not for any fpiritual excel- 
 lencies they faw in him, or foul advantages they expected 
 irom him but for bread ; only to have their bellies fed 
 with the loaves, not their fouls fatisficd with the bread of 
 life. Oh ! how feldom is Chrift fought for his own lake, 
 \\z. Jcfits quxr'ttur propter Jefum, Aug. How natural is 
 it for man to feek Chrillforfniiftcr ends, and by-refpeds! 
 But to feek Uim only for outv\ard advantages, is the bafeft 
 of by-ends, and that which the foul of Chrilt exceedingly 
 abhors. .. ^rt/>5«r ;n/ /3r the meat •which pertjl.:cth. This 
 prohibition muft not bennderftocd abfokucly,bur compa- 
 ratively ; not as if Chrift intended to make them off from 
 their lawful labours, and the bufmefs of their callings : but 
 his meaning is. Labour not in the firft and chief place for 
 earthly things, which are all perilhmg, but for bread for 
 your fouls to live eternally by ; even for the food of niy 
 heavenly doctrine, which will make them that feed upon it 
 inuuortal : and tliis the Son of man ftands ready to give 
 unto you : Fttr him hath Cod the Father fealed : that is, by 
 a fpecial commilfion and authority, hath impowered him to 
 difpenfe all fpiritual blellings to them that want and crave 
 them. Learn hence, I. That all the things of this life are 
 perifliing and fading. The beft of outward comfct cs and 
 enjoyments are meat that pt-riflieth. 2. That it is the 
 greateft of follies to labour intenlely and inordinately for, 
 and to fet ourfelves with all our might and ftrength to pur- 
 fuc and follow after perifliing things. 3. That Jefus 
 Chrift's holy doftirines, his heavenly grace, is food that 
 never perilheth nor diminiflieih, how many foever partake 
 of it ; but m^kes all ih:*t partake thereof, to be partakers 
 of eternal life therewith. 4. That Jefus Chrift is autho- 
 liy.ed, fealed, andcommillioned by his Father to give eter- 
 nal life to fucli 9S indnftrionfly labour after him, and will 
 not bcfatis.fied without him. Him hath Cod the T otherfealtd: 
 that is, JcfusCbrift was Icalttl to the orfice of Mediator, 
 by Cod the Father: Chrift was fe«lcd at his baptifm : 
 
 f(^aled by hisdoftrine ; fcaled by his miracles ; fealed by 
 hisrefurrei'^tion ; fealed by his undion or fupper-eminent 
 and unparallekd famftification. Lord! where will the re- 
 jc^ers of Chrift then appear at the great day, who have 
 defpiled the authority of him whom the Father hath toni- 
 niiJfioned to give eternal life to whomfoever he pleafeih ? 
 
 28 Then faid they unto him. What fhall wc do 
 that wc might work the works of God ? 29 Jcfu.s 
 anfwercd and faid unto them. This is the work of 
 God, that ye believe on him whom he hath fcnt. 
 
 Here the Jew?, who were ftricl obftrvers of the cere- 
 monial law of Mofes, and refted thereupon for falvation, 
 inquire of our Saviour what they fhould do that they might 
 plea fe God ? Chrift direfts them to the great dnty of be- 
 lieving on himfelf, to own and acknowledge him to he the 
 true Mefluh, and, asfuch, to rely upon him alone for fal- 
 vation : This is the ivork of God, that ye believe on kim., &c. 
 Learn hence. That, for a penitent humbled iinner to be- 
 lieve in the Lord Jefus Chrift, is a work highly pleafmp' 
 and acceptable unto Cod. Chrift calls faith the work of : 
 God, upon a three fold account : it is the work of his efficien- 
 cy and operation : it is the work of his commanding ; and 
 it is the work of his .ipprobation and acceptation : a work 
 that God is highly pleafed with, and greatly delighted in 
 This is the lucrk of God, 
 
 30 They faid therefore unto him. What fign 
 fheweft thou then, that we may fee, and belie v« 
 thee.'' "What dofl thou work .? 31 Our fathers did 
 eat manna in the defart ; as it is written, He gavt 
 them bread from heaven to eat. 
 
 Here the Jews tell our Saviour, that, before they will 
 lielieve in him, they muftftefome fign from him, to con- 
 firm hiadoftrine, and prove him tobe the Meflias : they 
 acknowledge Chrift had wrought a great miracle, in feed- 
 ing five thoufand perfons with five barley-loaves ; but 
 Mofes fed their fathers in the wilJernel's, who were no 
 lefs th.-in fix hundred thoufand perfons, with excellent 
 manna from heaven, and this for forty years together ; 
 from whence they would feem to conclude, that ihey'had 
 more reafoii to believe Mofes than Chrill ; not confider: 
 ing that Mofes was but an inftrument to obtain, by prayer 
 the manna at the hands of God ; but Chrift was an atrent, 
 and that, by acreating power inherent in hinsfelf, he mul- 
 tiplied the five loaves to the feeding of five thoufand. iV^-r^ 
 heie, From the Jews requiring a (ign befi-re they would 
 believe, that he whopubliflies a new doclrine to the world 
 ought to confirm his niilfion by fome miraculous operati- 
 on. 2. ThatGod honoured Mofes, hismellengtr, very much 
 and Chrift, his mini<ler, much more, in that both of them 
 wrought great and fpecial miracles for the confirmation of 
 their niifiion. 3. That the Jews not believing Chrift to 
 be the true Mellias, upon fo many atteftations, and after 
 his di\ ine msflion was confirmed by fuch miraculous ope- 
 ration.';, rendered their infidelity inexcufable, and their 
 obftinacy invincible. t 
 
 32 Then faid Jefus unto them. Verily, verily, I 
 
C^AP. Vf. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 33; 
 
 fay unto you, Mofes gave you not that bread from 
 heaven ; but my Father giveth you the true bread 
 from heaven. 34 For the bread cf God is he which 
 Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto 
 the world. 
 
 Upon the Jews mentioning nunnn to our bieiTed Sa- 
 viour, he tak^s ()cca(icin to make a comp;irifon betwixt 
 hinifelf, the hreadof life, and manna, the brea<l of Mofes, 
 and that in three particulars : i. It was. not Mofes that 
 gave that manna, it was God at the prayer of Mofes: but 
 it was God that now offered them the bread of life, were 
 they willing to accept it. 2. The manna was not given 
 from heaven, tliat is, from the celefti.d heaven, but only 
 from the air and cloud?, which frequently in fcripture is 
 railed heaven- but Clirilt, the bread of life, was given and 
 fcnt by the Father from the higheft heaven, even the heaven 
 of glory. 3. Manna was not true fpiritual food effeclively 
 and of itfelf, but bodily food only ; but Chrid is real and 
 fpiritual bread, which giveslife tolofband dead men, which 
 fnanna did not, could not do : and whereas manna was 
 peculiar to Ifrael alone, Chrift gives life to all forts of per- 
 fons. Gentiles as well as Jews, The bread of Cod giveth 
 lift unto the -world, if^rw hence, That, as Chrift is the 
 truth and fubftance of all types in the Old Teft.iment, fo 
 particularly, the manna was an illuftricus type of Chrift. 
 In many things they agree, and in fome they differ. They 
 ^gree in their original ; manna came down from above, fo 
 tJid Chrift; manna was freely given, fo is Jefus Chrift the 
 free gift of God; manna was. not fit to be eaten as it lay 
 in the field, but niuft be ground in a mill, or beaten in a 
 mortar, and baked in an oven before it was fie for food : 
 Chrift was ground by his futferings, bruifed on the crofs, 
 fcorched in the fiery oven of his Father's wrath, that he 
 niight become a fit Saviour for us. Again, as the manna 
 was gathered by the Ifraelites daily and equally, it was 
 rained down about their tents, and every man had his 
 omer : thus 13 Chrift in the miniftry of the word daily oi- 
 ferpd to a loft world, and all that believe in him fljall (hare 
 alike in the benefit of the juftification, fanftification, and 
 glorification from him : but now the manna and Chrift 
 differ in this ; and truth excels the type thus : there is 
 a quickening, enlivening virtue, a life-giving and a life-up- 
 holding power, lu Chrift the bread of life, which was never 
 found III Manna, the brend of Ifrntl : and whereas manna 
 only fed the body of an irr.'.elite, and this only for a little 
 timein the wildcriiefs ; Chriftnonrilheth the foul, the fouls 
 of all b lievers, be they Jew or Gentile, bond or free, and 
 this not for a time, but for eternity; Thf bread if Codis he 
 which comet h dowrfi om heaven and giveth life unto the luorld. 
 
 34 Then faid they unto him, Lord, evermore 
 give us this bread. 35 And Jefus faid unto them 
 I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me fhiU 
 never hunger ; and he that bclievcth on me fliall 
 never thirfl. 3.'^ But I faid unto you, thatyealfo 
 have feen me, aqd, behove not. 
 
 Cbferve herf, |. Hovj- the (Jwnal Jews hearing of the 
 bread which Ckrjtt had commended lb highly, and con- 
 
 ceiving of it carnally, defire liiey may partake r.f it con- 
 ftantly ; Lord, ner more give us this bread. The comm- - 
 dati(m of fpiritual things may move the alfeclions, anA 
 quicken the dcfires of natural perfons; but if their deti c» 
 be notfpiritual an<ll'eriouj, dilligentandlaboriwis.cotiftuic 
 and abiding, they are no evidence of the truth of grcce. 
 2. Chrift difcovers another excellent effcttof this bread of 
 life, which he had been reconitnending; that fuch as feed 
 of \xfnull ntvet hungerwire ; that isinorilinately, afterthe 
 perifhing fatisfaclioiis of this world ; but Ihall hud an ali- 
 luiTicient fulnels in him, and complete refrefliment from 
 him, for the preferving and jierpttuatingof their fpiritual 
 life ; Hethat comethur.to me, /hall never hunfer, fcc.-j. How 
 juftly Chrift upbraids thejewsfor their obftinate iiilid. lity 
 I'e have feen me, fays our Saviour, yet ye bdieve uA. Ve 
 have feen me in the ilefh, you have heard my doctrine, you 
 have feen my miracles ; I have done aniongft you thofe 
 works which never any man did, to convince you that lam 
 the Meiri;ih, yet you will not own me to be fuch, mir believe 
 on me. O the ftrength of infidelity and unbelief! The 
 devil has a great advantage upon men, by making them 
 ftrong in unbelief, as Cod hath making his people ftrong 
 in faith. 
 
 37 All that the Father giveth me, (hall come to 
 me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wife 
 caftout. 
 
 Our blefled Saviour having lamented the obftinate infi- 
 delity of the Jews in the foregoing verl'e, who, though they 
 had feen him, would not believe on him, he doth in tins 
 verfe comfort himfelfwith the afTured expectation that there 
 would be a number, which fliould certainly and infalhbly 
 come unto him ; All that the Father hath given me, (liall 
 come unto me, Sic. Here ohferve i. An account of the 
 perfons that ihall come to Chriit : Alt that the Father hath 
 given him. There is a double gift of us to Chrift i. In 
 God's eternal purpofe and counfel. 2. In our cff e".ual 
 vocation and calling, when our hearts are, by the holy Sp.rit 
 of God,perfuaded and enabled to accept of Chrift, a> he 's 
 freely tendered us in the gofpel. Ohfcrve 2. The gracious 
 entertainment which Chrift gives to thofe that come unto 
 him ; He viill in no -i^ifecaj} themout • where the pofnive 
 is included in the negative; I vjiil not cajl them out ; that 
 is, I will kindly receive and gracioufly entertain them. 
 Learnhence, i. That both God the Father, and Chrift 
 his Son, are unfeigoLilly willing, and cordi lly dclirouscf 
 the lal.iitionoi lolHinner?. That federal trar.fKflion which 
 was betwixt tht- Father and the Son, from everlafting, about 
 the falvation ot loft (inner'-, evidently declare* this 2. That 
 the compaflionaie and merciful Jcfus will in no wife catt 
 outorrfjrcl,bu! kindly entertainand receiveevery peniient 
 tinner that dorh believing apply unto him for pardon of 
 fin and eternal life ; I '.vll in no vlfe caf} out .• that is, I 
 will nor caft them out ol my pity and ciiipalfion ; out of 
 my care and proteclmn : 1 «iU not caft thin out of my 
 covenant ; 1 will never caft them out of m> kiojid m- for 
 my i.-iture inclines ir.c, try ; r imife bindsme, andmj ofKce, 
 as Mediator, engages me to the contrary, 
 
 38 For I came down from heaven, nottodoinjne 
 U u own 
 
S35 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Ghap. vf. 
 
 own will, but the wifl of him that Tent mc. 39 And 
 tliis is the Father's will which hath font me, thit of 
 all which he hath given nic, I fhouldlofe nothing, 
 but (hould^aile it up agam at the lall day. 40 And 
 this is the will of him that fcnt me; that evcrv one 
 which fecth the fon, and bclievcth on him, may 
 h.ive everlartinglifc; and Iwillraifc him up at the 
 laft-day. 
 
 In thsfe vorJs our Saviour givciU'; the confirmation of 
 the foreficiiig proraife, that he will in no wilV cad out thole 
 th.it loiiie uir.o him, by alluring us, that it was the great 
 eoJ for which he came into the world. His Father lent 
 Is'uu to do his will, and not his own ; that is not todchis 
 <>wn will without his Father's, but to do his own will and 
 his Father'.'. For Chrilt, as God, with a co-ordinate will 
 •.vith Iii> Father's, and as man, a will fiibordiiiate to the 
 will of his Father. Now it is the will of both Father and 
 Son, that fuch as believe in kirn flionld be preferred from 
 perifliing, and be raifedup by Chrift at the laft day. Learn 
 hence, t. That the Lord Jefus Chrift, (lands not only in- 
 ctinrd by his own mercy and'gnodnefs to f.ive repenting 
 .".nd believing fmners, but doth alfolbnd obliged thereunto 
 b<r virtue ot a fruft committed to him from the Father. 
 Therefore Chrift mentions tl-ie will of him that ffnt him, 
 as a reafon of his fidelity in this matter. 2. That the 
 Father's will and good pleafure is the original fonrce, the 
 fountain and firlt fpring from whence the falvation of be- 
 lievers do proceed and flow. It is the Fathfr^s -uill that 
 femt mf, tKit rvery one that fedh the Son, and belleveih on 
 him, tnay have eveilojiing Ife. 3. That fuch as are given 
 to Chrift by the Father, aird piuas his tnift into his ketp- 
 JnT, he looks upon them as his charge, and ftands engagid 
 for the prefervation of them. This is myFuther'r ■will, 
 that of all luhich he hath given me, I JhouU Irfe nothing. 
 Yet haih the Father fo committed the care of believers to 
 bis Son, as that he keeps them ftill in his own hand. — 
 John X. 28, 29. My Father which gave them to me, is 
 greater than all, &c. 4, From thefe words, I'.mllraife himup 
 at tht l:'ft day, that the Lord Jefus Chriftis truly, effentially 
 and really God. That perfon, who can, by his own 
 almighty power.raife the dead, muft certainly be God: and 
 this power Chrift had. He railed others from the dead, 
 and his own <!cad body from the grave alfo, by his own 
 power, and therefore Chrift fays, / am the ri/urrr^ion and 
 the lije; and 1 -will rnife him up at the la ft day. Doubtlefs, 
 he that fpake thefe words, and made thefe promifes,knew 
 his osvn power to perform them ; and that power muft be 
 omnipotent, and that ad of omnipotence doth prove him 
 to be God. It is true, the diftiples raifed the dead, who 
 yet were no God, but with this difference, they raifed the 
 dead by Chrift's power ; but Chrift raifed others andhim- 
 felf alio, by his own power. 
 
 41 The Jews, then murmured at him, becaufe he 
 faid, I am the bread which came down from heaven 
 42 And they faid, Ls not this Jefus the Son of 
 jofcph, whofe father and mother we know ? how is 
 it then that.he faith, I came down from heaven ? 
 
 43 Jefus therefore anfwered and faid unto them. 
 Murmur not atnong yourfelves. 
 
 Although Chrift had in the foregoing verfrs plainly af. 
 ferted himlVlf to be the true bread th.it came down from 
 heaven, for the benefit of the world, yet the Jews under- 
 ftanding liis words carnally, are otTendcd with him, and 
 murmur at hiai, for pretending to come down from hesven 
 when they knew him to be the Inn of Jofeph and Mary. 
 They imderftood nothing of hi'5 divine nature, nor of his 
 miraculous conception Ly the over-lhadowing of the Holy 
 Ghoft, and therefore were highly offended at hiiu. Thence 
 /cdrw, That ignorance of Chrift's divine nature was the 
 ground and occafion of thatcontcmpt which was caft upon 
 his perfon. h'ote farther, The proof w hich Chrift gaveof 
 his divuie nature, in his knowingthe hearts and (hou^ihts 
 of thefe murmuring Jews, "Jefus faid, Mtirmur not among 
 yourfehes. Chrift knows anil obferves the luoft fccret 
 murniurings and repiniiigs that are found in thebreaftsof 
 the children of men ; and this his knowledge is an evi- 
 dence and proof of his divinity, that he is truly and really 
 God. 
 
 44 No man can come to me, except the Father 
 which hath fent me,draw him : and I will raife him 
 up at the lall day. 
 
 In which words we have fomething ncceffarily implied, 
 and foinething pofitively fxprrflcd. The mifcry of man 
 in his natural and unfaniflificd ftate is here implied ; he is 
 fardiftant from Chrift, and unableof himfelf to come unto 
 him. By nature we are ftrangers, yea, enemies unto God; 
 enemies to the holinefsof liis nature, and to the nghteouf- 
 iiefs of his laws : And as the ft.ite of unrcgeneracy isaftate 
 of enmity, fo conlequently muft it be a ftate ofimpotency; 
 Without me (therefore fa\'s Chrift) ye can do nothing, John 
 XV. 5. that is, without intereft in me, and influences of 
 grace derived from me. Again, the truths we have ex- 
 preffed are thefe : i.That all thofe who come unto Chrift 
 flre drawn unto him. 2. That the drawing of finful fouls 
 ' bntojcfus Chrift is the fpeciai and peculiar work of Cod. 
 This drawing is a powerful ac'tbut not a conipulfory ac"t; 
 G6d doth not draw any againft their w'ills to Chrift, but 
 he inclines the will of fmners to come unto hiin. He 
 draws by effedual pcrfualion, and not by vioKut compul- 
 fion. 3. That all thofe who are drawn to Chrift here, 
 (hall be raifed up glorioufiy by him hereafter : / will raife 
 him up at the laji day. Such as are brought to Chrift by the 
 Father, (^hrift lliall never abandon the;m, till he h is railed 
 them up at the laft day, and prefentrd them blan.elf fs and 
 complete before his Father; where they fluU ever be with 
 the Lord. 
 
 45 It is written in the prophets. And they fhall 
 be all taught of God. Every man therefore that 
 hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh 
 unto me. 46 Not that any man hath feen the 
 Father, fave he whiah is of God, he hath feen 
 the Father. 47 Veril^, verily, I fay unto you, He 
 that bclievcth on me hath evcrlaRing life. 
 
 la 
 
Chap, vi. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 fi39 
 
 In thefe word^onr blelFtfcl SJvioiir conSrms his former 
 aflertion, concerning the Father's drawinp;, from the pro- 
 phecies of the Old lelhi ment, which fpCHking of the days 
 of the Mt-rti 15, foretold, that perfons (lioulil be taught of 
 God to embrace the MiiflTus ; wlience Chrilt inferretii that 
 every one wlio is thus taught, /hiill come unto him, and 
 beheve in him. l.c'arn hence, i. That the teichinjis of 
 Gild are abloluiely neced'.iry to-jvery man that cnmeth unto 
 Chrilt in the way of faith. 2. That fucli (lull not mil- 
 carry in the way offaith, who are under tliefpecial teach- 
 ings a-jdinllruifiions of Cod : They /hull he tiiugbt ',fCo(l, 
 and he teacheth to profit, and that not onlvaiuhoritativiy 
 b'.u t'ffii;acioijn)- and tir«:(flu;illy . Thofc whom God un- 
 dertakes to teach, receive f.-oin him both an ear to hear, 
 and .in heart to underlland. Thiy /bull be all taught of 
 Gid : and rhey that are taught, have heard and learned of 
 the Father. ' . '- . 
 
 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did 
 eat manna in the vvildernefs, and arc dead. goThis 
 is the bread which comcth down from heaven. If 
 man may eat thereof, and nut die. 51 I ain the 
 living bread, which came down from heaven. If 
 anv man eat of this bread, he fliall live for ever : 
 and the bread that I will give, is my flcfli, which 
 I will give for the life of the word. 
 
 In thefe verfes, our blefTcd Saviour refumes his former 
 doctrine, namely, that he is theobjt ct of faving faith, and 
 the bread of life, whichhe compares with the manna, the 
 bread of IfraeLTowr Fathers did eat manna in the vjilder- 
 nefs, which manna was an illultrious type ofChrift. Thus 
 both came down from heaven ; both were Ireel/ given of 
 God, without any merit or delert of man ; both in a mi- 
 raculous m Miner : bo:h at tirft unknown what they were 
 and whence they came ; butequiUy belonjjingto all, both 
 ralHcient for all, both poor and rich. The manna, white 
 in colour fo clear is our Lord's innocence ; pleafant like 
 honey, fo fweet are his benefits; beaten and broken beiore 
 eaten, C.hrilt on his ccufi bleeding and dying ; given only 
 in the wildernefs, and cealing as loon as ihcy came into 
 the land of promilL- ; as facraments fliall vanilli, when we 
 enjoy the fubltance in heaven. But though manri.i was 
 thui excellent, yet the eaters of ir were dead ; but l"uch as 
 feed upon Clirilt, the bread of life, fliall live eternally in 
 blifs and glorv. / ant the living bread luhich came do-on 
 from heaven, if\tny man, Src. Here we learn, i. What .t 
 niilcrablecreaiure man naturally is, in a pining aijd flarved 
 condition, uniler the want of fou! iuod. 1. Th-U Jefus 
 Chriil is the food for fouls, which quickens them that are 
 dead, and is unto the needy foul all that it can need ; fuch 
 fpiriiual food as will prove a remedy an<l prefervative a- 
 g^injtdeath, botii fpiritual .nnd eternal. I a>n the living bread 
 
 ^cThe yews therefore ft rove amongft themlelves, 
 faying. How can this man give us his flefh to eat ? 53 
 Then [cfus faidunto them, >^rily, verily , I fay unto 
 you, Except ye eat the flerflbf the Son of man. and 
 c' :■::'. ""his blood, ye have no life in you. ^4 Whofo 
 
 eateth my flelh, and drmketb my blood, hath eter- 
 nal life : and I will raifehim upat the lad day. 55 
 For my fltfh is mc;it indeed, and my blood is drink 
 indeed. 56 He that eateth my flclli and drinkcth 
 my blood, dwelleth in me, and I,in,,him. 57 As 
 the living Father hath fcnt mc, land I live by the 
 Father: lo, he that eateth me, even he ni.illliveby 
 me. 58 This is that bread which camcdowQ from 
 heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and 
 are dead; he that eateth t)f this bread, fliall live 
 foiever. 59 Thefe things laid he in the lynagogue 
 as he taught in Capernaum. 
 
 JV-jte here, How the Jews, underitandirLi Chrifl after a 
 carnal minner, were olTended at what lie Iiad i'lid ,• for 
 they thought it wisiuhu.nan to eat men's fleih, and could 
 not undcrlland how the body oi' Ci\rill could, in Inch a 
 fenfe, bj food to all the world. Hence ohfcrvi. That c.u"- 
 iial perfonsput a carnal fenl'eupon Chrift's fpirituai wnrds, 
 and To occaiion their own /tumbling. But yet notvviih- 
 flandingthe Jewsflambling atour Saviour'se.xprefnon, he 
 doth not alter his words, but preHetli mnre and more the 
 neceility of feeding upon him by faitii, in order to eternal 
 life; Except ye e.it the fit JJj of the Son f man, a>?d Jritii 
 his bl'jod, ye have no life in yjii. Learn frouj thence, 
 I. That the Lord Jefus Chrilt is the true fpiiiitual food 
 of all believers. 2. That thofe, and only thofe, who 
 do by taiih feed upon him, lliall obtain a life of grac-c and 
 glory from him; if we do not by faith feeil upon hint, 
 we can have no evidence of a life of grace, nor title 
 to a life of glorv. This place fome Papists produce 
 to countenance the doftrine of fraiilubltantiaiion, and 
 a budily eating and dr.'rnking; of Chriii's fltih and blood.iu 
 the facrament. Bu: it is evident, that Clirift treats not of 
 the facrament in this chapter, for the facrament was not 
 now inllituted ; therefore it is not a f.urr. mental,' but a fpi- 
 ritual feeding upon Chrilt by faith that is here m^.nnt. 
 Forthiseating gives life to the eater ; allth:it cat ai;e fd,yed 
 andall that do not eat are damned : but this is ijot true oi 
 a facramental e.uing ; befides, this eating which Chcift 
 fpeaks of, he makes abfolutely nectffliry to farvatiori ; but 
 fome are faved that never fed upon Clirift in the facratnent 
 as John theBiiptiA,_i,nd the thief on the crofs, La{lly,Tf 
 it be iinderflood of a lacramental earing and drinking, v;o 
 be to the church of Rome, for denying the cup to the 
 laity ; becaufe drinkincr of Chrift's blood is here made as 
 necelTary as eating of his flelh, in order to eternal li.e. 
 Except ye eat the fv}h\ &(i. Farther, the clofe and ihtiinaie 
 union which is betwist Chrilt himfelf, ami ihoi'c thu feed 
 r.prm him : He that eateth me, dvfihth in vie, and I in him. 
 Ai meat is turned in:p the <fater's fubftance, fo believer's 
 and Chrilt become ;mfi j.an.d by feetluig on him, that 
 i;, by believing Qn.hirn, tlje?? followed. 3 mutual inba- 
 bitation ; Chriil x/we'Vlcti»^i«/ them, Snil they in him 
 this is true of a rpWiu^ffeeiiing liport Cinift, Hifc fiot 
 of a facramenr?.! eatinp. Nay Chrilt carries it big'Aer 
 flill; and telle us, that thrre- is^, a,.,voal; itnion bet.\\ ten 
 ihc Father and hi-.n,. and ai the Father lives who fent him. 
 
 I' V 
 
 *• hi' 
 
:i}¥^ 
 
 Sr. J O H !< 
 
 Ch 
 
 ^. 
 
 >iim, linvi.-ig an etenvilt'ountjin oflifc inliimfelf ; and the thnt he wasthe bread oflife wliich came down from heaven 
 Son lives by the Father, haviiijT the fame life cnniinuiiicatLd and that he is not lo be carn.dly, but fiiiritually fed upon ; 
 to hiiB with his cfll-nce from the Father : In like manner he plainly tells the Jews. That the true caufe of their 
 (fay; Chriil) he tiiat catetii ine, ;he fame fliall live by nie. ftiinibliiifr at this doctrine, w as tht-ir ignorance and unbe- 
 All which ii certainly true of our fpiritual feeding upon lief : 'Thfre are fome of yriuthat blirvcnut. Upun which 
 Chrift by faith; but cannot be applied to a corporal plain dealing of our blcflVd Saviour's, tnmy unfcund pro- 
 fccditig DM liiiu in the facrarnenc, as the PapilU would icfTars did wholly fi^rfjke him, ;in<i accompanied nolonger 
 have It. with him. I.eutn hence. I Int muhitudes, who have long 
 
 profefTcdChrill and his holy religion' may draw backand 
 fall from their pioteffion. and finally revolt from hinj. 2. 
 'Jhat it is an evil heart of unbelief, which caufes men to 
 departs from Chriil, and tu mske ihipwreck of their pro~ 
 fefiion. 
 
 60 N4any therefore of his difciplc!!, when they 
 had heard this, laid, This is an hard fnyint^, who 
 crin bear it ? 61 When Jefus knew in himlijlf, that 
 his difciples nmrmured at it, he faid unto them, 
 Doth tliis offend you ? 62 What and if ye (hall g yh^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^e twelve, Will ye 
 Ice the Son ot man afcend up where he was betore ? gif-g ^^ ^^^^^ p gg Then Simon Peter anfwcred 
 
 The foregoing doarineo*" our Saviour, concerning ear- him, Lord, to whom fliall we go .' thou haft the 
 ing his flcfhand drinkinghis blood, founded fo very ^arflily ^ords of eternal life. 6g And we believe, and are 
 that not only the common multitude, but fome of them ^ ^j^^^ ^j^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ (>^,^^j^ ^j^^ 3^^ ^f ^^^ ,-.^_ 
 that had been his dilcjples, that IS, who had criven up their ■ l^ ■, r r rjLTt t 
 
 names .0 follow him. coul.l not tell how to bear it. Our '"S pod. 70 Jefus anfwercd them. Have not I 
 Saviour reproves their unjuft ftumbling at what he had chofen you twelve, and one of you is a devil ? 71 
 faid, that he was the bread that came down from heaven, He fpake of Judas Ifcariot, the fen of Simon : for 
 and tells them, that his afcenfion into heaven (lionld prove he it was that ihould betray him, being one of the 
 the truth of his defcent from heaven. Hen':e we learn, twelve. 
 That Chrift's ariling from the grave, and afcending into 
 heaven by his own power, is an evident proof his God- 
 
 Our Saviour finding many of his nominal difciples for: 
 
 Iiead, and that he really came down from heaven, in relpeft ^'''''''g him, and departing from him, afks h.s apoftles (ihe 
 
 - 5 be tloathed f^^'f'^'fj »' heiher they would alfo go away .> intir 
 
 of bis divine nature, which condefcended to 
 
 with ourfle(l). IVhat andifyefkall fee the Son of man 
 
 ifzend up where he -was before"? 
 
 mating, 
 that their departure would go nearer to him than thf de- 
 parture of all the reft. The nearer they are from whom wc 
 receive unkindncfles, the nearer do thofe unkiir.inefTes go 
 63 It is the Spirit that quickcneth ; the flefli pro- to our hearts, Will you, th- t-jutlve^ alfu go axvay ? Peter, 
 fiteth nothing: the words that I Ipeak unto you, as the mouth, and in the name of the reft, anfwers, That 
 i/;rt> arc fpiiit, and </;<?y are life. they knew none belides to whom they could go, and expeft 
 
 rr n ■ .u » .u . c? • )• I ► ^,., ^ that happinefs which they did from him. I'hey that go 
 
 To Convince the Tews that our Saviourdid not mean a ^ /•,, ■,i , 1 . r ■ 1 u° 
 
 , I n ,1 I ■ ri- u 1 u 11 .u TUof from Cnrilt, can (;ever hope to mend themlelves, let them 
 
 carnal and tlellilv eating of his body he tells then», 1 hat . • . , n . r 1 
 
 c . ■ I I *■ c. .1- u . •. • r: -....ni no whither they will ; therefore, It IS as irrational, as It is 
 
 luch an eatinir would profit notliinji ; but it is a Ipiritual p ,. , , -^ r /-l n. ; / .1 i j . 
 
 f ■• *? f . , , 1 • .u .1 -1 i;f.. lintul to depart from Chrill, luho hath the wora. that is, 
 
 eatinffof him by faith, that brmireth thai quickening lite . •,■ ,- , ,/• r /n o i-. ■ • j 
 
 - ^ ' c \ T. ■ .; o^- „ 1- • ..,„ the promile ot e/fr/irt/ ///>. LalHy St. I'eter havine made 
 
 of which he had fpukeii. It is ihe Spirit, or divine nature, 
 (hiit quickemtb: theficjl), or human nature alone, ftperated 
 from his Godhead, prrjfttth nothing, and can give no life. 
 I.earn hence, That it is the Godhead of Chrift united to the 
 liuman nature, which adds all virtue, efficacy, and merit, to 
 the obedience and lulTerings of the'human nature, it is 
 ihe Spirit or divine nature of Chrift' that quickeneth ; the 
 f.efy, or human nature alone, prnfileth nothing ; and there- 
 fore the carnal eating of his flelli wouUI do no good. 
 
 64 But there are fome of you that believe not. 
 
 promile ot eternal life. Laftly at. reter naving 
 this profellion for himl'elf and the reft of the twelve, that 
 they would not depart from Jefus, whom they believed to 
 be the true MelFias, the Son of God ; Chrift intimates to 
 Peter, that his charity was fomething too large in pro- 
 iniling fo njuch for them all : for there was one traitor 
 among them, whofe heart was as open to Chrift, as his 
 face was to them ; he meant it of Judas Ifcariot, of whole 
 p-.rfidioufnefs he gave them warning at this time .Ltarn 
 hence, Tliat the better any man is in himfelf, the more 
 charitable is the opinion which he has of otlierj. Charily 
 
 For Jefus knew from the begining who they were jnclines to believe others good, till they difcovcr them- 
 
 ihat believed not, and who (hould betray him. 65 
 J^nd he faid, Therefoie faid I unto you, that no 
 man can come unto me, except it wer« given unto 
 him of my Father. 66 f From that tini-e many of 
 his difciples went back and walked no more with 
 him. 
 
 Our bl'ffed Saviour having thus cleared his dt^rine. 
 
 felvfs to be had. 2 That Chrift doth approve of our cha- 
 ritable judgment of others fincerity, according to what we 
 iiope and believe, though we happen to be iniftaken, and 
 our judgement is not according to truth; Chrift knew 
 Jtidai lo be an hypocrite at this time, but di'th not reprove 
 Peter for having a better opinion of hii.i ilian he dtferv- 
 ed. It is far better to eA on the charitable, ihan on the 
 ceuforioii'. h.ind ; it is Ins offtnnve to Chrift, and Icfs in- 
 jurious tu ounfelves. 
 
 C II A P 
 
CVIAT. VI J. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 31.1 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 AFTER thcfe things, Jefus walked in Galilee : 
 for he would not walk in Jewry, bccaufc the 
 Jews fought to kill him. 
 
 Our bkiTtd Saviour knowing tliat the rage of the chief 
 priefh and Ph-irifees in Judea and at Jeruf.ileni, was grown 
 to that height,.;hat they were relblved to kill hiui; to avoid 
 their fury, he refolves to con'inue in Galilee, and would 
 not come into Judea at prefentj nor go up to Jeriilalem 
 into the mouth of his enemies ; his hour being not yet 
 come. /.i»rfr/j hence, that lb long as it was necefTiry for 
 Chrift to fave and preferve hinifelf from danger, he w.is 
 plealed to make ufc of the ordinary means for hisownpre- 
 ie.'vation ; namely, retirement and withdrawing himfelf : 
 Chrift as God could have rid himfelf out of the hands of 
 his enemie* by a iiiir:tculousprerervatinn ; but heufci the 
 ordinary means when ilicy would ferve the turn. And as 
 he would not decline d.iiiger when his hour was come, fo 
 tvould he not run into it befoie it was come, but ufed all 
 prudential means and methods for hisown fjfety andpre- 
 fervation. f/e -Mould not come into Judea, becanfe the Jevjs 
 fought to kAl hint. 
 
 2 Now the feafl of the tabernacles was at hand. 
 
 There were three great ft-j(h v. h ch the Jews celebrated 
 every year ; namely, the fealt of tlie I'sffo^er, the teaftof 
 Pentecort, and the ft aft oi' fabernacles : i'hulaft was ob- 
 ferved in the month of September, after they had gathered 
 in the fruits of the earth ; whence it was alfo called the 
 feaft of In-gathering: At this fe.ift they went ou: of their 
 houfes, and dwelt sn booths fevon days, in remf mbrance 
 of their living in tents or booths in the wiljsfrnefs forfor'y 
 years together, before they came to C.inaan : Nov, the 
 inftitution of this feaft, being to call the UVaelites to re- 
 membrance of their former condition in the wildernefs, 
 teaches us how prone and ready we are to forget our trou- 
 bles, and the mercies wherewith our troubles b-ive been 
 fweetened, when otice they are pall and over. The Jews, 
 when fettled in Canaan, going out of their houfes yearly 
 »nd dwellmg in booth.*, did hereby tellify th.-.t prefent 
 mercies had nut made them forget theirfonner trials and 
 troubles. 
 
 3 His brethren therefore faid unto him, Depart 
 hence, and go into Judea, that thy difciplcs alfomay 
 fee the works that thou docft. 4 For there is no man 
 that doethany tiling in fecret, and he himfelf lecketh 
 to be known openly. If thou do thele thinj^s, fhcw 
 thylelf to the world. 5 For nciiher did his brethren 
 believe in hira. 
 
 iVs^f here, i. The advice which Chriil's brethren, that 
 is, hii k'ndred, gave Iiim to render himfelf inore famous 
 and publicly known to the world ; they advife him not to 
 flay any longer in Gal.ke, an oblctire pl.ice, hut to goinio 
 th.; n.ore noble and pi p'd^us|cuiury of Judea, an<l work 
 Bi rjiles th>;re, liut whit»hig!i prefumption was this 
 in creatures toprefcr.be toChriit, and direct him whether 
 ;o ^;(), and w bjt to do ? 2. The rcafon they cff.'r fi;riheir 
 
 advice ; for no man that feeketh to be known openly will 
 do any thing in fecret ; th.it is, "If thou wilt b^ iliou;>hc 
 to be the Mcfliis by thv work'ocr miracles, do them not in 
 a corner ; but go up to Jerul'ale'n with us at this next fcjll 
 that the great men may take notice of them." Such as 
 hunt after reputation themfel ves, and are ambitious of vain- 
 glory and commendation from men, nieafure others, even 
 the nmrt holy and religious, by their own inclinations and 
 difpolitions ; and wonder (hat others do not follow their 
 meafures for gaining reputation and refpeft. 'I hus did 
 our Lord's brethren here : but tlie wonder ceafes, if we 
 confider the following words ; ^'either did kis brethrenbe- 
 lievf on him. It is no new thing for the holieft fervantsof 
 God to meet with great trials from their gracelels friends. 
 Chrift met with this before us ; his kindred according to 
 the Hedj, not believing in him, w ei e a fore trial and temp- 
 tation tohim. Somemariyrshavcconfefred, iharthe hirdcft 
 works they have met withal, have been to withfland the 
 temptations, the tears and intreaties of their deareft and 
 nearcrt relaiioiis. 
 
 6 Then jtfus faid unto them, My time is not 
 yet come : but your time is always ready. 7 The 
 world cannot hate you ; but me it hateth, becaufe I 
 teftify of it, tliat the works thereof are evil. 8 Go 
 yeup unto this feaft: I go not up yet unto this feaft 
 tor my time is not yet full come. 9 When he had 
 laid thele words unto them, he abode ftill in Galilee. 
 
 Here we have Chnfl'b aniwer andrefut'al returned 10 his 
 brethren's delire : He tells them, i hit they nnght go up 
 to the f.art of Jerufulem, when they pleafed, and as pub- 
 licly ; but it was not for him to appear fo publicly, becaufo 
 the doctrine which he taught wasodious to the Pharifees, 
 and the prevailini; power at Jerufalem ; he therefore re- 
 folves to go up privately, that he might not (tir up the 
 jealoufyof thefanhedriin : But for them, they were otit 
 of danger of the world's hatred ; for being the ciiildren of 
 it, the world would love itsown ; buthimii hated, becaufe 
 he reproved its fins. Where wc may remark, that though 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift was moft freely willing, and ready 
 to lay down his life for (loners, when the time was ccme 
 that God the Father called for it : yet he would not expofe 
 his life to hazard and danger unfeafonably. Teaching us 
 by his example, as not to decline futferings when God 
 calls us to them, fo not to tempt God hy running Into 
 them, when we may inoffenfivtiy avoid them. Tour time 
 is ah'jayi ready, rnine is not yet come. 
 
 10 ? But when his brethren were gone up, then 
 went he alfo up unto the feaft, not openly, but as 
 jt were in fecret, 1 1 1 hen the Jews lotighi him 
 at the feaft, and faid, Where is he ? 12 And there 
 v/as much murmuring amon f the people concern- 
 ing him. For lorne laid he is a good man : others 
 faid, N'ay ; but he deceiveth the people. 13 How 
 beit, no man Ipakc openly of him, for fear of the 
 Jews. 
 
 l\ote here, 1 IIow our bltlT-'d Saviour, who came to 
 
 fuliil the 
 
;i« 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. vit. 
 
 the \vy, goes to Jerufalem at the Jewifh feaft, according 
 to the ctiinmand of God, Exod. xxiii. Three timet a year 
 fl.'/iU I.-JI thy m.ilts t/ppr-ar hfore r'te. Chrilt being made 
 under the law, (hc.vetli a paiiclujl obedience to the law, 
 and fultillcd it in his own pcrfon. a . The different opi- 
 nions which the Je^viat Jenifaleni do exprefs concerning 
 OHr Saviour : fome allowing him the charitable ch^radler 
 of biing a good man ; others traducing him as a tleceiver 
 of the people. Our dear Lord, we lee, when here on 
 earth, parted through evil report .md good report. Is it 
 any wonder to find che friends of Chrdl br.Tuded with in- 
 fjtjiy and reproach, when Chrilt himlelf patlei uiider the 
 infatnous chara<5ler ofadecL'iver of the people? Some 
 allowed him to be a good man ; but tt/.'trs /itij, Nay, hut 
 ^e dice'tvfth the peopU. 
 
 14 *!r Now about the midft of the feaft, Jefus 
 went up into the temple, and taught. 15 And the 
 Jews marvelled, l.iying, How knoweth this nicin 
 letter;;, having never learned ? 16 Jel'us anlwered 
 them and (aid, My do£lrine is not ♦nine, but his 
 that lent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he 
 fliall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, 
 or whether! fpeak ofmyfelf. 18 Hethat fpeaketh 
 of himfelf.feeketh his own glory: but he that fecketh 
 his glory that fcnt him, the fame is true, and no 
 unrightcoufnefs is in him. 
 
 Obferve here. Though Chrift went up to Jerufalem 
 ptivately, left ho (lioulJ (lir up the jeiloufy of the Pharifees 
 againd hiinl'tlf iinfeafonably ; yet he went into the temple 
 and tnuffht publicly. His example tciches us this much, 
 " Tiiat although the fervants of Chrift may for a time, 
 and in fome cafes withdraw themfelves from apprehended 
 danger .- yet when God calls them to appear openly, they 
 irulldo it courageoufly, without, flirinking, though the dan- 
 ger be ftill impending." Jefus went up to Jerufalem, en- 
 tered the temple and taught. 2. So admirable was our 
 hdly r.,ord's doftrine, that the Jews marvelled how he 
 fliouid come to the knowledge of fuch divine myfleries, 
 conlidering the nieaimefs of his education. I'hey were 
 ilrutk with admiration, but they wanted faith; whereas 
 the leaft degree of Caving faith is beyond all admiration 
 without it. \. Our [jord vindicates his doifliine, telling them 
 tlie doctrine he delivered was not his own ; that is, of his 
 ovn inventing and d;;vifiiig ; but received immediately 
 from the Fat'ier, whofe ainbaffador and great prophet he 
 w.if. Again, when Chrifl fays, My chHr'tm is not mine, 
 tfiati?, not oidy mine, but my Father's and mine. Fcr 
 as he was Godtqiu! with the Father, fo he naturally knew 
 all his counteh; ar.d as man, h.nd knowledge thereof by 
 coaniinnication from his Godhead. Learn I)encc, Thai 
 ibe div'trine of the golpcl is a d./Jirine wholly from God ; 
 hf cmtrlved it, and lent his o»\n Sen into the world to 
 publiih and revenl it, Chriii wa; Tent, and his doftrine 
 was not hib own, but iiii that fent him. 4. A double rule 
 j;iveii by onr Saviour, whereby the Jev;s might knew, 
 wl'.cthcr the doelrine iie prcitluvl were the doctnneof God, 
 Y.\{\, if a mm wjjk uprightly, and dch I'le will of God in 
 
 the beft manner accOrdingto liist knowledge ; If any man 
 will dt his ivill, hejh.ill knt-JJ of my doflrim vjhctb- r it be of 
 C^d. TLere is no Inch way to find out truth, as by doinir 
 the will of God. 1 he fccoiid rule, by which iheytni 'hi 
 know that hij doctrine was from God, was this, becaufe 
 he fought his Fjiher'> glory, and not his o.vn, in the de- 
 livery of it. He that t'-tk-.th his glory thai fent f.im, the 
 fime is true. Hence Icurn, That the nature and Icope of 
 that dodrine which Chrift dt li vered, eminently tendipg not 
 10 pn^mute his oah private glory, but the glory of his Fa- 
 ther is an undoubted proof and evidence, that his dudriive 
 was of God. 
 
 19 Did not Mofes give you the law, and yet none 
 of you keepeth the law ? Why go ye about to kill 
 me I* 20 The people anlwered and ("aid, Thou haft 
 a devil : who goeth about to kill thee ? 2 1 Jefus 
 anlwered and laid unto them. I have done one work 
 and ye all marvel. 22 Mofes therefore gave unta 
 you circumcifion, (not becaufe it is of Mofes. but 
 of the fathers.) and ye on the fabbath-day circum- 
 cife a man. 23 If a man on the fabbath-day receive 
 circumcifion, that the law of Mofes ftiould not be 
 broken ; are ye angry at me, becaufe I have made 
 a man every whit whole on the fabbath-day. 
 
 Wsre note, i. ThatourLord, hiving vindicated his doc- 
 trine in the former verfes, comes now to vindicate hispr.ic- 
 tice in healing the impotent man on the Sabbath-day, for 
 which the Jews fought his hfe, as a violation of the fourth 
 commandment given by Mofes. Our Saviour tells them, 
 that, notwithftanding their pretended zeal for the law of 
 Mofes, they more notorioufly broke the lixth command- 
 ment, by going about to kill him, an innocent perfon, than 
 he had broken the fourth commandment, by making .1 
 man whole on the fabbath day. Hence learn. That it is 
 damnable hypotrify, when men pretend great zeal againft 
 the fin of others, and doallowand tolerate worfe inthcm- 
 felvfs. This is for their practice to give their profeflion 
 the lie ; the Jews condemn our Saviour for a fuppofed 
 breach of the fourth commandment, whiHlthey are gnilry 
 of a real breach of the lixth commandment. 2. The ig- 
 nominy and reproach which the Jews fi\ upon our bleflcd 
 Saviour, in the height of their rage and fury againft him; 
 Thou baft a divil. 'I"he King of faints in heaven, as well 
 as the whole hoft of faints on earih, has been frequently 
 fmitien and deeply woundeil with reproach. Chrift v.as 
 reproached fi-r our fake, and when we are reproached for 
 his fake, he t.-ikes our reproach as his own. Moles' re- 
 proach was the reproach of Chrift, Heb. ni. 26. And he 
 elleemed it a trealure, which did more enrich him with its 
 worth than opprefs himTvith its weight ; cftecmin^ therc- 
 pr-joch of Chrift greater riches than the treasures cf Egypt. 
 3. The wonderful meeknefs of Chrift, in pading over this 
 reproach and calumny, without one word of reply. Guilt 
 is commonly clamorous and impati^-nt, but innocence is 
 filent, and regardlefs of mifrep<irts. Our Saviour is not 
 at the pains of a word to vindicate himfcif from their impo- 
 tent ceuf'jre, but "goes on with his dilVourfe, and j'.iniii .s 
 
AP. VI. 
 
 Sr. J O H N. 
 
 3^5 
 
 his own aflion, in healing a man on the Sabbath day, from 
 thejewsown prjclife in circuiiicifingtheir children on that 
 day, if it happen to be ihc eighth dav : And theargument 
 runs thus. " If circunicilion may be adminiflcredio a child 
 on the Sabbath-day, wliicii is a fervile kind of woik, and 
 bodily exercif?, without blame or cenfure, whyfliulll f^iil 
 under cenllire fur healing a man on the Sabbath-day, tho- 
 roughly and perfectly, only by a word fpeaking?" Hence 
 harn that tlif law of doing good, aifd relieving (he mifer- 
 ;ible at all times, is a more ancient and excellent law, than 
 either that of the fabbath rell, or of circuracilion upon 
 the eighth day. A ritual law mufl and ought to give place 
 to the law of nature which is written in every man's heart. 
 As if our Lord had faid, "If you may wound a man by 
 circnmcifion on the Sabbath-day, tn.iv not I heal one? If 
 you may heal on that day one member of the circumcifed, 
 may I not make a man whole every v.hit? If you be at 
 pains to cure fuch a one with your hand may I not with- 
 out pains cure a man with the word of my mouth J'' 
 
 24 Judge not according to the appearance, but 
 judge righteous judgement. 
 
 From the(oregoing argument, Chriftdravvsan inference 
 or conclufion, That there is no making a juilgment accord- 
 ing to the firft appearance of things; and thjt fuddennefs 
 or ralhnefs, prejudice or partiality in judging, overthrows 
 righteous judgment. This is the general application of 
 what Chrill had faid before ; and the particular application 
 of it, as to himfelf, comes to this. Judge net accordiitg to 
 appearance, but jtu'ge righteous judgment : Asif Chrill had 
 laid, "Lay afide your prejudices againfl my perfon, and 
 compare thefe cafes attentively and impsrtially with one 
 another; and then fee whether you can julHy condemn nic 
 as a Sabbath breaker, and acquit yourfelves." Such was 
 the perfeft innocency of our Saviour's actions, that he could 
 and did fubmit ihem to the reafon and jucigmcnt of h's 
 very enemies. 
 
 25 Then faid fome of them of Jerufalem. Is not 
 this he whom they feek to kill? 26 But lo, he 
 fpeaketh boldly, and they fay nothing unto him. Do 
 the rulers know indeed, that this is the very Chrill? 
 2^ Howbeit, wc know this man whence he is: but 
 when Chrill cometh, no man knoweth whence he 
 is : 28 Then cried Jcfus in the temple, as he taught 
 faying, Ye both know me. and yeknowwhence I 
 am : and I am not come of myfelf, but he tliat lent 
 me is true, whom ye know not, 29 But I knov/ 
 him; for I am from him, and he hath fent me. 
 
 30 Then they fought to take him : butnomanlaid 
 hand.s on him, becaufe his hour was notyet come. 
 
 3 1 And many of the people believed on him, and 
 laid, When chrill cometh, will he do more miracles 
 than thefe which this man hath done ? 
 
 Our blefled Saviour having vindicated both his doctrine 
 and practice, and appeared publicly in the temple, and 
 fpcaking boldly there, the people of JerufJcm, knowing the 
 
 hatred and enmity of the chief priefts and rulers agairft 
 him, do wonder that they did not apprehend him. Lt,iin, 
 Almighty God doih andtr.u prel'ei ve h'sown, in the faith- 
 ful dilcharge of their duty in (uch an adniir/ible manner, 
 that even their enemies thcmieU'Cs may woniLr at it, and 
 be .iftonilhed at it. a. '1 he argument which the Jews 
 urged againftour Saviour's being Clirifl, and tlic proiuifcd 
 IVltliras, naniely, that they //r.evi -ivher.rc he lujs, whereas 
 when the MfJJiah comilh, no man fniU kn'i-v v:hcnce he is ; 
 now herein they afTcrt a manifelt untruth ; for though 
 Chrifl, in refpcft of his God-iiead, was prefigured by Me!- 
 chifedec, who was without failier or mother, without de- 
 Icent; (that is, without any that the fcripture mentions,) 
 \et in relpecfl of his hntnan nature, the Jews might know- 
 whence he was ; for the fcripture plainly pointcti out the 
 tribe, the family, the lineage, and the place of his birth. 
 
 3. That Chrift, being greivtd at this impudent cavil doth 
 reply unto it with much boldnefs and zeal ; he cried, fay- 
 ing, Te knijvj me, and whence 1 am ; but the Father thatjcnt 
 me ye know not : That is, "You know me as a man, 
 where I was born and of what family I am, but you know- 
 not my divine nature, nor the Father from whom 1 amby 
 eternal generation, and whohathlent me into the world. 
 
 4. What caufelefs rage appeared in thefe men ngainft Chrift 
 for declaring the truth nntothem : they would havetakeii 
 him by violence, had not the power and providence of God 
 rcftrained them for the prefeut, becaufe his time to fuffer 
 w as not yet come. Hence learn. That violence and perfe- 
 cution againft the faithful difpenfersof the truths of Cod, 
 have been the lot and portion of fuch in all ages and gene- 
 rations ; Chrift experienced it ; lei his minilters expert it. 
 
 5. That although the rulers at Jerufalem were angry and 
 enraged, yet the meaner and inferior fort of people believed 
 on him, being ctmvinced by the wonderful miracles w||ji|^ 
 he had wrought amongft them, that he was the true |J0<1' 
 promifed Meirtas. For, fay they, v/henever the McllTas 
 comes, he cannot donreuter and more tvident /niracles ihiir. 
 this man hatb done. Learnhence, That slthough the grace 
 of God be not infured to, or entailed upon any fort ot 
 people ; yet ordinarily it is the meaner fort of people witii 
 whom it prevails muft. Many of the common people at 
 Jerufalem were believing, w lien the rulers there were per- 
 iVcuting : Men that live in pleafureandat eafe, fee no need 
 of dependance upon God ; have little inclination or defire 
 to further the golpt'I,and to encourage either the d'Ipenl'ers 
 or profelTors of it ; nay, it is well if they do not t.irn per- 
 fccutors. 
 
 32 5 The Pharifees heard that the people mur- 
 mured fuch things concerning hira ; and the Phari- 
 fees and the chief pricfls fent officers to take him. 33 
 Then faid Jefusunto them. Yet a little while am I 
 with you, and then I go unto him that fent me. 34 
 Y'e (hall feek me, and fhail not find me : and where 
 I am, thither ye cannot come. 35 Then faid the 
 Jews among themfclves, Whither will he go, that 
 we fhall not find him ? will he gounto the difperfed 
 among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? 36 
 What manner of faying is this that he faid, Ye fliail 
 
344 
 
 St. J O H N 
 
 and where I am, 
 
 C^AP. yii- 
 
 brook, but a fpring of wMer ; ve fttall never mifs of the 
 waters of life, if we feek ur.to ard wait upon Chriftfor 
 tbem. For, if we believe on h'lm, dut of our billies Jhallfliiv 
 nv:rs rf living voters, fi.fficient for ourfclvei, and where 
 with to refrefli others. 
 
 39 (But this he fpake of the Spirit, which they 
 
 feck mc, and fliall not find me 
 thither ye cannot come s" 
 
 Ct'fi-rve here, How enraged the pliarifees were, when 
 they heard tint fo nmny of the common people were 
 bronglit til believe inChrlft, and cleave unto Chrift, info- 
 
 niudi that tiiey fcnt public uificers, armed with antliority -- . ■ -n u ■' c .1 11 r 
 
 10 apprehend our bUfTed Saviour ; The Vharifees W chief that beheve on him Ihould racetve : for the Holjr 
 .fricjis/cnt :fiurst'. take him. /^-arn thence, That nothing Ghoft wasnot yet given, btcaufe that Jeiixs was not 
 inorecnragci the entaiiesofreligion, and drawstrcubleon vet glorified.) 
 
 Thefe words are the Evangclift St John's commentary 
 upon the foregoing pronnfe : he tells ti.', ilat Chrift fpoke 
 this of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, which did accoin- 
 pany the defcent of the Holy Choft, at ihe featt of Penie- 
 co(t. For the Holy Ch'ff waJ not yt t given, that is, not fo 
 plentifully given, /»fffl»j/t Jefus was not glorified- Learn 
 hence. That although lite Spirit was in fcnieroeafure given 
 by God from the beginning to good men, yet the more 
 plentiful efFufion of it was deferred, till the afccniion and 
 glorification of Je(us Chrift. 
 
 40 9 Many of the people therefore, when the:.jr 
 
 ihc preachers and proftfiors of ir, than the fuccefs which 
 the gofpel at any time meets with, Obfervr, 2. Our Sa- 
 viour tells ihtm that as they defired to be rid of him, fo 
 ere long they fhould have theirdefu-e ; he would leave them 
 and go to his Father, and in his ablence, they would wifli 
 Jorhis bodily prcfence again, but fhuuld not have it. l.esrn. 
 The defpifers of Chrift have little caufe to be weary ot 
 liim, and to feek to put him away by violence andperfecu- 
 lion ; for their obftinate contempt of him will caufe him 
 10 depart from them, and finally forfake the:n. Ohftrve, 
 2. How the Jews, not underftanding our Saviour's words 
 
 aright, reolbned among themfelves,"hether by leaving of . _ _ 
 
 them, he meant to go into fome pagan country, and teach heard this faying. faidOf a truththis is the prophet 
 
 the Gentiles the myfteries of the Jewifh religion ; which 
 above all things they could not endure to hear, l^arn 
 hence, That it is the ordinary fin of a pecple privileged 
 with the means of grace, not to be fenfible of the hazard 
 ordanger ofChrift'sleavingand forfaking them, til! at laft 
 he; leavpc thpm fin;illv and cr.fts them off, to their inevi 
 
 41 Others faid. This isthe Chrift. .But fomefaid, 
 Shall Chrift come out of GaUlee? 42 Hath not 
 the fcripture faid, That Chrift cometh out of th« 
 feed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, 
 where David was ? 43 So there was a divifion 
 
 table and unutterable condemnation. Thus did our Lord among the people bccaufe of him. 44 And fome 
 
 of them would have taken him : but no man laid 
 hands on him. 
 
 In thefe verfes an account is given of the various effcfts 
 which our Lord's foregoing fermon had upon his hearers 
 hearts fome were fo affefted with it, that they believed 
 him to be the great prophet pronjiftd to Ifratl, Dcut. 
 xviii. 18 Other.- apprehended him to be the Chrift : others 
 contradi<ft both, fuppofinghim to be born not at Bethle. 
 hem, but in Galilee. And upon this divedity of opiniani 
 there arofe a divifuinamongft them ; and fome had a mind to 
 have apprehended him. but by an over-ruling power they 
 were reitrained fron) doing it at prefent. Learn hence 
 thatduerfity of opinions in ma'ters of religion, even con- 
 cerning Chrift hmifelf, have been even from the beginning. 
 Some accounted him a piophet,oiher> the Mefliah ; fome 
 thought him neither, but a grand impoftor and deceiver. 
 Our dear Lord, when hf-re on earth, palfcd through evil 
 clepend°upon as Mediator, we fliali certainly receive what re] ort and good report ; let hi foDoAcrs expeft mu\ prc- 
 
 with the Jews here : 1 go my way, and whither I go, ye 
 cannot rome. 
 
 37 In the laft day, that great day of the feaft, 
 Jcfus ftood and cried, faying. If any man thirft, let 
 him. come unto me and drink. 
 
 Tlie fesft of tabtrnscles (w hich isthe fesft here meant) 
 lafted eight days; thefirftand laft of which were to be 
 kept holy with religious all'emblies and facrifices; audit 
 was a cuftom jmong the Jews, upon that folemn day, to 
 offer up a pot of water unto God, which they drew out of 
 the fountain of Siloani; with reference to this cuftom, 
 Chrift here cries with a loud voice, inviting the people to 
 fetch and draw from him,asfroma living fountain, all the 
 fanclifying gifts and fa ving graces of the holy Spirit. /^frtr« 
 hence. That Jefus Chrift isthe original and fountain of all 
 laving grace, whom if we thirft after, repair to, and by faith 
 
 nfluences of grace foevsr we want and ftand in need of. 
 
 38 He that believeth on me, as the fcripture hath 
 ^aid, out of his belly ihall flow nvcrsof living water. 
 
 Here again Chrift alludes to a Jew ifli cuftom ; the Jews 
 were wont at fountains tobuild great vfflcU offtor.e.andin 
 ihe niidftorbelly of them to have pipes, thrr'ugh which 
 
 pare for the fame for innocence itftlf cannot prottft from 
 (lander and falfe accufation. 
 
 45 ? Then came the officers to the chief prieft* 
 and Pharifees : and they laid unto them, Wiiy have 
 ye not brought him ? 46 The officers anfwered 
 Never man fpake like this man. 47 Ti.ea anfwered 
 
 the water paffes, "Now, fays Chrift, thus it (hall be with them the pharifees, Arey e alio deceived ? 48 Have 
 
 every one that believeth on me ; he ftiali be abundantly ^^y ^f ,j^g rulers, or of the Pharifees, believed on 
 
 filled with the Spirit of God, in all thefnnaifyingandfav. j^-^^^p But dlis people, who knoweth not the 
 
 ing graces of it." Chrift and his holy Spirit are a living ,,„ ,__ _,,_r„j 
 
 ig gr 
 fountain, whofc waters never fail; they are not a water- 
 
 law, arc curfed. 
 
 Note 
 
Cha?, VI. 
 
 St, J O H N. 
 
 A'c/tf hei'f, I. How Ocdrcftramed the rage and malice 
 *f Chrift's enetnies, ti!! bij hour was come; ilie ofliccrs 
 of the chief priefts, who v.ere fcnt fcrrli witli a cornniir. 
 fion to appreiiend hiiTi, returned without him ; hut with 
 this honourable mention of him in their niouihs, Never 
 hicn [pake I'lki this T»un. Such is the power of Chiift's 
 dodlrine that even thcfechat coni»,untoit with prejudice, 
 and with aperfcctiting purpoh;, iiisy be furpriffd by it, .ukI 
 thoiigh not converted, yet bridled and refti-ained : the 
 preachingofthegorpeldothfomftiinesreftrain the violence 
 of the hand, when it works no change in or ii])on the 
 heart. Thus it was with thefe poor officers. 2. That 
 the Pharifees being more enraged atihe reafon which the 
 ofncerj gavefc-rnegledling their office, than for the negleifl 
 itfclf, upbraid them, that they fliould fuller theaifelves to 
 be fo deceived, whereas none of the graiuJeej, or learned 
 Rabbies, had owned him ; only an accurfcd crew of igno- 
 rant people followed him, and doted on iiim. Here no'e. 
 That when Chrift came into the world, the great ones of 
 the world not only refufed to believe on him, hut boahed 
 of their unbeiiirf as an argument of their wifdoni. Huve 
 tiny^ of the rulers believed i)n him.* Oh no, they were too 
 wife to believe! Faith is left to fools, and accounted folly 
 by thofe wife men. Nay, farther, thry count the common 
 people curfed, who did believe on Chrift. Oh prodigious 
 llupidiiy! to account them accurfcd, who receive Jefus 
 Chrift, the chiefeft hlefling; great men have not always the 
 wifdom of a man, but more fcldom have they the wifdoni 
 of a real chriftian. Great in honour, and wife in nnder- 
 ftanding are a fweet couple, but feldom feen together. 
 
 50 Nicodemus faith unto thetn, -(he that came 
 to Jefus by night, being one of them) 51 Doth 
 our hi \v judge any man before it hear him, and knovv^ 
 what he doeth > 52 They anfwered and faid unto 
 him, Art thoualfoof Gahlee? Search, and look . • 
 foroutofGahlecaiifcth no prophet. 53 And every 
 man went unto his own houfe. 
 
 Here «off, i. How God ftirs up Nicodemus, though he 
 durft not openly own Chrift, yet to plead for him, that he 
 might not be condemned before heard ; this was a common 
 rule of jiiftice, and nothingbut what might have beenfrnd 
 ou behalf of the greateftinalefjaor; he could not well 
 have faid lefs ; but God fo ordered it that it is enough to 
 divert the itorm from falling upon Chrift at this time — 
 One word fliall he I'ufficicnt to blow over a perfecution, 
 when God will have it fo. 2. They anfwer Nicodemus 
 with a taunt, a mock, andafcorn, that no prophet ever did 
 rife our of Galilee, nor ever ihnuld. 'ih-refore Chrift 
 anfingout of Galilee, as they thought, could be ro pro- 
 pnt-t. Laftly, That though they were more enraged' yet 
 they dilperfe without concluding any thing ag.iinft"chritt: 
 /or that time every one went to his own hom'e. There is 
 no wildom Dor underftanding, nor counfcl sgr.inft the Lord . 
 
 J 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 ESUS went unto the mount of Olives 
 early in tiie morning he came 
 
 And 
 
 gam into the 
 
 temple and all the people en in (?. unto luV. ; .-\t,(1 li. 
 fat down and taught them. 
 
 1 he foregoing chapter gave us .nn accountofa moft i \. 
 cellent ferinon which our Saviour preached in the ttinplf, 
 at the fcart of tabernacL's. Now the feaft being ended, 
 Jclus did not tarry in the city ill night ; hut wtni rut of It 
 two miles, as he trtquently ul'ed,_to the mount of Olives. 
 And although it was fodjiigerous for him to he leen anv 
 more in Jcriifalcm, yet early next morning he retunn 
 again to the city, fnter;, the teiiiplp, .ind falls upon his woi!; 
 ofpre.nching wiihout fear and with indefatigable diligence. 
 Owhatabufy ufefulIifK was this of our Saviours ! Hefpen: 
 the day in preaching hi the temple, the night in privacy and 
 prayer on the mount of Ohves: the next reornii.g he 
 returns to his work of preaching again. Thus was he 
 always holily .;,d painfully employed. To glorify his Fa- 
 ther, and to be ufetul and beneficial to mankiud, was Ijis 
 food by day, and his reft by night. Lord, how little do 
 we refemble thee, if, when thy life was all pain and labour 
 OUTS be all paftime, pleafure, and recreation. 
 
 3 And the fcribes and Pharifees brought unto 
 him a woman taken in adultery : and when they had 
 fet her in the midft, 4 They fay unto him, Matter 
 this woman was taken in adultery, in the very a6L. 
 5 Now iMofes in the law commanded us. that 
 inch (hould be ftoned: but what fayefl thou ? 6 
 This they faid, tempting him, that they might have 
 to accufe him. But Jefus Uooped down, and with 
 his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard 
 them not. 7 So when they continued afking him. 
 he lifted up himfelf, and faid uuto them, He that 
 IS without fin among you, let him firltcaft a ftone 
 at her. 8 And again he ftooped down, and wrote 
 on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being 
 convifted by their own confcience, went out one by • 
 one, beginning at the eldeft, even unto the laft : and 
 Jefus was left alone, and the woman ftanding in 
 the midft. 10 When Jefus had lift up himfelf, and 
 faw none but the woman, he f*i(l unto her, Woman 
 where are thofe thine accufers ? hath no man con- 
 demned thee ? 11 She faid. No man, Lord. And 
 Jefus laid unto her. Neither do I condemn thee : 
 go, and fin no more. 
 
 Our Saviour early in the morning entering upcn the 
 work of preaching : Note, 1. What a mixed auditory he 
 had, of tcnbes and Pharifees, and common people. All 
 forts Of pt-rfons came to hear him, but ujc all wnh the 
 lame initntjons : I he common people c.ime to learn, but 
 .the Icribes and Pharifees came to caviland carp ; :he latter 
 came to tempt and enfnarc hini, the foi mer to be taught 
 and inftruaed by him. Jt i,^ not our b.ire a(tend..hce«poii 
 ordmanccs. but the purity of our aim, and the lii.cerity of 
 our intentions in waiting upon God in them, that is ^,^ 
 evidence of our (inccriiy. 2. How :hc hy, ctiifv of theVe 
 1 -lanfees was gilded aver with an appearance of fana ly, 
 
 Xx '* 
 
:n(^ 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. V 11 
 
 >. 
 
 as if they were great lovers of chaftity and haters of un- 
 cleannci\; liicy bring to Clirilb a woman taken in adultery, 
 to be cenfurcd by hi:n. One liint h.id not not known thefe 
 rharilees, woulJhave cotuliidedthein very holy .ind hon- 
 cll, very conrcioiiaMe and confcieniious pcrlbns: but Chrill 
 who law in their holbins, ibon found that al! this wasdone 
 only to temp: him. Thus a linooth tongue and a falfe 
 heart often accompany one another: when we fee a glitter- 
 ing appearance wc have rc.ilbn to lufpetT-the infule. 3. 
 The punilhnient which the PhariCtes Ibuyht to have in- 
 illclcd on this adulterefs ; it is death ; let her be ftoned : 
 ^^0ln■.Mi^le3 the piini(hinent oi' adnhery was burning, ibine- 
 tiines Uonin^;, always death : Lord ! how CLight thriltiap.s 
 TO bluth, wlut have llii;ht thonghf; of the fin of adultery, 
 which both Jews and Fag.ms held deadly > 4. Their en- 
 fn-jring qiiettion, .il/'//t/ commam.'etl ftich JJjufilJ he Jhmd ; 
 but vih.it fayefl thnt : The Pharifees deljre no better ad- 
 vantage a gainft Chrift, than atontradidionio Mofes their 
 law-giver : It his been an old ftratageni to let Mofes and 
 Chriltat variance, but they are fart friends; thty are fubor- 
 dinate one to another, not oppoftd one againft another. 
 Mofes brings us to Chrill, and Chrift to glory ; fain would 
 thefe colloguing adverfaries draw Chrill 10 contradidl Mo- 
 fes, that they might take advantage of the tontradicVicn, 
 to condemn Chrilt. 5. The wifdom and caution of cur 
 Lord's anfwer; he doth not excnfe her crime, but bids her 
 acculcrs look at home, and examine their own confcicnces, 
 whether they were not guilty of the like, orasgreatalln; 
 He doih not fay, "let her be ftoned ;" this h;d been 
 againtl the courfe of his mercy; he doth .not fay, "Let 
 her not be iloned ;" this had been againft the law of 
 Mofes; but he fo .infwers, that both his juftice and his 
 mercy are entire ; (lie di^rmilfed, hey afiianied. It is af.ilfe 
 real that is eagle-eyed abroad and blind at home. Such as 
 are moll wicked themfelves, are oft-times moft ready and 
 Ikilful to fpy out the faults and failings of others : We 
 Hand too near ourl'elves to difcern our own mifcarrisges. 
 The eye that fecsevery th.ing.fees not itftlf. A'o/e, Though 
 Chrill abhored the lin, yet he Joe^not condenni the Tin- 
 ner. H nth mm an condemned thee? Neither do I ondcmn 
 thee, fays Chrril. This Chrift faid, not to excnfe the 
 woman or to connive at her offence, but toftiew that he 
 declined the offue o'a c-i*«l judge, which wa s to pafs fen- 
 tence on criminals. He therefore dutii not f.iy, No man 
 ought to condemn thee, but Hath no man andemntd thee ? 
 Chrill doth not execute t^ieiifiee of a magillrate in judging 
 her death ; but of a minifter, in callnig her to repentance 
 and reformation -. How ought every one of us toketp wirii- 
 in the bounds of our calling, when our Saviourhimfclf will 
 not intrench upon the office and funclion of others? Laflly, 
 Our Saviour's cautionary direclion to this adulterefs: Go, 
 and flnno more. Where wJe, Chrill doth not fay, Go, 
 and commit adultery no mofe : but. Go, and fin no more. 
 It is not a partial repentance, or a turning away fro m this 
 or that particular lin, which will denominate us true pe ni- 
 tents, or intitle us to the pardoning mercy of God, but a 
 leaving oft alHin of what kind foever: therefore, fays 
 Chrill, Co,andJinnotKore. 
 
 12 f Then fpnke Jcfus again unto them, fayingi 
 
 am the light of the world: he that followcth me 
 ni;vll not walk indarkncfs, but fliall have the light of 
 life. 1 3 The Pharifees tlicrefore faid unto him, Thou 
 beared record of th.yfcif ; thy record is not true, j 4 
 jefu.^ anlv.-ercd and laid unto them. Though I beat 
 record of myfelf, yet my rrcord is true : for I know 
 whence I came, and whither I go; but yccannot tell 
 whence I come, or whither I go : 15 Ye judge 
 after the flelh, I judge no man. 16 Andyet if I 
 judge, my judgement is true : for I am not alone, 
 but I and the Father that fent me. 17 It is alfo 
 written in your law, that the teftimony of two men 
 is true. 18 I am one that bear witncfs of myfelf, 
 and the Father that fent me, bearcth witnefs of me. 
 19 Then faid they unto him, Where is thy Father ? 
 Jefusanfwered, Ye neither know me, nor my P'a- 
 ther : if ye had known ine, ye fhould have known 
 my Father alfo. 20 Thefe words fpake Jefus in 
 the treafury as he taught in the temple : and no 
 man laid hands on him ; for his hour was not yet 
 come. 
 
 Our blelTed Saviour having baffled the dofign vhich the 
 Pharifees hid upon him, and fliewed a Ipirit of divine wif- 
 ^lom, in delivering himfclf from thatfnaie which they had 
 hid for him, he returns to indriiA the people in the trea- 
 fury. And here note, i,He in(lru;ls them in the nature 
 of his oflice, VA bich was to enlighten all men, with the 
 kno\slege of divine truth ; fo that ihey lliould not walk 
 in darknefs, either of fin or error, but be led toeicrn.il life. 
 Learn hf nee. That the great end and errand of Chrill's 
 coming into the world, was to give light unto poor fouls 
 that fat in dark'iefs. 2. Ihe exception w hicn the Pliari- 
 feesmake againlV cur Saviour's ttltiinony of hipilelf ; Th':u 
 bean Jl record of thyjl If ; thy record if noltrue. Indeed, fnch 
 is the corrupt nature of man, which is pi one to fetk iifelf, 
 and hunt aAer vain-glory, that it may render a pt ribn's 
 telliiuonyof hinilelf fufpct^ed ; but Chrift being true God, 
 that cannot lie, and coming out of the bolom ol the Father, 
 as his ambair.idor, his teftimony of hii;;ftlf is above ail ex- 
 ception, and ought to be credited without farihcr proof. 
 T,. Mow Chrift challenges his enemies, the Pharifees. for 
 judging carnally of him, and according to the meannefs of 
 his outward appearance, whereas he judged no man : that 
 is, Firll, No man, as they, judged, according to ourvyard 
 fliew: (?r, Secondly, I ju-lg.- no jnan ; that is, at prefent. 
 My proper work is not to condemn any, but teach all ; and 
 my prefent office is that of a prophet, not of a judge. My 
 , coming now is to inftru(fl and lave the world ; my next 
 coming willhe tcjudge and condemn it. 4 Chrift declares 
 that he is not alone in the teftimony given himlelf, but 
 that the Father did allbteftify and bear witnefs of him, and 
 that according to their own law, the teftimony of two was 
 alwaysaccounted andefteemed valid. " Kow, faysChrift, 
 if fo much weight be to be laid upon the teftimony of two 
 men, how much more forcible flioiild the teftimony of the 
 Father, and of him that he h:th fe.it, be, to fatisfy you, 
 
 that 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 Sr. J O H N. 
 
 34.7 
 
 that what I fay of inyfelf is true? ^earn hence, i. That 
 the Father and the ^on though one in cfTence and opera- 
 tion, yet are diftin<ft perfons. 2. That therediflinclp-rfons 
 did hear joint \\itnefs concerning Chrift. God the Father 
 left fied of him by a voice from heaven ; and Chriftas God, 
 bare witnefs of himfcif as man, and a>. M'd'ator. Surely 
 ontof the mouth oftwofuch witntfTes, the truth ofChriil's 
 divine niiflijn is fufficiently eftabliihed. ; 
 
 21 Then faid Jcfus again unto them, I go tny 
 way, and ye fhall Icek me, and /hall die in your fins : 
 whither I <;o. ve cannot come. 22 Then faid the 
 jews, Will'hc kill hi.nfcir ? becaufe he faith, Whither 
 1 go, ye cannot come. 23 And he faid unto thcrw, 
 Ye are from beneath ; 1 am from above : ye are of 
 this world : 1 am not of this world. 25 I faid 
 therefore unto you, that ye Ihould diein your fins : 
 for if ve believe not that I am he, ye fhall die in 
 your lins. 
 
 Ohret'vs here, A dreadful threatening denounced by 
 Chrift againft the oblVinare and nnbeliving Jews, Te fhall 
 die In yjur ftnf ; that i$, in the g'lilt of your fins : Lorii ! 
 what a fad word is this, Tefnall die in your fins .- () better 
 is ii a thoufand times to die in a ditch ! for th«v that die in 
 their fins, (hall rile in theh-lins, and ft;md before Clir^tl in 
 their fins : fuch as lie do.vn in lin in the grave, fliall have 
 fin lie down with their, in hell to all eternity. The fin^of 
 believers go to the g rave before them ; fin dieth v\ bile 
 they live; but the finsof unbcievers go to the with them. 
 While they live they are de.id in fin: and by fin they fill 
 into death : from which there i.> no recovery unto life. 
 2. The grand fin for which this gre,Tr punidiment is 
 thn'".itr'n*d, and that is the fin of unbelief; If ye ielh-ve^- 
 not thai I am he, ys fhall die i,t your fiitj. Plainly iniimating 
 that, of all nn, infidelity and unbelief is the grand dam- 
 ning fin under the gofptrl. The devil hath a great. id van- 
 tage upon men, by making thein ftrong in unbelief, as 
 Cod hath by making his people ftrong in faith. Unbelief 
 renders a finners cafe defperate and incurable • it doth' 
 not only procure damnation, but no damnation like it. 
 
 25 Then faid they unto him. Who art thou ? And. 
 Jefus faith unto them, Even tlufmne that I faid un- 
 to you from the beginning. 26 I have many 
 thing.s to fay and tojiid^e of you : but he that fent 
 me. is true ; and I ipeak. to the world thofe thini^s 
 which I have heard of him. 27 They underftood 
 not that he fpakc to them of the Father. 28 Then 
 faid Jefus unto them. When ye have lift up the Son 
 of man, then fhall ye know, that I am he and that 
 I do nothing of myfelf ; but as my Father haih- 
 taught me, I fpeak tfaefc things. 
 
 The Jewshearing our Saviour denouncing fuch terrible 
 threatningsgainft them, bccr.ufe they believed not on him 
 in th; foregoing verfes ; here they perverfely afic him who 
 hews? our Saviour replies, Thai he was the f,ime that he 
 was frcm the beginning, even the very Clvfift, and tb:if 
 
 they were the very fame that were alfothemortal enemies 
 and oppofcrs of the truth. Bit tha: the time was haftcn- 
 ing, when ihey (hould be fully convinced who he was ; 
 namely, when they had lifted him upon his crofs, when 
 he was rifeu again, and afcended into heaven, and brought 
 that denrufticm upon them, which he had fo <.f;i-n 
 thre.-.tened. Z.fjrM hence, Tliat the fulferings of Chrift 
 were clear and convincing denionftraiions, both who he 
 \va'5 and what he was. The daikening of the fun, the 
 quaking of the earth, the rending of the rocks, the open- 
 ing of the graves, wire fuch convincing proofs of his 
 dfiiy, that ihey could not but fay, (■'crily, thisvi.ts the Son 
 oJCod. 
 
 29 And he that fent me, is with me : the Father 
 hath not left me alone : for I do always thofe things 
 tliat plcafe hiin. 
 
 1 hat is, he that fent and comniiffioned me for the great 
 work of rcdt-mption, he is continually with me, both to 
 aflift and to .icceptme : I doingevery thing that is agree- 
 able to his holy will and pleafure. Hence /'ffr«, t.That 
 the work of redemption, in the hniidi of Jefus Chrift, W.is 
 a work wtli pf aliiig to God the Father ; the work itfelf 
 was highly j.le.iling to him ; and Chrift's way of manage- 
 ing it w;is well pl< .ifing alio. 2. T hat the reafijn \\l;y it 
 was thus well plenfing to God, was, becTufc he afted in a 
 ciinftant conformity to his Father's will, kept to his Faihers 
 ccmmiflion, and executeil hi-. F.ither'.s commind;, dcin'* 
 always th'.fe 1i:n!g< that pUaftd h'xm. 3. Thar as the F.nher 
 and Cliriii « ere infeparable in rt fpccl of the unity of the 
 divine eflVnce ; fo the Father w.is always with Chrill as 
 Mediator, both to.fuppoit and uphold him, to accept 
 and to reward him. The Father hath not left me alone, 
 either in the doing of his will, or in the fulFering of his 
 pleafure. 4. That thole «lio defire the grscious and fpe- 
 ciil prefence of God wi:h thcni in all condiiioiTs, pariicu-' 
 I.Trly in limes of fufieriiigs and trouble they mult m.ike it 
 their care and ftudy to pleafe God, atulto obferve his will 
 iti all things; then God will be with tliem in his guiding 
 prelence,in liis ftrengthening prefence, in his comforting, 
 :a his quickening, in his fiinflifyiiig, fynipathizing, and 
 accepting prefence. 
 
 30 As he fpake 'hefe words, many believed on 
 him. 31 Then laid Jefus to thofe Jews which be- 
 lieved on him, If ve continue in my word, thtn arc' 
 ye my difriples indeed; 32 And yc fhall know^'thc 
 trnth, and t!ie truth fhall make you free. 
 
 * U'rAe here, i. The blefTsd fruit and fuccefs of our S.tvI- 
 our'b foregoing dilcourfe concerning his peilVn and office. ■ 
 As he fpake thffe Wjrds many lirlii7>edi?t him : Not by rheir 
 own n.-itur:!! pciwerand ability, but by Chrift'soumipoient 
 r.nd tlSjncioiis grace; he that fpuke to the ear, canfed his 
 word to reach the heart ; Clir;il ijiinrdf, that pljoted.ind 
 
 ' watered, gave al.fo the iniTc.ife, •:. The lo\e and tare of 
 C.'-^rilt mtnnoncd to thel'e new converts ; he watereih iin. 
 
 . mediately rhefe plants witii wholelnme advice and counfel. 
 JJ ye ( intinue in rny w'.rd, then are \e my difciphs indeed .• 
 Where mJe, 1; ituil be Chrift's word, thctiuedoetir.eof 
 X X 1 - the- 
 
548 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. vn. 
 
 the gofpel, and tliis abided and continued in, which will 
 fvidence our difciplfflnp. 3. A fpccijl privilege which 
 (hal! follow npon abiding in the dnJtrinc of Chnft ; they 
 fliall increnfc in the knowledge ot" it, ami be mnde free by 
 it! Te Jhnll k»r.u ihe truth, and the truth jh all make you 
 fref. Where ko''-, 1. That man is naturally in honditge 
 and captivity, by blindnefs of mind, by hardnefs of heart 
 by rebellion of will. ■2. That the means appointed by 
 God for frttinn; at liberty from thiscaprivity and bondage, 
 i( the word of Chrift, and the dodtrine of the gofpel : The 
 truth foiill make yui free, 
 
 3.3 ' They anfwercd him, We be Abraham's 
 feed, and were never in bonda;Te to any man : how 
 faycflthou, Ye (hall be made Free ? 34 Jefus an- 
 fwered them, Verily, verily I fay unto you, Who- 
 foever committcth fin is the fcrvant of fin. 35 
 And the fervant abideth not in the houfc for ever : 
 hut the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore 
 fball make you free, ye (hall be free indeed. 
 
 A'o/?here,HowthefecarnalJewsunderfl.inda!l thatour 
 Saviour faid, to be I'pnken in and afrer a carnal manner : 
 \Vhcn he fpoke to them before, cf eatlni^ li'fltjh, and 
 cirinkir.g his blood, they uuderftod it groflly of his natural 
 body ; wlien he fpeaks to thcmhereoYa fpiritnal freedom 
 from fin, thejnnderftand it of a civil freedom from fervile 
 bondage and liibjec^ion ; aliedging. They wire Ahr.iham' s 
 feed, and never in boitdajre to ary man. Which was a mn- 
 nitert untruth, iiaving been in bondage, in theiranccftors 
 to the Egyptians and Babylonians ; and in iheirownper- 
 fons to the Romans. But this was not the bondage that 
 Chrift meant ; but a fpiritual flavery and thraldom" under 
 the dominion of (in, and power of Satan : For he that 
 cnmmittith fin, is the fervant of Jin ; That is, whofoever 
 doth habitually, wilfully, deliberately, and conftantly allow 
 and tolerate himfelf in a finful courfe, he is under the fer- 
 v'tude and thraldom ot fin. Every finner is a bond-fl,:ve; 
 and to live in lin is to live in flavery. And this every man 
 do:h till the Son makes him free ; then, and not till then, 
 is he free indeed. Learn hence. That intereiV in Chrift, 
 and coiitiniience in his doctrine, fets the foul at liberty from 
 .ill that bondage whereunto it was fubjeft in its natural and 
 finfiil ftate. O happy exchange, from being the devil's 
 i.ives, to become Chrift's free men: and alfo freed from 
 the rigorous esaclions and terrible maledictions of the law. 
 
 37 I know that ye arc Abraham's feed : but ye 
 fccktokillme, bccaufemy word hath no place 'in 
 you. 38 I fpeak that which I have feen with my 
 Father: and ye do that which ye have feen with 
 your father. 39 They anfwered and faid unto him 
 Abraham is our father. Jcfus faith unto them, If 
 yc were Abraham's children, ye would do the works 
 ol Abraham. But now ye feek to kill me, a 
 iiianthat hath told you the truth, which I have 
 hcnrd of God : this did not Abraham. 
 
 Theje.vsbujfting again, that ihey were Abraham's feed 
 
 and bearing theniftlves much npon it; our Saviour !cll» 
 them, He knew tlity wer« fo.hi- natural chddrcn according 
 totheflelh; but not his genuine children according to 
 the Spirit : This he proves, btcaul'e ihty did not tread in 
 Abraham's fteps, and do his work? : for if cither the tern- 
 per of their minds, or the adion of the>rlives were agree- 
 able to Abraham, tiiey wimiuI not I'erk. as they did, to 
 deftroyand kill him, o^dy for b ingi.g the dodlrincuf fal- 
 vation to them, which he had heard and learned of their 
 Father. Thence /far>f, i. How prone we are to glory in 
 our outward privileges, and to rely npon ilum. Wherea* 
 thefe are arguments of God's goocii^els tow3rdai»s,but no 
 evidence of our goodnefs toward, him. 2. That it is very 
 dangerous and liufafe to pride ourfeU'e<- in, and depend upon 
 any exrcrn.d privileges and prerogi.rive? whatfoever; a?, 
 our being burn within the pale of the vilible church, our 
 defcending from pious parents, and holy progenitors : for 
 uniefs webe followeraof their faiih.admirers of their piety, 
 and imitate their example, we are none ofihtir children ; 
 but belong to another father, asour Saviour teiU the Jews 
 in the other verfes. 
 
 4 1 Ye do the deeds of your father, Thenfaid they 
 to him, We be not born of fornication : we have one 
 Father, even God. 42 Jcfus faid unto them. If 
 God were your Father, ye would love me : for I 
 proceeded forth, and came from God ; neither came 
 I of myfcif, but he fent me. 43 Why do ye not un- 
 derfland my fpcech ? even becaufe ye cannot hear my 
 word. 44 Ye are of ^imr father the devil, and the 
 lulls of your father ye will do : he was a murderer 
 from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, be- 
 caufe there is no truth in him, When he fpeaketh 
 a lie, he fpeaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and 
 the father of it. 
 
 In the former verfes the Jews make their boaft, that they 
 were ihe children of Abraham ; in thefe that they are the 
 children of God. H'e have one Father, even God. This 
 our Saviour difproves, telling thein, that if God was their 
 Father, they would love him. as proceeding from him by 
 eternal generation ; and in his office employed by him as 
 Mediator. Alfo, ifGod were their Father, they would 
 underlhnd him fpeaking from God ; whereas now they 
 were fo tranfportcd with malice, that they could not endure 
 his doctrine with patience, though it canie from God : .^11 
 which were undeniable proofs, that they werenocthe chil- 
 dren of God. Hence learn, That none can jiilUv pretend 
 aninterc-ft in God as his children, but they that lasia 
 Chrift, as being the exprefs image of his Father's i)erfon, 
 and do hear and receive hisdoftrine as coming from God ; 
 This the Jews did not do; then fore favs Chrift, ihey are 
 not the Children of God. Farther, Havirg toM them 
 whofc children they are not, our Saviour tells them plainly 
 whofe childrin they w c re. Te ere r,fy nur father the dtvil. 
 This, appears by their being aauated by him, by their 
 refembling and imitating of him : their inclinations, di/po- 
 lition?, and actions, being all to fnllll the Inftb of the devil. 
 Now, a'; his Servants we are, when we obey; fo his chil- 
 
Cha?. VII. 
 
 St. jo H N. 
 
 519 
 
 dren we are, wliom we reremWe. Learn lience, That it is my Father that honoiireth me, of whora yc fay 
 
 mill's llnful praiEtices will prove them to be Satan's rhil 
 ciren, let their prrtfeflioii be whitit will ; if in the temper 
 of iheir minds, and in the aJlions of their lives, there bea 
 conformity to Satan's difpofition, and a ready compliance 
 with his ienipt;itions, they are certainly his ciiildren, what 
 pretenfions foeverthey iii.ike of being thechildrenof God. 
 None coulJ preteml higlier to the relation of God's chil- 
 <!ren, th.m tliefe Je a's did ; yet, fays Chrilt, Ye are th, 
 
 that he is your God. 55 Yet yt have not known' 
 him ; but I know hnn : and if I Ihould fay, I knotv 
 him not, I fliall be a liar like unto you; but I 
 know him, and keep his Hiying. 
 
 A''o/<? here, i. The bkned friift and eflfedl of obferving 
 our Saviour's dciClrine ; He that keeps my fuyitig. /hall r.ntr 
 Jce death ; that is, (hall be fetured from eternal Mii('LTy,and 
 
 ce 
 d 
 
 rhiltlren ■/ thz- devil, fir his warht ye do. 7Vo/<' hence, That enjoy eternal life; 2. How che Jews inifuiKlerftood our 
 the devil hath the relation ot a father to all wicked men : Saviour's word^ : He thai keeps my /aying Jhull ncx'er fee 
 
 And this fatherhood doth not proceed from the aft of the death .• as if he meant a freedDtn from temporal death and' 
 
 father, but of the children ; for the devil doth not make hereupon they lookfd upon him as befide himfelf, to prc- 
 
 witkcd men his children by becreiting them, but they make mile u privik'ge which neither Abraham nor the prophei*.. 
 
 the devil their father !>y imitating of him. did ever enj..<y : VVhereas it is not exemption from tern-- 
 
 45 And behold I tell vcrw the truth, ye believe P""l'l""i> but freedom from ereinal ddtrudtion, which 
 
 ^-' TIT,- I r u c r ■^ our bavioiir promiled to them that keep his fnym'j.Kenc 
 
 me not p Winch of you convinceth me of fin ? i,„,„^ ^j j,,^ ,'[,^ mifunderftanding ot Chrill's doarine.an 
 
 And If I fay the truth, why do ye not believe me? taking it in a carnalfenfe, has given occaflon for the many 
 
 47 Ho that is of God, heareth God's words : ye cavils ami occafions made agaiuft it. 3. How Chrift clears 
 therefore hear //ifw not, becaufe ye are not of God. himlelf of all ambition in this matter, and fnev.-s ihat he 
 
 48 Then anfwcred the Jews, and faid unto him, Say '^"^ "o"^ make this promile of delivering his difciples from 
 
 we not well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hall a i"''V"'u' g '"';"'""">■> ^^"^jhat God, whom they called 
 
 in ,,• c jTi .jiu tneir father had honoured him With ijower to make eood, 
 
 devil.-' 40 elus anlwered, 1 have not a devil : but „.u, ,„.,„„ u„ u 1 ' r i . .u u . 1 v.- c ■ 
 
 ^" ■' „ , ' , ,.- whatever he had promiled to them that keep his faving. 
 
 I honour my Father, and ye do dilhonour me. 50 Lear» hence, That as Chrift entirely fought his glory, fo 
 
 And I feek not mine own glory : there is one tliat the Father, conferred all honour and glt^jy upon Chrift a» 
 
 fecketh and judgeth. . Mediator ; thereby teftifying how infinitely pleafed he wa3 
 
 Tj . T-u f «_ - c u:-k ru -n. .u with the redemption of mankind performed by him. ]f 
 
 Here n^/.", i. 1 he free reproof which Chrift tjave the »■ r ir t ;• ',• , , 
 
 T r .u • \ iv . Ill r> r J t II J.I ■' "5"':'''" '>iyi''lj, rny h-^r.Qur is mthinp ; tl ts tny Father that 
 
 Tews for their obftmate unbelief : Decaue I tell you the , ^1 "^ ° j ^ '< <■• 
 
 . .1 LI- ^ T-i u 11 u- u 1 • honoureth ix" 
 
 truth, ye heluve not. 1. 1 he challenge which he gives 
 
 ihc worft of his adverfaries : Which of you convinceth me 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to fee my day: 
 
 iffinP So perfectly pure, innocent, and fpotk fs svas the and he faw z^ and was glad. 
 
 doctrine an<ll;fe of Chrift. that although his enemies loaded ^, • ^ ai 1 i • • 1 -r , ■, 
 
 him with flander and falfe accufation, yet none of them Jlhat i^e, ''Abraham having received a promife, that ths 
 
 could juftly convia of, muchlefscondemnhimfor the Ie..ft ?^^'''" '^^o"''' /ome of his feed, he exceedingly rejoiced to 
 
 known fin. 3. The Jews, being enraged at this reproof '*=^'^^ '^'J' °f. "'y coming m the fleft, thoiigh .-.far off. 
 
 with the eye of his faith, and in a figure, in his facrificed Ton 
 Ilaac ; and this fight of his faith was fo tranfporting, that 
 he leaped for joy." Z.f<vr« hence, That a ftrong faith 
 gives fuch a dear fight of Chrift (though at a diftance; as 
 produceth an holy delight and rejoicing In him. 
 
 57 Then faid the Jews unto him. Thou art not 
 
 fell a railing at his perlbn, charging him with being a Sa. 
 maritan, poflelFed of an evil fpirit. Our Saviour meekly 
 replies. That he did not deal with the devil, but was 
 honouring his Father in what he did and faid; and there 
 fore his Father would take care of his honour, and judge 
 between him and them. Here vote. That though Chrift. 
 
 wfed fomefliarpnefsin reprovinirthe fewsand reprefcntinir 're ^^ "itni r aii •> 
 
 then, to themiilvcs; yet heanlwers with wonderful mild- X^^ ^^7 >'.^^7 °^^' '^"^^ ^^^ '!f " '^^" Abranam ? 
 
 nefs and merknefs, when he dilcovers his refentments of 5^ Jefus laid unto them, Verily, venly, I fay unto 
 
 his own reproaches : How cool was Chrift in his own you. Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took 
 
 caufe, but warm enough in God's ! they up llone.s to call at him : but Jefus hid hi;n- 
 
 5 1 Verily, verily, I fay unto you. If a man keep felf, and went out of the temple, going through the 
 
 ray faying, he fliall never fee death. 52 Then laid ^1^^^ of tfiem, and fo paffed by. 
 
 the Jews unto him. Now we know that thou hafl a j^,i^ here, i. What a falfe and ridiculous corftruftion 
 
 devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and the Jews make of onr Saviour's words, as if he had af- 
 
 thou faycll, If a man keep my faying, he fliall firmed that he hnd fcen Abraham, and Abraham him, with 
 
 never talle of death. 53 Art thou greater than our bodily eyes? whereas Chrift only aficrted, that Ab.'-aham 
 
 father Abraham which is dead ? and the prophets had icen his day ; that is, he I'orefaw by h\ih the day of 
 
 are dead: whom make ft thouthyfelf? =4 "lefus his .ncamatiun, and coming ir, the flefl, 
 
 - — - . .' ot J positive aliening of his divinity, or that hehad hadabeiii,^ 
 
 a. Our -Saviour; 
 , r 1 -c T u r ic 1' .--••• pofitive aflenin.i of his divinity, or that 1 
 
 an.weredifIhonourmyfdf,myhonourasnothms: L God from all'' eternity ; for, f..ys he, Befire Mr.hu.n 
 
 ■w.Vf 1 am. Where »!J/e,That Chrift does not f;<y, Before 
 
 Abrahatu- 
 
:>5» 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 AbraliaiD.wjs, I was; but, Befjie Ahrahim -was , lam; 
 which is the proper name of (rod, thereby it fignified the 
 eternal duration and pertnincmy of hVs being. I'he ad- 
 verrjrit;bofChnft'sdivini!yr.iy,thit,befjre Abraham was, 
 Chnll v.'as ; ih.it is, in GoJ'.s forrknowledge or degree ; 
 but this may b-.- faiJ of any othtrperfon as well as Chrill, 
 that he was in the foreknowledge of God befofe Abraham 
 was born : Whereas undoubtedly it wasChrift's defign in 
 thefe words to give himfelf fome preference and advantage 
 above Abraham, which this inrerpretation doih not in the 
 lead do. Laftly, How the Jews looking tipon Chrift as a 
 hlafphcmcr, for making hiiaiielf with God, and for alTert- 
 ing his etern.ll exigence, ihey niakea fnriou; attemptupon 
 his life, by taking upltonesto call at him, as the Jews ufed 
 lodeal with blafpliemers; but otir Saviour delivers himfelf 
 iniraculoufly from their fury, and efc.ipes untouched. — 
 Hence /f/J^«, That when arguments fail, the enemies of 
 truth betake thcmfelves to force and A'iolence : Thiy tonk , 
 up Jiones /9 cap at him. 2." That as Chrift difappoinied his 
 own pcrfecuturs, fo he can and v.'ill deliver his people in 
 their grcateft extremity from their pcrfeeutors rage and 
 fury. 2 i''et. ii. 9. The Lord I no-Mitb h»u to deliver the 
 gtdly, &c. 
 
 A 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 N D as Jefus paffeti by, he law a. man which 
 was blind from his birth. 
 
 The foregoing chsjiter acquaints us with a famous en- 
 counter which the I'harifees had with cur blefled Saxiour 
 'in the temple .at Jeriifalem : This being ended, as he paf- 
 fed fro.ii the temple, he faw a man lying, polFibly by the 
 liigh-wayy who was born blind ; him Chrilt pitches upon 
 a;, an ohjecl fit to enercife his divine power, m the cure 
 and healing of. They that are blind by cafualty, may 
 perhaps be relieved by art and indnftry ; but to cure one 
 that is born blind, nothing lefsisirequired than an almigh- 
 ty power. — Leant hence, Thar dileafes and diftempers, 
 which are not incurable to Chrifl's power, nor impoffible 
 for him to help, but a proper objeiT: for hiij) to magnify 
 Iiis jjowcr upon. Therefore it is here recorded, that this 
 poor ni.in was blind from his birth : Such blindntfs beinr 
 counted incurable by natural means. 
 
 2 And his difciples adted hirn, fayina, Maft( 
 
 '"a- 
 v/ho did fitfij this man, or his parents, that he ivas 
 
 bqrn blind ? 
 
 Here rote. Something Implied or fnppt<fed ;■ namely', i. 
 Th.K all bodily affliftions. and calamities do come upiHi us 
 fw/iii. Whereas a.^fliftions, although ihey always fall 
 npon a (iTincr, yet they are not always fi:nt la plmiP.) fin, 
 but by way of purgation and prevention of fin. 2. It 
 I', licre fuppofed, that fome affli'clions come i»]ion men for 
 ])erfo.nal Ijns, fo others come upon them for parental fins; 
 •an.l that children may, and oft-t:mesdo, very juOly fufFer 
 for their pareuts (ins. 3. It is here fuppofed, that there is 
 no other rcafun of a pcrfon's fufferings, but only (in; whereas 
 tlinugh fin be much and often the caufe of fuffering, yet 
 He may wrong Gad and.aiaii, yea, andfm too, to cuudude 
 
 it h always the caufe of /ufFering. 4. It is impliedhere 
 that there is a tranfmigraiion of fouls from one body to 
 another : the difciples fuppofed, thit this foul when it wss 
 in another body, finned, and was no\» punidied by being 
 pOt inttj a blind body. This Pythigorcan error was crept 
 In among the Pharifees, and the dH'cii)les here feeined tobc 
 tainted and infected with it. This may teach us, how far 
 the holieft and wifeft of men arc from an infalliable fpirit 
 and that the beft men may be iniHed by a common err^ir. 
 
 3 jefus anfwcrcd, Neither hath this man finned, 
 nor liis parents : but that tlic work.s of God (hould 
 be made manifcfl in him. 
 
 Chrift's anfwer mud not be undeiftood abfoluteIy,a» if 
 he denied thii man and his parents «o be gui!;y of fin; for 
 both he and thty had fin enough, not only 10 deler\e tem- 
 poral blind-nefs, but-eternal d.irknrfs. The meaning n, 
 that in afflicting this man, the Lord d'.dnotfo much itfpeft' 
 !iis, or his parents' fin, as the- manilellaiioi) of his own 
 glory, in this miraculous cure. Cbrift doth not deny but 
 that neither the one nor the other was the caufe in that 
 man's cafe ; but that the power and mercy of God might 
 be fecn in reftoring this man to his fight, therefore was he 
 born blind. Whence note, i. That though fin be alway.s 
 the defcrving, yet it is not always the procuring caul« of 
 affli(5lion. 2. That we feldom think of, or hit upon any. 
 other caufe of affliflioji, but only fyi ; though the defign 
 of God looks beyond the fin of nun in affi.ctions, yei man 
 feldom looks beyond that, or thinks of any other defign of 
 God in affiicling, but only punilhing for (in. 
 
 4 I mud work the works of him that fent mc, 
 while it is day: the night cometh when no man can 
 work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I ainthc 
 light of the world. 
 
 Here our Saviour tells his difciples, That he was fent by 
 God into the world, and had a great work affigned him by 
 God during his abode in it ; namely, to inftruct, reform, 
 and fave mankind : And what our Saviour (ays of himfelf 
 isapplicable.to every one of us in a lower fenfe ; we aie 
 fent into the world to work out.ouv own falvation In the 
 fi:-(-t-place, and then to promote- the falvation of others as 
 much as in us lies. A'o/r, i. That every one has a work , 
 to do in the world, a great work alligned him by Goc'-that 
 fent him into it. 1, That the time allotted for the finini- 
 ing and difpatching of this great work is a limited lime, it 
 ii a (hori time; our working feafon is a fliort feafon: U'h'ik 
 ii is day.' -f. That after ihe. working feafon is pad and 
 expired, there will fuccecd a night ofdarktiefs, in which 
 theie mull be 9 ctlTation from work. The night comcth; 
 
 6 When he had thiis fpoken, he (pat on the grourul 
 and made clay of the ipitlle. and he anointed the 
 eyes of'the blind man with the clay, 7 And faid 
 unto him go wafh "in tlie pool of Siioam (which 
 is, by interpretation,. Sent.) He wenthisway thcrcr 
 fore, and and walhcd, and came feein-^. 
 
 Two things concurred towards the cure of this blind 
 man, njmdyjan aft of divine power on Chrift's part, and 
 
 an 
 
Chap". IX. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 an a^^ of divine power on Cliri{l*s part ; he remprrs the 
 cl.iy and Ipittle t^^ethcr, aiidanoints the tnanseyes there- 
 with, and behold lie lees. What an improbable remedy 
 and means was this to human re.ifon! much fitter to put 
 out a feeing man's eyes than to cure a blind man's. FLd 
 t'lriil pulled out his bos-, and applied It.me nredical oint- 
 ment to his eyes, then the praile had bcenaicribed to his 
 kill, not to hispovvcr; but now it plainly appeared, that 
 ail the virtue was in Clirilt, not in the 'means. Lord! 
 
 Y hat jrreir things thou canadobyweaka-'.d unlikely means, 
 yea, by oppolue and contrary means : buti t is the praife of 
 Omnipotency to work improbabiliiies. From the con- 
 temptiblenefs of the means or indrument, always redounds 
 the greater honour of the agent. 2. an ad of faith and 
 obedience en the m.ms part: Hewent a-jjay anJwaJhed hir 
 cyet itil/:gpool3/S\\oaui, and returned feeing;. Where note 
 I. Ho.v Chrift delights roexercife and try the faith of his 
 people, by their fubjeftion and obedience to difficult com- 
 mands. 2. That true faith, joined with fincere obedience, 
 never faileththe cxpeaationofthem that exercife it efpe- 
 cially in obeying the moflhard and difficult commands. 
 Thereiore the Ev.ingelift added, that the blind man after 
 w a (li ! ng returned feeing, 
 
 8 ^ The neighbours therefore, and they which 
 bctorc had fcen him, that he was blind, faid, Is not 
 this he that fat and begged ? 9 Some laid. This is 
 he :^ others fjid, He is like him ; buthc laid, I am h. 
 10 Therefore they faid unto him. How were thine 
 eyes opened? n Pic anfwered and faid, A man 
 that IS called Jefus, made clay, and anointed mine 
 eyes, and faid unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam 
 andwalh: and I went and waflied, and I received 
 fight. 1 2 Then faid they unto him, Where is he ? 
 He faid. I know not. 
 
 The blind man, thus miraculonny cured, returns with 
 mucli joy to his neighbours and acquaintance, who confer 
 wuhhmi about this matter; they inquire, whether he was 
 the perfon cured or not? u ho w.is the perfon that cured 
 him and where he was? He afTuresthem.he wasthe very 
 perfon that was blind, now rured : and he that cured 
 him w^is Jefus; that the means ufedwas clay andfpittlc • 
 but where the perfon was, or what was become of him, he 
 knesv not. Leam thence, ,. That the miraculous cures 
 ot God work a lenfible alteration in men, not only in their 
 own apprehenfion, butin the judgments ofcthers. This 
 miracle finned f.^rth among the tieighbours, who, having 
 grn .-.nd oblcrved the blinxl man, admire his healing. 2 
 How frankly the blind man acknowlc.lges, and how freely 
 he confefles,that he was the ptrfon whom Jefus had he.il- 
 f /T ' '«"" ""'fiankfutliknce to fmother the worl-s 
 
 of God in an affected fecrecy ; to make God a Icfer by his 
 bounty towards us, is a flumetiii injjaice. O Gcd ' ve 
 aretiot worthy of thy common favours, much Icl.of l^piri- 
 
 ual blcfhngsrf we do , lot pubi.fl. thy mercies on the houfe- 
 top, and praifc thee for them in the great congregation . 
 
 13 9 They brought to the Pharifecs him that 
 atoietima wasblmd. 14 Anditwasthefabbath-day 
 
 Ztj^ 
 
 ^hen Jqfus made the clay, and opened his eyes. -1 r. 
 Tnen again the Pharifees alfo aflced him how he had 
 received his fight. He faid unto them, l,c put clav 
 upon mine eyes, and I wallit:d, and do fee 16 
 1 hcrefore faid fomc of the Pharifce.s, This man il 
 not of God, becaufe he keepcth raot th^fabbath day 
 Others faid. How can a man that is a fjnucr du fuck 
 miracles? And there was a divifion among them. 
 Note here, I. How the Jews who fhou.'d have been full 
 oHilent wonder, and inclined to believe in lei'usClir^lt l"o 
 omnipotentan agent, arc prejudiced ag.iinfthim, and hrinjr 
 the late blm.l man before the Pharifees, our Saviour's pro- 
 filed enemies. 2. The time which our Saviour chole for 
 
 ''^\ fVl!"'<p"'.^' '' ^^•■'^°^'^'^ Sabbath ; many, if not 
 moll of Chr.ff's famous miracles, were wrought upon the. 
 fabbath-day Uponihatday he cured the withered hnnd 
 Matt. xn. Upon that day he cured the impotent man at 
 
 he poo of Bethfeda John v. Upon that day he cured 
 the blind ma.jMiere. ^ 1 his Chrift did, probably, for two 
 realoiis : i. Tocoiihrm hisdoarino which he preached oa' 
 that day, by miracles; therefore his preaching and work- 
 ing miracles went together : 2. To inffruct the [ewsfhad 
 they been vMdinng to rceive infbuelion in the truedoarine 
 and proper duties of their fabba.h ; and to let them know, 
 
 hat works 'f necefhty and mercy are very conllftent with 
 the due landification of the fabbath. It is hard to find 
 out any time wherein charity is unfeafonable ; for it isas 
 the belt of graces, fo the .works of it are the fitteft for 
 the belt of days. 
 
 17 They fay unto the blind man a^^ain. What 
 fayeft thou of him, that he hath opened' diine eyes ? 
 He laid. He is a prophet. 18 liut the Jews did nof 
 bclieve concerning him that he was born blind, and 
 received his fight, until they called the parents of 
 him that had received his fi^ht. i 2 And they aflced 
 them faymg Is this your Ion who ye % was born 
 blind ? how then doth he now fee ? 20 His parents 
 atifwered them, and faid, Weknow that this is our 
 Ion, and that he was born blind; 2^ But by what 
 means he now fceth, we know not? or who hath 
 opened his eyes, we know not : .he -is of a-e, all: 
 him, he (hall fpeak for himfelf. 22 Thefc "words 
 ipake his parents, becaufe they feared the Tews • 
 hM- the Jews had agreed already, that if any man 
 did contefs that he was Chiifl, that they fliouM be 
 put out of the lynagogue. 23 Therefoi;? fiud his 
 parents. He is of age,alk him. 
 
 Ohfave here, i . How defirous the Pharifees were to ob- 
 fcure the glory of thi, famous miracle which Chrill had 
 wrought: In order to ^^hich, i. They re-examine tht; 
 man, to know what his thoughts ^^*re of the perfon who 
 had dune this for .him. They ju.lged him to be an im- 
 poftor and a great linner ; the.m.m declares freely, Th.r 
 he believed him to be a great prophet. Hence we lea n " 
 1 hat there may be, and lometimes is, more true knowl-ge 
 
 i^» 
 
So* 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. IX. 
 
 of Jefus Ciirift in one poor man, than In a (rf nrral council 
 cf lenrntd H.ibbies. This blind man law Chrift to bf a 
 priiphet, when the Jewidi landhedrini favv nothinfrin him 
 but impofture. This nun Is n>jt nfCod, fays the council : 
 I'lTtly he is a prophit, lays the blind man. 2. They next 
 examine hi^ I'jrenis (being unAfillingto believe the man 
 liiinfeir',) Wheiher he was t lie ir f;;:), or not? Iffojwhedier 
 he were liorn blind? And if born blind, by what means 
 he now ftes? Lord ! whit obftinate and wilful blindnefs 
 was found in thefe Pharifees? How do they dofe their 
 cyesand lay, We will not lee ? VA'hnt endeavours .tt'' here 
 u'cd to linother 3 n)iraile,which undeniably proved Chrifl to 
 he the cxptcted Mc|]i;is? 'I'hey examine lirtt the man, then 
 his parents, then the nir>n apa'n ; hoping, that being over- 
 awed wiihfcar, they wouJdeiiher deny, orat Icafl: conceal 
 the truth ; but the more they ftroveto darken and obfcure 
 the truth, the more coiifnicuous andevident they made it. 
 Crent is trulh, and vjiil prevail, how many ioever oppot'e 
 it, and fct themfelves againflit. C(^/eTUf next, the wjldom 
 and caution fncf) of his parents anfvver : they expreffly own, 
 that the blind man was their fon ; that he svas born blind ; 
 but for tlie way of his cure they wave that, polTibly becaufe 
 ilie-y did not fee this cure wrought; and fearing thefentence 
 of excommunication, a degree pafled among the rulers, 
 That 'jibri/o conftffith CI:riJ},/ljallhe put cut rf thefynagogue 
 Hence /(•«/•«, i. 1 hatexcomrrjiinication, or reparation from 
 the fociety of the people of God, is an ancient and ho- 
 nourable ordinance in the church of God, and, as fuch.to 
 be revered and efteemed. 2. That this ordinance of God 
 has been, and maybe ahuled by wicked men, and the edge 
 cf it turned againit Chrill hinifelf, and his fincerell mem- 
 bers, -i^. That the fear of iinjuft exconmiunication muft 
 not difcourage perlons from confelling the truth, when 
 cslled to it. The parents of the blind man durfl notcon- 
 fefs Q,\\nVi, for fear that they Jhouldbe put out ofthefynagngue, 
 
 24 Then again called they the man that was blind, 
 and faid unto him, Give Cod the praife : we know 
 that thisman isa finner. 25 He anfwcredand faid. 
 Whether he be a finner, or no, I know not : one 
 thinq I know, that whereas I was blind, now I fee. 
 26 Then faid they to him again. What did he to 
 thee? how opened he chine eyes ? 27 He anfwer- 
 cd them, 1 have told you already and ye did not 
 hear: wherefore wouldyehearz^ again ? willyeal- 
 fo be his difciplcs ? 28 Then they reviled him, and 
 faid, Thou art Jiis difciple, but we arc Mofes' difci- 
 plcs. 29 We know that God fpake unto Mofes : 
 as for this fellow, we know not whence he is. 
 
 Here we have an account of the Phnrifees farther prac- 
 tifing upon this blind in.m, to rub Chrill of the glory of 
 this miracle ; firft they infinuate with him, and then they 
 frown upon him. Firft, they infinuate with him, faying, 
 Give God the praife: As if they had faid, " Afcribe the 
 cure to Cod, not to this man," whom they conclude to be 
 3 (inner, bcc.iufe he broke fas they thought) thefabbath. 
 Ic is no new thing to fee men pretend to aim at the glory 
 of Cod, wh:'u a; the fame time they arc nialicio'jnv op- 
 
 pofing Chrift, andperfccutinghismemberf. Next, they 
 attempted to frown this poor man into a denial of this mi- 
 racle wrought upon hini, or to perfuade the people that ic 
 was a cheat ; but it is wonderful to obf'erve ho'A the bold- 
 nefsand confidence t.f this poor man increafed. Cod giving 
 him that wifdom and courage w hith all his adverfaric s .vere 
 rot able to refill or gainfay. Therefore the Pharifees bein^T* 
 angry at this boldnefs of the rnan, they revile him for bein^ 
 fo filly, as to become a diiciple toChrift, whofc olKce anJ 
 authority they knew not ; where as th?y were the difciple* 
 of Mofes, whr.m they knew God fpake to. Learn, Thar 
 I'uch as are led by malice, and prepolleil'cd with prejudice 
 againfh Ciirift, will not only think bafely of his perfon, but 
 refute to fee the cle.treft evidences of the authority and 
 commifTion. As for this ftllj-ji , fay the malicious Pharifees, 
 vjc h:ow not'jjhencehi is, or who gave him thiscommiffion. 
 
 30 The man anfwered and faid unto them, W hy, 
 herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from 
 whence he is, and ^ri he hath opened mine eyes. 
 3 1 Now ye know that God heareth not finners : 
 but if any man be a worfliipper of God, and doth 
 his will, liim he heareth. 32 Since the world began 
 was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of 
 one that was bom blind. 33 If this man were not 
 of God, he could do nothing. 
 
 In thefe veries the blind man proceeds to vindicate our 
 blefLd Saviour, who had cureil him (jf his blindnefs, from 
 the exceptions of the Pharifees, and endeavour5, by folid 
 arguments, to convince them, that his cure (being born 
 blind) was truly miraculous; and conlcquently proved 
 Chrill to be of God. 1. The m.m admires that Chrifl 
 having wrought fuch a miracle upon him, they fhould be 
 ignorant of his authority; This is marvilhus, that ye kno-J 
 not from ivhence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. ' 
 He lay s down a general propoli tion, that no deceiver or falfe 
 teacher is heard of God, or enabled by him^ to work fuch 
 miracles as thefe, bat only fuch faithful fervants as do his 
 will, are thus extraordinarily afiifted by him. IVe knc-jj 
 thcit Cod heareth not finners ; that is, fuch as love and de- 
 light in fin, God \m1I not hear iuch, or anl'wer the prayers 
 of fuch. Indeed God ibinetimes hears a finners prayer 
 in wrath and rcfufes to hear a faints prayer in mercy ; but 
 he never denies a faint's prayer in w rath, or hears a finners 
 prayer inmercy. 'Phepropofiiion laid down is an eternal 
 truth ; God heareth not ftiimrs ; that is, fo long as they 
 purpofe to continue tinners, and go on in a courle of fin, 
 and remain bold and prefuinptuous fiant rs. Learn ihtnce. 
 That none that live in a courfe of fin, canreafonably expeft 
 that God fhould hear them, and give in an anfwer of prayer 
 to them. God heareth not finners : but if any man lie tL'Msr- 
 fhipper of Cod, and doth his will, htm he heareth ; that is, if 
 a man feareth God, and worketh rightcoufnefs, him the 
 Lord accepteth, heareth, and anl^ereth. Learnhence, 
 That fjch as would be heard of God, and accepted with 
 liim, mult be devout viorfliippers of him. 2 That it is 
 not enough to prove men religious and .-icceptafale w'ith 
 Cod, that they are devoi;tvvoriliippersof him, unJels they 
 
Cha?. ix. 
 
 St. j O II N. 
 
 S55 
 
 »:.]k in rbfd'erce to him, and to dc his will : f/^»yinan hf a 
 •nar/Ufper ofCnd, and d-Ah his v:!l, him he hcurcth. A-cte, 
 3. Howihe blind man goes on to prove, ihat Clirill had a 
 Ipe-.al authority fio:H God, and an extraordinary jrrcfence 
 vfGcd with him in what he did, bctanfe he had done 
 (wcx i work as was never done by Moles, or by any uf the 
 prophtts orbvany ptrfon whatrijc<rcr, fmce thcrreation of 
 thf vorld. From v hence he wil'ely, and will infers, that 
 'Cririft W..S a,perfon auihoriled by and fent of God. • Learn 
 lit nee, ;. That Chrilt having done that which was never 
 done before, (namely, to give tight to one that was born 
 Llind^ was'an evidence of his oninipoiency. 2. 1 hat this 
 acl (it omnipottnty proved him to be God. Whatever 
 nnrjcles the prophets wrought, they wrought them by 
 Chnlt's power, but Chrill wrought this and all other jni- 
 nM(le< by his own power. Laltly. How this blind man, 
 thou h unlearned, judges more rightly of divine things, 
 than the whule'learned council of the I'anhedrim. Whence 
 we ktstn-, Ihat we are not always to be led by theau- 
 • th<»rity of coiindh, popes.or bifliops ; and that it is not 
 abfurd for Liymen fometimes to vary from their opinions; 
 thele overfetrs being ftinetimes^uihy of great overfight. 
 JDr. n'hithy. 
 
 34 They jmfwercd ana faid unto Tiim, Thou waft 
 slto-etherborninfins.and do'ft thou teach us? and 
 •(hey caft him out. 35 Jefus heard that they had 
 cafl iiim out ; and when he had found him, hefaid 
 unto him, DoQ thou believe on the Son ot (.od ? 
 36 He anfwered and faid. Who is he, Lord, that 1 
 mi)^ht believe on him? 37 And jel'us laid unto him. 
 Thou hall both feen hiui, and it is he that talketh 
 xvith thee. 38 And he faid, Lord, I believe. And 
 he worfhippcd him. 
 
 Cl'jlrve here, t. A fpccialinftarce of Fharifaical pride: 
 they account thi^ f 00,- -man a vile perfon, whom heaven 
 h.id marked by his native blindnefs for fome extraordinaiy 
 wicl.eJnefs How prone are we to judge them the greateil 
 finners, whom we obfcrve to be the greateft fuficrers? 2. 
 From reviling they proceed to excommunicating ; Thfy 
 cajl him out; that is, out oJ the communion of the Jewilh 
 church. O happy man, w h.o ha\ ing loft a fynagogue has 
 found a heaven! Behold this blind man, and admire him 
 for a rel'olate confefi«r, ftouily defending the gracious au- 
 thor of his cure, igainft tiie cavils of th« Hharifees, and 
 maintaining theinnocence and honour of fo blt'tleda bpne- 
 fattor. Our Saviour's legard to this blind man, whom 
 the Pharifees had fct at naught and excommunicated ; He 
 finis him out, reveals htmi'elf more fully to him, and dircfts 
 him to believe in him. Wliere nc/t', That the miracle 
 which Chriil had wrought upon the blind man, did ntJt 
 convert him, and wcrk faith in him, till Chrift revealed 
 himfelf unto him and enabled him to diiccrn the truth of 
 what he revealed. Learn hence. That miracles confiriH 
 faith, but miracles alons cannot work faith. The blind 
 man had experienced a miracle wrought upon him, yet re- 
 mains an unbeliever, till Chrift faid, I am he. Chferve, 4. 
 How readily the msn receives the Lord Jefus Chrifl by 
 faith, upon the ferementioned revelation of himfelf unto 
 
 him : He inftantly faij. Lord J heliivt } and in teilimorry 
 ihcreof, iviitjljips hiin : that IS, 3i God incarnate, asGod 
 m.inifcftcd-iii ihe-flelh. Thence learn, That true know- 
 ledge of the Son of God will beget faith in him ; and true 
 faith in him will be produdive of homage and adoration, 
 of obedience and fubjeflion to hini. Ke that knows Chriit 
 aright, will believe, and he that beliet^s, will worlhip and 
 obey: He/aid, Lord, I be/i(Vc. And he iwjrjlipped him. 
 
 ■39 1 And Jcfu-s faid, For judgment I am cone, 
 into this world : that they which Ice not, miglit lee; 
 and that they which fee, might be blind. 
 
 In thefe words our SaviotJr declares not the intentional 
 dc'ign, but the accidental event of his coming into the 
 world: namely,!. That thofe who werefclind might receive 
 f'ght. 2. That thofe w hoprelume they fee and know uore 
 than other.sfor defpifing thegoi'pel,<md fliut ling their eyes 
 againft the light of it, fliould be left in darkiiel's, and by the 
 jtilt judgment of God betnore and more blinded. 1 hofe 
 who (hut their eyes wilfully againft the clcareillipht, tnd 
 fay they will not fee it is juft with God to tlcfe their eyes 
 judicially, and fay rhey Jhall not fee. 
 
 40 And fome of the Pha:rifees "wWch were with 
 hiTn heard thefe words, And faid unto him, Are we 
 blind alio ? 41 Jefus faid unto them, If ye were 
 blind, ye fhould ]iave*-no fin: but nov/ ye fay, We 
 fee; therefore your fm remaincth. 
 
 iV;/i? here, i Hovv the Pharifees, who Avatchcd allop- 
 portuni ies to enfnare wir Saviour, l(>ok upon thefe laft 
 worels as rtfle cling upon them : as if Chrift did inlinuatfe 
 that they wnre blinif: .d> e 've'hlind iilfo? They that (hut 
 their eyef, and will nni fee the light vliich Chrift cifers 
 •to them, are the worll ofljlindones. -d. Our Saviour's reply 
 to the Pharifees queftion : If ye were blind, that is, fimply 
 ignorant of your ekify, .tnd withemt the means of know- 
 ledge and inftru6t)on,;)'»«/X5i//(//^tfVf vo (in; that is, com- 
 pantively to what yuu hive; \ou'"ihi'ulel not have had fo 
 nnith fin and guilt upon you as you now ha\e, by Ihutting 
 your eyes againft the light. 'Pit nr,-ju ycu/ay, H'fjte :xhdZ 
 is, being puffed up with the -knowledge wliith you have, 
 as if ye were the only men that faw : this proud conceit 
 of yours renders your c<jndition incurable and y.ur fiu 
 rrrt!(2;»f/i unpardonable. Leurn hence, i. That it is a far 
 greaterfinto contenm the known laws of Ge)d, than to bj 
 ignor-ant of them ; pride is a greater hindrance ofknou- 
 ledge than tgnorar.cc, becaufe the proud man thinks he 
 wants no knowledge. 2. 1 hat tlie moll exaheel know- 
 ledge is infiiificient to falvation, w'iihout a fuirablear.dcor- 
 refpondem praftice. 'J he Pharifees had the key of know- 
 ledge at their girdle, yet our Saviour tells them of double 
 damnation. Lord, how fad is it to know C hrlft in this 
 world, as that he will be ailiamed totnew us Ju another 
 world ! 
 
 C II A ^. X. 
 
 VERILY, verily, 1 fay unto you. He that en- 
 tereth not by the door into the fheep-folJ, but 
 climbeth up fome other way, the fame is atliicf ani 
 Y V a robber. 
 
^o- 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 arobbcr. 2 But he thatentereth in by thedoor, is 
 ihc Ditphcrd of the fticcp. 3 To him the porter 
 opencth; and tlic ftictp hear liis voice : andhccall- 
 eth his own flucp by name, and leadeth tliem out. 
 4 And when he puttcth forth his own fheep, he 
 gceth before them, and the fliccp follow him: for 
 they know his voice. 5 And a fl ranger will they 
 not follow, but will (lee from him: for they know 
 not the voice of Uraagcrs. 6 This parable fp.ake 
 jefus unto them : but they underftood not what 
 tlimgs they were which he fpake unto them. 
 
 Our blefll'd SavioDP having, in theendoftlie foregning 
 chijr.er upbraided die PhariCtes for ihcir ijlindnefs and ig- 
 norance in the niyfteries of religion, notwithihnding the 
 high conceit v. hich they had of their own knowledge ; he 
 proceeds in this chapter farther to convince them, that they 
 were blind leaders of the blind, though they thouglit and 
 looked upon themfelvesas the only guides and teachers of 
 the people. And in order thereunto, he propounds a pa- 
 r./b!eoffhe true and falfe/liepherd, which reprefentsagood 
 ai:d bad pallor and teacher, and gives us a fourfold mark 
 and charader of a good Ihepherd. Olferve,!, The good 
 Jhepherd enters in by the donr .- that is, he has his voca\ion 
 and million from Chrift : he conies into the church regu- 
 larly, in a right and approved wSy and manner ; not by any 
 clandeftine methods, or indirect means. To him the porter 
 openetb: thatis, the holy Spirit, who openeththe heartsof 
 men to receive Jefus Chrilt and the doftrine of the gofpel 
 which the faithful (hepherds deliver in his name, and by 
 authority received from him. Learn hence, That all faith- 
 fnl pallors have a lawful call to the work of the niinilby : 
 They enter by the right door, and execute their truft in a 
 right manner, but fuch as, without a call from God unwar- 
 rantably rhruft thenililves into the niiniHry, are nobetter, 
 nor no other, th.in thn-jes and robbers, in God's account. 
 2. Another property of a good ihepherd is this. That he 
 calleth his p:ef-p by tlu:ir names. This importeth three 
 things : (i) A fpecial love thai: he bears to them. (2,) 
 A fpjecial care he has over them. (3) A particular ac- 
 quaintance with them, that he may know l;ow to apply 
 hiaifclf fuitably to titcm ; which, though it be eminently 
 ■verified in Chrift, yet it is the duty ofeveiy faithful pallor 
 and under-fiiephcrd, in his mealure, to labour after. 3. 
 7 he giod P;epherd leadeth outkisjheep into good p.iftures. 
 that is, he feedeth them with found dodrine ; nourilhes 
 them with the word of life. Whereas the hireling or falfe 
 Ihepherd, w hatever he may do for his own fake, he has no 
 regard to Jefus Clirilt, to the honour of his perfon to the 
 edification of his church, or the falvation of fouls; but his 
 dedgn is to raife and enrich himfelf ; and fo he may com- 
 pafs that, hccares not how many fouls perifli through his 
 iiegleft. 4. The lafl property of the good fhepherd here 
 m<M)tioned, is this. That ke ^octh b,fore his /he,p, auhe 
 Ihepherd doth before his flock ; namely by a holy life and 
 unblaineable canverfation : He treadi out thofe flops be- 
 fore the people, which tl*ey take in their way towards 
 heaven. /Ind the Jljtep fdlTJi hirti, and are guided by hira. 
 //c leadelh out his fheep, atd goeth hef-.re them, &c. 
 
 7 Then fiid Jcfus unto them again, Verily, verily, 
 I fay unto you, I am thedoor of the Iheep. 8 AH 
 that ever came before me are thieves and robbers : 
 but the flicep did not hear them, g I am the door: 
 by me if any man enter in, he fhall be faved, and 
 fhall go in and out, and find paflure. jo The thief 
 cometh not but for to fleal, and to kill and to de- 
 ftroy : I am come, that they might have life, and 
 that they might have it more abundantly. 
 
 Obrerve here, i. The charader which Chrifl gives of 
 hiinltlf, / am the do^r of the jheep ; that is, the only way 
 and means by which finners have arcefs to God, and cao 
 obtain falvation ; the only door by which finners are en- 
 tered into the kingdom ©f grace, and admitted into the 
 kingdom of glory. Learn hence. That there is no poflible 
 way of accefs to God for fallen man, but by Jtfus Chrift. 
 A{ there is no w ay of entering the houfe, bu; by the door, 
 and thofe that fo enter are fafe; in like manner, fuch as 
 co:ne unio God through Jefus Chrift, in the way of faith 
 and holy obedience, Ihall be put into a ft cure condition, 
 and at laft obtain eternal falvation. 2. 'J'he end and de- 
 lign ot Chriit in coming info the world afierted and de- 
 clared by himfelf; / am v.ine that they ttvgi.t havelfe, and 
 that they might h:ive it fntre abunuuntly. But had not this 
 people fpiniual hie before he came into the world? Yes, 
 he gave life to his people, btfc rehis coming; in a meafurc 
 fufficicut to lupply (heir ricrfliiy ; but fmte his comini he 
 gives itinfuch aitipersbounding nieafure, as may teftify his 
 divine bounty ; they fiiall not barely live, but live abun- 
 Jantly; that is, their fpiritual lifclhall abound through the 
 upholding, ftrengtheiiinp, quickening, and comforting pre- 
 feiice of his holy Spirit ; for having conveyed Ipiiituallife 
 unto his people in their regeneration andconvtrfion.hewill 
 caufe it to increafe nu>re and more in their fanclificaiion, 
 until it arrive to a complete perfedion ui their glorification. 
 Lartiy, the charadter which our Saviour gives of the 
 fcribes and Pharifecs in general, and of ihofclalfe Chrift's 
 and falfe prophets which went before him in particular, 
 he flylts thtni thieves and robbers ; Mlthativer camebef'cre 
 me, were t.hin'es and robbers. He doth not fay, All that 
 werefent before me, box all thai came before mc were ih\eves 
 and robbers. So that Chriftdoth not fpeak this o- the true 
 prophets, who were lent by God before him, but of the 
 falle Chrifts and falfe prophets, that came of themfilvcs, 
 without any commillion from God. The meaning is, all 
 perfons that came before ine, pretending to be what I am, 
 the true Mcfiias,as did Theudas and Judas, of Cililre.&c. 
 they were thieves and robbers ; that is, they only (ought 
 their own advantage, while they deceived and mined you. 
 Learti hence, That whoever took upon thtm the i^ce 
 and perfon of the Mtflias before Chriit, or w hofoeverhave 
 fince ufurpcd a lawful calling in his church, without his 
 commiirioti, they are in Chrift's account no better than 
 murderers, thieves, and robbers, and they ou;'ht to be fo 
 in.the people's efteem. The Jheip ddr.it bear them. 
 
 1 1 I am the good Ihepherd. The good Ihepherd 
 givcth his life lor the (hccp. la But lie thatis an 
 
 hirelin 
 
 9> 
 
Chap, tl. 
 
 St. jo H N. 
 
 255 
 
 hireling, and not tTie fhepTierd, wliofe own the flieep 
 are not, Teeth the wolfcoming, and leavetli the.fheep 
 and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and fcat- 
 tereth the fheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, becaufe 
 he is an hireling and careth not for the fheep. 1 4 
 I am the good fhepherd, and know my Jhetp, and 
 am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth 
 rne, even fo know I the Father : and I lay down 
 tny life' for the fljeep - 
 
 In thefe verresonr Savioi/lTvii!ent!y proveshinifelfto be 
 live true fhepherd of his church, hy the mniks and figns, 
 by the properties and charafters of a good ftiepherd '^which 
 were eminently found with him ; namely, 10 know all his 
 flock, to take care of them, and to lay down his life for 
 them. I. Jefus Chrift, the great fiiepherd of his church, 
 hath an exa(Jt and diftinft knov.iedge of Hi's flock ; 1 know 
 myfietp, with a three fold knowledge, and with a know- 
 ledge of intelligence and obfcrvation; he knows them fo 
 a£ to obferve and take notice of them with a knowledge 
 of approbation and acceptation ; knows them fo as to ap- 
 prove and own them, with a knov. ledge of care and pro- 
 teftion : he knows them fo as to defend and keep ihcm. 
 Thus Chrift knows his fheep, rtnci' // alfo knouin cf them ; 
 that is, he is believed on, beloved, and obeyed by them.- 
 2. He lays covin his Uf: fir hisfi'ick. And for this doth 
 he eminently deferve the title of the greatihepherd. (As 
 for his power, he is fly led the great flieplierd.) A good 
 fliepherd indeed, who not only gives life for his flieep, but 
 gives his own life by way of ranfom for his fheep! This 
 example of Clirill, the great and good fliepherd, in laying 
 down his life for his fheep, teacheth all fubordinate and, 
 inferior Ihepherds, to prefer the good of their fiock, even 
 before their own lives, 
 
 16 And other fheep I have which are not of this 
 fold : thcmalfo mull I bring, and they fhallhearmy 
 voice ; and there Ihall be one fold, andonc fhepherd. 
 
 Here Ciirift proves himfelf to be the true fliepherd of 
 hischurchfroinanotherpropeny of agood fliepherd, which 
 is to take care for increallng and enlarging of his fold, by 
 briiigmg in the Gentiles to it; and by brc.iking down the 
 partition wall, to ma/ceone church of both Jews and Gen- 
 tiles. Chrift calls the Gcmiles his other flieep, by way of 
 atiticipation .becaufe fhortlv they were to be lb, and united 
 together with the believing Jews, into one fheepfold ; and 
 ^vhereas he fays, lip mufi bring thelie flieep in, we are to 
 underftand:it not of a necelfity of co-atfbion, btit of a ne- 
 cefllty of compac'l ; it being a federal agreement betwixt 
 the Fatheraiid himfelf. that both Jewsand Gentile (iiould 
 be one flock, inclofed in one fold, and prefented to his Fa- 
 ther as a glorious church. Hence/i-arw, How endearing 
 our obligation.*^ are tothedearefl Jefus, that he fhouid ac- 
 count us Gentiles, who were .nf.nr off, his//!)ff/), (we being 
 lb in refpeft of his erernal purpofej and make it his care, 
 and elleem it his charge, tocjll us home, and bring us into 
 his fold the church, that we might he faved amongft the 
 remnants of the troe Ifraehtes. Other flisep 1 have, &c, 
 
 \*l Therefore' doth my Father love me, bccauf(? 
 
 I la/ down my life that I might take it again, 18 
 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of 
 myfclf. I have power to lay it down, and I have 
 power to take it again. This commandment have 
 I received of my Father, 
 
 "TTence note, i. That Jefus Chrift rertainly for..knew 
 his own death and relurreftion. 2. That Chnlt was a 
 volunteer in dying. He laid doixin his life, none could have 
 taken it from hirn. It is true, his dcith was a violent 
 death, but a voluntary facrifice ; he died violently, bur yet 
 voluntarily : The hand of his enemies could never hurt 
 him without his own confent, 3. That as Chrift died 
 voluntarily vvith refpect to himfelf, fo in a way of fub- 
 jedtion to his Fiither'^command. This cornmandment have 
 1 received fro7n my Father, 4. That this voluntary fub- 
 inifllon of Chrift to die for us, was the ground of his Fa- 
 ther's love to him, Therefr.re doth my Father Ime me : he- ' 
 caufe 1 lay down my life. Although the Father hath many 
 reafohs to love the Son: yet none w.is ftranger than this 
 obedience of his to death, even the curftd death of the 
 crofs, for the redemption and falvation of loft tinners; 
 therefore did the Father love him with a more exceeding 
 love, becauCe he laid down his life for his flieep. 
 
 19 ^ There was adivilion therefore again anjong 
 the Jews for thefe fay ings, 20 Andmany of them 
 faid, He hatha devil, and is mad; why hear ye 
 him ? 21 Others faid, Thcfe are not the words of 
 him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes 
 of the blind .^ 
 
 Here the Evangelift fliews what diflFerenteflects thisfer- 
 raon of our Saviour had upon the Jews ; many of them 
 calumniate and flander him, asone pofTi-fred and mad, and 
 therefore not to be heard and minded; others of caltner 
 thoughts faid, That the dodlrine he taught, and the late, 
 miracle which he had wrought in curint; the blind man, ■ 
 were abundantly fufHtient to confute fuch a groundlefs 
 flintier. Learn That tlie doftrine of Chrilt meeting wiih 
 diverfity of difpofi'.ions, it is no wonder that it occalions 
 difRrent f ft'edts, to the foftening of I'ome, and hardening of 
 otiiers ; even as the fame fun that melteth the w:ix, har- 
 deneth the clay : yer is not tliis to be imputed to the doc- 
 trine of our Saviour, but to men's corruptions which op- 
 pofe the truth, and the luaintaincrsof 1;. 
 
 22 I Anditwas at Jerufalem the feaft of the 
 dedication, and it was winter. 
 
 This feaft was not of divine, but human initiiution ; it 
 was appointed by Jud.ts Maccabeus and continued eight- 
 days, as an anniverfary comiiicrr.oration for the repairing of 
 the temple. Now our Saviour was fo far frvm reproving, 
 the Jew s for obferving thisfeaft, which W34<)f liOflun in- 
 ftitution, that he graced the folemnity with his own pre-' 
 fence. Hence «'>f^, Thar cur Saviour held communion 
 with the Jewifli Church, and did, without fcruple, con- 
 form himfelf to the obfcrvation of their rites and cuf- 
 toins, although tiiey were not originally of divinp inftitu- 
 fion. 2. That fuch a chriftiiin as does peaceably compl/ 
 Y Y 2 .; wkh . 
 
tio^ 
 
 St. 
 
 J O H K. 
 
 Chap.x. 
 
 with the practice of the church In whnfe communion he 
 Jii'es, in the ohfcrvation of" thofc different rites and culloms 
 ■which are ufed by her, afl< niofl agreeably to our Saviour's 
 praflice and exnmp'.e. WIio can with any fliew of reaf'on 
 tcnfnrechrt'ftians for obferving the feaft of the nativity, 
 who fee Chriil hiinfclf obfi-rvinfT the fejft of dedication ? 
 Cerrainly no perfon of luber. principles ever queftioned, 
 hut il-.nt ccclefiaftical' yulcri and civil niagiftrates have 
 a power to appoint pjhlic days of ihankfgiving yearly, 
 for the commemoration of mercies,which ought never jo be 
 forgotten. From our Saviour's prefence at this feaft, 
 Grotius well notes, That ftffival days, in memorial of 
 public blellings. may pioufly be inflitutcd by perfons in 
 juthoriiy, without a divine command. 
 
 23 And Jefus walked in the temple in Solomon's, 
 jioich. 2 J Tlicn came the Jews roimd about him, 
 nnd fiiid unto him, how long doft thou make us to 
 doubt? Ifthoubethe Chrift, tell us plainly... 2.5. 
 Jcfus anfweredtlicm, I told-you, and ye believed, 
 not. The work.s that I do in my Father's. name, 
 they bear witnefs of me. 26 j5ut ye believe not, 
 becaufe ye arc not of my f}:ecp, a^ I faid unto you^ 
 
 In thefe verfes we have recorded a new and freflj debate 
 betwiKtour Saviour and the Jews; and therein we have, 
 obfervable, I. The timeofthisdebate, vcr. 22. Itwasa/ 
 ihefeaj} of dedication , in th^' wintery our Saviour taking 
 that opportunity to publi/lihis doctrine, when a concourfe 
 of people were gatherfd together at th^t folcmnity. 2. 
 Theplace of this debate, u'(4j in Schmon's porch. Althoup;h 
 trie temple and poich built by Solomon were deftroyed by 
 ihe Babylonians : yet when the.temple wasre-built, there 
 wa.s a porch like it, which retained the ancient na.iie. 3. 
 The debate itfelf : Ifthwhe the Chri/i, tellus plainly. Not 
 that thevaffictod the knowledge of the trutli, but only de- 
 igned toenfnare him; for ifhehad aflirnied himfelf tobe 
 cheMeffias, he had brought himfelf m danger of the Ro- 
 man governor ; becaufe the Jews expefted the MefTia-s to 
 be a temjjoral prince, that fliouW deliver them from the 
 Komnn power. Now if Chrift had declared himfelf fuch 
 a Mediasas the Jews expefieil, it might have coil him his . 
 life. Therefore his hour being not yet come, he anfwers 
 wiih his ufiial prudence and , wnrinefs to their enfnaring 
 quelVion. learn hence. That Chriil's enemies are full of 
 fubtle policies, andcan/nrnthemrelvcsintotall/Jiapes, that, 
 it pollible, they may entrap and enfnarehim ; and accord- 
 ingly, they pretend lure great earneftnefs of de(';re to be 
 faiisfied, whether indeed he was the true and proniifed 
 Meliias ; when in truth they had another ddig^a., /,, 1 li? 
 \viidom 9nd caution, of our Saviour's nnfwer; he refers 
 ihem to hi* miracles, 7he'^<orks, that 1 dn in my Father's 
 t'f:rn!'ithey bear-witnefs rfme. Our Saviour's miraculous 
 >vorks were fulRcient for the Jews to have grotmded and 
 bottomed their faith upon, and to have confirmed them in 
 the belief that he was the proniifed and expei^ied Mellias, 
 lr:id not prejudice, cibftinacy, and malice blinded their eyes, 
 th.ir they could neither fee nor conlider. Laltly, How 
 C[irift points out to thefe Jews the true caufeof their in- 
 ji(lelityj which was not the olafcurity of his dgdrine, but 
 
 their not beinj liiiftjeep; tlia? is, rot as yet converted, 
 they not having the properties of his flieep, which he fets 
 down in the following verfes I^arn hence, Th.it men's 
 filial unbelief undiT the means of faith, is a clear evidence 
 of theirbeingin a Jort and peridiiivg condition. Infidelity • 
 is the f:.n that doth.couliroa manov< rio d.imnation ; and 
 to fuch as fit.uudcr thq gofpel, doth not only procure** 
 damnation, but. no damnation like it. 
 
 27- My fhecp he>ir my voice, and I know them,, 
 and they follov,' mc : 
 
 Here ohferve, 1. That aU fificere sud faiihfirf chriftt.'ms. 
 are Chriil's Ibeep, and he is theirgreat and good fliepherd. 
 This relation implies tender alftctii'ii, powt iful proteflipn, 
 andplei:tifuI.;provifion.. Tlie tfiidcrncf- 01 ChriU's affec- 
 tion .towards hi? Iheep, appears bv pitying ihcir infirmities, 
 by having a fellov'-fecling with them m iheir fufTrrings, by 
 fuiting their tempt.itions to the degrees of the'r graces. 
 His care in providing for, them appd'ars, in- alfcrding to 
 them the huly fcriptures, themii'ilfry of the word, the ad- . 
 miniilration of the.facrnments, and the operrtion of his 
 holy Spirit to make all eflicacioui and efFeftual to them.. 
 His protection of them dilcover.' iifelf, by preparing, them ■ 
 for trials, by /upporting theta .under them, and by deli- 
 vering them out of them, and by faniftifying all to them, 
 caufing them to work together in Inlift rviency to his own 
 glory, and.his people's good. 2. That Chrift's^ieephear 
 his voice, and anfwerthe call of their great fhepherd.. 
 They hear jhe voice of Chrifbfpeakingto them in the fcrip- 
 tures, intheminifiry oftheword, in their own confciences 
 in providences ; and they hear Chrilt's voice fpeaking to 
 them, in and by bisholy Spirit; and asthty.hcar Chriil's 
 Voice, fo do they anfwer his call : now the right anfwer 
 to the call of Chrifl in the gofpel, is a prefent anfwer, a 
 willing anfwer, and an abiding ai^fwer. 3. That all Chrift'f. 
 flieep do follow him their fhepherd . Ttey follow him ,( i .) 
 Ill his doctrine: And, (2.) In his example, in his con- 
 tempt of the world, in his freedom in reproving fin, in the 
 holinefs and heavenly mindedneisof his converfation, in 
 his meeknefs and patience, in charity and univerfal good- 
 nel^, and as he was a mighty pattern of prayer. 4. That 
 Chrilt the great and good fhepherd knows all his fheep; My 
 Jheep hear my vtice, and I kno-w them. He knows them fo 
 as to diflinguiii} them, fo as to obferve and take noiice of 
 them, fo as to own and jtpjirove them, fo as to take care of 
 thcm^andprovide.fortbem. And asthsLordknoweth who 
 sre hi<;, lO he knoweth who are not his too ; as he knows 
 hi^ fheep) fohe knowsthe goats alfo, and their place will bCs 
 at his left hand., .^''yjhccf hear my voice, and I knTM them. 
 
 28 And I give unto them eternal life ; and they 
 fliall never perii5i, neither fliall any pluck them 
 out of my hand. 29 My Farhcr which gave t/iem 
 mc, is grcitcr thnn all; and none is able to pluck 
 than out of my Father's hand. 
 
 Olifervf here, i. The promife made by Chrift unto his 
 flieep, namely, the promife of eternal life, and perfeverante 
 in grace, till they come to the full fruition of it inglory : 
 I ^ivc unto them iternat life, and n'ir.iJI: all pluck thtm out 0/ 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 Sr^' J O n N. 
 
 oo7 
 
 my Fa'hfr'j haittt. 5 TliC confirraation lift gives of this 
 from his own and his Fjther's puwer which is eiiiployed, 
 enjTaged, and concerned for then, and for their perfeve- 
 ranteand prefcrvjtion, notwithft.inding all oppolition to 
 tliv-' to itrary ; Aly Father which gave them me is greater 
 than nil ; an.l no man is ahk if) pluck tht-nt out of my Father's 
 hand. Learn I. That eternal hfe is the portion of Chri(t's 
 Hieep. J. ThTt eternal life is th.? i^ift of Chrilt. 3. 'i'hat 
 eternal life is no'v i^iven toChr)lVa iifeep.: 'I'hey have it 
 nuw in the purchafe, in the proniif', and in tlic fiift frtiits, 
 4. rh It all Cnrill's Iheep are put by God the Father into 
 Clirift's hind for ft-curiiy : IMy Fathi'r hath givfn them me, 
 ^: The Father d.>th fo iniruft Chrift' with his ftjecp, as 
 ■yez to fake care of them himfclf ; they are in the Fa- 
 thL'r's hand, as well as in the Son's, andtheir hcing in the 
 Lands of but!), doth aflure them of the certainty of their, 
 perfeverancc. Nane /hull pluck them out f>f rry hand ; n-)ne 
 ihall he a'<l!- t'j pluck thtm cut of my Father's hand : imply - 
 injf. thjit (liere are m my that would pluck them out oftlieir 
 hands, (in, Satan, thf. world, Sec. but they Ihall be kept 
 by the almighty pov.er of God, through faith uniofalvati- 
 ett : for who can be too (Irong forpmnipoteot power I 
 
 30 I and my Father arc 011c. .^ 
 
 That is, one in efTence and nature, cne in-aHthority and 
 power, and not barely one in will and affec'tion, one in 
 concord or confent. That thisis the genuine (ignification 
 of the word, appears by a three fold argument. 1. From 
 the origin;d svords; it is not faid, land my Father are (ft.) 
 one perlon in the mafculine gcjider, but in the neuter (•»] 
 land my Fitherare one thing. Now, is that thing be not 
 the divine Being, they cannot be one ; for lince the Father 
 is confefled to be God, the Son cannot be one thing with 
 the Father, if he be not God too. 2. It appears from tlie 
 context, our Saviour. in the proceeding verfes, afcribcd the 
 prefervation of his fheep to the pov.er of his Father: I\/'oKe 
 can pluck them out ofny Father's hand: and he afcribes it 
 alfo to Lis own' power : None (hall pluck tbtm out of my 
 hand: pl.iinly intimating, that his (hcep weie equally fafe 
 in his own hand, as well as in his Father's ; for fays he, 
 / and my Father are one ; that is, orte in power ; and, if 
 tl^ey be one in power, iliey muft be or.e in nature ; unlefs 
 we in.Tke an aimighty creature, which is a contradiction,. 
 3. It app"ars evidently by what follows in the next verfe, 
 that the Jews undtrftnod our Saviour in this fenfe ; why. 
 clfe did th^y take up ftones to ftone him ? We/lone thee, 
 fay they,/.r blafphtmy, hecaufe thoti, being a man, m.ike/i 
 thyfetfOod, 1 he Jewstookour Saviour's meaning aright, 
 and were fa'tisfied, that v.-hen he faid, / and my Father are 
 one, he affcrted bimfelf to be God, and deferved to die; and 
 . well he h.id def.-rved it, if he had not h&en God. The 
 advcrfaries of our Saviour's divinity, to elude the force of 
 ihefe word', which mai.e fo much againft.them,, interpret 
 the words thus, I and my Father are one; that is, fay they, 
 we arc, (•-<«'. SSv/.s-'t) one In will and afreftion, one incon- 
 cord and confent : This is a truth, but not ihe^reat liuth 
 contained in thffe words ; for the believers are one with 
 Gotl. and one with one another; namely, by a harmony of 
 ■wilU nd defircs.fo far as they are regenerated, God's w.ll 
 andthsifs are unifons^ they will and delue the fame thing, 
 
 and are of one heart and one Tnin.'. Bot GoJ and Chrift. 
 are one, in a much higher fcnfethan Chnd and bel'evers 
 are one ; namely, one in eflenceand nature, one in anihiu 
 riiy and power, Chrift b»ing confubflantial with Cod' 
 Learn hence. That the Lord Jefus Chn/l is for naturft 
 coelTen'tial, for dignity coequal, and fordurartion coeternal 
 with the Father. 2. That although Chrift be one in elTence 
 with the Father, yet are they dillmcl ptrOins one from - 
 another ; / and my Father, we are one. 3. That the Son 
 being one in efTencc, one in power, one in confent and w ill 
 with the Father, they are both equally concerned for tha 
 perfeverance ofthefaints, for preft-rvingthemin grace, and" 
 f»r bringing them to glory. None Jhall pluck them out 
 (f mine or my Father's hand ; for 1 and my Fathir are one. 
 If the power be the fame, the efTence mull be the fame. 
 
 31 Then the Jews took up Ttbncs againto itont: 
 him, 32 Jefus anfwcrcd them. Many good w'orko 
 have I fiicwed you from my father ; for which of 
 thofc works do yc done me P 33 The Jews an- 
 fwcrcd him, faying, Foragood work w<» ftonc thee 
 not; but for bhifphcmy,and becaufe that thou, being 
 a man. makeft thyfelf Cod. . 
 
 Note here, i. Plow the Jcwsunderftocd our Saviour af^ 
 firming, that he and the Father are one ; that is, one in 
 edejice and nature, and himfelf a perfon equal with God. 
 1 his thry looked upon asblafpheniy in him, to arrogate 
 to hiinfelfwhat is proper to God only. 2. That the 
 Jews looked Ljpon it as a piece of juftice in them to rtone 
 Chrift for this apprehended bhifphemy : Then the Jews 
 took up fl ones tojline him. According to the law of God; 
 the blafphemer was ftoncd to death, but then he w as firfl- 
 to be jiidicijlly triedand judged: But fuch was the furious 
 7,eal of thefejevvs,that in a tumultuous manner they attempt 
 to ftonehim todeath. Lord, how doth the fury of men, in 
 oppofing truth, outftrip the true seal of thy fiiihful fervants 
 in defending truth ! 3. With what metknefs our Lord 
 receives this horrid indignity of ftoning (for it is probable 
 that fome ftoncs were caft at him-,' he f.iying. For which 
 of ihrfe works doyr/fo^teme ?) he clears his own innocence 
 and expoftiikte* with them for rsivarding him evil for 
 good : Many good w^rks have 1 /In-.ved you fi om my Futher; 
 that is, by my Father's authority and commifiion; I haTe 
 been fight to tli« blind, feet to the lame, a tongue to the. 
 tlumb, and hearing to the deaf; Do any of thefe works 
 drferve fuchufage as fioning at your hands? Learn hence. 
 That fuch was the pcrfe^ and fpoilefs innocence of Chrift 
 in all his adlions, that he durft, and did appeal to thecon- 
 fciences cf his mnft .inveterate adverfaries : Ftjr yub'u h of 
 tht/e works do yc ftone me ? 
 
 3 4 Jefusanfwered them. Is it not v, . n y©ur 
 
 iiw, I faid, Y« are gods !* 35 If he cuiied. them 
 gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the 
 icripturc cannot be broken ; 36 Say ye of him 
 whom the Father Iiath f.mftified and fcnt into the' 
 world, Thou blafphemcfl ; bcc.iufc I faid, I ain the 
 Sun of God ? 
 
 iltr« 
 
358 
 
 St. J O ' H N. . 
 
 Chap, 
 
 XI, 
 
 Here bur Saviour "by 4 t.vo-fold argument vindicates 
 liiin fdf from the iinp'Jtation of blafpheniy, in afferiing 
 hiinrelfio b» God, i. Becaufe the Old Teftament gave 
 ID inapillratesand j'jdges the title of gods, as Pfal. Ixxxii. 
 6. Ihiniefitui, Te are dds, Now Chrift argues ftronj;ly 
 frtxn the lefs to the greater, thus: "If judges andmagif- 
 trates may be called Gods, becaufe they are comiiiiflioncd 
 by him, and derive their authority from him, how much 
 more is that title due tome, who was fanftified, feparated 
 and ordained for Mediator, and appointed to the work of 
 redemption, before 1 came into the world, and confcquently 
 was God from all eternity?" This place the Socinians 
 (thofe profeiTtdadverfaries of our Saviour's Godhead) pro- 
 tluce to prove, thatChrifl was not God by nature, but only 
 in refpecl of his fanftification and niiflion. It is a certain 
 truth that he that wasfanftified and fent, was the Son of 
 God ; but Ite was mn theretore the Son of God, becaufe • 
 fanftified and fent. His fan..1ification was not the ground 
 of lii; Sondiip ; but his Sonfliip was the caufe of his faiic- 
 tification. Chrill was not tiiercfoie God's Son, becaufe 
 he was fanciified and fent; but he was therefore fanc^i- 
 fied and fent, becaufe l»e was his Son. He was a Son 
 before he was fent, ^ven from eternity, otherwilc it mull 
 Jiave been faid, that God fent him to be hi"; Son, and 
 not that God fent his Son. This fuppofeshiin before he 
 was fent, to havebeenaftually his Son, as certainly he was. 
 before, from before the foundations of the world. Prov. 
 viii. 23. J was fit up from ever lap ir.g, from the hegitining, 
 or ever the earth was. 
 
 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe 
 me not. 38 But if I do, though ye beheve not 
 me, beheve the ts'orks ; that ye may know and be- 
 lieve that the Father is in me, and I in him. 
 
 Here we have a fecond argument, by which our Saviour . 
 proves, that it was no blafpheiny to call liimftlf God; but 
 that he was God in very deed ; namely, argument taken 
 from his works : If I do not the works 0/ my Father, be- 
 llevememt! And the argument runs thus : If (faysChri(l) 
 I doihofc miraculous works, which no power lefs than a 
 divine power can effeft, then you ought by thefe works 
 to be led tobelieve and acknowledge, that I am truly and 
 really God ; but the works which 1 do, are the eflVft and 
 produft of an omnipotent power, therefore you ought to 
 believe, that 1 am one in eflence with the Father, there 
 being a mutual in-exiftence of one perfon in the other, fo 
 that the Father is in me, and I in him ^ And thus I and 
 ihf Father are one. Learn hence, That Chrlft never re- 
 ijiircd of his difciples and followers an imj'licit f.iith, or a 
 blind obedience ; but af he fubmitted his doLlrine to the 
 trial of reafon. fo he fubmitted his miracles to the exami- 
 nation and judgment of fenfe : Therefore he fays, IJ i-do 
 n',t the lucrk' 1/ my Father, that is, divine worksj; believe 
 me not to be a divine perfon. 
 
 39 Therefore they fought again to take him : 
 but he efcaped out of their hand, 40 And went 
 itway again beyond Jordan, into the place where 
 Joiui at hrft baptized: and there he abode. 41 And 
 
 many rcfortcd unto him, and faid, John did no mi- 
 racle : but all things that John fpake of this man 
 were true. 42 And many believed on him there. 
 A'^orehere, 1. The violence and fury of thefe unbelie v. 
 ing Jews, againft the holy and innocent Jefns ! They fought . 
 again to take him. 2. The prudential care of Chrift for 
 his own preferv.itiou ; his time being not yet coroe, he . 
 withdraws from Jenifalem, tlienei'l of his enemies, and goes 
 beyond Jordan : when Chrill was perfccutcd in one city, 
 he fled to antither ; he has fanftifieJ a flate of perftcution . 
 to his minifters and members and by his own being in it. 
 It is no difgrace for any of ihtm tofly, when their Captain 
 did it, and bids them do it, faying, li'henthcy pirfecute y(,u 
 in one city, flee unto nn-Jber. 3. 1 he fuccefi of Chrill*s 
 minilhy beyond Jordan: Many rtfrttdto him, art^l htJieved ^ 
 on him,. 1 his place about Jordan was die place where 
 John had exercifed a great part of Lis niiniflry ; aiid now,., 
 many years after John's death, the fruit 4' bij miniflry . 
 appears; Uit many bcliiTed on him there ; that U, abpi^t 1 
 Jordan, where John had prejched and baptised., ifwn \ 
 hence, That the Labours of faithful miniikrs may feeni to, 
 belod, and be long like feed under the gn ur.d, and yet at 
 lad, by fotne Hew watering, may fpring up, and the friiit. 
 appear in abundance. Here John's miniftry about Jordan 
 hathfrelh fruit upon Chrift'i coming, long after John was 
 dead. 4 The dignity of Chrilt above John, John did no 
 miracli ; but ChrJll did all. The wifdom of God fo or- 
 dereil it, that though the Old Teltament prophets, Elijah 
 and Elilha, wrought many miracles for ihr confirmation 
 of their divine million, yet John the liaptift coming in>- . 
 mediately before Chrift, as his meffenger and forerunner,, 
 vvroughtnone, for thefe three realbns probably, i. That fo 
 the glorv of Chrift in working miraclts when he came up- 
 on the ftagc of hi-s miniUry, might be the more clear and . 
 evident. 2. That the evidence of Chrift being the Mef- 
 lias might be the more clear by the miracles .which he. 
 wrought. 3. That the minds of the people might not be. 
 divided and "diftracled between John and Chrift, and that 
 there might be nopretence orcompetition between them : . 
 Therefore John did no miracles ; but all things, kc. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 NOW a certain mati was fick named Lazarus, of 
 Bethany, the town of Mary and her hllir 
 Martha. 2 It w.as//w< Mary v/hich anointed the 
 Lord with ointment, and wiped hts feet with her 
 hair, whofe brother Lazarus was fick. 3 Therefore 
 his fillers fent unto him, faying. Lord, behold, he 
 whom thou loveft is fick. 4 When Jcfiis heard that, ' 
 he faid, This ficknefs is not unto death, but for the 
 glory of God, that the Son of God might be glo- 
 rified thereby. 
 
 This chapter relates unto us the miraculous power of 
 Chrift, in railing of dead Lazarus, which, as it was one of 
 his laft, fo was it one of the greareft mirDcles which he 
 wrought; and yet we fir-ci none of the Evangeltfts make 
 
 niention 
 
Chap. ix. 
 
 Sr. J O n N. 
 
 mention of it, but only St. John : Tlvf: reafon is riipportJ 
 t> be this, becaufe when the other Evangelillswrote their 
 hilloiy. Lazarus was tiien alive; (for Epiphanius fays he 
 lived thirty years after he was raifed by Chrift) .nnd pro- 
 bably, the mention of this relation might have brought 
 Lazarus into danger and trouble ; but Sir John wrote his 
 gofpel after Lnzarus's deith. This miracle x\as a fiifEci- 
 eiit deinonllration of Chrift's Godhead: None but an 
 Almighty power could rccal a man four days dead from 
 a fettled corruption to a flate of life. None but he that 
 created Lizanis, could thus make him anew. Here ti^-te 
 t. The tender fympathy of thefe two endeared fifterswith 
 their afflit^ed brother; they feel hisforrows and acquaint 
 their Saviour with his fufTerings : LcrJ / bi'h.U he vihom 
 thou Ijvjt is fuk. They do not fay, Ourbrother that 
 loves thee is fjck ; he vjhom ihwlwej) is fick: Thereby 
 pleading not the merit of Lazarus, but the merit of Chrill 
 For how can the love of Chrift, which is infinite and eter- 
 nal, have any caufe but itfeif ? Nott, The perfon whom 
 Chrilt loved is fick, and dies. Learn thence, 'I'hat ftrength 
 of grace, anddearneJs ofrefpedl, even from Chrift himfelf, 
 cannot prevail either againlt death or againft difeafes.La- 
 zirus w horn Chrirt loved is fuk. Note 1. The gracious 
 anfwer which Chrift fent to the fifter's mefTage ; this fick. 
 nff! ii not unto death, hut for the glory r.fCod : that is, this 
 licknefs flj ill not bring upon him fuch a death as he ftiall 
 remain under ihe po.\er of, to the general refurredlicn ; 
 but is only difigned to give me an opportunity of glorify- 
 
 35.9 
 
 IfigGod, by e.\triing my miraculous power in relloring 
 him to life. Learn hence, i. 'i hat as God's own glory is 
 his fupremeaim and end in all his anions, fo in particular 
 jt is dcffgned by him'in fending sfflictions upon his people, 
 to glorify his power and wifdom, mercy and love, in and 
 upon them. The faints fickncfiesare all for the glory of 
 God. 2. That God is glorified when his Son is glorified; 
 3s none do honour the Father, who do not honour the 
 i>on ; fo thfe Father accounts himfelf glorified, whtn the 
 glory of the Son is advanced. 7hisjicknefs is for, &c. 
 
 5 Now Jefus loved Martha, and her fifler and 
 Lazarus. 6 When he l)ad heard therefore that he 
 was fick, he abode two days ftiUm the fame place 
 where he was. 7 Then after that faith he to hh 
 difciples. Let us go into Judea a.^^ain. 8 HisM- 
 ciples fay unto him, Mafter, thejewsoflate (ought 
 to ftone thee ; and goefl thou thither again ? 9 
 Jefus anfwered. Are there not twelve hours in the 
 day? If any man walk in the day he flumbleth 
 not,becaufe hefeeththe light of this world. 10 
 But if a man walk; in] the night he ftuinblfcth, be- 
 caufe there is no light in him. 
 
 Note I. WhaCan /AV'/y.bec^ufe an holy aud relt^hiuf^. 
 mily was here, and much honoured by Chrift ; J-fus hvcd 
 Martha, njary and Lazarus ; wherever true pieiy dwelh, 
 jtdra-vs the eye and heart of Chrift towards it. Chrift 
 Had frcquent'y and famili.^rly lodged under theirroof, and 
 
 ,ne rewarded them for their tntertiiinmeat wi:h his love 
 
 J^fus hved Martha, andhvfjlcr. Where remark^ That 
 
 Martha is here named firft, though elfewhere Mary had 
 the precedency, to flicw, no doubt, th.it they were bot'i 
 equally dear to Chrilt. 2. That although Chrift loved 
 Lazarus, yet he leeni? to negleft him, he del.ys rrouip to 
 hmi for fomc d.iys : Kut could Chrift abfent himfelf fro.Ti 
 one lo long, whom he loved io well? • We find he did. 
 Let us take heed then, that wedo not mifmterpret Chrift\ 
 d^'lays. He leldgm comes at our time, but never ftays be- 
 yond his own ; our Saviour had a double end in ftaying 
 thus long; namely, for greatening of the miracle, anti 
 confirmmg their faith. Had Chrift gone before Lazarus 
 w.ns dead, they might havtattributed his recovery rather 
 
 totheftrengthofnatiire,thantoChrift'smiraculouspower; 
 or had Chnlt raifed Lazarus as loon as he was dead, they 
 might peradventurehave thought it rather fome trance cr 
 ccft.icy , than a death and diflblution ; therefore Chrift ftays 
 fo many days, that God might be the more glorified, and 
 his own omnipotent power the more magnified. We learn 
 then That when Chrift dehiys to help them whom he 
 dearly loves, it is always for wife ends and holy purpofes. 
 3. How the difciples, though they were dearly afft-atd to 
 Lazarus (for they had learned to love where their M^ifter 
 loved,) yttthcy ddcourage Chrift from going to him into 
 Judea, tor fear of violence offered to him, Mcijltr, the 
 Jews cf Lie fought to pone thee, and ^r,f/} thou thither aeain? 
 Here the dilc.ples pleaded for thei/Mafter's fufety, at the 
 fame time aiming at'thcirown ; they wer* togo with him 
 Jnto Judea, and they well knew, that their danger was in- 
 wrapped in his, therefore they fe^k to divert him from his 
 intention. O how has .he fear of fuffering made n.nny of 
 the friends of Chnft decline ;,n opponnniiy of gh>rilying 
 God, and doing good to others ! But cannot God pive 
 lafety in the n.idlt of danger, if he pleafeth ? Let us then 
 not chufeourway, according to our own apprchcnfion 
 either ot danger cr fafety ; but as v e fee Go<l going before 
 us, ifourcall be clear, kt us go on with courage, v. hat- 
 ever d.fficuhies lie in our way. ' 4. How our Savicur cor- 
 refts thefe fears of his difciples, by acquainting them with 
 its call from God, ro undertake this jonnie y into Judea 
 ^re there not twelve hours in the djy ? ]f a man walk 
 tinrnn he Jiun.hltth not : hut in the n-.ght hej?umhleth. As 
 it Chrift had laid. "As he that w.dks in the day is in no 
 danger of ftumWing, but in the night he is in danger • 
 fo ongasi have .-, call from God, a„d my workinglime 
 Idfts, there is a divine providence that will watch over me 
 and Secure nrie irom all danger; now my day is not fulV 
 Ipent, and therefore it is not in the power of niineenennes 
 to precipitate my pallion, .or to bring iheni^ht of fufiVr- 
 ings upon me before the appointed time; hiit'^erelonji the 
 night will come on, the storking time wdl be over, and 
 then niall b,,th I and you ftunihlc upon death; but vxhile 
 theday laftetl. we aiefafe." Learn hence, ,. Every mi^x 
 has his twelve hours, that is, his workinjr time aflijned 
 him by God in this world, a. Whilft thde-hours are roc 
 Ipeiit, and whilft his working time is une>q>ired, he <h.ljl 
 not ftumble, he iliall not die, he Ihall nor l.e dilabled from 
 working, while God h..sany sv ork tor l.iin to do ; neither 
 themahceoi men, nor ^he rage r,f devils (li:dl take hi,n 
 oft til his work be fi„:tl:td ^E^e^y,mln has his night 
 as well as his d.iy, in ss\Aii\ hepiult expeflaad prepare^o 
 
 ftiimHe 
 
jGo 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 C^AT. XI, 
 
 flumlite ; tliat is to fall !iy death ; for whf n God has 
 iIiTie his work by us and with us, lie will withdraw his 
 protection from us, but not his care ovt r us, We llunib'e 
 upon (lenih, ami f.ill into the grave ; but God receives us 
 tohlnifclt, and at the end of our workiig fesfon rewards 
 Jl;s for our woik. 
 
 •1 1 Thefc tijtngs faid lie; and .iftcrthat he faith un- 
 to them. Our friend Lazjrus flccpeth.; but I go 
 -ihkt I may »wake ijimoutai flecp^ 
 
 X<i(eh<rt, I. Our Savi>nir, coniinjr near to Rtthany, 
 cells his difiiplesthat LazaruiJleepeth ; that is, plainly, he 
 was dead. 1 Jiis fl)ewed his omnifcicncy, and that he was 
 truly God ; ior he had received noad\ice of his death from 
 any perfon, but as God knew that he was decealed. 2. 
 'i he fweet tale given both to.dtath and Lazarus; death is 
 called a /7fep, Lazarus is ft) led 2.frie»d: yet Chrift fays nd 
 my friend, but pur friend I^iarus flecpexh ; , intimating 
 that gracious familiarity and niuiual tricntlfliip which was 
 betviixt himlVlf and all his members. Learnhcnce, i. 
 That all true bf lievers are Chrill's friend?. 2.. That the 
 friaids of Chri-ft malt die as well. TS others. 3. Tii.it their 
 death is but a fleep, Curjriend Lazarus jleirptih. It fol- 
 loweth, hut I go, that J may awake him out (if/lrep. N'.te, 
 Chrift fays not. We svillj^o and awake him, but I will go 
 and I will awake him.. i he difciples who were compa- 
 nions in the way, muil not. be partakers in the work-; wit- 
 ncfTcs they may be, aclorsihty cannot be; none can av/aken 
 -Lazarus, but the M.tkcr^f Lazarus. Who can com- 
 --Tnand the foul to. come down and meet the body; and who 
 . can command ithe body to rife up and meet the foul, but 
 that God tkit treated boihfiul .'.nd hody ? Lcrdi It is our 
 . comfort agaitift ihe diead and terror of death, that our re- 
 iurrection depends upon thy almighty power; J will g'j, 
 ihat J may awake kirn out offl-.i-p. 
 
 .12 Then faid his difciples, Lord, if he fleep, he 
 Hialldo well. 13 Mowbcitjefus fpakeof his death: 
 but they thought that he had fpoken of taking of 
 ■ reft in flerp. 1 4 Then faid Jefus unto them plainly, 
 Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am ^lad for your lakes 
 that I was not there, to the interrt yc may believe : 
 neverthclefs, let us go unto him. 16 Then faid 
 Thomas which is called Didymus, unto, his fellowr 
 difciplos, Lctusalfogo, that we may die with him. 
 
 Note here, i. How defirous the difciples were thatCI-.rift 
 {lionld not go to Beth.nny where L;<z.irus -was, Bethany 
 being within two miles of Jerufalem, where tlis feat of our 
 Saviour's enemies was. IJut our Lord know ing his call 
 to be clear, refolves to go; Nmerihelcfs, faysChrift, Ictus 
 go uftta him. O love, ftronger than death .' the grave can 
 not ft parate beiwixtChrifl and hiifriends : Other friends 
 accompany ns to the brink of the grave, nnd there they 
 leave us to worms and dult ; for death hath both horror 
 nnd noifomnefs to attend it : But for thee, O Saviour, the 
 graveltor.c, the earth, the coffin, are no bounders of thy 
 dear refpeifts. Blelfed be God, th.it neiiher life nor death 
 .tan feparate from theloveof Clirill ; butevcn r.fterdeatli 
 ,aud burial he, is gracicufl/ aflti.leti to ihofe he loves. 
 
 Chriil has a gracious regard to the duft of hi^s fants : 
 1 hough his holy ones fee corruption, th< y Ihall not al,vJ)(s 
 I'.e under the power of torrupiion, their dead bodiei. are 
 a p.irt of the undoubted membersofChrift'sinynical body. 
 BlflRd +,e God, the time is coming, when Chriil Ih.dl 
 
 .knotk at the door of his chikJien's graves, and call them 
 up out of '.heir bed of dull, anJ tleyjl.all hear the voice of 
 the S',n if God and live. 2. The wife and only delign of 
 Chrift in-delayiiip to go to Bethany till Lazarus was utad .; 
 
 -iiainely, that he might at once raile I.azarus'i dead body, 
 and his difiiples faith, confirniing them in the b'litf that 
 he was the Son of God, -and the true Melfias. But could 
 the faith of the apoftlts want confirmation, who had fetn 
 fo many miracles wrought by our Saviour, and had lived 
 under liis niinillry all the time of it? Yes, the taith of 
 the moil eminent faints, even of the aprftles themfe'ves, 
 wants confirmation in this Hate of weaknefs and imperfec- 
 tion, and is capable of growth, lam pjud for your fab f, 
 that I was rt'jt ti'.tre, to the intent yemay helirve, 3. The 
 great pallion -which 1 homas expretTcs.upou the notice 
 given by Chrift of Lazarui's death : Plainly, Lazurui is 
 dead, fays Chrift; Let us go anJdie rvith him, '{.lysThomns. 
 Oh what -palTionate and impatient exprellions do fomc- 
 times drop from our mouth-, on occafion of the death ef 
 our dear relations! we .ire reatly to befo affeclrd with the 
 death of our friends, as to wilh ourfelves out of ihe woi kl 
 that we might be with them. But we inufl runember, 
 that it is God that appoints us our leveral p€:>fts, and par- 
 ticular ftations, w hith we muft keep, aill the wifdoui of 
 God feesfit to retnove us. 
 
 17 Then when Jefus came, he found that "he ha3 
 /am in the grave four days already, 18 (N'ow Be- 
 thany was nigh unto Jejufalem, about fifteen fur- 
 longs olF.) tg And many of the Jews ca-nc to 
 Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their 
 brother. 20 Then Martha, xisfoon aafheJieard th.tt 
 Jcfus was coming, Avent and met him: bot Mary fat 
 lliil ia.the houfe. 21 Then faid Masrtfca unto Jefiis, 
 Lord, if thou hadft been here, nvy brother had not 
 died. 22 But I know that even tiow, .whatloevet 
 tho.u wilt aD; of God, God will give.it thee. 
 
 Chftrve here, i . T he length of cime which Chrift de- 
 (ignedl.y dtlayed before, he wcndd come to Lazaru^'sgrave; 
 he was HMt above lix niilesoff from Bethany, being withiu 
 two miles of Jerufrflem, and Jerofalem within four mi'ei 
 of-BeiJiabara, xylure C^.tift now was, aadyet out Saviour 
 came not offour diys; doubtlefs that the miracle of Laza- 
 rus's refurreclioii mipjiit 6e more confpirHous and remak- 
 able, Chrift c« jid as eafy have cur»d Lnznru- being lick, 
 as have raffed him being dead, andaseafdy have raifed him 
 the firft day, as t!x fourth day; but ti\at had not carried 
 along with it fudi.afu'l conviftion of Chrift's almighty 
 power. Thi rtfi le that he might draw the eyes of iheir 
 faith more ftedf Illy to behold and admire his almighty 
 pov.er our Saviour dtfershis coming till Lazarus hadbeen 
 dead four d.iv«. 2- l he civil ufage of mourning with ihofe 
 that n. u .•: J r^r the dwJ; Ancic-titly they iuouriu;d thiriy 
 
 .<layj, 
 
Chaj^. kj. 
 
 Sr. J O H N. 
 
 35i 
 
 days, and fometimes forty for a dear relation, Numb. xx. 
 ftp. During which time, neighbourj and friends came to 
 VI fit and relieve them in their ladnefs, with fuch confolatory 
 arguments as they had. Chriftian religion doih not con- 
 demn natural afF^c1ion : Human paflions arc not linfiil, if 
 rot exceflive ; to be .ibove the ftroke cf pairions is a con- 
 dition equal to angels ; to be in a ftace of forrow without 
 the fenfe of forrow, is a difpofuion beneath the hearts; but 
 duly to regulate our forrows, and fct bountiaries to our 
 grief, is the wifdoni, the duty, the intercft, and the excel- 
 lency of a chriftian. As to be above all p„irions will be 
 our happinefs in heaven, fo to regulate .>nd retlVify our 
 paffionsis a great part of niir holinefs on earth. A'cfc, 3. 
 Although Martha was a true mourner for the death of her 
 brother, yet (he doth not fo far indulge to grief, but, upon 
 the firft notice of Chrift's approach, fhe arifes to go forth 
 tonjeet him, with a mournful moan in her mouth; Lord, 
 if thcu hadjl been hire, my brother had not died. \V here 
 role, How faith and infirmity were mixed together ; faith 
 appeared in that firm pcrfuaiion which (he had of Chrill's 
 power, as if death durft not /hew his face in Chrid's pre- 
 ience. Hud/I thou been here my brother had nnt cied. But 
 then her infirmity appeared in limiting Chriltboth to time 
 and place; to place. If thou hadjt been here : As if Chrifl 
 could not (f he pleafed] favehislife, abfentas well as pre- 
 fent. Then to time, Noui he/Ilnlttth ; as if Cie had laid, 
 ♦"You are come, but, alas ! too late ; you have ftayed too 
 long, he is paft recovery, the grave hath fwallowed him 
 up." As if death would not deliver up his prifoner at the 
 command of Chrifl.: Oh ! the imperfed compofition of 
 the bcfl of faints ! what a mixture of faith and infirmity is 
 found in the hobeft and bcft of chriftians ! This farther 
 alfo appears in her next words, ver.2i. I kn'rjj that vihat- 
 [never thnujhalt afk of Cod he ■will give it thee .■ She feeins 
 not to believe that Chriil was able to raife him by his 
 own immediate power, but muft obtain power of Cod to 
 do it, as the prophets were wont to do that raifed the dead. 
 She thought Chrift a perfon-highly in God's favour, but 
 fcarcc believed him able to raife Lazarus by his own power; 
 had her faith extended toa btlief that Chriil wasequal with 
 the Father, and that the fulnefs of the Godhead dwelt in 
 him, Ihe would not have qucftioned his power to raife him 
 from the grave ; tor though Chrift as Mediatsrdid apply 
 himfelf by prayer to God at the railing of dead Lazarus, 
 ver. 41, 4; yet as God, he had a power of himl'elftoraife 
 Laz.aru.s, an almighty power communicated with hiseflence 
 from the Father, by an eternal and ineffable generation. 
 
 23 Jcfus faith unto ker, Thy brother fliall tife 
 again. 24 Martha faith unto him, I know that he 
 (hall rife again in the refurredlion at the laft day. 
 25 Jefus faith unto her, I am the refurreftion and 
 1 he life; he that believeth in me, though he were 
 dead, yet .(hall he live; 26 And whofoever liveth 
 and believeth in me, fliall never die, Believeit thou 
 this? 
 
 Herewoff, i.Chrift'smeekanfwcr to Martha's pafllonate 
 difcourfe. He takes no notice of the foremcntioned failings 
 but cciiiforts her with a proiiiife ofherbroUie^'srefurrec- 
 
 lion: Thy brother Jhal! rife cgain, Thcrre learn, Tint 
 the knowledge and belief of ihegcnfralrefiirreclion, is and 
 ought to be a fuflicient fupport under the lofs of ^v^ en- 
 deared friends, who dieiii the Lord. 2. That i!ie liov'lrine 
 of the general refurrcdtion was no new dcdrir.c ; Job be- 
 lieved It, chap. xix. Daniel publifhed it, chap. jt.i. i. the 
 Phnrifces had a notion of it ; but Martha here makes it atl 
 article of faith, / know he /hall rife rgain in the refurre^lioH 
 et the Lift day. 3. How Chriftparticularly inftrucls Martha 
 in the caufeof her refurreftion, acquainting her, that he 
 himl'elf is the author and efficient caufe of it ; I am the 
 rcfwrtdion and the life. 'I'hat is, I am the author, and 
 principal officient caufe of the refurrtdlion ; and this with 
 rcfpeft to both nature.^ : i . His divine nature is the effi- 
 cient caufe of the refurreclioo : He fhjU raife our bodies 
 out of the diift, by the power of the Godhead. 2. His 
 human nature is the exemplary caufe or pattern of the re- 
 furrciflion ; for which reafon Chrift is called the firft torn 
 from the dead. For though fome were railed bttorc him, 
 ytt was his refurreftion the caufe of theii's. Hence St. 
 Paul arpue? from Chrift's relurreftion, thecertainty of his 
 member's refurreftion ; Chrift and believersare one mv fti- 
 calbody, therefore is not Chrift perfectly rifen till all his 
 members are rifen with him. Indeed Chrift's perfbnal re- 
 furreclion was perfect when he arofe, and all believers arofe 
 reprefentatively in him, yet till all believers arife perfonallyi 
 the refurredtion of Chrift has not received its utmoft pcr- 
 feciion, but there is fomewhat bell nd of the refurreclion 
 of Chrift. Moft fitly then might our Saviour affert, lam 
 the rrfurre£lion and the life. 4. That Chrift not only affer IS 
 himfelf to be the refarredlion, but alfo the life ; / am the re~ 
 furreflion and the life ; that is, I am the caufe of life na- 
 tural, fpiritual. and eternal : And 'jjhofoever liveth end be- 
 lieveth in me , fball never die ; that is, eternally: though 
 his body fliall die becaufe of fin, yet his i'pirit fhall live 
 becaufe of righteoiifnefs. 
 
 27 She faith unto him. Yea, Lord : I believe th.it 
 thou art the Chrift, the Son of God, which fliould 
 come into the world. 28 And when fhe had fofaid, 
 {he went her way, and called Mary her filler fecretly, 
 laying, The mafter i^ come, and calleth for thee. 
 29 Asfoonas fhe heard Ma^, fhe arofe quickly, and 
 came unto him. 30 Now Jefus was not yet come 
 into the town, but was in tb.it place where Martha 
 met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her 
 in the houfe, and comforted her, when they (aw 
 Mary that ftie rofe up haflL'y, and went out, fol- 
 lowed her, faying, She goeth unto the grave to 
 weep there. 32 Then whenMary was come v/hcrc 
 jefus was, and faw him, fhe fell down at his feet, 
 laying unto him. Lord, If thou hadftbecn here, my 
 brother had not died. 
 
 Note here, i. The full confefTron v.hich Martha m^.krs 
 of her faith in Chrid : 1 hou art the Chrift, the Son 'f G d, 
 •jjhi.h fljould come in the -jjorld. A conftfilpn wliich tomes 
 neareft to that of St. Peter (Matt. xvi. j6.j cfany ih.it 
 we meet with in fcripture : ^^ay, it feems more full ibnr> 
 
 Zz 
 
 Peter's 
 
3^2 
 
 St. J O II N. 
 
 Chap. IX. 
 
 we meet wiili in Tcripture : Nay, it fecms n':ore full than 
 Pfter'* coni'eliion ; for thofe additional words, vjhichjhculJ 
 come into the -jnorld, are not in hi? confelTion ; the Tim is, 
 (he believed Chrift to be chevery Meli'ias, who was lypilled 
 and prefigured, prophelied of, and proniifed to the Old 
 Teft.iniciu l"ii:i;>, as the perlon that in the fulnef* of time 
 fh.T.dd cDin^ : '."-) the world for rhe redemption ind falva- 
 tion of If. Thyj art tki CIt'iJ} , the Son if Cod, -jjhich 
 fh'juld coins into the 'jj'jIJ. Her.ce learn, That Chrift is 
 n»;ver righily believed in, nor regubrly depended upon, for 
 faK'ition, exce;>t he be owned and acknowledged to be the 
 eternal Son otGod. Mariha was now fully perfuadedof 
 ChriiTs divine narnre, of which the beft of the diftiples, 
 ttil at'terour Saviour's ref'irreflionjhad but a faint and un- 
 certain perl'u iiion. 1. How tarneft and intent our Savi- 
 our wa» to dil'patch the errand he came upon ; namely, 
 to raife Laz.i! us from the grave, and to comfort the two 
 nournful lifters : He would nt)t fo much as enter the 
 houfe, till he h.id effected his work ; and therefore he goes 
 ftraic to the grave, which probably was rhe place wher« 
 Mary met him : Lord! it was thy meat and drink to do 
 xhi will of thy F.uher; it was thy meat and drink by day 
 thy rell andrepofe by nighr. How unlike are we to thy- 
 felf, if we fuller either cnr pleafures orour profit tod'.vert 
 tis from our duty ? 3. What hafleand fpeed Mary makes 
 j»b attend upon our Saviour i /he arofe quickly, and came 
 >j!Ko him. Mary's love added wing", to her morion. — 
 The Jews obferving her haily motion, having a loving 
 lufpicion th.Tt fl'.e is gone to the grave to weepthcre; but 
 their thoughts were too low ; for whiltt they luppofedthat 
 flie went to herdead brother, fhe was waiting for a living 
 Saviour. And Ike that ufed to fit at Jefus's feet, now falls 
 at his feet, with an awful vener.ition ; the very gt-ltnre was 
 fupplicatory. And her humble jiroflration was feconded 
 «-ith a dolefn) lamentation, Lrtrtl, if thzu hajl been here, 
 my brother had nit died Where note, A mixture of faith 
 with human iulirmity. Here was ftrength of f.iitb in 
 afcribing fo much power to Chrift, th.it hi? prefence could 
 preferve t'rom death ; but here was infirmity in fuppoling 
 the necedity of Ciirid's prefence for this purpofe. Cer- 
 tainlv he that did raife him from death, being prefent 
 cou!i! have preferved him from dying, being abfent, had he 
 plsafed. This was Mary's moan. Lord, hadfi thou been 
 htre, v'.y brother hadj} not dii4; full of afJVdon, butnotfree 
 from frailty aad infirmity; However, Chrift takes no ru);ice 
 «f her errors and infirmity, hut all the reply we h^ar of 
 ii a i-ompalHonate groan, which the following verfes ac- 
 quaint us with. 
 
 ^3 Wht:' Jefiis therefore faw her weeping, and 
 the Jews alfo weeping which came with her, he 
 groaned in the fpint, antJ was troubled, 34 And 
 laid, Whf vc liaveye laid liimi" They fay unto him 
 Lord, coinc 'd fee, 35 Jefus wept." 36 Then 
 fuid the J'^w., behold how he loved him ! 37 And 
 luinc of them faid, Could not this man which opened 
 the cyt:s of the blind, liave caufed that even this 
 ruin Ihould not have died ? 
 
 AVe here, 1 . The cmdoleBcy »nd tender fynipithjr ex- 
 
 prefTcd by our Savii^ur upoTi this occaCioa he groaned in 
 hit Spirit, and was troubled .• Or as the original has it, he 
 troubled iiimfelf, intimating that our Saviours padions 
 were pure and holy, not l.kc ours, tn jddy and mixed with 
 llnlul imperfcJlion. The coilimoiions of his afFcC^ions 
 were like the Ihakingofpure waierin a chrjftal glals, which 
 ftill remains clear ; and they arofe and wtre caJmtd at his 
 pleafure : he was not overpow ered by ihem, but had them 
 at his command. Learn hence, That .is Chrift took upon 
 him the -human nature, fo he did affunie alfo human affec- 
 tion?, thereby evincing hiuiftlf to be our brother and near 
 kinfman, according to the flcfli. (2.) That the pafiiont 
 and aftectiops, 'whicli our S.iviour had and, exprefled, were 
 always holy and innocent ; he was not without them, but 
 he was above them ; they did never violently and immo- 
 derately trouble him, but wlieu he plea'ed he troubled hint 
 felf. J'(/I//orofl«f(/ i«y/>rr;/, and troubled himfelf. A'o/e, 
 2. How our Saviour manifefts his condolencyand tender 
 fympathy with Martha and Mary, by his weeping, Jejhs 
 wept ; partly for compallion, and partly for ex3mj>le; in 
 compalli*!, lirft to humanity, to fee howmiferably tin had 
 debafed the human nature, and rendered nian like unto the 
 brute beaftj that perifh Secondly, in companion to La. 
 zarus, whom he was now about to bring back into a Cuful 
 and troublelbme world. Thus St. Jerom, Non fltvit 
 Chrijius lachrymus nojtres &c. "Chri'l, fays he, di.j not. 
 weep our tears ; he mourned over Laz.arus, not bctsufe 
 ds\iA, but becaufenow to be brought ag)in to life.'' 
 Agiin, Chrift wept for our example, to fetch fighs.:;.d tears 
 from us, at the fight of others miferie*, and tfpec'..illy at 
 the funerals of our godly friends. Learn hence. That 
 mourning and forrow,and thisexprcffedby tears and weep- 
 ing, is an affcflion proper for thofe that go to funerals, 
 provided it be decently kept within due bounds, and is not 
 ex^efiive : for immoderate forrow is hurtful to the living, 
 and dllhonourable to the dead ; neither is it an argument 
 of more love, but an evidence of kfs grace. Note, 3. How 
 the Jews obferving Chrift's forrow for, admire his love to 
 dead Lazarus : Behold, how he lovrd him ! Chrift's love to 
 his people is admirable and foul amazing ; fuch as lee it 
 may admire it, but can neverfully comprehend it. 4. Hl># 
 Ibme ot the malicious Jews attempt tolelTen the reputation 
 of our Saviour, not willing to own him to be God, becaufe 
 he did not keep Lazarus from dying ; as if Chrift coulJ 
 not be the Son, becaltTc he did not at all times, and in all 
 cafes exert and put forth his divine power. Whereas 
 Chrift aoled ^freely, and i.o. neceffarily, governing his 
 aclions by his own wifuom, as he faw moft conducing to 
 the ends and purpofes of his o'.\ n glory. 
 
 38 Jefus therefore again groaninjj in liimfclf, 
 comethto the grave. (It was a cave, andafloneia/ 
 upon it. 39 |efus laid, Take ye away the flunc. 
 Martha, the fiiler of him that was dead, faith unto 
 ham. Lord, by this time he flinkcth : for he hath 
 been dead four days. 40 Jefus fai'h unto her, Said 
 I not unto thee, that if thou wouldclt believe, thou 
 fliould ;ft fee iHe glory of GoJ? .ji Then they took 
 away the Uonc /rom the place where the dead was 
 
 laid 
 
Chap. XI. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 ,^J 
 
 laid'. And Jefus lifted up his eyes, and faid, Fa- 
 ther, I thank thee that thou hafl heard me. 43 And 
 I knew that thou hearcft me always : but bccaufe 
 of the people which ftand by I faid it, th it they may 
 believe that thou haft fent me. 4^ An J when he 
 had thus fpokcn, he cried with aloud voice. Liza- 
 ru.s, come forth- 44 And he that was dead came 
 forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothej: and 
 his face was bound about with a napkin : Jefus faith 
 unto them, Loofe him, and let him go. 
 
 In thefe ver.'cs we find our I..oicl niliJrtfllng himfcif to 
 the miracle of r.iiCinji Luzarus from the grave. Firlt, he 
 coiiim.'inds them 10 take j .\ ay ihc ilone. But cou'tl not 
 th.it voice which raifed the de.id lediove tlie ftoiie? Yes, 
 no doubt ; but it is aKvays tlie ^^ill of Chrilt, tliat we put 
 forth onr uttnrit endeavours, and do wbjt we c.inin order 
 to our o« n deliverance. To remove the Uone, and unlis 
 the n.ii^kin, ^^.1s ill ihcir power ; thii therefore they mart 
 do; buf to raife the dead was out of tlieir power, this 
 thrrcfuie will Child do alone. Our hands mnftdotheir 
 uiiooft before Clirift will put forth his help. The flone 
 bcin^ thus removed, his cye^ begin ; they are lifted tip to 
 liL-aven, his Father's throne, from whence he expefts to 
 derive liii power : His torij.;ue feconds his eyes, and he 
 pr.iys u'lto his Father; Chriil, as God, wrought this mi- 
 laclebv his own power. ConiiJer liim as mediator, and 
 fo lie !.i«>ksup to his^ Father by pr.iyer; yetsve hear of no 
 prayer, but a thankfgiving only : Chrill'i will was his, 
 prayer; whateverCnrill willed, God granted ; Clirift and 
 bis Father having one cfTente, and nature, and one will. 
 Neither was it fi for Chrift to pray vocdly and audibly, 
 lell the iinbtlit\ inp Jews fliouUl lav, he did it by intrcaty, 
 nothing by power. Farther, That .^s Chrift, when he fpake 
 to 'his Father, lifted np his eyes; fo, when hefp-.ke 
 toLararuSjhe l.fted up his. voice, and cried aloud. 1 his 
 Ohrill did, tlist the ftrength of tlia voice iiiipht anfwcr the 
 ftrength of theaffeft on, (nice we vehemently utter what 
 we earneftly defn-e ; alio, that the grcatncfs of the voice 
 might anfwer to the grea'nefs of the work; but elpeciallv 
 thjt the hgjrers mij;ht be witnt (les, that this niighty work 
 was performed,- not by any magical enchantments, which 
 are commonlv miimbied forth with a low voce but by an 
 authoritivc and divine ccmnvand. In a word, might not 
 Chrift uttsr a loud voice at the raifmi!, of Lasarus, that it 
 nii^lu be a rcprefentation of that (brill and loud \'oice of 
 the lall trumpet at the general rcl'urrt ft'on, which l.'iall 
 fuund iiixo al! graves, and raile all flcfh t'roni their bed of 
 dull? Next, As the manner of our Lordls fpeaking with 
 a loud voice, fo the words I'pckeu by him ; Luzarus, come 
 forth. Chrift dinh not f.iy, Lazarus, revive ; but, as if he 
 fiippofed him already alve, he lays, Lazmus, zome jvih ; 
 lb let lis know, that they are aiive to hinij w.^o iire dead 
 to us. W hat a commanding word t!ii> was, Comef'jtth. 
 Not that it was in the power of thcl'e loud commanding 
 wordi to 7vSx, Laz,->rus, but in the quickening power of 
 Chrift \hich attended ;lipfe words. O blefied Savicur ! 
 iris thy voice v.hich we Ihall ere long liear founding into 
 tJ»eb*itioin of tlic iirave, ap.d raifing Ub from our bed of 
 
 duft ; It is thy voice that flull pierce the rocks, divide the 
 mountains, and echo forth throughout the univerfe, laying 
 Ar]fe,ye dead, and com', to judgment . Laftly, How readily 
 obedient Lazarus was to the call and command of Chrift; 
 He that was dead came f.rth ; And if L.i'i irus did thus 
 inftantly ftart up at the voice ef Chrift in the day of his 
 humiliation, ho.v (hall the dead be rmized up out of their 
 graves by that voice w hich will Ihake the powers of heaven 
 •lud move the found.itions of the earth iu the day of his 
 glorification! QucJ} . But where was Laz'.irus's foul all that 
 while that he was dead ? If in heaven, was it not a wrong 
 to him to come from thence? if not, doih it not prove 
 that the foul flceps as wfllas the body? Anf. SouKgonot 
 to heaven by necenitation,as the fire naturally and necef- 
 farily afcends upwards, but are difpoled of by God, as the 
 fupreiHC Governor ; thofe that have ferved him go :o 
 heaven, and thofe that have ferved the devil go to heU ; 
 and thofe that are notyet adjudged to either place, butare^ 
 to live prefently agiin upon earth, as Lazarus was are re- 
 ferved by God accordingly ; whether (hut up in the body 
 as in a fwoon, or whetber kept in the ciift-.jdy and hinds 
 of an angel not far from the body, wsiting his pleafure, 
 either to reftore it to the body,ortore;urn it to its proper 
 ]jlace of blifs or mifery, the fcripture has not told us 
 whsther ; and it would be too great a curioiity to eiiqijire 
 and greater prcfu;np;ion to determine. 
 
 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary 
 and had feen the things which Jefus did, beiievtd' 
 on him. 46 But fome of them went their ways to 
 the Pharifces, andtoldchem what things Jefus hid 
 done. 47 f Then gathered the chief priclls and the 
 Pharifecs a council, and faid. What do we P for tjiis 
 man doeth many miracles. 48 If we let him thus 
 alone, all men will believe on him : and the Romans 
 fliall coine, and take away botii our place and nation. 
 
 A^o/f here, i. The 'difterent eifctls which this miracle 
 had u]ion thole Jews who ivere prefent at the railing of 
 Laiaius : Some of them believed on Chrift ; but others, 
 perfifting in their unbelief, vent to the Pharil'ees and in- 
 formed againft them. Notw ithftanding all the evidenct- 
 which our Saviour gave of his being the Mellias, by the 
 miracles which he w rouglit, yet m.iny rejected him, and 
 relufed tobelieve in him, to their uiiu!ter..ble and inevita- 
 ble condemnation. 2. How greatly dirturbtd the Fharifees 
 were upon the account of our Saviour's miracles: know- 
 ing how proper-an argument they were to convince men, 
 iiiey concluded, that if Chriil were fiifTe'refl 'o go on 
 and work miracles, he would draw all men after in. 
 learn hence. That Jefus proved liinitf If to be the .rue 
 Mcfiias by the miracle winch he wrought, liis enemies 
 then;relves licing judges : For we fiv.d hei ' the wcift 
 of »'Ur Saviour's enemies werQ . ufraid f ' his .uiracles 
 that by them he would draw all men after him; ]f 
 •are ht kim alone, i,U men '.uill bdu-'-e on him. Note, 3.- 
 What was the ground of the Piiar>fce5 fear, if they let 
 Chrift goon to work his miracles, tint he would li.i^e 
 fo m:inv fcllowcrj as would alarm the Roui-nj and avaken ' 
 Zz 2 itifttr- 
 
^ 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xij. 
 
 iheir Jcaloiify , and caufe them t« come upon them with ai> 
 ;.rmy, to Jeprive thciij of the little liberty ihey indul{>ed 
 them, and take away their pjjce and nation : Their place ; 
 that is, their placeofworfliip, the temple : AnJllnir natinn; 
 that is, bring the whole body of the Jewifh nation to utter 
 dellruifHon. Learn hence, How all the entmies and op- 
 pofers of Chrift and his kingdom do endeavour to colour 
 their quarrel with fome fpecious pretences, that they may 
 hide the odioufnefs of their pradlices from the eye of the 
 world, and may nat be openly feen to fight againll God. 
 Thus the I'hirifees here perfecute our Saviour, not as the 
 Melliis (though the miracles he wrought "vere a fufEciciit 
 evidence that he was fuch} but as one who would bring 
 ifuiii upon their nation : If we let him atone, the Komani 
 •will come, and take tnuay both our place and nation, 
 
 49 And one of them; n<7wi^(i Cainphns, being the 
 high prjett thatfamc year, laid unto them, Ye know 
 nothingatall, 50 Nor conTider that it is expedient 
 for us, that one man Qiould die for the people, and 
 that the whole nation perifh not. 5 1 And this 
 ipakc he not of himfelf : but being high-prieft that 
 year, he propheficd that Jcfiis fliould die lor that 
 nation: 52 And not for that nation only, but that 
 alfo he Ihould gather together in one the children 
 of God that were fcattered abroad. 
 
 The foregoing verfes acquainted us with the apprehen- 
 fion w hich the chief prierts had the necefruy ot taking 
 away the life of our blefled Saviour : LeJ} the Romans fiouU 
 take aioay both their place and nation : Now here in thele 
 verfes Caiaphasthe high-prieft delivershisopinion, forthe 
 preventing of this danger: He tells the reft, that they ought 
 not to bogle at the matter, but come to apofitive and pe- 
 remptory refolution to provide for the public fafety.riiiht 
 or wrong ; and that it is a great folly to prefer one man's 
 life, though never fo innocent, before a nation's welfare: 
 a moft wicked anddeviliih fpeecli : as ajudgehc regarded 
 not what was lawful. But as a wicked politician he con- 
 fulted what was expedient ; he declares, that one man 
 though never fo good and holy, though never fo juft and 
 innocent, had better die than a whole nation fuffcr ; as 
 where it is in any c^(e unlawful to do evil that good may 
 ronic. Learn hence, That although it be the duty of all 
 perf(ms to pray for, and endeavour after the public wclf.ire 
 of a church and nation, whereof they are mensbers; yet it 
 ijalropether unlawful to promote thegreateft national gocd 
 by wicked and unlawfj] means. Father, How God over- 
 ruled the tongue of Caiaphas beyond his own inientirn, 
 prophetically toforctel that great good, which by our Savi. 
 our's deatli fhouldcotiie to tlie world, and that thefruit and 
 benefit of his death Hioold not oulv extend to the Jews, 
 but to the Gentiles alfo ; and that helhould gather in one 
 bDdy, or church, all that truly believe is him, though far 
 jiid wiile ilifperfed upon the face of the earth. Learn 
 1. Tlia: the fpirit of prophecy did fall fometiincs upon 
 very b.'id men, and God has been plcaftd to leveal feme 
 p.^rt c.f his mind to the wotft of men. Thus Pbaraohand 
 IS'cbuthjdiKiicr had in their dreams a revelation from 
 
 God, what things he intended 10 Jo. 2. Tliat k is con» 
 fiftent with the liolinefs of God, fomeiimcs foinake ufe of 
 the tongues of rhc worft of men, to publifli and declare 
 his will. Caiaphas here, though a vile and wicked man 
 was influenced by God to prophecy and fpeak as an oracle 
 Almighty God may, when he ple.ifes, employ wicked mert 
 this way, without any prejudice to his holinefs : 7 his Cm- 
 (iphas /poke not of himfLlf,hul ,beiKg high pri/ J} that year, iic^^ 
 
 53 Then from that day forth they took counfcl' 
 together for to put him to death. 54 Jelus thcix;- 
 fore walked no more operdy among the Jews ; but 
 went thence unto a country near to the wildernefs, 
 into a city called Ephraim, and there continued 
 with his difciples. 55 5 And the Jews paffover 
 was nigh at hand : and many went out of the coun- 
 try up to Jerufalem bclore the paffover to purify 
 themfelves. 56 Then fought they for Jefus, and 
 fpakc among themfelves as they flood in the temple, 
 What think ye, that he will not come to the feaft ? 
 57 Now both the chief priefts and the Pharifees 
 had given a commandment, that if any man knewr 
 where he were, he fliould Ihew it, that they might 
 take him. 
 
 A'o/f here, i. How bsneful and deftrihftive evil counfcl 
 is, efpecially out of the mouths of leading men, and how 
 foon embraced and followed. Caiaphas no fooner pro- 
 pounds tlie putting of Chrift to death, but from tbit flay 
 forward they lie in wait to take him. The high priefts liad 
 faiisfied their confciences, and now they make all poflible 
 fpeed to put their malicious defignsand purpofesin exetu- 
 tion. 2. The prudential care and means which our Lord 
 ufeil for hisown prefervaiion ; toavoid theirfury, he with- 
 draws himfelf privately into a place called Ephraiin, and 
 there continued with his difciples. Ltam, As Chrift him- 
 felf fled, fo it ii lawful for his fervants to tiee. when their 
 life is conf|)ired againft by their bloody enemies, and the 
 perfccution isperfoii:d. 3. When the time was come that 
 he was to espofe himfelf, when the time of the paiTuver 
 drew near, in which he, being the true pafchal Lamb, 
 was to be (lain, to p'jt an end to that type, he with- 
 draws no more, but furrenders himfelf to the rage and fury 
 of his enemies, and dies a fliamelu! death for fhamelelii 
 finaers, as the next chapter mere at large informs us. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 THEN Jefus, fix days before the paffover, came 
 to Bethany, wjiere Lazarus was, which had 
 been dead, whom he raifed from the dead. 
 
 1 he latter e:id of the foregoing chapter acquainted us 
 with the prudential care of (Jhrilt, in withdrawing fronj 
 the lury of his enemies in and al»out Jerulalem, who were 
 confulting hi'- deftrucHon : His time not being fully come, 
 he gets out of the way of.his perfecutors : but now the 
 paiTuver being at hand, which was t^ie time this Lainbof 
 God was to die as a facrifJcc for tJie fi:: of the world, our 
 
CffAp. xri. 
 
 St. J O H ?s'. 
 
 c6r 
 
 Lord comes forth, firft to Bethany, snd then to Jerufalem, 
 not fearing ihe te«th of his enemies, but witha fixed refo- 
 Jution to encounter death and danger for the falvation of 
 bis people. His example teacheih us, That although we 
 arc bound by all lawful means and prudential methods to 
 preferve ourfelves from the unjuft violence of our perfecu- 
 tors, yet when God's time for our ruffering. is come, and 
 v.-e evidently fee tha* it is his will that we AifFer for his 
 fake, we ought to fe:our faces very chearfully towards it, 
 and relign up ourfelves to the wifdom and will of God. — 
 Thus did Chrilt here, chap. xi. 54. we find he withdrew 
 itom fufferinc:, his hour not being then come : But now 
 when the pafTovcr was nigh at hand, which was the time 
 when he was to fuffer, b« fet his face towards Jerufalem, 
 and withdraws no more. 
 
 a There they mado him a fuppcr, and Martha, 
 ffiTed : but Lazaras was .one of them that fat at 
 the table with him. 3 Then took. Mary a pound 
 of ointment, offpikenard, very coftly, and anointed 
 the feet of Jefus and wiped his feet with her hair: 
 and the houfe was filled with the odour of the oint- 
 ment. 4 Then faith one of his difciples, Judas 
 I fcariot, Simon's/)?;, which fliould betray him, 5 
 Why w^s- not this ointment fold for three hundred. 
 pChce, ^nd ;^iven to the poor ^ 6 This he faid, not 
 that he cared for the poor, but bccaufe he was a 
 thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put 
 therein. 7 Then faid Jefus, Let her alone: agamft 
 the day of my burying hath flie kept this. 8 For 
 the poor ye have always with J-ou, but me ye have 
 not always. 
 
 In thefe verfes, .Tn'account is given of our Saviour's en-, 
 tertaininent at Bethany after he had raifed Lazarus. A 
 fupper is made for him, at which Marth.i ferved, and La- 
 zanrs fat with him, but Mary anoints ChrilVs feet with 
 precious ointment. Where note, i. The tction which this 
 holy woman performed, ihe pours a box of precious oint- 
 ment uj-on our Saviour's head, ashe fat at meat, according 
 to the ciiftoni of the Eaftern countries at their feafls. I do 
 not find that any of the apodles were at thus much charge 
 and coft to put hoiioui* upon our Saviour a.i this poor wo- 
 man was. Hence learn^ That v. here (Irong love prevails 
 in the heart, nothing is adjudged too dear for Chrifb, nei- 
 ther will it fuffer iifelf to be (.ul-fliined by .any examples. 
 The weakeft woman that flrongly loves her Saviour will 
 vie with the greateft -Tpoftle, and pioufly flrive to exprefs 
 the fervour of her affedion towards him : Note, 1. How 
 this attion was refented and reflecled upon by murmuring 
 Judas, who valued this ointment at thiee hundred pence, 
 and grudged the beftowing of it upon Chrilt. Heacciiied this 
 hoiy woman of needlefs prodigality. Lord! how doth a 
 covetous heart think every thing too good for thee? He 
 that fees a ploas a£lion pe.'foruied, andietks to lefTon and 
 undervalue it, f.icws himfelfpoflcired with a fpirit ofenvy. 
 Judas'* invidious fpirit makes him cenfaie an aftion which 
 Chrift highly approved. Hence Ifurn, That men who 
 know not our hearis,may, through ignorance or prejudice 
 
 cenfuriE and condemn tJiofe aillons which God doth com- 
 mend, and will gracioufly reward. Happy was it for this 
 poor woman, thatilie had a more righteous Judge to pafs 
 fcntence upon her aflion than wicked Judas. 3. Hew 
 readily our holy Lord vindicates this poor v;oman ; Ok- fays 
 nothing for herfelf, nor need flie, having fuch an nifvi-cate, 
 ^.ho gises the reafon for her aiTtion ; She did ii f^r tny 
 burial. As kings and great perfons were wont in thofe 
 E.iftern countries, a: their funerals, to be embalmed with 
 odours and fweet perfiwnes, So faith olir Saviour, this 
 woman, to declare her fail h in me, as her King, and Lord, 
 tioth with tiiis box of ointment, as it were, before hand, 
 unbalin my body fcjr its buri.il. 'True (aith will put ho- 
 nour jpon a crucified, as well a? a glorified Saviour, This 
 holy woman accounts Chrirt" worthy of all honour in his 
 death, believing it would be a fweet finelling facriSce un- 
 to God, and favour of life unto his people. 
 
 9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that 
 he was there : and they came, not for jefus' fake 
 only, but that they might fee Lazarus alio, whom 
 he had raifed from the dead : 
 
 Note here. It was not zeal, but curicfity, which brought 
 theft perfons at this time to Chrift; they had an itching 
 defire to i'ee Lazarus, toinquire alter the truth of his death 
 and polfibly after the (late of the de.id, and the condition 
 that fep.trated fouls are in after death. Thus themiradts 
 of Chrill drew many followers after hisperfon, who were 
 never converted by his docrrine. It was the lin of many, 
 when Chrift was here upon earth, that they fl-icked after 
 him, rather out ofcuriofity than out of ccnfcience, and 
 chofe rather to gaze upon his woiks, than to fall in love 
 with the worker. The multitude here came to Bethany, 
 noi/or Jtfus'/ake only, Lut that they might fee Lazarus aljj. 
 
 10 ? But the chief priefts confulted, that they 
 might put Lazarus alfo to death ; 1 1 Becaufe thar 
 by realon of him many of the Jews went away, and 
 believed on |efus. 
 
 OhftrveheTe, i. The unreafonablenefs of that r.igeand 
 madnefs, which was found in the chief prieils agaiiiii La- 
 zarus. They an/ulted together h:ui they might put Lazarus 
 todtutk. But iuppofing that Chritl had fpokcn blnipiiemy, 
 in making hinii'elf equal with God, or fuppofing that he 
 h.id broken the fabbath, by curing thein:in that v.-asnorn 
 blind, on that day.; yet what had Lazaru> done that fee 
 TiiuU be put to ileath? But from hence wc learn, Thit 
 fuch as have received fpecial mercy and favour from Chrift, 
 or are made the inilruments of hi> glory, muft expect to 
 be made the mark and the butt of inalicioas cneir.ie*. 
 Chrili had highly honoured Lozarus, byraifing liirn from 
 tlir grave , and here there is a refolutioir agaii.ii his i:]'e, 
 whom Chrift had thus highly honoured \^The chief prirji s 
 confuiled that they ttt'ght put Lazaras to death ulfo. a, Ihe 
 caufe why the chief prielh confulted that they might put 
 Lazarus 10 deaiii ; namely, Becuul'e tlut fty rr:f;ii</f/im, 
 many 'jf the Jc^uj "xent a-ijjy, and believed in Jej-.is. '\ hat 
 is, many of the Jews, feeing the miracle ot Chrift'srailincr 
 Lavarus from the grave, were drawn thereby'to believe m 
 Jelns Chrift; and lki^ fo enraged the chie.''pri;fts agiinil 
 
 L>s.:-nja 
 
J 66 
 
 St. J O H >J. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 I.jzarus, thi' they -fought to put him to death. Learn ■ thetenVple, apply tTiemfelvestoPhilip, that he would heJp ' 
 
 lience, That roihint; fo enrapes the enemies of Chrift, as 
 t!ie enlargement of his kingdom, and the fight of tht num. 
 ber of belisvers <laily increaling. This provokes the de- 
 vil's wrath and his leivants rage. 
 
 la H On the next day much people that were 
 come to the feaft, when they heard that Jcfus was 
 coming to Jerufalem, 13 Took branches of palm- 
 trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Ho- 
 fanna : lilcffed is the King of Ifrael that cometh in 
 the name of the Lord. 14 And Jefus, when he had 
 found a young afs, fat thereon ; as it is written, 
 
 behold, thy King 
 16 Thefc things 
 
 1^ Fear not, daughter of Sion 
 
 romcth. fitting on an afs's colt 
 
 undcrflood not his difcipics at the iirft : but when 
 
 '|efur was glorified, then remembered they that 
 
 thcfe thijigs were written of him, and tliat they had 
 
 clone ilicfe things unto him 
 
 them to a fight of lefu';. Sir, -wc vjiutdfce Jffus, It is 
 probable that this dtfire to fee ChriU, in thcfe perfuns pre- 
 cceded from euriofity only: but if it did produce true faith 
 in them, we may hence infer, that a fpintuul fight of Chrift 
 by the tfifcerning eye of a believers faith, is the moft glo- 
 rious, and confiquently, the moil definable fight in ihc 
 world ; and fo moft need? be, for it is a foul ravilhing, a 
 foul r..tisfying,aroiil-tran9l"o;miog,anda foul faviny, fight. 
 This fight of Chrift by faith will conftr.iin a foul highly to 
 admire, ami greatly to commend hiiii. It will incline a 
 foul to chufe him, and cleave unto him, and will fet a foul 
 a longing for the full fruition, and final enjoyment of him, 
 Luke li. 29. Mine eyes haveften thyJulvati^n:N(j-^ht thy 
 fervant dtpart. How the envious Pharifees were galled 
 and'cut to the heart, to fee fuch a multitude both o Jews 
 and Greeks crouding into the city, to meet Jefus in his 
 triumphant entrance into the city : Tht Phatifees laid, De- 
 hild ihc -world is g'jne after him. Learn hence, Thai in 
 the day of Chrift's greateft foiemniiy and triumph, liic rt 
 
 e 
 
 will not be wanting^ feme perfons cf futh a cankf red dif- 
 
 Here wc have recorded the carriage cf the multitude, nofuion, that they will neither rejoice themfelv^, nor can 
 
 towards our Saviour, when he came near the city of Jeru- 
 falem : They take palms in their hands, and go forth to 
 meet him, and cafl their garments oij the ground before 
 him to ride upon: yea, they do not only difrobe their backs 
 hut expend their breath in joyful acclamations, aiul loud 
 htfiinnahs, wifhing all manner of profperity to their mecic, 
 but mighty King, In this prince like, yer poor ai:id defpi- 
 cablc pomp, doth our Savioor enter the lamous city of Je- 
 rufalem. Lord ! how far was thou from afPccling worl(!ly 
 grcatnefs and grandeur? Thou drfpifeft tliat glory which 
 cur hearts fondly admire : Yet bcraufe CJirift was a King 
 he would be proclaimed fuch. and have his kingdom con- 
 fefTed, and applauded, and blelTed ; ytr, that ii might ap- 
 pear that his kingdom was not of this world, he abandons 
 kll worldly magnificence. 
 
 17 The people therefore that was with him. when 
 he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raifed him 
 from the dead, bare record. 18 For this caufe the 
 
 they endure that otht ri fliould. This was the cafe of the 
 wicked Pharifees here. 
 
 23 f And Jefus anfwered them, faying, The 
 hour is come that the Son of man fltould be glori- 
 fied. 24 Verily, verily, I fay unto you, Except 
 a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it 
 abideth alone : but if it die, it brin':;eth forth much 
 fruit, 25. He that loveth his life fhall lofe it : and 
 he that hateth his life in this world, fhall keep it 
 unio life eternal. 
 
 Ohfcrve here, i. How our bleficd Saviour entertains his 
 followers with a difcourfe concerning his apprcaching death 
 and fulF?rings : The hour is coming, thiit the S:in rif man /kail 
 hepjorifird. 1. How he arms hisdilciples againft the ican- 
 dal of the ctofs, by Ihcwing ihem the great benefit that 
 would redound by his death unto all mankind ; and this 
 by a fi:iiilitude tsken from grain ; Except a corn of "wheat 
 
 people alfo met him, for that they heard that he had fall into the ground and die, it abideth ai.ne : That is, as 
 
 done this miracle, 19 The Pharifees therefore faid corn unfown, lodged in the barn, or laid up in the cliam- 
 
 ;iinoniT tbemfelves, Perceive ye how ye prevail no- Ij^''. "ever multiplies or increafes : but io-v it in the field, 
 
 -'----- - - - and bury it in the earth, and it niulripiies and increafes and 
 
 thing ? Behold, the world is gone after him. 20 9 
 And there were certain Greeks among them, that 
 came up to worfhip at the feafl : 2 1 The fr.me came 
 thereft>retoPhilip,whichzi^(7iofBcthfaidaofGah]ee, 
 and d<:fircd him, faying. Sir, »ve would fee Jefus, 
 £2 Philip cotntth and telleth Andrew ; and again, 
 Andrew and Philip tell Jefas. 
 
 Ohfervehere,^. How the multitude at Jerufalem came 
 forth to meet Chrhl, when he was making his public entry 
 into the city, he.iring the f.une of his miracles ; For this 
 rcufe the people olft »>» ■/ him, for thai they had heard that he 
 hud done this ntirarle. 2. How ;imongft others who came 
 forth to meet our Saviour, certain Greeks, or Gentile pro- 
 ftiytcs, who c»njf up 10 worfhip at the outward court of 
 
 l.rings forth a plentiful crop : So, if Chrift had not died, 
 he had remained what he was, the eternal Son of God , 
 but lie had had no church in the world : whereas his death 
 and fufferings made him fruftify : That brought a plenti- 
 ful increafe of cxaltatirin to hiinfelf, and fUvation to his 
 people. 2. How plainly our Saviour dtalt v/iih his fol- . 
 lowers ; he did not deceive them vk'ith a vain hojie and ex- 
 fj- ctation of temporal happinefs,but ttlh tliein plainl>',that 
 ill! that will he his ciftiples.nuft pi-ep.irc forfulFcriiigs,and 
 not think their temporal life. too dear to lay down for him 
 when he calisthem to it, this being the fureft way to fecure. 
 to themfelves life everlafting. He that lor'cthbis lifrjhatl ■ 
 l-jfe it. hut he thai hateth his Ife in this world, ffjall keep it 
 unto life eletual. Learn htnte, That the fureft way to 
 atiain eternal life, is cbearfuUy to lay down cur temporal 
 
 life 
 
Chap. xif. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 3^ 
 
 life, when the glory of Chrift, t»d the flonour of relig'on, 
 requires it at our hand. 
 
 26 If any man ferve me, let him follow me : and 
 wh.re lam, tlicre (hall alio my icrvnnt be : if any 
 man i'erve me, him will uy Fatlier honour. 
 
 That is, " If any man aflumes the title, and enteis into 
 thcfacred engagement of being Chr.fl's ftrvant, lethisxon- 
 ♦erl'ition correlpoiid with liis proteiruii!, and let liim be 
 willing to follow me in tht thui ny path of affliclion and 
 fuff>;ruigs, froiH this alTur.ince, That ail Iiis grievous fuf- 
 feringsThall end in eternal joys ; H'here I am, there Jkall 
 my fervant be, aitd him will 7vy Fi'ther honour." Learn 
 lience, t. That all that will be Clirlft's fervants, nvuft be 
 his follrtwrrs; they iniift obey his dcfliine, and imitate 
 his example. 2. That ChrilVs fervants muft not expert 
 better ufjge at the hands of an unkind world than he their 
 iViader met with before them. 3. That fucli as ferve Chrift 
 h^ following of him, flia'.l at death fee him as he is, and 
 be with him where he is ^ Where I am, there Jhull ulfo my 
 Jervantbf. 4 That God will crown the fidelity and con- 
 Ihncy of Ch rift's fervants with the higheft dignity and 
 honour : If any man ferve me, him wiH my Father hu>:i,ur. 
 
 27 Now is my foul troubled: and what fhall I 
 fay ? Father, fave me from this hour : but fbr this 
 caufecamel unto this hour. 28 P'ather, glorify 
 thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, 
 
 faying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it a- 
 gain. 
 
 Whilft our Saviour was thus preaching ofhis own death 
 and fufTeriug^, a natural horror of his approaching paffion 
 (though fu' li as was without iln) feizes upon him ; Lis 
 r^Jther giving him a t-nile of that wrath which he was to 
 untiergo upon the crofs for our fins. Hereupon he betakes 
 himfelf topraycr. Father, fave me from this hour : this was 
 the harmlefs inclination of ijis finlefs nature, which abhor- 
 red lying uuJer wrath, and therefore prays againft it ; 
 yet (as it were) recalling hiwifelf, he fubmits to what his 
 office, as our furety, required of him, and prays again to 
 his Father to difpofe of him as may moft and beft conduce 
 to tbe purpofes of his glory ; Father, glorify thy name. 
 I.ear» htnce, i. That mere trouble is no fin ; Chriil's 
 foul was tri:ubled ; Chriftianity doth not make men fenfe- 
 lels; grace introducech no ftoical ftupidity 2. That fear 
 of death, efpecially when accompanied wir/i apprehenfions 
 of the wrath of God, ii more perplexing and foul amazing: 
 My Cout rs troubled, and -whrit Jhall 1 fay ? 3. No extremi- 
 ty of furterings ought to difcourage us from layin;:; claim 
 to that relation, which God (lands in to us as a Father. 
 Our Saviour, in the midft of his diftrefs, c:ills God Fa- 
 hcr : Father , five me from this hour. 4. In the extre- 
 mity of our lulFenngs, we may be iinporiunace, bui muft 
 not be prereniptory i:;()ur prayers; as Ch'riftin his agony 
 prayed more eani>;iHy, fumay weinours, but always fub- 
 mifively ;' Father fuve me from this hour ; hut for this caife 
 rume I unto this hour. 5. That our exemption from fuf- 
 feringmayfometimetbeinconfiftent with the glory of God. 
 FailHr,/c.vc vtefruH this hour ; Fatkir, glorify thy namt. 
 
 N'.te, laftly. The Fathc 's anf*er to the Sen's prayer : 
 There came a voice from Laven, faying,! huve glorlfi-dit, 
 andiuitlgkrify it agair. That ii, as Gcd the Fatlitr h..(i 
 been gloiificd in his Son's life, doarine, and miracles ; (c> 
 he would faither glority hin-.ielfin his death, re!"urrc<ft.on, 
 and aicciifion ; as alio by th^' niilhon of tlie Holy Ghoft, 
 and the preaching of the gcfpel for the rcnverficn f»f the 
 Gentiles to tlietnJs of iht earth. Ltam hence. That the 
 w hole work of Chrift, from tlie 'oweft degree of his hu- 
 miliation, to the higheft degree ofhis ex.iltation, was a 
 jjlorifying of his Father : he glertfied his Father by the 
 dortrine which he taught, he glorified his Father by thf; 
 miracles which he wrcught, by the unfpotied innocency of 
 ■his life, and by his unparalled i'ufferings at his dea'.h, by 
 his victorious refurredion from the grave, and by h;s 
 triumphant afcenfion into heaven. 
 
 29 The.people therefore that flood by , and heard 
 it, faid that it thundered : others (aid, An angel fpake 
 to him. 30 Jefus anfwered and laid: This voice 
 came not becaufe of me, but for your fakes. 31 Now 
 isthe Judgment of this world: now fhall the prince 
 of this world be cafl out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up 
 from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 
 (This he faid, fignifying what death he fhould die.) 
 
 AV/e here, i. The way of God in fpeuking to his people 
 by a voiceln thunder for the greater declaration ofhis glcry 
 and majefty. Thunderingsandlightnings, ul'ually attended 
 the vo^ce of God, cvenin confolations, and wlieii he fpake 
 comfortably to hi^ ov. n fervai.ts. Oh ! how dreadful and 
 Terrible then muft the voice of God be to his enemies, whei\ 
 lie /liall come in fl.i ming fire, to render vengeance to them 1 
 If there was fuch a dread and terror Inch thiinderings .ind 
 lightnings at the giving of the law ; Lord, what will there 
 be another day, when thou comeft to puniflf the violation 
 of that law! 2. The end why Go<l the Father now fpake 
 with an audible voice to God the Son ; it wts for hiscon- 
 folation, and the people's confirmation. Kis foul being 
 troubled, he ftood in need, as mediator, of comfort from 
 his Father ; and the people had here a farther and fuller 
 confirmation of his being the promilVd and true Meliias 
 that fo ihey might believe in hrm : This voice came not be_ 
 caujerfme; that is, not only or chiefly becaufe of me,but 
 to confirm your faith in the belief of this great truth, that 
 I am the Son of God, by whom the Father hath glorified 
 and will farther gloriiy hi^ name. -5. Our Saviour de. 
 clares a double efteft ai.d fruit of his death : i. The judg. 
 ment of this world : Novj is the judgment : sow Jhalt the 
 prince (.f this vjcrld be cjifl out : Thatis, my death v-ill be 
 the devils overthrow ; \Nill bring down fin, and deliver the 
 world from the tyranny and dimiiniin of fin :ind Satan. 
 1 hence, /earn, I. That Satan is tbe Prince and ruler cf all 
 thoie >.' ho live in fin ; not a Prince by legal rinhr, butby 
 tyrannical ufurpation. 7. That ihii uiurperSar.-.n will not 
 quit his pcirtflion, unlefs he be caft out. 3. That Chrift 
 by hisd;.'ath has caftout Sataii, and dethrcnid him, and de- 
 prived him ofhis tyrannical ufurparion. A'o-.y is the pi -y.ce 
 if this Tuorldc/ft out • that is, I will flioFily by my dea;h 
 dtliver the woild from ihe ftavery of iin^ and dcininiono 
 
 Saiiii 
 
S^8 
 
 Sr. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap, tu. 
 
 Sat.n«.,Di-.tip>rticubrly from tliatlJolatry, which the great- and finjrular prlvilcg* enjoyed ; the llglH tsviUh you, a 
 
 efb part c f the worlil were ihcn in flavery under. The perfonal light, Chrift ; a dcftrinallight, tl:e gol'pel : Both 
 
 fecond tfFt eland fruit of Chrift's death, which is here de- thefe brought with them a light of knowledge, anfwering 
 
 "clarcd, is hi^ dr.iwing all men unto him : IVhen I am liflfd our darknels of ignorance ; a light of grace and holinefs, 
 
 up fr':m ire cirtb, I \jUI drer.u all nifn unt'j me. There is anfwering our darknefs of (in, which we had brought upon 
 
 a t Aof.'ldlifting upof Chrift; the firft ignominious, when oiirfclvek; aiiJ a light of joy and comfort, anfwering the 
 
 he wai hung upon the crofs; the fecond glorious, in the 
 preaching of the gofpcl ; by this he draws all ihen unto 
 liim ; th:it is, by the preachingof (he gofpel, he calls and 
 invites all pcrfons to hinifelf ;. he olFcrs the benefits of his 
 dcaih to ail, ar.d gathereth a church to himfelf out of the 
 Gentile as well as the JewiHi world. Lchkh, i. That all 
 pcrfons are naturally unwilling to come to Chrift, they 
 muflbcilrawn. 1. That Chrift meritorioufly by hisdeath, 
 snd inftrumentally by the presciiing of the gofpel, draws 
 finners unto himfelf. 5. That it is not a few, or fmall 
 
 darknels of niifery anil horror, winch we lay under by 
 reafon of our guilt. 2. The tinje of enjoying this privj. 
 lege limited ; yrt a little ■niLile is the light -with you. The 
 time of a people's enjoying the light and liberty of the 
 gofpcl, it is a limited time, it is a fhort time. 3 A duty 
 enjoined, by Chrift, anfwerablc to the privilege enjoined 
 by US; lyalk -j,'f:il// ye huve Ucht. An uniform and con- 
 ftant courfe of holy walkmg, according to the rule of the 
 gofpel, is the indefpcnlible duty and obligation of all thnfe 
 that enjoy the light and liberty of the gofjjtl ; namely, to 
 
 number, hut a very great number, confiftingbothof Jews walk according to the precepts and commands ot the goC- 
 1/^^ .1 I 1 If r , r ,1 • /• pel anfwerable to the privileges and prerogatives ol the gcrf 
 
 pel, anfwerable to the helps and fupplies of grace which 
 the gofpel affords, and anfwerable to the glorious hope and 
 expeftjtion whichthe gofpel raifes us unto. 4. A danger 
 threatened to the ncgleclers of this duty ; lejt darkneft 
 come upon you : Namely, a darknefs of ignorance and ju- 
 dicial blindnefs, a darknefsof errorand feduclion, a dark- 
 nefs of horror and defpair, andthefat^l and final darkneft 
 
 and Gentile',' bond and free, perfons of all nations, fexcs, 
 snd conditions, whom Chrift draweth : Not that all are 
 effcchially drawn to Chrift, fo as favingly to believe in 
 liim ; but, by the preaching of the golpel, they are called 
 and invited to him, and the bcnefitof his death areoffered 
 to them. Thus Chrift being lifted up upon his crofs, and 
 nn the pole of his gofpel, draws all men unto him ; that 
 is, doth what is fufficient to prevail with all men to believe 
 
 on him, and 10 render thofe that do not fo, everlaftingly of death and hell; forall contemners of gofpel li^ht, there 
 
 ii.excufable. is refervedihe blacknefs of da-kntfs forever. VV"here fri 
 
 34 The people anfweredhim, we have heard out "i T"'T ['"^^'l'^'!'*^'' '^'''' '°"'""' '"^^" '^"^ ^*"' 
 
 r 1 1 1 /~.i n 1 • 1 L r 1 , and their hn feeds their torment, 
 
 or the law, that Chnit abideth rorever : and how 
 
 fayeft thou, The Son of man muft be lifted up? 
 Who is this Son of man ? 35 Then Jefus faid unto 
 them, Yet a little while is the light with you : 
 walk while ye have the light, left darknefs come 
 
 37 1 But though he had done fo many miracles 
 before them, yet they believed not on him : 38 
 That thefa)ing of Efaias the prophet might be ful- 
 filled, which he fpake, Lord, who hath believed 
 
 upon you : for he that walketh in darknefs knoweth our report ? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord 
 
 not whither»he goeth. 36 While ye have light, 
 believe in the light, that ye may be the children of 
 light. Thefe things fpnkcjc/i+s, and departed, and 
 did hide himfelf from tliem.,,. ' „ ■ 
 
 Oi'/erve here, i. The objeftion which the Jews make 
 agninft our Saviour's being the true MelTia5. Their argu- 
 ment is thus : " It was foretold underthe law, that Chrift, 
 or the Mefiias-abideth for ever ; but thoufayeft, that the Son 
 of man muft be lifted up and die. How then canft thou 
 be the promifcd MefH.is?" The anfwer is, "In his ftate 
 of humiliation unto dc.".th, he was lifted up: but, in his 
 llate of exaliaiion, he abideth for ever." Learn hence, 
 That Chrift's lifting up by death, and his abiding forever, 
 dovciy well cnnfift togetiier j for both are true of him, 
 the one in his Jt.ite of humiliation, the. other in his ftateof 
 exaltation. 2, Our Saviour renrns no anfwer to their 
 cavilling'obitdion, <iordoth he undertake to tiemonftraie 
 how his fuflviings ^nd his .abiding for ever are conliftcnt ; 
 j)ut gives them intimations that he was the light of the 
 world, and arlvifes them, svhilft they had the light with 
 them, to prir.e it highly, and improve it faithfully : Tel a 
 
 been revealed ? 39 Therefore they could not be- 
 lieve, becaufe that E'a.as faid again, 40 He hath 
 blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart ; that 
 they (hould not fee with their eyes, not underftand 
 with t/teir heart, and be converted, and I Qiould heal 
 them. 4t Thefe things faid Efaias when he faxr 
 his glory, and fpake of him. 
 
 The place which our EvangeliAs allude to, is, Ifa. vi. 
 vcr. 3. Holy, holy, holy , it the Lord'iflnfis, the while earth 
 is full of his glory. From whence a clejr argument for 
 Chrift's divinity may be thus drawn. Fie whom Ifaiah 
 faw environed with fer.iphims, andpraifed ..iiiioft holy by 
 them, was the true and eternal God ; for fuch acclama- 
 tions belong to none but the great Jehoral;, God blefJed 
 for evernn)rc. But, fays St. John, it was the glory of 
 Chrift that Ifaiah faw in his vifion, if was Chrift \.hon» 
 he called, Holy, holy, Stc. therefore Chr'lMs undoubtedly 
 God bleffed for evermore. For the E^'angelill was not 
 fpeaking of the Father, but the Son, and cites thefe words 
 out of Ifaiah ; fo that it was the Glory of the fecond per- 
 
 fon that Ifaiah faw and fpake of, if the words of the Evan- 
 littU-jjlile the light is -with you, -walk while ye have the gelift be of any credit. Btfides, the angels are too holy to 
 tight, Uildnrkneftcovfetiptnyov. Nolebsre, i. A choice give acclam^tic"s belonging to Cud, to a::y but bim that 
 
 is 
 
C«AP. XTI, 
 
 Iff. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 3^9 
 
 is God. Note hera, i. The aftonifhing infidelity and un- 
 belief of the Jews, who heard our Saviour's dodrine, and 
 were eye-witncfles of his miracles ; thiugh he had ilone Jo 
 many miracles b<fire them, yet they believe ti not on h'lm. Let 
 not the faithful miinflersof Chrift be difcouraged, and over- 
 much dcjefted, at tiieir want of fenfc in difpenfing of the 
 gofpel, when theyohferve andconfider the fmall fuccerscf 
 our Saviour's own niiniftry in the hearts and lives of his 
 hearers ; yea, though his miniflry was accompanied with 
 miracles, and though his miracles were many in number, 
 mighty in nature, clearand obvious tofenfe, being wrought 
 before their eyes, yet his miniftry fucceeded not, and his 
 miracles prevailed not : f^ord, what little fuccefs has the 
 ofFer of Chrilt in the gofpel met with, from the firft origi- 
 nal tender to this'day ? Obftinatc infidelity, and curfedhy- 
 pocrify, draw more fouls to hell than all the devils in hell. 
 2. How the prefenc infidelity of thefe unbelieving Jews 
 was long before foretold, andpropheliedof, by the prophet 
 El'aias, chap. liii. i. Lord, -.uho hath believed our report ? 
 That is, our preaching. Where note. That Ifaiah's com- 
 plaint of the fmall iuccefs of his preaching, wasa prophecy 
 and prediction of the Jirge fuccefs that Chrift and his mi- 
 nifters fliould have under the gofpel. Learn hence, That 
 the gofpel in all ages has met with more that have rejefted 
 it by unbelief, than have favingly entertained it by faiih. 
 Ifaiah compLVmed before Chrift, and his apoftles and mi- 
 niflers in every age fince.that tew have believed their re- 
 ports. 3. That though theprefentunbelief of theobClinate 
 Jews was long foretold by the prophets of God, yet the 
 prophets prediction was no caufe of their unbelief, or that 
 which laid them under an impolTibil'ty of believing ; but 
 the. fault lay in their own oWtinate will, with rcfpeit to 
 which, by the juft judgment of God, they were blinded 
 and hardened, for their contempt of Chrift, the promifed 
 Mellias. When men dofe their eyes wilfully, and fay they 
 will not fee, it is Juft with God to clofe their eyes judicially 
 and fay. They rtiall not fee. He hath blinded their eyet and 
 ■hardened their hearts, &c. Z^tfrw hence,That the infidelity 
 of the people is toberefolvcd into the perverfaefs of theit 
 own wills, and the evil difpofitions of their, own hearts, not 
 to any judicial bhndnefs or ohduration wrought by God 
 upon them, antecedent to their own fin : God*i ai5t of 
 hardening was confequential upon their finning. 
 
 42 f Neverthelcfs, among the chief rulers alfo 
 ■many believed on him: butbecaufeof the Pharifees 
 they did not confefs lum, left they fhould be put out 
 of the fynagogue. 43 For they loved the praife of 
 men-;nore than the praife of Cod, 
 
 7yro/<?here, i. That though the generality of the Jews 
 were thus h.irdened under Chrift's miniftry and miracles, 
 yet there were fome, and thofe of thechiefrank, even rulers 
 that did believe on him ; that is, they were under ftreng 
 and powerful convidions, that he was the true and expeded 
 MelTias. Even in times and places where obftinacy and 
 infidelity moft prevails, the miniftry of the word fhall not 
 be altogether withoutits fruit; Chrift here had fome, and 
 tlicfc of the rulers too, whobehcved on him, when others 
 •Oder the fame word were hardened .- Ntverthelcfs among 
 
 the cllefrulers alfo, andmany believfdmhim. %. That though 
 many of the chief rultrs had a Acret belief, or nn inward 
 pcrfnafion, that Chrift was the promifed and cxpe<fud 
 Meflias,yet it was not fufficient to m , l;e them cpenly ow u, 
 confefs, and avow him to be fnch,for fear of exc< nmionf- 
 cuion from the Pharifees: 7 hey did n'J confji kirn, lejt 
 they Jhoiild be put out of the fynagogue . Slavifli fear of men, 
 and futfering by them, has hindered many from believing 
 on ChrUt, and kept more from .in open owning and cou- 
 felhng of him : Becauft of the Pharifees thty did r.ot ft«- 
 fefs him. 3. As the fear of fuffcring 01; one hand, fo the 
 love of reputation on the other, kept__ihem from owning 
 and confeiling Jefus to be the Chrift: 7hey Uved the praife 
 of men more than the praife of God; that is, they valued 
 honour and applaufe from men, more than Gods honour- 
 ing and approving them. There it no greater fnare to 
 draw perfons from their duty, than inordinate love and 
 affection to their own credit and reputation. Oh! how 
 often is the applaufe and comp.iendation of men preferred 
 before the teftimony and approbation of God ! Here W3« 
 their fnare: They loved the praife of men, &c. 
 
 44. 9 Jefus cried and faid, he that believeth on 
 me, believeth not on me, but on him that fent me. 
 
 45 And he that fecth me, feeth him that fcnt me. 
 
 46 I am come a light into the world, that vhofo- 
 ever believeth on me: fhould not abide in darknefs. 
 
 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, 
 I judge him not : fori came not to judge the woHd, 
 but to fave the world. 48 He that rcjeCteth me, 
 and receiveth not my words, hath one that Judg- 
 eth him : the worcJ that I have ipoken, the ianie 
 fhall judge him in the laft day. 49 Fori have not 
 fpokcnof rayfelf : but the Father which fent me, 
 he gave me a commandment, what I fhould fay, 
 and what I fhould fpcak. 50 And I know that 
 his commandment is evcrlafting life: whatfoever 
 I fpeak therefore, even as the Father faid unto me, 
 fo I fpeak. 
 
 In thefe verfeswe have our BlelTed Saviour's farewelfer- 
 mon to the Jews concerning hisperfon, office and doctrine: 
 As'touching hisperfon, he acquaints them with his divine 
 nature, his onenefs and equality with the Father;. and ac- 
 cordingly challenges not only the aflent, but ^Ifo the obe- 
 dience ai.d adoration of their faith. Jefus cried, faying. 
 He that beliivcth on me, believeth n'A on me, but on him that 
 fent me : That is, that believeth on me, doth not believe 
 on a mere man, but on him that is truly nndVeallv God, 
 as well as man : And therefore he being true God, one in 
 eflence, and equal in power andglory with the Father, their 
 believing in him was bclievinjg Hi God the Father that fe-nt 
 him. 2. The argument which our Saviour ufes to prove 
 iliat believers in Chrift do believe in the Father: He that 
 feeth me, feeth him that fent me : That is, ' ' Me tliat feerh 
 me fpiritually, and by faith, feeth my Father to be one with 
 me in offence, thcHigh not in perfon ; and he that feeth me 
 in my miraculous works which I do, feeth him alfo that 
 3 A fent 
 
.•>70 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 GuA?. XJII. 
 
 ftMit ine, '.); wijom 1 ilo thefe mighty works." Lf^trn 
 hrnce, riu! we do not fee Chrid aright with the eye of 
 ' our fjiih, uiilef* we fee him, and believe him to be truly 
 and really God ; one wirh, and equal to the Father : He 
 ti.at ffttbi)it,/etth in me him that fcnt me. 2. That the 
 Father is not to be fecn but in the Son : nor can believers 
 Know what thcfather is, but by feeing what the Son is ; 
 and what tlicy fee the Son to be ; That theFathcrisiijhiin. 
 1,. Tl)c dreadiul judgment which Chilli denounre5at;aiiif^ 
 i'A unbelievers, .nnd luch as reject hini, by rcjcfting of his 
 gofpcl ; forihouoh, at Chrift'i firft coming, his errand was 
 not to judge the world, but to lave the world, that is, to 
 offer the tenders of fal vation to loft finiiers; yet at his fecond 
 coming he would judge thrm at the laft day ; when the 
 word preached to them, and r« je^ed by them, will give a 
 J!idici.il teftiinony againft thfm. Lenrn hence, i. That 
 Chrift and his doclrine are infeparable : to receive his doc- 
 trine, is to receive him ; and to reject his doftrine, is to 
 rejeft him. 2- That fuch rejefters of Chrift and the doc- 
 trine of the gofpel, fiiall not efcape the judgment of Chrift 
 at the great day. 3. That at the great day, w< re there no 
 other witnefs jgainftthe reje-ders-of Chrift and his gofpel, 
 'but the word preached, yet that alone will be fufficieniboth 
 for conviftion and condemnation: The vjord that I have 
 fpaken, the fame (hall judge him inthc I ajl day. The word 
 is now the rule of living, and it fiiall be hereafter the rule 
 of judging : Now it is the rule by which we muft live to 
 Chrift, then it fliall be the rule by which w-e flialj be judged 
 of Chrift. 4. The argument and realon nihich our Sa- 
 .viour produces, to prove that the word of God and the 
 iloftrine of the gofpel fligUted and rejected' fliould con. 
 demn finners at the great day, namely, from the divine 
 authority of his dodlrine ; for albei; his doftrine was his 
 own, as he was true God ; yet as man, and as Mediator, 
 it was not his own, but the Fathers which fent him; fo 
 that his word and dodtrine being divine, and the Father's 
 as well as his, (for he did not fpeak of himfelf ; that is, of 
 himfclf alone without the Father) it is fufficicnt to judge 
 and condemn all the rejecters and delpifers of it. Learn 
 ihence. i. That though the doftrine of the gofpel be 
 Chrift's own, as he is truly and really God, yet it was not 
 liisown as a mere man, exclufivc of the Father, who is one 
 God with him, and who gave him a comminfion and in- 
 ftruflion, as Mediator, to preath and publifli the gl.id ti- 
 dings of the gofpel; Fur, fays he, / have not fpoken ifmy- 
 fiif, but tht Father v/hichfent me gave me a c.mmanihnent . 
 a. That the dodcrine which Chrift delivered by command 
 from the Father, doth point out the way to eternal life, 
 and will bring left finners thereunto, if they fincerely be- 
 lieve it, and obey it : / know that his commandment if life 
 everlafiirg. 3. That therefore finners who rejefted the 
 doftrine of Chrift contained in the golpel, do highly dif- 
 hpnour, offend, and affront both the Father and Son, and 
 bring upon therr.felres a righteous judgement, and cxpofe 
 themfelves to unutterable and inevitable condemnation. 
 
 N 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 O W before the feaft of the paflbver, when 
 Jefus kn«w that his hour was come, that he 
 
 fhould d'-'put •ut of this wond unto the Father, 
 havin;j loved his o^n which were in the world, he 
 loved them unto the end. 2 And fupper beinj 
 ended, (the devil having now put into the Ite.Tt of 
 Judas Ifcariot, Simoi.'s Jar., to betiay him,) 3 
 Jelus knowing that the Father had given all things 
 into his hands, and that he was come from God, 
 and went to God, 
 
 Id this chapter is recorded the hiftory of our Saviour" 
 wadiing hii diftiplcs teet ; an sftion full of humility aiid 
 condeftenfion, and propounded to his fullowers imitaiion. 
 The circumftance of the lin.e is here noted, when this ad 
 was done ; namely, at the paffover, when the time of oin: 
 Saviour's departure was a: hand; and having conftantly 
 and immutably loved his own, he expreffes the prsmanency 
 of his love towards them to the end, by this aJlion of his, 
 in wafliiiig their feet. Yicve note, How Chrift chofe the 
 time of the Jewifh paffover to fuffer in, that he might prove 
 himfelf to be the fubftance of that type ; that he was the 
 true pafchal lamb, who by the facrifice of his death did 
 atone divine difpleafure, and taketh away the fins of the 
 world. 2. The means which the wifdom of God permitted 
 to bring the Lord of life to his ignominious death ; and 
 that was the treafon and perfidioufnefs of one of his own 
 difciples, Judas Ifcariot. ^'aereobferve, i . The perfon 
 betrayingjjudas ; Judas a profeffor and a preacher; Judas 
 an apoftle ; b»ing one of the twelve, whom Chrift had 
 chofen out of all the world to be his deareft friends. Can 
 we wonder to find friends unfriendly or unfaithful towards 
 us, when our Saviour had a traitor in his ownhoufe ? 2. 
 The heinoufnifs of Judas's fin in betr.iying Chrift ; he 
 bctrnyed Chrift Jefus a nian,Chrlft Jcfus his Mafter,Chrift 
 Jefus his Mike.- : The firft wasmurdcr, the fecond treafon 
 Lord ! 11 is no ftrange anJ uncommon thing, for ihe vileft 
 fins, and moft hcrid impieties, to be afted by perfons 
 making the moft eminent profeiTion of thy holy religion. 
 j> Whit hand the devil hud in the fufferings of our Sa. 
 viour : He put it into Judas's heart to betray Chrift, that 
 is, he did niggefl and injed fuch thoughts into his mind, 
 which Ijjdai inftantiy clofed with. The devil, being a 
 fpirit, has quick acccfs to our fpirits, and can inftil his 
 fuggeftions into them. As Chrift did breathe upon his 
 dilciples, and they received the Holy Ghoft,aijd were filled 
 with the Spirit ; fo Satan breathes filthy fuggeftions into 
 the Spirits of men, and fills them with all manner (if wick- 
 ediiefs, even with the fpirit of hell itfelf. 
 
 4 He rifed from fupper, and laid afide his gar- 
 ments, and took a a towel, and girded himfelf: 5 
 After that he poured water into abafon.andbcgaR 
 to walh the difciples feet, and to wipc<A<7» with the 
 towel wherewith he was girded. 
 
 '''Note here, The admirable humility and great felf-denial 
 of our Lord andMaftcr; He arifes from fupp?r,whilfthis 
 difciples fat ftill, and he that came in the form of a fervant 
 performs all the offices of the meaneft fervant to his dif- 
 ciples ; He lays afidehis upper garments, he girds himfclf 
 with a tpwel, pours water itto a bafon, and begins te wafli 
 
 and 
 
Chap. xiii. 
 
 Sr. J O H N. 
 
 37i 
 
 and wipe their feet, which lay out behind them, as they 
 leaned at the table : All which was a moftfervile employ- 
 ment. Lfarn hence, That the wonderful humility of Je- 
 fus Clirift inclined him to do the nieaneft offices of fervice 
 unro his ptople, even to become a fcrvant to them in the 
 day of his humiliation ; and though now glorified in hea- 
 ven, he retains the fame cnmpaffioiiate heart towards them, 
 as when here on earth: Hereby inftrudting ur, that it is 
 our duty, in whatever llation providence fhall place us in 
 the world, fo ftoop to the loweflofH.es of love and iervice 
 to cnr fellow brethren. Lord ! thou halt left the moft 
 amazing inftance of felfdenijl for our encoiiragcmentand 
 example. Q^'-ft- But how far doth this example bind us? 
 jinf-j}. It does not oblige to the individual aft, but to fol- 
 low the reafon of the example; that is, after Chrift's ex- 
 ample, we ought to be ready to perfcrm the lowell and 
 nieaneft offices of love and fervice to one another. 
 
 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter : and Peter 
 faith unto him, Lord, doll thou wafh my feet ? 7 
 Jefusanfwcred and faid unto him, What 1 do thou 
 icnowefl not now ; but thou flialt know hereafter. 
 8 Peter faith unto him, Thou fhalt never wafh my 
 feet. Jefus anfwcred him, If I wafh thee not, thou 
 hall no part with me. g Simon Peter faith unto 
 him. Lord, not my feet only, butalfofw^ liands and 
 tJiy head. 10 Jefus faith unto him, Hethat is wafh- 
 ed, needeth not, fave to wafh hn feet, but is clean 
 every whit : and ye arc clean, but not all. 1 1 For 
 he knew who fliould betray him; therefore, faid he. 
 Ye are not all clean. 
 
 A'o/^here, i. How Simon Peter refufes toadmit of fuch 
 a condefcending aftfrom Chrift his Lord and M-afhr, as 
 the wafliing of his feet : Lord! Thoujhall ntvcr iu/-i/h my 
 fret. It is a finful humility to refufe the oflered favours of 
 Chrift, becaufe we are unworthy to receive them. Though 
 we are not worthy of Chrift, and of his love, yetChriitis 
 worthy of us, and of our faith. 2. Oiir Saviour's reply 
 to Peter's refufal : 1. He* tells him. Thai there was more 
 iiP it, than the bare aft.of walliing did at firft light imycrt, 
 and that he (hculd know hereafter what he did not under, 
 ftand now. lyhat I do thou knnvje/} not now, hul thou (halt 
 know hereafter. i?<jrn hence i. Ihat tlie fervants of God 
 ihemlelves are often much to feek, and cannot apprehend 
 and underftand at prefent the aftings and dealing: 0/ God 
 with them ; they underftand not either the intent or the 
 event of God's difpenfaiions. i. That although God's 
 dealings with his children and people are for a while in the 
 dark, and are not prefently made known, yet there will 
 come a time for the clearing and evidencing of them, when 
 they fliall underftand that all his difpenfations v;ere in 
 mercy to them. The fecond pan of our Saviour's reply 
 to St. Peter fullows. If I vififtj thee n',t, thou hofl no part 
 Tu///" »j^; as if Chrift had faid, "Peter, this external acl 
 ot mine in waOiing.thy feet, doihfignify fomething farther, 
 and mporis my walhing of thy foul from the guiir and 
 dehiement of fin, without which thou canft neither hsve 
 iniereU iu me, nor communion with nxe." Learn heuce, 
 
 I. That fo univerfal is the pollution of fir, that every foul 
 ftands in necdofwalhing. 2. That Chrift wafhcih all that 
 have a part and intcreft in him, both from the guilt and 
 pollution of their (in. 3. Th.it St. H«ter now under- 
 ftanding better what was meant by this otitward wafhing, 
 namely that it did fignify and reprtfent the deanfing of 
 the foul from the defilement ef fin, he is fo far from refufing 
 that Chrilt fliould wafh his feer, that he ofi'ers his har.ds 
 and head, and all, to be walhed by him; Lord, not my feet 
 only. &c. L^arn hence. That fo thorough!/ fenfible are 
 the I'aiiits of the filthinefs and pollution of iin, that they 
 defire nothing more than an inward, thorough, and pre- 
 vailing purilicati-m ot their whole man, by the blood and 
 Spirit of the Lord Jefus. 4. Our Saviour's reply to St. 
 Peter's laft requeft, He that is ■u).:fhed, needtth not, fave to 
 ivaJJ) his feet ; plainly alluding to the cuftom of I hole coun- 
 trits, wliere going abroad bare foot, or with thin fandais, 
 covering only a part of their feet, they had frequent oc- 
 cj'.fion to w-afh their feet, but need not to v/r.fh their 
 V. hole bodies: in like manner, the (aints and fervan's of 
 God, who are already walhed and cleaned by the blood of 
 Chrill from the guilt of their fins, and have a real work of 
 renovation and ianctification begun in them by the Spirit 
 of Chrift, they ought to be daily purgingaiitlpiirifying their 
 affeclions and anions, and labouring daily after farther 
 mcatures and degrees of fancfificatiin. Learrihence, 1. 
 That tlicholieft, the wifcft,and the beft of famts, whilft 
 here in a world of fin and temptation, do ftand in need of 
 a dailv walhing by repcnta.ice, and accordmg to their re- 
 peated adt) of fin. 2. That all juftified perfons are in 
 God's accou:it clean perfons : Te are clean, rut r.'.t all; 
 that is, ycu are juftified and pardoned, fanclified and 
 cleanfed, all of you, excepting Judas, whole heart was 
 known to Chrift, though his hypocrifv was hid from the 
 dif'cjpL's. 
 
 12 So after he had walhed their feet, and hadt 
 taken his garmcnt.s, and was IVt down again, he faid 
 unto them, Know ye what I have done to your' 
 13 Ye call me mafter, and Lord: and ye fay well; 
 for^Iam. 14 If I then.jycur Lord and Sl.-ifler, 
 have walhed your feet, ye alfo ought to walh one 
 another's feet. 15 For Ihavegivenyou an example, 
 that ye fhould do as 1 have done unto you. 16 
 Verily, verily, I fay unto you. The Icrvant i* not 
 greater than his Lord-; neither he that is fent, great- 
 er than he that fent him. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour declares t.-viils difciples his 
 intention and dtfign in wafhing of their feet ; naipely, to 
 teach them by his example the duty of humility ; that as 
 he hsd performed that aft of abafenient towards them, lb 
 fliould they be ready to perform all offrcesof love and con- 
 de.f'teiirion one toward another : Beheld, I hriVe given you 
 an exitinple, tknt ye fhould do as Ikuve dine un:oyi,u. Learn 
 thence. That humility and mutual condefcenfionamoHgft 
 the members and mir.ifters of Jefus Chrift, is a moft nt- 
 cefTiry grace and duty, which the Son of God not only 
 taught by his doftrine, but recommended and iuforced by. 
 
£7« 
 
 Sr. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. kiii. 
 
 iiis example. Farthfr, The argument which Chrlftmakei 
 ufc of to prcfs the iniitition of his example upon them ; 
 unJ that is drawn from (he titles given to him l>y his dif. 
 tiples: Ye aill nte Mafler, and L'^^rd, and fo I am. Now 
 fcrvanis toimitate their mafters, ami fubjcfts toobey iheir 
 lord and king. Clirift is a matter to teach and direft; a 
 Lord to govern and proteft. As he is a Mafter, we are lo 
 learn in his fchool; as he is Lord, we are to ferve in his 
 hnufe : He miift be fobmitted to as a Prince, as well as a 
 Saviour. It is in vain to' expeifl falvation from him, if 
 we do not yield fubjfcTion to l»im. Another argument 
 which our Lord m.ikes ufe of to prefs his difciples to imitate 
 his example, is drawn from hisdignity andfuperiority over 
 them; The fervant it not greater than his majler. As if 
 Chrift had faid, "Though you my difciples are to have a 
 very high and honourable ftationin the gofpel church, yet 
 let not this fwell you with pride, but be you mutually con- 
 defcending to each other, remembering you are but ferv- 
 ants to myfelf, and ought to be fo to oneanother: And the 
 ftrvcHt is not greater than his Lord. Learnhence, t. That 
 whatever dignity Chrift confers upon his fervants and of- 
 ficers, yet he is over thenull, fupcrior to them, and above 
 them. 2- That the confideration of Chrill's dignity, and 
 his minifler'smeannefs, ought to keep their minds hun)ble 
 and lowly, and far from aliefting fuperiority over their 
 brethren : The ftrvant is not greater than his lord, nor he 
 that is fent, greater than he thatfent him. 
 
 17 If ye know tlicfe things, happy are ye if ye 
 do them. 
 
 Our Lord here intimates tons thefe two things: r. Th^ 
 nf ceflity of knowledge, in order to praftice. 2. The ne- 
 ceflity of praftice, in order to happinefs. A man may 
 know the will of God indeed, and not do it; but be can 
 never do the will of God (acceptably) and not know it. 
 The knowledge of Cod's will and our duty is neceff.iry to 
 the pradlice of it. The knowledge of onr duty and the 
 prn(5iice of it , may be, and too often are feparated ; but the 
 practice of religion, and doing what we know to be our 
 duty, is the only way to true happinefs. Learn thence, i. 
 that Chrift dc;th not approve of a blind obedience in his 
 people, but requires that their praftice and obedience be 
 founded upon underftanding and knowledge. 2 That^he 
 (irftcare of thore that willbe Chrift's difciples and follow- 
 ers, muft be this, with all ferioufnefs to appiv themfelves 
 to the knowleilge of their mafter's will. ^.. The next to 
 the knowledge of our duty, our firft andchief cire muft 
 he to the prac'tice of every thing that we underftsnd ai:d 
 know to be our duty. 4. That a right knowledge and 
 pnftice of our duty will certainly make us happy ; Jf ye 
 kn(rv theft things, happy are ye if ye do them. 
 
 18 f Ifpea'<.not ofycuall; I know whom I 
 have chofcn; but that the fcripture may be fulfil- 
 led, He that eatcth bread with me, hath lifted up 
 his lu'cl againfl me. 
 
 If the chofing fpoken of here be underftond of eternal 
 eledion, a chufing to everlafting life, then it affords a ftrong 
 argument to [rove Chrifl to be God : Thus r he ihji is 
 the author of e:ernal eleftion, xs, God ; but ChriS is iucb. 
 
 I inevj \.'htim I have cht/en. Gonfidcr Chrift as God, fo 
 we are chofen by him : Confider him as mediator, and fo 
 we are chofen in him. If the chooiing here be meant of 
 choofing to the work of the apoftlciliip, then our Saviour 
 tefls his difciples, that it need not fecm ftrange to them, 
 that he chofe one to be an apoftle/whom he knew would 
 prove a traitor; for hereby that fcripture prophecy, PTal. 
 xli. 9. would be fulfilled ; He that eateth tread -jiith me, 
 hath lifledup his heel againj} me ; which though it was lit- 
 cr;d!y fpoken of Achitcphel's treachery agaiuft David, yet 
 was it prophetically fpoken of Judas's ireafon jgainllChrif^ 
 and the rxpreffion of lifting up the heel is metaphorical, ta- 
 ken from a fed beaft, that kickbaga'infthis mailer. Learn 
 hence, That Chrift did, as his followersdo daily, fuffer not 
 only from open enemies, but from bofom and familiar 
 friends. Lord, how many are there in the woild, who 
 by profefTion lift up their hand unto thee, who yet by trea- 
 fon and rebellion lift up their heel againft thre. 
 
 19 Now I tell you before it come, that when it 
 has come to pafs, ye may believe that I am he. 
 
 Here another argument occurs, to prove the divinity of 
 our blcflcd Saviour, from his forekiio.vlrdge of Judas's 
 treafon: the pcrfon who, the time wh:n, and tlie place 
 where, were all known to Chrift. J telly u hef-re it come 
 to pafs. The argument lies thus : ''He 'hat forefaw the 
 future aftions of men, and infaliahly foreknew the future 
 events and iflues of things, is certainly God ; but Chrift 
 did this, therefore he is really God." And tells us here. 
 That for this verv reafon he foretold now the ireifon of 
 Judas ; S^'i-M I telfy)u before, thai when it bat come topaft, 
 ye may believe that [am he. WhatAi? doth he mean? 
 What he could foretel fo many things to come, w hich did 
 not depend upon neceffitry. but contigious cati.'es only ? 
 This he was not a mere man furely, for he knows not- 
 what fliall be on the morrow ; hat muft be real God, be- 
 caufe he fcncw all things, not by revela.ion, as the prophetj 
 knew things to come, but by immediate infpefiion, and 
 limple inftirntion, fo that we may fay with Peter, Lord, 
 thtti knoioef} alt things : And becaufe thou kn0".urfi all things 
 thou art God. 
 
 20 Verily, verily, I fay unto you, He that r#* 
 cciveth whomfoever I fend, receiveth me ; and he 
 that receiveth me, receiveth him that fent me. 
 
 Left his apofiks fhould think, that for the treachery of 
 one of them they fliould all become odious- andabominabte 
 to the whole world, our Saviour encourages and gives them 
 an sfTurance, that there would be tliofe that would receive 
 them, and that he would take it as kindly as if rhey receiv. 
 ed Jiimfelf ; He that receiveth y^u, receiveth me. Learn 
 hence. That it is a fweet encouragement to the rainifttrs 
 of Chrift unto the faithful difcharge of their duty, that 
 Chrift and the Father account that refoect paid to the mi- 
 nifters of the gofpel is paid to themielves; and on the 
 contrary, that all ihc contempt call upon them, refleds 
 upon thenifelvct : He that receiveth you, receiveth me; 
 and he that receiveth me, receiveth him thatfent me. 
 
 21 When Jefus had thus faid, he was troubled 
 
 in 
 
Chap. xiii. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 07.9 
 
 in fpirit, and teftificd, an<3-faid, Venly, verily, I fay 
 unto you, that one of you fhall betray mc. 22 Then 
 the difciplcs looked one to another, doubting of 
 whom he fpakc. 
 
 Oh, what an aftonifhing word vvas this ! One Jhall he- 
 tray me.' one of my dij'ctfks /hall betray n«e ! yea, ane of 
 yau my dJfciples andapoftles thall do it ! Well might they 
 look one upon another with forrow and amazement, to 
 hear that their Mafler Ihould die ; tiuc he (liould die by 
 treafon, and that the traitor fliouUi be one of theinfeJves; 
 yet do they not cenfure one another, but iiirpe(ft therwftlves 
 laying, Ma/ler is it I f not, Alaffer, is it Judas ? Learn 
 hence, i. That it is portibie for I'ecret wickcdiiefs to lurk, 
 yea, for the greaiell villainy to lodge in tiie hearts of pro- 
 feffors, in whofe converfaiion appeareth nothing that may 
 gtve a juft fulpieion to others. 1. That it is both the daty 
 and property of the difciples of Chrift to have fo much 
 candour and brotheily love, as not to ralhly cenfure and 
 judge ona another but to hope the beft ot others, and to 
 fear the worfl of tbemfelves. 
 
 23 Now there was leaning on Jefus' bofom, one 
 of his difciplcs whom Jefus loved. 24 Simon Peter 
 therefore beckoned to hitn, that he fhould aflc who 
 it fhould be of whom he fp.ike. 25 He then lying 
 on Jefus' breaft, faith unto him. Lord who is it? 
 26 Jefus anfwcred, He it is to whom I (hall ^ive a 
 fop, when I have dipped it. And when he had 
 dipped the fop, he gave it to Judas Ilcariot, tlie fon 
 of Simon. 27 And after the fop, Satan entered 
 into him. Then faid Jefus unto him. That thou 
 doeft, do quickly. 28 Now no man at the table 
 knew for what intent he fpake this unto him. 29 
 'Forlomeofthfm thought, becaufe Judas had the 
 bag, that Jefus had faid^unto him, h\xy tluft things 
 that we have need of againfl the feafl : or, that he 
 ihould give fomething to the poor. 30 He then 
 having received the fop, went immediately out: and 
 it was night. 
 
 Note here, i. The charafler (»iven of St. John the be- 
 loved difciple : he leaned on Chrift's boforn : that is, he ■ 
 had moft intimatt converfe with Chrift, one ♦k'homChrifl 
 treated with greater freedom and familiarity than the rtft, 
 and one that knew more of his heart than m(>(l of his dii- 
 ciplcs.- We commonly call a very near friend, a bofcm 
 friend. Learn, That although Chrift had an endeared 
 Jove for all his difc^Jes and follower?, yet there weie de- 
 grees in Clfrift'sown love, and he had a fan)iliari(y with 
 fome difciples bryond others, nhilft he was here upori 
 farth, even as now in heaven; thotrghliis heart be towards 
 all his children here on earth, yet he is pleafed to let out 
 more kind mauifeftations of himfelf, nnd more fcnfible 
 evidences of his love to'wards fometh^n towards 'others. 
 John W.1S the diftiplc that lay in Jefus's bofoin. 2. The 
 way which our Saviour t.)ok to vlricover Judas to the reft 
 of his diiciples, not by njui'mg him, but by giving him a 
 lop; partly becaufe he would not give Judas any provo- 
 
 cation by mentioning hi» name, and partly becaufe this 
 fi^n of eating the fop, was moft agreeable to the prophetical 
 prediction, Pfal. xli. 9. Mine cun famiLir friend, who did 
 eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel againfl me. 3. The 
 time when Judas received the fop, and theconfeqpent that 
 followed upon receiving it ; itwasat iliat time when he had 
 with an unbelieving heart and an unthankful fpirit, been 
 eating the paflbvcr which was a type o( Chrift. -Now 
 Satan enters into him ; that is takes fuller poffefrion of him, 
 and he gives himfelf up more freely and fully to the devil's 
 conduft and fuggeftion. Satan gets poHeflion ofwickitd 
 men gradually and by degrei's; not all at once ; the only 
 way to be fafe, is to refill at the beginnings of fin, for 
 when Sntan once gets' footing, it ishard to prevent amore 
 full pofleirion. 4. The place where Judas now was, 
 namely, at Bethany, fome mileb from Jerufalem, audit was 
 now night ; yet fo iutent was he upon the devil's workj 
 that away he triadgss to J-irufalem, and at that time of ■ 
 night repairs to the highpricfts, and fells his Saviour into 
 their h.mds. Oh, what a warmth and zeal was here in 
 the devil's caufe ! Men given over by Gcd, and polTclTed 
 by Satan, are fo reftleis "aid unwearied in fin, that neither 
 by day nor by night can they ceafe from the contrivance 
 and exLwUtion ot it. 
 
 31 5 Therefore when he was gone out, Jefus 
 faid, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is 
 glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, 
 God fhall alfo glorify him in himfelf, and ihall 
 ftraightway glorify him. 
 
 Note here, i .Our blefTed Lord calls his death his glory: 
 No-Mi! th' SoH'f man glorified : that is, now is the time at 
 hand when I am to die, and Ihall by my death f^nilli the 
 work of man's redemption, and therefore eminently glorify 
 God. God the Father was eminently glorified in the obe- 
 dience and fufFering'; of his dear and only Son. It is true 
 that the fiifFerings of Chrift were ijrnominions in them- 
 ielves, yet were they the waj' to his own glory, and his 
 Father's alfo, for by them he redeemed a k'it world, 
 trampled upon Satan, triumphed over fin ; and the Father 
 was exceedingly glorified by the Son's giving obedience to 
 his will, and f;; cheerfully fuffering : No-jjisthc Son of man 
 ghv'fiid, and C-id is glorififd in him, 
 
 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with 
 you. Ye fhall feck me : and, as I faid unto the 
 Jews, Whither i go, ye cannot come; fo., now 1 
 fay unto you. 
 
 A^'j/if here, An endearing compellation, a fwcet title given 
 by Chrift to his di/'ciples ; Little children; intimating that 
 tender afFt(5tion which he bears unto them, thougli now 
 upon the point of departing from them. Z,«7rw tliciae, 
 'J hat whatever Chrift's dealings are, or may be with his 
 people, in refpect to his removing and withdrawing from 
 them, yet he itill retains the relation of .t f.-ither to tliem, 
 and will in his ablence from them, exercilV iucb a care 
 o\»er them, as parents' haveof their young and lender chil- 
 dren ; fo much doth the title of childre:; imply and im- 
 port. Ohfrvf far:her. The plain iniiinstion which our 
 Saviour giyes to his difciples cf his dgaih being very nigh 
 
 (lor 
 
37^ 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. xiif. 
 
 (for It Wis the wery next day) he tells them he was going 
 10 heaven ; //hJ whither he went, theyconUnoi come ; that 
 j>-, not prefenily ; theySiouid follow him their forerunner 
 after A'jrds ; but at prclenthe had a great deal of work for 
 tUein toilo, though his own work wasdone ; and till they 
 had tinilhed their work,vjhither hewent ihey coulJ n',t come. 
 Learn hence, That though it be relt which the faints may 
 lawfully defire, an everL.ftingreft with Chrift in glory ,yct 
 mull they not refufe f<f. labour, whilft their Lord will have 
 It lo : Till their work be done, whither Chrill is gone they 
 cannot come: rejhdlfcekm?, hat vihithcr 1 i^'j, at prefent, 
 ye cannot come. 
 
 34 Anew commandment I give unto you, That 
 yc love one another; as I have loved you, that ye 
 alfo love one another. 
 
 Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from Iiis 
 difciples in the former verfe ; I g-> away, an J whither I go 
 yc cmnot come : in this and the following verfes, he gives 
 them a ftria charge, that in his abfence they fliuuld love 
 one another. This he calls a new commandment ; not that 
 it was new in regard of inftitution, but of reftitution ; 
 not new in regard to thefubftince of it, for it was a branch 
 of the law of nature, and a known precept of the Jewiih 
 religion ; but he calls it a new commandment, i. Becaufe 
 purged from the old corrupt glod'es of the Pharifees, who 
 had limited this duty of love, and confined it to iheir own 
 countrymen; whcreasChrift enlarges theobjea,and obliges 
 his difciples to love all mankind, even their very enemies. 
 
 2. Becaufe this duty of love was fo greatly advanced and 
 heightened by our Saviour, as tothemeafure and degrees 
 of it, even to the laying down of our lives for one another. 
 
 3. It is called a new commandment, becaufe urged from a 
 new motive, and enforced by a new example ; ^/ I have 
 lived you, that yc alfo love one another. Never was this 
 duty fo effeflualiy taught, fo mightily encouraged, fomuch 
 urged and infifted upon, by any teacher, as our Saviour ; 
 .lud never was there luch an example given of it as his 
 own. 4. It is a new commandment, becaufe «vith the red 
 It was never to wax old, but to be always frefli in the 
 memory and praftice of Chrift's difciples to the end of tiie 
 world. 
 
 35 % 'his f^'ill all men know that ye are my 
 difciples, if yc love one another. 
 
 To recommend the foregoing duty of loving one ano- 
 ther, with the greater advantage our Saviour telU us here 
 that it will be the beft evidence of our relation to him as 
 (wiccre difciples ; By this /hall all men know thai ye are my 
 difciples. The difciples of John were known by the .iu- 
 lltri(y of theirlives ; the difciples of the Pharifeesby their 
 habit and leparation from other men; Chrift will have his 
 dikiples known by their profound affeftion to each other, 
 which in the primitive times was fo confpicuous, that the 
 \ery h.-athens did cry out and fay. See how thechriftians 
 love one anoiher! Here obfervc, 1. OurSaviourdothnot 
 lay, By this men Ihall corjeAure and gnefj you belong ^o 
 nie at being my d;fciples, but they fliall certainly know it. 
 a. Jie doth uot l;4y. By this Ihallyou know yourfelves to 
 
 be my difciples, and oneanoilierto befo; but by this (hall 
 all others know it as well as yourftlves. 3. He doih not 
 fay, By this (liall all.ihen know that you look like my dif- 
 ciples ; but that you .ire indeed what you pretend to be, 
 namely, by your loving pne anoiher. 4. Chrift doth not 
 lay, By this Ihall the world know that ye are my difciples, 
 namely, by your frequent fallings, by your reading the fcrip 
 tures daily, by your hearing fermons weekly, by your re- 
 ceiving facraments monthly ; all tliefe,put together, wil! 
 be no fufficient evidence of your difciplertiip, if you keep 
 a fecret grudge in your hearts one againft another: But 
 by this Jhuil all mrn know that ye are my difciplet, if ye love 
 one an'.ther. Learn hence. That one of the beft proofs and 
 evidences we can have of our relation to Chrift, as his fin- 
 cere difciples, is an hearty love and good- will one towardi 
 another. 
 
 36 Simon Peter faid unto him, Lord, whither 
 gocftthou P Jefusanfwcred him, Whither I go thou 
 canfl not follow me now ; but thou (halt follow me 
 afterwards. 37 Peter faid unto him, Why cannot 
 I follow thee now ? I will lay down my life for thy 
 fake ? 38 Jefus anfwercd him, Wilt thou lay down 
 thy life for my fake > Verily, verily, I fay unto thee 
 The cock fhall not crow till thou haft denied me 
 thrice. 
 
 Hcrewefind Peter reflecting upon what our Saviour had 
 faid juft before, ver. 33. H'hii'utr, kc. he is inqnifitive to 
 know of Chrift whither ht went. Our Lord tells him that 
 for the prefent he could not ''ollow him, bu. fliould here- 
 after ; he was not ftrong enough to fi;»ur for him, as he 
 (hould and did afterwards, St. Peter, gricvedutthisranily 
 refolves to follow him, though he (Iiould dif for his Hike. 
 Chrift advifes him not to be over confident of his own 
 ftrength and ftanding, fur he fliould deny liira thrice, withini 
 the time of cock-crowing. AVe here, r. How that fond 
 conceit which our Lord's difciples had of his temporal king, 
 dom here in this world, did abide at«J continue wi:h them 
 to the very laft ; for w hen Chrift fpake of leaving them by 
 afcending into heaven, Peter underftands him of a removal 
 that w as earthly, from one place to another ; w hereas 
 Chrift intended it of a removal from earth to heaven. The 
 opinion that the Mefliah w as to be a temporal prince, and 
 that his kingdom Diould be of this world ; was fo deeply 
 rooted in the minds of the Jews, that they ftunibled at it 
 fatally; and Chrift's own difciples Jiad fo drank in the 
 notion, that they wonder to hear Chriftfay, that he is going 
 
 from them, and that whitlier he goes ihry cannot come 
 
 2. That Chrift'sdifciplesfliallcertainly follow their Mafter 
 afterwards^and be foiever wiih the Lord ; bi:t they muft 
 wait their Lord's time, andfinilh their Tx)rd's work; they 
 muft patiently wait for their change an,! not peevifhly wifh 
 for it : for though they do not follow Ciirlft prefcntly to 
 heaven, they ftuil fellow him nfierward;. 3. The great- 
 nefs of St. I'eter's confidence ; J will Ly down my life for 
 thy fake. Good man ! he refjlved hoiieitly, but too,. too 
 much in his c/n ftrength. Luile, O little did he think 
 what a feather he IhoulJ be in the wind of temptation, if 
 cnce God left Liajta the power and pre valency of his own 
 
 ftars! 
 
Chap. Ti. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 3tJ 
 
 fears ! Tlie kolieft of mfnktiowinei his owriftrenp;tIi, (ill 
 tenipation brings him to the trial. Laftly, How detcitaiile 
 St. Peter's prelumption and lelf^coofidcnc; was to Ch rift 
 and how fatal ani) pernicioui m bivftlf : IVilt thou lay 
 tfrAun thy life f'lr iny fake ? Aj if Chrift had faid, "Peter, 
 thou faycft ni!)re ilnn thou c'iw^ do ; thine own ftrength 
 will fail thee. arJ i!iy felf-confidente deceive thee : 1 know 
 thy heart better than thou dofl ib^felf, and I forefee, that 
 before the ark crovjs ihoujiialt deny me thrice." Thence 
 learn. That none are fo ne.1r falling, as thofe that are 
 Bioft conltious of their own (landing, 
 
 C H A P. XIV. 
 
 LE T not your heart be troubled : yc believe in 
 God, believe alio in me. 2 In my Father's 
 houfe are many manlions : If it were not To, I would 
 
 enjoy full glory there, as in a quiet and capacious habita- 
 tion. A iccondground wf comfort is, 1 hat he aiTures 
 them, he \»illcoine again and receive ihcm tohinifelf that 
 they tnay live together in the heavenly manfions. This 
 promifc Chrift makes good to his faints pnrily at the day 
 of their death, and perfedtly at the day of judgment when 
 he Ihall make oee errand for .t11, and take up all his chil- 
 dren to himfelf, and make them completely liJppyboth itj 
 finil and body with himfelf. Learn hence, That though 
 Chrift has removed his bodily prefencefroni his friends oti 
 earth, yet his love to then) is not cealed, nor will he red 
 fatisfied, till he and they meet again eternally to folate 
 themfclves in each other'scompany ; / viillcomeagainanJ 
 receive ycu ttimyjelf, that vihere I am, there ye may be olfa 
 A third argument for confoiation is, that notwithllanding 
 Chrift was to leave them, yet they knew whither he 
 went, namely, to heaven, and whichwasthe way thither; 
 
 have told }OU. I go to prepare a place forj'ou. H'hither I go ye kmw, and the -way ye knrrjj. It contributes 
 
 3 And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will "i"ch to the comfort of believers, as to know God and 
 
 come again, andrccciveyouuntomyfclf; that where ^^•'''"e"» f" to know the way that leadsthithtr, thatfo they 
 
 I am, there ye may be alfo. 4 And vvhitlicr I go ""^ ^^ ""'"''' "''e-^*"" ^" ^''^ d.fliculties of that way. 
 ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas faith unto him, Lord, we know not 
 
 Our blefTrd Saviour, in the foregoing chapter havinR ^vhifher thou goeft ; and how can we know the 
 
 aquainted his difciples with his approaching death, by th^ ^^y ? 6 Jelus iaith unto him, I am the way, and 
 
 treachery of Judas, their hearts were thereupon over- the truth, and the life. No man Cometh unto the 
 
 whelmed with grief and trouble: Acordingly in this Father but by me. 
 chapter, by fundry arguments, he comforts his difciples 
 
 againft the perplexity of their fears and forrows. Obfirve 
 I. How Chrift adJrefles himfelf to his dii'ciples in a very 
 endearing and aftedionate manner : Let not your heart he 
 trouhltd. Whence learn, (i ) That the beft and holielt 
 of God's children and fcrvants, whilfthere inan irfiperfedt 
 ftate, are fubjed todefponding, difquieting, and diftruft- 
 ^ful fears. f2.) That no work is more delightful to our 
 Saviour, than to comfort the troubled and perplexed fpi- 
 rits of hisfervants. Ohfsrve 2. The remedy which Chrifl 
 prefcribes for the calming of their prefent fears, and for 
 arming them againft future troubles, and that is, faitli in 
 the Father and in himfelf; Te believe in God, believe alfo 
 in me. Hence learn, i. That God is the fupreme objeft 
 of faith ; his unchangeable love and faithfulnefs, with his 
 infinite power in the accomplilhment cfhispromife, is the 
 fecurity of believers. 2. That Chrift, as Mediator between 
 God and guilty creatures, is the immediate objeft of our 
 faith. 3. That Chrift's being the true and proper objeft 
 of our faith, is a proof of his being truly and really God. 
 Chrift doth here alfert his own Deity in the fubftance of 
 the command, in making himfelf an object of faith in con- 
 jundion with God the Father ; Ye believe in Cod, believe 
 alfo m mc. Obferve next. The arguments of confoiation 
 which Chrift propounds for the fupport of his difciples, 
 under the forrow wliich they had conceived for his ap- ^ 
 
 proaching departure : i. He tells them. That heaven, hath'feen mc, hath feen the Father; and how faj'eR 
 whither he was now going, was his Father's houfe, a place thou then, fliew us the Father ? 10 Belicvefl tliou 
 ^o.^rnT ' ""' ^''^"^;' ^°l himfelf alone, but for many ^^^ fh^t j ^^ ]„ the Father, and the Father in mc ? 
 TTiojc to enjoy a perpetual reft and abode in, as in ever- .1 j »i. » r r t . t r i . r 
 
 lafting manfions; In my Faihv^s houfe are many manfionf. '^^'^°''J ^^* l 'P^^'^, "" ° >;«"• ^ '^P"^'? 7' f 
 Heaven is God's houfe, in which he will freely converfe J"yielr; butthe Fatherthat dwelleth in me, hcdocth 
 with his domeftics, his children and fervants, and they ft',:!i the works, ii Believe me that I am in the Father, 
 
 A'o/f here, i. How Thomas, and probably divers others 
 of the apoftles, notwithftanding all that Chrift had faid to 
 the contrary, did ftill dream of a temporal kingdom, and 
 i'uppofcd him to fpeak of lome earthly palace which he was 
 going to ; and therefore he tells our Saviour, he knew nor 
 whitherhe was going : But Chrift meaning not a temporal 
 but heavenly kingdom, telh them, that if they intended to 
 follow him, and be with him in heaven, he himlelf was the 
 only way thither : J am the way, and the truth, and the 
 life; that is, I am the true and living way to the Father: 
 And no man ccmeih to the Father but by me : that is no man 
 can h.ive any accefs to God by prayer, or any other aft of 
 religious worfliip here on earth, or any accefs to God in 
 heaven, but by me, as Mediator. As if Chrift had faid, 
 " I am the author of the way that leadeth unto life, the 
 teacher of the truth which dire<n:s to it, and the giver of 
 that life which is to be obtained by walking in it:" I am 
 the way and the truth, and the life. 
 
 7 If ye had known me. ye fhould have known 
 my Father alfo : and from henceforth ye know him, 
 and have feen him. 8 Philip faith unto him, Lord, 
 fhew us the Father, and it fufficethus. 9 Jcfi;- 
 faith unto him, Have I been fo long time with you, 
 and jet haft thou not known me, Philip ? he that 
 
 and 
 
376 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xiv. 
 
 and the Father in me : tr elfc beliff\'e me for the 
 very works lake. 
 
 A'o/f here, i. Wlm a grof» conception the apoftlejhad 
 and St. Philip in particular, of tlie divine- nature and bein^ 
 •IS if Cod ilie Father could be I'ecn with mortal eyes : Shc-w 
 Hi tin Futlnr, and it Jufficeth us. h is not eafy to deter- 
 itiine what degrees ot ignorance may confift with faving 
 tjrace: doiibtUU as the degrccsof revelation and aieansof 
 knr)wledj,e are tuore or lefs, fo aptrfon's ignorance is njore 
 or Itfi excniable before God. 2. How inctkly our blefftd 
 iJaviour reproves their ignorance ; Have I heenfo long 
 r.ui:b you, and ha^ tht,u not kmvin me, Philip? and then 
 proceeds to inftrud thcni in, and farther acquaint them 
 with, theonenels of himfeif with the Father, and theper- 
 funai union of the divine and human nature in hinilelf. 
 Lent n hence, That the Father being; invifible in his eflence 
 to know or fee him with mortal or bodily eyes is impnuible; 
 but he was feen in his own Son, who is the exprel's image 
 *«f the Father, being one in effence with him, and one in 
 operation alfo ; He that hathftcn me, hath feen the Father. 
 
 12 Verily, verily^ I fay unto yau, He that bc- 
 lievethon me, the works that I do, fhall he do alfo, 
 and greater works than thefe fliall he do ; becaufe 
 I go to my Father. 
 
 Here Chrifl gives hisdifciplesa promife of enduing them 
 with power, after his departure, to work miracles, in fome 
 rclptftsgreaterthan what he wrought hinifclf: not greater 
 ill regard of the manner, for he wrought by his own power 
 and they wrought all in his name ; but greater in regard 
 of the matter of them ; particularly, their fpeaking with 
 ftrange tongues, their giving the Holy Ghoft by laying on 
 of hands, their healing of difeafes by the veiy fliadow of 
 their bodies, but efpecially by their w onderful converfion 
 of the Gentiles from idolatry to ferve the living God, 
 When St. Peter converted three thoufand atonefermon, 
 then ChriU made good this promife ; the difciple at that 
 time appeared to be above his Mafter ; Chrift all his time 
 was angling lor a few fi/hes, and catched but an hundred 
 and twenty, Afts i. 15- whilft Peter conies with his drag, 
 net, and catches three thoufand at one caft; the realon might 
 be, becaufe Chrift was not properly to be the builder, but 
 the foundation itfelf, He fubjoins the reafon tor all this ; 
 Becaufe I go unto my Father ; that is, to fend down, and 
 pour forth unto you aiy apofVles, the Holy Gholt on the 
 day of Pentecoft ; which was the great csule of theapoflles 
 miraculous operations. Wtncc learn. That it pleafed the 
 wifdom of Chriftto do greater things by the hand of his 
 weak fervants here in the world, than he was pleafed to 
 do himfelf, who was God over all, blefled for evermore. 
 
 ig And whatfoever ye Qiall afk in my. name, 
 that will I do. that the Father may be glorified in 
 the Son. 14 If ye fliall aflc any thingin my uame, 
 I will do it. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviourproduces another argument 
 to quic-i kis difcipies hearts under their perplexity and 
 trouble for the lafs of his bodily prcfencej he aflures them 
 that whatever ccuaforts they enjnyedby his pre fente', they 
 
 fliill obtain by their pnytrt. Note h»re, x. The qualifi. 
 cation requifite in prayer ; we muft pray in Chrifli name; 
 that it, for the fake of his merit* and mediation, in obcdt- 
 encc to Gods command, snd withan cyetohis glory, and 
 for things agreeable to hi$ will, and for things which \\\. 
 wifdom fees good for uj. To pray in Chrilt's n^nie, is 
 more than to name Chrift in prayer. It implies three 
 things : i. To lo<;>k up to Chrift, as having purchafed for 
 us this privilege, tiiat wemay pray ; for it is by the blood 
 of Chrift that we draw near 10 God, and that a throne of 
 grace is open .0 us. 1. To pray in the name of Chrift, 
 is to pray to the ftrength of Chrift, and by the affiftance 
 of the holy Spirit of Chrift. 3. To pray for the name of 
 Chrift, is to pray in the virtue tf theprefent mediation of 
 Chrifl; believing, that what we afk on earth, Chrift ob- 
 tains in heaven. To pray thus, is no eafy matter ; yetun- 
 le/s we pray thus, we do not pray at all. Note, 2. The pro- 
 mife made to fuch prayers ; Whatfoever ye fiiall afk in my 
 name, that ivlli 1 do j He faith not, that will my Fatherdo. 
 hut that 'Mill J do, to teftify his divine power and onenefs 
 with the Father. This evidently proves him to be God; 
 3. The repetition of tlir promife for the further confirm- 
 ation of it : If ye fiall afk any thing in my name, I wilt do 
 it. The promife is doubled for the confirmation of it, 
 that fo we might be free from all fears and doubts of be- 
 ing heard, when we put up cur prayers to God, in the 
 name and mediation of Jel'us Chrift, for things agreeable 
 to his will. Learn hence. That although the children of 
 God have fometimes many jealoufies and fears arifiiig in 
 their mind concerning the anfwer of his prayers, yet they 
 are altogether groundlefs ; for it is moft certain their de- 
 fires fhall he granted them, fo far as the wifdcm of God 
 fees fit and convenient for them ; .tnd fcr that reafon our 
 Saviour redoubles the promife : If ye fl) all afk any thing in 
 my name., 1 'jjill di it. 
 
 25 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 
 
 Ij thefe words our Saviour implicitly reproves his dis- 
 ciples for their fond way of exprelTing their love to him, by 
 doting upon his bodily prefence, and forrowing immode- 
 rately for his abfence, and he exprefily warns them to evi- 
 dence their love to him, by theirobedience to his commands; 
 If ye l<xv: me, ketp my commandments. Where note, Chrift 
 reqtures an obedient love, aud loving obedience. Love 
 without obedience is but ddfiinuhtion; obedience without 
 love, is but drudgery and flavery. Such a loveasproduces 
 obedience, niuft be a dutiful love ; a love of reverence and 
 honour to hiii\as a coninrander,and an operative and work, 
 ing love, a labour of love, as the apoftle calls it : Not 
 waiters, but workers, are the bcft fervants in Chrift'sef- 
 i;eem. And fuch an obedience as is the produdl of love, 
 will be a willing, eafy, and chearful obedience, a pleafirig 
 and an acceptable obedience, aconftant and abiding c>beJi- 
 ence ; sU other motives without love are fervilc and bale 
 and beget in us the dnnlgcry of a flave, but not the duty 
 of a fon ; He that fears God only, is afraid of fniarting ; 
 but he that loves (jod, is afraid of offending. Learn'hen;c, 
 That the beft and furcft evidence we can haveofour love 
 to the Lord Jel'us Chrift, is an humble, chearful, and uai- 
 vcrfal, and perfcuering.obtdicnce 10 his commands ; Keep 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 377 
 
 ceptation. 
 
 C^^eet and alleviating word 
 
 t>\y c(}mmaM(liMettli;'ih:itU, endeavour it without rcfervc; Hereriote. i. T!ie conJitior.'Ahicli the ciifciplcs were ip 
 for though we cannot keep the commandments toajoft upon the account of Chrift's removal from them, and that 
 f4tiifaction, yei we may perforin them to a gracious ac- was fad andcomfortlefs ; fatheriefs or orphans, as the word 
 
 signifies. Learn hence, That Chrifl's departure, or the 
 loi's of his gracious prt fence, isvtry fad andcomforilefs to 
 a pious foul: well might the difcipics here lament and 
 mourn, upon the occalion of Chrift'sleaving of them, fec^ 
 ing thereby they fliould be deprived of his doiftrine and in 
 ftruiflions, of his advice and counfel, and of the benefit o: 
 his holy and inilruftive example. 2. The care of Chrift 
 for his difciples, in reference to this their fad and dilconfo- 
 Jate condition : Hcmwld not leave them omfortlvfs. Where 
 remark, He doth not fay, I will not fuffer you to becoiri- 
 forilels, but I will not leave you fo; that if, he will not 
 defert or difown them in their comfortlefs condition : he 
 will not leave them, either in point of affeftion, or in point 
 of aclivity ; he will not ccafe to love them, nor ceafe to 
 beftir himfelf for them. Learn hence, That Chrift wilt 
 not leave his friends in a fad andconsfortlefs flateand con- 
 dition, though for a tinie they may be brought into it : / 
 •will not leave you comfort lejs, I viill comeunto you. ChriA's 
 coining here unto them, is to be underftoodof his coming 
 to them by his holy Spirit; in the gifts of it, and in the 
 graces of it, and in the comforts of it : thus he did not 
 
 And the word my, my commandments, ii a 
 Mofes's law, an unfupport- 
 able load, but ChrifVslawaneafy burden. The law from 
 Sinai, dreadful ; the law from Sion gracious ; it pardons 
 weaknefs, and accepts fincerity. 
 
 16 And I will pray the Father, and he fhall give 
 you another comforter, that he may abide with you 
 iorever, 17 Even the fpirit of truth, wliotn the 
 world cannot receive, bccaufc it feeth him not, 
 neither knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he 
 dwelleth in you, and ihall be in you. 
 
 Chrift comforts his difciples here, with a promife of the 
 million of the- holy Spirit, to fupply the want of his bodily 
 prefence. Where ws/e, i The procurer of thvsbleffing, 
 and that is Chrift, fey his prevailing prayer and powerful 
 Jnterceflion : I-villpray: It runs in the future tenfe, and 
 fo is a promife of Chriil's continual interceflion. As long 
 as Chrill is in heaven, a chriftian (hall net want a fupply 
 of comfort and confolation here on earth. 2. The author 
 
 and donor of the bleffing, and that is, God himfelf; I-^Ul l^i^gTeavVlhem comfordeV"^ri)uVat"'thrfe"aft of Pent'«'^ 
 frayjbe Futher, and he flmll f^ive. The Father, that is, came to them again. 
 
 my Father, your Father, and he that is the Father of com- 
 fort and confolation ; I 'jj'dl pray, and he ■will give. It is 
 an expredion of great aflurance. 3. The blefling itfelf, 
 the Holy Ghoft, called here .'Another comforter. Where 
 chferve, 1. The divinity of the Holy Ghoft: he that will 
 fupply the comforts of Chrift's prefence, murt be, as Chrift 
 is the God of all comfort. 1. The perfon of the Holy 
 Ghoft : He is a divine perfon, not a quality or operation ; 
 then we might call him a comfort, but not a comforter. 
 3. The office and employment of the Holy Ghoft : He is 
 a comforter : that is, an advocate, an inteceflbrto fue for 
 us ; anejicourager, and ope that adminifters confolation to 
 US ; and he is an holy Spirit, fo are his comforts, holy 
 comforts. A'oti? 4. The ftability of this blefling; thathemay 
 abide with you forever. Thebeft of our outward comforts 
 arefudden flames, not lafting flames; but theconfolations 
 of the holy Spirit are ftrongconrolations,they areabound-i 
 ing confolations, and everhfting confolations; efpecially 
 
 the hcly Spirit will be the comforter of good men in the ,. . . , ., ,■ ,r ^ c 
 
 day of affliaion, in the day of temptation, at the hour of 'ff.°fgl'"-y with inylclf hereafier 
 
 death, when all other comforts ffag and fail. Lnftly, the I'^I'^^'^^r's ipir.tual life is derived f 
 
 additional title given to the Holy Ghoft, he is called the 
 
 Spirit of truth: parily in oppolition to Satan, whoiscalled 
 
 a lying fpirit ; partly becaufe he teacheth and revealeth 
 
 the truth, leading his people into .ill truth, and fealeth and 
 
 cotifirmeth truth to the foul of believers : he is the fpirit 
 
 of truth,%)th in his eflence and in his operations. Learn ^ - „ .-. .,_ , „ u r -,, > • 
 
 hence. That as the holy bpirit is true in his elTence and l""^ ''^^ ^P:£"^'"'*"''" ^ they fliould more perfedllyunder- 
 
 nature, fo is he true in his office as a comforter to good !*."?i'i^l."^^'ll?'.'?:'L'."",.'?'.^^!'*^^!^^^^ 
 
 men; all his confolation being real and folid, and free 
 
 from impofture and delufion. 
 
 18 I will not leave you comfortlefs ; I will come 
 to yott. 
 
 ig Yet a little while, and the world feeth incro 
 more : but ye fee me : becaufe I live, ye fliall live 
 alfo. 20 At that day ye Ihall know that I '^am in 
 my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 
 
 Here our Saviour foretells his approaching deai'h; that 
 within a little time the men of the world Ihouldfeehim no 
 more ; for though he rofe again, the world faw him no 
 more after his death; for we readof no appe.iranct of him 
 after his refurredion to any, but to his difciples only. In 
 deedthehouriscoming when the world fliall fee hini agnin ; 
 namely, at the day of judgment, when every eye ihall be- 
 hold him with terrorand amazement. Noti farther. The 
 confolation given tohis difciples, Tcflialljee me ; andhecanfe 
 Hive, ye J1} all live alfo. Becaufe I am raifed from the 
 grave, I will quicken your dead bodies in the grave, and 
 ye fhall live alio; and as I live by my afcenfion into heaven, 
 fo fliall you, my difciples, live a life of grace here, and a 
 
 r. Ij^arn hence. That a 
 piritual life is cierivea from Chrift, who by his 
 Spirit communicates a quickening virtue to ail his mem- 
 bers ; Becaufe be lives, ilyeyjholl live alfo. See how Chrift 
 binds up their life together wiih bis own ! As if he had 
 faid, " W'hilft there is vital fap in the root, you that are 
 branches in me fliall not wither and die." Laftly, a far- 
 ther privilege infured to believers after Chrift s afcenfion. 
 
 and the myftical union betwixt Chrift and his nietnb?rs : 
 i^t thai day ye fliall inoiu that 1 ant in my Father, &c. The 
 knowledge which the faints now have of the niyfterious 
 and myftical union is but dark and imperfcft; but in 
 heaven they (hall underftand thefe things clearly : Then a nd 
 there the efl'ential union of Chrift and hisFather, and the 
 3 B myftical 
 
£83 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xiv. 
 
 m; ftiral unum beci.\>een Chr'ift and bfliever:, will be more 
 clecrly uiiderftood, than we arie capable to unJerdand 
 thfin in tliis our iinperft'l ilatc. , 
 
 2 J Ha that hath my commandments, and keep- 
 etli them, he it is that loveth me: and hethatlov- 
 eth m'-', and be loved of my Father, and I will love 
 him; and will manifcft ;nyrtlf to them. 
 
 OurbUficdSBvitwrin thefe words, repeats what he had 
 brfort er.ji'ip.ed at ver. i ^. namely, to eviilence ihe (in- 
 ceriiy of our love to him, by ihe univerl;iliiy of our obe- 
 dience to his coiiiDiands : He that hatk ttiy commandments, 
 ajulkcepithtbtm, he it h that hvfth me. Where note; i. 
 The necffPity of knowledge in orderuntopradlice.. 2. The 
 ncccllity of practice in order unto hnppinefs. We mult 
 firll I'.ave Chritl's coinniandineiVts, before mc o»n ktep 
 liieiii; w e mull have them lu our underltaiidiiigsand jiidg- 
 incnts, in cjur wilU anviiifTcCtlons; not have cheni only in 
 cur eyes to read, in our ears to hear, or in. our mouths to 
 talk of them, but to hide them in our hearts, that we may 
 not lin ajrainll Chrift, in the wilful violation of thf m. Far- 
 „lher. We mull /a-ff) as well as have, thefecominaiidaienrs. 
 This denotes an univerCal, diligent, and pcrUcveriiig obe- 
 qiepce to '.htm. Hence learn, Th.at althou;z,hniany loofe 
 pr^fiflors preiend to lov^Chrift, becaufe they hear, read, 
 know, and talk of his connnandments ; yet in Chrift's ac- 
 count none do truly love him, but thole w ho make confci- 
 ence of their obedience to him : He' that hath my comm'and- 
 tttentj^ and knpcth thim. he it is that l-.vrth nie. ■ Note, 
 inex,t. The gracious prouiife ofChrill to fucli as thus exprefs 
 their love to him : ii. He fir.ll .be I'wed fif try Father, and 
 ('[."^yi'lf: And fli:ill he not be loved of the Holy Choft 
 too?' res, no doubt. But why is he not named then? 
 Becaufe the Son dwdiet'i in u; by the Spirit, and Ihedihis 
 love abroad in our hearts by the Holy ([ilioft. 2. 7 ■will 
 mar.ifvj} my/tlf unto him; that is, fiich obtdicnt chriftians 
 fhall not only enjoy the fruit and bcntfit of my love, but 
 they Ciall enjoy the fenfe of my love, and experience the 
 I'eniible manifeftations and inward dilFLfionsof my love in 
 ^heir<>Wh fouls.' Lt-arn hence, That the only way to have 
 Chrift love us, and to let out hiflove upon us, andtokiiow 
 that he loves us, is to look dilij^ently toourobedienii.il 
 •walking with him and before him. We may asration;<lly 
 think to rtlilh our bodies with poifon, as to eiijoy the 
 manifeftations of drift's love in a way of C\n. 
 
 22 Judas faith unto him (not Ifcariot) Lord, 
 how is it that thou wilt manifcll thyfelf unto us, 
 and not unto the world.? 
 
 Some underftand thefe words of a temporal manirefta- 
 tion, and think that Judas the brother of James, whofpake 
 iliem, ftill expeded that Chrift llioiilJ be a temporal prince, 
 and have fuch a kingdom as fiiould be confpicuous to all 
 the world, and therefore puts the qncftion, How he could 
 poUibly fiiew himfclf tohisdifciples, and the world not fee 
 him? Others underftand it of a fjiiritual manifeftation ; 
 as if he had faid, " Lord, who or what are thy difciples, 
 that \vc (houid enjoy more fpccial manifeftations of thy 
 love to lis, than to the reft of the world i Why fliould we 
 be dignititd by fuch diftinguifliing favours above others? 
 
 learn, ik That tlierciji real difFcrcnc* pot byChriftbfc- 
 twjxt his pwn children and the world, in the matter of 
 fpccul manittftaiioa.' 2. That there being no caufe from 
 the creature w liy Clirill fticuld m:ike this diftiirence, his 
 difcriminHiiiifT grace isinattcr of great andjuft admiration. 
 Well might the apoflic out of a dtep admiration lav, Lcrd 
 buw is it tii0t thuurmllt manijifl thyjdfurjto ut, and mt urt' 
 to the -worlJ. i . 
 
 e^iiJ'efuS anfwtred and faid qtito him, If a man 
 love' me, he will keep mjr »vo»idsi and my Father 
 will love him, and we will come unto him, and 
 make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me 
 not, kccpeth not my fayings : and the word which 
 you hear is not mine, but the Father's which fent mc. 
 
 Cl>fervehere,Y{ow our Saviour ftill goes on to direA 
 and encourage his diftiples to evidence the- iincerity of their 
 love to hisperfon, bythc univerfality of their obedience to 
 his commands; and tells ihein how great their advantage 
 wuulfl be by I'o doing. For, firrt, 'The Father luoulJ kve 
 them ; that is, manileft his favour to tiiem in farther dif- 
 penfations of grace and comfort. Learn thence, -That all 
 the manifeftations of divine love to the fouls of believers, 
 depend upon their clofe walking with God, in the paths of 
 hoLinefs and ftriJt obedience .Secondly, /I'd" lu /// make our 
 al'ode -with him. He (hall have Father and Son's company. 
 An allulion to a parent th.it has many children; he will 
 be fure to live with them that are moftdutiful to him, and 
 m<<ft obfervient of him. The expreflion of making their 
 abode with U":, denotes that fweec and intimate felluwfliip 
 w hich Ih.iU be betwixt God and us, and the perpetuity and 
 conftanty of it at all time?: till we are taken up by him 
 into heaven, he will make his abode with us, by the in- 
 dwelling prelence cf his lioly Spirit, the graces and com- 
 forts whereof fhall abide with us for ever. , % 
 
 25 Thefe things have I fpoken unto you, being 
 j«/ prefent with you. 26 But the Comforter, -whick 
 is the Holy Ghofl, whom the Father will fend m 
 my name, he (hall teach you all thmgs, and bring 
 all things toyOur remembrance, whatfoever I have 
 ftiid unto you, 
 
 ?lere we have a repeated prbmife of the million of the 
 Holy Ghoft, called The Comforter, and his fpecialofRce de- 
 clared ; namely, to teach, and to bring to remembrance 
 what Chrift h.id taught: Hefia/l teach you all things, As 
 the Spirit of Go^^isthe great comforter, fo he i; the fpe- 
 cial teacher of his children ; he teachethcondelcend.ngly, 
 ftooping to the meaneft capacities ; he teaches efficatioufly, 
 incliniiigthe heart to receive inftruftlon, as wtU asopeniivg 
 the ear to hear it ; he teaches plainly and tlearlv, ynerring- 
 lyand infaliably ; he is truth iiftlf, therefore bisteachings 
 are moft fure. And as the holy Spirit is the faints teacher, 
 fo he is alfo their remembrancer : He/halt bring alt things 
 toyour remembrance ; that is, all truthsneedful tobe known, 
 and necefl'ary to falvation. Here n.te, That the holv Spirit 
 teaches nothing bui vvhatChrift t.^ught ; the Spirit leach- 
 . es in the word, and by the word, but never teaches any' 
 thing contrary lo the word: He/ball teach, &c. 
 
 27 Peace 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 SrJ^ Ji O H, N. 
 
 379- 
 
 27 Peart I'lcavc with you, my peace I give unto ' pafs, that when it is come to pafs. y^. mivjht b;ilicve;^ 
 you: not as the world giveth, Igive unto you. hit 30 Hereafter I will not talk much ft'itli jjou :' for 
 
 not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 
 
 A"; if our Lord had faiJ, " Whatever outward trouble 
 the world gives yo;i, be nor afr.iid of it befDre it cone, 
 «(«• troubled at it when it is come, for I will gi.e ydu in- 
 •ward pe.ice in the inidll of all your outvard ironhlea : 
 Not ar the uudili.' i^iuelh, give / unto you." Wherenotfy 
 That Chrift's peace is vddly rlitfcrcnt from tli.H peace 
 which iigiven or enjciyed by the woj Id ; the kvdiI] may 
 widi peace, yet never intend it ; .or '.hey may. wilhit, 
 yet not be able to give it ; but Chnft'. pcice i» real and 
 effciftual, folid and fubftantial ; the. NAiorld's p*ate. is only 
 a freedom from outward trouble, but Cluilt's peace is a 
 deliverance from inward j;uilt ; and thi.u<;W ic ddth not 
 give us an exemption from outward troubles yet it ijives 
 us a lanct fied ufe and improvement of them, iiiul ^flares 
 u$ of a joyful' iflue and deliverance out of thei;i. 
 
 28 Ye h.ive heard hou' I faid unto you, I go a- 
 way, find cosnc again unto you. If ye loved me,. 
 
 the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing 
 in rac. 31 But that the world may know that I 
 love the Father ; and as the Father gave me com- 
 mandment,' even fo do I. Arifc, and let us go 
 hence. 
 
 The time of our Saviour's death U'nv nearer and nearer, 
 approachinff, lie prepares the evp!.c>.ition of his difciplej. 
 for it, becaul'e evils th.it fnrpiifc its fuddenl/j liofink our 
 fpirits f.idly ; wheita. whit w- fear, for tliitwe prepare. 
 Acctirdinglv our Lord arm-, his di'ciples .iga.inft all:dif- 
 q jic tude, »nd overwhclmvr.g, lorrp.v for, his, d^Arture 
 fron».iHe;n ; / hijpe toU yon bfore, that xu/):-ti,ii ernes to 
 puf', ye mhiht heiirvi : that is, be alTiired that.I am nj: 
 mere man, but truly and really God, and depend upon nje 
 for lite and falvqtion. 2. How our Saviour points out the 
 caiife of liis fu.F.r.uj ; na.n 'ly, Satan and liis inibutnent<: 
 Thf p- nceof tb'ii vj'j> Id cometh ; thic is, by JuJas, tlie fol 
 cliijri, and the hijih ;>riefts : But he ()aih wthjtig^ i.i me ; 
 
 ye would rejoice, becaufe I faid, I go unto the Fa- thuas, "He wili aid 110 fui or coriuption in ine to fide 
 titer : For my Father is greater than I. with his temp: i:io.i, pr no j^tijlt upon me td.giye him any 
 
 Th.it the diOriples of Chrift might neither beoverfet' 
 
 ajvantnie aj^nnll ine, for ) fliall die as a ptrfeftly inno 
 
 . , - , , ,.,-.,, ,, , , tent ivrl'o:) " .Chrirt, in fiifTi'rini! for our fins, di.l not 
 
 V, tthfear,, nor overwhelmed with gnef, hetelh them that „,,,^ '_.^„^|,^^ ^^,, .^e wrath of Cod, but with the rage of. 
 
 they ought to entertain the ttews of his dep.rtitre rather „,,;. ^„j ^,'-,^ ^ ^jf ,^^ ,^^, 3nj policy, .ill the ma 
 
 w.th joy,nnd exultation, than with forrowand d.jettK'm ;• ,,^, ,„,, ,,^,, / Sa;an,"^:.nnot p.wa.l a^ainftCiirilt, 
 
 Ifyel^ri'edme.yewmd.,rejn,ceb,c^^^^^^ I gn io the Father. ,„, fanh.r than he voluntarily yields and ruhmits hitr.- 
 
 T rue love to Chnft will make us rejoice ,n his advance- ,;.„- ^,„„ j^ ._ y-,^ -^^.^ „/,•/,;/.„,,/./ cometh, but UaW «■>.. 
 
 nienrand exaltation although ,t be ourown d.fadvantage. ^^^■ ,„ ^,_ /,,^j i^ ,..,, chrKt's love and obedience 
 
 Thele words, My Father u greater than I, nuift be un- ,^,,,13 Fatlier thut carried him forJi fo cheaifuHy to the 
 
 derftood with reference to his human nauireas Mediator 
 for fo was he the Father's fervant, and the Father ,as 
 _ God, was greater than he as man. Again, the Father 
 may be faid to be greater than Chrift, in regard of his pa. 
 tfrniiy, as being ihefi'initain of the Deity; theF.itheris 
 of himfelf, but the Son is begotten of the Fath'r ; but, 
 being of the fame fubftnnce with the Father, he is con- 
 fequently God, as the Father is God; for the inequilitv 
 arifci not from the effence, but from the order and man- 
 ner of fubftance. Thus the Fi/ther vjas greater than he; 
 Greater th.-.n he as his original, the Son being b'uotten 
 by him ; and greater is he that gives, than he that re- 
 ceives, but, as to his eflence, they are both one God, and 
 fo equal. Three ways the Father wasgreater than Chrid; 
 1. With refpcdl to his human nature. Who can doubt 
 
 woik of I'uiferings, fupporied him under it, and carried^ 
 hiiii throiight it : The worlJ may krio-M that I Iwe thi Fn.^ 
 thc-r, an.i as the, &c. True love: to God will draw all men 
 to obedience in the hordi-ft fervice and fufferings ; the 
 grand motive of ChrilVs fulfcrings waj love to hib Father 
 obedience to his cumni inds, and a regard 10 his glory. 
 Lord, let thy love and obedience to thy Father, in all thy 
 fufferings, be the fubjett of our admiration, and t!ie m.it-. 
 ter of our imitatign alfo. As the Father gives us cpnJ->' 
 mandment, fo let us always do. 
 
 C H A P. XV. 
 
 AM the true vine, and my Father is the huf- 
 bandman. 2 Every branch in me thatbeareth 
 
 1 
 
 butadependant creature isinfcrior to that almighty Being not fruit, he taketh aw.ay ; and every brmch that 
 that made him? 2. Withrefpeft tothecternal generation beareth fruit, he ptirgeth it, that it may bring forth 
 of his divine perfon ; as he was begotten of the Father, more fruit, 
 who is therefore called the fountain of the Deity. 3. 
 With refpeft 10 his office as Mediator, for thus he was the 
 Father'.s fervant. O wonderful condefcenfion ! that the 
 
 Ohfrrve here, How our blefTcd Saviour, under the mcta. 
 phor oFa vine, elegantly fets forth himfelf in his rcl.ation to 
 his vifiljle church, fhewing under that fimditude, what his 
 P'ather meant ti. do with juiias, and ail unfruitful brsnchc* 
 like unto him, even take them avay; cut them cff, and 
 throw them into the fire : hut-Inch as are fruitful, hepurges 
 by his wor<i and Spirit, by ordin^mces and providence:, by 
 mercies and .icticirs, that they in.iy be more abpondingly 
 andidiidiiigly fru'tful. /.Ctirw hei]ce,i . That Jefus Clinit 
 S9 And now I havr told' ;^u • before- it comcto in his olfi;e for, snd relaiiou to his {>eople, doth moft fi ly 
 
 _j B i rcfemblc . 
 
 eternal word, v^tho, as fuch; was equal with the Father, 
 fhould, in conipalfion tons, accept a fbtion, and fiillain a 
 charricler.in which the Father wasgreater than lie! now, 
 thoiifib under each of t.hefe confiderations, God the Fa- 
 ther i- greaten than the Son, yet none of them are incon- 
 IjJtent with (ht Sons being.God by nature. 
 
3fio 
 
 Sr. 
 
 J O IT N, 
 
 CntiV^vr. 
 
 refcmble a vine. A? the vine is weak, mean, and Anall in npw in tljis third vcrfc Chrift tell* his dirciples.which 
 outward appearance, not like the cedar for height, or like number ihey were of: Now(faith he)yc are clean through 
 the oak for flrength ; fo was Chrifl in his (late of humilia- the word which 1 have fpoken unto you ; that is, now that 
 tion ; there was no beauty in him, Ifa. liii. As the vine Judas the traitor, that dead, rotten, fruitlefs branch, is cut 
 is a fruitful plant though it has little pomp, yet it has much offand caft out, ye are all clean through the rleanfing power 
 plenty, and is only ufed for fruit bearing, and bt^ngs forth aud virtue of my word and doftrine. Learn hence, i. 
 plenty and variety ot fweet fruit to make glad the heart of That fuch as are juQificd by the blood, and fanftified by 
 man : Thus the fruits of Ctirift's dea»h, refurredlion, af- the Spirit of Chrill., arc in ChrlVs account clean, notwith- 
 crniion, and intcrcedion, are many and great, anddelight (landing their many fpots and manifold imperfeiftions : 
 ful and Avcct. In a word, as the fruit of the vine is prerfed Now are ye clean. 2. That as the blood of Chrift is the 
 that it may be drink unto men, fo Chrift fubmittcd to be meritorious, and the Spirit of Chnlt the efljcacious, fo the 
 trod in tlie wincprefs cf God's wrath, that thereby the- word of Chriltu, the inltruniental caufe of a believer's pu- 
 fweeteft fruit and benefit might redound unto his people, rificaiion and tlcarfrng : Nciu are ye ckan through the 
 Finally, as the vine is the root from which nil the branch- -Mord -uihich I have fpt)k:n unto yw, Abide inme, and /will 
 es derive thtir nourillimeut and fruitfulnefs; in like man- abide in ytu: That is, abide in me nor only by an outward 
 ner is Chrilt the (lock iuto which all his members are in- and vifible profelfion, but by a real and fiducial adherence, 
 grafted, the root in which they all lubfid, and tlie foun- and 1 will abide in you by the influences and operation of 
 tain from whence their fpiritual life and faithfulnefs doth my holy Spirit. The union and onjuncYion between 
 proceed and flow. ^. That as Chrift is the vine, fo his Fa- Chrift and his members is mutual ; they abide in him by 
 ther is the bujlandman ; he ingrafts and implants all the faith and dependance, and he abidcth in them by the in 
 branches into this vine ; the plants ofrighteoufue^ are of dwelling prelenceof his grace and fpirit : /IbiJe in me, and 
 his own planting, he takes notice what iti>re of fruit every J viill abide ix you. Farther, The reafon which Chrift 
 branch doth bring forth, and it is his daily care to drefs gives, why they (liould thus abide in him ; beciufc with- 
 and dung, to purge and prune, to fupport and (helter his out union with him, without intercft in him, without in- 
 vineyard, that it may bring forth fruit abunJantly. 3. fluences of grace derived from him, they could bring forth 
 That there nre two forts of^ branches in this vine, (ome no fruit of him, nor do any thing that is truly acc< ptible 
 fruitful, others unfruitful, fome h::ve the vifibility, but and well pleafmg to him : Js the branch cannot beur fruit 
 not the reality of branches, fome are branches only by cfiifelf, except it abide in the vine, no mon- can ye, except 
 external proielhon, others are fo by real implantati on. 4. ye abide in me ; for -wiihcut me ye can do nAinng .• That is. 
 That tlie true touch-ftone whereby to difcern one fort of .'As branches fevered from the vine cannot live and bear 
 branches from another, is not by the fair leaves of profefli- fruit, To neither can Chriftians feparn'ed from Chrift, and 
 on, but by the (ubft.intia! proofs of an holy and righteous withou: deriving virtue from him, do .iny thing fpiritual- 
 convtrf.ition. <;• That in the moft fruitful branches, in the ly good and weU-pleallng in the fi>';ht of God." Learn 
 beft and holiell of chriftian's, there remains much corrup- hence, That not only uuregenerate men do labour uiider 
 tion to be purged out, in order to fiuureand farther fruit- ,„ impotency to that which is ip.ritually good, but <= vpo 
 fulnefs. 6. That the hufbandman's hand, (God the Fa- difciplesthemfelves, without daily dependaice upor Chrift 
 ther's) manages the pruning knife of affliftion, in order to and without conftant coinmuaicatiort of grace Uoni him, 
 his people'i improvement in grace and holinefs ; he h.id can do nothing in a lively arid acceptable way and manner 
 
 riiher fee his vine bleed, than fecit barren. Laftly, - ' " u,. ._« 
 
 That fuch branches as after all the hufbandman's care and 
 coft, reiuaineth unfruitful, (liall be finally cut olf and caft 
 away, as was Judas here; who, in this- difcourfe of our 
 Saviour, feem^ particularly and efpecially to be airapd at : 
 He was a branch in him that bare no fruit, who was (liort- 
 
 ]y after taken away, and went to his own place. i.u,^ ..^.. .., •-- -j r. 
 
 3 Now ye are cle.n through the word which I to chriftianity ; in both relpeds m^glu Cia.ft truly fay, 
 have fpoken unto you. 4 Abide it. me, and 1 m ''''"'->" ->^ can^o'.oth..,s- 
 
 vou. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itfelf, ex- 6 If a man abide not m me, he is caft forth as a 
 cent it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except branch, and is withered ; and men gather them, 
 ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the bran- and caft than into the hre, and they are burned. 
 chcs- he that abidcth in me, and I in him, the Here our holy Lord diltovcrs the fsd and deplrrable 
 famebrin.^cth forth much fruit: for without me condition of fuch protXlors, who. pretending relation to 
 V " .1 ,,, , Chrift, do yet bring no fru.t unto hira ; he calls them 
 
 ou,;,.,.! ,!„„ .,,.1 vifible proWHon o„lv, o<h ers ,h». «. P""!"S" '^ ''"■"S J^;"'' „ ?" ^J "'^l, „aces. 
 rp,ri,„.ll,,„Er.ruJi„,„hi«,«.lb,i.8forhn„.hfta,,i.x™eC,.^^A,^^^ 
 
 teU 
 
 g Ml a lively and acceptabh 
 unto him : JVithout me ye can do nuih-np ; you that are 
 branches of me the true vine. As cluiftians, without me, 
 that is, without my fpirit .ibidir.g in you, and uniting you 
 to me vour head, you can do nothing acceptable to me, or 
 worthy of my goVpel. Again : As apoftles, it may de- 
 note, that, wirhout the f^'fts and powertul affiftance of the 
 holy Spirit, they could <! ' uothmg to convert^ the world 
 
Chap, xv- 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 381 
 
 off, and at the great day thpangels willgatherthcfc fruit- 
 Jefs branches togtther, and cjft them into hell fine. 
 
 7 If yc abide in me, and my words .ibide in you 
 yelhall aflc what ye will, and itlhail be done unto 
 
 IVole herei !• A glorious privilege declared: J/kvjhatye 
 "will, itfij/l be djne unto you: Not that we are hereby war- 
 ranted to aflc Aliat we pleafe at God's haud, but our will 
 mull Sis liipi:p4Sy ;he word and will of God ; we muft 
 pray in faiih, and in ihe name r.nd meditation of Jc-lus 
 Chrid. with a firigle eye at tlie glory of Gw:J . 2. The 
 condition upoT i\-h:ch this pri- ilege is a-.-ainable : ff ye 
 ahide in mt, an J my '.uorJs ubuU in yiu ; that is, practically 
 and expsriraentally. If tny, doctrine wnd coinniand abide 
 in your heart?, and^ifi')i>f-j you to an holy fruitfulnefs in 
 your li'es, then fliall ail v our jtiil rcqiielli be granted. 
 Learn, That fuch as by faith embrace tjit: proniires,and by 
 obedience live rp toiheprcccjii-.oi'ihe golpel may in prayer 
 hu.Tibly alk of God what they will, wiiii a due fabmiirion 
 to the wifdoui and will of God. 
 
 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear 
 much fruit, lo fhall ye be my dil'ciples. 
 
 Our Lord here exhtwts his followers to an holy fruit- 
 fulnefs in good works \iy a double argument. One drawn 
 from the glory of God : Herein is my Father gl'jrijied : 
 1 he other from their own advantage: Sofnallye be my dif. 
 ciples.- That is, hereby ye fijall evidence and prove your- 
 fcives to be ray difciples. Learn hence, That a chriftian's 
 abounding fruitfulnefs in good works willabundmtly con 
 duceto the honour and glory of God, and alfo tohisown 
 peace and coni/ori, by being the btft evidence of his dif- 
 ciplelhip. 
 
 9 As the Father hath lOved mc. fo have I loved 
 you : continue ye in my love. 
 
 Lorn, what 3 comparifon is here ! As the Father hath 
 loved me, fo have I loved you : He doth not f.iy. A? the 
 Father hath loved me, fohave I loved him ; but fo have I 
 loved you ; but, j^j the Father ! It is vcibiim dika'onu, a 
 word importing dearnefs of affection : Nor doth he Jay, 
 The Father hath loved me, and I love you ; but, /]s the 
 Father hath i:ved mt , fo have I Iwed yiu ; Nor doth he 
 iay, As the Father hath loved me, fo'u.7/ Hove you ; but 
 Sohave I loved yon. Thisfliews the priority of Chrifl's 
 love, tliache loved us firit, and alio denotesthe invintib'.e 
 coniiancy of his love, and theindnbitablecertainty thereof: 
 / have liyvedyiu ; Follow me from heaven to earth, and 
 from earth to heaven again, and you will find thir every 
 ftep I have taken hath been in love. Learn, i . That the 
 Lord JefusChrifthath given full and ample demonftration 
 o.* his great and wondert'uliove unto his church and people. 
 2. Tha it is the duty, and ought to be thefmgnlar care, 
 of every chri'tian, to preferve the fweet fenfe and inward 
 diffulions of Chrift's love in their own fculs. 
 
 JO Ifyekecpmy commandments, ye fhal] abide 
 iji my love : even as I liavekept my Father's com- 
 aundtr.siiLs^ and abide in h\i lov;. 
 
 Chrift had told his difciples in the foregoing vcrfe,that 
 he had Irced them, even as his Father had loved him : That 
 is, with an eternal love, with a real and operative love, 
 with an immutable and conftant love. In this verfe he 
 dircdts them how they miy continue in the lenfe of hi» 
 love ; namely, by their conflant obtdlencc to his com- 
 mands, as his obedience to hi' Father's commands had 
 lecurcd h'ni a continumre in his Father's: J/ye keep my 
 commandment s , yejhall .'tbide in his live .• That is, in the 
 fenfe of ray love, and under the fweet apprehenfions of it. 
 Learn hence, That as our obedience to Clirifl is the befl 
 evidence of oar love to him, Co is it the beft mean to pre- 
 ferve and ktcpusin the fenfe and afTurance of his love to Us, 
 
 11 Thefc things have I fpoken unto you, that 
 my joy might remain in you, and tliat your joy 
 might be full. 
 
 In thffe words our Saviour declares the ground and 
 reafon wiiy he did lb earneftly prefs and urge the duty of 
 being univerfally fruitlid upon his difciples, and that was 
 twofold: 1.7 hat his Joy might remain in them; that is, that 
 the joy which he had in their holinefs and obedience might 
 remain with him ; nothing is more defired by Chrifl, than 
 that he may have cauie continually to rejoice in the faith 
 and truitfolnefs of hi^ people. 2. That their joy in him 
 niinht hefuU. This latter arifes from the farmer ; ourjoy 
 in Chrirt refults from Chrifl's joy in us ; hisdclight in us, 
 caufes us abundantly to delight in him. Learn hciice,that 
 nothing is more cleared by Chrift, than that the joy ofhis 
 people fnou'd he a full, folid, conftant, and uninterrupted- 
 joy. t, 1 hat the only way and mean, in ord'T thereunto 
 is by an holy frniti'ulnefs in good works : All thefe things 
 have J /poken. Sec. The obfervation of God's conimand- 
 njcnts does give a chriftian here the fullefl snd moft per- 
 fect joy. 
 
 12 This is my comraandmcnt, that ye love one. 
 another as I have loved you. 
 
 Our Lord had often in this farewel fcrmon ofhis fohis 
 de.-ir difciples, preJTed upon them the duty of loving one 
 another, chap. xiii. xiv. And yet here he enforces j: 
 again from his own example : /?/ I have loved you,_/'jlove 
 you one another ; that is, as truly and fincerely for the- 
 manner, though not in the fame proportion and degree. 
 Leicrn hence, That for the difciples of Chrifl to love one 
 another upon fuch grounds, sud in fuch away as beloved 
 them, is that -A-liich his heart dclires, and is very much fet 
 upon. 2. That Chrift'iloveunto unbelievers is both an 
 obligation unto mutual love, and alio a pattern and example 
 for it. This is vry commandment, that, &c. 
 
 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that ?. 
 inau lay down his life for iiis friends. 
 
 Here our Saviour gives his difciples an evidcnceo,' the 
 greatneCs of. his love unto them ; namely, in his readinefs 
 to lay down his life for theuj, which is the higheftexpreU 
 fnm oflovc to ourdearef^ friends, becauleiir'c is the greatcf: 
 earthly bltlilng. Lei^rn hence, thatChrilt's love inlayiii? 
 down his life far his people, was a match kfs love; Ui 
 
 %h;.'.t 
 
•383 
 
 St. J H VN. 
 
 CilAP. XV. 
 
 wliiJft They ,« ere enemies to lun\, he had 9,friendl/ rcfptft 
 tor thcnii a'>J never cealV X'.W he li^d br« Ught .tbeiu.iintd 
 a covtuiin of friendUiip with binjfelf; >,; 
 
 14 Y<^are my friends, if yedowhatfoeter I C6m- 
 rnandyou. 
 
 Here Chrill invites his ppople to obeHienre, by the ho- 
 nour^b'e title of friends : Ye ore my fricn ds. |. Actively, 
 you will declare and nianiftA yoiirlelves to be niyfnends. 
 2. Pjlliv'cly, I will declare myfelf to lie your frien'l. lAorn 
 hence, i. Hv»*' t indcfcendinfr is the love of ClirHl.in call- 
 jr.g his fervanis by (he name of friends. 2, Ho\(v glorious 
 is the believers relation to Chrill, in bcinjj one of bis 
 frienJ^. 3. How grateful is oijedince to Cbriil.fpeinj; it 
 dignifies the prad:lers of it witli the title of his friend:. 
 4. Our conformity to Chrift confifts not fo much in imi- ' 
 tation of what he did, as in obedience to vvbar he pre- 
 I'cribcd. Some aftions of Chrift are inimiiable, but sU his 
 connnands are obeyabte. 5. That noiliing (li.irt of an . 
 humble, uniform, chearfni, and conftant obedience to the 
 connnands of Chrift, will evidence the truth of our rela- 
 tion to him, and the (incerity of our friendfhip with hi4!) : 
 Then only are ye my friends, -when ye fh 'juhutcver 1 com- 
 tnandyiu, 
 
 15 Henceforth I call you not fervants, for the 
 fervant knoiveth not what his Lord doeth : but I 
 have called you friends; for all things that I have 
 heard of my Father, I have made know^n unto you. 
 
 By thefe words Chrill declares the reafon why he was 
 pleai'ed to change hii (tile, and call hisdiiciples friends in- 
 ftead of fervants ; namely, becaufe of his communication 
 of fecrets to them, which fervants are not admitted to the 
 knowledge of: Henceforth I call you not fervants ; that is, 
 HOt mere fervants ; not that they were to be exempted from 
 obedience, (for that is called for iu the foregoing verfej but 
 Chrift treated them now with the kindnefs and familiarity 
 of friends ; being about to leave them, he utibofom? hitn- 
 felf unto them, laying, All things that J have heard i>f my 
 Father, 1 have made known unto you. Not as If Chrift 
 had comnnmicated the nifinite treafures oi kno\\ ledge to 
 them which ihe Father hath imparted to him ; but he 
 fpeaks ht-re as the prophet of his church, that as iuch he 
 liad revealed all things needful for them to know in oriler 
 jofalvation, all things belonging rotheircafe and ftate;as 
 acounfellor doth not impart all his knowledge to his 
 clients ; but all that is neceffary for his client to undcrftand 
 and know, that he makes known unto him relating 10 his 
 own cafe. Learn hence, i. That all Chrift'sdifciplesare 
 his fervants, and all his fervants arc his frientls, in regard 
 of intimate communion and tender ufage: Ht nee forth I call 
 yt.u not fervants, hut friends. And after his refurrcdlion, 
 he called them brethren, John xx. 17. The dignity of 
 believers i?a growing dignity, thelongerthey follow Chrift 
 ihc higher privileges arc indulged to iheni. 2. That all 
 Tlie Fath'-r's couniel concerning onr falvation, and fo far 
 it is need'^ul and nenflary for us to know, is faithfully re- 
 vealed by Chiift so his church, he being conftituted by 
 God the Father to be the great prophet an<) inftrujaor of. 
 it:- AU:hingi,kc. that is, all things fi^ for ihem at prcfeiit 
 
 tO;liut>»i ; ' nailiely, concernir>g hi» pafltw, arteforreftioii, 
 afcenfion, miflion of the Hply, Giiofti,,fr/umrc jiadgment, 
 and promiJe of eternal life. , t ■ 
 
 , j6 Yc have pot chofen v^, but I, 'have chofen 
 you, and ordained you, that yc fhould go and brjng 
 forth fruit, and ihdi your fruit fhould remain : that 
 vyhatfoever ye fliaJlafk of the Father in my name, 
 h«niay give, it you. 
 
 Here our Saviour give? anath''rinft.ince and evidence of 
 his love 10 his difeiples ; he itlls Ihein, thir hi* mercy anirfi 
 free goodnefs had prevented themin thcireleftion'to irtet*-' 
 na' falvation, and in their vocation un:o the < fBce of apof- 
 tlelliip : Te have not ihofen me to be v<Hir Mafter atitfLorrf' 
 
 hut I have choft-n you to be my diftiple , friends and fer- ; 
 vants. 2. He acquaints them with the end, defign,' ancf' 
 intention of his chufing of them ; namely, ihn'. they fhould 
 
 bring forth fruit, and prefervc therein, even in all the 
 fruits of holinefs and obedience, wliieh are to the praite 
 and glory of God by Jefus Chrift; / have ordamed 
 y.u, that you fhould hring forth fruit, and that your fruit 
 f}jould reiKiiin. 3. He directs thpm, that in order totheir 
 being fruitful, they /houldhuve accel's to the Father vhron>?h 
 him, for whatever they wanted and ftood in need of : 
 lyhatfiiveryefhall tifk,&:c.''- -Liarn hence, That all thcfe 
 whiMU Gild hath chofen, and called to the knowledge and 
 lervice of Jefus Chrift, ought to make it their care and en- 
 deavour to bring fohh fruit,' and to perfevere therein to 
 their lives end : J have chnfenyou, that ytu fhould, lie. 
 
 17 Thefe things I command you, that ye love 
 one another. 18 If the world hate you., ye know 
 that it hated me before it haled you. 19 If ye were 
 of the world, the world would love his own : but • 
 becauleyeaie not of the world, but I have ehoGen 
 you out of the world, therefore the world hateth 
 you. 20 Remember the word that I laid unto 
 you, The fervant is not greater than the Lctfd. If 
 they have perfecutedme.they will alfo perfecute you 
 If they have kept my faying, they will keep yours 
 alio. 21 But all thefe things will they do unto you 
 for my name's fake, becaufe they know not him that 
 fent me. 
 
 Note here, i . With what frequency and importunity our 
 Lord inculcates and prefles the duty of mutual love upon 
 his difeiples : 1 command you to hve one another. It denotes- 
 the great importance of the duty, and ihegre-at averfenefs 
 and backwardnefs of.our hearts to the ]>ertormaiice of it. 
 And if we confider the difciplesas apoftles and miniftersof 
 tliegofpel, it intin>ates to us the necellity of mutual love 
 amongll the di.'penfers of the gofpel. as conducing exceed- 
 ingly to the w elfare and benetit of the church of God, over, 
 which he hnih let them. 2. The argument which our 
 Savicin- makes ufe of, to prefs his difeiples in general, and. 
 his ininifteri and ambsfl'jdor.s in particular, to love each 
 other; :md"1hjt i>, hrc.infe the world would certainly hate 
 I thenv. learn hence. That the world's hatred of the men»- 
 bers and niinifters of Chrjft,iS, and ought to be, tfteciued- 
 
 by 
 
Cha?. xr. 
 
 St. J O H Nf. 
 
 383 
 
 by them ailronir argnmfnt tofxclte and perfuade them to tempt to anfwer for, or had not fo gre.it :i meafure of 
 love, one another ; for this is fuhjoined ;is aw ar(;iifneni to any kind of (in to ai.fA'erfor, as nowihey have ; hu; w.juld 
 prefs mutual love, .that wcare fureto uiect with the worlds h;ive had more to fay in exciife, or for a cover for their 
 hatred. 3. , The feveral arguments by way of encourage- fin, than now they can : Dut noiu they have no clok.' for thiir 
 mfent which Chrilt propounds to comfort his members and Jnt : that is, they are totally inexcufable, and liave not 
 • miniiters againft the world's hatrt-d : The firlt argument the leaft c(»Iour or pretence for their o'.iftinate unbelief." 
 ■ is takenfroni 'lis ownlot andafage; whenhcre inthe world /c;jr« hence, I. That fms of ignorance are, as it were, nn 
 •he met with the very fame before them : Thif -ujjtU hated fins, compared withfin s commuted agj't.'.ll'eht-iml know- 
 mebtftre Uhjtfd you. ■iLrnrnhence, 1 hat hatred and per- ledge. 2. That fin ^committed againfl gofpel light are of 
 ■fecution from the world need not feern hard to the faint?, an henious nature and aggravated guilt, ab Uemgcouimitted 
 'if they conliJtr what a ftotk Chiilt had before them upon againft the very remedy. 3. That thegofpci, where it i» 
 hitn ; he is the prime ohjcci of the world's hatred and plainly preached, doih take away all pretence, and excufe 
 they who hate him much, do hate his memb?rs- more, be- trorn finners : Notv th^y have no cloke fjr their fin. 
 ,caufe of their bkenefs to h.tn, anxl refeiublaHce of him. j^e that hateth me, hateth my Father alfo. 
 
 'A fecond argument of coinforruniier the world's hatred is i c 1 1 j 1 1 , 1 1 • u 
 
 rthis, that it will evidence they are not ef the world, but ^4. " \ ''ad not done among thetn the works which 
 .chofen out of the world, ver. 19. Becaufe ye, &(.. Hence none other man did, they had not had fin ; but now 
 7'<ir«, I. That the children of God, though in the world they have both feen and hated both me and my 
 yet they are not of the worlt!, they have not the fpirit of Father. 85 But ihii cometh to pafi, that the wo<d 
 the wo'rldinthem.noristheconverfationofthe world, led miuht be fulfilled that is written in their law, The/ 
 by them. 2. That the difference betwixt them that are hated mc without a caufe. 
 of the world, and thole that are chclen out ot the world, 
 
 is of God's making: i have chofen you out of the ivorU. Thefe words declare the henious nature of the Pharifees 
 3. That fuch chnUians as are feparated frcni-.he world in fi". '" haling and perfecuting Chrift who had done before 
 judgment, affection, and pradtice, mult for that reafon ex- 'heir eyes fuch works as no man befide him, or before him 
 pec^ to be hated and perfecuted by the world : Becaufe ye ever did ; he afting by his own power. Peter healed the 
 &e. The third argument for confolation and fupporc fame man. Arts iii. but it was in the name of Jefus of Na- 
 under the world's hatred, is taken from our relation to zareth ; but Chrift healed the fick, and railed the dead 
 Chrift, as fervants to a mafter, Ver. 20. Remember that the '" his own name, and by a fpecial word of command : / 
 firvant'is not great sr than the L-jd .- as if Chrift had laid /^7 ""/" '^f', ^r\fe : Yet did the Pharifees hate him and 
 "Is It equal that you ftiould expect better treatment than his Father, according to the predi(aion, Pfal. xxxv. 19. 
 niyfelf, either .ns to your perfon or miniftry, or that you ''^O' ^'^'^^ ""? wiihcut a caufe. Which being fpoken of 
 fiiould cxpeft that the world ftiould better receive your David in type, received a more eininent accomplilhment in 
 doctrine than it did mine before ytmV ' L;arn hence, Chrift, the Son of David. Zfrto; thence, i. That let men 
 That neither the members nor niinifters of Chrift can, nor pretend to never fo much holinefs or refpecl to God, ys: 
 ought to expeft better eiuertainiiirnt in and from the world '^^ 'hey hate Chrift, and defpife his gofpel, they are haters 
 than their Mafter foumi before thc-n: The fervant is n't! "f God, who is one ineffence and nature with his Son ; 
 abuve h'n majhr, nor greater than his lord. A fourth argu- ^^^ that I'ateth we, hateth my Father alfo. 2. That no 
 juent to fupporc them under tlie burden of the worltt'? miracles wrought by mortal men were ever comparable 
 hatred, is taken from the gooduf A of the caule for which with the miracles wrought by Chrift the Son of God ; his 
 they were to luffer : iiamtly, for Chrift's name's fake, ver. ''"'<' '""rpaf? them all in number kind, and manner of doing 
 
 thetn; by his own authority, in his own name, and not as 
 others, who obtained tlieir power by pravcrfrom God : / 
 have done amonpfl them thr ivorks -which wonc other man did 
 3. That Chrift having confirmed his doctrine by fuch un- 
 paralleled miracles as the world wasnever beforeacquaintpd 
 
 27. jIU thrfe things luill they do unto you for my name's fake. 
 Hence learn, 1. That it is the duty of all, but efpecially 
 the minifters of Chrift to own the name of Chrift, to ftand 
 up in defence of his nauie and truth, his glory and honour 
 what oppofitiou foever they meet with for the fame. ■% 
 
 That the great quarrel of the world againft the diftipresof ^''•'h. <^"'h aggravate the fm of thofe that are haters of his 
 Chrift, is for the name of Chrift : whatever may be pre- perfon, defpifers of his doftrine.andreproachTs of his mi- 
 tended, this is the ground of the quarrel. •, , • • rscles : It being juft with God, when me-n obftiriately wiU 
 ,r . , , 1 r 1 ' , '^'"f their eves and will not fee, j-udicially toclofe their 
 22 If I had not come and fpoken unto them; eyes.^and f.y. They (hall not fee. 
 they had not had fin; but now they hare no clbke -' ' -^ n • , , , r ' ' j' , ' t i.' 
 for their fin 'a .'. n ;^,20 put when the coiiifortpr is eome, whoip I 
 
 ' , ,/ ^ will fend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit 
 
 Thefe words are npt to be underftood .abfoluteTy, Hwit of truth which proceedeth from the Father.he ih^li 
 
 comparatively; as it Chrift had faid, "Had not I coilie » ne f™» \ a if n, 11 u .— .J- 
 
 *™«„ wv tK»,^ ;„.«.,;.* ^ .: j 11 <■ n' teltJty ot me. sy And ve alfo (hall hear witnefti 
 
 «nonglt them m my iricarnation, and preached nerfflirall^ , ' f . / .-, „, , . . . ^ 
 
 to them the dodtrine of falvaiion, ind confirmed that t^oc^ becaufe ye have been with me from the beginning, 
 trine by miraculous operations, tbey irjghi have pleaded , Here our holy Lord coniinns himfelf, that though ha 
 ignorance in fome meafure, and they had not had fw ; 'tliat had laid them under many afperfions and fcandal: from tie 
 is, they had not had the fin of unbelief and golpel con- wurld, yet all thefe fhould be done away by the coming of 
 
 the 
 
3«1 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 • the Holy Sjiirit, who fiiould Jfrftify of him, nntl make his 
 pcri'un ami dtfdrinctobe acknowledged in the «ori(h;and 
 that ihcy ihrmlelves liiould bear witnefs of him, who hwl 
 been wiili him from the beginning ; that is, lincc he firfl 
 t^egan to excrcile his prophetic office. IVoteheTC, i.That 
 Father, Sen, and Holy Spirit, are three dirtinct perl'ons in 
 the Go(!he:jd. 2. That the Holy Ghoft proceedeth from 
 the Father and the Son : Here the Son iifjid to fend him : 
 and, as to the F.ither, he is faid to proceed from him. If 
 the Holy Ghoft doth not proceed from the Son why is he 
 called The Spirit of /he Son* Gal. iv. 6. Why is he faid 
 here to be fent by the Son ? The ccmforter whom I will fend 
 unto you from the Father. And if the Spirit doth not 
 proceed from the Son, what perfonal relation can wecon- 
 ceive betwi.xt the Son and the Spirit? 3, That it is the 
 highelb dignity and honour of the apoflles andminifters of 
 Chrirt, that the Spirit beareth no teftiinony unto Chrift, 
 but with and according to the teftiniony given by them ; 
 for here is conjoined, he fhcll tejfifyf rie ; and yefljcJl alfa 
 'bear witn-fs, 'wh'j have been viith mefrcm the iieginuing. 
 
 C H A p. XVi. 
 
 THESE things havelfpoken unto you, that 
 ye fliould not be ofFeiided. 2 They fhall put 
 yeuout of the {ynagogues : yea, the time cometh, 
 that u'holoever killeth you, will think that he doeth 
 God fen'ice. 3 And thefe things will they do unto 
 you, becaufe they have not known the Father, nor 
 me. 4 But thefe things have I told you, that when 
 the time fhall come, ye may remember that I told 
 vou of them. And thefe things I faid not unto 
 you at the beginning, becaufe I was with you. 
 
 In the clofe of the foregoing chapter, our blefled Saviour 
 had acquainted hisdifciples with the hatred and hard ufage 
 which they were like to meet with in the world, and here 
 he intimates to them the reafon why he did fo much infill 
 upon that fuhjeifl ; namely, not to fadden their hearts, and 
 grieve their fpirits, before tlieir fufierings came, but that 
 they might not be offended, dilcouraged or fcandalized, at 
 them, when they came, but prepared for them, and armed 
 again(t them. Hence leurn, i. That all afflidions, but 
 cfpcciallyperfecutions, arefo fearchingand trying, that the 
 beft of cliriftians have need to be guarded againd them, that 
 ihey may not be offended at them. 2. Ihat it was the 
 greatdelignof Chrift to armhis dilciples againft the fcandal 
 of the crofs, left ftumbling at what they expedted not^they 
 fliouid.fall from the profelHon of chriflianity. Thefe things 
 have Ifpoken unto you, thut you fliould not be offended. 2. 
 How our Saviour inftancesin two particular forts and kinds 
 of fufferings, which his difciples were to exped in the 
 world, and from the world ; namely, excommunication and 
 martyrdom, ver. i.They f1>all put you out of their fynagogues ; 
 that is, exclude them from all their affemblies, both civil 
 and religious, and fhall not oqly think it lawful, but a very 
 •cceptable fervicc to God, to put them to death ; IVhofo- 
 ever killeth you, ■will think that he \dotth God fet vice. 3. 
 How Chrift difcovers to his dear difciples the caufe and 
 
 Chap. XTr. 
 
 >• .'^/. •(■- 
 
 ground of the woi Ids liatretl .ngairft them, and enmity 
 towards them ; ramely, their igncrarKC of the Father and 
 of himfclf.ver. -^.ihefc things '.jiU they do, becaufe they have 
 not knovjH the Father, nor me. From whence we may 
 learn, That all the perfecDtions of the faints do Cpe^k in 
 perfeciitors an ignorance both of God the Father, and of 
 Jefus Chrift his Son. Aliiperfcciition fprings from igno- 
 rance as well as from oTa[lice. And men, who continue 
 ignorant of God-ind Chrift; arcin danger of turning perfe- 
 fccuiors, if they have a temptation to it. 4. How our 
 I^ord again forewarns his difciples of their approaching fuf- 
 ferings, to the intetit that they might remember that he had 
 foretold themof them; and would notfail to fupport them 
 vmdcr them. He had cfien told them in general of perfe- 
 cutions and troubles which they niuftexpeft to meet with, 
 butdid not till now intimate t!ie kinds and degrees of thofe 
 fuflerings, with refpect to their wesknefs ; and hecaufis 
 whilft he was with them, he hmifelf bore the brunt of all, 
 the world's rage falling upon him, letting them alone ; but 
 after his afcenlion, when the malice cf Satan and wicked 
 men could not reach him, then did the ftorrn fall upon 
 them, /.earn hence, i. That Chrift is fo tender of hij 
 difciples weaknels, that he will not put them upon the 
 hardfllip oFliiftering',till they be trained up and prepared 
 for them. 2. That it may encourage the faints in and 
 under their fufferings, that Chrift hinifelf is the great ob- 
 jedof the pcrfecutori' malice, and they only for his fake ; 
 for could thty reach him, they would not concern them- 
 felves with them. ■^. That the faints of God, after long 
 exemption and freedom from fufferings, muft expecl that 
 ftorms will arife, clouds gather thick, and trials come on 
 apace ; and their being under one trial will not hide or 
 flielter them from another. 
 
 5 But now I go my way to him that fent mc, 
 and none of you alketh mc. Whither goefl. thou? 
 6 But becaufe I have faid thefe things unto you, 
 I'orrow hath filled your hearts. 
 
 Note here. How our Saviour again intimates to his dif- 
 ciples his fpecdy departure from them, and reproves them 
 for being fo faddened at it, and concerned for it, without 
 confidering the end and defign of it, and the benefit and 
 advantage they were to receive by it. Here we fee how 
 the difciples thoughts were wholly taken up about them- 
 felves, what they lliould do for want of Chrift's bodily pre- 
 fence, without being inftant with him, to know whither 
 he was going, and what benefit he fhould reap, and they 
 might expert from his departure. Learn hence, That 
 Chrift's difciples ought not fomuch to have lamented the 
 lofs of his bodily prefence, as to have rejoiced in his glo- 
 rious exaltation, and in their own advantages by his death 
 refurrevftion, afcenfion ? None of you ajkcth me, 'j/hither 
 goeff thou? But for row has filled your heart. 
 
 7 Neverthelcfs, Ijtell you the truth ; It is expe- 
 dient for you that I go away : for if I go not away 
 the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I 
 depart, I will fend him unto you< 
 
 In thefe works our Saviour urges his difciples to fubmii 
 
 to 
 
Chap. %vi. 
 
 St, 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 38- 
 
 to his departure, as tlir.t which would make way for his 
 fending the Comforter to ihcm ; wl»ich, he alTurej them, 
 would be of niore advantage to ihem than his own ftay and 
 continuance amoi)(>fi iheni. Thence /<•<//«, That the prc- 
 fence of the holy Spirit with ns is a gre.ifer comfort anil 
 ;tdvantage to u«. liinn the prcfence of Chrift in the flefh 
 flmongll us. Chiirt's bodily prelence was comfortable, 
 but the fpirit is more intimately a Comforter ihanChrift 
 in his fleliily prefence ; becaufe the fpirit can comlort all 
 believer's a;once, in allplaces ; buiChrifl's bodily prefence 
 can comfort but few, and that in one place only at once. 
 ChriU did converfe with his diftiples outwardly, but the 
 Spirit polVefled himfelf of iheir heart' inwardly. Now for 
 the Spirit to dwell in us is more advantageous than to have 
 Chrifl dwell in the flefh antongft us. Tlie benefit of 
 Chrift's convcrfation w.is great ; but the advantage of the 
 Spirit's renovation and holy infpjration was much greater : 
 The one encourages and incites us to be holy, but the c- 
 ther quickens and en:iblcs us to be holy. Therefore well 
 might Chrifl fay, Jt u fxpctiient, or highly nece/Tary and 
 advantageous/or _)/o«, fhtit / gr, axui3y. He fubjoins a rea- 
 fon ; If J go nat a-ray, the Comforter -jiUl not ccme : but if 
 J depart, ] tvilt/'enii kim to you. Whence we /^jr«. That 
 Clirift's afcenfion tvas indifpenfably neceflary, in order to 
 tlie Spirits miffion ; the Spirit could not have defcended, 
 if Chrifl had not firft afcended ; the Spirit could not come, 
 but by the gifts and mifTion of tlie mediator. Now the 
 fending, of the Spirit being a part of Chrift's royalty, as 
 Mediator, it was not convenient that the Spirit fliould be 
 fcnt, till Chrifl was crowned, and fatdown on his throne 
 in his kingdom ; then the Spirit was to make application 
 to us of the redemption purchafed for us. 
 
 8 And when he is come, he tvill reprove the 
 world of fin, and of righteoufnefs, and of judg- 
 ment : 9 Of fin, becaufe they believe not on me; 
 lo Of rightcoufn'ifs, becaufe I go fo the Father, 
 and ye fee me no more; n Of judgment, be- 
 caufe the prince of tlus world is judged. 
 
 In thefe and the following verfes,our Saviour acquaints 
 his difciples with the advantages that will redound by the 
 coming of the Comforter. Firft, The advantage to the 
 world. Secondly, To the npodles. And, thirdly, to 
 himfelf. To the world, i. He {hall convince them of fin, 
 righteoufnefs and judgment. Of Jin ; that is of their finful 
 ftatennd nat^ir*, of the largecxtentof fin, and particularly 
 of the fin of unbelief. Learn i. That the Spirit of Gcd is 
 the author of conviction of fin, and that all conviftiont of 
 fm do either medintely or immediately flow from him. 2. 
 That unbelief is a fin of the grcarefl malignity againfl 
 Ghrift, and the greatell danger to a chriftian's foul : He 
 fbalt convince the worldnffn, becaufe they believe not on me. 
 Secondly, Of righteoufnefs ; that is, of the infulficiency of 
 all human righteoufnefs, and of the neceflity of the righ- 
 teoufnef.<iof a mediator ; by which alone we are to expect 
 acceptance with God; or of a complete.and perfect right- 
 eoufnefs in me, imputable to finners for their perfect juf- 
 tification ; and that it is fo, appears, Becaufe I go to the 
 Falhtr, and ye fee me no more. As if Ch.rift had faid, 
 
 '* Hereby you may be fatitfied, that by my aclire ar.d 
 paffive obedience I have fully fatis6ed my Father's jufttcc 
 for you, and you fhall never be charged nr rcnden.r.ed ; 
 becaufe, when I goto heaven. I fhall abide there in glor) 
 wirih my Father, andneverbe fentback again ; jelhallfcr 
 me no more, as I innft have been, if one thing had bee« 
 omitted by me." Farther, That none are convinced of 
 righteoufnefs who are not firfl convinced of fin. None will 
 come to Chrifl by faith, till conviftinns of fin have awa- 
 kened and diflrefTed them. Thirdly, Cf judgment ; that 
 is, the Spirit fhall convince the world, that Jefus is both 
 Lord and Chrifl, that lie had power toj'jdge Satan ihe 
 prince of the world, and that hedid by his death pnt down 
 the kingdom of darknefs. l^arn hence, t. That Satan 
 is a prince, who by unjnfl ufurpatjon, and finners voiun- 
 tarj' confent, has exercifed a tyrannical power over the 
 world, a. That Chrifl by his death did judge, condemn, 
 and overcome this mighty prince, and hath made his con- 
 qucfl evident tothe confciences of men, by ihe conviftion 
 of his holy Spirit: The Spirit fintll convince of jugm:nt i 
 that is, that Satan theprince of this world is judged. 
 
 a 2 I have yet many things to fay unto you, but 
 ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbcit, when he 
 the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into 
 all truth :—. 
 
 The fecond benefit, which our Saviour declares was fo 
 be expelled by the coming of the lioly Spirit, relates tothe 
 apoflles tliemfelves : He fiall guide you into all truth ; that 
 is, into all truth necefTary for you to know in order to fal- 
 vation. This is a principal text which the Papifls bring 
 for theirdoclrineof infaliabilitji,burgroundlefly : For this 
 promife was made to all the apoflles, as well as Peter ; nay, 
 not only tothe apoflles, but to all their fuccefTors ; yea, not 
 to the apoflles only and their fuccefTors, but to all believ- 
 ers alfo; for they are led by the Spirit of God, and that 
 into nil truth too; not abfolutely, but into all necefTary 
 truth ; and fo far as a private chriflian follows the con- 
 dudlandguidance of the divine Spirit, heismoreinfaliable 
 than either pope or council, w ho follow the dilates and 
 dircftions of their own fpirits only. 
 
 — For lie fliall not (peak of himfelf; but what- 
 ever yc fhall liear, t/iat (hall lie fpeak : and he tvill 
 fhew you things to come. 
 
 That is, he fhall not teach yon a private doiflrine, or 
 that which is contrary to what you have learned of me, but 
 whatfoever ye fhall hear of me, and receive from me, that 
 fhall he fpeak ; and he -uHlfhe-j; you things to come. This 
 aflords an argument, to prove the holy Spirit to be God ; 
 He that can flicw us things to come, he that clearly fore- 
 feethandinfaliably foreiellcth what fliall be, before it is, is 
 certainly God. But this the holy Spirit doth; He -juitl 
 fhen< you things to come. Men and devils may guefs at 
 things to come, but none can fliewyou thing; to tome, but 
 he thatis truly and really God ; therefore the Spirit is fo. 
 
 1 4 He fliall glorify me : for lie fliall receive of 
 mine, and fhall fhcu- it unto you. ij All thinj^i 
 3 C thar 
 
M 
 
 St. J 'O- H N. 
 
 chaj>. xvi.-^ 
 
 lhcFatt..r1idA «tc:n.l«*: therefore faidlt^at. SurivitVfJcreldr. cxpUins !,it.!elf/o hi, dUciple. > 
 h^ (hall'tallt bfitJinc, and (hall fliety U upto >t)a. ^ .^^^^^^^ ^^_^^ ^^^^ j,,^^^,,^ ^^^^ , ,-„„g „» f^j f^.^ow 
 
 artdunef of'he,rrt,durinn the time of his fuflFering* ancf 
 
 :,ii(k Ibfws the ndvaatajTC whitli would redoucU 
 ,, .y ihe coming of ihe Coinl'oiter; h» declares 
 
 ,,i'nill;uijl(l p;lorify him hy his loftimony, gifts, 
 ^ . . ,,^s, and.Jhall in ail tliiuys afcord witii liiiii.and 
 ,j,p,^ctf);.ev;dcnqe ih.it he hath hii iniifioii fiom him; Ai> 
 f:^iirfc4tie4nutte,iindp,wllJhfkM it unto you. And.;// 
 ".'tjx.-.' M\i< the Father hath are mine. Hejice kar>i, Thac 
 
 ibience from them, but their fadnefs ftall foon be ttirned" 
 into joy. when the^,' P.' .!1 1<*e him rtUVe again after his re- 
 luneaio'n. This he ilkiUrarcs hy the- iumHtude of a- tra-* 
 vailing wf.man,\vh'rtfo<.if fbr?,t?t^h?r forrow after (lie hath 
 brought forth a child. ' Thus will iheir hearts revive upon 
 thelightof him n'ferifrom llitf j*rave^ andnoman fhall be 
 
 Mv< the Father hath are m</i<f. . Hejice tc-arn, i nac ,he(j„},t „f him nferi from ifttf J*rave r aiw noman man oc 
 
 tb the union in elTtncc amongft ijip pcrfons in ihe ^j^j^ ,q taketheiriov away fi'ou) them, becaule he fiiall die 
 
 .^ is (lie^Same, yet the order ol" their fubUilance and ^^ ^^^^^^^ ba: goto heaven, aiid there live forever, to ma.ke 
 
 upt.-aiion wdiili'ict ; the Son bting ftoin the Father, and . «•'„_ .v_.u„.^ i^^,„ hence i J From «he nnoftles 
 
 t^ic'Ho'.je.Piiolt from the Father and tba Son;: ^y'''''| 
 
 il'iy of Chri'lt; y^U t'>'"g' '•»•>'":'> '"y "^'^^'' ^'-^^^ are mine .■ 
 \VJ»€r*.Chrill challenges to bimfelf the incommunicable 
 ■^ttriUtttesof God, and tonfequently that efience which is 
 infei«raW<fr«n'.^»ie"'- ^»'^' ''"^ Fatherknovv the fecrets 
 of ajl hearts? So doth Chnft. Rev. li. 23. /M th^ church- 
 cyfhall'kib'^ th^t'Varri'ke thai Jfarcheih the reins avdnearts 
 Ib't he leather eterri:»l?: So i> CJirift, Piov. viii. 23. / 
 tjai /f* up from evcrLifUng, &c 
 
 x.u.v uu.aionabie 11 is to arrogaje tom.insunacntanamg 
 a power to comprehend fpiritual myfterjes, yea, to under- 
 ftand the pl.iinelt truths, till Chrift enlightens the onder- 
 ftanding; IctthedocVine be delivered never foplamly, 
 and repeated never Infrequently, yet will men continue 
 ignorant, v^ithout divine illnmination.- How aften had 
 this plain doclrineorChrilVs departure to h.s Fatherbeer, 
 preached to x\. difciples by Chr.ft's o^vn "'0";^ ' Y^' fl-lt 
 fhey ^.y,lVh.tis ^^'^ ''-^^^/''f*,^ ^ r^^^^^t^iS 
 
 ,6 A U...ewh,,e and ,»«;»» no. fee n,. ,„d ^f^ .^. T.e,.:ffc„n. e, a, ..... C.^^^^^^ 
 
 a-'ain, a little ■i^'hile and ye (hall fee me, becaufe I go 
 td the Father. .17 Then faid>«e of his difciples 
 amoHT themfelres., What is this that he laithunto 
 us A Tittle while and ye Ihall not fee me: andagain 
 a Uttle while and ye (hall fee me: and, becauli; I 
 ro to the Father ? 18 They faid therefore, What 
 i^ this that he faith, A little while? we cannot tell 
 
 latin. 1. I neciwicrciu til. >.i.;. .•..■»■■ , 
 
 have upon the world, and upon the difciples : The -Jjvr^ 
 '.ulll rejoice, but yefiall -jjeepar^d lament Note, 1, .hat 
 it is the wretcheddifpofition of the world to r^JP'« ;"J^^ 
 abfenceandwantcfChrill out "f ^t^^,^°'"''^-- . ^^ W 
 am gone, the -.or I J ^ilJ rrjolce^ 2. That no^i-ng s hi 
 canl^ of fo much forrow and fadnefs to fncer^ ^^^ P k 
 Chrift's abfence and removal from them : buch is their 
 eltimation of the worth of him, fo great is their appre- 
 
 fh A little wniie r \vc tdiiiiuL icii eiiimuuuu ui ms. .. »^. ... « , - r> . „ , 
 
 .hathe (anh. ^^ ^;: J dU. knew that they we. J-;- -^ ^ -^.:^f^:;::;Lm- l^^aS^^^ 
 dcfiroustba(khim.andfaidumothem, Doyem- ^^'^j ;^7„\\t^^^^ 
 
 quire among yourfclves of that I fa.d, a little wbie f;J^'l'\^,, \, Lliever's forrow fur Chrift's abfence, 
 andyelhall not fee me': andagain a little while though it he very great, yet « ihall not be perpettial; Tr 
 and vc (hall fee me ? 20 Verily, verily I lay unto h^^,%,,, forro-M ; but I-xillfce you aga,»,ar,<i ycur he^>t 
 vou that ve fhall weep and lament, but the world fl^u rejJce, and your joyJl,ull «« -««/-f A^';/^;- J^^e 
 h i c^ce and ye (Sail be fonowful but your Joy of faints may I'; -^-P^ ; J',,";^ ^ tlievlail 
 (brrowVaibetumed into joy. =1 A woman. -^^^ "; J^;, ^^^d ^ill ^t' em 
 when fhe IS in travail, hath forrow becaufe her ^^l^;^^^.^^^^^^^ 
 
 hourisQonie: but as foon as flie is delivered of the l^.j i„ that day ye (hall aOc me nothing: 
 
 child, (he remembereth no more the an3U.(h for ^/3, ,^"^^^^^^^^^ you, Whatfoever ye (hall 
 
 jpy that a man is born of the wor d. 22 And ye Ver ly, -;','j^';\^Y" .i./he will give ft you. 
 no>. therefore have forrow : but I will fee you a- ^^"^ ^ . ^^^^^^ 
 
 gain, and your heart ihall rejoice, and your joy no 2^ ^J^^'^^f ^ ^f ^'cefve, that your joy may be full. 
 man taketh from you. v, fi (f d" of the twenty third verfe there 
 
 Iii thefe words our holy Lord proceeds to comfort Ins At Jj^^f '"^^SJ^i^^ ;„ the words. Chrift tells them 
 difciples with apromife, that, however he was now to be [^^J^^ '^-^^^^^^^Vpart o the verfe, that they (hall afk h.m 
 removed from them , yet the> fliould fliortly fee h.m again ; '" J5 ;™ ^Pj ' . ,„d yet promifes. that whatever they 
 namely, after his refurrecTion; it being .mpoflible that he noth^nj '^VjiVen t'o'them Jn the lattcrpart ofthe veife, to 
 
CUAP. XT. 
 
 St. jo H.^N. 
 
 rP7 
 
 Mve d^llbt ; tbe latter iiaflcing what we may receive, and 
 
 be lupplied with what we want. Now when Chrift faith 
 
 7« that day yejhiill. ajk me n()thinf>, it. is as much a» if he 
 
 had faid, " Ac preienc yon. und«r(latid but little of the 
 
 inyfteries of religion, and therefore ye put queflions about 
 
 many things ; but in that day, when the comforter tomes 
 
 ye Ihall be lb ticarly enlightened by iiiin,that yc (hall not 
 
 need to a(!v me any mure queltion^.'' .^Buc \ihcn Chrill 
 
 faiih, li'halfotvir yc •Jiill.jfi^ >/ the Father in myr,umc, he 
 
 _will give it,r\it nieaniqjg is, '' in that day, y/hcn .1 have 
 
 Jeft the world and ak^nded to my Father, yon Ihall not 
 
 .need CO addrefsyour pray^frs to^ne, but to my Father in 
 
 .my name." But what is it to pray_ in the nanie of Chrift ? 
 
 y/n/. It is more than to name Chriil la prayer ; it is eafy 
 
 .to name Chrilt in prayer, bi)t no caty tiling to pray in the 
 
 name of Chrilt.' , llo pray in th^ name (jf Chrift, is, ,i. 
 
 : To look up to Chrift, .as having purchafed for us this prl- 
 
 •vilege, that we miy,|jray ;, tyr it is by the blood of Chrill 
 
 .that .we draw near to GotI, and chat a throne of grace is 
 
 lopcn to u'. 2. i"o pray in the name of Cbrilt, is to pray 
 
 •Vn the llreng.h ofChnll, by the alFiltancs of- his grace, 
 
 Sr.d the help of Lii holy Spirit, j. J'o pray in the name 
 
 ic>C Chrilt, Ji to pray by faith in the viriue of Chrilh mc- 
 
 i«lijitirtn ^T'dj <i)!er,c;eruoni ^)tiieM.ing, ■ th.ir whaf we afk on 
 
 earth, he intercedes tor, and obt.iin> in heaven. . f ap;;ay 
 
 thus is no eafy m«tter^ and, unld) w^ do pray thus, sve 
 
 do not 45ray at .tII. VI r. 24. Htthertj ye h-ve ufkut nothiw 
 
 -htmyiiarfier That is, e.-<j)iici'ly iipd exprrffiy Mi'niy n.-iBie, 
 
 «r'by ihe as luediatoi' betwix' G<id arid man, and witbre- 
 
 fp^ct t-jniy merits, Do.r,hi«af<f r my death, refantction, 
 
 and iniercclfion at ine right h.ind of C-od, and you Iti^jl 
 
 .receive futh anUvepai will riil yoii ii iih j')y ; for tlie f^i^nts 
 
 of (j(>d under the t)ld Teltinii nr.'and the apoUlc's thVm- 
 
 Tt.IVes iJntfer the Ne«', h^A hith^rVo ^nir ijp' nH'theff'peti- 
 
 "lotis in the name of the MMIiah; tfjoifgh not fn the n.^me 
 
 of Jefns. Bin now he exhorts them to eye his Tiiediatory 
 
 office in all their addrefTcs toGcd, and prornifes to tlieii), 
 
 ■whatfoever he hadp'.irchafed uf the Father by his fii'Fer- 
 
 ing^'and fatisf.iction, they llionld obtaiii it for the f..ke of 
 
 Iiis prevailing in^erceffion. Learn hence. That it is a 
 
 ' mighty encoiii^agemcn'tHS pfjj'er, that no\v, under tire gof- 
 
 pel, the perHin of the rhedl-itor is exhibited in oor fleih, 
 
 has fatisfu'd Divine Juft'ce in our nature, and in that na- 
 
 'i|Ure Intercedes as Mediator, for whatever he purthnfetl 
 
 as our Surety. Hence is the encouragement, Wkatfitver 
 
 ye aJk the Father" tn my rta^rif, he iui II give to' you. 
 
 .. 25 Thefe things have I fpolcen unto you in 
 proverb.s : the time cometh when I fliail no more 
 Ipeak unto you in proverbs, but! fhall Ihewyou 
 plainly of the Father. ' ' 
 
 Here onr Saviour tells his (t^fcipJe.s, that although he had 
 
 J fpoken miny things to chcniindaik parable, and figurative 
 
 €xprf Ifion,, yet now the time was approaching, namely, 
 
 the Comforter's ccmiiig, wiun he would by the Holy 
 
 phoil clearly cnrghteu th^ir undtrfbndings in the kiiow- 
 
 . ledge of divine myileries, and tlje things pertaining to she 
 
 .-kngdiiin d (/od, and particuUrly in the knowledge of God 
 
 , aihii FaiJier, ar.d cLeJr Father in him. Hence learx, i. 
 
 Tbat.the cieareft truthi will be but pa rabies., proverbs, and 
 dark inyfterie>, even to difciples themftlves, till the holy 
 Spirit Ciilightens their underftandings. 2. That the clew 
 and full m inifcftaiion of divine truth was referved till ihc 
 coming of ihe comforter, who did communicate it tt^ the 
 apodles, and by chcfli.«oihe church, or body: oi^'chrillians ; 
 I, by him, -ujJt Jhejj you pUinly of tht Father . 
 
 26 At that day ye fhall afk in my name : and 
 I fay notunto you,' that I will pr.iy the Father for 
 vou : 27 For the Father him felf loveth you, bc- 
 caufe ye have loved me, and have believed that I 
 came from God. 
 
 jIt that (Jay ye Jhall fp; in my name; tTiat is, after I am 
 •afceridcd 'iii'tb heaven, and have fent down the Holy 
 Gholl upon you, you fhall put up all y< «r -prayers and 
 requefls to God in lliy name ; j^nd I fay not t-hat / '.vi.'I 
 pray the Fat/'cr fir y>n, fjr the Ftithfv him/tlf Icructh ycu; 
 that is, 1 need not. tell you (■hough I certainly do jtj 
 that I will intercede with the Father for yoii, for he., of 
 hiiurdf is) kindly difpofedi and affected towards you, £or 
 my fake.; When Giirilt fays, / di not fay that I -(uiU-pray 
 ttieEutht^r for you,\\y; tneaning is not, that he will, l.iy 
 aiide his oflice ?.3 interceffor for bel ever?, but that tliey 
 .had. nor only his iiicerceliion, but tUe FailK-fs Icve, upon 
 jV-hich to ground their hope ^of audience. /.ci>''« hence, 
 : I. That the chriitians prayers, put up 141 CliriA's oaine, 
 cannot fail of audienc* and accepiance,' for the f..ke pf ,th)e 
 JWeiiiator's intercelfion and the Father's love. 2.Tlvc 
 .in our prayers we ought fo to eye and l9ots up to (j^tiriif's 
 -iiiierceiiion, as not to overlook or forge.^tbe Fai'ur's 
 love^ but ground onr hope^ of audience upoii' boih ;■ Iji'j^ 
 ■not that I .-w 11 pray the Fathrr.f,r yous though \ .fltali^il- 
 furcdly do it, fir the Father himfcif hvcib you, hecuufe 
 ye have loved me. 
 
 28 I came forth from the Father, and am romr: 
 into the world- ; aj^ain, 1 leave the world, and go to 
 the Father. 29 His difciples f;iid unto him, to, 
 now fpeakefl; thou plainly, and fpeakeft no pio- 
 verb. 30 Now are wc iuie that thou knowcit ail 
 thini^s, and needtfl not that any man lhGi4d aPic 
 thee : by this we believe that thou catnell £prth 
 from God. '' ' " "^ ' - 
 
 Here nhferve, i. A proof 6f onr Saviour's Gou'h'<a(l> Me 
 came firth from th'e Fathci- inf) ihe world: He' «m« out 
 from the Father in his incarnation, arid came iiVfot hi-' world 
 to actomplifh the woik of onr reflcmptinnv I tarn hence, 
 Th.1t Jcfus Ctirirt is true God, rqn:)l with the Fdther; fcr 
 he was not only fent by hiin^ but came forfh frorii him ; 
 I cami" firth from the Father, i: That it' f>)eafed Chrift, 
 ont of love to his people, to Itave the Faihri*,' .intt come 
 into the world ; not by be.ing fepnratf d fVrih th^ Dtity, 
 but by obfcuringthe Deify wiih the'^'a?^ of citi- f}?(h, in'or- 
 der io ihefinirtiing the|greir and glorious work or rcderrp. 
 tiot) for uj; / came cut cfnty F.ither and am eam'r into tf<e 
 ■Oforld. 3. That Chrift having finiflied his ftiftcrmg wo^k 
 here on earth, afcendtd into heaven^ and itanih>A>] the 
 3 G a .- ;■ • . .".f.- jo^l to •. .^hs^y 
 
3^8 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xvui. 
 
 holy Spirit ro ap;)!y iiatu Ms chi>rcb the redemption pur- 
 cli.ifcd by hi J blood : Ai;.iin, / leave the -worU, amlgt to the 
 Fjihtr. I.ailly, liow the apoltlts argue from the know- 
 ledge <>f Chrilk's onmilciency to the certainty of hi« ihvi- 
 iiity : //ov .fe -we/un that thiu kmwejl all thing t ; by this 
 ■s^ i'tliive that tkoi.caitujl-f'irth from Ciil. The knowledge 
 and experience of Chrilt's oninifcieocy, may and oujrht 
 ?';j% tu e«n/ii(n us m the belief ot his Deity ; for that attri- 
 bute of the Deity c.uuurt be comiitiinicated to any perfon 
 without the cuminunicatioii of the divine nature. 
 
 3t JcTiis aafwered tlicin, Do ye now believe ? 
 3c BclioM, tlic hour comcth, yea, is now conic, 
 tfiat yc flull be fcattercd, every man to his own, 
 and (luill Iciive me alone ; and yet I am not alone, 
 becaufe the Father is with me. 
 
 In the foregoing verfe, the apoftle mnde a full profef- 
 fion of their faith in ChriC's diviuity, and in Chrift's om- 
 Jiifciency : Ntrj) are -we fure that thnii kno-Jtcft all things, 
 anJ that thou camejl forth from God. In this verfe Chrifl 
 intimates to them, ihat their faith (hould be put upon a 
 great trial very fliortly, namely, when his fuflerings came 
 on ; and that then they (hoatj all forf; kc him, and take 
 care of themfelves : Tt: Jhall be fcattered, and leave mt a- 
 lone. Learn hence, i. That Chrift was forfaken and left 
 alone by his owndil'ciples,in the day of his greatelldiftrefs 
 andf'ang'r. Learn, 2. l^hat when the diiciples left 
 ChriU, they were fcattered every man to his own. Learn 
 3 That when alt forfook Christ, and left him alone, he 
 was far from being limply alone, becaufe God was with 
 him : Te /hull leave me alone ; and yet I am not tilone, be- 
 caufe the Father is ■uiilh me. God was with Chriit, and will 
 be with chrillians m a fuffering hour, in his ifTential pre- 
 I'ence, in his gracious and fupporting prefence : He that 
 fcnt me, lays Chrill, is luith me ; the Father hath not left me 
 tthne ; fir I do al-vays thnfe things that pleajh my Father. 
 
 33 Thefe things iiave 1 fjjokeii unto you, that 
 in tne ye mi ^ht have peace. In the world yc Ihall 
 have tribulation : but be of good cheer, 1 have o- 
 v'jrcoine the world. 
 
 Thefe words are thecomlufiorvof cuir Saviours farewel 
 fermon to his difciplcs, in which he ilcclares totheire, i. 
 The inevitable neceffity of the worfd's trouble: /w the 
 vj'jrU ye J}>all have tribulation ; that is, while ye havetodo. 
 with the men of the woild ; while ye have any thing tO' 
 do with the things of the world ; nay, while yc have a 
 being in the world, youmuft look for trouble, both from 
 A'ithin and from SN,iihout, from friends and foes, in body, 
 foul, name, elbite t hesrt breaking troubles, foul-rending 
 trouMes, fuch troubles as will make the heart to break, and 
 ihe baik to bend ; and you, my dil'ciples, mull expf^i it 
 as well as uiheis ; In the world ye /hall have tribulation. 
 Hence learn, 1 hat the difciplcs of Chrift in this world 
 ;iiay, yra, inuft expcci and look for trouble. 2. The re- 
 aiedy providijilby Chrill a^ainll.ihis malady : In me ye Jhall 
 JiiVi- peace, vUei\ in the world y* have tribulation. Te 
 fiallbin'e peace; thatis, fereniiy of minil, aquiet.intl c^lm 
 ie;nper of fpirit within, w hen the world like a tempt ftuous 
 
 air, is foil »if ftorms withotit tearn thence. That though 
 in the woild Chrift's own difciplei muft look for and ex- 
 pert troubles, yet he has took tlRclujl care, th»t, amidft 
 all their troubles, in h m they may have peace ; Ch rill's 
 blood has purriiafed peace for them, his word has promifed 
 it to them, and his Spirit feals it up 10 theirlouls. 3. The 
 cordial provided by Chrilt for the hipport of his difciples 
 fpirits, under the (iikmg trouble of the worlds irib'jIaiiorYs 
 and troubles; But be if ^cod chcr, I have overcome the 
 v/}rld. J have taken away the fting out of every crofs, 
 and the venom oat of every arrow. Learn hence, TIim 
 it is a great comfort to a cluiftian, under all troub'es <Jf 
 this world, toconlidiT, that Chrill hasovercome the world, 
 that is all things in the world, which may hinder his peo- 
 ple's comfort and confutation here, and their etern.Tlhap- 
 pinefsand falvation hereafter; namely, the prince of the 
 world, the rulers of the world, the wicked men of the 
 world, the troubles of the world, the temptations of the 
 world, the corruptions that are in the world through lult. 
 Now Chrill having overcome the world, all perfons and 
 things in it are at his difpofal, and can do nothing but by 
 his permillion ; and a; he has overcome the world himfel^ 
 fo he will enable us through fiith in him to overcome k 
 alio. I John v. 4. This is the viiJury over the ■wt.i Id evfm 
 our faith 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 THESE words fpake Jefus ; and lifted up his 
 eyes to heaven, and faid. Father, the hour i>s 
 come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may alio glo- 
 rify thee. 
 
 Our blelTed Saviour having ended his confolatory .Tnd 
 valedidory feraion, contained in the three foregoing chap- 
 ters ; in thjschapter wehave recordedhislall prayer, with 
 and for his difciples, before 1»€ left the world, which it a 
 copy left upon earth, of what hedoihnow intercede for, as 
 an advocate in heaven. " It is good (faith one) to com- 
 pare Icriptore with fcripture, but tjot to prefer fcripture 
 before fcripture ; alli'cripture being written by infpiration 
 of God ;" but if .nny part of fcripture be to be magnified 
 above another, this chapter cl.iinis the pre-eminence; it 
 contains the breathings out of Chrill's foul for his church 
 and cliildren before his departure ; not for his difciples only 
 but for tiie futceedingchurch to the end of the world. In 
 the vchfe before us, oA/iriv, I. The oi'Jer of our Saviours 
 prayer: Thtfd -words /'pake Jifas; ihat is, after he hid 
 flnilhed his excellent fermon.he doles that exercife with a 
 moll fervent andalFedionatc prayer; teaching liisminifters 
 by his example, to add folemn prayer and iupplicaiiuns to 
 all their inllmclions and exhortations : if every creature of 
 God to be lanrtihed by prayer, much more the word of 
 God, which uorks not as a natural agent, but as a moral 
 indruinciM in God's hand. Nmv as God ftts the wordbf 
 work, fo is it prayer that fets God on work. ' 1. A3 the 
 order of Chrift's prayer, fo the geilnre in which he prayfeil; 
 he lifted tiphis eyes to heaven, as an indicAtion of his Ibirl'j 
 being lifted up to God in heaven to lignify his reverente 
 of God, \\ hd'c throne is in heaven; and to denote hi:: , 
 confidence ia God, and raifed expeftdtion of aid and help 
 
 fiom 
 
Chap. xth. 
 
 St.' 5 O H N. 
 
 3^9 
 
 froiij GoJ, arid not from any trcature. Learn, That rfic 
 gefhircs which We iife in prayer, fhould be fach as may cx- 
 prelir oar revei-ence of God, and denote our affiance and 
 triift in him. 3. The perfon prayed to, God, under the 
 fippellation of a Father : it intimates a fweet relation ; it is 
 a word of endearing affcftion.atwl implies a great reverence 
 towards God, and great confidence and truft in him. Learn 
 It is very fweet .ind comfortable in prayer, when we can 
 come and tall God Father. 4. The mercy prayed for : 
 Thf! hwr ij ome ; glorify tht Son, that thy /on may al/oglo- 
 r'lfy thte. The hour is come; that is, •' Ihe iiour of my 
 fulferinjrs, and thy I'atisfadlion ; the iliour of my vii'iory, 
 nnd of thy glory; the hour, the fad hour, determined in 
 thy decree and purpofe." No calamity can touch us, till 
 God's hour is come; and when the fad hour is come, the 
 beit remedy is prayer, and the only perfon to fly unto for 
 fuctour, is cur heavenly f'.ithcr. Father, the hour is come 
 the doleful hour of n>y death and paflion ; glorify thy Son, 
 glorify hint at his death, by niinitelling him to have been 
 the Son of God ; gloiify him in his death, by accepting it 
 as the death of thy Son for the lins of the world ; glorify 
 hiinalterhis deaihby a I'peedy refurredion from the grave, 
 nnd triumphant ex:il(ation at thy right hand. Here ti<it(, 
 How the glory of the Father and the Sonare infeparably 
 linked together ; it was the Father's detign to glorify ihe 
 Son, and it was the Son'5 delir« to have glory from the 
 Father, for this end, that he might bring glory to the Fa- 
 ther : ClTtify thy Son, that thy f on may alj'o ghrify thee. 
 
 2 As thou hafl; given him power over all fleni, 
 rhat he fhould give eternal life toai many as thou 
 hafl given him. 
 
 Note here, 1. The tlignity which Clirill was inverted 
 with, p'ru'er nwr our JiiJ)} ; that is, authority to judge ;uul 
 fentence all mankind. 2. How Chriit came to be mvefted 
 with this power ; it was given him by his Father ; Thou 
 haf( given him f;-jjer over all flejh. Hence tlie Sociiiians 
 would infer, that he was not God, becaufe he received all 
 from God; But tht text fpeaks not uport his divine power 
 as God, but of his power as Mediator. And ihe nr,le i.-:. 
 That ail mankind is undtr the power and authority of 
 Jcfus ChriU as Mediator r He has a Icgiflative power, or a 
 power toexecute the laws which he haih given. 3. The 
 end for uhich C!)ril\ W3» invelled with this power ; That 
 ke might give elern.il life to as many as God buth givin hi:n. 
 Mere note, 1. That all (liKerc aixl ferious chriltiauG, are 
 given by God the Father, mitoChriil ;. they are given to 
 him as his charge, lu redeem, fanclify and fave ; and as 
 his reward, Ifa. liii. i j. ,\'/>te, %. All that are given to 
 Chrift.have life from him ; a life of juildication and fanfti- 
 licatton on earth, and a life of glory in heaven. 3. The 
 life \shich Chrift gives to then* th.u are giien him,iseter- 
 2)^1 life. 4. Tiiat this eternal life isafree git't from Chriil 
 \i!Uo his people ; though they do not w«)rk fcr wages, yet 
 they iluUnot \sork for nothing : J give unto thtm eternal 
 h'fr. 
 
 '\ And this is life eternal, that thcv mi^rht know 
 thee the only true God, and Jelus Chrift whom thou 
 lull lent. 
 
 That is, "This is the true way and vnear.i to attain 
 eternal life, namely, by the true knowledge of God the 
 Father, and of Jefus Chri(t the Mediator who was com- 
 milfioned and fent by his Father, to accomplifh the work 
 of redemption for a loft world." Here note, Chrift calh 
 God the Father the only true Cod, not in oppoliiicn to the 
 Son and Holy Ghoft, who being one in efTence with the 
 Father, are truly and really God, as well as the Father, 
 but in oppofition to idols and falfe gods. There is a great 
 difference betwixt ihel'e two proportions : The Father is 
 the only true God, and the Father only is true God. 
 Chrift faith the former, This is life eternal, to knovj thee 
 the only true Cod. 1 he Socinians fay the latter ; 7 his is 
 life eternal, to know only thee to be the true Cod ; and 
 that neither Jefus Chrift nor the Spirit are God ; but the 
 Father only. But how comes eternal life to depend as well 
 upon the knowledge of Jefus Chrift, asof God the Father, 
 if Jefus Chrift be only man, and ntit truly and really God i 
 For thus our Saviour aliirms. This is iije eternal, to kno-M 
 thee and Jefus Chrijl. \Vbe\tce learn, t. That the be- 
 ginning, increafe, and perfection of eternal life lieth in holy 
 knowledge. 2. That no knowledge is fufficient toeternal 
 life, bill the knos* ledge of God and Jefus Chrift, who is 
 atfo God ; for who can think that theknowledge of a mere 
 creature fhould be .nccounted equally uccefTary to falvation, 
 with theknowledge of the preat and mighty God? Surely 
 tf our happinefs con lifts equ.illy in the knowledge of God 
 and Chrilt, then God and Chrift arc of the fame nature 
 equal in power and glory. The comprehentive lenfe of ihe 
 words feems to l>e this," That the knowledge of the only 
 true Cod, and of Jel'us Chrift the Mediator, is the life of 
 grace, and the neceflary way to the life of glory." 
 
 4 I have glorified thee on the earth : ■ 
 
 Learn hence. That the whole Kfe of Chrift, while here 
 on earth, was a glonfyng of his Father ; he glorified his 
 Father hy life doclrine which he preached ; he glorified hi; 
 Father by thenviratles which he wrought ; he gloritied his 
 Father by the unl'potied purity and innocenty of his life, 
 and by his unparalkled lutTerings at his death. 
 
 — I have finiflicJ the work whi<-h thou sjavcfl. m<c 
 to do. 
 
 That is, I am now about tofiniili it : Tic fpcjksof what 
 he was refolved to do, ,T;3lready done. Here not.-, i That 
 it is work that glorifies God. a. 'I'hat every man has h^s 
 work, hi^ proper work, aiiigntd him by God. j.- Thii 
 work muft be tiuifhed here upon earth, .j. That -nhcn we 
 have done our proportion of work, we may expert our 
 prnpori ion of wages. 5. That it' is a bltflld thing at th<; 
 hour of deaih to be able to fay in iincerity and uprightnefs 
 that we have glorified God in the world, and have tini(he,l 
 the work which he appointed us to do : Father, I havi 
 glorifird thee on earth, and have finijhed the vjorh -j/hkh thou 
 gavejl me to do. 
 
 5 And notv, O Father, glorify thou me \vi{!i 
 thine own Iclf, with the glory which I had with, 
 thee betore the world was. 
 
 From the connecliou of this in the forme; 
 
 verft?, 
 
 '»e*rn. 
 
390 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 jChap. xyi|u 
 
 lr^.>rn,i. Thnt whoever expccTis to be glorified with God 
 in heaven, luuft glorify him lirll here upon Cfrt^. , 2- 
 That, jfier we liave glorified him,' we may expect IQ l?e 
 glorified with him, a, 'id by hitn.j ^/ A/rus; ghrif^id thcc. 
 jJnd n^iu, Father, ghr'tfy Unit mi ; it followi, -u/ilh the 
 ghry vjhuh 1 had vjlth thee before the wtrld vjas^ Here 
 u:te, I. ThatChriO, as God, b.id an enential glory with 
 God ihp Fjther before the y/cr^J w^s ; He had this glory 
 not in the piirpofe and decree of God only, as the Socinians 
 would have it ; fqr he doth not Jay, "Glorify in c wiih 
 the f^Iory ahichthoii didfl propofe and prepare for nie be- 
 fore the \vorld was;" biir,'<'by which I had and enjoyed 
 with thee before the world was ;" by which words our 
 I^ord plainly affcrts his own exiftence and being from eier- 
 nivy, and prays for re-exaltnticn to that glory svhich be 
 enjoyed with hjs Fiitherbefore his Incarnation. 2. Th^t 
 thrill, as Mediator, did fo far humble hinil'elf, that Ije 
 needed to pray for his Father to beftow upon him the glory 
 which he wanted ;' namely, the glory of his afceniion aud 
 exaltation. A'stu, Father, ghrijy me wth thine O'xnfclf. 
 As if Chrifl had faid, "Father, glorify ine, embrace and 
 honour me as thy Son, who have been in the eyes of the 
 world, handled di((^racefully as a fervant." It is atinclnal 
 glory which Chrill Ipeaks of, not in degree and purpofe 
 oidy, for that believers had as well as he ; but thii was 
 a glory when no creature had a being. « 
 
 6 I have manifefted thy name unto the men 
 which thou gaveft out of the world : thine they 
 were, and thou gaveft them me ; ahd they have 
 kept thy word. ', ' '. 
 
 By the name of God, we pre here to unrferftand his na- 
 ture, his proper:iesand attributes, iiisdeligns and counlels 
 for the falvation of mankind ; Chrifl, as tlie propl>et nf 
 his church made all tliefe known unto his people. Learn 
 hence, 7 hat Jefus Chrill has made a full and complete 
 diftovery of his Father's mind and will unto his people ; 
 1 have manife/'ed thy name unto them which than gaveft me. 
 Thine they vji-re, and th'ju guvtfi them me; and they have 
 kept thy -j)trd. Learn, I. That all believers are given 
 unioChrid as his purchafe and a< his charge : i. 'J'hey 
 are given him as his fnlijeiSts, as his children, as the wite 
 of his bofuin, .is tlie members of his body. 2. That none 
 are given toChrilt, but thofethat were firft the Father's: 
 Thine theyvjtre, and thou gavej} them me. 3 That all 
 thofe that arc given unto Chrill, do keep his word ; they 
 kiepitintheir undcrflanJings, ihey hide it in their hearts 
 ihey feel tlie force of it in their fouls, they exprefs tho-.pow- 
 er of it ill their liv^f , They huve kept thy vjord. 
 
 7 Now they have known that 'all things, what- 
 ibever thou haft j^iven me; are of thee. 
 
 Note here, t. The faithfuhefs uf Chrill in rev^alingthe 
 whale wiU of his Father to his (lifcLples. 2. The profi- 
 ciency of his difcipk's in the fchool of Chriil, ' they know 
 all the things v hich Chrift had told th'-m ; namely, tiiJt 
 wh:i;f<>ever he h.id, was given him of the Father, and th.it 
 he had thefe<ihin;^c from him to be a Mediator.' L-arn 
 hence, That Chiift hath apyjjroved hiuifelf a faithful pro- 
 phet to his thutch, ? fjilhfui mefienger from hisFatherto 
 
 his.pcople,.inih3t he. hath added nothing tahis mcfljg«, 
 por taken frothing froij^ it, 2. That.it is^our duty , to know 
 and bclieye on Chrilt, the only nifj-lVnger and Me^^ato^r 
 fent pf Coi^; h'ovj they have ino-jin tfiat nil things, &ic. 
 
 8 For I hAvfc given unto -them the words which 
 
 thou gat*cft me,' and they have received them, and 
 have kiiqwn furely that I came out frotn thee, and 
 tj^ey hiivc b.e^eyed tlioji didfl fend inc. 
 
 • Asif Chnll had faid,'*Plie melTigc by thee, my Father 
 committed to nre, I have communicated to them niy dif- 
 ciples, and they have received it, and will communicate it 
 
 • frony thse to the world ; being fufliciently affurcd thai-my 
 coming and preaching was all by cotrmillion from thee.*' 
 ilence/i-^/rwi'i. That the doctrine of the gofpti, which 
 
 vwas revealed by Chrift, was received from the Father. 2. 
 'J hat faith is .i receiving of the word of Chrill, and of 
 
 ,<Ghrriliii)!and by the: word. Reljeivin'g is a relative trrnt 
 and prefuppofes an offer. God oflerson his part, and we 
 r,eceivt on our part, the w hole world with the whole heart 
 ,3. That-.lhc miniflers of thegtifpel are to preach that, and 
 only that, which thev have out of the word of God'» / 
 
 . have eiven thrmthe viprd^Mfhich'thcngoveJ} me. •' > 
 
 9 I pray for jtheip : 1^ prfiy, not for .the worI(^, 
 but for them yiiicii thou h^jlgiyei) ^pe, for t|)(y 
 arefclaine, • ^ •; 'I 
 
 That is, "I ndw-ofFer up a prayer particularly, i. FtJr 
 iny 'apdltla.'i, del\gi)f4(f<^ iogriei^t a worjk fqr the pleaching 
 
 of the e«erJaftiyg,Kpfpj^\, '{ijl^ "!^^''P'*JiVffl*^"'^9'^^" 
 rate Gentiles. 2. I interrceae alio for 'all behevers aitttijs 
 time, for their prelVverance infaiih, arid cbiiftancyii) p^f- 
 fecutio'n ; tjut'l d«it not now intercede for^tie^witked'^ind 
 • impenitent' world, they not being capable ( AhiKl (uch) of 
 thefe mercies and bleifings ;" thmigh at other times we 
 find him praying for the world, yea for his very crucifiers 
 Father ;forg'rve ihtm. &c. Nay, in this \ery pr.nyer, at 
 ■ verfe 20. hfe pr&ys far the world •; thatUs fop the Gentile 
 worhl-; alt thofe that hy the preat-hir.g of the apoflles ancl 
 their fiicccflors, fnould be brouglvi to believe on him to the 
 end of the world, learn he"hce, 1. That the Lord Jefus 
 Chrilt is the great and gracious intercclTor. 2. 'I hat all 
 bdiewrs-, all the children ol God in general are under ihe 
 fruit and benefit of Chrifl's intercellion. 3. That as ail 
 the members of Chrill in general, lo the. miniflers ami 
 ambaffadors of Chrilt inl'peci:d, have a peculiar inicrell' in 
 Chrifl's intercclilon ; and great are the advantages of his 
 intrrceirion for them ; ii From the perfon interceeding, 
 Chrill: confidtM- the digntty of his jierfon, 'God-man ; the 
 deal nef's of hi's^i-lon, God's Son. 2. From the laaiiner 
 of his interceirion, not byway of intreaty, but meritorious 
 claim. 3. From the lublimity of the office, our Inter- 
 cf ITor is near toGod. evenat hi . right hand.. 4. From 
 the fruits of his iirt^rcelfion, it procure the accepation and 
 jollification of <mr perloHs, |ih« hearing and anfwc/'iijg of 
 our prayi.rs, the pardon and foigiveneK of (ins, our 
 prefervaiion in grace, and'oiirhopefrpfexpinal glory. 
 
 \o And all iTiinxjare thine, and thine are mine, 
 and I am ^■lorificd in thenu 
 
 n.. 
 
Ghap, xvrt. 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 591 
 
 ■> #y*n«yHmlerft antJtht* two ways ! i- Of all pcrfon',' 
 »n mffne^di, all my difcipJes ahe thence as wfll as'htirife.! 
 Xhence hfryt^ 1 hat ihe Faihtfr and^Siin linve .i like iliare 
 and property ill nil believers. 2. The words in the original 
 being of the neuter gender fii^nifv, AH thy tilings are mine 
 .arttf^all my thingsare thine ; Chriftami his Farher araone 
 artd' they agree in one ; they have the fame eilence and ns- 
 Ritie, 'tlie'lanie attributes and will ; Chrill hath all things 
 lintt the Father hath, S^villeth all things that the Father 
 \WHeth, and doth all' things that the Father dorh ; he is 
 therefore really and eflentially God. l^MUnveth, and Tarn 
 pjoriflc-il in them; that is,I am made glorious by their own- 
 iJigand receiving me, by their believing iii me, and accept- 
 ing- of liiS for their Lord and Savitjur. Thente note, T\\3t 
 the Lord Jcfus Chri/1 is eminently gioi-ifieii in and by all 
 thofe rhatbelieve in him, and belong unrA him. 
 
 1 1 And now I ain no more in the world, but 
 thefe are in the world, and I come to thee.* Holy Fa- 
 ther, keep through thine own name thofe whom thou 
 hall given rae, that they may be one as we are. 
 
 Here ehfcrvc, i. Our Snvioiir'. nrefent condition; I am 
 no more in the world';' that is, Ilhal! continue on earth but 
 a fniairtime longer, and then afcend to my Father in 
 heaven. Z.(fi(r» thence. That JeCus Chrill, as he is man, 
 he is gone out of this lower world, into the imnicdiste pre- 
 fence of his Father ; he had been abafed before, henuiilbe 
 exalted now ; he had no more work to do on earth, but 
 niuch to do in heaven^ therefore he left this work to go to 
 heaven. 2. Our Saviour's prayer to his Father for his 
 apoftles before he left the world ; Holy Father, keep them; 
 that is, preferve them by thy divine power and goodnefs, 
 for the glory of thy holy name. Here note, i. The title 
 and appellation given to God, Holy Father. Thence learn, 
 That when we go to God in prayer, efpecially for grace 
 and landification, we muft look on him as an holy Father 
 as eflentially and originally hf^ly, as infinitely and inde- 
 pendantly holy. 2. ihe fupplication requefted of God. 
 R'eep through thy name thofe lukich thou hafi given me. 
 Thence learn. That the perfeverance of the Taints in a 
 ftate of grace is the fweeteffedt and fruit of Chrifts prayer 
 Chrilt has begged it, and it cannot be denied, there being 
 filch an harmony and fwect confent betv/een the will of the 
 Father, and the will of the Son. Three things concur to 
 the believer's perfeverance. On the Father's part there is 
 everlafting love, and .ill fufficient power. On the Son's 
 part there is everlaftlng merit, and conftant int^rcelFion. 
 On the Spirit's part there is a perpetual inhabitation, and 
 continued hiflneiice. Note 2 . The end of Chrift's fup- 
 plication on behalf of his people ; That thty may be one us 
 ■we arc one. Here ol'ferve, 1. That the heart of Chrift is 
 exceedingly fet iipdn the unity and onenefs of his members. 
 2. The believer's union with Chrift their head, and one 
 with another, has fome refeinbhince to that unity that 
 is betwixt the Father and the Son : For it is an holy and 
 fpiritual un^on, a clofe and intimate union, an indifloluble 
 and infeparable union. . ; •• .• ;. 
 
 12 While I was wltH'tiieinm th6 World, I kept 
 them in thy name ? thofe that thou gavcU me I have 
 
 kept, and none of them is loft, but the fon of p^T. 
 djtjon : that the fcripture mi^ht be fulfilled. 
 
 A'6'<?.jiere, i. That chole which fhallbefavcd arcgivsn 
 mito Chrill and committed to his carr and triiit. 2 That 
 none of thofe things aregiven unto Chrlftas his ch.irge and 
 cpminittcd to his tare and trult, fliall be (innjiy lolh Thofr 
 th'iii thou gftVift me hiive I ktpt, and none if ihem is loft . It 
 follows, but the f'iH nf perdition. A perlbn may be fa'd to 
 be a fori of perdition two ways ; actively, -.m^ palfively. 
 Aflivtly he is fo, who makes it his work and bufinefs to 
 dcflroy others : Paflively, he is a fon of perdition, who, 
 for his wickednefs in ck-ftroying others dellroyed himfelf, 
 Jtidas was a fon of perdition in both thefe fenfes ; his heart 
 was malicioufly fet iipondeftroying Chrifi:, and wilfully ft:!; 
 uptMi his own dcHruclion : His covetoufnefiand hypocrify 
 prompted him to betray our Saviour, hisdefpair provoked 
 liiin to deftrciy himfelf. 
 
 13 And now I come to thee, and thcfe things I 
 fpeak in the world, that they might have my joy 
 fulfilled in themfelves. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour declares the great reafon 
 why he did at this time fo publicly and iolemnly pray for his 
 difciplcs ; It was to fill them with joy and comfort, that 
 their joy m'ght not be tliminilhed by Chrift's departure, 
 but rather increal'ed by the coming of the Comforter ; That 
 thty may have my joy fulfilled inthem ; that is, the joy which 
 they take in me, and the joy which they have from me. 
 There is a double care which Chrift takes of his people ; 
 namely, a care of tlieir graces, and a care of their joy and 
 comfort. How felicitous was he to leave his dil'ciples 
 comfort before he departed from them ! He delights to 
 fee his people chearful, and he knows what great ufe fpi- 
 ritual joy is in the chriflian's courfe, both to enable us for 
 doing, and to fit us for fuffering. Learn hence, 1. That 
 Chrift is the author and original of the joy of his people ; 
 My joy. 2. That it is Chrift's will and defire, that his 
 people might be full of joy : That my joy may be fulplleJ 
 in them. 3. That the great end of Chnll's prayer and in- 
 terceflion was, and is, that his people's hearts might be 
 full of joy : Thefe things J fpeak in the -world, &c. 
 
 14 I have given them thy word ; and the world 
 hath hated them, bccaufe they are not of the werl4 
 ey^n as I am not of the world. 
 
 I have given /ofm //ij'iuorJ, partly by external revelation 
 and partly by internal illumination ; and for thy word's 
 fake ihe world hates them, as alfo hecatf e they are not c/ 
 iheiuorld. Learn, i. That chriftians, efpecially minifters 
 to whom Chrift has given his word, muft e.xpect the worhls 
 hatred. JFew of the prophets or apoftlcs died a natural 
 death : As their calijng^is eminent, fo muft their CufFcrings 
 be exemplary. The beft minifters, and the beft men, are 
 Uiuaily inoft hated. There is an antipathy againft the 
 power of godlinefs, or a cruel, caufelefs, implacable, and 
 irreconcilable hatred againlV the faints, becaufe of their 
 ftridnei's in religion, antl contrariety to the world. 2. That 
 it.is to the honour of all believers, that they are like unto 
 Chrift, in being the objects of the world's hatred ; The 
 
 'Mil Id 
 
:)9« 
 
 Sr. JO H N. 
 
 Cha?. jw'tr.) 
 
 •Wtrlil hatcf lh;m, \rcinfr thfy r.rr ntt tf the vorlJ, as / am 
 ti't 'jf tkr'vorld. This Chrift addi'boili for iiiformaiion 
 and confolation ; for information, tljnt tliey flioutd look for 
 fiich li3tred, niifcry, and iroiihle.as they f^w bim gr;»pf>lc 
 with ; and for contoUtioii, to think th.nt the world can 
 never h^te iis fo bad as it has hntcd Chrilt. 
 
 15 I pray not that thou fliouldcft t.ike thcinout 
 of the world, but that thou fhouldefl keep them 
 from the evil. 16 They arc not of the worlds even 
 
 as I am not of the world. 
 
 Here ncte, i. That the wifdom of Chrill fees fit to con- 
 tiiuie hischildren and people in the world, notwithftanding 
 all tlic perils and dangers of the world. He has work for 
 fhcni, :ind they are of life to him for 2 time, in the world: 
 till their work be done, Chrill's love will not, anil the 
 world's malice cannot remove them from hence. Yet 
 Chrift prays th.it his Father would keep them from the 
 evil : that is, from the fins, temptatiojis and fnares of this 
 wicked world. Thence note, That a fpiritU'il vk'lory over 
 evil is to be preferred before a total exemption from evil; 
 it is a far greater mercy to be kept from fin in our afflic- 
 tion*, than from the affliflions themfelvcs. jLr^rn farther, 
 How iiecefTary divine aid is to ourprefervaiionand fuccefs 
 even in the holieft and befl of enttrprifes, and hownecef. 
 fary it is to feek it by fervent prayer. Note alfo, That 
 inch as fincerely devote themfelves to Chrift's fer vice, are 
 fure of his aid and prote<5tion whilft fo employed. 
 
 17 San£lify them through thy truth : thy word 
 is truth. 
 
 Saniflify them not initially, for fo they were fantflified 
 already, but progreffively : I^et them increaft more and 
 Diore in grace and holinefs. Learn hence, r. That fuch 
 as are already fanftified, nuift labour, and ought to en- 
 deavour after furrherrueafiires and higher degrees offanc- 
 tification : that the mod holy may yet be more holy. 1. 
 'J'he word of God is the great iiiflrument iti God's hand 
 f«r his people's fantfbification. 3. That the word of God 
 is the truth of God. Sar.Ei'tfy them througblhy truth, thy 
 'vord it truth. The word of God is a divine truth, an 
 eternal truth, an infalliable truth, an holy truth. 
 
 18 As thou haft font me into the world, fcvfenfo 
 hive I alfo fent them into the w^orld. 
 
 A'o/e here, 1. Chrift's milTion : The Father fent him 
 into the world. Chrift's lending implies the defignation 
 of his perfon, his qualification for the work, his authority 
 and commilTion. Lf«r« hence, That Chrift himfelf did 
 not of himfelf undertake the office of a mediator, but was 
 fent ; that is, authorircd and commifTloned of God fo to 
 do; Thou ha/f/ent me into the world. Notez. As Chrift's 
 milfion, i"o the apoftles' miflion : y^t thouhaji fent me, fo 
 have 1 fent them. Lenrn thence, That none may, or 
 ought to undertake the miniftry, withouf an authoritative 
 fending from Chrift himfelf; not immediately and extra- 
 ordinarily by voice or vifion, but mediately by the officers 
 of the church. And fuch as are fofent, are f«iyt b^-Chrift 
 
 himfelf; »ndif fo, itis tlielpecple"* duty to reverence rheir 
 perfons, to refpeft their ofHce, to receive their mefTagc. 
 
 1 9 And for their fakcj; I fanftify myfclf. that the/ 
 alfo might be fan6lificd through the truth. 
 
 The worii fini^i/yhc.re, is not to be takenfor ihecleau- 
 fing, purifying, of making holy that which "-is before tm- 
 deail ; but Chrift's fanrtifying himfelf imports, i. Hisfe. 
 ]>aration or fetting liimlelt apart to be a facr;ifice for lioi 
 2. His confecration or declaration of himfelf to this hoiy 
 life and fervice. Here /i-aru.That JcfusChrift didtledicate 
 ami folemny fei himfelf apart to the great work and office 
 of a Mediator. I.eurn, %. That the great end for which 
 Chrift did thus fandify himfelf, was that he might fanclify 
 his members; therefore did he confecrate and let himfelf 
 apart for u?, that we fliould be conlccrated to, and wholly 
 fet apart fur him. 
 
 20 Neither pray I for thcfo alone, but for them 
 alfo which fliall believe on me through iheir word , 
 
 Hithetto our Saviour had been praying iiV himfelf and 
 hisapoftlcs ; now he prays for all perfons, both Jews and 
 Gentiles, that (hould believe on him, throughout the world 
 by the preaching of the gofpel. Hence /t'jr«, i. That all 
 believers have a fpecial intereft in Chrift's prayers. 2. That 
 in thefenfe of ihe gofpel.they are believers, who are wrought 
 upon to believe; in Chrift throogh the word. 3. Thai 
 fuch is Chrift's care of and love to his own, that they 
 were remembered by him in his prayer, even before they 
 hid a being; 1 pray not for thofe ahne,butf(,r all thatfhall 
 ttlitve in me, 
 
 21 That they all may be one: a.s thou, Fatlier, 
 an in me, and 1 in thee ; that they alfo may be one 
 in us ; that the world may belie\'c that thou haft 
 fent me. 
 
 The fpecial mei'cy and particular hleffing which Chrift 
 prays for, on behalt of believers, is a clofe and intimate 
 union betwixt the Father himfelf ami them, and slfo eb- 
 iwixt one another ; fuch an union as doth in fome fort 
 refenible that union which is betwixt God and ChriA ; 
 not an unity of effeHce and nature, but of wills and affec- 
 tionj. Hence note, t. That the myftical union betwixt 
 Chrift and his members carrie^h fome refeniblance with 
 that union which it betwixt the Father and the Son. 2. 
 That union aniongft the niinifters and members of Jcfus 
 Chrift is of fo great importance necclFity and confequencc 
 that he did in their behalf principally and chietly pray for 
 it. An unity of love and afFe<;tion, of faith and profcllion 
 an unity of praitice and converfion, are mercies which 
 Chrift earneftly prayed for, and has dearly paid for ; and 
 nothing is more delired by him now in heaven, than that 
 his difciples fliould be One among themfelves here on earth 
 Father nay they be ene, as -we are one. that the -jjorld may 
 helirjc that t)njuhafl fail me. Here Chrift intimates one 
 fpecial advantage that would redound to the world by this 
 defirsble union betwixt the minifters and members of 
 Chrift ; it will, if not convert, yet at leaft convince the 
 world, that I and my dodrinc came from God. Thence 
 
 note. 
 
Chap, xvii, 
 
 St. 
 
 J O H N. 
 
 393 
 
 niJf, That union amongft Chrift's difciplcs is one fpcci.il 
 mean to enlarge the kingdom of Chriit, and to caiife the 
 world to have better thoughts of him and his dotftrine. 
 
 22 And the glory which thou gaveft mc, I have 
 giyen them that they may be one, even as we are one. 
 
 Here note, i. Chrift's communication of that glory to 
 believers, which he had received of the Father : that if, 
 not his efTential glory, but his mediatorial glory : Theglo- 
 ry-which thou gavejl me. Now Chrift hath no glory given 
 him as God, but much glory beftowed en him as Media- 
 tor. 1. The end of this communication, why he gave 
 his difciples that glory which the Father had given him ; 
 mmcly, zhii they might be one. Learn, I- That God the 
 Father hath beftowed much glory on Clirifthis Son, as he 
 is man and Mediator of the church. 2. That the fame 
 glory for kind and fubftance, though not for meafure and 
 degree, which Chrift as Mediator has received from the 
 Father, is communicated to true believers. 3. That the 
 great end of thiscommunication was, and is, tooblige and 
 enable his people to maintain a very ftrift union among 
 themfelves : The glory -which thou gave/} me, I have given 
 them, that they may be one, even as vie are one. 4. That 
 unity amongft believer's is a part of that glory which Chrift 
 as Mediator hath obtained for them. 
 
 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be 
 made perfefi in one, and that the world may know 
 that thou haft fent me, and haft loved them, as 
 thou haft loved me. 
 
 Note here, i. That as the Father is in Chrift, lb is 
 Chrift in believers, and they in him ; the Father is in 
 Chrift in refpeft of his divine nature, eflence and attri- 
 butes : amd Chrift is in believers, by the inhabitation of 
 his holy Spirit. 2. That the believers' happinefsconfif^eth 
 in their onencfs, in being one with God through Chrift, 
 and one amongft themfelves: That they may he made perfe£l 
 in one. 3. That God the Father loved Chrift his Son : 
 Thou Iwejl them asthr,u ha/? hvr-d me. God loveth Chrift 
 firft, as God; (ohe m Primum amabile, the firft objeft of 
 hit love, as reprefenting his attributes exaftly. Secondly 
 as Mediator, John x. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me 
 becaufe I lay down my life for my ftieep. 4. That God the 
 Father loves believers, even as he loved Chrift himfell ; 
 that is, he loves them upon the fame grounds that beloved 
 him; namely for their nearnefs, and for their likenefsto 
 him. I. For their nearnefs and relation to him-, he loveth 
 Chrift as his Son, believers as his children, i John iii. i. 
 Behold, -what manner of Ine the Father hrjlmielh upon us, 
 that we Jhould be called the Sons of Cod ! 1. T he pro 
 perties of the Father's love towards Chrift and believers 
 are the fame: Dotli he love Chrift with a tender love, with 
 an unchangeable love, with an everlafting li-ve? Sodothhe 
 love believers alfo. 5. That Chrift woulJ have the world 
 know, that God the Father loveth the children of men, as 
 well as himft-It ; Chnftisnot ambitious tocngrofi all our 
 love unto himftlf, hut would have the world t;ik<- notice 
 of the good-will of his Father, as well as of hir.ift'f, to 
 loft mankind ; of the Fathers love in fending him, as well 
 
 as of his own love in coming: That tie -aiorldmay kn'jvj 
 that thou haj} Jcnt mc, andhaji loved them, «s thou hajl lov- 
 ed me. 
 
 24 Fatlier, I will that they alfo whom thou haft 
 given mc, be with me where I am ; that they may 
 behold my glory which thoix haft given mc : for 
 thou lovedft mc before the foundation of tlic world. 
 
 Our Saviour had prayed for his difciples fanftificatiftn 
 before, here he prays for their giorificaiion ; t. That they 
 be where he is ', now Chrift is with them in his ordinances, 
 in his word, and at his table ; ere long they fliall be with 
 him as his friends, as his fpoufe, as his conipanions in his 
 kingdom. 2. That they may be with him where he is, 
 that is, more than the former ; a blind man may be where 
 the funis, but not with the fun, becaufe he doth not enjoy 
 the light and benefit of it : To be wiili Chrift where he is, 
 imports union and communion with him. That being 
 with him where he is, they may behold his gltry ; that is, Jo 
 fee it, and everlaftingly pofl'efs and enjoy it. Learn i. 
 That all thofe that are given to Chrift as his charge, and 
 as his reward fliall certainly come to heaven to him : 
 Father, I -will that they be viith me, becaufe 1 have merited 
 that they ftiould be with me ; I will that they behold my 
 glory, becaufe I have purchafed it at fo de.nr a rate. I; 
 'i hat the work and employment of the faints in heaven 
 chiefly confifts in feeing and enjoying Chrift's Glory ; for 
 it will be a polfefTive fight ; The language of e\-erY look 
 will be, " This happinefs is mine. This glory is mine." 
 3. That the top and height of the faints happinefs in hea- 
 ven conllfts in this, that they (hall be with Chrift. 
 
 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not knowft 
 thee but I have known thee, and thefe have known 
 that thou haft f-^nt me. 
 
 Note here, i. The appellation given to God : righteous 
 Father. This is the fixth time that Chrift in this prayer 
 has called God Father, It being fo fweet a relation, and 
 producing all love, delight, joy, and confidence in God, 
 by him that pradlically improves It. But o/y^rvf that at ver. 
 II. when Chrift prayed for his people's fanclification, he 
 faid, holy Father, making ufe of that attribute which is the 
 caufe of all holinefs in the creature; but now praying for 
 their glorification, he faysO righteous Father : riphteousin 
 making good thy promifes both to me and them. 2. 
 What it is that our Saviour affirms concerning the wicked 
 and unbelieving world, that they have not known God, 
 the -world hath not known thee : not as if the world hath not 
 known him at all, hut not known bim aright ; the unbe- 
 lieving and unfanftified part of the world having no 
 faving knowledge of God, not living anfwemble to what 
 they know to be their duty. What Cirift affirms 
 concerning himfelf : But J have kno-jun thee, and linfe have 
 kn'.-din thee. Intimating thus miith im'.o uv th:it Jefus 
 Cluill knows God iminediatc'y, and all o'hers know hiiA 
 by the means of Chrift ; Chrift is the original ant! foiital. 
 caufc of all ihe faving knowledge that believers have of 
 God. There is not the leaft rjy of faving illumi'iation^ 
 tli.u doth not dtfccntl from Chrift and the Spirh «i Cnr ft. 
 3 t> 26 And 
 
 •4}^ 
 
39t 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 ♦# 
 
 Chap, xvtit. 
 
 3 Judas then having received .i band ofmen,Si\\d 
 ofTiccrs from the-chicfpritfts and Pharifees, coineth 
 thither withlanihorns, and torche.^, and weapons. 
 
 Nile, I. What a muliitutle were here employed by the 
 
 26 And I have dccla:rcdunto them thy name.and 
 will declare it : 
 
 That is, "I have made known unto them tliy nature, 
 
 attributes, couiiftrls, will and corjirnands, and 1 will con- ... 
 
 liniie the nianifeftation of the f.itnc unto the end." Learn chief priefts and Pharifees for apprehending a (ingle per- 
 
 thence, That thefavingknowledgeof God wasnot attain- fim : gown men and fword men, young and eld, Jew and 
 
 able by namr.1l abilities, but cometh ro iis by the fpecial Gentile ; nil forts of perfons contrning his death, as all 
 
 levela'tion of Jefus Chrift : / have declared unto them thy conditions of people viere afterwards to re«jve binefit by 
 
 Kttme. 2. That they that have the name of God, his it. But what need of thefe lanthorns and torches, it be- 
 
 iiatinc and will favinj^ly dccl.irtd to them, do not Hand in 
 tyjed of any farther decltrations and difcoveries of God's 
 nature and will tobe niadeunio then) : I have declared Sic. 
 
 — That the love wherewith thou haft loved me, 
 may tc in them, and I in them. 
 
 ing then as fome obferve, full moon, when ihey fought 
 him in the garden ? All this urj^ed their zealous indultrv 
 for our Saviour's apprchenfion, that they might be furc to 
 find him, in ca*'e he (hould hide himfelf in any hole or cor- 
 ners in the garden. Learnhenze, That pcrlectithrs and 
 wicked apoftatcs are not afleepin theirdefignsand aftings. 
 
 'i'har is, "That the love which is originally in thyfelf, but very vigilant and acTive ; when at the fame tjmc 
 
 as the fountain of all ^;race, may be communicated and Chrift's own difciples and followers are afleepand carelefs 
 
 djfpenfedfromtheetothem.andbecomeinherent inthem.' How active was Judas, and how watchful was his bloody 
 
 Learn hence, 1 hat it is not enough forthe people of God, crew, even at that time when Chrift's difciples could not 
 
 that they are beloved of him, and that his love is towards keep their eyes open ! 
 
 them; but they muft endeavour to hare it in them ; that ^ j^j-^^ therefore knowing all things that fhould 
 
 is, experience it in the effect; o! it, and in the fenfe and 
 feeling of it in their own louls. The fafety of a chriftian 
 lies in this, that CoiS loves him: but the joy, the comfort, 
 and happlncfs of a chriftian, confifts in the knowledge, in 
 the fenfible apprehenfion and feeling of this love ; there- 
 fore Cbrift cloieth his prayer for his members, with this 
 aftectionate and comprehenfive portion, Let the love, &c. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 W 
 
 come upon him, went forth, and faid unto them,; 
 whom leek ye? 5 They anfwcred him, Jefus of 
 Nazaieth. Jefus faith unto them, I am he. And 
 Judas alfo which betrayed him, flood with them. 
 6 As foon then as he had faid unto them, I am he, 
 they went backward, and fell to the ground. 
 
 Note here, i. How our Lord's fufferings were all fore- 
 known to bimfelf, before they came upon him, and yet 
 HEN Jefus had fpoken thefe words, he how willingly and chearfully did he go forth to meet them 
 went f(Mlh with his difciples over the brook Should our fuiferings be known unto us before they come 
 
 upon us, how would it difquict and difturb us, vea, not 
 only difcompofe us, but diftraft us! In great wil'dom, 
 therefore, and tender mercy, has God concealed future 
 events from us. But it was otherwife with Chrift; he had 
 an exaft knowledge of thole bitter fufferings which he was 
 to undergo, and yet wiih a compofed mind he goeth forth 
 to meet them : J cfuskno-jjing all things which fhould come 
 upon him, ivent Jorth. "Lord, how endearing are our 
 
 Ccdron, where was a garden into the which he en- 
 fered, and his difciples. 2 And Judas alfo which 
 betrayed him, knew the place : lor Jefus oft-times 
 rcfortcd thither with his difciples. 
 
 No fooner had our dear I.iord ended his divine prayer, 
 recorded in the foregoing chapter, but he goes forrh to 
 meet his fufferings with a willing chearfulnefs. Heretirts 
 
 with his difciples into a garden" not to hide and flieher obligations to thyfelf, that when thou kneweft beforehand 
 
 himfelf from his enemies ; for if fn it had been the moft the biiternefs of that cup which the juftice of God was 
 
 improper place he couhl have chofen, it being the accuf- about to put into thy hand, thou didft not decline to driuk 
 
 tomed place where he was wont to pray, and a place well it off for our fakes "i 2. That it wai n"t man's posver. 
 
 Known tojud-as, who wasnosv coming to fei k him : Judas but Chrift's own permifiion, which brought his fufferings 
 
 'Mhith betrayed him kne^o the place ; for Jefus oft-times re- upon him. How cafily could Chrift have delivered him- 
 
 f')rted thither with his difciples; fo that Chrift repaired to felf out of his enemies hands, who, with a word from his 
 
 this garden, not to (bun but to meet the enemy, 10 offer mouth, caufcd them to go backward and fall to the ground! 
 
 Inmlelf a prey to the wnlves, which in the garden hunted Chrift in fpeaking thofe words did let ou a little ray or 
 
 him, and lai«l hold upon him: he alfo reforted to this 
 garden now for privacy, that he might freely pour out his 
 foul to God. Zearn hence. That the Lord jefus Chrift 
 ■was praying to his Fathrr in the garden, when Judas with 
 his black guard came to apprehend him. As the (in of the 
 lirll adam, which brought dcftrudlnofi upon his pofterity, 
 was comniitted in a garden, fo the falutary paflion of the 
 Cecond Adam, which was to rcfcuc us from that dcltrufli- 
 «n, did begin in a garden alfo. 
 
 beam of his Deity, and this ftruck thenido^n. Mari^ 
 what a ftrange power was here in the wonl ot Chrift, and 
 that nor an angry word neither i He did not chide ihem, 
 and fay, "You wretthes, how dare yon lay hand- on me, 
 and carry me to judgment, v ho ijiall one d.y.beycur 
 judge ?" Chrift only faid, / am he, and dov<n they fill. O 
 what fear will Chrift fend out when he cqinctli to judge 
 the world, who could fei.l forth Inch a fear .^ hew he yit Id. 
 ed uf himfelf tobe judged £nd condemaed in the world! If 
 
 there 
 
gHAP. XVII I. 
 
 there wai To much majefty in the voice of Chrift, w on« 
 of the loweft arts of his humilation wha: will the voice of 
 glorified Chrilkbe to finners^when he iliall come as a judge 
 to condemn the world ? 
 
 7 Then he afked thein again, Whom feck ye ? 
 andthey faid,JefusofNaz.areth. 8 Jefus anlwercd 
 I have told, you, that I am he : if therefore ye feck 
 me, let thefc go. their way. 9 That the faymg 
 might be fulKUed which he fpake, Of them which 
 thoii gavell me, have I loft none. 
 
 Here «o/f, i. How voluntarily and freely Chrift laid 
 down his life. When hii enemies were fallen to the ground 
 he fuffered.them to rife again, and offers himfelf to them, 
 to take and carry him away, ^'ote, 2. Mow the fight of 
 this glorious miracle of the foldiers falling to the ground 
 did not deter or difcourage them from their wicked pur- 
 pofe ; they get up again, and go on with their bloody de- 
 fign- Learn hence, That obdinate and obdurate fuiners 
 will not be reclaimed by the moft evident and convincing 
 by the moft miraculous and furprizing appearances of God 
 againftthem. Note, 3. How mindtul in the midft of his 
 fufferings, Chrift was of his de.ir difciples, tofecure them, 
 at this time, from death ar>d danger : Ifyefeek me, kt 
 the/ego their way ; that is, my difciples, agaiiift whom ye 
 have no warrant at this time. Learn hence, That Chrift 
 is fo tender of his followers, that he will not put them up- 
 on trials, or call them forth to fuffering, till they are ripe 
 and ready prepared for them. The difciples yet were 
 weak and feeble, timorous and fearful, and Chrift had 
 much work and fervice for them to do in the world ; 
 namely, toplant and propogate the gofpel in foreign coun- 
 tries ; he therefore refi Ives not to lofe any one of them 
 by perlecution at this tiuie : And thus wa.s his word ful- 
 filled, Of them -jihich thou gave me have Ihjl none. 
 
 10 Then Simon Peter having a fword, drew it, 
 and fmote the highprieft's fervant, and cut off his 
 light ear. The fervant's name was Malchus. it 
 Then faid Jefus unto Peter, Put up thy fword into 
 the fheath : 
 
 Ohferve here, St. Peter's love unto, and ?,eal for his 
 Lord and Malier, in defence of whom he now dm ws his 
 Iword : But why did he not rather drawupon Judas than 
 upon Malchus? Pofiibly, becaul'e though Judas, was moft 
 faulty, yet Malchus might be moft forward to carry off our 
 Saviour. Oh, how doth a pious breaft fwell wivh indig- 
 nation at the fight of an open affront offered unloirs Sa- 
 viour ! Farther, The rebuke svhich Chrift gave Sf. Peter 
 for what he did ; thouglihis heart wasfincere, yet bis hand 
 wasralh; good intentions are no warrant fur irregular 
 actions : Chrift will thank no m.tn for dravvinga fword in 
 defence of him, without a warr.int and coinniiflion from 
 him. To redft a lawful mapillrate, even in Chrift's own 
 defence, isradi teni, and ilii'couiitc-nanced by the golpel. 
 
 — The cup which my Father hath given mo,fhalI 
 I not drink it ? 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 S9i 
 
 Here riole, f. Ameraphorlcal defcriptinnof Chiift'tfuf,' 
 fcrings ; They are a cup put into his luind to drink ofi, 
 and that by his own Father. They are a cup, and but 4 
 cup ; God will not overcharge his people ; ar.d litis cup iv 
 from the haiul of the Father, yea, from the handof our 
 Father : The cup -which my Father hath given me. a. Our 
 Lard's refoluiion to drink this cup, how bitter foever, 
 being put to his mouih by his Father's hntid : Shall not 1 
 ilrink it > that is, I will drink it, /.Mr« hence, i. Tnat 
 oft-times the wifdom of God ispleaft-d to put a cup, a very 
 bitter cup of affliftion, into the hand of thufe to drink,, 
 whom he doth moft fincerely I0V8. 2. That when Goi* 
 doth fo, it is their duty to drink it v.ith filence and fub- 
 milfion ; Shall [ not drink it ? that is, I will certainly drink 
 it with cheerfulnefs and relignation. 
 
 12 Then the band and the capt.iin and officers of 
 the Jews took Jefus, and bound him, 13 And led 
 him away to Annas firft (for he was father in law 
 to Caiaphas, which was the high pricft that fame 
 year.) 14 Now Caiaphas was he which gave coun- 
 sel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man 
 fhould die for the people. 
 
 Judas having made good his promife to the chief prieft* 
 and delivered Jefus a prifoner bound into their handt,thofe 
 evening wolves no fooner feize the Lamb of God, but 
 they thirft and long to fuck his innocent blood ; yet, left 
 it Ihould look like a downright murder, they allow him a 
 mock trial, and abufe the law, by perverting it to injuf- 
 tice and blood fhed. How impoffible it is for the greateft 
 innocence and virtue to protf ift from flander and falfe ac- 
 cufation ! and no perfon can be fo innocent or good, whom 
 falfe witnefs may not condemn. 
 
 15 f AndSimon Petcrfollowed Jcftis, andfodid 
 another difciple. That difciple was known unto the 
 hioh prieft, and went in with Jefus into the palace 
 of the high prieft. 1% But Peter ftoodat the door 
 without. Then went out that other difciple which 
 was known unto the high prieft, and fpake unto 
 her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. 1 7 
 Then faith the damfel that kept the doorunto Peter 
 Art not thou alfo one of this man's difciples ? He 
 faith, I am not. i6.\ndthe fcrvants and officers 
 flood there, who made a fiic of coals (for it was 
 cold) and they warmed thcmfolves : And Peter 
 ftood with them, and warmed himfelf, 
 
 AH the four ev.mgeiirt^ give ns an accountof Peter's fall 
 in denying his NTafter. And therein we have (.bftrvob le , 
 I. The (in itfelf which he fell into the denial of Chnft, 
 and this backed with an oath ; he fw.nrc that he knew net 
 the man. Lord! how ni.ny the flavilh fear of I'l'f^ering 
 drive the holif ft and btft of men to commit the foulcft ard 
 worft of fins : 2. 1 he occafion of his fall, (i ) His 
 piefuniptii(U<; coi fideticc of his o\\ n {li cij;il art! ft:.i d'rg 
 1 hijughall me> ft.rfuke ye. yet ■will net 1. L( rd ! lopre- 
 funic upi;n ourftiive* i^ the ready way to provoke ihee to 
 3 D 1 ■ " •"' t- - leave 
 
3b^ 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xvui. 
 
 leave in to ourlelves. It ever we ftand in the day of trial 
 it ii the fear of f.'lling mud enable us to ftjiid ; we foon 
 fall, if we believe it jiiipolTibie to fall. (2.) His being in 
 bad company, among CliriU's rnemies ; Peter had better 
 been a-co!d by himltlf alone, than warming himfclf at a 
 fire whicii was conipjfled in with the blafphemics of the 
 foldiers, where his confci^'nce, though nor ft-ared, wasyet 
 made hard. 3. The reiteration or repeticion of this fin; 
 lie deciiedChriftajrnin and again ; he denied him firll with 
 a lie, then with an oath and curfe. Oh, how dant»eroasis 
 it, not to refill the beginnings of Cm ! If we yield to one 
 temptation, Satan will afTniic us with more and ftronger. 
 4. The henious and aggravating circumltancesof Peter's 
 fin. (1.) From the charaifler of his perfon, a difciple, an 
 apuftle.a chief apoltle ; yet he denies Chrifl. (2 ) From 
 the pcrfon whom he denies, liis Mailer, liis Saviour. (3.} 
 The time when he denied I-iim ; foon after that Chrilt 
 had wallicd hisfeet, yea, foon after he had received tlie 
 facrament from Chrill's own hand. How unreafonable 
 then is their objeiVion againft coming to the Lord's table, 
 that lome who go to it, difhonour Chrift as foon as they 
 come from it! Sucli examples ought not to dil'courage us 
 from coining to the ordinance, but flioald excite and in- 
 creafe our watchfulnefs after we have been there, that our 
 after-deportment may be fuitable to the folemnity of a 
 facramental table. 
 
 ig f The high priefl then afked Jefus of his 
 diTciples and of his dodlrine. 20 Jefus aiilWered 
 him, 1 fpake openly to the world ; I ever taught in 
 the fynagogue, and in the temple, whitherthejews 
 always re fort, and in fecret have I faid nnthing. 21 
 Why afkell thou me ? afk them which heard me, 
 what 1 have faid unto them ; behold, they know 
 what I faid. 
 
 Our Saviour being brought before Caiaphas the high 
 prieft, he examines him concerning his dodirine, and his 
 «Iifc'ples, pretending him to be guilty ofherefy in doftrine 
 :ind fedition, in g-itheringdifciples and followers. Our Sa- 
 viour anfwers, That, as to his doftrine, he had not de- 
 livered it in holes and corners, but had taught publicly in 
 the temple and fynagogues, and that in fecret he had /aid 
 nothing ; that is, nothing contrary to what he had delivered 
 in public. Chrift never willingly afFefted corners; he 
 taught openly, and propounded his docirine publicly and 
 plainly in the worltl. A rou vincing proof that both he and 
 liis doftrine were of God. ie^irn hence, 1, That it is not 
 unufual for the beft of doftrines to pafs under the odious 
 r»iTie and imputation of error and herefy. Chrill's own 
 dodtrine is here charged ; The high priej} afiud Jefus con. 
 cerning his doSJrine. 2. That the minifters of Chrift who 
 have truth on their fide, may and ought to fpeak boldly 
 and openly ; I /pake openly un!o theiu'jHd. " Veritas nihil 
 erubefcitpjaeieaquainabfcondi." 1 ruthbluflies at nothing 
 except at its being concealed. Infecrel, fays ChriH,have 
 Ifuid nothing. 
 
 22 And when he had thus fpoken, one of the 
 officers which Hood by, fliuck Jefus with the palm 
 
 of his hand, faying, Anfwcrefl thou the high priefl 
 fo ? 23 Jefus anfwered, If I have fpoke n cvil,bcar 
 witnefs of the evil: but if well, why fmiteft thou 
 me? 2^ (.Mow Annas had fent him bound unto 
 Cdiaphas the hi^h pricft.) 25 And Simon Peter 
 ftoodand warmed hrmfelf: They faid therefore un- 
 to hiin. Art thou not iilfo one of his difciplcs ? He 
 denied it, and faid, I am not. 26 One of the fer- 
 Vants of the high priefl (being his kinfman wbofe 
 ear Peter cut off) faith, Did I not fee thee in the 
 garden with hiin ? 27 Peter then denied again, and 
 immediately the cock crew, 
 
 Notehere, i. How infolcntly and injurioufiy an officer 
 ftrikes our Saviour in this court of judicature ; One of the 
 officers ji ruck Jefus with the palm of his hand. Whit had 
 ihe holy and innocent Jefus done to deferve thefe buffet- 
 ings? He only made ufe of the liberty which their lawdid 
 allow him, which was not to accufe himfclf, but to put 
 them upon the proof of thofe accufations which were 
 brought againft him. But from this inftance of our Sa- 
 viour's fulierings we /f/jr«, That Chrift did endure painful 
 buffetingSjignoininiousand contemptuous ufage, even from 
 inferior fervants ; giving his cheek to thefmiters, to teftify 
 that Hiame and reproachful ufage which was deferved by 
 us, and tofaniSify that condition to us whenever it is al- 
 lotted for us. 2. The meek and gentle reproof which 
 the [..ord Jefus gives to this rude officer; hedoth notftrike 
 him dead upon the place, nor caufe that arm to wither 
 which was ftretched forthagainft the Lord's anointed; but 
 only lets him know, that there wasnoreafon for his ftrik- 
 ing of him. Where note, That though our Saviour doth 
 not revenge hinifelf, yethe vindicates himfelf,and defends 
 himfelf both with law and reafon: Jf I have fpoken evil, 
 bear -witnefs of the evil; but if -jiell, why Jmite^i thou me* 
 Hence we learn, i. That we are not literally to underftand 
 the command Mat. v. of turning the cheek to him that 
 finites us. For Chrift himfelf did not this, but defends the 
 innocency of his words. (2-) That to ftand up in defence 
 of our own innocency, is not contrary either to the duties 
 of patience and forgivenefs, or to the practice and example 
 of our Lord Jefus. Note, 7. That when the foldif r had 
 ftruck Chrift upon the chetk, he did not turn to him the 
 other alfo, according to Mat. v. 39. Which evidently 
 fliews, that that precept, Jf they fmite thee on oneiheek^ 
 turn the other alfo, command! only this, rather than t;.ke 
 revenge, we fhould bear a fecond injury. Chriftianj ought 
 rather to fuffer a double wrong, than to feeka privatere- 
 venge : Chrillianity obliges us 10 bear many iijuries pa-« 
 tiently, rather than to avenge one privately ; but though 
 it bind up our. hands for private revenge, yet it doth not 
 (hut rnr mouths from cuniplaining to public authority. 
 Chrift't own praftice here expounds the precept clfewhere 
 Mat. V. 2. For hecomplain^ here of the nfEcer's injuftice 
 in fmicing him before the j.idicaiory, and challenges the. 
 man to bear wiinefs of the evil. Laftly, How our Lord' 
 was net only buffeted, hut bound, and fent bound from 
 Annas to Caiaphas, from Caiaphas to Pilate, fro'u Pif.itc to 
 Herud, and from Herod to I'llate again : Attd all this on 
 
 £uot 
 
Chap. xvn. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 :3i)7 
 
 foot through the ftreets of J?rufalem, from one end of the 
 city to the other ; partly to rentier his coinpairion more 
 public, beiiip; a gazing (lock to i!ie world, and a fpectacle 
 both to anjielb and men. And his condefcending to j»o 
 bound from one high pried to another, and from one tri- 
 bunal to another, teiches his people what dchnqiientsihey 
 were before the tribunal of God, and v^hat they deferved 
 by reafon of C\\ ; even a I'entence of eternal condemnation 
 at the tribunal of a juil and holy God. 
 
 2 8 5 Then led they Jofus from Caiaphas unto 
 the hall of judgment : and it was early, and they 
 themfclves went not into the judgment hall, left 
 they fhould bs defiled: but that they might eat 
 the paffover. 
 
 There were two courts of judicature which our bleflcd 
 Saviour was brought before and condemned by : i 1 hat 
 ecclefiaftical court orfanhtdrini, in which the hi^h-prie(l 
 I'at asjuJge: Here he was condemned to death for blaU 
 pheniy. 2. The civil court or judgmenr-hall, where 
 Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, fat judge, who, be- 
 caufe he was a Gentile, they would not go into his houfe, 
 left they fhould be defiled : for they accounted it a legal 
 pollution, to come into the houfe of a Gentile. Where 
 M'jte, The notoricus hypocrify of the Jews ; they fcruple 
 the deiilmg of ihemfelves by ccraing near the judgment- 
 Lai/, where Pilate £it, but make no fcruple at all to defile 
 theinfelves with the guilt of that innocent bUiod which 
 Pilate (hed. When perfons are overzealous for ceremo- 
 nial obfervations, they are oftentimes tooremife^siUh re- 
 ference 10 moral duties. They brought him iothejuJg' 
 ment hall ; but they thcmfehes wrnt nbt in, left they, 
 
 29 Pilate then went out to them, and faid; 
 What accufation bring you againft this man ? 30 
 They anfwered and faid unto him. If he were not 
 a malefaflor, we would not have delivered him up 
 unto thee. 
 
 Uote here, i How Pilate humours thefe Jews in their 
 fuperflition. They fcruple to gu into the judgment-halT 
 t > him ; he therefore goes out to them, and demands whai 
 accufation they had againft Chrift. They charge him here 
 only for being a malefaftor, or an evil doer inthegeneral ; 
 but elfe where Luke xxiii. they particularly accufe him, 
 1. Fur perverting t/je nation." 2. "For forbidding to 
 piy tribute to Cxfar." 3. "For faying that he himfelf 
 was Chrift a King." All which was fihhy calumny ; yet 
 drift underwent the reproach of it without opening his 
 mouth : Teaching us, when we lie undercalumn y and un- 
 jult imputation, to imitate him, wliu opened not his mouth 
 but committed his caufe ta him that judgeth uprightly. 
 
 31 Then Pilate faid unto them, Take ye him, 
 and judge him according to your law. The Jews 
 therefore fuid unto him, It is not lawful for us to 
 put any man to death : 32 That the Hiying of 
 Jefus might be fulfilled, which he fpake, fignifying 
 what death he fhould die. ^' 
 
 The Jews being now under the power cf the Roni.tns 
 though they had a power of judging and tenfuring crinii- 
 nals in fnialfer matters, yet not incapiialcafe; ; thty cculd 
 not pronounce a fentenceof death upon any perfon, lay 
 fome : they might, and did, fay ot hers.punilli blafphcniers, 
 by ftoning them to death ; but then their feiitence is to be 
 ratified Uy ffie Romanpower : Accordingly, here they had 
 in their ecclefiaftical court condemned Chrift for blalphe- 
 my, now they bring him to Pilate the Roman governor to 
 coi.firtn the ftiitence of death. From hence it appears, 
 That Chrift W3i the true Medias, being fcnt into the world 
 when the fceptrc was t.'rparted from J-.d^h, accordingto 
 that ancient prophecy of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 10. Ihefctptre 
 Jhall not depart from Juduh until Sbiloh come. The Jews 
 had no power abfolutely to condemn any man, or put him 
 to death ; but this power the Roman emperor refe rved ro 
 his own deputy. This contribut<:d towards the fulfilling 
 of our Saviour's words. Matt. xx. 19. That he flioulJ he 
 delivered to the Gentiles, and JhoulJ be crucified: Which 
 was not a Jewifh, but a Roman punilhmcnt. Had the 
 Jews put him to death, they had ftoned him. But Chrift" 
 was to be made a curfe for us by hanging upon a tree; and 
 accordingly the Jews execute the counfel of God, though 
 they knew it not, by refufing to put him to death ihem- 
 felves. Learn hence. How willing Chrift was to undergo 
 a (hamefnl, painful, and accurleddeaih. thathc mighttef- 
 tify his love unto, and procure a blefTing for his people. 
 Thus the faying 'ifjffus was fulfilled, which hejpake, &c. 
 
 33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment-hall » 
 again, and called Jefus, and faid unto him, Art thou ■ 
 the king of the Jews ? 34 jefus anfwered him,- 
 Sayeft thou this of thyfelf, or did others tcliit thee 
 of me ? 35 Pilate anfwertd, Am I a Jew ? Thine, 
 own nation, and the chief ptiefts have delivered, 
 thee unto me : What haft thou clone ? 36 Jefus - 
 .-\nfwered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my. 
 kingdom were of this world, then would my fcr- 
 vants fight, that I Qiould not be delivered to the 
 Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 
 
 A'o.'* here, i. Pilates enfnaring queftion, /frt thcu the 
 king of the Te-jjs > How jealous are great men of Jefus. 
 Chrilt, and how afraidthey areof hiskingdom, power and 
 authority, as if it would be prfjudicial to their authority 
 and power in the world, which was far tnou'^h from 
 Chrift's thoughts! 2. 1 he wifdom and caution of onr 
 Saviour's anfwer ; he neither affirms nor denies. Though 
 whenever we fpeak we are bound to fpcak the truth, yet 
 we are not hound at all times to fpeak the whole truth. 
 Chrilb tells him therefore, that upon the (uppoliiion ih;.t 
 he was a king, yet his kingdom w.is not earthly, buta fpi- 
 ritu.il kingdom ; he was no temporal kii>[^. torule over his 
 fnbjefts with teviporal power'aml worlilly pon;p, but a 
 fpirituul king, in and over his church onlv, lo. order the 
 atfiiirs, and look after the governiHcnt thereof, learn 
 hence, That Chrift as God hath an univerl'al kinodom of 
 power and providence even over the h'glicft of men, ard 
 as a . Mediator hath a fpiritual kingdom in and over h.s 
 
 church 
 
3.98 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Ghap. xik. 
 
 church. 2. Thnt it i'ij dcarevicJencc thnt Chrift's king- 
 Ji)m is Ipiritual, m i"; much as it is not cirrici on by vio- 
 lence anJ Corre i>f ai-in;, as worldly kiiigdonis are, but by 
 i^iiritua! me.-iiis and iiiethoJs: If my kingd^'n-juercofthit 
 ■jjiiU, my Uninnti luouhl fight for mf ; but no-j) is my king- 
 dam ir,t fritftt he nee, 
 
 37 Pilate therefore faid unto him, Art thou a 
 kln^ then ? Jcfus anfwered, Thou fayed that I am 
 a king. To this end was I born, and fur this caufe 
 cuuv I into the world, that I Ihould bear witnefs 
 untu the truth. Every one that is of the truth 
 hearcth my voice. 
 
 Pilitc a(ks liim again dirctfily and expreflly, Art thou a 
 Kini^ or mt? Our Saviour anfwers, " Thiufayefl that 1 
 amti Kin^, and fo it is indeed as thou fayeft, I am a King 
 *nd the King of the Jews too; but not a temporal King, 
 to rule over them aficr tlie manner of earthly Kings, with 
 reniporal po'ver.and worldly pomp and fplendor; but I 
 am a fpiritu.il ting, to rule and govern, not only the Jews, 
 b.it my whole church confilVmgboth of Jews and Gentiles, 
 after a fpiritual manner." Note here, i. The dominion 
 and fovereignty of Jel'us Chrift, he has a kingdom ; /My 
 kingdom. 2. The condition and qualification of this'king- 
 dom, rkega-ivelyexpreffod : !\Iy kingdom is not of this -world. 
 3. The ufe and end of this kingdom, that the truth may 
 have pl-icc among the chddren of men for their falvation ; 
 71; this tnd -uiis I horn, and came into the world, to hear 
 tiiilntf I Unto the truth. 4. The fubjects of Chrifl's king- 
 dom dechired : Every one that is of the truth heareth my 
 voice : That is, every one who is by divine grace difpofed 
 10 believe and love the truth, will hear and obey Chrift's 
 do£ttitie. 
 
 38 Pilate faifh unto him, What is truth ? And 
 when he had faid this, he went out again unto the 
 Jews and faid unto them, I find in him no fault at 
 all. 39 But ye have a ciiflom that I fhould releafc 
 unto you one at the paffovcr: will ye therefore 
 that I releafc unto you the king of the Jews? 40 
 Then cried they all again, faying, Not this man, 
 but fiarrabbas. Now Barrabbas was z robber. 
 
 Note here, i. The qiieflion Pilate put to Ciirift, IVhat 
 is truth? A muft noble and important qiieftion, had it 
 been put forth with an honeft heart, with a mind fairly 
 difpofed for information and f.itisfadion ; but it isevident, 
 PJlatc'j inquiry was not feriouj : iHay it is generally 
 thought that Pilate a{ked thisqueflion in fcorn, contempt 
 and derifion ; for heftays not for our Lord', anfwer, hut 
 .TS fiion as he ftarted i>is query, went off the bench in hafle 
 Learn hince, That this qiicliiou. What is truth? or how, 
 may we come la the knowledge of the truth? i; of un- 
 iprakible ufe and importance, and the qucflion whereon 
 the whole frame andcoiiflitutinnof religion depends ; bc- 
 caufe truth is claiineil by all parties of men, bv all prof-Kf- 
 fors ofreligioii. A(k the difTt-rent parties, from the old 
 gentleman at Rome, to the pooreft Qu.iker and Muggle- 
 loit'i.MH, li here is truth f and tliey will all tell you, They 
 
 are in the poffcfflon nf It: Every feft hath thus much of 
 popery with it, that the profelTors of it think themfelves , 
 infaiiiable, and every one cries out, Htreis truth. But God 
 hath given us a two-fold light to fearch for truth ; namely 
 the light of reafon, and the light of fcripture, or divine, 
 revelation. The former Solomon culls the candle of the 
 Lord, fet up in our breads by God, on purpofe to difcover 
 truth unto us. God allows us, yea, enjoins us, the free 
 and impartial life of our unJerftandings and judgments, ia 
 order to the finding out of divine truth ; but becaufe na- 
 tures light, or the light of natural reai'on is not clear and 
 bright enough to give usaprofpe(ftof fupernaiural truths, 
 ftor nature and reafon can never dictate ihofe things which 
 depend only upon God's free grace and good pleafure ; 
 fuch as the doctrine of a Saviour and Redeemer, and the 
 method of man's Salvation by the fufferings of the Son of 
 Godj it has been blafphemy once to have fuppofed fuch 
 things, had not God revealed them in fcripture : There, 
 fore the fecond ftandard of divine truth is the infalliabic 
 word of God. The gofpel of Ciirift is the way and the 
 truth ; Truth came by Jcfus Chrijl. And would men be 
 ruled and condudetl by thefe unalterable ftindards of 
 truth, namely, right reafon and divine revelation, they 
 would.eafily agree in their judgments what is to be believ- 
 ed, and all duties and controverfies would vanifh. Right 
 reafon and infiHred fcriptures are the beft judges of con- 
 troverfies ; they being the fixed standards a'nd meafurei 
 of divine truth, can bcft refolve Pilate's qucflion here, and 
 tell us. What is truth. 2. How unwilling, how very un- 
 willing Pilate was to be the inftrument of our Saviour's 
 death .- He came forth three feveral times, and tells the 
 Jews that he finck no fault in him ; he bids them take him 
 and judge him according to their law; Pilate, a pagan, 
 abfolves Chrifl, whilft the hypocritical Jews, that heard 
 his doftrine, and faw his miracles, do condemn hin, 3. 
 Pilate having abfolved Chrilt, I find no fault in him, en- 
 deavours next to releafe him, and takes occafion from 
 their ciiftnm of having a prifoner releafed to them it their 
 feaft, to inlinuate his dcfire that they fhould chufeChrift : 
 Te have a cafiom that I JJiould releafe unto ym one at the 
 pafflver. Laftly, How the Jews prefer Barrabbas, a rob- 
 ber, before the holy and innocent Jefus ; They all cried 
 out, faying, nut this man, but Barabhas. Learn hence, 
 That no perfons, how wicked .md vile foever, are fo odi- 
 ous in the eyes of the enemies of God, as Chrifl hinfelf 
 was: and his friends and followers now are : Chrifl did 
 find it thus in his own pejfon when on earth ; Barrabbas 
 a robber was preferred before him ; and now he is in 
 heaven, he fuffers in his members, the filth of the world 
 being preferred before them. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 THEN Pilate therefore took Jefuc, and fcourged 
 lum. 
 
 Note here, i- That as the death of the crof« was a Ro- 
 m«ii puii'lliment, fo it was the manner (<f the Uoinins to 
 whp ih< i milefaftor'-s before they ci uc fitd them. Ac- 
 ccrLUn)i\y. Pilate took y<fus and/cour^ca him Oh' amaz- 
 ing light, the great God of heaven and earth is!a(h'-d anil 
 
 fcuurged 
 
 1 
 
Chap. xix. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 399 
 
 fcourged like a bafe flavc r IJf hold ! hard hearted fin ner, 
 thelalhes wherewith thy Redeemer is cruelly tormented, 
 were to preferve thee fio n tlje Jeverer Itflies of thine own 
 accufing and condemningconfcieiice, and to fave thee from 
 being bihcd by the rage and fury of diviU to all eternity. 
 4. How unwilling, how very unwilling Pilate was to be 
 the inftrument of our Saviour's .leath ; it is very evident, 
 that he hid a mind to re-leafe him ; and it is concluded 
 that Pilate was thus forward to fcourge Chrift, hoping that 
 the Jew? would have been raiislied with this lighter pun- 
 ifhment, and to h 've dilmiired him. Fr.iin ihis inftance 
 we may ga.her, that hypocrites within ihe pale of the vi- 
 fjble church, may he guilty ofluch tremendous act. of wiik- 
 ednefs, as the confcience of an Inlidel and Pagan may bog- 
 gle at and prorell againft. Pilate, a Pagan, abl'olves 
 Chrirt, and feeks to releafe hmi, whiUl the hyp«critieal 
 Jews, who had heard his doArine, and law his miracles, 
 condemn him. 3. How wretchedly Pilate rufFershimi'elf 
 to be overcome with the Jews importunity, and, contrary 
 to the light of his ovn reafon and confcience, delivers the 
 holy and innocent Jefus, firft to be fcourged and thencru- 
 cified. Lecjrn thence, That it is a vain apology for fin, 
 when perfons pretend that it was not committed with their 
 own confent, but at the inftigation and importunity of 
 others. For fuch is the frame and conftitution of man's 
 foul, that none can make it either wicked or miferable, 
 without his own confent: Then Pilate too/c Jefus and 
 JcQurged h'.m. 
 
 2 And the foldiers platted a crown of thorns 
 and put in on his head, and they put on him a pur- 
 ple robe, 3 And (aid, Hail, King of the Jews : 
 And they fraotc him with their hands. 
 
 Behold here, i. The crown which they prepared for 
 fiim, a crown of thorns, and with great crtvlty they prefs 
 it clofe to his facred temples, whillt thofe (harp pointed 
 ■briers piercing thofe tenderparts,let out that blovid which 
 in a (hort time was to be more freely poured forth for the 
 xedctnption of captive fouls. The next part of our Savi- 
 our's fufFerings confirted of cruel mockings : Chrift had 
 owned himfelf to be the king of the Jews ; that is, a fpi- 
 ritualKing, in and over his church : But the lewsexpefl- 
 ing that the Mefilah fliould have ajjpeared in the pomp of 
 an earthly prince, and finding it to be quite otherwife in 
 ■our Saviour, thev look upon him as a deceiver and impof- 
 tor, and accordingly treat him as a mocking, with all the 
 fnaiki of derifion and fcorn : For, Firft,they piM a crown 
 upon his head, hut a very ignominious and painlul one ; A 
 crvwnof thorns : They put a fctptre in bii hand, but it 
 was that of a. reed ; a robe of fcarlet or purple upon his 
 body; and then bowed their knees unto him, as they were 
 W01U to do before their princes, crying. Hail, King, thus 
 were all the marks offcorn imaginable put upon our dear 
 Redeemer; yet what they did iiijeft, God permitted to 
 be done in earned ; for all ihefe things were enfigns and 
 n»arks of fovereignty, and .Tlmighty God caufed the royal 
 dignity of his Son to fliine forth, even in the midft of his 
 greatfft abafemer.r. W l^ence was all this jeering andlport 
 hut to flout majedy? A'nd why did the Son of God un- 
 dergo :U this igiiomvj .difgrace, and Ihsme, but to Ihew 
 
 what was due unto us for our fin?; as alfo to give us an 
 example, to bear all the fcorir, reproach, and Ihame ima- 
 ginable, for the fake of him, who for the joy that vas fet 
 before him, defpifed the Ihame, as well as endured the 
 croi's? Verily nothing was omitted that either the malice 
 of men, or the rage of devils could pofiibly invent, either 
 to torment or reproach hiui. but v\ith what a l;iinb-!ike 
 meeknefs, wiih what an allonifliing patience, did he under- 
 go ilielW trials, both for our good, and in our Head ! 
 
 4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and faith 
 unto them. Behold, I bring him forth to you, that 
 ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5 7 hen 
 came Jefus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and 
 the purple robe. And Piku faith unto them. Be- 
 hold the man. 6 When the chief priefls therefore 
 and officers faw him, they criedout, laying. Crucify 
 him, crucify him. Pilate faith unto them, Take ye 
 him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him, 
 
 Note here, i. The great variety of our Saviour's fuffer- 
 Jngs ; he is made the foot ball of cruelty and fcorn ; his 
 facred bodv is Itript of its garments, and his back difguifed 
 with purple robes; his tender temples wounded with a 
 thorny crown ; his face fpi: upon, his cheeks buffeted, 1/rs 
 head fmitten, his hand fceptcred with a reed. By his 
 wearing a crown of thorns, betook away thebitternefs of 
 that curie; which our lins brought upon the earili, Oer>. 
 iii. 18. Thorns and briers fhall it bring forth. Chrifl, by 
 his bitter and bloodyfufFerings, har turned all the curfes 
 of his people into crowns and blelFings. 2. The noble tef-. 
 timonv given of Chriltis innoceney by the m on Hi of Pi- 
 late, i find in him no fault tit all ■■ He doth not fay, 1 find 
 him not guilty of what is laid to his charge ; but gives an 
 univerfal teflimony of our Lord's innocency : 1 find ;k) 
 fault at all in him. In fpite of all malice, innocency ftiall 
 find I'ome friends and abbettors. Rather than Chrift fl)<i-ll 
 want witnefFes, Pilate's mouth fliallbe openeil for his jol- 
 lification : how fain would he have freed Jelus, whoni he 
 found fjultlels ! Our Lord found more compalTion from 
 Pilate, an Heathen, than he did from them of hi.- own na- 
 tion. Pilate woulil have faved hini, but they cried out 
 for his blood: Hypocrites wiihin the vifible church may 
 be guilty of fuch monfirous afls of u ickcdntfs, a;thecon- 
 fciences of heathens, without the church, may boggle at and 
 protefhigainlt. Pilate, a pagan, pronounces Chrill inno- 
 cent, whilil the hypocritical Jews, who had heard hh doc- 
 trine and feen his miracles, do condemn him. 3; Who 
 influenced the main body of the Jews,, to defire Pilate to 
 pat Jefus to death ; it was the chief prieiVs and elders, /Afy 
 perfuadtJ the tnullitutle : Wo be to the common people, 
 wlren theirguide and leaders are corrupt y and wo be unto 
 ihfcni much more, if they follow ilieir wicked pernicious 
 counfels: the Jews here followed their guides the chief 
 prierts, butit was to their own de(lruc'lion,as well as their 
 leaders : H'knlhe blind lead the blind, both jail into the ditch. 
 
 7 The Jews anfwercd him. We have a law, and- 
 by our law he ought to die, becaufe he made him- 
 felf the Son of God. When Pilaic therefore 
 
 heaxxl 
 
4.CO 
 
 Sr. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 GhAP. XIX. 
 
 heard that laying, he was the more afraid; 9 And 
 went again into the judgment hall, and faith unto 
 Jcfus, whence art thuu ? but Jefus gave hira no au- 
 Iwcr. 
 
 A'o/tf here, i. How anibitnu? the chief pricfts were iliat 
 Chrill ihould die under a colour of law : H'e htrvt a law, 
 ond by cur tew he ought to die. The law which they allude 
 to, is the law for putting fall'c prophets and blafplieniers 
 lodcjth; of wliich number they conclude Chrill to be, 
 bfcaiife ht made hinifelf the Son of God ; whereas he did 
 not make iiimfclf fo, or only pretend to be fo, but really 
 and indeed was fo; to wit, the eternalSon of God. Such 
 as are indeed blafphemers, and do arrogate to themfelves 
 what IS proper to God only, by the lasv of God they ought 
 to be put to death ; but Chrill was not guilty of the vio- 
 lation of that law ; for he was indeed the Son of God, 
 and did not makehiinfelf fo. 2" How full of fear the con- 
 fricnce of Pilate was, when the Jews told him that Jefus 
 made himfelf the Son of God ; he was afraid to condemn 
 him, not krrowing but that he might be fome divine and 
 extraordinary perfon, and confequently might draw divine 
 vengeance on his own head. Learn hence. That ferious 
 thoughts of a Deity will Ilrike terror even into a natural 
 confcience, efpecially when the finnfr is following a 
 courfc which his own judgment cannot approve; when 
 Pilate heard ofChrift's being the Son of God, he was 
 afraid, knowing what he had done to him, was againft 
 his own confcience. 3. The quedion Pilate puts to 
 Chrill upon this occafion, Whence art thou f that is What 
 is thy original or parentage? Art thou a divine perfon or 
 not? Our blefled Saviour being unwilling to obftrucl his 
 own fuiTerings, or to difcover any thing that might hinder 
 Pilate from proceeding againft him, would give him no 
 anfwer, having before made a reafonable and fufficient 
 defence. O how ready was Chrill to lay do^^'n his life 
 for finners, and how willing to pay that ranfom for his 
 ])€ople, which the juftice of God required. 
 
 10 Then faith Pilate unto him, Spcakefl thou 
 not unto me ? knoweft thou not tliat I have power 
 to crucify thee, and have power to releafe thee ? 1 1 
 Jefus anfwered, thou couldeft have no power at 
 all againft me, except it were given thee from a- 
 bove : therefore he that delivered mc to thee hath 
 the greater fin. 
 
 Notehcre, i. How offended Pilate was at Chrift'sfilence 
 and howunreafonablyheboifts ofhis power and authority ; 
 f/ave not I power to crucify thee, and power to releafe thee ? 
 It is the great fin anol fnarc of men in power, to forget 
 from whom they derive their power, and to think that they 
 may employ their power as they pleafe. 2. The piety 
 and mcekncfs of our Saviour's anfwer, Thi^u coulde/i have 
 nop'iiurr againff me, unlrft it were given thre from above. 
 That is, tfu-u haft no power over me, nor couldeft thou 
 infliflany punilhmenr upon me, were it not that my Fa- 
 ther had. III his gieat wifdoin, divine counfel and for 
 glnrions ends, permitted it fo to be. I^arn, That Chrift's 
 beiiigunder the power of any man, how greatand eminent 
 foever, did flow from the peculiar Jilpeiifation of God, 
 
 who, in his wife and Acnderful counfel, fo ordered it and 
 ordained it, for the redemption and falvaticn of his people ; 
 he was above all human power as God, and no ways ob- 
 noKioas to Pilate's power, being a perfedly innocent man. 
 9. How Chrift charges his death more upon Judas and the 
 Jews, than upon Pilate and the Gentiles : They that de- 
 livered me to thee have the greater fin. Not that Pilate 
 was excufeJ from (in, in delivering Chrift to be crucified; 
 he finiicd hcinoufly inabuiinghis power, but Judas Tinned 
 more in delivering him up tp the chief prielts, and the 
 chief priefts in delivering him up to Pilate, than Pilate 
 himfelf, whom they made a tool to ferve their malice and 
 revenge ; they had better means of knowledge than he, 
 and fo tinned more againft light than he ; and confequently 
 their light was greater, and their condemnation heavier 
 than his. Learn thence. That the greater ineansof light 
 and knowledge perfonsfin againft, the more aggravated is 
 their guilt, and the more heightened will be theircondein- 
 nation : He that delivered me unto thee, hath the greater fin. 
 
 1 2 And from thenceforth Pilate fought to releafe 
 him : but the Jews cried out, faying. If thou let 
 this man go, thou art not Caefar's friend: who- 
 foevermaketh himfelf a king, fpeaketh againft Cat- 
 far. 13 When Pilate therefore heard that fay- 
 ing, he brought Jelns forth, and fat down 11/ the 
 judgment-feat, in a place that is called the Pave- 
 ment, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 
 
 Still ohferve, how unwilling Pilate was to put Chrift 10 
 death : Confcience bid him fpare, popularity bids him kill ; 
 how frequently and how fervently did he contend with the 
 Jews, till they make it a ftate cafe, and tacitly accufe him 
 for a traitor to the Roman emperor, if he releafed him; If 
 thou let this man go, thou art not Cafar's friend. When 
 Pilate heard that, he delivers up the innocent Jefus to be 
 crucified, Hence learn That the natural confciencesof men 
 and the innate notions or good andevil.may carry raenon 
 a great way in oppoling that which is barefaced iniquity ; 
 but, at laft, cither fear or (hame will over rule, if there be 
 not a fuperior and more noble principle. Though Pilate's 
 conlfcience acquitted Chrift, and his mouth had declared 
 that he had found no fault at all in him ; yet fear of Caefar's 
 difpleafure caufes him todeliver up to death the holieft and 
 beftotnien, againft his judgment and his confcience. 
 lyhen Pilate heard that, he brought J ejus forth unto them^ 
 
 14 And it was the preparation of the paftbver, 
 and about the fixth hour: and he faith unto the 
 Jews, behold your king. 15 But they cried out, 
 away withAzw, away withAm, cruc^y him. Pilate 
 frith unto them, Shall I crucify yoiir king ? The 
 chief pnefts anfwered. We have no king but Caefar. 
 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to 
 be crucified. — 
 
 Note here, How careful the Holy Gboft is to record and 
 fetdovvnthe time when Pilate gave fentence againft Chrift. 
 In general, it was on the day of the preparation for the 
 palKxrer ; that is, the day immediately before it, when they 
 
 prepared 
 
Chap. xix. 
 
 Sr. J O H N. 
 
 4,0 1 
 
 prepared every tiling needful forthcfolemnisation; and in Iiis long watchiiijr and fwcatinj^ ihc nij^lit hcf.re., ^.Th 
 
 particular, it was about the fixth hour of that day. St 
 Mark ca'.Uit the third hour, St. Jodni the fixth ; but this 
 is ealily reconciled iluu ; the Jews divided the day into 
 four qii.irters, \Ah:ch t!>cy called hours : the firlt was call- 
 cd the third hour, which aiifwcrs toourninih ; the lecond 
 callL'd the fixth hour, anf\veri!ig our twelfth ; the third, 
 called the ninth hour, nni'wering our three in the afternoon 
 
 flia,-p edges of thccrofs grating his lai'.- v. hij-ped .iiiilgillcti 
 fiiouldcrs, might orcafion the i'ttdi l.lcrding of his w onnd^ 
 and his we,ikening thereby. 4 Hereby iicgat-e flicWfrM 
 a dtinondration of (he truth of his hunjanity, thr.t h- 
 was in :dl things ]:J;c unio us, wirh rcfptcl to liis luininu 
 nature, and ihe cnmiijon it firtniiirs oftliar ittiture. Herein 
 like Ifaac, Chrift chcrfully carried tin; woodon vihichht; 
 
 the fourth, cjlled the tweluh hour, which was the tinieof was to be ortlrtd up a facrificc to divine juHice. jXcte 
 
 iheir retrt mtnt trom Libour, and beginning of the firft 
 night watch. Now the whole time, from the third hour 
 tothe liKth, th.1t IS, from nine to twelve, was caUed the 
 third hour; and the whole intervening time, from the fi.\th 
 to the ninth, that is from twelve to three, is called the 
 fixth hour, and foof the reft. Now when St. John fjys, 
 it was about the iixth hour when Chrill was condemned 
 
 The i.ifamiuij compariv which our Lord fnffered uiih, 
 two thievts; on either (Ide one, and himfcif in the n>idfl : 
 It had been a fuflicient riifparagi mciit to our hic/Ied l?e- 
 dcciner, to be foricd with tiiebeft of men; but to be 
 numbered with the fcum of mankind, is fuch an indignity 
 as confounds our thouglits. This wns defigned by the* 
 Jews to dillionoor and difgrace our Saviour the more, and 
 
 by Pilate, and led away to be crucified, and St. Markfays to perfuade the world thai he was thegrcateff of r ffcnders. 
 it was the third hour, we are to underlland, that St. Mark But God over-ruled this, for fulfilling an ancit nt prophfcy 
 . 1 ._ • .1 - .. L .- .: r.u- .i.:-.i I. r _:.- ._ concerning the Meiliaj, Ifa. Jiii. ult. And he vies r.umbcrid 
 
 'Jiith the tra>jfgrejp)rs, 
 
 19 5 And Pilate wrote a title, and put in on the. 
 crois. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZA- 
 RETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 
 Tliis title then read many of the [eivs : lor theplncc 
 where Jefus was cmcificdwas nigh to the city : and 
 it wa.s written in Hebrew, and- Greek, and Latin. 
 21 Then laid the chief pritfts of the Jeti-s to PiJatc 
 Write not, The king of the Jews; but that he faid! 
 I am king of the Jews. 22 Pilate anfwered, What 
 I have written, I have written. 
 
 takes in the \\hi)le time of the third hour, from nine to 
 twelve, and St. Join) faying it was about the fixih hour, 
 implies, thatit was near twelve ; fo that between ihe hours 
 of nine and twelve, our Lord wasfentcnced and led away 
 to his crofs, about twelve fattened to his crols, npon which 
 !)c hung till the ninth hour; that is, to about three in the 
 ..fttrnoon ; during which time, there \*as Inch an eclipfe 
 of the fun, as did occafion darkncfs over all the earth. 
 Learn hence, The great love and condefcenfion of ChrilV 
 in flooping fo low, to have his fuilerings lengthened our 
 upon our accounts, to expiate our guilt which dcferveth 
 eternal fuffcrings : that he might by his example, warn us 
 to prepare for trials of long continuance, and fanclify a 
 iV.te of continual affliction to us. Behold the fon of God 
 harrafTed all night before he fnflered, hurried trom place 
 to place, pofleii backv.-ard and forward, from Pilate to He- 
 rod, and from Herod to Pilate, wearied, fcourged, buffeted 
 crowned with thorns, at lalt nailed to his crofs, atid hang- 
 ing thereupon from about twelve to three, in exquilite tor- 
 ture of body, and under the fenfe of his Father's wrath 
 in his foul. O Lord ! thy kindnefs towards us, is match- 
 Jefs aad inimitable, never was love like thine' 
 
 — And they took Jefus and led him away. 17 
 And he bearing hisctofs,wcntforLh into aplacecall 
 
 Note, here- t. The infcription wToteby Pilate over ovn 
 fufTering baviour ; This is Jefus of Nazareth, the king of 
 the jevis. It was the manner of the Komans, w/ien iliey 
 crucified a Malefador, to publifti the caufe of his death in 
 cajjital letters over their head, that fo the equity of tlicir 
 proceedings tnight more clearly api)car to the people. Nov/ 
 it isobfervable how wonderfully tlie wifdom of Cod over- 
 ruled the heart and pen of Pilate to draw this title, which 
 was truly honourable, and fi:; it to hiscrofs. I.earnhtnct 
 tliJt the regal dignity of Chrift was openly proclaimed by 
 cd, (he place oi a. fkuU, w^hich is called in the Hebrew an enemy, and in the time of his gresteft reproaches and 
 Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified hira, and two buffering.-!. Pilate, without his own knowledge, did our 
 
 other men with him, on either fide one, and Jefus 
 in the midll. 
 
 Nctehere, i. That it was a cuftom among the Romans 
 to caufe the perfon condennied to crucifying, to cirry his 
 o.vn crofs ; accordingly our Saviour bare hii own crol\part 
 of the way, till fainting under the burden of it, they laid 
 it upon another, not out of mercy, but malice, rclVrving 
 hii)i for a more public death; they were loath he fliould 
 go away in a f.iinting fit. But why could not Chrift bear 
 his own crofs, wfao was able to bear the fms of the wholt; 
 world, wU'n hanging upou thecrofs? Anfmer \, Prob4i)ly, 
 the Jews ni.ilice provided him a crnfi of extraordinary 
 greatnefs, proportionable to the crimes they charged him 
 with. 2. He v,3s much dfbiluted and weakened, with 
 
 Saviour an eminent piece of fervice ; he diti rjiac for Chriit 
 which none of his dilciples durft do : not deiigncdiy, buc 
 from the fpeciaJ over-ruling providence of God. No 
 thanks to Pilate for all this, becaufe the highefl fervices 
 performed to Chrill unck fignedly, fliall neither be a^cipied 
 nor rewarded by God. 2. How the Jews endeavcur to 
 alter this : IV'ite mt, tie king ',f thtJcMs, iut that he fald, 
 I am king nf the Je-ws. 1 he Jews thought it would be a 
 difgrace fo them, thjt Cliriit flu nlo' be r- ncrted ohroad to 
 have been their king, therefore they delire an aIter.ition 
 Oithe writing: but Pilate, that wrote la lionciir ui Li.iiit 
 ft.ffly defends what he had d( ne : To ;iil their iinpon unity 
 he returns this r»foiU!e ani'wer: H'hut I huve u-r/,/, » / 
 have written Surely the coiilhmcy ot P.late at this tiii,r 
 innll be attributed to Iptciil divine providence. How won- 
 derful was it, ih»t he w ho liefcre w as incoi.ltant as a reed 
 f.t ll..u!i 
 
.lOJ 
 
 St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xrx. 
 
 fliciilii now be i, [Hilar of braf> ! Whence is this, but 
 !roiii ilie God uf fjnrits moving 'upon liis fpirit to write, 
 :iiiil to ilefeiuiwhat w.is vvriticti? The providence of Got! 
 li.iih a profpeJl be;.onil tiieunderftanding of a!! creatures. 
 
 " i'hcn the foldicrs, when they had crucified 
 
 |i.tiis. look his gannciits, ("and made four parts, to 
 
 t\(iy fuldicrapart) and alio /i» coat: now the coat 
 
 \ .,> without fcam, woven from the top throughout. 
 
 2 1 'Ihry faid therefore among themfolvcs, Let us 
 
 lu.'l rent it, but call lots for it, whofe it fhall be ; 
 
 'that the fcripture might be fulfilled, which faith, 
 
 They parted my raiment among them, and for my 
 
 \cnure they did rail lots. Thefe things therefore 
 
 thefoldlers did. 
 
 Here we have recorded our Saviour's fufFerings from 
 the foldiers ; they (Iript him of his garments, before <hey 
 f.nllenedhim tothccrofs, and divided thofe garments which 
 could be parted amongft them, and caft lots for liis woven 
 coat, which could not be divided. Little did thefe vile 
 fiildicrs think that they were now fulfilling a fcripture pro- 
 phecy : Ytt fo it was, this action of thcir's being foretold 
 Pf.d. •xxii. iS. They part my farmer,! J amorg them, andcajt 
 I As fir my veflure. Not that the prophecy made them do 
 it, but was fulfilled by their doing it. From hence wemay 
 gather, that ChriflfufFcred naked upon the crofs ; asnaked 
 I'.iy fume, as he came into the world. We had made our- 
 ftlves n.ikcd to our (lianie ; and Chrift became naked to 
 cover our (Ii.ime. IP, fenfiblc of our own nakednefs and 
 fhame, we flee unto him by faith, we fliall be clothed 
 with robes of righteoufnefs, and garments of everlafting 
 praifc. 
 
 25 ? Then there Rood by the crofs of }efus,his 
 motlicr, and his mother's filler, Mary the wife cf 
 Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 \^'hen Jefus 
 therefore faw his mother, and the difciple Handing 
 by, whom he loved, he faith unto his mother, 
 Woman, behold thy fon, 27 Then faith he to the 
 difciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour 
 that difciple took her nnto his own Iiotne. 
 
 Thefe words contain our Saviour's afFeftionate recom- 
 mendation of his didrefled mother, to the care of a dear 
 difrijile. It was an argument ofChrift's wonderful love to 
 her, that when he was nailed to the crofs, and ready to die 
 he W35 more concerned for his mother's forrows, than for 
 his own fulferiiigs. Now was Simeon's prophecy fulfilled 
 Lukeii. 36. A fj."ird fhall pafs through thine ownfoul alfo. 
 Her foul was pierced for him both as his natural niotiier, 
 and alfo as a myftical member of him her head : therefore 
 Chrift applies thefe comfortable words as a falve to her 
 wounds, even whilft his own were bleeding. unto death. 
 U'o'rtan , bthold thy Son. Where mte,{\c calls her Witnan, 
 and not mother, he doth not fay, Mother, boliold thy 
 Son; but, IVoinan, behold him. Not that Chrift was 
 alhnmed of, or unwilling to own her as his mother ; but 
 either, i. Fearing that c;dling her by that name fliould 
 
 augment her grief and trouble. Orelfe, 2. Tointimate 
 hii change of ibte and condition, that being ready to die, 
 and return to his Fatherinheaven, he was abovcal! earthly 
 relations, and knew no one after the flsfli.no, not his very 
 mother ; yet feeat the fame time, whentis was above her 
 and about to leave her, how his care manifefted itfelf for 
 her, when his foul and body were full ofanguiflito the 
 very brim ; yet all this makes him not in the leaft un- 
 mindful of fo dear a relation. Theuct learn, That Chrift's 
 tender care of his mother, even in the tii.ie of his greatcft 
 diflrefsjisan exccllenipatternfor all children to imitate and 
 follow to the end of the worKl. St. John here obeyed 
 Chrift's command, and imitated his example ; he took her 
 to his own home ; that is, he treated her with all that 
 dutiful regard which a lender and indulgent mother chal- 
 lenges from a pious and obedient Ion. No perfonal trial 
 or trouble upon onrfelves doth exempt us frotn the per- 
 formance of our duty towards others, elpeciallytowardsoiir 
 near and dear relations : Chriftin the extremity of hisfuf- 
 ferings, accounted it his duty to take care of, and provide 
 for his dear mother; teaching us by his ex^ipple, that 
 children ought to evidence that they honour their parents 
 by taking care of them in their decayed and defolate con- 
 dition. Again, inafmuch as St. John took care of the 
 holy mother after her dear Son's death. That difciple took 
 her to his oivn home; we learn. That the I.,ord never re- 
 moves one comfort, and takes away the means of fublift- 
 ance from his people, but he raifesup another in the room 
 of it. It is very probable that Jofeph her hufband was 
 before this time dead, and Jefus her Son was now dying; 
 bin Itill God provides ; he raifes up St. John to take care 
 of her; who takes her to his own home, and locks upon 
 her as one of his family. But how comes St. John above 
 the relt to have this honourable fervice put upon him, and 
 this high truft repofed in him ? /Inf-xcr, The text tells 
 us, he was the difciple '.uhom Jefus loved ; that is, in a more 
 particular manner, treatinghim with greater freedom and 
 familiarity than the reft ; he alfo evidenced more love unto 
 and more courage and relolution for Chrift, than the reft 
 of his difciplcs, he ftanding by the crofs, when they got 
 afar off, Mark xv. 50. Thence we Lam, That luch as 
 are beloved of Chrift, as do keep dofe unto him, and ex- 
 prcfs moft zeal and refolution for him, fhall be peculiarly 
 lionoured by him, and be employed in the higheft fervices 
 for him. 
 
 28 5 After th/s, Jefus knowing that all thinj^s 
 were now accomplilhed, that the icripture might be 
 fulfilled, faith, I thirft. 29 Now there was fet a 
 velfelfuU of vinegar: and they filled a fpunge with 
 vinegar, and put it upon hylfop, and put it to his 
 mouth. 
 
 Note here, 2. The affli(5lion orfufFering which our Sa- 
 viour complained of, and that is, thirft ; there are two 
 forts of thirft, the one natural and proper, the other fpiri- 
 tual and figurative ; Chrift ftli both at this time. Hisbody 
 thirfted by reafon of thofe agonies which it laboured under. 
 I);s ioul thirfted under veheincnt defircs, and fervent long- 
 ings, to accomplifh that great and difficult work he was 
 
 now 
 
Chap. xnc. 
 
 Sr. JOHN. 
 
 4.03 
 
 nfw about. 2. Tlie defiijh and end of onr Lord's com- 
 j>)aiiit : 'Ihat the f crip: ure m[^ht he fulJitUd, be fiiith, I 
 ihirj). Our Sjviour finding that all was acconiplifhfd, 
 vihicli he was to do before his death, but only the fulfilling 
 that one fcriptnrc, Pi'al Ixix. 21. 7 hey gave me vinegar 
 to drink; he for the accumpiiftiment thereof, /uiV, I thirji. 
 Whence no/r, That I'uch were the agonies ami extreme 
 fuffering? of our Lord JtTus Chrift upon the crofs, that 
 they drank up his very fpirits, and made him cry, 1 tbirjl . 
 2. That when C'hrirt cried out J I hir/f, it was to fhew, 
 that whatever was foretcKl by the prophets concerning 
 him, was exaftly accompliflied, and even to a cirtumftance 
 fulfilled in him. That ihefcripltire m'ght be fulfilled in him_ 
 
 30 When Jefus therefore had received the vinegar 
 he Caid, it is finifhed : And he bowed his head, and 
 gave up the ghoft. 
 
 A^6/^ here, i. Our Lord's laft ".vords, It is finifhed. 4- 
 His laft act, He bowed his head, andgcje up the e.hLjt. As 
 to the former, his lafl words, It is Jimjhed; this might be 
 the probable intendment of it : i. It is f.mjlied ; that is, 
 now is my Father's counfel concernirg me accomplilhed, 
 and now is the proniife that he made of my becoming a 
 facri fice for (in fulfilled ; both my Father's purpofeand my 
 Fathers proniife are now rtceivi;ig their final accomplilh 
 menr. 2 It is fmi/hed ; that is, the fcriptures are now 
 fuliilled ; all types that did prefigure me, all propht tica! 
 predictions that were made of me, all the Jewiih f.icrifices 
 that pointed .it me, have now received their final accotn- 
 plilhmentsin me, and are abolilhed in my death. 3. It is 
 fini/licd: that is, my fuiFering? are now ended, my race is 
 run, my work is done, I am now putting my Lift hand to 
 it, my death is before me, 1 have finilhed the work, the 
 whole work which 1 came into the world for, doing as well 
 as dying; all is upon the matter compleated, ir is jul^ 
 finilhing. It will be inftantly finifhed. Again, 4. his finijhed; 
 that is, tfie fury and malice, the rage and revenge of my 
 enemies is now ended, they have done their worfl ; the 
 chief priefts and the foldiers,the judges and. witnelTes, the 
 executioners and tormentors, have all tired out themfelves 
 with tilt- exercife of their ownmalice ; but now their fpiie 
 and fpleen, their envy and enmity is ended, and the Son of 
 Godisatreft. ^- Itii finijhtd \ that is, the glorious work 
 • of man's redemption and falvation is perfeftfd and per- 
 formed, confummated and completed, the jwice is paid, 
 latisfaftion is given, redemption is purchafed, and falva- 
 tion jnfured 10 a miferable world. Wo unto us, if Chrifl 
 had left but one farthing of our deb; to the julticc of God 
 \inpaid, we muft have lain in hell to all eternity, as being 
 infolvent ; hut ChriJ} has by one 'j^f't-iing fortver perfeSicd 
 them th'it at e fatiOified. Learnhcnce, That Jefus Chrift 
 hath perfefteii, and completely finilhed the great work of 
 redemption committed to him by God the Father. Note 
 2. Our Saviour's laft act ; Hebo-jjed his head and gave up 
 the gh'if}. Whence learn, The I'pontaneity and volnntan- 
 nefs of Chrift's fuffering?, how freely he furrendered to 
 death : his foul was not rent from hini, but yielded up to 
 Go<) by hirn ; Chrift- wat a volunteer in dying; though 
 his death was a violent death, yet it was ,i voluntary facri- 
 6ce J H: bovjed lis head, and gave uptbeghij}. 
 
 31 The Jews therefore, hccaufc it was the pre- 
 paration, that the bodies (hould not remain upon 
 the cvof&on tlie fabbath-day (for that fabbath-day 
 was an high day) bcfought Pilate that their legs 
 might be broken, and that tbcy might be taken 
 away. 32 Then came the foldiers, and brake the 
 legs of the firrt, and of the other which was crucifi- 
 ed with him. 33 But when they came to Jc('u.s, 
 and faw that he was dead already they brake not 
 his legs. 34 But one of the foldiers with a fpear 
 pierced his (ide, and forthwith came there out blood 
 and water. 35 And he that faw it bare record, and 
 his record is true: and he knoweth that he faith true 
 that yc-might befieve. 36 For thefe things were 
 done; that the fcripture fhould be fulfilled, A bone 
 of him (hail not be broken. 37 And again arvother 
 fcripture faith. They (hall look on him whom they 
 pierced. 
 
 Thefe verfcscontainfevefairemarkablepafTiges, tending 
 to the confi.mniion of our faith, in the belief cerrainiy 
 and rtality ofour Saviour's death, in which the Jews, the 
 foldiers, and St. John.du all give their fcvcral and fuflicient 
 evidences. Cb/rrv-, i.The Jews part in clearing up this 
 truth ; they drfire Pilate (who had power alone to dii'pofe 
 of ihe dead bodies of condemned perftjnsj that the legs of 
 the crucified perfons might be broken to haAen their death 
 that fo they might be taken away and buried ; becaufe ac- 
 cording to the law, Duet.xxi.22. 23. the land was defiled 
 with t^iofe that were hanged, if not timely buried ; and 
 they judged, if the bodies of thefe perlons did remain on 
 the crols all that night, and tixe fabbath-day, luhich vj:is 
 anhighday, (the ordinary fabbath, and the firft i\3y of 
 the pafTover, or feaft of unleavened bread meeting togetlifr 
 ic T»)ight pollute both them and their ieAt. Whence M'.e, 
 The ctirfed hypocrify of thefe Jews ; they rook upon them 
 felves as ftriiflly bound tooblerve a rout ward ceremony, 
 but their conftiences never fcruple to violate the weigh;;; 
 precepts of the moral law ; they (triiftiy ohferve the cere- 
 monial precept, that the dead bodies Ihould not reniai:; 
 upon the crofs, but ihey fcruple not tc crucify the Son < • 
 God, and to life him with the urincrt rigour, defiring lis 
 bones may be broken, z. The foldiers part contributed 
 to clear the truth of Chrifl's death ; they execute what th-' 
 Jews had dtfired, and Pilate granted, breaking thelegM.! 
 the two thieves, but not of Jefus, btcaufc he was already 
 dead ; but out of the foldiers refolving to make fure woik 
 thnifts a fpear into his fide, andthere came out ftraightway 
 blood and water, proving that he ' was really dead. A! 
 which points out to us, that it is he who cfime by water 
 and blocd, i John v. 6. and that from the merit and efl- 
 cacy of his death, there floweth out blood fcrtheobtainii-.jj 
 remiffion of fm, and water to regenerate and svafli us from 
 uncleannefs. From the barbarous foldier's piercing of 
 Chrift's (ide after he was dead, we learv. That no cruelly 
 was omitted towards Ciirifl, either dead or alive, whicli 
 might teftify the great defert of our fin, nor was there any 
 needful evidence wanting, which might make cle;irihe 
 3 E.2 I. i.'i 
 
'xO'e 
 
 St. J H N. 
 
 Chap. xx. 
 
 triMj>4jf hU «lcuth I cht; foldier's piercing of our Saviour's 
 f.Je, >vss at once an cxercife of (heir cruelty, and an evl- 
 liencc ut tl»c certainty ofChrift's death, 3. Sr. Jolin's 
 jurt in tills eviJencc ; he avouches, That Chrift really 
 •ifed, anti expreflly affirms, that he f;i\v with his own eyes 
 tor the confir:natio:i ofoiirfairh; i7(t fiiM/ thti^- it baft rt- 
 corif. o ltd his recorilit true. And fnrther flitw», That by 
 tlitf»; accloni of t: me, by, whichfeve- 
 
 ral icripuir^ l^rpii . , ^ 1 rerei veil their ac- 
 
 jniplifhmenf ; p.irti!5(jljrly, ih.it oj ilxod. xii. 46. con- 
 . cnrmjj ibe pakhal lai^ih, which was a ^type of Chrift,7'A<7f 
 ^i^'ir.c 'tfiifhiul.lti'itbi broken ; and that prediction, Zfch." 
 ::li ~' "jH look' on hvn lohim ihry huvc ptcrccii. 
 
 IXti : Chnrtij the truth and labftance of that 
 
 iy() J mentioned Exod. xii. and the true 
 
 pan iH : tlieitf(i,-e what \yus ordained 
 
 con. '5 here applied to Chrift, as 
 
 the .i. '.l'^; -' '"^"f of htm J?.' all not be broken. 
 
 1%^.% •- . /liS^JolVph of Aiimathea, (being 
 
 adilcipleof Jefus, but Iccrctly for fear of the JewsJ 
 b.'" "■; 1 Ate that Jic might take away fhe body 
 
 o^j . u I Pj late gave hitn leave: became there-. 
 
 1W« aud topic tbe b^ody of Jefus, 39 And there 
 catne aJfo IS-icodemtis (which at the firfl came to 
 fefus by nrghf) and brought a mixture of myrrh and 
 ;^6es,'hb6JJt an hundred pound a;f7^A^ 40 Then 
 t'ley tooTcthe'body of Jefus, and wound it in linen 
 ciQtl^es^.Wiith, fpices, a^the manner of the Jews is to 
 bury.' 91 Now in the place where he was crucifi- 
 ed there wa.s a garden ; and in the garden a fepul- 
 chre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There 
 laid they Jefus therefore, becaufe of the Jews pre- 
 paritiori-rffZ/jfor thefepulchrc was nigh at hand. 
 
 This laft paragraph of the chapter gives us an account 
 of our Lord's honourable hurijl ; fuch a funeral as never 
 was, fnice graves were firft dipged, Where «'.//f, i. Our 
 Lonl's body inuftbe begged before it could be buried, the 
 dead bodies of malefactors being in the power and st the 
 difpof.iI of the jadge : I'ilategrants it, and accordingly the 
 dead bvidy is taken down, wrapped in Hne linen, and pre- 
 pared for the ft piilchre. 2. 'I he perfons who beflowed 
 this honourable burial upon Chrift, Jofeph of Ariniathea 
 andN'iciidfn:u.s, the one provided fine linen, and the other 
 fine fpices, and they jointly wound and embalmed his body 
 after the jiewilh manner j both of them worthy, though 
 dofe difciplcf i Grace doth not always mikt a public and 
 cjjen fllO.V;^^4il^reit U; but as there ismuch fweet treafure 
 unfeenin, the bowels oi the earth, fy there isniucb grace 
 in the ijearx^ of fpnicfaints, which the worlds takes little 
 notice of. Vyereadof none of the apoflles at Chrift's 
 funeral; («:,r had put them to flight ; but Jofeph and 
 Kicotiunus. -I Jl>e;'r^, boldly : If Codflrengthen the weak 
 :ind leave the ilrong to the prevalency of their owu fears, 
 the weak Oull be ai Pavid,and theflrongas tow. ^.The 
 grave or fL^juldire in which our Lord was buried, it wasa 
 JtpuLhre, in :^ garden, to. expiate Adam's fin coa^mitted 
 inagardfu; iJ by the fly of the fii ft Adam we were driven 
 
 out of paradife, the garden of pleafurc, fo by the fufTcrin^rs 
 of a t'econd .^d.im, who lay buried in a garden, we may 
 Jiopc for entrance into the hea^-enly paradife. And it was 
 a new fepulchre, wherein never any man was lai:l,le(I his 
 adiferfaries ftioulJ fay, it was another that was rifen, who 
 was buried there before;, or that he arofe as one of the old 
 prophets did, by touching the bones of fi nie other dead 
 per/on. 4. The manv.er of our Lord's funeral it was 
 hafty, public, and decent ; it was baity, by reafon of the 
 flraiinefs of time, the fabbath was approaching, ^nd all 
 bufiuel's is laid alide to prepare for that. Teaching us, How 
 much it isonrduty to difpatch our worldly bulinefs early 
 on the eve of thp Lord's day, that we m.iy he the better 
 prepared to l>iidVfy th.it day : Again, Our Lord's funeral 
 was puhlic a'n'd open, all perfons that wouKI, migiit be 
 fpedlators, to cut olFoccafion from any objrcl, that there 
 was deceit and fraud ufedin or about our Lord's burial ; 
 yethewasalfo interred decently; hij holy body being 
 wrapt in finelii»en, and perfumed with fpices, according to 
 the Jewilli cuftom. 5. The reafons why our Lerd was 
 thus buried, feeing he was to rife again in as fliort a time 
 as other men lie by the walls: doubtlefs it was tu declare 
 t^e. certainty of his death, and the reality of his relurrec- 
 tion, to fulfil the types and prophefies which went before 
 of him ; As J mas being three days and three nights in the 
 •whale's belly : Ho was alfo buried to complete his huanha. 
 tion this being the loweft ftep to which he could dtftend 
 in his abafed itate. Finally, He went into thegrave, that 
 he might conquer death in his own territories. Laftly, Of 
 w hat life our Lords burial is to us his followers : It Ihews 
 us the amazing depth of his humiliation, fr»)m what and 
 to what his love brought him, even from ths bofom of his 
 Father to the bofom of the grave. It may alfo comfort us 
 agaiiift the fears of death ; the grave could not long keep 
 Chrift, it fliall not always keep us: it was a luadifonic 
 prifon before, it is a perfumed bed now : he whofe head is 
 in heaven, nceil not fear to put his feet into the grave. 
 Awake and (ing, thou that dwelleft in the duft, for the 
 enmity of the grave is flain by Chrift. 
 
 CHAP. X.\. 
 
 This and the Joilowing chopUr gives tis an account of 
 our Saviour's txaUatic-n and viUorious triumph pver 
 all his enemies, by his powerful rcfurrefiion. All the 
 fjiur evangdifts do confirm the truth of it, by record- 
 ing thejevtralpps and degrees of it, bv the inanijcflatioji 
 of it. In this chapter Chrifi'% re/unction is con- 
 jfirmtd, firji to Mary Magdakrve, next Jo Peter end 
 John, tltenio all the difciplci, except Thoniai. 
 
 THE firll day of the week comcth Mary Mag- 
 • dalenc early, wlien it was yet dark, unto the 
 fcpulchrc, and fccth the ftone taken away from the 
 fepulchre. 
 
 In this verfe is recorded how Marv M.Tp;iialene 'rami* 
 early to the fepulchre, on the firft dav of the wet k to 
 anoiat the dead bodv of our Lord Jefus. Where ««»?,; 
 
 Thr,t 
 
Chap, xx- 
 
 Si, 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 40 s; 
 
 That though lier heart did burn wiih an Jr»icnt zeal and 
 aSettion to hercruclHed Lord, yet the commanded duties 
 of the fabbath were not omitted by her ; flic kept clofe, 
 and fiiently Ipent ihnt holy d.iy in a miKture of grief and 
 hope : Her example is a good pattern of fabbaui faniflifi- 
 cation, and worthy of our chrillian imitation, a. What 
 magnanimity and courage is found in this weak woman : 
 file followed Chriit cour.igeeuHy, when his^difciples left 
 him cowardly; Ihe accompanied him to "his trofs, (he fol- 
 lowed his hearfe to tlie gra'x, when hisdifcij-les durltnot 
 appear;- and ro«v very eatly in the mornirijr fiic goes to 
 vifit his fepulchrc, fearing neither the darkncfs of the 
 night, nor the prefenceof the watthmen. Learn thence, 
 That courage is theTpecial gift of God, and if he gives it 
 to the feebler fex, even to timorous and fearful womeu^it 
 is not in the power of man to make then> afraid. 
 
 2 Thenfhe ninnctli and cometh to Simon Pe-- 
 tcr, antltothe other difciple whom Jefus loved, and 
 laith unto them, They have taken away the Lord 
 out of the fepulchre, and we* know not where they 
 have laid him. ' 
 
 . It was a great honour that God put upon this poor wo- 
 man Mary Abgdalenc, that fhe has the tirfl notice of oor 
 Saviour's refurrection, and is the firfi that difcovers it to 
 the apoftles. But why had not the virgin Alary his dil- 
 confolate mother, this privilege conferred on her rather 
 than Mary Magdalene, who had been a grievous finner J 
 Doubtlcfs this was i^ the comfort of all true penitents, 
 an(.< adminiftcrs great confol.-uon to thein : As the angels 
 in heaven rejoice, much more doth Chrift joy in the re- 
 covering of one repenting fwiier, than in multitiuies of 
 holy and juft perfons (luch was the bkiTed Virgin) who 
 need no repentance. 
 
 3 Peter therefore went forth, and' that other dif- 
 ciple, and came to the fepulchre. 4 So they ran 
 both together: and the other difciple did out-run 
 Peter, and came firfl; to the fepulchre. 5 And he 
 (looping down, mid Ix^kin^ in, law the linen clothes 
 lying; yet he went not in. 6 Then cometh Simon 
 Peter following him, and went into the fepulchre, 
 and feeth the linen clothes lie : 7 .\nd the nnpkiu 
 that was about his head, not lying with the linen 
 clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itfelf, 
 8 yiien Went in alfo that other difciple whicii 
 came firfl; to the fepulchre, and he faw, andbciiev- 
 cJ; 9 For as yet they knew not the fciipture, 
 tb;\t he mud rife again from the dead. 
 
 Here note, 1. How Peter and John, moved with Mary 
 !.T3gila|enei^ words, They have ta/an away the Lord, kc. 
 do run 10 the fej)u)chre to fatisfy ihemfeLves ,t>t the trutlu.f 
 ■ jh Suv^ ajlinccrely loveChrlft, upGa iheleallijntiiaatina 
 • that he !s miillng, beftir iherardves w;:h great .T-iiviiy and 
 difigence, tliat ibeymay fee him, or hear .ofhiin:. Peter an«l 
 John run ro the fepulchre to fee whatwasbecomf of ihtir 
 '' -• TUatther* wasfuch,^!5ar^yJ4fwxaJicu^ 
 
 Chrifl's gr.-ive, as niai'e it apparent that he was indeed 
 rifen from the dead, and not conveyed away, ei;hcr by 
 Iriends or foes : It cannot be fuppofed that any of Kn 
 frien»is (could they have comeat it) would have fohandUd 
 his ho!y body, as to carry it away naked ; and for his foes 
 had they ftole aw.ny the body, they would never have left 
 the fine linen behind them. 3. That when ChriQ arofe 
 from the grave, he left his grave-clothes behind liiui : 
 whereas when Lazarus arofe, he came forth with hi;, grave- 
 clothes about liim ; It teaches ns, That Chrfl rcfe never 
 to die mere, but to live and reign forever; therefore he 
 left his grave clothes in the grave, as never to make ufe 
 of them more. But Lazarus was to die again, death was 
 once more to have dominion over him : he therefore came 
 forth with his grave cUnhes about him. Ladly, How \g. 
 norant the Mpoilles were of the doctrine of Chrift's refur- 
 rection and of the imly fcriptures, which declared he was 
 to rife again from the dead : Thcykncu not the /crl^iurcs, 
 that is, they did not heed and regard them, ponder them 
 in their hearts, and feed upon them by faiih. 
 
 10 Then the difciplcs went away a^ain unto 
 their own home, n "I But Mary flood without at 
 the fepulchre, weeping : and as fhe wept, Ihe ftoop- 
 eddown, and looked into the fepulchre, 12 And 
 feeth two angels in white, fitting, the orte at the 
 head, and tha other at the feet where the body of 
 Jefus had lain : 
 
 Here we have a defcription of the great love of Mary 
 Magdalene, which (he exprclTcd towards Chrift after his 
 refiirreclion ; (he wen: to the fepulchre early, when it was 
 yet dark ; (he haftily calls the difciples, Peter and John to 
 the fepulchre; and (he (lays behind weeping at the fepul- 
 chre, when they were gone away to their own home. And 
 as Mary firft fought him, and longcll foaght liini, fo (lie 
 firfl found him. Hereto//', i. Mary's carriage andbeha- 
 viour tos\ards her Saviour ; this is difcovered by. her pa- 
 tient aiteiulance.y:?;^ JUod-jjithutt atthefepuUkre: by her 
 paflionaie mourning, (lie flood at the fepulchre wce/riM^ .• 
 by hen un\vtAr\eii&\\\gcnQt,J]ie Jiooped d;-vn and hzhd hit-) 
 the fepulchre : Here was great love indeed in this poor 
 woman, a love Oronger than death ; a love which did oui- 
 flripand go beyond the greatcfl apoflles. Learn, i. That 
 true love toChrill fulFers Hot itfelf to be Hinted or limited, 
 no, not Uy ihe greatclt examples: the weakeil woman 
 thar truly loves Chrift, ir,..y pioufly ni,ivc with thegreateil 
 aprflle in this point i though he be lisarned, wiler, more 
 ulcful, and more eminenithan any of, us, yet it is holy and 
 wife not to fafl'er ourfelves to be exceeded by any in our 
 love to Chrifl; every chrillian may Urive to exceed any 
 one in grate, and toattnin the highell place in the kingdom 
 of heaven. 2. That Urong love is valiant and undaunted, 
 it uilt.grr.pple and encounter wiihthe flrongeil oppotiiion 
 Mary fea.-s npthirg in iefking of her Lord, neither the 
 ddrknefsof the night, oor the terror of the luUiers, nor the 
 malice of the Jews: -Love is Urong as death, nod the flames 
 thereof are^ velKinent. Farthtr, The fcecefs of Mary 
 Magdalane s love to Chrill, and u;>wearied attendance u,i 
 his fepulchre ; (he fcut.d not the dsaU, body uiCiirill, ana 
 
 if 
 
4D() 
 
 Sr 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XX. 
 
 it is wfll (li: did not; fir it cisath could have lield hiin, 
 it wniiid no: luve let us go. But ihougli (lie found not 
 hvr Lord in the grave, rtic found two uf liis I'ervants there 
 t*'onii.»eU: of all things in the world, one would. leall 
 hive txp-xl-vf to tind an :m^el in a grjve, f|)irits in the 
 pLice of deid bodies, uiid iiiiinortality in the place of cor- 
 ruption. But from iience we learn. That fuch as fincere- 
 ly I'vek ilie Lord, /hill certainly find, if not the very thing 
 which ihey feek, yet that which is much fitter and betcer 
 f.)r them ; Mary did r.ai find Chi ill's dead body, but (lie 
 li ids tlut which is more comfortable for her to find ; 
 
 lieverisfuUofe.irneft'sind longing dcfires after JefuiChrift. 
 2. That fuch .t foul is yet fometimes at a lols forChrift, 
 and cannot tell whereto find him. 3. That whilft the 
 foul is at a lofi frr Chrift, it's deiiresare often quicker and 
 more illrrlni^ alter ChrilL This was the cafe of Mary 
 here; with her fpoufe by nigiit on her bed, and early in 
 the morning, flje fought whom her foul loved. 
 
 16 |efus faiUi unto hor. Miry. She turned hcr- 
 felf, and faith unto him, Rabboni. which is to lay, 
 Mafler. 17 Jefus faith untohcr, Touch me not: 
 
 naoKly. two anjrcls 10 teftify that he was riiVn. Where for I am not yet afcended to my Father : but go to 
 
 >i7/e, The polture of thefe angels defcribcd ; the one fit- my brethren, and lay unto them, I aicend to my 
 
 tiniT at the head, the other at the feet : It is matter of Father and your Father, and to my God and your 
 
 tonifort to the members of Chrift, tlint angels do not wait Qgd. 
 
 upon the head only, but upon the feet alfo; and it ought r ol -n 1 i- nn 
 robe matter of imitation alfo. Let us imitate cur bleflVd '" theformerof ihefeverfes, Chrift makes himfelf known 
 Saviour, in h.-ving not at our head only, but at our feet t" M^'V- ^nd calleth her by her name, m the latter he 
 alio: Many have an ambition to have an angel at their g'ves her a prohibition and mmnaion. Note, 1. The 
 head, a great meafure of light and knoss ledge there, but prohibitum, 7 ouch me mt; together with the reafcn of it, 
 they care not for an angel at their feet, they delight not ^<"- I '"^ "''^ y^' afcerMd torny Father. It is concluded by 
 to walk an^v'er.nbly to their light and knowledge, thev interpreters, that Mary Magdalene was now fallen ac 
 h^ve an evangelical underftanding and a diabolicl con- thrift's feet, and embraced them ; that having found hini 
 verfation : it is fad for a man to have all his religion in his ^^*^0'i' ^'^ J^"' loved, fiie hugs him now, and hangs about 
 brain and tongue, and nothing in his heart and life. »;"" = '°''} Chrill forbids any further embracing, and rejects 
 ° ° fuch teliimonies of her love ; as it he had faut, Altht>ugh 
 13 And they fay unto her, Woman, why wecpeft 1 ^ill allow you as much familiarity as fhail fatisfadtorily 
 thou? fhe faith unto them, Becaiife they have taken convince you of the verity of my refnrrection, yet you 
 away my Lord, and I know not where they have mud not expert to convei fe with ine in the bodily manner 
 laid him. 14 And when Ihe had thus laid, fhe which you did before my death ; fori am afcending toiny 
 turned herfelf back, and faw lefus ftandin.;, and Father, and muft be enjoyed no longer after a corporeal. 
 , , . , r -' 1 r r ■ 1 "Ut Ipiiitual manner. Learn hence, 1 Iiat our love to 
 knew not that it was Jefus. 15 Jefus faith unto j,f,„'chri(t is beft fhewn, not by our human paflionate 
 her, woman, why weepeft thou? whom feekeft thou ? ajfections to his bodily prefmce, but by our fpiritual corn- 
 She, luppofing him to be the gardener, faith unto munion with him by faith here on earth; in order to an. 
 him. Sir, if thou have borne iiim hence, tell me immediate communion with him U<.e to face in heaven.— 
 
 where thou haft laid him, and I will take him away. 
 
 A'o^^ here, i. That the beft company in the world will 
 not fatisfy or content fuch as are feekiug for Jefus Chrid, 
 when thry find not him whom their fouls feek : Mary now 
 enjoyed dieprefence and company of two angels, but this 
 <]id not I'ntisfy her in the abfence of Chrilt hiinfelf. «. 
 How p.iffionately did Mary mourn for the lofs and want 
 of Chrill's bodily prefence thereby giving teftimony of her 
 great aff.rtion towards him ; but truly our love to Chrift 
 IS beft IJiewn, not by our padionate defires for his bodily 
 prefence, but by our holy longings after his fpiritual pre- 
 feiicc in his word and ordinances here on earth, and his 
 blcfled and immediate prefence in heaven. 3. How Chrift 
 may bp prefent with, and very near unto his people, and 
 yet not prelenily he difcerned by them; Jefus flood hy 
 Mary, bnt/be knew ntt that it vjas Jefus : her not expell- 
 ing a living Chrilt, was one caufe why (he did not dilcern 
 him. 4- Ho.v exceedingly Mary's thoughts were taken 
 up with Chrift: She faith to the gardener, // thou kaf} 
 i'lrne hi'" hence: \Vhat/;i;i.' She doth nut fay whom ; 
 but her heart was (o taken up with Chrift, and her mind 
 lo full of him, that Ihe concluded every bndj would uoder- 
 lland whom ihe meant, though (lie did not fay whom fl'.C 
 meant. Hence liarn, i. That the foul of • fincere be- 
 
 Chrift now after his refurreftion « as advar.ced to a more 
 fpirituil condition, ilurefore refufes at Mary's hand the 
 officesof human converfation, but expertsof her the duties 
 and fervices of fpiritual devotion. 2. Chrill's injunflion i 
 liutgj to my brethren, and fay, J afccnd to my Father, end 
 your Father ; to my Cod,ar.dyour Cod. Where note. The 
 endearing litlegiven to the difciples, Afy brethren : He had 
 before Ins death called them his fervants, his friend?, his 
 children ; but now after his refurreclion, he calli them hi* 
 brethren ; he became our brother by affuming our nature 
 in his incarnation, he continues our brother by refuming 
 that nature at his refurreelion. Farther, that Chrift calU 
 his difciplesbrethren,afterhisexaltationand rcfurreftion : 
 thereby ftiewing, that the change of his condition had 
 wrought no change in his afFediun towards hispoordiT^ 
 ciples ; but thole that were hisbrethren before, in the time 
 of his humiliation and abafement, are fo (Hit, after hisex^ 
 altation and advancement; Co to my Irctbren, andfey : 
 humility doth not only Go before honour, but dwells with 
 honour, and doth evermore accompany it. Laftly, the 
 good news or mellageof joy which Chrift fends by Mary 
 ro his dear difcipfes ; Say, I ofceni to my Father, amd your 
 Father ; to my God, and your Cad: as if nature and adop. 
 tJODgave the fotne intcrtft. Chrift callj CoU, hi» God, 
 
 and 
 
Chap. xx. 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 4^7 
 
 and his difciplei' God ; his Father, anJ their F.uher ; drU 
 fais, ami tlien ilieir'i, ami their's becaufe his. /.«;•« hence 
 That God for Chrill's fake Iiath dignified bel;evtr5 with 
 that near and dear relation of his bfing a Father to them 
 in and through his Son ; fo th.it as they ought to carry it 
 to.vards him like children by obedience, fuhjeiflion, and 
 refignation, fo they may expeft he will retain a fatherly 
 afFeclion towards them, and they may jjxpet^^ from him 
 fatherly companion, provifion, proie£Ht|||c6rredion, and 
 all things needful. Laftly, Remark from Chrift's faying, 
 Igo to my Gori, a^J your God, the falfc inferrences of the 
 Socinians, vi?.. That becaufe Chrift ilyled God his God, 
 hence, fay they, it is evident that Chnll is not God ; but 
 fjoin thofq#vords i: only follows, that he was not God ac- 
 cording to that nature which afcended. Thus, Pfal. xlv. 
 it isfaid of Chrift, Gtil, even thy God, hath anointed thre ; 
 and yet he adds of the fame perfon, Thy throm, Cod, if 
 fir ever androrr. 
 
 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the difciples 
 that (he had feen the Lord, and that he iiad fpoken 
 thefe things unto her. 19 H Then the lame day at 
 evening, being the firfl; tiay of the week, when the 
 doors were Ihut, where the difciples were alTcmbled 
 for fear of the Jews, came Jefus and ftood in the 
 midfl, and faith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 
 And when he had fo faid, lie (hewed unto them his 
 hands and his fide. Then were the difciples glad 
 when they faw the Lord. 
 
 Our bleffed Saviour's firft appearing after his refurrec- 
 tion, having been to Mary Magdalene, as the former ver- 
 I'es acquainted us, the fame day st evening, when the 
 doors were fiiiit for fear of the Jews, Jefus miraculoufly, 
 And, as to the difciples, infcndhiy opens the door, and 
 ftands in the iilidllof tliem and fays, Peace be untoyou, and 
 ihev.'sthera his hands and his fide. Where note, i. That 
 it has been no firange thing in the church, that the heft 
 members of it have been jjut to frequent their aflemblics 
 with great fear and been forced to meet in the night, with 
 nreat caution, becaufe of the fury of the perffcutors : Here 
 (^hrift's own difciples were (nrced to meet together in the 
 night, the doors kept ihut fir fear of the Jews. 2. Let 
 Chrift's difciples meet together never fo privately, and 
 with never fo much hazard and Jeopardy, they fliall have 
 Chrift's company with them; neither bolts, nor locks, 
 nor faftcned doors, (hall hold Clirift from them : When the 
 do'irs wjereflnit, Jefus came and flood in the midfi of them. 
 Laftly, The evidence whicli our Saviour offers to evince 
 and prove the certainty of his rcfurreclion : He jhtvjed 
 his difciples his hands and hit fide. Chrift appealed to and 
 admitted to the judgment of their fenfes, to afTure them 
 that ic was his real body. And if we muftnot be allowed 
 to believe our fenfes (as the Ilomifh fynagogue would 
 perfuade us) we fljall want the beft external evidence we 
 can have to prove the truth of tiie chriftian Feligion ; 
 namely, the miracles of our Saviour; for how can we be 
 adored thofc miracles were true, but by the judgment of 
 our fenfes '. Now, as our fenfes tell us that Chnft's mira- 
 
 cles were true, fo thfy aflure that the popifli dtflrhirof 
 tranfubftantiation is falfc. 
 
 21 Then faid Jefus to them agaiiv, I'eace/«iii);f. 
 you : as my Father hath fcnt me, even fo 1 Rud ) ou. 
 
 22 And when he had this faid, he breathed on t/ifn 
 and faith unto them, Receive yc the Holy Oiiol^. 
 
 23 Whole focver (ins ye remit, they are remitted 
 unto them ; and whole {oevcr Jim yc retain, they 
 are retained. 
 
 Note here, r. Therepetition of our Saviours endt-inrg 
 falutation to his difciples, Peace be urto you, Peace, he unit 
 you. This was not more than might be needful, tofignify 
 his firm rconciliation to them, notwiihftanding their late 
 cowardice in forfaking him, and flying from h.ni, v.'hen 
 the ftorm fell upon hmi. 1. How Chrift doth renew his 
 diiciples cominilTion for the work of the miniitry, who 
 poiTibly were much difcouraged with the remembrance of 
 their faint-heartednefs in the time of his fufFcrings ; he 
 doth therefore anew commilhonaie them, and fends them 
 forth in thef<; words, /fs my Father halhfcnt wf /that is, to 
 preach, plant, and propagate the Gofpel •,fo fendl you. By 
 the fame authority, and for the fame ends, in parr, for 
 which I was fent by the Father, do I fend you ; namely, 
 to gather, to govern, and inftruft my church. Learn 
 hence. That when Chrift left the worlti, he did not lea\c 
 the church deftitute of gofprl miniftry, which fl.iall con- 
 tinue to the end of the world. As Chrift was fent by 
 the P^ather, fo are hisminifters fent by him : and they may 
 expect, having the fame authority and commifHon, the fame 
 fuccefs and blelling ; and the contempt caft upon them and 
 their meUage, ultimately refiefts upon God and Chrilfc 
 whofe niefiengers they are. 3. (low Chrift that lends 
 them forth, doth furniihthem with the gifts of the Spirit, 
 for thfir office : He breathed on them, and faid. Receive ye 
 the Holy Chofl : that is, the gift ofihe Holy Ghoft. Tbcy 
 had received the Holy Spirit before as a Spirit of fanifl>fi- 
 cation, here they receive it in its extraordinary gifts 10 lit 
 them for their office. And Chrift's conferring the Holy 
 Ghoft, by breathing upon them, fliews that the Holy Spi 
 rit proceeds as well from the Son, as from the Father. 
 And as by Gods breathing, tiie firft man ivasmade a liv- 
 ing foul : So by Chrift's breathing on the apoftlos they 
 were quickened, and extraordinarily enabled for the fervice 
 they were called to. Learn hence, That when Chrift 
 fends forth any about his work, he will furnilh them with 
 endowments anfwcrable to their vaft employment ; andthe 
 bcft furniture they can have, is the Holy Spirit 4n hisgift? 
 and qualilications fuitable to their work : He breathed on 
 them, and faid, Receive ye the Huly Ghcft. 4. How Chrift 
 aflerts their authority fn the difcharge of their commiirion 
 and declares, that wjien they aft minillerially, according tp 
 their comniiflion here on earth, is ratified in heaven; 
 H'hofefiever fins ye remit they are renit't d. Where note 
 Thac there is a twofold power of rf mitting or forgiving 
 fins: the Qfie magifterialanc' authorative; i his belongs t^ 
 Chrift ^lone; the o.her minilterul and declarative; tlxe 
 belongs to Chrifi's ambafladors, who have a ]o\\er in his 
 nnriicto bind and Iot>le. Jt is a nious note of St. Ai>ftln 
 
 upiJU 
 
4od 
 
 Sr. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chap. xxi. 
 
 «inon this plaie, tint Clirift firftconferrcJ i\\e l\o\y Glufl 
 ti'piin Ill's .ipoftlct, anl then faiit, H'hfr ('it ye miH, tkey 
 rtrtri ttti. tiierel) y inti'ii itinp, iliat it is not they, but 
 the Holy Gholl in them, that puts away fin; fjr vho c<in 
 J-irghvfin, hu! GfJ cr.ly ? Tiie power of forgiving fin, that 
 I'l^ii hath, i'! only to declare, that if iv.cn be inily and rc- 
 : 'l; pruiccnt, tlieir linj are forgiven tqem for the lake of 
 •Jiirifl's r.uitfjaion. 
 
 c} ^ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called 
 DidviTius, was not with them when Jefus came. 
 25 The other difciplei; therefore faid unto him, Wc 
 h.ivc fcen the Lord. But he iaid unto them, Ex- 
 cept I fliall fee in his hands the print of the nails, 
 2nd put my finger "into the print of the nails, and 
 thruil my hand into his fide, I will not believe. 
 
 What the caufe of Thomas's abfence was, is not decla- 
 red ; it is evident that he was not with the reft of the 
 <iifi.i|5les when Chriil appeared to them : aril his abfence 
 had like fo have coft him ilear, even the lofs of his faith : 
 and he aiij^ht have had reafoa for ever to luve bewailed 
 his abfence from the meeting of the difciples, had not 
 Chrift besn more merciful. Learn hence, 1 hat the letting 
 flip of one holy opportunity may prove excecdinj^ly prt ju- 
 dicial to the foul's advantage : It is wife and lafe to lay 
 hold of every opporiuniiy for enjoying coninninion with 
 Goil, and fellowiliip with his faints. Thomas's abfence 
 deprived him not only of the ^ood news of Chrift's being 
 rifen, but aU'o of the light of him, which tlie other difciples 
 go: by aflembling together ; and for want thereof Thomas 
 )s left under many doubts and fears Verily, w'c know 
 notwhat welofe, whenweabfent ourfelves from the afTem- 
 bly of God's people. Such views of a crucified Jefus may 
 be communicated toothers, whilflweare ahfcnt, as would 
 have confirmed our faith, and cflabliflied our joy, had we 
 bcenprefenr. Farther, Wh.it a flrange declaration Tho- 
 mas makes of his obftinate unbelief, Except Ifee theprint if 
 the natit, and put my finger into bis fide, I ivill not btUevt. 
 V-'herc note. How llrangely rooted unbelief is in the hearts 
 of holy men, infomuch that rhe-y delire iheobjefts of faith 
 /hould fall under the view of their fenl'es. Thomas car- 
 ries his faith at his fingers ends: he will believe no more 
 than he can fee or feel ; whereas faith // the evidence of 
 things not feen. Oh 1 Thoinas, how deplorable liad been 
 thy cafe, if Chrift had never given thee that proof which 
 was very unreafonablein thee toexpeft. But Chrift takes 
 compaflion on him, and appears to him, and cures his ob- 
 ftiiiate unbelief, which he might htve juftly puniflied, as 
 appears by the following verles. 
 
 26 1 And aftereight day.s, again his difciples 
 were v%'ilhin, and Thomas with them: then came 
 Jefus, the doors bcin^ Qmt.and Rood in the midft, 
 and laid. Peace />« unto you 27 Then faith he to 
 Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my 
 hands: and reach hither thy iiand, and thrufl. it 
 jntomy fide: and be not faithlcfs, but believing. 
 
 JVic''' her'", I. Our Saviour's appearing again to hi'dif- 
 cipIC' aftcrhisrcfurredion ; it waseigbtdaysafter the fjrft 
 
 ^rofe, which was the Crft day of the week. Here «»/r, 
 
 Tint Chrift'srilhig thefirftdayof the week, andappcaring 
 on the next day o! the week after to the difciplef^iand they 
 ohfcrvingihat day for their folcmn alTtmblies.and St Paul 
 adminiftering on that day the Lord's fupp-rr, Ac'tixx. and 
 cnmmanJing on that day tollcvftioris fir the poor, 1 Cor. 
 xvi. and St. John calling it the L'^rd's day, i>tv. i. 10, 
 From ttiefc authorities, and the pri.niitive practice, wc de- 
 rive our Chrfl^HftLbath : For we do liot tind in all tlie 
 fcripture, one iiWRce of any cnecongrcgat ion of cbi iflian* 
 only afTembling t:pon the Jewilli fabbath, but on the tirft 
 day of the week, on which we ground our obfervation of 
 that day. 2. The wonderful condefcenlion of Chrift to 
 tl;c wciknefs of Thomai's faiih ; he bids h\n^ach frth 
 his hand, and thrufl it into hisJiJe. Not that Vhrift wfii 
 picafcd with, but only pitiful towards Thomas's infirmiti- 
 es; and it ought to be no encouragcu'ent to any pcrfoii 
 ro follow his example, in feeking or expecting the like 
 figns of their own prefcribing for the helping of theirfaiih, 
 -?. How mercifully Chrift over ruled Thoniai's nr.btlicf, 
 for the confirmaticn of tmr faith. Hi' dtinbtirg proved a 
 means for the confirmation bf his own sndourfaith; there- 
 fore fays Gregory well, Plus mihi prnfuit duhitatit Tho' 
 vne quam creduUtai Maria ; " Had not J homas doubted, 
 we had not been fo fully afTured, that it was the fame 
 Chrift that was crucified who role again." 
 
 23 And Thomas anfwercd and faid unto him, 
 IVly Lord, and my God. 
 
 Thefe words may be confidered two way;: i- As an 
 abruptfpeech, importinga veiiemtnt admiration ot Chrift's 
 mercy towards hi:i., and of his own Itnpidi'y and dulnefs 
 to believe. Learn hence, That the convincmg con- 
 defcenfion of Chrift, turns unbelief into a rapture of holy 
 admiration ank humble adoration. 2. This exprefTion of 
 Thomas, My Lord, and my God, conrains a fliort but, ab- 
 folute confeffion of faith. Thomas lightly co!!ec1» from 
 this refurrecflion, that he was Lord, C.d IkfTcd fonver- 
 more, the true McfTias, the cxpccled Redeemer ; and ac- 
 cordingly, with an explicit faith, he now profcfTes his in- 
 tereft in him, faying, fly Lord, and my God. Yet note. 
 That thisref^iirrei!tion could not make him God, and ren- 
 der him th«i the objetjt of divine worlhip, if he had been 
 only a creature before. And farther ohferve. That Chrilt 
 doth not reprove 1 homas for owning hmi as God, v hicfa 
 f!iews that i homas did not miftake in owning the divinity 
 of Chrift. 
 
 24 Jefus faith unto him, Thomas, bccaufc thou 
 haft feen me, thou ha fl believed: bleflcd e/cthejr 
 that have not feen, and^rt have believed. 
 
 Here we have Chrift's reprehenfion of Thomas for rot 
 belie vmg without fuch Icnfible evidence as he delircd. He 
 believed now that Chrift was rifen from the dead but it 
 was ujHJU the ttftimony of his Icnfes only Therefore 
 Chrift tell* him, J'hat his faith v;ould have been more 
 excJlent and niore eminently reward;.ble, if he had be- 
 lieved wiihuut i'uch deinonftrative evidence : fuith is t'e 
 evidence 'fthrgs fiotjten, J herefore to give credit ii a 
 thing uuun the evidence of fcafe is not properly bclii'ving. 
 ^ ^ Farther 
 
Cha?. xxf. 
 
 St. J O H N. 
 
 Farther, How Clinft pronounces then bklTwcl, who fhotilJ 
 hereafter bclicvo on hi:n throiit;]! the prcadiing of the 
 tjofpc'l, thotigh they did not fee him :',s Thomas diJ, nor, 
 handle him a<; he nii^ht. This is a fiirc ii:Ie, that hy ho.v 
 miich our faith (laiuts in Icfs need of the external evidence 
 cf fenfc, the (Irongor our faitli i*, and tlie r.iorc acceptable 
 it is, \n 'vided what mc b<lieve be levralcd in the void of 
 
 tUl, Elefd 
 ■ belirjid. 
 
 ■y thai tune 
 
 end vc! ,i, 
 
 ■ave 
 
 30 And many other figns truly did Jefus in the 
 ppefcnce of 11:3 difciplcs, which arc not written in 
 this boot. 31 But ilitfe are written, that ye might 
 believe that Jefus is the ChriO, the Son of God, and 
 that believiti ' ye mi.'ht have life: through his name. 
 
 AV<r here, i. The true end for which the miracles of 
 Chrift were fo carefully recorded; namely, that wi migf.t 
 le'ocve : By believing that C!iri(l was the Son ofGul, 
 •we have life ^ and by tl;,; evidence of his miracle?, we 
 know and believe liim to have been the Son of God : The 
 miracles which Chrill wroii.uht, were the bcft external evi- 
 dence of his nii(!:on. 2. Thar all Chri/t's miracl-js, both 
 b'efn.re his pallion, and after 1; is refurreflion, were not re- 
 corded bv the Evang;e!iftsi 3 The great point Concern-- 
 ing ChiiO, to be knov.n and believed from the fcriptures, 
 is this, That Jefns, the Son of tii^virgin, is the promifed 
 Mcfliah, the anointed of the Father, he in whom all the 
 types and fiindows of the law are accompliOied ; and that 
 this Jelus IS tor nature co-clTcniial, for dignity co-equal, 
 and fur duration co-etcrnal wi'h the Fatlicr ; one in eHencc 
 equsl in power and glory. Thus believing that lefus is 
 the Sin of G:)J, and accompanying that belief wi'h a holy 
 life, if we believe well, and live well, wc fhall have life 
 th:oi;gh his n.'.ir.e. 
 
 C H A P. XXI. 
 
 A FTERthefc things, Jefus fhcwed himfelf 
 tV. again to the difciplcs at the fea of Tiberias ; 
 and on this fiiewcd he hbnjdf : 
 
 The fore^oine chapter acquainted tis with feversl ap- 
 pcsrances of Ciiirifl to his d'fciples after his refurreaion : 
 All which were in Jcrufalcm. This chapter acquaints us 
 with his appeai^in^^ to his difciples in Galilee, whither he 
 had ordered his dilciples to go, proinifing there to meet 
 them. Jerufalcm now becomes a forfaken place, a people 
 abandoned to dcflruaion ; Chrift will not fhcw himfelf 
 openly to them,, but Galilee was a place where Chrift's 
 miniftry had foimd better acceptance : to Galilee therefore 
 doth he eo. Such places wherein Chrift is moft welcome- 
 to preach, fhall be molt honored with his prefence : yej'ui 
 J'.nvcd himfelf to his difciplcs at the fea of TiLerias, c:i\hd 
 clkwhere the fea of Galilee. 
 
 2 There were together Simon reter,and Thomas 
 Galied Dibymus, andNathanael of Cana in Galilee 
 and ihafau oi Zebedee, and tivo other of his dif- 
 ciplcs. 3 Simon Peter iaith unto them, I go a 
 
 finiing. They fay unto him, V.'e alfo go v/iih thee 
 They went forth, and entered into a ihip iinrn.-- 
 diatciy : and that night they caught nothin '■. 
 
 Note here. That after Chrifl was crucified, the difciphs 
 returned for a time to their trade and employment of h/h- 
 ing ; thougli they were called to be fifhers of nun, yet 
 churches not being gathered and coniiitutedat prcfcnt, 
 nor being' able lo maintain ihcm, they labour with their 
 hands to fupply ihtir prcfent necefiities. Afierwardsvvhtn 
 at tl;e feaftof Pentccoil, they had received viiofe viiibic 
 gifts of the holy Ghoft, 'which did furni'h them for 
 preaching tlie gofpcl to all nations, and they went forth tD 
 plant an.-! propagate the gofpel, we may believe they then 
 gave over the labour of iheir fccular callings, and applied 
 thci^felves wholly to the woik of the miniftry. That'mav 
 be done f^f<:.'/r//a «'7/;'/V«/.'na'fl_^ in a church which is condi- 
 tuting, or about to be conftimted. Note, farther, How 
 Peter, wish the xcW, tJl all night, a'-.d catch nothing; but 
 no former was Chrift come among them, but they inclofe 
 a multitude of lilhes. Thereby tcsdir.g xif.. That all hu- 
 man labours and endeavors are in vain, iinlefs Chrii'l by 
 his prefence and blelfing crown them v\ ith fucccfs. 
 
 4 But when the morning was now come, Jefi.., 
 flood on the fhore : but t!ie difciples knew not that 
 it was Jefus. 5 Then faith Jefus unto them. Chil- 
 dren, have you any meat ? Thay anfwered hitn, No 
 6 And he laid unto them, Call the net on the right 
 fide of the fhip, and ye fliall find. They caH: there- 
 fore, and now they were not able to draw it for the 
 multitude offiilics. 
 
 Oiferfchcrs, i. Chrift was nenr, very near to his dif- 
 ciples but they perceived it not: Jefus flood en the fnorc, 
 ar.d theyhnew net that it zvas Jefus. Lean:, Chri.'t is not 
 always difcerned by us when he is prefent with us ; it is a 
 double mercy to etijoy his companv, and to know indeed 
 that is he. ^2. Although they had laboured all night in 
 vain, yet at Chrill's command thev go to work attain, anct 
 with great fuccefs : They were n:t uhlctodra-wthenetfcr 
 the mullJluJe cf fi/hcs. When Chrift is about to do great 
 things tor his people, yet will behave them exert all poffible 
 endeavours of their own ; and the want of former fuccefs 
 muft not difcouragetheni from funireendeavours. 3.Whata 
 proof Chrifthere gives of h:s divinity and Gtxihead : Row 
 were all the fiHi in the fca at h.is plcafmc, and obedient t 
 his command! He knew wheie they r^im, rnd b;ir. 
 them from one part of the lake to the other: IP'hfre i 
 difciples hud tailed nil night, and caught nothing, Chriil • 
 Mediator is true God,, and as fuch, as he has a foven 
 power and providence over all the crcaH!.-es,the catth 
 a thoiifand hills, and all the fifJi fv.in.rning in the ft.., 
 obedient to his power, and .bfcrvient to his comma.^ds.' 
 
 7 Therefore that difciple whom Jefus loved, faith 
 unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter 
 heard that it was the Lord, he girt his hHiers coat 
 xir.to him (for he was n;,kcd j and did not cafl himfelf 
 into the j"ea. 8 And the oiLer difciples came in 
 
 a ilttle 
 
4,vo 
 
 ~St. J O II N. 
 
 GlIA?. XKT. 
 
 li:tlc fhip (for they were not far fro:n Kind, but as it 
 were two hundred cubits) dragt^in^ the ntt with 
 fifhes. 9 As foon then as they, were Come to land, 
 ihey fdw a fiieof coals there, and fiflilaid thcrton, 
 • and bread. 
 
 Noftherc, I. Tlict^rfat zer.l and forwardniTs of Ptitcr : 
 I'caiin^ that it wa'i C<iii''l, hi- leaps iiili> (he fcs toj^et to 
 hini. O how' Invi'ine. attra6)ivc, anj allurirjr is a fight 
 of Clirifi ! It will m.ike ihofe lliat know him, break 
 ilirfHigli ;iiK'.ifTlci<l its to oomc isnto irim. Itisnotafca 
 of water, no, nor fens of b'ond, that can keepa zealoOs 
 foul nt a (lilh-ince frr.ni Chrift. Jf'icn Pelfr }e/;rd ihi.l it 
 If m the Lord, he f'irt his cent and ccji iimjelf into the Jea. 
 2. What a complication of iirracles lu're were ; as fo< nas 
 fhev catne to l.ini ihcv tlifcerncd anniher m'ratle, viz. a 
 fire of coal--, and fiili therecn", and bread, all crcaied ;-.nd 
 produced byChrirt otit of noihine. at this time, a*; an evi- 
 dence of his divine p 'wer ; for before tbe^' coiii;i get the 
 fifh to fhorc, ther fiw fi(h broilingon the coal?, which inakes 
 it evi'.lsnt that llufe were n^ne of ihe fifli which ihey had 
 catchcd. Chrift, when he pU-afer, for the benefit ?nd com- 
 fort of his people, wid w<)rk miracle i;pen n.iraele, nurcy 
 tipon mercy, one wond'- r upon the head of nn.-iiher : for 
 here, after a nVsrac]? at fe;i, lh< v m; t with arif'ther miracle 
 at hnd i Asjaen as fhe^ came : y/avj afn- 
 
 10 Jefus faith unto them, linn j of the fifli w]jich 
 ye have now caught. -^ ii Simon Peter went up 
 and drew the net to the land full of great fiOies, an 
 hundred and fifty and three : and for all ihere were 
 fo many, yet was not the net broken. 
 
 Kctt here, i. What vos Chri<i'.scat! in cnmmandinj; !)is 
 dlRiples to biing ff;r;h the fiih %\l.ich ihcy 'had now t:;ken ; 
 namely, that the fight oftl.cir niind)cr and bign^-C", to- 
 gether wiih the fight of the net rem.ininj;iiabrcken, nn^hx 
 confirm them in the belief cl i'S being a real ir.irade. 
 Chriil had fed their bellies before, h.i> buCnefs now is to 
 /:.d their minds witli the con'empUiirii of the.greai- 
 ntfs and reality of -thfe n-.irncle. All Chrill's tr;ir;icles"'were 
 obvious to ftnfe, and would bear the exaa ina'ion of the 
 ienfcs : not like thelylng wonders of the Church of Rome, 
 which arc con-imonly wrought in the dark to cozen ihe 
 vulvar, and are inere cheats and impofturcs. -Z. Th.at ti.is 
 fnlf draught of Bfbcf., which Peter and the reft of ihc riif- 
 fiplesnow had, iriKhtprobtblv prefage that great and won- 
 derful fuccefs v. Inch he and- they aftcrv\a:ds were to have 
 infifliingfor men. Merc we have an hurjred fifty and 
 three great fidics caught at one draught ; but, Acls ii. wc 
 find three thot^fani! fouls convened by Sr. Peter at one 
 fi^raa-i. Oh the ir-arveious' fuccefs of the gofpel at tlie 
 frrt- preaching and pbniing of It! 'Three ihoufaiid t^HU 
 profelv'ed by one feimon i Now we have caiife to fear ihut 
 ihcve are lhr:c .thoufand fcrnions preaclied, and fcarce < ne 
 ft ul favingly corVerttd : L'.rd, ivl.o h. ih Ifff^ifd eur rrpi-rt ? 
 
 12 Jcfivs faith tirtto them, Con-.c<2?!.f dine. ' And 
 tioni: rif ihc difcipics durft n(k liim. Who art thou 
 knowin;: tirat it was the Lord. i - W^Mi then 
 
 Cometh, and tak.nli bread, and ijivqth them, and fifti 
 iikewife. 1 1 This is now the third tiin;- that Jefu.s 
 Ihcwed hinjfeif to his difciples after that hj was 
 rifcn from the dead. 
 
 A two fold rcafi-n inav be adigned why Chriftdid at this 
 time invite and call his difciples to dine with him ; The firft 
 and more. pdMnM^reolvn was, to evidence to them the 
 reality of lis l^^Hpion, and to afTure them of the truth 
 of his inanhfjod^rnat they miL^ht not think it was an ap- 
 parition onlv. Py the miracle in catching the fiflie«, he 
 proved himfilf robe G-iH ; -bv his prefent eiitinjj of the 
 fifh, he evidenced bimfelf to he man ; anil crnfequenily 
 teaches us, that our exahed Hiuh Priell- continues our kinf- 
 man in heayeri : He i ; dill bone of our bone, and flefh of 
 ourflefli ; he h^s trk^'n pofleffion of heaven inour nature, 
 fitting 'here in (>\\x vh rVhrd humanity, imired to thegloriiUis 
 Diety, clothed wi'h that body which hung in iis1)h)t)d and 
 core upon the crof', bur. now fliining briahter than ten 
 thoi find fun?. Thefccond nmllefs principal reafon why 
 Chrifl calljd his difviplcs to dine wi'h him, was this, to 
 fliew his under care over the lodrcs of hi<: dear difciples, 
 as being the ti^bcinailts "of his <iwn Spirit, the temples of 
 the H'lv'G'iott : therefore Chrifl '■ncourajes, though not 
 to the pairpriiu.', y^t to the refrifhing of them : 'jcfus 
 Jaii! u'lto t'e//i, C:7iie /ind dine : And he woiild not Confer 
 v.i'.h rhe.m liH thty had dined, as rl.e next vcrfe fliewy, 
 
 •15^ So when they had dined. Jefus faith to Simon 
 l^cter '>'imon,fon of Jonas lovefl thou'^h me more than 
 
 tlicfc? He faith unto him. Yea, Lord ; ihouknoweft 
 that I Idve thee. He faith unto him. Teed my 
 Iambs. 'i5 He faith unto him again the fccond time 
 Simon^re of Jonas, lovefl thou me ? He faith unto 
 them, Yea, Lord, thou knowefl that I lovethee. He 
 faith unto him, 7j.;d m; (li ep. 17 tli laith th*jT to 
 him the third ti ne, Si.roi Cm of Jonas, lovefl thou 
 ;ine ? Peter was grieved becaufe he Taid unto htm 
 ;the third time, Lovefl thou ine? And he faid -unto 
 him, Lord, thou knowefl allthin.^s; thou knowcfl 
 that I love thee, Jcfus faith unto him, Feed my flieep 
 
 O'V^'^f* here, i. Chrid puts Peter upon a threefold pro- 
 fcflion (f his K ve iinio him, anfwer^ble to hi s threefeild 
 confcflion. True repenianoe oiight, and w ill he as eminent 
 in the fruit and tfTtv^s of it, a* the f.dni's. fsU liaih been. 
 A threefol! denial of Cljti'^ (Ivall be aitcndeel uiih a ihrcc- 
 fold poflMIiun -of liwc tmto him. 2. The fokjnn qu; (lion 
 put by our S3\irur tinto I'etcr, Ltvcf tho'i -■- '■' I -rfi thau 
 h:c were than iheje <' that is, more than t!'\ . n and 
 
 employmcn,. more than tliynets and fifl-^ , it fo, 
 
 leave them, ^rndwb' l!)^.emp1oyihy felt in ; , llt-ep 
 
 and 1 Mnb"^. * Or,' tTi6re'n);m ihtfc ? thai i^,Mi"je ih.n t!ic 
 rcfl of my difi.iple';: D ft thou I'-vc me xrn': 'ha:? 'hoii 
 I ivcfl thefe ? 01 ovtre ih.in ih.y love me ' If f), cviden .j 
 the fincerity of ttiy love \v> me by thy care cf nriiie. 
 ■Thence note. That mliiiiicrs who are c. Ik'' lo ti.ke (rare ef 
 Chriil's fioek, lud need oCmue!: )<ive to J^fus Ci;iiil, aad 
 
 gear 
 
Chap, x.kf 
 
 St. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 /fU 
 
 great cnmp-ffim frr foul'; by which they will be animated 
 ami toiiificH logo rhrcinK .wi h the Inhoiir'^ ancl difficnlites, 
 as well as to cn'-ouii't-r the d-'ngcrs an.l fuff ring': whiih do 
 accomp-'riy rhcir crliinu: Siinen, In'fll tf'o'i me P Fi-td mv 
 
 perienccd, he enjoyed his liberty ; but when he was prown 
 oUlt in ycirs, anJ rtron^er in grace, he fh )mM willingly 
 (Iretch f.)rih his hinls, and rjoieily futF-T himfclt to be 
 bTin I to the crofs ; for Peter (lav fome) nas not nailed. 
 
 fiick F;irihpr, That tV ftireft arenment an;l heft evidence b'lr tieJ aa I b )\in 1 to the crofs only, an 1 fi, as a maiiyr, 
 
 .f;')V;rn the whole 
 
 ItmniT ; ihc 
 
 it Shepherd : 
 
 may we jiultje 
 
 riich as wo\ild be 
 
 of a mihi.lcr-. 1 )V: to J-.fus ChriU. is 'lii corifoi-nMOiis cnre 
 to feed; that is to teach, in^rnsSl and 
 !lo:k ■if Cliri.i , l.t-nbs a'li (h '-o, •szx 
 fcohl -d i:i thef.ihl \verc-p(irch.irri| b 
 An;! if he iiids;e!hthsa> vvorth his hi 
 thp;n W)rfh OMrfvv€i»^. Apii'rn, That 
 faithful in their ininirteii.ilchartje .'>" ;hf rohv^k upon fhtir 
 people as committed to them by Chii t ''imf^If, as loved of 
 hin, and coinmirtedro their cire bv him, and- for which 
 they mufl be acnun'jble to hiin : Chiiii calls them three 
 times ov^r, hi'i lambs and his (ht.ep, and as offea charges 
 Peter to feed the.n. A'j/r neX', Poter's tfireefnl I anfwer to 
 Ciiriil's qiielH jn, Simit, hvrfl thou me more ihanlhef ?" 
 Lcrd, ihsu kiTjVjeH that I love theif. Where mti, I, The 
 P'ear modefty of Prter in Ids reply. Lmeft thou me more 
 xhant'iefe? f.iysChiit; Peter replies L'>rl,thm hrnve/l 
 that Il'.ve ihet : He doth not fa>, L-ir^*, I love thee ;:bove 
 t'lem all, and bef,)re tluni all ; here is no boafVini,' now: 
 On.e i; wss.fiid fhat Pc'er vviin'ed, Thovgh oil men fn-Jale- 
 thee, yet w'tU mt l\ but no\v h.i? f.dl had tatight him hii- 
 iniliiv ; he boads not of hi'; !• ve pbovc others, and rmlces 
 no coiTiparifiin with other:*, III i only ranks hinifiH anionir 
 the tnie I )versof Chrid ; L',>d, I Itfve Ihrc. 1. T'le evi- 
 dence that Pct.*reives of li' l"nccre love to Chrift ; he 
 dares t" apptal lo Chrift himf'elf. Lord, thai incweft that I 
 hvelliee: yea, that art onuiir. i^-nt, the all knov\ing and 
 htart-foarchint; God, thou that knowefl all thiuirs, knowclt 
 tr'al I love th>;e. Oh! It is a hit-flfd thin?, when we c.n 
 and dure appeal to Gad's knowledge : and it is matter of 
 hig;h cop.folatim, to know that God knoweth our finccri:v 
 and love imio him, 2nd that he knoweth ahd approveth ns 
 as fiich : Lord, thou hncivi-ft all tlings, thou hnnve/l, &c. 
 Laftly, From thcfe woxA^, Lcrd^tl'ov hn/ivej} t.'ll flings, an 
 argument of Chiilt's divinity. He that kntiws all thing's, 
 a-d particul rlv the hc.-.rts of all men, is G d . i Kings viil. 
 29. but fo doth Chrid, if St. Peter's teftirnony here be 
 tri e ; faying. Lord, thou InviL'cJl all things: that i:;, fay the 
 S";cini-ins, very many things: but this would have de- 
 ftroycd S'. Peter's arf^iiment at once ; for it follows n-^t 
 that Chrilt knew the fincerity of Peter's heart, iinlcfs he 
 knew the fecrcts of all heart? ; and if he knew the fecrcts 
 ol all hearts, he is really God. 
 
 J 8 Verily, verily, I f.iy unto yoti, When thou 
 waft. youn^'. thoti giidcft thyrdf. and vvalkcdft; whi- 
 ther thou vvouldfl : but when thou fhalt be old, thou 
 fh lit ftretch forth thy hands, and another fhall^ird 
 thee, and carry ihei whitlier thou would'l not. 19 
 Tnisfpakehe, fi unifying bywh.it death he fhould 
 glorify God. y\nd when he had I'poken this, hs 
 laith unto him, Follow me. 
 
 In thefe words our Saviour forewarns Peter of liis fii»iie 
 ruireritij.»s, intimating that he fhi't Id prove trorc iiout than 
 in his tcimer trial: When he was young and uDt.\- 
 
 o:- witncfs for the truth of Chrilt, f,lorificd Goil bv Lis 
 
 death. I tarn hence,. I, The miiiiders of Jefus Clirill, 
 
 when fhev tind-.-rtakc the char<;e of iiis flock, inirfl prepare 
 
 for fiiifoiiiig work, and their lot upon i'. Therefore is this 
 
 preiiiflian of Peter's fiilT.rinLr joined wi;h the form<r iti- 
 
 jim !li Ml, Feed im iheep. 2. That hunwn nninre in Chrifl's 
 
 minilK'rsas w;ll as in o^her ni^n, reludiu'es fiilfirtngf,*h2s 
 
 an an'ipathy againft a violent death: They Jh.ill carry thee 
 
 vj'.nther th'-AfWAildlinot. 3. From the lime of St. Peter's 
 
 fitfFerinc;?, ivUen he is old: learn. That the timing of the 
 
 fiinrs fiiftcriuiis is in Chrift's- hands ; he can, and when he 
 
 pl-afeth doth, fcrecn them fiom fiiffering till ; id age ; when 
 
 their w>;k is nlmofl d iic for God, they dofe their days 
 
 with fiifferin.;s for him: H'licn thou cri 'Jd thou Jhrltjlretch 
 
 forth t'^ine hand, and ainlher [h.dl gird thee. Liftly, Th.it 
 
 the rnfFeiings of the faints in general, and of the niiniderj 
 
 of Child in par;icid:u-, do redound iiiiich to the glory of 
 
 God, which is a cinli loralion that ought to re concilc them 
 
 to the cr ifeof Chiid, and fuppjrt thtin under it. 
 
 29 T Then Petei turning about, feeth the difciple 
 whom Jefus loved, foHowin^; which alfo leaned ou 
 his bread at fupper and laid, Lord, which is he 
 that betrayeth thee ? ?i Peter feeing him, faith to Je- 
 fes. Lord, and what fliall this man do ! 22 Jefus faith 
 unto him, If 1 will that he tarry till I co.ae, v.diac 
 is that to thee ? Follow thou uic. 
 
 Our Savi-mr having foretold the manner of Peter's dca.'^ 
 in the fore,t?i'inp vcrfes ; here in thcfe, Pcier is inqiii!itiv*^ 
 after, tin! very f>Ii^itius forthe knowledge of what kind of 
 deal h S: J^din fhould die. Cinid checks him for his cu- 
 riofity, as meddling with that wli*.!. clid no crnccrn 1dm; 
 yet intimates to him, that John fliould live till he came to 
 take vengeance on the Jews, and dedroy Jeriifalem : Iff 
 ivill that he tarry till I cojne \ thitis, till I cume to execute 
 judgement iip-^n Jerufjlcm. Here we may n:te. There are 
 two great v-mities in men with refennce to knowledge, the 
 one a nec.dci5l foknow what is onr duty to know ; the oilier, 
 n curi'fity to know what doth not bcli>i;g. to tis to know. 
 Chrift tells Peter, it was none of his bufincfs to enquire ^vl!at 
 John thoiild do , but he oui;iit rather to be [inparing Il-i 
 what he hiinfelf Hioiild fiiffer.. 
 
 23 Then went that fajing abioad ainon:^ t'ae 
 brethren, that that difciple fhould not die: yeij.:- 
 (us ("aid not unto him, He fiiall not die : but, If I 
 will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thcc ? 
 
 O'^ferve here, H'lw draneely our Saviiur's words were 
 mi taken and mifundcrdocd by h's own difcipl s ; thty ?p- 
 prehcnd preftrndy that John fhohid not die, and fo it | attvd 
 current among them. From hence we may nctc, How 
 much the wifdom of Godis, 3n<! otighr to be ;idmired, in 
 eivinsj i'« a writ'en waid, audi- ing tis to it; v hen we fee 
 err neons traditions fo f on on foot in the world, end cur 
 Sjvioru's own fpccches fo mi;ch n-.idakcn, uud thut by 
 3 F 2 v.ifc 
 
4*3 
 
 
 J O H N. 
 
 ClIAX. XX!. 
 
 wife and holy mwtT.cmrLlvcs in the purcfl tfrncj; Much 
 niorc may tliew-orils of others be mifrcported, »nd vrreded 
 contrary to tbcir fcnfc snd nicnr.irg. How prfat t'len fs 
 the v:mitv and tincertnih'v of oral tradiiinn ! Men ar? na- 
 trr • to ir.iitakc, to miflakc thcmftflres, snd to 
 
 in" mother. The more to be admired is thctr 
 
 nvrr-darin^ iirnimnce, wlm think they cannot err. Such 
 ar. hattghiv opinion of a man's ftif, coik'u.^cs h'r-. to be nei- 
 ther g.'KKl nor wife. 
 
 2^ This is the difciplc which tcfliueLli of thefe 
 thii#gs, and wrote thefc things : and we know that 
 his teilimonyis true. 
 
 The great modcRy of the holy Cvangelid Sr. John Is aJl 
 along throughout his gofpel very obfcrvahle ; he rrentii^nctli 
 }iimfelf hitherto under a third perfon ; he callcth liirnfclf a 
 difciple. a learner, who excelled the riiofl accompliilieddoc-. 
 tors of the ages ever flncc. Here be Jpeaks more plainly 
 :\nd exprefsly concerning himfcU, declaring that he was an 
 cye-witnefs and an ear-witnefs of what he wrote, for tiic 
 greater certainty thereof. And this proteflation here made 
 by the evangcHil of the truth of what he wrote, was highly 
 r.ecefiary, left any fliould think that Chrift's extraordinary 
 love and a tie dl ion to him (he being the beloved difclple) 
 fhouUl move him to exceed (as we are prone to do) in 
 writing the hiftory of their lives who are t!ear to u?, and 
 we to thctn. Zm/-k hence. That this gofpel was written 
 by John the beloved difciple, and the narration is of divino 
 trtuh, worthy to be embraced and received by us as a perfcci 
 rule of faith and lite: f^e inczv that his tijlm'.ny is trui. 
 
 25 And'therc arc alfo mr.ny other things which 
 Jefus did, the which if they fhould be written every 
 one, I iuppofc that even the world itfelf could not 
 contain the books that fhould be written. Amen. 
 
 John being about to conclude tliC hiilory of our Savloitr's 
 life, alT-Tt?, that there were many other miracles and fprci.il 
 (!--•- I -, i,y Chrift botii before and after his piiflion, 
 ^•• id not recorded or fet down; bccatifc, fliould 
 
 all s'j-.t Chrifl did and f.iid be committed to writing, it 
 would even fill the w(?rld, the volumes would be fo many. • 
 From hence wc gather, i. The wonderful a£livity, indiif- 
 try and diligen^^^jhc I-ord Jcfus Chrill, that he was 
 never idle, b'lt^^^^^vhole life wasfpent in doing good ; 
 becaufe fiiould aHm^nrticular inliances have been re- 
 corded, and it would amount to an incredible bulk. 2. That 
 it is impoiTible to get all faid, which might be faitl of 
 Chrifl, a.td in his Commendation ; fuch is the traiifcendent 
 excellency of his perfon, and liic weaknefs of our appre- 
 hc-fions and judgments, and if all were written, which 
 might be written concerning him, the world itfelf could 
 not contain the borks which fhoidd -be written. LaAly, 
 That although many of •Chrift's fermons, conferences, 
 miracles, and a(fHons, he ^nt recorded; yet it dorh not 
 follow, nor can it be inferred from thence, that any neccf- 
 fary docTlrinc Is emitted, or not fuffcicnrly confirmed: 
 There being fo ir.uch writteti as it rleafc«i God we fhould 
 know, and was neceflary for us to know, in order fo our 
 improvement in faith and hrvlinefs. If then, after all the 
 revelation and difcnvery which God has made r,^ his Son 
 Chrifl: Jcfus. and of the wrty that leads to eternal falvation 
 by him, pcrfons remain wi!lin<jlv ignorant of him, and ol' 
 their duty to him, " Where Ihall they appear, and how 
 flidl thtv efcsr^e ? 
 
 R 
 
 ,ev, 
 
 ver. 
 
 :>• 
 
 AVti' ; n'.o hit:} that kvrd vt, mil rx'rfred in ffAn evrftfif if: 
 his own hlood, and hath made us i'inc' or.d trir/fs urto G-:/f 
 
 a>!o' hit Father : T} him le 
 •c^r. Amen. 
 
 .'-^ <: 
 
 ■ (VI >" CH* 
 
 The CLOSE. 
 
 THE defigft of the foregoing Wrr upon the holy Evan- 
 geini, being to recommend the iiiflnidiive life of ouf 
 blefied Redeemer to" o'lr obfcrvativn and imitation: Al- 
 though I kavc upon all rccafions propoilnded his example 
 to be followed by us in all the fteps ot an imiiablc virt;ic, 
 as the matter every where occurred; yet adjudging it may 
 be profitable to Him tip together the fivcral graces and vir- 
 tues which were fo orient in the life cf Chrifl, that having 
 fhcm daily Wfore cur eyes, we may be continually corrcfi- 
 ing and rcform.iiig of ot:r lives bv that bleircd pattern; I 
 Ihall therefore briefly offer it. pL-caufe 
 
 Nothing is fo. proper to fnrm us to holincfs, as the ex- 
 ample cf the Mediator, it being ::bl'(ihitcly perfect, and 
 thoroughly accommodated to our prcfcnt ftate ; there is no 
 example.of any inere man, that is to be tollowetl without 
 linfitaiion; but the life of Chiift was as the purcll gold 
 
 %v!lthout the lead al!or'. t-Jis CcnvcrratioM war a llvihcf Tr"-. 
 and Chriiiiarity, which is .the beft and boiitft infi'tu-i • 
 in the world, is tiotning elfe but a confcnrdty to his pr- 
 cepts a;id patterii. The univerfil command rf the >vh. - 
 gofpel is I his, To tvnti as O.n'/i u'alkfd. Th.Is denotes a 
 lincere imentinn, dtfi^n and eiidcsvor to imitate and fcilcwf' 
 l.im in all the piths of ho\irerEa:'dobc.!ience. 
 Porticuicrly Irt us imit.itf J''fti:. 
 I TN his rnrly pifit- We find him at twelve vears cid 
 ■ JL chctdhis fa.hcn lufinffs, Jiftirr '■ '"' " ' ' '; ,/" tf- 
 dofJors, Irjth hearing atul ({ling ihcvi '■ 
 
 Luke ii. 4^', 47. Ah caily piety giv.s .■.-,> i.-.c piri." itui 
 the fervicc a peculiar" pre-iminercy : n:> comfort in life, n'^ 
 hap|/mefs in dcaihjlike the h;ippinef.> and comfort oF being 
 gooi! betimes. 
 
 II. /« /./j- e/W/i-Btvto his ca:il !y parents. Sec en Sr. 
 
 I.ukc 
 
Tb£ C L S E. 
 
 415 
 
 Luke ii. 51. Hf •a:rn! {Iswii lo Nazareth, and was ftihjeff to 
 them. He paid homage to the wombthjt b:rc him, and 
 to his fifppofed and reputed father that provided for him : 
 let a [5erfor» be never fo hijh above others, he isflill b(iow 
 liis parents: if the higheft upon earth think their parents 
 beneath them, and themfclvcs r.bove their parents com- 
 mand?, our Sa\ioiir did not fo. What fliil! ^'.'e think of 
 tiiofe monftcrs of ingratitude, the rcprmcl^^ human na- 
 ture, who arc pOi;imed to own thc^^^Hp toCaut of 
 their poverty or defpife them bcC2ufe^^^^^nfirmiiij<t of 
 tlicir age ! Prov. xxiii. 22. Htnrha I) thy Filler that 
 Legal thee, ard drfpife net thy t^elher zuhen Jhe is old. 
 
 Ill-, fn his unwearied diligence in dcing good. Acls Tt. 38. 
 t^'hxmjde ahcut doir,^ giod. This was his meat and drink 
 oy day ; his r^ll and deep bv ni'.ht. He fed tlie hungry, 
 clothed the niked, vifitcd the fick, was eyes to the blind, 
 lect fo the lame, and r.dminiflcrcd to fiich 3S wtrc in nc- 
 ceflitics and ilra-ts. And he has (.'.eclared that he will judes 
 us at the great day, according to our imita'ion of him in 
 ■!olnggood to all mankind. See the notes on St. Matt. xxv. 
 the ten laft verfef:. 
 
 IV. In his humility and I'AVlintfs of mini. Matt. x. 2§ 
 Leiimofme,forlammeeh, and loiay in heart \ witnefs his 
 /tonping to the mcancft office, even that of wafliing his riif- 
 ■ iples feet, St. John xiii. 5. He that catne in the forin of 
 t fcrvant, performs the ot'Bce of the mcaneft fervant to his 
 liifciples. And all this was to fet us an example of mti- 
 "lal condefoenfioh to each other ; If I your Lord and Mafter 
 'f!-r-e ivafhtd ■ionrfect, yon ought nlfo loxvajh one an:ther's feet; 
 which precept, though it doth not hind tis to the.famc .iiflion, 
 yer it obliges to the fame condefcenficn ; namih', to tliink 
 •"•0 ofEce of love befieath us which the neceflitiescf oi:r bro- 
 ther call for from iiSi 
 
 V". In the '.ir.hlameaUincfs ay.d irMofenf.veniJs of his life ar.A 
 •iBiovs. He injured none, and jurtly offended none, but v,-as 
 har.mlcfs is well as holy : He wrougiit a miracle to pay tri- 
 bute-money, rather than give offence to the government. 
 S-e on iVIatt.xv!. 27. Accordingly, let usbe harmlefsand 
 bbmelcfs; wife a.s fcrpcnts, and innocent as doves: piety 
 withotit policy is too fimple to be fate ; policy without picly 
 13 too fubtle to be good; 
 
 VI. In his eminent fclf-dcnial lie emptied himfclf and 
 bccaiiu' poor. When he was rich as" God from all eternity 
 I'-e impovcriihcd hiinfcif by becotp.ing man. Oh! Whnt 
 • 'id he not deny when he left thebofom of his Father, with 
 ilic intffable dell ',hts and pleafurc? which he tiiere enjoyed 
 '.-om all etentttv ; and inftcad thcrcfif, to drink the dtp, 
 the bitter cup of his Father's wrath for oi;r fake? Lord, 
 how can we enough abafe curftlvcs for thte, who thus de- 
 nied t'lyfelf for us? 
 
 V'll. In his conlcniment in a hvj end tnenn rcnditicu \i\ 
 •his world ; vea, in a fufFering and atflicttd crndiiii-n. He 
 wonld not honour the world fo fr.r as to have any part (<f 
 i' in hisown hand, atid was therefore of himfilt Kfs pro- 
 vided of*"c(>mfortablc accommodations than the birds of 
 Jflcair, or the hearts of the field. See Luke ix. 58. "7/c 
 fcxes have loles, and the birds cf the air have nefls, but the 
 uj.v cf man hath not where to lay hit head J-et us learli 
 /rem him to manage an aftiicled condition wnh acotnentcd 
 •"pirit ; let there be no mtirmurings, con.phintr, or foolilh 
 
 charging of God heard from us, whatever ftraits or troubles 
 we may be brotiglu into : Put in whatever Jlate •me are, let 
 us he therewith eor:tent, I'liil. iv. II. « 
 
 "V'lII. In his frequent ferfcruuinee of the duly of private 
 prayer and fafting. He fometimes fpcnt a whole night in 
 prayer, J/iike vi. 12. lie wentiulo a mountain lo fray, an,-* 
 c'.ntinued all niglt in frr.yer /; Cod. And, Mnrk i. jr. /;} 
 tlje mirnirig ri/iiig up a great zuhile hefore diif, he weiit into a 
 Jclitary fine: r.r.d irp^ed. It is certain, that wc l>avc much- 
 more buf] nu f J ^ t i W i AlmigSty Gnd in prayer than Chrifi 
 had ; he had no fftis to conftfs, no wants to make known { 
 yet di I he ricliglit with frequt^jf-and fervtttey to perform 
 this homage to his heavenly Famer. Lord, how dt^h thy zr;i! 
 and forv.ardncfs condemn our remilTnefs and lukewarmnefs 
 
 c-f praife 
 puttcrn 
 
 in praying to our heavenly Fatiicr!- 
 
 IX. In his cfft-fs'iciirtc f.-rformrnce cf 
 end thr.if giving. Our blelfed Saviour v. 
 of ihankfulncfs. fvlitt. >:i. %^. ■ I thank the.-,0 Ff'hcr, 
 Lord cf heasi-en and earth, cco. Jjhn nI. /,o. Filler, I 
 t/janii thee, that theu hnft heard mt. When he was to cat 
 common bread, he received it with thankfgiving. Wh.it 
 a pattern of thankfulnefs then v.-as Jcfiis tii his followers ? 
 There is hardly any one external duty wiiith we do not 
 find tlie hypocrite performing in fcripture, except this (if 
 thankfgiving and praife : wc find Judas repenting, Ahab 
 luimblin;; himfclf, Saiil facrificing; but rnrelv do we find 
 any wicked man l>lefling and praifmg God: Need -will 
 make us beggars, but grace only thankfgivers. 
 • X. In his e-.npr.ffisn towards thofc ulo were in diftrcfs 
 f.vdrvfery. Malt. xx. 3.-}. Great was his dompsflion to thfi 
 bodies of men: He healed all th.tt came iwito him : Hs 
 healed many imdefirod ; with great condolfncy-, and tcndtr 
 fympathv, he cxercifedaift.sof mercy and cornp^^flicn-, when 
 the objedl of comj)affion Was before him, End did perfeftly 
 abhor, and fcvercly condemn aj! afts of cruelly : Ifow great 
 was hi? comjiaflion towards the fotds of men I What pairts 
 did he take, atid what hazards did he run, in prda^hing 
 the gofpcl to loll finncrs, \n his fervent prayers fof them ; 
 but cfpecialiy in dvingfor tbem I Let i:s iir.itale Chri't 
 herein! As his compafTion wns nniverfal to all mankind, to 
 the whole man, foul and body ; as it was aftive and opera- 
 tive ; as it ^vas exercifcd with niarvclloiis complacency Rnd 
 delight ; as it tvasa preventing compalfion, and unweiiried 
 com.pTfTion : fo let ours be alfo. 
 
 XL In his'l.'oly at>d fruiiful fHfeo'irfe. His lips drcp't .ns 
 the honey-comb, end his tongue was as choice fdver. 
 When walking with his difjiplcsto Etnniaiis, \\'\\\\ what 
 heavenly difconr'^c did he entertain them in the way ! See 
 Luke xxiv. 13. I'cc. A good pattern for ou^ fmitatlon, 
 when providentijily cart into fvich company as will bear it. 
 j^ord ! what a fiiam.e and reproach is it to tis, that in com- 
 mon converfation wc fpcnd fo many hr.urs together, in 
 talking over the news of the city and country, and part 
 V ithout fpcaking one Avord ,<^f Jtfus Chrilt our Ciil iricnd ! 
 
 XIII. In i.isffree com.'rrfation : The ^cn of man came 
 eating and drinking, Matt. \i. 19. That is, was 1 fa free 
 end tarrViliar conveife, afT.'ble and f()<-'ijble, nf«t four or 
 niorofe, never (luirning tlie fxie'y (;f the vkorft cf rren, 
 even of the Pharifees" thcmftlves ; btit coirplying with 
 their innocent cuftotns, and accomp anying them at ihtir 
 
 f •• (l.s. 
 
4,14 
 
 Tbe 
 
 C L O S H. 
 
 feafts. Sec St Luke *. IC). We do n.^t fiml tliat w hen 
 Chrirt was invircd to any public cntertainni(nt, that ever 
 •he refufcd to go ; not fo much for ihe pIcTfiire of f a'ing, 
 as for thu opportunity of convcrfinu aniliioiiiggood 4 Chiift 
 converftil with bad men, but as tluir phyfician, not as ihtir 
 comp-inijjn : Let lis go aaA do likewKc. 
 
 XIII. y/ii his p/i:!ciice under fujfciiiigt en J rtpro.tchei. 
 fyi.en he ivas^tv'ilej, he reviled nol a^iiin\ but underwent 
 the burden of his fulFoiinjis wiih adniirubk- patittice and 
 niecknefs of fpirit, when his name and Mffcj^iar fulfcred the 
 viled indi'nities, blafphcmics, and reproaches, that the 
 malice of Sitaa, and the nialiguiiy of witkcd men, coidd 
 belch out againft it; \vhen~e was called a blarphemer, a 
 forceier, a devil, a winc-bibber, a glutton, a friend of pub- 
 licans and finners. For an innocent pcrfon, and a di^rnirud 
 Ijcrfon, to bear all this when he could have looked all his 
 «.neiv.i;s into litll, and have frowned them into nothing ; 
 Verily, to b'rar all thj.-, without the leaft difcompofiire 'of 
 fuirit, is the hii^hell triumph of patience that ever the 
 world was acquainted with. And why all this, but to 
 leave us an example tliaf wc lliould follow his (Icps ? 
 I r<f. ii, 21, 22. ■» 
 
 XIV. In hii readinefs to forgive iKJurie!. One of his 
 laft words upon the crofs, was a prayer for his murderers ; 
 rdther,fir?jve them, Ltike xxili. 34. He offered up his 
 blood to God on the behalf of them that fhed ir. Thus 
 to forgive our enemies, and to beg fornivcneTs of them, 
 will bo an evidence of a Chrill-like frairie and temper ; 
 V. hen the srrace of God calms thofe timTultuous and out- 
 rageous ftadlons which at any time we find racing; in our 
 breads, moidJing our fpirits info fu-cetncfs and gentlencfs 
 Irecing us fron all malicious dcfircs of revenue, which are 
 fofar beneath a chriUian, that it is the bafenefs of a man; 
 v\-a, a.s jealoufy is the raee of a man, fo malice is the rage 
 of ihe devil : it is thelpiiit of the apoflate nature. 
 
 XV. }h his laying to heart the fms, as well as the- fuj]~cr- 
 i.'igs Iff' others. Mark iii. 5. He was grieved for the hard- 
 n'fs of their hearts. Such was his zeal for his Father's 
 glory, fiich was his compadion for the folds of men, Aich 
 his antipathy againft, and hatred of fin , that he was grieved 
 for fin v;.hereveT he found it, and mourned over thofe, who 
 had no hearts to mourn for themfclvcs. Lord! how far 
 arc they o!f from a Chriil like fpirit and temper, who, in- 
 ItL.ad ol inotirning for other men's (ins^ rejoice in iniquity, 
 and take picafurc to fee their broliicr ilab at once the chriT- 
 lian mine .Tnd his own foul .' 
 
 XVI. In his zeal fr the public worjhip ef God. John 
 Ji. 17. The ■z.eal cf thine houfc hath enten vie up. Now as 
 Chrift was, fo chrirtians ought to be, intenftly zealous for 
 the glory of God, the honour of his houfe, and the purity 
 of his public wordiip. 77v zral of thine houfe hath etiten 
 ine up. Our zeal for the public vvorfhip of God glorifies 
 him molf , and he accepts it beff .. Now we own that God 
 vv hotji we fervc in the face of the world; and this creates 
 a v.-ncraiionandeftccm ofGod in the minds of men. 
 
 XVII. In his glorifying of his Father in all he did. John 
 xvii. 4. 1 have glorified thee on the earth. The whole life 
 of Jefns, wiiilft hereon earth, was a glorifying of his Fa- 
 ther; he glorified his Father by the doctrine which he 
 taught, by the miracles which he \vrought, by the un- 
 
 fpoifcd purity of his life, a^d by hi^ Hnpsralh-lMl U\Kcutifii 
 at hi-i death. In like manner Oi- uld we glorify G-d in all 
 we do, in all we dt f-.-n, in all we d.-fire ; in our natural 
 aflvmsot eat in? and diinkin? ; in our civil employments, 
 buving and filling; in our lawfui rccreaiicns, liking care 
 that too much of our time be not C"nfiiiTitd thcrtin. Re- 
 creation is not to be our bii("ncff, but t4) fit 11.= for bufincTs ; 
 but cfjMrciall^ctiis fctk to f;!ority G<A in our rcJigious 
 ddu.-c, pi;hl^H|^^, und ficrct. . 
 
 XV III. fi^^^^np.irli.illly in reproving Jin. He feared 
 the f4ce<i ani fpared the faidts'of no oftliiders ; the Phari- 
 fecs were a proud and haughty fort of people, who dinio- 
 noiired G.xl ab we moft,. when ihcy pretended to glorilv him 
 abiove any. Therefore we find Chrilt den-^u^ncing a 
 beid-roll of woes againfl thein in one chapter, Matt, xxili. 
 If'o ante y.u fcrile^, Phcrifees, lypicriles. Eijjht feveral 
 woes are den'.uncedagainft "them, for fo many ftvcral fins 
 comiTiittcd by them. Thofe to v;hom Go.) ha- given his 
 authority to reprove the fins of others, ought to imi'a'e 
 their pattern in his iinpartiality in reproving fin. His 
 very enemies gave him that charafter. Matt, xxii. 17. 
 Thou- cart ft not for any man, thou regardifl ml tie ferjon ri' 
 man ; that is, thou fpartlt none, but tclkft all men oi thtir 
 faul's. 
 
 XIX. In I is wiiverfnl oledience fi his Fathr's will, and 
 chenrful fuhnv()i;n to his Futhers plenfure. He obeyed the 
 will of l,i« Father univcrfally, v* Inntarily, fincertly, and 
 with a fingle eye to his glory, perftv(iin[>ly,. and to the 
 end; and as he was, fo mi;(t we be f^i htul to the death, 
 ifweexpfiSt the crown of life. And in like manner did 
 he fiibmit to the will of his providence ; Father, not as I 
 will, but as thou wilt ; not my wiH, but thine be done. O 
 let us keep thi'; exn-nple continually before its, and ivery 
 day obey the will of God's precept iiniverfally, and fijbmit 
 to the will of his providence very chcarfully ! Tliis is 
 heaven on earth. 
 
 XX. In his love and praflije cf un'rjerfal hoUnefs, loth in 
 heart and I fe. He was holy in nature, holy in his prin- 
 ciples and motives, holy in his niiii and ends ; he wa<. per- 
 fetlly holy, prcciftly h(dy, uniformly holy, cxempiarily 
 holy; he delighted only in holy perfijns and h<>Iy things'; 
 it concerns us to imitate herein , if ever we fxptfl to br 
 where he is : Heaven is the l.-abitation of holinefs ; the com- 
 pany is holy, the employment is holy, the cnji.ymcnts holy ; 
 no unclean thing cati enter into heaven, or could be happy 
 in heaven ; heaven is rather a nature than a place. It ir. 
 not the place ot heaven can make us happy, but the difpo- 
 fnion and temper of our n-.inds in heaven ; without con- 
 formity to the nature of G(k1, there can be no communion 
 with him, or delight in him. What a difcourtcous cowr- 
 tefy would it be to turn a filthy fv. ine into a garden of 
 flowers, to lodge i' in a bed of fwcct perfumes, to bathe it 
 in a clear and cryfl.->l fountain ' Alas! its urclcan temper 
 and fordid inclinations would rather chufe to lie down in a 
 kennel, and wallow in the mire, its proper clement. Thti' 
 unfiiiiable would heaven be; that pl.'.ce of .greatcft happi- 
 nefs woidd be the greatcft uncafinef'; to an unholv heart 
 Let us then pray and ende.vcur that the temper of 01:: 
 minds, and the ;'(^ions of our lives, innv be a lively trat;- 
 fcript of the mind and life of the holy Jtfus, that we mav 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 «i»5 
 
 ■like him in purity nnd holineff, in jiiflice and righteouf- 
 nt-n:, in patience and nieeknffs, in charity and univcifal 
 god'nefs ; that as he w.as, we m«y be in the world, holy, 
 huirMe, harmlrfs, hem'enly m'tndrd, glorifying God vn earth, 
 that we may be jjlorified with him and by liim in his eter- 
 njl kins^dom. 
 
 XXI. Yet before I clofc this exhortation to an imitation 
 cf Jcfii<;, I miifl fiibjoin this cantiorux^ij-cflion : Take 
 heed that ynii do not fo imitate "ChJ^^HIyour pattern, as 
 ■to difnwn him for your priert. ThisnUe dangerous error 
 ofthdfevvho affirm, that the great end of Chrift's death 
 was to eive the world an example of patience, humility, 
 mceknif-;, and tlie foremrniioned chrilHan graces, and that 
 M'; ftifferings were exemplary, but not properly fatisfaflory. 
 We av-know ledge that Ciirill's giving us an example was 
 
 one end of his coming into the world, and dying for us, hut 
 not the great end. A fiibordiiiate end, but, not the iiltT- 
 mate. God preferve us from the contagion of this grow • 
 ing error-; other errors only fcratchthc face, bufthis ftabs 
 the heart of the chriftian religion, in that it deprives us of 
 the choicefl benefit of Chrill's deaths namely, the expia- 
 tion of fin, by a proper fatisfaflion to the juftice of God. 
 But bleilcd b^ God, vf e have not fo learned Clirid ; as we are 
 taught, fo we believe, that the holy Jtfiis, by the facrif.cc 
 of his death, has redeemed us from <!cath and he!!, ximi 
 faved us from the wrath to come, by a fi;!I sird ?,«ltqjiaie 
 payment to divine juflice, and, by the rcc!i;ndancy of l.ii 
 merit, has purcliafed an eternal inhtrit:;t;ce for us ; and as 
 wcare taught and believe, fo Ave pray. 
 
 Almighty God, who hafl (jivcn thine only Son to be tmto us both a facrificc for fill, as alfo an exatnple of godly life 
 Give us grace that we may always moft thankfully receive this his intftimable benefit, and alfo daily endeavour ourfelvjs 
 to follow the blclfcd flcps of his mod holy life ; through the fame Jcfiis Chrift our Lord. 
 
 Almighty and evcrlafling God, who of thy tender love towards mankind, has fent thy Snn, our Saviour Jefus Chriil, 
 to take upon liiin our flcfh, and to fuSer death upon the crofs, that all mankind flioiild follow the cxainple of his great 
 humility; Mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of his patience, and alfo be made partakers of his 
 •refarrcclion, through the fame Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. 
 
 END OF THE FOUR EVANGEL LSTS. 
 
 THE 
 
 A 
 
 S 
 
 OF THE 
 
 APOSTLES. 
 
 in? w^fi illujirlms life of the hrly J'e.svs kiny recorded cUargn'n iJif/orrgohg Gospzl, ly thefcveralEvm- 
 .(^clifls, zvhfe namrs iky hear ; l/iia nrxt bnrk rj the Ads undertakcth thrfe three things : 
 
 I. It recmmends ^0 mr dfrvrli n and imiiaiion the lives a>id actions of tke lioly apojlks, particularly St. Vctcr 
 and St. P<iu\ ; d)id acqianiti vs with their fervent zeal, and mrvccried dilij^eiice in planting and p'^-pagiliv.r 
 ChrilUanity. «r/'07!/y in Jiidja and Sdrn^ua, lutalfo in Syria, Afia, and M^icedom a ; yea , cum in Roinc 
 ufclf: Wheyc.ty the way tiotc. Thai there is wt mie xnrrd inall this hiftny, of Si. P<iteT's primacy, qf 
 his fupmoritv ever the nf.f the aponies. or f/rnr hfirpric that he had 'at Rome; the ka/l iruimaiion ef 
 •udiieh. wmldhave madeal'udernrif Uuui I'afce ovcs, or in es Petrus. 
 
 II. Wehneherean ecchj.oji ccl hfto>y rf the fofl and. puuft ehwc/m,' inf.rmr^ vs how the Chijlian chursh 
 m rt< infamy was plantni and waltred, gatke ed 'and propagated, hcth air.ong fnus and Gemiles ; h wjhe 
 clfrorl and obtyed Chris r'.s cnmnaroh to lu^ ap^flUs. hlk in naikrs of Jaiih, xiwjkp. cmmunl^n end 
 grvrn.iert, iJial l/urein tlie primitive clMrdi m'ght k an exemplary paUnl tj/ucceedin<r ciMn/uslhrM-knii 
 ai rt^rs. JO a 
 
 in. This 
 
41' 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Cha! 
 
 I. 
 
 III. Tills hijiory gives t'.U the vilwfurs cf tki gofpcl, to the trj cf tki xjjrld, a great aid nolle pallern of 
 minifurial ddigentc, failhjidnijs, and prudence ; acquainting us what the apcftks did, the paini which thy 
 took, the liazards which they run, in preaclung the glad tidings cf falv^tum to a Lfl vjorld: Hjw thiy 
 in/lruBed the ignorant, reduced the wandering : how they bare with the wrainefs offome, and patiently contended with the 
 obftinacyand pa-vcrfenfs cfcthen. Likaufe as Jleviardscf Coo' i family , theygaveto thcwhcle Ii3uf)i?ld their portion 
 of meat in due I'eafon. 
 
 This frft chapter relates, i. The time and manner cf our Lord's ^l^tftfL 2. Th: kiinArd ani twtniy dif- 
 ciplespnudrxtion. 3. TJieir ele6!ion p/" Matthias by it, tofucucd in the aWJlUfvp, inthc room rf the ap'^flaie \n' ■ 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 nj^ II E former trcatife have I made O Theophi- 
 X lus, of all that Jcfus begaii both to do and. 
 teach, 
 
 Note here, I. The penman of this fzcrcd hiftcry, Sf. 
 Luke, the fame that wrote tlie golpel, which he calls his 
 Jcrnur trcotifc, ik'dicatcd, both th.at and \\\\f, to i!ie fame 
 Thcophilus: The former treatife hme I made, O Theophtlas. 
 I. The tiire when St. Liike wrote this holy hiftcrv, and 
 ihc place where, namely, when he was the companion of 
 St. I'aiil^ arid, rs fome think, during the thrtc of his im- 
 prifonment at Rorne : If fo, we may profitably remark, 
 the favour wl'.ic!i God gave the apodic and companion in 
 the fij;hr of the keeper of the piifon, that they were not 
 denied pen and paper. When perftcutors fend the faints 
 to prifor, God can provide a keeper for their turn. But 
 Jiow do the apoftle and his companion fpend their time in 
 prifon, Very atlvantageoufly ; the former in writing epif- 
 lies to the churches for their ccnttrmation ; the latier in 
 lecordtng the a£ls and monuments of the holy apoflles for 
 our imitation. Tlicre Is no fuch way to be tven with the 
 devil and Itis inniiimcnts, for nil their malice ?nd fpitc 
 againfl us, as bydoiiig all the good we can,, wherever wc 
 come. Satan had belter have let thefe iv. o holy n-.en slonc, 
 than have ca'l tlicm into prifon ; for by their pens tliey 
 battered the wails of his kingdom, and made them fliakc 
 about his eprs. 3. The iniegriiy and impartiality of this 
 JiiAorian S«. Luke: he wrote of all //;?;jx tl:i:t Jefiis loth 
 aid and faii^/.f in his Gcfpci, and what the apoflles did and 
 lauglit in the jiils; not that this is to be underllood ftriilly 
 and ahft^lutely, but comparatively only;- r,ot :.s if St. Luke 
 recorded every aflion that Jefus did, .or every cxprciTit n 
 our Suvibur.Lid; for Sr. John fays, they were fn many,. 
 -ihatfhcy could not be written, ch.ip. xxi. 2^. But by all 
 ■ things, wc are to uiiderftand very many things: the moft 
 neccliary and ufcful things ; every thing that the Holy 
 Ghoft thought fit 10 dictate to him, and enjoin him to 
 publifh for the church's tife and fervice. Learn thence. 
 
 That St. Luke was a very faithful and impartial hiftorian, 
 witholdiri^ nothing which wr.s neccffary for the church to 
 know, ana leaving no room for unwritten cr uncertain tra- 
 
 tiitions : I have wrote all that 'J ejus began. 
 
 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after 
 that he through the Holy Ghoft had given com- 
 mandraenls unto the apoltlcs, wh«ni he had chofen ; 
 
 Nats here. The fptci^l concern andcr.;. ^ 
 
 had foi his church on earth, beforche afcendcd into heaven. 
 The very firft ninht that he appeared to hii dikiplcs, after 
 his refiirrc£lion, he brcatiied on them, nnd dii'lribiitcd tl.s 
 Holy Ghoft among them, St. John xx. 12. both to in- 
 form their judgments of what they did not know, anJ 
 todiredl their piadife, what he would have them to do : 
 He through the Holy Gho/l, gave commandments unta the 
 op:J}!es ; that is he diftributed the Holy (Jhoft amongll 
 them, to be thtir conftant inlf ruflorand dircftnr, what they 
 fhoulddo,' in order to the execution of their office and em- 
 ployment. Lenrn thence. That as the apoftlcs had, fo 
 the minillers of Chriif, in their meafure, liiall have, tlie 
 gracious and fpccial infli:ences of the holy Spirit to dirc£l 
 andinftrudt, to quicken and fupport them in 'he faithful 
 difcharge of their minilterial office to the end of the world ; 
 that gracious promife, Zr, / am with yen ahcay, St. Matt. 
 xxviii. 20. We i!ct live feventeen hundred years after the 
 firft making of it, may by faith draw out the comfort of 
 it, as wtllasth.e apoftles, to wiiom it was originally made. 
 
 ■^ To whom he alfo (hewed himfclf alive after his 
 paihon by many infallible proofs, being feen of them 
 forty days, and fpeaking of tlie thin^js pertaining to 
 the kingdom of God; 
 
 Ncte, I. The time which our Lord fpent here npon 
 earth, between his refurreftion and afcenfion ; it was forty 
 days: Chrilf would not prefcntly afcend into heaven, as 
 foon as he was rifcn, but thought fit to (lay fome time with 
 hisdifciples, to tonfirm their faith in the belief of his re- 
 furre£lion, and to faiisfy them that it was he himfelf, tlieir 
 Lord and Mailer, that died for them, that was indeed rifen, 
 a.nd now appearetl u.^to them : He was feen cf them fcrtf 
 days. 2. What our Saviour did in that for;y days upja 
 earth: He ft:e\i:ed himfclf alive unto his difci['les, appearilij 
 fomctimes to them, and giving them many infallible pro.)fs 
 of the verity of liis rcfiirredtion, by eating, drinking, talk- 
 ing, and converfing w ith them, by fliewing his wounds to 
 them, and fubmitting himfclf to be touched and handled 
 by them. Not that Chriff's converfaiion with his dif- 
 ciple."!, in this his exalted ftate after his refurreution, was fo 
 frequent and familiar, as it was before his death, when he 
 v.as in a ftate of humiliation ; and accordingly we never 
 read, I think, that Chrift ever lodged or continued all 
 night with his difciples, after he was rifcn from the grave. 
 But lie converfed with them only upon occaiion, as he 
 pleafed himfelf, and yhen he pleafed. 3. What our 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 Tlie ACTS. 
 
 4^T 
 
 Saviour faid as well as wTiathediJ, Inhisintervening rime 
 betvvixt his refiirreiflion and alcenfion, being forty days : 
 Hejpiike to his atfdpUi of the things pfrtainir.g to the h'<ng. 
 Jo'H bj G-)({ : 1 hat is, I. Ot ilic thir.Ts pertaining to liis 
 cliurih militant, or the kingdotn of grace here on earth, 
 how lie would have bi? church planted and propagated by 
 the apodles cioiflrine, guidird and governed by their difci- 
 phiie : Or 2. By the kingdum 0/ Go<i, jrfl^be under(\oad 
 the- church jriuriiplunt, or the kingdom calory in heaven; 
 \* hat pc-rtrdl bill? and happinels he was now going to pre- 
 pare for them in the prtfence of his Father. Where note 
 1 hat Cii'-iCl's kingdom is purely fpintual ; that Chrift's 
 fpiritii.il kingdom is his church ; and the preaching of the 
 gulp. 1 i- the great inftrumental meati for the ertding of 
 the kingdom of grace, and enlarging of the kingdom of 
 gloiy. 
 
 4 And b^ing afTemblcd together with them, com- 
 manded them that theyftiould not depart from Je- 
 rufalctn, but wait for the promife of the Father, 
 which.JaUli lie, ye have heard of mfe. 5 For John 
 truly baptized with water ; but ye Ihall be baptiz- 
 ed with the Holy Ghoft not many days hence. 
 
 Note here, i. How frequently Chrifl renewed his pro- 
 mifes to hij difciples, of lending dow n the Holy Gholt to 
 confer upon ih-in the gifts of tongues and miracles, in 
 order to the fitting and furniHiiniJ of ihem forthfir work 
 » of preaching ;init puhhfhiiig the golptl to all nations; Te 
 ^ /hull l:e baptized luith the Holy Gh'.jt, not many days hence ■ 
 That is, the gfts and graces of the Holy Ghoft fliall be 
 largely poured forth upon you, fas water upon the perfon 
 biiptiied) which vias lultilled on the day of Pentecoft 
 When Chrill: talis his niiniflers to extraortiinary fervice 
 he affords them extracrdin.iry alliltance, furnilhing them 
 ■with endowments anfwerable totiieir great employments. 
 2. The place wliere Chrifl commands theapoftles to wait 
 for the deicent of the Holy GU^ ll upon tiiem; nimely, at 
 Jerul.dem : He commanded th-^ri not to Jepcji t f> o'ti Jerufu. 
 Urn, tut -Moit there fir the promife. Of all places the 
 apoftle!' would leaft have chof'en Jerul'alcni to tarry in, had 
 not Chnft commanded them to wait there. For Jeru- 
 falem wa^ now a jultly abhorred at)d dctelled pl.ce, reek- 
 ing afrefh with the blood of the holy and innocnit Jefus ; 
 yt t Jerulal-m is the place chofen by Chnftfor the pouring 
 forth the h dy Spirit upon hisapoltles: Bicaiife, i. I here 
 h.id been his j^reateft humiliation. 1 here Chrift h.ul luf- 
 fered the greatef> 'gnominy, therefore there U dl he fhew 
 forth his power and glory. 2. Bec^uieatJeiuOleni there 
 wa< the greateft compiiny of fpeft.itors to beholdthis noble 
 work, and to be vvronght upon by it. burh as wtiuld nof 
 be convinced by oar iSav.our's death and, refilrrt a on, 
 niighr probably be convinced by this' miracfil.., til effulion' 
 of the hfily fpinr ddcendii'ig upon fh^'apodlei in fiery 
 cloven tongues. Lord ♦ Vharai\ inftance Wa>' this ofthy" 
 love tcvthiiie enemils-! Ho,ll/'''del?rJii. wfei^t' 'th'i^u of the^ 
 coiivcrfion arid iah-.ttinn «<f thy very murderers'! in iifidit' 
 J rulalfui, s^ here b'ur Lord was crucified, the Holy Gh-ft' 
 firfl d-fcendfrf ;■ And whtn Chrill appointed where' tlie 
 gofpel-combhiation Ihotiid btjjrtii Jerufalem is ihi full 
 
 place in nomination by hitfl. St. Luke xx'v. 47. Hadhe 
 J'uid unto them, that repentance and ren'-JJion 'fjin, &c. 
 
 6 When they therefore were come together, they 
 afkedof him, layin;T, Lord, wilt thou at this timft 
 rsftore again the kingdom to Ifracl? 7 And he 
 faid unto them, It is not for you to know ihe times 
 or the feafons, which the Father hath put m his 
 own power. 
 
 Note\itx^, the difciples* queHion and our Saviour's an- 
 fwer : i. The qneltion propofcd by the difciples, LoriC, 
 tU'lt thou at this time rejiore again the kingdom to tfraelf 
 That is, Wilt thou repair the ruinous condition of the 
 Jevilh ftate,and reflore it fo thai great d gnity and fplen- 
 dour which we hive al^vnys expeded Qiouldbedone by 
 the MciTus? Where note. That notwithftanding Chrill 
 had fo often rebuked the Jews in general, and his difciples 
 in particular, for their conceit of a temporal kingdom) who 
 were fb full of ambitious expectations to receive great 
 honours and preferments here on earthj yet it evidently 
 appears that this notion ftill ran in their minds, and tbac 
 their Mdller being now rifen from the dead, this was the 
 time both for his and their dignity and advancement. 
 Learn hence, Thit it is no wonder that unbelievers 
 ftumliled at the poverty and meannel's of Chrift's out ward 
 condition whi n he was hereon earth, feeing it was fo hard 
 for the di'ciples themfJves to be convinced, and believe 
 that his kingdom was not ol this world. 1 know not any 
 thing whf rein the bidiop of Rome may fo properly call 
 himfelf apnftolical, as in his following this error of the 
 apoltles. Were they always dreaming of a tempond king- 
 dom? Soii he always doating upon it, and hi- eye- d.iizled 
 with tiie fplendour and glory of it. The difciples, not 
 only all ihi time whilft Chrift '.^ as with them, but cven> 
 now, when upon the point of departing from them, when 
 he was juft afcending, yea, in pirt afci nded. having one 
 foat upon the earth, andtheoth r in the cloud \^hlcn took 
 him up to heaven, yetftill they .-.Iked him, Wilt thou now 
 reflore the kingdom? that is, fettle upon us tl\y followers 
 fecular power, and temporal dominion here on earth? But 
 mark, 1. Our Lord's aiifvi'er, ver. 7. // // not Jir you to, 
 know the times or thefeupms , which the Father hath put. only 
 in his own po-Mtir. C3ur Saviour's anlwer dotK not iii the' 
 leaft imj)ly that any fuch kingdo-n fliould ever be gr.intcd 
 as they dreamt of ; but hechecks their ciiri lity in .nquir-' 
 ing into thj times and leafons, and nature of Gj i.\\ jlcrets 
 which it no way roncerned them to pry into : it is not for) 
 yu tokn'nv the times or the fidf ns. Here rote, i. Sooie., 
 thing implied, «(j/nf/y. That there are ctrtain times ani' 
 I'eafons, the knowledge cfwhch only belongs to Cod, 
 whicliyer man'i ti/riolity has an itching defire 10 fearch 
 and pry into. There is noihiiig more natural to man, 
 than .T d; (ire to know both what llia'l le htreaft r ' and! 
 wlien th.it htrealter fti.dlbe. We a're very carelelVin fetk- 
 ing out thefed'ou <>'"that ^hicli we oiir/tlves fliould do; 
 l>ucov^rf..rtfu| and curious in fct king ovit the fe^fen of 
 whatGp'd will do. Ao/f, Htre lb lome'-hing expriflVd, 
 njnie'Ty',''t1<at Goil has'iihies' aiid f.afon-. foi^ executing hi? 
 own purpol'es, which it is neither proper or prdfitible, nor" 
 3 ^ p..!lio:e 
 
4iS 
 
 Tlie ACTS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 pofTible for us to T^no*^ Not proper, becaiife no part of our 
 bufinefs. Not profitable, becaufe no part of our intercft. 
 Not p;)irible, becaufe out of our reach, It is not polfible 
 for us to know it as men, by a natural fagacity ; nor as 
 chriilians by a fupcrnatural illumination; no, nor as nii- 
 nillcrs and apoflles, without divine infpiraiion and extra- 
 ordinary revelation, which wc have no warrant to expecl 
 »:ul fliould have no curiofuy to dcfire. f.earnhencc, 1 hat 
 it much better becomes us with an awfnl lilence to adore, 
 than with a bold curiofuy to pry into God's hidden and 
 I'lirrver.led I'ecrets. Yet though it be not for us to know 
 God's times and feafons, it is our duty torxpeift them, and 
 he prepared for them. We know not when our Lord will 
 come 10 us by death and judgment,whether in tkccvcning, 
 or at midnight, or at cock.cro-jiing, or in the morning. But it 
 is our duty to believe and cxpcdi it, to wait and prepare for 
 it, and be always ready to receive him. Finally, I'hough 
 it is not for us to know the times and feafons which God 
 h.ith put in his own power, yet it isforiis toknow thetimes 
 and feafons which God has put in our power; namely, 
 theprelent time to improve it, and the palhime to bewail 
 our mifimprovcment of it. To improve the time of afflic- 
 tion, for conlideratiun and humiliation and at the _time ot 
 prolperity, mercy, and deliverance, for gratulation sod 
 thankfuhiefs; and to improve both in fanher meafures.and 
 increafe of holiiiefs and laniTlification both of heart and life. 
 
 8 But ye fhiall receive power after that the holy 
 Ghoft is come upon you : And ye fhali be witnelFes 
 unto me, both in Jcrufalem, and in all Judea, and 
 in Samaria, and unto the uttermoll part of the earthy 
 
 Note here, how Chrift, inrtead of gratifying his difciples 
 cuiiofny, acquaints them with their own duiy ; he tells 
 them, that although they had received his Spirit before, in 
 fome meafure, yet very fliortly the Spirit fliould be poured 
 forth upon them in a plentiful manner, to confer the gift 
 of tongues, prophecies, and miracles upon them, for ren- 
 dering them to preach thegofpcl throughout all nations, 
 and alio to teftify and bear witnefs unto the truth of what 
 Chrilt did and faidin Judea and Samaria, both to jewsand 
 Gentiles, even to the uitermofl parts of the earth. Here 
 ri'itf, What is the fpecial work of the minifters of the gof- 
 pel; namely, to bear witnefs unto Chrifl : Yejkall be -wit- 
 nrjp^suyit-) mi. This they do three way?, Chri/iumpredt- 
 cando ; fecundum Chrijluni vivendo ; propter Chrijiumpaii- 
 endo .- -'' Bf the purity of their doftrine, by the piety of 
 their lives, and by their patience under fuftering.both for 
 Chrifl and from Chrift." a. What it was that enabled 
 the apoftles thus to bear witnefs unto Chrift, namely, the 
 pounrijr forth of the Holy Spirit upon them : The Holy 
 Ch',/>Jhall come upon yti, and ye Jl)all be -witneffesunto me. 
 Thence learn. That fome nie.ifureof miniflcrial gifts and 
 fa nft Tying graces from the Holy Spirit, is abfolutcly necef- 
 farv to enable the minifters of the gofpel to beartheir tel- 
 timony unto Chrift wiih faithfulnel'i and fuccefs. 
 
 9 And whcq he had fpoken thefe things, while 
 they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received 
 him out of t/je fi^ht. 
 
 Here an account is given of our Saviour's triumphant 
 afcenllon into heavtn, with feveral remarkable particular* 
 thereunto belonging. Note, i. Who and what it was thai 
 afcended ; even the fame that defcendcd. Chrifl Jefus, in 
 his divine nature as God, and in his human nature as man 
 his perfon confiding of foul and body, he tinw afcended in 
 both. 2. The place he afcended from ; from this world 
 ingcneval, andjja)m Mount Olivet in particular, that very 
 pljce where htl'H^nhis \A\ forrowlul tr.ngcdy. Where 
 his heart began to be lad, here it is now made glad. Ltarn 
 thtnce, that God can make ihe very places of our trouble 
 and torment, (as lick beds, prifons, Itrange countries) /o 
 betome places of comfort aod triumphant joy unto us, 
 when bepleafes. 3. The place wlii;her he afccndcd,into 
 heaven; that is the third heaven, the throne of God, the 
 feat of the bleffcd. Hence he is faid to al'cend far above 
 all heavens ; that i?, above the aerial and ftarry heavens 
 which we fee, into the highcfl heiivens ; unio the place 
 where he was before, as hinilclf exprefTes it, John vii. 62 
 1 hence learn, That the Lord Jefus Chrifl is returned back 
 again to that fweet and glorious bofoiii of delight and love 
 from which he came at his firft incarnation; What and if 
 he jhalljee the Son of man afcending up where hewat btfore? 
 4. 1 he time when our Lord afcended, lorty days after his 
 rcfurrcaion. The care and love of Chrift to his church 
 was inanifelted by this his (lay with them. Unfpeakable. 
 glory was prepared for him, and d;d now aw^it him; but 
 he would not go to poflefs it, till he had fettled all things" 
 for the good of his church. And when he had fettled his 
 family in order, andgivencharge tohis difciplesconcerning 
 the difcipline of bis houfe he would ftay no longer, Lft he 
 fhould feein to affed a terrene life. Learn hence, 1 hat 
 Chrift delfred to be no longer here, than he had work to 
 do for God and fouls. A good pattern for our imitation, 
 todelire life upon the fource ofufefulnefs : Tobe wilhng 10 
 be gone when our work is done. 5. How and after what 
 manner Chrift afcended up into heave'n. (i.j He afcended 
 as well as was raifed from the grave, by his own power.^ 
 ver. 10. WbilJ} they looked Jledfu/dy, he went up ; that is, 
 by his own divine power. JVue the angels did attend 
 him, but they did not afTifl him. Elias w ent to heaven 
 in a chariot of fire, but he was fetcht up, he could not 
 carry himfclfup; but Chrift needed no chariot, nocarriage 
 of angels for his conveyance, being the author of life and 
 motion. (2) He afcended magnificently, with great tri- 
 umph into his kingdom in heaven ; Cod 'ivent up vjith a, 
 Jhout, the Lord -with the found of a trumpet. A cloud is. 
 prepared as a royal chariot, to carry up this King of glory* 
 to his royal pavill.on; // cloud received hint out of their Jight. 
 And ohJ what jubilations of the bltfled angels were heard 
 in heaven! The triumphs and univerfal acclamations are 
 not ended to this day, nor never fliall end. 3. He afcended 
 munificently, fludding forth innumerable and ineftimable. 
 gifts upon his church at his afcenfion : H^hen he afcended, 
 up on high, br gave gifts to men, prophitt. apoftlet, evange-, 
 lifls pajtors, and teachers. And oh I how many thcufandst 
 now in heaven, and upon earth alio, are blelling Chrifl at, 
 this day, for thefe his afcenfion gifts i 6. J he witnefTes of 
 our Lord's afcenfion. Elias had but one witnefs of his 
 rapture inttj heaven; Si. Paul not one, but thnffwiU 
 ^ neither 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 Tlie ACTS. 
 
 415 
 
 neither h»vc all eye-witncITes of his nftenlion, nor yet too 
 few; he did not cany all Jeriiralem forth to fee his glorious 
 departure, but the felect conipiny of his difciples only : 
 The number of witnefTes was about an hundred and twenty 
 Thofe who lud been partners with him in his humiliation 
 arc now made svitni-nes of his glorious afcenOon. If we 
 will converfe with Chrill in his lowly eflate here on earth 
 we flwll be made happy with the ilghtjO^is tranfcendent 
 glory ere long above. 7. The caule and reafons why he 
 thus afcendtrd ; namely, becaufe, he h.id not afcended, he 
 could nr-t have been inaugurated and inflalled in the glory 
 he now enjoys above. Had henotafcendeii, he could not 
 have interceded, as now he doth, for us here below. Had 
 he not afcended into heaven, we could never have entered 
 heaven; He entered as our forerunner, as our head and 
 reprefentativc, and weafcendaftcr him, in the virtue of his 
 afcenfion before us. In a word, had he not afcended before 
 us, the Holy Spirit h.-id not been enjoyed by us as fanifli- 
 fier, and as a comforter, at lealt not in that meafure in 
 which he has been fince enjoved by his church : // Ch'-iJ} 
 h.id not gone, thi Contforttr had nat ctne. He begins where 
 Chrifl eixded, Take we good heed then, how we treat the 
 Holy Spirit whom Chrilh lent down from heaven at his 
 afcenfion thithtr: that we do nor grieve him by our un- 
 kindnefs, nor vex him by our diCobedience, nor quench 
 him by our finful neglects of duty : for in grieving the 
 Spirit, we grieve our Comforter, ar.d in grieving our Com- 
 fflrter we grieveourftlves.. Bur Itt usentertain him kindly 
 on the accritnit of his nature , tor he is God, Ads v. On 
 the account of his office, and the benefits v/e receive by 
 him; for he is yinculini Unhnis, the bond of unon 
 betwixt Chrift and our fouls, without which we can 
 never have either intered in Chrift, or communion with 
 him. 
 
 10 And while they looked ftedfaftly towards hea- 
 ven, as he went uj), behold two men flood by them 
 in white apparel ; ii Wliich alfo faid.Ye men of 
 GaUlee, why Hand ye gazing up into heaven ? This 
 fame Jefus which is taken up from you into heaven 
 Qiall fo come in like manner as yc have fcea him 
 go into heaven. 
 
 Note here, How the fpeftators of our Lord's afcenfion 
 werejuflly tranfported into an ecftacy of wonder and ad- 
 miration Chriit afcended gradually and Ieifurely,that he 
 might at once confirm the faith, and delight the eyes and 
 minds of his beholders. Whilftthey thus flood admiring, 
 two angels, in the Ihape of men appear in white (a colour 
 ■wh»ch they oft appeared in, to fhew,both th.itthey retained 
 thtir native purity, and alfo to reprefent the ioyfulnefs of 
 rheir errand which they went upon) and call totiie apolilts 
 who were fomfr of them men of Galilee, to take notice, 
 that this Jefus whom they now beheld afcending up hito 
 heaven, ihculd come anain to judge the world, and foconie 
 ag.-iin in like manner, that is, vifible in a cloud, by his oivn 
 power, with the like majefty, and v\ith \hc fame foul and 
 body. But not one word of the time when ; that, not 
 knowing the hour, we may be upon the watch every hour 
 tdiQ Lattt uiius dies ut chfei wnlur omnes. 
 
 12 Then returned they uiifo Jcrur.iiera from the 
 mount called Olivet, which is from Jerufalem a i'ab- 
 bath days journey. 13 And when they were come 
 in, they went into an upper room, where abode 
 both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, 
 Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew 
 James iAf^wi of Alphcus, and Simon Zclotes, and 
 Judasit/ce ^roi/i^rof James. 14 Thefe all contiuued 
 with one accord in prayer and fupplication, with 
 the women, and Mary the mother of Jefus, and 
 with his brethren. 
 
 The apoftles having feen our Saviour thus glorioufiy 
 afcended into heaven from mount Oliver, they return to 
 jerulalem, which is called a fabbath day 's journiy,ha' is, 
 about two miles. Eight furlongs m-ke a mile, and Be- 
 thany, in which was the mouiit of Olivet, was from Jeru- 
 falem about Hf.een furlongs, John xi. 18. This was the 
 common walk which the Jews ufed on the fabbath-day 
 but rather for meditation than recreation's fake. The 
 apoftles thus returned, alTemble together at Jerufalem, 
 where they lay the foundation of the firft gcfpel-church. 
 And here n'lts, 2. How the names of all the eleven api^f- 
 lles are repeated and dillindlly fet down, to fhew, that al- 
 though they had fallen from their proleffion, and ferfaken 
 Chriit, yet they had recovered themfelves by repentance, 
 anil wereriferi again; and upon their recovery were con> 
 tinued by Chrill in their former office and dignity. G the 
 mighty power of a fincere repentance to reinftateus in the 
 favour and friendihip of an offended God. 2. How the 
 fight of Chrift's afcenfion had eftablifncd and conrirmed 
 the apoftles faith ; they now adore and worlhip him, ard 
 aflemble together to perform their joint devotions to him. 
 Before Chrift's refurrecUon and afcenfion, we ftarce re.(d 
 of any a<ftof adoration that the uifciplts'paid unto iiiru. 
 True they looked upon hitti as a perfcn fent from Got), a 
 greatprophet,and the Son of David : ButhisDeity being 
 evinced; antl now made evident to them by his refurreclion 
 from the grave, and afcenfion into heiven,they now wor- 
 fliipped him as the Son of God. See Luke xxiv. ^2. 
 3;. The place where this chriftian congregation did affemblt.; 
 In an upper roo^n ; that is, fays Dr. Hammond, in one ai 
 the chambers belongingtoihe temple ; in the large i)ppi.»r 
 room fay others, where Chrift had lately eaten the pajlo. 
 ver with his difciples ; it was no doubt the moft conveni- 
 ent place they coLild find for that folemnity ; an upper 
 room being remote fromnoifeand company, anditapncious 
 enough to receive this primo-primitiv'e churcli, conlilting 
 of an l\undred and twenty perfons. I: teaches us, Tli.it 
 all advantages wiihrefpeifl: to time and place, ami other 
 circumftancs, for the better performance of holy duties,, 
 ought to be made ufe of and improved- by us. 4. The 
 perfons \vhat were the firft conllituiing members of this 
 new cnnftitnisd churth; together with tha apoftle> menti- 
 on is made of AOiiien in general, and cf the Virgin Mary 
 in particular ; where we may remark, 'I hat this is the firlL 
 and la ft time that the fcripiurc makes mention of her afier 
 Chrift's death. Noneof.the Evangelilts record one word 
 of our Lord's appearing ones 'tt htr, during his fort*- d:iys 
 3 G i ■ ' ' U..V 
 
420 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 nay and continuance upon earth after hisrefurreftion.— 
 Doubtlefs the Spirit ot God lii the holy fcripturcs, by 
 fpeaking fo fparing ot her life, and nothing ac all of her 
 deaili, took care that ail thole fabulous reports of htr 
 afluinption, which have (ince arifen, fliould hnd noloot- 
 fteps in the word of God. God dealeih \\iih her, as with 
 Mofes, of whofe fepulciire jio man kno>Aeth unto ihis day, 
 ieft it (liouid be abufed to idolatry. The learned Dr. 
 Lightfoot is of opinion that fhe continued under the care 
 uf the beloved difciple, unto whom Chrift connnitted her 
 for fome time, and at kid was taken away by martyrdom, 
 according to Simeon's prophecy, Lukeii. 35. /^_/tyor</yZj«// 
 fierce through thine (,'jjn foul alfo. Which prophecy, he 
 thinks, pointed at the inamier of her death : butnotwith- 
 Aaiidingihe Tdence of the fcripf.nes, the chin-ch of Rome 
 confidently afllnns, that the Virgin lived fixty three years 
 and that all the apoftles were at her funeral, except St. 
 Thomas, w ho deliring afterward to fte her holy corpfe, 
 the fepukhre being t)pened the third ity, the body was 
 gone, being aflumed and taken up into heaven. 
 
 1 5 5 And in thofe day.s Peter flood up in the 
 nudil of.the difciples, and faid, (the numberof the 
 names together were about an hundred and twenty) 
 16 Men fl/!^ brethren. This (cripture muft needs 
 have been fulfilled, which the holy Ghoft by the 
 mouth of David fpake before concerning Judas, 
 which was guide to them that took Jefus. 17 For 
 he was numbered with us, and had obtained part 
 of this minillry. 18 Now this man purchafed a 
 field with the reward of iniquity ; and falling head- 
 long, he burft afunder in the midft, and all his 
 bowels guftied out. ig And it was known unto 
 all the dwellers at Jerufulem ; infomuch as that field 
 is called in their proper tongue Aceldama, that is to 
 fay, the field of blood. 20 For it is written in 
 the book of Pfalms, Let his habitation be defolate, 
 and let no man dwell therein : and, His bifhopric 
 Jet another take. 
 
 During the teu days ftay and continuance of the apoflles 
 9t Jcruf.ik'm, b'.fore the feaft of Peiitecoft, a motion was 
 made amongft them lor filling up the vacancy in the facred 
 college of ihe ajjoiUes, which was occafioned by the death 
 of the traitor Judas; and here we have ohfcrvaih, i.The 
 perfon that made this motion, St. Peter: in thtfe Jcys 
 . Pttcrjhwd up. av.d fKid. Wkence the church of Rome 
 would infer his fupretnacy, but very groundlefly. For St. 
 Peter's being the chief fpeaker, and fometimes.the fo^e 
 fpeaker, is not to be attributed to his fuperiority ; but, i. 
 To hij feniority, be bt-ing probably elder than the rt-ft.2. 
 'i'o his apolh.lic.il office ; he was appointed lobe thefirft 
 and chief niiniilcr of the circuuicilion, to preach among 
 the Jews; a;id therefore no wonder that Peter is firfl 
 nieniioiieJ, when any thing relatinjr to the JewiP) affairsis 
 rtcited. 3. Hisforwardnels tofpe.-ikanda<ftforChri(land 
 his iiwprell, m:<y be imputed to hisrepent.ince, itbeinr»but 
 ntctlTaiy thai he, who had fo fcandaloUil/ fallen, fliould. 
 
 by his future xea3, convince tbcworldborh of h'i-.rji;n t- 
 ancc and leic-try. And aicoidingly he fpcaks, afts, ani 
 lakourt nicrc abundantly t!i:n all the i.poltles ; not that the 
 nft were idle or iufigiuhtant ; Jur iheywere equal with 
 him, having an equi.1 authority, an tqualgifi of miracles, 
 an equal number of tongues, an equal power to preach the 
 gofptl, and equal wildnm in preaching of it : For the 
 rtalons above mentioned, St. Peter fpake and did fo much 
 having dilhonotlicd Chrid before by his cowardly denial of 
 him, he now refolves to lignalize himfelf by (hewing ex- 
 traordinary meafures of zeal and aftivity for him., 2. The 
 honourabie office and flation v.hich Judas once had ; He » 
 'j)as numbered -with the iipijlles, and uhtained part of that 
 min'ijiry -miththem. Judas though (fecretlyj a thief, a 
 traitor, yea, a devil, yet had he, by Chrift':, own choice, a 
 parr or office in the apodolic order. Oh Lord ! how pol- 
 (ible, and yet how fad is it to preach to others, and to 
 become cad a ways oiirfelves ! to prophefy in thy name, and 
 yet to perifli in thy wrath! to calt devils out of others, 
 and yet he call to the devils ourftlves ! to have our minif- 
 try blelTcd t<j otherscomfortand falvation, and at the fame 
 time to niliufter to his own condemnation ! Quis talia 
 fando temperei a Idchrymts f 3. Judas's (in defcribed; He 
 ■was to guide them that took Jefus, ver. 16. A guide to the 
 chief priefts in their counfels, as to the manner of appre- 
 hending Chrift; and a guideto the foldiers, as to the time 
 and place of his apprehenfion. Note thence, that there 
 cannot be a greater fin than for a perfoii to be a guide and 
 leader of others into fin. Wo to magillrates ! v> o to mi- 
 niftersl wo to parents that are found guilty of this fin. 
 4. Judat's puni/lnntnt declared : 1. He -was hanged (.r 
 Jirunghd; liin)e think by his own hand ; others by the 
 devil's. No doubt that Satan, who had lb great a hand 
 in his fin, had more than a finger in his pnniihnitnt. Of 
 all morials, no wretch ever delirved fo direful a f.iteas this 
 trai-or Judas; And doubtlefs it was the dreadlullcft that 
 the devil could infiift. It is added, that h* bur(i afunder y 
 and hh brands gufhed out. 'ihe rope, or that'to which it 
 wasfallened, breaking, he fell down headlong, and burft 
 afunder, and hisbowils gudied out. A juft and fuitable 
 punifhment for his wantof bowels to his kind and inno- 
 cent Mafter. 3. He wtntto his own place] that is he 
 went and was fent to hellaiul damnation, ihe proper p'l ice 
 for the fon of perdition ; called his own place, becaufe of 
 his own chiifing, of his own defers ing, ofhisown procur- 
 ing; it wasw,hjt he had purchafed tohimlVlt by the wages 
 of iniquity . andjullly delervcd for his final irapenitency. 
 21 Wherefore of thefe men which have com- 
 paniedwith us, all the titne that the Lord Jefuj 
 went in and out among us, 2 2Beginning from the 
 baptifm of John unto that fame day tha^ he was 
 taken up from us, mufl one be ordained to be a 
 witnefs with us, of his rcfurreaion. 23 And they 
 appointed two, Jofeph called Barlabas, who was 
 furnamedjufliu, and Matthias. 24 And they pray- 
 ed and laid, Thou, Lord, which knowcfl the hearts 
 of all men, fhew whether of thefe two thou haft 
 chofcn, 25 That he may take part of this miniftry 
 
 and 
 
Chap. ii 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 421 
 
 and apoftleChip, from which Judas by tranfgredioa 
 fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And 
 they gave forth their lots : and the lot fel^ upon 
 Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven 
 apoftles. 
 
 JuJ.is having in the forementionee! manner made void 
 hisotficc, and luing gone tohisownphice, St. Peter moves 
 the conip.iny, thai another pcrl'on may b^chofen tofill up 
 thcplace. Where note, 1. The electors or perfons chu- 
 fing; namely, the hundred and twenty ; thefe were the 
 eleven apoltles, the feventy difciples, and about thirty- 
 eight more, all of Chrifl's own kindred, country, or coii- 
 verle ; not that thefe were all the believers that were found 
 in Jerufrdem, for he appeared to five hundred brethren at 
 tnce ', but thefe followed him continually, were of his 
 family and lociety, and of his immediate train and retinue 
 and appointed by him for the tniniitry : Thefe therefore 
 make the choice ; and of one amon^ themfelves was the 
 choice mr.iie. 2. The qualification of the perfon which St. 
 Peter direclf the company to obferve in the choice they 
 nuke of this new apoiUe ; One that had acicmpamed wiih 
 fknn all ihe time that the Lord Jefut went in and out amtng 
 thrm .■ That is, one that had followed Chrill frcDi his bap. 
 titdi to his nfceiiljon, to the intent th.u he niiglii be an au- 
 thentic witnefs, both of the doftrinean<l miracles but par- 
 ticulirly of the refurrcfticm of the Lord Jefus : For the 
 article of the refurreftion includes many other articles of 
 faith in it ; for if he arofefrom the grave, he was buried j 
 if he was buried, he died; if he died, he was born. 
 Therefore the perl'on whom they ihnfe, was to be one 
 that had arcotnpanied with them. 3. That the apoftles 
 did not prefuuie toordain an apolUe by impofiiion ofhands ; 
 but the other apoftles being chofen of GoJ immediately, it 
 »as necefiary that he who was to .-.ft in the fame office, 
 l}iou^^fcie|»vfen after the fanie maimer. Accordingly 
 the^^H^'s, and leave the drtermination to God, wlio 
 de^^^^Bopon Matthias: lie was there uimibered with 
 th^^^^^B'apodles. Lots \^ere ufed among the Jews 
 fo^^^^^BB^ inheritances, for compofmg ilifferences, for 
 deUPBPPHIf <leftions; and how caJiul loever it feemed, 
 God was the undoubted determiner of it. Therefore to 
 c^ft lots upon tri> ial occnfions, and folemnly to .ippeal to 
 God'i determination in ludicrous matters, 1$ profanely to 
 take the name of God in vain. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 II. 
 
 The frond dcptrr ^ivei us en account of the vilractdous 
 (ff-.ficn cf the Hcly Gh-jl uf:n the apjlks at the 
 Jtofi cf Pentecofl. Thh iMS matter -of wynder and 
 aviczemeni to fume, hut cffom and mr-ckhg derifion 
 vnlo othen, Hereupcii St. Peter fundi vp, and in 
 a rnf ctnrnml fci-mon d(frnis the apopUi,arA ccnivicis 
 t/ic Jews of crucifying the Lord cflife, and then exhorts 
 them to believe en him zuhrm thy had ign-:mniotifIy 
 fr.d to death : and t/'ie ILl^ Spirit crs'uiivd /in endtav-snn 
 luiih a defirabltfucafs. 
 
 AND when the day of Pentecofl was fully come, 
 they were all with o»c accord in one place. 
 2 And luddenly there came a found from heaven 
 as of a rufhirtg mighty wind, and it filled all the 
 houfe where they were fitting. 3 And there ap- 
 pcarcd amto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and 
 it fat upon each of them. 4 And ihcy were all fil- 
 led with the Holy Ghoil, and began to fpcak with 
 other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 
 
 In thisextraordinary andmiraculous dcfcent of the Holy 
 Ghoft upon the apoftles; aiifcrve, 1. The time when, w/>f« 
 the duyofPentec'Jt -j)as fully come ; that is, fifty days after 
 Chri(l's refurre<5tion. Ihe day of Pentecoft is pro'sably 
 believed to have fjllen then upon the Lord's day ; it is 
 certain, from afts i. th^t the Spirit defrended when the 
 apoftles were iinanimoufly anVtiibled for his worfliip, and 
 continued with one accord in prayer and fupplication. 
 There is no way to obtain the Holy Spirit from heaven, 
 both as a fanftifier and as a coinforter, like fer"entprayer 
 alliduity andperfeversiice in our devotion, efpctially in the 
 public affemblies of the faints. 2. The place where, at 
 Jerulalem, the more genera! place where our Lord had un- 
 •lergone his ignominy and repro.ich, there he manifefts 
 forth his glory and dignity : Firikby his trlnrnphant afcen- 
 lion, and afterwards by his miraculous mifTion cf the Holy 
 Spirit. The n ore ]iarticular place was the upper room 
 w here thev were afTcir.hled and conftantly prayed. This 
 upper chamber was nidft raifed towards heaven, moft re- 
 mote from nolle and company, and worldly diftraftionj. 
 The S(>liit i;f God defccnds upon and refts with fuch as 
 have raifed affeftions above the woild.and arc neareft unto 
 heaven; not ujjon fuch as are buried alive in worldly bu- 
 iinefs : Earth will extinguidi fire as well as water, and 
 fome lay fooner; not only fenfual luft, bet an excefs of 
 earthly bufinefs and worldly drudgery, will quench the 
 Holy .Spirit, and caufe hiin to depart and go away grieved 
 from us. 3. The perfons on whom the Holy Ghort thus 
 defcended, namely, the apoftles: not ihatthey were with- 
 out the Holy Spirit until now: they had hitn before in his 
 fincliryi;ig graces; here they receive him in his extraordi- 
 nary gifts, to fit them for extraordinary purpofes. When 
 God extraordinarily calls any of his fet vants to more than 
 ordinary fervice, they n!ay expeft more thsn ordini'ry 
 affiftance. The Holy Spirit now defcended upon the a- 
 poftles in his miraculous gifts, and if we be not w:intirig 
 to ourfelves, he will defcend upon us in vil;b!e favours, 
 everyday, making our folds and bodies a temple, and fit 
 habitation for himl'clf to dwell in, by his fanftifying im- 
 prefllons, by his powerful affiftances, by his quickening 
 influences; pouring^in both the oil of grace, and alfo the 
 oil uf joy and gladneli, into our heart,«. 4. The manner 
 how (he Holy Ghoftat tl)i> time dffccnded on theapoftles : 
 I. Suddenly, like the wind ; A mighty rujh'inp -wind from 
 heaven: Infinnating, ihst it was not the apoftles' prayer 
 tliat brought, but Chrift's proniTe .-ind po«.er, that fcnt 
 ih.- Holy Ghoftihuj miratulouny down upon them, '{"his 
 rofhing wind alfo did reprefent the mighty cL^c;icy of the 
 lioly Spirit now deftending. x. In the appearance of fiery 
 
 cloven 
 
4.«* 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 cloven tcngors , cloven, to fignify the variety of languages 
 u'hich the apoftles Hiould be enibled to fpeak, and to qua- 
 lify thern ti) preach the gofpel unto all nations : and fiery, 
 to reprefent that fervent heat and 7,eal they fliould be en- 
 dued with themfelvcs ; thatdivine lii^rht they fhould impart 
 to others; as alfo that parity and hulinefs which they and 
 ill fucceding miniftersof the gofpel ought to appear beau- 
 ffied and adorned with : Finally, As fire dillipateth and 
 difperfeth, mi'.ltiplieth and increafeth, even fo the gifts 
 and graces of the Holy Spirit, the more thrt' are diffufed 
 and employed, the more they will be increafed ; by im- 
 parting to our people, wefhail gather co ourfelves. Thus 
 was our Lord's promife fulfilled to his apoftles, in fending 
 iJown the Holy Ghoft upon them, but not upon them 
 only ; the private chriftian, no doubt, as well as the public 
 apodle, dii! receive the Holy Spirit according to his mea- 
 fure: To enlighten, as a Spiritof knowledge ; toenhven, 
 as a fpirit of life ; to warm and heat, as a fpirit of zeal ; 
 to niollify and foften, as a fpirit of holy fear ; to quicken 
 and rtren^then, as a fpirit of wifdom and counfel; to 
 unite and knit their hearts together, as a fpirit of love. 
 And blefTed be God for the promife of the fame Holy 
 Spirit to abide with all believers, though not in his mira- 
 culous gifts ; yet in his fanclifying operations and faving 
 graces, to the end of the world. 
 
 5 And there ivere dwelling at Jerufalem Je\v-«, 
 dev5ut men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 
 Now when this was noifed abroad, the multitude 
 came together, and were confounded, becaufe that 
 every man heard them fpeak in his own lan^'uage. 
 7 And they were all amazed, and marvelled, faying 
 one to another, Behold, are not all thefc which fpeak 
 Galileans? 8 ."Ind how hear we every man in our 
 own tongue wherein we were born ? 9 Parthians 
 and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Me- 
 {bpDtamia, and in Judca, and Cappadocia, in Pon- 
 tus, andAfja, io Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in 
 Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, 
 andllrangers of Rome, Jews and Profelytes, ii 
 Cretes, and Arabians : we do hear them fpeak in 
 our tongues the wonderful works of God. 1 2 And 
 they were all afhamed, and were in doubt, faying 
 one to another. What mcaneth this? 13 Others 
 inockin.; faid, Thefe men are full of new wine. 
 
 The fame of the foregoing miraculous operation of the 
 Holvr Spirit being inftantlyfpread abroad in Jerufalem, and 
 t^iere being prcfent at that rime great murtitudes of Jews, 
 who had come from all parts of Judea,to the fe^ft of Peti- 
 tecoft. and alio iTimiy other Jews and Profelytes born in 
 otlier nations: Mefopc:amja, Cppadocia, Phrygia, ai d 
 Phamphylia, who were now come ro worlhip the true 
 God at Jerufalem ; when they heard the apoftles fpeak in 
 their own language, whi:h tijey never underwood before, 
 t'le wonrleiful v/oi k^ of God, in the d<-ath, refurrection, 
 ard a.irerj!ii)n of our f^ord Jefus Chriil; fonie of them 
 wondered to hear i!!iter;;te men fpeaking all languages ; 
 
 others derided the miracle, and imputed it todrunkennefii 
 Here notf, 1. The wifdom and providence of Almighty 
 God, in 01 dcring the firft publication of the gofpel, that 
 the fame thereof, and of that convincing miracle which 
 gave authority thereunto, might be carried into all nations 
 by fo many eye and ear witnf'fTes, as were \vorfhip))ingat 
 Jerufalem at this time : For there were nrM/ojourning af 
 Jerttfalem, men. <if every nation under heaven ; that is, cif 
 every nation, where any Jews were fcattered at thii time 
 throughout the world, there were fome particular perfons 
 come up now to Jerufalem to worfliip God. 2. The com- 
 mendatory charafler given of thofe perfons, who from their 
 feveral countries came up to the hoiife of God in Jerufa- 
 lem, to worfhiphim there: They are iVyled dcvoui mem 
 And they received from God the reward of their piety and 
 devotion. Had they ftaid at home, as many of their 
 brethren no doubt did, they had not been xsitneffes of fo 
 wonderful a miracle for the confirmation of their faitli as 
 now they were. Yet«o/f, 3. The different iiifluence and 
 effect which this miracle of the holy Spirits defcent in 
 fiery cloven tongues, had upon the minds of the people in 
 Jerufalem. Some were ftruck into an ecftacy of admira- 
 tion and awful wonder ; others (the fcribes andPharifees 
 probably) fcornfully deride, and impute the miracle to 
 drunkennefs, faying, Tkrfe men are full of r.e-.u i-j'we . A 
 fei'.felefs flander ; for though excefs of wine may give a 
 man more tongue, yet not more tongues. O ! how have the 
 holy operations of the blefi'ed Spirit from the beginning 
 been (landered and blafphemed ; accounted the effecl. of 
 drunkennefs then, of enthuiiafm or melancholy now. 
 
 14 ? But Peter (landing t;p with the eleven, lift 
 up his voice and faid unto tiiem, Ye men of Judea, 
 and all ye that dwell at Jerufalem, be this known 
 unto you, and hearken to my words : 15 For thefe 
 are not dranken, as ye fuppofe, feeing it i^itt the 
 third hour of the day. 16 But this is ^^Hj^ich 
 was fpoken by the prophet Joel, 17 A^Pltfliall 
 come to pals in the lafl days, faith God, I will pour 
 out of my Spirit upon all flefh : and your fons and 
 your daughters fhall prophefy, and your young 
 men fhall fpe vifions, and your old men fhall dreaiu 
 dreams: 18 And on my fervants, and on my 
 hand maidens I will pour in thofe days of my 
 Spirit; and they fhall prophefy : 19 And I will 
 fhcw wonders in heaven above, and figns on the 
 earth beneath ; blood and fire, and vapour of fmoke r 
 20 The fun (hall be turned into darknefs, and the 
 moon into blood, before that great and notable day 
 of the Lord come: 21 And it fhall eome to pafy^ 
 that whofoever fhall call on the name of the Lord 
 fhaJl be faved. 
 
 Obfervehcvt,TY.e holy eourage of St. Peter, in defend- 
 ing the iniiocency of the apoftles, and confuting the ca- 
 lumny of drunkennefs, which was now cafl upon himf If 
 and them : Thtfe art not drunken, as ye fufpife, feeing it :s 
 but tie third hi,ur eft ke day. Where »c/^, 1. How; he 
 
 argues 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 423 
 
 argues negatively from the time of the day ; it was I)'jt 
 the third hour of the daj', that is, nine o'clock in tlie mor- 
 ning, which was the hour for the morning lacrifice nnd 
 prayer, and the worlliippers of God (at the great fealt 
 efpccially) were never went to cat or drink before tiiofe 
 holy fervices were performed. In thofe times thty went 
 to their public devotions fading; they ferved God before 
 they ferved tiieir bellies. The firft fruits of the day were 
 offered in the temple then; in the tavern now : ten mor- 
 ning and evening vilits, are mtide by fome to the latter, 
 for one to the former. Note farther. How he argues 
 pofuively : he alTures them, that the apoftles were full of 
 the Holy Ghoil, and not full of wine, filled with the Spirit 
 of God ; and thst what was now done, wasihe completi- 
 on of a prophecy uttered by Joel : That in the Lft days, 
 that is, the days of the Mefl'ias, there fhould be a nioft 
 plentiful efFufi(in of the holy Spirit, upon all fitjh ; that is, 
 upon Jews and Gentiles, and upon all forts of perfons 
 without diftindtion, old and young, fons and daughters, 
 bond and free. Learn thence, That the Spirit of God is 
 a free Spirit, not confined to any party, to any order and 
 degrees of men, but pkntifully and abundantly pouretl 
 forth under the gofpel dilpenfation upon all believers. 
 It is one of the great cheats which the Pope has inipofed 
 upon the world, to perfuade men that the .Spirit of God is 
 tied cothe pommel of his chair: That he, and his cardinals 
 have monopolized ihe Holy Ghoft. But, blt-fTed be God, 
 he has promifed to pour out hisSpirit upon all flefli, even 
 upon fervants and handmaids, (o fliew, that he doth not 
 dcfpife perfons of the loweft rank and condition in this 
 ■world, but, that the promiCe of the Spirit is made unto 
 them alfo. Laftly, What is here foretold that fliould come 
 to pafs after this great efFufion of the holy Spirit, namely. 
 Wonders in the heaven, and fignsin the earth, the fun turned 
 into darkneft, and the mion into blood. Which exprellions 
 flgnily the great miferies and (roubles, the calamities and 
 defolations which fhould befal the Jews before the de- 
 ftrucflion of Jerufalem, fr.r their crucifying the Lord of 
 life and glory : Unto which is fubjolned the only way to 
 efcape and avoid them; namely, callmg upon the Lord in 
 fervent prayer and fupplication : Whoever Jhall call on the 
 name of the Lcrdfiall be fuved. Intimating, that prayer 
 makes us fhot-free, and is a fure defence in all ftorms; 
 that no evil fhall fatally touch our perfon?, or come near 
 our dwellings, whilll we take hold of God by faith, and 
 approach unto him by prayer. Lord ! how happy is it 
 when (trong afflictions from thee, raife ftrong affections 
 in us towards thee. 
 
 22 Ye men of Ifrael, hear thefe words ; Jefus of 
 Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by 
 miracles and wonders and figns, which God did by 
 him in the midft of you, as ye yourlelves alfo know ; 
 2 T, Him, being delivered by the determinate coun- 
 fel and foreknowledge of God, yc have taken, and 
 by wicked hands have crucified andflain: 24 
 Whom God hath raifed up, having loofed the pains 
 of death ; bccaufc it was not poflTible that he fhould 
 be holdenofit. 
 
 St. Peter having wiped off the arjuft afpcrfion of 
 drunkennefs caft upon hinifclf and h'u brethren in tlie 
 foregoing verfes ; in thcfe he makes ithis bufinefb to con- 
 vince the Jews that they were the murderers of the beft 
 man that ever lived in the word, even Jefus of Nai.nreth 
 the true and proiuifed MefTiah. In order to this, he treats 
 in this lermoii, i. Of the perfon and lifcofChrift. 2. 
 of the fufFerings and death of Chrift. 3. Of the refjrrec- 
 tion of him from the grave, i. As touching his perfon, 
 the apoftle fhews. That he was evideetly feiit from God, 
 and approved ofby him,by thofe many miracles, wonders, 
 and figfis which were wrought by him. Hence nc(e,'Thzt 
 the many and great miracles wrought by Chriff, evidently 
 prove that he was fent of God, and came from him, and 
 was approved by him. Our Saviour's mirarles, for the 
 nature of them, were beneficial to mankind ; for the nuni- 
 ber of them, they were many; for the manner of their 
 operation, they were public and open, in the Hght and view 
 of all people; not in corners, like the Popifii miracles, 
 (wrought before their own creatures onlj') but before his 
 enemies; and for the quality of them, they were of the 
 greatt'fl magnitude, tleanfing the lepers, raifing th^dead, 
 giving light to them that were born blind •."ifi if word 
 Ipoken, by a touch given : Sothatonr blefled SaV^t'itirhad 
 all that atieflation that miracles can give, that he wascom- 
 miffioned by God, and came from God. The fecond pare 
 of St. Peter's fermon treats of the fufFerings and death of 
 Chrift : By wicked hands ye have crucified and Jlain him-whn 
 was delivered hy the dtterminate counftl of God. Where 
 note, r. The name and kind of death which Chrift died : 
 This is defcribed more generally, it was .1 violent deatii. 
 Ye hnvefliiin him; more particularly, it was an ignomi- 
 nious, curfcd, and diftionourable death. Ye hive cruc'feJ 
 him. Learnihtnce, That the Lord Jefus Chrift was not 
 only put to death,' but to the woift of deaths, even the 
 death of the crofs. Now the death of the crofs was a vio- 
 lent death, a painful death, a fliameful death, a lingering 
 death, aluccourlefs death, and anactui fed death. 2. Tiio 
 caufes of Chrifl's death here expreflVd. The- priircipal 
 caufe, perniittingand ordering was the determinate counl'c^ 
 and fore knowledge of God. Theinflrunientalcaufeeffi.cfl. 
 ing, was, the wicked hands of the Jews; Him, being de- 
 livered by the determinate counfet and fare kncwled^'e of God, 
 ye have taken, and by wicked hands hav crucified and flain. 
 Learn hence. That there was not anyone particular actiBi* 
 or fingle circumftance relating to the dcatfi of Chrift, but 
 what came under the holy counfel and wife determiiiaiioi^ 
 of God. Yet this foreknowledge jnd counfel of God, as 
 it did not necefTitate and force tlieni to it, fo neither doid, 
 it excufe them in it. God's foreknowledge anddeiermi. 
 nate counfel did no more compel or force their wickecf 
 hands to do what they did, than the mariner's hoifting up 
 liis fails to take the wind to ferve hisdcfign, ran be f.iid to 
 compel the wind to blow. God's end in acting was one, 
 their end in aifting was another : His moftpure and holy; 
 tbeir's moft malicious and daringly wicked. In rcfpe(ftof 
 God, Chiill's death was joftice and mercy; in refpeift of 
 man, it was murder and crueiry ; in refpect to himfelt, it 
 was obedience and humili'y.The third part of theapf ftles 
 ftrmonrefpects the relurredion of the Lord Jefus Chrift 
 
 from 
 
424. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap, ii 
 
 from the jrravc Vcr. 14. IChom Cod hcih raif, d up, huv- 
 irghcffd he pmns <,/ death ; becanfe it was not fcfihle that 
 hrjlir.uld k^ i-Men 'ifU. Chrift. though laid, wa^noi lolt 
 in ihc grave ; but revivcil and rofc apain, and role by the 
 poAer of his GcKiliesd. True, God is here faid to raiJe 
 him, and the Spirit tlfewhere; but s'.e are not to under- 
 Hand it fo, as it they had railed it bv their power, without 
 hisown po^ver; for he decides it exprellly, John 11. In 
 three d .ys I will raife up the temple of niy body: And if 
 he had not railed himfelt by his own po«rr, how could he 
 be faid. Rom. i. 4. To be di^ciared 10 he the Son o/(7'>d l-y 
 the re/urn iJicufr'.m the dead? What more had appeared 
 in Chrift's rcfurre^on than in any other, ifihat »treall ? 
 for others were r-iifcd by tlie po^verofGod as well as he. 
 Now, becaufe the Jews, to whom St. Peter prcacl.es, 
 were fiiied with prejudice ag.iinnChrift, the apodle thought 
 
 fit to tell them that God had raifcd him from the deid; 
 yet, by coiifeqnence.it fufficiently appears in thelollowmg 
 di'courfe, that Chrill r.iifed himfelt Inmi the dead. Letim 
 hence, that the Lord Jcfus Chrift, by the omnipotent 
 poucrof the Godhead, the father's, the Spirit's, and his 
 o\\n (^od\ie.ad, revived, and rofe again from the dead, to 
 the terror -ir.d cotillernation of his enemies, and the un- 
 fpeakable confolation of all believers. As by the etirnal 
 Spirit, or the power of bis own Godhead, he offered up 
 Limfelf toCod«hen he died; fo when he was put to death 
 in thef.c(h,hc wasquitkened by the Spirit; that is, by 
 tlic po Acr of his divine nature. The f-me Spirit enabled 
 him to do both. Otf.rve alfo, The reafon annexed, why 
 Cod raifed uo Jefiis Chrift: becaufeitwas jmpoinble that 
 death lliould'hold him. Hut how impoffible? i. It was 
 naturally impoffible,upon the account of that divine power 
 which was inherent inhisperfiin as God. 2. It was /.^-J.- 
 iy iTipoliible, becaufe divine juftice being »u!Iy fatisfiedby 
 his fuff^ring?, required, that he Ihoiild be railed to Ide : as 
 when a debt U paid, th-- prifoner is dilcharged, and the 
 prifon door opened. 
 
 25 For D.ivid fpeaketh concerning him, I fore- 
 fa w the Lord always before my face, for he is on 
 my right hand, that I fliould not be moved. 26 
 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was 
 glad; moreover alfo, my flefh (hall reft in hope ; 
 87 Becaufe thou wilt not leave my foul m hell, 
 neither wilt thou fuffer thine holy One to fee cor- 
 ruption. 28 Thou haft made known to me the 
 ways of life : Thou (halt make me full of joy with 
 ti." coun enance. 29 Men and brethren, let me 
 fr 'ely fpeak unto you of the patriarch David, that 
 he is both dead and buried, and Ivis IVpulchrc is with 
 us unto this day. 30 Therefore bcin.; a prophc;t: 
 and knowing that God bad ("worn with an oath un- 
 to him. that of the fruit of his loins accordin,' to 
 the ftcfh he would raifeup Chrift to fit on his throne. 
 3 i He i'ccin ; this before, Ip.ike of tl\e rofurredion 
 cf Chrift, and that his foul was not left in hell, .nei- 
 ther nis flelh did fee corruption. 32 Tiiis jclus, 
 hath God rjifcd up, wlicrtof we all are witucITes. 
 
 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God ex- 
 alted, and havin J received of the Father the pro- 
 mife of the Holy Ghoft, he hath fticwed forth this, ^ 
 which ye now lee and hear. 34 For David is not 
 alccndod into the heavens : but he faith himfelf, the 
 Lord laid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my ri^ht 
 hand, 35 Until 1 make thy foes thy fooiftool. 
 
 St. Peter here proceeds in this memorable firmon, 
 which he preached at the feaft of Pentccoit, to convince 
 the Jews, that Jefus, whom they had crucified, was un- 
 doubtedly the promifed Mellias, becaufe he was railed 
 fr..m the grave according to the propheiical prediflion, 
 Pfal. xvi. Thou wilt nit have Ttiyf(>:<l in hell, neither wilt 
 thou luffcr thine hcly One to fee corrvptiin. And accord- 
 iujily, i)t. PetcT doih ftrongly prove ihai ihefe ^kordi, in 
 ihtrir literal fenfe, could not be fpcUen of David, becaufe 
 he was left in the grave, and faw corrupti;>n ; but mullbe 
 applied un o Chrilt, who though he was laid, yet was not 
 loltin hisgrave,but faw no con option, being raifedby God 
 the third day. Hence note, 1 hat though tieath bound ihe 
 hands and feet of Jefus Chrift, and laid him in his grave, 
 yet, hanipfo.i-hke, he Inapt and broke thofe bands afunder 
 it being iiapoliiole that he ftiuuld be liulden of them, or 
 confined by them. It was iinpoliible for Chrift toconiinuc 
 death's prifoner in th; grave longer than three days : i. 
 B.caufe he was Lord ot life and death, he was the refur- 
 reftionand the hfe,life to quicken himlelf, and the refnr- 
 reclion to raife us; he was the refurreilion effectively, the 
 life effencia'.ly and fnrinally. Now it was i;npoffib!e for 
 death to hold hi:h that was lite itfelf under its power, any 
 longer than he who is life pleafed ; and for this reafon he 
 is faid nfiuuUo-JJ up death in vi^ory, i Cor. xv. 54. iVb/e, 
 2. Becaufe of his undertaking for U5; for ifChnft'iad 
 been held by corporal death, we inuft have continued »or 
 everunderthepouer of fpiriiual death; ihcreforethe holy 
 One was not fuftrred to fee corruption, the le.nft corruption 
 according to the prophetical piedidion, Pfal. xvi. Thou 
 ill n,t have my /'onli't hell ; th it is, my dead body in the 
 
 VII... — -v'- ■ - 
 
 grave ; (for David was left in that hell, from which Chrift 
 wnsr.>ifed ; but the h-ll that David Aas in, was not beyond 
 the grave (nor/ufer thine h'ly one to fee torrupthn ; that 
 is, 1 ihall neither Ice, nor feel, nor lie under the power of 
 corruption ; but (UM fuddenly nfe again, aod then my 
 Father will Ihcw me the pith i f iife, and make me full of 
 joy wi b his countenance ; ihai is. alter my ref'irredion, 
 1 ilial! live for ever in glory, m the prelVnce of iry Father, 
 where 1 fli.>ll h>ve/u!n-/< ofjoy,andrivfrs'/p!c,fu''e/or- 
 everm-.te J'he lait part of it. Peter'* fennon treats of 
 Chrift's afccnfion : Vtr. 13 Thrf.rf hei>ig by the right 
 bund 'f G'd ' x'llted &c. nnifijating. that though the Lord 
 Jrlus Chrift had fiiiilhed IJs \vork upon earth, he was. 
 pluicd in the ffat of the high: ft himoor and au' horay , at 
 the ri -ht hand ot God in hea.en : lo convince ihe Jewa 
 of thc^ertamty thereof, bt Pettr applic--, tb.t promfe,. 
 Pftl. ex i. unto Chrift. Sit thou on my right' ban I until I 
 make thy fofs thy f otjtj . >he v ng that ihefe »ord^ are 
 not at all ,ipplw.afle' «"''' David'; fr David is not 
 afcended into lujven in his f>wn pirfon.but his body re 
 mained m the fepulchre ihtn amongft ihem ; but Clinft 
 
 \v«s 
 
Chap. ti. 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 425 
 
 was afcended, and at the right hand of God exalted, and 
 piirfuant to his promife, and had now fent down the Holy 
 Ghoft in fiery cloven tongues, and divers languages upon 
 them. Where note. The great and wonderful change in 
 the ftatc and condition of Chrill, fince his afcenfion into 
 lieaven. A little while fince they called him tlie carpenters 
 foil, this fcllovi, this dtceiver \ now he has obtained a more 
 excellent name than angels. Thtn he had not a place to 
 lay his head on ; now he is exalted to be hiir of all things. 
 Here he fwcats, there he fits ; here he groaned ; there he 
 triumphs, never to groan, weep, or bleed more. His human 
 nature is now advanced to the highefl honouis, even to be 
 the ohjeA of adoration both to angels and men. This was 
 the doctrinal part of St. Peter's fermon : It treated of the 
 perfon, life, miracles, death, rcfiirreAion and afcenfion of 
 the Lord Jefus, in a very clofe and convincing manner. 
 His warm application of the whole now follows, ver. 36. 
 
 36 Therefore let all the houfe of Ifrael know 
 afluredly, that God hath made that fame Jefus 
 whom ye have crucified both Lord and Chrill. 
 
 That is, God the Father hath ordained and appointed 
 this Jefus whom ye have cruihed, to be the head and Sa- 
 viour of his chureh, he being the true and promifed Mefliah. 
 Learn hence, That the Lord Jifiis Chrill was cor.llituted 
 and appointed by his Father, to be the fupreme Governor 
 and only Saviour of \\i% Church. God had made Jefus both 
 Lord and Ghri/l, both a Piince and a .'laviour. Is'ote far- 
 ther, How very clofe and home the apoftle is in applying 
 what he had faid t > his auditors ; he doth not reft in ge- 
 nerals ; but fays plainly. Ye are men. This is the fame jfe- 
 fus whom ye have crucified, whom ye with wicked hands 
 have flain ; Had not the appellation been fo clofe, it is 
 probable the fuccefs of the fermon had not been fo confider- 
 able. Thence Uam, That the fuccefs and efficacy of the 
 word preached depends upon a particular and warm appli- 
 cation of it to every man's confc'ence; geneials will not af- 
 fed. See an inilance of it in what follows. 
 
 37 ^ Now when they heard this they were 
 pricked in their heart, and faid unto Peter and 10 
 the reft of the apoftles, Men and brethren, what 
 fhall we do ? 
 
 Here the fuccefs of St. Peter's fermon is recorded : The 
 auditors were not only affecled, but their hearts were 
 touched with a kindly remorfe ; they mourn for fm, and en- 
 quire what they fhould do to be faved : Some in our 
 days would have been o/Tcnded at fuch inquiry, and told 
 them, it was not doing, but believing only, that God ex- 
 pefted ; that Clirift had done all for them, and that they 
 had nothing to do, but to believe ftrongly that all was done 
 to their hands ; but St. Peter reproves them not for their 
 iniquity, but puts them upon doing ; namely, the exercife 
 and praiSice of repentance in the next vcrfe. Here note, 
 1. That convetfion where it is in truth, begets and occa- 
 fions a very great and fenfible change. 2. That the preach- 
 ing of the word is the inllrumental means for the effecting 
 and accomplifliing of this change. 3. That the bell 
 preaching is that which pricks men's lieaits, wounds and 
 
 convinces their confciencea, and makes them thoroughiy 
 fenfible both of their fin and danger, and of the great ne- 
 ceflity of a change. 4. That when men are once con- 
 vinced of their bad ftate, and dangerous condition, their 
 firll inquiry will be, yea, (hould, and ought to be, What 
 they (hould do to be faved? They Acid, Men and brelhrin, 
 •what Jhall ive do? The apoftle liked that inquiiy very well; 
 and anfwcrs it in the next verfc. 
 
 38 Then faid Peter unto them, Repent, and be 
 baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus 
 Chrift for the remilTion of fins, and ye fliall re- 
 ceive the gift of the Holy Ghoft. 39 For the pro. 
 mife is unto you, and to your children, and to all 
 that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 
 God Ihall call. 40 And with many other words 
 did he teftify and exhort, faying, Save yourfelves 
 from this untoward generation. 
 
 Note I. St. Peter exhorts them to repent.ince. But did 
 they not repent already ? wcie they not iv)w pricked at 
 their hearts ? and will the apolUe add grief to grief, and pain 
 to fmart ? Know, that the apolllt advifes tlicm to join to 
 their legal forrow, exangelical repentance, fuch as is attend- 
 ed and accomp:mied with owning Chrill to be the true Mef- 
 fiah, with believing in him, with defirc and hope of pardon 
 from him. Where by the way, obfer-ue, That St. Peter pre- 
 fcribes a dofe of the fame ptiyfic for them, which he 1 al 
 very lately taken himfelf with good fuccefs, when upon his 
 hearty furrow he obtained paidon for denying his Lord and 
 Mafter. Matt. xxvi. 75. He •wtnl out and ivtpt bitterly. 
 No fermons are fo fovereign and fuccefcful as thofc which 
 proceed from the minifter's perfonal and comfortable ex- 
 perience. St. Peter preifts upon his auditors the doctrine 
 of repentance which he himfelf had pr.ictifed. 2. Upon 
 their repentance, their owning of and believing in Chrill 
 he directs them to be baptized in his name, and then they 
 fhould be capable of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft ; even of 
 thofe miraculous gifts which they now law ar.d admired in 
 the apodles. Learn hence. That baptifm is a folemn ordi- 
 nance and facred inllitution of Jefus Chiill, which is not 
 to be adminlllcred to any out of the chiiflian church, ti'l 
 they profefs repentance and faith in Chrift, ai.d finceie obe- 
 dience to him : Repent, and be baptized every one of you. 
 3. The argument which the apoftle ufes with them, by 
 way of encouragement, to pcrfuade them to repent and be 
 baptized ; for fays he, The proinif unto you, and your cl.il- 
 drcn ; To vou Jews of the feed of Abraham, and to your 
 feed; and to as many of the Gentiles, and their feed, as 
 fhall be called by the preaching of the gofpel to pio-'^cfs 
 faith in Chrift, and fubjeflion to him. Where, by the 
 promife, is meant the gracious covenant of God, whereby 
 he offers pardon and peace to fuch as will accept them. 
 Now this acceptance is two fold: l. Cordial; which in- 
 titles a perfon to all the benefits of the covenant, temporal, 
 fpiritual and eternal. And, 3. Profeffional only; which 
 intitles n perfon and his feed to church privileges only. 
 Hence learn, That when God takes believing parents into 
 covenant with himfelf, he takes alfo thcii childien or feed 
 into covenant with himfelf likewifc. And if fo, then the 
 3 H feal 
 
4^0 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 fcal of the covenant, which U liaptifm, onght to be applied 
 to them. It is evident, tliat under the Old Teftament, 
 childicn were in covenant with God, aa well as their pa- 
 rents. And clo ive any where find that ever they were 
 cad oHt under the gofpcl ? tlie apoUlc doth not fay, The 
 promife was unto yon and your feed; hut Hill is; for 
 olherwife cliildren would be in a worfe condition under the 
 gofpcl of Chilli, than they were under the law of Mofes ; 
 but fuiely the privilegts of the gofpel are not ttraiter and 
 nariower than thofe of the law. Lallly, How St. Peter 
 ftoff* all with an cxhortaiioii to his auditors, to Juvs them- 
 felves from that unloiuard general'toii ; that is, from the 
 Icribts and Pharifces, that four foit of men, who defpe- 
 tatily and mnliciondy oppofcd Chrill and his gofpel, and, 
 by ihrir authority and example, kc])t people from embrac- 
 ir.g the only way of falvation revealed by Jefus Clirill. 
 
 41 ^ Then they that gladly received his word 
 were baptized : and the fame day there were add- 
 (d unto them about three thoufand fouls. 
 
 A't// here, 1. The wonderful fuccefs of St. Peter's fcr- 
 mon : About three thoufand were converted to the pro- 
 felTion of tlie chvidinn religion in one day, by hearing a 
 fingle fermon : How many thoufands of fermons have 
 been fince pieached, without the convcrfion of a fingle 
 perfon ! Oh ! what a high holiday was this memorable 
 day in heaven ! This All Saints day was a fellival of great 
 fiilemnily there, where there is joy over one finner that 
 lepcntfth.' I5ut here did occur feveral advantages, to 
 lender Peter's fermon more effeftual : 1. The fufterings 
 of our. Saviour were fo near in a place, and fo late in time 
 that his wounds were ftill frefh bleeding on the guilty me- 
 mories of the people now aflembled. 2. The prefent mi- 
 racle of tongues, bellowed on Peter, and his unlearned 
 companions, did wonderfully make way for the word de- 
 livered. Anil, 3. His auditors were devout men, ver. 5. 
 ignorawt enough, but yet brought with them minds faiily 
 difpofed for information and conviction. 4. The Holy 
 Si>iiit wiought now extraordinarily, by and with the word, 
 and caufcd this miraculous improviment. How did our 
 Saviour fullil this ptomife to his difciples. John xiv. 13. 
 Cre.iter worls than thefc J!.mll ye eia, ivhen I no to my 
 Father. Now was Peter the d:fciple above his Mailer in 
 rjcccfs: Chrift all his life lime was angling for a few 
 fifhcs, whilll Peter comes with his drag-net, and catches 
 three thoufand at one call. 2. Thefe three thoufand were 
 l)ipti7,td the fame day in which they were converted, and 
 p:nbably in the fame place, which was at Jcrufalem ; either 
 iu the temple, or in fome houfe, where the fermon was 
 p-eaehed. We need not inqjire, whether the apoilKs did 
 it by dipping or fprinkling, both being lawful ; but this 
 may be faid, it is hard to giiefs how fuch a quantity of wa- 
 ter could be broii<.Tht to the phice, as might ferve for the 
 decent dipping of three thoufand perfons in fo fliort a time. 
 And, upon fuppofiiion that the water was not brought to 
 them, but they went down to that ; baptizing fo many by 
 dipping, would have required a week rather than a day to 
 difpateii it in. 
 
 42 And they continued ftedfaftly in the apoftles 
 
 doftrine and fellowfliip, and in breaking of bread, 
 and in prayers. 
 
 Which words give us an account of the behariour of 
 the firll chiillians, particularly in their religious affcinblici 
 and of the way of worftiip, ufed in the church of Jerufa- 
 lem, the true m<ither-chutch in the time of the apollles. 
 Where note, i. The dodriive which they adhered to, the 
 doArine of the apoKles ; that is, the doilrine delivered by 
 Chrifl, and taught by the apollles, and contained in the 
 holy fcriptures. This was the rule which the firll chri(l"ian» 
 governed themfelves by, both as to faith and manners. 
 It was infinite wifdom in God to infpiie holy men fur 
 committing this doftrine to writing, and not to leave it to 
 the hazardous and uncertain way of tradition. 2. The 
 fteady adherence of the firft chrillians to this doftrinc of 
 the apoftle ; They continued Jledfajlly in it; that is, tliey 
 were conftant hearers of it, and attendants upon it ; they 
 received it not upon trull, but due examination. Learn 
 hence, that religion being the great interell and common 
 concern of mankind, he that efpoufes it aright, muft firft 
 underlland and examine the fundamental grounds and 
 principles of it, and then chufe accordingly; otherwifc eur 
 adherence to the bell religion in the world, will rather be 
 the refidt of chance than of judgment and choice. 3. 
 They continued ftcdfall in fellowfhip : This may fignify 
 and import thiee things: (1.) Their communion with the 
 apollles, their keeping clofe to their own teachers, in op- 
 pofition to fchifm, which is caufclefs, and therefore k 
 culpable feparation ; they were obedient to their fpiiitual 
 governors and inftruftors. (2.) Their fociety among 
 themfelves, and communion one with another ; as the 
 communion of faints in heaven is a conlidcrable part of the 
 happinefs of heaven, fo the fellowdiip of faints on earth is 
 a fort of heaven upon earth : the comfort of oui lives 
 depends much upon fociety, but more upon the fuitablcnefs 
 of fociety. The primitive faints were all of one mind, and 
 therefore fit to make one body. For though man loves 
 company, yet it is the company of thofe he lovesi (3.) 
 Mutual alTillancc which they gave and received, a commu- 
 nication of free didiibution to the ncccfiities of each other : 
 they did by love ferve one another, and parted with their 
 pofTclIions for the fuppoit of each other : this liberality 
 and fupplying one another's wants, did plainly Ihew, that 
 they clleemcd themfelves as fellow-membei-s of the fame 
 body, and that they were pcrfeclly united in heart and 
 aft'edlion. Note, 4. Another religions office, in which they 
 continued conllant, was breaking of bread ; that is, receiv- 
 ing the facrament. So great and fervent was the devoliun 
 of the firll chrillians, that none of their leligious alk-mblies 
 paffed, in which they did not maki; this folemn commemo- 
 ration of our Saviour, and (licw forth his dialh: looking 
 upon their other religious feivice lame and defcflivc with- 
 out this. Our Saviour's blocd was dill warm, and thofe 
 firll chriftians kept it fo, by their devout and ficqiicnt re- 
 membrances of it : and it was their conllaiicy in breaking 
 bread, which quickened and put life into all their religious 
 aflions : This fitted them both for doing and dying. Their 
 frequent diinking of the blood of Chrlll fired them with 
 zeal for (bedding their blood for Chrift. Loid! what 
 
 reafon 
 
Chap. iit. 
 
 The A fC T S. 
 
 4J7 
 
 reafon can men now give fur ncgle^ing fo holy and iifcfnl 
 an inllltiition ? Arc wc above tliefc helps to a good life 
 which they iifcd ? Have wc not as much need to arm oiir- 
 fclvct againft fin and temptation as they had ? but the plain 
 truths, NIen arc not willhis; to be fo holy now, as they were 
 then. This ordinance, their confcienccs tell them, would 
 eii^a^i them to a greater ftrlftnefs of life than they are 
 willing to undergo. They mull leave their fins, wliich they 
 arc loaih to pait with ; they niiifl forgive their enemies, 
 whom they had rather be revenged of; they mull enter 
 into new engagements, whereas they had rather be at li- 
 beity : So thit thofe things which make men loath to come 
 to the facramcnt, arc indee<^, If duly confidercci, tlic 
 greateft arguments to draw them thlthei ; and according to 
 the exainijle of tliefe pilmitivc chiiflians, to be conilant in 
 h\-ating of breiul. Note, 5. The lad thing which they con- 
 tinued ftedfaft and con(tant in, was prayct ; that Is, In the 
 pi'bl'V and ioJcmn addrjfTes made to God In the religious 
 af.cmblles whereby they poured out their fouls to God, 
 both In prayer and fuj'pHcatlon, and in praifc and ihaukf- 
 givings. The public praycisand interccfiions of the church 
 of C'htift, are greatly to be efteemcd by all chiilliaus; tliey 
 glorify God moll, he clleems and accepts them belt ; this 
 keeps up a fenfc of God and religion in the world, and 
 nothing delights God more than the joint prayers and 
 pralfes of his people. Pfal. Ixxxvii. i. The I.urd lov.-lh 
 the gales of Zion more than all performances in lie dwel/iii^'t 
 of Jacob. 
 
 43 And fear came upon every foul : and many 
 wonders and figns were done by the apoftles. 44 
 And all that believed were together, and had all 
 things common, 45 And fold their pofleffions and 
 goods, and parted them to all men, as every man 
 had need. 
 
 K'lle here, i . .What awful rcfpeft God obliged the people 
 of Jerufalem to pay unto the apoftles : Fear came vj^n 
 every fjul, at the fi^ht of thofc '•jjondirs and Jigns nvhtch luere 
 wrov^ht by the ap'ijilis. It is God that keeps up the autho- 
 rity and reverence of his minlllcrs In the minds of their 
 people : Did not he hold thefc ftars in his own right hand, 
 liort' foon would men trample them under their feet ! 2. 
 An extrao'Jinary inftance of a noble charity among ihcfe 
 primlllvc chridians: Thiy had all things common; that is, 
 they chofe rather to part with their cllates, than that any 
 rvf their brethren fliould want, the rich very readily fold 
 their pr.ffefiions and goods to help and relieve the poor. 
 Yet olfiive, 1. That this community was not of all their 
 goods, but of that part only which every one did volunta- 
 rily cnnfeciate and devote to the relief of the church's 
 iieceflities. It was not in a (IriiSl fenfe a community of 
 goods that was here praitifed ; but, by all thir.gs, wc are 
 to underiland fuch things as every one freely laid afide for 
 the maintenance of the poor. 2. That this pra£tice was 
 only ufed in Jerufalem, in the beginniag of chrilllanlty, 
 without being a precedent for after times and places. Res 
 qua era! teirporar'ia neirjptatis i^ Uteri ariilril non drl-et 
 in exemplvm Irahi, mullo ninus tit necijfaria ollrudi. Chrill's 
 gwfpel doth not dcllroy the moral law ; the eight com- 
 
 mandment Is RtU in force, which it could not b-, if there 
 were no property. Tlie lefTon for your IndruCiion, to he 
 gathered from this inllance, is this. That they who luve 
 ability ought to abound always in ordinary and fometlmea 
 extraordinary works of charity: We mull always relieve 
 the faints wantj, as we are able, and fometlmes, upon an 
 extraordinary occafion, above what we arc well able. 
 
 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord 
 in the temple, and breaking bread from lioufe to 
 houfe, did eat their meat with gladnefs and fmgle- 
 nefs of heart; 47 Prailmg God and having favour 
 with all the people. And the Lord added to the 
 church daily fuch as fiiould be faved. 
 
 This chapter concludes with giving us an account how 
 thefe primitive chrlllians fpcnt their' tl.ne together in the 
 fervice of God, and in great fimpllcity and fincerlty amongft 
 thcmfelves. They couinued daily in the temple; that is, 
 at the uhial time of prayer they joined with the Jews In 
 their prayers in the temple: We mull not think that 
 they preached feimons, and adu.iniftered facramcr.ti in the 
 temple; that would not be endured, as appearetli chap. \\'. 1. 
 But having pei formed their public devotions daily in the 
 temple at the accuftomed times of prayer th.ert, they ufed 
 to refort to a private and paitlcular place to celebrate the 
 Lord's Topper, and aft.rwards took their ordiuaty and 
 necefiary repall with gladnefs and finglenefs of heart. And 
 thus thefe holy chrllHans converfing together with great 
 (implicity and fincerity, they went on chearfully in llieir 
 chriflian courfe, pralfing God for what he had done for 
 them and by them ; and their holy and harmlefs conver- 
 fation procured them favour with the generality of the 
 people, who had not their heaits pofTcned with the prcju- 
 dice againft chrilllanlty as the Fharifees had. And thus, 
 by the purity of the apoflles' dodlrine, and the cxciriplaiy 
 piety and nnblameablencfs of their lives, the Lord daily 
 added more and more converts to his infant chriflian 
 church. Learn hence. That the work of a thorough and 
 faving converlion upon the hearts, and In the lives of men, 
 is God's work. It was not the mighty rufhiiig wind, nor 
 the miracle of the fiery cloven tongues, nor St. Peter's 
 fernion, nor any of thefe, nor all of thtfe, tliat did or coidd 
 alone pioduce this great efFeft without God, and the in- 
 ternal operation of his holy Spirit. Therefore it is expre.^ily 
 faid, That liie Lord added to the church, not St. Pete, 
 not all the apoftles. Yet note, 2. TJiat though God ami 
 his holy fpirit be the author and efficient caufe, yet the 
 preaching of the gofpel, and an exemplary convcrf.iiiim 
 agiteable thereunto, were the lubcrdinate helps and inilri:- 
 mental means conducing thereunto. They coit/iniiJng daily 
 in the temple, and IreaLing tread from hotfc to l.onfe, did tat 
 their bread 'with gladnefs, ^c. 
 
 CHAP. in. 
 
 The conjlitiiting of the firft gofpel-cbtirch ii-c had re- 
 corded in the former choptcrs. The firjl pcrfecution 
 rafed againjl thai chiireb^is here re! it ted in this and 
 the next chapter., tcgcibcr ivlth the oeecjion of it ; 
 
 H 2 u'hich 
 
423 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap. jii. 
 
 uhich was St. Peter's healing of the lame beggar. 
 No fooner luas the primitive church planted, though 
 miraculoujly, but a perfecution is Jlirred up againjl 
 it moji mnlicioujly to root it up, and lay it wajlc : 
 Wherever God has his church, the devil uii! be 
 
 Jure tc fit up his chapel ; not a chapel of eafe for 
 the faints, but a chapel of fervice for himfelf; 
 hoping at once tojlrengthen the walls of his own 
 kingdom, and to raze the foundation of Chrijl's 
 church, which yet the gates of hell fhall never, 
 
 fully nor finally, prevail againft. 
 
 NOW Peter and j0hn went up together into 
 the temple at the hour of prayer, being the 
 ninth hour. 
 
 N'Jehexe, i. The remaikablc diligence and induftry of 
 St. Peter and the other apoftles in preaching the gofpel of 
 Jefus CnrilK At the third hour of the day, on the feall of 
 Pentccort, that is, at nine o'clock in the morning, St. Peter 
 preached a fernion, chap. ii. 14. which by the blcfling of 
 the holy Spirit accompanying it, converted three thoiifand 
 foulj. Here at three o'clotk in tiie afternoon on the fame 
 day (as the learned Dr. Lightfoot notes) he preached a 
 fccond fermon, which converts five thoufand more. This 
 jifFords at once a good precedent, and a good encourage- 
 ment to the apoflles' fucceffois, the minifters of Chrift, to 
 the end of the world, for the preaching twice upon the 
 Lord's day : If, in the room of tiiiee and five thoufand 
 fouls we be inllrumental for the converfion of one fingle 
 foul, it is infinitely woith the indefatig.tble pains and dili- 
 gence of our whole lives. 2. The place which the apoftle 
 preaches in is the temple ; thither the apoflles went, not to 
 offer facritice, but to inform the Jews that the law of fa- 
 crifices was now abolilhed by the death of Chrift ; not to 
 communicate with them in their antiquated worfhip, but 
 that they might have a larger field to few the feed of the 
 gofpel in. 3. The circumllancc of time, at the hour of 
 prater. In all ages lince God had a chuich in the world, 
 there have been llaced timet aud places for folemn public 
 woithip; by which means a fenfe of God and religion has 
 been preferved and kept up in the world, which otherwife 
 would Le in danger of being loft. The worfhip of God 
 in the clofet will not do this, becaufe it is unfeen ; but Hated, 
 (ulemn, public worfhip, gloiifies God molt, and he accepts 
 it beft, Pfal. Ixxxii. 2. The Lord loveth the gales of Zion 
 more ihiin all the du'ellingi of Jacob. The apoflles tvenl up 
 together into the temple at the hour of prayer. Sine ftationibus 
 non ftaret mundus. 
 
 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's 
 womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the 
 gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to aflc 
 alms of them that entered into the tempJe; 3 Who 
 feeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, 
 aflied an alms. 4 And Peter faftening his eyes 
 upon him, with John, faid, Look on us. 5 And 
 he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive 
 fomething of them. 
 
 Obferve here, I. The condition of this pcrfon. I. He 
 was poor, even to beggary ; but poverty is no flgn of Gods 
 disfavour, nor doth exclude any from partaking of the bell 
 of blcfllngs. He was burn a cripple, not lamed by ca- 
 fualty or accident, but lame from his mother's, womb. :;. 
 He had continued a cripple forty years, chap. iv. 22. The 
 man was above forty years old, on whom this miriicle of healing 
 was fhewed. Coufequcntly the cure uas the harder and 
 the perfon cured more credible witnefs againit them that 
 cavilled at his cure. 2. Ihe wonderful mercy and good- 
 nefs of God towards this poor cripple ; his mifeiics ?nd 
 calamities, his lamenefs and powerty, are over-iukd by 
 God for good to him, even for the befl good ; namely, for 
 bringing him to the knowledge of Jefus Chtill, and fal»d- 
 tion by him. O how good is God at making up all our 
 lofTes, and exceeding not only our deferts, but our expec- 
 tations alfo ! This poor man only begged an alms, God 
 gives him his limbs ; yea, gives him hi;> Sen and falvation 
 by him. Thus we receive of God daily more than we 
 can either aflc or think. 3. The apoflles advice to the 
 lame man, and his ready compliance with that adrice. 
 Look on us, fays St. Peter ; ho doth not fay, believe on us, 
 but loot on us, and believe on Chrift. This the apofHe 
 fpake to quicken bis attention and excite his hope. As if 
 Peter had faid, " You look upon many others, as able to 
 relieve your necefTities ; now look on us, and fee what we 
 can do for you." Accordingly he faftencd his eyes upon 
 the apoftles, and beheld them as expcflant of relief. Here 
 note I. The great mercy of God that was mingled with 
 this poor mau's affli(flion : though he was lame, he was 
 not blind. He could and did ftedfaflly beliold the apoflles 
 with a fixed eye both of body and mind. 2. That what 
 the cripple could do, he muft and did do, towards his o» n 
 healing ; he could not move a foot, but he could fix his 
 eye. We are fpiritual cripples, leading under a moral ini- 
 potency; being without Jlrength, Rom. v. i. But God 
 expefts the exerclfe of our faculties, help, and healing. 
 As the cripple looked up to the apoftles, fo may we look 
 up to the minifters of God; hear them and apply to them, 
 place ourfclves under the word, difpenfed by them ; for he 
 that made us without ourfelves, will never fave us without 
 ourfclves, but we muft work out our otun falvatitn, Phil, 
 ii. 12. 
 
 6 Then Peter faid, Silver and gold ha\;e I none : 
 but fuch as 1 have give 1 thee : In the name of Jefus 
 Chrift of Nazareth, rife up and walk. 7 And he 
 took him by the right hand and lifted him up : 
 and immediately his feet and ancle-bones re- 
 ceived ftrength. 8 And he leaping up, ftood, 
 and walked, and entered with them into the 
 temple, walking, and leaping, and praifing 
 God. 
 
 Note here, I. The poverty of this great apoftle 5t. Peter 
 and his holy contempt of the world ; filver and gold he had 
 none; his pretended fucceffor the pope upon his eledlion 
 fays the fame ; but with as little Imcerity as he fays, Nolo 
 epifcopari : The apoftles poverty was real, not fiftitious. 
 The holicft, the wifeft, and bell men, are feldom the 
 
 wealthieft. 
 
Chap. n. 
 
 The A C T S. 
 
 429 
 
 wealtliiell. Si/ver and giild hpvf I none, but fiich as I have 
 I give : As if lie hail faid, "1 liavc no money to give ihec 
 bill that xvliicli is better than money : I have received 
 power fiom Chrill to cure and heal difcares, and having 
 received it freely, I will give it freely : Therefore, i« the 
 name of Jefui ; that is, by the power of Jefiis, whom in 
 Ciintcmpt you call Jefut of Nazareth, be healed, ri!e up 
 and vi^lk." 2. '1 he nature of the miracle here wi ought ; 
 it was, (1.) Public and open, not done in a corntr, but 
 before all the peu))lc at a public time, (Pentecoft) and at a 
 public phice (the gates of the temple). The mir.itles, 
 that is, the lying wondcis wrought in the church of Rome, 
 will not bear the light. Miracles by them are motl pre- 
 tended to, where people are moll ignorant, and a dark fhop 
 is fitted for their falfe wares. 2. Inftantaneons and fudden ; 
 immediately his feet and ancle hones received flrenglh. This 
 evidently fliewed it to be God's work, he was perfectly 
 cured, and inllantly cured, though he was lame fiom his 
 birth, and had continued lame above forty yeais. All 
 things aie eafy, yea, equally eafy, to an almighty power: 
 If God fpeaks but the word, the lame Jl:all leap as an hart ! 
 Ifa. XXXV. 6, Note 3. The humility and faith of this 
 great apollle difcovered in the manner of the cure ; his 
 Immility, is not dlfdaining to touch and take hold of, and 
 lift up his poor cripple from the ground ; his faith in being 
 fully perfuaded of CKi ill's prelence, relying on his power, 
 and depending upon his promife, Maik xvi. i8. They 
 fliall lay hands on the fick, asd they fhall recover. The 
 apoftlcs had not a power at their pleafnre to work mira- 
 cles ; but when God plcafcd to work them, he made it 
 known to them by infpiration, and put them upon it. 4. 
 How the poor cripple pioufly afcribes the praife of this mira- 
 cle to Gcd only j He leaped and pratfed God, not the 
 apoftles. No inllrument mull rob God of his glory ; wc 
 may pay and gratify the meflcnger, but mull return our 
 prime and principal thanks to our benefadlor. No doubt 
 the cripple returned thanks to the apoltlc, but his prayers 
 unto God only. To conceal God's mercies is ingratitude ; 
 to attribute them to feconJ caufcs is facrilege. 
 
 9. And the people faw him walking and praif- 
 ing God. 10 And they knew that it was he which 
 fat for alms at the beautiful gate of the temple: and 
 they were filled with wonder andamazement atthat 
 which had happened un*-o him. 1 1. And as the 
 lame man which was healed held Peter and John, 
 all the people ran together unto them in the Porch 
 that is called Solomon's greatly wondering. 1 2 ^ 
 And when Peter faw it, he anfwered unto the people 
 Ye men of IlVael, why marvel ye at this ? or why 
 look ye fo earneftly on us, as though by our own 
 power or holinefs we had made this man to walk? 
 
 Note here, i. As foon as ever the poor cripple received 
 ftrength, all the people beheld liim prailing and blcfTing 
 God. Learn thence, that the very (iril appearances of 
 the power and mercy of God towards ourfelves or any of 
 ours, ftiould put us upon the works of praife and rejoicing. 
 Wc truly fay, " Better late than never ;" but it is bell to 
 
 be early in every good work, efpeeially in the nobleft and 
 moll angelical woik; namely, that of thankfgiving, and 
 praife. My voice Jhalt thou hear, fays Dawd, betimes in the 
 morning; my praying voice, my praifing voice. 2. The 
 i.ifluence and effedt that this miracle lud upon llie minds 
 of the mwliitude ; it occalioned wonder, but did not pro- 
 duce faith. They 'wondered, but not believed. MiracK* 
 will coiifiim faith, but not alone beget it. The Spirit's 
 extraordinary works may produce allonifliment ; but it is 
 the work of the Spirit tliat mull produce faith. 3. How 
 the apollle abafelh himfelf and his fellow difciple, th.Tt he 
 might exalt Chrill; he will not fuflPer the leall pait of the 
 praife and glory of this miiacle to flick to their own lingers, 
 but gives it all to Chritl ; Think not that we by our o'wn 
 power and hdinefs have made this man l» walk. The Jews 
 had a conceit, that extraordinary holinefs would enable a 
 man to work miracles: The apclUe dtrjles it: For though 
 there be a great difference betwixt miraculous faith and 
 julllfying failh, yet true jullifying faith has a miracle in it, 
 though not fo obvious to fenfe, requiiing the fame power 
 to work it in us, which raifed up Chi ill from the dead, 
 Eph. i. 11, Learn hence. That Chrill's power, not his 
 apodles' holinefs, was the canfe of all the miracles that 
 were wrought by them. Why look ye fo earneflly upon us, 
 ns though by our holinefs we had made this men to walk ? 
 Through faith in his neime, is this man made flrcng, ver. 16. 
 
 13 The God of Abraham, and of Ifaac, and of 
 Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his 
 Son Jefus ; whom ye delivered up, and denied him 
 in the prefence of\ilate, when he was determined 
 to let him go. 14 But ye denied the Holy One, 
 and the Juft and defired a murderer to be granted 
 unto you : 1 5 And killed the prince of Life, whom 
 God hath raifed from the dead ; whereof we are 
 witnefles. 16 And his name through faith in hi.s 
 name hath made this man ftrong, whom ye fee and 
 know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given 
 him this perfed foundnefs in the prefence 01 you 
 all. 
 
 Note hire, I. How St. Peter lays hold upon this oppor- 
 tunity when the people are gathered together to gaze upon 
 the lame beggar, to preach a fecond awakening lermon to 
 the Jews; in which he rebukes them fmaitly for their 
 curfed contempt of Chrill, and the lioiiible indignities of- 
 fered to him (i.) They denied him, aUiough he was an 
 holy and jull One. (2.) They delivered him up to Pilate 
 when he was inclined to let him go. 3. They preferred 
 Barrabbas, the worll of men, and a murderer, before Jefus 
 the bell of men, and a Saviour. 4. They murthered 
 the Mcflias, called the Prince of Life, becaufe he came to 
 bring life into the worl i. Where note. That though pro- 
 bably none of the Jews then and there prcfent, did actually 
 nail Chrill unto his crofs, yet they having given their con- 
 fcnt unto it, they are charged with killing the Lord of Life. 
 A plenary and full confent to the fins of others, make us 
 deeply guilty of other fins: Ver. 15. Te deli'cered up and 
 denied the Holy One ; Te ,':ave crucif.cd the Lord of Life. 
 2. How St. Peter afcribes the whole of this miracle to the 
 
 power 
 
430 
 
 The 
 
 A C T S. 
 
 CitAP. nj. 
 
 power fif faltli ; vfr. I^J. Thriugh fa'ilh in his namf, an:! 
 thr fa'ilh tvl'irh is by him, hath ^ii<en this mnn prrffH found- 
 vrfi in thf prrftnre of you all. Fiiilli i~. twice named in this 
 ons veiTc, liccaiifc of (he apodlcs faith in working tho 
 miracle, ant! tlie cripples faiili in receiving of it, fays Dr. 
 I.iglitfoot: But qiicttiunlcfs, it was chiefly the apodles 
 faith : for the laire man (hewed no faith in Chrill before 
 he was healed : lie expt-fted an alms, but little thought of 
 vcccivii'g the life of his limbs; but the apodic firmly rely- 
 ing on the power and promife of Chrill for healinj, did 
 !)clieve that Chrill could and wiuiUi help and heal him. 
 I.ritrn hertce, That as it is the property and prerogative of 
 Oodlodo the grcit things, it is t!ie duty and property of 
 faith to expect great things from God ; great cxpcdations 
 from God hononi the gieatncfs of God: W'e dirtionoMr 
 CJod as mucii, or more, when we believe little, as when 
 we do little. A grc t God and a fm:dl faith fiiit not well 
 together; accordingly St. Pttci here, knowing the all- 
 fiifRciency of Chrill's power, exerts ilrength of faith, and 
 through laitii in the name u( Clirill, makes this man whole. 
 
 17 And now, brethren, I wot rhat through ig- 
 rorance ye did it, as did alio your rulers. 1 8 But 
 thofc things which God before had Ihewed by the 
 mouth of all his prophets that Chrift Ihould fuii'er, 
 he hath fo fulfilled. 
 
 Olfcrve here, i. How csrcful the apoflle was, not to 
 drive ihofe murderers of Chrift, <{and coiifcqueiilly the 
 worll of men) to defpair, but to dr^ them to repentance ; 
 in order to which, i. He mitigates their fin, imputing it 
 rather to ignorance and .blind zeal, than to malice, (a.) 
 He is fo charitable as to impute it to the ignorance of tlie 
 Pharifces their rulers alfo. (3.) He calls them brethren, 
 ihough guilty of fo great a miftake in their judgment, and 
 fault in their praftice. Noiv brethren, 1 wot that through 
 i^norawe \e did it, as did alfo your rulers. Learn tlrence, 
 That God ufcd the ignorance of fome, and malice of others, 
 for his own glorious ends, in accomplilhing the foreor- 
 dained and foretold death of our Redeemer. 2. St. Peter 
 acquaints them, to keep them from defpair, that God hath 
 decictd the rufTerings of Chrift for man, and by his pro- 
 phets foietold them, who, as they fpake by one Spirit, did 
 all fpcnk the fame things, as if they had all fpoken out of 
 <mc mouth. So that what the Jews did, lie tells them, 
 was, though unknown to thtm, a fulfilling of ancient pro- 
 phecies and protnifes for man's redemption. 7hofe thinj^s 
 ivhich God bad before Jhetved by the mouth of all his prophds 
 that Chrtp fhould fujf:r, he hath noiv fulfilled. The death 
 and fulTtrings of Chrill, with all the circumllances relating 
 thereunto, were all ordained by God, and foretold by the 
 prophets ; which tho'igh it doth not cxcufe his murderers 
 from tlie guilt ot a dreadful lin ; yet may be improved as 
 an argument to keep them from defpair. What God Irfore 
 ha^Jlieiued, he hath novj fulfilled. 
 
 19 ^Repent yc therefore, and be converted, that 
 your fins may be blotted out, when the times ol re- 
 frefiiing fliall come from the prefence of the Lord. 
 
 The apoftle, like a wife pliyfitian, having difcovered to 
 
 the Jcwj the daiYfjer of their^ifeafe in the foregoing veifes, 
 now dirc^ls tliem to the only effeftiial remedy, viz. Re- 
 pentance: Rejienl, and be converted: that is, repent of your 
 rejcfting Jefus Clirill, and be converted to true chiillianity. 
 To repent, doth denote a change of the mind and judg- 
 ment ; and to be converted, a change in the life and con- 
 verfation. The exhortation doth denote onr duty, and 
 fnppofes our ability alfo, by the affillance of that grace, 
 whicli will never be wanting to lliice»c endeavouis. They 
 were fiibjetts recipient of that t<is gratit verlieordia as St. 
 Aullin calls it, " The heart changing power of the grace 
 of God," which could and did enable them to convert 
 and turn to God. Note farther, How this duty of re- 
 pentance is urged from the effect and fruit, and profitalile 
 confaqucnce of it. 1. Tour fins finll he Uolled r,„t, a meta- 
 phor taken fiom the creditors which have the books of 
 accounts in which all debts and reckonings are fet do«-n. 
 2. The times of xefrefhin^ fhall come from the prefmre of the 
 Lord : by which fome underlland more generally the times 
 of the gofpel, otheis more particularly under Hand it of the 
 time of Jeiufalem's dellriiclion ; as if St. Petei had f.nid, 
 " Know, O my brethren, that the time of Chiift's coRitng 
 to Jerufalem to execute vengeance on his murderers, is 
 now at hand I Repent therefore fpcedily of what von have 
 done, that thofe dreadful days to his enemies, may be days 
 of refrelhmcrit to you." But the Jays of tefrefhment are 
 thought by moll to fignify the day of judgment, which will 
 be a day of refrefliing to all penitent finncs ; becanfc 
 they fliall there enjoy a complete and full ahfolutiirn from 
 all their fins. Note here, i. That almighty God has his 
 book of remembrance, in which he writes down all the 
 fins which every perfon commits, in order to their accufa- 
 tion and charge. 2. That it is the great wifdom, intcrell 
 and duty of every perfon, to take care that he gets his (in» 
 now blotted out of God's debt book, as he ever hopes that 
 the reckoning day may be a day of refrefhing to him. 3. 
 That without repentance, converfion, and turning unto 
 God, there will he no forgivenefs, comfort, or rcfrefhmcnt 
 from him. R.pcnl, that your fins may be blotted out, when 
 the times of refrefhment fliall come. 4. That a complete 
 abfolution and full difcliarge from all lin is not yet enjoyed 
 till the day of judgment. We are in this life continually 
 fubjedl to new fins ; and confcqiiently are dally coiitiaft- 
 ing new guilt, whereby aiifc new fears ; fo that a foul 
 has-iiot a full lell till the final abfolution be pronounced at 
 that folemn day. 
 
 20 And he fliall fend Jefus Chrift, which before 
 was preached unto you : 2 i Whom the heaven 
 muft receive until the time of reftitution of all 
 things, which God hath fpoken by the mouth of 
 all his holy prophets fince the world began. 
 
 Here St. Peter enforces his exhort-itlon to repentance 
 with a llrong motive ; namely, the certainty of Chriil'ii 
 coming to judge the world. God fhidl fnd ^efus, thii 
 Jefus whom ue preach to you, vifibly, tojultify and glorify 
 all penitent and pardoned finncrs. whom yet the heaven 
 muft contain till the refhiution if all things ; that is. to the 
 cud of the world, when the whole c;cdt!on which now 
 
 groanetli 
 
Chap. in. 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 43 « 
 
 groaneth will be delivered, and mnn patticularly rcrtorcd 
 to God, to himrdf, and to a blcflcJ immortality. Learn 
 hence, That Clnill, being afcended into lieavcn in our hu- 
 man nature, fhall abide and contiuue there until the lelli- 
 tution of all things, and his corporal prefence here on earth 
 is not to be expcdrd, until he has put all his enemies un- 
 der his feet. Now if his body be, and mult continue iu 
 heaven, furely then it is not in the facrament, as the Pa- 
 pills dream ; who afcribc to Chrill's human naluvc the 
 property of a Godhead ; namely, to be in ten thouCand 
 places at one and the fame time, contrary to the nature of 
 an human body. If the heavens mud contain Chrill, Clirill 
 mull be contained in heaven, and then his ptcfence in the 
 facrament doth not draw him from heaven ; his bodily 
 picfence is in heaven, hi&fpiritual prticncc with his people in 
 the factament. 
 
 22 For- Mofes truly faid unto the fathers, A 
 proplict flVall the Lord your God raife up unto 
 you of your brethren, like unto me ; him fhall ye 
 hear in all things whatfoever he fhall fay unto you. 
 23 i^nd it fliall come to pafs, that every foul which 
 will not hear that prophet, (kUl be dellroyed from 
 among the people. 
 
 Thefe words are recorded, Deut. xviii. 15. and hereby 
 St. Peter pertinently applied unto Chrill, to convince the 
 luibclieving Jews, that he is the true and only Mefiiah, 
 the great Prophet and Teacher of his church, whofe doc- 
 trine it wai highly dangerous to condemn, though out of 
 the mouth of fuch contemptible pi-rfons as he and St. 
 John appeared to be unto them. Where note, i. Chrift 
 according to his prophetic office is Jrgcly defcribed, and 
 that three v,i, i. By his title, a prophet; one that by 
 his office is to declare the whole will of God to man. 2. 
 By his type, a prophet like unto Mofes ; one that went 
 between God and the people as Mofes did ; carrying God's 
 mind to them, and rtturniivg their mind to God. As 
 Mofes confirmed his .'oarine by miracles, fo did Chrift. 
 As Mofes brought Iliael out of litetal Egypt, fo Chrift 
 brings us out of fpiritual Egypt, whereof the Egyptian! 
 bondage was a figure. 3. By his ftock and oiiginal, from 
 which according to the flefli he fprang : / iL-'itl raife him up 
 from among tfiy brethren. Chtilt honoured the nation of 
 the jews, ind the tribe of Judah with his n^ivity. Thus 
 this great prophet is dtTciibed. Note 2. A ftrid injnnc> 
 tion to hear and obey this great prophet ; hear him only,. 
 hesr him nniverf;,lly. The word (him) is to be unde'r- 
 jhiiij txclufively, liLm and none but him ; that is, in the 
 Lime manner that we hear him ; for his own authori- 
 ty's Lke: his niinifltis for his fake, as fpeaking from him 
 and in his name : And we muft hear him uiiiverfally, in. 
 all things; every command is to be obeyed, none to be 
 ililputed, be the duly commaiided never fo dilTicuh, and 
 t!ic fill forbidden never fo tempting. ^. A fevere com- 
 ininlation. The foul that m!l ml huir Jhall he cut off; that 
 IS, God wiir fevcK-Iy revenge himfclf upon the iluLborn. 
 and difobedient. /.Mrn hence, I. That the Lord leuis 
 Chilli is conftituted and appointed by God to be the great 
 Prophet and Teacher of his chuich : He reveals the will 
 of God peifcdly, powerfully, perfuafivcly, plainly, and 
 
 Infalliably. 2. That it ift the duty of alt to hear and obey 
 the voice of (his great Prophet, and this under the penalty 
 of eternal deftrudion : Every foul that -will not biot- that pra- 
 fbel, Jhall Lc ilejlroyed frcm the people. 
 
 25 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and 
 thole that follow after, as many as have fpoken, 
 have likewife foretold of thefe days. 
 
 That is, " All the prophets from Mofes to vSamnef, afltf 
 paiticularly Ifaiah the evangelical prophet, did forctcl the 
 coming and kingdom of the Mcllias, the fpccial mercies 
 to them that believe on him, and the deftruftion of tliofe 
 that rejed him." MTiere note. That Samuel is mentioned 
 as the fnft prophet between them, bccaufc he was the 
 fiift prophet after Mofes that wrote his prophecy, and 
 firft erefted the fchools of the prophets. Learn hence. 
 That Chrill was the fum of the law, as well as the fab- 
 ftance of the gofpel, all the legal facrifices pointed at him 
 all the prophets prophcfied of him, arid received the com- 
 pletion in him. He was Abel's fatrifice, Ifaac's lam, 
 Ilaiah's Emmanuel, Daiiiel's Holy one, Zachary's Branch, 
 and Malaclii's Angel. 
 
 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of 
 the covenant which God made with our fathers, 
 faying unto Abraham, and in thy feed fhall all the 
 kindreds of theeaith be blefTed. 
 
 Still note. How fwcctly St. Peter invites and encourages 
 thele. murderers of Chrift to repentance ; the worft of men 
 mull neither be driven to dcfpair, nor be too haftily de- 
 fpaired of. He tells them, they were of the pofteiity of 
 Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, with whom God tnft entered 
 into covenant, and alfo children of th- prophets ; that is, 
 the people to whom God primarily and chiefly fcnt the 
 prophets. So great were the prerogatives of the Jews, tha'. 
 they aic called the children of the prophets, children of 
 the promife, children of the covenant, children of the 
 kingdom.. But the higher a people are exalted by fpiritual 
 privileges, the lower they fall if lUcy mifcarry, 
 
 26 Unto you firft, God having raifed up his 
 Son Jefus j fent him to blefs you, in turning away 
 every one of you from his iniquities. 
 
 Here no/<-, i. That the offer of Jefus Chrill, and eternal 
 falvation by him, was firllmadc to the' people of the Jew.-., 
 bccaufe they were the children of the covenant ; that is, the 
 only people in vifibie communion v-ith God throughout 
 the whole world. 2. The benefit offered ; God's Son is 
 raifed up; that is, either, 1. AuthoiifcJ, confecrated, 
 and appointed to be a Saviour; or, 2. Kaifcd fiom the- 
 giave. You crucified him with wicked hands; but be- 
 h.jld the divine clemency : He is firll offered to you his 
 cruciliets; God has fent his Son, in the preaching of the 
 giifpd firft to you ; and this not to take vengeance on you, 
 but to blefs you: He beifig the great High Piicft, bleffee 
 youauthomiveiy and effcdually ; and the bleffing he dif- 
 pcnfes is uot a temporal bleffing as you cxpcdcd a pompous 
 
 Mefiiah, 
 
432 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 Mefliah, a Tfciilai- kingdom, but fpliitnal, in turning fouls 
 from fin to God : He offers to bicfs you by turning every 
 one of you from ycur iniquities. Learn hence, I. 'Ihat 
 it is Chrill's proper work to turn liureis from their ini- 
 quities. Oil! that we could all fulifctve Chilli in that 
 jjreat work! He i» the piintipal agent; let us be fubor- 
 diiiatc inftruments, by piactihng holinefs ourfelvcs, and 
 piomoting holinefs iu^^hcis. 2. That to be turned by 
 Chrill from our inimnWs, is the grcatell blclfing we can 
 receive from him; hrcaufe it is a fpiiitual blilTing, a fun- 
 danuntul blcffinji, a coniprthinfive blcfTing, an endearing 
 bltding, ail uiiiverf.il blcfjing. 
 
 CHAP. I\'. 
 
 The foregoing 'chapter gave us an account of a mira- 
 culous cure wrought by the apofths upon a cripple 
 ihat ivas lame from his birth. "This chapter ac- 
 quaints us ho^M exceedingly the governors both in 
 church andjiate zvere ojf'en'ded and enraged thereat, 
 iofuch a degree, ihat they imprifon the apnfiles, and 
 raife a pcrfecution agaitiji the church; which yet 
 God over ruksfor his oivn glory, and his churches 
 increafe. This infant gofple church in the time of 
 the apojlles, being like unto the infant Jeivijh church 
 in Kgypt in the days (5/"Mofes, the more the church 
 •was mole (led, the more Jhe multiplied ; the more 
 they were oppnfjfld, the more they increafed. 
 
 AND as they fpake unto the people, the priefts 
 and the captain ot the temple, and the Sad- 
 duceescarae upon them, 2. Being grieved that they 
 taught the people, and preached through Jcfus the 
 refurredtion from the dead. 3. And they laid hands ■ 
 on them and put them in hold until the next day, 
 for it was now even tide. 4. Ilowbeit many of 
 them which heard the word believed ; and the 
 number of the men was about five thoufand. 
 
 AW here, l. How the gpttftles preaching to, and inflruft- 
 ing the people, iliis uptrns devil's rage, and brings upon 
 themfelvcs a fevcre pcrfecution : Well might Luiher fay, 
 ^liil ijl cvangclium prxil'.care, nifi in r.os J'urorcm tliaboll 
 iierivaic ? " At the preaching of the gafpel the gates of 
 Satan's prifon fly open, and the walls of his kingdom are 
 fliaken ; he linds himfelf in danger of loofing his power." 
 No wonder then that he raifes all the powers of hell, and 
 rtirs up all his inftrirf^iits on earth to Hop the mouths of 
 the preachers of the gofpcl. 2. The perfons by whom, 
 and the caufe for which, this pcrfecution was now liiired 
 up againll the apolHes ! namely, the JewilTi priells, the 
 (ieiuile Captain, and the fottifh Saddiicccs : /Is they fpahe 
 tl't cttplatn »f the temple, the priejls and SaJtIncces came upon 
 them. TItefe weie dillind perfons, and they were Uit- 
 fcicntly diHaded ; the captain, who was placed with the 
 band of foldicrs near the temple to guard it, was olfcnded 
 fui fear of a timiult from fuch a vail appcaiance of people 
 -!-, .-..ini- tj fee the itcoverfd crijjple. 'I'he yiWry^/ were of- 
 
 fended, becaufe the apnftlM, being private men, went about 
 publicly to teach and inllruA thij people, not confider- 
 ing the extraordinary call the apodles had. The SadJucees 
 were difpleafed, becaufe they preached the refurreftion 
 from the dead, (a doctrine which they denied) and be- 
 caufe they preached through Jelus the rcfurreCtion from 
 the dead : that is, through the power and efficacy of Jefus : 
 Aflerling Chrill to be both the efficient and alfo the exem- 
 plary caule of th* refunedtion ; and the inferring from Chrids 
 vefurreclion, that all his followers (hould i ile with him, 
 and like unto him. 3. How far God fuffcred thefe perfe- 
 cutors and this perfecntion to proceed : They laid hands 
 upon them and put them in hold. How ealily might thii 
 band of foldieis have taken away the lives, as well as im- 
 prifoned the bodies of the apoflle ! But God reftiained 
 them, and led on the apollles to their fuPrcriiig gradually ; 
 they were yet but young p'lpils in Chrid's fthool ; theic- 
 fore they Ihall not have trialo beyond their (Irength. Gid 
 will not call his fervants to a martyr's fire, till he Iras firlt 
 endued them with a martyr's faiih ; for this leafon God 
 fuffeicd not the itorm of pcrfecution to bieak forth with 
 over-much violence upon this new planted cht.rch at fiill, 
 4. What was the event of that violence which was now 
 offered to the apollles ; God over ruled it for his ihurch'K 
 advantage, and a wonderful im-reafc, by a new addition of 
 five thoufand more fouls added to it. O wonderful 
 draught of filh at the fecond calling out of the golpcl net I 
 Thele fifhermen, Peter and John, now became, by the help 
 of the Holy Spirit, frflicrs ol men, according to their Maf- 
 ter's prediAioM, Matt. iv. 19. Folloiu me, and I loill male 
 you JtJIjers of men. Many -which heard the ^vcrd IJiei'ed, 
 and the numler of them ivas about Jive thoufand, ver. 4. 
 This infant church flourifhed the more by the frownings of 
 men upon her. Plures ejicimur, quoties metimur, ah itlis, 
 Tertidl. " Like a green meadow, which the oftener it is 
 mowed, fprings the fafter, and becomes the thicker." 
 
 5 •[[ And it came to pafs on the morrow, that 
 their rulers and elders and fcribes, 6. And Annas 
 the high prieft, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alex- 
 ander, and as many as were of the kindred of the 
 high prieft, were gathered together at Jerufalem. 7 
 And when they had fet them in the midft, they 
 afked, by what power or by what name have ye 
 done this ? 8 Then Peter filled with the Holy 
 Ghoft, faid unto them. Ye rulers of the people, and 
 elders of Ifrael, 9 If we this day be examined of 
 the good deed done to the impotent man, by what 
 means he is made whole ; i o Be it known unto 
 you all, and to all the people of Ifrael, that by the 
 name of Jefus Chrill of Nazareth, whom ye cruci- 
 fied, whom God raifed from the dead, even by him 
 doth this man (land here before you whole. 1 1 
 This is the (lone which was fet at nought of you 
 builders, which is become the head of the corner. 
 
 Here olferre, I. What a combined force did unite and 
 join together of rulers, fcribei, elders, high priefls, high 
 priejl'a kimlnd, and who not ? They all, though of different 
 
 intcicUt 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 4.35 
 
 intcrcrts, yet hold together as one, to cxMnguidi and put 
 out the light of the gofpel, as foon as it bee;:in to (liine forth. 
 Need vveWondcr that the devil ftriiggkd fo hard at the 
 dawiiinf of the reformation to blow cut the light of the 
 gofptl . when we C'^nfider vhat cpp- fition he difcovr red 
 again;^ the firll plan'.rion and propagation cf the gf^fpel ? 
 As H -rod would h.vc flrani'led Chrlft in his cradle, fo 
 v.oi;ld the high prieits haie ilranLlcd Chriflianity in lis in- 
 fancy. They (ill gathcreil Icgeli.er al JeniJ,:lem. Sad! that 
 a mc (Inge of filth L lad tidings as the gofpd fiiould meet 
 ■with fobiid cntctt.inmcnt. 2. How the apnftlcs are here 
 arraigned and qiiefii^ned, Ty wliat name and authority? 
 that is, by what p^nvcr or virtue they had done this? Some 
 think, they fufptflfd the apoftles to have wrojight by the 
 blatk art, htiiig aflifled by the devil. But did not this 
 miracle give a fuftjtient convincing light, to demcnftrate 
 that it was heaven born, and flu wed evidently that it was 
 wrought by afupcrnatural and divine power ? Curfed men! 
 ■who accounting it a credit for theinfdves to do evil, make 
 it a crime for the apoflles to do good: Was there any 
 rcafon for their a{!:ing, by ubnt po'u.'cr, when the thing iifclf 
 proclaimed it to he done by the power of God? 3. The 
 bold and refolutc anfwer of Peter, to the foregoing malicious 
 and ridiculous quefUcn. Where «3/c, i. His holy courage. 
 2. The caufc of it, He zees fiuai wilh the H-.ly Gho/}. In 
 the 5th and 6th vcrfcs, we find a full bench, not of jufticcs, 
 but of profcfTcd enemies, enough to have daflud ten pri-. 
 foiicrs at the bar out of countenance. Tut behold the in- 
 gentious and holy boldntfs of a good chiiliian in a good 
 caufc. St. Peter, who formerly, when full of hiirfelf, was 
 baffled by a damfcl, and frighted into 3 denial of Chrift by 
 a fdly vcncli ; now htir.^fitleJ uitht>e Hdy Ghojl, faiences 
 and confounds his mod potent and malici'-iis- accufers. 
 Lord! how wufuily we.ik arc we when we rely on our 
 own flrcngth, but how able to do all th.in.'s, when Chriil 
 ftrengfhcns us! hi U Has el ii:n Jhis, L\s St. Auftin. 
 " Thou art Aire to coir.e down when thou flandcft on 
 thine own legs ; but fliill be mit;h-ilv upheld and carried 
 on, when fupported and condtifted by God"s liand." 4. 
 A lingular inrtancc of the apolllc"s boldnef?; namely, in 
 preaching J; fus Chrifl to them that had imprifoned ihcin. 
 Be it known unto you, that this 'Jr/iis, zvhom ye crucifit^, 
 !' the Jlcnetvhich ivr.s fcl at nought of y;u builders, end is 
 he::me the head if l^e c'.rr.er \ neither is there Jahaiion in 
 r.ny ith:er,i^c. Where note, i. The title given to the 
 iiilcrs of the Jewifli church, Builders: So they were by 
 office, and here are called fn, to remind them of their d»!tv; 
 n-mdy, fo increafe, ftrengthtn, and beautify the building, 
 the church cf Ccd \ not to demi-lifh, weaken, or deface it, 
 2. The cruicn-.pt v\liich tl cfc builders csfl upon Chrijl the 
 f:'ef anierjloi-e ; they reiufcd him, and fet him at nought, 
 cccording to the prophecy, Pfshn cyviii. 22, which w?"s a 
 i).-np;-ecy of the rcj{£»,i' n of the Mefu-.h, though the Jews 
 would lint fo undirfl^rd it; for th-y dreamt of fileh a 
 pon^P -i.v NfefTas coring.- according to the hearts' dcfirc, 
 that ii (liould be incredible that .any of the Jews fliould 
 ever rcj.a or dcfpife him. 3. The Nile given toChiill, 
 tk^ c:.rnerf.irc ; fo calhd, becaiift he fi'pports and fuflains 
 "■"ewhoje building; and as *he corner (lone is equally ne 
 ITary for both lides cf the building, which are united t; 
 
 th 
 cc 
 
 to 
 
 it, and borne up by it, 'n like manner Loth Jew and Guitiic 
 are united by Chrilf, and faved by him. 
 
 12 Neither is there fjlvation in any other; fur 
 there is none other name under heaven given aiiion^ 
 men whereby we muft be laved. 
 
 A^«/^here, i. A pofilive alTcrtion, that there is no faJva- 
 tion but by Chrift ; or, that bcfides, or without fciin, there 
 is no prflibilitv of falvalicn, cither of Jew or Gentile; 
 both thofo under tlic Old Ttftaiiicnt had, and wc i:ruirr 
 the New Tcflainent have, one and the lame coinmoii Si- 
 viour. 2. The ground and rcafiin of this ccnfitlent affi r- 
 fion, That there is no falvation but by Chr'ft ; namciv, 
 becaufe there is no ether n-imc given under henzen iy zvhic! 
 He muf, be Jazzed: That is, no other perfon defigiicd <>: 
 appointed by God, to be the author cf redemptidii (o, and 
 procurer of falvation for, a loll: and miferablc world, but 
 only Chi ilL Take we good heed then, that wc lio not 
 rejcifl or fet him a( nought ; for in rcjedling of Chriif, wi; 
 rejr(5l the wifdom of God, the autiiorlty of God, the l.in-. 
 of God, yea, the falvation of God. 
 
 13 5 Now when they law the boldncfs of Peter 
 and John, and perceived that they were unlearned 
 and ignorant men, they nian'ellcd; .ind thcv took 
 knowledge of them that they had been v.-iih [v.'fu.s. 
 14 And beholding the man which was healed itand 
 ing with them, they could fay nothing againll it. 1 /-, 
 But when they had commanded them to go afidi- 
 out of thecouncil, they conferred among therafelvcsj 
 16 Saying, What fliall we do to thefe men? for 
 that indeed a F.otable miracle hath been done by 
 thetn !S manifeft to all them that dwell in Jcrulalem, 
 and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it fprcad no 
 further among the people, let us ftraitly threaten 
 them, that ihey ipeak henceforth to no man in this 
 name. 18 And they called them, and commanded 
 thein not to (peak at all, nor teach in the name of 
 Jefus. 
 
 Ndehcre, I. How. conv^fcng the boldncfs of the :ipofiIc 
 was, together with the und^Wfcie evidence of the miracle 
 wrought by them : "VVlieii the cdWncil obfcrvcd both, thcv 
 marvelled, the apofdes hting unh,-arned m.en, yet now able 
 to fpeak all languages, and the cripple, born larne, now able 
 to leap and walk. Thefe men were convinced, but net 
 converted; filenced, bin not faiisficd; they marv tiled, but 
 not believed, they were full of admiration, but far from 
 faiih. The evi(iencc of the fafl, Avith the courage of il:s 
 rpoUIes, flopped their mouths at prefent, bi:t did not cure 
 their hard hearts. 2. At v liat a nonplus the cou.ncii was, 
 to know M hat to do with the apofUcs; they coi;fers the 
 rr.iracle, but confult upon ways and means how to conceal 
 it ; ard at laft conclude upon ihre;i*etiii'g tl.^in, Thi.t for 
 the time to come they fpeak no more in ihc name of Jefus : 
 That i.-^, no: ;o p.rc.ich in his name, n^.r \vork irir.nclc: "^ 
 a po'Acr and authority dciivcd prtitnc'tdly from hi- 
 the spcflks focn let them luiJt rfland 
 
 3i 
 
 t....* 
 
431. 
 
 Tlic ACTS. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 not the thrcatciiinc;?. of ihc co«incil, nor lockeif upon them 
 3"! any excufj for the forbearing of their duty, as appearcth 
 't->v tJie next vvfircls. 
 
 Lg But Peter nr.d John anfwered ?.x}d faid unto 
 
 ihcm. Whether it be ri.^!it in the fijiiht of God to 
 
 hearken unto you inore tiian unto God, jud-^-e yc. 
 
 20 For \vc cannot but (peak the things "which we 
 
 •have feen and heard. 
 
 A'c/i' here, The prudence anc! intcgri'y of tlx apoflk'«, in 
 rrfcriiug it back to the judgment of their very advcrfaries, 
 whether it was reafonab'.c to obey tlicir command, wlien 
 they charged them to preacli no more in the nan-.c of the 
 Lord Ji-fus: As if •hcapollle iiad fuid, " Wc iiavc received 
 a crmmand from God to preacli, Cc lei! all nc/iwis, Matt. 
 xx\ iii. 19. and wc have received a command from you not 
 to preach: Now we leave it with you, whether it be fitteft 
 and inoft reafonabie to obey God or you." It is a ftrong 
 -'■vay of conviflion, to refer a matter to their jndginciit and 
 oonfcicnce, againll whom we make cppofiMon. Learn, 
 Tint when the commands of God's vicegerents run counter 
 to the commands of God himfclf, God is to be obeyed, and 
 - not mar.. 
 
 21 So when they had further thrcatcticd thorn. 
 tl}cy let them go, becaufe of the people : for all viin 
 i;lorified God for that which was done. 22 For the 
 m.in was above forty years old on whom this mira- 
 cle of healing was flicwed. 23 And being let go, 
 they went to their own company, and reported all 
 that tlie chief pricfls and elders had faid unto them. 
 
 , 1? 4 And when they heard that, they lifted up their 
 \oiceto'God with one accord, andfaid, Lord, thou 
 ori God which haft made heaven ar.d earth and the 
 ka, and all that in them is; 25 Who by the mouth 
 of thy fei-vant David haft faid.. Why did the heathen 
 rage, and the people imagine vain things ? 26 The 
 kings of the earth flood up, and the rulers were 
 feathered together againft^^ Lord, and ai-ainfl hi.i 
 Chrift. ^-j For of a triJ^againfl thy holy child 
 Tefus whom thou ha{l.^nointed, both Kcrod and 
 j'ontiu.s Pihite, with the Gentiles and the people of 
 4fr.iel were githerea together, 28 For to do what- 
 Ibever thy hand and thy counfel determined before 
 to be done. 29 And now. Lord, behold their 
 t'lreattnin.'S : and grant unto thv fervants that with 
 ;ill boldnefs they may fpcak thy word. 30 By 
 ilrctching forth thine hand to heal ; and that hgns 
 and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy 
 
 •child Jcfus. 
 
 Horc s^'^rtr. 1. That notwithnaiulinf; ih.is raticnuj pita, 
 
 -«vliK:h the apoitUs uf^d, the council aiiJed further ihrtotcn- 
 
 ■^ fo r'ir.v.iilcd >hi m, IciTi'iJe if the fecpU, who Itii.kcd 
 
 ' wi-i) aii'jr.ir.r.ie:ii, and sjloiificd G„d tor 
 
 working it by the apofllo' hinds. Where mte. That it 
 was not the fcnrc of (in, nor any apprchenfirn'; cf Ged'j 
 difplcafurc, that influenced the coiincil to fct the apoAlcs at 
 liberty ; but either the fear or favour of the people. Thus 
 G(xJ madi; the people a rcilraint to the rulcis' rage. 2. 
 •1 liat the apofUcs thus difmilfed, went immediattly to their 
 own company (that is, to the hundred and twenty men- 
 tioned, cinp. i. 15.J and acqiiainicd <heni both viihiheir 
 dariger and deliverance, the better to prepare thim for /uf- 
 fcrings, and encourare thcin to hope for the like fnpport 
 lender them. 3. What ufc the chcrch makes thereof; 
 'hey hc;iring how their enemies lay in .vait to perfccute and 
 deftroy them, apply themfelvcs to <jixi by fervent prayer, 
 i hence /f(//-«, I'hat it is the. church's duty, when tnciniw 
 combine together to do mifchicf, to give thcmftlves much 
 linto prayer, Th^is did the clmrch here, and the like, 
 ciiap. xii. 4. Tile prayer iifclf, which tkey join'ly put up 
 at the throne of grace, with one heart and fpirir. And 
 here nite-y i. They began their prayer •«ith invfxraiion, and 
 a reverend compcll.aiion, fuitablc to their prtfent fuffl-rings; 
 adoring God's omnipotenc'y in creating and governing of 
 The world. Lord! thou itrt God, who ha/} made heaven and 
 enr/h, and the Jca, and all that is therein. Whence leant. 
 That the power and wifdom of God in creating and go- 
 verning the world, do.li afford lingular fupport and- com- 
 fort under the prefcnt or future fufferin??. He that matie 
 all things by his power, will over-rule all things by his pro- 
 vidence for his own glory, nnd his church's good. Note, 
 '2. Tlie apoftles ufed fcripture-langiiage and exprefHons in 
 ^hcir prayer: they allude to Pfal. ii. and acknowledge that 
 all that enraged malice of inen and devils againfl the Mtf- 
 fias, which was foretold lorg ago by the prophet David, 
 was'now come to p.ifs ; For biith the Jewilh council and 
 the Roinin governors had combined ti^gethcr agaiii.1 
 Chi if}, and in ofipofing him, lud oppofcd the Father that 
 fen t him. Of a truth againjl t'y holy ehild Jejus are thty 
 gathered together, to do zvl.<at tl.y hand and tf>y counfel had 
 determined I efore to he done. Where we fee, I. That all 
 the fiiffcrings of Chrilf wre fore-ordained and determined 
 by God the Father; G ;d from all eternity decreed that 
 Chiirt fh nild die a facrifice for fin. 2. That this decree 
 of God did not nectHi:ate the Jews to fin ; but they aded 
 freely and voluntarily, according to the \\i(.ked dettrmina- 
 lif.iis of their own wills. God forefaw and ptriniited it, 
 but no ways influenced or compelled them to it. He over- 
 ruled thvife evil inllruments to fulfil his holy pi;rp<.fes, 
 wliiic they intended only to fulfil their own wicked coun- 
 fcls. Lai'.ly, Tiiey clofe their pr.iytr v. iih a (crViMit peti- 
 tion, that God would (Ircngihen them, and gloiify \\> Sih. 
 ft.) That God would Ilrength'-n them a;^'2iiill their fears; 
 t.v:<.\ them wiih courage, and fortify them wiili impregnable 
 refidufion : Grant t! at loith all lioldnefs- we may ftciik ff.y 
 tccrd: Boldnefs to preach the g(>fpel, when iinjiiftly for- 
 bid. !cn, is a fpeci.jl gift of God, and a great efact of did's, 
 grace unto liis f(:rv:-nrs. {2.) Thty reqneft thr.t Cod 
 woi^Id ir.a^inify, not them, but his Son by ihcin, in givirg 
 tticm power <o wcjik miraci.Irus cures in the naine «it 
 Jefiis. tor c iifirmirig of the gofj-cl. Grant that figns ar.d 
 wonders may he diue by the tturne af thy ht!y CI ild J'fiiS. 
 Where n'jtr. That '.he gift cf r.-ir.-.clcs, ihLUch piGtrilul by 
 
 l^'hrill. 
 
Ghap. v. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 435 
 
 Tl'at il'.ofc wl'o arQ of ability, ought to abound always in. 
 ordinary, an 1 forntfimcs in cxtraordinaiy -£>s of charily 
 Wc nitift always relieve ll:C faints warns ssvc are able, 
 and foineiitTiCS iifon an extraordinary otcaimn, above what 
 wc arc well able. 4. How the apoUles with great antho- 
 liiy and aflurancc j^ave tcftimony to the refurrcflion of 
 Chiift, ani; ihtir doSrinc found great favour and acccpta- 
 tiin wiih the people, fee vcr. 33. The refurrcdlionof 
 Chiit from the dead, was the great point now in cor.tro- 
 verfy, therefore with evident miracles and wonderful gifis 
 ofthe hcly Spirit, did the apuftles perform their teliimony 
 of hi^ refiirretSion. So that as Cinill was declared to the 
 apofllcs to bt the Sen of God with power, by the rcfur- 
 redion from the dead; in like mr.nr.er, the apoftlcs by 
 miracles and wonderful gifts did bear wiin^fs to the cer- 
 tainty of our Saviour's rtfiirrtilion, and their docliine foun(4 
 acceptance w ith the people. Learn hence, i. That otir 
 Lord Icfus Chrifl by tl'.c alniighty power of hi,s Godhead 
 revived and rofe again from the dtud, to the conftern;tion 
 of his enemies, and the confoIatir)n of all believers. 2.' 
 That the do6lrine of Chrift's refiirredicn being not only 
 
 Chrift is yet prayed fur bv the aprflks. Gcd will have the 
 performance of his promifes to be the anfwcr of cur prayers. 
 
 31 f And V *cn tlicy had prayed, the pl.icc was 
 ftjakcn where they were affcmblcd together; and they 
 were all filled with the Holy Ghoft.and ihey fpake 
 the word of God with boldnefs. 32 And the mul- 
 titude of them that believed were of one heart and 
 of one foul : neither faid any of them, that ought of 
 the things which he poilcfled wa.s hi.s own : but they 
 had all thing.s common. 33 And with j^reat power 
 gave the apolUes \vitiu*rs of the refurrcflion of ;the 
 Lord Jefus: and great grace was upon thtni all. 3 4 
 Neither was there any among theintliat lacked: for 
 as many as were pollellors of lands or houfcs, fold 
 them, and brought the prices of the things that 
 were fold, 35 And laid ihniidown at the apoftles 
 feet: and diihibution was made unto every man 
 
 accordinir as he had need. 06 And Tofes, who by „ , , , , • , r- . l u - • 1 r 
 
 , n? ,■ 1 i> 1. /• 1- u- 1 • attelled by the preachmK. but conhrmcd by the miracles ot 
 
 the apolHeswasIurnat^cd Barnabas (which IS, being ^he apoaics, founddefervedly belief in ihc world, and is a 
 
 interpreted. The fonof confolation) a Levite, aMot py;,^^ ^^ intalliable certainty amongd all thcfe whom wilful 
 
 the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, fold /<, and oblUnacy has not blinded.. 
 
 brought the money, and laid it at the apoftles feet. 
 
 Ao/r- here, i. The fpecial and fpeedy anfwer which the 
 
 L«rd gave to the apoftles' praver: As a teftimony thereof, 
 
 the place where ihoy prayeti is miraculoufly Jhaken, and 
 
 many eminent graces and fpecial gifts of the Holy Spirit 
 
 were poured out upon the apoftles, particularly, a greater 
 
 meifure of boklncis to preach the gofpel ; and, as ftkme 
 
 think, the wonderful gift of conferrin;^ the Holy Ghoft was 
 
 now Conferred upon the twelve ; fo Dr. Lightfoot. The 
 
 liyly Spirit which can fed them thus to pray, gave tliem 
 
 that holy boKlnefs which they prayed for ; with fignal fliak- 
 
 ingot lite place which tliey prayed in. O ! how leady is 
 
 Goil to hear and anfwer ihc prayers and pleadings of his 
 
 righteous fervants, efpeci.illy when fufFering for righteouf- 
 
 nels fake ? 2. The great unity, and happy unanimity 
 
 which was found amongft the miniftersand members of this 
 
 infant church, this parcft and moft priiiiitive chriftian 
 
 church: Tkey ii:ere of one heart and of cne foul : Th:it is, 
 
 they weie one in dtMitrinc and opinion, and they were one 
 
 in heart and atfe<Slion : A fingular pattern for Aicceding 
 
 chriitians to the end ofthe world, fo to carry it one towards 
 
 another, as meir.ber^ of the fame body, and influenced by 
 
 the fame head. 3., As their unanimity, fo their, liberality, 
 
 in contributing to the necedities of each other. They called 
 
 nothing their cwn, v\ hen their brethren's wants rcq':irc(l it ; 
 
 thi: rich readily fold ;heir poU'L (llo.'-.s and go('d«, to help and 
 
 relieve the poor. Notwi hftantiini;, this exam[.le cannot 
 
 be a copy lor af'er times, to folio. v as a command, or to 
 
 imitate as a pcrieiticn : Seeing ii»at fuch was the Ib'o of 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 BUT a certain man named Ananias, with .Sap- 
 phira his wife, fold a pofTcffion, 2 And kept 
 part of the price, his wife alfo being privy to it and 
 brought a certain part, and laid it at the apoftles 
 feet. 3 But Peter faid, Ananias, why hath Satan 
 filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghoft, and to. 
 keep backji'jcc of the price ofthe land ? 4 Whiles 
 it remained, was it not thine own ? and afcer it was 
 fold, was it not in thine own power ? why haft thou 
 conceived this thing in thine heart ? thou haft not 
 lied unto men, but unto God. 
 
 The la ft verfes uf the foregoing chapter acquainted us 
 with the piaclice of the primitive chriftians al the firil 
 plantation of the gofpel, in felling thtir pofTcfTions for cha- 
 ritable ufc.', and laying down the money at the apoftle."? 
 feet, for the relief of their felhiw brethren and members i:i 
 Chrift, Now- this chapter informs u.<;, that according to 
 their example, one Anania.«, and Sappliira his wife, confe- 
 crated a pclHfTion unto God, and loM the fame for thit 
 purpofc, bir. fratidnlc.-.tly kept back part of the price, ar.d 
 thu , as S". Chryfofto.m no'^js, was found (tcaiing his ovui 
 goods: He had the formality to fell his lands as others 
 did, but had not the fincerity to part with his money ns 
 others had.' A'it/^ here, The true nature of Ananias's fin 
 it-was facril* 5!;e ; that i?, .a purloining or ftcaling of that 
 
 the church at that time, as was nrvef fiaee, .nor like to be; . which is conflcrated unto God, not by aftual performance 
 n..wu<= hut newly brn: It was all mone cry ; all in a but by vow or in w.-rd purpofc of heart: covetoufncfs and 
 poiiihi.i>y to he ffxm ftanercdb' peifecutu-n. Res quft ■ ■ . .r r . . 
 
 e't\n tejnprarix nee flJalis ij lileri eriitrii, n',n debet in ex- 
 flu-n- trah:, niulto minus ul mcjj'uriii i.ttr!idi. The leilbn 
 10 Le gathered Iruin this iniliin;*; for our inftiuclionj is this. 
 
 vain-glory, l)ing and hyprciify, did all attend and accom- 
 pany tills fin ; but the f^n i-.fclf was facrilfge. Learn hence, 
 I. Thar what is conlecrattd to G(d, muft not be alienated 
 or applied to other ufes. 2. That fiich an alienation is 
 3 I - faciiltgc. 
 
5:<^ 
 
 TI 
 
 10 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 fjicrilige, an.i a fin ac:ainrt Gotl, being n breach of vow or New Tcftatriint. Tl'.is v.'a<- 'he finl confccration of goods 
 promife made iMiio him ; a lying ntilo Gofl, as the text calls ilut was ever made unro Chrirt oiir L.ird, atUr he was 
 It. 3. Thai itis an licirions liii, whiuh God will fevcrely exalted at the right hand of Got! in heaven ; and this was 
 jiuniln. jV;/,- 2. Hoi\ this ficrtt fin, iyin^ in the intention the firll facrilege : The fir ft fin of tiiis kind, and ilurcforo 
 i>t the heart, was known nnto God, and by divine rcvcin- the firll perfons that were found guiliy of it met wiih this 
 lion made known to St. Peter. Learn thence, That not Seventy, 'm tcrronm, to malcc all otheis afr;.id of it. Tl;c 
 rnly Mir outward aflions are taken notice of by God, hut firrt tranf^redors in any kind have been madv' public exnn- 
 cvcn the piirpofcs and intents of our hearts arc all mar.ifell pics. Thus the angels btfoic the Jc\\ini chureh ; Nad-h 
 cr.d optniol'.im, and thoroughly nndcrlhMxi bv I'im. 3. and .Abihii at tiie beginning of the Jcwilli chnreh ; and 
 How bt Prter jiid'y ai.'i.;ravates their iiii from tfic divinity Jicrc Ananias and S^pphira, at the bct;iniiing ofiheChril- 
 of the perfoR, ^the Holy Glioft) againfl whom it Was com- lian church. 2. How S.ipphiia, the wile';; fubjtiSlion lu 
 mitted, IVh hnth Suti.n f.lkd thine I.eatt to lie unto ll:e holy her litifband, doth not cxciifc her from partaking oi his (ir^ 
 Gh'.f? Th;u hiifl i."i! ilt\! liKli iiuiu, but v.nti Gul. But why nor exempt her from the feveriiy of the punilhmeni. 
 i» Anai)i.i« fiid to lie iu:to the Holy Ghoft, rather than to God's auiliority in commanding e)r forbiilding, mull llrll 
 GikI the 1 a'her, or JefuL Chrill the Son ? ^^j/Hrr, Either, he obfervcd and obeyed, othcrv\ ife we put the creature in 
 (r.; Bccaufo i: is the proper woik of the Spiri' to fearch Gent's place, debafc hiin and fet up an idol, wliich the 
 'he heart, and'ro know the thoughts and pit rpofes thereof: jealoufy and holinefs of God v\ ill never endure. 3. How 
 Or, (2.) P>ccaitfc the wes!;h broiinht in to the anoftles and the fame fin meets the fame puniiliment : iJufband aiid 
 l.iid a: tluir feet, vias nnertlct of the holy Spirit's inclininc; wife had here agreed both what to do and wliatto fay, and 
 the hearts of believers fo to do. Z,^/-/;-;; liencc, The divinity ihcy that linntd together, fiifTercd together. Ge)d is no 
 of the Holy Gholl, that he is trtily and really God ; he refpeftor of perfons, male or femiile, Jew or Gentile, 
 whom the iVripttire calls the threat and true Gutl , thercfoie prince or fuhjefl, hufband or wite ; the foul that finneth, 
 the Ht,ly Ghoft is G )d. Hither the great Holy Ghofi is it flull fiirely die ; Then fell pie dnun Jlriiightway at his 
 man, and GckI's meflenger, or God himftlf ; but the ami- feet, ivid yielded up the glv-fl, vcr. to. l\ite, 4. "^I'liat this 
 tl;elis or oppolite ihcws, that he is not mati, for, fays the niiraculous way of punilhing offenders with imnieeli.iie 
 :tpofl!e, Thou l.r/i trot lied t:>:lo Tiu:n : And if the Hely death by the ap>iftles, was not common : This is the only 
 Glioft had been only (jod's meilenger, it had been as great indance in the New Teftament ct fo le^ ere a puniUimenC 
 :i fin to lie to Peter, (he being God';; extraordinary melVen- infiitfled by the tnoiith of the apolUes lor any lin whatlo- 
 j;crj as to lie to the Holy Gholl ; therefore the apolUe, in ever ; and it feems accommodated and fuited to that parii- 
 ihe fourth verfe, doth explain what he meant, by lying to ciilar time, in which the magiftrates were fo far Irom de- 
 thc Hi>ly Ghort, in the third verfe; namely, lying unto fending the church, th 't they fnr'hered the perfecuiion, and 
 (lexl : T/.'cii, hnfl not lied lint 1 >nan, a creature like thyftif, endeavoured the extirpaiio': of it. l,.(tly. The etitift 
 lut 7ir.lo God, to the Holy Ghoft who is GexJ. ■v^lii.h this miracle had upon the whole chttrch ; it awfully 
 
 5 Atid Ananias hearing thefe words, fell down, =>'^^'^^^'' '!>"" '■'''^ <"■" ''"^ trembling ; Greotfear c.un. 
 
 r.nd gave up the ghofl : And gicat fear came on all 
 them that heard thefe things. 6 And the young 
 inenarofe, woundhim up, and carried /i;7?i out and 
 buried ';///!. 7 And it was about the fpace of three teoufnefs. If.i. xxvi. 9. iyi>cn kisjudgmenti are abroad ia 
 
 upon all the ehurch, and upon as many as heard li.eje things, 
 God's cxtraordinaiy providences, cither judgments or 
 mercies, towards oiirfelves or towards others, ought to 
 a/Feft tis vviih hulv fear, and that fear which works righ- 
 
 ihe earth, the inhabitants of the -world team rigl.teoujnefs \ 
 thai is, they ought to do lb, and, it ever they \\iildoit, 
 they w ill do it then : Judgments work fear, and fear woiks 
 I ighteoiifnefs. 
 
 1 2 5 And by the hands of the apoflles were 
 many figns and wonders wrought among tlie people: 
 And ihcy were all wit!) one accord in Solomon's 
 porch. 13 And of the red durft no man join him- 
 iclf to them ; but the people magnified them. 14 
 And believers were the more added to the Lord, mul- 
 titudes both of men and women: 15 1 n lorn uch that 
 
 , , ^ ,. "m !'i ' they brou'ht forth the fick into the llrcets, and laid 
 
 11 And iircat lear came upon all the , -^ , ? , , ■ 1 1 /. 1 /^ 1 
 
 " '^ Mrwon bedsandcoucnes. that atlhelcalt thelhadow 
 
 lioursaftcr, when his wife, not knowing what was 
 done, came in. 8 And Peter anfwered unto her. 
 Tell me whether ye fold the land for lo much .■* 
 And flie fltid. Yea, for fo much, g Then Peter 
 laid unto her, How is it that ye have agreed toge- 
 ther lo tempt the Sj)irit of the Lord ? behold tiie 
 Jcet of them which hiive buried thy hufb.ind art at 
 the door, and fliall carry thee out. 10 Then fell 
 Ihe down flraightway at hisfeet, and yielded up the 
 f^hoU : and the joung men came in and found her 
 dead, and can)ing her forth, buried htr by her 
 hufband 
 church, and upon as many as heard thefe things 
 
 OZ/Itt'^ here, i. The juflice ofthe piiniflmient Infiifted 
 upon Ananias for his lin ; he is ftrtick dead upon the fpot 
 for his facrilege, covetoiifnefs, hypocrify and lyinj^ : Doubt- 
 lefs it was a very heinous fm wkieh God fo fiverely 
 punilhcd, and it was the liill fm of this kind i.ndcr the 
 
 of Peier palling bv nii^ht ovcrfhadow lomeof them 
 16 There came alio a inultitude m/^ of the cities, 
 round about unto Jciiifalcm, bringing lick folks, 
 and them which were vexed with unclean ipirits : 
 and they were heulcd every one. 
 
 Three 
 
C HAP. V. 
 
 Tl'.e 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 437 
 
 Three things are liere obftrvablc: i. I^ow i^iat ; "^ nf (f fvch piety and zeal as Ananias did, for fear of tlic faire, 
 
 fcveriiy upon Ananias and Sappliira for ihcir hypocrily, is 
 inrtaiuly liiccecdcii with ails ot clemency and nicrcy iip-n 
 u'.hcrs: Tl'.e tuimer ztis ot fcvciity in (he ipcftks wtic 
 iitCcll'ary to prevent the intrufion ct hypocrites into llic 
 chridian chiiicli: Thrift lubleqiient afls ot mercy were as 
 kccelfary lor tiic propagating ot the gofpel, and to inviie 
 peopl£ lo the love ot chr ilUaniiy. Accordingly the apoilles, 
 atlcr the death of Ananias, are endued with power trom en 
 
 or Tiich like piiriftiirt nt as Yc lied. 13ut licvcvcr the 
 pc'ple extolUd : nd ri'Sfr.ifiid, sdrrired and applattdtd 
 tI-(tTi, and n.iil'iivdes wcie daily added to the thiirch. 
 'Jlis ftcrr.s 'o be the f nfe of ver. 13. Jrd tf (It reft 
 durft no nun j;in litnjclj to ll cm, bvl l>e pecjle mafiiij.cd 
 1} itn, and icUcien v.crr adt'td lo l! e Lcrd, ri::ll!/udcs I ub 
 cf men end iirmen. Nothing doth more afTcd and i-fTidl 
 inifound and droiVv liypocrixf, than the Tglit of Gid's 
 
 liiijli to work ligns and wonders, to heal difeafey, to cad judgments iiifiiiS^ed upon others in this world, 'and the fear 
 
 out devils; iiifomuch, that the pcopl;; brought totih their of the rijihteoiis jndgrntnt of God upon thcmfihcs in the 
 
 lick into the firctis, and laid them upon beds and couclies, world to come. 
 
 hopit^g, that the lltadow ot Peter, as he palled by, might ^ ^,^^^ ^^^ ,^i ^ pvieft tofc tip, and all they 
 
 icich and recover Scir.c ot them. 1 he church ot Koine , ■ • 1 , • ^ 1 ■ 1 ■ . i- r. <• ■ o 1 
 
 makes a noilc with this text, and produces it to prove St. 'hat were with him. (which is the left of the Sad. 
 
 liter's luprenucy over the rcit ot the apofllts, becaufe his ducecs.) ;:nd tvcrt; filled with indi;^naiion, 18 And 
 
 \cry Ibadovv cured the difealld : But very groundlefsly ; laid their hands on the apoRlcs, and put thetJi in 
 
 for, I. By the nimearguinentthev prove St. Peter to be the common priCon. ip lint the an-^el of the Lord 
 
 (tipcrior to Chrilt hinilclf ; this being more ih.an what 
 Cniill himfelf wrouglit, according to what he torctold, St. 
 John xiv. 12. Gnalcr iarks than thcjt foall \e do. We. 1. 
 'Ihe p.ipills might obfervc, were they not wiltully blind, 
 that ilie napkins and handkerchiefs, wliich were carried 
 froiH St. Pauls body, cuied difeafes alio, and difpoflencd 
 de\ils, Actsxix. 12. Ohjcrvf, 3. Be fides all this, it is not 
 liere expre^^ly laid, that any li«.k were adlually healed by 
 S:. Peicr'b (hadow, but that the difeafed were brought, in 
 hopes that l.is Ihadow w ould pr'xiucc fuch elFctlls ; and if 
 it did lo, Ahnighty God thereby put honor upon the 
 golpel, and upon ail ii.c apwUlts, without any particular 
 rel[n.it, or Ip^xijl regaid to ihepeilcn ot St. Peter. 4. 
 
 by ni^^ht opened the prilon doors, and brought them 
 forth, and laid, 20 Oo, fland and Ipcak in the 
 ttmple to the people all the words of this life. 
 
 Ncfe, here, i. How the perfccuiicns of the holy aportics 
 did gradually advance and encreafe. In the foimer chap- 
 ters the npoftles were only fecurcd, kept in hold for a night, 
 and difmiifed with a threatening next day; but nov/, bci ig 
 filled a fecojid time w iih the holy fpirir, they arc better en- 
 r.hled to grapple with fufferings, and to glorify God under 
 them ; and .-iccordingly here they are committed to the 
 common prifon, amongfl malefaftors, and afterwards beaten 
 lid cxpofed to public fliame, vcr. 4c. O the tcndcrnefs 
 
 i lie place wlierc the apolUes alien. bled to preach tic gofpel of God towards his tender fervants ! While thcfe apoflles 
 
 and woik miracles tor tiie confirmatiun ot the fame, 7 hry 
 were all 'with one accird in Schntin's pireh. Where note, 
 [i.j Their uni'y and unanimity : There were no perfons 
 among them guilty of fchiimati^al feparation in lorlaking 
 the puolic allembly ; but w it It one mouth, as well as with 
 one mind and heart, they gloiihed God. (2.) '1 heir pru- 
 dential Lolancl's and holy courage appeared in preaching to 
 the people in Solomon's poieh ; for the fanhedrim, or great 
 couneil lit ill, or very near that place, even that council, 
 
 were flriplings, their faith feeble, and their grace weak.Goel 
 ftayeth the rotiph wind, keeps off the Horrn of perfccuiion 
 from tl'.em. G(>d will ever fiiit the flrrke to Lis people's 
 ffrength, proportion their burden to their baek, and never 
 fiilKer them to be tempted above what ihcy arc able. Note, 
 2. The apoflles being prifnncrs for Chrifl .im! his gofpel, 
 tkcy have r,n angel lor iheir keeper and deliverer, who 
 opens the ptifon door, and overpowers and puts cut the 
 devil. God could otherwife have delivered them, biit he 
 
 vhiehia ilie tormcr chapter impriloned ih.em, and in this makes ufe of the minifliy of angels for the ccnfirming of 
 
 beat them. (Vcr. 40.) liar/? thence, . That nodiing bet- ' • ■ ' ■ •- -"^ • • . . - 
 
 ler becomes the n.iniiters and melfengcrs cf Jelus Chrifl, 
 than an holy and huii.ble, a wife and meek, a zealous and 
 convini.ing bolJiiels, in aliening the truths ot the gorj)eI, 
 and in repro\ing bn, and deiKjunting judgments agaiiilt 
 impi.ni.ent linners. Cionlider we liow bold and zealous 
 our Lord and Maiter was ill his minillry. Luke xx. 21. 
 fVi kniw tktJ thou teaeheft ike -wiiy cj Cod truly, and cc- 
 cejteji nu li.e ferjcn of or.y. 
 
 their laith, andto let them fee by. experience that he had 
 given angels charge (\er them. Since the eflablifhment 
 ot the gofpel, God w ill have us live more by faith, snd to 
 walk Kfs by fcnfe, aid therefore we .nitifl not now (ordi- 
 naril)) fee thofe minilkring and beneficent fpiiiis: but 
 although their vir.ble Eppariicns be ceafed, yet their in\j- 
 fible operaticns for th.e heirs cf falvation- fhaJl never ccafe. 
 Heb. i lilt. Art iheynot ill tnii;:f.crirg f}int!, fcnt Juth 
 
 nu lie pcrjm of cry. And the apoftlcs learnt the to mlwfter fcr than ui.e (ludl h l.iirs of julvcthns' 3. 'The 
 Lnie ot ;iieir iviulter, Acfs iv. 13. If Un the Ugh pr'ujis apofdes being ihus brought cut of pi if, n by an angel/ are 
 
 Jt.XL- the boUinejscf I'eter and Join, they took hnouled^e of ce^mmaniied to preach, and tl ey h:;\e their 'text civuithen 
 
 li.emlhct they had been xwth Jejus. Oljerve, k^. How Ge^d by the angel that cptncd brih the pi ifon tnd the pidpif 
 
 ever-ruled the judgment inhicled upon Ananias and Sap- door for them: The rngel f: wl i;nio thim, Go, rr.d fjeak 
 
 phira, tndcauledk to wojk lor (pecial good. Thus, I'uch wilo ike people all the iilrdi cf this life, \ti. 20. That i.s 
 
 of the apoltlcs' hearers, who were iinlou.nd and inlinccre, of this life for which you were inrpiifencd, this life which 
 
 durll not join ihemfelvcs to them, having fecn a j.reat in-- the SadJiicces, who 'impiifc^ncd )eii, e'eny; naiv.elv, the 
 
 fiance ot feverity upon concealed h)pccrify ! They were refurrec^ion cf the body, iiid etesnrd life. Let.rn,' Thzx 
 
 alraid Xo come amon^ll them any inoje, or to mske a ll.cw net the tilings of this life, but the things cf citinity and 
 
 th« 
 
438 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 V. 
 
 the life to cnmc, the iinfcen things of nnother world, are 
 the things which all the miniftcrs of Chrilt ought (o preach, 
 ?nd I'T' Is their people to the piirfuit ot ; Go, mul fpe^ik unto 
 : .e l.-p'.e nU the wjrds of tins life: That is, the gofpcl, wiiich 
 is the woril of life, and direrts them how to attain eternal 
 life and falvaiion by Jcfus Chrift. 
 
 2 1 And when they heard ^//j^ they entered into 
 the temple early in tlie morning, and tau;4ht. But 
 the higli piicflcaaie, and they that were with him, 
 and called the council together, and all the fcnate of 
 the children of I frael. and fcnt to the prifon to have 
 them biou^^ht. 22 But when thcofliccrs came, and 
 found them not in lite prifon, they returned, and 
 told, 23 Saying, The prifon truly found we (hut 
 wiih all fcifetv, and the keepers ftanding without, 
 before the doors : but when v\'e had opened, we 
 found no man within. 24 Now when the hi,i;h 
 pritfi ;md the captain of the temple and the chief 
 priefls heard thele things, they .doubted of them 
 M-liercunto this would gi-ow. 25 Then came one 
 :ind told them, faring, Behold, the men whom ye 
 put in prifon are ftanding in the temple, and teach- 
 intf the people. 26 Then went the captain with the 
 officers, and brought them without violence. For 
 fhey feared the people, left they fliould have been 
 iloned. 27 And when they had brought them, they 
 fct //.rwt before the council : and the high priefls 
 afked tiiem, 28 Saying, Did not: we flraightly 
 command you, that you fliould not teach in his 
 name? and behold, j'ou have filled Jerufalem with 
 your do£lrine, and intend to bring tlus man's blood 
 upon us. ^ 
 
 Notihtve, I. No focner were the apoflles out of prifon, 
 hut they enter into the tc nple and preacli with a redoubled 
 zeal and diligence: no doubt, Sntiin had better have let 
 thcfc holy men alone, than have cad tlicm into prifon; for 
 the cold bl.ifts of perfccution and impnfonment beating 
 upon their outward inan, by a fpirilual antiperiftafiy, aug- 
 mented the heat of grace within. There is no fuch way 
 to be even with thcdcvi! and his inftrumcnt?, for all their 
 fpjtc aa,l malice ag;.inll us, as by doing all the good we 
 can 10 the fouls of men. a. How the deliverance which 
 God wrotight for the apoftles, in bringing them miracu- 
 loufly oi:t of prifon by the conduiSt of an angel, did con- 
 found the council v/hich laid them in: They were non- 
 pluflcd and horribly perplexed at it ; They doubted luhere- 
 unto this would' grow. They flood amnfc-d and amazed, 
 and knew not what meafures to take; but were at their 
 wits end. Sin oft-times brings men into flraits, but ftr-iits 
 do rot always bring men off tVjin their fins. Thus here, 
 Jiotwithflanding their prefcnt perplexity of fpirit, they fpur 
 on, and bring tliem again before the council, ver. 26. 1 Icn 
 uiiMt the captain xvitl) the off errs cf the temple, and brtught 
 ihtm uiihout i-'alence. 3. The crimes which the holy 
 apuiUcs were unjuftly accufcd of ; namely, obftiii.ncy and 
 
 fedition. They arc charged with cbrtinacy in perking 
 to preach the gofpel, when they had Hriftly (but very 
 wickedly) forbidden thrin: And 1 hey are accufcd cf fedi- 
 tion, as if thev endeavoured to flir tip the pec>ple to .->vcnge 
 t^e blood of Chrift upon the rulers, as being tmjuftly fhed 
 by them. The greateft itinocency cannot protcA the holieft 
 perfons from flandcr and talfe accufntion. The btft of men 
 have fometimes been charged with the blackcfl crimes. 
 No wonder then the fanhedrim, or great council, which 
 charged Chrift himfcif with impofturc and blafphcmy, did 
 acciifethe apoftlcs of ftdaion and contiimscy ; The difiplt 
 is K'J ahcrce hi: niafler. 4. The contunicli )us refltiElion' 
 wliich they h.nd made upon our J-ord Jtliis Chrift liimftlf j 
 Tou /W;7.t', fays the council, /» bring tf-is mun's bl:cd upon 
 us : .As if the holy Jefiis had not been worthy of the naming 
 by them. Chrift told his difciplcs, Luke vi. 72. that the' 
 world (hotild caft out their name as evil. Behold! his 
 own is ufcd no better : He is homo nuUius ramtnit. This 
 man, this fiUow, this dfceiver, were the op;robioiis titles 
 \Nhich the learned Rabbles ihoiight fit to impofe upon the 
 beft man thnt ever the world had. Lhrd! how can we 
 be abafcd enough for thee, who waft degraded and ubafcd. 
 for us ? 
 
 29 Then Peter and the clh(r apoflles anfwered- 
 and faid, Weou;;ht to obey God rather than men. 
 30 The God of our fathers railed up Jefus, whom 
 ye flew and hanged on a. tree. 31 Him hath God 
 exalted with his right hand to be s Prince and a. 
 Saviour, for to give repentance to Ifrael, and for- - 
 givenefs of fins. 32 Aod ^ce are his witnelTes of 
 thefe things, and^o is alio the Holy Ghoft, whom- 
 God hath given to them that obey him. 33 When 
 they heard !hal, they were cut to the lieaii, and tooJC. 
 counfel to flay them. . 
 
 To the foregf.ing charge of cbfiinacy brouglit in againft* 
 the apoftles, St. Peter anfwers in the name, and as the-, 
 inouih of the reft ; owning that he had not obeyed them in 
 their injur.flicn, becsufe tley had commanded that which* 
 was cntrary to the command cfGid. Where role. How 
 the apoftles afte-rt the preregative of Chrift as their apology 
 for difobcdience to.hiimzn crmmands ; Tt'e ought to chey 
 Gid rutber than men. The fccond part of the charge »as 
 fedition ; as it the apoftles endeavoured to ftir. up the people 
 to revenge the Lloniof Chiift uprn the chief priefls and 
 rulers. The nee iZ/irjr, That it is no new thing to tax il.e 
 miniftcrs ci Chiift for preaching fitiiiien, when ndcis de- 
 firn to ftrp their mouths, and not ftiffer ihem,to preach at 
 ail. But to rcn rve il i.' part of the (harge, the apoftlc tells 
 them, that ibis Jt fiis whom they igneminioully flew on 
 earth, is now an <xalted Piince io heaven, ible to give re- 
 prnrance and jeo ilMon.cf fiiis to the worft cf his mur- 
 derers, if they unleirnedly defire it : Him hitlh God exalted 
 to Je a Prince end a Suviour, to give repentance, &c. 
 Whence iecrn, i. That Jefus v\ ill be a Sr.viiur to nor.e t»> 
 whom he is not a Piince. We muft fnhmit ourfelvcs to 
 his ruling power, as well as c< mn it ouiftlves to his faving 
 mercy. Fox it is in vain to exj e£l falvaticn by him, if we 
 
 do 
 
"Chap. v. 
 
 Tae 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 439 
 
 donotviclJ fi.bjc£lion tohlm. 2. That rcpcr.t.r.rj sr.d and that by deatli. Tlience A-an;, That no cic termination 
 
 rcmillian of Cms arc the fpcci.il frmts and advantages of of a council apainfl a docflrine or pra<5lice, is any demon- 
 
 ChriiVs ex.iitauon ; Him hath Gid exalted to give repent- ftrativc or fufTicicnt proof, that fuch a doftrinc or pracSicv: 
 
 anceandrenvffyjnoffms. 3. That it is the folc prcroiraiivc is not from God. 2. How God raifcd up a parttciih'.r 
 
 of our Lord JcfusChrift, to give repentance and rcmi/Iion pcrfon in thccouiicil, Gamaliel, fointcrpofc on the apoftics' 
 
 of lins. Where mtc^ The encouragement which the behalf, as Nicodcmns before had done on Chrift's behalf i 
 
 apoftie's miniilry gave to the HHird.erers"^of Chrill to hope and iifes him as an inftriiment to prefcrvc them from the 
 
 for pardon ; he preaches thi duty of repentance, and the rage and fury of their perfecutors. Without qucftion. Ga- 
 
 privilegeof rcmiflion of fins, butalFnreth them, for their malicl's fpirit v/as a(5luatcd and influenced by the Spirit of 
 
 comfoit, that Chi ifl ftand? ready to difpcnfc B-nh. But God to give fuch counfcl as is here given. 3. The cmmM 
 
 obferve the f.u! crf'.:£ls which tiiis fcrnun hrd upon fhefe and advice given in the fcvcral parts of it. (i.) Hcadviiii 
 
 hearers; it was for fubftance the f.imc which St. Peter them to take heed what they i!id to thefe men, ver. 35. 
 
 preaciicd, chnp. ii. when fo many thnufands were pricketl implying tliat men hud need take heed iiow they engage 
 
 at the heart with forrow and compunflion ; whereas thcfc fheir.fi.lves in fupprelling ordeltroying any fort of men 
 
 men wcVc cit to the heart with anger and indignation, whatfocvcr, imiii they have clear and exprcffive warruni 
 
 Whence karn, Tlwt the mod found and facred doflrine, from heaven for the execution. (2.) He aiiurcs them, 
 
 is an iiit(.kr.ible torment to an unfound and unholy heart: That if this work be of men, it will certainly come to 
 
 That the word of .Goddirp<.n:ed by thefr.mc minilk-r, and "ought; which he proves by a double inlbnoc, nan-.cl>, 
 
 in the fnme maJiner, b:\s not always the fame fuccels. The T'^'^'^'^'^'J'"'' J"''as of Galilee, who both pretended to be 
 
 fent of God as Saviours of their country, and ga;heie<< 
 inany followers, but mifcarricd in their entcrprizc ; inti- 
 mating. That every invention, contrivance, or device of 
 man, cfpcciallv in things pertaining to God and religicn, 
 will in time be blafled and blown tip by (jod and come to 
 „ , , . , ., nothing. (1.) He adds, That if this woik be of God, 
 
 34 Then Rood there up one in the counci, ; a it can neverbc overthrown, but the attempt will be deemed 
 Pharifce, named Gamaliel a doflor of the law, had a fighting againft God : Signifying to us, That for any 
 in reputation anion lj all people, and commanded pcrfon to attempt the fuppreflion of anvdoftiine or prj6fice 
 
 iubftancc of both thefe fcrmons was the fame, fjefus and 
 the refurretlioTi) and the preacher (St. Peter) was the 
 fame, but the fuccefs was not the fame ; to let the apofile 
 Jcnow, that the excellency of the power was of Goil, and 
 not of himfelf, as St. P.aul fpcuks, 2 Cor. iv. 7. 
 
 to put the apoflles forth a little fpace ; 35 And (aid 
 unto them, Ye men of Ilrael, take heed to yoiir- 
 fclvcs, what ye intend to do a» touching thefemen. 
 36 For before thefe days rofe up Theud 's.boifling 
 
 that is from God, is to fight agairift Gcd himfelf. {*.) He 
 intimntcs to them the great peril and danger of tiglui.-g 
 againff God in the word even left ye be found even fight- 
 ing againft God. Thence knrn. That fighting againft Gcd 
 is a moft dangerous enterprift: for any pcrlon at any time to 
 
 himfelf to be fomebody. to whom a number of men be f mnd emlacrcd or concerned in. ' Note 4. The fucc 
 
 about four hundred, joined theirlclves : who was 
 flain, and all, and as many as obeyed him, were 
 Tcattcred and brought to nought. 37 After this man 
 rofe up Judas of Galilee in he days of the ta.xinir^ 
 and drew away much people after him : he alio 
 perifhod. and all, even as many as obeyed him, wen 
 
 or ilRie of Gam.ili rscounfel ; his adiice be-ng fo wife and 
 rati, iia', it prevailed >\ ith the rulers to dcf;tl from their 
 former intention of putting the apoflles to death ; but ihcv 
 came not ofF without blows, though without bloodllicd ; 
 they are fe^urged as their Mafler was before them, which 
 was both a painful and reproachful puniihnunt : Yet were 
 they fo far from being difcouragcd, thnt iht y were the more 
 
 difpericd. 38 And now I f.iy unto you. Refrain ""cfolved. Tlicy nyjnv,/, that 1 hey were fo grated .as to be 
 from thefe men, and let them alone: for if this <Ji-'"p2ccclfor Chrid, and accounted it their higheii honour 
 
 _ . r I .1- 1 i_ c •.. -11 to be di (honoured for him ; efteeminir it a very rieat t.tvjur 
 
 couAiel or this work be or men, it wiil come to ,„ 1 1, ■ e u . w <■ r^i • ; r . .u 
 
 . ' and liappuicfs bear t^) rcproah for Chri.t,xcoriiij;g "o th-t 
 
 nought : 30 But it it be of God, ye cannot over- of the apoflle St. Peter, i Epiif. iv. 14. //> be reproached 
 
 throw it; lelt haply ye befound even to (luhtagaiufl for the name cfCbi/1, h^ppy are ye \ for 'the Spirit of ghrf 
 
 God. 40 And to him they agreed. And when and of God refleth uponyAt. This font them from the prc- 
 
 were counted wortliy to ftiffer ihaine for hi.> name. God, verfe 42. Daily in the temple, ami in ciery l:o:fe 
 
 42 And daily in the temple and in every houfe. they '^'^y "(fed not to teach and'to pi-each Jefut ChnjI ; th:;t i.-. 
 
 ccafed uot to teach and prc.ich TcfusChri!!. t-hey laid hold on every cpportuniiv." in feafi n' and out of 
 
 j.r , . feafon, pubiiclvand privatelv ro pulliih the gcfpel to tJiofe 
 
 A;/.' here, i. A general council erring, and th..t fi-nda- th;U had not received ir, andrjuhcr to inRn Jt thofe 'hit 
 
 meniallv. Ill mj.iter.s ottai:!,. Th- y dctermiRcd nercmp- had already received the .faith of Chii'f. Thus the more 
 
 to.-Mvi 1 hnt the doftrr.'ic -nd pr.-.aicc of the apoftles was omrageou.. were their advcrisrics, the mor* couisfe. ii.s 
 
 not trom God; and .ucoidini^ly icfJved to rtptefs th.i", ', ,. . 
 
M^ 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS, 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 were the- holy apoftlcs. They rcli^ioufly profefs ihe name 
 ofChrirt, and rcfohircly abiile by ihtU profcllinn, though 
 •hey were derided, imprifoncd, pcrfecuied, and beaten tor 
 the fame. Lord, help thv miniilcrs at this day to Inffer 
 reproach for thy pcfpcl ; Ltit never let any ot them citlicr 
 .reproach it, or be a reproach iin'o it. Aweii. 
 
 C II A P. VI. 
 
 In the foregcing chnpkn, an acctnn\t is given of the 
 two jirfl pcrfraUimi tlwt hfd the chriflian church 
 ojter Chrijl's ojctnfim ; thefonncr in impyifming. the 
 latter in the heating of the op'Jlla. This and the 
 v.txt chapter (icqumnts m with a third blow given to 
 this infant church, blacker and bLwdier than both tlie 
 fo}-mer, in the death of the licly Martyr St. Stephen; 
 ajwf the occafion of it was thus : 
 
 AN D in tliofc days when the number of the 
 difciplcs was multiplied, there arofe a mur- 
 muring of the Grecians againft the Hebrews, ,bc- 
 caufe their wido^vs were nc;;le£led in the daily 
 ininirtration. 2 Tiien the twelve called the multi- 
 tude of the difciples unto them, and faid. It is not 
 reafonthat we fliould leave the word of God, and 
 l"er\c tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out 
 amonc^ you feven men of honcft report, full of the 
 Holy Ghofl; :.ind wifflom, whom we may appoint 
 over this bufinefs. 4 But we will give ourfelves con- 
 tinually to prayer and to thcniiniftry of the word. 
 
 Here ohfervt, i. How the number of chriflians incrcnfed 
 I'pon the foregoing pcrftcmion : as the Jew i(h church in 
 Egypt, the mors it wasopprcfTi-d, the more il miiMpIicd ; 
 fo the chriftian church here got ground by oppofi'if ti : 
 ver. I. In tbfe duy^ the number of the difcipkt tvis iniAtipllcfl. 
 1. How the nnmber of believers incrcafine, there arcfc fas 
 it too often happrns arnon;:; a miihitiidi) a murmuring 
 among them : The Grecians, that is, fncli Jews as were 
 difperfed abroad among the Greeks, compl:iir.in<j that their 
 iviJovvs were ncgleclcd, and received kf* thnn the widows 
 «t the Hebrews i:i the daily diliributirns of the chnrch's 
 
 ■ money, for- charitable ufcs. Thence /c-^rn, That nrgJiK^ 
 ff the poor, particularly of the ST'^odlv poor, is a fin in all 
 
 ■bi!t efpecially in the ciuirchcs of Chrift. Ohjcrvc, j How 
 
 -<he oprdlcs dcfiring to have the poor well pruvidcd fr>r, 
 and not having kifure themfelvcs pcrfonally to takccrreof 
 them, advifethe church to chiifc iVvcn pcifms out of the 
 hundred and twenty mcnrioned chapter the firft, to be 
 ffewards and difpcnft rs of the church's tlnck, to diltrihii»e 
 the fame with cqtii'y and indifference to all proper cbjccEls 
 
 "of charity without exception. Thence learn. That a 
 gcncrrd concern for the poor, and a tender regard to their 
 
 •nectiltrics an<l wants, is a duty that well becomes the 
 triinirtcrs and .Tinb..:Vador3 of G<:d : CJikPs poor are his 
 treafurc, his jewtU, the fienct i;pon hij arm ; t^cy are 
 always in his eye, and upon his heart : how well then doih 
 
 ■ it become the minilleis ot God to take care of them who 
 
 are fo dear to him ? Ohferve, 4. Hr.w the apofllcs rcfolve 
 toperform their duty to God and their people, wiih fiich' 
 zejl and applica'icn, as became perfons of their holy cha- 
 raifler and prnftflion. IVt will give our/elves continually 
 unto pruyr, and to tit minifry of the tvcrd. Where n?/^, 
 I. That fnch as are* called hv God to the work of the 
 miniftry, oup,hr to give thcmfdves wholly to it ; ft'e will 
 give Burlflvet continually thereunto. 2. That a n.inifter's 
 giving himftlf untopnycr, is as great, if not a greater 
 duly than giving liimfLlf ti the preaching of the word; 
 ff^e will give eurjelves continually vnto prayer, and to the 
 mlnjlry ef the word : To tVc one as the end, to the other 
 as the mean ; it i<:G'<<i that fcts the word on \vo\V, but it 
 is prayer that fets God on work : That nMnilK-r that is 
 not fervent in prayer cannot expert to he fiicc fstiil in 
 prcachinr;. Prtyt'orns, Dy; the rpoftle to the ThelVulo- 
 nians, that the word may run and be glorified ; he that 
 begged prayer of others, did notnegleftit himfclf, but pray- 
 ed without ceafing. 
 
 5 And the faying pleafed the whole multitude. 
 And they chofe Stephen, a man full of faith and of 
 the Holy Ghofl, and Philip, and Prochorus, and 
 Nicanor. andTimon, and P.irmenas, and Nicholas 
 aprofclyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they fet before 
 the apoftlcs : nnd when they had prayed, they laid 
 C^«?' hands on them. 7 And the word of Ged in- 
 creafed ; and the number of the difciples multiplied 
 in Jcrufalem greatly; and a great company of the 
 priefls tvere obedient to the faith. 
 
 Olfei-ve here, That to remove the foremen ioned miir- 
 mnrini.' T the inco'iaiity of the poor's relief, f jv n deacons 
 were chofon to adifl the ap' 'llis, and to difp'fe <>f th; t 
 trs-afure fwhiih had been hid down at the upollKs' feet) 
 wiih inore inrtiftlrcncy to .ill fit objefts of charity ui'.hof.t 
 exiepii-in. Here wc/.-, 1. Tlic qualification of the pcrfoBt 
 choftn • Win full of tie Holy GhoJ} : That is, pcrfnns that 
 were extraordinarily sJTifted by the Spirit to perfcrm the 
 duties required c\ ihem ; for the office ofa deacon w:s 
 befiiles ths taking care of the pi^or, fr pr a.h the rofpel, 
 and !n b.!ptize, as if a!:p"r'rs Phillip eiv! ; had it been enly 
 to t^ike caie of :he pooi , they nccdc.l rot ro he fa inquifi- 
 tivc to find out men full of th^-- Holy Ghofl for that, fer- 
 vice. Here wc.V, That the fc; iptiire mentions aihrccfild 
 fulnefs nf the H<Iy Ghrff, according to a thrcefcid capacity 
 of the receivers. There is pk:riti:do fuf.cicntiee, the 
 ftdn'fs of a velTel ; this every hdicvcr h.nh ; there is pleni- 
 ludo'.ahundan'ia, the fidntfs of a flream ; ti.i-iihe apnitirs 
 had, when extrn(>rdiiirrily ir;fpircd, »nd filed wi'h the 
 Spirit at the firfl plantation cf the rcfpel ; and there is 
 ftcnitvdo, fiiperiih'ndar.iiar. thf fi:!nefs of a fi i.-ntain i and 
 this Chrifl had. Col. i. iq. /.' fkr.frd the Fi.ther tlat in 
 him JIjcuIJ ii'l fiilrufs dzvell. 2. The manner how thefe 
 deaccns ( I'.'er imo their eflice ; it is by pr.Tver and imprw 
 fi'ion ofhmds, \er. 6. 7 ley prayed ami laid herds en tl'em. 
 This rite ' flaying on of hands vas iifed anciently uprii 
 a threefold occafion in the Jewilli church : namely, in 
 their facriHces, Exod. xxix. 15. !n their bleflinss. Gen. 
 xlviii. I.J.. And ia their dcfignaiiun unto a c^iarce or 
 
 otlUv . 
 
Chap. vit. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 441 
 
 office, Numb, xxvii. 18. Thus Mofcslaid hi s hands en 
 Jolhua ; and from hence it was derived and brought into 
 the jTofpel-cluirch, when miniftcrs were ordained by the 
 apoftles in the primitive times, they !;iid tlieir hands ufoii 
 them. I Tim. v. 72. Nolf, 3. The mighty fuccefs of the 
 gofprl, notwitiiftandinf* all the violent oppofition that 
 w.ts made ag.iinft it ; ThfvtordoJGod, that is, the doc- 
 trine of the gofpcl . increafeJ, the numhtr nfhelievers multi- 
 plied : yea, fonie of the prieftt themfeives, tliough formerly 
 bitter enemies to Chrlfl, now embraced the faith, and were 
 joined to the church ; gre.it istruth.erp-.'ci.il'y the fpirit of 
 truth, and will prevail. Naked truth is too hard for armed 
 error. Truth has the llrength of God in it, and therefore 
 human power can never prevail againfi divine truth. Si 
 mightily grrM the word of Cod end prevailed. 
 
 8 And Stephen full of faith and power did great 
 wonders and miracles atnong the people, gf Then 
 there arofc certain of the fynai^oiTue which is called 
 tht fynagogite of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and 
 Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and of Afia, 
 difpuling with Stephen. 10 And they were not 
 able to refill the wifdom and the Spirit by which he 
 fpake. 11 Then they fuborncdnien which faid, We 
 have heard him Ipeak biafpemous words againft 
 Mofes and <7^fl/;^ God. 12 And they flined up 
 the people and the elders and the fcribes, and came 
 .upon him, and caught him, and brought hhn to the 
 coiincil. 13 And fet falfe witncIFes', which faid 
 This man ceafeth not to fpeak blafphcmous words 
 again fl this holy place and the law. 14 For we 
 have heard him fay, That this Jefus of Nazareth 
 Hiall dellroy this place, and fhall change the culloms 
 •which Mofes delivered us. 15 And all that fat in 
 the council, looked ftcdfaflly on him, faw his face 
 as it had been the face of an angel. 
 
 Notehere, The great characT:er given of St. Stephen ; a 
 man full of the grace of God, full of faith, full of power 
 to w'ork miracles, mighty in word and deed ; able to do all 
 things, and to fuffcr all things through Chriftthatflrength- 
 ened him. 2. The violent oppofition which this good 
 njan met with ill the way of his duty. He is, I'l.) En- 
 countered by difputation with the heads of five collcgesin 
 Jerufaleni, namely. Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, 
 .Cilicians and Aliatics. Behold here, an admirable ncl kept, 
 ■wherein St. Stephen was the refpondent, againft wljoni op- 
 ponents appeared from all parts ot the known world ; but 
 all toofewtoredft the wifdom and Spirit by which kefpake. 
 He aflertcdthe truth fo convinf inglv, that all his oppofites 
 had no power to oppofe him. See here how faithful Chrift 
 was in fulfilling of hi^promife, Luke xxi. 115. / willgive 
 you a mouth and wifdom, -which /ill your adverfaries fl:aUmt 
 he able to gainfay nor opp'fe. (2 ) His adverfaries being 
 baffled in their difputes, they burn with rewnge ; they hire 
 men to accufe him falfely, that they might take away his 
 life. The bcft arguments of a baffled adverfary are ever 
 found to be craft and cruelty ; it has been an old artifice 
 
 of the devil, to fwear innocent men out of their lives; Ar..! 
 therefore it is next to a miracle, that no greater nuraberof 
 innocent perfons have been murdered In the world by per- 
 jury and lall'e actufaiion ; when (o ninny thoufands h-te 
 tlieni, who make no cou'ciciice rf fabe oaths. 3. The 
 charge and accufation brought againft Sicpliei), that he 
 fi)ake dilhonournbly of the Jewilh religion, that he was 
 continually foretelling deftruflion to the temple, an J 
 threatening the change of all Mofaic rites. It is very pro- 
 bable, that he told them the ftiadowsand ceremonies were 
 to vanifli, now the fubftance was come; and that ihe Mo- 
 faic rites were togive place, that a more excellent and fpi- 
 ritual worlhip might fiicceed. For as God was worlliipped 
 aright four hundred years before cither tabernacle or tem- 
 ple were built, or the Jcwilh rites inftituted : So he might 
 again be truly wordiipped after they were abolidied. Laftly, 
 How Almighty God, by a miracle, bears witnefs :o the iu- 
 nocency ol his holy fervant St. Stephen ; and to convince 
 his accufers, that he had done no wrong to Mofes, Go4 
 makes his face to ftiine now as Mofes's face iiad (hintd ot 
 old, and gave him an angelical countenance, in which ap- 
 peared an extraordinary luftre and radiancy ; not that an 
 angel has a face, or fliines vilibly ; but ii intimates that 
 amazing brightnefs of beauty which was inftaniped upon 
 the face of Stephen. He now began to border upon 
 heaven, and bad received fome beams of glory approaching: 
 Itpleafeth God fometimes to give his ch;!dre:. and fervants 
 fome prelibations and foret^ftes of heaven before they ftep 
 into heaven, efpecially lioly martyrs and confeilbrs, w-ho 
 love not their lives unto death ; God bears an honourable 
 refpeft to them that bear witnefs to his name and truth ; 
 and as they fljall (liine forth in the kingdom of their Father 
 fo will God fometimes put a luftre upon their faces here : 
 All in the council faiu St. Stephen's fuce, as it had been ti:-: 
 face of an angd. 
 
 c II A P. vn. 
 
 THEN faid the high pricft, Arc thefe things fo ' 
 2 And he faid, Men, and bretliren, and fathers, 
 hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our Fa- 
 ther Abraham , when he was in Moropotamia, be- 
 fore he dwelt in Charran, 3 And faidumo him, Get 
 thee out of thy country and from thy kindred,' and 
 come into the land which I fhall fhew thee. 4 Then 
 came he out of the landof the Chaldeans, and dwelt 
 in Charran : and from thence, when his father was 
 dead, he removed him into this land wherein yc 
 now dwell. ,5 And he gave hiin none inheritance. 
 in it, no not fo much as to fet his foot on ; yet he 
 promifcd that he would give it to him for a polfef- 
 fion, and to his feed after him, when as yet he had no 
 child. 
 
 This chapter contains St. Stephen's .-.pologv, or defen- 
 fative plea which he makes for hin.fdf: The Jews had iu 
 the foregoing chapter accufed him for blalphtmirg their 
 law, and profaning their temple, imagining that Almip hty 
 
44« 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 .Chap. vn. 
 
 God was fo plea fed with the tcmple-fervice and Mofaic 
 rites, th;it no oti'.er way of worfhip coiilil be acceptable to 
 him. Therefore by an hiilorical dfduftion, he fliews. them 
 that God was worfliippeda right before either tabernacle or 
 temple was built, or any of the Mofaic rites inflimted or 
 ordained, and conft quently th.it the true worfliip of God 
 was necelT.irily and infep^rably annexrd to any of thefc 
 thing'. For, the proof of this, h^ begins a» Abraham, and 
 fliewi ihem, that he living ot old at Ur of the Chaldeans, 
 in the midil of Idolaters, God was ple.ifed of his free 
 mercy to call hiin, to enlighten, and draw him to own and 
 worftiip the true God, and comnnndcd him to leave his 
 nativecountry, and gointoa land which he ihould fliew him* 
 He promifed to make of him a gieat natinn, and that in 
 hiin all the families of the earth fhould be bltlTed. Now 
 tlie defign and drift uf Stephen in this relation, istoprovc, 
 that Abraham, from his firftcall in Chaidea, when he was 
 feventy yearsold, to the time of his being ninety years old, 
 had ferved God faithfully al! that time, without eithercir- 
 camcifion or ceremony, without tabernacle or temple ; and 
 confequently, that the true M'oriliip of God mlghfbe now 
 performed acceptably after thefe ceremonies were aboliflied 
 as well as it was performed before they were inftituted. 
 Learn hence, i , That rclis^ious worlhip is nianift ftly due 
 to God by the law and light of nature. 2. That the man- 
 ner how that worfliip IhoulJ be acceptably performed, was 
 not known by the law of nature, but dilcovcred by divine 
 revelation. Adam in innocence knew God was to he 
 worlhippcd ; yet he did not know by what outward acls 
 he was to teftify that homage, till God the Sovereign Go- 
 vernor and fupreme Lawgiverdid give dirct^iion. j. That 
 the worfliip due from the creature to God the Creator, is 
 a fpiritu.'il worfliip, and ought to be fpiritually performed. 
 4 The Judaical worfliip, though appointed by God him- 
 i'elf, was flelhly and carnal, and never pleafed God for its 
 own lake. 5. 'rhe evangelical worfliip being (piritual,and 
 inoft Iniiable to the nature of God, is therefore moft ac- 
 cepcible and heft pleafing to him. The ceremonial wor- 
 Jh'p wa> then fore good, becaufc God conimandtd it ; but 
 the evangplical wo: fhip is therefore connnanded, becaufe 
 ■ good. The legal worfliip is csWul fl Jh in fcriptnre, and a 
 carnal ordinance, il^ oppolition to the gofpel, which iscalled 
 fpirit, and ad'nW^Jlnmn of the fj'irit, becaufe attended 
 with a morelpiritual efficacy on the hearts and lives of men. 
 
 6 And God fpnke on this wife, that his feed 
 fhould lojourn in|a flrange land; and that ihey fhould 
 bring them into bondage, andintreat them evil four 
 hun-dred years, 7 And the nation to whom they 
 fhall be iti bondage will I judge, laid God. And 
 after that fhall ihcy come forth, andfcnemeinthis 
 place. 8 And he gave him the covenant of cir- 
 curncifion. And fo /}ir<7/;flw. begat Ilaac, and cir- 
 tumcifed him theeigliihday ; and Ifaac/irj^a/ Jacob: 
 and Jacob be^at the twelve oatriarchs. 
 
 Suie hen-, 1 lie great tri.d which God put Abraham's 
 
 faitli nn;o : The I^ord promifed to ^'ve h'tii the land of 
 
 'Canaan fur a poflcllion, but he gave hhiv iiot a foot^s 
 
 ■breadth : lie promiled to gi?e il Unto \\\% feed, when as 
 
 yet he had no child ; and when Gpf! .gave him feed, yet 
 ihey were to fojourn in » ftruni^eiandi Egypt ; and con- 
 tinue there in bondage four hundred year.. Learn Uewce, 
 'J'hat there is no grace which Cod delights more ro exer- 
 cife and try, tiian the faith of hivt people; as, faith puts 
 honour upon Cod, fo do;h Go(' put hcnour upon faith ; 
 and faith never honours Go.d more, nor is more highly 
 honoured by him, th.iu w'heniit is put opon ibe greaieft 
 exercife and trial : iVex.i.j. T'uit the Irialof your Jjjih 
 being much more precious than of^'iU that peiifieDt, might 
 be fiund, &;c. Here the apoftle compares fmth unto, and 
 prefers it before gold, even the moft precious gold purified 
 in the fire. Is gi)lJ precious and rare? So is faiih. , Js 
 gold pure and relplendcnt ? So is faith. Is gold Lifting and 
 durable? So is faith. Is gidd purified and improved by 
 trying in the fire? So is faiih by exercile ; as rhe inftance 
 of Abraham here fully proves. 2. How God takes Abra- 
 ham and his ("ced into covenant wiih h'iin, and gives him 
 circumcifion, the leal of the coven:int. Thence learn, 
 'J'hnt in the covenant which God made with Abraham, he 
 g.ive hiiiilclf to be a God to Abraham and to his feed, and 
 received Abraham and hisfeed to he a people unto himfelf. 
 2. That circumcifion was both the fign and tiie feal of the 
 covenant which God made with Abmhani, and his feed, 
 the people of the Jews : It is here called the covenant of 
 circumcifion, becaule circiinicifion was both the (ign atid 
 the feal of thatcovenant made with Abraham, (i.) Cir- 
 cumcifion was a fign, and that in feveral relpefts : Jt was 
 a commemorative lign of God's covenant with Abraham; 
 it was a reprel'entative fign of Abraham's faith and obe- 
 dience towards God, A demonftrative fign of original fin> 
 and the depravity of human nature. A dilcriininaiion and 
 diftinguifliing fign of the true church, and people of God, 
 from all the reft of the world. An initiating fign, by 
 which all (rrangers were admitted into the Jewifb church. 
 Andiaftly, It was a prefiguraiive lign of baptifin, which 
 fucceedeil in the room of circumcifion in the Chriftian 
 church. (2.) Circumcifion was not only a fign, but 
 a feal alio; Rom. iv. ii. He received the fign of 
 circumcijhn, the feal of the righteous hy faith. It was 
 a feal on God's part, to confirm all the proimfes made to 
 Abraham and his feed : And it was a feal on his and 
 their part, to bind him to renounce the fervice of all 
 other Gods, and to oblige them to the obfervation of the 
 whole Jewifli law. , 
 
 9 And the patriarch.?, moved with envy, fold 
 
 Joieph into Egypt : but God wa.swith him, 10 And 
 
 delivered him out of all his afflictions, andgavehim 
 
 favour and wifdom in the fight of Pharaoh king of 
 
 Egypt ; and he made him governor over E,;yptand 
 
 all his houfe. 1 1 Now there came a dearth over all 
 
 the land of Egypt and Cinnan, and great aflliiflion; 
 
 and our fathers found no fuftenancc. 12 Butwhen 
 
 Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, ho fent 
 
 out our Father's tirft. 13 And at the lecond tim« 
 
 Jofeph Wa.s 1; adc known to his brethren: and 
 
 lofeph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 
 
 ■ 1.1 Then 
 
Chap vii. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 24 Then fent Jofeph, and called his father Jacob 
 to him ahd all his kindred, three fcorc and filtcen 
 fouls. 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and 
 died, he and our fathers, ''16 And were carried 
 over into Sych(;m. and laid into the fcpulchre that 
 Abraham bou^I^t for a fum of money of the fons of 
 Emmor the father oi Sychem. 17 But when the 
 time of the promife drew nigh which God had 
 fworn ta Abraham, the people grew and multiplied 
 in Egypt, 18 Till another king arofe, which knew 
 not Jofeph. 19 The fame dealt fubtiley with our 
 kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, fo that they 
 call out their young children, to the end they might 
 not live. 
 
 From thehiftory of Abraham, Stephen proceeds to that 
 of Jofeph; and fljews, as he did before, that Jofeph, as 
 well as Ahrahaiti, worfh'pped God acceptably witliout 
 cither tabernacle or temple, and wiihoin liich ciiftoms as 
 Mofes delivered ; and confcqiiently, that the worthip of 
 God is not confined to an cHitward temple, or a Mrfaical 
 ininirtraiion; and that tbtrefore i: was not blafphemy in him 
 to lay, that Gtxl might be fo worfhipped. 'I'his is. St. 
 Stephen's argument iVoin the inftance of Jofeph. A-, to 
 the particular Jloiy of Jofeph, ohferve, i. The ^great and 
 fore aflliaions which befej that holy and good man ; he 
 \vasenviedandhatcdof hisbretbren, theyconfpired againft 
 him, and fought to take away his life ; he is tbrownin:oa 
 pit arid afterwards' fold Icr a bondflave to the Midianites ; 
 thev fell, him into Egppt, v here he was imprifoned fo long 
 till ihe,iron entered into his foul ; that is, fo loaded with 
 irons, that liis fl«/h was eaten with them. Uam tjience, 
 That afiliclipns, niuuy and great affliaions, Jong aud fore 
 afflictions, have been, and maj be, the lot and portion of 
 thehoheftand bedoftnen, and all thefe occ;ifioned by 
 their own brethren: JoJcpb\< hnthren^'trnveJ wtk eniy, 
 JM Jofeph, r.t'iEyrpt. 2. The fingularfupport and torn- 
 fort w,j„ch Jolepii experienced in, and inider,his great sf- 
 «iaions; C'W was with him God was with Jofeph in 
 I'otiphar's hcufe, and gave liim favour in the e\<>s of his 
 niafter, « ho repulcd an entire confidence in him. God 
 was with Jofeph in prifon, and caufed his iinprifonmcnt to 
 make way for his enlargement. God was with Jofepbin 
 Pharaoh's court, and gave him a prudent and provident 
 Spirit, making him a father unto Pharaoh, and to all his 
 people ; giving him alfo a ccn:paffionate and nu-rcilV.I fpirit 
 to his brethren ; pardoning their cruellies, and forgiving 
 the injuries done unto him. Hence we /can,, That all tlj? 
 envj' malice, and mifcliievons dedgns of men, (IrU never 
 be .-ible to hinder or difappoint the purpofe andpleafureof 
 Ood : The patriarchs moved with efr.y, Jold J'.ftph into 
 i::gypt : But Cod wa, with him. q. The rrliiiious drfire 
 which Jacob and Jofepb,and the reftof the holy patriarchs 
 had to be buried together in the land ofcana-^o,* ver. ic. 
 Jb. Jccoo d,ed, and our. fathers, ar.d were carried ever »,;/, 
 Sychem, and laid ir, afpulchre. No doubt, tliis was done 
 by way of declaration of their owr, faith, .ind in order it. 
 Je coniirmation Ofthe faith bf others, that their p.aerit^ 
 ./hould enjoy and polT.fs.tha: bnd ; fo that thisaft of a-.e I 
 
 44S 
 
 was a profeflion of their faith in the promifes which God 
 had made to them of their pofTedlng and enjoying the land 
 of Canaan. There is a natural dti're in perfons to be 
 buried by their anctllors ; but here it vvasareliuiousdcfire 
 they died in the faith of their anceltors, and 'hid down 
 their head's togethei; upon the fame pillow of duJl, in hone 
 _ of a bltfied and glorious rcfurreflion. * 
 
 20 In which time Mofes was born, and w.is ex- 
 ceeding fair, and tiourifhed up in his father's hoiife 
 three months 21 And when he was cad out, Pha- 
 raoh's daughter took him up, andnourilhcd li'imfor 
 her own fon. 22 And Mofes was learned in all 
 the wifdom of the Egyptian^ and was mighty in 
 words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full 
 forty years old, it came into his heart to vifit his 
 brethren the children of Ifrael. 24 And feeing one 
 of than fufFer wrong, he defended km, and avenged 
 him that was opprelT-^d, and fmote the- Eyptian : 
 25 For he fuppofed his brethren would have under- 
 ftood how that God by his hand would deliver them 
 but they undcrilood not. 26 And the next day he 
 Jhewedhimfelf unto them as the)- Riove, and would 
 have fet them at one again, faying. Sirs, ye arc 
 brethren: why do ye wrong one to another.? 27 
 But he that did his neighbour wrong thruft him 
 away, faying. Who made thee a ruler and a judge 
 over us ? 28 Wilt thou kill me, a.s tbou didfl the 
 Egyptian yeflerday ? 29 Then fled Mofes at this 
 faying, and was a llranger in the land of Midian. 
 where he begat two fons. 
 
 From the hiftory of Abraham and Jofeph St. Stephen 
 ddcends to that of Mofes ; where we have obfervable, i. 
 . 1 he birih and education of Mofes, he was horn, and hid 
 three minths in his Father's boufe .- and then being cart cut 
 was taken in by Pharaoh's daughter, and had a noble edu- 
 cation given to L\m ; being inlfruc^ed in all kinds of good 
 literature, to fit him for fiich great fervices as a prince's 
 court niighriprobably have brought him to : M'.Jes was 
 learned IJcnce ri'.ie, That the greater men are, ihegre.nter 
 ihould tlieircare be ft r the learned and religioi.sediication 
 of their children; Lccaufe nothing is more incongruous 
 and unfuitabie than greatnefs of eftate and meannefrof un- 
 derftnndiiig. It is a fijame to great men to breed up ihcir 
 children fenfually.to gaming, (porting, and excefs, asif ?n 
 inheiitance did ferve for no other purpofe but to make the 
 heir of it nfeiefs, and good for nothing. Again, The Kui- 
 "//V"'' <'>^'ent of Mofes's learning. He was learned in 
 nil the harnir.g of the Egyptians.. . Where rcmerk, 1. The 
 di'Ferent end which God had in his providence, from what 
 I naraoh's daughter had in her particular care. She in- 
 temiid, by this education, the cood ot Egypt; but God 
 intended the good of Ifrael ! She defigned the fervice of 
 n'^"""'' ' ^"' ^'"' deiigned Mofes to be a deliverer from 
 lliaraob. Thus the wife and holy providence of Cod 
 ufethlthe diligence of men to tfTcct and bring things about 
 which tj;,.^ never thought of. 2. .We may renuir/c, How 
 ^ " - ihit 
 
444 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS 
 
 Chap. vh. 
 
 that Moles rhe great prophet, whom GoJ fpake to, mouth 
 r:> mouth, is here coniniended f;ir hii learning, yea, for 
 Egyptian learning. Thence we may gather, Thnt hun)an 
 learning is a nob!e and beneficial gift of God, and a very 
 great ornament and honour unto the greateft and moft ex- 
 cellent men ; for it is in iifclf an ornament .ind pt-rfeftion 
 to the mind; it renders men the more iifefol nnil fervice- 
 able to their generation, and a greater bleflihg to lociety, 
 but efpecially to the holy church of God, Human learn- 
 ing is indeed far inferior to holiacfj ; but in holy men, 
 learnina; is a rare ornament and acceliion to holinefs. — 
 Sanctified wit beautilies religion, fanclified reafon defends 
 itj'andifiedpowerprotertsit, faniflitied elocution perfuades 
 others to tlie love of it ; fo that to decry the ufe of human 
 learning mud proceed either from ignorance or from ma- 
 lice, and a delire to have religion betrayed. Let us fee 
 that we get our learning feafoned with hoiinefs, that we 
 uie it with humility, moderation, and fobriety, as an hand- 
 maid unto Chriil; not vain-glorioudy unto oftentation, 
 not proLidly with contemptof others, not herettcally in de- 
 lence of error ; never fufFering human learning, but di- 
 vine revelation, to determine articles of faith ; then, if 
 ■with Mofes we be learned in all the learning of the philo- 
 ibphers, the more glory we Ihall bring to God, and the 
 more ufeful and beneficial to mankind, i. As the eJuca- 
 rion of Moles in Pharaoh's court, fo the time of his conti- 
 nuing there; namely, till he was firty years olJ: After 
 which God put it in his heart to vilit his brethren, the 
 children ol Ifrael, and offer himlelf to be a deliverer to 
 them ; and he fuppofcd that they would have underftood 
 the purpole of God to fave them by Uis hand, but they 
 underllood it not. Rut what reafon was there for the If- 
 raeljies tofuppofe, ihat Mofes was the perfon dellgneclby 
 God for tbeir deliverer? Ar.fvjcr, Very great reafon; be- 
 eaufe, (i.) They knew that the time of their deliverance 
 Jid now draw very near. (2.) From The extraordiarinefs 
 •f Mofes's prefervaiion ; by his being hid three montbsiii 
 his father's houfe without difcovery ;. by his floating upon 
 the waters in an ark of bulrulhes without danger, when 
 an infant ; they mij>ht have rationally thought that fuch 
 a perfnii w.is deliirned by God for very great purpofes. 3. 
 From- his reaiiinefi to defend them at this time, when an 
 Jfraelite .mtl an Egyptian contended ; for it was wonder- 
 ful that fo gre.it a perfon as Mofes was, and might have 
 l>een, (Iwiilii concern himftlfina private lyiarrel betwixt 
 two o!)fcure perfons. Moles might well fuppofe, that his 
 iKerhren would have underftood, how that God by his 
 h.md would iiave delivered them; but they underftood it 
 not. 7. The ill treatment piven to Mofes, when he of- 
 fered himfeif to be a reconciler ; they thrult him from 
 them, and cxpoftuh'e with him, Who made thee a ruler 
 'jr a judge? The ineekiTinn replies, ^irs,ye art brethren, 
 'j/hy d'> ye wrong one to u not her P Where nile, r. Who. 
 were the perfon^ doing wrong to each other; they were 
 Jfraelites, Iwth Itraehtes : 1 o fee an Ifratlite and an £- 
 JTV^li.^n ftrujr'^Hitg, b;id betm no woiidci-; but to fee two 
 Ifrailites, who were breihrer., bret'nrcn by nation, breth- 
 ren by reli^i >n, brethren it^ tribul.nion, both of the feed 
 of Abraham, bothinitiateJ if»fo the iiimtcovenant, both in 
 bond->p;e to a cruel lyra'it, Pharaoh, who had covKlc,icned 
 
 them to an ignominious flnvery, and defigired fuch n degree 
 of cntelty, as to murder all their male ifl'ue : This was aft 
 aftonilliing fight, and Mules might well fay, /f/y Jo ye 
 •wrong one to arfJher f PLiinly implying, that hath parties 
 Wfre to blame : but that party molt, who would not hear 
 of a reconciliation, or putting a ftopto the quarrel ; .; recon- 
 ciler is nii>re odious than a llranger in the apprehenfionof 
 foine. Laftly, How Mofes being thus ill treated by them, 
 departs from them, and they hearnomore of him for for- 
 ty years, verfe ii).Thenfled MoJt:i,andwas a pranger in the 
 land of Midian : Wiiere note, The years of Mofes's life 
 were an hundred and twenty: Forty years he fperitat the 
 court at Egypt ; forty years he Ipent in Midian with 
 his father-in lawjcthro; and the jaft forty years of his 
 life in the wildemefs. Nowall this time Mofes was awor- 
 lliipper ofthe trueGod and that in an acceptable manner; 
 and moft of his time he worlhipped Cod without either 
 tabernacle or temple. Frotn whence St. Stephen draws 
 his argument to prove, that as God was accepia^tly wor- 
 fliipped by holy men, before either tabernade or temple 
 were erefted, in like manner he may be fo again, after 
 both tabernacle and reiiipteare dcftroyed ;and tonfequent- 
 ly, that they unjuiHy accufed him of blafphemy, or (peak- 
 ing btafphemous words againft Moles, and ag-dnft God. 
 
 30 And when forty years were expired, there ap- 
 peared to him in the wildernefs of mount Sina an 
 angel ofthe Lord in a flame of fire in a bufh. qj 
 When Mofes fawiV, he wondered at the fight : and 
 as he drew near to behold //, the voice of tlie Lord 
 ratne unto him. 32 faying / am the God of thy 
 fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, 
 and the God of Jacob. Then Mofei trembled, 
 and durfl not behold. 33 Then faid the Lord tc 
 him, Put ofTthy (hoes from thy feet; for the place 
 where thou ftandell is holy ground. 34 I have ieen 
 I havo feen the aflliclion of my people, which is in 
 Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am 
 come down to deliver them. And now come, 3 
 will fend thee into Egypt. 315 Tiiis Mofes, whom 
 tl>ey refufed, faying. Who made thee a naler anda 
 judge ? the fame did God fend to be a ruler and de- 
 liverer by the hands ofthe angels which appeared 
 to hitn in the bufl). 36 He brought them out, 
 after that he had Ihewed wonders and fign\in the 
 land of Egypt, and in the Red-fca, and in the wil- 
 dernefs forty years. 37 f This is that Mofcswhich 
 faid unto the children of Ifraci, A prophet (hall the 
 Lord your God raifeupunlo you of your brethren 
 like unto me: him fliall ye hear, 38 This is be 
 that was in the church in tlie wildernefs with the 
 angel, which fpake to him in the mount Sina, and 
 •wiih our fathers, who received the lively oracles to 
 give unto us. 39 To whom our fathers would not 
 obey, but thrnfl hbn from them, and in their hearts 
 lumcd back again in'o K(;ypt, 40 Saying unto 
 
 A.ii<j;i 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 The 
 
 A C T S. 
 
 44. 
 
 Aaron, Make us godsto ^rob^fjie us : for as for 
 this Moles which brought us out of the land of 
 Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 41 
 Asd they made a calf in thofo, days and offered 
 lacifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of 
 their own hands. 42 Then God turned, and gave 
 them up to worfliip the hofl of heaven; as it is 
 written in the book of the prophets, O ye houfeof 
 Ifrael, have ye offered to me ilain bealls and facri- 
 fices by t!ie fpace of forty years in the wildernefs? 
 43 Yea, ye took upthe tabernacle of Moloch, and 
 the ftar of your god Remphan, figures which ye 
 made to worfliip them: and 1 will carry you away 
 beyond Babylon. 44 Our I.ithtrshad the taber- 
 uacle ot witncfs in the wildernefs, as he had ap- 
 pointed, fpeakingunto Moles that he ftiould make 
 it according to the falliion that he had leen. 45 
 Which alio our fiUhers that came after brought in 
 with Jefus into the polfeflion of the Gentiles, whom 
 God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto 
 the days of David, 46 Who found favour before 
 God, and defired to find a tabernacle for the God of 
 Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him an houfe. 48 
 How belt the mofl; High dwcllcth not in temples 
 made with hands; as faith the prophet, 49 Heaven 
 is my throne, and earth » my footliool : what houfe 
 will ye build me? faith the Lord: or what is the 
 place of my reft ? 50 Hath not my hand madcall 
 thcfe thin >s ? 
 
 o ^ 
 
 St. Stephen here goes on with the hiflnry of Mofesnnd 
 hav'ing, in the former verfes, made ineiirion of \\hat oc- 
 curred to him in Egypt and in Midian, here an account is 
 given of what happened to him in the wildernefs ; and the 
 iirft thing obl'ervable, is the appear.nnce of God to him in 
 a flame ot fire otit of the mldll of a bulh, which burned, 
 but ft as not confumed. This hudi was an emblem of the 
 church : This bafh burning, puinied out the afRiifled Hate 
 of the church in Egypt, having been a Jong titne in the 
 fiery furnace there ; but the burniiifr bulh, not confuined, 
 Ijgnificd the church's prefervatioii. God was in the midft 
 of the bufn, whilll the bulh was in the niidit of the burn- 
 in;^. Where n'iie, How almighty God, intended to fend 
 Moles as a deliverer of his people out of Egvpt, gives him 
 3 vifible fign for confirming of his faith, in the fight of this 
 burning, hut nnconfumed buih : i. To afliire him of his 
 peoples deliverai'.ce, that thoujih they were now flaves in 
 E'jjvpt, yet they (houki be fet free, and inflated in a land 
 flowing with milk and honey; next to fati^fy liim that he 
 ihould be theindrumtnt to bring to pafs fo glorious a work. 
 O how gracioi'.s is Gosi's condellenfion towards his fer- 
 vanes, who is pifafed, l)y vilible figns, to I'upport the weak- 
 net's of their faitl) ! The Lord appeared to Mofrs in a flame 
 (■fjire in the hujh. 2. How Mofes, in the taith of God's 
 prefencc wih hitn, prcttdiotuover him, and aCiftancc of 
 
 him, goes forth for Egypt, where he works many figns 
 and wonders before Ph iraoh, at Lift brings the people forth 
 into the wildernefs to Mount Sinai, w here God gave them 
 his la.v, and appointed Mofes then to make a tabernacle 
 for his worfliip. Now, the ule which St. Stephen m;kes 
 of this, is to convince the Jews, that for above four hun- 
 dred years their fjihers had worlliippcd God uiihout any 
 tabern.icle at all, and conlequently, that now thai fort of 
 worfliip was abolilhed, God might be very acceptably 
 fervetl and worlhiped in the abfence of if. 3. That not- 
 withftanding Mofes was raifed up by God, and fent to be 
 a deliverer into Egypt, and a law-giver to the Ifraelites in 
 the wildernefs; yet they rebelled againd him, and againlt 
 God in him ; for they ran into the vilell idolatry, even to 
 make and worfliip a golden calf, to adore the hoU of hea- 
 ven, the i\iw, moon, and rtars, for deities ; yea, they car- 
 ried aboutwith them the imagesand pi(fli4resof the heathen 
 gods. Mars and Saturn, with dtfign to worfliip them; for 
 which grofb idolatry Cod fent tliem into captivity beyond 
 Babylon. Hence /fiirn, j. That there is a ftrange incli- 
 nation in man's he^rt to the fm of idolatry ; the reafon is, 
 becaufe it is a worlhip of our own invention. Now, man 
 is moft fond of, and forwartl for, that fervicc of God 
 which is of his own ijnding out and letting up. We love 
 a devotion of our own devifing very dearly. 2. That 
 idolatry in worfliipping the fun, moon, and ftars, is aviry 
 ancient fin ; both the old Gentiles and old Jews were 
 giidty of it ; .Tud confequently, we may infer, that neither 
 .intiquiiy, nor univerfaliiy will bear us out in idolatrous 
 woriliip. Example is no plea againila rule, nor antiquity 
 againft truth : It is no excul'e to us, when we do evil, to 
 fay our forefathers did 'io before us. 3. That the idoLiry 
 of the Jews owned hiin and gloried in him. But th-vgh 
 they kae-jj Cod, ihcy viorjl^ippcd him nvt at Ccd. 4. The 
 Ifraelites being come out of Egypt by the conduct of 
 Mofes, and having entered the wilderneh at God's ap- 
 pointment and particular direction, the tabernacle for his 
 worfliip and iVrvice is ereded : This is here called, ver 44. 
 The tahernark ofwtnijs y it being the place where God 
 u.<ed to witnefs and HKinifell his glorious picfciice, and be 
 caiife the ark of the covenant, the law and the teftimcnies, 
 were laid up in it, » hich were witncJies and dfc!ar.-it:ons 
 of God's will how he svoul.i be ferved. Now this tabenia- 
 cle was an amb-ilatory temple, as the temple was a (landing 
 tabernacle. This tabernacle wasmoveable : they carried 
 it with them from pl.ice to place, whiie th«y lojourned in 
 the wildernefi, and at kill they brought it with ihem into 
 Canaan, ver. 45. which tabernacle cur foi efathcrs brrug! t 
 in with Jefus, (that is, Jolliun) into tile polTtfiion of ilie 
 Gentiles, that i", the land of Canaan, where itcontiiund 
 all the disys of Daviti, till Solomon hegatr his reign, who 
 built the temple in a nu ft ni.ionihtent and lunipiuous 
 manner. Here nc.'i°, 1. That the pitblic worfliip of al- 
 mighty God is a moral duty, founded in the light of iia- 
 tiire and the common reafon of mankiiul. 2- That 
 folemn places for public wtjrlhip have been from the begin- 
 ning, before tbe giving of the law. 1 he ancient tltvoiion 
 of the world delighted much in groves, Gen, xxi. 33. 
 ^Ibraham pluntt'J a gr-A-e, end calUd thire jn the ruiie <./ 
 
 ilr 
 
4P 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap. vrx. 
 
 th' L'ird. Thi«i wjs a fort of oratoiy or .chapel, w hhher 
 Abraham and his f.iTiily reforted, to worfhip the trite God. 
 After the giving cf the law, while the people of fhe Jews 
 Were in an unlettled condition, God was contented with a 
 jiTfa.1 tabern;ic1c ; but when they were fettled Tp. Canaan, 
 thirt'.\ migiiificent temple is built", in foine irteafitre CuitaWe 
 ro tl\* prtatnefs and majefty of that God who was to be 
 *'t»r'flii5>{i:d in ir'. ' From whence' we m.i^ inf^r. That the 
 I»ir':>lic ft-orlhtp of God, though it doth require inward and 
 ipiriitiSldevotion, yet, as public, is necefljrily e>iternal ; 
 a'ml as fiich,.it ought toexprefs, iiVtftbbtfll manner we are 
 ah>*', that profound reverence, which wepiy to divine ma- 
 jefty. And therefore that the circumftances of it (hould 
 nf)t only be deceat, but very fol'emn and magnificent, the 
 li^ht of nature feetils plainly to require, and the gofpeldoth 
 no where gaigfay. When Divid refolved to build God an 
 houfe for public worfhip, he determined it ihould be exceed- 
 ingly magnificent ; which refolution was nota piece of 
 cerentonial pieiy, but grounded on a moral and eternal 
 reafon, of equal force ina'.lagcs; namely, that the greateft 
 and befl of Beings bs moft awfully adored by us in the 
 btll manner we are able; and that we declare our high re- 
 gard and efteem of fo glorious a Majeily, by all outward 
 litting teftimonics of rcfpect and reverence. Laftly, That 
 after the temple was built, the worfhip of God was not 
 fo tied to that place, as that he could not be worlhipped 
 acceptably any where elfe ; for Cod hath declared, by the 
 mouth of his holy prophet, Ifa. Ixvi. 1,2. That he de- 
 lighted not in temples mads 'Mithhands, as if He was incliided 
 •therein, or bofund thereto. And thus St Stephen, by a 
 large indiclion of particulars, made good his defence, that 
 he was n»T guilty of blafphemy, for affirming that Chrill 
 would deftroy the temple, and change the cuiloms which 
 Mofes delivered. He dofeshis apology with this argument, 
 Thjt which was not blafphemy to affirm of the tabernacle, 
 though it was fet up by God's fpecial appointment given 
 to Mofes, is not blafphemy to affirm againft the temple : 
 Bur it was no blafphemy to affirm theufe of the tabernacle 
 to- have been temporary.andconfequently alterable ; there- 
 fore to affirm the fame of the temple, is not blafphemy ; 
 efpecialiy lince the Lord hath laid, That he dwelleth not In 
 temples made ~jji.'h hands. 
 
 51 Yc flifF-necked, and uncircumcifed in heart, 
 and ears, yc do always refift the Holy Ghoft; as 
 yourfathers did, fo do ye. 52 Which of the pro- 
 phets have not your fathers perfccuted ? and they 
 have flain them which ihewed before of the coming 
 of thejufl One, of whom yc have been now the 
 bctra)'ers and murderers: 53 Who have received 
 the law by the difpofuion of angels, and have not 
 kept it. 
 
 QJ)jZ"^ve here , i. How St. Stephen having finiflied his 
 general ilifcourfe in the foregoing verfcs to the Jews, comes 
 row to a par:icular and clofe application cf it to rhera. All 
 the while he was generally diftourfjng, tiiey wqre qjiet 
 u^iil ftill, and made no noife at all ; for generals do nor 
 affvcl.: But when he came to apply it particularly, and fay, 
 '• Vou arc the men, ye fH^-necked and unciraimcifcd in 
 
 heart,^"" this enrages them, and d/i-.TS them into the word 
 Icind of madnefs. Z?^r/i hence, i. That the effie^cy bf 
 the word preached lies in a particular and dole application 
 of it to every nun's conicience. a. That it is. minuter *5 
 great duty not to fatisfy theniftlres with deli veriiiggen^fal 
 truths to iheir p-oph, but th(;y mi^ll poim at li 
 cular fins (though not at their particular per: 
 reprove th(;m for the fame, what hazards foeverthcy v:. , 
 and whatever the event inay b§. St. StVphfen's cit'ls 
 preaching here, and impartial reproving of \\n, he faw 
 would colt him his life ; but, not terrified by his adver- 
 faries, he fp<ires not to tell them, the greateft of thpm, of 
 their faults. Accordmgly obferve, 2.Thcparticu!arr;n< which 
 St. Stephen here convi(fl3 them gf, and reproves them for; 
 I. The ftoutnefs and rtuhbornnefs, and ftiff-neckednefs of 
 their hearts; Te Ji iff' necked efrJ uncircumcifed in heart : 
 A metaphor taken from a bullock not iifed to the yojce-, 
 who therefore will notfubmit his neck to bear it. Wicked 
 men are often called children cf Belial, becaufe they will 
 not endure the yoke of obedience : but when God comes 
 to put it upon their necks, they lift up their heel agjinll 
 him. 2. He charges them with rebelling againft, and 
 refifting the Hcly fpirit of God; Ye di ahiayt refij} the 
 Holy Ghifl : That is, both the outward tf ftimony of the 
 Hcly Ghoft fpeaking to them in the ntiniftry of the pro- 
 phets and apollles, and alfo the inward operations of the 
 holy Spirit, in that work of illumination and conviction 
 which they had been under, 3. For their iniitating ih^ir 
 cruel anceftors, who killed the old prophets, and crucified 
 the Lord of life and glory ; As ycur Fathers did,/-) do ye. 
 4. For their wicked violation of the holy law of God, 
 which was given them by the glorious miniftry and pro- 
 clamation of angels : Te received the la-iv by the difp'fitian 
 cf angels; that is, the angels were /(y??^ and intcrnuncii, 
 witnelTes and mcflengers betwixt God and Mofes, in giv- 
 ing of the law, or Jefus Chrift the angel ot the covenant, 
 who is God's meirenger, and the angel that appeared to 
 Mofes in the biifli : He gave that law to Mofes, and by 
 Mofes to yo'i, which law ye have notwithftanding violated 
 and never kept. 
 
 54 5 When they heard thefc things, they were 
 cut to the heart, and they gnafhedonhim with their 
 teeth. 55 But he being full of the Holy Ghoft, 
 looked up lledfaftlyinto heaven, and faw the glory 
 of God, and Jefus ftanding on the right hand of 
 God, 56 And faid, Behold, I fee the heavens 
 opened, and the Son of man ftanding on the right 
 hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud 
 voice, and ftopped their ears, and ran upon him with 
 one accord, 58 And caft him out of the city, and 
 Honed him: and the witneftes laid down their clothci 
 at a young man's feet, whole name was Saul. 
 
 Ohferve her<", 2. The Jews angry and unreaftmable re- 
 fentment of the foregoing reprefeiuation ; though it was 
 exact truth and matter of fadf, yet were they cut to the 
 heart ; that is they were angry even nnto madnelV. .Here 
 wa; a nicit proper corrolive, and applied/by i {jJlul handj 
 
 bat 
 
Chap. VII. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 447 
 
 but they would not let it ftick, nor endure a cure; fuch is 
 tht enmity of wicked hearts, that when the niinifters of 
 God reprove iiii fliarply, inll^iid of receivinjr the nitfl'ige 
 they rage at the mefll-nger: When they heat d thefe things, 
 they were cut to ih<; heart. 2. How they difcover their 
 rage againll the holy man t'vvo ways ; by their gefUtres, and 
 by their aftions : 'I'heir geltures ina-le a full diftovery of 
 their enraged minds. I. They gnu/hed upon him with their 
 ttelh ; the act.on cf damned liends. 2 'I hty made a great 
 outcry with unanimous and tumultuous rage ; They iried 
 out vjith a huil voice. 3. They Jiopped their ears, refulved 
 to he.ir no more either of his cuunfcls or complaints. 4. 
 Thry run upon hurt with 'ine tfttor./, like perloni united and 
 combined ttgethtr in malite and m.idnefs. 5. Thty caH 
 him out of the city, not out of the fyn.igOi;ue only, but out 
 of the city alfo. They look upon thi- good man, of whom 
 ihe world was not wor;hy, as a perl'rn not tit for human 
 fociety. "Lord! why Ihould any of thy prefent minif- 
 ters and arabufr3dors wonder at, or be difcouraged by the 
 ill treatment which an unkind world now gives them, when 
 thy bhfled spoilles, full of the Holy Ghoft, and endow- 
 ed with power to woik miracles, v\ere caj} cut before us 
 as the filth "f theworld, and theoff-fcouringofallthingi!" 
 Bat this was not all ; not only by their gellures, but by 
 their adiions did they difcover tlie utraoll efFe.fts of their 
 rage and malice againft this holy and innocent perfon ; 
 for they put him to de.T.h ; yea, (looed him to death ; 
 (hooting a whole volley ot cruelty at hii naked breaft; a 
 Ihower of (lones caiHC down upon him, from thofe hands 
 which ought to have call the firil ftoneat themfelves ; but 
 all this did but join him the clofer to ChriiV, the Corner 
 (lone; El piir tot lupides pttra conjungiur unl. Learn 
 hence, That it is not in the power of piety and religion to 
 exempt and fecure the moll huly and religious perfon either 
 from the attempts of popular fury, or froi7i the ftrokeofa 
 violent and bloody death ; They cajlhim out of the city and 
 Jionedinm. Ckfcrve, What a-bleffed light St. Stephen had 
 of heaven, and of Jefus in heaven, to prepare and fit hifji 
 for his I'ufFerings, and to fuppurt and uphold him under 
 them, ver. 56. Behold, 1 fe^' the heuve'tf f^pfr.ed, andjffus 
 Jlanding on the right hand '.f Gnd. Bltfl'ed Jefus ! what an 
 encouragement it is to us, fulFering for thee on earth, to 
 look up (ledfaftly by faith unto tliee in h.eaven, who art 
 continuallv ftandiug there to behold and obferve, to fup- 
 portand llrengthcn, to receive and reward thy fuffering 
 fervants ; to count every (lone caft at tiieni, and to revenge 
 all the injuries and wrongs dime unto them ! Lailly, How 
 fhefe bloody perfecutors manage their cruelty under a 
 form of law, that they might appear the more fpecious. 
 By the law of CotI, ftoning was the panillimcni due to 
 blalphetning ; and they that witneHed againll the blafphe- 
 mer were, by the law of God, tocaft the firit Hone ;it him, 
 Deut. xvii. 7. Accordingly the witneffcs here put ofFtheir 
 upper garments to tit themfelves for their bloody work; 
 and a young man called Saul undertook 10 look to thcin, 
 kept their garments for them, and conlVqueu'.iy confented 
 Uii|||his death, and had a hand in (Lining of him : 'Ihe 
 •jt^^Jps laid down iheiigartnentr at a young ni in s feet, whofe 
 name I'jat Saul. .By confentingao theliiKof other men, 
 we certain'y become partakers of other men's fiiis. 
 
 59 Andtliey ftoned Stephen, calling upon God, 
 and layinj^, Lord Jelus, receive my fpuit. 
 
 Note here, i. The holy deportment of this humble faint 
 at his death; he prays. L"a»-« thence, That good men 
 thould Ihiit up their lives with prayer, and die with prayer 
 in their mouths. Our Saviour did lb; his firft m irtyr here 
 did fj. St. Stephen imitated the death of Chrill, and he 
 imitated Chrifl in his death; turning from malicious men 
 to Ipeak unto a merciful God in' prayer. They (loned 
 Stephen calling upon God. 2. The object of his prayer, 
 or whom St. btephen prayi 10, Jelus Chnft : He doth not 
 fay, <'0 bleffcd Virgin! O St. 1 homas ! O St. Bridget! 
 intercede with my Saviour for me." But he direcUhis 
 fupplication immediately to Chrifl, faying, Idr// Jefus t 
 Fiotn whence we may Urongly infer the divmity of Chrift. 
 Prayer is an aft of religious woi l!,ip, and he that is the 
 proper object of religious w orlhip niuft be God: None 
 uiuit be tlie object of my prayer, but he that is the ohjtft. 
 of my faith. How Ihall I pray to him, in whom 1 have 
 not believed? 3. The fubject of his prayer, or what he 
 prays for, his foul ; Lord J<-fus, receive myfpirit; he doth 
 not fay. Lord Jefus lave my life, which is in lb much 
 danger of being taken away ; O, deliver me from the hands 
 of my perfecutors, and bring me off fate ! Not a word 
 like this; but let it go weil «ith my foul: Lord, receive 
 my fpirit. Learn hence, that the godly man's care, living 
 and dying, is for his foal ; becaufe this isthe principal and 
 immortal part, becaufe ihi» is the greatefl tal&i^tthat over 
 God put into our hands, and beciufe the happinefs and 
 eternal welfare of the body dependsupon the blefTcd con- 
 diiion of the foul: If the foul be happy, the body caiuiot 
 be miferable. 4. The fweet furrender, the happy and 
 chearful rclignation which the good mjn makes of his foul 
 into the hmds of Chrill ; Lord Jtfus, receive my fpirit. 
 (1 .) The godly man's fpirit or foul is his own, he has not 
 fold it to lin, nor pawned it 10 Satan, nor exchanged it for 
 the world; he has referred it for Chntt, who redeemed 
 it for him. (2.) Receive. Learn thence, It is the dmy 
 and difpofition of a gracious perfon, to rtfign up his loi>l 
 willingly and chearfiiUy into Chrift's ha nd*, whenever God- 
 calls for it: his foul is furrendered by him, not extcried 
 from him. The knowledge that a good man has of Chrift's 
 love and care, of his faithfulnefs and p.owtr, encourages 
 him to this refsgnation, Plal. xxxi. 6. I.'ird, into thy hands 
 I commit myfpirit, for thiu h.iji redeemed it. An'd furely 
 he that redeemed it will not hurt it. 
 
 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud 
 voice. Lord, lay not this fin to their charge. And 
 when he had faidthis, he fell -aneep. 
 
 We had St. Stephen's prayerin the foregoing verfe for 
 himfelf; in this verfe he prays for his murderers. Where 
 note, I. His pioos charity in forgiving his enemies, and 
 praying for them, that God would forgive them slfo, L'^rd 
 lay not thi'jin to their cha>gf : How doth this holy Martyr 
 imitate hisijying Saviotir? Lukexxiii. ;?4. Father frgiw 
 them. Note, 2. His regularclurity : his charity beg.tn at 
 home: he prays firfl for himfelf, then for his murdvreri : 
 firUt, L'jr-it J'/]:s^ recr!i\' ■^•v /'pirif ;■ w'xx, Lord, l.-tv noTtl-rs 
 
 J'" 
 
4t8 
 
 Tlie 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap, vi ii .' 
 
 Jin to their charge. Where remark, Tim Chrift prayed 
 firll for his enemies, then for hiinfelf, Luke xxiii. 34 36. 
 Father, f',rgive them ; Fulhcr, into thy hands I coimv.it my 
 /pit it ; But St. Stephen intercedeifirfl fur himfclf. The 
 reafnn of theiiifFercnce is this, Chrift needed iiopraycrfor 
 liiiiifelf, but Steplicn did : VVc are to love our enemies as 
 ourfelves ; but Chriitloved his enemies .ibove hinifelf, and 
 better th.in hinifelf. ChriiVs love to hiseneniies was the 
 ct^pv .ind pattern, St. Stephens but the tmnfcript. Note, 
 ^. His holy fervency- in prayer; he cried out with aloud 
 voice, endeavouring by his prayers to drown the noife of 
 tlieft'ines which rattled about iiis ears, and to divert that 
 (hower of vengeance from them, wliich their fliower of 
 Aones upon him defervedly called for from heaven. 4. 
 'i"he holy martyr prayed for hinifelf ftaiiding, but for his 
 enemies kneeling. Ver. 59. He flood when he faid. Lord 
 yefiis, receive myj'pirit ; but, ver. 60. when he faid, T-orrf 
 J.iy net t Fit Jin to their charge, he kneeltd down and cried. 
 He was more importunate for hiseneniies, than he was for 
 himfelf. How near did Stephen, the firft Martyr, come 
 to his blcfled Mafter Jefus Chrift, in praying for his ene- 
 mies? 5. The fucceis and benefit of his prayer: God 
 heard and anfwered Stephen's prayerin Paul'sconverfion, 
 recorded in the ninth chapter. .Si Stephanus non orafflt 
 ecclrfta Piiulum r.on habuij/lt, faith one of the ancients ; 
 " Saul's ccnverlion was owing to St. Stephen's inter- 
 ceflion." 6. The holy man's exit and happy conclulion, 
 lie fell a fie ep, WhercMO.'i-, i. The thing recorded of him 
 is his death, a. The metaphor which his death is fet out 
 by, and clothed with, and that Kjleep. 3. The circum- 
 flance of time when he fell aflcep ; namely, after he had 
 lerved Chrifl,and fuffered for him. /.f'^rn thence. That 
 it is a blefi'ed thing when death calls us ofFthe ftage of this 
 world, after a life of fervice and fuffering : When he hadfo 
 faid, he fell ofleep. Happy is that chriflian whofallsafleep 
 with his Lord's work in his hand. 
 
 C H A P. VIII. 
 
 The hijloy of Saul's cruelty and cmverfatim is next re- 
 corded; the former in this chapter, the latter in the 
 next ; the defgn of both is to excite its to conftder, 
 what a great change the grace of God can imike in 
 tuiviin'y S;iuls /nio Pauls; pcrfeaUors into proftjfors ; 
 and the cppofers of Chri/l and his truth, inlo faithful 
 fcn'antsunto both. 
 
 N D Saul was confenting unto his death. — 
 
 A 
 
 That is, St. Stephen's, mentionce! in the clofe of the 
 Idft chapter ; how far he confented to his tlcath, the text 
 telK us, He kept the garments of them that fhned hint, they 
 laid down their clothes at his feet, ch3\^. vii. 58. His hand 
 did not throw one Hone at the holy Slartyr's. head, but his 
 will concurred with others inihatbluody act; andihisde- 
 nominated him guilty. Learn hence. That God chiefly 
 jnfpe^ts the heart, and if the vote be palled there he looks 
 iipim the man as guilty, though he proceeds no farther. 
 It is eafy to murder another by lilent wini, orpaflionate 
 
 defire. In all moral aiflions God values the will forthe 
 deed, and reckons that man an a<ftor, thatisanapplauder. 
 Confent unto the finsof others makes their guiltour o wn: 
 Saul was confenting unli his death. It follows : 
 
 — And at that time there was a great pcrfeciition 
 againfl ihc church which was at Jcrufalcm : and they 
 v\ ere all Ic^tttred abroad throughout the regions of 
 Judea and Samaria, except the apoflles. 
 
 Notrhcre, i. How the fpite and cruelty of the churcli's 
 adverlaries v,fas not quenched, but rather irflamed by the 
 blood of Stephen : From whence arofe a bitter perfecnti- 
 cti againft the church at Jerufalem, upon which the mul- 
 titude of believers Hed from thence. Perfecution fcatters 
 the profelTors of religion ; but God niikes fcattering the 
 way to increalir.g, and what was intended for the hinder- 
 ance, God over ruled for the furtherance of the gofpel : 
 As God overpowers the devil, fo he outwits him too. 
 This fcattering perfecution at Jerulalem, which was de- 
 figned to Another and fupprefs the gofpel, did propagate 
 and fpread it more and more. 2. How God fets bounds 
 and limits to this fliarp perfecution : though the believers 
 were fcattered, yet the .npoftles continued at Jerufalem : 
 They were all fcattered, txcept the apojtles. The twelve 
 flay there untouched in the midlt of the fiery furnace of 
 perfecution, to comfort and cherilh the church in that fad 
 and doleful d.iy,niaugre the malice of wicked men, and 
 of enraged devils : and thofe who were Icattered, carried 
 the light of the gofpel among the Gentiles. Thus out of 
 the darknefs ofperl'ecutiou, God bringeth forth the light 
 of the gofpel, providing at once for the fafety of fome by 
 their flight, and for the calling home of others by their 
 difperfion : They 'Mcre all fcattered abroad, &zc. 
 
 2 And devout men carried Stephen to /lii ^«m/, 
 and made great lamentation over him. 
 
 Noteheve, i. Though St. Stephen was ftoned to death 
 by his bloody perfecutors, yet are they not fo inhuman as 
 to deny him a burial ; it is a mercy to have a grave, and a 
 decent burial is a blefllng : The body is the garment of 
 the foul ; we lay up this garment in the wardrobe of the 
 grave, with affurance that we (hall put it on again (when 
 m.ide fpiritual and incorruptible) in the morning of the 
 refurreclion, .-md wear it to all eternity. 1. T he perfons 
 defcribed who carried Stephen to the bed of the grave, 
 devout men: that is, truly religious nun, men of eminent 
 piety and holy courage nlfo; Devout men carried Stephen 
 to his burial. A noble inlbncc of a generous and chrif- 
 tian courage, that they durft, among fuch a n.ulr tude of 
 perfecutor; and furious zealots, own their eftcein of, and 
 pay their laft refpeds to the name and memory of the 
 holy martyr. ^ The doleful folemnity of his funeral. 
 They made made great lamentation over him ; and rcafon 
 enough there was for it, hecaufe of the church's great lols 
 at that time. When any of the ni'nirters of God arc 
 fnatcht away by death, efpecially by a violent death, from 
 the fervice of the church, there is juft caufe for gre^Muid 
 folemn lamentation : Devout men carried Stephen to hlrhu- 
 rial, and made great lamentation over him. 
 
 3 ^^ 
 
Chap, vnr^ 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 3 As for Sau], he made harock of the church, 
 •ntering into every houfe, and haling men and wo- 
 men, committed them to prifon. 
 
 "Bloody Saul ! was it not enough for thee to fee a finole 
 faint deftroycd, but wilt thou feek to deftrcy the whole fra- 
 ternity and communion of faints?" Behold the fiery zeal 
 of this furious perfecutor; he fpares neither age nor fcx 
 r.either me., nor women, neither young or old, but with- 
 out refped he hales them to pHfon. O fury ! worfe than 
 inhuman, not only to drag men fpitefully, but to hale 
 women r.^mc.uliy '. ^ ; ..V':-.n. Women in all ares have 
 becH e;::mpted from the inruli? of tyranny, but not always 
 freed fro.a tlic pcrfcci!tor's futy. And blt/.ld be God for 
 that mafcuiine ccura-D ?r.d ci>na»ncy which tlie feebler 
 fex have l.icwn, when they .livs l)ecn called forth to bear 
 their tertmior.y f«r Chri;; : out of vvca'-ners they have been 
 roadefiroi.g. Vuh wb-C wifdo:.. a id courage have thcv 
 anfwered thc:rc:'.rmi;.:r<:, cowvi -"rrltheliaccHC^rs, confuted 
 their oppofer , kii.irg tl,.- fiake, hugging the fa-got.^ e.n- 
 bracmg the f.ume ! Vhus can <.' od help the ucaJc things of 
 the world to conloundths lire— i aiiu teach the fool i^j to 
 confute the wife. 
 
 4 Therefore they that were fcattcred abroad,weut 
 every where preaching the word. 
 
 This fevere perfecution at Jcrufalcm, dlfperfcdthe whole 
 body of the church, and fcattercd both members and 
 fcichers thereof, except the apoftles. Some went to Da 
 mafcu.s fome to Samaria, fome to Phccnice, Cyprus and 
 Aniioch. But God over-ruled this fcattering for his 
 church s encreafing; he brouj^ht good out of evil, li^ht out 
 of darkncfs, order out of confuflon. It is a great and 
 certain truth, that the Holy God would fufFcr no fort of 
 evil to be, did he not know how to bring fome e.x-cellent 
 good out of that evil. 
 
 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria 
 and preached Chrift unto them. 6 And the people 
 with one accord gave heed unto thole things which 
 I'hi ip ipake, hearing .-ind Teeing the miracles which 
 he did. 7 For unclean fpirits, crying with a loud 
 voice, came out of many that were polTefTed zuUh 
 t'lm: and many taken with pallies, and that were 
 Jame, were healed. 8 And there was great iov in 
 that city. •' ^ 
 
 449 
 
 ^/^?"p,''-?- '• ^'^""g'^'fie difperfed, who went to Sa- 
 ir.aria, Fhihp was one ; not Philip the apoflle ffor all of 
 Uiemr am,^ ,j,.^^, j,,_, Philip 'the deacon, who 
 
 was the fc-cond in order after Stephen, among the f^cn 
 paeons: He ccmes to Samari.-,, and preaches there. ? 
 1 he Joannes wh.di he preached ; he preached Chrift 
 n?^ '^i '^' •^Chrilli.^nity, or theChridian reli-ion 
 namely. The doanne of Chrill's incarnation : holy life and 
 
 t £:lT^-Z''''^^^^^^^^ together with ret^iffi^n "f 
 
 fcns through taith in lus name. 3. The fuccefs of Philips 
 
 Oiegoffcl, Gwwg hudtuht ihwgt which h^ /puh : The 
 
 prefence of the holy Spuit accompanying his miniftry 
 unite. h.s hearers hearts, as well as fheir ears to attend S 
 1 gently to the dodrine of Chrift delivered to them. Th . 
 diligent attention was a bleflbd preparative to the Simnr 
 tans cxnvernon, feeing faith com^^-s 'by he'i^g Yea, theV 
 did not only attend to but acquiefce in all he fpake. A'S 
 
 word there would be more converfions by it than at Hii, 
 day there are 4- The external grotmd 'and reafon^^ 
 Phlp fuccefs m his miniftry at Samaria ; the tr.irac: . 
 which he wrought. Thefe were undeniable evidence. Jf 
 the truth of what he fpakr, and by which he ll,r>>vc-l Go^', 
 authority foi; what he did andfaid ; he healed dilcafes ann 
 caft out devils (called imclcan fpirir., becufe they deliaU 
 in fm, that fp.ntual unclcannefs of the foul] who cried Sut 
 with a loud voice, as very loath to lofe their lodgings, had 
 they not been conftratned to it. The miraclesNvhicJ 
 J^hriit and his apoftles wrought were l-.eavcn's broad-fe.I 
 to confirm tne truth of what they taught : ne teHle r^', 
 he., to v^at Philip fp^^c, feeing \hc Oracle ^.hlch'L'Z 
 A^alHy, W hat joy and rejoicing there was among the Sa- 
 maritans at their receiving and cntertainin r of thi ?ofpel • 
 rhere was great joy m that elt, ; not only for the cures 
 wrought upon their bodies, but for the dodrine of recon 
 Ciliation and falvation preached to iheir fouls. As the rof 
 peI,sinn_felf_amcn-,geof Toy and glnd tidings, foitlos 
 the fou with J0-- unfpeakable. that cordially receives and 
 entertains it. Joy in the Holy Ghoft is o.fe of , e fweet 
 «heas of the kingdom of God ; that is, the gofnel Rom 
 
 XV. verfe r; The kingdom of Gcd is not me at^Jd drink ^^ 
 rigriteoufnejs, &c. ' 
 
 9 But there was a certain man called Simon 
 which before time in the fame city ufed forcerv and 
 bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that 
 himlelfwas fome great one. 10 To whom the" 
 all gave heed from the Icaft to thegreatcft, fayini 
 ^ his man is the great power ofGod. '^' 
 
 An account is here given of one of Philip's auditors at 
 bartjaria, Simon Pvlagus by name, or Simon the Sorcerer 
 a v.Ie man the blackeft Ethiopian that ever baptiftnal wate^ 
 wet or xvafted. Notorious for forcery. for hypocrify, fol 
 final apoftacy, and avowed impiety. Ecclefiaftical hiftorv 
 informs lis of the herciies he broached, of the divine 
 honours he aflumed, of the ftatutes and ima-es built to 
 him and his ftrumpet Helen, which lewdiya'Sor.panied 
 with h.m; of an altar ereaed to him with this blafphemous 
 infcnpt.on, S,mom Deo Scnffo, "Tn Simon the holy God '* 
 andof_ his tragical end, by breaking his neck, when a' 
 tempting to fly ,.p to heaven, becaufe the people wcvld r« 
 longer be cheated with \^h impoftures here below From 
 this example, note, i. That into the moft c.iiinent an^ 
 pop.l us cities do oft ,„nes enter the greateft and vileft 
 nnpoftors, the moft athieftical and diabolical forcer s - 
 There they lurk and Wge, there they feck to fet up ani - 
 phay thetrprtzes 2. That the vileft- i.npoftors, an^ ?,c 
 worft f^ducet-s have yet many, very m.ny followers • The 
 filly multuude is foon dehided . To hlrr.they nil gcr.. Led 
 A^m theUafltothegreatef. 3. That fuch vile deceive™ 
 
 -iiave 
 
^a 
 
 The A C T S. 
 
 Cii/ip. \x 
 
 Viavc the ccnfiiUnce to br»g, and the multitude Lave tlic jiidgm«it of charity, not of cOTtainty ;" of the outward, 
 
 tVeakncfs to believe, that they arc very extraordinary per- not of the iinvard man ; oftlieliie, not of the hea; t. The 
 
 ■fon?, nnd can do extraordinary things. Simon gave it out f:fitii of Simon Magus was no otlicr than a temporary, hif- 
 
 himfclf, thaiRc-was/jw^^/va/ flw; and the people fry A//^ tflrical, yea, hypocritical faiih; however, Philip baptizes 
 
 ■'vp»»x\\z^riat p:v.cr o/'G»iI. him up>n hits making profeilloii of it. An heart-hypo- 
 
 x'i'AnA to h»m th.y had regara, becaufe that of ""J''" ]f *'l h?ocntc ri^J.roecd.Ji^J in the fight of the 
 
 ^ / . . c ^ ^ .^ . c;iurch, tiioui;ii molt abomiiiaole in the light of God. 
 
 Ti wun iorcenes. ^\^■n.,^ ibe •iniound rifoietlor w.-<.s more odious in the fight 
 
 4ong H«ie he had bewitched thrm 
 12 Katv.hen they believed Philip prer.chitig tlie 
 fhin<ii conccinin.; the kingdom of Gcd, and the 
 name of JcfiLS Chiill, they were baptized both meu 
 and womcni. 13 Then Simon himlelf bclicvod aUo: 
 and whcnbe was baptized he coniinucd witli 1-liiJip, 
 and wondered, beholding the miiicles and -fi^ns 
 which were done. 
 
 Nac here, i. How Icr.g n time this vlie forccrer by, 
 
 ol God than Simon the forccrer, 
 
 lA 'i Now when the apoi'lics which were 3tjc- 
 ri'.falem heard that Sanj.-iria hnd received the word 
 rl God,^ they fent unto them Pete^ and John. 15 
 V.' ho, when they were come do\.n, p.aved for them 
 that thsy might receive the Holy Ghci'l. 16 (For 
 s yttt he was fallen upon none of them : only they 
 
 ^ , . ,. "'t;re baptized m the name of chc Lord Tefus.) 17 
 
 God's pcrmilllon. and Satan s power wrought thc.e lyir.g Xhen laid they .Via.- hands on them, aild they re- 
 
 "bonders amoi)g the people: //^ ZWe'*'^^'^^''"''^«t'''''^"« cp'ii-^-A r^r- 'Ar.U. ru^a 
 
 ilcm with ior^encs,\cr{c II. Deceivers -are not always <:ei\ .d tnc .loi> GhoJ. 
 
 fiiddeiily deteflcd, and drofly hypocrites a.'c not prefcntiy Ac.V here, j. How the apoRlcs at J'Triifnlcrn, hearing the 
 
 <nfcovercd; but the vizor will drop on ft-oner or l.-.tcr. 2. glad tiJinss of ^laaiaria's ccr.verf-on by Philip's miniftry, 
 
 Thai where [lie true knowledge of <l?od comes, and the thought ht to fend dov/.i two ff the twelve to confirm the 
 
 clear light ofthegofpcl Ihincs, there grofs impiet-ies and new converts in their fai;h, aiii to con.'liiute a church there 
 
 jmpoflurcs, there cheats and delufions will be found out hy their apoficlical r.ut)iority. 2. The pcrfons whom the 
 
 detefted and abhorred ; JJlcn iky ici-.i^cJ Philip's prcticJt- college of the ajiolUcs at Jerufalem thought frt tj fend to Sa- 
 
 iKg they wire haplizcJ, Islh msn and vjvneii. VVhcre tlie mnria, Pctejr and John. Where note, That Peter's being 
 
 light fliines, . Satan falls as lightning ; magic vanHhes. deputed 'oy thereltofthc apofiles to this fervice, isanar- 
 
 ■Jhis -Dagon cannot fiand before the ark of God : Vv''hen gument that Peter hnd no primacy or fuperiority over the 
 
 the people of Ephcfus received tliegofpcl, they foon made reft of liie apofiles : Or, if in this employment' there was 
 
 a "bonfire of their n-.agic books, A£ls xix. 10. 3. The ^'^'J ''g" ol primacy, Jolin was (harer in that as well as 
 
 fuccefs of the gofpel preached by Philip: the people believed Peicr. The apojUa Jcnt PeUr and John. 3. What the 
 
 ^nAwerelapt'n:cd both m:n and ivcmen. Murk, i. Believed, apoftles Peter and John did when they came to Samaria, 
 
 and then bapt}-/,ed ; thcfe were adult or grown perfons, V.ot 1'l>:y prayed, and luid their hands oh them, am! tney received 
 
 infant?, and they were heathenifh idolators, ftrangers to the ti^IIoly Cbiji. VVhere, by the Holy Gholt is not to be un- 
 
 covcnant ; and therefore muft believe the ^ofpel, and pro- deritood the fan(3.ifying graces of the Holy Ghofl, which 
 
 fefs thtir Liihrn Chrill, before their baptilra. Bar.tifm is 
 not Tci 'h^ aJJminiftered to any th:.t are oi:t of the vifihle 
 church, till they profefs their fuith in Chrift, and obedience 
 to hinv 3;- The petfi>ns baptized were women as well as 
 men: J^T^ch llyey btUeved Philip they were haptizcd,^'^- 
 
 the aponics Jieveruiiduor could difpcnfe, but the extraor- 
 dinary gifts of tilt Holy Ghoft, the gift of tongues and 
 prophecy, pnd a po\Vcr to work miracles. Tb.efe were now 
 conferred on fuch perfons whom the Holy Ghoft dire£ted 
 them to lay their h.-.nds ^ipc.n, as perfons appointed and cho- 
 
 Women under the gof^iel are capable of the feal of the fen to be preachers of the Gofpel. Where ns/^. That im 
 
 covenant as well as nij.-n. UiKicr the law they were, thci 
 th^y wcre)ciiciuwc5fcd in the men : Now they are baptized 
 fot.tivemfelvcs: They were hcplized, Sec. 4. A great and 
 iudvJen change WT'.ught in Simnn himfclf by the preaching 
 of Philp ; fl' hfiieved alfo, and was tnptized : Behold, tJle 
 f' -rcerer is becomfc a proteflor, a believer, a baptized perfon. 
 Thegofpel preached may have a common operation upon a 
 
 polition or laying on of hands has been an ancient rite ufcd 
 by the oljicers of the church, in their fl-lemn dedicating of 
 perfons to the fervice of God and his church. 
 
 18 And when Simon faw that through laying on 
 of the apollles hands the holy Ghofl was given, he 
 ofieied ti)ein money. igSa)ing, Give me alio this 
 
 foul, *wl)ere it never produced any inward funftrScatJon. Ail power, that on whomloever I lay hands, he may 
 
 th^i arehythe gofpel profeiyteil,are not favin^jly converted 
 Altare not ^xvi' hlh that are incloftjj in the gofptl's net ; 
 but l".jinc <if?i, fome trafli. As there will be wheat and 
 tires in the fame fidd, chaff and corn in the fame ^cor ; 
 foih'-rc will Be fome faints and fome fmners in the pnrcit 
 ^.n.Tihly church. 'Lafl-iy, upon a bare profcfllon tf faith, 
 Simon Magus is baptized. • Zf«rw theiiet, That outward 
 profcflioii fulUy gains admifHon into the chrillian congre- 
 
 receive the Holy Ghoft. 20 But Peter laid unto him 
 Thy money peiifh with thee, becaufe thou hall 
 thought that the gift of God may be purchafcdwifh 
 money. 21 Tliuu had neither part nor lot in ihiji 
 matter ; for thy heart is not dpht in the fight of God. 
 
 Here tide, I. How infinitely roifl^iktn this wretch was, 
 in thinking that the in:raci.lous gilts of the Holy Gholl 
 
 gatioo, and gives a perfon rieht to external ordinances; De couhi be furchafed w ith money, a. Jnfuppolinij .that the 
 tccHliis noajudicat tctlej'ui^ " 'i~li2 church's judgment is a apollles had a power to difpcnle thefc gitti when afid where 
 
 and 
 
Chap. viir. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 451 
 
 and to whom they pleafed. 3. An.1 that ihcy could en- 
 able others to impart this alfo ; which 've re alV very grofs 
 conceits. From this deed of Simon's, it is celled Jimany, 
 to fcek to buy fpirltual gifts or offices vviih rsioiicy. 2. 
 What it was that put Simon lipon piirchanng this power ; 
 doiibtlefs, it was covetonfnefsand v.iin-glory. He hoped to 
 make a pennv of this privilci^e, and render hiinfclf famous 
 among hi«. followers by this prerogative. Lenrn thence. 
 That cunning and clift; hypocrites, corrupt ?nJ hypocri- 
 tical profedHrs, do fctk to m.'.ke a g^in of godlinefs, and 
 a merchandi/.e o^ Chriflianity. Sir.ion had never bid fo 
 freely for the Holy Gho((-, ' if he had not expected to 
 receive as freely of others for the Holy Ghoft ; which he 
 defired to buy, bat not to keep ; and intended 10 ftll, not 
 to give. 3. How St. Peter fcorns the vile motion made 
 by Simon, and rejeds it wyh the qrcateft dstcftatfon : 
 Thy miney peri/!) w'llh thee. Learn, That wicked (though 
 
 inful) motions are to be fcorncd and refufcd by the 
 
 ily with the greatcfl deteftation and abhorrence. Our 
 liearts can never rife too high in a jiifl indignation againit 
 fin, and againft all temptation unto fin : Thy money pcrijh 
 
 'h thi-e : thou and thy money pcrifli together. Obferve 
 . 1 iw plainly St. Peter deals with him \ he fearches him to 
 t.:j qiikk, to the heart, founds the depth of fin; lays open 
 
 -•core of his hypocrify before his face, and tells him to 
 .> teeth, that his heart was rotten and unfound ; Thy heart 
 IS net rightlntheJi^liofGui. The baptifmal water had 
 waflied hisout-fide, but his inwards were unclean. The 
 heart is the worft part of man till it be mended, and then 
 it is belt where moft evil lies, there we mufl firfl begin 
 to be gocxl; all will be good, if the heart which is the fe.at, 
 the fink and feed plot of all evil, be made good. The life 
 would not be fo bad, if the heart were not worfe : All the 
 obliquity of our lives proceeds from the iinpurity of our 
 heart and nature, as the muddinefs of the (Iream from the 
 foulnefs of the fountain. 
 
 22 Repent- therefore of this thy wickcdnefs, and 
 pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart 
 may be forgiven thee. 23 Fori perceive that thou 
 art in the gall of bittemefs, and in tl)e bond of ini- 
 quity, 24 Then anfwered Simon, and faid, Pray 
 ye to the Lord for me, that none ofthefe things 
 ■h'hich yc have fpoken come upon me. 25 And 
 they, when they had teftified and preached the word 
 of the Lord, returned to Jerufalcm, and preached 
 the gofpel in many vilhij^es of the Samaritans. 
 
 Ohjerve here, i. The odious charader wherewith fin in 
 general, and hypocrify in particular, is branded, it is bitter- 
 ^^^~? ?"'^'. bondage ; it is the gall of hittcrncfs and the bond 
 of iniquity. Lenrn thence, I. That fin is an exceeding 
 bitter thing: It is bitter to God, it provokes him to bitter 
 anger; it wasbitterto Chrift, it laid him under the bitter 
 ivrat h of God ; it was bitter to the angels, it turned them 
 our of heaven, and baniflied dJcm from the prefcnce of 
 God evermore ; it is bitter to good men, it cofls them 
 bitter repentance, and it occafions them bitter chafllfe- 
 ments ; and it will be bitter, eternally bitter to the wicked 
 and impecitent world. Now the biiterntfs of fin is not a 
 
 medicinal and wholcfome bittemefs, but an intoxicating 
 and flupifying bitferncfs, a poifonous and a baleful bitier- 
 ncfs. Sin's bitter draught is a baneful draught. 2. That 
 not only bittemefs, but bondaije attends the fervice and 
 ftvvants of fin : As fin is the gall of bittemefs, fo it is the 
 bond of iniquity, and the bondage of fin ; it is a fhameful 
 and ignominious bondage, a fruitlefs and unprofitable 
 bondage, a ftupifyingand infenfible bondage, a reflUfs and 
 unwearied bondage, an endlefs and eternal bondage. 3. 
 That every foul before converfion is in and under this dc- 
 ploraile bondage ; Thou art in the bond of Inquity. Oifn\.e, 
 ■).. The means prefcribcd and directed to for the foul's de- 
 livery out of this deplorable bondage namely repentance and 
 prayer. I. Repent. Learn, That timely and fincere re- 
 pentance is a fpecial mean, prefcribcd and appointed by 
 God for the receovery of the worft of finners out wf this 
 deplorable bondage. 2. Pray. Herewt/r, 1. A wicked man 
 may pray, and o\:ght to pray. As bad as Simon Magus 
 v.'as, St. Peter doth not drive. him to defpair, but dircfts 
 him to his duty : Pray t7 God. Prayer is a part of natural 
 worfliip, which we owe to God ; it is the fouls ir.otirii 
 Godward ; therefore to fay a wicked inan fliould not pray, 
 is to fay, that he lliouUI not turn to God. 2. That all the 
 jirayer in the world, without a man's own prayer to God 
 for pardon and remillicn, will be inetfetlual rnd unavaila- 
 ble to falvation. Simon Magus defired the apoftle to pray 
 for him, ver. 24. But St. Peter bids him to prav for 
 hliTifelf, as ever he hopes for forgivenefs with God, Repent 
 of this thy wickednefs and pray to God. Ohjerve, 3. The 
 encouragement given to make ufe of the means prelcribed, 
 naiMcly, a probability of forgivenefs and acceptance with 
 God. Refeiit and pray, &c. Learn, That the vilcft and 
 worft of finners upon their repentance, accompanied with 
 prayer and fupplication unto God, have good ground of 
 encouragennent to hope for pardon of fin and acceptance 
 ■i\ iih him, 4. How St. Peter fakes moft notice of that 
 of which Sitnon Magustcck leaft, and ihatwas the wicked- 
 nefs of his thoughts ; That the thought cf thy hcnrt may be 
 forgiven thee. Hence learn That wicked and evil thoughts, 
 lodged and entertained in the heart, ought in a fpecial 
 manner to be repented of, and humbled for, by all that 
 expcft forgivenefs with God; forfinful thoughts are radical 
 andfeininal evils ; they were the root of the angels apoftafy 
 and Adam's apoftafy alfo. A world of fin may be lodged 
 in the thoughts. 
 
 26 f And the angel of the Lord fpake unto 
 Philip, faying, Arife, and go toward the louth, unto 
 the way that goethdotvn from Jtruralcin unto Gaza 
 wliich is dcfert. 27 And he arofe and went. And 
 behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great 
 authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians 
 who had the charge of all her treafure, and had coino 
 to jerufalem for to worfhip, 28 Was rcturnin -, 
 and fitting in his chariot read Efaias the prophet. 
 29 Then the Spirit faid unto Philip, Go near, and 
 join thy fe If to this chariot. 30 And PliiJip ran 
 thither to him, and heard liiin read the prophet, 
 Efaias, and Lnd. Uudcrftandcft tliou what thou 
 3L2 readcll? 
 
452 
 
 Tlie 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Gkap. virr. 
 
 rcadcfl ? 31 Ami he faid. How can I, except fome Of/erv,- here, i. The particular text of holy fcripture 
 
 man fliouid guide me? and he deli red Philip that wl'i'h Cod dircflcd the cunuth to read in crdti 10 his 
 
 he would come up and fit with him. Z^'T ' V^"' \ •''''P.^'7 ,f. P'*^* '^"= P"^"^i'^d 
 
 '^ JVkdiir, recorded in the liii. of Ifaiah ; //e wat Jed as a 
 
 Here we have recorded the remarkable ronverrif>n of frtcpto the Jhmghter, and oi alamo dumb before his fleartr 
 
 the eunuch by the preaching of Philip ; concerning which Pointing out tiie innocency, the mctkncfs and patience of 
 
 feveral circunnftances are to be obfcrvcd : i. 'Jhc author the Lord Jtfus ClirilJ, in snd under ail his falistaftory 
 
 or inrtrum«!it ccnyctting, Philip, who was commar.dcd by riiffciinga for our fins : In the day cj his hvmi.io/im : pzni- 
 
 the angel in a vilion to go to Gaz.i ; but not the cmmon cuiarly tn the day ot his trial and ftnttnce : his judgrneflt 
 
 way, or ordinary road, but by the way of the dtftrt, a uw tahn awny \ that ii, his ri^ht was taken away by the 
 
 il'.Iliailt, and perhaps a dangerous way, over mountains unrighteous judgment of ihc Jcwifli fynhidrim, and no 
 
 ^-r.d through yullics : Philip kp.ew not whiiher he was ri^ht or jufli^e dene him i and who can declare fiiffiJcnily 
 
 ^(Ingj hut Ciid knew whither, and wherefore he fenthiir.. the wi.ktdncfs of that gtncraiion, which cut oft' fo inno- 
 
 OPl.liip! It was worth thy g(.ing many rteps out of the cent a pcrfon from the land of the livins.' This text 
 
 way, to C(T.vi.rt one i1i..i : Happy tor the eunuch that thou ^" "i-- --'^ ' 
 
 Wciuell out of the way, and that he as happilv met thee. 
 ■7. 'Jhc fubitifl or pcifon coiv/crted, (i.) An Ethiopian, 
 t! c nioft defpil'cd of all the Gentiles in the li£;ht of the 
 Jewy. neliold ! the landlifying grace of God "v.afliing a 
 bl.cknioor white, and making an Etiuopian clean. (2.) 
 A nobleman, .-» courtiir, a treafurer to the queen ; yft he 
 
 Lily applicable to the 
 > the world, and both 
 
 Philip informs tlic eunuch, was trulv 
 Mtflias, wiio was certainly come into tL ...... 
 
 did and fuftcred dl that wa? prophefie-d of him. Here nue, 
 How thediviue providence did work in a concurring ten • 
 dcncy towards the eunuch's converflcn. Gixi move"s his 
 heart to read, to read the fcripturer, to read this fcripture, 
 
 . . ,.--.. ,^ which informed him of the fud'erings of the Lord Jefus, 
 
 concerns InmfL.t v^iih rtligim, and being a profelyte, and .'"er.ds Philipcut of his way to meet him, and he meets 
 tra\el.s in his chariot as tar as Jen;falem,. to worfnip God him jult as he was reading that portion of fcripture which 
 in a fulemn manner. O iiow will this exainple rife up in mod concerned hitn : He wanted to be informed concern- 
 ji.d-ment againft our great one?, who have more light, but Jng Chrift, and Philip is at his eibow at that very junaure, 
 lefs heat ; more knov\ ledge, but lefs love ! (3.) A^bockilli to inihiift him in a moft fundamental truth in order to his 
 man, one that delighted in reading, and in reading of the converfion and falvaiion. O the wcndtrful love, and 
 fcriptures too, and thus whilit he was riding in his chariot, •'■..•'. . .. . _ 
 
 to lofe no time for gaining the knowledge of his duty. ]f 
 our c< uiiicrs ar.d grc.-.t men icad not at all in their coaches,, 
 oriffo. pla)s or romances only, this ignorant Ethiopi;n 
 lord d;j better, though he knew not fo much as thefe. 
 He read ill his chariot the prophet F.faias. 3. The" meanj 
 whi^:h GikJ fan£lified and blcded lor the eunuch's cover, 
 ticn ; ir was the reaping and expounding of the holy fcrip_ 
 
 inanifold wifdom ot God, in finding out ways and methods 
 tor bringing home fouls to him(tlf! If his providence 
 brmgs them not under the means, it .will bring the means 
 to them. This church wanted the ordinary .means of 
 knowledge ; but being defirous of fpiriiual knowledge, 
 God llcps out of the ordinary road to meet him, thoirgh 
 an Ethiopian commonly eileemed the meancfl of man- 
 kmd ; and thereby fliew.s that as there is no refpcft of 
 
 ..v.. , .' .>ao ...t i^..j.,i.v; diiu cApouniung or ine noiy icrip_ n^"'" , ai.u uicrcDy mew.«, tnat as tiiere is no refpcdt of 
 
 tiiits : The word otGcd, read and preached, is the grc.-t FrCons, fo no diti'crcnce of nations with him ; but who- 
 
 iiiftii.incnt m the hsnd of the Spirit for finners illumination ^"'^'^ fcarethGod and workeih tiiiliieotifnefs, is accepted ot 
 
 tcnxeriion, and Lnlvaiion j and blciled are they that hear '"'"• '" '■'^e clofe, Phillip pre.ichcs a public fcrmon to him 
 
 snd read the word with attention, afRdion and' application f^'f"p'aying Jcfus Chrift bctore him, and by the bleffina of 
 
 4. I he wondertul mcdefty and humiliiv of this great ^^'^ "P*^" ^^^ ordinance, faving faith was efFeaSaliy 
 
 Kian, he thankfully accepts Philip's ofFcr' to inllrud and ^^■'^<^i=gli' m the eunuch's foul. . 
 
 teach hiin, (fome would have hufl'ed at it as a rude -fFionil r,/; A ,, J^„ .1, 
 
 tut 1 e cr ndefcends to learn of one beneath him Such ' ^ ^^ '^^^^ °" ''""" '''^>'' '^"^ ""'^ 
 
 are n odc'h .-ind thoroughly htnr.hle, are alfo tnily docile T "" *^'''''^'" '^'''''"'' ^^"'^ '^'-' ^"""^^^1 ^^id, See 
 
 iind teac-iiahlc, >Nillingto Icnrn knowledge, although from "^'"'^ " water : what doth hinder me to be baptized ? 
 
 the n-.outh of an inferior : He d.f;rtd PhUp to ceme Ip and Rt 37 ^"d PJiiiip I'aid, If thou belicveft with all thine 
 
 M.i:h him. 
 
 32 The place of the fcripture which he read was 
 this, He was ltd as a Ih tep to his /laughter ; and 
 like a lamb dumb before his fliearer, fo opened he 
 not his mouth. 331a iiis humiliation hisjudgiucnt 
 was taken away : and who fliall declare his genera- 
 tion ? for hi* life is taken from the earth. 34 And 
 
 the eunuch anfwcred Philip, and ("aid, I pray thee '"" """ "" '"""^' inune^cnt on nis ivay rejoicin 
 of whom fpeaketh the prophet this .-> of himfelf or of -° But Philip was found at Azotus : and paflin 
 fome other man: 35 Then Philip opened his 'trough he preached in all the cities, till he cam 
 inotilh and began at the fame fcripture. and preach- '° Celarca. 
 
 heart, thou mayeft. And he anfwered and faid I 
 beheve that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God. 38 
 And he commanded the chariot to ftand Hill: and 
 they went down both into the water, both Phillip 
 and the eunuch; and he baptized him.. 39 And 
 when they were come up out of the water, the Spi- 
 rit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch 
 law him no more; andhejufent on his way rejoicinff 
 
 came 
 
 •d Kiilo Uini Jcfui- 
 
 ^ Ohjerve r. The eunuch is inftxuaed before baptized. 
 
Chap. ix. 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 and he defired hsplifm of Philip ; it ■\vas not forced 
 upon him by Philip againft his will, The eunuch f aid, What 
 hinders me to be laftiaesF To drive nier: tp bapiifm, as 
 they drive hearts to watering, and force chriftianiiy upon 
 them againft their wills, to fend forth booted apoftles with 
 javelins in their hands, nnd crofTos on their brcarts, vis ihe 
 Romifh church doth to dragf^rn men into chriftiunity, is 
 the way to make hypocrites, btit not profelyte s ; fcir it is 
 • not whole armies that can bt(ie£:e my reafon, nor cannons 
 batter my v.ill. It is cor.viaion, not compidfion, that 
 miill induce alUnf, 2. The eumich after inflruflion de- 
 frrcil bapiifm, Sre l:e>v is water; let me be b;ipiizt(i. As 
 H" he had dU, " O Philip! as ihoii hart inrtruaed me, I 
 pray thee alfo bi.ptize me. Now that 1 have received the 
 benefit of thy d.>c1rine, let me not want the comfort <jf the 
 facrajr.cnt." Where the heart is truly touched by the 
 rr.inirtry of the word, and the foul thoroughly converted 
 unto Goi, there is a defire to be partaker of the facra- 
 nients. % The condition required of the eunuch before 
 he was bar'izcd, namely, A profellion of his faith in the 
 promifcd Mertias; If thcu le'ie-vcl}, thou maycrt be bap- 
 tized. There is a necertiiy of faith, to render a man a 
 meet partaker of the holy facramcnts : If we come to any 
 of the facraments without f;,ith, wc are furc to depart 
 wul-out Iruit. 4. The qualification of that faiih which 
 giye-s a right 10 the holy facraments; If thou belicvcfl uith 
 cUlhwe heart; only that frith gives a right to baptilin, 
 and intttles tofaliation, which is with all the heart. This 
 eunuch believed with his whole heart, that Jefus Chrift 
 was the Sen of God. This gave him at once a right to 
 baptifm, ard a title to heaven.. 5. The manner of the 
 adminirtrationof baptifm to the eunuch; he went down 
 into the water and was baptized by Philip: In thofe hot 
 countries it was ufual fo to do, and we do not oppofc the 
 JawfUncfs of dipping in fome cafes, but the ntc'cfniv of 
 dipping in ail cales. In facraments, it is not the quantity 
 Of the elements, but the^flgnificancy of them that ought to 
 i .u '^iT'^ '" ' '' '" circumciilon, it was not the qtlantitv 
 ot the flelh cut off; and in the Lord's fuppcr, it is not 
 the quantity of the bread and wine taken down; fo in 
 ^aptl,m,a few drops of water pcurcd upon them, doth flg- 
 nifyandfea and convey and confirm tome a right ard 
 interert in all the benefits of tny Saviour's death and rcfur- 
 nll^!!;'' f">'.vas It with Jcnah, I were plunged into the 
 nia.n ocean. 6. What followed upon the eunuchs bap- 
 izing, and coming out of the water, f r.) The Spirit of 
 
 fe„ "/: "•'^^''"//[^'''P' by .he minirtry of an angel 
 he «as earned out of' fight, thar .he eunuch might be the 
 
 Chfpr-,°^ "''•'";;"' °f "'^'"^ 'f>'"g= ^•''i'^h ^vere taught 
 h.mbyPluhps tnmirtry; and that he w« a perfon lint 
 ct Ucd todirea him in the Way to true happinefs (2.) 
 
 iTwasirt '''" a°" ^'" ^^"y ^^J"''--''"^' " ^^^^'> •'•« "^■■e''t 
 
 Chr rtlnH.'^P'f J""?.'y ^= ^''"^' '""J^' '« ^^'^^ ^viih 
 
 -th iourn.T"^'"'"*^'^^'^^-"'' 1^"^^" =""' '■=''v="i'n 
 ah.sjo.irncysend. A cunvet.ed man hath great ca.ife 
 
 embS'i; '^^^"'■P<^• P'^J--''. n-.uch morl hear.ii; 
 rb.'otlzed .nT''"^i theeunueh is inrtruaed. believed. 
 V-od IS not meat and drmk, but riohteouAicfs and peace, 
 
 453 
 
 and joy in thr Holy Ghcrt. Laflly, Philip was fount! at 
 Azotus, or Aftidod, thirty-four miles frcm Gaza, fo far 
 had the minirtry of the anods carried him, and there fafeiy 
 fet him down. Learn, How good it is to ebev Gcd in 
 the mort difficult command. Philip had a hard and tire- 
 fome jonrney from Samaria to Gaza, footing it through a 
 dcfart, in untrodden paths, and running as fnft as thr 
 eunuch's charriot, to join himfelf unto it at the cnmirand 
 of God. But now from Gaza to Aztotus he has a fwifter 
 and eafier paifage, he rides in an sngelic living chariot. 
 When we attend the execution cf God's cririnands, the 
 holy angels fiiall attend us, and take care of u?, and cdmi- 
 niik-r nece.T-ry help unto us : like tender nurfes they keep 
 us fafc whilrt we live, and bring us home in their arms to 
 our Father's houfe when we die. Blciled Uc God for thr; 
 miniflry of his holy angels. 
 
 C ir A P. IX. 
 
 This, chapter rdaUs to us both Saul's cnielty and con-- 
 vtrficn; and acquaints us mth ihe xvmder/ul method 
 -uihzch the infnitcly nnfe God look for his churck'a 
 deliverance front the fury cf perfecution; zuherely ihe 
 church had refl and peace. 
 
 AND S«(ul yet breathinjr ont threatcnincrs and 
 flaugliter againft the dilciples of the Lord, went 
 unto the high prieft, 2 And defired of him letters 
 to Damafcus to the fynagogues, that if he found nny 
 of this way, whether they were men or women, he 
 mig^ bring them bound unto Jerufalem. 
 
 Nc/e here r. The lively charaacr of a bloodv perfectitor: 
 Jie breathes out threatcnings and f.aughler as.r.i'r,fl the mem- 
 l-crs cf Chrijl. His very breath fmells cf fire ; threaten- 
 ingsandnaughter. like lightnings and thunder, proceed out 
 of his mouth. Whilrt a perfecutor hath in him the breath 
 of his own life, he breathes nothing but death againft 
 otners: Nothing will fatisfy him but the death am? de- 
 rtrudion of the members of Chrirt. An indiforect and 
 ungovernable zeal foen degenerates into fury and marincfs. 
 2. How reftlcfs unwearied pcrfecutors are in the profecu- 
 tion of then- bloody defigns and purpofes. Saul was now 
 tr.^uipor ha:rettca pravUatis: away he trots to the high 
 pnelt tor a commifficn to bind heretics, who believed .n 
 jelus, andopportdtke traditions of the fathers; and hav- 
 ing, as he thought, fwept Jerufalem of faints, he refolvcd 
 next toranfackD-imafcus, though it ivas five or fix davs 
 journey from Jcrufiilcm: However he fpurs or, away he 
 goes through fire and water to revenge hi$ malice rn the 
 poor members of Jefus Chrift. Z^.^r^ hence, Thatrcr- 
 lecutors will fpare neither purfc nor pains, ibcy will fiiefc. 
 at nothing tluntgn never fo toiifome and hazardous, fu 
 hey may glut their malice, ai-.d fatirfy their revem-e ur, n 
 the poor d.faples of Jefirs Chrirt. The hi^h prieft needed 
 not to hire Saul to this bhck Mork, he both oiTirs himfclf, 
 and (ues for the office : No doubt the hi.h prieft and coun- 
 cil highly applauded his zeal and forwardnifs for extirpat- 
 ing heretics, comir.cnding the gailantrj ef Jiis refoiution, 
 
 aiid 
 
4J4 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 C«AP. IX. 
 
 »fM )be bravery of his miiul ; anJ having Tealed his commif- 
 fivi^ lent him away^vitU-»vi*lics»f fticicfs. ,)-. , ,, '^ • 
 
 ^ And as lis journeyed, he camenCat* Damafctfij'; 
 
 and fuddculy thero (hiiix-'d round about hjm a lij;ht 
 from heaven. 4 And lie fell to ihe earth, and heard 
 a voice faying un:o hi;n, Saul, Saul, why peifecuteft 
 ihoiv me? 5 And he faid, V.'ho art thou, Lord ? 
 And the I^rd laid.. 1 am Jcfus whom thou perlc- 
 cutell. Ji jjhurd ibr thse to kick a^ainll the pricks. 
 
 Saql wa5 now (>nward of Ijis journey to Damnfiiis frhe 
 Worrt" journey that ever he intentlecl, but the beft he ever 
 iiridertook) a jinimcy mifl malLioiifly piirpofcd by him, 
 f»iit mt'\ merLit'ni!y difpofcd by Gjd. Heaven had defigned 
 liim for b.-'.r^T fcrvioe, and work of another nature ; and 
 set -irHhi"'!.',' he Is ftoppcd iiV hi" way, knocked oiT his horfc, 
 a fu Idc-n bt-atn of liglit beyond the brightnefs of the fun 
 darts up )n hi.n, d.iz^les bias, and he luarr a voice, fayin;;, 
 S/.iil, Sau!, Tt'/iy pcrferutfp thmi nir? that is, ms in my 
 Tn.-mUn. Wliaicver is done aRainll Chiiflians for any 
 rli';ni^»hnt Chtirt commriiuletli them, he takes it as done 
 <!»3in(l himfelf. Such as perft-aitc the faints for their 
 Lnflitv, perfecutc Chrill himfelf; and he cari' no more 
 ciiJiire ta fee them wronged, tlian himfelf. As the honrnr 
 of Chi ill the Head, redounds' to 1 lie mcmbcrF. fo the for- 
 Vowsijf tlic members are lefmtcd by tl'.c Head. Christ 
 fliiJ nn thus to his murderers on earth, Why bind ye me ? 
 Vi'hy biitt'.-t yc me r Why fcourgc ye, and why crucify yc 
 rne; Eut here, ivhcn ihs members fiiflVi, he aits out from 
 Ticavca, San!, San/, why perjcculeji tlon me? Lord! thou 
 art more tender of ihy b"dy myflioal, than thou wafl of thy 
 bndy iiinir'al; more fenfiWe of thy mcn~.btrs fufFc^igs, 
 ihun rf thine Dwn. 2. The wor.dctfiil power of thencart 
 i"han;;'iiia; grace of God. S.ud cries out, Lcrtf, vj/.'/.f icHt 
 /'/*» ha'j^ Tie to d'j? SjuI is no longer a lion, but a lamb ; 
 I'le wolf that hunted before for his prey, now (.enily conches 
 iikeafhcepi hears and obeys the voice of Chrifl the great 
 Shepherd ; and of a perfecutor of the church, becomes the 
 prt-4t dc'clor of tiie Geniilcs. Behold! the tare is become 
 wheat ; the child of wrath a choftn vclTcl ; the prodigy of 
 nitiifc, the miracle of grace. Liwd ! who can enough 
 admire and magnify the f.-.vcrcignty and omnipotent pre- 
 viJiiiicy of diA'ine grace, which could refine and did cxiraft 
 Viiy )»reciaus gold, from fo rough, fo coarfe, and fo bale a 
 jv.etjl i Convtrli(;n is a work of wonder in all men, bur a 
 iniracle in this nun, and extraordinarily flrange, and in- 
 ftantaneoHfiy fuddcn ; and therefore is by no means to be 
 made the treafure and Itandard of eveiy man's converfion. 
 S.'isll we think no man converted, nnlcfs he be flruck 
 down with a light and |iower immediately from heaven, 
 nnd be taken with a ht of trembling, and frighted almoft 
 out of his wits? How many, by the benefit of a good edu- 
 cation, others by the blelling of God upon fome affli£lion, 
 and upon calm conl^deralion, without any great terrors and 
 amazement, have been vihbly changed and converted ? 
 The effects and fruits of convcrlion arc ver)' vifible in all, 
 hut the manner of converfion is not alike in all. Things 
 •nay be very vifil)lein their clfcfts, which yet are not vi- 
 £;'. iu thtir caulV. If the fruits of our ccinvcrficn be 
 
 vifible, the certainty of it isurqueflionable, and the advan- 
 tage cf it will be iinfpeakt'jT.;, although we cannot tei! the 
 time when, or the minuet how, the holy Spirit wrouijht 
 it in us. 
 
 6 And he trcmbhng iind anonifhed, Hiid. Lord, 
 whrft wilt thou have me to do ? and the Lord [aid 
 unto him, Arife, aixd go into the city, and it fhall 
 be told thcc what thou mull do. 
 
 Note here, t. Hcr.v eafiiy God can make the fiercc/t per- 
 fecutor to quake and rrerr.ble: Saul is ftfuek down, but ,ii^ 
 is to convert him, not confound htm ; he irembfes, but his 
 trembling Was in order to rejoicing. It was a favourable, 
 though an affriuhtingftrc kc, which Itruck him down, but 
 with defign to raife him up again. Humiliation for fin, in 
 fome tneafiire always goes before a foul's accti)tjnee ofJ 
 Ciiriil, ann fubjtclion to him. 2. How ready and defirous 
 a converted perlon is to know and do the niiitd and wilt 
 of Gof! : L'.rd, xvhat wUt thou have me to do? He is in- 
 quifiiive after his duty, and defirous of the knowledge of 
 it. We may fooner find fire without heat, than a true 
 convert without operative grace. It is not, Lord, what 
 wilt thou have me to fay? but. What thou wilt have n;e 
 to do ? ft is not the taking, but the walking and working 
 perfon tliat is the true chriilian. 3. God's anfwer to 
 Saul's inquiry ; Arife, go into the dly, and it fljall he tdd 
 thee what thou muj} do. Mcirh, He was going to Damafcus 
 before, on the Devil's errand, now God bids him go; he had 
 better authority for his going thither now, thai> what he 
 had from the high priefl; before: he went before for others 
 dertruftion ; he now goes for his own inftrudlion, in order 
 to falvation : There it Jliall le told thee what //.'cu mujl do. 
 
 7 And the men which journeyed with him flood 
 fpeeclilcfs, hearing a voice, but feeing no man. 
 
 Kite here, The teflimonv or \v itnelTes of Saul's conver- 
 fion, to wit, the men that journeyed vidi him ; it is pro- 
 bable that he had a confiderp.bic number of olTiccrs with 
 him, to bring both men and women that proftflcd chrif- 
 tianiiy bound to Jerufalem. Thefe faw the liglit fiiiiiing, 
 and heard a conhifed noife like thunder; but they faw not 
 Chriil iiimfelf, as he did, nor heard the articulare voice of 
 Chriil that he heard, which fpake fo powerfully, fo con- 
 vincingly, and f» convertingly to his foul. Lord, how 
 many are there, that come under thine ordinances, who 
 hear only (like Saul's companions) a contufcd noife and 
 empty found ! They do not hear the dillincl voice of Chrilt 
 fpeaking to their hearts with a ftrong hand, inwardly and 
 effectually, and fo remain under the power of unbelief, in 
 an unconverted ftate. 
 
 8 And Saul arofe from the earth : and w hen his 
 eyes were opened he faw no man ; but tliey led him 
 by the hand, and brought him into Damalcus. 9 
 And he was three days without light, and neithe r 
 did cat nor drink. • 
 
 A'ff/f here, I. The change of Saul's poftu re ; hit arofe 
 from the earth. He that fell to the earth a perfecutor, rills 
 up a faint. O free mercy, and aflcnilhing rich grace ! that 
 
 the 
 
 k* 
 
CxiAt. Ik. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 i55 
 
 tlie earth tiport wliich lie lay 5i<l not open her mouth and 
 fu'allow him up alive: He that hatf nin awav from Got!, 
 and cmploj'cd his feet in the fervlce of ilic ricvi), is once 
 more fet upon his feet agsin, 2. His blindnnfs and lofs of 
 fight: in.e» his eus uere epenatl he Jatu >io man. Chrift 
 tau^lrt hi;ii» by his kotlily blindncfs, the bliiidnefs of his 
 foul ir. fpiritual things, w'hich lil! now lie was infcnllble of. 
 As Saul v.'as, fo all nien naturally are fpiritually blind, be- 
 fore re^^eneration snd coiiverfion : True, he was broujjht 
 • up ^t the feet -of Gtiualicl, and was a yrcat proficient iti 
 human learning, but after his converflon he counted that 
 iinowiedgetio btttcr than blinduefs, Phil. iii. 7, 8. • Noti; 
 3. His nTnnuduclion or leadin.; by the hand into the city ; 
 jTljcy M hit:: ky the hand into Damafats. Who led him ? 
 Doub;l:r» his companions thai came along with him upon 
 liis bloody 'Iciign from Jcrurateni. Here the biirnl led the 
 blind; thofe very hands lead him to Damafcus, which 
 flioiiltl have haled the faints from Damafcus to Jc-ufalem, 
 Bur, O Saul ! tiiou hadft a better leader than all thefe, even 
 Ciiriil himfelf : He led ihce by the h;;nd into (he city, in 
 order to th.c compleiisig of thy con\-criion : Now h.-;ppy 
 Saul ! thoiinh formerly rebeHimis, whohafV t<iy Saviour for' 
 a kaJeC, thmi (halt never wander nor mifcarry. 4. The 
 duration and continuance of Saul's blindnefs : He was 
 ihree fi'nys •nil'i.eiil f.gl)/. This was a lonj; night to him 
 who perfccuted the cliildren oi the day ; a juft limc for him 
 to be in darlinefs, who fo implacably attemi;tcd to blov/ out 
 the light of the gofpel : But perkaps no lefs time would 
 have been (inHicient to humble him for his rage and mad- 
 ncfs againfl Chrift and his members. Bcfides, there are 
 fomc that think, that, in thefe three days of his continued 
 blindncfs, he iiad that rapture into the third heaven, w'hich 
 is meniiimed 2 Cor. xii. 2. But hov/ever that be, doubt- 
 lefs in that time his mind was filled with divine contem. 
 plaiions; anJ th:.: gloiious gofpel was taugiit liini in three 
 days, which he taught to others all his days. 5. His ab- 
 ftinence from food : He diti neither eat tv.r drini : He fpent 
 thofc three days, we ma^' believe, in farting and prayer, and 
 extraordinary humiliation before God, fcr his former 
 wicked life, and particularly forliis vioKnt perfecution of 
 the church of Chrift : He faded, to make him more fer- 
 vent in prayer i for fading prepares for prayer, and gives 
 wings to prayer. 
 
 ■ 10 ^ And tlirre was a certain difciple at Damaf- 
 c&s named Ananias, and to hint faid the Lord in a 
 vjlioji, Ananias. And he laid. Behold, I am here. 
 Lord. And the Lord faid unto him, Arife, and 
 go into the ftrect which is called Slrai','bt. and in- 
 quire in the houle of Judas, for one-called Saul of 
 Tarfus ; t'er behold, he prayetli, 1 2 And hath feen 
 in a vifion, a mati named Ananias coming in, and 
 putting His iaud on him, that he might receive his 
 
 jVi// here, i. Though CfhM converted Paul himf^lf, vet 
 Ananijs his inir.i.'lcr mull in(lrr.<3 him. By Chriil is grace 
 infur^d, by l;i& minifters increaitd; ind\ an honour 
 doth Chri!} p^l^^•pt^n the'niinidcrsof tlie gofpel, that he 
 iTiakes ufc of their endeavours ordinarily both for the pro- 
 
 duflion rnd augmentation of grace in the hearts of his 
 people. O, ihc nccclTity and ufefulncfs of a ftanding mi- 
 nidry ! It is a fingular favour to have the mind ot Gcf 
 made known to us by men like ourfelvcs : And behold the 
 honour that God puts upon the miniders, in ufing them as 
 conduit pipes, for conveying the water of life to us, which 
 he is not pleafed to communicate immediately from him- 
 felf. 2. What an exa£l knowledge the Lord h.is of par- 
 ticular perfons and particular places : He tell. " 's iM 
 what citv S:a:I was, in Damafcus ; in what .. ,-.3-, 
 
 ijithe dreet called S/riii^ht; in wliofe Iicufe hev.j?, u} ti'c 
 /'wc/f- of 'judits. It is a iratfcr of conlolation, \^n, of, 
 highed confolaticn to the children of God, fo know ar.J. 
 remember that God knows them, that God knows their 
 perfons, knows their purpofcs, knows their performancci,. 
 knows their place of abcxie : that he ktiovVs who thev arc, 
 what they do, and where they dwell. It adures them as 
 to their petfi')ns, they fliall be accepted ; as to tlicir f>cr- 
 formances, that thev diall be rev.-ardcd; as to ll.elr htbila- . 
 tions, that they dull be loved, blcfied and protrfied by him. 
 So dear are the holy fervants of Gcd unto him, that he 
 loves the \ery ftreet in w'hich ihey lodge, the hoiifc in which 
 they dwell ; the walls of their habitaricn arc always befcxe . 
 him, and he delights continually to lock upon the them', Le^^ 
 holincis to the Lord then be always writ in fair aV.d'legitJfljF 
 charaiilers t;pan the walls of ctir h.;iifcs. ZcC'h. xiv, id.'; . »♦* 
 Kot.-, 3. 'J'lie courfc which Almighty God takes tci remove 
 all fear from Ananias's mind, s.nd to encouVage hini to go 
 to Saul, according to the dirtcUon given him ; alihoi!^!> he 
 had been ftich a bloody perfccutor, he fcljs him,' That, 
 Bi'hold, he prayeth ; as if he had faid, " Though" he; ha« 
 been bad, he is not now what he way, he is anoiher'maa ; ,. 
 nay, he is a new man, he is truly and thoroughly cpnvertcjjj. 
 and this is the undeniable evidence ana tcdiin.oiiy of 1x4 - 
 Tlint whereas before he pel fecuted, now' he prayefh; Z?*-- 
 hold he peayrlh.'' Learn thence. That fpiritual breatli i^ a 
 good fign of fpiritual birth : None of God's children ,arj5 
 dill born, they all come crying into the world. The (Ji;i7 , 
 of prayer faithfully and pcrfevcringlv .pcrfornj:ed,'is a ■'ood, 
 evidence that a fotil is thcroiighlv converted and brau^ht 
 home by rqieniancc unto God: Behold, Saul p'-ayeihl But 
 did he never pray till now ? Yes, no doubt, miiny a tiine 
 when he was a diifl: Pliarifec, he prayed after a Ki.>fc and 
 rudomary manner ; but he never prayed fo fenfibly and 
 fo feelingly, fo fpiritually and affedlicnately, fo fervently 
 and perfevcringly before, as he did after his converdon : 
 His prayer beff)re, was the cr\' of the old, now (>f the new 
 Creature ; before, he prayed with cohincfs and indifTcrencv, 
 now he' prays with warmth and fervency, as a pevft)irfti 
 ec'rneft for his fqul's hapniaefs and faUaiiou ; thc-refore 
 Chrid bring*; it in with a iute of attention andobllrvaiion : 
 Now, Behold he prcyfih, 
 
 13 Then Anainias anhvcrcd. Lord, I have heard 
 by many of this man; how inuch ^vil I'lC hatli done 
 to thy faints at.JcntCiiem. 14, ^rid-hcre he hath 
 authority from.tbc chief priefl.s to bind ail that cali 
 on tby name^ 15 But the Lord laid uniij him, Go 
 thy vTAy : for he is a cbofen vetfel unto me, to bear 
 jny name before the GeatiicE, and kings, and the 
 
 children 
 
456 
 
 Tlie 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap. xr. 
 
 children oF Ifrael. 16 For I will (hew him how 
 great things he mud fuffer for ray name's fake. 
 
 Note here, I. Aranias's reluflancy and fear to go to 
 Saul, becaufe of his former vinlf nt perft-ciition, and prtfcnt 
 commiffion ; Lord, I have heard of this mzn, isfc. Learn, 
 That fuch as are very rcidv arJ forward for Chrin's fer- 
 vice, may, upon appearinr; di(T;cul;ies, hanj^ back, till they 
 be S.lped over thofe difficiiliies bv the helping hand of 
 Chrilt, Thus it was with Ananias : Behold, fays he, here 
 em / Lerd, ver. 10. to fhew his rcadinefs to run on any 
 errand that Chriil would fend hi;n: But when he came to 
 underftand his mefTage, he was affrighted and began to 
 drawback: Therefore the Lord ^raciowfly condefcends to 
 remove the ftumbling-block that lay in the way of his fer- 
 vant's obedience. Fear not ; as if Chiift had faiJ, " Go 
 thy way, he is not what he was, he is another man : yea, 
 he is anew man." 2. The honour: ble title whi^h Chrilt 
 puis upon Siul, He is a chcfen vcffel ., that is, a perfon 
 chofen of God to convey the divine treafure of the golpel, 
 not only to Jews, but Gentiles alfn, even to the greateft 
 and higheft among them ; He is a chofen veffA i^c. Where 
 obferzie, I. The term of ufefulnefs; he is a vcflTel Now 
 a veflTel is not a naturzl, but an artificial inflniment. No 
 man is born, but made a minifter of the gofpcl. Veflels 
 are not of eqnal capacity, fome are greater, others lefs ; all 
 ^minifters have not like endowments, nor are they equally 
 fitted for the facrtd employinint. Again, veifelsare recep- 
 tive inllniments ; they muft take in before they can give 
 out. What the minillers of the gofpcl have received of 
 the Lord, that they deliver to their people; they give out 
 \v<jat God gives in. Finally, veflels are for effufion, as 
 well as for reception; they let out, as well as take in ; yea, 
 therefore take in, that they may let out; therefore have the 
 fn-nijlers of Chrift a treafure of divine knowledge in them- 
 felvei, that they may communicate and impart it to ethers. 
 And it is not impaired by imparling, but like the oil in ike 
 U'idizv's vefj'el, increafed by pouring out. A minifter, by 
 communicating the treafure of his knowledge, enriches 
 others without impoverifliing himfelf. 2. The term of 
 excellency, He is a ck:fen vtffel, chofen to preach Chriil, 
 (htfen to fuffer for Chrift ; a vffjcl chofen to beat the divine 
 treafure of the gofpcl both to Jews and Gentiles. Lord! 
 ^vhat honor doft thou put upon thy minifters in making 
 them, vcffcls of honor fit for the mafter's uft and and the fa- 
 mily's fcrvice ! If I may not be a ve(!<.-l of gold or fiivcr, 
 let me be a vefTcl of wood or ftone, fo I may be a veffel unto 
 honor, a fuccefsful inftrument in thy hand, for thy glory, 
 and the church's good. 
 
 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into 
 thehoufe; and putting his hands on him, faid. 
 Brother Saul, the Lord, ev(n Jefus, that appeared 
 unto thee in the way as thou camcft; hath fent me 
 that thcu !Tii jhteft receive thy fight, andbefilled 
 with the Holy Ghoft. 18 And imtnediately there 
 fell from his eyes as it had been fcales : and he re- 
 ceived fight forthwith, and arofe, and was baptized, 
 jg And when he had received meat, he was ftren^th- 
 
 ened. Then was Saul certain days with the difci- 
 ples which were at Damafcus. 
 
 Nciehert, J. Ananias, though no apoftle, no dcacon> 
 nor minifter that v/e read of, but an ordinary and private 
 chriftian only, yet he has power to heal Saul of his blind- 
 nefs, and to confer the Holy Ghoft ; Receive ti j Jight, and 
 ht filled with the Holy Ghofi: If fo, undoubtedly he had -^ 
 extraordinary warrant for this extraordinary work ; for none 
 but the apoftles had power to confer the Holy Ghoft.— ^ 
 No ordinary perfon ought to undertake any part of the 
 minifteriai funftion without an extraorilinary call and com- 
 miftion. 2. The title given by Ananias to Saul. Brothtf 
 Saul:, they were now brethren by faith and i^rofcflion, 
 owning the fame G'.'d, united to the fsme Saviour, ani- 
 mated by the fame Spirit, encoiiraged by the fame promifcs, 
 partakers of the fame hope, and heirs of the fame flory. 
 As the fcripture fpeaks of a brotherhood betwixt Chrift and 
 believers, He is not ajhamed to call them brethren ; ftt it 
 fpeaks of a brotherhood betwixt believers themfelves, Lave 
 the brotherkccd; that is, the whole fraternity and focieiy of 
 chrillians, who are fan/ruine Chrifli conghttnati, ctnr.ented 
 by the blocd of Chrift, end united by the bond of love. 
 3. How this converted perfon, Saul, takes i;pon him the 
 badge of chriftianity by baptifm ; He crcfe and was bap- 
 tized. Lifting himfelf theieby a fcldier under Chrift's ex- 
 alted banner, and entering himfelf a member of that church 
 which heretofore he had made havcck of. 4. The pru- 
 dent care which Saul takes of his health, by giving nature 
 its ncccftary refreihment ; He received meet, and was 
 Jirengthened. Doiibtlefs the body was much weakened and 
 enfeebled, by his long journey partly, but by his confterna- 
 tion, fear, and grief efpecially, as alfo by his humiliaticns, 
 watchings, farting and prayer : It was therefore his duty to 
 refrefti nature, and to Itrengthcn himfelf for the fervice of 
 hi.s great m.after, wherever he ftiould plcafe to fend him, 
 Whilft we are in the body, there Ls a debt cf care which we 
 owe to the body : Meat and drink are the fupports of 
 life, under tiie influence of the divine blefiing ; and all 
 fuperfti.ious abftinence from food is no better than will- 
 worftiip. Laftly, Saul is no fooner changed himfelf, but 
 he changeth his company and acquaintance. He no longer 
 allbciaies with the chief priefts and rulers of the fynagogi:e.<:, 
 but with the followers ot Jefus, ver. 19. Then was Saul, 
 &c. Men who cunningly conceal their inclinations, may 
 yet be known by their coiiftant componions. Saul wa« 
 now a companion of them that feared Gi-d, and kept Y.'u 
 commandments. The diiciples at Damafcus, whom he 
 come tcdeftroy, arenow become his delight. 
 
 20 And ftraightway he preached Chrift in the 
 fynagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 But 
 all that heard him were amazed, and faid, Is not this 
 he that dc.flroyed them which called on this name 
 in Jcrufalem, and came hither for that intent, that 
 he ir.ight bring them bound unto the chief priefti ? 
 22 But Saul increafed the more in ftrength, and 
 confounded the Jews which dwelt in Damafcus, 
 proving that t^s is very Chnft. 2 J % And after 
 
 chat 
 
Chat. IX* 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 457 
 
 thatmany days were" fulfilled, tlic Jews toolc coun- 
 fel to kill him. cj But their layinj await was 
 known of Saul.And^they watched the gatss day and 
 night to kill him. 25 Then the difciples took him 
 by night, and let him down by the wall in a bafket. 
 
 Here wc have an account of St. Paul's entrance upon 
 , his miiiifterijl o/Kce in preaching the gorpel ; Sraightviay 
 he preached Chr!(t In the fynagogues. Where note, t , The 
 time of his preaching, Slraight-uiay ; he fell prefenily to 
 his Marten's work, notconfultingflcfh and blood about the 
 difficulties and dangers that might attend it : but performs 
 his duty with fuch zeal and inmiediate spplication, as be- 
 came a perfon of his holy charafter and profefiion. 2. The 
 place where he preached, In the JtSijh fynagogues : He 
 was afterwards indeed the apoftlecf the Gentiles, but ac- 
 cording to Chrift's command, he firft preached the word 
 of life to the Jews, to convert fome, and to leave others 
 ■without exciiie : After which he turned from them unto 
 the Gentiles, according to Acflsxiii: 46 It -was nectjjary 
 that the 'j}ord of God Jhould he firft fpikenii ym, kc. 3. 
 The dcclrine he preached ; Thttt Jejus was the Son cf Cnd, 
 the true, promifed, and expccledMcflias; and that all the 
 prophecies and predictions of the prophets concerning the 
 Mefiias, were exactly fuliilled in his perfon. 4. Thcetfecl 
 of ijis peaching : (i.) Some of his auditors were amazed, 
 admiring tliatfopertilenta perfecntor was become a power- 
 ful preach- T, V he/e glorified Cod in him. (2.) Others were 
 'Confuted, yea, cotjfuundcd, being unable to withftand tlie 
 force nnii oint of his argument, by which he proved, that 
 this is the very Chrift. Note, 5. The hazard which the 
 spcftlerjn in preaching the gofpel at Damafcus ; Iiis ene- 
 mies, vho were not able to relilt the Wifdom and Spirit 
 -by which he fpake, took counfel to kill him, and in order 
 to thif, watched the gates of the city day and night, 
 there being in their apprehenilons no polfibility of his 
 cfcaping. 9, The manner and means of his deliverance; 
 fiinie chriftians who dwelt at Damaftvis, let him down i,n 
 a bafket by the wall, and fo he efcaped the hands of his 
 bIoo<ly enemies. The wffdom of God is never at a lofs 
 to find out ways and ineans,either ordinary or extraordina- 
 , ry, for the deliverance of hit I'ervants, \\ lien their <leli ver- 
 ance makes invd for his ow n •glory, and the gofpel's ad- 
 vantage. God had much work for Paul to do : and till 
 he had (Inilhed h's work.hii-eneinies could not take him 
 off with all jheirco.iibined power and malice. 
 
 26 And when S.iul was come to Jcrufalem, he 
 affayesdtojoin himfolf to the difciples: but they were 
 ail afraid of him, and believed not that he was a 
 difciple. 27 But Barnafeas took him. and brousrht 
 him to the apoftles, and declared unto them how 
 he had leeo the Lord in the way, and that he had 
 fpoken to him ; and how he had preached boldly at 
 Damafcus in the name of Jcfus. 28 And he was 
 ■with them coming in and going out at Jcrufalem. 
 29 And he ipake boidiy in the name of the Lord 
 Jefus, and difputed againil the Grecians : but they 
 ^ent about to flay him. ^» Which when the 
 
 brethren knew, they breui^ht him down to Cefarea, 
 and lent him forth toTarius. 
 
 Here we h.ive an account af the fccond place which 
 Paul exerctfed hisminiftry in; namely, Jerufalem. Having 
 efcaped with his life atlJamafcus, becomes to Jcrufajeui, 
 andattem^its tojoin himfelf to thedifciplct there, who were 
 allafraid of him, knowing how bloody a perfccutor lie had 
 been. The converfion of a perfecutor is lo rare and feldom 
 heard of, that it put^thelargtft charity hard to it, to believe 
 the verity and reality of fuch a perfoii's converfion unto 
 God. The difciples who had formerly felt the cfftifls of 
 Saul's perfecutiiig rage and fury, might jullly be afraid 
 taking him into an intimate fcllowfliip and commuijioii 
 with the church. Obferve next, How Barnabas was lUrred 
 up by the Spirit of God toprefent Saul to the church, and 
 free their minds of all fears and jealoulies which they had 
 entertained concerning him ; and this he doth by a three- 
 fold argument : i. Becaufe he had feen Jefus Chrlfi in the 
 way, as he went to perfecute the faints at Damafcus. 2. 
 Becaufe the Lord had fpoken to him with a ftrong hand, and 
 wrought a mighty change in him, and upon him ; the per- 
 fecutor being now become a great profeflor. 3. Becaule 
 he was not only become a profefTor, but a preacher of that 
 gofpel he had perfecuted, and this boldly and publicly both 
 at Damafcus and in Arabia; proving undeniably that Jcfiis 
 was the Chrift, and the trueMefliah. This teftimony uf 
 Barnabas was full and fatisfaclory, both to the church at 
 Jerufalem, and alio to Peter, James, and John, who gave 
 Paul the light hand of fellowlhip, and he went with them 
 to the work. Olfervf, laftly. How the enemies of the 
 gofpel confpire againft Paul's life at Jerufalem, as they 
 did before at Damafcus ; for preaching Chrift, and dif- 
 puting with the Greciansin defence of the gofpel of Chrift 
 they lay liege for his life. Learn thence, "That always 
 cppofition, and often perfccution, is the evil ghoft that 
 haunts the preachers and preachingof the gofpel wherever 
 it goes. "To preach the word convincingly brings the ill- 
 will of an evil world infallibly upon the head of the 
 preacher. But why did thefe men rather feek to kill Paul 
 than Peter, James or Barnabas? Jnfxer^ becaufe he was 
 formerly one of their own, of their own company, of 
 their own college; a perfecutorliketheinfeives, anda per- 
 fecutor withjhemfelves. This enraged them; they looked 
 not upon him as an apoftle, but as an apoftatc ; one that 
 had revolted from them, a renegado, and as fuch they 
 meditate his deflruftion night and day ; infomuch, that it 
 is probable, that never were fo many fnfFerings heaped 
 upon the head of any mimfter of the gofpel throughou-. the 
 world, as upon St Paul, (li-e them reckoned up, 2 Cor. 
 xi. 23.;p.-,rtly th.rongh the hatred of the Jf ws., :iijd p.irtly 
 through the fury of the blind Gentiles ; yet the Lord de- 
 livered him ou' of .ill Till hi woik «ai (lone, in<l his 
 race run, and he had finiOied ihe courfe of his niiniftry, 
 neit'ier the malice of men, nor the rage oftlcviU, could 
 take him off. Bleffed be God, our times are in his hands, 
 not in our enemies, nor yet in our own. 
 
 31 Then had the churche.-i rcfl throughout all 
 
 Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were cdified ; 
 
 and 
 ^ M 
 
4^ 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap. xx. 
 
 and ^va]kin:; in the fear of the Lord, .ind in' the 
 comfort of the Holy Uhofl, were multiplied. 
 
 Thnt U, "After Saul's miraculous coiiverfiQn, and ai'ter 
 he wns fent away, and departed from thofe parts, where the 
 Jews, his oldcotDpaiiions in perfecuiion, could not endure 
 his prefence, lie havinf; been jnft before as xcalous a per- 
 fecutor as ihendelves: then tlie churches plantrdhy Philip 
 and others ilironghcut Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, had 
 much rcfl and peace, and were greatly edified in l;nowledge 
 and faith, in holinefs andlovc; and the grace and comfort 
 of the lioly Spirit daily iticreafing in ihem, i!ie number of 
 believers daily multiplied." Learn thence, i. That after 
 theperfccution and wearlfomc trovibles of the church, God 
 has his times for their peace and reft. Cod fetids his 
 church fun-lhinc after rr.o\veiS,a calm after a ftorni, healih 
 after an heftio, anda Canaan's reft after a wildernefs jour- 
 ney. 2. That it is the church's duty to improve her peace 
 and reft for her fpiritual edifying ithJtis, for her fettlement 
 and grov.'th, for her eftnbiiflnnent and increafe in all the 
 graces and comforts of the holy Spirit. 3. That it is a 
 very great blefllng to have the churches of God Hniltipjied, 
 and tlieir multiplication is the happy fruit andconlVquence 
 of their having peace ; Then had the churches rt^J}, "njcre' 
 edified, and multiplied. 
 
 32 IT Anditcametopafs, as Peter paffed through-, 
 out all quartenhc carae down alio to the faints which 
 dwelt at Lydda. 33 And there he found a cer- 
 tain man named Eneas which had kept his bed eight 
 years, and was fick of the palfy. 34 And Peter 
 faid unto him, Eneas, Jcfus Chrilt maketh thee 
 whole : arife, and make thy bed. And he arofe in"- 
 mediately. 35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and 
 Saron faw him, and turned to the Lord. 
 
 The Holy Ghoft now leaves the relation of St. Paul's 
 life and accions for the prefein, and returns to give a farther 
 account of St. Peter, what he faid, what he did, and what 
 he fuffered, particularly at Lydda, at Joppa, and Cefarea : 
 At Lydda he healed Eneas, at Joppa he raifed Dorcas, and 
 at Cefarea he preached the gofpcl to the Gentiles. Obferve 
 I. What this great apoftle St. Peter did at Lydda : He 
 there, in the name, that is, by the power of Chrift healeth 
 Eneas, 'vho lay fick of the palfy , and had kept his bed eight 
 years. Where note. The difficulty of the cure, the manner 
 of the cure, and the effects of the cure, i . The difficulty 
 of the cure; the difeale was a dead palfy, which had taken 
 away the ufe of his limbs, and made him bed-rid for eight 
 years : all this is recorded, to Ihew the difficulty of the 
 cure, and the grcatnefs of the miracle: Omnipatenti medico 
 nultus injanabilis ocrurrit morbus ; " To iuch an Almighty 
 Phyfician, as the great God is, no difeafe is found incu- 
 rable." X. The manner of the cure : St. Peter afts in 
 Chrift's name, not his own ; iind lets the lame man know 
 whom he (hould own for his benefactor, Chrift hinifelf : 
 The apoftle wa» but the inftrument in Chrift's hand; and 
 that '.he cure was perfectly miiaculous, appears by this, 
 The cripple was cured immediately, and cured perfeftly ; 
 it w.is a I'rcfent cure, vcr. 34. /Jnd Ik araj'e immediately. 
 
 Theinlhmaucrtijs m.mr.er of .the ,gwrQ (hews it to be 
 miraculous, and by adivins power ; ,fi.r nature and art act 
 in time and by «regrees, bringing nothing to be perfeftioii 
 an afudden.^vt'herea', thi^curc wa"s wrought in a moment 
 his ftrength is reftored in an inft.mt. It was alfo a perfect 
 cure, and as an evidence of it, he t.ikes up his bed. 1 hu 
 was to Ihew that he wa- fully recovered. 3. The eff-ili 
 of this cure : It had fuch an inftuence upon the fpedator* 
 of this miracle, that all that dwell at Lydda and Saron, 
 ■vihen they faiu it, turned to the Lord, ver. 31;. That is, 
 they embraced the laith, feeing the cripple Vo ftrangcly, 
 fo fuddenly.and fo perfccTly cured. 
 
 36 f Now there was at Joppa a certain difciple 
 named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called 
 Dorcas : this woman was full of good works and 
 alms deeds which (lie did. 37 Anditcame topafs 
 in thofe day.^ that fhe was fick and died : whom 
 wlien they had wafhed, they laid her in an upper 
 chamber. 38 Andforafmuch as Lydda was nigh 
 to Joppa, and the difciplcs had heard that Peter was 
 there, they fentunto him two men, defi ring /iwi that 
 he would not delay to come to them- 39 Then 
 Peter arofe and went with them. When he was 
 come, they brought him into the upper chamber; 
 and all the widows flood by him weeping, and fhew- 
 the coats and garments which Dorcas made while 
 fhe was with them, 40 But Peter put them all 
 forth, and kneeled down and prayed, and turning 
 Am to the body, faid, Tabitha, arifc. And flie 
 opened her eyes, and when flie faw Peter, fhe fat 
 up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her 
 up ; and when he had called tlie faints and widows 
 he prefented her alive. 42 And it was known 
 throughout all Joppa : and many believed in the 
 Lord. 43 And it came to pafs, that he tarried 
 many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanuer. 
 
 This chapter concludes with a relation of a fecond mi- 
 racle wrought by St. Peter at Joppa, in raifing dead Dor- 
 castolife. Where no/f, i. The woman upon whom this 
 miracle was wrought, Dorcas a woman rich in good 
 works, full of nlms-dceds ; yet neither hc-r piety towards 
 God, nor her liberality to the poor, could preferve her 
 either from death or from difeafes. A dear difciple may 
 be difeafed, and die : Behold he whom thou luvefl iijick. 
 John xi. 2. yea, and dead too. Strength of grace and 
 de.irnefs of refpedt, even from Chrift liimlelf, cannot pre- 
 vail againft difeafes. Good Dorcashere licsdead, with her 
 body wafiied, not only fit for her buri.il, but cipeci.illy to 
 fliew their hope of the refurrecl;ion. The doleful lamen- 
 tation made by the widows for the lofs of this good wo- 
 man, who ufcd to clothe the naked with the labour of 
 her hands : She did not fpend her time in mak'.ng rich 
 apparel for herfcif, but in making garments for the poor; 
 and it leems (he had good ftoreof them ready made by her 
 for the poor's ufe, as their neccllities did require ; Thry 
 
 ff^ewed 
 
OlAP. X. 
 
 TheT nft. 'C T S, 
 
 459 
 
 JljetveJ coats and garments which Dcrcas ha/l made ; the un- 
 
 cioubtecl tokens and evidences of her pious charity. Lrarn 
 
 thence, TliJt the befl relics of fjints that can remain in 
 
 honour of them when departed, are rcls of piety towards 
 
 God, and of charity to the poor. 3. 1 he m.iancr ofSt. 
 
 .Petrr's working this miracle, (r.) He puts them all out 
 
 .of the room where the dead lay ; partly to prevent olten- 
 
 tation and vain' glory ; partly to pi event <liltiirhaiice by 
 
 their initHotleraie mourning; and partly to pre\i lu intei'- 
 
 riiptipn ill the excrcife of prayer, whichhe watnowabout 
 
 to perform. (7.) He kneeled down •, which, recommends 
 
 to |a> ih.it rtvireniiai poftur'e in our prayers to the great 
 
 God, of kneehng before him. 3. He prayed'; thereby 
 
 _bwnvig and acknowlcdginji, that tl'.t power of railing her 
 
 .was from God, not from himlelf. Note laflly, The eftVft 
 
 of this miracle: Many believed in the Lord : She was 
 
 railed more forthesiuod of others than her own;' for her 
 
 reltoring to natural life was the occalion of raifingniany to 
 
 a life of faiih; Upon the fight of this famous miracle pcr- 
 
 i'i'mtd by St. Peter, many believed. 
 
 c H A p; X. 
 
 This chapter acquaints us -with the Ji'jl overtures which 
 the apLJlles made to preach the G}fpd to the Gentiles'' 
 according to Chrijl's command, they begun at Jeru- 
 lalcm, and preached to the Jews throwghatt Judca, 
 Samaria, and Galilee; but mw time zom come, for 
 beating Jlat and laying down the partition wall be- 
 twixt Jew and Gentile, xohich accordingly is done in 
 this diopter, by St. Peter's preaching to Cornelius, 
 wh was the jirjt fruits of tlie Gentiles converjion 
 to Chrijlianity. 
 
 THERE was a certain man in Cefaria, called 
 Cornelius, a centurion of the ban4 called the 
 Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared 
 God with all his houfe, which gave much alms to 
 the people, and prayed to God alway : 
 
 ChfervfheTS, i. The perfon dcfcribed, to whom St 
 Peter is fent to preach the gcfpel ; by his name, Cornelius, 
 by his occupation, a foldier ; by his religion, a proleiyteor 
 converted Gentile, of which there are two forts ; Tome 
 ■were profelytes of the covenant, th.nt is, Auti Gentiles as 
 fubmitted themfelves to circurncifion, and the whole Mo- 
 faical pedagogy : Thefe werecounted as Jews, and freely 
 converfed with as fusch. Others were called prolelytes of 
 the gate : Thefe were not circumcifcd, nor did they con- 
 form to the Mofaic rites, hut were obliged only to oblerve 
 the feven precepts of Noah ; namely, to worfliip the true 
 Cod, and not idols; to abflain from blood, from forni- 
 cation, from robbery, to adminifterjuflice impartially, and 
 to do as they would be done unto; Such a profelyte as 
 this, the Jews would not converfe with, but counted un- 
 clean, being a Gentile, and fuch an one was this Cornelius ; 
 but thuigh a Gentile, though a foldier, though a com- 
 miflioncd officer, yet a pious, charitable, good mjii. In all 
 rations, in nil places, of all employments, God has a num- 
 ber of holy und gracious perfoiis to honour him Lii the 
 
 ) 
 
 world, according to their prefenl meafure of lightreceivcd 
 fr<ivihim. 2. i'he evidence which Cornelius gave of his 
 religious fearing God; He feared God with till his houft, 
 he s^ave much alms: and prayed to God always, Cornelius 
 was therefore really, becaufe relatively, religious ; theob- 
 ligeth his family to fear God as well as himfelf, and to 
 gcther vuith himfelf, like Abraham, he commands his houj- 
 holi! after hiln to kerp the way of the Lord, Gen. xviii. 19. 
 And thus the blelfing of Abraham came upon this Gen- 
 tile, Corneliui. ffc feared God with all his houfe ; and his 
 charily was as eminent as his piety : He gave much alms 
 /3 the people : that is, to the people of the Jews, to whom 
 alms was not unclean, though given by an heathen perfon. 
 It is further added. That He prayed to God always: He 
 prayed to the true God, not to Idols; and he prayedto 
 God always ; that is, at every fitting feafon, and conve- 
 nient opportunity for the duty. We are faidin fcripture 
 to doa thing continually, when wedo it feafonably. Thus 
 to pray always, to pray evermore, to pray without cealing, 
 is firll, to keep the heart continually, as much a$ may be 
 in a praying frame and dif|)of!tion : and, fecondly, toem- 
 br.icethe proper feafons and opportunities for prayer. The 
 beauty of religion lies much in the harmoniousperformance 
 of the duties of it ; svhen one duty doth not interfere with 
 another, but we prudently find time for all. Thus did 
 Cornelius here : He feared God with all his houfe, &c. 
 
 3 He faw in a vifion evidently, about the ninth 
 hour of the day, an angel of God comingin to him, 
 and faying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he 
 looked on him, he was afraid, and faid, What isit. 
 Lord ? And he faid unto him, Thy prayers and 
 jhine alms are come up for a memorial before God- 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The extraordinar)' favour afforded to 
 Cornelius; namely^ the vifion cf an holy angel. Thisde- 
 vout man did not feck the face of God in vain ; God fends 
 him firit an angel to comfort him, then an apoltle tyinltriiip: 
 him: He fu:u in a vijion an O'lgel of Ctjd. z. The effect 
 which the flght of the angel had upon Cornelius ; HewuS 
 afraid. Learn hence, That v.hilil our fouls inhr-bit thele 
 mortal and rinfullxjdies, the appearance of angels is terrible 
 and frightful to them, and cannot beotherwife; partly 
 upon a natural, and partly upon a moral account: Upon 
 a natural account, becaufe the dread of Ipirits ftrikes our 
 natural fpiriis, they (brink and tremble at the approach of 
 Ipirits; Ipirits of 'jien and hearts quake at it ; witiiefs the 
 af'^, Numb. xxii. 2^- that Balaam roile upon: And alfo 
 upon a imiral account, becaufe of our ronftioufnefs of 
 guilt ; wherever there is guilt, there will be fear on an ex- 
 traordinary appearanceof God (o us, though it be not me- 
 diately by an angel. 3. The joyful inelf.ige which the angel 
 brings to Cornelius ; that his prayers and his alms were route 
 tip for a memorial brftre God. Learn,'V\\3i as God records 
 all the prayers of his people, fo he books all the arts of mer- 
 cy whicli any t>f them at any time do e:;ercife and fhew un- 
 to his members ; he takes notice of the perfon, of the ac- 
 tion, ofthe lime when, of the manner how, of the meafiir-e 
 and degree, how much ; if itbe.a cup wf water, yea, a cup 
 of cold water, given in Iciv'e to Chrilt in, liis members, it 
 /liall not be forgotten, but' recorded and rewarded. 
 
 3 M 2 5 And 
 
4^0 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS 
 
 GhAI*. 3C, 
 
 5 And nOw fend men to Joppa, and call (ototu 
 Simon whofc furiiaine is I'ctcr: 6 He lodgeth with 
 one Simon n tanner, whofc houfc is by the lea-fide: 
 he ftiall tell thee what thou oughtefl to do. 
 
 Note here, i. That although God fent an angel to Cor- 
 nelius, to acquaint him with his will ; yet the angel was to 
 diredl him to the apoflle, who was to inftruft him in tie 
 faith. This, no douht, God did, to pu' honour upon 
 the ininiflersandiDiniftry of the gofpd; as alfn to let us 
 nnderlland and know, that we arenotto exped cxtraordi- 
 rr.ry w'ays of teaching, whin God affords us the ule of 
 ordinary mean";. Send taj'ppa, and cdl f'jr Peter, he /hull 
 tell thee vihut thr,u ous^htefl to do. i- What an cxjftkiiow- 
 ledge Almighty God has of particular perfons, and parti- 
 cularplaces; hetells Cornelia^, by the angeliu what town 
 Peter was in Joppa ; in whol'e houfc he lodged, in Sim"n 
 the tanner's ; in what part of the town the houfe ftood, by 
 the fea-fide. It is matter of coirJ'oIation, yea, of greatcon- 
 foJation to the people of God, to know and remember that 
 God knows them : Ileknows their peifons, theirpurpofes 
 iheir performances, their places of abode ; be knows who 
 they are, what they do, and where tliey dwell. So dear 
 are the holy fervants of God unto him, that he loves the 
 very ftreet in which- they lodge, the houle in which they 
 dwell, the walls of their habitation are continually before 
 him, and he delights perpetually to look upon them : O 
 let holinefs to the Lord by writ in lej^ible charafters up- 
 on the walls of onr houfes ; Zech. xiv. 20. Then will 
 God dwell where we dwell, and the beloved of the Lord 
 fcalf dwell in fafety by him. 
 
 7 And when the angel which fpake unto Cor- 
 nelius was departed, he called two of his houfhold 
 fer\'ants, and a devout foldier of them that waited 
 on him continually. 8 And when he had declared 
 all thefa tilings unto them, he fent them to Joppa. 
 () 1 On the morrow as they went on their journey, 
 and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon 
 thehoufe-top to pray, about the fi.xth hour. 10 
 and he became very hungry, and would have eaten : 
 but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 
 
 1 1 And faw heaven opeired, and a certain veffel 
 defcendinij unto him, as it had been a creat flieet, 
 knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 
 
 1 2 Wherein were all manner of four footed bcafls- 
 of the earth, and wild beads, and creeping things, 
 and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to 
 htm. Rife, Peter ; kill, and cat. 14 But Peter faid. 
 Not lb, Lord : for I have never eaten any thing 
 that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice 
 
 Jpake unto him again the fecontJ time. What God 
 hath cleanfed, i,W call tl>ou not common, t6 This 
 was done thiice : and the velfel waa received up 
 again into heaven. 
 
 Ol'firve here, That as Cornelius had a vifiijn fronjGod 
 to enci-uragc hini to fend for Peter, fothc apoitlebadliLe- 
 
 wife avi(ion to enconrage him m ga to Cornelius. J% 
 which, rj»/f. (i.) The time whenhe had this *i<iun, irwns 
 at the jixth hour , or high noon ; which was one of the 
 three hours of prayer : When we are upon our knees in 
 prayer, then is the nme for receiving gracious nianifefta- 
 tions from G«d. (a ) Ihe pl.ice where he had tbi« villon ; 
 when at prayer upon the houle-top. 'J he Je a i(h houfes 
 bring fiat roofed^ w'wh b.utlements mi them, he went irp 
 to the hmife top to pray, as a place of privacy and reiirB- 
 n>enf, free from noiie aiiddiftradion ; asalloiorake advan- 
 t.ige of the place for divine tonicmpi irion, and perhaps ro 
 look towards the ten»ple, which was formerly a type of 
 ChrilK It teachci us, iha. fining phces, .is wdl a<. fitting 
 fcafons forjiraycr are to befougliioui andimprovrd by us r 
 Peter went up iiptn the ho jfe top t/) pray. (3 ) Ihe fr.ime 
 wherein St. Peter w»i as to his body, when he had rhis vi- 
 fion ; naratlv, exceedmgly hungry : Godonlered it fu ro 
 .fie him the more for this dilh of dainty meat. O tafteantl 
 Tee how gracious the Lard is in fending down a difli of 
 dainties from heaven to his hungry children, that are pr ».•- 
 ing to him here on ear(h ! (4.) rhem.inner how thevilion 
 w.Ts made 10 St. Peter: h was in the way of a divinerap- 
 ture or ecftacy ; he fell into a trance ; Itis foul was as it were 
 abflra.fled cut of the body, and abfent from it ; that is, 
 drawn ofi:7rom the perception of all earthly and fenfible 
 objetfts, and enabled unto a more entire attendance upon 
 fpiritual and heavenly n.anners and myiteries : lobefure 
 it made him forget his dinner, and tii'.td him with divine 
 confolatron; a foul fed and filled withdivine daintiesdo'.h 
 fomesimes forget bodily hunger: We read no moreofSr. 
 Peter's fharp hunger after this divine enterrainmenc. 5. 
 The vilion itfeir, or what was reprefented tobt. Peter firtl 
 to his eye, then to his ear : To his eye fii(t. He fu-v heaven 
 opened, ver. 1 1 . Teaching, that ahhouj;h heaven had beeo 
 fliut to the children of men by the (in of the firft Adam, 
 yet now it was opened by the grace of the lee ond Adam to 
 all believers, both Jews and Gentiles. Next, he faw a 
 great vefTel defcending like a large fheet, with all forts of 
 meats in it, both clean and unclean ; and he hears a voice 
 from God, giving him a commiflion, tlrough he was a 
 Jew, to feed freely without didin^Tion of cTean snd un- 
 clean ; fignifying to him thereby, thjt he might indif- 
 ferently converle with Gentiles as wellasjews, and preach 
 the gofpel to the one as well as the other, ^'ote, lalHy, 
 How St. Peter's Jewidi principles made him ftarileat thi^, 
 large commi/fion^ looking upon the c^nimand as unlawful 
 and impious, Vcrfe t/^. Not fo. Lord: f.r / have never 
 eaten any thing that is common cr unclean. But mark the 
 divine correction : li^hat Col hath ctean/ed, that c^ll not 
 thou eotnrnon. His millake was rei^ified by Go<l, who gave 
 him by this vifion a dear intimation, that the dillindtionof 
 meats was now taken away, and the diiference between 
 nation and nation was now taken away by the death of 
 Cbrift; and confequenlly, tliat he m'ght go and prtnch 
 the gofpel to Cornelius, a Gentile, without Icrople or 
 donbtfulnefs; the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile 
 being now broken ilown. iearn hence, Tliat the doctrine 
 sf the converfion of the Gentiles came firfi from heaven, 
 ^as revealed and made known by God hinifctr, who h.4S 
 gracioufiy did^rcd.Gal. iii. 28. 7iat thtre is ni.ith:.r Je;u 
 
CifAT. X. 
 
 Tlie 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 461 
 
 "'tier fjrnk; miti^bonJ niirfrte, neUher male nor ff malt . 
 ''■For wf an all one ui Cbrjji J'fus. Thank^ be to God, 
 
 that the biffing of Mra/Mtn if come upon us, through Jefus 
 
 Chrlft. 
 
 17 Nmv while Peter doubted in himfelf what 
 this vifion whick he had feen (hould mean, behold, 
 the men wliich were font from Cornelius had miide 
 inquiry for Simori's houfe, and ftood before the 
 gate, 18 And callrd, and afked whether Simon 
 which was furnained Pctor lodged there. 19 While 
 Peter thought on the vifion, the Spirit laid unto 
 him, Behold three men feek thee. 20 Arife there- 
 fore, and ijet thee do.vn, and go with them, doubt- 
 ing nothing: for I have fent them.- 
 
 Here no/^, i. How St. Peter fets himfelf totiiedirate 
 wpon whit he hid feen .md heard from God ; He fond-red 
 tuith himfelf -Jihat thi< vifim, ■'jthichhehad feen, flj'julJmean. 
 "WYinevev pallcs from God to ina'i either by the eye, or 
 through the ear, ought to be fubjrcl of our deepeft medi- 
 tation. We are to CDntempl.ite tlie excellencies and per- 
 ftfct'ons which are in the word and works of GoJ wiihan 
 ioteUcftii-iI eye, and to dwell npQti th'ininour ferio.is 
 thoughts. 2. The care wh'ch the htily Sptrit took to re- 
 folve fatiifjftorily the inwird do.ibting? and realoning^of 
 St. Peter'i mind concerning this mitter: I have feni them 
 fays the holy Spirit, thercjwe arijs and go dnon, nothing 
 dubiins;. U'hereo.';/e'ry.f, IV.ith che divinity and perfonility 
 of the Holy Ghoft : He that k'lowi the thonujhts, the 
 doubting and reafonings of man's heart, as the Holy Ghofl 
 here <tid St. Peter's, ij truly and really God ; ^n6 he that 
 commands or forbids, ii really a perfon. So doth the ho- 
 ly Spirit here ; he comm^ncU St. Peter to go toCornelins, 
 and forbid; his doubting of the l,«fn]ncls or fuccefs of 
 his journey ; Go with them, diubting nothing, Sec. 
 
 21 Then Peter went down to the men which 
 were fent unto him from Cornelius : and faid, be- 
 hold, I am he whom ye feek: what is the caufe 
 wherefore ye are come ? 22 And they faid, Corne- 
 lius the centurion, ajutlman, and one that feareth 
 God, and of s^ooi report amon;^ all the nation of 
 the ftws, was warned from God by an holy angel 
 to fend for thee into his houle, and to hear words of 
 thee. 23 Then called he them in, and lod^edi/^fwj. 
 And on the morrow Peter went away with them, 
 and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 
 24 And the morrow after they entered in to CeHiria. 
 And Cornelius waited for them, and had called to- 
 
 fet her his kinfman and near friends. 25 And as 
 cter was comin;T in. Cornelius met him, and fell 
 down at his feet, and worfliippod lilm. 26 But 
 Pj cr took him up, faying, ftandup: I mylelf allb 
 am a man. 27 And as he talked with him, he wen^ 
 in. and found many that were cone together. 2g 
 And he faid unto them, ye kixow how that it is a^^ 
 
 unlawful thing for A man that is a Jew, to keep com- 
 pany with, or come unto one of another nation : 
 but GoJ hath (hewed mc that I fhould not call any 
 man common or unclean. 29 Therefore came I 
 xintoyou without gainfaying, as foon as 1 was fent 
 for. I aik therefore for what intent ye have fent 
 for me ? 
 
 /Vo/f here, 1. The meflengers whom Cornelius fent to 
 St. Peter, two of hi; houlhold fervanrs, and a devout fol- 
 dirr. All foldicrs a-e not rude ; but fome are religious. 
 Behold a devout foldier under a devout captain, and two 
 hoiilhiddfervant's whom their Mailer's example had ren- 
 dered humble and mode(t. 2. The juft and laudable, not 
 lalfe nnd flittering i harcidler, which they gave of their 
 M.ifter Ci melius ; That he was a jufi man, one that fearid 
 Ci/d, en i one of rood report amor.i^ all the nali ins nf the Jews. 
 It u both the dutv and the commendation ol fervants, to 
 give to their Matter's tiue honour ; and, whencalled loir, 
 their deferved character. 3. How St. Peter's doubts be- 
 ing refolved, he difputesno farther^ delays no longer, but 
 haftens immediately to Ctirneliu-: When once Ccd'i 
 cotnmand is plain, we inuft not dilpute, but difpatch ; we 
 muft no longer objecl, but obey. 4. The reverence p,iven 
 bv Cornelius to Peter; he fell down at his feel and vjor- 
 fhipped him. It leemsto be more than a civil reverence 
 which he gave him: It looks as if Corneliuus tookhimfor 
 an angel in human niape,or aperfoti fent immediately from 
 heaven to him; and accordingly he pre ftratei himfelf be- 
 fore the apoftle : But St. Peter would by no means re- 
 reive any u.idue honour or rerpc(ft from him, aifuring him 
 that he was but a man, and God'5 m'. (Tenger fent unto 
 him. Whatever St. Peter's pretended fuccelTor challeng- 
 es as his due, of reverence atid homage, St. Peter himfelf 
 would not fuller Cornelius to lie at his feet, much lei's to 
 kifs his feet : The ambalfador would not run away with 
 the honour which belonged to the prince that fent him. 
 5. How St. Peter acquaint? Cnrnelius, that that partition 
 wall betwixt the Jews and Gentiles, which was erected and 
 fet up by God's comn>ad, was now by the fame authority 
 pulled down and removed ; and that no man is now un- 
 clean by any ceremonial uncleannefs, becaufe he is not 
 circumcifed ; and confequently, that Cornelius though of 
 anothernation, might converfe with and be converfed «\ith 
 •as freely as if born a Jew. Since thecomiog of Clirift, no 
 pcrfoi; or nation is legally or feremonially nntlean; but 
 every nation, or eve; y perfon, by nature, morally unclean. 
 
 30 And Cornelius faid, Four days ago I was 
 fafling until this hour, and at the ninth hoin- 1 prayed 
 in my hoiiie: and beliold. a man Hood before me 
 in bright clothing, 31. And faid, Cornelius, thy 
 prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remem- 
 brance in the fight of God. 32 Send therefore to 
 Joppa, and call hither Simon whofe furiiameis 
 Peter. He i.s lodged in the houfe of one Simon a 
 tauner, by the {c:i-Jide; who when heco;neth. (hall 
 fper.k unto thee, g^ Immediately therefore I lent 
 
 to 
 
4/^« 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap, x. 
 
 to thee ; and thou haft ^fc\\ done that thou hafl come. 
 Now therefore arc we all licre prcfcnt before God 
 to hear all things that arc commanded thee of God, 
 
 Note here, i. CorneliusreJatesthe occaGon of hisfend- 
 ing for St. Peter, and the warrant wliich he had for fo 
 doing : He decLire? that as he was falling and praying in 
 his family, he h.id a vilion, iti which an angel direifted liim 
 to fend for the apoftle. \\/\\erc note, That Curncliusdorh 
 not t.ilk of l)is tailing, praying, and alms giving, by way 
 of oftentation, to boaft of hinilclf, but only to give fatif- 
 faftion to St. Peter, that he had certain advice froni heaven 
 for what he did in fending for hini. 2. The readinefs 
 of Cornelius's obedience in fending for St. Peter; Imme. 
 itliately tberffore I Cent to thee. Joppa from Cefaria is com- 
 puted to be about forty miles ; but no fooner did Corneli- 
 us receive the commandment, butwiihcut del.iy he put it 
 ia execution, andfi:ntmentoJo[>]>a. Whcnour callisdear, 
 ojir obedience mull be fpeedy. 3. The kind reception 
 which Cornelius gives St. Peter; thm haft -well dune that 
 thw art come ; He doth not only approve of the apoftle's 
 coming, but thanks him for it. 4, The preparation and 
 readinefs of Cornelius and his friends, to hear and receive 
 the word of (5od from St. Peter's mouth : IVe are all here 
 freftni before Cod, to hear allthings that are cornmandtd thee 
 of Cod. Where «o/f,'- Hedelires the fame holy doclrine 
 >vhich the apoftle came to preach, may be delivered to his 
 f jtnily, his friends, and his kinsfolk, as well as himfelf. A 
 good man would not go to heaven alone ; but is defirous 
 of the inftruclion, converlion, and falvation of others, as 
 well as of hinifelf: We are all here. 2. The place of 
 God's pure worfliip is the place of his fpecial prefence : 
 Wi are all here prefent brfcrt G'ld. 3 . The end .''or which 
 they were now come into the prefence of God ; it was to 
 he.ir what God (hould fpeak, yea, to hear all things which 
 God (liould command the apoftle to fpeak : Intimating to 
 us, that as St. Peter himfelf was, fo all the minifters of 
 Chrift are, confined within their commiflion, and inuft 
 only fpeak what God coininnnds; neither are hearers 
 bound to receive any thing elfe. Wo unto us, if when 
 (/od fends us of his errand, we will tell our own tale : 
 The word is the counftl of Cod ; now it is the counfel of 
 God only, and the whole ciunfcl of Cod alfo, that we are 
 to declare, and our people are to hear ; We are all prejent 
 before G'>d, to hear all things, Sec. 
 
 ,3.} ? Then Peter Opened his mouth, and faid, of 
 a truth I perceive that God is no rcfpcQor of per- 
 sons : 35 But in every nation he that fearethhim, 
 iind wOrketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him. 
 
 As if the npoftle h.ui faid, " I now very plainly perceive 
 that the partition wall is broken down, and that naiinnal 
 prerogatives, or perfonal excellencies, find no acceptance 
 with God ; But that any man, be he of what nation or 
 fjiuily fccver, if he fe.ircth God and workcth rightcouf- 
 i>tfs,fli.dl fi'.)() acceptance wiih him " Note here, i. That 
 nuexrcr'ial qualification?, perfunal privileges and rreroga- 
 lives, will procure favour and acceptance with Cod, who 
 neither receives nor rcje(fts men barely foroiuwardrefpect;: 
 I percf.vc that CcJ ii no refpeCier of pirft^ns. j. 1 he true 
 
 charaiScr of a religious man ; he isone that fearethGod 
 and workcth righieoufntfs ; that is, a (Iriftubferver of tjie 
 duties of both tables, ofpiety towards God, and of juftice 
 and charity to'.vards man; and the phrafe of .vi>rking 
 righteoulnefs, implies diligence, and d«;Jight, and perlc- 
 verance in the ways and works of righteoiifnefs. 3. The 
 privilege of fuch a religious and truly righteous ni.in ; He 
 is accepted viilh Cod. I htnte lenrn, 1 hat both the per- 
 fon fearii.gGod, and his worksof rigiiteoufriefs are accept, 
 ed with him, of any nation under heaven, of ajiy calling 
 fex or condition whatfoever : Inivery nation, he that, Sic. 
 
 36 The word which God fen tun to the children 
 of Ifraei, preaching peace by Jefus Chrift: Heis 
 Lord of all : 37 That word, I/uy, ye know, which 
 was publifhed throughout all Judea, and began from 
 Galilee, after the baptifm which John preached; 
 38 How God anointed Jefus of Nazireth with the 
 Holy Ghoft^and with power: who wentabout doin;^ 
 good and healing all that wereoppreffed of the devil: 
 for God was with liim. 39 And we are witnefles of 
 all things which he did both in the land of the Jews 
 andin Jerufalem : whom they flew, andhangcdoha 
 tree : 40 Him hath God raifed up the tliird day, and 
 fliewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but 
 to witnelTes chofen before of God, even to us who did 
 cat and drink with him after he rofefrom the dead-. 
 42 And he commanded us to preach unto tlje people 
 and to teftify that it is he whicli was ordained of Cojl 
 to-ie the jud;;e of quick and dead, 43 To him give 
 all the prophets witnefs, that through his name who- 
 foeverbelieveth inhimfliall receive remiffion of fins. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The antiqui'y of the gofpel, or of the 
 doftrine of reconciliation by Jefus Chrift; it was preached 
 to the patriarchs, and by the prophets to the ancient 
 I fraeli tes ; The 'ojord which Godfnt to the children tflfrael, 
 preachirg peace hy Jefus ChriJI, Thence learn. That there 
 is but one way to f.jlvation, namely, reconciliation with 
 God throu^rh the blood of Chrift : and this was declared 
 to the children of Ifr.iel, aswell as unto us; to them more 
 darkly, to us more clearly. They went to heaven then the 
 fame way that believers do now, namely, by faith in the 
 Lamb of God, who was to be ftain; we by faith in liitti 
 as already ftjin. 2. The dignifying title given to Chrift: 
 He is Lord of all. (1) He is Lord of all_, as God to- 
 gether with the Father and the Holy Ghoft : The abfolute 
 and fijprtme Lord of the whole creation, and unto whom 
 all creatures are fiibjc-ct. (a.) He is Lord of all, as Me- 
 diator, Lord of all men, whether Jews or Gentiles : He it 
 Lord ofhis church. Lord over faints and (inners. Hy. 
 pocriies and fincere chriltians, all are hij fubjecls by obli- 
 gation, i"ome by voluntary coident, and by an abiolure 
 obedience unto his commands. 3. The argument hy 
 which the apoftle ]»roveth Chrift to be Lord ef all.- As 
 Mtihator, namely, from his divine unftion, ver. 38. Ho-.\) 
 God anointed 'ftfus 0/ N<iZiirtth with the Hfjlv Gi'ijr, ,ird 
 viith prjjer ; that is, endued the human uaiure of Chrift 
 
 with 
 
Chat. XI. 
 
 The 
 
 ACT S. 
 
 with the fiilncfs of thr j:;races bfU'is holy Spirit, and con- 
 fecrated him to the work and office of a Mediator. 4. 
 How Chrift faithfully executed this office which he v.as 
 anointed to : He went about doing good, all the time he 
 ^vas on earth, healing dilea/es, and (.ailing ovit devils : for 
 Cod wa5 with him, in the fulnels of his Deity, as. he was 
 his eternal Son : a'nd in power, grace, and favour, as he 
 was man and Mediator. Here note, i. The great work 
 and bufinefs of our Saviour's life; it was to do good, 
 namely, to the fouls and bodies of men, to promote the 
 temporal happincfi of the one, the fpiritual and eternal 
 happinefs of ;he other. 2. Our Saviour's diligence and 
 indefatigable indultry in this work of doing good; he made 
 it the great bufinefs and conftant employment of his life : 
 He vent Libotit d'/tf^ good .• that is, feeking out all opportu- 
 nities of being ufeful and beneficial to all mankind. 5. The 
 evidence and teftimony which the apollle produces for all 
 that he affirmed concerning Chriil : IVe are -witn'-ffis of all 
 t^'tngt urhic/i he did in the land of Judea and in Jerufalem. 
 Chrift took the twelve apoftles as it were iuto his family, 
 that by their familiar converfe, and conftant converfarion 
 with him, they might be enabled to teftify of him : (i.) 
 Touching his death that he was llain and handed on a 
 tree ; dying an ignominious and fliameful, as well as a 
 dolorotjs and painfnl death. (2.) Concerning his relur- 
 reftion, that God raifed him from the dead ; though he 
 was laid yet he was not loft in the duft : God would not fuf- 
 fcr the Beloved of his foul to rot in a grave, but railed him 
 up, and (liewcd him openly. And, (3.) As to the final 
 judgment, the apoftles were commanded to pre.ich and 
 teftify to the people, that Jefus Chrift was ordained of God 
 to be the Judge both of quick and dead ; that is, of all 
 that are in their graves, and of all that fliall be found alive 
 at his coming. 
 
 44 5 While Peter yet fpake thcfe words, the 
 Holy Ghoft, fell on all thetn which heard the word. 
 45 And they of the circumcifion which believed 
 were aAonilhed, as many as came with Peter, be- 
 caufe that on the Gentiles alfo, was poured out the 
 gift of the Holy Ghoft. 46 For they heard them 
 ipeak with tongues, and magnify God. Thenan- 
 fwerered Peter. 47 Can any man forbid water, that 
 thefe fliould not be baptized, which have received 
 the Holy Ghoft, as well as we ? 48 And he com- 
 manded them to be baptized in the name of the 
 Lord Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. 
 
 Obfirvehert, i.What a miraculous power of the Holy 
 t.hoft did accompany St. Peter's miniftry at thi, time, 
 thereby giving him afTurance of the future converfion of 
 the Gentiles to the great wonder and »fton.Onnent of the 
 Jews who thought the pr.mife of fending down th« Holy 
 Ghoft I.elongmg to the honle of Ifracl. Accordingly, 
 whde Peter- was thus preaching to Cornelius and his friends 
 the Holy Ghoft, by hiswonderfni gift of tongues, delcend- 
 ed on them, though Gentiles; at which the Jews marvel- 
 led. 2. The conclufion which the apoftle draws from this 
 forafmuch as the Gentiles were baptized with the Holy 
 
 4<53 
 
 Ghoft, he infers, that they ought to be baptized with 
 water ; and the argument runs thus : " 'Ihey that have 
 the grace fignified by, and promifed in b..ptif.n, have aT 
 undoubted right to bapiifn,, the fea! of the promile ; but: 
 thele Gentiles have the grace iignifa-d bvand promifed in 
 bapiifm ; they have the inward part, or thing (ignified • 
 why then fliould the outward (Igii be denied them ? He 
 thathastheinheritance, may claim the writings, the feah 
 &c, belonging to the inheritance. 3. The apoftle with! 
 out fcruple baptized thofe Gentile converts ; Then com. 
 mandedhe them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus ■ 
 That is, he either b.iptized them himfelf, or gavecoml 
 mandment to others. to do it ; and though only the name 
 of the Lord Jefus be mentioned, 5et this does not imply 
 but that they were baptized according to our Saviours pre- 
 fcnptioti. Matt, xxviii, hi the name tf the Father S'.n 
 and Holy Ghofl. This done, they delired him to ftav fom- 
 days with them, that they might be farther iuftructcd, coa- 
 firmed, and comforted by his miniftry. 
 
 C H A P. XI. 
 
 This chapter gives us an account liow the pmnife of 
 
 Jews and Gentiles becoming one Jlock, end enfolded 
 
 m one church, received !ts acccomplijhment: This u-as 
 
 performed by the mmijlry of Si. Peter wAo zoas the 
 
 firjt tliat opened the door of faith tothe Gcatilcs. 
 
 AN D the apoftles and brethren that were in 
 Judea heard that the Gentiles had alfo received 
 the word of God. 2 And when Peter was come 
 up to Jerufalem, they that were of the circumcifion 
 contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wenteft in 
 to men uncjcumciled, and didll eat with them. 
 
 ^^W here, i. How the Jews apprehending that 
 U.r.{t and his grace had been only promifed and confined 
 to them elves, the call and converfion of the Gentiles be- 
 came a dreadtul ftumbiing block unto them, even to the 
 believing as well as the unbeheving Jews. Hereupon «/5, 
 2. How they contended with Peter for eating and con- 
 verdn,. with the Gentik-s.andefpecially for admitting them 
 into the golpel-communion withoutcircumcifion- Where- 
 as, ;d; hough God forbad marriages with the Gentiles, he 
 never forbad commerce and converfation with them • Mo 
 conversation with the Gentil.s, in order to the gaining of 
 the Gentiles unto God, was never forbidden by God -but 
 only fuch as might withdraw the Jews from God, 'and 
 corrupt them by idolatry. » ^ 
 
 4 But Peter rehearfed the matter from bc-in- 
 nmg, and expounded it by order unto them, fayTna 
 5 f I was m the city of Joppa. praying: and in^'a 
 trance I law a vifion, a certain velfel defcend. as it 
 had been a great flieet,letdown from heaven bv four 
 corners ; and it came even to me, 6 Upon the 
 which when I had faftened mine eyes, I confidered 
 and faw four-footed bcaftsofthe earth, and wild 
 
 beafts. 
 
4^4. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chat. i»-^ ) 
 
 bt-AHs, and crerping things, and fowls of the air. 7 
 And I heard a voice faying unto me, arife, Peter, 
 flay, and eat. 8 Uut I faid, Not fo, Lord: for 
 nothing common or unclean hath at any time en- 
 tered into my mouth. 9 But the voice ;>nfu'ercd 
 ine again fromhcavcn, What God hath cknnfed, llurt 
 c;ill not thou common. 10 And tiiis was done three 
 times : and all was drauii up again into heaven, 
 11 And behold, immediately there were three men 
 already come into the houfe where I was, fent from 
 Ccfarea unto me. 12 And the .Spirit made me go 
 v.ith them, nothing doubting, Moreover, thefe fix 
 bitthrcn accompanied me, and we entered into the 
 man's houfe: 13 And he flicwed us how he had 
 fccn an angel in his houfe, which flood and faid unto 
 h.im^ fend men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whofe 
 furnuTie is Peter ; 14 Who fhall tell thee words 
 whereby thou and all thy houfe fliall be faved. 15 
 And as I began to fpeak, the Holy Ghoft fell on 
 them as on us at the bcginijing. 16 Then remem- 
 bered I the word of the Lord, how that he had faid 
 j©hn indeed baptized with water; but ye fhall be 
 baptized with tiie HolyGhofl. 17 Foralmuch then 
 as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, 
 who believed on the Lord Jefus Chrill, what was I 
 that I could withAand God? 18 1 When they 
 heard thefe things, they held their peace and glori- 
 fied God, faying, Then hath God alfo to the Gen- 
 tiles granted repentance unto life. 
 
 C/ycTtf here, I. How far St. Peter was from prftend- 
 ing to a fiiperiority over the reft of the apoftles; he did 
 by no means think himfeh' fo far above them, as to difdain 
 lincerity and humility, rehenrfed and related the whole 
 matter of fadt, to their entire and joint fatisfaction. 2. 
 How he acquaints the apoftles with the vifion he hadfeen, 
 in which he was commanded to make nodirtinftion<'>f clean 
 and unclean : Becaufe there was no natural turpitude 
 in any kind of meat, faveonly as it was prohibited by God; 
 and that God, who having made the law about difference 
 of meat, had now abrogated it, and made ail meats clean, 
 and free to be eaten. 3. How he gives them the inter- 
 pretation of this vifion, and acquaints them with the end 
 for which this vifion was defigned ; namely, not fo much 
 to reveal to him the lawfulnefsol eating all forts of meat's 
 as to acquaint him with his liberty and duty to convcrfe 
 with and preach the gofpel to the Gentiles, whom he was 
 no longer to look upon as unclean, though they were not 
 circunicifcd ; but as At/Vi and fiilow-citizens with the faints, 
 end of ihehoup;olj of Gfjd- Lafily, The conclulion which 
 St, Peter drew from the preinifes : "Seeing God hath 
 made theGctitiles equal in grace withthe believing Jews; 
 feeing the Holy Gholl came down npon them in the fame 
 imiiner, and with tlie fame elfefts as he did upon us 
 ;ipuftles, I couldiiot reafonably deny thciii baptiliii, and 
 
 by baprifm sdmifljon Into the gofpel-chorch; for )i«»ing 
 the grace fignificd by baptifra, tliey ought to have bap- 
 lifui, the feal of that grace; tbcy that have the inward, are 
 not to be denied the outward bnptifm ; and they that were 
 baptifed with the Holy Ghoft {a Corneliu!> and !ii& family 
 were) might and ought to be baptifed sviih water, as Cor- 
 nelius was ; for had I denied them church-communion for 
 wantof (he ceremony of circuincifiuu, ii had certainly b«en 
 a downright refiftance of, and Hifobedieiife againftGod." 
 Thence learn, That it is a downright oppofition to tlje 
 will of God, to (hut them our of the church, and to debar 
 them from the communion of it, who have received the 
 fanctifying graces of God's Holy Spirit ; but differ from 
 us in external rites and ceremonies only. 
 
 19 1 Now they which were fcattercd abroad 
 upon theperfecution thatarofc about Stephen, tra- 
 velled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, 
 preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only . 
 20 And fome of them were men of Cyprus and 
 Cyrenc, which when they were come to Antioch, 
 fpake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jefus. 
 2 1 And the hand of the Lord was with them : and 
 a great number balicved, and turned unto the Lord. 
 22 5 Then tiding.s of thefe things came unto the 
 ears of the Church which was in Jerufalem : and 
 they lent forth Barnabas, that hcfhould go as far as 
 Antioch. 23 Who, when became, and had fecn 
 the grace of God, %vas glad, and exhorted them all, 
 that with purpofeof heait they would cleave unto 
 the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of 
 the Holy Ghoft, and of faith : and much people 
 was added unto the Lord. 
 
 Ohfervi- here, 1. That Antioch becomes the JerufaJctn 
 of the Geniile Chriftians: That is, tlie chief pl.ice whither 
 the Gentile converts reforted ; as Jerufalt m, before the 
 difperfion by perfecution, was reforied toby the Jews, and 
 made the principal feat of their refidence. 1. HowGod 
 overruled the perfecution and afp^riion occalioned by St. 
 Stephen's death, for difTeminating andfcattering the gofpel 
 as far as Antioch, verfe icj. 7l>ty vjhii:b -were fcaiterei 
 abroad, Sec. Thus has the blood of tlie martyrs ;<II along 
 been the feed of the churcli, and what the devil and his 
 iuftruments have defigned for the extirpation. Cod has 
 conftantly over-ruled for the propagationof the gofpel. 3. 
 The great fuccefs which the minifters andminiftry of the 
 gofpel had at Antioch : The hand of the Lord -was withihrm 
 and a great number betiived. 15y the hand of i!ic Loid,is 
 meant the power and alliftance of the Lord, whicli did ac- 
 company thsm in difpenfing of his word, and enable them 
 to work miraclesfor the confirmation of it, 7 he hand is 
 the organ or inftrunient of working in man- When it is 
 attribured to God, It denotes his power and help: The 
 hand of God was manifested in the miracle whch th<y 
 wrought, and in fjith and converfion, which the figln of 
 thofe miraclfs produced, /.tvrn hence, That f.»ith ar.d 
 converfion are wroughtby the hand of the Lord; ihey are 
 
 his 
 
 ^r 
 
CiiAf. xr. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Ms work: Study and endcatcur is the miniflcr's, the blcf- 
 fingand fiiccefs is God's ; when he takes the fword of the 
 Spirit into the hand cf tlie Spirit, then fliall it work won- 
 ders. 4. How the joyful ti<iings of the Aicccfs of the gofpcl 
 at Antioch, being heard and tinderftovxl by the apoflies that 
 remained at Jcnifakm, they fcnt Ijjrnabas to confirm 
 
 the new converts at Antioch in the Chriftian faith.- 
 
 Le.irn thence, That the news of any finner's, much rrore 
 bi many finners, ccnverfion iintoG<id, by the prcnchinir 
 Tfthegorpcl, is matter of grcr.t delight rnd rejoicing to 
 ihe minifters of Chriil. 5. The holy and hcnorablc cha- 
 rader which the Spirit of God gives of Barnabas; /.'c was 
 a good m.in, and full »f the tioly GhiJ}, and of JVilh ; and 
 riuch people wmr added unto the Lcrd. By a good man, is 
 mcanr a kind .Tnd charitable man ; he h.aving r.<Quallv fold 
 his cftate, and laid it at the apoflies' feet, for "the benefit ( f 
 the poor, as Acls iv. 36, 37. informs ns ; and his good works 
 accompanying his good preaching, his gowi life fccondint; 
 his found doiSlrinc, was a great mean of the converdon of 
 io many, and that m.uch people were added to the Loni. 
 Laflly, the holy exhortation which Barnabas gave ihtfe 
 new converts at Antioch ; He exhorted tlcm, that ■u^hh 
 furfcfe cf heart they 'A'ctild ekave ttr.lo the Lord: That is, 
 with a firm and fixed refoliition of will to keep clofe to the 
 profeiTion of the truth of Chrill, whatever tribulation cr 
 Jillrefs they might meet with. Young converts need cx- 
 hortarion and counfel, to cflablifh and confirm them in the 
 fyith of the gofpel, and to encourage them to hold fafl to 
 Chrift. 
 
 25 Then depnitcd Barnabas to Tai-fns, for to feck 
 Saul : 26 And when he had found him, he bi-ou<'ht 
 liiin unto Antiocli. And if came to pafs, thar a 
 whole 3-car they aiTembled themfelves with the 
 church, and taught much people. And the difci- 
 ple.s Were called Chriftians firfl in Antioch. 
 
 A'i/f here, A further inftancc of the piety of that f'ood 
 'nran. Barn-ibas having a great zeal and fervent defire'^that 
 the gofptl miiiht be more asd more propagated, he went to 
 Tarlus to feck out Saul, that they miyht^jcin together in 
 the work of Chriil: jp.d having found him, he brought 
 him to Antioch; where for a whole year thev inftruacd 
 The church m .that .city, and tau<^ht much peop'je. O how 
 happy IS It for the church of Chrift, when her miniftcrs, 
 laying sfideali private interefl, do imitediy apply themfelves 
 to promote the common intercll of chrilHaiury, by propa- 
 piinj the gofpcl far and near! Farther, How ihe believers 
 both Jews and Gcniiks, were uniscd in (,ne common name 
 at Antioch . 'I-hc Jews had hitherto called them Nazariies 
 and GaUcan:, and they called ihcnSdvts di/clp.'es, le/ievers 
 treihrin ^nd ihefe of the church ; but now in this place! 
 Annoch, they were firfl called -C/-r;/7«;»: A very ercaj 
 lienor conferred npon this Gentile city, which cxMlted her 
 row above Jeruralcmitfclf. At Anti.;ch, a Gen'ile city, 
 Chritl fet up his ttandard for the Gentile.s and dilplr^cd 
 T.is banner, and puts his own name upon the dcfpifed Gen- 
 nies. 1 hey who before were counted dogs, a;id the off- 
 I^nurmgof all thing., have now the venerable name of 
 \.\ui[\ impofed on ihem. • Laflly, Tho difLipIts did not 
 
 4% 
 
 call themfelves chriflians firfl at Antioch, much Icfs did 
 their enemies give them that name; but they had it by 
 divine authority impofed upon them: God would have 
 ChriA's difciples called Chridians, (i.) As fcholars, who 
 receive their denomination from their mafler, thev arc 
 taught to learn of and imitate Chrift, whofe name' they 
 bear. (2.) As the word Chriftians fignifics anointed ones, 
 It puts them in mind of their divine uinflion, which thty 
 have received from the Itr.ly One, whereby they arc made 
 kings and pricfts unto God. \Vc aie at this day called 
 rcfnr.ed Chrifiiatii. God grant that wc may not cheat 
 nufelvcs with an^ empty and infignificant nan-.e; tut kt 
 us fill up that glorious tit'le, and be reformed In our li\'es, 
 zi. well as in our reliificn ; beautifying our holy profcf^ivv" 
 by an holy and becoming ccnverfation ; othcrv-iio sn u:i- 
 bapti/c-d heathen, at the great day, will not chsnTc cfia:« 
 with many baptized Cluiftians. "^ 
 
 27 5 And in thefe days came prophets from 
 JcruCalem unto Antioch. 28 And there ftood up 
 one of them named At-abus. and fignified by the- 
 Spirit, that there fhould be great dearth throughout 
 all the v.-orld : which came to pafs ia the di^s of 
 Claudius Ca:far. 29 Then the difciples, every man 
 according to his ability, determined to fend relief 
 unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea : c^o Which 
 alfo they did, and lent it to the elders by the handj 
 of Barnabas and Saul. 
 
 K(!tc\\e\e,x. That the wifdom of God, at the firfl plant- 
 ing of the Chriflhin church, did confer upon fomc of its 
 members extraordinary gifts ; as the gift of tongues, the 
 gift of miracles, the gift of prophecy, and tlie like. Ac- 
 cordingly, at this time> certain perfJns who h?d the gift of 
 prophecy, and did forctcl things to come, being now it 
 Antioch, by revelation from the vSpirit of God, foretold 
 that there would fliortly be a great famine over all Jiijca, 
 and fcveral other parts of flie world ; which exadllv came 
 to pafs in the reign of the emperor Clatidius. Where 
 ohferve, '\ hat as it is God's prerogative to foreknow t"u!i:re 
 things, fo it is his prerogative to enable others to forcttl 
 future things. This famine was here foreiokl^ not by ju- 
 dicial allrology, but by divine revelation : That God, who 
 provided for tlie patriarchs, by means of Jokpli's fc.-efee- 
 ing the famine in Egypt, provided now for the Chriftians, 
 by Agabiis's foretelling the famine whithcamcupon Judea • 
 Agnbusf^dupandftgmf.edli ihe Spirit, &c. As God's 
 omnipotence is exerted for his church's protection, fo is hi« 
 omnifcicnce employed for its fiiOi.nati' n and piefervaficn .- 
 Yea, all his attributes are engaged for her benefit and ad- 
 vantage. 2. The fuil proof and cvisience whkh the new 
 converts at Antioch gave of the truth of their cmverfion 
 iothechnftian religion: Namelv, their charity rnd alms 
 feafonnbly fenttotl^e fuccourand relief cf their fdlow- 
 membcrs in Chri:l, which were in Judca. Theic were 
 becw-.e very por.r, by reafon of the extraordinary malke, 
 and long perlecuiion of the Jews r.'7.-ina them. And t]:t 
 ftafonal.'ie fiiccour now knt them from Anfirch,wa! a fin- 
 giilar comfort to them, end a fwcet-fmelling f=crifice -jntn 
 1j«I. Lafljy, The wife regulation cf their charity, evcrf 
 
..'•5 
 
 'Th< 
 
 A C Y S. 
 
 Chap, x"* 
 
 '/'f /i/vV/'y. TM', i< t'e true fl;m)nrcl 
 
 ; nc : In.s I I I'lich tltni-J ns wc ^a'vp, 
 
 ofil'aiiy: ' , - >i 
 
 and .-•cccrdiii' !i ' .• v^e^•Jvc Cl.iiniaii piiidencc tnult 
 ciii(«a lis in UetMi-if'-rf cbiiflian cjmrr.y; \hM riMift <!i- 
 rc(fl \is in fit dinsroMtfit rnd |^rcp?r rbjcfls frr our chsritV, 
 th.it v.e rrny i:'nt: ir' ft to thtm ihat have ir,« ft need. Pf"- 
 dtnce muft'ilfo Jindl lit in tinrtinjj of cur cbaiity, that wc 
 do not put riir poor 'brcthriTi off wi'h frivolous cM-ifes 
 andiedirus iltlays. And it tniift ditctS us in the meafure 
 of ourchariiv, that it dorli net t xcted the Ivninds ot cur 
 fftates. Few Indeed arc guilty of (Tiirrg on that hand; but 
 it is pofFibie there may be an error in the rxccf?, ss Mtll as 
 in the dLfeS of our chiiftinn itaii'y. To prevent both 
 evils, let the praftice of thefe primiiive diriftians be a pat- 
 tern for our imiiation : /Fha ditermined ttery one, &c. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 St. Luke having related what fuccrfi the cfpojiks hsd at 
 Antioch; he new returns to Judea, and declarer what 
 pcrfeaition the church md zfiih at Jerufalem : Where 
 St. James itfli beheaded, and St. Peter mprifmed,as 
 this chapter infcrms us. 
 
 NOW about that titne, Herod the king ftretchcd 
 forth his hands to vex certain of the Church : 
 
 Kcfc here,!. Satan, the grand enemy of the church of 
 G(kI, never wants inftruments for cariying on lii« perfs- 
 cutinc d{ fiens againft the church ; he had mnny Pharaohs 
 in the Old Teftament times, bitteroppreffirs ofthe Jcwifh 
 «.hurch; and fcveral Her'^ds under rfie New Teftament; 
 as Herod Antipas, nnd Herod Aerippa, who were very 
 warm in the worft work: namely, that of perfccuti(-n. 
 Hcrcd ftrclchcd forth his hand to vex certain of the church ; 
 ♦hat is, to kill feme, and to imprifKn others. Satan'j; bl'.od- 
 hotmds have ftich an infatii'ble thirft after the blood of the 
 faints, that they can never be faiiated with it. A tyrannical 
 perfecutor is like an hydropic perfon, the more he diir.ks, 
 the more he thirlls. 
 
 2 And he killed James the brother of John with 
 the fword. 3 And bccaufe he faw it pleafed the 
 Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter aifo. (Then 
 were the days of unleavened bread.) 
 
 Note here, i. The perfon (lain by the fword of Herod, 
 James the brother of John. We read in the grfpcl that 
 he was one of the fens of Zcbedce, that dcfircd < t C'luift 
 
 *the pre-en.incnce to fit at his ri^ht hand in his king'Ioiu ; 
 and now he is the firft of the apoftltf that fufFcred rr.artyr- 
 dom, who drank of Chrift's ctip, and bapiiztd with his 
 liaptifm. He was called B<jani-rgc.«, or a fin of thunder, 
 for his zealous and carncft nreaching : No wrnder then 
 that rierod and the enraged Jews hated 1 im, and were ftir- 
 rcd up by Sjtan to deftri^y him. For futh as are molt iife- 
 fiil to, and moft eminent in the church, arc always the 
 cbjecls of Satan's wrath and anger, jir.d of the ptrftcuior's 
 r.igc and fury : He kilhd Ji-tr.es the Irothcr of John uith 
 tkefwcrd. 2. James bcint', fiain, Peter is to follow; He 
 
 .■IraeteJfJfarlh' r to t<:le I'clcr olje. The rage t't pctfecuiots 
 
 is not enfily fatisficd, and the blfvx? v/Mch l^ey fhed, is but 
 oil to feet! the flames of their rev' nge. But mark the over- 
 riding power and goodnefs of God, though St. James was 
 mi'riercd, St. Pe'er fhall hr but imprifoncd; The hufband- 
 m-m doth not commit all his corn to t!ie oven, but fave« 
 feme for feed. Pctfeciitors cannot do all the mifchief they 
 ■would, and they ffiall not do all they can. 
 
 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put 
 him in prifon, and delivered him to four quaterni- 
 ons of foldiers to keep him ; intending after Eafter 
 to bring him forth to the people. 
 
 Peter being imprifoned, chjcrrje. What an excefs of care 
 and caution Herod takes for fcciiring hir> prifoncr: Sixteea 
 foldiers are fet to guard him ; four at a time, and to tak* 
 their turns at the four watches of the night, to relieve one 
 another. Thence learn, That the enemies of the church 
 make the fureft work they can, when at any time God 
 permits liisfcrvants to fall into any of their har.ds. Thin 
 they dealt with the Head, when they had apprehended him. 
 The watch word was, Hold him fujt. Matt. xxvi. 4^. 
 \Vhen they crucified him, they nsilcd him fuft to hiscroiss 
 Vhen they buried him, they m.-rde the fepulchre fi;re, fcaU 
 ingthe ftone, and fetiing a watch : and thus they deal wish 
 the members : St. Peter has guard upon guard fet over him, 
 fome foldiers chained to him, und others always ftanding at 
 the door to obfcrve him. But r.ll this care, concern, and 
 caution to fecure the prifoner, did illullraia the glcry of the 
 miracle in his wonderful deliverance. 
 
 5 Peter therefore was kept in prifon ; but pray- 
 er was made without cealintj of the Church unto 
 God for him. 
 
 That i.=, fervent and importunate prayer was put up fo 
 God by the church on Peter's bchali : With the united 
 ftrcnglh of their whole fouls they ft( rn.td heaven, r,r:d took 
 him l)y force cut of Herod's hand. Learn, i. 1 hat vhcn 
 the church is plunged into deep perpkxiiiis, tl-.eoi:ly help 
 flic can hcpe for mull tome unto her in the way of prayer. 
 2. That when God fuifcrs any of the miniilcrs of the 
 church to fall under the rage of perfccutors, it is tl.c 
 church's duty to wreiUc with Gi d by prayer in an extra- 
 ordinary manner on their behalf : Prayer was tnrde with' 
 cut ccijitig of the church. 3. That w hen God intt r.cfs to be- 
 ftovv any txtraoidnary mercy upon his thi.rth, he Itirs lip 
 the hearts of his people to pray for it in a vciy ex'racnli* 
 naty manner. 
 
 • 6 And when Herod would have brought him 
 forth, the lame nij^ht Peter w^s Ccepiu^ bctwetn 
 two Ibldicrs, bound with two chains ; and the 
 keepers before the door kept the prilon. 
 
 i\cte, Peter continue.' in prifon till the very night befcne 
 He-rod iurendid to biiiig l.iia out to the prcplc : And rf 
 tliey dcfind it, it is prt baH.; he intended to put him to 
 death ti5e luxt day. Lciirn thcr.ce, 1 t.ri GeJd oft-times 
 fuffcrsliisehi drtii tocome to the f is's 1 1, 1 , ;nd then de- 
 livers them, that they may bt il.c nuie iinlJHe of iris 
 mercy, -nd havethc gica'ci ei"i'!e !i> p.r'riiily his.potver. 
 Pettr v\riS now Coir.c to liis laft i ii^l.t ; ti.c tyrant Hcrcd 
 
 prcb .'I^ 
 
Chap. xir. 
 
 he 
 
 A C T S. 
 
 4^y 
 
 fro' ably intcndrH hit exeOi'Inn the ■next morninp. Now 
 ■W2< tl>e tifrc for G«? to ftt p iii : Our extremity i<: his op- 
 portiiniy. Far'hcr, That notw ihflandine Peter's iniini- 
 nent and impcn-Iing dmcer, he fle<ps very foiinnly, reficn- 
 ifigiip hitnf. If inti) f*>r hands of Chriit, and rtr)Ivin.?. if he 
 may nol'in'»er live Chri:i'.< ferv.int, that he wilt die his fa- 
 crifice. I <jii' fti ih whether Herod that imprifoned him 
 fijpthalfin foimdly. Lord! how foft and fcciire a piiiow 
 is a i^ooti cotir..;'nce, cvv-n in the confines of death, :;nd in 
 the very jaws of danger ! L.irtly, G»d takes tno(l cnre of 
 P ler, w hen he was Icaft able to take care of |- imfelf : When 
 he was aflt^ep, and altot^e'hcr infi nfibic of his danr'er, God 
 was awike, and ai'Hng tff.tlually in order to hisdelivei- 
 ance. Happy piifoners! who have G^'d wi'h them in 
 prifon : Such arc prifoners of hope iudeid, ai\d Hull ccr— 
 taifily experience divine help. 
 
 7 And Behold, the angel of the Lord came upon: 
 hitn, and a lit^ht fhined in the prilbn ; and ht; I.noti.; 
 Peter on the (iilc. and raifed him up, faying, Ariie 
 up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 
 8 And the anocl faid unto him, Gird thyfclf, atid 
 bind on thy fandals : and fo he did; And he faith 
 unto him, Caft thy garment about thee, and fo'Jotv 
 tne. 9 And he went out and followed him, and 
 wift not that it was true which was done by the 
 on^el ; but thou-ht hcfavy a vifion. lo When they 
 were paft the firft and Iccond ward, they came un- 
 to the iron gate that leadeth into the city ; whicb 
 opened to ihem of his own accord : and they went 
 out, and paffed on through one ftreet : and forth- 
 ■with the an^el departed from him. 
 
 A 0/^ here, I. That Gcd hath fometii-iieK made tifc of the 
 rrinirtry of anpels to efFcft deliverance of his pe. pie. 2. 
 The fevcral j'tKid offices v hich t^^e ansrels now did for Peter, 
 in order for his cnhrgement.. Peter' is aflcep, the an^cl 
 a\v.^kes him ; he i« laid, the anoil raifes him ; he is am?2cd,. 
 the angel dire^s him ; he is boi'nd, the ant-d uuu^s him ; 
 he knows not where he is, the ansferpoesbcfore hi.^l, and 
 fiiil.shim; he is to pr.fs throi.c;b mrny diffcihies, the 
 anjrel oondipfl. him.- Lord! How inniirr.crable are the 
 good office?, which at thy coirmand the hr-ly anj^il.- do for- 
 lis, though 'hey ^re not fenflhiy in this manner appieht-rdtd 
 by "s ! What love and fervice do we owe to thee ! What 
 honour rind refped fhoiild we pay to them, for. their care 
 oyer lis, and attendance tipon iis!' 3. Peter Tr,ufl lifc 
 gird himfcll, bind on his fandals. cafl hi* garn^cnt abnut 
 him, f(,llow the angc-l, and ufe his own endeavours in order 
 to his ou n deliverance. God will have him life the means, 
 even then when he vas abont to work a miracle for him.. 
 What a tempting of God is it then to ncglea the means,, 
 •when we cannot exped iTiirades! As to iVuft to mesns, is 
 hi neglefl God, fe to negka the means, is to tempt God, 
 We mulf always fiibferve the providence of God in the 
 ulerf fuch means as his vifdom has arpointcd aixt di- 
 rcdcd tw unto. LaHly, That tl.is dcliveranec was fo 
 anu7 mg and &rpriiing, that Peter- thought it a dream only, 
 
 vcr. q, J^e xvJJj fi^t iJpat it was true, lul thought he Jaw a 
 v'fim. Lftirn thence, That fometimes the deliverances of' 
 tne<;odlv fr-vm imminent and apparent din'^'ers, are fo very 
 wondertiil, and afcnJed wish fiich a croud of improbabili- 
 ties, that they ha^e rr.tich ado to believe them though they 
 fee ihem \\\\\\ th( Ir rye.t. When God turned the c?p:ivity 
 of Peter, he was like im»o them that dream, Pf. cxxxvi. i. 
 
 1 1 And V-hcn Peter was come to himfelf. he faid. 
 Not/ I know of a furety, that the Lord hith T.nt 
 his an^el. and h.ith-deiivcrcd me out of the hand of 
 Herod, and/mwali the cxpedlation of the people of 
 the Jewsi 12 And when he had confidered ihe 
 thinr, he came to the houfe of Mary the mother of 
 John, whofe furname was Mark; where many v/ere 
 gathered together, praying. 13 And as Peter 
 knocked at the door of the gate, a damfel came to 
 hcirken. named Rhoda. 14 And when fhe knew 
 Pete»'s voice, fhe opened not the gate for gladnefs, 
 but ran in, and told how Peter flood before the gate. 
 1(5 And they faid unto her. Thou art mad. But 
 fhe ronflantly affirmed that it was even fo. Then 
 faid they, It is his angel; j6 But Peter continued 
 knpcVing : and when tl>ey had opened the door, and 
 faw him, thry were aflonifhed. 17 But he beck- 
 oning un?o them with the harnl to hold their peace, 
 declared unto them how the Lord had brought him 
 out of the prifon. And he faid, Go fhew thcfe 
 thin ;s unto James, and to the brethren. And he 
 departed, and wen into another place. 
 
 O.'/'rj.r here, I. The wife ar.d holy courfe which the 
 chiiKh t(ok forthe a p' file's enlareement, and that was 
 keepings dry of prayer: A number of chriHians got to- 
 geihtr, and importune heaven ; the enemies plot, the church 
 prays; they fliuf the prifon doors, the church opens 
 he: ven'sdo-ors, ant! God fives Peter in, as an anfwer of 
 prriyer, before thev rofe off f.^m thcii knees. O how m^A 
 i.'it todraw nis'h to G d ! What a praver-heaiint; God 
 ir«-i;r God! How great is ;! e power and prevalency of the 
 C( ni( lued prayers of.yood men ! God's praying people ever 
 hivi been, and will be, a prev.-.iling people. Whillf thefe 
 pious_f(.uls uere in the very zEi of c."!ling upon God for 
 ieteri rtkafe,God^ives in Peter rcleaftd to ihem. God 
 never wants means lor his people's deliverance, when he is 
 once fet on work by the pravers of his pc pie. 2 Sr 
 Peter bu.-g delivered medi-aies whiUl he was walkin/in 
 the firceis, and going along by himfelf,- of the greainefsof 
 his danger, and ti^e gracioufnefs of his deliverance: Holv 
 ajidfuitable thoughts, piou. meditations and circulations. 
 do wxll become us in any place, at all times, and upon all 
 occafons, but r foecially alter fi<,nal deliverances from fig. 
 nal dangers. We can never enough ruminate on them 
 or bo fufTciently i^h.r.klul for them. ,. The wifdom and 
 goodncfs of the divme providence in direaing Peter in the^ 
 dead of the nighs to ,he h.ufe where the faiofs were prav. 
 ing for him. This is the more reirarkable, becai^fe the 
 ang^l having dene his woik which Gcd fcnt him upon, 
 
4^ 
 
 TIic 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 fHAP. xir. 
 
 af:cr he had dtlivered Peter, from his chains and impiifon- 
 inent, he kft him to (}.ift for himfclf, and to take care of 
 Jiisown faftty ; but though an ani;cl left him, yet the 
 providence of God conduced him to a place- w litre he was 
 both fafe and welcome. 4. What an ancient opinion it 
 ■was, that every good man had a guardian angil appointed 
 liim by God, to take a fpecial care of him to his lik-'s end ; 
 lodirciSl him in his way, to guard him from danj;ers, and 
 11 deliver him in his dlftreflTcs: 7'lry fiy. It is his angel: 
 .For v.hich faving there could be no rcafon, h:ul there not 
 i<?cn »CMrrt.nt opinion an'.on;> them of guardian-angels. 
 Blcfled be God, hi."; holy angtls are our keepers, our coun- 
 itllcrs, our dettiuLrs, our loving and friendly affociates ; 
 iUid they ijiali never depart from" us, till they have fafely 
 I j.-vtii^cd U.S to our heavenly father's houic, where we 
 .ihail be a< '.he angdi of God in heaven. 5. How Peter 
 ■fir'.'s Gcd, inJ not the angel, the glory of his deliverance. 
 Wr. tr. He dcchired how the Lord had brought him cut of 
 tkfpnfn. The angel was but the inftrumcnt, God was 
 the principal agent, ver. 11. The Lord hathfent his Mgcl, 
 iVc. All deliverances mud be afcribcd to him, who com- 
 mands deliverances for his people. 6. The prudential care 
 which St. Peter t.ikes for his future prcfervation : He de- 
 fdrted and uent to another place. He could not think hii:i- 
 fclf fafe whilll Herod was fo near, no more than a l:;mb 
 oould be fafe near the lion's den. He knew he fhoiild be 
 hunted for, therefore cfcapes for his life And beridcs his 
 own d-mger, he W.1S not willing to endanger his friends, 
 who did now entertain and harbour him: but both for his 
 own and their prefcrvation, he departs to another place. 
 Learn, That a prtidenlial ufe of all lawful means for our 
 own, and others prclervaiion, in fublcrvicncy to the divine 
 providence, is our duty> our wildoni and interefl, both as- 
 Kien and chrillians. 
 
 18 Now as loon as it was Jay, there was no fmall 
 flir among the foldiers, what was become of Peter. 
 19 And when Herod had fought for him, and found 
 him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded 
 that ihty flionld be put to death. And he went 
 down from Judea to Cefarea, and ft^otf abode. 
 
 A't/i- here, l. How wicked pcrfocutors are mightily en- 
 .Kged, when their bloody purpofcs are disappointed. Herod 
 having loU his prize, is (0 Jnccnfcd, that he caufed the 
 keepers firft to be examined (and polfibly by tortures) and 
 tiien to be put to death. 2. The ju ft ice of God, and the 
 proal iiijuiJice of Herod: It was jiill in God to luficr the 
 foldiers, who were Herod's inftruments in perfecuiion, to 
 die by the bloody hand of Herod, whofe tools they were. 
 I.nftruments in perfecution God oft-times meets with in 
 this world, a!id fometimes they fall by the hands of perfc- 
 futnrs themfclvcs: yet was it notorious injuftice in Herod 
 to put to death thofc innocent foldiers, who conld not help 
 what WaS dune, and were no ways acccfiary to the prifoner's 
 •fcapc. 
 
 20 *i And Herod was highly difpleafed with them 
 ©f Tyre and Sidon : but they came with one accord 
 40 him, and having made Blaftus the kind's cham- 
 
 berlain their friend, defired peace; bccatife their 
 country was nouriOicd by tlie king's country. 
 
 Ohferve, Herod, upon St. Peter's efcapc out of his handr, 
 leaves Jcrufalem, and gtcs to dwell at Cefarea, where, 
 being highly difpleafed uiih the rich citizens t>f Tyre and 
 Sidon, he deligns to make wiir upon them. But they biing 
 fcnfible that their ciiies lying upon the feacoills :!rid hav- 
 ing liille Innd behmging to them, they muft be beholden 
 to Jiidca and Galilee, which were under Heroo's jurif- 
 didion, for a great part of their provifions ; tlierefore they 
 prudently compound the matter with him, knowino that 10 
 fight with him who f<d tht.m, was the ready v,.\y t'> he 
 familhed. And opcnin;^ the brcafl of ijjalrus • 
 chamberlain, with a goMen key, thro'.i^h that ; 
 made their accefs to fatisfy the king. Inttrcft leads us to 
 pay homage to thera,,whom our dependency is up<m ;• Yitl 
 though m.en depend Ujion God for all which they do enjoy, 
 (our country being ucuxilhed by the king of heaven's coun- 
 try ;) yet how few by pruyer do own their depi-ndancc up- 
 on him, or by praife and thaukfgiving do acknowledge tlic 
 hand that fiippiics thtm? 
 
 2 1 And upon a fet day, Kerod arrayed in royal 
 apparel, fat upon his throne, and madcan oration 
 unto them. 22 And the people gave a Ihout, lay- 
 ing. It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 ■ 
 And immediately the angel of the Lord finote him, 
 becaufe he gave not God the glory : and he was 
 eaten of. worms, and gave up the ghoft. 
 
 Upon a fet day, that is, as fome fuppofe, on liis owTi 
 birth-day, he was arrayed in royal apparel, in a cloak made 
 of cloth of fiver, but dyed with St, James's blcKxl, ver. 2. 
 which being beaten upon by the fun-beams, did greatly 
 dazzle the eyes of all fpeflators ; he made an eloquent 
 oration more gaudy than his apparel, unto the people, who 
 Cried out in approbation thereof. The voice cf a Gcd, anei 
 net of a man ! Herod, iniiead of repelling this their impious 
 flattery, embraces and hugs their praifcs, as proper to him- 
 felf ; and thereupon an angel, nnd worms, the bell and the 
 /af.Il of creatures, meet in his puniOmient ; the angel 
 fmiting h.im, and the worms eating him up: And no 
 wonder that worms quickly devoured him, whom thcfe 
 ficlh-flies had blown up before ; no wondei that he is 
 eaten up of •v^orm.s, w ho forget that he was a worm ! ^uej). 
 But why were not the people punirtied as well as the pruice, 
 feting they were equally guilty oi robbing Gtxl of his ho- 
 nour? True, Herod was the receiver, but they were- 
 the thieves ; why then fell not the pnniihmcnt en the 
 whole multitude? Jnf. Becaufe more difcreiion is expe£l- 
 cd from a prince, thr.t frcm the rubble: Bciides, v\hat in 
 them was but a blafphemous compliment, was by his ac- 
 ceptance of it made a reality, awl was ufurped by him, and 
 alTumed to him as due to his deferts.. From the whole,. 
 i:ot,-, I. That flattery, cither given or taken, is a very 
 dani;erous fui, a God-provoking, and a wrath-procuring' 
 fin. If we flatter men, God will not flatter us, but deal 
 plainly, yet fcveiely, with u£. One of the ancients faid,. 
 
 he 
 
ClIAP. XIII. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 4f>*3 
 
 he was afraid of praife and commendation as much as of 
 a crack of thunder. When men give much glory to men 
 it is very hard for men to pjvc their fJory back again to 
 Gf)d. H«rod was fo ])If;artd and tickled wiih the glory 
 •which the peoplt. pave Mm, that he could not part with 
 ir^; but by keepin;; that, he h.ft his life. 2. That though 
 God bears Irnt; villi many forts of li;jners, yet not with 
 fiiiners of this firt : Jmmt'd'.mely the angel of the Lcnl fnyJe 
 ^/w; Agreeably to that of Jol), chap, xxxii. 22. I kmw 
 *iJ h',w to give fl.!ttir't!7g titla, fcr in fo dohig 'my Maker 
 would foon taheine nway. The gre&t Go<l will .idniit of 
 no' CO- rivals ; he will not fiilTer his glory to be given to 
 another ; he will be a fwift w iinofs agaiiill the flatterer, as 
 well as agaifiil the falfe fwcarer, M^^Lichi iii. r. He can 
 deftroy both flatterer and flattered -with the twinkling of 
 an eye, or with the turning of a hand ; and thofe thafare 
 ciitd lip as gods to day, are as dung to morrow. 
 
 2 } f But the ^void of God grew and multiplied: 
 25 And Barn ibas and Saii] returned from Jeruia- 
 lem tvhen they had fufilJed their mmiiXr}', andtook. 
 with them John, whole iarnamc was Mark. 
 
 Xcle, Herod the tyrant and perfecutor being dead, the 
 e^fpel prol'pored, and was prejchcd up and down witii great 
 luecef-;. Porfeciitors, bv rhcir weak endeavours to pull 
 flown the ch-Jrch, do build it up the ftronger.. The church 
 in Egypt never grew fo hi^li, as when Pharaoh laboured 
 moll to keep i- low; the more he mcdelled them, the more 
 hemiihiplied ihem.. Tims here, after Herod's death, and 
 Peter's deliveraoce, the word ot God grew and raidtiplicd ; 
 that i?, the number of believers increaf-d through the 
 preaching of the word, as feed is multiplied hv the icatter- 
 Jrg oi the hand ; the word preached is the feed fown in the 
 ti.rrows of the field : The ground was now harrowed bv 
 the hand of the pcrfecutors, ami the feed grew the better 
 ard thefruiisof faith and obedience did by cverv ihower 
 of pcrfecmion more and more abound. The 'truth of 
 God may for a time be opprelfcd, but It flKall never be 
 h by :md finally fuppreffed ; Aill the word ofGodgrezv arJ 
 
 ■CHAP, xiii; 
 
 St. Luke having given ui an accoicni how the Chrijlian 
 church zuas/ir/l planted among the Jews by St. Peter'i 
 min:Jlry, in the twelve Jvjl chapters, now applies his 
 pen in declaring hcnu the gofpcl wits planted md pro-, 
 pagated ammgji the Gentiles h St. Paul's ini'A'/liy 
 to the md of the hook. 
 
 "Vr O W there were in the Church that was at 
 X 'S Antioch, certain prophets and teachers ; as 
 Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger, and 
 LvciasofCyrene, and Manaen, which had been 
 bvought up with Herod the tetxarch, and Saul. 
 Note here Thar the city of Antioch being the firft Gen 
 nlectv wlijch entertained the gofpel, there were at that 
 ttme feveral prophets and teachfrs in that city to inlhud 
 
 the people, and to by the fnur.dr ion cf a rhiifliarchurch 
 amongft them ; And amongfl othcr.s there wis found one 
 veiv eminent perfon named Manacm, who was of that high 
 rank and quality, that he w as brought up wlih Hercd at 
 court ; and as the learned Lighifoot thinks, was converted 
 there by the preaching of St. John the Bapt ill : Yet this 
 iiian contemning with Mofcs the pleafures of the court, 
 did think it no difparagcment to him to be a teacher at 
 Antioch. Learn thence. That God is pleafed to manifcit 
 thefrecnrfs of his grace, ia efFcaiially calling fome of all 
 forts and ranks o( incn, to the knowledge and rbcdier.ce- 
 ofthe gofpcl, and to a pnriicipation (5f the benefit offered 
 iii and by the Lord Jefus Chriit. 
 
 2 As they miniflered to the Lord, and falled.the 
 Holy Glioft faid, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, 
 for the work whereunto I have called them. oAnd 
 when they had tafted and prayed, and laid their 
 bands on them, they fcnt thcyii away. 
 
 0;y;-rcvhere, How the Holy Ghoft takes occafion, when 
 the teache^rsof the church at Antioch were alfcmbled to- 
 gether in God's prefence, and about his work, to give them 
 pai'.icular inrtrixlions end diica ions concerning his will' 
 and their duty. Farther, The f.lemn rhatge t;i?ci. by the 
 Holy Gho t to fet apart Saul and Bari.abnsbvYoIemn iru- 
 poution of hands for the preaching of the golpcl to the Gen- 
 tilys : i his was a great work, and not to be undertaken 
 without a fpc-cial call from God ; therefore favs the Holy 
 ^^u.\. Separate me Barmbas and Saul lo the zlork uh-n ' 
 iMo I have adlcd them: Which words prove both "the' 
 Duty and perfonality of the Holy Ghoft ; He who calls 
 .nintft ers to the office and unto whofe fervice they arc 
 fcp..ratcd, IS both God, and a dirtina perfon in the God- 
 head ; but ths the Ifoiy Ghoil did : Separate ,r.e Barnabas 
 and Saul. Here rote, r. That the woik of the miniftry 
 Js a feparate work. Minillers mnft be At apart for tV" 
 work ot the mtniftry beforethcy undertake it ; a call from 
 God is not fufficent Tsithout a fcparation by man. h\u, 
 ;■• \\ ^l^'V^Pf ^5'°". ought to be perf\-m'ed by the chief 
 mtnftersofthechtirch who have authority from Chrift ,0 
 YvlT.^ "^^^V^^V^^ *or the wo.ks of the minirtry. 
 1 he ho.v Ghoft fa.d to the teachers of the ch.irch at An- 
 tioch, Separate ^le. 3. That this folemn .a and ordi- 
 nance ought to be performed in a very fclemn manner, hy 
 fafing, prayer, and impofition of harlds. 4. That when 
 
 to ihJ'inft-r,' ' " r "^''^' '" ""-■ '"•"^' ="^' •■'^^"■■'-'ing 
 ^ •r-^r>rT o"^ =PP"':'traem cf the Holy Ghoft : T/e 
 '■'yGhcffnd,Scpara!e..kc. Laftlv. Though the ofHce 
 of themmiftrybe an honourable ofScc, yet wi.hal it s a 
 laborious wot k. Separate tl,em for the.vo.k wSe ,n,o I 
 h ve called the.^. Jt is work that- renutres at,end:.n?c 
 andxealous apphcatiorr, both in feafon knd o.;t rf fcal,,? 
 1 raying, preac-hing, adtrdnilleringfacranitnt., ; guidin,' and 
 governing the flock by a piivire admonition and VblicVrn- 
 ure. Thefeare weighty works, fV.t:nd fb now by thr.fe 
 that perform thein faithftdly, and will.be fotuid fo at the 
 great day by the floihtul and negligent. How can tha? 
 
 f ^ iffulTerfi^' "•' "'^'V -d incnfiderable work, umo the 
 
 • '''"' P"formai. ce whereof fo great a rc^^ ard is promifed 
 
 and 10 the omiflion whereof fo drtdlul a wo is !L^l[1l 
 
 Jf 
 
470 
 
 The A C T SS 
 
 Chap. xiji. 
 
 If Satan deftroy men's fouls, he fhall anfwer for them as a 
 murderer only, not as an officer entruflcd with the care of 
 them ; bm if the watchman doth not warn, if the (hrpherd 
 d^th not feed, if the watchmen doth not inrtni£t, if the ftew- 
 arddoth not provide, he (hall anfwer not only for the fouls 
 that have iiifcarried, but for an office nettlcft-cl, for a talent 
 hidden, and for a (le-.virdfhip unfaithfully adii'.inirtercd. 
 Lord! how unable {h.i!l we be at the making up of our 
 accounts, to endure the hideous outcries of dillrellbd foul?, 
 f;;yini;, Purenles fciiftmus parriciJas : Our guides have 
 njilcd us, our watchmen have betrayed us, our ftcwards 
 hive defrauded us, and the following of their evil example' 
 lias undone us. 
 
 4 H So they being fent forth by the Holy Ghofl 
 deputed imlo Sclucia, and from thence they failed- 
 to Cyprus. 5 And when they were at S<ilamis, they 
 preached the word of God in the fynagOtiues of the 
 Jews : and they had alfo John to their mini Her. 6 
 And when they hid gone through tlic ifle unto Pa- 
 piios, they found a certain forcerer, a falfe prophet 
 a ]ew, whofe name ttfas Bar-jefu.s: 7 \V1iich was 
 with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a. 
 prudent man; who called for Barnabas and S.iul 
 and dcfired to hear the word of God. 8 But Ely- 
 inus the forcerer, (for fo is his name by interpre- 
 tation.) withftood then*, feeking to tarn away the 
 deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul, (who alfo «■ 
 lalkd Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghoft, fet his eyes 
 on hirn, 10 And laid, O full of all fubtilty andall 
 jiiiichief, ihoti child of the deyii, thni enemy of all 
 rightcoufnefs, wilt thou not ccale to pervert the ri^ht 
 ways of the Lord ? ii And now, behold, the hand 
 of the Lord zi upon thee, and thou fliiUt be blind, 
 not feeing the fun for a feafon. And immediately 
 therefell on him amifl and a darknefs; and he went 
 ubout fecking fome to lead him by the hand. 12 
 Then the deputy, when he fawwhat was done, be- 
 Iieved,being alloniflied at the doQrineof the Lord. 
 
 O'rjervi \\ZTC, I. The apofllcs Barnabas and Saul having 
 received ihtir ccramifilon, fet forth forthcir work to wi-.irh 
 they were diTigncd ; and their firft journey was from An- 
 lioch to Cyprus, an ifland of the Gentries, lewd and 
 ■wicked ; where Venus was worfliipped : And much fil-.hi- 
 nefs was committed by them in that abominable Pagan 
 worlhip. Yet the free grace of God call a Ini k of pi'y 
 and love upon finful Cyprus: The holy Ghoft dirtils 
 thcfe apoftlei thither to reclaim them from fin, and reduce 
 them to the obedience of the gofpel. 2. That though SatiT 
 and Barnabas were fent forth to preach the gofpel to the 
 Gentiles, yet they made the firft tender of it to the Jews 
 vhercver they came ; accordingly here in Cypres, there 
 being a great numbt-T of Jews, the apofttes went into the 
 ivntgngue, and preached to them. Chrrft was the nii- 
 niiler of circumcilivn, who was himfi;lf fcnx to the lojl Jhttp 
 ^tltc Inufe / I/rael ; and accordingly fent his apolUcs out 
 
 firft to feed and fi:athcr thefe p.Tor Crattered /heep ; thcfc 
 were accounted the citil l;cn of the hoiife and the Gontiles 
 reckoned as d'Jt;s ; but when thofe wanton an 1 full-fed 
 children began to wifte their meat, and caft it imder the 
 table, then liivl the Gentile dogs gather up thtir Icavinps ; 
 Afls xiii. 46. It waf ntcejfary., both by \irtueof Chiifl's 
 c ;mmAnd and example alfo, t^^ut the xucrJ of C'.d, Ice. 
 3. What an early oppofition the devil made seaitift the 
 apofllcs in their preaching the gofp.l to the G^ntilis ; he 
 feared the batterin.j down the walls of his kingdum, and 
 therefore ftirs up liis inftrumen' El/inus the forcerer to 
 wi'liJland them, an-J par'icidaily to endeavour to divert 
 Sfrgiiis P.u)lu<:, \\ ho- governi-d that ifl nd, from the fai;H. 
 Wheie na/'. The character given of tliis vile m;'n by the 
 ap'jfUe. O full of all ftil<lilly and mijcl.ief:: ad'idef tkt 
 devil, an enemy af i.ll righteovjncjs : Intiiiu l:iig,. x. That to 
 be fubiil to domif^hiefis the genius or difpofition of the 
 devil's children.. 2. That to be an oppofer ofgo'xl, is to 
 he conformable to 'he devil : Ii is the hei;.'hTh of wickcdnefi 
 not only to- do evil,, but to rpp'^fe gnod ; to be an enc. 
 my to, andoppofer of g-xxlncfi, fs the very charafler 
 ot Sitan and his children. .So much as any inan rppofei 
 go(Klnefs, fo much he ha* of the devil's difpofricn in him 1 
 "Thiu child cl the devil, ihm enemy of aii rightecvfnefs. 4, 
 The jpdv^ment infliQ7d by God on this wicked inflniment 
 of the devil, -ind firitablenefs cf the judgment irflifttd 00 
 the fin committed i he wickedly (hot the eyes ef his un- 
 derfian-iing ag iiift the light of the Gofpel, rind Gixl de- 
 prives him <>f l.is bodily fit;ht. Thus the wifdom of G.>d 
 doth oft-time= fo fuit his jud^'ments to the fins committed, 
 that a perfon may even read his fin in his punifhment : 
 Y-r how did Go:l temper mercy with tlie judtiment, in- 
 fli.^ing blindnefs upon 'hit vile wretch, only for a feafon? 
 Ev.-n the very judgments of God are medicinal and in 
 mercy: When God pt'ni(he«-, it iswihadefirn not to 
 ruin, birr reform. Laftlv, What fuccefs St. Pjid's nii- 
 niilry fo?eih'er v ifh the fight of tl.is ir.iracle, had upon 
 Scrgius Pauirs the governor , he -was thereby cenvetted to 
 the faith :. fVI en he fuw tvhnt -urns done, hehelined \ lelng 
 ajionifhtd at' the dcflrine of t^e Lordl The word never 
 works more kinilly, than when i? isreciivcd wi'h' admi- 
 ration. Yet doth the word fi^tnctinnes work atln iraiion, 
 where it does not produce f.;i'h : Mcnv p-.tirvclled v ho 
 never brlieved ; but thi> governor was iftoniftied, and be- 
 lieved alio.. 
 
 13 Now when Paul and his company loofed from 
 Paphos, they came to Perga and Pamphylia : and 
 John departing from tliem returned to Jerufalem. 
 14 IT But when, they departed from Perga, they 
 caiT)e to Antioch in Pifidia, and went into the fyna- 
 go.;uc on the labbath-day, and fat down. 15 And 
 after the reading^ of the law and the prophets, the 
 rulers of the lyn«^ogue fent unto them, faying. Yt 
 men and brethren; if ye have any word of exhorta- 
 tion for the pcopf^, fay on. 9 
 
 Here we have afl »C€oimt of another journey which Paul 
 and narnjbas tocfe to preach plant aad prrpogatc the 
 gofpel : Nanicly, to Perga in Pan.phjlia j and trwn ilicncc 
 
Ci^AP. xiir. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 471 
 
 Amioch into Pirt;Ii, fo Called to djAInguifh it from the 
 other Amioch in Syria, from whence they were fent forth, 
 Vet. I, 2,-i. where their colleague and ccmpanion, John 
 Mark wittidre-v from ttjem, and wtnr no far:hcr with them 
 to the work. This P;itil tork very ill, as he might, if he 
 left them becaiife of the dilficuhies and dangers which he 
 faw did acconipany and attend them in the pluming and 
 propaeating of the rorpcl ; for he that puttcth his hand to 
 that plough and then drawcih back, jiiflly dcfcrveth cen- 
 fure and reproof. However, fuch was the 7.eal of the two 
 apoftles, that they travel on to Antirch without their com- 
 panion, wliere entering into one of the fynagogiies of the 
 Jews on the fjbbath-day ; after tlic reading fome fetSlions 
 in the Lm- and the prophets, as their manner was, the riders 
 of the Analogue defired a -word of exhortation from thein. 
 Where nctr. How woHdcrfully God ovr-riilcd the hearts 
 of tliefe rulers of the fyn.icroguc, not only to fufFer, but fo 
 defire the apofllesto preach the gofpcl to them. The rulrrs 
 *f the Jynagcgue fcnt unto them, fnying. Ye men and brethren 
 if ye have any worj of exhortittlcn for the people, fay en. 
 Hereupon the apr)(lle St. Paul (lands up and makes a 
 noft excellent fcrmon to them in the following vcifcs. 
 NVhcre note. How readily the blcd'cd apollle embraces 
 an opportimity to preach the gofpcl ; the rulers had no 
 need to afk him "twice : Little importunity willfcrve to 
 perfuad? an holy heart to undertake the w irk of God 
 i ha faithful miniilers of Chrifl are forward for as well as 
 zealou' in their Maftcr's work. No looner did the rulers 
 of the fynagogue rectieft a word of exhortation from the 
 apofllc, but immediately, though not unpreparedly he (lands 
 Up and, preaches to t~lic people. 
 
 t6 Then Paul flood up, and becTconJng with /i?'s 
 hand, faid, Men of Ifratl, and ye that fear God, 
 give audience. 17 The God of this people of 
 IlVael chole our fathers, and exalted the people when 
 they dwelt as ftran^ers in the land of Egypt, and 
 with an hii^h arm brought he them out of it. 18 
 And about the time of forty years fuGFered he their 
 manners in the wi'.derncfs. ig And when he had 
 dcilroyed fcvcn nations in the land of Canaan, he 
 divided their land to them by lot. 20 And after 
 that he gave tj'z.'o MfjJi judges, about tjje fpace of 
 four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the pro- 
 phet. 21 And afterward they defired a king: and 
 God gave unto thetn Saul the fon of Cis, a man of 
 the tribe of Benjamin, by the fpace of forty years. 
 8 2 And when he had removed him, he railed up 
 unto them David to be th^ir king. To whom alio 
 he gave tcflimony, and faid, I have found David 
 theyZnof jeffe, a man after mine ov/n heart, which 
 Ihall fulfil all my will. 23 Of this man's feed hath 
 God, according to A;s promife, r lifed unto Ilracl a 
 Saviour, jefus; 24 When John had firfl preached 
 before his coming, the baptil'm of repentance to all 
 the people of Ifrael. 25 And as John fulfilled his 
 
 courfe he faid, Whom think ye that I am ? I am not 
 he. But behold there cometh one afte r me, whofe 
 fhoesof hii feet I am not worthy to loofe. 26 Men 
 ani brethren, children of the ftock of Abraham, and 
 whofoever among you feareth God, to you is the 
 word of this falvation fent. 
 
 This latter part of the chapter confair.cih an liirtorica' 
 and praflical fermon, preached by St. Paul at the rcqueft of 
 the rulers of the fynagogtie. Where »5.v, i. Hit prrlo^jTc 
 or preface, in which he craves thoir careful attention ; 
 withal intimating, that none of them would attend, but only 
 fuch as truly feared God : Men of JJrael, and ye that f/jr 
 God, give audience. That is, the proper charafter of a 
 right attentive hearer. 2. The narrative which the apol'le 
 gives of the many divine favours, benefits, and blellings, 
 which the Lord bellowed of old upon Ifrael his people; 
 namely, his free ek£lion and chufing them before a!! 
 nations; his wonderful deliverpuce of them ot^t of Egvrt; 
 his great indulgence toward*; them for forty years in the 
 wildernefs, as a mother bears with a child's frowardnefj 
 and ftuhbornefs ; and his conflituting a foriTi of govern- 
 ment for thcin under the jtidges full, and kings afterwards 
 particularly Saul and David ; who is dtfcribed firft by his 
 conformity to the nature of God ; he was a n'an after his 
 cwn heart. Secondly, By his conforniity to the will of 
 Go<l : He fliall fulfil all vi\ ivill. H-jving tints ended fhe 
 hiftoiical part, he next begins the praflical r.art of his dif- 
 coiirfe ; and lays down this grand propofitton, That Jtfus 
 is the Chiift and Saviour of the world. This alfertion he 
 defends and proves, (t.) From his ftock and family accord- 
 ing to the fltlh, foretold by God. (2.) From the tcftiinonv 
 of John the Baptift his forerunner, ver. 2^, 24. Of 
 David' s feed hath Gtd, &c. After this he makes a dofe 
 application of the whole to them: Men and hrethren, to y/>u 
 is the word of this falvation feyit. Lrarn xhtncc, That the 
 gofpel is the dodliine or w(>rd of falvation fent by God 
 unto a loft world. The gofpel is a melfage of gkd tidities ; 
 the glad tidings which the gofpel brings, is falvation ; and 
 the way and manner how the gofjJtl brings falv.'ition, is 
 threeft'Id. (i.) Byway of pa'etaclion and difcovery ; the 
 gofpel makes a difcovery of fdvaticn exclufivtly to any 
 other way ; no angel in heaven could have difcoverfd it, if 
 God had not firft declared it in and by the gofpel. (2. 
 By way of tender and offer : O this joyful mcifape of f;»l- 
 vation is fent to every m.Tn's door ! free grace falls upon 
 its knees and begs of every fiiiner to accept it. (t^.) By 
 way of efScacy atid power. The gofpel biings with it n 
 cciivincing and converting power, to ptit men into a ftate 
 of falvation ; and hath ilfb an tftablifhing :nd confirming 
 power to preferve them in that cftaic. BlefiVri b-.- God that 
 to us. even to every pneoftisis the word of this fidvaii- 
 on fent. What monfters then .ire they vhorre enemies to 
 our falvation : The only way to hiaven is by Chriil, the on- 
 ly way to Chriftis by faith, and and the only v,ay to tai,h is 
 by the word. 
 
 27 For they tl'.at dn'cit at Jerufalcm, and their 
 rulers, becaufe they knew him not, nor yet the 
 voices of the proph'.ts, which arc read every fab- 
 
 bath-dav. 
 
^. ~ 
 
 "he 
 
 ACT 
 
 ClIAP. -Kill. 
 
 •tiav, thev li^vc fulfilled y/inrain condemning A/m.zS 
 And tlioughthey found no caufe of death m him. 
 vet dufired^hey Fihuc that he (hould be flain. 25 
 And when the,' had I'llfilledall thatKas written of 
 liiin, they took r^.!/': down from the tree, and laid 
 ■J.im in-a iepulchrc. 30 But God raifed him from 
 the dead : 3 1 And he was feen many days of them 
 ivhich camo up withhim from Galilee to Jcrufalem 
 >s-ho are -his witnelTcs unto the people. 32 And u-c 
 <lcclare unto you glad tidinyf, iiow that th<j promifc 
 ^v•hich was made unto tlie fathers, 33 God hath 
 fulfilled the fame imto us their children, in that he 
 Jiathraifed up Jcfus again; asitisalfo written in 
 (he fecond Pi'alm, Thou art my' Son ; this day have 
 -I begotten thee. 34 And as concerning that he 
 laifcd him up from the dead, noic no more to return 
 to corruption, he faid on this wife, I will giv« you 
 the fure mercies of David. 35 Wherefore he faith 
 rlfo in another P/cUm, Thou ihalt not fufFcr thine 
 Holy One to fee corruption. 
 
 Nofehcre, I. The apoAle declares tlic ignominious death. 
 a. The glorious rcfurredon of the Lordjcfiis, whom he 
 proves to bc<ihc true a'ld promifcd Meflias. (i.) For his 
 i'^nominioiis death, the Jfjjs hanged him upm a tree. The 
 S)n of God wr.s not onlv put to death, but to the wrrfl of 
 <Icaths, even the death of the Crofs, by tlie wicked Jews : 
 Yet the apcRle acknov\ ledges, that neither the Jcwifli 
 rulers nor people did tindcrliand him to be the MefiLns, as 
 1 hey might have done, had they con fidered the p red id ions 
 cf the prophets ; and therefore their ignorance would not 
 c.NCufe them : for the ignorance and heedlclfnefs of men, 
 cnjoyi.ig the means and^1ppoItunilies of knowledge, will 
 certainly bring deftnidion upon them. To fn blindly 
 V.ilhoui knowledge, or to fin wilfully againd knowledge 
 when W£ have the meansof knowlege js a dnmnable f,n : 
 Tl.e ritleri/'k'can/eilijtunu l.lm not. mr , yet the voice > af 
 ihepnphtts, havej'uljilled thafti in condemning him. Note 2. 
 To t;,ke away the fcandul of the crofs, the apoftle fhews 
 tiiat our Saviour's refiirrredion w-asas glorif.u"; as his death 
 \vas ignominious. 'Gcd wiped away the reproach of the 
 •ciofs, liy raifing^up Chrift from the grave, and declared 
 liim to be his'Son with power, by the refurrcclion from the 
 dead. And accordigly the aprOlcs applies that prophecy 
 loChrill, in Pfalm'ii. 7. Thou art my Son, this day have 
 J kcg-lten iL'e. As if the Father had faiJ, " Now thou 
 hall a?ain recevcred thy glory, and thy rtfurrciSlionday 
 Is to thee as a new hinh-day.'' Three ways is Chrift 
 Jaidto be begotten ; (i.) Of the eflcnce of the Father be- 
 fore all worlds. (2.) \Vhen his body was formed of the 
 fubllancc of the Virgfn's flelh. (3.) 1/Vhen God n-ifcd 
 ):im from the dead ; 7his d<iy hat^e Ilegotun l!.ee : That 
 is, ded;;r:,i;\dy, lor he was the Son of G-xi bi-fore, even 
 from. all et'ernity ; but whilll he M-as in a fuf*cnng condi- 
 tion, his divinity was vciUd : Whereas after his rcfurrcc- 
 lion it wasmoic'appartnt, and he was thc-^ d eel r red to be 
 the Son of Gtxi ; not then made the Son of God, but 
 then itvade nianit'ell to b; ths S.^i ^•''GjJ, but the rcfur- 
 
 reflion from the dead. Learn, That the Lord Jefus Chrift 
 was the S')n of Gixl, antecedent to his rerurr((3ion, even 
 from all eternity ; he was declared and manifeftcd, but not 
 nude or conftituted the Son of God by the rcfurre£lion. 
 Then it was that his divinity brake forth as the fun, after 
 it had bew (hut up under a'dark and thick cloud. Chrift 
 was the etcrnalSon of God ; but Ins refurrcdirn was. a 
 declaration, and full manifeftation of it to the world ; Rem 
 J. 4. Declared to be the Sen of God with p'.vjcr. 
 
 36 For David, after he had fcrved his own gen- 
 eration by the will of God, fellonflecp, and was 
 laid u^ito hi^ fathers, and law corruption. 
 
 The Holy Ghoft here gives a compendious account of 
 David's life and death: Of his life. He fericd his gencri- 
 lion according to the •will 6f Cod : Of his dea'.h : He felt 
 tfleep, and was gathered /« his Ji-tlcii-, and fa'^xi corriiptizn. 
 In the account given of David's life, n.te, i. His aflivity 
 and zeal for God, he fcrvv-d as well as reigned : This ferv- 
 ing implies not fmgle or individual aft, but a ferics and 
 fiiccellion 4)f good ad ions thronghout the whole courfe cf 
 hislife. 2. The publicnefs of his adivity ; he ferved no: 
 himfclf, bur his own generation. 3. The rule of his ac- 
 tivity, lie that was the will of God; as he fcrved his ge- 
 neration, fo lie ferved God in his generatipn faithfully ac- 
 -cording lohisvvill. All our (erviccablcncfs for God and 
 our generation, muft be guided and dirtded by the word 
 and will of (icd. David ferved his own generation by 
 the will of God. This is the account of his life. Note 
 next. The relation of his death. He fell afJcep, ivas 
 gath^ercd to his fathers, and faw corruption. He fell rfecp; 
 death to the fcrvants of God is as a lleep, and but a ileep. 
 As a fleep, it gives reft snd cefTation from labour ^ and ar 
 a flecp, it gives cefTation after labour; and as they th:it 
 fleep fhall certainly awake, fo thofe that deep in Jefus fiinl't 
 aw.-ke in the morning of the relurredion, to fee their 
 glorified Redeemer face to face. 2. No fcniceiiblcners to 
 Gnd in rur generation can exempt from death ; for Davi.l 
 fell afleep ; this is the lot of the faithful, as well as the 
 flothful fcrvants. •^. It is a bleffcd thing when we fall 
 aflecp With cur work in our hands ; when death meets us 
 after a life fpent in the fcrvicc ofChrift. David, after he 
 had ferved his generation, fell alleep ; it follows, he wa; 
 gathered to his fathers: that is, he was buried amongft his 
 anceftors: and faw corrupti^'n ; that is, his bsxly corrupted 
 in the grave like other men's. 
 
 37 But he whom God rai fed again, frfw no cor- 
 ruption. 
 
 P^ Thar is, JefuS Chrift, whom God the Father raifed to 
 life the third day, he faw a dillulution, but no corruption. 
 Sin h.id no inlieritance in him, therefore death eoidd have 
 no dominion over him ; but he overcame death in his own 
 territories, the gr.nvc. Thus the r.poftlc dra■.^ s the argn- 
 ment home, that the forc^oinr: words rwdd not be nif-ant 
 of D.iv*i's perfon, but ol\he'Nlcllias whom Da-, id typii^d 
 and reprtfcutcd. 
 
 38 Be it known unto you therefore, men ant", 
 brethren, ihHt through ihio man is preached unto 
 
 yoj. 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 Th« 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 obfcure afFair ; anJ accordingly, their niithori'v heinir fo 
 iJhiftrioiis anJ commanding," 3n<! the ilccrcc fo piniis ind 
 pnulential, ihiir determination was rrccived \vi;h iiiiivcrf'l 
 fatisfaclion. 7l?ey dc!iver(d the tpijUf, which w'tn ff-ey 
 had read, they rejoiced. 3. What wasil'e frbjed matrer 
 of their joy, and the fpecial occafion ot' their rejoicing j 
 Theyrcjcicedf:r the cnfolation : Tliat i^, for tile £;r'.at con- 
 folation which they had, in heinp freed from the burden of 
 the legal ceremonies liiough originally of divine iniUmion 
 and appointed by God himfclf. From whence wr learn, 
 That lib.-rtv from toilfomc ceremonies, th. nth oii^'inally 
 ct divine inRivmion, much more a freedom from fi iper- 
 fliiioits cercmanics of human invcnti:in, is matter of great 
 joy to the church of Chrift. Lord! what numerous and 
 burdenfome ceremonies has the church of Rome impofcd 
 upon her blind votaries ? When in their worfhip they 
 jvould be thought truly zealous, they are really ridiculous. 
 They pleafe themfelves, perhaps, but cannot pleafe their 
 Miikir ; all the acceptance thty will (ind with God will be 
 lignified to them in that ch.idin'g qutftion, " Who hath re- 
 quired thefe thngs at your hands?" 
 
 32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets alfo 
 theuifclves, exhorted the bietliren with many words, 
 and confirmed than. 33 And after they had tarri- 
 ed there a fp;ice, they were let go in peace from the 
 brethren unto the apoflles. ,94 Notwithfl.mding it 
 pleafed Silas to abide there (till. 35 Paul alfo and 
 Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and prcich 
 in;r the word of the Lord, with many others alfo. 
 
 Judai and Silns lelnf prophets ; that is, perfins 'extraor- 
 <lin:irily infpircd. and endued wiih eminent gifts for teach- 
 in;j \n:\ interprtiing the holy fcriptures ; they employed 
 themfelves at Antioch, confirming and bm'ldino up their 
 brethren in the faith of Chri.L And after thev'had ftayed 
 at Aisti .ch fome time, tiiey were of all kindnefs difmiiled 
 ct the church there ; and ^t-das returned to Jenifslcm, to 
 acquaint the apoflles with the recepiion which their letter 
 had met with, and what obedience was readily given to their 
 decrees. 
 
 36 f And fome days after. Paul f.iid unto Bar- 
 Tiabrj, Let us go aijainand vifit our biethren in e- 
 -very city where we have preached the word of the 
 Lord, arAJcc how they do. 
 
 Awchere, The pious and p'udential care, which Paul, 
 "wnohad planted the churches, t:ikes fovifitand infpeathem 
 that he might fee and cnderftnnd how they did ihiive and 
 grow in t!ie knov/lcdgc of Chrill. and in their Hncere obe- 
 dience to him. This great ^poflje had been fov^ing the 
 good feed of the word of G:.d ; his next care is, to examine 
 and inquire, whether the envious ones had not ftnvecd tares 
 in his abfcnce. A mini/lcr' s work, and an huHjandman's 
 l)iifine!s are never at an end, but rim round in a circle- 
 Ked:l hh<ir aclus !n orhem ; after plni,;hin^ and fowin.^j 
 th-!L- mi;lt be weeding,' and wa^er!n<r, before renpinn and in- 
 gafi.erin :. Accordingl/, St. Paulrefolves upon the vifit;,. 
 tiMi here m.nii.-hcd : Ver. 36 Let us f, a^rln and v-jlt, 
 &c. Hcre«;/r, i. The vifuor?, Paul -^nA'-Barnalas. 2. 
 
 4^1 
 
 The vifited, our bntlir$n, both the elders aiid merr.bcrs ef 
 the church. 3. The aaion performed, vifiting : The 
 word imports a Arid view, a mofl diligent and felicitous 
 Scrutiny, left fome errors in their abfence might be crept 
 into the dcdlrine and converfation of thefe new-planted 
 churches. 4. The place where the vifitation is to be held, 
 in every city where tl?ey had preached ll:e zicrd of ll'e Lcrd : 
 Where they had planted, they were obliged to water ; and 
 where they had begotten any to the chrifli.-^n faith, they 
 thought it their duty to nurture and ncurl.Oi them ; and 
 therefore, though they wcro prefbyters no doiiht in'every 
 city, yet Paul and Barnabas challenged to thcni.llves a 
 power of vifitation, where thev had'''perfon.-i]!y preadisd. 
 The apoflles w ho firft converted 'them, had a peculiar ri"!,t 
 to infpc£l and govern them. Converted fouls, and platued 
 churches, muft be farther vifited, obfeivcd, and warereti. 
 5. The end end defignof the vilitation, to fee how they d^, 
 and what they do; to take an account of their f'ait.'i and 
 pra<flice. From the whole, ohferve, i. A difeafe which the 
 churches of the apoftlcs, own planting were fyppofed to be 
 liable and obno.xtousto ; the oureft cf churches, and bcft of 
 men in this military and mortal flafe, are apt to fall i.-iio 
 diilempers, witncfs this chapter : Where we find tlit con- 
 verted JcvNsn.iiifeatin2 the bread of life, rr.uking it their 
 chc-ice topi(k and eat the rubbifii of the partition waH 
 which Chrift had detnolilhcd ; I mean circumcifion, and 
 the legal ceremonies, which though expii-ed at the death of 
 Chrift, and by this time had an honourable biiri?!, yet 
 they attempt to pull out of their graves, and eive a rcfur- 
 rc<flic)n to them. Such diftempcrs will be in the pureft 
 ^-hurches, it we conlider the hereditary ccrnipticn which is 
 in all by nature i the remains of it in thofe who ar- 
 renewed by grace, and the cndtavours of Satan to folicit 
 thefe lernains, and invite them f.jrth into id and cxercif? 
 2. The remedy refolvcd upon for preventing and hta'inj^ 
 of this difeale ; namely, apcftnlica! vifitation, and eplfcon-a 
 mfpeftion, as the word iignifies : The conftitution of the 
 church is fuch, that it cannot conthiuc lono- in renair 
 without infpeaion and governincnt. ForthcTigh thc'uriil 
 verial church is fecurc, being built i-pt.n a rock ; yet par- 
 ticular churches are liable to dilapid.ttions : And' accord- 
 ingly, it is the duty of the governors of the church ■ 
 frequently to uifpea the authority of thofe who nresch, to 
 examine thtir dodrints, to inqinrc into their lives, to give 
 roles tor prelerving order, and to cenfurethofc who netdeft 
 thofe rules, and difturb that order. In fine, we fee'^the 
 church of Chrift muft be gwcmcd ;■ in tl.at government 
 there muft be a fuperiority in fome, and a fubordinaiicn in 
 others ; luneriors muft Jrequenily vifit, and ns.-rov, ly iufpedt 
 thedoarine, the lives and manners, both of the nvniftcrs 
 and members ot the church, accouiing to the prndice and 
 example ot thofe two great .ipoftles. Paid rnd Barn-ba^ 
 who laid, ver, 36. Let us go ogain and vifit, &c. 
 
 , 37 And Barnabas determined to take with them 
 John, wijole furname was Mark. 38 But Paul 
 thought not good to take him v.-iih him, who de- 
 parted f:om them from. Pairphyiia, and went Kot 
 with them to the work. 39 And the conter.tion 
 v.-as fo fharp between them," they departed afur.der 
 3 *• cr.e 
 
4^4 
 
 The A € T S-. 
 
 ClIAf. XVT. 
 
 one from the otTier : and To Barnabas took Marie, 
 and failed unto Cyprus. 40 And Paul chofc Silas 
 and departed, being recommended by the brethren 
 tiuto the grace of God. 41 And he went tlirouijh 
 Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches. 
 
 St. Panl Iiavirii^ made a motion to Barnabas, in the fore- 
 going \iiCc3 to vifit and infpcft the new-planted churches, 
 j3Drn:'.bas very readily complit.d with the motion, but dcfired 
 that he might take his nephew John Mark along with him: 
 Tiiis Paul confented not unto ; becaufe he left them at 
 PaiDphylia, and did not accompany them conftantly in 
 preaching the gofpel to the Gentiles. Sf. Paul was in 
 the ri^ht ; Mark's cowardice in leaving them when they 
 undertook a tedious and hazardous journey to preach the 
 gofpel to the Gentiles, was a confiderable objc<^ion againft 
 Jiis prcfent going with them, and weighed more than his 
 confarguinity or nearnefs of blood to Barnabas. Accord- 
 iri^ly St. Paul infiftcd upon it, that he (hould not now go 
 •along with them ; but this cccafioned a very fharp and 
 lmh.Tppy contention between them ; infomuch, that thofe 
 two great and good men parted afunder, Barnabas going 
 to Cyprus, and St. Paul to Cilicia; but God over-ruled 
 this evil for good ; caufing their feparation to tend to the 
 publication and farther fpreading of the gofpel. Hence 
 /earn, I. How induftrious, yea, ambitious the devu is to 
 fow tJie feeds of difcord and dilTention amongft the m.cm- 
 bers. but efpecially aincngil the minifters of jefiis Chrift ; 
 and how ready he is to take all occafions to divide them. 
 Thefc holy men of God, thefe great apoftles, whofe hearts 
 were united in the work of God, and went hand in hand 
 together, to plant and propagate the everlafting gofpel, 
 divide among ihcmfelves, an I arc parted by Satan's policy 
 and their own pafiions. 2. That the holieft and wifeft of 
 men are but men ; men of like pafTions with other men, 
 and whilft on this fide of heaven not wholly free from 
 pafliojiaie infirmities. Thefe two great apoflles verified 
 here by their actions, what they afftrmed before in their 
 vords, Acisxiv. 15. Tf'e are men of like pajffions with you. 
 Learn, 3. That natural aff"e£lions arc apt to overfway the 
 wiftfl and beft of inen. Barnabas's great love to hiskinf- 
 ,man here, prevailed contrary to his judgment, 4. That 
 fuch is the wifdoin, power, and goodnefs ofGcd, that he 
 knows how to bring good out of the greatcft evil, and to 
 over-rule fm itfeif, ancl make it fubfervicnt to hisown glory 
 and his church's good. The Lord was pleafcd to over- 
 rule thefc divifions and dilTentions betwixt Paul and Bar- 
 nabas, for the enlarging the kingdom ofChrill, and for 
 fpreading the gofpel farther into fever?! nations. Laftly, 
 How this rcikitiiin upon John Mark's faint-heartedncfs in 
 declining the hardlhips and the hazards of flie miniflry, 
 made hiin for the future more vigilant r.nd in the caufe of 
 the gofpel, which occafioned that kind fabitation which St. 
 Paul gives him, C<M. iv. 10. Though fin be only" evil, 
 •abfohitelv evil, and infinitely evil: ytt thewifdom aiidgood- 
 no:s of God fan£lifies the mifcarri-aees of Vis faints, ren- 
 dering thciTi more huiri'ole for tlie time ranbd, and more 
 watchful and vigilant for time to come. Thu.' (t was with 
 Mark here ; he was humbled, for his fin, and afterwards 
 iljccamo profitable to St. P^ul fc r the miniflry, was his 
 
 ftllow-hbo'irer ; and the apofllc gives a fpecial charge to 
 the Colodlans to entertain him kindly whenever he fhotrld 
 come unto them. Col. iv. \o. Marcus, Jijier'sjcn to Barna- 
 has, when he comes un/o you, reeehe him. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 THen came he to Derbe and Lyflra : and be- 
 hold, a certain dilciple was there, named Ti- 
 motheus, the Ion of a certain woman which was a 
 Jewefs and believed ; but his father zffls a Greek : 2 
 Which was well reported of by the brethren that 
 were at Lyflra and Icon turn. 3 Him would Paul 
 have to go forth with him ; and took and circum- 
 cifed him, becaufe of the Jews which were in thofc 
 quarters. For they knew all that his father was n 
 •Greek. 
 
 The latter end of the foregoing chapter gave \is a fad 
 .nccount of a dilfention and difference arifing between 
 Paul and Barna'oas, upon which they parted ; Barnabas 
 fails for Cyprus, but what fuccefs he had there, the fcrip- 
 t'jre fays not. St. Paul goes through Cyria and Cilicia, 
 confirming the churches, and doing good fervice in his 
 peregrinations and travels. Here ns?/, That St. Paul and 
 Silas, before they fct forth to their v/ork, were in a folemn 
 manner (by prayer) recomnended hy the brethren to the grace 
 cfGod, chap. XV. 4.0. And accordingly their lal ours are 
 fuceeded and blelfcd. Barnabas and Mark fet forth for 
 Cyprus ; but we read not of any folemn recoinmcndaticn 
 of them by the brethren to the grace of God; not a word 
 of any fuccefs they had in their work : Teaching us the 
 great neceflity of fervent prayerto precede, accompany, and 
 follow the preaching of the 'gofpel. Let minilkrs pray, 
 and people pray, aiid engage all the prayersthcy can for the 
 fuccefs of their minillry. Lord, let me ftcep the feed I fow 
 amonaft thy people in tears and prayers before I Scatter it! 
 O pour out thy Sjiivit with thy word, that it may be 
 mighty through God for pulling down of ftrong holds! 
 Verily there is fo little ctTicacy in ordinances for want of 
 fervent wrefllings with God in prayer. 'Note next, The 
 places which Paul and Silas in their travels firft came unto ; 
 namely, Derbe and Lyilra, where he finds yoi:ng Timothy 
 whom he tnkes along with him, and breeds him up for a 
 gofpel minifter, cnlls him his fdlow-woiker andcompaiiion 
 'in his travels. Farther, The account here uiven of Ti- 
 mothy's birth and parentage ; his mother Eunice was a 
 believing Jewefs : his Father was a Greek, a Gcntilej; 
 for which reafon Timothy was not circun^cifcd, becaufe it 
 was not lawful for the mother to have her child circum.. 
 cilcd ar.-ina hcr'l.nflwnd's confent. Now St. Paul intend- 
 ing to take Timwthy along with him as his companion in 
 preaching the gofpel, that" his iniiiillry might be the more 
 acceptsbfc to the Jews, v.ho knew him to be uncircum- 
 cifed, b.-caufe the fon of an uncircumcifed father, he takes 
 him and circumcifcs him; but at the feme time-, Titti.s 
 who was a Gentile, both by father and ir.oihcr, him he 
 WQuld not circumcife, nei'ber fuffering the yoke ol circum- 
 cifion to be luid upon the Gentiles which God had never 
 
 >Jinpofcd, 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 The 
 
 Acts. 
 
 4^5 
 
 impofed, nof woiilJ he feem (o coiintf nance tTiofe who he\d 
 circumcifion neceiTary t" fnlvaiinn. O what an ndmirabie 
 pattern ha» thi'^ ereat anf humble apoftle left to pofteritv ! 
 ne became sU tilings to all men, anH ci her ufednr refiiftd 
 indifferent tilings according as the ufc or difife of them 
 tended to tlie clmrch's edification, and men's r^lVaii'-n. 
 From wlienre k/im. That in things hot abfoliitely necei- 
 fary to falvati >n, Chriilians ought to afl priKlcntially, and 
 either do, or not do, foir.e things of lell'cr moment, accord- 
 ing as it may promote, and bell" conduce to, the church's 
 peace and edification. 
 
 4 AnJ as they went through the cities, they de- 
 livered them the decrees for to keep that were or- 
 dained of the apoflles and elders which were at Je- 
 rufalerrt. 5 And fo were the churches eflablifbeJ 
 in the faith and increaft.d in number daily. 
 
 The fenfe is this, that as Paul and Silas paded through 
 the cities in Syria and Cilicia, they delivered to the feveral 
 churches, as they paJed ah)ng, the decrees to obferve, 
 which were ordained by the apoftles and elders met in 
 council at Jjrufalem, whereby thofe churches were cftab- 
 lifhcd in the faith, and many more every day converted 
 unto Chrift. Here note, r. The mcllengers which delivered 
 thefe decrees, Paul and Silas, wiih a fpecial regard unto the 
 church's unity and peace. Behold here an excellent pat- 
 tern for chrirtians in general, and the minifters of the gof- 
 pel in particular ; as to maintain truth, fo t ) procure, 
 promote and preferve the church's peace. Truth and 
 peace with God has joined together, Zcch. viii. 10. let 
 none dare to put afunder. 2. What it was that St. Paul 
 here made the difcovery of, the decrees made by the apofties 
 and elders at Jerufalcm ; not the decrees made by the whole 
 church, but by the miniftcrs of the ciiurch only. None fu 
 fit to determine church-differences, as church- officers. 3. 
 To whom thefe decrees were delivered; namely, to the 
 churches as thf-y pafTed alonij through the feveral cities ; fo 
 many cities, fo many churches : Tl;e whole company of 
 Chriilians wi'hinaci;y, and the adjacent territory, were 
 •wont fo be framed into a Chriflian fociety or church, and 
 feveral congres^ations made but one church. To fet up 
 churches againil churches, to fet up churches in churches, 
 and to gather churches out of churches., has no precedent, 
 no warrant, no countenance from any phrafe in fcriptureor 
 praftice of the apoflles times. 4. The end for which thefe 
 decrees were delivered; namely, to bring all the churches 
 to unity and uniformity; to unity in judgment, and uni- 
 formity in praflicc, that they might all be cf one heart, and 
 one way. Learn thence. That an unity and imiformity 
 among the churches ot Chri.'b is a thing to be carneftly 
 defired rnd endeavoured ; their unity is their flrencth and 
 beauty both. I>aflly, The fuccefs and fruit of the di livery 
 ef thefe decrees to the churches, ver. 5. So were the cltirches 
 tfta'tiihed in the faitk, and increnjed in the number daily. 
 V/ht-re oh/erve, A double blcfling accruing to the chuichcs, 
 the one of confirmation, So wo'e the church's efahlijhed ; 
 the other of augmentation. They increojed in number daily. 
 Leurn i. That as divifioii": do Ihake and imfctrle, fo I'nity 
 and unil'oiini;y do clUblifli and coiifiim the cJuirch of 
 
 Chrift: So were the church's eflahlipied. 2. That it is a 
 hicired thing to hear of the church increailng, provided 
 it be by way of iddiiion, not divifion : To hear of churches 
 muhiplyina-, bv the number of converts increafing, is happy 
 but to multiply churches by breaking churches in pieces, 
 is a fad multiplication- The Lord keep hi.«,churches from 
 fucii incrcafes ! and the Lord pardon thofe who for private 
 intcreft have ^o increafed cl'urches by gathering churches 
 out of churches, pretendedly for grc-ater purity fake, but 
 really for worldly advantage fake ! DoiSrines crying up 
 purity to the reign of unity, rejedt ; for the doilrine calls 
 for unity as well as far purity. 
 
 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia 
 and the region of Galatia, and wereforbiddc-n of the 
 Holy Ghofl to preach the word in ACa, 7 After 
 they were come to Myfia, they alFayed to go into 
 Bithynia: But the Spirit fufFered them not. 
 
 Note here. How the apoflle and his companions had a 
 defire and dclign to propagatcthe gofpel in feveral provinces 
 but were forbidden by a fecret i npulfe of the Holy Spirit. 
 Lenrn thence, That the fruftrating our attempts, and dif- 
 appointing our defigns to preach the gofpel to particular 
 places, which we were pwrpofed to go unto, doth fome- 
 times arifc from the Holy Ghoft. The very jotirneyings 
 of the apoflles, and firft preachers of the gofpel, as well as 
 their divine excrcifes, were all ordered by the wifdom and 
 vvill of God i they might neither fpeak, nor a£l, nor walk, 
 but according to divine dire£lions. Thus Almighty God 
 at plea fu re orders the candle of the gofpel to be removed 
 our of one room to another, fends it fiom one place and peo- 
 ple to another, and accordingly ought all places and pcrfons 
 t» prize it highly, and improve it faithfully. 
 
 8 And they pafling by Myfia, came down fo 
 Troas. 9 And a vifion appeared to Paul in the 
 night: there flood a man of Macedonia, and prayed 
 him, faying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us 
 10 And after he had feen the vifion, immediately 
 weendeavouredtogointo Macedonia, afTurediy ga- 
 thering, that the Lord had called us for to preacli 
 the gofpel unto them. 
 
 Thefe words are a relation of a meffage from heaven unto 
 St. Paul to dirccl him in his preaching and publifhing o{^ 
 the gofpel, both as to the place where, and as 10 the perfons 
 to whom he was to deliver it. Where na/c. The manner 
 of it; it was by a vifion, j1 vifion appeared. The time of 
 it, it was in the night ; the bringer, a man of Macedonia ; 
 the matter of it, help for the Macedonians, interpreled 
 (ver. 10.) to be by the preacliing ftfthe gofpel. Leant 
 he«ce, I. That no men in the world want help like them 
 that want the gofpel ; Of all diflre'Jes, want of the gofpel 
 cries loudt fl for relief and help : For by want of the gofpel 
 they want every thing that is \sorth having ; they want 
 JeCus Chrill, w ho is revealed only by the gofpel. They 
 want communion wiihGtd ; they want the comforts and 
 refrefhments of (rdiiiances; they will at laft want heaven 
 and falva;itn. But that which is inofl deplorable is this> 
 , 3 P 2 thofe 
 
484 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chat. xvi. 
 
 <!iofe that want the £;ofpe!,t!ir>ngh they want all (hefc things 
 yet arc they not fenfiblo that they want any thing. 2. That 
 t*!* fcnJing of the gofpel to one nation place or people, and 
 ret to anotlier proceeds from the determinate will and plea- 
 fiirc of Almj.'hty Gcd.aiid is the tftciSlof his own free grace 
 *»nd good f^eklrtre ; Stay not in Afia, go not into Bithynia, 
 hilt come o^er into Micedonia: Even /a, Father, for thus it 
 fc::n:lh g3cu in thy fight. 
 
 ^ 11 Therefore loofing from Tross, wecatnewith 
 it: fti-aircourlc to Samotinacia, and the next (/tjv to. 
 NeDpolis : 12 And from thence to Philippi, which 
 is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, ff.'Z^ a 
 colony. And we were in that city abidini; certain 
 tiays. 1"^ And on the fabbath we went out of the 
 city by a river fide, whore prayer was wont to be 
 made. And we fat down and fpake to the women 
 which rcfortcd r/;zV/j^r. 14 And a certain woman 
 named L)'dia, a feller of purple, of the city of 
 Thyatiria.which worlliipped God, heard tw: whofc 
 lieartthc Lord opened, that flie attended unto the 
 things which were fpoken of Paul. 15 And when 
 Ihe was baptized, and her houfhold, fhe befou^ht 
 wf, fayinq. If yc have judged me to be faithful to 
 the Lord,, cprnc in to my houfe, and abide there.. 
 And fhe conllrained us. 
 
 A farther account is here given of St. Raid's travels to 
 preach the gofpel : he departs from Troas to Samothracii, 
 -t'roni »h?ncc to Neapo1i=, and thence to Piiilippi, the chief 
 citv of ?\I.icedonia. Here oa the fabbath-day he went out 
 oftheciiyto the river's fidr-, where a meeting-place for 
 prayer; fay fome, was built, and made ufe of, as being re- 
 mote from the noife and obfervation of the multitude. In 
 tliis oratory, St. Paul preached to the women, they being 
 both mofl numerous and mod zcaloHS, and Grid gives him 
 the feal of his minidry in theconverfion of Lydia. In which 
 famous converfion, cbtervc how particular the Holy Gluul 
 is in relating the feveral circumflances belonging to it: Shs 
 is defcribed by her perfon and fox, a certain woman ; by- 
 hcrcaTTc, Lvdia ; by her calling and employment, a feller 
 of purple; by her city, Thyatira ; by her pious difpofition, 
 (he worfhipped God. Her convcrlion is defcribed, (i.) 
 By the cfHcient caufe of it ; the Lord opened her heart. 
 ^2.) By the inflrumcntal caufe of it ; her attending to the 
 tilings that were fpokcn of Paul. Learn, 1. That the 
 hearts of pcrfons are naturally (hut up, and faft barred 
 ag.-ilnfl Jefus Chrid. 2. That the opening of the heart to 
 receive Jefus Chrift is the pecidiar effect of the fovcrtic;n 
 pov/er and omnipotent grace of God. 3. That till God 
 /jpens the heart of a (inner, the preaching ofthegofpcl little 
 aftuifteth, though never fo plainly and pcrfuafivcly preached 
 4. Th.it when once the heart is opened the ear will not be 
 llisit, the perfon is truly attentive to the preaching of 
 the gofpel; Tlje lord opened Lydia s heart, and Ihe attended. 
 Qpfei\!e next, The feal of her converfion and falvation re- 
 ceived by her. She was tcptizcd, and her ivhaJe bouje. It 
 was the oidioary way of thi; apoIUcs to baptize hou(holds j 
 
 not that they were furc that thf y were all ^dievcr<, or that 
 the family-governors could ni^kc ihem ftij; bm ir w£Sthei;c 
 duty to dcvoic all in thtir powt r to GikI, and to do their 
 mmoft to perfuade : And GhI iifually fuccredetl thtir ca* 
 dcavours. A'^/^ here, That ihe church of G.).l for near 
 fsventcen hurdrt d years, . never rtfufcd the baptizing of 
 infants of btlieving parents, asbtingtrken into covenant- 
 ^vith themr.;lvcs.. Huvins; 'hen for fo inany ages been ia 
 the poni-ffion of thi- privilege, wc rnny iMore reafonably 
 require (the anabaptiits to prove by t5;prcfs fcripturc, that 
 children were not hap'izcd bv the apofllcs, (when they 
 b.iptized whole families, yea. whole n.T ion-, according to 
 their comrrilli n, Matt, xxviii. 19.) than ihcy can rcquirct 
 us to prove that they were. LyJia and her houfe were 
 baptised, fays the text, that i.s, fays the S)iiic, Lyi'i.i an.i 
 her children.- Lydia, by rcafon of her faiili in Cnrift 
 having a right to bapiifm, all her family, upon her imder- 
 taking to bring them up in the knowledge of Chrid, were 
 admitted to the ordinance with her. OhJe>-ve, hftly, A 
 fpcci.il fruit and evidence of Lydia's converfii n, (he con- 
 (trained the apndles with an amicjbl; violence ; by fervent 
 intreatie^ and puflionatc importuni'ies, to receive the civili- 
 ties of her houfe. . Converted perfuns Irave fo much love to 
 Chriil's minillers, who were the inftruircnts (d' their con- 
 verfion, that they greatly dcfiie toexprefs it by all a£ls of 
 poflible kindnefs ; If y; have judged me faithful, cine into mf 
 hoi fe, and abide there \ and jhecinjiramcd us. 
 
 16 \ And it came to pafs, as we went to prayer 
 a certain damfcl poirelfcd with a Ipiritof divin aion, 
 metus, •whicli brought her m itlers miicli gain by 
 foothfayin^: 17 The fame followed Paul and u» 
 and cried, layin.^, TH .'fe men are the fcrvants of the 
 moft hi^h God, wliich fhcw unto us the way of fal- 
 vation. 18 And this did flie many days. But Paul 
 bcin^ i^rieved, turned and ("aid unto the Ipirit, 1 com- 
 mand thee in the name of Jefus Chrilt to come out 
 of her. And ho came out the fame hour. ig5 And 
 when her mailers law that the hope of their gains 
 was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drcv/ ihem 
 into the market-place unto the rulers, 20 And 
 brought them to the magiflratcs, faying.Thefemen 
 being Jews do exccediiij^ly trouble our city, 2 1 
 And teach cuftoms which are not lawful for us to 
 receive, ncitlierto oblerve, being Romans. 22.'Vnd 
 the multitude role up together againft them : and 
 the magiflrates rent ofFtheir clothes <-.nd command- 
 ed to beat them.. 23 And when they had laid many 
 ftripes upon them, they cafl/Zicwjintoppfon, charg- 
 ing the jai!orto keep them lahtly. 24 Who having 
 received luch a charge, thn fl them into the inner 
 piifon. and made their feet faft in the flocks. 
 
 As "We went to fri:yer, a dcnfel P'fpfjed met us. That Is, 
 as the ap'-llles Went towards the tortrr,en', lined place of 
 prayer, a danifel piilTedtd v. i h the devil, by whofc infpi- 
 raiiou Ihe foraold tuturc thijogs, aud revealed many fcci«t^ 
 
Chap. xvr. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 485 
 
 to them that confulted her, ■ foTlo'^etl thcni^ cry ma; our, 
 Thffi tjrj the ffrvanft of t''t mijl high G:J, luho declare unto 
 ui the xiunof Jakiiilhri. '^hctznottt I- Th^t the father of 
 Ji-s rKnt'iini s fpcaks the tri.'th, thrnij^h never for truih's 
 f:'.k«, but for hi.: o'.vn atlvnn'.i^c : H.-rc what the devil f.iiJ 
 v,'3s truth, b'.if if was fird.viliih ends; he transForir.s hini- 
 fc'fnnw into En anr^el of ligli*, ^o d'aw men on to be- 
 lieve him. the pri.i-e of darkaefs. 2. H ).v Sr. Paul refsifcs 
 the devil's tefli:n.;nv c nreroitig liiiiifclf, even when he 
 fp'kc the triirh. The teltiiT-ony of triirH from thefa*her 
 of lies,^ Is en.;ii^li t.-i render triuh itfelf fiifpcilciL 3. The- 
 atjt'-ority which S^. Paul takes upon hiiti in the name of 
 Chriii todifpolTefs thedjvil, ;nd call him oi'.r of the damfcl: 
 Paul j aid, I cmiir.and thee In the name of 'Y-fus 10 ccme out 
 tfher: A>:d he c-^ine out the Jnme hyir.- Thtfc words St. 
 Pml uttered by the mition of the h'>lv Spiiir, and rclyins; 
 hy t.iirh on the promife of Chriil made by himfolf to his 
 apofflet, Mark xvi. 17. . That in hh nninr they jhotld cnft 
 aiijt devils ; accoixiin'Iy he received power from on hii'h to 
 calt ont thi'. d.irlinir devil. 4 How Satan ferks t« be re- 
 venged on Paul for difpoHHTinsf him ; lie raifes tip an 
 hot perfecuiion,- .'•nd f x.'n cnlh him into prif.in, who had 
 call rhc devil o;jt of 'he damftl : If we diflurb ayd trouble 
 S'^TjT,- ho will' be fure fo trouble and dilturb us Such 
 ini.ii:fersa« makc'the greateft opponti :n a?2in{l Sufnn, nnifl 
 ^xpi ;i rci meet with the trreateil; f-ppoiTion from him. e,. 
 W:i(),were the fnrtnimenfs which Satsn iUrs up to raile 
 this perfecuri;-;n aeiind 'he •'poltles ; they were 'he rulers 
 and fh? rabbi.? ; The rndtitude rjje up, and t'e impj/hates 
 m! their thlh;, he. T^.i's were the hi'dy a:.o;'rfcs, and 
 innocent fcrvun"; cif JePis C'TiI.1, impr fori- !, an>I t-eartd ' 
 3"! the vi'cft nial. fnft ir.', tiIv f 'r f^pp) 'pt S'-jn^ and (i:-.'k- 
 iuj^ the v.'elfare of rr.-^nkind. Lhitly, Ti^-iH; ve of m^ncy 
 w-as the root of all 'his peif>iC!i:i^n : thp ddmfel's mafteVs 
 pf re: iving that their gain was eone, and -h-lt ' fhe coidd h; !p 
 them to no more money by tilling people: their f-irtune.^, 
 the devil of difcnient poifelTed ihcn-. : They ftir im perfe- 
 cution againft rheap^flle.s, ihev caft thi-tn into prifcn, into 
 the inward prifon, and, to make all fure, fet them in the 
 flocks. 
 
 Cp 1 And at midni'^ht Paul and 5ilas pmycd, 
 and ianj praifes unto God : and the prilbners heard 
 them. 25 And fuddenly there was a great earth- 
 quake, fo that the foundations of the prifon were 
 fhaken : and iinmcdiately all the doors were open- 
 ed, and .every one's bands' were loofed. 27 And the 
 keeper of the prifon awakini^ out of his fleep, and 
 feeing the prifon-doors open, he drew out hisftvord, 
 and would have killed himfelf. iuppofing that the 
 prifoncrs had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with 
 a loud voice, fayin^j. Do thy feifjio harm: for we 
 are all here. 
 
 The apoflles are here, by Satan and his inftrumen»s, caff 
 intop-ifon; but «-/-, They have their pri(-^n-con.torts . 
 fi.jThejoyof ihtir hearts runs out of theii lips, they 
 fang praifes imtoGixH, when iheir bj<iies were in piifon, 
 a::d thtir ftct were in the (locks; ihcfe hJy fciyants of 
 
 A 
 
 God were not only meek and patient, b'Jt joyus and 
 cheaiful under pcrfecution, rejoicing ihat ih.y were counted 
 woniiy to fiiffcr fhamc for him who had undergone h 
 much indignity and ftinme for them. (2.) They enjoy 
 fwcet communion with God in prayer ; At trtidnlg-:t they 
 prayed, and the prijoners heard them: No idace can be - 
 improper, no time unfeafonable for prayer. No prifon can ■ 
 b"lt out G.xl, nor deprive us of our communion with 
 him : Prayer will pet up to heaven in fpite of all the oppo- 
 fiiion either of hell or earth. Kate 2. How fudden tha 
 anfwcr, and how fenfibli the return ot pr«yer was which 
 the Lord gracioufly pave his fiilfsring fcrvants : Suddenly- 
 there lunun great earthqunke. This earthquake was an in- 
 falliable fign of God's audience ; that he heard them, and 
 would (land by them. 3. 'i'he powerfdi efficacy of St. 
 Paul's prayer ; liis prayer (hook tl;c heaven?, the heavens 
 flioak the earth, the earth Hiook the prifon, even to the • 
 very found.iii.ins of it. Praver has a divine kind of 
 omnipotency in it : Vindl invin.ihilem & ligat cmnipi- 
 ten!em\ " I,t overcomes Gixl with his own flrcngth."* 
 4. What influence this earthquake had upon the jailor, it 
 occafioned fiich an lieart-quake in him, that to give himfelf 
 eafc, 'filly foul, he rcfolves to murder hiivifelf. Lord ! how 
 miferab'e r.rcthe confolatirns which thecarnatc and i:nre- 
 gene>ste world have recourfe and flv luito, when trouble 
 and diilVefs take hold upon ihe'm ? They run to an halter, 
 to ril fhcm of their trouble, having no G-*d to cro unto- 
 and thereby phmre themfclves into endlefs troiddes, yea, 
 e^rrnal torments. Laflly, H)w kind the apoflic was to 
 .his Cruel keeper ; he that hurt the apollle's feet in the 
 • fl cks, hears 'he apoflle crying to him in the midd of the 
 earihqurdce, Do thyfflf no hirm. Good men ever have 
 b>en, and are men ot lender and companionate difpofitions; 
 n-n fo fdicitous f<ir thtir oun libenies, as tor olhers'slives: 
 The apoftics miyht have held their peace, and fufFered the ■ 
 jailor to have (lain himfelf, and thereby made their oxvn 
 efcapc ; but ihc-y preferred the jailor's eternal f.ilvaiion, 
 before tlieir own temporal liberty and happinefs. Paul 
 criedwith a loud-voice, faying. Da' ihyfcif no barm. . 
 
 29 Then he called for a li^ht, andfprangin, and: 
 came treinblin^, and fo.U down before Paul and Si- 
 las ; 30 And brought them out, and faid, Sirs, what 
 muft I do to be Hived ? 31 And they faid, Believe 
 on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou (halt be faved, 
 and thy houfe. 32 And they fpakc unto him the 
 word of the Lord, and to all that v/cre in his houfe. 
 
 Asif th6 juil^r had Lid, " Sir?, I now fee'antl ackno^v- 
 Icdgc that the d^ £lrine taught bv you, is the trinh of the 
 eternal God ; and he hath' by this iniracltus earthquake 
 tcfli.Ted to nte, that you are his true .and fni'hftd fervants ; 
 .tell me therefore I bcfcechyoii, what I midl do to attain fal- 
 vaii n r" 'I hey anfwcr,-:S^//Vii^ 5?i //f Lor I ffjus CJn-i/l, 
 &CC. TIkt is, " if you and yottr family receive the doclrriie 
 of Jcf is Chriif, an I regulate your lives according to it, you 
 (hail be fuvcd.'' H;.Te ntte, I. That fcornqrs and pc.fccu- 
 torswill become tremblers, when once Gc'd hath touched 
 their hearts, and wounded their ccnfi.iences with remorfe 
 for fin : . The jailor here came trembling, and fell dowa 
 
 before 
 
486 
 
 The A C T S. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 bef'ire Paul anA Silas ; trembling under a fenfe of his 
 guiliinef'!, an.i f:il!iri? down upon hi* knees to aflc them 
 forgivcnef"!. 2. That iremblin'/ (Inners are always inqtiifi- 
 'tive, vea, very inqiiillrive pcrfons: An awakened confcicnce 
 ■will put a man upon cnqnirv.npongreaf and much inquiry, 
 what he fh >n!d do. 3. That the chief thing which ilie 
 trcmblin<; foul inquires after, is the biifinef!- of falvation ; 
 fi^mt Jball I di lo bt fa-veel ? 4. That tremhUnc; finners, 
 and troubled fouls, niuft be diredled to Jefus Chrift, and to 
 f.iith in him, as the only wav to obtain falvation by him ; 
 Biiitvt en the Lord Jfjus Chrifl, and thoupjalt be favid. 
 
 33 And he took them the fame hour of the night, 
 ard wafhed thrir ftripes ; and was baptized, he 
 and all his ftraightway. 
 
 Behold Kow fudden and ftrange a change was wrought 
 in this jailor ! Before his convcrfion he was cruel', barba- 
 rous and hard-hearted : Now he is meek, merciful, and 
 companionate. He that before had beaten, imprifoncd, 
 and hurt the holy apoftles' feet Tn the ftocks, now pities 
 them, mourns over them, and w.nflies their ftripes. Learn 
 thence. That religion, and the grace of God, foftens and 
 molifics the hardcll hearts, fwcetens thefburefl natures, and 
 changes the moft barbarous apd bloody difpoftions. Be- 
 held this jailor, before hisconverfion, a favage perfecutor, a 
 tyger, anda vulture, likethedcmonTac In thegofpel, exceed- 
 ing fierce, but noiv difpolTelTed of his fury, and by grace 
 turned into a Iamb for mceknefs, and a dove for innocency. 
 a. How the jaihir believing, he and his whole houfe were 
 baptiied. The apofllc denied not baptifm to the jailor's 
 houlhold, upon the jailor's fmcere profefllon of the chrif- 
 tjan faith ; yet no doubt he promifed to ufe his utmnft 
 endeavours to bring them to the knowledge and obedience 
 of Jcfus Chrift. Laftly, How iinprobable it is that the 
 jailor and his hoiidvild were baptized by dippping : We do 
 not deny the lawfulnefs of baptizing by immerfion, but we 
 cannot alTert the abfolute and indifpenfible neceflity of 
 it. St. P.iul, wl'.o was newly wafhed, and his fores drelTed, 
 occafioned by ftripes, cannot be fuppofed either to go out 
 himftif, or to carry the jailor and all his family in the dead 
 of the ni^ht, to the river or a pond to baptize them ; 
 neither is it in theleaft ^jrobablc, that St. Paul himfclf was 
 baptized by dipping : See Afts ix. 18, 19. He arofe and 
 xuut Baptized ; and luhen he had received iv.eot, he tvas 
 Jlren^lt ened. The context may convince w^, that he was 
 baptized in his lodgings, being fick and weak, having fafted 
 three days, and teing in a very low condition, partly by his 
 miraculous vifion, and partly by his extraordinary falling \ 
 it was n« ways probable that Ananias ftiotdd carry him out 
 to a river in that condition, to plunge him in cold water. 
 Dipping, then, furely, cannot be fo effcntial unto baptifm, 
 as for want of it to pronounce the baptifm of all the re- 
 formed churches throughout the world, to be null and 
 void, as fome amongll us do. 
 
 04 And when he had brought them into his houfe, 
 he fet meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in 
 Cod with all his houfe. 
 
 See here a fpcci.d evidence, and fwect fniit of the jailor's 
 . cpnvtifion i he brings the aj^iolllcs, who were the inllru- 
 
 ments of his converHon, info his houfe ; and havin'' wafhed 
 their ftripes, refr(fh'--s their b^\vel>: ; he fef inea- before 
 them. The trinh of converfum will manifef} i'fi-ff in all 
 thankfulntf':, and nthcr tokens- of rrfpe£l to thofe whoQi' 
 God has made the iiif>rirmenis of our convcrfi'-'n. True 
 convcrfion changes men's thoughts ot GokI's mmifkr', snd- 
 caufcs men to love and honour rhofe whom before they did 
 difd.iin and fcnrn, pcrfecute and hate, h'ole, 2. How full 
 of joy and foil irtial rtjiiiing this new convert was, /■/ rt- 
 j'Aced. O the fwect uui' of faith in Chrift ! rtzmtilv peacf 
 with God, andy'^yin the Hily Ghoft. Converfion always 
 puts men into a joyful flate :■ Rejoicing, f^iritual rejoicing, 
 is the portion, the proper portion, and the peculiar portion 
 of converted perfons, as it is fometiiries their prefent por- 
 tion .• The jailor, upon his believing in Gcd, injiuni!} re- 
 joiced. 
 
 35 And when it was day, the magiftrates fent the 
 ferjeants, faying, Let thofe men go. 36 And the 
 keeper of the prifon told this faying to Paul, The 
 magiftrates have fent to let you go ; now therefore 
 depart, and go in peace. 37 But Paul faid unto 
 them, They have beaten us openly uncnndemncd, 
 being Romans, and have cafl. us into piilon ; and 
 now do they thruft us out privily ? nay, verily ; 
 but let them come thcmfelves, and fetch us out. 
 
 Note here, i. The willingnefsof the magiftrates to releafe 
 thofe innocent prifoners, and holy apofUes, and what might 
 be the probable occafion of it ; namely, (i.) The terror 
 of the earthquake which afTefled them with fear. (2.) 
 The confcioufncfs of their own guilt from their injurious 
 dealing with the apofUes, fcourging them, and cafting them 
 into prifon,. only for cafting a devil out ef a poflc.'fcd fer- 
 vant. The confciences of the viltft and worft of men, at 
 one time or other, do make furious reflefl ions upon them 
 for their cruelty and injuftice towards the minifters and 
 members of Jcfus Chrift. Note, 2. How the innocent 
 apoftles refufed to be thus clandeftinely relcafed, and pri- 
 vate'y brought out of prifon : They were imjiiftly bid in 
 prifon, and wiihout any legal trial fcourged and bouRd, 
 contrary to the law and privileges of the Romans ; and 
 therefore the apoflies infift upon their privilege, and would 
 not be content with a fneakitig clandeftine difmiflion, after 
 fuch a public ignominious puniftiment, injurioufly inflidled 
 on them. Learn ihtnco, That it is lawful 10 plead our 
 right by the law agtiinft trnjuft magiftrates ; and though we 
 muft not return evil for evil, yet we may life all lawful 
 means for redrofTing and removing of our own grievances. 
 Thus did St. Paul here ; yet more for the gofpel's fake 
 than his own, left the word of God fliould be defpifcd 
 with their perfons. 
 
 38 And the ferjeants told thefe words unto the 
 magiftrates; and they feared when they heard that 
 they were Romans. 39 And they came and befought 
 them, and broui^ht ^^w out, and dclired ihim to 
 depart out of the city, .^o And they went out pf 
 the prifon, and entered inio thelwvfc c/'Lydiu : and 
 
 -when 
 
Chap. xvii. 
 
 The 
 
 C T S. 
 
 4Sr 
 
 when they, had feen the brethren, they comforted 
 them, and departed. 
 
 AW here, i. What an awe God has over the confciences 
 of men in genera!, and of magiftrates in particular : They 
 ftoopto their prifoncrs, and befeech them to come out of 
 priTon, and depart from the city. The fame can God do 
 ■for all his fervants who have been difgracefuliy and dcfpitc- 
 fully ufed. He can make their enemies become their bene- 
 faflors at his pleafurc, and their perfccutors fhall be their 
 deiivcrcrs. 2. That as dcfirable as liberty was, thofe honcll 
 hearts chofe rather to go without it, than to accept it upon 
 dilhonourabie terms, cither to the blcmifhine of their in- 
 noccncy, or to the afperfion of the f^ofpel. Had 'hey been 
 ■privately releafcd, they might have been publicly flandercd, 
 for making their cfcapeby compaft with the jailor, whom 
 they had now made their own -, therefore they flay in prifon 
 tiil publicly difcharged, and then they go forth ; The mngif. 
 firates he/ought them, and brsvght ihem forth, 3. The holy 
 life which thefe good men made of their rellorcd liberty : 
 They v-ftl ihi ^hrlhren, and comfort them, and confirm 
 them, and ftrengthen them in the faith of Chrifl. Thus 
 this chapter conclndes with an account of what St. Paul 
 did and fulfered at Philippi, where he laid the foimdationof 
 that eminent church, to which he wrote his epiftle, wliich 
 bears the title of his epijile to the Phifippians ; wherein he 
 mentions many fclioiv-Iabourers that he had there, in the 
 works of the gofpel, Phil. iv. 3. Help ihofe ivhich hihoured 
 with me in the gofpel, toitb Clement, and other my fdhiv- 
 labo'irers, ivlofe names are in the hcok of life. It is an happy 
 encouragement to the minifters of Chrift, when they are 
 found helping and not hinderiag one another, ftrengthen- 
 ing each other's hands, and not faddening one another's 
 hearts ; but, by united endeavours, in public preachinr;, 
 and private infpcaion, promoting the gr.^.nd defign of the 
 gofpel ; namely, to fear God, honour their fupcriors, love 
 one another. So be it. 
 
 CHAP. xvn. 
 
 Now when they had pafTed throuoh Amphipo- 
 lis ApoUonia, they came to ThelTalonica, 
 "where was a fynagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul, 
 as his manner was, went in unto them, and three 
 fabbath-days reafoncd with them out of the fcrip- 
 turcs. 3 Openinj^ andalled:^ing, that Chrifl; mud 
 needs have l'ufFered,and rifen again from the dead; 
 and that this Jefus, whom I preach unto you, is 
 Chrift. 
 
 The foregoing chapter acqtiaints tis with the travels of 
 Sr. Paul to'^Lyftra and Philippi : at Lvftra he cured a 
 cripple, and was iloui-d for it ; at P'ulippi he call out 
 a devil, and was fcourged and imprifjiicd for it. This 
 chapter begins wi'h St. Paul's travels to Theflaloiiica, 
 thcchicf city of Macedonia, where tiiis apoflle gathered 
 a famous church, unto which he wrote two excellent 
 epi.llcs. Coming to Thciral'>i\ica at iiiis time, h<; went, 
 (as his mainer was) into the fviiai'o<"i?e, not ii.tn a p.ivare 
 houfe. As Chrift taught daily in the t«mple, fo did his 
 
 apoftles teach in the fynagogues ; it was the falfc apodlcs 
 that crept into houfes, and led captive filly women, as St. 
 Paul complains, 2 Tim. iii. 6. Truth fceks no corners, 
 but rejoices to be publicly feen : Befides, the gofpel was 
 firft to be preached to the Jews, and, upon their rejeftion, 
 to the Gentiles. Accordingly the apodle takes the advan- 
 tage of the fynagoguc, where all the Jews were gathered 
 together, and preaches to them Jefus and the rcfurre£lion. 
 Where n.-/<-. The firft grand point which the apoflle in- 
 filled, was to demonftrate that Jefus, whom he preached, 
 was the long expe£ted Mefllas. Now to prove this, he 
 produces the prophecies of the Old Tcflameat, and com- 
 pares them with what was done and fi:frLrcd by Chrifl, 
 making all things as plain and obvious to the eye of their 
 underrtandings,"as if they had feen with their bodily eyes, 
 faiisfaaorilv^dcmonftrating to their judgment?, that Jefus 
 is the Chrifi. Laftly, How the gofpel is like the fea,_ what 
 is loft in one place, is gained in another ; St. Paul is fent 
 away from Philippi, but by that means the gofpel was 
 preached at Theifalonica. 'God over-rules the motions of 
 his minifters, and the madnefs atul malice of their perfc- 
 cutors, for the furtherance and fpreading of the gofpel. 
 
 4 and fome of them believed, and comforted 
 with Paul and Silas : and of the devout Greeks a 
 great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 
 5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with 
 envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the 
 bafcr fort, and gathered a company, and fet all the 
 city on an uproar, and affaulted tiie houfe of Jafon. 
 and fou -ht to bring them out to the people. 6 And 
 when tliey found them not, they drew Jafon and 
 certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying. 
 Thefe that have turned the world upfide down, are 
 come hi' her alio ; 7 Whom Jafon hath received : 
 and all thefe do contrary to the decrees of Casfar, 
 faying, That there is another king, o/te Jefus. 8 
 And they troubled the people, and the rulers of 
 the city, when they heard thefe things. 9 And 
 when they taken iecurity of jafon and of the 
 other, they let them go. 
 
 The foregoing verfcs acquaint tis ^^ilh St. Paid's preach- 
 ing at ThelTalonica in the Jewilh fynagoguc, as alio wr h 
 the argument he infifted upon ; namely, that the Mcfliah. 
 according to the fcriptures, was to die, and nfe agam troni 
 •the dead ; and that Jefus whom he preached, was the 
 M.fTiah. Now the vcrfes before us ac.piamt us with t!ie 
 different fuccefs which this fermon had upon the hearers: 
 Some believed, others were blmded ; fome were aMiverjed, 
 others enraged. O the different and con; ray eifccls which 
 the wr^rci has -upon its hearers! opening the eyes ot otliers ; 
 to fome it L< a favour of life unto lif^, to others the favour 
 of death. Thofe to whom the clc-arcrt lii;ht is afforded, 
 who rmf.illv fiu't their eyes againft it, and (ay ihcy vmH ijot 
 fee, how juft is it with God to clofe their eyes judiu ally, 
 and fay they fnallnot fee ! 1. How the ap.)(lle fpecihts 
 and particularly declar-^s the fuccefs whi> h the preacr.ing ( f 
 the gofpel had upon the people of I'h.fLlonica, bo:h good 
 
 and 
 
-i.83 
 
 Tlie ^ C T 9. 
 
 CirAP. xvr 
 
 
 and baJ. The good fucccfs in the fourth verfc ; fome 
 (though few) of the Jews were converted, but many pro- 
 fclytc?, and not a few of the Gentiles, and a confidcrable 
 niiinber of tlic devout women, and honourable matrons of 
 the city. The bad event and fuccefs 's recorded, ver 5. 
 The udbclicvinn; Jews called the lewd fellows of the city 
 to:;ethcr into acoiifeJcracy v.iih them, and raifcd a perferu- 
 tion againft the apofllcs. Thence ii'.ie i. That the pr"£;refs 
 and profperous liiccefs of thegf'"ptl ever was, is and will 
 •be a grievous eye fore to the devil and his inihuhients. 2. 
 That the word cncmi."! which the gofpcl ever met wlih 
 it) the world, arc the iinbcliiving Jews. Were, lie yews 
 ■which btUevfd nel, engaged the rabble on their fide, who 
 are the filled tools lo raifc peifecuiim ag:.inft the ivinifters 
 of Chrifl : The Jelus which lelieved nit, tak certain leuj 
 
 feihiui ef the buff r fort, and ofjauUed, &c. 3. That the 
 devil's old tneihod f >r r.fiing perfccution againd the inini- 
 flers and .niembers of Jcfiis^Cl.iift, has been, and Hill is, 
 to lay the mod grievni" crimes, falfcly, to 'he Chridians 
 ■charge. Here the apvidles arc charsjed with innnvation and 
 fedition, \\\\\ tumi'ig the world utjide dcxvti. Tbus after- 
 wards, in the prirnitiie times, whatever cahimities came 
 tipon the date and king-doni, whatever commotions or 
 tumults did arife in naiio-is, presently Chridinniiy was 
 blamed, and indai.ily the Ciiridians were caft to the lions ; 
 whereas it is not the gofpel, but men's ceirupii- n. which 
 breeds dilhirbancc ; as it if not the fea, but the foulncfs of 
 the domach, that makes the men fca-dck. 4. How mer- 
 cifully and marvellouf.y the Lord delivered the spodlcs, 
 Paul and Sila5, at this time, out of the h^ndsof their per- 
 fecutors : They fought them in the houfe of'jtfnn, but found 
 then r.it. The devil now milled of his prey, for the Lord 
 hid the apodles here, as he did the prophets before, Jeremy 
 and Baruch, Jer. xxxvi. 26. having more work, and farther 
 fervice for them to do. Thcv\ife hufbandmnn doth not 
 
 • commit all his com to the oven, but referves fomc fcr feed. 
 Ladlv, That as the panther, when it cannot come at the 
 perfo'n, will fly upon and tear the pifture in pieces; fo 
 thefe enraged perfecufors, finding that the apodles were 
 cfcaped their hands, fall foul upon Jafon, who had enter- 
 tained ihcm, and drag him before.fhe rulers ami magidraies 
 charging him as an abettor of treafon : Yet, ohferve. How 
 
 ■Gxd over-ruled the hearts of thefe rulers, that they did 
 
 . offer no violence to Jafon, but only took fccurity of him, 
 for his own and others appearance before them, w hen called 
 for. Thus the Lord kno'.vs how to deliver the gediy out cf 
 tribulation, and to make a zunyfor ejcapc. 
 
 10 H And the brethren immediately font aWay 
 P^tul and Silas by night unto Bcrca : who coming 
 thilher went into tht- fynai^OL^ue of the Jews. 1 i 
 Tiiofe were morr. noble than tliofe in Thc-ffaloniCvi, 
 in that they received the word with all rcadinefs of 
 mind, and fearchcd the fcriptures daily, whether 
 thole things were fo. 12 Thcrd'orc many of them 
 believed ; silo of honourable woincn which were 
 Greeks, and of tnen not a few. 13 But when the 
 Jews of Thcir.ilonica had kiiowlcdj^e that the word 
 
 of God WAS preached of Paul at Berea, they came 
 thither alfo, and Hirrcd up the people. 
 
 Kite here, I. The pious and prudm'.ial Cart which the 
 brethren tOf)k of the hdy apodles, and the means which 
 they took for their preftrvation : liey frefently fent them 
 axuny unto Berea. The devil fecks nothing fo indudfioufly, 
 as the lives of the minifters of the gofpel fihey n.rking the 
 great oppofiticn to him and his klnpdomj ; tut God finds 
 out ways and means for their preferva'.ion, to rcferve them 
 for farther work and future fervice : The apf.Ui ectne by 
 flight unto Bercn 2. St. Paul mrkcs again the Jews fy- 
 napoguge his preaching-place, here at R:ren, as he had done 
 before at Thedalcnica, ver. 2 and afterwards at Athcnr, 
 ver. If. O how clofe did thcaprflle keep to his com- 
 niidicn, to preach Jefus Chrift ! firrt So the Jtws, and to 
 wait upon them with the repeated tender of the gofpei, till 
 they put it far from them, and judged ihemft Ives i:n\vorlhjr 
 of eternal life, before he turned to the Geniile':. •?. The 
 honourable charsiHer which the Holy Ghod here j'ivcs of 
 thefe Bereans ; T hey veer e m '.re nchle than thtfe cf Thef/'a- 
 hnica ! That is, of a trore ingcnui us, mild, and pliahla 
 temper of mind ; tit-y were not fo podlded \\iih prejudice 
 andthdinary apaind the p(>fpt-l ; thf y did not m.eei it with 
 rage, hut tlmugli' it wor'hy their f.nrth and fericus enquiry ; 
 for vvliich they nic dvled wrr^ nolle. Th(nce lenrn, that 
 to be of a teachable temper, ard tir<3-ble icwsrds the 
 gofptl of Jefus Chrid, is the btd fcrt of gentility and no- 
 blenefs. The 13ereans were better bred, ai:d better 
 defcended than the Thediilcnians, yet i;ot byci\il human 
 dignity, but by fpiiiuialind divine dignaticn ; God gave 
 them this preparation oi their heart, snri made them to J 
 diiTer from their ncii;hbours t Ihefe u-cre more ncble than " 
 thofe ef ThefJ'aknica. 4. What it is thefe Eereans are fo 
 highly Com.mendcd for ; namiely, iv^ f arching tie firiftures. 
 Where ni>ti, i. That the fcriptures tlitn were in the vulgar 
 tongue. 2. That, as they weie in their own tcngue, fo 
 the laity had them i;i their own hands. 3. That the com- 
 mon people did read them, and heard them read, fearched. 
 srd examined them ; and yet were fo far from cenfurc ar.d 
 blame, that they tnet with commf ndaiiyn for it from God 
 himfelf. From tlie whole, note. That a diligent reat'ing of, 
 and daily fearchintj into the h< ly fcriptures, is a duty in- 
 ci;mbent upon all thofe in whofe hands the fcriptures are, 
 or may be foimd. Thefe chridians at Berea fcarching tl>e 
 fcriptures, were a noble pattein for rdl fureceding Chriflifrw 
 to imitate nnd follow. L^fllv, How the ir.veicraie malice 
 of the ur.htiievins; Jews at Tlif.rr.dcnica ptufrcs the apcdie 
 as far as Berea, ver. 13. W/.-n the jeu s rt Thcffkmcc hod 
 hnozul.'dge, &.'C. As Chrid f .lids lis miiiifttrs, fo the devil 
 fends liis ntelfingcrs from place to pl.ice: And as the mi- 
 niders of Chi id are never wcarv of hi« feiv'ce for the good 
 of folds, fo pcrfei \itors src leltltfs, thcv ^^ill crmp:;f<! fra 
 .fnd !.;nd to harrafs nrul drive the fai'.i.ii'l rm halj;idi»rs of 
 Chrid from city tocitv, and, ri' it were iti thiir pfiwer, to 
 bpnidf them out of the woilJ. L'ud, help all thy fr-i-hli»l 
 m.inirierS to executctlii? pi» ceo) hdy rovcii;.»e i;pon S-'tan, 
 tli.:t wc m.ay be even vsi'h him for all his malice r.nd fpiie 
 againd us. O let us endeavour to do all the p>.ff;6lc fer- 
 vice, ar.d the utmod good v\c can, w h^rcvcr wc crmc 
 
 44 A. .: 
 
Chap, xvii, 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS 
 
 ■483 
 
 1 4 And then immediately the brethren fent away 
 Paul to go as it were to the fea : But Silas and Ti- 
 motheus abode there flill. 15 And they that con- 
 duced Paul brought him unto Athens : and receiv- 
 ing a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for 
 tocome to him with all i'pced, they departed. 16 1 
 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his 
 fpirit was flirred in him when he law the city wholly 
 given to idolatry. 17 Therefore difputed he in the 
 fynagogue with the Jews, and with the devout per- 
 fons, and in the market daily with them that mel: 
 %vith him. 18 Then certain philofophersof the Ep- 
 icureans and of the Stoics encountered him. And 
 fome, faid, What will this babbler fay ? others fay, 
 He feemeth to be a fetter forth of ftrange gods : be- 
 caufe he preached unto them Jefus and the refur- 
 rection. 19 And they took him, and brought him 
 unto Areopagus, faymg, May we know what this 
 new dotlrine whereof thou fpeakefl; is? 20 For 
 thou bringeft certain ftrange things to our ears : we 
 would know therefore what thefe things mean. 21 
 For all the Athenians and ft rangers which were 
 there, fpent their time in nothing elfe, but cither to 
 tell or hear fomethin*^ new. 
 
 The prudential care which the beiieviiig brethren took of 
 the holy apcfUe, was obfervecl before, ver. 10. His life 
 bf ing in danger at ThelTalonica, they lend him to Berea ; 
 being purfued to Berea, they fend him to Athens, and de- 
 tain Silas and Timotheus: Not that St. Paul was more 
 fearful than the other two, but more ufeful, and confc- 
 quently more hateful to the unbelieving Jews, and hislife 
 more fought after. Topreferve -.vliich, liis friends ufe an 
 innocent policy ; they niakeas if theyfent him away to fea ; 
 but really he gees on foot to Athens : Immediatily the 
 brethren fent away Paul to go at it -jjireto the fea. Hence 
 Uarn, That human p'..|icy and prudence may lawfully be 
 made ufe of, in fubferviency to divine providence. It was 
 ^ood policy and great providence in the apoftlc and his 
 friends, to look one way and go another ; to look towards 
 the fea, and go to Athens by land. There i: a wife and 
 fiolv fubtlety in forefeeing the evil, and hidingourfelves : 
 A ferpent's eye is a fingular ornamant in a dove's head : 
 Piety wirhrtut policy is too fimple to be fafe, and policy 
 without piety is too fuhtle to be good : The fagacity of the 
 ferpcnt, and the innocency of the dove, both may and 
 ought to go together. 2. The place which the apt^ftle 
 comes to, Athens, a fovereign city, a famous univerlky ; 
 the eye of Greece, as Greece was reputed the eye of the 
 world: Yet, notwithftandingall iheiri'cholarfliip tliey were 
 ignorant of God in Chrid; all their learning could not 
 teach them to attain any faving knowledge, but botli city 
 and univerlity are wholly given to idolatry. trar» hence. 
 That human learning alone can never teach any place or 
 people the divine truths of Chrift and his gofpel. It is a 
 good handmaid, but a badrnilfrefs ; it is good in itfelf, biJt 
 when corrupted by a bufy devil, and a bafc heart, it de- 
 
 generatesintothewOfft iiiftrumert in thf world : Forrtr- 
 ruptio optimi tfl pt^ma : "The fwfttcft wine makes the 
 foDrefl vinegar." 3. The temper of the men of Atheni 
 de.'crihed to us; they were great and greedy nev fmongers, 
 rhey fpent their time in telling and hearing nevs of any 
 fort. All v\hich was the effecl of an itr.biiig curiofiiy; 4 
 difeafe which had dcfcended from age to age, from place' 
 to place, from perfon to pcrfoti,occali(iningafin!u! cxpencc 
 of time, which can never be refjlled; tl-,c neglefl of cur 
 necefTary affairs, which can never be redeemed; fpreading 
 falfe floriesof others, and provoking difpleafu re aga; nil our- 
 felves. O how wife and happy were it, if we enquired 
 after news, notas Athenians, but as Chriflians ! that we 
 m'ght know the better how to manage our prayers and 
 praifes for the church and nation. 4. How the wicked* 
 nefs and idolatry of this place did vehemently aflTeft this 
 great apoflle ; His fpirit ivas ftirred, when he fa w the city 
 full of iddls, and ■wholly given to idolatry. T heir idolatry 
 put him into a paroxijni, as the word lignified ; his mind 
 was in a confufion by contrary paflions: He was aflPefted 
 firft with forrow and grief that a city fhould be fo learned^ 
 and yet lb blind ; next with indignation and anger, at the 
 fuperabounding idolatry ofthatkiiow ing people; and laftly, 
 with fervent zeal, and an ardent defire to undeceive them 
 and better inform them. In order 10 wliich, he takes ail 
 opportunities, both in the city, in the fynagogue, andin the 
 market-place, to preach to the people, todilpuic with the 
 philofophers, particularly the tpicurians, who denied the 
 providence of God, and the immortality of the foul ; who 
 placed all their happinefs in pleafure, and held nothing to 
 be defirable but what delighted their fenfes; Ai Joftrine 
 which made them rather fwine than men. And a/fo with 
 the Stoics, who placed all happinefs in want of paffion, 
 denied all freedom of will, and afcribed all events to an 
 abfent and irrtvoc able fate ; and having difputed with them 
 he preached Chrift crucified, rifen, and glorified to them ; 
 blithe feemeth a babbler to them, and a fetter forth of 
 ftrange gods. Whence /f^r«. That Chrift and his doc~ 
 trine, the gofpel, was the grand ftunibling block both to 
 Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned. St. Paul took 
 moffipainsjto convert Athens, yet here his fuccefs was leaft, 
 though it was a learned nniverfity, where, no doubt, were 
 many men of excellent natural accompiilhiiients. Hence 
 we may infer, that if moral difpoliiions, and improve- 
 ment of natural abilities, had iitted men for grice, we 
 might have expe<5led the greateft number of converts at 
 Athens, where many were mocking, but very few believing. 
 Surely the apoftles plantations there were different , not fo 
 much from the nature of the foil, as from the different 
 fnflut-nces of the Spirit. 4. How wonderfully the over- 
 ruling providence of God concerning itfelf for the apolfles 
 prefervation at Athens; they haukd them away to their 
 high court of jiidicature, which fat upon Mars-hill (fo 
 called, becaufe the temple of Mars flood upon it) where 
 the moft learned men ailembled, to hear and determine 
 what rew God was to be w,'orfliipped. Here note, i. How 
 the Providence of God brought St. Paul to a public place 
 to preach in. Mar's hill, where was a confluence of alithe 
 ^people, and a congregation of the moft learned Gciiiile 
 philofapheri : This gave the apoftle a mighty opportunity 
 3 Q, fcr 
 
490 
 
 The A ' C T S. 
 
 Chap. rvit. 
 
 for «Iie fcrvice of preadiing. And,*. How tenderly the 
 ajvvftle waitrea'cd in (his ciiitl court ; althoiiglithis court 
 h«J condetnnfcl Diagoras, I'r otagoiar, and Socrates hiui- 
 It'if, tor undtrvaluing their godj, and briiijiing in new de- 
 ities; yetthe api>llleMife is not only Ip i red by thele judg- 
 es, but thtfv I'pciik kindlv and c-indidly to ilie apoAle, and 
 court him to ^^ratify their curioliiy, hy informing tlit-m of 
 this novelty, which chey were fo in<iniliiive after, and de- 
 lired to hear more of his divine difcourfc. Thn? the Lojd 
 rminenily Ihrws, how the hearts of men are in his hand, 
 atxl that wiihout his permiiiion aJl the bitier enemies of 
 Lis church Jhall not move a tongue, nor .lift up a finger 
 againft any of his niinifters and members. 
 
 E2 Then Paul flood in the midll xaf Mars-hill, 
 a#i faid. Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all 
 things yc arc too faperftilious. 23 For as I patFcd 
 by, and beheld your devotions, I found an akar: 
 with this infcription, TO THE UNKNOWN 
 GOD. Whom therefore ye i^norantly worfhip, 
 him declare I unto you. 
 
 Asif tuc apoftle had faid, " Ye men of Athens h.Tvea 
 great number of gods, whom ye ignorantly worlhip : The 
 God therefore whom ye acknowledge not to know, and 
 yet profefs to worlhip, is he that I preach unto you : For 
 as 1 palTeil up and dovnin ycur city, beholdingyour altars 
 and images. I found an altar with thii infcription, T O 
 THE UNKNOWN GOD." Ueve mle, i. The light 
 of nature difcovered : Thealtar is infcribed TO A GOD. 
 The true God of the Jews was an unknownand uncertain 
 God to the wifeft of the Gentiles. Lctirn That fome dif- 
 coveries of God may he made, even by the light of nature : 
 Thbfe heathen^, who had nothing but the dim light of 
 nature to guide and direct them, yet they own a Cod, and 
 aeknow.;ledge a\vorlliip due unto him, by the erection of 
 an altar. Notf',3.. The darknefsof nature difcovered; the 
 altar, though erected to a God, vet it is to a God unknown. 
 Thence Icam, That natural light, in its moft elevated and 
 raifed improvements, can make no full and faving dil- 
 coveries of God : The true God was but an unknown 
 God, even to the wiil-ft of the Heathens, the men of A- 
 thens, who were the mod famous, in their day, for the 
 fevereft wifdom and gravity. 
 
 24 God that made the voild, and all things 
 tTierein, feeing that he is Lerd of heaven and earth, 
 dwellcth not in temples made w'ith hands, 25 
 Neither is worfhipped ivilh men's hands, as though 
 he needed any thing, feeing he git'eth to all life and 
 breath and all things; 26 And he hath made of one 
 blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face 
 of the earth, and hath determined the times before 
 appointed, and the bounds of their habitation ; 27 
 That they fhould feek the Lord, if haply they might 
 feel after him and find him, though he be not far 
 i'rom every one of us : 28 ForJn hiln we live and, 
 move, and have our being : as certain alio of your 
 own poets have faid, For vrz are alfo liis offspring. 
 
 Here begins St. Paul's famcns I'ermon to the men cf 
 Athens; in which the firtt thinjjthat occurs to our obfer- 
 Vaiion is, how the prt.'.-\cher doiii adapt add accoiiunodate 
 his difcourfe to thecapaciiiesof hishc jrcrs, as alfo 10 their 
 letitiments and opiniour. His auditory conilltcd of philo- 
 lopher.<;, particularly ofEpicurean-..tid Stoics ; tie former 
 inltead of God and a wife providence to make and govern 
 the world, brought in/jrtunt or hlind choree, to <)car all 
 the fway. The litter, though they acknowledged a God 
 yet introduced arigid fatality, as fupeiiortothe Deity, de- 
 nying to man all ficedorn and liberty of choice. Accord- 
 ingly, St. Paul addrefles himfelf firft, to prove a God and 
 H providence, to the exclufKm both of fate av.d fortune ; 
 And then, fecondly, from the very nature and notion of 
 Go J, he infers the folly and abfurd^iy of their Pagan fuper. 
 Iliiion. Oliferve, next, '1 he apolHes arguments to prove 
 the being of a God, and a providence: (i.) From the 
 works of creation : He made the -jjrrld and nil things therein 
 he g'roeth life and Ineuih, iWd all things. The whole uni- 
 verfc is his work, he planted the earth, and replenifhed it 
 with inhabitants. The invifible God is made vifible in his 
 creatures, and the being of God den:onftraied from the 
 formation of a world of creatures ; from the formation of 
 (uan in particular, In -jihotn we live and rn',ve,Scc. Here 
 are three great benefits enjoyed by human nature f life, 
 motion, and being, ail derived from God, and demon- 
 ftrating the being of God. (1.) Life: This is vaKi-ible 
 above all blcirmgs. (2 ) Motion : A great mercy, but 
 little conlidered : How uncomfortable would life be with- 
 out it? Were we flaked down to the esrth, as trees; or 
 did not move by a conQant law of nature, as the fun and 
 moon do move, it h.nd been a favour beyond our defert ; 
 but to move as we do at pleafure, with choice and eafe to 
 htlpourfetves, and to afiilt others, is at once a dcinonllra- 
 tion of God's being, and an evidence of his boun'y. (3.) 
 Being: This is eflential and nectlTiry to ns'ne but God. 
 To us it is ail aft of divine favour ; and this being is a 
 mercy ; then being what we are, is a double mercy, that 
 we do not creep and crawl upon the earth, as worms and 
 toads, but are budt high upon the earth, with "ondcrful 
 wifdom and care ; and that a foul, which is an immortal 
 and an eternal being, inhabits within us ; a being which 
 fliall continue when heaven and earth (hall be confunied. 
 Next, obftrve, The apoAle having proved the being of a 
 God, next demonftrates the certainty of a divine provi- 
 dence; He huth determined the limes that aref-,re app'Anted, 
 and the bounds ':f their habitations. That is, God has, as 
 it were, chalked out, and drawn a line, where the bounds 
 and habitations, whither the dominions of men fhould be 
 extended, and where they fliall be confined. The common 
 bleflhigs of God are notdifpenfed without a fpecial pro- 
 vidence ; and the fpecial providence of God, in upholding 
 difpoling and governing the world, doth as much prove 
 the being of a (lod, as the general creation of it : Every 
 hour's prefervatiou is virtually a new creation, and both of 
 tliem fuiHcient demonftrations of the divine being and 
 bounty. Ob/crve, laftly, Theduty which the apoflle nif'ers 
 on man's part, from all the goodnefs and bounty denion- 
 ftrated ou God's part : That thry Jhall fi ek the Lora, and 
 fird him, xjho is not far from ivery one of us. It is tlie 
 
 duty 
 
ClIAP.XV^t. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 49^ 
 
 dury of all mm to foifow aftrr God; thar Cod hsli 
 made man ftwuUl draw man after God ; iDsdnuch a; wc are 
 his otF?iirin", (ver. ap ) uur hearts -fliould fprin^ and r.(e 
 up to him in love and dKinkfiiliiofN : A^ ihe i iv^'^^, lK'<..nire 
 ;hey ciini'" from the fea, gobatk thither, fi) \\e, being tlie 
 cffpring uf Co 1, and dtiived from him, (honlJ be al-wj^'S 
 returning lo him. And if if be the duty ofalliiientg 
 fo'.losv after God, beciufc they have nitnral \i<'f, breath, 
 and motion from him; how much more HioiilJ ihe new 
 crenture, v. ho had a fpiritual life breathed into hitn,,anj 
 befto^ved upon him, fidlow hard after God, iii the enjoy.- 
 mcnt of *hiiri hii prefent happiuefs and future ti-htiiy 
 do;h conliit ? To follow God in hii wiy and to jiiopofe 
 God as our end, contain!) the fiiin of »!' mi y. 
 
 29 Forafmuch then as wc - T-prin^of 
 
 God, we ou^ht not to think tl,a. .^ .'■n^.i'l is 
 
 like unto gold or filvcr or floae, graven . 
 man's device. 
 
 NolfhcTC, J. Kow our spoftlcqiiotes one of the beati/..- 
 poets in this his d vine discouifc. Thi* poet waa Aratiis; 
 what he a'tribntcs to Jupiter, St. Paul applies 10 the trae- 
 Cotl ; H'eare his 'ffip'i'ig- ^\'here hsA?, For the hononr- 
 ofhmran Irnrning and the lUvfnlr.efs cfniiking life of it 
 in our fernions, the Holy Glioll is pleafed three feveral" 
 times in the New Telljmcnt to m.ike mention of the hea- 
 then potts; of Ar:itu«, Arts xvii. jtU ofMenander, I- 
 Cor. XV. 33. of Epimenides, Tit i. li. Truih is God's 
 wherever it is found ;. as a mine of gold is the king's, in 
 whofe j-round fuever it is difcovercd; 2. 'Jhe force of 
 the apollle's argument, fet'i:;g we ars Go(^'5 cffspriiig; 
 that i?, feeing God is our Creator, we cannot fuppofc 
 him to be the wnikmanfhip of'onr hand;, ast an image of 
 go!d,riK'cr, orfloneis; ami ronfcqueniiV, how iiraiioiial' 
 it is for a man to nd.ire an im.tge made by his own hands, 
 for, and inflead if God. Learn, That there, is a ftrong 
 propenfity and incrmaiion in the heart of nun to the (in 
 of idiilitry. Secondly, That tlie un of idol.ifry is not on- 
 ly a very great fin, b;it a very unreafonable and abfurd 
 fm ; it is not only facriJ gions. bntlilly, for a man to wor- 
 fijiphis ov.n w orkinanfliip, and jo fall dovin upon hu. ktiscs 
 to the workof hisovvn hand.-. 
 
 30 And the times of this ignorance Cod winked at; 
 but now commandeth all inrrt every where to repent. 
 
 That i^, " Thongh God of his infin're patience kath 
 long borne with the world Tying in darknefs and ignor.mce; 
 yet now by caufing his gofpcl lo be preached to all nations, 
 he calls and invites them to repentance, to forfake their 
 idols, «nd ferve the true Gcd." Here ch/trvf, 1. 1 he cen- 
 fire of the palKtime,, ih«y were times of ignorance, a.id 
 Cod -xinkdi at tlctti, or overJocked them; not that God 
 iVid aiiow or approve of their idolairy, though he did not 
 deflroy and put ihcin off for the fame ; noF afr)rd them 
 fjch helps and. means as he now did, having brought his 
 gofpcl among them. 2. The du:y of the prefent lime 
 declared, /o repent : This is a conujiandcd duty, and an 
 Lniverf:;I!y cnininanded duty ; A'ow /e c»:?:ma>ii.'t(JJi men 
 tycryiiihre to rtp.'nt. From the whole note, I. '1 hat 
 times of i'aganifm weire tiui«s of ignorance, x. That it is 
 
 an unrpeakahle mifery to b? born anil brought up in fnch 
 time*. 3. T hat to live impaticn'lv in liiries of know Itdgp, 
 is a fin hit God w ill by no me ii' wink tt. 4. That 1 he 
 greit piirp'ife and A \\\\n of the go!'[)ei: w ht'ri foever if is 
 lent and preached, is to invite men to repcix.mce ; A'o'.t^ 
 he coniinarjitih all m- n every ivhtre to rtprrt. 
 
 3 1 Bpcaufe he hath appointed a day in the which 
 hewilljudj^e the world in rij^hteoufncfs, by t/iaf 
 man wlioni he hath ordained; whereof he hath 
 L,iven afTurance unto ail lacn, in that he hath laifed 
 him from the dead.. 
 
 Th-fe '^•nrd^ are an arcnment or moiive fo enforce the 
 
 forPvTo'ni; dht^- » f r< yr iirance ; God requires every m.in, 
 
 ivp-y whfrf and that now immeoiately. to f(^rf.ke thrtr 
 
 i.' 1' .-ui.f finOi! wav- ; heranfc he h..ih appointed a day 
 
 rein ?'e >■•. dljsdp.e the world in rightroufnrfi by his Son 
 
 •J \^ .. ,-..' • ;,: |, ;,. 1. t!, ■.':- 'y given aflurance by 
 
 "■./ . I- A jndgmtnt 
 " ill judge the svorld ; 
 • liheieafterhavean' 
 rc-v nlin<»- !■ 'jii). 2 ihii tii t a.it only is a ]■ d;j;nient 
 t-*! come, but the <iav or :inie ot ic is determined and fixed; 
 /^e hath afp-iintfil a diiy. As the pr<cife lime of Chrift'.s 
 jir.fb time was fi.ted by an luialierable, though an unknown 
 decree, f6 is abb the time of his fecnnd coming : that not. 
 knowing the hour, we may be upon our wati.h every hou.r. 
 3. That as ihe day of judgment is determined, fo the 
 perfon of tlie Judge is alfo conftitucd and ord.^i^etl, He 
 ■will judge the wirU uh'^m he kath' tirdained. This is an 
 aft of juPice to our Saviour^ that he, having humbled 
 himfelf to take our nature, (hou^d, as the reward of his 
 humiliation, jiidge tifat world which he died to i'ave. And 
 an .-ift ol kindnefs towards us, that he (liouldhe onr Judge, 
 who took npon him our n.iiure, and had fo rruch iovc \o 
 us as die for us. Had we leave to chtifc onr ow n juftire, 
 what choice could we make better fi^r carfelves than that 
 niati vvhoin God hath ordained ? 4. The alTurance wh'clr ^ 
 Cod has given Ui of having Chrift for our Judge ; > 
 namely hii railing him from the tiead : Bur how doth that 
 ;i(lnre us of Chriif beinjr our judge ! Anf. Our bleflcd 
 Siviour, when i.e vasin ihe world often declared that he 
 was appointed by God to ju !ge ihe qai;k and ihs dead^ 
 and appealed to his refnrrcrtiotias the great proof of what 
 he had faid. Now when Almighty Gt,d did accordingly 
 raife him in fuch a wonderfnl manner (.iswc know he did) 
 what is it lefs than God's ftcn'nghis feal to hiscomm'fhon 
 and openly proclaiining him to be the jtidre ofail the 
 world ? 5' 1 he m<i;rier of this judgment or the niealures- 
 which this Judge will proceed by at the great day ; and 
 that is according to righteoufnffs ; He will nidge- the ivcrld 
 in right eutfiitfs; Not in rigotir and feverity taking all the 
 advantages that power can give him nuryei arbifrarily and 
 Upon prerog.'.tive but acctirdtng to known l.iws ; nor yet 
 partially, with refpeft of pcrfons, but every man's dooin- 
 fhalfdt-pend upon the holincis or uiiiKiIinefs of his he.irt 
 ami life. Fartlier, our Judge willcanJidly inu-rprei men's 
 ac'tion', and make the veiy be ft of things that the cafe 
 will bear; principally looking .it the truth nr.d finctrity 
 of men's inicntioni, and making all favcur.ible a!lQ.va;ce 
 
 Ij 
 3 Q.2 
 
49»- 
 
 The. 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap. xvin. 
 
 for tlitir fjiling^nrKtlnfirmit'ics tWat ran confift wit!) juftitp ; 
 an;l willilltribote liisrewardsofh^ppinel'sand glory togood 
 inen in iht; oilicr world, in proportion to the nieafurti of 
 their difiicuhies and fullerlngs which they meet with here 
 ill this worlJ. Nu*.', having this high and full afTiir.ince 
 of a judgrnent to come, let us feriouily btlievo it, daily 
 expect it, and duly prepare for it ; Jet neither profit tempt 
 us, nor pleafure allure us, nor power cmWolden us, nor 
 privacy encourage us to do tlut thing which we cannot 
 anpA'crat thegreai tribunal. When St. Paul preached of 
 jiidg nenc, Felix, thoogh a pagan, trembled at the fernion ; 
 Lord : what Ihall we lay to fhofe worfe than pagarvinfijels 
 ainoigrt ourfelvrs, who ridicule a judg'nent to cone, ami 
 cry Ijeforehand, Godjadi^e me !.yea. Go, I damn me, alas ! 
 unhappy men ! he wdl judge youfure enough and djinn 
 you ibon enough, if i ferious reptntance prevent it not. 
 
 32 And when they heard of the refurreflion of 
 the dead, feme mocked : and others faid, we will 
 hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed 
 from amon;^ them. 34 5 Howbeit certain men 
 clave unto him, and believed : among the which 
 was Dionyfiusthe Areopagite, anda woman named 
 Damaris, and others with them: 
 
 Here we have the faccefs of St. Paul's fermon declared ; 
 it was various and different, fomc uf his hearers derided, 
 others doubted, and a few believed: Thole thnt derided and 
 mocked, it is very probable, were the Epicurians, who 
 denied that the world was either created or governed by 
 GoJ ; as alfo that there were any rewan'sorpunilhments 
 fur men after death ; therefore they ridiculed St. Paul's 
 doctrine of the dead. The fublimeft doftrines, and mofl: 
 comfortable truths of the gofpel, are matter of derlfion 
 and mockery to fenfual miiuis. Thofe that doubted, pro- 
 bably were the Stoics, who did own the refurredlion and a 
 flate of rewards and pi;'.)i(]iments in another world ; and 
 thf-refore, for cbtaining better faii'fadlion to their doubts* 
 tlcfircd to hear the apoflle again difcourfing farther of that 
 mat'tcr. Thofe tiiat btlieved are fcv indeed, if no more 
 than are here iHciuioned, which areDionyflus and Dama- 
 ris, with Come others; Dionylius was a famous perfon, 
 cjr.e of the grent cotnicil, n)eiuioned ver, 19. whofe con- 
 verfion probably n)ighc afterwards have a great influence 
 upon xwiuy other' ^nd it was no .'"mall horiour and advan- 
 tage to the gofi el, to be owned by fuch an honourable 
 perlon as this Dionyfiuswas ; not many wife, not many 
 tioble are called : BlelTtd be God that any were, that any 
 M-~, that any of tiie grea^ ones of the world Aoop to the 
 I'ceptra of jcfus Chrlft-, and pay homage and fubjeclion to 
 
 bini. Thus ends the apoftl'j's divine fenuon at the 
 
 farnousuniverfiiy of Athens, which yielded few, very few 
 converts to St. Paul : FtT we read of nc« church fonnded 
 here, as wc did before at Philippi(and in the next chapter 
 at Corintli): What rufon cnn be .iingned but this. That 
 thefe grave philofophers.prcHound I'lholars, venerable fe- 
 nators and citizens, who had a name for wifilom ihrongh^ 
 out the world, were toowife to be favcd by the ffioliflmcfs 
 ef preaching-? As the wifdoni of the world is foolilbntfi 
 ^^(ith Giitl^ftt.jliC^jj'ifiiusi'jf Go*! in \hr^X^t\ is accou.u!cd 
 
 foolldinefsby the wife tnen of thcwo'ld j according to that 
 of the aportle, i. Cor. i. 11, 2a, 23,24,15. H'Lcn the 
 iwirU by ws'ifdom knev) not God, it pleajed, &c. 
 
 CHAP. XVIIL 
 
 AFTER thefe thint^s Paul departed from Athens 
 and came to Corinth ; 
 
 The foregoing chapter acquainted us wi:h the fmall fuc« 
 cefs which bf. Paul found of his miiiilh-v it Aihi'ns ; npofV 
 his preaching Jelus .md the rcfurrt iJtion there, the philo- 
 fophers and wife men mucked .ind derided hini. If naturaL 
 difpofiiions and al>ilitieshadijtted men for grace, we might- 
 have exptcled the greater nuTiber of converts at Athens, 
 where many were mockers, but very few believers : Here- 
 upon St. Pjtd leaves Athens, and goes t>> Corinrh, a famous ' 
 city in Achaia ; where he meets with more encouragement 
 and better fucoefs ; forhere Ijc gathers a f.imous church, 
 unto which he writes two epft'cs, under the title of the 
 firft and I'econd epilHes to the Corinthians, 
 
 2 And found a certain Jen' named Aquila, born- 
 in Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife 
 Prifcilla, (Becaufe that Claudiu.s had commanded 
 all Jews to depart from Rome) and came unto tliem. 
 3 And, becauie he was of the fame craft, he abode 
 with them, and wrought : for by their occupation 
 they were tent-iwakers. 
 
 The apoftle being now come to Corinth, where he was 
 altogethcr^liMMger, and wanting money for his loblilbnce 
 the providence of God dire'fted liini to the houfeof Acuila 
 and Prifcilla ; who bingof (he fame trade with himfelf, 
 (tent-makers) he works with his own hands to maintain 
 himfelf, that be might not be btirJenfoine to o:l>ers. 
 Here note, i. The «)cc3linn of AfjuU I's and Prifcilla's 
 coming to Corinth, with whi m St. P..ul lodged. The 
 Roman emperor Claudius had baniflied then) Irom Italy 
 and Rome, vir. 2. Claudius cmr.vanded cilthe Jctus to de^ 
 part from Rome. Thence tiote. That a wiiked world ij 
 foon weary of the faints of God, and longs to v nrm them 
 out of theircitiesand focitties, never conlideringilint their 
 own prefcrvsiion from ruin is forthe faints f;ike : As the 
 alleys in the garden are watered for the fake of ihefli)wers, 
 w iiich would oiherwife lie dry. 2. That the apoftle had 
 learned a trade, rtn*-inaking, before he was called to ih« 
 miniflry, and he wrought upon it occnfmnally after he was 
 a Hiinlfter. The molt learned aniong the Jews did always 
 learn fome handicraft trade, it being a traditie n amtingft 
 them, '* That lie that does not learn his child a trade, 
 teaches him to be a thief." S(»t)iat although their children- 
 M'cre defigned for (Indents, yet they did learn fomc trade. 
 A.ccordingly St. Paul having learncii to make rents fmuth 
 nfcd m thole hot coutitries, by foldiers and others, to keep 
 off the violence ol the weather) he storks at Corinth upon 
 his trade for his own fnbliftance. IVItn fepsrated to ihe 
 niindlry of the gofptl, may, upon an exigency, labour for 
 their living ; not but that the ppoflle lucJ power and fiif- 
 ficient warrant to challenge maintenance forhis preaching 
 ■as he often intimates in his c^iiflks, but there was not yet 
 
Chap. xvhi. 
 
 -n 
 
 tc 
 
 A C T S. 
 
 4^3 
 
 any„church at Corinth to maintain him ; and when tlicre 
 was, they were nioftly of ihs poorer an^l meaner lore of 
 people, and he wouliJ give rheni a convincing demonltr.i- 
 lion, that he fonj^ht not theirs, but iheni ; he clt-mands 
 tlierefore no maintenance, lellit (honld hinder the luccefs 
 of hi^ niiniitry ; but being of the fame trade with Aqniia 
 and Pricillj; he takes npliisbdging with them at CoiniiU 
 and v\ orks at liieir trade. 
 
 4 And he reafoned in the fynagogue every fab- 
 bath, anJ pcrfucidcd the jews and tho Greeks, 5 
 And when Silas and TimothLUS wore coine frotn 
 Macedonia, Paul waspreircd in Ipirit, andtellified 
 to the Jews that Jclus was Chrifl. 6 And when 
 theyopiaofed theinlelves, and blafphemed. he Ihouk 
 Aii raintiit. and (aid unto thctn, Your blood ^<: upon 
 your own heads; 1 ain clean :troin henceforth I will 
 go unto the Gentiles. 
 
 Note here, Ho v vehemently delVous thehuly apoflle' was 
 ro plant a chridi.in chur<h at Corinth, and to bring the 
 Jews of C rinth to embrace the gofpel ; He was prtffed 
 in/pirit and tfjiified; tint i:-,rc:ifonfd with theni,wirhgreat 
 vehemency and earneltnefs of affection, as v\e!l as with 
 gr at judgment, conceniini^ the Mcllias. 2. '1 hat tlie 
 Jewiil) fyoagou^ue at C^Tinth was the preaching place that 
 Sit. Pan! mtde choice of, hoping to gather the beginnings 
 of his chrillan church oar of the cunverted Jews: Hi 
 reufhncd inibe fj'Hagjgttes every S,ibl>uth day. Stilt the apol- 
 llckept tohiscomrniiBon, to preach the gofptl, I'lrli to the 
 Jews, and afterwards; upon their rejed^oii t(kthe Gentiles. 
 
 3, The blafpheinaiis oppoliiion which the Jews made to 
 the doctriiie of the gofjiel ; T/.'fy oj'pifed the-rfdves and 
 Hr/f'e-nid; that is, ihev crpnled his tjoctrine, reviled his 
 perl in,ai:d blafphemed Chrift.v, hoiii t'nt apoftle ])reac!ied. 
 
 4. How the holy apoiHe clears htinlelf cf the blood of cliofe 
 Jews, whom he had now ppeaclicd the gofpel • unto ; he 
 faid, Yinr blood be upon your own heads; J am clean. The 
 faithiut minders ol C'hrift SSall never havethe blood of a 
 perifliing penple laid to their charge ; they having warned 
 them of ttieir damnable ftate, and difcovered the way of 
 •life and falvation to them, deliver their own fonls ; whilft 
 the people which they nicjch.J to, die in their fins^ and 
 .for their fins. 
 
 7 And he departed tlience, and entered info a cer- 
 tain wwn's houte named Juflus, one that worfhippcd 
 Cod, whofe houle joined hard to the fjnagogue. 8 
 And Crifpus the chief ruler of the fyna^o^ue be- 
 lieved on the Lord, with all his houfe : and many 
 ■of the Corinthians hearing-, believed, and were bap- 
 tized. 9 %. Then fpake the Lord to Paul m the 
 ni^ht by a viCon, Be not afraid, but fpeak, and hold 
 nor thy pe;:Ci : 10 For 1 am with tJiee, and no man 
 fliall fet on thee to hurt thee : for 1 have much 
 people in this city. 1 1 And he continued there a 
 year and {"ix. months, teaching the word of God a- 
 mong iheia. 
 
 Note here, i. That the oppofition which St. Paul met 
 with, while he lodgetl in the lii.uic of A(]iiilaand Prilliffa 
 moved bin: to change his (piarters, .itvj betake hinilelf to a 
 new lodging ; he goes into the hoiile cf Jndns by birth a 
 Gentile, hot a JeAilii profelyre, whofe hciiifi.' joined nigh to' 
 the fyn.igogi'.e where St. Paul's preaching work Iny, 10 fnth 
 as v* (-u'd b: vvilling to hear hiin. 2. 'J .he g(,od fuccifs 
 the chief rnlcr of the fvn.igogtic, and his hoi.lliold,'\\ere 
 brought to l-.tlieve, and were b.iptized : After v.'hnfe ex. 
 atiiple, many of the ptople in Corinth btrleved alfo. Ru- 
 lers and great men are likt lot'king-glafTes in the places 
 where they live, by which many drefs thcmlch'cs. :{. 
 That notwithllandinirthisguod luccefs which bt, Paul had 
 at Corinth, he feems through human frailty to be poffefTtd 
 with (ear, and under an apprehenfion of danger from the 
 Jews, and accordingly had thoughts of leaving the city ; 
 againlt \v huh feirs God antidotes him with a gracious 
 promife of his preience with him : Be not afraid, fur I am 
 with thee, and no manPiall /et onihee, to hurt thee. Hence 
 learn, i. 1 ha-i the bell and holieJt of God's faints .-.nd ier- 
 vants arp fomeiunes under fad atidi'avi.'h fears, and prone 
 to be difctmrag-d, when they meet with difSculties in t!ie 
 way of their duty. 2. That the promife and alluranceof 
 God's gracious prefence with ihem, will raife them up 
 aiKiveall fears, and be a fnlFicient encouragement tojthen;, 
 for their abiding in atiy place, »nd amongit any people, let 
 the difficolty or danger be what it will ; Be not afraid, Jor 
 I am with t'^ce, and nor.e fl^all hurt ihte. 4. A farther 
 cticouragcment given by God to -the apolUe, to continue 
 his miniltry lliil at Corinth; / ^ave much people in this 
 city : That is. Here are many fools whom I delign e^i:c- 
 ttially to call aodbiing home by thy minidry : Accord- 
 ingly the apoRle coiuinueil his miniltry among them a year 
 and fix months, l.tarn hence, Thai nlrbough the ingra- 
 titude and perverfenefst)! a people lb ladly dilconrageiheir 
 minifters and tempt them to rtmove fro;n them, y!«i Cod 
 encourages thetn to theirduty ; thai for the maliceof feme 
 the fah'ation of others in-.y be not neglcfted. 2. 'J'h-it 
 no rppofito-! mull dilVoiir.ig- theminitlers ofGodinihe 
 way of their duty ; God's fervants n.uft lint futfcr them- 
 felves to he out-done by ilie devils fiaves, hut bear down 
 ail oy^poiition made againtt them v>ith patience ;::jdJ4)\ ful- 
 neis : And notv.'ithllai:dii-ig all the malicious oppoHiion 
 made by the Jews agiind the apotlle. yet diilhe cc)ntinue 
 a year and fix months to preach at Corinth^ Chritthada 
 great harvell, ripening, 'n iha-t cny, to be reaped -by f Jie 
 apoftlc's miniftry ; and being encouraged with the p-omife 
 of hit protei^ng prefence, he commiitetl hitnftlf to the ili- 
 vine care, and the Lord both prelervtd and fucceeded him.. 
 
 12? And when Gallic v/as the deputy of Achaia, 
 the Jews madeinfurreilion, with one accord, ajjainft 
 Paul, and brought him to the judj^tnent-feat, 1^ 
 Saying, This fellow perfuadeth men to worfhipGod 
 contrary to the law. 14 Andwhen Paul was now 
 about to open hismouth Gallio faid unto the Jews, 
 If it v/ere a matter of wrong or wicked Icwdncls, O 
 ye Jews, reaioa would thai 1 (hould bear with you : 
 
 15 But 
 
li/t 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 ClIAPXlX. 
 
 15 IVitit it Iv: a qucllion of u*ords and names, and 
 of your law, look ye to it: fur I will be no judj^e 
 of lucli niatt^.rs. 16 And he drave them from 
 the judgmcnt-fcat. 17 Theaall the Grtck\s look 
 Sollhcncs. the cMtf lulerof the fynagogue, and beat 
 liim before tiic judgment-feat. And Gallio cared 
 for none of thole things. 
 
 Notf here, i. How St F^iul i.ik'mg heart from ihe foie- 
 j^oing proDiife unde by God unto hiiu goes 011 coiicage- 
 ouliy ill the work of his in:iiillrv at CoriiuU ; hut ilie 
 Hr.licheving Jews were fo enrjgcd ag.Tinll him, that iliey 
 coiiihiiierl to gfther as one mm, and tvilh cneuccord, made 
 iii/:fn\:.'i.K iigairj} PuuL Where note, What great unity 
 and unaiiiinity ihf re is aniongfl wicked men, ihe devil's 
 friends ; lie well knows, that his kingdom could not h>n^ 
 ftaud if it wtre divided, 'the unity olal! Ibcicties is their 
 ftienjijth. 2. 'I'hey acciife the apollie bcfcre Gallio tiie 
 dfpiny, for perfuadm;;ii)en 10 worfhip (Jod contrary to the 
 Jaw of Mi-fes. \Viu> would not think '»)ut that thefe men 
 were truly pious, virtuous, and good, \n ho v. ere fo zealous 
 for the vvorlhip of God according to the law? Antl yet 
 Merc- they wit!;cd men, and fiery perftcutors. Thcreisa 
 noifv relijiion in the world; lV>me men think, by crying, 
 The churi.h, The church, and by pleading loud for ihe 
 worfliip of God, as cll.iblilhed uy law, to atone for all their 
 immoralit'es : Praying is good, he.iring and receiving the 
 facrament are good, if th^y bejgined with holy walking; 
 hut il otherwife, the howling of wolves is as acceptable to 
 Almighty God, as the prayers of ihofe men who call Chriil 
 M.iller, 3rnl the church Mother, but do not the things 
 which they !>.ive com'nandcd ; sea, the very dvigs vhich 
 fulloA tl;ci;i to the pul)lic alH-mblies, fiiall a* foon find ac- 
 ceptaiite as tht;nil< Ive.', if they do not obey him whom 
 they pretend to adore. It is no matter what church a 
 wicked man is of, for it is certain he can be faved in none. 
 3. What low and mean thoughts Gallio had and all per- 
 Ions prtjndired againii religion andthe power of godlintft 
 have, ot fmrtre chriftianiiy ; If jI be a quejl'iin (jj -Wirds 
 anti uitines, fays G.dlio. As it he had laid, "Do iict 
 trouble lire about the iiiceiics of yourr<-ligion, dicide fuch 
 q'.iedior.s among yourfilwes ; for 1 will he no judge in fuch 
 matters. The great men of the world litile care to 
 trouble their heads iibout the matters of relig-on ; they 
 I'lok upon ii only as a matter of notii.n and Ipeculatiim : 
 Whereas it is not j/peculutive/ci nee. but a pruOicul art 
 ofheh living. Ami accordingl/, like Calho, they care for 
 none of thffe thing";. L-.itUy, th;it ?.ltlu)Ugh this Gullio 
 had n'l kindnefb f.ji- Chrillianity, yet God iii.ide ufe of him 
 .If an inllruiuent, at this time, to prefer ve and fcrcer> St, 
 Paul fri'Ui the rage of hr, enenv'es infomiich, th.it he drivf 
 kis acrufcr: /"/■(, w the j'-di'mtnt-J'tful : 'rhusGo.lperlonncd 
 his proip fe 10 Fiul, /t^' 1 Ini- nt m,;n to turt him; but 
 cauiing G.illio the govt-ri:or to defeiid biiii, who hib ene- 
 mies w ere in hopes w ould have dtftroyed him, Lrrd, 
 how happy and wifeii it for thy fervr.nts to cr.mmit the care 
 oflhem'lhej to tbce in vii-U dvngl If we, with a pority of 
 in'pntinn, cnncrrn oorfelves fur thy glory, thi'ivwiltcer- 
 ninly take i.ii e of our f.ift- ly ; or if any danger Ihuu'.d 
 cunie, dan2;er itlelf UijU du us no haiux. 
 
 18 And Paul af^er this tarried there yet a good 
 wlule, and then took his leave of the brethren, and 
 failed thciice into Syria : and with him Rrifcilla and 
 Aquila ; having fhorn his head in Cenchroa : for he 
 had a vow. jc) And he came to F.phcfus, and left 
 them thtre; but he himfelf entered into the fyna- 
 gogue,and rcafoned u-iih the )cw.<!. 20 Wlicn ihcy 
 dclired him to tany ion.^cr tiine with them, he con- 
 lented not : 21 But bade them farewel, faying, I 
 inuLt by all means keep this feafl that cometh in 
 Jcrulalcm: but I will return again unto}ou. ifGojd 
 will. And he lUilcdfrom Ephefus. 22 And when 
 he had landed at Ctlarea, and gone up and falutcd 
 the church, he went down to A'ntioch. 23 And 
 after he had ipent fome time there he departed, and 
 went over all the country of Oalaiia and Phrygia ia 
 order, itrengthening all the dilciples. * 
 
 A farther accouni is here given of the !ahor:oi:s travels 
 of the great apoltle St. Paul; namdy, fr. m Corinth to' 
 Ephelus, from Ephefus to Cefarej, from C< firea 10 An- 
 tioch, &c. Wbnenj/f, 1. That St. Paul having cimtinued 
 a year and a half at Corinth, and pl.micd a churth there, 
 which yet foon after f.id!y degencratt d ; he determines now 
 to f.iil 10 Ephefus ; and accoidingly at Cftichrca.a haven, 
 near to that city, be fl^uvcd hii head for he had avovu ; th:t 
 ii, the vow ot a iSlaaarire, which he, (that is, Aqn.la fjy 
 fome, St. PaijL fay others.) had brfoie tak^nupoii him fiT 
 a time, wheieby he was obliiJetl loabflain fiom tvine, and 
 fiiaving his head, and touciinigihe dead. Cut havingnow 
 accomplifhed his vow, he lliore his head, and rciurned 
 to the common way of living; wlitre thewifdomand 
 moderaii.)n of this great apollle in complying in indif- 
 ft rent things is to be noted and imitated : 'To the Jejuj he 
 I'iCeitne us a Jew, that he wipht i^uiu ti^e Jc-^s : llewi'llingly 
 cdHipl.ed \»iih tht ir weakucl'i.tolhew that ho was no con- 
 ttuiner of their la« ; tor v. hich leafonhe eauftd I imothy 
 to be ciicumciffd and purified himftH in the tensple at 
 Jeiufalcm. And behold ilie fuctefa thi:. hs compliance; 
 for, by gr.3iifyiiig ihe Jews in this contltfcf ndon to tl.e 
 prclcripiionot the law, he brought over \ ery manyofthtn, 
 to iht f.iiih of Chrirt. Let not any fulped this fora farul 
 com).'iiance *iih ihe Jews, in obierMiiga ceremony ^^ hicli 
 thegofpel hadabolidied, nor ceiiUire it for a low and mean- 
 floop in (o gicat a man, to the humour of the peoj.'e : fop 
 though the ceremonial ritesded \\ iih Chrill. yet they were 
 a h)i)g time in burying, and the Jewswerc indulged in the 
 obfervaticm of then), till tliey c.ime to a cle.irtr li|'h( of 
 their t'hriit-i.m l-.beriy : Ac:>rding!y . the apcfl'.c yielded to 
 them for their preCfut iHcliflfereiit things, w iihout difllmu- 
 biion or blame. 2, The apollle being now come t« 
 Ephefus he taught in the lynagoguc of the Jews, and 
 reafoned wiih ihem: Where we may nr.le, Both how cl(>fc 
 the apollle krpt hu commiiilon, in lirA preaching the word 
 of life to ihr Je^vs, and alio the fervent h.ve wh'ch hebire 
 to his own countrymen, whom, thuui'h he h.id lufTered.iII 
 manner of imiignities from, ytt doih he give tlumpiectpt 
 up'm precept, line upon luic; aad with au uweaned 
 
 dili.'cnco 
 
GhAP. XIX. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 4'95 
 
 difpenfcs tlie word of life anilTalvnlion to ihem. 3. Our 
 apoftle Usys not \nng atEphefus but haftenv to Jrnifalein 
 to keep the feaft there; namely, the feaH of the paflliver; 
 liotthat he thought hitnrdf obliged to obferve the fenlh.or 
 any of the antiquated ceremonies ; bat becaufe of the v;i(l 
 conconrfe which he knew would be at Jerufalem at the 
 lime of thefrad from all quarters, and which would givt; 
 him an opportunity to make Chrift known to a great mul- 
 titude. Ths niinifters of the golpcl, without the impiita- ■ 
 tion of vain-plory, or feeUing popular applaufe, may 
 >ii'arrantably defire, a^d occinoiully lay hold upon an op- 
 portunity of difpenfing the word to a numerous auditory, 
 in hope that calling the net among many, they may in- 
 clofeioine.LalHy.l heinccflant care, indefatigible diligence 
 and unwearied pains of this great apollie in travelling from 
 place to place, and at fnch great dillance, to preach the 
 everlafting aofpel ro loll finncrs : from Ephefus hcfallsto 
 Cef irea, from Cefarea to Jerufilem, from Jerufalem to 
 Antioch, from Antioch ro Galatia and Phrygia See how 
 the^^re ij ell the churches was upon htm, and Ixiw he l.i- 
 hiumd mare ab::nrl:i>itly th^ii they till. Lord, whata pattern 
 isherc of minirteri.il diligence and faithfulnefs ! What 
 pains did tt. P.iu! take, what hazards did he run, in plant- 
 ing and propagnting the gofpelof Cbrift I In labours more 
 abundant, in fufFsrings above mcafure ! Well might he 
 fay, / am ahlr fj do ullthivgs through Chr'ifl thatjlreiigthens 
 me. And bleffed be God, the fame power that aflifted 
 him, rtands ready to fncconr us ; and if ever he calls us to 
 an extraordinary fervice, he will come in with more than 
 an ordinary ftrength. 
 
 *2.i 1 Anda certain Jew, named Apollos, born 
 at Alexandria, an eloquent man, <2/!^ mighty in the 
 fcriptures, came to Ephefus. 25 This man was 
 inftrufted in the way of the Lord ; and bein^ fer- 
 vent in the Spirit, he fpake and taught diligently the 
 things of the Lord, knowing only the baptifm of 
 John. 26 And he began to fpeak boldly in the 
 lynagogue : Whom when Acquila and Prifcilla had 
 heard, they took him unto them, and expounded 
 unto him the way of God more perfe6lly. 27 And 
 when he was difpoled to pafs into Achaia, the 
 brethren wrote, exhorting the difciples to receive 
 him ; who, when he w.-'.s come, helped them much 
 which had believed through grace. 28 For he 
 mightily convinced tht; Jews, <?;«/ i/wi publicly, 
 (hewing by the fcriptures that Jcfus was.Chrifl. 
 
 The tirft thing here obfervable, is. How the wifdom of 
 God provided for.the feveral churches, that irt the abfence 
 of one powerful preacher, they werefirpplied with another; 
 when the providence of God called Sr. Paiil fromEphefiis 
 and Corinth, it brought Apollos thithei ; to that what 
 Paul planted, Ai)o!los watered. 'Ihe judicious Calvin, 
 upon the place, pioufly admires the providence of God 
 over his church, in not fuffermg it to be without a fcitled 
 niinifler ; but upon the removal of one, to raife up another. 
 ■2. How admirably qualified Apollos was for the work of 
 the gofptl,and excellently fitted and furniflicdfcr iheplaccs 
 
 hf wa« ciUctJ to, Ephefus and Corinth, famotK for philcr 
 f^iphnrs and oratori'; accordingly he is r. nuii of ravi:' • 
 eloquence, who, hy his profottnvl kno'.vifdjrslo the fj^ 
 fcripiures was liolh apt to teach the fnrh, and ah!e to 
 nain»ain it. Learfi hence, That fti'iptui-e- knowledge i' 
 the choicefl qnalificaiion, and highcll comniendatioa^ of • 
 pofpelminifter ; ^potlis, ttn ei.qutiii r,ien,att!m'i^hly U if c 
 fcriptio-es; Without iV.is, he can never trul/ aul favingly 
 n)ake known and ddcover Jcfus Chrift ; .si.hciJt this ht 
 can never rightly divide the word of truth ; v. i(hout thi» 
 he can never convince gain fayerJ, either gaiiifaycrs i.i 
 opinion, or gain-fayers in pradice ; wlfhout this he can 
 never inflrn(ft the people fully in their duty, nor declare to 
 them the whole counfel of God, OZ/cr u.", 3. rhe great hu- 
 m^liiy of Apollos ; although he was an trjoq i?:it man, .ind 
 mighty in the fcriptures, yet he did not difd,:in farther in- 
 flrnaion. Thoio that are inofl: knowing, if hum'ile, are 
 moft fenfihle of their ignorance. The knowledge of the 
 beft, while they are on this fide heaven, is capable of im- 
 provements. Apollos knew much, yet Aq.iila and Prifcilla 
 farther enlightened him, fo that he knew more. An 
 humble mat" will be content to learn of the nieaneft 
 woman. Thefe poor ten:-m.^kers, Aquila and his \vife 
 Prifcilla, catechize the great Apollos, and add romcthin:rta 
 the treafure of his knowledge 4. The place where Apollos 
 preached ; in the jewifli fynagogue, ver. 26. He began f) 
 fprak boldly in the fynagogue . It was a cnllom among ths 
 Jews to allow a liberty for learned men, though no prieOs, 
 to teach in their fynagognes. 1 hns FanI though of the 
 tribe of Benjamin, and not of the tribe of Levi, was per- 
 mitted to preach in their fynacogues; aswere^d through 
 out this book of the acts. In like manner we find Apollos 
 here preaching in the fynagogue : I^nn itt habens authori- 
 talem fed rdcntiam, fays Eftins : Taking the advantage of 
 that indulgence which the Jews gave him in t'l - 
 
 gogues, to preach, and fpread the doclrine of C c 
 
 Tartly, That this Apollos afterwards bccinie ^) : 
 
 authori'/ed preacher in the church of Corinth, an J 
 
 St. Paul's helper and brorher ; and when he came to 
 Corinth, was fo eminent that he proved the hnad of a fed 
 or faclion : One fa'id, I am '.fPaul, and I of //pJhs : And* 
 here at Ephefus he mightily convinced the Jews, fliewiffg 
 by the fcriptures that Jcfus was^the Chrift. 
 
 CHAP. XLv. 
 
 AND it came to pafs, that while Apollos was 
 at Corinth, Paul having paffed through the 
 upper coafts, came to Ephefus ; and finding certain 
 difciples, 2 He faid untothem,Have ye received the 
 Holy Ghoft fincc ye believed ? And they faid unto 
 him. We have not fo much as heard whether there 
 be any Holy Ghoft. 3 And he fnid unto them. 
 Unto what then were ye baptized ? And (hey faid. 
 Unto John's baptifm. 4 Then faid Paul, John 
 verily baptized with the baptifm of repentance, 
 faying unto the people. That they fhnuld believe on 
 him which fliould come after him, thfit is, on Chrift 
 
 Jefus 
 
4S^ 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS 
 
 Chap 
 
 xrx. 
 
 Jefus. 5 When ihey hcnrd this they were baptized 
 r.Jibc name of the Lord Jefus. 6 And when Paul 
 had l.ud his iiands upon them, the Holy Ghoft came 
 on them, and they Ipake with tongues, and pro- 
 jihchcd. 7 And all the men were about twelve. 
 
 T!»e latter eii.-l nr'rht fr»rt'ii;oingch.iptcr informed us how 
 Api)llos was employed nt Corinth : The beginning of this 
 acqiKiincs us how St. Paul fpent his time at Ephefns. He 
 finds there twtive difciples, he cnrchizes tliem, lays his 
 hands upnn tlicni, and God confers the gifts of the Holy 
 Ghi'ft. Here m !c, i . The qtieftion put by St P;uil to the 
 twelve difcipUs ; Hiive ye received the Holy Chcjt jince ye 
 bel'.ex'ed? He doth not mean in its fanctifying operations, 
 but in its miraculous gif:s; as fpc:ikiiig with tongues, ihe 
 gift of prophecy, and the gift of i)c?ling. t. Thedifciples 
 anfv.er. We have uot fo much as hctird vjhcthtr there he any 
 Holy Ghift ; not ti);u they were ignorant of the clTence or 
 perfon of the Holy Ghoft, but had not heard of the efTu- 
 fion ot the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of the Holy 
 Ghoft; for it was n received opinion among the Jews, that 
 after the deatli of Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi, the 
 Holy Ghoft, or the Ipirit of prophecy, departed from 
 Ifrael : and they never heard that he was returned, or of 
 liii being given anew with his miraculous gifts. % How 
 the apollle fetsihcm right : They tell him they were bap- 
 tized unto Johr.'s bapnfm : The .ipoftle tells them that 
 John'i baptifm and Chrift's were the fame for fubftance, 
 and had both the f.ime end, though they differed in (c.me 
 circuniflances. The difciples of John believed in Chrift 
 to come, thedifciples of Jefus believed inChrift as already 
 come, and svere baptized in that faith ; and the ordinance 
 fealcd unto both the remilTion of fms: Yet it being elTen- 
 tial to Chriftian baptifm, to baptize in the name of the 
 Fa^^, the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft^, thereby pro- 
 fH^jpourfelves to be buried and rifen with Chrift; and 
 J^a s baptifm having not this, when the difciples heard 
 that, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus; 
 thit is, inthe ncme of the F"ather, Son, and Holy Ghoft, 
 whicli is of the effence of Chriftian baptifm. 4. How the 
 apcflle l.ivs his hands upon thefe difciples, to confirm them 
 in the faith they were baptized into; whereupon the mira- 
 culous gifts of the Holy Ghoft wereimmediately conferred 
 on them, and they fpake divers tongUfS, which before they 
 nnderftood not, and were endued with the gift of pro- 
 phefying ; that is, of declaring things to coma, and inter- 
 preting the writings of the prophets, that they might befit 
 to teach and inftru^t others. Hence learn, That, at the 
 firft planting and propagatinff of thegofpel, thewifdomof 
 God thought fit to furiiifii the preachers and difpenfers of 
 it with extraordinary gifts and miraculous powers, to 
 •qualify them for, and to give them alTurance of the fuccefs 
 of their miniftry ; and alio to afTure thofe, whom they 
 ■preached unto, that their doftrine was from heaven. 
 Almighty God never fetting the feal of his omnipotency 
 to a lie. Such miraculous gifts are long fince ceafed in 
 the church, the caufe of them, and occalion for them,' 
 being lung (jnte ceafed. 
 
 8 And he went into the fynagoguc, and Qsake 
 
 boldly for the fpace of three months, difputingand 
 perfuading the things concerning the kingdom of 
 God. 9 But when divers were hardened, and be- 
 lieved not, but fpake evil of that way before the 
 multitude, he departed from them, and ieparatcdthe 
 difciples, difputing daily in the fchool of one Tyran- 
 nus. 10 And all this continued by the (pace of two 
 years; fo that all they which dwelt in Afia, heard 
 the word of the Lord Je(us, both Jews and Greeks. 
 II And God wrought fpccial miracles by the hands 
 of Paul ; 12 So that from his body were brought 
 unto the fick, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the 
 difeafcs departed from them, and the evil fpirits 
 went out of them. 
 
 St. Paul being now come to Ephefus with a defign to 
 flay there for fome confiderable time, as his manner was 
 he enters into the fynagogue, and preaches the gofpeWirft 
 to the Jews, and this tor the fpace of three months , but 
 when, mftead of embracing the goipel,. they opjiofed it, 
 blal'pheming Chrift the author, and the apoitle thedifpen- 
 fcrof ic,and vchemenily contending with him forprejth- 
 ing thegofpel, (which fome conceive he calls his^^/j/m^ 
 •uiithbeujis at EphcJ'ut,i Cor, xv. 32 ) he left the Jews and 
 their fynap.ogue, I'eparating the Chriftians whic/i were-ftt 
 Ephefus from them, \vhom he daily inftrucled in a certain 
 place, cuWed The/cheol of TyraiiruJ, Here note, i.The 
 vthemency of St. Paul's afttdion to his ow n countrymen 
 the people of the Jews, notwithftanding all theoppodtion 
 they made ag'ainft hisdortrine, and the virulent reproaches 
 w iiich they calt upon his perfon ; he continues to preach 
 in their lynagcgue at Ephci'us for three montiis without 
 ceafing, thereby keeping dole to his commillion, which 
 was to preach the golpel to the Jews, and, upon their re- 
 jtc^ion of it, to tender the word of life unto the Gentiles. 
 2. As great an apoftIe,and as faithful a minifter as St. Paul 
 was, yet he wanted to fee the fuccefs of his labours: many 
 of his hearers at Ephefusbelieved not his word, but were 
 hardened under it. The lame fun that foftens the wax, 
 hardens the clay : The fame dofirineof the gofpel becomes 
 the favour of death unto fome, which is the fjvour of life 
 unto others. Wo be uiito that ^leople, who, by their 
 habitual hardnefs, through their actual refifting the im- 
 preflions of God's word, do provoke the Almighty to 
 fuperadd judicial hardnefs of heart unto them, making 
 their fin to become their puniflimeiit. 3. How, upon this 
 oppofition, which St. Paul met with in the Jewifii fyna- 
 gogue, he leaves it, and retires to a more private place, 
 the fchool of Tyrannus, where he had more freedom and 
 Icfs oppofition. /.earn hence, 1 hat fuch places of public 
 worlhip, where nothing but contradiction to the pure 
 chriftian dodrine can be met with, may be lawfully with- 
 drawn from. Theapoftle feparateshimfelf and thedifciples 
 Iroiii the Jev;s fynagogue, where he had p;eachcd three 
 months, meeting only with contradidion to his doftrine, 
 and blafphemy againft his dear Redeemer. 4. How it 
 pleafed Cod to confirm St Paul's miniftry at Ephefus by 
 his working n;JracIes; and tUe luiracies he wrought were 
 
 /pecial. 
 
Chap. xxr. 
 
 The ACT S. 
 
 A97 
 
 Jpcda], that is, very extraordinary, infomiith that even 
 handkerchiefs or aprons having but touciicd St. Paul's 
 body, and ining brought unto the liifcarcd, became a mira- 
 ciih-us means botli to cure difcafcs, and cad out devils. 
 Thus, according to our Saviour'- promifc, his apoHles did 
 gi cater miracle; than himftlf, John xiv. 12. not greater in 
 regard ot the manner, but in regard of the matter of them i 
 Chrifl wrou!;ht miracles in his own name, and by his own 
 power ; but the apofiles wrought thiirs in the name, and 
 by the power ot Chrilt ; yet it ought to be obfervcd and 
 confidercd, that although i: pleafcd God, at the fiift planta- 
 tion of tiie gofpel by the apollles, to confirm Chrillianity 
 by many fpecial miracles, (as new fet plants are well 
 ivatered, till they have taken faft-rootingj yet that church 
 ■which wants miracles, may be a true church: Bccaufe, 
 (i.) There is no promife made in the fcriptnres to the 
 church tor her perpetual enjoying the gift of miracles. 
 That proinife, Mark xvi. 17. Theft ftgns frail fiUow them 
 that bei'uve, &CC. was only a temporary promife. (2.) We 
 are forbidden to exped miracles, John iv. 48. and for- 
 bidden to trull to promifcs without fcripture, or to regard 
 fuch miracles as are wrought to confirm any doflrinc that 
 is contrary to fcripture, Dcut. xiii. 3. bccaufe the miracles 
 of the lail times are declared to be the figns of Aniichrill, 
 2 Thctr. ii. 9, 10. Prom all which, it follows, thattnira- 
 clcs are no infalliablc note of the true church, as the papilVs 
 would make it^ who a!fo produce St. Paul's handkerchief 
 here, and St Peter's fliidow, Afls v. 15. as a wai rant tor 
 their fuperftitious relics ; but the text allures us, it was 
 (3od that wrought th* fpeci.d miracles, not St. Paul, nor 
 his handkerchiefs, but Gtxl by his hjiid. The miracles in 
 the church of Rome, pretended to b.- wroueht by the relics 
 ot taints and martyrs, arc no better t'un 1) ing wonders. 
 
 13 Thencertainofthc vagabonJ Jews, cxorcifts 
 took upon them to call over them which had evil 
 fpiritsthenameof the Lord Jefus, faying,We adjure 
 youby Jcfufiwhom Pai.l preacheth. 14 And there 
 •were feven fons of one Sceva, a Jew, anj chief of 
 .the priefis, which did fo. 15 And the evil {pirit 
 anfwered and faid, Jefus I kmv.v, and Paul I know; 
 bat who are ye ? 16 And the man in whom the 
 evil fpirit was, leapt on them, and overcame them 
 and prevailed againilthem, fo that they fled out of 
 that houfe naked and wounded. 17 And this was 
 knovnto all the Jews and Greeks alio dwellin<r 
 at Ephcfus ; andfcarfell on them all, and the name 
 of the Lord Jefus was ina-nilied. iS And many 
 that believed came and coiifelTed, and ftiewed their 
 deeds, ig Manyaifoof them which ufed curious 
 arts, brought their books to,:;ether, and burned ihem 
 bclore all vicn: and they counted the price of tliem 
 and found it fifty thoufand pieces of lilvcr. 20 So 
 mi.^htiiy grew the word of God, and prevail, d. 
 
 Here objeive, i. That wc read not of any in the Old. 
 Ted-men!, that were b.xliiy poflclled with devils and evil 
 fiiajs: but in the new Te.laincnt, wc meet with manv 
 
 both in our Saviour's f!m<, and alfp in the apofllc?, to the 
 intcHt that the power of Chrilt might more fignally appear 
 in their eje(5lion and calling cut. 2. How feme cf the 
 Jewifli cxorcif>s (like our jugglers) who made it their 
 trade to wander up and down, to get alivelihcod by pre- 
 tending to cure difcafef, and cafl cut devils, feeing what 
 great miracles Paul had wrought in the name of Jefus 
 attcinpted to call a devil out of a pollefled man, by ufing 
 the fame name , though in Jefus they believed not : But 
 Satan was fo far from <bL\ing them, that he made the 
 poirelTtd man fall violently upon them, and wound then!. 
 Thence learn, 1. That Satan fcorns all human attcnipts, 
 as weak and impotent and that he is conquered only uy a 
 divine power. Jr/ia I hou.; bi't v.lo are ye ? Learn, 
 2. That the devil would be gladly God's ape : The Jewij], 
 jugglers would by li! means imitate the apcftlcs in calling 
 out devils : accordingly, they ufe the name of Jefus as a 
 charm; but faying the' fame words with the apoTtles, fig- 
 nificd nothing with out cxercifing the fame faith and gr.nce. 
 Thcfe exorcifls foon found that words wi'.hoiit faith would 
 not work tocaft out devils, and that Chri/t would not give 
 power to his name, when ufed as a charm. 3. That the 
 devil by God's permiflion, has power over thole who pro. 
 fane the name of Chiift : Satan here was too hard for thefc 
 conjurers, he rufhes upon them and mafters them, tears 
 their clothes, wounds their bodies, and had not God re- 
 trained him, had imavoidably deftroycd them. Satan'« 
 malice is inhnite, but his pow'er is limited and boiindtd. 
 Lord, abate his power, (ince his malice cannot be abated! 
 Latlly, How this execution of di\ ine vent;eance wrought 
 wonlerfully for the convidion and ccnverfiun both of Jews 
 and Greek, ver. 18. Many helle^'eJ^ aud came and cirj/cffed 
 iheirfmful deeds. And, as an evidence of their rietellation 
 of their former faults and follies, they make a bonfire of 
 all their magical fco»)ks ; burning fo many of them, as, the 
 learned fay, the price amounted to ei;^ht hundnd poftids. 
 Thus thcfe conjurors evinced themltlves to be rc^^un'I 
 verts, by nltickiiig out their right eye, and cutting rffnllFP* 
 right hand ; that is, facrihcing ihcir bofom and btft bc-*^- 
 loved lult and corruption. Thence /ccrw. That there is 
 no better evidence of the truth of a perfon's converfifih, . 
 than chearfully to part with a very profitable ajid pleaiing^^ 
 
 21 Afterthcfethin:;s were ended, Paul purpofed 
 in the fpirit, when he had palfed through Macedonia 
 and Achaia, to-o to J'.ruialein, fayin^. After I have 
 been there, I mull alfo fee Rome. 22 So he fent 
 into Macedonia, two of them that miniflercd unto 
 him, Timotheus and Eiai'lus ; I'dt he himleif flayed 
 in Afia for a feafon, 23 And the fame lime there 
 arole no fmall flir about that way. 24 For a certain 
 man named Demetrius, a filver-fmith, which made 
 ftlvcT fhrincs for Diana, brou^^ht no fmall yain to 
 the craft fnicn ; 25 VVhoai he called roijethcr with 
 the workmen of like occupation, and laid, Sirs.yc 
 knov.- that by this craft we have cur wealth : 26 
 Moreover, yc fee and hear that not alone at Ephefus 
 3 ^ ' 'but 
 
4-5^ 
 
 The A C T 9. 
 
 Chap. xtx. 
 
 but .ilmoft thionshout a!l Afia, this Paul hath per- 
 fuadcd and turned away much people, faying.That 
 they be no ^^ods which arc made with hands : 87 
 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be fet 
 atnou-ht, but alio that the temple of the great ^od- 
 dcfs Diana fliouldbc dtrpifcd, and hermagnificence 
 fiiould be deflroyed, whom all Afia and the world 
 worlhippcth. 28 And when they hevird ikfe faym^s , 
 they were full of wrath, and cried out,fayingGreat 
 is Diana of the Ephcfians. 29 And the wholccity 
 was filled with confufion : and having caughtGaius 
 and Ariflarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's com- 
 panions in travel, they rulhed withonc accord in- 
 to the theatre. 
 
 Ohjervt here, I. How angry the devil grows at the fiic- 
 
 cefs "t" thegofpcl, mentioned ta the foregoing verfesi there 
 
 wc read how the whole college of diabolical conjurers were 
 
 broi:f;ht over, by the apofllc's preaching at Epheliis, to burn 
 
 their bA'ks andleave their witked courfcof lite. Hereupon 
 
 the devil bcflirs him, and raifes a pcrfcciition againft the 
 
 apolUe. Thofe that will diftiirb Satan in the quiet and 
 
 peaceable noirefiion of his kingdom, fhall be fure to meet 
 
 with trnibic and drfcpiiet from him. Let not any ef the 
 
 faints cl 'God in general, ncr any of ihe taithfiil and zealous 
 
 minincrs of Chrift in .particular, exped any long contin- 
 
 ■uance of their outward tranquility and peace in this world, 
 
 jvhere they are every day up in arms againft Satan, and 
 
 meditating the ruin of him and hi? kingdom ; ior which 
 
 he will certainly feck revenge. 2. The ir.ftruments which 
 
 the devil employs to rsifc the ftorm of perfccution againft 
 
 theapoaic, namely, Demetrius, the fdver-fiT-ith, and hif 
 
 craftfmen ; they lomkingupon St. Paul as one that impaircu 
 
 their profit, and fpciled their trade of making filver ihrines 
 
 tor Dianr.'s icmide, by his crying down the worfhip of 
 
 idols. " But what were thcfe Yiivcr ihrines made for 
 
 Diana's ttmplc?" The ttn-.plc of Di.-)na was at that time 
 
 rue of the feven famous itruftures of the world ; and the 
 
 filver flirincs mads by the fj filver-frniths,_wtre certain 
 
 pioJcls orin'.a:^es of this temple, wherein their idol goddefs 
 
 Dianj w:s ft forih ; which fhrines or portable tcmplcj. all 
 
 the pcoplj of Alia carried about with them, to flir up ihcir 
 
 ewn devcii.r.s towards this idol: So that tliis niiine 
 
 making mull needs be a very gainful trade, v. hen all Afia 
 
 was edJidcd to this fuperltiiion. No wonder then that 
 
 Derrt-rius, upon the fight of the lofs of his gain made an 
 
 liorribie outcry, and fet the city in an uproar : For carnal 
 
 men, whofe gain is their god and their godlinef', account 
 
 thtnifilves undone whrn thtir god Mammon is in danger : 
 
 If )i u Mike avvav their gods, v. hat have they more? Lenni 
 
 hePiCe. That gain-getting and m.iin;;:inirg of men's livcli- 
 
 hrod,are tni;>l!iy temptations to carnal incn, to ufe impious 
 
 mer.n;; for fupporsing fiiperftition and idolatry. Oljent 
 
 •7. The arguments which Demetrius uft-d Xo flir up il e 
 
 people againtt the apoftle ; and ihey are three: (l.) The 
 
 plfa of profit, B^ this craft lOf g<.'t mr gain ; If this man's 
 
 iloclrine obtain, our trade v. ill qui-kiy fall under diigrarc, 
 
 and die. Thii v^as the ;ao»1 cogent, the mofl pungent 
 
 argument that cold be ufcd ; for, though an argument 
 drawn from our own inlerefl is not the moft weighty, yet 
 it is the moft pcrfiiafive. (2.) The pretence of piety ; not 
 only are we like to lofe our livclihriod, but our religion too: 
 Our Codcl.fs Diana will be defpifed, her temple profaned 
 ^lid her vsoilhippcrs fcorned. I'his eafily heated the blood 
 of the rabble, put the multitude mto a ferment, and caufed 
 an liidcnus outcry for two hours together, Criul is Diana 
 of the f.phcftant. (3.) The plea of the antiquity and 
 iiniverfality, and the common confent of all worihippers ; 
 Diana, luhoni all JJia and the ivcrld ivorf/ipped. As if 
 Den Lirius had faid, "What! flisU we fuftcr the temple 
 of Diana to be fet at nought by the preachments»cf this 
 bubbler Paul ; a place fo magnificent for finifture beinj^, 
 fome faj-, one hiuidred, others two hundred and twenty 
 years a-building ; fo lenowncd for the oracles of the god's 
 io magnified tor the image which fell down from Jupiier, 
 fo honoured by the oblations of the Aiiaiic potentates, and 
 crouded devotions of the Ephelians, and admired through- 
 out the whole world .'" Lord ! what danger was the life 
 of the great apolllc jiow in ! how did this popular tumult 
 threaten the prtfeiit defiru(nion of him and his companions 
 Gains and Anfiarchus! Now is fi/ppofcd to be the tim« 
 when the apoftlc fays, Thitt nfter the mariner if men he had 
 fought with icajis at Ephejus ; and this is probably the de- 
 li vi ranee wliieh he gratefully commcinorates in 2Cor.Ji. 
 lo: .IFI)0 hath daivered usframfo great a death, 6ic, 
 
 30 And when Paul would have entered in unto 
 the people, the difciplcs luffered hiui not. 31 And 
 certain of iiic clii<.f ot Aha, wiiich were his friends 
 lent unto him, defiring him, that ho would not ad- 
 vcirturchinifeli into the theatre. 32 Some therefore 
 cried O: thin;; uid iomeanotiitr ; forthe iiffembly 
 wascouiuitd, udthemore part new not wherefore 
 they wci.;conic together. 33 And they drew Ale.x- 
 anderou: of the multitude, the Jews putting him 
 forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand 
 and would httve made his ddfiicc unto the people 
 34 But when they knew that nc was a Jew, all with 
 one voice about the Ip.ice of ttvo hours cried out. 
 Great J5 Duna of the Ephefiafis. 
 
 AW<»her:, I. The undaunted courage of St. Paul in the 
 cai:fe of Cliriit ; he rcfolvjs to ailventure his life, by aoing 
 i-i;othe theatre, there to mak..- on apology forhitnfelf and 
 his c unpanionj, and i 1 ilefcncc of thechriftian religion.: 
 He did not 3>.count hi: lite dear unto him, but was willing 
 not only to be b ninl, but to die for the name of Jcfus. 2 . 
 How the dis ine pio\idcnce is to be admired, and awfidly 
 adored, in dii-cc^li.ng to ways and means for the apullle's 
 prcfervaiioii iu tills time ot imminent <Uuger. God now 
 made ufe of thcad\i.:c, not only of the api file's fall friinds, 
 //(v (^'//iv/.'ifr, but of his foes, that is, certain of the peo, le 
 of Aiij, who were now become his friends, to diiliiaJo 
 hi'^i from g'ang into the theatre, left he fhould have 
 b.en lofn in pieces by an outrageous rabble of infolctit 
 idolaters in thi< unaccoiintanle uproar. It i.- all one with 
 God to fave by ii.any or by few, I y fiiend-s or by foes ; 
 
 fo- 
 
Chap. 
 
 XX, 
 
 Th« 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 493, 
 
 for he can- make enemies become benefaflors at his 
 
 pJc.ifurc, anil command deliverance for his people, fome- 
 timcs wirhoiir means, fomeiimes by wiuk and con^emptibfc 
 mean^J,. fometlmes by improbable and unlikely means, 
 fome'ihies by oppofite and contrary means : Lord, who 
 ■would n')t truft in thee in a lime of imminent or impend- 
 ing damper, who hall all created nauirc at thy bt^k, the 
 Ticarts of all in thy hands, the tongues and banc's of the 
 Hinft unruly and outrageous in thy power ; and wih diliver 
 thine in (ii: troubles, and in feven, and there fhall no evfl 
 touch them ? Tlioii canll and wilt deliver as often as thy 
 children need deliverance. End fave tkcm from evil, even 
 ■when they ire in the midlt of trouble. 3. How the rabble 
 at Ephefus treated Alexander, being in the theatre ; the 
 place where tliey judged offenders, and caft them to the 
 wild beafts : They would not fuftlr him to mske any de- 
 fence for himfclf, or the people of the Jews, This Alex- 
 ander is fiippofed by tnany to be that Alexander, who St. 
 Paul afterwards told Timothy did him much evil ; if Co, 
 we find here, he was firfl: a prcfelyte,. th<.n a profcfibr.next 
 a confclf-ir, alinoiT: a martyr ; yet, after aM, an apollate, 
 making fhipwrtck of the faith ^ for jwliich he was excom- 
 niunicaied bythc .np 'file, i Tim. i. 19, 20. Of whom is 
 tlymeiteus and Alexander, whan I have ddlvtred unto Satan. 
 This excommunica'ion of the apoftle pr(;bably was the 
 provocaiiv^n that (Kcafioned him to do fo much mifchief 
 to the apoftle, of which he complains, 2 Tim. fv. 14. 
 Alexander the ccpperjmitb did me much evil ; of whom Se 
 thou aware alfo. Leant thence, I. That it was pofTible 
 for a fijlorious profelfor to turn a furious perfeciitor. This 
 Alexander did not only wilhlLnd the apoftlc's perfon, but 
 his d'liftrine alfo ; for which bcintr excommunicated, he 
 fought revenge. 2. That excommunication not only angers 
 but enrages wicked and impenitent men ; fo tliat inftead of 
 being reformed, they fcek revenge : Yet mufl the cenfures 
 of the church be executed and inflifted, with out either fear 
 or favour. 
 
 35 And when the town clerk had appeafed the 
 pc-ople, he faid, Tf men of Ephefus, what man is 
 there that knoweth not how that the city of the E- 
 phefiansisa worfliippcr of t'le great yoddefs Di ina, 
 and of the irtuige which fell down from jiipitcr ? 
 
 36 Seeing then that thefe things cannot be fpokcn 
 againfl, ye ou^^ht to be quiet, and do nothing raihiy, 
 
 37 For ye have brought hither thefe men, which 
 are neither robbers of chuchcs, nor yet blafpheiners 
 of your goddefs. 38 Wherefore if Demetrius and 
 the craftsmen which are with him have a tnatter 
 againft any man, the law is opi-rr, and there are 
 deputies ; let them implead one another. 39 But 
 if ye inquire any thing cone ;rning other matters it 
 fli ill be determined in a lawful ilfembly. jo For we 
 are in danger to be called in quclliun for this day's 
 uproar, there bcin^,' no caufc whereby we may give 
 an account of this concourfc. 41 And when he had 
 thus fpoken, he difmid'cd the .iireinbly. 
 
 Ae/tf here, i. The iiulrumcnt which God flirs up to 
 
 flcm the tide and flo^ the ftream of this hair brained 
 
 allcnV ly ; snd that is, the town elerk : who was ah 
 
 P ' 
 a<: 
 
 ways 
 
 pie fen- .It their pi.blic meetings, and rcgiftcrcd all their city 
 adts. riis picftnce and eloquence God made ufe of, to 
 appeafc tl'i.-. tumult, to prcferve the apoflle, and to difmifs 
 the a(ien:bly. 2. The town-clerk's oration was full of 
 craft and policy, fraud and fallacy 4 for he tells the multi- 
 tude, that St. Paul and his friends are againn images only 
 that are made v.ith hands 4 whereas theirs was not fijch, 
 but one that fell df.wn from Jupiter, ft was his duty, by 
 (.ffice, ro appcafe the rabble's rage, wi'h resfnn znd autho- 
 rity ; he ought not to have done it falhiioufly.. Eut ve 
 n ift confii.er ke was a Pagan, and his dcf^gn was only to 
 Aill the pei.ple ; accordingly, he encourages the credulous 
 multitude tobJiive, what the crafty pritfis had Inflnuated 
 into ihem, that the iir.age which they worfhipped was not 
 made with hands, but fell imm.ediatciv down from hciven • 
 hoping thereby to gain more venera'ir.n to their idoN, and 
 get more pounds into their own puifcs. Thus Gcd made- 
 ufe of the worldly and ffomewhat) wicked tloouence of 
 this heathen to preferve S'. Paul. 3. How God miens the 
 mouth of this man to vindicate the apolHc's innocency 
 and his companions alfo. Thefe men, faith he, are neither 
 robbers of churches, not yet hlafpherners of yuir godJefs It 
 is very likely, that the ap-ftles and the chrittians in Ephefus 
 had in wifdoin alfcrled Chiinijnity, without faying, much 
 againftDiafia, wlii^h would but have enraged the multi- 
 tude : much le-fs did they offer any violence, either to her 
 temple or her image. Here note. That although theapoilics 
 were great enemies to thefe men's idolatry, yet did they 
 offer no outuard violence to their idtl-temples, neither to 
 demolifli ili.m, or deface any image in them : They well 
 knew thai fuch a work of public reformation was not thci- 
 bulmels, but the magiftratcs ; therefore they endeavoured 
 by preaching to call idols out of the people's hearts, but 
 not by violence to throw them out of the temple. Thus 
 ends this chapter, with the account of St. Paul's marvellous 
 if not miracidous prefervation at the city of Ephefus,whcre 
 being furrounded with difScuhies and dangers on all hands 
 yet being found in the way of his duty, and in the work of 
 his Mafter, he ' fcapesall perils. Safety evermore accom. 
 panics duty ; "When we are in God's way, we are under 
 God's wing; preftrvation and protefli m we fh. II have 
 it God may tliereby be more glorified ; but fometimes 
 danger is better than fifety ; a florm more ufeful than a 
 calm: And blelfcd be God for the aifurancc of his promife 
 tl-at all things, be they mercies or affliaions, comforts or 
 corredtion, dangers or deliverances, life or death, all /hall 
 work together for good to them that love G<Kf, and are found 
 fiedtaft in their obedience to him, Rom. viii. 28. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 AND after the fupper was ceaftd, Paul called 
 unto him the dilciples, and embraced thtm, 
 and departed for to go into Macedonia. 2 And 
 when he had gone over thofe parts, and had given 
 them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 6 
 and there abode three months, And when the Jews 
 3^2 laid 
 
goo 
 
 The 
 
 A d T ff. 
 
 CHAf. XT. 
 
 laid wnit for Iiim fts he ^\'2s at)Ouf to f.iil into Syria, 
 he pmpofcd to return through Miccdonid. 4And 
 then: accompanied him into \fia, Sopatcr of H rea; 
 ancl<,'f tbeTiiciralonians.Arifl'irchiis and Secundus 
 and Gains of Dcrbe, and Timotheus : and of Afia. 
 Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 Thtfe goiti^j before 
 tarried for us at Troas. 
 
 Theforccoing chapter ncmiaints uswiih a very great and 
 imminent danger, vliich tneai(<fllc cfcapcd ut r phtfii';, 
 where he had like to have been lorn in pieces by llioi'e 
 Iiesthciiilh idolators ; which gavt him ocdlioii to fay, i 
 Cor. XV. 31. That after the manutr cf men /e kiid fought 
 with teaOs at EpJicjUs. In this chapter we find, that tlie 
 sipollle jicldinj; to tlte fury of iiis perfecutors, prndiniiy 
 Avithdraws from Ephcfiis into Macedonia ; yet ni)t fo much 
 for Iiis own fifcty (tor he was willing to die Chrifl's Lcri- 
 ■ficc, if he might live no longer Chrift's ftrvant) as (or the 
 church's future advantage, that the difciples in Ephefus 
 might be no farilier pcrfccuted upon his account. Hence 
 ifarn. That the minifters of the gofpel may depart from a 
 place and people, ■where their minlUry has been very fuc- 
 cef^flll when driven from thence by tiie fury of pcrfccution: 
 Thus St. Paul here obeyed the coininand ot Chiilt clfc- 
 Avhcre : ff^i.-cn t'.cy f erf f cute you in one cilyfise to and her. 
 Matt. X. 23. Note, 2. Thfrtigh St. Paid withdrew from 
 ICphefus, to allay the fury of pcrfecution there ; yet he left 
 Timothy behind, to conhnn and comfort the difciples, as 
 his fubltimte, and to ftrengthen them in the faith of the 
 vcfpcl, I Tim. i. 3. I lef ought thee to abide ftitl at Epkefut 
 «c. 3. The aportle no Iwjner efcapes the fury ot the 
 heathens at Ephefus,, but he is in tiani^er ofhislifeat 
 Macedonia by his own coanti ymen the Jews, ver. 3. The 
 Jews hid tvaitfor him : Well might the apodle (ay, he 
 ■was in deaths often, in fenh of robbers, in perils in the city^ 
 &c. 2 Cor. x.i. 26. The wicked Jews, when they could 
 Jlot p,-cvail againfl St. Paid by optn torce, contrive his ruia 
 by (ecret treachery ; but God g.ive liiin knowledge of their 
 deligns, and he avoideth themj by t\iriiing another way. 
 Thence learn. That it is high prefumption, and a hold 
 tempting of God to run headlong upon evident and im- 
 tninent dangers ; and not to improve all lawful means 
 >ve can to prevent and decline them : To truft to means, 
 is to nej,'lttl God J but to n«gk<3: the means for our owr» 
 j^rtfcrvaiion, is to tempt God. Note, St. PauF would not 
 tempt God by running into any prob.:ble dangers, tiiotigh 
 Iiis caufe was never fo good. 4. The perlbns are men- 
 tioned by name, who accompanied the apoflle, and ad- 
 Ininlftered unto him ; to wit, Sopater, Ariltarchus, and 
 Secundus, G:iius and Timotiieus, Tychicus and Tr> phi- 
 mus ; thefe accompanied the apoflle, not out of Hate, but 
 for ncccffary I'ervice: To which may be :idded St. I.uke ; 
 i)ur, being the penman ot il!isbo<-k, he declines mcniion- 
 ing himfcif by name, though his praife v\ill be fur ever in 
 thegi'fptl, and cccltllal'ical ft'iry.' 
 
 6 9 And we failed fioin Philippi after tlie 
 days of unieavcn-ji brji 1, aril cirno unto thenri to 
 Troas in five days, where wc abode (even day-., y 
 
 And upon the firft iaf of the wcetc,whcn the dif- 
 ciples came to.;cther to break bread. Paul preaclied 
 unto them, ready to depart on the morrow ; and 
 continued his fpjcch until midnight. 8 And ther* 
 were many li.,hts in the upper chamber where thejr- 
 werc gathered together. 9 And there fat in a win- 
 dow a certain young mart named Euiychus, being 
 fallen into a deep (hep : and as Paul was \o\-i^ 
 preaching, ho funk down with flecp. and fell down 
 from the third loft, and was taken un dead. 10 
 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embrac- 
 ing him, faid, Trouble not )ourfelvcs : for his lifei^ 
 \x\ him. 1 1 Wheir he therefore was come up agaia 
 and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked along 
 while, even till break of day, fo he departed, la 
 And they brought tlie young man alive, and wero 
 not a little comforted. 
 
 The next journey of P.tuI is from Macedonia in Greece,, 
 to Troas in Afia, where he abode fcvtn ('ays. During his. 
 ftay here, feveral things are to be remarked and obferved. 
 Ao.'f here, 1. How this great apoflle became all things to 
 all men, though he would not become fin to any man ; To 
 the Ji-MS he became as a Jew, for he rtayed his journey all 
 the fevcn days of the Jewifh palFover's folen-nity, and 
 would not fct forth to travel at that time, bccaufe he would 
 not offend the weak Jews ; accordingly he failed not from 
 Philippi till after the days of un'eGvened bresd. Thus St. 
 Paul did comply with the Jcwilh ri'cs, which thovghdead' 
 by the death of Chrifb, yet were.'\ot buried : and therefore 
 his compliance was not finfnl, but n-anaged wi;li defigu tn 
 gain the Jews. 2. That the change ot the fibbath from 
 the feventh to the firft day of the week, wss of ripoflolical 
 obfcrvation now, as it was before ot Chri'f's inltitution. . 
 On this day the Lord trofe ; on, this day fie apoWlts mef,^ 
 and Chrifl hsnauredt- emiuith his prefence, John XX. on this 
 day the co'deiiion for the poor fbiitls was wadt, \ Gor. xn. 2. 
 Now, this neceirariiy infers the sibrogationnf the Saturday - 
 fabbath : For fix days they were commanded to labour; 
 and if they rtftcd flu.- fcventh day and firll day too, they 
 \iolatcd the law of God, which \se cannot luppofe rhcyr 
 did: And confcqucn'ly theapofllesand pritriitive Chrifliarls 
 obferved thcfirftday ofihewetkin remembraticeot the woik 
 of creation. Offerve 3, The fervent zeil and uri- 
 wearied jiiligefice of the great apoftle for the fouls of 
 men; and alfo the patience and con pbccncy with which 
 his atidi'ors attended upon his fcrmon at this tiinc ; Paul 
 preached till tr.idnlght, ver. 7. Avery U ng fcrncn upon. 
 a particular occalion is neither unfci iptural, nor imapollo- 
 lical. We do not find that cither the apcftle was weary, 
 or the auditory dro".\ fy at the dead time of the night ; their 
 wakettdncfs at midnight tmdcr a fermon coix'cmns our • 
 flci |.it;efs at mid d..y. 4. The pious ;.iid priukuiial care 
 which the apolUe and his hearers t( ok, th:;t their rij;ht- 
 r;,c'.-iing fliruid not (..11 under r.ny cnltiii py, or thiii itlvcs 
 reproached, for dcio^any thi.og indeceiitly in the dead of. 
 
 \ 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 .'iot 
 
 tl>e night; to prcvrnf tkis tV.c cigliih verfe informs ii?, that 
 thej[e werf mnny light < /» t'.e upper chamber, tvhcre they loere 
 gxtthererl t'.^ethfr; cxpolnc: thcmfclvcs, .-rid wliat tbcv did, 
 ti>tho vic-w of an. R-li^ioiis meetings in the night f-jufon 
 a'r; mr'nnlv I.iwftil in'imcs of p'rfccmion, but ncceiTary : 
 Yet a fpecial cnrc oiutht to be tiktn to nv iJ sW occafion 
 of calii'Tinv, that the le.tfl fiifpicion nn.iy not arifc concern- 
 ing the n'M'-fty and Iiolin^fs of thofc that do aflbniMc at 
 fiilh iinfeifonable times. 5. What a warning the Hcil-y 
 Ghnd here leaves iip;>n record,, for fiich as fleep imder the 
 preachinnof the wf)r(l ; EiHyohiis, vvhen a'lcep under St. 
 Piiil's Icnc; fcrm^n, falls down from the third loft, and is 
 takf n up dead. Hv-rc ««/<■, The time when he was over- 
 taken with lle:"p ; not at imn-cLiy, but at midniiiht; and 
 it was not a fcrmon of an h'Mtr lonjj;, that he fell afleep 
 under ; but after St. P.tul had preached f.-veral lioiirs : This 
 is not the cifc of our common fermon-fiecpers, who at 
 noon-day flecp under the word ; my, fettle anil compofe 
 themfflv-'^ to d'-ep, and do what tiiey can to invite deep to 
 them. What if, witii E'lfrchus, any of them fail down 
 dead? Here is no Paul 'o raife tltem up , or, what if this 
 wretched contempt of the word provoke God to fay. Sleep 
 on, till heil fi'.mes awake you? 6. Eutychus is raifed 
 to life by a miracidoiis pnwer coinmunicated to St. Paid, 
 which was a matter of great confola'ion to t!»e fpiriis, and 
 great confirmation to the fai"h of the dir;.ip]rs, ver. 12. 
 They brought tie yvmg man r.Uve, and ivtre not a little cni- 
 forted; not onlv for the vounsr man's fake, bur efpeciallv 
 for th-;ir own fakes ; for hcrtby Giid gave a cnnvincin- tef- 
 timonv to the word of hisprace; Go! did bear wiiiiefs to 
 it, and many were crnfirmed iii the belief of it. 
 
 1 3 And he went before to fhip. and failed unto 
 Affbs, there intending to take in Paul : for fo had 
 he appointed, mindinn himfc'f to ^o a-foot. 14 
 And when he met with us at AlTos. tve took him 
 in, andcame toMitylene. 15 And we failed thence, 
 and came the next day over againfl Chios. And 
 the next day we arrived at Samo.s, and tarried at 
 Tro^vlliiitn. And the next day\iz came to Miletus. 
 16 For Paul had determined to fail by Ephefiis, 
 becaufe he would not fpcnd the time in Afia ; for 
 he haded, if it were polTib'e for him, to be at Jp- 
 rufalem at the day of Pcntccoft. 
 
 Here an account is given of feveral travelsof the rpoftle, 
 namely, froin Troas to A(T<i.«, from thence to Mi.ylcnc, 
 next day to Snmos, tht-n to TroEryllinm, ?nd the day fol- 
 lowing fo Miletus, pafllngby, and' not touching Et Fphefrs; 
 lor the apoAle having an earneft dcHre to he at Jerufalem 
 at the feail of Pen'ccoft, f 1 that he inight i 1 that concourfe 
 have a larger opportum'ty of fpreading the gofpcj, he wniiiJ 
 rot now call at Ephefn.^ lell he (hoiild be de!:;ined too 
 J'jJii by the brethren there. From the whole, note, i. The 
 iiidct.vigable diligence of this great spoflle, rud his im- 
 tvcar'-ed ii).h.(lry I'lj the fervice of the fofpcl ; bow he 
 trav.ls from p Fee to pV,ce, Pnd here from' Troas to Affos, 
 on. f >o: all alone by Lnd : Hl; did not affcd to ride v. ilh a 
 
 pompo»:s train and retinue, hut he p:oespn foot, cxpefling 
 to meet with moreopporftmiiy of fowing the feed cf tlws 
 gofpeJ as he palfed through towns and villages by bod, 
 among ihcfc he converfcd with : So intent was this holy 
 m.m up'^n the work of v\'inning fouls; whereas hsd he.- 
 travelled by (e.?, this opportunity h.ifl been lofl. An happy 
 example for all the ministers of Chrift, to prefer an oppor- 
 tunity of doing good to the finds of oihtrs, hclorc their 
 own eafe or profit. 2. The true reafon whv St. Paid was 
 fo very dcfirotis to be at Jorufalcm at the fcafl of Pentecoft, 
 not that he placed any religion in obferxing this abrogated 
 fcaft, but becatife tl-*t vaft concourfe cf people at hich 
 times would give him a fairer opportunity to glorify Chrift, 
 and to propagate ihc gofpcl : 'Fliis made him fo dtfirous 
 to get to Jeriifalem by the feaft of Pentccoft. Zt'^m thence, 
 That the ininifters of Chrift, wiihout the imputation of 
 vain-glory, or feeking pojjular npplanfe, may w.irrantab!y 
 dcfire, and occafionally lay liolil upon an opportunity of 
 dilprrfing the word to a numerous auditory, in hopes that. 
 Carting the net of the gofpel ainong a many, they may in- 
 clofe fome. 
 
 17 5 And from Miletus he fent to Ephcfus, and- 
 called the elders of the church. 18 And ivhen they 
 were come to him, he faid unio them, Ye know, 
 from the firft day that I came into Afia, after what 
 manner I have been with )'ou at all feafons, \(y 
 Serving the Lord with all humilitv of mind, and 
 v.-ith masy tears and temptations, wliich bcfel me 
 by the Iving in wait of the Jews : 20 Ayxd how I 
 kept back nothing that v,tas profit.-^blc unlo you, 
 but have fhewed you, and have tau^..;ht you public- 
 ]y. and from honfe to houfe : 21 Teflifyin.^ both 
 to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks, repentance 
 toward God, and faith toward cur Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 The foresioing verfcs rcquainted i!s, how very intent St. 
 Pal 1 wa.s upon his jotirrey to Jeriifalem, at the feaft of 
 Pon'ecoft, he hoping then and ihcre to have a prrcir^us op- 
 portunity for preaching Jcfiis Chrift, and him crucifieil, to 
 hi? countrymen the Jews: Now left heftioidil he hindered 
 in his expedition, he determines to flip by Ephefiis, without 
 touching there ; but could not fariffy himfrlf- without fee- 
 ins; of, and fp;-aking to, the r.iiniftcrs of Ephefus, whoiTi 
 for that pnrpofe he finds for to Miletu.f, and there, in a 
 gr.-ive and pious difcourie, which warmed their hearts, and 
 melted them into tears, he fakrs his farewcl of them. 
 Fere note, i. That St. Paul fpcaks much in his own ^ia- 
 dication, hut nothing by v^'ay of oftentaiion: A' minrfter, 
 when he is leaving a pe"pl^, may modcftly cnr.ugh fay 
 fomttliintj in his own vindication ; for thfre are cr.ci.jjh, 
 as focn a.s hi.-^ back is turned, \\ ill fav more than \i tnre by 
 way of acctifation. ■ 2. That when the apoflle here fpesks 
 much that locks like fclf-cordtmraiion, it is rather tp 
 prnpntind hinfclf as a- n.irrer for gofpel-minifle rs, ind a 
 pattern fi^r all pious paftors, that wherever they K'ave theif' 
 pe'^] le, ih'.y m.iy gooffwiih a clear ccnfcicnce, .ind be able 
 to rppcal to the C(<nfcicnccs of their people, as touching 
 thtir taniagc and ccnverfatiun among thtm. 3. The 
 
 ftveral 
 
£02 
 
 Tl 
 
 le 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 CHAf. XX, 
 
 fevcral particular inftanccs of his miniilerial faiilifiilncfs : 
 I. He iiiftnnces in his own humility ; though he was hifty 
 in hjc ininiftrv, yet was he h wly in his ininoJ : Hf f(rved 
 ll:i L'jfd wthnll humiitly if mind. The better any man 
 is, tile lower thoughts he has of hiinfelf. Almiqhiy God 
 renders that man niofl honourahle, that miniflcr nioft fer- 
 viceable, whom he finds mofl humble. 2. In his affjc- 
 tionatenefs in preaching 'ht cofpel: he mint^lrs tenrs with 
 his exhortation, Serxlng the Lord with all hnmlily of mind, 
 and ivith mar.y tears. 3. In his conRancy in preachinc; 
 and private infpeiSion./f/W/f/y in the fynagogucs, and pri- 
 Vnteiy from hcuje to hoiife, like a good Hicpherd, I..b;)urint< 
 tounderliand the (late of his whole fl\k, and of every 
 lamb in it, that no fo-il might iniftarry ihrou<>;h his necle^l, 
 for « I'.ich the great and pood Shepherd died. 4. He ac- 
 quaints ihem, not only ^^il!l the manner, but alfo with the 
 matter of his preaching ; namely, Repeiranre tcwnrds G:d, 
 ur.d faith in our Lord fffn Chriji : Which two graces 
 cotTHprehcnd the fum of a chriftian's duty. Minifters^niuft 
 join thefe two together in their preaching, and our hearers 
 miifl not feparate them in their practice. They who re- 
 pent without believing, or believe without repeating, do in- 
 deed do neiilicr. 
 
 22 And now behold, I go bound in the Spirit 
 unto Jerufalcm, not knowing the things that fhall 
 befal me there : 23 Save that the Holy Ghoft wit- 
 neiftth in every city, faying, that bonds and afflic- 
 tions abide me. 24 But none of thefe thing.s move 
 me, neither count I my life dear unto myfelf, fo 
 that I might finifh my coiirfe with jov, and the mi- 
 niflry which I have received of the Loid Jefus, to 
 teftify the gofpel of the grace of God. 25 And 
 now behold, I know that ye all, among whom I 
 have gone preaching the kingdom of God, fliall 
 fee my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you 
 to record this day, that I am puie from the blood 
 of all men. 27 For I have not fhunned to declare 
 •unlo you all the counfel of God. 
 
 \^trc the apofde procc-cds not to br«fl of himfelf, but fo 
 clear himfelf of any charge or furmife of minifierial mif- 
 carriagcs, and alfo to propound hiinfcif as a pattern of 
 niiniiterial faithlulnefb to the elders of the church at Ephe- 
 fus: Atid here again, (i.) Our apofMe inftances in his holy 
 and heroic refoluiion and a£iiv!ty for G(;dj / knew that 
 binds and affti^ions nhide mt: ncvertfelefs, I go bound in lf:i 
 Spirit to jfrrijuUm, and nothing moves me. A% if he had 
 iaid, " I am fully refolved, by the grace of Gf>d enabling, 
 that nothing fhall divert me from my duty, neither deter- 
 ing fear, nor deluding favour of men, fliall ever affeft nie ; 
 but I will go out, andg» on in the flrcngth of Chrift, run- 
 ning my race with paticnce» and finifbing my courfe with 
 joy." Hence lenm, 1. That the apprchenfion of fufter- 
 ings iniiftnot fhake the rtfiilution ot a Chriftian, much lefs 
 daunt tlic courage of a gofpel- miniflcr, vt-r. 24. hone of 
 Ihtf' tiii^gs move me. The true iriini(lcri;il courage deli; hts 
 in the air of that danger where duty dwells, and will neither 
 ic beaten off from doing au incumbent duty, nor be beaten 
 
 on to a compliance with any known fin. 2. That the 
 n;iiii(lers of Chrift fhould endeavour, not onlv to finifh 
 their ininiflry and courfe of chriflianiiy with faithfi.lnefs^ 
 but with joy ; and, that they may do f(i, let them fee thst 
 they give irp 'hr-mfelves wholly to the fervice of Chrifl,, 
 wi'houf reliri'fir nor refcrve, and live Jaily by faith on the 
 media'!. >n of the Lord Jefns Cbrifl. Here was fuch a maf- 
 culinc ffirit in otrr apoflte, as bid <lefiance to death and' 
 d:inL'er; and the arginncnt that exci'ed him was, that he- 
 ini.ht fiuifli his courfe with joy. Next, the?poftlc declares 
 his impariiatl'v in preaching the gofpel, ver^ 27. I ht.ve not 
 fhunned to declare unit you all the caunjcl of Cod. Where. 
 note, He doth not fuy he had declared the whole counfel of 
 Gud, for who but God himfelf can do that ? Eut he had' 
 not thimned to declare the whole counfel of God ; that is,. 
 he had not concealed from them any truth nectfTary to 
 falvation; and this freed him from 'he blood of fouls; if 
 any perifhcd, it was not long of him, but their blo<xl was 
 upon themfelvrs. 1 1 ah you to record this dry, the! I am 
 pure from the blood of all men: It is happy when the nii- 
 nifiers of G 'dean appeal to the confciences of their people, 
 and fiimmon them in as witnefles to bear record for them 
 at the bar of Chrifl. Laflly, the apolHe tells thcro, they 
 Were \\c\et\\kf:tofeehiffaceagr.in\ a cutting, killing wojld !' 
 How would it fire the zeal of niiniflers, find inflame the 
 affcflions of a people, did they rcmen.her that in a fhorr 
 tiine they mufl fee the faces, and hear the voices of each 
 other upon earth no more ? Lord, what fervent pravcr for,, 
 what yearning of bowels toward periihing finners would be 
 foimd with us ! what zeal for their converfion, what en- 
 deavours for their falvation, did we believe that the grava 
 was iriaking ready to receive us! how fhoidd we louden' 
 our cry to God, and how fulfil our truft to man, did we 
 confider our grave and coffin are at hand! Our glafs has 
 but a little fund; now we are-preaching, but anon it will 
 be fiiil of us, we : re gone ; j^nd nrw, behold, I Incw that 
 ye all, among whom I have gone pt caching, Jhall fee my face tu- 
 rn ore. 
 
 28 Take heed therefore unto yourfelves, and to 
 all the flock over the which the Holy Ghofl hath, 
 made you overfecis, to feed the church of God, 
 which he hath purchafed with his own blood. 29. 
 For I know this, that after my departing, fliall 
 grievous wolves enter in among you, not Iparinjr 
 the flock. 30 Alio of your own felves fliall men 
 arile. fpeaking perverfc things, to draw av/ay difci- 
 ples after them. 3 1 Therefore watch, and remem- 
 ber that by the fpace of three years I ceafed not to» 
 warn every one night and cby with tears^ 
 
 The blefled apcflle having, in the former part of his 
 farewell fernion to the elders of Ephefus, vindicated hi^own 
 fiiiccriiy anicng thim, both as to hisdc^flrine and piaflicc, 
 and cleared himfelf by clofc addrefTes and fniart ajipeals to 
 their confciences : He now urges them in a rouzing and 
 heart-melting exhoriaticn to the utmofl care anJ diligence 
 in the exereifc of their pafioral charge ^ sndt.. t:ke heed 
 to thcnifelvcs and the flock, to the whole flock which 
 
 Chrilt 
 
HAP. XX. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 503 
 
 Chrift had piirchafcd with his blood, and the Holy Ghofl 
 had committed to (heir care; ver. 28. Taie heed to yotir- 
 ftlves, aitd to all the fl-jck,i^c. Here note, A twofold duty, 
 and a threefold motive to inforce that duty : The firft duty 
 is to take heed to themfelves: the fcconci is to take heed 
 to all the flock. The firft part of a minifter's duty is to take 
 heed to himfelf : Committee anltnam dUigent'ibiis fiJam, fays 
 St. Bernard .- He that ne^lodts his own foul, will never tike 
 a faithful care of the fouls of others. Wc muft firft look 
 to ourfclves, that our judo;mrnfs be found, our hearts 
 holy, and our lives exemplary: We muft take heed tooiir- 
 fc-ives, that ve be fit for the employment which we under- 
 take; that is not a burden for a child's fiiouldf-r; he that 
 is himfelf a babe in knowledge, is nhogcther unfit to teach 
 men the myfteries of falvanon. Take we heed that otir 
 example doth not contradifl our dnftrine, that our prac- 
 tice doth not give our profcfilon the lie: That we do as 
 well as tcich : Not preach angelical fermons, and lead dia- 
 bolicrj lives; but f^^uring that tjrace to ourfelves which wc 
 offer tmto others, and fnunningthat fin ourfelves which we 
 condeinn in others: And this, becanfe we have a depraved 
 nature and vicious inclinations in us, as well as others ; be- 
 caufe we have heaven to win, and a foul to be fav-d as well as 
 others-; yea when others have only thcirnwn fouls to account 
 for, we have not only our own, but others too ; becaufe 
 cur fins dj more dilhoiiour to God, dlfcredlt religion, more 
 graufy the devil, more harden finners, and have more of 
 wiltulnefs in them, more perfidioufnefs in them, and rrore 
 hypocrify in them, 'ban other men's: And we fhall cer- 
 tainly bs at'judi^td by God to a double damnation for 
 them. Well therefore rtiight the apodle fay to the Knhe- 
 fian • I.lers, Tnhe heed unto fourjthes: next lie add«, and to 
 ihefi^i}.. That is, with a conftant care and Ir.boriotis 
 diliience acquaint them with their duty, inform thim of 
 the- danger, fliew them v. here '.heir happinefs lies, and the 
 wa- and means for attaining of it: And, in order to this, 
 all the fl:ck muft be \nnvn. t!iat it may be heeded, and we 
 muff labour to be acquainted with the ftste of all oi!r 
 people as fully as we can ; we muf>, as the aportle did before 
 us, vilit our people from honfe to houfe,that we may know 
 their perfons, know their inclinations, and know the n'anncr 
 of their converfation ; what fins they are ir.oR in danger of, 
 •what temptations mod iiible to, and what duties they neg- 
 Icift, cither for the matter or manner of tbrm ; and give 
 them the beft encoura'/ement, diredlion', and ailiftance ive 
 are able. This is the Aim of the apoiilc's exhortation to 
 the elders of Ephefii': ; Tnh heed 'uni yvrf elves and unio all 
 the Ji'yck. The rr.otives to enforce the duty, follow : 
 and they are, t. Drawn from their offiie, xhvw ^tc overfr rrs 
 of the flock ; that is, officers appointed by fi)lemn ordins- 
 tjon to teach, to guide, to govern the churches comiTMtttd 
 to their care, and under their chargfi. 2. From the 
 a>itiiority and excellency of him that "called them to their 
 fWliJc, the Haty Ghijl. We rcail of fome that were nomi- 
 rwted by the fpi-cisl :md immediafe inftind of the H-lv 
 Gholf, as Alls i. 24. and xiii. 2. Others were ordain.d by 
 the apofUcs, who were ghiilt-d by the Holy Ghoit then ; 
 and V. hocvcr is fet apart to that office now, according to 
 the rule of God's word, may truly be f^id to be made rn 
 ew//rrhy the Holy Ghofl ^ Alaiighty Grd concurring to 
 own ani blefs his own iallitution. 3. froiii LJic licar 
 
 purchafe which Chrift paid for, and the tender regard he 
 bears to, this his flock: Feed the church of God, which ht 
 hnlh piirchajed with his hljod. Where objervc, The divinity 
 of Chrift, he is exprefsly called God, in oppofition to the 
 Arians, and their tmhappy fpawn the Socinians, who will 
 allow him to be only man: but then his blood cctild never 
 have piirchafcd the church, which it is here faid to do ; 
 being God and man in one perfon ; man, th«t he might 
 have blood to (bed ; and God, that his blood might be of 
 infinite vnlnc, anil ineftimabie prccioufnefs when fited. Note 
 alfo, the force of the apofile's argument ; "If the church 
 be thus dear to Chrifi, the Chief Shepherd, (be ought to 
 he very dear to all under fliepherds : If Chrift judged her' 
 falvation worth his blood, well may his minlflcrs judge it 
 worth their fweat." 4. From the danger which the church 
 is in by feducers and falfe teachers, vcr. 29. Grievous 
 wolves will enter, not fparing the flock ; and even from 
 ainong yourfelves fhall arife heretics, who will vf nt their 
 nnfoum) dncliiinos to debauch men, firft in their principles, 
 and then in their pradtices: Therefore taie heed t: all the 
 fii'h. Now fro.Ti the whole, n-.le, I. Thechtircb is Chrift's 
 flock, confiHtng of fhecp and lambs ; Chriil himfelf is the 
 great and good Shepherd ; bis n.iiniftcrs under (hepherds 
 and over-feers; bloody pcrfecutors, heretical fed«icers, and 
 falfo teachers, are wolves which worry and di\ide the flock. 
 2. That every flock fhould have its own pallor, and every 
 paflor his own flock. 3. That the flock (bould be no 
 greater ordinarily, than the overfeers arc capable of taking 
 heed of. 4. That every overfccr ot Chrill's flock on^Tht 
 to take great heed, both to himfelf and the whole flock, in 
 all the parts of his pafloral work, particulai ly, public preach- 
 ing, and private infpeftion. 
 
 32 And now. brethren, I commend you to God, 
 and to the word of his ^race, which is able to build 
 you up, and to give you r.n inheritance among all 
 them which are lanftilicd. 
 
 Here the apoftle takes a very folemn farewel of the elders 
 of the church at Ephefiis, commending thcin to the guid- 
 ance and protedlion of the grace of God, which v\as 
 able to build them up in hollnefs here, and bring them to 
 heaven hereaf;er. Where n^.V, i. His courteous compel- 
 lation, and therein !iis great condcfcenfion. Although he 
 was an apoflle of tiie highcft eminenc)', yet he difdains not 
 to call thefe elder?, who were both in office, and alfo in " 
 gifts and graces much inferior to him, bv the name of 
 brethren. And viw brethren, fays the apollle to the elders 
 of Ephefus : But probably together with the elders of 
 Fpliefus, here were fome of the church and people of 
 Fphofus, who cnmc to take their lafl leave of their depart- 
 ing apoflle; riul then we may remark, that there is a near 
 relatioR, even that of brc'hrcn, betv\een inii.iilers and 
 people, as v\ (.11 as betwttn tlie . irjnii'ers ihcmf<.lves, and. 
 t'his foiuidcd upon the accnnit of religion and gr:!cc. 2. 
 The apoUle being now to take his la (t leive and farewcf 
 of tbe ir.iuirtcrs and people at Ephefns, he comrr.onds tbtm 
 to G'xl. It well becomes the tai'liful niinift-rs of 
 Chriff at all limes, when they are wiih ihcir people, I ut 
 elpecialiy then when tiny arc about 10 le.ive their people. 
 
 to coiru-it and coiiiir.erd them umo G( 
 
 tiut IS, to re- 
 
 commend tliein to God's care and keeping, and to coniii it 
 
 theiji 
 
S^i 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap, xr 
 
 them to his c^adijft and ciiidancc ; and this as a tcftimony 
 of our laithfiilniTs to God, whofi our people arc, and tor 
 whom we mtul become aircountublc to him ; and alfo as 
 a trdtmony of our love to our people, and of our fervent 
 <l<:fiics for their falvation. 3. As ihc anoiHe commends 
 thcni to G<xl, fo likewifc t<i the word ot his "race. To 
 ilod -js the cfl;ci>.nt caiife, and to the word of his grace, as 
 ihc indrumcntal c^ufe of their building up ; I rtcommenti y.-^ 
 ti G'jJ, on.l It tie waril of hit grate, u-hich it ahle to build 
 y.Hup. IIere,«s/r, The gofpcl is the word of God's 
 j^ace, fo called, bccaufe it is the efil-iEt, the fruit, and pro- 
 dud of rich mercy and free grace; becaufe it reveals the 
 tree gr:u~c of Gvd in Chriil to poor finners ; becaufe it 
 carrird on, and perfecleth the work of grace unto glory. 
 
 2. That bciicvi-rs, who are in aflate ^^{ grace, have need 
 of the tiwr^/y G'«<-/ for their edificatinn and building up. 
 
 3. That the word of God is able to hutld up believers ; it 
 Js able to prefcrve and keep them from decaying in grac>; 
 and holincfs, and it is able to further their growth in 
 !:;race, and to bring it to pcrfedion. Well, and wifely 
 therefore doth the apoftle fay, I commend you to God, and to 
 the iLsrd of his grace \ he doth not fay, I commend you to 
 God and ihc impulfe of his ipiiit ; or, I commend you to 
 Ood, and the light within ; or, I commend you to God, 
 anil to the traditions of the church ; but / commend you to 
 Cod, and to the ivord of his grace, which is able to build you 
 up. 4. A fuperadded coinmendation, which is here given 
 ot the word of God's grace ; it is not only able to build 
 lis up, but to give us an inlieritance -amonc^ft them that are 
 fanitified ; that is. The word of Got!, if we follow the 
 diftates and directions of it, will infallibly bring us to the 
 glorious inheritance which God hath prcritlcd fivr all his 
 faiiits, or fandlified ones. .'Here note, i. That heaven is 
 an inheritance not like an inheritance on earth ; but it is 
 the mod fure, the inoft fatisfying, the moft durable, and the 
 inofl delightful inheritance, an inheritciue incorruptible and 
 vndefilcd, and that fadeth not azuay. 2..'I"hat heaven is the 
 inheritance oi faints, of all fanclified and holy perfons, and 
 only of fiich ; it is purchafed for them, it is promifcd to 
 them, ir is taken up in their names, and polfeflicn of it 
 icept for them by tlieir forerunner. In a word, heaven is 
 prepared for ihem, and they are d.^ily preparing for it ; and 
 it fli.dl be adjudged to them at the great day. t^. That 
 this inheritance of heaven is a gift, and a free gift.'l.ukexii. 
 13-. /' " >''■'•" Fathers pleiifure to give you the kingdom. 
 This inheriiahce is all of grace, our right antl title to it is 
 o\ grace, nothingof merit ; all of God, irothingofourfelvc5 ; 
 notliing in a way of meritorious cafuality, l)iit only in the 
 w-ay of minillerijl endeavor. Laftly, God gives this 
 in!icri-ani.e l)y Itis v,ord. To the word cf his grace, tvhijj 
 is able to build you t.p, and to give you an inheritance. The 
 w-.rd revels to us the notice and knowledge nf this inhe- 
 ritance ; anil tl>e word makes an offer of this inheritance to 
 every one of us, yea, it calls us totlic acceptation, and in- 
 V'tes lis to the participation of it. Fiiuliy, God by his 
 word begets his people to a liv,.ly hope of tliis iiiheritl-nce, 
 I Pet. i. 3, 4. And alfo prcpires and fi's them by the word, 
 for the participation and poilefTirn of it, C(/l. i. 12. Glvinv 
 thinks tot,'u i-'utitr, ivho has made us meet to be parudcrs cf. 
 
 &c. And how dotli the Father mske tis meet for th« 
 inheritance in glorv, but by ihe word t)f his grace? I am- 
 mendyrt therefore, Ircthren, fays the apoftle, to Goth, and t» 
 tl. e Word of his grace, zih'ch is aile to give you cm inheritance 
 among tl;em that urejanilifiid. 
 
 33 I have coveted no man's filver or gold, or 
 apparel. 34 Yea, you yourfeives know, that tliefe 
 ii.mds have mimftercd unto my neceffitics, and to 
 them that were with me. 35 I have flicwed you 
 oil things, how that fo labouring ye oaijht to i'up- 
 port the weak, and to remember the words of the 
 Lord Jefus, how he faid, It is more blciTcd to give 
 than to receive. 
 
 In the concUifion of St. Paul's difcourfe to the elders o{ 
 the church at Ephefus, he vindicates himfelf from the 
 fordid fm of coveloufnefs, afliriring, that he had coveted 
 no man's filvcr or gfrld ; but by the labour of his handy, 
 had maintained himfelf, and them that were with him. 
 Where note. That it is not fimply unlawful for a miniller 
 of the gofpel to labour with his hands, for his own, and his 
 family's fupport, when the poverty of the iT.en.bers of the 
 church is fiich, that they cannot maintain I'.im without ir. 
 Farther He dirciSts the ciders to labour as he did, if the 
 cafe required it with them, as it did wi'h him, that they 
 might, by Lbnuring as he, be in a capacity to fupport the 
 weak, and relieve the poor. Yet note. He doth not pro- 
 pofe tbi'-'his pra£lice as a precept or precedent, or rule to 
 all miniflers; for though St. Paul laboured with I. is hands 
 :in a cafe of neceflity, and beciufc falfe teachers were 
 wafciiin<r all advantages againft him ; y< t he often declares 
 a right and privilege which he had to be m?iit.iined by the 
 chifnh, without bbouring w ith his hands fcrhis own live- 
 lihood and fiiblftence; nav, Tidirts it to be the ordination 
 and appi intn^ent of God hiniftlf, that they which preacJo 
 the gijpfl fjoutd live nf the gofpel. Lalily, A remarkable 
 .faying of our bleU'ed Saviour, not recorded by the Evan-- 
 gelifls, and undoubtedly fpoken by him ; namely, That it 
 is more hl(f]'ed to gix'e than to naive: That i.', the Condition 
 of tlie giver is more defirable than that of the receiver, and 
 giving is more commcnil.ible than receiving, i. The con- 
 dition of the giver is more defirable than that of the receiv- 
 er: becaufe, (i.) Giving is a llgn of lufHcicncy and 
 power; he that gives to another is fuppoftd to be well 
 provided himfelf; he that gives, Iwkslike a full being, anil 
 like a fwclling river ; whereas receiving implies want and 
 weaknefs, cmpiinefs, and urfaiisfied dcllrcs. (2 } Becaufe 
 giving incUidts choice ; for what a man parts withta. 
 another, he has-a freedom to keep himfelf ; but the receiver 
 is not to be his own carver, but muft depend upon the 
 ccurtefy of his neighbours. 3. Becaufe the condition of 
 the giver implies an honeurible truft committed tohimby 
 God Almighty. 'Givers are God's almoners and ftewards, 
 the pool's guardi.uis and patrons. An hcninirable truft, 
 that is, by v. hich the lives and livtlihord of the po«r are 
 in a n'.anner committtd tons. Ey all whi^h it appears, 
 that the conJi ion of the giver is more cklirable than that 
 of the receiver. 4. 7 hat giving is more C( mmcndabie 
 than xcceivicg ; it ■& a xlearcr evidence of a noble antj 
 
 virtuc«s , 
 
jChap. XX I. 
 
 Tlie 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 ipo 
 
 virtuous di/polition of mlnJ : For, {i.) It is a figii of our 
 
 viiflory over rhe world, and that our convtrfjtion is in 
 
 heaven ; that we have worti^y apprehcnfions of God, an<i 
 
 honourable thought? of his providence ; and that we can 
 
 truft hiOT, and give him a part of l^j,s own whenever he 
 
 calls tor it. (i.j Giving is better than receiving; becaufe 
 
 there isamorelalling pleafurein giving than inreceiv'mjj : 
 
 An aims taken iifoon I'pent and forgotten, and tl;e pleafure 
 
 of it is over in two or three moments ; but the pleafure of 
 
 f^iving bearj us company all along in this world, and will 
 
 keep us company in the next ; there is no fatisfaifiory 
 
 pleafui'e as in doing good. Let us then often remember, 
 
 and always put in pradice, the words of our Lord Jei'us, 
 
 ■which he faid, // is more blejfed to give than to receive. 
 
 36 H And when he had thusc fpoken, he kneled 
 down, and prayed with them all. 37 And they all 
 wept fore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kiffed him, 
 38 Sorrowmg mod of all for the word.s which he 
 fpake, that they fliould fee his face no more. And 
 they accompanied him unto the fhip. 
 
 Note here, i. What a folemn and f.icred farewel St. Paul 
 and the elders of Ephefus take of each other: They kneeled 
 d'j'iVn and prayed together: Indcad of a parting cup, here 
 is a partinij; prayer, and this accompanied with tears : Tluy 
 all 'jjfpt pjre. I'here isa fufEcient occafionfor forrow ar.d 
 weeping, when the church lofcs a faithful paftor; it is a 
 public lofs: and many are concerned in it. 2, How loath, 
 iiow very lo^th they: were to part vyith the- aportle, who 
 had fo exceedingly endeared himfelf unto them, by his 
 liolinefs, humility, and univcrfal ufefulnefs: Accordingly, 
 they acconipany him unto the iliip, and, when gone offto 
 fea, fend a lonjr look after him; being more efpecially 
 grieved ac thefe words, That they Jhwld fee his face nomore. 
 Learn thence. That a faithful iniuiller of Chnft is enjoyed 
 with much, Jove, and finally parted from with much ibr- 
 rovv, by thofe who believe and obey the gofpel ; Parting 
 work is hard work : How hard is ii for htifband and wife, 
 for parents ^nd children to part ? and perhaps it is as hard 
 fometimes for in'iiifters and people, who have lived in mu- 
 tual codearmcnts, to the glory of God and (iiiguJar com- 
 fort of each other ; when they are pulled one from another, 
 am-e by cruel porfecutors. or when dying by the king of 
 terrors: The parting Is fad, but blelTcd be God, the next 
 meeting will know no parting. When minifters and 
 peo|)le meet together at the right hand of God in heaven, 
 th«y Ihall never p^art more, but Ihall forever be with the 
 Lord.. 
 
 C H A 
 
 This chapter accpuiints us 
 vyagt' to Jerufalem, 
 
 P. XXI. 
 
 rvkh St. VsiXiVs dangcroof' 
 
 tJie fevsral -places lie,- pajil/i 
 through in his-jourmy^ and hkfafe arrival at lajl.dti 
 Jerulalem* 
 
 AND it came to pafs, that after we-were gotlert 
 from thcan, and had launched, we came Avith- 
 a ftraight couiTe unto Coos, and the diiy- following- 
 
 unto Rhodes, and from thence Unlo Patara. 2 And 
 findinga fhip failing over unto Phenicia, we vveni" 
 aboard, and fet forth. 
 
 The latter end of the foregoing ch»]UtT acquainted 0: 
 with the forrowful and heavy parting of the elders and 
 Church of Ephefus from the holy apoflle: Now the lirft 
 verfe of this chapter informs tis, that it was not lefs forrow- 
 ful on the apoiHe's and his companions part : So nucli 
 the word here imports, /fter nuc -were i;otlen frn:rt them, 
 pulltd as it svere li;iib from limb from each oth'.'r; inti- 
 mating the mutual endearments uh'ch were betwixt them 
 whilft together, and that inexpreflible ferrow which was 
 found among them «t their partiug. Verily there is no 
 ftronger love, nor more endeared affections betwixt any 
 relations upon the earth, than bet\\ixt the iniuif>ers of 
 Chrifl: and fuch of their people as they have been infltru- 
 mental to bring home to God. Spiritual affeftions arc 
 fVronger than natural ; the removing of a fpiritual father 
 by death, or otherwife,islike:tearing'liaibfrqnj limbv yeaj 
 like rending the head from the body. Lor<l, with what 
 great diHicultyand deep rcluftnicy did the holy apoftle and 
 tlie church of Epliefiiihere part from one another! Tfiey 
 were pulled and torn from one another, as the word imports. 
 
 3 Now when we had difcovefed Cyprus, we left 
 it on the left hand, and failed into Syria, and landed 
 at Tyre: for there the Ihip was to unlade her bur-f 
 den. 4. And finding difciples, v/e tarried therq 
 feven days : who faid to Paul through the Spirit, 
 that heOiould not go up to Jerufalem. 
 
 The providence of God is not more fignally difcovered in 
 governing the motion of the clouds, than it is in ordering 
 the fpirits and motions of his niint/lcj-s : The ntoiions of 
 the clouds is not fpoiitaneous, ar.d from themlelves,,but . 
 they move as thty are moved by the winds; neither can 
 the minifters of Chriil chufe their own ftations, and govern 
 "their own motions, but muft go when and v.hither the 
 Spirit of and providence of God diret1?and guides them ; as 
 evidently appearsby St. Paul'sprcfent voyage to Jertifalem, 
 though rhe journey was full of danj^er, yet his fpirit was 
 fully bent and fet upon it : I go hound in the fpirit unto Je^ , 
 rufulen\, It.way happy for the .^poft^e, and iiis great ad-( 
 vantage, that the will of God was fo plainly revealed tq 
 him, touching this his journey to Jerufalem: For nq 
 fooner tlid he prepare himfelf to obey the cnl! of God, and 
 undertake the journey, but he is prelcnily ElTaulteil by ma, 
 ny ilrong temptations to decline it. The fu-ft rubhc met 
 with iii his way, Avas from the difciples at Tyre, yuho/pahe 
 by the Spirit^ that he (liould not go up to Jerutaleni. 13ut 
 did iiotihe Spirit of God then contri(di£litfcif, in bidding 
 the apoftle go, and then fpeaking to him by ihofe difciples 
 not to go ? Not; at all : St. Paul, by e>;tr.'iordinary revala- 
 iioij,,Wiis commanded to go up to Jerufalem : thtfe difci- 
 ples, by a fpirir of prophecy, only, foretold the difficulties 
 and dang.ers that wouldattend him in his journey ; and fo, 
 through kindnefsand human affeclion, they dilTuaded hita 
 from undertaking it. We muft diftingu.ih between the 
 3 S . pr.editticir 
 
^o^ 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 Chap. xxi. 
 
 ^rediftlon of t;'oiibIe, and the council of fafety : The pre- 
 Jiitlion of troiiMe ; fo they faiJ throuj'h the Spirit, that it 
 would be tLngerou; lor P.^iil to go to Jeiofaltnv : The 
 (otmcil of fjfety protcciled from ihtir private Kive and 
 ilRction toi.iin ; whereby they difi'oaded hitji from going 
 to Jtr.ulaleni. Icartiiro-.u licnce, i. That divine precept, 
 and not J'rovidcnce, is to iiile our way to duty. 2- 1 hat 
 no tlifcourngeiiiciits or hindrances whatfoever will juflify 
 our ntglcd of a commanded duty : Whatfoever diflicuhies 
 or difcoiiragenicntsldy in the way ofthe apoftle's duty, lie 
 overcame thcui all \vi:li sn heroic and truly chrillian rcfo- 
 lution, laying, vcr. 13. / atn ready mi only to bs btttnd, &c. 
 
 5 And whfn v;c had arcomplifhed thofe days, we 
 departed, and went our way : and they all biouglit 
 us on our way, with wives andchildrcn, uWwexvcre 
 out of the city ; and we kneeled down on the fhore, 
 and prayed. 6 And when we had taken our leave- 
 one of another, we took fhip ; and they returned 
 home again. 7 And when wc had finiflicd our 
 courfc from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais and falutcd 
 the brethren, and abode with them one d?y. 8 And 
 the next day we that were of Paul's company, de- 
 parted, and came to Ccfaria ; and we entered into 
 the houfc of Philip the evangeKft, which was one of 
 thcfcvcn, and abode with htm. g And the fiime 
 tnan had four daughters, virgins, which did prophe- 
 
 Notf here. i. That nothing could divert the apoftlefrom 
 his irueniledjonrneyto Jerufalem: The report of fufferings 
 v/as no difconrageinent to him, nor could the perfuafive 
 intreaties of his friends prevail upon him : Seeing there- 
 fore he was refolved to go on, they all of them, with their 
 wives and children, to teffify their great refpe<^and affec- 
 tion to him, accompany him out of the city; and he and 
 they kneeling down on thefliore, pray together, and take 
 their farewel of eacii other. The loving communion of 
 faints, and prayer, are the marks ofChrifl's true difciples. 
 2. The apoltle'snext remove towards Jerufalem was from 
 Tyre to Cefarea, where he lodges with Philip the cvange- 
 lifl : that is, one of them who was fent forth as intineary 
 preacher;, here and there to difpenfe the gol'pel, ar,d to 
 confirm the churches, and one of the feven.that is, one of 
 the feven deacons, Acb vi.Herc Mte, That this Philip, in 
 whofe houfe St- Paul now lodged, was before driven out 
 of his houfe by Paul's perfecution. See afts viii. t, &c. 
 This Philip, ^^ho was driven out of his houfe by Paul 
 when a perfccutor, gladly received him into his houfe, be- 
 ing now Paul a convert; and this without any upbraiding, 
 yea, without the leaft mention of what he had formerly 
 been or done. It is an ill office to rake in filth which God 
 has covered, and to reproach men with, or for their fins 
 which God has pardoned : It argues fomc degree of envy 
 at the grace of God, to upbraid them wiih the fins com- 
 mitted before converfion. Former mifcarriages and inju. 
 Ties fliouldbe forgiven and forgotten upon true repent- 
 ance, and we fiiould receive them into our embrace?, 
 w hom Chrid has taken into his bolom ; Paul went into the 
 houfc (f Philip (he evangeti/}. 
 
 10 Andas WC tarried ^/i<rr< many days, there came 
 down from Judca a certain prophet named Agabiis, 
 : 1 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's 
 girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and faid, 
 Thus faith the Holy Ghoil, So fhall the Jews at Je- 
 rufalem bind the man that ownclh this girdle, and 
 ■ihall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 
 
 iVole here, i .That during the apoftle's flay at Cefaria in 
 Philip's houfe, a certain prophet named Agabus comes 
 thither, and prophefieth ci St. Paul's bonds at Jerufalem : 
 \Vhere icain, I'hnt though Agabus was a prophet, yet by. 
 what appoaretli to him in f'cripturc, he was always a pro-- 
 phetofevil things and bad tidings: He foretold the f^miine 
 before, Afts xi. and Paul's bonds now. SuchmelTengers 
 of God as give warnings of judgments to come, fhould 
 and ought to be accepted, as well as they that bring ut 
 hopes of mercy and deliverance ; that mefTage maybe true 
 which is yet difplealing. a. Agabus ufeth a (ign, after the 
 manner of the old prophets, who often prophelied by fym- 
 bols, and iignificant cxprelfions, that they might the bet- 
 ter imprint their prediciions on the hearts of men. Thus 
 Ifaiah went n.iked and barefoot, to (hew what the people 
 of Ifrael diould meet with under the king of AfTyria, Ifa. 
 XX. And Ezekiei -was to puck tip his /fttjf, and remove, to 
 jignify the people's rcinmal into captivity, Ezek. xii. It 
 pleafed God ro te.ich his peo])le by vifible (igns, as well 
 as by word of inomh, that what wasreceived by both fen- 
 fes, feeing and hearin-^, might make the deeper inipreflion 
 upon iheir minds. In like manner here, Agabus ufes a 
 fign, he takes St. Paul's girdle, and binds his own handj 
 and feet with it, fignifying, that after that manner the 
 Jews at Jerufalem fliould bind the apoflle, and deliver him 
 to the Gentiles ; firll to the Roman governor of Judea, 
 and afterwards to Nero, the Roman eiuperor. From 
 whence we may remark, The great goodnefs and conde- 
 fcenlion of Cod, in giving the apodle fo many warnings of 
 his bonds ; the Holy Glioft firll made it known to him, 
 Aifls XX. Tliat bonds and affii^ions did abide him. The dif- 
 ciplcs at Tyre prophefisd the lame. Ads xxi. 5. and here 
 Agabus, by a fenfible fign, makes it known to him, and all 
 this; that he might thoroughly be preparedfor a fufferirg 
 condition. Paul therefore was not furpriifd, but had 
 warning upon warning of his prefent danger. Ifa fudden 
 and uiiex})eifled fiood of mileries and calamities break in 
 upon us, for affllftions fcldom go finglc, it is not becaufe 
 we want warning, but becaufe we are not fo wife as to 
 take warning. When we are well, and at cafe, we will 
 not think of death and the crofs ; and therefore, if we be 
 furprized and unprovided, we may thank our own fecuri. 
 ty : Ourapoflle iierc being forewarned, was forearmed,- 
 
 1 2 And when we heard thefe things, both we and 
 they of that place befought him not to goup to 
 Jerufalem,. 13 Then Paul anfwcred. What mean 
 ye to weep, and to break tnine heart ? for I am ready 
 not to be bound only, but alfo to die at Jerufaleii^ 
 forthe nan;e of the Lord Jefus. 14 And when he 
 
 would 
 
GhaP.XXI; 
 
 Tlvc AC T S. 
 
 ^07 
 
 would not be perfuadcd, wc ceafed, faying, The 
 will of -the Lord be done. 
 
 Noii here. 1. The entire affeftion of the difciples to the 
 holy apodle, fhth we and they 'f the place be/'juj^ht him that 
 he wouU rot /;« up to Jera/al-m. Leant, That the livej and 
 liberties of t ho fe who are tm'ncni indmiitfnts of God's 
 glory, are very dc-ar and precrfjiis to the faitlifiil fervantsof 
 God. Who lan hlanic either St. Paul's companions or the 
 (lifciplcs here, for defiring and endeavouring ihc prelcr- 
 vaiion of lb precious an inllrumi-MU as the apolUe was? and 
 yet it is not improbable but Satan might have a hand in 
 this matter, and endeavour by the apofllt'i friends per. 
 fuafion to weaken his rcfokition ; for the devil oft endca- 
 voureih to tike us off from tur di;iy by the imreaties of 
 our friends, who mean well in what they fay. 'I'hus 
 when Sr. Peter lovingly advji'cd our Saviour againft his 
 fufferings, Be it far from ihee l.'jni, ThisJI.'jll tiul be unti 
 thee: Matt. xvi. G<:tthe hi-hind mf, Satii!i,\\\y^C\\r\\L\. : It 
 was Peter's tongue, but S.itan tuned it : Who would have 
 'fhou;4ht that Chrift'.« difciples fhould have been Saian'tj 
 iiinrununts? We mu!l not meafure our friend's couufel 
 by their good meaning, but by God's word : We muft be 
 {leaf to all relations, that we in.iy <J'''-f!-""ge our duty to 
 God. Thus we find the apoftle here, He vk^uU not he 
 perjuaied, but cxpoftalates with ihem : What mean ye to 
 'Jieep.aniito breakmhie h^artr' 1. St. Paul's entire affedion 
 to (Jod, and his firm refolation for his duty : He-MoulJnot 
 be pcrfuaded. But did the apoftle do well in this, to with- 
 ft.indall the im|)ortunitirs, and rejed ihe unanimousadvice 
 of all hi; frienils? How dodithis carriage agree withih^»t 
 character of heavenly wifdom, Jans, iii. 17. That it is eafy 
 to he inSrealcd? I anfwer, To tiie praft te of our duty, it 
 is praife-worthy to be eafy to be nureated, btit not from 
 ourdu:y. St. Paul krtew his duty, and auderllood the 
 will of God, and therefore Ins friends might fooner break 
 his heart, ihan break his purpufe. Learn hence. That no 
 perfnafion? of friends, no apprchenCions of dangers Ihould 
 ever be able to turn iss out of the way of our duiy. When 
 Peter diflbaded Chrifl from fufK-Ting'. our Saviour rebuked 
 him wirli the fame indignation as he did the devil tempting 
 him to idolatry. 3- How the apoftle lovhigly and gently 
 rebukes thrir fond and inordinate Ibrrow for his departure: 
 U'hit mean yet') weep, ar.d io break mine heart ? As if be 
 h.-«d laid, '\Vhat mean thefe pafilonate tears and imreaties ? 
 Alas! whether you think it fo or nor, they are but Io 
 nwny fn.nres and temptations of satan,fo turn my feet out 
 of the way of obedience; you do as much as in you lies 
 to break my heart: but, by the grace of God, nothing 
 (hall hre^k me oft-'from my purpofe, nor weaken my courage 
 and ref.iluiion for God." When a faintis once laiisfied 
 in the call and command of God, to do any duly, he lears 
 neither impending nor approachmg dangers in the way of 
 duty. 4, '1 he apofties quieting and cihiiing argiiments, 
 with which he labours to calm thf'Lr unruly paiiions : / 
 am ready both to be bound, and to die for Cbrijt . I am ready, 
 [i.) That is, GoJ harii fitted me for fuffl-ring woik, flelJt 
 and blood is over-ruled ii-; me by the Spirit of God ; I 
 «m prepared for whatever God plealeth, be it a prifon, be 
 it a icallbld, be it life, be it death, 1 am provided for- both : 
 
 Liberty is dear, and life is dear, but (^hiiftis dearer than 
 either ; therefore what mean you to Work againft ihedefign 
 of God, who hath fitted and prepared n)y heart for fuffer- 
 ing fervice ? lam r(?<j//y, (2.} Thai is, my will and refo. 
 lution ftandsin a full bent, my hearris fixed, my friends 
 my heart is fixed ; do not therefore diloidtr and dilcom- 
 pofe my fpirits, by tailing futh teinptations and ftumbiing 
 blocks in n>y way ; for I am ro'iic to a point, nothing 
 fhall divert me from this iiuble rnierprize foi God. J am 
 ready, (3.) That is, fully determined to comply with the 
 call and comniandof God, whatever befalsmc; I am not 
 felicitous about that ; my capt-ain that leads me on, I am 
 fore, will bring iiie off fjfe, either dead or ali\e : Thtre- 
 fore all your tears and entreaties are Lut call away upon 
 me, ye had better be quitt, and chearfuUy refign me up 
 to the will of God ; for 1 am ready both to be bound and 
 to die. From whence /tc.rM, 1'hat it is a blefTcd and ex- 
 cellent frame of fpirif, when the fervsnts. of God arc pre- 
 pared and ready lor the hardert fervices, and .'harped 
 lufFerings to which the Lord may at any time call them : 
 7 am ready, not only to br; b'jund, hit ul/o to die at Jerufahm 
 for ihe name oj the Lord Jf /'us. 5. The difcijjles dilcretion-: 
 li'lien he would not be ptrfuaded, thej^ cenj'rd; that is, they 
 gave over their impoi tunitits, antl urged him no farther- 
 beyond his own inclinaiionsand rclblutions. It isthedif- 
 poiition of holy fpirits to fubniit to thofe that are wifer 
 than ilumfclves, and not to be too (lifFand prere mptory in 
 their own opinions and conceit; a kflbn which mod men 
 have great need, to learn. 6. The pious groiMid of this 
 their difcretion ; namely, acquiefcenty in the divine will : 
 Tlie will of the Lord be done. They refer th,e event to 
 God's determinatiort, and fubmit all to his fovereign plea- 
 fure. Thence learn, That it is the duty and defire, and 
 ought to be the care and endeavo-.ir of all the children of 
 God, to be willing to fubniit themfelves and ;!ieirs to the 
 difpenfation of Gud'sprovidcncein v\haiever befals eithtr 
 therii or theirs. For this we have Chi ill's example, Matt. 
 xxvi. 39. Father, not as I v::ll, but as thou wilt. Thecx- 
 ample of David, 2 Sam. x«. 26. Here ain I , let him do 
 what /eemeih Gcodin his fight ■• The example of Eli, 1 S.im, 
 i. 18. It is the Lord, let him dy whaijoever he pleaftk. 
 Such is his jullice and righteoufnefs, that he can do his 
 children no wrong : and Inch is his tender mercy and lev- 
 ingkirtdnefs, ihathewill do them no iiarm. The abfolore 
 fovereignty of God over us, antl the fight of God in all 
 his providential difpenfations towards us, influences at once 
 our judgments, our. wills, and our affe'clions, our expref- 
 lions and actons, that we neither dare to think, fpea.k, or 
 ace any thing in contr^didlon to, or in oppofition againlV 
 the wifdom and will of God : Th-it which is oft pg.iinll 
 our will., is not always .-.gr.inft our intcrcft ; but if we bc- 
 lono- to God, all cfH (fiions upon us, are federal difpenfati- 
 ons and covenant blellings to us, and either are good, or 
 rtjaH worn for good ; thtrefere it is both our duty and in-- 
 tereft to fubmit to the wil'dimi ol providence, am! fay 
 with thele difciples, The will of the Lord he dme. . 
 
 1 5 And .ifter thofe days we took up our carriages, 
 .nnd went up to jcrnfalem. 16 There went witJi us 
 alio certain of the difciples of Ccfarca, and brought 
 3 S 2 . Wiih 
 
5oS 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chat. ^xi'. 
 
 with them one Mnafon. of Cyprus, an old difciple, 
 with whom u'o fliould lod'^o. 17 Andwhiiu wc 
 were come to Jorufalem, the brethren receive4 us 
 gladly. 18 ? And the^ny follou-in^ Paul went in 
 with us unto James; and all the ciders wereprefent. 
 19 And when he had fainted them, he declared 
 particularly vvhatthin^^s God had wrought among 
 the Gentiles by liis miniQry. 20 And v/hen they 
 heard !<. they glorified the Lord, — 
 
 The apoHle liaving holily refolvcd, ihnt come life, or 
 roniec!e;uh, he svoiild he oheclieiit to the call of God hy 
 his Spirit, and that nothing fhodkl divert hirii from his 
 intended journey to Jcrur.ilem, fcts forward from Cefaria 
 to Jsrurulcin, ncconipanied with certain diiciples of Cefarra, 
 "NA'ho brought him to the houfe'of one Nlnafon, an old 
 difciple, who hnd long apo rereived the faith, and now 
 jived nt Jenifalen), in \\ hofe Iioufe the apoflle lodged. 
 Here n->te, What a badprc of honour ii put upon Miiafon, 
 ^ven that of being :in olddfciple; to be an old man is an 
 honour, but to be an old difciple is a double honour; it is 
 a refeiwblance of him who is the Ancient of days : Where 
 aniiquiiy and piety, where agednrf^ and holinefs do concur, 
 it rendt rs r pcrfon as like the Divine Majefly as can be 
 expt cled on this fide p,Ibry. To be an old difciple, is a 
 ;rre.uer hunour ihajno be a king or emperor. A^o/^nexr, 
 The apiifile being come to Jerulalem, iskindly received of 
 the church there, he eiiTirs the houfe of St. James, the 
 bifhop of Jerulalem. Where i-he elders that were prefenr, 
 Congr:iriiI.uc his arrival, and-he relates totiiem vvhat great 
 thirigs God Ivad wrought by bis »iini^ftry, and they all give 
 praife to God for the great and glarimis fuctefs of the 
 gofpc 1 . /,Pt/r« hence, that all Chriftians in general, but 
 tlie niiiiiileri of Chrilt in fptcial, ought to make a parti- 
 cular declaration of the great and niarveiious works which 
 the Lord h.irli wrought for them, arwJ by them. Thus 
 did St. PauHiere ; he was very particular, no doubt, in 
 rtlatii'.g the mighty works of God in the coiiverllon of 
 the Gentiles by. hii miii'ftry from time to time, and from 
 pl.ir.e to place: And all this, not to extol himfelf, but t'o 
 exalt God for receiving the Gentiles into tlie faith arvd 
 feliovvfliip of the gofpel. 
 
 — And faid unto him, Thou feell, brother, hov/ 
 many thoufandsof Jews there are which believe; 
 and they are all zealous of the law. 21 And they 
 are informed of thee, that thou tcachelt all the Jews 
 which are amdng the Gentiles to for fake Mofes, 
 r^tying, that they ought not to circumcile thnr chil- 
 dren, neither to walk after the ciifloms. 22 What 
 is it therefore ? the multitude muft needs come to- 
 {•Pv^her: for they will hear that thou art come. 23 
 iio ihcrefbro this that we fay to thee: wehavefour 
 men ^vhichhave a vow on ihem ; 24 Them take 
 and purify thyfclf with thctn, and be at charge.i 
 with thein.tiiat they tnay fljave their heads : andall 
 may know that thoi'e things whereof they were in- 
 formed coiiceiuin^ tlice are nothing: but that thou 
 
 fhyielf aifo>)i^h1kfeft orderly, and lke^pefl Hic Jrfw; 
 25 As touching the Gentilcswhich believe, wehavr 
 written and concluded, that they may obfcrvc no 
 fuch thing, fave only that they keep thctnlelve^ 
 fronq thin^i offered to idols, and from blood, aqtl 
 from Ihiii^i ftran^led, and from fornication. 
 
 We had St. Paul's report to the church ofj^rufiilem of 
 
 the fuccefs which God had gi\ tn him in hi» mitvidry n» 
 
 mongfl the Gentiles ; thisii related iiiilse 'tiregoiiig para- 
 
 gr.iph of the ch:rpter : In thefe verl'ei before us, we have 
 
 tlie church's rep'y to the apoitle's relaiioiij 'Hx:y gl>r'fie.4 
 
 Gcd ; Firft, For the great fuccels given to the word ot hit 
 
 grace among the Gentiles ; and withal they acquaint him 
 
 with the like fuccels, which the preaching of the gofpel had 
 
 amongft ihe Jews : 'TIku fecit ^ brother, hoiu many thiiUjcnJs 
 
 tf Jews t ho f are which do helUve ; the original run', hew 
 
 many tens ofihrtuf'irdsJobi tieve : which intimates the great 
 
 atid wonderful I'uccefs ttx the gofptl : Well might our Sa^- 
 
 viour compare it to a grain of murtard-feed, feeing it hid 
 
 fpread itlelffar and near in fofliort a time. If we coniider 
 
 the fniDllnefs of its beginning, the defpicablentfs of the 
 
 inftruments, the fliortnefs of iJie time, the obllinacy and 
 
 prejudices of the Jews, agninfttite gofpel, and yet remark 
 
 the valt number of thoulands and ten thoui'.uid* of the 
 
 Jews that did aheady believe, 'eu'brace and entertain it; 
 
 we need not wonder that St. Paul, i Tim. iii. 16, reckons 
 
 it as one of the greatcft myfterics of godlincfs, that Jefos 
 
 Chriit was preached to the Gentiles, and believed on ih 
 
 the world : Tliat is. that fomany thiJUfandh bvithcf Jew^i 
 
 and Gentiles were brought to own him, and fuhinit to liirn 
 
 as Lord and Saviour. Note, next, The advice given by 
 
 the church at JerulalemtoPaul, concerning the Jews which 
 
 did believe in that place It ftems the Jewf, though they 
 
 bad recfivcd the gofpel, vet thought that the cerrnit>ni.il law 
 
 nuili lt:Ii be obfervcd ; iherefort', in coiidelceiifiori ti) their 
 
 wcaknel'^, and 10 prevent their tak'ug n/Ftnce., ihcy ad^ife 
 
 the apudle not as a thing neceiTary in itlVlf, but asancxpe- 
 
 diency in reference to tiieir weaktiefs, tocoufurin himi'df 
 
 to foine of the Jewifl) cercraonies and puriticaiiotis; fdr 
 
 though they were not then ncdful, yet w ere they net then 
 
 unlawful; they might then.be ulVd, when the ule of them 
 
 would any ways conduce 10 the giiinmg and bringing ovtr 
 
 thi' Jews to a love of chrillianity. The f>nagogue was ncit 
 
 haftily to be coflout of liie church like the heatheni/h fuper- 
 
 fiitions ; but to die by tlegrees, and be decently interred. 
 
 Here nijtc, Tli.it the law of Mofes, as to its cnoral parr, 
 
 Chrlft corviiiiued as his law : The ce'remoiiia! part, as to 
 
 the ufe of the types and ceremonies liu;nilying him thit 
 
 was to come, this was abrogated at Chrdl's coming: and 
 
 the political part ceafed, wlun the Jewiih polity was dil- 
 
 folved ; but ti'ie abrogation of the whole was not fully made 
 
 known at the fir ft , but by degrees ; and the exetcife of it 
 
 long tolerated to t! ." Jews. Laftly, The pi.rticiiUr advice 
 
 w liith they give the iiportle, ro po into t ic temple, and 
 
 perform the legal ceremony of purification : I'/c hjvr fohr 
 
 men vjhhh have a vaw ; thrm tuke, an J purify thyfelf, thtit 
 
 ijll mity know thai ihou wulkrjl ord'rly, and keepijt the luio.' 
 
 That fs, " feeing we have four men here which ha\ c:a 
 
 Nazaritc's vow u£ou thtii', the linic of whiehvow iino.v 
 
 tx; i.'td 
 
Ghap. XXI. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 expired, and they'areto (liave tTiemfeluesceremoiiiouUy in 
 the tenv'le ; jrotiiou with them, ;irul perromi the legnl 
 terem ny of pji-ifjcatioii there, that ihe people may know, 
 that the report of thee is not true; biit thai thou, beliijr a 
 Jew, tlolt thyf irk-ep the l.vv." Here we m.iy oblVi've 
 the riih of a hit Sc. P.ml eifcwherc declared, that ts the 
 Jiuj! hi- bciinir at u Ji-j), lh.it he jnightjun the JnOs ; yeA 
 ^i'c.l'ne ,i1t things ti nil mn, that he mi^ht pain fome. A 
 no;jiep;iitjrii for the ininifterb of ihe poCpel to write after 
 in yielding, fu far as v/c may without' fin or ftandaF, to the 
 ■weakdrrf-, of orh rs. in order to ihe furtherance of the {rrcat 
 *r1d^ of .nir minftry amoag our people ; Tn the Jcv;, 1 he- 
 i'lime cs a Jeiu. 
 
 26 Then Paul took the men, ajul ilic ncxtda)- pa- 
 rif)in^him("elf with them, cntereti into the temple, 
 to fij-iiify the accompHfhmcnt of the days of purifi- 
 cation, until that an oifcring fhould be offered for 
 every one of them. 27 And when the feven days 
 were ahnoft ended, the Jews vyhich were of Afia, 
 when they fa w him in the temple, ftirrcd upa!l the 
 people, and laid.hands on him. 28 Crying out, 
 Men of Ifrael, help. Tliis is the man that tcachetli 
 all men every where a;^ainfi. the people and the Jav.-, 
 and this place; and farther, hath brought Greeks 
 alio into the temple, and- hath polluted this holy 
 place. 29 (For they had fecn before with him in 
 theciuy, Trophimu.san E^phefiany whom ihcy fup- 
 poloi that Paul had broi^ht into ■the tctnple.-) 30 
 And all the city was moved; and the people ran 
 together : And they took Paul, and drew him out 
 of the temple. A-nd forthwith th« doors were Ihut. 
 yV5/^ here, i. That at the inftancs and i!nporrunit,y 
 ofhisfncrd;, St. Paul is perfiwdcd to purity hinifclfin 
 the templrt. partly to gain upon the aftcrtions of the be- 
 lieving Jews, «ho v.ere ftnll ztaJous for the law • and 
 partly to confute the f.iIFe aCperlions of fhenuh.4t reported 
 hnn CO be abo»e all ceremonial obfervsnces. If ■ any had 
 prudged, that, after rhe coming cf ihe go/"ptl, fo much cort 
 ihouU bi tellcnved on itje J.iw, an^May, with murmuriajr 
 Jnd u, To -Mkjt pu'pjfe was this ',uafh ? Tlie l.iw tnipht 
 .1'!"'/,''""' ^r ^^"•' wr Saviour, aiul f.y, "Fie did it for n.y 
 Surul, ai;d for the more Tol-mn initrnicnt of me." ^ 
 hov bhnd VV5S rheze.-d, .i^id how fui-ioiu the j-sae ofrbe 
 -onbeltev.ng J-ws apatnft the apofile : Thev feek, and be- . 
 caule they cngld not (ind^ they tAe an occ'afion to vent 
 their ti).^hce upon Jjim ; .-.ccordingly, ihey put the. whote 
 CJty 6f Jeiui;ileni into an uproar, upon a pretence, that he 
 had^hmu^hc Trophinuis a Gentile, into the temple,, to 
 pror.ine nnd polltiteit; and in tlitir blir.d r«p;e,rhey draee^.l 
 the aponie out of the temple, as a protaner of I't. \V ell 
 «w^;hi.the apoftle fay, he wesin deutbs often, 2 Cor. x- 2-3 
 Ite wasnow .n d*i^erto be pnlScd in pieces by thistun.uU 
 rnd (.J being maue a lacrificexo the fury of the rabble : But 
 •^od %vHtj never wants w;,y,;and means for the Icafon.ble 
 <uccour and reFefof his fairhfnl lervants, inan unexpe«td 
 «:inn£r,.and by untiioi.gJii x>f meaiis, reJcued the .prltle 
 
 5o£» 
 
 from the jjws of de.ith and danger, as ihe next vcrfcs in- 
 form us 
 
 3^5 And as tliey went about to kill him, (idin:;s 
 came unto the chiif capfain of the b.in'l, that all 
 Jerufalem was in an upro.ir; 32 Whoiinmediat :!y 
 took follicrs and centurions, and ran down unto 
 them. And when they law the chief captain and 
 the foldiers, they left be.itin^of Paul. 33 Then the 
 chief Captain came nenr and took him, and com- 
 manded him to be bound with two cliams ; and dc- 
 i: anded who he wa.i, and what ho had done, o.-i 
 And fome cried one thing, and fpine another, amonj 
 the multitude;: y\.nd when he could not know the 
 certainty for the tumult, he-commanded him to be 
 carried into the callle- 35 And when he came 
 upon the flairs fo it was that he was borne of the 
 foldiers. for the violence of the people. 06 For the, 
 iTiultitude of the people followed after, cryin", Away 
 •with him. 
 
 A''7/f here, j. How the great^nclpracion'; Gnd provideth 
 fe.ifonable relciies for his ptrlecuted and peipltxed faints 
 and fervants; lilenihey -went ubctit ti kit Paul, God raife^ 
 him no a deliverer. c.The untxp»a«d ii.flriiinent cfthe 
 apo!tl<.'s deliverance, and that was sn heathen govemcr^ 
 TlieRoirans never dutft truft fnch vtill multitudes at 
 Jewiih feftivals svithont a flrong gnrrifon to be a iheck 
 upon thenv; accordingly, the governor, having t'dingsof 
 il1« tumult, brings down a band of lohiiers to fee the ptsce 
 kiept, he rcfcues the injured apofile out of their hand.s com- 
 mands him to be brtind with two chains, as Ag,<bus hsd 
 foretold, and the foldiert bear him up iu their arms frofn 
 the violence of the people. Hence we Uum, i. Thatabi<i 
 government, even a he-then government, isberierihaa 
 anarchy. Under a tyrannical goyernmt nt, ninny mr.y bu" 
 uheafy,but under popi.br r;:ge DOi.e can be lorg at rt(t. 
 2. 1 hat heathens are cfientiiiics the protectors ofchriltians 
 againU the blind mge oi ihofe that proftis to worfliip the 
 fame God. St, P.iul and ihefc unbelieving Jews wor- 
 /h'pptd the fame Gcul, and yet the heathen foldiers v.ere 
 fain by force to carry and gua'rd the apr itlc from the fury 
 of the blotdy ur>he!ieviog Jews. Thus God raifeth up 
 what inflrument hf plealeih to fubfcr-.'e his own gracious 
 ends and defigns in the prefervaiion of his people. Tt.e 
 barbarous heaihen (oldiers piwed St. P.mi and Iceep him 
 from bving tern in ptci.es by t] eJ.-vK s,<a ho worflilpptd the 
 fame God with him. 
 
 37 And as Paul was to be led into the caflle. he 
 faidunto the chief captain, Mayjfpeak unto thee ? 
 Whofaid, Ganft thou (>)eak Greek! 38 Ait not 
 tUou that Egyptian that before thefe da)s madell 
 an uproar, and leddeft out into the vvildern.'rs four 
 thou land mm that were murihei-er:.- ? og But Paul 
 faid, 1 am a man which am a Jew ofTadus, a citv 
 m Ciiicia, a citizen in no mean city : and I befcccJi 
 thee, fuller me 10 fptak unto iLc'pc<plc. .jo And 
 
 wne.i 
 
5'3 
 
 The. ACTS. 
 
 ClJAP XXI*. 
 
 M'hcn he had j;ivcn hiin lictnc.-', P-iul flood on the 
 Hairs, and Krckoiicd, with the luuJ unto thcpcoplc: 
 and when there was made a great filencc, lie fpake 
 unto ihc-m in the Hebrew' tongue, Hiying, 
 
 rhfrrvc h.-re, I. Tlic jiiHice vvhirh the cliief captnin, 
 tliouph an luathrn fulilier, drd St. PaiSl: He demands 
 ivint he hid time liefrrc he puniflies liiii>; an h<-aihen 
 would hc;ir the canfe, before he condemns the perfon ; a 
 ivece of juftice which the l.tw of nature recftiires and ob- 
 ]io« ta. 2. The unjuft.fufpicion which the chief captain 
 bad of Sr, P^iol's beinjT a.very bad man. /frt not thou 
 the Kfryptian thot madcj} an upro'ir, and lfdd,-ft out four 
 thoufiind mrn that v.<cre murder, rj ? Here St. Paul, without 
 caule. u (ufpcc=ced for a rebel, a fediicer and a ninrdcrer, 
 ■by tlif chief captain. It is not in the power of the moft 
 unfpotted innocency. toproteftfroni jeahjufy and fufpicion 
 from cf nfure and calnmnv. from llander and falfe sccufa.. 
 tion. Th« peact-ablc: apoftlc is fofpeacd for a turbulent ia- 
 cendi.iry ; /Irt nnt ihvi the F.oypt'uw that madejl an uproar? 
 ■^. The juiKiind neceirary apolojry Paul makes for hinjifelf, 
 'I am a Jexo ifTa^jut, a citizen cf no mean city. Wliere 
 mte, I. He defcrihes his oneinal ; I am a Jew, not that 
 wicked Kpypiian which yon rufpcfted me to be; but a Jiw 
 of religions and noble e-xtrai^lion. Learn, That to be 
 dfftendrd from relijrious and noble anceflors is a defira- 
 ble pr.ivil^'gp. and fingulnr prero^rative. St Paul was a 
 Jew. delcended from' Abraliam, Ifaac, and Jacob, and the 
 holy patriarchs. 2, HedeCcribes the country where he was 
 born; he was born in Cilicia, a rich and fruitful country 
 in Ada. Lrarn xhcnte. That to be horn in a rich and 
 fruMlulcounirvfifgndlv and relif;iouO 's a very confidera- 
 blf f/ VDur and privilege ; it wa- not blind chance and for- 
 tune, but a wife and merciful providence of God, which 
 appointed i*oihihe place of our births and detc.rmineth the 
 bounds of our habitation. What mercy is it that we were 
 born, not in Spain, npt in Turkey, not in a land of dark- 
 r.efs, but in .i valley of viilon I If the Spaniards have the 
 gold;n mines, we iinve the golden treai'ures of the fcrip- 
 fures more /-) he dejwtd than gold, yen than much fine gdd. 
 Pf.tl. x'x. 3. He dsfcribes nor only his country, but his 
 native city, and the dignity of it : lie was born in Tarrm, 
 n ci:izen '.fm ir.:an city, it being the metropolis or chief 
 city of all Ciiicia; in this famous city was the apoftle born. 
 Koie hesice, That to be born in a noble, free, and famous 
 ritv, efpecially if religious, is a defirablc favour and privi- 
 lege. St. P.-'ul was born in the noble city of Tarfus ; But 
 liow could he then Uv as he did, A6ls xxii. that he was 
 a Ronvm? //«/". So he was ; but not by birth, but by 
 immunity and privilege. Tarfus w:is invefted wiih the 
 Roman privileges, and made free of Rome by M. An- 
 tonun : Thus Paul was lice born, and declared that they 
 ought not to fcourge a Homsn citizen. A^/i? l.iftly, That 
 (bough the forcmen-.i'medpiivilrges are crnfideraMe privi- 
 kges, nainely, to be dcfrendcd from nobh.; arceftors to. 
 be born in a famous country, and in a free citv, p3)T..get 
 of divine providence not to be overlooked or difregarded, 
 bnt very' highly valued, and th mkfully acknowledged: yet 
 inufl it b» rcmernbe'rcd, thatall thcfearebut outwardand 
 tempore! privileges, commcn to the werft, as well as the 
 
 beft of men ; fuch privileges a£ a man may enjoy, and yet 
 be under the wrath of God, and the guilt if etcntal 
 .lamnaiion. Let us labour to be nobly minded, as -ncU 
 as noblv ddccnded : By regeneration born from abi.ve, 
 oiherwife we are low born, mean Ivrn. be our partius 
 never fo high. Thui the chaptercontludcs with an ac- 
 count of the apolUe's eminent prefcrvation in a time of 
 imminent danger ; w hen .hkely to have been torn in pieces 
 by the riotr.u; rabble, Go<\ llirs up the chief captam, an 
 heathen, belongmg to the bloody trade of war, 10 refcue 
 opprefled innocency ; and the guard of foldiecs, who had 
 no manner of alfeaion for P.uil, God fets as a life guard 
 about bis perfon, they bear him upon their arms, gtvchui) 
 liberty JO Ipeak for himlelf; and h^ apology, or deftnhtiv* 
 plea, we have recorded in the following chapter. 
 
 G H A P; XXII. 
 
 In the chfecflhe foregoing chapter, zue have the apojlk 
 craving leave of the chief captain to [peak unto tile 
 people, they having made a violent ajjault upon' him, 
 and aUempted to take away Us Ufe. Liherty of fpcech 
 heimr granted him, he /lands upon the fairs, near thi 
 gate of the cafle, in which he was a pnfontr , makes 
 afign to the people to hold their peace, ami when they ■ 
 gave cuiiaKe, in the Hebrew tongue, he thus /peaks: 
 
 MEN, brethren, and fathers, hearye my defence 
 which- 1 make now unto yjsti. 2 (And when 
 they heard that he fpake in the Hebixw tongiie to 
 them, they kept the more filence; and he faith.) 
 3 I am veril5' a man which am a Jcv/, born in 
 Tarfus a city of Cilicia, yet brought up in this city 
 at the feet of GamalieL and taught according to the 
 peifeft manner of the law of the fathers, and was 
 zealous toward.s God, as ye are at this day. 4 And 
 I perfecuted this w.iy unto the deaili.^bitidinT and 
 delivering into prifons both men and women. 5 
 As alfothe highpriefts doth bear me witnefs, and 
 all the eflate of the elders: fiom whom alfo I re- 
 ceived letters unto the brethren, and went to Da- 
 mafcus, to bring them which were there bound 
 unto Jcru(alcm,for to be puniflied. 
 
 Here begins the apoRie's apology, or defenfitive plea, 
 which he makes for himfelf before the people at Jerufalem 
 who, in the foregoing chapter, had fo injunoully treated 
 him : In w hich apologetical narration, we have the fe par- 
 ticulars obfervable. Firft ohferve, With what lenity and 
 mildncfs he befpeaks his cruel and peftilent perfecutors the 
 people of the Jews ; be acccHs them with titles ot relpeft 
 and honour : Men. brethren, and fathers, not with oppro- 
 bious inveftives : he doth not render evil lor ev.l.orrail- 
 inu for reviling ; he had not fo learned Chrilt, he knew 
 bow to fuller reproach for thegofpel ;buc toperfecute his 
 perfecutors with hard names aod characlrrs of reprrnch, 
 was a piece of leal which St. Paul and the holy luffirers 
 - '^ of 
 
CiiXP. xxn^ 
 
 The 
 
 T S. 
 
 Sii 
 
 •f thofe times, were little acqUAinted with. 2. How the 
 apoftle infimutcs hiiiiTelf into his au.litors, thit fu he n)ight 
 gain their attention to what was fpokcn ; /ikri, brethren, 
 And fathers, hear ye I pray, my defence which I make unto 
 you: There is a lawful and pious inlinuation for gaining 
 the attention ofour auditors, which the ininiftcrs of Chrilt 
 may and ought tomakeufe of, as tlie workman that would 
 drive his nail, dips it in oil. We gain our auditors atten- 
 tion by our courteous and loving coinpellations ; Men, 
 brethren, and fathers, hearken. 3. The apology or plea 
 iifelf, in which he fets before them, i. His extra<5lion, 
 1 am a Jew, b<:rninTiirfus : 2. His edoc.-tion, brought 
 up at the feet of Gamaliel : 3. Ills \noMYion, He was 
 zealws tij'jjards Cod .• That is, he was one of that fed 
 among the Jews which were called Zealots, and were 
 ftrift and exa<fl in the obfervation of the law, a bitter 
 enemy of Chriftianiiy, and a bloody perfecutor of all that 
 owned ihemfelvcs the dilciples of Je)us,as the highprieft 
 very well knows, fay s he,//-or7i v/honi I received a commifpon 
 That if 1 found any of this -x^j ay , 'whether men or women, I 
 flj'tuhl bring them bound to Jcrufaleni. Note, That Dauufcus 
 was five ci- (ix days journey from Jerufalem; yet Paul, 
 when a perfecutor, ititks not .-it it ; but fpurs on through 
 fire and water to ghit his malice and revenge on the poor 
 members of Jefus Chrift. Learn thence, That perfecutors 
 will fpare neither piirle nor pains, they svill (lick andrtopat 
 nothing, though never fo toilfome and hazardous, fothey 
 may but latisfy their revenge upon the poor difciples of 
 Jefus Chrill : ver. 4. / pcrjecuted this viiiy ur.to the death, &c 
 
 6 And it came to pafs, thst as 1 made my journey 
 and was come nigh unto Damafcus about noon,fud- 
 denly there fhone from heaven a great light round 
 about me. 7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard 
 a voice faying unto me, Saul, Saul, why perfeculefl 
 thou me ? 8 And 1 anfwered, Who art thou Lord? 
 And he faid unto me, I am Jefus of Nazareth, whom 
 thou perfccuteft. g And they that were with me 
 faw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard 
 not the voice of him that fpake to me. 
 
 Our apoftle having related what he was before hiscon- 
 verfion, in the foregoing verfes, inthefe and the following 
 verfes he dsclares ilie manner of his converfion ; namely, 
 That, when he was travelling to Damafcus to purfue 
 his psfecuting defign, a great light fljined round about 
 him, upon which he fell to the ground, and heard thcfe 
 words articulately fpoken to him, Saul, Saul, -why perfe- 
 Cutefi thou nte? Where ohferve. That Chrift takes the op- 
 pcfition made agjinft his gofpel, and the perfecu lion carried 
 on againft his members, as done unto himfelf, it being 
 againlt his friends, his caufe and intereft : As the honour 
 done unto the head, redounds unto the members, fo the 
 wrongs and injuries offered unto the members, are refented 
 by the head : Chrift fnid not thus, (when upon earth] unto 
 his murderers Why bind ye me ? Why buffet ye me .•» Why 
 fcourge yeme, and crucify me P But nov/when his members 
 fuffered, he cries out from heaven, Saul, Saul, why per/e- 
 cuir/i thou me? Lord, thou art more tender of thy bi'dy 
 mylUcal, than thou waft of thy body natural; wore fenfible 
 
 of thy members fufTerliigs, thin of thy own. Clfri-ue nexr. 
 How ready the apoftle was to underilar.d ar.d know, ami 
 how delirous to execute and do the will t,f Cod. IVit 
 art thou, Lord ? and what wilt thcu have we /a do ? We 
 may fooner find fire without hfsr, th:ni a true to:!vert 
 without operative grace. Farihcr,Cbrill'b- anfwer to I'jul's 
 inqmry. Who art thou, Lords' fays P«ul : J am 'j<fi:s of 
 Nazareth, whom thou ferftcutf(i,{^\\.\\ Chrift. Where tioti. 
 That contemned, though not contemptible nr.:ne, 'jffusof 
 Nar.oreth, is owned by Chrift from heaven. Mark, He faid 
 not, I am Jefus the Son of God, I am Jefus the heir of 
 the world, and Lord overHll ; but jefus of N.izureth ; he 
 gioric-d in that reproach which his enemies caft upon him, 
 Jtfus of Nazareth ; he owned liis name from heaven, to 
 teach his niembers not to bea/h iraed of it wl;cn reproached 
 by it here on cartl;. Laftly,Tbe witneSes of i'aul's con- 
 verllon, The m:n were with him who favi Ike light, but 
 heard not the voice. It is very probable that he had a con- 
 fiderable number of ofScers with him, to bring both men 
 and women that profefl'ed cliriftianity hound to Jeruf.ilem. 
 Thefe faw the light ftiining, and heardacoiifuied noife like 
 thunder, but they beard not the nniculate, much lei's the 
 eiHcacious voice of Chrift, which (pake fo convincingly to 
 his foul. Lord, how many are there v. ho cmiie uinicr the 
 preaching of the gofpel, that, with Paul's companions, 
 hear only a confufed noife, an empty found? ihey do not 
 hear the efficacious voice of Chrift, fpeaking to their hearts 
 with a ftronjT hand, and fo remain ihut up under ihe 
 powerof unbelief. 
 
 le And I faid. What fhall I do Lord ? And the 
 Lord faid unto me, Arife, and go into Damafcus; 
 and there it fl}allbe told thee of all things which are 
 apointedfor thee to do. 11 And when I could 
 not fee for the glory of that light being led by the 
 hand of them that were with me, I came into Da- 
 mafcus. 12 And one Ananias, a de\-out man ac- 
 cording to the law, having a good report of all the 
 Jews which dwelt ^/!e?r, 13 Came unto me, and 
 ftood, and faid unto me. Brother Saul, receive thy 
 fight. And the fame hour I looked up upon him. 
 
 14 And he faid. The God of ourfathers hath chofen 
 thee, that thou Ihouldeflknow his will, and fee that 
 jufl One, and Ihouldefl hear the voice of his mouth. 
 
 15 For thou (halt be as his witnefs unto all men of 
 what thou haft fcen and heard. 16 And now why 
 tarriefl thou ? arife and be baptized, and wafh away 
 thy fins, calling on the name of the Lord. 
 
 Here note, 1. That although Chrift converted Paul iiim- 
 felf, yet Ananias as his minirter muft inftruift him ; by 
 Chrift isgra'c infufetl.but by his miniftersincreafed. Surii 
 an honour doth Chrift put upon the niinifters of the gof- 
 pel, that he makes ufe of iheir cnderivoiirs (ordinarily) 
 both for the produc^tion and augmentation of grace in the 
 hearts of his people. O the necellity and ufefulntfs of a 
 Itandingminillry! Jt isafingular favour to have the mind of 
 God made known to us by men like unto ourfelves: Aiid 
 
 ■beboU 
 
TllG 
 
 ACTS 
 
 Chap. xw. 
 
 b'-tiol i the honour which Cod puti u\>on his niinifters, in 
 'i; -^^f thorn a* cundiiit-pipesfopcouvfyiii^r thewatcr oflife 
 i!:it.) tn, whi.h is not orilitinrlly cuniimin'catcil ijiinic- 
 (li^jttly fro'n hiiulVlf nor immediately received by u;- ! 2. 
 Th«- tide jjiveii by Ananias to Saijl, Drc'her Saul. They 
 were now brethren by faiih and profeflion, owning the 
 Gml, united to the f.inie Saviour, animated by the ianw 
 Ipifit, encoura'jfed i>y the fame promifes, partakers of the 
 fVme hope, and heirs of the fjnie jjlory : As ihe fcripture 
 pe.iks of abroihcr-hood betwixt Chrii^ and belie^-trs, f/f 
 is n'jt ajhamedin coll them brethren ; fo it fpeahr of a broiher- 
 liood betwixt believers tiiemfelves, Lnet''e lirothrrhood ; 
 that is, the whole fraternity ofthrifHan?, whoare Srt«^7<;ne 
 Chrijfi conplttt'inat'i r Cemented by the blood of Chriit, and 
 united by the bond of love. 3. Ananias acquaints Saul 
 with the fpecial favonrs which God intended for him ; the 
 Gid rf our fathers kaih ch'jfen thee, or tal;en thee by the 
 hand, as the word Signifies, that thou fhouldft know his 
 will, and fee that jufi On/-, (fo he calls the bltfTed Jefus) 
 to convince them of their fin in putting him to death : 
 yfnd be a wi'nffs unto all men ofxvhnt thou hiifi feen av.dheard. 
 The work of the minilters of the gofpel is now to witnefs 
 for, hereafter to witnefs againft; now they ivitnefsforGod 
 and his truth, and perfuade finners to believe it; hereafter 
 rhtry will witnefs ajrainft finners for not believing and obey- 
 ing the irutli of God. Lord, what a fad confideration is 
 this, that the inirfiders of Chrift mwft be brought in as 
 tfifnefTes againllthc fouls of their neighbours and friends, 
 aOii be' f'. reed to teflifj' to their faces fortheir condenTna- 
 tion ! Ah, Lord, with what a heart niuft a poor niinifter 
 fliidy, when be cofifidererh, that every fermon that he 
 preaches nuift be brought in fur a witnefs, againft many, if- 
 not mofl of his hearers? Doubtlefs. this Tad; refledion 
 ro:tkes very faithful, minifters of Chrill ftudy hard, pray 
 hard, intreat hard, beearrieft and inftant infeafonandom 
 offeafon, that they may not be contetnners of their people's 
 fouls. 4. The advice which Ananias gave to this new 
 convert to take upon him tiie badge of chriftianiiy, towit, 
 bjptifm ; ^rife and be baptized, und -Jiajh away thy fins. 
 Here note,, That, fagraments. *re not empty,, infigniticant 
 ligns; but God by his grace and blelTing renders.his own 
 ordinances effeftual for thofe-great ends tor which his wif- 
 dom has appointed them; he baptized, and lonff away thy 
 fins ; As water clcanfeih the boily, fo tiie blond of Chiiit 
 lijrnified by water, walhes away the guilt of the foul. 
 Where the faith, together with the prcfeflipn of it by 
 Irtptifm^ there is, falvation proaiifcd, Mark xvi- 6. He that 
 btruveth arJcis baptized, f.'all be fayed. 
 
 17 And lit Ci^ii5)e.tp pais, that vybcp I w,as come 
 again to JerurjJejn,eyc^ while I prayed iii, the tem- 
 ple, I was is a tran.cc : 18 And law him faying 
 unto me, Malc,c h,illo, and get thee quickly out of 
 Jerafilom : foj they will not receive thy tcftimony 
 concerning tijc. 19, And I laid, Lord, they know 
 that I itnprUoncdandbe«^ti.n every fyna,^ogue them 
 that believed on thee. 20 And when tlie bloodof 
 thy iTisrtyr Stephen wasihcd, I alio was ftanding 
 by, and canfentinff unto hi* death, and, kept the 
 
 raiment of them tlut flew him. Ki And he faifl 
 unto nic, Depart: fori will fend thee far hence 
 unto the Gentiles, 
 
 St. Paul having thusdeclared to the Jews his wonderful- 
 tuanncr of converfion, proceeds next lo ncqiiaini them, 
 how dcfirous he was to have |>reached to the jews rather 
 4han to the Gentiles, if the will of God had feep fir; but 
 it proved oihcrv/ife; for, as he was praying in ihet<n>plo 
 ■he had a vifion, in which he watcommat^ded to haftenout 
 of the city ; becaufe his f'. riner zeal in oppofing the gofpel 
 woijld hinder his prefentpreachingof it from being tuccef* 
 ful : Againft this he huniWy argued, that his former zical 
 againft chriftianity might, Jie hoped be an argument t(» 
 perfuade tlie Jews his countrymeti toembrace chriftianUy. 
 But this argument did not prevail for hisftaying at Jeru- 
 f.tlem ; but he was commanded to depart from thence to 
 preach the gofpel to the defpifed Gentiles who had not 
 furh ftrong eN-cf ptions againft him, but would with nu>r© 
 readinefs embrace his doftpine. Z.f^/-M hence, i. That 
 carnal reafoninjrs are very apt loarifc In theheart ot Ood's 
 own fervants, and cau ft* them to objeft fomething againft; 
 their obedicnct^to the divine coinniands: Here the apoftle 
 ohjedls, that according to- his reafon he faw greater proba- 
 bility of doing good bv his miniftry among the Jews, than 
 of him, as Ananias was ; but Chrift repeats his command, 
 Depart , and get thee henre. for I -will fend tine to the Ger>> 
 tiles. And now the apoftle doth no longer difpute buc 
 dilpatch. This teaches us, 2. To lay by all our carnal'- 
 reafonings and vain pietencesjwhen oncetlie ta\\ and com.. 
 n>and of God is clear, and no longer cavij, but comply ; 
 no longer object, but inftantlyobey, ^Ve may fafcly fol- 
 low God blindfold, when once we hive afinrance that hf 
 goes before U5, obey every coinin,ai)d without heficatio,;! 
 or limitation, 
 
 2 3 And they g«ive him audience unto this word, 
 and then lifted up iheir voices, and faid. Away with 
 fuch ^fellow from tlie earth ; for it is not fit that he 
 ftjould live. 23 And a.s they cried out, and call off 
 their clothes, and threw dull into the air, 24 Tlie 
 chief captaiii commanded him to be brought into 
 the caflle, and bade that he ftiould be examined by 
 fcouryirt.qthat he might know wherefore they cried 
 fo againft him. 25 ? And as they bound him with 
 thongs Paul faid unto the centurion that flood by, 
 Is itlawful foryoutofcouri^eaman thatisaRoraaa 
 anduncondemned ? '^26 When the centurion heard 
 that, he went and told the chief captain, faying 
 Take heed what thou doeft : for this man is a Ro- 
 man. 27 Then the chief captain came, and faid 
 unto him, Tell me, art ihou a Romarj? He faid 
 Yea. 28 And the chief captain anfwered, With a 
 great fum obtained I this freedom. And Paul faid 
 But I was/ixe lx>rn, 29 Then ftrai^htway they 
 departed froin him, which fhould have examined 
 hini: and thq chief captaiij alfo was afraid after he 
 
 knew 
 
Chap. xxnt. 
 
 The A C T S. 
 
 513 
 
 knew that he xvns a Roman, and becaufc he had 
 bound him : 30 On the morro\v-, becaufc he would 
 have known the certainty wherefore he was accufcd 
 of the Jews, he loofed him from his bonds, and 
 commanded the chief priefts and all their council 
 to appear, and brought Paul down and fet him 
 before them. 
 
 Nofe here, I. With what patience the Jews heard the 
 apoftle's dlfcoiirfc, until he made mention of the Gtntiles, 
 and that hcwa* appointed to preach to them ; Ujxili whici: 
 tliey brake forth into fury and palTion, and cxpreflcd their 
 ftiry by throwing dufl: into the air, and carting off their 
 clothes, as if they woidd prt-fently ftone him, whom they 
 l'"^kcd upon as the word of villains, and unworthy to live : 
 Where we may remark at once, both what a vile opinion 
 the Jews had of the Gentil.-s, \vho>n they called and ac- 
 counted dogs ; and what an high eftccm they had of thcm- 
 felvcs, and a proud ccncci; of their own defcrvines, as if 
 the favours of heaven belonged to none but thenifelvcs, wiio 
 yet trampled upon them, when they were tendered to them. 
 2. What a vile efieem thefc wicked Jews had of the holy 
 and innocent apoftle, who defired above all tlvngs to preach 
 the glad tidings of the gofpel to them, and longed moft 
 affeflionately for the converfion and falvation of them: 
 They account him the greateft villain upon earth, and iin- 
 ■worthy to live upon it : But the good man had learnt faiid 
 let all the faithful ininiftcrs of Chrill learn it after himj to 
 t.ike pleafiirc in reproaches, in pcrfeciitions, in neceflitics 
 and diftrefTes for ChriiVs fake : Auj.iy with fuch a fellow, 
 frim the enrtli, it is not meet that he Jh'iiild live. 3. The 
 pious prudence and innocent policy which the apofllc ufcs 
 for his own prefervation ; wlien they were about to bind 
 him to a pod, in order to the fcourgiug of him, the apoltle 
 declares himfelf a free denizen of liomc, by bein;;- born in 
 one of the cities which the Roman emperor had made 
 iree; accordingly St. Paul pleads for himfelf the privilege 
 of a Roman ciiizen, who neither ought to be bound nor 
 beaten. Though we inay net render evil for evil, vet we 
 may right ourfelvcs by all lawful means. Chrill: allows as 
 much of the fcrpcnt as the dove, in liis fervanis, prt.vided 
 thefub'lefy of the owe do;h not deftroy the fimplicity of 
 the other: The head of the ferpent, and the heart of the 
 d've, do beft together ; for as policy without piety is too 
 fiibile to be t;ood, fo piety without policy is too limplc to be 
 fjfe. 4. How the chief captain feaiing he had done 
 more than he could anfwcr, becaufc it was death for any 
 one in authority to violate the Roman privileges ; therefore 
 more out of fear than love, or more out of "love to him- 
 felt than the apoflie, he Kwfes St. Paul's bonds. Thence 
 noie, Ihat wh(5i at any time the perfccutors of the faints 
 do d-fiff from thtir bloody purpofes, it is not out of Icve 
 10 them, but love to themfdves. Laflly, The faints de- 
 liverances from afflidion and perfecution wliilll on this fide 
 n-^-aven, are not tot;;! or final, but momentary and partial. 
 The apoilie was delivered from his chains, not from his 
 confine fifrnt; though unbound, not fet at liberty: Next 
 day u c find him b-fore the creat council or fanhcdrim, and 
 frefh bonds and affliaions abide him. Litiie reft is to be 
 expeiled by the ineinbers, and lefs red by the faithlul ir.i- 
 
 niflcrsofJefusChrift in this world. BleOcd be God for 
 the believing hopes of an eternal rcfl ; where the fury of 
 the perfccntor, the injuries of the cpprcfTer flial! ccafe for 
 ever; where no fin (hall afFcft us, no forrow affiit^ i;.c, i,„ 
 danger affright us ; but we fnail be pcrfedlly like unto Grd. 
 as well in purity as imnicrtality. In the mean time, n.ay 
 we, the ininillers ofGod, who are fet for the defence c'f 
 the gofpel, bear the burden and heat of the day, with 
 patience and courage, rcfohition and conflancy ; rray M-e 
 gird up the loins of our ir.inds, not accoiinti:!'^ eiil.er cur 
 labours or otir lives dear unM us, fo wc mav linilh curccurf- 
 with joy, and fidhl the mirjldry which we h-ve received of 
 the Lord, glorying in our reproaches for well doini.'; yea, 
 though we be accounted the hhh of the world, and'thecff- 
 fcourin<jof all things: For when li.e chief lliepherd lliail 
 appear, we (hall rtceive a crown of glory, which fadeth 
 not away. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 In Ihh chapter we find St. Paul Icf^re tkf JaiiJ-.cdikn, 
 or great council at Jerujakui, prffrjfwg his ou^ 
 innoccncy: ^ but injlead of Jetting htm at liberty, the 
 Jew% ccmfpire his d'f ruff ion, but the prcx'idnice nf 
 God intn-pofs for his deliverance, as th $ chipter fully 
 informs us. 
 
 AND Paul earneftly beholdinsfthe council, faid 
 Men and brethren, I have lived in all good 
 confcience before God until this day. 2 Awd the 
 lughpriefl-. Ananias commanded thetn that flood 
 by liini to fniite him on the mouth. 3 Then laid Paul 
 unto hirn. God fhall frnite thee, tJiou whited wall: 
 for fittefl thou to jtidi^e me after the law. and com- 
 manded nic to be iVnitten contrary to the law ?. 
 
 Here we have obfervable the apoflle's fobcr .ind in</cnu- 
 ous profefl/on and protclhtion, Ananias's infolent and in- 
 jurious injunaion, St. Paul's zealous anfwer and contellj- 
 tion. Note, I. The apo(tie's fobcr and ingenious iirofelHon 
 a)ul proteflatinn, ver. i. I lav, U-ved in all go-J ^njcievce 
 ur.to this day; that is, during his continuance in the fcwi/h 
 rc.igion. and fince his converfion to the chnfti.'n rdii^ion, 
 he had walked uprightly, and according to his knowledi^e) 
 and tke light of his coidciencc. But had Paul a cood 
 confcience, when he pcrfecufed the Chriflisns? .inf." He 
 went according to his confcience when he psrfecutcd ; he 
 verily thought he did God fervice in fo doing, and h was 
 not any fclfifli or finiflcr end he propofcd to hin.ftif ; but 
 zeal tor his religion provnkcd him to perfccution, Phil iii 
 6. Concerning ze.ilpefcuting the church: It is ccrtrinly a 
 man's duty to follow his onfcir^nce; but then, it is as much 
 his duty to inform his confcience, as it is to follow it- / 
 h^rw lived ,!! all good c^fcience until this day. Here note 
 I he apoftle (els forth the goodn^Ts ol his confcience thefe 
 tour ways: (i.) FromJhe gr^jd-iefs of his convetfaticn • 
 //•-,o^ lived- A good converfH.iion is the bcft evidence of 
 a go_)d confc/ence. God doth nor meaf::re men's (inceriiy 
 by the tides of their affcaiotis, but by the coi.ibut bent of 
 
 . T- their 
 
Jli 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 CllM'. XXITT. 
 
 their rcfoluilcns, and the eencral coiirfe arc! tenor of their 
 ccnvcrfaiions. Eveiy man's confciencc is as his life le. 
 (2.) From the gcntiali'y of his care and obedience ; / 
 have Ik'fd !n all s-'Hd conj'clf'ce \ if it be not a ccnfcicncc 
 all grccl, it is no j;Pod ccnfcicncc at all. lUrcd had Jcme 
 good ccnf^ieiicc, he did many dings i but the r.prfilc \vent 
 farther, he lived not in fon-.e, but in cU g'.Qii anjaence. 
 (3.) The api.ltlc fets fcrih the gordncfs of his C( nicitncc 
 from the integrity of it towards God : I hcxe Ihed tn uH 
 Siclcr-'ifience before Gci: Many a man's conll.itncc.p:d|uh 
 Vor a good ccnfcience before men, and perhaps bctore hiin- 
 ftlf, whit-h yet arc not good lefcm Gcd, the judge of ccn- 
 fticnce. (.]..) From his continujnce and cc-nibncy, ■LWiV 
 /rlsdtjv: It is not fullkicnt tobcgiii a good, life, and to 
 have a' good confciencc ; but \vc miifl keep it tco, and that 
 all our days, even to our la(l day. Happy man ! that can 
 truly fay at hisdyingday, I ha\clivi-d i:« ail grod ccnfcicncc 
 until this day. 2. As the apoftlc's fi^lemn protcnaiicn, fo 
 the high pritlls injurious injimclirn ; Jnaiiifis c.mmanded 
 thm thiUjhod by l.iin lojmUe him on the mouth. -Here nctr, 
 What is the reward of a good confciencc from the world ; 
 to be fmittcn, either on the mciiih, orviih the mouth; 
 cith.er wiih the fift or with the tongue. There is nothing 
 focnro'-es men of wicked confcicnccs, as the proteilion and 
 pradMce of a cood confciencc doth : But better ten blows 
 en the face than cue on the heart; better a thcufand 
 blows for a good ccnfcience, than cne from it. 3- St. 
 Paid's zealous anfwcr r.nd conttflaticn, Gad Jhall fm-tc tbce 
 thoit ivh]!cd u-all. Where ii'Jc, \. Tint although, the 
 apoflle doth not fmite aguin as he was fmittcn, though he 
 did not fmite Ananias en the check, .is he fmcte him on 
 the mouth, yet he gives him a check and a fharp reproof for 
 his violence'and injtiftice. Thence learn. That chrillian 
 patience, though it binds a man's hands, yet it doih not 
 always bind hi's tongue; though it bys a law upon a man 
 \j fo. hear violence, yet it l.iys not a law upon him to en- 
 join him to Clence. Sr. Paul, though he did not flrilce, 
 yet hedurft fpeak; through he held his hands, yet he did 
 not hold his peace: Though religion pinions a rnan's arms 
 from ilriking, yet it doth not fcal v^p -x man's lips from fpeak- 
 ins;; but we mny dcclire both our own innocency, and 
 others inirilice. 1. St. Paul doth nof fny.'God fhall ju<lgc 
 thee, or G.-d (hull pl.iguc tliet ; but God Ih-.dl fmi'e thte: 
 dcnotinj, That as there is iiiways equity, fo fometimes a 
 retaliaiion in the exccuiicns of divine juftice, *<r a recom- 
 pcnju-..- like for l'.ke:Gi:d fometimes returns fmiiing tor 
 fmitiiK', fo that ihc (inner is forced to cry out, As I h/ne 
 tiitv, fo (hd hnth rfai'itcd we. -God- punifjies fomcwmcs 
 in the fimie kinit.rumciimes in the fame manner, fome- 
 tnnes in the lame pbce ; that (inners are forced to cry cut, 
 Righteous art thou, Lord ! and jufl are thy ju.Igments. 
 
 \. An.l !h-y thntrftond.h-, f" • ', H'^vikil tlioxi 
 God's hi^h pricft ? 
 
 Olferie here, That .Anr.nias the high 'piieft ^jitttig-con?- 
 rrar.ufd the a|>i'f-.!f, linheard and uncondcn.n'd, " '■ ' 
 f.iiUrcn, ihe aucale dtncumes ihejuil judgmcnrs •-■■ 
 inon hinfor'thc f:tn:e; yet not in a way ot impr. .r. ' 
 butprediairn; not in a way of rev.-ngr, or rtc<.n;-p'- r.-U!; 
 evil fr/r tvH ; but in a -^vny of n.tn:fl<ri,d reproof 
 lh»'ft..::dtr; bv Calkd i.'.::;rp, R.jV.cJt lUu €,..' 
 
 priejl? Thence leirn. That profane finners liwk upon 
 the faithfid reproofs, whii.h the miniftcrs of God give thcin 
 for their lewdmfs to be no belter than rc\ilings; they 
 think we revile them , if we do but rebuke them ; w hcreas 
 though we cha(>cn linners wiih the rod of reproof, we dare 
 not Aing them with the fcorpion of reproach. 
 
 5 Thcnfaid Paul, I wift not, brethren, that lie 
 was the hii;h pried. For it is written, Thou (hak 
 ■not fpcak evil of the ruler of thy people. 
 
 Several interpretations are given by the cxpofitors of ihefe 
 ■words / ti//? m/, hrethrenf that he was the high frieft. 
 I. Somethiuk that St. Paul did not really "knew the high 
 pricft, having been gone fo long fiom jeruf;!!^-!! ; and iho 
 "high pi left being made yearly. Others fav, 2. That there 
 being a great throng about him, the spoftie could not dif- 
 tindly hear who it was that fpakc to him. 3.^ Some 
 imderftand it of cbfoluie denial, that any fuch ot^ce as 
 that of high pricft then to be in being. As if the 
 apoftle had faid, "I do not own any man to be a lawful 
 hjoh pried now, that fimclionbeingabolillicd and difanulled 
 atUiecrmingofthe Mcflias." Again, 4. Others under- 
 Hand the wo"rds, as if the apofUe denied him to be the 
 lawful high pi left, one of "God's appointing, he being one 
 of man's mSKing, having purchafed the place with money ; 
 for tl'.c power and covetoufnefs of the Romans put a nc>y 
 high pritft every year to officiate ; accordiiigly Sr. Ptul 
 knowing this man to b:.- none of the pofleri'.y cf Aaron, 
 but broi!<;ht in by fordid gold, might judly difown him to 
 be the hii'h prie.'K ■L;iilly, there arc who affirm. That 
 the np< file did certainly fee and know the high p: icft ; and 
 that his meaning is, "That having received fuch unjuft 
 iififre in the court, as tob^ openly fmiiten in the time of 
 hearing, he did not know, that i.-, he did n.t confider who 
 it wr?sthat fpake fo him, and therefore fpake haftily rncl 
 nnndvifedly." The fcripture n ill not bear us out to witi. 
 ill worrls to TTiagidratcs, fliould we be, rs St. Pjul here 
 was, ill liRdhythem: yet are mnoittrates no n-.ore to be 
 fluttered than they are to be rcprouhed : "^Phe grcatert may 
 he reproved, aijilwirh a 'gracious feveiity tc!<l of thfir 
 faidts". and St. Paul did no more. It is no (in to teU the 
 judguKnts of God, -hichAvill certainly come upon inju- 
 rious and unjuft opprefLrs. 
 
 6 But when Paul -peTceived that the one part 
 -wL-rc Sadducces, and tlie other Phanfcos, he cried 
 
 out in the council. Men and biethivn, I am a Pha- 
 rifec, thefon of a Pharifec; of the hope and re- 
 fiincaion of the dead I am called in queQion. 
 
 Ohfcf-ve here, The innocent policy which the apcfiie ufa? 
 forhls own prefirvaiion: He perceiving that the council 
 before whom he ilood, were not all of a piece,b'i( pa'clnd 
 up of Ph^ril'ces andSjddu.eef, he publi-'.y pnidles liim- 
 felf a Pharifec by cdui ;ion, ;-ndof thafrcrliuliounow in 
 „r,;(-((-f the rrriirrr^ii-ii. Thus atoii. • ne cail in a bone 
 
 ecs who denied th.c refur- 
 
 wn.'d i ; and obliged the 
 
 p<i;ii, to tike lis p.vt, and 
 
 cd iheir oppoliri( n again!! him 
 
 y ieuing ilicm-at variance he 
 
 itiiglu 
 
Chap. xxni. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 5^S 
 
 l-night tlip betlcr cfonpe. Learn !icnfc, That an innncent 
 and priiilcnt policy may warrantnbly be made life ot by tb.e 
 ncinlK-isandminillcrs of Jtfiis Chrift, w i hmi' any bkmifli 
 to thcii lioly profodion : in ordor 10 our preff rvaiinn from 
 the ban is of perfcciKors, a f rpcntinc fubilelymay b? made 
 ufc of, inycihcr with a dove-like innoccnoy. Tims lie 
 St. Paul here, when le peiai'iteJ that one p.ii-t were Sudclu- 
 tees, and the ot! er Phar'.Jcef, he eric! out, &c. 
 
 7 5 And when he had fo faid, there arofe a Jif- 
 fenfion bct^vcen tlic Pharifces and the S.idJucics : 
 and llie multiiude was divided. 8 For the Sad- 
 ducces fay thai there isno lefurrciElion, neither angel 
 nor Ipiiii but the Pharifecs confcfs bolli. 9 And 
 there arofe a great cry. And the fenbes that xncre 
 of the Pharifecs part, arof--. and ftrove, fayin-.We 
 find no evil in this man : but if a Ipii it or a!i an^^el 
 hath fpoktn to hini, let us not fi-ht a^ainft God. 
 
 Otfifje here, I. How fad a ft.i;c, and how bad a ct n- 
 di'ion v.as the J-.-v\i)^i church n;iw in, when in (he f.mlie- 
 drim or great co\inci!, men had power and atirhoriiy, v. ho 
 bc-liived no life but 'his; and wliat hypnci i:e- were ihe 
 Pharifees, who coul.i ihps incorporate inicr-body with 
 damn:ible heriiic<!, the S.iddiicccs ; ind yr- at (he fame 
 lime hated and pcrfccntcd the ChiKU. n?. The Snddrcres 
 vere fo far from believing that there v.as any fpiiii, that 
 the\' Idafphcmoiifly main-aind, that G k! bin felt wa*. no 
 {piri;iial,.bii' only a corporeal Filing. When men (in wiih 
 cbllinacy againft 'urpcin?tiiral li'jlu, God jiilUy withdraws 
 from them even natural light, and fnfFers them !n> fall trom 
 one degree »f error to another. 2. How partially will 
 change men's jiidgment5;, according to the intercft ot a 
 party or faiSinn, The Pharifees were bitter enemies to 
 the apoftic ; bu', b?caufe ho owned himfelf of their fe(f>, 
 they inHaiitly t,kc part v iih him, and cry, U'e find tis 
 fault 'ivith f im. The feuds about religion are commonly 
 the fharpcR feuds ; men are tnore fond of the notions of 
 their hrain"^, than they are of the ilfue of their bi)di;s: Odia 
 rtligi-Jonimfunt acerlijfim-, "Religious hates sre hottefl." 
 3. How the dilTentions of God's advifers oft-times be- 
 come the deliverance of God's fervams. Thus here, the 
 Pharifees and Sidducees qiiarr. ) about the refurre<Siion r 
 The Phyiifecs juflify St. Paul, and tcH ihewi that oppofe 
 him, " They aie in danger, of fi_i>hting pgainft G')d. '' 
 Thus God, when he plcafeth, can find or m:-ke patrons 
 •)f his pe-'ple, and nife up fri;:nds irom among his very e- 
 iiemies, to defend his canfc. 
 
 10 And when there arofe a great diflTentron, the 
 chief ciptain, fearing left Paul fliould have been 
 pttlled in pieces of them commanded the foldiers 
 to j^o down, and to take him by force from among 
 thcin. and to bring him into the caAle. 11 And 
 the night following, the Lord flood by him, and 
 faid, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou haft tef- 
 tificd of me in Jerufalcni, fo mufl thou bear witnefs 
 alio at Rome. 
 
 St. Pai 1 was now in the n i 'ft of difficiil'y rnd danger ; 
 but obfcrve, how fcafonal 1) Cod Heps ia loi hisfuccour 
 
 rnd dtliverance : Firft, he Airs up that heathen tribune, the 
 chief cap'ain Lyfiaf, who was prcfentat ilie trial, to fee his 
 prif >n-r fair pl.iy ; the Lord ftirs up this innn to refciic the 
 i'poiUe from the h.ands of violence, by which he wss in 
 danger ofbcinp pulled to pieces, and he is returned fafe 
 into the csllle again. O how do God's encciirapciTients 
 tvermnre accomp;inv hi'tcomn'aiuls: His faithful fei van's, 
 ■when 'hey fufFer for him, fliall ccrlriiily be delivered by 
 him, cither in trouble or out ot trotdile. Secondly, God 
 comforts tl'.e fufRiing apoflle with his own prefencc, and 
 with the firacious 'iianitcfta;i">ns of his fpecial favour, 7 l:e 
 Lord flocd h /'im, end J aid. Be cf good cl cer, J'tn.1. Wlicie 
 roJi; That if the Lord (land by, and be gracioufly prcfL-nt 
 v\i h. his fervanis, in a fiifR-iing hour, it is no matter how 
 iniidity they be that do vvithftand them, and appeiir againfl 
 them. No dotdn,. thefe word-. Be of good cheer, Paul, 
 turned the apofik-'f prvft>n into a palace, yea, into a parar 
 (life, and enabled liitn to I id a bcid dtfiar.ce to all the 
 dtvitilh drnf;ns of all the Jcv\s in Jerufalerri ag.dnllhim; 
 ha\in; L'Ot fiich good fecnrity for hisfafeiy, even fr'-m GoJ 
 himlelf, in the faith of \\ l.ivd) our npoftle holily liiiimphs, 
 fa)ing, IJ God he for us, who can he r.gainfi us I Rom. viii. 
 31. That is. None can beagninft us, either fafelv or fuc- 
 cefbfulty. 'Ihe prefence of G'xl with his fufiering fcrvants 
 outweighs all their difparagemcnts. 
 
 12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews 
 banded in^ether, and bound themfelvcs under a 
 curfe, fiying. They would neither cat nor drink 
 till they had killed Paul. 13 And they were more 
 th.»n forty which had made this eonfpiracy. i4And 
 (hey came to the chief priefls and elders, and faid 
 WJie have bound ourfelves under a great curfe, that 
 we will eat nothing until we have flain Paul. 15 
 Now, therefore, ye with the council fignify to the 
 chief captain, that he bring him down unto you 
 tomorrow, as though ye would inquire fomethmg 
 more perfcdliy concerning him : and we^ or ever he 
 come near, are ready to kill him. 
 
 Ohferve here, I. A barbarous and bloody plot, a curfed 
 combination and confjiirpcy againft the life oi the innocent 
 and iifctnl apoftle : No fooner was it day- light, but the 
 v.i ked Jews bind thcmfelvcs by an oath, never to eat or 
 drink more, until they eat the apoftlc's flrfli, and di ink his 
 blood. Thus tie zviched phttcth againf the'j'fi, c>td gv.ofli- 
 cth ujnn him with his teeth, Pfalm xxxvii. 12. 2. 'J'he 
 numbers which were engaged in eonfpiracy, more than 
 furiy, they all agreed as one man. Lord, how numerous, 
 how itnanimotis, how refoliite ?nd outrapct iis.are the ene- 
 mies of thy holy religion, to carry on their curfed coii- 
 ttivances forthe extirpaiion of it ! Thus was i: here, thefe 
 enemies were numerous, m;rc then fcrty. The devil's 
 defi^ns never mifcarry for want of fit inftruments ; he has 
 a paitv evtr ready to oppofe the gofptl In every place. And 
 as ihey were unaniinous, as well rs numerous, they com- 
 bined totrether in one curfed b^nd , Here was unity, but 
 not an imity in the truth, but a cnfpiiacy againfl it : Here 
 was the agreement and fritndniip, but itwas like that cf 
 Herod and Pilate againft Chrift, and not for him : And 
 
 shcy 
 
51^ 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap, xxi ii. 
 
 rv were r<roliire and oiitragioiis, They hound thtmjdvet, Paul's fifter's fon: He wa? perhaps by, when flie conrpira- 
 I'r a curje, under a hlooily Vdw, to piirfiie thtir pnrpofc tors were contriving the mifchict, and overheard them. It 
 of miirJcrint; the apoftlc. It has been the old pitli^v of is happy for the innncent, that the mallLioWs cannot keep' 
 the cncmiesof tin; church to oblige and bind thcmftlves their own coiinfel. God ottt-ntimcs caiifeih the tongues rf 
 
 his people's enemies to fall upon ihemfelves, and tliey dif. 
 
 by paths and cxerraiions, by leagues and arT'icialinn!:, to 
 carry en their wicked and b|fX)dy dcn;.ns asainrt the church: 
 They Ufrf vrre than firty, ivhich made this conjfiracy. ?. 
 The qiiali'v nf the pcrfuns whirh were e nsai^td in tins 
 bloofy purp.Tf ; tliey were the S-uidiicees, who dini^'d the 
 i:n:ii()rt:ili;y of the foul, and a life after dea'h. And they 
 apply thill'. (elves to the hi^h priiU, r.nd fanhedriiii or gre.it 
 
 cover the wiLke<4 piirpr>fes of their hearts, which none but 
 
 )eopii 
 
 r the 
 then-ifclves were privy to. 3. f{ow the hearts nf rll men 
 arc- in the hand of the Lord, jiod how he ti'imeth il em as 
 he plcafuih. This is evident from the chief captjin"s great 
 humani'y towards St. Paid, and hLs courteous humility 
 towards his filler's fon, taking the youth by the hind, and 
 
 council, not douhiing ot his and thtir rcadin.Ts to join as readily givinji him both audience' and difpatch ; fuch a 
 
 vith them. O what a low ebb w;'.s the Jewilh rcliuion Ajvertignty and dcminion has Gui ever the hearts nf men 
 
 row at ! What an high prifll and pricllhood was there ^that he can inllantly incline then) as he pleaft-th, and make 
 
 that mu'.l head a Confcd;;racy of mmdcring Sadducees ! very enemies beci^me bencfuflors at his pleafiire. 
 
 How ^rfat was the degeneracy of the I.; wilh church, when „„ c;„ ,i,„ .-u: c _ .-^ • .1 1 i 
 
 -L • I • i • ,1 I ■' i ■' I -1 I 22 r>o the cnicr c.iptain ^mj let the vouir^ man 
 
 tf.eir chut pnclts wen; thus ready 10 comply with, and j , , , ," ""''"-'• inc^e/un., iii«u 
 
 contribute their beft aililhinccio fuch a cruel crew <,f cut- o-P'*'''. and charged /;rw, ,Sf« M.ii tell bo man that 
 
 throats and bloody ail'^llins! P>uf they had almcft filled up tliou haft fhewed thefc things to me. 23 f .A.nd 
 
 the meafure of their fins and their final dcftrudlion was he called unto hkn two centurions, faying. Make 
 
 near approaching. LaRly, What craft and cruelly, what ready two hundred foldit-rs to ^o to Cefarea, and 
 
 horlemcn threefcore and ten, and fpsarmen two hun 
 
 fraud and force are here found combined tcgeth^-r in the 
 church's enemies. The council mcfl court the captain, 
 1 1 It he bring down his prifoner, ^.r though they would inquire 
 J'jiiutf ing mere perfe^ly anserning him. Thus was the pl()t 
 againll tha apolUe's lifs bid cral'iily as well as cfiielly; 
 u rider a pretence of having the prifoner re-examined, thcy- 
 confrive to have him brought down from the callle, and 
 in his way to the council they combined together for his 
 dcrtruclion. Lo^d, nbaie the power of the churf he's ene- 
 niics, lince thtir malice cannot be abated. 
 
 16 And when Paid's fifter's fon heard of their 
 
 lyin, 
 
 ^ in wait, he wenr and entered into the cnRle, 
 
 dred, at the thiid hour of the niyht. 24 And 
 ptovide thhii beafts, that they may f 1 1 Paul on, and 
 bring him Jajc unto Felix the governor. 
 
 O/iferve here, 1. How wonderfully God over-ruled' thft 
 heart of the chief captain, in that he took care both of St, 
 Paul, and the young man alfo ; he bids the young rrah 
 depart ; for had it been krown that he had difcovered thrf 
 confpiracy, they had ccnfpired againft his life ; and had not 
 the cliief captain conveyed away the apfiftle, his tneinjcs 
 who had been difappointcd in this, would have made further 
 
 and told P.ml. 
 
 m n , 11 J r 1. attempts againfl his life. Thus wrndcrfuHy doth the coed 
 
 17 Then Paul called one of the providence of God" work for his fervanis prefervaticn. 
 
 centunonsuntohim.andfaid, Bnnglhuyoungman 2. What a ftrong p,uard does G>d raife and fet round the 
 
 unto the chief capiain ; for lie hath a certain apodle for his dctence and fafety, even a guard of heathen 
 
 thing to tell him. i8 So lie took him and brought foldiersto fecure him from the Jevvilh rage ; two hundred 
 
 him to the chief captain, and laid, Paul the prifoner f"'Jifs, three fcore and ten horfemen, and fpearmen two 
 
 Called tne unio him, and prayed me to bring this 
 yoiiiyg maa unto thee, who hath fomcthing to fay 
 vmto theo. 19 Then the chief captain tooVhim by 
 the liand, and weiit with him afide privately, and 
 alkei A.'w.What is it that thou hafl to tell mt ? 20 
 And he frid, The Jews have agreed to defire thee 
 that thou wouldefl bring down Paul to-morrow into 
 the council, as though they would inquire fomewhat 
 of him raorcp'.-rfet^ly. 21 But do not thou yield 
 unto them : for there lie in wait for him of them 
 more than forty men, which have bound themfelves 
 with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till 
 tbey have killed him: and novy arc they ready look- 
 ing for a promife from thee. 
 
 A«/c here, I. That no confpiracies arc or can be kept 
 fcCret from God, who can both deteit them, and defeat 
 them at his picafure, 2. Tiie remarkable providence of 
 God inbiinging this confpiracy to the knowledge of St 
 
 hiii'drsd. What a royal 'He-guard was here raifed for the 
 apeif le's fafe Conduft to Cefarea ! None of all thtfc foldiers 
 iniciided him any good; btit Gcd ntRde ufe of them as 
 effeitually, a' ff they had had the prratcft good vill for 
 him. God can make bad perfons fhew kindnefs to his 
 good fervants, and do hi*- a\ ill by them, who know nothinj^ 
 of his mind and will. When G"<l has work to <lo, he will 
 find inftrnincnts to do it by. And though we fee them not, 
 yet are they never the farther otf. 
 
 25 And he wrote a letter after this manner: 26 
 Claudius Lyfias, unto the m.oft excellent governor 
 Felix, fcndcih greeting. 27 This man was taken of 
 the Jews, and fhould have been killed of them: 
 then came I with an artny, and refcucd him, having 
 utiderflood that he was a Rom.in. c8 And when 
 1 would have known the caule wherefore they accuf- 
 edhim, I brought himfoith into their council; 29 
 ^V'hom I peictivtd to be acculed of queftions of 
 their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge 
 
 worthy 
 
Chap, xxiv. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 5^7 
 
 worthy of death or of bonds, 30 And when it 
 was told me hxu that the Jews laid wait for the 
 man, I fent flraightway to thee, and gave com- 
 mandment to his accufers alfo, to fay before thee 
 what they ^aJagainft him. Farewel. 
 
 The chief captain T-yHas havini» feft Paul under a ftionor 
 guard to Ctf;<rci by nii^ht, ■(vhere fViix the Roin.in j»ovcr- 
 nor n-filc-il, h.,- writes a 'otter to acquaint Ftlix with the 
 accufation laid to the ptif(i.ntr"y charge. In which letter, 
 »;/(•, I. Theti'la eiven to the Roman governor, M,k 
 txcfllent : Cuiudiuf L\ftau to foe tt.-JI excel'.cnt for'trner Felix 
 Jendelh greeting, Ti.les of civil honor and rerp':ft given to 
 per(ons in place and power are agreeable to the mind an# 
 ■will of Ciixl. There is a-i honor wl'ich belongs to men, 
 with refpc<5l to their external de'jree and pl.tce, when none 
 is due to thein with refpecfl to their internal qMalifications. 
 Hi.- that is very honotirabk- as to his place, may not deferve 
 anyhjnoras to his worth ; yet on^ht he to be honoured 
 fo far as his place reqiiireth. 2. How God over-ruled the 
 Iwart and pen of this capr.iin Lyfias, to do the apoflle iii;ht, 
 i>. rcprefcniiiig his cafe t.iirly and inditFerently : That he 
 found nothing brouiiht as; inl hi'n that was piiiiifhable, 
 either with deaths or bonds, by the Roman Iiw. 3. Ho\v 
 triflingly ht- fp-^nks of the ereat ihinT;s in qiicftion concern- 
 ing our blcilcd Redeemer's death and refiirrc<Slion, as alfo 
 ot the whole t^ofpel ; he calls them undervaluing ^uef. 
 tiiiis of their iiiw. As the wifdom of the world is fooli/h- 
 ncfs with God, fothe manifold wifdom of God is accounted 
 and elfeemed folly by the if norani and blind world. Yet 
 4. H'lw G )d over ruled his \'erv (lighiing of thefe con- 
 troverfies in difpute, for the apoHL-'s advatitas;? ; he being 
 ky that means prefervcd froin the rage of the Jews ; ver. 
 27. f/'iH-n this man was tahn of the J cms, and /hiilJ, &c. 
 jJchold how God accomplilTies Iiis own defigns for the pre- 
 fervation of his fervants, by the hand of thofe froin whoni 
 deftruftion could rather have been expeftod. Thus here, 
 G'«:hnade ufe of an heathen captain to relcue and defend 
 the apolUe from the enraged Jews, who fends him under a 
 ftrong guard with a friendly letter in favcur of him, to 
 Felix the governor at Cefaiea, where he uivos notice to his 
 accufers to implead hiin face to face. BlelTed be G;;d, that 
 our times are in his hands, not in our enemies hands, nor 
 yit in our own ; until we have finilTifd the wtirk, which 
 60J dcffgned us,, neither men nor devils can take us oJf". 
 
 31 Then the foldiers, as it was commanded thetn, 
 took Paul and brought h'm by ni^ht to Ant:patris! 
 32 On the morrow they left the horlemen to i>o 
 with him, and returned to the caftle. 33 Who 
 when they came to Celarca, and delivered the cpif- 
 tle to the governor, prefcntei Paul alfo before him 
 34 And when the governor had read the letter, he 
 aiked of what province he was ? And wlicn he un- 
 d^rllood that he was of Ciucia; 35 I will bear thee, 
 laid he, when thine accufers are alfo coine. And 
 he comiTiandcd him to be kept in Herod's iud^- 
 mem-hall. -^ ° 
 
 Ifc .-|(f.]e being brcL'^ht before Ftlix the Rtro::n 
 
 governor, although he was an Tieathcn, yet he flicwcd the 
 apofUc far more favour than his own cc'iinfrymen the Jews: 
 For, c/frrve, 1. His .iffjbility to St. Paul in .ifiing Hm nf 
 his country. 2. Hisjuflice, he would not judfe l.irn till he 
 had his accufers face to face: / will hear ihce when thivt 
 accufers are come. If it be enough to accufe, who can be 
 innocent? And if it be fufliLient to deny, who wotdd be 
 found guilty.' Ma!;il1ratcs muft know a caufe, before they 
 give ftntence or judgment about it ; otherwife, though they 
 pronounce a right fentencc, it is not in judgment, but by 
 accident. Magiftratcs inuft be ftars, .as well as mitirtcis- 
 they inuft d.T nothing blindfold, or blindly. 3. His great 
 favour towards the apoftle, in committing him a prifoner 
 not to the common jail, but to HcrcMJ's palace: A fair 
 prifon, if a place of confinement may be fo called. The 
 finhcdrim at Jcrufalem, though of his own country, and 
 of his own religion, yet were "not fo kind to him as Felix 
 
 the heathen governor. Thus the chapter concludes 
 
 with an account of the apoflle's wonderful deliverance 
 from the Jews at Jenifaism, whoconfpired his deftrudlion; 
 toErether with the inflrumf nfal means and manner of it! 
 In the next chapter we find him brought to Cefarea, tried 
 before F.lix, making a defence for hinifilf, and fo reafon- 
 ing that Felix trembled: Behold a prifoner at liberty, and 
 his judge in bonds. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 In the kginmng of this chapter we find St. Paul hrntarht 
 to his trial before Felix //;e Reman gmernor ; a fa- 
 mous trial, at which the plaiviiffwas Ananias th: 
 high pritft, and feveral members of the fanhedrim ; 
 the defendant, St. Paul; the judge, Felix; the em- 
 peror's attorney. general, Tertulius; and the indiS- 
 mrnt drawn vp again/t the pnfoner, herefy and fedi- 
 tion : From which imputation the cp-^k clears himfcif; 
 and in the end of the chapter makes a dcclaratim of his 
 
 faith, and gives an accoum of Ike kolinefs and innocency 
 of his life. 
 
 \ ND after five days, Ananias the hio-h piieft 
 I\. defcendcd with the elders, and with^'a ccrtaia 
 oratornamed Tertulius, who informed the gover> 
 nor agamfl Paul. * 
 
 Nc/e here. How Ananias the h7gh pricft, with the elders 
 or heads of the Jewifh coimci! at Jcrufalem. travel from 
 thence t.. Cefarea, a ereat maiiy miles, to inform the go- 
 vernment agaitijt St. Paul ; ,furfz:e days Anani.s defcjej, 
 &c Thedev.IsdriKlges (h.k at no pains fparc for no 
 coff, in doing his drudgery. .A perfecuting fpirit ciaos 
 wings to a perfon it makes him fwift ia his mori.n, and 
 zealous in his application and endeavours. 2. Hjw the 
 highpriert carrieth with him one nf thcir rnofl eminent and 
 eloquent advocates to implead the iniaxent apoflle Satan 
 never mrfcarri^-s in ar^y of his enterprizes and wivked de- 
 f^gns, or want of fit tools to carry them on. He hath his 
 1 errullus, an eloquent orator, ready, who could ttjne his 
 tongue any way for a large fee. . • 
 
 2 Ani 
 
/;i8 
 
 Tl 
 
 ic 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 ChAF. XXIV, 
 
 2 And when he was railed fonh, TorLulhis began 
 to accufe liirn, faying, Seeing that by t!ie? we enjoy 
 great quietncfs, and that very ^voithy d Ji-ds are done 
 iinlo this nation by thy piovidi.'nce. 3 We accept 
 it aJways. and in all places. moH; noble Felix, with 
 all thankfiilncfs. 4X'()!vvithfl.inding. that I be not 
 farther tediou.s unto thee. I pny thee that thou 
 wouldcfl hear us of thy clemency a few words. 
 
 /\'etf litre, Sr. Pjiil ilic prifi>ncr bi ing callcl forth, Ter- 
 iiiUus tlie ornt.^r bej'an to fluvv his art by a flittering in- 
 fin'iaticn, \vhici> mightily prevails wi'.h men of mt-jn iinJ 
 corrupt minJ'. There is no caufe fo f ml .md bnd, but 
 fomc will be found to plead it ; yea, t jnftity anJ defend 
 ir. An lit fo, jud'^es had need be \\ ifi-, as ilie r.nc;fls of 
 God, difcerning between irinh and fallhood. Farther, 
 How Tcrtij'his fecks to cjiin the jndiic's favour by flattery 
 and falfhood : To win judges by flattery, hiih ever by falfe 
 peeiifers been taken for the fitrcit way of fiictefs; but after 
 I'll, fi.ittcry i.v a very provoking and vvrath-procuiingfin : 
 arui it is hard to fay, wliich is molt dangerous, to receive 
 fl ittery, or fo !;ive it. When men i^ivc much glory to 
 man, it is liard for man to give that glory back a?jin to 
 (jod. Iris hell and death to flitter finncrs, or (utter oiir- 
 r.Ivcs to be flattered by them. Lallty, Tiiat bid govern- 
 ment is better than no government; tyrannv itfelt is better 
 than anarchy. The Jews were not now their own maders, 
 but tributaries to the Romans. Yet Tertnllus acknow- 
 ledges, Afu»y wtrthy dtedi were done unto tWir mthn hy the 
 Jiudnue r,f the Ramnn gncrnor : vcr. 2, 3. Seeing that by thee 
 tve enjoy great quiet nejs, &c. 
 
 5 Forwehavefoundtliisman a pcflilential fdhw, 
 •nnd c'l mover of fedition ainoni^all the Jews throuLjh- 
 out the world, and a ringleader of the fc6l of the 
 Nazarenes : 6 Wlioalfo hath gone about to profane 
 the temple ; whom we took, and \vould liavc jiid;^ed 
 according to our law. But the chief captain Lyfias 
 came upon us, and with great violence took htm 
 away out of our hands, 7 Commandm.ghis accufers 
 to come unto thee : by e.xaminin;^ of whom thyfelf 
 inaveR lake know]ed..5e of all thefe things whereof 
 wt accufe him. 8 And the Jews alfo alTcntcd, 
 laying, That thefe things were lo. 
 
 Tcrtii!!i)S having prepared t!ie judge, prcfently falls upon 
 the matter, and charges St. Paul wi'.li being a pefii em (tl- 
 Jow, a fediiious pcrfon, a diflurbcr of the nation, ■^ profmer 
 of the temple, a ringleader of the fcft of the Nazarenes. 
 And adds. That out of mere zeal to the Jcwifh religion, 
 ihcy had ihemfjlvcs before now difpalchcd hiin out of the 
 way, but that he was violently refcucd out of their hands 
 by Lifi'is thecliief captsin, and broiipht tlithcr to be tiicd. 
 Concluding, That tlitfe things which he huii fprken, Mere 
 the f'.nfe of all ihofe that came down with him a.s vNitneilts. 
 Vcr. q. Tl'e yews clfo rfl'ruled, and faid that thefe things 
 Kverejo. IFcrcnsrr, I. Wliat an heavy load of reproaches 
 *nd falfe accufations, our iiuioccnt apofllc laboured under j 
 
 he is accounted, an.l called, a walking pcflilencc. Thti» 
 the h.ly and faithful fervams ofG.xlarc cftecmcd by the 
 world, the plague and bane of the nation where they live ; 
 a I hough it is really for tlieir f-kes that God ftavcs off 
 plagues and judgments from falling tipon the world : JVe 
 have fo'nd th's nin a fepi'.ent fellr.v. It is not the 
 grcaicft holiiK-fs tnw.irds Cj.id, i-or rightcoufnefs towards 
 men that can fnfli-icnily fliitld and defeiicJ a faint from 
 Cf^nfure and llandcr, from caiimmy and falfe acctifution. 2. 
 B'jfides the general charge, that the apoftle was the vciy 
 pvft and pi igiie of mankind; we have a threcf >!d accufa- 
 lion brought ag.iinfl him, That he was a iiiover of feditton, 
 r. pr-ifancr of the temple, and a rincleadcr of the f ifl of . 
 the N izarcnes. L'>rd, how fhotild thy faiihfid minifters 
 anJ amballador*: pre pare thetrfelvc-s for, and coinfurt ihcm- 
 fdvcsiindi-r thd'ir.oft hellifh rcpmachcs, when we find the 
 freat apoHle (*vhom St. Chryfoftom honours with his 
 charaftcr, ^^ Thnt the earth never heire n heller man ftnce 
 it h/ire our Redt-emer \*' J yet tints ?nifcallcd snd accounted 
 a peft, a plague, the filth of the world, and the off-fcoiir- 
 ingof .dl filings! Owky flioald fiicli wort'ulefs worms as 
 We, murmur, ^\ hen we meet wiih much lefs reproaches! 
 Lord, help 11.':, in imi:aii ai of thy rxan^plc, \vit the joy 
 that is fct b.fore us, to dcfpife the fliaiv.c, as well as to 
 <^ndiire the crofs. The belt men that ever the world had, 
 h.ivf fallen under the laftics of envenomed fciigucs. What 
 f"iil pfperfions halli malice cafl upon innocency itfcif ? 
 Our bklfed Siviinir in the ilearcn.ifl of inr.'K'tncy, his 
 calling out of di-xils, fiifFercd the moft horrid iir.puiation, 
 even of rn/linf cut devih through Eeeheluh the prince ef 
 //«'//(, Matt. ix. 34. Now the firvanimiift not cxpcft 
 to be .-.bove his mafler; ifChrilf thus fi;ftercd, needs muft 
 Chrilliani'y, needs mull Chridians, needs miift minifters- 
 and ambalfadors. 
 
 10 f Then Paul, after that the governor had 
 beckoned unto him tofpc.ak. anfweied, Forafmuch 
 as I know that thou hafl been many years a jud;^c 
 unlothis nation, I do the more cheerfully anfwer 
 for myfelf : 11 Becaufe that thou ma)cfl under- 
 fland that there are yet but twelve days fmce I went 
 up to Jcrufalcm for to worfliip. 12 And they 
 neither found me in the temple difputin;^ with any 
 man, neither raifin^r up the people, neither in the 
 fynago^ues, nor in the city : 13 Neither can they 
 prove the things whereof they now accufe me. 
 
 Our apofll ■, being accuftd of three notorious criirtfs, 
 n.iinily, _/<■(•////«», ierrfy, and frofa nation oi tlie thcmple, 
 rnfuersdiftinclly to every one ot them. Where note, 1. 
 How undaunted innocency is in a good perfon, and in a 
 pood cniife ; Sr. Paid was fo far from being daunted by the 
 grratnefs of his cncmif.s, or by the vehcireiicy cf their ac- 
 ciifation, that he idls tlie go\crncr, he did tc//^ all eheer- 
 fnlnefs undertake hi"; di fence. 2. How the apoflle anfwcrs 
 dii'tin(5\ly to the particulars of 1 is acmfation. And, firft, 
 As to the Crime rf fediiion charerd upon his perfon. 
 Secondly, As to the crime of here ^^, charged I'pon his 
 religion. As to the former, the crime of fediiion, this is 
 
 a very 
 
Chap. xxit. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 3^9 
 
 a very infamous charge : What fchifiii is in matters ccclc- 
 fiaflical, this is ftciiiion in mattCLS. temporal and ci\il. As 
 tl^c one violates i!fu peace of the church, fo doili the other 
 tlic commonwealih. Sedition is ccmrritttd three ways : 
 by the head, by the tongue, and bythc hand. A fediiiou? 
 head plots and contrives mifcliicf, a fcdiiious tongue vents 
 if, and a fcdiiious hand executes it. Noncoftiitfc ways 
 w-as the apoltle guilty of ftdition : He never employed his 
 heart to contrive, nor his tongue to utter, nor his hand to 
 pradilc any ihinjr that tended that way ; yet he is charged 
 with it ; /Ae hate found this fellow a mover of feclilicti. 
 Learn thence, It is no new ftraiagem, to reprellnt the 
 t.iittitii! fervantsof God, as enemies to ftatcsand kingdoms, 
 as ililunbers of the peace, as troublers of Ifratl, as tiumptis 
 of reb?IIi(,n, as moversof fediiicn, on purpofe to bring them 
 into hatred with princes, that they may fall under the fword 
 of the magidrate as malefaiflors, and be looked upon as 
 pirfons unworthy to live. But how dues St. Paul free him- 
 kli from the charge of imput-iion and fediiion r Thus, 
 I. By demondrating the improbability of it ; liow unlike 
 it was, that he who came up to the temple to worihip God, 
 and to bring alms to thf* poor, and was in Jcrufalcmbut a 
 very few days, and did not fo much as difputc either in the 
 temple, or in the fynagogiies, fhouid yet (lir up the people 
 to fedition. He puis his advetfaries upon proof ot their 
 articles, vcr. 13. Neither can ihey prwe the th'irgs wheref 
 they nnu accufe me. From the npolU'^'s practice in clearing 
 his own innoccncy, wc learn, Tlvit it is a piece ofjufUce 
 which every ntaii owes to hii^iftlf, to vindicate and clear 
 his reputation from all guilt falfcly imputed to him, end c- 
 fpecially from that of fedition. 
 
 1 J But this I coiifefs unto thee, that after the 
 way which they call herely, lb worfnip 1 the God of 
 my fathers, believing all thinj^s which are written 
 in the law and the prophets ; 
 
 Here the apcftte anfwcrsthc fccond part of the chari^e 
 brought againft him : namely, the charge of herefv, luid 
 being the ringleader of the fed of the Nazarenes. Where 
 Tiite, That although the apoftle would not out of his great 
 modelly take upon himfelf to be one of the heads or chiefs 
 •■•rnong them, a ringleader, as iheyftyled him ; yet as to the 
 ' '.vning of that way, notwiililtandiiig all the iirputations 
 t;uy had cafl upon i', he doih it with the grcate!l freedom 
 and ccurage, in the prcfence of his judge and accufcrs ; 
 This I cr-iffi, that after ike way which thet (all herefv, fo 
 u<:r/ml> I, ^c. Here note, i. The falfe iinputaiion which 
 chiiilianity luffered under, in its firll appearance ; After tiff 
 u.iy which they call herefy. It is no new thing to nickname 
 the worlliippersof the tnieGed, to call ihcm heretics, and 
 il'cir way ot worfliip hcrcfy. 2. The way taken by St. 
 I'jut to remove this talfe iinptitaiion ; namtly, hy an appeal 
 to Icripturc and aniiqui'y ; So ivarj'h'p Itlc Code/. my 
 fdhn-', be;ievir.7, &:c. Where obferve, How he aopeals 
 to fcripturc as the ground and rule of his fai;h. the law and 
 the prophets ; and then he appeals to the bell and purtft 
 anti.-iii:y for the objcft of his woriliip; So ivirfi.iji I tlic 
 G'ji! ■} wyfathen. Nate, 3. The freedom and courage (jf 
 tbtt.j'.poltic in ownini; his religion, noiv\ ithllanaing'ihcfe 
 
 falfe imputations, even In the prcfence of his greateft ene- 
 mies, anil when they were in hopes to deflroy him for it ; 
 This I coif efs unto thee. The apolUe abhorred that mean 
 and bafe-fpirited principle which makes it lawhd tor men 
 to deny their religion, when it brings thtm into danger : 
 No, he valued his above, and preferred it before, his per- 
 fonal fafety. God Almighty infpire us with the famu 
 courage and holy refolution, that when our advcrfaries 01 
 the church ot Rome pronounces us heretics, and call our 
 religton h.crefy, we may anfwerthcm as our apoflle anfwer- 
 ed their forefathers, the I'ubile Pharifecs, Jftcr the wcy 
 ivhi.h ye ct:!! herefy, fo norp.i[) ue the God of 'A!r fathers, &:c^ 
 
 \.{ And I have hope towards God, wliich they 
 tlicnilelvesaUo allow, that there (hall be arefurrec- 
 tion of the dead, both of the jiifl and unjuft. 15 
 And hei-ein do I exeicife mj-lelf. to have always a 
 conlcience void of offence toward God and loiuard 
 men. 
 
 Our apoftle had m:dc a free and open profcflliin of his 
 religion in the foregoing verfe. After the way called herefy 
 di I wcrjhip the Ccd if viy fathers; here, at the 15th verfe, 
 he afierts the doctrine of the refurreciion, which w:s a 
 principal article both of the Jcwilh and the ChrilUan re- 
 h'gi. >n ; / hwje hofe tcivards Ccd, that there fljtjll be a rfur- 
 reclioH both of the ju/i and unjufh And having inadi a 
 declaration of his faith, ver. 14, 15. he next gives an .nc- 
 count of his life, at ver. 16. Herein do 1 exercfe mfelf, 
 Arc. Obfervchcrc, i. What is the principle and guide of 
 a good man's anions, and that is confcience. The word 
 and law of God is the rule of otir aiSilcns, but confcience 
 is the immediate guide and diict^or of them. 2. The 
 e.xrent of a good man's pious practice. To tre/> a confcience 
 void of offence toward God and mail : To exercifc a taithful 
 care in performing the duties of both tables, is both an ar- 
 gument of our lincerity, and an ornament to our profc'Tion. 
 3. The apollle's confrancy and perfeverance in this coiirf-. 
 To have ahctiys a confc'ence void of offence. We mi;!t net 
 make confcience of our duty by fits ind ffarts, but in ihj 
 whole courfe and tenor of our lives and a<nions. Rtliiiou 
 flioi.'ld be a confh-.nt frame and temper of mind. 4. The 
 apolHes'scarnefttarc and endeavour to 'his purpofe. Herein 
 do I ex:r:':f: m\fe!f : The original word is ofanintenfe 
 liguilcation, and denotes the apofllc's applji.n^; his mind i;i 
 good earneft, to be thoroughly inilrufied in'^all the parts 
 and points cf his duty, and his being very careful and con- 
 Icientious in the difcharge and performance of it. 5.V/hat 
 was the .:poji!c's great motive ai'd enccuranennent to do 
 all il is i namely, the belief of the refurrcAion, and the 
 future (l.ic ot rewards .;nd ptJniihmcnts conf^qucnt noon 
 it ; ]' .lij / hspf fr a refurre^ion both of t'.ejuji r.r.d 
 u"j:ij.\ '.ri'Aorc do I cxercife myfelf, lo have alwrys a ccit- 
 Jcience^iid of offenre. If we believe the refurniflioir oi ihc 
 dead, and the judgment to come, we Hiall be very careful 
 to dil.harg-i a good confcience now, irt order to the render- 
 ing a good account of ourfclvci ihtn. H.ippy man, who. 
 when heg-K-; into anoi'iir wrrhl, carries wiihhiin thi:her 
 a coiirti..nc> clear of all guilt, eth.cr hy inno-.ency or b^ 
 repentance I For verily^ at the hour of doath, to be free 
 
 I.-'.-.a 
 
J20 
 
 Tlie 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap, xxivi 
 
 from flings and iipbraidings, from the terrors and tortures, 
 from tlie confufinn and amazement (if a guilty confcicnc^, 
 i"! a liippincfs fi) dtfir.-.ble, that it is well worth the care 
 and b»;i cndeavoiirs of oiir whole life. Mav the apoftle's 
 ^xcrtife he our diilv praiflice, nan)ely» To krrp a co'ijcicnce 
 viiii nf ojffncf Itivnrd Gerl, aud hward all ficn ! 
 
 17 Now aftor many years I came to bring alms 
 to my n.ition and ofrcrin^s. 18 Whcrcupn cer- 
 t.iin Jews from Afia foundme purified in the tem- 
 j>]c, nciilier wit!) multitude, nor with tumult. 19 
 Wiio ou;^ht to have been here before thee, and ob- 
 ject if tliey had ouj^ht ag.iinll mc. 20 Or eJfe let 
 thefe fame here fay if they have found any evil doin^f 
 in me. while I Hood before the council. 2iExcept 
 it be for this one voice, that I cried (landing among 
 them. Touching the refurreclion of the dead, 1 am 
 called in queftion by you this day. 
 
 The npoiHe had vin<iicatcd himfelf from the charge anti 
 imputation of I'cJition and hercfy before, he comes now to 
 tiear himfelf cf th. third charge, namely, tlis profanation 
 of the teinple ; in order whereunto, he declares that he had 
 not been a long time at Jerufalem before this journey, and 
 that he now came to bring alms to the poor Jews that were 
 converted to chrifti.aiiiy : He acknovN ledges, that at this 
 time he went indeed into thetetnple, vet not to profane it, 
 but to perform thofe rites in it, which the law of Jews re- 
 miired of fuch as hud the vow of Nazarites upot) thc^ii. 
 Thus the apoflle cleared himfelf of all that was objedled 
 agaiptl him, and made it evidently appear to the face of 
 his enemies, (hat all the accufations-. brought againft him 
 were falfe and clamoroiis. Zm'tj thence, That generally 
 the accufdiions laid by the malicious to the ciiarge.of the 
 innocent, arc no;!iingbut emp:y noife and clamour. Hav- 
 ing thus vindicated himfelf to their faces, he next makes 
 an appeal to ihe confciences of his acctifcrs, whether there 
 Was any thing of moment charged upon hiir. more than this 
 That he p.rpfcfled and believed the refuirecfion of the 
 dead. Thus bravely did the apollle plead his own caufe 
 here, or ru'.her the fpirit of GoJ (hat fpalje in him, though 
 Satan had got the high-pricft a!ul Ananias liis eloquent 
 orator Tenullur, to implead and i.mpcach St. Paul ; Yet 
 behold with uhat a flood of truth and eloquence doth the 
 apoflle vindicate his own innocence. Adagnu :Ji Veritas, ct 
 ■fjaiaUlil; " Great is the truth, and will finally prevail.'' 
 
 2 2 And when Felix heard thefe things, havin:^ 
 more perfeft knowledge of that way, he deferred 
 them, and laid, 'When Lyftus the chief captain Iball 
 come down, I will know the uttermolt of your 
 matter. 23And he cotnnianded a centurion to keep 
 Paul, and to !et/i!/« hdve liberty, and that he Ihould 
 forbid, none of his acquaintance to rrunfl.er,or come 
 utiitohim. 
 
 Thp fenfe of this is: "When Felix underftixxl and 
 difeerned how things went, lie would not call fentence in 
 the cafe at prcf.-nt ; but put thc.m ofr, faying, IVhenlhave 
 
 got amort ftr[e£t ImiLlidge of this way if Chriflianily; and 
 when I have fpoken with Lyfus, and underfland the truth 
 concerning the tumult, I will then determine the difference 
 be(wcen you : In the tnean time the captain of the guard 
 flv.dl have (he prifoner in cullody to gratify the Jews.' 
 Where ohferve. Both the equity and clemency of Felix the 
 judge : His equity, in that he would not pronoiince fen- 
 tence before he hid thoroughly and fully tindcrflood the 
 (natter of fad ; His ckmcncy, in fulFering the apollle to 
 be a prifoner at large, and ailowine his friends and acquaint- 
 ance liberty to come and vifitT.im. Behold the former 
 rigour tovvards th« apoftle mercifully relaxed ; he is no 
 tnore confined to a clofe dungeon, but goes abroad with a 
 chain and a keeper, and none of his friends are forbidden 
 either to viiit him, or relieve hm- Thus God, in an un- 
 expeiled hour, cads fuch outward comf.rrs to his fufferintj- 
 faints and ferv^iits, as he fees will do them moit good; yea^ 
 and can caufe his and their enemies to become contributors 
 thereunto. 
 
 24 And after certain'days, when Felix came with 
 his wifeDrufilla, which was a Jewefs, he fent for 
 Paul, and heard him concerning the faith inChrill, 
 25 And as he reafoned of righteoufnefs, temperance 
 and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and an- 
 Iwered, Go thy way for this time ; when I have a 
 convenient feafou, I will call for thee. 
 
 This chapter now concludes with the oportle's famous 
 fernion before Felix his judge, in which we have confidera- 
 I'le, (he preacher, the hearers, the text or fubjecl preached 
 upon, and the fuccefsful cfFcd of the fermim. Ohjene 
 I. The preacher, St. Paid, As Paul reafoned : The apolfle 
 now was in bonds, yet had liberty to preach, and he 
 preacheil with liberty, wih great boldnefs and freedom of 
 Ipeech, though under great difadvantages ; his perlim im- 
 prifoned, his reputation blotted and defamed, loaded with 
 calumjiies and odious itnputations ; yet (uider all thefe dif- 
 advantagei (he apoflle preaches. 2. His h.earer?, Felix and 
 his wife Dfufilla,i Felix, a bad man, uuilty of bribery, cVc. 
 Druljlla, .1 vile woman, left her own hufband, and lived in 
 aduliSTV with Felix, r.s Joft phus fays; Here was a pair cf 
 hopeful hearers ; yet S:. Paul boggles not to preach to 
 them, as bad as thty were, hoping to make theni bet(er. 
 Learn thence. That lite gofpel muft be preached by us, 
 when we arc lawfully called thereunto, wiutever the perfyns 
 be that make up tlx auditory ; v/e know not \vhai perfons, 
 or in what hour Gud may tail. Ohferve, 7. The text or 
 iubjcdl matier .preached upon, righteoufnefs, temperance, 
 and judgment to come: wl;cre the wifdom of the preacher 
 appeals by the Itiitablcnfs of t!ie fubjedt ; the apoflle cliofe 
 a veiy proper fubjctSt for them both. Felix wasgt.ilty of 
 bribery, or at leail was ready to commit it ; (he next verfe 
 tclis us, He lo; ed to have money given him by Paul, to 
 relcale him ; theieforc to him he preached of rightcoufnefs 
 Drufiila Was guilty of incontinency anJ adultery, to her he 
 preacl'.es of temperance, and to both of a judgment to 
 come: Happy were it, if great C'ffei'.,lers had luch wife 
 admonifhers near thetn ; but too often (hey meet \\\x)\ 
 flattering paralites ii.llead of iaJthhil pieuchcrs. 4. The 
 
 fuccufs 
 
CHAPi XXV. 
 
 The 
 
 ACT S. 
 
 ■« » 
 
 fu.'cefsorcff.-it oftlii . ffrmOT, rf/i.v Irjtn'rlrJ • H; tr.'rnbleii 
 bat no: believed; he trembled at the g;iilt ut fiii, aiiJ at 
 the aiipreheiifions ol' the wrath of God due unto tin ; but 
 h'> treinbliuj; did not ariCe from a holy dread ai.d reveretice 
 of the M.ijelty of God I'peakuig to him in and by his \vord : 
 Tlie svord of God can make the proudcft and ftouteft lin- 
 ner in the World to quake and tremble. Laftly, How 
 Ft-'lix's trenibling lu or lick qualm of confcience loon went 
 over ; lie ciifriiifles the preacher for that time, and tells him 
 hi.' will call for liiinat a more convenient leafon. But we 
 never read of anyfuch opportunity taken afterwards for 
 that purpofe ; fo dangerous it is to ftop our ear at the 
 prefent cull and comuiand of God ; if totiay we will not, 
 to-iriorrow, God may lay, yoii fhall not hear niy voice 
 
 26 He hoped alfo that money {hould have been 
 given him of Paul that he might loofc him : where- 
 fore he fent for liiin the oftncr, at)d comimincd 
 with him. 27 ? And after two ycaisj '?orcius Fcllus 
 came into FcUk'.s rooni; and Fcli.x wiUlng to fluw 
 the Jews a ploafurc, left Paul bound. 
 
 Obferve here, What fmall fuccefs the apoftle's preaching 
 had, it found and left him a bad man; covetoufncfs and 
 brib;;ry were his fins before, and they are To flil! : He h;pcd 
 tiutt m'jney Jlj-julJ he gh'en hlni of Pnul. That i-;, he ex- 
 pecti:d a bribe for fetting the apoftle at liberty, contrary 
 to she law both of God and'man. To thiscovetoufnelshe 
 added cruelty ; i"or though he had nothing to charge Paiil 
 v/ifh,,yct to gratifyihe ]e^^,he lift Pfiul hound ; ^niHding 
 tlis picaiing ofmcu roore.than the difplealing of God. An 
 liypocrite can become all tliiigs to :;llinei), th.it he may 
 giin by all ; but behcki the hand of God upon Felix; he 
 that had fo urjuftly kept Paul bound for two year?, and 
 cruelly Icithin'i bound at l:<ft, topleafe ftntJ gratify the Jews 
 is ftnt a prilbner in bonds hi.iil"df;to Ro:uC,i. to anfwer 
 before. Nero, for his.tnifdeineanors ip tn.iri?iging ,i?f his 
 governnicjit. A judrSA-ard for him who regards t!ie 
 plealiiig of men more than the tiifjilealing of of God.. 
 
 C II A P. .\ 
 
 / 
 
 In iliis chapter zuf.Jind St. Paul, brought .u^onkis Ilia 
 before Feftu.s, -uiho fuccetdcd Felix in the. government. 
 And although Feiliis could fold the a^.fole gtully o/fw 
 mjfdaneanor, yet he had neither the courage mr 
 honcjly to fet him at liberty, bik fends him bound 
 fovm Cetarea. to Rom^, as r Hated iAtlih and Ike fol- 
 lowing chapters. 
 
 NOW when Feflus was come into the prcvincs, 
 after thrce'days l)f> alcendcd from Ci-farea to 
 Jerufalem. 2 Then the high prieft.and the chief of the 
 Jews informed him^i^ainft Paul, and befou^ht hitp, 
 3 Anddcfired favour. againR hiin, tl'iat hc.wouicl 
 lend for him to Jerufalem, lying wait in tie way to 
 kill him. 4 But FeHus anfweredi that Paul flio'uld 
 be kept at Ccfapea, andtliathc bimfelf would depart 
 
 fhortly r/itiAirr. 5 Let them uiiicfore, faid he,'.v..i^;: 
 among you are able, go downwith wi', and accufc 
 this n an, if there be any wickcdncfs in him. 
 
 St. Luke here informs us, that Fellus b; ing corne to the 
 government, and goingupto Jerul'dlem, the higti pried .irfl 
 rulers of the jewsquukiy began to inform him ngiir.li 
 Paul, and beloughthim that he would fend for hitn to Je- 
 rufalem, refolving to lay Ibme villains hy the wr.y to kill 
 hitn as he came ; but the divine providence Co over-ri.lc'i 
 tiiismatter, that Fellus would notCLnlei.t to it, but ordered 
 his accufers to come to Cclarea, and iuiplead him there. 
 Here notf, 1. How relUe/s is the rage, and unwearied the 
 malice an^ enmity, whicJi the perfetutor* of the truihha^ » 
 againd ihepioltiTursand ^ireacliers of it. The Ivghprieft, 
 and chief of the Sanhedrim or ectleliailica] court, contin- 
 ue their murderous deligns againll the mnoccnt apollle ; 
 and are forry tiiey could not get an heathen governor as 
 cruel as thenifelves, to join witli them. Heathens have 
 fometimes blulhed at the mention of tho^'e crimes, wirch 
 the profelTors of religion h^ve commit^et^ Aviihout either 
 fliame or remorfe . '3. How deplorably .Qpf^u^pt ai-d dege- 
 neiatf the Jewilh church at this tiaie was! Lord, v.hat 
 priefli andchurcli governors were here, whoc ill // j favour 
 to have an opportunity granted them to murder an inno- 
 cent man in told blood, coi)trary to the I.iwtif nature, and 
 of nations ! But behold. tlie Juftjce of Coc/ upon them ; 
 they were now given up ro a reprpbate-i'enfej'anri arefiur- 
 ried headlong by a diabolical fpiric, a little before their.fiiJal 
 deilrucTtiDn ; JervfaLm, Jtruf(^ktn, vikoMlifo f he pro- 
 phets, and Jionejr them whlch'arefeiit unto ihee. 3. What 
 an. over-ruling providence w.as here feeO; ii) that Ftllus, 
 by no flatteries nurperfuafions, would Deprevaile'U with to 
 . remove the a])ollle from"Cefjrea to Jerufalem ': this broke 
 ' the high priell's meafu'res, w hodefigned to have killed hitn 
 by the way. "No faith Fe<\as, the prifoner Ihall not come 
 royoii,'but yciii ftwli'go rohim." This.wasa-marvellous 
 providence for tlieapoflle's preftrvaiion. O how eafy is 
 it. for the nioit wife God to bafHe and blaft the mollxup- 
 ning contrivances of the devil, to befool the enemies of 
 hischurch'and i)eop!e,by making the counlels of the v^ick- 
 ed tobe fcfiid'eiieet! GoUloUksand laughs ai ah theplots 
 of'wlcked men againftthe righteous : Fruftration aiidifif- 
 ' app6il>tfnent attends all tlieir deligns, and perdition and 
 ' deitrufticii doth awe their perfoivs ; Pl'alT ii. 5. He that fitieth 
 in h^iiti'n luught themio/coni, tin Lntdhath liieni in a^i iji'SK. 
 
 . . 6 And when he" had tarried among them more 
 
 jthan ten days, he went down unto Cefarca ; andt^c 
 
 next day fitting, in the judgment feat, commanded 
 
 Paul to be bi-ought. 7 And ■t\^h€a he was coiiie, 
 
 Jthe jews which came down from Jerufalem" (lood 
 
 'rouild 'about, atid laid many and grievous" cmh- 
 
 ■ plaints.^gainft Paul, which they could not prpve; 8 
 .While he aiil'wcred for liiinfelf, Neither agaihlf the 
 
 •law of the ;Jevvs, neither aj^ainfl the templ^j-^jiqiyet 
 
 ■ acrainft Gifelar, have \ olFdnded'auy tjiint^.«it,4li; : ^ 
 
 ' ercu f; The' ec^uity 'iind ji.fbii'e' of Fcllus, an 
 in.ii.iwj juJge, In his proceeJings at St. PaulVtriai ;' he 
 1 U \%ill 
 
Tlie ACTS. 
 
 Chap. xxv. 
 
 • •■■ .. • ■: ;hi"?rg'iprifrt aivl dii^rslnat nrcnfcd him fpe.-ik 
 to liii fjcc ; he will have the prifoner brcmght forih, and 
 hf will hu'ethe mntrcr txinuned by, sixl before liimft If. 
 WJien i!k in;il:cicijs bring the iiiniiceiii ujidn ilieir ivh.'., 
 God Will provide a jnd;;e for their turn. 2. I'he inJul- 
 B'cr.t rr ( !i»rge vvlncli ihc jews broujdit in againft tlie 
 ?no(lle. Thnt he had offended ngainP. ihc b'.v, profjntd 
 llie tei:iplf .md railed ledition aj^ainft the Roman pover.T- 
 wieiu. Here we find the devil at his old trade : K:.rrely 
 flirj'in"''.:pthcr.i|TC and malice of the win Id airaind the faints 
 Of (toU, under pretence of their being eneniif, to theitate, 
 and fnlivj-rters of civil government, y Tliat tobs loaded 
 wiih c.ihitur.ijs and reproaches, has beentlie common lor, 
 and conftant portion of ilie faitlifol frier.ds and fervantsof 
 ChrKt, from the broinning of Chrillianity ; The y&i:'.i bid 
 many avtl i^rhvi,u! iFirc^s d^ith'J} Peiiti -aihich they ciuld not 
 fr:,'je. rieprcuh has been the reward of religion and 
 ris^hteoiifncl"' ; bnt St. P.uil ealily wipe? offthe fever;dre- 
 ■jiroaches call upon liini, aflirining himfelf to have always 
 ■ boeti a religion'; obfer^'cr of thehw, that he went intothe 
 temple upcn a religious account, that he iiad never taught 
 !torpi:a<rticeil any rtbellion ag.iiiiU Cxfar. The fervan^s 
 <if Chriil are happy in their own innocency, anil their ad 
 verfaries rentier ihemfelvcs odious by belying ihein, and 
 laying that to their charge which every cne can difprove. 
 
 9 But Fcflus, willing to do the Jews apleafurc, 
 anl'wered Paul, and faid, Wilt thou go up to Jeru- 
 tilem, and there bcjudged of thcfe things before me ? 
 10 Then faid Paul, I Hand at Cxfar's judgment- 
 feat, where I ought to be judged. To th-c Jews 
 have I done no wrong, as thou very well knoweft. 
 .1 1 For if I be an oIFender, or have committed any 
 thin"- worthv of death, I refufe not to die : but if 
 -there be none of thefe things v.'hercof thcfe accufe 
 me, no man may deliver me unto them, I appeal 
 unto Ciefar. 12 ThenFeRus, when he had con- 
 ferred with the council, anfwcred. Mall thou appcal- 
 .cd unto Cxfar ? unto Cisfar flialt thou go, 
 
 Obferve here. Ho-v Feftus, being willing to gratify the 
 Jews, afics St. Paul if he v.ould go to Jeriiralcui, and be 
 tried there, in the Jewifhcourt, about thofe matters? The 
 apoHle rfiJiied, That he was his prifimer, and that he was 
 properjudge under the RoT7ian eriperor,and not the Jews ; 
 and that being a Ronian, he might claim the privilege of 
 a Roman, vvhich accordingly he did by appealing unto 
 Cxfar. Feftus hearing that, not only admitted his appeal, 
 but was glad of it, to get rid of him without peril on the 
 one hand, or ill-will on the oiii?r. Here we remark, i. 
 That carnal politicians do nut (a much conlider what is 
 jufl and right in itsos^n nature, .is what is of ufe and ad- 
 vantage to themfelves, be it right or wrong. The apoflle 
 "had cleared himfelf from .ill llanderous accufations ; and 
 vet, Frflut, luilliKg tn (it the Jrtvs a pieafure, would not 
 (ct him at liberty. It is too «ften the praftice of corrupt 
 judges, that they may plcale the people, to deliver up truth 
 to bf iujuricully criicitied ; ronlidering more their own 
 jrjtercJt, than thcjirilbiiei'sinuotfrcy. 2. How tht-aportle 
 
 appealt from Jefufalcm fo Rome, from his own cotmtry- 
 fnen to Heathen* ; from the h'gh prieft i^ the emperor 
 Nero ; expctiiig to fintl more jj^i^e at the h.indi of infi. 
 dels, than from ihe Jewiili lanhrdrim : And to tijis the 
 apoUIs was in. fi>nie fi^rt tlivinely ao'monifhed by Chriit 
 liinileif, to make his appe;.l to Rome, Acls xxiii. n. Derf 
 go'td cheer. Paid, ihcu Pu'li htfir •uiln/fj to me at R'jnit^, 
 Doubikfs, this was a tni^hty fupport, and flrong confoia- 
 titMi to him, to know that he appealed and dcfired to go to 
 Rome, \»here God had appointed to Iiave liim go. 
 
 1 3 And aftercerlain day-,, king Agrippa, and Bcr- 
 nice came unto Cciarea, to falute Feflus. 14 And 
 when they had been there many days. Fedus decla- 
 red Paul'.s caufe unto the king, fayjng,Therc is a cer- 
 tain man left in bonds by Feli.K : 15 About whom 
 when I was at Jerufalem, the chief priefls and the 
 elders of the Jews informed wf, defiring to/icve judg- 
 ment againit hitn. 16 To v/hom I anfwered, It is 
 not the manner of the Romans to deliver any tnan 
 to die; before that he which is accufed have theac- 
 cufers face to face, and have licence to anfwer for 
 himfelf concerning the crime laid againft him, 17 
 Therefore when they were come hither, without a- 
 ny delay on the morrow I fat on thejudgmcnt-feaf, 
 and I commanded the mvu to be brought forth : 
 18 Againft whom, when the accufers Rood up, 
 they brought none accufation of fucli things as I 
 fuppofed; 19 But had certain queftions againfl 
 hitn of their own fuperllition, and of one jefiis, 
 which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 
 20 And bccaufe I doubted of fuch manner of quef- 
 tions, I afkcd/;;/tt wlicthcr he would go to Jerufa- 
 lem, and there be judged of thcfe tnatteis, 21 But 
 when Paul had appealed to be refer ved unto the 
 hearing of AuguRus, I commanded him to be kept 
 •till I might fend him to Cxfar. 
 
 !\'ote here, i. How God will not he wanting to his fer- 
 rants in their greateil wantsantl fuffeiings.but will provi- 
 dentially difpofeofall matters in order to theirdchverance, 
 when it may inoit conduce to his own glory and their good. 
 Thus here, king Agrippa comes to congratulate FelKis ; 
 Feftus tlcclares the caufe of God's opprefTed fervant to the 
 king, and God makes ufe of both Feflus and Agrippa to 
 fcreen the apoftle from the violence of hk enemies. In 
 the mimtt ruitl the Lord befeen, hit people's extremities are 
 the feafons of his fuccour. a. How the verv lirrht of na- 
 ture in and amongft the Heathens condemns it asan aft of 
 manifeft and notorious injnftice in a judge to pai's fentence 
 upon a perfon unheard, and unallowed to make his defence. 
 This bafcncfs was below the Roman gallantry whilft Pa- 
 gins : Feftus demands the accufers and the accufed to 
 appear face to face; and yet fuch a diabolical'fpirit of ma- 
 lice had fo blinded the Jews, that contrary to the law of 
 nature, and the taw of nation?, they would hive had 
 St. Paul liere coiidenincd, without knowing the caufe 
 
CUAP.XXVI- 
 
 •I'hi 
 
 A C T S. 
 
 523 
 
 or hcjrinjrhis defence. 3. \\ hat bafe snd vile, whatlow 
 iinil under v:Jiini<T thouj^htsand appreliciifionsliave carnal 
 men of the linrh and holy things of God. Fcftus here 
 'calls the rt.li;',iou and worfliip, which was of God's own 
 inftiiuii-M, molt prof.iAely and lonteuipuionfly by the name 
 of fup. rdition; Tbey hud certain qurjlior.s a^ti'inft him of 
 ihciro-.un fup rj/ilion .• And how ili^hlly doth he all«a (peak 
 of our j^loriiifd Kcdtemcr, Ifvling him otic Je/uf < but no 
 wonder that the dnni;hitl-i:<Hks of the woilil ki»ow not 
 the worth of the piarl of price. 
 
 22 Then Aj^rippa faid unto Fcftiis. I \vou!(i;:tfo 
 hear the man tnyfclf, To--inorro\v laid he, thou 
 (halt hear him. 23 And on the morrow, when. 
 A"rippa was come, and Bcrnice, with qreat {wnnpi 
 and was entered into the place of hearinir with the 
 chief captains and principal men of tlic city, at 
 FcRus's commnndincnt Paul was brought forth. 
 24 And rVIhis I'jid. King Agrinpa, and aJl nicii' 
 whicli are here i^relcnt with us, ye lie this man, 
 about whom all the multitude of the Jews have 
 dealt with me both at Jerulalmn and alfo here, cr}-- 
 ing that lie ought not to live any longer. 25 But 
 when I found that he had committed nothing worthy 
 of death, and that he hijnfelf hath appealed to Au- 
 gullus, 1 have deteiunined to fend him. 1:6 Of whom 
 I have no certain thing to write to my i-ord. Where- 
 fore I have brought him forth before you, and efpe- 
 cially before thee, O king .Agrippa, that after exami- 
 nation had, Lmight havefomewhat to v.-rite 27 For 
 it leemelh tome unreafonablc to fend a pt ilbncr.and 
 uotwithal to Ggnify the crimes kcd againfl. him. 
 
 Cbjerve here, 1. King A-gtippi's curiofity to ft e and 
 llcjr 6t. Paulj lie w:isbprn :ind hrcd np .'iniong the Jews, 
 aiul pmbably inulerflood fcmeihing of the chriiliai) reh- 
 gion ; pollibly had heard nnich ol P-btd, and therefore lie- 
 iiredti) feehiin, asHtriid delircdto fee Chriil, and rohesr 
 John the B:ipiilf, only to gratify his ctuioiny, not to be 
 jilv^niagtd by his iiiinidry. 2. How CL)i}teinptuou!]y the 
 Koly Ghi. 11 fpe.Lsof all the pomp, retinue at; J Ilatc, \ihich 
 Ftlhjs, Agrippa, and I' 'rnitu appeared in, att'ie time aiid 
 place I'f Ik aking ; he caMi \t fancy, (o the original word 
 fignitits, intitnating, That all the ponip^ftaiety, and glory 
 of the woild, is ruithing but faricy, adreainand.a fiiadow, 
 having no real exiflence, but a being in iinagiiiatlon only. 
 Cil'criie, 3. That truth and innocence (hine'urih the more 
 fpieiidiuly by the greattr oj;purition that isra'fcd agaipft 
 iliem.. Ti-.e more malicious the Jews were in .Tccufing 
 Paul, the more did hii intiotcncy appear; atid il'.? more 
 was he acquiticuanddifchiirgeil i)V hi^ judges. Thus we 
 fee the provivlence i>f G<id. wrought ail matters for Paul's 
 Jrilbfication, ai.d for the Jews rf|)rihei)!ia{i : Feflus had 
 swtliing to write to Cad'ar, no crime to inform bin) of 
 agaiitrt the spoflle. Thence Lain, 1 h.it although God 
 fomctipus pcrtiiiti his. fL-rvanti to be lo.'deii \vi;h llanders 
 and reproaches, yet he v\ ill fijji^l a time to clear tlicir inr.o- 
 tciny,ai;d caufe their! very jo Jg«; if net their accuie'rs to 
 
 proclaim them guihlefs. I find, faith Fcflus, that he hath 
 committed tt'Jhhtg worthy cf death. It is no fntall mertv, 
 to have oiir innoccnry vindicated, for God lo clear up our 
 righteoufnefc as the ligVit, and onr juf^ dealin;;$ is liie 
 Hoon.tlay, and to free onr reputation from ihofc l)lciuiihes 
 which the untharitabte fiifpicion^, or rafh ictifurts of (nert 
 have caft upon ns. There is no (pot lb unbeantiful, as 
 that upon our credit, favitig imly upon our ct)Ilfcit■nce^. 
 God made the apodle's enemies here do him right, and 
 his name was clothed' with, honour in the. ellimat;«ii of hi-i 
 very av.'vtrfariss, 
 
 C II A P. XXVI. 
 
 Thh chapter brings St. Paul ^o his third trial, namch', 
 i)c/ore King A'j,r\pi>:\.: In it zoe have the ap.-jtlt't 
 apohgy or difinilive pita, xvhich he makes fur him- 
 jdj againji th'^fc hlvid Jei^i; ivho did Jo viuLxiouJly 
 perfeadc him-. 
 
 THEM Wgrippa faid-unto Paul, Thou art per- 
 mitted to ("peak forthyfelf : Then Paul flrctch-* 
 cd forth the hand, and anfwered furhimlelf: 2 I 
 think myfelf happy, king Agrippa, bccaufe I fli.ill 
 anfwcrfor mvfelf this dav before thee touchin;> all 
 the things- whereof I am acculed of the Jews:; .^ . 
 Efpecially, becaufc I knowthee to be expert in all 
 euftom.sand queflions which are among the J'cwji 
 Wherefore, I befeccli thee to hear ine patiently. 
 
 .Vo/f here, i. The pcrfon whom the apoiile makes his 
 ile.tcnce before, Agrippa, Agrippa a kirg.of u horn he begs 
 ihe favour paiirntiy to hear him : It ii a great favour for 
 great men f(> much as to hear aa innocent gooil man |>Ie;id 
 tor hiiidelf ; Agrippa, who, by reafon of his birih and 
 breeding among ihe Jews v\ as acquainted with the fcrip^ 
 tuies, the l.iw and the prophets. 2. How the prox'idence 
 of God wonderfully procures St. Paul a liberty to l'i;e:.-k 
 for himuif; Herchy he had an opporrunitv at Oiite to 
 n^ike known his cafe, anti to piiblilli tlieg;)fpel. Cut r/i/i', 
 t.riher; 'That as the providence of God ' ])rorcured- IiIm 
 libeny, fo ihe good Spirit of God gave- him ability to 
 Speak fo cfticacioufly and eltectiiaMy, with foch evidences 
 and demonfiratio.i, that he not only took! the tar.', Imt 
 captivated the ctuifcienees of the \\brile court, Jnd jl.iuii- 
 perfua.-'ed the king himfelf to turn-chrJfHan. 
 
 ;j My manner of life, from my youth, u im h ^i „'s 
 ^ the hrlt' among mine ov.-n nation at JcrutJcm. 
 know all the Jev/s, 5 Which kncvz-me fiv.m the 
 beginning (if they would tcllif\') th.-.t after the moi't 
 ilraitell.leil of (xtr religion, Ilivcda PJiarifce. 
 
 Here .the apoftle hcgiiishis defrirct, witUa relation of ili* 
 imioceiKy and Ihicbicfs of his life bfforc his toiivcifion ; 
 he did and coidd appeal to aHihii knew hiiii, comrrning 
 the unbl.iincablcntf> of his convei-faiion. Ir.ence7.-Wf, 
 That an iiuioteut and LlauiLLl- '■ fe, from our y«>iiih 
 3 I; i.r 11' ^-ivs- 
 
52t 
 
 Tlic 
 
 A C T ^ S. 
 
 Chap, xxv.i. 
 
 up'A'am.'s- W. a Hr.jrir.ar fupportJHid encouragrnient to u- i,n 3 
 fiilTtring hour, elpeclilly when we are called I'ortli tc I'lif- 
 fcr.t'os le'iigion and ri;>hte.r,ulnefs fjl;?, Fartlu.T, Thq, iii.- 
 ftjncj which ilie-apoHlc gives <iC hit. ftrii^r.efs in religion. 
 ^4ft(r the m-.p Jliuii^htrji Jeci c/ our religim Hhied a Pf>a- 
 r'tfte. , Of ail the' IVcts among the Jews, there was noiip 
 thartook up fiuh an extraordinary itrid way of religion a,s 
 the Pharifees; of this fed was Si. Pjul, before convertqd 
 to Chrilli.inity, and in this he reilpdfor falvatioii. Tlience 
 Larn^ 1. That an extraordinary, ftrict way taken up in re- 
 ligion, is thought by many afureand fu/Ilcient foiindatioii 
 for their etcrn.'il fulvation. 2. That inariy may reft upon 
 a itriit way of religion, which yet co/iieth not up to, but 
 is oft-times btlides, the appointrtieiit of the word of God : 
 The Phsrifues, for their unufual and fupererogating w.iy 
 of exaiftuefs, concluded that they fhuuld really go to hea- 
 ven, if ariydid; when, alas! many things wliich they 
 pratfiifed with extraordinary zeal anet ftritliiefs, were ne- 
 ver required by God at their hands. \ '' . 
 
 6 Andnow I ftand and am judged for the hope 
 of the promife made of God unto our fathers/t 7 
 \3n\o which prmiifc our twelve tribes inftantly fcrv- 
 ing God day and night hope to come. For which 
 hope's fake, king At^rippa, 1 amaccufed of the Jews. 
 
 Our apoftle had vindicated his life before, his dovlrine 
 now : He tells Agrippa, that for believiiig, expecting- and 
 preaching the doctrine of the refurreiftion, he was quellion- 
 ed of the Jews : This he calls the hope of tks promlfi made 
 cf C'jd unto the fathirs : Others unilerltoud it of the pro- 
 mife ol the jVItliias, which was made unto the fathers, and 
 was generally depended upon by the moft pious aniongihe 
 twelve tribes fcattered abroad upon the face of the whole 
 earth; and in the faith and cxpedation whereof, they fer- 
 vently fcrved God night and day. Learn thence, \. That 
 the piiiusand GtxJly among the Jews, lived in hopcsofthe 
 Melliah's apfiearing, of a glorious refurretflion by him, 
 and of an eternal lite and falvation with hitn. 2. 'J hat 
 ilieir hope t)f this promifed mercy, did caufe iheni tofervc 
 God inrtantlytiay and night. Hope is the great cxcittir 
 of inJultry and endeavour; €Kpec'iatiyi) pots it upon ac- 
 tion : hope of lAiiaining, is the moii.vf io ever}''i]i}dfrta- 
 king; the Chritlians hope, or thing hoped for, is great 
 anti excellent in his tileem,' namely, eternal life ; and 
 , where theeltcem is high, the endeavour will be iirung^ 
 ihit chriftiaii who ba^ well groiHiikd belief anil hope of a 
 life to come, will ftrve with an unwearied dil.ligcnce ai^d 
 indullry ; if by any means he may ;jctain the fruition and 
 trjoyiiientof it^'ve'r. -7.' Untoiuhhh protMJi, iic' •' 
 
 8 .Why nioujl,d it hp thought a thing increciible 
 wiiii )ou, that God i5^oi|ld raife the dead? 
 
 As if the :>p-oftle had (liid, " The great point ill eontro- 
 verfyle ween me and youis this^ whether the dead inge- 
 r.tf.ral (lii'l ariff? .and whetlierChrift in particular be rilen 
 ivii»\ ihr dead? Now, «liy fliould either fttiji iiicredible 
 i(>\''>:' I5 it i()o,hard for Gi:d, who made tljic world, 
 ;»! . ■ il)< wo'ld, and gives life to all living ; is it 
 
 too fii-H 'jr diUkuli foriilai to raifc the dead ? If not, why 
 
 (liquid u be thought incredil.Ie ot itapolTible ? — Learn 
 heuce, That the doftrine of refurreclion of the dead, both 
 of.fhc judand unj\»/l» is neither iiicredible nor irapolTible. 
 npither agjiiift right reafon or true faith.; • ,, ' 
 
 9' I vcfiiy thought with myfeff, that I oughf t6 
 daijiany things' contrary (o the name of Jefns of 
 Kazareth". .10 Whichthing I'alfodidin Jerufalem- 
 andnjany of the faints did I Ihut up in prifon, 
 having received authority .from the chief priells ; 
 and when (hey were put to ^eath, I «ave my voice 
 againft ^/jfp- H ' And I punifh'ed them oft in every 
 fynagQgue,' and compdlcd tliem tobTafpheme : and 
 being exceedingly mad againfl thifm^ perfccuted 
 Mn« even unto flrangc cities. ' : ' 
 
 Here the apoftle frankly ticclares, that he was once as 
 fliarpand bitter an enemy toC!)rift,»nd to all that believed 
 in hin,!,, as any one whatever ; and .tht^ught himfelf boun'd 
 In confclenceto perfecine all that owned him; rind, with 
 threatn'ngs ahd tortures compeVlecf them to deny Chrill, 
 and, being exceedingly fierce', he forced them to fiv to 
 heathen cities to efr ape his fury. Where note, i. That 
 we'ought to be upon vtry good .ind lure grounds, before 
 we oppofe and pcrfecute any. 2- That fome perfecute o- 
 therf, a^d at the fame time ^hinktheydp weliin fodoing ; 
 I verily thought, fays the, apbuie, that I ought to do mai.-^ 
 things contrary to the naifieofjcfur. He fpake as If his 
 confcicnce would have troubled him, unlefs he had trou- 
 bled others, for that which was indeed their confcience. 3, 
 That Paul, beinga blafphemer hinifelf, compelled the pro- 
 feflbrs of the gofpel to blafpheme. This he probabjy .did 
 two ways, jirll, by his example, they i:ni,tajied him ia 
 blafpheming, or fpe.tking evil of the ways of Chrjfl. ' Or 
 fecoi:dly, !>/ I;is cruelty ; vexing them fo in rhf ■ ' " n 
 of Chriib, thht fome who were unfe'.ried, pi 1 
 
 away, and bl ilphemcd the name of Chrift, wlbich tney had 
 profelled. Hi compelled them to hlafphemc r'.Thtre \% d. 
 ct«nptlling power and coBltrainLngfprceinejtainplc, cfpe- 
 cially in the e.sample cf perfons in po'^er and autbority.. 
 Men (in with a knid of authority :. P.iiii's .blafphcmOns 
 example coitipciled others to blafphfina. ,' .(' 
 
 12 Whcyeupon as 1 went to '0aiT«afcM.>. miii 
 autliority andcoinmilfionfrom the'chief pried s, ij 
 At niid-d^y, O kiii;:^. I fawinjthe way .?, lirhtfjorfj 
 heaven, above the hrightnefs of the fun, fhininj^ 
 ixjund abtnitino, and" thcm which joumeivt^ with 
 me. 14 And when we'were all fallen to vhe earthj 
 I heard a voice fpeaking unto me, and laying in •!•'* 
 Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why perfecutell \'. ( ,1 
 Bie j" II is hard for thee to kick againfl the pricKsv . 15 
 And! f:iid. Who art thou, Lord ? And!- f ■ 'i' I 
 am Jelus whom thou perfccutefl. 
 
 Ourapoflle having declard his. niannei^ of ; 
 cowverli>n, proceeds next to dect.-»re the cxti .1 ut.i .ly 
 manpcr of his converiion : He tcHs Agrippa-, tlliit as he 
 v.ciji with 9 pcrfecuting purpo'c towards I>ainof<.-ii?, at 
 
 'mid-day 
 
Chap. xxv}. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 S^o 
 
 niul-:i<y, n light froTi Uoven, above thebrightnefs of the 
 fun, ffiined roundaboiii him.anJ when they were allfallen 
 protrate on the earth, he hearil a voice fpejkiiig to liini in 
 the Hebrew tongue, Haiti, Saul, lu^'j' ptrfccutijr tkw tm ? 
 Sic. Tierenote, i. How /efllefs and unwearied perf^cutors 
 are in t!ie execution of tli?ir moody deligns p'nd i>i.irpufes; 
 Paid as he thought, "h.id fwept and cleanl'cd Jei'iifalcp) (jf 
 faints before : After which he refolves to ranri^kDaDi.if- 
 cu;, and undertakes a long j,)urney, of five or fix. days, in 
 order to that end : The worlt jo'.'rney tlmr e\-erhe'intended 
 biit the befl that ever he undertook ; a journey m6{t ma- 
 Ikrioudy purpofe(r*by him, but moll inercifuhy dirj^ofeJ b/ 
 God ; and accordingly, he is niec with in the w.ay : C;:riil 
 appears to hiiii, a fuddcn beain ofjight fliines round about 
 him, and a voice'i's heard by him, Tayhg/Saur, Snul, ~xljy 
 firfccut^p thou me? that is, Me in my members. Such as 
 perfecatc faints for their fanift'ay,perfecute Chrift hiinftlf 
 and he can no more endure tofee them wronged thanhim- 
 felf ; as the honour of the head redounds to tt;e members, 
 fo the fatlraws of 'the members are refented by the head : 
 Chrift faid not thus to his murderers on eanh, " Why 
 bind ye me ; Why bulTet ye me? Why fcourge ye and 
 crucify me?" But Iiere, wlien liis members fu/Ftr, he 
 criej oat from Iieaven, Sail, Saul, 'M^y perfccutejl thoume? 
 Lord, thou art more tender of thy body myllical, than 
 thou wert of thy body natural ; more fcnSble of thy mem^ 
 hen fulFeririgs thnn thine own ! 
 
 16 But rife and ftand upon thy feet : for I have 
 appeared unto thee for this purpofe, to make thee a 
 tninirtcr and'a witnefs both of tTiefc things wliich 
 thou haft feen, and of thbfe things in tiie which I 
 will appear unto thee ; 17 Delivering thee frotn the 
 people, and from the Gentijes, unto whoni now I 
 lend tliec, 18 To open their 'eyes, and to turn theip 
 from.darknefs to light, atid yrmJi'the power of Sataii 
 Onto God, that they may recdvd forgiveness of fins, 
 and inheritance araonL' them which arC f.iudificci 
 by faith that is in me. 
 
 St. Paul had given king Agrippa an account of his mi- 
 racu! 1;:^ :.- iverilon in tjie forjircr verfes ; in thefc he de- 
 cl.i- n his extraordinary cmiiniflion t-o preach tlie 
 
 gofp.. ; Wi..: Chrilti who appeared to him from heaveuj 
 chofc him to be a preacher, as well as a prof^flor of the 
 gofpej ; affiring him that he svonld It .nd by him, ind de- 
 liver him from t!ic perfecutions both of Jews .indGentdes 
 to whom hf Ihouid'fend Ijiia, and woull blc;fs his endea- 
 vours,. to the opening the eyes t^f fheir tindcrrtanding and 
 to the mrninjT of them .from darknefs fo liglit, and from 
 iiiepowerof Satan unto God, that they mipjht receive, by 
 f.iith infhrili, and remilFion of fnis, and a portion of the 
 heavenly inheritance among fuchas are regenerated by his 
 Holy Spirit.. Here nite, i. Tiie iionour whicii God is 
 pjeafed to put,,tjpun the minidry of tlie word, his own 
 ordnance: Tljjeapo(lie, who was the oidy initr'^uicnt, is 
 laid 10 open the; eyes of the blind-, and turn tinners from 
 <ljrknel]s to liglir, and fro.m the power of Satan. ni.itoG.od; 
 all which i>" proptfly audprijK;p:i!ly the work ol the Spiril 
 
 of ClirllV;-yet lis is pleafed to piu tl)i.s honour upon his 
 inltrnmcnts the min'llers, by whoin he worketh all this, 
 and for which reaf*^'! they are called c'o- workers, or worker's 
 tojetlier with Chrill. 2. 'Phe npnlHe'^s nJiflion',' / fetu! 
 thit. Grent is tii; dignity of gofpel miiifK'r6>tbey are 
 Gcidt's meir^ngsr's ; their yoMiMHl'iuii i<.fealed by^the wlijolf,. 
 Trinity, and iniioi.ues bpth, thijr.dmnity and .duty : I'lj 
 intimate tlicir h )li:icf$, thty nrc calk-d mcji of God ; _ for 
 their vi;M! uvcy. wntchihen f fir their cofirfig?, th'qy are 
 cdlied fof.ilcrs Vfor tlreir p.ii ifuVn-ifs, hnrvelfl-dhivircrccf f 
 their caret>f the flotk, fiieph«rd« ; fr.r t!icir wilti'An.rt-er'- 
 feers; for tlicir indnftry, hufbindmen ; for;iilu:ir p tiance, 
 f^ihennen ; for ti>eir tendero^f'rniwi'es ; for.tlicir jllcdioa- 
 ateiv2rj,fathcrs and trtothers ; i'or their taithfuhieljs, l^-V; 
 ards. A very high and honourable c^rilling ; the S«>n,of 
 God delpifrd it no:. i^. St. PauKs coximiinon in the 
 feveral branches of it. Firft To op;n their eyes, th.ii .is, tw 
 enlighten their underftandings, that they may know GoJ 
 and tlicir dutyio him. In order to which tlipfeii rtq^niri. j 
 (t.) Ability in the preachers : How can iliey open th-' ■ 
 of others vyho are blind and ignorant themfclves? (. 
 not they that undert;iketo he guides and leaders, very wt.: 
 tokno.v the w.ay themfelvef? (2) Pcrfpituity in the 
 fermon : Wiiat hope can there be of openitig men's un. 
 dcrllinding, when the nutter delivered is doled up from 
 them ? It was St, Paul's aim to fp^ak words eafy to be; 
 underftood, and it Ihould be ours : it is the fame thing to 
 preach in an tmknown tongue as in an unknown ft> le, 
 above the reach of pur hearers. Painted gbfs is more 
 collly, but the plainer gl^fs is t'ne dearer ai'.d more ufeful. 
 But we muft take care, that, though we come in plainnels, 
 yi?t not in rndcnefs offpeech.. The fecond ])art of St. 
 Paul's commiirion, was to turn men from darknefs unto 
 light, and fi'om the power of Satr.n unto God ; inonlerto 
 which, he was turned fi-oni tlicfe hniifelf. He' lv.is little 
 reafon to, expect, that God will honour his miniftry for thtj 
 converlion of others from !i;i and Satan, who is under ihi; 
 dominion -of both hinifelt". The minillers life is t!ie 
 people's looking-glafs, by which they ufuiily drefs theui- 
 felyes. , 4. The happy fruit of St. Paul's million and 
 c?».T3miflion both, That they r.tay rsche f'.rghiemfs 'jfjins, 
 ami un hi^erltancs among ih;rn ihut ere jancHjieii. W herc- 
 fcev<;r true; repentance is wrougiit by 'he miniftry cf the 
 word, there is forgivei'.efs attained, and title to the inhe- 
 ritancc'of li^avenattsincd witii ir. Liflly, a threti'iddme- 
 t3j>horic3']defcriptit>:iofrht flare of grace after conv'eifio;i. 
 The Hate of nature is a (late of blintlnefs. To r,p>n their 
 eyes : A ft.ite of darknefs, To tarn thfmfrom dmk/ufs to 
 light : A Hate of fl.ivery,-y/'ih'//(l"; U)e p-jivi r <f Sat.in unl-) 
 Cod. Tl;^,ftate of grace after converlion is ft t forth by 
 light, light, and lilierty. • All iliis is Chrill's work prigi- 
 I'lally, hilt l'i1 minidrr's worl; inHrtanichrstly • / krve /cut 
 thee tO'jpentheir eyesjto turn them from djrkn.'fst'i l-^lit, 'ifcc. 
 
 jg Whereupon, O kfr : .\4rippa, I was r^of d-.f- 
 obcdiem uiitothc hea\ on: 2oBuf ' 
 
 lirll.ui '■ '"" .,, .iiri at Jcr ' 
 
 ihioui, ['.'.dea, and 
 
 Gtmtii . it and: 
 
A'-^ 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 CiiAPxxvr. 
 
 and do ivoi'is meet for repcntajicc. 21 For thefc 
 t.iurts thw* Jews Ciiughl mc in the temple, and went 
 about to kill wjr. 22 Haviiii; ther«.'l'ore obtained 
 help of Cud. I continue unto this day, witnefling 
 both to iniall and great, fayin^; none other thin^js 
 than tliofc which the prophets and Mofes did lav 
 Ihould come; ^^^ Tiiat Chrill fhould lulLr, atul 
 thit he Ihould be the lirfl that Ihould nle from the 
 dead, and fliould Uiew li^ht unto the people^ and 
 to the Geiuiles.. 
 
 I\''itf hen-, I. How obedient the apoflle was to the cnH 
 of Chri)l ; haviiijr had i'o gloriiJiis ;i vilion, he did r.ot, he 
 tlurlt not rebt > at (hi lij;ht of it ; hut immediately wt-nt 
 forth and prccchcil, flrl> at Daiiuftiis, then at Jc-riifalern, 
 th?n throiij^hout all Judea, and at lalt among the Gen- 
 tiles, the djctriue of repentance, and 'he necelliiy of j^ood 
 work"!. I. The ill rtq'iital whith the good man me: with 
 fyr his ihhg^ence and faithfulnefs in pre.iching ths g'nd 
 ti<!inrjs of the gof[)el ; ftVr thib he had like to h.ive been 
 killed by the Je" s in the temple : Eviingtl'ium pr.(d':care 
 ejt fitr-jtcm mund't infc dri hnv e ; " To preach the gofpcl 
 \i the ready way to bring the wrath ^nd fury of tlie workl' 
 ui>on oii/ftlves." 3. With what ihankfulnefs the apoftle 
 owni and .^ckno.^ ledges the merciful providence of God 
 in prefcrving him both from the fraud and force of his ene- 
 mies, Havtr^o (,btu]md htlp nfC:d, I cir.tir.u: iir.to ibis day. 
 And ho'.v did the fenfe of divine goodnefs upon his fonl', 
 provoke hini to go on with his woik, drcKiring no other 
 thing concerning Chrift, but what Mofes and the prophets 
 did of old foretel of him ; naniely, That he ilioulil be put 
 todeath,,and fluiuld be the firfl that ihould rife again by 
 his own power, s.v\A be the author of our refurrtiflion. 
 .V'/Zf h.ere, That the fufferings of Chrilt were taught by 
 ^lofci, in :dl the connnands given about facrifices ; and 
 not by Mofes only, but by the prophets alfo, particularly 
 the projjliet Ifaish, chap. liii. the evangelical pmphet, and 
 j>roplieiic;ii ev;jnj;e!i{i:, v.ho wrote as clearly of Chrjd's 
 toiiiing, asif lie had then been come : From whence the 
 apoflle argue?,, iiow bhick the witkedntf^ of the Jews was, 
 who wen: abrond to kill him for preaching the fame <!oc- 
 frine w hich .Mofes and the prophets had taught before him. 
 
 , 2.1 And as he thu.s fpakcforhinirelf, Feftusfaid 
 with a loudi voice, Paul, thou art bciide thyfelf ; 
 much learning doth make thee 'mad.. 25 But he 
 laid, I'am not mad, mofl noble Feftus : but fpeak 
 lorth thti word»; of truth and fobcrnef;:. '^^ For the 
 kin^ knoweth of ihefe things, before whom alio L" 
 Ipe.ik Oetly. For I am perfuaded, that none of 
 thele thin^iS^are hidden from him : for th'S thiu^ 
 was not done in a conjer. 
 
 Hiih-rtoFcflushad heard i he apodle withgreatpsiifnce, 
 b'Jl no* he in'.criupis hi;n, and ti-IU hiio. he talks 1 ke a 
 iii.in that wai cra'/.ed. Carnal niindN pali vtiy uniliaritable 
 f/n^'ures upon fpiriii:nl [ erfnns and fpiriiud thing*. Chi ill's 
 kirdrrd fii(i, //> -iijr t\'lidc hiin/'ttf, iMark iii . 21. Fellus 
 Lcrt j i.lgtd P»a! U) be aud; thinking tlut h.c hid over- 
 
 rtuJied himfclf ;bv meddiingwtth nutters too high for his 
 capacity, and too deep for hii underltanding.hchad brought 
 himltlf into a deep melancholy : Pjul th'ju utthejidc thyjdf, 
 much Uurning hath rnadi.- t/ite mud. Bin obferve with w hai 
 meeknefi and due lernu of r< fpcft the apulUe replied to 
 th's reviling governor, 1 am irJ tiuiJ ni'.Jt f.'AiU F,Jlus, 
 Here note, 1. ^ he title of Imxioiji given to Feftas, not la 
 much to his |>erfon, for thai was uuworihy, as tohisofEcc, 
 which v.as truly hoiiouf ablo, M.J} noble Ftjlus. 'Jiiles ol 
 refped and honour given to pcrfuns in pface and power, 
 are agreeable to the mind of God, and countenanced by 
 Chriltianity. j,. What an happy vietory and conq lell the 
 apoille had over hisown pallions he waves the reflexions 
 Fcltus hadinide upon him, jmd had learned of his Alalter, 
 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. It U an 
 happy attainment for a man to be iiiaftvr .;f hinifclf under 
 a proiocation, 10 be reguLted by right reafon, and not 
 hurried by blind paJiion. 
 
 27 Kiug Agrippa.belitvcft thou the prop he!;-, ' I 
 know that thou believeft. 
 
 The apo.lle, kno.\ingihat Agiippa was educated among 
 the Jewi, telh him that he could not bu: hear of the life, 
 dodl.-i:je, miracJci, d^aih and refuireclion of Chrill ; alt 
 which were done openly, and not in corners; and he could 
 not bat believe the |)ropheti, and what ibey had foretold 
 concerning the Meliias; and if the power of worldly in- 
 loreft did not overcome him, his life and praftife would be 
 anfwerable to his faith and belief. Thence karn. That a. 
 right belief of the holy I'cripiures is of great efficacy and 
 forte to conform. a perlbu's life to the practfe of real and 
 univerfal holinefs. 
 
 28 Then Agrippa faid unto Paul, Almofl thou 
 perfuaded me to be a ChriRian. 29 And Paul laid, 
 I would to God that not only thou, but alio ail that, 
 hear me. this day, wrcrc both alniolt, and altcethcr 
 luch as I am, e,\cept thefe bunds. 
 
 AVe here, i. What an efilcacy St. Paul's doftrine had 
 upon Agrjppa; though he would no: be converted, yet he 
 could ncK but be convinced ; his confcience was touched, 
 though his heart vv as not rene\\ ed. L-dr>i thence, 1 hac 
 there is certainly that in religion which carries its own evi. 
 dence along wi:h ir, even to the confcicpces of ungodly 
 men. -^. How fa-j it is, w henperfons have enjoyed the 
 Icriptures, iheprcaching of the word, and all means offal- 
 vation, and yet are but almofc Chriftians, and iliall never 
 enjoy the leail.falvation ; they are within iightof heaven, 
 and yet (hall never have a fight of Gcd, 3.. That fuch 
 as v/ill bSi Chrilbans indeed, niuilnot only be slmuft, but 
 aUogeiherChiillians: 1 \i(.iJJ that y.u and all ;hat hc^r 
 trie, fjys the apulllc, 'j)trs altogttktr fjch as 1 ein, extpt 
 thffe b'jr.ds. Nv'hcre note. The oitrac.'dinary charily and 
 Chri'lian cpinpaHJcn of St. Paul: \\c wifijed them his 
 graces, not his chains^; he d:d not wlib theni his bonds 
 and in:pnfor,nirn;s, bnt he v.iilud iheiij. ihfr hrx^^ liberty 
 .ind eiilargcnciit by Jti'us Ci.ritl, whiJi he cnjcvcd; he 
 would keep his forrows and oatward iroubles to himftlf, 
 but v.ifLes they were atquiititcd v.ith his Liward- cim- 
 
 ft.latioa5_, 
 
Chap, xxvii. 
 
 Tlie ACTS. 
 
 ^^7 
 
 folatjons nn-J cot7)fo:-t£. A pood man widjc oiTisrsa? well 
 as he wirtics 'oirolclf; and if at any time lie wiflics that 
 which is [leiially rvil to the word of his enemies, he doth 
 it with an eye to their fpiritual and eternal good: A good 
 man dares not wifli ili to ihofe th.it have .iftinlly done ill 
 to him ; but v.ifiies, pray;, and endeavours the btik ^^ooJ 
 for them. 
 
 30 And when he h.id thus fpokcn, the king rofe 
 up, and the governor, and IJcrnicc, and they that 
 fiit with them. 31 And when they Averc goncafidc, 
 ihcy talked between thetnfelves, faying. This man 
 doeth nothing worthy of death, or of bonds. 32 
 Then faid Agrippa unto Feilus, This man might 
 have been fct at hbcrty, if he had not appealed un- 
 jO Cielar. 
 
 Note here, Kow Agrippa, Fcftii^, and the whole com- 
 pany, acquit the innocent apoflle in their judgments and 
 coni'ciences, yen, with their tongues declare that he defer vcd 
 neither death nor bonds; yet at the fame time tliat they 
 acquit him, they difciiarged hint rot, but he is left in his 
 enemies hands and at lali nut to death by the Gentiles. 
 But how, may it be faid, wasGod's proinife fulfilled then, 
 verfe 16, 17. / have pppeared unli thee, to mnkc thee 
 a minifler aid a '±'':tncfs, and u^til dtl'iver thee, &:c. How 
 did God deliver him from the Gentiles, when he was at 
 hfl delivered into their hands, and put ro death by the 
 Gentiles ; /fnf. As long as the wifdoni of God faw it fit 
 and convenient, for the purpofes ofhisglorj', and as a real 
 mercy conducing Tothe apolHe's g0( d ; as long as it was a 
 true and beneficial deliverance, fo long God wrought de- 
 liverance fo-r him ; nay, rather than fail, in a miraculous 
 manner, no chains coii'd biiid him, no iron-gates, nor 
 prifon-wails confine him : But when he had fini/lied his 
 courfe, run his race, fought the good fight of faith, and 
 done the work which GotJ (et him about, it would not 
 then have been a deliverance, but a real detrimentTohave 
 been kept longer from his reward : Now niight the apoflle 
 fay. Give me my robes and -my crown. Gcdnow. made his 
 word good to !h«apon'e,todelivcr him from the people and 
 the Gentiles, by making death hisdelivererand deliverance. 
 Thus faithful is God in his promifes to his people. He 
 will deliver them in fix troubles and infcven; in every 
 danger, in every dilficulty ; but when death is the bcft de- 
 liverance: they fhallhave it as a covenar! mercy and blef- 
 fing; for all things are our-s if we iie ChriA's, whether 
 life or death, i Cor. iii. 22. 
 
 s x-(y)'(7ge 
 
 c II A P. xxvn. 
 
 ■I'his chcJHn- gives us an accaurU 0/ Si. Pau , „ 
 
 h fea Jrcm CcC^rca to Rome : ayid though it proved 
 
 yi vfry dangerous voyufgc, yd the divine care pre- 
 
 fervci him. and c'l that were -rith him, for his 
 
 fake. A Jull relaticn, both of the dmiger and de- 
 
 liycrance, is recorded in this chapter. 
 
 AND when it was determined that we fbould fail 
 into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain 
 
 otheiprifoners unto one n.^mcd Julius, a ccnti-.rioa 
 of Auguftus' band. 2 And entering into a fhip of 
 Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to fail hy tlr-. 
 coafls of Afia, one. Ariflaichus a Macedonian of 
 Theflalonica being with us. 3 And the next rftjy 
 we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteoufiy en- 
 treated Paul, and gave hir.i liberty to go unto hii 
 friends to rcfiefh himfclf. 
 
 The time being now come for the fii'F.'lirg of God'" 
 purpolis and determinate counfel concerning Paul, recorded 
 Atfts xxiii. II. Be of go'id cheer, Paul, ar thou hoft Irpified 
 of me at Jerura!tm,Jo fmlt thou hear viUr.efs clfo at Roue . 
 Purfitant to this purpol'e of God, Ftftus the Riimn gover- 
 nor delivers the apoflle andhis affociares, Luke, Timothy, 
 and Arillarchus, to Julius, in order to their fondir.g.v^ith 
 feveral other prifoner.s, who probably werr^^reat malefac- 
 tors, to the city and court of Rome, v/here .-di tppeals made 
 to the Roman emperor were he.ittl andderermined before 
 himfelf. Now here wc have ohfei-wih-, 1. The perfon 
 whom the apoflle was delivered to, Julius, a ^'cry civil 
 perfon to the apoflle, who fu(rere<I hiin to fee and receive 
 the civilities of his friends. 'J'hus God raifcs up his people 
 friends in the midft of their fufferings, and when perfec:- 
 tors fendshis faints to prifon, he will provide keepers fcr 
 their turn. Julius, an heathen foldier, was kinder to hitn 
 than his own countrymen the jews, 1. The villainous 
 company of malef3<S:ors and prifcners that the innocciir 
 ai)ortle was packed with : They delivered paid ard certain 
 other prlfnners to Julius. Saints and tinners, good and bad. 
 innocent »:id nccent, fh.-.re together in the fame cf.tward 
 miferies; but tlwiTgh rhsy'bet.husjiimliled together in this 
 world (where all things come alHce to all) yet the righteous 
 Judge will make a diS'erer.ce between them in riie other 
 world, 3c<:ordinjT to their works. ^. Tlunigh rlie apoflle 
 was thus yoked with malefadors and a-imiiii'h in tliefliip 
 yet God favoured him with fome companions which w-rre 
 according to his heart's defire ; namely, his dear fJTociates 
 St. Luke, Timothy, and Arillarchus. It is a grtat com- 
 fort to the afllicled, to have good companions in their af- 
 fiidlions. Optimum /olatium rjt fodalitium : But above all, it 
 was the happinefs of the apoftle, that he enjoyed the pre- 
 fence of Cod with him in fo comfortable a manner, in and 
 under all his fuiFerings, according to his promife, 'chap. 
 xviii. 10. J am with thee, avd m rran Jljall fet on ihee t» 
 hurt thee. The gracious (pecial prefence of God witii his 
 children and peoi)le, is a fure and fufricitnt fupport unto 
 them in an<l under aH the dilHculties and trials which lits 
 wifdoni lees fit to cxercife and try them with. 4. What 
 an additional favour it was froni God, that St. Paul found 
 friends in Sidon, fuch faints as he could comfortably con- 
 Verfe with, and receive refrefhments from, even needful 
 .iccoramodations for his tedious voyage- l.eam hence. 
 That God'scare f»f, his coirpallioii rou ards,andprov!fion 
 f->r, his children arv.1 people, is univerfal and perpetual, at 
 all times, and in all places. 
 
 4 And wlicn wc had launched from thence, w.e 
 failed under Cyprus,bccaufe the winds were conlra- 
 r)'. 5 And when wc had failed over the fca of Cihcia 
 
 and 
 
£«8; 
 
 A V. T S 
 
 Chat, xxvir. 
 
 rftirl f— - •,!■,-]'.-., \.'r: rAm.e to MvTa, -a'cify bf Lycin. 
 
 *"' 'lion found aflifp of Alcxan- 
 
 '- ; and he put i; ■ ' • 7 
 
 - -lied flou'jy ma; ...lid 
 
 '' "vKrajranii'ft'Cnidfis :1 not 
 
 '■' f.iiU'l umler Crete, vvoragainll 
 
 ^' n'dly pafTing it,ca_nie.«nroap!acc 
 
 n-Iiich is called, Tiic Fair haven ; fii'gh wberennto 
 
 V ' iry ofl.nfi'a. '<) Xow when iinich time 
 
 V J -., and when -I'ailjn;; was iTow dangerous, 
 bvcaiife theTafl was now idready pafl; J'aiil admo- 
 hiflicd tlieiUj' .lo.And laid iinin (hem, Sirs, I per- 
 ceitvc that tjiis voyaocujll be u-ilVhurl and nuieh 
 damage, not only of the 1-adiil^* and fliip, but 
 alfo of our lives, ii Nevcrtheltfs, the ecnlurion 
 believed the niaflerandlhe ov.ner of t!ie fltip more 
 
 thxhtliofethinijs \vhich ivereTpoken by Paid. 
 
 n ; - ! , "^ . .• .*■■... ^ . 
 
 An .icconut is here givein^". j.he very li3z.n«loiH voyage 
 v,l:i(.h ilie apofll^Jiad ilroiii -C'cfjirea to\;i'ar;cls Rpme. He 
 fails frojn Ctfirrea to iC'ypni$ ; from Cyprus to Cijicia ; 
 frc'in Cilicia'l" Crete : And having been lonir n fea, and 
 the fuiiiiiier wearing au;iy, and the parent fift[)o.'ng p;ift ; 
 th:it is, iLe auivcrfiiry f.ill ef cKpiafion, v-Jiith was on the 
 teniL d.iy of Sepreniber; after whiththe fea c;an>wingtietn- 
 pelliuiuj, ihdarjcinnts left of}' fading until March, becaiife 
 «f lite fliortntfs of the days; Sr. Paul, forefeeing the dan- 
 ger of the fejjon, and being alfo in/pired by tbc Spirit of 
 God, adninnirtied them of the ;-rcac h;»Z3rd of the voyage 
 buth to the rtiip and alio to the lives of thofc that were in 
 it. and advifcd them to veiiturc nofarthor t;!! ihc fea was 
 calnv.T: but il^e owner and governor of the/liip ^who was 
 liJIipdlfd tpjbe better fkilicd in his own art) advifing other- 
 w-.il'r, the r.iptaiii of the_guard prefers hisjudgmcn; before 
 rfiil.andfqfetsfor A'ard,bui with great /'a^/7r«'andgrenter 
 /iA, a» iht f^fn/ declared. From the whole we gather, 
 1 hat the fiitert feafons ought to beohferved and'taken for 
 every entirprize both facred and fecnlar.- Winter iournies 
 by land, ot; voyages by fe^ are unf;ife, as well as'uiicom. 
 fyrtable. A letifoip j$ beautiful for all thing":, and has a 
 luftre upon it aUoye aJj other pansof rime. This v/inter 
 yoynge, .ibout tair Oiftuber, was very hazardous and uii- 
 ^eafuinLIe, fcr the wiods wereboiflerou.s and contrary the 
 days very^fliorc, the light little, thenighiJong, the cJeuds 
 thi(,]<, the weather dark the Ilornis raging ; therefore the 
 apfjfllo advifed to winter iir the fair hiivci),kno-vjngthat 
 the feafqn for failing was now. pjift. . . 
 
 1 2 :Ahd bacriufcthe hii/tfi was not commodioiis 
 to win'tel' iii, tiie nlolt'part advifed to depart thence 
 alio, if by'siiy Inearis they tnightattajn to Phenjcc, 
 ari^ (here to wii)ter ; which ii andiavcn of Crete, and 
 lieth towards tJicfouth-v/cfl; and north-weft. 1 3 And 
 %vhcn tlic foutii wind blew fdftly,l'appofniglhatthey 
 had obtained their, purpofe,. loofing;/jaicc they failed 
 'clofe by Crctp. ' 14 But not Ibnjr after, i" 
 a.;ainf} it a tr?r|i(^nuoiis v;ma,(;,d!;x! Eu 
 
 15 And when the fliip was catight, and could not 
 bear up into the wind, wc let her drive. 16 And 
 runnin,^undjr a certain in.;nd that is called Claudv, 
 wc had much woik tu come, by the boat; 17 
 "W'hieh wl^n they had taicm up, they ufod hclpF, 
 undergjrding the fliip ; and fearin.,' left they fhould 
 fall into the quick fands, llrake fail, and fo were 
 driven. 18 Andwe beiftg exceedingly toflcd with 
 a tempcft, the next day tliev lii^htenedthe {hip ; 19 
 And the third day we caP. out wiih our own liands, 
 .the tackling of the fliip. 
 
 The farther difficuhfesand dangers which theapofllemct 
 with, in this winter \('.y3ge, are heredefcribed and declared 
 and the jiropereft lefTons. of ii:ftru<flion which c:)n, I think, 
 be gathered from them, will be bv wny of allufion : Thus, 
 I. The Hiip in which he failed is an emblem of ihej.liurth, 
 in her militant ftatc here on earth ; flie is afflicted, toiled 
 with tempclls, and in danger of being fliipwretked every 
 moment ; niany temp-.fluous Eurcclydohs ar'fe fuddenly, 
 and threaten her fat.illy ; but her wife I'ilot fits afihe 
 helm, fteers her with a fixed eye and fteadyhand between 
 rock.'^nnd (helves, uiuler-ainiing her by liiseverlaftingarms 
 of power and love which are underne.ith her ; and when 
 in our apprehenlions, flie is brought toa hopelefs and htlp-J 
 lefs ft;ite, without the light of fun or flars' to comfort her ; 
 then doth the Lord enlighten her darkiiefs, and itiilidnight 
 there Ihall be light. Again, 2 This \''oy3ge negl^ftejiti 
 the fimimer, and undertaken in the winter feafon, to the 
 peril of the ))> ilengers, and lot's of the flip, lively repre- 
 fents unto us both the folly and danger i.f pcrlous who 
 fuffcr The fpring of youth ant) the fuMimer of Vipe-age to 
 flip and fllde away from them; and when the i^inrer' of 
 old age comes upon them, then they rhink of laimchiiig 
 forth towards the fair-haven ofetcrr.;i! happiiiefs', and not 
 before. Set we forth never fo foon rhe winds will be cohJ 
 trnry, the weather tempelhiouf, the rotks many, the diffi- 
 ctilties great : And yet, Lord ! how is our precious titni 
 fpent and fpilt ? When age comes upon us, we complairi 
 we v.'ant time, whereas we fooliflily wafle^f f how are 
 miferable fouls that let out late for lieuven (svhen theycaii 
 ferve fin no longer) benighted, bewildered, (liipwreiked, 
 eternally and irrecoverably loft.' Beliold, now only h the 
 accepted lime, now is the day of lalvation. 
 
 20 And when neither fun nor ftars in many days 
 appeared, and no fmall tempell lay onus, all hope 
 that we fliould be faved was then taken away. 2 1 
 But after long, abftincnce 'Paul flood forth in the 
 midft of them, and faid, Sirs, ye ihould have heark,- 
 ened unto mc, and not have loofed from Crete, and 
 to have gained this harm and lofs. 22 And now I 
 cxhcirtyou to be of good cheer; for there fhall be 
 no jofs of fljjy man's life among }'(iu, but .of the 
 fhip. 23 For there flopd. by nie this night the 
 - cl of Cod,, jvljofe I am V .and, ^vhotn_I fcrvej c .{ 
 n^c,',' Fcar,riot,,'Paul; Thou rnuft be broU't;ht 
 
 "before 
 
Chap, xxvii. 
 
 Tl 
 
 le 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 S*-9 
 
 btfore Caefar : andlo, God hatli given thee all them 
 that fail with thee. 25 Wherefore, firs, be of 
 good cheer : for I believe God, that it fliall be even 
 as it was told me, 26 Howbeit we mud be call 
 upon a certain ifland. 
 
 A^»/^Iiere, i. The hopelefs. hclplcfs, comfortlcfs flate, 
 •which St Paul, and thoCc in the fhip with him, were now 
 reduced to; neither fun norrtars appeared, and the weather 
 proved very tempcftuoiis; and when they utterly defpaircd 
 of life, then God gives Paul, and the reft, a comfortable 
 aflurance, that nothing (hould be loft, but the x-cffel only. 
 O how docs God dclii^ht to deliver thofe that are forfakcn 
 of their hopes ? what a prcfcnt help is he to the hclplefs? 
 He referves his holy hand for a dead lift; our extremities 
 are the feafons of his fuccour. 2. The great and fpecial 
 favour with which God indulged the holy apoftle, even to 
 fend an angel to him to comfort him: T/.'e cn^cl of God, 
 v.hcfe I am, and ivhom I fet-ve, /aid, Fear nut. O what 
 an encouragement is it to us, to epter upon, and be faitiiful 
 in the fervicc of God, ivhen he caufes his holy angels, upon 
 all occafions, to fcrve us ? when vifible dangers arc before 
 us, God has invifiblc fervants round about us, both to 
 fuccour and fecure lis. Lord, help me in finccrity to fay, 
 Thine I t:m, and thee I ferve : let me be found faithful in 
 all the inftaiicesof my duty to thee, and then I fliall find 
 (as the apoftle here) that fafety evermore accompanies duly. 
 3. How God was pleafed, for St. Paul's fake, to fave all. 
 that were with him in the (hip ; fmners are fpared and fjvcd 
 for the faints' fake, whom vet thev hate and feek todeftroy. 
 The wicked are oft-times delivered from temporary deftruc- 
 tion, for the fake of the godly who live among them, and 
 intercede with God for them; there were two hundred 
 thrcefcore and fixtcen pcrfons, all heathens, except three or 
 four, favcd for Paul's fake, who no doubt begged their 
 lives of God. Lord, what fools and madmen are the 
 wicked, who feck the deftruction of thofc for whnfe fake 
 it is that ihcy arc not thcmfclves deftroycd? The breaches 
 which wicked men make by llnning, they make up 'by 
 praying. 4 How fteady and ftcdfaft the apoftle was in the 
 laith and belief of God's promlfc and providence, for his 
 oy.n and the company's prefervatlon. / believe God, that 
 it jhall he even as it was told me. We honour God ex- 
 ceedingly, when wt df-pend upon his promifc, rely upon his 
 power, belii-vc Ids word, though what he fays be very im- 
 probable, and unlikely to come to pafs. 
 
 27 But when the fourteenth night ivas tome, as 
 we were driven up and down in Adria, about mid- 
 night, the fhipmen deemed that they drew near to 
 fome country; 28 And founded, and found it 
 twenty fathoms : and when they had gone a little 
 further, they founded again, and found it fifteen 
 fathoms. 29 Then fearing left we (liould have 
 riilcii upon roc'k?;. they call four anchors otitcf the 
 jlcrn, and wifhedfor the day. 30 And as the fliip- 
 r en were about to flee out of the fhip, when thty 
 liad let dovvn the beat into the fea, under colour, .li 
 
 though they would have caft anchors out of the 
 forelhip. 31 Paul faid to the centurion and to the 
 foldiers. Except thefc abide in the fliip, ye cannot 
 be favcd. 32 Then the foldiers cut off the ropes 
 of the boat, and let her fall ofF. 
 
 A farther account is here given, both of the apoftlc's 
 imminent danger and cxtr.iordinary deliverance ; fir four- 
 teen days togetlicr, the fhip was continually lofTcd in the 
 fca ; at laft, the m:;rincrs call four anchors out of the fliip, 
 and by the help of a boat, intended to make their cfcape, 
 lca\ing the pallengers to ftiift for their.fclves: St. Paul per- 
 ceiving this, told the centurion ai;d the foldiers, that iliough 
 Almighty God had promifcd to prcfervc them, yet thtv 
 nnift not cxpcifl it without uiing the nican> for their ovn 
 prefervation, which was to ftay the mariners in the fhip , 
 whofc help and diligence, c'.irc£lian and cSrc, would be 
 cfpecialiy needful to them on fuch an occafion. f lerctjpou 
 the foldiers, to prevent the mariners' defign, cut the ropes 
 of the boat and let it fall ir.tothe fca. Leurr. hence, That 
 the end and the means are a) v.ays joined together in thft 
 purpofe and decree of God. Tf.e fame God that ordained 
 the end, ordained the means in order to that end : there- 
 fore, as to truft to means, is to ncglcc\ Goil : fotoncgleft the 
 means is to tempt God. As here. That God who decreed 
 that they fhould not pcrifti with the ftiip, decreed that the 
 fkiltul fcamen fliould abide in ihe fhip. Almighty God 
 likes not to be tied to'means himftlf ; but it is his pltafuTO 
 to tie us : Sometimes, to ftiew his fovOreignty, he is pliafcd 
 to v.ork without means ; fometimcs to ihew his omnipo- 
 tency he works without means. The fire fliill not burn, 
 the water fhall not drown, the iron fh.ill fvviin, the fim (ball 
 ftand (till, nay, go f.'vcral degrees backwards : The Firfl 
 Caiife can fufpend the power and optration of fecond 
 caufes, when he pleafts. iJut as the care of ;Iic cr.d be- 
 longs to God, ft) the cire of the means belorgs to us, End 
 muft be ufed when they may, and where tlit)' can be ulld. 
 Accor<ling]y, here, tlic mariners, in order to their own and 
 others prefervation, fby in the fhip, lighten the fliip, under- 
 gird her, caft out their anchors. \io\?^ up the tr.ain-f;'il, loofe 
 the rudder-bands, and do every thing to their prefervation 
 which was needful. The purpofe of God to prolong our 
 live.«, muft not lefTcn our care for the prefervation of our 
 lives: When God has ordained and appointed means, wc 
 Cannot expcft to find fafety in \\\i neglecl of that mrans. 
 
 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul be- 
 fought them all to take meat, faying, This day ig 
 the fourteenth day yc have tarried, and continued 
 fafting. having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore 1 pray 
 j-on to takf-y^wf meat ; for this is for your health : 
 for there fliall not an hair fall from the head of any 
 of you. 35 And when he had thus fpokcn, he 
 took bread, and gvive thanks to God in prcfenceof 
 thcni all ; and when he had broken it, he began to 
 cat. 36 Then were they all of good cheef, and 
 they aPfo look fine. meat. 37 And wc were in nil in 
 the fliip, two bundled threcl'core and fixfeen fouls. 
 
 3 X A'ofe 
 
J^3« 
 
 The A C T S. 
 
 Chap, xxviii. 
 
 Kc'.e lierc, I. What honor God put upon the holy 
 anodle ; altliough he was a poor prifoner in chains, yet 
 God mide him the only coiinfcllor and comforter unto all 
 thit were in ihe (liip. Firft he ad\ifeth them to eat, be- 
 caufe that through conflernation of mind, and horror of 
 death, tli<y hail made no fet meal for fourteen days; not' 
 that they rubfUlcd-miracuioufly without any nouriHimont 
 at all; but eit fo little, that it was in a manner continual 
 farting. Next he becomes the chaplain of the fliip: Hi 
 gave thanks to God in the prejence of them «.'/; that is, he 
 tlefired CJod's bltfling upon what they eat, and prsifed him 
 forir: Thanks lliould be returned when benefits are re- 
 ciived from the hand of mnn, much m«re from the hand 
 of God: Wh.it fliall we thint of thofe that fit down to a 
 full tabic as n beafl to his forage, ■withouttakinc; any notice 
 of the bountiful hand that feeds them! St. Paul having 
 thus refrelhed liinifelf, and by his example and words en- 
 couraged all the rcrt to do the like ; an account is taken of 
 the cxaiS number of perfons which were in the fliip, and 
 it was found to be two hundred three fcore and fixtecn 
 fouls: Prrhnblv, this was done at the motion of St. Paul, 
 that fo, after their dclivcrr.nce, it might appear how exaftly 
 liis predi6\ion, mentioned ver. 22. That thert /hall be 7w 
 lofs cf any tnan's life, nor an hair fall from the head of any, 
 was verihed and fulfilled. Whatever God fpeaks by the 
 mouth of his' holy icrvants, be it by way of predi(flion or 
 denunciaiion, fliall certainly be nccotnplifhed and come to 
 pafs : God is honoured in his truth, vvhen his promifcs are 
 l"iilfi!lcd towards his people, and ilirtainings inflitSled on 
 his enemies, 
 
 38 And wlien they had eaten enough, they 
 lightened the fliip, and caftout the wheat into the 
 fea. 39 And when it was day,- they knew not the 
 land : bnt they difcovcrcd a certain creek with a fhore 
 into which they were minded, if it werepoflibic, to 
 thriiilin the fiiip. 40 yVnd when theyhad taken 
 up the anchors, they committed ihemf'Lrs unto the 
 fca.'and loofed the rudder bands, and hoifled up the 
 main fail to the wind, and made towards fhore. 41 
 And falling into a place where two fcas met, they 
 riui the fliip aground : and the fore part fl^uck fall 
 anjd remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was 
 broken with the violence of the waves. 42 .A.nd 
 tlic i'oldicrscounCel was to kill the prifoners. loft any 
 of ihem flionld fuiin out and efcape. 43 But the 
 centurion, v.-illin;f to favc Paul, kept them from 
 iAti/jpurpoIe, and commanded that they which could _ 
 fiN'ijir, flioiild call thcmfclves liril into the lea, and 
 gcLto land; 4^ And the icR, fotnq ou boards, and 
 lojpe on. broken pieces of the Ihip. And lo it came 
 10 pali, that they cfcaped all lafo to land. 
 
 Ihvr tt'j.'e, I.. How willing men in dirtrefs are to part 
 with all things for the prclcrval )n of l^ie^, ilicfe f^a-faring 
 men arc here touml three linies lightening their fliin pt her 
 lading and burden: -Fird, th? merchandize was^cult over- 
 boar' vcr. i8. n^.x.1 ill the fliip's furniture was h^avi-d 
 
 over. ver. ig. and now vcr. 38, goes over the very wheat, 
 which they had provided for iheir daily bread; fMtiirc pro- 
 \iflon is cart away, to fave life at preftnt: Life is the moft 
 precious treafure, the moll c.\celki)t thing in nature; a man 
 will part with all the comforts and fupports of life, rather 
 than with life i^ftlf. 2. What a wonderful work of God 
 ■was here U])on the Iiearis of ihefe poor Pagans, thus to 
 venture their lives, by parting with their food which they 
 had to live upon, barely upon St. Paul's word, that they 
 ftould want t\ heat no more in the fliip. 'Such an influence 
 has God upon the hearts ami minds of men, when -he 
 pleafestojnaketife of It. 3. How God's delivering power 
 is mcft glorioufly manifcff in the raort deplorable extremi- 
 ties of his pcrplc. Now, when the (hip was fallen into a 
 place- where two feas met, ^\hcn (he ran aground, and was 
 broken with the violence of the waves, this extremity was 
 Goti's opportunity ; and this firait v.-as the fcafon of his 
 fuccour. 4. What horrid and cruel ingratitude was found 
 with thefe wretched foldiers towards the aportle; they 
 defign to take away his life, who had taken fuch care of 
 theiTi, and for whole fake all tlitir lives were prefcrved ! It 
 is no ne^v thing for an unkind world to return cviJ i'or 
 goofi, and hatred for goofl-will ; but to do good, and to 
 fuftcreiil, is the Chiiltian's exercife at (^-refent. Ti^y 
 conjultcd 10 kill the prifoners (of whom the apoftle was 
 chitf,J left any of thevi fhoulJfivim out and efcafe. 5. How 
 God put into the centurion's heart to defeat that barbari: , 
 and bloody counfel, and to five the apoftle, for whufe fake 
 the centurion and all in the ftiip verefavcd. Manv are 
 the wicked devices in .he heart of man; but the counfcl 
 of the Lord, that ihall ftand. 6. How God performed 
 his proir.ifc to the iipoftk to a very tittle: They were all 
 ■ favi. 1, not a man drowned, no, not any one of the bloody 
 r)i:'iv;s who gave counfcl to kill Paul. O how good is 
 Gi '.I to t^ic unthni'.kfrl and unholy! his tender mercies 
 arc over all his v. aks; and how wtll do finners fare fome- 
 times Lr the Hiints' f.ke! Thus, after a long and tlan- 
 geicii? voyage, tht j):t viittuce of Gi^J brotipht St. Paul, 
 with the reft of the pallengers, at bft fate to fhore. O how 
 puiiilujl is God to what he prrmifts! What he foretcls, 
 Jic- will fulfil. He hrd forcu Id by Paul, th.it they ftiould 
 AifFer ihipwreck, and at Lift be caft up( n a certain illand: 
 and, acccrding!), here, they efcapcd to an illnnd, called 
 Melita ; where, what figiial indances ot humanity they 
 received from the hands of barbarous heathens, the fel- 
 low ing chapter fully informs us. 
 
 C H- A P. XXVIII.. 
 
 AND when they were efcaped, then they knew 
 that thciCand was calkd McIita. 2 Andthe 
 barbarous p'?op!e Qicwed us no little kindncls ; for 
 they kindled a fire, and received us cveiy one be- 
 caufe i>f tlie prefent lain. and !)ecaufe of the cold. 
 3 And'v.'hcn Paul liad .^athcrcJ a bundle of flicks, 
 rind laid thetn on the fire, there came a viper out 
 cf the ric'.r, and faftcnv^d on \\\> hand. 4 .\tKl when 
 tlic bubari^nis faw the vcneiuous bead hang on his 
 hand, they faid among themfelves. No dcul-tthis 
 
 man 
 
.Chap, xxviir. 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 ^3« 
 
 man is a murderer, whom, though he hath cfcaped 
 the Tea, yet vengeance fufFercth not to live. 5 And 
 he flrook olT the beall into the fire, and felt no 
 harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he QiouM 
 havelVoUen, or fallen doivn dead fuddenly. But 
 after they had looked a great while, and law no harm 
 come to him, they changed tlieir minds, and laid, 
 that he was a god. 
 
 After a lnn» an;! dangerniis vovagc, rrcnnled in the fore- 
 gfing chapter, tlic providence of Gcil brouuht St. P.iil 
 and the reft crt" the piifuncrs to an ifland c-lkd Msli'a,, 
 wliere thev were aircotirtcoiiflv rtctivcd by the illundcr-s ; 
 who, finding them wet and cold, made iIkhi a fire to warm 
 and refri-fli ;hem ; when bthdd a viper that was in the 
 wood, feeling the heat of the f,ix- leapcdour npia St. Paid, 
 and tjitencd (>n his hand ; which ihc. ifljndui? fteing, 
 inibn^ly concfuded that the apoftle was fomc n jtorioiis 
 malefactor, whom the divine vengeance f Ho wed : But the. 
 apoftlf (accoiding to our Saviour's pi-orr.ile, Mark xvi. 18. 
 // )e touch any deitd'iy things it Jhall.not hirt yui) fliaking 
 ofl the venomous heart into ihc hre, wiihout harm, the 
 people prcfently changed th':'ir opinion, and look him for a 
 god that was come to them in the fh'apc of- a nran. Here 
 note, I. How it pleafcd Gxl, b\' a new miracle, to confirm 
 l^ie apoftle's amhority, and thereby to-prcp.ire'he he;;rt'! of 
 thole barbarous ppo|vIe for the receiving ot. the gofptl. 
 G:jd will h incur his gofpd, and O.v: f.iihful difpcnfers of 
 tf» wherever thi v go, by preparing the hearts of the people 
 to receive and entertain it. 2; That great and manifo! 1 
 dangers and diftrelTcs may, ^.nd of'-timc.<; do, befal gracious 
 perfons. No fooaer is one affliftion paflTed over and gone 
 from them, but prefcn'.ly another comes on with a frefli 
 affault. Thus hi-rr, St Paul had no fooner efcaped the 
 fliipwreck, and gets to (Tiore, but a viper fallens upon his 
 hand; Many are the afjliSlions ef the righteous : 3. That 
 the very litcht of natirre fuggerts even to the mort barbar ms- 
 hsathsns, that wickedntfs 'fhall not go impunifhed ; Ko 
 doubt this mnn is a nuirderer, whom verigemice Juffcrelh mt 
 ti live. 4. That natural agents cannot aft cr exert their 
 natural powers, without the concourfe and concurrence of 
 Supernatural providence : This viper, according to its- 
 nature, did nor, and coidd not, rting the aportlc, being 
 rcrtrained by the ovi r-ruline providence and power of God. 
 5- That the hum.mity of tlicfc barbarous heathens towards 
 thofe that fufF.rpd (hip wreck, may juftly condemn the in- 
 humanity of them that are called Chrirtians, towanls thofe 
 which are fl)ip#rci ked : How do fom>- that lire near the 
 lea-coarts rcj(jicc nt a wreck at fea, in hopes of enriching 
 thcmfeKe^ with the fpcils of others? The !>arbaroiis were 
 humane here, but the hiinane are now b..rba.ou.<;. 6.. 
 Jfow prone and ready men are to draw finful inferences 
 from forrowful premifes ; to cantiwde that fuch a man,, or 
 fuch a people are wi. kcd, becaufe they are wretA;htd; great 
 ^nners, becaufe they arc creat f":fFcrer.«. Thi.'? was the 
 barbarjus logic of thefe ilh'.nders : It had been veil 'hat it 
 nn.l been confined to 'hat illmd ; Jy^en the harburl.ns 
 J<!iu tt-e ve>ci?«i)'n beijl on the apcftie's hand, they /aid, 1^0 
 d'luh this man is a murderer. 7. Hovv mii'ahl'.- is the mii.d 
 of man, and he iuconrtaut arc mc;i. in their clleem and- 
 
 opinions of men ; the apoflle had no fooner Hiook of the 
 viper into the firr, but the barbarians change their opinion, 
 into another extreme ; he whom they accoumcd a mur- 
 derer bciore, they called a god now : 7her changed their 
 minds, and /aid /hat he was a god. They arelfjihtand 
 lavilh in their applauding, as before they were rafli and 
 fcvere in cenfuring. Thus, upon cbr.nges of providence, 
 nitiny change their opiniuns 0} men, f(-metime.': for the 
 better, but coinmotily for the worl'c. Lord, help me to 
 eitcem myfeif only by the eftecm which I have A\ith ihec. 
 Let me never be lifted up with the applatiding?, nor caft 
 downby thedefpifiiigs of men ; neither praifc nor reproach 
 aremiich to be arcoiititcd of, whiifl we are innocent, and 
 make thee cur friend.. ^<eft. But why did not St. Paul, 
 tiiat llio(k offthe viper from his hand, (hake off the chain 
 from his ;:rm, and fet himfelf at lihcriy .' ,■///. Sr. Paul was 
 not the auih(.r, but a minitler or iiiltruincnt in this rnirr.de; 
 it wis x\iA St. P.nil hiinftlf, but G>id by him, that wroiit^it 
 this m nule, Afts xix. 12. God nt-oiight/feciat miivcli's by 
 /he- hand of Puid. Now, when the deliverance of the 
 apodle from his bond.s made moft for the glorv of (Jod, 
 he was delivtied ; but, when jiis bonds would- more advance, 
 the gofpel, Guil kept him in bonds. 
 
 7 In the fame quarters were poITenions of the chief 
 manof theifland whofenaine wasPublius : who re- 
 ceived us, and lodged us three days courtcoufly. 8 
 f And it came to pafs. that thefather of Publiu.s hiy 
 fick of a fever, and of a bloody flux : to whom Paul 
 entered- in and prayed, and laid his hands c\\ hitn, 
 and healed him. g So when this was done, others al- 
 io which haddifcafes in the ifland came, and tvere 
 healed: lo Who alio honoured us with many ho- 
 nours; and when we departed, they laded us with 
 fuch things as were neceflliry. 
 
 Obferve here, How God goes en flill to honour the 
 perfon and minidry of St. Paul, in the eyes and hearts of 
 this bnrbarous pt«ple, bv enabling him further to work 
 miracles in this Kland ; Firft, on .Ptibiiiis the governor's 
 father, and then on others that were difeafed in the idand. 
 Here mte, i. How great the civility of the governor of the 
 illand was towards St. Paul, in enteitaining him and all the 
 coiTipany with him, even more than iv o hundred ptrfons, 
 at his own charge. And, 2. How wcil the governor was 
 rewarded for his hofpit ibk charity ;_ his father lying fick 
 of a fever and a bloody flux, is miraculoully curetl by God. 
 As there \< no dut>.' more certainly, rewarded in another 
 World than that of charity ; fo is it ticquently rewarded ia- 
 thi's Wf>ild; Piiblius was well paid by his father's recovery, 
 for what he did for Sr, Paul and his companv. 3. The 
 means which the ap)fttc ufcd for the rcaivery. of the fick 
 perfun, prayer and impofiiioni of hands, verfe 8. Paul 
 prayed, and laid hfs hands on- hint, end healed him. Now 
 heiebv the apoflie fTiewed that he cou'd do nothing of 
 hinifelf; accordingly he applies by prayer to that Gi)d who 
 killeth an! i-unketh alive, and the Lord heard him. St. 
 P.i'ul had honoured Go<l, and now G'xl honours him : 
 H )W grieved was the h-ily apolllc uiu-n God's honour was 
 fucfil^giouily given to hiin ? I doubt not but it grieved rhe 
 3X2 good 
 
6S'' 
 
 The 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chap, xxviir. 
 
 gooi man more when tliry called Mm 3 GikI, than when 
 they acoountol him a murderer : Here, therefore, he re- 
 turns 'h- honrrnr to God by prsycr, afcrihiiiji all to him : 
 Arn\ G xi r.iMVjurs him b/ making him the inllriiment of 
 the miraculous v.jfc. 4. H'uv the infinitely-wife Gwl 
 made all ihinc*; work together ii.r his own t;l(>ry ; that the 
 apoQh- fhoulJ fiiffer ftiipwreck ; that he ihoiildbe cart upon 
 an iibnd ; ilut he iTinidd be tad upon a barbarous iiland, 
 where the name of God was not Jcnown ; that a viper 
 Jliould tafKn upon him, and not hurt him ; that the gover- 
 nor of the illand's father, and other inhabitants of the ifland 
 lh;>ul.l at this time be lick, and mirae-jlouflv cured by St. 
 Piul : All (licfe tendt d towards the promoting of God's 
 «1 TV, by opening an ofFcolual door for the convcrfn'n ot 
 many P.uds ; for, during the three months tlut the apoflh 
 flayed there, he plantetl a cliri Tian church in the ilhnd, 
 vlich bv-came famous for its ftcdfaftncfs in the truth. 5. 
 The proof and evidence which the illanders gave of the 
 truth of their con verfion by the DpofUe's minKlry among 
 thtiTii namely, that thofc new converts loaded St. Paul's 
 fl-.ip with ncceHarics for their voyage when he went away 
 from them : This was a real fruit of their effcdtual faiths 
 as alfo their honouring him with many honours. The 
 bcfl evidence of lincrre faiih, is an holy fruitfulnefs m good 
 •works, in works of piety towards God, and works of chari- 
 ty towards man ; They bouourtd us with Jiuir.y honours, &c, 
 
 11 ? And after three months, we departed in a 
 fhip of Alexandria, which had wintered in thcifle, 
 whofe ftgnw^is Caflor and Pollux. i2Andhinding 
 at Syracnfe, wc tarried there three days. 13 And 
 from thenee we fetched a compafs, and came to 
 Ilheiium: and after one day the fouth wind blew 
 and we came the next day to Putcoli ;, 14 Where 
 ■wc found brethrei>, and were defired to tarry with 
 them fevcn d lys- And fo wc went toward Rome. 
 15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of 
 us, they came to meet us, as far as Appii-forum 
 and the Three taverns : whom when Paul faw, he 
 iiianked God and took courage. 
 
 Ohfene here, 1. Tfcat St. Paul at the command of 
 Gf<i, though (liipwreckcd before, yet puts forth to fca 
 again. A cle-.;r call from God wiil carry on a chridian 
 chcarftdly to grapple with all imaginable ditTicidiits and 
 Jangcrs, without either difptite or delay. Thus did the 
 apcdlc herei he enters a ihip of Alexandria, fr.ils fiom 
 Malta to Syracufe in Sicily, from thence to Rhej^ium in 
 . I:alv, from thence to Putcoli; where they found fome 
 chriftians, wiih whom they abode fevcji days. Here nole. 
 How wonderfully the chriftian rclip;i»Mi was fpread abroad 
 in the Italian country ; yea, in andabout Rome, before St. 
 Paul's coming thither. From Puett.li the apodle palfes to 
 Rome the chief city in Italy, the emprefs of the world, 
 the feat cf the Roman emperor : Bthtkl how God bears 
 witncfs to, anil puts honour ipon his futTering fervant ; he 
 pjRes to Rome, more like a conqueror than a piifoner; He 
 is met upon the road by many eminent perfons, as con- 
 querors ufcd to be, to congratulate thtir great viilciies j 
 
 even by chriftians, who arc aWtA IretJiren, rcr. 15. who 
 are not afliam.ed of St. Paul's cliain, tut left th<.ir hnufes, 
 and came forth to meet him, ft-me fifty miles, others thirt\-, 
 fome one day's journey, others two, to congr-tidaie his 
 coming, and pay their refpefls untohim ; for which tavciir 
 the apoiUe thaiitsGc//, an J took courage ; That is, heownecF 
 it as an encouragcnunt fcnt from Gcd imto him, and 
 was grealy rctrtlhtd lay their company. Rtit how came 
 chrlllians fo early to be found at Rome? Who converted 
 them .' St. Paul had never been there till now, and t» e 
 read not of St. Peter's or snyofihc apoftlcs having beta 
 there thus early ; yet St. Paul finds many chiillians at aid 
 about Rome r Anfwer,. Tliefc brethren are thought to be 
 converted by fuch as were prefent at J'erufahrni, at the feail 
 of Pentecort, A6ls ii. 10. where it is exprefsly faid. There 
 wcsc firangen cf Rcme then J'rejent, vhcn thofc mightj 
 miracles were wrought there ; and we m.ay fuppofe that 
 they, becoming true converts at that time, did propngais 
 the gofpel in and about Rome, according to their ability ; 
 and the blcfllng ot God fo accompanied and fuccecded thtir 
 endeavours, tliat the apoftlo now found fome faints even 
 in Nero's houfc. Thus mi^l.lily grew ibeucrJo/Gcd and 
 prevailed.. 
 
 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurioa 
 
 dthvercd theprifoners to the captain of the, guard : 
 
 but Paul was fufFered to dwell by himleif, witl^l 
 
 foidicr that kept him. 17 hnd it came topafs, that 
 
 after three days, Paul called the chief of the Jews 
 
 together. And when they were come together, he 
 
 faid unto them," Men a?i/;? brethren, though I have 
 
 cominilted HOthinij again ft the people, or cufloms 
 
 of our fathers, yet was I delivered prifoncrfrom }e- 
 
 rufalcm into tlie hands of the Romans. 18 Who 
 
 when they hade.\amined me, would have let me ip 
 
 becaufe there was no caufe of death in me. igBut 
 
 when the Jews fpake againft it, I was conftrainedto 
 
 appeal unto Casfar ; not that 1 had ought to accufe 
 
 my nation of. 20 For this caufe therefore have I 
 
 called for you, to fee you, and to fpeakwith you : 
 
 becaufe that for the hope of Ifrael I am bound with. 
 
 this chaiii,. 
 
 Now is the great apoflle landed and lb :!ged a priforier nt 
 Rome, according to the divine predi(Elicn, A<51s xxiii. ii. 
 Be of good ekeer, Paul, Sec. \ et chJeriLc, 1. The favour 
 VNhich God save him in the figlit of ms enemies ; he is 
 not clapped up in the common goal,. but a fort rt a prlf.irer 
 at large : he dwells by himfelf in hisown li.ed hoife, with 
 his keeper with him ^ This liberty v as hif^hl'y v;:lucd by 
 the apoflle, we may believe ; not fo rii;ch for his own 
 conitoit, as for the benefit and .-nlvantajje cf the gofpel ; 
 for by thie means he had an opportimi:y of gtjirifj abroad 
 and preaching the word oi God in every phac?, as the pro- 
 vidence of Gcd gr.ve him opportunity. 2. St. Paul is no 
 foontrcc me to Roire witlulciire and defign, no doubt, to 
 preach the gcfpel there fo his countrymen the Jewj, in the 
 firlt place j but he lends for the Jews to coax: to him, ftai es 
 
 lus 
 
CllAT. XXVUI. 
 
 The ACTS. 
 
 53:5 
 
 . His cafe to them, and endcavotir? to temcrvc all prcjuilicc 
 frnm their tnimls, -which they might have taken up njjsinfl 
 hi a, an<I fo have miTcd of the ben. fit of his miniftry. 
 From whence li-.Trn, That it is the great duty of the mi- 
 ni-("tci';nf tht-gofpel, prudentfy to prevent, ifpoirible, or 
 prcfcn^'y to remove all prejudice', -which may be taken up 
 bv thtir people aj^ainft their perfcxris, knowing that, if they 
 haven prejn.li'-e .igai.nft iheir pcrfdri';, they-wiil never rclifh 
 their dodrioe, nor be benefited by their minillry. Thus 
 diti ihc great epoillc here endeavour to fct himfclf right 
 wi'h his auditors '.he Jews, bet'^re he began to preach to 
 them. 3. H-)W theapolUe vva« not af}i;im\d of, but rather 
 glories in, the caufe tor which hefut^rcd. For the hopf cf 
 Ijr.id I (ttn I'AiKil wi'h this chain : As if he had faiil, 
 " Far preachin,; ;hat Mcfliah, who hath long been hoped 
 and p:.-!vcd for, I am come hiilur a prifoner ; or for the 
 fake of Jefus Cluid the promiil-d Mefliah, whom all true 
 Ifraelites long expeded and hoped for, who is now coine 
 in the flefh, to be their Redeemer, and in whom all the 
 true Ifratl of God repofe all their hojie of falvation, and 
 by whom they expei^ a joyful refurreAion ; lam bour.il 
 uiih this chain." Here no/c, i. ITie hard iifaje which 
 the blclfcd L'poftle meets with from the hands ofa wicked 
 -world; 2 v.r'.ain is cljppeJ upon him as if he were fome 
 rogue or iliief : Paul the lamb, was now a prifoner to Nero 
 the lion. The beilofmen may, and oft do fuffer under 
 
 "The noiion of the mofl vile and wicked perfons. 2. The 
 true cauicofSt. Paul's fufferings, Fzr the lofe ':f Ifrael, I 
 ambonr.d. That i.s, for the objecl of Ifrael's hope, or the 
 Me/Tiah wi.ich they fo long expected, and fo much hope.l 
 for. 2. Tiic publication which St. Paul makes of his fiif- 
 ferinp here at Rjime: he tells all the world, for whom 
 and in wh->re cai:l? he now futrcred.. Thence learn. That 
 fufferings for Chrill and the gofpel arc no matter of (hame, 
 biit glory : The apoiile doth not blufh to fav. Far the hope 
 *f Ijracl I weM this cJxiiit : the Ihame belonged to them 
 that clapped on the ch.-.ifi, nor to him that wore it. 4. 
 The end^why the apoiUe makes known his futFcrinf s ; 
 namely, i hat all the Jews now at Rome mii^lit know the 
 true cauij w'lerefore he fufR-red. St. Paul's 'enemies had 
 .laid heavy things to his charge, which prifliblv mii.ht flv to 
 Rome; now although he little regarded what the wicked 
 world faid of him, yet he delired to ftand ri^lit in the 
 thoughts of the Jews here at Rome ; and therefore as foon 
 as he was come hither he fends for them to acquaint them 
 with the caufc of his imprifoniTient. When good men are 
 in a fuftlring co.-idtiion, the d<.vil is very induffrioi's to 
 .defame theii, ^d the world very readv to mifrepiefent 
 tbera ; _ theicfore it is a duty which is owing to thcmfelves, 
 to vindicate their own innocency, and to fct forth the caufe 
 of thvir fufferings, in a clear and true liyht. It is verily 
 for the hope sflfrael, that / zm bcund with this chain. 
 
 2 1 And they faid unto him. We neither received 
 letters outof Judea concerning; thee, neither any of 
 the brethren that came, (hewed or fpake any h.Jrni 
 of thee. 22 Bat we defire to hear of thoe what 
 thou thinkcn : for as concerning this feQ, we k.io.v 
 th,it every v.-hcro li: h fpoktaa-;iiaft. 23 And wiicn 
 
 theyhad appointed him a day, there came many to 
 him in his lodging : to whom he expounded and 
 teftified thekin^jdom of God, perfuadin,,' them con- 
 cerning Jefus, both out of the law of Moles, and 
 (W< c/ the prophets, from morning till evening. 2.4 
 And fome believed the things- which were fpokcn, 
 and fome believed not. 
 
 Note here, i. The .idvantage which the aponic had to 
 preach the gofpel to the Jews at Rome; theyalTlire him 
 that they had entertained no prejudice agpinft'his |,erf( n ; 
 lor they h.id received no letters out of jiidea concerning- 
 him: neither had any of thcii" brethren that came from 
 Jucfea fpokcn any evil of hiin \ yea, they afiure him, it Waj 
 their defire to hear him preach, and to underftaiiJ what he 
 had to fay for the chrilfian religion (which they call a feft 
 or hercfy) that both Jews and Gentiles did generally oppofe 
 and I peak againft, and talk hardly of. 2. How rcadilv the 
 •npoftle complies with their reqijeff in preaching to them ; 
 time and place arc appointed, the people afTemb'led : The 
 great tru-,h defended and proved was this. That Jefus of 
 Nazareth was the true and promifed MeiTiah, in whom all 
 that defire to be faved,. ought to believe and tniff. This 
 argument he confirmed by leftimonies out of the law of 
 Nlofes, and out of the prophets, continuing his difcourfe 
 from morning until night ; fo unwearied was this faithful 
 bbourer in his Lord and Mailer's work. 3. The different 
 fuccefs of the word preached, and the contrary efFefts which 
 M had upon his hearers; Sotne believed the things which 
 ■wtrejpoken, and feme btlie-jed not.. As the fame fim that 
 foftens the wax hardens the clav, fo has the gofpel dif- 
 ferent cfF.as upon thofe it is preached to; there :ire fome 
 whom no fun will tan, no heat will warm, no influence will 
 quicken; To fome %ve are the favour of life unto life, to 
 oi^hers the favour of death tinto death: But, blelTed he 
 God, if we his niinidersbc found faithful, we fhall be .i 
 fweet favour unto Gwl,, as, -well in them that pcrifli, as ia 
 the n tiiat are faved. 
 
 2^5 And when they agreed not among themfelves 
 they departed, after that Paul had fpoken one word^ 
 Well fpake the Holy Ghoft by Elaias the prophet 
 unto our fathers, 26 Saying.Go unto this people 
 and fay. Heart n,^ ye fliali hear, and fhall not under- 
 fland ; and feeing ye fhail fee, and not pc.-ccive. 
 
 27 For the heart.<v of thi.^ people is waxed grofs, and 
 their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have 
 they clofed : left they fliould fee with MrtVcycs. and 
 he?.r with thtir cars, and underlland with /.-W heart, 
 and fhnuld bt; converted, and I (hould heal ttemi 
 
 28 Be It known therefore unto you, that the falva- 
 tion of GoJ. is fent unto the Gentiles, and that they 
 wnJl hear it. 29 And when he had faid thefe words, 
 the Jews departed, and had great reafoning amon j 
 then:!tlves. ^ 
 
 'The ohi1in,ite infidelity and unreafonaWe unbelief which 
 Wis loui.d aaun- the Jews under the apoftle's preachiJig, 
 
 was 
 
.13J. 
 
 Tlic ACTS. 
 
 Chat, xxvitr. 
 
 was no doubt a greif fj'icf r>{ heart un'o liim ; but at ihtir 
 
 depanirrp, her tells tKeni 'ficv wotilj not b..- pcrfnadccl, lliat 
 
 this unbcliif of theirs was^hai ths pr.>j-.hc: Fr.ii.i<;had long 
 
 before punclu.illy foieiolt), ifiat hcaiing ihcy \\ill nit hear 
 
 and fteing they will not fte: h.->vin;^contr.<£led fucha \\ illal 
 
 hardnefr, brinclntfs, rnd dtafncff, as vr 111 n(>t fiiffcr tktin to 
 
 hf;arkon to any coiirifcl whiib may lenil to ihtir ccrivcrlirn 
 
 and f^ilva'ton. Here «■?.'?, That thontjh the prcfcnt iin- 
 
 brHcf of the obflinaie Ji'vvf, to \\!i"tTi tht- apoftk nov/ 
 
 preached, ^v^s Ivng before forctrld by the pri>phi-i>i ot Gcx!: 
 
 Vet the prophciV prcdiflion was no caofc ot ihcir imbt- 
 
 licf; cr tha' wlu^li l.iil thtm unJcr an impciflibiTny of be- 
 
 irtving : Eut the fpiilt lay in their own obiUnate wills; 
 
 with WpeiS to which by ihc juft judgment of God, they 
 
 vcrc blinded and hardened. When finners clofe their 
 
 eyes viilfiilly, and fay, ihcy will d t fee, it is juft with G<;d 
 
 to clofe thtir eyes jiKlicially, and fay, ihcy fiiall not ftc. 
 
 D(n/ ntn dijn'it r,:fi deJercuUm \ the Jews had forfakcn 
 
 Gnd, :ind now God forf-kes them ; but the apodle tells 
 
 them, that uprn this rcfuHil of theirs, lie was to preach the 
 
 gofpcl to the GentUcs, and that they wciild hear it, and 
 
 glidly jeceive it, ver^ 2.Q. TLe fahallon of Godisfenl unio 
 
 the Crr.lites, niul they •will hcaril. Where ohferve. The 
 
 epithet or title given to the gofiK-l, The Jalvatiun cf Gsii : 
 
 I. It is ^^\t'lJalvntion, brcaufc it makes a tender and iini- 
 
 Tcrfal offer of life and f^Ivaiion unto loft finners. 2. It 
 
 js called \\\c Jnlvc.t'an cfCod, becanfe it is a falvation of his 
 
 providing and contriving, of his revealing and difcovering : 
 
 Jt h his by way of pa?cfa£lion and difcovery ; his by way 
 
 of tender and oiler ; his by way of power and efficacy; Tke 
 
 juloatihn of God is Jent unto the Gentiles. 
 
 _qo ? An'i Paul dwelt two whole years in his 
 own hired hotife, and received all that came in unto 
 him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of. Cod, and 
 teaching thofe things which concern the Lord Jefus 
 Chrill, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. 
 
 A's/^ here, i. The fprcial favour indulged Si. Paul, now 
 a prifoner at Rome, with fo much freedom, and without 
 any mt>lcitation to preach the gofpel in his ovn hired hoiife 
 fi,r two years toaetber. Where obfemtf i. Who preaches; 
 St. P.jul, a piifuncr, who fcarccly h.id liberty to htar, 
 rarely to preach. 2. Wiicrc lie prtschcd, even in the 
 proud, pf)vverfnl' and imperious Rome, and in his own 
 hired hf«ufc there. 3. To \\ horn he preathid ; Te all that 
 i\ine unto him. He (tt open the doors of his houfe for all 
 conipr.s, excluding none from the gracious offers of falva- 
 tion by a Redeemer, upon the c< nditioii of faith and obe- 
 ditnce.. 4. Uow looghe. contioued his tniniliry at Rooie ; 
 
 for two whole years at that time; he would neither be 
 allured by flatteries, nor he(£tored by threatcnings, to lay 
 down hi'; miniftry, or defift from his preachinp-'work. 5. 
 After what manner be preached ; w ith all confidence, brld- 
 nefs, opcnnefs, and freedom, with fuch an imdaunicd 
 courage, as neither love of life, nor fear of death, could 
 overcome. 6, 1"ha fi:bje(£l matter of his preaching ; Ihe 
 kir.gd-^n nfCod, and thirties c'jP.cirniig the Lord "jfefus ChriJ); 
 not vain janglines or cnviuus railings ; but Jelus Clirift, 
 and the way of falvation by bim. hartly,\Viili wlui free- 
 dom he did all this; No mmfcrbidaing l.im; neither em- 
 peror, nor fcnate, nor msgillratc, nor fold ier, nor pricft 
 nor people, though in an Heathen city, dcvotid to idojatrj, 
 ill the leaft hindeiing, or forbidding bim. Where mtr, 
 That Ron e Heathen of eld, was far lefs cruel and much 
 more courteous, to the preachers of ihc gofptl, than Rome 
 Aniichriftian lincc has been. Then an apoflle might 
 prcacli two years together, without molr:(lation, in his own 
 hired houfe, to all comers ; bm now a minifter of God 
 muft there have no public or private meeting to worftiip 
 God according to bis word and will, without danger of an 
 
 inquifitibn. To conclude, fee how impodiblc it was at 
 
 that day to hinder the progrefs of the gofptl ; even as im- 
 poffible as to hinder the fim from fhining, or the w ind from 
 blowing. That God, who (hut ihe mouths ot the hungry 
 lions that they hurt not Daniel, did open the mouth of i\\r 
 apoftle, that neither Nero nor the Jews could ilop it ; ye.i, 
 after this, he zvns delivered from the mouth of the lien ; rcf- 
 ctied out of Nero's hand.*. And God would have con- 
 tinued to deliver him, had not his death been more for the 
 glory of Gixi, and his own advantage, than his life, which 
 at lart w'as offered up as a fr.crifice and a fweet fmclling fa- 
 vour, acceptable unto God through Jefifs ChrilL 
 
 Thus St. Luke concludes his hiitorv of St. Paul's life, 
 without giving us any particulars of his deat''. He leaves 
 him at Rome, a prifoner under Nero, where, after two 
 years confinement, tht fcripiures fcem to hint, that he was 
 fct at liberty,, and that he went sbout preaching the gofpel, 
 and confirming the churches for feme years ; but an at- 
 tempt to trace this apoftle farther, viifcbut fcripture light, 
 may be the ready way to lofc ourfelves : Let us therefore 
 conclude with prayer,, 
 
 7h:t Aln-.ighty Gcd, who, through the preaching of his hlrfjed 
 of of k St. Paul, did cavfe the tigi<t of the gi^rioiis g^Jpel to 
 fhine thrwghout the world v-'ou Id merciful i\ grant, lint vr, 
 having his wonderful ccm'erficn c,nd iifiruSiil'e exi nfle in 
 cur rtimmhrance, tnay Jiexv forth cur thavlfiij/iefs unto him for 
 the fame, hy follcuing the holy dcflrineul^ichke taught \ through 
 Jfjus Cliriji our Lord, Amen. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ROMAN 
 
 S. 
 
 Thhepiftlctolhc Romans /wj drvays hem efteemed by the church rf GOD me of th. rh; r r. j jt 
 portions of the holy fcripture: The r^afon rvhv thk f4,;Sl LIl rn ^/ t'"^ chifft aid mrjl excdlnxf 
 
 The moft divine epiflle of the 1ft hoi, apoSlc. clm^^h , confcihon of faith; a.A 
 
 ■foieh « nUjeparat-dfrom^^^^'urLo^^ "" ^'f '^ ''"'^- ^^^""^^7. ?'' J^™ that 
 
 Thefiuhjca-mxltcro/thn epijllch txvofohi, partly dotlnu:,\, and parth praaicil- /„ //. ^ A • , 
 
 .«.«r..««.;.. g^.en ^ lo the kve and pra^a o/'^^Su^ri^^ ' "" '"-^^'^""' '^"^ "'^^'^ '^ '^'""'V--- 
 
 verfjon hew^s Pa,,! ,he profe/Tor, P.ul ,hc preacher, anj 
 
 I 
 
 p 
 
 C H A p. I. 
 
 ■^ ihh firjl chapter, our apoftle proceeds to affert nd 
 proi-e tac grand dcBrine 1^f]n^A\r^cKtlon by f„i;4 . 
 lIuU IS, by believing aiid cheyin^ the snfbel of Chnft • 
 and that no perf^a either Jc.. .V Gend^^ could 
 prffiblybe jiJUficd by any works of their n,n. As. 
 to ineGcnuhs, he Jhnvs that thir ivn^h z,.rre fo 
 
 Jur Jrmi ju/l^nig than b,fre God, that Ihey were 
 
 ■ei^ohmvuitionm Msfighl; tlu,t, fr reldling a^amfl 
 th^ light ami law cf nature, God delivn-ed Hum tp 
 to heir unn^tav;xl luds, which expofed them to ul 
 u'trraUe and inevitable cnlcnoj^i, and this ^s a 
 
 .)vjt judgment and righteous puni//:ru,ujar tharjim. 
 
 " ''^^' a, '"/''"'""- °f Jef""-^ Chrift, callrd /. ^an ' 
 apoitlc, feparated unto the ,;ofpel Qf God. 
 
 of . he hcarr-changing grace of God ! u hich is nb! • to , ^ 
 Sauls .noPauIs, perfocu.or.s into profcfTor.s firhlcf. fin rs 
 
 l.y his gc-neral ofllcc , a /Irvs,,, of J^fi-s Chri't • ^ntllh.r 
 a.Kl more ho.nu,.b]e ,i,!e ,han /ha( of n p^;" Se 
 whole e.r,_h. S,r-.,rr Ciri/^c r/I re.nn^,: To Lvc Chr S 
 efpeaallyn,theq,:ai,y.ot an am^nHL.dor. i. a ^rcMc' ho' 
 nonrthat, to hnvo ,he ,r.,.,,rrh of .he . orW u> R vc , s" 
 
 andappo...t,ychri/t;:^j'i3;/t^^s:^st';:;; 
 
 mcpit 01 detart of his own Hp r4;',( ,-„, ir '■"""'''"/ 
 
 3Z ^ *'■'•••'-" '''^tu great wojk.Artiix. r 5 
 
 ArJ 
 
3Z^ 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 And me(^lately by the ofTicers of the church, Act? xiii. 2, 
 X, &c. The work of difpenfing the myftcries of the cver- 
 iaftinij gofptljs to be nndertakcn by none but tliofc who 
 :irc fo\ci\\n\y fft'fr/itfff and fet apart for ir, and regularly 
 cilk'd lo it : I would to God the herd of lay-preachers at- 
 this diy woiilJ conlidcr ihi?. Thefe ufurpers of the facrcd 
 luuJlion can neither pray in fairh for a blcfling upon what 
 lliey nndert:;I<e, bccaufc* rhcy have no promife td bottom 
 tlicir faith upon, nor can the people expecl to profit by what 
 4 hey hear from them ; for this would be to ex peel God's 
 I Iciflng out of God's way. Read with trembling what 
 •<j0<1 fay«, Jer. xxiii. 32. I/i-nl llemmt, ne'uhtr cmmanded 
 them, therefore JkaU they n',l profit this feopk at all. Where 
 mark. That the people's not profiting by thefo men; is not 
 I hargcd upon their falfe do(Slrine, but ui;on their want of a 
 call and commilfion: Itisnotfaid, that their doiSliine is 
 «/»/i:/«/, but they preach »«/<"«/; therefore, they flull not 
 |)ro(it this people at all : Thefe inen contradict the com- 
 mand of God, the univcrfal praftlce of the Chriflian 
 -church; violate the rules of order and right reafon, and 
 cxpofc a mod awful and tremendous ordinance of God to 
 contempt and fcorn ; yea, lay it open to the bold prefnmp- 
 i ion of every ignorant and impudent pretender, Ohjox't, 
 5. The glorious title given to the gofpcl, wliich St. Paul 
 was called forth to prcjch ; it is here ftilcd the goftel cf 
 Goil, and elfcwhere x\\e go/pel cf Chrifi. It is the gofpcl 
 of GoJ, as he was the author and contriver of it ; it is the 
 gofptl of Chrift, as he is thefubjeiEi-matter and fcope of it: 
 As Jcfus Chrift >vas the fum of the law, fo is he the fub-- 
 (lance of the gofpel. ^Indeed, St. Paul fometimes calls it 
 his gifpd, Rom. ii. 16. becaufc he was the difpcnfer and 
 pronuilger of it ; -it was depcfitum f.dci fua comtnrj/um ; " A 
 divine treafure committed to his care and truft." And, if 
 the gofpel preached be the gofpel of God, let us entertain 
 it in our judgments, retain it in our memories, embrace it 
 in our aiflclions, hide it in our heart?, confefs it %vith our 
 mouths, and prailice it in our lives. 
 
 2 (Which he had promifed afore by his prophets 
 in the holy fcriptures,} 
 
 That is, Which gofpcl God had promifed before Tjy his 
 holy prophets fpeaking in the holy fcriptures. Where nstc, 
 1. The antiquity of the gofpel, how ancient thedodlrine is, 
 even as old as the old prophets tbemfelves; nay, as old as 
 Ad.ini himfcih The goCpcl, or glad tidings ot^ a Saviour, 
 was Hrit preached to Adam by God himftlf. Gen. iii. 15. 
 next to Abraham, Gen. xv. thcn.it was predided by all the 
 prophets which have been lince the world began. The 
 gofpel which we preach can by no means fall nnder the 
 chargcand in.puiaiien cf^.^vt'iy : U is no new or modern 
 do<Slrine, but almolt as old as the world itfelf : PUjich g'fpel 
 .he had prcrniJcJ before: by his holy prophets. Behold then a 
 great corrcfponden'- v, a fwect agreement and harmony be- 
 tween the Old and Ni:',v Tclbmcnt, between the prophets 
 and apoHles, though great diriercnce in the manner and 
 mcfifurc of ihe rcvcfaiion. ,l'"or, as one fays, the Old 
 Tcilamcnt is the hiJinj of the AVft- ; the New Tcftament 
 is the opening of the OiJ. The Old Tcftament is the New 
 Teftanient veiled\ the New Tcltament is the Old revealed. 
 ,Z- The venerable title given to the fcriptures^ they arc 
 
 called the /j»/y /fn/Zuf^i: JFhiil he had promifed before Ij 
 lis prophets fpeakirg in the holy fcriptures. The fcriptures 
 are hclv in fcveral refpefls : (i.) In regard of their author 
 nnd inJitcr, the Holy Spirit of God. (2.) Iji regard of 
 the penmen and writers of them, holy men of God. (3.) 
 In regard of the fwbieft-mattcr contained in them, the holy 
 v/ill of G'xl. (4.) in regard of the ufc of them, to make 
 us holy both'in heart and life. And, if the word of God 
 be an holy word, then let it be treated by us with all holy 
 deference and regard. Lord, -what an impious liberty do 
 fome men take, in this wanton ace, to furnifh out a jell in 
 fcripture attire, and in theirjocular humovr to make licht 
 and irreverent applications of fcripture phrafcs and icn- 
 tcnces! Tlley lay their f*ihemes of ridiculous mirth in 
 the Bible, and play the buffoons with the mod ferious 
 things in ihc world. iPhefe men bring forth the fcripture 
 as the Philillines brought forth Sampfon, only to mci: then 
 fport ; but they fliall ere long fuid almighty God in earned, 
 though thcv were injcft: He that has magnified his word 
 above all his name, will not brook it, that any man (hould 
 make it vile and contemptible, by rendering it the theme 
 of his giddy mirth and profane drollery. 
 
 3 Concerning his Son Jcfus Chrift our Lord, 
 which w-as made of the feed of David according to 
 the flcfh, \[ And dechtred toi: the Son of God wkh 
 power, .tccording to the fpirit of holinefs, by the 
 r6furre6lion from the dead : 
 
 The apoflle having told us in the foregoing vcrfes, that 
 he was particularly called to, and by God fet apart for the 
 preaching of the gofpcl ; in the verfcs before us, he declares 
 that Jcfus Chriit -was the main fubjeft of that gofpel 
 ■wiiich he preached, and defcribcs him by hi? two-ft.ld na- 
 ture; by his human nature, \cr. 5. by his divine nature, 
 ver. 4. According to his human nature, he was trade ef 
 tht- feed cf David; that Is, dtfccnded from David, and one 
 of his poftcrity by the mother's fide, who was of (hat houfe 
 and line accordin'' tothefiejh; that is, the weaknefs, frailty, 
 and mortali'.y of this human nature. Where vote, i. That 
 our Lord Jtfus Chrift had a being, even'an eternal exigence, 
 before his incarnation and manifeftaticn in our flcfh and 
 nature. He was the Son of God, before he w.is -the fon 
 of man ; hence he is faid to be mad: of the feed of David, 
 intimating, that he«v.as then ««</? wbat he was-not before. 
 In regard of his divine nature, he wzs'irgotten not, wade ; 
 but, in regard of his human natui-e, he was m/.-de, not be- 
 gotten. .2. That'Jefus Chrift, the eternal Son nf God, did 
 in the fiilncfsof time afiiime the true and perftfl nature of 
 man into a perfonal union with his Goiih,.*ad. The human 
 nature was united to the diviuj nature iniraculoudy anfl 
 extrnordinarily, by the overftiadowing power of the Holy 
 Ghoft, Liike i. 3.^ 2^ and at fo' integrally and com- 
 pletely: That is to fay, Chrift toc-k a compL-tc and pertcft 
 human foul and bo;ly, with all the faculties of the one, and 
 all the members of the other, th.?t thereby he might heal 
 the whoh-n?.T',ire of that leprofy of fm, which had fcized 
 upon, and diifufed its malignity into every member, and 
 every faculty. Next \<"e have a dtnionftration of Chrift's 
 divijie nature, ver. 4. D.-.lared to he the S$n of God wuh 
 
 .,.■'. Jvvjer, 
 
ClIAP. 11. 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 J4^ 
 
 according to the merits and defcrts of men : IVhi u-ill rtr:- 
 tler lo Fvery one accorj-.tig to Lis fleets ; tliat is, according to 
 the kind and quality, and according to tiie mcafurcs and 
 dci;reeS*of every man's works, Wlicre role, he doth not 
 iA), Go<l will render to every rnan a rewasd for his works, 
 "but according to his works ! Works are regulu rctrihtitntiis, 
 tan caufa merccdis \ '' Our works ?rc the rule of God's 
 proceeding;?, but not the caiife of his icward-;." Having 
 thus defcribed the impartiality of the Judge, he next de- 
 clares the univerfality cf the perfons that fhall then be 
 jiuii;cd ; namch', th^ rightct''!? and ihc wii.kcd ; which fliall 
 lioth have their diflir.S rewards a-fligncd thtm, according to 
 the quality of their works. KoU; i. The righteous per- 
 fons dvifcribfd.andlheir reward declared; they are defcribed 
 by their iviH doinr, by their c<intinuancc in well-doing, by 
 xhi:'n patient contlnwmci in well doing; thoy arc not weary 
 in well-doing, they can undergo fufFerings i^r the fake of 
 well-doing, and they can pnt'onr!" writ for the reward of 
 wcll-doiui;tiIl hereafter, wl'. ii at thsir reward 
 
 litre: Yet in the mean time ._., _ . ..^king aftCtij and 
 fecuring of tlus their reward : They feeh fir glory,, I'OHiur, 
 and immcrt.iii/y ; that Is, .they feck for a portion of glqry 
 and immortality in ihe world to come; they leave fho 
 world to the men of the world, and whillt they src 
 fcrambling for earth, they are making fure of ficri;'?^. 
 Next, Their perfons being defcribed, their icwr • 
 elated, eter-.tal life ; an eternity of glory and hiK.i, 
 a future ftate, ftiall certainly be the reward ot 's, 
 
 anti of patient cnn'inuahcc in well-doing. 2 ' 
 
 are here cinrafl. ' 'zed, and their rC^yard ftfilgn 
 contentious (ivd cbv not ihc truth, hut (bey iin>. . , 
 
 that is, They €(:. end wi'h God, and rcfifl: thi- ''i^- 
 
 revealed truth ; :Iiry refufe the cffcrs of his gr.; 
 kick againli his '.v'ord, dli'obcyi ng the gofpcl of t'-; 
 obeying unrighicoufnefs. God wiU poUr forth fuch 
 indignation ar d wratli, tribulation and angul.Tt. Lord, 
 who knowcft the power of thine anger, or who can bear 
 the weight of thy wrath ! It broke the back of mgels, how 
 nnli fmncrs ft.md under it r It is ftyled fire in fcriprurc, it 
 is a confiiming fire, and an iinqucnchable fire: It preys 
 Upon th',- finncr, but never devours him : It is unquencli- 
 nbie by any thing bi:t the blood of Chrill, A myfterious 
 fire, whofe flraugc property it is always to torment, but 
 nf-ver lo kill ; or always to kill, but never to confume. 3. 
 With what equi'y, as well as impartiality, this diflribution 
 of God's indignation and wrath will be made: Upm every 
 J'.'u that dulh eii-l \ hut vpon the "Jivj firji, and then of the 
 Ctiitile. The Jew firft, that is, principally and efpccially; 
 becaufc the light and inercy which the .Jews abufed and 
 fumed againfl, was far greater than that beftowtd upon the 
 Gentiles. Learn hence, That tlie light under which men 
 fin, puts extraordinary aggravations upon their fins, an- 
 Aycr.ible whereunto ^vlll be (he degrees nf their p\:ni(hment. 
 T he Gsntiles will be condemned for difobiylng tlie li;!;ht 
 of nature, the law cf God vvrit'cn on thtir licans ; but 
 Tnuch greater wraih is refen'ed for the Jew.'^, unto whom 
 ■were comtT: I tied the oracles of Gcd: But the gicatefl of 
 all is refcrvcd for 'Chrifiians, wdio obey not the gofpcl of 
 our I/)rd Jefus Chiifl ; thefe fliall be punifhed wih ever-. 
 Uftirig dci'truflion from the prefence or ihe Lord, iud from 
 
 the glor)' of his power, when he fTiall come to be glorified 
 in his faints, and to be admired in all them that believe, 
 aThefi". i. 9, 10. 
 
 ' 12 For as many as have finned without law, fliall 
 alfo perifh without law: And as many as have 
 finned in the law, fhall be judged by the law. 
 
 That is, as many as have finned without the written law, 
 which is the Ciifc of the Gentiles rr Heathens, fli.-ll alfo 
 periflt withotit /^v./ law, l.'eing judged and cor.demned hy 
 the law oi tut! lire written in their hearts; but as many at 
 have fmi'.al in, or under the law of Mcfcs, wluch is the 
 cafe of the Jews, fhall be judged nnd condemned by that 
 law. Note here, l. A truth plainly itr^.lijd, and nectlTarily 
 fuppofed; namely, That as fome finncrs perifli, ha\in;.i; 
 the written word, and all external means of f.d\ation; fo 
 others perifh, having not the vvritieu l.iw or word of God, 
 end the outward and ordinary means of falvation : As nany 
 eis hove Jir.ued wilhuit the law, Jhall pcrijh ivithoiif the late. 
 God, in the difpenfations of his grace, s<3eih in a way of 
 foverei tint y, according to his o« n pleafure ; \et, in his 
 penal difpenfations, he proceeds according to the menfurei 
 ofllridl juftice, upon the pre\ious demerits of fmncrs 2. 
 That :dl men (liall not ht proceeded againft in the diy of 
 judgment after cue and the fame manner ; but every mm 
 according to the demerit of his (in, nnd^according to the 
 capacity and relation in which he ftood in this life. The 
 Gentiles which had 'i-iy the law cf nature, fhall not hi 
 i^idgcd by the law cf Mofes: The JeWs, which have both 
 the h.n\' of ■ w.-i/iCf, f.nd the law of Mofes fhsll be jiidgej 
 by both : And cotifcqticntly Cliridi-uis, which h:;vc the 
 law of nature underwritten, the Mof.;?caI law written, and 
 the Evangelicalliw, both written and preach.ed, (hall lie 
 imder greater guilt, r.nd receivca more aggravating condem- 
 nation. Chriftwiil cNa£l.ly proportion every man's /><•// here- 
 after to his fin comn-.iitcd Iterc; the greater light wc have 
 quenched, the greater darknef;s v ill be inflicted, Heb. ii. 3. 
 
 J 3 (For not the hearers of the lawarf jufl befo;« 
 God, but the doers of the law fiiali be juflificd. 
 
 That is, not the hare hearers of the law il.all. upon th.it ^ 
 account, be JHft beiorc God, but the doers ci the law {lull 
 he jvjlijied ; that is, accepted of God, as acting fintably t» 
 their holy profedion. It is notorioufly known, the Jews 
 ploiied in, and rerted upon, thtir outward privileges for 
 falvation, becai'fc they were Abraham's feed, becaufc tl.ey 
 were circumcifed, becaufc they were employed in read- 
 ing and hearing of the bw; they concluded this fi;(ii- 
 rieiit to render them acceptalfle with God ; there- 
 fore, fjvs the apnfHe, not the hearers, but deers of the 
 law fhall be juflificd ; that is, the perfons whom God will 
 accept and :iccoui.t righteous for the fske of Chrill. Note 
 here, That the doers of the law or word of God, are the 
 hr{\ hearers, yea, th.e only hearers in the xcccimt ot God. 
 Hearing is go<)d, but it mult not be rcftcd in ; a great un- 
 derftandini^ may a manliavc by much reading ihi; word 
 and l.iw of God ; but a gscd miderfianding only have they 
 that do the zvcrd and uiU ci God ; //jt Jraijt and fruit cf 
 that enduret^ for ever. 
 
 3 Z 14 For 
 
46 
 
 ROMA N S. 
 
 Chap, il 
 
 14 For when the Gentiles, ^vliicli have not the 
 law, do by nature the things contained in the law, 
 thefe, having not thclaw, arc a law unto themlely rs; 
 15 Which fliew the work of the law writteti in. 
 their hearts, their confcicnccalfo bearing witncfs, ' 
 and their thoui^tits the mean while accufin^ or clfc 
 excufing one another. 
 
 The fcnfc U, that the Gentiles which have aot ihc Taw 
 .of Mrfis piomiilgattil, are yet not uiih^iit a low inp.rattcd ; 
 in their confticnces ; anJ ahhoiit',h thiy have noi a wriiicm 
 law; ytt have they a J^nr, that is a rule of li\ing t« them-, 
 ft Ives, doing thofe things which ilicW the work of the 
 law written In tlick hearts, thtirconfcicnces bearing witiicis 
 to if, and their natural reafcn either acculing or dtfcntiiug 
 of them from it. Lenni, I. That there is a law of nature 
 incrafitd and written by Goil in the hearts of men,, 
 nherebv the common notions of good and evil are foimd 
 vith them. 2. That this law of nature fcrvcih for the 
 jn(li<:a; ion and provocation of men to many good aclions. 
 and "duties towards Gotl and man. 3. 1 hat to rebel ngainft- 
 and not walk in conformity tmto this ingrafted law of. 
 rainrc, is a God provoking and a w rat h.procn ring (in. 4. 
 That altliongh many of the Gentiles gave themfelves over 
 t't nil manner of unclcanncfs, yet others //'«tW //■* wcrts- 
 if the livj -u'rillen in lleir hfarts: They (hewed it two 
 ways, (I.; Ry their temperance, riuhleoiifncfs,. and morah 
 honcdy; wherein (to our rtianic) "they excelled many of 
 lis who are called ChrnHans. C2.) h> the eHicacy of their 
 confcicnce; which, as it cleared and cotr.forted them (or 
 things well done, fo it witncllcd agnind them, yea, judged' 
 and condemned them fordoing e\il: And thefe evidences 
 o{ a law written on the heart^rc evcjy whereto be found,, 
 wherever men are fwind: TheGanUes /uivi'n^ not a u-rillen 
 low, are a Irtzu unto ihemjelvtiy and Jhe-w the iL'jrk of the Ic.vj 
 tiritlrn in their hearts. 
 
 16 In the day when God Qiall judge the fecrets 
 of men by Jcfus Chrifl according to my gofpel. 
 
 As if the apoflle had faid, If any (hall a(k, when (ball 
 rewards and puniihments be dillribiited tojcw or Gentile? 
 The anfwer is. In thnt day when God jhall judge the fecretf 
 if men's hearts h Je/us Chnf, according to my J'-Jpe! : 
 That is, as my co'fptl tentfies,"he will moll certainly do. 
 J'cre ncic I. A fundamental docFlrine allerted, 'I hat there 
 will be a day «f judgment,, in which the Itcre'.s of all men's 
 hearts flnll 'be judge-d by Jefns Chrift, as Mediator. AH 
 the thoi'ohts words antPMOiks of all men, that lived from 
 tlTe beginning of the world, or (liall live to the end of the 
 world, M ill dien be produced injiidgmeat ; and if fo, may 
 we not infer, that the d.ay of judgirTcnt muft certainly and 
 HccelTarily lake up a vaft fpace of time? For if all records 
 and rcgifters now made, iliall then be opened and read, and 
 all the witneflbs for and i gainft man, (Itall be then examined 
 and heaid, whata vaft fpaceof time then muft that great 
 clay take tip! Sime divines arc of opinion, that the day 
 of judgment may 1 aft as long as the world hath laded : Tiiis 
 we may depend upon, that things will not be huddled up, 
 aor (liviffled over in haftc; but as fmncrs have taken their 
 
 tiine for finning, fo GcxI will take his itir.e for judging. 2. 
 
 The proof and conlirmation of this dadrinc of a fuiure 
 
 indrmcnt. A.-<^.rding lo rnf go/pel \ that if, as Certainly 
 
 as I have foretold yon of it in the di " ';ich I have 
 
 preached, fo certainly flnl! all men, r.: rc's of all 
 
 men's hearts, be judged by Jefns Chrill. . '^ not a 
 
 Vrcfiimptibn in St. Paul, to call the gofpt!, ■ , ^-iw/- 
 
 Ic means ih.nt he was the pitblilher, not the a.uhor of if ; 
 ^ .. . ,„.■'■ • c. -i)...r :_ ... r_,A ,.f 
 
 ■!',,.1\ 
 
 in :•: 
 
 '■p.ca of 
 
 1 ... 
 
 it. was Gfxl's in refgect ot authority, S' 
 difptnfati jn. 
 
 i'j Bdiuld, thou art railed a jew, and nueth in 
 thclaw, andmakca thy boull of God, 18 An* 
 know /lb will, and approve a the thm^s that are 
 more excellent, being indruacd out of the law ; vg 
 And art confident that thou thyfclf art a ruid.-ofoi 
 the blijid, a light of them xihich are in darknel , 2 
 An inQiuaor of the foolilh, a teacher of babe-v 
 which iiaa the form of knowledge, and of the 
 truth in the lav\s. 
 
 Here ihc apodle proceeds in his former argument ;. 
 namely, to prove, Tliat the Tews cculd no more latmnally 
 txpea to be ji.ditied before G(-d by the law ot Mofes, than- 
 the fientilerby the law of natuiei the apcdle allows ihe.-n- 
 all :hcirprivilepcswhich they fo much doaied upon, boadcd 
 of, and gloried "in ; but withal aiTurcs them, that thefe, sll 
 thefe, yea, mote than thefe, were infuflicicni to judify them, 
 before God. As if the apollia had f«id, " Thcii beared 
 
 thylelf mightily "P"" ''^'*' '''"' ''*" "'"' ''"'^'"'^ " ^'^ ' c 
 is, a profefibr of the true religion, .and a ivorftiippcr of the 
 true God : Ihou rcftrft in the law : that i«, either in the 
 divinencfs and pertcction cf it, or in thy external obedience 
 to it, and in the outward performances of it -_ '/ hou tnatejt 
 thyhonfl of God, as a God in covenant with thee above^all 
 the naiiohs of the earth; and //•!;« knczvefi his iviU, having 
 his word and law in ihy hands, the oracles of God com- 
 mitted to thee, and the wriiin-s of Mofes and the prophets 
 «,W found with thee: And ^{fnvr/i thit<gs that are tnojl 
 excellent, being infirutled cut of the low ; that is, thoii 
 thir.kcd that; thou had fueh a dcarce of knowledge of 
 God's word and will, that thou canft clearly difcern be- 
 tween fm and duty, and compare one duty with another, 
 preferine that which is mod excellent : And art conjident 
 that thou 'ihyf^if art a guide of the Hind, a light of tJ: em that, 
 are in darkncfs; that is, thou had a drcng conceit that fuch 
 are the meafures of thv krxm ledge, that ihonart able to.be 
 a euide to the blind Gentiles, who (it in darknefs, and to be 
 a '^teacl^er cf hahcs ; that is, fuch a3 have little or n« 
 knowledge in the matters of religion, conceiting, 7i>atthou- 
 hnjl th-.e^form of knowledge end cf the truth in the taw i 
 that is, "fuch a inethcd and meafuie of divine knowledge, 
 as may enable thee to iudrue't others, wlielhcr Gentiles 
 or Tews, which never reached to ihy attainment.''— 
 Thefe external privileges the prefumpinoiis Jew redded 
 upon, and thought th.em lutTieie.a to f;.l\atior. ■bough he 
 lived loofeiy, and hi- prjAice gave bis the lie. 
 
 Hence /.v/;7.'. i . TKt pcifons aie cxcl, ne to be 
 
 •proud cf,' and pul'.ld up with church 1 • gloiymg 
 
Chap. II. 
 
 R.;OrrM; A- N,;S. 
 
 547 
 
 in the letter of the law, whilft, nciihcr in heart nor life, 
 they arc comforted to the fpirituality of llic law. Learn 
 2. That gifts, duties, and fuppofcd graces, are the flay and 
 fiafr which hypocrites reft upon, and rep'jfc ihcir trnfl and 
 -confidence in : Thiu art cnUci/ a Jfw, and irjleth in'the /./■«■; 
 that is, ia the onlvvard profeillon of llic law, or in an ex- 
 ternal obedience to tlie law j iheaportlc fpcaks of this their 
 riyiVw^ /« //;r /<7W, nut barely by way of narration, but by 
 way of reproof, telling us not only what they did, but how 
 ill they did in fodoint;. The duties which Chrilt has ap- 
 pointed, are the trull arid red of the hypocrites ; but Chrifl 
 hiinftlf is ihe rclland tru.l.of the upright ; they defire to 
 ••^evcr acting graces never iruQing to them ; to be much 
 in duty, and yet much above duty; iiiuch in it in poim of 
 performance, mutlt ab<ive it in regard of dependence. 
 
 2 I Thou therefore which teachcft another, teach- 
 eft thou not thvTclf? thou that prcachell a man 
 fliould not ftcai/doU thou fteali' 2a Thou that faydl 
 a man fhould not connnit adultery ,dofl thou cqinpiit 
 adultery i* thou that abhorred idols, doit thou coin- 
 tnit facrilcgc ? ej Thou that make^l, thy^ boaft of 
 the law, through ^ireakin^ahe lawdifttonoureft thou 
 God? 24 For the name of God is blalphcincd 
 araoHij the Gentiles, through you, as it is written. 
 
 The apolflo proceed^, to the end of this chapter, to con- 
 vince the Jews, tliat they were. equally in a fnsful and 
 wretchcd'condi'ion }v1th the defpifed Gentile?, and tficreforc 
 ilood In need of Jcfns ChrKV to juftifyihem by his grace, 
 a« we!! as tlicv; And bcc-ivifcthc Jews were fo exceeding 
 ap^ to dote upon, and reft in, their cxrernal privileges he 
 did, in the fofegoing verfcs, rfeconnt snd rcc1;on up the 
 ■fever::! p-ivil^r^"; 'vM'.!) they enjoyed ,• Thou i:rt cnUed a 
 ' :iji of C?.;fl'^- ^c^ ' But now, In the 
 ' •. nccdnhr\ to agpl^tn'ate their fms 
 1 pfivile'se* and prcro^jatives en- 
 V i!n:;'.d seainit lit«ht aiid knowledge, 
 ti'in^ of" rhiir rtwn ccnfciences, and con- 
 1 ilatcs of their minds, as the Gentile? liid; 
 that, rebelled- aguinil the precept? of the 
 v/ritten word, which was all in their hand?. 'I'he law of 
 Mt)rrs wns tfear In their months, but far. fipni fhcir reins ; 
 f'i- •■:i> ■'•..• apoTHc' c?:pi!(Uilates with them, 77'w that 
 r ■ r/j cii};'f:n\\'f echini fhou mi ih/tlf? TTliou that imder- 
 • ''?'!; to be a* tc-achcf t)f,ai)(l jiiide imto t1ic' Ignorant a'nd 
 l)!ind G«ntiles, wlUthnu not pratflifc thine own 1nflri;c- 
 tj'^ns; but conden^.ri thyfcH otn of thine own ir.onth ? 
 '" Wilt thou, O Jew! ('as-if tlic apodle had fsid; be iruilty 
 of theft, adultery, facrileye, rapine and murder, Onswhtch 
 the very hcittJKT.s condi. mn, and all thi» while, call voiii- 
 fehes the only people of God : Verily, Thf mnit ff Oort is 
 bltfphemed amvi^ ThGrnfilesihrough.yoti ffivs; who pre- 
 tend to be the favoufiie« of hcaveii, wnif.t v'-ii do the 
 works of hell." Ltarn hence, 1. Thelitis linnch cafler 
 to inflru6\ and rcrxh oth.crs, than to be inftr.!^;d a nfl re- 
 ceive inflru(fVion ourfelvcs. 2. Tha' it is borh hr.fu! snd' 
 fliamcful to teach others the rii;ht way, an^ tc- ^^ \\\ th,. 
 wr''n^ ourfelvcs. It is ariucble f:'.'.;!; in a p!'iva'e'j.'!rr<>!i, 
 when his acHon? rnnv!>M"s to his pro-rVffion ; but it is infx- 
 «■ liable, if not an iiiiptirdon;ible frail; in a teaclicr, wl;en 
 
 ve." 
 CO! ■ 
 
 ngainlt • 
 tralticlet •. .,- J 
 I^a• beik'cs all 
 
 the crimes wliich he cottdcmns in others, may be juflly 
 charged upon himfelf: Thw that ttacheji another, leachcfl 
 ihm not ll.yfel/t' 3. That the name of God fuffers much, 
 very much; yea, by none fo much as thofe who preach 
 and prefs ihe duties of Chrillianity upon others, but pradifc 
 them not thehilVlves. The name of the Lord is llajphtmcd 
 by fiich preachers, the. wicked profane world taking occa lion 
 from thence to wouijd the name of Go<I with the poifoned 
 arrows and darts of reproach. The fms of teachers arc 
 teaching (ins. True, fin, flri(51!y fpeaking, canjiot injure 
 tke name and ^Icrv of God: He is abo\e the reach of any 
 fiiifchicf that lln can do him : his cilen'ial .i^lory ij perfect, 
 arid can neither be incrcafed or dlniinilhcd by the creatures; 
 God.cnnnct no more be hurt by oirr finf, tlian thefuncan be 
 hurt by throwing itbjies into the air, or the moon iiurt by 
 the baikint; of dogs. Hut his manifeftativc glory, or the 
 prefcnt manifcflations of his flory, thefe are clouded and 
 cclipftd bv fin : and therefore G(hI will <leal with knowino 
 finncrF, efpeciuUy with fucb bs undertake to be teacivn of 
 oihers, as with ihofethat Vww bl<|Jl}.(;nedhiinfmt,\\w^^'^i'■\ 
 \\\&ghTfs tra o"^ pled up )n his honour, and caiifed iiis holy 
 ways to be evil fpoken of, by reafon of their v, ickcd and 
 unholy lives. Lord, let all that adminiiltr, unto thee in 
 holy things confider, tfiat they have not only their own fins 
 to account for, but alio the lins of tlvcir people, if commit- 
 ted by their proiilL^aie cKample. 
 
 25 For circumcifion verily profiteth, if thou keep 
 the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy 
 circumcifion is made uiicircumcifion. 26 Therefore 
 jf the uncircuincifion keep the ri^hteoufnefs of the 
 law., (hall not his unciicumcifion be counted for cir- 
 cumcifion ? 27 And (hrtll not uiKii<:uniciiion which 
 is l>y nature, if ft fulfil the law, judge thee, who by 
 the letter and circumcifion dott tran'ijrefs the law ? 
 
 It is fuilicicntiy known what great flrcfs the Jews hid 
 ■tipon circmncilion; they taught, thst this alone wastnou^h 
 to procure the favour ot God, and to tree them from hell : 
 "•God having, as they fajd, promifcd Abraham, that if I is 
 ■children rr.Hivfgreilcd, he wc^dd reir.cr.ibcr ihc otloi:r of tlic 
 foreil'lns, and deliver ihem for the '-iierit of circumcifKin ;" 
 Dut ail this was a faife and vain-gltirioiis bufllc. Gur 
 upoflle, tiicrefore, in tlie words before u.s, niliirts the Jews, 
 that cirvumcifif^n ivithout holinefs of conveffation, would 
 never free thesn from condciiinstion : That a^ircumcifcd 
 Jew, who walks not in cbcdience to the law of God, is in 
 as'bad, or >vorfec<indi'ion,ihananyuncirciirr.cifed heathen; 
 yea, ths? uv.circumcifwy that is, the i:ncirciiB;.ciftd- pcrfon 
 that heps Ihe Irsv, Ihall be accepted of God, as v.cl! as if 
 he had been circnmcil'td ; and be preferred bv Gtid before 
 the circuircifed Jew that trar-fcreiied the law. The. i\\m. 
 ,'is, that the olic-dient Gentile Ihsil coiideinn the c!ifob(?t!i?nt 
 . jew, and be foener acceptcti by God, with iwhoin there; is 
 no refpecl «f perfuns, but with refptd of their, qualifipa- 
 tion.-! That no clitirch,privi!ese.s no external prcroga.svcs 
 nor tlie highefl protV-fiion of i)i.'!y and helinefs, v.ithoiir an 
 htnr.ble, imif.)rm, and fivicerc obeo'i;.nce, \\\\\ be Jtiy thin.; 
 :n liUljig \Q, fulvatien..- And as, t!;cn, an uncircumcif/d 
 Gtsnil^/ound better -acceptance viith Gcd, than any cir- 
 ci:n :iRd Jew, even lb; ait ur:b;ip'?i2ed heathen," at the 
 
 3'^ 
 
 grea 
 
51» 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 CkAi*. nr. 
 
 great day will not change place w iih many baptized chrif- 
 tia"s. It is a fad, but a certain truth, tliat the cafe of ihi 
 Patjaa worKI will be much eaficr in the day of judgment, 
 than oiliers that live and die difobcdicnt under the gofp-.l 
 of Jefiis Chrift. The heathens have but abiifcd one talent, 
 i'.e tighl cf>:aturt\ but \vc thoiifandf, even as many thou- 
 TinJs as wc have flighted the tenders of offered grace: 
 Lord, what a fearful ag^ravaiion dcjih it pnt upon ntir fin 
 and ii.ifciy ! Wc miift rcrtninly be accoiintal ie to thee at 
 the great day, net cnly for ail the Ifaht wc had, but for all 
 that we miiiht have had in the gofjiel-day ; and efpcciall/ 
 lor that lijjht we have finned under, and rebelled againft. 
 
 28 Tor he is not a |imv which is one oiitv/arclly ; 
 neither is that circunicifion which is outwardly in 
 the flcfh : 29 But he « a Jew, which is one in- 
 wardly : andcircnmcirion is that of the heart, in the 
 fpirit, a"d not in ilic letter; wliofe praifc ii not ot 
 men, but of God. 
 
 Here our apoHb comes clofc and home to the felf-confi- 
 dent Jcw^-.and touches thorn in the molt fenfible part. It 
 w as tile hardtll fayini; that could found in a Jewilh ear, to 
 2(I:rm, that circumclji'.n ivh'uh is cutwnrd in tie fi/h, pro- 
 fitcth nothing; for they fo p;li)ried in it, that th'ey accounted 
 it equal tothc keeping of ail the commandments of God:- 
 Now our apofilc here takes away the vtry f(,undati(~n of 
 this their boafting and gioryini;, by a plain an<i tiuc d'^^i^'C- 
 tion. There is, faiili he, a jew »ulu'ar<l!y,_ ti\at only has 
 the badge" of circumcifion in Ills fiefli. Now he is no! a 
 ycio in Goti's accoimt,.vho is only fo by outward circnm- 
 ciHoni neither is that circumctP.on valuable or available, 
 w hith is only outward in the fielh \ but then there isa y.-w, 
 ithi is one inu(irdij\ namely, by the piirifica'ion cf his 
 heart from all iifthy lulls, evil atfeflionSj and tjnful tlifpo- 
 fition?, and a circumcijiin cf the heart, c.rj in the Jl-ir.t ; 
 »iiat is, a circumcifi(!n wroiight in i;s by the Spirit of Cniil, 
 and not barely by the letter of the law: And the praife of 
 this is not of incn, who cannot difcern the heart, but of God,, 
 who is the fearcher of the heart,, and trier of the reins. 
 Lrain hence. That although nitn are very prone to reft 
 upon church privileges and external perforn ances, as evi- 
 dences of divine favour, yet they are ik^ teflimrnies or figns 
 cf the truth (-f grace. .What circumcifion, facrifice'-,:2nd 
 the terrple were tothe Jews r.f old, the fame are l-nptifm, 
 the Lord's fupper, ami public airemblies to piofeflTng 
 Chrifliars at this dav^. Ard as the Jews rcfted in thofe 
 externals, wiihoiM cving Chi ill in them, wiiht-iit defring 
 to detive holintis and faniflificatic n from them: In lika 
 manner, muhituclts of prcifeffors fet up their reft in out- 
 ward duties, and repof; a fltlhly carnal conhdcnce in «r(ii- 
 nances, without either defiring of, or endea\'<uring after 
 any lively communion with the Father, S'~n,andHt»ly Spirit, 
 in the excreifc of faith and love, without any regard to 
 f^iritual warmth in religious duties, and being by ordinances 
 rendered mere like to the God of the ordinances, which 
 ore the moft dtfirablc things ne.xt to heaven iifclf. So that 
 I ftiall conclude the chapter with the fame application to 
 Chri(*ians now, as the apoftlc did to ihe Jews then: Cir- 
 tumcifiin, h'nh ihc a^cMe, verily ^rcfte.'h, if thou keep tht. 
 
 lav.' \ but if than ke alrealer of the Ic'JO, thy circumclfi->n is 
 jmitle unrircuncijion: Fcr he is not a fiw xvl'ich is cm out- 
 ivcrJiy, Sec. In like manner, fay I, " Eaptifm verily pro- 
 fittih, if wc perform the conditions of that ccvenanf, which 
 We entered ii\to by baptifm ; but if we do rK)r, baptifm fs 
 nobaptlfin: For he is not a Chrillian, who is one out- 
 wardly ; nor is that baptifm, which is outward in the flefh; 
 but he \i a Chiiftiun,. which is one inwardly, and bip'ifm 
 is th.1t of the heart, in the fpirit, aruj not in water only ; 
 and fucli faall have j-raife, if.not of m.cn, yet ct God.' 
 
 e H A P. nr. ^ 
 
 Our (ijy file in this chapttr proceeds j/j his gratul dcfign ai-d 
 piirpsfs in -writing this (pjfl'e : flf anficcrs tkcobjctlimi 
 of the Jews again/l uhat he rjfrried in i/>x /ongcint 
 diopter ; and thcjii^ objcclion run\ ihia : 
 
 WHAT advantage then hath the Jf w ? or wh.tt 
 profit is thete of circutncifion ? 2 Much 
 everyway: cliiefly, becaufe that Unto them Wcrg 
 committerflhe oracjes of God. 
 
 The fenfe is this : But yon of the Jew.s will obje£t and 
 fay, •* If out\Tardcircumci[icn avails 'lotliinp, but the in- 
 ward circuincifion is all in all ; and if the uiKircumcifed 
 pcrfon, kecking the law, is to be reckoned as eirci:mcifrd 
 ivhat udvantiige then hath ll e yciu above the, Gentil*.*, or 
 what profit is there ot the circumrifion :»bcve uncircumcifiin ? 
 He anfwers it, vcr, 2. faying. The advanfage is much every 
 %1.1'y^ but chiefly, becaufe unto them were ccmmiilcd ike 
 eriuks if Gsf/.v That is, the hrly fcriptures contained in 
 the Old Ttftament, the facramen<s- and fealsofihe cove- 
 nant, the prophecies and promifcis-of the Meftiah, and the 
 whole revt liiio-n of the word and will of God, were then 
 found with them, and in their hands only. Hence /^crw, 
 
 1. Great is that people's piivilegc and mercy, who enjoy 
 the word of God, the audible word in the holy fcriptures,. 
 the vifible word in the holy facraments. This enlighteneth 
 the eyes, rejoiceth the heart, quickeneth the foul.. This is 
 compared to gold for profit; to honey for f*eetner<:, to milk 
 for nou lift) int.', to food for ftrengthening. O how many 
 fouls are bleliing Goel eternally for the benefit ar.d bleftinir 
 ofdi\ine revelation! The Jews had this fpccial favour, 
 Iq them were czmn.itted the oracles of Go.Y:. that is, the M^rit- 
 irgs of Moies and the prophets. But we Chrifiians have 
 a privilege btyoix) them, the dcclrine of Jefi;s delivered to 
 us by cvangelifts and apoftles ; not like the killiti^ letter of 
 the law, but a gofpel bringing life and immortality to li^ht. 
 
 2. The title whieh St. Paul gives to the holy fcriptures ; 
 he Ci^\& y\\t\w the. oracles of God. St. Stephen calls them 
 thie lively 'jrndes. Aft' vii. 38. partly becaufe delivered by 
 a lively voice from God, partly becaufe they fhould be to 
 us as e/-'.'. .' 1 ; that is,, conlultcd with upon all occafions, 
 for ref(l\ lug all doubts, determining all controverfies. Had 
 the church of Rome confidied thefe oracles more, and' 
 council.'., ^vC. Icfs, (he h; d kept the doolrine of faith much 
 freer frrni corruption '.ban the ha."; done. Li.ftly, That the 
 original '\ord, here rir.dcred crceles, is the fame which pro- 
 fane wretches inudc ufc uf for the daik and doubtful 
 
 oraclej 
 
Chap. fvr. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 549 
 
 oracles of the devil ; Nevcrtlieicfr, tlie FWyGhofl di^tli not:^ 
 J'fi.'ain, nor decline, »o rs^nkc ufe of this word, as he alfo 
 tlj'h feveral others, thoinh abiiTcd to heath^nilTi rnperfti- 
 tion ; which mav ft-rve to re£lify their rr.iitike, whofcrnple 
 to make tife of fume word?, much more of fome things 
 illicit have been abiiledto fupcrftition. Verilv, there m.-^y 
 be fiiperftitiori in avoiiiin? ftipcrftiiicn ; arc! thou^'ih ivc 
 cnnnot be too circiimfpeci in ciir words :<nd i£lirns, ye' we 
 may be too nice and prccill: in b'ltfi. Yet, norr^ That 
 t!;oiio|i the farrc word, A'.yirf, figniTies G(Hrs orncirs and 
 Sa;?.n'>-, yet thefc oracles were not dclivfrtd in the fairc 
 
 «anner : Satan delivering his orncles ar,-.biinioiifly, ^nd 
 libtfiiliy, keeping his dark and bli:-.d votaries es niHch ns 
 liii^ht be in the dark' ; what he faid mi-ht bear fcveral 
 coii<lni(flions, that fo. whatever the event' or liTiie prrved 
 to be, he the father of lies, nii^ht hsvc tlie rf'pii'-tion of 
 fpeak'rn- truth : But Gods oracles are plain iiri'l clear, 
 Iree irom ambiguity and darkncfs ; the fcriptiircs are not 
 dnrk, t>-.o:iuh r.->mc places arcdifficidr, and that proceed:; 
 front the fi.-ljlimity of the matter, not from the intcmion of 
 ^liic NviitLr. 
 
 3 For what if fome did not believe ? fl}ill tlieir 
 unbelief make the f.iithofGod withoiitt-ffcft ? 4 
 God forbid. Yea, let God be true, bttt every man 
 a liar ; as it is Avritt.-n.That thou inighteft bcjudifi- 
 ed in thy fayings, and mis^htefl overcome when thou 
 art judged. 
 
 Here fellows a fccond obie.5lion : Some mmht fay, 
 '' Irne, the Jews had the oracles of God. butforVie of 
 Ihem never believed them, nor gave nny credit to rhc pro- 
 mifc of the MeiTi;iis contained iii thc!n ; therefore, they had 
 no advantage by them." Be it fo fiiith the apofllc : ynt (ball 
 the onbtlietof fome make the faith or fideli'v r^f G'-d in 
 his promilcs, of no cffba to others ? CidfsrNd! that fiich 
 a thought Ihonid enter into our hearts: Btit on the con- 
 tra.-y, let God be acknowledged true and faiihlul to his 
 •woi^I, though all men fho'ild prove llirs. Lenni thence, 
 1 . That man's infidtiitv cannot (hake the fTability of God's 
 word, whether wc believe the fidelity rf th" prcmifcs, or 
 silent to the veraciiy of God in his threateninss, or not • 
 \\\^xvord flandeth fa li forever. The prnmife fliall be fnU 
 fi.ed, the threatening executed ; only with thi" difperence, 
 wc cannot perfon.itly find the comfort of the promife viih- 
 oiit faith, but wc fhall experimentally feel the terror of the 
 threatenmg, whether we believe it or no.- 2. The wonder- 
 ful condefcendintj grace of Gal tov/ntds thofe who have 
 any meafures of true faith, thoiioh with "reat mixtures of 
 iJtibelief- O how faithfid is God' to us 'if in truth believers) 
 in 'liemidit of our unfai'hfidnefs to him ! the unbelief of 
 men fliall not make tf>c fideliTy or faith cfCod ofnovc cff,a. 
 3- 1 hat as God is a God of truth, foall men are falfe and 
 liars, compared with God! As God cannof lie neither de- 
 ceive, nor be deceived, foevery man is fMMablc and falfe ; 
 that IS, under a poffibility of deceivincr and beiii':; deceived. 
 Let G(.d he tnie, and e-.ery man a tiar. x. Thntpord men 
 under affliaions, is very carefi-I to juftifv and rle-^r God 
 from dcahngimjudly with him in any of h^sf vere'! dif-en- 
 ■ laiions towards him. The apoftle here qioits Pfal. W. 4, 
 
 That thou mi^hleji hi jufllfed iti thy fnfiia^t, fnd char ivhtn 
 thou art judpjd. As if David had faid, " I know the rr.cii 
 of the world, wl en they fee mc aftrKfltd, will be ready t<) 
 judce haidly of God for it ; therefore to flop their mouths 
 to clear the jnftice of God, that he may overcome, vvht:! 
 hois judged for dealing rigoroufly with me, I do fnc'.y 
 confefs ray fin unio him, with all the aggravating ciicum- 
 ffances of it, that all the world ir.ay juftity hirn, how t'reat 
 foever my fuSerinc^s i^iay be from him." A child of Got!,, 
 under the ro.! of God, dcfircs nothing more than toji.!!i;V 
 him in all his ftvcrefl dealings with, and difpenfmions to- 
 wards him. 
 
 /5 But if our unrightcoufnefs commend the ri^b- 
 tcoufntrj of God, what w-c Ihall we fay ? Is God 
 unrighteous v.' ho taketh vengeance ? ( I fpc.d; a.s a 
 man.) 6 God forbid: for then how fhall God 
 judge the world? 
 
 A third obicflion here followeth : namely, "Thit if the 
 unrighteoufncfsof men, that is, both of Jews and G{nti!e', 
 tends fo vifibly to commend, tliat is, to ilhiftrste and recom- 
 mend the rii^htcoufncfs of God, namely, hiswifdom. grace,, 
 and favour, in appointing this way of juftification by faiili 
 in Chrifl ; how can it be right in Got! to punifh them for 
 this imriphteoufncfs, which tends fo hi^jhly to ilhiflrafe the 
 glorv of hisgofpcl-gracc r" The apol'^le fells us, that iii 
 mr.king his objcftion, /^'^T^^^t- (7j ^ ^^a-;;, that is, as natural 
 .in;! carrrd men are ready to think and fpcak : But, fays he 
 Grnl forbid that we Hiotdd entertain Inch a tho'jght, as if 
 God eiiher were, or could be imrighteous ; for then hau 
 fhotiU Cod judge the world, for their unrighteoufncfs ? 
 Leanihencc, I. That although the imrighteoufncfs and 
 w ickec'nefs of men be over-ruled by God, to fidiferve the 
 purpofos of his glory ; yet is God jufl in pimilliing all un- 
 righteoufnefs and wickidnefs Nvhatfocver. CJud is never 
 intentionly, but is fcmetimc accidentally glorified by the 
 fin of man.- There never was fuch an hcHi(h wickednefs 
 committed, as crucifying Chrift ; nothing, by which Gul 
 ever reaped greater glory, than by the death of his Son r 
 Yet is the wrath of God come upon the Jews to the 
 utmoil, and that moff juftly, for their committing of that 
 wickednefs. 2. That the righteous Goil niiihcr doth, 
 ror can do any Iniquity or unrighteciifncfs whatfover ; Is 
 Cod iinrl^hteousfs ? Hczv then foail Cod- judge tie world? 
 God is judge of all the world, and cannot but do rij^ht ; 
 bcraofc the univ-rfality of his powr puts him above all 
 poffibility of error in the exercife of his power. The very 
 reafon why Goil cannot exercife his power beyond the 
 limits of juflice, becanfe his pow-er is altogeihcr unlimited; 
 he can do whatforver h.e will do ; and uhaifocver he wilt 
 do, i,': for that reafbn jull : Shall not th;e judge of all the earth 
 dorlglt? 
 
 •J For if the truth of God hath' more abounded 
 through iny life unto his glory, v.-hy yet am I ullo 
 judged asafmncr.^ 8 And not railitr, as we be 
 flanderouny reported, and as fome affirm that we 
 {■Ay, Let nsdo evil that good m.iy come? whofe 
 damuation is juft. . 
 
 We 
 
i5f> 
 
 K OMAN S, 
 
 Chap, iiu 
 
 Wc mijfl by no means iimlcrnAnd thcfe worth as fpokcii 
 by i^c apo'lle hiinriU' in hi^ ov. n name, as it he luii icM 
 lies fur iiiiluilJinyotthe tniih ; and 'hat the truth ot God 
 had abi'i:niic(l to the yhiry of G(k\ through his lies; but 
 lie fj>(.aks in the pcrfon of a profane objtilcr. Th«s 
 foinc man (as if the opofilc h:^! faiJ, maypillibly plead 
 ti>r his fin : "The truth ofCJiKl hath gained througn my 
 lie ; the faiihfulnvfsof God is made more manifcA by the 
 iiiif.iiihfuIncfs'of men ; therefore, uhyPi'tikl-I bejudjetl 
 aiitj cinidimnvd asallnncr, wlieti the glorv ofGod will 
 Ihinc more lui^lit upfii the occalion of my Tm ? The tree 
 'jjrace of Ciwl difcovcied in the gofpei, Aviil be • ma ni felted, 
 iay fomc, and magfiifitd in the pardoning 'of li/i; let us 
 theret'mc lin our hll, that tlic immcafurablenefs of divine 
 ^.^'KHlnefs -may appear, and the abuudsuice of pardoning 
 Jiicri-v niay abound," The apefllo rejects this dodhine 
 :ind -jiractice, of doing evil that good may come, with the 
 grcatcll abhorrcncy and utinoll detelhition, affirm'dg, that 
 their damn;wion is juXt, whoeiihcr f.iften this dodriiic upon 
 ihc apodle.s or afiirm it thc-mfeives. Leurn htnce, That 
 no perfon muit adventure to (he Icail of evils; no, n^t 
 for the fake of the greatert good. True, Almighty "God 
 can h'.'vv^ goo<l out of evil, by the fame word of Iun power, 
 by which he brought light out of <laikner«, and fumething 
 out ;;f no'.hing ; but toih) readily c\ il for the fake of ob- 
 taining the grcatell good, isdawgerous and damnable. Sin, 
 or that which is (Infid, ought not to be chufen, whatever 
 we chufe. 2. That nothing is more juft and righteous 
 than their damnation, who will adventure to do evil that 
 good msy coiTu- : A good intention WU\ not cxcufe, never 
 judify a bad aciion in the light of GikL: He will condemn 
 ev il doers, though they do evil that good m.ay come. .3. 
 Tl'.at the apollle pronoinices liuir damnation jult, wb.o.laid 
 thcfc (landeis to ilieapollle's charge, as if ilitir dciirinc did 
 allow of this damnable pudice, todotvil that good .might 
 come: Their dttmnalion is juj}, %{;hi thus JJnndfrouJly repirt 
 tiiui irffirm, (bativefay. Let us iicfvil that gold Viias "ttue. 
 Whence mtc. That it.is a jii't thing v iih God to damn 
 thofe men that rail'c or fpread abroad rcpojts of his mi- 
 jii.'lers dodtiine, as giving libcriy.to iieemious pradices ; 
 ^'erily, the iLindcr ot a jniniftcr"s regular dodrine is more 
 li'.an ortlinary fl."»nder. The original word here rendered 
 f'lnder, fi.:^nititsblarphcmy. ; the vvrrd which Gixl makes 
 ufi' of, to let f»nh hi;) m>-n refirpgclics by. Ecli'old (Jod's 
 rtAntment of his ir.-iuiftcr'-s wrongs I The liuider :^d 
 dnieirint cnit upon ciir 0il:cc ajui doctrine, ii c Iteenu'il blaf- 
 plicuiy in Gjd'sacoounl : As zve bfjlunti'doi'jh reputed or 
 iljl'hivuti \ and atjf'itns a^'irm that u-c Jay. Let ur, \"c. 
 
 9 What then ? urc wc better than t/ity? Xo, in 
 nt^ wife : for we have before proved both Jcwo and 
 Gcntijc ;, -that they are all under An,; 
 
 Ilrre tlic apofllelhf!s ani't'.ier cbjeflicn in llic natne of 
 1I1C Jrws: 6iinie of them might fay, ** Are we not better 
 than the Gcniilcs ? Do wc not excel them in oufward pri- 
 vileges : h n -t the knowledge of the law tiiund with u;=, 
 and ill;? orjcle.5 of God contimiticd to us r ' Tntt:, Hiy! the 
 aji'illle, the^Jevvf arc better than liie G>.niile£. u\ refp.<lt of 
 i>iiw.;rd dil'peiif.uion*, buT not In relpeifl of inwarci.oauli- 
 fici'.i'jns. Jews :nd CJentilts are alike by nauial corrup- 
 
 tion ; alike under fin by aftual tranfgrcfnons; and'fo ftand 
 in need botli alike of jultihcniior. by faith ; and the.gorpcU 
 rghteoulnds is no b.fs necellary forthe one, thai tor ihc 
 •tner. To. prove what be had faid, p»ir>clv, Tbat the 
 whole race ot.maiilciiid, both lew ond Qcntiiei vfcreAMuler 
 (in, and void of all iruc rign!<>oulnefs and goodnef*, ' and 
 coiifcquenily Itawding in need equally ct juiTiF.Oiti.n by 
 -Chi in ; the apod le produces fcvcral uxis out of the 0I»! 
 TcftamcnJ, and particularly out of the .\ivth Pfahrt, vbich 
 fpeAs fully ut ilie oj-ioinal corruption, acd univctfal dcpra- 
 Aaiion of all mankind in the I'ollowin^ wordi; 
 
 •10 As itis vyrjtten, Time is none righteous.^ 
 Jjot one : ti There is none that •^^ndcT{hnd^W; 
 there ii none that feckcth altar Gpd.^, as They arc 
 ^one out of the way, they are -tOig^ther become 
 unprolitablc. there i.s iiotV.- that doeth good, tio not 
 
 -one. 13 Their throat in an open icpiilchre; with 
 their tongues they have ufcd deceit ; the poifon of 
 al'pi is under their lips : 14 WhofeniOuth i-s full of 
 curling and buternelii. j^ Their feet <i;f fwift tdt 
 (hed blood. il6 Deftruflion and triifrry arr in their 
 ways, i-y And the way of peace have tliey not 
 known. .J SThere is no fear of God before their eyes. 
 OtfciX'e hcvc, Mow the apofllc proves his alfcnion ; 
 
 •naniHy, That botb Jew and Gcnti!? were under the guilt 
 both ol original and actual iranlgredion, from the tcflimon/ 
 ot D^vid, Pfalm xiv. w-licre th« ftatc of corrupt nnmrc is 
 dtfcribei!, and the natural condition of all nun d<.». hired till 
 
 ■they afc either retrained or rmcwcd bv the grace of God:: 
 7here is rr.ne rigl.tenti, tiomtonf. Which words are true 
 in I'evtral lelpectsj i. There is noneorit.inu!!y ligbteous, 
 no not one : noi!- ■\x\t fii (Implantation in the 
 
 vvoi Id until they .i: ,| into ihe-btniy. of Cliiilt, 
 
 wrought and lafljii-ntdby hishMy Si-irit. 2. I'here i« 
 none elKc-ientlv riv:!-- <»- <■ > -■'■• ■ r'. : v.„-,> Imve atighte- 
 oulnefs of their (•"• ihc rijihtc 
 
 oufncfs of jultifieiiu' :i . ..: 1.... .; i .. ,■. ;; ..:c both 1 rem 
 Chriit, not fro^rn (.u.'luv\>- , v.;; an- l.ii. \vofkmai><liip, not 
 Otirown. .3, There is ni.»nc v.- -.1.5, do 
 
 not (inc ; none can dvferK. or >.:. .■■ 0. <!uc 
 
 debt at God's hand ; butthe/tnoii ri^htepiis »nd h<ly fai"iis 
 are but unprofitable ftiv-nts, ' 4. li )•.. i.- I^ .i^nc pulectl^y 
 and .complcteiy r-iguteoius :oo iuit • inchoaiivoly 
 
 onl^ : N"nc righteous in aiiiid and 1^-1 Ki:i'c.> but in a 
 go/p^l and tjualiiied fciife only : J{{ iPm dcih ri^i leiujneft 
 is rightfitii., in the sccouni oi'.God ; ami, us fueii, Itiud bo 
 accepted and r-cwarded by Mm. Ohjcrvc^ 3. flow the 
 apoltle proves the cortuption of maiJiuHl in gtner<il, by _an 
 induction of pariicojars. . ije furveys luin in all tht.piin- 
 cipul faculties of liis Ruil, and members ot his body ; i-is 
 undcrftandijii;, will, aiitl afj^iflions i his eye, hatul, tongue, 
 4ind feet, all corrupted .-ind depraved: Ihcir mmthis fail 
 ofcuififig, 45r,d bitter rptrcbcs ; 1 heir tl.nU is on ipeiijc 
 piiuhre, g.ipir.g after, jud devouring the v,o h1 name o« thtir 
 ii;.iglilnnu>, ;iiid btlchiiig outtililiy, ill-Atnted, and un- 
 f-V' ti»y .■ :' -.yaivlt them, llu)! Jetk nit iiiM in any 
 thing, uiji US fear e/ dd, tio fcljpect of 
 
Chap. iti. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 551 
 
 Gai\ before thir ry:t. The npoflic fhuts up all with this, 
 bccaufc want of the fear of Gr>d before our eyes, is the 
 fountain from whence all (itlicr evils do proceed and flow. 
 The fear of God is the bridle and curb which reilrains from 
 fin.; where that is wanting, all iniquity abounds : where 
 that is prefent and prevalent, it keeps the foul clofe to G.vl, 
 J"er. xxxii. 32. I zviU put try fear ir: their kearls, and t!>fy 
 Jhall not riep/irt fr-jrn me. We uftially dc part far, yea, rtin 
 from thofi- we fear ; but the true fear ofCjwl \\\\\ make us 
 eleave clofe unto him, bscaufe love is interniixcd with it 
 and renders it a delightful fear.. 
 
 ^^9 No\v wc knew, that what thin-^s foevcr the 
 law faith, it faith to them who arc under the law : 
 that ever)' mouth may be flopped, and all tlic world 
 may become guilty before God.. 
 
 Kale here. Left the Jews fhoukl think to elude or evade 
 the force of the foregoing tclHmonies concerning man's 
 corriipii-in and depravation, as not belonging to ihein, but 
 to the Gentiles only ; he tells thein, that u<hat tic law, 
 •hat is, the books of the Old Ttftament, do thus /ot, ii 
 r»ys to th'Jc that arc under the law : that is, to thofe that 
 , are fubjedsof it, and"hligcd by it ; to fuch as arc luider 
 the inftruclion nnddire^ion of it, as the Jews arc known 
 to be ; and if f«, then tvery vculb muj} hejhpped ; Jew and 
 Geniile both mitll own themfelves, betorc God, obnoxious 
 to his wrath, without being able to fay any thin^ for ihcm- 
 felve.'!. /.f,//-;? hence,. That the holy law 'of God brings 
 fuch plain evidence anJ. convi£lion with it, that no man 
 can have a word to fpeak .igaindit:. .When Goil fpreads 
 before men the purity of his laws, and the itnpicty ot thtir 
 own lives, every man miift fit down filent, and lay his hand 
 upon his mouth, not having one word to objcd why 
 feniince fliould not be executed, bccaufc they have all 
 tranfgrelTcd. 
 
 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there fhall 
 no flefh be juftifiedin his fit^ht. For by the law is 
 the knowledge of fin. 
 
 Here we have St. PauKs conclufion drawn from all the 
 foregoing premifes:- "Seeingall mankind, fince the tall 
 arc difabled, by their innate corruption, and aflual tranf- 
 grefllon to fulfil tfie law, either natural or written , it muft 
 l-.tcclfarily follow, that by the iv.rks of the law ran no fl-Jh, 
 that is, nopcrfon, neither Jew or Gentile, be juji'ifud be- 
 fore God\ all the efltcacy which the law now ha.s being 
 to difcover fin, and condemn for finning : By the hnu is the 
 ^nuwUdgeoffin. By the law we apprehend our malady, 
 but by the gofpel we tiiKlerftand our remedy." Learn 
 hence, That no fon of Adam, fince the breach of the law. 
 Can ftand juftified before God by his bell: obedience to the 
 commands of the law : By being juftiHcd,. iinderlland that 
 gracious aft in God, whereby we are acquitti d, and finally 
 <iifcliargc-d from the i^uilt and puiiiiliment of all our fins.. 
 By the I.T.v, and the deeds of the law, wc rrc to underftand 
 ccremi'nial and moral law both, efpecially the latter ; for 
 by the mujal law, is the knowledge of fin: It is the moral 
 law that forbids theft, adultery, tie. Befidf s, it is evident, 
 that the antithesis, or oppofiiioH,.runs all along. not between 
 
 ceremonial wcrks, and moral works, but between works in 
 general, and f; ith : The law of works, andthe law of faith 
 arc oppofcd 10 cnch other, ver. 27. But why can no fiP^, 
 that is, no pcrfon, he ju/llfed by the deeds tf the law. Anf, 
 T. Bccaufc he is flcfli, that is, depraved by original corrup- 
 ; ,1. and obnoxious to the curfe of tf.c lav/, by sc'^iial 
 I' aifgreffion. Now, that v.hich condemn.':, cannot juftify : 
 /ill after obedience to the law can never atone for a fornier- 
 liifobedience. '.2. Becai:fc the bell obedience wc can per- 
 form to the law, is impcrfcci, Now, he that mixc.s hut 
 one finwith a tkoufand good works, can never be judifiid 
 by his works. He that would be jiiflificd hyhiswoiks, 
 inud not hav-e one bad work airtongft all liis good works; 
 for that one will lay him under the curie and condemnatory ' 
 fentcnce of law ; Gal. iii, 10. Curfe J is everyone tl'ct coa- 
 tinueth not. Sec. Nothing that is impcrfedl can be a 
 ground of a jullification before God, becaufe the dcfigns of 
 God is to exalt hisjudice, as well as hrs mercy, in tha 
 jullification of a finner. Again, 3. No flcfl) can be jullified 
 by the works of the law, becaufe all that we do, or can do, 
 is a due debt which we owe to the law : We owe ail pof. 
 fible obedience to the law as- creatures ; and by performing 
 our obligation as creatures, we can never pav our debts as 
 tranfgrelfors. But now, our fiircty, Chrill Jefus, who has 
 given fatisfaftion for our violation of the law, was under 
 no obligation to the law, but what he voluntarily laid hini- 
 fclf under upon our account. And if fo, let us eternally 
 blefs God with the higheft elevation of foul f )r tl:e gofpcl- 
 revelation, for his fending his own Son to juflify and fave 
 us, by working out a compleat and cverlailing righteouf-' 
 nefs : And let us plead with him incelVanily for the juftify- 
 ing faith, which is as necelTary in its place as the death of 
 Chrift. One renders God reconcilable unto poor finners, 
 the other a(ffiially reconciled.. 
 
 21 But now the rightcoufiiefs of God without the 
 law is manifoftcd, being vvitnc (led by the law and 
 the prophets; 22 Even the righteou fuels of God rt'/;/c/» 
 isby faithof JefusChrift unto ail and upon ail them 
 th.^t believe. For there is no difference. 23 For all 
 have finned; and come fliort of the. glory of God; 
 
 Our apofUc having proved negatively, that by the works 
 of the law righteouiiiefs and jullification Is not to be had 
 for any pcrfon, .be he Jew or Gentile : He comes now to 
 pro\e the affirmative part of his aifertion ; namely, that 
 God hath manifefted another way of jufliiicaiion in ths 
 gofpel, to wit, by faith in JtfusChrift. " For, fci:h 
 he, now, that is, fince the coining of Chrift, fincc il.c 
 difpeafation of the gofpel : the righteaifnefs of God, that 
 i*, the righteou fnefs which God appoints, approves, and 
 accepts for a finncr's juditkatiort. is u^thiut the law, that 
 is,.wiihout performing the works of the law, either natural 
 ceremonial, or moral : arid is manififtcd to be the righte- 
 oufiiLfs which is by faith in Chrift : whiwh all that btiieve 
 and obey the gofpel,, fnall be admitted to the participation 
 of both Jew and Geiuilc : for there is no difference ; that 
 is, no difference between Jew and Gentile, as the way 
 and means cf their jullification.'' Arid the reafcn afligned 
 by the apoftlc, w hy there is, and can be, no ether way ox 
 
 juflifica.ion 
 
.5z;2 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 CllAV.. IIT. 
 
 jiiftification but this, 'wchsvc in the next vcrfe, namely, 
 huaufe all havfjinncj, ihc whole race of niankiml, not one 
 mere man excepted : and fo will fall lliort of obtaining ikt 
 ghry of Gid, and eternal life, if they fctjc it not in this way. 
 Learh\\c\\cc, I. That ilicre is no flanding or appearing 
 before God for any creature, ina creatures unrighicournefs. 
 There is much unii'^hteoufncfs in our righteoufncfs, .and 
 iherc'ffMe wc cannot iland julUfied before God. Befidt5, 
 the wifdom of Gtxi has appoiiucd another righteoufncfs, or 
 the rightt'oufncfs of another, even llie rightcoufntfs of Jcfus 
 Chrift, to (lantl before him in ; But new the rlgltecujr.cj's 
 of Gill Is mamfijledy even the right ecifiie ft cfGocl ivolch is 
 hy faith ill y ejus Chrijl. 2. The nccctliiy and excellency 
 of f ;uth ; the rightcoujnefs if G'.d is unto all, and upon all 
 that believe : Faith is the bond of union, the inftrunicnt of 
 pur jullification, the fpiing of our confoiation ; Beinj; jujli- 
 fed by faith lue have peace xvith God, Rom. v. i. Render 
 wc then uiuo faith the things which arc faith's, as well as 
 •into Chriil rhe things which are ChrilVf. 3. That in 
 refcrrcncc to, or in rflpecH: of our ju(Hficalion before God, 
 there is no difference among belie\crs, verle 22. For there is 
 no Jiffl-rence ; that is, no difference as to the way of jufVi- 
 cation, between Jew andGenillc, male and female, bond 
 and free ; but all, without the righteoufnefs of faith in 
 Chriff, mull die, and be damned to all eternity. There 
 is now a diiFcrence amcngil believers, with refpeft to iht-ir 
 degrees of fanditication, and with refpccl to their mcafures 
 of confoiation, and will be hereafter, with refpcd to their 
 degrees of glorification. -Sotic faints have more grace and 
 coirfort on earth, and fhall have higher degrees of glory 
 in heaven, than others ; but the juftification of all believers 
 i^ alike. There is the faine fin to all, not for mcafure 
 and degree, but in refpcfl of guilt and (htigation to punifh- 
 inent. There is the fame price paid by way of fatisfacTtion 
 toxliyinc juliice, for all; r.amely, the death of Chr-H: 
 There is the fame right eoufn"fs imputed to all, and t];e 
 Spirit (if liolincfs imparted to all, and the fame manfions 
 of glory defigncd for all; thus there is no difference. And 
 there is no diftcrcnce amongft believers, in refpeft of truth 
 of grace, but much in rcfpefl of ftrength of grace ; no 
 tlifferenco amon;^ft tliem in refpcct of God's promifes, but 
 ini'cli difference with refpjft to their performances ; no 
 ciifFticjicc in refpeitofGod's covenant, but much ditre-rence 
 in cefpeft of God's coiuifels, as alio in rtfpeft of God's 
 dliyvenfations ; no diftcri'nce inrefpefl of God's acceptation 
 but much iirrefpcft of their application ; no diiFcrence as 
 they are a boily, jn refpciil ot thsir head, but much dif- 
 ference s'5 they are members of timt head. And if there be 
 no difFerenco^inong believers (asfuch) befois G:)d, why 
 JhouM there 'oe f I much uiHVrence amongfl themftlves, as 
 there is often times here in this worldl You are all dear, 
 tui'y dear to Gcxl ; wby-fhonld vou. not be fo, one to ano- 
 ther i .Why fhould not one church and one commmt.nion 
 hold you nr>w ? Ere long, perhaps, one prif);! niay, one 
 ^tun'ven fhall certainly hxAd you all. Iror there is no 
 difference . 
 
 2 4 Beingjiiflified freely by liis grace, tlirough ihe 
 .redemption that is in Jcfus ChriH;; 25 Whon* God 
 ;bath let forth to be a propitiation, through faith in 
 
 his blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the remif- 
 fion of fins that are pafl, through the forbearance 
 of God: 26 To declare, Ifiy, at this time, his 
 righteoufnefs : that he might be jufl, and the jufli- 
 ficr of iiim which bclicvethin Jefus. 
 
 J\'olc here, i. A glorious privilege vouchfafed to believers 
 which the fcriptures cA\ jujlif-ation, whereby they arc ju- 
 dicially acquited and difcharged from the guilt and puiiifh- 
 menr of all their fins, .and accounted righteous before G(xi., 
 2. The efficient caufe of inir juftification. It i& C^d tint 
 jiiJUfies ; Who can forgive the crime, but the perfon agau^ 
 v.hcm we hare done the wrong ? - 3. Tli^ moving or WIf 
 pulfive caufe, namely, the free grace of God : Being jupi- 
 fed freely by his grace. 4. The mcri'oricus caule, the 
 t>lood-lhedi!int; and dciih of Chriil ; thrcugh the redemp- 
 tion that is in J'fus Ghrifl. 5. The final caufe ; to dccLire 
 A/j r/fA/^i'l/myf, not his clemency and mercy only, but his 
 juflice and righteoufnefs, efpecially that attribute which 
 dilpofes and inclines him to punifh fin and finncrs. 6. 
 The inflrumental caufe of juiHficaiion, -faith, Ifhom Gc^ 
 tath Jet forth t: le a propitiation, tl^r:iigh faith ir. his bl:i™ 
 &c. Some of the papifls, cfpeciall Cnjcian, and a Lr.pidt, 
 do call fuith ccvf,x cplUcc.ns in our jtiltificaticn : "Verily, an • 
 unapplied Chrilt jullifies none, faves none. Learn thence, 
 *. That in order to a finner's being favcd, he mufl be juf- 
 tificd, that is, difchargcd of, abfblvcd from, the guilt of all 
 fin, upon the account of a complete fatisfaflion given to 
 divine ji/flice for fin. 2. That not all and every finncr, 
 but only repenting and believing finncrs are juftificd by 
 God. 3. That when the Lord juftifics a believing finner, 
 he doth it freely ; being jv/iifcd fre- ly by lis grace. It is 
 an art of mere grace ; t!;crc isnotbinp' in the creature can 
 merit or dcfervc it : then-it would be debt and not grace. 
 4. That God's free grace andChriiVs ftill fatisfadlion were 
 confifient, and both concurring in the believer's juflifica- 
 tion wearejufiified freely by GchI's grace; yet, through 
 the redemption that is in Chvilt Jefus ; Him hath Cod ft I 
 forth tohe apr:pitint)sn. !l'he w'onl f>ripit'ali'jn Is an allu- 
 fion to the mercy-feat, which covered the ark wherein the 
 law -was; this typified Chrift, who fully covers our fins, 
 the tranfgreflions of the law, out of God's fight. AVhcn 
 therefore the apcftle faith that Gtxl hath fet fonh Chrift to 
 be a iTiercy-feat to us, thrcugh faith in his ihod ; we have 
 reafon to believe the blood ot Chrifl, as our fin-oftcvin?, 
 doth rnakc an atonrmciu for us, and renders God propi- 
 tious tons. 5. That Almighty God, inthe juftification 
 of a believing finner, is not only gracicus and ir.ciciful, 
 but juft and ri'^hteoHS, -in the mi.ft exalted degree: Ta 
 declare his righteoufnefs for the remiffion cf fin. Where 
 Kote, That the delign and end of God in ex. cling fatk"- 
 fadtion from Chiid, was to declare his rightcouliicfs.in the 
 remiffion of fin ; but the apoflle would have us take notice 
 that our j unification is an ail of juflicc as well as mercy, 
 and that GoJ, as he isa jufl GjJ, cannot condemn the be- 
 liever, fincc Chrift has fatisfisl for his fins. O bhilTed 
 be Gcxl ! that pr.rdon of fin is built i;pon that very attribute, 
 the inftice of GhI, which is (o alFrig'iting ^and^drcudtul to 
 the offending finner. This attribute, -.vhich fecmoij to he the 
 main bar agair.ft remiliion, is now become the very ground 
 
 a;. J 
 
CiiAP. n.') 
 
 U O MAN S. 
 
 5i^. 
 
 according to th» merits and ifcfcrts of men: fyho will ren- 
 eifrlonfryon-.cmdingtoL'isdetds-^ that is, according to 
 the kind and r,';r.)ity, and according to the nieaftircs and 
 degrees of every man's works, Wlt^rc mte, he doth not 
 fa), Gotl will render to every man a rewnid for his woiki;, 
 but according to liis works ! Works are regula irtritu/io'iis, 
 noncaufa mcrcedis ; " Onr wcirks arc the rule of God's 
 proceedings, bi.t not the caufc of his rewards." Having 
 thus defcribeJ t lie impartiality of the Judge, be next de- 
 Clares the univerfality of the pcrfws that fhull then be 
 judged; name' ', the righteoi:s and the \vi<:kcd ; which fliall 
 both have'their <r.1in£l rewards afligncd tbtm, according to 
 
 ^fcquality of thtir works. NoU, i. The righteci'.s pcr- 
 lons defer ib xl, and their reward declared;, they are defcribed 
 bv tluir tiv.7- (/5/«/, b;' their continuance in well-doing, by 
 iheir p^ticn.' c-.tiliniuir.,:: in well doing; they arc not weary 
 in well-doinL^, they can tind;r;;o fufferings for the fake of 
 well-doing, nnd they can patiently wait for the reward of 
 well-doing ullbereaftcr,whil{l others fnatch at their reward 
 here: Yet in the ir>eaQ time they . are fceking after, and 
 fcciiring of this their reward: Thry feck for glory, honour, 
 
 ^nd immortaHty ; that is, they feck for a portion of glory 
 and immori;ilitv in the world to conic ; they leave the 
 world to t!ic men of the world, and whiKt they are 
 fcrambling for earth, they are making fiire of heaven. 
 Next, Their perfons being defcribed, their reward isde- 
 dared, c'cr;rj/ /;/t'; pra ternity of glory aiul hnppincfs m 
 r. future' ftnte, fhall ccrtJnly be the reward of well doers, 
 and of pan'cnt coniinuance in well-doing. 2. The wicked 
 .ire here chnratterizcd, and ti'.eir reward afiignctl ; 77'cy are 
 ron'cntiz:i> r.nd cbey not the tru'h, hut chey iinrlghlecujnef! • 
 that is, They contend with God, and relirt the light of his 
 revealed truth ; they rcfufe the offers ot hi^ grace, and 
 kick againft his word, difobeying the gofpsl of tnith, but 
 obeying unrighteoufncfs. G"(I will pu'ir firth fuch 
 indignation and wrath, tribidatton and .^nguifh. Lord. 
 Avho knoweft rbepow-er <i^ thrnc' .inger, or who can bcai: 
 The weight of thy wrat'n ! It brake the ba. k of f nncls, how 
 "fhal! finncrs fland under it? It !<• ftyled fi^e in fcnp'Dre, it 
 is a confuming fire, and an unqiif nchablr :ire : It preys 
 upon the finner, but never devmrs him : It is unqiiencb- 
 able by any thing but the blood of Chriit, A mvfterlovrs 
 firi^, whofe ftrange property it is dlwsys to torment,- but 
 nrver to kill ; or always to kiil, but ne\cr ;o cor.furie. 3. 
 With what cquitv, as well as impartiality, this diftribution 
 •of God's indignation and wrath will be made: Upon e-xvry 
 J'jii] that doeth c'Al \ hut uf on the j'eiv fir/1 , ntifl then if tit 
 -frcnlik. The Jew firiV, that is, principally and rfp^cidly ; 
 becaufe the light and mercy which the Jews abufed and 
 finned againft, was far greater than that beftowcj upon the 
 Gentiles. Learn hence. That the light imd't 'viitch men 
 fin, puts extraordinary 3ijgrava'icns upon thtir /ins, an- 
 fiverabjc whercimtnwiil be ihc degreevof tbcir punift'ncnt. 
 The Gcnti!(!S will be condemned for difohtying the light 
 of n:;ture, the law of God wri'tcn on thi:ir hearts; but 
 much grentcr wrath is rtfcrvc-d for the jews, unto whom 
 were committed the oracles of Gel; Ilut the greateft cf 
 jjll is referved for Cliriftians, -r-l.o obey not the goi'pcl of 
 • our Lord ^efu-^Chiill; riicic-Hiall be- piiiiilhcd v in ever- 
 lifting deliriifljon froiii t^ie pfefcnce of the Lord, end from 
 
 the glory of his power, when he fl>all come to be glorified 
 in his faints, and to be admired in all them that bciiere, 
 zThefT. i. 9, 10. 
 
 12 Forasinany as have finned without law, (hall 
 alfo perifli without law : And as many as have 
 finned in the law, fliall be judged by the law. 
 
 That is, as many as have finned without the written law, 
 which is the cafe ""f the Gentiles or Heathens, fhrll nlfn 
 peri/li .vithotit //;rt/ law, being judged -.ind condemned \ij 
 the law of /Ttf/Krf written in their hear" ; but as many as 
 have finned in, or ard.'r the law of Mcfcs, which is the 
 cafe of the Jews, fliall he judged and condcm.ned by that 
 law. Nje here, I. A truth plainly inr.plicd, and neccflarily 
 fuppofe<l; namely, That as fome finncrs perifh, having 
 the written word, and all external means of falvation ; fo 
 others periili, having net the written lav or word of G^kI, 
 nnd the outward and ordinary means of f^ilvation : // many 
 eri have fumed withovl the loui, foall perijh without the law. 
 God, in the difpcufations of his grace, afletb in a way of 
 fovcreigntv, according to his o\-. n pleafure ; y€t, in his 
 penal difpcufatious, he prcKceds according to the meafures 
 of (hi£l juflicc, upon the previous dcmcri's of fmners- 2. 
 Tiiat all mtn fluU not be proceeded agiinft in the day <>f 
 judgm.cnt after one and the fame manner ; but every man 
 according to the demerit of his fin, and according to the 
 capacity and relation in which he ftood in this life. Thf 
 Gcniilos which had only the law of nature, (hall rot Ue 
 judged by the law of Mofes: The Jews, which have bo;h 
 tliebwof ;7,7/K'V, and the law of Mofis ihall be ji<dgcd 
 by both : And con'equently Chrillisns, v hich have the 
 law of nature imderwritten, the Mofaical law wiitien, and 
 the Evangelical law, both written and preached, fhall lie 
 under ereatcr guilt, and reccivca more aggravatingcmdem- 
 n.iiion. Chrift vviil cxa£liy proporiion every man's /,<•// here- 
 afrrr to l-iis_/;« committed here; the greater lig^'-t v.c f.avt; 
 Quenched, the greater darknefs \^ill be infiiiPicd, Hcb. ii. 3. 
 
 ■; 13 (For not the hearers of the lawarr jufl before 
 God, but the doers of the law {hail be juftified. 
 
 ThTt is, not \ht hare hearers of the law fiiall, upon that 
 accetm;, be JHft before God, but the doers of the law lljJI 
 hi: jii/iified ; .that is, accepted of Gtxl, as acting fi;itab;y to 
 their holy profeflion. It is notorioully known, the Jews 
 gloried in, ?iid rcfled upon, tlicir outward privileges ioT 
 falvation, bccaiife they were Abraham's fe«d, becaufe they 
 were ciicumcifed, bccr.tife they were employed in read- 
 ing and hearing of the law; they concluded this fiilij- 
 cicnt to render them acceptable with GM ; therc- 
 
 ■ ftire, f;jys the apoftle, not the hearers, but dscrs of the 
 law fiiall I 'ejuili lied ; th:.t is, the perfms whom Gut' ■^'••'1 
 
 ; accept and accounc righteous for the fake of Chriil. i\cJe 
 here, Th.i; the doers of the lav.- or word of God, are the 
 brtl '>carers, yea, the orily hearers Inil'.c ;cc'6unt of God. 
 Hearing is go<Kl, but it miiil not he rd' d in ; a great un- 
 dtrlhnding ni^y a n'lan hi-.ve by ouvii readiiij. the word 
 and law of God; but agoadiindcrftandivg only^.Kaye th^y 
 that do the w^rd ax\4,v-iU of-^^&d ; t/.c }'r:rf-, -.nd^l^ri^it pf 
 that endurcth for ever. , ~' ' , ' ,- 
 
 3 Z. i4F^r 
 
46 
 
 R "O MAN S. 
 
 Chap. tj. 
 
 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the 
 law, (Jo by nature the things contained in the law, 
 thtfc, having not the law, area law unto themfclves; 
 15 \\'hich fliew the work of the law written in 
 their hearts, their conlciencc alio bearing witnels, 
 and ihfir thoughts the mean while accufing.or ell'e 
 txciifing one another. 
 
 The fcnfc is, that the Gcniilc;, which have not the law 
 of Mo-fis pmnnilgattil, are .yet not wiih( lit a Inw ingrafted 
 in their Confciences ; and ajihoitgh thry have not a wriitin 
 law; yet have they a iiit'. thai is n rule of living to thcin- 
 fvl\c.s, di/ing thofc things which (hew the work of the 
 law written in their heart.";, thcirconfcicnces bearing -wiiners. 
 to i*, and ihi-ir natural rcafon tiihcr acculing or defending 
 r.f them from it; Learrr, I. That there is a law of nature 
 fnoraficd and written by God in the hearts of men, 
 ■whereby rhe Common notions of good ande\ilarc found 
 with them. ''2. That this law of nature fervcih for the 
 Hifligaii'in and provocation of men to many good actions 
 nnd duties towards Gcxl and inan. 3. That to rebel agninfV 
 and not walk in conformity unto this ingrafted law of 
 nnmre, is a Gntl provoking and a wrath procuring fin. 4. 
 That although many of the Gentiles gave trieniftlvcs over 
 tn ail manner of uncleannefs, yet others Jkr:icrl tie zvorh 
 of the Inv -written in their hearts: 'I'hey Clewed it two 
 ^vays, (f.^'Py their temperajice, righteoufnefs, aixl moral 
 hontfty; wherein fto our fliame) they exciiled many of 
 vt who are called Chriftian.s. (aj In the efficacy of iheir 
 confcitncc; whieh, as it cleared and comforted them for 
 things well done, fi) it witnelRd againft them,. yea; iudged 
 »fid condemned them fordoing evil: And thefc evidence* 
 of a law written on the heart, are every whereto be found;. 
 ^^ herevcr men are found : The Gentiles hming lot a urillen 
 ierv, are a Invj unto tkemjilvss,. and p.'e"ji! the luork of the luzu 
 nritten in their hearts. 
 
 16 In the Jay when God flialj judge the fecrcts 
 ef men by Jci'us Clni ft according to my gofpel. 
 
 As if the apoftle bnd faid. If any fhall afk, when fliall 
 reward? and puniihments be dillributed tojew or Gentiler 
 The anfwer fs, h that day ulen Godjhall judge the fecrets 
 »f ty:e>t's hearts tjf fejus CI ri/i, nceardin^ to my f'fpel : 
 That is, as my goifpei leflificsv lie will mofh certainly do. 
 Hej-e ncte r. A fundamental doflrine afTerted,. That there 
 ■will lie a day ef i~udi!incnt, m which tl.e fecrets of all men's 
 hearts (hall be judged by Jefus Chrift, as Mediator. All 
 the thoughts, word-:, and woifcs of all men, that lived from 
 the beginning of the worldy or fhall live to the end of the 
 world, Mill then Be prcdticcd in judgment; and if fo, may 
 we not infer, that the day of jndgmtrit muft certainly ainl 
 nccelfarily take up a va(f (pace of time? For if all records 
 and regifters now inadc, fliall then be opened and read, and- 
 • It the wflnfeflesfor ancli.garnft man, (hall- be then examined 
 and heaid, what a va(V fpace of time then mull that great 
 daytqfceup! Sime divines are of opiricn, that the 1.:/ 
 of-judgment majMaft as iong as the woi'ld ha<h lalted : This 
 ■^'e m.iy depend upon, that things wiTl not be huddled up, 
 '•«or.fIiufRcd over in hafte ; hut as linncrs have taken their 
 
 time for finning, fo God will take his time for judging. 2. 
 The proof and confirmation iif this do£irinc of a fiiture. 
 jud"mcnr. Jeetrdirg ta my ^cfjf^! ; that is, as ccriairly 
 as 1 have foretol(,l you of it in the doctrine which I hai'e ' 
 preached, t) certainly fliall all incn, rnd the fecrets of ail 
 men's hoarts, be jtiAjed by Jefus Chrlft, Put was it nora 
 prcfumption in St. Paiil, io call ihe gofpcU /''r »f^r/.^ •^'^» 
 Irlemeaas that he was the publlrticr, not the ;uiilior of it";;^ 
 ir was Gotl's in rcfpccl ot auiliority, St. Paul-'s in refptft'cf: 
 t'.ffpetifation^ 
 
 17 Behold, liiou ait called ;i Jew. nnd rtn. i,(i in 
 the law, and niakcft thy boaft of God, ■ 18 Ai^^ 
 know his will; and approvcfl the things that arfe 
 more excellent, bein}> inRiuflcd oirloi the lav/ ; \g 
 And art conhdcnt that thou thyfclf art a guideofo 
 the blind, a light of them u'hich are in darknefs, 2 
 An inftiuflor of the foolillii, a teacher of babes^ 
 which haft the form of knowledge, and of the. 
 truth in the law. 
 
 Here ihe .TpolTlc ptocecds, in l.is former argument .^^ 
 namely, to prove, Th-t the J':%vs cculd no more latiouajiy 
 cj(pe<fi to be juftirieil before Gi\\ by the law of Mofes, th;in. 
 the fientiles by the law of iiiiure; the spcJlle allows iherrr 
 all thcirprivilegcfs which tl'.<,y,ro much doaied upon, boafted 
 ofv- and 'gloried in ; but \^i!!ul ailbrcs tS.ein, tli:it thtfe, all 
 tliefcj yea, more than thtfp, were infuflicient to jaflify them 
 l,>eforcG(;d.. As if the apoftlc bad. fsii't "-Thou bcareft 
 tliy(elf inighiily iijjon this, that t/'.cit art called a few ; that 
 is, a profclibr of the true rcligipn, and a ivorftiipper of the 
 true God : Thou rrpcfl in the l.vo : that is,, cither in the 
 divinenefs an«J perfection of it, «r in thy external obedience 
 to it, and in the outward performances of it : ^Lou mokeji 
 thyltflfi nf Gcd, as a God in covenant witR thee above all 
 the nations, of the earth; and /^";u krowefifns lall, having 
 his Word and law in thy hands, the oracles of God com. 
 miiteil to thee, and ths writingsof I^Iufes and the prtiphc** 
 a/iWi- found with thee: And clfrsvefl thir.gs that are mfl 
 excellent, hcing infirufled cut cf the. law ; that is, thou> 
 thinkcft that thou hall fuch a, degree of knowledge of 
 f jod's word and will, that thou caiift clearly difcern be- 
 tween fin End duty, and compare cne duty with another, 
 prefcring that whicli is niofl txQeytnt: yif:d arl confident 
 that thou tkyfelf art- a ■ guide cf tje lliiid, a light of them that 
 are-in dcrhiiefs; that is, thou hail a ftrong conceit that fi:ch 
 arc the meafurcs of thv kiiowkdge, that thru art able to be- 
 a guide to the blind Gentiles, who lit in darknefs, and to be 
 a teacher ^ /,v^« ;: that is, fuch as have little cr na 
 knowledge in the matters of religion, conceiting, That thou 
 hafi the f<rm f kncxdedge . end of the truth in tht law ; 
 that is, fuch a method anil rr.eafure of divine knowledge,, 
 as may enable. thee to irilbuiil others, whether Geniilesi 
 or Jews,^ which never, reached to thy attainment. " — 
 Thcfe external privileges the prcri;rr.p;u(iiis Jftw refted 
 upon, and thought them fufficient .0 falvatipn, though he 
 lived ,lof>fely, and his praclicc^av:' his.piof •^;eii.,'he lie. 
 Hence luifiiy i^, .That perfons.u.e tx»;«;|5:ni' ^pfU'e to ^a 
 . proud (,.rjj,jj,id gnffid up with church p:i.;.jjV;, glorying 
 
Ckap. ho 
 
 R OwM^^ Ai.rNoS.ji 
 
 54.7 
 
 ^n the letter of t!ie law, wWlfl, nciihcr in hcait nor life, 
 ihcy arc comforlcd to tlu'.fpirituality of the. Jaw. Lrrirn 
 2. Thit gifts, duties/and fuppofed graces, ore tlicftay aud 
 (UfF Nv|)iiiJ» ,l,i>'p'->critc» icit upon, aiiU rcpofc their trull and 
 :o»ifi(;i|5acf JH ) 'J'hoM art (alUiJ a Jew, mid rejletb in tht hw ; 
 tiiatj-s^wj tho iMitward prufcllion of ilic law, or in an ex- 
 ternal obedience to tlic law ; the apoHie fpcaks of this ilicir 
 rtjilng i'l lh( low, not barely by way ot narration, but by 
 way of reproof, telling us not only what they did, but how 
 ill they did in fodoin>^. The duties which Chrilt has ap- 
 pninre'il, arc the trull and rcO of the hyp'X.rites ; but Chrift 
 J^jftlf is ihe red iindtruft of the upright; they dcfirc lo 
 T^^vcr pcling gr:ii;cf, never trufling to them i to bo much 
 in duty, aiid yet much above duty ; much in it in point of 
 pertorinance, much above it in regard of dependence, 
 
 . 8 1 Thou therefore which tcachcft another, teach- 
 cfl thou not thyfelf ? thou that preacheft a matt 
 OiDuld not fleal, dofl thou fteal? 22 Thoutliat fayeft 
 .t iiiiinihouKl iiotcommititduUery.doU thoucomniit 
 ^dultcry ? tb<ju th;it abhorrefl idolt;. doU ihou coni- 
 \\\\\ I'.icrileije ? 23 Tl)ou thitt m;>'KCil thy boill of 
 the law, through breaking the law dinionourclt thou 
 Cod? 84 For the name of God is bhifphemcd 
 -among the (icBtilc*, through you, as it i» written. 
 
 The aport'lc proceed?, to the end of this chsptcr.-to cor. 
 vincc the Jews, fliat ihey were ctiunMy in a finful and 
 wretched condition with thedefpIfetirJcnfilcs, and therefore 
 Itood in need of Jcl'us Chrill to jufUfy them by !iii grace, 
 as well as riiey ! And becAufc the Jews were T^ exceeding 
 opt to dote lipon, and reft in, their cnfornal privileges, he 
 did, it] ti'.e u)rpgoi!j^ verfc.«, recount and recl'^^n up f!ic 
 fevcral pri'il- ■ ' «vhich tht7 enjoyed : -Thu i:rl tailed a 
 Jrw. f^.' .• haft ff did, &c. Rut now, ifl li.e 
 
 '■■■'''•"'■ . ' ', 'i.-cafiort tf> apnravafe their ting 
 
 <<•'■■■■■. •, . irrivilrgtt I'.iid prfrro^atives en- 
 
 i ■ '. ' ;. iinr.u! ngs^Inft li^iht and knowledge, 
 
 --.'■■' ' . ns of their ^«n confciepct.e, and con- 
 
 I 1: ' ;iie dictates of their iriinc's.'as the Cieuiilo' did: 
 I': •:.. .^-sall thjt, rebelled agaiiift the precepts of the 
 v.rryen word, which was all in their hands'. The lawof 
 Mi)(l-5 was near in rh^ir mouths, hut fir fiom their reins ; 
 for th'.'s tht.' apo.'ilc expoA-tdaieS with therii, Thu that 
 h . 'fii mr.t'tr, tcrhfjl thm mt lltjelff Thou that under- 
 I :.- '. to b'.' a teacher of, and piiidf unto the ignorant and 
 blind (JentiTrs, wi^it riiou not pra<ftilc thine own inllmc- 
 'i'"!" ;'bMl condi^mn tiiyfelf out rH" thine own infiuth ? 
 " Wilt thou, O Jew! (as if thcapoftje had faid) be giulty 
 of theft, adultery, facrilegCi rapin?* and murder, lins which 
 thu very heithcris cc>neivmn, and all tiii-, while, call youi- 
 f-lve-s the only ptjoplc of God ? Verily, fhe n-ime if God is 
 tl'ilp'^frfd m'nvig the GnttiUslhmigh pu Jras, who pre- 
 tend to bo the favourites of heawii, wnilit .vou do the 
 Mt)rk< of ludl." -Ltfirn hence, 1. That it is much cafitr 
 CO inllrii'^ and teach oihciSj than to be in(lrt!<^e<| and re- 
 Ciivr i .ririsilion ourfidves, 2. That it is both (in fid and 
 fl» in'letu'l trt-teacb mhers the right wjv, and to go hi the 
 'h'4..nip'mirf'!vcs. It is a doid)le fault in a private peift^n, 
 wiirn hi» acTi.'.'i:^ rtincrcfs tolti^ p:ofr(?ion ; but it iy jii'x-- 
 itjfwL'lc, if net ail unpartionable fuuli in a ttaclicr, whui 
 
 the crimes which he condemns- in otlu-rs, may be juHIv 
 charj',cd upon hjoifelf: 7/"/« tl'ot iKichcft ano/her, leacheft 
 0:m nil thyffi/? •}• That the name of God fufFers much, 
 very much i ye?,, jjy none f» much as thofe whq preach 
 sndpVersihfdtiticsof ChriRianity upon others, but praflife 
 them not thciTirelvcs. The name of ff^ J-ird^is I'lajj'hnnfd 
 by.fuch preachers, the w ickcd profane v'oild iakingoccalion 
 from thence t^ wound the name of Gotl with'tjic poiRincd 
 arrows and darts of reproach. The fins of teachers are 
 teachinj4 fins. True, fin, ftriilly fpcaking, cai;not injure 
 tVc, nanic and plcry of God : He is above the reach of any 
 mifchi'.f tbat liii can do him : \\h cfTtntial glory is ntrftift 
 and cm neither be increafed or diminiHitd by the t reatures : 
 God cannot no more be hurt by our finf, than thcruncan be 
 hurt by ihrowiug Kouds into the air, or the tnogn hurt by 
 the baikiiii,' of dot;s. J3ut hi? m3t:iifcltativc y\'ir\,ct iIh; 
 pn-fent m inifcftations of his pbry, thiTc areiloiided an<l 
 cclip{i;d by fin ; am! thtrcfure God will di-y| v<ith kii()win;> 
 (inncrs, efpeciullv with fiich as luulertake to be lead en oi 
 others, as with tliofuihai hwc. Un/phetnedUs )i/itrie,\\n\mi.k'i 
 hii^ttry, trampled irpon.hR honopr, and caufcd his holy 
 wnysto bo evil fpokcn of, by xtafon of their wicked and 
 iiohojy li^xs. Lord, let pli ifiat adminifter, unto thee in 
 holy thitijiS confidcr, that they have not oniy their own iin« 
 to accoimt for, but alfo the (ins of their pccple, if commit- 
 ted by their proliigatc cxamjjie. 
 
 eg Forcircumcifionveiily proflteth, il'tlibukccn 
 the law ; but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy 
 cirrumcifiot^ is made uiK^ii-cumdfipn. 26 ITiereforc 
 if tho uncircumcifion keep tKo riiJiteoaliif fs of the 
 law, (hall not his uncitcumcilion be counn.-d for cir- 
 •cumcilVon ? 27 And (hal! tw)tuncircutncifion which, 
 is by nature, if it fuHil rhelaw.jndg.-? thee, who by 
 the letter .'tnd circamcilion doft tranigrefs the law? 
 
 It is fuiTiclently known vhat great (>refs the Jews hitl 
 lipon circurncirion J they taught, "that this alone wascnoutdi 
 to procure the favoiir o( (Kxl, and to (roe ti-.em from hell : 
 " God havin^^, as 1 hey fuld, promifcd Atiraha.-n, that if his 
 children tfanfgreii'c-d, he wooUl rt-membcr the (Klour of the 
 
 never free (iiem from condemnation : '/'hat a drcumcifrd 
 Jew, who walks not in obalience to \hs lawof God, is in 
 OS bad, or worfe condiiion, than anvunclrcunlcired heathen ; 
 'yc;i, the unarmmcijhi, that U, iTie uncirciir.ciftd perltn 
 tlj^t ^fcc/'j //v /rtjc, Ihall be accepted of God, as v, ell as if 
 lie had been circonicilcd ; and. ()e preferred by Gixl before 
 thecircumcifcd Jow ihat tranf^re.'icd the law'. The ium 
 i", that the tibtdicnt Gentile (li.dl condemn the diidbcdisnt 
 Jew, ai^.d b;.' faoner accepiei! by Vn4, with whom th.crc is 
 no refp'.ft of peffoHt, but wi.liurpiftof their qualifica- 
 tions; Tiiat tiocUurch-p4ivi!e5e>i, no external prerogatives 
 n.r the hij^k-U protVlii-^n of piny a«d holinefs, without an 
 huiiibr-.'. ludfortn, an-! lWereoU>di,oce. uiil be any ihin^ 
 nvaijpi.ilt ti) Jalvaucn; And, ^s thci:. an imcircu'mcif^d 
 GviUile fcMUxUK-Tter aeceptanii\ wi;!: God. than any cir- 
 cumcifv-d J:w, e.eh fo, sk L'V.bspiJzcd hca'hcii, at the 
 3 ^ ^ grea 
 
54.* 
 
 ROMAN S. 
 
 CfTAP. ni. 
 
 great day will not change rl'>« with many baptized dutf- 
 tians It is a f-.-.d, buta certain irutli, that the cafe of the 
 Pagan world will be inuch eafitr in the day of jiidgmerif, 
 than cth-rs that live and die 'lifobcdient tinder the (^n|pt-I 
 of Jcfiis Chrill. The heathens have but abi;rcd one talent, 
 the lirh/ ofnaliire ; hut Ave thoiifands, even as mnny ihou- 
 fmds as we have fliglfd the tenders of offered cracc: 
 I.frd, what a fearful aj;_t.'ravation doth Ft put upon otir fih 
 andmifcrv! We mult certjinly be accountal le to thee at 
 'the great day, not onlv i<»r all the light we had, but for 3II 
 that we minht have had in the gofpel-day ; and cfpLcially 
 for that light we have finned anller, and rebelled againft. 
 
 28 For he is not a Jew ivhich is one outwardly ; 
 neither is that circuuicifion which is outwardly in 
 theflefti: 29 But he h a Jen-, which is oae in- 
 wardly : and circumcifion is that of the heart, in the 
 fpirit, a->ul not in the letter; whole prail'e is not of 
 men, but of Cod. 
 
 Here our aportle conies clofe and home to the feff-confi'- 
 dent Jew;, and touches them in t'le moft fcnfibTe tjart. It 
 Tvas the hardefl faying that could found in a Jewirti ear, to 
 atlirm, that circu?nciJton whicb is outivard in the fef}, pro- 
 fiteth notiung; for they fo gloried in it, that they accounted 
 it equal tothe keeping of all the commandments of God: 
 Now otjr apodk here takes away the very foundation of 
 this their boafting and gloryint;, by a plain and true didinc- 
 fton. There is," faith lie, a Jew outiuardly, that only has 
 the badge of circumcifion in h»s flcih. Now he fs n'J a 
 Jeiv in God"s account, who is only fo by outward circum- 
 cifion; ntiiher is that circimicifion valuable or available, 
 which is only outward in the flcih ; b«t then there is a Jnc, 
 tuhits one inxcard'y^ namely, by the purification of i.is 
 heart from all fifthy iufls, evil affcclions, and finful difpo- 
 fition«, and a ci rcanajiori of lie heart, nml tn the ffrnt; 
 fhit is, a circumcifion wrought in vs by the Spirit ot God, 
 and not barely by the letter of the Taw: And the praiff of 
 this is not of men, who canMOt difccrn the he;irt, but of Grxr, 
 wh© is the fearchcr of the heart, and trier of the rein^. 
 Learn hence. That although men are very prone to refV 
 j.pon church privileges and~external performances, js evi- 
 4li.nccs of divine favour, yet they are no teftimonies or flfns 
 fcf tiie truth of grace. What circumcifion, facrifices, and 
 the temple were tothe Jews of oTd, the fame are bapiifm, 
 the I.ord's fuppcr, and pnblic alfcmblks to proft/Hng 
 Chriiiiars at this dav. And as the Jews rtftcd m .hofe 
 externals, without eying Chrift in them, wiihout dcfiing 
 »o derive hcl in tfs and fanftificaticn fioni thcmr In like 
 riannfr, multiiudes of piofeiTurs fet up their reft in oul- 
 •«ar<l duties, and repofe a flcfldy carnal confidence^ in mnW- 
 Hpnces, without tiihcr defiring of, or endeavouring after 
 l»ry lively communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
 in the extrcife of faith and love, without any rc,«2rd to 
 fpiritual warmth in rcligiousduties, and beingby ordinances 
 rendered more like to the God of the ordinances, which 
 ore the iv.cft defirable things next to hcavtn itftlf. So ihat 
 I n;:II conclude the chapter wiih the fame application to 
 Chri!'i.jns now, as tie apolUc did to the Jews then: Cir- 
 *(^«.v/;.«,faiihtbc .ifodli-, f^;7/y /r«//f//>, // thou keep tit 
 
 law \ hilt if thou he a hrraier cf tie Inw, thy eireumclfi-.rt k 
 McJe iindrctlmnjion: For It ii nit a yew whith it one cut- 
 ivanily, &c. In like manner, fay I, " Bnpiifm verily pro- 
 ^itih, if wc perform the conditions cf that covenant, uhich 
 we entered ii\to hy baptiftn ;, but if wx do not, baptifm is 
 no baptifni : 'for ht; is not a Chriftian, who is one out- 
 wardly ; nor is that baptifm.'which is outward in tfe flcfli; 
 but he is a Chriftlan, w-liiih rs one inwardly, and btpiifm- 
 is that of the heart, in the fpirit. and not in water <jiily ; 
 aiid fuch fliall have praife, if ndt of notn, yet of God." 
 
 CHAP. itr. ^ 
 
 Oier apoflk in this chapttr proceeds in his grand dejiqn ard 
 pirpnfi in writing l/us epif^i'e : He anfx<ers the 
 of the Je^vs ffgainjl what ht ajfcrtcd in the j ^ j 
 chapl'.r ; and thejirji cbjechcn runs thus : 
 
 WHAT advantage then hath the Jetv ? or what 
 profit is there of circumcifion? 2 Much 
 everyway: chiefly, becaufe that unto them we#^ 
 committed the oracles of God. 
 
 The fenfe is this : But you of the Jews will objccl snd 
 fay, " If outward circumcifion avails tiothing, but the in- 
 ward circumcifion is all in all ; and if the uncircumcillil 
 perfon, keeping the law, is to be reckoned as circirmcifiil 
 what advantage then hath the jfeiv above the GeniiJe, or 
 what profit is there of the etreume[/itn above utidrcumcifan ? 
 fie anfvversit, vcr, 2. faying. The advantage ii much iverj 
 way; but chiefly, becaufe unto them were ccn:ihllted the 
 cracks of God : That is, the holy fcripti;res contained in 
 the Old Teflament, the fr.cram.enis and feals of the cove- 
 nant, the prophecies and promifcs of the Mefliah, and the 
 whole revelaiiin of the word and will of God, were then 
 found wiih ihcni, and in their hands only. Hence learn, 
 I. Great is that pec pie's privilege and mercy, who enjoy 
 the worci of G(k1, the audible word in the holy fcriptures, 
 the vifible word in the holy facraments. This enlighreneih 
 the eyes,.reJGiceth the heart, quichcnelh the fold. This is 
 compared to gold for profit; t'^ honey for fwcetnefs,.to milk 
 for nouiifliing, to food for ihcngilicning. G how mrry 
 l(>u!s arcbleiling God eternally for the benefit, and bltljing 
 of divine revelation ! The Jews had this fpccial favour, 
 to them were armnlt/ed the cracks of Cod: tlut is, the wiit- 
 irgs of Mefes and the prophets. But w c Chridians have 
 a privilege Kyond them, the docliine of Jefu.<i- delivered to 
 us by evungclifts and r.pi>Illes ; not like the .\iiiirivr Jtttcr of 
 the law, but a gof[)el bringing life and imni(~ri;dify to light. 
 :. The title which St. Paid gives to the holy fcriptures ; 
 he calls them the oraclgs of Cod. St. Stephen calls thtm 
 the lively oracles. Ads vii. 38. partly becaufe delivered by 
 a lively voice from God, partly btcaufe ihey fliould be, to 
 us asi;rw<7<-j ; that is, confulieil wi:h. upon all occafinn', 
 for refohing all doubts, determining all conlrovcrfics. Had 
 the church of Rome coiifiiltcd thcfe oiacjes more, and 
 councils, c'^c. leis, liie had kept ilic dodlrinc cf .faith much 
 freer from com'p ion thar the ha? dtuic. L^tly. I hat the 
 original word, hpre rendered coracles, is the fame which pro- 
 fane wretches made ufc of for the da:k .und doubtlul 
 
 oraclta 
 
CttA?. Hit 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 549 
 
 ©racks of the devil ; Ncvcrthdcff, tl.c HdyGhoft doili not" 
 tiiuiain, nor decline, to tr.akc- uTe of this word, as he a! To 
 doth fever:;! others, though abiifsd to her'henifh fiiperfli- 
 tien ; wliUch inav ftrve to'rtflify thctrn-.iftaRe, nhofcniple 
 to ir.:I:e ufe cfftjine vords, rrmch more of fume things 
 ■*v!iich have been abufedto fiipeffliiii^h. Verily, there may 
 be fi. perdition in avoitlincr fcpeiftirion ; and rTioiigh we 
 caiinnt be too circiimrped in owrwords and'a^lirns, yet we 
 mny be too nice and precife in ba-h. Yet, notd That 
 though the fame word, Atv.*, fignifies G'vl's ora.'<'S and 
 Satan s, yet thefc oracles were not dcli\ Ted in the fume 
 
 «unncr : Satan dslivering his oracl;:s air.bij;»oiinv, :.()d 
 •nbilidiy, kteping his dark and blind votaric s as much. as 
 niiju be inthedaik; what he faid might bear fcvcral 
 C(>ni1rii«"lions, that fo, whatever the event or iiTue proved 
 to be, he the father of lies, might have the reputation of 
 fpeaking truth : Hut God's oracles are phiin and cltar, 
 free itom aInbi^;uity and darkncfs ; the fcriptiircs are not 
 ckirk, thoiieh fjme places arodiilicult, and that proceeds 
 from the kiblimityof the laattcr, not from the intemion of 
 the writer. 
 
 3 For what if fonic did notbrlicve ? (hall their 
 unbelief make tjie faith of God without ciTea ? 4 
 God forbid. Yea, let God be true, but every man 
 a liar; as it is written.That thou mtghteft be juftiri- 
 fed in thy fayings, and mightctt overcome when thou 
 art judged. 
 
 Here foiTows a fecond objeaion : Some mitht fay, 
 «' True, the J6ws had the oracles of God. but fr.me of 
 them never believed them, nor gave any credit to the pro- 
 mife ot the Mcflinj contained in them ; therefore, they had 
 no advantage by ihcm." Be ir fo f.-ith the apnn.Ic : yei' fhall 
 the unbelief of fome make the faith or fidelity of ' G- ! it 
 his promifes, of no cffca to others r Godf:rhid! that fch 
 a thought fhotild enter info our hearts: Prt .'>n the con- 
 trary, let God be acknowledged /rw and f=iihfnl to his 
 X'ord though all men llnrild p-ovc Uan. Leirn thence. 
 1 . 1 hat man's infidelity cannot fhnke the ftability of Gcd's 
 wpid, whether we believe the fidelity of the oromifcs, or 
 afJent to the veracity of God in his thre.!tenin<Ts, or not • 
 hx^i^ir.i llar.deth fli forever. The promife f]i.,ir be fuf! 
 filled,, the threatening executed ; only with this difFcrcnce 
 we cannot perfonally fir.d the comfort of the promife with- 
 oiit faith, but we (hall experimentally feel the tcrxor of the 
 ithrcatenmr^, whether we bili-.ve it or no. 2. The wond'-r- 
 tol condefccndit.g -race of God towards thofe who have 
 any meafi-res of true faith, though with -reat mixture's of 
 unbelief- Ohow faithful is God to us fif in truth believers) 
 in the midlt of our iinfr.ithfidnefs to hiin ! the iinbdief of 
 met! fhall not make the fidelity or fniih ofG^ cf ncm effc^. 
 3_. I hat as God is a God of truth, fo all men arc falfe and 
 lurs, compared with God : As God cannot lie neither <te- 
 ceive. nor be decdvcd, fo every man is falliable and fnlf ; 
 that H-, under a po/nbi'ify of deceiving and beint' J. t. iiTti. 
 Let \j:dbe true; aid even nuni a liar. 4. Th t' ' ,' ir.en 
 under afiliaicns, is very caicful to juftify and ^^^y God 
 tromdculingunjufny with him in any of hi.sfeveref»di''ocn- 
 faiions towards hLru nie apoftle here quotes Pfal. li. 4. 
 
 That thou mightej} tt juftified in tfy fayings, tud c'.car uhen 
 then art judged. As if David ha<I faid, " I know ihe men 
 cf the world, when they fee me affliacd, will be ready to 
 judge haidly of God for it ; therefore to (top their mouths 
 to clear the jiiflicc of God, that he may overcome, uheu 
 fic is judged for dealing ri.'^oroiiny with me, I Jo fr ely 
 conftfs my fin unto him, with all the ajjgrava'iiig ciivuhk 
 fiances of it, that all the wot Id may jiiftily him, how prrat 
 foever my fiifTcrincrs ir.ay be from him." A child of Ck.<(, 
 under the rfxl of God, defi'res nothing more than to juilit/ 
 him in all his fevercft dealings with, atiU difpenfaiions to- 
 wards him. 
 
 5 But if our unrighteoufnefs commend the ri^h- 
 teoufnefs of God, what we ftiall we fay ? Is God 
 unrighteous whotaketh vengeance ? (I fpeak as a 
 man.) 6 God forbid: for then how Ihall Cod 
 judge the world? 
 
 A third objeaion here followeth : namely, "That if the 
 imrightcoufncfsof men, that is, both of Jews and Gentiles, 
 tends fo vilibly to commend, that is, to ilhdhate and recom- 
 mend the rii;hteournefsof God, namely, his wifdcm. grace, 
 and favour, in appointing this way of julUlication by faith 
 in Chrift ; how can it be right in Go<l to punilh them for 
 this unrighteoufnefs, which tends fo highly to illuflratc the 
 glorv of his gofpel-grace r" The apoftle tells u.«, that in 
 m:.king his objeaion, /'^//^^/■^ <•;( a- ;«««, that is, as natiu-l 
 snd carnal men are ready to think and fpeak : But, fays he 
 fiod forbid that we fliould entertain fuch a thought, as if 
 Gotl either were, or could be unrighteous ; fir then hczv 
 Jhould God judge the world, for- their unrighteoufnefs ? 
 I.efirnhenct, i. That although the imrighteoufnefs and 
 vi.-kednefs of men be ovcr-rnled by God, to fubferve the 
 purpofes cf his glory ; vet is Godjud in punifhing all un- 
 righteoufnefs and wickcdnefs ^vh■atfocver. God is never 
 intcntionly, but is fomeiimcs accidentally glorified by the 
 fin of man. There never was fuch an hcUifh wickcdr.efs 
 committed, as-crncifving Chriil ; nothing, by v\hich G<.<l 
 ever reaped ' greater glory, than by the death of his Son; 
 Yet is the wrath of God come upon the Jews to the 
 u'mofi, and that mofl juftlv, for their com.miiiing of that 
 wickednefs. 2. That the righteous God neither doth, 
 nor can do any iniquity or unrightecufntjfs whatfovcr ; Is 
 Cod unrigheoitsfs f' Hczv then JIjoU Gcd judge tie zvcrld ? 
 God iy judge of all the world, and cannot but do rioht ; 
 becni'f; the tmivrfality of his pow-^r puts him above all 
 pof^bili'v of error in t^-c exercife of hi.s pov,'cr. The very 
 reafiin \vhv God canr''t exercife his power bcyciiid the 
 limits of juftice, becaufc his power is altogether imlin)iitci; 
 he can do whatfocver he will do ; and wliatfoever he will 
 do, is for that reafon ji'fl : Sijall nil the v.<J7e 0/ ail lie ear:h 
 d: right ? 
 
 7 For if the truth of Cod hn.i iiuire abounded 
 through my iife unto his glory, v.hy yet am I alio 
 judged as a fmner.-' 8 .A.nd not rati\er, as we be 
 flandcrcufly reported, and as fome affirm that we 
 fay, Let u*; do evil that ^ood muy come 1 whofe 
 damnation is juft. 
 
 We 
 
i?A» 
 
 11 OMAN S. 
 
 Chap. ni. 
 
 Wc miifl by no means iindcrriunii the!';, word^ as Tpokcn 
 bv thr :ipoflle liitnfclf in his' own namf, asit' he had t<Md 
 li'.s fnf'iijiliol'liii;^ olrhr inith ; awl that the truth of (iod 
 ImtJ {iWoiiii'lfd to the etory of GckI through his lies ; but 
 he-fj^iak'! in the j'li-Mon of a nrofane objec^er. Tl:us 
 tune man 'as If ihcapodle had faidj tray pofTibly |)lcad 
 ♦'•r'lii.-i (in : '• '1 ho truth ofGtni hath gaiiicd throiigii my 
 lio ; the f.mhfi!hicfn of (iod is made more manifcft by the 
 «infaiiliftilniTs<il inut ; tlicrrforc, whvflio'.ild I be judged 
 ?nd n>ndinin:d as ii fnirn r, when the i^Iorv of <jod will 
 •fhinv m<irc4)rif;ht iijKKi the occa!i"n of my (In ? The free 
 ( raic of (jiKJ difcoviTLiI in tiic gol'pel, will be inanifcftcd, 
 (ay fomc, and magiiihrd in the pardoning of fin ; let us 
 ihertfoic (in our hll, that the immcafurablcncis of divine 
 gooihitTs liwy appear, and the abumiaiice of pardoning 
 mercy may yhonnd," The apolUe rcjctls this doAlrJno 
 find pra(.'licV, of doing evil that good may comc, with the 
 grcatcll ubliorrcni-y and mmofl d(.tc!\a»)on, atTiriiviigi that 
 'ihcir damnation is jiili, wliociilterfaitcn this do»9rinc rnxul 
 the apoP.lcs. or affirm it ihcfiiftlve?. Le(jrn hence, That 
 no pcrfon miift advetjturc to thf Icaft of evils.; no, not 
 for the fukc of thegreatcft good. True, Almighty 'God 
 can brinjj good out of evil, by the fa-Tie word of hii! power, 
 by which he brought light out of darkt'.cf?, ami fonu-ihin^r 
 out of nothing ; but to do rcaiHIy c-\i! -for the (alio of ob- 
 taining the grcattll good, is dangefoiifi aqd damnable. Sin, 
 ,or il'.at which i:; nnfu!,.on^ht not to be chofen, whatever 
 wechiife. :». That noth.ir.g is more jiift ami righteous 
 ihan their (iaranation, who^v.'ili'adyeritUJiP to.dotvil ilwt 
 j;ootl msy come : . A goodiatetitlon will not cxcufe, never 
 juOify a bad a^lion in the fight of '-tioLl : fie v. ill coiidemn 
 evil doers, though th<y do evil that ^otni nmy conic, .j. 
 That the oportle pronounces their damnation juft, wl'ola>d 
 thcfc.ll.tndcis to theapolUc's charge, r.s if their dotftrinc did 
 allow of this damnable pr?.dice,'fo do evil that good laight 
 come; T/.rir (h.mnathuisjuji, ul:o fhiiifinuitenvfyripirl 
 ■find affirm, that '.v! fay, L(t us do tvii, that giod nny imf> 
 Whence mfe, That .it is a jiifl thing with God to damn 
 thofe men that raife or fprc.id abiojd repojfe of his ii;i- 
 ri(k-rs doc*rir.Ci as giving liberty to !iccnti.;\!,'i prailices j 
 A'erily, the (lander of a ininjflcr's regular doctrine is inore 
 than ordinary flandcr. The original. w<:H here rendered 
 Jhmdi-r, (i^nifit.'; blafphemy ; tlic ^vord Avhith G'hI tTialc'cs 
 ufc of, to (ct forth hisown rcpro?fhesby. Behold God's 
 rtft-ntincnt of \\\% ir.iniOsi-'* wrongs \ The (liuidcr and 
 conttmnt caft upon ttir oJllice.-.nd d''iSrinc,is eileemi'd blaf- 
 phtmy ta Gud'j account : As wc l<t Jlunderanjly reputed or 
 bUiJl>h(vud \ mid a<j\rt^ affirm ihtit uej'ny. Lit Uf, c\'c. 
 
 9 Wlu't then ? AK w'QhziiMt than ihj f No, in 
 no wife : for wc have before proved both Jews and 
 (Jijiitiics, tiiat they areajl under iiii; 
 
 J fere the apn.l'e flirts another objeil ion in the name of 
 the Jeu'>: Some ot thtm might fay, " Are wc not better 
 than fhcGontilcs ? Do v/c nt«t eX' el- them in oufward pti- 
 vilegts ? I.s nit- the knowledge cftlielitv found with uf, 
 . and the cr.ncle.5 of God toinniitioi to m r " True, l..y.<! tho 
 apoilK, the Jew? sre better .that) ilic (lemiles in rtlptdl of 
 ouwird dilptnfirion;, out- not in r.lb^il of inv.urd (jauli- 
 ficaiions. Juws end Geniil.s a^e a.Mkc by natur.il corrup- 
 
 tion ; alike under (in bv oflual tranfgrcflions and To lU.od 
 in need tjoth alike of jurtihcaiion bv fuiih ; and the gofpcl- 
 r'ghteoufncfji is no Itrf* nccednry tonhc one, xhvi. lo, the 
 other. To prove what he had faid, rarT''.',,'!'! . : tl^e 
 whole rjcc of mar.lcind, both k^w tmd < .r 
 
 iin, and void ai nil true rit;nt'-og(nei. ^: , ..:.A 
 
 conl'equently (landing in reed equally ol lon bi' 
 
 Chrilti the opolllc prwlucch fevcral tt»it< ... m liie OIJ 
 Tcltunicnt, and particularly out of the xivfh Pi'alin, v/hich 
 fpcaks lully of the original corruption, and univcrfal depra- 
 vation of all niankiinl in ihcfoJlowinq; word.'-. ' . 
 
 10 As jtis written, Tbert is-honc righteous,-^ 
 not one ; :t Thore -is .non(^ th<it under nandcch; 
 .theri^ is none that fccJtcth after God. 1 2 Xhcy are 
 ^one out of the way, they are together become 
 unprofitable, there is now: that docih ^nod, no not 
 -one. •13 Their throat iu an open (cpulclire; with 
 •their tongues they have-uf'td cleedt ; -the poifon of 
 tiCps is under their lips ; -44 Who! ', is full of 
 
 curliu.ii.tndbiit.iml'.. jr, 'I'hci- (wift to** 
 
 "fhed blood. 16 Ucftru^i(*>n and mifcryarf in their 
 ■^vays. 17 And ihc wity of pe.ice lip.vc they not 
 known. aSfi'here i;. no fear of God before their eyes. 
 
 W/m'/tcre, How'tte apblli'e pj-pve* his iiiT.-ri.ipri, 
 
 • nann^y, That bi^th 'Tew and Genti!? \wrc up'! '■'.'. 
 
 both o! (iri^inal ar.d ii'vtual irnnlgrcffion, fronYt!;, .,' 
 
 .trt-Drtvid, iTiiim xiv. whci-e the .fl.itt oftort^pt nnmre U 
 
 'defcribedv jmd the namial condh;, r, rial! n-cil.'dtcla/ediHl 
 
 they arc cithcj rcfl rained Or 1 the grace ofGodj. 
 
 7/vrr is "'nc rk' "- ,, j.jch words are true 
 
 In feveral refpe, '-n-o-ifirally ri{,hieou;, 
 
 no not otie ! m ;n.' : -1, ti dr firlt'plant'atiou in iVo 
 
 Wu:Id umi! they ar ittd ii^to li t l-idy cf Uhrift, 
 
 ■wrought and. tafMon.a i), li/iKly Sfisit. .2. Thrrcji 
 none cfliciwitly ritihtcoo;,; i-... not one: .I'^ofteJtave fl;jt;.lnc. 
 oufnclsot their own mukiiig but of Geil's. • Tbo rlghit- 
 oMi'nefs of juilificstion stul r;!ru.^ii5taiion .arc both fnyn 
 Chtifi, not from t urdlvcs ; we »re liis vvoi4;m;iniliip, not 
 ourown. 3. There is iK^ie tp.eri'.oiiouily ri!ji!ieou>, no 
 .not one; none can dtfefvc or densund iiny tl.ijij; a;, a due 
 debt at God's hand \ but t.he. moll riuhtcous and holy fail's 
 are but unnrcMti-.M-.' fcrv^nts, 4, There is. rxae reifcaiy 
 and complete!;, riM,hieti;c, m not cnc ; hut iiKhogtivtly 
 only; None rit'.liicoiis in a ((lift ami legal fenfc. but in jk 
 ^oipcl and qua'ificri Rule tndy : Hi tint .di.th rlgl ttivMt 
 »V«if/i'?s.'a, i/> i|;c accom-.iofGod i and, os fitch, (hall be 
 accented and rewarded by 'him. -Ohjnvt^ 3. How the 
 apoltic provti tho ccrrupiion of maiikilid in general, by im 
 ii'duction of p;ir;iodars. He furvcy.s him in .lil rhipiw- 
 Cipal faeultie.sof iiis. foul, and mcmbervS of hi.>- body ; bit 
 UJ)'itf('tandir.g, will, and alfvftious^ hiseje, hand, lungtw, 
 and J,:-.t, all corrupted and deprav€<l.: ?>«> m^lhii Ml 
 9j\i'rjtiig, and bitter fpecchts j 1 liiir ihrtul ii vh ipftijf. 
 fuid.n-e, gaping atier, and dcvouriuji the go >d name oV thiir 
 neighbour-, and bckhina otit fihiiy, ill-tlcnied, and un* 
 favourv ^^ou:s agitinrt them. Thty Jtrk mi €td in any 
 thing they de, and thre ii n» fur rf OW, no tzii^U\ of 
 
 " GuJ 
 
GiiAP. nr. 
 
 R O MA' N S. 
 
 55 «- 
 
 GoA befcn their eyes. The apoflic fhuts up all with this, 
 bccaufc want of'the fear of God b-.-fore our eyes, is the 
 fountain from whence all other evils do proceed and flov/. 
 The fear of God is the bridle and curb which rcftrains from, 
 fin; where that is wanting, all iniquity abounds : where 
 that is prcfentpnd prevalent, ii keeps the foul clofe to G x), 
 Jcr. xxxii. 32. I -luill put ir.y fenr in their hsarh, and tixy 
 Jhall K'JiIepnrl/romme. V/c ufualiy depart far, yea, run 
 from tliofe wc fear ; but ihe true fear ofGod will make iis 
 eleive clofe unto him, bccaufe love is intermixed wiili it 
 and renders it a delightful fear. 
 
 ^ 19 Now we know, that what things foever the 
 law faith, it faith to them wlio are under the law : 
 that every mouth may be Ropped, and. all tiic world 
 may become guilty before God. 
 
 Kcle here, Left the Jews (hould think to elude or evade 
 the force of the foregoing tcftimonies ccncerr.iiig man's 
 corruption and depravation, as not bs-ljnging to iiiem, but 
 to the Gentiles only ; he tells them, that what the law, 
 that is, tile books of ihc OKI Tdbment, do thus fny, it 
 fays /» thofe that are under the law : that is, to thofc that 
 are fubjedsof it, and' obliged by it ; to fuch as arc under 
 the inftrudion and direition of it, as the Jews ^re known 
 to be ; and if fo, then every mouth tnujl hef::pped ; Jew and 
 Gentile both inullown ilumfelves, before Go^'., obii'xious 
 to his wrath,, without bting able to fay any thin;: for '.hcm- 
 felves. Zr^/V7 hence. That the holy bw "of God brings 
 fuch plain evidence anilconviftioa with it, that no man 
 can have awordtofpeak a^ainltft:. Whtn Goil fprcads 
 before men the purity of his laws, and the impiety ct their 
 own live?, every man mud (iv down filent, and lay his hand 
 upon his moMih, not having one word to objcQ; why 
 fentencc (hould not be cxccuied, becaufe they luvc ail 
 tranfgreiTcd.. 
 
 20 Therefore hv the dcedsof the law there fhall 
 no flcfh be juftifiedin his fight. For by the law is 
 the knowledge of fin.. 
 
 Wt::Tt we have St. Paul's concltifion drawn from all tke 
 foregoing preir.ifi's: " Seeing all mankind, fince the fall 
 are df fab led, by their innate corruption, and aclual tranf-- 
 greffion to fulfil the law, either natural or written , it muft 
 . neccfTarily follow, that hy ti?e Wiris of the law can no fi:jh, 
 -■that is, no peifon,. neither Jew or Gentile, he jujli fie d be- 
 fore Qi:d\ all the efficacy which the la\v now has, being 
 todifcover fin, and concleinn for finning : By the law is the 
 In'.-.vledgeiffm.. By the law we apprehend our malady, 
 but by the go-pel We iinderftand out rcmcly. " Learn 
 hence, That no fon of AdaiTi,.fincc the breach of the law, 
 can iVand judified before God by. hi? bcft obedience to the 
 command* of the law : By being j-.iftificd,- undcrftand that 
 gracious aft in G.id, whereby we are acquitted, and finally 
 flifcharged from I he guilt and punifhmem »f all our fins.. 
 By the law, and the dt-eds of ilic \x:<, we arc to und.rftand 
 ceremoni;;l and moral law bo'h, efpecially tlie latter ; for 
 by thj mor.-'llaw, is the knowledge o; fin: It s the moral 
 law that forbids thetf, adultery, &c. Befides, it is evident, 
 riia: tJie aualhelis. or oppolition, runs all along, not between 
 
 cereironfal wrrks, antf moral works, \t\A between works in 
 general, and faith-: The law 0/ works, and the law of faith 
 are oppofcd to each other, ver. 27. But why can no fefij, 
 that is, no pcrfon, he juflif.ed hy the deeds of the law. Anf, 
 I. Becaufe he is fle(h, tlut is, depraved hy original corrup- 
 tion, and obnoximis to trie cuifc of the Ir.w, by r.iDtial 
 i/anfgrcfiion. Now, that which condi inns, c:;nnot judify : 
 An after obedience to the law can never atone lor a furmer 
 difobedience. 2. Becaufe the bed obedience wc can per- 
 form to the law, is irr,])crfecl. Now,, he that mixes hut 
 one fin with a thoufand good works, can never be judificd 
 Uy his works* He that wculd bejudificd hyhiswoik'^, 
 mud not have one bad work amoiigft alt his good work.s 
 for that one will by him under thecurfc and conderrnatory 
 fcntencc of law ; Gal. iii, 10. Qirjed is mtryone ihnt con~ 
 tiiiueth not, &c. Notliing that is impeFfefi: can be a 
 ground of a jnfiification before God, becaufe the defigns of 
 Gi.>d is to exalt hisjudice, as well as his mercy, in the 
 juftification of a finiier. Again, 3. No fiefii can be judrficd' 
 by the works of the law, becaufe all that we do, or can do,, 
 is a due debt which wc owe to the law : We owe all peif- 
 fiblc obedience to the law as creattircs ; and by performing^ 
 our obligation as creatures, we can never pay our debts ay 
 fru.ifgrcfrors. But now, our fiirety, Chrid Jefus, who has- 
 given fatisfadticn for our violation of the. law, was under 
 no obligation to the law, but what he vohintarily laid him- 
 felf under upon oitr account. . Alid if fo, let us eternally 
 blcfs God with ;hc highed elevation of foul for the gofpd- 
 rcvel.ition, fur lis fcinling his own Son to juflif)- and lave 
 us, by working; out a compleat and everlading righteouf-' 
 nefs ; And let us ple.id with him inccifantlyiliir the jndify- 
 ing faith, which is as nccedary in its place as the death of 
 Chrid. One renders God reconcilable unto poor finners, 
 the other attually reconciled., 
 
 21 But now the righteoufnefs of Godwithout the 
 law is manifefled, being witneffed by tlie law and 
 theproplicts; 22 Even the righteoufnefs of God n;A/(4 
 is by faithof Jefus ChriR unto all and upon all them 
 that believe. For there is no difference. 23 For all 
 have finned; and come fliort of the glory of God ; 
 
 Our apodic having proved negstively, that by the wo-.ks 
 of the lav.'; righteoufnefs and jultificaiion is not to be had 
 for any pcrfon,- be he Jew or Gentile : He comes now to 
 prove the afHrniative part cf his afieriion ; narntly, tlut 
 God haih manifeded another way of judification in the 
 gofpel, to \\ it, hy faiih in Jefus Chrid. " .For, iivh 
 he, now, that is, fince the coming of Chrid, fince tl^e 
 difpcnfation of the gofpel : the right ccufuji if God, th'...t 
 is, the righteoufnefs v. hich God appoints,, approves, and 
 accepts for a finner's judifkation; is without trjc law, that, 
 is,. without performing the works of the law, tidier natural 
 ceremoni.al, or moral :.- and is manifeded to be the lighte- 
 oufncfs whicliis by faith in Chriit : which all that believe 
 and obey the golpeii ftiall be admitted to the participation 
 of both Jew and Gentile : for there is no difference ; that 
 is, no difference between Jew and Gentile, as the way 
 nnd means of their judification.'' And the reafon alligned. 
 by the apodle, why there is, and can be, no other way of 
 
 judifi'.aaoa. 
 
5^* 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 ClIAP. Ilf. 
 
 juftiCcation bu> (his> wclijvc in thcnext verfe, namely, 
 bite^ all hiivtfinnc^t the wjiolc mcc of mankind, not cue 
 mere, nun excepted : qnci lb will fall fliort of obtaining tkt 
 glory of Goii, aiui eiernal life, if they fctk it not in this way. 
 Learn heqcv'j Ir Th^t there is no ftaniling "or ajipcaring 
 I'^foK Go^ for any ereaturc, in a crcaUircs unrightroufnefs. 
 There is nuich unrinhteouuuTs in our rightecufnefs, and 
 therefore wc cjir.not Hand jii.'tificd before God. Befidcs, 
 the wifj'jm of (jtvl has appointed another righteoufnefs, or 
 the rii^htcoufncfs of another, even the righteoufnefs of Jufus 
 Chrift, io flar)<i jbefyre him in ; But mw the righttoufncfs 
 ef Cotl it manifcfied, even the ri^htempiefs c/GaJ which ii 
 hy faith in Je/iis Chriji. 1. The necellity and excellency 
 <>f faith ; the righieoufntjs of God in unto all, end upon all 
 that helicx'e : Faith is the band of union, the inflmmcnt of 
 our jnnilication, the fpring of our confolation ; Beiiit^ jujli- 
 ficdbs faith ijue have peau 'm':iIi God, Roin. v. i. Render 
 we then unto faith the ihinj^s which are faith's, as well as 
 *nifo Chrift the things which are CliriiVs. 3. That in 
 xeferrencc t«>, or tn rcfpcil of our judilication before God, 
 there Is n(j uiiTcrcnce anions; believers, verfe 22. For there is 
 ttodifferevce ■, tljat is, no difference as to the way of judi- 
 ca;i?>n, between Jew and (Jeuiile, male and female, bond 
 £nd free ; but' all, ■wiihout the righteoufnefs of fail h in 
 Xlhrift, imift die, and be dnmned to all eternity. There 
 is nov/ a difference amcngfl belicvcvs, with refpecft to their 
 degrees of fancf ification, anil with rcfpecl to tk^ir nicafures 
 pf confolation, and will be hereafter, with rcfpecl to their 
 degrees of glorificatioH. Some faints have more grace and 
 con^fort on eanh, and fiiall have higher degrees of glory 
 in heaven, than others ; but she juftification of ail believers 
 is^ alike. There is the fame fin to ail, not for mcafure 
 and degree, but in rtfpeiS of guilt and obligation to punifii- 
 nicii'. There is the fame price paid by way of faiisfa<Sion 
 to-diyioe jiillicc, -for, all ; namely, the death of Chr-il: 
 Tlie're is the fiimc righteoufnefs imptited to all, and tlic 
 •Spirit of holinefi imparted to all, and the fnme mrinfixons 
 of glory defi;7ned for all ; thus there is no difference. And 
 there is no dilFerencc amongfl believers, in refpcfl of truth 
 of grace, but much in refpeft of ftrength of grace ; no 
 difference amongft them in refpeft of God's promifes, but 
 much difference with refpciTt to their performances ; no 
 difFefrence in rcfpcel of Gixl's covcnnnt, but much difference 
 •inrcfpecn; of Gvd's counfcls, as a1fo in rcfpecl of Got! 's 
 'difpcnfation? ; no difference inr<-fpe6t ofGod's scrcptation 
 but iDiich in rcfpeft of their application ; no iliffcrcnce as 
 .thev are aboliy, in rcfpecl of their head, but much dif- 
 'fcrcnce as ihcv arc members of thst head. And i' there be 
 ro difference among believers (as frch) before G';d, why 
 fhould thcie bcfo.mnch 'I-.Terer.t-e amorisft themfelvc^, as 
 -tl^rc i? f/flon time's her;- in this ynld 1 You are all dear, 
 ' tvi'ily idcar V> God ; v. hv ih-'iild ycu iKrf be fc, my to ano- 
 •'llit'/? -'^hy flifuhrnnJ oht chtirch and one commmunion 
 "lie?];! ycii'ndw ?"Erc'long', perharps,- tjnc prifan may, one 
 •K;V(.a rtiaU 'ccrtauify hiMci ybti all. For there is no 
 
 '■dUfimia.-' f'-' ''"'•;• J.-;...... 
 
 1. -^ '. - ■ y \ . ■ , • . ■ J* >. . . . 
 
 : ,,• 2,{ Bcingjuilifiic^fiesiv by i)*."igracc, through the 
 
 jrdempuion that ii'in |i:ru.SiCiujill; 25 VVlusin God 
 ' hath f« foFthi<^^«'a'pi-opitiatioii, rbioiigh taith in 
 
 his blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the remif- 
 fion of fins that arc paft, through the forbearance 
 of God: 26 To declare, Jfoy, at this time, his 
 ris^hteoufners : that he might be juft, and the jnfU- 
 £cr of him which bclievethin Jefus. 
 
 Kite here, i. A glorious privilege vonchfafcd to believers 
 •which the fcripturcs cAXjii/lipcaticii, whercbv they are ju- 
 dicially acquittd and difcharged from the guilt and punifii- 
 ment of all their fins, and accounted righteous before God. 
 2. The cfTicient .caufc of our juftificafion. Ii is da thai 
 pififies ; Who caai forgive the crime, but the perfon a^ainft 
 whom we have done the wrong? 3. The moving or im- 
 pulfive caufc, namely, the free grace of God : Being j uni- 
 fied freely liy his grace. 4. 1 lie ineritoiious caufc, the 
 biood-lhedding and death of Chrifl ; through the rednr,p- 
 iicn that is in Jcfus ChriJl. 5. Tlie final caufc ; to declare 
 his righteoufiiej), not his clemency and mercy only, but his 
 jiidice and righteoufnefs, cfpecially that attribute ■\vhich 
 difpofes and inclines him to punifli fin tend finncrs. 6. 
 The inftrumental caufe of jultification, faith, IP'hcm God 
 hath Jet forth ti le a pr'jpitiaticrj, through faith ':n his hlocet, 
 .&c. Some of the pspifts, cfpcciall C-y'^/^n, and a Lapide, 
 do call fiiith caufa applicans in our jultificatioii : Verily, an 
 unapplied Chrlltjultifics none, faves none. Learn xhcncz^ 
 "*. That in order to a finner's being faved, he mufl be juf- 
 tified, that is, difcharged of, abfolvcd from, the guilt of all - 
 fin, upon the account of a complete fatisfaiRion given to 
 divine juflice for fin. 2. That not all and every finncr, 
 but only repenting and believing Cnners are juftified by 
 Gcd. 3. That when the Lord jiillifies a .believing finncr, 
 he doth it freely ; being jvjiifed Jrecly by his grace. It is 
 an afl. of inere grace ; there is m-ihing in the creature can 
 merit or dcferve it : th^ it «ci:!<: be debt and not grace. 
 4. Th.-it God's free grace andChrift's full fatisfaflirn were 
 confiilent, and b');li concurring in the believer's jut^ifica- 
 tion we arc juflihc'd frctlv by Gid's grace; yet, throjigh 
 the redLmp;ii>n tlii.it is in Chrilt Jefus ; Him hath Cod Jet 
 forth lobe a propitiation. The word prop! I 'at ion \s ^n allu- 
 fion totlie mtrcy-fcnt, which covered the ark •wherein the 
 la-ivwas; this typihed Chriil, vslio tuUy covers our fins, 
 the tranfgriflions of the law, out of God's fight. "Whfcn 
 thereforc'ihf ;;poflle faith that Godhathfet forth'Chrift to 
 be a mercy-feat to us, thnugh faith in his Ihsd ; wc ha^e 
 rea<"(.n to bcli'.ve the blood it Chrift, as our fin-offerins, 
 doth make an afoncinent for us, and. renders Gtd .propi- 
 tious to us. 5. -Diat Almighty Kjod, inthe juirific.ntion 
 of .1 believing finner, is -.not orlv gracious and nitrtitul, 
 biitjud and ri'hteous, in the muft exalted degree: To 
 declare his righteoufnefs fir the reviiffton cf fin. "Where 
 note, That the delign and end of Gtxl in c\ ;olng faia<- 
 faciion from Chiill, w as to declare his rightcci.fnefs in the 
 rcmiffion of fin; but the apoftle wotild have us take notice 
 that our j unification is aji ad of jullicc as well as mercy, 
 and that GoJ, as he isa juft Ga.l, cann-« condemn the be- 
 liever, fincc Clirill hasfaiisricJ for his iins. O bleffed 
 be Gixl ! that pardciiof fin is buiir upon thatrery altribi«tc, 
 the iiiftivc of G'>d, whi^h is fo aiFrighiin.; 'and dreadhil to 
 the ()ff';n<iiii:Jiinncr. Thisat:ributc. which fecmtd tu Oe the 
 m-oift bar a^<iin(t rerailhon, is aow Jjecoojc jJis Vfiry ground 
 "^ aid 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 and reafon why God remits. Hence faith St. John, God 
 it faithful and jup to forgive us our fins .• Faithful with 
 relpedt to his oah ])n)rnire, and jud with refpecl to his 
 Son's fatisfachu^n. Wii.i then can lay any tiling to the 
 chirge of Gotr» elect, whL-nju(tice iifclfduih juflify them > 
 Bi-holdhere the fwee: h.irniouy of the divine attributes in 
 jullifying and pardoning the belitver ! Oneattiibnre is not 
 robbed lo pay anotlier ; neither is one atiributeraifed upon 
 the ruin of another ; but juftice and mercy both triumph. 
 And well might the jnltite of God triumph, for never was 
 it thu: honoured before, to have fuch a ptrfon as the Son 
 of God ifand at itb bar, and fuch a fum as his Son's blood 
 paid down at once, byway of fdti-fdction, to its due de- 
 mands. O jrloriou5 and all «ii"e contrivance ! whereby 
 God made fofficient provifion for the reparation of his 
 honour, tor the vindication of his holinefs, and for the 
 nianifeftation of his truth and fjithfulnefs, and for the 
 prefeni conl'olation, and eternal fa!»ation of all repenting 
 and believing linners, to the end of the world. 
 
 553 
 
 27 Where i»boafting then ? It is excluded. By 
 what law ? of works ? Nay : but by the law of faith. 
 
 Theapofltles having laid down in thcforejToing verfes.the 
 nature of juftification.exaiftiy in the leveral and refpeiftive 
 caufes of it, declares in :his verfe, what is the confequent 
 of this doctrine, namely, the excluding of all felf-confidence 
 and in boafting ourfelves, or in any work done by our- 
 felves : Where is hoii/iing then f Learn ihence, That man 
 is naturally a very proud creature, prone to boalt of, and 
 glory in, any excellency, eitherrcd! or luppofed, belonging 
 to himfelf. 2. 1 hat God has taken care to give a check 
 to thi-i infolent pride of man, and to cut olK all occadon 
 of boafting from him, 1 Cor. i. 29. That no flejh Jhould 
 glory in his fight. Whilft God intended to give man glo- 
 ly, he toi>k j courfc: to cut off ail glorifying from man. 
 3. That the courle which the wifdotn of God has taken 
 to hide pride from man's eyes, and to cut off all occafion 
 of boaffing from him, is by denying him jullification by 
 his oivn word' ; and ordaining that the meritorious caz/y^ 
 of jollification (liould nt.i lie in himfelf, but In another. 
 Grace mull h.ive all the glory; not the law of work^, but 
 the law of faith juftifieth and faveth ail believers. 
 
 28 Therefore we conclude, that a man is juftificd 
 by faith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is lie the 
 God of the Jews only ? u fu not alfo of the Gen- 
 tiles ? Yes, of the Gentiles alfo: 30 Seeing zi is 
 one God which fliall juftify the circumcifion by 
 faith, anduncircumcifion through faith. 
 
 Note here, The conclufion drawn by the apoflle, from all 
 
 tl^a. he had been difcourling of, in the foregoing chapters : 
 
 namely, that God's way of jnltification of a guiltv finneris 
 
 not hy works done by him. but by faith in the Mediator 
 
 ^vho hash latisficd iht: jnftice of God by him : Therefore 
 
 'Jte condudr-, that a man is juflifitd by faith without th~ dcds 
 
 \, -"f the lavj. Learn thence 1 hat juftificatinn from onr 
 
 part fins IS by faith alone, without rcfptcl to any w rk^ of 
 
 ours, done either before or fince converfion. 2. Ho* tiie 
 
 apoQle doth extend his propolition univerfally to all forts 
 
 of perfons, Jews and Gentile?; that U, the whole race of 
 mankind ; aifirming that God will jnftify circumcifed be- 
 lievers, and uncircumcifed believers, one and the fame way, 
 even by the way of grace and faith, vcr. •50. // // one God 
 'Mhich jujiifieth, &c. Where note. The argument is drawn 
 from the unity or onenefs of God, which is not to be un- 
 derftood fo much of the unity of his cflence and nature as 
 of his will and pleafure ; yet as God is one and the fame 
 unchangeable God in his nature, fo is he as immutable in 
 his will and p'lrpofe. Having therefore determined and 
 declared /;// w^y of juftifying all finners to be one and the 
 fiine to all nations, both Jew and Gentile, even by faith 
 slone in his Son Chrift Jefus ; no other way is to be ex- 
 pected from that God who is unchangable in his purpofe. 
 Learn thence, That God's ways and method of juflifying 
 all finners, both Jews and Gentiles, great and fmall, is, 
 and ever will be the fame namely, by faith alone, without 
 works. What falfe notions foever men may entertain in 
 their minds about it, and when the pride of men has ar- 
 raigned the wifdom of God never fo much, the apoftle's 
 conclufion wiU remain like a rock unftiaken, ver. 28. 
 Therefore vie conclude, that a man. 
 
 3 1 Do we then make void the law through faith ? 
 God forbid: yea, we eftablifti the law. 
 
 hicte here. The wife and holy caution which our apoftle 
 ufcs to take away the calumny and reproach caft upon him 
 by the adyerfaries of the dodfrine of free juftification by 
 faith ; as if this would render the law of God void and 
 altogether ufelefs : Do ive then make void the la-j) rf God .• 
 As if he had faid, «' There may be thofe that will (ay fo 
 but untruly, for weeaablifli the law ; becaufe we acknow- 
 ledge, that without exacT: obedience and conformity to the 
 law, both in our natures and in our lives, as a rule of 
 living, there can be no falvation." Learn hence. That 
 the doctrine of juftificition by faith alone, doth not over- 
 throw, but eftablifl) the law. Here n-te, That it is the 
 moral, n»t ceremonial law, which the apoflic fpeaks of. 
 The ceremonial law is utterly abolilhed by the gnfpel, but 
 the moral law \% not aboliflied, but eftabl.flied by theVof- 
 pel ; or if aholifhed, it is only as covenant, not as a rule. 
 Chrift has relaxed the law in point of danger, but pot iii 
 point of duty ; for the law is holy, and jult, and good and 
 IS not difannuled, but eftabli/hed by the gofpel : Bvc.iufe 
 by liie gofpel we obtain grace, in fome me.Ture, to fulfil 
 the law, and yield a fincere obedience to it ; which for 
 the fake of Chrift's perfeft and fpotlefi obedience, fhall 
 find a eraciiius acceptance with God. Therefore, with the 
 highrft elevation of foul let us bleA God for Jefus Chiift • 
 and for thegofpel revelation, which has fo fully difcovered' 
 and clearly revealed to us the only way of jullification bv 
 laith io the Son of God, who hath loved us, and waflied 
 us from our fins in his own blood. To whom be glory and 
 dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 C H A 
 
 r. IV. 
 
 In the doff of the foregoing chapter, our cpcjlk hud domi 
 apjuive condiijwn, tliat a man is jultified by faith 
 without ttae work of the law. In this he undertakes 
 4 ^ io 
 
554> 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 to cojifirm the indho/tluzt conclu/ion, by injlancing the 
 patriarch Abraham, Jrcnn zuhofe jupjication by Jaith, 
 the apojlle infers the ju/tification of all believers with 
 him. 
 
 WHAT (hall we then fay that Abraham our 
 father, as pertaining to the Qe(h hath found? 
 2 For if Abraham were juflified by works, he hath 
 whereof to glory, but not before God. 
 
 As if the apoftle had (aid, " What fliall we fay ? Shall 
 any one affirm, Abraham our father found or obtained 
 righteoufnefsby, or according to the flelh ? that is, being 
 circumcifed in the fledi, or by any work of nghteoufnefs 
 which he had done ? Surely no : For if Abraham were 
 juflified by circumcifion, or any other works of his own, 
 he hath whereof to glory .• that is, ground of boaft-ng 
 in thefe works by which he was thus juftified. But ma- 
 nifeft it is, that he had not whereof to boaft and glory 
 before God ; therefore he was not juftified by circumcifion 
 nor any works of his own." Learn hence. That no 
 righteoufnefs of our own, no ferviccs we can perform, are 
 fufficient to procure our juftification in the fight of God : 
 For if we are juftified by our works, it muft be by works 
 either before faiih, or after faiih. Not before faith ; for 
 the corruption of nature, and man's impotent condition 
 thereby, will give check to any fuch thought. Surely, iin- 
 righteoufnefs cannot make us righteous, no more than 
 impurity can m.ake us clean. Nor do works after faith, 
 iu(tify ; for then a believer is not juftified npon his believ- 
 ing, but by his works after his believing; and faith is not 
 the juftifymg grace, but only a preparation to thofe works 
 which jnftify; which is contrary to the whole ftrain of the 
 apoftle throughout the epiftle, who afcribes juftification to 
 faith in the blood of Chrill without worka. In Ihort, no 
 righteoufnefsofman isperfea? therefore no righteoufnefs 
 of man can be juftifying : There is nothing thai a man 
 doth, but it is defeftive, and confequently, has matter of 
 cundemnation in it : Now, that ■<hich is condemning 
 cannot be juUifying ; that which falls fhort of the holinels 
 of the law, can never free us from the condemnatory fen- 
 tence and curfe of the law. Now, all works after faith 
 fall (hort of that perfection which the law requireth. 2. 
 That the delign of God was to juflify us in iuch a way as 
 to (trip us of our own. Not o) -ioorks UJi any men pould 
 koafl, fays the apoftle often. We are juftified by faiih, to 
 exclude boafting, which would not have been excluded by 
 the law of works. 
 
 3 p'orwhat faith the fcripture? Abraham believed 
 God, and it was counted unto him for righteoufnefs. 
 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reck- 
 oned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that 
 worketh not, but believeth on him that jullifieih the 
 ungodly, his faith is counted for righteoulnels. 
 
 ^A/frvchere, i. The account which the firipturc gives 
 of Abraham's jiiltificilion ; it was by faith alone ; He he- 
 llvetiGid, and it was counted to him f rrlehteoufnefs.- 1 hat 
 is, hf firmly believed the promife of God, that he would 
 give him a fen i:> whom all the families of thf earth QiouU 
 
 be bleffed. And by means of this faith, he wat reckoned 
 orefteemed righteous before God, and not by means of his 
 works. 2. Theapoftle'iarguinent, to prove that Abrahira 
 was juftified by faith, and not by woiks ; had he works of 
 perfeft holinefs, then in ftrict juftice a reward might have 
 been expefted by him as a due debt, and not given him in 
 a way of grace and favor. For to him that -jjirkcth, th.Tt 
 is, with a delign and intent to obtain Juftification by his 
 works, is the rewnrd reckoned not of grace, but nf debt ; he 
 havingperfoimed all that was required, in order to his be- 
 ing righteous before God. But to him that worketh not ; 
 that is, worketl; not to the intent and end forementioned ; 
 viz, to procure juftification by working, but Ictks that in a 
 way of believing; his fjilh is counted for rightecu/heff. 
 To him that worketh not, but beliiveth. Sic. Wemuftnotun- 
 derrtand it abf'olutely ; for he that believeth, worketh : 
 Vtoi J't cundiim quid, after a fort, he isfjid not lo work; fee- 
 caul'e he worketh not with a delign to ftand rightewus before 
 God by his w orks. Again, by him that worketh not, we are 
 not to underftand an idle, lazy believer, Uj^t f^l^es no care 
 
 , ^nt ta 
 ffith is 
 
 of the duties of obedience, no, an idle fTith is an ineffec- 
 tual faith, and can never be a laving faith : liut the mean- 
 ing is, be worketh not in a law-fenfe, to the ends and in- 
 tei^tions of the firft covenant, to make up a righteoufnefg 
 to cover himfelf by his own working : Being convinced of 
 his utter inability to work out his own righteoufnefs by the 
 law, and feeing all his endeavours to obey the law, fall 
 fliori of righteoulnels ; he is therefore (aid in a law fenfe 
 not to work, becaufe he doth not woik fo as to anfwer the 
 purpofe and end of the law, which accepts of nothing Ihort 
 of perfetT; and complete obedience. And whereasit is here 
 laid, That Cad jujtifieth the ungodly ; the meaning is, fuch 
 as have been ungodly, not Iuch as continue fo. The 
 apoftle defcribes the temper and frame of their hearts and 
 lives beforejuftificaiion, and not alter it ; as it found them, 
 not as it leaves them. True, God juftifies the ungodly, 
 yet fuch as continue ungodly are not juftified by him : We 
 mull bring credentials from or laiidhfication, to bear wic- 
 nefs to the truth of our juftification. 
 
 5 Even as David alfo defcribeth the blelTednefs 
 of the man unto whom God imputeth righteoufnefs 
 without works. 7 Saying, Blelled are they whofe 
 iniquities are forgiven, and whole fins are covered. 
 8 Blelled is the man to whom the Lord will not 
 impute fin. 
 
 Ohjeive here. That to the example of Abraham, the 
 apoftle fubjoins ihe teftimony ot David, Pl'al. xxxii. who 
 defcribes the blededntls of that man to whom (>od im- 
 puteth righteoufnefs, to wit, the righteouhitls of the Me- 
 diator, without anv works brought before God to be jufti- 
 fied by, faying, Bl'jjcd is the man lubofe trarfgrej/ion u fr- 
 given, '.uhofe Jin is covered, and iniquity not iniputed. Mn, 
 in refpect of the offence, i> reunited; in relptct of the hi h 
 or turpitude of it, iscovercd ; in relptct ol ihcpunilliment, 
 not imputed. This he..p of words, lerves only to aniplily 
 and let forth the abund..nt grace (-1 God in the ad oi ^.ar-, 
 doning fill. Learn hence, I That to pjrdon lin, is Uod s 
 prerog.iiive ; he forgiveih iniquity and covereth tranlgref- 
 fion. 2. That pardoning ot fin i> a covering ofhn; not (uch a 
 
 covering 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 SS'^i 
 
 covering of fin, as tliat God cannot fee it in a juftified per- 
 foM, to challife him tor it : but fo covered, as not to piinilh 
 him with wrath and condemn ition for it. 3. That God's 
 ac> in pardonin,' and covering fin, is extcnfivc and perfccl, 
 full and final: Iniqniiy, tranfgrclli'm, and lin, is forgiven, 
 CovetL-d, and not imputed. 4. That tranfcendant is the 
 bltfTedncfs of thofe whofc iniquity is pardoned, and their 
 tranf^redions covered. BUpd,ieJs, faith the original, 
 belong to ihc man whofc iniquity is forgiven, and whofe 
 fin i<; C'lrpfcd, and to whom the Lord will not impute 
 tranfgreflion. 
 
 9 Cmielh his blcfTodnefs then upon the ciicum- 
 cifion onlv. or upon the unriicumciGon alfo ? For 
 we lay that faith was reckoned to Abraham for 
 rightcoulners. 10 How was it then reckoned ? when 
 he was in circumcifion, or in uncircutncifion ? Not 
 in circuincilion, but in uncircumcifion. 
 
 Here the apfftlc moves the quefticn, namely, Whether 
 the forcmentioncd blcdldncfs of pardon of fm, and juliifi- 
 cation bv faith, bt-lonos to the circumcifed Jews only, or to 
 the uncircumcifed Gentiles alfo? which argument carries 
 with it the force of a llrong aflirmaiion, that feeing faith 
 was imputed to Abraham for righteoufnefs, many years be- 
 fore he was circumcifed ; therefore the uncircumcifed Gen- 
 tiles, as well as the circumcifed Jews, fliall by faith be m.ide 
 partakers of the fame blelll-dnefs, unto whith Abraham 
 was iniitled before he was circumcifed. Learn hence. That 
 God has appointed one and the fame way and method for 
 the ju(Hficati<)n and fulvation of all perfons, circumcifed 
 and uncircumcifed, Jew and Gentile, honourable and ig- 
 noble ; namely, juflification by faith in th« blood of his 
 Son, wiihoiit'which no church privileges or fpiritual pre- ' 
 ro£atives whatfoever, will intitlc them to real blelfcdnefs. 
 Abraham believed unto ris^hteotifnefs before he was cir- 
 cumcifed ; therefore, the Gentiles by faith fhall be recoun- 
 ted righteous, though they never be circumcilcd. 
 
 11 And he received the fign of circumcifion, a 
 feal of the sightcoufnefs of the faith which h had yet 
 being uncircumcifed : that he might be the father of 
 all them that believe, though they be not circumci- 
 fed, that righteoufnefs might be imputed unto 
 them alfo; 12 And the father of circumcifion to 
 them who are not of the circumcifion only, but 
 alfo walk in the ftcps of that faith of our father 
 Abraham which lie had hc'ingyet uncircumcifed. 
 
 Here the apoflle declares the reafon why, and the end 
 for which, Abraham was circuimcifed, feeing he was jufti- 
 fied by faith in the promifed Melliah, long before circum- 
 ciiliin. He tells us, that Abraham received circumcifion, 
 lis a fi^ri antlfeal rf ihe covenmt made with him, and to his 
 feed. Gen. xvii. and as an obligation that the righteoufnefs 
 of faith was the true way for a linner to become righteous ; 
 •which righteoufnefs Abraham had obtained whilft he was 
 vincircumcifed, that fo he might be the father in a fpiritual 
 fcnfe of ail believers, both Jews and Gentiles, who imitated 
 him in his faiih,and in the holinefs and obedience of his 
 life. A'i/i- here, i. The pcrfon inltituting the facraaicnt of 
 
 circumcifion : God, and not Abraham : He rectivid ctrcum- 
 cijhn : thai is, by the appointment of Go<i he was cir- 
 cumcifed. Sacraments mull be of divine infliiution, not 
 of human invention. The church can m.nkc no facra- 
 ments ; her duty is, with care and caution to adminifler 
 them. There is a fourfold word rcquifile to a facrament. 
 A word ot inf^itution ; a word of command ; a word of 
 promife ; a word of blcfling. The elements are cyphers: 
 It is the inflitution makes them figures. Divine inffitution 
 is as nccelfary to a facrament, as the royal infcription is to 
 current money. 2. The nature of facraments in general, 
 and of circumcifion in particular. They areiignsand teals; 
 He received the fign of circumcifion ; a fenl of the right eouf- 
 nejs ly faith. The circumcifion, I. Was a fign and token 
 of the covenant which God made with Abraham and the 
 Jews. It vyas a commemorative fign of Go<1's covenant 
 with Abraham : A reprefentative fign of Abraham's faith 
 and obedience towards God: A demonftrativc fign of ori- 
 ginal (in, and the depravity ot human nature : A difcri- 
 minating and diffinguiniing fign of the true church and 
 people of God from all the refl of the world : An intimat- 
 ing fign, by which all ffrangers, that were received into the 
 Commonwealth of Ifrael, were admitted fnto the Jewifli 
 church : And laffly. It was a prefigurativc fign of baptifm, 
 which, in the Chriflian church, was tofucceed in the loom 
 of circumcifion. 2. Circumcifion was not a fign ordy, but 
 a feal alfo ; a jcal of the righteoufnefs by faith \ it was a 
 feal, both on God's part, and on Abraham's alfo. A feal 
 on God's part, to confirm all the promifes made to Abra- 
 ham and his feed. 3. A feal on his and their parts, to bind 
 them to renounce the fcrvice of all other gods, and to oblige 
 them to the obfervation of the whole law. Note, Ijflly, 
 The character and dcfcription here given of true believers : 
 they are fuch as walk in the fleps of faithful Abraham. They 
 have not only Abraham to their father, but they walk in 
 the footficps of their fathers faith. As Abraham readily 
 obeyed the call of God, fo do they : As Abraham left his 
 idolatrous country and kindred, and though he had oppor- 
 tunity of returning, yet never returned more; fo do the 
 faithful fons and daughters of Abraham leave all known 
 fins, and no temptation can prevail with them to return to 
 the delightful pra£licc of them. Did Abraham break 
 through al! impediments, difficulties, and difcouragements 
 whatfoever r So do and will all thofe that tread in the taiih of 
 their Father Abraham, furmount all diliicultics, bid defiance 
 to all dangers that they may yield a chearful and perfcrving 
 obedience to the commands of the God of Abraham : Few 
 of the children of Abraham's flcfii, but all thf children of 
 his faith, do thus walk in the fleps of their renowned father. 
 
 1 3 For the piomife that he (hould be the heir of the 
 world was not to Abraham, or to his feed. throu>'h 
 the law, but through the righteoufnefs of faith. 
 
 That is, the great promife which God made to Abraham, 
 and his feed, that they fhoiild pofiefs that rich and pleafant 
 part of the world, the land of Canaan, under which alfo 
 heaven iifcit was typically promifed and comprehended, was 
 not made upon condition of the r performing perfcdl obe- 
 dience to the law, bur they were to obtr.in ii by faith ; that 
 is, by triiRingto, and depending upon the gracious promife 
 of a faithful God. ISolc here, The argument couched for 
 
 4 A 2 juftificatioii 
 
556 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap, iv. 
 
 jiiftifieation by faith without works, which is the apoftle's 
 grand ("cope, defign and drift ; it runs thus : <« If the pro- 
 niife made to the father of the faithful was accomplilhcd, 
 not by KjtjI obedience, but by the rightPoufnef* of faith ; 
 then it follows, that all his children are jull'fied by faith, 
 at Abraham their father was. But the promife of the 
 earthly inheritance, and under it, of (he heavenly one, was 
 accoiiiplilhed noi by the law. but by the righteoufiien of 
 Abriham's faith : rherefore. juftification is not to he ex- 
 pefttd by the work? of the law, but by faiih alone." 
 
 14 For if they which are of the law ic heirs, faith 
 is made void, and the proinile made of none efFetl. 
 
 That is, Jf they which feek to be jollified iiy the works 
 of the law be heirs of this promifed inheritance ; then ftiith 
 that is, the way of jullificaiion by faith, prefcribed by God, 
 is to no purpofe ; for to what end fhould we by faith feck 
 nghteoufnefs in another, if by our legal obedience we can 
 find it in ourfelves? Here then lies couched another argu- 
 ment, to confiini the apoftle's doftrine of juftification by 
 faith : Thus, that only juitfies, unto which a gracious 
 promife of juftification is made ; but no fuch promife is 
 made to any man for his weak and miperfeift keepiug of 
 the law, but for his believing there is ; therefore, by the 
 law there can be no juftification, but by faith only. 
 
 15 Becaufc the law worketh wrath. For where 
 no law IS, i/iere is no tranfgreOion. 
 
 Here the apoftle fuggefts another reafon, why no juftifi- 
 cation can be espefted by the law, becaufe it condemns, 
 rather than juftifies. The /aw worketh wrath .- That is, it 
 difcovers the wrath of God due to our tranfgrelTion, and 
 then pronounces conden)n3tion upon »he tranfgrelTor -./or 
 'lUere there no lazu, either natural or revealed, tbtre w,ulil 
 be no tranfgrcffion, and confequenily no condemnation. 
 Here note, i. The ufe of the law ; it difcovers fm, it con- 
 vinces of fin, it condemns for fin, it denounces the wrath 
 of God due unto fin. And 2. The apoftles argumt nt for 
 the life of the Kiw ; he infers an utter impoflihility of being 
 jdftified by the law. That which condemn, cannotjuftify ; 
 but the law of God condemns the finner for his ti-anfgref- 
 fion ; therefore, it can never be the inftrumeni and means 
 of his juftification. 
 
 16 Therefore it is of f,\ith. that it mighi be by 
 grace ; to the end of the promife might be lure to all 
 the feed, not to that only which is of the law, but 
 to that alfo which is of the faith of Abraham, who 
 is the father of us all. 
 
 The apoftle here afligns a double caufc, why the wifdom 
 of G0.I had appointed juftification and falvaiion to be ob- 
 tained by the way of faith : namely, 2. 1 hat it might be 
 of free andundeftrvcd grace and favour ; for to be juHifiid 
 by faith, and by gr.icp, are all one «iih tlio apoftle. And 
 2. That the promife might he Jure unto all thejeed : That is, 
 that Cod's promife might ftand firiti and fure to ail the 
 believing fc:-ed of Abraham, not only to ail the children of 
 the flcfli, to whom the law was given, but to all the chil- 
 dren of his faith, even Geniiies as well as Jews :• he btinr 
 
 •* * if) 
 
 the father of all that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles. 
 Liarn hence, Ihat if our juftification and lalvjiim, did 
 depend upon our performing perfeft obedience to the law, 
 it would never be furr, but always uncertain, btcaole of 
 our inipotency and weaki.efs to keep and r,bferve it. 1 ke 
 api)ftie, chap. viii. 3. telKus, That thel wis weakthrough 
 the flelli •, though the tru h is, the law is not we<,k to us, 
 but we are wtak to that ; the law has the f..me auihoriiy 
 for commanding that ii ever hiid, bui we have no: tlufan.e 
 ability for obey.ng It is our wickediufs that is the fole 
 c.iiile of the la A 'i weaknefs : Had every nun the fame in- 
 tegrity, the l.iw would h.)ve the fame ability that ever ic 
 had, both to juftify and to fjve us. 
 
 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of 
 many nations) bi.-forc him whom he believed, even 
 God, who quickcncth the dead, and calleth thofe 
 thmys wliicn be not as though they were. 
 
 Our apoftle in this and the fnllowiiig ve^j, enters upoa 
 an high commendation of Abrahams faith, magnifying and 
 extolling the fame, for ard upcm account of fuiidry exceU 
 lenciirs which are found in it. And here, i. He takes 
 notice how Abrahjm't f;;ith wa- itn.iiglv .\(XtA and ext-r- 
 cilVd OB the almighty power of God : He btluv.d in God, 
 who quicktneth the dead, and caltctb thcje thini'S which are 
 nit, <is though they were ! Ihat if, the Lcrd having pro« 
 miltd to tnake Abrah iin the faiher of mary nations, w hen 
 he h.id no feed, ncr was efer Ikriy ;o have any ; he be- 
 lieved the thing to be both credible and poflibir, becu/e 
 God had fpoken it, how improbable (never. And alihcugh 
 with rcfprd to generation, he l-.w ked upon Sarah's body 
 and his own, as good as dead ; for Ihe was barren and paft 
 bearing, and he was an hundred year* old, and p. ft all 
 hopes of having a child ; yet he f xercifed his faith on the 
 promife and power of God, -.vho quicktneth the dead, that 
 is, his own dt-ad body, and S.irah's barren womb ; and 
 calleth tho/ethrng J wlith h^ Kit, that is, the Gentiles, which 
 were not then a people, as if tley wtrc. Learn htnce. 
 That it is a noble :.Ct and exercife of f.iith, to belici/e God 
 upon his bare word, andtoafTent to truth, though never 
 fo improbable. As whatever God doth is good, becaufe 
 hedoth It J ib whaieverGoddoth iitrut, becaufe he fpeaks 
 it: And accordingly, faith, \s hichis an aflent of the under- 
 ftandingto what God reveals, dependiupon the veracity of 
 God, tor making good his os\n word, and fulfilling his own 
 pnnniie. Faiih has a threefold excellency ; it alTents to 
 the truth's of God, though never fo improbable ; it puts 
 men upon duties, though feemingly unreafo.iable (wiinefs 
 Ai)raham's offering up Ifaac; J and it enables to fiitierings, 
 btr they never lb afflictive. But from belies ing pl^in con- 
 tradidions and impoUibilities. as the church of Rome 
 would have u» in the point of tranlubftantiation : Faith 
 dctires there to beexcufed ;Vo/e here, 2 That as Abra- 
 ham's f;iith exceedingly honoured God; fb God highly 
 hi.nours Abraham's fanh. making him like himfelf, afitbev 
 cfmany nattms. As God is an unni rial Father, not of 
 one, but of all nations, lb \\as Ahr.iham ; as God is their 
 fpiritual Fathtr, mu by carnal generation, fo wns Abra- 
 ham: God wiadt- faithful Abraham l.ke h^nlfelf. a fa. her, not 
 of this or that nation only, but uniwerlally uf all believers, 
 
 among 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 R O U A N S. 
 
 5o7 
 
 among all nations, believing after his example. Thus 
 Abraham's faith honours God, and God honour; Alira- 
 haiii\ f^irh, flylinghini the Faiherof the Fjithful ihrough- 
 oat all gentraiiiMis. 
 
 18 Who n-ainfl hope believed in hope, that he 
 nii_,nt become the fatiier of" many nations : accord- 
 in 'to that which was fpoken, So (hall thy feed be, 
 in Andbein^ not weak infaith, he conhdered not 
 his own b<jdy now dead, when he was about an 
 hundred years old, neither yet the deadnels of Sa- 
 rah's woinb. 23 He (lagirered not at the proraife 
 of God throi^h unbelief; but was Ilroni,^ in faith 
 givin^; glory «o God ; 21 And being fully per- 
 fuaded that what he had piomifed, he was able 
 alio to perform. 
 
 Here St.iP.uil farth?r expatiates in the commend.ition 
 of Ahrahim's fjiih, telling as That again/i b'jpe hebduved 
 in hitte ; th.it is. he hid a Ui oni' liope, a firm hope and truft 
 in thepromifeand po^vc■r(.^ Gc-;) agiiiiit .dl natural grounds 
 of hope; namclv, that he tliould certainly have a Ion, ami 
 a feed like the It.irs of lieiven for mulntade. He farther 
 add--, Thai ke ci'ifi'irmi rnt the deadntfs if his own h'i'ly, 
 nor the barrennr/'r of 'Sarah's loinih ; m-ither Jtaggi-red tit 
 the promife through unbeli'f: That is, he regarded not any 
 diffi.nities, which lay in the way of his faith, he admitted 
 no doubts or qnellions touching the promife or power of 
 G id ; but without any dil'piiiin,^, depended fully uponCJod 
 for the performance of his own promile, and l"o g-ive Cjod 
 the glory of his omnipotenry and faithfulnefs. A'o'e here, 
 I. vViwt was the ground of Abraham's faith ; namely, the 
 fp2ci4l promife, yea, theahfolute promife of God, that he 
 I'l luld have a foo. 1. The height and meal'ure of his 
 faith ; He -Mas flr;nn /»; faiih, und jiaggered nol through 
 itiilf.ti'f , he v.i% fully perCuaiifd of God's all-fufficiency : 
 it is a metaphor t:iken from (hips that come into the har- 
 bour *ith full fail. Thus was it with Abraham, there 
 was not any fail of his fool but what was filled with the 
 wind ofaiTnrance. Ai a fiiip with full gale and ftrong 
 lail i; c.ir.ied to the haven againll windand waves, lo 
 Abrah.im, by the (Irength of his faith overcame all waves 
 ofdoubt<. and difficulties lieating upon his mind. 3. What 
 was the frui; and ilTue, the eiul aud event of Abrahmi's 
 faith, it brought glo.'y to God : He -diar Jlrong infaith, 
 "iving glo' y to Qtd. All faith glorifies God truly, butHrong 
 faith glorifies him abundantly : it gives him the glory of 
 'lis poAer and faithfulnef'-, gooilnef^ and truth. Queji . r 
 lilt h .w could Abraharn's botJy be faid to be dead, .when 
 he had fe-'eral children afier.vard- by Ketiirah ? even lix 
 fon-, f.rv year> afer iiarah's death, y////. Abr.ihani'i. and 
 Sarjh's bodies received now a b'efiliig, or new genera:ivi 
 faculty from God, w hich renilered them capablf- of begt t- 
 tiug and bearing chililrci), ■■ hen by naiure they v/ere not 
 fo 'Qif'-ft. 2 \Va Abraham' faith fo llrong a' tocxclude 
 all rionbiing ? Did not he diftrull when he laid, %huU a 
 chili be b^rn to Whrahaw thai is tin hundred yti^rs oln ; and 
 Sarah, that is ninety years ol', hear? Gen. xxi. jdn/-.vtr, 
 Thtie woiUsareiiot words ot doubting, but iiuimriag; 
 
 they proceeded from a defire to he further informed how 
 thefc things could be. But Abraham laughed, and Sarah 
 alio, at the mention of a Ion? Priie, they did both laugh, 
 but not alik.' ; Al!iaham'< laughter proceeded Ironi admi- 
 ration and joy, but Sarah'.^ from d fndeiice and diftruU : 
 And itcordiiiglv, \* e find 'virah reprimanded, hot not 
 Ai)raliani repr' htmled, for l.-iujihing : ^hrnhani fuggti ed 
 net fit the p'oniife through unbelief, but -juas flrong, ice. 
 
 2 2 And therefore it wa.s imputed to him for 
 ri^htcoufnefs. 23 Xow it ums not written for his 
 fake alone, that it was imputed to htm ; 24 But 
 for us alio, to whom it (hall be imputed, if we be- 
 lieve on him that railed up Jcfus our Lord from the 
 dead. 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the former part of this chapter, 
 declared the manner of our julbfication, from an inllance 
 of Abraham, which having at I.id piirfued, leftwefhould 
 thinli that was Abraham's perlonal privilege, and did not 
 concern tis, he appliei in the verfes before us Abraham's 
 example unto 05, afl'uring us, that as 'tbrahani'i fniih -jiat 
 imputidt') himfijrrighteoufittjs, becaufe he depended upon 
 the almighty power of GotI in the promife ; and alio losked 
 by faith to the IVleffias promife, who was to come of bis 
 feed ; fo, fays the apoftle this was v^ ritten for our f^kes as 
 wellai Abraham';, fcr ourcomfort und cncoiiragtment, to 
 aflure us, that faith (hall be impuicd to us ^Ifo for righte- 
 oufncls, if v.e firmly trull in God, through the merits and 
 mediation of our Lord Jefu-; Chrift. Where dh/erve, The 
 apotlles argument (Ldly overthrows the Socinian doctrine, 
 which teaches, that the godly under the Old i eltamenr, 
 were not jollified in the fame way with us under the New; 
 whereas the apollle fully prove.-, that Abraham, and all ttie 
 children of Abraham, \^ ho walk in the (lep of him their 
 father, are julbfied alike ; and accordingly, it v\as not thus 
 written of him for his fake alone, that his jai:h vius impu- 
 ted to him for righteourne/s, but for the benefit of us alio ; 
 to whom the l.ke faith (hall be imputed for judification, if 
 we btlieve in him, that raifcd up Jelus from the dead. 
 Learn htnce. That the doclrnie ot jullificaiion by fsith, 
 through the imputed righteoufneA of a Mediator, is no 
 new doiltrine, but as old as Abraham. Some arc much 
 offended at rhis word impultd : but as the pious bifliops, 
 Downham andDavenant, >>n jultihcation, well obferve, it 
 is no lefs than ten times mentioned, either in the term or 
 in the fignificationof it in this chapter : Their arguments 
 for, and anfv\ers:o, Bellarmiii''; objeiffions sgaiiifl'the im- 
 puted riglireoufnefs of rhe Mediator, runs thus : " If 
 Chrilt's riglueoulnefs be not imputi-d. it is not accepted • 
 if if be not acce|-ted. :t is nor performed, and fo there 
 will be nor(deinption by Jefus Chnft ; without this, wc 
 fluill makeChrilMiitle. very linie, in the |uftifyiii(* of fn. 
 ners : And why is Chrill called the Lord oui righieouf- 
 nefs, and how are we laid to be n.ade th. righteouim (• of 
 G"od in him > And why is faith to infinitely pleali: g to 
 Goil, but becaufe faith bring* to God a righte ouliiefs 
 which Is highly plealing ro him, 'even that o( the MTtliaror? 
 for tivre is no (landinjr before G^d for any creatuie in .1 
 creature ngliteoulnel's." "i he popilh objections itinil,us : 
 
 Ol-ji<^iin 
 
558 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 Ohjf^lon, I. IfCIirift'srlghtcoufnefsbe imputed to us, then 
 may wc be reputed redeemers of the world, as well as he 
 was. iiiif. It may as well be fjid, the debtor may be ac- 
 counted the furety.becaule the furcry's payment isaccepttd 
 for the debtor. Chjt^ion, 2. If Chriil's righteoufnels be 
 Jujputed to us as our's, then we ought to be accounted as 
 rij>hteou» as himlelf. j4nf. It may be as wt 11 arj;ued and 
 concluded, that the debtor is as rich a man as ihe fureiy, 
 hecjuie the furety pays the debtor's debts. Oljr^ien, 3. 
 If Chrift's righteoul'nels be properly imputed to u;-, ilien 
 our unrighieournefs was properly nnputcd to him, and he 
 may be Itric^ly and truly called a (inner, yi"/. Juft as if 
 Me fliould f.iy, " If the acceptance of the fnrety's payment 
 acquits thedebtor, then thel'urety isasbad an hufband. and 
 as much a bankrupt as the debtor iilmrelf." Ohjediun, 4. 
 But if ChrilVs righteoulnefs be our's no need of any 
 righteoufnefs of our own. Anf. We plead for the meri- 
 torious righteoufnels of Chr'lt to anlVer the demands of 
 the law, and for a perfonal righteoufnefs of our own, to 
 anfwer the commands of the gofpel ; Let us render to all 
 their due ; let us render unto Chrift the things which are 
 Chrift's, to faith the things which are faith's, and to good 
 works the things which are their's. Let us awfully adore 
 the wifdotn of God, who has made Chrill unto us -unijdotn, 
 righteoufnefs, fan^ification, and redempticn. lorelieveour 
 ignorance and folly, ht \% our 'jj'ifdoni ; todifcharge us from 
 guilt, and free us from condemnation, he is ow right touf 
 vefs ; torelieveus againd thefilth andpolluiion, the power 
 and dominion of (in, he is our fan^ificution ; and to relcue 
 us from our miferable captivity of Satan, he is^ our re- 
 demptior. BlefTed be God for the benefit of im])Uted 
 righteoufnefs to fuch as live in the pradice and power of 
 inherent holinefs. True, our fandlificaticn and holinel's, 
 when moll perfect, cannot juftify us before God ; but it 
 will evidence our Juftification before men and be a witnefs 
 loourownconfciences, that we are accepted in theBtloved. 
 
 25 Who was delivered for our fins, and raifed 
 again {ov our juftification. 
 
 In this one veri'e, we have an abridgment of the whole 
 gofpel, the death and refurreclion of Chrill declared, and 
 the benelit and advantages of both affigned. (i.J for his 
 (icsih : he -was delivered for oar offences. Here note, i.The 
 perfon delivered : He. thatis, Chrift Jelus the righteous ; 
 the Lord our righteoufnefs. 2. The perfon delivering, 
 not exprefled, out necellbrily implied and undeidood. 
 Tudas delivered him, the Jews delivered him, God the 
 i' cither delivered him, and Chrift hiralcif delivered hiinfelf. 
 All thefcdid one and the fame aft, but not for one and the 
 fame end : Judas delivered him for gain, the Jews for envy, 
 the I'aiherdelivered hi;;) out ef love, and Chrid delivered 
 hin)lelf in great compatlion to a loft world. 3 Unto what 
 be was delivered, namely, Unto death, even the death of the 
 crofs. This in Gcd was an ac^ of the higheff jultice, in 
 Chrift an act of wonderful obedience in the Jevvs an aft 
 of the higt-.tll wickediiefs. 4. P'or whom, mid for what 
 he was delivered ; for us and/cr our off:-nce! : Jt noiet the 
 vicegere ncy of his fufieriiigs, not barely for our good as 
 the final caul'e, and for our fins as the meritoiious c;.ule ; 
 but fur us, in oar room, phce and Itead, dying under an 
 
 imputation of guilt, and dying as the facrificed beaftforthe 
 expiation of th^t guilt: The onijinal « ord here ior'Jf-nces, 
 fignitic's gre.it falh, grievous oltliices, and henioUN crimes. 
 '1 his l;icrilued Ijmb wasdclivered and died to expiate the 
 guilt of great lins, and to make atonement for the greateft 
 liiiners. 5. It is here faid, that Chrift was ^c//i;^'e^, rather 
 th.tnd'ifd/jrottrojf'rnces, to lead us to the coiilideriitiouof che 
 firft caule tjfliis luffering for us; namely, The determinate 
 council of God, purluani to wluih there wa a ronceflion 
 or permifTion given to wicked iilfrun)= nts to Oied his blood : 
 his ow n Father delivering hiiii up to de.nth forour offrrcet. 
 /.earn hence. That our lins were not otily the occ3(ioti>, 
 but the moving and impulfive caufe of Chi ill'> fuifenngs. 
 He died as a facrifice to jtone an offended Deity ; A the 
 facr ificcs of old were brought to the alter, and there ft^in, 
 fo Chrift, lubftituting himftlf in our room and (tead, was 
 brought to the alter of hi- crofs, and there died as 3 vic- 
 tim or expiatory ("acrifice for our (ins. Thus, He ivai 
 delivered f-jr our offences. Chferveue^t, Our kord's refur- 
 rtftion aflertcd, Hewas raijed cgain\ and its end afligncd, 
 fr iur jujiificatien. Chrift as our fureiy was under the 
 arrert of dc^th; but having given lati-fadion by his fufTer- 
 ings, our diftharge was publiflied to the world by his re- 
 fuirtc^ion : As b) dying in our (lead, he bare the curfe of 
 the law : lb by rifing again as a commcn perfon. we re- 
 ceive our acquitdl from the hand of the Judge. His death 
 was our payment, hit refurreclion our difcharge : He was 
 railed again for our jujiif cation. Learn hence, That 
 Chrifl's refurreclion w as the caufe of our jiiftification ; no: 
 the mi ritorious caufe, for that was hi> deal h and blood (hed • 
 but the declarative and perfect caufe of our jultification. 
 His refurrtftion was a declaration of our jiiftification, the 
 juftice of God thereby declaring i'felf (atisfi'd, by his pri- 
 loner being releafed. His refurreclion is a!fo the perfec- 
 tive caufe of our jjftification. 'Ihe work of redeniption 
 wrought for us by his death, is perfected, and made effec- 
 tual by his relurreclion. 1 his makes our redemption com- 
 plete, which otherwilc had been partial and imperfe<5f ; nay, 
 none at all. It is upon Chrift, as railed, that cur faith 
 inuft be fettled: Had he not been raifed from the dead 
 faith in his death had had no foundation, for it had been an 
 unaccountable thing to believe in one that lay under the 
 power of death. By Chnll'a refurreclion, the efficacy of 
 his death was declared to all the world : Therefore, favs 
 the apodle, chap. viii. Who fhull condemn ut , 'jjhenChrtji 
 hath died for us ? yea, rather is rifen again. As our re- 
 demption was not in its glory till Chrill's^efurreclion ; fo 
 neither is our faith in its full ftrength and vigour, till it 
 eyes him, v}ho "was delivered forour ojj'ences, and railed 
 again for our juf if cation. 
 
 C H A P. Y. 
 
 Tiieapcfdc having in the foregoing chapters, ly many ar- 
 gmicnts dcmonjlrated the necejjity oj a Jinner' i^ujli- 
 Jicution ly Jiulk alone in the Lord Jcjm Chnjl • m 
 this cluiptcr he declares the fweet fnnu and benefits, 
 which Jloxi) J rem the forgoing privilege, to all fuch as 
 are in a fffied condition ; namely, Peace with Gcd, 
 
 ptrfcverance 
 
Chap, v 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 559 
 
 perfcvcrance in grace, patience under affliHim, hpe of 
 glory, joy in tribulation, Sec. 
 
 THEREFORE, beingjuflified by faith, we have 
 peaci- with Godthrouiih our Lord Jelus Chrifl. 
 
 Thefirft blefTcd effeft andfweet fruit ofoiirjullificaii.il 
 by faith, in peace and reconciliation with Gud. J'aidon 
 and peace jro logether, and accompany each other ; a lin- 
 npr being dil'charjrcd from guilt, and thereby from his ob- 
 iiLSoiifnefs to God's wrath, is intbntly broUjjht into a ftaie 
 <if frieiulfiiipand reconciliation with Gad ; for there is no 
 middle (tate bt-twixt his favour and his wrath. Learn 
 hence, l. Ihar peace isproclaimed in heavc-n betwixt God 
 and every jiiftified perlon whatloevcr the enmity betwixt 
 God and fuch a foul being taken away : Peace, 1 fay, is 
 proclaimed in the fniners confcience : A perfon may be in 
 aftateof peace, and yet w.!nt the fenfe of peace. Agai:>, 
 Tnere is a three-fold peace with God : one which is oppo- 
 fite to God's hatred as an enemy ; the other oppofed to 
 God's paternal anger as a father. Now, the apodle here 
 fpeaks of the foi nier. Being jxJUfied by faith, v)e have 
 peace with God ; that is, God has no more holble enmity 
 againft us, and will not lativfy hi's juftice upon us, by 
 pumdiing of us ; but if we offend him, we (hall certainly 
 fall under his frowns and chadifements, and feel the effects 
 of his heavy difpleafure as an angry father ! With this 
 agrees that of the learned and pious bifliop Davcnant ; Deus 
 ahfjlvU jufiificatum ah omni poena /at'ffafljriaffid fjn ab 
 omni pjpiia medicinali 6 ca/iigr.tofia. Learn, 2. That our 
 recoiiciliai ion with God is fettled upon a fure foundation 
 by Jefus Chrill: li'e have praa with G>d through our Lord 
 Je-fus .- that is, through hmi as a Mediator betwixt God 
 and us ; he made peace, by the blood of his crofs ; Col. i_ 
 20. that is, by his blood flied upon the crofs ; his merito. 
 rious fatisfadion brought us into a Itate of peace and re. 
 conciliation, and ins prevailing incerceflion keeps us in it 
 
 2 By whom alfo we have accefs by faith into this 
 oracc wherein we ftand, and rejoice in hope of the 
 glory of God. 
 
 A fecond ben; fit which flows from juft'ficJtion by faith' 
 js our adiinfiion lo grace and favour with God : This is a 
 privilege beyond the forintr ; a traitor may be pardoned by 
 his princs, and yet not admitted into the prefer.ce of his 
 prince, as Ablalom's crime was forgiven, but he niuft not 
 fee his father's face : Bui by Chrill's mediation, every 
 jndified perfon meets with ilivine acceptance ; yea, he is 
 not only br(7U^t into a If ite nf grace and favour, but he 
 ffands and abides in it. No fnffcrings from God, no luf- 
 feriiigi from man for God's fake, no temptations, no tri- 
 bulaiens nor ptrl'ecution^, can caul'e God to call him out 
 of his grace and favour ; having accefs hy faith into it, lie 
 fhall ftind and abide in it. Tiiie, he may fall under his 
 Father's rod, but he fhail never fall front bis Father's love ; 
 Through Chrifl we have accefs hy faith into this ^race 
 \jhertin lue ftand. A third benffit follows, We rejoice in 
 thetttpeof the glory of Cud. Here note, i. The h.ppy 
 union and connexion hi:xweea grace and vl/ry ; grace is 
 glory begun, and glory is grace ccnrucninated ; grace is 
 
 glory in the bud, glory \t grace in the fruits ; gr.ice is the 
 loweft degree of glory, and glory the higlieft degree of 
 grace. Happy foul, that art partaker of the firl^-fruits of 
 grace ! thou flialt ere long reap the crop of glory ! 2. A 
 jufbtied jjerfon has the hope of future glory , and always 
 may, and fomttimes can, rejoice in the hoiie : Wt rejoice 
 in the hope of the gl.ry of God.- He hopes for the glory of 
 God, and well he may, for it is purchafed for him ; it is 
 promifed to him, he has it already in the firft fruits and 
 earneft of that : It is prepared for liim, and he is preparing 
 for that ; and hertjoicesin the hope of his glory , believing 
 it to be great and glorious, fure and certain, never decay- 
 ing, everlafting. 
 
 3 And not only fo, but we glory in tribulations 
 alfo; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 
 
 4 And patience, experience ; and experience, hope : 
 
 5 And hope inaketh not afhamed, becaufc the love 
 of God is fhed abroad .in our hearts by the Holy 
 Ghofl which is given unto us. 
 
 Here the apofUe mentions a fourth benefit flowing frotn 
 jufbilication by fairh ; and that is, glorying in their prefent 
 fufferings. He told us before, that j'.iffified perfons being 
 at peace with God, rejoiced in hopes of future glory ; but 
 fays he, this is not all, they glory in their prefent tribula- 
 tions alfo. Here note, i. What fort of fufferings they are 
 which the faints glory in ; they are tribulations, that is, 
 fuch triaU and perfecution as did befal them for the pro- 
 felTion of the gofpel : In thefe a child of God may rejoice, 
 yea, boafl and glory, as afoldierdoth of his marks, wounds 
 and fears, received in the wars, but not in ihofe fufferings, 
 afflidions and trials which we bring upon ourfelves, as 
 punilhments for our fins ; thefe we have no more reafon 
 to glory in than a corrected child has to glory in his whip- 
 ping : IVhat glory is it when we are buffeted for our faults ? 
 Note 2. To what a height and heroic pitch the fpirit of a 
 juftifird believer may be raifed under fufferings for Chrift : 
 He may glory in tribulation : It is an high Ifrain of fpiritual- 
 ne Is in bearing affiiftions, when a Chrilfian can fay, / 
 love to bear. Though I love not that which I fuffer, and 
 that i fiich I bear, yet I love to bear what I fuffer. But 
 it is a higher pitch than this, to fay with the apoftle, / 
 rejoice in my fufferings, Col. i. 24. For joy is a degree 
 beyond h'vc ; yet is it a degree higher ftill, to take plealure 
 in reproaches and diflreffes tor Chrid's fjke, 2 Cor. xii. 10. 
 for pleafure is a degree beyond joy ; but to glory in triku- 
 latioiis, IS beyond them all : it is more than to love, more 
 than to rejoice, more than to take pleafure in them. O the 
 powtr of faith in Chriif. and love unto him, to fupport and 
 uphold the foci ! yea, caufe it to glory under thy Iharpeft 
 fufferings and tritDulatioiis for him ! 3. That it is not in 
 the tribulatuins themfehes that believers glory, but in the 
 fwcet iffue, happy fruits, and gracious effects of them ; 
 finding that by the f;'.nclifving influences of the Holy Spi- ■ 
 rit. tribulation Worketh patience ; that is, exercifeih and 
 increafeih patience, andpatience liegetteth and giveth ex- 
 perience < f God'; gracious prel'ence with us, of his alTiit- 
 ance of us, and ot his faithfuliieT towards us, in and 
 under all our afliidiuns : And experience of thefe things 
 
 •morkith 
 
K u m A IN s. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 •workith In us hipe of reward. Here ne.ie. How one grace 
 generates ind begets iinothsr; graces have a generation one 
 from another, thoui^h they have all hut one generation from 
 the Spirit of Chrilt. Nott alfo. 7 hat it is not tribulation 
 in its own nature, but when fanftilied by the blelTcd Spirit, 
 thai by a lujipy gradation uorketh patience, .ind patience 
 expiricnce, and experience hope: For when affliclion is not 
 faiiift fi' d, but nietfs with a (lubborn fpirit, Lord, what 
 tlrcdiul efFefts doth it produce. Fhen tribulation excites 
 impatience, impatience caufcth perplexity, perplexity de- 
 fpair, and delpair confullon. 4. The efFcft .nnd property of 
 the believer's hope, It makethntt afiium^d ; his hope will not 
 mike him alhannd neither will he ever be aih.iined of his 
 hope : Frullrated hopes fill men with confulion andlliame : 
 The jultified perlon (hall not find his hopes of glory friif- 
 traied, but exceeded : and the reafon is added, why the 
 Ch.illi.m hope will not deceive or (lianie him, namely, 
 CeL aufc the love of God is (bed abroad in his heart by the 
 Holy Gh'.Jt ; that is, the Holy Spirit doth, in time of tri- 
 bulation, teftify his love to the hearts of the people, which 
 caufes them to glory in tribulation. Learn hence, That in 
 time of afHidiun, efpecially of perfecution for the fake of 
 Chrlt, good men have a more fenfible feeling of God's 
 love flied abroad in their hearts by the blefled Spirit, both 
 to prepare them for trials, and to fupporr them under them. 
 St. Peter calls fh:s a joy unlpeakablc ; it has the very fcent 
 and taile of heaven in it, and there is but a gradual dif- 
 ference betwixt it and the joys of heaven : No fooner doth 
 the Holy Spirit (hed forth the love of God into the be- 
 liever's heart, by clearing uf» his iniereft in the promife and 
 his title to eternal glory, but the foul is prepared to rtjoice 
 in afflidtion, ^ti, to glory in tribulation ; and it will be as 
 impoilible to hinder it, as it is to hinder a man from fatif- 
 faciion when he is moft delighted and pical'ed : We glary 
 in tribulation, becatife the lovt- 0} God is Jhed abroad, Sec. 
 
 6 For when we were yet without ftrength,indue 
 time Chrifl dit;d for the ungodly. 
 
 In this verl'e the apolUe fets forth the efficacy of Cbrift's 
 love towards us before jiiflification ; He had a love towards 
 u.> when we were Tinners, which prevailed with him to die 
 for (iniiers, ll''htn ii»e 'jj.reytt wilhout firength, Chrijt died 
 f'.r the urgodly. Note here, I. Man's condition by nature 
 defcribed. a (Lite of enmity, tngodly, and a flate of impo- 
 tewcy , wit haut Ji re ngth. We are without llrength, and 
 fo 'vanted help; ungodly, and I'o refuled help. Man is btit 
 an impotent and obllinaie creature ; w ithout power 10 refiit 
 jullice, and without a(fe<flion to defire mercy : So weak, 
 ih ■ be trembles at the app^rance of a worm ; and yet lo 
 wicked that he lifts up his head againft heaven. 'J'hc llate 
 of luiregeneracy is boih a ftaie of enmity and a (tate of 
 inipotency. 2. The ways and means found cut for our 
 recovery, the death of Chrift : when '.ve were yet without 
 Jircnglh, Clyrtji died fnr us. Though he found the whole 
 rice lit tnaiikiiid buried in the ruins ot their lapfed (late, 
 yr; he did not leave iliem lo, but died for them. 3. The 
 fe.iloiuhIene("s of the means interpofed for our recovery : It 
 was in ilu.'tinir, that Chrift died ; that is, in the tuli!e(> cf 
 timt .ippoinied by God t-he father, and deirrmiiud in his 
 decree and purpoJ's. Here we may remark, J'hai Chrift 
 
 came not in the beginning of time, in the infancy and 
 morning of the worLI, (thongn it was then promifed he 
 (liouid coinej nor yet did he ftay till thebd period and end 
 of tune ; but came as it were in the middle of time, which 
 is called the fulnejs of time. Gal. iv. 4. and here due time, 
 Chrift came unt tor our recovt-ry as loon 3< ever \\t were 
 fallen, that mankind might be the more rendhle of the bad- 
 nets of their loiidiiion; Had we been inllanilv cured as 
 foon as wc complained we lliould neither have apprehended 
 thedangerof our difeafe, norelteemed the kiodoefs of our 
 Phylician : Neither did hj flay till the li(t period and end 
 of time bcfoie he came, that the faith and cxpe<ftation of 
 his church might not be put upon too long md fevere an 
 exerciCe : The patriarch's believed in Chi iit th ir was to 
 come ; the apoflles in Chrili then pre(>nf ; and Chrdliarts 
 now believe in him who long (luce did come,* and is gone 
 again : So that the apolUe might well lay here, 'I nat in due 
 time Chri// died. 
 
 7 For fcarct:ly for a righteous man will one die: 
 yet pcradventurefor a good man lome would even 
 dare to die. 
 
 Here the apoftie amplifies, extols, and magnifies the love 
 of Cnrill In dying fir us, when we were enemies to him ; 
 by comparing his love to us, with our love toone another: 
 He intimates to us, that amongft men it is very rare and 
 leldom known that one man will lav down his life to fave 
 another's ; but if fo, it mult be for a very extraordinary 
 friend, for a^ierfon of uncommon goodnef^ and of emi- 
 nent worth : For, fsyshej/carcelyforari^hlcjusmanwill 
 one die. As if he had faid. Such a thing may he, but it is 
 fcarcely ever known, thai a perfon will lay down his life 
 for another, though he be very righteous, innocent and 
 truly honeft man. Perhaps for a good man, that is, for a 
 very kind and bountiful benefaclor : for fome perfon of 
 rare charitity and extranrdinary goodnefs ; for a man that 
 is a public blelling and common good to the whole com- 
 munity ; fome perfon, from a fenfe of (trong obligations, 
 would even dare to die. 1 he (cope of the apoflle is this, 
 To let forth the iranfcendency of Chrill's love in dying for 
 the ungodly, to fliew that it is beyond all human example 
 and that there can be no reCemblante, much lefs any par- 
 rallel of it : He Iwedus and gave himfclf f.r us. Had he 
 only as an advocate (poken and pltiided ferns, hisroi.de- 
 fcenlion had been admirable, and his love unfpeakable. 
 But to die, yea, to die tor u , to be not only ourKledutor, 
 but Redeemer ; not only our Redeemer but cti^Jianfom : 
 Here is love beyond compariluu : BlcfTed Jefus ! was ever 
 love like thine .' #.♦ 
 
 8 But God commendeth his love towards us, in 
 that while wc were yet linners, Cinift died tor us. 
 
 Notehvre, How the fcripturedillintily reprefenist lie love 
 ofGodin dying for us: <j dronttnendetuhis Ijve ; dcdaied, 
 ex;irc(ied, and made inanifcfl his love to us : Cnrill' death 
 is ottcn reprefentid in Icrip'ure, .-isan inilancc of'hegrer.t 
 love ot ihc Father toward us ; becatile his wilo.-n^ JiJ 
 con' rive this way for our rnle»i|)tion ; and he 1, 
 cnfly accepted of his Son's iujici-j'igsiii our ittai(. , ^. .. , , 
 
 the 
 
Chap. viii. 
 
 ROMA N S. 
 
 leenis not hope : for what a man feeth, wliydoth 
 hz yet hope for ? 25 But if \rs hope for that u'c 
 feeii not, then dj we with patience wait for it. 
 
 We are/aveJ by hope, that i», we are at prefent fup- 
 portfd by hope, our prefent exptditinn of our fimire j»Jo- 
 rioUi coiidition beareth up our ipirit snder its fuM'erinjrs, 
 3nd carrieth us joyfully through all difSculties; or, IFe ere 
 /(nfedl)yhtpe,ihat\%,anihe falvation wiiich ^*e have ac 
 prefent is in hope not in hand, in expeftation not in pof- 
 ieflfion; beaven in hope, is more worth thin the whole 
 vorlJ in hand ; anJ feeing there is a certainty of hope, 
 there is a certainty of falvation : ffe are faveJ by hope. 
 Note next, Thehacure of hope declared : It is an expecta- 
 tion of goo.: things promifed, but not enjoved : vifion and 
 fruition put an end to hope, none hopes for'th.at he already 
 enjoys: Hopt isconverfancaboutthings unfeen, as well as 
 faith : Faith is the evidence of tilings not feen, and hope 
 i:theexpc<flationofthofe ihings: The objecl of hope is 
 a future good, a pjfl'.ble good, a promifcd good, a good 
 promifedliyGod,and believed by us. Lailly, thenecellary 
 ndjunft, and the inftpnrahle companion of hope, and that 
 IS patience, and waiting for (he good hoped for : // we 
 tope, kc. then Jo -jie '^itb patknce -jalt for it. Le.arn hence, 
 1 hat they only hope for eternal life aright, who continue 
 in ihc purfuit of it with patience and pcrfeverance ; there 
 innll be f.und wiih us a waiting patience, a working 
 pjtience, a bejr.ng and forbearing patience, with a pei-^ 
 ieveringcontinuance in well-doing, if «c hope for al or v 
 and immortality, and eternal life. ' 
 
 26 Likewifethe Spiritalfohclpcthourinfirmaics, 
 For we know not what we flioiild pray for as we 
 ■ou-ht : but the Spirit itfelf makcth interccfnon for 
 us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 
 
 ■•Z>jr„ hence, i. That theholieft and bed of faints labour 
 otten:iu.es undsrgreat infirmities in the work and duty of 
 prayer, not kno'*ing what to pray for, or how to mana-e 
 tha luiportant a/r.it- as they onght. Hence it was that the 
 spoil es themfelves, being fenfible of their owndifabilitvin 
 thr. kmd, made their addrefll-s to Chrift himfelf to teach 
 nnd inftructthem ho<v topr..y, Luke xi. 1. /f^,-,! 2 
 1 hat It 15 the work and office of the Holy Spirit of Cod to 
 ;>e p our inbrmities in f)r,.yer, or, as the word llgnifies, to 
 lielp together^uh us, ro let his Ihoulder to mir's, and lift 
 v-ith u. at the fame burden ; the Spirit of Cbrift and our 
 own fp.ru nniftl^dothcirpart In carrying on this uo.k: 
 If we er.pecrthe^pint's advance, we muft exert our own 
 
 eivleavotirsfmoreparticularly. the Spirit heljHusinnrayer 
 ^y working ,n m a deep fenfa of cur fpiritual w.,.us, by' 
 rraig us an .nj.ght into the promifes, and enabling ns to 
 pUad .heraat tne throneof grace, by creating and ff.rring 
 up dcfires ,n our fouls to have our want, ftinplied, by en- 
 c-ouraj^mg and emboldening us to come to God in praver as 
 t_o 1 I.th^with an hu.>ble reverence andchild-lifce con- 
 "li-nr wr''^""2" '''^ noly Spirit be our gnirie and 
 tH.'V , the ''"7' /^^"°^ '- -^ '" R've U. o°c..f,o„ ,0 
 I > -1 T .' ^^."■.''■'"'■'^ ""'"^'i'att^ry infpired and 
 
 i^^:Z "' ^^ "". ■■'^''; *^'^"'^ : '*' -^^ ^■''^■- care ti,.t 
 *e m.l.ake;,,.: .n ; . . .. ! .„,■,,, i„^,,;,^^ „ frothy r!o. 
 
 ■4' >: 
 
 qusnce and affecled hngiMgs, outward %-ehcmcncv and 
 boldnefs of Ipcech, a natural fervency, cracquired fUiencv 
 of cxprellion, for the Spirit's help and affif^ancein prayer 
 Imi>!orc the Spirit's help, and he will help thy infirmities • 
 he wi niew thee thy fins, togive thee matter ofconfefllon ' 
 he wil niew thee thy wants, togive thee matter of petition [ 
 he will niew thee the mercies and blelUngs of God tovicld 
 
 thee ti.attcrof thank rgiving, he will niew thee the church's 
 mileries and necefllties, to furnifli thcc with matter t)f in 
 terceflion. Thus the Spirit will afiift thee, but never cxpf t 
 th8t he (hould .net without thee. 3. The proper work and 
 ofhce of the Holy Spirit in prayer ; it is ro make intsrctf-r. 
 f:r us vtthgroaningr vjkich cannot be uttered. Hut ho'^v is 
 the Spirit an intercefTor? Is not that Chrift's office > /mr 
 Chnft IS an intercelTor for us, the Holy Spirit is an inre"r' 
 ceflor in u«r. Cln i(t, in refpeft ofhis met itorious fufferipLrs 
 IS an Advocate, Mediator,and interctflbr with the Father 
 for us : The Holy Spirit intercedes in us by enablinc us 
 for, and aflilling us in, the dutv ; by quickening our affec- 
 tions, and enlarging our defires ; by icttingus a-proaninff 
 flfcer the Lord. Groaning denotes the f^rength and ardency 
 of dedrc which through the fervency of it puts the foul tu 
 pain, and an holy impatiency, till it be heard. Lord, how 
 flat and dead are our hearts fometimes in praver ' How 
 much are our fpiritsflraitened ! But if we want word^ let 
 us not want groans; let thy Spirit help us to groan out a 
 prayer when we want ability to utter it ; forfilent groans 
 proceeding from thy Spirit, flull be heard in thine ears 
 w+ien the louddl cries fhall not be heard without it. ' 
 
 27 And he tliat fearclw-th the hearts, knowetk 
 what u the mind of the Spirit, becaufe he makcth 
 interceffion for the faints according to the will of God. 
 
 AV.here, the title or attribute given andapproprratetl 
 nnto God. Hefcarrheth, or knoweth the h'-art He w^s 
 the m^kerof the heart, and is the difpoferoft'ie heart, and 
 will judge every man according .0 hi. hearr, and therefore, 
 
 he mnfl Know the heart thoronghly and perfeftly.cer rainjJ- 
 nnd mfalliuly, and it is the joy of an upright peribn, tba't 
 Ood knoweth and iearcheih the heart. When the worll 
 condemns him for infincerity, he rejoiceth that Go-1 
 kncjweth h>s integrity ; and when he has ir in ,he purpole 
 of his he,-.rt to do good, but wants power m his hand to 
 arcomp.ilh and effca it, this is his con.'blation that God 
 accepts It ;,s dc.ne, what he did dtfire and rcfohe to do 
 2 Chron. vi. 8 Xote, 2. The action here .ittributed to 
 he heari-iearching God ; he WerA -u^hat is the ;W of 
 iheSptttt : That is, he knoweth the woi kings of the Hclv 
 Spirit, and cf fvurcwn fpirits sift-, in thc<I,irv of prav-r 
 It IS a great comfort to the chiMren of God, tint the 
 Lord knoweth «hat kird of fpirit is working in their 
 h...rt.s when they are before him upon their k.;cc. Do 
 we labour nnder d;inculty of utterance in prayer' Are we 
 attended « nhdiflractions in prayer? Do we at any tim- 
 forgetatMl leave out in prayer what we intentfed to ru- 
 into,, ? 1 he LcTri knoweth «hafis .he mi,,d of our fpfrirs 
 inthatmntur. God do.tl. rot cnly he.r his J.^A 
 r.r.yers bull, e hers theirddire^ n,-dgrants no. ontv the 
 .). (.r.s of our I.ps nit ,1,. ,!, ,„■, , „f ,,, Aeart.s, v I.ich ha'c 
 ret h«n cKi .-.(Ted by our lips. 3. Who (he pcri.ms IX 
 
 W h0!.T 
 
5^ 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. viir. 
 
 whom thcHJy Spirit inferccJes for in prayer : They are 
 J.iiiits : Hctnaktth iKicrctj]''^ f'^r the fii'inti ; for thcni ex- 
 clufu'tly, and r;or:e bur them ; for tli'-iii inclufively, ftrall 
 and every ime of ihem : 1 he Spirit fjniflifies all thole in 
 vlioiii and for whom he intercedes ; he is firlla Spirit of 
 regeneration, before he is a Spirit of intercclTion ;_he firft 
 pnis gtacicui difpolitions into us, and then (lirs up holy 
 (Ittires ill lis. 4. 'J'he qiialification necelTary 10 render our 
 prjycrs acceptable to God, iliey nuift be according to God : 
 that is, acvr.rii\rg to the will and mind of God. And that, 
 t. Iiircfpedlof the nntter of them, we mu(> pray only for 
 il.ingslawJul and warrantable. 2 Jn regard of the manner 
 Dfihtin, \vc muft pray in faiih, with- fervency, and in the 
 r.r.nie ofChrift- 3. In refiKift of (he end of ilitni, and 
 what we propound to ourfelvesin them, which is the glory 
 I'f God : ■Not^Aithftanding ChrilVs mediation, and the 
 Sltirii'sinteiccirjon, we tnayafknnd not receive, if we alk 
 a'uijs; iliat is, forbad end«, that wemay coii!"u:ne it upon 
 cur lufts. 
 
 -c8 And wc know tlmt all things work together 
 lor^ood to thcin that love God, to them who arc 
 the' called according to his purpoie. 
 
 That if, '• All difpenfations of providence whatfofver, 
 vhether ibey be crdinaiy .-.ffiiftions, or extraordinary 
 trials, which dobefal the children of God in. this life, /hall 
 certainly, be directed by his wifdom,and ever-ruled by his 
 J operand goodnefs, for the temporral, rpiritu;il, and eter- 
 nal good of his children and people."' Ghftrve here, i. 
 What thoie ihin^,s are, which are efpecisliy intended in 
 that coniprehenlive term, Allthings. By all things here we 
 are to uiiderfbnd, C/M«/a^///7iV, tr^n omnia turpia.- " Ail 
 the faints afflictions, not their (ins;" for tb'en then they 
 might rejoice in their fmsand wickednels, which is da:nna- 
 b!e impiety as well in theirfufferingsfor Chri(b,ieeingthey 
 may rejoice in that which by God's defignation tendcih to 
 iheir.good : But by all :/iings, the apollle means allprovi- 
 dential occurrences and difpenl'ations; all flations and con- 
 ditions whitfoever, be it prolperity or adverliiy, heahh or 
 licknefs. liberty or captivity, life or deaih, Cod's glory and 
 his children's good : fliall fliall be certainly furthered and 
 advanced by it. 2. In what i'enfe «// things may befaid to 
 y'jjork for gr,od, to good men ; namely, as ilicy fh.ill promote 
 find further ihe temporal, fpiritual, and etenial welfateof 
 the children of God. If it be good for them to be rich, 
 to be in honour, to be at liberty, they Ihall be fo: If it be 
 •better for ihcir I'ouls, and more conducivc'to their eternal 
 welfaie, tobclow in the world, to be frequently under the 
 rod, to be harrafTed w ith aflliftions, and alTauhcd with 
 temptations, th;y fliall have them: Nothing that is need- 
 ful Ihall be kept from ihem, only God inuft be judge v;hat 
 is needful, and when it is needful. He that thinks he can 
 cut better for himfcif than God can carve for him, niakes 
 liinifelf wifer than God, and has not only loft his faith, but 
 .liis wits too. x. That rt^/ //i/Mi,-j are faid to -work together 
 ■for good ; not fingly,feparately, and apart, but as.coadju- 
 tors and adjuvant caufts, and mutual helps. Afflifliuns 
 and temptation: feem to work ogainit us; but being put 
 into the rank and order of catdes, they work together 
 ullh, other Ulefled inlhunients, as the »ord and payer, to 
 
 an happy tflue, More-partkularly, they work together 
 \\iih Gud, they Work togeihcr wiihus, and ihty woikio- 
 getl'.erone witit another, for ourgood, fooner or later. 4. 
 How can ell thirgs be faid toviork for good: particularly, 
 evil things ? Sufferings from GcA, andfufterings from m-aii 
 for God's fske ? What! muft we cail evil good, pain 
 pkalbrc, torment eafe, and lofs gain? Muft we dilbeli^** 
 our fenl'es, that we may believe the fcriptures? ^hf. 
 Though afflic'tior, which h evil tn its own nature, cannor 
 bring frorih good, yet furtly God can bring forth good out 
 of evil, light «Hit of darknels, jnd make his people's trou- 
 bles the way to their triumph, and every-crol's providence, 
 a ftep to theaccomplifliment of his promifc. God ftjfTcrs 
 evil things tobefal iis, to keep out worfe things, and caufes 
 evil things to prepare us for betterthings; the crof$ makes 
 way for the crown : For affliction •here is glory ; forlighc 
 affli(flion, a weight of glory ; and tor light afflction which 
 is but for a moment, a far more exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory. 5.Thechara<^terof the perlonsto whom 
 this privilege doth belong : Tht> are defcrihed by th'fir 
 Chrillian atfc<ftion, they l;ve C-jd, and by their^fre(flual 
 vocation, they are called accardirg to his purp'jfe. They 
 love God, and evidence the'nr love to him, by an high efli- 
 mation of him, by their delight in him, by their deiires 
 after him, by their longings for the full fruition and final 
 enjoytncnt of him. And as they love God, lb are they 
 railed of God-; externally by the jlifpenf.ition ol the gof- 
 pel ; internally, by the operation of his Holy Spirit: They 
 are called out of darknels into light, out of bondage into 
 liberty, and all ihisefficacioufly and powerfully, yet Iweet- 
 Iv and freely,; in a way congruous to the will's liberty. 6. 
 Thecersainty and evidence of ihispropofuion and aflcrtion 
 That all things -jjork together for good. It is not built upon 
 corjefture, or bare probability, but upon certain know- 
 ledge; 'Me ^nr.f; partly by divine revelation, God has told 
 us fo; .partly by experience we fiiid it fo. And when the 
 apofl'e fpeaks it out, we kn'.'M, it is a word of confidence 
 and aiTurance, it is a word of comfort and encouragement; 
 all the faints of God to the end of the world, as well as the 
 apoflle himfelf, may depend upon it, live in the faiih and 
 afiurance of it, and draw all that confolation from it which 
 may render their lives, in feme fort, an heaven upon earth. 
 And now, if this be an indubitable and undeniable truth, 
 That whatever fuiferings and af)l;dions a faint mee:s with 
 flnll work together for good ; then we mminfer, that a 
 fuil'ering condition is not fo bad a condition as ti;e wo: Id 
 fuppofes it. The lion of affliction is nf^fb fitvct as he is 
 printed. Tin^esof difficulty and trial bringferious thoughts 
 of God into our minds, who are too prone WTorget lioth 
 him and ourfelves in afiluence and quiet. BleJTed be Cod, 
 the time of aflliftion is4io unprofitable time, nor uncom- 
 fortable time neither : his a thinking time, an awakening 
 time, a leaching time, a repenting tiin<^, a weaning time ; 
 therefore, blefied is the man whom God corredeth and 
 teacheth, ^_ 
 
 zgYoT whpm he didforclcnow, he alfo mnpredcf- 
 tinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that 
 be might be the firfl-born among many brethren. 
 30 Moreover, whom he did prcdcftinatc, them he 
 alfo called; 
 
Chap, vin 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 557 
 
 called: and\vhomhs called, them he alfo juflified ; 
 and whonihejuflified, them he alfo glorified. 
 
 St. Paul in thefc verfes, lays befure us a chain of the 
 caufesof ulv.irion infepiril)!/ linked toTethcr, the firllof 
 which wa-; before all time, nivnily Gjd'i forekTuwled tc 
 of u; fro:n all eternity, and hi? precJefli-.i.iting orappaint- 
 ing of ns 10 eterml life : IVoimh^ di<l /jrekio-u, he did alfo 
 predep'mate. But whst were we predefli.Tited unto r He 
 telh U5 in the next words, To hi conJi--m;d in iht im.ige 0/ 
 his Son : That is, to be niada like unto the Lord Jefus in 
 
 H'hnt Pjfill v}ff,iy fo fh.fe thini^r ? that is, to the fore- 
 nnmed truth anddoclrines, to thcforcmentioned privilcjies 
 and benefits, wint co;nforis doth aiife fruni thciii? Ho^v 
 /hill we live up anfwerable to them? Neither tha tongues 
 o^ men or angeh is fuffi-ient to declare ihecompreheniu'e 
 fulnefs of the foregoing favour of vocation and jull.hc.i- 
 tion here, and gljrification in hciveii. Such love 2nd 
 gO'.i.lncfs are beyond expreflion ; it is as mach .is it' the 
 apofHe had thus faid, " \\"h.-,t boundlefs love did our God 
 
 move? Nj tongue can it exprefs : Ntj angel can this my I ■ 
 
 tery fcan, nor tell our happinefs." 
 
 patience; and like unto him in his glory ; fuflerinjT with 
 him, we ftiall beglorified Together. The fecond privilege 
 we are part.ikers of, is in time, namely, elFeJl lal vocation ; 
 tVhtm hj did fr.'dtjiinate, them he al[a calhd. They are 
 called out of a flato of ignorance and darknels, of tin anJ 
 wickednefs, ofil iverr and bondage, iintoknowledge, grace 
 and holinei'b ; and the Holy Spirit of God, inclines and 
 enables them to obey his call. The third privilege isj:il- 
 tification : IVlr.ti he called; them he alfo jufiified ; That is, 
 abfolvcd from guilt, and freed frojn condemnation ; dif- 
 charging them froii their obnoxiDufnef-. to wrath, and-the 
 fcverity of divine difpleafure. The lafl privilege we are hijn up forus all, how ni:>ll he not with hiin alfo 
 
 on wljol'e tide he is of, need not fear, either how many or 
 how mighty they be th'.t are ngjinft them.' God is for his 
 people ; that ii, he approves and owns them, he afUlSand 
 helj)? them, he will fuicsed and blels th-m, rewartl and 
 cro.vn tliem. Who then can be agiinft ihem raiioijaliy, 
 agiinft them fuccefTivelv, ag»inrt rhem fafely? How dan- 
 g.Tous is it to be agaiiill tliofe whom G^is for? IfC-id 
 htfijr ut, -wlx) can he agninj} us ? And if God be againll us-, 
 who can be for Uii 
 
 32 He thatfp^red^not hiso'.vn Son, bizt delivered 
 
 pwtakei-s of, is after time, ramcly, glorit;catioi-v; IVbom 
 hi juftiped, them he alfo glorified.- 'J'hey arc already glori- 
 fied in Chrifl their head, they have alre:!dy the cirnell ind 
 iirft fruits ofglory, namely, the Roly Spirit dwelling in 
 them, and they fliall ere Kmg partake of tlip fame gloj^ ' 
 which Chrift himfelf is in poiT-Hion of : John xvii. FatlUmL^ 
 / rvill that thofe whom thou bafl pjven mc, may he -uittrH^^^ 
 ruhrre [ ant, fee. Biit it nw-y be (itid, that oi>€ link is want- 
 ingin thi? golden chain of f.ilvation, nam:ly, Inncll^caci- 
 on : No mention is here made of that, yfv/^ Some con- 
 ceive, that fanifUfication is conche<l in eifeclaal vocation : 
 others, th:ii it is included in glorification ; for fanftification 
 h^/oria incht/i, glorification is gratia c^nfummuta ; grace 
 is the low efl degree ofglory. and glory is the highell de- 
 gree of grace. Others anfwer, I'hit tiie apoltle imkcs 
 no nirnticn^re of rincliliaaticn, for this reafon, becaufe 
 he was felting jAwm here thecaules of f.ilv.ition. Now, 
 fantftification 1-4^^ the way ro faivation.but notihecoiife 
 of it, thc^^flU mentions not ih.itherc though elfcwhcre 
 lie Aiflicie^^tliews, thit nono are now jiftiried, dr can be 
 hereafter glorified, thatarenot here f^nftified and renewed. 
 From the whole, Ifar?;, i. That tliere were cenainpcrfons, 
 before all time, chnfen of Gad topofTefs and inherit eternal 
 'i fe. 2. That God's defign in chofiiig of then), was to 
 render them comfortalde to Chrifl, in h'S holinefs, in hfs 
 fufF;i^^^nd in his glory. 3. That ihufe whom God 
 cTiuftJ^BP^ro time, he calieih) juftifieib, aiid fanclificih in 
 tkne,.;^rid will ftuUy glorify, when time liidUbe no more. 
 
 31 What fhil! we then fay to thefe things ? If 
 
 freely give us all things ? ^ 
 
 Here we have, i. A propofition iaiJ down, containing 
 matter of theliighcft confolation tci^i: namely, Thar Goil 
 fpared not h's own Son, but deli^Q^d him np for us ail. 
 'e fpare,/ iiJ ; that i«, he did not fpirc tojiive him, or 
 ivz with him ; wtili Abraham, he did not withhold iiis 
 So;i, his only Sou front us. ^;ain : f/e did not /pare him, 
 that is, he did not fparc topundh hiiii; he did not abate 
 liim one far thing, nor fpare him one ftrok«, which divine 
 juflice did or could demand.- It is further added, that 
 C'jd drliveredhim up for us all. Judas delivered tip Chrill, 
 Pilate delivered hiin up, and ihe Jews alfo: Jiidns for 
 money; Pilate for fear, the Jews ror envy ; but none for 
 tliefe dt-livered him up for u's : But (lod the Failier de- 
 Jifcred iip-hi« Son, ai:dGol ih.->Son ^iP^red nj>himfiir, 
 as a prifoner by the fentence of the Ja->v is^ilivered n;U() 
 
 execution -. and his beiiij delivered up for « denotes u 
 
 a 
 
 Oodhe for-u.s. whocan be a^ainO. us ■' 
 
 vicegereiuy of his fu/fermgs, not only fo.-.onr good, astJK^ 
 fi'ial caufe, but for ourllns, .'.s the intriiorioa^ca jfc, in our 
 roon, place and ftead. '.'L'arn hence, that ih: utmofl 
 rigour and feverity of divine ju'tice was in.licled and e-.ic- 
 cured upon oi:r r,.ord Jefus Chrilt in the day of his pillion, 
 .".nd that by ihe pk-aiure and appointment of Gid il.e 
 Faiher: He fparcit >tJ. but delivered up hi.' ciun-'3'jn. 1. 
 The comfortable inference and coiuUiilon-Ah ch rhc-'pof- 
 tle draws fror.» the foregoing propofnitin ; Ihx' jTioli hj rot 
 'Miib him /rfel/givf t!S -till (hl>n>s " Insimiiing, tUat tlio 
 greatcft mercies and bell of blfllnigs fliallnctbe denied to 
 ii«, or withheld from ns. If Chrift'sbeours, 1 Cor.ii. 21. 
 aU things are ynurs (.hat is, all fpritual, teitiporal, ji.>v| 
 eternal mercicf) and.ye are -C brill's. For, i. No o-tirr 
 ^.E i Hi-.rcy 
 
'.S8. 
 
 K O M A..N S. 
 
 Chap, vjn 
 
 mcny '..i:t be to iloar to CixJ ^s lii% iiwu bvti : He w^s liis 
 riii:I\<lt;lij'lii, It", tlicrc^T.-, lie (pArcJ tnit ihi- moll cx- 
 <i:!ljiit ;ncr<v, lit xvil! ri>^*i '• liiihulj uiiy 'mlcriur mercy. i- 
 Tlicrt' !■> im I'Tiicv iiuTty wc \\;iiit, hut wc arc intitIcO co 
 il hj'i5iep,irtof Chrill, ami it i^Loiivcycd tous wiiliCluirt ; 
 .!! tliino!! ,'.TS t.i rijijlir) are ours,, if wc he his. ^. If Goil 
 ;r-!vc Hi his Son, H iif u VIC wf-re his eiicmit), tnt^iinly lie 
 ^^•iH ileny u< ckhI'U^ ihit is pood for us, now wea)^ re- 
 <(>u».'.le<; aiut mr.Ue t'ricudi. h is onr apolHe's .n jvumcnt, 
 Rom . V. ■ 9. Jfy loheii we vnrc cittnil:s, isif xtsre, Sic . 
 
 3-; \Vhoni.»l'. lay any thiiii^ to the charge of Cod's, 
 t led ? li is God th.it julli!iclfi : 
 
 Xvte I)ere, i. The apolllc's tontijcnt and dorliiigth.il- 
 lcai>c : who p}ali hty av.y trln^ to the ^i'>ari;e of Gad's ehcl .' 
 
 iy ul the (;halltiij';e : It is 
 
 Cod liimfclf frown upon the hrlipvf r, f^hh can bririT'to 
 Gdd .1 rij^htcoiitnefs iii:u is highly [ilr^alirm to iiim, witii 
 ic(peif> to which Cod may bejuji, and the jufHfier df him 
 th<U helicfeth in fefut. 2. '1 he Rround of ihis triumphant 
 thallenge w hid) fniih enables the htlitver to in.ike, and 
 tint is the mediation of Jefiis Chrift, in the four eminent 
 br.inchcsofit, his death, rcfiii reaion. ey.ihationand intcr- 
 cellion. Chrll} illd, is r'lf^n /■■gain, is even eil GtiVs right 
 hanj, making conliiu.il hilirc^J/icn f:r us. 1 lie nee l<farn, 
 '1 hat a believer's triumph.*; over condi'inn.T.ioti, do cini- 
 ncntly arife from the fevlril acts of Chris's mcdi.ition. 
 Chrift died and rofc ag;ain : our delv. is therefore p:iid,be- 
 caufe our furety i-. difcharged ; he fr.sit God's right hand 
 as a teftimony of ilie conipletenefs of his facrifice and fjtis- 
 faction for us, and he continually intercedes, that is, pre- 
 fents himfelf to his father in both his natures, and in our 
 names, as our Surety, our Advocate and Mediator: lyhi 
 
 igc : H'M jifau uty any ir.np to 1 
 H^Mre oh/c/-je. The univerrilii) 
 
 univerf.il in a double rcfpc't ; i. la relpfCl of perfons 
 
 acci;(ini», ///ijyZ'^/// He excepts none in heaven, none then jhuli lay any thing t(r the believer's charge, izc. 
 
 in earjli, yea, none in hell ; neitficr fin, nor the law, nor „ ■.,,, n. nr . r 11 r^i 'n % 
 
 Saran, ^cr confcience. having any thing to lay to their . 35 A\ ho fhall fLparatcusfrom iheloveof ChnR ? 
 
 charge, in order to our condemnaiion. :;. In r.i.lpec^ of y/'«« tiibuJation .- or diitrels ? or pcvkcution ? ov 
 
 rriii:^s; he c\cep-!s nofortoffins, thoiij^hneviriohenjuf IJniiiic ? or nakeduels ? or peril ? or ftvord .' 
 
 ]y aggravated, and fadlycircunnrta«tia(ed:Juaifyingj;race That is, rvone fiiall feparalc, nothing flia!! fepar.ue li.e 
 
 arge. Learn hence, 1 hat it is impoihblc believer from the love of Clirill : either from the love that 
 
 is their full di! 
 
 for any charge or accufaiion to fake place ag.iinft tholie 
 \vho:n God doth jiillify, becaufe there is nothing to accufe 
 them of, none to accufe them 10, and nobody to frame or 
 make the accufation againfi them. Well might the apol- 
 "(le fay. Who can, who fliall, who may, who dare lay any 
 thi^ to the juftilied perlons charge.' A''/#i',2, The ground 
 and rcafon of this confident challenge ; it is God thatjul- 
 lifteth, who (liall ccndcmn ! Here o/'A?rt;f, i. That there 
 i s a very gracious p^^^ge vouchfafed to behevor?, v. hi A 
 the kriptures call juTTification. 2. That it is God ihac^^^, 
 julllHeth the bcl;ever's perfnii, and pardons his fins. ^>i^^^|L 
 
 Chrift bears to him or from that li>ve « h'ch h- " ito 
 
 Chrill ; no pi rfon fliall, no condi.Lon of life i .:e 
 
 them, neither outward trtnbles, nor inwiiid ^ i>o 
 
 evils either feh or feared; the apcUle defiles a ,..;es 
 
 them all, becaufe neither of them alone, nor ail together, 
 cm nndafj) x\\i armsof divine love, in which helieversare 
 ii(r\y ent'oid;.d. T.^arn hence, That no troubles, tribu- 
 lations or diftrflTts whatfcever, can difToIve the union be- 
 iwi.Kc Chrilt and bcjievcrs. or ever ,'':para;e them from his 
 
 uone but God ; he is the ^fon againlt whom the otfencl^P^G (As it is v. rf.tcn.. i or thy fake wc are killed 
 is committed, and he alon<^c it is that abfolves us from all the day long ; ;vcaie accounted as flicepfor the 
 
 the guilt contrav'tcd. When the julVice of God accuies, 
 when the law of God accufe.?, when our own confcienctw 
 sccule, whiJii ^ia!i and wicked men accufe, the siercyand 
 y;oodners, the tru;!i and faithfulnefb of Cod will, for the 
 i'ake of his Son'.s fat'^flion, acquitand difcharge us: for 
 it is C'jd that jujl^eth. 
 
 3 J Who /#P^hat condemneth ? Il is Chrift thai- 
 died, yca.^ther that is rifei^again, who is even at ere killed 1.II the day Lr.g. The wordi^J^lhe day long, 
 the ri; 
 
 Uau^hter.) 
 
 As if the apoflls had faid. *' The faints of (Id have en- 
 dured all mannerof (jfu-rings, and yet were not ffparated 
 from the love of God ; therefore, the like or worfe fuffer- 
 iiigsfhall not be able to feparate us now." Here note 
 \\l hat may be the lot and portion of believers in this life, 
 and that is, killing: for the fake of Claifl : Fir thy fake vie 
 
 ht lITiid of Cod, who. alfo inaketh intciccf- t^cnote the continuance o7 the perfecuti^jhc/mwearied. 
 
 Iion lor. us. 
 
 The apoltle heri^goeson with the triumphant ciiallenge 
 in the foregoing verfe begun : Who (iudl condemn thejnf- 
 
 ntis of the enemy, and the patience oHfT^faint;. Learn 
 I'.Ciice, 1 h:it fuch as relblve upon the prtwM^of Chrif- 
 tianiiy muft prepare for killii.g, if God requires, and be 
 
 ready to Jay down their lives for their rtlgion, when God 
 
 ]f death looks the believer in the face, faith faith, Chrill 
 hasaboiifbed dtath, and breuglit li.^'e and imnnirtalii^ to 
 light. If Satan roar, faith can Icorn, snJ tell him to his 
 teet!), lie is a cimquereti enemy ; that Cin-';lt by his death 
 has Jtllruycd him wliat had the pj^-gr of d«Jih. Yes, if 
 
 con- 
 
 37 Nay, in all ihefe things vvearemol 
 quel 01 i tluough him that loved us. 
 
 As if the apoftie had faid, " We are fo far from being 
 fep-ii'aieol frctu Chnft, by ibe atiiiuions and nerlecuiions 
 
 Vihilil 
 
Chap, viii, 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 .'iSo 
 
 which we unJprgo, ihnt wf .ire conquerors by our patience, 
 nay , more tliiii conqncrOrs ; we Jo not only Uc:if viir liUl'-, 
 but (ve glory in tribu'ation? ; we conqucrby our p.iticiice, 
 we are more tl.'an conqt«rorsby our cliecrruliicfs." J5ut 
 becaufe thefe words, mre than comjucr-irs, look big, and 
 found jfrent, tlie apoftle inftantly fiibjoins; it is ihnt by 
 Chrirt's l\i'ength, -md n'jt by our own, tb.u we overcome: 
 and conq.ier: /Hire than conquerors through him thai loved 
 us, *'hich words are a ;>frf/>^r.v/?r of Chrifl : it is both a 
 properdefcription of hini.and a coiiipreheniivedefcription. 
 When the .ipoflla TiW, he that kvedus, he doth in cffecl: 
 fay every thing elfe: he was born for us, that died for 
 us, tli.it rrdcenicd and faved us; all thele were theeftetfls 
 and fi-uiis of his love, and they are all comprehended in 
 this ^\y\i\f,. Him that liiv.;dus. Ladly, How the believer 
 is faid to ovcrcoinc by the help of his perfun. I^I'jre than 
 ccnqutrors through himth.ii lived w, WThence ham. That 
 all aCIirirtiao's ilrength licsin ChriiT:, and not in hinifclf; 
 all his ftrengfh for vidory over fin, all hi; ftrength for vic- 
 tory over futll-ritig, is all received from CIuilt.4s .ill to be 
 attributed .iiid afcnbed to Chrift ; the ftre*i;h of every 
 faint, yea, the whole hoft of faint', lies in the Lordof iiofli. 
 
 38 For I am pn-fiirirlcJ, thit neither dcalh, nor 
 life, norantjels, nor princip.ilities, nor powers, nor 
 thinj;s prcltnt, nor tilings to come, 39 Norheiglit, 
 nor deptii, nor any other creature Thall be able to 
 fcparatc us from the love ot God, ^vhich is in Chrift. 
 Jefus our Lord. 
 
 Our apo?He concludes this excellent cli.iprer with tri- 
 umphant exprcllions, as he had be^nn it ; in the fi; rt verfe 
 he procliiuis th.u tiiere is no condeiniiation to them that 
 are in Chriil Jefus ; I anip(rfuaJ;d, Siz. Where obfiive, 
 I. The propi>lit:on poluivdy laid dawn, nothing fiiall fe— 
 parate from ^he love of Chrift ; his love is l;kfc himfelf, 
 unchn<ij;ea^ andeverlalVmt; ; he everloves the fame ptr- 
 lon. and ever lovrshim for ilrt fame rcafon ; likenefsis the 
 ground of love, the attracl:ive and loadftone of it ; now 
 the image of Chrift, by the Spirit of Chrill, is bojh pre- 
 ferved and increafcd in the believers foul -, this engages the 
 heart of Chrift towards Chriltians in fiich a manner, that 
 nothing (hall feparate them from his love, 2. The enu- 
 meration and indatlion of paiticulars which the apoftle 
 
 ikes «fe of^or confirming this proprfition, that nothing 
 llever from the love of Chrift, nor di- 
 
 «fe of^( 
 >irate^i 
 
 Fi^el 
 
 ||^^1 him : Ntith;r life, r.-ir death, that is, 
 
 1^^ '■' ■ ' 
 
 ma 
 cm i'ep; 
 
 u:)!-^!^ ii«^»)te)_^^ ^ , _._ , ^ 
 
 i-ciiher t he iicjflp ^jp life tior the fear of death : A'or argels, 
 neither ^^j^M- bad : not the good angels, for they will 
 not attempt it ; nor the bad angel? , for they can never cfFv c1 
 it: Nor principalities, nor po-utrs ; by them undci ft.ind 
 earthly powtr, the great and mighty potentates of this 
 world perfVtuting us for Chrift, yet Ihall never be able to 
 tiivorce us from him : nor things prifent, nor things to 
 corne r neijn cf the things which weenjoy at prcfent. orcn- 
 dureflpH^^t , or may hcreafier meet with, be it profj^crity 
 or a^Rutv; their prefcnt and future condition oflife fliall 
 be ic^^bed, whatevercome s ; come what maycome, come 
 what wdl come, come what can come, nothing (hall come 
 aiuifs unto them : \vhalever has happened, noeshappen,or 
 
 in ly happen to them in this world, flii!l not fruftratc thcii* 
 hn^r- iif fir-'i-c Ii.«|,i>M,. r» iii iitr wtirl'.i to conie : .". cr 
 hAghth, nor drpib; that is, neither height of honour, nop 
 depth of ignominy, neither the top of wordly advarcr- 
 mciit, nortlie bottom of wordly debatcmer.t, neither ilie 
 height of fpiritiirfl enlargement, nor the depth of i'pii iiu.l 
 delert:oir>. God can and will keep his faints in ;iii 
 honourable, in a comfortable, yea, in a faleftare and '."oi; 
 dition all at once : Nor any other creature ; that is, if t!i?re 
 be any other creature not comprehended, orcomprilVdu* 
 the foregoing enuiufration, what ever it be, it niuft fall 
 under the rank and denomination of creatures ; and no 
 creature either in heaven, or in e.irth, or in hell, (hall lepa- 
 rate Chrift and us. Leant hence, 'I'hat it is matter ot' 
 unutterable confalatioii, and inespreU'ible triumph to be- 
 lievers, that nothing, though never lb great and po vcifid, 
 though never fo amiable or terrible, fliall be able to feparate 
 them from the love of their Saviour. Bltiled be G.jd, 
 our ftanding in Chrilt is not fo lubricous ar.d (linpciy a; 
 was in Adam : he might ftand or might fall : the believer 
 fhill ftmd, the root bears up the branches: *e (h.ill 
 be kept liy the mighty power of God, with (he concurri-'nce 
 ofourtnrn careful ami continual rndeavours, through fail ii 
 u;i'o filvatioo, 3. 'I he full alfurance which the apollle 
 had of the ftabil'ty of a believer's eftate, / am perfuadtd, 
 or \ a»i fully alllired : Dut how fo? Not by exir.ioriiiuary 
 atul fpccial revelation, not by npuirc into heaven, not by 
 the -ippar ition of an angel to him : Hot his afl'urance is 
 built on th:it which is common to all believers; na:iifly. 
 the fame fpirit of faith, and the laaie love of God flifil 
 abroad in the hearts of all believers. 4. How the apoftle 
 having fpi'ken in his own perfon in the foriiitr verfe, fay- 
 ing, / am ptrfunded, changes the nouiber inthe laft verfe: 
 Nothin'T (hall feparate us, not me. Where mle ^.Iqsn ha 
 aiTtciates hiiufclf with all true believers in the pirticijiaiioii 
 of this privilege: They have all an interelt in the fama 
 love of God, the lame promites of lalvation, and have felt 
 the fanc::fyi.ig work of the fame Spirit. It is impofiibli; 
 rhat God IhouM retract bis merciful parpofe to believer^; 
 he that chcfw' them from eternity, frombed'ufs all time, and 
 gavr his Son ro fuffer dfath for them in the fulucfs of ti:!ic, 
 v.ill perfcvcre in hss purpofe ; namely, by grace to bring 
 them to glory, He whole grace pr.evented titer* when 
 thry were in their pollutions, iu aft,tta;pf-eiiiiiity, yea, iu 
 a ftate of obftiuacy, .will he leave them after hW im-ige is 
 engraven, and re-iuftampcd upon thtni? He that uiviitd 
 them loChrift svluii they were llrawcr.swill not caft ihem 
 out of hii love, now i!iey arc his luetii'Ders ; tiicri inrcrci (Kir 
 will prtl'erve them frcm falling, and prefcm them ("..nlihti's 
 before the nrefeuce of his Fathei'.- gl'ry with exceeciir.g 
 joy. God's love unto his children is evci lading, and thfjco- 
 venaijt that is built upon it, i> more firm than the pillars of 
 heaven, and the foundations of the earth : Wei! mij'.ht the 
 apoftle then far,-, Kothing fliall ftp.irjtei// from the lovi of 
 God. ";. and Idfllyj'I'iie ground of this love'i permanency 
 and diira'ion towards believers : h is the love of Gi-d in 
 Ckrijl Jefus that is vonrhlafe d to us for the fike of Chr'Il: 
 Jeius: God looks upon Chrift, and lovts him, and them 
 in him ; he loves all that areHieuiUers ot h'm, all tlijit a e 
 like unto hiui. O bleL'ed Jiiu ' : '. ft^r t.Sy I'.k'j ih.t 
 
 :he 
 
59° 
 
 ROM A N S. 
 
 Chap. IX. 
 
 The Father fin'les upon ui ; we are chofen in :h?e, judified 
 
 t •■■ A***«H 
 
 ,wi ;:.^!! 1.. _ 
 
 rifieJ with thee: F-tr mithfr /i/>, nir dia'.h, &c. Jhall ht 
 (ibl-- t-)fcparate ui from the hv; of God which is in Chrift 
 lefus our L')rd. Kternil thinks to Father, Sor. anJ Holy 
 .Spirit, for tlic confilarioT thit fla'.vsfrom hence! May fo 
 lii'^li and glorious a pri/ilegj oblige all thai are i itereftcd 
 in it, to tiis rxercife of umverfjl holinefs, remembering, 
 rhat as the privileges of the j; ot'pel are gloriou? and great, 
 fo liie duties it requires are cxail and Itrift. If we would 
 enj !y the confolatioTi in the lattverfe of this chapter (here 
 (Ijiated upon) we muft perform the duty in the firft verfe 
 (there infilled on) namely, to walk not after the fltlh,but 
 .-ifier the Spirit; oiherwife the privilege of non-condem- 
 nation there, and of no feparation from the love of God 
 :n Chrift Jefus here, will neither belong unto us, or ev-er 
 be enjoyed and improved bv us. 
 
 G H A P. IX. 
 
 (hir apjflk, in this and the two next chap!ers, labours 
 vii^htily to convince his countrymen the jews, of their 
 ohjlinacy againjl God. in rejcBing his cminfel concerning 
 their jujl'Jfcatian ly faith in Chrifl: And that tlieir ob- 
 Jiinacy was the certain cauje of Ihdr rcjcBion/or cafting 
 out ofthefavour of God, and of the calling of thi Gentiles ; 
 that is, of inv fling the Gentiles with tlie privileges of the 
 abdicated :]tws. 
 
 I Say the trutli in Chrift, I lie not, my confcience 
 alio bearing me witnefs in the Holy Ghoftj . 
 
 Njte here,/. The apoftle's folemn afTeveration or oath; 
 
 he cdUClvnft and the Holy Ghoftto witnefs for the truth 
 
 of what he f.iys, which is tiie very formality of an oath. 
 
 icdrw thence, That it is not barely lawful, but in feme 
 
 cafes cxpedientand nece(r<iry toafTert and confirm by oath 
 
 the truth and certainty of what wefpeak; in cafes of great 
 
 moment, which cannot otherwife be fufiiciently confirmed 
 
 a Chriilian may eltahlifh his faying by an oath. 2. The 
 
 perfon \\ horn the apolUe fwears by, Chrifi o»d the Holy 
 
 Cboft ;ha calls them to be witnefs of the fmceriiy of his 
 
 confoience in what he doth aflert : J fay the truth ia Chrijl 
 
 Sec. But why doth the apoftle fwear by the name of 
 
 Chrift, and not rather by the. name of God, feeing the 
 
 Jews tlid not believe his divinity, and fo were not like to 
 
 give any whit the more credit to what was aifciled by iiim ? 
 
 I fli/at-r, Probably to affert the Godhead oi Chrift, which 
 
 the Jews generally denied, and therefore wanted that hun- 
 
 our which was and is due unto it. None but God was to be 
 
 f.vornby ; 'he ap;ilUe fwearlngby Chril\,proves liimtobe 
 
 truly and really God, as alfo the Holy Ghoft ;foraPoath 
 
 beins» an ac: of reii^iou= worfhip.and the apoflle fwearinj^ 
 
 •by CSrlft andtlie Holy Ghoft, dotli thereby acknowledge 
 
 their divinity, arcording to the words of Mofes in Dcut. 
 
 vi. 4> Thou fljuit fear ike Lord thy Cod, T.>uifervs him, 
 
 andjhiilt /-Me/ir by his name. 3. Astlje apoftle. appeals to 
 
 Chr ft and the Holy Ghoft, fo alfo to his own conl'cience, 
 
 3: tiu; a.voui-hcr and \V!;i]el"s o\ the tru-.h of what he 
 
 fays. My confciem'e nl^ bt\iringm( w'lln'fs. Learnlher\QC, 
 That God has placed a confcienee in every man, whofe 
 office it is to b^ar witnefs of all his words and aftions ; 
 yea, of all bis thob -hts and inward affections. Confcience 
 isGjd's regifter, to record whatever wcthin!<,rpea1toract; 
 and happy he whofe confcience bears •witnef'. for him, and 
 doth not teftify againft him ; who c^infay with the apoftTe 
 here, IMy coifcience beareth tti: witnefs, that J lie net, &c. 
 
 2 That I have great heavinefs and continual for- 
 row ill my heart. 
 
 The original word figniftes fuch furrow as is found with 
 women in travail ; 3 forrow continually afTcclinghis heart, 
 and afiltfting his I'pirit, for his countrymen and kinfmen 
 the Jews, upon the account of their obftinate infidelity, 
 ohduraiion of heart, and fpirit of flilmbtr wliich was fallen 
 upon them, which had p.'-ovoked God to refolve to caft 
 them off, to reje£t their nation, and fofcattcr them upand 
 down throughout the world. Behold here, i. Whatare 
 the dil(n«l ejfcvt? and dreadful confeqaences of obftinate 
 unbelief, under the offers of Chrift tentleredto pcrfonsin 
 and by the difpenfatioii of the gofpel, without timely re- 
 pentance ; the ifiue wiU lie the final rejecHon, inevitable 
 condemnation, and unutterable. Behold, 2. The true fpi- 
 rit of Chriftianity : it puts men upon mciirning fjr the 
 fins and calamities of others in avery fenlibleandafTcction- 
 aie manner. Good men ever have been, and are men of 
 tcnler and compafTionate difpofitions-. a ftoic.il apatbv, 
 an indolency of heart, or want of natural affeftion, is {\\ 
 far from being a virtue, or matter of juft commendatio-.. 
 unto any man, that the decpeft forrow and heavinefs ot 
 foul, in fume cafes, well becomes perfons of the greateit 
 piety and wifdom. ■^. That great forrow and continual 
 heai'inefs of heart for the miferies of others, whether 
 iintniiient-cr incumbent, but efpecially for the fins of o- 
 thers, is an undoubted argument, fjgn and tyidance of a 
 ftrong and vehement love towards tkem. The apoftlc's 
 great heavinrfs and contirual forro"d) for the Jews, his 
 brethr.eii, was a great inftance and evidence of his un- 
 feigned love and afFt;ctlon to them. 
 
 3 For I could with that myfelf were accurfed 
 from Chrift for my brethren my kinfmen according 
 (otlieflefh:. 
 
 T;iat is, " So great is my concern £m- ^e faivation of 
 my brethren the jews, ihtt 1 could mKlliT^^atht greattft 
 inilery and evil that can bef^l i^y felfj^ p jyeven t t heir dc- 
 ftriulion." This wifh of St. Paul is ]S(||[^n hyper- 
 bolical exprcffion of his great affection to his crmntrymen 
 tl'.e Jews, and his zeal for their faivation, which was fo 
 iutenfe and veliement, that were it a thing feafonableand 
 lawful, were it proper, "und could avail to rffe procuring 
 their faivation, he coiild havew'.ihed the greateflevil to 
 liimfelf-; for their tikes, not. only to be ejii^nimunciated 
 from communion with the '.hurch of ChrifVj^M|fcbe fe- 
 parated from Chrift hinifclf. )t it be faid, that f^^^ wifi; 
 IS linf^jj and unnatural, to defire the falvatiotv^Hbtbers 
 witbourown damnation; I iJf</iy^r, True : Andtneierore 
 die anoflic'i ^vor^lsare not an abfo'tite andpofiiive wirti : 
 
 He 
 
Chap. ix. 
 
 R O MA N S. 
 
 591 
 
 He doth not fay, [ -Mijh ; but, ! ouU wi/h .• Juflaswesre 
 wont to fay, wlicn we would cxprcfs a thing to the height, 
 which is not fit nor intended to he done by us : " / cotil:^ 
 ■wijljfo or Jo .• J could ev^n be content to iio this or that." 
 Which kind of exprellions no man takes for a rtrict and 
 precife declaration of our minds but for a figiiiative ex- 
 preSion of a verv grcJt and vehement paflioii. '1 hiis here 
 the apoftle fays not, / -jjijl}, but / could even \'jijh. Were 
 it proper to makcfuch a \viih, I could even willi \o great a 
 blelfjug to my brethren, though with the lof$ ot my own 
 happinefs. Hence learn, i. 1 hat it is neither Uwlu! nor 
 reafonable fur any man to renmiuce his own eternal falva- 
 tjon, and to be willing to be damned upon any account 
 whatfoever, be it for the good of brethren, orfor thcglory 
 of GoJ himfelf. Th© veiy thought of fuch a thing i> 
 -nough to makfe human nature tremblt at its very founda- 
 rion, for the delire of our own happinefs is the deepelt 
 principle that God has planted in our natures : And to 
 pretend a reafon from the gbry of God, is iinpoililile ; be- 
 ranfe our damnation cannot mjke for the glory of G d, 
 Tjiilefb by our own impenitency and wilful obltiiiacy, we 
 have deferved damnation. 2. That loch may be the ar- 
 dency of a faint's afl'eclion towards others, and fo fervent 
 his uefiresfor their converlion and falvation, th.it he may 
 be willing to facriHce himfelf, and all that is dear unto him 
 i:i this world, for the accomplilhing of that end : 1 could 
 ■iuifh I wehe accurfed from Ckr'tji j\r my brethren, Ll. 
 
 2 Who are Ifraelites; to whom pertaitvlh the 
 aaoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the 
 giving of the law, and the fervice of God, and the 
 promifes; 5 Whofe arc the fathers, and of whom 
 as concerning the flefh Chrift came, who is overall, 
 God blelied for ever. Amen. 
 
 Our apoftle, to vindicate himfelf for bearing fuch a paf- 
 fionate .ifFection to the Jews, and for being follightly con- 
 cerned for their eternal welfare, doth here recount and fum 
 up the high ptivileges and prerogatives belonging to the 
 Jews abore any nation under heaven : na;nely thefe, they 
 .were Ifrsclites, that is, the feed and pofterity (Sf Abraliam, 
 Ifaac and Jacob : To tuhvn pertaincth the adoption ; that is, 
 national adoption, not perfonal ; God adopting the nation of 
 the Jews to be an holy people to himfelf, and calling them 
 his fons and h'ls firfl-born : Andthe glift-y ; that is, the glo- 
 rious prcfence ofGod among them, the temple, the ark, but 
 particularly the Scluxhiuah, or divine prefence from bf- 
 tween the cherubims : j4nd the ciiTcnuitts ; that is, the 
 coveiir.nt made with Abrah.im and Mofes, theold and new 
 covenant, Jer. x>:xi. 32. /i'nd the giving of the la-M ; it was 
 the prerogative of his people, that all xhcir laws, ceremo- 
 nisl, judicar, and moral, were compoft-d and delivered to 
 tiiem by (^od himfelf: Jiul the fei vice cfCoii; that ii, 
 they only had the true woifhip of God aniont;fl them, and 
 no othT nation couid have iho like, but by being a debtor 
 to them for'it : /ind the prrimifis ; that is, in general, all 
 ihi" blellings promifed tothemin the land ofC.-.nJan; and 
 i.'i particular, the promife of the Mciruh,or God'> gracious 
 jiurpole and intention to fend his Son into the world, ti 
 ■;iccompli<h its redemption : H'h'Je are the fiithtrs : that i 
 ihe beloved fithers, Abr.iham, Ifasc, and Jacob, were tl'. 
 
 anceftors, and they their offspring : Of whom, at concerrung 
 thejicfh, Chrijl came ; thjt is, of which Ifraelitcj Chrilt 
 came ; the promifed Mcilia* according to the H<j(h or humin 
 nature, was their otftpring, even he. w ho, according to hts 
 divine nature, xjas aver all. Cod hUjfdfor iv:nnjre. Nute 
 here, t. How the apollle refer ves ihegreateft privilege for 
 the lift : Chn/V's being born one of their nation, arni ac- 
 coriingto the ficlh, defended from the Jcwifh llotk, this 
 wai the topping privilege. 2. That this rellriclivcclanfe, 
 according lothe fiejk, plainly fuppofeth another nature \<.\ 
 Chrilt, according to which he came not frjni thelfraehtes, 
 which can be no other but the divine nature or Godhead, 
 which, in the following words, is attributed to him : Wht 
 ii over all, God blejfedfor evermore. Which glorious title 
 given to Chrift, as it highly exalts the prerogatives of ths 
 Jevirs, as being a people of whom fo bled'sd and great x 
 perfon defccnued ; fo, on the other hand, it aggravates their 
 lin and condemnation, rejecting a perfon of Inch infinite 
 worth and dignity, notwithllanding he defcended from 
 them. Now from the whole, learn, i . That a fulnefs or 
 richnef:; of iiiftituted means for grace, for the true know- 
 ledge and worfhip of Cud, is matter of high dignation and 
 gracious condefcenlion from God to man : Here ihegkry, 
 xhe covenants, the fervife of God, Sec. are numbered amongd 
 the great and gracious refpeJts vouchfafedby Gc»d to the 
 Jews. 2. That the higheft privileges and vouchfafements 
 froni God may be conferred upon a people who are neither 
 pieafing to God, nor accepted with him : Such were the 
 Jews, to whom the foreinentioiied privileges did belontr^ 3 
 people reje(5led by God for their ciiduracy and unbelief. 
 3. That it is no fiiiall honour to be of the race or kindred 
 of fuch as have been holy faints and faithful iisr vants of the 
 moft high and holy God : 1 he Jewsliere were v^ry ho- 
 nourable, as they were the feed of Abraham : bufinuch 
 more i'o, had they trod in the fteps, nnd done the work', 
 of their fathej Abraham. 4. That Jefus Chrift, who was 
 the feed of Abraham according to the flefli, was yet, ac- 
 cording to -his divine nature, Lirdovcr ail. Cod hlejfvd for 
 evermore ; He is overall, thai is, over all things, and over 
 all perfons; and he is blefled for evermore, which is the 
 conltant title given to him that is God, and to none but 
 him. The Socinians, to avoid the force of this lexr, 
 which fully proves the divinity of Chrift, turn the words 
 into a thanlgiving for Chrift, and read them thus: Of whom 
 Chrift wa'., according to the flefh : God, who is over all, be 
 blejftd for ever. A manileli pcrveifion of the fenfe of the 
 .ipoftle's words, v.'hich was to (hew, that according to the 
 ileih lie defcended from Abraham ; but that he had another 
 nature, which was not dirived from Ahraluin, even a 
 divine nature, according to which lie was ova- all, Cod 
 bliJJ'ed for evermore. 
 
 6 Not as though the word of God hath talccn 
 none effeQ. For they are not all Ifrael whiclj are 
 oflfrael : 7 Neither bccaufe they are the feed of- 
 Abraham arethey all children ; but in Ifaac IhaJ! ihv 
 feed be called. 8. That is. They which are th\j 
 children of the flclh, thefe are not •' hijdren of 
 '"■A: but the children of the pi . -cou'.u;- ! • 
 
 1-^cd. 9 For this n the word of pro;' j •. 
 
.k0» 
 
 ROMA N S. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 A' ihis .li*"c.\\-ill I come, and Sarah fliall have a 
 Ion'. 
 
 Here the apoftle anfwers to an objeiflion agninfl the re- 
 ircV'oii "t tlie J''ws : '-If they be c;i(l oft'by God, what 
 will become (it die proinife of God made tu Abraham ? 
 Ciy'.ng, I r.-h'l lif thy Cod, and the G-jd of thy feed." He 
 :4nAv-ers,by dillinf;uifliing a twofold feed that Abrahamhad: 
 >Sfimeweieonly his carnal fecdjOr the chilJrrn ofhisfJefh; 
 otiieri were hisfpiritnal feed or the children of his faith. 
 Now the carnal feed of Abraham, born according to the 
 crurle of nature, were not the children of Gnd, to »vhrni 
 the prornife was made, but the thildren reprcTented by 
 IfaaCiboin by the fupernatural powerof the Sjririt of God; 
 liiefe arc to be accounted the trueftcJ of Abraham, men- 
 tioned in the covenant, wlien Cod lays, J tuill he thy Cod, 
 and thi C'jd cf thy feed. So tliat the (orce of the apoftle's 
 wT'Tiinient lies thus : The rtje(flion cf luth Jews, or fudi 
 LI Abrahaifc's feed only who were fo according to the flelh 
 i:inno'. make the word and proinife of God .o Abraham and 
 his Iced of nocfFfil, becaufe he made noabfolute promife 
 to them as fuch. But, fays the apollle, none of thofe Jews, 
 wliofe rrjec^cioii I fpeak of,have any fuch proinife made to 
 them ; thereforeiherejeiSionofftJine of Abraham's natural 
 feed doth not make void the word and promife of God. 
 Learn hence, i. That the promifes of God to his children 
 and people, are firm and flable; they ftall not be made 
 void, but be accompltfhed and made good to thofe that 
 have a title to them, and intercft in them, and fulfil the 
 conditions of them : Not as though the ■'Wird ov promife of 
 God has t alien no effsSl : /ill are not Ifrael that art-cf Ifrntel. 
 Lear K\\i:r\ce,i. I'hat as all were not true Ifraelites of old 
 that did bear the name of Ifraelites ; fo all are not true 
 Cbrillians at this day, who take upon them the name of 
 
 Chrift, and bear the nan'C of Cbrillians. 
 
 That men 
 
 are very prone to bear up themfel ves upon the piety of their 
 anceftors, though (h-angers in praftice, to their piety ; as 
 the Jews boafted they were the ieei\ of Abraham, but did 
 not the works afAbrahim ; whereas men are fo far from 
 being God's children, becaufe they had godly parents, that 
 Chriit ti'ld the Jews, who came forih out of Abraham's 
 loins, that they wereof their father ihe devil. John vii.44. 
 
 1 o And not only this ; but when Rebecca alfo had 
 conceived by one, even by our father Ifaac : 1 1 (For 
 ihc children being not yet born, neither having done 
 any good or evil, that the purpofe of God according 
 10 election, might Hand, not of works, but of him 
 that calleth,) 12 It v/as faid unto her. The elder 
 Ihall ferve the younger. 13 As it is written, Ja- 
 cob have I loved, but Efau have I hated. 
 
 Our npoflle Jinvlng in the foregoing verfes, proved, from 
 V hat V.MS done iu Abraham's f.iuily, that it wasthepur- 
 )jole and picafure of God to accomit only thofe for Abi-a- 
 ium's fef d who were the tliiidren of his faith, and to rejed 
 liie refl for their unbelief; in thefe verfes he profecutes the 
 fjiue arjTuinent.by infilting upon .inothe'- fpccij] difpenfLi-, 
 tion of God in the family of Ifaac, wluife ■••iff Rebecci 
 b.-id twins, namely, Jacob and- Efau, jind had neither of 
 
 thftn any thing in th?m tcmove God tnlovethe one, and 
 diflike the other : Yet a prtferencc was gi\en to ihe me 
 before the otiicr : So that the apoftle's argumtiit runs thus 
 " As Jicob and Efau, were begotten of the fame father, 
 born of the fjme mother lay together in the fame mother 
 and had neither of tiiem done any thing at nil to oblige or 
 difoblige ATmighty God ; yet he was pleafed to make a 
 dilrertnce between them and their portcrity after them, 
 giving tiie beloved Canaan to Jacob and Irs feed, which 
 by birth-right belonged to h'fau and his offspring: So i« 
 i'ke manner is it the «ill and ple.ifure of Gixl, that the 
 believing Gentiles lliould become heirs of fiie promife by 
 faith in Chriil, and that the unbelieving Jews fiiou'd be 
 reiccled and cafl«ofF for their infidelity." Learn hence, i. 
 Tliat Almighty God diufe s perfons to the participation of 
 divine fivrurs. 2. That the choice whiih God makes cf 
 men to the ei:j()yracnt of that fpeciil favour of being his 
 peculiarpeople, is not according to their external privileges 
 or works, but according to his own free plealuie. 3. That 
 as Jacob's and Efau's being unborn, and having done 
 neither good nor evil, is ufed as an argument to prove, that 
 tlie choice of the one before the other could not be of 
 works ; fo it is a (Irong argument againft theprc-cxiftcnce 
 of fouls, and their being fent untobodiesby way oipunifh- 
 ment for former fins : For upon that fuppolition, it could 
 not be true, that the children had done neither good nor 
 evil before they svere born, feeing they might both have 
 finned, in that ftateofpre-exftence, learn ^.Turnlih/erve, 
 That the apoftle doth not fay. That before the cliildren 
 had done either good rr evil, God fa id, Jacob ha\e I loved, 
 and Efnu bated, but only, the elder Jliall ferve thcycungir. 
 Hatred here may be taken two ways, either, i.Kora Icfs 
 degree oflcve, God preferring the icedof Jacob before the 
 polterity of Efau, giving the foraier the good land of Ca- 
 naan, to the latter the barren mountains cf Seir. Or, 2. 
 If hatred be taken in the.ftric1eftferif;:, »hen God is faidto 
 hate Efau, that is, the Edomites, after tiieir wicked and 
 unnatural behaviour tow.Trd their breilirtn thelfraeliiesj 
 And upon that oceafion, fee Obadiah, ver. 10. For thy . 
 violence agairfl thy brother Jacob J}.^arne Jliall cover thee, and 
 ihouJI^alt be cut cjf forever. I'vothiiig rsnderi a pcrfon ■ 
 the object of God'i hatred but lin; he doth not hate the 
 devil liimfelf as he is his creature, but only as he is a lin-''_ 
 ner. God adjudges none to eterntil ;3erditi(iii, but with 
 rel'pecl to fin. Obfe^e, <;. That Jacob and El'au are not 
 here to be confidered perlbnally, but coUeftivtly ; for the 
 Ifraelites that defcended from Jacol), and for the Edomit.'s 
 which fprang from Efau : for Efau in his o-ar perfon did 
 not fei-ve Jacob, butthe Edoraitesdid fcrve the Ifraelites. 
 Thiiithc elder didferve the younger. Again, it appears 
 that Job and all his friends were of the poiteriry 0I Efju : 
 God did not then hate the perfon, or all the pttlferiry of 
 Efau, bu: only tliDle of them who by their violence and 
 wickedntfa rendered themfelves the objcdl of his hatred. 
 
 1 4 What fliall we fay then ? Js thrt unrigluc- 
 ouliiefs with God ? God forbid. 15 Forheiiaitb 
 to Moles, I ha\e mercy on whoin I will have 
 mercy, and I will have conipaflion on whom 1 
 tv ill have companion. 
 
UHAP. K. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 39^ 
 
 The npoi'Hc hnving by the two foregoing infianccs 
 affcrtcd his doftrine, concerning the purpofe and decree of 
 (rod to juflify ihofe that fhould believe on his Son, be they 
 Gentiles or Jews ; and confequcntly made it good, that no 
 M'ordor promife of God falls to the grou id by the rejec- 
 tion of the unbelieving Jews ; proceeds in this vcrfe to 
 (i>'.'nonftra'e the ri^^hteoufnefs of God in the execution of 
 lliis his purpofe. /s there //tm, fays he, unnghtcntjucfi or 
 injujVue with God F God forh'id. As if the apolHc had 
 fiid, " Is there any canfe to fay, thai God, v;ho preferred 
 the poflerity of Ifaac before that of Ifhniacl, and the feed 
 of Jacob before the niimcr'' ngofF.fau; is there 
 
 any jufl rcafcin to fay, that G > unjiill in cuUjsig the 
 
 <ientile?, and upon (heir faidi owning them for his people, 
 the fpirit);r.l feed of Abraham, and rejetEling the jews be- 
 oaufe of their unbelief? God forbid that we flioiild accufc 
 1 im of i!nrit;h'eous dealing upon this account." Learn 
 J<ence, Tii.it Cjod is juU, infallibly ani infl-xibly juft and 
 ii-;hteouK in all his dr;dings with, and difj^enfation towards 
 t'le children of men : Is their unrighlcsufnefs ziith God ? 
 That is, there is none, there can be none. 2. That all 
 fiich tenets or doftrinrs which refle>fl any manner of nn- 
 jighteoufnefs upon God^ or charge him with hard dealing 
 ought to be difclai'aicd wish the iitm >fl ahhorrency and 
 detedation :, /. ti'iTi mti-ighteoufncfs with God f Gid forbid. 
 N-jtc next, Ho\v the apo'Ue proves tliat there is no im- 
 jiijhteoufnefs in this difpenf.ition of God, in rejefliug the 
 .1 'vs, and calling the Gentiles, bccaufe he had faid to 
 A-'-fts, he would (hew mercy, where, when, and to v.liom 
 IT lo what people he pleafcd. It", therefore, upon the ia- 
 ndtlity of the Jews, he will call ilie idolatrous Gentiles, 
 .Tnd receive tliem to be hij people, who can accufe him of 
 .Illy injiiflicc upon tliat account? Hiali not Almighty God 
 difpenfe his favours where, and upon whom, he uleafcs ? 
 ^fMy"he not confer his kindntfs upon fomc, whichhe owes 
 to none r ].carn hence, That God is abfoltitely and uiii- 
 niately rcfolv^d to follow the counftl of his own will, in 
 and about the juRification of fmners ; and whatfocvcr he 
 doth, or refolves to do, his will being the rule cf righteoid- 
 iiefs, Is for that rcafon exadlly juft, and undeniably righteous 
 
 i6 So then it is not of him that willcth, nor of 
 him that runneth, but of God that flieweth mercy. 
 
 As if the apoflle had fuid, " The foregoing inflances 
 abundantly flicw, that it is not of hiij^ that will,th\ for 
 Abraham willed that Ilhtnacl miglit live to he partaker of 
 the blediii^ promifed to his feed, when he faid. Gen. xvii.' 
 i8. O that IjLmacl might live lefcn thee! Nor is it of liim 
 th.1t runneth: For when Efau ran to fetch venifcn for his 
 la'her, that he ini-ht receive the bledlng. Gen. x;;i. ll^e 
 wil'domofGod faw fit to have it otherwife, and lo confer 
 ihe biefiing iipmi Jacob; but it is of God that ftiewefh 
 iiercy, that any one is chofen to be the feed to which the 
 promife made to .Abraham belongs, and fo to be his church 
 and people." Learn hence, l"hat it is t>f Gods more 
 grace and mercy, that any fmner? are called and rdi^iiited 
 to(l-.c privilege of juflificaiion and Er!r>p;ion, upon' ::ny 
 fcn:s and conditions whatfocvcr. The reafon ^vliy i!ic 
 iinfid and tmworthy Gentiles were coUrd to be a pecple, 
 who were tiot a people, while the Jews were left otit, and 
 
 call olT, for thei» unbelief, was not becaufc the Gentiles 
 were cither more woriiiy or more willing, but from Gixls 
 difcriininating grace and mercy : it isrotvf him that zvilleth, 
 hit of God that Jkctveth merry. 
 
 \ 7 For the fcripture faith unto Pharaoli, Even 
 for this fame purpofe have I railed thee up, that I 
 might fliew my power in thee, and that my name 
 might be declared throughout all the earth. 
 
 Our apoftle I^Bproceeds to remove another objtdion, 
 namely, the feemmg injullicc orfcveiityof rejcdiing th- 
 Jews, and refcrvinv; thein to wrath, giving them up to an 
 obdurate he.irt, L;caiife tlicy wouli! not r.ciept of the way 
 .which the wililom of God had appointed for their jnftjfi- 
 catiun ; ,i ' faith in his Son Jefus Chriil. Ti'.is lie 
 
 clears h , indance ; to wit, that of Pharaoh, v/ko 
 
 had fo ofun hardened his own heart obllinatelv, and pro- 
 voked God at lad to harden him judiciallv. Foffthls cou/e, 
 fays God, have I raifed llyee up: In tlic original it is,/ 
 have mcde thee to fund: tliat is, " I I'.avc fullained thee, 
 and kept thee alive, when thou dcfervedil, and miglucfl 
 judly have expefted to be cut off by the fevcral placuys 
 inllifled on thee for tiiy cbdlnate har Incfs of heart, 'Thr.t 
 I might ficio rry fizver in thee, ^'C. Or, I have patient!',' 
 bor:i tliy diibbcirnnefs for a long time, that my power anil 
 jiidice might more illuflrioufly appear at lall in that con- 
 ipicuous judgir.ent, which I will execute upon thee in th.c 
 fight of all the nations of the cartl;." Learn hence, That 
 fomc finni-rs, whom the patience of Goil has long waited 
 upon, arc prefcrvcd of him, and raifed cm of great and - 
 imminent dangers by liim, for this end j^nairicly, to.maks JX 
 them examples ot his jud indignation againlt dubborn and J^' 
 obdurate rebels, and that in the mod illudiioiis and lignal 
 m.'inncr. Far this catife have I raifed thee I'h, that '>'\ nc-r 
 might be dtclarcd tijrcughiout all the earth. 
 
 i8. Therefore hath he merry on whoin he will 
 hdwincrcy, and whom he will he hardenetlt. 
 
 As if he had faid, "From thele fcriptnre-inltanccs, vs 
 may gather and Cf.nclnde, that God, may, ->vithout tiis 
 Je:;d injudice, miigi.ify his mercy, in fparing and patdtming 
 fomc finners, and render his jiiflicc gloiious Mi punifliiiig 
 others; yea, in punifliing fin -with fin, hardcriing them ju- 
 dicially, vho had hsrilened thcmfelves obdinately." Kere 
 r:te. That GikI did not harden I'haraoh's ht-art by any 
 pofiiive acl c«r influx upcn it, by infufingniiy evil into i:, 
 tor this w(iuld make God the author of fin ; but he v.-;.s 
 hardened by way of juilicaiory tradition, after he had h r.^ 
 hardened himftlf. Fi'd he was delivered up into thehcnd 
 of Sata<i, w ho deluded him by tlic magicians counterfeiting 
 the fame miracle that Mofes wrought, nnd this hardtncil 
 him rgainft the belief of any thing that Mc fes cither did 
 or faid. Scccndly, He was delivered up to his cv. n liids, 
 particularly, idolatry, arr,bi;icTi, Erd cr \etci.rnefs, r:rd thefc 
 hardened Praiaoh's heart. As :i) idola'or, he wrs Ici'h fo 
 receive a meifage frcn the Gtd cl Ifr^ei, v. hem hekrivo* 
 •not: If 1.0 Is tie Lord, fays he, tiat I fludd clev llrr.? 
 I biozv not ll:e Lord. As an ambl:ici!5 prince, li wcr.t 
 to Ids very heart, to hear fo mean a man. as Mofe"! 
 4 F Contruul 
 
':s t 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 .Qua?, xr. 
 
 controul hiii. ,,, i..j V....1 tiominions, faying, Let the people 
 gi, I,' at /Ly may f:rve the I^rd. This enraged him, to 
 hear ofaiu' I.ord over that people but himfcU; and as a 
 oovctous nnn he was loath to hear of parting with a 
 j>coplc» b) v.'hfifi; pnir.s, in iTialcii.g brick, he had fo great 
 :in income. Tims Pha.-aoh's atJifled hardncfs, was t'ol- 
 lownl V. ith infliileJ liarJnefs. Learn lience, That God 
 . tlnth jiiftly deliver th:;t man up to hardr.efs of heart, by way 
 of pi!iii(hmcnt, \v!io has often hardencil hisown heart againfl 
 GlkI by repeated aSs of fin. «(••, 
 
 "Jufse ioties ccr ejus cbJ:ira1ur in panam, 
 
 J^iitiei ipfe car fuun obduravh ineulptim, Lightfoot. 
 
 1 9 Thou uik then fay unto me,\v'hy doth he )'et 
 'find fault? For who hath rcfiftcd his will ? 20 Nay 
 but O man, who art thou that icplieft.ag<iiri,ft God ? 
 Shall the thing formed fay unto him that formed zV 
 Why haft thou made me thus ? 2 1 Hath not the pot- 
 ter power over theclay, of the fame lump to make 
 • one velFel unto honour, and another to dilhonour? 
 
 Here the a|ioftL- brings in the unbelieving and rc-jeded 
 Jews making an objeftion againftGod: " If the cafe be 
 i.hiij, tliat God doth fometimes, and that juftly, leave ob- 
 ■ 'uratc (inners to harden themfelves, why is he offended at 
 it, and coinplains of it ? If God hardeneih us bccaufe he 
 will, why do;h he find fault with us for our hardnefs of 
 heart ? For who hath at any time refifted iiis will ? How 
 i"; it i« onr power to avoid being hardened, if it be his will 
 fh;it we flioiild be hardened r"' i-i-^rn hence. That guilty 
 ». finncrs arc fuJlVjf hard thoughts of Go<l, and very prone 
 ^_ to think the tiivlne difpenfations unreafonable, if not nn- 
 nghtcous ; but upon falfc and miftaken grounds: Ifly 
 ■•llth he fi'ul fault ? Jf'hohatb rcfifled hhivill? To thisob- 
 jciflion the aportlc returns a very fmartanfwer, faying, 111:3 
 art thou, Oman, that replteft againjl God ? Shall, &c. In 
 •which anfwcr, note, i. A vehement objurgation ©r reproof 
 :■. A fiibdaniial vindication of the righteoufncfs and wif- 
 • 'ioin of God in his proceedings with men. Olfftrve, i. 
 Tile objurgation or reproof drawn up in an interrogative 
 form, which argues great intcnfcmentof mind in the perlon 
 fpeaking ; Nay, iut min, xvbo art ihcu? As it the Dpodlc 
 kad (aid, " What boUl and unheard of prefimiption is this, 
 that man, blind and ignorant man, guilty, finful man, ob- 
 noxious to wrath and eternal death, that he fhould under- 
 take to rcpcove and ccnfurc, to judge and condemn the ac- 
 tions and difpenfations of the nioft high and moft holy G(k1 
 rs if they were crooked and perverfc, dcfc£live either in 
 juftice or wifdom!'' Zcrt/-,-; hence. That it is no lefs than 
 horrid and horrible prefuiinpt ion, for fowcak, finful and 
 worihlcfs a denture as man is, to conlcft and difpute with 
 the moft high Gc d about the wifdom or righteoufnefs of 
 any of his ways: Oman, 7vhi art thou tl't replicfl againji 
 Gid, 2. How the aportle vindicates the wifdom and 
 yii^liteo'jfnefs oii God in his prccccdings with men in geno- 
 ral, and againfl the Jews in particular ; fhewing, That 
 there is no more caufc to make tl-,is objeccion ag:iinil God 
 for rcji-dling the unbelieving Jews, and fiicwing favour to 
 the believing Gentiles, than for the pitcher tocoiucnd with 
 ,hiiu that lormcd it, why he made it of fuch a fiiapc, and 
 
 not of another figure; or f>..rthe c'ay vvljpn it is marred 
 and broken, to complain of the potter, for making of ore 
 part of it a vcffcl unto honour, and the other unto dif. 
 honour. Learn hence. That men, who have made jhem- 
 felves obnoxious to the juflice of God, by a long conti- 
 nual courfc in fin and difcbcdience againft God, (as the 
 unbelieving Jews here fpoken of evidently did) have no 
 caufc to complain, neither of Gcd's feverc proceedings 
 againfl themfelves, orofl.is favourable difpenfations to- 
 wards others. What juft caufc had the Jews, rejefted for 
 their own unbelief and hardn~fs of heart to murmur againfl 
 ■Goil for fiicwing mtr. . ' Gentiles, who fubmittcd to 
 the terms of mercy ? 
 
 2 2 Wlxat if God, willing to niew/ju wrath and lo 
 make his power known, endured with much lonj;- 
 fufFcring the velFels of wrath fitted to deft ru£l ion; 23 
 And that he mi;^ht make known tiic riches of hi.s 
 glory on tlie velTels of mercy, which he had afore 
 prepared unto glory? 24 Even us Avhom he hath 
 called, not of the Jews only, but alfo of the Gentiles. 
 
 As if the apoflle had faid, " What though God dofh 
 not prefcntly punifli the nbllinare and unbelieving Jews 
 according to their deitrt, butbearcth with them, and cxer- 
 ctfes forbearance towards them, and they goon, by their 
 continual rebellions, to m.akc themfelves fit objcdls of hi? 
 wrath; but he is pleafed Itill, with great gentlenefs anc! 
 patience to bear with them, as he did with Phara"h , anl 
 if, after all, they be more hardened, as he was, by God's 
 forbearance, w'lai fhew of injujlice, I pray, is it, if he 
 puiiiflies them at lafl with grcittr fcvcriiy, a<i God did him 
 if he fwallow up their nation, deflroy their temple, ruin 
 their city, wl'.at injiillice is it to deflroy thofc, who, by 
 making themfelves obje£l's ot God's wrath, arc fitted for 
 deftrudlion r" Here ««/(■, That the 'vefjels of ivrttth fitted 
 for deliru£lhn, are fiich as the apoP.le faith, God endured 
 ■ivilb much long fufftring ; and therefore, they were i:ot 
 made vtflels of wrath by God, but by themfelves ; after 
 they had filled up the mcafurc of their fins, and thereby 
 fitted themfelves as vcllbls for dcftrudlion. Gi'd endurccj 
 them with much long-fuffcring, though jtidgtncnt at l.ifl 
 tosk hold upon them to the uuermoR. Learn hence. That 
 Almighty God may, without i!ie leafl fufpicion ofinjuf- 
 lice or unrighteot^iiefi, pimifli, v\ith the utmoll fevcrity. 
 fuch a pcrfon or a people, wiiom he hath long endured, 
 "vvitli much forbcar.;nce, to co on in a courfc of (inning, i. 
 at hfl thcv repent not. Thi» was the manner of God' 
 dealing with ihc Jews here. His lenity towards the Ge» 
 tiles is next exprcfled, ver. 1Z. That he might make Iiwa:-. 
 tl'c riches of his glory on the irfjcls ef mercy, iiC. As it the 
 apoflle had faid, " Can God be taxed with unrightcoufnef'--, 
 in fhewing the riches of his glorious grace and mercy to- 
 wards the dvfpifcd Gcntih .>•, whom he hath called to the 
 fsith of Chrill, and thcrcbv htuJ and prepared them to be 
 velFcls of mercy ? Hath he not a jull right to fhew his 
 mercy to fuch perfms who h;M: *" 'Muit'cd to the terms 
 upon which he hath promi fed nd acceptance, and 
 
 to own them as his peculiar p^ :. , ^ihough they be not 
 tlic natural Iced of Abiu'liain, feci;igthey arc his fpiritua! ? 
 
CllAF. IX. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 S3S 
 
 Note here, That as the untielicving Jews were called in the 
 former Tcrfc, /^^A cf vrath ; fo the beliKving Gentiles 
 sfrccallal in this verfc, yrJJ'eh of mercy \ becaufe, as vefTls 
 are fitted and formed by the hand of the artificer, for tha 
 ufc for which the*/ arc defi£;ned, in like manner, are be- 
 lievers wrought by God, and framed by his Holy Spirit, 
 and made meet to riceive the mercy of God; that is, the 
 fruits ard effcdls of his mercy, efpcciaily, pardon of Hn, 
 and peace wiih God. Concerning ihc veftels of wrath, 
 the apoftle fpeaks paffively, ilicy arc fitted for dc ftrinflion : 
 Concerning tlie vcficis of mercy, he Cpciks adlively, that 
 God has prepared them unto glory ; that is, made them 
 ineet and fit by grace here, for j^lory hereafter. Leant 
 thence, Th.->.t the new creation of the faints, and all the 
 fpiritual workmanfliip that is found upon them, is to be 
 afcribcd unto Gcd, and to the cffcdual working of his 
 grace : He hath afcn prepared them unto gtcry. 2. That 
 the fulled meafurcs of glory hereafter, (hall be the portion 
 of fuch, and only fuch, as are firfl prepared bv grace and 
 holinefs to receive them here. 7. That only thofe are 
 velfels of inercy, prepared by God I'.nto glory, who upon 
 the evangelical call, have been prevailed with, by faith and 
 repentence, to anfwer the call and command of God : That 
 he might make known the riches cf his glory c» the zej/els of 
 fnercf, zvhich he hath aftrc prepared unto glcry, even us 
 xuhem he hath caticd. 
 
 25 As he faith alfo in O fee. I will call them my 
 people, which were not my people ; and her, Be- 
 loved, which was not beloved. 26 And it fhall 
 ^ come to pafs, that in the place were it was faid un- 
 \ to them, Ye arc not my people ; there fhall they be 
 called, The children of the living God. 
 
 _ Our aportle having hitherto vindicated the wifdom and 
 righteoufnefs of God, in the rejeiftion of the Jews, and 
 ' calling of the Gentiles ; left the Jews fliould flumble and 
 take offence at it, in thefc, and in the following vcrles, he 
 proves that the calling of the Gentiles was long before 
 foretold, both by the prophet Hofea, and the prophet Ifaiah : 
 By the prophet Hofea, chap. ii. 22. / w;7/ call them my 
 'people, ■uthi//) uere ni! my people, it /hall be faid, i'e are thefns 
 ef the living Cod. Which exprefllffns lignify and import. 
 Cod's receiving the Gentiles into the church, as an aft of 
 free and undeferved mercy, whom the Jews looked upon as 
 caft-aways, as ftrangers, as dogs ; accounting theinfelvcs 
 only to be of his family and houfhold. Next, he produces 
 the teftimony of Ifaiah. 
 
 27 Efaiasalfo crieth concerninglfrael, Though 
 the number of the children of Ifrael be as the fand 
 of the fea, a remnant fhall be favcd. 28 For he will 
 fihifh the work and cut it Oiort in righteoufnefs : be- 
 caufe a Qiort work will the Lord make upon the 
 earth. 29 And as Efaias faid before, Except the 
 Lord of Sabaoth had left us a feed, we had been as 
 Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrah. 
 
 Ilcrethc apoftic flicws how the r,edud;on cf the obdurate 
 
 Jews was foretold by Ifaiah, asv.e'ii as Hofea: That al- 
 though the number of the Jews, according to the fleili, 
 were as the fand of the fea, yet the greateil number of' 
 them woidd be pafTed by for their unbelief, and a remnant 
 only faved. Thus the prophet fpcaks of thofe Jews who 
 efcaped the hand of Srnnacherib ; and the apolllc makes 
 the deliverance of thofe few, a type of them that fhould 
 believe in Chrift. and be fived by'liim. And the prophet 
 farther adds, That God would finifh his work and cut i'. 
 fhort m rightcoufncls ; that is, God will make quick work 
 with that incorrigible and unrechimaM J people; fiichfuitt 
 deftruftion lliall come upon the multitude ot' evil doers in 
 the land (f IfracI, as fluU bring ihcm very low, cut them 
 fhort, lop thf-m oft", fo that they fhall be Ictt as a tree, of 
 which only the flump remaincth. They fliall be reduced 
 fo a fmall remnant, and a remnant only ot that remnant 
 fhall be converted. Now, firft. From the liberal i-nport of 
 thofe words. Though Ifrael he as the fand of thefe:i, a rem- 
 nant only jhall be faved, we learn. That a niunerous peoiil*: 
 or nation, aaiong whom Gcd hath been truly worflsipped, 
 and this for a long feafcn, inay, nolwithibnding, for their 
 wickednefs be deftroyed and reduced by God to a very 
 fmall number. Secondly, From the typical import ot 
 tbefe words, together with the apoflIe"s fcope in citing them, 
 we gather, that amongfl thofe muhitudcs who are called by 
 the gofpel to believe on our Lord Jcfus Chrift, and who 
 inake profeflion of his name and truth, the number of thofe. 
 who will be at laft eternally faved, will be but comparatively . 
 fmall and little ; A remnant Jhall he faved. 
 
 30 Whatfliall we then fay ? That the Gentile-, 
 which followed not after righteoufnefs, have attain- 
 ed to righteoufnefs,- even the righteoufnefs whic!i is 
 of faith: 31 But Ifrael, which followed after the 
 law of righteoufnefs, hath not attained to the lav/ 
 of righteoufnefs. 32 Wherefore ? Becaufe theyfovght 
 it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the 
 law. For they flumbied as that ftumbling-flon:; ; 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, ." Lord, what fhall we (ciy to 
 this great mvftery of grace, the calling of the Gcnti'e worlil, 
 and the cutting off and cafting away mofi r-f thcpre.'cnt 
 Jewifh nation I That the Gentries wiio lived in ignoranre 
 and blindncfs, in fin, and nnric;htcoufnefs, ihou'd attjia to 
 righteoufnefs by faith in Chrift i atid that the Ifraclitcs, 
 who had God's own righteous law amongft them, and 
 trufted to bejuftified by the obfervatinn of it, yet fliouid 
 they not attain to that righteoufnefs which God acceptciii. 
 And wherefore have they not attained it ? Rut becaufe th^y 
 fought not jtiftification by that faith which God prcfcribeth 
 for that end, namely, faith in the Mediator ; but thci.ioht ■ 
 it muft be attained by the works of the law, kccpinijall the 
 ceremonial precepts, by which no flefh can be jufti.iid : zn.\ 
 the reafon ihcy have fought it not hv faith was this, 7/.ey 
 fiumhtcd at _ the fliimllhig flone ; that "is, at the Lord Jefiis 
 Chrift, taking otience at his poverty :.nd mean condition in 
 the world, and at the fpirituality of tliis kingdom." Learn 
 hence, That the great hijmiliation of Chrift in the diys of 
 Jiis flefh, did pn/.c a fnire and occafion to many perfons to 
 dcfpife end rrjcft him, to fturnble at him,. and f^ll foul upon 
 4 E 2 him 
 
ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 I'im. But in what r\.ri)c(Ss is Chrift called a (lone of 
 
 • ■ 1 a riKl: of oliVncc ? vj?!?/. Ncgaiivcly : not 
 
 AS by Gi\\ ilefij^ned, either iiitcniionslly cr 
 
 ;iy> tftbefiioh. All ftnnibling and offence taken 
 
 ..: ^ ; arc accidcnfnl, proceeding from the depravity rf 
 
 man, not from the defign of God. IMucli kfs were the 
 Jews for '"ed and ordahifd by God to (himhle nt 
 
 iiis S-.p, i appoints no man to do that which lie 
 
 proliibiti .lil if.tii from doin^. Atul'as no rnnn i« nccclli- 
 ta:ed ^y the docre; of G'xl, fo neither is he conftrained or 
 necefiltatcd by Satan, by his corruption, cr any other in- 
 rtrumcnt, to l^umblc or take oft'encc at Chrift ; for aftions 
 necciiitated npon men are neither dcmcrilorioiis nor pn- 
 • ' - •. But pjfi;ivily Chri!l is calkd a (l>-.ne of ftum- 
 j'lfj men nillinglv ignorant and wilfully pcrverfe 
 
 oiTence at him. Thoiii^h God never dcligncd or 
 . nv tr.an s ftii nbling at Chrilt, yet he k.ncw and 
 trreiaw, that many, very r.iany, would rtnmble at him ; 
 a"..! accordingly exprclTed him by a prophetical charadlcr, 
 -.ir.ve:in;^ the event, and prcdiding that which in time 
 cametjpafs: Bi-ho'd, inTLion I lay ajiumblingjlont. 
 
 33 A» it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a 
 ilumhlingT^fioncanda vock of offence : andtvhofoc- 
 ver believeth on him fhall not be afliamed. 
 
 Note here, r. What iifc and office our Lord Jcfi:s Chrill. 
 is of to his church : He is a flone, a corner ftonf-, the chief 
 corner done : a corner ftdne for ftrength, the chief corner 
 (lone for ornament and bean:y : as the corner (lone bears 
 ll'.e \veiL;ln of the building, fo doih Chnft bear the weight 
 of his church, and Aipports all the pillr.rsand fupporters of 
 it: yet this pr^Nois corner llone is accidentally and even- 
 tually ajlim of JiumBling and a rjck of ofjence. Some are 
 oflFended at the poverty of his pcrfon, and die meanncfs of 
 Ids' Condiiion, others at the fiiblimity and fanifiity of Ms 
 do<E\rine ; fome sre offended at his crofs, others at his free 
 grncc ; but fncb as, inllead of being offended at him, do 
 believe on him, (hail never be alhamed of, or confounded 
 bv him. JjiirnVtcncQ, That thofc who, according to the 
 iliredion of the gofpel.do believe on our Lord Jefiis Chrill 
 (hall never have caufe to be afhamed. Here note. What 
 they (hall not be afhamed of, when and why they fliall not 
 be afhamed. x. What the fincere believer (hall not be 
 afhamed of I ^nf. He fhall never beadiamed of his choice, 
 he fhall not be afhamed of his profcflfion, he Ihall never be 
 alhamed of the caufe and interefl of Chrift which he has 
 cwiicd and vindicated in the world ; he (hall never be 
 afliamed of the work and fervice of Chriff, nor of any time 
 fincerely fpcnt in that work and fervice i he fTiall never be 
 a(ham«d nf his reproaches and fufFerinp;', tribulations and 
 perfecii:ii>ns, for the fake of Chrift. fn a word, he (hall 
 never be afh.-imed hereafter, that he never was alhamed 
 here, cither of Chrift and hisgofpcl, his work and fervice, 
 or hi? caufe and inrcreft. 2. When the believer (liall not 
 bo allumcd ; namely, when he is called forth to bear his 
 leftimcny of Chrift bcf ire the world, at the hour of death 
 .and at the day of judgment ; neither the dreadfuinefs of 
 the day, nor the majefty of the Jutlge,,nor the number of 
 Thcaccufers, not the imparliaiity of the fcntence, nor the 
 icjjnra'.ifin which (ball th«n be made, will in thcleaft caula 
 
 him to he afliamed. 3. Why the believer fhall never be 
 afliamed. ^-fw/. The caufe ot iliamc is removed and takca 
 asvay, namely, tin ; thofc only from whom he can rcafcHi- 
 ably fear (hanie, will never be a(hamcd of him ; he can 
 look God and Chrift, hisown confcience, and the whole 
 world, in the face, without (hamc and blulhing. O th.it 
 finncrs would nov,' be afliamed of their luibelicf^! which 
 oiherwife will put tlum to eternal (hamc, and brinp; upon 
 them everlafling ccniufifin in the day of the Lord: jrhjc- 
 rver lelia^rth on hir:, Oiall nc itr If np>,\r,.:cl ; /;, I I , // , ■ 7, . 
 lieveth not in him,fijciv!c end lit -U'rath ifGcdahidt 
 
 C H A r. X. 
 
 Oitr cpcjllt prof<\idt\ i'l this the argument ztj/uch he hnd 
 hripin intlif.fon)ur (Jiaplf.r, viz. The'ttinpororY rc- 
 jeclionof Ills countrymen the Ji-.vs, /or /' '"';:•/- 
 
 rcfufal of that u'oy of juflificalion whkh I ^ /•; (f 
 God had prefer iLei, namtly, ly faith in his Sen Jtfui 
 Chrift, 
 
 BRETHREN, my hcart.s defire and prayer lo 
 God for IlVael i.s, that they might be favcd^ 
 
 Where «»/^, i. The mighty concern which the apoRle 
 had for the eternal fdvaiion of his countrymen the jc\v.>?, 
 who fought his deftrudion ; their fahatic'n lay very near 
 his heart, and he was afraid ihey fliould mifs it, ' 
 the wron?! way for obtaining it, by building all t!' 
 of falvation upon fuch a bottom as would never bear the 
 fabric, but utterly fail them, namclv, juftification by works 
 2. What -t was that made the apoftle fo concerned for the 
 Jews: It was not upon thcaccoimt of their wicked Ii\Ts 
 and fcandalous immoraliiics, but for their bail principles 
 and fundamental errors. They oppof'ed the honour of 
 God to the S Ml of God, and the obfervation of the law to 
 the failh of Chri;1. From whence Icnrn, That we ought 
 to be concerned for thofe who lie under damnable errors 
 although they be men of good carria-e and commendable 
 convei(:ition. Not only the vicious and ungodly, but the 
 erroneous and unfonnd, are to be the objcds of our pity 
 and prayer : For error is as damnable as ^ ice: the one is 
 an open road, the other a by-path to hell and deftrudion ; 
 and accordingly, h«that hasadue care of his foul's (iilvation, 
 will be as mikh afraid of erroneous principk-s, as of de- 
 bauched pradices. 
 
 2 For I bear them record, that they have a zeal 
 of God, but not according to knowledge. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " lean bear them witnefsthat 
 many, very many of the Jews have a zealous defire in their 
 way to pleafe God, and do what is acceptable in his (ight- 
 but though it be a warm, it is but a blind zeal, ar-l not ..c- 
 cording to right knowledge.'' Here rote, i. The apofile 
 is defircus fo fay the belt he could o^his countrymen the 
 Jews; he compounds tf.e good meaning of iluirzeal, bi-t 
 blames the ill conduct of it. It was a mifgiHdcd and mif- 
 tuken zeal, and not di reded as if ought. Ze.-.l is ciihc.- 
 onc of the bc(t cr worit things in the world : It is a perd 
 thing, when it ii ri^ht in its objcd, right in tlic meafu?^; 
 
 anJ 
 
Ghap. X. 
 
 ROMA 
 
 N 
 
 S. 
 
 5f;7 
 
 and (legrre.ani) purfii:d by tigfif mean?; A? to thcobjcft 
 of our zeal, it rr. II ft bs that which is cer'.ainly gcpd, and 
 conrKlcr.ibly v^ccd : cert.iinly goo.l, or clfc wp ire zealous 
 for we kndw not \vh.it ; or confidciaMy good, or (Ifc i: dotli 
 not deferi-e or.v zeal. To be zealous and hot beyond all 
 meafure fcir the obfiirvalion' of ai"ccfcriv-riy or cuftom, as 
 fame i;i thu Chriflian i ' ' ■ re of ol.I ubout the cbfcr- 
 \aiio:i cf Earter, is cei al not according to know- 
 
 le«?g'. Again, zeal mui: b>.- jjrolecutcdby ra\vtul ar.d war- 
 rantab!:; mtans ; we muH nut from a principle of zral do 
 sny tiyil, that trood inay come. Eiu there is a zeal amcngll 
 the church of Rome, which 1 atnfnre cannot be according 
 to knowledge, and that is a zeal for ignorance. This is a 
 zeal peculiar :6 tliemfelvc.<; : they will not allow the people 
 to iitlilerlbnd what they do in the fcrvice of God ; they 
 require them to pray, but will not Ictihcm know wiiatiliey 
 pray for ; and all this under a pretence, that ignorance, 
 winch mskes a man a block, is the mother of devotion ; as 
 if the lefsrncn underft'^od the fervicc of Gcd, the better he 
 . was pUafcd with it, and the more they were editied by it. 
 
 3 For they bein<5 ignorantof God's righteoufnefs 
 and going about to cftablifh their own rij^hteoufnefs 
 have not fubmittcd ihciniclves to therighteoufaers 
 of God. 
 
 That is the Jews V tin<j igncrnnt ct God's vvay ol jii,.i- 
 ficatlo'.i by faiih in Chrill, dilciTered in the gofpel, and 
 relyin.; upon, and tiul'iing to their oun works, their obe- 
 dience to the ceremrnial and moral law, to juftify and fnve 
 them, they have not fubmittcd ihemfelves to the liiihtcoiif- 
 ncfsofGod; that ii-, to the way and method which the 
 wifdom of Got! has difcovered for the jullification of a 
 firtner by the blood of his Son. No'e here, i. That bv 
 God's nghteoufnefs wc are to imdcriland that righteoufnefs 
 which Chi ill has wronchlior us, which God bellows upoii 
 usj and the gofpcl reveals unto us : By.tHlablilhing their 
 own righteoufnefs, is to be underflood their icfohition and 
 endeavour to depend upon their o^vn works; their obe- 
 dience to the law for their juflif.ca;ion bef(!re God, in 
 oppofiticn againft, and in contrr.diftion to, that way rf juf- 
 titicaiion which God had declared ; namely, by faith in 
 Chrifl Jefus, the one and only Mediator. 2. That upon 
 the firlt opening of the gofpd, no evangelical do£lrinc was 
 moredifrelilhed by the Jews than juftihcation by 'he righte- 
 oufnefs of Chriil. They v/ere pollened v, ith this principle 
 then, tl.it eternal life was attainable only by the works of- 
 the law : And according to the example of the Jews at 
 the beginning, perfcns ever fince, even to this very day, arc 
 fond of that way of judificaiioii. The natural man is a 
 proud man, he likes to live upon his own ilock, he cannot 
 llqop to a Gncerc and univerfal renunciation of!)is mvn • 
 righteoufnefs, and to depend wholly upon the righteoufncf:; 
 ot arjother. It is natural to a man to chiifc rather to eat 
 a brown cruft, <jr wear a c^iirfe garment, which he can call 
 hi.' owrt, thin to feed upcn the richeft dainties, or wear the 
 coR'.ieil robey,' which he muft receive as an :,Im3 from an- 
 other. Lord! how hard is it to fubduc tliis pride of fnirit, 
 and to be thoroughly convinced of the abfolute necefiity of 
 another and abetter righteuufncfs than our own, to conlli- 
 tu{c us righteous i.T the fight cf Ggd ! Ffom the whole 
 
 l^/7ri, I. Ho\v dark ftcH'-'Sdihs wifefl rr'n are by nature 
 in God's way ofjtiflif. " jrnnt of 
 
 Gjd's righteouJiu'p\ i"- v. ifdoin 
 
 of God has difc(i\ by i'aith 
 
 inhisSt)!!. T!.i- ^, Rom. 
 
 i. 17. ■/ to fail/) : 
 
 It ispiir..iv .111 en. :i divine 
 
 revelation, both c 'x man- 
 
 ner of imparting ii, nd' 
 
 ito'.v injiAiuus the del tc- 
 
 ouliicfs ot our <>\vii, eithi-r ■ ;nc- 
 
 tionwith, the rigiitcoufnel. .. ...... the 
 
 law only in fin(jf rity, wecannt'. 'on; and 
 
 if it be not to pcrfcdlion, it <.j..!1';v .,c lu ju.,itic2iio(i. 
 Therefore to trull to any rightci>ufnefs of our own for 
 juRification bcfore-God, which is in)perfe(!!l and jjoUutcJ, 
 is both finiul and imfufe. Sinful becaufe it is confron;ing 
 the pluin dcclaratior.': of the gofpcl ; and iinfafc, bccaufe it 
 evacuates Chrift : For Cliriftii of no effect unto us ; whr- 
 foever are juRilied by the law, are fi<"len from grace, Gal. 
 V. 4. Lecni, 3. What an hindrance is pride to the falva- 
 tion of men ; It (lifft-iis the will, that it wont Hoop to 
 God's terms : T!icy will not liave juRification in God'.s 
 way, and they (liall not have it in their own. Here it Ituilc 
 wiiii the Jc-.\s ;thcy Avciild not fnbmit to tite righteoufnefs 
 of God; and here it flicks with too many at iliisday. 4. 
 Not to cou;!^ a righteoufnefs of your own needLfs to be 
 poReircd of, becaiifc you want the righteoi'.fnefs of a.nother, 
 to confide and truft in. We. plead the meriroric;is righte- 
 oufnefs of Chrifl, to anfwcr the demands of t! e law ; but 
 contend for a perfonal righteoufnefs of our own, toanfwer 
 the commands of the gofpei. Chriil doth indeed cafe i»s 
 of the load of otit- lins, but not difcharge i;s from the care 
 of our duty. Our being in ChriR frees us indeed from 
 condemnation, b'lt then that in-being muil be proved by 
 our holy walking, not after the Hefh but after the Spirit, 
 Rom. V. I. Learn, 5. To fubmit to ilie lighteoufnefs of 
 God, as ever you would enjoy peace with God. The 
 more holv wc are, ar.d the more fanflified we grow, the 
 meaner opinion we Ihall Iiave of ourf<.lve.<;, ar.d the more 
 need of a Saviour,, atid of juRification by him ; and Ihall 
 blefs God for the gofpel, in whicii iiierii,hteourncfsof God 
 is revealed from faiih to faith ; r.nd (hull, dread it as hell to 
 l)e found amr.ngfl the number of t.'-ofe, who, though they 
 be not is:norant of Gotl's righscouiher;, yet will go iboM 
 to e'hibiilh ihiiir own rightcoufnafs, reUii'ing, to-fubii.it 10 
 the righteoufnefs of God. ' ■ 
 
 4 For Ckriftis theend of the law for ii^htcoiif- 
 nefs to every one thatbelicveth. 
 
 There was a liirecfoki law cf Gcd, which ChriR may 
 be fuid to be the end 'of; namely, judicial, ceremonial, 
 and moral : r. The judicial l3\v was that which God by 
 
 : Mofcs delivered to the Jew?i containing dirctiioiis for \\vi 
 adminiRraiion of tlicirjuivilgovemment. Nov/ ChiiR v/as 
 the end of this law, as be has ;ibeliuicd it : for the JevilTi 
 
 . polity was to coniiitue till the corning of the Alellias, nnd 
 not longer, Ge"n. xlix. Dan. ix. a. The ceremonial lavy 
 was that which did prefcribc ce'i tain facred ritcsand cere- 
 monies, to be obfcrvcd in thecitcrnal Vrcrfhip of God hy 
 
 the 
 
■^ 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 the people oi IfraeJ. The toimer law hid relafion to them 
 as a nation, this as they were a church. Now Chrifl is the 
 end of this law, as he has abrogated it. All the ceremo- 
 nies of that law were ihiJows ani types of Chrill ; n nv 
 the niaJows were to ccafe, when once the fubRance was 
 come. '^. The moral h\v is that holy and eternal rule of 
 riE;htconriicfs given by God to men, for the rii^ht orderinc- 
 of their thoughts, words and aftions towards God, thef? 
 iiLigl.bcr .-in! ih.mfclvcs. l^his hw is fummarilv compre- 
 hended in the leu commandments, and is called //'^ /tiw 
 cf r'tg\tf(,vfntfs, Rom. ix. 31. the r'Aal law by St. James, 
 ir. S. Nov, Chrift may be faid to be the did of this law, 
 fi.) As he Ij the fcopeofit. (2.J As he i'? the accom- 
 plifhmcnt of it. The precepts of the law pOint at Chrift, 
 as he by wiiom they :'.re accomplilhcd ; the proinifesof the 
 ' !w point :it him, as he by wliom they are ratified ; and 
 ihc thn-nteniii ^s of the law may be faid to point at him, as 
 he by whom they are efcaped. Chrill was the fuin of the 
 Jaw, a< well as tlie fubllance of tlie golpel. In a word, 
 (3.) Chrift is the end of the law, inafmiich as he is to a 
 believer, what the law would have been unto him if he 
 could have perfcdlly kept it ; namely, righteoufnefs and 
 life, junification and falvation. For Chriil is the end of 
 ihc lav.- tor ri^hteoiifncff, to be imputed to every one that 
 litlicveth in him, the !.iw being our fchoolmafter to bring 
 us to Chrift, that we might be juftificd by faith. Gal. iii. 25. 
 
 5 For Mofes defcribcth the lighteoufpofs which 
 is cf the law, that the man which doth thofe thin<'.s 
 {hall live by them. 
 
 k?, if the apftftle had faid, " Righteoufnefs by faith can 
 never be obtained by the works of the law, becaufe Mofes 
 <!cfcribcih the rijihieoufnefs of the law thus, That the man 
 ;hat doth thcfe things Ihall live by them ; that is, a prof- 
 IJerojis and happy life in the land of Canaan, f: y fonic ; 
 .:nd ettrnal life in heaven, fay others." But then by the 
 J;;.v n-.uft be ui:derftood the moral, not the ceremonial lavr, 
 • vcoiding to that of our Saviour, If thou ivilt enter into 
 life, keep the commandments ; that ir, the moral law. This 
 do, and thou iTialt live. Where mte. That fiich as feck 
 jiiftification and falvation by the works of the law, mnft 
 keep the moral law perfectly and exactly ; which bcinir 
 i.npoiiible to man in his fallen cftate, Chrift has obtained 
 ot his fadier, #at for the fake of his righteoufnefs, our 
 lincere, though imperfeft obedience, (houldfind acceptance 
 ^^iih God, and be available to falvation. 
 
 6 But the righteoufnefs v/hich is of faith fpeaketh 
 on this wife: Say not in thine heart, Wiio Ihall af- 
 cend into hcave« > (that i.<!, to bring Chrift down 
 
 frcm akvc.) 7 Or, Who fhall defcend into the 
 deep ? (that is, to bring up Chrift again from the 
 dead.) 8 But what fciith it P The word is not nigh 
 fliec, fven in thy mouth and in thy heart : that is 
 the word of faith which we preach. 
 
 In which word the spoftles fecms to fet forth ihe great 
 anxiety and troiibU of mind which is found with r.n 
 awakened (Inner; he is at a lofs to find out the way Jiow 
 he fhall Ibnd juftificd in the fight of God. . The lavv pro- 
 
 pounds to him life, but it is upon an impofllWecondiiion ; 
 but the gofpel clearly reveals to him. that Chrift has per- 
 formed what is neceliary for his juftiScation, ctxl that, by a 
 praiSlical and lively faith, he (hall have an intereft in it. 
 We need not therefore fay, Who pyall ojcendinto heaven fur 
 ui? for Chrift being afcended, haili given us a convincing 
 proof, that the propitiation for our fms is perfcdt ; for 
 oihcrwifc our furety hatli not been received into God's 
 fandtuary : Therefore, to be under perplexities how we 
 ru«y be juftificd, is to deny the value gf his lightcoiifnefs 
 and the truth of his afcenfion. And fay not", fFhe Jball 
 (hfcenil into the deep P that is, to bear the torments of hell, 
 and expatiate fin ; for this is to deny the virtueof hisdcath, 
 whereby he appeafed Gotl, ai»d redeemed us from wrath to 
 come. In the lc'u>, the condemning riuhtcoufnefs of God 
 is made vifiWc: in the gofpel, his juftifying righteoufnefs is 
 revealed from faith to faith. Eternally magnified be cm' 
 nipotent love, that the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift has 
 difcovered how God may (hew mercy to repenting and rc- 
 tiirtiing finners, without anv prejudice or injury done to 
 his jiiftice. Hereby the foid' is at once freed froin the fear 
 of God's wrath and anger, and has a lifely hope of his love 
 and favour. Lord ! What fins are there which fo entire 
 a fatisfaclion doth not expiate ? What torments can they 
 deferyc, which his wounds atid ftiipcs have not removed ? 
 God is juft as well a^ merciful, in juftifying him that be- 
 lieveth en Jefus. From the whole, uate. That the way 
 ot acocpiariLe with God, is fo clearly ftated and difcovered 
 in the gofpel, ihat we need not be iii any doubtful fnfpenfc 
 where to nrd it, or feek other fatisfaflinn than God has 
 given us in his word. The ivord ii nigh thee, e^jen in thy 
 rn-.itih, and in thine heart, &c. 
 
 9 That if thou fhalt confefs with thy mouth the 
 Lord Jefu.s, and fhalt believe \x\ thine heart that 
 God hath raifed him from the dead, thou fhalt be 
 faved. 10 Fof with the heart man bclieveth unto 
 righteoufncf;*, and with the mouth confeftion is 
 made iinto falvation. 
 
 Obfervc here. The two great and principal things which 
 the gofpel requires, inorderto our juffirtcation and falvation. 
 The firft is, Confejjion of Chrifl with cur mmilh ; that is, in 
 all tiines of danger, particularly in a time of perfccution. 
 to own Chrift Jefus our Lord, and jo dtclare that we will 
 ferve him, and adhere to him, will be ruled of him, and 
 expeft only to be faved by hi ti. The fecond is. To believe 
 11 our hearts, that God 'hath raifed Chrift frsm tie dead. 
 But why is the article of Chrift's refurredltcn only named, 
 feeing faith iefpe<^s his birlh, life, and death, &c. Jnf. 
 Becaufe this article of the refurredion pre-fuppofes all the 
 reft of the antecedents toil, and confequentsof it ; namelv, 
 Jiis incarnation, death and paftion, afcenfion and inttrcef- 
 fion. This article therefore of the rcfurreflion is put for 
 all the reft, and i.-jcludes all the reft : For as he could not 
 haverifen, had he not firft died, fo his deatii had avaihd us 
 nothing, uniefs he had rifen again. Le/im hence, 1. That 
 all thofe who v/ould be accepted with Gcd unto righteouf- 
 nefs and life, muft be fuch as do believe in Chrift with the 
 heart, and openly confefs with the mouth, that ho is ihc 
 
 Son 
 
Chap. x. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 '^599 
 
 of Goil, and the Saviour of the world: If thou confefs and 
 bfltcve,thoulhanbefaved. Learn, 2- That the principal 
 feat and fiibjca of faith is rot the undcrftanding barely, 
 but the will, called here the heart, U'itb the heart, man be- 
 ilevelh tinli r'lghieoufuejs; not the head. Although know- 
 ledge is fo necelTary to faith, that it is fometimcs put for 
 faitli, as in Ifa. liii. £■;• ^« knmkdgc,or by the hinvlcdge qf 
 him, Ihall my righteous ferviint jufi'ify many ; yet there may 
 he much li^ht in the underftanding, where there is no lite 
 ill the wilT; much knowledge in the head, where there is 
 no faith in tlic heart, nnr obedience in the life. Therefore 
 f.ys th.e apodlc here, If'ith the heart man telleveth, &c. 
 
 11 For the fcripture faith, Whofoevcr bclieveth 
 on him, fliall not be adiamed. 12 For there is 
 no difference between the Jew and the Greek: 
 for the fame Lord over all is rich unto all that call 
 upon him. 13 For whofoevcr (hall call upon the 
 name of the Lord, fhall be faved. 
 
 Ohfervc here. How the apoftle proclaims Jefus Chrift a 
 common and univerlal Saviour of all mankind who believe 
 in him, without any difcrimination or difference between 
 Jew and Gentile: Tf'hofocver believeth on him, fhall not le 
 c 'hamid: and U'h:f-,cver jhall cnll iipin his name, pnillbe Javed. 
 Whereby believing on him, and calling upon him, mufl 
 be underllootl fuch a faith in him, as is the parent and 
 principle of obedience to him. Yo\ the devil himfelf may 
 as well pafs for a believer, as a difobedient foul. If our 
 works be no better than the works of devils, our faith is no 
 better than theirs neither, in the account of God. He be- 
 lieve.^, fo as not to be alhamed, who lives as he doth believe.' 
 In vain is it to expcd falvation by Chrifl, if we do not yield 
 fubjeftion to him. Lord! how many are there that defire 
 thou (houldeft fufFer for their fins, fo they may have the 
 faiiifjiSlion to commit them ; content that thou fliouldtft 
 bear the blame, fo they may have the liberty to commit the 
 faults ? If they m.ay but live in their fins, they take it kind- 
 ly that Chrift will die for them^ but the dcfign of Chrift's 
 death was to deliver u<; not only from the danger, but from 
 the dominion of our lins ; to free us not only from the wrath 
 of God, but from the rage of our lulls. 
 
 14 Hotv then fliall they call on him in whom 
 they have not believed ? and how Ihall they believe 
 in him of whom they have not heard ? and how 
 fliall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how 
 fhall tliey pi-each except they be fcnt ? as it is writ- 
 ten, How beautiful arc the feet of tliem that preach 
 the gofpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of 
 good things ! 
 
 The fcope of the apoftle in thefe words; is to prove, that 
 tlierc was a neceflity of pre:iching the gofpel to the Gen- 
 tiiL's as well as to the Jows, in order to their believing on 
 Chrift ; and his way of ar>:uing is very forcible, demon- 
 ftrative, and convincing. Th js " God has by the pippiiets 
 promifed falvation to tlie Gentiles ; but without calling on 
 him, there is no falvation ; and withr'ut f.iith, there is no 
 calling upon him by prayer ; and -.vitl:. :^;t licarirt^ i;,:; .- h 
 
 no faith ; and without a preacher there is no bearing ; and 
 without folemn ndflion, or fending by Chrift and his mini- 
 fters, there can be no preacher." And the apofllc's manner 
 of fpeaking is by way of interrogation, which is equivalent 
 to a negation ? Hoiv Jhall they enll on him in whcm they have 
 net believed? That is, Ji is impoftihle to do it, and it would 
 be impious and wicked to do it. None muft be the objetl 
 of our prayers, but he that is the objedf of our faith and 
 triift ; now it is G< d alone that is the objeft of our faith 
 and truft, therefore he alone muft be prayed unto. A:;d it 
 fo, then the pra£lice of the papifts in praying to angks 
 and faints departed, is very blame-worthy and abominable 
 in the light of God. How can they pray unto them, tmlefs 
 they believe in thciij, and truft in them r And if tkcy truft 
 in them, that curfe falls upon tliem, C'-i-fed is the! :nr.n that 
 trujleth in man \ that is, in any creaierr. The truth is, if 
 Chrift himfelf were a mere mar, and not God as well as 
 man, we fliculd (in by worftiipping of l.im ; but it is one 
 good argument to prove the divinity of Ciirift, that the 
 fcripiurc reprefcnts him as the objcft of faith, and religious 
 invc)cation. From the vvh'.lc, cijcrvt. That the only way 
 to heaven is by Chrift, the only uay to Chrift is by taith, 
 the only way to faith is by the word, it ccmeth by hearing ; 
 the only way, that is, the only ordinary v.ay. What be- 
 comes of thofe that never heard of Chrift in ll.e preaching 
 of the gofpel, God only is fit to judge. This is certain, 
 that all men at the great day ftiall be judged accordiriE; t''> 
 the law that they were under, and obliged by, and po ether. 
 Now promulgation being of the eflcnce of a law, the gof- 
 pel cannot be a law to then? to whom it was not proir.ulgcd, 
 and made known : but a pratlicable belief of the gofpel i.-, 
 indilprnfably ncceifary to the falvation cf them to whom it 
 is revealed. Ohferve farther, The great reverence zrA liigli 
 cfteem which is due and payable to the preachers of the 
 gofpel, and that by the approbation of God hiatfclf. He 
 commands us to admire the very feet of them that presLh 
 the gofpel of his Son i.nto us, and bring glad tiding;; of good 
 things, Hoxv beautiful r.re the feet of them, &c. And for 
 great reafon liioidd it be thus, bccaufe the m.iniftcrs of the 
 
 , gofptl are the meftengers of Clirift ; they receive bo:h tlcir 
 million and commifiion from hini ; they arc inftrtidled by 
 
 ' him, they negociate for him, they fpcak in his name, tl;ey 
 a<5t in his ftead ; and whatfoever they cit^^r proinife or 
 threaten in God's name, he ftands ready and refolved to per- 
 form it. Ifa. xliv. 26. Wz conf.rmeth the 'Mcrd »f his fer- 
 vants, and ferfcrmeth the counfel cf his meJJ'engers. I^ord^ 
 how bcautitul and blefted are the feet of thy meftengers and 
 minifters in thy account ? Let tl-.cm be fo in tliy peo(iU-.'ii 
 cftimaiion a!fo. Learn hence. That nothing cugiu to lie 
 fo welcome to i:s, and fo joyfully entertained by uj. as Inc 
 the preaching and preachers of the gofpel. linv Icauttfxd 
 arc the net of them, &c. 
 
 ID. But they have not all obeyed the gorpcK 
 For Efaias faith, Lord, v.ho hath believed uur ic- 
 port :* 
 
 Here an obje'£lipn"is tacitly itnplied and anfwered ; fonic 
 might fay, " If the gofpel be thus excellent, and tlic feet 
 of them that preach it fo beautiful, whence was it that the 
 Jews,, to whom it wsi firlf preached, did not receive, and yield 
 
 obeJioiKc 
 
6oo 
 
 O M A ^i s. 
 
 Cha?. 3t, 
 
 hat 
 
 ■-•e, 
 
 }icH -' "•'■ — ^' 10 it? " The apoPlc anfvvere, thr.t thi.- in- 
 t:i\e'.: ihnacyof the Jews werefDrctoIJ by the pro- 
 
 phctsctcU, particularly by Ifaiah, who complains, chap. 
 Jiii. 1. I.tr,/,V'fi l.iith'hlrt:"^ C'lr rf'",rlP [■•nm Ycncc, 
 I. That tlii; r.iiih of;' 
 ' hear the jjofptl. True, • 
 «iiito faiih, but (:iith doth not nt 
 
 of t!is wnrH...! 2. Tliat 'the pr«.,.^t.. . ^-w v...,je, 
 
 and by a fpirit ot' prophecy iorctcl, wh;.t Itnali fiicccf'; iJie 
 prcaciiinjT ot' the goOxl "wtiulJ have to snd amongft the 
 Jews. 3. That yet the prophet's prcJidHon vias not the 
 c.iurc, but the confeqnence of the Jews rcj'^ liiiu of the 
 gofpcl : It was not In c;:iifc the prophet fcid f >, iliat they 
 tliil not believe; but becaufc they believe not, therefore the 
 
 fropliet faiil fo : T/ry '•, -^^•' ',■;■, -/■,• --r'./ .• fdr fo 
 faiah faitii ot them. 
 
 17 So then faith ccmdh by hearing, and hearing 
 by the word of God. 
 
 As if the np'-filc had fuiil, "It is very evident, ami tlicf- 
 tt flinior.ies (hew, that f.ti.h comes by hearinj:, und liearint; 
 by the prea'hini; ,c>f the word of C;n(|."t The grace of 
 iaitli is v.TOiivlit by lije Spirit in the ad cf hearrng ; atid 
 The in.ntter heard by which this f;iiih is wrought is the 
 ivordofGod preached. Perfons mufl hear.il'.at they may 
 Jjrar. A non-peachiiig minifter, then, is no minider ; he 
 is like a bell without a clapper, or a cryer without a voice; 
 fie neither anfvvcrs the deilgn of his coinmidion, nor the 
 t-ml cf ihegofpel's inftitutioii, which was 10 be the inftru- 
 inental mean of faiih , Farlh conielh ly hearing. 
 
 18 But I fay, Have they not heard ? Ye.*; veril}- 
 their found went into all the cartli, and their wards 
 unto the ends of the world, 
 
 It was nplefsthan a miracle, tlm; thcgcfpel, in the fpncc 
 T f a few years, iLciild be preached in all nations, and pl-.ntcd 
 in the remotell parts of the world ; end ytt thus it wss : 
 "^-^'hich m.ikcs St, Paul here apply that to the preacliing of 
 theapoflles, which David applies to the preaching of i lie 
 Jieavens, Pfal. xix. 4. The gofpel of Chrift, like the fun 
 i'l the firmament, calls its beautiful and t'lorioiis beams all 
 1 he world ofcr. For upon tiie coinini;'::on given out Ly 
 Chrid to his apoftles, to gt) into all the world, and prcacli 
 the gofpcl to every creature,. the apofiles divided ihcnd'^;Ives 
 iniothe feveral quarters of the world, for tlic fpeedy per- 
 f : ;iiance of this I'ervice, namely, the carryinn; of ihc light 
 of the gofpel, as the fun doth his li"ht, inno a'! the nations 
 of the earth. As if .St. Paul had here faid, " IJke as tlio 
 \o\cc of the he:ivens arc gone through the world, fo is the 
 voice of Chrirt, and the light of his gofpel, wl;ich doilt 
 much more declare the glory of Go<l, than the fun riid the 
 moon in the heavens can do." Sjinc obferve, That there 
 MashardW any one confiderabli* nation in the Woild, but 
 \-. it!, ill fiiitv vears after ChriiVs afofnilon, had the glad 
 t ■ ,i i-js of the gofpel pre.^ched to it. Hence the apoltlo tells 
 "«;-, Tit. ii. 2, "That ;h( grace cf CJ, which britigetkjal- 
 ' ?y///5>;, hath appeared ui:l) nil men : That is, the golpcl 
 viithout rcRjiilion w^s teitdcted to all nations, Jew and 
 
 <7cnlile ; to ail peiAjn;, LcnJ ^r.d frcc,» lionoi)r-.'i'ic and 
 ignoble. GehoKi ! the goodntfs and mercy of God, in 
 . enlighfning the dark corners r.f the world, with this £!o-. 
 thus light from heivcn. Behold! the great power and 
 efficacy of the wurd, under the quickening iniii!encps''f 
 the Holy Spirit. BchoKl! nn example ot'laboiiru.-; dili- 
 gence and induflry in miniderial fervice ! What piins di<) 
 theapofllcs take? What hazards did thcv nin ? Wh'c 
 journicsdid th.ey imdertske, to preach Jcfus Chrifl, topi.^i:t 
 and propagate the evcflaliing gofpel? Shall not we nitcr.J 
 our flock, sndtravtl from houfelo koufe to vifit our charge 
 which tails within the crmpafs of a few miles, when thi 
 apofiles compalTcd fea and lond, travelled far and n^ar, Jj- 
 boiircd night ind day, to tranfmit the gofpd to the ends it 
 the world ? Lord ! Iiow does their indttaiit'M' ■ •'"■ ■ r 
 ihame our- fupine negligence ! 
 
 1 9 But I fay, Did not Ifracl know ? 1 nt-i 
 
 faitli, 1 will provoke you to iealoufy.bvn.c. . .. <.; are 
 no people, <7/j// by afoolifli nation I will an^cryoii. 
 2oBut Efaiasi.s very bold, andi'aith/I wa-'^foundot 
 them that fought me not ; I was made manifcft unto 
 them that alhcd not alter luc. 2 1 But to Ifracl he 
 faith, All dciy long I have (lictclied forth my hands 
 unto a difubedicrit and gainfaying people. 
 
 /);V/ not Jfrael hioiv, th.nt is, of the preaching of the 
 gofpcl to the Gentilej, and of their own infidelity in re- 
 je£ling it ? This they might have known, both from the 
 teftunonv of Mofes and Efaias. Firft from Mofes's tefli- 
 mony, Deut. xxxii, / «■/// /rcrs/fcyj// (Jevs refuting to 
 believe) i!i:to jealiufy hy tbem thut are (yet) ro f.".jle 
 (of God) ; ftKti tynfcolijh nari'.n, (To the ■ Gentiles were ec- 
 CBunted bv the Jews) I i-.ill anger vnu. When God pre- 
 ferred the Geniiks before the Jews, the hearts of the latter 
 were vexed with jealoufy and r.nger, to behold «ll their 
 privileges taken from them, and given to the former, whrwn 
 they accounted a people rrofl vile and defpicable. The 
 fecond teftimony is that of Efaias, who the apoRle fav.*; was 
 very bold ; that is, very pLin and exprefs, in foretelling 
 God's calling of the Gtntiles, and rejtilingof the Jews ? 
 calling the Gcniiles by his free grace, r.nd fctking them 
 that firlt fought him not; and cr.iiing oiF the Jews, who, 
 after all his forbearance and lcr.!» fiitfering, did continue 
 obdinately fo rejciS the o.Ters of his grace, and the tenders 
 of I'.is mercy. Here ir./e, i. The h.oly courrgc of this 
 e'.jngclical prophet Ifaiah, in the difcharge of l.is cfTre : 
 With gre-'i boldncfs atid freedom he torefells the tailing ef 
 lie Gtlitile.', and caHing ofFthe Jews, alliler.gh it ccft him 
 dear, even his life, being fawn -..fuiider by awrr.dcn fav, 
 as foine affirm. There ought to meet in the minillcrs and 
 meflcngers of God, both coiirasie and iu'partiality ; courage 
 in fearing no facer, imparl iality in fparint; no crimes. ,2- 
 What little csiile of reafon the irinifttrs of God have to 
 fit down in defpondency. after fo mr.n_v tmwcaricd atteirpts 
 rriadc in vain to rechiiMfu.uers from their \\ickcd ways : 
 when thcv corf^dcr the infinite patierrc of Go»l towards 
 them, T. rth his harrls pU tie dr.yhrg ton d'J- 
 
 'jhediti-l , .. ..... ^' people \ that is, patiently contend r 
 
 ANiihthrff tbliiiiacy and perwrienels. Lord? wh» fliould 
 
tChap. xr. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Go I 
 
 we, that arc finn^rs ourfilve', think muh to bear with 
 finnerb? Let ns rather in tini^ic? ihy example in waiting upon 
 them i^ith the offers of gnce and mercy, and follow chtra 
 With our nieltini; i-nireatics ajid pjAionate importunities, 
 till ve either overcome their oLftinaty, or leave them ro- 
 t2l!y inexcufable. 
 
 C H A P. XI. 
 
 Thf defign of our apijik in this chapter is twofold: i. 
 To keep thi ]qw% from drjedion and dcf pair. 2. To 
 prcjcrve the Genliles [rem prfumptic^i and pride. 
 And for this end he thus befpeah them bctli : 
 
 IS.iy then, Hath God caf> away his people; God 
 forbid. For I alfo ain an Ifrachtc, of the feed 
 of Abraham, o/"the tribe of Ijenjair.in. 
 
 Our apoftle having (hs.vn, in the cnJ of the foregoing 
 chapter, that the Jews would be rejected, and the Gentiles 
 called, bf{>inf tliis chnpter.by anfwfrinj;a prcac and popular 
 objeclioii. Some iiereupoii ni'.i',ht be re.ttly to fay, " if this 
 lis lo, then C)J lia' cad aw.iy lii-'coven'is! p?oph', violated 
 his covenant proniile, and f'-rgot the feed of Abraham his 
 frieiid." He anfw»ers, by his accultomed form of deoid, 
 Cod fjritt-.l, and tiicn proretds to Ihew, that the rtjcdlion 
 of the Jews was not total ;. God did not reifft thvui all, 
 but the unbelieving part oj iheinonly. And tliislie proves 
 by producing liimlcif as an inll.uice in the cafe, 1 t>>ylilf 
 fays he aut an IJrai-iiti ';f I'e ficti ^f Ahrahttm r.f ihe t'iiJi 
 cf Dcnjamin. As if he had faid, "I am my. '"elf a Jew by 
 nature and nation •, niit a profelyre cunvertcil to the Je>A ifli 
 frth, bu: a Je* by lineal dtfccnt, of the feed of Abraha-i), 
 according to the fleHi; yet ani not I cafl oft'by (iod ; 
 tiierefore Cod has not c-.iil awav a!! his people " Lr/irn 
 iience, How many unbelievers foever Goi rfjeifls he will 
 not c-fl sway one Ibul that fii-cereiy beli.-vcsMihisfon,and 
 gives up hnnfelf to the obedience of the gofpel. B* lifvers- 
 are God'i jewels ; he will not callthcm away. They are 
 his children, his portiot»< Wn inheritance ; he will never 
 cufl them oiF. They are united ro !ii:n by the bond of the 
 Holy Spirit, and he has er.giged liunfclf to them bv the 
 bond of an everi-iftinjr covenant. Btlievers love God and 
 his trjt!) fjrever, and the GoJof truth will love tliew for 
 ever. GoJ kas n»t caji a-^uay hit people. 
 
 2 God hath not caft away his people, which he 
 foreknew. — • 
 
 Here we h:ive a fecond argument, to prove that Gcd 
 would not whnh'y c-ilt o'V the lewiili church and people : 
 namely, becaufe he had fori known them ; that is, had 
 choiVn the body of them to be a fpccial and peculiar people 
 to hiinfelf, abo»e and before a!! the people of the eanh ; 
 And has alfo foreknown, that is, forcfeen, that many of 
 them would, through the aflilbnce of the Holy Spirit, 
 Jav.nj'iy bcliive on the prouiilVd MefTns. God never did, 
 never will catl away fuch, either am( ng Jews or Gentiles. 
 
 ■ — Wot ye not what the fcripture faith of Elias ? 
 fio.v he makctii intei-c.i;ffion to God againlL Ifrcid, 
 
 fayinq, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, 
 and digged down thine altars ; and I am left alone, 
 and ihey feek my life. 4 But what faith tiie aniwer 
 of God unto hini ? I have refer+'ed to myfclf feven 
 thoufandmen, v.'ho have not bowed tlic knee to ihe 
 /«<?j<f r/Baal. 
 
 Arc- her inftanreis here produced, to prove th»t Go J 
 had net fuifcred all the Jews to apollatize and fall awav 
 through uitbelii f ; and that is the inftjnce ofE!;as, in 
 whofe dnys there wa-^ fii',h a gener.! revolt among the 
 Jevis from the vi-Oflliip cf the true God to Jeroboam's 
 idclitry, that he thought hiuifelf .ili;nc. But GodalTures 
 him., that there wa? no' fut h a dearth of faints as he feared, 
 he l-.aving refcrved to himielf feven ihonfand true and fafth 
 ful v\orfli:ppcrs of himfflf, \\ho had never bowed knee to 
 the image of Jiaal I-iarnhnze, That even in times of 
 univerf-'l apriOafy and epidein'cal degcnerary, God has a 
 nu;i)bcr to Ibnd up for, and wifnefs loJiis nanie and tru:h, 
 and that the nurnbtr of tiicin is more than we ciilur 
 imagine or believe, God has ever haJ, and always will 
 have a feed to fervehi-n, which ihall as accounted tohim 
 for a generation ; and ;.lt}iof!gh the ruimber of rcvolters 
 be great, yet the number cf the righteous is not fmail, 
 
 5 Even fo then -at thi<: prcfent time alfo trheie [$ a 
 remnant accordinif lo the elctlion of i;race. 6'Arid 
 if by grace; then it is no more of works : otherwife 
 grace is no more grace. Ikit if ?/^e of works, then 
 i'v it no more grace: othcrwifc work is no more 
 work. 
 
 Here we have St Pai;l mnking application of the fore- 
 going; example to the prefent cal"'. Av Elias was net alone 
 in ihe corrupt ftat^ of ffracl then,fo neither was '.lie apoH le 
 alone now, in this tin^e of general rejection of the Jewifli 
 church and nation. Gc d had a oiimii.T then, he has a 
 reninant now, which, according to bis free and gracious 
 purpolc, are broug'u to btlieve in his Son. Although the 
 Jews who believed were few, in comp-irifon <if them that 
 were rcjedted.calh-dibcrtforea ;-f/?i»j;;/,wh)ch isbut fmall 
 and little in rcfpeJt of the whole piece ; ;fet there wfre 
 manv thouf<inds of th«m tnat did b'-l:eve on lise Lord jeCm 
 Chrifl, and obtained, no doubt ialvalion by him : A;Ss 
 xxi. 20. "Th'jtife'Jt, brother, ly^- maty ih'^ufand Jt'djs ihtre 
 O'-e 'jj/iich d't heiuMt. Ckft-rve, fjr:ber, Tiie eorithinon 
 which the apofile doth infer and d;aw froi.n the fore- 
 mentioned afTertion : "■' if a rcinn.Trit i.; favi d acco.-Jingro 
 the free purpofe and gr?.c!<«us eJefli'.« of Gorl, then it is 
 not upon thecoodJerationof the merit of their own works; 
 they are not juP.ilitd and accepted for the works af the law, 
 Other\\ ilc' grace is tvj tnorrgracc: for v hat need is there of 
 gra'.e, wbe;-e men have tontinued in all -hii^gs written 
 the lav/ rodo ihtin ? For the man that d>'.th thofe tlurig* 
 fl)all live in thci-i : Rut, on the other hand, if it be 'of 
 works that we are jnftifiedand acceptc*!. t:;en // imo tn,re 
 cfgrAce, othfrw'fe 'J}(.rli is no tnnre w.yk." Learn hence,' 
 I. That fuch as ar^ chofen in Chrllt to be a people ne.ir 
 iinro Cod. are »nt into Miis O.'jte by mere gr.-.ce, and qA* 
 merited favours, z. 7 int yrncc coirrcs i.; to r^Tply iti't 
 
6c 2 
 
 n O M A N S. 
 
 :Chap. tm. 
 
 <'.t(e{{ of our work?, and to. procure parJcn for the non- 
 jieiformancc of them, according to the tcqcr of the law. 
 G'ld was j»<)c<l to man before his fai(, in nuking him his 
 rrestu.-e; he is graiious to roan fince his fall, in recovcrinir 
 him lo the divine favour, by itJtoriHg him to the divine 
 l-kcntfs. T!ie fabric ot grace in the hear:<;of his people, 
 j;ctsup, as did the building of the fecoiid temple, wi»Ii 
 fiiouis and acclamations, 6V«i<:f,^r/i<rf ; and every Hone in 
 the buiding of our falvatior., from ihe foundation to the 
 fiiperrtructurCjis free ■ l\one, cthsrwi/e graa it no tnoregrace. 
 
 7 What then? Ifracl hath not obtained that which 
 lie leeketli for; but the cletlion hath obtained it. 
 and the rcfl ivcre blinded : 8 According as it is 
 uiitten, Cod lias given them the fpirit of llumber, 
 fvcs that they (hould not fee. and ears that they 
 Should not hear, unto this day. 
 
 Cbferve here, i. What the apoftle affirms concerning 
 tlie main body of the Jewifli nation, ihey obtained not what 
 tliey fought after ; that is, deliverance by the MelFiah. juf- 
 tificaiion and rij^hteopfnefs by the works of the law. '1 his 
 they fought, but found not ; yet the ele^ion hath cbliiined 
 it; that IS, the chofen generation of believers, fccking 
 rightecufnefs and life in the gofpel way, namely, by faith 
 in Chrifl theMediator have obtained it. /Ind the reji -were 
 Hintkd: But who and by whom ? /ir.f. i. Bv their own 
 fin and prejudice ; and then, 2. By the juft judgment of 
 Gad, leaving them to their ov.-n ignorance and oblVmjcy, 
 for fhutting their eyes againft the clear hght of the gofptl; 
 and by giving them over to Satan, the god of this world, 
 who blindeth the eyes of them that believe not, 2 Cor. iv. 
 4. Ohfcrve,i The direful judgment which followed upon 
 this dread.'ul fin ; they (hut their eyes, and fay, they will 
 not fee, God clofed their eyes, and faid, they fliall not fee. 
 Becaufie they would not obey the Spirit of God, which 
 would have awakened and enlightened them, God gave 
 them up to a fpirit of flumber, ftupidity,and biindnefs;ihat 
 is, he permitted them to continue and lie under thofe pre- 
 judices againft the true MelTiah, which they had taken up 
 and entertained in their minds. Learn hence, That no 
 greater iudgnient can befal a people, than fottifli ftupidity of 
 mind, and infcnlibility of fpirit ; whereby they are drovfily 
 carelcfs of their falvation,andknow not the things belong- 
 ing to their peace, although they be before their eyes. This 
 was the cafe with the chief bodyof the Jewilh nation, and 
 continues to be llili their cale : They have eyes, and fee 
 nor, cars, but hear not, until this day. 
 
 9 And David faith. Let their table be made a 
 fnare, and a trap, and a Itumbling-block, and are- 
 compcnfe unto them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened 
 that they may not fee, and bow down their back 
 alwav. 
 
 The apoftle proceed* here to declare unto us that the 
 .renerai unbrlief and h«rdnefi of heart which was found 
 .->in;in(:d the rcjttcd Jews, was no: to be wondered at, 
 bccaiif^ it was prophetically foretold by holy David, in the 
 ppi Ton of tlie Mcfliah, of wiiom he v.-as a type, iha: his 
 «iwn people ibe Jcjwj fl;oulJ extremely injure ^nd wrpng 
 
 him, opjirefs and vex him: For which wickednefi, he 
 foretells what dreadful and tremendous judgments fliunW 
 cotiie upon the Jews ; namely, That their tahlt fl'culd be 
 made to them a fnare, a trap, and a ftumbling-rh.k ; thai 
 is, that all their pleafant and delightful thing-; Ihi^u'd be- 
 come the inftruments of th«ir deltraclion, T^a/ thnr eyes 
 be darkemd, and they may nrit Jee. 1 he darkening rf iheir 
 eyes (ignifies the laicingaway of iho;judgment:..id u. der- 
 Itanding from a people. And the bowing down if tL b.ui 
 alu/ays, intimates and implies their grovcU'Mg up 11 this 
 eirth ; t'leir reliftjing and favouring nothing but uarihly 
 things, never lifting either hand or heart to Gud. Now 
 all this which David fpake of the v/i(.k;;d Jews in his time 
 the apoftie applies and adapts to the increduloar and unbe- 
 lieving Jews in his days, to whom the very preaching of 
 the gofpel was an occafion ofobduration and hardueis of 
 heart. Learn here, i. That tothe (■bftinait .iriJciiduratc 
 enemies of God, the beft things become bantfiil, and, 
 through their own corruption, become the inftruments and 
 means of their own deftruclion : L t their rrh.'j b. made a 
 fr.are, a trap, and a ft wnt. ling block. 1 '^';-:'- fob' •.> p;i- kA 
 of the ufe both of our judgment Ji;d ....o. ilin. iig, »ipp. 
 ciatiy in things pertaining jntu ijnti, •!. a ve'^ jrendful 
 judgment-: Let thtir eyes at d rkered, ti^ti they t.-.y not fee. 
 3. That imprecations are tf beuf.-.-' vcr" v. ?.-ily, and only 
 in ueigluy matters. '1 hefc.i id other exprefions of David, 
 which look like iinpr.'-catiouS; nia>" as well be .iccounted 
 prophetical predicT:mns, foreteli -.ig what will come upon 
 obftinate fmnerSjVather than pr.iying that evil may come : 
 Great is the lin and danger of uii.ng imprecations lightly, 
 cither upon ourfelves vr others. Some perlbnsnfc them 
 to gain credit to what they f.iy ; but this will not do wi>h 
 wife men, who frequently olifenc, that pcrfonsmcftguilty 
 are moft apt to call for venge.ince i;pon ilieinfelves, that 
 they may be thought guiltlef*. Lord! howdofome linncrs 
 wifli and call for that at which the devils treirble! I ine.in 
 .Uamnation. Alas! it lliJmi-ereth nor ; witliin a moineut 
 or two thou flialt/rf/ what thou wilt not fear. 
 
 ji I fay then, Have they Humbled that thev 
 fhould fall ? God forbid: but rather through their 
 fall falvation h come unco the Gentiles, for to provoke 
 them to jealoufy. 
 
 Our apoftle had in the preceding verfes proved the re- 
 jection of the Jews not to ha"e been to;.:l; hcie heproves 
 that it fliallnot b-r final, but they fti.ill be generally called 
 before the end of the world. Have thcr/tumhled, dyihe, 
 t'nit they foulJ fall, that is, "Have they fo ftumbled 
 and f.;IIcn as never torifemo.e.' /Vre they utterly forfaken 
 and caft off? No fuch thing; but God isi his juft and 
 riohieou- judgment hath perniitted themiofall, that they 
 having ohftinaiely relufed the gofpel, k might be preached 
 to the Gentiles ; and ;hfcir receiving of ihc gofpel God 
 will, in his infinite wifdom, make nfe of, to provoke the 
 Jews to jjaloiify an.d emulation, Ireing theriifelves lo far 
 outftript by thofe whot» they fo contemned and defpifed, 
 and in the dofe, mike this jealoufy and emulation a mean 
 and ofcafion of the Jews converfion." Lrarn hence, 1 hat 
 enjv'iatioti,aBd jmloitfy doth heat'and heighten the niiiul 
 of msn to an eager purfuit of the befl thinjgs, Olfcne it 
 
 iu 
 
Chap. xr. 
 
 R 6 M A N S. 
 
 6c3 
 
 in the iiiftance before us, the falvationof the Gentiles had 
 emulation in the Jcsvs: " What ! fay the Jews, fliall the 
 Gentilei go away wiih heaven alone' whom we thought 
 the viltft people upon the earth? Come, let us put in for 
 a part and fliire in g^ifpcl mercies and privileges with 
 tht'iJi." Thu- they were provoked toemulau^n, and this 
 cinnlatinn occafiontd their ronverfion. 
 
 t2 Now if the fall of them bs the riches of the 
 world, and the diininifhing of them the riches of the 
 Gentiles ; how much more their fulnels ? 
 
 As if the apoflle had faid, " If the carting off the Jew* 
 V as fo prifitjble to the Gentile world ; if ihe Gentiles 
 have been fiich ^reatgaini-rs, hy occalion of the tin and fall 
 of the Jews, how much more when thty fhall bfcome 
 Chrift aiis, v\ ill they add to the fulnefs, the glory and great- 
 rel's of the Chr.ftian church :" iVo.Vhere, The wonderful 
 vifdoin, the aftonilhing goodnef^, the ovrr ruling provi- 
 dence and power of God, in caufing the fall of the Jews 
 to be tlip nrc.if) >n ol God's raanileftinj' hs abundant grace 
 in the ceo v rlion of the Gentiles, and fpreadingthe plen- 
 tiful knowlfdi'.e of Chrill over all the world ; and alio, in 
 f aiifing the g;^ neral con verfion of the Jews towards the end 
 of '.he world, to confirm the faith of the bclievjngGcntiles. 
 
 13 For I fpeak to you Gentiles, inafmuchas I am 
 thjapoftle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office ; 
 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation 
 thnr, u:htch are my flclh, and might fave fomc of 
 them. 15 For itth.' caQing away of them 3e the 
 reconciling of the world, whitJhjJl the receiving ly 
 than be but life from the dead ? 
 
 Nctfherc.i. The honourable office which St. P ul 
 •was nil. d to ; namely, to be jiinpoIHe, and the apoftleot 
 the Ccntik". 2. The honour 'v Inch God put unon him in 
 thi- tanljiul cxeairion of that t ifice : (i ) In m king him 
 Jnflruinental, for calhng many of the blind and ignorant 
 Gentiles to thifohcdienceof the faith ; Anil, (2.) In pro- 
 vi king the Jews f vfeom he calls his own f}r (h, becaufe of 
 his own naiion( not toliiir>;r theGentiles alone to go nway 
 v.th the pilv leges of the gofpe', but to put m for a ft ire 
 viththtm-: ffhy (ir,v:mfa"s ] may fr woke to emulathn ■■ As 
 if t!)e ap.^flle had faid, " O that I ceuld once lee an hoi/ 
 enuilrion t^ke lioldnfmy co"- --ymen: That rather than 
 n-.)i believe at all, and be f^v d, ' might fee them at laft 
 bel'cve for mger, or for very uiaine, andgo to heavenina 
 holy cU..fe!" 3. What an argument the apoflle n;akes 
 nfp of, why all perfuns f!;onld greatly deiire the general 
 convr-rfi >!i, boih of Jews and Gentiles, to the faith of 
 Cl-.rifV. t\.i ths c^fting a-jiay (ftbe Jc\js at prefent, TivV/ 
 i:/ the recontUiig J the -M-jrld • that is, to be an occafionof 
 iiending the_gor|iel to the Genci.'es all the world over, 
 whereby ihey become riconcilf d unto God ; what w ill the 
 riccivng of the Jews again into the grace and (;.V-.Lir of 
 (i,.d. snJ the coiumunioiiof i!ie v t'lble chnrch, be to you 
 Gtnt les, but even as l:fe or rtfurieiflion from the dead ? 
 Ltiirn huicp, (i.) That the converlion of ihe Jews, and 
 rhecalliiig of the fuhniVof the Gentiles, are mercies niucli, 
 .very much, O !>■-• Jcfjfdd, r..id earnLftly pcyed. kr (2.) 
 
 That fuch wil! be iLe bltlkd rtate of the church, when 
 the fulnefs, both of Jem's and Gentiles, are bruu,^!u info 
 ii, that it will be looked upon as a new life, or refurrei- 
 tion from the dead. 
 
 16 For if the firft -fruit he holy, theliimp m alfo 
 hcly: and if the root ^e holy, ioare the branches. 
 
 Here the apoillc produces anothrr argument to prove the 
 univei fal relloratn/n of the Jews unto thegrnce and favour 
 of God, before the end of the world ; and it i- drawnfnmi 
 the covenant of God made with Abraham, ('S the root of 
 the Jiwifli nation) which faiJ, I -lu ll be thy G'J. and the 
 Gdofthyped. Now, the argu.ncnt runs tiius : «' At the 
 branches follow the niture of the root, fo do the Jews 
 follow the conditionof Ahr.-.ham, and the holy patriarchs, 
 with refp;c1 to the outward privileges of the covcmnt. 
 Was the root holy, fo are the branches h' ly, not inherent- 
 ly, but fedcr..lly holy, being called, rcnff crated, and fcpa- 
 rared frotnthe world untothe Itrviccof God. Jfihen Al- 
 mighty God, by entering into covenant with Alirnham. hal- 
 lowed tohiiidelf all his poilerity even as thefnli frniti hal- 
 lowed the whole lump ; in Ike manner, will God, in his 
 o%vn good time, be fo mindful of the Jews, the pcfftrity 
 of Abraham, as to bring them again nigh imro himfelf, in 
 remembrance of his holy covenant : -So that they f!t;dl he 
 hij people, and he will be their God." Learn hence, Th^t 
 the Je\ G though at prefent cafl off by God. arc llill an 
 holy peojjie ; they are under an hereditary dedication to 
 God, they have federal holinefs, a< delcending from holy 
 progenitors, with refj'ecl; to w bom thelovc and compjiUon 
 ot C/od are towards them, and ihey fliall, in his own time, 
 be called and convened bv him : And therefor?, in tht 
 mean time, the Jev.-s are not tolook up'"> tlumfelves v.i:h 
 difperation, nor Ihould the Gentile loi k upon tieni with 
 difdain. The fi'Ji-fruits being h'jly , the Ltupi s uljol.aly: 
 The root brivg holy,fo are ihe branchtJ alfo. 
 
 17 And if fome of the branches be broken o(F, 
 and thou being a wild olive-tree wert graffed in 
 amongft them, and with ihcmpartakeft of the root 
 and fatnefs of (.he olive-tree ; 18 Boaft not againft 
 the branches : but if thou boaft, thou boareft not the 
 root, but the root thee, ig Thou wilt fay then, 
 The branches tvere broken off, that I mi 'ht be 
 graffed in, 20 Well ; bcciufe of unbelief they were 
 broken off, and thou ftandeft by faith. Ue not high- 
 minded, b'lt fear. 21 For if God fp.^red n jt the 
 natural branches, take heed ii^ii he aifo Ipareiiui thee. 
 
 The dcfign and fcope of ourapcflle in ihefe words, i to 
 exhor; the believing G-ntilcs not to ilifpife and r«pro.ich 
 the rejected and unbelieving Jews : And he dra.vsan ar- 
 gunteiit from the condition of theGeiuiles, both p.^fl anil 
 prcfenc : in their pali condition, they v.crehke a v\jlJ 
 oiive tree ; in their prefent coiidititm they were j^rafFedinto 
 the true olive. Here n •/-, Th.it hv ihe olive iree'wer.re 
 to uuderlta-id the vifible chiirch of God ; by the root, li>» 
 means Abraham ; he was the root- of ihe-olive tree, J;e 
 Je -vi/h cliOrchj But, how fo? A-f. Not '.lie re 01 bv way 
 4 F -, ' et 
 
6o.L 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 Chap. x{. 
 
 n*" co'.ii'nun'cnfion, I>iU in away of n'lm'miftratioii ; not /fvm-'tty of Co'l, Scz. Jufl:-'; '"•' ■I'.ercy, goodncfs and fe- 
 hi way of cfiiiniunicrit'on, a? if either Jew or Gentile did rei ity, arc attributes err ;:iii.ent!y fpuiid in God ; 
 
 ftceive any r.ip Of fiJ^ritual li'' ' 'ii, ai; brandies re- and contrary otily I'n tliejr c. i tneri. Tlic fume 
 
 ctivei inturjl hfcfrom thf r. . ti'.tis Cluift nlonels God is merciful aVri! Il^i'-rfe, v. : to differeiu per- 
 
 tiie roor cf t!)e churtii. Bii: Abralia".i was tlie root "fif fons, and tlifil-r .jtiou?. Ail nicrcy is iiqta virtue^ 
 
 ihe (.live tree in'a way of adiniuifliation, tlie Lord cnlltpg but that ^vhich i, ;it witli othfr perfecTions of i^il- 
 
 hiin forth a-- the iirlt man with whom he was pleafed 'o dmji and r;Jhtcotjf!ieJ"s. The nextargiimeut is taken frotii 
 treat, Dtiii enter into th:it covenant with. Asr:mi, by the the condiiiou upon which tlie Gentiles iiold liieir prci'ciit 
 f.itn-fs of the olive tree, we are to nndcrftand all outward (landing in the favour and grnce of God ; namely, ////,r^ 
 privi!e^^-;and ordinances, all fpiritual benefits and blfflinjs cor.tlnu; inth'ts g'i'-.dtitjs, that is, if they v.'al!: worthy of this 
 whirh be'onj; to the Jcwilh church. By the banches of favour from God, «nd I'uitably to fuch a kind and gracious 
 the olive tree, we are to iindeift.ind the ineinhers of the difpenfation ; ocherwifc, they, the Gentiles, OiallbecutoiF 
 Jewifli church ; and by the wild olive, the Gentile world, and caft away, as well as the fhubhorn and unbelieving 
 Now, tho'Jj^h ihe Gentiles, through rich grscc, were in- Jews, The Lord is with a jicople o»/;' whil/t they are 
 (Kited in tiieprivil-jgeiofihe Jews, yet iheapolUe forelaw, with him : If they ferve and fetk him, he will befoundof 
 ih;>t indeadof thankf'jlnels toGod, for the favours recei\- them ; but if they forfske him, he \\ill c.ifl them off for 
 »J from him, they would bepufFed upwith pride; andac- ever. The nextargimient tofupprtfsarro^ancy andprids 
 cortlinply, he advifes them, not to be high-minded, but in the Gentiles, and to prevent their inhdiing over the 
 fear : As if he had faid, " O ye Gentiles, your ll.ite ij fallen Jews, is taken from the hopes of the Jews reftora- 
 h'fth. let your hearts be humble. The Jews are fjllen, tion : Which the apoftle provss to bs both polfible and 
 and uiilefc you walk in holy fear, you cannot iland : Un- probable. They fiall be graffed in ilifi'tey cbide nztw un- 
 ^>^■iief ruined them, take heed tlut pride doth not ruin idtef ; for Cad is able to gr^iffthsni in cgain As if the 
 you; for the jufl and holy God is norefpcder ofpcrfons. apodle had faid, "The lame God that reji.*cled them, is 
 lie that I'pared not tlie natural branches, will no more able to rellore them, and re-ingrnft them ; itic only obllacle 
 fpare thee." From tlie whole /frtrn, i. That man is n.i- is their unbelief, and this God i^ alio able to rtmo^'e." 
 turally a very proud creature ; and ahiiough he has no- Lnftly, He fliews the probability as well as the putlibility 
 ihitij; but what he has freely received, yet he is prone to of the Jews converlion ; nami-ly, becaufe God had done 
 bojil. 2. That man is cfpecially apt to magnify himfelf, that which was more unlikely already, to wit, in-gr;ffing 
 3, id to glory over thofj who are fallen before him, either the Gentiles, »ho were wild olives, inio the true olive, 
 •jnio fi.i, or under affiiclion. 3. That the bell preleivative which was more difficult and unlikely, than to j^ralFia the 
 from filling, is humility and holy fesr. If ever we ft.ind Jews again, which were natural branches. Thcargumcoc 
 in the d.iy of trial, it is the fear of falling that mull enable runs thus : " If the Gentili"s, v hich were a kind of wild 
 lis to ftand. Take heed they do not fjll, by thinking it olive branches, were grdlFed into a good olive tree, (ths 
 impoffibleto fall. Be rt'jt higb-mhidcd, hut fear. Timor church of God) which is contrary to nature, feeing men 
 iuus,fjc»riias ilia; Thy holy fear will keep thee from fal ufe to grafF a good fcion into a wild fl.)tk, and not a wild 
 ling' when others fecurity and prefumpiion will lay thein fciun into a good (lock ; hov/ much more fnall the Jews, 
 on the ground. Let not a min that (lands on the top of v/hich are, the naiural branches of the good olive, be graf-. 
 a tree boad of his height, but look to his hold. fvil again into i heir own clive tree, to which they forraer- 
 
 _,,,, . , T,. ,. . - iy did belong? The one is according to the order of na- 
 
 22 Behold therefore the goodncls and feventy of ti,re, but the o-her is againd, and contrary to nature." 
 God: o;i them which fell, ieverity; but towards /.<farw hence. How improbable and unlikely, hnw dilHcult 
 thee, goodnefs, if tligu continue in his goodnefs : and impoiiible foever, the converdon and calling of the 
 othcvwifethGU alio Ihaltbe cut off. 2.1 And they J«^'-'s 10 t»e Chnftian religion, may feeni to us it is nei^ 
 
 'Ihc great- 
 
 r 1 ■„ n^ o _ 1 • II . cr ^\ • ■ ~ eic ooiiacie in tne way or ine icws coiivciijon to Chrii- 
 -led in. I'orGodis able lo g-ran thtm in .noam, 24 ■ • '"',',- ^ ,,■■', - ' - ' --d lean 1 1 
 
 i!fo, if they abide not Rill in unbelief, fhall be graf- '''='" co"tr.-.ry to right reafon, ror true Uhh. 
 
 • 1 ■„ I-/ r-^1 ■ II. tr.t • ■ eft obuacle in the way of tne lews cnnverL'c 
 
 cd in. !■ or God IS able lo Fian thtm in .ngam, 24 • • . . '" \"^ y .J 
 
 _ -c 1 P°, ,. ° , .', .^ t'aniiy. It 13 to be (."ared liesinthe wicked an 
 
 Tor if thou wort cut out of the ohve-trce which is j^^.^^ ^f j,,„fg ^^ac c-ll themfelvcs Chrillians. 
 v.- tid by nature, and were grafFcd contrary to nature „ ,, . , , n ^ ■< , 
 
 into a good olive tree; how muc!i more Ihall thefe, . ^5 Fori wotild not. brethren, that ye Hionld be 
 
 which be the n.turzl branches, be grafFcd into their »S"orant of this myftery left you fhould be wilcin 
 
 x>wn olive-ttee ? • your own conceit, that blindnels m part is ha-apcn- 
 
 ed to Ifrael, until the fulnefs of the Gentiles be 
 
 Our apoAle, in thefe, and the following vcrfe?, proceeds come in. 26 And ib all Iliael fliall bo laved: as 
 
 inhis cxiiortation to the Gentiles, not to infult over the j^is written, there (hall come outof Sion a Deliver^ 
 
 rejected lews, but to cnrrv it towards them with great j n 11 » ji- r r^ t„. 1. 
 
 „ u.i I r-i n- 1 '1 ji r T /• 1 er, and lliall turn awar ungodlmels rrom |.-.cou. 
 
 niodc'tv and Chriltian bumi!:tv ; and he ufcth (everal ar- '„.. . J b .1 
 
 gumcot^ by way of motive, to excite and quicken them ^7 ^^^- this ti my covenant unlo them, when L 
 
 th?reu:vo. The twollrit are drawn from the fevcrity of fli^'ll take away their fins. 
 
 God in cutting off the Jev.-s, aad the goorineh and bounty Here the apodle fully proves, that the rejfcTion of the 
 
 of God ia cdhng of the Cer.-ik; : Ik'nU the goodmfi and Jews was neither total nor final ;coi total, bexaufeW-Wwr/i 
 
 in 
 
Chap. »f. 
 
 R O -M A N S. 
 
 Qo^:i 
 
 in pari only, I appensJunlz lf>ail ,• That '\\, part of \\\e. 
 J;ws only are left iu unbelief, and iinderiliepower of fpi- 
 ritual blindtiefi ; r.oi-isthtir rfjeiflionfinr.l, but for a time 
 only, namely, till tlie'fulnefs of'th'e Gentiles be come in ; 
 thatis, till the Gentile chiifches he aifvaiiccd toan honour- 
 able ftatc anJ fulncfs. And then all tiic llVael of God, 
 the fai'.hfulTeed of Abrahirn, »nd the main body cf tha 
 Jews, ih ill make up the catholic church, aixi be favcd from 
 their unbelief; c.ccordintrto that graciouspromife, Ifa. lix. 
 20,21. Th: Rcdcermr fhall ame to Z'uin, andu}:io them 
 that turn frctn tranf^rtjp^tn in 'Jacob ; and this is my cove- 
 nant with them, my Spirit fiall not depart from thy feed, >:or 
 thy feed's feed frau heru'cfortha nd fur tver. Le.jrn hence 
 That there fi'.a'l be a genera! callino of tlie Jews to ihe 
 faith cf the gofpel before CLriSl's fecond coining, is not 
 only poiTible and probable, but infallible, fure and certain 
 and that from the prophecies and predictions of the pro- 
 phets of God : Letus therefore believe it firmly, pray for 
 "it fervently, and live in the expectation of it continually. 
 
 2 8 As concerning the gofpel, they are enemies for 
 your lake : buras touciiing the elecUon, they areht- 
 loved for the father's lake, 29 For the gifts and 
 calling of God arc without repentance. 
 
 " Here we have two farther arf:nnienrs to pi-eve the gene. 
 ral converfion of the Jews : 'i he firll is taken from the 
 dignity of il>c Jews, they beini; ihe ancient people of God 
 whofe father Ahrahatn lie cliolV. nnd mads his firfl cove- 
 nant with him and his feed ; and therefore, as to making 
 the < !di(in of tliat nation to be an holy p"o;;le 10 hinifclf 
 they :.re beloved by God fortheir fatiiei's fake; that is for 
 the fnke of Abrah'm their holy progenitor, who had the 
 honour to be called the friend of God. Though grace 
 de'cends not from parent to child, yet many times the 
 children of godlv parents are very large iharers in outward 
 privileges and jlelFirigs for their gracious parents' fake. 
 The jev.s are here fiidto beloved ofGod fur theirfather 
 Abraham's fake, whilft, for their unbelief and contempt of 
 the gofjxl, they had renderf-d :hemfe!ves the deferred ob- 
 jeifls of God's hatred. The fecond argument is drawn 
 from file immutabilty and unchangable nature of God ; 
 His gifts and calling a'e vtitho'.tt repcntitKc: ; that is, al- 
 t!iough (he Jewsjiave rendered themrelvesunwortliy of the 
 favour of God, yet the covenant having been once made 
 vith their fathers, and they having hatl ihelionour to be 
 h'* Ipecia! and peculiar people, God will never repent of 
 his kindnei's to them, nor of his covenant made with tiiem 
 but will certainly reilore them to their former privileges, 
 .'.nJ happy rUte-: For the gi/ls ar.d lelHiig rfCod are -jjith- 
 cut tcpey'ance. Take the words relatively, and the note 
 i>! this, " That the gifts and calling of God, %v hereby he 
 v.'as pleafcd to ado])C the pollerity of Abraham, and to en- 
 gage hiinfelf bv covenant to them are inviolable, and fuch 
 as thill neuerbe reverfrd or repented of." Ohfeive lallly, 
 The fad and deplorable condition which the jev/s are at 
 preici-.t in and under ; they are enemies to th.e gofpel, ><'j 
 onhrAtng the g'fpdthty are fr.er.iies fc.r yur fake : Ttet 
 is, beca'.ii'e you Gentiles receive thegolpel, therefore the 
 Jews rcjeclit, and ibr that reafon are r.°jefted by God. 
 but tliis happcneti well to rhe pcorGen;)!c>s ; for upon tlic 
 
 Jews rcfuHil, tlte gofpel Wi« bro:>y''.*. li.i f^-tiner to •..";- 
 Gentiles, and they were converted 
 
 30 For as ye in times pailha^^c r.ol L'.;ii:vcd C;>(a 
 yet have now obtained mercy throujli their tiabe 
 lief; 3t Even fo kavcthefe alfo nov;* not believed^ 
 that thr 3ugh your mercy they alfo cnay ebtaiii t:ier- 
 cy. 
 
 Here we have theconclufion of ths apcftie's'argumenf. 
 to prove the converiion and calling if the Jews tcwarJs 
 the end of the world. The argument is dfa wu from a coni- 
 parilbn of e(]iiais : <' If God, after a long time oP'riifo- 
 bedieuce, received the Gentile:; to mercy, he will alfo, aftcr 
 a long time of infidelity, receive the Jews to mercy. If 
 God hath called the Gentiles to his grace after long idol- 
 .Ttry, though God never promi.'cd to be thtir God, liov/ 
 much more will he recall his covenant people frpm their 
 infidelity in his own appointed time ?" So that the argu- 
 ment is from the Icfs to the greater : }f the infidelity of 
 the Jews was an occafion of mercy to the Gentiles, much 
 more (liall the mercy ftiewcd to the Gentiles be an occafion 
 of mercy to the Jews ; .-.nd confci]ueni!y their preiciit in- 
 fidelity (hall be r.o obllade to ilu'ir converiion afterward. 
 
 32 For God hath concluded them alliniinbeJitif 
 that he might have me^cy upoii all. 
 
 That is, " Almighty God hath in wifdoiij'and right'i 
 oufnefs fuHered both Jews and Gentiles iucrefnveiy, for- 
 fome time, to remain under the power of unbeliefand dif- 
 obedirnce, that fo he might in hisown timefulnl the gre.1 
 counfel of his goodnefs, in fliewing inidcfcrvcd mercy to 
 nil both Jew and Gentile. Now from all the foregoing 
 arguments for the calling of the Jews.fummed up together 
 in thib chapter, we may colleft and gather, that the con- 
 verfion of thejev^ilh nation to the Chriilian faith has good 
 foundation in ihe holy fcriptnres, and hasbecn the received 
 <Jo(flrine of the church of Chrifl in all ages of the church. 
 
 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wifdom 
 and knowledge of God ! how unfearchable are his 
 judgments, and his wayspalt finding out ! 
 
 Here the apoHle conclutiss the chapter with an awful 
 admiration at tlie depth p'.iiie abundant grace and goodnefs 
 of God in b'jariiig with the infidelity of the Jews, and the 
 obftinacy of thcGentilcs; asailoof the unl'earchable wif- 
 dom in making firit the rejsclion of the Jews a mean of 
 calling th: Genrilef, and then working upon theobitinate 
 J'jvvs by his mercy ilicwn unto the Gentiles. Hy judgiueytt 
 JuTC, fome underiland the decrees and determ uiati-ons of 
 God's will ; byways, the adminillraiion of his pr»>v;denc2, 
 inordtr t) the e.\ecution of thoie decrees^ Bo^h which 
 are fc'ret, unfearchable, and nnfaihotnable. There ars 
 myflerie-. of providence, as well as myffeiies of faith, an J 
 both of tliem tranfcend our human uaderitanding. 
 
 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? 
 or who hath been his counfcllor ? 35 Oi'who hath 
 firiL given to him, and Ihall be recompenfcd itnto 
 him again ? 
 
 As if the apoAis haJ faid, "'So creat'.jrc ever did, er 
 
Co5 
 
 U O M A N S. 
 
 .*r^ 
 
 Chap, xn 
 
 ever* n p'crce into llic min-Jcf GoJ, nor. was ever called 
 to \.£ ( r l.'i. cui;i:cil. No creature ever did or can advife 
 liiin, nnrcan sny crcstuic challenge God, a', if he were 
 irdi'btcd lo him. Who c»er gave any tiling to God, that 
 ].'. did not firll receive tVor-. hiiu ? Or who csn merit any 
 tliiitp; Jit hi J h.iiu!s, feeing he owes us ncrliiii^r > And if fo 
 v.lioliath reafon to comiijain that God decis Inrdly with 
 the Jf ws, in rtjeJting iliem, aiid preferrini^ the Gentiles 
 heftire thcin ! btircly Almighty Gcd may diipeiife a favour 
 to fume, which he owes to none.'" Lrar/i her\{.e. That 
 ji; thofe difcriiiiinating favours nhich God difpenfes toward 
 i'umc of the children of men, nooihcr realoncan bealligncd 
 hnt his o«n good will and f leafurc. This pjrticularly 
 appears in his ordciing matters relating to the Jews and 
 Gentiles, recorded in the toregoing chapter. 
 
 36 For of him and through him, and to him are 
 all ihin^^s. To wliom be glory forever. Amen. 
 
 That 15, " All things are of God, as the author ar»d 
 
 cfliiient taufe ; all tlinigs are through him, as the provi. 
 
 dtncia! dTcclor, and prelerving ciiufe; and alt things tend 
 
 10 hJui, as the ultimate end and final caufe ; therefore to 
 
 him Mil praife, honour, and glory, ought for ever to he 
 
 afciibed." Lram hence. That God is the firil ciiifeand 
 
 l.ift end. He is the (t caufe ; that is, he is the caufc of 
 
 all things b^fideshimklf, the f imtain and origin. I of all 
 
 treated beings ; nothit:g was before him, bur .ill. things 
 
 treattdby him, and dependant upon hiin : ..^ad as he is 
 
 the firit caufe, fohe is the lafVcnd ; that 1% all things tend 
 
 to him as their ultintate end ; tUeir dtlign and aim wasthe 
 
 iiluftraiion of God's gloiy, and the manifellation of his 
 
 divine pei ftiftions. Ami if God be the firit caufe, kr us 
 
 with humility ;ind thankfulnef'. atknoviledgr him, admire 
 
 aiid adore him, love and frrve him, whoii the author of 
 
 cur being, and the csuie of .ill other beings. And if he 
 
 / be the laltend, let us refer all our actions to hi' glory, in 
 
 ' all our natural a<flions, cur civil act'on.'s, but efpecially in 
 
 all our religious actions, let the gh ry of (jod be our i'li- 
 
 prcinf aim and uliiniate end. P'or if we di^ not now live 
 
 Uiiie iiiiii, w e can never expect hereafter to live with hiia. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Our ap^'e kav'/ng Jin'Jhed the doHrinal part of his dif- 
 cowjr, hgim hue to make applicat'nm cfit. In thtjor- 
 vtr f^yi ojhii epjlle, he had ccpioufly Jiatidkd the doc- 
 iriml poina cj Jaith, ji'Jlificatwti, fan[lifiC3tticn, &c. 
 Nouijrcm hence to the eiui ojthe epiftle. there is contain- 
 ed an exiiortation to religions and moral duties, as an ar- 
 ivnivt oj their firxeruy, and as ar, ornanuTL to their 
 frcfjfi n. 
 
 IBef^ejhyou :hercfr.re, brethren, by the mercies 
 ot Go'i. that yc ptefcntyoiir bodies a living facri- 
 fice, holy, acceptable unto God, itArV/i rs tour rea- 
 fonable Icrvice. 
 
 V-ifi- here i . Thp an 'Ole'« loving and ro'irterus comptl 
 liXioa brei r.r., folic calls the believing Komana. They 
 
 were b^crhrcn hy pl-ce and nation, and brethren by reli- 
 gion and profcllion : Eodcni fanguine Qbrijl'i canglut'tnatt , 
 cemented toge:herby the blood of Chrift, and by thebands 
 of love. a. The manner of the apoftle's exhortation ; it 
 ishy way ofobfcciatiou and intreaty, I befeechyou,brethrett. 
 It imports great L-nity and mcfknefs. The apolkle did not 
 want authority to commin<l, but ufes fuch liJiiiility as to 
 intrtat. The minilters'r i.vork and ofiice is not only to be 
 a teacher, but a befeech r. lie muft not barely propound 
 and recvramend the doctrine of the go'pil to li.s people's 
 underrtanJing, t)Ut mult endeavour to work upon their 
 will? and .ifT-ft'ons toe.nhrace and entertain them. The 
 undcrftjndiig is the leaci g. birtihc will ihecominanding 
 facnl:y. 3. The exhoriation iiftif : Prefent yaur b'.dics a 
 living fiicrifice. Prcfentvour bodies, ttiat is, dedicate your 
 perfons. devote your'^lves, your whole man, foul and body 
 to the fervice of Tod and his glory. Chr'ftianj are 
 pricft.', or a roval pririthood ; they offer up themfclves ia 
 lacr.fice unro God a^ a whole burnt offering- 4. The 
 propeitie; of iheCbrltijn f.;crifice : it n!uft be voluutary, 
 Prr'frr.t yourjtluci. It ir>u!t be a living facrifite, an hoi/ 
 facnf-ce, a reaf ..ruble Ucriti.e, others ile it will find no ac- 
 ceptance with God. 5 1 he argument or motive which 
 the aj)ollle mates nfeoi, toperlu.ide perfon- to prefentand 
 give up themfelvcs to God, and his fervice, and that is 
 drawn from ihe mcrcicjs of God ; 1 bfle^ch yju brethren hy 
 the meriiis r,f G ,d. Z^arn thtr.cf , 1 lv;it tiir mercies of 
 God rev;alcii in thegofpel, are themi ft ;'.rope''. povVcTiul 
 and cfFoctuai argument to perfuade; aii(),-iinI prev'ail HjJurj 
 finners, th.i: have not given irpand cKvoted thtmf?lvesto 
 Gad, to do it:, and thofe tl'.at- have dime it, to ^■> it more 
 and m.re: Ikef.ech yyu by the rterc s fCid, tka yf, Sec. 
 
 2 And be not conformed to this wor'd, but be 
 ye transformed by the renewm^ olyour mind, that 
 ye may prove what is that j,ood and acceptable and 
 pcrfed will of God. 
 
 A'o/ehere, i.T heapollle's deli^rrat'on, he 7}»tc'.rf\rmeJ 
 to thit w'jrU.- That is, do not falhion or accom-'iodate 
 yourfflwbto the corrupt principles aud ciilloms, to the fin- 
 ful courfe.^ and pr.iclice- otthe men f>f the world." 1 be 
 Chriltian is 10 ssalk lingularly, and not after t!ie world's 
 g life: Hemu(> not cut the coat of h.sprofe (lion according to 
 t'le fjfliio!) of the times, or the humour of the company l>e 
 f il's inu-. 2. All ,-ipoUiilic.il exhorcatio:; : Be yetranif.rmed 
 bytberine-jjing'Jyourrmnd: That i?, "be ye regenerated 
 and changed in your wbo!e man, beginning at iliemindor 
 UiidcilbnJing, by wkich tl.e Sp ritof God woiketh upi-n 
 tne interior facultifsof the foul." Evrry conferred ptrfon 
 i; truly arid really changed, thoroughly fa ndt'fi-d and re- 
 newed, endowed with new d-fpofitions and afl'iiftions; yet 
 this convenlon and rtnovation is not a fubftantial, but a 
 qn^l taiive change, a change, not in ihe fubttance of the 
 families of the foul, but in the quality of thofe faculties. 
 And the renewed Chri.'lian is fanctitied totus, but not /ilv,. 
 liter; he is faniftitiid thorouorhly in all faculties, butni.t- 
 pcrfeftly in ail degrees. There is in a renewed main's 
 underllandir.g too much blnuinefs and ignorance, in his 
 Will too i^rtaL obllinacy andpCfVtil'eQcfs, in bisafi"ed.o*s 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 6c: 
 
 too much irregularity and renfuality. Yet fuch ia the in- 
 rfulge-^ice of the gofpel, as to call him an lioly perfon, ^ 
 perlon transformed by the rcnewinir ofhis mind. 3. The 
 reafon of the apoUle's exhortation: Be ye trattsfr)rmed,SiCC. 
 tl-at ye may frr.v^ 'xhat is thai gooJ, and accept aHe, and 
 fsrfecl vj'ill of Gtd: Thjt is, that ye may difcern and ap- 
 prove what the will of God is under the gofpel, which 
 requires not what isritually.but whatis fubflantially good 
 and coiifequently always acceptable to hitn. Note here, 
 That in oppofition to the Levitical ceremonies and riiuul 
 injunction?, the apoftie ftyles the golpjil infticution, the 
 good and acceptable, and perfed will of God ; and a} fuch 
 may we love and embrace it, and be found in the delight- 
 fui praflice of it. 
 
 3 For 1 fay throngh the grace given unto me, 
 •to every man that is among you, not to think of 
 hiinfdf, more highly than he ought to think; but to 
 think loberly, according as God hath dealt to eve- 
 ry man the meafure of faith. 
 
 The apoftie h.iving exhorted to an holy life in general, 
 verfe the firft, and to a fpiritual renovation of mind, in 
 order to it, verfe the feconiJ, comesnow toa clofeexhor- 
 tation to more paiticular duties; the firft of which is 
 modefty and true humility of .^jind. This he recom- 
 mends efpecialiy to fuch who hear any public office in the 
 church, and had received Ibme peculiar and fpeciat gifts to 
 fit and furnilli them for the difcharge of that olBce. St. 
 Paul here particularly enjoius them, by virtue of his apof- 
 tolic office, to watch againft pridii and haughtinels of mind; 
 not to think themfclves wiler or better than they were, but 
 to think foberly and modeftly of themfelves, according to 
 the truth, and to the degree of faith and wifdom given unto 
 '.hem of God : Plainly intimating, That fuch as are ex- 
 alted to a ilcgree of eminencv in the church above others, 
 are in great danger of the fm of pride, which it is their 
 duty to watch and pray againft, and to be found in the 
 exercifc of that humility and lowline fs of mind, which is 
 fo greatly .ornamental to their perfons and profeflion. Let 
 not any man think uf himfelf more highiy than he ought to 
 think, but let him think Joberly. 
 
 4 For as we have many members in one body, and 
 all members have not the fame oflice : 5 So we, 
 being many, are one body in Chrift, and every one 
 members one of another. 
 
 Here the apoftle'lays beJore u<; a fpeci.il reafon why the 
 officers of the church llicaid exercile humility towards, 
 and employ their gifts and talents for,the general good and 
 benefit of the church : The arf^nment is drawn from a 
 comparifon between the natural body and the myrtical 
 body. "As in the natural body there are many members, 
 and every member has its diflincl office ; the eye to fee, 
 the ear to hear, the ham! to work, the foot to walk : In 
 like manner, in the myflical body, the church of Chrift, 
 there are many members; but each member inuft keep his 
 own plicc, and not invade the duty, or ufurp the office of 
 another, but every one employ his own proper gift to the 
 benefit and comfort of the whole, without difdaining or 
 «nvying one another." Learn hence; i, Tiiat the church 
 
 of Chrift is oni» body. 2. That though the txidv of the 
 church be one, and the head one, yet ihe members aic 
 many, united to Chrift their head by faith, and to onr 
 another by love. 3. Fhat all l)elicvcr<, which arc mem- 
 bers of this body_, have every one his pjr icular gift, his 
 feveral fundion, his proper office, whith thef arc duly 
 to execute and perform, without encroaching upon otlitrs 
 by proud curioiity, or bufy meddling : Hut as all the' 
 members of the body labour jointly together for the 
 prelervation of the whole, lb ought all the officers and 
 members of the church to keep their diftind ftations, and 
 employ and improve regularly their feveral talents for the 
 mutual edification and benefit of each other, without en- 
 croachment or intruding upon the offices of each other 
 God is a God of order, and hates diforder in his church. 
 
 6 Having then gifts differing according to the 
 grace that is given to us, whether prophecy. Id ui 
 prophecy according to the proportion of f.iith ; 7 Or 
 miniftrv, let us ziat on owr miniftrin^ : orie that 
 teacheth, on teaching: 8 Or he that exhorteth,on 
 exhortation: hethat giveth, /rt /i/m</o zV with fim- 
 plicity; he that ruleth with diligence ; he that 
 fhewcth tHercy, witbxheerfulnefs. 
 
 As if our apoftle had faid, " Seeing it has pleafed God 
 to appoint diftind: officers in his church, and to furnifu 
 thole officers with various degrees ofgifts, jnd not to make 
 all equal cither in gifts or office, let every one in general 
 faithfully execute his office, and keep within the limjtsof 
 his calling, neither neglecting his own duty, nor invading 
 another's ; in particular, let him that proph ft tA, that is,£x- 
 poundeih the fcriptures in the church, do it, according /» 
 the proportion of faith, or according to whut is taught 
 plainly and uniformly in the wl o'e fcriptures of the Old 
 and New, Teftament, as the rule of our faith.'' Wc 'iinft 
 not rack nor wreft the fcriptures, (o make them fpeak what 
 wep!e3re,bnt what the prophets and apoftle's taught, whom 
 we interpret ; other wife we do not expoiind according to 
 the analogy and proportion of faith. "Let hinj ihatiul- 
 niflereth, teacheth, or exhorteth, attend upon that work 
 with all diligence ; and he that performs the office of a 
 deacon, who are called helps (i Cor. xii. 28. J and is em- 
 ployed to relieve the poor out of the church's Itock, and to 
 take care of ftrangers orphans, aged, fitk, and impotent 
 perfons, let him do it luith fimplicity, that is, without par- 
 tiality and refpect of perfons : And wiih cheerfulnefs , that 
 is, with alacrity of heart, with genilenc'.'s in words, with 
 pleafantnefi in countenance, bearingwith the infirmitiesof 
 the aged, with the loaihfomencia 01 fick and dileafed, and 
 adminiftering witii delight to the neceffities of all that want .' 
 Now, from the \\\\o\e, note, t. 1 hat God of his free 
 bounty has beautified his church with divers offices an.l 
 gifts. 2. That thole whom God has beftowed ininif- 
 rerial gif's wpon, ought hninbly and I'aitlifully to approve 
 them to the church's benefit and edification. 
 
 9 Let love be without diflimulation. Abhor that 
 which is evil, cleave to that which is good. 10 Be 
 kindly afFetlioned one to another with brotherly 
 love; in honour preferring one another; 
 
 T.'je 
 
5^8 
 
 1^ O .^M A N S. 
 
 Chap. viir. 
 
 Tfks foregoiofr exhoTtation5re^*();ci-tJ cIwrchofHcers in 
 pariiculjr ; ihrfexh it iioa' folio a^ concern ajt Cnrirtian^ m 
 general, anJ acquiiiirthcin wicli tiieir d'jjics in conjmDn 
 c).iverr.ition. He begins with theprace anJ Jjry pf io^'e 
 ihat beiii^i riJicial gr.ice, tlieroo: from •vhtchall o;har 
 j^racei aiJ duiies 1,'rm^ inJ flow, T^io love to, one *n- 
 otijcr, t!ie HjIv G.\y.i ri.\]jires that it bs wilhrjt J'ffi n t. 
 litht, that i>, n i.sro a iJ ii iPelgne I, ii r, in 'vorJ aid in 
 tongue only, but in dieJ an J ia trt.th : Alio, thititbi a:i 
 alFurdionate anJ ternier, as .vellasanii ifeigii.i an J fncere 
 love. Bikinlly affcil^neJ om t: ainth^r .• Tns worJ lir- 
 nilisth (uch an afticVioiute tentleroefs as a in jrlier bears :a 
 ilis fruit of her womb, an;l a3 creatures bears to the frui: 
 (if Ciieir young ; an;l no wonchr tiiat luch a fervent love is 
 reijiiired, whcti laying down oii»" lives fur the brethren is 
 cotijinanded, i John iii. i6. Likewife, that our love to 
 others doinclioe us to give preference unto others ; r.'-ally 
 conceiving others to be more worthy of honour than our 
 felves, an*.} 'rejoicing to lee thorn placed in a nwre ui'eful 
 and hiuioarable poil than ourfelves. Yet 'iotr. Though 
 «HT love- Riiifl behrtt towards our neighbour, ncrault not 
 liiader.iii; from abhorring that which islinful and evil in 
 our neighbour : Lov: --vUhy.it diffimulttion, and abhur thai 
 •nihu-h Is evil. When we love clie perfohs, weniull hate 
 the vices of men. The love of o;ir friends mufl no: 
 make us in love with their faults ; norinuft thchatreJof 
 men's vices draw us off frj;i) delighting in, and cleaving to 
 that which is good in any man : abhor thut luhich is tvH 
 end cleax^c io that which is good. 
 
 il Nut flothful in buf^nefs ; fervent in fpirit; 
 fervin j; the Lord. 
 
 The next duty reforted to, is diligence and induftry in 
 all our duties both to God and man, but particularly in the 
 duties of (lur calling. We muft avoid the two extremes, 
 of flothfulnefson the one hand, and exceifi.'e drutlgcry on 
 the oilier, in the nianage;nent qf our fecular alfairs and 
 v/orlJl,' buliiKifs. But in tiie fervice of God wemuil/'(f 
 fervent, as iiithe ferviceof the world we niuft not be floth- 
 ful What IS done by the world, is btft done withindif- 
 ferency ; but what is done for God, is beft done with 
 warmth and'fervency,ornot done at ail. Our .iioll ardent 
 alFecVions and and active powers mufl be employed inhisfer- 
 ■vice; for, to bj cold and carelefs thsrein, d-lparages his 
 excellency, and will defeat our own expeifljtion. We 
 iiinft b« I'crvt-nt in fi»irir, ferving the Lord ; and may not 
 be iloihful in bulineli, ferving the world. 
 
 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; 
 continuing inllant in prayer ; 
 
 The .ipoQle next direds the convened Romans how 
 they fiioiild manage themfelvcs under afliiiftions ; namely, 
 to endure thc;>i patiently, to rejoice in hope ofprefentde- 
 liverance.or future h.ippinels; ami, in order to both, (o 
 be much in ihe duty ofprayer. Learn hence, That hope, 
 patience, and prayer, are powerful fupports under all al- 
 iliclion'!, and will render tlieninot only tolerable, bnrjoy- 
 o'i~. I'jt p itienfc we poflefi oarfelvcs -, by the hope we 
 poSlfi God ; by pr.iyer we arc enabled unto both. 
 
 13 Diftributin^to the necDffity of faints : given 
 to hofpitalitv. 
 
 Fh? ne.-i:.da.ty.e.xHo.-teJ to, i? thil or.ch.i-ity arjd.ilmf- 
 givingrotliepjD^'in.:inbsrjofJefa;Chriii,erpetiallyi^when 
 unjirprrfecurio.! ; fbiwinghqlpitolicy towards ilum, and 
 giving en:ertalrx.n-'*t to t!icr>, when they foek,, it of us. 
 L;irn 1. Tiiat chirityto all pjrfo 3% but ef^i ■wtially to ths 
 pirfecate>i mi.Ti')?i;5of J;ru. CirliV, is a necciriry and nn- 
 pjrtant djty. 2. Tnat h ifpii.ility is an eini,ie;i: part of 
 Chihlian charity : True hofpitality, I mea.i, whichis ac- 
 companied with prudence and fobriety. There is a wiile 
 dilferciice between riotous lioufe-keeping and true liofpi- 
 tality ; the latter is always defigncd for the help of the poor, 
 and particularly for the godly poor. There are great houfe 
 keepers, who are not good houfek'-eperE, becaufe their 
 honle- keeping ii rather for the great than the good, notfcr 
 the liciflicld of faith, efpcciallynot for the poor of that 
 hcufliold. As to Ipiritual?, God fills the hungry with 
 good things, but fends the rich empty away; whereas, 
 mcfl mtn, as to coq>c.ra!3, n'l the rich with liiitir goofi 
 things, with the fat and the I'weet, bn t feril the poor, if 
 not empi/ awav. yet relieved only w'th the fweepings as of 
 their tabic. This is not according to the precept before 
 us : D'fnibuiino to the necfjfittts t/ tht faiiJs, S:c. 
 
 14 Blefs them which perfccute you : blcfs, and 
 curfe not. . 
 
 The apoilie having taught us our duty to our friends in 
 the former verfe, teacheth us oijr duty here towards our 
 enemies. Blefs thtfn that perjlcictbynii. That is, pny for 
 ihe.ni and wifli well to them, whatever provocation yoii 
 may have to the contrary. Learn \)tr\ce, i. That good 
 men niufl make account of, and prepare for, perlVcurion ; 
 either the perl'ecuiion of the tofgue or of the hand, or 
 both. 2. That it is their duty ever to blcfs. nevei'^ to 
 cnrfe, their perfecutors and oppofers. Blip iindcwfe rot. 
 Where note, That the spoflle doubles the exhortation. 
 Ehfs your perfecutr.rs : Dlif.', and curfe not. This doubling 
 the exhort.ition, flieas both the d.rficulty of the duty, how 
 contrary it is to corrupt nature ; and iiifo the con(fsncy of 
 the duty, we mnft ever blefs, and never cnrfe ; alv. sys wi(h 
 well, never any ill to the worlt of men. Take we great 
 heed of giving way to fecret wiihes to hurt our enemy. 
 God forbid we fhould hurt ourfclves by fmful palfion, be- 
 caufe others hurt us by (lander and falfe accufaiion : We 
 are n.itui ally prone to fpeiik ill of others, and to v.iflj ill to 
 others with delight : This (in perlifted in, /l)uts out of 
 heaven as well as murder. 
 
 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep 
 with them that wcjp. 
 
 The next duty requirc<l, itChriftian fymppihi" and mn- 
 tual affection bet atco hethren, both in proiperity and ad- 
 vcrfiiy, to ii joicc in the one, and 10 mourn Together in the 
 other, as being members of the fame btdy. Te?chivjg 
 »', that it is a Chrillians duty to rejoice in tliofe good 
 things, wheihrr inward or ont*ard. which befal his 
 b.-i'thren, and iJ'"o to n.oi:rn sod lay to heart all thefe af- 
 IJidions and forrows whether inward or ouiv.ard, whicli 
 
 coate 
 
Chap. xri. 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 €c^ 
 
 come upon them. But, Lord I lio'.v far .ire they froii religion's f.ice; therefore, we had need />rav/«.'f /rj."»?^j' «:■- 
 
 this duty, who, inftead of mourning for the fiifferiDgs of nefi Inthejight vf all men. 
 
 others,aregladatc.lamity,rejoice at thedo-.vnfnl of others? ^g jp ^^ bcponible, as much as lietli in vou. live 
 
 Oh! help us to uy the troubles ot others to heart, when i i i n ' 
 
 we ourfelves are freeft and fartheft from trouble : Let us peaceably with all meti. 
 
 lueep 'Jjith them that weep, and rejoice 'uith them, Sec. The A''6?ir here, t. The duty directed and exhorted to, namely, 
 
 gofpel acqaints us with the pity of God towards u?, and peaceablenefs ; Live peaceohly , that is, bo of a peaceriM? 
 
 pre/Teth us to pity one another. temper, and follow thofe things which make for peace. 
 
 c -D r ..u r « „: J ^„^ ^^ .- i^ ti,.,^ i- 1 he extent and latitude of this duty : IVilh ell men 
 
 lo Beoi the lame mind one towards another, ' 
 
 Mind not high things, but condefcend to men pf 
 low eftate. Be not wife in your own conceits.' 
 
 Thefe words, Be ye of t/jefume minJ one ttwards another, 
 are an exhortation to unity among Chriftians : This is 
 
 live peaceably ; not with friends only, or with thofe of your 
 own judgment and perfualion, but with men of clifagrteing 
 humours and interefts, with men of ditFt-rent principles 
 and apprehenlions from you. Again, 4. A double reftric- 
 tion and limitation with which the duty is bounded ; firlt. 
 
 threefold, an unity of the head, or an unity of judgment V" be poffihle, implying, that thereis a fort of men in the 
 
 and opinion ; an unity of the heart, or an unityinlove world who make peace impoHible ; but for others, if it may 
 
 andafteftion; and an unity of the tongue, which is an be enjoyed upon honeft terms, though upon hard terms 
 
 unity of exprellion. Happy we I when in all thefe refpefts we mull not ftickat them, always re;neinbering that peace 
 
 '.ue are of t hi fame mind one traiards another. Note next, and truth are two precious things, which an never be 
 
 The hindrances of mutual concord and unity among bought too dear, if they be not purchafed with iin and 
 
 Chriftians, and they are two: (i.) Pride, Mind not high hafenels. The fecond reftriclion follows, j^s much as in 
 
 things. Arrogancy, Be not wife in your o:un co nccils. youlicib; now this refpects our ende-vours, not our fuc- 
 
 Mindnot high things. That is mind not preferment, nor "fs : If we follow peace with all men, though we cannot 
 
 riches, nor vain-glory, but be content with, and thankful overtake it, yet wefliall not mifs of our rewardin purfuing 
 
 for. a middle ftate and condition in the world ; which is of it. Peace is a more important duty, a fiiiguUr benehc 
 
 far more eligible and dtlirable than a ftate of riches, plenty and bleinng, which every C'hriftian is bound to purfue and 
 
 and abundance, as being lefs liable to temptations. And promote, and that with all men. Jfit bs'~p:fpaU, Lc. 
 
 ie not wife in your o-Mn conceit: ; that is, entertain humble jg Dearly beloved aveU'TC not yourfelves, but 
 
 thoughtsofyourownknoA'ledge,thinkitnotgreaterthan rather fiivc place unto wrath. For it is written, 
 
 It IS ; take heed of an over wccnine opniion or yoin* own ■,, " "^ . ^ .,, ^ . , ^^ j 1 
 
 wifdo,n,asifyou wanted neither divine afT.ftance and ^ engeance ?i mine, I will repay, faith the Lord. 
 
 guidance, nor yet the advice and cnunfel of your bre- A^ci/^ here, How theapoftle renewshls exhortation foall 
 
 thren. Man is naturally a proud creature, but more Chriftians to wath againfl the fin of private and perfonal 
 
 proud of the endowments of his mind, than of thofe that revenge ; he urged it before ver. 17. he reinforccsit here 
 
 adorn his body. ver. 19 thereby fhewitig how prone our corrupt natures 
 
 D „^ r f^ ^ ™.,« <.„;! f^r ,.,.;i P.-^ are to commit this fin, and how hard the contrary duty is 
 
 17 Recompenle to no man evil tor evil, rio- „ ,. ,,, , J., , , , , „, 1. 
 
 .,',. ,^ „. , „ , r ,, to flehi and blood. 1 he heathens reckoned revenjre to be 
 
 Vide things honeR in the hght of all men. a part of juilice. and ranked it amongft the numlxrrof their 
 
 By evil here, we are to underftand wrongs and private virtues ; but the fcripturesrequire, that inftead of reveng- 
 injuries: By not recompenling ihetn, is meant not reveng- ing an injury, we remit and forgive it. Dearly beloved, 
 ing them. Corrupt nature is very prone to return wrong avenge r.ot yourfelces, it follov/s, ra//;i?r gii'e phice unit 
 for wrong, one ill turn for another ; but Chriftianity fets a wrath: What wrath ? or whofe wrath? /?«/". Give place to 
 nobler pattern before us, even the example of him, who yourown wrath, fay foine interpreters; give wayaliitle, and 
 'L-jhen he was reviled, rtviled not again; when he fuffered, he turn afidefrom theperfon you are angry with, and do not 
 ■threatened n->t, i I'et. ii. 23. Provide things hontji inthe (Ight fuffer your anger to hurry you away to revenge. Give 
 of all men. Having exhorted tlieui before to be care- place to the wrath of thofis that wrong you, fay other?; 
 "ful of their converiations towards <jod, he now prefles decline their wrath, and give not word for word, which 
 them to be watchful over their converfations before the will but add fuel to the fire, and oil to the flame. But ic 
 world, that by honcfty and innocency of life, they may feems be<l to underftand it of God's wrath ; leave the mac- 
 cut ofl'all occalion frv)m the enemies of religion to fpeak ter to God, he will right your caufe ; do not take God's 
 evil of them, and their holy profefiion; that all their words work out of his hand, but fuffcr him to come in v. ith his 
 and aiftionsbejuititiiible andunexceptiouable toihat degree wrath upon your enemies, who wrong and injure you ; 
 that the heathens may be inlove with Chriftianity, by ob- rather give place to the wrath of God againlt them ; for 
 ferving their lives and adtions tobe holy and honeft. Learn vengeance is his, and he will repay ii. IcarH hence, Fh-'it 
 hence, That a Chriflian muft carefully look, not only to fuchjwho having fuffered wrong, do feck to revenge them- 
 his confcieiKc but to his converfation ; that his confcience fclves, take revenging work our of God'shand ; whereas 
 
 he holy and upright in the light of God, and his conver- 
 -f-ition honelt and unblameablc before men men , The world 
 cannot difcern our hearts, but they can loon difcover the 
 errors of our lives., and wiUihrov,- the dirt of our iins upon 
 
 J G 
 
 if they leave the niacer with Gcd, his juflice will r:ghc 
 them fully. 
 
 20 Thcvcfoic, if thine enemy hunger, feed him: 
 
 if 
 
no 
 
 K O M A 
 
 if h» third, {jive him drink: for in fo djin g thou 
 Ih »U he ip CO i!.'; oihrc on hisli^.i.1 . 
 
 A^ if th.; apofHe haJ faiJ "Inftead of revenge, render 
 k''iul:iei'.,retur:icourteriesforinjiiries,affjbility tornffroi-ts; 
 Jf thirit cnnny hunger fefd h'irn." The wurda, as Ibnic 
 critics oblVrve, (ignify to feed cheerfidly and tenderly, as 
 ' birds feed tlieir yoving ones. Sa (ijing,lhouJhalt htap c-.als 
 of fire upon hi f head. By coals of fire (i.) Some under- 
 fUnJ, ail he.irt-nielting fire ; as if the apoftle had ra;d, 
 " T^\• this kindni.-fs thou wilt melt and mollify his fpiiJts 
 towards thee, as hardcll mctaK are melted by cords of fire; 
 it miJil be a very ftony heart mdccd, that this fire will not 
 mollify : Clemency will melt an enemy, and even force 
 him by a fweet cornpulfion to become a friend, though of 
 a rough and rugged difpofition." (2.) Ry coals ot fire 
 heaped upon the head, others underltand a fin-punilhing 
 fire, Thoujhnlt heap coals of fire, that is, the fire of divine 
 vengeance upon his head^ by making his nidlice and hatred 
 rgainft thee more inextufnble. Learn hence, i. 1 hat to 
 conqiicr and overcome an enemy by love and kindncfi, is 
 a noble conqiicrt and a glorious viiftory, to melt him down 
 a noble conqued, and a glorious victory, to melt htm down 
 by obliging favours into a good affection. 2. That if sn 
 c'.iemy, afttT fuch kind offices, willpcrfevere in his enmity 
 againfl us, the event will certainly be this ; by our patience 
 towards hi'u, and forbearance ofhim,wefha]l engage the 
 wrath of God againfl him, and heap coals of fire, that is, 
 the divine vengeance upon him. Therefore if thine enemy 
 hu'tger feed him ; if he thlrjf, give him drink: for in Jo 
 doing Ihoti fijalt heap coals of fir eon his head. 
 
 2 J Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil 
 •with good. 
 
 Liarn hence, That every Chriflian fhouldnoroiily take 
 heed that he hi not overcome fjf evil ; but alio labour and 
 endeavour what in him lieth to overcome evil for good. 
 Quef}. What are we to underftand by evil ? Arf. Any 
 unkind ot injiiriouD dealings from others, any niifchief or 
 i!! turn which our neighbour has done us. Quffi. What 
 is it to be overcome of evil ; Aijf. i. When we dwell in 
 our thoughts too much, too often, and too long upon the 
 injuries and imkindnefles we have met with : This is, as 
 if a man thst was to take down a bitter pill, Ihouldbe con- 
 tinually champing cf it, and roiling it under his tongue. 
 2. We are overcome of evil, when weare brought overto 
 commit the fame evil, by ftudying to make fpitelul returns 
 in a way of revenge, for the injuries we have received. 
 Quf/iim. Wherein conlifts the duty and excellency of 
 overcomlrg evil with good, j^nfvjcr, It renders u^ like to 
 God, who does good to us daily, though we do evilagainft 
 him continually ; hereby we imitate God in one or" the 
 choiceft perfections of the divine nature ; hereby we over- 
 come ourfelves ; hereby we overcome our enemies, ami 
 m.ike them becon)e our friends. QuejH'jn, How fliould 
 we cvercome evil 'jiith good :* Anftier, By doing good for 
 evil, by returning con-'-tefjcs for injuries, fpeaking well of 
 others, although they fpsjk iiardiy, yea very ;11 of us. l)c 
 no! (,vercon:e of evil, Sec. 
 
 N S. 
 
 Chap. iiir. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 The apo/lle fuvinr tyeiHni cfiKcral ciuies in iiijormr 
 cliapter, treati cf pohtual liuliei in tkis, ptvving 
 that magijlracy is God's ordinance, for the good of 
 human focidy, and enforcing the duly of fubjeflion 
 unto tnagi/lraies, in ckdunce to thx cmimaudmcnt 
 cf God. 
 
 LET every foul be fubje6l: unto the higher 
 powcTK, for there is no power but of God: 
 the powers that be, are ordained of God. 
 
 AV/f here, i. The title given to tlie msgiflrates, iheyare 
 powers, the higher pouiers, that 15, perfons inverted with 
 po\ver,'and placed in fupreiiie authority over us. All man- 
 kind is not cf one rank, doihnoirtand upon an equal level. 
 Magiltracy is an eminency cr fuperiority of fome perfons 
 above others. 2. The original fountain from whence all 
 jjoweris derived, and that is Gcd himfcli"; there is no p'rxer 
 hut if God ; that is, all power is derived from God, and is 
 to be ufed for God ; the mngiflrate adb by his authority, 
 and ccni'eq'.iently it to acl lor his intercfl, honour and 
 glory. It iiagreeableto the will of God, that there fljould 
 be fuch a thing as magillracy aiuiguvernme-.it in the world; 
 and it is his appointment that men flic-.uld be governed by 
 men, deriving the power and authority from him : the 
 poiuers that be are ordained of Cod. 3. The apoftle's ftridl 
 injunclion for the fubjecTton unto magiftracy, as a divine 
 orilinance ; let eviryfoul hefubjecl, that i s, every perl'on be 
 he of what rank or in wh.it ftation he will, high or low, 
 honourable or ignoble, rich or poor, clergy or laity, he 
 mult be fuhject to God's ordinance. Where note. That 
 Chrift is a friend to Cxfar, »nd Chrifti.inity no enemy to 
 loyalty; thebeft Chriftians are always the bell fubjecti ; 
 none fo true to their priufe, as they th it are moft faithful 
 to their God: Obsdiencc to migillratcs is both the duty 
 of Chriftians, and the intcreft of Chriftianity. 
 
 i2 Whofoever therefore refifleth the po^^'er, re- 
 fifteth the ordinance of God : and they that refill 
 fhall receive to themfelves damnation. 
 
 The forementioned duty of fubjetiion unto magiftracy, 
 infiiled upon in the foregoing verl'e, the apoftle urges and 
 inforces upon all Chiftians, by fundry argutrents in this 
 and the following verfcs : A", namely, (i.) From the lln- 
 fuhiefsof reliftance ; they rejifi the ordinances of God.- they 
 make war upon God himft !f ; he that rebelleth againft his 
 prince, is a rebel alio to hiiGod. (a.) From the danger 
 of refirtance : They fi} all receive to themfdvei damnation. 
 That is, 1. Temporal judgment from the hand of the 
 magiftrate, to whom the i'word is committed, as Korah, 
 Abfaiora, and others did experience. 2. EternjI punii5i- 
 ment from the hand of God, who will plead thecaufe, and 
 vindicate thehonour of his vicegerents and reprefentatives 
 here upon e.-;rth, and c.ift thole into hell, uho pour con- 
 tempt upon them, if (incere. repentance by a timely inter- 
 pefure prevent it not. 
 
 3 For rulers arc not a terror to good works, but 
 
 to 
 
Chap. xiii. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 611 
 
 to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the 
 power ? do that which is good, and thou ihalt have 
 praife of the fame : 
 
 Here we have a further account for fubjeclion to rulers 
 and governors, drawn fn'in the tnd of ihe inagiftrate's 
 olfice, which is to puiiifh vice, and to promote virtue: 
 Rttltrs aremt a terror togiBd-iuorks; ihit is, they ought 
 not, and they ordinarily are not : they were not ordained 
 for that end, and it ii not their place fo to be, namely, a 
 terror to the good, but to the b.id only ; for God giveth 
 no authority againlUii II ieif, or his own righteous lavVs, 
 which require the punilhing of the bad, and the reward- 
 ing of the good. Lftfr« hence, i. That inagiftrates by 
 virtue of their place, ought to be a terror, or exceeding 
 terrible, to evil ^orks and evil workers. 2. That magif- 
 trates are not terrible, but amiable to good men ; they 
 fear rulers, but it it with a fear of reverence, not with a 
 tormenting, lervile fear. Do that which Is goid, and thou 
 
 Jhalt not be afraid of the povjer. 
 
 3 For he is the minifterof God to thee for good. 
 But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he 
 beavcthiiot thefwoidinvaiii: for he is theminiiter 
 of God, a rcveii'^er to excaitc wrath upon him that 
 doth evil. 
 
 Here our aportic fubjoin^ a resfon, why a magiflrate is 
 not to be u.:Jaly dreaded and feared by his fuhjefts who 
 live well ; for he is by his inlV.tutioi) the fmwfier of G^^dto 
 ihti- fjr good, if thou beclta doer of that i-hicii is good, 
 lea/ /i hence. That the magKlrate is the niinifter cf God 
 for th(; good of tht-ni over whom he is fcr, eCprcially of 
 them that are virtuous and good ; heisalhield to the goilly, 
 a hulbaiul to the widow, a father to the orphan, a patron 
 10 the poor, and a refuge to the opprelfed. Mute farther, 
 How [he mjg'ft.-ate islet forth with the enfign of terror to 
 evil-doers ; he has a fword putiniohis hand by God him- 
 felf, a fword to wound, not a wooJeh dagger to i'care of- 
 fcmlers barely ; and a f^'onl not rufting in the fcabbard 
 but drawn and whetted ; he muft (hf ^v it, and ftrikc with 
 i: upon a juft occafion, and make ihofe feel it who are not 
 awed with the fight of it: He heareth not the fword in 
 v.ii)!. Again, T hough the inagiftra;e is fa;d to bsar a 
 fword, yet he is never called a Jivord, but a Jhield often ; 
 a fljield is for defence, a fword for dcTtrucTion, intimating 
 that the magiftrate's power IhoulJ rather be executed in 
 protection, thandeftruiVion ; magiftrates havefwords, bi»t 
 they are fhielJs, and not fwords ; they iiave a fword to cut 
 otfev.l doers: God help themiodraw it upon atheifmand 
 blafpheiny, upon vice and immorality : One heany ftrokc 
 of t!»t magiltratc's fword wotild ftnii error and vice more 
 than a thoufand ferinon*. LalHv, The magillrare is f^id 
 not to fnatchor take the fwoid, but to bear the fword : 
 He doth not wrefl it put of the hand of another, but it is 
 pui into hit hand bv God hiir.lelf : the coniinillion to bear 
 iheAvord is from God; the luagiHr.ite dcth not hold his 
 
 . authority by virtue of the fwoul, but he hol<l6 his iwnrd 
 by virf.te of lii« authority : When he dia.wctl» the fword, 
 u k aoLiBcrcIv bacUd with au arm of llslh^ but wi;b a 
 
 v/arrant'and coramifTion fignedb/Cod himfclf ; Hebeureth 
 the fword. 
 
 5 Wherefore j'cmuft needs be fubjefl not onlyfor 
 wrath, but alfo for confciencc fake. 
 
 Here the apoltledoih again afTert the nectfluy cf fub- 
 jcction toihecivi! magiftiatf .feeingthat magillratyi'. God's 
 ordinance, for tlie good of human focieiy ; feeing that the 
 fword in the raag'ftrate's hand is backed and edged with 
 God's authority, therefore there i* a necefiiiy of fubjeclion 
 unto magiltracy and magiftrates ; and that for a double 
 reafon ; for fear of wrath and punifnment from man, anj 
 from a principle of confcience, in obedience to the com- 
 mand of God : Wt mufi befuhje^, not orly for -.orath, that 
 is, not only for fear of man's wrath, but/or cc-n/f/c'/jct'A.^;; 
 that is, with refpeft to the command of God, winch has 
 made fubjecTion our indiipenfible duty. 
 
 6 For, for this caufe pay you tribute alio: for 
 they are God's minillcrs, attending continually up- 
 on this very thing. 
 
 From the duty of fubjechionunto mag'ttratestheapoflle 
 proceeds to urge and enforce the duty and neceflity of 
 paving tribute to thfm,' or allowing them an ho:jourable 
 maintenance, i'or and towsrds the iupport of the gcvern* 
 menc which they fuihin and bear. Ihe payment of taxes 
 and tribute to the fupreme magiflrate is necefiary upon 
 feveral accounts : i. As it is an acknowledgment of the 
 power which God hath fet over us : 'i. .A.s it tends to the 
 I'uppott of the government which we live under : 5. As 
 it IS a fmail retompcnfe for ilie governor's continual tare 
 and induliry, he attending, that is, watciiing perpetually, 
 and taking pains continually, for pi ocuring and maintain- 
 in,'- the good and hi'ppinels of hisilihjccts ; and therefore, 
 both du'.y and obligation, both religion and gratitude, do 
 bind and eng::ge us to alfift him, and, fo far as it Ts in our 
 po^ver, to req'jiteand reward him forliiscare oftljeconi- 
 nion I'afety, and regard to the public good. 
 
 7 Render therefore to a.11 their dues : tribute to 
 whom tributeis (/?«•; cullom, to whom culloni; fear, 
 to whom fear ; honour, to whom honour. 
 
 A tAofold duty tc.wards mEgiflaies is here laid down b^ 
 our apoftle, nanirlyj mr.intenance end reverence: (1.) 
 '1 here is due unto titcni maintenance. Tribute and cultoiu 
 is pavablc to them for that piirpole, and not without great 
 reafon and obligation ; for he is the ininijier of Cod f(.r our 
 g'jod, that is, an inllrm.ient under God to prcferve ^up - 
 bleCiiigstous ; andfarther,bec3ufe fnch inj^lies are ne^ef- 
 fary to defray thofe valt expsncc;, which they are con - 
 firained to best, for the fecuriiy and welfareof their fub- 
 jccTis. Taxes, tribute, and culiom, ;ireno' fo tnuchgif:-, , 
 as due debts to princes, w hicii by the coiumar.J of Cod 
 arc to be juftly and chearfully paid unto ibem,an{l which • 
 cannot, wiiho'ot fin and injuftic?, be desied to them, or 
 purloined from them: Tolcheat our prince is as great a (la 
 in the fight of God, as to ro'o our father thoughtew ihirk 
 it To : R.-fr.der triiute to whom tribute is out. .\g:i\n, [i.) 
 1 here is r€ve:«i:ce as well as maijuaina:;ce (Juetcctiagif- 
 
 ^ G 2 trausj. 
 
eii 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chap. xiii. 
 
 .„., . v^..i^ ;-. ., J, ..,if^ r,^^ g„j hnvtr to whom 
 
 ;ward reverence, and honour 
 c inajiirtraie's due by reafunof 
 ■ ))■ rtiifon ofhis dignity . Here 
 nne, i h:;t J', lius particular and exprprs in 
 
 aiTfrtinu the ri^ , jnces, and afligning the proper 
 
 «ljiies of fiibjeCts lo v.irds thtin, becaule the Jews held 
 opinions ^vhich we; cdilbructive of all civil guvtrnincnt ; 
 as namely, th.u they iieingthe only people of Cod, Cod 
 ak'ns was to be owned as their Lord ;ind Govei nx, and 
 jtone U'ider bin, but fuch asflioold be iininedi.it'. !y iliofen 
 by him; and .is a confequent of this, they refuitd t.i ])ay 
 tribute to CLEi";ir looking upon ih.it asa t( ken of fill jcc^ion 
 to him. Therefore the apoille here prefies ilie Ch.iltians 
 :;t Rome to fl)ew their freedom froHi, and ojjodiinn to all 
 loch pern.cions principles, and to give the \»iiild a con- 
 vincinjf projf that Chr'dlianity ni.tkes the bcil men, the 
 bi-ftnug fi r.i t es the bel'Hubjedj of .my religion in the world. 
 
 8 H O'.vcno man any thing, but to love one an- 
 other : forhe that loveth another, hath fulfilled the 
 law. 
 
 Onr apoftle having finifhed his exhortation to djty to- 
 U'.irdi our fupcricr;, conies now toenfrrcetJietiutiesvhich 
 i.vt: owe unto our neighbours ; the fiifl of which is, to 
 render and pay every one what is due unto him. Morsl 
 du-ies are inurual debts w hi'.h we owe one anoiht-r ; one 
 of which, namely, that of love, we can never lu!ly difcharge 
 but muft ever be paying, yet always owing. O-mc n',th't.g 
 to any man, hut l;vf, implying that we muft iij always 
 ow ing. The truth is, this debt of love is. lb far from a 
 poUibility of being paid on earth, that it is due in heaven 
 to God, angels, and faints : Thtre ob'ideth charily, i Cor. 
 xiii. 13. All other debts but thismay be paid whiKl we live. 
 A'd/i", The argument, reafon.or motive, to excite unto this 
 duty, and that is drawn from the excellency of thisgrace 
 of ]ov-e : He iha: Iwelh, hath fulfilUd the luvt ; that is, he 
 that li.verh his neighbeouras he fliould and ought to do, 
 indted .tnd in truth, out of a pure heart fervently, he hath 
 fu!fitl:d the law, that is, the law relating to his neighbour ; 
 the du'ies of the fecond table are fulfilled by him. 
 
 9 For this, Thou Ihalt not commit adultciy, 
 Thou fhalt not kill. Thou fhalt not fteal. Thou 
 ihalt not bear falfe witnefs, Thou fhalt not covet ; 
 and li there be any other commandment, it is briefly 
 comprehended in this faying, namely, Thou (halt 
 love ihy neighbour as thyfelf. 10. Love worketh 
 jio^iU to.'ns nei-hbour: therefore love is the fulfil- 
 ling of the law. 
 
 l-wo particul.'r<; .ire here obfervable, namely, a propo- 
 rtion afTtrted, that Lve is thefi,lfilltig of the law ; and thi> 
 «. prop liitiun p,oved by an indudt on and enumeration of 
 patti-ui ir diries belonging to liic fecond table, Ohftrve, 
 i-i liepropofiiion afTerted and m.iintaincd by the apollle , 
 vrr. 8, ic, n.^mely, that U.ve is thf futfiU'mg of thi-lwji. 
 '• But can the l.iw be h'A to be fulfilltd by us? If fo, in 
 v.'fti: tdiC-i" .Inr. By the law here, we .ire certainly to 
 U!i*dci.Il;.i)d that branch of the moral law which refptfts 
 oiir dn't/ la out ntiyhbour. All our duty to intn h vir- 
 
 tually comprehended in laving them as oiirr< Ives ; as no 
 man will hurt liimfelf, fo iiriiher will he hurt his neigh- 
 bour, if he loveth him as himfelf : Thus lo'.e is the com- 
 plement or fulfilling of the law relatir g to our licighbour. 
 The church of Rome would infer from hence, That a 
 perfon may keep the law of Cod pcrfeftly, and without the 
 Icaft deficiency. But trje, fie that loveth kcepeih the 
 law: Howki<pcth? Even as helovt'li: If he loveth 
 perfiifi!,', he keeptth the law perfic^tly ; but if his love be 
 imperfift. (asi'. the Oeif oa ihis lidf luaveMJ then he is ful- 
 filling of the law impcrfedl" alio : Ptrfccl tullillmg of the 
 law is what wc (Jjouid labour after, but whilft in an jm- 
 perfect (fare wc cannot attain unto : jtt fuch is the grace 
 of God in the gofpcl, as to account fincerity in (lead of 
 perfection, and to cfteem unfeigned love to onr neighbour 
 the fulfilling of the law, oral! ihedutie: of thefetoiid table. 
 Obferve, 2. This proportion is proved \\\ an induifticm and 
 enumeration of p.irticular dutici belonging to the fecond 
 table ; Thou Jl} alt not commit adultery, thott fS.iill not kill, 
 thou (hull notjiei.l, tvA b.' ur folfe \uilr\< ft , tirir covet ; v\ here 
 all injury is forbidden to be done toiur ncigiibour, in his 
 name, in hi.' e(f;ite, marriage-right, £;c. and this i& called 
 the fultilling of the luw. " 1-ut how can that be? Is the 
 law fulfilled by mere negatives, by doing no hurt to our 
 neighbours? Is not doing them all the good ve can re- 
 cjnired ;dro?" Anf. Yes, no doubt : When the :.'pofHe fayr, 
 l.'jve vjorketh no ill to his neighbi,ur , it is implied, that love 
 doth all podible good to his neighbour, as 'Afll as worketh 
 no ill; though the negatives are only mentioned, yet the 
 affirmatives arc alfo included. 
 
 1 1 IT And that, knowing the time, that now it 
 IS hijjh time to awake out of flecp: for now « our. 
 
 falvation nearer than when we believed. 
 
 Here begins the lafl part of ihech ipter, which treats of 
 our duty tow ardsourfc Ives, namely, lobrieiy, temperance, 
 mortification of till, and all the works of daiknefs, fuch as 
 rioting and drunkennefs, chambering and w.-intonnefs, and 
 the Ike, and the argument or motive which the apoftle 
 ufes in thisvtrfe to excite and quicken the converted Ro»^ 
 mans to the jaff mentioued duties, is drawn from the con. 
 lideration of their prefent ffate and condition ; they were 
 believers, the gofpcl light vras rifen upon them, and they 
 were nearer falvuti 'in n'-rax, than -.uhen they firjl btheved .■ 
 Now isycurjalvalijn nearer than wh; n you bedeved. This, 
 by the way, is a meditation full of comfort to a gracious 
 perlon ; every breath he draws, draws him a degree nearer 
 to perfect happinefs ; he is nearer heaven, nearer his reward 
 than when in the infancy of his faith ; therefore let him 
 gird up the loins of his mind, and be more cheerful and 
 more l.iborious in his Lord'swork. Lord ! how tra*)*'pnrt- 
 ing is it to thy f.iithful ones to confider how ftn.ill a matter 
 is betwixt them snd their complete ialvation! No fcnncr 
 is their breath gone, but the iuU dcflre of their fouls is 
 come ; iheir lahation isnear, very near, much nearoAthan 
 when tiiey .Hrft believed. But,oh! what tx mcditailcnof 
 terror to a wicked perlon ! his damnation is rea'rrr, and* 
 every h;.iir nearer and nearer ; there isbui a piiff^if breath 
 beiwi-.;r him ant) hell ; ere lot g hislaff !;rcath r.rd his-latt 
 liope will expire together. Lord ! give finnrrs hearts to 
 
 confide. 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 633 
 
 ccnSde, iliat .1 p;racelcfs m*n crc long will be a hopclcfs 
 nun ; die (laic be was born in was fad, the Ibce he is now 
 in 4s vvorfe, but the ftate he will fliortly be in, without 
 con verlic;;. will runfpfiik.ibly worftofall ; his damnation 
 is near, it fiuinbereth not, 
 
 12 The ni'^ht is far fpent, the day is at hand : 
 let us ihcrctoiecafl oft" the works of darkncfs, and 
 let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk 
 honeflly as in the day ; not in rioting and drunk- 
 ennefs, not in cliambering and wantonnefs, not in 
 llrife and envying. 
 
 Ncte here, i. The apnftle puts the Romans in mind of 
 their former ftate before con vei (ion, when the night o( 
 heachenilli ignor.ince and darkneli was upon them, when 
 they fpent their time and ltreng:hin r'ntirg nnd (himkennefs, 
 1:1 1 fci hujt:ffs andxunytt nnrft. WIkmv mark, The odious 
 character wherewith ftii is branded ; it is ,..it /ci, ij,ii%u 'rk 
 cf ciiuknefs ; In ftyltd, bccnnl'e fin originally fprings from 
 d.irknrfs, becanfe it naturally deliglitsin dorknefs, becanfe 
 it ultimately leads to eternal darknefs. Nott, 2. How he 
 puts theiij in mind of theirprefeiu (late and ccnditionfioce 
 tlie day-lf.ir o*" 'hf (Tjfp.*! .!■.! dawn \ipon them : ilfn':gkt 
 if fir /pent, and iht day is at hand ; thnt is, the nigir. tif 
 heathenilii i)»norance, blindnefs, and d.irk-ncis, li in great 
 meaiure paft andover, and the d,iy of grace and falvationls 
 come unto you ; the gofpel light is among you, illuminating 
 grace and faving knov. Ijdge is now fc»und with you, 3, 
 The duties injoined anfwerable to the privileges eiijoyed, 
 and lint i', to walk as the children of day, foberly, righte- 
 oufly, and godliiy, abftaining from all intemperance and 
 excels in every kind, and being clothed with all Chriftian 
 virtues and graces, v.'liich arecalled armour of light ; armour, 
 becaufe they defend us againft the attempts of Ini, Satan, 
 and the world, and nil our fpiriiual enemies whatfoever ; 
 and armour of light, becaufe fuch chriftian graces are bright 
 and (hininj in the tycs of the world. LearnhenQC: i.That 
 the enjoyment of gofpel hghf l.iys aperfon or a people under 
 f|)ecial obligations to caft off the works of d.irknefs. 2. 
 That fuch as enjoy the light and liberty yf the gofpel, 
 ought to walkasbecometh the gofpel which they do enjoy, 
 that is, according to the precepts and commands of the 
 gofje!, anfwerable to the helps and fnp;ilies of grace which 
 the gofpel affords, and .infwerable to rhofe high and glorious 
 hopes \\i))ch the gofpel raifes ihe Chriltian up to the ex- 
 peftation of: 7 his is to cajl uffths -uorks of darknefs, &c. 
 
 14 But put ye on the Lord JefusChrift, and make 
 not provifion iox the flefh, toju'jil the lulls tliereof. 
 
 Obfcrve\\tTe,Thc apoftle doth not lay asthemoraiphilo- 
 fopher'would have faid, " Inllead of rioting anddrunken- 
 iicfs, cliambcring and \vantonneli;,put oil tenipcr.Tnce,pnt 
 en fobrieiy, put onchaltuy, and lolet a fingle virtue againft 
 a fnigle vice ;•' but, " Put on the L.ord Jel'us Chrift, feek 
 hy faith union wiih hrtn, ;hat fo you msy derive virtue 
 froni him, to enable you ur.to holy walking be(ore him. 
 Set the doctrine and life ofChnll continually before yon; 
 folio ,v eveiy ir.fJ ruction, and imitate all the parts ofhis holy 
 cr.iveria'.ion ; even as the g^nnent is cowinenfurate to the 
 
 hni.\Y, Put ye on thi Lord Jtfus Cl.tijl;" May not the 
 cxpreflion imply, i. Th.-.! the foul of man, (ince the f.ill, 
 is in a naked (late, dtfti'ute of thofe divine graces of the 
 Holy Spirit, which v.cre its original clothing in the day of 
 undelikd innocency ? 2. That |efusChrifl is our fp-iritujil 
 clothing? (1 ) In his nghteoui'nefs, to pardon and juftfy 
 us: He is onr clothing, to cover the guilt of fin cm of 
 God's light, (2.) In his grace, to fiinftify us, by which 
 he deanfes us from onr (ins, pollution, and filihincfs, (3.} 
 That Jefus Chrilf, in order 10 our fpiritijr.l clothing, niutt 
 be jiut on by faith : An unapplied Chrift juftiHes none, 
 laves none. It was not fiifficient under the law, tlia» the 
 blood o( the facrifice was/liLd,butit was alfotobcfprit.k-kd, 
 in Older to the expiation of guilt. The perfonal applica- 
 tion iif Chrifl't blood by faith on our part, is as abfolutely 
 necifiuiry to falvat!on,.ns the fliedding of blood on his pan, 
 in order 10 our remiliion and falvation. Put yi on lie 
 Ljrdjcfus Chrifi: )i follows, and miik-s n'iprovifion fr,r tie 
 jiijh, t 'J fulfil the lults tleretf. N'Ae, The apollle tloth not 
 lay, Muke tu provifioti for the flcfh, to fulfil the necellities, 
 and the nectfl'.iry delirts thereof : ^wi to fulfil the luflsoT 
 the incrdinate defires thtreaf. Then only isprovifion for 
 the flsfh (inful aiid unlawful, when it is fought mere to 
 (atiify its apetite, and ta gratify inordinate dtfirc-, than 
 to ftrengthcn and (it us for our duty to Cod and man. 
 In this latter fenle, to make provilion for the flefii, is to 
 furnii'h our enemy with arms and ammunition to fight a- 
 gainlt ourfelves. Intcrpretatively, he makes provilion 
 tor hii luits, that do:h nor provide againft them ; he feeds 
 his lulls, that doth not ftarve them ; he nourillies and 
 (trengthens his lults, that doth not mortify and kill them : 
 Exphciily and directly, men provide for their lufts, by en- 
 tertaining fuch thoughts in their minds, as do kindle, ex- 
 cite, and ftir up luft ; and when thofe thoughts are grati- 
 (ied with dtlires, and thofe defires accompanied with en- 
 deavours ; but worft and faddtft of all it is, when n;cn'« 
 dellres to gratify their lufts are turned into prayers unto 
 God Almighty, in order to that end. Thus the apoftle, 
 James iv. ^. Te ajk, and receive not, hecaufi ye efk timifs, 
 that ye may coiifume it upon your lufls. l^arn hence, I. 
 That a f(,bcr and moderate ufeofiht creatures which God 
 has given us, not barely for necffllty, but delight, is allow- 
 able, and a commanded duty. 2. That to make ufe of 
 the comforts of life, not to fatisfy cnr natures, but to gra- 
 t:fy our lufts and inordinate dtfires, is a pervertingof God's 
 intention, in beftowing the fupports of life upon us. and .1 
 t'ery heinous fin. Make we then no provilion for the 
 flefii, to (ulfilthe kills thereof. 
 
 C II A P, XIV. 
 
 The npofik, in this chapter, ireal^ nf tilings of an indif- 
 ferent nature, Viciiher camrmnded wr forbidden h any 
 divine laro, ^nd [peaks if llie ri:lil uf of our Chrif- 
 lifin lilierty. The C entiles locking vpxa the ]e\v& m 
 f.paflilioiis, and l';e ]cws cenfuring (hi Gzntiles as 
 profane, St. Paul adinvxifn'% the believing jews, 
 ;rt to condemn tk". he!ie~yngGcnii\ei ; and exhorts 
 iiic lelievinj Gzntilcs, nit O rff cvmn'ron -wi.!. 
 
6i.j, 
 
 ROMAN S. 
 
 Chap, xiv. 
 
 ifie hclicving Jews ; and thiis, by a mutual forbearance, 
 
 to llold tlie unity of the Spirit in ike bond cf peace. 
 
 HI iM that is weak in the faith receive you, bui 
 nnt to doubtful difputations. 
 
 O'feive here, i. The perfon dcfcribcd, whom tbcaponie 
 recommcmls to tlieir charity and forhesrantc; h'im that it 
 •weak in the failh.- Not him ihat iifick unto dcnth through 
 iundan)ental error,biit one ih.it iiJonnd in the faith, though 
 \ve;ik in judgment : men of lioneft hearts, but we. klieads. 
 Chfcrvc, 1. Here is an iiijunitioi) of charity and Chriftian 
 foibe;irance towardf thrfe weak ones ; Receive tksm, take 
 thfrui intoyour houfes, yea, into yonr hearts ; receive them 
 into your fociety, into your coniiniuiion, and let not dif- 
 Jerence in judgment caufe any diftance in affection. 3. 
 The liinitatidn of this injunftion ; Receive him, Imt net 
 io dotibtfiil (Itfputaiions ; tii.u is, "Do not quarrel or con- 
 tend v/ith him about his opinions, or fill his head full of 
 curious and intricate qucftioii<;, or troublL- him with doubt- 
 ful difpute;." Z-frtr;; hence, That Chriftians are toreceive 
 fuch as are weak in the faith, into their hearts by love, 
 without trouMlng their heads with pcrplexin|; difputes. 
 Weak Chrilliaus cannot wtj! judge of arguments: And 
 prauicjl piety, and Chriilian lave, ui!! much fooner rectify 
 the judgment of the weak, than fierce argumentations. 
 
 2 For one bclicvcth that he may eat all things: 
 another, who is weak, e^tcih herbs. 3 1 Lot not 
 him that eateth dcfpile him that eatcth not; and let 
 not hiin which eateth not, judye him that eateth ; 
 forGod'hath received him. 
 
 Here the apoftle declares the ground of difference that 
 was between them : njmcly, the diifc-reuce of meais. One 
 thought all meats to be lawful under the golpel ; anofhcr, 
 rather ihaueat any meats forbidden by the law, will eat 
 only herbs. Where obfr:ive. How the church of God, in 
 all ages, has been th-angely divided about little and indif- 
 ferent things. What jjr« and Uiis were there between the 
 Kdtern and Weftern churches, about the obfervation of 
 Eailer? About the celebrating the Lord's fupper ivith 
 leavened or unleavened bread ? And verily, the fatal evils 
 which our hot contentions have occalioncd amongft our- 
 felves, only about indifferent rites and ceremonies, tears of 
 blood are not fulEcient to bewail. A'o.V, next, the apoftle's 
 exhor'-j'iou to the two contendingparties, not to villify or 
 fct ar nought one another, condemning each other as hu- 
 mourous and fcrupukus, much lefs as obltincite and wilful; 
 bu: efp^cialiy not upon this occafion k/ Icparate from, or 
 hrejkcor.miunion with each other. Let r,t>t hivithet eateth 
 all kinds of meats, d>jyifc him, that through weaknefs duril 
 not e.nt of any. As if the apoftle had faid, " Whilftihcre 
 i» errorin our underflandings, weaknefs in our judgment?, 
 risii-owncfs in our faculties, diifeicnces will arife in the 
 church of God: Uut take care, that w h.ere there is no 
 coniiiliance, that ) et there may be peace : Defpile not, 
 judge not one another.'' Ohferve, hftly, The reafon our 
 apiiltl- oifers, why they fliould receiA'c their we.ik brother; 
 \iiiii.Vi\t Q;d hath received him. God, that is inoft holy, 
 a;Kl h..tct)i lii), rcci^weth fuch; ihcicfure, fo .aiuli yon^ if 
 
 you pleafe God Why ftiould you r'-fife to hold com- 
 munion with fuch xs'hohold communion with God? 
 
 4 Who art thou that judycft another man's fer- 
 vant? To his own maflcr he flandeth or fallcth. 
 Yea, lie fliall be hoidcnup; forGodii able to make 
 Kim fland. 
 
 Another rcafoQ is here produced, why we Oiould net 
 ra/hly cenfure or judge our brother d.fftring in judgment 
 from us about !efl"rr things ; namely, becaule lie )•. God's 
 ftrvant, and it is God's fcntence, and not our's, which he 
 niufl fall or (land liy : and if thele differences (hsll not 
 hinder God's acceptance of him to falvaiion, vvhy (hould 
 •hey hinder us in accepting of him into our communion i 
 To love, is|tiurduty; to judge, is God's prerogative : Let 
 it be more in charity, and lefs in cenfure. L'arn, That 
 the fcijpture forbids us to judge one another, as having 
 no grace, for the doing or not doing of thofe thing', 
 v\hich are coulilltnt with a prtfent ftate of grace. 
 
 5 One man efleemeth one day above another : 
 anothercffccmeth every day alike. Let every man 
 be fully perfuadod in his own mind. 6 He that 
 rcgardciii the day, rcgardcth it unto the Lord ; and 
 he tliat regavdeth not the day, to the Lord he doth 
 not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, 
 lorhcgivetli God thanks; and he that eatcth not, 
 to tlie Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 
 
 The /econd c.ife, rs to iudi.frrent fbine!«, is about tlie 
 obfervaiien of days. Many of the believTng Jews could 
 nor be tnken off from Iclemnizing thofe feafts which were 
 of God's own foimding and inltuuting among the Jews. 
 Another looked upon them truly as atjrogated by Chrifl. 
 Now, the apoftle adviCes, that nei'.lu-r the one nor the 
 other, neither he thatreg«rdeih, mirh«ih.;t rfjjardethnot 
 thofe days, fhould be judged or h.inlly cenfnrtd for fo 
 doing, becaufehe aftj therein acceding to rlicdiredion of 
 his confcience. He that, according '.o h^s light, doth either 
 eat or not eat fuch meat', keep or no' keep fuch days, in- 
 tends or dellgns it as an acl of obedience to God ; praying 
 for, ::nd giving thanks unto. Alm'ghty God for his ac- 
 ceptance. So then, if they both aim at the i:.-JAe. end, they 
 ouaht not to condemn one anorher for each other's ad. 
 Learn hence, That perfons, dilagreeing w ith u-, and differ- 
 ing from Ui in leffer things, from a real principle of con- 
 Icience, lirmly perfuaded, that what they do, or refufe ro 
 do, is for the glory of God, and on: of a (incere delirc ro 
 plsafe him, ought not to be judged by u--, but left to the 
 righteoui judgment of the heart-fearching God. 
 
 7 For none of us liveth tohimfelf, and nomar> 
 dicth to himfcif. 8 For whether we live, we Jive 
 unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto 
 the Lord : whether we live therefore or die, we arc 
 the Lord's. 
 
 liei e our apoftle proves what he hjd hrfore aflcrted, that 
 Chrillian<, in their particular aftio.TS, have a fpecial regard 
 to •.he Lord und his hj:iour, bixaufc tlisy devcte tht-in- 
 
 felvcs. 
 
Chap. xtv. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 6ij 
 
 fclves,Iivinp and dying, to tlie ftrvieeof him nndhis glory : 
 h''jne ofur, Chriftians, livts unto hhnftlf, butwefpend our 
 livds ill his fervice ; neither do \ue die unit ourfehct, nor 
 when we plc-r.re, but when he.ippoints: Tlierefore, Iwirg 
 or dying, v.-e are his. From the words abfolutely con- 
 IJdtTcd, we may Irarn, That thebeft evidence we can have 
 that weareChrift't lerrants, is this, when we make our aim 
 and fcope, ourdefign and care, to live and die untoChrift 
 our Lord, and not unco ourfelves. Q^<</i- " But when 
 may we be laid to live unto the Lord, and die unto the 
 Lord ?" Jn/' When we do not frame our lives after our 
 own wills, bu: accordinji to the word and will of God, 
 making tUai the rule and ground of all our actions ; w hen 
 the great end why v.e d five life, is to do fervice for Chrift 
 on cartli, and to be fitted by him for the fruition of him 
 in heaven. Finally, then, we live ami <lie unto the Lord, 
 ■when we are willing to be at the difpofal of God, both for 
 life and d;at!i; and this a"^ to time, manner, and means ; 
 yea, all circumftanccs whatfoever, both of life and death. 
 When a man is wilting tolay down his life for the Lord, 
 or at the c.tU of the Lord, it is a certain evidence, that he 
 liveth and dieth t* the Lord, 
 
 9 For to this end Chrift both died and rofe. and 
 revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and 
 living. loBut why doll thou judge thy brother ? 
 or why doft thou fet at nought thy brother ? for we 
 Ihallallftand before the judgment-reat of Chrift. 
 J 1 For it is written, As I live, faith the Lord, every 
 knecfhallbowtome, and every tongue lliall confefs 
 ito God. 12 So then every one of us fhall give 
 account of himfelf to God. 
 
 Three things are here obfcrvable : i. that Jefus Chrift, 
 hy virtue of his meritorious pafTion, and glorious rcfurrec- 
 tion, was conflituted Lord of al! thingr, and has power to 
 judge all perfons. 7$ th'it end Chrift died, rofe again, and 
 revived, that he might te Lord ho: h of the dead and living ; 
 That i5,be thejud^e and rewarder of all mankind. 2 That 
 to this fuprenie and abfolute Lord every one of us muft 
 give an account of our aftions, and from him/eceive cjr 
 filial doom : U'e fall all f and before the judgment-feat of 
 Chrift. ■},. The argument which tlie apufHc draw* from 
 hince to difTu.-ide us from cenluring and judginjr one an- 
 mher ; and that is drawn from the confiileration of the laft 
 and final judgment, which we are all hailenirg apacs unto. 
 IVhy dof thou judge thy brother ? IV e full all ft and before 
 the judgment-feat (.f Chrift. As if the apnflle had f.iid, 
 "Let there be a mutual forbearance among Cliriftians : Do 
 not rafldy ji;dge, and uucharirably cenfwre one another, 
 bccaufe in fyme little things you differ from each other. 
 What thouglvyour broth'r cannot in confcience comply 
 with your opinion and practice ? muflyou pre'ently accufe 
 liiin of ftomach, and condemn hirn forllubbornnefs, calling 
 his non-com])liance obltinacy and liumour, pride and 
 rnigiibrity, -Ahich \^^ c-AWiconr^isr.cetT.vardsCod? Remem- 
 ijer t!ie jiid^e flmdeth at -.he door, and you muft fuddenly 
 Hand bii'ore the judguiciit-feat of Chrif: ; '.vherr every one 
 cf us TJUift give an acc-.tint nfhimfclf f) Cod.^' Where notr, 
 '.rbe u;iivefr.iiity of the fubjcfts rendering this ?ccouni ; 
 
 every one of us : Tl-.e fubj(Mfi-matter of whiclj the acconnt 
 muft be rendered ; and that is, f/'c;(r/d'/:'ir/ .• As alfo the 
 delignation and del'cription of the perfcn imto whom this 
 account muft be rendered; and that is, to the all-feeing 
 and heart-fearching God ; to God the Creator, but efpc- 
 cially to Chrift the Lord, the Redeemer, who is fuch a 
 judge as the power of the mighticft cannot daunt ; fuch a 
 judge as the riches of the wealthieft cannot bribe ; fuch :i 
 judge as the fubtlety of the wilcft cannot delude ; fuch a 
 judge as there is no appealing from, no repealing of his 
 I'entcuce : Therefore, judge nothing before the time. Sec. 
 
 13 H Let us not therefore judge one another any 
 more : but judge this rather, that no man put a 
 flumbling-biock, or an occafion to fall, iu fti,: 
 brother's way. 14 I know, and am pcrfuaded by 
 the Lord Jefus, thitiharis nothing unclean of itl'.-lf : 
 but to him that efleameth any thmg to be unt lean, 
 to h'lTV It ii unclean, 15 But if thy brother be 
 grieved v/ith thy meat, now walkefl thou not 
 charitably. Deftroy not him with thy meat, for 
 whom Chrift died. 16 Let not then your good be 
 evil fpoken of. 
 
 Obfrve here, r. How the apoftle advifes perfons to be 
 very cautious in the ufeof their Chriftian liberty ; Put not 
 a Jlumhling-block, or an occaftcnnff tilling, into your brcther's 
 way. Learn hence, That to ufe cur Chriftiju liberty 
 when it may be an occafion of fin, by Living a fhnnbling- 
 hlock before others, although we do not ufe it with an in- 
 tent or pnrpofe to make them ftamble, is very finful. •2. 
 Theapoftle's final determination concerning thole meals, 
 which fome cf the Jews fcrupled as unclean ; [ampcrfeiaded 
 by the Urd Jefus, that there is nothirg uncitan cf itflf. 
 The difference and diftinftiou of meats, as clean and un- 
 clean, was taken away by our Lord Jefus Ch; ill. 3. 1 hat 
 although the apoftic pronounces that tliere is no meat un- 
 clean in itfelf, yet notwithftanding this, to him that 
 cfteemeth any thing unclean, to him, as to the ufe of ir, it 
 is. unclean. 4. Witii what tendernel's the apoftle direCls 
 all Chriilians to carry thenifelves towards their weaker 
 brethren, even to the abridging themlelvesof their lawfjl 
 liberty in the ufe of difllrent things, rather than give the 
 weak occafion of offence. Ifthy brother be grieved uilh thy 
 meat, (though no meat be unclean of itielfj yet in eating 
 thoudoftamits, for three reafons : ft.) 15ecaule it isagainffc 
 the laws of charity fo to ad in things indiifcrent : /fthy 
 brother be grieurd, no'JJ vjclhejt thou uncharitably. (2.) 
 Becaule it is the way to occafion him to fin, and conie- 
 quently to do what in us lies to bring deftruiftion upon hia 
 for whom Chrift died : Deftroy not him vjith thy meat, for 
 •whom Chrift died. (3.) Becaufe eating thus with offence 
 to the w6;ik,caufeihChriftian liberty, purchalcdbyChrill, 
 to be evil Jpc k'n of before the world : Lei net then y-Mr 
 poodbe evil Ipokinijf. The fiim of the u hole is this, to 
 ilieu/ how uncharitable, unfafe, and unchriftian a thing it 
 is to make fuch an undue ufe of our Chriftian hhcrty, ss 
 m.iy occafion our weak brother to fall or ftuinble. 
 
 17 For the kLngduni of God is not meat and 
 
 ■driBjc, 
 
Ci6 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 Chap. xiy. 
 
 i-J.In'c, but ri^htcoufiiefs; and peace, and joy in the 
 
 Holy Glioll . 
 
 That is, " The fpiriiipl kingdom of Cod nud Chrift in 
 ifi'.- world, confi;teci» not in tii'fe litile things of meat and 
 dnnk, but in rightcou/nr/s toward Cod and our neighbour; 
 iiipeaa, that is,i!) peaccablenefs ofdifpofirion, in Chrifilaa 
 love concord and unity ; zmlin jny in the Holy Glnjl, ihatis 
 i;i the joyful fenfe of the love of God, flied abroad in li'.e 
 heart by tiis Holy Gholh In ihefe things Chrillidnity con- 
 lifts-" Learn hence, 1 hat theclFenceof Chrift'anity and 
 i!ie life of religion, is far from conJifting in little and in- 
 difftrent thinj;s ; and therefore, for perlonstolay a mighty 
 {trefs upon them, one way or the other, is neither wife 
 norfafc-. -i. That righteoufnefs and holinefs, charity and 
 peaceablenefs, love and joy, and futh- like fruits of the Holy 
 Spirit ;Jthefe are the great things wherein Chriilianity or 
 the kingdom of Chrift conlifts, and in which the life and 
 foul of religion is foimd : The kingdwi of G'id is not m^^ll 
 Jndilrink, but righltoiifnefs, and peace, i^c. 
 
 18 For he that in thcfe things ferveth Chrift, h 
 acceptable to God, and approved of men. 
 
 He th.it in ihefe thing.', that is, in righteoufnefs, and 
 • peace, and joy in the Holy G\\o{\, favetk Chriji, is ac- 
 ceptable to God : That is, this (liews and evidences that he 
 is a perfon accepted of God and approved oi men of wife 
 charitable, and good men; yea, the r.atural cunfciencesof 
 men in general will applatid and approve what is done by 
 him,, nocsvithftanding the fore-mentioned difference in 
 lefl'er things concerning meats and days. Z.f^;« hence, That 
 the love and practice of religious duties, fuch as righteouf- 
 nefs and peace, is a clear and ftrong argument of a per- 
 fon's acceptance with God. Learn, 2. That fuch as are 
 for thofe things accepted by God, ought by no means, 
 for differing from us in lelFer things, to be dif owned of us 
 and caft cue of communion by us. 
 
 19. Lctus therefore fallow after the things which 
 make for peace, and things wherewith one may 
 edify another. 
 
 This verfe is an inference drawn from the foregoing 
 difrourfe, " feeing the kingdom of God, or our common 
 Chriflianity, doth not confift either in the doing or declining 
 of thcfe little indifferent things, let us by no niean.t hazard 
 the peace of the church, or break communion with fuch as 
 in their fentiments differ from ui ; much lefs let us defpifc 
 and let at nongh: each other, upon the account of thefe 
 finall, yet unhappy differences : But let us earneftly purfue 
 the things that make for the common peace of all Chrif- 
 tians, and the things by which we may further each other's 
 edification and falvjtion. Learn hence, That in cafe of 
 any emergent differences amongft Chriftians, it ought to be 
 the joint care and endeavour of alland everyone topnrliie 
 the things which make for peace, and that this peace be 
 fuch as will confiit with, and greatly hel[) forward the 
 g''od of the church : Ltt us f,lloio afier the things ivhich 
 vijkc f'jrpirttce, and things vihci euithone mny tdify another. 
 
 20 For meat deflroy not the work of God. Al] 
 
 things indeed are pure ; but it is evil for that man 
 who eateh with offence. 
 
 That is, " For meat deflroy not thou the work of Cod. 
 Do not thou, for fo inconliderable a matter as eating is, 
 endanger the Chriftianity of thy brother, or hazard the 
 peace of the church, and caufe any through fcandal to fall 
 off from their Chriftian profeffion. If any of you fay, that 
 all meats are clean, and therefore lawful ; in anfwer, they 
 are certainly fo in themfelves, but yet it is your fin, if you 
 ufe them to the fcandal and offence of others, that are not 
 fati^fied with ihelawfulnefs of them." It is moft certainly 
 the duty of Chrillians to deny themfelves the ufe of their 
 Chriftian liberty in fome things, when by making ufe of it, 
 they may endanger many of their brethren, by caufing 
 them to fall from their own ftedfaftnefs. 
 
 2 I It is good neither to eat flefii, nor to drink 
 wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother ftumbleth, 
 or is offended, oris made weak. 
 
 It is not ^ood ; that is, it is not charitable to make ufe of 
 any p;irtot our Chriflian liberty, when by fo doing any 
 weak Chriftian is offended, difcouraged, and driven from 
 liisprcfeffion, and brought to any kind of fin. And if it 
 be a Chriftian's obliged duty to forbear the ufe of indif- 
 ferent things, when it is a fcandal to the weak ; how 
 much more is it a duty to avoid obtruding and imporino- 
 fuch things, to the fcandal, offence, and hurt of others.' 
 
 2 2 Hath thou faith ? have it to thyfclf before God- 
 Happy li he that condcinncth not himfclf in that 
 thing which he alloweth. 
 
 Here the apoftle anfwersan objedion, Some might be 
 ready to fay, " That they had faith, that is, a firm aiidfull 
 perfuafion, that it is lawful for them to eat thofe meats, 
 which others judged tobe finful ; and therefore it is nccef- 
 fary that they profefs it, and own it, and afferc their liberty.'' 
 The apoftle anfwers, " Haft thou more knowledge than 
 he, to believe thofe things to be lawful, which he appre- 
 hends to be (iirful? Keep thv knowledge and belief 10 
 thyfelf, tojuftify thyaclions before God, but ufe it not to 
 the hurt and prejudice of others ; for he is a happy man, 
 that when he knows a thing to be lawful, doth fo ufe his 
 liberty about it, as not to offend others, or condemn him- 
 felf ; for that is a fad kind of knowledge which is ufed to 
 deftroy others, and condemn ourfelves. Such Chriftians 
 as have different fentiments from their brethren, as 'o the 
 matter of indifferent things efpecially, ought to keep their 
 judgement and opinion to themfelves, and not to ha'/.ard 
 the peace of the church by an imprudent publication : 
 Ha// thou fail b ? Have it to thyfelf. 
 
 23 And he that doubteh, is damt^pd if he eat, 
 becaule he tateth not of faith : for whatfoever n not 
 of faith IS fin. 
 
 That is, " He that doiibteth whether he flion'd eat or 
 no, and yet eats, is condemned of himfelf, becaufe he doth 
 a thing when he is not fati.ified of its UwAilnefs ; for v^bat- 
 foeveris not done of faith, thit is, with a perfuafion that 
 it is lawfol, is to him that docs it undoubiedly finful. 
 
 \Vha:ever 
 
Chap >:v. 
 
 R - O M A 
 
 N 
 
 6. 
 
 Wnatevcra ir.nn Joes, believing it to be a iin, is certainly 
 a fill in hiiii. Here c/yc-zt'.-, 'i hat an erring conrcirnce 
 binds us to tin nothing agaiiril it. A krupulous confcience 
 is a troubkTcnic ene, but it is better t!un a prelimiptuons 
 confcience. As we nuift not nnuiifli otir fcniplcs and 
 tlonbtings, fo nfither nuiil we aift sgaiiiftour fcruplesand 
 doubts. In fliort, no man '£ to ^cl contrary to his own con- 
 fcier.ce ; but then it is as nnuh his duty to inform his 
 confcience, as to follow his confcience. To act ag.iinft 
 confcience, is a very great fin ; but a m.-in may a^'t .iccord- 
 ing to his confcience, and yet be a very great Tinner. St, 
 Paul, when he was a blood\- perfecutor, tells us he acled 
 according to his confcience : Aclsxxvi. 9. I verily thought 
 vj'ith myfcif, that 1 tught to do mcny things agtiivjl the name 
 (fjcfus t.f Nazareth. Prav we then for a confcience rijihtly 
 infot med by the word of God ; snd that we may fo follow 
 the d-clates and directions ofit v. hilft ue live, that it m.Ty 
 nfitiicr repi'ove ncr reproach lis when s\ e come to die. 
 
 C M A P. XV. 
 
 Our apcjlle in the firmer part of this chapter proceeds 
 upon ihefome argument, and profecvtes the fame defign, 
 oi in the foregoing chapter, exhorting the frcnger 
 Chrijliamto Itsr vjith tlie infymiies of their weaker 
 brethren; md this from the example of Jcfus Chrijl ; 
 And accordingly hebefpeah iher,i thus: 
 
 WE then that are ftron;j, ought to bear the 
 infirmities of the weak, and not toplcal'e 
 ourl'elves. 2 ^ Let every one of us plenfe his 
 neiohbonvf or his good to edification. 3 F'or even 
 Chrift ple.ifcd not himfclf ; but. as it is written, The 
 reproaches of them that reproached thee'fell on me. 
 
 Ohrf'i'e here, i. A great dtiirine sfl'crted.aml a fpecial 
 duty declared, namely, that the ftroij:, that is, fiich as do 
 thoroughly undeiftand their ChrilViarihberty, fhouk! bc.Tr 
 viih the infirmities, the ignorance, frow ardnefs, and f-rn- 
 inilcuffifcfs of the we:.k, ai.d alfo forcear the doingof that 
 vhich may fcandalize and hurt the fouls of men w h.o have 
 ret the fame meafures of know ledge wiih ourfelvcs : The 
 f!rong ci:ght t'.i'iiir the rf, ninths (j the 'Jituk. 2. 1 he uni- 
 vcrfality of tlie duty : I'/e, that is, not only all priv te 
 Cliriftians, but all rhurch-governors ; He puts hiinfelf into 
 the number, that he may propofe hinilclf as an ex.'^inpleof 
 the following duty ; ^f'e.ihat are thcolfictr.«, ihepiftorsand 
 governors of the church, 1 kc parents \vho bear with chil- 
 dren in their waywardnefs, fo niun \\e brar, though not 
 with herifies in dtiftrir.es, or ceremonies in praclice, yet 
 with fuch errors rnd n)ift.<kcs,in both, as proceed from ig- 
 rorr.nie, or «ci|^iiion infirmities. ^. A farther duty urged 
 and enforced, namely, not to pleafe ourfelves, but others; 
 I.tt tvery one cftis not pi afe cur/'tlvet, but cur neighbour.' ; 
 titat is, not picafc ourfelvss by ir.lifling upon ihe iifcofi'ur 
 lawlii! I'.bcriy, but rather, for the f:.ke <;t' others, dep.-rt a 
 huie from our cwn rights. Yet, 4. 1 J e liniitaiionand re- 
 ftriclicn of ihif dnfy.y;,/- lis gcod to e.ljfrali'.n.- Itisrft 
 f :;;j !y avd ahfoliitely faid, "Let every cue pleafe iiis 
 : . :^:-l ■.•r.' The heretic, tliediui k.ud^i.rd c-.rerr, v, cuid 
 
 like that well, to have every one fpeak anJ.uT as they do, 
 Rut the rule is, to pleafecvery mm for his g.'jd to ed'ificii. 
 ti'jn; thus far we nuy pleafe them, but no firther. Edifi- 
 cation is the rule, fcope, and boundary of all our compla- 
 cency in, and compliance with others. 5. How the apollle 
 urges and enforces this duty, from theexample of Jefos 
 Chrift : He pUafed not hiwfcif, therefore Ak li as profeis 
 faith in him, mufl ftudy to be as he was: Nothing was 
 rnore remote from Chrilt when here on earth, than filf- 
 feeking and felf-plealing ; he did not confult his own c.f: 
 or fatisfacflion, but rather refpecl:ed others benefit thinliii 
 own ; yea, he was fo far from pleafing of himfejf, that he 
 did willinglyexpofehimfclf to all the reproaches and con- 
 tumelies of men, in obedience to his P'athcr's will j and 
 was fo tender of God the Father's honour, that all the 
 reproaches which fell upon the one, afflifted the other : 
 The reproaches of them that reproached th:c fell 6ti me. 
 Now from the whole we ncte, '1 hat Chriflini-so-jght :o be- 
 very tender towards one anotherin the ufcof their lawful 
 liberty ; they nmll not do whatever thev pl?,,fe in (kings of 
 an inciiffercnt nature, vithou' fi'.ewing anvregard toothers; 
 much lefs niciild they picafc thcmfejves in a proud rcflecT^' 
 ing upon their own knowledge, and in contcnsn ing thofe 
 that have not fo great a latitude and liberty as thenifelvci: 
 ll'etkat areftrorg, ought to bear the irf.rmitles, S'.c. 
 
 4 For whatfocvcrthinos were written afore-time, 
 were written for our learning, that we through pa- 
 tience and comfort of the fcriptures mighthavchope. 
 
 Theapoflle here informs us what is t;ie general ufe of 
 the holy fcriptL;res, and what is the particular reafon for 
 which they svere written : namely, r. For inllruclion, ^Af.y 
 viere -vtitlen for our kurnirg ; all the precepts^ prcmifes, 
 threainings, rewards, and piiiiilliments, rccoixled in tlip 
 fcriptures, are for our information, convidlion,, and direc- 
 tion. 2. They were written for our comfort and conftj^ 
 lation alfo, that vje through pdtitrce and comfiri of them 
 might hare hope; that is, that we through patience in bear- 
 ing the hke ccnlures and rfproac!;cs, which we find the 
 lcripture-fain'..s have borne before uj, might have Lope of 
 being rewarded as they were for it ; Irarr: hence, i'hac 
 the great end for which the holy fcriptures were writrcn, 
 was the informing of our judgments, and the directing yf 
 our practice, that by the examples which we fu-.d thereof 
 the patience (if holy men under fulf. rings, and of GoJ's 
 relievingand comforting them in their diltrelTcs, we nvght 
 liave hope, yea, comfort and .-ffurance, that Goil will alfo 
 comfort and relieve us, under the like ptiffiires and burdens. 
 
 5 Now the God of patience and ronfolation gratit 
 jcu to be !ikc minded one towards atiother, accord- 
 ing to Chrifl Jefus : 6 'Iliac ye may with one mind 
 f;.^(onemoiilh glority God, even liie Father oi our 
 Loid Jt lu; ChrifL 
 
 Chferv'hers, i . How she apt file concludes his frregnitg 
 exhort.iiion, withvoiixe f!i)-pli cations, and fervent ]m ay« r 
 the minifters el Cod n>uf{ follnw the \<or<l thKy* de ln'cr 
 
 ■ with pra\cr: thf v nusfinot rnly wrcfl'e \\ iih thr ir jeopic 
 but they mull wrefile with God for, and in bthal'' oft' eir 
 
 ^ ]>eor le, if they ever hope tocvticonie. 2. I he f i-«yeran.| 
 4 i liipjjjicait n 
 
6iS 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 ChAP. XV, 
 
 lapplicationiiltlf, <ind that is, for concord and unity among 
 Clii'iftuiis ; T'fJt th.'y miy with ttic m'-nd and ont ntiulh, 
 fj'itfy C.d; that in thea Chii;\ia:< jfT^nvjle* ilic)- may all 
 \vo; lli'p (loj aficr ihc fame manner •, and lut one ihii way, 
 and.anmlicr t'nat. Uniiy among C'.nrtians in coiniio« 
 co.iverfaiioa, but ePpjclaTIv in cluircli-coinmunion, is a ve- 
 ry dclirabl'e mercy, and m jch co bt- prayed for, by the ini- 
 iiiftcrs of (Jod. 3. How the apoftie addrtlTes Iiinifelf in 
 prayer to God For tliis mercy under a double title. As a 
 G>A of patience. The Cnd of pa!i:nce grant yiu to be llke- 
 *itnded ; intimating, (1.) What great nerd there is of 
 p:it.eTice, in order to maintain love and iniity anjong Chrif- 
 tians; .^nd, (i) That God niuft be applied to in prayer, 
 who is tiie author of it, to produce and work this grace of 
 patience, in order unto peace and unity among ChriHian.-; 
 7'/>r God vj fatiencee grur.t you to be- likcmiuded. The un^ty 
 cf the fjinis greatly depends upon the exercife of patietice 
 fine towards anotlier: and that they might attain it,he begs 
 the Cod of patience to give ii. (3.) Our npcflie joins with 
 this anothtriitte, n.imely.. the Gidof coafJation ; wbercin 
 hf points ihem to that aS.undant con. fort, wliich would 
 refiiltio theMifclves from fuch a bkiTed ur.ity, continued 
 and inaiiituincd by the mutual cxercifes of patience and 
 forbearance 01. c towards another ; T!:eGcd r.f pat'nttce ar.d 
 ronpAatkn grai:t y'Ai to be like-minded one to-jiuvds aroO.er. 
 Gbliive, 4. The great pattern andexamplc which he Ijvs 
 before thtm to excite and quicken them to this duty, 
 namely, tlve example cfChrift hinifelf : acLcrdingtoChriJ} 
 Jffus, that ;•, accord ng to the example of Chrill Jefus : 
 Ai if t!ie :.poltli had faiii, " Let us conlidtr ho.v the Lord 
 Jeius bears with us, how many thonland infirmities and 
 iailings dorh he find in tlie belt of us, yet he is pleafed to 
 maintain tomininiion with us ; nr.d ihill not ve afterhis 
 example do the like, that thereby God may be eminently 
 glorifiid by Us ?" 5. How God is called the Father (^f 
 our Lord Jcfus Chrift, ver. 6. (i.) As he begat him by 
 an crernai 3!;d inelKable generation. (2 ) As he was man, 
 lb he created him, St., Luke i. 35. (3 ) As Mediator, To 
 he appointed him ro, and qu:;l.fied him for that office. 
 And eternJily magnified be omnipotent love, that the com- 
 foit of this tompellation redounds to us ! for, as he is the 
 Father of rur Lord Jefus Chriil, lo he is in htm our Fa- 
 ther :dUi. our merciliii, our gt^ieieus and loving Father : 
 IVlay we ever demean ourfelvSS .Towards him as dutiful 
 and obedient children .' 
 
 2 ^ Wherefore receive yc one another, as Cliiifl 
 slip received us, to the glory of God. 
 
 Here oitr .npofUe conp?udes the argument which lie had 
 J-'-iilierto inlirttil ii;io<i^in this and tlie former ch.ipier, 
 namely. That all chriAians, both rtro-.ig and weak, iliould 
 iiiniuairy forbear one another, and that both Jew ar^d 
 (ieniilc fnoi.l"! receive each other into fellow fh'p and com- 
 niu'iion, without contention about things of an indifTciLiu 
 1 ature ; U'hvi ifijre ricAvr ye one iinither: And, to cnforte 
 lii» ixhiirtatii.n he propounds the example of our Lord 
 JefifeChrili: Hective one another, as Chrijt recihed us ; 
 liiai is, afier ih»"f'i(::mple of Chrill, whoputsno di.Terence 
 lirtv.ivr Je.' and Gentile, but receives both. and bean « iih 
 liic iiil'r-tiitiei of boiii : W'Jiith 2it on in Chiiit a.'id tha 
 
 imitat'ion of faith iil u«, will mudi redound to the glory of 
 God ; liis declarative and minifeftative glory being much 
 promoted by thii concord and union with and among all his 
 inemberi, of what denomination foevcr they are, whether 
 believing Je^vs or Gentiles, Zca;« hence, i. That the 
 Lord JefusChri.'l ha", given full andamjle demonflratioi' 
 ofhis great and wonderful love untohischurcfia;id peop!?. 
 i. 1 hat this love of Chrifl towards all his children and 
 jiecpJe ought to be improved by them, as an argument to 
 luve one another ; Receive one anbther, <?' Chrifl received 
 us. 3. That chrilViansreceiving, enihiacii.g, and loving 
 one another, and bearing with one another's wcnknffles and 
 infirmities, according to Chrift's f xample and command, 
 will contribute exceedingly to the honour and glory rf 
 Almighty God, and to the abundant confolatu.n and fati;- 
 fact:oiiof each other : Jl'/'er-tfore receive ye tne anolLu , os 
 CktiJ} uh'o receivedtiS, to l!e ghty r/God. , 
 
 8 No\v I fay that jefus Chrifl Avas aminiflero! 
 tlie circumcificn for the truth of God, to confirm 
 the proinifes inacic unto the fathers : 9 And that 
 the Gentiles might glorify GodforA/i mcrcv : a.s It 
 is written. Fortius caule I will confels to tlieeainonj; 
 the Gentiles, and finq unto thy name, 10 And 
 again he f.iith, Rtjoice, yc Gentiles, with his people. 
 11 And i'gain. Praife the Lord, all )e Gentiles ; 
 and laud him all ye people. 12 And again Efaias 
 faith. There fhall be a root of Jefle, and h^ that 
 fhall rife to rei^n over the Gentiles: in him fhall 
 the Gentiles truft. 
 
 Theapcftle had, in the foregoing verfe, propounded tlie 
 example ofChrift, in receivingboth Jew and Gentile to his 
 grace ar.^1 favour, as an argument loperfur.dcallchr'lViani 
 to receive one another; Now, hi the verl'es before us, he 
 declares ho.v, and after vbat nijnner Chr. ft received both 
 Je\\s and Gentiles. As for the Jews, firft.whomhe calls 
 the circumcili'jK, the apoftle telleih u<. that Jefus \vasthei.- 
 niinifler ; that is, he was circumciled l;ke tlirm, converlbd 
 generally with them, and exercifed his miiiillry amvn^; 
 them, accoidltur 10 the many proinifes which God btxi 
 made to the Jew iCi patriarchs ; and ihushethewcd his love 
 and mercy 10 the Jews in the days of his f^efli. Then, 
 fccoiully, Asto the Gentiles; he-Tihrms, that, accord. ngro 
 the ieveral prophecies and prcmiles in the l)!d Ttftinienr, 
 they were called and received to mercy by our Lordjefjs 
 Chrift, the partiiion-walt heirg by him broken down, arxl 
 Jew and Gentile becojie one (hecp-ftdil, under one Shep- 
 herd. Now, from the truth and faithfnliitfs of Chrill 10- 
 warils the Jev. : a:id fro.ii hi? love and ter.derr.Lfi, mercy 
 .Tiul compalii( 1) towards the Gentiles ; aptf fl^om hisdivLit 
 ii^dulgence towards hmh, the apoftle very-fitly diaws this 
 inference and coriclufion. That all chrilliar.s, how d-.iieri.'xg 
 fover fioiii one ;!notherin their }u'lgii»cnts and opinions a-; 
 l» Itflcr thitij:', ought to letcive o:ie another into fellow- 
 ihip and chriiban comimmien ; and i^fic.^d of biiirg ar.d 
 tlevunring one aiio'.her, be once at length fo wife an<l 
 hippy, as to hi;ld the unity of ilis Sp'rit in ths- bend of 
 peacjC.. 
 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 6tgi 
 
 13 Nov/ theCoJof hope fill you with all joy 
 and peace in believing, that yc may abound in hope 
 through the power of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Arte here, i. How rhe apoftle clof^s his fxhorr.ition to 
 bi-oiherly concord aiiil unity wirh a piihy ami pathetic 
 prayer; his exnmple herein !■> iiillruftive. 2. The title or 
 aj'.peliaticii which lie fti^e? unto GoJ in prayer ; 7/c Cod 
 o/licfte .-Sometimes he (tyUih-.m the God of grace, fome- 
 timcs the God of peace, fonictinies the God of piiicrce, 
 liere the Gcd of hope; he being fo objedlively, liie only 
 oljfct of ourcuniiiion hope; and alio tlFfctively, as lie is 
 the author and producer of hope in u?. ■]. '1 ho mercic; 
 he prays for, (i.) That tiicy n)ay be fILd v/ith ullj-iy a.'.l 
 peace in h''IUv!ng, that their lieartsmay overflow with peace 
 frotn God. and one towards another, and with all that joy 
 which re fults from both. (2.) T\m\. they vtay ahourj tn 
 hope through the po-ucr of the HAy Gh',(t ; where, by hope, 
 underftatuhhe good hoped for, namely, heaven and eternal 
 life, a firtn expectation of which is wrought in us by the 
 Holy Spirit. Ijeartt, i . That Cod is the object of a 
 Chrillian's hope, and if fo, tiie (in of defpair is a inoft un- 
 reafonable fm ; for why (honld any defpair of his mercy, 
 uhoistheGod of hope, who coriimantls us to hope in 
 •his mercy, 3n»l t.ikes pleafurc in tliem that do i"o ? Plal. 
 cxlvii. ir. Lftirn, 2. That the grnce of hope, together 
 w"ith joy and pejce in believing, are wrought in the Chrif- 
 tifln's heart through the power of the Holy Ghofl, that is, 
 through the f.irclifyin^ iifluences of the Holy GlioO, en- 
 lightening the underltanding, inclining the will, rectifying 
 the afFeclions, and reducing all the icbeilious powers and 
 faculties of the foul (inconcurrer.ee with our endeavours) 
 under the governuieiU and dominion of reafon and re- 
 ligion. 
 
 14 And I iTtyfelf alfo am perfuaded of you, my 
 brethren, that ye alio are full of goodnels, filled with 
 all knowledi^c, able to admonilh one another. 
 15. Neveithelefs, brethren, 1 have written the more 
 bolclly unto you, in fome forr, as puttnig you in 
 mind, bccaufc of the jjracc that is given to mc. of 
 (Jod. 16 That I fliould bo the minifler of felus 
 Chrift to the Gentiles, miniflring the gofpcl of God, 
 t!;at the ofFerin^ up of llie Gentiles might be ac- 
 ceptable, being fandified by the Holy Ghoft. 17I 
 have therefore whereof I may glory through Jefus 
 Chrift in thofe things which pertain to God. 
 
 (Jur apollle being now about to conclude his epiftle to 
 the church at Koine, cxcureshiinCelf that he h»d writtenfo 
 largf ly,and withruch freeihini to them, believing that they 
 :.bt)unded in grace and knowledge, ami were very Ht and 
 nble to indruff and dircftone another; however, he thought 
 fit to write unto ihcin, having had the honour conferred 
 upoti him by Chrilt. to be called to the apoftolical (flic?, 
 and particularly to be the ambafllidor of Chrift to the Gen- 
 tiles ; moll p.ifiinnafely deliring that lie might prefent and 
 ofter them up unto God, as an acceptable facrifice throwgh 
 the power aivd aHiltajice of the Holy Ghoft ; and that his 
 
 fuccpfs in the cVYhvcrfion of the Gcntues would be 'mnirfr 
 of ahiijidant glory in liiin. A'o'e, i. How the apoflle, 
 in preparing the Gentiles for the whedicnce of the gofpcl, 
 coiwpaies himfelfioa LeviiicalpriffI', coincrfaitt abi.nt his 
 I'.icrilicc, and fitting it to be offered up to GotL 2. Tlcit 
 the Gentiles dedicated by the apollle's itiui^lry to the i-:r ■ 
 vice of God, were the apodle's facrilice and olT'..«tion. ■^. ■ 
 That the Holy Spirit is ali2>anien pourcdon ihi; f.icrifice ; 
 by which it is r.indified andrendrred accept.-.lrte uPtoGod.*- 
 4. That fuch an oblatian, or offering up of a people iu 
 this niatiner unto God, is matter of rtjoicing, yea, iiatrer 
 of glc ryiiig to the minillers of Jefi-.s Chttft : ! hitvt there- 
 f.re -mhercijf I may gh> y through Jifus Chrij}. 
 
 18 For I will not dare to fpeak of any oi* thoI> 
 things which Chrift hath not wrougr^t by me, to 
 make the Gentiles obedient, by w ord and deed, ip 
 Through mighty figns and wonders, by the powev 
 of the Spirit of God; fo that from Jemfaleni, and 
 round about unto Illyricum, 1 have fully pr^'nched 
 the g:)fpcl of Chrift. 20 Yea, fo have I ftrived to 
 preach the gofpel, not where Chrift was canipd, leil 
 I fliould build upon another man's foundation; 21 
 But, as it is written. To whom he was nOc fpoken 
 of, they ftiall fee ; and they thnt have not heard 
 fliall underftand. 
 
 Kate here, t. the indefatigable induftry :.ii..i painsofthe 
 holy apoiHe in order to the convcrfion of the Gentiles : 
 From 'Jerufalem roundabout unto Illyricum, he fully preached 
 the gofptl 'f Chr'iJ}. This, according to Pareus's compu- 
 tation, was little lefs than a thoufand miles. The indiillry 
 of the apoftles, in planting and propagating the gol'pel of 
 Chriil, was almoft incrediiile. Lord I what pains d:d they 
 takej What hazards did they run? what (lifiiculties did 
 they conteft and c>intend with, in that great work i 1. 
 That although their indufti y was great, yet their fuccels 
 V.MS greater ili.in their indu'.try, and beyond all human ex- 
 pertatiop. This appears by the vaft I'prcading of the gof- 
 pel in lb ihort a rp.ice : Vrwi Jtrufalan rouyj tjb'.ut unto 
 Jllyricurit. Within thirty years after our Saviour's death, 
 tiie gol'pel was not only ditfuled through the greateft pare 
 of the Koman empire, but had reached asfar us Parthia 
 and India. 3. That the golp.-l crdoilrine of Jel'us had 
 likewifea wonderful power rind cfiicicy upon iiic lives auvl 
 manners of inei: : The apoflle tells ii>, thi<t the Ccnt.le: 
 who were converted to ChrMWaiwy ,'aji re dbfdicnt by vjord 
 a>i^ deed : Upon the change of their religion, followed the 
 change ortheirconverfation, and whole courfe of life. 4. 
 The reafon of all this wonderful fuccefs which St. I'airl 
 aiul other apolHes h.id in preaci.ing the gofptl ; and iliai: 
 was the extraordinary power of ihe Holy Ghoft, in cn^- 
 abling them to work miracles for the conHrination of the 
 golpei, ver. fp. 7 hcugh mighty JJgnt ard -Mtnders, lytki 
 po~ucr if the Spirit rf God. Such wss the miracu'oiii' 
 power of he-jling dil'eafe?, of cafling out devili ! of iitf cl- 
 ing corptir^l punifhment upon 1c<iiui:ilrus pcrfoiu J ;H 
 which did lerve in gciier.ilfor the coitifmation of the gof- 
 pel, and did in particular fupportiht hctiour atrd juhcrii/ 
 
 •of 
 4 I 2 
 
j620 
 
 R O M AN S. 
 
 Chap. xv. 
 
 of the apod'.es, anJ fui^ply the wjnt of the rmi;iftrate's 
 p)*cr, whicii th'.CIinft'ans cojI.I not espedt whilft the 
 I\<>'Mjn emperors foiitiiiu.'d Heiihen : not thit all thefe 
 m'.raculuu'' powers were t;ive:i to everyone ofthe apoftles, 
 or that tiiey whicli hjJ ihern cnulJ exrrcife tlieni at all 
 I- net. or whenever ihey plejfed ; but on!v as was moit 
 expedient for the ufe and benefit of tiie church. 5. That 
 ilv; apoltle,in preac!>ing tlie f;i>rpcl, chofc to jro to fucii 
 #Mrk ;<nJ blind pLices as never heard ofthe g'>rp'jl before, 
 r.ither t!un amon^lt them where Chrifl had been n.Tincd, 
 thaif^) he niightiuythe foanditionof Chriilianlty himfclf, 
 ami not build upon ano'.her man's foundation: And like- 
 wife that in hlsminiftry, u\e prophecy of Ei'ai.ns niijrht be 
 fulfilled, chap. lit. 115. To w'lom he was not fp'jkfn of, they 
 J)jallfie : and they that have n'A heard, fhall underjiand. 
 
 22. For which caufe alfo I have been much hin- 
 tlered from comiiij^ to you. 23 But no'.v having no 
 more place in thefe p.irts, and having a great defire 
 thefe many years to come unto you ; 24 Whenfo- 
 tvcr I t.ike my journey into Spain. I will come to 
 ) ou. For I trull to fee you in my journey, and to 
 be brought on my way thitherward by you, if firfl. I 
 be fomcwhat filled with your company. 
 
 The .npoflie having, in the former verfcs, excufedhim- 
 felffor ds;iliiigr<jj)Uiijly in his writings with ihem, affirming 
 that the true reaion why he did not vifitRome, wasthis : 
 He looked upon planting of churches as more iieceffliry 
 th.in watering of them, and the preaching of Chrilt where 
 he had never been named, to be the molt needful woik. 
 Now at Ru;ne there h.id before been a church planted, and 
 elders ordained to build upon that foundation ; for this 
 reafon he hail hitherto declined coming to Home : But 
 HO.V, having no m'irc: place In thefe parts, that is, having no 
 more churches to plant hereabouts, he fignifies both his 
 inclinations ;!nd fiied refolutions to vifit them at Rome, as 
 he tock h":5 iourney into Spain, and 10 flay fome time with 
 them, th it they ni'ght be mutually filled and fatisfied with 
 and refreflied by each other's company. Here noie, i. 
 "J'hat the Romans were very early converted and called to 
 the Chiillian faiih, foon after Clirift's afccnfion; for the 
 lA-cntieth year after it, did PaiTl write this epiflle. But he 
 had a dtfire of feeing the Romans many years licfore he 
 wrote unto them, and therefore many years before they 
 were convtrted to the taith. 2. That our journeying from 
 une place to another, is nit according to our purpol'c, but 
 God's d-fpoLtl. 1 he apoflle, no doubt, intended to go 
 into Spun v\ ben he wrore this ; but God over-ruled the 
 in.'tter btyond the apoflle's expectition. The travels of 
 t!ic sp->(f!-'s fi-omplice to place, in order to the planting 
 and propigating of the Chriftian faith, were under the 
 fp c'll iiiflufnces and direction cf the Holy GI)ofl. Ac>s 
 yvi. 7. They a/pyed togo into Bilhynia : But the Spirit 
 J'ff-r.-d t'nn n't. Note 3. The great ernl why the ap<iflle 
 vas fo dclirous ofthe light and enjoyment of the Chrif- 
 l: ins at Rom? ; it was that he might beret'reflicd, nwy , filed 
 rttih t'^eir company. Lord ! How d;!irahle is the couiinu- 
 Qjun of faintSjand hoA-b^nciicial the fucicty of (incerc ayd 
 
 ft-riou^Chriftians! Their company is filling, (not empty, 
 vain and froihv, as the company of nj.jftis, but) adnim 1'- 
 tering both gr.icc and comfort to them jhat enjoy it ; / 
 dejirc to fee you in my j-jitrr.ey,th.:t I may bef.lhdiul'.hy.ur 
 company. 
 
 25 But now I ;^o unto jerufiL'.n toinini.'l^r unto 
 the faints. 26 For it haih pie.ifv;! tiirn of M tcc- 
 doniaand Achaiato makf; a certain contnbution for 
 the poor faints which are at Jerufaleni. 27 It hath 
 pleafcd them wri/)' ; and their debtors they arc. For 
 if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their 
 fpiritual things, their duty isglfo to miniUcr unto 
 them in carnal things. ;s8 When thsrefore I have 
 performed this, and have feaiedto them this fruit, I 
 will come to you by Spain. 29" And I am fure 
 that when I come unto you, I fhall come in the 
 f ulnefs of the bieffmg of the jjofpel of Chrill. 
 
 Here the apolHe acquaints iliem wi;h his prefent intended 
 journey to Jcru.'"al£:(n,as aifo with the o;canon of it; namely, 
 to carry the charitable co.itribution.of the G.eek churches 
 in Macedonia and Athaia.into Judi-a, and up to the poor 
 faints in Jeruf.deni, whofe necciririssreqjired ;:, and imto 
 whom thry were in a fort indebted for it ; the Gent .Ics 
 riming been made partakers r,f their Jpzritual :hir,gs (rccciv- 
 );ig the gofpel from Judci) they are obliged in gratitude 
 to ininifter to them carnal thing?. He f.irihi.r afliires them, 
 that as foon as he had finiihed his journey and i)erformed 
 this charitable office, he would come to them ai.d ihst in 
 the fulnefs of the blcding ofthe gulof 1 of pe.ice. S-jte 
 I'.ere, I. The title given to the poor Chriftians at Jerull- 
 lem : They are called /a/n// ; I go to Jcruful;m to adnuKijIir 
 to the faints nectjjities. Saints they were by baptifmal dedi- 
 cation, by vifiLle profelTion, and many, yea molt of ihcni, 
 it is to be hoped, by inward fantSitication alfo. 2. 1 hac 
 poverty and I'andiiy are not inconfiftent ; the faints arje- 
 rufalem are poor, but God provided a purveyor fcr then;; 
 he flirs up theapt ftle, and the hearts of the Macedonians, 
 to adminifter 10 the neceflil^es of tl;efe poor faints. 3. 
 How tlie faints in one church did fuccour and relieve 
 the poor Chrifli.Tns in another; thofe in Macedonia and 
 Achaia fend rehef into Jitdea, and to the poor faints which 
 were at Jerufakin ; teaching us, that it is our obliged Juiv 
 to extend uur charity to the churches abroad and beyond 
 the Teas, when their wants and necelhiies require it, an! 
 our capacitie.") enable us unro if. 4. Tlie nature of this 
 ciiarity declared ; It was a free and cheerful ccntribinion 
 performed with much pleniure : It pleafed them to make a 
 contribution ; ir was not extorted cr fqueezed frt.ni then), 
 but given with cheerfulnefs by them : Contributions muft 
 not be coinpnUions, but voluntary oblations. 5. How this 
 charity is called fruit; -when I have fciihd this fruit .- be-' 
 caufe it was the fruit of their faith, liberality anJ love ; 
 becaufe as fruit, it would redound both to the l>enefit of 
 the fiver and receiver. Charity and alms are fruit re- 
 dounding to atcoimt in the great dav of accoun'.. 6- The 
 great integrity andlid«luv of ihcapoiHe infecuring of this 
 charity.: li'h:n 1 havefcthd, cr fccurcd, unL'j tiiiu ikif 
 
 fru:t 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 R O iM A N S. 
 
 62,1 
 
 f'u'it. The church's charity is a fealed tre.nfiire, not to be 
 (l:in:i))/))e!iand eniWeiz'ed, but applied to the iiles to which 
 it i5tk\/attjj. Liilly, tii; aITj-i nc2 which he gives them 
 thij when Ueconi::s an[ion|r t!ie:Ti, he (Jj.iil come in the 
 fuliitfs of the blelliii^of the .gulpjl of p-Mcs u 110 them ; 
 Tliit ii, with a fuH impjrtuicnt of Ipin'tual ;rirts aiidgolpcl 
 bltirisigs, '.niicb knowledgc'j grace and coinfort. 
 
 30 Now I bcfeech yoii, brethren, for the Lord 
 Jefiis Chrift's fike, and for th^ love of the Spirit, 
 that ye ilrive to^jether with ine in your prayers to 
 God forme'; 31 That I may be delivered from them 
 that do not believe in Judea : nn 1 th it mv lorrice 
 which 1 have for Jeriifalem may be accepted of the 
 r.ints; 32 That I may come unto you with joy 
 1 y the \*illofGod, and may with you be refrelhed. 
 
 Here in the clofe of tlie epiftle our .ipoille moft affjct- 
 tionntely recommends hinifelf to the prayers of theChrif- 
 ti.m Roiiaus unto whomhe wrore : I belccc'i y>u,- breihrett 
 y/zi'iv, &:. Where not*, 2. The apoitle's coiirte.ni5 coin- 
 pi'lLiion, brcthnn. Th^re is a ihreefoKl brothtriioot', 
 wliich the il;ripture. lak-'s norice of: (i.) B^fvixt Chrilt 
 and believcri; Heb, ii. u. He Is not afisamed t'i CixU them 
 btethren. (2.) Rttwixt believers ihemfelves, they are 
 brethren by grace; i Pet. ii. 17. Lovs the hrollierhaoii ; 
 that is, the colieclive body of btliei-ers. (3.) Betwixt 
 tlie in'nifteri of Chrift. and thv;ir beloved people, there is 
 alio a brotherhood, Rev. i. y. / J^Jiii your brrjhcr. 
 Teachin^r the miniiters of tlie gofpel to carry it towards 
 their people with love and nentie.iels, and the people to 
 make reciprocal retunis of love and afFcftion. 2. The 
 in inner of the apoft'e's req'ietl : it is by way of fiipplica- 
 tion and in:re.uy : / bifisi-h yiu brethren- Though as an 
 apcftle he niifilit have enjumed them, yei fjr love's fnke he 
 rather intreats them. 3. i he requert iifelf, that they flrive 
 tn^^ether inthfir prayers for him. The original uordfjj/- 
 liifies toftnve togeihcr as wrellUrs do, who exertall their 
 power and might in thai bodily extrcile. 4. Our apolcie's 
 linceri'y, ami holy ingenuity;:) thisrcqjeil wi)icli he n) ikes 
 unto ihein ; he delires them tijirivi -jjithhimw their 
 jirayers to God for hini: He dotlrnot, withfoaie, beg the 
 prayers of other-, and neglect 10 pray for hinifelf, but is 
 willing to draw with them in the \jin\(i yoke. 5. A double 
 argument vvliich the aportic tn.ikes ufe of, to inforte his 
 ripplication and reqneft,: (;.) ^kit the J^ird Jefus Chrill'i 
 f.ike,for i!:e fjke cf liiin who is io dear both to yoa and n>e. 
 f2.) For the ltv>e of the Spirit; tliat is, if the grace of love 
 bj wrought in yoj by the Holy opirit of God, ihow it by 
 your fervent prayer.for all faints ingencrai , and for ni-yfelf 
 a niirniler of Jelus Chrii^ in particular. Note, 6. 'I"he par- 
 f.tulars concerning which he delires ^licir fupplitations : 
 ft. J For prtlVrvaiion in his journey to Jndea ; that the 
 uiibeliev(iigje^v?,Ah!cl; w ert prejudice J againilliim, might 
 have no power to hurt hi:n. (2.) That his pcrfon, and 
 l;is perh.rin.mce few- the foor fu'iuts at jerujalem, luiglutiud |, 
 acceptance with tlie Clvrillian jews, to whom he »vas not 
 over-)cccptal|Hi[e there fere rtjcgji tlieir prayers,^'thut tke 
 r!iev!ng Jews at Jcrul.lcnj.ffj'ght be reconciled bo-.h to •» 
 sbelicvii.g Ge;i;iles ilwtl'euc liiis .ilnis^ aaUaifo ioliiiu 
 
 felf that brought it : That my fervlce f'lr Jeriifalem may be 
 accepted uf the faint u (3 ) That he nsii^ht have a prof- 
 perous journey to him by the will of God. Wheie n'lt'-. 
 How much isiionr duty always, and in all ihing^, to refer 
 ourfelves, cur intentions and aftion^, to the pleafure and 
 providence, to the wifdom and will of God. And cbf'rve, 
 lalHy, The fpecial reafon why he was fodtfnons 10 vilit and 
 come unto thein, tiiat he might be refrellied with thim, 
 and by theni ; that the company and converr.nion of each 
 other may be to their mutual rtfrtfltmcnt and faTisfadlion; 
 'Ihjt 1 may corns unto y.u vjith jny, by the will c.fG.,il, and 
 may with you be rrfrtfied. 
 
 33 Now the God of peace be with you al[. Amen. 
 
 The apoflle had deiired their prayers for hin> ; here he 
 concludes with a fervent prayer for ihem : In whicii n'jic, 
 The title or attribute f^iven unto God, ihi Gid i,f peace .' 
 the lover, the author, and giver of peace. The apollls 
 having exhorted t lie believing Romans to he at peace among 
 thtmfeU'rs, and not to contend about ind:ifercnt things, 
 implores the difpenfer of this grace to be witli rliem, to 
 d'.vfl! among thorn, and to poar out the great and invalu- 
 able blciling' of peace and unity, of love and concord, 
 upon them j The God t,f peace be with you till, jlrmn. As 
 we iion;nir the God of peace, wboiii we ferve ; as we love 
 the Prince of peace, in whom we believe ; as we hope for 
 the comfort of the Spirit of peace ; and as we tender the 
 fuccefi of the gofpel of peace, let usprelerve it v. lu'rc it is' 
 and pirl'ue it where it flies from us. 
 
 c H A P. xvr. 
 
 Tim chapter, zuliich chfes our apcfJc's epjlle to ihf 
 
 Romans, is chifjly made xip of ckarilahk and JncnrJijf 
 
 faluLalions and ccmmoviations of fomi pjrlUular prr- 
 
 fins: according Ij th: earlinrfs anl flnngih of ck'ir 
 
 Jtv^ral graca, a)id their labour of Icvefor ilis interrft 
 
 e/CtinJl aid his church. 
 
 I Commend unto you Phcbeour fifter, which is a 
 fervant of the church ^vhich is at Ctnchrca : a 
 That ye receive her in the Lord, as bccometh faints, 
 and t.hat you alFif} Iter in whatloever buCnels fhe 
 ha'h need of you : for (he hath been a faccourer of 
 
 many, andmyfclf aUo 
 
 lag 
 
 ve 
 ys 
 
 The firft pcrfon liere mentioned i- Phebe ; who, goii 
 npnn fonie occrifion to Ro:i»e, St. Paul is Inppofed to ha 
 fent this epiiUe to the lloinans by her: "I co;Tniierd, 1'.^ , 
 he, to your care ar;d aiFecYiunite regard. I'hebe, our lifter 
 in thefaiih, whoi"er*'<;d ihe church at Centhrca," in the 
 quality of a deaconnef-, as fome think or ns others, \vho> 
 fpent her time in recti\ iiigand harbouring ;>t»or ChF:fcaii5 
 ih.it were <lrlveh<'Ht of tlieiv own eouiMrv, and who hjj 
 be^n :i fofcouref anil rii|)p<>rtfr of i!>e apolUe Irnifelf. He 
 cMlior^s ili?m to receive her in the L->ril ; thif rs, with 
 Chr ft r.nlove for the L'.rd's I'ak-?, anc^ to i)e afii'.hmt aiii 
 hefpltil to- her in I'wr outward aiVairs atid biifinefs. l.ewH 
 heiticr?, W In t honour fjoil puts upon the feirralc (ex. in 
 intkiij^ 'i^'e cf foaie of thcai ;o be afTiIbuts 10 the 3;i.illle5 
 
6cii 
 
 R O M- A N S.. 
 
 Cha?. xvr 
 
 and taking care tliat their offices-oflovenndfirvice forard 
 towards ilie miniJlerj and members of Chrift, (lioidd not 
 hir forgot ten, but had a»d kepi in e veil iftingrenieinbraiue, 
 1 I'.e fervites which Phebe did, are here recorded, to pof- 
 t-r;tv (rati'.m'tted, and to our imitation rccomiHcndf d. 
 
 Tjiireei Piifcilla and Aquila my helpers jn Chrifl 
 j 'lus : 4 Who have for my hfo laid down their 
 »")wn necks .'unto whom not only I ^ive thanks, but 
 alio all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 I.ikewile 
 ^'-frf tl;'-' church that is in their houfe. — 
 
 The firf} perfons at Rome, wlicm St. Paul faluteih by 
 name, are Prifcill.i and Aquila. The woman is named 
 before her hufbind, and fiiews, that they were all one in 
 Clirlll jefiis, in whom there is nciiher innle or female. 
 Here, bv' 'he way, it appears how weakly ilie papifts argue 
 Ur St. r<.'rer'sprimacy,bccaure placed lirft in the catalogue 
 of the apoftles. liy the lame argument, the wum-in ii the 
 liead of the ninn, becauie here named befcre the man. 2. 
 The honourable title which St. Paul puts uponthel'e two 
 p-irJbns, Aquil.i and Prifiiila ; he calls them his helpers in 
 Chrilt jefus. They were his alliiiantsin propigating the 
 gofpel by private inftruQion, though not by public preach- 
 Vg, Acta xviii. io. Ncte, 3. The Chriftiau courage which 
 was found with this holy woman Prifcilla, and her hulb.md 
 Aquila: Tkry laid dnin tnelr L'd.'nnecks for the apofllejihnt 
 if, expofed themfelves to the hazard of their own lives for 
 h!spreferv.i:ion. 4. The thankful refentment which iiie 
 apclUe and all the churches of the Gentiles had of this 
 their greit and noble fervice, in hazardiiigthcir own lives 
 for bis : To ruhom I give thanks, and till the churches r,fib; 
 Cerlilct. Becaufe St.l'aul was theapt-lUe of the Gentile?, 
 snd his prcfervation redounded to the benefit of ihem all; 
 (iierefore were the cluirchesof tlie Gentiles fo fenlible of 
 and thankful for, the apoftles prefervation. Lafliy, 7'hc 
 filuration fent /o the church that 'jjjs In their h'lule. By 
 which fome underftand their houfhold, their Chriftian 
 t'aniily, ••% hich he calls a church, becaufe of the pious order 
 nnd religious wor/hip which was there obferve. I. O h.ippy 
 houfes ! and thrice li.ippy houfliolders ; whole families are 
 little churches for piety and devotion. Others underlland 
 by the church in their houfe, the number of Chrillidns 
 •.vhich ufcd there to aficiuble for religions worlhip. Us it 
 tJie one <>r the other, our apo'llc forgets not to lend kind 
 and Clirirtian falutations unto them. 
 
 — Salute my well-beIoi'cdEpcnctus,\vhoir. the 
 -fi.fl-fniits of Achaiaunto Chrift. 6 Greet Mary, 
 who beftoucd much labour on us. 7 Salute 
 Andronicus and Jiiniamy kinfmenand my fellow- 
 prifoncrs ; who arcof note amongthc apoftlcs, who 
 aifo were in Chrift before me. 
 
 Three perfons are here faluted by name : The firfi, 
 Epenetus, wht^tn he ci'ls the firft fruits of Achaia : that 
 h, the lirllperfon that eiTibr.iced CariUianity, or the faith 
 of Chrift, in the region of Achaia ; the fecond is Mary, a 
 common name, but the perfon here intend) d was offpecinl 
 note, having beftowed much pains upon, and done many 
 good fffices for, the pteachcrs of ihe goipe! ; the third ts 
 
 Andronicin, notrd for his fufFerir.^s and fervices among 
 the apnilles, as alio for hii rarly embracing the Chriftian 
 fiith. He was in Chrifl before me; thatis, coTiverted to 
 Ciirilli.inity before myfclf. Lrern hence, I. Thstfeninriiy 
 ill grace is a-ery grct honour : And to bj in Chrirt before 
 others !*> a tr.infcindent prerogitive. 2. Tint God will 
 hsve the good work- of all his faint?, and the fervices ef- 
 prc'ally wliich arc dune to hit minivers .ind anibaCadors 
 by any of hispetiple, tc be jipplaudcd, valued and recorded. 
 Mary's labour bellowed on the ;ipoftle, is here ir.entioneJ ' 
 ssith refpttft. 
 
 8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord, o 
 Salute Urbane ourhclpor in Chrift, andStachysiny 
 beloved. 10 Salute Apellcs approved in Chrilt. 
 Salute them which arc of Ariftobulus' h-nijhold. 1 1 
 Salute Herodian my kinfnian. Greet them that be 
 of the^z/z^riUof Narciliu."; vvhich are in the Lord. 
 1 2 Salute Tryphcna and Tryphofd, who labour in 
 the Lord. Salute thebeloved Pcrfis, which laboured 
 mucii in the Lord. 13 Salute Rutuschofen in the 
 Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Salute Afyn- 
 critus, Phlej^on, Hermas, Patroba.";, Plermes, and 
 the brethren which are with them. 15 Salute Phi- 
 lologos,and Julia, Nereus, and his fifter,andOIym- 
 pas, and all the faints which are with them. 
 
 Here >vj'e, i. How the apoflle falutes the Chriftians at 
 Rome, not in general, but par;icul.irly, and by name, that 
 they might be convinced hoiv particularly mindful he 
 was of them. And as he mentions them by name in hi? 
 fdlutniions, it is not improbable, bat that he might mention 
 them alio by name in hisfupplicatirns and private addrcflcs 
 to God. No doubt, he bore them, and all converted by 
 him, upon his heart, whenever he went in and out before 
 the Lord. A fpiritml Father can neverbe forgetful of Ins 
 fpiritual children. 2. The perfons lalured by the apoflle 
 are not men of fame in Rome, noted fortheirdignity and 
 greatnefs, or for their weslthorriche?, but for their piety 
 and goodnefs for labouring in the Lord, andfor laboiirir^ 
 tnnch in the Lord, for being inChrifl, approved in Chriiy, 
 and helpers in Chrift ; thatis, airiftants in propigating tliV 
 gofpel of Chrifl, and ferviceable to thofe whcfe work -and 
 clfice it was fo to do. It is religion that renders perfc' l-■ 
 re^owned,and^operfon<.defervefoweltlobcremcmbe^e^l 
 by us, as thofe who are moil perfcvering antilahorions i:: 
 their fervices for God. ■^. Here .ire fevcral women, ;=. 
 well as n^en, remend)cred and faluied, and their fervicc; 
 for Chrifl and his miniflers recorded. God wdl hive none of 
 his faithfid fervantsforgotten, ncr any of their good (ierd; 
 buried in oblivion. 4. Thit in .dl this roll ot lalutations, 
 tlicre is no mention mideof St. Peter's name. Had he 
 now been at Rome, asthe papifts w ill have him, and bi(l;op 
 of that fee, it had been morally impoifible for our apoftle 
 to liave forgotten him in his falutations, when lb many of 
 his inferiors were remembered by him. 
 
 iG Salute one another with an Iiol) Jcit's. The 
 churches of Chnfi <alutc you. 
 
 Nctf 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 |.° 
 
 M A N" S." 
 
 »-^ 
 
 A'o'tf here, How the npoftle proceeds, from frreeting the 
 fdints at Rome liimlcir, to pei I'uritle ihcm to ialutc odc an- 
 other, 'i'here had been much diireii:io;i among iheni 
 ahou: meats siiiJ d-iys; he therefore cr.-.veb of iheiii for tlte 
 future to embrace e;ich other with cordial love, and affec- 
 tionate kiiidnefs; and, as a token and fynihol of it, to fa- 
 ]iite one another with an holy kff^, theuln:ii exprelTionof 
 friendlhip in thoCe times. Tlie primitive Chridians, at the 
 end ot liieir prayers, before the ccUbratioa of the facra- 
 nient, dij I'alute one another with a kif'-, and then the 
 bread nnd cup was brought forth ; and fome obferve, thit 
 it was done by the men apart, and tlie women apart. But 
 this cuitom being afterwards abufed, was graiiually laid 
 zf:i\e. That which is lawful in its ufe, and umotcnt in its 
 own nature, may and ought to be laid afide, when it bt- 
 conies matter of iiiinda! nnd jnll ort\;nce. 
 
 17 Ko;v I bd'ccch you,brethrcn,niark them whirh 
 caufc divifions .incloirVnces contrfliy to the dofclrine 
 whicli we have leaincd ; and avoid them, 18 For 
 they that are fuch, fcrve no; oar Lord JilusClirid, 
 but their own bcHy ; and by qood words and Liir 
 Ipsechesdec'jivo the hearts oi tiie fnnplc. 
 
 A'i^• here. i. (low tlie apoflle takes his kave and fare- 
 welofthefe Romans, with an admonition to iheni.totjke 
 J'.etdof pcrfons ih.1t there were erroneous in d(ii.lrine,and 
 ItaBu-iliius i:! practice. It is prob.ib!s lie means, either 
 thole Jews who pleaded the necellicy of circumcifion, and 
 the obfervaticn of .he Mofaic rites, as necefiary to the fal- 
 vatioii of the Gentiles; or the Gnoflics, tT svh.oni the fol- 
 lowing chiractersdo well agree. Whotier they were, 
 they were d.in^erons fed jccrs, and to be avoided. 1. The 
 charact-T i\hicli our aportle gives of ihefe perfons ; 7hrv 
 J'crve not our V.rd'Jcftu Chrift , hit ihfir oiun billy. Note, 
 Tii.it iedivcers are always felf-fetkeri ; they aredefigning 
 men : Tliey aim at thenifelves, under a pretence of a(ftiiig 
 for Chrift arid his glory. Thiy fc'-:t n'A our L'ltd Jtfus 
 Ckri/!, bul their iAi.'n h lly. A'o/:',^. T he artsand mc'.hods 
 w'h'ch they ufe to(!clude aril tircci\e: ryrud'.v.rtls and 
 fui"- fpccches thc\ dicsive the j'w:^l\ Seducers have finiioih 
 an»1 ;»Ioning roiiguei ; and innocent iisrmlefi men arc milled 
 by their fine pretences, andfair fpecclirs : nnd thnsthe)' im- 
 - jji'.ff iip.)n thefiniple. 4. Tlie double advice which the apoH. . 
 lie j-i\ es.inorcfcr to their being prefer vcd and fccurcdfrom 
 the poifon andcon'agicn of thefc fcdccers ; iinmcl^'-joiTiark 
 :hf in, .".n<t avoid lijeni. fi ) Tomaikihe:n: 'I he word 
 fignifies fiichain.irking.afa watchman ui'eth when he ftaiul; 
 eih upon a tower to-^efcry an enemy, which is performed 
 with great acciirucy. (i ) To avoid them .is a found perCoB 
 would fliiin him who has the p'agne on liini Wherewj/^, 
 'Jhe apdflla adviles to mark ttiLin, in cider to thr declin- 
 ing ol I hem, not il^ftroj ing of ihern ; to ci;t tlicm c.<f by 
 excorr!n':iiriica;ion, not ro cur their throats, or inirn thc.i-r 
 bodic for hrrefv. M'nlf them which cayj'e dtTifiins .and 
 avoiJihrm, Note, 5. 'Ihe perfons whom this exhortation 
 conctrns, who they are that (nculd judge of the duClrinc^ 
 and leducers. They are the common people, the Romans, 
 •he faints or^ ■Chriftiaiis at Rome, to wlio-n he v.as now 
 wraiii_j ; to thsuvihe apjiUc alio.vi a ju;)^me.it ofjifcre. 
 
 tion, a power to try end cxsinine thcdoilrincsdt iive red by 
 perfons pretending 10 infalliable infpirjiion : Itjuchycu, 
 irithrcn, I'tark llicm luMch caufc diviji'jns contrary Iv the 
 do^iincs -which ye have kari'.cd. Oiriflians an?" by uo 
 means to be led by their teachers blindfold, but »)Uf ht i;> 
 fee with their own eyes, to cak^ nothing upun trufl, but ,11 
 upon trial, to examine the Jo^irines they aic lauglii, and 
 to ohl"erve and mark the teachers of thein. / liJcCihy.-.i, 
 /ays our apollle, ir.ark thcvi. 
 
 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all 
 mm. I am glad thcrcrore on }'our behalf: but yet 
 I would Iiavc you wile unto that which is good.; 
 and fimple concerning evil. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " I do not acctife yoa, bjt 
 advife and warn you only : I acknowledge that you, the 
 Chriftians at Rome, are famous for your obedience to the 
 apoftolica! doclrine, end that yon walk in faith and love, in 
 unity and concord, to the credit of ilie crofpcl, and the 
 honour of your holy religion. But I would have vou 
 know, that you are not wi-.o!ly, out of tianger ofbeing in- 
 feftcd by thefe jodaizers -. I wifliyou tl.-ere.'ore wifdom to 
 efcape their fnjres ; flie Lord make yoii wife as well as 
 zealous ; that you may difcern that which is good, and de- 
 cline thatwhichis evil." Z'^rwhence, That the hcliti't, 
 beft, and wijtft of Chriftians, nuifr not look i;pon them.- 
 fehes as t'ccure from the fnares of fcdncers, but fiand iii 
 need of all tiie cautions and warnings, of all the advice at»l 
 counffcl of their fpiritual guides, inorder to their p:-cl'erva- 
 tion from tlic pollen of their p>-inciples, and the conijgioii 
 of their example. 
 
 20 And the Godofp.eacc flvall bniife Satan ur.^ 
 Aei your feet Ihortly. The grace of our Lord ]e- 
 fuii- Chrift be with you. Anicn. 
 
 Thole words may be coril'derrd eiiher relatively oralv 
 fol.irdy ; if rcl.itiveIy,or with relation lothe context, i.htn 
 hj Satan is to be undcrftood ftducers and falfe teacher?-, 
 wlumi he Ii^d warned the Rom jus of, in the preceding 
 vcilc; : Mink thfin '.■:hich Ciiti/c a'iv.'fiins S-ic. I.ciirn hence 
 I. That allcorrnptcrscf divin-etruths, and irojhlcrs of th« 
 xhinch's pence, ;ire Satan's inftrut.^^nts ; Oul fheli hru'fe 
 Stttiin, that is, Satan in his inflrumentf, urnhr y-jur feit. 
 learn, 1. That divine evangelical truth (iiali hs finally 
 vii'lorions; no weapon fornjcd agaiiifl it ftia!! proiper : the 
 head of error Dnii fall low at iall at tiie fest»f truili. Se- 
 ducers may bUifter for a time, but ilial! be bruiAd at l.ilK; 
 the fjod of peace iiiallbruife Satan flionly. Confidei- the 
 words abix)liitd^,a4id we have t virtory ppoclainud'; the 
 author of t/iat xittory deriared, the God of price ; tl.« 
 enemy conouercc!, Satan; thc<:':nqurfl, or niannejcf ccn- 
 cj'.iering, by biuiling ; t.ie time of the coi.cjotft. pot pjc- 
 j'cntly, but Hionly. The C-td if p, ace jh .U hriff Satan 
 fhii lly under y.-.tr feet. Ijcctrn, j. 1 h«t ilrc- rcctmcilfr t-f 
 the woild fiiall be the fubducr of Satan ; and in fubdu'i <r 
 Satan, he co!i'-iier> ail his inftrnments : He faith not, God 
 Ihallbruii'efeduccrvand heretics under your ix.e\ \ bu: i-i. 
 tan, and, in him, all iha: belong unro him ; as iheiall c r 
 th.: genera! put; the v.ht.'e ariiiy to the rout. 2. 'iJi.,c- 
 
 Al;uighty 
 
(>24 
 
 R O M A N S. 
 
 Chap. xVi. 
 
 A!fn!j^tyjGoil, in Ws own tiinf, will make hdievrrs com- 
 jiiete coiii'«\i:rors over Satan, and all their rirriiiial enemies. 
 Nifte, T>).j|it is by virtue of Chrili's ci>iii]nefl ovft-iatnn, 
 ihat Inliewrs become conquerors ; for die proinifc!!!! re 
 refers loilie origiiisl prumiCe, Gen. iii. 15. ThaSlflRriil, 
 ibc fctd of the wc'iun, fliiH bresk the ferpents heaii : Si) 
 ilien it is by virtus of tli.ic av5l of Jefj^Chrifl, bru'linn the 
 Crrpcnt'i I'.eaJ, yea, brer.k'ng it, that Satan is brtiifcc! on- 
 i\ir our feeti A^ Chnit briiifed him under his o^-n fcer, 
 I'o in hi> OAii time he wdl brtiile him u!;iicrovic feet. The 
 pcrfimil, as well as the rfpr<feiicative feed of the woman, 
 tii.il! breuk the ferptnc'i he.id. Remember, poor tempted 
 Chriftian, for ihy comfort, tlie Goil of peace will tread 
 Satan undrr \\\\ feet, fjiortly ; thou I'li.iU fee thy foot on 
 i!ie ni'fk of thy eneiny ; ant! w. hen once thy foot is over 
 the ihielhold ofiMory, tlioii fhaltcaft back a fmilinj* Ioi>k, 
 anJ f.ty, '" Now Satan, do thy worJl : throu^jh grace I 
 am where thou (halt never come." 
 
 21 TiiTiotheus mv work-fellow, and Lucius.iiid 
 {afon and Sofipatcr my kinfinan. fiiiute you. 22 
 1 Tcrtius, v.-ho wrote :.'i/j epiftle. I'alutc you in the 
 Lord. 23 GaiUs mine hofl, and oi the whole church, 
 falulcth you. F.radus the chamberlain of the city 
 falutcthyou, and Ouartus a brother. 
 
 Our aponie had, in the former part of the chapter, fa- 
 hited ihvirs perfoni hlmfelf ; here he fends the f.ilutations 
 of thofe that were v.iih liim to iltc faints or Chriilians at 
 Rome : Hereby Hien-ing that mutu.il love and amity, thu 
 hippy concord and unity, which is and ougiit to be be- 
 tween all the Tincere difciples and followers of Jefus, when, 
 though not in body, yet in mind, they fiiould be prt-fent, 
 wiili one another, an. I though dirtant in place, yet undi- 
 vided in aftVction. The twopriwcipal perfons here lendinp; 
 joint faliuatians wiih the apoltle to thefe Romans, .were 
 'J'imothy and G.iius. The former St. Paul calls his w<irk- 
 fellov.', or fellow-labourer Tirnjtheus my 'ucrk-fcUo'v.—^ 
 Wiicrc «;/<•, The great humility of the apollle in dignify- 
 isijrfo young a sian as Timothy then was, with this iiile. 
 AV.'iat greater dignity, then to be a fellow-worker w'iih the 
 apollie, in planting and propagating the gofpel of Jefus 
 Cliriit' T he latter was Gains, whom thi; apollle calls hit 
 h(jf}', and tha.h'jCt of the '.'jh-As church ; that is, a perfonem- 
 jiloycd by the church of Corinth to entertain Chrirtian 
 flranger.i. 'I'o perfor.'n the Sieaneft oflice.<i of love ami 
 Jcrvite U^r the perfocuted or dilVrclTid f.iints and fervants 
 of Jefus Chrill, 10 et'.terrain them in our houfe?, yea, to 
 «»alh their feet, is an honourable and acceptable fervice. 
 
 2.i Tlie i^race of our Lord Jefus Chrifl In with 
 ^-ou all. Amen. 
 
 Here again ourapoflle, from the abundance ofhisafttc- 
 tionate heart towards them, repeats his benediction of them, 
 t!nt the aiercy, grace and g lodnefs of the Lcrd Jefus 
 
 Chrirt tljly :-bideiipon, and ever rrcTPContinue with them. 
 W here n'/f. The f( iirf.'Hi ^.■.■.l^.■rif,inal fprinp from whcnre 
 all grate <ioth rife and liow ; nan;cly, from Jvius Ciiritt : 
 The grace of our LwJ 'Jtjus Chrljh It is fo called, becaufe 
 he purchafcd it for us, becaufe he applies it to us. 
 
 25 Now to him that is of power to cflablifli you 
 according to my gofpel and the preaching of Jefus 
 Chrill, according; to the revelation of the inyllery 
 wliich wa.s kept ftcrct fmce the world bc;^an, 26 
 But now is made manifeft, and by the fcripturcs of 
 the prophets, according tothe commandment oftht 
 evcrl.illinj God, made known unto all natipps .for 
 the obedience of faith. 27 To God only wife, ic 
 f^lory through Jefus Chrill forever. Amen. 
 
 Our apottle here corclt^des l;is excellent epiftle v.ith a 
 fulcmndoxolcgy (.r thankfgivir.g to God : In w hich hefirft 
 (Itfrribes Gcd, and iheiiafcribt* etern;! glory to him. He 
 defcribes liini, bo;h liy hi> power a::d by his wifdt>m. By 
 his power firft, "} •> him that is {:He to fftabliP? ) c.v jccirding 
 to my go/pel; that is, to eftablifli yc u in graceand triith,iii 
 faith and holinefs, and to keep ynu from fjlling into (in 
 and error. Suih is our weiknefs, and Satan's power, 
 that unlcfs God conf.rmardelbbrih us, we Hiall fuon run 
 into fin and danger. , A'-j/e' farther. The ii'.itruiuentai 
 means which God makes jfe of, for h:s.p;ople"s eihiblilh' 
 ment, and that is the gofpel, and the preaching of Jefus 
 Chnfi, the doclrine of the gofpel *hich Chrifl and his a- 
 apollles taught and delivered., This is called a myftery, 
 kept IVcret fmce the world began, ard ni.wm.".ce ni.n'.fell 
 for the obedience of the faith ; that is, that it may be be- 
 lieved and obeved. The iecor.d attribute in the deftrip- 
 tion of God, is hiswifdoni: he is called the wife, the only 
 wife God ; not to exclude the Son and Hcly Ghoft, but 
 the wifdom of the creature only : He is only wife origin- 
 allv, his wifdom is of himfcif ; yea, his wifdom is Iiimlelf: 
 The wifdom of God is not a tjn.i'ity, feparable from !iim- 
 felf, btit is his very efli-nce and naiiire. He is cidy wife, 
 becaufe he is incomparably wife ; there is none ilut for 
 wifdom can consparc with him. lie has ^«^ifdom in Inch a 
 degree and eminenty, that the very angels are chargeable 
 with folly before him. In a word, he is only w;fe, be. 
 c.nufc all wifdom is derived from him ; all the wifooiii of 
 angels and men is but a rav from h.is light, a drop from 
 his ocean. And if fo, iiien let the wifdom of God, in all 
 his dealings v.i;h usindcur'sbe admired .in iyiijred by us ; 
 for ail his work? of proviilence sie as t)rde!:y ami pirficl 
 as his woiks of creation, though wejtrceive it not. 
 
 Kozi! urJto Idm that ii able to keep ui from fdUng and. 
 To prejcnt us favltkfs before the prtfmce tj- hh ^loiy 
 v'ilh exceeding joy, to llu only wife GoU our Saviour, 
 It glory and majejiy: domimm and pr^iuer, noiu and 
 a ,^. Amen , 
 
 Ti:n 
 
r. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 <>J.l 
 
 If is written, eyq fias riot P*eTT,'nor ear 
 ler hive entered int'> >rt of man, 
 
 tn.: - .;.j> wliich God hnth prcparca lor lliemthat 
 lov ■ iM,;i. lo But Cod !i;itli revealed them unto us 
 by 1 ' Spirit : for t!ic Spirit fearchelh .ill things, yea 
 the Acty> tiiin^sof God. ii For what man knowcth 
 the thi;i,;s of a man, fave the fpirit of man which is 
 in him r* Even fo the things of Cod knowcth no 
 man, but tTie Spirit of God. \., , , 
 
 Thef'-- v.ords, £_vf/ /'jt;:^ wo/ /c^«,&c. do not immediately 
 refpecl the hippintfi ofheavcn, .inJ a future ftate, thc^ugh 
 very often ihey arefoapplied.but they are prini.irily fpi..k-'ii 
 of the j;olptl ftite, anil of tile bkJi.ig- to be enjoyeil by 
 them th.iiUive God ii^'re: From '.vheiKi.- a gouil arj;urnenc 
 may be dr.uvn to jirovethc inconceivable happiuefsot' the 
 faitits hereafter. Though they have felt ahtd tailed joys 
 unrpeak.ihle and full of j!,lory,in the aftings of their faith 
 and live upon Ood at prefect, yet all, th.it :hey have leen 
 ant1 heard, all that they h:ive tafted and frl: in the \v.,y to 
 heaven, fall, infinitely Ihort of the perfect.:) andblefl'd- 
 nefs of that place and ftate. Lurd ! ho-v v. ill tliy iiiiiiie- 
 diaie prefence, when we come into it, he ngrest furpriieto 
 rhofe of us th.ic have now the jrreateft acquaintance with 
 it ! Farther, The care r.nd kindnelb of Cod towards his 
 fcrvanrs, in revealing to them by his Spirit ihofe great and 
 good things prepared for theia which furpafs man's iinder- 
 itandini^. Though eye hath n'J fieri, n'lr ear beard, nor 
 heart conceived, the things vjhlch G'id hath prepared for them 
 that Itvc htm, yet God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, 
 There is a twofold revelation of the happinefsof a future 
 ftate. licveluthfidel, and rtveLtlo- vifionls, a revelation of 
 faith, and a revclationjby vifisn and light ; the former, be- 
 lievers have by the help of the Holy Spirit in this life, as 
 vljtores, the latter they (liall ere longei.joy in heaven, as 
 comprehenjeres, where they fliallfce as they are leen, and 
 k:i'.)iV3s they are known. Laftly, That the Holy Spirit,' 
 which thus reveaieth hidden ctJnnfels toman, andfearch- 
 eththfdecp thingsofCcd, is omnilcieni, and really God. 
 Mark, ( i) Hefearcheth deep iringj; he is not only acquaint- 
 ed with, and privy to theiurface and outliiie of things. biit 
 iearcheih things to the bottom. Aod, (2.) Ke fearcheih 
 not only the d.ep things of rnan, as of kings ar.d princes, 
 whole hears are a great deep, but thedeep things of God; 
 therefore the Spirit is God; for as the apcltle argues, ver. 
 II. No vtar. kttr,-weth the things of a man, ice. even J a tie 
 things of G'jd k'io~ueth no n:an but the Spirit nf God, or he 
 that is with God, in Go^, yea, God hiiiifelf, as intimate 
 with him as the foul is in the body. If the fpirit that is 
 in man were not man.itcouid ntverkoow thedcep things 
 of man ; and if the Spirit of God were not God he could 
 never fearch and knov,' the deepeft things of God. 
 
 12 Now we have received, not the fpirit of the 
 rorld, but the Spirit which is of. God ; that we 
 mi;^ht know the things that are freely given to u.sof 
 God. 13 Which things alfo we fpeak, not in the 
 Tvords which man's wifdom teacheth, but which the 
 
 P£oIy Ghofl teacheth, comparing fpiritual thin 's 
 with fpiritual. 
 
 Njtc here, i. The apoftle declares what fpirit they }i,id 
 not received, namely, the fpirit of the world: M'chaven:t 
 received the Spirit of the -u/orld; that is, the fpirit which fug- 
 gcfts vvordiy wifdom, and favours only worh'ly thing*, 
 which ads and influences only wordly men. In the uhnlc 
 generation of worldly men, there is the fame worldly fpirit 
 and iliis fpirit C(f the world is an earthly fpirit ; it is a low, 
 a little, and narrow Spirit : Larthly things, which arepre- 
 fent ard vifible.fuch a foul gapes afier,and grafps bard; but 
 future and invifible things, which are far oft, and out of 
 fight, are neither believed nor fought alter. 2. The apol- 
 ile declares what Spirit they had received, namely, the 
 Spirit which Is of C:d. And of what ule that Holy Spirit 
 is uiro tliem: It teaches tiiem to kno-cjthe things luhlck arc 
 freely given V Go'l ; th.it is the Holy Spirit ofGod are ; we 
 are enlightened with the knowledge cf that grace and good- 
 nefs of God which isdifcuvered to u- in the gofpcl ; >ve 
 know both divine aiyfteries and iliviue n;ercies bi th what 
 God hath done for us, and what he hath wrought in us, 
 which are the things that are Jr,eiy gh-in us ct Cod. IS'cle, 
 3. '1 he apoftle declares, he pre.ichcd thefefjiritual things 
 after a fpiritual manner, not in the words which man's -lif- 
 dom teacheth, but luhuh the Holy Ghojt teacheth ; that is, 
 in the words, and after the manner now counted by the 
 Gentile philofophers to be learned and wife, but in the 
 very words and after the very manner which the Spirit of 
 God teacheth us. Where Lam, That the holy apolHcs 
 fpjke and writ by the immediate infpiration i>f the .Holy 
 Ghoft, as well as the prophets of t)Id time, and delivered 
 nothing as from Gid, to what God revealed to them by' 
 his Holy Spirit ; and accordingly, fome interpret tbofe 
 words, Comp.irlng fplrlfaal thlrf^s 'd'lth fphltutil; that is, 
 fay they, comparing the things which were writ by the 
 Spirit in and under the Old Teftamcm with what is now 
 revealed to us under the New. 
 
 4 But the natural man receiveth not the thing* ' 
 of the Spirit of God : for they are foolilhnefs unto 
 him; neither can he kndw thtm, Kcaufe they are' 
 fpiritualiy dilcerned. 
 
 Note here, i. The fubject fpoken of, the natural man ; 
 not <r«i)i,xef, the fcnfual, but pnyin, the animal nnm, who 
 aclsonly by the prircifiles of human realbn and worldly 
 wifdom ; who though well furril (lied with intelleilual antl 
 moral improvemcnis, it yet dcltiiute of the enlightening 
 Spirit, and the renew ing grace of God,/ 2. Whatishere 
 affirmed of the iiatur;:! man, with reisreuce to fpiritual 
 things, (i.) That he rectiveih not the things. of the 
 Spirit of God. (2.) That he cannot knew them. Where 
 note. That itisnot faid^ Thache.know."":!: \:rt the thiiigsof 
 God, but the things of the Spirit cfC ere are limie 
 
 things of God, which a natieral iv»:- ,• .-v, but tie 
 
 things of the Spirit of God,, as J)- ut lis purely evaiigelicaf, 
 tbefe he recciveth not.neiiherin JiisumJciliEuJing, tK>r:i> 
 his will. N've, further, jt js not barely fjid thctjje dc;h 
 nor, but thatJi* caniiut kjiffw U»e^. Nauualreafonalone 
 
^s^ 
 
 1. CORINTHIAN S. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 by vk hat helps focvcr airiftcd and improved, is altogether 
 infnflicJent, without fpiritualilluiniiiaiion, to apprehend lu- 
 ,f)crnatural and evangelical truth ; not but that theSpiritof 
 C/nd, in the work of illumination and converfion, makes 
 ufe of our realbn ; that flower cf the Ibul is not blafted, 
 blit more cpcncd by ihe blowing of the blel>"cd Spirit. 
 Chrillianity doth not command us to throw away our 
 res Ton, but to fubjiigate it ; not to deny or difown our 
 reafiMi, biit to captivate it to the obrdience of faith : But 
 the feiifc of the apoftle ij, that a perfon of the nioltexqiii- 
 Hte natural acconiplifiiments, and one that has improved 
 his reafon to ihehighrll pitch, canr.ct beholil evangelical 
 niyOcrics in their jiropcr light, or embrace thcii in their 
 verity and beauty, without the fuperadded aids and aliift- 
 anccs of lbs Holy Spirit. 3. The reafons declared, why 
 thejiatural man receiveth. not the things of the i^pirir, 
 bccatile thty are folifbuefs ur:toh:m; that is, he acco\ints 
 them foolilhncfs when propounded to him, bcciufe he doih 
 rot lee them proved fiom principles cf natural realon, and 
 •by philofophic.il productions which is the only wifdoni 
 that he fecksafter. The reafon is alfo added, why he can- 
 not kno-JD ihctn, hccaufc they are fpir'ttnally difcemtd ; that 
 is, the natural man cannot know divine things by that«if- 
 dom which he alone v. ill be conducted by ; and fpiritual 
 things mufl be fpiritually difcerned ; for being mylteries, 
 they are not knowable by human reafon, but by fpiritual 
 revelation. And if the wifdom of the world, that is, the 
 learned and wifeft men in the world, were thus unable, by 
 the fharpe-ft light of reafon, todifcover evangelical myfte- 
 ries; Lord! how endearing are our obligations for the 
 benefit of Aipernatural revelation, v hereby the hidden 
 wifdom of God is made known unto us 
 
 15 But he that is fpiritual, judgcth all things, yet 
 he himfclf is judged of no man. 
 
 As if the apoftle'had faid, " Although the natural man, 
 who a(fteth only by principles of human reafon, receiveth 
 nit the thing! cf the Spirit, nor can know them by any fi tidy 
 cfhis 6-.y«, becaiUe they are fpiritualjy difcerned ; yet he 
 that is fpiritual, that is, who hath the revelation and illu- 
 mination of the Spirit of God, judgcth, or difcerneth, and 
 Trieth all things, that is, oil fpiritual matters: yet he him- 
 felf is judged (J M man, that is, difcerned by none who 
 hath no higher principle, than that of nature to difcern 
 things by." Learn hence, That fuch Chri(tians as are 
 cn1i"-htened and renewed with, guided and condu(fted by 
 the Hdy Spirit of God, are the only proper judges of fpi- 
 ritual matters, able lounderfland their duty, and to difcern 
 between good and evil. He thai is fpiritual judgeth all things^ 
 
 i6For whoh.ithknown the mind of the Lord, that 
 ]icmayinllru£t him? But we have the mind ofChrift 
 
 That is, ''What man, without divine revelation and 
 fpiritual illumination, ever knew orunderftood the mind of 
 Cod lb well, as to be able to inflruft, di'-ecl:, and inform 
 the fpiritual man about it ? But we who are fpiritual, have 
 the mind of Chrift, and fo are able to difcern and direft, 
 to guideandinftrucl others about it.'' Learn hence, That 
 r.onc are Hi and futficient to interpret the mind of God 
 nto others, who arc not atquaiiued v.'iili it iheinfehes: 
 
 JVe have the mind of Chrift, faiih the apoflie of himfclf and 
 his fellow-labourers in the gofpel : Hisnieaning isnotonly 
 this, that they had the minti ofChrid written in a book, 
 but that they had a dear underitandingof it, and fo were 
 fitted to interpret it to others. There is no fuch know- 
 ledge as the knowledge of experience, no teaching like 
 unto experimental teaching. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Our apcflle havinS; reproved ihe Ccrirjhians for (heir 
 conterUions and divifioHi, for the /aliens c;:d pariiei 
 which xvere found among Jt t/unn; here Jfiavs zvhat 
 a fcandal their (Jijfetifions were to religion, and a rC' 
 proach to tliemf elves. 
 
 AN D I, brethren, could not fpeak unto you as 
 unto fpiritual, but as unto carnal, rt'fnasunto 
 babes in Chnfl, 
 
 As it the apoftle had faid, " My brethren, although I 
 fpeak the higheft wifdom amongft them that are prrfecl, 
 yet could n<Bt 1 fpeak unto you as unto fpiritual perfons, but 
 as unto carnal, bccaufe the works of the flefh are found 
 with you, and at the bcfl you are but babei in Chrift." 
 Learn hence. That even amonglt thofe who are the true 
 and real members of the vifible church, fonie are fpiritual, 
 and fome are carnal, foBie are men, fome are bibei. The 
 apodle doth not call them abfolutcly carnal, as if they wete 
 wholly given up to the works of the flefh; but compara- 
 tively fo, having too muchcarnaliiv and corruption in them,, 
 and favouring too much of the flelli, though tur the main 
 truly pious ; and therefore he ufes the word as, for midgi- 
 tion fake : I could not fpeak unto you but as unto carnal. 
 
 2 I have fed you with milk, a:id not with meat: 
 for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet 
 now are ye able. 
 
 With milk, that is, with eafy and common truth? ; not 
 withthe myfteriouspart ofgofpel«knowledge ; wirhthefirfl 
 principles of the doctrine of Chrill, and not with the higher 
 doftrincs of Chrilfianity, which neiiher then, nor now, are 
 ye able to bear. Learn hence. That it is great prudence 
 and wifdom in the minillers of Chrift to inftruft people in 
 the firft principles of religion, in order to their reguhrad- 
 vancing higher in Chriftianity. Minifters are fpiritual 
 nurfcs ; they firft muft fer d with milk, then with meat, 
 otherwife they will not nourifli, buf.deftroy. 
 
 3 1 For ye are not carnal ; for whereas there is 
 among you envying and flrifc and divifions, are ye 
 not carnal, and walk as men ? 
 
 That is, "Ye are in a great meafurc carnal ; for your 
 envy, ftrife, and divifions, prove you tobefo, and that you 
 liVe according to the corrupt nature of man." They had 
 the feed and root of grace abiding, and yet the relics of 
 corruption remaining ni them. 1 here is a vaft difTerence 
 between weak grace, and no grace: between the prefence 
 of fin, and the power of fin. But how could the apollle 
 here call the Corinthians carnal, and babes iii Chrift, when 
 
Chap. ni. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS 
 
 G.> 
 
 ^•^5 
 
 in chap. i. ver. <;. he affirmed tY»3t ihey v/ere enrUheti -uirh 
 all kno-^lf,lgf and utterance P Ay\j'. That niip;ht be true as 
 to fome psrcicular perfons aniongft them who had thole 
 extraordinary giftsof tonj^ues and niiradesgn-en tliem for 
 the confirmation of the gofpel ; and yet what is herefaid, 
 be true, as to the gcnerahty of tliem, that iliey had too 
 much carnality and unmoriified corruption remaining in 
 tbem : ye arc yet carnal. Next, What proof he gives of 
 it, namely, ocular dtmonftratioii ; for, lays he, there are 
 among you emying,flrtfc, and dlvijions . )Lnvy, as the root 
 bears Itrifc; and ftrife breeds diviliont and factions. Envy 
 is a peftilent lull, yea, a devililh lufl ; it makes another's 
 good our grit f. The devil envies God and man their 
 happinefs ; lie rejoices at the deftruftion of finners, though 
 he h:isnoadvant.ige by it ; nay, though it increafeth his 
 torment, becaufe they were tempted by him to (in. There 
 is nothing fo like the devil as a;i envious nian, with his 
 cloven foot, to make divifion wherever he comes. Learn 
 hence, i. That envy is the caui'e nml companion of llrife. 
 2. That ilrile and contention, differencec and divilions, are 
 eftenfi)unil in the churchesof Chnlt, and ainongp.irticular 
 Chiifti.ms. •?. That fo far asthefe prevail in and among 
 any, it evidences liutihey are carnal, and walk as men. 
 
 4 For while one faith lam of Paul, and another, 
 I am of Apollos, are yc not carnal ? 
 
 That it, one f:iith, in oppofnion to another, I am the 
 difciplL- of Paul ; aid another I follow Apollos : and t hus 
 probably, they call ihemfelvei after the names oftheir ad 
 mired preacher^, facbioufly crying up one nimirter above 
 iinother. Hence learn. That although itbe a people's duty 
 to have a oreat and hitrh efteem of the minillersof Chrill, 
 vet muft not their relpcCl degenerate into a iiiilul admira- 
 tion of their perfons; for the fiidious affecting of one minil- 
 ter above another, is both (inful and dangerous. When the 
 gifts and abilities of one minifter are cried up to the con- 
 tempt of others, it occafious enmity and diflcidion amongll 
 niinifters themfelvei, and their people alfo : Jreye not csr- 
 nal, ivhfn r^nc faith, 1 am of Paul, and ai'.clher, 1 am cf 
 yipilhs ? It if'added, chap. i. i 2. And UfCh Ifi ■• That is, 
 they f.iclioufly laid they were of, or for Chrill in oppoii- 
 tion to his mmifters. They pretended to the immediate 
 teachings of Chrift. and had no need of the rainilVy, either 
 of Paul or Ap )!las. Learn hence, That altlioug,h Chrilt 
 only is to be relied upin, as heail of his church, yet it is 
 not his will we fhould defpife his iuiniftry, or contemn his 
 miniliers under that pretence. ! 
 
 5 Who tht;n i.s Paul, and who h Apollos, but 
 miniftershy whom ye believed, even as tbo Lord 
 gave to every man ^ 
 
 Ai if the apoftle had fj'd./' Neither Pan! or Apollos 
 were the authors of your f.-iith. but only n-iini'.ierisl helpers 
 of it, as Gild i- plcafed to fiir^ iiii them with gifts,- and to 
 give a bI<:JTing to their tninifterial endeavours." ^ocr 
 ininiliers give out toyou as God gives in to them, and 
 therefore, you onjht no: faJliouily to boalt of their gift?, 
 n'->r to n.i ike parties upon tliat account. Learn hence, j. 
 That the miniftrv of the word is the inilituted nieai>and 
 iiiltrumental caufe, whicli God hath appointed. for working 
 
 faith in the hearts of nicn. '.. Tliat God iias furnifli^d 
 his miniftcrs with variety of gifts and abilities ; all which 
 he makes ulcof, in order to that end. r^. That therefore, 
 the miniftersof Chiiit ought neither to be dtfiled nor nul- 
 lified, neither to be cried np, nor trodden down ; we arc 
 not efficient caufcs, hut only inrtrumcntal means of f-itli. 
 Render therefore unto God the glory of tiie author, and 
 unto minillers the honour of tlie inflrument, Who is Puul, 
 end 'j)ho is Apollos, but minij?ers. 
 
 6 I have planted, Apollos watered ; but God 
 gave the incrcafe. 
 
 J planted : That is 1 (irll preached the gofpel amor.fr 
 you, and hril inflruded yon in the principles of Chrift : J 
 converted you to Clirifl. After ine car.ie Apo'.ios, and 
 watered tiie feed which 1 had fown ; but God it was, and 
 God alone, that cauled the feed which 1 fowed, ai.d 
 Apollos watered, to fructify and increafe. Learn, i. That 
 it is an adt of difcriniinating grace and favour in God, to 
 fend out his minifters plant the gofpel ainongd a people 
 that never before heard of it, 2. That it is an act of 
 farther favour and grace in God, to follow a people with a 
 lucceiTion of minifters, in'ordcr to the wateritig of the feed 
 formerly fown among them. 3. That all that minifters 
 can do, is to plant and water; they cannot give increafe, 
 nor procui"e the fuccefs of 'lieir miiiifterial endeavours. 
 Blefled be God, that he doth not require the iucrefs of our 
 labours at our hands. Wo unto us, Hiould he f.iy, "Ei- 
 ther reconcile my people to me, or 1 will never be re- 
 conciled unto you." Diligence and endea\ours i >oi!r'f, 
 the bIciTmg and fuccefs is God's : He will never blame us 
 for doing his work. 
 
 7 So then, neither is he that plantelh any thing, 
 neither he that watered ; but God that giveth tbf 
 increafe. 
 
 The fenfe is, 'Neither is he th.tt planteih to bpeftee:n3.J 
 as any thing, nor he that waiereth as any thing, but xhc 
 glory of all muft be .nfcribed to God that give th the increafe. ' 
 Vet muft we underftand the apoftle fpeakin^ :hi;s not ab- 
 folutely, but comparatively ; " They are r.oi ;.',iy thing, 
 tha: is, not any thing of ihemfelves alone, withoat the con- 
 currence of the Spii it ; what excellent gifts foever they 
 have, they cannot of themfelves make the word.they preach 
 effectual."' Lord ! how many fouls do find both the nii- 
 niftry and ministers to be nothing as to them? If it beanv 
 thing topurpofe to any foul, it is God', and not his minl:- 
 ters, that makes it fo, The heft and ableft miuiftry i% 
 nothing to any laving purpofe, without Gi U's powtr g ■,■- 
 ing the increale. 
 
 8 Now he that plantf-th, and^hc that watrrrth. 
 are one; and every one fliall receive hisown r'j\v'n'. 
 according to his own labour. 
 
 He that plante'.h, and he that waterelh, are ^.r.e : that i'. 
 in their delignand fcope, in the aiiii and er; I ^A their mi. 
 niftry : therefore, they fh-inld not be factiouliy divitlcd, 
 either among themfelves, or by their hearers. Alihouph 
 there is a variety and diverfity in the gifts of Chrilt's 
 4 L z njiniftcrs, 
 
-'-Jj^f 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS, 
 
 Chap. iit. 
 
 imnJrteri, yer I'ns intfiitanJ Jefij^nof th?ir niiniftry being 
 one, jJiey- all ought to a;:rrfe ns cne. They fhouWbeone in 
 <lrn5l»-inr,' ami one in aft^ctton, aiming; at one an;! the fame 
 mark ; nain<"lv, tlie glorv of God, and inen'i falvation, as 
 tliey are oil'" ill their office, inflitutian :<n'i end. Jt follows, 
 Every n:Jti fl)iillr<-cftv^hh o'jjnriyjurd, acarJirg to bis ovjn 
 fithcur. Tht-nre iearn, tliat every iiian, efpecially every 
 m'tu'iler, is t'ure torecei^-c a proportionable revvard hereat"- 
 s-T, arcordincrto liislabmir and working for God here. 2. 
 TJic appfob-nion and diftinition of this reward : He fiiall 
 receive kis o-Mn revjan/ ; implying, that there .ire degrees 
 of reward and glory in heaven, according as men have la- 
 boured more or lefs for God here on earth : According t« 
 this gradiu! diverfry fliall be gradiiDl degrees of glory. ?. 
 Mhe meafure and ru^e of this reward ; according to his 
 libour, not according to his fuccefs; acconling ;o his in- 
 ilaftry, not according to the fruit of his miniltry : If he 
 labours faithfully, CJnd will rew.ird him proportionably, 
 though few or none have believed his report. 
 
 9 For we arc labourerstogcthcrwithCod; yearc 
 God's hufbanclry,^d are God's building. 
 
 Note here, i. The honourable title put upon the mlnir- 
 tcrsof God ; they are labourers, or workers together with 
 Crod. But in what fenfe are they fo ? Anfw. Not fo by 
 any power of their own, to produce any fpiritual effcd, as 
 if they without God could work faith and repentance in 
 :he hearts of (Inners ; but they work only by an externa! 
 application of the niinifbry of the word, and the means of 
 j:race to the fouls of men. They are under-laboiireN to 
 God, and Cod honours them by working by them, and 
 V orking with thcni, for the convcrflon ot men. 2. The 
 honourable relation in which the church ftands to Cod : 
 The church and people of God, are his hufbandry, and his 
 building: )!: are God's }?ufhandry, ye are God's 'ptiildin^. 
 Which phrale implies, (t.) Power and goodnefsin making 
 them fo : A building is not of itfclf, nor is a field clothed 
 with goodly corn of itfelf. (2.) It implies dominion and 
 abiblutefuvereignty:The mailer is the ordererofthehoufe 
 jnd the hufbandman the difpofer of his ground. (3.) It 
 denotes propriety and interell, that we are not our own, 
 but God's. The houfe is the owners, not its own. God 
 is their's, and ail that God has is their's alfo. 
 
 10 According to the grace of God which isgiven 
 unto me, as a wife mafter-builder J have laid the 
 foundation, and another buildeth thereon, liut let 
 every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 
 
 Kott here, i. The character which St. Paul alTuines to 
 himftlf, namely, that of a luafter-builder, yea, of « ivife 
 inajitr-builder. But wa; it not vain-glorious in the apoitle 
 thus to defcribe himfelf .^^ Is pot Chrift the great and wile 
 nialler-buiJder of his church? Yes, undoubtedly : But the 
 apoftles wercinftruments in his hand, which he honoured 
 vith fuccefs; for which reafon, St. Paul thus fpeaks. 
 Leant hence, That in (ome cafes it is not vain-glory, but 
 a neceiriry duty, for the miniders of Chriil to ni.ignify 
 their work and office received from Chrift. 2. Thefpeci;.I 
 work periornieJ by St. Paul, the wife uiader builder,*/ 
 
 laid the foundalht \ that is, he fiift acqiiaintfd them with 
 the'roduneius and fundamental principles of the Cnridian 
 religion, which they had never heard of before. Learn 
 thence, that it is a fpecial part of divine wif'dom in a mi- 
 nifl-T to lay at Hrll a good founilaiion of fcripture know- 
 ledge in the minds and unJsrrtandings of his people. 
 Unlefs we have a knowing people, we art; not like to have 
 a gracious people. All our I'ermons will be dafhedTO 
 pieces upon the rock of our people's ignorance, if they be 
 not well caihehifed and inf^ructed in the fundamentals of 
 Chriltianity. 3. How very careful our apofHe is to afcribe 
 all our rtrength, his afiiftance and fuccefs as a mafler- 
 builder, to the grace of God : According to the grace of 
 God gi'jen to ir.e. Learn thence. That it is the property of 
 every godly man, much more of every gracious minilter, 
 to attribute all that good which is either received or dene 
 byhiit! to the grace of God. What man ever received 
 • more grace from God, or did more fervice for God, than 
 St. Paul ? And fb enlarged is he upon all occafions, in 
 magnifying the grace of God, that he is never fatiified in 
 exalting of it : Not I, but the grace of God that was with 
 me, iic. 4. The cautionary direction given by ifr. Paul 
 toallfuc^eedingminiifcrs of Chrift, to take heed that they 
 ]ay.i)^,o:her foundation than what was laid by him; and 
 that they build fuit-ibly upon that foundation : Let exery 
 man t»kc hcfd kO'-J he build therein. Learn hence, That 
 the minilicrsot Chrift are to take fpecial care that they 
 preach no other dcclriiie that u hat Chrilf and his apoftles 
 preached, and laid as the fouijdation of Chrillijuity ; and 
 that they do not biiild upon that fourdation any doitrine 
 which may endanger their own or their people's lalvation; 
 / h^n-e laid the fcunduticn^ and let every man take heed btvj 
 ■ he buildeth thereupon. - 
 
 X 1 For other foundation can no man lav than tliat 
 is laid, which is Jefus Chrift. 
 
 That is, no other true foundation can any Bjari lay, than ■ 
 that which is already laid by nic; nanie'y,th'; knowledge 
 of Jelus Chrift, and faith in him. The ininilfers of Chrill 
 ought to lay no other foundation than Chrift : They are 
 to lead their people to, and buiid them upon, no other rock 
 butChrift. All threatenings, proniife?;, commands, duties, 
 privileges, are to be preached, and prefled with refpec'l to 
 Jefus Chrift; He is to be laid as the only foundation in 
 relpect of knowledge, in refpectof faith,'n rtfpectofjufti- 
 fication, in refjucl of interceffionand acceptance with God. 
 The ininiftcr's great work is to fet Chrift forth in all his 
 glorious fulnefs, to reprefent him in all his oifices, as a 
 glorious objeft for the eye of our faith to look into, and 
 fix upon. 
 
 12 Now if any man build 'ijjonthis fouHdation, 
 gold, filver, precious {lone.s, wot :^. hay. flubble : 
 13 Every man's work fhall be; .if.-ll. For 
 
 tlic day fhall declare it, hf.?. 'ed 
 
 by iire ; and the lire fhall n .of 
 
 what fori it is. 1 4 If any man's work abtde which 
 he hath built thereupon, he fhall riceiv< 1; 
 
Chap III. 
 
 T. C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 ^37 
 
 15 If any man's work fTnll be Iburnr, he fhall fufF^-r 
 lofs.-buthehiinfelf'niallbcf;ived; yetfo, as by fire. 
 
 In thefe words i he apnflle fpeaks of two for:sof prcnclicrs 
 under the metaphor of buildtrs : (i.) Some iliat arc found 
 and orthodox, v.hoholJ the foundation, and build upon it 
 gold, fdvir, strA prechus /lf,nes ; \\\Ai\s, loch fincere and 
 wholelbine doctrine as wiilhear thetouih-itone and trial. 
 yi.) Others that are unfound and erroneous, who hold 
 indeed the foundatloa of Chriftianity, but build upon it 
 futh doarinesaswill not bear tiie trial, expreffed by *ood, 
 hay, and ftubblc^ which are not proof a^;ainll fife. Learn 
 hence, i. That the doclrine of Chrill and the truths of 
 the gofpcl are very excellent, and exceeding precious ; 
 compared 10 gold, filver, and precious ftones, for their n(c- 
 fulnefs and precioufnefs. Learn, 2. That nil errors and 
 faUlioads in religion, all erroneous and falfe doctrines, 
 though not fundamental, are yet no better than hay and 
 ftubble, vain and unprofitable, vile and contemptible. (3,) 
 As a two foil! builder defcnbed, fo a two-fold event de- 
 clared : Seme men's work, that is, their doctrines and 
 praiflices, will abide the fire, others will be burnt up, and 
 i'utfer lofs ; where, by the fire, underftand the word and 
 Spirit of God. A probatory, not apurgatory fire, is here 
 intended; becaufe it is faidto burn not the perfon, but the 
 action, and ffvery action too of every man. Now the 
 Pcpilh purf;atory fire tries not all perfons, fome are ex- 
 empted as martyrs ; and not ail actions neither, but wicked 
 ones only ; whereas this fire fliall try every man's work. 
 The meaning is, that the light of Goil's word and Spirit 
 will nianifeft the verity and vanity, thefoundnefs orfalfe- 
 nefs of doitrines delivered by all preachers. Sound doc- 
 trine, that, l.ke good metal, will endure the furnace, fljall 
 be re^varded; but fuch doctrines aj will not endure ttie 
 trial, fliall mifs of the reward. Lcarnhfnce, i. That all 
 the •Aay s and works of wickednefs in general , and all hidden 
 and fecret ways of falfe doctrine in particular, God will one 
 day reveal and make manifell ; Every tmin'f 'jutrk /kallbe 
 made maniftf?: for the day /}}uil dcchirg it. 2. 'ihat the 
 true and fincere doctrine of the gofpel is firm and durable, 
 and fuch as will abide the dofelt trial ; yea, and will grow 
 inore illudriou"; and glorious thereby. 3. That men may 
 hold the foundation, and maintain the fundamentals of 
 Chriftianity, and yet may fo Inperltructupon it, and fuper- 
 add (o many things unto it, whereby tiiey may greatly en- 
 danger theirow n and others fal vation : T/jfy fiall bs/aved, 
 yet /o /7f by fire • thit is, with great difficulty, having ex- 
 poled themfelves to the iitmofl hazard and danger. The 
 j'peech is proverbial, and iignifics both the greatnefs of the 
 danger, and the difficulty of efcaping it; intimating, that 
 errorsin judgment, endanger a perfon's falvation, as we!! 
 as ungodiinefs in pr.ictice. He that has a due care of his 
 (onl's falvation, will be as well afraid of erroneous prin- 
 ciples, as he is of debauched practices : For error is as 
 ilam-iable a vice: The one is an open road, the other a 
 by-patii to hell and dtUruttion. 
 
 16 I Know ye not that ye arc the temple of 
 God, and ihat the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? 
 IT If any man defile the temple of Cod, him fhall 
 
 God dt flroy ; for the temple of God is holy, vvhlcii 
 Icmpkyc arc. 
 
 Our apoftle here, in the judgment of fome interpreter?, 
 makes ufe of a farther argument to convince the Corinthi . 
 ans of the evil of their diviiions. They are the church and 
 temple ofGod, and therefore not to be profaned by divfions'-. 
 Kuo-jJ ye mt that ye are the temple tf Ccd ? as if iheapoftle 
 had faid, "You Corinthians, by being converted to Chrif- 
 tianity, are become a Chrittian chinch, an hcly temple in 
 which the Spirit of Gcd doth dwell, and where ;he Spirit 
 of divifion ought not to dwell ; for if any man defile the 
 temple of God, by dividing the church into factions and 
 parties, him will God deRroy ; for the temple of the Lord 
 is holy, and not to be profaned by your dividing luft?, 
 which temple ye are." Learn hence, i. That the people 
 of God, met together to worffiip him, are the church or 
 fpiritual temple of God. ;. That the Spirit of God dwells 
 in the church, or temple of God : and this<l',velling im- 
 plies propriety, familiarity, authority, refidency, and fixed- 
 nefs of abode. 3. That fuch as defile the holy temple of 
 God either by fadions divifions, or erroneous doctnnes, 
 do provoke God to deftroy them ; that is, to punifh them 
 with temporal deftruction, and, without repentance, with 
 eternal damnation : If any man defile the leripU ' " ' ' 
 himJhaUCoddt/froy, 
 
 1 8 1 Let no man deceive himfclf. If any man 
 among you fccmeth to be wife in this world, let him 
 become a fool, that he may be wile. 19 For the 
 wil'dom of this world is foolifhnefs with God : for it 
 is written, He takeththc wifein their own craftinefs. 
 20 And again. The Loidknoweth the thoujhts of 
 the wife that are vain. 
 
 Obferve here, i- A word of caution ; L(t no man deceiv<! 
 himfelf. Self deceit is the ground of all other deceit. 
 Whatever deceit is abroad, it beginsat home. A deceitful 
 heart will not (pare fo much as itillf ; although this felf- 
 deceit be mod unnatural and monftrous, molt fatal and 
 pernicious. 2. A word of exhortation, ]funy mjn feem 
 to I e 'vife, let him income a foal, thai he may be wfe ; that 
 is, " If any man feems to be wife in the wil'dom and learn- 
 ing of this world, let him embrace the doiftrinf of Chrift, 
 winch the world calls foolifhnefs, and fo become a fool to 
 them, that he m«y be wife .-■cccrding to the wifdom of 
 God." /ejr/! hence. That all liunian and worldly v/ifdom 
 cometh far of, and is but a mere fhadow .ind appearance, 
 compared with the wif.lom of God ininlfeftcdin ihegofpel. 
 Ohfeive, 3, A word of inforcenient : For the 'jjifdim of this 
 iwirldii fo'jijhnefs with Cud. It is fp in God's cpmion and 
 eftimation ; he accounts it fo. If we compare wit with 
 grace, learning with rel'gion, a ration.'.l head with a gra- 
 cioushcjrf, the latter infinitely tr;infcends tlicformerin the 
 account of God. All the admired wifduinof worldly men, 
 is nothing but contemptible folly in the elteem ol God. 
 The world's wife man, is God's fool. 4. A double teTti- 
 mony which the apoftle produces out of the OldTeftament 
 to prove his pffertion, that the wifd< tn of the wor'd is 
 foolithnefs with Cod. The firlt is 6u:of jcbv. 13. fie 
 
 takiih 
 
b-S 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 t,ik;tb ths vji/v in tbe'tr S'li/i craflhuft. team hence, That 
 jio wifdom i>r craftinefs of man can ft.md before the wif- 
 liom and power of God. The fecoml teftimony is taken 
 out of I'falni \civ. ii. The Lord knu-jjeth the thvigbts of 
 rtsn, i'.'Jt thay are vain ; chat is, the clioiceft and belt 
 lliOHghts of the wifcft men are vain, yea, vanity. 
 
 z\ Therefore let no man (jlory in men: For all 
 things arc yours : 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos 
 or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things 
 pretcnt, or things to come ; all arc yours : 23 And 
 \c arc Chrift's : and Chrill is God's. 
 
 Here the apollle clofes his difcourfe with an inference 
 no: to g'ory in any teaclier wliatfoever, eitiier in Paul, or 
 Apollo', or Cephas, feeing they were all theirs ; that is, all 
 '.he apoltles and niiniftcrs ofClirill, from the highcll to the 
 lowed, from thogrcatell to theleall.and all their minifterinl 
 j^ifts and l.ihours, are all ordained and appointed by God 
 lor their life and fcrvice : All things are your's. whether 
 Puiil, vr j-ip')l'.0Sf0r Cephat./ Learn \\tnce. That all nii- 
 nillers, and ininillerial abilities, are wholly for thechnrch's 
 fcrvice, and I'piritnal advantage ; all their power is for the 
 chnrch's prefervation, all their gifts are for the church's 
 edilicaiion. Their nieffagc is for the church's comfort and 
 confolation : Thus all things, in and belonging to the 
 tlinrch, are our's. Next he mentions the things of the 
 world as oiir's. Or the 'jjorld ; that i's,all the good things 
 in the world are our's, houfes, lands, honours, friends, 
 relations, fo .""aras God fees them good for us. But are 
 there not njany that are ChriiVs, who want honfes .ind 
 friends, and other comforts, how then cm they be faid to 
 liavc them ? /Inf. ( r .) They have all things eminently and 
 tranfcendantly in God and Chrift, by whom they have a 
 title to all things, llev. xxi. 7. (2.; They have all things 
 virtually in tiieir contentment and fatisfac^ion of mind 
 whicli they do enjoy. (3.) They have all things eventu- 
 ally ; they have the goo(l of all things, when they have not 
 the actual pofclllon of all things ; their very wants, in the 
 event, work iov ^ood. Or IJe ; this is our's two ways : 
 The toii>tor'. of life h our's, and the end of life is our's, 
 with the trivr afe of it ; forthefinccre Chriltian only lives 
 to porpo.re,by anfwering the great end otlife, which is the 
 proinoiiiia GikI's g'ory, and fecuring his own faTvation. 
 Or death : that wiiich is in itfelf fo terrible is for the be- 
 lie ver's ad vantage, their friend, tlicir privilege, their pafljge 
 to heaven, their deliverer from fin, the perfecler of their 
 jrrace ; when weconTe at heaven, and not tillthen, we ni.^ll 
 jolly underftand what this meaneth, Death if ours. Or 
 ii.'iiiQS preftns ; that is, all the events of providence which 
 ber.dns, wheilierprofperity oradverfuy, health orritknel>, 
 riches or poverty, thi v are all f.mct.fied to us, and are in- 
 lirutnenial for the f.tndfying of us. They are covenan-t- 
 bleliings, and difpcnfcd in love to us. Or things to rome ; 
 that is, all future, things which may bef.il us in this world, 
 and in t'rie world taco:ne, fh.dl be tooiir abundant ailvan- 
 zan ', wh therihcy be m-rcitulor good thin^^s, or grievous 
 and fid tiiiig'-; pirticnla.lv, deatn is to cone, but tt)clie 
 iSiFiin: Ciir.ft's death was the death of d.-.^th ; he has 
 Uii'anneddeaiiiut its ftiti^; ; tlie believer fears not its dart ; 
 
 it is an hurting hut ati healing ferpent : There is no Venftm 
 or malignity in it ; hut that which wasbcfore in thenum- 
 ber of ihreatenings, is now brought within the compafscf 
 the gofpel-promifes ; all things are our's, life or death, 
 things pnfent, and things to come. And ye are ChriJ,'\' ; 
 that is, not Paul's or Ap 'llos's difciples or fervant^, bi't 
 only Chrift's, therefore glorj- in hiin. ConlVcratc all to 
 the ferviceof Chrift, and rcfign upall to the will of Chrifl; 
 ye are Chrift'sby donation, ye are Chrilt's by redemption, 
 ye are Chrift's by conqucft ; ye are therefore to glory in 
 him, and in him only. And Ckrijf is God's ; that is, as 
 you are Chrift's and for hii glory, fo Chriit, as Moiiator, 
 is God's, and for his glory. He is God's fcrvant, to do 
 his will, *o execute his pleafure : He was begotten of his 
 Father before all time : He received hisdoftrine from the 
 Father in (he fulnefs oftittie : He fought not his ov,ii but 
 his father's glory, in the duftrine which he preached, m 
 the miracles which he wrought; but lived in an entire re- 
 fignation to his Father's pleafure. Lord! liii«- •■ :'.! it fliame 
 us thy ferv'an'.s to follow thy feryant Chii'. ■■■ be 
 
 called by his name, if we feck not his glory, ■■■.u l-.j:i net 
 his will, and live not to his prai.'e, who died for us, and 
 rofe again. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 There are tzco exfrrmei zvhich pof mi are very apt ta 
 ru7} into, with rejpecl to the minijlers of Chrijl ; name- 
 ly, to extol, and idolize fmne ; and to dcprcfs, and viUify 
 ot/ters. To prcfave that due honour, and keep vp that 
 juft (flccm which iipayjhlsto all mimfun, ti the dtji^nof 
 tludpj/lle in this chapter. 
 
 LET a man fo account of us as of the miniflcrs 
 of Chrifl, and flewards of the myncncs of 
 God. 2 Moreover it isrequiredin Howards thata 
 man be found faithful. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " Although I warned youin 
 the foregoing chapter, againft an undue efteem of your 
 paftors, and againft a factious preference of fome before 
 others, to the great fcandal of religion, and the pre jnd cc 
 of thegofpel : yet 1 fpe:.k not this totlraw you off from 
 paying th.1t due honour and re fcrved refpect which belongs 
 10 their character : but I delire yon to account them ail, 
 neither more nor lef", but as in'mijlers of Chrift, apd 
 ftewards of the myfteries of G.id." Here ohinve. i. A 
 double character given of an angelical paftor. He is, 
 {\-) A min'ijier of Chrifl ; that is. a perfon deputed by the 
 comiiinnd, and iiivefted with the autliority of Chrift, to 
 adminiftcr in huly things, to preach the word, nd:uin:fter 
 the facraments, execute the church cenfures : bcingin all 
 things an example to the flock : And the people are toac- 
 count the cffire and work of the miniftry, as a diviiie infti- 
 tittion and appointment of Chrift in bis church : \Vhoe\-er 
 flij'htt oropjiofcs the miniftry, fiies in the face of Chnft 
 himfelf. (2.) He h a fte-diard of the tyiyjlrr:fs -f Cod ; ^\ i.\ 
 that in a twe-folil refp.ct. He is aftcward of the truths 
 of God. Z. Of the ordinances of God. Of the truth' cf 
 
 God 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 <^35 
 
 God is a ftewarJ, to apcn and explain them for the fpi- 
 riciul edilicitiot) of all CIiri(lians,and to defend anJ main- 
 tair) them ajriinft the oppofition of all adverfaries : God's 
 fteward iiiiill not fufl^r vermin to dellroy the provilion of 
 God's houlhold. He is a ftevard of the ordinances of 
 God aifo ; which he is obliged todifpenfc in all faithfuliiels 
 to lus congregation : i Pet. iv, \o. Asevery man hulh re- 
 ceived the gifts, ei'en /a >»inr/}er the pime one to amther, as 
 gwd fle\\jardt of themanifdd grace of' God. Ohfervf, 2. As 
 the niinillers ofChrift are ddcrihed. they izefU-jjards ; fo 
 the qualification of a fteward is declared, andtiiat is faith- 
 ful nef?: // is required infh-MJrds, thjt a man be f'Atnd 
 faithful. What ground is there for truii, where there is no 
 truth! Nov this faithfuhiefsin our ftewardlhip, includes, 
 fi.) Purity of intention: A pure end hi all our fer vices 
 will give us .ibundance of comfort at the end of our fervice. 
 (2.) Sincerity and inte(Triiy of heart : .A. faithful minifteris 
 a finrere hearted-minifter, whopreacheshis fermonsfirft to 
 himfelf and then to his hearers, (j.j Minillerial diligence : 
 A flothful miniller can never be a faithful fteward : We 
 mull lltidy the truths of God to pahnefs, preach them to 
 faintnefs, maintain and defend ihein with Itedfaftnefs: 
 We look for happinefi frnni God, as long as he is in hea- 
 ven, anil he cxpecls faithfuhiefs from us as long as we are 
 upon earth. (4.) Faithfulnefs in ftewardfhip, includes 
 impartiality in all the adminiftraiioiis ofChriiVs houfe : 
 We muft take the fame care of, manifcft the fame love 
 unto, attend with the fame diligence upon, the pooreft and 
 meaneft in our tongrei^ations, as we do the rich, the great, 
 and tlie honourable : For all our fouls arc of one price, and 
 rated at one value in our Lord's book. Oh! let us take 
 care we be impartial (towards ; for we mnfl (liortly give 
 an account of our ftewardfhip before an impartial God. 
 
 3 But with mc it is a very fmall thing that I 
 (hould be judged of you , or of man's judgment: 
 yea, I jud;,'c not mine own fclf. 
 
 Not as if the apoftlc was unconcerned, v/hether the Co' 
 rinthians had a good efteeni of hinror not ; or were re- 
 gardlefs of his reputation among men : But the meaning 
 is, he did not much value himfelf upon the opinion and 
 ju<lgment which any perfons had of him ; knowing 'that 
 his cafe would not be finally determined by any man's judg- 
 men:, nor yet by his own. Therefore, fays he, I judge 
 net wy/llf: that is, definitively, fo as to acquicfce in that 
 •udgment : For I may be deceived in my judgment ofmy- 
 itrlf therefore I leave niyfeU to the judgment of God. It 
 is a fingular fupport to all the members, but efpccially the 
 niiniltirs of Jehii Chrirt, that they and their at\ions have 
 a more righteous judge to be examined and tried by, than 
 eitli^r the world or themfelves : The world's judgment 
 '^lay fallely condemn them, their own judgment mayfl.u- 
 
 cr and deceivethem ; but the judgment of God willdeal 
 
 iipartially with them. 
 
 4 For I know nothing by myfclf; yet am I not 
 hereby juflifFcd : but he thatjudgcth mc is the Lord. 
 
 Thefe words are not to be nnderllood abfolutely and 
 univerfally, but relatively, and refpcc'tively ; not as if the 
 apoiHe kncvv no fin in himiclf, (fur he wfntgronirpg'i.-^der 
 
 a body of (into his grave) but withrefpecl to his miniftry; 
 his confcience cL-ared him of all unfaiihfulnefs and ncglecl 
 of duty : Thiugh I kno-jj nothingof unfaiihfidnefs hynnfdf, 
 yet am I not hereby ju ft ified at God's tribunal. /ir he that 
 judgelhmeisthe I.'iril. Note \\ere,i. St. Paul's juftificatiori 
 of himfelf before men, he kne-jj nothing hy himfilf; that if, 
 in general, his confcience did not accufc him of any grols 
 prevaricating with God, and in particular did not charge 
 him with ony negligence orunfaithfulnefs, in refpeif: of his 
 office; he had not been an unfaithful Hev.ard of divine 
 myfleries, nor guilty of any crimes that his .idverfariej 
 could charge him with, z- His difclaini;ngall jullification 
 thereby in the fight of God ; yet cm I nv thereby ju/tified', 
 hisfincerity did comfort him, but could not juitily him :. 
 The righteoufnefs of the holieft and befl of men, is nut 
 pleadable before the righteous ard h.oly Gcd for jufl fici- 
 tioB. The reifon given why the apolfle did not, durft 
 not, plead his own riglueousnefi before God for jaft fica- 
 tion ; for he that judgetb me is the Lord ; as. if he h.id faid, 
 " Were I to appear at man's bar, 1 doubt not but to coim; 
 of!" well enough, for none knows me fo well as niylelf ; 
 but I have to do with an heart-fearching Gcd, whoknows 
 me better than myfelf ; and when God comes to look 
 over my work, he will fj^y that which liie niofl eagle-eyed 
 perfon cannot fpy. Therefore, there is no flanding for 
 me, a creature, before God, fn any creature purity. An- 
 gelical perfection is imperfedt in his fight : Angels though 
 they have not the leaft I'pot of fin in iheir natures, yet 
 are chargeable with folly ; their nainre being potentially 
 finful ; the heavens themfelves are not clean in God's fight. 
 
 5 Therefore jud^e nothing before the time, until 
 the Lord come, who both will bring to light the 
 hidden things of darknels, and will make manifefl 
 the counfels of the hearts : and then fliall every mati 
 have praife of God. 
 
 Our apoflle's defign in thefe words, is not to condemn 
 all judgment of perfons, words or a(fiions, or to oblige us 
 to fufpendnur judging till the day of judgment; but only 
 forbids rafii cenfuring, unadvifed, uncertain, andunfeafun- 
 able judging of the hearts, and final f^ate cfmen. We 
 may j\idge what appeareth, but not what is hidden and un- 
 feen ; for the judging of hidden thi:igs is referred to him 
 from whom nothing is hidden. Lf<tr« hence. That to 
 take upon us to judge the heart, or to judge that which 
 doth not appear, it is to .ifTume the ofnce, and to take upon 
 us the place of God ; only he that is invifible can look into 
 that v.hich is invifible. Farther, The perfon fpcken of, 
 wht mokes manifefl the counfels of the heart, and brir.gs to light 
 the hidden things of darkncfs ; it is Jrfus ChrifV: Tud.a' 
 nothing till the Lord come, the Lord Jelus Chrill. A Itrong 
 argument to prove thediviniiy of oitrbUfTed Saviour : He 
 that has knowledge of the heart, of the fecrctscf the liearts 
 of all men, and has all thefe fubjrft to his juJgment,isun- 
 doubtedly Cod. But Chrift rdcribesall this knowledge to 
 hiiiiftlf, Piev. ii. 23. Ml the churehesfJall kno-.u that I amht 
 ■mhlch fcarcheth the reins and hiarts ; and I -xill f^ive to every 
 ate Ui ctri'w.g to his vjo'ks ; therejurc he is tficntially and 
 really God. Ohfer\:e,\»Ci\y, Vy'hat will be the ilTuc and 
 
 conftqurncr 
 
6^0 
 
 I. C O H I N T H I A N 5. 
 
 ClIAP. IV. 
 
 confequfiice of our Lord's k :«wiat> si' ' '■.Ktciiig thcfccrets 
 of men; 7J)fr.fnall iViry ■:r- "i.vf Cud; that if, 
 
 every one JluU have prailc, \\\.i\ u w-Aorthy ; every 
 
 f;oiiii man, though iioa' difpraii'ed aj;>.l dcfpifed, thouj;h 
 cenfured and condemned, though Io.iJed with fcandalsand 
 falff reports, yet then every righteous nun Ihall have 
 praile irom Cln'itl the righteous Judg- 
 
 6 And thcfe thin:;s, brethren, I i;,>.ve in a fi;^iirc 
 transferred to my felt' and /j Apollos for your fakes ; 
 that yc might learn in us not to think of men above 
 that which is written, that no on; of you be puffed 
 up for one againfl another. 
 
 Here the apoftle profecutcs his formsr arjrument afre/h, 
 that neither the Corinihians,, nor any otlier Chriilian, 
 Ihonld ib overvalue and mignify Ibme niinifters cf the 
 gofptl, as to undervalue and defpiie others, m:iking men of 
 cininency the heads of faftions and parties ; h:\\ that they 
 efteeni all ininifters as inftruments, only in Chrill's Iiapd 
 doin;^ nothing of themfelves, but afHfted Ijy the grace and 
 ftrengih of Gcd to whom therefore the fuccefs and entire 
 praife of all their labours is due. Th's is to think of them 
 according to what is written, clnp. iii' 6. 8. H'hi tht-r.ls 
 Paul, and who h //pollot, but min'i/lers ? Learn hence, 
 That if is too ufual, when people have a very great and high 
 eftc'cni of the niinifters of Chrift, to overvalue themfelves 
 by rc.ifon of their relation to them and dependancc upon 
 them ; and whilfl they honour and magnify fonie, to vilify 
 c-.nd dil'cit'em others. This is the fault svli'ch all Iou't 
 t iir apolHc has been condemning fince he began this epiflle, 
 and he has not yet done with it; for thus he proceeds : 
 
 -J ^ For who makcththee to difFeryrwi another? 
 And what hafl. thou that thou didft not receive? 
 Now, ifthoudidll receive it, why dofl thou glory, 
 as if thou hadll not received it ? 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, "Who is it that maketh one 
 minifler todfliT from, andexcfl another? Is it not God? 
 Jf fo, then, letthofe mini fttrs that have received the great- 
 eft gilts from God, whom the infpiration of the Almighty 
 hath tn-.demoftwife and iinderAiniding, to be moflhunible 
 themfelves ; let none take occafion fromthencs to delpife 
 others who have received lefs." Learn hence. That mi- 
 r.iilers of great abilities, eminent for gifts and graces, are 
 in great danger of being puft up themfelves, and their peo- 
 ple alfo too prone toglury in them : There is a temptation 
 in good things, yea, in the beft ol" thiagS) to pride ; the 
 bert men on earth may br overheated by what they have 
 received from heaven ; and Satan may take occafion, even 
 from our raptures in fpirit, to puff ns up with fpiritu-.il 
 ]iridc ; therefore our apoftle puts forth tliis foul-humbling 
 snd pride n;ortifying expoftulation, ti^h,it haft th'iu that 
 ;'ku huf[ n-A received} U'hn m.iJe line to diffi'- ? There is 
 li ithing wherein ci;e minifter, or Indeed one man, d:frer.' 
 eih, or it diftinguijhed from another, or wherein he ex- 
 crlleih another, but ii i: given him from God ; it is God, 
 itid not hiinfrlf, that makes iiim to differ; it is an high 
 il:;;ree ot pride for any man to fay, Ego tli/crcvl tntipfwri, 
 1 of ;ri) ftif luve made niylelf to (iiffjr. 
 
 8 Xcw ye arc full, now yc an: rich, ^c have 
 reigned as kin;Ts withtiUt us : and I would to God 
 ye did rei^n, that we alfo mi.jht rci^u with you. 
 9 For I think that God li.uli fct forth us the apoftlcs 
 iail, asit were appointed to death. For we arc made 
 a fpcftaclc unto the world, and to angels, and to 
 inen. 13 We are fools for Chrill's fake; but ye. are 
 wife in Chrifl ; we are weak; but yc are ftrong ; ye 
 are honourable, but we a;edefpifcd. 
 
 Thefe words are looked upon by interprctei > ;• -:] 1 tmlcal 
 reproof given by St. Paul to the Corinthians, in which, 
 v.iihan holy derilion, he rebukes theoverween /h 
 
 opinion which they had of their prefcnt atta. .id 
 
 ipiritual perfections. Nov) are ye full, &c. As if he had 
 fa;d,"Xov/ ye think yourfelvesfo full and ridi in allkindsbf 
 knowledge, that you delpife your Ipiritual fathers, niyfclf 
 and Apt'llo5, who firit converted you to the faiih : we are 
 looked upon a» ilull fellows, not wortliy to be named in 
 the fame day with your new admired teachers. You ad- 
 vance yourlclves as much above u^, as a king is above his 
 own fubj'.c^s. I willi with all my lit:aii your h-*ppinef| 
 were real, that we might be (harers in i: ; but verily I fear 
 that youare only puft up with notions ; I fear ye haveliitle 
 except in conceit, and there you have a gieat deal too 
 much.'" Learn hence. That fplrjuial pride, that is, boaft- 
 ing of, anti glorying in thcigifts, grat9S,or privileges which 
 are conferred upon us, is a lin which the devil ftrongly 
 tempts, and profeffors arc very prone, to the prance and. 
 coinmilfion of. IVo'.u ye are full, novj ye arc rich. Note, 
 next. As tlie flourilhing condition of the Corinthians is 
 ironically defcribe J, foihe afniclcdaiidperfecuted condition 
 of the apoitles is plainly declared : IVc ar^ u fp.'^itde to the 
 ■world, iinJ appointed to death. The original word is. We 
 are fet upon a theatre or ftage, in public view; heaven, . 
 earth, and hell, are fpcflators ; God, angels, and nipn,, 
 wait 10 fee the glorious triumphs of our faith and fortitude. 
 What a great folemnity is thereat the foiTeringi of a faint ! 
 Bloody perftcutorsare for making all ihe members, tfpe- 
 cially all the niinifters of Chrift, afpeftjcle to the world ; 
 an allufion to the Roman fpcftacles, who carried thbie 
 perfons about for a fight who were to fight with wilS hearts, 
 and if they efcnped, were only refcrved for flauglueragainft 
 another day : Thus the apofties in their martyrdom con- 
 flicted with a'! forts of w'Scty, and with death itfelfpt 
 laft. Note, |jft!y,Howthc falle profeffors of Chriftianity 
 branded the apoitles with folly, for cxpoling themfelves 
 thus to fulFering and death for the fake of Chrift : H'e are ' 
 fo'As f^r ChrijVsfake, hut ye are -.^Ife t>: Chri/i ; that is, in 
 your account we are fools, becaufe wc run fo many hazards 
 for the fike of Chrift ; but you are wife in your profe/Tion 
 for Chrill, bec=ufeynu have an art to profefs him, anclyet 
 enjoy outward profperity with him. 'J he wifdomufl'yffer- 
 ingChriftians.in hazarding a!' for Chrift, and l.i^-ingdown 
 their lives in the caufeofChrift„hasbecnalvays accounted 
 weaknefs and foiJy by ilie men of the wjorld : H'e are &c. 
 
 1 1 Even unto this prefcnt hour wc both hunger 
 
 and thirft.and are naked, and arc buIFcted. and have 
 
 f no 
 
Cmap VII. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 649 
 
 that biot and hrand of ignciiiiny and balenefs upon the 
 body which no other fiti doih, degradmg it from th.it ex- 
 cellent honour whereunto God advanced it in its natural 
 condition, by making it the member of an liarlot. 
 
 ig What, know ye not that your body is the 
 temple of the Holy Ghoft, which is in you, which 
 yc have of God, and ye arc not your own. — 
 
 Here we have the apoftle's fifth argument againft forni- 
 cation and undeannefs, and it runs thus : "Temples, 
 which are peculiarly confecrated unto God and his fervice, 
 ought not to be profaned or ])oIluted ; but the bodies of 
 Chriftians are the temples of God, the Holy Spirit dwell- 
 ing in them, aiitl therefore they ought to be kept pure and 
 undefiled. Kno-JJ ye nr,i th.it your bodies are the temples of 
 the Holy Ghoji , as well as your fouU .'" Our bodies 
 nre called temples in the I^olv Ghoft, becaufe he hath 
 fant'tified them for hinifelf, for his habitation and for his 
 fervice. From whence the divinity of the Holy Ghcft, 
 may be ftronglv inferred ; a temple always fuppofes foine 
 deity to dwell in it ; the tabernacle and tiniple are 
 called Gad'i habitation; Now if the Holy Ghoft dwells 
 ill good men as a temple, he is truly and really God. In 
 fine, fince all Chriftians are become the temple of God, by 
 virtue of his holy Spirit fent into their hearts, confecrating 
 their bodies to his facred fervice, let u? not dcfecratc or 
 pollute this temple by defiling it with filthy lufts, but make 
 chaftity ihe keeper of this facred houfe, and fuffer notliing 
 th.U defiletli to enter into it, left that God, who dwellcth 
 in it, being offended, fliould dcfert his houfe thus defiled. 
 
 — .\nd ye arc not your own ? 20 For ye are 
 bought with a price : therefore glorify God in our 
 body and in your fpirit, which are God' s. 
 
 Here we hnve the fixth and laft argument which the 
 ipoftle makes ufe of to flee fornication : Our bodies are 
 not our own, but God's, they are by his creation, his by 
 prefervatioii, his by purchafe and redemption : \Vc are 
 bought out of our own hands, as well as out of the hand 
 ot divine juftice ; thereiorc wefacrilcgioully rob and wrong 
 God, wlien we alienate any part of his own from him, and 
 own him not, whofe we wholly are, by the faithful fervice 
 both of our fouls and bodies, which are his. Learn i. 
 That Chriftians are not their own, but God's ; not their 
 own, and therefore not in their own power, nor at their 
 own (iifpofal, not toliveafter theirown power, or by their 
 own lufts, but according to the will and to the ends and 
 nfes of their principal Lord, whofe they are. 2 That as 
 Ciiriftians are not their own, fo they muft not act and live 
 and difpofe of themlelves, of their fouls and bodies, as if 
 they were their own, as if they had an original propriety 
 plenary pofTcirion, and a full dominion over thenifelves; a 
 Chriftian muft not make his own reafon his fupreme rule, 
 nor his own will his chief law, norhisown intereft his ul- 
 rim.ite end, for he was neither made by hinifelf, nor made 
 forhimfelf. 3. That all of us are God'i, and therefore 
 we cannot, without great facrileg*, invade his right, and 
 give thai body to an harlot which is cnnft crated unto him. 
 4. Though wcareall God's,yetwehuve alienated ourftlvcs 
 
 from God, and withdrawn ourfelves from his difpofal. 5. 
 That thus being alienated from God, he has once more 
 bought us, bought us with a price, a great and full price, 
 the blood of his Son ; and we are now God's o\\n again 
 by redemption and purpofe. 4. Tli.it our bodies and 
 fpirits being thus the Lord's, we fliouId glorify him both 
 in our fouls and bodies, which are his ; glorify him in our 
 bodies by external purity, and exemplary fanciity,gIorify- 
 ing him in our fpirits by interna] purity of heart. Thus if 
 we glorify him in our body, and in our fpirits, in a way of 
 obedience, he will at laft f.ifhion our vile bodies like unto 
 his glorious body and make our fpirits as the f])irits of juft 
 men made perfeft, in that great day, w hen he fliall come 
 to be glorified in his faints, and admired in all them that 
 believe. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Our apc/l/e in this chapter rejolvcs drvers cafes of ctm- 
 
 fcience, about which the Corinthians had xunt^ t» 
 
 htm, particularly concerning marriage : not about the 
 
 lawfuiiiefs of it, kit about the expediercy of it at thai 
 
 time, in the then a_ff,icled fiate of the church. 
 
 NOW concerning the things whereof ye wrofe 
 unto mc : It is good for a man not to touch x 
 woman. 
 
 The firft fcruple or cafe of confcience which the Cof in 
 thians wrote to the apoftle about, wasconcerning marriage. 
 Amongft many other wicked opinions, which the Gnoftic:-, 
 thofe ancientheretics, maintained, This was one.Thatmar- 
 riage was from the devil. Our apoftle elfewhere, Heh." 
 xiii. 4. afferts marriage to be holy and honourable ; here he 
 determines firft in general, that fuch as have the gif: of 
 coininency, and can live chafte in a fingle ftate, do well ; 
 and, in particular, that afingle life at^that time was tncll 
 advifable, and moft agreeable to the calamitous and afHiiSed 
 ftate of the church : So that when tlxe apoftle fays in thi'; 
 verfe, // is good for a man not to touch ct 'jjoman, his mean- 
 ing is, it is more agreeable to the prefeiu neceflity, more 
 convenient m regard of the perfecuted ftate of the church 
 as being a condition lefs deftraifted with cares, and lefi 
 'iroiibled with diftraftion ; for marriage plunges men into 
 an excefs of worldly cares, it multiplies their bufinefs, and 
 ufually their wants :ind thofe wants are hardlier fii|)piied 
 than in a fingic life, and more difSculily bore ; it is much 
 eafier to bear perfonal wants, than family wants : With 
 rcfpcft to all which, fays the apoftle, efpecially as the pre- 
 fent Itatc of the church ftands, // is good fr a man r.ot to 
 toilch a '.uoman, not that it is at any time limply unlawful, 
 but at fometimes manifeftly inexpedient. 
 
 2 Ncvcrthelefs, to avoid fornication, let every 
 man have his own wife, and let every woman have 
 her own hulband. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " S.ich are the inclinations 
 of hiimaiT na'ure, that every man canirot always do that 
 wlii.h is moft for his own quiet and eafe, bur men find the 
 ftrength of luft and the po^er of conciipifciice foftr jng in 
 
 4 N themfelves/ 
 
0.1C 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS; 
 
 Chaf. vU'.i 
 
 thsmfclvc?; ?hit marriage, whicli is Cod's ordinance for 
 a\'oi(lirtg fornication, and for the propagation of mankind, 
 i j of abluiuie ncceility to fonie pcifons ; therefore for 
 ;' voiding fornication, and all forts of uncleannclt, (which 
 was focoinniou at Corinth) let every man retain his own 
 v.\fc, and every woman her own hul'aand." Here nsle i. 
 The apoftle's cxpreilion, he fays, Qiitque el qutque, not 
 .ju'iJam el qii.cdam; let every man iiid every woman njarr 
 ry, not fome men and fonie women only : He exceptsnone 
 neither pricif nor mm, but every one is here permitted, 
 'ic.i, for avoiding fornication commanded to marry. Note 
 r.<rther, ilow theapolUe directs every man to have his own 
 \vife, and every woman her own huiband ; more than one 
 is forLiiUleu, and polygamy, or the fin of having more 
 ' V. ivcs, or more hufbands at a time than one, is here con- 
 demned : To bridle and reftrain men's extravagant lufts, 
 the wil'dom of God has directed every man to enjoy his 
 own wife, and every woman her own hufband. Let the 
 church of Rome coniider how (he will anfwer at the bar 
 of God for Ipitting in the face of this ordinance of God, 
 for denying the lawfulnefsot marriage to her prielfs and 
 nuns, when God has told her, Heb. xiii.4. Th,il marriage 
 is honourable in all ; and that all unchan perfons Cod will 
 juJj^c : and fuch too often have their prielts and nuns 
 been one with another. 
 
 3 Let the hufband render unto the wife due 
 benevolence ; and likewifc alio the wife unto the 
 hufband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own 
 body, but the hufband : and likewife alio the huf- 
 band hath not power of his own body, but the 
 wife. 5 Defraud )'e not one the .other, except 
 it be with confcnt for a time, that ye may give 
 yourfelves to falling and prayer : and come tOj>e- 
 thcr again, that Satan tempt you not for your in- 
 continency. 
 
 ?7ole here, i. That matrimonial converfation, or the 
 huiband's and wife's performing towards each other all 
 the duties of marriage which they promifed, is an acl of 
 juftice which they ow e to one another : This is intimated 
 in the word rendt-r, and confequen'Iy to deny the fame is 
 jnjuftice and fraud ; ikfraud n'A line ano'her. Marriage 
 takes away from perfons that power which they had over 
 thcmfelves and their own bodies, and transter^ it in fomc 
 fort to theperfon they are married to. Yetno/e, 2. That 
 perfons in a i a r ed ftate may, and in fome cafes cught, 
 (namely, for rchgious ends antl purpofes) by mutual con- 
 lent, toabflain from a conjugal duty for fome time. De- 
 fraud not one anAhcr, except it he with confcnt f«r a lime, 
 that ye may give yourfelves to fa/iing and pray ca. Note, ^. 
 The apoftle lays no obligation upon any (ingle perfons to 
 like upon them a vow tor a fingle Wfr, nor doth he dired 
 ; married perfons to thofe perpetual divorces from the mar- 
 riage bed, vshicli the papiits prac:il?, under pretence of 
 religion : For the apoftle admits .of no perpetual fepara- 
 lion between hu.Qjand anol wife, upon any pretsnce what- 
 ever; no, not that they mv^ give themfclves to pr.iytr 
 ondfafting, but only permits it fof,a time, upor condition 
 that they con:e together again. -So far was this holy man 
 froiii 1 lyinp a fnare upon the cont'cientcs of any perfons 
 ekher in a liuglc or married Hate. 
 
 6 But I fpeak thu by permifHon, and not of com- 
 mandment. 7 Fori would tliatall men were even 
 as I myfelf. But every man hath his proper gift 
 of God, one after this manner, and another after 
 that. 8 I fiiy therefore to the unmarried and wi- 
 dows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 
 9 But if they cannot contain, let them marr^' : for 
 it is better 10 marry than burn. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " Miftake me not, as if I im- 
 pofcd marriaL3e upon all perfons as a dur>' ; No, bi»t I de- 
 clare it is permitted to all as a remedy againft fornication : 
 for fo far am 1 from that, that I could wiib all men were 
 unmarried, even as 1 myfelf am, and that they had the gift 
 of Sontinence with myfelf; but God, who will have the 
 world yet farther continued »nil increafed, hath not given 
 this gift to all nor to all ali)fe in the fame meafure. 
 Therefore to the unmarried I fay, that fo many are the 
 advantages of alingle life, tliat if they can abide thafJeand 
 tingle, as I i\ci, it will be many vays ior their advantage: 
 But if they cannot, let them ule God's remedy, which is 
 marriage ; for it is better to marry, than to burn in luft, to 
 be perpetually afl'aulted with unclean dclires, and fubjeft 
 to the ravings and infiilfs-of Inft.'' Learnhen<:e, (i.jThat 
 marrying or not marrying, is, according to fe''cral circum- 
 ftances, matter of advice and counfel, but neither of them 
 abfolutely of precept. (■:;." That fecond marriages are 
 not only lawful, but an incumbent duty, if perfons cannot 
 contain ihemfelves within the hounds and roles of chafli- 
 ty. To the widerMS Jf'y, 'f they cannot conttiin let them 
 marry. 
 
 10 And unto the married I command, ^rt not I, 
 but the Lord. Let not the wife depart from her 
 hufband : 1 1 But and if Ihe depart, let her remain 
 unmarried, or be reconciled to her hufband. Arui 
 let not the hufband put away his wife. 
 
 As if the apollle had faid, " Although it be no fin to 
 marry, yet it is a fin to depart when married : herein I 
 lay the authority of God's command upon you, that you 
 agree together, and that no difterence which may arife 
 between you, caufe you to feparate and live afunder. But 
 to marry upon departure, is a double (in. Therefore if 
 any difagreements and <lifcontenrs between hufband and 
 wife caufe you to live afunder for a time, think not either 
 of you of marrying to another perfon ; but be reconciled 
 fo each other, and live together in love, as becometh per- 
 fons profeiHng godlinefs." A civil war in families is ktal 
 as well as in the commonweatih, Domeftic contentions 
 efpecially betwixt hufband and wife, are dangereus and 
 deftruclive of love and pence. If at any time they arife 
 to that height as to caul'c a feparation betwixt them two 
 who are one flcfli, yet nothing of that nart:re can warrant 
 ■their divorce; nothing but death or adultery can untie 
 the marriige knot, and releafe them from their ohlig.itions 
 to each other. 
 
 12 But to the reft fpeak I, not the Lord, If any 
 brother hath a wife, that bclievcth not, and Ihe be 
 plcafcd lodwell with hitn, let him not put heraway. 
 13 And the woman that hath an hufband th.it 
 
 bclievcth 
 
CiHAF. VII.- 
 
 I/'C^O R- I N T H I A N S. 
 
 G^i 
 
 b'cHev'eth not, and if he be pleafed to dwell with her, 
 let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving huf- 
 band is landificd by the wife, and the unbelieving 
 wife is fantlilicd by the bulband. Elfe were your 
 children unclean ; but noiv are tlicy holy. 
 
 I. Here we have another cafe of confcience put by the 
 CorintUians to the apoftle; namely, whether fiich hufbands 
 as had heathen and infidel wives might put them away ; 
 and whether fiich wives as had infidel hiifbaiidi; might not, 
 and ought not to depart from them ? The apoftle refolves 
 the cafe. That they ought, according to the intent and end 
 of marriage, to cohabit and dwell together ; and heafllgns 
 the reafon for it, becaufe the unbelieving or infidel wife is 
 fanclified to the believing or chriftian hulband. How lanc- 
 tified? N;>t in her nature, but in her ufe; fi) that they 
 might lawfully cohabit and converfe together ; being by 
 mirriage made one flefli \*ith him o\\ her that i'. holy ; 
 •« And for your children, fays he, they are not feminally 
 unclean, like the children of heathens, but federally holy. 
 Hrs are th:y holy^ Not wijh an inherent, external, perfo- 
 nal holinels ; for the holiell man's child is born in fin, and 
 by nature a child ot'wratli; Imt with an external, relative, 
 and federal holincfs : they are not common and unclean 
 like the children of infidels, but fit to be partakers of the 
 privileges of the church, to be admitted into company witii 
 God, as l>eIonging to his holy people : Eije -j/ere your chil- 
 dren unclean, hut mozu are they h'jly. He doth not lay, Elfe 
 were yojrchddrcn baftards.but now theyare legitimate, as 
 the enemies of infant baptifin, tliofe dur't infantumpatres, 
 would make him fpsak ; bat elfi thyiut^reun^han, that is, 
 heathen children, not to be owned as an holy feed, and 
 therefore not to be admitted into covenant with God, as 
 belonging to his holy people. If by holinefs here the apof- 
 tle :nentio;isa matrinio lial holinefs, as the anabaptifbs dream 
 then according to their interpret.itibn of the won! holy, 
 the apoftli fpeaks neither pertinently, nor truly; Not per- 
 tinently, (i.) For the the anfwer had been nothing to the 
 ptirpofe. The cafe put was concerning hulbands and 
 wives, not concerning men and whores ; and the q:ic(lion 
 projxjimded hy the Corinthian*, was, not wheiher a be- 
 lieving hufbind, and an unbelieving wife, were lawful man 
 and wife together ? nobody queftioned that, but whethei- 
 the chrilban hulhind ro ght put away i>ii heathen wife ? 
 The apofile anfwers He ought not, if (he were willing to 
 d'.vel! with hitn, for ine is fincTfied to him ; not famftified 
 in refpecl to her perfonnl condition, but in ref])ecl of her 
 conjugal relation other wife their children would be looked 
 upon as unclean, like the chd<lren of heathon! -, but now 
 are they holy, tint is to be accounted viftble faints, and, 
 ,a-s fuch, to be admitted to church-priv-leges. (2.) Ac- 
 cording to this interpretation of the word h)ly, the npofUe 
 had not fpoken truly ; for the children of heathens, IxMni 
 inhiA'ful wedlock, are no nure baltards than the childr-'n 
 of chriltians ; for their p.irents marriage frees them from 
 the charije of illegitimacy as well as ohters. Add to th'rs, 
 that in a!i the New Tt (i,.rnei)t, though the word holy be 
 ufed above five hi>ndred ti;nes, yet it never once f/gnifics 
 Jegifimacy, bat is always ufod for a (tare offeparatrori to 
 God ; Therefore, to m. kc it lignify fo here, is a boidprac- 
 
 tifing upon fcripture, a wracking and wreiVing of the word 
 of God, to maintain a private opinion, to make the text 
 fpeak what they would have, and not what the apoftle in- 
 tends. But the argument for infant-baptifm from this 
 text, runs thus: " If the holy feed among the Jews were 
 therefore to be circumcifed, and made federally holy, by 
 receiving the fign of the covenant, and beingadmitted in* 
 to the number of God's holy people, becaulc they were 
 feminally holy ; for the rrA being holy, the branches -joere 
 al/o holy : Then, by like reafon, the holy feed of Chriftians 
 ought to be admitted to baptifm, and receive the fign of 
 the Chriftian covenant; the laver of regeneration, and fo 
 be entered into the fociety of the Chrillian church," 
 
 i5ButiftIic unbelicvingdcpart, let him depart. A 
 brothcrorafifleris is notundcrbondagcisfuchf(^s: 
 but God hath called us to peace. 16 For what 
 knowcd thou, O wife, whether theu flialt favc thy 
 hiifband ? Or how knoweft thou, O man, whether 
 thou fhaltfavc thy wife ? 17 But as God hath dif- 
 tributcd to every man, as the Lord hath called eve- 
 ry one, fo let hitn walk. And Fq ordain I in all 
 churches. 
 
 Here another doiiht is rcfolvedby the apofile, in tafethe 
 unbelieving party, either hufband or wife, depart, that is, 
 refui'e to co-habit and dwell v.ith their believing yoke, 
 fellow, and fo make void , as m;ich as In him or Jier lietli, 
 the marriage-bond, out of hatred to the faith ; in thatc.ifo 
 if thej' will go, let them go ; you are r.ot bound to leave 
 your family to follow them. Hewever let every Chriltiau 
 hufband or wife on)it nothing, but endeavouring every 
 thiiigto the uimofl,tc>oblige and v.in, to incline andengajjc 
 their unbelieving ynke-fcllow, to live quietly with tnciii; 
 for God hath called us to peace ; and therefore we mull 
 give no occafion of quarrel with , or feparation from' fo 
 near a relation : And befiJcs by the peaceable dwelling 
 together, there is hop'?of,and ;i fair opporfinity for, the 
 gaining and bringing over the iKibeliever to t!ie faiili ui 
 Chr.'ft, and of being ilie inrtruinent of his or her fjlvatioa: 
 But however that ni ly be, let every minilhr difthaige his 
 duty in every relation in which God has let him. Ihis 
 order I appoint in all churchei converted to Chrillianity, 
 knowing it to be agreeable to the mind of God," Th.-\t no 
 Chriilian Oiould pretend his profeiTion of religion-, to i x- 
 cule him from the duties of any relation." 
 
 1 8 Is any man called being circumcifed ? Let him 
 not become uncircuincifed. . Is any cailcdm uncir- 
 cumlion ? Let him not become circumcifed. 19 Cir- 
 cumcilionisnothir>g,anduncircumcifion is noihiu'' 
 but the keeping' of the commandmsnts of God, 
 
 Here the ap )lHe proceeds 10 esiiort the Corinth-ans to 
 be content with '.he lot aitd comi'iion wtuch G')d had dtf- 
 tributed uiHo them, and to frdmc thcmfclvci m walkclirif- 
 tianly in it. Pvirticularly , ht Ihew;, That if any pei II n 
 anionglt tlienj were a native Jew, and fo circuncifcd, and 
 alter ■ a d4C4>nvcrt-d to Cbrillianiiy, he Ilioiilii neither 
 troilMd iiimfelf to jyt off that maik. from his fltfli, nor 
 
 4, N.i 
 
Oja 
 
 4. C O R I N T H I A,N S. 
 
 Cha?. VII. 
 
 affcfl the ftate of him, who, being a Gentile, had never 
 been circutncifed. On the other fide if any of them were 
 native Gentiles, and never circumcired,but now converted 
 to Chrirtianity, Itft hiui not affvd the ftate of piie w^o 
 was a native Jew, and circiiiiiciCed ; Jor ctrcunicifim U 
 nathi'tg , and uniiri'umcijion if nothing, that is, nothing now. 
 av.iilable tofalvation, niching that rendtrs perfons inorcor 
 lefs acceptable in the figiit of God; but the keeping af tlie 
 conirnaiidmcnis of God this is all in all : For Goil regards 
 not men's outward condiiion, but obedience to his ceai- 
 iiiaiids, Chriftianity confifts not in a warm zeal, either 
 for or again(l outward ceremonies, but in pofuiveholiDcfs, 
 and a ftiidl conformity to divine precepts. 
 
 20 Lei every man abide iti the fame calling 
 V/hcrein he was called. 12 1 Art thou called being 
 aicrvant ? carenot for it; but if thou mayeft be 
 made free ufc it rather. 22 For he that is called 
 in the Lord^i/n^afcrvant, is the Lord's free-man : 
 likcwil'e alio he that is called king ircc, is Chrill's 
 fcrvant, 23 Ye are bought with a price ; be not ye 
 the ferv ants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man 
 whereiti he is called, therein abide with God. 
 
 The apoftle feems to intimate from thefe words, that 
 fonic perfons converted to Chriftianity in the primitive 
 times, apprehended, that thereupon they muft leave tlicir 
 worldly callings and employments, as if they were fnnres 
 to them, or nnneceflary diverfionsfroni better things. No, 
 fays the apoftle, Let every one, in his calling wherein he it 
 ealUi!, therein uhidt: with God: that is, look in what honeft 
 civil calling they were found when they became Chriftiaiis, 
 lit them keep to that calling ftill : For God doth not call 
 us from our worldly employments and bufinefs, but calls 
 us to be holy in them; nor doth our fervingGodany whit 
 acquit anddirchargeusfroniferving one another. But par- 
 ticularly it was the opinion of fome fervants converted to 
 Chriftianity,tha;tlieirfpiritual freedom by Chrift, exempted 
 them from all civil fervice totheir njallers. The apoftle 
 therefore tells them, they are indeed freed by Chrift from 
 (iiiful fiavery, but not from civil fervice and fubjec'tion ; 
 from Jewifli bondage, but not from Chriftian obedience . 
 Learn hence, That Chriftianity doih not free men from 
 any civil obligations which before they lay under. Our 
 advantage: by Chrift are not fpiritual, and nwfecular; no 
 man's outward condition is changed by his becoming 
 Chriftian ; though he be now the Lord's free-man, 
 vet he is a fervam ftiH, if he was fo before; nay, their 
 Chiiftianity did not exempt rhem from their fecular relation 
 t.) their Heathen and Infidel mailers : As fervice to a man 
 Jjih not exeinpt us from, nor is inconfiftent witii, the 
 J'ervice ofGcci ; foonr fpiritual calhngdoih not m^ke void 
 '«iur civil : Thiref'jrc l-t ivery tr.an abide in thejame diHini^ 
 vjb:rcin he •:vaf called. 
 
 •J" N'otv concerning virgins, I have no com- 
 mandintnt of the Lord : yet I give my judgment 
 as oncthat hath obtained mercy of the I.ord to be 
 fviithfui. 1:6 I fuppofe therefore that this is ^ood 
 
 for the preftnt diftrefs : Jfay that it is good for a man 
 fo to be. 27 Art thou bound unto a wife ? feek 
 not to be loofpU. Art thou loofed from a wife ? 
 feek pot a wife. 28 But if thou marry thou haft, 
 not Gnncd : ayd if a virgin marry, flie hath not 
 finned. NcvertlK-lcfs, fuch fhall have trouble in the 
 flcflj : but 1 fpareyou. 
 
 The next cafe which our apoftle comci to rcfolve, i». 
 concerning virgins; whether they, being at their owu 
 dilpofal, (hould marry, or keep themfelves Tingle. H« 
 tells ihein firft, that he had no fpecial command, w hereby 
 the ftate of virginity wascither enjoined or prohibited, bm 
 he Would faithfully give his advice, according to the beft 
 of his judgment : And this he doth in two particulars; 
 Fiift, Jhat by reafon of the prefcnt ditliefs, and danger of 
 perfectition, which thre.Tte red :he church, it was molt con- 
 venient, that fuch as were ftnglt fliould icntinue fo, if it 
 might lawfully be done. Yet, fecontlly, He declares, that 
 if they marry, they do not fin ; only they uill be expofed 
 to more troubles, as the church's troubles do encreafe. 
 Here note, i. Tha: the apoftle pronounces marriage law- 
 ful in all perfons, of both lexes, and not linfnl atan-v time, 
 or in any ftate and condition \\ haifi-ever. 2. 'Jhat he fig- 
 nifif s to all perfons, that the troubles of a married life are 
 more than thole which attend a fiiiglc ftate ; Such Jl.'oll 
 htwe trouble in the fl'fh. Marriage plunges men into an 
 excefs of worldly cares; it iiuiliiplies their bufinefs, arU 
 ufually their wants; and thefe wants are far hardlier to 
 be borne than in a fingle life. 3. That be fides the ordi. 
 niry inconvrnicnces if a married life, which all pcrfoiu 
 are to expeQ, fuch as enter the married condition, when 
 the church is under pcrfecution, muft prepare to meet 
 with more than ordinary trcnhles. Such, that is, in thofe 
 times of perfecution,_/^u/.' have triJuhU, that it, more troii« 
 ble, inthefle/h; But I Jpaie you, that i?, " I forbear t« 
 fpeak any more of that matter, left I Hiould feem to dif- 
 fuade you from marriage, which is the ordinance of God, 
 more than is fit, and be thought by any, to lay the yoke 
 of celibacy, or a fingle. life, upon yon. I only tell yoii> 
 that when Chriftians are under perlecution and diftrefs, 
 it is much more for their eafe and quiet to be fingle, than 
 10 have a wifcand childrentocarefor in poverty orflight.'' 
 
 29 But this I fay, brethren, the time is fliort. It 
 remaineth, that both they that ha-e wives be as if 
 they had none ; 30 And they that weep, as though 
 they wept not ; and they that rejoice, as though 
 they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they 
 polleHcd not : And they that ufe this world, .'^snot 
 abufin^ it. For the fafhiun of this wodd palfeth 
 away. 
 
 As if he had faid, " Let all perfons, both marri«<l ami 
 ttiiinarried, confidcr that the time of ihis life is fliort and 
 palling; it is but a paint of time we have to live, and 
 (iiortly it will not be a pin to chufe, whether we had wives 
 or not, or children or not ; but befiirc theexpeftevj fruitof 
 ih^ comforts be ripe, we ourfelves may be rotten. It is 
 
 tkercfor'e 
 
Chap, vik 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 therefore true fpiritual wifdom, to look upon thefc things 
 row, as they will be fhortly ; to be very motlernte in ihe 
 enjoyment of them, not to be too much affedecl when we 
 have then), or too much afflicted when we want them." 
 Ob/ervshcre, r. The apoftk's propofition ; ihf time h 
 /hort. This is true in all the notions of it. T.nke it firft 
 for the whole duration of the world, from the day of its 
 creation, to the day of its dilliilution ; compare ic with 
 what fucceeds it, eternity : and it is very fliort, but a mo- 
 ment. Secondly, Take time for the whole duration of 
 aoy one nun's life, fo it is lliortcr ; fo rtiort, thatjt b 
 nothing. Thirdly, Take time for ths fjjccial feafon, either 
 of doing or enjoying good in this life ; fo it is fliortelkof all. 
 2. The inference which the apoflle draws from this pro- 
 polition ; ihtrcfore, let them tlhU have 'j)lvis be as If they 
 had mne, &c. Learn thence, That the coiilideration of 
 the gre.tt fliortnefs of time, and the uncertainty of human 
 life, flionid keep our hearts in a great deal of moderation 
 towards the bcft and fweetcll of our outward comforts and 
 enjoyments : That we neither love innrdinately any mercy 
 vhen we enjoy it, nor mourn immoderately for any con- 
 tentment when we come to be dt-prived of it; Thty th.it 
 '.'jeep as though they ■weef> not, and they that rejoice as though 
 they reroiced not. 3. The atlvice which the apoflle gives 
 to Inch ashavegreatpofTelTions and revenues in this world, 
 (i.j To take heed, that though they pofil-fs thefe things, 
 »hat they be not polTcriil by them. (2.) That they fo ufc 
 them as nottoabufe them, nor be abufed by them. There 
 is much evil in the world, yet we may, wemuftnfeil.aud it 
 will be onrwifdomto makea good ufe of this world, while 
 we are in it ; otherwife we neither anfwerthcend of God in 
 fending ns into the world, nor the defign of God in truft- 
 tnii us with the gooil things of this wo'i Id. 4. Therea- 
 fon adigneJ, why we fliould nfe the world in the fore- 
 Bientiontil manner : hec^Vi\'c the fujhhn cf this vj'jrld pjjjeth 
 away. Here the apciftle compares the things of tliis world 
 to a fcene which is prefently changed, and vanifheth ainioft 
 as foon as it appears. As fafliiont in this world alter, fo 
 doth the fafliion of this world alter every day. There is 
 a worldtoconie, the falhion whereof fliailneverpafsaway ; 
 but the falhion or fchemc of this world paf/eih away con- 
 rinualjy. This world is hkeaftage, perfons interchange- 
 ably ad their pans upon it ; but ihey foon difapper, and 
 the Ibge itfelf ere long will be pulled down. 7he fafljhn 
 tfth'is -'jirld paffrth away. Thtnce lairn. That this con- 
 fideratioii, that all the comforts and conveniences of-this 
 life are fading and paffing away from us, (houUl be aflrong 
 inducement to us, not to fee our hearts upon them. 
 
 32 Bttt I would have you withoixt careftilnd';!. 
 He tk'it IS unmarried caretii for the things that bc- 
 lon^T to the Lord, how he may pleafe the Lord : 
 §3 But he that is married careth for the things that 
 are of the world, how he may pleafe hh wife. 34 
 Th^re is difference alio between a wife and a virgin, 
 The unmarried woman careth fcH- the things of tRe 
 Lord, that flie may be holy both in body and in 
 fpirit : but fhe that i.s ma-nicd careth for the thin<;s 
 of the world, how ILe may pleall- lur hufband. 35 
 
 And this I fpcak for your Own profit ; not that I 
 may call a fnare upon you, but for that which is 
 comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord 
 witliout diftradtion. 
 
 Here our apoflle fubjoint another reaHon why a fingle 
 life is to be prtt'erred before a married life ; namely, be- 
 caufe fmglc pcrfons are comparatively more free from cares 
 and diflrdtlion?, and have commonly more time and leifurc 
 to attend upon the Lord in religious duties. For the un- 
 married man has but one care upon him, namely, Iiow 
 he may fervc and pleafe God : But the married man has 
 another care upon him; to wit, how he may oblige and 
 pleafe his wife, in like manner, a married woman is in- 
 cumbered wiih houlhold affairs, dilturbed with domeflic 
 cares, andconcerned iiilawful things to pleafe herhufband, 
 and confequenily has neither fo niucli time nor frcedonj 
 for holy exercifes : But the virgin that has no fanjily to 
 care for, no hufbind to feek to pleafe, has much mor« 
 leifure to attend upon God in holy duties and reliirioui 
 exercifes ; therefore he advifcs them to cliiife that ffate of 
 life in which they may attend upyii :hi Lord -without diflrnc- 
 t'lon. Lciirn hence, i. That a married condition is certainly 
 and ncceflarily attended with many diverfjt>ns and diffrac- 
 tions, from which a fingle life is free. 2. That jicrfonsin 
 a conjiigal relation may and ought to fetk the obliging and 
 pleating one another with their mtmoflendeavoursjwiiliout 
 violating their duty to Almighty God. ■^. That pcrfons 
 in a finglo flate have great advantages (may ihey improve 
 them !) of ferving God above otherf, in regard of their 
 freedom from domeflic cares, troubles, and temptations ; 
 they have time and leifure for pi'nis performances, if the 
 heart be difpofed fbr them. 4. That it is, the duty, and 
 ought to be the endeavour of all perfons, lioth siarried and 
 unmarried, not only to ferve Goil in religious duties, but 
 to attend upon him in them, as much as may be, without 
 diilraiStion. Diflractions are the wandrings of the heart, 
 mind, and thoughts, from God in religious duties. The 
 nature of God requires, that we watch and flrive agaiuil 
 them : His m ijelly and greatnefs, his purity and holiiufs, 
 his oinnifcicnty ir,i\ all-leeing eye upon ns, and within us, 
 do oblige us to tins careful endeavour ; and the nature of 
 his worihip calls for it, whichisareaionable fervice, and a 
 fpiritual fcrvice; and the nature of diftraiM-ions fhould make 
 us dread them. They divide tiie heart, they deaden the 
 duty, contract guilt, andprovoke difpleifure. Lord.hil'j 
 us in .-.11 the ferviccswe perform unto tlue, to attend up«a. 
 thee without di!lra(!tion. , 
 
 36 But if any man think that ho behavetb him- 
 felf uncomely toward* his virgin if" fhe pafs the 
 flower of Arr a£;c. and need fo require, Jet him do 
 what ho will, he finneth not; let them marry. 37 • 
 Neverthclefs, he that ftandeth ftedfaft in lils heart,' 
 having no ncceffity, but hath power over his own 
 will, r.nd hath fo decreed in his heart that he will 
 keep his virgin, doeth well. 38 .So then, he that 
 givcth her in marriage, doeth well ; but he lh;it giv- 
 cth /icr not in marriage doeth better. 
 
 The ■ 
 
^oi 
 
 I. C O R 1 N T II I A N S^. 
 
 Cjf AP; viii. 
 
 The nr-- '- hicii onr apnrtlcfpfaks ro, is concerning 
 virvTHit, \'. -'•■ler tljc power of others, (snd not at 
 
 iiKiir.own iiii|iiiial) as parents and guardians; namely, 
 Alicrher it be ocil aiul niaft ad\'irutj'c for them to difpofc 
 cl tUcir v'irgins in marriage or nor. The apolHeanfwers, 
 that irv this catcj particular refpefl niurt be had to particu- 
 ?jr <5rcuaiftaiKes J as, namely, if (lie be of marriageable 
 years, and beyond them ; if (he Ins an incHiiation to, and 
 be dcTiron^ of inarriaj^e, then he advifes th;it (he be dipo- 
 fcd of: Bi!t if a parent be fu'ily pcrfiiuded in his own mind, 
 that i,e wrong? not his daughter in declining to marry her, 
 if he has a pcrfec*^ freedom in his own will, and his will is 
 not contradidcii by his daughter's delire, he doth well, 
 yea, he doth beft not to marry Iier ; beft with refpecl lo 
 the dillrefTed condition of the church, bed with refpect lo 
 thi tioiibles of the world, which (lie will be the more free 
 from ; and heft wirh refpeJt to theyoung woman's liberty 
 .ind freedom for the fervice of God, and the exercifes of 
 religion, /.rarw hence, That nlthough children are tobe 
 difpofedof in n-.arriagc by their parents, yet parents have 
 no fuch abfoUite power over their children, as to hmder 
 them from man i.ige, or to compel them to it : To do 
 ci:her, is very linful, very unnatural. 
 
 39 The wife i.s bound by the law as long as her 
 hufbaiidlivcth: but ifher hufband bcdcad, flieis at 
 liberty to be niairicd towhom (he will ; only in the 
 Lord. 20 But (he is happier, if fhe fo abide, after 
 my judgment. Andl think alfo that I have the 
 Spirit of God. 
 
 The aportlc concludes the chapter with a refolution of 
 this cafe of confcience; namely, Whether ferond marria- 
 ges of widows were lawful or not. He anfwers. They 
 were. After the hufband was dead, the widow might 
 jtiarry again, provided that (he marry in the Lord ; that is, 
 with a believer, not aO infidel ; with one of the fame faith 
 •with herfelf. It is very dangerous and ilnful, for perfons 
 proftfling the true faith of Chrift, to match with idola- 
 ters. 1 here is far better ground of fear that they will 
 pervert you, than there is ground of hope that you (hall 
 \onvert them. But though »he apoftle allerts it lawful 
 for widows to marry again, yet he declares, that in re- 
 gard of the ijreftrnt danger which the ch urch was in of 
 perfccution, they would be more happy in their widow- 
 hood So that the determination of the apoftle as to the 
 c-afcofmaniageanda(ingle,life,is concluded thus: "That 
 •rdinarily, where thereisno necefTity, a fingle life is more 
 for a pcrfon's peace, more free from diflradions in God's 
 fcrvitc, and therefore bell." 
 
 CHAP. vrn. 
 
 P.»r apoftle kivinj^ in the foregoing chapter, rffhfd 
 fevcral cafa of confcience coiueT^nng marriage: here 
 refohci thai grand cafe tauhing the lavfidmfi of 
 fitting thii'gi opred to idols : Tlu Hiathcm uftd to 
 facrifce to thtir idols, oxen, ficcp, and ether cattle, 
 tnd to Jeafl upon (h<ir facnjicci : Now, the quejlicn 
 
 'wKidh f^/C6'rintliians p^ to the ap-jfU. to refolve, 
 wai this. Whether Ckrijlians, if invited to thcfe/eafii^ 
 might go and eal thefc meah, either in the idol teiK- 
 ples, or in the Pagan houfes, or might buy and eat 
 of any fuch meat, if it were fdd in the Jhamhles? 
 A refilutian 0/ wluch quefiwn, rue have in thii and 
 the tenth chapter. 
 
 NOW as touching things offered uuto idols, we 
 know that we all have knowledge. Know- 
 ledge puffeth up, but charity editieth. 
 
 It was theopiuionof the Gnoftics andNicholaitans, thofe 
 early erroneous perfons in the apofllcs days, thatfroni rjie 
 knowledge they had of their Chriftiin liberty, they might 
 either be prefent in the idtl templts, or eat of the idol- 
 facrifices as they pleafed. The apoftle here tells <hem, 
 that they knew imny of them had a good degree ofknow, 
 ledge, but dtfires, that they mtglit not be puffed up with 
 it, but that thfir knowledge may be accompanied with 
 charity, which refpeftsihe cciifi-ation ofcthfrs ; and put 
 men upon cnnfidering, not only wliat is lawful to be done 
 initfelf, and with refpect tooupfelves.but what is expedient 
 or inexpedient in relation unto others. True love, or 
 Chrid.an charity, will put us upon confuliing the good of 
 our neigiihours ("uls, as well as ciir own; and will not 
 fufTor us to do that thing which miy offend cur weak 
 brother, that is, lay a (lumbling-block before him, to tempt 
 him intohn. Knowledge puff: th up ; this is to be underdood 
 of a notional, literal, and fpeculati ve know ledge only ; not 
 of a fpintu3l,pr.''.dtical, and experimental knovv ledge. The 
 piore a gracious man knows, the more hiniiblc he is, be- 
 cTufe his knowkkge (liews hiinhis own vdenefs andempti- 
 nefs; hut the more a carnal man knows, the more proud 
 he is bccaufe he knoweih not hiriifclf; his knowledge is 
 rot only a temptation to pride, but the very matter of his 
 pride. Such knowledge doth not budd up, lut puff up;. 
 whereas charity edijitth ; that is, applies itfelf toihc inftruc- 
 tion of others, and accommodates itftlf to the tdificatioH 
 of others, and confiders, not on!y what nuy lawfully he 
 done, but what is fit and expedient to be done ; as in the 
 cafe here before us, eating things offered to idols. 
 
 2- And if any man think he knoweth any thing, 
 hcknoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 
 
 That is, " If a man have ever lo much knowledge, yet 
 if it be not accotnpnnied with charity and humility, if he 
 iaiproves not his know ledge to the glory of God, and the 
 pood of other', he knows nothing t.< any laving purpofe, 
 or as he ought to know.'' Learn that Chriftians Ihould 
 by no means content ihemfelves with an empty fpecuhtire 
 knowledge, but labour to know as they ought to know. 
 Farther, The apoPile f-y», He tknt thirhcth he kn'juetb any 
 thing, that is, he that is conceiced in hii own knowledge, 
 that thinks of it with infolency and pricic, anil fpeak« of it 
 with afTeClatiou and vain-glory ; he who \\ thus conceited 
 of hi>> own knowitdge, knows not himfcif; yea, he know'j 
 noihinff as he oUj^ht to know. I rum hence, That it be- 
 comes as to have very huaible iLoughcs of outfclves, and 
 
 of 
 
Chap. virr. 
 
 I. r C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 ^5. 
 
 of onr own knowledge, how much foever we really know: 
 That nian'6 wifdom is but conceit, who is only wife in 
 his own conceit. 
 
 3 But if anj man love Cod the fame h known of 
 
 him. 
 
 t^ate, The apoftie doth not fay, If any man know Cod; 
 tut if tiny manlrjc Cod, the fame is kr!Own,|that is, allowed, 
 accepted and approved of him : A man may know much 
 of God in this world ; and yet God may be adiamed to 
 know him m another world ; but the foul that llncerely 
 loves God, is certainly beloved of him, and fiiall be owned 
 and acknoA-ledged by him. Now, true love to our neigh- 
 bour, is a good evidence of our fmcere love to God ; and 
 if we love ourneighbour truly, we dare not fcandalizeour 
 neighbour finfully.nor offend our fellow brethren : Only 
 here we muft take notice, that by ojTending the weak is 
 not meant difpleafing them ; but by offending them, is 
 naeant, laying a ftumbling block before them, which may 
 occafion their falling into fin. 
 
 4 As concerning therefore the eating of thofe 
 things that are offered ni facrifice unto idols, wc 
 know that an idol is notliing in the world, and that 
 there li none other God but one. 
 
 One argument which the Gnoftics ufed to prove the law- 
 fnlnefs of eating things offered unto idols was tliis, That 
 an idol was nothing in tlie world ; but how nothing? It 
 was not materially nothing, for it was wood or Itone; but 
 formally it was nothing, it was nothing of God's creat'on, 
 nothing that the idolaior took it to be, there was nothing 
 of a deity in it, and nothing of a deity could be reprefentedby 
 it ; an idol is the vaineft thing in the world, it is a mere va- 
 nity, a perfciSt nothing, Tcalled therefore the vanites of 
 the Gentiles) it is of no worth or value, it has no power 
 or virtue. Some obferve. That the fame Hebrew word 
 fignilies both an idol, and fo.Tow, and labour, partly be- 
 caufc idols are made and formed with much labour, and 
 great exaftnefs ; the wood or done, figuratively fpeaking, 
 is put to pain, yon muft cut it and calve it, to make an 
 idol or ftatue of it ; partly becaufe idols are ferved and 
 worlhipped with much pain and labour ; falfe worlhip is 
 more painful than true, the fervice of the true God is an 
 holy and honourable fervice, a noble and ingenuous fervice, 
 an eafy and delightful fervice ; but the fervice of idols is 
 fiavifh, a toil rather than worlhip. Idols are troublefome 
 both in making and worlhiping ; and, afier ajl the bultle 
 made about them, an idol is nothing in the world, becaufe 
 there is no God but one. 
 
 5For though there be that are called gods, whether 
 in heaven orin earth, (as there be gods many and 
 lords many) 6 But to us ihcn is but one God, the 
 Father, of whom a?ff all things, and we in him ; and 
 one Lord Jefus Chrifl by whoma/c all things, and 
 we by him. 
 
 Here the apoffle tells them, that although the heathen 
 idolaters acknowledged a jjuralitv of gods, fonieiii heaven, 
 as the fun, moon, and ftars ; fouic on earth, as men and 
 
 beafts, they have their celeftial and Urrtriiial gods and 
 lords, but thefe were only called g'.tf s, ihtx \i, in God'i 
 name, not in nature, notinreality : Yet fays he, we thrif- 
 tians do own and acknowledge but one living and true 
 Cod, one in nature, not one in pcrfim, to %\lium all our 
 prayers muft bedirtdled ; and one Mediator, by whom all 
 our prayers are to be offered. To uf then ii but une God, 
 the Father. This text the Arians, and Sotinians, and Uni- 
 tarians, exceedingly boaft of, as if it expnflly confined the 
 Deity to the Father, as diftinifl from Chrift and the Holy 
 Ghoft. Thus they argue, (i.) "He who faith there is 
 one emperor, to wit, Cxfar, fays ineffe^rb there is no other 
 emperor but C.-efar ; fo when St. Paul faith tiierc is one 
 God the Fither, he doth (fay the)}f^.ip,c(}l'c1 declare that 
 there is no other God bclidcs the Fatlii^f." To this the 
 Orthodox anfwer, ( I.) "That God the Father is often 
 put in fcripture for the whole Deity, coraprehending the 
 three Perfons; he being forts Deitatis, ■iv\i\fundaincnturti 
 trtnitratts, as the fchooluien fpenk : fo that the application 
 of the word Cod here unto the Father, doth not exclude 
 the Son from being God, but ordy from being the foun- 
 tain of the Deity as the Father is. In Kev. i. 17. Chrift 
 fays, I am Alpha and Omega, the firff and the \M : Will 
 any conclude thence that God theFatiier is nor Alpha and 
 Omega? Is not he the firft and the la!l, as well as Chrift? 
 Again, Wc call our Lord Jefus the only Savicur; do wc 
 therefore exclude God the Father from being a Saviour ? 
 Is he not flyled the Saviour of all men ? i. Tim. iv. 10. 
 Again, God the Father is called the Creator of idl things, 
 yet it is afferted that all things were created by Chrift, the 
 word, John i. 2. In Ihort, we affert, as well as they, the 
 unity of the Godhead, and that Chrifl is not another (iod, 
 but only another perfon from the Father. fV e nnfwer, 
 (2 ) Their own argument may be thus retorted upon 
 themfelves; asthe apoftlc lays here, there i; but one God 
 the Father, fo he ads in, the next words, there isbutonc 
 Lord Jefus Chrift : Now if the faying that there is but one 
 God, doth exdudeChrift from being God, then the laying 
 that there is but one Lord, doth exclude God the Father 
 from being Lord ; and if it beblafphemy to exclude God 
 the Father from being Lord, it is no lefs to exclude Chrift 
 the Son from being God." Know then. That as Chriflians 
 have in all agesof the church acknowledged one God only, 
 even God the Father, fo have they alio owned that Jefus 
 Chrift was truly God, of the fubftance of the Father, God 
 of Cod, very God of very God. The Lord keep us f^ead- 
 faft in this faith, feeing he that honoureth the Son, hon- 
 noureth the Father that hath Cent him ; but he ihacdeni- 
 elh the Son, denieth the Father alfo. 
 
 7 Howbeit ihe}-e is not in every man that know- 
 ledge. For fomc with confcience of the idol unto 
 this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol ; and 
 their confcience being weak is defiled. 
 
 Thefe words are brought in as a reafon by the apoftlc, 
 why ftrong Chriftiaiis fhould net eat meat offered un:o 
 idols with refpectro thofe that are weal: ; as if he had laid, 
 " Though m.iny of ynu that know an idol is nothinjr, ahd 
 that meat' is neither fanclified ncr polluted *hich is fet 
 
 before 
 
656 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xt. 
 
 licfure ir, anJ iliereforf , j'on ens cat or not eat witliout 
 ary fcriiplc as to youi Irlves, yft yu fhoiiKI confider uh.it 
 IS lafefl: to be done *» ith rf fpcfl 10 othcis ; fdr every man 
 has not t!)i$ kiio'.vlcdjre iliat an idol it nothing, but fome 
 pcrfons have a conceit of the idol being fomcthing, eat 
 what is ofFered to it ns a thing offered to nn idol, that is, 
 ror as common meat, but as a fjcred banquet in honour of 
 the idol! and fo his i;oi)fcience being weak, tliat is, erro- 
 neous, is defiled. '" L^'urn hence, 'J'hat an action which 
 is lawful ill refpedt of ourfclves, tnay yet be a fin if done 
 by us with rcfpcctto others ; another, encouraged by our 
 example, may do the fame ad, but not do it with the lame 
 intent, as in the cafe btfore us: The fight of one Chrif- 
 tian's euting thing's cfFered inito idols, who knows that an 
 idol is nothing in \\\c 'world, may liarden, embolden, and 
 encourage others to do the fame, who really intend fome 
 honour by it to the idol ; the outward action is the fame, 
 but the opinion and intention wide and different. 
 
 8 1 But meat cointnendcth us not to God : for 
 neither, if we eat, are we the better: neither, if we 
 eat not, arc we the worfe. 9 But take heed, Icafl 
 by any means this liberty of yours become a 
 ilumbling-block to them that are weak. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, "It is not the eating or not 
 eating barely confidered, that makes a man either betteror 
 worfe, more or lefs acceptable in the fight of God. but wc 
 muft take great heed lea{k by our example others take occa- 
 fion to v.ordiip the idol; you therefore on;jht not fotoeat 
 as to give occafion to the fall of your weak brother." Still 
 the apoflle holds forth this truth unto us, That fuchaman 
 certainly fins, who ufes his liberty, fo that it beconies a 
 fiiare and a ftumbling block to his weak brother, by em- 
 boldening and encouraging him unto fin. 
 
 10 For if any man fee thee which haft knowledge 
 fit at meat in the idol's temple, fliall not the con- 
 fcicnce of him that is weak be emboldened to eat 
 thofe things which are offered to idols ; 1 1 And 
 through my knowledge fhall the weak brother pe- 
 rifli,for whom Chrift died ? 
 
 The meaning of the apoflle feems to be this ; " If any 
 man with an erroneous confcicnce goes toihefe feafts, and 
 there fees thee, who he thinks has more knowledge than 
 himfelf, fit at meat in the idol's temple, will not his con- 
 fcience he the more emboldened by thy example, to eat 
 things offered to idolsin the honour of the idol, or, as think- 
 ing it no hurt 10 worfiiip the idol ? And thus, by occafion 
 of thy kno'vledge, a weak brother is in danger of pcrifliing, 
 for whom Chrilt died." An indifcreet ufeof that liberty, 
 which our fuppofed knowledge teaches us to make ufe of, 
 t'oth that, if we be not careful, which may be accounted 
 a deilrnying of our wc-k brother, by caufing him to fall 
 into {\n: By all whith the apoflle lets us know the obli- 
 gation which lies upon every good Chridiari, not to ufe 
 his liberty to the pi fjiidice of other fouls, by doing any 
 aftion which may he let alone, but if done, may really 
 becoTue a fnarc to others. 
 
 12 But when ye fin fo againlV the brethren, and 
 wound their weak confcicnce,ye finagaind Chrift. 
 
 The apoftle goes on to fliew, that fuch an ufe of our 
 Chriftian liberty asdoth embolden and encourage other« to 
 do that which is evil, is both an acl of uncharitablenefs 
 towards our brother, an'J alfoan aft of fin againfl our Lord 
 Jefus Chrid, in betraying a Tuul to ruin as much as in ut 
 licih, and hindering his falvation for the faving of whom 
 Chrift died, wounding the members of his body, defeating 
 the great end of his death, and deflro'ing them whom he 
 defigned to fave. Learn, i. That ChrilT in dying for the 
 weakeft believers, hath fliewn the higheft degree of love 
 imaginable unto them. 2. That fuch as will not abate 
 or abridge themfelves of,their Chriftian liberty, when the 
 ufe of it may probably be an occafion of fin, and the ruin 
 of their brethren's fouls, do at once wound their weak 
 brethren, and fin agaiaft Chrift. 
 
 1 3 Wherefore, if meat make by brother to offend. 
 I will eat no flcdi while the world ftandeth, Icfl I 
 make my brother to offend. 
 
 A twofold fenfe and interpretation is given of thefe 
 words. Some underftand the apoftle fpeaking thus : "If 
 niy eating meat ofFered to idols be aftuinblmg block to any 
 perfons, and confirms them in their finful practice, or be 
 an occafion of fin unto them, I w ill certainly deny myfelf 
 the ufe of that liberty whichmay proveof fnch dangerous 
 confequence to my ft.llo>v Chrillians." Others carry the 
 thing higher, and underftand it ofa 11 flefli in general thit 
 rather than the apoftle would ofendhis weak brother, he 
 would not eat any flefli to his dying day ; an hyperbolical 
 cxpreilion.by which the apoftle declares how far one Chrif- 
 tian ftiould condefcend to another, to prevent each others 
 finning againft God : As if the apoftle had faid, " Verily 
 1 do not make fo light of another's fin, nor let fo light by 
 the foul of my weak brother, nor by the blood of my 
 bleIRd Saviour, as for f^eOi, that is, for an unneceffary 
 thing, Jo make ufe of my liberty, when it may prove a 
 temptation unto fin." From the whole of the apoftle's 
 difcourfein this chapter, we Warn, That it is the duty of 
 Chriftians, in matters, wherein they are at liberty by the 
 law of God, to do a thing, or not to do it, to take that 
 pitrt which, they fee, will give leaft occafion of fin unto 
 their brethren, and to avoid ihatpart, which, if taken, will 
 certainly give occafion unto others to fin : Alihoughwebc 
 ourfelves never fo well fatisfied as to the lawtulnefsof the 
 aiflion, yet we ought not to deny ourfelves in fome things, 
 rather than be an occafion unto others, to fall into fin ; he 
 forfeits the name of a Chriftian who will not .nbridge him- 
 felf of his Chriftian liberty topreferve his brother from fin 
 and temptation. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Our apoflle having exhorted the Corinthiam to chriige 
 themjdvti in the laujiil "uje of their Cbifian liherty, 
 when it will be prejudicial to tjcak Chiftians ; here 
 propounds Ids own example for their enccuragement 
 atid imitation, who though he uas an aprJHe, yd 
 
 rcf.rciv.i 
 
Chap. ix. 
 
 I. C O R I NT II I A K S. 
 
 ^>.07 
 
 nftrained hivifelf in feveral cafa, which arerecorded in 
 tins chapter. 
 
 AM I not an apoftle ? am I not free ? have I 
 not feen Jeru5 Cinifl our Lord ? arc not yc 
 my work in the Lord ? 
 
 The fird indance which the npoflle gives of his frcalom 
 and liberty was this, That ■v\hcn !;c prcaclicd the gofpcl 
 ;iinuir it ilicm at Corinth, J*|fcu4 ^ liberty either to live on 
 the sjofpel, anil take main^^P^c of them for picachin<T, cr 
 to live upon his '•.ibou^, following hi straJc of tcnt-inakini;, 
 Hoconling as lie faw it belt for the furtherance of the gofpel: 
 Jin I mt free';' As if he had.faid, " Have not I as good a 
 claim to freedom and Chiiftian liberty as any man? For 
 Am h-J leiu tipj/llc, or an extraordinary melTcnc;er of Jeftis 
 Clirill ? And tliKiigh I never faw the face of Chri ft upon 
 earth, yet have I not fccn him, and heard him fpcEking to 
 nic from heaven r And is not the converlion of you, the 
 Corinbians, to the Chriaian taith by my i)iiniltry,a fruit 
 and ("cal ot my apoftlefliip ? Now, if I be .-ill this, certninly 
 I have as great a right and claim to the ufe of Chriftian 
 Jiberty, as any of you will pretend to have: Yet will 1 only 
 make ufe of it for the bei^cfit of others, and for the fur- 
 therance ot the gofpel/' Learn we from the apoftle's ex- 
 ample, in abifainiiigfrom that liberty and power which Gcd 
 Iiad giveiv him tor receiving maintenance from them to 
 whom lie preached the gofpcl, how much it is the fluty 
 and concern of all Chriftians to the end of the world, to 
 abflain from the exercife of that libertv, and rightful power 
 granted to ihem by Chrill, for avoiding the fcandal of the 
 weak, and provoking men's fpiritual welfare. 
 
 2 If I be not an apoftle unto others, yet doubt- 
 Icfs I am to you ; for the feal of mine apoftleiliip 
 arc ye in the Lord. 
 
 As if he had faid, '* Whatever otliers do, yoti of all 
 men Ihould not queftion my apolUefhip, for you were con- 
 verted by it : You confirm and ratify my niiniflry, that it 
 is of God, and that God is in it of a truth : The conver- 
 lion ot iinners, and the building up of faints, is'God's 
 feal to our miniftry." Lenrn hence, That there is no fiich 
 arguinent to prove a minifter lent of Chrift, as the fiiccfs 
 oi his miniflry in the converfion of fouls unto God : This' 
 1"; God's feal to his office, that he is a minifter called of 
 tjod, and feat by God. Happy thofe miniftcrs who csn 
 fay un:o their people, Tt are our ivorh, and the feal of our 
 apofilejhip are ye in the Lord. Yet inuft it not be concluded 
 from hence that a perfon is not a true minifter of Chrift, 
 bccaufe he cannot produce this feal : 'I'he good of our 
 miniltry is not always known toourfelves, much lefs pnb- 
 lilhed to the world : More go<)>l is done many times by the 
 miiiillry of the word than, th&minifter knovvsof; thefecd 
 f imciimes lies long under the clods before it fruftifies ; 
 ■vvhai is fown in one mioiller's lime, comes up in anothcr'<:; 
 fo onefoweth and another reapeth, but both be that foweth, 
 and he that reapeth, (hall rejoice together, But where this 
 f^al can be procured, it is a certain (ign that fuch a minif- 
 ter is lent of God, and that Go«l is with him, and owns 
 J'.im ; yet it niufl be added, that tlioiigh. the iKCcefs of cur 
 
 miniftry to others is a feal of otir fftior, and afTurcs lis tl. i* 
 we are true miniftcrs, yet it is the tfticjcy of the word wr 
 preach ujvsn our own hearts and livcsiuiiai is the witnefs of 
 our fandlification, and the feal of uur falvation. Lord! 
 how fad will it be for r.ny of us to have been inftrimients 
 for tlic helping others to heaven by the foundnefs of our 
 di'flrine and go tohtU ourfiKcs for thcbadnefsof our exam- 
 ple, and the wickednefs of our lives!. 
 
 3 Mine anfwertothcm that examine mc is thisr 
 4 Have we not power to cat r.nd drii;k ? 5 Have 
 we not power to lead .tbout a filler, a v.ife, as well 
 as other apoftles, andas the brethren of the Lord, 
 and Cephas i* 6 Or I onl}' andBariiabas, have not 
 we power to forbear working ? 
 
 Here the apoftle inftances in another branch of liis 
 Chiilllan liberty, and that was marriage, he could have 
 taken a wife, as Peter and other apod! js did, liad le pleafcd 
 and have put the church to farther charges in maintaining 
 himfelf, avife, and family, as did ollicrs, without blame: 
 And he and Barnabas had power to forbear working for 
 their living, and maintaining tlH-mftlvcs with their own 
 labour in tent-making , they had power to.ifk maintenance 
 of the Corinthians, if they pLaled. I'lit they confidered 
 the low circumftances which the church was in and under 
 at that time, and coniiniied both in a fingle ftatc, and 
 wrought wish their hands to maintain themfelves, when 
 they might ha\e expected maintenance from the cluirch. 
 Have we mt power to lead ahul ajifler, auife ? That i', 
 to marry, if we faw fit. Wencc leuni, I. The !av^ fulnefs 
 of the miniftcrs of. the gofpcl marrving, as wcllasother 
 men ; neither the prophets of the Old Tertamcnr, nor the 
 apoftles of the New did abhor the marriage-bed, nor judge 
 themfelves too pure for an inftittnion of tluir Maker'; the 
 dfclrine forbiilding marriage to any, (which the apoftL- 
 fays is honourable in all] is called a doctrine of devils. 
 
 2. That no Chriftians, much lefs miniftcrs, have power, 
 that is, any lawful power, to marry fuch as are no Chrif- 
 tians ; their vivcs muft be their fillers in Chrift ; that is, 
 Chririi::n women, at leaft by external and vifible profeftion 
 
 3. That hufiiand and wife ought to be undivided compan- 
 ions one to another. Have wc not pyiver /» lead ah-jiit a 
 uife ? That is, to take her with us in our tra\e!s anil 
 journeyings from place to place, for our cornfort anil 
 a'liftance. Hufhands and wives are to be mutual com- 
 panions ftiarers in each other's forrows, and partakers of 
 oneanotlier's ctimforts. 
 
 7 ? Who gocth a warfare any iiinc .-i \n-s uwii 
 charges? who ])lanteth a vineyard and eateth iu)t 
 of the frait thereof ? or who fcedeth a fiock, and 
 eateth not of the milk of the flock ? 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " As foldicis are paid by thofe 
 that employ them, and as htifljandmcn and ihephcrds live 
 upon the fruit of their labours, fo may L and all the mi- 
 niftus of the gofpcl with me." Wliere /Wi-, 1. 'i'liat the 
 ininifterial fundion is reprefented here a a warfare : the 
 miniftcrs of Chrift are fpiriiual foldiers, ilicy have many 
 enemies to encounter with, and i.ontcnd againft. They 
 4 O are 
 
C^8 
 
 ^, C 'O R I N T II I A N S. 
 
 Cha?, XI. 
 
 sre alfo plnntcr.', \\'ins-Jrefil'rs, huil^andmcn, flicphcnls : 
 AM whicii titles given to them, do imimate and (ig- 
 rily what care =rici painiulnels, what dili-encc and watch- 
 liiinef;, ihoulil be found with them. 2. That maintenance, 
 n cnintortab!;; niairtcnancc, from t lie people is a debt dr.s 
 t'l thcminiilers cl the gofptl, who labiiir in the word and 
 •lioftrinc amongft lliem. U'l.\} ph:>:!elh a vinrynnl, c.:H 
 yr..':ih ::ci if ike fruit thereof? Ihi; is the hill argument 
 jvhjch our apoftlc here makes ufe ot, to prove the minif- 
 « r's jjiainicnance, a duty t.;!c^:n from the law of nature, 
 •t.,ui;y andcudom, ^^hich do appoint and aljow to fuldiei";, 
 vine-r'rcllcrs ami riiephcids, ye-j, to all that hibsiir for the 
 iili'of others in thtir rcrpc<itivc callingf, a due rev. aid of 
 ^v3gcs. What fwldicr goes to war at his own charges? 
 
 8 Say I thefc things as a man? or fattli not the 
 law tlic fame alio? g For it is written ir. the law 
 »c>t Moles, Thouflialt not muzzle the mouth of the 
 ox thattreadeth out the corn. Doth God take care 
 for oxen? lo Or I'aith he it altogccJicr for our 
 fakes ^ for our lakes, no doubt, ilui is wii<ten, that 
 lie that plowcth (liould plow iii hope ; and that he 
 .tijat thrtiheth in hope Liiculd be. partaker of his 
 iiopf. 
 
 A (ccond argument produced by the apofile fir the 
 people's cheerful maintenance ol the niinifters ot the gof- 
 ptl, is taken from the Lc\iiica' law : Soy I ihef: things a 
 ■ mmwi? Or faith not the !,7uO the fame aljo? As if he had 
 faid, " I do-not fpcJc this only rationally, as a thing very 
 agreeable to the light of nature, and the law of nations, 
 but tliG Lcviiical law fays the fame: 'For when God, in 
 Dour. XXV. 4. forbidj to muzzle the vi:ulh tf the ex, who 
 by hard labour trcadeth out the corn wiih his feet, his 
 dchgn therein i.s more than the bare taking care of the ox ; 
 for thereby he (hews in general what equity fliould be ufed 
 in the jnfl rewardi/ig «)f all men that labour for us ; and in 
 particular, tlic fniritunl labourer?, fuch as plow, and fow, 
 •ind llucdi, in tlie fpiriiucl hulbandry, (liould labour in 
 hope of a livelihood and fublillcnce, and eat tlitir bread 
 when thsy have earned if. If all meti are encouraged to 
 woik, i>y ajuft cxpeciaiion of the fruit cf ihiir o\- n la- 
 bours, why Diould not the minirtcrs of the word meet wi-.h 
 the like cncoiiragemeiit, which all mankind lock upon as 
 iheir juil due ? 
 
 1 1 IFwe have fewn unto j'ou fpiritual thin"."!, m 
 ii a great thing if we Ihall reap your carnal thinj>s? 
 
 A tl.ird argument for the minilK-rs' maintenance is here 
 ts'.en from coinmon juftice : They fnc ffiritual things \ 
 that is, they difpenfe the word and facramejits, and en- 
 deavour to make men fpiriiual and holy here-, ami happy 
 hereafter; and therefor; they ought to reap fomc of their 
 people's eurnal thing!, things for thefupport of their live?, 
 •nd fiibfiltarcc for liiemfelven and their families ; .So that 
 the miniftcrs of Gf^d are not indebted to their people, but 
 their people are indtbeted L'lih to Gnd and them; they give 
 their people th'r.vjs of a much greater v.ilue, and more ex- 
 ceilent ufe, for things of much lelferv.tlue, and more inferior 
 ;ufc ; for their cariutl things* they f^ivc tlicm fpiritual things. 
 
 12 If others be partakrrs of /Ars power O'cr you, 
 are not we rather ? ncvenhclers we have not ufed 
 tjiis power; but fuflfer all things, left we fliould 
 hinder the go.^pel of Chrill. 
 
 Here wc haveaffu t!i argument for the Corinthians 
 allowing St. Paul and <i!l!cr apcllles « fufficient mainte- 
 n:nce ; namely, from their own example to other teachers 
 at Corinth: As if he hul^^ "You maintain other?, 
 vhy not us.' Do not vof^^^Bpore to us, who fird laici 
 the foundation of a Chrifti^^huB-h amongil you, and 
 have begotten you through the gcfpe!, than you do to 
 others?" ^Jevcrthek-fs be tells them, that himftlf and Uar- 
 nabas, aJthougli ihoy had tliis ur.fjueflionablc liberty, yet 
 they never made ufc cf if, but fufrl red hunger andihirH, 
 weaiincls and want, left it tliould obftruil the Courfe, u.i I 
 hinder the progrefs of the gofpcl ; whilft fymc^ might, 
 thoug'i very imjuftly, charge them with covetoufnefs ; und- 
 otlicis, to favc charges, ir.ight decline heating of ilicni. 
 
 13 Do yc not know, that they which mi nlRcr about 
 holy thtn;T.s, liyenfihr.lhin^i of the temple ; and they 
 which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? 
 14 Even fohath the Lord ordained that tliey which 
 preach the gofpcl fliould live of the gofpel. 
 
 A fifth argument is here produced for the miniftcr's 
 inaintenance, which is taken from the example of the 
 i-evites, who lived upon things that were offered in the 
 teirsple, snd at the altar, and had a confiderablc part of the 
 facriiices allowed them by GckI himfclf for their miniflra- 
 tion under the law. In like manner, fays the apnflle, "It 
 is the Lord's pleafure and appoinrmcni now luuier the gof- 
 pel, (Matt, X. 10. Luke x. 7.) thai ihey who preach the 
 word fhould be maintained for it, and not divei ted from 
 their woik. by the cares and buliueG of the world, but 
 have a iivelihood from their labour. Hence it clearly ap- 
 pears, that a insintensnce for the mirullry untler thcgofpc? 
 ts rf divine right ; if it was fo imdcrihc law, it is likewife 
 tuiiier the gofpel : for fo favs the apoftle, God has irdaineJ. 
 God's will in this matter is the fame under the New Tc(- 
 tataent as it was undor the Old : and as a maintenance ia 
 general is of divine right, fo tithes may n.^ke thus far .1 
 claim to be of that nature, that it is believed the wiiliom of 
 man cannot (ind out any better expedient, than by them 
 to fupport a minirterial maintenance Icr ihc preachers of 
 the gofpel to the end of the world. 
 
 13 But I have ufed none of thcrethin.;s. Neither 
 have I writtcH thefe things that it fl^ouId be fo. done 
 unto me: for it were better forme todic than that 
 any man fliould make my ;»loryin:^ void. { 
 
 The apoftle having thus aflbrtrd Ids liberty, row fiicws 
 his great moderation in the ufc of it: Although he had a 
 lihcrtyto marry, and to dsmnnd m.nin'enance for his mi- 
 nillrv .as well as oiher.e, vet he denied hin>felt in bmhl Th : 
 apofllj wai; chargeil by ialfe teacher?, thar he preached the 
 gofpel for hisown pnriit and .TtKr.ntage ; \(hert::s he gk.ried 
 in tlic ccutrary, tliat he made ilx ^ofpd wiihou't charge , 
 
 locking 
 
Chap. rx. 
 
 T CORINTH lANSi 
 
 (^6S 
 
 l4)t>king upon it as his great honoiM-, that hecouIJ, fand c'i.l 
 preach the cofptl frttly, for finccrc ciirli, and not out ot 
 lininer refpeds ; and profcircs he had railicr die by flarving 
 than lofe his advantage of glorying. Now tlie inference 
 which St. Paul draws from all thisdircoiirfe, of his declin- 
 ing the ufe of his lawful liberty, is this : " If I your mi- 
 iiiftcr, fr>r yourprnfir, and the advantage of the gofpel, abate 
 cf mv own juii ri;jht and iinquc(iionablclibcrty,^vhy flioui.l 
 not you aba(c of yours in the cafe of eating things offertd 
 unto idols, to kck'p your j^^^brothcr fioni dci^roying his 
 foul by (inning aguinf^ GxH^ 
 
 16 For though I preach the gofpel, I have no- 
 thing toglor)' of ; for ncccfTity is laid upon me ; 
 jea, wo is unto me, if I preach not the gofpei. 17 
 yorifl do this willingly, I have a reward: but if 
 againR my wilJ, a difpcnfation of the r;ofpd is com- 
 uiitted unto me. 
 
 Thit which the apoftle glories in, is not his bare preach- 
 ing ot the gofpel, but his preaching of it frcelv, and w iih- 
 o'.it maintenance; for, fays he, "Though I preach the 
 gofpel, that has nothing lingular in it, others do it as well 
 as myfelf ; and I am bound to do it as well as others ; for 
 neceflity is laiJ upon me bv fpecial call and command from 
 Chrill fo to do ; yea, wo is unto me for my difobedience 
 to Chrift in the heavenly vifion [.\&.<. xxvi.) if I preach not 
 the gofpel. Now, if Ido this thing willingly, that is, freely, 
 without demanding any tiling of yon for my pains, which 
 I might do, / have a rrxJtrJ : that is, a fpecial reward from 
 Gi;d, and may glory in it: But if I preach it unwillingly, 
 (demnndinfj a maintpnance for my pains, and refufing to 
 preach without it} all that can be faid is this, that a dilpcn- 
 lationof the gofpel is committed to mc; and fo in preach- 
 ing I only difcharge a trull of which 1 cannot bcaft or 
 glory." The ftrength of the apoftic's argitmeiit lies here : 
 " No man can rcalbnably boalt of, glory in, or expcd an 
 extraordinary reward for the doing of that which he is 
 under a comtr.anj from his fiiperiorto do, and that under 
 a penalty too.'' Now this was his cafe : Nccediiy was 
 laid upon him to preach the gofpel, but no neccility but 
 w,h^t he laid upon himfcif to preach it freely : therefore for 
 him to do it, without demanding any reward from them 
 for the doing of it, this made it matter of" gloriify ing to iijm 
 whichhe had declared he had raihcrdic than any iliouldtake 
 from him. But was it the apodle's cvvn glory- that he vcjs 
 thus fond of, and cincerned for, that he h-d rathei lf)fc 
 his life than lofc it ? No, it was the glory of God, the 
 honour of the gofpel, that was fo unexprcllively dear unto 
 him; this great apoftic did, upon pure principles offaiih 
 and love, from his heart and (oul, dclign the glory of God, 
 Jjiirfuant to which he did cheerfully and willingly apply 
 iiimftlf to the preaching of the gofpel, waiting upon Goil 
 for his acceptance andreward,\\ i-.hoiit exp^'flingany wages 
 (as he might from them his Corinthian ccnvcrts ; and 
 tin"'; v/as the mittcrof his b wading and glorying in the fac^ 
 of ihcf-ilft apoftles, who infmuared that he preached the 
 gofpel ff-r fiUhy lucre fake. 
 
 1.8 What is my reward then ? Vtrily that when 
 
 I preach the g«fpel, I may 'make the gofpel of 
 ChriR without charge, that 1 abufo not my power 
 in the gofpel. * 
 
 The fer.fo is, " This gives me hones of a reward extra- 
 ordinary from God; namely, that I have preached the gof- 
 pel fo you, without being chargeable to any of you ; forbad 
 I received maintenance from you, I foiind my reproaches 
 wruld have brought an ill report upon me. To prc\rnt 
 which, I m.ide ufe of my chrillian liberty,anil lock noildng 
 of you ; which he calls, his net iihif.ng his pnvtr in t!.e 
 f:ifP'-l. Learn hcnrc, l. That mir.i.lcrs, gcncrnlly fper.king 
 lawfully may expt£t yea, require inaintainancc from their 
 people to whom thtv preach the gcfpel. 2. Tl;at ilthougli 
 they may expcd and demand inaintcnance for their minif- 
 try, vet in cafe the pe:'^plc are fo poor, that theycannot give 
 it ; or enemies ^a malicious, as to open their mouths againft 
 them for it ; or if it will hinder the pror^refs of the gufpcl,. 
 by kccpir.g people from coming under tne prcachint; ci it, 
 fearing it fhould ,be chargeable to them ; under fuch cir- 
 cumflanccs if the minhlcr can fubi-iil: without it, it is his 
 certain duty to preach fretly, and for fuch extraordinary 
 fcrvices he may cxpe£l a more than ordmary reward. 3. 
 That the liberty, which God hath intruded us with, mull 
 never be abufcd by us, to the prejudice oi his glory, or the 
 detriment of his .gofpel, or to the difadvantage ofotherr. 
 All fuch ufe of our liberty in any tiling, is indeed an abufe 
 of it : therefore, fays thcapoille liere, 1 abufe not my pov/- 
 er in the gofpel. 
 
 ] q For though I be free from all m(n, yet have I 
 made myfelf fervant unto all, that I ini^ht gain the 
 more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, 
 that I might gain the Jews : to them that are under 
 the law, as under the law, that I might gain them 
 that are under the law ; £ 1 To them that are with- 
 out law, as wiiiiout Ijw, (being not without law to 
 God, butunderthe lawtoChrifl) that I might gain 
 them that are without law. 22 To the weak became 
 I as weak, that I mightgnin the weak : T am made- 
 all things to all vun, that I might by all inenns fave 
 fome. 23 And this Idofcir thegofpel's f.:ke, that 
 1 might be partaker- thereof witiwtfi 
 
 In thefe verf:s our apr>.flc proceeds to fhcw the Corin- 
 thians farther, hew mightily he-did abiidgc hlmfelf of his 
 Chri'Uan iibertv, which was the nrgvnncnt he was infiling 
 upon : For, fays he, lh:v?^h I h free frm all n:en, as h^i: g 
 a ferv.nnt to none, yet have I muih myielf as a jer^iwnt to ?!!, 
 that I might ^nln the more, to ciVibrni e thfe gofpel. lotht 
 unconverted feu:, he htccme wra ^j-U', circiuncifing Ti- 
 moihy for their fakes, Afls xvj. 3. thct he might fain li c 
 Jr.os. To them, -who in their Ofmnn uere s(t !Wf!rr the 
 obligation of the oeremonial' l.-'w, he carn'cd himfif as a 
 perfcn under tL7t hw, thourh he knew hit felf free frcm 
 it, to the end that he might ga'11 ihnn the' ere urdi r tie 
 bzv; and ?CCordingIy he purified himfelf in the temple, 
 A£ls xxi. To t.'.em ihatzvere ■uithitit !ni', that is, ih- Gen- 
 tile-, who were without she cercmc.Tial law, he became as^ 
 ■ 4 O 2 %c:thcut 
 
^Hi)(?o 
 
 T: C'O'R I NT'H rA-N S. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 fi'i.'ho'it lau) ; abftaininp 
 they did: But yet, wo/ '/ 
 
 from the ufe of afl ceremonies as 
 ■''''i xvith.ut imti toGad, bul vmltr 
 the lira) li Chrij} ; that is, as to the moral law of God, 
 ^vhich was not abcIiflKJ, but reinforced by Chrifi, he did 
 nrvcr account himfclf free from that, nor durftdo any 
 thing contrary to the eternal nil/- of righicoufnefs j and all 
 this, that hi mi^At gjin them if'Ht arc withi-ul Inw. To the 
 'i-rai converts, cither among Jews or frcntiles f'f heccjne 
 ^,i'ui<K by abftaining from what might hurt their weak 
 confciences, t/a/ Jo fr mig/t gnin the 'ur.tt. Finally, fre 
 f'fcnme all things to alt >rrK, bv Compliance with them in all 
 'awhil anJ indiftertnt things, ihnt he tnirht gn'ut as many 
 as pofiibly he could. And all this he did l\r tlie g'Jprl'sfahe, 
 thar ilie gofpcl might iae the better cflccnud, 'and farijier 
 prcniagatcd, and that he might himfcU" partake of the pro- 
 niies and rewards of it, together with them to whom he 
 j; rejched it, and had efFei^^iially entertained it. Behold 
 here the hi.miHty and charity of this great apoflle ; his 
 ready condefcenfion to the pitiable weaknefies of all iricn ; 
 his compliance with them in all lawful and indiHcrcnt 
 things for the glory of God, and the advantage of the 
 jjcfpel. A rare and fingiibr pattern for all minillers and 
 private Chrirtians to imiiatc and follow. Now from this 
 ■example of St. Paul's becoming all things to all men, and 
 making himfelf a fervant unto all, v/e learn, i. One great 
 duty of a gofpel minifter, is not to be a (lave to any, but a 
 fervant to ail, net a fervant to their luihs, but to their 
 weakneflcs and infirmities. Our apoftlc did not turn, as 
 ;5 the flattering andfzlfe apoftles did, wiihlheiiae and times 
 nor conform to them in what was finful : He liid not fym- 
 bcli/e with all colours, nor was he a man for all hours or 
 humours; for, fays he, If I pleaje men (he means in any 
 thing (inful) I amno more the fervant of Chrijl, CrA. \. \o. 
 Eut wiicly confidcring the cafe and ftate ot all men, he 
 did accommodate his minidry for the gaining of as manv 
 as he poflibly cotdd. Some are all things to all men, tha't 
 they may gain by all ; a fpirit not only unworthy of a mi- 
 Jiider, but of a man. But St. P.iul complied with all men 
 and made himfcif the fervant of all, that Chrift might 
 thereby gain his gofpel gain, yea, and they them.fel'ves 
 gain ; which hints to us a fecond obfcrvation, the great 
 end which the apoflle aimed at in this his compliance with, 
 and condefcenfion towards the weaknelfcs ot his pcrpic • 
 This I Jo f:r the gtfper s Jithe : As if he had laid, "Though 
 I thus (loop and yield to all men, it is to fcrve my Martcr, 
 Bol myfelt. Tiiiuk not that I thus put myfclf into all 
 forms towards men for my own preferment in the world ■ 
 but that Chrift may be preferred in the hearts and accep- 
 tations of ail men: I pleafe all men in all things, not 
 Jeeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may 
 be Javed" i Cor. x. -^3. Behold here 'the noble mark 
 M'hich the minillcr of Chrift had in his eye, thefaving of 
 Jouls. That he might hit it, he wifely obferved the temper 
 and ftate of his people, ftriving to render himfcif agreeable 
 and acceptable unto all, that he mij;!it by all means fave 
 fome ; yet had he alfo an eye to himlclf in all this ; he had 
 refped to the recompenfe of reward, as lawfully he mi^ht: 
 This Idoftr the gofpel' s Jake, that [may he partaker thereof 
 
 may be partaker thereof 
 IS. that I may have a fliare niyfelf in the 
 jjroniikd rewards of the gofpel which I have preached unto 
 
 with you : that 
 
 yotj. BlefTcd be God, it is lawful for all the miniftcrs and 
 members of Chrift to do good out «)f hope of reward ; and 
 that his glory and our own happinefs are fo infepnratcly 
 cnncfled and knit together, that by promoting the former, 
 we fecure the latter. 
 
 94 5 Know ye not that they which run in a race 
 run all, but one receiveth the prize ? So run ih.it yc 
 may obtain. ^ 
 
 Our apoflle, rcording t^^Pcuftom in fi;ndrv cpiillcs, 
 docs in the end oi this chapter fall nprn the iifc of terms 
 agonidical ; borrowed from the Olympic, and other Grecian 
 games, celebrated near Corinth, in which the conttndiri'7- 
 panics did put forth all theit ftrength to outdo one another 
 Thcfc games were running, cufEng and wreliling; all which 
 the apoftle here alludes imto ; and firft to running : 7h.y 
 ivhich run in a race, run all, hut tne receiveth the prize ; fo 
 nm the Chriftian race, that ye may citain the prize. Learn 
 hence. That Chriftianiiy is a race which God hath fet us 
 and it is our duty faithfully and perfeveringly to run it. In 
 a race the foundation of it is a prize; in a race there is a 
 confidcrablc diftance between one goal and another ; in 
 a race there is a race-plat for the racers to run in, there are 
 certain laws to fun by, and there is a certain judge to de- 
 termine who wins the crown fairly. Now this race of 
 Chriltianiiy vaftly differs from all other races, thus : This 
 is a fpiritual race, it ftrains not legs and lungs, but faith 
 and patience. Other races are performed by natural 
 abilities, but this by a fupernatural power and ftrength. 
 Thofe races might be run without difturbance, but not 
 this ; their reward but a garland of bays, our's a crown of 
 i nmortality. But what is it to run this race ? jinj. It 
 fuppofes a motion, it imports a vehement and intenfc mo- 
 tion, it implies progrefs and proficiency ; every ftep brings 
 the racer nearer the goal : and it implies perfeverance ; ihe. 
 racer muft hold it to the laft, or he lofes his labour and re- 
 ward : every one that rims fhall obtain the prize ; whereas 
 in other races, but one receiveth the prize. 
 
 25 And every man that flriveth for the maflery 
 !.<! temperate in all things. Now, they do it to ob- 
 tain a corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 
 
 It was a ciiftom amongft thofe that ufed at Corinth the 
 forementioncd t;am':^ of running and wicftlin?, to tie them- 
 felves to a ftricl prcfcribcd diet, both for quality and qi'an- 
 titv, by way of preparation. They did not indulge theni- 
 fclves in gluttony, or any fort of e.xcefs, but were temperate 
 in all things, that the crown might be won by them ; 
 w hich alas ! was nothing but a garland of leaves or flowers. 
 In imitation of whom, he advifes the Corinthians to be 
 very moderate in the ufe of all worldly things, and to ah- 
 ftain from whatfoever may hinder their running the Chrif- 
 tian race, and their receiving the incorruptible crown 
 
 26 I therefore fo run, not as uncertainly; fo fight 
 I, not as one that beateth the air. 
 
 That is, " I run this race of Chriflianlty myftlf, which 
 I advi(e you unto : B»it my care is to run fure, not at un- 
 certainties: to make fure of the crown at the end of the 
 race ; and I do not only run, but' fight : I oppofo what- 
 ever 
 
Chap, x." 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS: 
 
 66 1 
 
 hsi«^vill bring us to heaven and 
 
 ever oppofeih me." Here oh/rrve, the aportlc changes 
 
 the metaplior from that of running, to the other game of 
 
 cuffins ; and f.jys, he did not fight like one ihst beats the 
 
 air, but never hurts tiie advcrfary : No, he fought in good 
 
 earncll with ;-ll his fpiritii.d enemies, the tlefti, the world 
 
 nii.l the devil. It is not every running that \^y.\ gain the 
 
 ize, not cv^ry fightin;; that will obtain the vidory ; but 
 
 mtift be a running v.'i'th all perrcverancc, and^ a fighting 
 
 ih our uMnolt power, iha^v"" ' 
 
 eternal happincf^. ^^B 
 
 27 But I keep under njy body, — 
 
 The original word may be fitly rendered, I give myfclf 
 blue eyes, alluding to the Olympic game of cuffing, in 
 whicli the combatants were wont with their blows to beat 
 one another till they made each otlter livid, their eyes black 
 and blue. The fenfc is, thi: by mortification he ufed great 
 fcveiity upon himfclf contending againft and combating 
 with that body of iin and death, which did obflruct and 
 liinder him in running the Chriflian race which wss fct 
 before him. 
 
 — And bring it into fubjeQion ; — 
 
 The word in the Greek is an allufion to the other exercife 
 of wreftling, wherein the antagonifls or contenders do 
 ftrive to cart each other to the ground, and to keep ihem 
 under. So he, the better to fubdue his body of fin, was 
 careful to keep down the body of flcGi, which, if painpered, 
 is apt to rebel. He concludes all with a rcafon why he 
 exercifed all his circ and caution, namely, 
 
 — Left that by any means, when I have preach- 
 ed to others, I myfelf fhould be cafl-away. 
 
 That is. Left when he had acquainted thein with the 
 laws and rules of Chriftianity, and propofed to them the 
 way of ftriving and getting the crown, he himfelf (lioiild at 
 lalV be a cad, away, or one unworthy to be approved or re- 
 warded by God. From whence ohfcrve, i. That it is 
 pofliblc for him, who has been all his life preaching to 
 Others, and furthering them in the way to heaven, to be 
 thrown himfelf into hell at laft. Many thnt have prophe- 
 ficd in Chrift's liame, fliall yet pcri(h in his wrath ; and 
 fuch as have cafl devils out of others, fliall be caft to the 
 devil thcmfclves. 2. That fnch miniflcrs as indulge their 
 imruly appetites, giving the flcfli whatever it craves,, and 
 can deny it nothing it defircs, pimperins; the body to the 
 prejiidiceof the fold, go not in St. Pauls rosd to heaven, 
 but the contrary ; they gratify what he mortified, they in- 
 dulge what he fubdued : He adminillcred to the wants, they 
 to the wantonnefs of the flefli : He knew that Hagar would 
 quickly perk up, and domineer over Sarah ; that the body 
 would quickly expect and command more attendance than 
 the foul, except it were kept under ; and, for this reafon, 
 1 '\ s our apoftie here, / keep under my botfy, and Irrng it itilo 
 Jhhj(£lion ; lejl (hat by any means, 6cc. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 The ap-^flk. in this c/wpter, conlinues hii argutiunti to 
 dijlxdde Chri/lians Jrcfin cati'ng of things cffcred unlo 
 idols. 
 
 MOREOVER, brethren, I v/ould not that ye 
 fliould be ignorant howr that all our fathers 
 were under the cloud, and all paffedthrou'^h the (en. 
 
 Among other arguments which the apodle prcxJuces to 
 diJuaie the Corinthians from eating things offered to idi Is 
 in the idol tetnples, an.l to prove it abfoh.tcly tin!a\v;iii for 
 Chriliiansfo have comr.iunion whh the Gentiles in their 
 idolatrous b.mqi.ets, the hub is dr.iwn from the danocr of 
 fuch finfu! coinmnUion ; it would tnd.inger their falling 
 into fuch kind cf fms as the Ifraeliies, on tkat occafion, fell 
 into, and confiquemlv expol'e ihciu to fuch punilhrncnts as 
 they fuffered. But fird of all, in the beginning of this 
 chapter, he acquaints the Corinthians with the great faVHirs 
 and privileges which Alrnighty God vouchfifcd Co, ani 
 conferred upon the Ifmclites, who come out of E_'} pt with' 
 Mofes into the wilderncfs, who had a pillar of cloud to 
 guide and proteft them, the manna from heaven to ftiflain 
 and uphold them, and water out of a rock to rcfreih and 
 fatisfy them, /f.7 cur fathers xvere under the cloud i that is,. 
 under the condu£l and prctedion of the cloud.j and all 
 pnjl'rd through the Rcd-fca, ns upon dry ground: This cloud 
 which accompanied the Ilraelitcs in their journey ings, h;;d 
 a threefold ufe : (i.) In rcfpeift of God ; it was a fjgn and' 
 fymbol of the prefence of God with ihein, and of his care 
 and prote(^ion over them, for it enrimpalTed their camp as 
 a wall doth a city. Hence is that of the Pfahr.ifl, Ihjprcad 
 cut a chudfor a eyuen'nj; to them, and fire to give them light 
 in the night Jcaf on, Pfaf. cv. 39. (2.) In refpcd of the 
 Ifraclites, the cloud did guide and direft them in their jour- 
 ney ings i Pfal. Ixxviii. 14. In the day he led them with a 
 child, ami all the night with a light of fire. And as the 
 cloucWid guide and direcl Ilratl, fo did it cool and rcfrefli 
 them in the wildernefs, preferving them from_ the heat of 
 the fun : It was a covering canopy over them, in a fcorch- 
 ing dcfert. (-5.) In refped of their enemies, it was dark- 
 neis to the Egyptians, and confqucntly proteded the 
 Ifraeiites from fheir enemies, that they could not airault or 
 fall upon them. It had a bright fide to the Ifraeiites, and 
 a dark fide to the Egyptians. Lord I how eafily canfl thou 
 m-ke the fame creature a comfort to thy children, and a 
 terror to thine enemies. Every outward blertljig is that, 
 and no more, which thou art pleafcd to make it to us. A 
 cloud fhall guide, a cloud fliall cover, a cloud fliall comfort 
 Ifrael : And the fame cloud fliall be darknefs, yea, at thy 
 command, fliall be death to the Egyptians. 
 
 2 And were all b.ipti/.cd unto Mofes in the cloud: 
 and in the fea ; 
 
 Note, I. The Ifraclites are here faul to be bapih-ed in the 
 cloud and in the fea ; that is, the cloud which ovcrfliadowed 
 them, did fomciimis bedew and fpnt;klc ihem : And the 
 Red-Sea, through which they pafltd, had its waters gathered 
 into two heaps, one on the right hand, and the other on the 
 left, betwixt which the Ifraclites paRed, and in their pa'dagc 
 fcemed to be buried in the waters : As pcrfons in that aje 
 were put under the water when they were baptized ; and 
 thus were Ifrael baptized in the cloud and in the fea. 2. 
 'Ihcy arc faid to be baptised unto Mfes in the cloud and in 
 the fea : Vntg Mofes \ th.'it if, unto the do£liinc taught by 
 
 Alofis 
 
6-6s 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Mofi:?, they believed liim, and folloiyed his comlu<S through 
 the fea, and were cnilirmccl io their belief of Mofes (the 
 tvpiLal Mciiaiot) .nsa pcrfon crnpiovcd by Gxi ; ami were 
 obiigfH under the miniflry andgniJanccof Mufcs, to follow 
 Gr.(i whitherfocver he led them. 3. That all this was a 
 figtire to whkh our baptifm anlwers : both the cLnid and 
 the lea had rtfem,*Iaiice to our being covered with w iter in 
 baptifm. by which wc arc conrirmeti in the faiih of Ciirifl, 
 and obliged to profcfs and own l.im, to injft in and depend 
 up^:i hitn, to ferve and obey him, and this to the death. 
 Pchold how much of Chrill and his gofprl was ihadowed 
 and iicid forth to the Jows ui:der the difpcnfauon of the 
 cercm. nial law ; they had Chrill in their facrifices, and we 
 have all their facrifices in Chrift. The cloud, tiie Tea, 
 the mar.na, the reck, all typified Chrift, and were itfem- 
 blances and reprefentaiions vf him. Chriil was as truly 
 reprelenied to the Jews as unto us, as truly, thoui'h not lb 
 clearly. 
 
 3 And did all eat the fame fpfritualincat ; 4 And 
 tlid aJl diiuk the fame fpiritual drink. (For they 
 drank of that fpiritual Rock that followed them ; 
 and that Rock was Chriil.) 
 
 77'fy, that is, the fathers in the ivildcrnefs, did all cat of 
 the manna which came down from heaven, which is here 
 railed fpiritual meat ; either bccaufc it came down from 
 heaven, which is the habitation of fpiritual beings ; or bc- 
 caufe it was food given out by the miniftry of ans^els, thofe 
 fpiiilual agents ; or eJfe it is called fpirfmar, that is facra- 
 mental meat ; becaufe it typified Chrirt, who is the bread of 
 life, the true bread which came down from heaven. That 
 manna v/as a type of Chrifl, thus appears : " Was manna 
 provided by Gcd for the Ifraelites without their labour and 
 induflry : fo is Chrift given unto men without any merit 
 or work of their own, but of the free gift and goodnefs of 
 Ood. Dul manna come down from heaven befides the 
 ordinary coiirfc of nature? So was CbriR's birth wonderful, 
 and not as the birth of other men ; being not begotten of 
 mortal (^.-eiK but by the influeiKe of thj Ptoly Gholl. Was 
 manna dilhibutcd to all alike, one not havmg more and an- 
 other lefs, but all an etjiial fliare r In like manner, Chriit 
 communicj'cs himfelf unto all alike, without excep-ion of 
 pcrfons : a beggar may have as great a part in Chriil as a 
 prince. Aj^ain, as manna was food, plcntifid food, fwect 
 •and pleadn^ ioo.1 ; f, is Chriil, the food of life, very Av cet 
 to fuch a foul as can truly relifh him. Farther, iiuift the 
 manna, before fit for food, be beaten in a mortar, or broken 
 in a mill, aiu{ baked in an oven ? fo Chriil, our heavenly 
 manna, was broken on the crofs, fcorchcd in the nre of his 
 father's wrath, th.it he might become the fpiritual food 
 
 ■wtiercwith our fouls are nourilhed unto everblting life. 
 
 Finally, as manna was given only in the wilderneff, and 
 teafed when the Ifraelites came into Canaan ; fo is Chrifl 
 tiiir fpintuul m-.at, our facramcntal fo.jd, whilft wc arc ir» 
 the wdderntis of this world ; but when we Ihall come to 
 the heavenly Canaan, we (lull have no more any need of 
 facramcntal fupports, but (liall behold him fai'e to face 
 arid be bushed wi.h his likcnefs." A„J they did ail itrmh 
 tt tlwt Spiritual Rod ulmh follnvcd than, and that Rack 
 was LkriJL Here the water, out of the Ruck is aUb called 
 
 X. 
 
 fpiritual drink, it being typically ami facrameftfjllv fo. 7hat 
 Rock was Chrifl; that is, it lignilied, rcprefinted.'and typi- 
 iied Jefus Chriil. For as the rock gave; no water befoie i.t 
 was fmittcn with the rod of Moks ; fo was Chriil f.riitten 
 upon the crofs, and out of his fide came forth water : and 
 as it war. the rod in Mofcs's hand ihat fmote and broke the 
 rock ; fo was Chrifl fmiittn with the ciirfeof the law, in 
 tiie day when his foul was made an ortliing for lin. In a 
 word, as tht rock yielded water, not f nly to them that were 
 hrft prclent at the bronchi^^r it, but lolh'wcd tlicm with , 
 Its ftreams, in their flation^foiigh the wilderntfs , in Hke 
 inanncr, the water which gufhcd out from oi:r fmitten Sa- 
 viour, the fwcctfruits and benefits of his death, did not only 
 bcloiig to them who were prcf<.nt at the time and place 1 . 
 his fwffbring?, but it doth, and v, ill accompany all belicvcri 
 to the end of this world. The virtue and efficacy of oirr 
 Lord's blocd is row as great, as efficacious and ttfiaual, 
 as it was the firil hour it was flitd ; the divinity of his pcr- 
 lon adds an eternal cfl-cacy to his paflion. 
 
 5 But with many of them God was not well 
 pleafed : for they were overthrown in the wilderncf:. 
 Although the TPraeliics were made partakrrs ot the forc- 
 mentroned privileges and fpiritual favours ; though they 
 vvere baptized unto Mofes in the cloud, and in the fta, :rd 
 did eat facramenral meat, and drink facramcntal drink, yet 
 it did not fet them out of danger of God's di.f"pleafuie, for 
 they were overthrown, their carcafes fell in the wildernefs, 
 Lrarn thence, That no external privileges or prerogatives 
 whatfoever can exempt pcrfons from God's judgments, if 
 they retuin not fiiitably to him for his favours and benefits 
 received from him. The bare outward receiving of a fa- 
 crament is not f..ving to the foul of a pcrfon : and the un- 
 worthy receiving of facraments. and utifuitable walkino- 
 after thein, do inkindle God's anger, and provoke his heavy 
 difpleafurc againll perfons, even 'to the cutting them orf by 
 untimely death here in this world. 
 
 6 5 Now thcfc things were our examples, to tlic 
 intent we fhoukl not lull after evil things, as thtv 
 alio luttcd. ^ 
 
 Oiprve here, r. The fm charged upon the Ifraelites in 
 the wildernefs , They tufhd ; that is, after the fiefh-pots of 
 Egypt, and to return thither again. Thev had manna for 
 forty year? together, but being tied to it' (though sncels' 
 food, that IS, molt txccllent ford) they giew weary of it. 
 Lord! how excceding^y indebted arc wc to thv Irbcraiiry 
 and bounty, in that plenty and variety of creature refrt ftil 
 mens which rhou aftordefl us.' The beaifs of the field, 
 the fowls of the air, and the fifhes of the fea, are frccit 
 given us, not barely for necefTity, but delit'ht, and do aH 
 admiiiiilcr to our fupport and comfort. 2. How theapollle 
 calU upon us to improve examples, that we may not bo. 
 made examples. Theje things, that is, their fuiferin;-.., 
 ■Mere our examples; they were It r our caution to rcceiv« 
 warning bv them, not to walk in tliofe foiil-dcfiiing wa\s 
 in whiJi they have walked, fallen, ar.d periOnid. A wife 
 Chnftian may receive much gocd by (^blerving the dealings 
 of God with ihcm that are e\d, for God is unchangeable, ■ 
 jull, and holy, and will not- lavuur that in o.tc pctfoa,. | 
 
 wJiich 
 
 A 
 
Chap. x. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 <5<?3 
 
 \shich he piinifhcs in another. Tl)ffe thimrs were our exnm- 
 
 ples. As it" the apofllc had I'lit!, " O ve Corinthians, look 
 
 upon the dead bodiL-s of the Ifraclitcs, wiii -h arc cart upon 
 
 the ihore ot" the f'criptiiros, for .i warning to you ; follow 
 
 " it the rnnie courfi-, left you meet with the fame ciirfe ; if 
 
 I ticad the fame patii, cxpcil; the fame ptinidiment, for 
 
 'I is as righteous no'.v as h: was then ; lie hates, and 
 
 '.'A piinilh fin in yon, r.s mu."h as ho did in them. Thefe 
 
 ■f r were cur example!, to t heSii 'snt tv: /bwld not iiift nflcr 
 
 . !'.!>!as, as they lujied." fl^^ 
 
 7 Xcithcr be ye iJoIaicrs. a*. rtr;e fome of tlicni : 
 
 it is wriitcn, The p.-opic fat down to eat .nnd 
 
 di ink, and rofe up to play. 8 Xcrithor Jet us com- 
 
 init fornication, as fomc of thcni committed, and 
 
 :1 in one day thiee n.nd twenty tlioufand. 
 
 Our apoflle being Piill difRiading the Corinthians from 
 ■'n.'^of things ofTcrcd unto idol;-, a:-,d thereby from holj- 
 ^' cniv.miinion with the Gentiles in thi-ir idolatrous ban- 
 quets in their idol-iemples, he Ills before their) the idohitry 
 of the Jews, who fat down to cat and todiink of the fa- 
 crificcs offered to the golden calf, and rofe up to play ; that 
 i'^, to dance before the golden calf, aficr'thc manner of th;; 
 Heathen, liiis being one of their rites by \vliich they lio- 
 noiircd tlKJr gods. He farther advifes them to take heed 
 how they mix with idolaters in their feafts. left thev bu 
 given up to fornication as tt'.e Ifraclitcs were in the wilder- 
 ncfs with the daughters of Moab, Numb. xxv. of whom 
 there fell in one day, three and twenty thoisfand by the iin- 
 n^ediate iiand of God. Lc.irti hence, Tiiat Almighty 
 Gofi has left many inftances upon record, in his lk>ly -.vord, 
 ot the fc\erity of his jiiftice upon pcrfons guilty of idolatry 
 anil fornication, and all other lins, on purpofe to warn all 
 of their fin and danger in the perpictation and coramiflion 
 of them. To fin at^ainil example, is an aggravation of fin. 
 
 9 Neither lot us tempt Chiin, as fom.e of them 
 alio tempted, and were deftroyed of fcrptnts. lo 
 Neither murmur TC, as fome of them alfo murmur- 
 ed, and were dcliroyed of the dcRroycr. 
 
 O/'fen-e here, A double ^i^" which the Corinthians are 
 warned agninft, tcmptirg and murmuring: Neithrr tempt 
 _*eC''>ri/}, by trying how long his patience w ill laft, as the 
 Ifraclitcs did, when (as the sngcl of the covenant) lie went 
 before them ia the wildernefs. Numb. xxi. 5. 6. Here 
 «5/<-, The obfcd or perfon, whom the Ifraeliies are faid to 
 tempt, Cvrij) \ which provcF, 'r.' His pre-exillcnce before 
 hi^ incarnation ; the Ifraclitcs could not have <!ien ictr.ptcd 
 nim, had he not been then exiftent. {7.) His divinity^ 
 ho >vho is called here C/;r!/?,h by the Pfulmill called C,V/, 
 Pfal. cvi. 14.. 7heytempie<l C'.d'in the dejert. Chrift had 
 not an hiunan nati'.rc then to be tempted in, they tempted 
 Jlim therefore as he w.-;s (jod : a go d argmnent to prove 
 tjie divinity of onr Saviour, madc^ufj of "by the antiervs. 
 1 he other tin '.varncd againlT, is murmuri.'ig : AV,V/.-r w;v- 
 «//»•/'; that is, do not repine, bcrauQ; you .-; re forbidden 
 \n be at prc-fcnt at the hIolaiii;i:s fealts of the Cientiles -in tlic 
 Jdwl-teu;plcs ; iitithcr do ye tnurm;ir,by reafon of iJic jxr- 
 
 (rcutions w!iii.h yoti do or insy endure, for the fake of 
 Chriftianity, and the Caufc of Chrift. Le^rn hence, That 
 to murmur at, or to be impatient under, any of the provi- 
 dential difpcnfations of God, is both {;rcat fin and follv. 
 It is as high prefumption and wickedncfs to be dilTati'ficd 
 v\iih God's woiks of pr'widcncc, as with his works of 
 ereaticn ; to quarrel at what God doth, is as ijnchnfti:::i. 
 like, yea, as uncreature-like, as to quarrel at what Gid l-.rs 
 made. Therelore, ;,/i.';;;;;/r r,at^ (i.< the IfnifJitn: murmurfd. 
 K'Je,l. ,/\ double pimifhmcnt inflid.-d on the Ifradi'er, 
 tor this dctiMe fin ccmmitted ; fcch as icnip'cd, were de- 
 flroyed of fiery ferpcnts. Numb. xxi. 6, 7. The Lord fei:t 
 fiery ferpcnts among the people ; the fting and Tcnom of 
 thofe fcrpcnis was inflaming, fpre.-ding, killing ; n.uch 
 tpcopic of Ifrael dietl. And fucli as ifkurir.u red, were <!e- 
 (Iroycd of the deilroyer ; that i<, ly the deflrojing angel in 
 thjt plague mentioned, Numb. xiv. -57. . Such varieiv < f 
 judgments has Almiglny God, with w'ii>;h to punifli ai;J 
 plague an incorrigible and unrcclaimable peoj.Je. 
 
 1 1 S Now all tiicfc things happened unto them, 
 for cnfamples : and they are written for our admo- 
 nition, upon whom the ends of the world arc come. 
 
 That is, tlic hiftory of ttie Ifraclitcs fnsand puniHimcrti 
 was written and recorded by God in the holy Scripture,-, 
 for the ufe and benefit of all fuccecdii»g gcr.erations, and 
 particularly for u-^, who live in the 1 aft ages of t!.c world, 
 to warn us to avoid the like fin, that we inay efciipe the 
 like punilhmenls. Lenrn hence, That the fall of others, 
 whether into fin, or under judgm.ent for fin, lliould be 
 caution and warning to 11s to take heed of finning. Hcie 
 the apoftlc fums up the moft remarkable judgments vshich 
 fell upon the Jews in their pa'lagc from Egypt to C"naai>, 
 and ciofes all with this application to ChriiHaus; Thie 
 tJ.inrs happened to than for enJantpUi \ in th.e origin.nl it i.s 
 ast\j-es\ they bcfel them typically, that in them we tiiay 
 fee how God will deal wiih us if we take their courfc ■; 
 thofe calamities v.hich deftroy fome, fliould inftruiSl others^' 
 Many will never fee fin in itfelf, fome will fee it in the tvpc 
 and ciil'ample, tlist is in the judgment of God upon oilicrs ; 
 and tl)cfe that will not fee f:n in the laflies of ftverity iipoii 
 others, will certainly feel it upon their own bac'ks ; fuch 
 as will not improve exairiples, fliall undoubtedly be made 
 exattiples. 
 
 1-2 Wherefore let hira Uiat thiiiketir he flandeth, 
 take heed left lie fall. 
 
 Thefe words are an inference which our apoflle draws 
 from the foregoing cfifcourfe : Seeing that To manv who 
 enjoyed great privileges among the Jews, were yet piinillK'tl 
 greatlv for their fir.s ; feeing that facramcnts are no pri; i- 
 Icges eiihcr for fin, or from plagues : therefore, /c/ him t:-i.t 
 thinkflh he J'iindelh, lair heed, &c. 'vVlierf note, i. A 
 great mutability to which human nature is fubje«^ \ ht 
 that tliinkctli he flandeth, may fai' : Man's condition iy 
 acoonfing to his place and ftation : This is fhreelolif, 
 'J'lie (irft place is heaven ; this is fixed and cofitirnicd, a 
 kingdom that cannrit be fliaken ; the f.ri'its there, nreffand- 
 ir.gp~^!llars, froc from all pof^ibiHiy of falling. The fecr;n.1 
 
 pLcc 
 
66.\ 
 
 I. C O R 1 N T H I A N S. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 place is )iell, nhcrp (Inners are bourd hand and foot ; and 
 i-finor fallen, arc without any podibili y of rilinr^. The 
 tiiird place i^ this cr.rth on wliicn we live, where men botli 
 fbnd and fni) ; and the bcft arc fubjcdl to faliinjj, bcinj^ 
 liins of Adam, ?s wcU as fons of God ; partly ficfli, and 
 •}':ir!lv fpirit. 2. The i'igilancy required in or.ltr to our 
 tlanding : 7,.'/v /y.-</ : How many thoiifands have fallen by 
 a iTcfitmpUictis crnfdi.ncc oi thiir own ftrei)L;ih in (bnd- 
 Jng ! they fell by thinking it impniUblc to full. A Chril- 
 "ti.-.n's tuti/lo is ecrerdp /nfit ; never f.»fo, hut when Avary and 
 ■vatchfiil. Let a Chrini.ui always kct p a jc.-dons eye upon 
 the wcalciiifs and inccindficncy of his nature, and with a 
 rttclieving eve lock up to the promife and power of dd, 
 and he fli.ill he both prefervcd from falling, and alfo be 
 prcfcntcd fa'.Itkfs and unblamcahle in the day of Chrill ; 
 if ever wc (bnd in tke day of trial, it is fear and faith ir.uft 
 c.^abIe us to Rand. 
 
 13 There hath no tcmpt.ition tnlcen yoii but fuch 
 as is coirmon to man: but God is faithful, who 
 vill not fulFcr you to be tempted above tliat ye arc 
 able ; but u-i!l with the temptation alio make a 
 way to efcapc, tliat ye may be able to bear it. 
 
 Here the apoflle anTwers a plea which the Corinthi.ins 
 might probiibly m^ikc for their complLntce wiih thtir fel- 
 low citiitn^, in eating things oftlred unto idols in ihcir 
 ttinples with them ; namely, that thereby they fliould 
 BVuid perfccutifin. Fear not that, fays the apoflle, you 
 have hitherto been prefcrved, that no Uinptal'an has tnhn 
 ypu, but fuch as is ammon unto man : that is, you have not 
 yet been exercifed with any trial but what is human, what 
 tile ordinary ftrenfjth and rcfolution of human nature is 
 :.lile to bear: But in cafe you fliould be tried whh extre- 
 mity of fniicrintr, and that you nuifl either comply with 
 the heathen idolatry, or endure fnfFering to extremity, yet 
 you have the promife of a faithful God for your fupport 
 in that cafe i God Is fnithful, who uill not fuffer you to he 
 tfmpieri, at any time, above what you are ahle, hut will uiih 
 the temptation cljo make a tvay fo far to efcape \ that ye ituiy 
 he ahle to Lav it. Leant hence, 1. That it is a gre.it ad- 
 ■diiion to an affliflion not to fee or difcern a way to efcape, 
 and get out of afSiftion : God is exceeding gracious in our 
 afSi(Rion«, in that he doth not hedge us in on every fide, 
 arid hinder all pnfljuiliiy of efcape out of our troubles. 2. 
 I hat the confideration of f lod's ilrength to fupport us in 
 and under our fufh.rings, is a mighty encouragei.ent to 
 Us to grapple with them rerolutclv, and to bear them pa- 
 t»cn;ly and lubmiiiively : If our fiilferiiigs were intolerable, 
 and human nature were not divinely aflillcd to fland under 
 them, we (liould not be foiccd toconfult our prefent eafc and 
 deliverance, and chufe (In rather than ;uTii<flion ; but the 
 aflillance of God makes fufTciing work eafy. 
 
 1 4 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from 
 idolatry. 15 I ipeak as to wile men; jud^jc ye 
 "vvhat I (ay. 
 
 riere our apoflle rc-afTumes his exlu-rt.-'.tion to the Corin- 
 thians, not to meddle with the myf*crics of Pagaiiilui, nor 
 to cat of things offered unto idols ; afiliiing them, it was 
 
 no lefs than idolatry, in the r.cc<.imt of God, to cat of thofe 
 things which were tpken from their execrable altars, as a 
 part and remniu! of thofe fact ificcs to idols, which wcie 
 performed in the city of Corinth, with all the pomp of an 4! 
 abominable ftiperflition. This participation ot things rf- '" 
 fered to idols, in the idol fcmplcf, our apolUe calls idilatiy: 
 Ifhcfcfore, my hekved Ir-lhren, fee from iildi.fry. Here 
 note. That the nature of inan i>: extremely prort to idolatry, 
 end very ready to comply vith men in their idolatrous 
 practices. 2. That the j^ktry of the Jews of old, and 
 of Chriflians fliicc, who I^\v and owned the tn;e God, 
 and glorified in him, was, and if, far worft than the idolatry 
 of Pagan?, who knew him iiot, nor ever gl(,>ried in him. 
 A'ote f^arther, How our apoftlc appei.ls to themfclves, and 
 leaves it to them to judge, whether they did not do very 
 ill to be at j.refent at the fcafls upon the heathen fjcrifices, 
 and eat of things offered unto idols : He leaves it to them- 
 fclves to Judge, fiiclge ye what Ifny. There is a judgment 
 ofdifcrerion which perfons ought to ufe in matters of re- 
 ligion, and not to deliver up themfclves bii.ndtoldcd to the 
 conduct of their teachers. The church of Rome by de- 
 nying the people this liberty, innkcs them Tnyes ; they put 
 out the people's eyes, to make tkem fit for a blind obedience. 
 Our apofUe \\ as far from this praiSlicc : Let v, ife men, lays 
 he, judge what I 1;.; . 
 
 16 The cup of bleiTing which we blefs, is it not 
 the communion of the blood of Chrift ? the bread 
 which we break, is it not the communion of the 
 body of Chrift ? " 
 
 Thefe words are a fpccial argiitnent, made \\{<i of by the 
 apoflle, to dilTitade Chriflians from joining with the 
 Heathens in their impure feafls in ihe old temples : the 
 Gentiles have fellowfliip with the idols in thofc fcafls, as 
 Chriflijps have comtriunion with Chrift at his holy table; 
 So thnt the argument runs thus, "If believers, by com- 
 municatint; with Chrifl at his holy table, have real coin- 
 munion wiilihim, then alfo, thofe that docommunicate with 
 them in their impure feafls : Rut believers do th.e firfi, 
 namely, at the Lord's table they cominunicate-with Chrif}." 
 Tl'iis lie proves from the words before us, T}>e cup of tlef- 
 fi"S, &CC. Where note, I- A dcfcription of the /.orJ's 
 fupper, in both the parts of it, namely, the external and 
 vifible part, bre.id and wine : the internal and fpiritual part, 
 the body and blood of Chri/h 2. The trinilterial avflions 
 pcrrformed in tiiis folcmn ordinance, and they are the blef- 
 fing of the cup, and the, breaking of the bread. •^. Here 
 is the great end and defign of God in the inflituiion of 
 this ordinance, namely, that believers might thereby enjoy 
 a fpiritual fellowfhip and communion with Chriil their 
 head: Is if not the ccmmuyiion of the body\f CJrifi ? Ltarn 
 hence. That one great end and dclign of Chrill, in the 
 inflituiion of his fupper, was this, that believers might 
 enjoy a fweet fellowfliip and communion wi;h hirnfcU 
 therein. 
 
 17 For we being many arc one bread, and one 
 body ; for wc arc partakers of that one bread. 
 
 The apoflle's argument lies thus : " As Chriflians, 
 
 though 
 
CuAf X. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 6Ss 
 
 though miny, yet by virtue of thair focieiy in the fame 
 worfiip, are comp.ictcd together as it were into one loaf 
 or lutap ; that if, into one niyftical body, in that they par- 
 take of one and the fitna facraniental bread : fo thofe that 
 communicate with idolaters, in eating tliinjrs offered unto 
 idols, are compared together, as it were, into one body, 
 forafmuch as they communicate in one and the famefacri- 
 flce ; as many grains of corn moulded together make one 
 loaf, and the juiceof many mrapesmaksone cup; foChrif- 
 lians, though many, yetar^Re vifible church, one rnyfli- 
 cal body, and lieclare themfelves fo to be, by their fel- 
 lowfliip together at the LoVd's table." 
 
 x8 Behold Ifrael after the flcfh. Arc not they 
 which cat of the facrifices, partakers of the altar? 
 
 19 What fay I then? that the idol is any thing, or 
 that which is offered in facrifice to idols is any thing? 
 
 20 But iyiy that the things which the Gentiles fa- 
 crifice, they facrifice to dcviis, and not to God : 
 and I would not that ye fhould have fellowfhip 
 with devils. 
 
 Here another argument againft eating things offered to 
 idols is produced by the apolHe, and it runs thus : "As in 
 the Jew ifli church, all perl'ons that d'd eat of the peace- 
 offerings, which were laid upon God's altar, Hid, by that 
 act, declare ihemfelves members of the Jewifh church, and 
 that they owned the God of the Je.vs, to whom thofe fa- 
 crifices were offered ; inlikemaniK-r the converted Corin- 
 thians, by eating part of thofe beads which were facrificcd 
 to the idol's temple, did by that act d'clare their owning 
 of that idol, and that idolatrous worftiip which had been 
 there performed.and were really partakersofthat idolatrous 
 altar: Noi that an idol is any thing, or that which is offered 
 to the idol any thing, that can of its own nature pollute 
 and defile : but the plain truth was, the Heathens were 
 feduced by the devil to offer thefe facrifices, and they were 
 devils whom they worfliipped ; though not in their own 
 intention, yet in God's eftimation ; And confequently, 
 thofe that did eat of thefe feafts, are fuppofed to join in 
 thofe facrifices, and thereby to hold communion with devils. 
 
 2 1 5 Yc cannot drink the cup of the Lord and 
 the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the 
 Lord's tabic, and of the table of devils. 
 
 That is, "Ye cannot have communion with Chrift and 
 with idolators too ; your communicating with Chriil in the 
 I^ord's fupper is utterly inconfiftent with communicating 
 with devils in the idol's feafts, for this were to do homage 
 to two contrary Lord?, God, and Satan, and to profefs 
 fervice to both.'" Here A'o/if, i. A facramental table de- 
 fcribed ; it is the table of the Lord, fo called, becaufe he 
 that is Lord of lords, did inftitute it, for the remembrance 
 of his own death. 2. An impoflibility declared, that none 
 can be worthy partakers at the Lord's table, that hold com- 
 munion with fin: True, idolatry h thefin here fpecified, 
 of facrificng unto devils ; but it holds true of all fin in 
 general, and of having fellowfhip with Satan in any of the 
 unfruitfnl wotks of darknefs. Learn hence. That no 
 pcrlon can really enjoy any fellow fhip and communion with 
 
 Chrift at his holy table, who maintains correfpondcncc 
 vith tin, and holds communion with Satan. 
 
 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealoufy ? are we 
 flronger than he ? 
 
 Notehcte, i. That the worfhip of God is that whick 
 he is very tender and jealous of ; never was huftand fo 
 jealous of the chaftity of his fufpecled wife, as Goii is 
 jealous in point of worfhip ; idolatry is a provoking God 
 to jealoufy. 2. That fuch as worfhip idols, or are puilty 
 of idolatrous worlhip in any kind or degree, muft exped 
 God a jealous avenger,and will find themfeU-es not ftrong 
 enough to contend with him. "Do we provoke the Lord 
 to jealoufy, by joining devils in competition v/ith him? Are 
 weftrongerthan he? Who knows the power of his anger? 
 Theftrength of God fiiouldmake finners tremble.'' 
 
 23 All things are lawful forme, but all things are 
 not expedient : all things are lawful for me, but ali* 
 things edify not. 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the former part of this chapter, 
 refolved the cafe concerning public eatingof things offered 
 unto idols in the idol-temples, and by feveral argumerA; 
 proved to be abfolutely unlawful; he comes now to refolve 
 another cafe, concerning'private buy ing,and private eating 
 of things offered to idols ; for it feems to have been a cuf- 
 tom, to fet to fale in the market, flelh that was facrificed, 
 (the gain whereof went to the priefts) as well as other 
 flefl) ; but firft he anfwers .in objedtion : Some might be 
 ready to fay all things are lawful for rae : that is, all meats 
 may lawfully be eaten by nie. If fo, fays the apoftle, yet 
 all lawful things are not expedient to be done, in refped of 
 our weak brother; plainly intimating, That there are many 
 things lawful in themfelves, which confidered under fuch 
 and fuch circumftances, are very expedient ; and fo far as 
 they are inexpedient^ fo far they are unlawful. 
 
 24 Let no man feek his own, but every man ano- 
 theas wealth. 
 
 Thefe words may be underftood two ways: (i.) Let n» 
 man feek his own, that is, only his own wealih. (2.) 
 Let no man feek his own wealth, that is, to the prejudice 
 of others, though never fo much to his own advantage ; 
 teaching us thatit is the duty of every Chriftian, not merely 
 to look at his own profit and plcafure, but at the benefit 
 and advantage of others, at that which edifies, or tends it* 
 promote h.olinefs in others : And that in the ufe of our 
 Chriftian liberty, we muft regard rather the edification and 
 falvation of others, than the gratification of ourfelves. 
 
 25 Whatfoever is fold in the fliambles, that eat. 
 aflcing no queltion for confciencc lake. 26 For the 
 earth zi the Lord's, and the fulnefs thereof. 
 
 Here the apoftlererolve$thecafe,whether it were lawful 
 to buy that meat in the market which had been offered ta 
 an idol in the temple. He determines, (i.) That it was; 
 if it be fold in the fliambles, it is to be looked upon as 
 common food, and they may freely buy it without any 
 fcruple of confcience ; but how came meat to be fold in 
 4 P the 
 
.6G5 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 C«AP. X. 
 
 •tUe fliantbles, whith was offered and faerificed in ihe tem- 
 ples of the Gentiles? Anf. It is probable, that the priefts, 
 who h^d a (liare in the beads that were offered unto idols, 
 or ihe people, whd alfo had a (liare, returned them out of 
 thoir own (<fferiiigs, did brinfr fuch meat to be fold in the 
 market: In tijis cafe, fays theapo(He,aflc no queftions about 
 it. Note, 1. He allip;ns the reafon for it,bccaufe the earth 
 is the Lord's and the julnefs thereof : That is, thofe things 
 that are fold for food in the market, are to be looiceil upon 
 as the creatures of God, made lor, and fantflified to, the 
 ufe of mm ; and therefore, you may eat of ;iny creature 
 which the Lord provideth for your food, without fcruple 
 of confciencewhen others are not fcandalized at it, i Tim, 
 iv. 4. Every creature of God is good, if received with 
 j^nlcfgiving. 
 
 27 If any of them that believe not, bid you to a 
 fcctjl, and ye be dilpofed to go; whatever is fct before 
 ^ou.eat, afkingnoqueflion for confcience fake. 28 
 But if any man fay unto you, This is offered in fa- 
 crifice unto idols, eat not, for his fake that fhcwed 
 it and for confcience fake. For the earth is the 
 Lord's, and the fulncfs thereof. 
 
 Our apoftie here puts another cafe, "Suppofe an un- 
 believer, an Infidel or Heathen, did invite a believer, a 
 Chriftian, to a feaft of civil friendfliip in his private houfe, 
 (not to a fcaft upon a facrifice in the idol-temple, which 
 was abfolutely unlawful)what was to be donein thiscafe?" 
 He declares, they may warrantablygoand eat whatever is 
 fet before them, without fcruple,but would have them a(k 
 no queftions about the lawfulnefs of it; neverthelefsjif the 
 mafter of the fcaft, or any prefent at the feaftjfliall fnggelt 
 t'lat feme part of ihe neat has been offered to on idol, in 
 that cafe, he would have tliem forbear ; left they fhou/d 
 encourage any man to idolatry; adding his reafon as before, 
 For the earth is the Lord's, andthefulnefsthrrenf; that is, 
 there is plenty and variety of othermeat to be had, which 
 God the Creator of all things, the Lord of the whole 
 earth, has allowed ui the free ufe of ; fo that we may well 
 'le: the Idol fncrifices alone. Here we fee, that an attion, 
 lawful in itfelf, becomes finful, and is condenmed as fuch, 
 when there Js a breach of charity in the doing of it. 
 
 29 Confcience, I fay, not thine own but of the 
 other; for why is my liberty judged of another man's 
 confcience ? 30 For if I by i^race be a partaker, why 
 am I evil fpoken of for thatfor which I give thanks. 
 
 Here the apoftie tells them, that they oupht to abftain 
 from that which is lawful and indifferent in itlelf, for the 
 fake of another man's confcience. This n.eat had not 
 been unlawful to them, thonjih offered to idols, had they 
 not been told that it was fo offered ; but being made ac- 
 quainted therewith, for the fake of him that fhcwed thee 
 that it was offered to idols, forbear eating : for why fhould 
 our liberty be fo ufed by us as to be judged of, and con- 
 demned, by another man's confcience? It is not enouj!;h 
 that we do what is juft and right in our own fight, but we 
 nm/t provide things hontfl in the fight ofuUmen. U'haifoever 
 things are Jiure, ■whiilfoevcr things are lovi ly, luhatfoevcr 
 
 things are of good report ; thefe vje mufi prafftfe, and none 
 hut thefe. And obfervable is the apoftle's realon, why h e 
 (hould, for the fake of another, abftain from eating that 
 meat, which was lawful in itfelf, ver. 30. namely, to pre- 
 vent being evil fpoken of: Why am I (viljpoken of> That 
 is, why fhould I caufe another to fpeak evil of me, for 
 eating that meat which I might withoutany prejudice for- 
 bear ? for in fo doing I fliall certainly abufe my liberty, 
 grieve God, offend the weak^ 
 
 31 Whether therefore ye cat or drink, or what- 
 focver ye do, do all to the glory of Cod. 
 
 Our apoftie concludes his whole difcourfe with three ex- 
 cellent rules, todirea all Chriftians how they (hould govern 
 themfelves in the ufe of their lawful libei-ty, as to thingi 
 that are of an indifferent nature : tiiat is, neither com- 
 manded nor forbidden in the word of God. The firft is 
 this. To refer all our anions in general, bothnaiural, civil, 
 and religious, to the glory of God ; to make that our fu- 
 premeaim, our uliimateend, in all we do, in ail we defign, 
 in all we defire. A Chriftian is to perform his natural 
 adionsto fpiritual purpofes ; and whilft he is feeding and 
 refreflnng his body at his own table, miift have an eye 
 at his ftrving God, both with foul and body. Farther, 
 not only in our natural aftions, but in our civil employ- 
 ments, in our lawful recreations; but efpccially and 
 above all, in our religious duties, muft we propound the 
 glory of God as our principal aim, our chief fcope, our 
 fupreme end : This injuiidion, do all to the glory nj Gadf. 
 is applicable to all the aflions of human life. 
 
 32 Give none ofFence neither to the Jews, nor 
 to the Centilcs: nor to the church of Cod. 
 
 Her we have the fecond rule given for ordering all the 
 affairs of human life. Give no offence to any, neither to 
 the unbelieving Jew, nor tothe unconverted Gentile, nor 
 to the weak members of the church of God ; particularly, 
 give no offence to thefe, by eating things offered to idolsat 
 any time, or in any place, where any maybe fcandalized; 
 for the Jew will confider, that you are enemies to the law 
 and the prophets: Th«Gentiles will believe that your ab- 
 horrence of id(/ls is not real, when they fee you eat things 
 offered unto idols before their faces ; and the wer.k Chrif- 
 tian will be tempted by your example to revolt from the 
 Chriftian faith. Therefore, do nothing that may tend to 
 ihehurtjor Juft offence, eitherof Jew, Gentileor Chriftian. 
 
 33 Even as I pleafe all Tnm in all things, not 
 feekingmine own profit, but ihtprojit of many, that 
 they may be faved. 
 
 The laft rule, which the apoftie lays down, is his own 
 practice and example, who in indifferent things accommo- 
 dated himfelf to ill men. I pUafe all men ; that is, I feek 
 and endeavour to pleafe all men, and in all things; thatis, 
 in all lawful things, and in all other things, wherein the 
 law of God has left me at liberty ; for neither in the 
 omilTion of any thing which God commanded, nor in the 
 commifUon of .nught which he had forbidden, would St. 
 Paul pleafe any man in the world : And when he did pleafe 
 
 all 
 
Chap. xr. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 667 
 
 all men, it was for their profit and advantage, not hisown; 
 to promote their cternallalvation, not his own temporal 
 intereU: J pka/e allnien that they may be faveJ. Learn 
 hence, i. That no men muft be plealed by nn, nor plea- 
 fured in their fins. The fmalleft duty muft be preferred 
 before ihe plcafnig of all men in the world. 2. We inay and 
 oiiplit to fctk tl\e plealing of all men, with fubferviency, 
 and in fubordination to the plealing of Almighty God. 3. 
 Thar inordinate manpleafing isfruitlcfs.needlefs.andend- 
 lefs; when you luve endeavoured to pleafemoft, how ma- 
 ny will be difpleuled, when you have done your beft? God 
 himfclf, JefusChrift, his holy prophets, apoftleSjIainis and 
 fervants, could never pleafe the world ; and can any of us 
 expeft to do it > St. Paul, thoi.gh he became all things to 
 all men, yet coul.l fave but fome : The world hates godli- 
 nel's, and godly perlons, and will never be plealed with 
 that'whichtht'y hate; let pleafnigof God be our great 
 biiliners, and in fubordination 'a him, endeavour to pleafe 
 all men for ihtir profit, that they may be laved. 
 
 B 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 E yc followers of me, even as 1 alfo am of 
 Chrift. 
 
 The apoflle had in the foregoing chapters, by many co- 
 gent arguments exhorted the Corinthians to deny them- 
 ftivesthe lawful life oftheirChriftian liberty forthebeneflt 
 of their brethren ; to enforce which argument he pro- 
 pounds to them his own example in this verfe, Beyefd- 
 Iruiets of me, even as 1 folio-u ChriJ}. Where MC/e, i. The 
 duty reccommendfd to their praftice ; namely, to follow 
 their fpiritual guide: Beycfnihiversofme. It is the fl.ind- 
 j.ig duiy of a people whom God honours with the erjoy- 
 jneni of f..itliful fpiritual guides, to follow their taith, and 
 to imitate their exemplary converfation ; the graces of all 
 Chriflians in general, but of the minltersof the gofpel in 
 particular, whether living or dead.are patterns let forth to 
 the world for their careful iniitation ; and for omilTlon 
 lierein, thry mull certainly become accountable to God. 
 1. \Vi:h what niodelly and caution, with what rcflri(Sion 
 and limitation St. Paul propounds his own example to the 
 Corinthians view ; Be ye follo-juers of me, as I uljo am of 
 ChriJ} .• As if he had faid, " If at any time you find me- 
 yciir fpiritual guide fteppingafide.and walking unanfwer- 
 ably to that uniform pattern of holy and hnmhle obedience 
 which the Lord Jcfus let both before you and me in his 
 own exemplary life, be furc yoi' decline my exanjple, and 
 follow not my footfttps." Learn hence, That the beft 
 »)f minifters, and the beft of men. being but men, our 
 imitation of them mufl not be an univerfal, but a limiied 
 imitation ; we muft follow pnftors, teachers, nay apolUes 
 rhcmfelves, nofarther than thev follow Chrift, their infal- 
 Jib e Lord and mafter. Be ye fAk-wers of me^even as 1 ulfo 
 mm of Chriji. 
 
 Now I praife you, brethren, that yon remembex 
 me in all thm^s; and keep the ordinances as I d.;- 
 lu'cred them to you. 
 
 This corainendj.iion niufl be retained ta the founds'' 
 
 part of the church at Corinth, who were mindful of hij 
 precepts and inftruiflions, which he had delivered tothtm 
 concerning matters appertaining to the public wordiip of 
 God; which precepts and rules for the worlhip (u God he 
 calls traditions becaufe they were immediately delivered to 
 the church, either from 'he apoftle's mouth,rrhy writing: 
 This place, though produced, yet makes nothing for ihe 
 unwritten traditions oftheRomifli church. Let thcni 
 prove by authentic teftimony,thst their fardlesof traditions 
 were delivered from the mouth of the apoftles,3nd we will 
 receive them: No-w 1 prai/e you, brethren. Here it defer ves 
 a remark. That the apoftle, being about to reprove certain 
 diforders in the church of Corinth, ufliers in his reproof 
 for what was aniifs, with a commendation of what W'as 
 praife-worthy among them ; I prai/e you, brethren. Like 
 the phyfician, who wraps his bitter pdl in honev or fugar 
 before he gives it into his patient's mouth. It is wifdoin 
 to intermix commendations with our reproofs, that the 
 latter may take more place when accompanied with the 
 former. 
 
 3 But I would have you know, that the head of 
 every man is Chrift ; and the head of the woman is 
 the man ; and thehead of Chrift is God. 
 
 Here our apoflleanfwers the query, and refolves the cafe 
 which the Corinthians had put to him, and laid before 
 him, about church-order.and concerning the decent beha- 
 viour of nien and w omen in church-aflemblies. .A.i)d tVlt 
 he reminds iliem, that a fubordination of perfons in tlie 
 church of God ought to be obferved and kept : Titat as 
 Chrift, as Mediator, is inferior to God the Father, but is 
 the Head ar.d Lord of all men, as Creator and Redeemer; 
 fo the .man is t!ie head of tfie woman, and, as fucli, flie 
 muft iliew iier fubjeclion unto tlie man: As Chrift, . as 
 Mediator, ach in fubordination to the Father, fo muft the 
 woman aA in fubordination to the man. The Sorinians 
 w-ould wrel't this te>;t to confirm them in their blafphenioUs 
 denial of the divinity of onr Lord Jefjs Chrift. "Here, 
 fay they, the apoftfe declares, that the Hi'ad'jfChr'/l i: God.- 
 j\ow the moft high God can have no Head above liim; 
 therefore Cli rift, who !iad a head above him, rantiot be 
 the moft high (iod." The modern and general anfwer if, 
 Th."*! God is here called the Head uf Ci,rifl as Mediator, 
 in which relation he received his kingdom from him, and 
 exerciler- it for him, and therefore is elfev/hcre ftyled tlie 
 Father's lervatit, Beh-jMniy frrvnnt.lkc. becanie hedorhall 
 tfiings according to his Father's will, and with a ilxcd eye 
 to his Father's glory, lint the ancient"; reply to ihiscb- 
 jec'tiitn thus : " That God is faid to be the Head ofChrift, 
 as he is the Father of the Son, and lo the caufe of bun ; 
 and as tlie wonjan is of the fame nrjlnre with the man, 
 who is her head, fo is Chrift of the fame natii'-e with God 
 the Faiher, who is herecailcd his Head ; lt:e!ni..i-f Chri'i 
 is Cad." 
 
 4 Every man praying or prophefying, having/..,, 
 head covered, diftionoureth his head. 5 I'at evcrv 
 woman that prayeth or prophcricth with kcr bead 
 uncovered, diCionoureilj her head: forthat isrscn 
 all one as if Ihe were Qiaveu,- 
 U4 1' 1- ty 
 
658 
 
 J. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xi. 
 
 "Ry the mauUprayinf anel fropkr/y!ng,uTi6trnaniih\speT- 
 fnnninp any divine officei in the church, as prayer, and 
 expounding rlie fcripiurcs.Hngingof pfaltni, and the like. 
 By doing ih\sTovereJ, underlland not the natural covering 
 of the hair, bin an artificial covering by a veil, after the 
 m.inner of women, which is a token of fubjeftion. By 
 Ji/honouring his head, underdand either, (i.) Chrilt, who 
 in the former vcrfe was called the Head of every man.- He 
 that adminllert in (he church in holy things, reprefents 
 Chriil, who is the Head of the church; therefore by cover- 
 ing the head, he declares a fiibjeftion in his adininiftration 
 and doth as it were make the church the head of Chrift 
 inftead of Chrift's being the head of the church : Or elfe, 
 (2 ) By difhonouring the head, may be underftood the 
 minirter's own head ; he betrayeth his fuperiority, and 
 lefTeneth ihe honour and dignity of his fex, by nOng fuch 
 a jrefture in divine ofiices, as is a token of inferiority and 
 fubjeftion ; for in that country, at that time, it was a fign 
 of tubjection to have the head covered, but a fign ef power 
 and dominion to have the head uncovered. The contrary 
 is found with us at this day ; for thole that have power 
 over others now keep their heads covered, and thole that 
 are inferior to others keep their heads uncovered before 
 them, ver. 5. By the v^oman's praying and prophefying, 
 is uiiderflood either prophefying extraordinarily, which 
 ■we read the women fometimes did both in the Old and New 
 Teft:iment, and were called prophetefles, Luke ii. 36. 
 A(fti xxi. 9. Or elfe, By the woman's prophefying is to 
 be undcrftood praifiiig God in hymns and pfalms^i Chron. 
 XXV. I, 2, 3. They prophefied with harps, pfalteries ,and 
 cymbal !, giving thnnks, and praifmg the Lord ; where pro- 
 phefying and praifing the Lord are the fame thing. By 
 the woman's prophefying with her head uncovered to the 
 ^iSionour of her head or hufband, is to be underftood, her 
 appearing unveiled in the church, open and barefaced in 
 public ; which vas accounted, i. An immodeft, unbecom- 
 ing, and unfeenily guile. 2, Arrogant; her being unveiled 
 and uncovered was a token of her ufurping an undue au- 
 thority over the man, and of her callingoffthatfubjec'lion 
 which Ihe was under by the law of her creation to him. 
 2. Superltitious; it b^iiig a fantartical imitation of the fhe- 
 priefls and prciplieteflTes of the Gentiles, when they ferved 
 their idols,aiul particularly when they facrificed to Bacchus, 
 who ufed to have their f=ces uncovered their hair diUievcl-, 
 led, hanging its full length round about their ears. Now the 
 Corinthian wcmen, in nnitation of thefe Heathen women 
 (for the fem..lt ftx is very fond, and exceeding prone ft> 
 follow the falhirtii) did caft off their veils,difcovcred their 
 faces, d;llionoured their heads, even their natural beads, 
 (ss well as their oeconomical head, their hulband)it being 
 then and ihere accounted asinimodeft a thing for a woman 
 to appear in public uncovered, as to appear with her head 
 /haven. From the whole learn, Tliat God requires at the 
 hands of all perfons, who either adminiftcr unto him, or 
 ftand before him, a decent behaviour, and comely accom- 
 modation in liishoufe.tlpccially in the a(fts and exercifes of 
 liis worlliip arid fervice. For if in their habit and drefs, 
 furely much lefs in iheir gcftjre and deportment, doth he' 
 love whit is unfecmly and unbecoming in any perfon. Learn 
 
 2. That it is cfpecialiy the duty of perfons employed in dj. 
 vmc adminiftrations, to demean thcmfelves as thofe who 
 reprefent our Lord Jchis,m3naging themfelves with a due 
 authority and decent gravity, becoming theambafladors of 
 God. So then it is a general obfervation of decency in our 
 outward behaviour, when worftiipping God beforeothers, 
 which our apoftle here recommends as a fpecial dniy. 
 
 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her alfo 
 be fhorn : but if it be a fliaine for a woman to be 
 fliorn or fhaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man 
 indeed ought to cover his head, forafmuch as he 
 is the image and glory of God : but the woman i& 
 the glory of the man. 
 
 Our apoftle here proceeds.by many arguments, ro evince 
 and prove the woman's inferiority and fubjeclion to the 
 man, and that (he oughtto havea covering uponhei head, 
 as a fign and token of it. Firft.Bccaule the image of God, 
 that is, the image of his majefty, dominion, and power, 
 fliineth forth moft brightly in the man. therefore he ought 
 to have his head uncovered : Man is the image and glory of 
 Goil. But is not the woman fo Iikcwife? //«/. Conlider 
 the woman fo according to her fpecificial nature.and iofhe 
 wascreated after the image of God in righteoufncfs and 
 true holinefs, as well as the man : but then, confiderthe 
 woman according to her perfona'l relation to her hufband, 
 and in that regard, the woman is not the image of God ; 
 becaule dominion, which fs the image of God, is theman't 
 privilege ; and fuhjection, the woman's duty : hut J7}e it 
 the glory cftke man ; that i.<;, it is the glory and honour c\<t 
 man, that God hasgiven him fuperiority over fo excellent 
 a creature as the woman ; for if his dominion over the 
 irrational crcaiure;. be his glory and honf.nr, then what a 
 glory and honour is it for a man to hive fo excellent 2 
 creature as the woman, a creature endued with reafon like 
 liimfelf, fubjedl to him ! But as in this fcnfe the man is 
 the glory of the •voman, fo in another f«nfe the woman it 
 the glory of the man. She communicates with him in all 
 his dignity, how great foe'er; whatever natural or civil 
 excellency is in him, refltc'^s on her ; uxor fulget raiiiis 
 mariti, the wife fliines wiih the rays of her hufband's ho- 
 nour. And the woman being thui in a ftate of inferiority*, 
 /he oughtto profefsher fubjt(flion to her hulband^by wear- 
 ing a veil. 
 
 8 For the man is n»t of the woman ; but the 
 woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created 
 for the woman; but the woman tor the man. 
 
 Another arpuwient which ihe apolile olFtrs to prove the 
 inferiority of the woman, is this, That originally the man 
 was not made of the womnn, or for the woman, but the 
 woman was made of the man, (his ribj and fur the iii.ni ; 
 that is, for his fervice and comfort, to t«e an helpmeet .''or 
 him, and to be in fubjcdion to him, Man had this pre- 
 rogative, to be immediately from God ; but the womao 
 was from man, and to be admiii;ftenng and fotfervient 10 
 man, and ccnfcquently to cover her head, in token of lux 
 fubwi/Coa fo hiuj. 
 
 10 For 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 r. c O R I K T H I A N S. 
 
 ti6g 
 
 10 For this caufe ought the woman to have 
 power on her head, becaufe of the angels. 
 
 Moreover, for this caufe ought the woman to hovepmurr, 
 th.it is, a veil upon the head, as a fign, and in tt>ken of htr 
 hulband's power, and her own fubjeftion ; becoufe (.f the 
 angels, that is, fay fome, (i.) Becaufe of the law of fub- 
 jtftion given her by thetniniilry of angefs. (2.)liecaufc of 
 ihe paftors, teachers, and miiiifters of the church, fay 
 others, who are often in fcriptnre ftylcd angels. (3.) Be- 
 caufe of the evil angels, as fome interpret it ; the woman 
 being tempted by Satan, the prince of evil angels, to com- 
 mit the fiilUin, which is a perpetual c.iufe of fliame toher 
 and her pofteriiy, and which increafed her and their fub- 
 jedion to the man ; tor which reafon, the womnn ouglit 
 to be veiled and covered (in the church alfemblies parti- 
 cularly) as a token of fliamefacednefs and fubjeftion. (4.) 
 The more general interpretation is, becaufe of the good 
 angels, who are prelenc in theaflembliesof the faints, and 
 eye-witnefles of their c.irriage there ; therefore the woman 
 ought to do nothing indccrnt in the pretence ofthcfcholy 
 fpirits. And belides, fhe has the angels for her pattern 
 and pretldent, who cover their facesand veil their heads, 
 in token of fubjeclion to Almighty God. Note here, i. 
 Thatii hasticena genera) opinion anioptr Jews, He.uhens, 
 and Cliriftians, that good .mgels are more particularly 
 prcfent with us, in the places, anil at the times of God's 
 public vvorfliip ; yea, that they are not only prefcnt with 
 u?, but obfervant ofu^, and affifting to us in the per- 
 formance of all religious exercifes, efpecially prayer ; .ind 
 therefore the Jews fpeak of a particular angel, \\ horn they 
 call the angel of prayer. 2. Thnt therefore all perfons, 
 both men and women, ought to demean themfelves « ith 
 all modfftv, reverence, and decency in the worfhipof God, 
 outcf regard to the angels,, who are there prcfent, obferv- 
 ing their carriage and behaviour. True, the angels cannot 
 penetrate into the inward devotion of iliemind, which God 
 only obferves; but they ohferve and take notice of the 
 outward decency of our carriage, and the reverence of our 
 deportment. But, Lord ! liow little is this confidcrcd, and 
 by how few among us in our religious afTemblies ! With 
 regard to God, who fees our hearts, we fliould moreparti- 
 cularly compofe our minds to the greatcft ferioufnefs and 
 fincerity in our devotions; and *iili a paniculnr regard to 
 the holy angels, who arc theacprefent, we fhould l)e careful 
 alio of our oiitwaril behaviour: Inn, to our (hame be it 
 Iprken, there are nmlinudes amongil us in o'lr Chriftian 
 aflemblies, whom neither the prcfence of anpels, nor :he 
 .obferving eye of him who is the Lord of angels can in- 
 fluence to any toltr.Tule decency of behaviour in the houfe 
 of prayer, where the (-yes of God and angels, of min4fters 
 and men, are i^pon ihein. Such, without repentance, nmft 
 never expeft todv.eil hereafter with God and his holy 
 angtls in heaven but t;ike up their lodgings with the devil 
 and his angel-, in an eternal hell, for whom is rcfervcd 
 blacknefs of darknefs for ever. 
 
 11 Nevcr.'helefs, neither is the man withoiit ih^ 
 woman, neither the woman witliout theman, in the 
 Lord. 12 For as the womau u of the,man, even 
 
 fo ii the man alfo by the woman ; but all things of 
 God, 
 
 Becaufe the npoflle might feem to Iiave been too hai fh 
 towards the woman, and left the man Ihould thereupon 
 take orc.ilion to carry himfelf with pride and infolence to- 
 wards her, he prudently intimates the mutual help and 
 need which both man and woman fiand in of one another ; 
 for, fince the creation of the firft man, all men arc by the 
 woman. And as men have no being but by the woman, 
 fo the woman without the man cannot cxilt or propagate. 
 For as at the firft creation the woman was t.nken out of 
 the rwan, fo now in generation the man is of the woin.ii), 
 and by the woman ; file conceives him, brings him forth, 
 ftickles him, and brings lum up, and all this by the wife 
 dil'pof^l of God, who made the woman out of the man, 
 and by his benediction incrcafe'.li man by the woman. 
 From which confidei-ations our apoftle infers, that both 
 man and woman lliould look upon their dirtinil preroga- 
 tives as given them by God, raid carry it not with pride 
 and infolence, but with refpect and kindncf'^ to each other ; 
 and efpecially, that the woman be in fubjeflion lo the man, 
 and tcitify that fubjection by all the iigns of it, particularly 
 by her being veiled and coveretl, which is the argument 
 our apoftle is here infifling upon, 
 
 13 Judge in yourfclves ; is it comely that a 
 woman pray unto God uncovered ? 1 4 Doth not 
 nature itlclf teach you, that if a man have long 
 hair, it is a fhamc unto him ? 15 But if a woman 
 have long hair, it is a glory to her : for her hair is 
 given her for a covering. 16 But if any man fccin 
 to be contentious, we have no fueh cullom, neither 
 the churches of God. 
 
 Note here, j. How our apoftle dofes his difcourfe, in 
 which he iiad reproved the Corinthians, the men for cevcr- 
 ing* the women for uncovering their heads, and laying 
 afuie their veils in time of religious worftiip; by an appeal 
 to themfelves and tlieir own judgment, concerning the 
 matter he is (peaking of, and reproving them for ; namely, 
 men's praying with their he:ids covered, and women with 
 their heads uncovered. Note, 2. How the apollle f.ro- 
 cceds to blame both fexes for another diforder ; namely, 
 that merf wore their hair like women, and that R-omen 
 appeared in the guife.ofmen as to tlieir hair. Here he lei.' 
 them know, that both thefe kinds of dilorders arc repug- 
 nant to the infiitution of Gc(', and the dictates of iiaiu- 
 ral reafon : Doth ^'ct nature il/elf teach you P That i«, (i.) 
 The gfncral diiflates of natural reafon. (•2} The pr<r- 
 ticular law of nature, concerning the diftii-.cliou ot fc>:e<, 
 (•^ ) Ufai'eand common cuftoni, whichis a fecond naiun*. 
 All thefe fuggf ft, that for men tn wear their li.-,ir at fuli 
 length like the women, is uncomely and unnauirdi in the 
 manly fex, but foto do is conic ly and natural in the female, 
 /.fflrjj hence, That God diiallows, ant^ercn naiiire itfelf 
 condemns every thing that tends to the confounding c>f the 
 fexes, which it is his will and pleafure ftiould be vilM);y 
 diftinguiflird. It is a great offence to God, and contraiy. 
 to one end for which aparrel was g^ivcn, when either tiie 
 
 men 
 
670 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xr. 
 
 mm or 'he womnn wear apparel contrary to iheir fex ; 
 end what is faij of apparel, their artificial covering, may 
 be ajErmedof ihe h.iir, which is iheir natural covering. 
 '* It is a (hamc for either fex to wear their hair in an un- 
 comely and indecent manner, difagretable to the natural 
 inodefty of either ("ex." A'c/e, 3. How the apoftlc appeals 
 •To'lhe cuftom .nnd praiftice of the churches ofGodinthe 
 cjfcs before us. The cuftom of all the churches is apainft 
 •women's beinp uncovered, as an unfeenily thing. It is a 
 knOx\ n rule, Ubi nihil certo J] atuit fcriplura , tms p'lpuli Dti, 
 cr injlitutamajorum pro Ifge tCKenda funt : We ought not to 
 diflent aud difter from the cuftoni and pradice of the 
 church, in matters not pofitively determined; but the 
 cuftom of the church mult fway with us, wi(h whofe 
 praiflice it is our duty to be as concordant as we c.in : If 
 any man:\)Hlbe cantentiijus, -^uebave nofuch cujlim, neither 
 the churches i.fCod. Learn, thence. That in things only 
 Tcfpefting decency, and in compliance with which there is 
 no viol.iiion i.f the coniinand of Chrift, the cuftom of the 
 church of Chriil fhould determine us, and be as a Handing 
 rule unto us. Learn, i- That it .nrgues a contentious fpi- 
 •rit, and favours very much of pride, iu n)uters of little 
 uiomcnt, to be lingular in our practice, and to create dif- 
 turbance tothc church of God. 
 
 17 Now in this that I declare unto ycu, I praife 
 ycu not, that ye come not together not for the better, 
 but for the worfe. 18 For firft of all, when ye 
 come together in the church, I hear that there be 
 divifions among you ; and I partly believe it. 19 
 For there mufl be alfo hciefies among you, that 
 they which are approved may be made manifefl 
 among you. 
 
 Our apnftlehere enters upon a newargument or fubjeft- 
 tnatter of difcourfe ; namely, to reprove the abufes which 
 were crept in among ihem, in their adminiflratjon of the 
 fcoly f.icramcnt of the Lord's fupper. And the firft abufe 
 ■which he blames them for, was the divifions and fadions 
 which were found among them ; I henr there are fchifnis 
 aniingfl y'lu .• Where we are to underftand by fcifmf, not 
 a reparation from the unity of the catholic church, but of 
 feels and divifions i n the church; they did not feparate 
 from the church, but they ate the Lord's fupper feparately 
 from the church, and the whole congregation did not join 
 together in the celebration of that ordinance. Though we 
 do not feparate from (he communion of the catholic church, 
 yet if we occalion divifion and difTenfion groundlefly in 
 the «hurth, wejuflly fall under the imputation and ch-irge 
 c>f fcifiry. Chfrrve next, The apoftle argues, a minori ad^ 
 m/ijus ; he did eatily believe there were divifions, bec.iufe 
 t ''cre mvft he ulpi hrr^ftes among them. Herefies are \\ oi fe 
 than fchifiR!., falfe doctrines more dangerous than divifions. 
 HercCy is an error in the furvdamentals of religion, main- 
 tained with obftiuacy. W lien the green wound of an error 
 is let alone, it loon rankles, and quickly grows into tiieold 
 fore of an herefy. But how comes the apoftle to fay, there 
 fn-jjha hTr lies? What necdliiy is there for ihem ? ^n/'. 
 •(' ) Negativvly : there is not anabfoluteneceiriiy for them 
 on O (!'<; |iirt. or a nccf fiity of his making, but a con- 
 • I iiectlfity or a neceHity fA; hypotb-f!, which mull 
 
 needs be, if fuch a thing be granted before r As fuppofing 
 the fun be rifen, it mult be day. Thus here, upon f^uppo- 
 lition of the pride, vain glory, envyings, ftrife, and con- 
 tentions, which are among the members of the church; 
 upon luppofition of the craft and fubtleiy, malice and 
 njalignity of Satan, the church's gr.md enemy; uponfup- 
 pofition of God's permillion ihar Sa'an and wicked n.en 
 Ibould aft according to their corrupt sfFtclions and inclina- 
 tions, herefiesmufl and will be. Fartlier,The rcafonhere 
 afligned for the necefTiiy of liereliesis not cafual, but even- 
 tual ; not cafual, as if the wifdom of God did defign there 
 fhould be herefies for this end, that they w ho areapproved 
 of hmi ihould be made manifefl; but rather eventual, as 
 if the apoflle had faid, " Hence it will come to pafs, that 
 they who are approved will be made manifefl.'' 
 
 23 When ye come together therefore into onc- 
 place, this is not to eat the Lord's fupper. 
 
 As ifhe had faid, " True, ye Corinthians, when ye 
 come together at one place, ye pretend to cat the Lord's 
 fupper; but though you eat it, yet ye do not eat it as yc 
 ought ro do ; you perform the material part of the aJtion, 
 but you do not partake ot it folemnly and religii ufly, ac- 
 cording to the divine inftituiion ; this therefore is not to 
 eat the Lord's fupper." Lewn ihence. That a duty not 
 done as it ouglit to be done, is not ftone atallin the account 
 of Chrift. Sermons may be heard, and yet accounted no 
 fermons ; prayers made,yet not made; facraments received, 
 yet not received; alms given, yet not given; becaufenot 
 done in manner and form as God required. A cracious 
 heart will lonk not barely at the matter of the duty, but 
 alfo at the manner of performance, and take care not on- 
 ly that he hears, but how he hears. 
 
 21 H For in eating, every one takcth before otLer 
 his own fupper : and one is hungry, and another is 
 drunken. 
 
 Here our npoftle begins to reprove the Corin'hian; for 
 the abufes found in their love-fcafts. Thefe love-feafi? 
 were founded on no exprefs command in holy writ, but 
 only on the cuftom of the church, who immediately before 
 received thclicrament ufed to have a great feaft, towhich 
 all the poor were invited at the charges of the rith, as an 
 exprcilion of their perfect l<>ve and charily one towards 
 another. Nowin thefe feafts of charity , they did not ob- 
 ferve due order and decency ; for ivity one, that is, eve- 
 ry party and fiflion, being come to the place of the af- 
 lembly, did prcfcntly (it down to eat what they had 
 brought, in the company of their own party, not minding 
 or reg.irding others ; « hereupon this holy ftafl of charity 
 was neither ci'Iebr:ited at the fame time by all, nor with 
 that unanimity and concord « hlch it was dcfigned to rev 
 prefent; whilft the poor were excluded, and fent home 
 hungry, the rich were feafted, and drank to feme degree 
 of excels, which is here called drunkennels ; cneis hungty 
 einrt an'jt her is drunken. Bch<.)ldwhat great irregularitie* 
 and dilor<lers arc here found in the church of Coriuth ! 
 Who ciii cxpta a chutiih wiihoiit fpot i:i this imperffc'i 
 fiate? God has left thel'e niifcaniages upon record, not for 
 our iniitatior, butfiirourcsuiicn. 
 
 2 2 Wllit 
 
Chap. xr. 
 
 r. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 6yi 
 
 22 What, have ye not houfcs to eat or to drink 
 In? ©rdelpifeye the law of God, andlhame the in 
 that have not? What fhall I fay unto you ? Ihall 
 
 I praife you in tliis ? I praife^o« not. 
 
 A twofold fenfe and interpretation is given of tliefe 
 words. Sonne paraphrafe them thus! What! muft you 
 Hi.ikethehouf€ ofGod the place of your feafting? Ifyou 
 be difpofed for mirih and jollity, have you not houfes 
 ■wherein you may do i: with more privacy, and lefs offence? 
 Or defpil'e you the church of God? Do you undervalue, 
 and thus profane and unhallow the place fet a-part for 
 God's worthip and I'ervice, by converting it into a com- 
 mon banquecting-houfe? Thus many expound it of the 
 material church ; and theiropinion is favoured by the anti- 
 thefis and oppofition between church and houfes : Have ye 
 not houjes /» eat and drink in ? or dtfp'ife you the church af 
 Cod? L^arn That holy duties, piou<; and public, are to 
 be performed in thechurch or houfe of God. Duties pious, 
 but not public, better fuit the dofec than the church. 
 Duties public, but not pious, more befit a guildhall or 
 lown-houfe, than the houfe of God. Others by the 
 church of God undrrftand the fpirirual church, the poor 
 members of Jefus Chrift, and render the words thus: 
 " Ji'hat, have ye not houfes to eat and to drink in, if need be, 
 before you come ? Or dr/'p'Je you thofe poor Chriflians, 
 who are members of the church of Chriit as well as you, 
 and put to fhame them that have not ^h^* you eat and drink, 
 by excluding them cut of your company for their poverty 
 fake? for fmce God adopts them into his faniiK', and ad- 
 mits them unto his table, you ought not to exclude them 
 from this fcifl of chaiity, which was originally deli^ned 
 for the poor's relief." Learn, He thatdiipifetli the poor, 
 defpifeth the church of God; yea, defpifeth Chrift him- 
 felf ; as he that pincheththe little toe, piineth the whole 
 body, fo the difgracing the poor members of Chrift, is a 
 defpifing of the whole church. In thefe love feafts the 
 poor were the moft proper, and fliould have been the moft 
 principal guefts; bur, alas! the rich gorged themfelves 
 pleiitifully, whilft the poor (food snd lotkfd on hungry. 
 Yet note, laftly. With what lenity and mildnefs the apofUe 
 reproves thefe great diforders in the church of Corinth : 
 Shall I praife you in this ? Ipraifeyou not. It was thefirft 
 time he had told them of their faults, therefore he doth it 
 gently, in hopes of aniendment. Learn thence. That 
 though minifters muft not commend, but reprove people, 
 when they do ill, yet thev mull ufe mildnefs, efpeciallyat 
 their firft reproving of a fin. Someoblerve, That God fo 
 blelFed the mild feverity of St. Paul, that the Corinthians, 
 upon the writing thisfirft epiftle, reformed all their ahufes : 
 which they gather from hence, becaufc no fault is taxed 
 in thisfecond epiftle, which was reproved in the firft. 
 
 23 H For I have received of the Lord, that which 
 alfo I dehvered unto you, Tliat the Lord Jefus, the 
 
 ^jnenight in which he was betrayed, took bread ? 
 14 And when he hadi^iven thanks, he brake ;/, and 
 laid, Take eat : this is my body, which is broken for 
 you; tliis do in remembrance of me. 25 After the 
 
 fame manner alfo hetooltht cup, when he had fup- 
 pcd, faying, This cup is the new tcnamcnt in my 
 blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink ii, in remem- 
 brance of mc. 26 For as oft as ye eat this bread, 
 and drink this cup, yc do ftiew the Lords death till 
 he come. 
 
 Ob/erveherc, i. How, the apoftle, for reforming thofe 
 abiifes, which were crept into the church amongfl them 
 relating to the holy facrament, reduces them to the firft 
 inftitution of that facrcd ordinance, / have delivered untt 
 youvihat 1 have received of the Lord. Mark, The apofVle 
 did receive and deliver, but not inftitute and appoint, this 
 venerable ordinance. Had he not received, he had wanted 
 authority ; and had he not delivered what he received, he 
 had wanted integrity. 2. The author of this inftitution, 
 the Lord Jefus. To inftitute facraments is and ad of 
 Chrift's regal power and royal authority. Thecluirchhas 
 no power to .ippoint, but only to execute and adminifter 
 what Chrift appoints. 3. The time of the inftitution, the 
 fame night in which he was betrayed. It is a niglit much 
 to be remembered, in which he fettles an ordinance in the 
 church, for the confirmation and confolation of his people 
 to the end of the world. Lord! What an evidence was 
 here of thy tender cares and affectionate concerrt for thy 
 church and people, in fpendingfomuch of that little, very 
 little, time thou hadft left, upon their account! 4. The 
 facrament elements, or the commorative, fignificativc, 
 and inftruclivefigns; and they are bread and wine, fhadow- 
 ing forth the body and blood of the crucified Jefus. 
 Where note, St. Paul calls it bread five times over, which 
 Chrift calls his own body, becaufe it was a lign andrepre- 
 fentation of his body : not his real body, for then Chrift 
 ate his own body whilft he was alive, his diftiplesdevour- 
 in that body over night, which hung upon the crofs next 
 morning, with a thoufand fuch abfurdities which the doc- 
 trine of tranfubftantiation carries along with it. ''ihferve, 
 ^. The minifterial actions, the brtraking of the bread, end 
 hltffmg of the cup. The bread muft be broken, to repre- 
 fent the breaking of Ciirift's body upon the crofs, which 
 comprehended all the fufferings of his human nature, all 
 which were confummated in his crucifixion ; and this 
 broken bread muft be taken and eaten by us, to intimate, 
 that all his breakings, bruifings, and wounding?, both in 
 foul and body, were for our (ins, and for our benefits, and 
 that the fole intention of all his fufferings was for us. 
 Wine alfo is poured forth, becaufe as no liquor like wine 
 doth cheer a lad anddroopingfpirit.inlikemannernothing 
 doth fo glad and cheer the foal, as faith in a crucified Sa- 
 viour. That fpirituallife which a foul is raifed to, by the 
 death of Chrift, is a life of the greateft delig'it and joy 
 which we can conceive. 6 The great defign snd end of 
 this inftitution. Do it in remembrance of me, or for a me- 
 morial of me; Chrift knew how apt ourbafe hearts would 
 be to forget him, amidft fuch a throng of feniible ohjefts 
 as we here converfe with ; and how much our forgetfulnefs 
 of him and his fufferings would tend to our prejudice and 
 difadvantage ; and thercforedoth heappoinr this ordinance 
 to bring him to remsBibrancc. 7. The ilritlt mandate Of 
 charge given for the frequent celebration of this ordinance 
 
 d' 
 
T. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xt. 
 
 Do tr^ls es ift as )f irink it: Do ii often. We c.tn 
 no more live and thrive without our fpirirual, than \vc can 
 without our corpor.ll food; ai the bodymui^ be often frd, 
 fi) tlie foul mull have its frequent repaft. 8. The reafoii 
 afligned for the frequent celebration of iliis ordinance: 
 Far us oft as ye dn th'it, ye do/Jjev) the Lord's death till he 
 
 ( t .) To receive the facrament with many doubts and fears 
 with a weak faith, with a trembling hand, and fearful 
 heart, all thisnny be, and yet the pcrfon not receive un- 
 worthily. (2-) 1 he want of perfc<fl holinefs, and a corn- 
 pleat freedom from fin, doth not denominate a pcrfon an 
 unworthy rectivcr; for this ordinance was not inllituteJ 
 
 come; that is, by frequentinp; this ordinance, we com- for angels, but for men; to make linful men good, and 
 
 good men better. (3.) Ra.kwardnefs to the duty, dead- 
 nefs and dulnefs in the iluiy, when involuntary and la- 
 mented, makes not a per Ion an unworthy receiver. Queji . 
 (2.) What is it 10 eat and drink unworthily? /Inf. (1 j It 
 is to receive out of cufloin, not out of confcience; for 
 company's fake, not for the command's fake ; becaufe the 
 law of man enjoiiis it, not becaufe the law of Chrilt re- 
 quires it. (a.j It is to receive, without futh a difpolitiou 
 ot min<l, fuch a preparation of heart, fuch reverence and 
 devotion, as ought therein to be cxercifcd ; to receive 
 without knowledge, without repentance, -AithoMt f^ith, 
 without refolutions for a lincere obedience: without fin- 
 cere reconciliation to our neij?,hbour. Quifl. (3.) What it 
 it to be guilty of the body and blood of our I^ord? ,fj:/". (t.) 
 It is an implicit approbation of the Jew-s a<^ in crucifying 
 Chrift. (2.) It is implicitly a jeiting with tlic liody and 
 
 niemorate the death of Chrift during his abfence from us. 
 As the end of the ordinance was to be a flanding memorial, 
 I'o the obligation that lies upon all Chnllians to obi'erve it, 
 is perpetual; Chriltians are by this ordinance loreprefent 
 the facrificing of Chrift for their lins, till he came again 
 in glory. Learnhom the whole, i. That the facrament 
 .nf tiie Lord's flipper svus inllituted by Chrift as a Handing 
 memorial of his death and fufferings for us. Here we 
 ought to remember the painfulnefs of his death, the meri- 
 torioufnefi of his death, the voluntarinefsof his death, the 
 acceptablenefs of his death to God, and the advantageoul- 
 ncfs of his death to oiirfclves. And the manner how we 
 flibuld remember Chrill and his death in the facrament, is 
 various ; withjudgment and underftanding, with reverence 
 and humility, with forrow and grief of heart for our llns, 
 yet with joy and thankfulnefs for the lufFerings of a Sa- 
 
 viour, with taith and affiance, with love and cft'edion, with blood of Chrift, a playing with the nioft trenfodous thing* 
 
 '"' ' in the world. {3.) It is a crucifying the i<nn of God a- 
 frelh; it is to ftab the mafter of the lealVat his own table 
 whilli he is treating us. with the rich^fldaintie". 
 
 28 But let a man examine himfelf, and fo let him 
 eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 
 
 Note here. The duty required to prevent tlie danger of 
 unworthy receiving, and that is the great and ncceflary 
 duty of examination. A metaphor t.ikcn from goldfmiths, 
 who try the truth of their gold by the touchifone, the 
 purity of their gold by the fire, the weight of it by the 
 fcale. 2. The cxaminant, orperfon performing this duty 
 of examination. Let a man, that is, let every man. This 
 flands in a double oppofition, (i.) To our examining of 
 others. (2.) To our refting in another's examination of 
 us. 3. The frequency of this aft; as often as we partake 
 of the ordinance, lb oft we fliould, if we have time, Itfi 
 or more, examine ourfelves. Let him examine, and fo let 
 him eat : Let him pafs through one duty to another. Learn 
 hence, That it is the fpecial duty, and ought to be the lin- 
 gular care and endeavor, of all thole that defire fafely 
 and comfortably to approach the table of the Lord, to 
 examine themfelves bcfnre they come ; to e.xamine their 
 
 ■refolutions for a new and better obedience. 2. That the 
 command of Chrift lays it as a law upon, and makes it the 
 ftanding duty of all Chriftians, to commemorate his death 
 at his holy table, Do this in remeynbrance 'f me. Here it 
 deferves oar notice what kind of command this is; it is a 
 fcfovereign and fupreme command ; it is a pofitive and ex- 
 "prcfs command ; it is a permanent and lafting command ; 
 it is the command of a Saviour, yea, of a dying Saviour; 
 it is a command of love ; it is fuch a command, as, if we 
 duly obfervc, will be a blefled means to enable us to ob- 
 jerve all the commands of God better. Lafily, It is fuch 
 a command, as whoever lies in the wilful negled of it, 
 cannot be called a chritlian, but will be treated by Chrift 
 at the great day asanenemy and defpiferof hisdying love. 
 Learn, 3. That it is a Chriftian's duty, not barely to do 
 this, but to do it often ; frequent communicating is a great 
 duty. The primitive Chriftians received every Lord's 
 day, yea, it is believed, oftener than every Lord's day. 
 This is agreeable to the nature of the ordinance, v/hich 
 is a fpiritual repaft, banquet and feaft, and therefore to be 
 received frequently. It is alio agreeable to the author of 
 the ordinance; it is a feaft of Cod's own providing; there- 
 fore, to neglect it, is to fly in the face of God; disagree- 
 
 able to the end of the ordinance, which is to renew our right unto it, and to exariiine their fitnefs for it 
 covenant, and that cannot be dene too often. ^9 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, 
 
 27 Wherefore, whofoever fhall eat this bread and eateth and drmketh danmation to himfelf, not dif- 
 drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, fhall be 
 
 guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 
 
 The apoftle having in the foregoing verfes, declared 
 the original inftitution of the Lord's Supper, he comes 
 now to inftruft :he Corinthians in the right ufe ot it ; and 
 TO excite them to a due regard in their approaches to it, 
 he acquaints them with the great danger of an unworthy 
 receiving of it : ver. -27. Whofoever /hall eat, kc. Qjiefi. 
 (i.J What is it not to eat and drink unworthily? ^nf. 
 
 cerning the Lord's body. 
 
 What it is to eatand drink unworthily, wefindexplaincd 
 before, at ver. 27. A'^o/ehere, farther. That many perfons 
 ot honeft hcirts, butweak heads, havcfadly inifunderftocd 
 the words of St. Paul, about unworthy receiving, thinking 
 that fuch an exccfs of re verence and preparation is required, 
 that cither they dare not come at all, or they come with fo 
 much dread and fear upon their minds, thatrhey are more 
 terrified than comforted. Father, The unwworthy perfou 
 
 eats 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 L CORINTHIANS. 
 
 <^73 
 
 eats and drinks judgment; that is, temporal judgment will 
 follow him in this^life ; and without repentance, eternal 
 damnation in the next. Yet ncte. It is judgment to him- 
 fclf that receives ; not to another that receives wrhhim. 
 If a wicked man's i^refencc at the fnorament pnlhites the 
 ordinance to a worthy receiver, then Chriil and his eleven 
 apollies were defiled by the company of Judas at the palF- 
 over ; for at thtt he certainly was, and, .as many think, at 
 the Lords flipper alio. Le.'irn then. That unworthy re- 
 ceivers of the Lord's fupper do contra^ great guilt, and 
 incur ^reai danger to themfelves. The defign of the 
 apoftie'in thefe two lad verfes, is this, that wc lliould not 
 linfully omit the duty, bccaiife of the command ; nor care- 
 leflly undertake it, bccaufe of the threatened judgment. 
 
 30 For this caufe many ar: weak and fickly a- 
 mongyou, and many fleep. 
 
 I'tr this caufr : That is, for profaning the facrament, 
 and not difcernin;! the Lord's body at the Lord's table ; for 
 not approaching it as a feaft of love dengncd equally for the 
 bcnem of all his members, and to knit them in the clofeft 
 bonds of unity and frienddiip each to other : Therefore it 
 was, that many were vifited with fickncfs and weakaefs, 
 and Vome with death ; which being czWcd Jleej>; fomc have 
 charitably concluded from thence, that they were pious 
 pcrfon's in the main ; for the death of the wicked is hardly 
 called Heep any where in fcripture : and if fo, then we learn, 
 that the holinefs of an ordinance, or the habitual holinefs 
 of any perfon who approaches an ordinance, will not ex- 
 empt'us from God'sdifplcafure, and theinfliflion of temporal 
 judgments here in this life, if they do not by aiSlual prepa- 
 r.-ition fandify the name of God in the duties and ordinance 
 of his worfhip. Befides an habitual, there is required an 
 actual nreparation in all thofe that will fafely and comforta- 
 bly appro-nch tn God in holy duties ; without it, we fliall 
 meet with a blow inllead of a bleding. 
 
 31 For if we would judge ourfelves, we fliould 
 not be judged. 
 
 That is, " If we would examin'!,try, cenfure, and fen- 
 tence ourfelves, and fo come to the Lord's table, as penitent 
 believers, with a purity of aim, and a (Incere intention, we 
 fliould thereby efcapethe cadigatory punifhments, and con- 
 demnatory fentencc of God. Learn hence. That as it is 
 our duty often to examine and judge ourfelves, fo felf- 
 judging in particular, before we approach the Lord's table, 
 will preferve us from the judgment and condemnation of God 
 •wemurt firft fummon, then examine, then conviifl and try, 
 then fentencc and condemn ourfelves ; and all thi^ in hopes 
 of being ab!"olvcd and acquitted by God, aftingourfaithup- 
 cn his free mercy, and the Redeemer's fatisfailion. 
 
 32 But when we are judged, we are chaflened 
 of the Lord, that we fhould not be condemned with 
 the world. 
 
 No/e here, l. The nature of thofe judgments, or afflic- 
 tive evils, which do befal the children of God in this life ; 
 they are chaj}enings ; xue are chanflened of tie Lard. Chaf- 
 tenings belong properly to children who arc wanton and 
 
 ungovernable. 7i /5o' f/)(7/?«/^</, lias a cfotible afpc£l ; firft 
 upon our privilege, it denotes our relation as children unto 
 God our Father. Chaftcnings are a part of his children's 
 portion ; yet, in that we are chaikncd, it taxes us with 
 weaknefs ; we are foolidi, wanton, and unruly children, 
 and therefore fo long as we are here, muft always go with 
 a rod at our backs. Chi ill, who was alfo a fon, vyas 
 challencd. The chad'fement of our peace was upon him; 
 but his were judiciary challifements ; God did not chaflife 
 him as a child, but as an enemy, as a mrdefadliir, in our 
 Head ; as ws muft have been chutencd.who were cneiiiies 
 and malefadors. Our chaftenings are fsthcrly, Chrift's 
 judiciary. 2. The merciful defign of God in the chaf- 
 tenings of his children; It is to prevent their condemnations 
 IFe are chafienci of the Lord, that ivejhould not he condemned 
 xv'tth the zuorld. When therefore at any time we are -jnder 
 chaflifement, in all we fay or do, let us juftify Gcxl, and 
 condemn ourfelves, feeing his chaftifcments are defigned tir 
 prevent our condemnation. 
 
 33 Wherefore, my brethren, whea you come to- 
 gether to eat tarry one for another. 34 And if any 
 man hunger, let him cat at home: that ye come not 
 tof'cther unto condem.nation. And the reft will I 
 fet in order when I come. 
 
 Our apoftle here concludes his difcourfc with an exhor- 
 tation to the Corinthians, to take heed for time to conic, 
 that all thefe forementioncd mifcarriages may be reilified ; 
 that when they come together to eat the Lord's fupper, 
 and the love feafls, they (hould tarry one for another^ ihit 
 they may all feed and' fealt toget'wcr. And if any man 
 pretend to be hungry, let hi -n eat at home before becomes,.' 
 left by thefe irreveient aSions he brings down the (judg- 
 ments of God upon himfelf. Laftly, lie tells them, iliat 
 as to other points of cluirch order lie would deitrmine 
 them when he came among them : The rejl uilt I fet in or- 
 der when I come : Such unchriftian difarders may arifc in 
 the church, as will require the prefeuce and coming of aa 
 apoftle to correal and reform them. 
 
 NT 
 
 -1. ^ w 
 
 C II A P. XII. 
 OW concerning fpiritual gifts, brethren, I 
 
 ,'ould not have you ignorant. 
 
 Ourapoftle begins this chrpter with the refolution of 
 another cafe concerning the nature and rightufeof fpiriiiial 
 gifts. Some that excelled in them, were proud of them, 
 ufing them to vain oftentation ; he therefore tells them, he 
 would not have them ignorant as toi;ching fpiritual gifts ; 
 not ignorant either nf their author from whence they came, 
 the Holy Spirit of God ; nor of their end andufe, which 
 is the benefit and edification of others. Gifts are for the 
 good of others, but a man (hall have the advantage and 
 comfort of his own grace: Gifts are the gold which 
 adorns the temple, but grace is the altar which fanflifics 
 the gold. Lord! how many have gone laden with gitrs to 
 hell? how many have prophefied in ihy name, and yet 
 pcrilhed in thy wrath ? how many cift out devils out of o- 
 thcrs who yet were caftio tlicdtulsthvairelves ; how many 
 ^Q^ wroLgiit 
 
674 
 
 I, CORINTHIANS. 
 
 v^rou^hf mimcles, an-f di^fhiany wrl^.^crf^lI works, wfn yet 
 peri/hed for evil uoi Iters .' LorJ! let me n.vcr b ild upon 
 this biittom (tnfrs) for eternity ; thcfe m:iy make me glo- 
 rini5 in the eves of men, but grace renders me precious in 
 tnc fight of GjJ. 
 
 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away 
 unto thefc dumb idols, even as ye were led. 
 
 AW here, i. Ifnv the anonie reminds the Corinthians 
 of v/hat ihey were in their Heathenifli (late ; n.imcly, idol- 
 atrous Gcniilcs fervipe; dumb Ms \ for thouoh the devil 
 lomeiimcs fp^heinanJ by the idols, yet the idols th(.mf(.]ves 
 Jiarl mouths and fp;.ke nor 4 aiiJ ihey were carried a-juay 
 uiih tk-fc dumb idais, even ns ihey wen- led; that is, as they 
 Verc led by tlicir idolarrous pricrts, who had noihingof this 
 <livme Spirit amongft ihcm, which they, fince their conver- 
 l^ori froin Gentilifm to ChriRianitv. had been made par- 
 takers of. Now from tliis dcf.ription of idohilcrs, that 
 they ferve and worfiiip dumb idols, we Uarn, What an ab- 
 liird and imrcafonabk- fin idolatry is; the worlhippcr is 
 In-ticrthan thcGodhe worfhips ; reafonablc men woifliip 
 unrcnfonahle creatures ; fcnfible men adore fenftlefs (locks 
 aiid (hiiics ; and they who can fpeak, invocatc ami call up.n 
 ddiub idols, that can nciihcr fpeak nor hear. And yet how 
 prone is the n.-iinrc of m.in to idolatry and falfe worlliip ; 
 partly bccaufc it is a worlliip of oiir own invention, rnd we 
 are fond of what is of our own finding out and (etttng up ; 
 and partly bccaiife it is external and pompous, it courts the 
 outward fends with glittering appearances ; and men do 
 Dalurally love and chufc that ~for the objeft of their wor- 
 fliip which may be fecn, rather than that which is to be 
 believed. As they wa!r. by fight, and not by faith, fo do 
 they worfliiptoo ; an invilible and unfeen being is neither 
 the objea of their adoration, nor eledion and choice. 
 
 3 Wiiercfore I give you to underfland that no 
 man Ipoaking by the Spirit of God, callcth Jelus 
 accurlcd ; aad l/u7t no man can fay that Jcfusis the 
 Lord, but by the Holy Ghofl. 
 
 The great difference that was then in the world, was 
 about Jefus: Thole that were led away bv dumb idols, 
 were_ taught by Satan to blafpheme, and fav, upon the 
 muniion of our Savii.ur's name, Jclus Anathema, jcfus 
 Anathema; that is, let Jcfus be Anathema, accurfed, dc- 
 tc(}cd, and deftroycd, as the common odium of their gods. 
 Now, when the apo.'He fays, fi.ch fpeak not by the Spirit 
 ct.God, his mcanin<4 is, that iliry did it by the impulfe 
 and infiina of the devil, by the adings and inrtigation of 
 the evil ("pirit, which ruled inthofe children of liilobedicnce 
 en the other fide, every one that bt-licveth, calleih Jcfus 
 Lord, and profcHcth faiih in him. Now, none, favs ihe 
 aponie, can do this but by the Holy Ghoft, that is, by his 
 help and sflirtancc. J]ut ir may faid, we read in fcripture 
 ot many who were sRualtd by the imclean fpirit, that yet 
 c.dlcd Jtfiis Lord, Mark i. 23. Afls xvi. 17. Jnf. (i.) 
 '1 h(Te iK-knovvledgments of Chrift \n be Lord, were eiiher 
 wrclled from the devil, and were a conliderable piirt of his 
 toroKui or were over-ruled by God to advance the plory 
 ot Ch.I.l. But, (i.) The .ipr.PJe here fpeaks cf fach a 
 
 Chap. xir. 
 
 cal ing Jefus Lord, as is accompanied with fahh in him, 
 and lubjcaion to him. There is a double faying that jefus 
 IS Lord ; the one verbal, ere tenus, with hp and tongue 
 only, without the confent of the heart, or obedience of the 
 lite; the other adu-l, v hen wedowith ourwhole fouls 
 own and acknowledge him, love and embrace him, obey 
 and ferve him as L'.rd, and vote for his government and 
 domiuion ovr-r u«. No man thus called Jcfus Lord, but 
 by the Holy Ghoft renewing and fanftifying him, affiftiiig 
 andcnaolinghim foto do. ^ 
 
 4 Now there-are divcrfitics of gifts, butthefame 
 Spirit. 5 And there arc differences of adminiflra- 
 tions, but the fame Lord. 6 And there are diver- 
 iuies of operations, but it is th-; fame God which 
 worketh all in all. 
 
 1 hat is there is a great variety and diverfity of fpiritual 
 git's, but II IS the fume Spirit trom whence ihey all proceed 
 and flow ; and there are different od.r.inilfratii'-ns and of- 
 hces in the church, but it is the fame Lord who hath ap- 
 pomtcd allihdeoHices; And there arc cJivcrdties of op.>- 
 rations performed by 'hcfe n(Iiceis in the church, but it is 
 the lame God who wr.rkcih them in .di. Here .ifts are 
 a(cribed to the Holy Gholl, adminillraiions toiheL.rd 
 l^hrilt, and operations to God the Father ; but in all ihcic 
 there are great divciflties both of kinds and degrees . ihev 
 ditfcr in the nature, extent and ufc Thus it^s with re- 
 tcrencc to fpiritual gifts; in the cafe of fanditving 
 graces, it is far otherwife ; thcfe are rll bdtrucd jointly 
 or not at all : God cannot give humility to one, ptirity 
 toariother, charily alone to a third, becaufe there is fuch 
 sn infeparable union and alliance amouij the graces of the 
 i>pirit, (a concatenation of graces, as Time call it) -hat 
 where one really is, there all tile rtll mu.tbe. Hence pro- 
 bably It IS, why the whole of rcligi.)n is Comet ime.-expreiiwJ 
 by one panicular duty of it, fome.iines by faith, fomeiimes 
 by hope, fomciiiucs by repeniance, fomeiimes by charitv •" 
 bccaule the combination of thefe faving graces is fuch, (hat 
 the mentioning of one implies and includes all the rclt. 
 
 7 But the manifeflation of the Spirit i% ^iven to 
 every man to profit withal. 8 For to one isjiven by 
 the Spirit the word of wifdom; to another the word 
 of knowlcd^^c by the fame Spirit ; g To another 
 laith by the lame Spirit; to another the gifts of heal- 
 ing by the fame Spirit; lo To another the work- 
 ins,' of miracles ; to another prophecy ; to another 
 dilcenungoffpirits ; to another divers kinds of 
 tongues ; to another the interpretation of tongues 
 1 1 But all thefe worketh that one and the lelf-(aine 
 Spirit, dividing to every man feveraliy as he will. 
 h^te here. How the .-polite enumera'es and reckons up 
 the fevcral foris and kinds of fpirinial eifts, which were at 
 that time phniifuily p ured forh up\. ihc minillers and 
 members of the church ofChiiil, uhich begat ..(lonifh- 
 menl and adiuira.inn ; audof ihtf.- cxiraordi-iaVy .ifts, our 
 apofile reckons up ninefcrtsor kind;., which were found 
 in the priiiiiiivc chuich in ];is dins, us thcv here fc II w : 
 
 (i.) 0.^c 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 I CORINTHIANS. 
 
 67 
 
 75 
 
 (l.) One had /J}f -word o/ivijJcm; that is, ilie revelation 
 of the gofpd which is here called the manifold wifdom 
 ©f God; This \v;is the jiift of the apofllcs ; to whom the 
 extraordinary meafiires of divine wifdom were firft given 
 to reveal the mydcries of the pufpel to the Piij^an world. 
 (2.) Another had //y W9r(/ sf kmwkflgf •■, that is, a fpccial 
 ability to interpret the rnydical fenies and veiled tiieanin;;s 
 (if the fciipuire, and alfo to forctel future things. Thus St. 
 Paul told the centurion before the fliipwrcek, thatnota man 
 in the fhip fltould be loft, Afls xxvii. and Agabus foretold 
 the famine, and St. Paul's Iminiionment, AiSs xi. (3.) To 
 another//?///', by this fonie undcrlbnd fupcrnatural courage 
 dnd confidence, with which God did endow them, when he 
 called to extraordinary fulFerincs or fcrvices \ accordingly 
 we read in the Adls of the apoftlcs, with what invincible 
 courase and rcfolution poor men appeared before the Jewirti 
 and Heathen tribunals, and with what allcnilhing prefence 
 both of body and mind, they bore the name of Jcfns before 
 the kings and people of the earth. Others by faith here, 
 underfland a miraculous faith, that is, a fupernatur.il con- 
 fidence and firm alTurance, wrought by the Holy Spirit in 
 the n/inds of foine, in the apoftle's time, by which they 
 were certain that they ccild do fuch and fuch ajuiracle, 
 b.'fore tiuy undertook to do it ; and the grcateft apoltie 
 durft never undertake to do a miracle, but when he was 
 alTured by the Spirit that he could do it ; and indeed it was 
 requiine for Alniiglity God, by fomc fecret preceeding im- 
 preflion of mind, to let the teachers of the gofpel know 
 when he would adift them in working miracles, left they 
 lliould attempt to work when they could not, and fo dif- 
 credit Chrift'sdoclrine, their own authorithy, and difhonour 
 the name of God ; and therefore, it is ohfa-vuUe, Tliat tl^e 
 i'fl offoilh here, is fet immediately before the gift of heal- 
 ing, and working miracles, becaufe it confilkd in an ante- 
 cedent impidfeto both. (4.) The next miraculcus gift, is 
 the gift ol healing, that is, a power of curing all difeafcs, 
 both of body and inind, withoutthe helpof phyfic, through 
 the alone name of Jefns Chrift. (5.) The gift of miracles 
 under which is comprehended the power of fdencing and 
 calling out devils, infiifting difeafes and death oh the bodies 
 of incorrigible Turners, as on Elymus and Annanias ; alfo 
 the more wonderful power in raifmg the dc-.d. (6.j The 
 gift of prophefy, that is, I. The prediction or foreknow- 
 ledge of things to come. Thus Agabus foretold by the 
 Spirit, a famine, A6fs xii. and this gift was fomeiiincs 
 exercifed by foretelling who would be fit perfons todo God 
 fervice in the churck ; thus, i Tim. 1. 18. and ch. iv. 14. 
 Accortiing to the foregoJng prcpkecies concerning thee, ttegkn 
 list the gift that was given thee by prophefy. 2. Others, by 
 prophecy, nndeiftand pre.icliing and expounding fcriptures 
 bv divine infpiralirn, praifing God by infpired hymns and 
 pHdms, and alfo playing unto him in public aliemblies by 
 infpired prayers ; for in the apolUes' time, there was a rni- 
 raculons gilt of preaching, pr;iying, and fm.ging, in which 
 the Spiii; did in an extr.!ordifiary inanner, affill fomc 
 perfons, which, with other extraordinary gifts, is long lince 
 ceidcd. (7.) Th^ gift of difcerning of fpiriis, '.hat is, either 
 firft, a power of quick and fuie difcerning, whether inen, 
 pretending to the Spirit, fpake from God, or not ; or 
 fiipernatural fagacity to difcern between the impulfcs ol fa- 
 
 tanical Ipirits, and divinely infpired pe rf.-ns. Or, feconJly, 
 A fpirit of difcerninK, whether fuch and fuch perfons be bell 
 qualihcd for fuch an ofi-ce in ikc church, -^vA accordingly 
 chufing them out for that woik. Thus, Afls xiii. 2, 3. 
 the holy Spirit in the prophet faid, .Separate nif Barnabas 
 and Satd, for the work to which 1 have called then. Or, 
 laflly. By this power of difcerning fpirits, the apojlkscoidd 
 tell very much of the inward purpofes of men's hearts and 
 thoughts; fo Peter difcerncd the heart of Annanias, and the 
 thoughts of Sitnon Magus. (8.) The gitt of tongues, that 
 is an ability to fpeak divers languages, unlearned and un- 
 taught. To which was adiled, (9.) The gift of mterprct- 
 ing'^thofe lanpuages ; Forthefe two gifts did not ahvaj.? o„ 
 together ; Some coidd f.,cak divers languages, that could 
 no°t interpret them ; others coijld interpret them, that could 
 not fpeak them : For fay fome, the gitt of (Irr.nge tcngiics 
 was iifually accompanied with fuch ftrange raptures, that 
 the perfon affefted, could not ufe his uiiderfU.ndinginan 
 ordinary way, fo as to interpret and explain his own mlpi- 
 rations in the audience to which he fpoke ; wliieh was the 
 reafon why the Spirit did ufiiallv reveal to others, who ftoc J 
 by and undcrftood not the infpired languages, the iraitcr 
 which was fpoken. Thus are the extraordinary and mira- 
 ctdous gifts of the holy Spirit, enumerated by the spoftlc, 
 which were bcflowed upon the primitive chur..h, whole 
 infant (late required all this cxtraoidinary alliftanee ; but as 
 the church grew up, Almighty God, like a wife nuric, 
 weaned her by degrees from thefe miraculous gifts, till at 
 laftatriviiigat her full ftature, he left her, as parents lea\e 
 their children when grown to be men, to fubhil v.iihout 
 thefe extraordinary helps and fupplies. 
 
 1 2 f For as the body is one, and hath iriany 
 members, asd all the members of that one body, 
 beini; many, are one body : fo alio is Chrift.- 13 
 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, 
 whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether xue be bond 
 or free ; and have been all made to drink into one 
 Spirit. 
 
 Here our apcfile acquaints us, that the intent and defigii 
 of God, in giving thefe various gifts, was the profit and 
 edification of his church, wiiicli he compares to a bcdy tlut 
 has many members i for though that one Spirit which dif- 
 tributes the gifts, could have given them all to the fame 
 perfon, yet to maintain a immral dcinndance and a chnri- 
 table ferviceablenefs of the members, cue among anoi her, 
 he gave to one, one gift ; to. another, anbthcr ;_ by whitii 
 means one memberofthc church would be obliged to t-.'ke 
 care of the rcfl. Behold here, how the wifdom -c) God 
 has ordered the ftate of the church, like that cf the natural 
 body, to which the apoRIc elegantly compares the body of 
 Chrifl, which is his church : As the hcly hath menders, fo 
 (ilfo hns Chriji , that is, the clmrch cf Chi lit. Now, hav- 
 ing alfured thein, that they were if.decd members of one 
 bodv, he tells them what it was that ra.idc them fo, 
 v:r.' 13. Fjr ly one Spirit, hy%\\Q, u-e ere Ir.ftizid into cne 
 bcdy, whether ue he Jews or Ccnfi.'es, and hr.ie hen made to 
 drink into one Spirit : ihat i?, by being baptized, wt are all 
 made members of the body of CluiH, and united rni 10 
 
 anotherj 
 
67G 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 another, umtcr hlin the Head ; and tl)if, wbilker tee le 
 JiTiusor CcntlUs, bond or free, we arc all one in Chriff, 
 v*ho by baptifiii were admitted into his church : And tliis 
 union of ours one ivitli another, istcftifiod and declared by 
 our comnu:nion at the Lord's tabic, which is here called, 
 .fl .Innking hU} ore Spirit. And whereas by baplifm we arc 
 fa'd by one Spirit to be baptized into one body, and at tht 
 lord's fupper, are faid to drink into one Spirit ; v-e Jeuni, 
 That the grace of the holy Spirit was given in baptilm and 
 in ti'c Lord's fuppcr, to all the faithfid who do not rcciive 
 ^jnprofilabie figns, but the quickening pr.icc and Spirit ot 
 God, to make them living members of that one body. 
 
 1 4 For the body is not one member, but many. 
 15 U" the foot {hall fay, Bccaufc I am not the hand, 
 I am not of the body ; is is therefore not of the bo- 
 dy ? 16 And if theearfhall fay, Becaufe I am 
 not the eye, I am not of the body : it is therefore 
 Jiot of the body ? 17 If the whole body rvere an 
 c)-e, where were the hearing ? if tlie whole zccre 
 licaring, where were the finelling ? 
 
 Our apoftle here elegantly compares the (laleof themyf- 
 tical body, the cliurch, with that of the natural body : As 
 the natural body is one, fo is the myftical body; as the 
 natural body is informed and animated with one fpirit 
 or fold, fo the mvflical body, the church, is animated by 
 one and the fame Spirit, received fro<n our fpiritual Head, 
 Chrift Jefus, and communicated to all the meitibers of his 
 body, to give them life and motion : As the members of 
 the natural bo<ly are not alike, but fomc fuperior, and 
 others inferior, in excellency, yet all of indifpendble ufe ; 
 'for the wife God liath created no member of man's body 
 in lain, but dcfitrned all for the mutual help and benefit of 
 one another) in like manner is it in the church, the myfKcal 
 body ; there are different gifts, different cfTices ; fome are 
 liiperior, and more excelling in gifts, othersareof meaner 
 abilities, vet ail conduce to the good of the wiiole : One of 
 inferior gilts niuft not account himfelf ufelefs ; (for every 
 one that cannot be ejccellent, may yet be ufefid) for if fo, 
 »hat woidd becoine of the church ? Therefore, there miifl: 
 be different gifts and ofFces, for different ufes : But every 
 one muft employ his gift, and perform his ofiice according 
 To the nature of it, for the ftrvice of the whole. Learn 
 hence, i. That fevcral men have their fc\eral gifts, as it 
 pleafeth the gift-givint; Spirit to give unto them. 2. That 
 fuch as have tlie mesneft talent, eitlicr of gifts or graces, 
 ought not to elteem themft-lvcs, or be cilcemed bv others, 
 as ufelefs or unrer\ iceablc ; but to employ their talent, 
 though cA'er (o fmall, for the fervice and benefit of the 
 wliolc church. 
 
 18 But i;ov,' hath God fi't the members everyone 
 of them in the bodv, as it hath plcafcd him. ig 
 And if thev were all one member, where zvcre the 
 body ^ 20 But now r7r<; they inany members, yet 
 but one body. 2 1 And theeyccaimot fay unto the 
 Jiand, I hevc no need of thee: nor again, thehead 
 •to the foot, I have no need of you, 22 Naj, mucij 
 
 iporc, thofc members of the body which fccm to be 
 more feeble arc necelFary. 
 
 As if theapoftle had faid, " Wiiereas our wife Creator* 
 who made the body of man, has appointed all the members 
 of tliat body for divers iifes and officer, and alfo appointed 
 the order in which every member fliallftand; that the head 
 Hull be uppcrmofl, to guide th.c body, the foot lowcrmofl, 
 to bear the body : In Jlkc manner our gracious Redeemer 
 has appointed to the fevcral members of Iiiscliurch, dillinft 
 offices in his church. And as the principal members of 
 the body, the eye and hand, do need the lefs principal; fo 
 the riders, paflors, and wifefl members of the church, do 
 need even thofe weak an I inferior Chriilians, whom the 
 ■world makes finall account of. The eye, the man of great 
 underflanding cannot fay to the hand, the perfon employed 
 in lefTcr fcrvices, I have no need of you ; nor agam the 
 head, that is, the perfon placed in the highefl dignity in the 
 church, cannot fay to the feet, the perfon employed in the 
 lowefl ofKces of thechurch, I have no need of you. There- 
 fore the fuperior members of the chun h muff not pride it 
 over the inferior, nor the mnff knowing Chrlllians defpife 
 tie lefs knowing, as imufefiil and unprofitable, but, as fel- 
 low-members, joiiiily endeavour the mutual benefit and ad- 
 vantage of one another. 
 
 23 And thofe wifwz^fn of the body which we think 
 to be lefs honourable, upon thcfe we beflow more 
 abundant honour; and our uncomely /'(7?/i have 
 more abundant comclincfs. 25 For our coinely 
 farts have no need : but God hath tempered the 
 bod)' together.having given more abundant honour 
 to thAtpart which lacked : 24 That there fhould 
 be no fchifm in the body ; but that the members 
 fliould have the fame care one for another. 26 
 whether one member lufFer, all the members fulFer 
 with it : or one member be honoured, all the mem- 
 bers rejoice with it. 
 
 Siill our apofflc proceeds in that elegant comparifon be- 
 twixt the members of the body natural and the body myf- 
 lical ; fliewing, that as there are fome members in tJic 
 natural body that are lefs honourable, and feme that are 
 more honourable ; and whereas we put more abundant 
 honour upon the lefs honourable rrembers by a decent 
 covering, and modeft adorning them ; but upon our come- 
 ly parts, fiich as the face, weput no covering, being conieljr 
 enough of itfelf, and lacking no artificial beauty; in like 
 manner all the members of the inyllical body ought to be 
 inflriicled, that the meaneft offices in the church, and the 
 meaneft members of the church, who have le."fl gifts, are 
 as well of that fpiriturd body, the church, as thofe that 
 have more excellent offices and gifts ; and as the meaner 
 mult not envy the more excellent, fo neither niuft the more 
 excellent defpife the tncaner, !>ut put a due value and relped 
 upon one another. Forpracfifing of which duty, a double 
 reafon is Ticre afHgned ; ( i .j That there may be ijo fcliifm 
 in the body, but the rnembers have tl e fame care for, and 
 regard to one another; if the members of the natural body 
 liiouIJilrivt an.ong thcmfclacs, the v.hoh.- body would ccnx 
 
 t* 
 
Chap. xir. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 677 
 
 to ruin by fchifm, fo great mifchicf would arife to the cluircli, 
 thcmyilical boHy, by divifions and diflcntions atnongd the 
 particular members of it. (2.) Bccaufc there ouglit to be 
 a fympatliy between the members of thu myftical body, as 
 there is betwi>;t the members of the natural body. There 
 is a ftllow-fceliiig with each otlier, both of joy and grief, 
 in and among the natural members; they all rejoice and 
 mourn wit!\ one another ; if one member be pinched, the 
 whole body is pained. Thus all the myftical members of 
 Chrill's body, the church, ought to have the fame common 
 intereft, the fainc common concern, the fame common care, 
 and the fame mutual fympathy with eacli other, both 
 in weal and wo. 
 
 =7 Xow yc are the body of Chrift, and members 
 in particular. 
 
 Our .Tpoflle having tluis finiflicd his elegant and excellent 
 compa:ifon between the members of the natural, and thofc 
 of the myftical body ; he cotnes now to make a p^nticular 
 and clofe application of it to the believing Corinthians, 
 •wlioiii he acknowledges to be a part of the myflical body 
 of Chrift ; and tjiat it is their duty to carry themfclves to- 
 wards their fellow-memberp, as the members of the body 
 natural do towards each other, who are evermore folicitoiis 
 for the good of another. Now, fays he, I'e nre the mem- 
 icn of Chrijl-, as if he had faid. Thus muft it be with you 
 who are the fcveral inembers of Chrift's church, which is 
 his body. From the whole of this coinparifon, with the 
 apoftli's application of it, we A-nr;;, i. That as there can 
 be no natural body without divers inemhers, fo no myftical 
 body without diverfity of gifts and offices. 1. That as 
 the mnfl inferior members of the natural bodv are as truly 
 membi-rs as the moft noble, and as necellary at'id fc-rviceable 
 to the body as the other, fo are inferior ChriiHans as much 
 the members of Chrift's body, and in their place as ufefid 
 and nccelFary as other intmbers of the church, which arc 
 more excelling in fpiritiial gifts. 3. That all the members 
 of the natural body are placed and difpofed according to the 
 wiAJom of Ahnighty God ; in like manner, the members 
 pf ChrilVs myOical body, are, by the unerring wifdom of 
 God, placed in that /lation and condition in the church, 
 in which he has fet them, and accordingly, they ought to 
 be fatisfied with it, and endeavour to be ufcfuf in it. 4. 
 That as there is nodivifionin the members of the natural 
 body, but all the members take care of, and are einploycd 
 for the good of the whole ; fo ought matters to be managed 
 in the b«ly inyflical, that there be'r^o dividons, nor fcparate 
 interests in it, but they Ihould mutually regard the common 
 intereft of one another, fympathizing, forrowing, and re- 
 joicing together. O happy ! when the intcreft of idl parties, 
 and private concernments, fhall give place to public interefts. 
 
 28 And God hath fet forne in the church, firll 
 apoflJes, fecondarijy propliets. tiiirdly teachers, 
 after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, go- 
 verninents, diverfities of tongues. 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the be!,'inning of the chapter, 
 reckoned \.\^ the divers gifts, which God had variouHy 
 bertowrd upon the church, here in the clofe of the chaptei', 
 he reckons up the particular officers that he thought tit to 
 
 place in his church, {i.) Ap'-ftks; pcrfcns fcnt forth im- 
 mediately by Chrid to lay the foundation of Chriflian 
 churches, and upon whom the care of all the churLlics lay. 
 (2.) Prophets ; or pcrfons iminediattly iiifpircd with the 
 knowledge of future things. (3.) Teachers ; fuch as la- 
 bour in the word and dodlrine, cither as itinerary preachers, 
 goingfrom place to place, or as fettled fixed minillers in 
 the church, expounding the fcrlpturcs to the people. (4.) 
 Miracles; that is, foine perfons endued with an extraor- 
 dinary power to work miracles for convincing infidels, and 
 confirming believers. (5.) Ci//s of healing; fuch perfons 
 as had a power conferred upon thein to heal difcafes, with- 
 out the help of phxfic, in an extraordinary way. (6.) 
 Helps ; deacons, which took care of the poor, and affifted 
 the chinch in the diflribution of her charity : and alfo 
 aflided in holy things, particularly, in baptizing and admi- 
 niftering the Lord's fupper. [-j.) Governments ; the ndcrs 
 of the clrirch and fpiritiial guides. (8.) Divcrfilies of 
 tivgues ; that is pcrfons enabled to fpcak divers hnguages, 
 in order to the farther fpreading of the gofpcl, without the 
 help of fludy. Behold here the wifdoin of God in this 
 various diflribution of gifts and offices in his church ; all 
 which, as they are dtiigncd by him, fo they ought to ba 
 managed by her, for the general good of the whole, with- 
 out either pride or haughiincfs on the oi:e hand, or envy 
 and emulation on t!ie other. 
 
 29 Are all apoRles ? are all prophets ? are all 
 teachers ? are all workers of miracles ? 30 Have 
 all the gifts of healings? do all fpeakwith tongues ? 
 do all interpret ? 
 
 The force of the apoflle's argument lies thus: As the 
 natural body, to which he had before alluded, cannot be 
 all eye, nor all ear, nor all hand, nor foot ; in- the like 
 manner, in the myftical body, the church, all cannot go- 
 vern, prophcfy, teach, work miracles, heal difcafes ; but one 
 has this gift, and another that ; one has this office in the 
 church, and another that ; all which are to be cm;Moy£d 
 and improved for the coi-moii good of the church, and 
 mutual benefit of each other. 
 
 31 Cat covet earnellly the bcfl gifts. And yet 
 fliew I unto you a more excellent waj'. 
 
 He concludes the chapter with this advice, that they 
 covet and defire the hcjl : that is, the moft ufcfiil and ex- 
 ctllent gifts, the moft beneficial and edifying gifts, fixh as 
 are molt advantageous to the church ; yet wl;hal intimat- 
 ing to tiiem, that though there be an excellency in gifts, 
 yet there is a greater excellency in gr.acc, particularly in the 
 grace of love. Charily or love to God and otsr neighbour, 
 is more excelling than a load of gifts, though very extra- 
 ordinary, though fiiperuatiMal and miraculous, let ftcio 
 I unto you a nure excellent ivay : that is a more excellent 
 Avay of miniilf ring to the welfare of tkc church, and cf 
 edifying your own fouls, even by true Chrillian lo»e one 
 towards another. Le/irn hence. That as the fantlifyiiig 
 graces of the holy Spirit are more eNxelling than the mira- 
 culous and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, fo* it is the 
 Clirillian's duty to be much more co\etous and defiroiis of 
 them ; for when gifts vaniili away, the habits yf grace tlir.II 
 
 nc\cr 
 
CyS 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xm. 
 
 npvcr fail, but abiJcfor ever, pariiciibily the grace of love, 
 which fliall not only accompany ns to hcavrn, but in 
 }icaven ; where, from a fmall and little fpark, it fliall be 
 improved to a fcraphic and never-failing flame. 
 
 C H A P. XIII. 
 
 Our (ip^fl'.t prccteih in this chapter tn fet forth the 
 tranjcaident excellency of the graces of the holy Spirit, 
 above the vwfi exalted and admired gifts ; and in 
 particular, the excellency of the grace of charity, thai 
 15, the vjftigrwd Lie of Gcd and cur iieiglJjour ; 
 which virtue he likewfe perfuafivcly enforces in the fol- 
 lowing chapter. 
 
 HOUGH I fpeak with the tongues of men and 
 
 T 
 
 wcr that grace is fotmd, it gives value and acceptance to 
 all other graces. Faiih without charity, isbtit a dead alTcnt ; 
 hope witiiout charity, is but like a tympany, the bigger it 
 grows, the more dangcn.'iis it proves ; and the moll liifFii- 
 five alms- giving, without love, is but a facrifice to vanity. 
 
 3 And though I bcflow all my good.s to feed the 
 poor, and though I give rry body to be burned, 
 and have not chaiity. it profiteth nie nothing. 
 
 Note here, i. That alms inay be given without true love 
 to Cjod, or our neighbour, for God's fake i they may be 
 given out of tnere natnral pity to the poor, out of a dcfirc 
 to be well thought of, end well fpoktn of by men, out of 
 an opinion of merit, and obliging God, or from fome other 
 caufe, which includes not love cither to God or m^n : ami 
 wherever they aie thus given, they profit nothing to fahn- 
 tion. The Greek word for feeding the poor here, fi 
 
 of an,gels, and have not charity, I am become to divide vi<Sluals in feveral pieces, and fo diltribute it a; ._;.,, 
 
 as founding brafs, or a tinkling cymbal. 
 
 ITerc our apollle begins a comparifon between gifts and 
 graces, and fliews how much more excelling and deiirable 
 the faving graces of the fpirit are, than all thofe pompous 
 and miraculous gifts, in which there is no real excellency, 
 and nothing for which we fliould defire them, but only 
 ispon the fcore of tifefulr.efs and ferviceablcncfs to the 
 church : And this he inftanccs firft in the gifts of tongues, 
 Though I Jpeak luith the tongues of mot and angels, &c. 
 that is, though I had the gift of lon^'iies, or fpcsking divers 
 !ar!gii3;;cs in the highcft mcafure, and moil cxalied degree ; 
 could I preach antl pray like an aagel, difccurfe and talk 
 beyond the rate of any mortal man, and have not the grace 
 of love and charity, alas I what is all this to Go<l, who is 
 !iot taken with a noifv foimd, as the children are with a mufi- 
 cal inflriimcnt .■' Behold here, that the tongues of rtitn or 
 angds could have faid nothing more plain or emphatical, 
 to iTiew how much more excellent the faving giaces 
 of the fpirit are then miraculous gilts, which commend us 
 not to God, render us I'.ot like God, nor anv ways quality 
 us for the enjoyment of him, gi\ing us no iutriniic worth, 
 or inherent excellency. They only proclaim Cjod's good- 
 nefs toward:; its, but are no ways evcdentird of any goodnefs 
 in us towards him. Gifts are like the goKi which adorns the 
 temple, but grace is like the altar which fanflifies the gold. 
 
 the poor. Lord ! what a confideraticn is this, that a man 
 may do all the external works of mercy, even the highcft 
 and moft tranfcendent works, and yet >vant true love to 
 Go'J and his neighbour. 2. That as alirss may be given, 
 fo martyidom iTiay be undergone without charity. If f 
 give my hoSy to le burned ; that is, if I h.ive fo much forti- 
 tude and courage as to lay down my life tor Chrill and his 
 truth, which is fuch an high cxprtflTon of my obedience lo" 
 hitti, as angels are not capable of performing, yet without 
 charity, burning is but a vain-gloritjus bljze ; and inflead 
 of fcaling the truth \\iih our blo<id, we feal but our own 
 fliame and foliv. 3. The apoftle fays not. If I be bt:inr, 
 perfecuted, and put to death by others ; but, if I give mv- 
 felf to be burned, if 1 voiimtarily and Ireely offer up rr:y- 
 felf, not to imprifonment only, but to death iifclf, yea to 
 the moft terrible kind of death, luming ; yet if all this be 
 not from a right principle, and (inccre end, if all this be 
 without true love to God and his glory, church, and truth, 
 it will avail nothing to falvation. Learn hence. That no 
 kind of external .'"t:f}erings, though ever fo gr'evous, either 
 for the truth of Chirft indeed, or for ihat which a roan's 
 confcicnce jucK^es to be the truth of Chrift, is a fure and 
 infallible lign of a gracious- ftate i a man may fuller for 
 truth, but not for truth's fake, only for intered's fr.ke ; he 
 may fuffer from a natural ftrength and ftoutneff of fpirit, 
 and not from a Tpiii'ual fortitude wrought in him by the 
 
 mountain.s, and have not charity, I am nothing. 
 
 Firthcr, Snppofe I had the fpirit of prophecy, and could 
 fpeak, by infpiration, of things prcfent, and things to come, 
 and could underftand deep and difficult points in God's 
 •word and works, what is this inore than B.ilaam had? 
 And fuppofe I have all taith, that is, the higheft (ieqree of 
 miracuhjus fuiih, fo t'lat I could remove mountains, vet 
 this fevered from charity, qr the predominant love of God 
 
 with fuch a difpolition of heart as Chrill requires. 
 
 4 IT Charity fufFereth long, and is kind ; charity 
 envieth not ; chanty vaunteth not itfclf, is not puf- 
 fed up. 
 
 Here the apoftle entereth upon the dcfcription and com- 
 mendation of the grare and duty of charity, and decl :rcs 
 feveral excellent cfre6ls and properties of it : namely, // 
 
 nnd our neighbour, is all nothing. And //?« w^z/vn^, that fuffcreth lorg, arJ is kind ; that is, the charitable n\ln is 
 
 is, nohing worth in the fight of God. h'otc^ here. That kind to all, patient towards all ; he cun bear injuries and re- 
 
 iniraculous faith may be fevered from chari'y, but juftifying proathes very long, without cither dcliring or cndcavouiing 
 
 faith cannot, which always woiktih by luve ; and where- to 
 
Chap. xin. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ^79 
 
 to revenge them. // envieth not ; that is, he cnvieth 
 neither the power, nor profit, nor preferment, nor applaiifc, 
 nor precrdency of any inan ; btir is well pleafed with the 
 Iiappinefs of every man, and laments their misfortimes. 
 Charily vnunidh vet itf,-lf. Is not puffed up ; that is, it fup- 
 preiTes all fclf-ppplaiidint; and admirint^ thoinrhts, all arro- 
 gancv in allliniing to oiirfelves, and tindervaluini; of others. 
 
 5 Dolh not behave itfelf unfeenily, fetketh not 
 her own, is not cafily provoked, thinketh no evil ; 
 
 That is, charity, or true love to '^iir neighbour, will re- 
 fir-iin II? from all uncomely deportment towards him ; it 
 will not fiiffer us to do an ill or indecent thing to any one ; 
 it breaks not forth into violent and ungovernable paflivins 
 upon any provocations, how jirft f(<ever, how ijreat I'oever. 
 Srekrtb ml her own; that is, her ov.'n praifc, profit, or 
 pleafiirc ; it feekcth it not inordinately, it feeketh it not in- 
 jwrioiiflv, either in the nct'le<5l of others, or to the hurt of 
 others.' Charity is not fclfifli, but generous. // /V not 
 c i/tly provoild \ that is, charity is not provoked readily to 
 think, fpeak, or a£l unduly, by fmal! injuries or occafions, 
 but beareth, forbeareth, and forgiveth. Tbinkelh no evil \ 
 that is, of anv pcrfon groimdlcfly, but conftrues and inter- 
 prets cverv thing in the bsft fenfc ; for lighily to take up 
 an evil report of our neighbor, to think or fuipccl, much 
 more to believe and report any evil of him, without fuflicient 
 evidence againft hint, is a violation of the law of charity. 
 
 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
 
 truth ; 
 
 Charity rejoices not in any evil done, cither, (i.) By 
 ourfclvcs in the commiilion, or after contemplaiion of it ; 
 or, (2.) By others. Lord ! how fad is it when it becomes 
 matter of mirth and fporf, to fee another flab at once the 
 Chridian name, and his own foul ! Or, (3.} It rejoices 
 not in any evil done to others ; charity fuffers no man to 
 be pleafed or dilighled with any deceit or talihood fpoktn 
 of, or done to others, or with any ill (lories, or malicious 
 infuiuations concerning them, or in any calamity befalling 
 them. But rejoiceth in the truth ; that is, (l.j Charity is 
 fi far from rejoicing, either in the falls or misfortunes of 
 O'hers, that it rejoices when the truth and innocency, the 
 righteoufncfs and equity, of any perfon or caufe is made 
 nianifeft : A good man rejoices when he fees any fufpeiSled 
 fo^, or chari^cd with iniquity, upon due examination, cleared 
 and acquitted. Or, fz.) Rejiiceth in the truth : that is, in 
 men's lovirg trutli, doing jullly, and living righteoufly, ac- 
 cording to the ride of truth, the jjofpel. O ! v.'hat a coin- 
 pl.ictncy and inward pltafurc doih it beget in a gooil man's 
 mind, when he helx Ids truth and righteoufnefs, piety and 
 go idnefs, prevailing in the world ? 
 
 7 Beareth all thinrjs, believeth all things, hopeth 
 all things, endureth oil things. 
 
 Cliariry or love has ftrong flioidders to bear wrongs stij 
 injuries with p'aiience, thoutih \'ery hard and irrievrus to be 
 bo-n ; without returning evil f )r evil, it will enable us to 
 foib' .Tr one another in love, and not ccafe to be kind, not- 
 withfianding provucations. Believeth cU ihinrs ; that ir. 
 
 charity inclines a man to believe the bcfl of his neif'hboiir, 
 till the contrary appears ; it interprets every thing in the 
 beil fenfc, and makes the faireft conllrudlion of every man's 
 cafe and condition : Not that a charitable man is a credu- 
 lous man, and can believe whatever he plcafcs ; but he be- 
 lieveth all things, fo far as either reality or prob.)biliiv, fo 
 fjr as truth, or appearance of truth, will cncouraiTc him to 
 do it. A charitable man is very willing to believe that 
 things are m«atu as they arc fpnktn, and intended as they 
 are done. i-0.!/.how uncharitable then, and unjufl arc they, 
 who believe all is ill, when they know nothing iil ; and 
 think and fpeak ill of them, in whom they never faw any 
 thing h!Jt what was good ? It is not fiiiTicient that we do 
 not judee our ncichbour maliJioufly, but we n-.ufl not 
 jiidce him ignorantlv ; it is an injurious snd unworthy 
 jealoufy, when a perfon's aiflions are fair, to fufpcft his in- 
 tentions. Hopeth all things; that is, it is the genius of 
 charity, and the chara£ler of love, to hope the be.f of per- 
 fnns and things, fo far as there is any ground of iiope , yea, 
 though they carry ii them fome caufe and colour of fvf- 
 picion : It inclines us ftiU to hf)pe the beft concerning men's 
 intentions and aflions : and if our brother be bud at prefent, 
 not to dcfpair of his amendment, but endeavour his re- 
 formation, by all proper means. End'-.reth all things.; 
 that is, it purs up wrongs and injuries, without defiring, 
 much lefs endeavouring to revenge them ; it caufcs us to 
 endure provocation with much patience, and extinct.iflics 
 all inclinations to revenge. Some will conceal their anger, 
 but fcek revenge ; their malice is like flow poifon, that 
 does not difcovor violent fym.ptoms, but deflroys life infen- 
 ,fibly : Others have fuch fierce paflions, that they lb ike fire 
 out of the leaf! provocations ; they inflame their rcfcnt- 
 ments, by confidcring every circiiinfl.ince that ^\ ill txaf- 
 perate their fpirits : but charity heareth all things, endureth 
 all things. 
 
 8 Charity never faileth : but whether ^/i^rf he pro- 
 phcfies, thev fhall fail ; whether there he tongues, 
 they fli.ill ceafe; whether there he knowledge, it 
 fhall vanifli away. 9 For we know in part, and 
 we prophefy in part. 
 
 Charily never fuilelh. Holy love i.s an everlafting quality 
 and ctpp'oyment ; it fhall not fail at death, as other c;races 
 do, but be pcrfefted at death : Repentance fhall acci>m- 
 pany us to the gates of 1 eaven, but repentance ceafes. for- 
 ever in heaven, for no need cf repentance Vtihere there is 
 en'ire innocence: 'Faith is fwallowed up in vifion, and hope 
 in fiuitirn ; but love is then and there in its exaltation. 
 Thus Charity never fiiiielh^ but all other gifts will fail ; 
 prophcfying, languages, fcicnce-S and all artificial knowlcdt'c 
 will cca^e forever \ kiiowl-'dge iiftlf in heaven fliall var.iih 
 a^^■ay ; But Ik w vaniih r The meaning is, t!;;.'t luchkno-.v- 
 Ldge as we h?ve now, f!i::ll vanifli then ; tlwt iirpi-rkct 
 knowlrlee wc llaveno\^•, will ccale, and be ufckfs then ; 
 . otir prefent kno%vledge is attained wi'h much kboiir and 
 ftudy, bi!t it fliall be no more diilicidl to kn<nv in heaven, 
 than it is for the eye to open and fee : The beautiful face 
 ff truth flir.ll ill a moment be unvtilcd to us in he.-ven, 
 and the' ci:rti;in drawn liwayby the h;ind of Gcd, w 1 ir'i 
 
 i:ittrpoli.d 
 
68o 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xrir. 
 
 intcrpofcd between us and the li^iht. Again, knowledge 
 of fj iniperfei^ a degree, as now it is of, Ihall vanifn away: 
 Here we know what we know by divine revelation, but in 
 part ; and we prophefy by infpiration but in part. 
 
 10 But when that which is perfeft is come, then 
 that which is in part Ihail be done away. 
 
 As the imperfcQ twilit^ht is done away by the opening 
 of the perfcft day ; fo at lic-atii, when that which ^^ ptrti-a 
 takes place, then that which was imperfeft Ihall be done 
 awav. Blclfed be God for the hopes of that hleni-d place 
 nndllate where all imperfeaions fliall ceafe, efpccially tiie 
 imptrfcaion of our knowltdj^e. Alas ! here all that we 
 know, cither of the word or works of God, is but a part, 
 a little part, and bklfcd be God, this perfea Hate doth not 
 fucceed the impcrfca one, after a lont; interval, (at the rc- 
 fiirreaion and re-union of the body), but the imperfca 
 Ajteof the foul immediately is done away by the coming 
 of the perfea one ; the glafs is laid by as ufelcfs, when 
 we come to fee face to face, and eye to eye. O happy 
 and vaft diSlrence between the Chrillian's prefent and fu- 
 ture ftate ! True, he now begins to know, he knows in 
 part here ; but verily, what 'he here knows, is liiilc of 
 that he fhouid know, little of that he might know, 
 little of what others know, little of that he dcfires to 
 know, and little of what he ihall know, when he comes to 
 heaven : then all impcik&ionsJha!ll>etiine away, when that 
 which is perfccf is come. 
 
 1 1 When I was a child, I fpake as a child, I im- 
 derltoodasachild, 1 thought as a child : but when 
 I became a man, I put away childifh things. 
 
 Here the apoftle compares the Chriftian's imperfca Hate 
 of knowledge and holincTs in tVis life, to a ftate of child- 
 hood, his perfea ftate of holinefs and happinefs in heaven, 
 to a (laic of manhood. As a child conceives, thinks, and 
 fpeaks of things fuitabic to his childilh ftate ; hut when he 
 comes to maiily perf^aion, and to the full ufe and excr- 
 cife of his reafon, he then puts away childilh conceptions 
 and things : Thus it is with the bcft of us in this life, like 
 children we conceive and think, wc difcourfe and fpeak of 
 ipirituul things inaconfufed and impeifeft manner ; bm 
 when we arrive at our ftate of manly perfeaion in honven, 
 uc ftiull then have knowledge and'all other graces perfcaed. 
 Learn hence, That Chriftians nnift ftay for perfea know- 
 ledge, till they come to maturity and ripenefs of age ; 
 diitdrcn mufl not expea to know what men know : Solo- 
 mon's knowledge on earth, fo famoufty celebrated, will be 
 but ignorance, "coitiparcd with the knowledge aiid enlarge- 
 ments which the faints have in heaven ; there, in natur.al 
 things they ftiall be cxaa philofophers, in fpiritual things 
 complete divines : all dark fcriptures fttall be clear to them, 
 all the knotty intrigues of providence wifely refolved : In 
 a word, there they fliall know God himfelf perfeaiy, 
 thou'h they can never know him to perfeaion. 
 
 12 For now we fee through a glafs, darkly ; Ijut 
 then face to face : now I know in part ; but then 
 fliall I know even as alfo I am known. 
 
 As if the apoftle had laid. Now in our minority we fee 
 divine revelations, as the prophets did ot old in a tiark enig- 
 matical manner, and by fynibolica! reprefentationsot things 
 upon the fancy, as in a gl.ifs ; but tl-.en in the adult ftate 
 of the church we ftiall fee them after the Mofaical manner, 
 ill a way more accommtxlate to human nati/rc, and as it 
 were face to face ; we ftiall fee clearly, immediately ; not by 
 refleaion, but by intuition. Thefc adverbs, now and then, 
 dillingiiilh the two-fold ftate of gracious fouls ; and flievy 
 what they arc whilft confined to the bc?dy, and what they 
 ftiall be when emancipated and freed from the body, tliat 
 cloET of mortality which now hangs upon tiicm. Note here, 
 I. That our iniperfea knowledge of Grd is fet forth by 
 feeinc; in a glafs, bccaufe it is a weak and impcrfca vifion; 
 a glafs gives but a weak and l.inguid rcpreftntatirn of the 
 face that is feen in it ' and bccaufe it is a vanifiiiiig and 
 tranfient vilion, a man having locked in a glafs, preftntly 
 forgets what he faw there ; and becatife it is no immediate 
 fight, but w.ediante fpectiio, by the glr.fs cf his word and 
 ordinances wc fee and underlland fomething of God's nt- 
 ture and will ; though after all our fearchings here to find 
 out what God is, we rather know what he is not, than are 
 able to declare what he is. 2. That fuch as have been 
 God here, as in a glafs, in the glafs of his ordinances and 
 providences, in the glafs of his word and workF, fhal! fee 
 him face to face, and fix their eye upon him in heaven fo 
 all eternity : When once the pious foul is unfheathed from 
 the body, it glifters glorioufly ; as foon as the cage is open, 
 this bird fo3rs aloft, and lings ir.elodioufly. It is death's 
 office to beat down the partition-wall, a grofs earthly body ; 
 and then the glorified foul ftiall have a clear and perfea 
 vifion, an iiniTiediate and pofitive vifion, a fatisfying and 
 foul-transforming vilion, a permanent and eternal vihon of 
 the holy and blclfed God, which the apoftle here czXXs fee itig 
 fr.ie to face. 3. How St. Paul, in the latter words of the 
 vcrfc, gives lis a plainer expreftion of that which before he 
 had fpoken more daikly and obfcurely : Kiw I knciv in 
 fart, bill then I foall knew even as I am biczin. Where 
 note. How the apoftle changes the perfon ; before it was, 
 ice fee through a glafs darkly ; here it is, I kmw in part. 
 He had included himfelf before, in the word wc ; but he 
 doth it more apparently in faying /.. New IbvAvinpart. 
 When fo great an apoftle acknowledges the imperfcaion of 
 his knowledge, who can, who dare, boaft of the Inrgenefs 
 of his underilanding? N^te faither, the apoftle's faying, 
 Now I know, intimate', that he had begun his acquaintance 
 with God here, which he expcaed ftiould be improved and 
 perfeaed in heaven ; he that knows not God in part here, 
 ftiall never know him face to face in glory : Heaven is a 
 place of perfc-aion indeed ; but nothing is perfected there, 
 that was not begun here ; no knowledge, no holinefs, will 
 be confummated there, which did not commence and begin 
 here. 4. When the apoftle fays. We ftiall know even as 
 we are known ; he means, that we ftiall know God as really 
 and truly, though not fo fully and comprehenlibly as he 
 knows us ; we ihall know him in his nature .md attributes ; 
 then and there will his wonderful clemency hi- fwetily dif- 
 playe'l, his cxaajufticc vilibly demonftratcd, his perti.a 
 wilclom clearly unfolded, all the knotty intri'ues of prcvi- 
 dcnce wifely refolved, all the myftcrious depths of divine 
 
 Counfcls 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 r. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 C3i 
 
 counleUfully difcoverf ii,to the delightfuJ farisfacLion of the 
 adtniringand aiioMn^ foul, who Ihall thcnTce as i:is leeo, 
 and know as it i- known. 
 
 13 And now abideth faith, hope, dharity, ihefe 
 three : but the grcatefl; of thefe 1$ charity. 
 
 The defign of the apoftle in thefe words is, (i.) To in- 
 form the Coi inihians, tlmt tiie faniflifying graces of faith, 
 hope, and charity, arc far to be pre ferred before all the fore- 
 mentioiieil extraordinary gifts of prophefy,iiiiracles,tongues 
 healinf; the fick, and raifing the dead, not expcfted. The 
 leaft degree of i'andifying grace from the Holy Spirit, is to 
 be preferred, with refped to ourfelves, before the largcft 
 meafurc of extraordinary gifts, which are wholly for tlie 
 good and benefit of others. (2.) As our apoftle had com- 
 pared gifts and graces together before, fo he comparts 
 graces .iiiong'l ihemfelvcs now. Faith, hope, and charity, 
 are fci in coiiijcciticn, and the preference given to the laft 
 partly with refpeft to its future duration ; faith and hope 
 will vanifli wi:li this life: Faitli will end in fight, and hope 
 in enjoyment ; but charity will never be out-dated, but 
 I laft and (lourifh when we come to heaven, and be a fpecial 
 ingredient in, and a confiderablc part of our happinefs 
 there, which confifts in the rapturous contemplation of 
 divine love, in loving, praifing.adaiiring, and adoring God, 
 our great Creator, and in loving all whom he Iovcf, and 
 that eternally. Learn, i.That faith, hope, and love, are 
 abiding graces ; tJiey do atid muftkeep houfe,not only in 
 the church-militant in general, but ;n the foul of every 
 member of every church-militant in particular. 2. That of 
 all tliefe graces, ctiantyis the greateft and moft excellent 
 (i.) In regard of its extent, reaching to God, angel?, and 
 men. (2.) In regard of its ufe, extending to the good of 
 others ; whereas faith and hope are particular .ind private 
 graces. (3.) In regard of perfection, as rendering us 
 more like to God. (4.) In regard of duration ; farewell 
 faith and hope, when we come to heaven ; but welcome 
 love : Therefore, the great e/l of thefe is charity. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 FOLLOW after charity, anddefire fpiritual^//ii 
 but rather that ye inay prophcfy. 
 
 Notehtre, i. The apoftle propounds tothc Corinthians 
 a threefold object, <r/;arj/j/, fpiritual gifts, and prophefy ;■ 
 charity has the precedency and preeminenry ; theapnftle 
 not only prefers it before all other gifts, but before the moft 
 ufeful and excellent graces, even faith and hope; forfervice 
 and benefit to the church of God it exceeds them all. 
 Next he nientions//>;V/7«rt/^.yVj-, fuch were the gift of 
 tongues, the gift of tniracles,ihe gift of healing, and, laftly, 
 prophefy ; by which we are to underftand an ordinary fet 
 courfe of preaching, interpreting, and opening the holy 
 fcriptures, which contain a revelation of God's mind and 
 ^vill. 2. A threefold act recommended, anfwerable to a 
 theefold objv-'ft propounded. An acl of profecution : 
 t.ir.«.t'.t, perfecute and follow afier charity as clofe as yonr 
 perfecutora purfue and follow after you : It imports a nioft 
 
 carneft, vigorous, and vehement purfuit. An aiTt «f emu- 
 lation : ZfO'&ri, Defire ecrneflly ff'i'-itual g'tfts. An .nft of 
 election and choice : Chufe rather thaiyetnay prcphcfy, <;r 
 clearly underftand the mind of God yourltlves, aiuj have 
 an ability to expound and explain it 10 others ; this will 
 bring moft glory to God, moft profit to his tliuicb, and 
 moft comfort to yourfelves. 
 
 2 H For he that fpcnkcth iti a;i unknown tongue, 
 fpcaketh not unto men, but unto God : for no ir.an 
 underllandcth Idm ; howbeit in the Spirit he fpeakcth 
 inyfteries. 3 But he thatprophefieth fpcaketh unto 
 men to edification and exhortation and comfort. 
 
 Here note, i.That the gift of tongues or fpeaking divers 
 languages, was greatly valued andmuch dtiircdby fomein 
 the church at that time ; propably for this reafon,bccaurs 
 the apoftle's were very eminently endowed with this gift, 
 the Holy Ghofl dcfcended npcn them in the ftiape of cloven 
 tongues : But yet the gift of prophefy, that is of nnder- 
 ftandingand interpreting God's will, was clearly the more 
 valuable and defirable accomplifiimeni : for though fpeak- 
 ing with tongues created more sdmiration, and conciliated 
 grea ter veneration to thefpeaker, yet prophefy ing was by far 
 the moft excellent gift, and tcr.ded moft to the edification 
 of the church : It is far better to do gjr,d \\\zn to appear 
 great ; that it is moft valuable and excelling, which is mofi: 
 upon a comparifon between a gift of fpeaking in an un- 
 known tongue, and prophefyingor fpeaking plainly to the 
 church's benefit and comfort : He that fpeaketk in an un- 
 known tongue, that is, in a language not tinderflood, not ex- 
 plained or interpreted, he f|)eaketh not unto men ; that is, 
 not to the underftanding of men, for none underftand him; 
 but to God only, he alone underftands him : And though 
 in the Spirit he fpeaksmyfteries, or the deep things of God, 
 yet all this is not to edification, becaufenot underftoodbr 
 the church. Whereas, ke that propkrfieth, that is, he that: 
 intelligibly opencth and applieth the word of Grd to his 
 auditors in the congregation, what he fpeaks conduces ex- 
 ceedingly to their edification and confolation. Here note. 
 That the apoftle not only diflikes, but plainly forbids 
 preaching, praying and all other ofnces, being performed 
 in the church in a languaj^e not underftood : £0 ihat the 
 practice of the church of Rome in their Latin prayers, is a 
 flat contradicTion to this whole chapter, and to thepiactice 
 . of the primitive church. Acts iv. 24. who lifted up their 
 voice with one accord, and cffered up a rcafcnable fervicc 
 10 God : Tlie prayers of the Jewifti church were made in 
 the Hebrew tongue ; and God gave the gift of toFgues to 
 the ChrilVian church, that the apoftle might eftablilli the 
 worfliip of God in eveiy nation, in their own language. 
 
 3 He that fpeakcth in an unlnoxvn tongue, edifictli. 
 himfclf; but he that prophefieth, edifictli the church. 
 5 I would that ye all fpake with tongues, but rather 
 that ye prophefied : for greater is he tljat prophe- 
 fieth than he that fpeakcth with tongues, except he 
 interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 6 
 Now, brethren, if I come unto you fpeaking with 
 
 4R 
 
 tons^ 
 
e^ss 
 
 I. C O R I N T II I A >J S. 
 
 Chap. xiv. 
 
 rtongues.what fhall I profit you, except I fliall fpeak 
 to you either by revelation, or by knowIcdge,or by 
 pruphefying, or by doflrine ? 
 
 Note here, i. Another argument ufed liy the apnftle, to 
 prove the pitt of prophefying, that is of interpreting the 
 holy fcripture, to be fjr more excellent than the gift of 
 tonguct.frpirated from thegift ofinterpretation: Fie that 
 fp:-aketh in an unknown tongac, edifies none bnthinifelf, 
 ucciule none but himfclf underlhinds it ; hnt he that 
 teicheth, inltrucleih, and exh.irteth others, editisth the 
 chnrch, or the whuli alll-mbly thit he fpjaki in. 2. The 
 apoftle wifhes they alihaj the gift of tongues, becaufe they 
 were .'"d very covetous and defirousof them ; though, alas! 
 rather for their o*-n o'icntation than the church's edifica- 
 tion : yet hs r.ither defires with MM'es,That alltht Lord's 
 panple were prophets ; that is. direc1;J and alfillod by the 
 Spirit of God, to deliver plainly and perfuarively the will 
 of God to men ; for he is the greaie/f in the church, who 
 is mod edifying ; and he that prophelieth, edfieth more 
 than he that fpeakath all languages uninterp-eted. 3. He 
 amplifies this, by inftancingin his own perfon : If / come 
 to you /peaking -jjith tongues. As if he had laid, I wonder 
 whether luhalyou fo admire in others would pleafe you in 
 me : Suppofe that I, whon God has emnently endowed 
 with the gift of tongues, (hould come and fpeak to you in 
 the Arabian language, what good wouldit doyou ? What 
 would you be the wifer or better for me, fliould I make 
 known toyou fjme revelation which I immediately received 
 from God, or open toyoufome truth which you knew not 
 before, or urge you to fome needful duty, or docT:rinely 
 expound toyoiithe matters of faith and obedience recordeol 
 in the gofpel, if either nivfelf or fome interpreter did not 
 make what I fay iniellig'ble toyou, whit will itp-ofityou? 
 To deliver the mind and will of God plainly and peifua- 
 - lively to the church's benefit and edification, is much more 
 acceptable to G.)J. profitable to nun, and co./.fortable to 
 ourfelves, than to fpeak with the tongue of men and antrcls 
 in a language not underftood, or not heard. 
 
 7 And even things without life givin^j found, 
 whetlicr pipeorharp, except they havca diftindion 
 in the founds, how fliall it be known what is piped 
 or harped:* 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain 
 found, who fhall prepare himfelf for the battle.^ 9 
 So likewife ye, except ye utter by the tongue words 
 eafy to be underftood, how fhall it be known what 
 is fpokcn? Forye fhall fpeak into the air. 
 
 Our apoftle here proceeds to illuftr.Ue his former argn- 
 menis, by a fimilitude taken from niuficalinftrumcnts: the 
 one ufed in peace, to wit, the harp ; the other in war. to 
 wit, the trumpet ; as they are ufelefs, if by dillinclion 
 their (ignification is not perceived; furifaman hears not, 
 or underftands not the found of the harp or trumpet, he 
 cannot prepare himfelf either for the harp or trumpet, he 
 fo if perfons in the church dn not fpeak mttUigibly, they 
 will nothing edify ; it is like beating the air, all in vain, 
 and lo no purpofe. 
 
 JO There arc.itmaybc, fo many kinds of voices 
 
 in t^e world, andnoneof them is without fignifica- 
 tion. 1 1 Therefore if I know not the meaning of 
 the voice, I fhall be unto him that fpeaketh a bar- 
 barian ; and he that fpeaketh fliall be a barbarian 
 unto me. 12 Even fo yc forafmuch as ye are 
 zealous of fpiritual gifts, feck that ye may excel t* 
 the edifying of the church. 
 
 Here the apoftle tells them that there may probably he 
 as m-viy voices er languages in the world, as there are 
 nations : and every nation underftandi its own language, 
 and commonly no other : Now, fays theapuft!e;if he that 
 has the gift oi tongues, fpeak to you in a language v^hich 
 ye underftand not, will lie not be a barbari»n unto you ? 
 Aiul if you talk to him in a language he underftands not, 
 will you not he barbarians iimohini ? Venly, it will he 
 jnft as if two men of two Hifftrent countries ftiould talk 
 to one another, and neither und-rftand a word of each 
 other. He farther adds, that feeing they were fo very de- 
 firous of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, ihty (hould 
 feekthofe gifts efpecially, by which the < hurch may receive 
 edification and advantage : Seek that ye may excd to the 
 ed,fyingof the church. Here nzte, i. Ihe noble end which 
 St. Paul directs them to proponn.l in what th- y dcfire and 
 defign, namely. The edtficatiwjf the church. 1 he church's 
 edification (houlJ be the fcope of all her members, efpe- 
 cially ot all her mmifttrs wilhes and prayers, enterprizes, 
 and endeavours : Our firft care fliuuld be, to lay a right 
 foundjtion.namelyjthedurtrine of redemp-.ion and falva- 
 tion, by the meriiorious undertaking of Chr.'ft Jtfus our 
 j:.ord, the eternal .Son of the Father:' Our next care,that 
 our iuperftrudnre be anf Aerable to our foundation ; this 
 being folui and fubftantia!, that muft be fo too ; acqnint- 
 ing perfons with the \^hole will of God, and the »^hoIe 
 duty of man. 2. The operation to be performed, and the 
 means to be ufed, m order to this noble end : Seek that ye 
 may excel .- that is, paifionately delire and endeavour that 
 you may, by the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit be 
 eminenily qual.fied for edifyingand building the church of 
 God: Seek that ye may excel to the eJificctkn of the church, 
 learn hence, i. That the e.lifying of the church, and the 
 improvement of its members in knowledge, faith and holi- 
 nefs, is, and ought to be, the great end which the minifters 
 of God propound to theiiifelves in the ufe of their gifts, 
 and di/charge of that office. 2. That the edil'v ing of the 
 church being the proper office of the minifters of Chnft, 
 they ftiould lludy to excel in alj gifts and graces conducing 
 thereunto, by fuch means and methods as are proper for 
 that end; namely, by fervent prayer to God for divine li- 
 lumination and knowledge, by reading the fcriptures with 
 great attention and application of mind, by ftu lying other 
 authors in order to that end, by deep meditation, by judi- 
 cious, zealous, and laborious preaching, but efpecially by 
 holy living. Thereought tobe a conltcration of our lives 
 as well as of our perfons, to the fervice of God and 
 h's church ; in'thi? tnanner, efpecially the meaneft of her 
 ni'nifters nny/eektbat they may excel, to the eJ-/jcathji of 
 the cmirch. 
 
 13 Wherefore let him that fpeaketh in anunknmm 
 ton^ue,pray that he may iaterpret. 1 4 For if I pray 
 
 m 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 663 
 
 in an unhnorun tongucray fplrit pray^th but my un- 
 dcrftandin^is untVui'tu'l. 15 What is It then ? I 
 will pray with the fpint,andl will pray with the un- 
 derllandin- alfo : I will fm^- with the Spirit, and I 
 will ling with the undcrftanding alio. 
 
 A'ofclierc, Hew ilrongly the npcfllc pleadsthe neceflity 
 for all public worQiip,particii!arlvin-e:icliin)T or propliefying 
 prayingaiid Tinging, to be performed i:i a language known 
 and U!iderlh)od by all the consjiegation : /..-/ hhn that 
 y>fa*f/A,preacheth,orteacheth, in an unknown tongue in 
 which he cannot ediiy o:her3.pr^y for the edifying gift of 
 interpretation, that others maybe edified as well as him- 
 felf; oiherwife.when we pray in an unknown tonguc.our 
 fpirit pravcth.thatis, ourown gift- are exercifcd: but our 
 underlhiiding is unfruitful. that is,unto others: If we fa- 
 tisfyourfelvcs we cannot edify them. He relblves there- 
 fore to prav with the Spirit, and to (ing with the Spirit, 
 that is, with a (Irange tongue minlllcred to him by the 
 Spirit; yrt to pray with underftandMig alfo, that is,topray 
 fo as others m:\y undcrfland him, and join with him, and 
 be edified by him. Learn from hence. Both the impiety 
 and abfurditv of the church of Home, in appointing their 
 public offices' to be performed in Latin ; a language which 
 the common people in France, Spain, Germany, yea, in 
 Italy itftlf, do not underftand; for the Latin tongue isnot 
 now the mother-tongue of any nation under heaven: And 
 the council of Trent thunders out an anathema againll 
 thcfe that fay, the m.ifs ought to he celebrated only in the 
 vulgar tongue. Lord! what is, if this be not, to offer the 
 facrifice of fools ? How can this be a reafonable fervice, 
 which is nobetter than a finful takingGod's name in vain? 
 How can their hearts an! tongues go along together, who 
 underftand nothing which their tongues utter ? They 
 neither know the God they pray to, nor yet the mercies 
 which they pray for. Lord, pity the miferable fouls in 
 their communion, v.ho ered an aitar,and offer up unknoivn 
 prayers, to an unkr.ovin God. 
 
 26 Elfc when tlwu fhalt blefs with the fpirit,how- 
 fliall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, 
 fay Amen atthv giving of thanks, feeing he undcr- 
 ftandelh not what thou fayeft ? 27 For thou verily 
 gived thanks well, Irat the other is not edified. 18 
 I th.-ink my God, I fpcak with tongues more than- 
 ye all. 19 Yet in the church I had rather fpeak 
 five words with my undcrftanding, that hy my voice 
 I mi^ht teach others alfo, than tcu thoufand worda 
 iu ati uniuozun tongue. 
 
 Our apoflle ftill goe^ on. arguing, that public prayers 
 CHi-^ht to be made in a language underftood by thern that 
 pray. His argument is this, The heart ought to confent to 
 and agreeAsith.thefupplications and prayers prefentedtmto 
 God, and to teftify its confent by faying, Amrn; but, fays 
 the apol^le. no man can fav Amvn, to thu which he doth 
 not underftand, nor be edified by that which cannot be un- 
 derllood-. For at ^lofe, he tells then*, Tliit Almighty 
 GoiJ had givtn him the gift of fpeak'ng more languages 
 thau all uf them pat together, that to us an apoltle, hz- 
 
 might plant and propogatc the Chriftan faith in and 
 throughout all naiions; yet he declares he had rathcrfpcak 
 a few words to the iuftruclion and edification of his hear- 
 ers, than a iiiuliirude in a language not underllood: J he faith 
 lul minifters of Chrill have fuch a regard to the end of 
 their miniftry, which is the comunicating of divine know- 
 ledge to the onderllandings of iheir people, that thtyhad 
 much rather they fliuuld be edified and profited, thau their 
 own parts and gifts applauded and admire j. 
 
 10 Brethren be not children in underflanding : 
 howbeit, in malice be ye children, but in under- 
 ftanding be men. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, My brethren, be not like 
 children in underftandingwho prefer gay and gaudy things 
 which make a fine fliew, as the gift of tongues does, be- 
 fore things more ufcful. 1 hus, do not you thulc what 
 beft pleai'eth you, but what moft profits others.. I would 
 have yeu indeed, in fome refpedls.to be «.s children, namely, 
 in innocency and harmleflnefs.in frtcdom from inaiice, and 
 all kind of wickednefs : but in underftanding be and aft 
 as men, as perfons of mature judgment, who know what 
 is fittelt to be fpoken and belt to be done. To be like 
 children in the innocency cf cur adtionsis a virtue, but to 
 be like them in the inipotency and weaknefsof<jur under- 
 Handings is a reproach : In underfiandlng be men. 
 
 2 1 In the law it is written. With mm of other, 
 tongues and other lips will I fpeak unto this people 
 and yet for all that they will not hear me, faith the 
 Lord. 22 Wherefore tongues are for a Cgn not 
 to them that believe, but to them that believe not : 
 butprophefying ferveth not for them that believe 
 not, but for them which believe. 
 
 Note here. How our apoftle, to take the Corinthians off 
 from their fond admiration of the gift of tongues, tells 
 them That in the l.r^u, that is, in the writings of the Old 
 Telbment, particularly in Ifa. xxviii. n . it is declared, 
 Thar becaule the people of Judah would not be inftruded 
 by the plain preaching of theLord's prophets, therefore he. 
 would cjufe them to be fpoken to in an unknown language; 
 namely, bv ouilaudiihenemiesaud armies,whofelanguagc 
 they (houl'd not underftand : From whence he infers that 
 ftrange tongues were not given for a fign of any go<^d to 
 believers, but they were given as a token rather of God's 
 difpleafure to uiibelieverb; Infomuch, that by thejuftjudg- 
 ment of God, their ignorance by this means would be ths^ 
 more increafcd ; but the gift of prophecy ferveth 1101 or.ly. 
 for the converlloii of unbelivers but for the edification of 
 believersalfo; therefore prophefy or preachingintelligibly 
 is tobc preferred in the church before fpeak.ng with tongues 
 
 29 If therefore the whole church be come tO'>«- 
 ther into one place, and all fpcak with tongues, 
 and there cotnc in thofe that are unlearned^or unbe- 
 lievers, v.-ill they not fay ye are mad ? 23 But 
 if all prophefy,and t'.iere come in one that believeth 
 not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is 
 
 4 R 2 
 
 judged.-. 
 
C84. 
 
 I. C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 judged of a'.l. 25 And tims are the fccrets of his 
 Jieartniadc inanifeft ; and To falling down on his 
 face, he will woj fliip God, and report that God is 
 in you of a imth. 
 
 To convince the Corinthians that prophcfy was more 
 rxcellent than tlie gift of tongues, iIjl- apoftle here argues 
 from the aol'ardiiy ot' fpcakijij^ in the congregation with a 
 ltrani;e tongue unintei pretcd; Will they not fay ye are mad? 
 And from the utility and adv.int.ige of fpeaking in a lan- 
 guage underltood, it convinctth and converteth fin'iers ; 
 he is tonvincttiofall, he is judged r,f ell .• As if the apoltle 
 h.iJ faiii.Whentlie church meets together, if.ill that fpt.<k 
 fliould fpcak in a ftrange tongue, what will an ignorant or 
 unhelieving perfon coming into the congregation think or 
 fay ? \V ill he not apprehend you to be mad-men? Whereas, 
 if all thatlpejkdo prophecy and interpret I'cripture to the 
 edification of the church, in fuch a cale, if an unbeliever 
 Qomes in, he is convinced, diicovered, judged by all them 
 ihatprophefy,3i:d the ftcrets of his heart are made manirtft 
 to himlelf ; and fo falling down, lie vill adore God, the 
 fearchfr of the heart, and report from his own experience 
 that God is in or among you of a truth. "Where mte. 
 Whence prophefyingor preaching of the word hasits con- 
 vincing power, and converting efficacy, nainely.froni that 
 God who is prefent in and with his own won! ; C^jd is in, 
 or w'nh, yih of it truth. When Almighty Cod quickens 
 the word with his own Spirit, and clothes it with his own 
 power, when he bids it go in his might, and prevail in his 
 ilrength, the ftrongell holds of ignorance nnd unbelief of 
 obftinacy and rebellion, fall to the ground like the firft ripe 
 ligs fl)aTien with the wind ; when the unlearned or ideot 
 tomes into the afTembly of the faints, He is ccnvinced of jII 
 he is judged rfuil, he fulls down and 'j.-orff.-!ps. What is it 
 that works thisfudJen change? Not the preaching of men, 
 but the power cf God: He 'mHI report that Godis inyou ofa 
 truth: Tlie arm of grace in the minillry of the word jsviao. 
 rinij<. and invincildc: The eflicacy and fuccefs of the word 
 dtptnds not on the parts ofa man, but the power of God. 
 
 e6 How is it then, brethren ? when ye come 
 together.every oneof you hath apfalm.hatha doc- 
 trine, hath a toni^ue, hath a revelation, hath an in- 
 terpretation. Let all things be done to edifyin r. 
 
 From this verfe to tlie end of the chapter, the apotUe 
 lays down par titular precepts for I he prefer vat ion of decen- 
 cy and good order m the houfeof God; and firll.he advifes, 
 when ihey came together into the public aflemblies, that?/ 
 4t>!y if them had affclm or liyian fuggefted to them by the 
 Spirit o(God,to bis glory, and the church's edification, or 
 Kad a d'Mrine, eiriier for inflrutftion or confolation,or had 
 a ilrnnge tn^ue, or the gift of inlerprelingtcr7gues,lst it be 
 how it will, be exhorts th.-.t all bedone fo asmay moftand 
 bflt tend to the benefit and edification of the church, w hich 
 is the true end of church afftmblies. The greatend,dtfign 
 and aim, which ihofe who adininiftf-r in holy tbingsonght 
 to propound to tbemfelvcs in aH their public adminiftra- 
 tions, is the church's edification, the people's growth, and 
 improvement in knowledge, faith, and holintls : Let all 
 things be done to edifcation; that is^let all your public ( fiiccs 
 
 be fo perfortned, and in luch a manner, as va^iy beft con- 
 duce to the end for whi.h they were defigned. 
 
 17 If any man fpeak in an unkrumm tongue, let it 
 Zr by twoor at inofl/^y tliree, and that by courfe ; 
 and let one interpret. 18 But if there be no inter- 
 preter, let him keep filence in the church ; and let 
 him fpcak to hitnfelf and to God. 19 Let the 
 propheti fpcak two or three, and let the other judge ; 
 30 If aify thing be revealed to another that fitteth by, 
 let the firfl hold his peace. 32 For yc may all 
 pr©phefy one by one, and that all may lcnrn,and all 
 may be comforted. 32 And the fpirits of the 
 prophets arc fubjeft to the prophets. 35 For God 
 is not the rt?'^/;orof confufioii, but of peace, as in all 
 churches of the faints. 
 
 Our apoflle's next advice for the church's edification, 
 is thi<;, That fuch as had the gift of tongues (hould not 
 fpeak all together, but two t r three fuc>:e(Iiyely one after 
 another ; and that one interpret what was i"o fptken,to the 
 benefit and edifying of the church. But if there were no 
 interpreter prefent, let him, fayi the apoltlc.that only fpeaks 
 with tongues keep filence in the church ; and let him only 
 fpeak mentally to himftif.and toGodin prayer andthankf- 
 giring. 1 he fame advict he gi'"es to them rUstpropi^efied; 
 to wir, that only two or three of them /hould ^ro/>/c/y"fuc- 
 rc/Tively, in order to the church's edification, and;iiat the 
 rert of the prophets (liruld fit ftill and judge, examining 
 rheir do(nri/ie by the rule of the word : For fays he, the 
 /pints oftleprr.ph. ts qr:fuhje£l ta the prophets ; that is i lie 
 doctrines whiih the prophets deliver, ai||»ptto be judged 
 and examined by ether prophets, whether they be agreeable 
 to the word of God or not; or the iiiftint^ by which the 
 propl-ets pretend to be niorcd at that time to prcphefy, is 
 fubjeclto thejndgmentand ctnfui eofotherprophets, who 
 arc endowed with the fame gift. And tlvus he declares, 
 that all the prophets, and prcphetic.illy infpired, may 
 prophely, provided it be done orderly and fucccliively, 
 without occafioning diforder and confufM^n in the church, 
 and fo managed, as to anfwerthe great end of the inftitu- 
 tion ; namely, the ii.ftruction, edification and confolation 
 of the church. Fir G:d is not the author of anfujir.r, but 
 of peace: Confuiu n is fo far from oeing of divine ir.fpira. 
 tion, that it ib hateful to God w I10 requires that peace and 
 order fljould be kept and maintained, not only in iliechnreh 
 of Corinth, but in all the cliurches of the faints. That 
 whichbreaksorder,bre.^.k= peace ; for therccan benotruc 
 peace without order; and God is not the author of diiorder 
 and confuiion in the churches, but of peace. Here, bvtho 
 way, lei U'obferve und note, that fpeaking and preaching 
 in the public airemblies is limited all aloYig by the apollle to 
 the ;-rophets: Let the pr'.phets fpeak ; not the conmion 
 people, they were to Ut by, it wasnopart of their btifinefs 
 ti> fpeak, but to examine what was fpuken, by the rale of 
 the word. The authoritive preaching of the gifted 
 brethren, at the cail of a piivate congregation,, was no 
 more permitted by St. Piul, than his fuliering of womea 
 to fpcik in the thurth : None but prophets, or perfoi>siii 
 
 office 
 
Chap xv. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ^85 
 
 riEce appointed for the work of preachinfr, were ever fuf- 
 ferttl Id undert. ke it in the primitive times, and il.nvn- 
 ward?, till very l.itely. Let I'uch as tirll gave, and ftill 
 give, encouragement to the contr.irv, confider how they 
 will anfwerit atthe bar of God, \*ho is not the authorof 
 fuch confu?^on and diforder, but of peace. 
 
 3 4 Let your women keep filence in the churches : 
 for it is not permitted unto them to Ipcak ; but thy 
 are awi,7w;wV(i to be under obedience, as alio l.iitli 
 the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let 
 them alk their hufbandsat home : for it is a Qiamc 
 for women to fpeal: in the church. 
 
 A f irther rnlj is litre gi-- en by the ipoftle for raaintain- 
 inj; decency and H'fVr in ilie public aflVmblies ; namely, 
 that the women flirv.iM never preruiii'? to fpeak or lUter 
 .iiiv thing as public te.nchersiii the conyjreg 'tion ; no, nor 
 fo much as al!; .Miy qiielVon publ'cly : Atjiiij>hiy God Iiav- 
 inj;,byhis law, made fubjtclion (not public iiiftruftioii) 
 their duty, 0} which liletice is a ti kf-n. Here note , 1 hat 
 it ij not t,he women's fpeaking in the publ'c aflVmblies, 
 when they join with the ci>ngrej>ation in fii'gingof pfalms 
 andpr;iycr. but their fpf. iking by way of leaihicng and 
 prophefjing, tint is li.re forbidden. N'.le farther, That 
 the means of innriiiftion v\ere not denied ihe women ; at 
 home they mig'u pur fjr'h qiieftii ns to their hulbands for 
 their ow n iiifirmation and faiisfaftion j but to do any 
 thing l.ke hi' jui'/iily, «as a Ihame, or indecent thing, 
 both to th*" t hurt ]», ihc hufband and herftlf. Still o/yt'iv, 
 How tlic God of ( r.ler cslii r order, and del ghts inde- 
 cency, efpecially ii pliccs v 're his religious worJhip is 
 celbrifd. H^|j|!~ unwcri!.y thoughts of God, that 
 tbii.ks h m eiih^Br pifrnn r ' rr pleafed v/ith, any difor- 
 der, either in civil iff ;ligious fervices. 
 
 36 What ? came the word of God out from you ? 
 or ca-ne it unto you only ? 37 If any man think, 
 himfcif to be a prophet, or fpiritqal, let him ac- 
 knowledge that the things tliat I write unto you 
 are the com n.Tndmcnts of the Lord. 38 But if 
 any man be ignorant, let hina be ignorant. 
 
 Thefe word? arc locked upon by interpreters as a fmart 
 reflt^c^ion upjn fonie of the niiniflers and members of the 
 church i>f Corinth ; who, fVoni a high opinion which they 
 had of thrm''i-lves and their oi.\n management, would not 
 fubmitio the foreiTi.ing precepts, canons am' rules, for or- 
 der and decency in the eh'Jrch of Gt,d. What, fjys the 
 apiilie, do you ihink that you have all the word and will 
 or God ? Doih all knowl'-dge of fcripture, and refohition 
 of tloubts reft in your brcaih, and flow out of your lips ?' 
 Confider you are not the firft church that was planted 
 (■fenifalem i> before yru) the gofpel was fent to vou, it 
 did not come out firft fmm you. Whence kttrn, Thatall 
 kind of Icoin is not al vays uncomtly: men are apt to 
 cv,»r-raictheinlt Ives and ro overvalue their own abilities, as 
 if they had engrofildnll knowled.Tp, that all muft borrow 
 from their ft;ire, and light theirc.iiulle at the torch. Now 
 in. that cafe, we may, without bre.ithcf chanty, crbleaiiiU. 
 
 of holine fs, check pride vith derifion ; and fpcak 'hem 
 below pien, who fer up themfelves shove men. Cbff'i't 
 iieKt, 1 he apoftle alHriri% '1 hat thtfe-rules for order ard 
 decency which he had given them, were from the l.i;id ; 
 and he expected and r'-quired, that tho!"e w ho efteemfd 
 ihcmftlvesprophri5,lh.'uld oblVrve and obey ilietw as frrh: 
 Rut if men will be ignorant, and obfiinate in iheir igno- 
 rance, be it at tir • — '. rnd let them lock to it, do not 
 you regard then; ,>r !gmr,int, let him be igniriitit. 
 
 39 Whcrtfore, brethren, covet to prophefy, and 
 forbid not to fpeak with tongues. 40 Let all thing* 
 be done dcccmly in order. 
 
 For the tlofeof the whole, he exhorts them earneftly to 
 endeavour r.fier ihc gift of prophefying, and nottoforbid 
 ihr ult of the gift of tonjiues. provided the foreinentioneJ 
 rules ?Md dirtftiiins before given be obferved ; that fo m 
 t t.eir jiubi'c ademblies all things re latlng to religious worjliip 
 beperfornied with that becoming gravity and decency 
 which may n)i>ftand beft conduce to the glory of Cod, and 
 thechurcli'sedific.-.tion. Learnhence, i. Thst the whole 
 church in general, and every individual member of it in 
 p^irticular, ought to perform all the duties of God'sworliiip 
 in a decent and orderly manner. 2. That it is thedi'ty of 
 ch'.;rch governors to take care that order and decency be 
 enJKined and obferved in the church, of God, to ih'e edili- 
 cnion of all ihe nrembers of it. 3. That tliey only have 
 authority 10 make church-ord?:rs. w horn the Lord hasjnade 
 church-governors. 4. 1 hat inch orders as rtl.i:e to rr.-d 
 decency in the worfliipof God, made and conlirnied by the 
 governorsof the church, ought to be obeyed and con formed 
 to by the memberi of thechurch, for confciencc fake, that 
 all things may be done decently in order. 
 
 C H A P. XV. 
 
 The dfjign of the apojilc in this chapter, is to ejtallijh 
 the doBrine of the refurreclim of the body, whith 
 fmein the church r/Corinth at that lime denied. 
 
 MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you 
 the gofpol which I preached unto you, which 
 alio ye Invc received, and wherein ye flan J ; 2- By 
 which alio ye arc ftved, if ye keep in memory what 
 I preached unto you,unlefs ye have believed in vain. 
 
 Nctehcvc, I. The fuijjeft-maitercf St. Paul'spre.nching 
 to [!ie Coriiitl'i.Tns, it was the go'ptl ; / declare unit ytu 
 the gofpel which I preached ; and paniiulai ly the dtdrineof 
 the body's reCurrection, vihich was a great point of that 
 gol'pel wl'.icli he had preached anti delivered to rhem. 2.. 
 The obedience which many, if not moftof the Corinthians 
 had given to the doclrine of (he gofjjel ; they hea'-d it, be- 
 lieved it, and embraced it as the truth of Cod-s 'johirh 
 g.fpel ye received, and 'M'/'Creh: ye f and ; ihat is,- ihe bell 
 and greateft part of you are firm ro your ft'r.TurproltlTion, 
 though fome are fallen away. 3. I he blelTedefiict %vhich 
 the gofpcl had uponihcfe who did believe ai.drc reivt ir : 
 By \ubichthey -xcre/u-veJ^ th»ti.<;, yptiiuo a ial^abit ftate, 
 
 Lrccght 
 
633 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xy. 
 
 hnni^Iu iDto die tIrIu and only w.iy that If ads to falvation. 
 I'hegorpel reveals tlie oh}c&. /^ihv/tkn ; it direits loft man 
 wliich way to arrive at it, allures liiin it is attainable, and 
 inclines and encourages him fcrioufly to endeavour after 
 tlte attainment of it. 4. Tlie condition annexed and re- 
 quired on our part, in order to theobtainingthat falvation 
 which the j^ofpel tlifcovcrs unto us, nnd tiiat is perfeve- 
 ranre ; for that is implied in our kcep'wg in metmty vjhat 
 '.ve I'ui': received : Xe are Javed if ye keep in memory . If 
 we do not (ledfaftly cleave to thegofpel.aiid to tliis grand 
 dodrine of it, the rf/i/rr^i7/a»», our hearing is vain,ourbe- 
 Jieving is vain, our hopes of falvation are vain : By the 
 g'Jpel vje arefuvcd, if we kerp it in metrnry, and praftife 
 it ; otherwife -Me have believed in vain. 
 
 3? For I delivered unto you firft. of all that which 
 I alfo received, how that Chrift died for our fins 
 according to the fcriptures ; 4 And that he w;is 
 buried, and that he rofe again the tliird day accord- 
 ing to the fcriptures : 5 And that he was feen of 
 Cephas, then of the twelve. 6 After that he was 
 feen of above five hundred brethren at once: of 
 ■whom the greater part remain unto this prefcnt, 
 but foine are fallen afleep. 7 After that he was 
 feen of James : then of all the apoflles. 
 
 Cihferve here, The apoflle's fidelity, i. In delivering 
 iiothingto thechiircli but what he had received : I delivered 
 loyoujirfi ofallthat vjkich f alfo received .• either mediately 
 by Ananias, or by iramediate revelation from Chrift himfelf. 
 2. The principal and fuiulameotal doctrines or articles of 
 faith, which the apcftle in his preaching had infifted upon 
 amongft ihem, namely, the death, the burial, and the re- 
 . furrcLtion of cur Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. That he 
 died for ourfinf .• That is, a voluntary facrifice for our lins, 
 to make an atonement for fin, as the prophets Jfaiah and 
 Daniel bad long foretold. And that he loas hurted: The 
 dead body ofour bltflcd Redeemer was decently burled by 
 a fmall number of hi"; own difciples, and continued in the 
 flate of the dead, and under tliepower of death, for a time. 
 Tliathe wasburiedisademonftration of the certainty that 
 he died And that he nfe again the third day, according 1 5 
 the Jcrlpturcs : Chrift, thoiij;h laid, was not loft in the 
 grave, but, by the omnipotent power of his Godhead, re- 
 vived, and role again from the dead the third day, to the 
 conftcrnation of his eneniic.":, and the confolation of all 
 bflievers. 3. How the apollle proves the tiuth and verity 
 of ChrilVs refurreciion, by ocular demonftiation : He is 
 rifen, bccnufe he was fccn alive after his palHon ; firft of 
 Peter, nejti of the whule college of apoIHes, which formerly 
 I'oiiliftcd of twelve ; then of five huntlred brethren atonce 
 in Gailee, whereof fome were then alive to teftify it; after 
 whith he was feen of James, and tlien'of all the apoftles. 
 'i~hefe.«ere all holy pt:rlons, who durft not deceive, and 
 V. ho confirmed tlieir tcftimoiiy with, their blood. So that 
 no article of faith, no point of religion is of more confefled 
 truth, and infdHiahle certainty, than this of our Lord's re- 
 fiirrcclicn ; and blrfTcd Ik; God it is lb, feeing the whole 
 weight of fa;th, hope, ar,d filvation, (feperds npon Chrift 
 as riien from the dead. ISchold how great a weight the 
 
 fcripture hangs upon this nail ; thanks be to God, it is ■ 
 nail faftened in a lure place. Our Lord's rcfurre.'iion is 
 his church's confolation. 
 
 8 And lafl. of all he was feen of me alfo, as of 
 one born out of due time. 
 
 As Chrift was feen of St. PjuI laft of all the apoftles, fo it 
 is probable he was feen laft by him of all perfons : We read 
 not of any that faw Chrift after St. Stephen, and Si. Paul, 
 who here reckons himfelf among thofe who wcreeye-wit- 
 neflcf of the rifen Jefus : Laji <.f all he -moi feen afmealfo. 
 Note, farther. The great humility of St. Piul, in ftyling 
 hi-nfelf an untimely birth, or a perfon born out oj due time. 
 But in what fenfe doth he mean that he was born out of 
 (luctime? Anf. (j.) Negatively; nor that he was as to 
 fpiritual birth born too foon, but rather ton Ijte. Alas! he 
 had been too long a proud I'harilee, a formal profelTor, a 
 fiery perfecutor. lu this fenfe, he was no abortive, orborn 
 out of due time, but rather born too late than too foon. 
 But politively he calls himfelf an abortive, or untimely 
 birth, (i.) Becaufe he was the laft of the apoftles that was 
 called; the reft were called by Chrift whilft here on earth. 
 Paul was called by Chrilt from heaven after his departure 
 from earth to heaven. (2.) Becaufe of the fuddennefs and 
 violence of his converfion. An abortion is occafioned by 
 fome fudden furprifc, fome ftrain, or violent motion. St, 
 Paul's converfion was a wonderful, violent converfion, 
 out of the ordinary Way and courfe ; he was fmittenfroin 
 his liorfe to the ground, and lay as one dead in his p:iflage 
 to his new life. (3 ) Becaufe abortive children are lefier, 
 weaker, and more imperfec^t children than thofe cif full 
 growth. As an abortive chijd is the lenft of chddren, fo 
 he retkons hiuifelf the leaft>i>of the Jjkfties, and ftiles 
 himfelf fo in the next verfe, when he thus fpeaks : 
 
 9 For I am the leaft of ilie apoftles, that am not 
 meet to be called an apoftle, becaufe I perfecuted the 
 church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am 
 what I am; and his grace which was beflowed upon 
 me was not in vain : but I laboured more abundantly 
 than they all : yet not I, but the grace of God 
 which was with me. 1 1 Therefore whether << ivere 
 I or they, fo we preach, and fo ye believed. 
 
 Note here, i. The profound humility of this great apof- 
 tle, and how he was in his own thought;, he calli hiiw- 
 felf the le«f} of the apujiles ; nay, not meet or worthy to be 
 called an apollle, becaufe he had perfecuted the church of 
 Chrift with fo much fury and fiercenefs. Ellewhere he 
 ftyles himfelf, I fs than the le a fl (.f all faints : Nor thatany. 
 thing can be lefs than the leaft ; but the original being a 
 double dimiiuitive, his meaning is, that he was as little as 
 could be. O admirable humility! the moie we know of 
 Godandourfelve.'^, the more humble appreiitnfions we(h;ill 
 haveofourJclves ; ■* good man's thoughisare always lo«vclt 
 of himfelf; the more holiiiefs any 111.11 has, (he more bu. 
 mility he has. Humility is a great evidence olo\ir.holinefs, 
 it being indeed a great part ofour hohuefs. 2. How the 
 apoftle afcribesail that lie was, wherein he dittered 'ffpiiv 
 others, to the giace ofGtid: By the grace of God 1 rm 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 687 
 
 what lam. As we receive oiir natural being from the 
 power of Got!, fo we derive our fpintual being from the 
 grace of God ; if 1 forbear what is evil, it;s from rellrain- 
 inor [Trace ; if I follow whnt is fpiritualiy good, it is from 
 fancl fy ing grace : Therefore, not unto us, Lord, not unto 
 us, hut tu thy giaci be the praife. Note, 3. The blc fled 
 fruit which the grace of God produced in St. Paul ; it 
 caufed him to labour, (-race is an active principle) to la- 
 bour abundantlv, to labour more abundantly than all the 
 apolUes ; not more ihan all of tliem put together, but more 
 than any one of ihcni that were his fellow apoftles, fepa- 
 rately confidered. Suth as receive moft grace and favour 
 from God, are holily ambitious to do the utmoft fervices 
 for God. 4. Lell he Ihnuld feem to be too aflummg, and 
 to arrogate any thing to himfelf, he adds, Yet not I, hut 
 the oraceofGod'.uhich was with me. Behold how the apoftle 
 ifcribes the fruit of all his endeavours to the grace of God, 
 to the influences andallillances of the holy Spirit of grace, 
 exciting him, affllUng him, working in hiin, and with him, 
 and fucceeding of him in all his enterpriz-s and underta- 
 kings, for the glory of Goil, and the gnod of louls : / la- 
 kourcd, vet not /, but divine grace that went along with 
 me. 5. The inference which the apoftle draws from the 
 whoU' : Therefore, whether it were J, or they, fo wtpreach, 
 *ndfo ye believed; that if,wheiher ii were 1, or any other 
 of the apoftle;, who l.iboured moft in the prcachingof the 
 gofpel, the doftrine is the fame, namely, That Chrift died 
 for our (ins, arofe again, and will raifeus. This is the doc- 
 trine which the apoft'es preached, and which you Corin- 
 thians beheved and received ; therefore why Ihooldnny of 
 you now fwaggerin the faith, and dilbelieve the refyrrec- 
 tion of the body, which is a blow made at the root of 
 Chriftianity? Alas! ■ hat have we to carry of our fpirits 
 through all the rtfgg^ J ;ia(ragrsand crols difpenfations of 
 this life, but onlv our I - ■ ■ • verjian, only our hopesof 
 glorious nfurreflim, a>:d ; ■ _,. d immortality ? 
 
 12? Now if Chrifl be preached that he rofe from 
 the dead, how fay foine amons you tliat there is no 
 refurrcftionofthe dead? 14 But if there be no re- 
 furreftionof the dead, thcnis Chrifl not rifen. 14 
 And if Chrift be not rifen, then h our preaching 
 vain and your faith r's alio vain. 15 Yea, and we 
 arc found falfe witncflcs of God ; becaufe we have 
 teftified of God that he raifed up Chrifl; ; whom he 
 raifed not up, if fo be that the dead rife not. 16 
 For if the dead rife not, then is not Chrift raifed. 
 x-j And if Chrift be not raifed your faith z's vain : 
 ye are yet in your fins. 18 Then they alfo which 
 are fallen adcep in Chrift arc pcrifhcd. 19 If in this 
 life only we have hope in Chrift, we are of all men 
 moft miferable. 
 
 Our apoftle having aflVrtetl and proved the refnrredlion 
 cf Chrift by ocular demonftration, by a plentiful teftimony 
 of thofe who faw him after he was rifen ; and withal in- 
 formed them, that this was the doctrine of the golpcl 
 wh ch both he and the reft of the apoftles had wiih one 
 confent preached to them, he from hence infers the cer- 
 
 tainty andneceflltyofonrrcfurreftion. And becaufe lomc 
 in the church of Corinth were tainted with the wicked 
 opinion of the 'oadducees, who faid there was na refurrec- 
 tion; therefore toftrangle this monftrous opinion amongft 
 the Corinthians in the birth, he flicws the abfurdity of it 
 in thefe verfes before us. His firft argument runs thus : 
 If there be no refurreftion of the dead, then Chrift the 
 Head is not rifen ; for if the Head be rifen, he will cer- 
 tainly raite up his members. Chrill's refurreaion is the 
 caufe, the pattern and archetype ofour's : He did not only 
 raife his body from the grave, but his churdi with him: 
 For indeed Chrift is notperfeftly rifen, till all his members 
 are rifen with him, and r.iifed like him. True it is, th.it 
 Chrift's perfonal refurreclion was perfcft when he arofe ; 
 audit is as true, that all believers arife reprefentativtly 
 when Chrift arofe : 13ut till all believers arofe perlbnally, 
 the refurredion of Chrift has not received itsutmoft per- 
 fecftion. His next work is, to prove the certainty of Chrift's 
 rtfurredtion, from the manifold abfnrdities, which would 
 follow upon the denial ot it; as, namely, (1.) If Chriftbe 
 not rifen, then the apuftle's preaching was vain, and their 
 belief of it was vain alfo. Cur prcaChing is vain ; that is, 
 we who in our pre aching have foftrong'y aflertcd Chrift's 
 tefurrection.asan infalliable argument of the divinity of his 
 perfo^i and doctrine, have taught you a vain and idle dream. 
 4^nd your faith in ChriJ}, asrifen from ihe dead, is no better 
 than a fancy: vain alio; feeing the object of it faileth, 
 Chrift as rifen from the dead. (2.) If Chriftbe not rifen, 
 then we are found fdfe witmjfcs of Gid ; that is, then St. 
 Paul himftlf, and the other apoftles, had given a falfe tefti- 
 mony of God to tlic world, in affirming that God the 
 Father had raifed up Chrift the Son from the dead ; which 
 he did not do, if thcrebe no refurredlion of the dead. To 
 be falfe witnelTes for men, is a fin of no common guilt; 
 but to bely God, and to be falfe witncfles ftir God, is a fin of 
 an aggravated guilt, which the holy apoitles could not be 
 fuppofed to be guilty of. Again, (3.) If Chrift be not 
 raifed from the dead, then ws are yet in our fins ; that is, 
 under the guilt of our fin?, and liable to condemnation for 
 our fins : we are not jnftified and ablblvcd from them, un- 
 lefs Chrift has expiated the guilt of them ; and this he has 
 not done, if he We not rifen, but remains himfelf under the 
 power of death ; for he was raifed again for our jiiftiftca- 
 tion. Farther, (4.) If Chrift be not rifen, then they which 
 are fallen uf.eep in Chriji are perifhed ; that is, the dead 
 faints in general, and the holy martyrs and I'ufFerers for 
 Chrift in particular, who are fallen .jlicp, are periflied m' 
 terly, and loft finally, if there be no refnrreaion ; martys 
 will then be great lofers,and martyrdom great folly. Laftly 
 Then Chriftians, are cf all men mojl miferuhh. A^ if the 
 apoftle had faid, As thole martyrs uere errant fools, and 
 perifhed as fuch, who laid down their lives for Chrift, if 
 they have no hopcsofa refurredion, when they fliall t jke 
 them up a^ain; fo we Chriftians that furvive, are the 
 wretchcdft creatnresupon earth who undergo allthcfuf. 
 Xering> and hardfhip; of ihi Itflf, and drny ouifelves many 
 comiorts and advantages which we might enjoy. If after 
 this mortal life wa have no hope, who woul I care to dc» 
 well, or who would fear to do ill ? Were this believed 
 none would live fo fle/hly and fenfual a life as thofe that 
 
 do 
 
688 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap, xv. 
 
 Ao not believe the rcfurrf Aion of tlic flefti ; and nor.e wo'-ild 
 be fo niiferal le in tMs life, as the lioly IVif-JcnyingChril- 
 ti.in, had noi he an hope after deuth of a gloiious lefar- 
 redion. Lciii ,. Ij^nre.That true Chi iflians would be more 
 unhappy than any <>:hrr meu. if their happincfs were con- 
 fined to :l)i; life only : Ifeu e ofctl men mo/} tniferabir. 
 WeCliiiftiamare niirr mifcrab'e tha-; other mortals; and 
 we aponiesard nitnifters tnoieinifcrable than otherChrif- 
 tiaii'i, who, liku- beacons upon the top of mountains, Itand 
 open continually to altftorms and tenipclh raifed ugainft 
 ns by n)en and devils. 
 
 20 But now is Chrifl rifen from the dead, and 
 hccome the firfl.-fruits of them that llept. 
 
 Note here. {\.) The rcfurreftion of Clirift declared! 
 NriW tiCkr'iJt rifen frmx the dead. (2.) Our refnrreftion 
 fi 01)1 his, inferred and infiircd ; he arofe as the jirjt fruits of 
 :l.em that flept. The terms of firft-fruits is metaphorical, 
 alluding to the abhtion of the firft-fruits in the Leviiical 
 law, Lev. xxiii. p. Thefe were offered, both as an ac- 
 knowledgcfijent that the whole crop was God's and as a 
 pledge and alTurance of their enjoying the whole crop from 
 God, .Tnd as a tnean by which the whole crop was confe- 
 rrated and fanftificd to their ufe. As fure as the' whole 
 harveft follows the firfl-fruits, fo fliall thefaints refnrrec- 
 tion follow the rcfnrrcction of Chrift, as .in efftct follows 
 its proper caufc : For Chrifts's refurredion is the mer.'to- 
 rious caufe, the efficient caufc, and the exemplary cai:fe 
 of our refurreclion ; and as itisthecaiife, fo is it the pledge, 
 the carneft, and the full aflurance of ours. 3. Chrift is 
 called tiie firft-fruits of them that flept ; that is, the firft- 
 fruits from the dead of them that ftept ; not as if Chrift 
 verc abfolutcly the firft that was railed from the lient], 
 for we read of one raifed by Elijah, and another by Eli- 
 fha. and of Lazarus raifed by Chrift: But thtfe were fo 
 raifed as to die again ; they were not raifed to a life of 
 immortality : But now Chrift was the firft that arofe ne- 
 ver to ^ie more: the firft that zrcSe by his o' n pov.cT, 
 the firft that arofe to give others a pledjre ard alTurance tf 
 their rifing after him, and of their rifing Ike unto Jnm : 
 Chrift's refurredion is the caufe, the pattern, liupiedgr-, 
 the affurance of the believer's refurreclion. 
 
 21 5 For fincc by man came death, by man came 
 alfo the refurreclion of the dead. 2 2 For as in Adam 
 all die, even fo in Chrifl fliall all be made alive. 
 
 Here koC/, That our apoftle.toprove Chrift's refurrec" 
 tion to be the caufe of our refurreclion, makes a compai i- 
 fon betwixt Adam and Chrift, whom he reprelents as two 
 originals and fountains, the one of death, theotheroflife : 
 As by Adam's fin all that are partakers of his human na- 
 ture die a natural death; fo all that are partakers of 
 Chrift's divine nature, all that .ire his fpiritnal feed and 
 ofFipring, fhall he raifed and made alive by him; for the 
 cxprelTion':, in a' Jam, sndhtChri/?, to denote a caufuality 
 in both, the one of death, the other oi life; as the deaih 
 ol all mankind came by Adam , fo the refurrection of all 
 tmiikind ronics by.Chrift; the wicked (hall be raifed by 
 h'lm nffirio judicls, hy the power of Chrift as their Lord 
 and Judge ; the righteous (liall be raifed bmefcio mediaiTr- 
 rit, by virtue of their union vith him as their Head. 
 
 23 But every man in his own order : Chrift the. 
 firll-trutts, afterward they that are Chiifl's at his 
 z\ Then (> iTidh the end, when he (hall 
 — ^ . -iivcrcd up the -:ingdom to God, even the 
 Father} when he (hall have put down all rule and 
 all authority and power. 25 For he mu ft reign till 
 he hath put all enemies under his feet. 
 
 Here ourapoftle anfwers an ol-jection. Sotne might fay, 
 If Chrill's rcfurreftion he the caufe of the believer's rcfur- 
 reftion, then why did tit all believers rifcwiicn he arofe? 
 The head being rifen, why did not all the members rife 
 with him .' Hefln/u'er/, No ; God had appointed an order 
 which niuft be obferved ; and this order was, that Chrift 
 flioiild be the firlt-fruitsof the harveft ; that he fiiouldrifc 
 firft from the dead, and then that they are Chrift's at his 
 coming to judgment will rife after him. And then cometh 
 the end ; that is, the end of the world, v hen Chrift viill 
 deliver up his kingdomto Cod the Father. What kingdom? 
 his mediatorial kingdom, which, as mediator he rcteived' 
 from his Father ; not his natur.d and e'Jential kingdom, 
 which, as Cod, he had with his Fstiier from eternity ; this 
 fhall never be delivered up, for of this his kingdom there 
 ih^ll be no end ; but an end of the world, Chrift having 
 fiibdu-d all his and his chin-ch'l encniies, and put- down 
 all rule, a'jthjriiy, and power, both in the woi Id and in the 
 church, he fhall deliver <tp his meJiator-al kingd.jsn to his 
 Father, and reign no longer a 5 iVlediator, and .^5 deputed 
 by his Father ; but he fliall ft. 11 reign, eternally reign, at 
 God equal with the Father: For h is kingdom is an ever- 
 laftinfr kingdom, and his dumiaMBjkLiieth loeiernalages- 
 Hcrews^e, That when our^^^^^^tting forth the order 
 in whichjttie faints fiiallari^^^^Ks^M|hingof a filcantl 
 fecond refurreclion, nothin|^^^^H and fecoiid coming 
 ol Chrift to judgment ; one i^^^H on earth a thoufand 
 years, and a fecond to judge. ^Wne world. Mention is 
 here made of a general refuireLlion, when all the faints 
 fhall be raifed togeiher, but not a word of fome b^iiig rai- 
 fed before the reit to reign wiih Chrift a thoufand years. 
 
 v.'j T iie laft enemy tliat fli;ill be dcftroyed is death. 
 
 ?'Ji; here, r. What fin has fubjefted the human nature, 
 to, and th.it IS death; fin br.'i'ght mortality intoour na- 
 tures, and the wag( s of fin is death, a. That death is an 
 enemy to humanity, an ciifiny to the w hole race of man- 
 kind, both to body and foul. :o the righteous and wicked ; 
 to the body, by turning tbut which is the glory of the ere- 
 ation, in a moment, into a rottennefs and puirofadion ; to 
 the foul, by occafianing its fep.iration from the body, to 
 wards which ithajfo ftrong and affectionate an inclination 
 and defire, as its old companion. Death i<^ alio an enemy 
 to the righteous, as it blunts the edge of his d' fires after 
 heaven, and abates that joy which he f.'iould iiavc in the 
 believing thoughts and apprchenfions of hea\tn; andttis 
 an enemy to the wicked, as it is 3 pafTage ro everlafting 
 mifcry, by their falling immediately into the h.tnds of the 
 living God, froui whofe mouth they receive a final iVntence 
 to depart accurfed into everlafting firp, prepa.-ed for the 
 devil and his angels. 3. That this enemy is the laft ene- 
 my: Ic is fo to the children of God; when they have 
 
 overcome 
 
Cn.vr. ^v. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 €9rj 
 
 overcome death, tlicy have overcome all their enemies at 
 onoe, anil erpecially their worft enemy, fin, wliich they 
 could never ovcrcmne before fully. Blenid be GoJ, 
 thotigh death came into the world by fin, yet lin fh:dl eo 
 out of the world by d-ntti. Note, 4. This hfl enemy (hjll 
 b; d(-(lroyjd, bv lofnig its fling that it cannot annoy, 
 Iiv lofing its terror tiiat it cann'Jt amaze, by lofing its 
 power that it cannot dcftroy ; and by lofing iis very 
 bein;^', it lh.-i!l be fin-lly abclifhed and dcllroycd by a 
 refiineilion from the dead. j\',fc, 5. The dcftroycr of 
 death, this laft enemy, is Chrift, Hofca xiii. 14. Izvill 
 tr.nf:m ihtm from 'lie poiver of the grave, I will rtileem 
 ihtm from dtath. Chrill has cnnqiiertd death mcritori- 
 oully by his fan(£lification, vidlorioiifly by his refiirre(5lion. 
 6. The fcope and drift of the apolUe's argnnT'nt in this 
 aiT-rtion, and that is, to prove the neccflTisy of his refur- 
 reiflion ; the argument lies thus, Chri(t miifl reign till all 
 his enemies arc defiroyed, but death is one of (hcfe eneinie-, 
 the lail of them which keeps the believer's body from union 
 ■with his foil!, and from comnuiiiion with Chiill, therefore 
 death muft be dcllroyed ; and there is no other way to dc- 
 ftroy death bat by a ref;irre£lion from the A<!:iA, which is 
 the truth our apoftle flrongly proves through this chapter. 
 
 27 For he hath put ail thin.^s under his feet. But 
 whet) he faith all tliin^^s are put under him,il isma- 
 nifeft that he is excepted which did put all things 
 under him. 28 And when all things fhall be lub- 
 dueJ unto him, then fhall the Son alfo himfclf 
 be fubjeft unto him that put all things under him; 
 that God may he r.ll in all. 
 
 Our .ipoflrle here proceeds in the argument which he bc- 
 g>!n at the 24th and afih verfes, that Chrift muft continue 
 as Mediator to rtiv-n till all things are fiibjed to him, and 
 all enemies fnbduc i hy him : This the apoillc here proves, 
 becaufe God the Fathcnipr? put all things, and all pcrfons, 
 under his Son's feel, as Mediator, himfelf only excepted ; 
 God the Father havmg refcrved to himfelf his own fovc- 
 rcign empire, and fupreme authority ; he being excepted 
 from this fiibje£tion himfelf, who gave it to his Son. And 
 vhen all thinijs fhall be thus fub(hied to Chrifl, then iiis 
 mediatori 1 kingdom fhall be delivered up to Iiis Father 
 from whom he did receive it ; yea, the S)n himfelf, as 
 Mediator and head of the church, fliall be fubjeCt to the 
 D-.'ity, that God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl, may 
 be all in all, by afull commimication to, and intimate union 
 with the faints. Letirn hence, i. That the mciiiaturial 
 kingdom ot Chri.l was given to him by God the F-<ther, 
 as a reward for his fufFerings, Piiil. ii. 8, 9. He became 
 obedient fj the de.,th, where f re God hath highly cx'il/ed him. 
 1. That thismediatcrial kingdoin was given t' Chrill only 
 according to his hu.man nature ; feeing the human nature 
 only fuHTered, and the divine nature is capable of no fuch 
 exaita i.'n or new doniini 'M. he wr>s thus exaPcd, Bccaufe 
 he- Mas the Son of man., J )hii v. 27. Learn, 3. That 
 di rii;; the continuance of tlie mediatorial kii;glom of 
 C ! 1 t 'he Fithcr j'ldjis n > man, but comniit alljudg- 
 iner.t rnto his S >n, uivin^' him fu'I p)iver and authority to 
 punilh and reward according to liib own \virdom,v.'ill,'and 
 
 picafurc ; and, as Lord of all, he pivss laws to all. 4. 
 That this media'oriul kingdom, Cliriit fhall certainly lav 
 down ; when all things arc fubJued unto him, tlx- excrcifc 
 of his kindly power lliall KC-i^e then ; and as Chrill is iir.\v 
 all in all vitii rehiiion to his church, the Goilh.ead ilirt 
 will be all in all ; and Chrifl himfelf, (ts man, will be fuB- 
 je£l to his Father, as well as faints and r.ngcis arc fuhic(Jl to 
 him. Prom tliofe words, God fli(dl le till in all, \\c learn. 
 That all the faints fhall be abimdanily f^'isficd in heaven, 
 w iih the fruition of tlie Deity alone ; there is cnoi;gh ii> 
 God alone eternally to fill and futisiy all the blcflcii fiiuls 
 in heaven, without the addition of any creature, comiort. 
 G'jd is complcat fatisfa(?.i n 10 his children in the abfeuc< 
 (I mufl not fay want) of all other eiijov'D''nls : we ih?!! 
 want none of thetn at our jouiney's end, for there (jod 
 will be all in all ; as in he;ivcn we Ihull fee God, fo wc 
 Ihall there eye nothing but God. 
 
 29 Elfewhat (hall they do which are baptizrti- 
 for the dead, if the) die hie not at all ? Why arc 
 they then baptized tor the dead ? 
 
 Expofiters do vary exceedingly in the fonfe and interpre- 
 tation of this difficuh text ; foine underlLind itcfalacra- 
 menial, fome sf a funeral, and fume of a inetaphorital 
 baptifin or wafhing. Thofe who iindcrfland it of a facra- 
 mcntal baptizing, fay. That the baptized fr the dead, arc- 
 thcfe who are b ptizcd upon the article of the refurrcflion 
 of the dead, and conftquently in hope of the rcfurreflidr)-: 
 As if the apofUe lu-id faid. As for thofe amcMjg you in the 
 church of Co'-inth, who arc baptized perfons, and yet deny 
 the refurreilion of the dead, I would i!. maud ot thtm why 
 they have in their baptifm in.-jde a profeflion of believing, 
 the article of the refurredion r Why were ihey baptized in. 
 this faiih if they now renounce it .' To be a baptized 
 Chrini;)n, and yet deny the refurre£li<.n, is a flat .-;nd plain 
 contradiiStitlh. Others iindcrfland it ot a funeral w.-.fliing 
 of the dead rorpfe, in order to biirial ; and they (;;v this 
 was done in the bi lief and (xpcdaiionof the dead body's 
 rifing again. As if he h.^d fdd. If the dead crrpfe f)i.ifl 
 never rife rnore, to what purpofe do you wzfh ihein r Do 
 men give refptdl where there is no hope? Others \i ill liavc 
 a metaplioiic.il and ailcgorieal hajjiifm here inteiided, 
 namely, afniclions,perfe>:ntious,.aiid niarijrdom: As il he 
 had faid, if there b'- no r(-Ti!rri£li( n ot ilie dead, \-.liat 
 bi nefit will scenic to thofe that fuffer pcrfecu^ionand death,, 
 itfelt, for pi(-ifefling and detcmliug therefurreClion • f fome 
 that are dead, namely, Chrilt Jefus, v.hrfc rcfurrcdlit 11 is- 
 pafl ; .'.nd of the faints, whole rcfiirrtcSlion is to coii-.e .?■ 
 So.'nc, lall of all, render the words thus : Moreover, «hat 
 fliall tliey do that are baptized, for the frke ot il'.e de^d r It 
 the dead are not raifedatall, why arc they iheietore b.p- 
 tized for the fake of the de:!d ? As it ihc aju-ltle had l.ii,', 
 Wliat fliall they do which a;e baptized for the f; ke o( the 
 holy Gints and martyrs deceafed .' Is it n-'t by reafoii of ihini 
 thattliey take uptheprtfeflion of Chrilti,ini;y? Yes furely; 
 the figlii of the holiriefs of their live.', andotiheir courajrc 
 and condancy at their deatl.s, hasflirrcd 1 p many totfpouic 
 the fame holy religion, aiul load.nit thcmftlves intoit, by 'he 
 facrament of baptifm. Tie death of ..n cirintnt fain- m;;d<; 
 r. great number of difciples in ihofc days, and the bleod of 
 
 4S an 
 
6go 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 CHA?^ XV 
 
 an holy martyr baptize.i wTioI.* ci:i"s : Now, to what pur- 
 poft: is all this, ///he dead rife iiit al a.!. 
 
 30 And why flanJ we in jeop irdy every hour? 
 qi I protcH by your rejoicing which I havj in 
 C.'irill jcius our Lord, 1 di^ duly. 
 
 OiirapolUe is ftill arguing for the beli-f of the refiirrec- 
 lioii of tlic dead, and feems to fpcak here after tliis tmnner: 
 What folly won! J it be in Cliiil^ians, to cliiifc a religion 
 that cxpofcs lis continually to death and dancfr ? Whv 
 flioiild we run the hazard of the lofs of ellate, liber'y, and 
 Iji'i; itfclf, if there beno rernrrtdionin order to a retribution 
 when onrcciurage andconflancv f t Chii't and Ids huly re- 
 ligion ih:ill be acknowk-d;;(.d and rewardrd? fVI v floiiiiue 
 injcparj^ tvery hur ? linimating, that it would be the 
 jjrcatell foUv and madneff, to fiifFer the worll of evils, for 
 tile f.ikc of Chrirtianity, if all our ho|-.es perifli in the grave. 
 He adds farther. That as to himll'lt, he died dmly ; that is, 
 was coniimialK' cxpofed tu death, in danger of ;t, inexpe-J- 
 tafion of it, and in a preparation for it ; wl;ii."h he wouM 
 never hive been, if he had not an expectation of a glorious 
 refiirredion, when all his fu tie rings and fervices fliould be 
 rewarded. And to confirm the truth of what ho faid, lie 
 hinds it wi'h a folcnin proteftation, I proteji hf y.ur rrj^ic- 
 i'lg, w'-ich I have in Chnji Jeftts our LcrJ, I die daily \ 
 that is, either I proteft by all that j<>y which I have in your 
 converfinn to Chrii'tianity, and by all that rejoicing \\hii.h 
 ii found with me for the fiiccefs of my iniiiidry among 
 yon ; or elle I proteil by all that rejoicing which I have 
 in common with you and all Chriftians under the heavitll 
 fuffetings for the I", ke of Ciirill Jefus tur Lord, that I live 
 cominiiailv' a dyinglife,pcrjK;tua!ly in expeiflatioii. of death, 
 an.i preparation for it. 
 
 32 If after the manner of tricn I have fought with 
 hearts at Ephclus, what advantageth il^ie, if the 
 d*.Md life not ? Let us eit anddriuk; fur to-mor- 
 row we die. 
 
 Tlic apofllc had mentioned hi; fiifFerings in jrcneral in 
 tlu- former vcrfes, to t;ftify his belief anJ ho] c ot a future 
 rertirrci''l!on. Here he relates one particular kind and m.Tn- 
 nor of fdilering ; namely, \\\^ fighling xvxth heafli at Epl'tfus: 
 To what purpofe he had ih it mii;hty llrngc'e there, and 
 ran fiich a hazjrd of his life as tint was, if tie had no hope 
 of a better life nftcr this, no expe<fVation of a Mtlfed refur- 
 rc(fti.'n ? If I have fought ivilh ben/'s at Ephcfu:, &.C. A 
 iwi.fold interpre'ation is given of thcfe words : Siire un- 
 dcriland ihcm I'tterjUy and pmpcrly, that he did rcalK' 
 combat with wild bcalls \ it being uftial in thofc times of 
 pcrfecution, under Heathenifh powers, to cv.ft' Chrillians 
 to wild bearis :■ the comrnon cry then was, Chriflicms ad 
 hints \ Avvav \\ ith the Ctiridians to the lions. But L:ne 
 objetff againfi this interpretation, That the apoftle being a 
 freeman of Rome, had tio fiich indignity offered to liini ; 
 that in the aiflsof the apolUes, St. Luke gives no relation 
 of it ; and that the apofll> limfelf,. in the catalogue he 
 gives of Ills fuiFertng-, 2 Cor. xi. makes no mention of it, 
 uiilefs it be coinprchetrled i-ndcrthofe general words, In 
 decll s cflt-n. 0;heis tlcrct'irc undcrili.nd the words in 
 a metaphorical leuU, I have Jaugit zvilh beajls; that is. 
 
 V. i;h fava^c men, with men like htafts in their mannTs 
 and cndii ions. And thus fomc refer this crnfllft to / ' = 
 xix. where we read of Ids contcll wi'h lJ..mttrius, rnd tix* 
 filverf-ni:ii>, ab'iit Diani's ten ; le at Fphi fus. Others 
 r.!cr it to Adls xiv. v.lun he w-: s /.• ufd at /.ylh?, and left 
 f(jr ileal!. B;:t w iiclher we iiiideritiitd it liierallv 1 r fii-':- 
 rit'.clv, 'he fiirce of thenri<iim(nt lies thus : If I have ur.- 
 d. rgone fiieh eciihs and dan^;ers at Fj hefus as J have di ne, 
 and expofcd my lite to the utimdl hazard, in hopes of an 
 lijppy refi.rriiilii'n, what profit is all ihisio n-e, if there bo 
 r^o refurreetion? w hat got I by fuch haznrils 2nd hardthips, if 
 there be no lit.; to come? Nav, if millers be To, it is more 
 reafonableto fay. Let us e/it and drii.f- ';r to-nismuj tir die. 
 \ erilv then, fenliul f(X>ls are thcwifei! mm; and iVev have 
 the b'-li i/t if, that gratify their app'^ilcs and bruiiOi defirts 
 cxpccling they fhall fliorily die, and there will be an end 
 ot them. Learn htnce, i. That fai'h in the rcfiirreflion 
 to a future lite, cncourapes us ai^ainrt all the- troubles aiiii 
 adlictions of this prcfjnt lite ; the hope of future ri)otl, ii 
 a powerful fupport under the prelfiire and burden of pre- 
 fect tvil. 2. That upon fiippofition that theic is no hap- 
 pintfs beyond the grave, a life of Anfual plcafure is not 
 abfurd: The epicure's feng (Hde, lite, h de, fofi rtfirtrni 
 nuUa vohptaf \ Eat, drink, and pUiy, vhile it is day, fr af- 
 ter death no tnun fhall breathe) fecms not unreafonablc. 
 
 33 Be not deceived, Evil communications cor- 
 rupt ;^ood manners. 34 Awake to ri^htcoufnefs, 
 and fin not. For fome have not the knowledge of 
 God : I I'pcak this to your fiiame. 
 
 Here the apoftle advifcs the 
 rupted in their inanncrs by 
 cures would be ready toiiii 
 perfons on to ill deeds ; t 
 communicatirn ai:d difcoui 
 your m^ials by evil commuii" 
 exhortation whh a forcible nioi 
 
 heed of being cor^ 
 
 cd principles cpi- 
 
 l!l wo:;Isdraw 
 
 she, Ic< k to your 
 
 heed of debauching 
 
 and he backs this 
 
 caufe that fuch fcn- 
 
 fual principles and lewd opiniiuis fliew that men's con- 
 f..iences and reafon are in a c'eep deep, and that a fotfilh 
 Itupulity has benumbed tiiem : So much is iir.plicd in 
 the next words, Aiiake to rightroiifnefs, and f.n not. Here 
 r:tr, I. That ftn is frequently in fciipture cotr.pared to 
 ikcp, and very fitly, bccaufe firnirs apprehend things no 
 be for than men sllttp ; all their apprehenlionf of God and 
 Chrifl, or heaveaand htll, of ct.inity r.nd a life to come, 
 are flij;ht ard hcvoriog notions, wild and uncertain giiei'cs ; 
 and the moft fiib.flaiitial reali'ies are wiih ihctn but mere 
 fancies. As:ain, he that is aHeep, is vcid oi all care and 
 fear, full of fuigetiulncfs, unappichcnrive of dangers ; fuch 
 is the finner, whilft he continues .illeep in fin, lecure, but 
 not fafe. 2. That repentance is the foul's awaking' otit gf 
 the deep of fin : The foul roi/cs up, apprehends, and ton- 
 fidcrs its danger, whilil there is a pollibility to efcapc it, 
 and accordjni'ly, by repentance fiics from the wrath, to 
 come. 3. That it \< not enough that we awake frem Hn, 
 hut wc mult awake to rightcoufnefs ; wc tr.ifl not only 
 efchew evil, but di> gcc-<f ; fur a negative holinefs favcs 
 none ; the pofi'ive fiuitsof holinefs towards Gcxi, and riidi- 
 tcoi'fnefs towards our nfithbour, rriuft be brough* louii 
 by us, and the duties of _^b>Mh l.ibres te obfcrvcd of us, 
 
 tliis 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 I CORINTHIANS. 
 
 691 
 
 tliis will be?n argument of our fiRCcrity, and an ornament 
 til cvir proftflior. : Tlie want of ihis, tljcaponit tells the 
 Corin.tiiians lierc, arguej them n-)t to have the true know- 
 ledge of God, v.hich was rcjily m.itfer of flume 10 them, 
 confiilcring th.;mean$.''.ncl advantage"! enjoyed by them: Sum 
 /■.jtv r.ztthi lit:ix.<lci{ge of C>.it I fjfak this to puijhaine. 
 
 f,', \ But fo!ncm.in will f.iy, How arc the dead 
 nitccl up; ,T.id with wbat bofly do they come? 3S 
 Thou fool, that which thou fowefl is not quickened 
 except it die. 37 And that wliich thou fotveft, thou 
 fowcQ; net that body that flinil be, but bare grain. it 
 may chance, of wheat, or fome other ,5-7m'?2. 38 But 
 God givcth it a body as it hath pleated him, and 
 toevory feed his own body. 
 
 Our apDillf jiaving fully proved \\\( do<9rinc ff the re- 
 fiureclion to the lv)Jy, in i!-..: foregoing part of tlic chapter 
 COT. s nc;Kt to anfwcr liio objcclions that inicht be made 
 agaiiili the body's rtTi)rrcclii)n. And, firll, Thn it feems 
 i.iipof.nble that the d^ad lliould rile : To this he anfwcrs, 
 rh;it It i, as pofliblc for the dvad to rife, ^is it is for corn 
 fov.n ii the earth to be quickened after it dies in the earth; 
 corn fown rots aijd dies, yc-. k. ith not pcriih by d) inj;, but 
 ri.li- up green and freih. Thris, tlic btxiy r)wn in tlic 
 grave is tiit loft ; ilionrji the parts ot the body by dear!) 
 aicdiirjlved, yet thevare not anniidjatcd; they are fcaitered 
 but iliey are notpcriiliel : They lofe not their cntify.n lien 
 tlv'y part wish their rch'i j" to hnmani'y , vhatfoever we 
 Joft at dsatli, is not l.ft. to G'xJ ; his knowLd^e i- infini'e, 
 and his power unliir.itcd ; h is r^ cafy for God to ra fe 
 '"ir bodies out of t!;? djA^^^o ;r.akc: ihcm at fi;fl out .if 
 : '^h-ii'^: T-rr-r-i'-r.^i^^^fcd i.he Pharirees, whodcnied 
 ':^^^H|( r.il Imv.uig thej(rii>iurcs, 
 ^ ■■-. , ••j^^^^f- -9- The next objedi'/n 
 rjninft the body's refi^^^V is this : Wh.-, f v the ob- 
 ''dors.-can del'cribewlW^p- ' '' :hc dead fliall arife ? 
 )iir apolUc's anf'.ver is m il.; I'hat our b'lrli.s fhall 
 
 "iilc thi- f.m-,c i:i fiibrtiincc-, l.-uj^li not in qualities; as 
 '•^rn Town is raife.l in (iibltance and kind the fame, but 
 divers in qu;di(ic<;, cor.-.ing up w'th blade and ear, and corn 
 m i^, it docs not rifi: in tiic fame figure in which it was 
 (own, but it ariffs in the fame nr'.tiue iti wliich it was 
 i 'Wn ; 'J'hat-whlcli was fown wheat, avifes wheat. Thus 
 '-■iir bodies fown in the grave, fh.dl ariie fubftanii.illy the, 
 iivnc, but in «iifFc-rcnt qii^ilitiLS. fl.-rew.-. That il-.ofe 
 ^^ lio did not beiievf tl<e rofiirredlion of the Mdy, jir.l.'rd 
 i' not onlv an impof?ible thini', 1- it an nn ' orthy tiling, for 
 God to ruifc tlie dend ; fhoy fioked up ^n the bndv as the 
 f 'pul-hrc and orifon of the f^id, and accounted it the fold's 
 rbict.;ll h.ppinefsto be delivered from tiie boviy, ellcemincj 
 It a real punilh nent to the fi.ul 10 bea<;r.in reunited to fo 
 rrei^a cl.'g as the b;)dy is. Tiierefore to tiiis objeftion 
 ih?: apofllc returns a lati-ifaflory anfwcr, by (hewing [lie 
 li.lp^.' ch.inr- which Ciail p;ifs iip:'n the r. ifixl^l^.dy; dc- 
 r'..riii<r. That Though it Ihil nriK- the fame body in fub- 
 , vft Viiflly ditfereiM in qii:diiies ; oi -.» n'oTt::! bulv 
 , ir finll rife a f; iri'.uul l.ody ; (if avili; Imdv, be inade 
 n .gloii>;us bodv. 
 
 03 All flcfla ii n(Jt the I'nuc iloiii: but ilir:r: i^ 
 
 one kind of flcfh of men. another flrfh of bcafls, 
 another of fiflies, and another of birds, ^o There 
 «;c alfoceieftial bodies, and bodies tcrreflia]; bitt 
 the glory of the celeftial ii one, and the gbry of 
 the terreilial is another. 41 There is one glory of 
 the fun, and another glory of ihcmoon, and another 
 glory of the flars ; lor oiie Rar diflcrcth from ano- 
 iher liar in glory. 42 So alfo is the refurrcflioti of 
 the dead. — 
 
 St. Paul here proceeds farther to infwer the qucflioii 
 which the phjlofophers at Corinth put, namely, With what 
 bodies do perfons come forth out ol the f;rave ? PI'i tells 
 them, they llirdl be vafUy dilfcrcnt in qualities from v, hat 
 they are at prefeni ; and this he illullrates by a fimilimJc. 
 As, lays he, there is'a diirerencc in bodiis heic belou-, ft)mc 
 mo.-c excellent, as the flefli of men, others Icfs c.Ncellcnl, 
 £!s (lie ficfii of beads j.iid birds, and as there is a riiilcrcnce 
 between ceicftial and terredial bodies, yea, a di.H-rcnce be- ' 
 twcen celeliial bodies among themfclvc.-:, enecxccliing an- 
 oilicr in glory, as ll.t: fun excels the moon, and one H.ir 
 excels .nncther ; f) v, ill it be in tlie n furredlion, ihc bodies 
 that rife w ill vaiHy differ from ti.ofe that died. I kre ir.fe,. 
 That all this is to be iinderllood of the rcfurrcclion of the 
 figliteous, Imcc il is their bodiis alone that (hall iinJer,<ra 
 'his happy change, w hjch in the next words the apolllede- 
 f'-iibcs. 
 
 — It is fowH in corruption, "it is rr.ifed in incor- 
 ruptjon : 43 It is fown in difhonour. it i.s raifed ia 
 glory : It is ['own in weakncfs, ii i.s raifed in power: 
 41 It is fovvn a uatur.il body, it is raifcda fpiritual 
 body. — 
 
 Here the Mofllc gives a fourfold inftance of the l.:)dy's 
 di/i'tring quamies in the refiirreiSlion, // is J'iun in f:r- 
 ruptroir, th2t b, it is here a fr.dl, mortal bodv, fi.bjedl to 
 putrefaaion, but v.hen raifed, thaW hi- ir.-jrrufjiflli-, that is, 
 never more fu'nit(«; to death or dilfoluiion. It i.s here a 
 vile body, fubjt(5 todctoimity r.nd difiionotir, and when 
 lownori:udin the grave, is loathfome r'nd t:nl:-vclv ; hut 
 (hall be r:df.ti/V; r-/5,y, a bright and beautifid bfidy, fliitiing 
 like the fun in tlie firm.iment of liie heavens.' It is thoi'uht 
 we (lir.!! liie in full a'--dpcrfea age, in full ftrcngth,?(niw'y 
 and vigour; and whereas onr bodies now move heavil , 
 they (Iiall then afcend and dcfcend like angels. A-sin, '// 
 Is Jown in tveah-.efs ; that if, i; isfubjcft to wc.-ikntfs by 
 l.ibour, to decays by nj'e, to iinpotency and vva!tin!:;s bv 
 dileaffS ; and when it dlcr, it r.pjH-i's an impotent pi^ce of 
 c!-ty. But it fltail be raifed /'w;ptrrj,vr;" by<jo.rs power, it 
 '•i.dl be raifed a powerful b'ldy; nr> uiore UTipntenr, ve.-!;, 
 or iec!)!e; but Ihonn and aillvc, ^ifrfiroiis snd nt'iih'-, ; 
 fever fubjefSt more either 10 weariuefs or wcnkncfs. La(!ly, 
 Il 's f'.'xm a nutural l'od\\ an aniuial b- dv, a bcidy fiiited io 
 thi.j lower fcnflbic !l:u: , iu which we live at pr< font ; and 
 ^■•hen it dies, it is fown in tlie grave, like the body of .1 
 bea:!. Put it flmll Iv: '.ufe,! r.ff'.Ai-,,,] hfh. Mtir'^, He d th 
 r ■: .. ;.!hal! be changed in'o a Ipirit, but into a foiritiial 
 I . I) ; a Isody it (hall remain flill, b'lt fpiii'inli/.cd! It Is 
 prob.iblc that our bodies v. ill then be rerial .nnd thin .::nj 
 4^2 liii'it. 
 
692 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap, xv. 
 
 liglu, more ful'cd to the nature of the foul, as aflivc as 
 fire, as line an. I thin as the air. Mnrc particitlnrly, ncle 
 ];crc, Tliat th? raifed body vvill be a fpiriiunl bod\' in a 
 thrtct'nW rcfpcil. fi.) As it Iball always be fnliictft ami 
 fcrviccnble to the fpirit. Here the fc.il is fiibjctn to the 
 boilv : the fml iniift sn the bwly's pace ; but at the rcfiir- 
 r-rdlion the baJy fhall be everlartingly fiibjcft toiliafoul or 
 fpirit, anci for that rcafon is callcil a fpirirual boily. {2.) 
 It may be called a fpiiiiiial body in regard of tiic great 
 flrenpth and adliiity wiih whicli the body (hall be then_ en- 
 dowed ; fpiritsr.re rtrone, and fu is cvcpi' thing that is fpi- 
 jitiial. The devil is called a fpiritiial enemy, becaiif? he 
 is a powerful enemy. Thus cur fj-iritual bodies will be 
 ftrcnn boilics ; and Rrong had they need to be, that they 
 nay b: able to bear /('(■-•/ exccedir^ weight of ghry, as the 
 apnftl; ctlls it, 2 Ccr. iv. i-j. which would crufli oi;r 
 bodies under it, were they not iiiade ftrcngto bear it. (^.} 
 It iscalledfpirinial, becnufo it will then need no natiiralhclp 
 tufiipffort it, as incat.diink, flcepand cloiliing. We iTiall 
 want thcfc no more than the angels want tl'.ein, being im- 
 mediately fuppcrted by the power of God, as they are 
 'I'hiis it is fown a natural body, but rai.cd a fpirilual body; 
 r.ot attcnnatcd into a fpiiit, but ftill a body ; a real, but 
 f|>iiitual body. The body after I'ie refurreflio:) fnall be 
 trucflini, but fpiriiu.-'.lized, ratified, and refined ; i: fliall 
 not Icfo any p:i tcclions which ir had, but gain many per- 
 feilions VI hich it had not. Hail, haj py day, when foul 
 and biKlv fliall be rc-unitcd, and the happinefs of both com- 
 pleted! How will the foul then blefs Cod for that body 
 T.-hich was here its inRrument and afliibnt in the fervicc of 
 Crod ! An I how will the body thcH bicfs God for fuch a 
 fi.ul, whicli was fo careful to fecurc an intereft; in that hap- 
 pinefs which it was created for, and made capable of ! 
 Then will full glory be poured into the foul ; and when it 
 is a ftcond time married to the body, it fliall have a greater 
 degree of glory than ever it had. 41 
 
 — There is a natural body, and there is a fpiritual 
 l)ody. 45 And (o :i is written. The fiiflman Adam 
 was made a living foul, the laft Adam xvas trwc'c a 
 quickening fpitit. 4G Ilowbeit that -iias not firfl: 
 which was IpiviturJ, but that which is natural; and 
 afterward that which isfpiritural. 47 The firflnian 
 ?V of the earth earthly : the fecondinan h the Lord 
 from heaven. 48 As is the earthly : fiich are they 
 lliat arc earthly : and as is the heavenly, fuch are 
 they alfo that are heavenly. 49 And as we have 
 born the image of the eartiily, wc fliall alfo bear 
 the image of the heavenly. 
 
 iVj/^ here, i. Our apodle drav.s a parallel between ine 
 fv.>o Adams, the full man ?nd Chrift ; they were two roots 
 and diftind fountains, from \vhence all life did fpring and 
 flow ; all natural life from the firft Adam, all fpiritual life 
 frtim Chrill the fecond Adam : 7/ry.V/? Aef^m v.nt mnde ,i 
 living Jail, the lajl Adam zvai made a quickening Jpirit. 2. 
 The apofile compares the animal life we live by the union 
 " owt fenils and bodies, with the fpiritual life welive by the 
 
 ion of our feiiils with Chrifl. in point of dignity and 
 
 of 
 union 
 
 reil excellency, the fpiritual life is far before the natural ; 
 but in point of p rlnriiy the natural life is before the fpirilual: 
 Fir/} thni whieh it natiirct, ar.J afitriuards that uhicb is 
 ffiritunl. 3. Wb.-t the pedigree and original of man wai 
 and is: H.~ it of the earth earthly. Earth is the original 
 of man, the matter out of which his form was predjced. 
 Hence the earth is called his earth, Pf. cxlvi. 4. His Ireatb 
 ^ces forth, and he relvrneth ti lis earth. 4. As believers 
 have born in their bed ies here on earth the ims^e of the 
 firfl Adam, foin the rcfiirrctfiion their bodies fliall bear the 
 image of the heavenlv Adam, that is, be clr.nged into the 
 likenefs of Chrift's gloijius body. This is the hightfl de- 
 gree of diqnitv and honour than an himian b(Kly is capable 
 of. Thofe boeii<s which in their full formation were of 
 dufl and clay, and which in their dil'o'aiticn arc no better 
 than a lump of corruption, when the grave delivers them 
 back again, fliall be fliining and excellent f:ibrics, hearing 
 the image of drift the heavenly Adam. Then will the 
 faints bodies be abfohusly and cverlaflinply freed f^om all' 
 natural infrmitic;, from nil accidental deformities, from all 
 wan's and neccfHiies ; and flinll never more be fid-ijeci to 
 death, that formidable adverfary of human nature. O 
 b!e.Tedhour! when both foul and bodv flial! live imme- 
 dia'ely upon God, and act freely and dcli;.;htfully for God, 
 and be for ever fatisfied in the full fruition and final enjoy- 
 ment of God. 
 
 50 Nowthis I ray,brct]ircn,that flefii and blood 
 cannot inherit the kingdom of God ; neither doth 
 corruption inherit incorruption. 
 
 By Jlep) and hk6d,\\QTC, v.e are to un derfland our bodies 
 in their pre'ent, naMiral, cornid|^^HH Aiiortal Rate. Such 
 flcfh and blood as ours is a|^^^^Hr iinchangcd and un- 
 clothed with its heavenly B^^^^HIo' inherit the hlngdjin 
 cfGcd: that is, it cannot p^^^^Bter into henv^n, and 
 bear the weight of that glorv i^^finll there be put upou 
 it. C;rr;///;««, or nature fiibje(^^o corruption, cannot in- 
 herit incorruption \ that is o!ir corrup;iblc bodies c?pnot 
 enter into'an incorruptible heaven. S'Ae here. Another 
 argument produced by the apofile, to prove the nccifilty of 
 the rcfurreiilion, orof r:iiring rnd new moidding the bcdjr- 
 in a fpiritual condition ; bccaui'cour natural body, till it fac 
 made fpirirual, cannot bear the prefencc e.i Gcd in heaven; 
 it muff be fitted for that glorious place and flare, before it 
 be brought into it ; by a change of qualities it muft be Ipi- 
 ritualized, purirtcdand immortalized, or it can never bear 
 that weisht of ?lory w liich is prepared tor the faints in that 
 glorious kingdcm. 
 
 51 f Behold, T fhcw you a myilcry ; V.'e fliall 
 not all flecp, but we fliall all be changed, 52 In 
 a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Jafl 
 tremp. For the trumpet Ihall found, and the dead 
 fhall be raifed incorruptible, and welliall be chang- 
 ed. 
 
 Here our apoHlc anfwers a third f bjciRion : Some mii^ht 
 fay. What fliall become of thofe who IhjII be found alivs 
 at ChiiiTscominc ? Heanfwers they Tnall not die or fleep, 
 b'lt yet (hall undcru-o's chanrre as well as thole that rife 
 from the dead ; thefc fliall have llvl'S and blcoi changed 
 
 into 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ^95 
 
 into fpiritul bo-Jics, as xreW as tlicy, and of mortnl be made 
 inimartal, and nf corruptible be made incorruptible, and all 
 this in a inomeiU of time. Chrill's powerful voice will be 
 like a truinpet, calling men together, and. the dead fliall be 
 raifcd and living faints changed into an incfimiptiblc ftate. 
 
 53 For this corruptible mufl; p'lt on incorruption, 
 and this mortal vni/l put on iinmortality. 
 
 Olfcrve here. The identical exprcfiions iifed by the 
 apo'He : He doth not (liv, corrtii^tiblc rnnd put on Incor- 
 rup'iin, and mortal midl put on immortality, but ihis cor- 
 ruptible, and this mort.il, to Ihew the identity and famencis 
 of it. I buHfve the rclurreftion of //)/'..- body, ^aid the pri- 
 mitive Chriilians. Every man at the rtfurrei^ion Ihal! re- 
 ceive ^hc fame bixly that now he hath, and be the fame 
 pcrfori that nov/ he is, Thoiioh he be not in every con - 
 ndera-ion what he \Vaf, yet (hall he be who he wa.s. If the 
 fainc botiy that f<tlls be not rai fed, it is not a refurrcdion, 
 but anew creation. Indeed it i? both iinreafonabte and 
 unjiiit, that a perfon fiiotild fin in one body and fuRlr in 
 another : or fetve God in one body :;nd be el"nfied in an- 
 other. Job was clear in the belief of this Chap. xix. a6, 
 27. /;) my fielh fl.\iU I fte God, and mine eyes fnall behold 
 him. I fhiU ffc G«'/, "this paints out the rcdity of tile 
 refurreilion ; mid witij tl.-fe ryes behold him, this dcnn'rs 
 tJjc itientity of the refiirrec^ion, that the fame body fiv.ll rife 
 again. The refurreifli ti is not a crc.;tion of new bodies, 
 but only a reditutlon of the old ones. 
 
 5 4 So when this corruptible fliall have put on 
 incorruption, and this mortal fliall have put onim- 
 mortitlily, then Q^jyie brought to pafs the faying 
 that is written, lMBH|^wallowed up in viflory. 
 55 O death, whet^^^V ftin^ ? O grave, where 
 IS thy victory. W^^^m 
 
 Here cbfervc, 1. "^^^^py condition of believers in the 
 rlorious morning of the refurrct^ion, when their corrup'ible 
 bodies (liall bs made by the power of Chrift incorruptible 
 and imir. jvtal : Tren Jhrdl death he fuMilnved up in vicicry ; 
 that is, be overcome for ever, never to deftroy or hurt any 
 more, or to have the lead power over the body tcr ever. 
 The conqueror of flcfh is now fidly .conquered, atid the 
 fpoilcr of mankind fmally fpoiled. O death! thou wert 
 once a viflorious conqueror, an univerfal conqueror, (l.ayinjj 
 not thy ihoufands and ten thoufand-; only, but beyond 
 number ; from the infant to the aged, from the dunghili to 
 the throne, fparing iioithcr age nor fex, neither great nor 
 fmall, neither facred nor profane : But the Captain (if our 
 fdvaticn having entered into the grave, the territories ot 
 death, the king of terrors, has there cncotiniered, difanncd 
 and deftroyed this victorious cotifiietor ; denth is Jwalhzued 
 i.p in vinery. Some read it, D,>a'h is Pvallowed down, 
 de'ath is drank up at a draught : Chrifl called hi": fufferings, 
 by v/hich he obtained victory over death, ^fe''^ i arid as 
 death is drank up, fo mortality is fwallowecl up, ?, Cor. 
 v. 4.. Bleli'ed be God, bev'^nd the grave their -is neither 
 de?.th, nor any thins like death, nei'iicr <!cath nor mortalit ;/. 
 The one is abo'illicd, tlie other fivallczued up cf life. 
 "Ohftrci, 2. IIov/ the apoillc, in the name of'aU t)',llcv.:ir. 
 
 triumpl'.s, and holily infuhs over death, the laft conquered 
 enemy. He laughs at it to the very face with a pious fcorn 
 and holy dctifion : O death, where is thy Jling? O graX'e, 
 where is thy vlilory ? As if a man having difarmcd his 
 enemy, (hould fay, Now, Sir, where s your fword ? where 's 
 your pillol ? Thus the believer : O death, thou thoughtefl 
 to pierce, to pain, to poifon u» v.itli thy iling ; bi:t :t/,>f/y 
 is new thy fling? Thou ihoucrhteft thyfelf a coiiqiieror, 
 but behold thou art conquered. Where is now thy vidoiy ? 
 BlelTed he God for' thefc f ;igs of viiSlory and triumpli, 
 which the Captain of our falvatioti has put into the inouilii 
 of all thofe that fight under his exalted bauf.er. 
 
 56 The Ring of death ,•; fin, and the flrcn-th of 
 Cn w the law. 
 
 Note here, i. Death has its fling. A fling has a three- 
 fold property ; to pierce, to pain, and to poifon : AH which 
 were p.pp!ic:.blc ur.to de.-lh. Death's fling is fin, or 
 death has its (ling upon the sccount of (in. Sin, like a 
 rtin?, pierces ; it pierces us in i-."; gttilt, it pierced Chrifl in 
 its punifiiment. The fotd, which no weai.on can reach, 
 fin con wauml. As a (ling, it paincth as W(.ll as pierceth : 
 Judas was fo pained with'it, that in the height of horror, 
 he hanged himfclf, in hopes of cafe. And as a lling it^^» 
 poifonc"th ; (in is a deadly poifon, plcafant in the mouth,* iBp. 
 bitter in the belly, banefu'l in the end. So flrong a poifon 
 is fin, that nothing cotild expel it bi:t the blood of Chrifl. 
 •?. Death comes fo a believer without a fting. Behold! 
 Chrift became obedient imto death, that he might unfting 
 death. Death fhot its fling unto our Sa\ lours fide, there 
 left it, and there lofl it : It is not now unto any of liis 
 members an hitrting, but:in healing ferpent ; there is now 
 no venom, np malignity in it. 4. That as (in is the fting 
 of death, fo the [liengt'h'of fin is the law. Not as if the 
 law did encourage a man to fin, or flrengthcn him in lin- 
 niii? ; for it prohibits (in under the fcvereft penalties, and 
 condemns the finner to the pit of hell : But the !aw_ gi\cs 
 life, or adds ftrength to fin. (i.) By the curfeand irrita- 
 tion of the law : "Sin takes occafion by the law, and by the 
 commandment become<: exceeding finful ; %\ hen li;ft finds 
 itfelf redrained, then like a river that is (lopt, ifrifes and 
 foams, and rebels againft the law of the mind, and fetches 
 in all its f>:rce to rcfcue itfelf from that fword w hich heweth 
 it in pieces. (3.) By the couviciion and manifcdation cf 
 the law, laying (in open to the confcicnce ot the (Inner, and \ 
 fliewing him, "that God is all eye, to fee, raid all fire, to 
 confiiiTi"e, every unclean thing. Thus the law gives fin its 
 flrength, and death its warrant, to arrcd and execute 11?. 
 Ah, wretched and miicrable finnti- ! upon v.'iom, together . 
 with death, tiie weight of fin and the curfe of the law fall 
 rcgctlier ; winch wcundtih i\{:c-;i, and prciftth low, even ro 
 th'eloweti: hell, iinlefs thou-ranll fay truly, what the apollie 
 duth triumphantly, in the next verfe : 
 
 57 But thanks h to God, which ^ivcth us the 
 victory. — 
 
 O' 
 
 - rhiougb 
 
%l. 
 
 I. C O R I N T II I AN S. 
 
 Gh. 
 
 XVlt 
 
 — Through our Lord Jefus C.;.. .. 
 
 That is, ihrcugh the death and rcfurreiSlion nf our Lord 
 JcAis Chrift. Ohfeive here, I. An enemy cncot:nTLrcd, 
 death ; dei'h, nimcd liy fin, and ftrcngthened by the law. 
 This is o'"tcn a fiirprizing enemy, an arjia7.ing encmv, a 
 fpoilinganJ dcftroyinjf enemy, nn incvit:ib!c and unavoid- 
 able enemy. i. Vidory over this enemy declared ; the 
 flcftriKfiion of death., as to Its terror and power: Death is 
 overcome. But Iio'.v ? Ncn ut re f.i, but at ron offit ; not 
 I'ist it flioiild not he, but that it fhoiild not hurt. D.^aih 
 hns lofl its fling, that it cannot pnncy ; i' lias loft its terror, 
 thar it cannot amaze ; it 'las lofl i:y power, thsr it cannot de- 
 Hroy. J. The viiS^ors or conquerors over this enemy, who 
 are firft Chri:t, and then aU that arc Chriir?, all that har- 
 veft of v.hich Chrifl is the firft fruits. 4. The friupiph 
 proclaimed. ThnKh A- /? Ccd ijrf givfth in the vul^n. 
 rVom the w hole karn. That ail believers arc vicloi ions o\'ix 
 d.ath, thrcugl) our Lord Jefii- Chrill. They may .tri- 
 i::nph over death thrcueh Chri^T:, hccaiife he has difarmed 
 it by his death and faliffaftion, he lias deftroycd it by his 
 refi:rre(rtion ; and Chrift's vi6tors becr.mc the believers', 
 In- p?.riicipation rnd communion w iih liirn. As thcv com- 
 municate with him in the value of his rarI<;fa£tion,'ff> they 
 communicate with him in the virtue of his r^riirrcc>ion. 
 Let us therefore triumph irirh the apoftle, and fay. Thmih 
 Ic h God ; with t!lc prophet, favnle ahd fin^, yr that Jv.-ell 
 II! ll:c duj>. Thus viclory was won by ChriO, it was worn 
 ty us ; it was dear to Chrid, it was cheap to us : We 
 ovcrcom.e, but it is by the blood of li-.e Lasi.b. Let us 
 therefore, iivi.ng and dying, fav, Thntihs he to God, who 
 jg:veth ui the vlBory, (hnugh cur L-.rd Jefus Cbrlji. 
 
 53 Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye fledfafl 
 untnovcable. Jihvays abounding in the work of the 
 Lord ; forafmuch as yc knour that your labour is 
 not vaiti in the Lord. 
 
 ffcre our apoftle concludes tliis cli,''pter, nnd c1o!es his 
 <Iifcourfe on this great fubjcft, the dodrine of the body's 
 rcfurreftlon, viih an cxhorlation to dury. Be \,' fcdfafl : 
 that is, in the faith of the eofpel in r?iier.-»1, and in the be- 
 lief of this /articular article of our Chiiflian faith, the rc- 
 fnrrection of the dead. U>imc.TenMf ; that is, be not m^-vrd 
 by any teinptaiions or trihulaiions, either from ilie fai-h 
 and hope of the gofpil.nr from tlie obedience to the cofpel. 
 Let not fear of the crofs of Chri.'t m.-ke ynTj weary of the 
 Ttke of Chrift : /iluriys aho-udive; in the v.-crl: :f the L^rl. 
 J-Jcrc ntle, Thar ihe mnre fleatly and (fedfafl any man is in 
 {he bslicf of a blel?!*! re ftiVrcSion, the morr; forv/Drd rpd 
 ^zealou', the more r.-ftivc- afiVl-ndf'^rir'Ms wiii'he he ir.-yVt 
 fervice of the work '«f G<^;d. Fornfmuc'th 'ywr-lnh-'^r 
 J'.idl r.jt he i^ V/iin ill lhrLo--i}; t'lnt i.s your pair,fu1n?G: in 
 the fervioe of Cr<l Onll bv plehti'ii'lv rccompenf^d by him 
 3' the rffurrraioriof t!,^ jiitl. Where w/.-, i. Then.'tiirS 
 and qiiafity of tiie tervicc or work of G'xi declared ; it is 
 zl,i!':ir\ '!i." vl '•'•-•■nife.snce of a Chvii'lTan's duly 
 makes ii nnd t-.xnfl manner m and sfi^r 
 
 %Uiich e-. 'tp.rf.r ': ' .-s it f- ^ Put the 
 
 •orcntcr (1 - on can":, f-r will ifeir reft 
 
 l»i;in hcavtJi. .. » .ic reward tiisi iV>ccic;is this labour ; 
 
 It fliiil not he in vnlii, there is the Iranfccndcncy of the re- 
 Avard : Forafinueh eii ye hmiv, there is the eternity of it. 
 The Chriiljan's fcrwces for Chriil fliall be certainly and 
 tranfcendcnily rewaidcd by Chrift in another world. His 
 labour is finite^ his reward is infinite. There is no more 
 proportion between a Chrillinn".-; I.ibour and reward, than 
 betwixt tiir.s an'i eternity. O infinite glory, the reward of 
 our poor labour I 
 
 C H X r. XVL 
 
 Our apojik in thh concluding chuiplcr'cfhii cxcdlmt epijlle, 
 given the Cox\nl\i\nns fa'cral liftful direSliom for thdr 
 
 pnf^rmancc rf fcne nccdfid duties; and then Jiads up 
 the~Mole xoith parLicular Jaliilations Lo tlicm. 
 
 NOW ccncerning the co]lr£lion for the faints, 
 ris I have given order to the churches of Ga- 
 lalin, even fo do ye. 2 Upon :hc firfl. dc^ of the 
 week, let every one of you \.\y by him a llorc. as 
 God hath profpered him. that there be no qaihcrin,;s 
 v.'hen I come. 3 And when I come, wiionrfocver 
 ye fliall approve by ^jviyr letters, them will I fend to 
 bring your liberality unto Jcrufalem. 4 And if it 
 bs meet that I go aifo. they fuall go v.ith mc. 
 
 The firft duty which the apbftlc here directs the Corin-' 
 tiii„ns to, is th.e makinc a colleSiion for the poor; and par- 
 tic-ilarly, for "ihcm at Jcrufalem, w!io were iv)w in great 
 ft.raits, bv reafc>n of a fannre which was tl^en .and there 
 amonjift fliem, as fome expolitcrs affirm. He advifes, that 
 on the lord's day, every one te|||||^y fvimething by, as 
 G->d had profnpred him, '!;;;t tnfe^^r i'_;lit be no net cf of 
 farther cc!!c(^lions when ' • cr;n-r- : ' • ', that the chari-v 
 might be diilributed accor ' iius in'tntions, he 
 
 tells them, tlicy ftiail feni.! .. ... ^..-......'-r<: of th.eir own ; 
 
 and that if iheV iiidged it meet aniTnccciftd, he vmild ac- 
 company the bearers of th ir charity, and ailift in the dif- 
 tribution of it. He- e ;;;.V, I. The great duty which the 
 rpoftie dirc£ls unto, care of, nml jiro-vjfi'in for, the poop 
 fum's at Jeruf.i'em.. To relieve the po^>r men-.bers of 
 Chrifl, cfpecially fuc'i as A.fter for his nnine's f kc, is a 
 neceli^.ry, yea, important duty. We evidence our love and 
 a'Fuflion to the head, by our pi<y and compafiion to the 
 members. The ch.aritable contributions cf iiich churchc:: 
 risare in and imder better circumllanccs, toivard iliofe that 
 arc Tn'worfe, cfpecially if in ■'vatit, ij on cdur of a fweet 
 fme'l, a fticnficg eiccettnhle aiul tvell flf.f.rg ur.'i C:d, VhW. 
 IV. i3. ,^'^/', 1. Tl'.r ti.re whcr; he adyiftrs them to mr ke 
 this chsrinble crllcclion. for t!ie poor, Utc-. the fiil d<r of 
 the week, vhich was the day '>f their pi.hlic allcirbli.s, the 
 diy i.'pon which oiir Lord rofe ag:)in fiom the dead. Di- 
 Vines, both ancient and motlein, du from hercc argue far 
 the change ^^ihc fabb.^th from th.s fevtn'.h to the ihlf duy 
 of i!^'' \vf fk^^' is evi.'cnt tV.Tt ihi^ wis the d;'V tin mIu'cIi 
 
 ', ui ptrforni 
 
 -es, ti> preach 
 
 : ;n.i it w.->? called 
 
 . ■!•,■: r;>-)n?>; orders 
 
 the 
 
 the; 
 
 tlie word,.-',n(Icrir 
 bv them the Loio 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 I. 
 
 O R I !< 
 
 T II I A N ^. 
 
 ^95 
 
 the colI:-ft:oii5 to Ye mrdc for the poor ; anJ ail chri.lians, 
 in c^mpli^nv-c wih il'.i- rrr'-rp', -'ij offer thrir alms iijv.n 
 timt day. Lffirn h':\tCc, 'I ' - of ch.'iity and mci>.y, 
 
 lhi>m:li'ncril.rl ?ii.1 .:crfp' . ] diy, yft aic the prop, r 
 
 «?iHf 's of r'le Lori!> iby, jliJt Ining a djy fcparatcd ami fct 
 ^,, ,f f... r. .1 .v(ir)c>i, of' whi^h t.)iari'y i- a IpiCiaJ pjrt. 
 .■ I h, ; c day nftlf <li>th conta'ii a fpcJjl moitve 
 
 i:i ir toci.^ii. ;::hI cnlari;tf i>iir < h.iiity, ic being the iby in 
 wl'irh \vc vrcrc bcfnttin to a iivtly iiopc, t!ir'.iu;h the ic- 
 fi;rr.di n "f Jcfiis Chiill from the iliiu!, of an inhiritnncc 
 iii'<)rritj)'ibie, and the iiay upon which »vc partake of our 
 Lird's precious bi dy ;ind h\<K>d. Wc h.nin.; thtrrfore 
 received fpirifu.d '.hincs foplcnilfidly from Chiilt, ought lo 
 be ill.' mo.c re.idy- to i'tipirt of rur i«mporal things to dif- 
 trcflld chrilUans.' 3. '1 he apniUc biddint; every one to lay 
 by foiTicihiti? of his ih>re for the rtlicf of othcis, intimates 
 to IIS, iKat GaI lias civtn unto every one oi us a fpccial, 
 propt r, and perfonal rii^'it to w liat we do enjoy. To have 
 ■all tliinr;'; common, would run all thing's into confufion. 
 The apoille diicd^ing the Corinihir.ns here to cnnibnt life 
 of their charily every Lord's diy, in uukiii_; coUediuns for 
 the poor, dotn fi'ppofc that they had fomethiiit; of their 
 own to give. Alniiglity Giul doth keep up the eighth 
 ciimtnandmcnt in full force and ilrciigih, as a fence and 
 hcd'.'e about the worldly cft.i'es of men ; and he that goes 
 ab 'lit to break this hei!:e, a fjrpcnt (hnll bite him. Ifthere 
 be na fiich thin<x-is proj.A.Tty, how f.iall wcexcrcifc charily ? 
 4. The rule which St. Paul directs the Corinrhians to ob- 
 ferveand follow in the diitribuiicn of llieir charity, iramcfy, 
 to lay hy in prrporiioa for other*, as God had bleiii:d and 
 profpercd them. The i^xxl which we do, mnfl be pro- 
 portion'ahlc to what ^^Kfieive. Gcd w ill not accept of a 
 iittk-, when he has l^^^BIl'* s>^il><y <>> ^'^ much ; wc 
 iir.ifl alw lys relievc^^^^Hs of C. hers as wc arc able, 
 .niul fometimes. ahov^^^^Kre arc able. Such as have 
 abili'y ought to abrnnlHPBl kir;ls of charity ; they are 
 to add charily to charity, one way of charity to another, 
 and one work of charity to another ; ntherwife, ihoneh 
 they may da a good woik,\cr they arc not in rich in gooti 
 Works ; Let ev:ry on( Im hy in Jhre, as CjH hnth prefer red 
 him. 5. How defirnis the apoftlc was that the Corinilii;ms 
 Hioiild receive all pofllble faii-staclion in the prudent di(lri- 
 biit'on of their colIeSed charity. He piopofcs to them to 
 chiife rnelTenger? of i!ieir mvn to carry their conrribtiiions ; 
 Jieprofers to ^'ive thcin letters of ri commendation to tie 
 fjinis at Jerufalem ; nay, if need require, and they dcfirc rf, 
 he is ready to go himfelf iiirin this chaiitable errand. So 
 ready are the miniilers of Gcd, upon all occafions, to con- 
 trfbiite their utmoll endeavours to promote the charitable 
 relief of the poor members of Jcfus Chii.f. 
 
 5 Mow I will come unto you, when I fhall pafs 
 througli Macedonia. For I do pafs throuj^h Mace- 
 donia. 6 And it may be that I will abiJg, yea, and 
 winter with you, th.it yc may brin^ mc on my 
 journey whitherfotver I go. 7 For 1 will not lee 
 you now by the way ; but I truft to t.triy a wiiii'e 
 with you, if the Lord permit. 8 Bull will tarry 
 at Ephefus until Pentccoft. 9 tor a ^rcat duor 
 
 and efTccluai is opened unto rr.e, and ihnr art many 
 advc: faries. 
 
 Olferii\\Lre, St. Pat:l . acquaints <}irm how he had \.\A 
 his bufi.itf . ' " 'i'-n where he wa.--, irj 
 
 dcfigncd r.i: \\ later with them, :pn 1 
 
 not to (le llicin ia i ■ i.iily. From whence «c 
 
 Iturn, That a wife ci . ..1 our o" " Lullncb, of our 
 
 Coiirfc of labour, nrd ot what wc defi;:n 10 do, is very 
 l.iwftd, provided it be done with fiibrailTiim to the will cf 
 Goil. i he apcdlc declares what I c had in liis intentions 
 contrived, whiil.cr to go, were to flay, hr.w long to con- 
 tinue ; but add-s If ll:c Lird prrmi;. AW was with fub- 
 niiflion to the w ildom arnl will of Gi,«l. Fyriher, lie 
 informs them of hi> pref.:nt intention 10 ftay at Enhefui 
 till Ptniicolt, becaijfe God had opened ihci^ unio him 4 
 great »It«>r for 'lie propagation of tlic gofpil, and h.id abun- 
 dantly blefTtd his labotirs to the good of many. But there 
 were vtany advcrjarlff of the truth there, which mzi. ' '. 
 flay longer at tphefus both nectlTary and unavoi. 
 Learn thence. That the ^reat fiiccefs of tlic gofpd is ulu.iliy 
 attended with manv adverfaries, and great fippofiiion. Tl;_- 
 devil ftirs up all the r.ige and fuiy he can againfl the pro- 
 felFors, but t fpecially the preachi rs ot the gofpel : L'ut where 
 the devil is mofl angry, wc may hope we have done moil 
 gord ; and lh.;r ough.t to encourage us to flay in our plate, 
 though our diSculties arc many, and our difcourageuitiiis 
 great. But I uiil tiirry at EpheJ'uj, i:c. 
 
 JO 5 Now if Timotheus come, fee that he may 
 be with you without fear : for he workelh the work 
 of the Lord, as I alio do. 1 1 Let no man therefore 
 defpile him : but condufl him forth in peace, that 
 he may come unto mc : for I look for him with the 
 brethren. 
 
 N'Je herf. Though Timothv was a v^uncr mim'flcr, 
 and St. Paul an aged apoflle, yet doth he bcfpeak the church 
 to pay rtfpce'l imio him as to himfelf, he bu'nii a niiniflcr 
 of the gofpel as well as himfelf, though far interior to him 
 in years and abilities. None of the faitlihil miniflcrs of 
 Clirifl are ambitious to engrofs all refpccl upon the people 
 to ihemfelvcs, but content, yea, defiroiis, that all their 
 fellow-brethren fli.ufd fliare with them 1 herein ; for all mea 
 pretend to a (hare in riputation, and do not love to fee it 
 monopolized by a linglc pcrH^n ; and every w ife and •;otKi 
 man rejoices when that refpeft is given to others, which is 
 jollly due and payable to their own «\orth and merit. 1. Ho-.v 
 afFe<tlionately this aged apoille recommends Timothy to the 
 church's fender care, as well as to the difcrvcd rcfpedl ; 
 Sfe that he n-.uy it tvfth'.tit fear : that i=,- without fear if 
 diflurbancc from the faelions that were Jimon-jfl' ilirm at 
 Corinth; fee that he be not expofe»(l'to any ireiiMi- or 
 djn«!er froiti any party whatfoever. Lei ij meir. difnf,- '■•/» ; 
 either becaurc of his youth, or hi' !>i"Iilv ue Icii'ji. v •:■ | 
 rnfirmiiies, or for any other ciufc whatloeVi r. liur .-.rdii^t 
 him firth in peace, bring him on his way towards me, ami 
 provide for the necelfi'ies of hi; journe-y. O ! how happv 
 is it when the miniflcrs of Chrifl are thus carcfu! of, and 
 ff)li. i;i'>us for the welfare of each oiht'r, as St. Paul here 
 Was here fot Timoihy ! 
 
 12 As 
 
6ij6 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 12 As touching n:r brother Apollos, I greatly 
 dcfired him to come unto you with the brethren : 
 but his will was not at all to come at this time ; but 
 he will come when he Ihall have convenient time. 
 
 Here ngain ohftntr, I. How refpc^lfullv this great apodlc 
 fpikks of ApoIKis, an inferior 'niniftcr in the ch'urcli of Cn- 
 rintli, Our hrithcr j^pi!hi. Nf..';ir.j better becomes the 
 governors and paflors ■ , than humility and 
 
 coiidcfcenfii)p, (inccre luic .: , . ...iL^li.m, a tliie deference 
 and regard towards thofc who are under-luhonrers in our 
 Lord's vineyard, to own and treat th!.m as hrethren, co- 
 workers and feIlo\v-licl[v:rs with them. G<xih-is not inade 
 his mini.'lcrs lions to tc:ir one another, nor bulls to gore 
 each oilier ; but flicph.crds to watch over, and niirfes to 
 t V:erii}i one tnother : Our brother Jpollos : 2. How St. 
 Paul, though a dignified pcrfon, a great apoftic, left Apollos, 
 an inferior miniller, of the gofpel, to judre for himfclf, 
 Vrhcthcr he had bcft go to Corinih, orfo"rbcar: I de fired 
 him to ccme to y':u, but his wi/l was not to am! : He did not 
 fiilpeiid him, or flic nee him for not obeying the voice of an 
 apolllc, but lets him take his choice. There rnay be, and 
 fonietimcs are, particular cafes and circumft.'sncts relating 
 to ourfelvcs and our people, (as about going from them, 
 or continuing witli them) which none can adju!} and deter- 
 mine fo well as ourfclves. Pcrha|is Apollos here h.id 
 greater and (trongcr reafons for his rcfufing, than St. Pjul 
 iiad tor his requelting him to go to Corinih : f{!-wever, 
 'he gieat apolUe ordy defired him to go ; not ccnfuring him 
 for his denial, but leaviiig him to the determination of him- 
 fc.f, whofe will zuds nut at all to come to them at that titre. 
 o- What might prob;d)lv be the reafon why Apollos had 
 no inclination to go to Corinth at this time, no, not at "the 
 foliciration of St. PjuI himfclf: Perhaps it was bccaufche 
 ■W'ould not encourage or give the leait countenanie to a 
 fsiHion wki..h was not there begun imder the authority 
 of his naine, I Cor. i. 12. Some faid, I am cf A polls s. A 
 pious and prudent minillcr of Jefus Chriil fecks not his 
 own applanfc, ot his people's admiration ; biit what he does 
 is w iih a fpecial rcfpecl to their edification in holincfs, for 
 prtTerving tmiiy .ind promoting love among er.ch other. 
 Afterwards, when St. Paul had by his cpiftle allayed inofc 
 heats, and hcaltil thofe divifions whUi prtvaiicd amongft 
 them, we find Apollos did return to Corinth, a:id was no 
 doubt very acceptable to them, and fc-rviceable a!t.ongft 
 them. 
 
 131 Watch ye, ftand faft in the faith, quit you 
 like men, be ftrong. 
 
 Three duties are here exhorted to, namely, watchfulnefs^,^ 
 fleadf.dlnefs in the faith, and holy foriitiide and cour.ige. 
 (i.) Watchfidnefs, a neceiTary and daily duty ; we cannot 
 be fafe one moment without it ; fomeihing wc miif> watch 
 over, fomething wc mill watch againll, and 'fomething wc 
 muff watch for. We muft watcn over our thoughts, our 
 words, our ^flirns; we muft watch againfl aUfin, all ap- 
 pearance of fm, all temp'aiions to fin, airoccaficns of fin- 
 ning ; wc tiiufl watch for all opportunities of glorifying 
 God, all opportimities of doing eood to others, all oppor- 
 tunities of receiving good from others. (2. j Sttadfaltoefs 
 
 in the f .i;h : Perfever.incc in the faiih of Chrifl, and (If : d- 
 f-itiiefs ill hi« holy reli;. inn, is the (rrcat and mdifpeniihle 
 diiy of rvcrv Cbrifli.mihr.t has a due regaid to liij fid's 
 f..Ivali, n : Wutch ye, {.and f,.J] in ll ' faith. (3.) Chrif- 
 tian forliri He, and !• ly coiirapo ; .^7// yotirfeh'rs lite mftt, 
 re fnng : Where we have the Chtiitian's fpiriiual encniics 
 fi.ppofed and inijilicd, fin, Satan, and the world ; and Ids 
 (k.'ty declared, and himfclf tncouractd to play the rran, in 
 < ppofing, or contending with, and flriving againl} them.' 
 V'erily a Chriftian, r.bovc nil men, needs courjge Cit.d rtfo- 
 lution ; he can do nothing as a Chiiflian, but it is t.w r£l 
 of valour; it requires much more- courage to be a Chrif- 
 tian, than to bo a captain. Alas ! how many of ihe valiant 
 fword-men of the world have fliewcd themfr1ve« mere 
 cowards, who have come out cf tl;e field with vicJ<ry, and 
 banners difjjlayed, but after all lived and died flavts at home, 
 flavc's to their bafe lufts ! It requires more pro«cf«, more 
 bravery and greatnefs of fpirit to conquer ourfclves, than t« 
 command an army of men : Therefore, quit ye like nun, 
 bejlrcng. 
 
 14 Let all 3'cur things be done with charity. 
 
 Our apoflle having in the beginning of this cpiflle re- 
 proved the Coiinihians for their uncharitable fchifms and 
 imchriftian divifions, he concludes his cpiflle with this ex- 
 cellent rule of advice. To do all things in love, one for, 
 •Tnd one towaids another. Where a true principle of 
 Chrifiian charity prevails amongftthe members of a church, 
 it will cart out ftlfirtinefs, pride, env\, and divifif:n, and 
 keep them from rafh cenfuring, defpifing, and abufing one 
 another, and alfo from fcparating from the cinimiuiioii of 
 each ether. The fum of all the commandments, both 
 towards God, ar.d tow.Trds nii^fednit)ou r, is love , it \^ not 
 praying, heating, or receiviflflj^ne Lord's table, which is 
 the fulfilling of the commandment, but whm thefe dir'ies 
 are done in love ; and wc may do many thinu'S coinmanded 
 towards men, yst if we d» them not in hwc to men, we 
 do nothing as the Lord commanded ; therefore, let cU 
 things be done with chanty. 
 
 15 I befecch you, brethren : ye know the hoiife ' 
 of Stephanas, that it is the firft-fruits of Achaia, 
 and that they have addifled themfeJves to the mi- 
 niflry of the faints : 16 ^ That ye fubmit yonr- 
 fch'cs unto fuch, and to every one that hclpcth 
 with us and labourcth. 
 
 NotehcTC, I. The honourable mention which Sf. Paul 
 makes of S'ephanas and his houfe ; they \\ere the the firll- 
 frwits of Achaia.; that is, the firfl there converted to Chrif- 
 tiiniiy. It is a great honour to be in Chrift bctore others : 
 Happy thev that come in at the call cf Chiiit, even at the 
 lalt hour ; btit thrice happy thofe that come in at the fiift, 
 who are the fiift ripe tn.iis i;nto God. 2 What gfx d 
 proof andr tvidencc Stephanas gave of the finceriiy of )iis 
 early converfion : He addicted himjtif to theniinijiry tf the 
 faints ; that is, he was very forward to aflill the poor faints 
 •with his effa'e nrd labour. There is no bitter evidence of 
 our imcrtft in Chrifl, than an tntiic atJldion, and opeiuti\c 
 
 compuir.on 
 
GnAr. XVI. 
 
 ConipaiTion towanis all our fellow-nicmbcrs in Clirift for 
 grace's fake. -]. The great deference and regard, the fpc- 
 ci.il refpea and honour which was due, and is here com- 
 mand.-l to be paid, to Stephanas, for his minilkring to the 
 poorfiiints thnt were in want : Siihiut yAirfdves unto fuch -. 
 that is, s^ive reverence and he noiir to them, and to all (uch 
 as are like unto them, who laboured with thoapoaie inthc 
 furthering of the gofpel. 
 
 17 1 am glad of the coming of Stephanas and 
 Fortanatus andAchaicus: forthat which was lack- 
 in^ on vour part they have fiipplied. 18 For they 
 have retVeilicd my Ipirit and your.> : thcrelorc ac- 
 knowledge ye them that are luch. 
 
 It is very probable that the faithful in the church of Co- 
 rinth did fJiid thefe three pcrfms. namely, Stcphanns, For- 
 ttmatu?. and Achaic.15, to St. P.iul, at this time at Ephcfu'!. 
 to acquaint him widi the (late of the church, the rents and 
 fchifms that were amongfl them ; and to defire the inter- 
 pofnreofhis authority, and the e\ercife of his apodolical 
 power, in order to the healing of thofe unhappy breaches. 
 Now, fays the apoftle, I was glad of the coming of ihefc 
 nicn, whom you fentviih letters of inquiry to me ; tor 
 that account of your affairs which %fas lackmg on your 
 part in your letter, they have fnpplied : I am glad, I l.-.y, 
 for they have refreflied my fpirit with their prefence and 
 dilcourfe, and will at their return refrefli yours alio ; there- 
 fore acbinvhd^c ye them that nrejuch, own their (trviccs, 
 and lionour thcni for the fame. There is a tribute of 
 double honour, refpert and reverence, due and payable to 
 fuch as labour in ihc church's fc-vice, even luito wcariiefs, 
 and are willing to fpend and he fpeni in fuch fervices as 
 they are capable of, for the beii. U of the church in general, 
 or any member thereof in particdar. 
 
 19 Thcchurchesof Aliafahiteyou. Aquilaand 
 Prifcilla fahite you much in the Lord, with the 
 church that is in thfir hoiifc. 20 All the brethren 
 erect you. Greet ye one another with an holy kits. 
 2 1 The (itlutation of iw Paul with mine own hand. 
 
 Here our apofllc clofes his cpilUe with fcveral f:ihita!i<n)s 
 
 to the Corinthian?, from the churches of Afia, from Aquila 
 
 and Pfifcilhi, and from the church in their houfe ; that is, 
 
 fr«m their Chrillian family, or froru the Chriftian alfrmbly 
 
 vhichufidio meet in the'ir lioiMc for the worfhipping of 
 
 G(xl. Happy that family-snvernor, who has a ctun\!i in 
 
 Ids lioufe. with Aquila and Prilcilh ; who worftips God 
 
 with all his houfe, as did Cornelius ; who with his houf- 
 
 hold ferves the Lord, as did Jolhua ; who comniands his 
 
 children and his houlhold after him, as did faithful Abra- 
 
 • ham. 2. The nature and manner of this falutation ; 
 
 They fMlute ycu inihe lord ; that i.s with a fpiritual afFec- 
 
 Tion, for the grace of Gi<d that is in you. and wdhing you 
 
 an overflowing ilrcain offpiritual blcirmgs from Chrilt \y. 
 
 fotmtain. "N:xt, he wills them to faliite one another with 
 
 an holy kifs, akifs of peaceand ch::riiy, with which Chrif- 
 
 tians in thofe times, and according to ihe cjllom of ihofe 
 
 countries, ufe.l to falute one another; this was not then a 
 
 wauton, but aa holy kifs, iu whivU they Iwd chaflc atiii 
 
 L CORINTHIANS. 
 
 %7 
 
 holy thoughts ; yet aftcrv.?arJ.<!, ihrf piety and purity of the 
 church degcncnting and declining, it was thought fit and 
 convcnien^t to lay this kifs of charity afide, which was ufcd 
 in the public aflctnblies at the celebration of the holy com- 
 munion. That which is iimocent in itfeh", and pious in 
 its firfl intendment, may in time full under fuch abufe, as 
 to caufc it to be wholly laid aiide. I.aftly, Headds his own 
 falulation with his own han.l. It isgencrullv believed, that 
 the apoftle einployed foir.e perfon to write his epiilles oyer, 
 which he fent abroad unio the churches; yet that he might 
 prevent fraud and firgcry, an I that they might knov.- which 
 were hi-, own, he 'illd to fibfcibc his falulation siul apof- 
 tolical bcnediclion with his own hand, wliich was well 
 known unto them. 
 
 2 2 If any nnn love n6t the Lord Jefus Chriftv 
 let him be anathema, Maran-ath,i. 
 
 That is, If any man flo either nppofe Chrifc and his gof* 
 pel, or apolbiize and batkilidc from his lioly profcnion.aiid 
 thereby difcover he had no finccrc love for Ch rift, let him 
 be accurfc<l till the Loid comes to judgment ; and wfi^M 
 he comes to judginent, let him wi'hout repentance lie undt r • 
 a dreadful-, yea." an eternal curie. AW here, I low .that 
 thofe who do not finccrcly love our I.orJ Jefu7, arc iuid-:r 
 the heavied and blttcreft of divine curies. Oh/nve, i. Ths 
 groutid or caufeofthis curfe ; the nnt loving of Jefus 
 thriil : He doth not f.iy. If any man hnte Chrift, or re- 
 proach and blafpheme him, or pcrfccutc and injure him ^ 
 but, if he doth not love him. The bate want of this af- 
 fedion to Chriil, is enough eternally to feparate us from 
 Chrid. 2. The nature of this curfe: Let lim he anatlirti 
 J\!eirt!n-aih,T. The apoftic pronounces the cisrfc in iw.i 
 langna'cs, (Jreek and Syriac.to denote both the vehcniencv 
 of his own fpirit in fpeaking, and the certainty otthc i!iii<g 
 fpoken ; or perhaps to fhew, that men of al! nations r,nd 
 languages, who love not Chrift, arc under a curfe, aii<l that 
 they arc defcrvedly curfed atnong all nations. The Greek 
 wor I, an.'ilhema, fignities execruUe ; the Syriac word Ma- 
 raii—atha, is a compound of Maran, Lord, and Jthc.ii, he 
 civieth. Thefe words were ultd anciently in the melt 
 dreadful fcntcncc of excommtmication; as it they had cited 
 the perfon to the tribunal of Chriil, at his coming to juilge 
 the world, or left him bound under the curfe of that fen- 
 tence until the coming of Chrift. 3. Thcextentof tliis 
 curfe: If an) man \ rs if he had faid, Let him, be who 1.3 
 will, that loves not Chrifl, Jew or Gentile, bond or free, 
 male or female, rich or poor, young or old, prince or pen- 
 fsnt, king or beggar, who have opportunities to know 
 Chriil, and yet do not love him, let him be accurfcd by h.ini 
 to eternrd ages ; let him be fully feparatcd from the fociciy 
 ofChrilUans here in this world, and from all fellowfJiip 
 and Communion with Chrift finally in the world to couk-. 
 The fuin is,That thofe who love not our Lordjcfus Chri.;, 
 much more thofe who wilfully hate and oppofe him and iiii 
 holy iawr, are accurfed p-rfons in this lite, and devotci to 
 dciiriidion her',- ; but when our Lord fltall come to jiidg« 
 the world at the lail: and great day, they (hall be .■:ccurrcii 
 more openly and.folemnly ; when they (hell fland beforis 
 that impartial Judge of the world, they fiiall receive fniu 
 his mouth a ii:*.! malediction, an irrcverliblc exccrati in, 
 4 T uhi.i, 
 
P(i8 
 
 II, • C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 •> >. 
 
 Chap. r. 
 
 lul 
 
 wliich fliall be immcdiutcly fucccdctl* wiih the angtiifli a 
 torments of eiernity. 
 
 23 The grace of our Lord Jefus Clirift hewkU 
 you. 24 My love be with you all in Chrill Jelus. 
 Amen. 
 
 Nctf hcT\ Our apofflc's va!cHi£tion ; it is a benciliflion: 
 He tjkts his larcwtl ol tlieiii with prayer for ihcm i '27.e 
 
 irace, or gracious favour, of Ch rift bi rvith y.u, and rrnjhi 
 ply all bleinnt;s, both fpiiitiial ami tempural, upon yon ; I 
 am Aire I luve you all in Ciirill Jefus, and tor his {.\V 
 Happy it is vvhtn miniflcrs can take thtir farcwel < I ihci 
 flocks in this inanncr, uiih fervent fupplications for them, 
 and with fulcmn, yet fcriou.^ prottlbii.ins of the fcn-tuir of 
 their love, and the ardency of their aflxftion towards il.cm. 
 A I tun. 
 
 THE 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CORINTHIANS. 
 
 The occafu-n of St. Paul's wril'wg thh fecond epljlh to the Corinthians, -am to vindicate his perfonfrm. divers impuKiti- 
 
 cm which wen charged upon him hy the falfe ap^Jlks, and to dtfcnd his miiuflry and apcjllrjhip asraimjl fnr.e 
 
 (hat firaght to bring both hiinfelf and ihixt into difgrace and contnnpt : Suchontmpn as Jludy," and feek 
 
 that the)' may excel to the edifying of the church, mujl expea to encounter with theviolm cppMon, andvi 
 
 riunl impuiaiions cjmcn ojpcrverfe minds, who either cannot, or will not, do Jo well th ■'''™' ' - 
 
 xmtli the mol 
 
 t^Sm 
 
 Our great apofik here 7oai charged hy the falfe apcjlks with inconflancy, in prcmifn^fHlf^e to Cor'mih, and ntt 
 crmng; with pride and iinporioufnefs, i<.vM vanity and vain glory, in reference to the mcfluoiis perfon- 
 they reprefenting hm as ccntemptible in ks perfon, as defpicable in his minipy. JJc tJiercfore ccmfutes yea' 
 (orfundshis adverfancs hy a new and untfual way cf arguing ; nar.iely, by boa/ling of his fujfe rings 'glory- 
 ing in tlum and giving a large catabgue and long mvcntoiy cf them ; he difplays his calamities, bla'zom his 
 crcjfes, vindicates las perfon and authority from contempt, clears himfcf fom the charge and impiUation cf 
 levity and vain glory by rehcarfing the good f^-vices he had dene, and the fufferings he had undergone for 
 the fake of Christ, and his holy religion. V/'hence rue learn, That it is neither mchriftian or unfeemly to 
 marge vpM cur oim afttons and fufferings, when there is a great and ncceffary cccanm fo to do, namely 
 when the glory rf Cud, the credit of oar holy religion, and ajif, vindication cf our own integrity and iiinocencv^ doth 
 rejuivr I ■'■■'A rail frit. ■ o y j. 
 
 C H A P. L 
 
 PAUL an apofllc of Jefus Chrifl by the will of 
 Cod, and Timothy our brother, unto the church 
 of Cod which is at Corinth, with all the faints 
 which are in all Achaia ; 2 Crace be to you, and 
 peace from God our Father, z.nd from the' Lord Je- 
 lus Chrift. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The writer of this epiftic dcfcribcd by 
 Jus name, Paul; by his office, nn (ti.yUe of Jefus Chrifi \ 
 with the manner how he obtained this ofEcc of an apofllc) 
 
 namely, ly the will of Cod; it wrs not man, but God that 
 called him to the apoOlefliip. It is of great concern and 
 confequence both to minifters and people to be fully in- 
 formed, and thoroughly fatisfied, of that divine call, whic!» 
 their fpiritnal guides have to come amongll them ; that the- 
 minifters may be abte to fay, " Wc come fo you in the 
 name of the Lord i" and the people may be able to reply, 
 •' We receive you as ambafiadors from the Lord unto us'." 
 Paul an apoftU hy the will of Gcti. 2. A perfon conjoined 
 with St. Paulinthe writing of this epiftle, and he is alfo 
 defcribed two ways ; by his name, Timoihy ; by his relation 
 eur brathir. Where mte, The great huaiility and ctnd,.- 
 
 fccnQon 
 
Ch ap. I. 
 
 II. C O R I X T H I A N S. 
 
 Jefccnfion of St. Paul, that thoii^^h far fupcrior to Timo- 
 tliy_ in years, and more tranfcendent in oi\kc, and more 
 e:r.inent in grace, yet he doth not aiTiimc and arrogate ail to 
 hinifclf, but makes ?nother fit, as it were upon the throne 
 iviih him ; fo humble andcondefcending was this holy man 
 to onf fo far inferior to him, both in olficc and grace. Ac/e 
 :_!fo, The happy advantage of Timothy in being with St. 
 Paid, and having the happy privilege of being inflru(5led 
 :inl diredcd by fo great an a]>naic; happy was "it for youn" 
 J imothy, ilut ever he came into old Patd's family. Lc/int 
 thfnce, That it is an lu-ppv advantage to fucli who in their 
 vounger years arc dedicated to, and defigncd to be fct .npart 
 f'-rthe work of the minillry, to be under the infpcaion 
 lid care, the guidance and coniluct of thofe whf> are more 
 ;;«!, and better experienced than themftKes : Paul n» a- 
 llje, andTuMthy our brother. 3. The pcrfons to whom 
 i.iis epillle is written and dirci^cd, To the church of Cid 
 which is at drinth : Corinth was a city famous for wealth 
 and riches, but mofl infamous for lewdnefs and unclean- 
 iiefs ; here was a temple dedicated to Venus, where were 
 a thoufand virgins fet apart lobe proftituied to the Infls of 
 men ; fo thai: the Greek, to C^rlnthizc, is as much as 
 to b; lafcivious and unchaflc ; and after many of them 
 •vvcre converted to ChrilHaniiy, yet did the lln of unclean- 
 ncfs fo much abound amongif them, that the apodle doth 
 induftnoufly fet himfelf againll it, and warns them of liie 
 lin andd:nger of it, in bolh his epifUes wrote unto them 
 However, as bad as Corintli was, God told Paul, Afls 
 xvii. that he had much people in that city ; and accord- 
 inoly, he fpent ayear and a half amongft ihem, in preach- 
 ing to them, in convening and confirming of them. Lmm 
 thence, That even amongll .the moft profane and uiilikc- 
 licfl people upon earth, God tn v, and fonietimes doth, 
 gather a church untohimfcl/. S.e what monllers of men 
 tlicfe Coiiiithians were, I Xor. vi. it. in)orem',>in-rf 
 cJuhereru tffcir.incle, aliifers of t'.emfehiei with tnr.nCirtc/'- 
 and he tells them, not only fi;ch pcrfons, but .alfo, f,,ch 
 i-:rsgs \\cxt fomeofthem, hut niw tviijhecl, &o. O the 
 ■.ereigniy and wonderful cfncacy of the grace of God, in 
 > iyanfingfouh, more black than ever was Ethiopian's face' 
 1 hough man cannot, yet God can, and fomciimes does 
 caule figs to grow on thorn';, nnd grapes on thirties. 4. 
 Our apoflle's fahitation of, and prayer for this church at 
 Corinth: Grace be to ym, and j.ecice f rwi Cod our Father 
 and fpm the Lord Jrfus ChrijL \Vhcre mtc, i. The 
 m:rcics and blelTings prayed for, grace and neacc, fpiri'ual 
 blefThigs and ccmprehenfive blcflTngs, z. The oriijinal 
 caufcand fpring from whence ihnfe blcffing.-; (low, from 
 Co<l the Faiher, and from Jcfus Chrift ; from the Fa'her 
 as thc^tontal caufe, and from Chriit as the procuring caufe 
 the difpcnf^r of thefe bIclTinfjs. A gocvd arfr.,nicnt to prove 
 the divinity of Chrill : He that can diCpenfe '-race ml 
 pesce, of, and from himfelf : is God ; but ChriPt doth this 
 i oJ^r"^^? ^'-" " ^ '*^- ^"'" '"■' '■ '■■"^mdpeucefrom our Urd 
 
 3 ^ BlefTod he God, even the Father of our Lord 
 
 J.lus Chnd. the F.uher of merctos-. and the Cod 
 
 ol all comfort; 4 Vv'ho con.foitcih us in ali our 
 
 ibulatjon, that we may l>o able to coinforr thc>n 
 
 %7 
 
 winch are in any trouble, by thr romfort wherewith 
 we ourfelvcs are comforted of God. 
 
 hote here, i. The fever.nl gracious and comfortable titles 
 which the apofllc gives to Almighty God: He flyles him, 
 ( i.j The Fstl'er cf our Lordjejus Chriji ; fo he is by na- 
 ture ; and Chrift his Son by eternal and ineffable gene- 
 ration : For as the words, cur Lird, r.fcribcd here to Chrilf, 
 do not exclude the Fa:htr from being Lord ; fo the word, 
 God, afcribed here to God the Father, excludes not Chri(t 
 fronj bcmg our God ; and as God is the Father of Chrift, 
 f' he is a Father in him to all that have union with him. 
 {'^■) The ffitliercf menus ; amort amiable a«d comfon- 
 al)le rclaiion ^ not the Father of mercv, or a merciful 
 Father barely ; but the F.-.iht-r of mercii-s, in the plural 
 number, to denote the grcatncfs and multitude of liii mer- 
 cies, and that all mercy (lows from him only and i'rccly.as 
 lircams from r.n ovcrfiovving and never-failing fountain. 
 (^■) _7he God c/ e.\'i ccm/crt ; bccalifc by giving lijs holy 
 Spirit, the Comforter, he is the author of all that confola- 
 tion which is conferred upon us. a. The duty here per- 
 formed by theapoNle, that of ble fling God.or thanklgivinn; 
 B/eJ/cd ie God, &:c. Learn, That blefling and prai:iiu' 
 God for all mercies, but efpecially for fpiritual mercies, is 
 a duty which ali the people of God oi;ght efpecialiy to b« 
 careful of, and abounding in ; the more vcu bkfs God, 
 the more you (hall have caufe to blcls him • he will mulii- 
 ply bleiUngs upon you for your thankfulnefs to him. -5. 
 Fhe particular favour which the apoftle bleiles and praills 
 Gcd fcr ; namely, for comforting his children in e.ll their 
 tribulalion^. Leiirn hence. That as God is the f^rdy com- 
 foiterol his people at sli times, fo he is their bell comforter 
 in the worft ot tim.es. There is no tribuiation^creffiic't- 
 ion that the people of God can fall into, but God can and 
 will comfort them therein : Bl.gid he God zvho ccmforlcth 
 us 111 all cur trihidations. 4. The gracious end and merci- 
 ful defign of God in comforting his" faints- and fervants, in 
 .and under all their prc.Turcs, I'ribidations, and aftliaions ; 
 It IS, That thry may he aide to covfort them id.ich arc In 
 Ircuhlc, by the comjcrt wherczcith ihcv //•e»i/chfs huive been 
 ccmforted of Cod. Learn hence, I'hat God doth oftcTi 
 exercile many of his minifters, and fomc of his par;icula» 
 famis .-•nd fervant-sin a very exemplary manner, with triiTls 
 and af^lidions, for thisgrcateiid amongll others, that tii;v 
 may be experimentally able to inftrua and comfort firf', 
 who either are or may hereafter fall intt) the fame difo 1;' 
 folate conditif-n with thcmfclvcs ; none fo fit to advifc ."iid 
 cnunfc!, to ii,ft:i;a r:id comfort a fuffcrinL; fniit, as an ai- 
 fliaed mniidcr or chriilLm, who have, together with their 
 aftiidions, experienced the favour of divine coiifolaiions : 
 That ivc may conifort oth:ers, as ue ourfelvcs Lave Lcen r,;f,t 
 cd cf God. 
 
 5 For as the fufFcrin;r.s of Chvin abo.ii,,; ,-., ,,. \o 
 our confolntion alfo aboundtth hy thrifl. 
 
 yv./,-hcrc, I. That the faints fufR rings arc cr.U«[ tFie 
 
 fup,ngsoJ CIrijL The Ixad fufTcrs in the nien-.bir; 
 
 bcc-iufj the members fufFer for the f^keofthc head 2' 
 
 1 h.Mhe fu.nr.« (ufFeiTr.gs in the caufe. and for ihc fake cf 
 
 L.TifN tsre fotr.eiimcs overflo.^ing and Lxc.tKvc f,,n-eii,.-c 
 
 ^ t:.e 
 
■oo 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 //;/ fnffcrhi^sofChrifliihcvndinvs. 3. Tliat asa Chriilian's iJii^ir own natural ftrcngth is iin.-ibJe to fiipport tliem under 
 "" "' ' '■ '""■■' '■ ' -• '" ' -'■1 thtiji, or carry them throiigli ihem. 
 
 9 But we had thefentcnceof death in ourfclves, 
 tliat we ftiould not trufl in ouifclvcs, but in God 
 which raifttb the dead. 
 
 fuftcrinqs arc for Clirill, fo arc their comforts anJ confol.i 
 tions from him ; yea, their comforts da bear fomc propor- 
 tion toiheir fiifferiiigs: As our fiiftl-rings abound, /s 
 
 Jolatkn /liouiUs by Chr'iJI. 
 
 6 And whether we be afHiflcd, it is for jour 
 confolation and falvalion, which is cflcftual in the 
 enduring of the fame futrcnn;^s which we alfo {uf- 
 |<;r : or whether we be comforted, it ii for yOur con- 
 iblalion and falvation. 
 
 As if tlic apofllc liad f^iJ, " What fufFcrings focvcr I 
 have met with in my niinillerial oliicc, you have liic benefit 
 of them, nnd fpccial advantage by ihem ; and therefore 
 voti on^ht not to dcfpifc me upon the account of my fuf- 
 fcringsr (as d:i th; falfe apoillcs, ahd would have you do) 
 but vou ought the more to honour me for tliem, and be 
 encouraged ^oiiiiUvcs by them ; and when I am comf^>rted 
 it i? btneficial for your confolation, inafnnich as you may 
 confidently cxpedl the fame relief." Learn hence, That 
 the fufferings and afiiiiSlions, which we endure for Chriil, 
 do not only turn to our own good, but redound greatly to 
 ihe good and beneflt of the church of God, and confe- 
 ij'.iently fliould not difanimate or diflicarttn our fellow 
 ciiriiiians, but rather be matter of comfort or confolation 
 to them ; Ifife hi aff.icled, /.' is Jur your confalrjiiii : Kc 
 ndd?, If we be comfoiieJ, it is for your confolation alfo : 
 Thereby plainly intimating tons, that Almighty God doth 
 by all his difpenfations, both of mercy andcorredlion, pro- 
 mote and carry oii th« falvation of his own children and 
 people. 
 
 7 And our hope of you is ftcdfafl, knowing that 
 
 0//J-r:r here, Tlie grc:it and eminent danger wMch the 
 apodle was in \ his very life wa< in a hazard, nay, cvemle- 
 fpaircd of ; he lociked u[)on hiirifi-lf. as a dead man : But 
 when he had thus fentcnced himfclt', a divine poxvcr, which 
 v/rought above all his thonidiis and rational conjeifliires, 
 reprieved him, and rt vi\i-d him. Hence /v/rH, That tl'.c 
 Almighty poucr ofG>M fornetimcs works bcynnd all crea- 
 ture exixdaiions, beyond all hurnaii probidjilitiis, beyond 
 all rational cotije£liires, to help and deliver his people in 
 liopelefs and hclplefs troubles. 
 
 10 Who delivered us from fo great a death, and 
 doih deliver: In wliom wc truft that he will yet 
 deliver u%. 
 
 Note here. The deliverer, God, the delivered, St. Patil 
 and the faints that were in Afia with him ; the delivcTance 
 iifelf, or the eminent and impending evil delivered from, 
 death, great death, fo great a death. Learn, 1. That in 
 times of great ant! eminent danger, God, and God alone, 
 is the immediate deliverer of his children and people. 2. 
 That it is the property of a gracious heart, to magnify and 
 enhance the deliverance of a gracious God : He hath de- 
 livered us from fa great a death, Uc. 3. That pad and pre- 
 fcnt experience of God's power and goodnels towards his 
 people,may and ought to encourage them to truft in him for 
 time to come ; former experience ought to encourage usto 
 future dependancc ; when wf can fay, God hath delivered 
 
 as you are partakers of the fuiffirings, iofiallyc be and doth deliver, let our faith'^dd, Jnhitn we iruft, that ht 
 
 alfo of the confolation. will yet deliver. 
 
 Here St. Paul tells the body of the Corinthians that he 11 You alfo helping together by prayer for us, 
 
 had a good hope concerning them, that as they had endured that for the gift htjiowtd, upon us bv the means of 
 
 fui^eri.v-s for Chrilt, fo they would Itill endure them ; .^ perfons, thanks may be "iven by many on 
 
 alluring them that they mould mare no lefs m confolation our behalf 
 than thevdid in afflidion. Learn hence, That fuch as fuf- 
 
 fer for Chrid.or own thofethat fuflcr for htm, (lull be in- Our apoftle having commemorated the goodnefs and 
 
 icrefled in all that joy and confolation which fuftlrings and power ot God in former deliverances, and exprefled his 
 
 fiifFeiers Ihall receive from (jod: As you are partakers --f '^-^ alTurance ofprcfent and future deliverances, doth in this 
 
 fifferings, fo flndl you he 'f the confolation alfo 
 
 8 For we would not, brethren, have you igno- 
 norant of our trouble which came to us in Aha, 
 that we were prelfcd out of ineafure, above ftrength, 
 infoinuch that wc defpaired even of life. 
 
 Olfr-je here, I. That it is of no ftnall benefit and ad- 
 vantage, but of excellent ufe tons, to know what arc the 
 troubles and afflidlions which do befal the fervants of God 
 for righteoufnefs fake : f-fe would not have you ignorant of 
 »ur troiiMe : 2. How prefling the troubles and afflidlions 
 
 verfe excite and exhort the faithful at Corinth to help and 
 further him with their prayers ; tlu tdjo helping together hy 
 prayer for us. Where note. The humility ot the apoftle, 
 in deliring the people's prayers for himfelf. Such as are 
 moft eminent in gifts and office, yea, in grace too, do 
 really want, and heartily defi re the help end benefit of their 
 prayers, who arc far inferior to the.n in the church of 
 God. And verily, the people do owe unto their fpiritual 
 guides, asadcbtof fervice, their carnell prayers for them ; 
 herein they are not only ferviceablc to them, but kind to 
 themfelves. Note, fartlier. The great reafon why St. Paul 
 
 ,.,.,., ,. i,:.u ,v.\c ^.^,/)K ,,. T, „. rr; 1 f was fo defirous of the Corinthians'prayers, that deliverance 
 
 were wliicn this apoltle underwent : //.vy were out of . . . , • . , , '^ -^ •,- , 1 > /■ • • 
 
 menfure, above flrer.gth, and even to the defpalrlng of life, and mercy being obtained thereby, prafe^n.\thanhfg,v,ng 
 
 Thence «./.. That God may, and fometimes does exercife ^'^^^^^ ""''"*='* '° ^°'^ on h.s behalf. Learn, That 
 
 Ws fervants with fuch extreme and prefting trials, that all y'^'^" ^^ P^y^/'^y "^e^!^y '^ «^'=^'"^'' ^y "f' " '^ °"'" ''"'y' 
 
 ^ o * by prailc and ihauklgiving, to acknowledge the lame to 
 
 God. 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 II. C O R I N T H I A M S. 
 
 701 
 
 God. Wl.at !■; obnMned bv prayer, fho»^W be owned l.y 
 thankfulnefs ; God forbi.i we Hk.u'.I bt clr.nv.n-us '..n oft.ng 
 favours, and dumb and to igue-nc:l m cdW: ui;..; ^U.m^.s. 
 
 12 ? For our rejoicing is this, tfife teflimonY of 
 our confcience, that in fimplicity and ^odly Imce- 
 vitv, not with flcOily wifJom, but by the ^racc of 
 God, we liave had our converfation in the wc: Id, 
 snd more abundantly to you-wnrds. 
 
 iV"f)icrc, i' T!i3t ihouch St. PauKli.l nut jn.t ..vnfi- 
 ('rn/c-imd Uv.i\ in las ili.ccri.yp^ful duiflian grace, yet he 
 Jc: ro.-.oc, and holiW glory in tl)c evidence ot his grace ; 
 .■,.,d 11! tbetcnimonvofa ilnccrc nn.l ..p.u-hi confcR-nce ; 
 Our rfwdrig is this. ' Lcam l.cnce, 1 hai an ludy jjloi) uig 
 and rcioicin^ in the graces of G.xl, ^vlm•l., upon go.K and 
 fniT-tcicpt i'rwmls wc iind evident iB^oiiifclvcs, is lawful and 
 al!i)vv.-ible" A chrll'.ian niry and onglit to rejoice, not only 
 in the confidence of ChriilV meiJLs _b.|l alfo in the con- 
 fcience of his own Hnceritv. KUf , 2, I he particular grace 
 e^idencid, which the apof.ic took comAirl in ; Hujhuen/y 
 and .,^Iy fimjlicity ; that is, liis upri-hincfs both, of heart 
 and 'life, "his freedom from guilt and hypocnfy. 1 iience 
 d,hzf. That the confcicncc of fincerity ts f.ich a crown of 
 rcioicincr, as xvill fupport achridian'j fpirit tinder and apamft 
 the erealeft difficulties V. Inch may arife in any ccndition- 
 This Cncciity difcovcrs itfclf in its acting hy a right lule, 
 from a ri)^ht principle, an 1 to a right end ; .and it f.ipports 
 a man's (pirit in the duty of prayer, tinder nander and re- 
 proach, in the dark ni^ht of affliction, in the dircon:olate 
 hour of death, and at the drcadfid day of judgment. Ai/r, 
 - Tint it is not a (ingle aa of fincerity, but a condant 
 courfc of upright walking, that onr apoftle rejoiced and 
 took comfort "in ; ff'e haze had cur tcm,rrJnt:on m the 
 U',r!d in aUfmilicity mi. gocd fincerity. It is not a Jingle 
 aaion, but a fcries of good aflions, that admin illers com- 
 fort : As God doth not judge of our natc and ccndition 
 by a particular adion, no more fhculd wc, but by the 
 general bent of our rcfoluiions, and the confVant cc.irle and 
 tenor of our converfations : Our rejoicivg is this, &c. 
 
 13 For we write none other things unto you than 
 what ye read or acknowledge, and I trufV ye Hiall 
 acknowledge even to the end ; 
 
 The apodle having affertcd his own fincerity and upright 
 converfation in the former vcrfe, he doth in this vcrfe make 
 his appeal to the confcienccs of the Corinthians for his 
 ju;1ification. It is a good demonnraiion of our uprightnefs, 
 when wc can not only appeal to CJoil as touching our fin- 
 cerity, but dare appeal to the confcienccs of men i for if, 
 through prejudice, they will not witli their mouths vouch 
 our integrity, vet fecretlv with their confcienccs they cannot 
 but bear witncfs te it. 'N;.'e, 1. The apoftle's having de- 
 clared, that he had his teflimonials, not only from his own 
 confcience, but from their's alfo ; he .adds, that he truflcd 
 tliis would hold and continue even to the end ; that is, to 
 the end both of his and their lives. As if the apoflle had 
 ■ faid, " My converfation had hitherto been acknowledged 
 by you to be fmcere and upright ; and I hope, as you fliall 
 never fee it otkerwifc by me, fo you will pcrfcvtrc and 
 
 continue in your good opinion and rieht judgment concern- 
 ing me, to t'hc end of your and my life." 
 
 14 As alfo ye have acknowledged us in part, 
 that we are ybiir rejoicing, even ?.s ye alfo arc ours, 
 in the day of the Lord jcfu8. 
 
 Afi/^here, i. The great trial vMch St. Pai;! met v i;h 
 from the Coiintliians, whofe fpiritual father he was; ihcugli 
 he had ferved ihtm with greit faiihftilncfs, yet they did ac- 
 hwxvhdac h':tn lu in fart. There Was a time uhcn he was 
 high in^heir cUeem ; Who but rati! r None but he : But 
 now a great part Irave hiin, and •■.dmire oihcis. Ltirn 
 licncc. What great levity, ficklcnefs and inecnf.ar.cy ir.;iy 
 be found in good men in general, and what great iiiui;ibi- 
 litv and changcablencfs of attiaio:-. in particular to their 
 mir.iikrsr,nd?piri!ual guides, ihoi'gh never fo finccre r.iiJ 
 faithful. Although St. Paul, with a- laboiious diligei.ce, 
 and divint fucctis, had i.Iantcd snd propagated the Chrif- 
 tian faith amongft them, yet now, not e.nly his perfon, but 
 his very office, falls under contempt by many of them. 
 None more than miniiicr? do experience this truth, that 
 nothing is fo m.utable as the mind of man : Though mi- 
 niftcrs arc the fame, and their mcITage the fame, though 
 they continue burning and fhining lights, though they burn 
 out, and rr.nfuir.e life, health, and elhte, among and for 
 their people, yet it is only for a Icafon, for an hour, for a 
 fliort time, at their firfl coming ainongft them, that they 
 rejoice in their light : You hcie adr.'.u-lcdged us in part. 
 Kite, 2. That notwlthftanding the contempt caft upon St. 
 Paul by fomc in the church at Corinth, yet there were 
 others arriong them \f\\o did greatly rejoice in him, and 
 bitfs God for him, and lie for them I //> are your rrjuc- 
 i>:g, and ye ere ours, as being converted by us ; and I triifl 
 we fhali be a farther joy aiurmutual rejoicing e.ach to other 
 in the day of our Lord Jcfiis. Learn hence, What i:n- 
 fpeakable rejoicings and joyful congratulations there will he 
 in the day of Chrift between laborious faithful niinii'tcrs 
 and their believing obedient hearers. " Lord ! (will the 
 Chriflian fay) this was the blefled indrumcnt under God, 
 of iny happy illumination and converfion ; by the biefling 
 of thy Spirit upon his m.iniftry, tr.y foul was begotten unto 
 '^' "^ ' But, on the -other hand, if wc be ignorant or 
 
 Cliriih jy..>, V, «, — , .. ..- -- -- 
 
 lazy, inilkilful or unfaithful, in onr office, our people will 
 come in againft us fwift witncfies in the day of Cluiit : 
 And, Lord! what an intolerable aggravation -ivillitbe of 
 our mifcry in hell, to have any of our people thus upbraid- 
 ing us ! " O cruel man ! that fawcll my foul in danger, 
 but never dealt plainly and faithfully witk me ; the fame 
 time that we fpent together in fin and vanity, in fcnfual 
 mirth and jollity, might have been indrumental to fave us 
 both from this place of torment." Let minifters confidcr 
 thcinfclves as witncflcs for Goel, and their people as wit- 
 neflcs for or againft them ; and, under that confideraiioii, 
 lo Rudy, preach, and pray, fo live, walk, and ad, that 
 thev may, with this great apoflle, take God to record, that 
 tluv arc free from the blood of all men. 
 
 15 5 And in this confidence I was minded to 
 come unto you before, that ye might have a fecond 
 benefit ; 
 
 Kite 
 
703 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS 
 
 Chrill finil tint God has larther convening work, or edify 
 ing work for lliem to do in a particular place amongft his 
 people, they v. ill not, they mult not, yea, iliev dare not 
 Ibrluko tlic.ni for outward advantages. 2. The end of St. 
 I'liul's ptirpofc and rcfoliition to come unto them, That 
 they might hetve ajtctr.d benefit. The firfl benefit was their 
 converlion, ihc fccond benefit was their confirmation ; 
 confirmation in the faith, and reformation, both in life and 
 nunncis. It is not fiifficient, that by our miniflry we plant 
 a church, anJ ;^athcr a people out of the world by external 
 and vifible profeffion ; but there is farther need of daily in- 
 <iullry, and continual care, to water wTiat we have planted, 
 to cultivate and drcfs that corner of our Lord's vineyard, 
 which is under our particular infpcdion and care. O that 
 our people had hearts to cry our, and fay. Lord, not the 
 firfl time only, but the fecond, yea, all my life; make ine 
 part.ikcr of this benefit. 
 
 16 And to pafs by you into Macedonia, and to 
 coine g-iin out of Macedonia unto you, and of 
 you (.0 be brought on my way towards Judea. 
 
 A'e.V h?re, i. Tiow the he.nrt of this holy apodlc was 
 carried forth in the fcrvicc of God and fouls, and how ac- 
 cordin;5ly he orders all hisjournits from one place to an- 
 oihcr and determines his continuance and (lay, longer iri 
 one place than another, as tlic glory of God, the advatitafc 
 of the gofpcl, and the church's neceflities did require : / 
 • o'fig'* !' pffs hy ytu into Macedonia, &:c. It is the duty of 
 tlv minidcrs of Chrift, not only to lay out thcip.felves for 
 the glory of Goil, and the (>ood of fouls, but to projcii>, 
 {•jrccaft, and contiivc how they may do it in the nioft ad- 
 vantegfous manner, for the furtherance of the gofpel. Yet, 
 Vite, 2; The dilftM-ence between this extraordinary apoftlc 
 then, and ordiiury paffors of the church now. The apoftlts 
 iiad .m jmiverfal commilTion to plant churches in all places - 
 thty \ycrc to be in conHant travels \\^ and down the vrorld, 
 iiinrrary preachers from place to place : ButtheofTice of 
 t<n oulinary pallor now is, to watcii over a particular (lr>k, 
 and to keep conftant refidcncc amon<jft thcrn. Yet tho-^rh 
 Ijy a>5liial rclarioii he is tied and bourid to a pariicidar flock, 
 he is, bv hahituul and aptitudinal difpoiiiion, a minifter of 
 the iiniverfal' church, and a debtor to the public tjood 
 Ihercpf. He is fit ft tnade a nniniftcr in the nnivcrfal church, 
 cml then a pallor of a particiil.ir confi;rcga!ion : And accoid- 
 inglv, thoiioh he fecks the interelt of his own flock fii (1, 
 ^•cr it is his duty, by prayer, by ihidy, by preaching, by 
 writing, by all oMicr edifying ways and niethotls, to'pro- 
 ir:otc thcunivcrfal good and benefit of the whole church of 
 "Chrifl, according to his power^oth far and near. 
 
 17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I ufe 
 lii^htnefs ? or the tJiiiig.s that I purpofc, do I pur- 
 poCe acrordirx^' to the flefii, that with 
 ilioulU he yey, }ed, and n.iy, nay ? 
 
 me 
 
 there 
 
 the matter fo far, as if he wcra one that faid aiid unfaid, 
 one tliat took no care about keeping his word ; and thence 
 inferred, that no regard was to be had to anv thing that he 
 delivered. " He that is not to be relied upon, fay the falfe 
 apoflles, In his ordinary nromifcs, how can you depend 
 upon what he fays to you in his preaching ?" Hence lenni^ 
 That lightnefs and inconftancy is a gieat fin and reproach 
 in any, but efpecially in the ujiniders of the gofpel, who " 
 yet arc often charged with it, when thcv are in no degree 
 guilty of it. Nile, 2. As our apoftie frees hiinftlf frofti . 
 the charge of inconflancy, fo from the fufpicion of a£tin^ 
 for wordly advantage : The things "which I purpofe, do I 
 ptirpofi according to the f.cfti ? That is, for carnal ends or 
 fccular interert, that with me there fltoidd b: now, Yea, 
 yea; and anon, Nay, nay. R<. hold here ! what truth and 
 flcaiiinefs was fot;nd in and with our holv apoftlc ; how 
 his words and intentions, his tongue and his heart, his pen 
 and his purpofe were one, namely, in reality to come unto ' 
 them, though he was provIJentiMlly hindered and obftrufled. ' 
 Here let us reinark and r.ole. What little things the men of 
 the world will t.ike advantage fro.m, to vilify and lellcn the 
 rcptitati(,ri of GckI's faithful fcrvants, efpecially his nii- 
 ni/lers. How many perfons might ha^•e promifed to be in 
 fuch a place, at fitch a time, and have failed, without being 
 reproached for breach of proniife ? The world. woidd have 
 been fo charitahle to another perfon, as to have cxcufcd it ; 
 by faying, " The man fpake according to his prcfent in- 
 tention and refoltition, but was hindered by the providence 
 of God;" but if Paid fails in a tittle, he mud be loaded 
 prefently, upbraided for his inconflsncy, or which is worfe, 
 charged v\ith playing fad atul loofe for finidcr ends, and 
 woildly advantages. Lord, give thy fervants, efpecially 
 thy minifters, wifdom to Walk with exaclncfs and ciicum'- 
 fpeclion before the rnen of the world, who are their watch- 
 fid obferVers, ami boldccnfurers, that they may cut off all 
 occafioii from them that lock occaiion againd them. 
 
 18 But ai God '^ ?'"•' our word toward you was 
 not yea and nay. 
 
 By the tr;r// here, fome undcrftand St. Paul's proniife 
 to Qoxf^Q, to Corinth, that he did very feriouflv intend to 
 come unto them ; as if he had fuid, " As God is true to. 
 his promifc, fo has he taught mc fo be true to mine.'' 
 Others tindcrdand by the u'i/y/, Sr. Paul's prerch.ing, that 
 hisdo<flrinc was not rnutable and changeable, but aK\;;ysihe 
 faiTie. Here ivAe^ How ready and forward die advcrfiiries 
 of reli'_'ion are, from a;iy real or fnppofcd imperfedlions in 
 the miniders of God, prefently to blame and burthen ihe'r 
 minidry, to charge their private errors and mitlakes uporr 
 thtir doftriiic. There is a rnighiv propcnfiiv, arirl great 
 forwardnefs in bad men, to cait -11 the io-pcrfcdlions of the 
 miniders of the gofpel upon their minidry and dnilrine. 
 The devil is (dad of an upportuu'tv, bv ijie failings of 
 preachers, to brin^ tlip doiSlriufs they preach cithci int<» 
 
ClIAP. I. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ro3 
 
 doubt or difcilccm. But though it be a great rcpivjach for 
 a minifter to be mutable and contradiilory in his dodlriae, 
 yd the wicked world do often acciifc them of it, and ihargc 
 them wiih ii, whet^ there is not the leaft occalion foi it : 
 l^iriiy, as GcJ it true, our wird was not I'ca and Nay. 
 
 19 For the Son of God, Jefus Chrift, who was 
 preached ntnong you by ms, evm by me and Syl- 
 vanus and Timolheus, was not yea and nay, but 
 in him was yea. 
 
 Tiie vcrfc contains a new argument for the conflancy 
 nn<l imniiit:ibilitv f>f St. PumI's doiitrine, drawn from the 
 f;ihje<51 matter of iiis preaching ; namely, Jefus Chrifl. As 
 Chrid is 'always or>e and the fame, whom himfelf and other 
 niiniflers ihd preach, fo i< our dodtrine one and the fame 
 aifo. Note here, i. The fubjc<S matter of St. Patd's 
 preachiiu;, what was the fuin of his own and his compa- 
 nions fermon?, fSylvanus and Timotheus,) it was not his 
 own imaginations, or the Jcwifh rites and ceremonies, but 
 Chriit in his naf.ire and otiices : The Son of God, Jefus 
 Chrifl, tvai preached among yoH hy us. Note, 2. The happy 
 unity and sccord, witich was found among all thefe minif- 
 ters, St. Paul, Sylvaniis and Timotheus, in preaching 
 Chriil. O blelFed ae;reemcnt ! when ail the rninillers oV 
 G(k! with one confent confpire and agree to advance 
 and extol our Lord Jefus ChrilK 3. That the courfe of 
 St. PauFs agd his iiflllhmts preachins:, was, like the great 
 fiibjciJI of their preaching, Chrifl Jefus, fixedly and un- 
 changeably the fame ; not jm at one time, and nay at an- 
 other, iiwv;/ thence, That it is a proper note of God's 
 truth, and the true preachers thereof, that they are always 
 one and the fame, always yea, and not yea and nciy ; there 
 is no change or contrariety iti their doctrines. 
 
 20 For all the promifes of God in hira are Yea, 
 and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 
 
 Our apdftle had proved in the foregoing vcrfe the con- 
 ftancy ot his own dodriiie, wliich he preached from the 
 iniiiiitability and conftanfy ofChriO, the fiibjea of it. 
 Here he provcth Chrilt to be unchangeable, in that all the 
 promifes which God had made to us, are fulfilled both in 
 him and by hi;n. All the promifes of Gcd in him are }7a 
 e;id Amen \, that is, verified and fulfilled in him, and con- 
 firmed by him to \k. Learn, i. That God has made 
 promifes, many proir.ifes to his people. 2. That all the 
 promifes which God has made to his people, are made i.T 
 Chrilt, and ratified by him. Chrifl ads the part and of- 
 fice of a furety, he undertake';, and engages for God, that 
 a'l which he had promifed fhall be made good to us, 3. 
 That the promifes made by Gcxi, and raTified, and con- 
 firmed in Chrift, <\o all tend to the glory of God. -They 
 Ihew the fovereignty of his gr.ice, in making proinifes to 
 his creatures of mercy, who deferved nothing btit flaming 
 vengeance, and implacable fury. They fhew the ampli- 
 tude of his grace ; for if grace did not flow abundantly 
 from the heart of God towards us, wc could never have 
 received fo large a ftock of promifes from him. Let us 
 then -1 orifv God, by fcfting a juft value upon his promifes, 
 as th-r unchangeable afiurance of his lore and grace. 
 
 21 Now hi which cftablilhed us with you in 
 
 Chrifl, and hath anointed us, ii Cod: 22 Who 
 hath alio fealcd us, and given the earned of the 
 Spirit in our hearts. 
 
 In thefe two verfes wc have fotir vcrv great and nnbic 
 privileges, which the apoftle declares God had tonfcrrtj 
 upon &.e Corinthians ; namely, l;is cft3hliliiins<. anointing, 
 and fcaliug of them, and giving ihe earned of his holy Spi- 
 rit to thciii._ Firft, their eflalblifimicnt ; He tvhid tfia- 
 bUjhcdiis wth you is Cud. Learn thcncp. That a people's 
 cilablilhment in the doftrinc of the gofptl, and in the f.iiih 
 of the promifes, is alone the gracious work of God. We 
 are naturally like reeds fh-.-.k'.n wi:h every wind ; it is the- 
 eftablifhing grace of God tl-.at makes us pillars in the 
 church. Again, fecondly. Their anointing, tliis is from 
 God ; the fanflifying grace of God is often in fcripiure 
 compared to oil, in regard of its cflldls. It rcfrtllictli the 
 weary, it healcth the wounded, it comforti the heart, it 
 beautilies the face, it ftrengthens the limbs. Such in!t mat 
 virtues and excellencies hath the fjncli tying grace of (mxI 
 in the hearts ot the people. Thirdly, Their fealing ; JVf:^ 
 hath atfofealed us. God's fealing of his children cli.ih im- 
 ply his high valuation and eflce.m of them ^ %\ hat is f.-alcif 
 is efteemed very precious : It implies tlicir fafcty and fecu- 
 rity; what is under feal, is not in danger of_ being loft. 
 Again, Scaling doth iinply fecrefy and privacy ; that whfch 
 is fealfid is fecret and hidden ; it is the new name, which 
 none knows but he that receivcth it. Finally, Scaling is 
 for confirmation ; contrails and bargains among men arc 
 confirmed by hand and feal. Thus the graces of the Spi- 
 rit, which fanftify us, do alfo witnefs and feal to us the af- 
 furance of God's love and fpecial favour in Chrift. The 
 fourth privilege here conferred by God upon the Corin- 
 thians, is his giving the earneft of his Spirit in their hearts : 
 Grace wrought in the heart'hcre, is a furc earneft of glory 
 hereafter ; there is a great deal of difference between a 
 (hilling, a fiiigle piece of money, and a fhilling that is an 
 earneft of a greater fum. It is joy to find grace in the (011 1 
 as grace mortifying our corniptions ; but it rejoices much 
 more to look upon grace as an earneft of glory, as the firft- 
 truits which infure the full crop. 
 
 23 Moreover, I call God for a record upon my 
 foul, that to fpare you I came not as yet unto Corinth, 
 
 In thefe words, our apoftlc dolh alTurc the Corinthians, 
 ia a very folomn manner, that if was not any inconftancy 
 or carnal refpeft in hiir.felf that made him delay his com- 
 ing to them, but it was purely to fpare them, as bcinir un- 
 \\illing to come with his rod'among thein, and to u.x?eve- 
 rity upon them. H:re obftr\e the apoftle's maener of 
 fpeech, it is by way of adjuration ; / call Cod to record ttf.n 
 my foul. The words are an alfc-rtory and exccratory o.ii!), 
 wherein God is called to witnefs the truth of what he faid! 
 Learnt hence. That it is lawful for Chriftians under tlie 
 gofpel to fwear upon a neceftary and great occafiori. Um 
 what great occafion was here for St. Paul to do it r A^ f. 
 \'ery great; the falfe apoftlcs did accufe him for a vaini 
 glorious and incotiftant man. Tiiii accufaiion did redound 
 to the difcredit of his miniftry, the diiho:iour of the gofpel^ 
 the deftrudion of the church ; therefore he folcmnlv pro- 
 teft?, that no inconftancy or wordiy mciivcs did caufe him 
 
 to 
 
704. 
 
 11. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ghap. ir. 
 
 to <lclay?his pfomii'c ; lint a wife and fpiritual cftnfiJeration 
 «>» fjicit gOfiJ, a willingDcfs to I'parc them, and ati iinwil- 
 lingncfs to life fevciity upon them. Hence Jeani, That ihc 
 niiniik-ri:il power wliith God giveili t!ic officers of the 
 < hiircli, o»m!ii to be mansgfd with mucli holy pruilencc, 
 iPil Chrillian com rr.ife ration : The end of their power 
 flioidd always be in their mind, w l.ich is edification and not 
 dcflrutHicn. 
 
 2.J Not for that wc have dominion over your faith, 
 but arc helpers of your joy : for by faith ye (land. 
 
 As if the apcil!e liad fuiil, " Thotipji we have a minif- 
 tcrial power, yet \vc hnvj not a rpagillcri.d dominion over 
 yon, to treat as wp plcafe the profellors ot the gofptl, or to 
 pimifli thofc that walk not according thereunto.'' Learn 
 hence. That thonph Chrill lias inveiled the officers of the 
 <hiirch with aniinillerial power, yet they have not thereby 
 any dominion over the faiih of believerf : Nit ihnt we hove 
 thm'm'ion ',ver yzur fr.it}!: He adds, B:it are heifers cf )-oi:r 
 joy. He doth not favj Wc are helpers of ^'oiir grace, 
 iiclpers of ycnr faiih, helpers of your holinefs, though this 
 i.s necelTaiily implied ; but helpers of your joy and comfort. ■ 
 iWt" thence. That a fpecia! part of the rainiiter's trork, 
 conlills in adiriniftering to the comfort and confobuon of 
 iiich as lland in need of it, and are qualified for ir. Cur 
 firfl work is to help the grace?, cur next to help the com- 
 forts of our people. The Spirit of God is a fanflificr, snd 
 then a comforter : Joy is not ilie firfl ftone in God's build- 
 ing ; grace and holinefs is firft, comfort and confolation 
 next. For hy faith ye Jlaiid \ yo have flood, and do ftand 
 fleadfafl in the faith : that is the generality and body of 
 yen ; thowgii foine among you deny the refurrcflion, yet 
 the bell and grcatcfl part of you arc found in the faith, and 
 flcadfafl in the f.'.i'h. Our apollle doth not unchurch them, 
 becaufe of fomc diforders among them, nor bccaufe of foine 
 heretical doiflrincs found ^vi!h ihem, but endeavours to re- 
 form their diforders, th;;t fn when he came unto them, he 
 might not come with Ids rod, but in il.c fplrit of meckncfs. 
 
 C II A P. II. 
 
 Cur apofk kavbig vindicated himfclf from the imputa- 
 tion of Icvily and inccrflancy ; Jure vindicates himftif 
 Jrcm tJie ^fperfton oj too much Ji'gmr, arid loo great 
 ftverity toxuards the inccjluous perjon. 
 
 BUT I determined this with myfeh'", that I would 
 not conie again to you in hcavinefs. 2 For if I 
 irakc you forty, who is he then that makcth inc 
 glad, but the fame which is made forry by vat ? 
 
 The occafion of St. Pa'il's writings again to the Coiin- 
 thians, and deferring for the prefcnt to come imto them, is 
 ).erc iniimatcd. There was an inceftuous perfon in the 
 ^•hurch of Corinth, who h.id married his father's wife ; if 
 Ihe were J-isown natural mother, the lin was nioft prddi- 
 gicus and unnniurai, that the child of her womb (houid be 
 the liidLand of her bed ; if flie were his tnother-ln-law, it 
 was againlt the law of rcvercnte, and an heinoi;s fin for 
 iUe foD to uncover the fatlicr*« nakcdticfs. And it was an 
 
 ■agpravation of the fn, that the perftn crmmitiing it wrs 
 a Chriflian, a mcinber, and, as fomc think, a minifter of 
 the church at Corinth. St. Paul, in his former cpiflic, 
 chap. v. commands them to excommunicate this iiiccfluons 
 perfon, which accordinqly they did ; and this fpiritual 
 phyfic, applied to the offender, had a good cfFcd upon hi.-n ; 
 for, being puniflied by the church, he punifhcth himltl/^ ; 
 and being caff out of thr; church, he cafls away his fin. 
 Happy is it, when the church's cenfurcs arc fo executed z% 
 to bring offenders to a fight and fcnfc of their fins, in rmlcr 
 to a dcrp humiliation, and thorough reformation. No'..-, 
 fays the apofflc I ih-tcrniinnl not to ome to ym in hccvinefs ; 
 that it, one great reafon why I put offiny journey to you, 
 was this, that my coming amongrt yon might neither oc- 
 cafion forrow, nor create hcavinefs, ciihrr to yon or myfelf ; 
 for I delii.',ht not in ccnfining and chiding, when 1 crn 
 otherwifc avoid it : For if I mahi ym firry, and myfelf 
 with you, tvhi is it that can maht me ghiH, hut he ll?at is 
 mntte forry h me ? that is, nothing can make mc glad, hut 
 the reformation of the fallen perfon. Where ;;(!/<■, That 
 nothing r.dds fo mtich to the joy and comfort of the n!i- 
 niffers of Chrift, as the recovery of revolted fouls from 
 tmdcr the empire and dominion of fin and Satan. _ VV? 
 ioy wiih them, and rejoice in God for them ; we live as w • 
 fee any of you f>ar.d faff in the Lord, wc die as we fc 
 others flick fafl in ihcir fins. 
 
 3 And I wrote this flime unto you, left when 
 I came I fliould have forrow from them of whom 
 I ought to rejoice ; having confidence in you all, 
 that my joy is the joy of you all. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, I gave yon a fharp reproof, in 
 my former cpiflle, but it was in much love, and upon a 
 good dtfign ; namely, to procure fuch a reformation cf life 
 and manners amon? you, as might prevent my forrow w l>cn 
 I come unto you : For as ) our grief is my ciief, fo my joy 
 is the joy of you all. As the minillers of Chrill and ihcir 
 beloved people are one, fo their griefs arc cne, and thxir 
 jovs one : they rejoice together, and mourn together ; ihcir 
 griefs and forrows are mutual, and their joys and comfdrts 
 arc reci»»rocal. 
 
 4 For out of much aflliclion and anguifli of heart 
 I wrote unto you with many teans ; not that yc 
 fiiould be grieved, but that ye mi,i^ht know the love 
 which I have more abundantly unto you. 
 
 Here our coinpalTiona'c apofile tells them. That what he 
 had v/rofe in hi' fonr.cr cpifile with fimic fc verity and 
 fharpnefs, concciring the inccftuous perfon, was fo far from 
 being written with any intention to grieve them, that it was 
 a real affiiftion to him, a very h.eavy prcfllirc upon W\t, heart, 
 vyhich fetched abundance of tears from his eyes, and cm - 
 fequently was an cfftiS of the sjrcatifl love imauinable. 
 Hence wV, Tlat when the* miniihrs of Chrifl do cxecirte 
 chiircli-ccnfures, if thevtlo not difpcnfe them with tend«r- 
 nefs and compaffic n, fo a« to let the offenders fee that what 
 is done is out of abundant love »!nto them, they will never 
 be llje bpttcr for thrm, nor be bettered or recljiimcd by 
 .tJie«i. D.jih a tivi! jtidgc weep when be pairt;s fcnuncc 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 r. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 705 
 
 upon a iTinlcfador r Much more fhoiiM an ccclcfiaftical 
 judge mourn, when he- pronounceth the cenfurcs of the 
 church upon iiotorious (>iFvnciers. Behold the apo(He lierc 
 dec'aiing will; what aiigtiilh cf fjiint, and griofot l'.eart,hc 
 wrote to have the fctuciioc of cxcomiijuiiicaiicii executed 
 ar,d iiilii£lcd on the incclhuuis Coiintliian. 
 
 5 But If any hath caufed grief.hc hath not grieved 
 me, but in part : that I may not overcharge you all. 
 
 As if the apofllc had faid, This incefluous perfon, wlu) 
 hathcaiifcd fo much grief to me by his fiii, hath caufed no 
 little grief to you alfo, to the fi. under part of voii, even to 
 all, but thofe w lio Avcrc partakers w itii iiim in his fin ; he 
 hath grieved me but in part otdy : you as well myfclf, have 
 been grieved by him, and afilidlcd for him. Not only the 
 ininiilcrs, but members of thechurch are afFe6lcd with, and 
 afiiifled for, the fcandal of profeilbrs' fins. St, Paul 
 grieved but in part tor the inccftuoiis perfnn's fin ; the 
 founder part of the church inourncd with him. Or, fc- 
 condly, He hath gritved me but in pari, that I tiifiy mt cvfr- 
 chargi you : It is as much as if he had faid, "The ijricf 
 and forrow which I have had for ihe fin and fcaiidal of this 
 notorious olfendcr, I am far, very far from charging upon 
 the whole clairch ; I dare not load you all with that im- 
 putation, as if you were involved in the i;uilt of it." It 
 IS not only injurious, but very tmjull, to caft the dirt of 
 profeliors' fin upon the face of iheir profcflion, or to charge 
 the guilt of a particular perfon 's mifcarriages upon the 
 wliok- cluirch or cliriilian fociety to which he doth belong. 
 As religion juftifics no man's faults, fo no man's faufts 
 Ihouid condemn religion. 
 
 6 ? Sufficient to fuch a man ii tliis punifhment 
 which was injlidcd oi mnny . 
 
 Ohferve hcxQ, I, The nature of that pnnirhment which 
 the holy r.pollle thought, and adju Iged to be fulficient for 
 the guilty perfiju's fin, and that was excilion, not deftruc- 
 tion ; excommunication, not dtath : The rejection of fiich 
 a (inner from the communion of the church, by church- 
 ccnfure and difciplinc, was the puniihment pronounced. 
 2. By whom, and before whom, this punifhmeut of cx- 
 communicatian was executed and inflided, nam eiy, bv the 
 olTicers and governors of the church, (who h.-;d and have 
 tl'.e power of ihe keys) in the prefence, and with the con- 
 fent of the whole church. In the primicivc ciiurch, we 
 have reafon to believe, when any offender was tobeex- 
 comunicated, the people were acquainted with the crime • 
 the guilty perfon pleaded in their prefence, they jiidced as 
 your jury men do of the matter of fad, they confentcd to 
 the condemnation ; but the fentence was not pronounced 
 by them, but by the "overiKTs and ofliccrs of the church 
 before them, and in their prefence: And as the church or 
 body of the people confentcd to the offender's rejefiion, fo 
 likcwifc to his re-aJ:niIiloii 10 the con-.mur.ion ot the 
 church ; biit their adiial admillion was by the pallor and 
 
 hands of the ptople. 
 
 7 So that contrariwife, ye might rather to forgive 
 him, and comfort him, Icfl perhaps It ch on one 
 lliould be fwallowed up with ovci-inuch lorrow. 
 8 Wherefore I beleech you that ye would confirm 
 your love to«\irds him. 
 
 N'ole, I. The great duty which the apofilc dircifls the 
 Corinthians to the performance of, towards this forrowfiil 
 offender, to forgive kim, to covifort hiin, to confirm him \ 
 that is, to abfolve him from the fentence and ccnfure of the 
 church ; no longer to continue their averfion to him, but 
 to rertore him to the church's communion, to re-admit 
 him to their fellov/fliip and fociety, to comfort him with 
 their love to hiin, by fhcwing, that their excommunicating 
 of him was with defign to reform, not to ruin him; to 
 recover him by repentance, and not to drive him to dcfpair. 
 This is the importance of the three fcvcral words which 
 are ufed here, Fcrgive him, aiiijirt him, conjirm him. From 
 whence 7.'5/i?, That in notorious crimes, which give great 
 catife of fcandnl to the church, the comfort of the offenilcr 
 depends not only upon his peace and reconciliation with 
 God, but alfo upon the relaxation of the cenfiires of the 
 church, and his re-admiflion to the chuich's fellow fliip anri 
 communion : Forgive him, and confirm your love towards 
 him. 2. The reafi)n offered by our apoftlc vhy this peni- 
 tent offender fhould be forgiven and comforted ; namely, 
 lift h-: Jhcuhl be Jxvall/ivcd up with mer-much forrow. 
 I.eiiiyihtuce., (i.) That forrow even for itfelf inay be ex- 
 ccl]ive over-much, (2.) That cxccflive and over-much 
 forrow fwalloweth up a perfon; it may fwallow him up in 
 the gtlph of defpair, and, as a confequent of it, in the 
 gulph of death. As worldly forrow caufcth death, in may 
 religious forrow alfo, even forrow for fin. We may dif- 
 honour God by an exceffive mourning, even for God's 
 dillionour. Sorrow is not of any worth in itfelf, but orily 
 •ns it ferves to a fpiritual end and purpofe : and when it is 
 exceffive, not only the comforts, but the gifts and ufeful- 
 nefs of the perfon forrowing, are in danger to be I'wallowtJ 
 up by it. ^leji. But when is forrow for iin exceffive and 
 over-inuch r Aif. When is forrow for fin exercife of our 
 graces, when it hindersthe performance cf cur dn!ies,v.hcji 
 it h.urts our health, and overwhclmtih nature, \vhtn it per- 
 verts reafon, fv.allowtth t:p faiih, i.indereih our hope, pre- 
 jiidiccih our jov, atid utd'its u's both for doing and (iifll-uiig 
 tlie will of GcJ ; in a word, that forrow for fin which 
 Jceeps the foul from looking towards the mcrcy-fcat, that 
 Jcteps Chrifl and the foid afimder, and rendeis a ixrfori 
 unfit for the fervice of God, and for the communion of 
 faints, is a finful forrow. 
 
 9 For to this end alfo did I write, that I might 
 know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in 
 all things. 10 To who:n ye forgive any thing. \ for- 
 give alio : for if I forgave any thing, to wlioni I for- 
 gave It, for your fakes forgave I it in the perfon of 
 Chriil ; 1 1 Left Satan fhould get an advantage of 
 us : for we are not ignorant of his devices. 
 
 Kile here, i. Our apoftle declares what was his end in 
 
 writintT 
 
 4U 
 
7o6 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Cmap. ii. 
 
 writing his former epiillc to ihcm, namely, tliis amongd 
 others, to cxcrcife their obedience, an.l to make trial what 
 regard they would (hew to his apoflolical atiih-'ritv; 
 whether they would be as obedient to his direflions in 
 abfolving of penitents, as they were before in infliflini^ 
 chiirch-ccnfiircs upon bold ofK-mlcrs: For thh end did I 
 :iri/f,thji I might have a pi\of of pu. 2. The apollle 
 <?cf hires his own forwanlncfa to forgi^'e pcni'cnt ofF.nJers 
 himftlf. as well -is m.ike'ik!ioT%'n hi"; dcfircs that they fiiouM 
 •do it : fn.cn ye fyrgivf, f f^irive nlft in the ftrfou oj ChriJ] ; 
 t'lat IS, asyoii forgive liim, fo do /; and I abfolve hirn by 
 "Ciirift's aii'hbrity, as I excommunicated him in Chrilt's 
 name, x .'Cor. v. 4. In the name of our Lord Jefus ChnJI^ 
 (cc. 'As lie delivered the inctftuciis pcrfon to S-.nan in the 
 natlie of Chrifl, fo in the name and pcrfon of Chriil he 
 rclfufts him and relaxes the fcnrcncc ngaitift him. T!ie 
 pawcr of er.commiinication, and abfoliiiion, of binding and 
 Joofing, of calling oiif, snd receiving into the church, is by 
 Chiill ctimmittcd so chiirch-tjcvernors, who nrc to ey.ccutc 
 this power in the perfon cfChriJ}\ that is, in the nr.me, and 
 by the aulliority 'of Chrid. 3. T!ie arguments vviih which, 
 nnd the moiive by which, he prcllcs the chf.rch at Corinth 
 to forgive the inceftiions perfon, and to re-admit him into 
 their fociety, Ic/i S-t/nn g:-t mi ad-.Tn!nge nf us. What 
 :il\'nntDge? Jpf. Ati advant.ige to lead thcrn into fin thi:s, 
 by their abiifing tliat power which God had j^ivcn them for 
 cdificaiior, to the dcflriKJlion of a pcrfon, by m.pking tl;em 
 gnihy of fjviiiuial ruirderby tlicir rvcr-'rii;orciis prociod- 
 ing agninfi liim, by driving hini to dcfpair, by tempting him 
 t" anodaoy. Satan fometimes, bv too greatnefi, flackncfs of 
 dilcipline, feeks to lull Tinners allecp in the bofom oftlie 
 cj-.nrch ; and fometimes by too great fevcriiy endeavours 
 to diive them to dcfpair. The force cf the apoftle's words 
 lies tluis: I advife you to continue the feveiity of difcipline 
 no longer towards this penitent offender, tut receive him 
 rgain iiUo yoHr comnuini.in with all tendcrncfs and fpeed, 
 krt Satjn fliould circumvent yon, and over-reach yon, and 
 make nfe of yon r rigour, to your own ruin, by rendering 
 your dtxflrinc hate^il, and your difcipline deieftablc ; /;/• 
 Iff {ire n't ign:ror.i f his devices, his contrivances, plots 
 and ftratagcms laid againft us. Zr/rrn hence, i. Ti-at 
 Satan is a mailer, in the art of deceiving fouls: He is full, 
 very full of cunning methods and dtviccs, to circimvent 
 pcrfcns, and caich them in the net of his deceits. 2. That 
 it concerns all pcrfons, but cfpecially the rninifters of the 
 [,'ofpcl, to be vvtll acquainted with, and not ignorant ofiny 
 diviccs or plots of Sa'an. Sa:an has a multitude of de- 
 vices, by which he imdocs, i mangles and deceives fouls ; 
 ind no Clirillijn ought to be ignorant of ihcm Icfl he le 
 circumvented and undore bytlicin: Many arc his devices 
 tor drauing us into tin, for drawing ii.s off from dntv, for 
 dr.:wing us into temptation, fir drowning us in dtfp.iir; 
 ourv.ildom wiil bc^ not todifpiitc, but to relill, for by 
 lefilling, our temptations, will be fewer, and our llrcng'h 
 preater, J.imcs iv. 7. Refjl the devil, o'ld he zvillfy. 
 VVhere w!/.*, That the proniifc ofconquefl is inadc to rc- 
 i'i!lin;(, not di'piit^ng with Snt.in ; to parly with him, is t!ie 
 v.ay to be overcome by h.im. 
 
 4 2 Fux ill cr mo re, when I came to Tioas to iraicf^ 
 
 ChriQ'sgorpel.andadoorwasopencduntomeofthe 
 Lord. 13 I hadnorcft inir.y fpiric, becaufe I found 
 not Titti.s my brother : but taking my Jeavc of them 
 I went from thence into Macedonia.. 14 *ff Notv 
 ihanks be unto Cod, which always caufelh us to 
 triumph in ChriR, and malccth manifeft the favour 
 of his knowledge by us in every place. 
 
 Oi'ifrrve here; I . The tm\*rearicd diligence of this great 
 apoftlf in travelling from pi :ce to place, and carrying the 
 gofpclwi'h l.im from fre city and nation to another: / 
 chme to Tr'.ds, fur-I fr:m ther.cc t) Al/rrrdonia. 2.' The fuc- 
 ccis which the htily apo.^le had in preaching the gofptl \>i'h 
 tmwearied diiigjlncc, in thofe places : A'dudr uas'^c^in,-d :irtft 
 him of f/e f.ird. This'cithcr lignites, [r.) The free li- 
 berty which he had to preach the gofpcl in flu fe phccs ; 
 the door of his mouth v. as not Ouit by peifccuiors the 
 encniies and oppofers of the p'.fpcl, hut the word cf 'he 
 Lord had a free courfe in the labours of it.'; miniftrts. O^, 
 (2.) Th'i? opened dcor may (Ignify sn'd import the great 
 and gracious fixccfs which God i;avc the apolllc in his 
 work; as God by his providence opened the apr file's 
 mouth to preach and pnblini the glad tidings of the gc.fpcl, 
 fo by his holy Spirit he opened the pcpU's hearts to re- 
 ceive and entertain the ghid ti'ing.s of kdvation wliich the 
 gofpel brought. A£ls xvi. 14. The L'.rd cj-oicd Lydiu's 
 heart, thatjbe atttu.itd to the u;crds which urre Jpchn of 
 Prill. 3. How careful the apoftle is to afcribe the mire 
 praife, and to return the -whole thanks to Almighty God, 
 for all the gracious aflilbnce and fucccfs which he had re- 
 ceived in his minifterial fervice: Ihanks be to G'^d tvhich 
 xaufeth us to triumph in Chrifi, and mottth inonifrjl t'.e 
 fcvcur of h?is hnnvudge hy us in evr\ place, j^ if the 
 .Tpoftle had faid, " Blelled be God, al'.hough cur cneniiis 
 have been many, snd our dill^culiies grtat, yet God has 
 given me :ii\-\A my fellow rpofllcs ft:ch rvfi'liiiion of tr.ind, 
 that we h.ivc not only encountered with them, but tri- 
 umphed over them, in a powerful convctlion of fo many 
 f:om Heatl'cnifm to Chril'ianity ; sntl has enabled lis to 
 fpread the fwcet rdourofihe gofpel farg^nd near, by cur 
 Lboiioiis presching of it from place to place." Then is 
 the word, and God in th.e wf^rd, ijlorilic^l, whrn the fword 
 of the Spirit is t.ikcn into the hand of ihk- Spiiit ; when he 
 g'rds this fword upon his thigh, as mr ft mighty, and rides 
 on triumphantly, till he has confummaicd hi^ victories in a 
 glorious triumph over all the powers of htll and darknefs, 
 nanks be to G:d that ra filh us !'■ triimph in Chr'Jl. 
 
 15 For we are unto God a fwect favour of Chrifl: 
 in them that are faved, and in them that pcrifli. 1 (> 
 To the one X'jc arc the favour ot death unto death; 
 and to the other, the favour of life unto lilc. 
 
 yNWhere, i. The ti tie given t(5 the gofpel, and to the 
 preachers and difpcnfers of it; they are a fr.vcir, rxn sll't- 
 ii'in probably to the ointment of fwcet pcrli'me, which the 
 high-pri< (Is urjcr the law wereanointcd with. The breath 
 of the gofpel is a fwcet wlour or fmtil, and God's faithful 
 minillcrs are they that carry it, and blow it *abro.td to 
 
 pcrtmi.o 
 
CiiAr. in. 
 
 II.- CORINTHIANS. 
 
 707. 
 
 perfume finncrs llir.t lie (linking in tluir 1";^-:, 2. The 
 conirary cfF fls wiiich tlie preaching ff the t'olpil has upon 
 l^ofe that fit under it ; it is the f.ivour of life imto fome, 
 cf death up.to others : Here if was fo, the apolUc's tninif- 
 try VV2S a favour ct !ile to the bc!i«ving Ctniilcs, of death 
 to the uiibtlicviiig Jews ; all men arc 10 be reckoned in a 
 fi.nc of lite or death, ofpcrifhing or b<. ing faved, accord- 
 ing as they do, or do not receive the favour, and rtlitli ilie 
 d<j(£liinc ot tiie gofjiel. Eut how conies the preacliing of 
 file gofpel to be ilie favour of death unto fome ( AnJ. 
 P.irtly through pride, in not cnd\!iing to be reproved by 
 the gofpd i partly through prejudice againfl the ininifters 
 ofihe golpcl ; partly thrciigh flothfulnefs, in neglefting to 
 come under the found of the gofp>.I ; and partly tlirotigh 
 Ctirfcd infideli'v, inn-it believing the meflagc which the 
 pofpcl brings. Thus is the gofpel, which wasordaincd fcr 
 life, tlie fiivour of death unto death. 3. The fwect fiipport 
 which God gives his faitiiful miniftcrs in the difeharge of 
 their duty, thougii their gofpel fails of thedefircd fucccfs ; 
 they arc 11 jwect jiKow wilo God, <it well in thevi that pcrlfh, 
 'IS in //.em that arefavetl. hof<V. how would thy iniiiif- 
 icrs be of all men moft iriferable, fhoiiKlft thou rccjuiro 
 tlic fuccefs of their labours at their hands ; fliouldll thou 
 fay, ''Either reconcile my people imto tne, or I will never 
 be rtconcileil unto you:" Cut we fhall be rewarded by 
 thee according to our faithfiilncfs, nut according to our 
 peoples fiuiitulnt Is. The faithful miniilers of Chrift are 
 a i"vvect fniel ling favour in the iiolliils of Gnd,' as wtll in 
 them that pcrilli, as in tlieiTi tiiat are fa\ed : Tho\i;:li Ifracl 
 ffheir i)top!cj be not gathered, yet Ihall they be glorious : 
 Ciod will reward them, fcciindum hhorem, ncti frtiilum \ 
 the niirfL (hjll be paid for her care and pains, though the 
 child dies at the brcall. 
 
 — And who is fufficient for thcfe thines ? 
 
 As if tlieapoftle had faid. So great nnd weighty is the 
 work of pre.iching the cverljfting gofpel to a loft world, 
 that neither myl<'if,nor anv of my fellow-apolilcs, are fiifH- 
 cient for it of ourfelvts ; jf'ho is'jujfidmt'^ Thai is, none are 
 fidhcient, without proportionable llrength and help from 
 Cod, neither man lior angel : To preach the gnfpti as it 
 o::ght, is a mighty work, a w ighiy work. If any think 
 othervvife, it is either their ignorance or inadvertency that 
 makes them think fo. What ! Is it an cafy ma'ter to 
 fearch into the deep things of God, the ir.yfteries of the gof- 
 pel, which have an unfathoinable depth ? Is it eafy to in- 
 i(ru£l the ignorant, to convince the ohftinate, to rcfolve the 
 doubting, to reduce the wandering, to know the flate of our 
 /lock, to vidt the fivk as we ought, to fpeak to tl;tm, aud 
 tray for 1! em, as pcrfons upon the con'ines of eternity? 
 Wl at ! is all this, and much more, a trivial work, andcc>m- 
 ir.on performance ? No verily ; as there is no feivice more 
 hi.nobrabJL- than that of the minillrv, fo there is none more 
 a;di!0-s and labori;<i;s ; and therefore, thceTcatell men thst 
 ever G.>d employed in and about this wo; lc,h;ue been ready 
 to fiiik under the apprthcnfion of the infupcrable difficniiie's 
 th.1t do attend it. _ If we ccnndcr howa gofpel n:inifter 
 otight to excel in knowledge, in iit:eiance,1npriidenccshd 
 c jndu ;i, in exemplary piety, in paticn: contcr.dinf with a 
 
 pie's ffovvardnefsand pcrvcrfLncfs, we need net wonder at 
 oiirapufti 's exclamation or exportiilary qi;eftion in the 
 words before us : //%o is J'ffficient Jor thrj'e ll.ings ? 
 
 17 For we are not as many which corrupt the 
 word oi God : but as of fincerity, but as oi God, 
 ill tlie finht of God fpcak we in Chrifl. 
 
 Ohferue here, I. The charaflcr which the apoftle gives 
 the falfe apofiles who were crept in amon^fl the Corin- 
 lltiaiis : they were arriipiers cj tie w.rd of Gcd ; the y di.l 
 fophifticate and adulterate the fincere word of God, by in- 
 termixing their own piidc and pafl^nns, their -jwn inven- 
 tions and imaginations, with the doftrine which ihcy de- 
 livered. Falfe teachers de-.il w iih the word, as the vintner^j 
 deal with tl-.eir wines ; iliey imbafe them in their nature, 
 that they may advance them in their price, and thereby n\- 
 creafe their own profit ; they deliver the word of Gnd in 
 fubtlety, but not in fincerity. 2. The declaration wliicli 
 
 aft as inen of Itiicerity in w hat we do, Esmc;i taught of GcJ 
 and fcnt by Gcd, as men afltd by the power, and i-ui.I.'d by 
 the Spirit of Chrid, and all this as in the fight of Cexl ; we 
 fpeak as from God, of God, in obedience to his command, 
 and with an eye at his gloiy. He is a better preacher thit 
 fpe.-;ks with an upright heart, than lie that fpeaks with an 
 eloquent tongue ; he that ad.s from religious principles, 
 for holy ciids, as in the prefencc of the all-fteir.g God, and 
 with a fi.xed eye at thcglory of God in what he preaches, 
 he is an interpreter, tine of a thcufand. 
 
 C 11 A P. III. 
 
 Our ap: file in this chapter n.imales to us how mmh the 
 
 reputation 0/ a inini/ler's per/on is needftd and neeef- 
 
 Jaiy in order to the Jucctfs of his miwpy; arJ, 
 
 Jhtwelh that his convcrficn to Chrifliamlv -was a 
 
 full evidence of God's ozoning and approving of him 
 
 as his anibajjlidor, and a fuffident 'ccmvicndotwn of 
 
 his pc-fvi arid ininifry am:ng(l thon ; vhich vii- 
 
 nfry he proves to be far more excellent lUn that 
 
 c/^Mofcs. 
 
 DO we bc:.>in .tgain to commend ou: fclves ? or 
 need we, as Ibme ethers, cpiaics of com- 
 niendationto j-oii, or /f^^cri of commendation from 
 you ? 2 Ye arc our epiOle written in our hearts, 
 known .iiid read of all men: 3 Forafmuch as ye are 
 manifcflly declared to be theepiRle of Chrift min- 
 iltered by us, written not with ink but with t!ie 
 Spirit of the liviu;^ God ; not in tables of llonc.. but 
 in flefhly tables of the lieait. 
 
 Our npoflle here cxpoflulalcs the cafe vith the Corin- 
 thiiios, why they would at any tiire hearken to the fa!ie 
 apr.ftics, who, by reflcfling upon his pcrfon and minillry, 
 mrde it iKcdfuI for liini to vir.dicatc both from ccntempt 
 4 U 2 .,^d 
 
7oS 
 
 IT. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Crr.vr. in. 
 
 and fcorn. As if he had fai<1, " What Ho I need to begin 
 again in this fecond cpiille, as I did in the firlt, to com- 
 mend myfclf and the cffoils of my niiniftry among you ? 
 Or need I commendatory letters either to you or from you 
 ns the falfe teachers amnnsjft ynu bnvc ? No, verily ; you 
 yourfclvcs by your convcrfion to Chriftianity, and emhrac- 
 inij the faith of the gofpcl, arc a better attcllation and 
 teitimontal to the wnAA, of the fucccls of my mlnillry, 
 than any written cpidlc is or ran be : For you arcan ff>ij?k 
 ivrilffi ill o'lr hearts \ tliat is, yo-.sr converfiori by my titinif- 
 trv, is the joy and rejoicing of my heart! there it is that 
 I coniinually carry a thankfidand honourable remembrance 
 ofyoii, and' bear voii upon my heart, whenever I go in 
 ami out before ilie Lord. And as n^v epifllc, yoii are 
 hinui: and rcoil '.f all ir.o' \ that is, all ChrilUans far and 
 near take notice of you r.s a church which Gnd has cnii- 
 iii-nily bIciTed my miniflry to the convcrfion and edification 
 of." But, Itil' th; apollic fliould fecm too alTuming in 
 ciiiin"- the Corinthians his cpiflle, in the next words he 
 calis ?f'em the cpidle of Chrift, vcr. 3. Te are the rfijile 
 > v'.imftcred h US \ that is, yotir faith and converlion 
 ■"■■"■ " • ■ ' ' wrote by my 
 
 hearts after a 
 
 of C' rift mm 
 vas the w 
 
 i"rk of Chriil's Spirit, though 
 jirniftry ; he having wrote his law in your 
 more excellent manner than any thing that can be written 
 wiih iiik and paper \ not as the ten commandments of old 
 jvcre written, in tables qfflonr, but ir. the Jle/hfy tables of the 
 heart ; that is, in your' Itenfts made foft and pliable, and 
 ready to obey the word and the will of CJod, by the ope- 
 ration of the holy Spiiit, lifmg my miniilry as the pen or 
 jnftrMmcnt in his hand in order thereunto. Learn hence, 
 I. That it is a very c;rent favour from God, when his 
 mi4ii:lers can fee the' fuccefs of their labours in the hearts 
 and lives of any of their people ; when they can fay, J'c arc 
 Bur epiftle. 2. That nothing doth fo highly comincnd our 
 niiniftry as our people's proficiency ; their improvement in 
 knowkdi^rc, their ftcdfallnefs in the fauh, their growth in 
 grace and hoiincfs, is beyond all verbal commendations 
 and acknowledgments wha'tfocver. Sermons fetch not ap- 
 nlanfe from mens renown, the people's praflice is the 
 pr.'acher'i; crown. 3. That whatever fiiccefs the faithful 
 milliners of Chrift meet with, cither in the work of con- 
 veifion or cdiilcation air>ong a people, they attribute the 
 « hole ctricicncy of it unto God, afcribing nothing more 
 than a hare inflrumentality to themfclves : ii'e are the epif- 
 tleofChrlf, favs the apodle, minifcred by us \ Chrii^ has 
 written hr law'in your hearts by my raipirtry ; 
 had faid, Chrift is the writer, the pen is the mmiflci 
 ink tlK Spirit, the paper or table that receives the imprcf- 
 fion is thcheart, and the law of God the writing writ thcrc- 
 -n and thereupon. 
 
 4 And fuch truR have wc through Chrifl to GocT- 
 ivard ; 
 
 n/7>ri'<f here, IIov/ the apoftle encourages himfelf from 
 the experience he had of the prcfent fuccefs of his iv.iniflry, 
 to hope for the favour of farther and future fuccefs : Siuh 
 trufl or confidence have we. throu.uh the grace ot Lhnl . 
 of'ihc conllant ci^cacy of our mimftry. »hm he will UiH 
 «wn and honour it, fuccccd and blef. it. When God has 
 rendered our labours acceptable and luccefstul araon^U a 
 
 As if he 
 the 
 
 people, cither for convcrfion or edification, it fliould encou- 
 rage us to trufl in God for the cHScacious alFiflance of onr 
 miniilry, and rendering us yet more fucccfsfulamongft them, 
 and a greater blcfiing to them. 
 
 .5 Not that wc are fuiTicictit of ourfclvcs to lliiiik 
 nny thing as of ourlclvcs ; but our lafTicicncy tjof 
 God ; 6 H Who alfo hath made us able miniilcrs 
 of the New Tcftamcnt, not of the letter, but of the 
 Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spiiit !;ivL'th 
 lite. 
 
 O^rw here, i. How the apoflle havin;» mnric an rpo- 
 I'lory a!,il defence for himftlf, and his miniilry, :;g.'inft thofe 
 that did caliiminate him, in the former vcrfes : \n the verfe 
 before i!?, he acknowledges his great inability for thiswoik, 
 and that liis whole fufficicncy for fcrvlce was fiom Gnd ; 
 and this without doubt he mentions not only out of hu- 
 militv, but out of prudence alio, in order to ftop the niouths 
 of thofe who might be apt to think he had too liith an 
 eftcem of hi Tifilf : As if the apodle had faid, " Far be it 
 from me to think that I could procure the fuccefs of my 
 inini!lrv, that I have any fuch fufliciency of myfclf to con- 
 vert fouls ; no, no, my fufficicncy and fuccefs is all from 
 God ; for, alas ! there is no propotliun between fuch a 
 fublime and fupcrnntiiral fervice asthat of thegofpel-minif- 
 try is, and the impotency and weuknefsof man." .Ye/ that 
 we are fuffiiient of ourjclvesy hut our fxffuiency is of God. 
 2. The free and full atknowledgniant which the apofllc 
 makes of the great things which Gcd hath done for him, 
 and by him ; He did not fiiui, but made him, a minilfer, 
 an able minifler ; yea, an able miniflerof the New Tcfta- 
 mont, or new covenant ; not a preacher (jfthe law of 
 Moles, but of the gofpcl of Jcfus : If 'ho hath /Trade us able 
 vumjlers cf the Nnv Tefariir-r.t. To be a fuffiticnt and 
 fucccfsful gofpcl -minifler is a very great favour from Gfid 
 to any perfon : The clay of the gofpel is better than the 
 gold of the temple ; the rags of the evangelical, more rich 
 honour to be, and a greater favour to hear, the incancfl 
 gofpcl-preacher, than to hear all Mofcs's leclurcs. 3. How 
 our apoftle here infenfibly Hides into a comparifon \\ hich he 
 mrdccs between the law of Mofes and the gofpel of Chrift, 
 in which he magnifies and prefers the latter above the for- 
 mer ; the law he calls the letter, the gofpel, the Spirit; that 
 is, a miniflration of the Spirit. The letter kil'eth\ that is, 
 the law condemneth andcurfeih the finner, the tranfgreffor 
 of it ; but the Spirit of Chrifl revealed in the gofpel, eria- 
 bleth, as well as dircclcth, to obey, and fo fiveth life. 
 I'^ole here, How falfe the quakcrs and others glofs is upon 
 thefe words : They by theh'ttcr, will undcrfland the whole 
 wiitlen word of God, contained in the fcriptures of the 
 Old and New Te'lnment, the law and gofpel both ; and 
 by the Spirit, will have to he meant the inward r.nd im- 
 mediate teachings of the light within them. Others by 
 thi' letter, underiland the literal and hiiforical fcnfc of fcrip- 
 ture in general ; and bv the Spirit giving life, thev undcr- 
 fland the miydicaland fpiiitual finfc of fcripture ; but it is 
 c\ident fVom ver. 3. tiut by //r /(.'.Vr he undcrflajuls tie 
 law engraven in fioDc, the law as dJivercd by Mofcs wiih 
 
 aw 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 11. c o R r N T H I A a: &. 
 
 7^9 
 
 an appearance of the ^lory of the Lord upon mount Sinai ; 
 And by /he Spin'/, is meant the blclfed Spirit of Chrift 
 given to the apoftlcs to enable them to preach the gcfpcl, 
 and conferred upon all believers that did obediently licar 
 and receive it. 
 
 7 But if the niiniRration of death tviktcn and en- 
 gvavea in (loncs, was (glorious, fo that the children 
 of Ifracl could not (Icdf.'fUy behold the f.ice of 
 Mofes, for the glory of his countenance, wliich^/ory 
 was to be done away : 8 How fliall not the minil- 
 tr.-ition of the Spirit be rather glorious ? 
 
 Our apoftle, in this and the following vcrfes, gd on 
 v.irh his CDinp.iriion betwixt the law and the {:;ofpcl, and 
 fiiews the tranfcondency of the latter above the former. 
 Where n:fr, i. He calls the law again a killing law, or a 
 minidration of dcnth ; becaufe i( condemns men for the 
 bre.ich of ir, to temporal and eternal death, without open- 
 ing to them any door of hope. 2. This law (he fpeaks 
 of it by wiy of dimin-iiion) was only written upon, and 
 cn<,'ra\cn in ftone ; whereas the pofpel is written in the 
 fTrdilv tables of men's hearts. 3. How the apoftic declares 
 that thi^ miniilration of the law was rliriom, glorious in 
 the minifter of it, Mofcs, v.lio had fiich a lufire upon his 
 face, that the children of Ifracl Cf.uhi not bear the ll^ht of 
 it ; and ghti::i! in the manner of !;iving it : There was a 
 great deal of the glory and m.^jeJly oi God attending the 
 giving of the law to Moles ; the miniftration of the law 
 was glorious. 4. The comparifon which the apoflle make; 
 between the law and the gofpel, and the preference which 
 he gives to the one above the o^her. (i.) As the glory 
 of Mofcs's face ccafed afK-r a while, fo the glory of the law 
 ccafed at the coming of the gofpei. {'Z.) The law was 
 delivered by angels to Mofes, but tlie gofpel vvas delivered 
 to the apoftlcs by the Son of God, who is the brightnefs 
 of W\9. Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his peifon. 
 (3.) Whereas the glory of Mofes did more and more de- 
 crcafc ; the glory put upon the apoflles, and derived from 
 Chrid, was ftill more and more increafing upon them. 
 But, i'4.) The chief glory of the glory, which the apoflle 
 here infifts upon, is the rnlniflr/ilian of the Spirit, in the 
 larsie efrufions of it under the gnfpcl difpenfation, giving 
 fpiritiinl and eternal life to believers, inrtead of death 
 fpiritual and eternal coming by the lav/. Well then.fnre 
 might our apoftle hero fay, the niiniilration of the Spirit, 
 or the gofpel, is much more glorious ; and confcqucntly 
 a greater reverence and honour is due to it, and to the n:i- 
 nillers of it. 
 
 9 For if the minidration of condemnation he 
 glory, much more doih the minifliation of n;4htc- 
 oulncls exceed in glory. 10 For even that which 
 IS made jrlorious had no glory in this rcfpcft, by 
 roafon of the glory that e.\ccll(;lh, j t For if lh.it 
 whicli is done away ty.r?j glorious, much more that 
 which remainetli ?< glorious. 
 
 OffirvfheTc, r. The difterent tiilcs given to the law, 
 and to the gofpel ; vlic former is caUcd the mih/^'/raiim i/ 
 
 eowlemnati'jn, bccatifc it condemns men eternally for the 
 violation of it ; the latter is called tie miiuftraticn cf righ- 
 leof.fncfs or juilification, bccaufc it difrovers to us the onljr 
 way for a tinner's juftification before God, namely, by the 
 righteoufncfs of the Mediator. 2. That the apoHle com- 
 paring the law and the gofpel together, acicnowledges that 
 there was a fiirpaffini; glory in the latter above .Tiid beyond 
 the former. Indeed CJed's inlliiution Hampt an excellency 
 upon the Jewilli worfliip, and the law given them had both 
 an intrinfic glory in it, as it uas a revelatidii of the will of 
 God ; and aifo an accidental and adventitious glory, as it 
 was attended with the folcmnity of thunder and lightning, 
 fire and fmokc, and a voice like the found of a trumpet, 
 at the promidgation of it ; yet, fays the apoillc, compared 
 with the gofpil, the gl"ry of the law, or Jcwilli worfliip, 
 had no glory in it at all, by rcafon of the glory that doth 
 excel ; as the moon comparcil \vith tlic I'un, is fo oinfiuncd 
 by it, that its brightnefs is little t;>ken notice of. True, 
 indeed, the law was a revelation of God's will as well 2s 
 the gofpel, but with this liappy advantage on the gofpel's 
 fide : The law was a revelation of God's will as to duty 
 and as to condemnation, in cafe of non-pcrtormance of 
 that duty ; but th.e gofpel is a revelation of God's vrill, ns 
 to gr.icc and merc)-, as to remiflion of fin and eternal life. 
 3. Another argument produced here by the apoflle, fo 
 prove the miniflraiion oi the gofpel to be much more 
 glorious than that of the law ; namely, bccaufc it is nmch 
 more durable and abiding : Verfe 11. If that ivhich i.< done 
 envny u-at gliriiU!, viiu-h mare that which remniticlh is gl"/- 
 ri'.us. The force of the argiuncnt lies thus : 'I'hat which 
 is durable and permanent, Is far more excellent than that 
 which is teinporary and tranfient. Now the law or Jcwilh 
 difpcnlaiion is vaniflied ; its miniffration is ccafed, nnd all 
 the legal ordinances are aboliilied : but the gofptllbte re- 
 maineth to the end of the world. It is called a kingdom 
 that cannot be moved, Hcb. xii. ■^8. therefore the gofpel 
 minillration, which is eternal, fixed, and abiding, miifl 
 needs be more excellent and more glorious than the legal 
 difpenfation, which was teir.porary, tranfient, and vanifliing. 
 
 1 2 Seeing then that wc have fuch hope, wc ufe 
 great plainnefs of fpccch. 13 And not as Moles. 
 Xiiiich put a veil over his face, tiiat the rhildicn ol 
 Ifrael could not lledfalUy looklo the end of that 
 which is aboliflied. 14 But thcirminds were blind- 
 ed. For i:ntil this day remaincth ti)e fame veil 
 untakcn away in the reading of the Old Tcftamcnt; 
 %vhichtr/7 is done away in Chrift. 15 But even 
 unto this day, when Mofes is read, the veil is upon 
 theirheait. i6 N'cvcrthelefs, when it fliall turn to 
 the Lord, the veil (liall be taken away. 
 
 Here the apoftle draws an inference frotn the fcregoinjj 
 difcourfe ; that feeing himfelf and ihc otiicr apoilles h;:d 
 fuch hope, that their minillry was thus glorious, fuch con- 
 fidence and afiiirance of the perfrdlion and perpetuity ■ t 
 ihcir miniitry, they did now ufe great pl.iinncfs, frtedom, 
 and boldncfs of fpccch in preaching and publilhing ih; 
 gofpel : a;:J did not imitate MofeSj the minidcr of the law, 
 
 K ho 
 
 \ 
 
7io 
 
 il. rC D.R r N T H I A N S. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 vho put a vi?l over liis face ; which was a fign of the 
 obfciiriiy of t!,'c legal difpcnfaiioii, and of ffie biifimfs of 
 the Jews, who Cfjuld not fee the riu! and the accompli (h- 
 nicnt of that ceremonial nn I tvpical adii^iiiKhaiinn, which 
 vas to be abolillivd by Cliriil and his g-.fpel ; But tiicir 
 n-.inds were then, :»nd ftiil are, blinded by prtfiidice and 
 unbelief, and the fame veil rcmainetli to this d.iy fprcad 
 nver Mefts's wriiings, and not taken away in the re.'.ding 
 t'fiheOId Tertamcnt ; which veil is now' done away by 
 the doiTlrineof Chrift contained i.i the New Tcftamcnt ; 
 iicverihclcfs when the hearts of the Jews fliall Ue turned 
 unto the Lord, and tluy own and acknowiedt^e Jcfiis 
 Chril>. tiicn the Veil fli::ll be taken away from the Jews, 
 ?n.J they (hall then clearly nnderrtand and fee what is now 
 conceded and hidden from their eyes. Learn hence, i. 
 That there is a natural veil of blimJnefsand ignorance upon 
 the minds of men, which hinders their difceriiin^ and 
 iinderflanding gofp<;I myftcries. 2. That there is^'upon 
 the undcrftaiidiii-sof the Jews a veil of unbelief and rooted 
 prejudice againit Chrilland his holy rcli<;ion ; they wilfully 
 Unit ihtir eyes, and faid, " They would not fee ;" and 
 God has judieioudy clofed their eyes, and faid, "'Tlicy 
 fli:ill not fee." 3. That by reafon of this veil upon their 
 liearls, they cannot 'look to the end of that which was 
 aboliihcd ; that is, to Jefus Chrift, who was the end and 
 fcope at which the whole cercmoni.d law did aim and tend. 
 4. 'i'hat when the Jews (lull he called home, and eon- 
 •.erttd to ChriHianitv, the veil fliall be removed from their 
 hearts, and they fliall then underfland the tendency and 
 Picaiiing of the -whole ceremonial law, and obferVe its 
 <i. Hilling and accompliihment in our Lord Ttfus Chii/t. 
 //If'i they Jhall turn to the Lord, the veil Jhall be taken 
 c'u.ty. 
 
 \j Now the Lord h that Spiiit: and where the 
 Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 
 
 _ As if he had faid. Chrifl is that quickening and life- 
 g ving Spirit, who takes awav the veil from oft'thcir hearrs ; 
 and where tliat Spirit, thJt all-glorious and all-powerful 
 i>p;nt of the Lord is, there is liberty ; that is, clearnefs, 
 and no more veil ; freedom from the yoke of the legal 
 alminiflration, a liberty and freedom from fin, a liberty 
 unto rii-hteoufnefs, a freenefs and readinefs of fpirit to do 
 good, a liberty of addrcfs end approach to God, a liberty 
 of fpe-ch in prayer before God. Thus the Spirit of the 
 Lord IS a free Spirit. 
 
 18 But we all with open f.ice beholding as in a 
 glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the 
 lame image from glory to glorv, e\-en as by the 
 Spirit of the Lord. 
 
 That i;, we who live under the li-ht, and enjoy the 
 lib, riy of the gr.fpd, with open face beholding as in a clear 
 gh/s the glory of the Lord JefuF, as Mofe-s did the glory 
 ot (jrod in the muuni, arc by dcixrces changed into the faine 
 ima-e with liim, lrr:n glory to glory, even as by the St.irit 
 ot the J.ord woihiiig in ns, and trMisformi'ng us into 
 Jus own likcncfs. Lec;r„ heu.e, i. TLit the word and 
 crduiunces i.f Ged arc liie glafs wherein v.c hv.r now a 
 
 fiiht of the glory of GoJ. 2. That the fialit of God ir». 
 his oidinatices i» transtcririing, as well as the fight tf him 
 in lu.nvin ; the glory into which we are ch.inged, is our 
 conformity to that holinefs which Ihineih in the word.. 
 Vidnn, e,r the fight of G( d here in iis onliiun.cs, aHimi- 
 hucsas well as in heaven ; perfefl viliori produceih perftd 
 afrimilatinn ; but the foul's prcfent afUmilation, or im. 
 perfeft conformity to God here, is gradually carii'fd en b/ 
 daily communiun with him. Ail forts of communion 
 aniung men have an afiimilating power and cffic;;cv • He 
 that converfes wiih vain companv, grows more Win, and 
 he that delights in holy and fpiritual conipany, grows morr 
 ferious than he was before: But nothing f„ iransrorn>s 
 the fpirit of a man, as communion with (Tmd in his ordi 
 nances doth ; none fo like him, as tliofe- that cmverfe' 
 mnrt frequently wiih him. 3. Thst if the Cjgin of God 
 in the phi's of an ordiiuncc be fo aflimilating.^hnw tranf- 
 forming will be the fight of God in heaver, when we fhall' 
 there behold and fee feim face to face ? If the vjfion of 
 Chrift here be fo influential upon believers, what sn ijluf- 
 triousand infallible efficacy will the immediate, clear and 
 perft-a fight of his glory have in heaven ? i J,,hn iii. 2. 
 We fhall be perfetaiy like him, when once we (hall f^e 
 him as he is. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 2nlh,i chapter iiucpjJUe. vmiicalcs his ojjice av.i dl^ily 
 
 Jrom the prejudicrs which either his fiifferings uhidi at- 
 
 tended him in tlie difpenjalion thereof, or thefuggepms cf 
 
 J'j'jcapnpes,a)iddcc(ltjul workers might liave ratfcd i,p 
 
 againjlhim. 
 
 nPilEREFORE feeing we have this miniflry, 
 A as we have rcrcived mercy, we faint not ; '2 
 But have renounced the hidden thingsofdifhonefty 
 not walking in craftinefs, nor handling the word of 
 God deceitfully, but by nianifeaation of the truth 
 commending ourfelvcs to every mans confcience 
 in the fight of God. 
 
 That is, feeing we have fuch a gloi ions miniflry, far more 
 excellent than that of Mofes, memioned in the conchdioa 
 of the foregoing chapter, as we have received mercy or 
 Jpccial favours from God in comniittins; it to us, fo ^^c 
 fJint not under the ditUeuIties and prefllires to wl ich it 
 doth e.xpofe us. Havifjg received merry ue fniv.t vet ■ lut 
 have renounced the hidden things -/ eli,'hcnej!y, all fornication 
 and uncleanncfs, all ambition :;nd covetoufnefs, which the 
 falle apt-liles allowed themfelves in : Net u-.iikhig in guile 
 cr cnJtiH./s ; mr h.rndling the uicrd of God dece'ttftdty, as 
 Uiey do ; lut. by manif.f.mhn of the truth, cr.mtnen'ding cur- 
 Jches to every m.ins coifcieuec, r.s perjons c:£iir.g iri thefyht 
 of Ced. Lenrn hence, i. That the niiniP.rv of the golptl 
 IS a very glorious minilfrv, far excelling the M^'faic c'iC 
 pcnfation. 2. That it is a fpecial favn,r,r from God to be 
 Jtidgrd faithful, and put into this miniilry. 3. That v.r, 
 troubles or trials, no dilrculiies, dangers or diflrcffcs flioiitd 
 caufcany of ihc f..iij.fu] fuv.r.ts'^af God to fdiit, who 
 
 huve 
 
LHAP. IV. 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 711 
 
 have received mercy or favour from G«l to be put into 
 t/'ic ininiilry : Sieing tve have tl:!s tnhiijlry, as ive have. 
 recAvtd merry., tue faint not, Olffrvc, next, Hovr the 
 apodle, having vinJicatcd and cxroiicd his niinift-y, does 
 in the fecornl vrrfc drclare and alFcrt his fidelity in the dif- 
 (."'.argc of his miniftry : Nil haniiling the '<vsrd of Gxi 
 . '-S(itft,Il\, but c^minerjlng ourjtl'jei to ever^ man's confclcncc 
 ■ ■• the fight of C:ii. Hi-ncc ]far»y That the apofllcs de- 
 livered the ijofpfl, in all t'uiijs iieccfTiry ta be knov.n, 
 !i,iie\ied, and praclifvfl, wi-h j^rcal phiinncfs snd liitucicnt 
 •tifpiciiity ; oiherv\;ifc, they could not be faid to mar.if-fl 
 I hi truth to every mtin s confcience. ' ■ 
 
 3 But if our gofpel be hid. it is hid to them i\\xt 
 uc lofi; : 
 
 if'hif had'fnid. We preach the gofpe-I phinly : But 
 1: n.vh do i-.oMinderflnnd at;d believe if, will not embrace 
 and obey it, ii i'< nor an arguincn' of the qofpel's (>bri;iiri;,y, 
 V):it of pur hcaicrs incrtduliiy. The gofptl is not hid from 
 nif-n iy^t want of clcarnrfs, but only by means of their own 
 tolunlary and wilful biindnefs: ff oitr gifpel be hid. Here, 
 v/f, I. St. Pud's claim and intertft in the goipcl wliicli he 
 l>renchcd, he calls it his qofpcl ; not as if he was the 
 ■ithor of it, but.becaufe of his inllrumcntality in the pro- 
 .u'gati..n" and clbLlilliing of it, it was a divine trcaliirc 
 •uuiiincd to his care and tn;(t ; it was not his gofpcl, l)y 
 V. jv of origiual rcvcl;!tion, but by v.ay of niinillcii.d dif- 
 pcnfation. 2. The Corinihinns non -proficiency uiiiicr the 
 gofpcl, fpecificd, or at lealt fuppofcd. If ctir gofpfl be hid \ 
 that is, if the word, which we preach with the greatcfl 
 plainnefs, in the greateft fmipliciiy and fuiccriiy, if it be 
 hidden from the minds and lUKkrlfundings of men, fo as 
 tn mifs of its convincing; power, and converting efficacy, 
 the faidt is not in the j^olpei, but in them that fit uiiiifT 
 it. 3. The heavy doom arid judL;inent which the aportle 
 palTcs upon all fuch pcrfcns as lit under the external dif- 
 pinfation of the gofpe!, and yet are no way5 rnlightene^l 
 D'lr improved by it, but remain blind and ignorant, cblli- 
 nafe, and imreformcd. It is a fad fypiptom ;uid fiwcboding 
 lign of a loll people. Learn hence, r. That there are 
 many, \cry many, who fit under the external difpenfation 
 of 'he £;ofpcl, unto whom the gofpel is an hidden gofp^l. 
 3. That the gofjxl's- being hid from a people, who h.i\e 
 long cujoycd the light and benefit of it, is a fud fvmptom, 
 •y.e3, a cenain <ign of a loll people. Such biindnels, imdcr 
 the dcareft light, is like the covering of tlteface, or t)ing 
 the ban. fkcrchief over the eyes, in oider to the turning off 
 the cliitinatc fiiuier into an eternal hell. 
 
 j In whom tliC god of tliis v.-orld hath blinded 
 tliL- uiinds of them which believe not, led the ii^lit 
 <if the i;!orions t^ofpel, of Chrid, who is the iuia-c 
 d' God fliouid (hifie unto them. 
 
 O/'/rrtr here, i. The litlr given to S.itan, he is fl.Kd 
 ' •■ Chd ij this iVjrId \ not prperly, but btcaull ihe houcur 
 ;d hoir.aj^c of a god is cli dk-ng'.d hv him, and by a mi 1- 
 u<le of linners given to hi-n. Hi.- is ci'lcd by our Sl- 
 ur the prihCc- if this world, and by the apnllletlie ni'-r 
 the darknifi of ibis wmd\ bccaufe he ruleih over a gre..: 
 
 part of the world, and they arc his ILbjtcts, or.ratjier his 
 fJaves. 2. The way and courfe which S.itan takes toftcure 
 his fubjec^s' obedience to himfclf ; he blinds their eyes, that 
 they may never know a better prince, Tec; a better way, or 
 iindeiflaiid abetter date, thsn he hath drawn them into. 
 S;itan blir.ds the underdanding of iTiCn by the eflicacy of 
 divers bids, which are bred and nouridicdin their hearts. 
 Now the dreruningj r f fcnfiial luil from a corrupt heart, 
 do blind the underdanding, and befct the judgment, that 
 the finner can ntiiher fee nor know the excellency of 
 fpirilua! obje<S}s. O bloody and barbarous prince, that 
 puts out the eyes of all his fubjecls, darkens the mind and 
 iindrrllanding, takes away ihe thinking, confidering, and 
 rtafoidng power of the foul, that they .Mcither li;e nor con- 
 fiJer fpirimal things, nor h.'ve any dinindt and efLiTlual 
 apprehen.'ions ( f them !. 3. The tliara.^er of tlic perfons 
 whom S.ltan the God of this world, hath biindcd •j.S'i.ivi 
 .',/ believe tut \ that is, both fuch as want the means of 
 faith, and fuch as enjoy tiie means, but want the grace of 
 fii it h : The former is the cafe of the Pagan, the la.tier of 
 flu- Ch:ifti<m world. Lord! hnw many live, under tlie 
 light of the cofpil, that never had hi.art to receive it, or 
 "w ill to obey i' I Hmv great a part of the Chiiftiapized 
 v\or!d do rejicl Chtid! though called by his name, yet 
 vnll not own his authority, or fubmit to hi? govcinmcnt. 
 The nobles of the Wf)rld ih'nk ihemfclves dilhonourcd by 
 fiibn-itiing their necks to Chrid's yoke ; the. fenfualids of 
 the World will not lay down a lud for him, that l.iiJ down 
 his life for them ; the .woi Idlings of the earth prefer iheir 
 dirt and dunghill before the pearl of great price. O how 
 few amcngit them that profcfs Cbridi.nity, do love our 
 Lord Jtfws Chrid in fincerity ! 4. The great end and 
 de'ign of the devil's agencv, in blinding ihe minds of m^ n 
 wiih ignorance and error, with pnillon and prejudice; Irjl 
 the tight of the ghricus g'ffel of Chrjjl Jhould fiire into their 
 hearts, to the ruin of him and his kin-'dom. As the f:iii 
 Cads its beam upon blind n^en, but trtey rcctive not th.e 
 light of if, fo, though the light of Chrid's glorious gcfpi.! 
 niines I cfore the eyes of them wlu^m the god of this world 
 has blinded with the hopes and defires, with the polieilions 
 and enjoyments of this world, yet they receive it nor. ^j. 
 The glorifjus title here given to Chrid, Tin imrge nf Ci,l -^ 
 that i.e, ii) IJi.s fubdaniial and edcn'ial image, being Cicd 
 of God, very Gcd of very G(^d. Chrid, c<>nlid?red \\\.\\ 
 refpccl to h.is divine nature, is the exprcfs in-age of his 
 Father's ptrfon. [7..) Chrid is his image as Mediator, 
 and v.i;h reference to the gofpel, in which fie has given t:s 
 glorious demondrations of the pr>wer and wifJom, of tlis 
 grace and hoiincfs, of the mercy and goodncfs of Cit,d 
 towards ; ;;ll which, as in a gl;d"s, are rcprefeuicd to u.'-, 
 anil prefenttd before us. In both thele rel'ptcls Chrid is 
 Cilh.'d, 'J.lie im.tge of God. ' 
 
 r, For we preach not ourfclves. but Chrifl Jefus 
 the Lord ; and oiiiielves your I'crvants forjcru.s' 
 fake. 
 
 In thefe word*, our a|>'dle further maiiifeds his f^'l^li \r 
 
 and intcgri'.y in preaching the gi-.fpel, by llicv, ing tiiat he 
 
 r.i:^ Vf Vi rilvjiic^- Chrid, and not himfclf, in pr'.aching of 
 
 v, I. The duty pradifcd by St. Paul: //> 
 
 ■- ■ ■ ■ . 'frcriih 
 
la 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 office of 
 
 Chap. 
 
 IV. 
 
 preach. J low mean and ignubic focvcr tli 
 preaching is cftcemed by foir.^' mtn, nho value not their 
 own or other men's fouls, and therefore no wonder that 
 thcv imdervaliie the n;c:ins of making them happy ; yet 
 v.ill the faithful minilUrs of ChiiU magnify this part of 
 their office, not by pomp and (\atc, nor by fcorn and fiiptr- 
 cilioufntl.';, as thinkini; it benc.ith them to pn-ach, but by 
 an humble and paintu! attendance upon the miniflry, which 
 they have received of the I-ord ; and will difpcnfe the word 
 >vith evidence and pcrfpicniiy, with faithtiilnefs and fiiicc- 
 rity, with power and authority, wiila courage and boldncfs, 
 and with cxeniolariiicfs of converfation ; not preaching 
 ani;clical fcrmons, an. I leading di.ibnlioal lives. 2. The 
 fiibje>!il-matter of the apoftlc's preaching ; not ourfelvei, hut 
 Chrljl Jffiii the Lord. But when may yerfcn" be faid to 
 preach themfclves ? AiiJ. When they mike thcmftlves 
 the authors of thtir own minillry, running before they are 
 lent, and are fclf-creatcd preachers ; when they ttiake 
 themfclves the tnatter of their preaching, venting their own 
 pallions, and prejudices, and private Ofjiniiins, inrtead of 
 the do(flrine of Chrift ; and when they inake themfclves 
 the end of their preaching, aiming rather at pleafmg others, 
 aiul profiting themfclves, than at the glory of God, and the 
 good men's fouls. But what is it to preach Chtifl ? 
 //«■ prearh nJ owfelvcs, hut 'Jijus Chrijl our Lord. Aiif. 
 When i:e is the author of our miniflry, and we receive 
 4>;ir ir.iiiion from him ; when we make him the objicl of 
 our preaching ; when the fubjeft-matter and fubltance of 
 it Is Jefus Chrift, cither explicitly or rcdudlivcly ; and 
 when we nvike him the end of our preaching, defigning to 
 promote the honour and iniercfl of Chrill by our miniflry, 
 tliat his pt-ople may be gathercil, his body edified, his faints 
 perfected, his enemies fubdiicd, his gofiicl propasfated, and 
 he finally admirtd in ail tkem litrii believe. 3. In what 
 capacity the apolUe looked upon himfelt in the church of 
 Chriil ; not as a lord, but as a fcrvant : Ourfehss your 
 Jirvarits. There is an honour belonging to ChrilVs minif- 
 lers, but verily that honour conlills in fervice v.hich we 
 owe to the church of Clniil : Servants we are to the fouls 
 of men, but not to the humours of men ; at the fame 
 time that we are fervants to them, we are to rule over 
 them, and they are to obey, and fubmit imto us as thofe 
 who watch for their folds. Therefore it is added. Servants 
 for Jifus' s fake : that is, fervants in order to the promoting 
 of his honour, and his church's intcreft. 
 
 6 For God, who commanded the light to fhine 
 out of daikncfs, hath fliined in our hearts, to give 
 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in 
 the face of Jefus Chiifl. 
 
 Olferve here, The faithlul and humble acknowledgment 
 which the apofile makes, how himfcU and his tellow- 
 apoftles catr.c to preach Jefrs Chrill fo ccnvincingly to 
 others; namely, That Almighty Gtxl, who at firlt by his 
 omnipotent word produced light out of daiknefs, by no 
 icfs eilicacy and power brought hiiT), a 1(>{1 finner, out of 
 the daikncfs of Pharaifin and fin, and fiiined into his and 
 •heir hearts with a j^lorious liiht, to the intent that he and 
 t^cy Iho'ild communicate and impart this divine light of 
 tht kno\\ Icdijc of God, wliich fliiiieth iuthc face of Chrifl 
 
 tmto others. Learn hence. That ir.iriders muft know 
 Chrid tliemfelves, before they can make liim known to 
 others ; Chiift muft be revealed in them, before he can be 
 rcvcnled by them ; he tnift Ihine inro their hearts by his 
 holv Spirit, and give them an experimental acquaintance, 
 in their own fouls, w ith. w hat they deliver and make know n 
 toothers. Every truth ought to be the tranfcript of our 
 own experience, and be preached firll to cur hearts, and 
 then to our hearers. Wiio can favinglv enligliten others, 
 that is in the daikncfs of ignornnce, or fin, himfclf ? 
 
 7 5 But we have this trtafurc in earthen veffels, 
 that the excellency of the power may be of God, 
 and not of us. 
 
 In the foregoing verfcs we find the api file magnifying 
 his office, extolling his minillry, and vindicating his fidility 
 in the difchargeof his duty. In this veife, tj^rnr, i. He 
 c<impares the gofpel he preached to a freafure : ll'c /v.ir 
 this Ircafure; a treafure for the enrichirg and cditying of 
 the church. The gc^fpel is a treafure for its worth and 
 dignity, for its abundance and variety, for its clofenefs and 
 fecrecy. This treafure Chrill keeps under lock and key, 
 only intruding thofe w iih it whom he calls to it, and iur- 
 nifhes for it. ~ Thty are no better than thieves and facii- 
 legious robbers, who without a mediate call or warrant 
 from Chrifl, do affiime this triift, and break open this 
 treafure. 1. Tlie repofitory in wh.ich this treafure is laid 
 up, in earthen veff'eh : So the aportlcs and miniders of the 
 gofpel are called. Where note. The word of defcription, 
 they are xrniU ; and the word of dimiuuticn, they are 
 earthen veflels. (i.) The preachers of the pofpel arc 
 reprcfented by a word of defcription, they arc vefjeh : Thi.s 
 vcllcis are not natural, but artificial inftruments. No iran 
 is born a Chridian, much lefs a minider, but made fuch. 
 Velfels are not of equal capacity; feme are lefs, others 
 greater: Thus the minifters of the gofpel have gitts and 
 graces of tiitferent degrees and excellencies. Again, vedels 
 are not for reception only, but lor effufinn alio : as they 
 receive and retain, fo they let out what is put into them : 
 The miniders of Chrid are not only to receive and lay up, 
 but to lay otjt this heavenly treafure, which is not imp;;ired 
 by imparting. Finally, vedt'ls are not the originals of 
 what they have, but all they contain is pourtd into them, 
 and received by them. A mine has trtafuie in its own 
 bowels, but it is put into the cheA. Thus the preachers 
 of the gofpel arc not the authors, but the receivers <'nly, 
 of thofe truths which they publKh : i Cor. xi. 23. /have 
 received of the Lord what 1 alfo dtlivered unto you. Nofe 
 farther. The word of diminution, they are rdr//i<-« vedlls. 
 The preachers of the gofpel aiedi\ine in regard cf the 
 fublirrity of their dodiine, but }ium.-.n and earthen in 
 regard cf the frailty of their condition. Their being called 
 earthen veffels, may dcm le the mcJi^nefs of their condiiirn, 
 which for the mod part is little rf.d low in the wcild : As 
 the poor receive the gcTpel, fo are they very often poor 
 and low th^t piiblilh the gofpel, ncccditrus arid indi;jirr, 
 earthen vtlj'th. Again, it may denote the fiailty cf tin Ir 
 pcrfons, rind the conteinptiblcnefs of the.ti. Earthen vtf- 
 fcls are little fet by, dai-.d in open places, tifed by every 
 hand, end at every liun \ w hile pi ate, gold and fiivcr vciitis 
 
 ars 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 II. C O R I N T H I A K S. 
 
 713 
 
 are laM anillocteJ »ip with great carefulncrs. Thus it is 
 i)frcn wiih the preachers of the gofpcl, they are objcfls 
 bafc aii-l vile, contemptible amrdcfpid-d in the eyes of the 
 worlil, vtdels wharein there is no pkafurc ; yea, wiih 
 fome, not only our perfons are dcfpicablc, but our very 
 oflice and funflion is contemptible. In a word, as our 
 mean condition and bafc tflimation, fo our bodily confli, 
 tuiion proclaims us earthen : Our bodies arc earthen, 
 hccaufc formed of the duft of the earth, bccaufe fiibje<5l to 
 f.aws and cracl;s, and to be brcken in pieces ; we that 
 preach eternal life to other.', nrc ilyiii;^ men oiirfclves ; and 
 ■whilil the word of life is in our mouths, many times death 
 is in our faces. Laflly, The rcafon 3%iicd why this 
 treafiire of the gofpel is committed to earthen vcHlls, men; 
 r.otto heavenly velfels, angels ; namely, "That the txcelhncy 
 of the fizvcr might he ofGo.'i, and trJ if us : From the 
 xve.'.knefN of man, the inltrrment, there redounds great 
 Iinnoiir toGod, the agent. This precious treafure of the 
 fofpcl is lodged in fuch wc^^k aiicl worthlef;. vellLls, that as 
 the power isirom God, namely, ihcawakeuini;. convincing, 
 quickening, heart-changing power of the wi rd is from him: 
 So the glory, the entire ghuy and complcie praife, may be 
 attributed and afcribed to him. 
 
 8 "^Ve are troubled on every fide, yet not dif- 
 trelFcd ; xvc arc perplexed, yet not in dcfpair ; g 
 Perfccuted, but no: forf.iken; call down, but not 
 dcftiO''ed; 10 Always bearing about in the body 
 the dying of the Lord Jefus, that the life alfo of 
 Jefus iniqht be made manifcfl in our body, : 1 For 
 we which live arc always delivered unto death for 
 ]clu.<('s fake, that the life alfo of Jefus might be , 
 in/ Ic manifcfl: in our mortal flefli. 12 So then 
 death worketh in us, btat life in you. 13 We 
 having the fame fpirit of faith, according as it is 
 written, I believed, and therefore have I fpokcn ; 
 we alfo believe, and therefore fpcak: 
 
 The fulfe r.poftles and foir.c weak Chriflians iiaving 
 t.tken offence at the minifold and great fiifFciings which 
 St. P.uil, with his fellow apofllcs, had met with in the 
 co'irfc of their miniftry : In thcfc veifes, St. Paul (licws 
 the church at Coiinth, that there was no reafon at all why 
 any (hould be offended at his fufn-iing";, or any caufe why 
 the falfeapr lilts flioiilJ obju<£l, that if he had preaclied the 
 gofpel fmcerely, Almigh.iy Crid would nc\'cr have fiifFered 
 him to be p. rfeciited and affli<fted fo fcvcrcly ; namely, 
 b'jcaufc all hi;- rSii'5i( ns were fo gracioidly model atcd, and 
 himfclf fo inwcifully uphtld by God, that he fuiik not 
 under the weight and burden of them. VVc are troubled, 
 f.iys he, en every lide, but nf^t overwhelmed wi'.h our 
 troubles; we are often perplexed, but not fo as to dcfpair 
 of God's help and fuccour ; we 3fe perfccii'cd by men, but 
 not forfakcn oi' Gv)d ; caft down indeed, but not killed by 
 tlie. fill/. So that there is in our fulFs-rincs a refcmblanic 
 and rcpr. rcnta/i^>n of the death and futfl rings of Chriil 
 Jefus. Wc bare in our bodies a mcinoiativc conformity 
 to our dying Lord, that it msy appear how migh'ily ^^e 
 arc fijpporlcJ by the quickening power of the Spirit cf 
 
 Chrift, tinder all our afflictions. As if the apoflle had 
 faid, " Behold and admire in us the almighty power of 
 Chrift exerted towards us, in upholdiDg thcfe earthen vef- 
 fels (our frail bodies) notwithllanding the many ihoufand 
 knocks they have met with in carrying about that heavenly 
 trcafure, the holy gofpel, with which God has iutrulteJ 
 IIS." Oiferve next. He rejoices in the caufe of his fuffcr- 
 ings : /■'fe are delivered unto death for 'fijus's fake : for our 
 owning, preaching, and pradtiling the tiodlrinc of Jefus. 
 Blelfcd be God, we fuffer not as evil doers, but for well 
 doing; we fiifFcr for the fake of the bcft perfon, and in the 
 beft caufe, that ever the world was acquainted with. He 
 adds, If'c are delivered unto death, that the life of jfefus 
 might le made mnnfef} in cur mcrtai fejh ; that is, the 
 ififinitely wife God fiiffers us to be thus afflidled, that in 
 and by the fuffcrings which ounnortal flefli docs fufljin 
 and Uiidergo, he might make it evidently inanifcft th.it 
 Chrift is rifen from the dead ; and, as a living Head, con- 
 veys the necclfary influences of (Ircngth, fupport and com- 
 fort, to all his members, fo more partictilarly to us his 
 ininiRers ; by which we arc enabled, without fainting, to 
 fuffer tlie hardefl things with patience, courage, and con- 
 ftancy. Ladly, Hi declares tf> them the great advantage* 
 which they reaped by his affliftions : Death worleth in tis, 
 but life In you ; that is, the preaching of the gofpel cxpofcs 
 lis to death, but unto you it brings eternal lite. Our death 
 is yf)ur life, our fufFerings arc your advniirage, we h.iving 
 the fame faithful fpirit whicli was in the faints under the 
 .OldTeflamcnt, and particularly in holy David, Pfal. cxvi. 
 10. who favs, I lelieved and therefore fpake : I was fare 
 cjfliSted. Now as he believed and trulted in God for de- 
 liverance out of his many and great troubles, fo, in like 
 manner do wc believe and truft. From the whole, note, 
 I. That a perplexed, and perfccuted, and affli^ed, and 
 diifrelled condition, was the lot and portion of the mem- 
 bers, but efpcciully of the minifters of ChrKl, in iho firfl 
 and pureft ages of tiie church. Chriil efpoufed his church 
 to himfclf upon the bed of the crofs, his head begirt with 
 a pilloiv of thorns, his body drenched in a bath of his 
 own blood : And if the head was crowned wiuh thorns, it 
 is unfuitable that the feet Ihould tread on rofes. 2. Though 
 all Clirill's followers have drank of the fame cup wi;li 
 himfclf, yet the dregs of the cup have iifually Ix'en put 
 intotiie hands of the minifters of the word ; we that live 
 are al'ways delivered unto death : Mod of the apoftles were, 
 by the rr>ge of tyrants, put to cruel deaths, and offered up 
 a bloody facrificc. The calling of miniflcrs is honourable, 
 but thi-ir outward condi-irn is deplorable ; thtir cnd):!lfy 
 is glorious, but their iifage is often grievous; God fcndj 
 them forth with renown, the world cutcrlains them ^^it^l 
 reproach, -i. God doth not bring ■ his people intoafuf- 
 fcring Condi-" ion, and ilicre leave thein ; when tiicy fnffcr 
 for him, they ate not forfakcn by him : The voice of 
 dcfpair is not heard' in tht dark night of their calamity ; 
 But God has either il.t Cafllo of providence, or the ark of 
 promife; the all-fuliiciency of hispower, or lie abundance 
 of his grace : Thefe, «:vfry ot thtfe, and all fhcfe, are for 
 his people's retirement in thegreatcH florms and lempcfts. 
 
 I i Knowing that he which raifcd up the Lord 
 4 ^ J'-f^us, 
 
714) 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. rv. 
 
 Jefus, fhall raifeupus alfo by Jefus, and fhall pre- 
 Icnt us with you. 15 For all things artf for your 
 fakes, that the abundant grace might through the 
 ihankf^iving of many redound to the glory of God. 
 
 o o 
 
 A double rcafon is here adigncd, why the apoHlc bare 
 
 liis fuftcrings with fiich invincible cour.ige and Cbrirtian 
 
 patience. The firll is drawn from the atlvantage which 
 
 would redound to the church by his fuffcrings : Jll ll'i'ngs 
 
 ere fir your J>iies ; that is all the ftraits we arc put to, turn 
 
 to your advantage : If we die, it is to confirm you by our 
 
 futferings ; if we be dtlivercd, it is for God's glory and 
 
 your go<nl, that the attiniiant gr,iee might hy the thanlj- 
 
 glv'^ng of many redound to the glory of G oil. Whatever we 
 
 meet with tends to the confirming of your faith, and the 
 
 increafirig of your thankfidncfs. A fecond reafon is drawn 
 
 from the joyful id'ue of his fufFcrings: He and his fcllow- 
 
 apoftlcs llcdfafUy believed, that Almighty God, who 
 
 r.iifed up Chrifl from the dead, would in like manner raife 
 
 them from the grave of their fufFerings, yea, from the 
 
 grave of death ; ami both foul and boily fliall be preftntcd 
 
 with them, to be eterrally glorified together. Learn hence. 
 
 That how different foever the lot and poriien of God's 
 
 children and fervants be in this life, fome more, others 
 
 Icfsafflifled ; yet having all, at the fame time, faith in God 
 
 for a joyfid deliverance ouf of their afflidlions, they (hall 
 
 all meet in the morning of the rcfurreftion, and be by 
 
 ChriO prefentedunto God as perfons redeemed by him, and 
 
 lliall eternally be glorified with him, 
 
 16 For which caufe we faint not ; but though 
 our outward man perilh, yet the inward man is re- 
 newed day by day. 
 
 The original word iox fainting, fignifics to fhrink back, 
 as cowards in war, or to fink down as a porter under tlie 
 preiTure of fome he.ivy burden : For this caufe we fulr.t not. 
 For what caufe? Namely this, that though their bodies 
 were weakened by affliftion, and they were daily decaying 
 as to the llrcngth and vigour of the outward man ; yet as 
 to their inward man, the ftrength and vigour of their minds 
 and fpirits, were day by day renewed. O happy apoftle ! 
 the cold blads of perfecution beating upon thy outward 
 man, did, by a fpiiitual antiperiifafis, inereafe the heat of 
 grace within ; thy foul is made fat with blows upon thy 
 body, and battens with pricking and beating ; every ftone 
 thrown at thee knocked thee nearer to Chriff, the chief 
 Corner-done : Under all the ftorms and billows of afflic- 
 tion, thou, like Noah's ark, wert lift up nearer to heaven ; 
 and after every encoimter, thy falvation is nearer than be- 
 fore. Well therefore mightcft thou declare and fav, For 
 this caufe wefutnt not. 
 
 17 For our light affliftion, which is but for a 
 moment, worketh for us a far r>iore exceeding anl 
 eternal weight of glory. 
 
 S:ill our apnflle proceeds in afTignrng reafons why all the 
 afflidions which himfelf and others met with, v,ere not 
 only tolerable, but joyous ; namely, becaufe, fi.)Hisaf- 
 fiiclions were light, [z.) Decaufe they were fliort. They 
 were light ; but how? Not cculidcrcd in ihcmfclvcsi fo 
 
 they were hard and hca\'y ; thrice was he beaten with 
 rods, five times he received forty Hripcs favc one ; but 
 light, compared with the glory cxpe«ed. Again, they 
 were Ihort ;, but for a moment, compared with eternity, 
 Mark the gradation : For affliilion there is glory ; for 
 light afFiiftion, a weight ot glory ; and for light affliiSlion, 
 which is but for a moment, an eternal weight of glory. 
 Ohfen<e farther, the apolUi- doth nut barely fay, that glory 
 will be the Cdnfcqucnt of afiliclion, but that atf.idion will 
 be the caufe of glory ; // wzrLth for us. But how ? Not 
 as a meritorious caufe : For alas ! how can our afflidioni- 
 dcferve this happinefs? What proportion can there be 
 betwixt light and momentary afflidlions, and an eternal 
 weight of glory ? But they work for us, as they are fandified 
 by God to us. His infinite mercy and gtHxIiiefy, his 
 covenant-truth and faithhilncfs, make his faints afllieilions 
 a whipping-port to their corrujiiions ; they purge out ini- 
 quity, and take away our fin, if we belong to Go<l as his 
 covenant-children. But for wicked and obdurate finners^ 
 alas ! it is much otherwifc: Inrtead of being refined Irotn 
 their drofs, and purged from their filth, by being in ih« 
 furnace of affliilion, it boils their fcum and impurity more 
 into them ; and, like flints in the fire, they fly in the very 
 face of God their refiner. 
 
 1 8 While we look not at the things which are 
 fcen, but at the things which are not feen. For 
 the things which are feen are temporal, but th« 
 things which are not feen are eternal. 
 
 The laft reafon is afligned here, whytheapoflle was 
 kept from fainting in and under the prcifure of the moll 
 thiiigs ; not at things feen, but unfecn ; not at things 
 temporal, but eternal. Olferve here, i. What it was that 
 the aportle, when on earth, made his main fcope, hiscaict 
 aim, grand dcfign, and grand end. This is fignificd to us 
 in the original word e-tcTb/T.^', which fignifics to look as 
 the archer doth at the mark he fhoots at. There were 
 fome things which he, his fellow apoflles, and all ferioiis 
 Chrirtians with them, looked at. This is fpccified, firff, 
 negatively, U'e Ink not at things fcen ; at the things of this 
 Irfe, at the fenfiblc objeds, be they bitter or fweet, be they 
 comforts or crolFes: Temporal things are temporary things; 
 and we mind them' not as the men of the world do, who 
 make them their chief and principal aim, and fcope: No, 
 we leave the men of the world to the world ; H'e loch net 
 at things ivhlch are feen. But, fccondly, This is fpecified 
 affirmatively. We look at the things which are not feen ; the 
 things of another life, things which arc objcds of faith, 
 and not vifiblc to flefhiy eyes; we look atthcfe, we make 
 thefc our aim and fcope. .^nd the reafon is fubjoined why 
 they made thefe things the matter of their choice, the 
 objeflsof their defire and endeavour. This is Futi mated 
 in the word fforj ; For the things uhlch are fcen are tern— 
 foral ; that is, all the vinblc things of this life, whether 
 comforts or cioifes, whether prol'perous or adverfe, be it 
 heahh or fickncfs, liberiy or reftraint, pwrerty or riches, 
 honour or difgrace, life or denih, they are all «;"»«•■« for 
 a while, only for a Ihort fcafon, as the word fiir.ifies ; 
 therefore we do not much eye them, ■wc trouble liot our 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ■heads much about tlicin ; t^cy arc things of an higher 
 nature wc look at, fiich as neither eye hath fecn, nor ear 
 licarf] ; anilihcfc are tlie (hirablc things; f.,r the tkinrs 
 lehich ore ni'.Jecn nre eternal, learn hence, I. That tem- 
 poral things, or things that arc fecn, do ta!ce up the heads 
 and hearts, the minds atid thoughts of tlic men of the 
 world, and are the fuin of their defires, and the fubftance 
 of their endeavours : //v Iiok n-J at lie ihhi^s which are 
 fren, but tlierc are thofe that Ao ; we mile them not our 
 simandfcope, but others look at them, wholly at them, 
 cm fee noiliing beyond them, and dcfne nothing bcfides 
 ihem.^ 2. That things iinfcen, the things of eternity, and 
 thevillhle encouragements of another world, arc the mark 
 and fcope which every real Chriftian is aiming at, and con- 
 tending for : IFe hsk at the things which are'mt fecn, and 
 nuke them cur aim and fcope. 3. That tlie tilings not 
 fecn, or the tilings of another life and world, arc cicrn;d 
 things ; tliat is, "fuch things as admit of no changes and 
 alterations, of no gradations or fucceffions, of no decay or 
 confuiTiption, of no future hopes and expedations cf no 
 niixiiircor nxnleration, of no recovery or revocaiion, of no 
 perlixl orconclulion. Octernity! eternity! that vail, that 
 bnundlcfs ocean of eternity ! how does it fwallow up oi'r 
 though's with wonder atid amazement 1 God help us daily 
 toconlldcr ofir, d.dy to prepare for it, and not to prefer 
 the trifles of time before ir, but make the vvifcfl proviilon 
 lorthe longeft duration. 4. That which puts the weight 
 upon things not feen, and renders, them the proper obieas 
 of a Cnriaian's aim and choice, is this becaufe tlicy are 
 eternal : That which chi.flv cafls the fcale, and maketh 
 things not feen to preponderate, is becaufe they are eternal 
 thmj,s. It IS eternity which franfcendeth all exprefHon, 
 all conception, much more all our comprchcnfion, that 
 ptrts an inhnite weight upon luifecn ihincrj; The thln<rs 
 whnh are not feen are eternal. This meditation, well 
 thgeited, wouKi work in us an holy indiifl-rency towards 
 all temporal things ; it would modcrateoureftccm of them, 
 ourdehres after them, m:r delight in them, and our frief 
 for the want and K.fs of then, ; and fweeten all thofc 
 troubles and trials, all thofe fufll-rings and affliaions, which 
 we m«t w„h in our pafTage through time into eternity. 
 i.ord. take otf and turn away otir e)es, from things uhich 
 are feen. and help us to lo,k at the things -which ar. not fecn. 
 
 C I-I A P. V. 
 
 Our ap-^flk in thh chapter gives a reafm why he did fo 
 cr^urageoujly labour in the umk of the minflry. notwiL 
 Jlanduig tlie great dangers which lie met with: And 
 m us a was the well-growulcd hrfcs of a RUwe im- 
 mortahty winch didf„pportand bear up lusfptrit under 
 a'l the preffares of human life. "^ 
 
 POR we know that 'if otir earthly houfc oUhis 
 A tabernacle were dtfTolved, we have a buildin. 
 
 .tett ;„" .'°^'^' "" '^''^ '^-'^^ ^-^^' — > ^^ 
 
 y^^'!'^''^l 'r °'" ="P«fl'e compares the body ofahe- 
 l.-^exioanhoufe, to an earthly houfe, and to an houfc «f 
 
 7^5 
 
 tabernacle; to an houfe, becaufe of its comely f.ibric and 
 compofure, as alfo in regard of the inhabitant th.it dwells 
 in it, the never-dying foul; to an earthly houfe, in regard 
 of the matter of which it was coinpofcd, and in regard of 
 the means by which it is fuftained; and to an houfe of ta- 
 bernacle, becaufe fuch buildings confdl of (liglit and mean 
 materials, they are foon fct up, and as foon taken down. 
 2. The neccflity of this earthly tabernacle of the body's 
 dilTolution by c'eath, it miift down and be dilToivcd. 3. 
 The believers future happinefs, after the body's prcfent 
 diifolution afilrted and declared : They have a building of 
 Goct, an houfe not mack uith hands, eternal In the heavens. 
 Zr^/vj hence, i. That it is the pleafure and will of God, 
 that his people rtiould for a fliort time remain in this earthly 
 tabernacle of the body. 2. That this earthly tabernacle 
 of the bcli;;ver's body, Pinner or later, muft by dcatli be 
 diflulved. 3. That after the diirohuTou of this earthly ta- 
 bernacle of "the body, all the faithful have an eternal habi- 
 tation, a building of God, not made with hands, in the 
 highcd heavens. 4. That it is both the d';ty and intercft 
 of every fincerc and feiious Chri.'tian, to labour for the 
 Certain know ledge and full airurance of this h.ppy privi- 
 lege, and be able to fay, ffe know, iJc. 
 
 2 For in this we groin, earneftly djuiin^ to be 
 clothed upon with our houfe which is from heaver.: 
 
 Fur In this, that is, in this ruinous earthly tabcrnrclc. 
 AVf here, i. The ftrength and vchcmency of the f-ints 
 affeaion, we groan ; the word lignifies fuch a pioaning as 
 of a man that has a load or burden lying uponliim, which 
 makes him fetch his w ind from is very bowels : As there 
 are groans w hich proceed from forrow, fo there are groans 
 which arife from defirc and hc^pe. Thus here, fre "roan 
 earneflly dcfirlng. 2. What is the fubjed which the apo'f- 
 tle's groaning defires were carried out after ; namely, to be 
 clothed with a celeltial body, inflead of that cloeging bix^y 
 of earthly corruption wdiich here tliey carried about v.ith 
 fliem, e.tnhfliy dcfirlng to'he clothed upcn, S<c. Learn thence, 
 1 hat fuch as do believe and wait for a blefled immortality, 
 do groan for ir, and earneftly defirc it, becaufe of the mil 
 feries and prefTures by fin and forrow in this prefent life, 
 becaufe they have already a tafteof the happinefs and glory 
 of the lite to come, and becaufe the holy Spirit doth excite 
 .^nd ilir up tiicfe groaning defires in the hearts of believers : 
 Rom. viii. 23. /re alfo, that have the f.rfi-fritlls oj the S//. 
 •nt, do groan within ourfclves. 
 
 3 If fo that being clothed we fliall not be foiinJ 
 naked. 
 
 That is,. If fo be at our p-fTagc hence, we fljr.ll have the 
 happincis to be ot the number of thofc who are found 
 clothed with glory, orclothed withholinefs and pnod work, 
 to fn us for our clothing in glory, that we may not be toioH 
 naked, in our natural turpitude of fin and fpiritiial iiakeJ- 
 nefs, vvhich w ill render us abominable in the fight of God. 
 Learn hxncc, that none can yroan or long forlioavcn b-it 
 luch as are clothed with a gofpol righteoufncfs, that of juf- 
 ti(]caiion,fanai;icalion,and new obedience: N-ne fh.dibi 
 cloth*d upon with slory hereafter, but fuel, as arc<l 'ihcd 
 wnh grace and hulin^fs here. 
 
 ^'^ '^ 4 For 
 
7i6 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap, v. 
 
 4 For wc that are in thii tabernacle do gronn, whiift he fojourneth in the brdy, and lives in his earthly 
 
 in.r burdened : not for that we would be uncloth- tabernacle here below. His birth and parentage is from 
 
 .."',,, ^1 ^ ^ ,. ■ ,.1 <- 1 heaven, his ireyfurc and inntntsnre in heaven, his kindred 
 
 ed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be fwal- ^^^ ^^,'^,j^^,^^^ ^^^ j,^,^ ,^i^^j^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ,,,^^^^ ^^„ ^_^ 
 
 be 
 
 lowed up of life. 
 
 hiRgeU abide. 2. That the true reafon why the friints 
 
 Ncle here, That this groaning deflre, again mentioned count themfclvcs here riot at heme, is becatife thty are ab 
 
 fcnt from ti.c Lord whiKl prefint in the bfdy. 
 
 7 For we walk by faith, not by fight : 
 
 That is, our condition here in the vorld is fuch, that 
 wc cannot fee God face to face, but by faith only; vvhillt 
 we arc in the body, we do not fee and enjoy, but believe 
 andexpcifl. Faith is the thing in cxpcElation, fighi is the 
 thing in fruition : Faith is a cloudy difcovery of things at 
 a diftance, fight is a clear view r.nd apprchcnfion of things 
 that are prefent. Learn, i. That taith is for earth, and 
 fight is for heaven. 2., That till we have fight, it is a great 
 advantage that vvc have faitli. 3. That it we now have 
 faith, we may be well allured, that ere long we (hall have 
 fight. 
 
 8 We are confident //^7j', and willing rathfr (o 
 be abfcnt from that body, and to be prefent with 
 the Lord. 
 
 The original words for tve are (orifident and wUHtig, de- 
 note fir/l courage and undaunted boldnefs, with refpeft to 
 death, and complacency and fatisfadion in it. 
 
 by the apulUe in this verfe, vritli refpcft to the burden of 
 the body, to gel rid of it, is not cither an unnatural defire, 
 or a difcontented defire, or a delire of death as death, or a 
 defire to be^inhoufed, and without clothing for the foul ; 
 but he would be better clothed with a ccleiiiai body, that 
 his mortal part might be fwallowed up by immortal glory. 
 As it the apoftle had faid, " As weary as I anj of life, by 
 means of fin and forrow, by reafon of corruption and afflic- 
 tion, yet I wcftild not barely, for the fake of that, defire a 
 dillblution, but for the hope's fake of eternal and immortal 
 life." Learn hence, i. T'liat vvliilll the faints live in this 
 earthly, mortal body, they are burdened wi:h a heavy load 
 of fin and aftliftion. C. Tliat believers thus burdened, 
 do, in an holy manner, grcJaii and long for a better (late- 
 '5. That in, that better (late, mortality rtial! be fwallowed 
 itp of life. 4. That in that life, we (hall be clothed again 
 with our own bodies, glorious and heavenly. 
 
 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the felf- fame 
 thing li God, who alfo hath given unto us the ear- 
 ned of the Spirit. 
 
 That is, Pie that hath wrousht and appointed us, he that ^J^"''')-^ * The trandatiori 'stooAat, J^-f'-S'^". 
 hatlt prepared and fitted us for this gloricnis change, and 
 hath fet our fouls a-longing for this immortal ftate, is God; 
 who hath 'v\h given us hy lis Spirit thofe holy RfTeftiens, 
 fervent defires and faithful endeavours, which are the ear- 
 ncft of heaven before we enjoy it. I^earn hence, 1. Tliat 
 Almighty God doth fit and frame his people for that happy 
 flate of blifs and glory, which he has defigned them for, 
 and appointed them unto. He thcl hath ivrctigkt us fir the 
 Jtlf-Jame thing, is Gcd. 2. That to the intent his faints 
 
 may look and lon^ for that plorious and immortal Itatewith . - • 1 l 
 
 tlic'greater yehemency and defire, he has already given them preferable to the iaints, than that of dwelling in the body 
 
 If'e are 
 
 we are uril 
 pltojed. It is a grateful and deilrable thing to us to leave 
 the body, yet not in an abfolute, but comparative confi- 
 deration. We are willing rfl//".-/- ; that is, rather thr.n not 
 fee and enjoy tiie Lord, rather than be always here finning 
 and groaning. We had rather bj aljeni frcm the hcth, and 
 fre/cnt with the Lord. Learn, i. That our happincfs iti 
 the world tocome, lies in our being prefent with the Lord. 
 2. That we are prefent with the Lord, as fcon as the foul 
 qiiittelh and takes its leave and farewel of the body. 3. 
 That a ftate of feparation from the btdy, is much more 
 
 4. That this defire, preference, and choice, arifes from that 
 confident affiirance which they have of a better ftate, and 
 of their intereft in it. 
 
 g 1 Wherefore we labour, that whether prefent 
 or abfcnt we may be accepted of him. 
 
 The word (ignifies, to labcur amhitioiiJ!y,zs an ambitious 
 courtier, labours for his prince's favour. W« labour, 
 whether prefent in the body, or abfent from the body, 
 whether living or dtying, that our perfons and our fervices 
 may be accepted with him, whenever we appear before 
 him. Lenrn, 1. That to be accepted with the Lord, is a 
 very high honour : Tohave our perfons accepted and our 
 performances acceptable, are high favours ; the former is 
 tiie ground cf the latter, and Chrill is the foundation of 
 both, Ephcf. i. 6. Learn, 2. That it is a gracious perfon's 
 great atr.biiion and defire, his aim and fcope, his defi'gn 
 and endeavour, that living and dying he may find ac- 
 we leave the body, we Ihall be admitted to our happinefs* '^''P/-'"" with God, and his aaicns be fucb, as God may 
 
 Lean:, i. That a Chriili-n is not in his own proper hume '''^'^ '^' "'''' ^?P'°'' °* "' 
 
 ^ '^ JO Fov 
 
 an earncil and fortalle of it, by his holy Spirit in their 
 hearts. 
 
 6 Therefore xvc are are always confident, know- 
 in:^ that whilfl we arc at home in the body, we are 
 abfcnt from the Lord, 
 
 IFe are confident, \hax\s, by the holy Spirit comfortably 
 alTured of a better ftate. They who have the earned: of 
 the Spirit, may be confident of their future glorious ftate; 
 cr we are confident ; that is, we are of good courage, fear- 
 ing neither deaih nor danger in the way of our duty, Know- 
 ing that whilji ive are at heme here in the body, that is, whilft 
 fjjourning in the body js pilgrims and ftrangers, w^ are ah- 
 fent from the Lord : That is, we arc detained from the 
 blertid fight and enjoyment of Gtxl, and kept out of the 
 podclfion of that hnppinefs which makes heaven. Here 
 the apoftle plainly intimates, tliat whilft we remain in the 
 body, we are detained f:om our happincfs, and that foon as 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 ir. C O R I N T H r A N S. 
 
 717 
 
 10 For we miift all appear before the judgement- 
 feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things 
 diine in his boJy. according to that he hath done, 
 whether it be. good or bad. 
 
 Thefe wonts arc fully (lefk-rip^ive of a future jiidf'mcnt. 
 la \»hich ohjiifvf, i. Tl»e necetliiy "f a Wwwxi jiuls^mcnr, 
 Jf'e Kill/}, wiiliiig {jr unwilling. 2. The iinivcrfali'.y ot iliis 
 iiiiJijmcnt; U e ntnj} nil. 3. The pcrr'ii by whom, and 
 before whom, we inud be jiul^ed, Chr'.jl. 4. The mnn- 
 ntr of this jiidgmcnt, All mull Kfpear, and be made mani- 
 left, both perfons and atlions. 5. The matter about 
 which we (hall be judged, The things done in the bcJy. 6. 
 The end of all this inquifition, to be pimifhcd or rewarded, 
 according to our aftions. Learn i. That there will cer- 
 tainly come a day, when every prrfon that ever lived in 
 this wofld, fliall ccnaiiily be judged by Jcfus Chrifl : /f'e 
 vv.(ft all appcnr before the judgment -ject of Chrifl, 2. That 
 every man's judgment and fentence at the great day, (hall 
 proceed and be pronounced according to what he has done 
 in the fielli, be it good or bad ; That every one may receive 
 the things dme in his hcdy, &c. 
 
 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we 
 peiTuadc men; but we are made m inifeil unto God; 
 and I truft alio are made manifcfl in your con- 
 Iciences. 
 
 That is, Icnowing the terror and dread of that terrible 
 and dreadful day, in whijh Cluifi: will judge the whole rucc 
 of mankind ; and being perliiadcd of the truth and certainty 
 of it ourfclves, we endeavour to perfuadc all men, by all 
 means, to fly from tlie wratfi to come, by repentance and 
 faiih, that they may be found of G(xl in peace in that fo- 
 Icmn hour. Lenrn hence, That the knowledge and con- 
 fideration of the prefent terrible judgments of God, and 
 the future terrors of that grcit day, Ihould move the mi- 
 niftersof God to perfuade, andthi.ir people to be perfuadcd, 
 to a careful and ferious preparation for it. Such minirtcrs 
 as know and conlider the terrors of the Lord, will both 
 perfuade others, and be perfuadcd thcnifelves, to look after 
 reconciliation and acceptance with God ; that when Chrift 
 comes terribly, they may appear comfortably : Knoziing 
 the terrors of tl.'e L^rJ we perfuade men. It foilo\.rs, buf 
 we are made manifefi unto Ged, and I tru/l alfo are made 
 ir.nnfff} in y:ur confciences. As if he had faid, Wc hope 
 God hath difcovered our lincerity unto you in feme mea- 
 fure, as he is an obferver of it, and vvimefs to it himfdf. 
 Learn hcnce. That then a minilfer has the full sfTurance 
 of his fincerity, when he has the approbation of God, 
 and his own ccnfcience, and alfo a teftimony in the con- 
 fcienccs of his people. This is gained by the purity of 
 our doflrine, by the piety of our li\'i.s, and by the prudence 
 of our condud : When thefe are evident and manifeft to 
 the confciencesof our people>howc»nvincing is it to them, 
 and comfortable unto us ! 
 
 1 2 For we commend not ourfclves again unto 
 you, but give you occafion to glory on your behalf, 
 that, that you may have fomewhat to ai^fwer them 
 vhich glory in appearance, and not in heart. 
 
 As if our apoftle had faid, " We commend not our- 
 fclves to yon upon our own account, as if there were 
 any need of if, with refpccl to us ; but only to give you 
 an occafion to vindicate us, and to glory to others c^n cur 
 bthalf, when need requires, that you may have whcrcwitli 
 to anfivcr the caluinnies of the filfe apolUcs, who gloried 
 much in outward appearance of piety and ze.il, but not iit 
 purity of heart, and upright intentions." Learn hence, 
 that though the minillers of Chrill have no itching delire 
 to exalt themfclvis in a w.iy of ftlf condemnation, yet 
 they are fonictimcs conftrained to it in a way of fc-lf-vin- 
 dication, and this is not only lawful, but a duty ; becaufe 
 fcar.dals call tipcn a good man reach farther than him- 
 felf ; they rcflcd upon others as well as hinifclf, vea, they 
 rsflc£t upon God hiinltlf, therefore to be wiped off an J 
 rolled away. 
 
 13 For whether we be bcfides ourfclves, it ii to 
 God : or whether wc be fober, it is for your caufe. 
 
 The holy apoHle was fometimes fo zealoudy tranfported, 
 and carried forth in his high aflings for Jefus Chrill, that 
 the falfc apofllcs rcprefentcd h.iin as a frantic perfon, crazed, 
 mad, and what not : " Be it fo, fays the holy man, it is 
 unto God, in his caufc, and to propagate his glory, and 
 not my own : For if I be fober in my words and anions, it 
 is for your benefit, not my own." Learn hence. That 
 wicked and carnal men accoimt and reprcfcnt the holy 
 fervants of God as a fort of madman. Workings of grace 
 are foinetimes fo far above rcafon, that they fecm to be 
 without reafon : 1 here are fcveral ads of holincfs, which 
 the profane world efteem as madnefs ; as eminent felf-deiiial, 
 great ferioufncfs in religion, their burning zeal, their iioly 
 fingularity, their fervours of devotion, their patience and 
 meeknefs under fufferings and reproaches. All thefe adls 
 of holinefs reprtfent the faints as madmen to carnal men. 
 
 14 For the love of Chrifl conflraineth us. — 
 
 That is, the infinite love of Chrift, in dying for lis, con- 
 flraineth us to live unto him, and do the utmoft fcrviccsfcr 
 him. Some undcrfland it padivcly, for the love that C!.ri;1 
 bcareth ns ; others take it actively, for that love which wc 
 bear to him. Now, this love is faid to conflr.iin. Some 
 think it a metaphor from a woman in travail, that drives to 
 be delivered of her burden ; othe-s, that it fignifies to have 
 one bound, and fo much under power, that he cannot move 
 without leave. The exprclHon denotes the abfohite em- 
 pire which the love of Chrifl had over him, ruling ?I1 the 
 inclinations of his heart, and the afli^ns of his life. It fig- 
 nifies the fwcet violence and force of love, by which the 
 foul is overpowered, and cannot fay nay ; it do?s wholly 
 poffefs us, rule and command us, keep us in its power, riii 
 obliging force and ef^icr.cy, upon the foul, that it inclines 'X 
 to a willing perforn^ance oi all duties, that it inclines it 
 ^Tilh the greateft difliCulties and danger.*. Love is the 
 fpring of a£lion, it is a fort ibie and compelling, it is an in- 
 vincible, unconquerable afFtdlion : Aud it has fiich an in- 
 fluence from the confideratK)n of what Chrift is in hiai- 
 felf, and cf what he has done fcr us, and dcfigncd for lis. 
 
 — Becaufe 
 
718 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 — Becaufe we thus judge, that if one died for all, 
 tkcii were all dcid : 15 And that he died for all, 
 that they which live, fhoiild not henceforth live 
 unto themfclves, but unto him which died for them, 
 and rofe again. 
 
 If one dud for all ^ tWn wire all dead. Sjme underfland 
 3t of a Heaili in fin ; all were in a Rate of (in and death, 
 when Ciuift dicil for them. Others undeiflaml it niyfli- 
 cally, when Chrill died for all, all were then dead ; that is, 
 ticad in Ctirid unto fin ; inamating, that wh?n Chrill died, 
 all believers were dead in him to fin and the world. As 
 Chrift died tor fin, fo ought all to die unto (in. Fartlier, 
 Clirill dyin? on.?c for all, provcth the veri'y of his fatis- 
 fadliun, :ind the ftifficiency c.t his fatiifaifiion. What vir- 
 ti;e was there in that iL^aili which merited life for all ! What 
 love W.1S there in our God to appoint one for all ! I'hat 
 ctie fo worthy in hi.nfclf, that one fo dear to God, ftioidd 
 die, flioiild die ("0 willin-ily, fltould die fo painfully, flioidd 
 liie fo fliamefully, Ihould die under a curfc, to abfolve from 
 guilt, and difoharge from condemnation ! Behold what mnn- 
 rer of kve the Futher halh bfi'rwed upm us ! Ohferve next 
 The great end and defign of Chrill in his d.-atli and refur- 
 reition for us ; namely, fi.) Negatively declared, that we 
 fhould not live nn:o Oirfehes, to our own eafe, profit, or 
 honour ; grati^'ing our own wills, inLlinations, and corrupt 
 defires, fcrving our own iniercft and ends ; but pofitivdy, 
 ti live unto him, according to his word and will, in obedience 
 to liis commands, and vsith an eye at hij glory, uho died 
 f jr our fins, and rsje ag^,i\n for our juliification. Had Chrift 
 only died for us, the favomr had been inexpreflible and uc- 
 requirable, and required us to live to his name and fih'ry'.; 
 but when he not only died for us, but rofe again, and lives 
 for ever in heaven, to pour down frefli benefits upon us, 
 and to do good oftices daily and hourly for us, how en- 
 dearing are our obligations to love him, and to live unto 
 l.im ! Learn hence, i. That by virtue of Chrift's death 
 and refurretflion, Chrifiiaiis are both oblip;ed to, and have 
 obtained the grace of newnefs of life, and holincfs of con- 
 vpifation. 2. That it is tlie dnty, and will be the en- 
 deavour, of all thofe that are quickened by the Spirit of 
 Chriil unto newnefs of life, to refer all their adlions not to 
 themfclves, but unto him : None can ilo both, live to 
 Chrift and fclf together. His we are already ; by creation, 
 by redemption, by fandlihcation, by voluntary refignation, 
 1VC live by hirn, O'lr fpiritual lite is fiom him, we exp;dt 
 hereafter to live vi'ith him ; let us therefore now liveimto 
 liim, even unto him that died for us, and rofe again. 
 
 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no tnan after 
 the flcfh : yea, thou^jh we hive known Chrift after 
 the flefli, yet nov,- henceforth know wc Kim no more. 
 
 Thefe words, probably, were fpcken by the apcfllc, to 
 rebuke the carnal boaftings of fomc Jews, who I'loried in 
 their having feen Chrift in the flcfh before lie ditd. The 
 Bj)oftle direfts them to a more fpiritual knowledge of him, 
 and lince I. is refurreflion, as ni -re fiiitablc to his glorified 
 f ate : " What though you have cnicn and druiiktn in 
 "Chrift's prefincc when on earth, all that corporeal fanii- 
 furiijr is ccafcd ^ it is his ijpiritual j^racious prefcjicc which 
 
 now you are to depend upon, and value yourfclvcs by," 
 For henceforth know we no man after l):e flcjh ; we value no 
 man for his outward advantages, for his wifilom, riches, or 
 learning. Yea, though we have km-uin Chrijl after ihefejh, 
 f.eing and converfing with him, when here on earth, yet 
 mtift we kiiozv hinifo, and enjoy him as fuch, ni more. Our 
 carnal affcftions and relations to him nuift ever ceafe, now 
 he ifi exalted into a fpiritual and tlorious condiii(jn. Learn 
 1. That a bare knowing of Chrift after the flilh, ought to 
 ceafe amono Chriftians. 1 here is a knowledge of Chrifl 
 after the tlcfli, fince his afcenfion into heaven ; namely, by 3 
 naked profcUion of his name, without a conformity to his 
 laws, and by adls of fenfitive alfedlion : Some by reading the 
 hiftory of our Saviour's pnfTion, others by feeing in the facra- 
 mental elements, a tragical reprefeniation of hiscrijcifixion, 
 do find their human paftions ftir and move ; but, if it refts 
 here, without drawing forth tiiir love to his pcrfon, end 
 qiiickenin£; our obedience to his commands; all this is but 
 knming Chrift after the fli-jb to no fpiritual or faving piir- 
 pofcs. 2. That a bare knowledge ot Chrift after the tieOi 
 will do Its no good, be of no comfort or advantage to us, 
 as to our eternal f.ilvation : It is not a fond aftldion to his 
 perfon and mcmorv, but obedience to his laws, that Chrift 
 value?. It "is obfervable, that an otitN\ard ccremcnious 
 refpcdt 'o our Saviour's pcrfon was very little regarded by 
 him, v\ hen here upon earth ; a ferious attention to his doc- 
 trine was infinitely preferred by him before all that. Our 
 love to Chrift is better flitwn by religious ferviccs, than by 
 pafficnate afFeflit>ns. We find, St. John xx. when Mary 
 fell at Chrift's feet, after he was rifen, and embraced him, 
 when fhe held him by the feet and worftiipped him, when 
 in an humble and alilclionatc devotion fhe lies proftraic 
 before him, Chrill forbids it, Touch me r.ct. He rejc£ls all 
 thefe external teftimonicsof her love, which proceeded only 
 from human affeiftion ; but he direifls her to a more ac- 
 ceptable fcrvice, nair.ely, to run and carry tidings ot his re- 
 furreftion to his difconfolate (!i(clplcs ; Go to viy difciple;-, 
 and fay, &c. From whence I infer, that it is mucli more 
 acceptable to Chrift to be about his fervice, and doing good 
 in our place and ftaiion, than performing any uflices ot hu- 
 man love and refpecft unto his perfon. Seeing then, thai 
 this ceremonious rcfpedl pleaftd Chrift, neither when on 
 earth, nor riow he is in heaven, henceforth know zie nt 
 man after the fejh, &c 
 
 17 Therefore, if any man le in Chrift, ht is a 
 new creature : old thin^rs are paifed away : behold, 
 all things are become new. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, If any one amongft you pre- 
 tend to be a Chriftian indeed, engrafted into Chrilt by 
 baptilm and regeneration, and is a member (;f his bixiy, h« 
 is by regeneration made a nfw man, all the fi;cidtles ot hii 
 fi ul are renewed, Ids principles, affedli'-ns, and piatSlices at« 
 all new : Old things are fofji-d, ox pafliiig c%\.i.y daily, the 
 old carnal inclinations of mind are wearing of^", ihc old will 
 is changed, the old life is reformed ; and, in a Wf>rd, w hat- 
 ever was old and carnal, is now becon-.e new and fpiritual. 
 Inhold, all things hecme iicjv ; new aiUiflionj, new iiiclini- 
 li fis, new dil|iolitions, a new couilc, and a new con\erfa- 
 tion. Nothing is new phylically ; hi; is ihc fame pcrfonj 
 
 Le 
 
Cha?. v, 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 719 
 
 he has the fame faciil:ics : Rut all things are new qualita- 
 tively, he is renewed in the fpirit of his mind. Ltarn 
 hence, i. That all fiich as call thcmfelves the dilcipics of 
 Chrill, and own thcmfelves to be his followers, are and 
 ought to .be new creatures. This implies a real and in- 
 ward, a thorough and prcvailinc; change, both in heart and 
 ]ife ; not a civil change, barely from profancncfstofobricty ; 
 not a fudden change, only under f-jme ijrcat affliction or 
 au akcning providence ; not a change from one fe(5t or 
 party of profclfors to another : But the ch.ms^e of the new 
 creature confifts in a new rr.inil, a new will, a new judg- 
 ment, new affcflions, in a new convcrfation, not in a nevr 
 form or profelTinn ; the change of the new creature intro- 
 duces the life of God, and produces the neareft likcnefs to 
 Gol. 2. That this new creation, wrotr<;ht in a man by 
 the word and Spirit of God, is an indubitable evidence of 
 his intereft in Chrill', and title to falvaiion ; for where the 
 new creature is, there all the fiving graces of the Spirit 
 are, as a pledge and an earneft of gloiy and happinefs. 
 
 \% And all things are of God, — 
 
 That is, all thofe things forementioncd belonging fo 
 this new fpiritiial creation, are of God, as the author and 
 efficient caufe of them. Learn, That God is the original 
 author of the new creature, and of all things belonging 
 thereunto. This appears partly from the nature of the 
 work, il is a new creation ; and partly from the objcifls of 
 the work, the pcrfons wrought upon. They are averfe 
 from God, in enmity fo him, and rebellion againft him, 
 dead in fin, under the dominion of Satan. Well therefore 
 might the apoftle fay. All thtfe things are of God. 
 
 — Who hath reconciled us to himfelf by Jefus 
 Chrift, and hath given to us the miniflry of recon- 
 ciliations 19 To wit, that God was in Chrift ro- 
 eonciliniT the world unto himfelf, not imputing 
 their trefpafles unto them ; and hath committed 
 unto us the word of reconciliation. 
 
 In thefe words the aportle gives us a fhorf, hi't full 
 account of the grand do6lrinc of a finner's reconciliation 
 un'o God by 'he death of Chrift, which is the principal 
 fuhjcfl and fubftantial part of the fofpel. Where ohferve, 
 I. The privilege iifelf, reroncilintion ; this is two-fold : 
 Fundamental, in the death of Chrift, he is our peace ; God 
 laid the foundation of our peace and reconciliation with 
 with himfelf in the death of his Son : Aelual, in the appli- 
 cation of ft, on our part, by faiih. The death of Chrift 
 rendered God reconcileable : Faiih renders him aiftually 
 reconciled. 2. The author of this reconciliation, God 
 the Father ; he was the pcrfon wronged by fin, declaring 
 his anger ajainft' the finner : Hence we are fa id to have 
 accefs to the Father throiioh Chrift, and by the Spirit. 
 The Son bririi^s us to the Father, and the Spirit direfls 
 us to ;he Son : Chrift takes away God's eniniry againft 
 lis, anf! ihe Spirit takes away our cninity againft God. ?. 
 The mHium or mean by whic"! we become reconciled lo 
 God, yrfut Chrift. Chrift was the meritorious caufe of 
 this ptivil?ee : Chrift is the center of that agreement he- 
 twcca the jufticc of God, and the mercy of God, 4. The 
 
 partii's at variance, and made one by recortciliatron, Gocf 
 and the world, God and mtnkind. Aln:igh'y G kI, ir* 
 confiticration of Chrift's death, did fo tar reconcile and 
 forgive the offending world, as to offer them pard( n of 
 fin, arid falvation by a redeemer, upon a condition of 
 their believing acceptance : But none are a£luallv recon- 
 ciled but believers, who aflually accept the terms and 
 Conditions of peace and reconciliation by tail h v'.-hich is a 
 necefTary receptive qualification. Lenm hence, That there 
 is an happy peace and reconciliation made in and by Jtfiisr 
 Chrift, between an ofFcndcil Got!, and an offending world. 
 Reconciliation is a repairing of decayed fiicndfliip, or 
 making up of a breach between two that were formerly 
 friends, but now at variance. The reconciliation is mutual, 
 becaufe the enmity is fuch ; yet the fcripturcs fpeaks more 
 of our being reconciled to Gcd, than of God's being 
 reconciled to us, becaufe we arc in the fai:lt, and not 
 God ; we the caufe of the breach, we offended God, not 
 God us ; and becaufe we have the benefit of this recon- 
 ciliation, and not God, it is no profit to him that wc are 
 at peace with him ; and becaufe all the difficulty of being 
 reconciled lies on oHr part, and not God's. 
 
 20 Now then we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as 
 though God did befeech^ow by us : we pray^oM in 
 Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The miniflcrs' ofticc and employment 
 declared : they are ambiiffadors fof Chrljiy ambalfadors from 
 G(xl to man ; and, as ambafladors, they have their miffion, 
 their comniiffion, from a great Prince, ahoitt great con- 
 cerns ; they mtift be faithful to thcii inftrudfions, they are 
 inviolable by the laws of nations, and their embafiy triuft hr 
 received, upon pain of difpleafiire. Where let us remark, 
 the wonderful goodnefs and wiidoin of God, in appciniing 
 men, of the fame level with \\i, and not angels fuperior to 
 uc, to difpenfc the myftery of reconciliation to us. As 
 God deals more familiarly with us in this way (for wc 
 c:;nnot bear the voice of God, or the fight of angels) fo 
 there is more certainty in this way, becaufe miniftcrs muft 
 deceive their own foul?, if they deceive us : And hereia 
 God magnifies his own power, and lets us know, that the 
 efScacy of the gofpcl is from him the author, and not from 
 man the^Ufcofer. 2. The miniftcrs duty difccvcred ; in 
 God's ^^^^wid Chrift's ftcad, to intreat, befeech, and 
 perfuade^^^H to become reconciled unto God.. Here 
 note, I. ^mRjod and man uere once friends. 2. That 
 God and man are now enemies. 3. T hat man, and not 
 God, firft made the breach of friendfliip, and occafiontd 
 that unhappy controverfy, which is now depending between 
 God and man. 4. That though man was the firft in the 
 breach, yet Gcd is firft in the offer of reconciliation. 5., 
 That therefore it is the highcft duty and chiefeft intenll 
 c\i man to aircept of terms of peace and recon; iliaiion with 
 God. 6. Tl-.at in order to all this, the great duM^Ktm- 
 bcnt upon the minifters of the gofpel, is t'']^^H|k^'l 
 earneftnefs to prcfs itpon people the doiftrinc "'^MHl't- 
 aiion, anrf to w^c all arguments with them, tu^Meadc 
 them to becoine reconciled unto Gcd. 
 
 2 1 For he hath made him lo he fin fqr us, who 
 
 knew 
 
720 
 
 II. C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 knew no fm, that we mi^htbc made the righteouf- 
 jicfs of God in him. 
 
 Ohftrve here, T. The fpoilcfs iiirmcency of our Lord 
 Jcfus Chrift, as Mediator, declared : He knew no fin ; thit 
 is, praflio:\lly and experimentally ; he knew it not fo as to 
 commit it in the Icaft dcj!;rcc ; he wa? a pure, innocent, 
 and linlcfs p'.-rfvin : Cut thcoretioallv and ipcciila'ivcly he 
 did know lin : Kc well tmdcrfiood its nature, its effects, 
 and fniits : None knc^v the bitter fruits of (In fo well as 
 our blafjd Saviour. ?.. Gad's ordination of Chrill, \vith 
 Tefcrcr«:e unto (in : He hnth made hhii lo he fw ; not made 
 liim a (inner, but a fin-ofFciing, a facrffice for fin. Made ; 
 that is, ordained a facrificcto expiate fin, and to bear the 
 p'.ininimcnt due to finners. 3. The end of this ordimtion 
 with refpcfl to ii«. Thai we mifhf be made the rightcvifnefs 
 ofGoiin him. Here note, the rightcoi-fncfs of the Mcdi- 
 xitor is called the ricjitsoiifnefs of God; bccinfc ''t.) It 
 vas the righteoidncfs of that perfon who was God. (2.} 
 I'ccaiifc tVc only wife God foimd out and appointed it. 
 y\nd, (3.) r'.ecatile it is accepted by God ; and the penitent 
 ■believer, for the fjke of it, looked upon as righteous and 
 jii((int:d. Li-arn hence. I. That fin mud have a facrifice. 
 He h,]lh mnde him in be fn : that is, a fin-ofTerinr^, or a 
 fjcrilice to expiate fin. Under thi law the facrihce was 
 <"allcdy;«, bccaufc the fin of the pirfon was hid up'^n t!:,* 
 faciifice ; there was a (^.)rt of a tranfl-ition of the fin from 
 the linticr to the facriiicc. 2. That Jefiis Chrift was made 
 a facrilice for fin : Our guilt was imputed to him, and 
 our pnuilliment was born by him, which made Luther 
 Call Clirill ihe great i-Jl fuvuc fin the world; not tliat he had 
 any (in in liis nature, or in his life, but becaiife the Lord 
 laid on him ihc iniquity of us all. 3. That Jefiis Chrifl's 
 beinj; made (in for us, is the mcritoiicus caufe and means 
 rif our bcint; made the riiihteoufncfs of God in him. Surely 
 G<K.( may be an juft in pardoning us, \\ho have no righte- 
 cmfiitls of our own, as in condemning his own Son, who 
 had no fin of his own. Have we broken his rornl and 
 righteous law? vet Chrill has kept' it, and fidfillcd ail 
 righfcoufncfs. Hsvc wc (ii;nr;! againll mercy ? yet Chrifl 
 lias fuflcrcd without mercy: And all this by the ordination 
 and appointment of God the Father, who r/iude his own 
 and only Son to be Jin for ns, who hieiv noMn, that zee 
 rii^ht te made the righteiujneji of God in him. 
 
 C H A p. VL 
 
 Our ab.'Jlk in the l-jfl xoordi cf the firegoing chapter 
 having prjiln'dv aficrted the great dvclnne of recon- 
 cilialim thrnvgh Chip ; in iliis cJicpUr, he draws 
 infcrencei/rcm that duBrine, hyway of applicailon. 
 
 WE then m workers toifether icUh him. befecch 
 yr,u aHo tluu ye receive not tile (jiace of 
 
 •\e, I. The nature of the minsileriLil fitnfli'in : 
 ftiy is a wnrk, an .udiioiis and hiborious work 
 neither ant^els nor men are of iheiT>r.l\es r>fHci(nt for i^, 
 vi'houi prop )riio"i;d)le afiiltanci; from Gxl. ^]illil'tcrs 
 arc workers. 2. They arc Wcrktrs tcgeller, they join 
 
 toj^ethcr with one voice, with ons cry, befccchin^ finners 
 to be reconciled unto Gotl. All the miniftcrs of Chriit are 
 fellow-labourefi, workers together in God's harvcA-field ; 
 that wliiclt is the work of one, is the work of all ; they 
 Hioiild all join in it, and rejoice tosjcther in the fucccfs of 
 if: not only labour with, but blcfs (jod for the fervices 
 and fiiccelTes of e.^ch other. Lord! how fad is it to fee 
 tlie minilivrs of God diviiled in their work and way, when 
 one rejoicctli in that which to another is caufc of mourning ! 
 3. Minidcrs are workers tocjeihcr with God, as well as 
 with one another ; they arc fiibordinatc inftrumcnts work- 
 ing by hiiT), but not co-erdinatc caufes producing with 
 him the work of convcrlion in the fouls of men ; not as 
 it they coidd communicate any p'lwer or (Irengih to the 
 woiking of grace, by t!ic pre.icliing of the word, i Cor. 
 iii 5. If'ho is Paul, cud who is ^polios, hut minifers hy 
 whom ye believed? 4. The exhortation, or cautionary 
 dire(flion given. IVe hrfeech you, receive not the grace of 
 God in vain ; where, by the grace of God, is incant the 
 <loclrine of tlie gofpel ; becaufc it is gr:icioufly and freely 
 beftovved upon a people, and becr.tiCe the matter and ntef- 
 fage which it brings is grace. The law difcover.s Gods 
 will, the gofpel difcivers his good will : And by rcccining 
 this grace in vain, is meant, the receiving the gofptl iin- 
 fruitddly, iinprofitably, and inclfediially ; when we do 
 not receive it with a due eftimation^ with fervency of affec- 
 tion, with a ftdiicial application ; when it doth not purify 
 the heart, reform the lite, and fuve the foul. It is not the 
 recti\ing of the gofpel into our houfes, into our heads, 
 into our mouths ; but into our hearts, that will bring us 
 .0 heaven. 
 
 2 (For he faith, I have heard fhcc in a time ac- 
 cepted, and in the day of talvation have I fuccoured 
 thee : behold now is the accepted time; behold, 
 now is the day of falvation.) 
 
 Thefe words arc taken from the prophet Ifa. xlix. R. 
 They are the promifc which God the Father made to(!hriff, 
 as Mediator, Thr,t in the great woik of faving his church, 
 the (.Tiber cc Id accept and fiiccotir him, as the head rf 
 the church : / havs^hcard thee in en accepted tin'e, in tbf 
 day of falvation. litre note. There is a two fold day cf 
 ndvation ; the one was Chrill's dav, for the piirchali? of 
 f.dvaiion ; the other is our day, for the application, (i.) 
 Chrill had a fc3(on afTigncd him for tl;e impetration or 
 piirchafi; of falvation : And he fet in, at^d complied v. fth 
 that feafon, and it becr.me an acceptable time with refpeft 
 to him. {2.) We have alfo our fcsfon allotted us by Goil, 
 for the application of Chrift and his benefits to our fonl.^,. 
 Beholii, now is our r,cccpt<rd time, now is our day of (sl- 
 vation ; -let us prize it Ughly, and improve it (tedfaflly. 
 It is a diy, and that is bi:t a (Iiort fpace of time ; it is a 
 (I.iy, and therefore Continu-jlly fpeiiding : it is a ilav, ihcrc- 
 f'lre. when once gone, is irrecovcrablv gone. Our working 
 <!.iy is 3 w.illing day ; it is a day, and that will bi lollowcd 
 wiih a nii^hf, in \^hich none tan work, but only Lmtnt 
 thi-ir follv in not working. 
 
 3 Civini; no offence in any thinij, that the minif- 
 try be not blamed : 
 
 O'lfen't 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ?2J 
 
 Oh/ervfherf, i. The nature and quality of the work 
 ■Mchich the ambafladors ot Chrift are cjlled to, and do ]4- 
 hoiir \r\, a minijiry. 2. What was the defire and aim, tlie 
 care and endeavour, of the apoftle tlirn, onght to be the 
 ftudy of every niinifter now ; namely, to avoid oftence, 
 and that univcrf'ally, both as to perfons and things, giving 
 no cffence In any thing. 3. What was the ground and rea- 
 fon of this care and endeavour to give no oiTence, name- 
 ly, that the minijlry be not blamed. Learn, That it is the 
 Itanding duty of all the niinifters of Chrift, fo to perform 
 their minifterial office, that they give no ju(l offence in any- 
 thing to any perfon, that io the miniftry committed to 
 them may not be blamed. We mull give no offence by 
 our words and fpeeches in common converfation ; no of- 
 fence by unfounddoftrine, bypcrfonal refleiflions; no of- 
 fence by grofs, carelefs ; and negligent omiffions, or by 
 rude and irreverent indecencies, or by any affecled fin- 
 gnlarities in our adminillrations ; but efpecially, give no 
 offence by a bad life and fcandalous converfation. 
 
 4 But in all tilings approring ourfelvcs as the 
 miniflcrs of God, m much patience, in afHiflions, 
 in neceflitics, in diftreffes, 5 In flripes, in im- 
 prifonmcnts, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, 
 in fallings, 
 
 Obferve here, i. The great care which the holy apoftle 
 took to approve himfelf unto God, in the exercife of his 
 niiniftry : In nil things approving ourfelves as the minifiers 
 •/ Cod. 2. What an approved minKler muft do and en- 
 dure, in order to the obtaining the ends of his miniftry : 
 Ifhc be called to it, hemufbbcarupagainftalldifcourage- 
 ments, and encounter alloppofuions; letthe w^y be what 
 it will, fair or foul, a green carpet way, or dirty poachy 
 way, he muft ftick at nothing, but go through thick and 
 thin, patiently enduring affliftions of all forts, and cheer- 
 fully undergoing fufferingsof all kinds, and cxercitingall 
 manner of feJf-denial, for the gofpel'sfake. Behold here, 
 how the minifters of Chrift, that will approve themfclves 
 unto God, muft run all hazards, and ventura through all 
 extremities : They muft work in heat and cold, in fire and 
 froft, in all forts of providences from God, in all forts of 
 afpects from men, fearing neither the face nor frowns of 
 any: For though every gofpel minifter attains not to St. 
 Paul's zeal, and holy fortitude and courage, yet he has a 
 truth of zeal, and fuch a firmnefs of refolution, as will, 
 according to his meafure, carry him through a world of 
 evils and incumberances, in the doing of that good which 
 duty and confcience doth oblige him to, and call for. 
 
 6 Bypurenefs, by knou'Icdge, by long-fufFering, 
 by kindnefs, by the Holy Ghoft, by love unfeigned, 
 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by 
 the armour of righteou fuels on the right hand and 
 on the left, 8 ^y honour and diflionour, by evil 
 report and good report,— 
 
 The apofile, in th; f'Yegoing verfes, had declared how 
 many difficulties and dangers muft,be encountered by him 
 that will attain the ends ofhisminiftry, and approvchim- 
 ifiM unte God in inteoriiy and uprightnefs i Ivere he Ihe ws 
 
 by how many ways and means the '.vork of tl'.e miniftry is 
 promoted, and how the minifters of the gofpel muft b« 
 qualified for it ; namely, by purenefs oi converfation, iy 
 knoxoiedge of divine myfttries, and ftudy of the holy fcrip- 
 tures, by long-fuffering under all provocations, by kindnejt 
 towards all men, by the gifts and pfTlftances of the Holy 
 G)\o^, by the vjord of truth clearly preached, ««;/ by the 
 power tfCod confirming it ; by the armour cfrightecufnefs, 
 w hich completely covers and protects us on the right hand 
 iind on the left, both in profpcrity and ad verlity ; by palfing 
 through honour and difionour ; by going through evilrrport 
 and good report. Here no/f,That the minifters of God da 
 approve themfelves, and trial is made of them, as well by 
 the things on the right hand as on the left. A minifter of 
 Chrift is tried as well by honour as difgrace, .is well b^ 
 praife as by difparagement. The good report which we 
 meet with in the word, is certainly as great, yea, a more 
 dangerous temptation, than the ill reports we pafs imder : 
 It is a great trial to a minifter to bedifpraifed anddefpifed, 
 to have dirt thrown undefervedly in his face ; but verily, 
 it is as great a trial to be praifed, commended and ap- 
 plauded, to be lifted up in the thoughts and upon the 
 tongues of men. Solomon lias an excellent proverb to 
 this purpofe, Prov. xxvii 21. j*. s the fining-pot for jllver , 
 and (he furnace for gold, fo Is a man to his praife ; that is, x 
 man is tried by his praife, as really as (ilver is tried in the 
 fining-pot, or gold in the furnace : Whenever a minifter 
 is praifed, he is tried ; his hnmility is tried, his felf-denial 
 is tried ; when he is praifed by tnen, he is tried whether h« 
 can give the entirs praife to God : When people cry up 
 luch and fuch a preacher, they put him into the fining pot; 
 and he thatisbutdrofs,confumei. Let minifters remeni- 
 berthere are trials ontheright hand, as wellasonthe left ; 
 thai palling through honour, and going through good re- 
 ports, are great trials, a$ v.cll as palling through diflion- 
 our and evil reports. God prepare us for both. 
 
 — As deceivers, and yet true ; 9 As unknown, 
 and yet well known; as d)ing,and behold, we live ; 
 as chaflcncd, and not killed ; 10 As forrowful, yet 
 ah\-a}s rejoicing ;' as poor, yet making many rich; 
 as having nothing, a.ndiyct poITefling all things. 
 
 A? if the apoftle had faid. Verily our life is made up of 
 fceining, but not real contradidlions. The wife men of 
 the world look upon us af deceivers, but we are the true 
 difpenfers of the word of life unto them; we are looketi 
 upon by the world cs unkno~jJn, obfcure perfon s ; but we 
 are zuell known to God and good men by our doftrine and 
 miracles; we are as dying perfons daily, by our palling 
 through lb many perils, and by being expofed to_contiiiual 
 perfecutions, andyetyou fee we areftillflZ/vc-; and weare 
 fometinics chaflenfdhy God, as well as perlecuted by men, 
 but we .ire not hilled, nor given over unto death. Out-. 
 wardly w-e zrt forrowful, but inwardly always rejoicing ia 
 God, and in the teftimony of a good confcience ; in worldly 
 goods and outward circumftances we are very/ocir, yet 
 making many fpiritually r/VA in grace and good works, Wc 
 have nothing we can call our ownryet in Chrift all things 
 are ours. Hence ohfrve, What has been the lot andpor- 
 lion o! the faithful aiubiiiTadors and aiiiuttcrs of Chrilt 
 4 ^ from 
 
7^22 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. yi. 
 
 from th* firft hrpinning of ChriftianUy ; the dirt of a 
 th'Hifaiid fcanibis hafh bf en thro« n upon tijeir faces, which 
 ill the day of Chrift's appearance will be as crowns upon 
 tiieir head";, i. Thit aUuutwarJeviUarctobereceivedby 
 the uiiiiiflers and nien»hers of Chrift, in the fame inanner, 
 »nd with the fame mind, that good things are received with: 
 Honour ajid diflionour, good report and evil report, mull 
 l)e enteriained with the fame evennefs and conftancy of 
 mind, hecaufe God is the fame in ail variety of cftates. 
 Though men change theiropinior.sofiis, yet God changes 
 not his judgment concerning us : He loves his minifters 
 and members when poor, as well »s when rich ; when the 
 world fmites us, as well aswheu itfmiles upon us: There- 
 i>»re,ifGod be the fame to us at all times, it is our wifdom 
 and duty to keep the temper of our minds, and to be 
 ;il.vays the fame to him and to ourfelves. Whatever we 
 lueet with fronj the world, we have no reafon to be diflat- 
 ulicd if our integrity be fafc. 3. How rich the apoftle was 
 without earthly riches, and how abounding in weaJth, 
 when he had nothing of worldly treafure to rejoice in : 
 Having nothing, yet he p'jff'Jfrd till ihitigs. But how? and 
 in what fenfcf /inf. He and they poireflTed all things : i. 
 \n Chrift, by whom they had a title to all things. 2. 
 They had all things in the covenant, favour, and grace of 
 God: He hath all things who hath him that hath all 
 things. 3. Theyhadall things virtually, in that content- 
 ment of mind which they did enjoy: They poiTcfTed all 
 things in poflefling rheinfelves, and wanted nothing which 
 they could deny themftlves. The contented man is only 
 rich; he is not rich that has much, but hethat hasenough ; 
 the man is poor that covets more. 4. They pofTelTed all 
 things eventually ; they had the good of all things, when 
 they had not the actual polTeflion of all things; their 
 poverty was a blefllng, and theirvcry wants, in theevent, 
 worked for good. 5. They polTeircd all things, in future 
 cxpedlation ; they looked and longed for heaven and ever- 
 ■Jalling happinefs, which would fwallow up their defires 
 with fruition ; for he that ovcrcwneth, /hall inherit all 
 thing?. Rev. xxi. 7. I'hus is this apoftolical paradox un- 
 riddled, j4s having nithing, and yet p'^jjeffing all things. 
 True faith apprehends and enjoys all things in God, which 
 it wanteth in the creature. 
 
 11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto 
 you. our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not llrjiteiied 
 in US; but yc are Hraitcned in your own bowels. 
 13 Now for a rccompenfe in the fame (I fpeak as 
 unto »zy children) be ye alfo enlarged. 
 
 Thefewordsare very pathetic, and exprelFiveof St. Paurs 
 mod affedionate and ardent love towards the Corinthians, 
 v.hninhc had been an happy inflrument to convert unto 
 Chriftianity. Hetells them, his mouth tjas opened to tkem, 
 nat to receive, but to bcftow; his mouth was (ij)en to fill 
 them with the treafure of g()f])el-knowledge, not to be 
 filled by them ; and his heart, as well as his mouth, was 
 «pon unto them, and at their ferwice : If therefore they 
 were ftr.iitfn;d i 1 afFtclion toward? h;ni, who was thus 
 ftilarged in heart and month, by tongueaml pen tow.irds 
 tllC.^^, it mull bs through mifljkes and niifipprehciilloiis 
 
 on their part; therefore, in a way of rccompenfe, he chal- 
 lenges, it as ju(l and fit, that the fame reciprocal Jove ba 
 bellowed upon him their fpiritual father, as he had mani- 
 felted towards them his beloved childien. Leamhewcc, 
 That there is noftronger love, nor more endeared a ffccl- 
 ion, between any relations upon earth, than between fuch 
 minifters of Chrift and their beloved people, whom they 
 have been happdy inftrumental to convert to God. 
 
 14 ? Be yc not unequally yoked together witli 
 unbelievers : for what fcilowihiphath riyhteoufnefs 
 with unrighteoufnefs .'' and what communion hath, 
 light with darkncls? 15 And wl^at concord hath 
 Chrift with Belial ? or what part hath he that be- 
 licveth with an inlidel ? 
 
 The holy apoftleclofcs this chapter with an exhottatioa 
 to avoid all intimacy with idolators, either in civil affairs, 
 in marriages, or in religious worlhip, left they be brought 
 into communion with their idolatry ; there being no more 
 agreement between a belicverand an idolator, than betwixt 
 light and darknefs, betwixtChrilland Satan. And, as we 
 muft not join with idolatorsin fpiritual communion, or re- 
 ligious worfliip, fo Ihculd we have no communion with 
 them inmarriages; /Aa/, having proved adangeroUofnare. 
 to the fouls of many, our divines have juftly pronounced 
 finful: Nay, it is both wiii and fafe to have as little civil 
 communion with idol.itors as we can; and when we arc 
 neceffitated to have civil communion with them \v» muft 
 Utterly avoid all linful communion with them, that is, all 
 communion wiilnhem in their fins. L^arn, Thattoaffi>- 
 ciate with idolators, or to join in affinity with them, but 
 efpecially to communicate with them in their idolatrcu* 
 worfhip, is a God-provoking and a wrath procuring fin. 
 
 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God 
 vith idols ? for ye are the temple of the living God: 
 as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in 
 thtm; and I will be their God, and they fhall bemj 
 people. 
 
 7"his form of queftifins evidently implici the abfuluts 
 inconfiftencv betsveen believers and idola;ors,and the din- 
 ger from communion with them : And the apoftle'jcallinjr 
 believers, the temple of the living God, reprclentsboth their 
 dignity and duty; their dignity, in having the Spirit of 
 God to dwell with them, ar.d walk in ihem; their dutv to 
 be purified and adorned in 4iis habitation. A'o/e, i. Be- 
 lievers are a fpiritual tenrMe in which the Holy Ghoft 
 dwells: This dwelling implies propriety, familiarity, au- 
 thority, rcfidency, and fixediiefs of abode, i. That 'he 
 indwellingprefcncrof the li61y Spirit in good men, asina 
 temple, being the highefthonoiirand moil perfedl felicity 
 of the reafonable nature, fliould oblige them to univerfal 
 holinefs, and to avoid all communion with idolators. 
 
 17 Wherefore, come out from among them, and 
 be ye feparate, faith the Lord, and touch not (he 
 unclean thin ;^; and 1 will I'eceivc yon ; iS And 
 will be a father unto you, and yc (hall be my fens 
 and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty. 
 
 At 
 
ClIAI*. VII. 
 
 11. C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 /23 
 
 As if the apoftle hacl faid, "Go not then to the idols' 
 teiiipieb ; join not with iilolators in communion, to • void 
 ptrrecutioii, but come out froiH amongft them as an holy 
 people feparaied to the Lord, and defile not yourfelves with 
 any unclean thing; and while you are pure : and cleave to 
 God, he will own you for his fens and daughters." Ntte 
 here, i. A preiiingexhortatacion to mjkea fullleparation 
 from unclean perlons and things, particularly from all ido- 
 laters, and idolatrous worlliip ; Come out from among them .• 
 The words are taken out of Ifa. iii, 1 1, where the prophet 
 exhorts the remnant of Ifraelto come fully out of unclean 
 Babylon, /.earn hence, That God expects and requires 
 his faints fhould make a feparation from all uncleanncfs, 
 but efpecially from the undeanniefs of idolatry. God ex- 
 pects a feparation from us, from all unclean courfes, Irom 
 all unclean company, from the prefence and appearance of 
 all undeannefs, from communion with idolatrouschurches, 
 and from communicating with what is linful in the trueii 
 churches of Chrill upon earth. Note, 2. A quickening 
 encouragement to back this exhortation ; / w;/.' receive yu, 
 and he a Futher to you. Here is a twofold promife, (i.j Of 
 reception, / vi'tU receive you. ("2 .} Of adoption, 1 'jjiII be 
 « Father to yen. God «ill receive them both into his 
 hcufe and heart. Z^-arw hence, That Ahnighty God will, 
 as a Father, undoubtedly receive all thofe into his family 
 and favour who renounce communion with all impurity. 
 As he is Almighty, he is abundantly able, and as he is a 
 Father, he is gracioufly willing, to reconipenfe Jtl the fer- 
 vicesand fuffcrings of his chiltlren,for the honour and in- 
 tereftof hi> name and truth. Isis fufiicienily known how 
 this ipxt hath been mifappliedby feparatilh, to very bad 
 purpofes ; (t.) Tojuftify tkeir Jchifmatical feparation from 
 the bcrt and pureft of tlie reformed churches, under pre- 
 tence offindin" greaterpurity amongll ihemfelves ; v^here- 
 a> nothing ^^ ill jiiftify a feparaiion from a church, bufthac 
 which makes a fepar.ition between God and that church. 
 If the c{iurch's way or worlhip (in their opinion) be faulty, 
 they prefently deonounceit falle, and they mult not join in 
 falle worftiip ; whereas no man offers .iny worihip to Al- 
 Biighty Godthat is not falfe worfliip, ifall that isf.iulty be 
 falfe worfliip : If Chrift doth not difown his church for that 
 faultinefs, we ought not to deftrt her for it. (2-) Oihers 
 ■would feek occafion fi«m thefe words to juftify their prac- 
 tice, in refufing to come to the Lord's table, where I'ome 
 vicious perfons are apprehended to be, left they fliould 
 pollute the ordinance, and thefe touch the unclean ihirrg; 
 whereas the prefence of a bad man ;.t ihe facranxnt pollutes 
 the ordinance only to himfelf; for unto the pure all things 
 are pure; and who will neglect a certain duty, toefcapean 
 uncertain danger? True, we muft not own furh word.ip 
 as we know God rejeifteth ; but as God pardoneth the 
 faulty imperfedtions of others men's worfliip, and of our 
 own alio, thus mull we bear with our own and one airo- 
 ther's failings ihat are tolerable, fe far as we cannot cure 
 them, We-unious, had Almighty God no more charity for 
 us than we have for one anotherf A defective worlliip is 
 not a falfe worfliip; linful defects in-tlic adminiftratioHof 
 erdmances, do not hinder the faving effeds of ordinances ; 
 a 'Aireand good man is certainly as great an enemy tofepa-- 
 ration, asiieiitofuperflitiou : Doctrines crying up purity^ 
 
 to the ruin of unity, rejcft ; for ihegofptl talis for unify, 
 as well as for purity. ^ 
 
 C II A P. VII. 
 
 HAVING therefore thefe promifcs, (Nearly be- 
 loved, let us clcanfe ourfelvcs from all filthi- 
 nefs of the flcfh and ipirit, pcrfefliug holincfs in the 
 fear of God. 
 
 Thefe words arc argumentative, and Infer the indifpen- 
 fible duty of Chriftjans to preferve themlelves untainted 
 from the idolatrous impure world, by the conlideration of 
 the promifes fpecified in the piieceding chapter, /-ji;"// 
 o'wefl in you, and -.ualk in you ; and I vjill be your Cod, anil 
 yejhallbe my people: A promife which contains ihe higheft 
 honour, and molt perfeft felicity, of the reafonable nature. 
 Now from hence he infers. That Chriftians having fuch 
 promifes, fuch helps and alfiftances, flionld deanfe them- 
 feUcs from all finful pollution, and endeavotn- after per- 
 fection in purity and hcdinefs : Having therefore, &-jc. 
 Note, here, i. 1 he title wherewith the apcftle addrefTes 
 himfelf unto them, Dc-flf/y beloved; this exprefles both the 
 truth and alfo the ftren^rth of hisafFecftions towardsthem : 
 By this appellation he ri commends his counfel to their ac- 
 ceptance : For, as light opens the mind by dear convic- 
 tion, fo love opens the heart by perfuafive ir.linuation, i. 
 The matter of iheaddrefs, and that is, to clcanfe ourfelvcs 
 from all pollution both tif Ipirit and fltfl], and the chang- 
 ing of us into the unf])ottcd image cf God's holinei's. 
 The pollution of human nature is intimate and radical, 
 difFuled through all the faculties of the foul, and members 
 of the body ; weare therefore to pray fcr, ami endeavour 
 alter renewing grace, ar.d tobe always advancing in holt- 
 nefs on earth, till we arrive at perfection in heaven. 7, 
 The motive exciting thereunto, namely, the exceeding- 
 great and precious promifes afTurcd to us from the moiitl\ 
 of God, Hcving the promifes , let us clcanfe ourf elves. 4. The 
 means to help us iheTt\n, The fear ofGcd. This grace Iras 
 an eminent caufality and' influence in a Chrillian's fancti- 
 fication : it i.s a powerful reftraint upon fin both i;; 
 thought and aft, by confidering that God's pure and fi-*- 
 niing eyes fee iln wherever it i?, in order to judgmenr. 
 An holy fear of God, and and humble fear of ourl'elve?, 
 will bmh reftrain us from fin, and engage us to obedience. 
 From the whole, learn. That the promifes of the gofpe! 
 lay the moft powerful obligations upon Chriftians to en-- 
 deavour after, and ftrive for the attainment of pure and 
 perfect holinefs. As the pollution is univerfal, fo mull 
 the cleanfingbe ; and though thankful we muft be for the 
 leaft meafure of fandifying grace receive, yet not fatisfied- 
 with the greateft,Jliort of our perfedion ; per filing holl- 
 nejs, in the fear of God 
 
 2 Receive us; ^^'e have wronfed no man. we have, 
 corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 3 
 ? I fpeak not this to condemn >ct/: for I have faid 
 before, that ye are in our hearti to die andiive with 
 
 yvu. . 4, Great is my boldncfs of fjjeech towards you, 
 great is my glorying of you ; I am filled with con*- 
 
 £ort, lanvoccsedinj^pyful iu sdi- trilwilAtion.. 
 
 4,Y ^ AV*' 
 
t 
 
 11. C OR I N T H I A N S. 
 
 CiiAr. Yii. 
 
 N'otf here, i. The (fury whidj St. I'anl exhorts the Go- 
 rinchiaiu to.nnmcly, toreceivt'hiin.'heir apoftlc.into their 
 kiiul .nffeclions, into the horom of their love, Rece'we us ; 
 that h, into your bed aflVclions. The niinifters of Chrill 
 - are very delirous of a largelhare ami intf reft in their peo- 
 j)le's love; well knowing, that iftheybeprejiuiiccd agriinft 
 their perl'ons, they will reap no benefit by their 'loftrinc. 
 1, The folenin proteibiion which the holy apoftle makes 
 of his integrity and iiprightnefs towards the Corinthians, 
 H'e have vjnnged no man, corrupted no mof', defrauded no 
 ww«;thatis, we have wronged none in tiieirreputationby 
 flander, \vc have corrupted no man's judgment by error 
 and falfe doJtrine, we have defrauded no men of any part 
 of their eflates, either by force or fraud. Learn hence, 
 That ihelioly fervants of Cod, tTpecially the faithful nii- 
 nifters of Chrift, may juftif/ thenifeives, and make folemn 
 proteftjiions of their own integrity and uprightnefs, efpe- 
 cially when they fall under jealoufy and fufpicion by the 
 enemies of religion. As it was the continual practice of 
 ihe f.ilfe apoftles todifcredit St. Paul'sminiftry, and refleft 
 upon hispcrfon ; fo it washisconftant care to counter-work 
 them, by a proftH'cd vindication of himfelf, and all his 
 sflioHj. J. 'I'he fervour of the apoftle's affeclion towards 
 his Corinihi an converts. You are in our hearts to live and 
 die with you ; that if, you lie and are lodged fo near our 
 heart, that we could live with you, and die for you, to 
 promote your fpirituai and eternal welfare. Behold how 
 large a room the people of God have in the afFeftions of 
 his niinifters, how near do they lie to their hearts ; and fo 
 pa.Tionately dcfirous are they of their people's falvation, 
 that they could even Uy down their lives, and die, to pro- 
 mote their temporal and eternal advantage. 4. How the 
 apoftle crloried in, and was comforted by the Corinthians 
 in the midft of all his afflidions, by the report he had of 
 their repentance, obedience and liberality : Great is my 
 gltrying in you, &c. As if he had faid, " Verily, the re- 
 port Ihaveinadeof yourrepcntance and reformation upon 
 the receiving of my former epiftle, has filled ine with fuch 
 a w-eight of joy, as over-balances all the afHi<flions and 
 tribuktioris which I meet with for the golpel." Learn 
 hence, That thereijentanceand reformation of any of our 
 people, by the bleffing of God upon our minifterial en- 
 deavours, is matter of great rejoicing and glorying to us 
 the minifters of God, who defire above all things, the 
 ronverfion, ediScation, and falvation of the fouls of our 
 people : Great is my ghrying in you. Sec, 
 
 t:, For when we wrere comte into Macedonia, our 
 fleftihad no reft, but we were troubled on every fider 
 without wf/< fightings, within were fears. 6 Ncvcr- 
 theltTs God, that comforteth thofe that are cafl 
 down, comforted us by the coming of Titus ; 7 
 y\.nd not by his cominij only, but by the confolation 
 wherevvith he was comforted in )ou, when he told 
 lis your carneft defire, yourmourning, your fervent 
 mind tov/ard me : fo that I rejoiced the more, 
 
 Cl>f< ric here, i . VV hen the apoftle was come unto Ephc- 
 fas to Macedonia, how great a coiiflidt he had, both from 
 wirliout and within: From without, by perfecution and 
 
 oppofition both from Jews and Gentiles; and from within, 
 by fears left thefalle apoftles Ihouldhave prevtrte-l any of 
 his young converts from the fimplicity wiiich is in Chrift ; 
 or fearing, left the Corinthians, being tender and weak in 
 the faith, the violence of perfeciition, and theftrength of 
 temptation, flionld canfe tiiem to apoftatize from ihtir re- 
 ligion, and backflide from their holy profellion. 2. A mnft 
 endearing title given to Almighty God : Ht nnif-jrtcthall 
 tb'ife that areca/t diiun. Tliis is his dear title : Heefteftni 
 himfelf more honoured with the aimiable and endearing 
 title of a Comf',rter and a Father, than with the glorious 
 title of a Creator and a Sovereign. He is more pleafed in 
 doing us good, than we can be pleafe d in receiving of it j 
 and can as foon forget himftlf, as forget as hs childrer. 
 3. The inftrumental means which God made life of, for 
 the apoftle's confolation, fupport, and relief; namely, the 
 coming of Titus. Firft, Cod comforted us by the coming of 
 Tilur, Mark, He doth not intitlc Titus, but God, by 
 Titus, for the comfort be received. Whoever is the in- 
 ftrumental caule, God is the principal tflicient caufeofour 
 confolation and comfort. It Ihewsanboly flame of heart, 
 when we ftay not in creatures, but are carried to God as 
 the author of our comforts and crofles. Secondly, the 
 glad tidings and good news which Titus brought, as touch- 
 ing the Corinthians fdrwf/? drfire to have all things amifs 
 rectified, tlieirycrrc-o; cxprefledfor the fin reproved, their 
 fervent affeiTlion towards the apoftle, their grief for oilenti- 
 ing hin>, their 7.cal to vindicate him ; allthele were matter 
 of comfort and exceeding confolation to the ajjcftle, under 
 all his difqiiietnefs in Macedonia. Learn hence. That 
 when troubles, both from without and within, do opprels 
 the minds, and even link the fpiritsofihe miniftersofGod j- 
 if they can but fee the lucctfj of their labours in the lives 
 of their people, that they are humbled for fin, and turned - 
 from it; this is matter of unfpeakalile coMfohuion at pre- 
 fent, and will be their crown of rejoicing in the day of 
 Chrift: When Titus told us 'f y.ur earnifl dtjire, &c. 
 
 8 For though I made you forry with a letter, I do 
 not repent. though I did repent. For I perceive that 
 the fame epiftle made you forry, though it roerehwt 
 forafeafon. g Now I rejoice, not that ye were 
 made forry, but that ye forrowed to repentance : 
 for ye were made forry after a Godly manner, that 
 ye might receive damage by us in notbing- 
 
 As if the npoftle had i^id, Althhugh in my former epiH- 
 tle I wrote fomewhat fliarply toyou, byreafon ofthemnny 
 abufes that v^ere crept in amongft you ; 1 do not now re- 
 pent of that fcvcrity,becaufe it produced a thorough and 
 cffettiia! rtformation : Though at firft. I did repent of it,, 
 being unwilling to put you to grief; for 1 was troubled 
 niyfelf, bccaufe 1 was necellitated to trouble you. How- 
 ever, now I rejoice, notin your grief, as fuch, buibecaiife 
 your forrowwapii godly fcrrow, and wrought repentance, 
 which is (o nectflary tofcrgivenefs ; iothatniy plain deal- 
 ing with you hasevidently been no damage, but an advan- 
 tage to yoti. Learn hence, That the faithful- minifters oX 
 Chrift muft by noaieans oinit the duty of Iharp reproof, 
 nor neglect tt bring the cenfures of the church upon no- 
 torious 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 7^5 
 
 torious offenders, liow ungrateful foever the work is either 
 to iheinCelves or others. 2. That there is good ground to 
 hope, that when the ccnfurcs of tlie church arc duly exe- 
 cuted, thc-y wdl hai'e their defiredefiiL-cts, by bringing the 
 otFjndersto repentance ; and by repentance to reniiirioii 
 and falvation : I rejoice, that ys fr.rrovjed to rtpeiitance, 
 
 10 For forrow worketh repentance to falvation 
 not to be repented of: — 
 
 NrJe here, Th.it forrow for fin, will beof no advatitage 
 or avail upon u<;, if it be not godly forrow, or nforro-v ac- 
 cording to CoJ, as it runs in the original. No\\' it may be 
 .called a forrow according to God, when it is a forrow 
 wrought in us by the Spirit of God, in obedience to the 
 cminiand of God, a'.ul with an eve at the glory of God ; 
 when it his (in, and not wrath, for its objcci ; fm, as a 
 wrong to God, as a contempt of his fovereignty, and a 
 contrariety 10 his holinefs. Again, It is then a godlv for- 
 row, when it puts us upon .in high prizing of Jefus Chrdl 
 who became a facrificefor iln ; and prompts us to a cordial 
 cud unfeigned forfaking of all Iln, to fuch a turning from 
 it, as is rcfolved againft all returning to it. 
 
 — But the forrow of this world workcth death. 
 
 The forrow of the world may be taken two ways, (i.) 
 For the forrow of worldly men, whofe forrow for fin is 
 only a vexing of their hearts, not a breaking or humbling 
 of their hearts; which being fep.irate from true faith, and 
 »vithout any purpofe to leave (in, workeih death, by wear- 
 ing out thenatnral lifeliHgeringly,andl"ometimesde{lroying 
 the natural life violently, as in the cafe of Judas. (2.) 
 By the forrow of the world, may be underflood a forrow 
 for worldly things, a forrow for worldly loffes and difap- 
 pointments. This is finfiil, when it is exceffive ; and as 
 it is pre judicial to the foul, fo doth it hurt the body, and 
 hafleneth death. Worldly forrow is a killing forrow. 
 
 1 1 For behold thi.s felf-fame thing ; that ye for- 
 rowed after a godly fort, what carefulnefs it wrought 
 in you, yen, what clearing of yourfelves, yea, what 
 indignation, yea, whatieTKv, yea, zu/jai vehement de- 
 fire, yea, whai zeal, yea, what revenge. In all things 
 ye have approved yourfelves to be clear in this 
 matter. 
 
 The apoflle in the foregoing verfe, had declared, that 
 godly forrow, or a forrow wrought by the fpirit of God, 
 worketh true repentance, and produceth a thorough re- 
 formation, not to be repented of : Now in this verfe he 
 proves, that the Corinihiaui'^ forrow for the inceftuous 
 perfon's fin, was of this nature, namely , a godly forrow, be- 
 caufe it produced fuch excellent effects and fruits as godly 
 forrow is voiit to do. Seveo of which he here reckons up. 
 1. Care, or an holy carefuhefs to .omend what is amifs for 
 time to come, by (hunning and avoiding all occafions and 
 tetnptations that lead to lin. He that truly repenteth, is 
 careful fiot to fin again, 2. Clca''ingof tb<ty]ftlves, that they 
 did not approve the f.ift of the inceltuous perfon, but did 
 inflict the church's cenfiires upon him, and fo put away 
 evil from amongft them. j. Jr,(iigtiatlon againllfin j this 
 
 is found where godly forrow it found ; the hfart rifes, 
 (wells and boiU agaiuft fin; we are then angry and fin not 
 uhcu we are angry at Un, and with ourfelves for finning. 
 4. Fear ; a true penitent fears to offend ; and that he rn.iy 
 not offend, doth nourid) in hindVliao holy fear of God 
 and ail humble fear of himfelf : There is found .with him 
 a fear of reverence, from an awful apprehenfion of the ho- 
 linefs and m.ijclty of God, and alio a fear of dilligenceaiid 
 vigilance, watching and warring .igaiiilt fin, that it may 
 not let upon us and furprife us for the time to come. 5. 
 Vehement dejire, after a thorough reformation, and -to rrc- 
 tify whatever is amifs; a delire to be rid of all fin, and in 
 the mean time conflicting with it, and groaning under it. 
 6. Zeul; this is an affection in a true pciii;ent, compounded 
 of love and anger. Be zealous and repent, isChriiTs own 
 call. Rev. iii. i(j. This will make a penitent perfift in the 
 exercife and expreffion of his godly forrow for lin, and per- 
 fevere in his courfe of mortification, in defiance of all rp- 
 pofition made agjinft him. 7. Rfvengc • this is the refulc 
 of zeal, n hen cur zeal boils into revenge, and puts us upon 
 felf cafiigations ; not fo much upon our bodies with whips 
 and fcou'"ges,'but by the abatement of luft \\hich (Hrreth 
 in us, buffeting the fledi, and bringing it into fubjtftioii. 
 And this revenge leads the penitent alfo to make fatisfac- 
 tion for wrongs done, either by open coiifeflion,or fecrec 
 rcftitutitm : In all flings ycu have approved your ft Ives to as 
 clear if this mattir. As if the apoltlehad faid, "By thefe 
 forementioned afts of your's, the body of you hath fliewn 
 that you did not approve of theincefluous perfcn's fin, but 
 evidenced by your (orrow for it, that yoif are cle;ir of it. 
 Learn hence, i. That there is no way to get clear cf ths 
 guilt of other men's fins, but by duly mourning for them; 
 No-.u are you clear ofthismailer. 2. That true repentance 
 for fin, clears us from the guilt of it, both in the fight of 
 God and man ; and if fo, it is both uncharitable and un- 
 chrifti.m to ftigmarize or reproach any perfon for the fin, 
 which we either know or believe he has truly repented of. 
 
 t2 Wherefore, though I wrote unto yon, I did it 
 not for his caufe that had done the wrong,nor for hi* 
 caufe'that fufFercd wrong,butthat ourcarefor yoti 
 in the' ftghtof God might appear unto you. 
 
 Hpre the apoftle tells them, that he did not write fopaf. 
 fionately and fevcrely to them, only or chiefly for the iu- 
 ceftuous perfon's fake who h.id done the wrong, that lie 
 might be puniflicd,, nor for his lake that he fuffered the 
 wronn-,namtry the injured faiher,outof a particular kir.d- 
 nefs to have him righted ; but that his general care, folici- 
 tude, and concern for them, the\sholechiu-ch of Ccrinih, 
 to remove fin and fcandal from them, might appear unto- 
 them. ^ 
 
 1 3 Therefore we were GonifortetJin your comfort: 
 yea.and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy 
 of TituSjbccaufc his fpirit wasrcfreflitd by you ali. 
 
 That is, in all the foremeniioned effects and fruits, fig^ns 
 and evidences of a true repentance, wh'ch were found in- 
 you, and are matter of great comfort to you, we are alfo 
 comforted with yea; and we aUblisd a fu]:eradded joy for 
 
.726 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Mil. 
 
 ilie joy that Titus torceiverj/upon his rnitferftanding of 
 youraffjirs ; alfo your ready compliance wiib the duties 
 and dirt ctions piven you in my frriiicr rpiftle^id wonder- 
 fully relrelh aixl i ejuice his fpirit ; and in ail thcfe your 
 toiilolacions and loiiifortsain I comforted. Hence learr, 
 That (ucli is the intimate and endeared union betwen the 
 ■linillcrs and members of Jel'us Chrilt, ih^tihty are com- 
 forted with another's comforts, and i/Hicted with each 
 ether's furrows and fufferings. 
 
 14 For if I have boaftcd any thing tohimof you 
 lam not afliamed: but as we fpakc all tliins^s to 
 you in truth, even fo our boafting which I made 
 before Titus is found in a truth. 15 And his 
 inward afFcftion is more abundant toward you, 
 whilft he rcincinbercth theobcdicnceof you all, how 
 with fear and trembling you received him. 16 I 
 rejoice therefore that I iiavcconHdence in you in all 
 things. 
 
 Nile here, How the apoflle had formerly taken occafion 
 To fpcakbualliii(>ly,and not without afllirancc, concerning 
 the church ttf Corinth. "Now, fays the ppcftle, what- 
 ever I fjid of you, isas infallibly and certainly true, as what 
 I havfi heretofore either writtenor fpokento you." H3i>py 
 Js it when a minilter's commendation ot his peofle unto 
 oiher;, are ijot contradicted or gainfaycd by the people 
 themfclves, but ccnfirmed j^reatly. Here, w hat St. Paul 
 hsd lioaft6d of the Corintiiians, Titus fouiul a truth. A'o/<f 
 next. With wha' inward affeftion Titus did en)br.ice and 
 receive the Corinthians, remembering with whatgrtatde- 
 fetence r.iid regard they h-id received him ; he is grimily 
 offered toiwar/iycu.vpcn his findingyoufo obedient tc me. 
 Nothing doth more endear people to the miniftersofChrifl 
 than to hi;d ihemobedient to their fpiritual guides in things 
 pertaining to godlintfs and religion : The afft dikn (f Titut 
 tJ tiTjre iditindar.t towards yfiu, 'Mh'tlJ} he remetrhertth the 0- 
 kcd';et!ce cf ycu till. Lalfly, Wkat confidence the apoftle 
 had, thzt the church of Corinth would hearken to, and 
 comply with his futureadmonitions, exhortations, and re- 
 proofs ; / huVe confidence in y»u in all things. It is a blef- 
 fed thing w hen the tniniflers of the gofpel and their beloved 
 people have a mutual confidence in each other, and when 
 that confidence on either fide is not broken, but preferved 
 and incrCrtfed between thf-m^ull their days; when they 
 canf.iy of each other, as doth the apoftU here, I rejoice 
 that I have cir.fidence in you in ell things. 
 
 G H A P. vm. 
 
 The dcfffi of cur a^fjlk in this atid the following cluipter, 
 is, to excite andjlir uh the Corintliians to a liberal 
 ccnfnh'tim of tluir charity towards the poor /ainls 
 in jerufiilein and jxidcdi ; aiidthit /«• docs i/yftverai 
 
 crf^umenls. 
 
 MOREOVER, brethren, we do you to wit of 
 the grace of God bellowed on ttic churches 
 of W.iccdonia'; 2 How that in a jreaf trial- of 
 
 af!li£lion,the abundance of their joy, and thcii deep 
 povcrty,aboundedunlo^therichcsof their liberality. 
 The fitft argument which our apoflle makes i^fc of to 
 excite the charity of the Corinthians, is drawn frnn the 
 example of the Macedonians, into whofe hearts God had 
 poured thst excellent grace cfcharity ; infomuch that the 
 churches of Phillippi, TheHalonica', Beraa, and other 
 churches in the region of Macedonia, though undergreat 
 trials and affli;.^ions theinfelves, yet fuch was their joy in, 
 iv.d their aftection to the Chriftian profeflion that not- 
 wiihftanding their deep poverty, they abounded in their 
 liberality towards the neceirities of the poor faints in Jeru- 
 falcHi and Judea. Nile here, i. The root from which all 
 acceptable charity to the members of Chrift muO arife and 
 fpring, namely, from ihe grace of Cod; from an inwai^ 
 principle of love to God, in obedience to his command, 
 and with a pure and fixed eye at his glory. Liberality to 
 the poor diftrefled members of Chrift, a<i fiich, mull flow 
 from that habit of divine love, by which men are taught 
 of God to love one another ; for though from a natural 
 fympaihy and comp-ilfion men m.iy relieve the afflified.as 
 njen,yet without a gracioui inclination they caimo: do good 
 to them, as members of the ho!i(hold of faith. Chsrity 
 then it here cMcdthegr-aceufGod, becaufe it proceeds from 
 a gracious dlfpofition wrought in the heart by God,asthc 
 root and fpring, the motive ami attractive of it. A'o/f 
 liere,2,The condition which the churches of Macedonia 
 were in themfclves ; when they thus liberally and cheer- 
 fully adminiftered to the neceflities cf others, they were 
 firll undergreat 3fflic"tion,and thenin great poverty them- 
 felves; and yet the riches tf their Hlierality are fjid here to 
 abound. From hence L-arn,T'RiX poverty excufes not from 
 charity: If we have nothing acluallyto give, God accepts 
 the irclination of the mind, and a willing dtfire. If we 
 have but little to give, Gcd wul accept of oar inite, and 
 reward us for that little, if given for his foke. It is' not 
 the quantity cf ike glfr, bet the good affection of the gi- 
 ver, that God's eye lu -yc :,. L' we give but a cup of ccld 
 water to a difcip!c and S3 a difciple, God accepts it and 
 rewaids it, provided wc h^vc better to give them if our 
 charity be not in kint deg; : ' proportionable to what we 
 have, it will ut;t be acceptable, but we (hall niifsof its re- 
 ward. 
 
 3 For to ^/^fiV powtr, I bear record, yea, ami 
 bc) end their power.Mrj'zt^of willing of themfclves i 
 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would ' 
 receive the ^ift, 2indi take vpon us the feilowfhip of 
 the miiiiRering to the faints. 
 
 1 htec^hings are here recorded as the glory of the Ma- 
 ccdoiii .us'chaiiiy, (1.) It was profufely liberal, beyond 
 their ability : 7"o their pt,:\>er, yea, erd key ond :heir power, 
 Hry -.vert ready. Though, generally fpeaking, wears to 
 conluh our r)WB ability andprtfent circurwftances in all ojr 
 ch.iritnhle dirtributions ; yet there may be, ami foinetia;es 
 ars, fuch ciner-.ent ocr.ifions, as m:iy make ir a necefiLry 
 duty to admiuiiter to others neceflities far beyond our own 
 "ability. (2 ) Their charity was purely voluntary ; Thej 
 K-ere-.viUitt^ cf them/elm; that ii,unloiicJtcd by thcapofte 
 
 una.'keW 
 
Chap. viii. 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 ^27 
 
 unafked by any other, only prompteii to it by the grace 
 rf GoJ; They made a coHcilion amonglt thenifelves freely 
 and cheerfully. (3.) Theircharity was accompanied with 
 importunity to the upoftle 10 receive and diflribute it. He 
 was fo far from i ntreating them togive, that they intreated 
 him to receive their collection, and to t.ike care for its con- 
 veyance to them, an4 diftribution among them : Praytng 
 us itith much Intreaty, that zue vjjuld receive this, &c. 
 
 4 And thii they did, not as we hoped, but firfl 
 gave their own-felves to the Lord, and unto us by 
 the will of God. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid; " Verily thefe Macedonian^ 
 in the liberal diftribution of their alms to the poor Chrif- 
 tians, have exceeded our hopesanJ expectation." Where- 
 in? Firft, They gave their own-fclves to the Lord, and 
 then unto us by the will of God. They gave themfclves, 
 their own-felve.', tirft to the Lord. 'I'ogive a man's felf 
 to the Lord, is more than to give all his cdate to him, 
 though, ftrifllyfpeaking, it is rather a debt than a gift ; for 
 we owe ourfelves to the Lord. And, oh, how infinitely 
 fhnll we gain by this giving ! he gains all who|gives his all 
 to God : God will return it with advantage to hiin. 
 Next, the Macedonians, fays the apoftle.gave thenifelves, 
 unto the will of God ; that is, they refig\ied thenifelves 
 Dnto us by the will of God ; that is, tJicy refigned theii- 
 fcKes up to us, to be em])Ioyed by us in fuch fervices as 
 Y.'e thought meet. It feems they were ready to affift the 
 poor faints, .TS well with theirperfons as with their purfes. 
 From the Macedonians giving themfelves firft to the Lord 
 and then to the church's fervice, in all charitable diftribu- 
 ti(>ns,we /<!-i7rr,Thathc that dotli not firft dedicate himftlf, 
 will never dedicate his eftate to God; but he that by a de- 
 liberate and voluntary dedication gives himfelf to God, 
 will keep back nothing that he requires from him ; yea, he 
 Till look upon all that he has and is, as the Lord's : Not 
 an inch of his time, not a penny in liis purfe, but it is to 
 be empli:yed by, and improved for God. He looks upon 
 God as the owner and proprit- tor of all, and himfelf as the 
 fteward and difpenfer only : Oh ! let uj, in imitation of 
 thefe noble, though poor Miicedotiians, firft give ourfelves 
 to the Lord, and thtn we lliall never withhold any thing 
 that is our's from him. 
 
 6 Infomuch that ive defirod Tilus, thatas he had 
 begun, folic would alio fuiilh in you the- fame grace 
 alio. 7 Therefore a.s ye abound in every tiling, in 
 faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all dili- 
 gence, and in your love to us; fee that ye abound in 
 this gr.tce alfo. 8 I ("peak not by commandment, 
 but by occafion of the fonvaidncfii of others, andto 
 prove the fincetity of your love. • 
 
 Here ourapoftle proceeds to make ufe of feveral other 
 srguments to peifuade the Corinthians to the exercifs of 
 the duty and grate ot charity ; as namely, (i ) BecauCe 
 lie had ilefired Titus to go to them ; and :rs l;e ha<I in his 
 laft virit begun to (tir tliem up to this (luiy.arui to exercife- 
 this grHce.io lie would fartherprtmiote and bringitto per- 
 ifcYon. A:)d;{:;.) Bk.'c«u!e tliev abo'a;ided!.T ftaer ■iracej 
 
 and gifts; as namely, in faith,!n ntterance.and knowledge, 
 &c. therefore they ought to abound in thii. grace alfo, 
 otherwife they would not be complete in the whole will of 
 God, (.3.) Becaufe hereby they would teftify the fincerity 
 of their love to the faints. It is not good words, but 
 charitable deeds, that evidence the truth of our love to our 
 fellow-members in Chrift ; not faying, Beye viarmed, or 
 be ye clothed • but diftributing to their necelfities accord- 
 ing to curabilities, Yet, «o?e, The apoftle doth not com- 
 mand their purfes, and require fo much of them for cha- 
 rity ; he mentions no particular fum, much lefs doth he 
 command them to giveaway all their eftates,and live upon 
 a common ftock, and leave nothing to thcmfeUes which 
 they could call their own; for if a man has nothing of his 
 own, there is no room for liberality. There niuft be pru- 
 dence then in the exercife of our charity, prudence in 
 finding out proper objefts for our charity, prudence in 
 riming of ourcharity, prudence in the incalure of our cha- 
 rity, and prudence in the end which we propound to our- 
 felves in the exercife of our charity. 
 
 9 Forye know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, 
 that, though he was rich, yet for your fakes he be- 
 came poor.thatyethrough his poverty might be rich 
 
 fiere we have the graiid motive ufed by the apoltle to 
 excite theircharity, namely, theexaniple of Chnft, who 
 impoverii'hed himfelf to enrich us, and emptied himfelf to 
 fill us ; therefore (houid we be ready to adminifter unto 
 others: Te knovi the grace (f our Lord JeC'is'Chrifi, Sec. 
 Ohjerve hence, i. A defcription of Chrift in his divine 
 nature, as God : He was originally, eflentially, and eter- 
 n.illy rich ; that is, in his Godhead. All the riches that 
 Chrift now has in his ftute of exaltation, he had from all 
 eternity ; before his humiliation, with reipect to his divine 
 nature, he was rich. 2. A defcription of Chrift in his hu- 
 m.m nature, he became poor ; that is, in the day of his in- 
 carnation, when he aiTuined our flefii, and was made ma- 
 nifeftin uur nature, he impoveriflied himfelf; though he 
 Was rich, yet he became' poor. 3. The perfons for whole 
 f..ke did he thus impoverifii himfelf: For our fakes he he- 
 came po'jr, that ive through his poverty m'rght be rich. 4. 
 The moving, impelling, or impuUive caufe of this con- 
 defcenfion in Ciirift, and that was the gracioufnefs of h's 
 nature : Te kiovj the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifl. 5. 
 The ufe and iniprovement which the apoftic makes of this 
 gracious dignation and condtfcenfion in Jefus Chrift, and 
 that was by way of argument, to excite the believing Co- 
 rinthians to exercife their charity towards the poor faints 
 which were at Jerufaleni. if <z>-» from hence, Th;it the 
 extenfive charity and wonderful compafiien of Chrift to- 
 wards us Tinners, hath both the force of an argument to 
 excite us to, and ahb the nature of a rule to direct us in, 
 the exercife of our charity towards all fellow- brethren 
 and members of Chrift : Te know the grace, Sec. 
 
 JO And Iicrcin I give my advice. For tJiis is ex- 
 pedient for you, who have begun before, not only i» 
 do, but alfoXo be forward a year ago. 1 1 Now therc'- 
 foie perform the doing cf it ; that as there was a 
 j-eudir.cfs to v,-:!!, fo .'/:.•■;' r-.^v h a neifonnauce alfo 
 
 ou. 
 
■iiS 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. viii. 
 
 out of that which ye have, i a For if there be firfl 
 a winin;^ njind it is accepted according to that a 
 raan hath, and not according to that he hath not. 
 
 H'TC the apoftle proceeds to a frefli argument for the 
 flii'akeninc; and exciting tlje Corinthians charity, drawn 
 from their o*u reputation. He had heard, that a year ago 
 upon writin(i;his former epiftle, they liad madefever.il col- 
 lcc!i<ins, at feveral times, as their gains came in ; his advice 
 tlierefore is, that they perfect and complete the good work 
 which they had undertaken • and that as their was a rcadi- 
 nefs and willingnefs of mind then, lo there might lie a 
 performance of good rcfolutions now : For whatioevcr is 
 given to God, is accepted according to what a man has, 
 and it is not expected he (hould give according to wiiathe 
 has not. Learn, Thai God interprets and accepts the charity 
 i)f men, according to the largenels of their hearts, and not 
 according to the ftraitnefs of their fortunes. It is not fo 
 much the qLintity of the gift, as the good-will and cheer- 
 ful mind of the giver, that God looks at: If there be fir/} 
 a ■"Milling mind, it is accented. Learn farther, That to do 
 anv good with a willing mind, be itlinle or much, is very 
 acceptable to God; if there be Vntle of tlic purfe, and 
 much of the heart in it, provided that little be what we can 
 well fpare, the Lord hath a great refped unto it. Learn 
 laftly, That as we mull give, fo God will accept what is 
 given, according to what a man has, and not according to 
 what he has not. What is due to another, ckherby debt 
 or duty, in making provifion for thofe of our own family 
 cannot be charitably given, as being not our own. 
 
 J 3 F or Imtan not that other men be eafed and you 
 burdened; 14 But by an equality, thai now at this 
 time your abundance may heafupplyiox their want, 
 that their abundance alfo may be a fupply for your 
 %vani, that there may be equality. 15 As it is 
 written. He that liad gathered much, had nothing 
 over; and he that had gatliered little, had no lack. 
 
 Note here, The humble modefty and holy prudence of 
 the apoftle, in what he demanded of the Corinthians by 
 way of charity for the poor (aints in Jiidca. He telh them 
 freely, he did not dehgn to lay a load upon theni to eafe 
 others, or lo make otliers rich by making theinfclves poor ; 
 but that there might be an equality in fupplying the wants 
 of one another, that now you abound, you may fupply 
 ihem ; and when they abound, they may fupply you ; yet 
 mark. We muft not, by the equality mentioned here, un- 
 derftandit fo, as if the wifdomof the divine providence had 
 ordaiued /,;vf///fi^, or making all men equal in their portion 
 of the good things of this life : But (o far Chriltianity 
 fecms to require this equality, that we fliould not fufter 
 others to lack the necelTary comforts of this life, whilll 
 vve abound with them, and can fpare them, and fiifFcr 
 them to fink in their forrows, whilft we fwim in fulnefs. 
 Learn hence. There is a debt of mercy and pity, of 
 charity and compafllon, c>f relief and fuccour, due to 
 human nature, and payable from one man to another ; 
 and fuch as deny to pay it the diftrefied in the lime of 
 their abundance, may juflly expect it will be denied them- 
 {plvct in a time of *aiit. T« conrij-ai, this, the apof. 
 
 tic draws an allufion from the gatherers of manna in the 
 wildernefs; feme gathered more, and others lefs; but they 
 that had more, were to give them that liad itfs: In like 
 manner would Almighty God have it, that they which 
 have great iiches,fliould impart of their abundance, to them 
 that are in want ; otherwife, Almighiy God will flirink 
 their heap into fome equality with them Ahom ihey refufci 
 to,relie\'e. With what meafure we meet, inaifls of charity, 
 as well as in adsof juflice, it (liall bemeafured to us again. 
 
 16 f But thanks he to God, which put the fame 
 earned care into the heart of Titus foryou. 1 7 For 
 indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more 
 forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 18 
 And we have fent with him tliebrothcr.whofe praife 
 is in the gofpel, throughout all the churches : (19 
 And not thai only, but who was alfochofenof the 
 churches to travel witk us with this grace, which is 
 adminiftered by us to the glory of the fame LorcJ, 
 and declaration o/your ready mind.) 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, I thank God that Titus was as 
 forward torooveyou tothisgood workas myfelf; for he did 
 not barely yield toil at my requeft, but of hisown accord 
 w rs ready to coine to you about it. And with him we 
 fent Luke, a beloved bro'.her.whofe fervice for the gofpel 
 has made him honoured in all the churches, and who was 
 chofen by the church to go with us in this dcconary fcrvice, 
 namely, the miniftration of your charity to the glory of 
 God, and evincing the readinefs of your mind to fo good 
 a work. Here note, i. The holy apoftle's conftant cuftom 
 andpracflice to refer all good in us to God as the author 
 and producer of it : Thanks be to God that put this into the 
 heart of Titus, 1. That a minifter of the gofpel who de- 
 clines being chargeable to his people himfelf, may yet put 
 on confidence, and be bold and importunate in urging 
 them to charity for the fervice and fupply of others. 3. 
 That St. Paul's importunity for colleding this charity at 
 Corinth, fhews how much the cafe w as altered, fince at 
 JerufalemjAfts iv. they fold all and laid it at the apoftle's 
 feet: And that was not intended for a coaftant and oni- 
 verfal practice, fo we fee how quickly the love of Chrif- 
 tians grew more cold. To procure this cliarity, St, Paul 
 writes, Titus is fent, exhortation isgivcn arguments urged 
 and all due means ufed to accomplilh this collection for thn 
 poor diftreffed Chriftians. 4. That amongft Chriftians, 
 renowned for gifts and parts, coftly duiitscome hardly off, 
 elfe what needed this ado ? And yet it is not the cheap 
 duties of religion, (fuch are prayer, hearing the word, and 
 receiving facraments) but the coftly duties of charity, that 
 muft evidence the truth of our faith and love, which arc 
 certainly dead, if barren and deftituce of thete fruits. 
 
 28 Avoiding this, that nomanfhouldblame tjsia 
 this abundance which is adminillered by us : 2t 
 Providing for honcit things not only in the fjght of 
 the Lord, but alfo in the fight of men. 22 And 
 we have fent with them our brothcr,whom wc have 
 oftsutiuics prgv«d diliigentin many things, butnow 
 
 inuclj 
 
Chap. i.v. 
 
 11. C O R I N T II I A K S. 
 
 r^t* 
 
 mnrh niorc cIili'Tcnt, apou the "rcat coufidL-nce him; ssthe f,.iihfiilncfs of an smhailuJor raKmmls lo tl,<^ 
 , . '"■ ' '^ ^ gkny and honour or the prince that fends hiin : And iv 
 
 winch y/.-OTC in; oil. ^ ^ ^^ points our chuy to promote the glory of Chrift, to pray 
 
 Ncfe here, The holy wifclom of this great npoflle, in join- a,-,j endeavour that he would ufc us as initruments for the 
 ing fomc other pcrfons wiih liimfeifi, as Titus and Luke, advancement of his glory ; thn'. as we glorify him on earth, 
 S<c. in the <rifi:rihu«ion of this charity; ltd evil-minded l-.c may j^lory in iis, and be gloiified by n?, before his Fa- 
 men (liould furpcv?^ him of di(lione!ty, he takes care to cut thcr in heaven, and ue be prefcnted faultlefs before the prc- 
 oTall occafijM of fufpicinn, that he eitjicr. kept any part of f^Rce of his glory wi'.h exceeding joy. Anun. 
 llsis large contribution to himfcif, or dlilributed it untaith- 
 fully unto others : Avoiding this, d'at tio manJiioM blame 
 <ts. ' Kite 2. Tne reafon alfo alT^gned by the apcdle for 
 this his prudential management ; namely, becraife as a 
 ininillcr and a Chridian, he was obliged to provide and 
 take care that all things be done blamelcfly in the light 
 of men, as well as faithfully in the fight of Gnd. The 
 
 C 11 -A P. IX. 
 
 FOR as touching the minifler'ng to the faints, it 
 is fupcrFluous i'or me to write to you. 2 For 
 1 know the forwardncfs of your mind, for which I 
 
 boaft of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia 
 poflle, by this his example, recommends to all mlnifters, was ready a year ago : and your zeal hath provok- 
 and private Chriftians, a piudcniiai forcfight of fuch fcan- cd very many. 
 <Ial(>us imputations, as they may be cxpofcd to by the 
 •uoild, let their fincerity in their aiSions be what it will ; 
 aiid 1 ! ;;s fee how wc ought to (provide againft them : Any 
 one of thcfi upriglit peribns alone, either St. Paul alone, 
 
 Tiius alone, or St. Luke alone, were fufficient to be in- 
 
 ry many. 
 
 AW here, The holy art and fkillofthis v\ife and great 
 apollie, in promoting forward, and putting t)n thele Co- 
 rinthians to this work of piotis charity ; he inlinuatesthtir 
 prcfent forwardiiefs, to provoke-them to farther forw'ard- 
 nefs ; he tells them, it was fupcrfluo'iis for him to life far- 
 ther arguments with them ; for their forwartincfs was 
 known unto him, and boaflcd of by iiiin to the ATaccdo- 
 nians, that the Chriftians in Achaia, (of which Corinth 
 
 truftci! alone with the dillribiition of thischarity ; but t!:e 
 apollie did not know whit a cenforious world inight fay ; 
 and therefore, to cut otV all occafioH, and to prevent all 
 
 fufpicion, he wifclv appoints fevcral perfuns to be witncfTcs ... ^, 
 
 Gfthisaaion. If there be not, in fome cafes, overmuch vvas the chief city) had made a prcpofsi to fupply the poor 
 
 caution, all is too little and not enough. faints of Judea a year ago ; and that their zeal therein h.ad 
 
 . provoked very many to the like forwardnefs. It is very 
 
 23 Whether any do inqiiii-^ of Titus, hen my happy when the minifters ofChrift fii;d their people for- 
 
 partner and fellow helper concerning you : or ouf ward .and ready to every good work, to coflly works of 
 
 A";/^ here. What pains the apoftle talces to anfwer all a Vne Tn-,-^ I (^,1^ flio ^^.-r.f^.■-,,, I n« 1 n- r 
 
 cavils andobjeaionsUiat migh! hinder the free colleflion 3 J^'^t Im c I lent the b.eth.en left out- boafttng of 
 
 nnd regular diftribution of ihi's charity. Some mic^ht pre- J'"" ^'""^^ ^^ "^'^'^'- ^''''"'" '" '"^ ^^^h^'lf; that as I laid, 
 tend, pollibly, to fay then, (as many amougif us do n'>w} ye may be ready : 4 Left haply if they of Macedonia 
 " We know' not in whofe hands tlvls charity-money may come with me, and find )'Ou unprepared, we (that 
 fall ; wc know not whether everihey fcall be the beiterfor we fay not ye) ftiould be aftianied in this fame con- 
 it, for whom it was intended. Therefore, fays St. Paul, fident boafting. n Therefore I thou-ht it neccftarv 
 if any make that objeiSlion, that the^' do not knovv 1 itus, <-,,/,,.i,..,,.t fU„ u,.„»k „„ tU »,i i^i , r- ' ^ 
 , .' . ,. , .J ,'. . n- r . 11 > • 1 • tocxnoit the Dictnrcnthat thevwould jscobcforpiin- 
 and inquire after mm, or his truUinefs, tell him he is my j 1 i. r 1 "'"8/" "^'"'^ u"- 
 
 coadjutor, my partner and fellow-helper in converting you t'^ you, and make up beforehand your- bounty, 
 
 to Chrillianity ; and if the other two be inquired after, whereof ye had notice before, that tlie famemi^jht 
 
 they arc our brethren, the niencngcrs of the churches, and be ready, as a mailer of bounty, and not as of co\itt- 
 
 the glory of Chrifl ; that is, the inllruments of his glory .• oufncfs. 
 
 Therefore, let thefemefreniicrs fee, and the churches which • r ■> ' 1 r -,, ,- . , 
 
 <lid depute them, the ptoof'of your love to me, and to the , '^' '^^^fi^'f^f f^'l,^".'")' pcrffaded as th.e ^pofile w.ns of 
 
 r>ims, and that I did not boaft of your liberality in vain. 'J^'^ ycad'nefs and willuignefs of mind thnt was found in the 
 
 Note here. The hi^h hono«r which St. Pawl put upon S'"""''".^'f t-nvards this charitable comrihuilon, yet he 
 
 the miniltcrs of the gofpel in calling them the ohrl of .|'''^^g'='h '^ ''^''^ expedient and neccilary to fend the brethren 
 
 Chnfl, that is, the glory of the gofpel of Chrift, the glory ^'"^.'^'"'^ '° ''":"'' !-« 2'^',='" ''""?^ ^"^^'' '!"^ ^oUcaior. fmilhc J 
 
 of the Chriftian profeffion, the inftrumen.s of Cluift's ="''"y^'i 'l«t fo. vvhen he lumfelt, .ir:d the M.ccdcnims 
 
 ['lory, by whom his honour and glory is greatly promoted ; 
 perfon<, who by their exemplary glori'nifncfs, did bring 
 much honour and glory to Chrilt. This tiik, I conceive, 
 flicws both ortir dignity and duty ; cur dignity, in that 
 Ciirili uccoiints"Tis his glory when we are found faithful to 
 
 flioiild come to Corintii, he might not be pi:t to the blulh 
 for tiicm, having made great hoalls of ilieir charily, but 
 finding no deeds; and alfo he dclircs their colkaion may be 
 ready, with refpedl to thcmfelvcs, that fo their benefi- 
 cence may appear to be their own free bounty, and not 
 '^ ^' «collcclio« 
 
7S'> 
 
 11. C O R I N T H I A N S. 
 
 Chap. ix. 
 
 •colltflion ;«li!Ticuli1y extorted from them, as from covetous 
 men, who give grudgingly and unwillingly. Aj/.- here, t. 
 That it i« very lawful for the minillers of Chrill to iifc an 
 holy craft, ami innocent guile, to draw men to a fpscdy 
 compliance wiih their duty ; fomeiimcs by engaging their 
 rcpination in it, and fometiines alluring thitmby jiill praifes 
 to the doing of it. Thus our apoi;!e did here. 2. Ihat 
 the rcadinds which St. Paul IwiC prefles them to, is not 
 the readiiicfs of the mind, but rcaJinffs of the aft ion : 
 He was well fatisficd that they were ready in their prepa- 
 ration of the mind long ago, but he prefles th«n to lini(h 
 the coUcdlion, of which he liad fo much bo.ilkd to the 
 TS'acedonians. ". How th; blelTed .ipollle did confult the 
 •(.'iirinthians hor.Qur nnd reputation e(jtial!y with his own, 
 and was as dclirous to prevent rcHediori upon them, as 
 iipjii himfcU ; l»e would not have them alhamed, no more 
 Mian himlclfat his coining among them. 4. That a li- 
 beral free-giving tolhe faints in dlllrefs, is called here x'f'f 
 j(. ,i<.:y, grac: and blefftr,g\ \\'C tnnflate it bcunly \ It 
 is calbd grace, becarufe an licart togivclibcrally is wrought 
 in us by tlic grace of God ; the world (huts up our hearts 
 until God opens them ; and if the heart be open, tiie hands 
 n ill not be Unit : And work^ of charity are a bkfliiig of 
 <nKl with our fubftance, and the way and means to pro- 
 duce his blefling upon our fubflance. Giving to uiflre.'Ied 
 faints in proportion to what GoJ has given us, is by Al- 
 mighty God, accotmtcd a blciling of him, and a blcdin^ of 
 our fellow brethren ; and whoever thus bleiTesGod ihall be 
 •tleiHd by him. 5. That the Cor.'nthians being a very 
 rich and' wealthy people, the apoftlc rtirs them up to an 
 ^undant charity. Where God gfves much he expefts 
 much : But hov/ many, alas, grudge God a little of his 
 own! And how difficultly is that little drawn from them 
 like drops of blood! Whereas, to give alms purely to fa- 
 lisfy the Importunity of others, or out of {hamc, miffes of 
 3ts reward before Go !, 
 
 6 1 But this //jy. He which foweth fparingly 
 rhnll reap alio fparingly ; and he which fowcth 
 botintifuliy, Ihail reap alio bountiiully. 7 Every 
 man according as he purpofcth in his heart, Jo let 
 him give ; not grudgingly, er v)f neceffity ; for God 
 loveth a cheerful givor, 
 
 Here the ajioftlc comes to direft the Corinthians, how 
 and after what manner t!tcy fliotild give their alms, fo as 
 to fecure a blefling; namely, deliberately, (i.) Js /.'s prir- 
 p',fe/hin Its hearli fo let him vine \ as he is deter iiincd and 
 •reroikcd within himfclf. When a Chrii'lian gives, he mull 
 take ciirethat it be his own aft as much as he can. S'imc 
 men iiive what tiiev did never intend, and beftow what thty 
 •did never chufe or ileligii to bellow : Importunity extorts 
 charity from fome ; they give to get rid of tlie noife, and 
 piirchafe their quiet with their alins ; vvhercss, the liberal 
 man dctifes liberal things, the good man lays by in florc 
 what he intends to bellow in alms. (2.) Freely and 
 •bcuntifidly; ■ft'' I'c that J'/ivclh hiunufultyfoull re/tfi nlji 
 i>y.iiilifulh\ that is, he that givcth liberally to the poor 
 iliall be liher..!ly rewarded bv X.t jd ; -.V) wife man will pinch 
 iiisgrotmd of the feed. 'The propurtion, or how iuikIi 
 rvcrv . !K" ill lid I i;Ive, -Miiivilbe drt.-i mined, bi.c.uife that 
 
 mufl be mcafurcd according to tVc ability of hitn tha^ 
 givcth, am! according to the neccllity of him that rcctivetli 
 (j,.) Cheerfully, not grudgingly, or of mcrj[Ji'y : f:rthe Lord 
 i:v(th a chcrful giver. In all thy gilts fhew a cheerful 
 countenance, fays the wife man; let us give with the fame 
 cheerftilnefs, that we Ihculd receive, and be as billing to 
 give, as the needy are to receive; nav, it is rtir duty to 
 ftek out objcfts ; for funic of Chrid's members have 
 as great modclly as tliey have neceffity, andcanmjt fpe:k for 
 themfelves: And let none think that his liberaliiy will pre- 
 judice their eftites ; no, it is mens lulls that undo them, 
 and not their charity, 
 
 8 A nd God ii able to make all grace abound to- 
 wards you, that yc always having all fufHcicncy in 
 all thitiiJS may abound unto eveiy good woik ; g.A* 
 it IS written, He hath dilpt-ricd abroad, he hath j^ivctt 
 to the poor: his rightcoulncfs remaixicth forever. 
 
 Here the apoflle tacitly anfvvers the common objcfticn 
 againft liberal alms-giving; men arc afraid they fliall want 
 themfelves, what they give away to others: No, fays t.hc 
 apoflle, God isible to nuke all gritcc and mercy lliewn by 
 you, toaboimd the more towards you , that you having a 
 fuificiency in the coinforisof this lile, may abound in every 
 good work of charity tow ards others. As it he had faiil, 
 " Ce not afraid to give, nor fparing in giving ; for hereby 
 you make God your debtor, and yon will find ihim an all- 
 liifficient paymaller ; he will repay you both in fpliituals 
 and temporals. Thou fhalt receive filver for thy brafs, 
 and goid for thy fiber, grace for thy gold, a treafiire in 
 heaven for thy drofs on earth : Nay, your gold and fdver 
 will multiply here, as feed fown, when fcatiered with a 
 Avifi; and prudent hand." The apoflle here engages God's 
 all furliciency for it ; God will ihew his all-fuificicncy, \n 
 giving you an all-fufltciency in all things : Only we mufl 
 remember, that we mufl allow time ; for Almighty God 
 loves to be truflcd upon his word; and thofe that will not 
 give him credit, let them try if they can improve their cf- 
 tates better, or put them into fafcr hands. 
 
 10 f Now he thatminillercth feed to the fowcr, 
 both minifter bread for yourfood, and multiply 
 your Iced fown, and increafc the fruits of your righ- 
 teoufnefs, 11 Being enriched in every thing to all 
 bountifulnefs, which taufeth through us thankfgiv- 
 ing to God. 
 
 Some look at thefe words rs.n prayer, others as a pro- 
 'mile, tlinl as Almighty Gi.d blcfl'eth the increafc of theianh 
 fo l.irgclr, that it fufficeth for the nourilbnient of mei>, and 
 for feed tofow again ; in like maiuicr wot'lJ he fiipply all 
 their wants, and grant them ability to lupoly the wants of 
 others, and plentifully reward them foralUhe fruits ofihur 
 rightcoufnefs and m.crcy ; and they being thus cnii>.litd uy 
 the goodu'.fs ol God, and c:;rrcilMig all botiniifulntfs to- 
 wards their brethren, much thnnklgivtng and praile upon 
 that oceafioii is given imto God. In ihofc )j11 words is 
 couclicd an aiguincnt farther to prel's the Coiinthians ta 
 this liberality;" namely, that it would caidi: both the n.ir.if- 
 ters of Chrill, and alio the poor faints to offer up incellaoi 
 praifciand th.!i.kr>.ivin''s to GoJ for the fame. • 
 
CuAr. X. 
 
 ri. C O R I K T MIAN S. 
 
 7!n 
 
 i2 For the admininrationof this fcrvice noton- 
 Iv fupp'icth the want of the faints, but isabumlant 
 alfo by many tbnnkdiivings unto God : 13 \^'^hi!LS 
 by theexp^^ii'jnci-lorthis niiniilr.ition, they >;lonty 
 Ood for your profclibd fubjccliun unto the i^ol'pcl 
 ofChrjlt, and for } our liberal dillnbulion unto 
 them, and unto all vi-c>i ; 14 Ana by their prater 
 for vou. whidi Ion::; after you for the cxeeedinj 
 grace of God in you. 
 
 Still oiirapodk- procccJs, by way of motive, farther, (O 
 excite anJ iHr tip the Ci)riiiiii.ins to lliis chaiiiablc cnn- 
 tjibiilibtitioii.fioin riindiy cosir'tieraiiDDs; iianicly, i.Tliai- 
 it would be a very fealbiiaWt Inpply to the church's waius> 
 who were at this lime in great waiit ol it : Now,, the fea- 
 foiiablenefs of any mercy, adds greatly to ti"ie worth and 
 Taliie, to the pleafure and Iwectntfs of it : 2. That it 
 would occafion repeated praifcs and ineelTant thankfgiving 
 to God, for many perfons, and njwn inarty occaflons. 3. 
 This diilribiition of yours, fays tite apoftle, v. til be a con- 
 \incing experiment, evidence anti demonflration of your 
 proftircdfiibjeclion to the gofpel, and that your faith is not 
 barren and incffediial. No belter evidence of our real 
 fubjcclion to the gofpel of Chrift, than a cheerful eonipli- 
 ance, not with the cheap, but with the coftly duties of 
 Chriifianiiy. Lallly, For your alms you will rni,age a 
 "flock of p ravers going for you: Tiiis will procure, yea, 
 provoke them to pray night and day for you, nay, not only 
 engage prayer for you, but it will alfodraw forth their love 
 aid fervent affciSlion towards yen, make them very defirous 
 of your scquaintanee, having received fuch an experiment 
 of the grace of God that is in you. 
 
 15 Thanks be unto God for hisunfpeakable gift- 
 
 Here the apoflle concludes his difcourfe upon this great 
 atgumcnr, with a doxology, praifing and blefling God tor 
 putting it into their hearts, info liberal a manner, torelie\« 
 the neccllitics of the faints, by which fo much glory did 
 redound to God, and fo much honour to the Chrilh'an 
 religioji. This he call.':, not barely an admirable but an 
 unfpeahtUe gift ; becaufe agitt by which God was fo much 
 glorified, the gofpel adorned, the poor faints fo much 
 comforted, and they themfelves fo plentifully rewarded : 
 Thanks be unto God for his unfpeakalk gift. But if the 
 Corinthians charity was an unfpcakable gift, what was the 
 gift of Chrift ? the gift of God to a loft world, to whom 
 this title of unfpeakable doth beft agree ; who is the author 
 and finifhcr of all grace, and particularly of this noble 
 grace of charity in the hearts of his people ; for he fends 
 his holy Spirit, and pours into their hearts his raoft excel- 
 lent grace of charity, the very bond of peace, and of all 
 virtues, without which, whofocver liveth, is counted dead 
 before him. Eternal thanks then be to Chrift for this ad- 
 mirable gift of charity, and thanks be to God for the un-i- 
 fpeakable gift of Chrift. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Our appjlk havmg pleaded with Me Corinthians on the 
 klialf of tli£ poor Chrijtians in Judea, coma, in 
 
 this chapter, to plead for himfelf. and to vindicate his 
 authority /rem the cciUcmpt caf. vpcn it ly the Jalft 
 cpfiks. 
 
 NOW 1 Paul myfelf bcfcccji you by thenieelc- 
 nefsandgcntlenels of Chrift, wl;o in prefetice 
 cm bafe among you, but being abfcnt am bold to- 
 ward you. 2 But I bcfeeeli you that I may not be 
 bold when I am preicnt, with that confidente where- 
 with I think to beboldagainft feme which think of 
 us, as if we walked according to the flefh. 
 
 Ohfcrvc here, i. The charge brought in iiiijufllv F.gninft 
 St. Paul by the falfe aporiIs.<:, namely, that ^^hcn ke was 
 prefcnt with the Corintliiar,.?, he was low and humble 
 enough to feme degree of bafcnefs; but when abftnt, tb.at 
 then he writes like a Lord to them, snd escrcifes an 
 authority u Tin pride and imperioiilnefs over tiiem. The. 
 greatcft apoftlcs, no more than the meaneft rainiftcr of Jefus 
 Chrift, cannot cxpcft prote£lioii from fiander and falfa 
 accufation. 2. The pious and prudent courfe which the 
 apoftle takes for his own neccflary and jiift vindication; 
 he befeeches them, by all that ir.cekncfs and gentlencfs,, 
 which according to the command and example of Clirift, 
 he defired toexprefs towards them, firinly to believe that 
 he defired nothing more, than not to be forced to ufe his 
 power with that bold ncfs towards them, which he feared' 
 he muil ufe agatnft the falfe apoftlcs, who aceiifed him of 
 too much fervility and meanncfs in his behaviour amongft 
 them, ami reproached his miniftry as carnal and felf-fcck- 
 ing. 
 
 3 For though we walk in the flefh, we do not 
 war after the flefh. 
 
 That is, " Although Tyet dwell in the body, and confe- 
 quently am not free from human infirmities and weak- 
 neftes ; yet neithermy miniftrynormy life aretiom fleftilv 
 principles, by fleftily means, or flellily ends." The beft 
 and holieft of men in this life walk in the flefh ; they are 
 clothed with a mortal body, but they do not ivar after the 
 ffffli, they do not fight under the banner of corrupt nature- 
 Here »Vr, The Chriftian life defcribcd ; it is a zvarfnrc ; 
 we war\ It is a life of \ ieorous oppofition. The Chriftian 
 has many enemifes to connifl with, end to contcrd againft,. 
 both outward and inward enem.ies ;. in a paftive fenfe, he is 
 a Hianpf ftrife and contention, his hand is againft many, 
 and many hands againft him ; he doth not manage a war 
 for the flefti, but againft the flefti : And in the next verfc 
 he tells us with what weapons he managed this war. 
 
 4 For the weapons of our warfare ere not carnal 
 but mighty through God to the pulling down of 
 fbrong holds ; 5 Cafting down imaginations, and: 
 every high thing that exalteth itfelf againft the 
 knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity c- 
 very thought to the obedience of Chrift : 
 
 Olferve\\txe, I. Twt as the life of every Chriftian is 
 a continual warfare, fo the miniftersof the gofpel are more 
 eminently men of war j they fight againft pnndpaliiies and: 
 4 Z 3- ^(%'jersi- 
 
73« 
 
 I!. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 pulling down the ftrmig hol.Is of him aiiJ his. 1 
 2. The weapons which thcfc ipiiiiiKil warriors, \ 
 
 powers; arui the licvil draw* aip iiis full Ore ncjih to pull Tliat !.», having in a ifadiiufs that vvliuh will revenue 
 down the office ot the minliliy, whi^h is ciccicd fi-r ihe all difobidic nee up«.ii rcfradiory and rtiil)born oflVnders, 
 
 )fhiiTi and hii. kiii<^(lr>ni. fnjiutly, thi' power df exciniini;r.ii.a:i< nj urd both autho- 
 he riinil'. rity ;trid abiii'y to inriiifl fuch corpural pitnillimcnt as he 
 fc-s of the g<if(i«l do make tifc of in their conflift and judgtd fit, by dilivcriiig ilicin un?o Satan ; Yvl.ich power 
 combat wiih fin and Satan ; Tie urapam »f (.ur wurfnrt he rcloKcd to inahe iifc of, when the {greater pan ».t il'tm 
 tre n:t carnal but flKnttial. They arc nut carnal or flcrlhly were, by their obedience to his admoniiions, reduced la 
 weipons that wc iifc, neither fraud or flattery, nor force ; yood order apain. Where, ncit. That il e api-ftie defers 
 but fpiritiiai armour, wiih which we batter the lortrtlFcs of the excommunicatinj', ar.d crnfniing tl o (Finders amorgll 
 (in and Satan ; namely, the fword of iheSpirit, the word of them, they being very many, i ill he had, bv exhortation 
 CJod, tlie plain and pcrri)afivc preaching of the gofpei, the and argnment, broucht over as many as pcflibly he could 
 holy Spirit, miracles ot all forts, enilntnt wifdom and unio obedience. There is no pi.icc for ft\ere remedfcs, 
 patience, exemplary zeal and coiiraj;e in executing and when the di-lafts have taktnaiid infeflcd ihewhi-te church: 
 infliiflinE; the cenfiircsot the church rpon the difobedtcnf. The oftcnders i.a the chiirchf when very rriaav, Cifnnot bfi 
 
 X. Thefe weapons arc called mighty ; but mighty through cafily punilhed ; for whengrest muhitudts arc concerned 
 (jod; that is, as quickened by the power and prcfence of they arc like to draw great multi:i;dts after thcni. The 
 (j'xls Spirit. Then is our miuilhy mighty, when made apoflle's pridtice in this cafe here, is a gccd pattern for our 
 jnighty through God. The Spirits of darkncfs cannot be imitation, not to be too forward, ralli, and hally in A<i~ 
 
 conquered but by fpiritiisl weapons. It is as poflible to nouncingthe ccnfures of the (ihurch, but to prccecd pru- 
 
 make an imprelTion wii.'i your finger upon a w.nll of brafs, 
 
 as forthebeft fermon in the world to make an eflxf^uaf 
 
 iinprcHlcn upon a ftr.ncr's will, without the co-operation 
 
 ami Cf.MCurring afflftance of the holy Spin't; The urnpons 
 
 cf -jur warfare are fp'trhual and mighty ihrcugh God. It is 
 
 the Spirit that gives them their fiiccefs and efficacy : There 
 
 is a real fpiritu.il power and energetical prefence of Chrift 
 
 in his own inftitutions and appointments. When the 
 
 fword of his Spiiit is tnken into the hand of the Spirit, it 
 
 works wonderF. 4. The great and good execution which 
 
 ihe.'"e fpiritual weapons do effccfl and accompliOi, when 
 
 lhusaccompnr:iid with the power of God ; they .ire mighty 
 
 to the fulling down tf prong-holds. By which fome do 
 
 imderfland a particular beloved liilt ; a f]jecial fin, by which 
 
 Satan keips and holds poiTLlTion of the finner's, heart. 
 
 Oihers underftand it more generally of every thing that 
 
 wppofefh, refideth, and hindereth the fucccfs of the gofpcl ; 
 
 and particularly, the ftubborn will of the finrcr, which is 
 
 den'ly and gradually : firft tifing all fair means and gentle 
 methods, and waiting with all patience for tl.e reducing 
 them to their duty who will he reduced, and th.tn reveng- 
 ing the glory and honour ofGfdoniy upon fuchaswiU 
 by no tneans be reclaimed or reduced. 
 
 7 Do we look on things after the outward ap- 
 pearance ? if any man trufi to liimfclf that he is 
 Chriil's, let him of himfelf think this again, that at 
 he ii Chrifl's, even fo ere wc Chriil's. 
 
 Bccaufe the faTfe apof^lcs had taught the CorJnthir.ns fo 
 defpife St. Paul, upon the acctunt of his mean appearance ;. 
 he here expoftulatesw ith them, and defires to know v hcthcr 
 they would judge of men by oiitwani appearance, or by 
 inward worth .' As it he had faid, " Arc ye fo weak as to 
 judge of me by my outward perfon, by my bodily prefence, 
 by the ir.eannefsof my garb, by the fmallnefs of my (lalHre 
 ,. „- .1,1. a «... by mv outward afpcft and countenance ? but if you will 
 
 lo flrotig an hold, that no power fl,o.-t or an Ahotghty jjdge of me, a.ul the pretended apoflles,. by minifleri.l gifts 
 
 power can influence it to firrender : Cajlixg dmn inagi- 
 tii'tions or reafonings, and proud conceits, and particularly 
 iinbelief,, in which linners fortify themfelvcs againf! the 
 conviflions of the word, difdaining to fubmit theinfelves 
 to the aballng, hiiinbie and felf-ilenving way of the gofpcl. 
 But behdldthe glorious conqueft which the gofpcl of Chrii} 
 libtains over fmners thus fortified againft it; it ctif.s dnni 
 imaginations., ar.d piiUs dotvn every firong-hdd. Thus the 
 mitiiltry of the golpel fpoils Satan of his arfiinir, in which 
 
 and authority received from Chrill^ furdy I have as much 
 to fljcw of thefe, as they can pretend to fhew ; for in 
 nothing was I behind the very chiefcfi apoftles." There 
 is no judging of men, much Icfs of tninilters, by outward- 
 appearances: Much real worth fometimes lodges within,» 
 \\ hen nothing but what is defpicabic and contemptible ap- 
 pears withcut. 
 
 8 For though I fhould boa ft fomewhat more of 
 
 he trufled, by fhewing the linner, that all ;his can b< no our authority, which the Lord hath given us for 
 
 defence to his foul againft the wrath of God. 5. The edification, and not for your deftruflioQ, I fhould 
 
 improvement of the viftorv : The gofpei doth r:ot only not be aOiamcd. 
 
 lead away thele enemies Ipoiled, but brings them into • 
 
 captivity and obedience to itfelf. O happy and blcfled As if the apoftle had faid, I have not only an equal power 
 
 onqucfi! Sinners do not only lay down their arms, and 3"^^ auihoriiy wiih thofe which defpife me, (the falfe 
 
 fight no more againft Chrift, but they repair lo his camp, t"chcrs) but I have an authority and power which they 
 
 and fight for h'im with thofe reafonings of theirs which "nnot, dare not, will not pretend unto; namely, the 
 
 before were employed againft him. O blcffed vidlory ! 
 where the conqueror and conqurcd both triumph together. 
 
 6 And having in a readinefs to revenge all difo- 
 bedience, when your obcdicucc is fulfilled, 
 
 power to inflift corporal punilhments upon obltinate and 
 Contumacious ofK.nders, and delivering them up to Satan; 
 whioli power, if at any time I make ufeof, it is for edifi- 
 cation, not for dcftruclion. This rod is not to be ufed 
 raflily, but difcrcctly, by roc. Oijcrje we, and learn from 
 
 hence 
 
CHA7. X, 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 7 'o 
 
 hence, an excellent rule, Never to handle the renfurcs of 
 the church (thofe edge tools) but with c?re and caution, 
 Avith an inieniion to reform, not to ruin ; to fave, not 
 def>roy : Tlie chuich's power is for edification, not for 
 {Ic(lrii£lion. 
 
 9 That I may not fccm as if I woukl terrify you 
 by" letters, lo For hii letters (fay thcy)are wci;^hty 
 and powerful, but hh bodily prcfcnce h weak, and 
 hi fpecch contemptible. 1 1 Let fuch an one think 
 this, that fuch as we are in word by letters when we 
 are abfcnt, fuch w'dl xue he .iU"o in deed when we 
 are picfent. 
 
 Oiirapoftle here ^oes on, \indrcatinghrmrelf from the 
 afperfionsand reflexions which the fiffe teachers cafl upon 
 him. Thev told the Corinthians, that St. Paul's letters 
 •were indcd fevere and authoritative, terrifying and afFright- 
 fng: but his pcrft>nal prcfetice was weak, vuid his fpcech 
 Cfmtemptible. Tradition tells us, that Paul (according ta 
 his name) was a man of a very Httk' ft.-iturc, and his voice 
 anfvverablv fmall ; whence probably, the falfe apoftles took 
 occalion to raife this report of his prcfence and fpeech. St. 
 Chrvfaflom faith, that St. Paul's flature was Tow, his body 
 crooked, his head b;ild ; and when it is added, that his 
 J'peech ivfis ccnfrri:/:li!:/i', it cannot be underRood as it were 
 fo for want of eloquence, but it is thought, that refers rather 
 to fome inni-mity, or natural impediment, which the apoftle 
 might have in his fpecch. The gift of knowledge and 
 learning, and the gift of utterance and elocution, as they 
 are diftiniS in their nature, fo they are fcparable in their 
 Aibjcdl, and do not always go together ; a perfon of the 
 profoundeft knowledge is not always happy in elocution 
 and utterance. However, in thcfe falfe teachers we fee 
 the conflant method and praftice of iinpoftorsand ftduccrs ; 
 namely, to afperfe and Iclfen all that (land in their light : 
 This is an old way of infmuating into the people. The 
 falle apoftles feared they fhouid never reign at Corinth, but 
 by bringing St. Paul into difeftccm with the Corinthians ; 
 therefore they fay, /.is klters are -weighty, but his iioa'i/y 
 prejtnct weak. But the apoftle, ver. II. gives them to 
 underftand, that they fliould find him the fame both abfent 
 and prefent ; and that his deeds then fhouhl appear as aweful 
 as his words now ; that when he came again, ho v.'oiild 
 not fpare, but punifn all difobedicnce Note here, That 
 Jhe thing which St. P.u:l would have his accufcrs fear, v.'as, 
 that by the miraculous gift of the Holy Ghoft given to him, 
 to inflict corporeal punifhmcnts upon difobedicnt pcrfons, 
 they Ihould fpeed as Elymas did, Acts xiii. 8. who was 
 irnitten with blindnefs, &c. 
 
 i 2 5 For we dare not make ourfelves of the 
 number, orcompare ourfelves with fome that com- 
 irend themfelves : but they mcafuring themfejlves 
 by themfelves, and comparing themfehes aniongft 
 themfelves, are not wife. 1 3 But wc will not boafl 
 of thing.s without cur m,eali-.re, but according to 
 the meafure of the rule which God hath diftributed 
 to us, a meafure to reach even unto you, 1 \ For 
 
 we R retch not ourfelves beyond mr ir.eajure, as 
 though we reached not unto you : for we are come 
 as far as to you alio in preachivg the gofpel of Chrifl. 
 
 Oh/rrve hcTQ, 1. St. Paul's juft charg(^, which he briTips 
 in a;^Tinft the falfo apoflles, for their piideand vznity, in 
 commending ihcmfLive";, and compiuing themfelves with 
 fuch as were like themlllves; Thn mcnjurir.g llcmjtives, ly 
 iheKifihcs, twu cowpfirin^ thfnijek'cs ntiK.iii'Ji tluriijehes, are 
 not wife. The rcafon why many think themfelves wifer 
 th?n they are, is, becaufe they coir.pare ihemfilvi-s ^^il{i 
 thofc il'.at are below themfelves, and iwt above them irr 
 underftanding and knowledge. }t is an excellent mean to 
 keep us from pride, to conUdcr how many are above us in 
 knowledge ; and there are thoufinds fo much excelling u3 
 in underdanding, that our knowledge is but ignorartce our 
 (Irength but Meakncfs, our fiiith but unbelief, our fniit- 
 fulnefs but barrennefs, compared with thuiis. 2. As the 
 pride and vanity of the falfe apoftlcs, fo the great modelly 
 and humility of St. Paid, the true apoiUe of Chrifl Jefus j 
 hut we will Hot loafi of things ivithout our meafure, but ac- 
 cording to the meajure which Gcd hath difuikutcd to us. 
 Where, note. The apo.lle makes his apolilclliip or preach- 
 in2;of the golpel, to be, as it were, his fpiritual excrcife, or 
 running a race, to which he here alludes ; declaring that he 
 kept his provioce, his ftage, his compafs of ground which 
 G(A had jnarked out to him ; beyond or out of which 
 line, whoever pretends to riui, doth over-extend iiimfclf, 
 and boaft without liis meafure. 3. That the apoflle's line 
 or meafure reached as far as Coiinth, where Chrift never 
 had been preached ; thither he came, and there he fiift 
 planted the Chrillian faith amongfl tliem ; and he takes 
 occafion from thence, to advance himfelf above the falfe 
 apoflles. (i.j That he could fhew a commi'lion to preach 
 to the Corinthians : a meafure by which God had dif- 
 tributed the Corinthians to him, ns his proper province, 
 which none of them could pretend unio. (2.) Tkut 
 >vhereas they went out of their line, leaping from one 
 church to another, he went on orderly in the converfion 
 of churches to the faith, from Jndca, through all the inter- 
 jacent provinces, till he came to Corinth. 3. That whereas 
 they came to thofc churches where the gofpel had been 
 already preached, and fo could only boaft of tilings made 
 ready to their hands, he preached the gofpel where Chrifl 
 Vasiiot named before. 
 
 15 Not boafling of things without cur meafure, 
 that is, of other men's labours ; but having hope, 
 when your faith is increafcd, that we fiiall be en- 
 larged by you according to our rule abundantly, 
 16 To preach the gofpel in the /r^/'cns beyond you, 
 and not to boaR in another man's line of thin 'S 
 made ready to our hand. 
 
 Here thcapoflle tells the Corinthians, th.-t he woiiid not 
 boaft of other men's labours, nor pretend any ti'le tothofe 
 Chriftians at Corinth, nor any where elfe, v>hom others 
 had converted, as the falfe apoftlcs did : Notwithliandi.-.ir 
 he declares his hope, that when the apoftle ftiouM have an 
 cn:»incat fucccfs amoagft them, and thereby their faith 
 
 b« 
 
754 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xr. 
 
 be increafcJ, that the increafe of their faith, would jncrcafe 
 his joy and comfort, his prcfcnt atlvaniagc and future re- 
 ward ; becaufe it was the fruit anil incrcrfll- of tl»e feed 
 wliich lie had liiinf-if fo\' n amonj:^ them. The a|i;)f]Ie 
 atfodoih f.iitlicr declare his hopos, that lie ilifjiil.i pr-ju^li 
 the gdfpcl heyotid Coriuih, in the region-'' of A'.haia, xU'.tre 
 it had not hjcn prcichcd iR-forc ; he bi-ifii; unwilling to 
 in;er upon other men's labours. Here in/e, that ihv>ui;h 
 ordinary niiniiUrs arc fixed in particular ])laCes, and con- 
 fined to pariicuKir churches, yet the apolllcs had a Com- 
 miilion to go into all places, and preach the gofpt-l over 
 the whole world, and were tied to tu> certain place or 
 people. A'jfe farther, That the apofllc feems to prefer an 
 in(lrunicnt;ility in tlie work of couverfion, before biinjr 
 initrumental in the work ot editication. 1~lic fulfc apolHcs 
 could only pretend to build upon other mcn'» foimdations, 
 and carry on a work by others made ready lothctr hands : 
 But the apolUe preferred preaching the L'ofpd where Chrill 
 had never been heard of, as bcin^' unwilling to build upon 
 another's foundation, or to boail of another tnan's line. 
 It is a fpici.d favour now vouchfated by God to us his 
 miuilK-rs, if he puts the honour upon us, to make tts 
 inihuments in his hands, either for converlion, or cdifi- 
 ca'ii. n, either forbrinning home, or building upon a people. 
 H.i^py we, if when our predccetlors have laboured before 
 vi«, wt enter into their labours, and fee the feed, vvliich 
 tl'.ev fowed with a laborious hand, flouriilung in the lives 
 of our people, to the joy of our hearts. Ere long, both 
 he ihatlovved, and he that reapeih, Ihall rejoice togetlier. 
 
 17 But he that glotieth, let him glory in the 
 Lord. 
 
 Theic words are a fcal'onabic exhortation to all the mini- 
 fiers of the £!orpel. (I.) To take heed that they glory 
 Jiot in thcmfelvts, or in aiiv fervices or performances of 
 their own. As it is the highcll acl of grace to make our 
 toad of God all th.e day long, fo tt is the higheft aft 
 of corruption, to make a bouil of any thing we cither 
 have or do, though but for a moment. Alas ; what 
 have we, that we have not received ? Or what do we, 
 ■tv'hercin we have not been divinely afliftcd ? And- if fo, 
 vhy fhonld we glory ? Verily, when m;ui is muft bent 
 and ftt \ipon thefe gloryings, God delights to check 
 him therein,, and fpit upon his glor)ing ; and fo jealous 
 h God of his glory, that he fciilom fulFeis a proud' 
 minilter that ailumcsand arrogates to himfelf, to be either 
 icrvicea! Ic or fuccefsful in his work. (2.) Thefe words 
 arc an exhortation to all the miniftcrs of the g'lfpel, as not 
 to glory in thenifelves, fo to glory in the /'-ord ; that is 
 I. To glory in the work of the Lord, that we promote his 
 kingdom, his honour and inierell in the world. 2. To 
 glory in the help of the Lord ; the Lord is a Maftcr in 
 covenant with us, and that a covenant of grace, in which 
 every command hath a promife annexed to it, a pronuTe 
 both of adirtance and acceptance. 2. To glory in the 
 reward of the Lord, expe£ted by us, and fecured to us, 
 by purchafe and promile the private Chriflian's labours, 
 fhall not be in vain in the Lord, much lefs his faithfid 
 miniflers, who have borne the burden and heat of the day ; 
 let them then glory in the Lord,, and not in themfclvcs, 
 
 feeing all the good that is in them, and their acliiins, 
 comes fjoni him, and their rccompcncc of reward is fecured 
 by him. 
 
 i3 For not he that cotnmcr.deth himftlf is ap- 
 piovcd, but whom the Lord coinincndcth. 
 
 Three things are here clfrrvuhle, i. The prn.Tencfs 
 which is in human natiue 10 aciinirc, applaud and com- 
 mend itfelf. Man is a pruid pi.cc td hcfli, and a li'.ilc 
 apprehended execllency in hiu"ftlf preiiiitly puffs him up, 
 and he looks big with conceit : It is rare to fee a rich man 
 in ^iits, and pooi in fpirit: poverty cf fpirit is belter than 
 all the riches of gifts; yea, it is the Uticd ri,: lies of grace. 
 2. Though a man is prone to coiiia^M' and admire him- 
 fjf, yet felf-exarriinatinn is no^Pf^raife, but rather 
 difparagemcnt, a fiiamcfid iudicnti<-n both of jiiide and 
 f'-lly. He that commendeth hiiv.felf, is not approved of 
 God or wife men ; the fair.e word in Hebrew, liguitics fo 
 pntlfc otirfchts, and to he foolljh, becaufe ilicrc is no greater 
 evidence of folly, than felf-comir.cndalion ; yet fomeiimea, 
 a wife man is forced to boa/l of hLs own performances,, 
 rather in a way of felf-vinditation, than by way cf felf- 
 commendation. 3, That it is God's ap[)robation, and 
 not ourown commendation, whicli is a matter of true praife 
 and real honour. When God and confcience bear wiinef» 
 to our llncerity, we need neither our own nor others com- 
 mendation ; the open teflimonv of God, and the filent ap- 
 plaufc of our own conlxience, is above all commendauoM 
 whaiCocver 
 
 CHAP. xr. 
 
 Our apcjfik in this and the follcnving chapter, tntin. 
 tipon a jvfl and necejfary cmnvicndation cf hivifn!/ ; 
 he gives us a large cctalogite of his fojfenngs and 
 fo-vices not to grace hiiri/clf, but to glorify Gcd 
 therdy. 
 
 WOULD to God you could bear with me a 
 little in my folly, and indeed bear with me, 
 2 For I am je.ilous over you with godly jealoufy : 
 for I have cfpoufed you to one hufband, that I 
 may pref"ent;w< as a chafte virgin to Chrifl. 
 
 Ohfcrvc here, i. That which the apoRle falls his folly 
 is his fpeiking fo much in his own commendation and 
 praife, becaufe ordinarily felf-comnicndation h.ns a very 
 great (hew of folly in it, though not always. As if he had 
 laid, " I w(.uld you could (bear with me a little, in that,, 
 which looks like a foo!i(h boafting in me, naimly, my 
 glorying iff my performances, in my fervices and fufferings, 
 amongd you ; and indeed, you mull bear with^e herein." 
 Where note, That although the apoflle lay under a necclTitT 
 to cominend himfclf for the vindication of his ofiicc, which 
 made him iree from folly in this matter ; yet becaufe, 
 generally fpeaking, felf-commendation ufually proceeds 
 from folly and vanity, and fuch as did not know the 
 necellity which lay upon St. Paul thus to fpeak, would be 
 apt to impute folly to him for thus fpeaking, he therefore 
 calls it folly himfeli full, and tells the Corinthians, they 
 
 diJ. 
 
Chap. xr. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 735 
 
 did and imift bear with if. 2. The rcafon nlligned, uhicli 
 conl>raincd the .ipoftle thus to do it, was his lioly jcaloufy 
 for them. He had, hy preachint; of the gofpcl, brought 
 them to know and believe in Chrill, and fo, by converting 
 them to tlie Chiiftian Kaith, had cfpoufed them to Chrill : 
 He earnellly therefore dtfircd that he might prefent them 
 a pure and chafle virgin ; that is, a fpotlcfs church unto 
 Chril>. As the Jews fay, tkat M jfes cfpoufed Ifrael to 
 God in mount Sinai, when he made them enter into 
 coven;):it with him tiierc ; fo favs tiie apoftle here, by 
 converting yon to the Chrillian faith, I have cfpoufed you 
 to one hufl)and, even Chri(l. 
 
 3 But I fear left by nny means, as the ferpent 
 beguiled Eve th;'OUgh his fubtilty, fo your hands 
 fhould be corrupted from the funphcity that is in 
 CI 1 rill. 
 
 Our jfpoftle having in the foregoing verfe.e, with a rhe- 
 torical infinujiion, begsed their pardon and their patience, 
 whihl by jnil and necefliirv commendation nfhimfclf, he 
 vinJi rated iiis pi^on and oflicc from contempt ; and hav- 
 ing fhe-.vn, t!;:iHbha| he did and fa id, was the fruit and 
 eftlcbcfa pio(i_sj5»B^fy, or holy love inixcd with fear; 
 
 accordingly,' h' •-" •' cry pl?.inly in -this verfc, that 
 
 h6 was really 1, left as Eve was feduced bv 
 
 the Aibtihy oi il.c U;. il, in tlieir minds fliould he corrupted 
 by falfo apo^lc?, and feduced from the pure dcclrine of the 
 gofpcl : For as the noblcft and mod generous wine is 
 adulterated by mingling it with water, fo is tlie doctrine 
 of the gofpei corrupted, by irixing witii either philofophical 
 ficculations, or Je\vifli traditions, or any fort of human 
 inveniions. Well therefore miglu the apodle fay, / /car 
 hjl ynr minds Jliould be arrtipted, &c. 
 
 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jefus 
 whom we have not preached, or if v? receive another 
 fpirit which ye have not received, or another gofpcl 
 which ye have not accepted, ye mi 'ht well bear 
 with him. 
 
 As if the apofile had faid, " It is one Chrift, one Spiiir, 
 one gofpel, and not many which we have preached, and 
 you have received ; now, if your new teachers, the faifc 
 !r)oftlcs, have another Chriii: to let forth, more excellent 
 ^ilts of ihe Spirit to boafl: of, another C'fpel to preach unto 
 you, which I never prcaclied amongit you, let them be 
 heard and received :" But this being impoiTible, tliey 
 Hiight w cll bear with him in his modtd boarting and glory- 
 ing in v.h.-it he had lone and fiiifered amon^it them, by 
 vvhufe miniflry they were at firll converted to Chrifti-nity. 
 
 5 For I (uppofe I was not a v.-hit behind llie very 
 chiei. tt apolUes. 6 But though I be rude in Ipecch, 
 yeinot in knowledge ; but we have been ihorou'li- 
 Iv made manifeft amon > vou in all things. 
 
 Oij'nie here, i. The great modcfly of the apoftle in 
 this cxpreflion ; Ifupi'J'e I was ml ,t ivhit h.hind tli d'leJcR 
 it'ijiki. He mijht hoVe uid he wcs cqnc^i wiili the.m, and 
 :,i ionx: (ei»lc fu.peiior to ilwa-:, eyeu ihc moll eminent of 
 
 tiicm, Peter, Jaincs, and John. Indeed the apolTlcfhip, 
 as an office, was of equal honour in all the apollles \ but 
 even amoHijfl them, fonie had more excellent gifts, and 
 greater enlargements, and did more fignal ferviccs than 
 others. Thus one of thnfc ftar? ditfercd from another in 
 brightnefs and glory. But, ohjtrvc, 2. Before whom it is 
 that St. Paul thus c«<mp:ires himfclf with thcchiefeft apof- 
 fles ; it was not before the true, but the falfe apoftles, that 
 he iTiakes this niodeft boaft. He did not contend with any 
 of the apoflles of Chrill for the upper-hand, nor (ay, I 
 am not behind any of yon, or I ain better than any of you ; 
 but he only gives check to thofe falfe apoflles who under- 
 vaiiied him, anil poured contempt upon him. He who 
 faid at another time, / am net zcril.y to he cal'.ed nn 
 at-'ftk, fays here, I nm not behind tic chiefeji cfifth. From 
 whence we Icam, 'I'hat the minillcrs of Chriii may ({and 
 upon terms of credit with thofe that vilify their perfons, 
 difparage their fi:nc1ion, and difcredit that honoiirable 
 work which God hath called them unto. Though all 
 ambitious contending with others is odious, yet no man 
 ought to betray cither tiie truth of GtJd or his own intcgritv> 
 lert he iliouiil be coii:i!td contentious. He purchafes the 
 opinion of an hiunhlc and peaceable ininiiler too dear, who 
 cither pays the faith of God for it, or his own credit ; 
 fomething of reputation being abfolutely iKCelTary in a 
 nn'nifl-er, to render his labours fuccefsfiiL 3. The objec- 
 tion which the falfe apoflles, ihofe proud boafters of their 
 eloquence, made againtl St. Paul, namely, that he \y:\s rude 
 in fpecch. Tiiat the apoltie had fi;me imperfection in i)i« 
 fpeech or utterance, is tlie opinion of many. Others affirm, 
 that he was an eloquent preacher, from Acls xix. i z, 
 where he is compared to Mercurioiis for it ; but he did 
 not think fit, in his minillry, to ufe the Grecian 'launtmg 
 way in oftentation thereof, that fo the power of the i;ofpc! 
 might not feem to be placed in liHirian v ii'dom. " How. 
 ever, favs the apollie, thoi«;h / ^• rude in fpitch, \et t;it 
 in IciKiuL-d^c ; if my language has nothing c\tra<;rdinaTv 
 in it, vet fiire nothing can he objected againO my ilJll ia 
 the myilcries of falvation. But I n^ed not tell you of th.iy, 
 who have had the proof of it in my niiniitry aniong^l vour- 
 felves." Koic we here, The manner and method of St. 
 P.iid's preaching ; it was grave and fcrioiis, pitnis and 
 ardent, pl.iin and profitable. No dotibt he could havt; 
 ihe orator in the pidpir, as well as the mort : Cut he 
 chofe rather to fpeak clofc and hcine to the conRictices of 
 men, in a phan and familiar flylc, delivering all I'.iscvan- 
 gclical and apoftolical precepts fo phiinlv, that the weakeli' 
 cap.icities miijht imderiland and receive fhein. Plain truths, 
 wiihout any art or varnifl), n!ry be conveyed v\ iih men r 
 warmth and vigotir to the confeii.nce, than all the charms of 
 himian eloquence from the moll lluent and p(-pu]ar iongii,«_ 
 
 7 Have I commi'ted an offence inab^tfin-r myli.])' 
 that ye might be exalted. bi-c;iu!'e I h.ive prcithcil 
 to you the gofpel <>f God freely ? 8 I robbed other 
 churches, (akiiig ivages of t'.etn U) do you ieiviee. 
 9 And when I was prefent wish you. and wanted, 
 I was charge.ible to no man ; for that wliicji \n a.s 
 lacking to mc, thcbrelkrcu which cauio iVcni Mace- 
 
 uunii* 
 

 IT. C O Tl 1 N T II I A N S. 
 
 ClIA?. \l. 
 
 donia fupplicJ ; and in all things I have kept my- 
 I'cif from being biudcnfuine unto you, and/; will I 
 hcL-p myfc'f. As the truth of*Chrift is in ins, no 
 man fhJl Hop mc of this boaftin^ in the regions of 
 Achaia. 1 1 Wherefore ? bccaufe I love you not ? 
 <iod knowcth. 1 2 But what I do, that I will do, 
 that I may cut OiFoccafion from thcin which dcfire 
 occafion ; that wherein they glory, they may be 
 found even as vs-c. 13 For fuch a/r falfe apoflics, 
 *lcrciiful workers, transforming themfclves into the 
 •apoflles of Chrii'h 14 And no marvel : for Satan 
 himfelf is transformed into an an-^el of (i^ht. 15 
 Tiicrcforc j< /s no uroat thin 'if his minifters alfobe 
 transformed as ihs minillcrs of ri.fhteoulncfs : 
 uhofe end (hall be according to ihcir works. 
 
 Oltfcrvt Iicrc, Tdat St. Paul, in hi.-; former epiitlc to 
 -ihi- Coriiuhi.i!)?, tibuniiaiuiy proved ihc lawfiiliicfs of his 
 takinq malntcnsnv-p from thofe to whom he preached tiie 
 gofpcl : Vet here he tolls the Corinthians, lie preached 
 fretly to them, withotit putting thorn to any charge, thoiioh 
 at the fame lime, he had fuhftance from the brethren in 
 fvljcedonia. J'rom whence learn, That one church ought 
 to contribute towr.-.ds the furtherance of the gofpel in and 
 -fimont^ft ether churches. Here the brethren in Maccdt^nia 
 ■fiipplisd the apofl.1." with maintenance, whiUt lie preached 
 to ihc church of Cotinth. Ohfirve 2. The realbn why 
 St. P.'.ul did preach the gofpel without receiving any thing 
 for the fame at Corinth ; namely, to cut off occafion from 
 the faifc apoftlcs, who fought occafion to traduce and fundcr 
 Jiim, as a poor indigent fellow that preached for bread, 
 and gloried that he preached freely. Where note. That it 
 IS very probable, that thefe fulfe apoflles were fomc rich 
 men, who took no pay of the churches for wliat they did, 
 but preached, or rather deceived freely, and would have 
 reproached the apoftle as a mercenary preacher, had he 
 t:iken any thing. From the whole, learn i. That it is 
 at'rceablc to the miml of Chrill, that the minifters and dif- 
 penfersof his gofpcl (Tiould be maintained. A maintenance 
 ■for the mimftry, is certainly of divine right. 2. That the 
 apolllcs themfelves did not all work, at leaft, not at all 
 timts, for their liveKhood, but generally fpcaking, did 
 -always receive mainienance from the churches : \cr. 8. / 
 xMcd other churches, taking wages of them. We do not 
 -find the eleven apoftles, after the Ih.ly Ghofl came upon 
 ihcm, wrought afterwards with their hands for their liveli- 
 hood, but gave themfclves coniinually to pravcr, and to 
 flic miniftiy of t!ie word, Adts vi. 4. 3. That though 
 •St. Pjifl did labour with his own hands at Corinth, and 
 rehifcd maintenance, for the reafon forcmcntioncd, yet his 
 example d'uh not enjoin ns to work for our fubliilcncc, 
 ^viih the lab n;r of our hands, nor forbid us to take main- 
 tcnanc-c, when \\\z churches wc fcrvcare .-'ble to mnintain 
 US. Si. P.iul telk us when lie wrought with his hands, 
 ■Jie had then a power to leave working, i Cor. ix. 6. Ht: 
 lii<l a right to a maintenance fro.-n the church at Ciirinii, 
 lIi.Migh, upon prudential confideration, he did forbear if, 
 fliiJ iio law of Cliiiit rcftraincd him from it. 4. Tiiat 
 
 there had bcfn perHins, all along, from the firft planting 
 and preachin j; of the gofpcl, who have fought occafioii, 
 and taken all occalions, though very najurtlir, to charge 
 the miniftersof Chrlft with covctr.ufncfs, worldly-miudtd- 
 nefs, and with prcachinr, for fdthy hicrc fake. It was Sf. 
 PauTs own c^fe here ; and therefore, fays he, will I ghry 
 in thii, that at Corinth, and all Achai.i, I have preached 
 freely, to cut olf <)cca!ton from them thr>t dcfire oCfalion, 
 to charge ino with covctoufncfs and worldly-inindcdnefs, 
 which he would by no means give them an handle for. 
 And thus it continues to this day : Let a miBiftcr be never 
 fo laborious in his ofRce, or inofFenfivc in his lift, if he 
 cxpcds but a mfxicrate part of what is his jufl due, there 
 arc thofj who will cltcat him of one half of IVIa ri^lit, and 
 then charge hin-i with covctoufiiefs for demanding the other. 
 OhJ'er'jc, laffly, Tile defcripiion and character here given 
 by St. Paid of the aportles, They trav.<fcrm ihemfelvci i^l$ 
 fie r.p-.p.les of Chriji \ that is, they pretcndiihemfilvcs to be 
 Chriil's aportles, and a6t as if they were fuch indeed ; they 
 take Dp the doftrinc of Chrift in fomc things which the 
 holy aj^ofties taught, but it was, tkat they might weaken 
 the ertinianon of the true apoillcs in the hearts of the 
 ■Corinthians, and fet up th'emfclvcs tliere. Thcfc falfc 
 apoflles were Judaizing Chrillians, wiio mingled Judaifiji 
 with Chriltianity, aud'cndcavourcd to bring the Corin- 
 tlrians under the bondage of the ceremonial law. Behold 
 here the firft hertfy with which the wifdom of God wa« 
 pleafcd to cxercife the church, even in the apofile's days, 
 that no church, and no age of the church might pafs 
 without fomc temptation and trial ; they tran.fcrm thmi- 
 Jch'es into the apojiles of Chri/}, evr-n as Satan himfelf is 
 transformed into an angel sf light. Then is Satan an angel 
 of light, when he fiiggeffs good for evil ends anfl under 
 fpecioiis pretences of bringini;; glory to GikI, doth tempt, 
 perfons to tranfgrefs the will of God. Thus the falfc 
 apoftles would pn-ach error with as great Zealand indufirv, 
 as the apcftles of Chrill did preach truth, and ufe their 
 utmofl arguments, perfualions, and motives, for embracing 
 t)f error, which the holy apofUes did for the entertainment 
 of truth, fceining to do the fame things that the true 
 ininifters of Chrift did. It is very poflible for men to be 
 really Satan's inflruments, animated and taught by hirn 
 to do his work, againft the intercft of Chrill and his truth, 
 Slid yet, at the fame time, pretend to excel and go beyond 
 Chrift's faithful minillers in preaching truth and holinefs. 
 So that the highefl pretences to truth, orihodoxncfs, free 
 grace, purity, and unity, are no fuflicicnt evidences of a 
 true minirtrv. Satan and his minifters, who love to tranC- 
 form themfelves fometimes into angels of light, may pretend 
 to .nil thefc, anil are, notwithflinding, the f«orn enemies 
 of Chriff and his kindgom. 
 
 16 1 fay again, Let no nsan think me a fool ; if 
 othcrwifc. yet as a fool receive inc. that I may boafl 
 myfelf a little. 17 That which I fpcak, 1 fpc'ak ;V 
 not after the Lord, hut as it were foolilhlv, and 
 this coiifidcnrcof boafling. 
 
 ! fere our .ipofllc returns again to his own jufl"and ncccf- 
 firy vindicalicn of hiniltlt ; li: icknowlcdgesit unbccomiti^ 
 
 anJ 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 737 
 
 and unfeemly in itfelf fo boart much ; and that boaftine is 
 the ufual nuric of a fool ; but it is no folly when the 
 intereil of God and fouls require it .- It was only feeming- 
 ly, and not really, his folly; though it hadthe appearance 
 of folly ill oftentation ; yet with lefpect to the i'cope, the 
 aim, and end, and delign of it, it was needful and necella- 
 ry. But yec he tells them, that what he had before tpo- 
 ken, and was now farther about to fpeal;, he Jfjke not af- 
 ter the Ltrd; that is, as if the Lord commanded any fuch 
 boafting and glorying in ourfelves, or of ourfelves. He 
 did not pretend to have any fpecial coionjand from God, 
 to enlarge fo copioufly in his own commendation ; for the 
 Spirit of God no where advifes us to commend ourfelves, 
 or to glory either in the fufterings we have undergone, 
 or the fervices \s e have done ; Yet what the apoftle here 
 faid and did, though not after the Lord, yet was it not 
 contrary to the* Lord, or to the dirfftion of his word, 
 which no uhere commands u-^ to conceal what grace God 
 has wrought in u<, or the good done by us, upon a fitting 
 occafion, and with a lincere defign, that he, and not our- 
 felves, nijy have the pra-fe and glory of it. 
 
 18 Seeing that many glery after the flefh.. I will 
 glory alfo. ng Forye i'uffer fools gladly, feeing ye 
 yijurfelves 3lTQ. wife. 20 For ye fufFer if a man bring 
 you into bondage, if a man devour ycu, if a man 
 tdkcofyou, if a man exalt himfelf, if a man fmite 
 you on the face. 21 I fpeak as concerning reproach, 
 as though we had been v/eak : howbeit, wherein 
 foeverany is bold,(I fpeakfoolifhly) lamboldalfo. 
 
 Here our apoftle, wi:h fornlBidof fait and fmartnefs, 
 rpfleft^ upon the CorinthiansJKhom ironically he calls 
 wife men,) for fufTering theml^^s to be iinpof d upon by 
 their falfe teachers, to be tyrannized over, to be Ipunged 
 upon and exhanfted, to be brought again into bondage to 
 Jewifh ceremonies, !o hefmittnnon the face; that is tobe 
 upbraided to their faces, becaufe they had fubjeded them- 
 felves to fo mean and weak aperfonas Paul, a lent-niiker. 
 However he aiiares them, that in any thing according 
 totheflelh, wherein the falfe apoftlcs could glory, he 
 could glory alfo. Here n'.ts, Thst by gl)rying oft tr the 
 fitfl), is meant glorying in any external privileges and out- 
 ward advantages, particularly in glorying that they were 
 the feed of Aiiraham, according to rbeficfl), forthe Jews 
 had a veryhigh opinion of themfelves, as being the feed 
 of Abraham, and the only people of God, by vifible pro- 
 felTion, at that tirne in the woald ; having contemptible 
 thoughts of all others, whom they called theprophiim, and 
 the people of the earth, likening them to i/sg/. Now the 
 apoftle tells the Corinthians plainly, That aiihough there 
 is nothing after the flelli w hich dt ferves greatly to be gloried 
 in, ye'r feeingihat the falfe apoftles did pride thernftlves in 
 thefe things, he could boaft of the fame carnal privileges 
 ■with them, and glory afterthe flefli as well as themftlves ; 
 and accordingly, thu: he fpeaks in the following verfes r 
 
 2 2 Are they Hebrews? \fpeakingthe Jewijh lan- 
 Suage]{o avi I : are they Ifraelites ? [defcendedjmn 
 kluvcd Jacob'} fo am I : are they the feed of Abra- 
 
 ham ? \_and not profelytci] fo dw 1 : 53 Are they 
 miniRers of Chrift ? (I fpeak as a fool) I am more ; 
 in labours more abundant [Man any o/tkem], in 
 ftripes above meafure, in prifons more frequent, in 
 deaths oft. 
 
 That i?, I have fufFered more for Chrift, by ftripes, by 
 in'prifonir.ents, by daily dying, than any of them have 
 done. Here note, That thel'e falfe teachers, the Judaizing 
 doftors, were moft certainly of the Jewifn race ; and that 
 they were not only converted to, but did prtfach uj) the 
 faith of Chrift; but withal, the neceffiiy of circumcilion, 
 and the obfervation of the Jev/ifh rites. Thefe teachers 
 went from Judea, and gave great difturbance to all Clirif- 
 tfan churches; as Corinth, Galatia, and Philippi : And 
 we often find St. Paul complaining of them, by the name 
 of thofe of the circumcijion ; becaufe they required of fuch 
 as did embrace Chriftianity, to fubmit to circumcilion and 
 the Jewilh law. 
 
 24 Of the Jews five times received I ioxty ftripes 
 fave one. 
 
 The law in Dent. xxv. 3. allowed forty ftripes to b« 
 given to them that were worthy to be beaten, but forbade 
 them to exceed that number : But it being their cuftom to 
 beat them with a whip that had three cords, they muft 
 .either ftop at thirty-nine, or exceed and go forty- two. 
 Here obfervejThzx the apoftle contending with thefe falfe 
 teachers, proves the truth of hii miniftry and apoftlertiip; 
 not, as elfewhere, from the miracles and gifts of the Holy 
 Ghoft, ivhich did accompany his preaching, but from his 
 fufferings, as being the thmgs which thefe falfe apoftles 
 could not pretend unto, and fo could not glory that they 
 were like unto him in them. 
 
 1 5 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I 
 floned, thrice I fufFered fliipwreck; a night and a 
 day I have been in the deep, 26 In journeyings 
 often, zn perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in 
 perils by mine own country emn, in perils by the hea- 
 then, in perils in the city, in perils in the wildernefs, 
 in perils in the fea, in perils amongft falfe brethren ; 
 27 In wearinefs and painfulnefs, m watchin-js of- 
 en.in hunger and thirft, in fallings often, in^cold 
 and nakednefs. 
 
 Behold what a catalogue the apoftle here gives of his 
 futFerings and fervices : He was fcourged by the Jews with 
 whips, beaten by the Gentiles with rods, ftoned by the 
 rabble, thrice fuifcred fliipwreck, a night and a day toiled 
 to and fro upon the lea, and in great danger of perilliing ; 
 in journeyings often, from one country to another, ta 
 preach, plant, and propagate the gofpcl ; in perils at fea 
 and land, by pirates and robbers ; in perils by his country- 
 men the Jews; in perils in the cities, Damsfcus, Ephefiis, 
 and Jerufalem ; in perils in wilderncfTjs and defcrts, in 
 perils amongft falfe brethren, men of the Chriftian pro- 
 feflion; in.wearinefs and painfulnefs, by travelling from 
 place to place; in hunger and th'yft, in faftiiigs often, that 
 is, inncceflitated hunger often, and in voluntary faftings 
 5 ^ frequent, 
 
738 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xi. 
 
 frequwit for fplritaal p:irpofes ; in cold and nakednefs, 
 that is, very poor and thin in clothing. Lord! whai tongue 
 can utter, or whit heart can conceive, the pains which 
 the apoftle tool<, or the hazards which he run^ in preach- 
 ing the gofpel to a lo(l world? And yet the good oian 
 heartily thanks our Lord Jefus thrift for all that, who 
 liad counted him faithlul, and put him into the minillry. 
 Verily none of the minillersof Chrift have any reafon or 
 .caufe to repent of the choiceof their office, whatever fer- 
 vices they underdke, or whatever fufTeriiigs or reproaches 
 it either hath or may cxpofe them to. Alas ! what is all 
 that we feel, to what this apoftle underwent? And what 
 is all that he underwent for Chrift, compared ^vith that 
 tranfcendant reward which is in the hand of Chrift, both 
 for him and us. 
 
 28 Bcfidcs thofc things that arc without, that 
 which Cometh upon me daily, the care of all the 
 
 . churches. 
 
 The apoftle's burden of outward troubles was difcovered 
 before : His burden of outw.irdcireis declared now. Be- 
 (ides, thofe things which were afflidmg to him from with- 
 out, the care and bulinel's of all the new-planted churches 
 ^V3S daily upon his heart and hand; befides all his bodily 
 labours by journeying and travelling inceflantly from place 
 to place, his folicitouicare and thoughtfuliiefsof mind.for 
 the profperity and happinefs of all the chiirclies of Chrift, 
 both near a:id at'ar utt", was great and prefling ; the holy 
 Bi.in felt as much by fympathy as he did by fenlc. Many 
 were the perfonal troubles which he had felt, bat more 
 were the churches troubles of which he liad feeling; con- 
 cerning which, he thus exprcneshimfelf in the next verfe : 
 
 29 Who is weak, and I am HOt weak ? who is 
 offended, and I burn not ? 
 
 That is, " What particular church, or what particular 
 Chriftian in any of the churchesof Chrift, is weak in faith, 
 or wavering in their profeflion ? Where is theperfon tijat 
 is atTau'ted with inward temptations, or outv.ard troubles, 
 and 1 do not fynjpathize with him, yea, burn with his 
 holy zeal and fervent dclire for his fettlement and cftablifti- 
 ing?'' Symp.ithy among all the members, but cfpecially 
 in and among the minifters of Chrift, is a great Chriftian 
 dti'y: They cju;^1u to have a tender compallion to the 
 whole flock, and alio a quick fenfe both of the fins and of 
 the fufterings of every particular and individual member 
 and part thereof. As Chrift, our Head, is afflicled in all 
 his church's affliiftions ; io ought we, as his minifters and 
 members, to beaffliifted in all the affliclions of our fellow- 
 brethren. He that has no crofsof his own, muft f.ike up 
 and bear his bother's ; yea, he that has many of his own, 
 iftuft yet bear a part of all his brethren-'s crolFes. Good 
 men have ever been, and are men of tender and compaf- 
 fij.iatc dirpofitions, ready to mourn over, and lament for, 
 both the fins and fufTerings of others, from the overflow- 
 ings of a Chrift like fpirit in them. True goodiiefsevcr- 
 ■uure promotes compallion. 
 
 30 If I mull needs glory, I will glory of the 
 rnin'.is which concern temc infirmities. 
 
 By infirmities here, we arc tounderftand fuflFerirgs, re- 
 preaches and difgraces, affliJtions and perfecution-, ft^r 
 the fake of the golpcl. Where n„te, 1 hat the apuftle 
 chofe rather to glory in what Chrift had enabled bun to 
 fuffcr, than in what ht enabled him tu du for him ; he had 
 wrought divers miracles, could fpeak divers tongues, had 
 done very great and eminent fcrvices for Chrift; but not 
 a word of thefe,becaufe thefeindccdwereevider.ces of the 
 power of God in him, and of the favour of God towards 
 him, but no demonftrations of any inherent grace or good- 
 nefs in him ; whereas his patient bearing of fuch (harp, 
 long, and continued fiifFerings for the fake of the gofpel, 
 where undeniable proofsof e.Ktraordinary meafures of faith 
 and patience, of holy fclf-denial ar.d eminent love to God, 
 and confequently were a truer and greater caui'e of boaft- 
 ing, than extraordinary gifts, a.id miraculous operations. 
 
 3 1 The God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 which is blelTed for evermore, knoweth that I lie 
 not. 
 
 Note, here, How the apoftle, in a moft awful and foleran 
 manner, appeals to the all-knowing and heart-fearching 
 God, that the foregoing accdtint of his fuifeni-.gs for Chrilt 
 and his gofpel, was the exacT: truth, and no li#. He calls 
 God to bear witnefs to the certainty of all th.it he had 
 faid of his fufTerings and fervices : And calling him the 
 Fniker of tur Lord Jtfm, who is htcffcd fir tvtrmore, afibrds 
 an undeniable argument to prove the Godhead of Chrift; 
 this doxology, HrJ/ed/or evermore, being a term of honor 
 ufually annexed by the Je ws at the naming of Cod. 
 
 02 In Damafcus thflPlvnor under Aretas tlie 
 king kept the city of the Damafcenes with a gar- 
 rifon, defirous to apprehend me: 33 And through 
 a window in a balket was I let down by the wall, 
 and efcaped his hands. 
 
 The .npoftle concludes tliischapter,fontinuinga relation 
 of I'.is fufftrings, wiiharcinarkable deliverance w.hich God 
 gave him from danger and death, a: the city of Damafcus, 
 inon after his converfion, of which mention is made, Ads 
 ix. 24, 25. The Je^\vs, w horn he confuted and confounded 
 with his arguments at Damafcus, fought to kill hini ; to 
 effeCl which, they had, by fouie means or other, brought 
 over Aretas, who was king under the Roman emperor at 
 Damafcus, and he engages with the Jews in perfecuting 
 the holy and innocent apoftle : He Ihuts up the gates of. 
 the citv, keeps his foldiers in arms, and ufes all poilible 
 means to prevent the apollle's efcape. But w hat faith 
 the Pfalmift ! Pfal. cxxvii. i. Except the L'jrd keep the city 
 the '.ijatchtnen wakith but in vain; either to keep out thofe 
 whom he will have in, or to keep in thofe w hom he will 
 h.ive out. All the walls ihall be an open gate to thofe 
 whom divine providence will have to efcape ; as here St. 
 Paul, bein^ let down over the wall by a rope in abafket: 
 Neither was it an evidence of cowardice that the apoftle 
 now flsd, nor in the leaft degree linful; our Lord having 
 given us a particular licence in the cafe, faying, When they 
 perfecutey.u in one city,f.y to emothtr. Befide.'., the perlV- 
 cution now raifcd v. as^direttly levelled .^gaulft the apoftle 
 
 La 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 ir. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 '39 
 
 in particular : It was therefore pioiifly done in the dii- 
 ciples, and prudently done in himfelf, to attend the means 
 of his own prrfervation. As the hufbandman doth not 
 commit ail his corn to the oven but faves Come for feed ; 
 fo doth God in peruution. All are not martyrs; and 
 none thall be io prefeiuiy ; they n)iift tirlt finiili their 
 couri'e of obedience, before ihey finiih tlieir courfe with 
 joy. Happy foul, that can fay with this great and good 
 man, 1 h,.vi fougkl the g'lodfght, I have fini/hed my courfe, 
 Ihnvekrpt ihe'fuilh, 1 am ready io he offered up \ hencs- 
 forth is laid up fjr me a cro'.un of glory, -jjhich fadeth not 
 »-vay. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Our ap.^Jlle here purjues the argimcnl ufed in the foregoing 
 chapter, namely, a jnjl and rucfjfary vindication of him- 
 fdjjriyni the afperfiom ofthefjtje apojlles. 
 
 IT is not expedient for me doubtlefs to glory, I 
 will come.to vifions and revelations of »he Lord. 
 
 That is, " 1 acknowledge it neither decent nor advan- 
 tageous, withrefpeifl tomylelf, to p;o on in farther boafting 
 an<i gioryiniT -, but lince it nisy henecelTary with rcf]jedto 
 you, I will declare wiiat vifions andrevclations I have re- 
 ceived from the Lord ; in which I fl)all give fuch an evi- • 
 dence of the favoursof Chrift to me, and fuch a teftimony 
 of mv miiFion from heaven, as none of thefe falfe apodlcs 
 or deceitful workers can pretend unto." Learn hence. 
 That although glorying or boafting, in itftU is fo inexpe- 
 diant a thing, favours of pride, and is an evidence of folly, 
 when it is not necelTary ar.d iiifl. and therefore all Chrif- 
 tians Ih'jnld be backward: t that which is fo inex- 
 
 pedient in itfelf, may, upun i jhu and fitting occafion, be 
 not only lawful, but laudable, both a neccflary and com- 
 mendable duty. 2. The prefent fuhject matter of St. 
 Paul's glorying; it washe.ivenly rapturesand vil'ions which 
 he gloried in. Lrarn thence,'! hat divine revelations, ac- 
 quainting the foul with heaven, are matters moft worthy 
 of humbleand modelfgloryin^. Oh! ifGod would vouch- 
 fafe to favour us with the fight of what St. Paul faw, what 
 littlethings would crowns and ftepters, empiresandkinf - 
 doms feeiu to us ? Plow would it n)ake us long, groan, 
 and cry. to be with Chrift ! But though none of us mull 
 expecl: fuch raptures and ecllacies asthe apoflle had, bleflcd 
 be God for that clear revelation of this heavenly glory 
 which the .ipoltle gives, and for th.u alTurancc which faith 
 gives, that Chi-iil as our forcruinier is entered into, and 
 keeps his ponVffion of it, in the name and (lead of all be- 
 r!tvt-r<>? As li I' prepared it for us, and is daily preparing 
 us for that, at- 1 .'i his own appointed rime will put nsinto 
 the aOud- pivl'.j fion of it ; not for a few houis, (which 
 was all the apoillc er joyed) but foa eternal ages, 
 
 2 ricnew a man in Chrift above fourteen years ago 
 (wliei J body I cannot tell : or whether out 
 
 oi ■ ' e!l ; God knc><veth) fuch an 
 
 O' .lird heaven. 3 Andlkne'.v 
 
 f' 'J the body^ or out of. the bor 
 
 dy, I cannot tell : God knoweth) 4 How that he was 
 caught up into paradife, and heard unfpeakable 
 words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 
 
 Nnte I. That the perfon here fpt/ken of was doubt- 
 lefs himftlf, orhervvife it had been no caufc or groiuid of 
 glorying to him at all ; ytt he t'peaks in ihe name of a third 
 perfon. Thence note, That they w ho ktiow nioli of God, 
 are moft modefl when they come to fpc.ik of themfelves. 
 2. The defcription of the perfon, a 7nan in Chiji ; that 
 is, a man acted by the Spirit of Chrift, above himlclf; and 
 alfo a defcription of the place he was caught up into, 
 paradfe, thefeat of the blelTed. Learn thence, That thei e 
 is a third heaven, or heavenly paradife, where are the con- 
 cerns and hopes of holy fouls : And holy fouls are i:ot U> 
 clofely lied to the body, but they may, whenever Goil 
 pleafes, be wrapt np into paradife, or the third heaven. 
 The apoftle not being able to tell whether he was in the 
 body, or out of the body, flieweth that foniehow the foul 
 was there, though lie cauld not declare nor difcovcr the 
 manner how. yVo/if, •>. What St. Paul heard when thus 
 wrapt up inroparadife, namely, utfpcaktihle -uiords , fuchas 
 cannot be uttered ; or, if uttered, c-uinot be underftood. 
 Learn thence, That the things of the heavenly paradife 
 are to mortal men unfpeak.'ible ; there is no human lan- 
 guage that haih words fit to reveal that part of heavenly 
 things which God hach fluit upas a fecret from us. Oh- 
 ftt-oe, laftly, St. Paul's great humility, both in concealing ■ 
 formerly this extraordinary favour, and now not without 
 'ome difficulty and difguife meiuicning it, though for de- 
 fence of the gofpeljin a manner, conflrained thereunto ; 
 contenting himfelf with fuch a fame as his deportment 
 and outward actions, in lerving the intcrefl of ChrKt, 
 could produce, and no-, way avoi<j. 
 
 5 Of fuch an one will I glory : yet of myfelf I' 
 vf'\\\ not glor}', but in mine infirmities. 6 For 
 though I would dcfirc to "lory. I fliall not be a 
 fool, fori will fay the truth: but noxu I forbear, 
 left any man fliould think of me above that which 
 he feeth me to be or, that he hearcth of me. ■ 
 
 \if:ye. the apoftle declares, That although this foretafle 
 of the heavenly glory was worthy to be gloried in, and 
 though he might boaft of himfelf as thus exalted, yet he- 
 being purely psITive in it, and advanced freely by God to 
 it, he chofe rather to afcrihe unto God the entire glory cf- 
 that, and content himfelf with gloryingin fuch infirmities, 
 and deb iling fufFerings, as he could Ilriilly call his own, 
 being undergone by hirn with an invincible courage mid 
 conftancy of mind. However, he allures them, that if he 
 had a mind to glory of tliis rnpinre and revelation, hsi 
 might do it without folly or vanity, it being moft certainly 
 true ; but he chofe rather to forbear, left he fliould ihereb-,'- 
 give occafion to any toover-value him, and to think more 
 highly of liim, than hts common behaviour, his ordinarv 
 wordb and acTions, gave them rrafon to do. A wife and 
 good man is not ambitious ,of more applaufe or commenda- 
 tion than what his prr'onal ml on h defer veilly challenges ;h3 
 ddiresno mn;i to thi:.L.or fpeak of h!ni .ibove that which 
 5 A 2 ht 
 
7io 
 
 U. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 he appeareth to be, which is aKvaysas he really is, being 
 that in reality, which he is in appearance. 
 
 7 And left I fliould be exalted above meafure 
 through the abundance of the revelations, there was 
 given me a thorn in the flefh, the melTenger of 
 Satan to buffet me, left I fliould be exalted above 
 meafure. 
 
 Note here. The great and fpecial fin which St. Paul was 
 in iJanger of, by the abundance of revelations, namely, the 
 iin of fpiritual pride. Learn hence, That heavenly revela- 
 tions may be matter andoccafion of nnmeet and fiofulex- 
 altati'on : The holieft Chriftians, afier their moft heavenly 
 acquaintance, are not out of danger of fpiritual pride, or 
 being too m\jch exalted. Prideis inch a fin as the holiell 
 faint is not fecured from ; no, not when he hath been 
 hearing utterable words, and feeing the heavenly paradife 
 jtfelf ;no,not if ha came down from the third heaven, newly 
 fromconverfe with angels, yet bringing an imperfect nature 
 ■with him, is he not out of danger of this fin, much lels is 
 he fo when he cometh oft his knees from prayer, &c. 2. 
 The way and means which the wildom of GjJ made ufe 
 of for preventing St. Paul's falling into this dangerous lin 
 of fpiritual pride, and that was, the giving him a thorn in 
 the flefti ; a bodily pain, fay fome ; a bitter perfecution 
 fay others ; fomething thauvas very afflicYive totheflelh, 
 fay all. Learn hence, That fpiritual pride is fo dangerous 
 a fin, that it is a mercy to be freed from it, evenby bodily 
 pain : Godfeethour danger when we fee not our own and 
 will hurt the body, tofave thefoulof his deareftchildren. 
 Oh, how much belter is it that the bodvfhould fniart, than 
 that the foul fliould be over-much exalted ! It is an happy 
 thorn inilie flefh, which lets the peiVilent and corrupt blood 
 of fpiritual pride out of the foul. Lord ! why do we con- 
 tend and quirrcl with thee for every fitknefs, bodily pain, 
 or afiiichve crofs .' Can fin be prevented or killed at too 
 dear a rate? 3. This thorn in the flefli is called the me/- 
 fenger ef Satan, from whence St. Chryfoftom concluded 
 that it was fnme evil angel that was permitted and impow- 
 erelJ-by God to fcourge and buffet him. The fufferings 
 of the bell and holielt perfons in the flfOi.. may be the 
 bufferings of a melTenger of Satan, and yet be from God. 
 Gatan.certairly intendeth our hurt, but Go(! over-rules 
 Kim as an inltrusient to do us good : It is no proof that a 
 man is not a child of God, becaufe Satan has a pcrniiffion 
 to torment 1^5 flefli. The mtflenger ol Satan was fent to 
 buffet me. Says St. I'aul, left I ihoulil be exalted. 
 
 8 For tliisthinglbefought the Lord thrice that 
 it mi^ht depart from me. 
 
 Nitehere, i. The perfon prayed to, the Lord ; that is, 
 the Lord Jefus, as appears by the two next vcrfes, tliat//'e 
 fi'ufr of Chr'ifi may rejf tipin mr. Here is an inllance of 
 pr.iver dir«>fted to Cfirift, therefore here is an infbnce of 
 Chrft's divinity ; prayerniade to Clirifb-atall times, in sll 
 plac?5, and for all thin^is is an evidence of liis omnilcience, 
 omnipotence, and oniniprefence, and conlequently of his 
 being truly and f frentidliy GikI. 2. The (ubjeft matter 
 «f this piayer, and that was, for the reuioval of the aLlic- 
 
 tion : I prayed thalil might depart frnmme ; toge. her with 
 the reiterated frequency of it, / be/ought the Lord thrice. 
 Learn hence, Th.u peace with God doth not make the 
 flefh infenfible ; a good man may groan umler bodily 
 pain, and lawfully pray for the removal of it ; yea, be oft 
 in prayer for it ; earnefl and frequent prayer is not un- 
 fuitable to fiiarpafflidion : For this 1 brf'ughtthe Lord thrice. 
 Where mark, St. Paul's conformity to his Saviour, who in 
 his agony prayed thrice that the cup might pafs, but both 
 ofthcmwnh profound fubmifhon. A'!/<f alfo, That the 
 apolMe's gifts of healing was not to be ufed at their own 
 plf afure, (then St. Paul might have healed himfclfj and 
 for the conformation of the faith, \vhen it pleal'ed tlieholy 
 Spirit. 
 
 9 IT And he faid unto me, My grace is fufficienC 
 for thee : — 
 
 Ncte In this anfwer that is given to St. Paul's prayer, 
 that the mercy prayed for, is not in ki:id,iiven in untoh:m, 
 but promifed grace and ftrength, v^hich is better than the 
 mercy he prayed for. Learn hence. That the frequent and 
 eariiell prajersof the mofl holy and eminent faints, for de- 
 liverance from outvv-ard troubles, may rot begrantediu the 
 kind or thing defired. We are net lords, but beggars, and 
 mulf leave it to God to determine the matter, the manner, 
 the meafure, the time of our afflictions. /Ys/e farther. 
 That as in the prayer, fo in theanf*er, St. Paul was con- 
 formed to Chrift ; the one was heard, but not by the 
 paffmg of the cup; the other was heard but not by re- 
 n-ujving the thorn in the flefh ; but both were heard by af- 
 furance and f'upply of divii^A^gth, and fufEcient grace 
 to help in time of need : ^^Kjfvnto me, iVy grace isjff- 
 fiiient for thee. Learn hflBVThat the grace of Chrift is 
 fufficicnt for his people in dPfheirsffliftions; fuSicieni for 
 their prefcrvation to keep them from falling away from 
 God and god!inei^,by the temptation which always attends 
 af?licti(in ; fiiiKcient for their fuftentation, to uphold and 
 fupport them in and undrr thtir heavieft prefTurts and af- 
 fliifijon? ; and fufiicient to render their afflictions truly ad- 
 vantageous and ferviceable to them, to muke them more 
 holy, humble, heavenly, conformed unto Chrift, &c. 
 
 — For my ftrength is mad perfed in weaknefs. — 
 
 This is not to be underftood as if our weaknefs added 
 any tViing to Cod's power, or could make his power per- 
 fect : But our weaknel"s renders God's power mere illuf- 
 trious, he delights in and under our weaknefs, to nunifeli 
 mort of his helping power ; as the rtars never Ihine fo glo- 
 rionily as in the fharpeftfrofly night, fo the power of God 
 never appears fo fignally 3ndcon!p'cuonny,3s in and under 
 our v-cakn'-rs. Learn hence, 1 liat when God, upon our 
 prayer, doth not deliver us from bodily fulTerings, he will 
 be fiire to come in with fiifficient grace, and inanifttV 
 his ftrength in our pain and weaknei'j. We never thought 
 how ninth or how long we could bear and hold out, until 
 God made nianifefV his own ftrength in our weaknefs. 
 More of the power of grace is ften in the fufferingsof be- 
 I'evfrs, than ever wa> fetnin their prolperity : Beg then, 
 Chriltian ' more importunatily for divine ftrength, than 
 for the dtp .riing of the thorn :' Grace is better than ea.** 
 
Chap, xii 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 741 
 
 or health , the one isproper to faints, the other is common 
 to wickeJ men and brutek. 
 
 — Mofl gladly therereforewill I rather glory in 
 my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft 
 upon me. 
 
 Here our apoftle tells the Corinthians, that rr.oft glaJly 
 he chofe rather to glory in his ;<fflidions and tribulations, 
 than in his vifions and revelations, becaufe by them he had 
 greaterfxpenenceof thepowerand prefenceof Chrift with 
 him, and iVroporting of him under all his prefTurcs. Learn 
 hence, i . That the people of God are fupj)orted underhand 
 carried through all iheir fufFerings and afflictions, by the 
 power of Chnlt : Adivine powerabove their own ftrengtli 
 l.ke everlafli.ij; arms, is underneath them in the hour of 
 trial, s. That to glory in affliftions and tribulations, is 
 an high pitch nfhoiinefs and grace, but attainable. To 
 glory in tribulation, is, (i.) To rrjoice in it, (2.) To 
 exprefs tiiat jc.y outwardly upon a fit occalion. (3.) To 
 exprefs it with a great dei;ree of exultation and boafling. 
 Many of the martyr.^ were fo far from changing counte- 
 nance at the ft.ike, that they fung and triumphed in the 
 midit of the flnmes But can any comfort be derived frons 
 this for linful infirmities ? ,^nf. From the power of Chrill, 
 inthis text, there mjy. Thus the poAertul mediation and 
 interceflion of Chrift is niigniried, in procuring the ac- 
 ceptance of ourperfons and fervices, notwithftanding the 
 fmful infirmities cleaving to them : Alfo the power of his 
 grace, will at death be magnified, in pnrging and purifying 
 his people from all theirdrol'i and dregs, 'i liereisnothing 
 uneaty to a child of God, but theie is fomething in Chrill 
 to alleviate it ; the wrath of God u'leafy, the law, as con- 
 deinningjis unealy and unpieaiiig; but ChrifV hasdelivercd 
 from the curie of the law, failsfied the julfice of God, 
 fanftified the crofs, Uvectened death. Oh, how adorable 
 k the power, how defirable the grace of Chrift ! 
 
 10 Therefore I take plcafure in infirmities, in re- 
 proaches, in ncccffities, in perfecutions, in diftreffes 
 for Chrifl's fake : for when I am weak, then am I 
 ftrong. 
 
 A''ofehere,i. The high and heroicpitch which St. Paul's 
 fpirit was raifed to, he took fUa/urein riproaches and per fe- 
 cuti'jnt. Pleafure is a degree beyond joy ; though thefe 
 fuiFerings were painful to the flefh yet were they pleafmg 
 to the fpirit: AQsriftian may not love that which he bears 
 yet may he love to bear; to bear is the patience ofnecef- 
 11'.}'; to love to bear, is the patience of virtue ; to delight 
 to bear rcproTch or perfecution forChrifb, is txpreflive of 
 the highcft aff;ction, towards Chrift, and lowcftfnbjeftion 
 to him. If nature fuffers not a faint to take pleature in 
 reproiiches, as fnch, ) et grace enables him to take pleafure 
 ill what he isreprojcbed for. 2. The caufs afTigned why 
 theapoftle tookfuch plralure in his fufFcrings and abafe- 
 menrs, becaufe they gave him fuch experience of thepower 
 of C'?rift : Infoniuch that when he was nioft weakin him- 
 felf, he was then moft ftrong in him : When I am -weak, 
 then am I /Jrang ; which words-are a divine paradox or 
 liddle : The apcftle afHrms one conirary of auuiher : 
 
 Weakncfsis contrary to ftrength ; how then can a weak 
 man be ftrong, when he is wcdk ? Hie meaning is, that 
 when a Chriftian is moft fenfible of hisown weaknefs, and 
 moftdiffident and diftruftful of his own ftrength, then the 
 power of Chrift refts upon him, and he experiences di\ ine 
 ftrength comiiitr in tmto him. Chrift fills none but the 
 hungry, nor doth he ftrcngthen any but the weak; only by 
 going out of our ftrength, do we get ftrength ; when in aw 
 humble fei^fe of our weaknefTes we reft upon Chrilt the 
 posverof Chfill refts upon us. 
 
 1 1 f I am become a fool in glorying ; ye have 
 compelled me. For 1 ought to have been com- 
 mended of yon: for in nothing am I behind the very 
 chicfeflapoftles, though I be nothing. 12 Truly 
 the fign.s of an apoftle were wrought among youin 
 all patience, in figns, and wonders, andmighty deeds, 
 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other 
 c\i\irchts, except it ^f that I myfelf was not burden* 
 fome to you .•" forgive me this wrong. 
 
 Here again does our apoftle excufe hisboafting,and tell? 
 the Corinthians that ihay had compelled hitn to it, and 
 ought to have fiived him the labour of it, by defend ing 
 him themielves : For he had done andfufTered asniuch as 
 any of the moft eminent apoftlcs, though he looked upon 
 all as nothing ; and confequen:ly, his fervices and fuffer- 
 ings, his miracles, (igns and wonders, were lufficient argu- 
 ments, and undeniable deinonftrations that he was indeed 
 an apdiHe of Jefus Chrift. He farther adds. That the 
 church at Corinth had 3^ great and excellent gifts of ilie 
 Spirit beftowed upon thern by hisminiftry, as any church 
 whatfoever; all the difference \\ as, that whatever was done 
 for them,wasdone freely: He fpared their purfes.and put 
 them to no charge, Now, fays he, if that be a wrong, I 
 hope you can eaiily forgive it. Corinth was a very rich 
 and wealthy city, but tiiey loved a cheap gofpel: theapof- 
 tle fpared their purfes not becaufe they v/ere unable, but 
 unwilling to draw them. Here chftrve, That the people 
 ought to give teftimony to their minillers integrity ,anddo 
 all that in them lies to fupport and mamtain the honour of 
 hisminiftry ; J ovght; fays the apcfile, /o he cornnifnded nf 
 _j"5.v. iVo/f farther. That when the people omit and nef led: 
 this nccefTary part of their duty towards the mtn;fters, it 
 i', lav.ful, and not dii'commendable, for the iHitiifters of 
 Chrift themielves, in a moft humble manner, to dedai-e 
 both what they have been, and what they have done -.In 
 nothing urn ] hthtnd the very chiffji ap-Jites, thcugb 1 he 
 nothing. Asif the apoftle had faid, "Verdy, I am as much 
 an ,i['.>fi!e as they who think fhemfelves more than apoltles, 
 though you and iliey, ihrougii envy, count me nothing, 
 anc! though 1 in huoiiity count myfelf nothing." T htis 
 the rr.iniiiers of Chr:ft nn\>- (fand upon terms of credit 
 with any, who lay their perfons low, that they may difpa- 
 rac;e their work, aiul lay their pcrions low, to -Alrich God 
 h«ih called them : Though the minifters antJ mcmbcrf cf 
 Chrift ought in lowlinefs lofulvnitto oneanothfr,v tt itinfl 
 they not lubmit to the prideorlufhof 3iiy,liow high foe ver 
 in thcirowi), or others account. 
 
 J<4 Behold 
 
^t2 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to 
 you ; and I will not be bmdcnrome to you; for I 
 fieknot your's but you. For the children ontjht 
 not to l.iy up for the parents, but tlie parents for 
 the children. 15 And I will very j^ladly fpend and 
 be fpentfw you ; though the more .ibundantly I 
 Jove you, the lei's I be loved. 
 
 The apoftlehere ncq.iaints the Corinthians, that he pre- 
 parcil himlelf a third time to come unto them, being pro- 
 viJciuiaily himleretl twice before, yet with a firm refoliiiion 
 iKit to be anv w.iys bnrdenfonie to them ; for he coveted 
 i.')t their pnlfclTions, but was dciirous of their ialvation : 
 Aiiil »s a parent hys up for his children, tnd t;ikes not 
 from then: ; fo he defined as their fpiritual father, to enrich 
 them with fpiritual good things,andnotto take from them 
 • any tenvporal riches. Nay he addi, thai he was willing to 
 i'per.d and be fpent; that is, to fpeiid his time, his flrength, 
 ,'iis pjiiis, his life ; although he met with very undue re- 
 turns from fome of them, who loved him fo little, becaufe 
 h e loved chem fo much ; (hewing more kindnefs (o the 
 falfe apofllcs, than ro him their fpiritnal father. Behold 
 liere an iiuitable partem of minifterial diligenceand faith- 
 fiilnefs, love and affe<fi:ionatenefs; the apoltle was willing 
 TO fpend and be fpent; not only in his purfcanti pains, but 
 time and flrength, lile and health. Oh, how tender are 
 I'ome of their carcafe, how fearful of their fkin,how fpar- 
 ing of their pains, for fear cf flioriening their days, and 
 h.ifteniiig their end ! Whereas the lamp of our lives can 
 rever burn out better than injl'ghiing others to heaven : 
 ]s it not better that our flefli confume with indnflry and 
 tifefiilnefs, titan wear out with ruftnnd idlenefs ? As it is 
 ilie doty, fo it is the difpofition of the faithful minifters of 
 Chrift, to (psnd and be Ipent for fouls. 
 
 16 But be it fo, 1 did not burden you ; neverthe- 
 kfs being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17 Did 
 I make a gain of you by any of them whom I fent 
 unto you ? 18 I dcfired Titus, and with him I fent 
 a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked 
 we not iui the fame fpirit ? walked ut not in the fame 
 fteps ? 
 
 Here the apoftle anfwers an objection, which, without 
 any j'jft caufcjwas made agaiiifl him by fome: It was fug- 
 geited, "That though he was not burdenfome to the Co- 
 rinthians hiinfelf, nor took any thing of them for preaching 
 the gofpel.yet that he cunningly and craftily fent others to 
 them, and fet them at work to take money for him." 
 Nov/,to wipeoft'this afperfion,ihe apoltle appeals to them- 
 ftl-. es, whether any ptrfon he ever lent to them, received 
 any thing tf them for his ufc ? Neiihcr 1 iiU'i nor Luke 
 inade a gain of them, but with the fame generofiiy and 
 freedom preached ihe gofpel, and communicated the riches 
 i)f graca to their fouls. When the minilters of thegofptrl 
 at an> time call in ihealTiftance ot others to help thfm in 
 their work, their care is to employ fuch, as near as they 
 c.in judge, who are of the fume fpirit, a;ul walk in the lame 
 tlep. wills (heiiilelves. St. Paul, litus, and Luke, all agree 
 
 together in carrying on a generoMs dffign for the preach- 
 in;> the gi>fpfl 10 ilie Corinthians freely, are of the fame 
 mind and pradicc in e\ cry thing. 
 
 ■ 19 Again, think yc that we exctifc ourfelvcs unto 
 you .'' we fpeak before God in Chnfl : but Ac do all 
 lhing.'>,dearly beloved, foryour edifying. 20 Fori 
 fear, left when I cornel fliall not find you fuch as I 
 would, and tluH I (hall be found unto you fuch as ve 
 •would not: left there he debates, envyings, wraths, 
 flrifes.back-bi tings, whifperings,fwfcllings, tumults: 
 21 Andlejl when I come again, my God will hum- 
 ble me among you, and that I fliall bewail many 
 which have firmed already, and have not repented 
 of the uncleannefs and fornication and lalciviouf- 
 nefs which they have committed. 
 
 As if the apcftlchad faid, "Think not that for any finif- 
 teror by ends of my own, I exciife vnyfeif fo often to you, 
 for deferring fo long my promifed and intended journey 
 among you, for all 1 do is v. irii an eye io your advantage. 
 It is your benefit and reformation I aim at ; for verily, I 
 fear, whenever I come, 1 (hall find thefc fins imrepenied 
 of, and unhumbled for, by many of you, whicii will be 
 matter of humiliation, fcrrow, and lamentation to me - 
 and that I mufl beneceiritated,contrary to my inclinations 
 and defires, to inflict ccnfures and corporal puni/hments 
 upon many amongyou, for the fchifm5,dtbattsand ftrifes 
 of fome ; for theuncleannef',fornication,aridlafcivioufnefs 
 of others." A'o/f here, i. Wh;u great diforders andfcan- 
 dalous crimes were found in the church of Corinth, anii 
 yet flie retained the denomination and character of a true 
 church ; the apoftle fe.irvand riOt without caufe, that he 
 fliould find debates, envyings, wraths and flrifes among 
 them, the ufual and necefijry confec^usncesof fchifms and 
 faiJtions in the church.- 2. That notwithftandng all thefe 
 corruptions and fcandalous abufes, St Pa'.'.l neither fcpa- 
 rates himfelf, nor perfuades any to feparaie from them. 
 Nothing will Jullify a feparation from a church, but that 
 which makes a feparation between God and that church, 
 namely, herefy in doctrine, or idolatry in w orlhip. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Our apojlle hehig ccme to the cmdufion ofthisfecmd epijllt, 
 Itts the Corinthians k^yw, that he had a third timere- 
 folved to ccme unto them, and to hejharp againjl fucK of 
 them with his ecclrfinjliccd cenfures, as liejonnd unreft nn- 
 ed : /paring neither great mrjmall, one or ether, if in- 
 volved in the fame guilt. 
 
 TIILS is the third time I am coming to you. In 
 the mouth of two or three witncliesfhall every 
 word be eflablidied. 2 I told you before, andfore- 
 tel youasif Iwereprefent thefecond tim«,and being 
 abl'ent now I vi-rite to them v/hich heretofore have 
 finned, and to all other, that if I come again I will 
 not fpaie : 3 Since ye leek a proof of Chrill (peak- 
 ing in mc, vvJiich toyou-ward is not weak, but '}^ 
 
 mighty 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 7-hS 
 
 'mighty in you. 4 For though he was cracificd 
 through weaknefs, yer he liveth by the power of 
 God. For we alio are weak in him, but we fhall 
 live with him by the power of God toward you. 
 
 The apoflle having, throughout bothhisepifllcs,bl.iined 
 Ihe Corinthians for feveral grofs enormities found .iiiionglt 
 them, and hciring there vverefonie that liad not repented 
 of them, he gives them plainly tounderttand, that he had 
 a full purpofe to come iinio them with his rod of ccdeli- 
 ■dical difcipline and churth-cenfures, and would not (pare 
 a man of them, but execute that power on the impenitent 
 which Chrift hnd given him, by excluding fuch unredaini- 
 able offenders from church communion. IVoie here, With 
 ■what wifdom and caution ihc holy apoftle proceeds in the 
 CKCCuting and inflicling thefevere cenfuresof the church; 
 He ufes admonition a fiift, fecond and third time, before 
 lie poroceeds to the awful fentence of excommunication: 
 I told yaubefort, I for el :l you uoiu, and being ubfcnt Iwr'tte 
 to you, that 'j}hc>i 1 come I 'juUl nnt fpare. He tells them 
 farther, that they had tempted hihii hereunto, in that they 
 had required a proof from him whether Chri(lh.<d owned 
 him as an apoftle or not, and would ratify his cenfures by 
 judgements following them. He (hews, thii Chrift had 
 owned him,nnd maniieftcdhis power in hism iii'ftr) am)ng 
 ihem, by converting many of them to the Chriitian faith, 
 by beftowing the gifts of his Spirit upon them, and by 
 many figns and miracles which he enabled him to do in 
 the midft of them. When God calls his fervants to the 
 work of the miniftry, he leaves not eithr r himfelf or tluim 
 without wicnefs ; he bears teftimony to their lincerity.by 
 giving them, in fomedegree,theffl41of their miniftry, in the 
 converfionand edification of thoWthey are fentunto:5/«cf 
 yaufcek a pro'jf oj Chrif} fpeakHig in mc, to y>u-\oardheis 
 nut iveak, but is mighty in und mi^ingp you. Next, the ho- 
 ly apoflle draws a parallel, and m-kes a compj-rifon be- 
 tween his bleded Lord and Mafter and himfelf. As Chrilt, 
 in his ftate of hu:nirution, appeared tobe a weak and frail 
 man, by being crucified; b'jt was evidenced tobe the great 
 and mighty God, by hisriftng fromthe dead; fotheapof- 
 tle, confidered in himielf, and in refpcft of his afflidions, 
 appears a weak and contemptible man ; but yet they had 
 found, and Ihould farther iind, a refemblante of the pow- 
 er and ftrength of Chrift in his life and miniftry ; and 
 particuhrlv, they fliould Hnd him armed with authority 
 from Chrift, to execute cenfures upon the contumacious 
 and impenitent. Though the miniiters of Chrift, like 
 their Mafter, when here on earth, are in a ftntc of weak- 
 nef>, poverty and contempt yet they are clothed with di- 
 vine power in the execution of their offici', and their mi- 
 niftry is a living, powerful, and tflicacious miniftry, in the 
 vigorous efFcifls of it upon the hearts of their people. 
 
 5 f E.Kamine yourfclves whether ye be in the 
 faith ; prove your owiilelvcs. Know yc not your 
 ownitlvcs, how that Jelus Chrifl is in you, except 
 ye be rcprobat.es ? 
 
 Here the npoftle advifes the Corinthians, inftead of in- 
 quiring after the proof of Chi iftin i/»j, tuexamijie whciber 
 
 they were in Chr'A them/elves; intimating to us, that fiuli 
 are ufually moft backward fo examine the ftaie of tlietr 
 own fonh, who are forward to enquire into the Ipir tual 
 ftate and condition of other*. ''Youfeek a proof of Chrifl 
 in me fays the apoftle ; Oh,, rather prove and exaniinu 
 yourlelves."' Wlierews/e, i. A duty exprefTtd : fxa-.i/we 
 your/'ilves; prove yrurfelves: The word is a mctaphort.ken 
 from goldfmiths, who with great exaftnefs try theirg.;ld; 
 the truth of it by the touchftone, the weight of it by the 
 fcale, and the purity of it by the firo. And the repetitioa 
 of the command, Examine y our felves ; prove yourf hcs ; 
 implies the great batkwardnefs thai is in the mcn'.s natures 
 to perform this duty, the great necefiity of the duty, and 
 the great diligence and frequency tobe ufedin performing 
 of the duty. Learn hence, That felf-examination is aa 
 excelent, a neceffary and important duty, belonging to 
 every one in the church, and requires great diligei-ce^and 
 faithfulnefs in the performing of it. It is necciTary, in 
 regard of our comf^orts, and alfo in regard of our graces; 
 for there are counterfeit graces, as well as real; and com- 
 mon gr.ices, as well as faving ; and it is a duty that re- 
 quires diligence and frequency ,becaufe the work is d'lHcu't 
 becaufe tlie heart is backward, becaufe we are apt to be 
 deceived, and willing to be deceived; becaufe many have 
 mifcaried without it, and many periflied by a negligent 
 performance of it ; Therefore examine yourfelves ; prove 
 yourjilves. A''o/i?,2. The fiibject-matter of our examina- 
 tion, wA^/*(;r_j/(.- 6? ;m fAe/^jj/A ; that is, whether ye be 
 converted toihe Chriftian faith, whether the faiih of Chrift 
 be in you, whether the principle offaithheinyour hearts, 
 w hetherthe power of faidibe inyour confciences, whether 
 the pra<5lite of faith be in your lives, whether your faith 
 be the parent andprincipleof obedience,workinglove,and 
 working by love, 3. The enforcement and motive to this 
 duty, Exctpt ye be reprthates ; that is, counterfeit, adulte- 
 rate unfcund, and unfincere Chriftians, unaccepted of 
 Cod, and not owned by him. As reprobate filver has nw 
 wonh or fi'nefs in it for trading, fo fuch Chriftians as, upon 
 examination, are not found to have the grace of faith in 
 them, more precious than gold, and unapproved of God, 
 and rejected by him: 4. When the apoftle expoftulates 
 with them, and fays. Khq'm ye not your oiunfilvesf it im- 
 plies both the folly and unreafonablenefs of the negledof 
 the duty, .ind alio the pofTibility and eafinefs of knowing 
 whether Chrift be in us, or not, upon a due and diligent 
 inquiry, whether we haveexperienced thequickening and 
 tran- forming power of Chrift in our hearts and lives. 
 Finally, So great is the benefit, and fo fweet the comfort, 
 w'hich flows to us by examination and felf acquaintance, 
 tliat it will abundantly recompence our care and diligence 
 in the frequent and faithiul difcharge of it. 
 
 6 But I truft that ye fhall know that we are not 
 reprobates. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, "Whatever you, upon ex- 
 amination, fliall be found to be, I irult you fhall know, 
 and be convisced, that we have not dilhonoured Chrift, 
 nor Ih.il! be difownifd of him : But whenever 1 come to 
 you, you fliall find that I am not deftiiuteof thegrace »nd 
 pott er of Chrift ; whether for advancing your faith, in;- 
 
 provirjj 
 
741. 
 
 TI. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chap. xir. 
 
 proving ycurliolincfs, or correcting your mifcarriages." ** 
 Tlie miniftcrs of ChrUt, who are faithful to him, in con- 
 rfriding with the errors and vices of men, in reproving 
 An, in ccnfuringfin, fnall be owned and approved of God, 
 when the reprobate world fhill be condensed by him. 
 
 7 Now I piny to God that yc do no evil ; not 
 lliat \vc ftiould appear approved, but that ye (hould 
 do that which is hoiieft, though we be as reprobates 
 
 The .ijioftlc.drawing towards the conclufion of his epil- 
 tlv, fljuts it up with pr.iyer, earneflly imploring alniighrv 
 Giid^ tliat the Corinthians might be found doing no evil 
 which might expnl'e them to his cenfnre,and force him ro 
 exercife his apoliolical power in puniOiing fiuh offenders 
 and otVencesas he (liould find among them. And he pray- 
 fi! thus for them, becaufe he had rather have them good, 
 than by punilhing their evil manners, have an occafinn to 
 icllify himfelf an approved and faithful apoftle : For he 
 did not fo mu:h regard his own repu(ation,as their falva- 
 tion. 
 
 8 For we can do nothing againfl the truth ; bu*^ 
 for the tnith. 
 
 The apoftle having prayed that the Corinthians might 
 be found doing no evil, in the former verfe, and affiiring 
 them thereupon, that they would then be fecured from his 
 cfrfures and chajiifements, he afiigns areafon here for that 
 alTurance given them ; becaufe, l.'.ys he,/fV can do nothing 
 againfl the truth, hut for the truth; having ourpowcr given 
 us only for edification, and not for deflruftion. Conlider- 
 jng the words, without refpeft to the coherence, thferve, 
 1 . A negative propofition, IV e can do nothing egain/l the 
 truth. O blefied impotency ! 2. An alHrmation, orpo- 
 fitive alTertion, but for the truth. O bleffed ability ! He 
 was as llrong as a giant for the truth, but as weak as an 
 infant againft it. L^arn, Thatlincere Chriflians in general 
 and the miniflers of Chriflin particular, cannot, dare not, 
 will not do any thing againft the truth, but for the truth : 
 They cannot, that is, they may not, they are reftrained by 
 an outward command from God, who is truth itfeif: They 
 cannot, that is, they will not, therein a reftraint of an 
 inward principle ; neither the convirftion of their under- 
 ftandings, the clearnefs of their judgments, nor the holi- 
 nefs of their hearts, will fufFer them to oppole the truth. 
 Again, they cannot attempt it ; or if they did, they can 
 never effect it ; they cannot do it fafdy, they cannot do 
 it fucccfsfbliy. We can do nothing againft the truth in 
 a way of dilcouragement ; nor nothing againft it in away 
 rf difparagement : But all'our endeavours are for the 
 truth ; wc embrace it in our judgments, we h'de it in 
 pnr hearts, and praciife it in our lives. Whatever ;alent 
 God enirufts any of his minifters with wherl.er of parts, 
 power, or eftatc, it is an opportunity pu' inrothtirhands 
 of doing fervice for the truth, and, a i fuch, to be accepted 
 and improved. 
 
 6 For we are glad when we are weak, and veare 
 
 fliong: and this alfo we wiih, Oirnyour perfcflion. 
 
 The apoftle may be underftood two ways : j. Wc arc 
 
 glad when vje nre -weak ; that is, wVen I have no occaffon 
 to nianifeft my apo^olical povjer, in cenfuring any of you 
 as offenders : But ye art firong: ftrongin faith, and fruit- 
 ful in'good works. Or, 2. We are glad when we are 
 wpsk, that is, when wc are weakened by never fo many 
 fufferings and infirmities, provided ynu are made ftrong 
 thereby : For this is what we principally with and endea- 
 vour, even vour utmoft pcrfe£bi«n in knowledge, faith, and 
 holinefs. Nothing is more dellred by the itealous and 
 faithful miniftprs of Jefus Chrift, than to fee their people 
 ftrongin faith, fruitfulin good works, perfevering in well- 
 duing, yea, perfecrin holinefs and obedience. 
 
 lo Therefore I write tkefe things being abfent, 
 left being prefent I fliould ufc (harpnefs, according 
 to the power which the Lord hath give me to editi- 
 cation, and not to deftruftion. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, "Verily I write thus to you, 
 being abfent purpofely to reclaim you, left being prelent, 
 I fliould be forced to ufe fome (harpnefs towards you, ac- 
 cording to the power which the Lord hath given me, tend- 
 ing to your edification always, and not at any time to your 
 deftrucTion." Obfen<e here. With what tendernefs the 
 apoftle treats thefe offenders ; he tells them, the fharpnefs 
 and feverity in his letters (if they accounted \t fuch) was 
 upon a kind delign,to prevent flia'pnefs and fcverity in his 
 dealings with them, when he came amongfk them ; yet 
 withal, he alTures them, that if matters (liouhi come to an 
 extremity, that he mn!t be forced toexercife his apiiftolical 
 power, in cutting the contumacious off from the chuich's 
 communion ; he would j|^iy£: it with a render regard to 
 the'r good, not their hifl^jinr their edification and not 
 willingly to their dellruftlon. Learn we, from the api'ftle's 
 praftice, to execute the cenfures of the church with great 
 tendernefs and affeclion, with great pity and compallion, 
 with extraordinary dread and caution ; not with raflinefs 
 and indifcretion, or upon every light and trivial occafion, 
 but like a tender hearted father, with a rod in our hand, 
 and tears in our eyes. 
 
 11 Finally, brethren, farcwel. Be perfeft, be of 
 good comfort, be of one inind, live in peace; and the 
 God of love and peace be with you. 
 
 Here our .npoftle fhiits up his epiftle with a pathetical 
 option and affeftionato wifh of all perfection, confulation, 
 concord and communion, to his beloved Corinthians. 
 Where note, I. Whata fervent aud unfeigned love there 
 is in all the faithful minifters of Chrift to the people com- 
 mitted to their charge, tnd how delirous they are, when 
 they arc taking their leave of them, to leave God vith 
 them ; The Cod of love and peace be with you. Now God's 
 being with a people, i.mplies and imports thefe things ; 
 namely, the heart of God with them, the help of God 
 \\ith them, and the prefence of God with them, and that 
 th v fiiull (hortly be with God. 2. What are the par- 
 ticul fr prates and bltfTings which the apoftle wiflies his 
 beloved Corinthians ? He doth not wifh them earthly 
 honours, « rridly rirhe.slVnlu.il pleafures; but perfeiftion 
 ot grace, fjuruual toiifolation, mutual love, f^eei commu- 
 
 nioa 
 
Chap. xn. 
 
 II. C O R I X T 11 ! A K S. 
 
 'iS- 
 
 nmnion wMi God, uninimity and concord amongfl fhcm- 
 felves: Sanflifving gifts and faving graces are the bcft 
 lca;acics that can be left by the miniilcrs of God unto their 
 people. Be paJcB, be knit together ; let the fcliifms and 
 breaches which have been amongft you, be healed. Be 
 »f gi^J amftrt, rejoice in and under all your fufferings for 
 Chi lit, and the profefllon of his holy religion. Be of one 
 mint, of the fame judgment, ifpofliblc, in all things; or 
 if oihcrwife, let no difference in judgment caufc difunion 
 in affedion; if in fome lelfer things your heads be different, 
 )Tt let vour Iiearts be one. Live in peace ; for the Lord's 
 fake, live no longer in dlvifion and ftrife, in contention 
 and wrath ; let me hear no more of thofc debates, envy- 
 ings, backbiiings, whifperings, and fwellings, which I 
 have reproved you for; but cfpecially live in peace with 
 your teachers and fpiiitual guides ; canfe not iheni to com- 
 pLin to God of you, nor to groan to God againft you, for 
 ymir factious prcferringonc minifler before another ; one 
 crying, I am of PjuI, and another, 1 arn of Apollos. 
 Thus doing, the God of peace and lovt J})all he with y:u : 
 That is, ho who is the author and cnjoiner rf lo»e and 
 peace will be with you, and dwell among you with his 
 gracious and favourable prefence. 
 
 12 Greet one another with an holy kifs. 13 All 
 the Taints lalute you. 
 
 He exhorts them, according to the caftom of thdfe 
 eaftern countries, to falute one another with a kifs, as a 
 token of mutual and finccrelnvc: And (ince it was become 
 a practice in facred meetings and church alFeniblies, par- 
 ticuLr'y before their receiving the holy communion, to kifs 
 each other, he advifes them to uk- it innocently, chafttly ; 
 let it not be a wanton, but an holy kifs.. However, after- 
 ward';, the piety and purity of the church degenerating and 
 dtcUuing, it was laid tdde. That which is innocent ia 
 
 iifflf, and pious in its firrt Intendment, ms}' in liir.c fall 
 under fuch abufe, as to caufc it wholly to be laid afide. 
 
 14 The grace of the Lord Jefiis Chrifl, and the 
 love of God, and the communion oT the Holjr 
 Ghoft, k with you all. Amen. 
 
 Here are the higheft bleflings and benefits wiilird to, and 
 prayed for, in behalf of the Corinthians, which they could 
 poflibly be made partakers of; namely, all that love which 
 doth ,orcan flow from the Father; all that gr.-ice widch 
 was purchafetl by the Son, and all that fellowflnp and com- 
 munion with, and communication from the huly Spirit, 
 which might render them meet for the fervice of Chrilf oh 
 earth, and for the full fruition and final enjoyment ot him 
 in heaven. OZ/frtr here, A full text for the holy Triniiv; 
 the names of the three perfon^ Faiher, Son, and Hr.'ly 
 Ghoft, are herediUindly mentioned as in the commillion 
 for, and in the formof bsptifm, Matt, xxvir. 19. Here 
 the apiiltle calls the Father God, the Son Lord, and tha 
 Spirit the Holy Ghofl ; and as he attributes love to th« 
 Father, grace to the Son, fo fellowfliipt to the Holy Ghol'f j 
 fo that we have no reafon to drubt of tl.t pcrfmaliiy of 
 either, or any of them. But when we ccnlidcr how many 
 at this day, with impudence and impunity, deny the divinity 
 ci the fccond. and the pcrfonality of the'thiid pcrfon in the 
 blelfed Trinity, we have reafon to pray, as our church ha? 
 taught us, for our own elhblilliment, in the collec'l fo* 
 Trinity-Sunday ; 
 
 Abnighfy and everhji'v.g God, who haj] given unit us tl.v 
 fervants grace, by the confejjim of a truejaitk, to acknowledge 
 the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the po-wer of the divii>t 
 ^ojffiyt f» ivorjliip the Unity ; ue hefeech thee, that thou 
 Uioiddjl keep us fiedfaji in this faith, and evermore defend ut 
 from all adverfiries, v.ha live/} and reigr.ejl tne G*<4 tt^rV 
 withsui erni. Amei^ 
 
 Tal^ 
 
THE 
 
 EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 Thxit this rpiflk was tmltm hy St. Paul, whfc name it bears, I think was never qiuflimed ; tfunigh it he not 
 writ, as mnfl of his other epijlks are, to the Chnjlians of one particular city, but of the wliole coutitry, to 
 wit, Galatia. 
 
 The Galatians very readily embracedlhe go/pel, upon the preaching of St. Paul, and were at firfi exceedingly 
 aJeBionale to his per/on, and zealous in the pro/ifzon of what he taught. Bui, alas! foon after St. Paul 
 had hft them, ftnne falfe apoflles from Judca cnpt manwngd them, perverting f me, and Jaggermg others; 
 teaching the nccffity, for fuch as had embraced the Chri/lian religion, to fubmit to circumcifion, and the ob- 
 fervatim of the Mofaicaliifiitulion. 
 
 To countenance tins infviiwtion of theirs, thy alledged, that St. Peter, James, and John, had fnt them thither, 
 undthat they were of their minds m this matter; and particularly, that St. Peter was againfl the rejeBing 
 cf circmaficn arJ did himflf praBife the ceremonial law, and ohferve the ntcs cf it m common convcrptim, 
 {cparatm<r him fclf from the Gentiles. Thus thije Judmzers ^ppofdthz doHrinA and praBice of St. Peter w 
 iLt cf% Paul- and to carry m their defign with greater fitccefs, they magnfed the ether apoflks, andvdlified 
 St Paul not allowing him the nanu or right of anapojlle, having not feenChriftn the f.ffh, as the reft had dene, 
 ajmning 'that he never was called by Chrifl, nor ever owned for an apoflle ly the other cpofiks. 
 
 llanmSt. Paul, in his abfaKC from the G;yUmns, writes '^"/ff ' f .^'^''^ V!? '"'''^\'\"^ 1'"^'''% 
 hZfdf and his doBrtne, proving, that lie was called to be an apflle hy Chrift hmfdf and that he had received 
 his darine by immedmte revelation frm. him; and that it was confonnable to and the very fame with what 
 was preached hy the other npofilcs. Next, he flrcnuoujly proves, that arcimcifion, and all tne ceremonial rites, 
 ^,erecertamliabohfncd ly the death ofChnfl. And, laftly, He draws praBical inferences fronithis doClrme 
 end tn/lruBs them m the duties of an holy Ife, exhorting thmto live religmjiy m every relation; and fa 
 concludes his cpflk with a folemn prot.fatmof his fmccre aJfcBion to them ; ajfuring thnn.jhalasan m- 
 devxc thereof, he had written the whole epifle with his own hand, zvfhing them abundant ccnjolation m Chnfl, both m 
 lift and death. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 tation with hinifelf (as Sllvanus and Timotheus) he men- 
 tions not himfelf as an aportle, Nvhcn named with them^ 
 
 PAUL an apoftlc (not of men, neither by man, left he ftiould be thought to magn.ty h.mfelf aboNe theni, 
 
 v\ fir ri A o«A rnri the Fither who But here, becaufe his apoftohcal office v/as called in quef. 
 
 but of Jefus Chrift, and God the father, wno ^.^^^ i,e is neceffitated to vindicate his authority, and 
 
 raifed him from the dead) accordingly declares VimMi an apcJlU, not by men, nor bf 
 
 The penman of thiscpiftle is here defcribedby his name, man ; that is, men were neither the authors nor chiifcrs o'f 
 
 'Paul- byhisoffice^ an apopie ; and by his commiffion to him to his office: He was not called, as Matthias was, 
 
 that office, which was not human, but altogether divine, Aas i. by the fufFraee of the reft of the apoftks : He was 
 
 even from God the Father by Jejus Chriji. Ohferve here, not an apoftlc of men's cUaion or bv men's inftruihon ; 
 
 I The great modcfty of this srcat apoftlc, in the fetting but appointed by Jefus Chrift, and God the Father, who 
 
 forth his authority as an apc^ftlc, you will find in the raifcJ him from the dead. Leant hence, That no fins 
 
 Irom of his cpiftles, when he names any olh«rs in the falu- before, nor yet afier^ convcifion, can hinder llic rich mercy 
 
 * aon 
 
Chap. /. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 «nj free grace of Gcd, from ufin(» men in ihe highert em- thefc churches of Galatia were, our apoftlc owns and ac- 
 ploymcnts in the church, if he pkaftsto make uCc of them, knowledges them to be true churches ; they retained the 
 Paul, after he had been a blafphemer, was made an apof- elTentials of Chrirtianiry, and were not guilty either of 
 tie ; and Peter, after his convcrfion. denied Chrift with idolatry, or a total apoftafy ; therefore though ihmed with 
 oaths and curfcs ; yet is a chief apoflle, and an infpired divers corruptions both in dodiine and manner?, which he 
 penmanof holy fcripture. K^M 2. The high dignity con- lliarply rebukes and reproves them for, yet he doth iiot 
 ferred upon St'.Paul, with reference to his apoftofical office, deny them the name of churches : ,j11l the brethren whtch 
 he did not take it upon himfcif, but was ciiofcn to it ; he arezuithme, unto the churches ifGalai'ia. 
 was not chofen to it for any merit in hinifelf, but it was a ^ Grace he to you and peace from God the Fa- 
 grace freely beltowed upon him : Andthisnot by the mi- ^j and/rtmj our Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 nillry and mediation of man, but by the immediate delig- ' ■> J 
 
 nation and election of Jclus Chrift. Thus far he (lands Thefe words are both a ChriRi.in fa!utation,and an apol- 
 
 upon equal terms with the rcil of the apofUes ; they did tolical benediclion ; As they aie a falutation, iliry cxpitts 
 
 not call themfelves, nor were they called by Chriil, for any a wilh and defire of the be!l blellings towards and on the 
 
 wonhinclsin themfelves, above others : But behold the ' behalf of them they fainted. From whence we may /i'rtr;.', 
 
 peculiar prerogative of St. Paul aboie the rciT of the apof- That religion doth not .ibolifh and deftroy, but fpinuiahzc 
 
 ties, in ihis particular ; they were called by Chriit, in the and improve civiliiy, humanity, and common courtcfy. The 
 
 the 
 
 very extrao^rdinary, fo his gifts were anfwcrable to his call : New Teflamcnt : And as a fpiritual father, St. Paul here 
 
 The gofpel which he preached, he received by inward and blelTes Iiis chiKlrcn, wijhcs them firit grace, then peace : 
 
 immediate revelation, which midc him fo n.iich excel all Peacemx\<S. be fought after fra^ ; and not^cxpefted before 
 
 the other aj.oaies ; infomuch, that alihough, in his own it. Peace without grace, is no peace. There can be no 
 
 opinion, he' was the lead of faints, when here u poo earth ; peace with the Creator, no fanctified peace wuh the crea- 
 
 yet, in the opinion of others, he was the holieft man when t"res, except through Jcfus Chriit wc are fird: made i.ar- 
 
 iipon earth, and the higheft now in he.ivcn, next the man takers of the gracious love and favour of Almighty Cjod. 
 
 Jefus Chrift. Accordingly, fays the apoftle here, Grace be to you and 
 
 .,,,,,, ,., ., ^ f>:ace from God the Father, and f rem our Lord Jcfus Chriji. 
 
 2 And all the brethren whichare With me, unto \vhere «,/f, That grace and peace may be laid to be from 
 
 the churches of Galatia. the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, theie two ways t 
 
 That is, " All the brcthrenwhiJi arc here with me, and ' i-) ESciently, as the authors and caufcs of both : God 
 
 own the dodrine which I preach, fend greeting unto the the Father is the author o< all grace, as he did decree it ; 
 
 churches of Gala:ia." Here note, I. How St. Paul'sdoc- and Chrift, as hedid purchafe it. f2.) Objcclively ; that 
 
 trine is juftified fro n the chai -e of fineularity, which the ^S ^i'is grace and love in God the Father, and this peace 
 
 Judaizing falfe teachers objcacd againft ir. What he and latisfadion that is in Jtfus Chrift, the more they are 
 
 wrote and taught, he tells the Gala; ians, was owned by «// by faith apprehended by us, the more are ihcy mcreatcd 
 
 . . . '^-.«. ._ • — — . . ^ . •_ t T . f .i____L..i.. r^Urtt'f-ii^ 
 
 the brethren. This flicws he had the confent of the church 
 vith him, in that holy dodrine which was delivered by 
 him. 2. Tlie generality of the perfons to whom this 
 epiftleis direfted ; not to a (ingle perfon, nor to a particular 
 church, but to all the churches in the province of Galatia. 
 There were leveral chriftian congregations, calledchurches, 
 In that country, andof all ofthembcing leavened, or in dan- 
 ger of baing fou red wilh Judr.ifiii, ihat is, of fuperadding 
 the Ceremonial law of Molls to the gofpel of Chrilf ; the 
 apoftle, and the brethren with him, direct this epiftle, not 
 to any iingle church in that province, but to them all in 
 
 in us, and upon us. Learn from the whole, Fliat the 
 hulieft and beit of Chriftians here on earth, ftand in mani- 
 feft netd offullcr fupplies and farther additions both ct 
 grace and peace to be daiJy communicated to litem, and en- 
 joyed by them, 
 
 4 Who gave himfclf for our fins, that he might 
 deliver u.s frotn this prcfcnt evil world, accordinjj 
 to the will of God and our Father ; 
 
 That is, " Our Lord Jcfus Chrift gave himfelf rtito 
 death, for the remilfion of our fins, tliat he ii'ight deliver 
 
 gciicral, being equally concerned : AH thehtxthrennith kic, us from this evil world ; nafiiely, to fcparate or bring us 
 
 unto the churches 'fGahtt'ui. 3. How the apoftle doth not o(F from the evil Gilftoms and pradices of the. wicked men 
 
 fayliere, as clfewhere, To the faints of God which are in in the world, and engana us to live a life of Itritl holinc(', 
 
 Galatia; or, 'Fo them that arc fandlificd by God the according to the will and command of God cur Fathtr."' 
 
 Father; but barely fays, Ti //(•fc/'.'.n/A-.f 5/ G.v /<(//« ; thereby Here ws/i-, r. The prieftiv oftice of Chrift declared rnd a''- 
 
 dcilaring his holy indignation apainft the Galaiians, as i:n- fcrtcd : He gave himfelf for onr fins \ that is, an expiatorv 
 
 worthy of iliofe gracious appellations, becaiife they had facrifice tor our (ins. So deadly wasthcgtiiU of lin, io 
 
 f.dly corrupted the duclj iiie of the gofpel l.egim in the fpi- exacl the juftice of CJod, and fo unalterable his faithfulnch, 
 
 lit, and ended in the flcfti ; firft owning Chrift and the li- in executing the judgment which was denounced againit 
 
 bcrtyof the gofpel, and afterwards plejdin'^ for the bondage finners, that there was m hope for guilty (inner? pardori, 
 
 ai the ceremoni:,! law. Yet, mtc, laftly, As corrupt as withotif fari.^faclion given to the injured juftice o*' God, for 
 
 5 K 3 /i')i 
 
r-iS 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. t. 
 
 fn ; and notVing !efs wonlJ fatisfy tlian the blrwd of Jefiis 
 Chrift, who is eficmiallv, truly and really God. 2. A 
 faril'.er cud anddelitjn uhichChrill had in giving himfclf 
 for iir, namely, to dc'ivcr lis from tlic rai;c oi our lufls, :is 
 ^•cll as from the v raili of Gnd, to fandify our nnturts 
 t'>r us, and to mortify onr corruptions in us, to rciicem us 
 from our vain converfjtion, and delkcr its frim this prrfent 
 rvllwirld., noi totally to remove us out of the world, but 
 morally to oblige us to abandon the nicked courfts, tbc 
 finful praifliccs of ih.t e\ il mon of the world. Blellcd be 
 God, that Jcfus Chrift did not only purchafc pardon and 
 remifHon, but holintfs and fanclification alfo fur his ran- 
 fomed and reucetned ones, and is as willing to free us from 
 the dominion, as from the dan<;er of our fins : He gai/e 
 kimjelf f^r us, thai he might deliver us frcm this prrfent nil 
 world. 3. As the final caiife of ChriiVs death, dtiiverance" 
 from God's wrath and (In 's rage, fo the eflicient caufe of 
 ^is death, the will of his Father: He grroe hiw.jtif for us, 
 tirirdln^ tQ the xuiil cf God \, that is, according to the piir- 
 pofc and appointment of God. Chriit, as Mirdiator, was 
 the Father's fcrvant ; and whatever he did in the work of 
 mediation for us, was by the appointment and wiih the 
 fpecial approbation of God the Father. Eternal thanks 
 be civen, that the Sen's pnrchafe was the Faiher's pleafurc. 
 A.. The comfortable rtlation in which God now flands 
 unto I!?, fmce Chrid gave himfclf for us, namely, that of 
 a Father : acardiug t) the will if God and our F: ther ; 
 t'iat if, who is now our Father, Learn hence, Tliat fa- 
 tistadion being given by Chrifl to provoked juftice for our 
 lins, G)d, who was before a confuming fire, and a fin- 
 pwnifhing judge, is become our gracious and reconcikd 
 Father; our Father by adoption, who before was our 
 l-.i'!:er only by creation: according tt ihe.will of God and our 
 i. tiler. 
 
 «j To whom he glory forever and ever. Amen. 
 
 That is, " To G(xl the Father, and Chrift Jcfus our 
 Redeemer, be given the highcd degrees of honour and 
 glory, throughout the prefcnt and eternal ages." A'ciV 
 here, r. Tlie work and duty incumbent i^pon Chrift's re- 
 deemed ones, antl that is, toafciibc all honour and homage, 
 all glory and praife to God the Father, as the contriver, 
 and to Chrirt the Son, as the accomplifher of the work of 
 ridempiion ; Towhi).i,\io\\\ \\\\av),\,te glory. 2. The du- 
 tiii'in and continuance of this duty ; not for a day, or 
 year, but for eternal ages. This duty of afcribing honour 
 and homage, glory and praife to the Father and Mediator, 
 for the glorious vvoifc c.f man's redemption, isfu(.h, that it 
 can never be fuflicien'.ly difchargcd, but requires a fuccef- 
 fion ot ages to perform it in; yea, eternity itfelfistoo 
 iTiort for the performance of it : To whom be glory /«r 
 rver and ever. The glory of the Redeemer, and of him 
 that fcnt him to redeem, will be the long-lafting, and 
 ncver-cuding fong of redeemed ones, through millions of 
 ages, yea, to all eternity ; a work begun on earth, never 
 linii])cd in heaven. 
 
 6 I marvel that ye are fo foon removed from 
 him that called you into the grace of Chrift unto 
 another gofpcl ; ^ Which is uot another; but there 
 
 be foine that trouble you, and would pervert the 
 gofpel of Chrifl.. 
 
 ^'jle here, I. The hccvy charce which St. Pai;! brings 
 in agaiiift the t'alfc apr;tth.s or Jnudizing teachers, thty pcr- 
 vencd the gofpcl whi^hSt. I'aid prenched, and laugnt a 
 new gofpcl of their own ; vft not abfjluicly fo, but b/ 
 coinpounding and mingling the gofpel w iih the ceremonial 
 law, and by making circuniciliv>n aitd other things necef- 
 fary to falvati;n, which Mir apoftle never made fo, this 
 the apoftle calls avolhcr gofpel. Whence learn, I. That it \t 
 no new or ftrange thing to hear of new gofpcls, of true 
 gi'fpel perverters, and of falfc gofptl teachers. We find 
 •liich in the primitive and purcll churches, planted e\en bjr 
 the apoftlcs themfelvcs ; no wonder they arc found in 
 our days, who are fallen into the very dregs of time and 
 error together. 2. That the addition of any thing to the 
 Chriftian religion, as necclTary to be believed and pra(ftired 
 in order to fdvation, is a perverting of the gofpel of Chri.'l-, 
 and preaching another gofjiel- Thefc Galaiians did not 
 renounce Chriliianii v, and go over to another reii[;ion, tut 
 they received circiinicifion, and the cbfervation of the lavr 
 cfMofcs; as an elfential part of the ChrilHan religion, 
 and as a condition of etern;)l fulvation : Whereas the death 
 of Chrift having put an end to the JcwilTi difpcnfation, 
 there was neither then, nor now, any obligation upon 
 Chriftians to obferve the law ct Mofcs, and confcquenily, 
 the addition of any thing to the Chriflian dodlrine, as ne- 
 cciTary to be believed and pradViftd in order to falvation, is 
 preaching another gofpel, and a manifed perverting of the 
 gofpcl ofChriif. 3. That there is no authority in the 
 Chrillian church, in any, or in all the guides ot it, to im- 
 pofe U])on Chriftians any thing, as of necelfity to falvaiion, 
 which the gofpel has not made nccedary. The ap<''fl!es 
 themfelves had no authority to add any thing to the gofpel, 
 inuch iefs can any that come after them pretend to i:: 
 Chrift commanded thtm. Matt, xxviii. to teach all nation?,, 
 to obferve all things whatfcever he cominar.dtd them: and 
 had the apoftles themfelves added any point of faiih and 
 prafticc, not given them in charge by Chrift himfclf, they 
 had f.illen under that curfe themfelves, v hich here they 
 denounced againft falfe teachers. Kote 2. Thcartifce which 
 thefe falfe teachers, ufed to draw the G:ilatians into thefc 
 new errors, and that was haftily and fudcierijy to avow and 
 own them before the world ; 1 maivcl thst ye are fo fan 
 removed. Seducers are for clapping up an halty m;.ich 
 between the mind and error, and prels the fedix^l to quick 
 re{^>luticns; an hally difpatch being their great advar.iage, 
 before they CGr.fult their fpiritual guides, or weigh matters 
 in the balance of impartial judgments. What, fays the 
 apoftle, are ye fo fen remov«d .■' Yes, might the falfa 
 teachers have faid, if not fo foon, it iright never ; if not 
 fo foon removed, they might never be at all : For errors 
 are like filh, they muft be eaten frefh and new, or they will 
 quickly flink, and be thrown away. 3. The true caufe 
 from which file Galatians' fall into error did proceed: 
 They trufted themfelves with themfclvts ; they tri.ftcd 
 the clearnefs of their own unafliltcd eyes, andtothe ftrens^h f 
 of their own reafon and judgment, without confulting their ■ 
 fpiritual guide : Had not ihcfe Gclaiians a Paul to confidt 
 
 Vri;h». 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 749 
 
 with, before thcv gave their confent to falfe teachers ? Or 
 if ht; was at a diftante from them, about the work of the 
 L»rcl ill remote pl.tces, coiiltl they not have v.'iitten to him, 
 or atlvilld wirh othi-rs hcfidcs liim i Wo to him that is 
 abr. ■, when alla.ihcd by fcducers ! 
 
 8 But thoir^h we or an angel from heaven preach 
 any other goipel unto you, than that which we have 
 preached unto you, let hi:n be acciirfcd. 9 As we 
 iaid before, fo fay I now a;^ain. If any ww,*t preach 
 any other gofpel unto you than that ye have re- 
 ceived, let him be accurfed. 
 
 Xo/e here i. How our apofllc fiippofes an impnfTibility, 
 only for the confirmation of what he had before affirmed. 
 He doth not fiippofe it poflible for any aiigel in heaven, or 
 apiiAIe i!pon earth, to comradicl the doftrine of the gofpel 
 ■which he hud delivered, to preach any thing contrary to it, 
 or bolides it, or different from it , making that nccelfary to 
 be believed and pra£lifcd, which Chrifl and his apollles 
 never made neccflary. Lrtirn hence, That the written 
 word of God, withotit tmwriitcn traditions, contains in it 
 nil things neccifary to f.flvation ; and whatever dodlrines 
 are propounded to the clinroh, not only contrary to, but 
 differing from it, or befidcs the written word, are ciirfed 
 doclrines.. Note, a. The terrible anathema which the 
 apof^le denounces agamft thofe, whoever they (hould be, 
 be it an apoflle upon earth, or an angel from heaven, that 
 Hiould thus pervert the gofpel of Chrift, by making any 
 tiling neceiTarv to be believed or pracSlifed in order to falva- 
 tion, which Ciirifl has not made necclTary. Let him be ac- 
 turffj. Let the church of Rome In general, and the 
 council of Trent in particular, dread the efficacy of this 
 curfe, who have added fo many new articles to the Chrif- 
 tijn faith, and enforced them as neccflary to be believed by 
 all Chriflians ; infomuch that thcv pr(>nounce, " that no 
 falvation can be obtained without the btlief of them," and 
 denounce their anathemas againft us who cannot believe 
 them : But as their curfe, caufelefs, fhall not come, fo we 
 believe that they, propoimding terms of falvation no where 
 delivered by Chrift and his apoftles, do bring themfelves 
 under the apoftle's anathema here in this text : For if the 
 new articles of the church of Rome be neceffary to falva- 
 tion, then what Chrid and his apoftles delivered was not 
 fufficient to falvation before ; and thus the pride of man 
 exalts itfelf above the wifdom of God. -^, Hov/ the 
 aportle exprelTes his aflinnnce in this matter ; and to fiiew 
 that he did not fpcak ralhly, and in an heat, but upon due 
 confideraiion, he repeats ajjain, ver. 9. Js %ve fall lef ore, 
 Jo Jay I now ag-iin, !<c. Note here, How pofu'ive and pe- 
 remptory the apodlc is in this matter : And douhtlefs this 
 one anathema of his, is m.ore dreadful than all the iruta 
 fulmlna, the freakifh anathemas of an eulhufia.lic church, 
 which, in a manifell afl'ront to the authority of St. Paul) 
 has prefumed to add fo inany new articles to the Chriftian 
 nliu;ion, for which there is not the leaf} gronndor warrant, 
 f ithcr from the holy fcriptures, or any of the ancient creeds. 
 Laftly, How th.e apoflle puts himfclf into the number, ///, 
 or any man, or any angel preach otherwifc, let kim be ad 
 curfcd As if the apolllc had fuid, " Not only the falfe. 
 
 apoflles are to be rejetfled, but I myfc-lf dcfcrvc to be ana- 
 thematized, and accounted an exccrcble perfon, fliould I 
 preach any other dcdlriiie to you, than what you have re- 
 ceived from Chrift by rac ; nay, flinuld any angel from 
 heaven attempt it, he ought to be dcttflcd for it." Learn,. 
 That no angel in heaven, no perfon (ir church upon earth, 
 have power to m:.kc new articles of faiih, or to impcfe 
 any thing upon our belief or prsflice, that is either agaiiiit 
 or belides the written word, or any ways inconiident wita^ 
 it, or contrary unto it. 
 
 10 For do I now perfuade men, or God ? or do 
 I feck to pleafc men ? for if I yet pleafed men, \e 
 fhoujd not be the fcrvant of Chrill. 
 
 Our apoflle in thefc words difcovers the great finccrity 
 he nfed in preaching tlie pure and immixed doftrine ot tlie 
 gofpel to the Galatians ; for he did not perfuade, that men, 
 but God, fhould be heard and obeyed, that fo their faiih 
 might be founded upon divine, and not human authoriiy ;' 
 nor did he in his miniflry aim at pleafing men, but Chriif : 
 For (hould he w.w plcafe men, being an apoflle, as he did 
 in times pail, being a Pharifee, he fhould not be ihejcrvant 
 cj Chriji. The miniflers of Ghrift muft not be men- 
 pleafers ; they mull not plcafe tr.tn eitiier by flattery or 
 fallhood, nor accommodate their doiSlrines to the humour 
 and difpofiiions of men ; plc:iling of God is our great 
 Work and bufinefs, let us mind that : Man pleafing is end- 
 lefs and nccdlefs, any farther than lor their good, and t!ie 
 gofpcl's gain. Accordingly, the apollle tells us clfewhere, 
 that he wzs made all things to uU men that he might goiyf 
 Jome \ not to make a prefent gain of them, but that they 
 mis^ht be eternal gainers bv him ; it was not to exalt liim- 
 fell, but that Chrifl might be exalted in the hearts and 
 lives of his hearers, that he foi:ght in and by his miniflry 
 to pleafe all men ; and thus, in imitation of him, let m 
 fcsk to plcafe all men for their good to edification. 
 
 1 1 f But I certify you, brethren, that the gofpel 
 which was preached of me is not after man. 12 
 For I neither received it of man, n|:ither was I 
 taught it, but by the revelation of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 The apofllc here, as he did before, ver. i, 2, aflefts the 
 divinity of the doctrine of the gofpel which he had preached 
 to them : and affiircs them likcwife of his own lawful call 
 to be an apoflle, which w.is qiicflioncd bv hisadverfaries, 
 who aflirmed, that he had received hi« doilrinc only from 
 others at the fecond hand. To fatisfy them in the divi- 
 nity of his doflrinc, he teils thorn, it was not after man ;. 
 that is, it was not human, but divine ; nothing belonging 
 to man, but all from God in it : And .is for Lis authoriiy 
 to preach it, he aflbrcs them, he had a revelation and com- 
 miflion from Jefus Chrift fo to do ; he learned not hisd(.-c- 
 trinc from any human teacher, nor undertook to preach it 
 by any human authority, but froin Chrifl's immediate rev 
 velation. Lenr>! hence, It is a lingular fatisfaflion to tliC 
 miniflcrs of Chrifl, and that which gives thcin boldnels 
 before their talfe accufers, when they can give good proof 
 of their regular call to the work of the miniftrv, and of the 
 divinity of the doctrine difpcnicd bv them. Thus did S\ 
 
 Paul 
 
730 
 
 G A L A T 1 A N S. 
 
 CiiAr. r. 
 
 fecn l\tcr, or any oilier ct Oir spoflle^, and confcqtrcntly 
 could not receive the knowledge of the gofpcl from hi.tior 
 'them, as his adverfariis the falfe apofllcs would infiniiatc 
 and fiiggcft. True, after his three years preaching in, and 
 hit return from Arabia, he went up to Jerufalem, and faw 
 Peter and James, and converfed w iih tfccm for fifteen days : 
 But the (horincfs of liis ftay with them is an evidence that 
 he went not tip to JcruAilcm to learn the gofpt-j from them, 
 much Itfs to pay homage to St. Peter as the Prince of the 
 apoftlcv ; for St. Paul often affirm?, in his cpilllc?, That 
 he was not inferior to St. Peter, nor came bc'iind the 
 cl;icfeit of the apofllcs; but it was only a familiar and 
 friendly vlflt, given by one one miniHer of Chrill to another, 
 in t( ken of mutual conftnt and agreement in the fame 
 triiih pleached by both ; and by no means to receive ordi- 
 nation from Peter, or divine inftniftions ffor he had an 
 higher teacher than him, even Chriil liiinfelf^orto acknow- 
 ledgeany fubjcclion :oliim, by ov. ning his fuprcmacy overall 
 the apofllcs ; as the church eif Rome would bear us in hand 
 he did, in defiance of what St. Paul hitnfclf declares to the 
 coiiirary. But we cannot help i:, if men uiio have their 
 Crcdi;!iiy at th.cir own difpof.!, and can believe what they 
 lift, will yield their atlcnt to what is contrary to divine re- 
 lation, and tlic rcafon oi tliint;s. Very evident is u to any 
 impartijl obferver, that St. Paul's vifit at Jcrufjkin was a 
 vilit of civil courtefy, yet for the fpirituul confolaiitin and 
 iiiutiia! editication both of himfelf and the fipo/lks, whom 
 he thus vifitcd. From hence le^irn, i. That the miniflcrs 
 of Chrift Ihould be fo far from being at variance with, or 
 at any didance in affcdion from each other, that they 
 ought to maintain correfpondency and familiarity with one 
 another, and to give friendly vifits to each other, in token 
 of their harmony and tnutual agreement in the fume divine 
 •truths delivered by tlicm. Thus did our apodle here ; he 
 took a journey to Jcitifalem to fee Peter and James our 
 JLord s kinfman. a From the fliortncfs of his vifit and 
 flay at Jcru.^alem, though it was in the moll delightful and 
 flelirablc, yea moft profitable company, yet it was but for 
 fiftisn days ; he haflens away to his charge again. Thence 
 note. That though the miniflcrs of Chrift may and ought 
 to vifit each other, as an evidence of reciprocal atTtdlion, 
 and in order to mutual direftion, edification and confola- 
 tion ; )ct ought their racciiiigs to be iiciilier fo frequent, 
 nor of fo long continuance, that ihcrebv their ft-ve-ral flocks 
 ihall fiiffi.'r prejudice : After a lliort time fpcirt in vifinng, 
 we mull return to our buiinefs, and n;ind, above all thing";, 
 gur minifterial charge : / went tojee Peter, &c. 
 
 20 N'ovv tho things which I write unto vou, be- 
 iiold, before Got!, I lie not. 
 
 Obferve here, That St. Paul, having to do v\iih the 
 fajfc apofilcs and the feductd Galarian?, who, he had juft 
 Ctufc to fufpcdl, would not fas they otight) give much 
 credit to his word ; he allcrts the truth of w'hat he affirmed, 
 upon oath, appealing to the all-know ing and hi-art-foarching 
 <jod, as wiincfs and judge of the truth of what he faid : 
 Behold, before Cod I he not. Where, n'Je, r. That it is 
 *io new tiiinii for ihe faithfullcft and ahlcfl miniflcrs and 
 icrvants of Chriil to be looked upon as liars, unworthy to 
 liC tjuifled, and to have the ifuth of what the'/ deliver. 
 
 though in Geids n.imr, queftioncd and fufpcflcd. Our 
 apnflK-'s purging of himfelf here from l.\ing, doth import, 
 that (^ime did fufpcd him for a liar. And if an infpircd 
 apoflle Ic, what private minifter may not be, fufpedcd ? 
 2. The mean which St. Paul makes ufe of, for purging 
 himfelf from the imputation of falftiood ; it was, by taking 
 an oath in a folemn manner. Learn thence, That though 
 raflt fwcaring, falfc fwcaring, and upon every little occafion 
 to take or multiply oaths, be a very great fin ; yet to fwear, 
 and bear witncfs to the truth, and to take an oath upon 
 due confideration, and for weighty reafons, and to fwear 
 by the name of God, is certainly a lawful, and fomctimcs 
 a very neccilary and important duty. 
 
 2 1 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria 
 and Cilicia; 22 And was unknown by face unto 
 the churches of Judea which were in Chrift ; 2 ^ 
 But they had heard only, That he which perfec iited 
 us in times paft, now preachcth the faith which once 
 he deflroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me. 
 
 The fourth evidence is here produced by St. Paul, to 
 prove, that both his miniftry and his mcflage, his office 
 and his dodlrine, were divine ; and that he was fo far from 
 learning the Chriftian religion from the Chrillian churches 
 in Judea, that he was not by face fo much as known to 
 them, or they to him : They had heard, indeed, that one 
 Paul a perfecutor was become a preacher, but they bad 
 never feen him ; and accordingly they magnifisd the 
 grace of God in his converficn, admiring the wonderful 
 change wrought in him. Oh/erveheTC, i. The laborious 
 diligence and indefatigable indullry ot St. Paul, in planting 
 and propagating the Chrillian faith throughout the world ; 
 he travth, as foon as converted, into Arabi.i, then into 
 the icg'o; s of Syria and Cilicia, thinking he could never 
 do enough for Chiifl, who had fuHxred aiid done fo much 
 f -r him. Oh, how full of life and zeal are young con- 
 verts ! What aiSlivity and imluftry for Chrifl and fouls is 
 found with them ! They defpifc all dangers, they furmount 
 all difficulties, are nbo'«-e all dilcouragemcnts, in expreffing 
 their love to Chrid, and venturing their lives for liim : 
 Hut, alas ! as they grow older, their afFciilions are cooler : 
 fo that they have muny times jufl caufe- to fay, Oh, tbcl it 
 Were with me, as in tie months of ild, in the dny mf.en God 
 Converted nw, when the Jecret of God was with me, and 
 v'hen hy his light I walked thnm^h itll diff.cultia to fubfejvc 
 his interefl, and to promote his glory. 2. The great and 
 mighty power of the heart-changing grae:e of God, which 
 turHs the haters and profelTid tnemics oi relij,itin in'o 
 friends, and bitter and bloody pcrfccuto.-s into bold and 
 painful preachers of the gofpel : He wh: ferfecittcd in tinui 
 f"Jl, nnu preacheth the faith ZL-hich tnce I.e c'ljiicyed. He 
 that lends captivity captive, can foon m,;ke the (loutcfl 
 enemies of religion to becotnc its ^rGl^gell friends. 3. Paul, 
 before his converlion, is laid to deftruy tie filth, bcjaufc he 
 intended i», and endeavoured it, ih. ugh he could not 
 aflually efFe6l if, and accompli (h it. Sin .-.nd evil, intcn('e<I 
 by a dttcrn-.inate refohr.ion, a:C' at good as adled, in God's 
 account. Bloody pcrfe-ciitors dclign no lefs than a total 
 extirpation of the truth, ti d?f}r:.y tl-e faith, whieh, tTiougli 
 it be out of their reach to cScS\, yet having deliberatelf 
 
 rcfolvei 
 
Chap, r. 
 
 G A L A T I A N 5. 
 
 / j- 
 
 Paul here : The {;ofpel, fays he, which I picach to you, 
 and the minion I had fo to preach it, was not after man, 
 nnr from man, nor by man, but by tlie revelation of Jcfus 
 Chrift : Where, note. From Chrift's being fo often op- 
 pofed to man in thcfe vcrfes, and in the firft vcrfe, that he is 
 rot mere man, but Ciixl as well as man : Why clfe doth 
 the apoflle oppofe Chrill to man fo often as he doth here ? 
 Not if man, neither ^v mmi, nor nfter ?iian, but by the re- 
 velation of Jcfus Chrill, who is God. 
 
 13 For ye have heard of my converfation in time 
 paft in the [cvvs religion, Iwrv that beyond meafure 
 1 perfecutcd church of God, and wafted it ; 14 
 And profited tlie in the Jews rcli^^ion above many 
 my eqtials in mine own nation, being more exceed- 
 ingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 
 
 Here tlie apoflle offers fcvcral argiiments to fatisfy the 
 Gulatians, that both his commiflion to preach the gofpel, 
 and alfo the gofpcl which he preached to them, were not 
 from man, but our Lor-.I Jcfus Chrill. And the firO ar- 
 gument to prove it, as a conviiflive evidence of it, was his 
 bitter cnmitv againft the Ciirirtian rchgion, and his mighty 
 zeal for the Jewifli religion, in ivjiich he was educated and 
 brought up : All which he mentions as a thing publicly 
 known, leaving them to infer from thence, that fo great and 
 Hidden a change could not be the eWcQ. of human perfua- 
 flon, but divine revelation : In time paji J ferjecu'cd the 
 church of God, and walled it. Where, note. That although 
 our apoRle did not (hun to make an open confcflion of his 
 wicked life, before his convcrfion, that he might thereby 
 make evident, that his convcrfion was Imrncdiately from 
 God, yet he m.ikcs an open confeHlon only of his open 
 fins, fuch as they \vi,A heard cf in time pajl, wiihout dif- 
 coveriiig his fecrct fins, which had been kept from the 
 knowledge of the world, the divuKnng thereof would but 
 have multiplied fcandals and ftumbling-blocks unto others. 
 To confefs our fecrct fins to God, is fafe ; to"confefs our 
 open fins to the world, is fudicicnt. Obferve farther. The 
 commendable proficiency which St. Paul made in the 
 Jcwifh religion, wherein he was inftrufled and educated, / 
 frcfi'ed in the "Jcwi religion above many my equal.'. He 
 was alfo a zealous m.aintainer of the Jewifh cuftoms, and 
 underwritten traditions, icing more exceedingly zealous it the 
 tradilis'is of my fathers. From St. PauKs example we may 
 infer, That it is a fpecial duty incumbent npon all perfons 
 to make religion the matter of their choice ; and having 
 cfpoufed it, to be the more ferious and zealous in it ; to 
 labour to advance and grow both in the knowledge and in 
 the praiSlice of it ; and that to a degree of eminency, ex- 
 celling and out-dripping others. 
 
 15 But when it pleafed God, who feparated me 
 from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 
 J 6 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach 
 }iim among the heathen ; immediately I conferred 
 not with flelh and blood ; 17 Neither went I up 
 to Jerufalem to them wliich were apoflles before 
 me ; but I went into Arabia, and returned again 
 ttnto Damafcusv 
 
 Here \\c have a fecond evrdence v/hich St. Paul brings 
 to prove himfelf an apoflle extraordinary, called by Gfd 
 hinifelf unto the miniflcri.il fervicc \ and that the doftrinc 
 he delivered, was not immediately from the mourhs of the 
 apoflles, but by immediate revelation from Jcfus Chrift, 
 Thus he fpeaks : " When fays he, it pleafed God, who 
 decreed and determined to fcparatc and fet mc apart for tie 
 work of an apoftte, even from my very infancy, and after- 
 wards of his mere grace and good wiH called me to preach 
 the gofpcl to the Gentile world, having firft revealed his 
 Son in me, and to me, and then by mc^ immediately I fet 
 about the work, and complied with ray duty, not confidt- 
 ing any perfon living, neither my own carnal reafon, nor 
 any man's advice ; neither went I up prefcntly to Jernfiv 
 lem to confer with, to receive authority or inflru<flion from 
 them, which were apoflles before me ; but I went imme- 
 diately from Damafciis, the place of my convcrfion, into 
 Arabia, and preached the gofpeT three years among thofe 
 w'ild and barbarous heathens, and then returned again unto 
 Damafcus : From whence it evidently appear?, that I neither 
 had inflru£linn nor commii?]on from any of the apcflli's 
 that were before mc, having never fcen any of ihein as vet, 
 but both my milTion and my mcfTage were immediately re- 
 ceived from Jefiis Chriil. Here note, I. The qualification 
 neceflary in a miniflcr that reveals Jefns ChrTfl unto his 
 people, namely, that Chrift mnft be revealed to him, and in 
 him. We miift learn Chrift ourfelves, before we pretend 
 to preach him to others : When it pleafed God to reveal his 
 Sen in me, I preached him among the Heathen. As there is 
 no knowledge like the knov/ledge of experience ; fo there 
 is no preaching like experimental preaching. Happy thofc 
 that can fay. Not on'y that which wc have- heard and read, 
 but that which we have tafted, and fel'r, and experienced 
 from the holy Spirit's operation in and upon our own hearts, 
 /hat declare we unto yon. 2 What hafte the apoflle 
 made to obey the call and command of God, riftcr he h.aj 
 received it : Immediately I conferred not with fcfl) and hh'd. 
 rie confulted neither himfelf nor others, neither his own 
 heart, nor the wifeft heads, he confulted not his own fafcty 
 nor carnal interefl, but inftantly did what he was com- 
 manded to do. The great cpmrrendatif.n'of duties, is 
 the ready difcharge of duties. When once the mind of 
 God is declared, and confcience thoroughly fatisfied, we 
 cannot be too quick and expeditious in the cxeciition of 
 divine commands. J.ord ! how readily fliould all men, 
 but efpecially t!iy minifters, anfwer and obey thy ca!l,.:;r.d 
 execute thy vvill and pleafure ! Immediately I conferred not, 
 fays St. Paul ; / made hajle and delayed not, fays holy David, 
 In a good work it is good to rriake haflc : In Gtxl's work 
 we cannot readily make more hafte than good fpeed. 
 
 1 8 Then after three years I went up to Jerufalem 
 to fee Peter, and abode with him fifteen days, i-cy 
 But other of the apoflles faw 1 none, fave James 
 the Lord's brother. 
 
 Here is a third evidence to prove (hat St, Paul received 
 his miniftry and mefllige by divine revelation from Jtfiis 
 Chrift, and not from man, or by man. He acknowlcdgts, 
 that not till three years after the convcrfion, when he had 
 preached the gofpel in the defcxts of Arabia,- had he ever 
 
7S* 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 Chap. n. 
 
 rcfolvcJ It, it IS ns nflii.i)ly accnmplifhfd in rlie nccount of 
 f J.).-I ; He n'Ai) prfdcheth tie faith lf<at once he deflroyed. 
 LalUy, To whom the j^lory and praifc of convening; grnre 
 i-i line, njmclVf to God, and to G{>J alnric ; Tlej ghrifu'd 
 C'J in me ; that is, they owned and admired tlie grace of 
 •God bcflowed upon mc, which wrought fuch a glorions 
 Olid blclled chanrrc in nc. Tlie converting ^raccof G<vl, 
 v/i(iught either in ourfelve';, or others, is matter of admi- 
 raiion, and calls for thankfgivings unJ a'-knowlcdgmnets 
 •lint ) God ; 77'<y jrhrjjinl Cdd in me. 
 
 c li A P. ir. 
 
 Oht apjlk Jiert proftcula^ tin arguviaii begun in tin 
 firmer cluiptrr, namdf,' To miilcrxe. and prove, that 
 hlh his tniuijirv anl A/s -mcjfsgr, his cffice and his 
 tijclrim, vvrc. divm: ncithfr of them received from 
 man, but immedijUly froin J ejus Ciirijl, 
 
 THEN fniirtcen years after I ^^'ent up a^ain to 
 feruni'iL-m '.vith Barnabas, and took Tirus with 
 ins alio. 2. And 1 went up by revelation, and 
 ooiTimunicatod unto them 'that gofpel u'hich I 
 pic.ich among the Gentiles, but privately to them 
 which were of reputation, lefl by any means I 
 fliould run, or had run in vain. 
 
 Ohferve here i. How the gracious care and good provi- 
 4sncc of God did watch over St. Pani from place to place, 
 and from ti-ne to time, ^\hcn and v.'lieicfoever he went 
 , forth to preacli, to plant, and propagate tlic gofnel. After 
 fourteen years he wctit up to Jertifalctn, that is, fourteen 
 years after iiis converfum ; foon after which he went 
 alioiit preaching the gofpe! to tiie Gentile world. Blefled 
 hi God, who is oftentimes pleafcd, in mercy to his church, 
 to profcrve the lives of his laborious miniflcrs, and their 
 liberties alfo, for the free exercii'e of their minillry, not- 
 withflandinjj the joint endeavours of men and devils to the 
 conlrarv. Tliis gord cian, tlrs gieat apoftle, wiiofe blocxl 
 was thirfted after, having obtained help of God, continued 
 fourteen years together, preaching the gofpel of Jefus 
 Chri.1. 2. Tlie end, dcfign, and intent of St. Paul, in 
 his prefent going up to Jerufalem, and appearing before 
 Sr. Peter there : It vfas not to acknowledge St. Peter's 
 liiprcmacy over hiin, or to appeal to him as the infallible 
 "i.djc in matters of religion ; but it was, in a friendly and 
 rothcrly manner, to acquaint St. Peter and the rcfl of 
 the apoft'es, with the doflrine preached by him ; that their 
 concurring approbation being given to it, the moi:th of his 
 adierfarics, the falfe apoftles, might be flopped, who ac- 
 cuf-d him fir preaching contrary to whnt the reft of the 
 apofilcs both believed and pradifcd. 3. The ground upon 
 V.'liich St. Paul undertook this journey to jerufaleni at 
 this time ; He went tip hy revelation , he ndvilcd wiih God 
 about the matter, and rccr-ivcd <!ircclion from God to 
 undertake the journey. Ble'.reil be God, that alihoiigh wo 
 cannot cxpefl immediate dirc,^lion and information from 
 G.«l now, as t!;e faints of old had before the cannon of the 
 -Xciipturc was completed, yet v.cluvc the wiitliai wo: J of 
 
 i 
 
 God to he a light /» our feet, and a lamp tinto our paths, to 
 dircift and guide us in all our cnterprizes ; and we ought 
 to regiihte all onr actions according to it, and to judge of 
 the lav.'fiilncfs and expediency of our undertakings bv it. 
 4. With what prudence and holy caution the blelFtcl apuftl* 
 proceeded in this matter ; he inipirtcd his fentimentr, and 
 communicated his doflrine to the reft of the npciiks 
 privately, for fear of exafjjcrating the zealous Judaizing 
 Chrilliaus : And to the nuifl eminent of the apolllcs, fu^b 
 ns were cf the greiite/1 rfjititntiin \ lefl if there Ihould bt 
 any oppofition made to his dcctrinc, he Ih-iuld hereafter 
 run, c>- had run in "valn. Notliing more obf.rufls the fiic- 
 cefs and efficacy of the gofpel, tiian difFcrenccs of judg- 
 ment, and flrife and debate about thofe differences, arnon<^ll 
 t!ic rnofl eminent preachers of it. Hence it was, that St. 
 P.ud endcavotired fo mtich to get the joint cc>nfent of the 
 moft eminent spofllrs to the doiSrine delivered by him, kd 
 by the calumnies of his adverQiries, his preacliing flioidd 
 have been rendered unfucccfsful, aW/e- /ii«/'/ ''•■'■ ■''■■rrutt 
 and Itthoiir In lain. 
 
 3 But neither Titus, who v/as with inc. bung a 
 Greek, was compelled to be circumcilcd: 4 .A.nd 
 that becaufeof falfe brethren unawares brought in, 
 •who came in privily to fpy out our liberty which 
 we have in Chrift }efu.s, that they mi^^ht bring us 
 into bondage : 5 To whom we gave place by 
 fubjeQion no not for an hour ; that the truth of 
 the gofpel might continue with you. 
 
 Olferve here, i. The inffance and evidence which St. 
 Paul brings of the apoftles at Jerufnlcin, agreeing with hitTip 
 both in their doctrine and in their pridiice \ and that was 
 Titus, who being a Gentile, born a Greek, and now a 
 preacher of the gofpel, and never circnmcifed, the apof!!c» 
 at Jerufulem would no more compel him to be circiitncifed 
 thun St. Paul had done, but received him into fellowfliip 
 with them, though he was an untirctmicifcd Greek. This 
 WMsa plain evidence, that they did not judge circumcifon, 
 at that tiine, to be a part of God's comm.;ndcd worfliip , 
 for then th.ey would have compelled Titus to it ; that is, 
 conftrained hitn, by the force of ccclefiaflical ccnfurcs, to 
 become circumcifed, had thcv thought circumcifion necef- 
 fary to the Gentiles. 2. The rcafon afligncd, why the 
 apoflle would not circumcife Titus, though he had before 
 circumcifed Timotliy, namely, becar.fe fon;c falfe brethren 
 crept in, would have taken advantage from it, to bring 
 perfons into bondage to the law of ceremonies, and okad 
 conformity to circuiTicirion as an obliged duty. Lenrn 
 hence. That although the ceremonial law was cer'ainlj 
 abolifhed by the death of Chrilt ; yet. Almighty God, 
 partly with rcfpect to it as his own ordinance, and partly * 
 in condefcenfion to th.c vvcakntfs cf the Jev.-f, was pleafcd 
 to tolerate the obfenaiion of fomc part of it, and par- 
 ticularly circumcifion, as an indifferent aflicn, though not 
 as a part of religion, for fome time ; the ceremonial rites 
 being dead, they were to be decently, not over haflily 
 buried. Ohferve, 3. The apofllc's tmdawntcd courage, 
 and heroic refoliilion in this matter i he wcidd, not wit h- 
 llandinr; the falfc apolllcs' imponuaiiy, never yield fub- 
 
 jeaion. 
 
Chap. u. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 733 
 
 jcdion, or fiibmininn to, or compliance -with, their com- 
 hiamls, in the lead meafurc, bv oonfenting to circiimcire 
 Titus; th.it l"o the truth ami liberty of the gorpcl- m.ight 
 comitiiic fincere and tinfhaktn, Learnhcncc, That an 
 outward ail of compliance miilt not lui confentcd lo.which, 
 ill fomc cafes, mijjht be complied with, when, by making 
 •! neceHarv, we turn Chridian liberty into ftrviiiide and 
 
 unuljtre, when things in their own nature indifferent are 
 'rt;fd^nd enforced as ncccfT'ary ; in th.it cafe the pra>^ice 
 I't'a ihin" indilicrcnt, is to be abdained from. Thus 
 iiere, wlicn falie brethren urged the circwmcifion of Titus, 
 L^ an evidence of St. I*aid"s receding from the dotSrine of 
 Chriftlan liberty, he would not obey them, nor confent 
 i.ntothcin: To whom we guve place, no mr for an hour; 
 
 hat is, we reiiiled to ufe circumcilion, though but that 
 '.'iff we wouM not eive the adverfaries the Icall 
 i^riinft us, or ag.dnll the truth delivered and de- 
 
 u IJU of thole who, lc>.'Tncd lo be foniewhat 
 (whiitlocver they were, it niakinh no tnaiter to ine; 
 ()o'IiiCC(.ptcth no man's perfon) for they who feeni- 
 cd loke/pmeii'hi7i, in cont'erence added nothin- to 
 tne. 
 
 A< if the apodlc had faid, " When I came up to Jeru- 
 falem, thus I behaved myfcli towards the falfe brethren, as 
 I have here declared ; but now, for tliofe tuhojecmed to In- 
 J';)neivb:il, that is, Peter, JanieJ, and John, who were of 
 chief repu-taiion among the apodlcs, and moie than culinary 
 minidcrs of.Jefus Chrill, being the foundations of the 
 Chrillian church, laid by Chriii liimlLlf, although they 
 had fome exernal advatitages above me, as being apoftles 
 bef ire me, and having convcrfed v\i;h Chrift, and fcen 
 him here on earth, which I never did ; yet this maketb no 
 m.uter to me s for God values no man lar ihefe outward 
 favours and benefits : Neither in that conference about 
 circumcifion, did they add any thing to nie, either by their 
 ■authority or inftrudion; they adJeil nothing, they correded 
 nothing, "but approved all tlings, both what I did and faid: 
 From whence it evidently appears, that my authority was 
 crial with theirs, and my doilrine the fame wiih theirs 
 alio." 
 
 7 But conlrariu'ifii, \yhcn they law that the gofpcl 
 of the uncircunictfion, was comniitteil unto me, as 
 tlie gcff};! of thz circumcifion was unto Peter : 8 
 (For he that wrought effetUially in Peter to t!)e 
 anoRleihip of thccircaicifioii, the lame was mighty 
 in me, totvards t!ie Gentiles.) 9 And when James 
 Cephas, and John, who fectnid to bj pillars, per- 
 ceived the -^ race that was ;s^iven ujito me, they gave 
 to me and Bvirnaba.s the ri.^ht hinds of fello.vfihip; 
 tliat wzJhrJdgo unto tlie h-i.itiicn. aiidihc)'' unto 
 the cirrutncifion, \o Oa\y thn -.oouIdihAr. we ihould 
 rcinirmber the pobr; the fame which I alfo was 
 fortvard to do. 
 
 Nilehcvc, r. Tlv^t the ortliinance both of Peter ami 
 Paul, for the office and work of a{ioilLs , was alike ui.ine. 
 
 The former, St. Peter, was to be the miniftcr of the 
 ciraimcifion : that is, to exercife Im'is minillry among the 
 Jews, and St. Paul, by virtue of the fatne divine ordinance, 
 was to oxrcife his oiTice among the Gtniiles, c;.lied the 
 uiicircumcilion ; yet this miiil not be fo undeidocxi, as if 
 Paul iTiigIn nut preach to the Jevx.s, nor St. I'lter to the 
 Gentiles, which they did bot!) upon occafion, but becaufc 
 their more fpecial and particular prmince was thus, St. 
 Peter to preach to the Jews, and St. Paul to the (Jcntiles. 
 learn hence. That the odice of preaching the gofpcl is a 
 fjKcial tri;d, cmiT! itied by God liiinfclf lo furh as be 
 qiialiHes for it ; ard as none mud enterprize it, but fuch 
 as he call> tuito it, fo mtift all that undertake, be .-"ccount- 
 able to him for it; Tie go//e/ of tl:e uncircunicijion uvis 
 Jsrimi.'fed unto me, and the gojfel r.fthe circnmdji.n wus cmmitt 
 d v.nio Fftrr: -I^ite 2. 1H(W this great Ep'flic iifcribes 
 the iuccefs ano. edicacy of h.is own minidry among the 
 Gciiules, and of St. Peter's among the JJws, ilike to 
 Gi-d; He that zn.t/ght cffcBidlv in Peter, uhis alj'o mipj.'ty 
 '>n vie: It is neither the pcrfon nor p;,ins of the niiniiler, 
 nor any natural energy or cdicacy in the word preached up- 
 on which the fuccefs of the gofpel clipe/ii'.c, but tipon 
 the edcdual noiking of the holy .Spirit ; He thr;t icrw^l.t 
 e§e<1uaUy in Peter, iviis alfo tnigtJy in mc. Tiie wortf of 
 God works not as a natural .ietin, but as a moral indiu- 
 metit in the hand of the Spirit. The weapons of opr 
 minideri.d warfare are then mighty, when made niiihty 
 through God, for the pulling Anwn ihe di(/ng-ho|ds of fin 
 and Satan. 3. The duty of the miniders of Chrid im- 
 plicitly declared, namely, to k fillurs \ not feerning to be 
 fo, but really fo : As pillars, they are to uphold tiic truth, 
 by their dodrine and dihgence ; as pillars, to be condaot 
 in defending the truth agaiiid ad the biad.s and doims of. 
 error ai:d falfe dodrine ; as pilliirs (o adorn the truth, by 
 an innocent life and indredive cxainple, whereby ihty 
 ought not only to (hine before others, but alfo to oinlhiiic 
 others. IFhen J,::ues, Cephas, and J'Jm feemed to he pillars : 
 Theft tiireeapodies tuuicr Chi id, were great fupporter.s of 
 the church of Chrid, by their diligence and faithniinefs ; 
 )vto/jerie, ijt. Jauies is here named before St. Peter; 
 ^^hich fhews the weaknefs of the Papid's aTgument for 
 - Peter's primacy, becaufe fonieti-ires fird named: But.it is 
 cvidentheis not a^^3ys fo; St. James is here mentiined 
 before him, becaufe, fay fome, bifliop of Jerufleiii, and 
 the Lord's' brother, or rear kiiifman ; but certain it is, 
 that St. Patil p.TiH not here any dtfertnce to Peter, upon 
 the account of his primacy or fupretnacy, which is iipw 
 fo nvjch contended for, 'but Avas not then thoiuiht qf, 
 becaufe ir was the apodlts great diift an<l defign to fhew 
 that he was in every refped cfju.Tfw ith Peter, and the reft 
 of the apoiftes, and in no refptd inferior to any of them ; 
 and amfequently.that neither in his million nor his melfagc, 
 neitiier in his oiJIce nor liis doilritie, ijcither in his extern: 1 
 authority, nor his niternal gifts and graces, did he coij;e 
 tehiiid theihieleft apofUcs, as the falle apofije.v had luif- 
 rtpiefer.tcd him. ^s/c farther, St. Pdcr integrity wiih 
 Jair.iss and J<,lin'i, in this matter, they being all very 
 well faii;htd, by con\ incirg tvidente, that ain tjfl.iy Grd 
 had certainly called Paul to be an apodle no lefs lhr,n 'ihem- 
 fclves ; they ov, n and aeknowlcdgc hint for fucli, no doubt, 
 5 ^" ' to 
 
75'!. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 II. 
 
 to the grief, as well as to the fliamc of the faifc aportles, 
 who had vilified hisperfon, IcflTcncd his auilioiity, and dif. 
 paragcd his dotElrine ; in.'ot Jamet, CtJ/has, and Johnpir- 
 teived ihtf^rict that wai «hcn unto me \ that is, the grace 
 «>f apoftlefliip, they, in the name of all liic apoftlt-s, and 
 the whole cluirch, pave unto me, and Barnabas my ftllow- 
 laboiircr, the right hand cfjelhtvjh'p ; itiat is, they owned 
 us to be pillars as much as th^mfelvcs; and it was agreed 
 and concluded upin that we (hoiild continue to preach 
 I'hiifly to the Gentilts, and tiny to the Jews: So far were 
 thcapofllesat Jcrnla'.em from conde nninR S(. Paul's doc- 
 trine, or iintlervaliiing his calling, wliich \'as tlic thing 
 that ilic falfe apolllcs were fo dei'irons of, and hoped for. 
 t^ote la(\ly. That as an evidence ef the happy argreement 
 t>f Peter, James, and John, with Paul an^l Barnabas, and 
 of their owning them as apoflles and minillcrs of Jefus 
 Chrift, they recommended to St. Paul's charitable con- 
 lidcration, the po\crty of the Jewifli converts to Clirilli- 
 tuiiiv, defiring Inm to make collt^lions in the Gentile 
 c!inrches for the ChriRian Jews. licrcohjerve, i. That 
 the Jews were generally poorer than the Gentiles ; it is 
 frequently the lot of thofe who are rich in grace, to be 
 poor in goody, and to be reduced to fuch flraiis, as to be 
 lorced to live upon fome charitable fiipplics from others. 
 2. That although thofe who are our own poor, and live 
 Av'ithin our bounds, near us, and about us, are chiefly to 
 be relieved by us ; yet in cafes of extreme nectflity, Cuch 
 poor as live remote from lis, whofe faces were never fctn 
 by us, ought to be Iharers in our charity. 3. 'Jhat the 
 ffare of Gixi's poor, and the fupplying of the ontv\ard 
 ncccfniics of his faitsts, is an employmetit not unwoitliy 
 the higlicit apodle, much Icfs imbccoming the ordinary 
 niinirters of Chritl ; The} luotdd that ue Jhould remanler 
 the poor. 4. That the faithful minifters of Chrifloughr, 
 upon jiift and fit occafion.";, to excite and llir up their 
 people to duties of charity, as well as piety ; to codly and 
 cxpenfive, duticf, as well as thofe that are eafy and Icfs 
 burdtnfomc , thefe being nolefs profitable to the church, 
 and much more evidential of a real work of grace upon the 
 licarr. 
 
 11 But when Peter was comQ to Antioch, I 
 viihflood Inm to the face, becaufc he was to be 
 blaiKcd. 
 
 Orfrrve here, St. Peter's offence, and St. Paul's rebuke. 
 Sii. Peter's offence,. I. was this. He declined from the 
 J.)drino t ught by himfelf, concerning the abrogation of 
 circumcidoir and the ceremonial law ; he had tormerly 
 rbnverfed freely with the Chiillian Gentiles without fcru- 
 ple, inaking no ob)iition agniitil them, becaufc they were 
 BJt circumaicd: But at Antioch he withdrew from the 
 Gentiles, refufing to cat with them, becaufc they were not 
 circmricifed; as if, for want of circutrcifion, they had 
 been unclean, and altogether unfit to be converfed with. 
 This was his fault ; \^'hereby it appears, that St. Peter 
 himfelf was not infalliable, whatever his pretended fuccef- 
 fors, the Biihops of Rome, are fuppofcd to be. Learn 
 hence, How certainly and fuddenly the holiefl and bell of 
 nco vyijl ruo into fin and error, if a fpccial affillance from 
 
 the holy Spirit doth not uphold tlicm, and prefervc them. 
 Objerzie, 2. As St. Peter's offence, fo St. Paul's rebuke ; 
 he iL'ilhflj-.d himlo the face ; that is, rebuked him publicly, 
 becaufc he was blame-worthy, and not ftcrctly behind his 
 back; fuch as fin openly, miill be rebuked and reproved 
 opcidy. Here wwV, How little St. Paul drcamul of St. 
 Peter's fupremacy ; it fo, he had been more niotlcft then 
 thus to reprove him to his face. Learn hence, '1 hat as 
 ii;i bands of friendlliip mud keep the niitiidcrs of (Jod 
 from reproving fin anil vice ; f', when they find the fault 
 to be notorious, they mufl reprove it wherever thty find it, 
 Wailing much boldnefs and refilution. St. Paul here, in 
 reproving St. Pcier, wiihjlcod him ; It is in the oiij^inal a 
 military word, lignilying to Jiund againjl, either by force 
 of arms, as among foldiers; or by dint of argument, as 
 among difputants: It is a word of defiance, and frgnifies 
 an oppofition hand to hand, face to face, foot to foot, not 
 yieliiing an hair's breadth to the adverlary. Yet wiihal, 
 as St. Paul's courage, folds candour appeared in reproving 
 St. Peter, to his face, and not reproaching him, as fome, 
 behind his back. And behold this great and chief apoftlc 
 St. Peter, fubmits to his reprover, neither juftifving his 
 aflion, nor refle£\ing upon Si. Paul ; he replieth not again. 
 
 12 For before that certain came from James, he 
 did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, 
 he withdrew, and feparated himfelf, fearing them 
 which were of the circumcifion. 13 And the other 
 Jews dilFcmbled hkewife witlihim; inlbmuch th.it 
 Barnabas alfo was carried away v/ith their difhtnu- 
 lation. 14 H But when I law that they walked 
 not uprightly according to the truth of the gofpcl, 
 I faid unto Peter before them all, If thoju, being a 
 Jew, lived after the manner of the Gentiles. and not 
 as do the Jews, why compelleft thou the Gentiles 
 to live as do the Jews ? 
 
 A farther account is given tis in thefe verfes, of St. 
 Peter's offence at Antioch, in giving occafion of fcandul 
 to the Gentiles, by refufing to converfe and eat w ith them, 
 although he had before, in a vifion, received a divine com- 
 mand fo to do. St. Pawl calls it/fa?-, vcr. \i.d-(fimdaticn, 
 ver. 13. and not xvalhiHg vpy'ighth, vcr. 14. He re fu fed 
 to c >nvcrfe with the believing Gci^tiles, being uncirciim- 
 cifed, for fear of offending the believing Jevrt, who were 
 fo tenacious of circumcifion, and theccrcmonial lew. L.>i:rn 
 hence, Wh.at wcaknefs and inconllancy is found with the 
 beft of men, cfpecially when fear gets a prevailing power 
 overthem. St. Peter was the minifler of the circumcifion, 
 in great honour and cfleem with the believing Jews, but 
 fearing the lofs of his reputation among them, he falls into 
 fin againll God. Oljerve, 2. The fatal influence of that 
 his (ill ; it drew others inioa partnerfhip wiih himthercin ; 
 Barnabas himfelf was led away with thedilTimulati. n, and 
 the other Jews dilfcinbled with him. Learn hence, Tl.at 
 fuch as are eminent ii) the church, had need be exadly 
 rareful how they walk ; for if they fall, they fall not alone, 
 many do^^fall -with them. Ohjerve, 3. With wh.it opcn- 
 nefs and freedom, with what courage and refolution, St, 
 Paul checks and reproves Peter, for his cowanlnefs and 
 
 tiiuoxoufncfs^ 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 755 
 
 (imoroufncfs, in rcfufing to converfe with the believing 
 Gentile?, for fear of gaining the difplenftire of the ciiciiiii- 
 cifc I Jews : I (aid imti Peter before ihem all. If thou, being 
 a Jew, !ivi/}, in thy ordinary convcrfation, after the man- 
 ner of the Gentiles, why compeUcfl thou the Gentiles, by thy 
 example, to live as eh the Jews. Where mte,^ What a 
 conlbaining power there is in ihcrxamplc of eminent per- 
 lons. He is l^iiJ to compel in fcripmrc, not only who doth 
 violently force, but who, being of authority, doth provoke 
 by hi<; example. The errors of thofe that do rule, become 
 rulers of error. Men fin through a kind of authority, 
 through the fins of thofe who arc in authority. 
 
 15 Wc ii:ho are Jcv/s by nature, and not finncrs 
 of the Gentiles. 16 Knowin<f that a man is not 
 juilificd by the works of the law, but by the faith 
 of fefus Chrirt:, even wc have believed in Jefus 
 Chrifl, that wc might be juftilied by the faith of 
 Ciu id, and not by the works of the law : for by the 
 woiks of the hiw fhall no flefh be juftified, 
 
 St. Paul having fully vindicated his own anthority as an 
 apoltle, from tlie imputations of tlic faifeapolUcs, he comes 
 next to vindicate his doArinc, namely, the evangelical doc- 
 trine of jiiftitication K' faith in Chrill, which he had for- 
 merly preached to the Galatians,and which, in his abf.nce, 
 the faifc apoillcs had endeavoured to fubvcrt and over- 
 throw, urging the ftricl obfervation of the ceremonial law, 
 as nccedary to jullificaiion and falvation. Our apoftie, 
 therefore, to ftrikc at the root of this dangerous error, ex- 
 cludes all works of our own from having any influence 
 upon our jiiftlfication. Now this he proveth, (r.) Decaufc 
 they that were Jews by birth, and fo federally the holy 
 people of G(kI, found it necelfary to renounce tlie works of 
 the law in point of jufti'ication, and to feck rij;htcournefs 
 only through tai:h in Chrill, as well as the profane idola- 
 trous finners, or the Gentiles, who were ftrangers to the 
 covenant of God : Per h the ivorks of the laivjhiillnoflcj}) 
 neither Jew nor Gentile, be jnfifieJ; that is, acquitted 
 frorn the guilt of fin, and difehjged from cbnoxioufnefs to 
 the wrath of God. Now, no obedience of ours can ob- 
 tain this, beciifc of the c;reaf impcrfeclion which cleaves to 
 it, and becaufe God will have all boading excluded ; Eph. 
 ii. 8. By grace ye are fiived, through fail h \ not of works Ic II 
 a'ly mun Jhwld hoifi ; but that he that clorieth, flionld 
 gl try in The Lord. AW here. That the dodtrine of julli- 
 ticaiion by faith, and not- by works, was early, very early 
 oppofed bv Satan and falfe teachers. It being arliculius 
 J'antis et r.idctitis ecclefia, a fiui'lamcntal article of our 
 Chriflian fuiih, our ccmf<irt (lands or falls widi it; no 
 wonder then it is llrenuoiidy oppofed. 
 
 17 But if, while we feck to be juftified by Chrift, 
 ■we ourfelves alfo arc found finners, is therefore 
 Chriil the minifter of fin? God forbid. 18 For if 
 1 build again tbe things which 1 deftroyed, I make 
 myfcif a tranigrclTor. 
 
 Thefc words arc generally looked upon as an objcflion, 
 which the adverfaries of the doclrine of julUticaiion by 
 foith, have been always ready to nuke at^ainil it, namely, 
 
 " That if perfons be not juftified by their obeJicnce to the 
 law, then they may live as they lift in the breach and viola- 
 tion of the law, and freely indulge themfelves in (in, and 
 confeqiiently make Chrift the minifter of fin, as if he ha J 
 relaxed the diiiy." The apoftle rcjc£ls this inference an. I 
 dcduiffion with the grcateft abhorrence and detcftation, fay- 
 ing, God forbid. Hence note. That it is no new prejudice, 
 though a very unjuft one, againft the do£lrine of juftifica- 
 tion by faith alone, and not by works, that ic opens a door 
 to licentioufncfs, and makes Chrift the minifter of fin. 
 Nott farther, A fecond objccfion here niggeft-.d. Some 
 miLjIit pretend that he built up by his praclice, what he had 
 dcliroyed: No, fins the apoftle, I have, together with the 
 docfrine of tree juftification prcachei! to you, prclTcd upon 
 yon, the dtitv of mortificaiion, as of indifpcnfible neccffity 
 to be praiftifed by you ; (hould therefore my preaching or 
 my practice be otherwife then it has been, I ihculd builj 
 a^ain what I have deftroved, anddeftroy what I have al- 
 ready buildcd ; and thus by encouraging fin, and tlifcourag- 
 iiig holincfs and obedience, I fliotdd be atranfgreftbr agaitjft 
 the law of righteoufncfs. Learn hence, That the dodlrine 
 of juftification by faith alone, cannot be rightly pi-eaclied, 
 except the duty of mortification of fin be urged and en- 
 forced with it ; for the fame faith that de[;ends upon Chrift 
 for pardon of i'tn, doth look upon him for power aiul 
 ftrength to vanquifh and fubdue fin; If we do not the latter, 
 Chrift will never do the former. 
 
 ig For I through the lav/' am dead to the law-, 
 that I might live unto God. 
 
 Here the apoftle ftievvs, that believers are fofar from bein-T 
 juftified by the law, that they are dead to the law, fo as t" 
 put no confiilcnce in their obedience to it for juftification ; 
 particularly, (i.) They are dead to the law ; that is, thi y 
 are delivered from the rigorous exaiSlions of the law. Per ■ 
 fe£l, pcrfonal and perpetual obedience, is the duty whii it 
 the law cxa(!\s at the believer's hand, and he has perfi^rincd 
 it, thotigh not in himf«lf, yet in the perfon of Chrift his 
 Surety, who yielded abfolute and complete obedience to 
 the laa-, as it could require or demand. (2.) The law is 
 dead to believers, aud they to that, in regard to the con- 
 demnatory curfe and fcntcnce of the law ; Chrift liatli re- 
 deemed them from the curfc of the lav/ ; being made 4 
 curfe for' them. Gal. iii. 13. True, the believers viohii- 
 onofthcroya! and righteous law of God, in the fmaUeit 
 meafii re and degree, doth, in its own nature, defervc ihc 
 curfe and conilemnatoryfenteiice; but Chrift has difcharged 
 him from obnoxiouncfs to the curfe, by being made a 
 cmfe. (3.) The law is dead to believers, as to its autho- 
 rity, to juftify and fave them. This is that the l.:w cannot 
 do, heing made weak through the ficfii ; though prupcilv 
 fpeaking, the law is not weak to us, but we are weak t« 
 that ; the law has not loft its authority to command, but 
 wc our ability to obey ; it is as impoffible for a f dlen fin- 
 nsr to keep the law of God perfectly, as it is for a lain.j 
 cripple to run a race fwiftiy. Yet, (4.) Believers arc 
 not dead, but alive to the law, as a rule of life and holy 
 living: the law binds the believer fin Chiift's hand) 
 as Jliicfly to endeavour obedience to it, as it did bin I 
 Adam in irnocency: But here is the believers privilege, 
 5 G 2 i/j .t 
 
Ili^ 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 that Goil the Father, upon i!ic fi.ore of ilie covenant of 
 tcracc.wliich the blooJ ot Chrirt has raiiticd and confirmed 
 tioih gracioijily except the faithful endeavours ot his eliil- 
 drcn, inftead of perfci.1 performances \ which obedii-nce 
 the lau-coviiiant tiiil ri^jfirimfly exruO and require. Thus 
 may every believer f.;y witli the apofl'.e, / throurh tie L-w, 
 am flfiiil nni'j lie Inu', thr.l 1 might live uuli God, namely, a 
 lil'eof righicJufncfs .ind uuc holincfs, 
 
 • 
 
 20 •[ I am rnicificd v/ithChrifl : ncvcrthelefs I 
 live; yet not I, but CliiHl livtth in mc .• and the 
 life wliich I tiow live in the fltfli, 1 live by the faith 
 df ihe Son of God, wlio loved me, and gave himfelf 
 for me. 
 
 Several thin£;sareherc ol>fervnhk, viz. St. Paul's fpiritnal 
 iL-aih declared^ and his fpirituul life dcfcribed, topether 
 with the author and inllrument of it. Ohju-v;', i. St. Paul's 
 fpiiiiiial death, lam crucijied zvith Urij] \ that is, with 
 (Thrift I am dead to the law (in the manner mentioned in 
 the forefjoinj; vcrfej dead to fin, and dead to the world. 
 Ltarn\\tx\ct, That all true believers are crucified wi:h 
 Chrift Jcfus ; or tliat all jiiflificd perfons have fcllowfhip 
 with Cluift in his death : They have fcllowdiip with him, 
 (l.) In the merit and value of his death ; they are ran- 
 ibmed bv it, as a price p^iddown to the juftice of God for 
 them. (2.) In the virtue anil citicacy of hi<;deaih; which 
 dith not only merit pardon for us but mortifies fin in us ; 
 Our old man iscrmified \ that is, the power of fin i;; fiibducd 
 in u."!. ^3:) A jiiilified perfon hath fclhnv (hip with Chrift, 
 ii the likcnefs and liinilittidc of his death, and that is acni- 
 cifixi..n : As Chrill died a painfid, (hamefiil, lingering,and 
 a:ciirfed death for hiin, fo doth I'm die paint'uily, fliame- 
 fuiiy nnd gradually in him : They that are Chriji's, have 
 iruafiediieflrjh with its affrfli'ms and lufls. Gal. v. 24. 
 O/^/Ir-r 2 St. Paul's fpiri'.ual life dcfcribed, I live, yet not 
 Jyl'ul Chr'/linme. Leiirn hvncc. That a crucified Chrif- 
 tian is a living Chriftian : / nni crucified, m%erthehj's J Iife\ 
 a lire of jijftilication and fanditicaiion at prefent, in hope 
 of, and as an earned tur, a life of glorification to coir.e. 
 Yet, <.l>ferve,i. How the ;'pollIe corredls, or rather explains 
 himfelf, after what kind, and in what manner he lives; he 
 denies himlllf to be the author and root of his own life ; 
 and declares Chrift 10 he both. I live, yet not I, but Chriji 
 in me. Chrilt is both the author and efHcient caufe, of the 
 exemplary caufe, the end or final caufe of the Chriflian's 
 life ; a li-Jng ChriiUan lives not hitnfelf, but ChriJ] lives in 
 h'lm. 4. As the author of the Chriflian's fpiitual life, 
 Chriji ; fo the inllriiment of it, and that \% faith : The life 
 which 1 live inlhi-fiefi), that is, the fpirilti.tl life which I 
 live as a Chriftian here in the world, I live by faith in the 
 Son fCod ; iny life of jullilication, is by faith in his b'.ood; 
 my life cf fanftihcation and confolation, is through fiith, 
 in and by miiienccs derived from his holy Spirit. 5. 
 How the' apoftlc approp) iaies to himfelf in panicidar, what 
 Chrift had done for all believers in general : He hvedmf, and 
 g..ve himfelf for wf. Wlir.re note, Thouj^h a firm pcrfuafion, 
 a d fidlalfurance of Chrift's fpecial love to ourlllves, and 
 liis d\irTT for us in parMcular, is notof thcefFence and being 
 of juftifying and fuvlngyi.;//', yet it is attainable without 
 
 an extraordinary re\xlation ; arc!, as fuch, cverv fincerc 
 Chridian ought to aim at it, to laboi:r and tndeaveur afitr 
 it. 
 
 21 I do not friiRrate the gnce of God : for if 
 
 ripjhtPOr.f.ners r /,:.- I,r llu- l.v. rhi n ("Imn k ,1. ,rl 
 in vain. 
 
 The apoftle concludes the i hsp'er with a d^Mible arqu- 
 mtni, topiovethe Chridian's jollification by f-iih, v, iihuut 
 the works of the law. (i.J Were it orherwif.- we fhoiiij 
 frftrate and make vcid tlic grace of f]od: Yor M ji.Jhfi. 
 cation be by works, it can no more he by grace ; acc<>r(:iii;T 
 to-thc apoftlc, Rom. xi. 6. {1.] Chrift's death hnd been 
 in vain, without r.ny necefTary caufe (n- reafon at all, if the 
 j'ljlific'i'iiin cf afmr.er coidd Irave been obtained hy his own 
 works. Where note. That as w^ll works done after faith 
 and converlion, as thofe done before it, are excluded from 
 being the mecetorio'us caufe of our juftiiica'.ion,' i:hcr in 
 whole or in part ; becawfe the joining of works with faith, 
 in the matter of our jiiftificaiioti, is a total exchidini* of 
 God's free grace, and aloud proclaiming, that Chrift died 
 in vain. 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 In this and the follrj}ing chapten of this tpiflk, cur apof- 
 tle cxpcjiulatei with the Galatians. itiho -were Jtiucei 
 hy tliefalff apfiki to relmqwJJi the liberty thty were 
 called to by the gcfpel, and to put their nech under the 
 Judaical yoke again. 
 
 OF'oolifli Galatians, who hath bewitched yon, 
 thatye fhould not obey the truth, before whofe 
 eyes Jefus Chriil hath been evidently fct forth, 
 crucified among you ? 
 
 Note here, i. The objeftof the apoftlc's (Tiarp reprehen- 
 fion, the churches of GaLtia. 2. The yroimd of their 
 reprehenfion, their deftiSlion from the truth into a very great 
 error, namely, their holdingot circumcilion, and the obfer- 
 vation of the ceremonial law, as necclhiiy tofalvatiin; 
 W'hich was a iTiaking of the crofs of Chi ill of no efFe(£l, 
 and a virtual denial of his bting come in the flefh. From 
 hence wc learn, Thatth&zbeft and purcft of particidar 
 churches may err, an4-h*Ve erred fundamentally and d.m- 
 geroufly : For what ^pllfifts fuch a church of, but perfnns 
 all falliable ? Head .ind members, being all finful, are as un- 
 able to fecure theinfcTves from error, as from vice. Indeed 
 the church of Ronie talks big, andboaftsofa falfe gift, 
 that of infallibility ; but could never yet agree where it is 
 lodged, whether in the Pope, or in a general council ; how- 
 ever, they a ' ' .y have it. "Well, it fo, the more 
 w icked and ly inexcufable are they, in not im- 
 
 proving; their talent oi infallibility forthebeft fervicc of the 
 Chiiftian church, namely, bv writing one infallible com- 
 ment upon the whole bible. Whr.t a fcrviceable perform- 
 ance would it have been in them, to pin the Pope in I, is 
 chair, and hold down his hands to wiite, as Aaron and Ilur 
 held up Ml fis's hands to pray, till all the Amalekiie errors 
 and herelie?, fo much complained of, were runted iMid 
 ruined ! V/o unto thcni that kt fuch an excellent gilt lie 
 
 idle 
 
Chap, in, 
 
 G A L A T -I A K S. 
 
 757 
 
 i(11e amoncft them, and unemployed by them. 3. The 
 hjoh and heinous a!T>;ravarion of ihis fault in rhc G.iUitiafis, 
 t/tore whfe eves Jcfas ChriJ} hrd hren evidrnfly fet ton'-, 
 ^r;- ''-^ ■ •'• - '■'■■" >h— U C\\;\\. and their frecd.-^m by 
 h; ceremoni.n) J:nr, had been 
 
 pi?:i;r..>i T-'t; ::i ; :!ii.i his lieithand fiifTerin^s-, with i!;e 
 g.eat end and dcfign of them, as phiiniy laid b-fore them, 
 as if Clirilt himfert' had been crucified in the midit of them. 
 I.a'liv, The. brand of infamy which our apoilie fets upcii 
 the Judaizing d"£lr)rs, hereticitl and falfc teachers ; he c;ills 
 them fpiiitiial r>rcprers, and their dov'tri ics fpirittial witch- 
 craft : fioVijh Gahttians, wl-o halh hewitched you ? Be- 
 caufe, \\.) As forccrcrs, by deluding; the fcnfcs, tTiake per- 
 fons apprehend thev fee what they fee not ; fo heretics, by 
 cadiuij a mill of feeming reafon before the underftanding, 
 do delude it, and make the deluded perfon believe that to 
 be truth, which indeed is not. (2.) .As forcercrs, in what 
 thev do, arc ajTi.ted beyond the read) of their own ability 
 and n<ill, by the help of Satan ; fo heretical fpirits are ofien 
 bv Satan's concurrence with thcin, more than ordinarily 
 ainied by him, in drawing multitudes after thein : Ofjolijh 
 Gal.ilians, iv/.o hiilh beivitcherl you ? The orisjinal word 
 feems borrowed from the praiflice of witches and fircerers, 
 who bein'i alTiiled bv the devil, ufed to c-^R mifls before the 
 e)es of the people, to dazzle and delude thcrn. 
 
 2 T!i;5 only would I learn of you. Received ye 
 the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hear- 
 ing of faith ? 
 
 Oar aportle having prepared the Galatiaus altentton, by 
 a very fmart and (harp reprchenfion in the foregoing verfe, 
 returns to the iubjccfl of juflification by faith, without the 
 works of the law, which he had entered upon in the former 
 chapter, and profecutes at large in this ; and he ufes five 
 arguments to prove that we are juftified br faith, and not 
 by xvorhs : The firft is contained in the verfe before us, 
 RdYive ye the S/>/n't h the work.t of the laiv, or by tie 
 hfc.ring of faith ? As if the apodle had faid, " I appeal to 
 your own experience; you have received the fpirit your- 
 fclves, fotne of you for fanclification, others for miraculous 
 operations ; now I ^voldd know by whit means you re- 
 ceived it i* Was it by hearing the law of Mofes presetted ? 
 You cannot fay it ; for you were heathens, and without 
 the written law ; it muft then be by hearing of the gofpel, 
 the doiflrine of fuith, wkich I preached to you." Here 
 We have a truth cxpre/Ted, and a truth implied. The trtith 
 cxprclFcd is this. That the hearing of the gofpel fai;hfidly 
 preached, is the iuftrumental mean by which perfons receive 
 the Holy Spirit in the faniflifying gifts and graces of it, to 
 enable them to live an holy and finritual life : Received \e 
 tm the Spirit />y the hearing of faith ? Yes, he did. The 
 trmh implied is this, That a people (liould take great heed, 
 that they never undervalue, much lefs defpife and vilify 
 thafminillcy, or that doolrinc, which God at firft bleded 
 for their converfion. How many arc there in England at 
 this day, who difown that church, defpile that miniftry 
 which God blefied to their converfion, if ever they were 
 converted ? Sad it is, yet very certain, that like vipers they 
 gnaw out the bowels of her who fucklcd them at her brciil. 
 
 3 Are ye fo foolifh ? hr.ving be!;un iii the Spirit, 
 ate ye now made pcife£l by the licfli ? 
 
 Ohfenc here. The aportle rails the 'doctrine ofthegofpe^ 
 Spirit \ bccaufe by kearing the gofpel preached, thiv hai|t 
 received b:)ih the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. Thc-^ 
 law, with all its riicsandcereinonies, hecallsyf.Ai ; becau.'ij i« 
 they were now weak, and being but tfm]?orary inilitution-, 
 ■were abolilhed by the coming of Chrill and the gofjiei. 
 INote next. How the apolllc endeavours to convince the Ga- 
 latians of the folly and abfurdity of hoping to pcrfed that 
 in the flefh, which th y had begun in the Spirit : Jre ye 
 fofocUfo? As if he had faid, " That having at your en- 
 trance into Chriftianity begun an holy lite, by and accord- 
 ing to the Holy Spirit conferred upon you, that now )ou 
 fliould think to be made more pcrl'ifl by xhtflep, by the 
 external commandments and obfervances of the law ; how 
 unreafonable is it to fuppofe that your jtiftification fliould 
 be bccun by a more noble, and perftiled by a lefs ncble 
 caufe?" 
 
 4 Have ye fuBPered fo many things in vain ? if 
 it he yet in vain. 
 
 As if the apoPtle had faid, " To w 'lat purpofy have yoti 
 fuffrcd f') many prcTecutions from the Jews, for the cau.l; 
 of Chrfftianiiy ? All which fu.Terings will be in Viiin, it, 
 after all, you bring yom fehes under the bondage of the 
 Jewiili yoke ; for thefe might have been efcaped, had you 
 owned the neccflity of circum.ciuon, and other legal ob- 
 fervances : But 1 hope you vviil recoliecl yourfelves, and 
 perfevere in your firft profcffion, -without which all your 
 former bhours, your part; and prefent fufFerings, will avail 
 ynu nothing." Intimating that all good actions we. 
 have done, and the hard things which we have fiifFertd, 
 will be nltogether in vuin to us, if v. e do not pcrfcvere in 
 well-doinrf, and patient fufFermg into the end : Have ye 
 fuffiredf many ihiiigs in vain f' if it be yet in va/n^ 
 here, i. That it has been frcin the beginning the 
 portion of ftich as profefs Chrillianity, to fuffcj 
 things in the defence of it. 2. That it is very poiTi 
 fome of ihofe who have inade an CTvly and long pr 
 of Chriflimity, yea, and fuftereti hsrd things for it, nficr 
 all, to m:'ke a foid defcdion and apoilafy from if. 3. Tluit 
 all ftich iuiFerings have been, are, and will be in vain, and 
 turn to no joyful account, if the perfons fufFeringdo after- 
 ward apoftatize from, and turn their backs tipon tlie truths 
 of God, formerly embraced and mainsained by them. 
 
 5 He therefore that minillereth toyoii the Spirit, 
 and worketh miracles among you, doclhhe it by the 
 works of the law, or by the hearing of faith .■" 
 
 Note here, i. That God did accoinpany the firft preach- 
 ing and planting of the gofpel with the extraordinary gifts 
 of lite Spirit, with a power to woik miracles, to heal dif- 
 eafes, and to fpeak with tongues, which were fo many al- 
 terations and confirmations ilv.;t the doflrine of the gofpel 
 was from G<xl ; for here St. Paul appeals to the Galatians, 
 as men that iiad the Spirit and inirai-ies antong/t them. He 
 thst miniftereth to you. the spirit, and ivorhcth mtYaclcs ; im- 
 pl}ing, that Almis^hty God had given to -them his H' ly 
 
 • Spirit' 
 

 O A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. iir. 
 
 ^Spirit, b.>tti in the faiu^ifyuig grnccs a>i<l miraculous gifts 
 ot it. 2. That flic Spirit thus communicated in thefirft 
 ami early clays of Chriftianity, was not given to the G;i!a- 
 •tians, or any oilier Gentiles, by the preaching pf the law, 
 
 but by the ininirtry and (lifpenfjtion of the gofpel, which 
 
 is here callcil tie hurting of faith : He thtit miirllereth It 
 you the Spirit, dJh hr it h the tvtris of the law, 5r h the 
 
 hearing of faith ? Lenni hence, That alihouglt the gifts 
 -anil graces ot Goal's holv Spirit arc conveyed to th<; hearers 
 ■of the gofpcl by the miniilry of tlie word, yet God is the 
 
 aiiihi)r, ihc miuiller anil difpcnfer of ihcm, ami the gofpti 
 •only the infliument and mean of their conveyance : He 
 miui/kreth to you the Spirit. 
 
 C 1 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was 
 accounted to him for righteoufinfs. 7 Know ve 
 .therefore that they vvliich are of faith, the fame are 
 •the children of Abraham. 
 
 Here our apoftle proceeds to a fecond argument, to prove 
 that pcrfons are jwiUficd by faiih, and not by woilc! ; and 
 that is drawn from the example of Abraham : And the 
 arf^ument lies thus, " As Abraham, the father of the faith- 
 fid. Wis judified ; fo inufl all believers, the children of 
 faiihfiil Abraham, be juftified alfo. But though Abraham 
 did aBoimd in many virtues and good works, yet he was 
 not juftifiijd by thcfe, but by faith onlv ; therefore by faith 
 mult all his chil.ircn be juftified alfo. Abraht:m believed 
 Cofl\ that is, alllnted to, and relied upon the promife of 
 <jTd made unto him, That in him, that is, in the Melfias, 
 who was to defcend froin )\\m, flniilrl all the nations of ihe 
 ^jrth he hkfji-d; and th's /(■;///> f.f his was accounted, im- 
 puted and reckoned to him for righteoufnefs ; that is, was 
 accepted of Goil tor Ids jurtification." Froin whence the 
 npoftle doth infer, or draw this concltifion, that ftich as 
 leek julVification by faith, ss Abraham did, arc the children 
 cf Ahraham, as the Gentiles were ; that is, the children of 
 hh faith ; a far greater privilege than what the Jews gloried 
 in, natrtlv, that they were the children of hisfe/h. Learn 
 hence, Th.it as the pious Jews under the Old Tcftament, 
 fo a;c Chrirtians now under the New Teftaincnt, juflificd 
 alike. Were they j:iftilicd freely ? So are v.c. Are wc 
 jiiftificd fully r So are they. Was a righteoufnefs necef- 
 f.iry for them to be clothed with, in order to their accept- 
 ance with God ? The fame is neceffary for us alfo. Was 
 f.iiih imputed by God to them for righteoufnefs ? So (hull 
 >ii be to us alio. 
 
 8 And the fcriptures forefeeing that God would 
 JLirtify the heathen throtigh fliith, preached before 
 ihe j^ofpcl unto Ahraham, faying. In thee fhali all 
 nations be blelfed. g f So then they which be of 
 faith are hlclfed with faithful Abraham, 
 
 Olfcrve here, That becaufc the former confcqiience from 
 Abraham's juftification to ours, might be queftioned whether 
 it holds in the Gentiles, who were not of Abrahain's pof- 
 teri'y ; therefore. the apollle dtchires, that the greatelt pro- 
 mifem adc fo hiin, was, That in hin:, that is, in the Mclli.is 
 Chrift Jcfus, who was to come of him, utl nati-jns, GtniiUs 
 iu vfdl n ji:v/s, fjouU he hlrJJiJ: God Jiavingdctcnnincd, 
 
 that all believers indifinitily, of what nation or kindred fo- 
 ever, fliouM be all jii/lificd one and the fame way, namely, 
 by faith in Chriil, without the wotks of the law. So that 
 all that are of tailh, or true Iv-licvers, whether Gentiles or 
 Jews, do partake of all thofe benefits and bltflings which 
 believing Abraham did part.ike of, amongQ which juftifi- 
 cation by faith is the chief. Learn h<nce, I. That the 
 gofpcl is no new df<Srine, but the fame for fubftance, 
 though not forclearnefs, wi;h that wiiich was preached to 
 Abraham and to the church under the Old IVftamcnt : 
 The fripiiire preached hefre the ^cfpe! iintf Ahraham. 2. 
 That the blcfling of juftification by faith, and other fpi- 
 rittial favours promifed to th.e nations in Abraham, v as 
 fuch as Abraham himfclf was a fliarcr in, and partaker of ; 
 they were blelfcd with faithful Abraham. 
 
 10 For as many as are of the works of the law, 
 arc under the curfe. For it is written, Curfcd ii 
 every one that continueth not in all thin;;s which 
 are written in the book of the law to do them. 
 
 Here is a third arcumcnt produced in this chapter, to 
 prove that we are jiirtified by fr.ith, and not by works ; be- 
 caufe they who feck to be jiifiified by the woiks of the law, 
 are under the citrfc ; and if fo, cannot be jidtifud. The 
 argument runs thus, " Our obfervancc of the law, when 
 at the beft, is but imperfect : Now every performance lays 
 us under the curfe, therefore no perform.anceof ourscanjuf- 
 tify us. They that cannot fidlil the law, can never be jidli- 
 ficd by the law: But no fallen man can perfetlly fulfil the 
 law, therefore none can-be juflified by the law. ' This is 
 the force of the argument, which the apollle proves by a 
 quotation out of Dmt. xxvii. 26. Curjrd is every one thc.t 
 continueth not in all things, iScc. Where mle, I. The duty 
 which the law enafts, namely, pcrfefl, perfonal, and per- 
 petual obedience. 2. The penalty which the law inflicls, 
 and that is, the curfe: Curfcd is every one, &c* Learn 
 hence, That fin and the curfe are infeparable ; whcrcv<^r 
 fin is, the curfe will be, be it upon a perfon by imputation, 
 or by aiftual commilfion ; wherever fin lies, it lays us under 
 the curfe ; for fin is an iiitiiiile evil, objedivclv cnnfidered ; 
 it is a contempt of infinite authority, a central icty to in- 
 finite holinefs, a provocation of infinite juftice, snd an 
 abufe of infinite mercy ; and confequcnily, the defcrt of 
 fin is death and the curfe. 
 
 1 1 But that no man is judified by the law in the 
 fight of God, it ii evident : for. The juft fhail live 
 by faith. 1 2 And the law is not of faith : but. The 
 man that doeth them fliall live in them. 
 
 A fourth argument is here produced to prove, that not 
 finner cnn be judified bef.i;e (jod, by the wo:kt of the 
 l.i'v, although before men he may. Thcarmiment is this, 
 t.iken from Hab. ii. 4. The jiff'/hail live hvfiiih ; that is 
 live his fpiritual life by faith, his life of jiifiificitinn and 
 fan£lification alio ; the life of his righteoufnefs before Goil, 
 of bis holincis before men, and his life of glory with God 
 in heaven, are all by faiih. He adds, ver. 12. The Ir.iv it 
 tut of faith \ that is, the law fays nothing of f;'iih in a 
 Mediator, or promifes life to any perfon, favc only to. him 
 
Chap. im. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 759 
 
 who by a finlefs obedience performs exiiilly what it prc- 
 foribcs : but the vuice of the law is, Dt, tr rile. Learn 
 hence, That tJe law and faith, that is, the luw and the 
 gofptl, are not contrary to each o:her, but arc mutually 
 ribfervicnt one to another in many tlunj^s ; a« thus, when 
 ihc bw m:;ke"; kivm-n fin, ilie g''fl'cl hclil.s forth the remedy 
 for tin ; the l.i^- difcovers our li^ed of Ciii ill, tfie ijnfpel 
 makes an oftl-r and yraciotis tender of J:fiis Chrilt ; tlic 
 law tr.akes kiviwn to us our eiKirL- duty, thegnf,:el fiirnilhes 
 us wi'h Orcoi^th and abiliiy to pi:rform iliat duty. 2. That 
 t!)nii|»h the law and faith, that i>,the g fp.i, which istherloc- 
 tiiiie of f^^i'.h, be not contrary to each other, yet in j;oint of 
 jitiliiicnii'iii thfv are m'Mii dly iiiconfulent with one another : 
 So that if jnflineation be by the woiks of the luw, it can- 
 n >t be led by faiih ; if it be had by faith, it cannot be at- 
 tained by the work? of the law. Tiierc c;in be no mixture 
 of law and s;ofp;l, of faiih and woiks, in tliit; matter. 
 
 13 Child hath redeemed us frotn the curfeof the 
 law, bt.'ing made a cmfc: for us : for it is written, 
 Curfed i<, cvciy one that han^cth on a tree. 
 
 This is the apoflle's fifth and lafl argiinncnf, to prove 
 tliat we are juilified by fiiih ; and that notwiihftandinq the 
 threats of the law, a believer is freed from the ctirfe and 
 maledic\ion of the law, by Chrift's bearin;;; the cnrfe for him. 
 Chriji huth rcJcemcil us, ^'c. Where ;?»/(•, i. The birlicver's 
 liappy difcharge fmni tiic mofl difmal and dreadful thfng 
 imaginable-; namely, the condemnatory fenteiice and cwrfe 
 of the law, whereby a finner is bound over to death, even 
 to death of foul and body. 2. The perfon that doth, and 
 only can deliver the finner from this c<indemnatory ciirfe 
 and fentence, and that is Jcfus Chrift. He difcharges the 
 I'elicver from his obnoxioiifnefs to wrath, dilfolvcs his ob- 
 ligation to punillimcnt, loofes alt bands and chains cf 
 guilt; fo that the cnrfe of the law has nothing, and fh a 11 
 have nothing to do with him for ever. 3. The way and 
 manner in and by which Jefus Chrift efftded all this for 
 us ; namely, by hh being mmk a curfe for us ; not that 
 Chrift was made the very curfe itfelf, or changed into a 
 curfe, but he took the ciirfc upon himfelf ; cur fin became 
 hi>, by voluntary fiifception of the punilliment : and Chrift 
 underwent that death, tlie dentil of the crofs, which by the 
 faw was accurfcd, to free us from tlie curfe of the law j as 
 Chrift W3< inade fin for us, fo was he made a ci:rfe for us. 
 Now as he was made (in, not by cnntra£ling the guilt of 
 fin, but by fuffering the puniftiment of fin ; fo he was inade 
 a curfe, by undergoing that death which the law ftyles ac- 
 curfed. 
 
 14 That the blefRng of Abraham might come on 
 the Gentiles through Jefus Chrifl ; that we might 
 receive the promife of the Spirit through faith. 
 
 Ohfervt here, One fpecial fruit of Chrift's fufFerings, and 
 being made a curfe fr us ; namely, that the curfe' being 
 aboliftied, the bleHing of Abraham, 'that is, the bleffing of 
 juftification, reconciliation, and adoption, promifed to Abra- 
 ham upon his believing, might come upon all thebelicvino- 
 Gentiles, through Chrift, the promifed feed ; and that the 
 GcQiiJes might rccciic the protniics made by Chrift, of the 
 
 holy Spirit, both in its rrir:lculour gifts and fanflifyin^ 
 graces, through their fubmiflion to the faiili <.f Chrilt, or 
 the doflrine of the gofpcl. Learn hence, t. 'i'liat Chrift,. 
 by fubmitting to the curfe of the law di<l not only appcafe 
 the wrath of God towards us, and deliver us frrm the 
 curfe of the law dtfcrvcd for 11s, but p-irchafid ill ffiiiiual 
 bhftings for us, fuch as grace ktie, and ^hiry hereafter. 
 C/t//? zvi-it maile n curfe, thrt tic I'lfffiiig cf Afraham n:i^l t 
 ctmc en lie GenlVies. O wonderful grsce, infinite love, and 
 aftonifhinor goodnefs of God, in that great work of our re- 
 demption, in bringing about one contrary by another ! He 
 giveth lite by death, and the blefting by rlie curfe ; C.^-rlfl 
 •was made a c.nfc, thai the hkfjing rr\iglt c-jiiie, 6cc. 2. Tliat 
 there was a promife of divers blcftinus made to Abra- 
 ham ; namely, thr.t God woi:LI give him a fim, a fan by 
 Sarah, a (on in his old age, and by that fon a ni;mtrc'i.s 
 iifue ; that tli.it iiliie flioitld become a mighty nation, and- 
 polTefs all the bnr! of Canaan, wherein he then fojourned ; 
 and that he would fettle his covenant, that is, hischuich^ 
 in that family and nation ; and tiint in one ptrfon defcend- 
 fng from his pofterity, all nations fliould be bltflld ; and' 
 that this blLfllng, introduced by that cne perfon, fhr.uld 
 abolifti the curfe brought upon ail nations by the firft per- 
 fi)n's fin : T/.'ct the bhjjirig nf Abniiam might came t.pcri the 
 Gentiles through Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 15 Brethren, I fpcak after the manner of men;. 
 Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be con- 
 firmed, nomandifannulieth or addcth thereto. 16 
 Now to Abraham and his feed were tlie promifes 
 made. He faith not, And to feeds, as of many ; but, 
 as of one, And to thy feed, which is Chrifl. 1 7 And 
 this I fity, that the covenant which was confirmed- 
 before of God in Chrift, the law, which was four 
 hundred and thirty years after, cannot difannul, 
 that it fliould make the promifp. of none efFefl. r8 
 For if the inheritance h of the law, // is no more of 
 promife : but God gave it to Abraham by promife. 
 
 Note here, i. An argument drawn from contrails among 
 men, to prove the fixcdnefs and ftabiliiy of the covenant 
 made by God : if one man makes a covenant with' another,, 
 figns it, feals it, and delivers it before witncdes, it becomes 
 irrevocable and irrefiftabl'e ; much more then mtift the co- 
 venant of grace and mercy made with us by God, be per- 
 petual and immutable, fince it is a covenant eftabliftitd by 
 oath ; and when God fwears, he cannot repent. 2. The 
 apoftle proves. That as the covenant of God can never 
 lail, in re.-ard cf the willlom and ihvariabknefs of him that 
 made it ; fo it can never expire for want of partTis that ha\ e 
 intereft in it, and advantage by it, for want of a ft<.d to 
 ■whom it is made ; for as K;ng as Chrift hath a thurch and 
 members upon earth, fo long ilLall the promife be of force ; 
 not only to Alriham, but to hi>fie<l, were the promifes -made ; 
 mi to feed;, as f many ; but as of '.m, and to thy feed, which 
 ts ChriJ}-^ where, by one, we underftand anc myliically, and 
 in the aggregate; not only peifonally and individually; 
 And by Chrift, the whole church, confifting of head and 
 members, believing GentileF, a$ v.cl! as Jews. 3. That^ 
 
 th«- 
 
7Gj 
 
 G A L. A; T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. HI. 
 
 ihe apoftle havin:; confirmed the trmh of his doftrine by 
 arguments in tke torcgoingjiart of the chnptcr, comes now, 
 in 'he latter part of it, to anTwer ohjeifl ions which fome 
 ^nigkt be leaily to make againfl his dortrine. 'liic lirft we 
 havf, ver. 17. Ihis I ftiy% flat the covenant, &<:. The ob- 
 jo£i«on lies thus : S )me ini^jht fay, " When two laws are 
 maile, ■\vheri-of the one was exprefsly coiuradiclory to liie 
 other, (lie liner i^nh, in common pre lump 'ion, uhro£;atc 
 ir ' r.er : lilt here wc titu!, that four hun- 
 
 lii ^ afier the proiinl'c nude to Abraham, 
 
 tlierc was a law piihliihcd extfcmely contrary to that 
 proii-.irc, a hw viihoiit mercy or tornpallion, a law 
 hoth impnillbic and inc-xorabi-.', a law which can neither 
 he obcvtvl nor endured, a I.1W whii.l» denounces a tcnible 
 aiui ftverf curiL' to ihc iranftirifibrs and breakers of it ; 
 fhL-rct..rc, i( ihouUl f.em as if fome cuife had happened, to 
 iiiaki Cm\A repent and revoke his former covenant- promife 
 made to Abraham." To obviate this objeclii>n, our apof- 
 tle Ihcw":, firft, Wliat the ptirpofe ol the covtnant-promifc 
 to Abraiiam was ; namely, to fiive life and falvation by 
 grace and promife. Secondly, What the piirpofi: of the 
 Ijttcr covenant by Mofes was not ; nnm.tly, to give the 
 lame life bv wiirkinjj, fmcc, in thofe rcfpctts, there would 
 he a contradicfion and inconfdlency in the covcn.mtj:, and 
 fo by cimkiiutncc, inlliibili'y and faithful nefs in him that 
 made theti. That, therefore, which the apoflie here diucs 
 ar, is tliis, That tlie coming of the liw hath not voided 
 the promife, uiid that tke law is not if force towards the 
 >» feed to whom the f-romife is made, in any fuch fenfe as 
 carries coniradiclion to, or implies abrogation ot, the pro- 
 mife before titade ; from whence it folluvs-s, if it be not to 
 fland in contradiction to, it tr.uft ftand in fubordinat-on to 
 the eofpel, and fo ftand to evangelical pnrpofes. Le,ifn 
 licnce, I. That althonaih God might have dealt with man- 
 kind as an abfolutc Lord and Sovereign, yet he doth not 
 covcrn them barely by law, but by a covenant, which 
 has promifes and ihreatcnltigs .-mncxcd. 2. That after the 
 coven.mt of woik?, nu.L v, i '1 man before the fall, was 
 broken by Adam/G>^i /ed to enter info a cove- 
 nant of grace with h.'.'. • ■, to deliver him out of an 
 
 tftate of lin and mif^-ry, and to biing him into a ilate of 
 falvaiiun by a ledeemer'. j,. That thotigh the foimer and 
 'latter iove;iint did ditfer" in fome confiderablevcircum- 
 It.iiK-i V are one and the fame in fubftai'.ce, and <\o 
 
 fully ,. . .11 the eiVcntial parts of both. 4. That God's 
 intent in ^ivin-J the hw, and lireing tjfaf^ obedience to it, 
 
 c I • •' •'jiv cf the ctirfc, Wi's not to t, ke us eff from 
 
 J ' );i'fn fs and life only by the proiriife, but 'o 
 
 " ' ' \ for, fays the apollle here, Tfe Lif 
 ;.;«/ made ivllh Ahruhatii, &C. 
 
 1 Q Wliofcfore t\\Qr\ [(rvethVac law ? It ;v3S ;idclcd 
 hpcjiik oi;' tr.tnqieifions, till the feed Ihoiild cotne 
 10 wlioin the promife was made. a}d it luas ordained 
 by angels in the hartd of a mediator. 20 Now a 
 mediator is not a mediator of one : but Cod is one. 
 
 Here an objrdlion is mov.d : Some tnight be ready to 
 fav, '* If the lav, thai i?, w<)ik>:ikone in obedience to the 
 Lw, do not j'lllify, then the law ^Iveu by M ofcs upon 
 
 moimt Sinai, is in vain, and to no pnrp.ofe ; for wbv wa« 
 r ' ' fo many duties, promifing fife to 
 
 t , "irg wrath and a cutfe to the dif- 
 
 obeaient; it riie inlieriiante come nut by the law :"' The 
 apoltle anfwers, That one great end lor which the law was 
 given, was to difc4)ver ho, ami a finncr.'s undone cr;ndii ion 
 bv reafon of lin, and to lead him to feek out for a remedy, 
 T/.'f late ivns added h:cT.ijc of tnirj^riffions ; that is, tr. m„ke 
 traiifgieillon appear, to dLI-over the pi>llii'i< ns of n.m's 
 hearts ami natures, and to make them ftnlible of the con- 
 denmation thty are tinder. The l/iw uas ir.V'ed htcnuje if 
 trinj'gnjjions, lill the Jccd Jly.idd C'.v.t \, that i.sCh.iiltar.J 
 his church. Wl^re n.,!e, Thit the legal difpcnfatitiif 
 were not to continue always in the church, but ( iily till the 
 coming of our Lord Jefus Chrifl ; at svhnfe deatlt the par^ 
 fiiion-wal! -vas broken down, and (he Gentiles called in'o 
 t!ie fe'.lowjhip of the church, as well as the Jews, hole 
 fartlicr, The glorious and amazing manner, in which the 
 law was given upon mount Sinai, in thunder and lighlin'nr, 
 by the nuniflry of angels, in fuch a terrible irianiscr, th..t 
 there was \w ;.ccefs for finfid intn to G( d, but by Mofe.s 
 a mediator, (landing betwixt God and ihem ; who in t'tiat 
 adion was a tyjc of our Lord Jtfos Chrifl, the old) Me- 
 diator between G(h1 and is. As Mofcs w;'S a typical", 
 national, and reprefentativc Mediator, flrndiiig between the 
 Lord and that people of the Jew.", fo Chrift was a li.bftan- 
 ti.l and tmiverfal Mediate r between God and manklnt). 
 Where rrJe, That the law was pi;bli(hed in mercy and pa- 
 cification, not in fury and revenge; for had (he Lord in- 
 tended death in the publilhing of the law, he would not 
 have prcclaimcil it in the hand of a Mediator, but of an 
 executioner. He adds, Thai a Alcdin/cr is n:l a y 
 cf one, that is, of one party, but of d fagreeablc 
 God and man were once friends : 1 hey were one, ri j 
 needed no Mediator: But God and man, by tin, fell i.t 
 variance, and now need a Mediator. The vei v nc lion ft a 
 Mediator doth fuppofe, that nun, by !in, arc it odds with 
 Ciod, and that G'd.by grace, i- willing to be one withm.-it). 
 However though a Mediator is not a Mcdi.itor of vr.i:, 
 yet Gad is one \ that is, though there be two crvrnnn*^, 
 and two mediators, yet God is one and the fame 
 covcnnnis ; he carries on one and the fame pur; 
 intctuir.n, both in the law, and in the goCptl ; n. 
 benevolence and good-will towards, and an hcart^\ ..e.iie 
 and reconciliation with mankind. 
 
 2 1 Is the law then againfl the proniifes of God ? 
 Godfo'bid: For if ihcie hadbceii a 1 'whirh 
 
 could have given life, vci ily ii,i;lite Ihould 
 
 have been by the law. 2a. But thc' rciiptiiie hath 
 concluded all under fin, that tfie proinileby faith 
 of Jclus Chnft mi jht be yivcn 10 them that believe. 
 .Another objetftion is here made by the apolUc: The 
 Jj'.vs miy.ht poilibly fny, " 'I hat the law given by Mofcw-, 
 was a^ainil tlie pronjil'e of Gcd made hi Abrali;-nt." 1 he 
 apollle anfwers, No ; iliat the law is not conirary, but fi.b- 
 fervieiit to the ptomif ■ : For the 1 iW was r '' : i-. i' ' n 
 mount Sin.ii, toatford lite and julVifcaiion b;. 
 it (feeing it coidd not by a f. lh.n c.xaturc be c. . , . ■ 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 O A L A T I A'N S, 
 
 7^1 
 
 kept) but to convince of fin, snd to cc.iicnnfor fin ; and 
 that men, delpairirg of falv.niion in and of therofelvps, 
 might betake themfelves to Chnft for it: For God in the 
 fcnprure.hatli C6rjc!ua'eA,thai is, declared ail men to be under 
 lit), and under the curfedue to fin ; thatrenouncing allcon- 
 fidence in tbernlelves, they fliouki, Ly faith, haverecourfe 
 to the only Mediator for righteoulnefs and life, for jullifi- 
 caiion and falvation. Latrrt hence, That God, in the 
 publication ofthelaw by Mofes on mount Sinai, had none 
 but merciful and evangelical intentions. 2. That the pub- 
 lication of the hw by Mofes, was not againft thepromife 
 9t Cod made to Abraham, but they had both the fame 
 mercilul defign and gracious intention. To explain the 
 matter by a finiiliiude or illuftration, thus : *' Suppofe a 
 prince fliould proclaim a pardon to M traitors, if they 
 would come in and plead it, and after this, lliould fend 
 forth an officer to attack and arraign them, to threaten anil 
 condemn them : Is the prince contrary to himfelf? Hath 
 he repented of his mercy ? No, fure ! but he is unwilling 
 to kfe the glory of his mercy, and mofl: defirTius to have 
 the honour of it acknowledged ; and therefore he brings 
 thefe criminals into extrtniities, that when their guilt is 
 made evident, they may acknowledge the juftice of the law 
 that would condemn them, and the great mercy of the 
 prince in offering a pardon to them.'" The cafe is alike 
 between God and us ; lirftro Abraham, and in him to us: 
 God made a promife of mercy and bleffednef?, even to all 
 that would plesd an intcrefl: in it, for remiffion of fins, and 
 acceptance with God: Bat the world grew fccute; and 
 though fin was in them, and death reigned over them, 
 they regarded not their miferable condition ; being with- 
 out alaw to evidencefin and death unto theircoiifciences, 
 they faw no ncccdity of pleading the promife of pardon'. 
 Hereupon God publiflies by Mofss, a fevere ami terrible 
 law, a law which filled the air with thiindcr,and the mount 
 with fire, infomiich, that Mofes, the Mediator, did exceed- 
 ingly fear and qu.:kc ; in all this, God did but purfue his 
 firll pnrpofe of iiiercy, and take a courfe to make his gof- 
 pel accounted wortliy of all acceptation, that men being 
 by this law rouzed Irom their fecurity, .-tnd made icnfible 
 of the curfe and maitiiic^iun they lie under, n;ight run 
 from Sinai unto Sion, from l^lofes to Chrill, and by faith 
 plead that pardon and remiUion which in Chrifl was pro- 
 mifcd, when God told Abraham, that in his feed fliould all 
 the faniili|& of the earth be blefled. 
 
 23 But before faith came, wc were kept under the 
 law. fliut up unto thcfaith which fhould afterwards 
 be revealed. 24. Wherefore the law was ourfchool- 
 rnafler/o/'n??^ us unto Chrifl, that we might bejuf- 
 tified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we 
 are no longer under a fchoolmafter. 
 
 Before faith came, that is. before Chrifl came, and the 
 doftrine of faith wa- preached, lue were in bondage under 
 the law ; the cereTno\jial law was a very great bondage ; 
 their frequent going up tojerufaleni at tlieir feflival, was 
 burdenfonie ; their cerenionies »ere many, inconvenient 
 and chargeable ; their laws for uncleaimefs and purifica- 
 tion!, rend' red ihrin unconvrrrible.at j11 times, with other 
 people, and foineiiiies unc^nverfabh; one with another ; 
 
 yet was the l.iwvery ufefulto the Jews tli.it fo they niighr 
 be prepared by it to receive the doctrine of ChriO, andfal. 
 vation by faith in him. Hence it is that he c;)Ileth the 
 ]aw thtirfcho'ilmafiertij bring thens unit Ckri/t ; tht ichac\]. 
 mafter exercifes authority over minors only, not over 
 jrrown perfons ; he teaclicsonly rudiments and firft prin- 
 ciples for beginners, not fuch things as require m-iture 
 judgment and perfect age. Such was ihc bw in cninpar'.- 
 jon of the gofpel, and Mofes with refpoch toClirift. Mo- 
 fes and the law is a rigid and fevere fchoolinafter, wIio,b7 
 vhips and threats, requires a hard leffon of tiieir fcholars, 
 whether able to learn it or not : Hut Chrifl and the gofpel 
 is a mild and gentle teacher, who, by fwcet promiii?s and 
 good rewards, invite their fcholars to their duty, and 
 guide and help them to do whatof themfelves they cannor 
 do*; by which means, they love both their mnfterand their 
 leffon, and rejoice when it is neareft to them, to direft 
 them in their ftudies. As the law is our fchoolmafter to 
 bring us to ChrifV, fo Chrifl is our great prophet that leads 
 us to God. Note, farther, That though the law r.'as a 
 good fchoolmafter to the Jews in their infancy and minor. 
 ity ; yet it has no authority over Chriftians now grown 
 up to maturitv. The golpel-church, that is, both believ- 
 ing Jews and Gentiles, being like a (on come to age, be- 
 lieving in Chrift already come, are no longer to be treat- 
 ed as children under the difcipline of the law as a fchool- 
 mafter ; for ihey are now under the evangelical, not Mo- 
 faical difpen.'aticn of the covenrnt of grace, /ffter thc.t 
 Jaithis come ; that is, Chrift, the objeft of faith manifeft- 
 ed,and the gofpel, the doctrine of faith, revealed, we are 
 no longer under a fchoolmafter. 
 
 24 For ye are the children of God by faith in 
 Chrifl Jefus. 
 
 Oh/erve here, i. A glorious gofpel privilege difcovered, 
 namely, adoption; Te are the children of God. Tlic church 
 of God, under the New Teftament, is in a fpecial ftate of 
 fonfliip and adoption, to whom, the privileges and immu- 
 nities of fons end ht-irs grown up to maturitv do belong, 
 2. The nniverfality of this priuilege. Ye are rJlchildreri ./" 
 G'jd; that is, a'!, botli Jews and Gentiles, all, both Wcr.k 
 anpftro'iig believers; fuhftantial relations do not recipire 
 tnajus et minw ; he that is a father in reality, cannot be 
 more a fatlier to one child than to another; the youngone 
 in the cradle may call the parent father, ss well as he that 
 is grown to man's eft.nte : Te are all the children ofCd. 
 2- The inftrumeiital caufe of this bleffed privilege, Faiik 
 in Chr'iji Jefus ; Ciirift invefts every believer, weakns 
 well a? ftrong, in the glojious privileges of adoption ; 
 faith inChrift to come, <iid ioiitle believers under the Oid 
 Teftament, to the dignity of fons and dnughters; and 
 faith in Chrift now already come, dcih add fome peculiar 
 dignity of fonfhip to believers under the New Teftanient : 
 They with us, and we with them, are all the children of 
 God, through faith in Chrift Jt fus ; Chrift of a Son be-- 
 came a fervant, that we of flaves might become fons. 
 
 27 For as many of you as have been baptized 
 into Chrift, have put on Chrift. 
 
 What the apoftlehad afferted in ibe forgoing verfe, he 
 5 D proves 
 
76* 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 IV 
 
 provfs in this ; namrfy , that cU bttirjers are fh children 
 cfCoii, through fail h in Chrijf Jffut, becaufe iliey arebap- 
 ti/.fil into Ciirirt and Ii.tc put on Clirill ; that is, thry are 
 ailniii ltd into the cliriltijii church by bjptifm, ihey pr.i- 
 iVfs Clirill'sholy rclij^ioii ; ■nd it tiicy live as they profels, 
 ihy fi.'il on Chri(f; thjt i', they are made partakers of his 
 S^):rir, and do tnpy fcnh the excellenties of his life. To 
 put on ChriJ't, is not as to put on a fuit of clothes fitted to 
 iKe body, l)iit as nietal call into a mould, receiving the 
 lijjjnre fro;n it. trappy they, \»-ho are not only facranient- 
 :illy, but reallv and fpiriiually baptized intoChrift; incor- 
 porated into liiiu, and made one body with him by faith ; 
 who do not only bear his name, but wear his image. 
 
 28 There is neuher Jew nor Greek. thcr« is 
 neither bond nor free, there is neitlicr male nor fe- 
 i>jalc : for yc are all one iu Chrift Jefus. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " Now fince the cotning of 
 Chrill, there isno diftl-rcnce or difcrimination between one 
 ration and another, no regard to any national privilege, 
 eithcrof jew or Geniilc, no diflinclion of cenditions, cither 
 bond or free ; or of frxes, either male or female ; but 
 circumcifcd or untircunicifcd, wc are all one as good as 
 another, in refpefl of outward privileges, or external ad- 
 vantages ; but beinji fincere believers, we are all equally 
 accepted of God in Chrift." Ltam hence, That no exter- 
 nal privilege or prerogative wbaievsr, without fairh in 
 Chrift, is any whit available to falvation ; none aredebar- 
 red from Chrift, nor more nor better accepted with him 
 for any of thefe thing? : Both the circumcifcd and uncir- 
 cumcifeJ are his, if believng in Chrift. 
 
 29 And if ye^f Chrift's, then are ye Abraham's 
 feed, and heirs according to the promife. 
 
 That is, " If ye be Chrift's fervantsand fubjec1s,then 
 are ye the true feed of faithful Abraham, and heirs of the 
 bleding, according to the promife mads to him and his 
 feed." This our apoftle ailerts in oppolition to the falfe 
 apoftlef, who maintained, that there could be none truly 
 reputed Abraham's feed, except they were circumcifed, 
 and fubjecled themfelves to the law of Mofes, " Yes, fays 
 the apoftlii, if ye be Chrift's and by baptifm ingrafted into 
 him, you arc the true children of Abraham, though ve be 
 not circumcifed ; yea, you are heirs apparent of the hea- 
 venly inheritancegiven unto Abraham by promife." Learn 
 hence, That all ilncerc and fcrious Chriftianf are Abra- 
 ham's fpiriiual feed, children of his faith, though not of 
 his fled); and being the children of his faith, arc heirs 
 logethtr with him of the fame promifes. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 NOW I fay that the heir, as long £s he is a 
 child, difFercth nothing fiora a fervant, though 
 he be Lord of nil ; 2 But.is vindertutors, and gover- 
 nors, until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even 
 f(j we, when we were children, were in bondage 
 under the elements of the world ; 
 
 The apoftle, in thefe wordc, compares the church of 
 . Coil; under the Old Tcftament, to an infant or child in 
 
 i:$ minority and nonage; partly, with refpecl :o 
 weaknefs in underftanditig, and want of the mcii.s of 
 knowledge, comparatively to what we enjoy ; and parlv, 
 with refpe£l to the difcipline they were under fromil.eii 
 rigid fthoolmafter, the ceremonial law. "Now, fa;, ithe 
 apoftle. as a child, though he be heir to, and owner ci .all 
 his father's inheritance in hope, yet fo long as he .'; u 
 minor, and under age, he dilfereth nothing from a ft; /j.,: 
 in point of fubjedlion, but is under the management of 
 tutors and direftort :'' In l-ke manner the church, wliea 
 in its infant ftate, under the Old Teftament, was kc[)t ui 
 bondage and fubjedion under the rigid adminiftration, aiicJ 
 rigorous exadtion of the law, and tied to almoft a nuinl.rr- 
 lefsnumherof ceremonial obfervances, by which itpleafcd 
 Almighty God to inftrucl the former ages of his church 
 Learn hence, That the Jewifh church, in its infant ftate, 
 was obliged to learn and' pratftile the elements of a religion 
 chiefly confifting in vifiblc and bodily performances of the 
 ceremonial lasv, which were but rudiments, in refpcft to 
 that heavenly doctrine concerning fpiritual life which the 
 gnfpel now reveals, and clearly makes known unto us. 
 
 4 But when the fulnefs of the time was come, 
 God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made 
 under the law, 5 ll To redeem them that were under 
 the law, that we might receive the adoption of fons. 
 
 That is, " When the fulnefs of time was come, which 
 God the Father had appointed for the finilhing oi the legal 
 difpenfation, and for the abolilhing the ceremonial rites, 
 God fent forth from himfelf the Son of himfelf, his only 
 begotten Son, made, that is, born of a woman, made 
 under and obedient to the law, fubjedling himfelfboth to 
 its precepts and its cnrfe, to redeem them who were under 
 the law, and difcharge them from the curfe of the male- 
 dic'tion of it ; that we believers, we the members of the 
 Chriftian church, might receive the^doption of fons, with- 
 out any ohfervancc of circimicifion, or other ceremonial 
 rites." Obferve here, i . That Chrift was God's Son, his 
 own Son, the Son of himfelf, as the original calls him, 
 Rom. viii. 3. his Son, not barely on account ofhismira- 
 raculouf conception, or in regard of his fanttificaticn and 
 milTion, or in regard of his rei'urrection aivd exaltation, 
 or in regard of that endeared afFcftion which the Father 
 bare unto him, but in regard of his efi'ence;!nd nature, as 
 begotten by him ; his Son, by eternal and ineffable gene- 
 ration ; being for nature co-e(rential,fordignity co equal, 
 and for duration co eternal with the Father. 2. '1 hat 
 Chrift, God's own fon, was fent forth by God the Father : 
 CBi fent forth his Son. This fending of the Sondoth(i.) 
 pre-fuppofe his pre-exiftence before hi^ incarnation ; for 
 if be had not had a being, he could not have been fent : It 
 fuppofes alfo his perfonality, and that he was. a peribn ; not 
 an operation or manifeftation only, for that could not be 
 fent; and that hewas a perfon really diftinct from the 
 Father; for how elfe could one iVnd the other ? fi.) Gyd'« 
 fending of Chrift doth imply his ord.iining, conftituiir>g, 
 and appointing Chrift froiii all eternity to conic into tnc 
 world ; alfo, his fitting and qualifying of him for his 
 inearnation, and his authorizing and comniillionaiing of 
 Chrift to take our nature upon liim, and in that nature to 
 do and fuffer for ur, as our p.ntcra, and as our furcty. 
 
 Ohferve, 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 G A t A T I A N S. 
 
 •^3 
 
 fihferve, t,. That Chrlft, God's own Son, fent forth by 
 God the Father, was made ofa woman, did reslly afTume 
 and take upon him our flcfli, and was niade manitell in 
 our nature : It was not an indigefted, unfliapen nials, or 
 Jumpoffleni, that Chrift afTunied, but that llelh was 
 organized and foi med intoaperfed hody, having the fame 
 part5, members, lineaments and proportions whidi ours 
 have; St. Paul calls it. Colof. i. 22. the body of hisflefn ; 
 a body, to fliew the organilitig of it: and a body ot flelh, 
 to Ihe'.v the reality of it. 4. fhat tl.s feafoii in whicii 
 Chrift was fent forth, was not in the beginning of time, 
 nor at the end of time, but in the fulnel's of time. He 
 came not in the beginning of time, to e.xcite his people's 
 affections and longing detires for his coming, and to teach 
 th«tTi to prize him the more when co-.i\e. Heltaid nottill 
 the end of time, left the faith of hischurcfaand people 
 ihould have failed ; the patriarchs believed in Chriil to 
 coine, the apoftles believed in Chrift then prefenc among 
 them, and we believe in Chrift as come, and gone again to 
 heaven. Thus, in ill differences of time part, prefenc, and 
 to come, faith had, has, and will have its fuiiablc work, 
 anil proper ciiiploymenr. 5. That the greic end of God 
 in fending Chrift unto us, and the gracious delign of Chrift 
 in his underciking for Ub, was our reden)ption from the 
 bondige and curfe of the-law, and our adoption into the 
 number of God's children. 
 
 6 And becaufe ye arc fons, God hath fent forth 
 the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, 
 Father. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " That you are now, under 
 the gofpel, become and made the fons of God, appeareth 
 by this, that God hath fent the Spirit of his natural Sun 
 into your hearts, to authorize and enable you to call upon 
 him, not only as your God, but as-your Father: The 
 gofpel •.ifTuring you, that you are no longer in that fervils 
 condition you were in whilft under the lavv ; but G^jd will 
 Jeal wiihyou now upon gofpel terms, andjuft.fy you by 
 faith, without the deeds of the law : Now God hath fent 
 forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts." -Obferve 
 here, I. The title given to the holy Spirit ; it is called /Pt' 
 Spirit of Gad's Son ,«• that is, the Spirit of Ch.-ift, becaul'e 
 it IS the fame Spirit which abode upon iiiin that reftetii 
 upon us, and becaufe the Spirit purthafed and prtj^urcd 
 for us- by the blood of the Son. Thofe rivers of Ihiing 
 luflttr, by which the effulionof the Spirit is expreil'ed, do 
 flow out of Chrirt's pierced fide; Chrift purchafed tbe 
 Spirit for u«, before he fent him from heaven 10 us. 2. 
 The a(fl refpefting his perfon. Cod huthftnt ftrto. Thh 
 imports not any chanrre of dace, as if he were mortdiftant 
 from the Father when he was thus fent, than he was 
 before ; but it denotes hiscommillion for fome fpecial work' 
 ill and upon the creature. 3, The ohjeds which fiave the 
 benefits of this aft; Q/d huthfenl the Spirit of his Sot into 
 ^SMr Afar// ; that is, into the heartsofbelievers ; li^^nifyiug 
 ih;it (he work here intendeil is an inward work, and a 
 faving work, Eztk. xxxvi. 27- 1 -Jjill put my Spiiit in 
 them- not into the brain, to dwell thereby common 
 unlnniflified gifts, but into the heart, where all the habits 
 tif gr.^ceare planted, and from whence all the ifluesoflife 
 groceed. 4, TlieotScev/hich the holy Spirit performs in 
 
 the believer's heart : Firfl, it cries ; Secondly, it cries, 
 Jbba, Fathgr .- The fpirit cries, by enabling us through 
 his gracious influences and adlftances to cry or pray unto 
 God; and it c\]e%, Father, Father : The repetition made, 
 and the wiud redoubled, denotes the ftrength and vchc- 
 mency of the dtliie, and fpeaks a pafhonate and extra- 
 ordinary conceruiiient of foul, for obtaining the nicrty 
 delired, and the blcflings prayed for. Learn hence, i. 
 That there arc three I'acred pcrfons in the bltfTed Gud- 
 .liead, the Father, Son, and holy Spirit ; all are held fui ill 
 to us in this (mgle verfe, yea, in this fingle claufe of iIis 
 \-eric, G7d hath/entfurth the Spirit rf his Son. 2. Thit 
 the Spirit is not a qiialiiy or operation, but a perfon tli >t 
 has a real being and fubftance; elle the phrafe of bein;' 
 fent could not 6e properly applyed to him. 3. That tlio 
 Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and the Eon; 
 for he is the Spirit of the Son, and is fent by ihe Father : 
 There is an order among the divine perfons, though no 
 priority of being. 4. That the fpirit of adoption is a fpiric 
 of fupplication ; and this fpirit of fupplication is the great 
 privilege and ad v.Tntage (if believers under the gofpel ; for 
 it teaches us what to pray for, and the manner how we 
 are to pray ; it joineth with our prayers his own efteclual 
 interceiii'jus ; it gives us a right and privilege to come unto 
 God as unto a F*ther, and gives us alfo confidence and 
 afTurance, as fons, :o be accepted with him. 5. That the 
 great privilege of adoption is both difcovered and improv- 
 ed by the help of the Spirit of Chrift: Our privilege of 
 fonfhip under the gofpel excels by far theirs under the 
 law: I. In point of nianifeilaiioi) and cjearnefs ; 2. As 
 fulnels and amplitude of enjoyment. 
 
 7 Wherefore thou art no more a fervant, but a 
 fon : and if a fon, then an heir of God thiou^^h 
 Chrift. 
 
 A'c.v here, i. That the i'jvrit of the lirft covenant was 
 a iervile fpirit, a fpint of fejr and bondage, and they th.it 
 were under thatcovenant, were rather fervants th:jn fons ; 
 not but that true believers, in and under the Old Tcfb- 
 ment, were the fons and danghiers of tlienicll high God, 
 and w«tind them challenging theirprivilege. Ila. I\i:i. i6. 
 D-juhthfs thou art nur Fath'r : But yet it was in fo defec- 
 tive a dtgree, that they feenied more like to fervants than 
 to fons, diid were trained up in luitable difcipline : Hencr, 
 fays the apoftle here, ihouwl ks more a ferwint ; imply- 
 ing, they weie mice fo. 2; Th kt ihe Spirit of the new 
 covenant is a free and ingenious Ipirit, ;ai J the pi fpcl flats 
 a more filial lhi:e than the legal Itare V.a'; : Tiy.u art r.ovj 
 no more e fervant, but a for, : ami if foru, then are you kcii. s 
 of Cod, and have- a right to the inheritance of heaven whoa 
 you die, and to the bli lied privileges, and roy;.! imnumitics 
 contained in that great charter a mi covenant of grace whilft 
 you live : If a Sun, then an heir-dj Cod, throui^h CiriJI , 
 
 8 Ho'.vbeit, then v/hen ye knc.v not God, yc drd^ 
 fervice unto them which by nature are nagods. 9- 
 But now after \.\i7X ye have kno'A n God, or rather 
 are kiiowrn of God, how turn ye again to the weat 
 and beggarly-elements, whcrcunto ye dcfire again, 
 to be in .bondage ? 
 
 Our apoftle havitig proved fufT.cic nt!y the be liev'nj 
 5.D X. Chraiiin.*... 
 
70^4 
 
 G A L A T 1 A JSi S. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 Chrirtun% fieedcm from the yoke of the ceremonial I^w ; 
 next enileavour! to convince the Galatians howabfurdpnd 
 tmreafonable it was for them voluntarily to put theinfelves 
 undtTiheobligitioi: and obedience of it, and to look upon 
 it as necfir.iry to their juftification and (alvation: Now in 
 the verfcs before us he telh them, that when they were 
 Gentiles they were the worft ot fhves, ferving them that 
 were no gods at all ; whereas the Jews fer\'ed ihe true God, 
 though in a fervile manner f Thcfe Galatians being 
 Heaihens befors converfmn, ftrved falfe gods, and fo 
 were in a bondage much worfe than that of the Jews. 
 The apofllc therefore jultly blames them, that they being 
 naturally Gentiles, and never under the ceremonial law, 
 fljoold now defirc and choofe to enter into that bondage ; 
 vhich wa< apparently to go backward in religion, or to re- 
 turn to thofe principles which they had already overcafl. 
 Thence '.turn. That it is poHi!>le for a profelling pecpleto 
 advance very far in the way of Chrirtianity, and yet wake 
 a foul retreat afterwards in a courfe cf defection and a- 
 pollacy ; ytftdr ye kiive knoiun dd, that i: acknowledged 
 the lic'ing and true God, and been ackrfiiuledgecl hy hifn, 
 lij'jj turn ye ajJtn tuhf-wcak and beggarly elements? Here 
 note. How contemptnoufly, or at leall difelleemiiig!y,our 
 apoQle fpeaks of the legal rite^ of the ceremonial law : 
 He calls them elements or ruJiinents, becaufe they were 
 God's fir(linilruclion<: given lohis church for his worlhip, 
 to which he intended aftervvards a more perfed way of 
 ■worlhip : Next he calls them weak elements, becaufe the 
 law made nothing perfed, and the obfcrvance of it was 
 injpoten: anJ unavailable to a Tinners juftification btfore 
 Go<l : And laftly , he calls them bepgat ly elements, in com- 
 parifoii of that more rational and fpiritual way of worfliip 
 under the gul'pel. Whence we niay learn. That holy 
 ^ea! will tc^ch a fain: to fpeak with a fort of contempt of 
 any thing that encroaches upon the honour due to Chrifl, 
 or any of his offices. True, the Levitical ceremonies 
 were appointed by God h'.n)felf, as a part of divine woi"- 
 fnipltaJingroChritl:, andasfuch tobereligiouflyobferved ; 
 but when the faiie aportles did urge the oblervation of 
 iSem under the gofpel, as a part of ntccflary commanded 
 worlliip, and as a 'part of the Galatians righteoulnefs be- 
 fore God, St Paul is bold then to give them the name of 
 "lutak end ueg^rly dements. 
 
 io Ve obferve days and months, and times, and 
 years. 1 1 1 am afraid of you, kft I have beflovved 
 upon you labour in vain. 
 
 St. Paul here gives inftances to the Galatians, wherein 
 it did app ar, that they brought themfelves under an un- 
 neieiTary bondage to the rites of the cereuioaistl law ; he 
 tdls thetn jilainly, that they kept the ceremonial fabbaths, 
 feallb and faft>., as if that law was obligatory, and ftill bind 
 ing : "7.' oh/ir vf diiy.' , zhiUs, the Jewiih labbathdays, and 
 n:w moons ; and oun^hs, as the feaft of the firft montli, 
 atui of the feventii month ; and times, that is, the times of 
 ihcir fokmn feftivals for going up to Jerufalem, as the 
 fa/pitr, Ptntec'.fi, auii feaji of labernaiL'S ; and years as 
 the fahbatical years, and years of jubilee. This, fays the 
 apnftle, m.'>kes me afraid of you,ihail have preachetl the 
 gofpej. and the dottrines of free juft>ficaiionby faith^in vain 
 
 •o you; becaufe you leave the doiSrlne I taught yon, and 
 put your confidence in obferving thofe Icjjal ceremonial 
 rites." Learn hence, i. That the work of the miniftry is 
 a laborious work ; I have bi'/Ioiutd upii you labour, fays Sr. 
 Paul. A miniiler's life is not a life of cafe, but of imtch 
 toil and pains, a I diouring unto faintnef.> and wearinefsas 
 the word here ufed doth import and fignify. i. That 
 the inofllaboriousniir.iftcrs and lively preachers m^y fome- 
 times fee fo little fruit of their Ubours and endeavour.":, 
 that they may have juft caufe to fear that few are favingly 
 converted by their minillry : St. f ani here was afraid,/.-// 
 he had luh'iured in vain among the Galati in< . 3. That in 
 order to the fuccefs of our miinllry , we mufl not content 
 ourlVlves with a reproof of fm in general, but muftdefcend 
 to particulars, and give inllancesof tliofe feveral and dif- 
 tinCt fins which our people are guih.y of, and ought to fall 
 under our reproof for. Thus the apoftle here gives par. 
 ticular inliances of the fins forni-riy reproved, in their 
 obferving days, and months , and tim's, and years. Gene« 
 rals we fay, do not affetl ; but particulir reproofs are 
 more piercinir, ami more convincing: When we fay to 
 the linnt-r, as Nathan to David, 7/Ji« art the man; this, 
 if any thing, will Ilick clofe to the coiifcience. 
 
 1 2 Brethren, I befeech you, be as I cm ; for I 
 am as ye are : yc have not injured ine at all. 
 
 Obje've here, The hcdy wil".l(>m of onr aportle, in tern, 
 pering his former reproofs with great niildnefs ar,d gentle- 
 nefs ; I hifeech yon, brethren. He well knew that thele 
 Galatians were alienated in their afiVcV'on'; from him ; and 
 fearing left from his prefent feverity and iharpn-jG towards 
 them, they (hnuld apprehend that he was alienated frorn 
 them alfo, he thus lovinglv befpeaks them, 'T pray yon 
 be aftcdtcd towards me as I ftand affcftcd towards you : 
 Count me not your enemy, becaufe 1 tell you the truth ; 
 for I am the fame to you that ever 1 was ; my love is not 
 alienated fiom yon. for any w rung or injury done to me 
 by you : For, alas ! it is yourfclves, and not mc, thai you 
 injure, by bringing yourfclves into this bondage 10 the 
 ceremonial law° to the lofs of your Chriftian liberty ; Be 
 as 1 am; f^r lam as ye are ; ye have nit injured me at all.'* , 
 Learn from St. Paul's example, That though the niini- 
 fters of Chrift mav, and fomeiimes mull, ufe feverity and 
 (l)arpnefs in rebukes and reproofs which t'ley give for 
 fill, yet muft they temper feverity with gsntleriefs ; and 
 infinuations of kindnefs and afFftTion muft be mingled with 
 rebukn's; as hxiking not fo much at what their fin de- 
 ferveth, as wh.it is moft convenient for bringing them to 
 repen'ai.cc: Brethren, I befeech yott, be as J tim. 2. That 
 w hen tiie mm ilcrs of God, from a true zeal for the glory 
 of God, do rebuke fin, and reprove finners, the people are 
 apt to apprehend that our 7.eal flows from a private fj irii- 
 of revenge, as if we had fome pariicubrdifplearurea;rain(l 
 their perlons, for fome perfonal injury done unto onrfelves^ 
 all which grouidtefs fuTp-cions it is our duty to labour to 
 wipe off : So doth our apoftlc here: Te have not inj:irt.J 
 me at all, fays he. 
 
 1 3 Ye knov/ how through infirmity of the flefh L 
 preached th.c gc^fpel unto you at the fiiR. 14 And- 
 
 my 
 
Chap. it. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 7^5 
 
 my temptation wijich iva;i in my flefh ye defpifed 
 not, nor lejciSicd ; but received me as angel of God, 
 even as Clirifl Jefus. 15 Where is then the blef- 
 fedncfs ye fpake of? for I bear you record that if it 
 had been polfible,ye would have plucked out your 
 own eyes, and have given them to me. 
 
 A'^t.ff here, 1. A fuigular iiilbnce "vhicb St. Paul gives 
 of his lincere aljCiflion towards ihefe GaLuirins,A<f preached 
 the gofpt I t't item at _/trf?, ami this both with difficulty and 
 danger, though the injirniity of the fiejh ; that is, through 
 much bodily weaknels jnd iniperfedion. The ancients 
 f.iy St. Paul was a little man, and had (bine deformity or 
 crookednefs of body, ai)d imperfedlion in his utterance, 
 which rendered both hi-; perfon and his Ipeech contemp- 
 tible. TheCe bodily injiriiiiiies he calls a trmftaihn ; in- 
 timating, th-it the ufHictions of the body are gre. t temp- 
 tations to ihe foul. And btliles thfie bodily iiitirmities, 
 lie encouiitered alio with perlVciiTions in preaching the 
 golpel to them ; which were evidences and convincing 
 ilemonitrations of his fei vent Irtve and afFictionaie regard 
 t.>wards them : Te knyjj ho-a through Infirmity of thf flijh, 
 l:c. A'o/c, 2. The reciprocal returns of love and affection 
 which the Galatians mule to St. Paul, at his full coming 
 among them to preach the g'^fpel ; tliey received him as 
 an angel of God. or as a nieffenger from God ft-nt unto 
 them, yea, as JefusChnft, as if Chrifl himiel-f had fetn 
 there in perron,and preached tothem: Nay, fo v.arni were 
 their afFtft.ons then to St Paul at his tiril coming among 
 them, that they did not only pull open their purfef, but, 
 had it been poliible for iliem, or profi.abie to him, they 
 could even have plucked out their very eyesi'orhim. But 
 el>/ervi,h was at his firlt cominji; among them, and preach- 
 ing to them. Whence wc may note, l hat the firll years 
 of a niinillev's preaching to, and amonglt a people, are 
 ufaally moft fucccUful : 1 hen ■•lur people's affictions are 
 Avarc:Kft, anii perh.ipsour own too; Our people then hear 
 lis without prejudice againfl us, wiih great delireand de- 
 light; afterwards their affectionscool either through their 
 Own inconflancy, or our inadvertency, or by the in.jliceof 
 Sa'an.or by themifchievousdefignsand mifreprefentations 
 of fbiHe of hisiiiftrumcnls. i\oie farther, 1 hat the love 
 ifid rcverenc« which people owe to their rjinilleri,(hou!d 
 not be verbal anu in pri t<-ffion only, but real and in (in- 
 cerity ; they ought to part with vi hat is dear to thctn, to 
 promote the work of God in their houfes. . There was a 
 Ii^^ewhen thife GalatianscouUi have given all they hadio 
 the apoftle, money out of their purfe, bread from. their 
 table, yea, bbod out of thtir veins, and she very tyesoiit 
 of their heiid : I bear yru recort),shcit yAi ivjuUevm hc.-jc 
 flucktd out your o-vi ey;s, and have givi^i them to me. 
 Lfiirrt, ladly. I'hat it is an high commendation to a people, 
 when neiiiier poverty nur deformity, nor any defic.enty, 
 which may render a ininifter of the world, can i:>»)nibly di- 
 ininiih any thing oi that rtfptcT: which they ktiowtobedue 
 and payable unto him. Notwithllaiidir g the G.daiians 
 knew the infirmity and tin-i'tJlicn of the apollle, yet thty 
 ' scnVid him (at firfl) as an angclof G'jd. 
 
 16 Am Ithereforc become your eneiny, becaulc 
 
 I tell you the truth. 
 
 J As if the apoflle had faiJ. " How comes your aflVcricjfcE, 
 which were fo warm at firft, to be fo cold now > Whence 
 is it that I, who was formerly fo precious in your elieeiii, 
 am now looked upon as an enemy, and only becaufe t de- 
 clare the truth of God untoyou? Ciuanv reafun begiven 
 on my part, for this fudden change ct ificdicn on your 
 part i I trov/ not, uulefs you count my candourand inge- 
 nuity in telling the truth a crime: Ant / became your enemy 
 becaufe 1 tell you the truth?" Learn hence That notwith- 
 flanding the faithful ininillcrs of Chrill, in reprovinrr (jn, 
 and vindicating the truths of God, are fometimes counted 
 and treated as enemies, yet will they perfiil, and finally 
 perfevere in [heirduiy.,whaiever the event may be; t!-:ough 
 the world account them their ciien:y, yet they will tell 
 them the truth. 
 
 1 7 Tliey 7ealoufly affcft you, lid not well : yea» 
 they would exclude you, that ye mijjht affccl them- 
 
 Thf; , ih:it is,thef3ire apoftles, pretend gre:tlove loyoti, 
 and zealous afTcclion for you ; hut ko/ tuf/ZjUot upon hontft 
 and ju(l grounds. There isoften an ill cnufe, which is to 
 be condemned and avoided ; zeal is a mixed afFict;on of 
 love and anger wotking intoa fervency of mind.indefend- 
 ing what we believe to be true atid good, and in oppofing 
 v.hit we judge to be f.i He and bad: liny zeahtijjy affe^ yor, 
 but not -ijcll. Nothing is iKore common, and conl'cquenily 
 more dangerous, than for heretical teachers to pretendgrea: 
 zeal for the gloiy cf G'od, and great love .ind .itltcl.on to 
 the people of God, whilft tiicyai-c ; bout inperfu^de them 
 to embrace their pernicious errors and damiiitble herefies. 
 He adds, Tea, they vj':vJd exclud-f yju, i hut you wii>ht affecl 
 them .• Exclude you, that is, froni the lihertyaiid privileges 
 of the gofpel fay lonie ; fromdepeniling upon me, orr.iy 
 faithful pallor, fay others; iluy wiuld ingratiate themfelves 
 that they may engrol's you, and you may afletfl them only. 
 The ()ld practice has ever been amongll Icducers, (iift to 
 alienate the peoples minds from ibcir own te.icherS and 
 next gpt ihemffclves looked upon as .-done, and only wor- _ 
 thy to have rocni ii^the ^»)pie's hearts and alFcc'tions ; 
 They -jici/ld exclude yen- i'vom us,and us from you, only that 
 you might uffefl them. 
 
 18 But it h good to be zealoufly a fr<6lcd always 
 in a good thing, a/id- not only when I am prefent 
 with you. 
 
 A'cff here. That ahhf<'J<ib I'.ir re i-> a zeal \\s a bad cau'e, 
 which is to be coiidenuisd ai'-davoid:'d, yet there is a zeal 
 in a juft and righteous cauff, which is folaudableand wor- 
 thy to be praciifed ; when if is a zeal guided by religion, 
 governed by prudence, attend, d with per(i("'cr.iiice; when 
 in a good thing we sreatreJed,ren!eultv HflVtied.aiid zc.1l- 
 oufly afficted alwayf. 1 his the apoitle deities tiiat the 
 Galatiius fl«)uld be, and that as wi il when hi wasabfcnt 
 from them, :s when he was prefent with them. 
 
 IQ My little children of whotn I travailin binh 
 a::airi until Chrift be formed in you. 
 
^66 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap iv. 
 
 ^ /Vij/(f here, I. The endearing title which the apoflle gives 
 to the jpoft.icizing Galatians ; he calls them chlldren/ittlt 
 chiliiren, his liltU chiUren, mv little children. Ch/eri'e.He 
 calhthemrAi/i'fe'n.becjufeconvertLd to ChrilVuiiity by ihe 
 prt-aching of the gufptl ; and being thus regenerate and 
 born again, they Acre to be as children, innocent and in- 
 oflonlive. Fie calls them Utile children, to denote the ten- 
 ilrrnefi of their growth in Chriftianiiy, the fmallnefs of 
 iheir proficiency in religion ; they were not come to ihst 
 conliflency in grace, to that iiiaturiiy in goodnefs, to that 
 perfciflion in knowledge, which he did delire. Farther, he 
 calU them hij Utile chldren, to denote that fpiritiialrelition 
 vhicb was between them, behaving been the undoubted 
 inftf'jment &f their converfion, and lb was their fpiritual 
 father; and alio to denote that endearednefs of alFiic'tion 
 which he bare imto them, and that tender care and concern 
 which he had for them. Note, 2. The holy vehemency 
 of the anoftle's delire, how earneflly he longed afier them 
 in the bowels of Jefus Chrift. He compares himlcU' to a 
 mother in travail, until he fav/ Chri(l formed in their 
 hearts and lives. I travail in birth, till Chri/i be' firmed in 
 you. Learn hence, i. That there is no ftronger love nor 
 more endeared afFeclion between any relations upon earth, 
 than between inch minifters of Chrifl and tlieir beloved 
 people, as they have been happily indmmental to convert 
 and bring home to Chrirt, 2. I'hat there is nothingin 
 this world which the faithful minifters of Chriftdo fopaf- 
 fionately defire and affectionately long after, as to fee Jefus 
 Chrilt formed aod f.ifhioned in the hearts and lives ni 
 their brloved people: My Httl: children, of whom Itravail. 
 
 20 I dciireto prefent with you now, and to 
 change my voice : for I ftand in doubt of you. 
 
 Our apoille, as a farther teftimony of his endearcdaf- 
 fedion toA'.irdb the G.datians,dcclaresherc hisearneftde- 
 (ire to ha»e l>ten with them, and fee them f>ce to face, that 
 Ibbcitig more fully scqiaintcd with their cafe, he might know 
 liow to iju't his djfiourfes to them, and might have mere 
 f.aufe of rejoicing with, than complaining of them. Learn 
 jience, 1, 'i'harthout^h a miniftemiay fometimes necefla- 
 # rily witl^dra.v hir;if€]f from his flock, ye he ought always 
 10 have a ferven; delire to be prefent with them, without 
 n«g'ec"ling any opportunity, when occallon offereth of re- 
 turning to ihem : I difire to be prefent -jtith you. 2. Thiit 
 it is a minifter's duty to get, as much as may be, the exaft 
 Auowlfdgeof his people's inclinations and difpofitions, of 
 their ftaie and condition, that he may know how to make 
 A fit application .to ill of them, admonidiing and re- 
 proving fome, threatening and correcling others. Thus 
 the apoftle here wiflied to be prefent with them, that he 
 might chuntie hit v. ice; that is, know the better how to 
 fpeak mod fuitably and feafonably to their condition, 
 
 2 1 Tell me, ye that defire to be under the law, 
 do ye not hear the law ? 22 f For it is written, 
 fhat Abraham had two fons ; the one by a bond- 
 maid, the other by a free-woman. 23 But he who 
 . was of the bond-woman, was Lorn after the llcfli ; 
 bi^ hj of the free- woman wai by promife. 
 
 Our apoftle here prtKceds to the end of the chap'er, in 
 /hewing the Galatians that it was the defign of God, at the 
 coming of Chrill, to abolilh the legU difponfaiion, and free 
 men from the fervitude and bondagj of tiiat law. And 
 firtt, he argues with them from liie nature of the law ihejr 
 were fo willing, yea, lb defirous to be under, ver. zt. Te 
 that dtjire to bi und'.r the la\u, do ye not tear the Lnv * 
 That IS, "Ve chat delire to be juftiiied by your legal per- 
 formance*. by obferving circiiiiicifion, S:c. do you not 
 hear and take notice hiiw the verj- law iil'elf doth fen- 
 tence, curio, and condemn you ? And da you tioi find in 
 the Old reilitnenc, the ftory of Sarah and Hagar.of Uh- 
 mael and IfaaC i Are you ignorant that Abraham had two 
 foni, Ilhmael by Hagar the bond-woman, and Ifaacby Sa- 
 rah the free-woman? Ifaiuael the bund-woiuan's Ibn was 
 b )rii afcer the fielh ; that is, by the ordinary (Irength of 
 nature in generation ; Hagar being ) oung, and Abraham, 
 being ftrong. But Ifaac was the fonof ihepromife ; God 
 gave him, by virtue of his promile made to Abraham when 
 his body was dead, unfit forgeneration, and Sarah paft 
 conception alfo." Now from this hiftory of Abraham's 
 family, conlidered in itCelf (without the my ftery prefigured 
 by it) we /f<^r«, I. That the beft of men are imperfect 
 njenr the holy patriarchs lived in the fin of polygamy, or 
 taking more wiv*-» than one, contrary to the firftinllicution 
 of marriaiie, eithernotknowing. or notconfidering it was 
 a fin. Alfraham hud t'MiTuives. 2. That the truth and 
 veracity of God, engages him to fulfil and )iiake good all 
 his promifes, though all ordinary means and fecondary 
 caiiies fail, and become impotent and unable to bting about 
 the thing promifed. Thus here, a promifebeingmadcto 
 Abraham, that Sarah (hould have a child, (he coiiceiveth 
 and beareth Ifaac, not accordingto the courl'e of nature, 
 but through virtue of the promiie : he 'jf the frte-vj'jnian 
 WMS by promije. 
 
 24 Which things are an allegory. For thefe are 
 the two covenants; the one from the mountSinai, 
 which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For 
 this Agar is mount Sinai in .'Vrabia, andanfwereth to 
 Jerulalem which now is, and is in bondage with her 
 children. 26 But Jerulalem which h aboveis free, 
 which is the mother of us all. 
 
 Here the apoftle makes an allegorical and fpiritual appli. 
 cation of the foregoinghiftory of i^arah inJ Hagar^of Ifaac 
 and Khmael ; and the myftery he ttlls us is this, " The 
 two mothers, Sarah and Hagar, arc types of the tsvocove- 
 nanis, the one of works, the other of grace; the two fons, 
 Ilaac and Klimatl, area type of two forts of men livingin 
 the church, the one proceeding from the firft, the othwr 
 from the frcond covenant ; the one regenerate the other 
 iinregcnerate men. All regenerate men ate under the co- 
 venaijt of grace, and free men; for every mat.'s frccd>in.' 
 depends upon the covenant under which he ftands. Ifli- 
 niael is the Ton of the boiid-woman, and points at the Je- 
 rulalem which then was, and the people cf liie Jew.«, as- 
 they the:) ftotjd aifcL'teiljreeking jnfti.'icatianai.dcxpeclipr; 
 eternal falvation by the work^of the law; but now behold 
 j».lfaac,3fon of the free woman; an embleiu of thegofpc} 
 * church 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 767 
 
 church, which dares not depeiid tipon the Tighteoiifners 
 of the law for j unification, but rehes upon themeritorious 
 righteoiifnefi of the Mediator ; and this points out Jeru- 
 falem above.-w/zVA is free, and the mother ofut all. iitarn 
 hence, Th^t all unreffcnerate incn, who continue in a 
 ftate of nacwe , are under the firft covenant, or covenant 
 oF works. Ifiimacl is a type of all iinregcnerate men. 
 Mankind is bonnd to Cod by a double bond : Firll, by a. 
 bond of creation ; Secondly, by a bond of ftimulation: 
 The one is natural, and the other is a voluntary obliga- 
 tion; by the former we are bound to God, by the latter 
 he is hound to us. The covenant was made with man in his 
 iVate of innocency, was ferdus dm'ic'ix'ix, a covenant of 
 friendfliip ; the covenant anade with us fince the fall, is 
 fceJus mifcricordi-tyS covenant of reconciliation; the former 
 made with the firft Adam, and the latter with Chrift the 
 fecond Adam. The firft covenant was made not barely 
 with the perfon, but with the nature of Adam, with the 
 whole race of mankind ; for God dealt with Adam, not 
 as a fingie perfon, but as fo/>«/^fK/ij,astlierootandrepre- 
 fcntative of mankind; and confequjntlv, this covenant was 
 not aboliflied by the fall, but Hands flill in force : not to 
 give life,becaure it is become weak through our/leflr, we 
 are become weaktothat, not that weak to us; but it com- 
 mands duty as it did before, namely.perfect, perfonafjand 
 perpetual obedience; and in cafe of failure, denounces the 
 curie. Lord! awaken every natural and unregenerate man, 
 who bearing only Adam's image, is alfo under Adam's 
 covenant ; he is a bond-man now, as was Ifiimael of old, 
 in bondage to fin, in bondage to Satan, in bondage to the 
 law, in bondage to his own fears, in bond.ngeto rhe world. 
 O, reft not; till by grace you are delivered from this bond- 
 age, by being irai)flated into the kingdom of God's dear 
 Son, and heartily I'ubniiticd to the terms and condiunnsof 
 the fecond covenant, which propoundeih repentance, and 
 promifeth paidoii and acceptance upon repentance ! 
 
 27 For it i« v.'rittcn, Rejoice, Ikou barren, that 
 beareft not; break forth and cry, thou that travaileft 
 not: for the deioitite hath many more children than 
 Ihc which hath an hufhand. 
 
 Our apoftle here proceeds, and ftill goes on in his former 
 allegory; the church of the Gentiles he compares to Sarah, 
 who was a long time barren, but ai laft brought forth a 
 child of tlie proniile, a feed in which all the families of the 
 earth were bieiTcd The church of the Jews isrcprefented 
 under the notion of a woman that had an hufband and 
 many children ;b!it the barren Gentiles are, by a fpirit of 
 prophecy, called i;pon to rejoice, and (liout for joy:becauie 
 there ihould be more children brought fi>r;h to God a- 
 mongft them, than were amongft the Jev;s. Here, and 
 hence d'ffrve, Ttiat it is not the church's lot to he zjwiys 
 alike fruitful in bringing forth children unto God ; /lie 
 hath her barren times, in which the labours of the minifters 
 are attended with little fucceA, and few ,ir? converted and 
 brought home to God : In the firit beginnings of the 
 Chriiiian Church, though Chriflhinifclf was ihe preacher, 
 /he was one that harcth ni/t, ardiravaileth not. Leartj, 2. 
 Xh*t upon the enlargement of Chrift's kingdom, and the 
 
 weakening of Satan's intercft in thcwoil(<, when foulsare 
 gathered in, and brought home to Cliri/l,by the powerof 
 converting grace, all (he churches of Chrift ought to rejoice 
 and break forth into finging, as being inatter of cxceedinij 
 joy and great exultation : Kfjsice, thou barren, 8zc, 
 
 28 Now we, brethren, a» Ifaac was, are the chil- 
 dren of promife. 29 But as then he that wa s borrt 
 after the flefli perfccuted him thai uvi bom after the 
 fpirit, even fo it is now. 
 
 In the former of thefe two verfesjtheapcftle applies the 
 foregoing allegory, or typical hiftory of Saraband Hagar, 
 thus ; •• As, fays he Jl'aac, by virtue of the promife, being 
 born of the free-woman, was heir to all his father's eftate;' 
 in like manner, they who feek falvation not by the law, 
 but by faith in Chrift, are the free children of God, and 
 heirs of the promife of life eternal ; ffe brethre»,as Jfaac 
 ■was, arc th^ children of promife." In the latter of ihefe 
 two verfes, which gives tis an account of the perfecuiing 
 enmity that was in the heart and tongue of inim.icl againft 
 Ifaac, we have feveral things ohfa-uuble : A?, 1. The root 
 and rife of JIhmael's perfecuting malice difcovercd, and 
 from whence it proceeded, and that was an inward an- 
 tipathy to the work of grace in Ifaac. 1 hofe great dif- 
 ferences in divine heraldry, of being born after the flefli, 
 and after the Spirit, evidently difcover where the quarrel 
 hy, and whence it arofe ; it was the fpirtualnefs of Ifaac 
 that exafperated Iflmiael's rage ; Ifaacwas born after the 
 Spirit, and doubtlefs he fhewed fome fruits of the Spirit, 
 which I/hmael could not relilh, and therefore did deride 
 and mock him. 1. What was the kind of perfecuticn 
 which Ifaac underwent. It was the perlecution of the 
 tongue, in deriilons and cruel mockings ; Mofes tells us, 
 in the hook of Genefis, the m-mner how, and the weapon 
 with which: I/lim.iel did not lift uphishand againftlfaac, 
 as Cain did againft Abel, but hi? tongue only; yet St. 
 Paul calls it here perlrcution. Mockingand fcoffingeiiher 
 at the word, ways, or people of God, is a lin ofunfpeakabie 
 profanenefs, a blafphemingof Chrift, and a perfecutionof 
 his men)bers. He that w.n h-jrn after the fiefh, ptrfecutett 
 him that luas born aflir the Spirit. 3 . That the perfecutioi^^ 
 of the tongi:e, at leaft, is iliat which the children antW^ 
 church of God have met with in all former, and muft 
 expect to meet with in future ages; as it was then, favs 
 the apoftle, evenfo it h >io-jj; afflidions are the donatives 
 of the gofpel, and perfecution is the church's pairiiDonv ; 
 To us it is given on the bthalf of Chrif}, not only to believe 
 0I him, but to fuffc-r, PhW. i. 29. Laftly, From Iflimael's 
 bfing brother to Ifaac, and yet his bitter perfccutor, ihac 
 the forcft trials and fiiarpeft perlecutions, v^hich thefaims 
 endure, are very often from theirneareft relations \vhoare 
 tied to them by ihe ftrongcft obligations, either ol kin»!red 
 cr acquaintance. Biticreft things are fometimes endured 
 from the hands of tliofe from whom better things might 
 jijftly have been expc (fled ; Chrift foreicid all i his, 7/^ 
 brother fhbll betray the bnther to death, and thtfather tLf 
 for. Ciin is dead, but the fpirit of Cain yet lives ; ihcy 
 that fc(lF, would bire, and m;:ke their teeth meet, had 
 they power to ui'e their cbetk-bone: Hethat is btrn rjter 
 
 the 
 
-^0% 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 the Befli will perfecutc tliofe of his own flefli and family 
 That nre born aficr the Spirit ; as it vias then, we may go 
 
 • vD to fay, tvcnj'o it is now. 
 
 30 Ncvcilhele(i, what faith tlu: fcripturc ? Caft 
 
 • out the bond-womnn andlicr fon : for the fon of 
 llic bond-woman fhallnot be heir with the fon of 
 the free- woman. 
 
 The .Tpoftle goes on in explaining and applying this 
 • ypic?! hiftoiy ()flflim;iel and Haac, and tellsns. that ihe 
 tatting out of Ifliniael the fon of Hapar the bonil-wcman, 
 did typify thcexcluHon of the law,froma partnerdiip wiih 
 the gofpel in the jullification of a iinner before God : As 
 Jfliniael was caft out of Abraham's family, and none but 
 Ifaacraiift inherit ; fo that ihey depend upon the law for 
 juUification, fliall be caft out of the church ofGod, anri 
 never ai tain the heavenly inheritance: But they who depend 
 upon the promife of God, and expeift to be ii)ftitie>l by 
 taiih, without legal performances, they only ftiall be heiis 
 ^f grace and mercy. The dcdrinc of juftificationby the 
 works of the law, when it is not only doctrinally main- 
 tained, burpra<ftically purfuednnd walked in, doth exclude 
 pcrAms from jiaving any part or (hare in the kingdom of 
 heaven. So much was typified and prefigured by the fon 
 of the bond-woman's being caft oui, and not allowed to he 
 heir •milhthefon of the free-Wiman. 
 
 31 So then, brethren, wc are not children of the 
 "bond- woman but of the free. 
 
 Here the apoftle draws a condudon from the foregoing 
 tlifco'.irfe, thus, " As Sarah caft out Hagar and Iflimael, 
 , fonuift thechildren of the new Jerufalein caftoutthe law 
 iind all the legal rites, henceforth to be obferved no more 
 cither alone without Cltrift, or in conjunftion with Chrift. 
 And as the church of the Gentiles was nottypified in Ila- 
 gar,but in Sarah, fo we Chriftian Gentiles are notobliged 
 to'Judaical obfervances, but freed entirely by Chrift from 
 them, and juftitied by gnfpel grace without them." The 
 lonclurion and fum of all this is, to bring ofltlie Galatians 
 from feeking juftilkation by the works of the laAv, and to 
 
 prthend theml'elves no longerin bondage tocircutncilion 
 ^idthe Mofaic rites,but to ftnnd faftin 1 he liberty where- 
 with Chrift had made them free, which introduces that 
 excellent difcourlc to this purpofe, contained in the next 
 chapter. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 STAND fafl ihejjcfore in the Hbcrty wherewith 
 Chrift hath made us free, and be not entanuled 
 again with the yoke of bondage. 
 
 As if he had faid, "Since Chrift, by his death, has pur- 
 chafed ourfreedi m from the yoke and bondage of the ce- 
 rrr.pnial law, let ui rcfolntcly ftnnd f;tft in this our Chrif- 
 tian liberty, without fiibjrftng ourfelves again tocircum- 
 tiilon and the obfervaticn i>f the Mofaic rites. "Here n:/i», 
 X. The fervile condition of the Jewifli church, thty were 
 Knder b'^nduf^e, under a. yoke 'jf b-jiidage. This fervitude of 
 theirs confilled in the vaft nutnber of their religious rites 
 
 an 1 obfervances, as to days and weeks, months and year;; 
 in the multitude of their facrificcs of all forts, which ihey 
 were obliged every dpy toofi'er; in their frequcntpiirifica- 
 tinns and wafliings ; in the ftriit diftindlion they were o- 
 bliged to make betwixt clean and unclean meats • in the 
 numerous rites and ceremonies they were required to ob- 
 fervc at their marriages and burials, at bed and board, 
 't\ home and abroad, nay-, even in ploughing, fowing,and 
 reaping: So numerous were thefe obfervances, that they 
 took up half their time, and as burdenfome at they were 
 numerous. Well might the apoftle here call it a ytke of 
 hondiige, and elfev.here, viz. Afts xv. 10. A yoke 'u/hich 
 neither they ntr their fithert wereable ti hear. 2. The hap. 
 py liberty and freedom from this intolerable yoke, pur- 
 chafed by Chrift, for the Chriftian church, (TZ/r//? has mide 
 us free : He, by his obedience and death, has jnirchafed 
 this happy freedom for us, a fixeddm from rertmcnial 
 bondage,from finful fervitude and ftavery; not from civil 
 fubjeciion, not from the yoke of new obedience, but from 
 the obliging force of the ceremonial law, and the curfe and 
 irritating power of the moral law. 3. The Chriftian- duty 
 with reference to thi'privile ge, n^tmely, to (land fafttn the 
 liberty which Chrift has purchsled for ihcm, without u- 
 bliging thcmfelves to oblervc any part of the cerenionin! 
 law, which was now a fervility perfedK uiiprofi:able,and 
 nothing elfe \ftand fajl in it : that is, maintain and defend 
 it both in judgment and praflicc. 
 
 2 Behold, I Paul fay unto you, that if ye be cir- 
 cumcifed Chrift fhall profit you nothing. 
 
 Th.it is, 'Behold, I Paul, your apoftle, do pofirively 
 declare, and exprefsly tell you the Galatians, andalloiher 
 Chriftians converted by me to Chriftianity, that if ye be 
 circumrifeii, that is, join circumcifion with the golpel as a 
 tiling neceffary to juftificationand falvaiion,Chrift's under- 
 taking will prof t ye nothing, for, embracing cimruniciflon 
 after Chrift't coming, is virtually to deny and dilbwnthat 
 he is come, and in tftcft to renounce and difclaim him ; 
 becaufe at his coming the promife was fulfilled, and cir- 
 cumcifion of its own nature ceafed." I.carn hence. That 
 for perfons religiouOy to obferve r.nv of the. rites of the 
 ceremonial law, in obedience to any divine precept, or to 
 join any thing with Chrift, and faith in him. for the jnf. 
 lilication of a luiner before God, is a plain denial of Chrift 
 and a difdaining of his ability and fufiiciency to jiiftify and 
 fave us. 
 
 3 5 For I teftify again to every man that is cir- 
 cumcifed, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 
 
 He that urges the nccelTity of circumcifion, is a /ifhtor 
 to the la'jj, in a double rcfpeft, namely, in regard of duty, 
 and in regard of penalty: Firft.He// a debtor in regard of 
 duty ; becaufe he that thinks himfclf bound 10 keep one 
 part of the ceremonial law, circumcifion, doih thereby o- 
 blige himfelf to keep the whole ceremonial law, yea, and 
 the whole moral law too, without deficiency, and that 
 under the penalty of condemnation. Again, fecoiidly.As 
 he is a delitor in point of duty, fohe muftneedtbe a debtor 
 in regard of penally, bcMuI'e he is notable to keep any 
 
 part 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 ■7% 
 
 part of it pefeftly Hence we may infer, (i.) how 
 endearing ourobligationsare toChrill,who a<i our Surety 
 paid both thefe debts for us, namely, our debt of dntv, 
 and our debt of penalty t«> the law of God ; by fulfilling 
 all rit^hteoufnefs, he p.iid our debt of duty, and by fuffer- 
 ing the punKhmeiit due to tranfgrefT.iri, lie paid our debt 
 of penalty. We may alfo (2.) infer, that as he that is 
 circumcifed, is bound to keep the whole law ; fo, he that 
 is baptized, is obliged to obey all the commands of the 
 gofpel, to make confcience of the duties of both tables, as 
 an ..rEjuraenc of his fincerity, and as ornament to his 
 profeflion. 
 
 4 Chvift is become of no efiFeft unto you, who- 
 foevcr of you are juftified by the law; ye are fallen 
 from grace. 
 
 Here another argument is ufed, toflicw that believers 
 are dead to the ceremonial law, and are by no means to 
 expedjuftification by it : IVhifoever of you, lays the apoftle, 
 is jujtified by the la-M, th^it is, whoever feeks and endea- 
 vours to be fo juftified (for; in reality, none can in that 
 manner be juftified) Chriji is become of no effe€t unto fuch 
 perfons ; that i$, they renounce Chrift, and difdain benefit 
 by his death : And they are fallen from grace; that is, 
 fallen from Chriftianity, and the covenant of grace ; they 
 have forfeited the grace of the golpel, by cleaving to the 
 ceremonial law ; they are fallen from the doctrine of grace 
 delivered in the gofpel, and Chrift is become of no effeift 
 unto them. Learn from hence, That fuch perfons as do 
 believe that faith in Chrift alone is not lufficient rojuftifi- 
 cation and acceptance with God, without the obfervation 
 of the abrogated law, do in effeft own their relation to 
 Chrift, and difclaim all benefit by his death. 
 
 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of 
 righteoufnefs by faith. 
 
 That is, " We Chriftians, we believers, through the 
 Spirit which we have received, and not by legal obferv- 
 ance?, do hope both for fncli a rigliteoufnefs as will de- 
 nominate and conftitute usrighteoiis in the fight of God, 
 and alfo for the crown of righteoufnefs in heaven, which 
 now we wait and hope for here on earth." Note i. That 
 a believer doesnot value- himfelf by what he has in hishand, 
 but by what he has in hope ; his riches are not fo Biuch 
 in prefent poflcflion, as in future expection : We lua'tt 
 for the hope; that is, for heaven, the good hoped for. 2. 
 That none have either right to heaven, or can vvarrantably 
 expert the enjoyment of heavt-n. v ho are deftifute of 
 righteoufnefs ; ht-aven is here called the hrpe rf rs^hieotif- 
 mfs, that is, the rational hope and expeclatinn of rghie- 
 ous perfons only. 3. That it is a rijihtf.ouinelV made ours 
 bv faith, even the rif hteoufnefs of the Mediator, which 
 gives us the beft title to, and the firrneft ground to hope 
 and wait for, the kingdom of heaven and eternal -life. 4. 
 That it is the fpccial work of the holy Spirit to produce 
 in us the graces of the Spirit, both foiih and hope ; faiih 
 to enable us to apprehend, and ho|)e to enable us lo wait 
 for the crown of righteou(nef>, even eternal glory. 
 
 6 For in Jefus Chrifl, neither circumcifion availcth 
 
 any thing, nor uncircumcifion, but faith which 
 woiketh by love. 
 
 In ChriJ} Jefus, that is, in theoeconomy of Chrift Jefus, 
 under the gofpel difpenfations, inour ftate of Chriftianity, 
 finceChrift'smanifeftaiicnin the flelh, neither circumcifi'm 
 nor uncircumcifion availeth any thing with God, as to our 
 acceptalnce with him, or reward from him : Jiutthe qn.ili- 
 fication no-.v necelTary tofalvation under the gofpel, isfaitk 
 working by love ; that is, fuch an efFedual belief of future 
 happinefs purchafed for us, and promifed to us by Chrift, 
 as caufes us to love and ferve him, to truft in, and depend 
 upon him for the fame. Learn^ i. That although circum- 
 cifion, and the reft of the Levitical cerensonies were once 
 enjoined by God, and pracflifed by the Jews as an accept- 
 able fervice, and the neglect or contempt of them wa? a 
 mortal fin ; yet fince Chrift's coming in the flefh, who 
 was the fubftance of all thcfe fliadows, the command 
 whereby they were enjoined did ceafe, and neither cirium- 
 cifion nor uncircumcifion availeth anything to falvation. 2. 
 That although the ceremonial law be aboliflied, yet a be- 
 liever under the gofpel has work to do, a work of faith, 
 and labour of love ; for though faith alone juftifieth us 
 before God, yet it is not alone in the heart when it doth 
 juftify, but is always accompanied with the grace of love 
 to God and our neighbour : For in Chriji Jefui, no faith 
 availeth any thing, but that 'Mhich rvorketh by love. 
 
 7 Ye did run well, who did hinder you that we 
 fhould not obey the truth ? " 
 
 Ye did run -well; that is, in the race of Chriftianity ; 
 yon fet out well at firft, and received the gofpel in the 
 plainnefs and fimplicity of it, without any mixture of 
 Jewifh ceremonies: What hindered you ? Whoftoptyou? 
 Who drove you back from your belief of, and obedience 
 of the truth of the golpel, which yon then received from 
 me? Here n'ite, i. With what holy wifdom our apoftle 
 mixed commendations with his reproofs : At the fame 
 time that he reproves them for their prefent backfliding, • 
 he commends them for their former forwardnefs : Ye did 
 run -U.W/. 2. That ordinarily a Chriftian's firft ways af^^ 
 hisbeft ways, hisfirft fruits are his faireft fruits: Jehofbaph^^ 
 ■walked in the fir fi -jjciys cf David his father, 1. Chron. 
 xvii, 3. Commonly young converts are carried out v.ith 
 a greater meaftire of afFeftion and zeal, and make afuifier 
 progrcfs in religion, than others do, at firft, or they them- 
 leives do afterwards, when they are of older ftanding. 
 Tliete Galatiaiis did run, yea, did run very veil, at firii, 
 in the race of Chriftianity. 3. That when a perfon's cr ■ 
 a people's pi ogrefs in Chriftianity is not anfsverableto their 
 hopeful beginning, it is matter of regret and grief to all 
 beholders, as well as matter of reproach andfl),ime lo the 
 perfons. themfelves : Te did run ivt II, who dsj hirJrr \(,u ? 
 Intimating, th.nt this their defeclinn and apcftjcy sva- no 
 I'jfs matter of ,Tltoniiliment to St Paul, than it was of re- 
 buke and i-e;5roach to them. 
 
 8 This perfuafion mndh not of him that calleth 
 you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 
 
 A if the apoftle had faid, "This Jud^izW'g op'nion 
 
 and praclice of yours, this psrfualiou of the ncctilitv of 
 
 jl £ yuuis 
 
G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 yourbein;r circiinicilVtl, and obeying the law of Mofes, 
 tliii new diiftrine rocoiitrary coilie fpirit of ihe gofpel, am! 
 the jlefigii of ChriUianity, wasnever taught you e<:hcr by 
 God or rnyfelf, or any other faithful itiinilkr of Jefns 
 ChrifV, M ho firll converted you to the faith ; but it is a mere 
 iltKiiion of Satan, and his eniilTiries the fall'e .ipoliles : 
 And do not thinic this a fniall tnatter ; let not circunicilion 
 feeni a linle thing to you ; and let not thefe Jndaizing 
 teachers be dilVcg.irded by you as inconfideiable, becaufe 
 they are few in number, for they are Irke to leaven ; and 
 yc hnow ver\' well that a little leavtn travencth the luhole 
 lump ; intimating, that a few falfe teachers, and a little of 
 error and falle doctrine, cfept into the congregation and 
 church of Chrill, may do unfpeakable mifchief,by fpeedily 
 infcdting the whole church, as a /////e /fai;e« (to which 
 error is compared] Uavemth the \uhole lump. 
 
 lO 1 have coufidcncc in you through the Lord 
 that you will be none othcnvife minded : but he 
 that troublcth you (hall bear Adjudgment vvhofo- 
 cvcr he be. 
 
 Ohfervehere, i, The apoftle's holy confidence grounded 
 upon charity, that thresh the Lord, that is, through the 
 Lord's allifting his endeavours, and through the Lord's 
 blefliog upon their ferions confideration of what he had 
 written to them, they would be reclaimed from their errors 
 and brought to be of the fame mind with hmifelf. Where 
 rote. How the holy and zealous apoftle was divided betwixt 
 hope and fear concerning thefe men ; he feared the worft 
 of thefe Galatians, and yet hopes the beft ; 1 have can- 
 fdence in you through the Lord. It is a fault in the minillers 
 of the golpel, when they defpair of men too foon, when 
 they ceal'e or fiacken their endeavcJnrs for their people's 
 good, looking upon them as rel'olutely bent upon, and 
 judicially given upuntoall evil. Though ourapoftle here 
 had a confidence not of faith, or full perfuafion, yet he 
 had a confidence of charity, which canfed him to hope that 
 they would belike minded with hiinfelf : / have confidence 
 in you through the Lord, that you will be mo other-wife minded. 
 ^2. With what a holy caution, as well as ChriHian pru- 
 rdence and charity, our apoftle applies himfelf unto them ; 
 declaring, that though he hoped they might be reclaimed 
 from their error, yei leaft they iTiould conclude theirerror 
 not to be very dangerous, he Ihews them his juft indig- 
 nation againfl us, by denouncing dcferved punifliments 
 ao-ainfl thofe that fednced them into it : He that trouhleth 
 yiUyJhall hear his oianjudgnvnt, his condemnation due to 
 him in hell, without repentance, which is fuppofed in all 
 thrcatnings. For the condition of conditional threaten, 
 ings, though it is not always exprelTed, yet it is to be 
 tjnderftood. 3. The univerfality of the threatening ; lit 
 J.'uill hear his oxon judgment, \iihofcever he be ; let him be 
 who he will, or what he will; who he will for abilities and 
 parts, what he will for power or reputation ; whoever he 
 li, or whatfoever he be, he (hall bear his judgment. Such 
 ji the exact juftice of God, and fuch his impartiahty in the 
 exercife of it, that he will (iifTer no impenitent tranrgrelTor 
 to efcspe his indignation, whoever he is, without refpect 
 of pel fons : He thul trouhleth you, &c. 
 
 J 1 .'\nd I, brethren, if I yet preach in circumci- 
 
 fion, why do I yet fufFer perfecution ? then is the 
 otFence of the crofs ceafcd. 
 
 Our apoftle, in thefe words, fignifies to us, that fome 
 of the Jiidai/.ing teachers had fuggefted to the Galatians, 
 as if lie himfelf had preached elfewhe ic the doiflrine of 
 circimicilion, and alfo prat^ifcd the duty of circumcifion 
 (by circumcifing Timothy^ which hereheoppofes. " True, 
 he did circuiiicife Timothy, but it was only to avoid of- 
 fending the weak Jews, not out of any opinion which he 
 had touching the necellity of circumcifion : Therefore, 
 to difcover to them the falfiiood of that fuggeftion, he 
 declares, that if he would have preached circumcifion, he 
 might have cfcaped perfecution ; the Jews were his perle- 
 cutors, looking upon him as an apoltate from their holy 
 religion, for preaching up the abi>lilhment of the Mofaic 
 law. Where obferve, That the Jews, who looked upon 
 thenifelves to be the people, yea, the peculiar and only 
 people of God, and accounted all others contemptible and 
 profane, wereyet far greater perfecutors of Cbriltand his 
 apolHes, than the blind and barbarous heathen; and all 
 this out of zeal for God and his law : li'hy do 1 yet fuffer 
 perfecution? implying, that the jews did perfecute him, 
 and that his not preaching circumcifion was the caufe why 
 they did fo. He add^. Then is the offence of the trofs ceafed. 
 By //'f cro/jr, may be underflocd, either, (i.) The doc- 
 trine of the crofs, thediiftrine of the gofpel ; and then the 
 fenfe is, the Jews would not have taken fuch offence at 
 my preaching the do<flrine of thegofpel as they do, were 
 it not becaufe by it, circumcifion, and the whole frame of 
 the old legal adminiftration are laid afide : Or elfe, (2.) 
 By the crop, may be underlfooil the affliclions and luffer- 
 ings which he underwent for the fake of Chrift ai^d his 
 holy religion ; and the fenfe then is this : Verily, all my 
 fiiflfering^ had long fince been at an end, would I but have 
 yielded the Jews this point, thai Chrifliuns are obliged tu 
 circumrifion .and to yield obedience to thel.iiv of Mofes ; \^ould 
 I grant them this, my fufferings would foon be at an end ; 
 but my dally perfecuiions are evident demo^iftrations that 
 I do not prrach up circumcifion ; for had I fo done, the 
 otlVnce of the crols had long lince ceafcd. Learn hence, 
 That the faithful minifters of Jefus Chriil will not, dare 
 not, conceal any part of the neceflary truth, when the 
 eminent hazard of the people's falvation .calls for the 
 preaching of It, though the imbittered enemies of religion 
 (hi.uld raife againfl them the fierceft perfccutions for the 
 fame : If I yet preach circumcifion, &c. 
 
 12 I would they were even cut off which trou- 
 ble you. 
 
 The apoftle's meaning is, " That it were very fit, were 
 it feafonable, that thofe which had thus feduced them, 
 fliould be excommunicated and cut off from the church's 
 communion." Where note, \. How implicitly and iiiter- 
 pretively St. Paul comparer thefe ieduccrs to rotten mem- 
 bers, which are and ought to be cut off, lefl the gangrene 
 overfpread the whole body ; / would thty were cut off; 
 implying, that like rotten members they deferved it, and 
 the church's fafety called for it, would her then circum- 
 ftances ad.mit of it. 2. Tha: in the very c.xprelfion here 
 
 iifed 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 GALA T I A N S. 
 
 771 
 
 ufed by Sr. Piulof rutti- ■ *' " -■ f^e-T^'- to be an allii- 
 fioTi t) the nr.f^ir-; of ;' • uh'uh U a cutiing o!f 
 
 •rhe forelkin of the H ih, - ; :nrowing it away. Now, 
 iays the apoftle, I wifli (hn thtfe Judaizing teachers, that 
 urge you to be circumciretl, that is, to cut oft"and cail 
 away the fore-flvin of your fl fli, I wilh thai they might be 
 cut offas' fupti fiiious flfdi, aud c:ft out of the fellow Ihip 
 and coinmuuion of the church. Yet, 3. The apoiUe doth 
 rather declare what fuel) feducers delVrve, than aftu.dly in- 
 flict the ccniure iifelf ; he fatiifitth hiinfclf with an afTec- 
 tionate wifli, \cll the number of the feduced being great, 
 and perhaps the feducers not a few, they fliould be hardened 
 rather than reformed, and the ordinance itlclf expoled : 
 1 vjoulJ thty were even cut off, &c. 
 
 13 1 For brethren, ye have been called unto li- 
 berty : only itfe not liberty for an occafion to the 
 flcfli, but by love fervc one another. 
 
 Our apoflle having finidied the former part of the chap- 
 ter, which contains an exhortation Xo fiand faj} in that li- 
 h:rty which Chrijf had purchafed for them: he now enters 
 upon the fecondpart of ir, namely, to cnition them .Tgainll 
 abufing of their ChriHian liberty, and by no means toap- 
 prehend or fupiJofeas if they were thereby freed from ail 
 obligation to ferve God or man, in the duties particularly 
 required of them. ^^ Brethren, fays he, ^'w ure celled loito 
 lihcny ; that is to the enjoyment of evangelicalliberty, 
 which confills in a freedom from the obligation of the ce- 
 remonial law, and the curfeof the moral law : Ufe it then 
 fo as not to abufe it ; ufe it neither to fin nor fcandal ; not 
 to lin, to allow yourfclves the leaff liberty in indulging any 
 carnal lufb, or iinful .nff'etftion, nor yet to fcandalize the 
 weak, who at pre(cHtrcrnple iheforfaking of circumcifion, 
 and the reft of the ceremonial rites : Ufe net your Hherty 
 far an occaficn to the fltfh, but in l',ve J'trve one anztker." 
 Learn hence, i. That our liberty and freedom, purchafed 
 for us by Chrift, doth not dilTolve any tie or obligation 
 which we lie under, either to God or man ; the yoke of 
 duty is very confillent with our Chriftian liberty. 2. That 
 one of the great occafions of the fins we commit in the 
 courfe of our lives, is the too free ufe of our Chrillian li- 
 berty : The ufing our liberty to the utmoft pitch and exten c 
 of that which we call lawful, is the occafion of our running 
 into that which is certainly (Inful. Religion moft certainly 
 allows us all reafonable liberty in the gratification of our 
 natural appetites and paffions ; but all cxceffes and irnnro- 
 derateliberties arc forbidden by religion. Anil according- 
 ly, one good rivle for fecuring ourfelves from falling into 
 fin, in the ufing our Chriftian liberty, . in this, namely. 
 That in matters of duty, we fliould rather do too much, 
 ihan too little : But in mattersof indiiferency, we fliould 
 rather take too little of our liberty than too much. For 
 inftance, prayer and alinfginng are indifpenfible duties; 
 but how oft we fliould pray, and how much we fhould 
 give, is not politively declareil ; in thiscafe, to pray very 
 iervcnilv, and to give alms very liberally and largely, is 
 our wifdoni and duty ; no damage will come by do-ng too 
 much, but both damage and danger will accrue by doing 
 too little. ^. That It is not I'ufficient, in order to the right 
 Tjfe of cur Chriftian. liberty, that we do not from ihsuce 
 
 t ike nccifi;in to fi:i oiirfelves; but we ougiu to take care, 
 left by anv indilcreet ufe of our own liberty, we give of- 
 fence, and miuiftcr occTfion of lin and ftumhling untoo- 
 thers. This truth is implied iu the fecoad injunct on, 
 Bv love ftrvc oi:e another. 
 
 I.J For ull the law is fulfilled in one •wotd,cvtn 
 in this, Thou Ihalt love thy ncii;hbour as thyfclf. 
 
 Here our apoftle enforces the foregoing exhortation to 
 love and ferve one another , w ith a forcible argument or 
 motive, namely, bccaufe love is the fulfilling of the law; 
 that is, (1.) It is thefulfilling of tha: part of the law which 
 relates to our neighbour; all the moral law refpecling our 
 neighbour is fulfilled in that one word. Thou fhcdt love ihy 
 neighbour asthyfelf. Or, (2.) Love may be laid to be the 
 fulfilling of the law in general ; for true and regular love 
 to cur neighbour fuppofeth our love to Cod,lpringeth from 
 it, and is an evidence of it ; yea, the love of our neighbour 
 is the perfecting and completing of our love to God, 
 I John iv. 12. IfvjeijVi one (w.ther, God tiwtlklh in us, 
 and his love is perfedJed in us. Learn, That as hve is a 
 very comprehenlive duty, comprifing the inward atfcftion 
 as wel' as the outward ac'tion, I'o the «ord neighbour\soi 
 a very txtenfive confiileraiion, and includes all jierfoiis, 
 frienti and foe, rich and poor, near and afar el?; all that 
 partake of humanity mult be iliarers in our charily : Our 
 in-.vard affection and good-will nuift extend to all, though 
 the outward exprclfionsof it can reach but a very few. 
 Thus the law is fulfilled in one word, when we love our 
 neighbour as ourfelves; not as we do (often) love ourfelves, 
 but as we fhcnilu love ourfelves, namely, with a wife and 
 well guided love. 
 
 1 ,5 But if ye bite and devour one another, take 
 heed that ye be not confumedonc of another. 
 
 Theapoftte, to enforce the foregoing exhortation to mu- 
 tual love, urges here the dangerouseffcfl-s which their aili- 
 mofitiesitnd ftrifes,wi:h their coniroverllesand contentions 
 would moft certainly produce : By biting one anothcj", 
 fays he, you will deftroy and confume one another ; wht re 
 it deferves afcrioii": remark, thatSt. Paul compares the eji- 
 niities andanimofiiies which were amongft them, upon thl^ 
 fcore of their di (Fcrences in religion, to the bitings, rend- 
 ings, and devourings of wild bealh. If ye bite and devour 
 one another ; .ind gives them limelv noiice of the fita! iiiif- 
 chiefs and confequeiices that v. ill follow thereupon, namely, 
 a total devaftatiun and inevitable confuMiption of the v, hole 
 church. Take heed that ye he not confumed one of awnher . 
 It is a true faying, Odia r eltgiomim fuut acerhiffima : ihere 
 is no fuch hati ed amongft men as upon the Icore of roVi- 
 gion : As the zeai of the Jews would not fufFer anuncir- 
 cumcifed perfon to live amongft thcni, fo probably theft; 
 zealous Judaizers in Galaiia, vould not rntfcr thofe who 
 had. cart c*F legal obfervances to live quieilv and peaceably. 
 by them; which mi^bt give occafion tothefe words ot the 
 .-.pctile. If ye hite and dtv-^ur one another, tuke heed y he 
 not confumed one r^f anothir. Lec.rn \\tv.(.e , 1. That there 
 ever have been, are, and will bu- difFrences about matters 
 of religion, in thebeft and pureft churchc- s here on e.ufh 
 2, That thefe ditrereu^cs mjy and ijn^hi 10 bs managed 
 5. E- 2 ' wiih. 
 
77* 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 with jjreat temper and charity. 3. Tlut then contentions 
 are higlily uncharitable, and very finful, when men bite and 
 ilevour one another. 4. That fuch uncharitable con'f ntions 
 do prepare and make ready a people for uticrdeftruclion. 
 
 16 TTiis I fay then, W.ilk in the fpirit, and ye 
 fhall not fulfil the lull of the flclh. 
 
 " To prevent the foienieiitioned cviN. as if the apoftie 
 had faid, 1 advife and exliurt ymi to w.ilk in the Spirit, 
 that is, according to the ^uid.mce and direclinn according 
 to the inflaence and motion, of the holy Spirit (prakiog to 
 you in his word, and then you never will fulfil the luitsof 
 the flefli ; that iv, you will never acconiphlh and brinj> in- 
 to complete acl (efpecially with deliberation ardconleni) 
 rlie inordinate motions of corrupt nature." learn hence, 
 That the more Chriftians fet themlVIves to obey the new 
 nature, and follow the motions of the Spirit of gr.ice. the 
 more will the power of indwelling fin and inbrtd corrup- 
 tion be moriifiid and kept under. 1 his expreOion. Ye 
 J}}all not fulfil the lujl of the fli/h, mvf he thought to im- 
 port and imply thefe two things; (ij That an inwaiJ 
 principle of grace in the heart, will give a check to lin in 
 its firll motions, and caufe it oft-rinies to miftarrv in the 
 womb, like ar, untimely birth, before it comes to its full 
 maturity ; it Ihali never gain the full confentofa gracious 
 perfoii's will, as it doth of an unregenerate perfon. [j. j 
 But if, notwithfUnding all the oppofition grace makes to 
 hinder the production or iin, if yet it doth bre^k forth in- 
 to act, fuch adisof fj;i are not committed without reluctan- 
 ty and regret, and are followed with (hame and forrow, 
 yea, thofe very furprijaU and captivities of iin at one time, 
 arc made cautiou> and warnings to prevent it at another 
 tia»e : And thus ihey that -vjalk in the Spirit, do not fulfil 
 the luj} rj ihefirjh. 
 
 17 For the flefli lufteth againfl; the Spirit, and 
 the Spirit againft the flelh : and thefe are contrary 
 the one to the other; lb that ye cannot do the 
 things that ye would. 
 
 Thefe words are brought in as a fpecial reafon, why 
 , Chriftians /lioutd walk in the fpirit, that is, after the mo- 
 tions and guidance of God's holy fpirit: becaufe, other- 
 wife the f^o/h will quickly prevail over them ; for the fltfh 
 iscontinually lulting againft the fpirit, and the fpirit agaii.ft 
 the fle(h ; that is, the evil inclinations of corrupt nature 
 are continually ftruggling with,and driving againft the good 
 motions which the holy fpirit of God ftirreth up in us: 
 And in like nianner, the Spirit, or renewed naiure, op. 
 pofeththe motions of corrupt nature : For thefe two prin- 
 ciples are contrary the one to the other ; fo that we w ho 
 are led by the Spirit, cannot afl (with deliberation and 
 confent) according to the flefli ; norcanthey that areUd 
 by the flelh, do the things which delight the Spirit. Lrarn 
 hence, i. That there isa diverfity ot principle, ina Chrif- 
 fiaH,ile(hand Spirit ; there is a good principle, called Spirit, 
 hec lufe the Spirit of fJoil is the author of it : and a bad 
 principle in u», which is called flr-fli, by which we are in- 
 clined to that which IS evil. This i'called fielii, to denote 
 its uitiinjcy whb t:^ ; it is as oear to us as our n«n), co 
 
 denote its dcarnefs to us ; it is as tlear to as as our own 
 fielh, as dear as a right hand or right eye ; and, to denote 
 its coi tinuance with us, as long ai we carry flelh about us, 
 folong will ihi' principle of corrupt nature remain in us, 
 and continue with us. 2. Th.it the muiiuns and inclina- 
 tions in our nature to (in. do ever lonfl iTl and coii.bac 
 with, oppole and war aLaiiilt. the motiiins of did'- hi>ly 
 Spirit, exci'ing and iiiilming us to do gocd: though 
 contrarietie- cini'.ot be tugeihtr .u the i.i\\\e ful j'ft in an 
 iiitenfe.yei they rnay he 'tigeiher m a remils tlogrvC. 3. 
 I'he coiifequence and ilTue of this combat, -o/e Ciinnol Jt 
 the things thiit vie would, Of Any x\\\n^ as we would; we 
 cannot perform any holy duty ptrfeftly in this life. As 
 foon may an iinperfcdt father brgrt a per! eel chilii. as we 
 in ourilaie of imperfection perform any duty free from fin. 
 O w hat nted, what great, need then, have the bf ft of faints, 
 of iheinedic-tiun and interceiruni of out Lord Jt fu^Chrift, 
 when they prefent any performed <lury unto God ! And 
 what need alfo 10 watch our o'-'.n hearts, when we are 
 opin our knees, to fortify them againft the mcurlions anc! 
 dilturbances of the fl-fli ; ft eing, after all our care and 
 vigilance in duty, we can none of us do the things that 
 we would, nor any thing as we would ! 
 
 18 But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not un- 
 der the law. 
 
 'I hat is, it ye be under the guidance and government of 
 the holy Spirit of God, and that renewing principle of 
 grace which he has produced in you, you are no longer 
 under the law , that i , not under the n'oral 1. w as a co'C- 
 nant of life for our juftificaiion, though under it af an 
 eternal rule of living ; not undt - th^indidive. though 
 under the direftivepower of the 1«wHF SoTliat the force 
 of the apollle'^ar^iument feenis lolie thus: "You are by 
 the Spirit, bv the fpirnoal difptiilation of thegofpel, free 
 from the curfe and terror of the'nioral law ; how unrea- 
 fonable then is it to fuppote, that you fhould be ftill fub- 
 jeft to the ceremonial law. > Xo ; if you be led by the 
 bpirit, neither the moral law /haM condemn you, nor the 
 ceremonial law oblige anil bind you. 
 
 19 9 Now the works of the flelh are manifeft, 
 which are thefe, adultery, fornication, uncleannels, 
 lafcivioufnels, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, va- 
 riance, emulations, wrath, ftnfe, feditions, herefies, 
 2 1 Envyings, murders, drunkennefs, revelings, and 
 fuch like : of the which I tell you before, as I have 
 alio told you in time p.ift, that they which do fuch 
 things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God. 
 
 Dur apjftle hiving in the foregoing verfes, exhorted the 
 G.datiansto w;.lk in the Spirit to btleil and guided by the 
 Spirit, and by no means to obey or fn'fil the luft> of the 
 fl"ni ; lie comes in thefe and the follovxing verfes to 
 difcover how they might with certainty .<iid alTurance, 
 know whether ihev were fpirnu;.'! or larral (•> he h rthe 
 Spirit or the flcfli had a prevalencv in liiein or dtnnio'on 
 over them : Accordingly, lie dekrib'*! par iculatly the flefh 
 and the S^jirir. by t'^eir various and d fT-rent [fft-ot., and 
 gives ui a catalogue of the one and the other ; he reckons 
 
 Uf?, 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 
 np no fewer than feventeen works of the flelh all which, 
 yea, any of which, continueil in, and unrepenteJ of, are 
 Jjinnable ; after this, he cnii nerates nine (pecial and gra- 
 cious fruits of the Spirit, which quilify i»s ;.ir, and mti'.Ie 
 us to the kingdoin of he.iven : Th- "Mir'ts of I'-^e flrpj are 
 man'ifr-fi, Sec. Here note, i. That ("m iscjil-d a -.wtrk ; 
 thereby imiiniting ro Ub the l.ibuir .inJ od, th ' drud;i>i'iy 
 and puiiH, whicli liiiiiers -neet with in a liciful co.irCe : rh<; 
 ■w.iy<; of fin are very toillonie, although in their ifTie very 
 unfruitful; fin is no pleafur.ible fervice, but a labor ous 
 fervitude. 2. The aportle ctlU (i:i by the nime of woiks 
 in the plural number, the -wirks f the flefh ; iniiniatiug, 
 that Im .never j^oes finj^le., but has a d.lngerou^ train and 
 retinue : He that yields hiinfelf a fervant to one fin, Ihall 
 foon Hnd hinjiVli a fl.ive to many. 3. That tin is called a 
 fuitk tfibe fi'fh, becaufe moft (ins are committed by the 
 fl;lh; the body isthel'oiirs inllrument, as wdl in the work 
 of fill, as in the fervice of Chrill ; and the fltlh is the ob- 
 j C\, about which thefe works are coiiwerf.int, as well as 
 the org.in and inllrument liv which thfv arc comnrtied. 
 4. Thefe works of the flcfli are here faid to be manifeft : 
 But ho.v fo? Firft, They are mort of them nianifeitly 
 condemned by the light of nature ; the naturdl confcience 
 in men ftartler. at them at firrt, lill by cuftotn and frequent 
 practice they become lubitnal and natural to them. Se- 
 condiy, They are all of 'heTii man;fe!lt)v the light of fcrip- 
 fure; the word of God, which is in all our hands, con- 
 demns all thefe work, of the fl fli to the pit of hell. 5. 
 The pirticular cnumer.iiion of the woik<:of the fis./Ii,here 
 tnide ;.y the A^^^lWe^aJultery, or thcdtfihng our neioh- 
 bour'sbed •.J'lrwrat'iittj or the unlawful mixture of tingle 
 pf-rfon^ Oljfe wul^icothei*; umleannefs, under vhith'is 
 compreheiitWrf .i^H|^t> of fihhinefs, an^fi!ihy li;(b, ^^ he- 
 ther natural ofti^rturar; lajcivl uthefs , by which i,nicant 
 all wanton beh.iviour'ci'-htT in fpeech or aftion, tending 
 to excite fil.hydi.'(ires, either in thenifelves or others ; Ut- 
 la ry, whereby God is repreft-ntcd to corporeal eyes bv pic- 
 tures and ini.iges, and fo brought down to homanfenfcs: pro- 
 perly, therefore, is idoLitry , asfuch, called here a work of 
 •the fltlh : Agon, witchcri.ft, a devililh a-t, « hereby fome 
 men and l^omcn, having made a comp;id with the devil, 
 either exprefsly orimplicitly, are enabled,. « ith God's per- 
 niilfion. and by the alliltance of Satan, to produce effects 
 beyond the ordinary c 'urfe and order of nature. and thefe 
 for the mod p^trt rather milchievou, toothers, thin bene- 
 ficial to themfelves ; hatre'i,ov a fecret enmuy in our hearts 
 againft ou"- neighbour, either for real or apprt bended i;^ju- 
 ries ; I' Jrjfnrr, or outward contention by words or actmns -. 
 andng from the forenieniioned enmity in the heart; emu- 
 lat'iiKi-, or .in inward f>rief and dilphal'ure at fome good in 
 others, or done by others, which eclipfe- andoverihaddws 
 H^ ; 'Mrtth or violent anger, and immoderate pwtlion de- 
 priving a man for the time of kis re^fon .ind transforming 
 him into a be^il ; flfife, or a liiigious fpint, a coritinual 
 pronenef 'oqu irrelling and eonteiKling, f diiiont. or rvncl- 
 ing of focieties into f .ft i,n<:, and dividing communities 
 ifl'.i parties ; which dividing work. u hen it fidlou' in the 
 fti-e.i'i called fcditi .n. when in ihechunh.by the name 
 of fihifm : ht-rffles, or dangerou errors in :he fundTment.il 
 points of religioB, not anung. .purely from luiltakcs of 
 
 judgment, but from the efpoufingof falfe doctrines oat of 
 dilguft or pride, or from worldly principles, to avoid perfe- 
 cuiion or trouble i« the flelh; theft in.Tywellbe accounted 
 carnil luila, and called «< ork^ of the flcfli, although they be 
 mental errors, and their firltlVat in the underHandingand 
 ju Iginent : e«ii^;>i^/. a peft. lent luft, which makes another's 
 good our grief; our eves fmart at the light of what an- 
 other enj >ys, though we ha 'e never the lefs, becaufe an- 
 other has more : murders, that is, the execu'ing of private 
 revenue, by Ihedding of blood, and taking aw ay our neigh- 
 bours 1 fc unjuftlv' : drtink.^nnefs, rtvellingf, the one is in- 
 temp ranee in drinking, the other an excefs in eating ; all 
 linful abufe of the creatures of Cu,d, which he has given, 
 not barely for neceffity, but delight, is cenfuredhere as a 
 work of the flelh. 6. The fulemn warning which tht 
 apoitle gives the Galatians to watch againft all thefe fjns, 
 and not indulge or allow themfelves in the wilful co.mmil- 
 fion of any one of them : / tell you, fays he, that (uchJhoH 
 n^i inherit the iingdom o/GuJ, but be eterrially baniflitd 
 from him. Now, from the whole, learn, i . That the mi- 
 niftersof the gofpcl mull not fatisfy themfelves b.nrely to 
 reprove and condemn (in in general, bur muft ilefcend !o 
 particulars : though inveftives againfl fin, at large, are u! 
 good life to expole the deformity of (in, yet, in order to 
 the awakening of particular linners, we muft take intoonr 
 confiJeration their particular fins, and endeavour to con- 
 vince them of them, and turn them from them: fo dotli 
 our apolUe here, in the foregoing catalogue of vices, a. 
 That the miuillers of Chrdl mult acquaint their people, 
 not only with the danger of allowing themfelves in the 
 gruffer scls of fin, as ailulrery, fornication, drunkentiefs, 
 and revelliiigs, and fuch !iki?, but aI.''o \vith the danger ef 
 indulging themfelves in fecret fins, heart fins, fins which 
 the eye of the world can n( ver accufe them of, but G'.il 
 will condemn them for ; fuch are hatied, emulation, cnvy, 
 &c not <mly theoutward aclof fin, b'.u the inward dcfire, 
 is dangerous and damning. It is eafy for a niaii to mur- 
 der his neighbour, in the account of God, by a fecret v.ifn, 
 and a paffionate defire ; he that haieth his brother is a 
 murderer, and he thjt looks upon a woman unduly, is an 
 adulterer in the fight of God. 3. That the miniftcrs of 
 Chrift can never often enough warn finners of the danger 
 ol fin, and continuance in it; we mull do it over and tiver 
 again ; everylabbaih, and every fermon, innft ring a peal 
 in the linner'sears.of the fatal danger of a refoluteiuipiery : 
 1 hns here, / tell ycu now, as I I'ld you in time pu/i, that 
 they Vihich do/uch things, jhull nr.t inherit, &c. 
 
 2 2 But the fruit of tiie Spirit is love, joy, peace, 
 16n^-fuiFerin,J,;^entleners,goodncfs, faith, 23MeLk- 
 nefs, temperance: ag.iinft fuch there is no law. 
 
 N'jte here, i. That the .•ipoftle,who calledy7>i the work 
 of the llefh. doth here call ^race the friiFt cf the Spirit. 
 Sin is a work of our own ; it proceeds w holly from our- 
 fclves.ourown depr.ived minds and wi"s, witiioui iheleafV 
 co-operaiioii of the holy Jspirir ; he can neither be the 
 author nor abettor of qny thirg that is evil. All fln'^ul 
 work; are woiki<^frbe l^elh .ind thereforeoorov n w<>ik«-, 
 but all graces accompanying falvjt'on are the fruits ol Gi ds 
 Spirit ; bo;h becaufe he is the author of ihe.ni, and aifo, 
 , becaivfe 
 
77t 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap v. 
 
 becaulc they are fo acceptable and pleafinfr to Kim, even a» 
 fruit ikunto our lafte, and likewife, fo profitable and ..d- 
 vaiitagcoiis to ourfelve'. Where the flefli rukth, there 
 the work exceeds the fruit ; and accordingly, without any 
 mentioning of ihe fruit, they are c;il!cd woiks of the fitfh, 
 Out s^licre'thc fpirit of Gcd riileth, there the fruit exceeds 
 the work; and therefore, without ever mentioning the 
 work, if is called the fruit of the Spirit. 2. Thit the 
 works of the flclh is fpoken of as one, many works but one 
 fruit. There is fuch a connexion and concatmation of 
 graces, that although they are didintl in their natures, yet 
 ;.re tln-y infeparable in their fubjccl, pull one link of a 
 I bain, and you pull all ; fo he that has any one fpiritual 
 grace in reality, or at leaft in emincncy, cannot be utterly 
 cJcftitute of any other; for where the Holy Spirit is, there 
 rannot be a total deffclof any holy grace. 3. That the 
 works of the f3e(h are f:iid to be manifell, ver. 19. but no 
 fuch thing is here affirmed of the fruit of the fpirit. Alas ! 
 God kiicws, the works of the flelh are but every w here 
 toomanifell ; adultery, fornication, uiideanneff, lafciviouf- 
 rtf:.. drunkennefs, do fo abound in all places, that you can 
 fcarce li^ok befide them : But the fruits of the Spirit are 
 net fo ; love, peace, gentlcncfs, metknefs, thefe are very 
 thill in the world ; hips and haws grow in every hedge, 
 when choicer fruits are but in fome tew garden?. /]. How 
 Piul enumerates here nine fpecial fruits of the Spirit; not 
 as if there werenomorc.butbecaufe thefe here mentioned 
 ftaiid in a diredl oppolition to the former vices recited in 
 the foregoing verfes. The firft fweet fruit of the Spirit, 
 taken notice of here by our apofile, is kvf, an holy affec- 
 tion in the foul, whereby a perfon is carried forth to love 
 6od. primarily and chiefly for himftlf, and his neighbour 
 fiir God's lake : Joy, delight in doing our duty, and re- 
 joicing in expi-c^ation of the regard for well-doing : Peace, 
 inward peace with God and ronfcience, and outward peace 
 with one another : Lon^-fuffering, an inclination of mind 
 difpofin" us to bear injuries patiently, and to forgive them 
 readily : Centkne/s, or affability and courtefy in converfa- 
 tion, a fweet ncfs of temper, which renders us greatlyufeful, 
 as well as exceedingly delightful to mankind : Coodne/s,3 
 difpofition inclining us to communicate what we have and 
 are to others, and to do all the pulFible good we can in our 
 refpeftive places and ftations : Faith, or fidelity towards 
 Tnen, in our pronvfes, and in all our actions, fpeaking exaft 
 truth : iMeekntfs, this is a threefold, a natural metknefs, 
 which is the product of the temperament of the humours 
 in body, a rare felicity; there' is alfo a moral metknefs, 
 which is the prodihfl of education and counfel, this is an 
 amiable virtue; and there is a fpiritual meeknefs, that or- 
 ders the perfons according to the divine rule, the holy law 
 of God; this is a noble and divine grace, which attracts 
 the elHmation of God, and the admiration of men : Tem- 
 pf ranee, a fober ufeof meat, drink,and every thing wherein 
 our feiifcs are gratified or delighted. <;. A fpeci.'il privi- 
 lege belongii.gtoallihofe whoarepofrLilcdoftheforemen- 
 tioned fruits of the Spirit, and that is, exemption from the 
 Ijw : /^ga'inlt fuch tb re is no law, that is, no law to com- 
 pel, no laAi to accufe or condemn ; for the law enjoins 
 t !iein, and encourages the frac^ice and performance of thein. 
 
 Learn hence, 1. That the beil, yea, the only wny to have 
 th- fruits of the Spirit thrive in our henrts, is firft to mor- 
 tify the works I'f the flefh; weeds an«l thirties muft be 
 rooted up befire grain can grow or thrive. As the cor- 
 rujition of one form is the production of another, fo the 
 mortification of \\n m^kes way for the plantation of the 
 fruits of the Spirit. 2. That moral virtues are the fruits 
 of the Spirit, and con:nience Chrilfian graces wlien they 
 are acted by faith in Chrift , iiifiucnce<l by love unto hint, 
 and aiming at the highelf of ends, the ghry of God, ancl 
 our own falvation. -5. That if we compare the fruits of 
 the Spirit with the works of the flelh, there will appearfo 
 much beauty in the one, and fuch real ileformity in the 
 other, fo much fatisfaftioninthe one,and fiirhdifquietanti 
 vexation in the other, thatbefides the difference between 
 them in their original and event, the former confider-itions 
 are abundantly lufficient to engageour love to the fruitsof 
 the Spirit, and tocxciie ourhatred tothe works of the flefli. 
 
 24 And they that are Chrift's have crucified the 
 flclh with the afFeftions and lufls. 
 
 They that are Chrift's, that is, they that are truly his 
 follow ers, and fincere difciplcs, tliey have crucified, that is 
 fubdueil, and in fome degree mortified and put to death: 
 their fleflily corruptions, the'r carnal lufb.andfinful affec. 
 tions and paffions. They did, by baptifm, engage them- 
 felves to die unto fin ; and the regenerate have done it in 
 fome meafure ; they have crucified the f\(Oj ■■ Yet we muft 
 nolunderftand this of a total, plenary, ami final crucifixion, 
 but inchoative only ; and they are^fcid tohavedoneitjbe- 
 caufe they are daily doing of it,//; prop'iJito,volo, et conatu, 
 inrefolution, indefire, and endeav(|g|^\ti^^ ajfe&tons, 
 we are not tounderlland natural, bi^^P-dinate affections ; 
 and by crucifixion, is not to be und^itood a total extiniftion 
 of fin, but a dcpodngof it from its regency and dominion 
 in the foul of the finner ; y et as deathfurely, though flowly, 
 follows crucifixion, fo like wife doth fin live in a believer a 
 dying life, and dies a lingering, but a certain death : They 
 that art Chrift^s, have crucified the fltfi], -xith the aficHiws 
 and lufis. Learn hence, i. That there are a peculiar peo. 
 pie which are Chriil's, that have fpecified intereft in him, 
 union and communion w ith him ; they that are Chtififs, 
 not by an external profeflion only, but by an internal im- 
 plantation into him by faith. 2. That all fuch as thus 
 have aniiitereftinChrift, are daily crucifying the flefli with 
 its affections and lufls. The death of fin, is here com- 
 pared to our Saviour's crucifixion ; (i.) To fliew the con- 
 formity there is betwixt the death of fin, and the death of 
 Chrift. Did Chrifl: die a painful, fliametul, lingering, and 
 accurfed death ? So dies (in in the fool of a believer. 
 There is a gradual weakening of the pow.er of fin in him ; 
 fin is dying, as he, but it is a long time a dying. (2.) To 
 denote the princii).il menirand inllrument of our mortifica- 
 tion, namely, the death of Chrift ; by virtue \\ hereof, be- 
 lievers do cruci'y their corrupt affections ; the great argu- 
 ments to mortification being drawn from the fuffcrings of 
 Chrifl foriin. 3. That the work of mortification (called 
 here, tropically, • crucifixion) flrikes not only at all fin, but 
 at the root of all fin ; it fpares none, neither the flelh, nor 
 juiy.of its affections aiidluft« doefcape; root and branches,. 
 
 bead 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 7/C> 
 
 head and members, the oJd m.iii is crucified, and the body 
 of fill deftroyed, and the ax of mortification laiil to the 
 root of every (in and finfnl affeclion. In this manner, do 
 they that are CLrifb's, crucify the flefh, with its affVclions 
 ?nd lufts. 
 
 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us alfo walk in the 
 Spirit. 
 
 Ifive live IK the Spirit ; that is, if the Spirit lives in us, 
 if the holy Spirit of grace be the principle of our life, let 
 us -welk in the Spirit ; that is, let us live and att under the 
 conduift and guidance, under the direction and influence 
 of the holy Spirit ; let us do the works of the Spirit, let us 
 bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, and leruslivea fpiritual 
 life; let ourdealingsbe aboutfpiritualand heavenly things, 
 and our chiefeft delight be in fuch things ; and by thcfe 
 fpiritual delights and exercifes we fliall every day become 
 more and more fpiritual, and in the account of God be 
 
 .efteemed and reckoned amongll the number of thofe that 
 walk in the Spirit. Let usthen evidence the liteof grace 
 in ourftlves,by txerciling that grace in a lifeof comrounion 
 with Goii : This feen>s to be the importance of this re- 
 markable place, If'..uc live in the Spirit, &:c. Here note, I. 
 That there muft be aprincipleoffpirituallife, before there 
 can be any fpiritual motion and exercife ; we muft firft 
 live in the Spirit, and the Spirit live in us, before we can 
 poflibly walk in the Spirit ; the child muftlive before it 
 can walk. 2. That where there is a principle of grace and 
 
 fpiritual life in the heart, there will be the aftings and 
 exercife of grace in the life ; If'^us live in the Spirit, we 
 
 fiall'jjulk in the Spirit. Ezek. xxxvii. 27. I will put my 
 
 ided with an holy life,and a good 
 ipani|^ with a good converfation ; fpirit- 
 duce Tpiritual motion. 
 
 Spirit 'vithittitktt^^^ c/^e them to walk in my Jfatutes. 
 
 An hely heart win^^ttendi 
 
 cotifcience accomj 
 
 tual life will produce Ipi 
 
 26 Let us not be defirous of vain glory, provo- 
 king one another, envying one another. 
 
 Ourapoftle clofes this excellent chapter with an exhor- 
 tation to the Galaiians to avoid all pride and ambition, all 
 vain-glorious boaftirigs and ofbentation,not provoking one 
 another by their contentions, not envying either the gift 
 or graces of God beftowed on others. Learn hence, i. 
 That there is and may be, in all men, a defireof applaufe 
 and juft commendation : All men pretend to a /liarc in 
 reputation, and do not love to fee it monopoliied and 
 ingrofled by any perfoii. 2. That a vain-glorious delire 
 of applaufe and reputation is llnful, when we feek for what 
 we do not defcrve, or for more than we deferve, or feek 
 more to be applauiled by men, than to be approved by 
 God. 3. That ambition is ufually attended with envy and 
 contention ; no fin goes fingle, but has a traia of follow. 
 ers : Let us nos be d^finus of vain-glory, &c. 
 
 C H A P. VI. 
 
 Our apojllc, in this concluding chapter exhorU the Gala- 
 tians to the praHice offroeral important duties, in order 
 to an holy life, whichwaifo necejjaryto tvidcnce the truth 
 cf their convcrfion to Cknjiianiiy. 
 
 BRETHREN, if a man be overtaken in a fault, 
 yc which arc fpiritual reRore fuch an one in 
 the fpirit of meeknefs: conhdering lhyfelf,lelkhou 
 alfo be tempted. 
 
 The firft exhortation here given, is, how they fiiould 
 carry themfelves one towards another, uponfuppofition of 
 their fcandalous falling cither into error.nr into fin, namely, 
 not with rigour and feverity, but with mildnefs and lenity: 
 7/ ^ny be tvertaken in a fault, &c. Here nr.te, i. A evil 
 fuppofed, namely, that the wifeft, the holiefl, andthebeft: 
 of men, may be overtaken in a fault, and furprifed by a 
 temptation ; If any man be overtaken ; implying that any 
 man may be fo : that fin, or that mifery, which befals 
 fome men, may befal others, any others, yea, all others ; 
 for all are partakers of the fame frail nature, fubjccl to 
 the working of the fame corruption, and liable to ih« 
 danger of the fame temptation. 2. The duty directed to, 
 with relation to thefe perfon?,who trip and fall cither into 
 fin, or into error, reflore him, fet him right, put him in 
 joint again ; a metaphor taken from bone-fetters, who 
 place diflocated bones, and fet broken bones, with great 
 tendernefs: Thofe three things, which we lay are neceff^ry 
 in a bone-fetter, are abfoluiely needful in a reprover ; 
 namely, an eagle's eye, to difcern where the fault lies ; a 
 lion's heart, to deal faithfully and freely with the faults ; 
 and a lady's hand, to ufe them gently and tenderly. ^. 
 The perfons particularly named, who are and ought to 
 ihanagethisduty of brotherly reproof, ^r that are fpiritual; 
 3'ou that are the governors of the church, fay feme ; you 
 that are endowed with fpiritual gifts, fay others ; the 
 prophets among you, who perform all fpiritual offices for 
 you, let them rebuke offenders. Others, by Jpiritua!, 
 underftand fuch as had received larger mcafures of the gift 
 and graces of the Spirit than others ; Let fuch as are 
 P'Ong bear with the infirmities tf the lucuk- 4 The man- 
 ner how this duty of fraternal correption, or brotherly 
 reproof is, and ought to be managed, naiiiely,with patience 
 and meeknefs, not with feverity and roughnefs : Te that 
 are fpiritual ref[ ore him in the fpirit cj meeknefs • if the 
 reproofs you give others be imbitiered with your own 
 pallions, they will fpit them out of their mouths ; yea, 
 fpit them back upon your very faces, 5. The argumer.c 
 to excite to all this ; namely, the r onfideraiion of our own 
 perfonal frailty, and great linblenefs to fall into temptation 
 ourfelves,confidering(/i_v/i'//',/r// thou al/o be tempted; Who 
 knows what a feather the ftrongeft faint and flourelt 
 Chrilban may prove in the wind of temptation .' There- 
 fore let him that thinkctb he ftandeth, take heed left he fall, 
 and exercife great candourand Chriflian tendernefstowards 
 them that are fallen befi^rehim. Hoide mihi, cr.is tibi. 
 From the wliole, learn, 1. That fraternal correption, or 
 brotherly reproof,isa great duty which Chriftians mutually 
 owe to one anoiher, when they either run mto error, or 
 fall into fin: If any cfy^u be ai'frtokeH, r^Jiore l.im. 2. 
 That although it be the duty of private Chridians to ad- 
 monilh and reprove one another, as being members one of 
 another, yet thofe that i\ve J pintual, Chr AW miri!lers,ihe 
 guides of his church, the ficwards of h's houliiold, oiiglu 
 in ipecial to look upon it as their obliged duty to rcprovg 
 
776 
 
 C A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 and rchokc "vith all lonj^-rufferlng'andgentlfnpft. 3. That 
 riiToiir anil feverity. cxprelL-d towards the fjilings and 
 efcapcsof otliers,will rjthfrexafperate than reclaim them; 
 v»e ini)ft deal as gently with a fallen brother, as wiih a 
 •bi'Okdi hon': if we do not temper our reproofs with ineck- 
 nei's, they vsill certainly prove fiiccefsleU. 4. That the 
 holiefl fjint ;ind inoft fpiritual man, here on ear'h.is wiihlii 
 the reach, of temptation, and may pollibly tall hiinfelf; 
 theref/L-re ought to treat a fallen brother with great tender- 
 nefj and regard. 
 
 c Bear yc one another's burdens, and fo fulfil the 
 law of Chrifl. 
 
 This is a general precept, and requires us to fytnpathize 
 M'ith our brethren in all their forrowj and fufFerings, and 
 to bear a part with them under the load and burden of 
 opprelFive wants andnecefiities ; particularly .bearing with 
 the weakncfles a;iil infirmities of our breihren.feems here 
 to be recommended to our care and practice in this apofto- 
 lical ipijunftion. Bear ye one amther'i hurdtm. The en- 
 courigeinent to which duty (o\\n\'J%,fo/hall 'jicfulfiUhc la-u 
 •/C/;/(/7 ; that is, the law of love the moral law which 
 enjoins us to love our ne'ighbour as ourfelves. But why 
 is this called the law, of Chrilt, when it waj long before 
 Chrift : yea, before Moles, and as old as Adam himfelf, 
 being part of the law of nature, which was wri'tcn in 
 Adam's heart before there was any written bible? I 
 aniVer, the law of love is very properly called the law of 
 Chrilt; becaufe he revived it, refcued it, recommended 
 and enforced it, frequently urged it upon his followers, and 
 exemplified it in his own life and converfation, therefore 
 called a netv commandmer.t , and his commandment : This is 
 my commandment, kc. A ne'jj commandmtnt J give yuu, that 
 ye I'.ve one another. St. John xiii. 34. (See the r.<.te ih^re) 
 Learn hence, i. That to have our ear, our heart, and our 
 hand open to our brethren in dillrefs, isanecellary Chrif- 
 tian duty : Our ear open to their mournful complaints, our 
 heart open to f\nipathize with, and mourn over them, our 
 hand oppii to the relief of their necel'ities and wants. This 
 is a burden whifh the law of Chrift has laid upon us, 
 Bear ye one another^ s burdens. 2. To bear a part of our 
 brethren's burdens with a compalTionate heart, and helping 
 hand, is a fulfilling of the law of Chrift ; bccaufe much 
 love which is the fulfilling of the law, goes out, and is 
 acted in the bearing of it ; fo fulfil the law ofChrif?. 
 
 3 For if a man think himfelf to be fomething 
 when he is nothing, he decciveth himfelf. 4 But 
 let every man prove his oivn work, and then fliall 
 he have rejoicing in himfelf alone, and not in another 
 5 For every man fhall bear his own burden. 
 
 The apoftle isftill direfting the Galatians.and enforcing 
 them to exprefs great Icnityand fendernefstowardsluch of 
 their brethren as had fallen intolin anderror, and particu- 
 larly cautions th.-^m, i . To bi-ware of the iin of pride and 
 Jtif conceit, and to abound in the grace of humility and 
 modcftv : intimating to us, that priJe, and;:;i high opinion 
 of ouifelves, are the certain c;iufe4 of cenforioulnefs and 
 rafli j;iJi^ing of others, anil the truereafon why wedefpife 
 ind glory overancfTeiidiiig brotlier, ir.iteadofpitying him. 
 
 fympathiztng with him, and endeavouring to reftore him; 
 He that thinks himflf to be fomething here, is the man that 
 h^ith proud thoughts of himfelf, who thinks himfelf more 
 rightfous and holy, more fteady and ftediaft.rhan hisfjilen 
 brother; anii conceits he has more poA-er toprel'f rve him- 
 frlt thin others; fuch an one thinks himl'clf tobe fome great 
 thl.ig; when ala« ! every man is nothing ; and the belt of 
 men have nothing but what the graceof God confers upon 
 them, 2 Cor. .tii. 11. 2. How the apoftle ftrikes at the 
 root of the forementioned fin of pnde and felt conceit ; 
 namely, the comparing of theroftlves with thofe who are 
 worle than themft Ives, which is very apt toft ir up pride and 
 arrogancy ; to cure which he direifts them to compare 
 themft Ires with thofe who are better than themlelves,and 
 to try and prove their own svorks by the rule of the word 
 of God, and not by the cxatiiple and pratlice of others ; 
 and fo (hall they find matter of njoicing in thcmfelves, in 
 the teftiiiiony of God, and the filent appljufe of theirown 
 conftiences, without borrowing matter of rejoicing from 
 the failings and infirmities of other perfons. 3. The argii- 
 ment or motive uled by the apoftle to enforce upon every 
 man the duty of trying his OA-n work, rather than prying 
 into the infirmities of others; bec:!ulc when hecometli to 
 judgment, every man nuift bear his own burden,or give an 
 account of himfelf and his own actions to God ; who will 
 then abfolve or condemn men, not as they have done bet- 
 ter or worfe than others, but as they (hall be then found 
 in themfelves,ab(olutely confiJered. It is a great error for 
 any man to meafure himfelf by the meafure of other men 
 either by their perfections, or by their imperfections. To 
 conclude our eftate fate, becaufe we a^yaot fobadas others, 
 orunfafe, becaufe we have notact^^fe totheperfeiflions 
 of others, is alike dangerous; God won not proceed by this 
 rule, no more fhonld we ; every fflan that appears before 
 him, fhall bear hii own burden, and anf^er for hi ^ own fin. 
 Were n'lte, i. That how light foe ver men make of fin ir> 
 the ciJinmilTion of it, it will be found heavy and burden, 
 fome when they come before God to account for it ; He 
 fhall bear his own burden. 2. That the righteous God, in 
 tke great judgment, will call no man fo account for the 
 fins of others, unlefs he has fome ways been accelTary to 
 them; hut every one fnall bear his own burden, both of 
 guilt and puHifliment. 
 
 6 ? Let him that is taught in the word, commu- 
 nicate unto him that teach, in all good things. 
 
 In this and the following verfesour apoftle enters upon 
 a new exhortation, and that is, to Itir up theGalatians to 
 liberality and beneficence, upon every fitting occafion,tobe 
 ready to diftribute,willmgtoconimunicate,and to do good 
 unto all men. And becaufe it is highly probable, that by 
 reafon of the prt valency of error ainiongft them, and the 
 number of falie teachers found with them, that the GalX- 
 tians' love to the word, and to the miniftersand dilpenfer 
 of it, was grown cold ; he firlt begins to ftiruptheir libe- 
 rality towards their teachers, faying, Let him that is tauf/ht 
 in the -word of the gofpei,c3»n";«>!/Ci7/e un'O him that leacht th 
 \n M iucYi goad things as he (lands in need of. Learn 
 hence, I. 'I'hat the wil'dom of God hath feen it fit toteach 
 men by the ininiftry of man, not b^ his own i:nmediate 
 
 voice ; 
 
Chav. V7. 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 m 
 
 voice ; this we cannot bear ; nor by lite glorious angels, 
 thefc would rather terrify than teach lis ; but by men like 
 ourfclves doth ihc great God inlhiidl lis : He has ap- 
 pointed fi>me to teach, -and obliged others to be taught j 
 but tlie pride of man is grown to that pitch in our days, 
 that almod every one liiinks liimfelf fiiiricicnt to teach, and 
 few have humility enougli to be tauglit. 2. That it is tiic 
 fpecial duty ot minifters not only to teach, but to teach 
 the word : Lit him that is taught in the xvird, that is, the 
 Written word, as dictated by the Holy Ghod, communicate 
 unto him that te-icheth, »n a/l gocii fhirtj^s. Our bulincfs is 
 not to go into the pulpit, and read a leilure to our i^eopie 
 out of Arijlollc's ethics, or Seneca's mirais, much lefs to 
 load tiicm withtho burden of unwritten tradiiions, but 
 to make known a cnicffied Saviour to thein, and the way 
 to eternal falvaiion by him. 3. That feeing the minillers 
 of Chrill arc to give themfclvcs wholly to the work of 
 teaching, &c. without being entangled with the affairs of 
 this life ; the people whom ihev teach, and amongft whom 
 they fpcnd their tim.e and llrengih, are obliged by common 
 equity, as v/ell as by the command of God, to allow them 
 a comfortable fubfiilance ; and, if able, an honourable 
 maintenance. Let him thr-.t is tuiight, communicate to him 
 that teacheth in all good tinitgs. 4. The church's m lin- 
 tenance, is only due to fucli minifters as are apt to teach, 
 that labour in the word themfclvcs : None have a right to 
 the church's falary, which do not perform the church's 
 fervice. Let fuch laymen as by their impropriations take 
 away the vicar's bread, and fuch clergymen as eat the fvvcat 
 of their curate's brow, confidcr how they will anfwer it 
 at the bar ot God. 
 
 7 Be not de^^ed. God is not mocked : for 
 whatfoever a m^^^wtth, thatfhall he alfo reap. 
 8 Yox he that fowelji to his fleiTi, fliallof the flelh 
 reap corruption : but he that lowcth to the Spirit, 
 fliall of the Spirit reap life everlafting. 
 
 Here the apnflle offers feveral arguments toconfideration, 
 for exciting them to the forementioncd duty of liberality 
 and Chrillian beniiicence in general, and to the minillcrs 
 of the woid in particular ; and the firft ot them is taken 
 from God's omnifciency, who takes notice of ail the petty 
 and piiifnl pretences, pleas, and excufes, which men make, 
 why cannot they be fo kind as they would be to the ininifters 
 and members of JcfusChrilf. Alas! their own wants are 
 many (but it is their lufts that make them foj ; their 
 burdens are great upon them, and they mult provide and 
 lake care of themfi-lvcs i3\ir, fays the apoflle, though you 
 may, wi:h theft lying pretences, cheat yourfelvcs.and mock 
 your minilk-rs and poor neighbours, yet God is not, will 
 Jtot, cannot be mocked. There is no juggling with God, 
 no deceiving of his eye ; man never decti\e3 himfoif fo 
 much, as when he thinks to deceive God in the Icaft : 
 Man may be mocked and d 'ccivcd by man, but God can 
 never be mocked by man, Oljcrue, i. St. Paul com- 
 pares charily and Chriltian bounty, to feed fown, and 
 * fores us, that the crop we reap ihall be anfwcrablc, both 
 in quality and kind, and alfo in meafurc and degree, to the 
 feed wc now fow ; IVJieitfsevcr a iiuinf'Auelh, that Jhali he 
 aijorcuf. Learn, That every man's ha;vdl hereafter, fliall 
 
 be according to his feed-tlinc here. The siTiions of this 
 life, areas feed fown for the, life to come ; if ihehufband- 
 man fow tares, he mud not cxpc£l to reap \*heat : For 
 •whatjcever a man fciurth, thatji.all he alfo reap. Ohjerir, 
 2. How the apoftle doth amplify in particular, what he; 
 had alFerted in general ; namely, that fuch as the Ted is, 
 fuch will the harveft be : He thst/o'^vet/j tt the flefn, that is. 
 plainly, he that fpends Ids fubllancc upon his lulls, feckin^ 
 no more than the gratification of his ftnfual defires, Ihcll 
 reap corruption; that is, a pcridiing fatisfadlion only at 
 prefent, and eternal perdition aftcrv/ards : But he that_/«?-.r 
 /^ /,^f iy//r/V, he that improves his cltate lor G*.d, for the 
 fHpjDort of his gofprl, for the fuflennncc of his members, 
 /hall of the Spirit reap life everlafting. The Spirit of him 
 that railed up Jeftis from the dead, will alfo raife us up at 
 the great day, and rev.ard our prefeiit parting with the 
 things of this world, which we cannot keep, with eternal 
 life, which we fliall never lofe. 
 
 9 %. And let us not be weary in well doing: for 
 ill due fcalon we fhall reap, if we faint not. 10 
 As we have therefore opportunity let us do good 
 unto all mm, efpeciuUy unto them who are of th« 
 houfliold of faith. 
 
 The holy apo/lle, in thcfe words, exhorts the Galasinns, 
 and in them all Chrillians, to the pradice of one of the 
 mofl important parts and duties ef the Chriflian religion, 
 namely, that of doing good one to another : And he doth 
 not barely excite us to the duty, but he exhorts us alfo 
 to an unwearied diligence in the doing of it, acccording to 
 our ability and opportunity. In the exhortation before 
 us, ohferve, I. The grand comprchcnfivc «'«/)' we are ex- 
 horted to, uclhdoing, and an un-wearied diligence therein. 
 This comprehends all thofe ways and means whereby wc 
 may be beneticial and iifefui otie to another, both to foul 
 and body, in fpiritual atid temporal good things,, and pro- 
 mote both the prei'ent comfort and future happincfs of each 
 other. 2. The extent and latitude of the duty, with 
 relpeiSl to its objcift, \\ hich is all mankind : Ltt us da g/iod 
 unto all. The Galatians were in danger of Judaizirig in 
 their practice, as well as in their doflrines ; ihatis,of1ovinT 
 none but thcinfelves, and their own countrymen : For the 
 Jews were grown fo four andchurliih in their temper, that 
 they would not do the leali: oivicc of kindnLfs to any that 
 Was not ot their own nation : Therefore, St. Paul here 
 exhorts titcm to extend their charily univerl'ally to all and 
 every one that is of the fame naitire wiiii themfelves. •?. 
 The fpecial and particular cbjefls of our charity, tlie houf- 
 held of faith : Do gocxl to all, but efpccially to tliexn. Bv 
 the houlhold of faith, as appears by tlie context, ver. 6- are 
 primarily meant the minillers of God, the teachers of his 
 word ; ihefe are God's domeftic fervants. Wherever there 
 has been a people, there has been a religion proielled, 
 fuch as it was ; wherever there has been a religion profeffed 
 there have been perfons confecrated and fet apart to attend 
 the fervice of that religion, and a maintenance provided for 
 thofe attendants : It was fo by God's appointtnent under 
 the law, and by Chrilt's under the gofpcl, i Cor. ix. 14. 
 But farther, hy the houfrold of faith, we are to underfiand 
 the whok colkdivc Icdy ofbtlie\ing Chriftians, all the 
 <; ^ . HJembcrs 
 
778 
 
 G A L A T I A N S. 
 
 Chap. vr. 
 
 members of ChriR'"; mvnical body ; fitch are very dear to 
 G(xl, and ought to be (o to us. 4. The rnbjca ot this 
 diify, or whom it doth etninenily concern, all Chriftians ; 
 jIs we hitvc opt>irtiutit</, Ut us ih good ; that is, every one 
 f)f us ; for verily there is noconditioninihc woi Id fo mean 
 and dtfjiii-nbic, but it yields perfoiis an opportuni'y one 
 Way or other of doing i^ixkI, if not by their piirfe, yet .it 
 I'.ad by their prayers, "and by their exaiiplc. 5. The 
 I'rcqtiency of the duty, /.s we kavr opportunity ; that is, as 
 often as the occafions of doin^ good arc prefented to us, 
 and as long as ability for doing qood is found with us, 
 S line men defer doini: gorxl till thcv come to die, till they 
 ciimc to mdkc their will, that unwilling will in m hich they 
 give God a final! pistance of his own, becaufe they can 
 keep it no longer ; they will repent when they are d) ing, 
 and b-' charitable after they are dead. Good God ! how 
 unwilling arc men to part with either their money or their 
 fins, as long as they can keep them ! But verily a death- 
 bed charity may be as unavailing as death-bed repentance. 
 The rule is. As zir have appirltinity ; that is, as often as 
 an opportunity is oiTercd : Let us decline no opportunity 
 by gettin" out of the way, with fome, when a work of 
 charity prefents itfcif unto us. 6. The meafure of this 
 duty, as we have ability, let us do gcod unto all \ that is, 
 proportionably to what God has given us, let us be willing 
 to give toothers: God could eafily level the world, and 
 eive every man alike, but he is plealcd to give fome more 
 than others, on pnrpofetotry their graces, the charity and 
 bounty of the rich, the faith and patience of the poer. 
 And verily an eftate above what fufficeth our occafions and 
 neceflities, is no farther a bleflingtous, than as it puts an 
 opportunity into our hands of doing more good than others. 
 7. An unwearied perfcverance in doing good required at 
 our hands. Let us not be ivcary in ivell doing ; though we 
 have done much good, there is room for more ; new 
 objefts will appear, new occafions will arife, new oppor- 
 tunities will prefcnt themfclves unto us. Let us never 
 think we can do enough, much Icfs too much good; the 
 befl of beings are moft unwearied in welldoing. God, 
 Chrift, the holy angels, are never weary of this blelTed 
 ■<vork ; let us never be weary in imitating them in that 
 ■«"hich is their highed and their chiefeft excellency and 
 perfeftion. 8. The argument and encouragement to the 
 chearful difcharge of this duty, in due feafin zee /hull reap, 
 ifwefaint «:/; that is, fooncr or later, either in this world 
 or in the next, or in both, we (hall certainly reap the rc- 
 •"'ard of well doin£>. We (hall reap, but what ? An/.We 
 Hull reap the blctfing of "God upon all we have, are, :nd 
 i^" ; wc lliall reap the benefit and blefling of their prayers, 
 to whom vveextrnd our charity ; we (hall reap the higheil 
 pleafure and fatijfaclion in our own minds of doing goo<i, 
 V. iih wliich no fenfual pleafure can be compared. The 
 j-cfle£lions upon any good we have done, is a perpetual 
 fpring of peace and pleafure to us ; the thoughts of it lie 
 even and eafv in our minds, and the remembrance of it 
 ■ rcfrelhes the foul with a ftrangc kind ot delight arul joy. 
 I'.Mt, Lord ! what tongue can utter, or what heart conceive, 
 tint vafl and unfpc.ikablc rcwanl, which an unwcaritd 
 diligence in well doing will meet with in the other Wv j-ld ? 
 jt will plead for us at the d.iy of judijincnt, and procure at 
 
 the hands of a m'fercifnl God, for the rich merits of nur 
 Lordjtfus Chrift, a c1orii>usrccompenccat the refiirreftioa 
 of the jnfl : And pn-p'r-ionable to the degrees of our 
 charity, will be the difpcn'aiions of this reward. From 
 the whole /Mr/7, I. That erc.u arc the obligations which 
 all Chrifti.:ns do lie tinder of doing good one to another, 
 according to their abiliiics anJ »Tpportuni<ies. 2. That 
 great is the reward of well d'injr, which Chriftians may 
 eye as a motive to an tinwearicd diligence, and unfainting 
 perfcverance in well doing. 
 
 1 1 Ye fee how large a letter I have written un- 
 to you with mine own hand. 
 
 It is very probable, that St. Paid ordinarily did ontT 
 diiElate, and that fome other perf-.n w rote his cpifllcs, as 
 that to the Romans, wrote by Tertius, Rom. xvi. 22. 
 Sometimes he only wrote the jh/utation, and fiibfcribed the 
 cpilllc with his own hand, as i Cor. xvi. 22. but here he 
 tells ihc Galatians, that he wrote this cpiftle to them all 
 with his own hand, having never wrAtc fo large an epifllc 
 wholly with his own hand 10 any church,as he did to them. 
 This he did for two reafons, ft.) To tefHfy the fervency 
 of his own affLflions towards them, and to infinuate hew 
 rniich he loved them. (2.) To evidence the (inccrity o{ 
 his endeavours for their prefcnt and future happinefs : To 
 accomplifh thcfc ends, he judged no pains too great. From 
 whence Irarn, i. That the faithful minifteis of Chrift will 
 flick at no pains, but encounter with all difficulties, to 
 advance the good of fouls in general, and to reduce an 
 erroneous and wandering people in particular to the obe- 
 dience of the gofpel. Thus, this great apoftic, though he 
 had upon him the care of the churchn:, and con('c(]uently 
 a multiplicity of bulinefs, many ^^^tions, and a mul- 
 titude of dillraclions ; yet, in o.'deWo the reclaiming of 
 thefe Galatians, who were deeply tinfturcd with error, as 
 Well as dangeroudy tainted with lin, he redeems time for, 
 and undergoes the fatigue and trouble of writing this whole 
 epiflle to them with his own hand ; ie/ee hozu large a letter 
 I have ivrittcn unto you lutk mine cwn havd. 2. That it 
 ncitlier favours of pride nor vain glory in the minifters of 
 the gofpel, if upon occalion, though fparingly, they make 
 known to the world the great pains they have taken for 
 promoting the good of their people, that fo f hey may be 
 excited the more to bring forth fruit anfvrerable to the coft 
 and culture which the minirters of Chrift have expended 
 upon them : St. Paid here (Heks not to tell the Galatians, 
 and the whole world, the pains he had been at in writing 
 this large cpidie with his own hand to them ; yet it was 
 not to commend himfclf, but to excite and encourage 
 them. 
 
 12 As many as dcfire to make a fair flicw in the 
 flc/h, they conflrain you to be circumcifed : only 
 left they fhould fiifFor pcrfccution for the crofs of 
 Chrill. ijFor neither they thcm'e'ves who arecir- 
 cumciled keep the law ; but dclire to hive you 
 cncumcifed, that they may glory in your flefh. 
 
 Here our apoillc rctt,'rnsto the defcription which he ha>l 
 betorc given of the falfe 3polHe.>;, who, though they urged 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 / /9 
 
 the ncctrtity of circumcifion, yet it was not with any fin- 
 cerity of intention : It was, firlt, tomake ufi.irjhew in the 
 f-Jh\ thai is, X'l inike a fair outward lliewot religiin, an 
 high pretence to halin.r«, by obfcrvin;^i.irciiiiicii'ion, and the 
 other .ibro^ritcd riu-s ot the ceremoni:il law: Ami fecondly, 
 Thi.- prcnc.idcd zeal ofihurs pri)ceedcd troiii piifillanimitv 
 ami rear, ieil ihey ihoiil ' fi.rtlr pcffecmioii fruni the Jews, 
 for preaching ihcdodrine of the gofpcl, called here, the 
 crsjs ofChr'il], bccaufc it treats of a crucified Chrill. Now 
 the fury of ihefc r.crfccutors was abated towards thofc that 
 preached up circumcifion, but enraged abundantly againft 
 thofc who preath'jd circumcifion down. hliU farther, How 
 •well tite apoClle makes good liis cliarge againd thefc falfe 
 apoftles, the Judaiziiig doiElor?, that they urged the necef- 
 fiiy of circiuncifion inlincerely, and for bafc ends ; namely, 
 bccaufc they made no confcience to keep the law ihemfelves 
 but could difpenfe with circunncifion well enough, if they 
 were ainonglt their friends, but pleaded for it when in fear 
 of their pcrfccuting enemies : Thus they became nil things 
 /Jrt/.' W(7/, but it was to fave themfclves. And, laftly. He 
 afTurcs them, that they urged circumcifion upon them, '.hat 
 they might gkry in the'trjldh ; that is, might pride them- 
 felves, that you were become th.cir converts, by being cir- 
 ctimcifed at their perfuafion, and be able to boafl of the 
 inuhitudes of their profclytes, w ho received circumcifion at 
 their infUgation, and carried it as a mark of their inltruc- 
 tion. £irur/; hence, I. That defigning hjpocrites do con- 
 ftantly pretend high to religion, but they evermore fcek 
 thcnifelves, under pretence of a£ling for GckI and hisglorv; 
 they that cmjlrain ycu to be circumcijed, make afairjl.<ezv in 
 the fli'fi). 2. That though it is our duty to cfchew perfe- 
 cuiion when we can fairly avoid it, yet we mufl not part 
 •with the lead iota (^M^iith, or efpoufe the fmallell error, to 
 avoid the fJiarped jSRcution : they conjirain you to be cir- 
 cimuijed. lejl they fliould Juffer perjecution. 3. That men 
 Mho talk loud of religion, and pretend high to it, .who 
 preach it to, and prefs it upon others, but do not confcien- 
 tioiifly pradtife it themfelves, itis an evident demonftration 
 that they are men of corrupt minds, of profligate confti- 
 enccs, that do not believe themfclves ; for he only believes 
 what he fays, that lives as he doth believe: heither they 
 them/elves who are circumcijed, fays the apolHe, keep the law. 
 4. That there is nothing which ialfe teachers and errone- 
 ous fcducers do f) much glory of, magnify thcnifelves by, 
 and pride themfclves in, as in. the number of their profc- 
 lytes and converts, which they look upon as fo many tro- 
 phies of tbeir victory, and fpeaking proofs of their unpara- 
 Iclled abilities. 
 
 14 But God forbid that I fhould glory, fave in 
 the crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, by whom the 
 world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 
 
 Having fhew'n what it was that the falfe apofijes gloried 
 in, he next Ihews what it was that he himfclf gloried in ; 
 narnely, in the civ<fsof Chrilf ith^t is, in his preaching 
 Chriif crucified, a-'J the neceflity of faith in him, who died 
 as a facrifice upon li c crofs. The crofs of Chrift is taken 
 three wa\3-in fcripturc, materially,'mctp.phori( ally, and me- 
 tmyinically ; the materi;;! crofs of Chr-ift, is that which he 
 died upon at Jcrufaiem : TJiis the church of Rome glories 
 
 in grea'ly, but not the apofilc. The melaphorital 
 crofs of Chiirt, is afflidions, I.i:ke, chap. ix. vcr. i8- 
 Let him lake up the crofs, that is, fubmit to »ny afflicfion,-. : 
 G(xl ott-timcs fandifies this crofs, for the crucifviii';; 
 the hearts of his people to the wi.tld: Bus the crofs of 
 Chrifl is t;.ken metDtiymically for the gofptl, the docfrinc 
 of the gofpcl, or of hi n that died upon the crofs. Now, 
 Chridianiiy, or the do(S\rine of the gofpfl, crucifies us to 
 the world: Firft, by difcovcring to us the great vanity and 
 empiincfsof the world, and all the periling fatisfadtions 
 of it: Secondly, By propounding fuch arguments to cru- 
 cify the world, as were never heard of fromail the philofo- 
 jihersand wife men that z\cx lived in the world ; namely, 
 arguments taken from the glory of God, from the death of 
 Chrift, from the dignity of the foul, &c. Lc.irn hence 
 That fuch a Chrifiiian as doth experimentallv fim! his heart 
 and affcfiions daily more and more crucified to the world, 
 by the crofs of Chrifl, has unfpeakable caufe and reafon 
 fufficient for fpiritual glorying and rejoicing. :^//</. Where- 
 in confifts not our crucifi.xion to the world ? Jnfw. It 
 confifts not in a vile effeein of the w oild, as ufelefs or hurt- 
 ful, or in cafting off all care and concern for the things of 
 the world, as linful and unneceffary ; norisevery degree of 
 dcfire after, love unto, or delight in the things of this world, . 
 inconfiflent w ith our being crucified to it ; nor doth it con- 
 fiit in, or oblige us to the withdrawing of ourfelves froin 
 all fcciety and convtrfation with the men of tlie world: 
 But, pofitively, crucifi.\ion to the world, confifts in a cru. 
 cified judgment and opinion of the world ; in crucifying 
 our love and our afFcflions to the-world ; in crucifying . 
 our hopes and expe£lations from the world ; in crucifying 
 our care and concern for the world ; in crucifying our de- 
 light in, and our endeavours after the world; S^ief. H«\v 
 doth a Chrlffians being crucified to the world, atFord him 
 caufe for unfpeakable rejoicings? y^/;/. Thus : -We mav,- 
 and ought to glory in the bleifed efFeda.'-id fruit of .Chrill's 
 death, inre-inftamping the image of God upon the foul, 
 in the certain tokens of the love of God. We may glory 
 in the death of Chrill's enemy, and oirr foul's eneiny : We 
 inay glory in that wherein God is glorified, and in that 
 which is the earneft of oirrown- glorificatiiin. Now, cru- 
 cifixion to the world, by the crofs of Ghrifi:, isthU, alF this 
 and therefore warrantabiy to be boafted of, and gloried in. - 
 (Jsd forbid that I fl;ould glory, favc in the crofs f&c. 
 
 15 Forin Chrifl Jefu.sncithercircuincifion'ava/I- 
 eth any thing,nor uncircumcifion,but a new creature 
 
 Here the apoflle fubjoins a reafon why he gloried only in 
 the crofs of Chrift, and not in thofe carnal ordinances and 
 flefhly privileges of circumcifion, &c. which the falfe apof- 
 tles fo much gloried in ; namely, btcaufe circumcifion nor' 
 uncircumcifion, neither the prefence of that ordinance, nor 
 the want of it, availeih any thing, as to our acceptance- 
 with Chrift, and intcred in him i but the new creature is " 
 allin all ; a circumcifed heart, not acircumcifed fore-fkin,. 
 a renewed nature, a divine temper of mind rendering us 
 like to Chrift. This will enable tis to love him, and qualify 
 us for living in him now in Chrift Jclus; that is, now 
 under the Chriftian difpenfation, under the oeconomy of 
 the gofpel, neither the prefence nor abfence of this outward 
 5 F 2 badge • 
 
78o 
 
 GALA T I-A N S. 
 
 Chap. vr. 
 
 i>.i Igeof circuracirion will avail any ihing to our juftifiaa- 
 lion before God ; but ilut which was liguilicd by circum- 
 >ilion, is the thing that plcafcth God ; namely, the reno- 
 \ation of our nature, anil becoming new creatures, both in 
 heart and life. Lfarn hence. That according to the terms 
 of the gofpcl-Cftvcnant, or Chriflian rclij;ion, nothing will 
 avail to our acceptance wiih God, but tiic ri:il renovaiion 
 • •four hearts ai.il lives : Af/hr iiiiumcift'.n maiUih, &c. 
 
 15 And as many as walk according to this rule, 
 peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Ifracl 
 of God. 
 
 N'J/ here, I. The naliiro of Chriftianity defcribed; it is 
 a walk : Now, a walk is a motion, a free and voluntary 
 motion, an uniform and even motion, it is a progrdlive 
 motion, and a condant motion. 2. The condition of this 
 walk, and that is regularity, it is a walk by rule ; a Chrif- 
 lian is not a lawlefs perfon, to range and ramble, and rim 
 up and down as f.incy leads him, but he walks by rule, by 
 tlie rule of fcripture, by the rule of charity. 3. The de- 
 termination of that rule which a Chrillian is to walk by, 
 it mull be accordhi(', to this yule What rule? The fore- 
 jjoing verfe declares it is regeneration, and the law of the 
 new creature : as many as ivalk according to that rule, when 
 the new creature, in the principles and workings of it, is 
 iT-.adc the ground, the pattern anrr direct ion of our obedi- 
 ence, and we frame and fquare all the aiSions of i-ur lives 
 according thereunto. 4. The blclFed privileges belonging 
 to them that thus walk : Peace be vi them, and mercy ; tha^ 
 i?, there (hall be peace .ind mercy to them ; tliefe fliall be 
 their portion, nay, they Ihall be upon them ; that is, in a 
 Lrge and plentiful maimer vouchfafed to them. Laftly, 
 The honourable mention which the apoflle makes of them 
 liiat thus walk by fcripture-rule, according to the law of 
 the new creature, written in the heart ; he calls them the 
 trve IJ'racU/Ccdy the fpiritual feed of Abraham, the chil- 
 
 dren of his faith, which wss a fhoufand times gresfer pri- 
 vilege than to be the children of his flefti : ThtTe aie the 
 perfons iiiterefted in his blcn^nps. Leorn hence, Thar true 
 and inward peace, great and lafling peace, peace viil Gc d, 
 and peace with conftieiice, is theaflurcd portifu, and fn; II 
 be the poncniuii of all and only thofe who walk accirdir.f^ 
 to the law of God, the rule of the creature : As many as 
 ZLitl'k acarJing to this rule. 
 
 J 7 From henceforth, let no man trouble me : fur 
 
 1 bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jefus. 
 
 The apoftle having thus fully dcclsred the mind rf GoJ 
 in tile matter controverted betwixt himftif and the falfe 
 apofllcs, touching the uecellity of circuiTicifion ; he now 
 makes ufe ot his apodolio authority, and charges his sdver- 
 fa ries to give him no farther trouble or dilhubjncc, either 
 by gainfaying his doarire,or detratSirgfrcm hisauthoriiy; 
 bccaufc.he bare it his body the marks of his fufferinss for 
 Chrilf Jefus, namelv, the ftripcs and woimds which he pa- 
 tiently received for the fake ol Chri(>, and his hi ly religi.n, 
 
 2 Cor. xi. 2;^. Lc'irn hence, That whatever hard merfiirc 
 we meet with for the f:ike of Chrift, what wounds and 
 maiks we receive for proftfling faith in him, and pcrfevrr- 
 ing in obedience to him, he will own them for his own, 
 and give us leave to look upon them as his own, yea, to 
 call them his own, asour apoftle^id here : I tear in my 
 biJy the marks of the Lord J<Jus. 
 
 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jcfus Chrlft 
 ^e with your fpirit. Amen. 
 
 Here our apoflle clo'es his epifllc « ith his accuflomcd va- 
 ledidion, mofl atfedicnately prnvingthat the grace rnd 
 favour of Chrift, in the fweei effcfts a|t, and in the fen- 
 fible apprehenllon of it, miglfV remaii^n their f. uls, to 
 enlighten, fanaify, comfort, and quicken them more and 
 more, that from thence they might derive and draw abid- 
 ing confobtion, both in lite a.id death. Amen. 
 
 T H » 
 
T H K 
 
 EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 E P H E S I A N 
 
 Si. Paul having phnlei a famcia shurch at Ephefus, zuhich was the metrcpclh or chiff ciiy in Afia, wherf he had 
 
 p'^each'd the gofpcl fcr three years with eminent fuccefs, and being nczu a prifoner at Rome, he jujlly feared kji they 
 
 Jhodi faint in their Chriflian courfe : and accordingly to prajcnt it, he writes this epflk to the churches of Chrift m 
 
 ojid about Ephefus, to ejlahlifi them in, t/te faith he had preached to ihxm, which lie was now a prifoner fcr, andfooi 
 
 ready tofcal with his own Mxd. 
 
 And here the good providence of God towards St. Paul and them is very remarkable, that though lie was now a prifoner 
 at Rome, yet mt fo clofe as to be denied pen and paper : God gave him favour in l/ie fight of the keeper, and having 
 work for him to do in prifon, provides a keeper for his turn. 
 
 St. Paul is no fomer Nero's prifoner, but he falls a preaching cndroriitng too. Happy was it for Oncfimus//wi 
 St. Paul wasfent to goal, ivhere he was begotten in his bonds by the preaching cf the gofpel ; and as happy was it for 
 the Ephefians too, unto whbn he wrote this excellent cpif It, that they might be the more comforled aiid corfrmed. 
 TIu devil had better have let Paul alone, than thus iiaprifned him : For na fooncr was he committed, but he falls both 
 a preaching and mating ; at which the gates of Satan's iingdimfy open, amlfinners come forth, to hisforrow and 
 fhanu. Tlicre a'^no fiuch ways to be even with the devil and his injlnanenis.for ell their fpite and malice againfl us 
 as by doing ail the good we pfffibly can wherever zue come. 
 
 This excellent epiflle divinely fets forth Ihe great and aficniffiing myferies of our redemption and rcccnciliatio^i by Jefiis 
 Chrifl; the freenefs and riches of God' s grace ; the admirable benefts and privileges of the gofpcl; the marveleoiis dif^ 
 pcnfation of God to the Gentiles, in revealing Chrifl unto them. 
 
 The principal parts of this cpifllc are ttuD, doBrinal, and praBical. The former is contained in tJis three fiyfl chapters, 
 in which he treats of the fiMme privileges of our eleBion, vocation, jifficafion and adoption ; the ■/after in the three 
 bfl chapters, in which he exhorts them to cmijlancy in the faith, to preparation fr, and patience under fjfcrina-, and 
 to live religioufy in every relation, by making ccnfcimce cf relative duties one towards another, as lufhands and wives 
 parents and children, tnajters and fervants, in which the lift and beauty cf religion lies; anifu clcfes and f huts v.fj 
 the epiflle, wfhing them all peace and prof perity, and a viutual increafe of love and charily, and advifing them to ma- 
 rufcfl thefincerity of their kve to Chrifl, by th purity and incorniptiufs of their lives and coiwcrfations. 
 
 CHAP. I. eonfolation to the minifters of Chrift, as well as great fatls- 
 
 Pfa<^ion to their people, that their callino; is from God,, and 
 AUL an apoflle of jefus Chrifl by the v/ill of not froin themfeivcs ; that they fpeak not in their o\^ n 
 God fo the Saints which are at Ephefus, and n^mes, but by commidlon received from Chrilt, whofe 
 to the faithful in Chrift Jefus : ambaiTadors they are. 2. The fnperfcription of this epif- 
 
 tie, the perfons to whom it was direftcJ and fcfit, To the 
 
 _ Note here i. The penman of this epiftle dcfcribed by faints fit Epbrfm : So they were all at Ephefus by vidblc 
 
 his name, Paul ; by his office <?« apojlk ; by his commif- profefTion, and manv of them, no doubt, by real fjiic)ifica- 
 
 fion to tliat ofEce, the will of Ccd ; that is, by the com- lion. All the members of tiie vifible church are obh^ed 
 
 mand and appointment of Qod. It is a matter of great ° ^^ 
 
782 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 CUAV. I, 
 
 to be faints, and the true and real Chriftian is a true and 
 leal faint : Headds,JnJlo th faithful in Chriji Jffus, 
 throughout all Aua. This pointed out their duty to them, 
 to be not only holy in pri)fc(Iion, but faithful in converfa- 
 tion ; thefe two vioiAs faints znAfuithfui, conjoined, drnote 
 both their dignity and thcirduty ; their dignity, in Handing 
 rear to God, as his children ; thtir dntv.'in bt-ing faithful 
 tohim as his fervants. Lattiv, He (l>lcs them faints and 
 faithful tn Cl;r!ji Jcfui ; intimating, that all our grace and 
 holintfs muft be holinefs in Chrift Jtfus ; that is, afledand 
 exerciftd by ftrcngth fetched from Chrift Jefus, and that all 
 our hi.linefs mufl be accepted in Chrift Jifus. 
 
 2 Grace he to you, and peace from God our 
 Father, and/row the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Thcfc wonls may be confidered two ways : f i.) As a re- 
 ligious falutation, taken from the manner of the Jews, who 
 cxpreflcd their defires for one another's welI-doin<j, by wifh- 
 \n^ptace, that is, all kind of happin.fs and profpcrity to 
 each other : Chririianity doth neither forbid or abo'lifh, 
 but doth fpiritualize and improve civility, humanity, and 
 common coiirtefy. (2.) The words may be conlidertd as 
 an apoflolical benedi<aion, in imiialion of the prieft's blefT- 
 ing, Niunb. vi. The apoflles were the patriarchs or fpi- 
 rirual fathers of the church of the New Tcflamcnt, as the 
 Ions of Jacob were of the Old ; accordingly they bLfs their 
 church, ■^■\\\\\x\g grace from God the Father, or grace from 
 God as a Father ; thereby denoting, that Cod beflows not 
 his grace as a Creator but as a Father m Chriit, in a dif- 
 crmiinating way and peculiar manner : Ami peace from our 
 Lord Jefus Chrifi : he being the purchafer of our peace, he 
 upon w horn the chaftil'eiTicnt of our peace was laid, and he 
 that made peace for us by the blood of his crofs ; and rliere- 
 upon God of his free grace accepts us, jidlifies us, and is at 
 peace with us. Le.in,, 1 hat fuch as have received moll 
 g.-ace from God, fland in farther need of fupplies of grace 
 from him ; they are thankful for peace, but they c»nnot 
 content themlelves with peace without grace; they defue 
 both to have the heart and love of GodVet upon them, as 
 vvell as pacified towards them ; they defire to be pardoned 
 but above all, feek to be beloved of the Father. ' 
 
 3 BIcfTed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all fpiritual 
 bleffings in heavenly //era in Chiift. 
 
 O/ferve here, i . The work whii:h the heart of the aportle 
 was fet^ upon, and that is, the wo.k of bK fling God ; we 
 blefs God one v%ay, he bltfTes us another ; he Melfes us 
 ifTipcratorioufly, by commanding his bleflings upon us ; we 
 blefs him optativelv, when with thankful hearts we praife 
 him, when we wi(]i well to him, and fpeak well of him. 
 Lord, wliat an infinice favour and priviUge is this voucli- 
 fated to us not only 10 pray to God and receive Lleffings 
 ffoni htm,, but to admit us to blefs him, and to .-iccoimt 
 himftlf lunoiired by us, when we acknowledge him the 
 foi:n:ain <.f all blellings and blell'ednefs fo us hi/creattirts ' 
 2. The title undir which our apoftlc bitircih him, namely 
 as the Cod and Father of our Lod Jefus Chrifi. He dolh 
 aot fay now under tlie gofpel, as of old under the law, 
 
 Ble/Ted be the God of Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob ; or, 
 BlclTed be the Lord God of Ifrael ; but, RIefJed he the God 
 and Pother »f our Lord Jrfus Ckrifi. Where wsv, i. J-fc 
 is a God to Chrifl, in relation to his being man : Chrift 
 being fore-ordained before the foundation (\i (he world to 
 the work and oflicc of a mediator, i Pet. i. 20. and the 
 Father making a covenant or federal tranfuclion viiih him 
 from all eternity as Mediator. 2. He is a Father to Chrift 
 and that both as Go<l and man : a Father to him as God 
 by eternal and ineffable generation, the one being Deui 
 gignens, \he other Deus genitus \ tlius he was the oi'ily be- 
 gotte-n Son of the Father ; and a Father to him as man 
 by virtue of the perfonal luiion of the two natures in Chrift' 
 Luke i. 32. Therefore thut holy tlAngJijoUle called the Son 
 of God. Obfene 3. The reafon why under thefe rtlaiicns he 
 foafFcdionately blcfTedGod, namely, for beftow ing bleflings, 
 fpiritual^ bleflings, all fpiritual bk'fllng.<: ; and this is in or 
 concerning heavenly things, w hith tend to fit us for heaven 
 and eternal glory : And, laftly. All thefe things are ccn- 
 ferrcd upon us in Chrift ; he, by his merit had purchafed 
 them : he, as our Head and Advocate, in our name, has 
 received them, by virtue of our union with whom wc have 
 a right unto them, and ihallere long in heaven be fully and 
 finally poflcired of them. Behold here ihc tranfcciulent 
 bounty and liberality of our heavenly father : He has more 
 than one blefling for his children, he has all fpiritual and 
 heavenly bleflings for them, grace on earth, and gkry in 
 heaven ; grace, to enable them to glorify him upon earth, 
 and glory, as the reward of grace with himfelt in heavfn! 
 Rejoice, O Chriftian, in thy lot and portion ; God him- 
 ftlf hath but ail things, and fo haft thou : Has he all fpiri- 
 tual bleftings in heaven in full pofTeftion ? Thou haft them 
 alfo in right and title at prefent, aiii ere long fhall enjiy 
 them in full fruition. 
 
 4 f According as he hath chofen us in him be- 
 fore the foundation of the world, that wc fhould' 
 be holy and without blame before him in love : 
 
 Our apoftlc having, in the former verfe, offered up a very 
 folemn thankfgivingtoGod, for bkflingthe Ephefians with 
 all Ipiiitual bleflings in heavenly things in Chrift, he comes 
 in this verfe to difcover and declare the fountain from 
 whetice all thefe fpiritual bleflings did proceed and flow, 
 namely, from God's gracious purpofe in our cledion before 
 all time : He hath chofen us in him hefre the fcundatitn of 
 the world, that weflKuldhc holy, &c. Where ohfen'e. The 
 favour vouchfafed, eledion ; and the fruit and produft ol' 
 that favour, holinefs of life and ccnverfation. hole, i. 
 T he favour and privilege vouchflifcd by Gcd, He hath 
 chofn : This denotes the frecnefs of the favour ; he chofe 
 jvhen he ir^ght have refufed ; His book of life is a book of- 
 love, t! e caufe of our love is the objed, the realbn of God's 
 love- i; in himfclf. 2. Tb.- fubjed of this favour, He hath 
 chfen MX, us Gentiles : The jews nii:ch gloried in thei; 
 being a chojrn gcnoation,, a peculiar people : we Gentik-s 
 are a ch(.!en generation alfo: they were beloved for their 
 father's fr*ke, Abraham's ; we < •'<"■ ■\'^\- r i.„ -p^j^ 
 
 aiuiquiiy of this favour, /^ theuorlu 
 
 that is, from all ctcrtiify. Ti. .j ;^r.c tJe Jews of^' 
 
 fiCiii 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 783 
 
 from boafting, as they diil, that the world was made for 
 their Take, and that the Mcdiah from the beginning of the 
 woiUI did enter into a covenant with God to redeem them 
 efpicisllv, dcclart-s, that the dcfpifed Gentiles were ekded 
 and chni'en bv God to be an holy people to hinifclf ; and 
 all this, in the ptirpoCc of Gixl, b. fore the foundations of 
 the world were laid. 4. God is Paid to have chofen us in 
 Chri/i, as our head. Confider Chrift as God, fo we are 
 choftn by him : / knozv ivhom I have chofen, fays Chrift : 
 Confider him as a Mediator, fo we are chofen in him, not 
 ch >fcn for him \ becaufe, not Chrift's undertaking for lis, 
 but the Fatl^er's gocxl pleafure towards us, was the fpring 
 and fontal caufc of our ek-ilion. The truth ii, God was 
 fo f.:r from chufing the Gcn;ilcs out of faith forcfccn, that 
 he did not chufe them for the fake and obedience of Chiifl 
 forefeen : God did not love tis from eternity, becaufe Chrirt 
 was ro die for us in lim:, but becaufe he loved us wi-h an 
 evorlafting love ; therefore, in the fulinefs of fine, Chrift 
 was fent to die for us : So that the death of Ciuill was 
 the fruit and eftltl, but not the caufe of cur cl •Cu<..v\ : Nc 
 other reafon, fays Bithop Fell upon the ph:cc, can ' 
 ailigiied of this privilege, but the gcod pleafure of G<;.i , 
 and if Chrift's fuffcrings were not the caufe of our elefUon, 
 much Icfs our own dcfcrvings, as he adds there ; almij^hiy 
 Got! not chufing us becaufe worthy, but 10 make us 
 %vorthy by chufing us. 5. The effe£t and frui", the benefit 
 and end of this free and ancient favour, thai we fhviiii he 
 holy, and with 'Mi hhime hefre him in kve. fl.) H-'inefs 
 is here declared not to be the cau'.e, but the effe<Sl i)f our 
 eleftion : God chofe the Gentiles from eternity to b-; h!<; 
 people, not becaufe they were holy, they were far enotvjh 
 froin that, being afar off from God, but defigning that they 
 thus gracioufly chofen fli^uld be holy ; initially, progref- 
 fively, and perfeveringly holy in this life, and perfeiSlIy holy 
 in the next : Yet arriving at fuch a pcrteflion here in 
 hojincfs, as to dcmonftrate us blamekfs in the account of 
 God, by virtue of our faith in Chrift, and love to one 
 another. From the \\\\o\e, learn, i. That God's beftow- 
 ing all fpiritual bleftiugs upon us in time, is the eftei'l and 
 fruit of his eleding love from all eternity ; He hath bUj](d 
 us with all fpiritual Hrjftngs, according as he hath ch/fni us 
 in Chrifl hfjre the ftundatiin of tiie world. 2. Tiiat God 
 hath chofen none to happinefi and glory hereafter, but 
 only fiicli as are holy in converfation here, holy in the 
 habitual frame and difpofition of their hearts, and in the 
 general courfe and ttnour of their lives and a(flions. 3. 
 Tha' fuch as are holy before God, will endeavour to walk 
 unblameable in the fight of man, in the exercife of love, 
 and in the praiflitc of all the duties of the Rcond table, 
 which are at once evidences of our fincerity, and an orna- 
 ment to our profcflion. 
 
 5 Having predeftinatcd us unto the adoption of 
 children by Jcfns Chrift to himrelf, accordinsj to 
 the ^ood pleafure of his will, 6 ^ To the praife of 
 the ^lory of his grace, wherein he hath made us 
 accepted in the Beloved ; 
 
 That if, " Having predeftinatcd us Gentiles, who in the 
 efttcin of the Jev.s were accounted dogs, to be thus adopted 
 
 fons and daughters, in attd by Jefus Chrift, in whom he 
 hath made us accepted, t"i the abundunt praife and glory 
 of his free erace and mercy." Okferve here, I. That none 
 are the children of God by nature; none are born fons, 
 but made fons ; not of their own, but God's making ; 
 and in order to this glorious privih ge, we were predeflinatcd 
 unto the ad',ption of children by fefus Chrifl. 2. The attri- 
 bute mentioned here by the apoftle, which moved God to 
 predeftinate us to the adoption of children ; it was the 
 glory of his grace ; he mentions not the glory of his holi- 
 nefs, the gi'-ry of hi': jiifticc^or the glory of his power ; 
 becaufe tli.? glory of his power is ir.anifeftcd in making "f 
 the world, the glory of his hoiinefs in making of his lav>-, 
 the glory of his juftice in turning the tranfgreft"ors of tl 
 law into hell ; but h\f, grace he fluws no where f' mud-. .... 
 in the predeftin-^'ion of his chiliren, and in what he haili 
 predeftinated them uaro ; he ftieweth indeed all \v.'\ a'tri- 
 butes herein, hw grace over and abov; all th" refi. 3. The 
 ci^rffi and fruit of this privi' !y, c.f our beiriL'pre- 
 
 .',.1 ;„-,,^; t^ »)>. n'!-^prioii in, and thst is, our 
 
 : Chrift tne Bflovcd ; the word is 
 ' , : hath made us dear, preci.<us and 
 dcligh'fiil to himfelf : or, in one word, he hath ingratiated 
 us. Here note. That as Jefus Chrift is in an eminent 
 manner, beloved of God, and accepted with him, l"o, in 
 like \naru',or, all God's adopted children do, and lliall find 
 favour with God, and acceptance hrough Chrift. 
 
 7 Iti whom we have redemption through his 
 biood, the forgivenefs of fins, according to the 
 riches of his grace ; 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the foregoing verfes, cnuinerated 
 the great and gloriotis privileges which the children of God 
 were made p-artakers of before all time, coir.es next to dif- 
 cover what they are admitted to the participaiion of in 
 lime: And here in this verfe he mentions two ot them, 
 namely, redemption, and reniiflion of fin ; in whsm we ha^t 
 redemption through his blcjd, &:c. H^ re mte, the privilege 
 iiftlt, rcdcmptiin \ the Redeemer, Jffus Chriji in zvhoni :, 
 the price of this redemption p:iid down, his hUod ; one 
 fruit of this redemp'ion mftanccd in for all the reft, th-j 
 ftrgii-enefs of fin ; and, laftly, the fpiing or fclirce of all 
 this, the riches of lis grace. Learn, i. The dep!orabl.u 
 ftate in.'o wkich the whole race of mankind was brought 
 by fin, namely, an eftate of ftaverv and bondage, nn.d 
 fpiritual captivity unto fin; rtdemption firppofes tl.is : 
 Slaves and captives need a Rcdeeiner, none cllc ; we are 
 all by nature under flavery to fi-i, to Satan, and the ciirP: 
 of the law, and the vt-rath of God. 2. That there was 
 no delivery to be had from this ftavery, but by a pricG,paid 
 dov.n to the juftice of G"d ; redemption is a delivery b-.' 
 ranfom and price. 3. That no other price did, or coulil 
 redeem us from our mLOrrable captivity, but the 'olrnd of 
 Chrift; we have rcdanption through his bk,od. 4. That all 
 believers, and only they, iiare remiflion of iheir fins 
 thiough the redemption purchafed for them by the blocvl 
 of Chrift. 5. That -God's free grace, and Chiift's full 
 faiisfadion, do Hand well together in the work of redemp- 
 ti'-n and rcir.i-ftion of fin: True, God had a fat isfac^ion 
 from the hand of our Surety, Chiilt Jtius^ but was it not 
 
 frc-s 
 
H 
 
 E P II E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. r. 
 
 free grace and rich mercy in God, to accept of a Surety and 
 a Subftituiion, when tne rigour of the law required none, 
 anti would adiric of none, but demanded that the foul 
 which finned fhouUl die ? Wa= it not free mercy, not 
 only to. acccjit a Surety, but to provide a Surely for us, ss 
 (JoJ dill, and this Surety Ids own Sun ? And to deliver 
 up this Son to a painiul, ihamcful, and accurfcd death, 
 that wc mii'.ht have redemption through his blood, even 
 the forglvcncfs of finy, according to llie riches of his grace ? 
 
 8 Wherein he hath abounded to'vard us in all 
 -wifdom and prudence, g Having made known unto 
 us ihe mvftery of his will, according to his good 
 pitafuic, which he hath propofed in himfclf : 
 
 That i-s in which dlfpcnfation of his, namely, our re- 
 ■tkmption from fm and wrath by the bloixl of his Son,' 
 Gnd the Father hath difcovered abundant wifdom, wonder- 
 ful wifi!')rn, riches of divina wifdom, to the children of 
 men. TidcinjT the words in this fcnfc, the obfervntion is, 
 That God's lending his Son into the world to fufFcr in 
 our ftcad, and to faiisfy for our fin, was not only sn aft 
 of fpecial jjrace nnd peculiar favour, but alfo an evidence 
 snd dcmonflration of wonderful wifdom in God ; he kuth 
 Mhoundcd toivard us in all ■wifdom ; O that womierful wif- 
 dom appeared in the contrivance of the work of redemp- 
 tion, and in the accomplifliment of it ! What wifdom, in 
 appointing fuch a Mediator as was fit to reconcile God to 
 man, and man to God ! What wifdom, in laying the plat- 
 form and delign of the gofpd in fuch a way and manner, 
 ns at once to advance the honour and fecure the glory of 
 God, and to promote the holincfs and comfort of man ! 
 0//j'tnc, next. The defcripiion which St. Paul gives us of 
 the gofpel, and the preaching of it, it is the myllery of 
 God's will revealed and made known to a loft world. 
 Leant, That the gofpcl's tnethod for recovering and faving 
 I )ft finners by a Redeemer, was a myftcry, a hidden myf- 
 tcry ; it was hid v.heie all the world coidd never have found 
 it, where angels and men cptild never difcover it ; it was 
 hivi in God, in his hrcaft and bofom, in his heart and 
 Thoughts; it was hid from angels; nay, the cluirchcs knew 
 it belore the angels ; yta, the angels learnt it from the 
 ehiirches, Eph. iii. lo. Unto principalities and powers is 
 ^iictvn hy the church the man'ifejl zvif'lom of Gcd; and as it 
 was hid from angel-, fo from the wife men of the world, 
 1. Cor. ii. 8. We preach the wifdom of God in a mvftery, 
 even ih^- hidden wifdorn, which none of the princes of this 
 world knew ; nay, tl>e gofpcl was hid from all the faints 
 of the Old Tcftamenr, comparatively, not abfohitcly ; with 
 refpeft to that clear revelation which we have of the gofpel 
 no\n^ ir may be faid to be hidden from them then. O, 
 what obligations then do we lie under, who live under the 
 difpenfjtion of the e-jfprl, to acknowledge what an infinite 
 favour it is from God Clearly to know the myftcry of his 
 will, concerning tlie redcnip'ion and falvati^n of poor left 
 Tinners hv a Mediator! GckI has now rcveale;! i', and he 
 delircs all nnv know and receive the revelatif)n of ir, 
 rimcly, the hidden myftcry of his will. 0-*/<T7.r, Irdtly, 
 What was the impelling and moving caufe of G^d's 
 iTiaking known the myfteries of his will to a loft world ; 
 iit was his ov.;i gojd plcafurc, which he had purpoftd m 
 
 himfclf; God's making known the myftery of his will by 
 the gofpel, and his cnligh'ening the underftanding of men 
 favingly to apprehend it, proceeds cntiiely from the purpofe 
 and pleafurc of his own good will. 
 
 10 That in thedifpenfationof the fulnefsof times 
 he might gather toi»cthcr in one all things in Chrifl, 
 both which are in heaven, and which arc on earth, 
 even in him. 
 
 Theft: words difcover to u« the erd and dcfign of God, 
 in m.iking known the mvftery of his will, that is, in re- 
 vealing the gofpel ; it was to gather in one univcrfal 
 church both angels an 1 men, Jews and Gentiles, under 
 Chrift their H<ad, and by virtue of that union to become 
 one with the Father, as he and Chiift are one. Here note, 
 1. That Chiift is the head both of angtls and men ; an 
 Head of confirmation to the angels, of rcdtinp'ion fo fallen 
 man ; both angels and faints in heaven and en ear'h mrke 
 up one family, of whit h Chrift is the Head : the angels 
 are a part of the worlhippers of Chiift as wvll as we, '}iey 
 a-e a part of his family and houlh^ld ; the rnt Is fill our 
 churches as well as men, and are prcfent in ' ur congre- 
 gations and afTcmbliris, T Cor. xi. lo. 2. T hat all man- 
 kind bv nature, nnd as confidcred in thcmfclvcs, are under 
 a fearful difpenfaiion or fcaftcring : Sin ha;h rent and ftpa- 
 rated them from God, frf-m man, and from the bicftcd 
 angels ; Gt^lhcpng tcgell-er prefiippofcs a f uregi ing fcatter- 
 ing. 3. That the pi!rp<.fe and defign of God, in dif- 
 coverine the truths of the gofpel unto men, was thi , that 
 he might gather them together into union with Jefus 
 Chrift^ ; that by virtue of that union they might be one 
 with the Father, as He and Chiift are one ; That in lie 
 fuUnrfs of time he tn'ight gather t'>gether in vie body in Chrift 
 all M/n^j cap-ble of eternal h.ippinefs, loih in hcdven and 
 earth ; even in him, who is the Head of that body, whereof 
 angels as well as men are members. 
 
 11 1[ In whom alfo we have obtained an inhe- 
 ritance, being predcflinated according to the pur- 
 pofo of him who worketh all things after the coun- 
 sel of his own will : 12 That wc (hould be to the 
 praife of his glory, who firft trufted in Chrift. 
 
 Our apoftle having hitherto fpokcn of the glorious privi- 
 leges of the gofpel in general, he comes now to make appli* 
 cation of this his doftrine, firft to the Jews,, and next to 
 the Gentiles in particular. As to the Jews, who were ftrlt 
 called by Chrift and his aprftlts, and who were the firft 
 that trufted or hoped in Chrift for falvation, before there 
 was any conf:dcr?ble num.ber of converts amcing the Gen- 
 tiles, he declares, that thcfe Jcwilli b.lievcrr, whereof V\m- 
 felf was one, had, in and through Chrift, obtained a riijht 
 to be God's portion and pccu'iar people ; and that they 
 fhoidd not, bv embracing the golpel, lofe that :;ncicnt 
 privilege which their forefathers fo micktily boalttd of, jnd 
 gloried in ; namely, fo lie a chofrn gcneraiicn, and a 
 peiuliar people ; but together with their being Gsid's 
 portion, thev flioukl h::ve right loan inhcijt.irice : In wh'.m 
 tve have ohtiiined an inlerilr.'ice \ namely, an inheritance in 
 the Heavenly Canaan, the inheriiana- of the flints in light ; 
 
 * and 
 
CiiAP. r. 
 
 E P H E 8 I A N S. 
 
 79- 
 
 and to this inberitance, fays he, you have been appointed, 
 Goi having t'ore-ordaincJ that this inheritance fhould be 
 the p )ilion of all belici'efs, and tiie confequent of faith in 
 Chiift, by virtue of vrhich we become the fons of God, 
 and all this to the pr<iife of his :wn ghry ; that is, to the 
 inrcnt that his gli.'rioiis aitiibuies of u ifdom, goodntfs, and 
 mercy, niiJitt be acknowledged, and highly piaifid. Leirn 
 hence, i. That to b; cailid lo faith, andbionght tobclievc 
 in Chriii, before others, is a favour and fpccij! preroga- 
 tive, which foirc perfoiis have above all others : JVewho fi-Jl 
 heli-jed in d riji. It is an high honour above all othtrstobe 
 jti Chrift bef)re (-iliers. Rom. xvi. 7. lFi:o were in Chrijl 
 before ric. 2. That as all believers are G'xl's portion, 
 and the lot of his inheritance, fo they do obtain from him 
 right and title to a lot and (hare in an inheritar.ee incor- 
 ruptible, iindefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in 
 the heavens for them ; //^ havi chtuim-d an inheritance. 
 3. That Jefiis Ciiri.t the Mediator is that perfon, in, by, 
 and through whom believers are inftituted to this inherit- 
 ance ; In zvhom ZLS have chained an inheritance. Chrill 
 hath pnrchafed this inheritance forthetn \ he has promifed 
 it to them ; he has a! ready taken, and ftill keeps podcflron 
 of it for them ; and he will put them into the full and final 
 poiTeffion of it at the great day. 4- That the great end 
 and defign ofGtxl, in all the diftinguifliing favours and 
 benefits which by Jcfus Chrill we obtain from him, is this. 
 That zve JhiulJ he to the praije of his glory. The words 
 may be iinderflood, (i.) PafTively ; the praife of his glory 
 was to b; manifelted in them. (2.) Actively ; that the 
 high praifes of God were to be fet forth by them. 
 
 13 In whom ye aifo irvjitd after that ye heard 
 the word of truth, thegofpel of j'our falvation : in 
 whotn alfo after that ye believed, ye were fealed 
 with that holy Spirit of pvomife, 14 Which is the 
 earned of our inheritance, until the redemption of 
 t^he purchafed pofTeirionjUntil the praifcof his glory. 
 
 Here the apoftle recounts the favours and privileges 
 which the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, upon their believ- 
 iiig Chrift were adinitted to the participation of: He 
 .tlliires them, tliat in and through Chrift they had obtained 
 .1 right to this heavenly inheritance aifo, as well as the 
 Jews, having been brought to truft and believe in him, by 
 hearing the word of truth, the dodlrine of the gofpel, 
 preached to thein : And next, that they were fealed for 
 the children of God, by the fan£lifying Spirit promifed to 
 the fons of God, v.-hich produced a real renovating change 
 in their hearts and lives, and fo was a pledge and carneft 
 of, as well as made them meet and fit for the heavenly 
 Inheritance ; the full enjoyment of which is not to be ex- 
 pected till the laft day, when, and not before, all believers 
 lliall obtain compltrie redetnption, and their bodies being 
 railed, dhall be reuni'ed to their foul<, and both rendered 
 perfeftly and cverlaftingly happy. ■ The end ot God, in 
 all this difpenfation of grace and mercy to the Gentiles, 
 being the faine with that before-mentioned to the J.ews ; 
 namely, the praife ot his own glorious grace. Here obje-rvc 
 I. That both the Gentiles and Jews arc faved by the iame 
 failli and truft in Chriit ; In whom ye alfo Irufied ; as they 
 
 have the fame common inheritance, fo have they the fame 
 common affiance and faith in Chrift. 2. That the faith 
 ot the Gentiles came by hearing of the word : In whim ye 
 alfo trujled, after ye heard the 'word, &c. that is, pvefenliv 
 after they heard, they bcli-ved and obeyed : Col. i. 6. Ve 
 obeyed fr-.m the frji day flat ue preached the gofpel. What 
 a ihame and reproach is this fo thofe ainonglt us, who have 
 heard the gofpel preached all their da)s, yet never did \m- 
 lieve or obey thegofpel? 3. A double pncomiiim which 
 the apoftle gives the gofpel by which thefc Gentile Kphe- 
 fians were converted: he calls it, (i.j 7he tvc>-d of truth; 
 thai is, a word of the moft eminent and excellent truth. 
 Th-ire is no truth that ever God fwore to, but the truth of 
 the gofpel. The Inw is truth as well as the fofpcl, but the 
 lawnasniade without an oath; had itbeen'made withanoath, 
 it had never been recalled ; the gofpel is fealed with an oath, 
 and therefore ftiall never be reverfed. {2.) He calls it the 
 gofpel of Jah:./isn,- and ihc gofpel of their (the Ephefiansj 
 Jahaticn. It is called a gofpel of falvation, becaufe the 
 matter of it is falvation, becaufe the offer of it is falvation ; . 
 and it declares the only way and means by which loft fin- 
 ners may obtain falvation; and the gofpel of I'/f-c/V falvation, . 
 becaufe God had, by his Holy Spirit, made the preaching • 
 of this gofpel cfTeCtiKil for their converllon and falvation, 
 Ohferve, 4. The privilege which the Ephelian Gentiles ob- 
 tained, after they had by fairh confcnted to this gofpel of 
 falvation, and that was their fealing : After ye believed, ye 
 iverefenkd with that H-Jv Spirit of fn-oniife. Where, nite. 
 That the privilege of fealing always follows the duty of be- 
 lieving, never goes before it. Scaling, doth imply that 
 precious and excellent efteem which they have with God : 
 Nothing but what is precious is fealed by us: Who fcals 
 up dung and pebbles in a bag ? Bisliavers are God"s jewels, 
 his treafurc, therefore feaie<l. Sealing alfo i; for f.ifety ajjd 
 fecurity, for difcrimination, and for ccnhrination. The 
 l^loly Spirit, by fandifyingof us, doth difcriminateandoif- 
 tinguiih us from the reft of the world, dclh fecure and-: 
 prcfervc us from the fatal danger of a ruiiions apoftacy 
 and eloth alfo confirm our hopesof the glorious inheritance. - 
 5. That the Holy Spirli^vs .given to believers in the nature 
 of an earneft ; fatidit^ing grace, wrought in the heart here, 
 is a fure earneft of glory hereafter, which is the etirni/l of 
 our inheritance. An earneil binds the bargain, and is a 
 part of the bargain ; if it be but a fliilling given as an ear- 
 neft, it fecures a contrafl for a fhoufand pounds. Believer.^ : 
 are toconfider and look- upon grace, not barelv as grace,, 
 but as an earneft of glory- O, be thankful to God for his 
 fandlifying Spirit, not only as ftibduiag thy corruptions, , 
 but as a pledge and carneft of a glorious inheritance. It is ■ 
 a great comfort to find grace in the foul, as fiinctifying, as 
 quickening and renewing, but a greater wiatter of rejoicincr 
 to find it alfo there as v.'itnefilng, as fealing 2 nd-con finning, . 
 as a part of our inheritance ia glory, and as a pledge and 
 carneft of the whole. 6. That the Holy Spirit of' God-is 
 God. To fanftify, to feal, to confirm our hearts, are di- 
 vine operations ; he that doth thcfe muft be a divins per- 
 fon. True ; how the Spirit of God is Goel, and how h? 
 proceedeth from the Father and the So.i, cannot be com- 
 prehended by our realon and ih.illow underftundini's. Ni 
 wonder that the elodlrinc of the Triniiy is inexplicabi 
 
 5G, feei.T. 
 
jSG 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Cn/.r. I, 
 
 feeing the nature of Gtxl is incomprehcnfible ; our faiih, 
 then, niijfl alfcnt to what our reafon cannot comprehend, 
 otherwifc \vc can never be ChriftiJns. Laftly, Heaven is 
 Jicre called a pnlledi'in, and a piirchafcd poiicflion ; that is, 
 by the blood of Chriii. A king's ranlDm we account a 
 vafl fuin; O, what will our ratif jm by the bkrod of the 
 Sjh of God come to! Grace is ptirciiaf.d, and £;l.)rv is 
 purchafcd, both by the blood of GhrilK L'.rd! xvhat'wiU 
 that jjlury come to ! incternity we fliall admire ir butiiever 
 fully comprehend it. 
 
 1^5 WhercfoVe 1 alfo, after I heard of yourfaith 
 in ine Lord jefus, and love unto all the fjints, 16 
 Ceafe not to give thanks for you, making mention 
 of you in my prayers ; 
 
 Oh/i^rve here, i. The fpccial duties which St. Paul per- 
 formed on the behalf of tliefe Ephclians, he gave thanks 
 forlhem, he pra)ed for them, and both without ceafing ; 
 1 cec.Jc not lo ^ivc thanks Jor you, making ment't-jn of you in 
 viy prayers. Where note. How eidargcd St. Paul's heart 
 \vas in thanktulnefs to God for the falvation of other.":, as 
 well as luuvearicd in his endeavours in order to their falva- 
 tion. This will be one great exercifc of our grace in 
 hciven ; n.iinely, thankfulncfs to God for the falvation of 
 others, :is well as our own ; and verily, it ought to be a 
 uiighty argument to move the heart of any one to work 
 out his own falvation, when he fees another, be it his mi- 
 jji;ler, his parent, his mailer, or his neighbour, fo folicitous 
 for it, and taking fuch care of it. A's/^ farther. That the 
 «lnries of i.rayer and praife, of fupplication and thankfgiv- 
 ing, ought to accompany one another : We are never to 
 pray for frefh mercies, either for ourftlves or others, with- 
 out giving |thaiiks to God for former mercies. Befldes, 
 ther^ is no fuch cfFcftual way of begging, as thankfgiving ; 
 he thai is fpiritually thankhd for what he has received, en- 
 gages God to confer upon him the mercies which he 
 wanteth. Add to this. That holy thankfulncfs is an evi- 
 dence of true grace in us: Need and want will make us 
 beqgars, but grace only thank^.iv.ers. Ohjen^e, 2. The 
 occallon of St. Paul's prayers and' praifes on the Ephcfians' 
 l-.ehalf; namely, his liaving heard, (i.) Of their faith in 
 (Jhrilt : (2.) Of their love tc all fjints. Where, note, 
 How he joins faith and love together, as the two mofl 
 eminent graces, and as the two great evangelical command- 
 ments, faith in Chrift, and love to faints. But how comes 
 lie not to make mention of their love to God ? Jnf. Be- 
 caufe love to God is fuppofed and necelTarily included in 
 our love to faints, as faints ; for he that loves ihcm that 
 are begotten, much more loves him that begettcth ; he that 
 loves the child for the father's fake, loves the father much 
 more for his own fake. Note farther. It is love to faints, 
 as faints, and to all faints without e.\ception, that is, 
 the cvi.lencc of true faith ; poor faints as well as rich, 
 •weak faints as well as gifted. There are forward and fret- 
 ful faints, padionatc and pecvilh Chrillians, who have 
 many inlirmiiies, great infirmities cleaving to them, though 
 difaliowed by them ; yet thefe pror'efling Chrillians arc 
 I/Dved and to be loved by us, even as a brother loveth all 
 kif brother', for his father's fiitc that begat them all, 
 
 though one be little, another lattic, a thin' rtli 
 
 fickiy. Lord, how far are the prpfeirors f. 'h< 
 
 pra(fiicc of ihisdntj' ? How doth a litfledittcRuce in |i'i!g- 
 n»cnt, occafion a great deal of jiidging, and rafh ccnll.ring 
 one atiothcr ? Chrift hath reccl\ed lis, why (houtd v.e re- 
 ject ope another: One heaven will hold us all hereafter, 
 ^'hy flioiild r.ot one communion hold us licre r Vtjily, if 
 children quarrtl and fill out with one another 3I a full 
 table, there is an enemy, at their backs that will quiekly 
 take away the voider : If our herirts be nor turned fuddcn- 
 ly to one another, Almighty God will certainly come and 
 fmite the earth with a curfe. 
 
 17 That the God of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, the 
 Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of 
 wifdoni and revelation, in the knowledge of him : 
 
 Thefe words give us a fliort, but a very comprehenfive 
 accoimtof that alFc(ffionate prater which St. Paul put up to 
 God on the behalf of thefe tphcfians, newly converted to 
 Chrillianiiy ; in v.hich, w./^, i. The pcrl'cn whom he prays 
 unto, (J id, luider a very endearing title, for the firengilicn- 
 ing of his faith ; he flyles him, not as the Old Teftamtnt 
 faints, the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob ; but in ti'.e 
 language of the New Tellament, 7he God cf our Lcrti 
 'jfcjus Chrijl, ^n6 the Fttther of glory. TbeCsd cf cur Lord 
 j'fus Chrifi, as he is man and Alediator, commiflioned of 
 hiin, and fcnt by him : And the Father cf pkty, as being 
 in himielf infinitely glorious ; to whom all glory is and 
 ought to be afcribed, and from whom alone it is comn-.u- 
 nicated. Learn hence, That as all our prayers and requeft 
 are and ought to be direfted unto God only, fo in order to 
 cur having accefs to God with. -iflurance in prayer, it is our 
 duty to apply to him as a Father, as a Father in Chrift, 
 as a Father in Chrifi to us, and under this notion and ap- 
 prehenfion to ilrtngthcn our I'aith for the obtaining of what 
 vve afk in prayer : May the Gcd cf our Lord Jejus Chrijf, 
 the Father of gkry give unto y-ju, &c. Note 2. 1 he great and 
 conpreheniive bleffing prayed tor, namely, di\ine illumi- 
 nation and fpiritual knowledge ; that is, a farther incrtafc 
 of that wifdom and laving knowledge of divine myflerics, 
 whereof the fpirit of God is the author. Learn hence. 
 That as fpiritual wifdoin, or the faving knowledge cf di- 
 vine myfteries, is neccifary to a Chriflian ; fo t licfe w ho 
 have a good mcafure of this grace already received, ought - 
 not to tit down fatisficd with it, but afpire after farther I 
 mcafures and degrees of it : Spiritual knowledge is as nc- 
 celFary for increafing grace, as it is for working grace in the 
 foul. Kc/e, 3. The title here given tothe holy Spirit of God, 
 he is flykd the Spirit cf 11 if dcm and meld ion: He being 
 the author of all that knowledge in the m)fteries of rtli- 
 gion which we attain unto, and it being his p.-cperwcrk 
 and office to reveal unto us the will of God for our falva- 
 tion. Learn hence, 1. That believers thcmfelyes, who 
 are divinely enlightened by the Holy Spiiitof Goil, have yet 
 need of farther meafurcs and fuller degrees of fpiritual wif- 
 dom. 2. That the way to obtain this fuller mcafure cf di- 
 vine wifdom and fpiritual illutnination, is tobeearncfl with 
 God in prayer lor his Holy Spirit. So the apoftlc here. 
 
 18 The eyes of your undcrflanding being cn- 
 
 h^htcutd. 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 787 
 
 lightened!; that ye may know what is the hope of 
 his cilling, and what the riches of the glory of his 
 inheritance in the faints. 
 
 Our aportic proceeds in this verfe, and to the end of the 
 cliaptor, in a very aftcftionare and fervent prayer, on the 
 behalf of tlic Kphelians ; namely, that the bielied Spirit of 
 C^iJ, the author of all divine illumination, wavXdfiirther 
 open the eyes of their nnderflanding, fir>:icriy fliut up in 
 heaihcnith blindnefs and darknefs.that io they might know, 
 {\.) J Fhnt ii the hope of hh calling \ that is, wliat high and 
 glorious hopes he had called them unto ; for hope here, is 
 taken for the object of hope, or the 'great and good things 
 hoped for ; anl it is faid to be the hope of their ctiUltig ; 
 bccaufc, at tlicirconvcrlion fronThcathenifm to chriilianitv, 
 they were entitled to, and called to the expectation of thefc 
 cre.it and good things, which were the objeft of hope. 
 Where note. The Ephefians ileplorable (late before convcr- 
 fion, they were without hope ; and the happy exchange of 
 their condition by embracing Chriftianity, they were be- 
 gotten to alivclv hope of glorious things, which before they 
 were wholly ignorant of, and ftrangers to. As a finner's 
 miferv lies (lot in what he feels, but what he fears; fo a 
 Chrillian's happinefs confdls not in what he has in hand, 
 but in what lie has in hope : May you kmw what is the 
 hope of his callltig. The iecond bleiTing which he prays for 
 on their behalf, is, that he may know what Is the riches of 
 the gl'jry of his inheritance in the faints \ that is, fay fonve, 
 what an exceedine glorious thin<? it is to be a Chriftian ; 
 or, what an exceeding glory redounds to God, by his peo- 
 ple, v hich are his inheritance, fay otiiers: But n-.oll untlcr- 
 itand the words as a defcription of heaven, which is here 
 called an inheritance, a rich inheritance, a gloricms inhe- 
 ritance, in or among the faints; that is, the faints in heaven, 
 who hold that in polFeliion, which the faints on earth have 
 in hope and expectation. Learn hence, That heaven is 
 the faints inheritance. An inheritance is an eftatc that 
 belongrs to children, to all fuch, and none but fuch. It is 
 an undeferved polfellion, and it is a fure and certain polll-f- 
 hon. Here Ms/f, That Alir.it;hiy God is faid in fcripture, 
 to make heaven as fure to his faints, by all forts of v\iyj, 
 as r. man can make an inheritance fure to his child. It is 
 theirs by promife, it istheirs by purchafc, it is theirs by 
 gift, it is tlicirsby bequelt; it is given by will to them, St. 
 Luke xxii. 29. I appoint hy will iin/o \ou a kingdom. Can 
 any thing be furer, or more ways made ffcure to anv per- 
 lon than ihis inheritance of heaven is to the holy fervants 
 ofGo<l? Bi!t farther, the apollle calls \\. the riches of the 
 ghry of his inheritance \ that is, aveiyrichand exceetiing 
 glorious inheritance ; fuch abundant riches and traiifccn- 
 dent glory are found in it, as overwhelm theminti of man, 
 that here enters upon the clofccon'.einplation of it. Heaven 
 will appear to be a glorious inheritance, if we ccnfider the 
 glory of the pbce, the glory of the company, the i^lory of 
 the employment, and the glory that will be then and there 
 pu: upon our folds and bodic-s. Lord, make us incet tor 
 this glorious inheritance of thy faints in light 1 
 
 ig And what i.s the exceedin-j greatnels of his 
 power to ns-ward who bolieve, accordin'^ to t!ie 
 working of his mighty power; 20 Which l.c 
 
 wrought in Chrifl when he raifed him from :he' 
 dead, — 
 
 The next particular which the npoflle prays for, on be- 
 half of the converted Epehlians, is this, that tiicv inight 
 know, or fenfihiy apprehend, thegreatncfs of that divine 
 power, which God had exened, firft, in their converfion; 
 next, in carrying on that work itep by ftep, in fpite of all 
 oppofition ; then in giving them the extraordinary gifts of 
 his Spirit, as miracle-, tongue?, and prophecy ; alfo, the 
 fandifying graces of the SpVir, as knowledge, faith, hope, 
 love, joy, and patience, to enable thein to go on in fulFer- 
 injr for Chrift to the uttermofl ; and, hitly. That they. 
 might know the exceeding greatnefs of that power which 
 God will farther exert towards them as believer^ , in railing 
 ii|) their dead bovliesto enter upon that glorious inheritance 
 which God by proinife infurcd to them ; which power, he 
 afliires them, woidd bcarfoinc likcncfs to, and corrcfpond 
 with, that omnipotent power which God put forth, in 
 railing Chrift from the dc.id, and advancing him to th« 
 heavenly glory, where he is Lord of all. O/fer-cehera, 
 What an heap of words our apofllc makes ufe of, to fet 
 forth the power of God in the foul's converllon from the 
 power of fin, and in the body's refurreflion from the power 
 of the grave ; he calls it, " Power, the power f God, the 
 greatnefs of his power, and the exceeding greatnefs of hit 
 mighty power, and the power which raifed up Chriil from 
 the dead." Lord ! what a glorious power was that vvliicli 
 opened our Redeemer's grave, when he lay in the heart of 
 the earth, with a inighty ftone rolled upon his fepidchre ! 
 may the fame Almighty power break afunder all thofe bars 
 ot imbelief, which keep our foul; under the power and do- 
 minion of (in now, and at the great day, break in pieces 
 the bars of death and the grave, that it may be altogether 
 impoffible for u' any longer to be hoKlcn by them : For 
 towards thy faints, and in order to their falvation, thou doft 
 engage the iittermoll of thine attribute?, the iittermoft of 
 thy love, and the exceeding greatnefs of thy power. 
 
 — And fethiin at his own right hand in the heav- 
 enly places, 2 1 Far aboveall principality and pow- 
 er, and miglit and doininion, and every nanic that 
 is named, not only in this world, but alfo in that: 
 which is to come ; 22 And hath put all things un- 
 der his feet, — 
 
 Our aportle, in thefe word?, difcovcrs to 11' Chriil"; cx- 
 alraiion, or that glory and dignity, which, after his refi.r- 
 reilion and afccnllon, the Father put tipon him as God- 
 man, or Mediator, tar furpafiiiig the glory of all created 
 beings. Now, this i^ reprelented to aii bv the notion, and 
 under the metaphor, of Chrift'sy/V/Jflw-f?/ Gid s right hand : 
 This import?, (i.j Fulnef^ of rtJt and pleafure, that he 
 quietly, fefurely, and «verlaftinglv pollelfcs a'i that happi- 
 nef and fati faction in heaven, which God himftlf i> p )f- 
 fclled of, atiil df lighted with, fir above all the pieafures and 
 delightful fati fatStion--, v Inch i.ll the glorified fains afid 
 gloiiui s ani;eh do, or can pf^ffibly enjoy, {z.) It impUe"! 
 a fulnefs, of h(-iiour and glory, of dignity und refpc;t. 
 When Solomon fet Bathll)tl-.a at his right-hand, it was i?. 
 token ol- hcjvQur ar.d refpect to he . Htb. ii. c. we fr: 
 5 G .' j ef.is 
 
788 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. r. 
 
 Jefiis to be Crowned witli glory nn.i honour, filtinir down nt 
 the right-hand of the Mijclly on high. (3.) Chrill's lilting 
 at God's ri;^ht-haiid, imports, his having all ride, doir.inioii 
 and powtr put into hh hand, to govern ail things, both in 
 heaven, and on earth. (4.) It imports and implies ability 
 . to execute that power ; all thofc royal glorious endow- 
 ments which God filled the human nature of Chrifl with, 
 to make him fit to be the Aipreme Head rf his church, and 
 the i^rest and wife G(wernor of the world; all this doth 
 'God's fcttinv; Chrill at his own right hand import and im- 
 ply. In the next vcrfc (the 21 ft.) the apoftlc cxprelVcs more 
 i>laiidy, what he had faid in the former verCe figuratively; 
 Gj<! hath exalted Chrift ffays he) fur ative all principalities 
 ar.d pmers, might and (hmini-jn, and every name that is 
 ?i/tpned\ and hath put ail things under his feet. Where note, 
 Ci.) Tlieeminency ; [z.) The imivcrfality of our Lord's 
 exaltation. Its cminency appears in the height of his ex- 
 altation ; heisnot only f,iiw, \,mX far ahve, all principa- 
 lities and powers, and might and dominion ; and in the 
 lowncfs of the fiibjcdllon of all things to him, having put 
 all tlungs under his fct. And the univcrfaiily of Chrill's 
 exaltation appears, by inftancing, u^ principalities and powers, 
 ?>::gKi and djmini:>i : under which he comprehends all things 
 that are excellent in heaven and earth, angels and men, &c. 
 all creatures wh.atfoevcr being placed in a degree of infe- 
 riority beneath him, and in The loweft flate of fubje($tion 
 tindcj- him. Whence we learn, I. That the human nature 
 of Chrilf, and his glorified body, by virtue of that unfpcak- 
 able tinion between the two natures of Chrifl, his Godhead 
 end manhood, is fo highly dignified and exalted in heaven, 
 . th.it all the glory of heaven and earth, of kings and ein- 
 peror?, of fuu', moon, and liars, of the fouls of juft men 
 made pcrfc<St, yea, and of the fpotlefs glorious angels them- 
 felves, is nothing to it, nor may be compared with it. 
 Cliriit fits now in heaven, in our glorified humanity united 
 to his glorious Dtiiy ; that body which hung on an igno- 
 minious crofs in blood and gore, now (hines brighter than 
 ten thotifand funs in the kingdom of his father. All this 
 Honour anil iiotn:'.ge, glory and praiie, dominion and power, 
 is due to our Lord the Redeemer, as the reward of his fuf- 
 ferings: Go<l hath fct him at hisown right-hand, far above, 
 .all principalities an;! powers. 2. That although the me- 
 diatorial kingdom of Chrilf ihall ceafe at the blKlay, fand 
 be dclicered up by Chrift imto his Father) as to the way 
 wherein he now adminifters it, by ruling in themidft of his 
 enemies, whom h; fliall then have finally fubdued and de- 
 liroyed ; yet hisnauiral kingdotn, asGod, (hall never ceafe, 
 but C'-ntinue in the zarld to come without end. Thofc 
 words here, net only in this world, but in the world to conf, 
 do fhew the duration of Chrift's kingly government, and 
 thathcis king for ever :nd ever, that his kingdom i< an c- 
 vcrlafting kiuj-dom, and his dominion eiidiircth through c- 
 ternal asjes. 
 
 — And;;ave iiiiii tshi the head over all things to 
 .-the chdrch. 23 Wiiicli is his body, the I'tilnefs of 
 .him that (illoth ail in all. 
 
 St. Paul having fpokenof Chrif>'s foveriignty ingencral, 
 •over nil created beings, both in heaven and carih, in the 
 foregoing vcrfes, doth, iti the words before us, declare, that 
 
 as he is an Head of dominiort and atuhorlry to the whole 
 creatioti in general, fo he ii an Head ot influence to his 
 church in pariicidar. Kile, Chrill wa^given ► v the Father 
 to be the church's Head; Now, this metaphor rf /.n hend 
 implies feveral things , As, (i.) Emircncv above the 
 church, as the head is above the members. '(2.) .Autho- 
 rity over the church ; the head govern . all the member?. 
 (■3.) Onencfs of nature betwixt him and his church ; To 
 fee an head of one nature, and members of another ij 
 monftrous. (4.) It implies a ftrid intimate and clofc 
 union betwixt him and hii church, as betwixt head and 
 members; which union, as to the members ot the vifible 
 church, i": a political union ; but as to the iinifible mem- 
 bers (real believers) the union betwixt Chrift and them is 
 myftical, fpiritual, fupernatural, and indiilrluble. L.-iftly, 
 This metaphor of an head, given here to Chnft, implies a 
 communication of influence- from himfclf unto all his 
 member?; an influence of common gift? to the vifible 
 members of his body, and an influence of fpiritual life and 
 motion to the invifiblc members, true believers. Indeed, 
 Chrift is the head of angels as well as faints, but in dlt- 
 ferent refpe(5ls; to angels, he is an Head of dominion and 
 government, an Head of authority and fuperiority : I3ut to 
 his church, he is an Head of dominion .^nddiredlion alfo ; 
 not only an Head of authority, but an Head of vital in- 
 fluence too: The angels are Chrift's honourable fiibjefly, 
 but faints are the m)ftical members of his body ; the for- 
 mer are as the nobles in his kingdom, that attend upon his 
 pcrlon, but the latter are the endeared fpoufe that lies in 
 his bofoin. O glorious dignity of the meaneft believer 
 above the higheft angel! For as the nobles in a prince's 
 court think it a preferment and honour to wait upon his 
 queen, fo the glorious angels account it no diftionour to 
 them, to (erve and adminifter to the faints, to which ho- 
 nourable oflice they are appointed, Heb. i. 14. namelv, trt 
 be mini/hring; or i'ervkeMc Jpirits, fr the goidif thdn that 
 arc tl>e heirs if falvation. As the ch left ft feivants difdain 
 not to ferve the heir, fothe angels delight to fer\c the faint.". 
 2. As the charadcr here given of Chrift, the head cf his 
 church ; fo the honourable title put upon the church, fhe 
 is his bcxiy ; Tie head aver nil the church, uhich is I. is body; 
 not his natural, but his myftical body. This implies, {{.) 
 The church's union with Chrift, and her relation to him. 
 {2.) The chnich's receiving influences from him, life, 
 inotion, and ftrenglh ; all which the members of the botly 
 receive by virtue of union with their Head. (3.) It im- 
 plies the duty of fubjedion and obedience due from the 
 church to Chrift, as from the members to the hesd. (4.) 
 It implies the union and order am.ong the members them- 
 felves ; that as all the mcmhcis ot the natural boily f\mpa- 
 tliize with, and arc fubfervicnt to each other, fo (hoitld all 
 the members of the church, Chtift's myftical btxly, employ 
 ihiir gifts, and improve their fimtiions and cfhccs for the 
 general good of the whole, .-md the mutual benefit and ad- 
 vant.^ge of each other, as becomes the body of Chrift, and 
 members in particular. But tfpccially, the churih is faid 
 l^^re to be the bo'dy of Chrift, and He her Head ; 11.) 
 With refpecl to a commtmication of influences ; Chrilt 
 our head i« our fountain of life ; our Head is our heart 
 alfo, aut of it are the IJJiies of life ; from him wc live, by him 
 
 we 
 
Chap. ir. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 789 
 
 \ve move, and rrnr fpiritual being is derived from him, 
 ftrengi!icne(i and fudaincd by him ; tlie whole church re- 
 ceives fpiritiial lite, motion, and ftrcngili from Chrilt, as 
 the body doth tiom the animating and enlivening fotil. 
 (2.) Chrirt is called hctit, the henj of the church, his body, 
 ■with relpecfl to a complication of intercll, as well as a coin- 
 miinica'ion of influences. As the head and the body, as 
 the hnn>and and the wife, fo Chrirt and his chtirch are 
 niiitiially concerned for each other ; they iland and fall, 
 jive and die together ; whatfocvcr he has, is theirs ; they 
 have nothing but through him, they have all things in him, 
 and by him; his God is their God, his F.ither is their 
 l''ather ; his blood, his bowel?, his tnerir, his fpirir, his life, 
 his death is theirs ; and as all that he has is his church's, fo 
 all that he did is for his chnrch, called here, /-•/.( hdy. He 
 obeyed as his church's Head; he died as her Head ; he 
 J-ofe, afccndcd, and rei*ncth as her Head, and hath in his 
 church's name, taicen iwirefllon of heaven, as a piirchafed 
 inherit jnce for her. How fitly then may Chrift be called 
 the Head of the church, and the church be called the body 
 of Chrift ? 3. How Chrill came to be the Head of his 
 church. God the Father gave him this authority, ver. 22. 
 And gave him to be the Head ever all things to the church ; 
 that dignity and fiipciiority, that dominion and power 
 ■ivhich Chrift has over liis church, is given to him bv God 
 the Father; none elfe was fit for it but himJclf ; and al- 
 though it was due unto hirafelf, yet it mull be given hiin. 
 Now, if Chrift did not cxercifc any authority over the 
 church till it was given him, what bold prefumption is it, 
 and will it be, in any pcrfon upon earth to alTume any 
 power over, or to cxercife any office in the church,. when 
 never called to it, nor authorized by Chrift to undertake 
 it ? We may demand of fuch confident undertakers, as the 
 I'harifees demanded of the h(>ly and hcinble Jcfus, Ey tuhnt 
 'axthirily do/} thou do ihcfc things ? ami -who gave thee this 
 authority ? 4. The high honour which is put upon the 
 church by beitig Chrift's body, by this fhe becomes ChrilFs 
 flilnefs, The church which is hi; body, the fuhicjs of him. 
 Yet ;/5.V, The church is not the fulnefs of Chrill peifonal, 
 but of Chrift inyflical ; not of his natural, but myllical 
 body ; every faint, and every degree of grace in a fui:it, is 
 pjrt of Chrifl's fulnefs. The work of ^the miniftry then, 
 is the bed and noblelt work in the world, becaiife it is an 
 adding to the fulnefs of ChrilL God had but one Son in 
 ihc world, and he inade him a minider: And if increafinrr 
 the nmvibcr of converts, and adding to perfons' grov/th in 
 grace, be an addition to Chrifl's fufncfs, then how glorious 
 a fight will the great day afford, when Chriil fhall hr.ve all 
 his fulnefs ; when there fhall not be one faint wanting, nor 
 one degree of grace in any faint wanting ; when head and 
 members (liall be both full, full of grace, full of joy, full of 
 glory ; when Chrill Oiall be fully glorified in his faints, and 
 they cverlaftingly filled with the fulnefs of him that filleth 
 all in aU. 5. i he glorious title here given to our Lord 
 Jefiis Chrill, as Head of his church : He fiikth all in all:, 
 he filLtli all perfons, both angels and men : he filleth all 
 places, lieavc-n with glory, caitli with grace, hell with hor- 
 ror ; he Hllelh all ordinances, prayer with prevalcncv, 
 preaching with efficacy, &c. he filleth all relations, fathers 
 \» it h paternal affcdions, mothers vviiU muternal bowds ; 
 
 he fills all conditions, riches Vv'ith tlnnkfulncf;, poverty 
 with contentment. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 AND you hath he quickened who were dead in 
 trefpalFes and fins. 
 
 Note here, I, The deplorable condition which the Ephe- 
 fians were in by nature, and all perfons with them, before 
 their converfion from fin to God. It is a (late of fpiritiial 
 death ; the natural and unregeneratc man is a dead man, 
 fpiritiially dead in lin : Our apoftle doth not f.iy they were 
 in a dying, but in a dead condition ; not half dead, but al- 
 together dead. But how fo ? Not dead as to natural 
 adions, they can cat and diink ; not as to rational adions, 
 they can reafon and difcouife : not as to ci\ il adions, they 
 can buy and fell, bargain and trade : Nor is the natural 
 man dead to moral adlions ; he can pray, read and hear 
 the word, meditate upon it, and difcourfe of it ; if he 
 pleafes, he can hearken to the voice of God's judgir.tnts, 
 confider and call his own ways to rttncmhrantc ; but as to 
 fpiritiial a£ls, to be fpiritiially pcrfr;rmcd, here he i-^ dead, 
 till quickened by a vital ad of the Holy Spirit, w hcfc of- 
 fice is to enlighten blind eyes, .nnd \\hofe delight it is to 
 quicken and enliven dead folds. But what doth tjiis fhtc 
 of fpiritiial life imply ? Aif. It doth fuppofe and imply a 
 flate of feparation from God, infenfible of that didral 
 Aate, an impotency and inability to recover oiirftlves out 
 of that condition, and our loathfomenefs and offinfivenefs 
 to Almighty God, whilft we continue in it. In flunt, 
 every unregenerate man is a dead man, in a double fenfc : 
 He is, (i.) Legally dead, being tinder the condemnatory 
 fentcnce of the law : we call a man inider a legal fentence 
 of death, a dead man. (2.) Spiritually dead, as being 
 deftitute of a principle of fpirituai life, a q-uickenfttg prin- 
 ciple to enable the foul to pcrtorm fpirituai operatians. 
 Thus before regeneration are we dead, in oppofinon to 
 jufiincation ; and dead in oppofiticn to ian<f{<fic'ation alfo; 
 and the fatal inflrumcnt, by which our fouls die, is here 
 difcovered, derJ in or by trcfpafs and f-s. This is the 
 fword that kills fouls, and ciits "them off from 'God : you 
 hath he quickened, being dead in trefpafs and fins. Kotc^ 
 2. The choice and lingular privilege and favour vouchfafcd 
 to the Ephefians, in and under the power of fpirituai deaths 
 They were quickened, that is, made fpiriiiiallv aiive, by the 
 quickeniVig or life-giving power of the Spirit of Gofl.' A 
 regenerate man is a living man ; he lives a life of jufiinca- 
 tion, which conlills in pardon of fin : A condemned man's 
 pardon is his life; and he lives a life of fanaification, 
 having received from the holy Spirit a utal principle oi 
 grace in all the powers and faculties of the foul : iultifica- 
 tion reconciles God to us, fandification reconciles us to 
 God ; juftificariin takes away the legal enmitv, fanciifica- 
 tioathc natural enjnity betwJcnGod'and us. Here obf-rvr. 
 That the psrfo;i f\'ho is fpiritiially quickened, is univerfully 
 quickened s there is not a faculty in die fnd but is fpiiru- 
 ally (lead, and therefore not a ficu'liy in the foul but is f])irifj- 
 ally quickened : As there is an iiniverfal pollution in every 
 faculty, fo mult there be an uuivcrfal rcnovaiiun ; tor ni> 
 
 fpiiitial 
 
T99 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Chap. ir. 
 
 Jnty can be pel form eil wlihnmlt, no rp'iriwal privilege can 
 "be cnjovcd without it, and we can never be lived hereafter, 
 if not fpiritiinllv quiL-kene'l here : But if qiiiikcncd arit;hf, 
 we live a divine liff, th^ life 'in fome ineafurc) which God 
 himfclf lix'ts ; and this iniill ncciN be an exctilent life and 
 a-plcafant life here on cari-h.and (liall be an cverlaflintjlife 
 Aviili Chrill in heaven ! m^Jontr Tiveth, and hdicvelh ih 
 me, Jlftill uevtr die ? Xr.U 3. The pcrfon quickening de- 
 fcribed, yjit halh he (jutdined \ that is, God the Father, 
 ivho, chap. I. 17. Is faid to have given them the fpirlt of 
 iv'ijdini and revcht'im, in Ire hiQwUdre of limfelf: Man, in 
 his natural (late coniidcred, is unable of himfclf to quicken 
 lii:!)!!.!! ; he doth not I'o much as derirc the q'.iickcninj^^ 
 grace of God, till God gives the prace of delirc. Alns ! 
 the iindcrdandini; is n;itiir3lly fo blind, the heart fo hard, 
 and the will fo ftoiit and ftiibborn, t'lat aonc but a divine 
 power can enlighten the one, and efHcacioully incline the 
 other : It is a change of (lone into flelh ; of a dead (Inner 
 inlo a living'faint. A change' from nature to grace requires 
 as ttiiich, or more of divine power, than a change from 
 grr.rc to ^lory. To fee a creature naturally fililiy, now to 
 tltlight in purity ; to fc-j a finner, that by nature drinks in 
 iniquity like water, now thi riling after righteoufjicfs ; to fee 
 a man that loathed the holy law, and holy ways of Gel, 
 now Icnging to svalk in them, and come to an cxatl 
 conformity to God in them: Thcfe a<5ls are above nature, 
 contrary to nature, and ci^nfcquemly the God of Grace is 
 the aiithor of them : y:ii halh he quickened. 
 
 2 Wherein in (ime paft ye walked according to 
 llic courfe of this world, according to the prince 
 ■*)f the power of the air, the fpirit that now work- 
 «th in the children of difobedicnce : 
 
 Our apoflle having in the former vcrfe dcfcribed the 
 I'-phefians by their natural ("tale and inward condition, as 
 dead in trclpafs and (ins, doth in this vcrle fet forth their 
 iiiifery in refpeft of their outward convcrfation ; they 
 walked in, and made a condant trade of (in : M'herein in 
 'nn: pa/l y: tva'.ked arcrrding to the courfe of ihis zvorld, &c. 
 Xou; I. Their cnnftant and continued courfe of life, fet 
 forth by u.\iliing, a tnetaphor frequently tiled in fcripture, 
 to fet forth the tenoiir ot a period's convcrfation ; wherein 
 that i<., itT which (Ins in tiine paft ye walked. 2. The path 
 in which they walked, in fins and irefpalfes ; this denotes 
 the abunthince of fin that was in them, and committed by 
 them with facility and eale, with fatisfacVion anifdeli;.;!!! : 
 Walking is a motion, a rolimtary motion, a progielllv'^ 
 motion, a ptbafant and delightful motion ; it is natural to 
 men whilll unregeneratc, to walk in (In with fome fort of 
 delight and pleafiirc ; but alas ! it is the plcalure of the 
 hcalt, and not of the man, a fenfual, and not a ratiunal 
 iati?(a<5lion. 3. The guides which they are faid here to 
 frJlow, the world and Sa'an. fi.} The world ; that i«, 
 the corrupt courfj and finful curtoms of the nun of the 
 World according to the tiir.e and place in which they live ; 
 for thotigh the world alters in the courfe and fa/hi ^n of ir, 
 from time to lime, yet it is, and ever will be the worlaUllill ; 
 and the unregeneratc parr of mankind will always walk 
 according to the courfe of this woild. The fecond guide 
 which the Ephclians followed, was Satan, ftyl-J here .i 
 
 •^v 
 
 prince; in regard of that mighty power which he has in 
 and over the men of the world ; antl ihe prince tf the p</u.<er 
 of the tiir, bccaule he exercifcs his power (by God's per- 
 mi(li<in, in the lower regions of the air : All the elements 
 and meteors (loop to his dirciSlion ; when God gives him 
 leave, he can coinmand the (ire, the water, the wind', the 
 thunders ; all thefe powers that are in the air he can com- 
 manil, therefore he is called \\Mf prince ; yet here is mat- 
 ter of comfort to us, Satan is the prince of the air only : 
 If (o, when the air lliall ceafc, his kingdom (hall cea(e ; 
 when the world is ended, his doininion and power is ended. 
 Again, there is farther comfort in this, .Satan is prince of 
 the air, but Chrill is prince of heaven and earth, and the 
 air too ; both our prayers whillf we live, and our fouls 
 when wc die, jiafs through the air, but .Satan can neither 
 inicrecpt the one, nor (lop the other, in their padage ihiihtr; 
 Chrift, v\lcn he afccnded into heaven, went through the 
 air, this kingdom of devils, and fpoiled their principalities 
 and powers ; he entered heaven in the Hght of ihcm all, 
 and led them all captives in triimiph at his chariot, fo that 
 'he)' (ball never hurt the f(-ids of his pcnple, nor ever 
 keep them from hc.Tven. Again, the devil is here dcfcribed 
 by the influence he has upon the minds of Tinners, he works 
 in the children of dij-hedicncc. Satan's way of working m 
 and upon obflinatc and impenitent finners, is very powcr- 
 fisl and elficaciofs. Hence it is here faid, (i.j That ihcy 
 arc led by SaMn, they %valk according to the prince of the 
 pozier of the air ; that is, according to his guidance, ac- 
 cording to his mind anrl will . He has thcin at his betk : 
 JJc f.iys to one (inner. Go, and he goeth ; and to another. 
 Come, and he ccmieth. (2.) They are excited and sfliftcd 
 by Satan, he zvorks in /I:em, and fuggeds evil thoughts to 
 thetn : He fillul the heart of Ananias and Sapphira to lie 
 unto the H^ly Ghofl ; he put a lie fiili into their hcart.<^, 
 and then into their mruths. Now from hence we mar 
 infer, that the Holy Spirit of G<xl doth alfo inwardly work 
 in pious perfons, enabling them to will and to do, accord- 
 ing to his f)wn good plerdiire : For it is nnrcafonablc to 
 conceive, that the evil fpirit flioidd have more pcwer over 
 the children of difobcdience, in whoin he dwells, than the 
 good Spirit has in thofc pious perfons, in whofc hearts he 
 is faid to dwell : Surely the Spirit of God doth more to 
 the fiving of fouls, than the devil can do to the damning 
 of them. 
 
 3 Among whom alfo wc all had onr convcrfatioa 
 in times pad in the luRs of our llefli, fulfilling the 
 defires of the flcfh and of the mind ; and were bv 
 nature the children of wrath, even a.s othcis. 
 
 Our apofile, in thefc words, is fupp ofcd to fet fortli {].: 
 condition of the Jews by nature, as he had done before of 
 the Gentiles ; and that he declares, that even they had 
 ihtir convcrfation amongd the number of difcbedierit per- 
 fons, and were no lcf< (.bllinatcly rcbcllicfs againit God, 
 than the difobcdicnt Gentiles, f<)ll('^^ ing the ir.otions of 
 their cornij.t Infls and vile aHcflions: Nay, he allirms 
 roiiiully. concerning hiirifclf :nd all the Jews, v^i'hout ex- 
 ception, and as their way arJ cenirfe, whilil unrcgeiierate, 
 they did whatfocvcr thtir corrupt minds willed, liked, ?««! 
 iucliucd 10^ and as to tlitir (late, icere ly nclure the clrildren 
 
 '-f 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 E p H E s I x\ K s: 
 
 V 
 
 /!/' 
 
 C-r 
 
 »fwi-ath, as much as :li:rrs : yea, even as much as the 
 clefpifcd Gentiles were. Here ncte, l. The cafe of all men, 
 Jews and Gentiles, alike dcfcribed, children of wrath : 
 that is, our clbte and coiirfe is Inch hy Hafnre as deferves 
 dtllrii£lion, as ttnds to, anil will end in dcflrui^ion, wirh- 
 oiit the rcnc^'int; grace nf G.xl. 2. The rife of this cafe, 
 cxprtlTcd by nature, which implies, (i.) The term from 
 which this commences, namtlv, from the firfl receiving of 
 our beinijs and naturts from oi:r immcdratc parents, and 
 together with the depravation of our natures, we received 
 an obnoxioiifni'fs to the wrath and ciirfe of God. (2.) It 
 implies the ground for which this wrath doth impend and 
 hang over iis, iianicly, for that depravity of nature, which 
 fmce the fall is found with us. Learn hence, i. Tiiat 
 ori'.Mn.il corruption is imivcrfal to all mankind, both Jew 
 2nd Cjcntile. 2. That this orii;inal corruption lead"; to, and 
 ^vi!l Itxl^c under ctcrn:.! wrath, every peiTon in whom re- 
 ^;encration and tranfplantation into Chriftare not found. 
 
 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great 
 love wherewith he loved us, 5 f Even when we 
 were dead in fins hath quickened us together with 
 Chrift, (by grace ye are faved ; ) 
 
 St. Paul having fet forth that miferable ftate, which both 
 Jews and Gentiles were in by nature, namely, deati in fins, 
 and children cf ivrtth : he doth next fet forth their deli- 
 verance from that woeful eQate, by the rich mcrcv and free 
 grace of Goil : God, who is rich in mercy. Sec. Here n:/e, 
 1. The author of our deliverance, G'jd, snd the moving or 
 iinpulfive cjufe of it, rich meny and great love. Where 
 cofcn'e, That God hath done more for us, infinitely more 
 than he did for the angels : He (hewed love to them, but 
 mercy to us ; they are veflels of bonour, but \vc are vcflels 
 "t mercy ; the objcflof mercy, is a creature in diftrcfsand 
 milcry. Note, farther. That all the attributes in God are 
 fiibjc£lcd to his love ; this is the great prevailing attribute 
 « hich fvvays all the reft ; which way love goes, all attri- 
 butes go ; mercy, power, juflice, and wifdom, they all 
 Nvork in fubordinatton to love, they are all at love's beck, 
 and love fets them all on work for the go(xi and benefit of 
 the objedl loved. Note 3. That the love which God 
 bears to the children of men, is a great love ; and the 
 mercy which was fet on work by it, is rich mercy \ his 
 love fo great, that it can never be cxpreffed ; his mercy fo 
 rich, that it can never be conceived ; rich mercv, is abun- 
 dant mercy, inconceiveable mercy, inexhaullable inercy, 
 fure mercy. 4. The blefled effefls and fruits of this great 
 love and rich mercj in God towards the Ephefians, in 
 quickening them when dead, in faving them when lofl, in 
 doing all things for them when they had undone thein- 
 ftlves ; God zvho is rich in mercy — even iihen ive were dead 
 infin^, hath quickened us together with Chrifl. Learn hence. 
 That poor loff Gnncrs do (land in need of all the riches of 
 mercy that are in God, in order to their regeneration and 
 falvaticn ; if ever we be favej,, it is the riches of mercy 
 that muft five us. Note, 5. How liie apoflle afcribcs the 
 whole work of their falvation to God's free grace, in 
 oppofition to any merit or worth in the perfons to be faved • 
 by g'-cice ye (tre favcd. Lear;; hence. That the dependency 
 cm £i!vation has in the whole, and in all (he gnris of it,. 
 
 upon the free grace of God, is the great thing which Sf. 
 Paul delighted' to difrover and ir.ake known to lis here. 
 
 6 And hath raifed us up to^etfier, and made z»$ 
 fie together in heavenly /(/atYS in (jhrifl Jclus. 
 
 The apoflle here inflances in two branches more of that 
 falvation, which he had in the foregoing verfe affirmed id 
 be of grace, namely, tliat of our refurredii.n and glorifi- 
 Cntion, \ o\\\ which are vet tocoinc, and yet they are fpokcii 
 of as alreidy part ; whtn the Father raifed and glorifieii 
 Chrift, all believers were raifed and gloiified in him ; tor 
 in his rcfurre£lion and glorification, he HiJ not fuftain the 
 qualitv of a public pcrfi)n, rcprefcnting his whole church 
 as their head and hufband ; and accordingly, believers are 
 and may be faid 10 be raifed alreadv, snd glorified already, 
 not in their own perfons, but in Chrift their Head ; the 
 aportle fays, God has raifed us i^p, and has tnade us Jil 
 together ; not he fhall raife \\s, anti zvii! make us fit ; to 
 denote the dependency which our refiirrection and glorifi- 
 ratinn has upon -Chrift's, as the efPeifls depend upon the 
 caiifc, and alfo the undoubted certainty that they fliall 
 come to p.'jfs ; Chrift's refurre<£lion and glorification being 
 a pledge of ours. Learn henzc, i. Tliat Chriil rofc from 
 the deed, and afcended up into heaven, not as a private 
 perfon, but as the cominon head and parent, loot and 
 reprefentative of hi' church and people ; fo that what he 
 has done, they may be faid to have done ; thcv rofc in. 
 him, and are fet down in heaven in him ; and bleflcd be 
 God for the ■vvcll-groimded hopes, that as we fit now 
 together in Chiift, fo ere long we fliall for ever fit together 
 with Chrift. a. That Jefiis Chriil is the caufc of our 
 refiirrecflion and glorification ; he is the efficient caufe, the- 
 meritorious caufe, and exemplary caufe of our refurredlicii 
 and glorification. 3. From the phr^fe here ufed iA fitting,. 
 and of fitting together in Ckrif ; that believers Ihali certainly 
 partake of the faine kingly (late and dignity, of the fame 
 honour and glory, of the fame delight and pleafure, of the 
 fame refi and tranquility, of th.c fame fafcty and fccuriiy' 
 with Chrifl. in heaven. 
 
 7 That in the ages to come he might (hew the- 
 exceeding riches of his grace, in hii kindnefs to- 
 wards us through Chrift Jefus. 
 
 Thefe words are expreffiveof the final c:\\x^i or fpecial'" 
 end of that falvation which God propiounded in his srr.ciaiis- 
 y.'orkings upon the hearts of thefe Ephefians, nnmelV, that 
 ■in :i!l prefent and fuccecding ages, to the end of the world, 
 he inight give a convincing proof and example oi ike ex- 
 ceeding riches of his grace, for the encouragement of the 
 greateft finners to hope for mercy in and through our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift. Z<f(irw hence. That the inftances and ex- 
 amples of God's mercv, grace,, and goodncfs, love and 
 kindnefs towards loft finners, in one age, are and ought 
 to be an encouragement to future generations to hope'ln 
 the fame mercy, to draw nigh to the fame fountain of 
 rich grace, for pardon of fin, and i-alvation bv Chrift. O ! 
 whqg we confider that others are as unworthy as ourfelves 
 (thefe Ephefians, fbr inftance) have been admitted to the 
 participaiion of fuch divine favours. Lord, wh .t encourage- 
 ment is it to us, and- to others, to venture our falvation 
 
 upon 
 
792 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 upon the fame grace ! Verily, the primitive Cltriflians 
 vcrc intended by God as patterns of grace to fuccccding 
 CIiriAians ; nay, God did not only defign tlu-m as pat- 
 terns, but as pledges, that he would go on as he had 
 begun, in after-ages to magnify the riches of his grace, in 
 the converlion ot the vilcd and worll of (inners. 
 
 8 For by grace are ye faved, throuj^Ii faith ; and 
 that not of yourfelvcs : it ii the gift of God : 9 
 Not of works, lead any rrian Ihould boaft. 
 
 In tliefc \v<>rds our apoille informs the Ephtfians, and 
 in liiein all fuccccdini^ Chriftians, that their complete fal- 
 v.ition, from the nrl\ to the laft, from the lowed to the 
 hii^heft ftep, depends upon God's free favour and grace in 
 Ctiriff, and not upon any merit or dcfcrt in ourfclves ; 
 Avorks having no meritorious or cafual influence upon our 
 lahation (for they are not caufcs, but efteds of that grace 
 by which we are laved) to the intent thai all boading may ' 
 be excluded, and that all the faints glorying; may be in 
 God, and not in themfelves. No/e here i. That believers 
 are faved already, in fomc fenfc ; not only becaufe they 
 have falvaiion begun in their new birtli here, but they have 
 already a right and title to, yea, a pledge and an earned of 
 I omplcte falvaiion: Believers arc faved here. 2. l"hat 
 the bcli.".cr's falvaiion is through faiih in Jefus Chrid. 3. 
 That by faiih and through which they are faid to be faved, 
 ii not of theinfelvcs, it is the_f/// if God \ faiih is the gift 
 of God as well as Jefus Chrid, and the am as nvcclTary 
 as the other ; for as the onlv way to heaven is by Chrid, 
 fo the only way to Chrid is by faith ; as fin has put a 
 vanity into the cre.iture, fo unbelief puts a vanity in Chrid, 
 that he ihould profit ns nothing : Wredle we then with 
 God in prayer for a believing heart. 
 
 10 f For we are his workmanftilp, created in 
 Chrifl Jefus unto good works, wliich God hath 
 before ordained that we fliould walk in them. 
 
 Our apodlc having, in the foregoing verfes, afllrted the 
 whole of our falvation to be of grace, and not of works, 
 Jed by magnifying of grace he flioidd fcem wholly to fet 
 alide good works, and the ncccdiiy of a holy life; he 
 declares in this verfe, that Chridians are ordained to them, 
 created and prepared for them, and confequently they are 
 etfccls flowing from grace, though not caufes producing 
 grace: IVe are his xvorkmanftiif: (i.) In ournaiural ca- 
 pacity, as men : {7..) In our civil capacity, as fuch or fuch 
 men, high or low, rich or poor: (3.) In our fpiritual 
 capacity, as faints ; this is intended here : Believers are 
 God's workmandiip, as fuch, by fupernatural renovation 
 and fpiritual regeneration ; they are not only once made, 
 as other perfons, but they are new made, as faints ; not 
 by receiving iiew faculties, but new qualities ; for grace is 
 not a fiibdantial, but a qualitative change. Lord, as we 
 are all thy workmandiip by natural creation, let us be fo 
 by gracious renovation likewifc I Created in Ckrifi Jefus 
 una gcod zuorks. Objerve here i. The manner ^ this 
 workniandiip, <rM/c</; this denotes two things : ft.) That 
 in their new ^making, they were intended tr^good woks ; 
 this was Gcd'j rainJ aud mcaijia^, in fore-orUainin'^ that 
 
 the)- fi.o:dd walk in them: (2 ) That in their new making 
 they were titled and prepared for good work;, therefore 
 did thty rcctivc a new n^'-urc from Cod, new principles 
 new afteflions, new difpofitions and in> linatior.f, on ] tir- 
 
 rofe 10 (it them for an holy life, fruiitid in goijd v. orks, 
 lere n:lr. That as good works are antecedently i:i.C(.!I"aiy 
 to f.dvation, Jo renewing grace is abfolutely nectdary to 
 good works ; therefore, before ihere canbe juv gofKJ woik, 
 there mud be a gocnl woikman, and lliut good workman 
 iriiid be God's workmandiip, created a new ihiough the 
 power of God. Ohfcrve, 2. The meritorious caufc of 
 this fpiritual workinanfliip, and that is Chiift Jefus : Jt'e 
 are his ivjrhnanjhip, created in Chri/i fefus \ that is, 
 throuiih the inteivcning mediation of Chrilt Jefus. The 
 life which we live in this new creation date, namely, a life 
 of holiiK'f>^, it is purchafed by his death, produced by his 
 Spirit; all fpiritual life comes from God, through Chi i!t 
 •ns a Mediator ; he is a quickening Mesd and life-giving 
 Spirit ; 1 John iv. 9. Cut fcnt his Sen, thai ive might lite 
 by him ; Chrid is fird cur Ranfom, and ihen the lountain 
 of life imto our fouh, created in Chrifl frfus. 3. The 
 final caiife of this divine workmandiip, and that is, fo 
 good ivorhs : All thofe that are new creatures are created 
 unto good works ; fo that a holy life is the necefiary fruit 
 of their new creation : New creatures arc not to live idly, 
 much lefs to live wickedly, but to make confcience of 
 every duty, to bring forth fruit of piety towards G-.xl, of 
 righteoiifnefs towards otir neighbotir, of love and univerfal 
 charity towards all mankind ; w/'A/j Godhsth before ordained 
 that zee Jhall ivalh in them ; that is, God hath before pre- 
 pared thefe works for us, and alfo prepared us tor them ; 
 he has prepared thefe works for us, iird by his decree and 
 purpofe ; he has ordained the end, falvation, hath ap- 
 p(;ir.ted good works as the means thereto, by his precept 
 ar.d command : Mic. vi. 8. He hath Jheued thee, man, 
 zvhal is gad, ^'c. And as God hath prepared thefe works 
 for Hs, fo hath he prepared us for them by his holy Spirit, 
 making our hearts fit for our work, by tnlightning our 
 minds, and inclining our wills. Learn hence, That new 
 creatures are both ordained and obliged to, and alfo fitted 
 and prepared for good works ; God will have his children 
 didingiiidied from others by the good they do, as well as 
 the devil's children arccharrifteiized by the inifclief which 
 they do. Ohfcrve, ladiy. The conlt.mcy of the Chridian's 
 duty declared, with reference to good works ; he is to xvatk 
 in tJ:em. Now walking denotes and implies both a way 
 and adlion. IVaHing, (i.) It implies a way; and inti- 
 mates plainly to us, that good works arc the way and means- 
 to obtain falvation : We can never come at hea\ en as the 
 end, but by walking in the path of good work> as the way 
 End means, (a.) An aflion ; jtW/t/'n^denoies fpcntaneity 
 in the principle, progrefs ar.d pcrfeverancc in the motion ;. 
 he that valkv, goes forward, gets ground, gives not over 
 till he comes to his journey's end. A good man is as 
 diligtnt and zcalour, as condant and pcrfevering in good 
 Wotk?, as if he were to be faved for them and by thcn\;. 
 nnd ;,t the fame time relies by faith on the merits of ihc 
 Mcd'ator for his acceptance with God, renouncing all 
 confitlence in his own good woiks ; he kno^v>. they csnnot 
 judity ihemfchis, much kfs can they judify him, who 
 
 ha« 
 
Chap, ii. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 has a better righteournefs tlian that of Jiis bcit obedience, 
 to denominate him righteou! in ihe fight of God. Thus 
 are we Cod's luorkman/h'ip, created in Chrlji Jefus, &c. 
 
 11 Wherefore re'-.iember that ye, i«w^ in times 
 pafTed Gentiiesin the flefh, who are called Uncir- 
 cumcifion by that which is called the Circumcifion 
 in the flcfli made by hands ; 12 That at that time 
 ye were without Chrifl, being aliens from tlic com- 
 monwealth of Ifrael, and ftrangers from the cove- 
 nants of proMiifc, having no hope, and without 
 God in the world: 
 
 Ourapoftle doth two things in thefe two verfes : ObCerv! 
 I. He call i upon the Ephefians to remember iheir former 
 miferabie condition before converfion, when they were in 
 their heathen and unregentrate Itate, when they were Gen. 
 tiles, and reproached by the Jew s for being uncircunicifed, 
 and lot ked upon by the Jews as dogs ; he calls upon them 
 here, to remember their obligations to God for bringing 
 them out of this miferabie Hare and deplorable condition : 
 Remember that in times fnj] ye -jjere GtnlHet inthefleflj. 
 Learn hence, That believers, remembering ^nd calling to 
 mind the iin they were guilty of, and the mifery they were 
 cxpofed to, in their natural and unregenerate ftate, may 
 many \vay^ be ot (ingul.ir ufe and advantage to them, and 
 be fpiritually improved by them ; namely, thus, (i.) To 
 excite us to magnify the greatnefs of God's love, and to 
 admire the freenefs and riche-, of his grace : Thiswefliall 
 certainly do, when we rememberthat where fin abounded, 
 grace did much more abound. (2.J To inflame our love 
 that much was forgiven her. (3.) To increafe our godly 
 forrow for Im ; then JJmll they be confounded when they 
 remember that I am pacified towards them for all their 
 abominations, Eiek. xvi. 63. (4.) To quicken us up to 
 greater zeal and induftry for God: It wasthe remembrance 
 of what Paul was before converfion, that fired him with 
 holy zeal, and carried hmi fordi with fuch vigour and 
 induftry after his converfion, that he laboured mere abun- 
 dandy than all the apoftles, (j.) The remembrance how 
 bad we were ourfelves before converfion, will be .. fpetial 
 mean to keep up our hearts, in hopes of. in prayers for 
 and endeavours after the converfion of others, though 
 very bad at prelent : IV/m they are, th.t thou once wert • 
 and '.vhat thou art, that they may alfo be Ohferve o' 
 That as St. Paul does put the £phefi,„s i„ mind of 'thei." 
 former miferabie condition, in their heathenilh and imrc- 
 generate ftate ; fo he does particularize the .^ame,. and 
 branch it forth mto.ts diftinft parts and members. When 
 tliey were unconverted Gentiles, f,.j Tl-ey -^rre ,ui,hcut 
 Chr.J}' that IS without the knowled^reof ChHit, without 
 anv relation to h.m, or interel.1 in him, without any union 
 .4-^,d comm.in.on with him, without anv comniunicaion^ .f 
 1. e and light of grace and holinef., of joy and comtor 
 of pardon and proreftion, received from him : , hev did 
 rot dikern any excellency, „„r talle any f^e.tne'fs in 
 Clirill ; and con equen.ly had no love to him. nolon.ing" 
 after him, no dehght or fatisfaft «n in him Ah, mif^'^nlk 
 condition of a ChniUefs foul! ,f J.ou art wuhout Ch ft- 
 
 793 
 
 thou art without the fpirit and graccof Cbrift to enlighten 
 thee, to quicken thee, to fan^ify and lave ihte. h..) 
 They -ojere aliens from the crr.mtniueatth cf Ifrael ; that is 
 they were no members of Chrifl'schurch, either vVible or 
 invifible; they did not fo mach asprofefs tliemfelves toba 
 a people that Hood in any relation to Cod ; they were 
 unchurched Gentiles; for in the Jewry only was Gcdknjwn, 
 and his name great in Ifratl, Plal. Ixxvi. j. Verily, what- 
 ever the world thinks of it, it is a very great favour from 
 God, to be born within the pale of the vifible church, and 
 to have com^iunion with her; for thereby we partake of 
 many excellent privileges, namely, the word and facra- 
 ments, the communion of faints, together with the offers 
 of Chrifl, and falvation by him. (3 J They ijere Jlrar.gers 
 for which reafon it is here by the apcflle ^zWcA covenants, 
 to the covenant ofpromifc ; that is, to the covenant of grace* 
 firft made with Adam after the fall, then with Abraham, 
 Ifaac and Jacob, afterwards with Ifrael upon mount Sinai ; 
 in the plural number, though it was always one and the 
 fame covenant in fubftance ; and its bring called therov^-- 
 nants ofpromife, feems to point at the proniilc made to 
 Adam, Gen. iii. 15. that firft grand original promife, of 
 which promifeall the followingpronVi'eswere but branches, 
 or more full explanations. Now the Ephefians are here 
 laid to be flrangersto thecovenantsofprcmife ; becaufe, 
 as Gentiles, this covenant was never revealed to' them, nor 
 any offer of it made by the miniflry of the word,'and 
 confequently they could have no aclual interefl in tlie 
 bleflmgs and privileges of it. This intimates to us that 
 for men to live and die without an offer of the covenant 
 of grace made unto them, is a woeful, fad and dangerous 
 
 condition, becaufe their falvation is rendered in an ordinary 
 way impofiible, forafmuch as the terms upon which faf- 
 vation maybe had, are concealed from them. (4.) They 
 were without hope ; that is, they were without thegraceof 
 hope, and without the means of hope ; they were without 
 hopes of redemption, without hopesof pardon and recon- 
 cihation, and confequently without any well-grounded hope 
 of eternal life and falvation : Such as are Chrilllefs, mull 
 be hopelefs ; fuch as are without faith, mufl needs be 
 without hope ; at^d fuch as are without the promife, muft 
 necefTarily be without faith; for thepromifeis the ground 
 of faith, and faith is the ground df hope, ifrtrw, That 
 for a perfon to be without a well-grounded hope of future 
 bappmefs is a very deplorable ftate and condition • but all 
 fuch as are without the paleofthe Chriftian church, with- 
 out the bond of the covenant of grace, without the offer 
 of a Saviour in the gofpel, they muft be without hope 
 even \\\ this life, and lb are of all men moft miferabie fc ) 
 1 hey were 'ai;th,.ut God in the world; that is, wiihout tiie 
 knowledge of the true God, without worfiiipping of him 
 as God, withpur any affiance «r truft in him, without per- 
 forming any obedience to him ; Not that the Ephefians 
 and other heathens l.ved without all .fenfe of a deity for 
 th(y worlh:p,->ed falfe gods obimdautly ;, tut they lived 
 wK.houtany lenfc or fenfiblc apprehcnfion of the majefty 
 and holinefs of the true God : Now this is to live witliout 
 God in the world ; and verily, fuch a life isworfe than 
 death. The apoftle calls .ill the Gentiles, not only the 
 barbarous and iavage, but the beft goJillied and civilized 
 ^ '•^ nations, 
 
794. 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Ch /lp. II. 
 
 n»Ttrtns, <7f/;f//7/.becaufe they wanted the right knowledge 
 of (lod by and ihrnu^h a Mtdiator; there is nokiio^vin^ 
 Ood acceptably, except we know him in Chrill, and ap- 
 proach unio him by CiirHl. In this afFirfting manner 
 di)th our apoftle (et before ihe Ephc(l;,ns their dark and 
 ■d'final flatc whilft Gentiles, and before brought into tl»e 
 Chriftian church, by preaching the gofpel of Ciirifl unto 
 thfni ; " they were without Chriit, aliens from the coin- 
 iiit>n-.ve.ilth of Ifrael, Itrangers from the cuvenanis of pro- 
 niife, having no hope, and without God in the world." 
 Goii grant that every unregenerate firmer may think of 
 it, till his heart and foul are affected with it ! 
 
 15 But now in Chiift Jefus, ye, who fomctimcs 
 were af^irofF, arc made nigh by the blood of Chrift. 
 
 The apoftle having fct before the Ephefuns the bl.ick 
 and dark part of their live?, before their converfion to 
 Chriftianity, in the foregoing verfe ; comes here in this to 
 acq'jaint them with the bleiFed change which was madein 
 their ftate, and by whom. Now, fays he, in or byChrift 
 ]cfu«, J*", "wio were/ometimes afar ojT'.'ian'ely, From Chrift, 
 bis church, his covenvit, from laving hope, and from 
 God himfelf, are made as nigh as the Jews, and have as 
 much right to expeift the aforefaid benefits a* they, the 
 blood of Chnlt having purchafed them for you. and fe.iled 
 them for you : JV, tkat were before afur off, are now made 
 rt'gh by the hhod of Chr'ifl. Where note. That perfons 
 who arc moft remote, and at the fartheft diftance from 
 Cod, are fometimes unexpectedly brought home unto 
 him ; Te, vjho were afar off, are now made nigh. Note, 2. 
 That it is owing to the blood of Chrift, to his death and 
 fu'rerings, that any loul is brought intoa Hate of nearnefs 
 unto God, and finds acceptance with him : Te are made 
 nigh by the hlood of Chrijr. 
 
 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both 
 one, and hath broken down the middle wall of par- 
 tition between us 15 (Having abolifhcd in his 
 flefti, the enmity, even the law of commandment*, 
 contained in ordinances, for to make in himfelf of 
 twain one new n\7in,fo making peace; 
 
 He is our peace; that is, fi.) He is the Mediator of 
 our peace, the great peace- maker betwixt God and man. 
 (^2.; He IS our peace ; that is, the purchafer of our peace.^ 
 (3.) He is our peace ; that is, the eJtablifher of our peace. 
 All which is to he underftood, not only of peace betwixt 
 God and man, but alio beiwixt man and man : who hnth 
 made both one • that is, both Jews and Gentiles one church. 
 Here note. That there was a very great and deep-rooted 
 enmity betwixt Jews an<l Gentiles, until Chrift purchafed 
 the peace and reconciliation. The Jews derided, fcorned, 
 and bated the Gentiles, as unclean, compared them to 
 dogs and fwine ; The Gentiles, they reproached the Jews 
 for circumcifing their fledi, efteemcd them, of all nations, 
 the worft ; and would hold their nofe at the Jews when 
 they met them, and cry, fvlentes 'judxi! O ye ftinkmg 
 ]ews ! and turn away their eyes from thcHi. Le/^rn, from 
 iienre then, That the uniting of both Jew and Gentile 
 into one church, was one blefled efFeet and fwect fruit of 
 
 the purchafc of Chrift's blood ; Chrift's offering of him- 
 felf was intended as a facrifice tor eninitiei between man 
 and man as well as for enmities between God and man ; 
 He is rur peace, who hath made both cite. Clferve next. 
 What Chrift hath done in order to his making peace be- 
 tween Jew and Gentile ; (t.) He bai aool.fhed the cere- 
 monial law, called here a parlition-will between the Jews 
 and the Gentiles ; in alliilion, no doubt, to that wall in 
 Solomon's temple, which feparated the court of the Jews 
 from that of the Gentiles, that they could never come 
 at, or look at one another. So that this partition-wall 
 being faid to be broken down, intimates to us, that Jew 
 and Gentile, who before had two manner of religions, the 
 one in and under a covenant v ith God, the other afarofF, 
 and without God, yet now by Chrift are both adopted 
 into the fame church, partakers of the fame covenants, 
 incorporated intothefame faith, intitled to the fame glory. 
 (2) Chrift has aboliflied the enmity and perpetual ftrife 
 which was pccafioned betv.een Jew and Gentile, upon the 
 account of the obfervation of the ceremonial law, and the 
 ordinances thereunto belonging ; He hath aholi/hed the en- 
 mity ; ihatis, the ceremonial law, which made rhe enmity 
 between them. The ceremonial law was the caufe and 
 continuer of that enmity which was betwixt Jew anil 
 Gentile: Th\shci\]ed,rh law of onunandmtnts contained 
 in ordinances ; becaufe Almighty God did aftually feparate 
 the Jews from all the world, by giving them ordinances 
 and commandments, judicial and ceremonial laws, con- 
 taining many vifibtc anc' external obfervances, which for- 
 bade thtm to communica'e with the Gcnnle world. Now 
 Chrid being come in theflcfh, all thofe obfervances ceafed, 
 and thofe legal ordinances vanilhed a«ay: All nations 
 become blefled in Chrift, and Jews and Gentiles bfcome 
 one church, both alike the people of God, both admitted 
 equ.dly into covenant, and both alike blcflVd. Here mtep 
 That the 'moral law, fummarily c* mprifed and coinpre- 
 hended in the ten commandments, was no part of the par- 
 tition-will between Jew and Gentile; nor the death of 
 Chrift abrogate this law, or is it at all aboliflied ; but it 
 was the law of ceremonies only, which the fufferings and 
 death of Chrift put an end unto ; for when he died, they 
 all vaniflied ; as the fliaduw difappears when the fubftance 
 is come. 
 
 1 6 And that they might reconcile both unto God 
 one body.) 17 And came and preached peace to 
 you which were afar off, and to them that were 
 niah. 18 For throuLih him we both have accefs 
 by one Spirit unto the Father. 
 
 Obferve, 1. Our apoftle had declared in the foregoing 
 verfes, that one end of Chrift's de.ith "as, to mike peace 
 between Jew and Gentile ; here he aflures us, a fecond 
 end was, to make pe.ice between God and man, that he 
 might reconcile both Jew and Gentile, thus united, to an 
 offended God. This he did by the facrifice of himfelf 
 upon the crofs, whereby he did deftroy that enmity which 
 was betwixt God and man, by undergoing the p^jnifliment 
 of fin, the caufe of that enmity. Learn hence. That in 
 order to our reconciliation with God and being at peace, 
 
 with 
 
Chap, ii. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 195 
 
 with him, a price was paid by Chrift upon the crofs, to fa- 
 ti.vfy ilivine juftite .ir.J atone divine d Iplealure. Ohftrvf 
 next, Thit Chrilt having purchafed peace, he came and 
 frt-ached peace ID both Jcv^^ and Gentiles; to the Geti- 
 til-s, r.iid here lo be ufar of, and to the Jews, that -.arre 
 tugh: but how did Chrift peadi to the Gentiles? Where 
 do we read that he ever did To? /mf-.ucr. Though he did 
 not in hif o a n pei fun preach peace to the Gentiles, yet he 
 gave {oniniifTion to the apodles to preach to them, Matt, 
 xxviil. and they and their fucceffiir^, purfuant to Inch 
 co;rnii(r:on, did preach peace unto them, even to them 
 that were afar off, and thtrnihcit were nigh. Learn hence, 
 That when the ininifters of Chrift do come in his name, 
 and i)V a comtnilVion received from him, to preach peace, 
 and oiFcr terms <-f reconciliation unto loft finners, it is all 
 one as if Chi ill himfelf did come and preach ; he experts 
 the fame readinels from them in receiving the nufTage, as 
 if it were delivered to them from his own mouth: and 
 viill treat the defpilcrs of !iis minifterf, and the contemn-. 
 ers of thrir melTage, as if the afFroni were offered imme- 
 diately to his own perfon. Objeive, -5. The apoflle's ar- 
 pument to prove that the Gentiles, ;:s well as the Jews, 
 vcre c(]tif>ually called, by the preaching of the gofptl, to 
 partake of peace and reconciliation with God ; becaufe 
 ihey h.idboth equil accefs and liberty to approach unto 
 God in all holy duties, as unto a Father, by the manuduc- 
 tion of the Spirit ; through him, thai is, through Jefus 
 Chrift we, both Jews and Gentiles, hi.i'e accifs, that is, 
 liberty of. approach, l>y cr.e and the fame Sf'irit unto iheF,:- 
 tlier. Learn hence, That through Jefus Chrift, all be- 
 lievers, of what denomination foe^xr, have sccefs to God 
 by the Spirit of grace. Qurjiion, What doth this accefs 
 to the Father denote? Jnjw. It fuppofes a preceding dif- 
 tmce between God and iif, both a natural and a moral 
 diftance, as creatures, and as finners : It denotes a pro- 
 pinquity and hearnefs unto God, in oppofition to this dif- 
 tarce and that our approach to God ii free and voluntary, 
 friendly, and coniplacential, peculiar and privilegious, 
 fruitful and advantageous. Qu'Jiion 1. In vihat refpects 
 have believers accefs to God as to a Father? Anfiucr, In 
 this life they have accefs to the Faiher's heart and love, 
 to the Father's ear and audience, to the Fathers care and 
 proteiftion; to his providing care, to his guidijig and 
 counfelling care, to his ct mforiing and fupporting care, 
 but efpecially to his fai:aifying care. Qucft. 3 Through 
 v,'hom h;ive we this accefs to God ? /Jnf-.o. Through Jel'us 
 Chrift, through his mediation and manudnclion, we have 
 accefs to God's heart, to God's ear, to his fatherly care 
 on earth, and to his gracious prefence in heaven. Qae/f. 
 A. What influence gives the Holy b^pirit unto this acctfs 
 unto the Fa: her > Wr/'^- It ii by his ii-fluente that they 
 are at firft brouj^iht home to the Father; he prepares 
 them for this accefs unto the Farher; he ftirs up holy af- 
 ffC'tiors, and etikindles holy defines in thfm .ifer God, 
 and helps them to mi'ke improvement, an holy, fruitful, 
 ard advantageous ijAprovenient, of all their acetffes unto 
 God. 
 
 ig Now therefore ye are no more ftrangers and 
 forei;jr.ers, but fellow-citizens with the faints, and 
 
 of the houHio'd of God; 20 And are biriU upon 
 the foundation of the apoflles .ind prophe s, jcfiis 
 Chrid iiiinlclf bcin^ the chief corner^r-JM! ; 21 In 
 whom all the building fitly framed together ^row- 
 eth unto an holy tctnple in the Lord : 22 In whom 
 ve alfo arc buiJded together for an habi a 10 of 
 God through the Spirit. 
 
 Our apoftle began this chapter, with fetting before the 
 Ephelians the horror and dread of their heaihenilh ftaie 
 before converted to Chriftianity ; here he doles the chap- 
 ter with an acconi.t of that glorious and blrlled ftate 
 w hich the chriftian religion, embraced by them, had tranf- 
 lated ihcm into; Nnvj yc are n') mor e Jlrarptrs , hut fel!;'V- 
 citizens, ice Where ohfetve, i. Their prefcn' happy con- 
 dition is fet forth both negatively s-id pofitively; nega- 
 tively, by fliewing what they were not. neither //rtff??.rj 
 nor f^ireigners, but freemen and fdlo'-u-citiztns, kc. 
 Where it muft be remembered, thit all the nations of the 
 world, except the Jews, v.ere called (Irangers to the Goil 
 of Ifrael, but the Jews wcrecallid pr'jpirqui, his neigh- 
 bours, or near-ones; but, fays the apoftle, there is now 
 no luch difference, for the believing Gentiles are equally 
 admitted with the believing Jews to the privileges of the 
 New Jerufalem, and are frllow citizens with one another ; 
 they are no longer aliens from the commonwealth of If- 
 rnel, but freemen. Ohfetve, 1. The apoftle fets forth 
 their happy condition pofuively, under a three-fold fimi- 
 litnde ; nsmely, that of a city, that of a houlhold or fa- 
 mily, and that of an edifice or building. /N'lte, 1. Our 
 apoftle compares the Chriftian church (of wh' •!. the Ephe- 
 fians now w ere menibf rsj to a city ; and fl)C« 5, that tliein- 
 ftlvc-s as bc-lieving Gentiles, had a right to all tfie privi- 
 leges and immunities of that city, as well as the Jews, who 
 accounted thenifelves the only free nicmbers of it : Te are 
 fcll'W-citiiens -vith the faints ; that is, the patiiarchs and 
 prophets, and all other membfrsof ihechurch of the Jews, 
 ye are free denizens, burgeffes, and enfranehifcd ciiizerts 
 with the reft of that holy locieiy ; ye are all mtmbrrs of 
 (he holy catholic church. Note, 1. Our apoftle compares 
 the Chriftian Church to an houlliold or f;:inily, Te ureftU 
 hw-citizfns'jjith the faints, and of the hotiflyAA nf Gad. Now, 
 this metaphor intimates a greater degree of nearnefs to, 
 and communion with the church, than what the former 
 metaphor did iinply, their being a ftraiter tie of familiari- 
 ty and friendlliip between the ine mbers of a family, than 
 between the members of a city. W hence we learn. That 
 the church of Chrift under the gofpel, in God's great: 
 houfliold or family, in a peculiar manner admitted 10 an 
 intimate communion with him, 'n a fpeci.<l way provided 
 and cared for by him; and every fincere Chriftinn becomes 
 a member of this bkff- d family, and enjo/s all the privi- 
 leges there : Te are felh'oj citizens with the /dints &c. Nnie 
 ■>. St, Pau\ proceeils yet farther, and corrpares the church 
 ef Chrilf to an edifice or ftately building, Tr are built up. 
 on the foundation of the ap'fles and i>rtph/-ts, kc. And our 
 apoftle calling the chrirch an holy temple, feems to allude 
 to Solom« n's temple, which s\ as a type of the Chriftian 
 5 H a. church, as liie 
 
79^ 
 
 E P H E S I 
 
 A N S. 
 
 Ch 
 
 \r. 111. 
 
 tabernacle was cf the Jewifli church; the tabernacle was 
 aiiibulaiory anil cli.ingenble, madd of Jecayinfr and cor- 
 ruptible materijls, and fo fitly typified the Jcwilh diCpenfa- 
 lion, which was temporary and tranfient: the temple was 
 made of durable and rich mattrials, and thereby a proper 
 type of the Chriftian church, whicliis called fl/;«(7(/o?jj //j^/ 
 cann'A be/haken. But, ohfervcy further, How our apoftle 
 doth defcribe.this ftately edifice, this fpiritual building, the 
 Chriftian church, thcfe levcral ways: (i.) By its founda- 
 tion which it ftands upon, namely, the apodles and pro- 
 phets : that is, upon the doftrine of the prophets and 
 apodles, not upon their perfons: Chrill hinifelf being the 
 perfonal foundation and chief comer iJone. Learn, I'hat 
 though Chrift himfelfbe the builder of, and the chief cor- 
 ner-Uone in the church, yet he employs hisrainiflers now, 
 as he did the prophet> and apoftles of old, to lay the foun- 
 dation, and carry on the fuperftrufture, and no one apoftle 
 had a privilege in this above another; and therefore for 
 the Pope, as St. Peter's (ucceffor, to ftyle himfelf the 
 «' Foundation of the Catholic church,'' is an impudent 
 prefuaiption; for no more is here faid of Peter, than is 
 laid of all the apoftles and prophets. [i.) The church as 
 a Ipiriiual bjilding or temple, is here defcribed by the 
 unity and compaiftnefs of its parts, in whom all the building 
 fitly framtdfi^ether : that is, all the members of the church, 
 are by faith firmly joined toChrilt as the foundation, and 
 to one another by love, and their unity is both their 
 ftrength and their beauty. (3.) This building is defcribed 
 hy its growth and perpetual increafe, // groweth unto an 
 htly timple. The church groweth two ways, by an addi- 
 tion of new and particular converts, and by an addition of 
 n w graces in every pirticular convert : Where remark. 
 How tiiis fpiritual etiifice, the church of Chiift, c'ifftrs 
 from all other buildings ; both the whole of it, and all the 
 individunl parts of it, are endued with life, a life flowing 
 frorn Chrifi the foundation, a life far from a ftate of per- 
 fcft'on, in luhom all the builJtnj< grczvsth, all a Chriflian's 
 life and fpiritual growth flow from his union andcommu- 
 .•;ion with ChriU ; in him all the building groweth. (a) 
 This building, namely, the Chriftian church, confiding 
 both of jews and, Gentiles, is here defcribed by the end 
 and dcfign of Chrift in ereiJling this growing edifice ; 
 namely, to be an hdy temple unxo God, wherein now, fas 
 in the inaterial temple of old) he ni::y manifcfl: his gracious 
 pWfence, and be perpetually worfliipped, glorified, and 
 ferved : The whole church or coUeillive body of believers 
 Jointly, and e.ich believer feverally and apart, are a fpiri. 
 tual and holy temjile unto the Lord, in and by whom all 
 fpiritual ficrifices of prayer and prnife are offered up, and 
 all the duties of new and fuicere obedience acceptably 
 performed. 
 
 C H A r. III. 
 
 Fo R this caufe, I Paul the prifoner of Jofiis 
 Chrift for you Gentiles ; 
 
 For tl.il caufi, that w.is, for preaching the gofpel to the 
 Gentiles in general; and in particol ir, for a/ferting, that 
 Ihe privilej^es of jiiftification and l;ilvation by Chrift, be- 
 longed equally to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, though 
 
 they were rot cirrnmcifed ; for this caufe I wa^ pcrncured 
 and imprifoncd by the Jews. Where note, J he apodle 
 ftyles hiinfclf Chrilt's prifoner, Waul the prifoner ofjefus 
 ChtiJ}; He was at once Chrilt'b prifoi cr, the Jew- prilon- 
 er, the Hoinans prifoner, the Gentiica prifoner: Cnrift's 
 prifoner, as fiiffering for his gofpel ; the Jews pr foner, 
 as fuffering by their accufation ; the Romans prifoner, as 
 fuffering by their fentencc ; the OcniJe-: prifoner, as fuf- 
 fering for his Lbours in order to their falvanon. Lord, 
 what a title ofhonour is hereput upon the apoftle ! /PW, 
 the prifoner of Jefus Chriji : his impriloninent for Chrifl 
 was verilv a greater honour, and matter of higher glory- 
 ing, than his rapture into the third heavens. 
 
 2 If ye have heard of the difpenfation of the grace 
 of God which is given nie to you-ward: 3 How 
 that by revelation he made known unto tne the 
 myllery, (as I wrote afore in few words; 
 
 Obferve here, i . The title given to the gofpel ; it is ftyled 
 the grace of Cod : partly, brc.infe the gbd tiilings which 
 the gofpel brings, ..■-<• the effect and produdt of God's grace 
 and favour, and partly becaufe the gofpel is the inftru- 
 ment and means of working grace in the fouls of pcrfons. 
 2. The title pivento St. Paul's apofilelhip, he flyles it//r 
 difpetfaticn f the grace 'fG->d: becaufe Ciod had conimif- 
 fioned him to declire and ilitpenfe the gofpel of grace to 
 them ; CtirilVs ininifters art the difpenfers of hii mind to 
 the children of men. 3. The title here given to the call- 
 ing of the Centiles ; he ftyles it a tryjlery. The calling 
 of '■ he Gentiles to falvation by faith in Chrift, without the 
 works of the law, was a myftery hid from nges. 4. The 
 way and manntr how St. Pnulcameby the know ledge of 
 this myllery; it was by divine revelation frcni heaven: 
 ver. 3. Ht'ja thttt hy reveh-tion he made known unto me ths 
 myfhry The myftfry of nian'srcdemp'.ion in general, and 
 of the calling of the Gentiles in particular, to the partici- 
 pation of that grncc, was made known by divine revela- 
 tion t« the apollles, by God himfelf. The truth is, the re- 
 demption of a lift world, by the incarnation, d'ath, and 
 pallion of the Son of God, is foftupendous and furprifing, 
 fo wonderful and amn/.ing, thjt the very thoughts of it 
 had been thehigheft blai'phemy, if God himfelf had no: 
 revealed it. 
 
 4 Whereby when ye read ye may underfland my 
 knowledge in the inyflery cf Chrift) 5 Which in 
 other ages was not made known unto the Ions of 
 men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apollles 
 and prophets by the Spirit: 6 That the Gentiles' 
 fliould be fellow-lieirs, and of the fame body, and 
 par.takers of his promife in Chrift by the gofpel : 
 
 Our apoftle here proceeds iuf;.'ttiiig forth this great my f- 
 tery of man's redemption in nener;il, and the calling tothe 
 Gentiles in particular; he fiyles ii a myjhry. (i.) Now, 
 a myftery i;. a puipofe and decree of God, unknown to, 
 and unfearchable by, man, unlefs fi-ftby revelation difco- 
 vered and made knovi-n by God hhnfelf; fuch a myftery 
 was the \v hole gofpeltn general, and this article concerning 
 the calling of the Gentiles in particular. (2) Sr. Paul 
 
 llyle 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 797 
 
 ftyles iv a inyftery, in other ages of tlie chunh nit nude 
 4no'a">,that i-jfiot fo pl.iiiily and cleirly, unto the funs of 
 n)en,Js\vsor Gen'ile^; for thecalUng of theGentiles was 
 foretold and prophelied of under the Old FeltaTient, out 
 darkly and obicurcly ; ihe time ^vhen, the manner how, 
 and the means by which, were not undtrltooci till now the 
 holy Spirit of God revealed it to theapolUes and evan- 
 gelic.il prop lif:ts under the New Teftament. C^.j The 
 sporttc amplifies and fets forth the glorious excellency of 
 . that inyltrry which here he had made mention of ; nimely, 
 that the Gentiles (hould have accefs into the church, with 
 an entrance by the door of circimicifion, be joint-heirs of 
 the heavenly inheritance with all believers and together 
 ■with tlie Jews, taken into the bond of the covenant ; 
 and finally, that they were brought into this happy eftate 
 by the preacljingof thego.'pel, and by believing andobty- 
 ingof it. L.arn hence, That the calling of the neglected 
 and defpifed Gentiles to the knowledge of Chrilt.and the 
 pi' tici|^ation of gofpcl privileges with thejevk's,was agreat 
 uivll-ry.a A'lully to be acfm:red, and a glorious mercy, with 
 all thinkfuliiefi to be acknowledged: That the Gent i Us, Sec. 
 
 7 Whereof I was made aminifter according to 
 the gift of the grace of God, given unto me by the 
 cfFcclual working of his power. 8 Unto ine, who 
 am lefs tlian the leaflof all faints.is this grace given, 
 that I fhould preach among the Gentiles the un- 
 fea: chable riches of Chrift ; 9 And to make all 
 vien fee what/j the fellowlhip of the myftery which 
 from the beginning of the world hath been hid in 
 God, who created all things by Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Asif the apoftle h.id faid, " Of this gofpe 1 it pleafed 
 God to nuke nie a fiiccfiful miniiler ordifpenfer, fnrnifh- 
 ing me with ordinary and extraordinary gifts and graces 
 from his holy Spirit, for that weighty wurk and fervice ; 
 unto me, even unto ine, f fay, was this fpecial favour 
 granted, though unworthy, (being Irp than the Uafiof all 
 laints", becaufe once a great perfecutor) yet unto tne was 
 the apoftolic ojfice cnmmited, to preach unto theGentiles 
 the incomparable and incomprehenlible riches of God's 
 mercy to'.vards them in Chrift, in receiving them fully, 
 freely,and finally, into covenant with hiinfeli"; and to make 
 known unto ail men what is the communion or fellowlh p 
 of thi"; myftery ; namely, that the Geiuiles with the Jews 
 iliould have one faith, one Lord, one hope, one heavenly 
 inheritance ; which was a inyltery hid in the (iscret inten- 
 tion and decree ot God, until difcovered by civine revela- 
 tion," Obftrve here, i. How careful the apoftle was to 
 aiTert his authority and apoftolical commiirion/wJJ tnaJe 
 atiunijier ; and how he refers his calling iinmediattly to 
 the grace of God, unto me vjas this grace given. It was 
 t le grace of God convened him, it was the grace of God 
 r--cjledihegoipe!to him, arid that called him to reveal it 
 unto others. 2. How the ap'oftie attributes the fucccfs of 
 his miiiiftry to the power i)f God, and noi 10 liis^iwn en- 
 deavours, hy the (jfeiiuat workirii; of his o'un po^er. The 
 grace of God in him, and the power of God accompany- 
 i)g hiin,. was clTecloal to the converfion of ^erymany fin- 
 ntrsj and to the producing of great ligiis acd miratlei 
 
 which were wrought by him. 3. The nohle fuLjcdt of 
 St. Paul's fermons, what it was he preached amcngftthe 
 Gentiles ; namely, the unfeiirchable riches cf fhrif/ .• Kiches 
 imply abundance, and abundance of luch things as are of 
 worth and value ; in Ciirill are riches, all riches, eminently 
 and tranfcendanily found ; riches of grace, and riches of 
 glory; and thci'e nrc i^uWed :in/ei:irchalile; no; as if it w ere 
 unlawful tofearch after ihein, but becaufe after ourutmoft 
 fearch after them, we can never fully difcoverthcni. Ltarn 
 hence, That there are fiich nj.-.r.es, fuch mvrteries ef love 
 and goodnefs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as, though it he 
 du:y to be continually feaichiiig after them, yet we ca;i 
 never, by ourutmoft fearching, fully dilcover them and !:iiil 
 them out. 4. The humble and low opinion which thii 
 great apoftle had ot hinil'tlt ; he ftyles himfelf, not barely 
 the le.iit, but le/s than the Idjf} vf all faints : he was, in his 
 osvn eftecm, as littli as he could be, Ir/s than the lea/} : a 
 double diniinurive ; a comparitive made of a fii|)erlative : 
 Thus he dibafes himfelf, upon coni'ideration of his formf r 
 enmity agaiiift Chrift and his church ; lower he coulj nee 
 lie than he lays himfelf; the greatcft and chiefellof finner^; 
 the leaft, yea, lefs thin the l:'aft of all faints : growth in 
 grace, and increafe in humility, accompany one another. 
 
 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities 
 and powers in heavenly j&/(7rt"i might be knowa by 
 the church the manifold wildom of God. 
 
 Note here, I. The title given to the holy angclj, they are 
 f?ylcd principalities and po-Mcrs, hecaai'e God nukes ul'e of 
 thtir powerful miniftrv in governing the kingdoms aiid 
 principalities of this world; and they are faid « > be in 
 heavenly places: nat as if they were never upon earth be- 
 low, but becaufe the ordinary place of thtir refideriCC is 
 heaven above. 2. That the angels are not oninifcieiu and 
 all knowing. The wifdom of Cod in the work of re- 
 demption was a fecret unknown to the glorious anj^cls ; 
 they did not know it until God made it known unto them. 
 3. That God did not mike the myftery of the gofpel, IT 
 the glorious work of redemption, known nnto the angels^ 
 immediately, but occafionally ; by therevelation of it fhft 
 to the church, and by the church to them : As if the apof- 
 tle had faid, "Had it not been for the light given to, aud 
 fprcad abroad in the church, the ai-.gf Is liaJ been in tlie 
 dark about the myfteries of the gofpel to this day. lly 
 the church is inade Anown ar.to the angels the mc^nif'jldwifd'jiit 
 of God." QuejL But how could the church communicate 
 this knowledge to angth? jlr.f. Either the angels d.d 
 gather up the.r knowledge of taefe ir.yfleries, by the mi- 
 iiiftry of the apoftles preaching them to the world in a 
 way of information, or elfe they fav.-, as in a ghifs, the 
 nianifald wi.^'doiniif God.and the difpenfations of 1.:; mercy, 
 grace and gGodutfs towards his thurcli, in ,i.i;i- 
 
 templation, 4." The liMe here given '■ ■ '.. ..t 11- 
 
 deiiijjtion ; it is Byled, '/he nunijlld .. J-jd. O, 
 
 how tiilf of variety was the wijdom tn \. . i; .:j mail's ic- 
 covcry ! It is of many fo'ds and j^Iaits, manifold in kii:d, 
 inanifold in degree, manifold in its adiiiiniftration ; tlnre 
 are manifold kcret inthis w il'doin.foinelefs pirfiCily iecii, 
 foine more perfifify iinderftcod,aiid foire that v.ill rtVtr 
 perhaps be ihcTGU^i iy undstftfc'd': Dtjubtlcfsj there are 
 
 io.iie 
 
7S8 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap m. 
 
 fome fpcrets in the wiAK mof God, wl)ich it belongs only 
 to Gji) tounderftrindaiid know. Blifffd be God. that fo 
 much i>f the manifold wil'diun of Gi)d, in the glorious 
 work of redtmptian, is nude known unto us, as willeter- 
 jjally ravifh and delight us. 
 
 1 1 According to the eternal purpofe which he 
 puipoledin Chrift Jflus our Lord: 12 In whom 
 we have boldnels and accefs with confidence by the 
 fjith in him. 13 Wherefore I defire that ye faint 
 not at my tiibuialions for you, which is your glory. 
 
 Onrapodlehere fliew-s (r.) That whatever the wifdoui 
 of God has done in the wo;k of redemption, was from all 
 eternity purpofed to be done , and that our Lord Jefas Chrift 
 was the perfon by whom God would in lime execute his 
 eiernnl purpofe : According to the eternal purp')f( -jihich he 
 purp.fedin Chriff "jefus. Next, hc fliews the great and' 
 graciyiis privilrges v hich all believers are admitted to the 
 jjirticipation of, by and through our Lore! Jefus Chrift ; 
 niinely, boldnefs, accefs and confidence : \n -jjhom wf huve 
 hltlnfj's find accrfs with confidence through the faith r,fhim. 
 Acce/j, ihn i?, J liberty ofapproaching to God as a Father: 
 Bddnefs, that Is, a freedom of fpeech in delivering our 
 heart, our whole mind and heart, to him, in the duty of 
 prayer and thankfgiving: Confidence, that is,:'well grounded 
 perlu.ifion, that both our perfons and performances fhall 
 find acceptance with God. All which privileges are 
 enjoyed by the exercife of faith in Chrift: We have 
 botdnffs, accefs, and confidence through the faith '.f him. 
 L.iftly, he exhorts them not to faint under, or be dif- 
 coura^ed at his prefent fufferings, much iefs to backflide 
 trom Chriftianity upon that account, feeing that his tribu- 
 lation' were both profitable, and alio glorious and honour- 
 ahl e : Idejire that ye faint net at my tribulations for you, 
 'dihich is your glory . Ohfr-rve here, i. That new converts 
 to Chriflianity are fubjeft to fainnngs and drooping dif- 
 couragements at the news of fufferings. 2. That perfe- 
 cution for the gofpelof Chrift, is atrial, not only to thefe 
 who aie under it, but to thofe who hear of it. St. Paul 
 here was more afrsid of the Ephefians fainting under his 
 fufferings, than he was of his own fainting, and therefore 
 he doth carefully guard againft it : 7 dt fire you not to faint 
 tit my tribulations. 3. That the perfecutions and afflic- 
 tions, the hardHiips and feverities, which the niinifters of 
 Chrift do for the moft part endure and undergo, are for the 
 f<ke of their people; they might fliift off a fid Ihun the 
 crofs as well as other men, did not love to the fouls of 
 their perpl- engage them to fuffer thcdiarpeft perfecution 
 for their f-ke : I dcfire ye faint not at my tribulations/or 
 you : thit is, for preaching the gofpel to you. 4. From 
 thofe words. My tribulations, which is vour glory • Soho- 
 pourableit is to fotl.r, that not only the miniflers of 
 Chrift thcmft Ivfs, who fufFcr, are thereby honoured, but 
 the people of their clurgealfoare greatly honoured there- 
 by; ii 'cilifyingGod'shigh efteem of fuch a people, in fend- 
 ing his miiiirters not only to teach and inftrud them, but 
 to liilfer for them, yea, even to die for them. Which con- 
 riUcration ought not oiily to prevent our people's fdiuting 
 
 at our fufrering',but flinutd make them glory in them.aiKl 
 tnk'' encouragement from theni: My IribulutioHJ , faith St. 
 PjuI, ts your glory . 
 
 1 4 For this caufc I bow my knees unto the Father 
 of our Loid Jefus Chrift. 15 Of whom the whole 
 family in heaven and earth is named, i6 That he 
 would ^rant you, according to the riches of his 
 glory, to be (Irengthcned with might by his Spirit 
 in the inner man. 
 
 Our apoftle having exhorted the Epheri.ins,in the fore- 
 going verfe not 10 faint at hi.- tribulations for the gt'fpel, 
 here he puts up a inoft afFedionate prajerto Godfor iheni 
 on the fame account : Tor this caufe, and in order to ihii 
 end, 1 bow my kn:et, &c. Now, in this afrr(ftioiia;e and 
 moft excellent prayer of the apnflle, we have fcveral parti- 
 culars worthy of our notice and remark. As, i. The 
 humble gefturc which the apoftle uled in his prayers,/ 
 how my knees, thereby expreliing the reverent tranje of his 
 heart in prayer. Learn hence, That the gpfturcs which 
 we ufe in prayer fliouKI be fuch as may bell exprelV our 
 reverence of f7o^/,and denote our profound humility before 
 hiai. 2. Tlie perfon prayed to, G'ld, under an appellation 
 of a Father, and, in particular, as the Father of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift : / bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord 
 Jtfus Ckrijf. BlefTed be Gi d, that believers and Chrift 
 have one and the fame Father; he by nature, we by grace; 
 he by eternal generation, we by gracious adojnion. By 
 virtue of this relation, we may expeftto be heard in prayer 
 as Chrift was, and tube helped in our diftrefl'es, as Chrift 
 was, and in God's good time to be pofTtlfed of ihe inheri- 
 tance of children, as Chrift is. 3. The title given to the 
 church, it is ftyled God's_/*OT7"/)(,hi5 houfhold; all the faints 
 on earth, whether Jews or Geniiies, and all the glorified 
 angels and faints in heaven, do make but one family. 
 There is bot onecatholic or univerfal church, comprehend- 
 ing all itsmcmbers both in heaven andearih; andallwithin 
 the church are of one kindred and line, deftending of one 
 common Father: and this family is named, that is, united 
 under Chrift, he being ihe head of all. 4. The mercy 
 prayed for, ver 16 That he would grant you , according to 
 the riches 'f his ghry, to be flrengtbened,kc. Where note, 
 1. The mercy itfelf,f]Diritualftrengih,ftrenglh in i\\e inner 
 man, to enable ihem to bear affl.iftions, to endure perfecu- 
 tions, to refift temptations, to grapple with all their fpiritual 
 enemies in the progrefs of their Chrifti->n courfe. Note,z. 
 'I he fountain from whence all fpiritual ftrength flows, an J. 
 that is, from the holy Sp'mt.firengthenett vjithmighf by his 
 Spirit. It is the holy Spirit of God that conftantly renews 
 the believers ftrength, by upholding and aiJluatmg their 
 g races, w hich oiherw ife would fade and wither, would lan- 
 guifh and die. So many and fo nnghty are our fpiritual 
 enemies that we have to wreftle with, and ftrive againlt^ 
 that except we be under-propt and flrengthened by the Al- 
 mightv power of the holy Spirit in the innner nian,wecan - 
 not ke^'p our ground, and much Iefs get ground of our 
 enemy, but fhall become anealy prey toevery temptation. 
 q. I he moving, impelling, or inipulljve caufc from whence 
 the foregoing mercy is expected loprocccd and flow, namely^ 
 
 fiotn 
 
Chap. iir. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 799 
 
 from tlie rich and gldrioiu mercy of God : Cod grant you, 
 according to the richtf of his gly'y, to hi /tr^ngthtned. Jn 
 all our approaches toGjd for any bletfings, efpecially for 
 fpiritual blelfings, it is our duty to direiS the eye of our 
 faith to that inexhniftible fountain of rich mercy, and 
 almighty power in God, whereby he is both able and will- 
 ing to beltow upon us whatever is agreeable to his holy 
 will. God grant you, according to the riches of his glory, Sec. 
 
 17 That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by 
 faith ; that ye being rooted and ^rounded in love, 
 18 May be able to comprehend with all I'aints, 
 what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and 
 height; 19 And to know the love of Chrill, which 
 pall'eth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all 
 the fulnefs of God. ' 
 
 Our apoftle here proceeds with affectionate ardour to 
 pray for further fpiritual bltlfings on the behalf of his be- 
 loved Ephtliins: (i.) He prays that Chrili may dwell in 
 their hearts by his mod holy faith- The phrale i)f dwell- 
 ing in us, imports a very clofe and intimate union between 
 Chrift and believers ; he dwells in them lubjeclively and 
 efRdively, by his gracious influences, by his powerful 
 alTiftances.by his quickening imprellions. The holy Spirit 
 is the bond of union on Chnlt's part, and faiih on our 
 farf (2.) He pr.iys that they may be rooted and grounded 
 in love; that is, that they nughtbefudeeply poflefled with 
 the fenfe of Gud's love, that they might find tiieir hearts 
 inriamed with love to God, and one towards another; and 
 that love mi^ht be the very habit of fouls, and rooted nature 
 in them. (3 ) He prays that the Ephelians may compre- 
 hend whit is the breadth, length, depth, and height of the 
 love of God, and the myfleries of the gofptl ; intimating 
 to us, that we are not to content ourfelves with a fuper 
 ficial view of God's free love in Chrift, but to make an 
 accurate infpedtion into all the dimendon'i of it ; to view 
 it in its breadth, as extending toall ages,Jewifh and Chn(- 
 tian ; in its length, as reaching from eternity to eternity; 
 in its depth, as it iloops down to fuccour aiul relieve tiie 
 vileft and the greateft, if penitent iinners ; in its height, 
 whereby it reaches up to heaven, and iniitl'-siis to the joy 
 and felicity of the faints above. Vcnly.the love oi God 
 in Chrift to a loft world, is lo vaft and boundlefs, fo rich 
 and matchlefs, exceeding not only our comprehen(ion,but 
 c»nceptions alfo. that not only tiie natural man cannot 
 underftanc! it, but the renewed ioan is unable to fathom 
 it, but muft bL' daily endeavouring to take dimenlions of 
 it ; for the love of Chrift fuipallingly tranfcends the know- 
 ledge of the nioft illuminated believer; it furpafles natural 
 knwledge,apoitol!cal knowledge, yea, angelical know ledge; 
 that ye may be able to cnmprehemtwith all fiiinis.-uihat is the 
 breadth, and length, and dcrplh, and height. ('4.) He prays 
 that they may know the luperlative love of Chrift, which 
 AirpafTeth all himianunderitanding and knowledge, imply- 
 ing, that the love of Chrift to a lo(t world is a tranl'cendent 
 love ; that the knowledge ofit may be attained in fome 
 mealure; thit it is our duty to feek after it, and fearchiiuo 
 it ; but after all, we can neverfully comprehend it: What 
 created underftaodinjj can know what h unknowable, or 
 
 comprehend what is incomprchf nlble ? Learn, Tlicre arc 
 fuch dimenlions and degrees in the love of Chrift to fin- 
 ners, which, at leaft in this prefent and imperfect lla.e, do 
 furpnfs all comprehenfion and conception ; alfo, that love 
 whereby he took our nature upon him, that love whereby 
 he took our fins upon liim,is fo ftuptndous and amazing, 
 that the holy angels awefuUy admire it, but even their en- 
 larged capacities cannot fully covnprehend it. (5.I Hepra5S 
 that they might be filled with all the fulnefs ot God; that 
 is, with fuch meafures of grace, knowledge, faith, holinefs 
 and love, which God bath appointed believers unto, and 
 they are capable of in this life. Note here, i. That there 
 is a fulnefs in God, which we can neither be filled with, 
 nor may we ftrive to be filled with; God is eflentially full 
 originally full, independently full, inexliauftably full of all 
 holinefs and grace; now this fulnefs of his is undiiiiiniilia- 
 ble, and confequently incommunicable. 2. That there is a 
 fnliiefs of God which w-e may, and therefore ongiu to pray 
 and endeavour to be filled with, namely, to be filled with 
 the knowledge of God, to he filled with the urace and 
 Spirit of God, ro be filled with the wifdom of God, that 
 we may know Gud niore, ferve hiwi better, glorify himon 
 earth, and be glorified with him in heaven : In a word, 
 we may prav for, and flrive to be filled with fuch a niea- 
 fure of the fulnefs ol God and his grace, as God /ball fee 
 fit to give, and as our capacities are or may be prepared to 
 receive ; God is not ftraitened towards us, let us not be 
 ftrairened in ourfelves : Open thy mouth viide, fays God, 
 and I •.uilljill it. Blefied be God for a prefent fulnefs of 
 fufficiency, and for the hopes of a future fulnefs to fatiety. 
 
 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding 
 abundantly above all that wc afk or think, accord- 
 ing to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto 
 hiniZ-eglory in the church by Chrilljefus through- 
 out all ages, world without end. Ainen. 
 
 Ohferve here, i . How our apoltle dofes his prayer with 
 thankfgivingandpraife; intimatir'gto u<, thatpraife/hould 
 cvtruiore conclude that work which prayer began, and that 
 fpiritual blelTings principjUy deferve ourprailes. 2. 1 he 
 title which St. Paul's faith fixed upon, in his .'pproachts 
 to Gild in prayer and praife, and that is, his omnipotence 
 or almighty power. In allour addrtfTes toGtd it is our 
 duty to have fuch apprehenlions, and ufe fuch exprefilons 
 concerning him, as may nioft ftrengthen our faith. He 
 is able, fays the apoftle, to do exceeding abundantly ahroe 
 all that vj^ can afk or thi'v'i. Kote here. The coiiiprehcn- 
 live fulnels of this exprellion, he is able (/o /sr uf to di) 
 ahundantly for us, to do exceeding abundantly for \.\s,abovi 
 ■what we afk, yea, to doexceeding abundantly for us, above 
 what we can think, as well as aik. O! how narrow, 
 fiiort, and poor are our prayers, compared with the power 
 of God ! It is much that the tongue can alk ; it is niore 
 that the mind can think : But the Lord is able to do for 
 us, not only above what we can afic, but abundantly above 
 wliat we can think. Lord, what an everlafting fpringof 
 comfort is this ! whaT ei;courageiiient doth it adminifter to 
 tiiy people! what encouragement to prayer! what encou- 
 ragement in prayer ! They pray to hiiu who is able ro do 
 exceeding abundanly above all that they can alk or think. 
 
 Ohferv- 
 
E P HE S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 Cr/'t'-', 3. That it is oot God's sbfolnte power that St. 
 I'.iu! Iwtronis liis faith in prayir upon (for God can do 
 many things that he never will do) hut it is his operative 
 proniifed and formrrly experienced power, acordinytothe 
 f'-y ■' ' in us; th.Tt is, according to that infinite 
 
 snii ' r whid) God hail exerted and put forth 
 
 in thfir tirfl cuiiveillcn ; this power was, and is a tnain 
 prep for confidence in«pr3yer. Lctirn hence. That the 
 experience we hjve had of God's gracious powcrin work- 
 ing in ti!, by crnvertinj^ r.nW quickening grace, may and 
 ouoht to confirm our faitl;, that he will do exceeding abun- 
 il.intly fur us, aliove what we can expeft, yea, above what 
 wr can afk or think, wlien we are upon our knees in 
 prayer before him. fibferve 4. The concluding dox- 
 ology ; To him bt glory in the church hy Chrijt Jffus, 
 ihrr.ughaut ell ae^i, 'vor U without end. j4mtn. Where 
 K'y/f, I.' The divine praife given to Almighty God, namely 
 that n^ glory ; To him be glory. Glory is the fountain of 
 all excellency in the creatures ; they all fliine with beams 
 borrowed from God's excellencies, as ftars join with the 
 ,li};ht they receive from the body of the fun : Almighty 
 God is th^t infinitely glorious being, in whom all the ex- 
 cellencies and perfections of the creatures are eminently 
 and tranfccndently found. 1. The perfons giving this 
 glory unro God, the church ; To him lie glory in the church. 
 True, it is the duty of all reafonable creatures to lee forth 
 God's glory ; but only the church (holy and gracious per- 
 fon's alone) can perform it in an aftive and acceptable 
 manner. 3. The perfon through whon) this duty becomes 
 rrcceptable unto God, through Chrifl Jefus ; To him be 
 gii'-y in the church by Chrift Jefus. The duty of praife 
 and ihankfgiving is what we owe to God for received 
 favours, and indeed is all we have to pay him; but neither 
 this, nor any other duty, can find acceptance with God, 
 but by and through the hiediationof our Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 ^. The duration and continuance of this duty of thankf- 
 f\v]vg. throughout all ages, world without end : As God 
 Ihall \iever want glory from his church, fo there fhall always 
 he a'church to the end of the world, to give glory unto 
 Go.l. againrt which the gates of hell (hall never prevail. 
 Lallly, In this divine doxology, after what manner, and 
 with what a(r.ction this praife is given, intimated in the 
 word Amen : li'orld without end. A/nen. This /4mvn (i.) 
 Is a ns/if cf ifTent, and as fuch ul'ed by the Jews and 
 Chritiians in all ages, at the end of theirprayers.to teflify 
 that ihey alTented and agreed to what was put up to God 
 in their name, and on their behalf. Again, (2 ) It im- 
 porteth earneftdelire. Hence Jeremiah'(chap. xxviii.6.) 
 fjid Amen to the pr.iyer of Hananiah, concerning the re- 
 turn of the captives to their Imd, tofliew how earneflly 
 h^* delircd that it might be fo. (3.] It imports ftedfaft 
 faith, 'hat the tiling we pray for fhall be granted; and 
 acci'irdingly.in tel\i-nany of our defire.and aflfurance tobe 
 heard, we fjv, Amen, lobe it ; fo let it be ; fo let it be, 
 O Lord, forever. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 I THEREFORE the prifoncr'of the Lord, be- 
 f.ec'i you tliat ye walk worthy of inc vocation 
 ■\vhcrtv»ith ye are called, 
 
 As if he had faid, "Seeing the rites of God's grace, 
 in Chrift have fo abounded towards you, who were once 
 Ephcfian idolaters, but now converted Gentiles, I Paul 
 who am a priforvcr for preaching the gofpel.and for declar- 
 ing this grace to ynu, do moft afFeift^onately exhort yoa. 
 that ye live anfwcrabiy to your priireiru>n, and according 
 to the great oblignti<in of your h'gh and holy vocation from 
 heathenifm to Chriftiantty." Here note, i. The perfon 
 exhorting and befeeching, I Paul the [•rifoner of the Lord, 
 befeech ynu ; 1 that am in bonds for Chrift, I that am im- 
 prifoned for preaching the gofpe! to you, and for profelyt- 
 ing you by it into Chriftianity. Nothing can more oblige a 
 people to hearken to the exhortations ot the miniftcrs of 
 Chrifl, than this conlideration, that rhe truths which they 
 deliver to them, they ft.ind ready, both to fuffer for, and 
 to feal with their precious blood: / the prifoner of the Lord 
 btjeech y'ju. 2. J'he comprchenlive duty exhorted to. 
 That ye walk worthy of thevucationwherewith ye are called; 
 worthy, that is, befeeming and becoming your holy pro- 
 fellion, anf«.erable to the dignity and obligation of yoitr 
 Chriftian name : or. as he exhorteth the Phihppians, 
 chap.i. 20. Walk asbecometh the members of Jefus Chrift: 
 But when may we be laid fo to do? Anf. When we walk 
 according to the precepts and connnands of the gofpel ; 
 anfwerable tothe privileges and prerogatives of the gofpel; 
 anfwerable to that grand pattern of holmefs which the gof- 
 pel fets before us, rhe example of Jefus Chrilt; anfwerable 
 to the helps and fujjplies of grace which the gofpti affords: 
 Finally, to walk worthy of our vocation, is to walk anfwer- 
 able to thofe high and glorious hopes which the gofpel 
 raifes the Chriihan up to the expectation of. 
 
 2 With all lovvlinefs and mecknefs, with long- 
 fuffcring, foibearing one another in love ; 3 En- 
 deavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 
 bond of peace. 
 
 Having exhorted them to the practice of their general 
 duty ; namely, to walk worthy of their holy vocation^xn the 
 former verfe ; in ihefe two verfes he prefTes upon ihetn 
 more fpecial and particular duties, the chief of which is 
 the duty of Chriftian unity and concord, er.deavou'ing. ta 
 keep the unity of the ^pi' it. The word figuifies, a diligent, 
 induftrious, and united endeavour to prcferve and keep, to 
 fupport and maintain, the unijy of the Spirit ; that is, an 
 union of heart and Spirit, an unity of faith and dodrine, 
 an unity of judgment and affeftion, amongft all the pro- 
 felfors t)f Chrifianity. Obfetve, i. The means by which 
 this duty may be performed, and the unity of tlie Spirit 
 maintained ; namely, in the boni of pejce ; a peaceable 
 difpofition and temper, a peaceable deportment and beha- 
 viour, is the bond or ligament which binds Chriftians to- 
 gether; whereas difcord and divifion cats that bond afunder. 
 2. rhe fpecial giaces which the apoltle recommeiidsunto 
 us, as excellent helps for preferving unity and peace ; 
 r.amelv, humility, meekiief,;)nd mutual forbearance, (i.) 
 Humility • ver. 2. ti'ith all l>-i>!:nefs ; that is, with all fub- 
 mifTivenefs of mind, and humble apprehenfi'.nsof ourfelves. 
 What Teriullus faid of Feftus fl:nterinply. we may fay of 
 Iiutiility truly, iif|' //'(rf,Oh',im;lity,ti'- enjoy great qu'xetrfs: 
 The homble man is the peacsablema;) ; only by pride 
 
 coineth 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 8oi 
 
 Cometh contention. (2.) Mecknels, ^vlikh confifts in a 
 baclcwardncfs to provoke others, or to be provoked by otliers; 
 as lo'-vlinefs flood in oppolition to pride, fa mecknefs here 
 ftands inoppofition to pcevifhnefs ; wi/h all hwlhiefi and 
 Tnreiiiej!. (t^,) Long-fiifFering and mutual forbearance ; 
 when Chriili.ifis.arc fo far tVoin refeniing every wrong,and 
 revenging every injury tliat is offered to them, that they 
 can bear with one another's weakntfTcs, cover each other's 
 iniirmitic!, pity one another's failing?, am! pardon eacho- 
 thtr's provocations : And this duty of nnittial forbearance 
 ought to proceed from a principle of love to each other. 
 
 4 There is otie body, and one Spirit,- even ns ye 
 arc called in one hope of your calling ; 5 One 
 Lord, one faith, one baptifm, 6 One God and 
 Father of all, who is above all, and through all, 
 and in you all. 
 
 The apoftle having exhorted the Ephcfians to a {\n&: 
 tiniiy and concord amongft thcmfelvcs, next proceeds to 
 enforce his exhortation with fcveral arguments ; and there 
 are no fewer than fcven fumrned up in the three verfes 
 now before us. fi.) Says the apodle, there is oiin body, 
 tliat is, o.ne univcrful church, Avhereof ye are all members. 
 {1.) There is one Spirit, by which yc are all animated and 
 enlivened, and therefore keep the unity of the Spirit. (3.J 
 There is one hope of eternal life, by which ye are all ex- 
 cited : Our inheritance in heaven is the fame ; God doth 
 rot give one a double portion, or a party-coloured coat, 
 above another; but it is called an inheritance in light, 
 becanfe all alike are partakers of it, and fliarers in it ; the 
 faints have all one hope, therefore Ihould have all but one 
 heart. (4.} One i^/v/Jefus Chrilf, thcHcadof his church, 
 the Saviour of the body, one whom we all profefs to ferve 
 and obey : Be ye therefore one, tor your Lord i' one. 
 (5.} There is one faith ; that is, either one grace of faith 
 vvhcrcby we believe, or one doctrine of faith which is 
 believed ; ye all believe in one and the fame Saviour, and 
 arc all julfified by him, after one and the fame inanner; 
 therefore be yealfoonc; one in afFedfion, as well as (,nc 
 inbeliet. ,'6.) There \s one hnptijh, one door by which 
 ■vvc all enter into the church ; both Jew and Geniile, bond 
 and free; rich and poor, they are all one in Chrift Jefus, 
 and by one Spirit baptized into one body, fj.) One Gcd 
 find the bather cf all things: And of all pcrfou' in Chrift, 
 whom we all expecl one and the fame falvation from: 
 .And this God is tranfcendcntly above all, nnd over all ; 
 his eye penetrates and pierces through you all, and he is 
 in and among you all, as in his holy temple ; therefore 
 fiich as endeavour to divide you, do as much as in them 
 lies to divide God himfclf that dwells in yni. This then 
 is the fum of the apoftle's argument: " Seeing ye are all 
 members of one body, partakers uUne Spirit ; expeiflants of 
 cnc hife, having «»:.' Lsrc/ and common Saviour, one faith 
 and belief, one and the fame hapiijm in the name of the 
 Father, Son, and Hily Ghofl, and one and the fame Gwl 
 and Jviihcr in Chriil ; feeing yon are one in all ihcft- par- 
 liculars be on? among yoirrfcKes, and endeaVAir to hep 
 the unity of the Spirit in the hon'i of peace.' From the. 
 whole, le.mi. That fn .-n-nv ;,re the obii&atienF, fo-ftroBf 
 
 the bonds and ties, which lie upon all the incmbcrs of the 
 church to be at unity among thcmfelvcs, of one judgment, 
 and of one heart; that fuch as violate tliefe bonds, and 
 culpably divide and feparatc themfelves from cominuni oil 
 with their brethren, Chrift looks upon them tio longer as 
 memfcrs of his body, but as having rent and torn themfelves 
 from it. 
 
 7 Butuntoevery oneoftisis given5;raceaccord- 
 in.L^ to the jneaCure of tlie ^ift of Chrift. 8 Where- 
 fore he faith, When he afcendcdup on hi-h, he led 
 captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. r)(Now 
 that he afcended.whatis it but that he alio dcfcendcd 
 firft into the Joiver parts of the earth ? 10 lie that 
 defcended is the fame a'lothatalccnded up farabove. 
 all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And 
 he gave fome, apoftles ; and fome, prophets ; and 
 fome,evangeliRs; and fome, paftort, and teachers; 
 12 For the peife6ling of the faints, for the work 
 of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of 
 Chrift: 13 Till we all come in the unity of tho 
 faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, un- 
 to a perfefcl man, unto the meafure of the ftati.re 
 ofthsfulnefs of Chrift. 
 
 Our apoftle here, in ihefe verfes fupplies us with another 
 ^^■cighty argument to perfuade us to keep the unilv of the 
 Spirit in the bond of peace \ namely, that it was one grept 
 and chief end which Chrift aimed at, in indiiutiiig the 
 rniniftry of the word, in appointing the fcveral officers in 
 his church, of apoftlfs, propliets, evangclifts, paftors, and 
 teachers, and alfo in the fcveral gifts \vliich he bi (lowed 
 upon thole officers: he aftlucs us, it w^as Chrift's great 
 defign, in and by all thefc, tobiinjr his people, not "only 
 to faith and knowledge, but to unity in the faith, and in 
 the knowledge of the Son of Cod. ' And here, (r.j Our. 
 apoftle fhews, that the diverfity of thofe gifts and graces 
 bcftowed by Chrift upi^n the fevrral niemhers of the 
 church, do ill tend to preferve and to promote unity, thtv 
 all coining from one and the fame author, and being all 
 given for one and the fame end. Unto every one of us is 
 given grace, according to the meafure cf the gift of Chri/}, 
 Learn htncc, i. That there is grace given by Chiift't.* 
 all his members bearing fome proportion -ind (jnili- 
 tude to th.Tit grace which w'a'; conferred upon Chrfft hii-;i- 
 ftlf. 2. That the dc'ign of Ciiiift, in clifpeniint; his erace 
 in difl -rent meafures and degrees, is the eencrril good of 
 his church, and particularly for preferving'and promotini; 
 unify and love amoiigft his members ; for feting every 
 one has his ftvera! graces froni God, and no one has eII, 
 it one hath that grace which another wants, .ind if one 
 want tie help of oue another, and therefore ouuht to kve 
 one another : This is the apoftle's ars'umciit. " Next he 
 proceeds to prove that Chrift has difpcnild this ciiverfity of 
 gifts amoiigft his members ; afilrnung, that in the dav of 
 hi-- afctniion into the iiji^heft hta\'^nF, he led captivity 
 S ^ captive, 
 
802^ 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 eiblivcy ami gave gifts wita men. In which cxpiefTion there and aJrantagc, was to continue : niTDcly, to the end of 
 is a manitcrt allulion to the Roman conquerors, who in the world, to the dnv of judgment, /,-// a// f..//;<-, by means 
 
 of the fame l;iith ir. Chtil^, and knowledge oJ hin», un/o a 
 
 the day of their triumphs fcattcred their magnificence and 
 bou 
 
 an 
 ov 
 
 luntv, theii UrgclUsand donatives among ihtir foldiers poffci man, and unio the meujure of ihtjh.ture cflli Juhiefs 
 id their fiibiccls. Thus Chrifl, after he had triumphed of Chnjl ; that is, till the church, which isChnd's mvnical 
 ler liisown and his chnrchs men ics upon the crofs, body, Ihall be complete and pc:»ea, and attain its full 
 
 role in the iriuinplunt chariot of his afcentioh into hcavc.i, flaiiire from infancy to full manhood. Ltarn hence, i. 
 where he received ^ihs as the ptirchafc of his blood, and Tkat thechurch of Chrift here on earth, is labouring for. 
 
 "N.nv, from the apoltk-'s fcopc and dclignin this argument, lo that purpofe and defign. 3. That none of the mcft 
 
 \\t learn, That though divcrfity of gifts in the church, 
 and divers mcafiire of grace in and among the members 
 thereof, are too often a fad occafion ofdiviiicn and ftritc, 
 through the prcvalcncy of envy and pride, and other divid- 
 ing luPiS, yet this great variety and diverfity cf gifts and 
 graces rightly confidered, would be found to be one of 
 the ilrongcfl t'cs and bonds of union, feeing ■we all ftand 
 in mutual need of the gifts and graces of each other. It 
 i. very evident, that our apof^lc'i fcopc here, is, to urge 
 and enforce unity, from the divcrfity of gifts and graces 
 which are amongit the members of the church ; God for- 
 bid then, that they Ihould occafion envy and •nimofities, 
 itrife and contention, rents and divifions. Our apofllc's 
 iicNt argiimLMtt for unity, is in the nth and i2thverfc«, 
 where he prove-, that a< the unity and edification of the 
 church, was the defign of Chrifl in dlfpenting divers gifts 
 and graces amongll the members of his church, fo was it 
 likewife his aim and end in indiiuting fuch variety of 
 •♦ilices and otficert in his church ; for this end it was that 
 
 l.c gave to his cliurch by qualification and million, firlt, 
 
 i-p-Jfle!, ft nt forth firfl by Iiis own mouth, to be witnelfes 
 
 of hiidoftrine and miracles, and then to preach thegofpel 
 
 throughout all the world, having received the holy Spirit 
 
 in an extraordinary manner at the feaft of Pentecoft, to 
 ' fit tium for that fervic, Afts ii. i, 2. Next, prophets, 
 
 who explained the myllcries of faith foretold things to 
 
 cc-mc, and expounded the writings of the old prophets. 
 
 T\'icn, evangelijls, who were fent out by the apoflle?, fome 
 
 t.) plants others to water the churches which they had 
 
 p'.:in:ed,wiihoi!t being fixtd to any particular place. Laftly, of dotlrinc; by the flight of men, a??fi/ cunning craf- 
 
 cminenr faints on earth (the moft knowing anti pious 
 tniniffers of the gofpel not excepted) are above ordinances, 
 above the minillry of the word, above receiving bentfu 
 and advantage by the plain and praflical preaching of it . 
 even St. Paul here puts himfclt in, and reckfins'himfLll 
 among the number of ihofe vho flood in need ot tlic 
 miniftryof God's word, to bring him to a perftct mrn, 
 and to the ir.eafiirc of the flature of the fulncfs of Chrifl ; 
 he fays not, till ye, but till tie all come unto a perfcft m.Tn. 
 Such pe< pie then, as think thcmfelves above ordinance":, 
 are above God himfclf; none need ordinances fb much, 
 as tliofc that want them lealh And fuch hearers as itnn 
 their backs upon the preaching of the wi rd, hecaufe thev 
 know more than the miniftcr can leach them, and can 
 better inftruft the preacher, than be inflrufled by hin% 
 they betray tlitir own ignorance both of the intent and end 
 of the minillry of the word, and alfo oftheflafcof their 
 ow n heart-: ; tor if tlicir underflanding want no light, cl, 
 their affeflions need no w armth ? Have you no grace to 1 : 
 perfected, no corruptions to be weakened, no good rcfc- 
 lutions to be ftrenglhencd ? If your knowledge be impcr- 
 fe£l, as fure it is, do tiot your affcdions want a trcfli 
 excitement r Admit thcdcfpiftd preacher cannot be yo' 
 inftnidtor, yet fure he may be your remembrancfer, ai. 
 excite you to that duty which you know already perhaps 
 better than you pracliie it. 
 
 i4That we henceforth be no more cliildrcn, toff- 
 cd to and fro, and carried about with every wind 
 
 pujicrs, and lenchers, calitd alfo biihops and elders, who 
 were let over the churche/as guides and inflruiElors. Learn 
 hcBce, I. That It is ChrilVs fpccial prerogative, as Head 
 of the church, to inflitute and appoint fuch offices and 
 ofiicers in his church, as to his own wii'doin fceins meet 
 for the edification and government of it. 2. That the 
 great end and deiign of Chrift, in inlUtuting fuch vaiiciy 
 of offices and officers in his church, was, his church's 
 unity, that by all minillerial helps and endeavours, his 
 members might be compadledand knit together, and made 
 one entire body, by the increafe of fanclity, concord, and 
 unity. He guvfjjine ap9/iles, fome pafors and teachers, fr 
 the perfenin^ cf ike f-i'ir.ts, (not for converting of finners 
 < nlyj and fr the edifying of the body of Chrijl. Olfene, 
 Jadly, The apoftle declares how long the work of the 
 Biiniftry, appointed by Chiill for his church's edificaiicn 
 
 tincfs, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ; 
 
 St. Paul, in thcfe words, declares one fpccial end f 
 which the miniltry of the word ivas inflitutcd and appointed; 
 namely, to preferve from error and feduciion, to present 
 inftability of mind, and unfctilednefs of judgment, and ■ 
 confirm pcrfons in fundamental truths : that we hencefjr 
 be no more children I'fJ'ed to and fro, ^"C. Kite here, I. 1 ; 
 name which St. Paul gives to unftable perfons, and ur 
 fettled profeifor-s, he callsthem children ; Not in regard 
 age, but in rcfpeft of knowledge and underflanding : 
 dren, is a word that denotes impcrfe£lion and wcrr 
 inftability and UDgroiindcdnefs in knowledge. 2. How r' 
 unfleadinefs of thefe prot'eifors is expreflcd by a double n- 
 taphor ; the former Is dra\\n from a wave of the fca, thi 
 arc t-ffed Ic and fro ; the latter is drawn from a light clrua 
 hovejing in the air, carried sbcut from place to place ; 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 803 
 
 n.itlit'f wave nor clotiJ Iiavc any conHllcncv, but are both 
 niovinr;,if the leafl wind be ftirring. ;j. The caiifcof this 
 inlKiMIity, men- uind of d',clrit:e, prolc-lTirs that have no 
 fohd iirinciplirs, every wind of doftrine lias povk'er over 
 them ^o drive them to an<I fro, every tcaclicr can caft them 
 into what miiull he plcnfcs, and blo.v thorn ii!<e glaHes, 
 inro this or that ihape, at the ple^fiire of his breaih. Bnt 
 why v,ii)d of doftrine ? Bzcaiife there is no folidity in it, 
 b'jt being wind in the preacher, it breeds but wind in the 
 hearer, bccanfe of its variety and novelty, and bacaufe of 
 its prtvalency ove'rimibid men. How fiiddcnly, fome- 
 fime«, isafumiiv, a to\^•n, yea, a whole country, leavened 
 with a particular error ? 4.. The charadler of thofe impof- 
 tors an(l fedi.'ccrs that do thus unfettle and unhinge men, 
 they iifc _/?/»/•/ ; a metaphor taken from gamerters, who 
 witli art and llight of hand, can cog the dice, and win the 
 game. Seducers cheat wiih falfe doiSrines, as game(ters do 
 v/iih falfe dice : Cunning craftimji \ the word iignifies the 
 fiibtlety and deep policy of the old ferp.'int ; implying, that 
 feducers are old and r.vv/c'w^ jiameller-, fkilful to deceive : 
 They lie in U'aif /o dtctrii-e ; the word iignifics cm ambujh- 
 Uent, or Ifraiagein of war, impl)ing, that all feducersy7/V/./ 
 and irnjiim-fs is to this verv end and purpofe, that they 
 may intrap and catch men within the ambuHi of their iin- 
 portiircs. From the viho\c, learn, That feduccrsand falfe- 
 teachers arc crafts-mailers of flight and fiibtlctv, and ftrata- 
 gems of deceit ; they have artifices ways and methods to 
 take men unawares, and to make merclundife of the 
 people i they wrcft and wrack the fcriptures to make them 
 fpeak what they pleafc, nit what the Holy Ghoft intended: 
 If all this art fails, their lall device h, to recommend their 
 doftrines upon fome private pretended revelation, and un- 
 com non impulfe of the holy Spirit 5 by all which methods 
 they lie in wait to deceive. 
 
 15 But fpeaking the truth in]ov«, maygrOw up 
 into him in all thin;^s, which is the head, avnChriR: 
 i6 From whom the whole body fitly joined to- 
 gether, and compafiled by that which every ^joint 
 lupplicth, according to the elFetlual working in the 
 mealurc of every part, maketh increafe of the bo- 
 dy, unto the edifying of itfelf in love. 
 
 Our apoftle had fet forth the' excellent end of the minif- 
 try, in the foregoing verfe, for furthering our {lability and 
 ftedfadnefs in grace ; here he declares the admirable htnef; 
 tjf it tor helping forward our proficiency and growth in 
 grace, Sl'eahingthe tnilh in love \ that is, cleaving to the 
 truth of Chrilt's dodlrine, and livint^ in love wirh one an- 
 other, you may grow up in Chrift by making progrtfs in 
 all Chrillian grace, being united to him as members to the 
 head. Here note. How the apollle draws a coinparifon be- 
 tween the natural anj myftical members, and the increafe 
 of b'lth ; as there mtifi; bs a fellowlhip bciwixt the natural 
 head and members, fo mull there bean union betwixt 
 Chrill, the fpiritualHcad. and believers, his myftical mem- 
 bers: and as there is further required, a mutual comminii- 
 on and fellowlhip of the members of the body within, 
 and amongfl ihemfclvcs, in order to gniv\th and increafe ; 
 fo mult there be concord, love, and unity amongft^ellcvers, 
 
 if they cxpedl to fee grace growing in thenifc'ives, or in oryj 
 anoiher. Are the members of llie natural body fcvcrally 
 dillin£l one from another, fome priiKipal, otliers minifterial, 
 but all concurring to the fervice of the whole? So, in or- 
 der to fpiritual growth, mult all the members of Chrift's 
 myllical body keep their rarik and order, and a6l in thci;- 
 own fphere with I'piritual wifdom and humility; the eye 
 not doing the work of the hand, nor the hand ihe woik of 
 the foot, but every one In the calling wherein lie is called, 
 miifl there abide with God. Again, is there a fupply of 
 nourifliment from one meinber to anoiher, according to 
 the meafurc of everr part in the natural body? So is there 
 a fupply from head to members in the myftical body, and 
 from one myftical member to another ; one is apt to teach, 
 W'illing to exhort, a fifth 10 advife antl counfel ; and all 
 thcfe, and every one of thefe, contributing all they can to 
 the welfare and growth of the whole. Happy is it both 
 for the natural and myfticai body, when the members of 
 both arc fubfervient to each other, and contribute all they 
 can lo the mutual growth and improvement of one another, 
 and efpecially for the benefit and advaiitage of the whole. 
 
 17 This I fay therefore and teflify in the Lord, 
 that ye henceforth walk not as otherGentileswalk, 
 in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the under- 
 Handing darkened, being alienated from the life of 
 God through the ignorance that is in them, becaufe 
 of the blindnefs of their heart : 19 Who being pafl: 
 feeling have given themfelvcs over untolafciviouf" 
 nefs to work all unclcanncfs with grcedinefs. 
 
 Our apoftle having finifhed his graf\d exhortation to love 
 and uniiy amongft all Chriftians, and ci'.forced it with the 
 molt weighty arguments and motives, in the former part of 
 the chapter, comes no%v, in the latter part of it 10 prcfs the 
 Eplielians to the praftice of particular duties. 'Fhc fiifl 
 ot which is this, to take fpecial care, that b-ing now con- 
 certed Chriftians, they walk no more like ignorant and un- 
 converted heathens ; Walk ml as tther Ceyiiilcs wall. 
 Next, he gives particular inftanccs how, and after what 
 manner the Gentiles, in the bla^k night of pa^anifm, di.i 
 walk; namely, (i.) In tl.h- vanityof thcirmind', following 
 their own imagination, and not any revealed from God, 
 in the matters of his worlliip. (2.) riaving their tinJer- 
 J/andings darkened, their mindj^cid of faving knowledge. 
 {^.) Thev ivere alienated from the life cf God, that is, fruoi 
 a godly life ; they were (Irangcrs to ihe life which God 
 Commanded, which God approved, and which God l:im- 
 fclf lived. Here;<;/r, That holinefs is called x\\c life if 
 God, becaufe it is the lite which God requires of u=, it is 
 the lite which he works in km, it is the life whereby God 
 liveth in us, the life whereby we live unto God j it is an 
 ever-living life, not obnoxious to death, as tbe Ephefiaiis 
 were ; (o every carnal man, before converfion, is aiitn?.ti.d 
 from this life of God ; he has no liking of it, no inclina- 
 tion to it, but prefers a life of fin before it. Lord, hovr 
 many th.at are furroimded with the celcUial beams of the 
 gofpel, are as impure and impenitent now, as thefe Gen- 
 tiles were then in the black night of f aganifm ! (4.; They 
 5 I 2 were 
 
Sol, 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 were pij? /efling ; their fottifh ftiipidity had benumbed 
 them, the rtamcsof their hilts had feared their conCcicnccs 
 ti)a defparate degree ot hardnefs and infenfibiiity ; thty 
 were at once infcnliblc of their lin, and of their danger by 
 rcjfoii of fin. A dead confcicnce, and a dcfparaicly dill'o- 
 Inte life, are infeparable companions. (5.) T/jey gave 
 ihemjelves ffvtr unti lafcivioitfntj's, to tviri all uncUtinnf/s 
 ■with greed /'nefs. Here fee, how infenfibiiity of tin be.gets 
 inCitiablenefs in finnint; ; they work iinclcanncfs uirh in- 
 Citlablc i;rce(lincfs, who have once abandoned thenifelvcs to 
 iin, efpccijliy to the fin of imcieanncfs. Lord, thi< was 
 the deplorable cafe of the heathen world, before the light 
 of the gofpel did arifc and fliinc upon them ; but, alas ! It 
 is the cafe of nitiliitiidcs that fit under the brightcif beams 
 of ijofpel lii^ht, they (hut their eyes, and will not fi.e ; they 
 c\iin"ui(h all fcnfe of immortality and a future fta'.c, and 
 fo aba^ndon themfelves to a life of brutilli fenfii.ilitv, woi-k- 
 Inv oil unchnnvejs. -uiilh gifcdlnrfs ; but let tlitin know af- 
 fiucdly, that thoiiLjh they live like beafl.^, yet they iliallnot 
 <iie like them, nor fliall their latter end be like tlieirs, the 
 foul bein^' under a divine ordination to an everlading ex- 
 iftcncc in a future (tare, in which it fhall be eternally hap- 
 py or intolerably mifcrable, according as we manage our 
 Utportmcnt in this prefcnt world. 
 
 20 But ye have not fo learned Chrift ; 21 If fq 
 be that ye have heard him, and have been taught 
 bv hmi.as the truth is in Jefus : 22 That ye put otF 
 concerning the former converfation the old man, 
 which is corrupt according to thcdeceitiul lufls; 
 23 And be renewed in the fpirit of your mind; 24 
 And that ye put on the ne-.v man, which after God 
 ii created in rightcoufnefs and true holinels. 
 
 In th(Tc verfe;:, I. Our apofilc acquaints the converted 
 Fphefian.s that the faving knowledge of ChriO, which ihcy 
 had received, inflrurted them better than to praflifc fiich 
 Ikeniioufncfs and wickcdnela as the unconverted Gentiles 
 wallowed in. Bui ye l^nve not Jo learned ChrijI, that is, the 
 gofpel of Chriit. Nothing curbs fin, nothing cures fin, in 
 a licentious finner, like the di <Slrinc of Chriit revealed in 
 the gofpel ; no moral precepts from the fchool of the 
 heathens, which fome fo much magnify and applruid, can 
 compnrc with this, which lays open the root of this ac- 
 ctirfcd difeafe, and leads usjjbthc remedy which the wifdorn 
 of God has appointed for its cure, even the blood of his 
 own Son ; then blelfcd be God for revealed religion. 2. 
 The apoftle acquaints them what the truth as it is in 'Je/its, 
 that is, the dodrine of t lie gofpel, doth direft them to, 
 enjoin and require of them, namely, to put cjf the old man, 
 that is, their tormcr heathen converfation, and taanner of 
 life, fay fome ; but this they had put oft" already, at their 
 tjrll converlion to Chriftaniiy : By the old man, then, un- 
 derltand the old corrupt nature,, fo called, becaulc it is as 
 old as Adam, and derived from Adam, and which dailv 
 more and more corrupts and depraves us by itsdccciilul 
 iiuls, if wc be not refilled and fiibdued. But this is not 
 fuflicient, that we {ml off the eld man, imlcfs we put on the 
 lien.; and be renewed in the fpi it of our minds alter (}od ; 
 th.tt is, after the imajc of God, which confiiLth ia ritjh- 
 
 teoufnefs and true holinefs. A'cteVcre, i. That regene- 
 rating grace is called the new man, bccatifc the perfon has 
 a nsw principle intuftd into him (fay the pious Biiliop 
 FcM, upon the pl.Ke) wl.ich enables him to lead a new life. 
 Regenerate nien, then, a;''.- new men, ihey have a renewed 
 and ei'.lightened undo fla.nding, tl ey have a f.ii'.dificd and 
 renewed will, renewed affcfiions and dcliits : old things 
 are pading away, and all things b c^n.ing ne\v. 2. That 
 God hidifelf is the pattern r.nd exemplar, after which, and 
 acccrding to which, the new man is fornad in the foul, 
 which after Gcd is created in rightrouj'rejs ni)d true Idiiiejs : 
 What is gixilintfs, but GiHliikenefs: What is holintfs, but 
 the conformiiy of our natures to the holy nafirre of God, 
 and the conformity of cur lives to the will of God r Afts 
 xiii. 22. I have toimd D:ivid a man after my own heart, 
 who (hall perform all my will. 3. That holinefs is not 
 only the reforming of the outward man, but it is the re- 
 newing ot the mind ; and not only of the mind, but of 
 the Spiiit of the mind ; by which underftand, the highell 
 and rnoft refined (acuities of the mind, that part which is 
 moll free from the dregs of fin, and which coines up 
 ncareft to God, as the fpirit of the mind and underftanding 
 doth ; verily, not our minds only, but even the fpirit of 
 our minds, need" renewing, bccaufe corruption is got into 
 the highell powers and fiiperior faculties ot the fonl, and 
 bccauie we mull ferve God with all <Hir mind ; and it fo, 
 with the fpirit of our mind ; and blelTed be God, that re- 
 generating and renewing grace isan univeifal principle, as 
 (in was. Did fin invade the w4iole foul, all the power* and 
 faculties of it, and deprive us of the divine image? It is 
 the woik of grace to reftore our depraved natures to their 
 primitive integrity. The renewed perfon is fanflified 
 I'.tus, though not totaliter ; a new nature i» found with 
 Jiim, wliicli after dd is created in righteiufnrfs and tn.e 
 h'AinrJs. 
 
 25 Wherefore putting away lying, fpeak every 
 man truth with his neighbour ; For wc arc m«ni- 
 bers one of another. 
 
 Our apoflle clofes this chapter with an exhortation to fe- 
 veral duties belonging to the fecond table, namely, to ab- 
 (hun from lying, frciti anger, from ftcaling, from corrupt 
 communication, from all bitterncfs of fj irit, froin malice 
 and revence, and to exercife brotherly kindnefs and mutual 
 forgiveneis. From whence note. That Chrifians mud 
 make confcicnce of the duties of the fecond table, as well 
 as of the firll, and perform their duty towards their neigh- 
 bour, as well as towanis God, for the law ij one copulative, 
 God f pale all thefe words : The autliorily of the law pi vcr Ts 
 defpilcd, in the violence of the Icaft command: Whtn 
 therefore fecond-table duties are performed by us, from ar- 
 guments and motives drawn from the (irll table, that i?, 
 when in obedience to God's command, and w i;h an eye 
 at his glory, we perform our duty to our neigl-.bour, thif 
 is both an argument of otir liiiccrity, and alfo an orn.nrrctit 
 toour profcflion : ff hercfore put away lying, &c. Lying 
 was a vice vcrv c«tnmon among the heathens : It is likely 
 the Epholians,' in their hcaihcn Hate; had been very gtiilty 
 ot it, for they thotight it lawful, whtn it was bcncfitial, so 
 lie; and aBirmed,. that l lie was better tha:i an hurtfi:! 
 
 truth, 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 8oj 
 
 tni'b. Our aprfllr therefore exhorts them, now converted 
 toChriftianiry, to fpeak cxail truth one to anotlicr ; and 
 adds a forcible rcafon for ir, becaiife tlicy were members 
 one of another ; that, is, of human fociety, which by lying 
 is dtfl roved ; f^'Hiood diifolvcsihe bond of human focic-ty. 
 Learn hence, That there is no fin more unfecmly in a 
 Cliriftian, more inconfifttnt with grace, more abominable 
 to God, more like unto the devil, more injurious and pic- 
 jiidicial to human fociety,. than the (In of lying; fidtiity 
 towards each other, and mutual confidence in eaih other, 
 being that which makes human foiicty both fafe andeafy. 
 
 26 Be ye angry, and fin not ; let not tJic fun go 
 down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place 
 to the devil. 
 
 Some underfland thcfe words only as a cautionary direc- 
 tion, and ftnfe them us : If ye be angry at any time, take 
 heed that ye lin not, by exceeding due bounds ; and if at 
 any time it doth fo, fupprcfs it fpecdily, before the fim go 
 down : This was a praclice even amongll the heathens ; 
 before the Am went down, they would fliake hands and 
 embrace one another ; to the (Same of Chriftians, who 
 pive place to the devil, according to the known proverb, 
 Citiluhernakm habit d'taholum, qui kiltim petit i rat us ; he 
 that goes angry to bed, has the devil for liis chamber-fel- 
 low, yea, for his bed-fcUow ; nay he lies not only in his 
 bed, but in his bofom. Others undcrfland the words as 
 a precept and command. Be ongr), bnt take heed of 
 llnful anger : Now, the way to be angry and nor fin^ is to 
 be angry at nothing but at fin ; it is our duty to be angry, 
 when we fee others depart from their duty. Meek Mofes, 
 who was C(X)1 enough in his own caufc, was not in God's ; 
 he has no zeal for God, that is not rrioved, when he fees or 
 hesrs G.xl dilhonoured. Leajii hence, I. That an^er 
 being an afFe£lion implanted by God in the human nature, 
 is not in itfelf evil or finful, but in fome cafes, a neceflary 
 duty. 2. That there is an eafy and ready palTage from 
 what is lawful, to what fs fmful. Be angfy, and Jin trA ; 
 invplying, that itis a very eafy matter to fin in our anger, 
 and no eafy matter to be angry and not to fin. 4. That it 
 is very difficult, if not impollible, to avoid fin in our anger, 
 if we let anger hang upon our fpirits, and ccntiniie with' 
 us i anger may pafs through the heart of a wife man, but 
 refis in the bofom of fools: Anger againft fin mui'l con- 
 tinue, but continuance in anger will be finful. To prevent 
 the fin of immoderate anger, rhefe rules will be iifcftil. 
 (I.) Defile not to hear what others fay of thee, left you 
 want patience to bear what you hear ; niany tear themfelves 
 w ith anger, wlicn they hear themfelves torn with ilander \ 
 we had better be in the dark concerning our own wrongs, 
 tljaii by knowing of them, wrong ourfelves by pallion or 
 dcfire of revenge. (2.) What you do hear faid of yow, 
 interpret always in the moft favouVahle fenfc ; call it an in- 
 firmity, and ditUnguilli between the a(ftion and intern ion, 
 between what is fpoken, and the intent of the fpeakcr. 
 fj.) In and uriiler all provocatioiw, caft your eve upward .- 
 Look up to God, and call: your eye inward, a'nd fee wiiat 
 you have defervcdj-though not at your neighbour's hand, 
 yet at God's hand. Shimei gave 'David provocation to 
 bail up his anger to the heighth «f fury, zSara.«xvi. 5. but 
 
 by eying God : how calm and raeek was his fpirit ? Thus,. 
 Be angry and fin net. 
 
 28 Let him that flole, Ileal no tnore : but rather 
 let him labour, woiking with hh hands the tiling 
 which is good, that he may have to give to Juni 
 that needeth. 
 
 Ohfe'^e here I. The fin ditluaJed from, theft, and Heal- 
 ing.. This the heathen nations counted no crime ; ihe-y. 
 made no confticnce, either openl\' or fraiidcntly, to take- 
 away their nesghbour-s goods. Therefore, fays the apollle, 
 let thofe of you, who in the time of your psganifm and 
 unregeneracy, were given to ftealing, now being converted 
 to Chriftianity, do fo no inore. 2, The remedy prefcribed 
 for the prevention of this fin, and that is, diligeirce and 
 labour in fome honeft calling ; ht him labour, tuorking ivith 
 his hands : Idicnefs occafions poverty, brines men to want,, 
 incrcafes ihcir neccfliu'es, and then thev bcsake thcir.lclves 
 to indirect and unlawful means to fiipply them. 3. One 
 fpecial reafon why pcrfons fliould labour in the way of 
 their calling that they might have .'« give to him thai needeth ; . 
 not oidy that they may have werewith to relieve their 
 own want.s, but the wants of others, '^'herc ncte, That" 
 God expcfls charity from the hand of thofe who get their 
 living with their hands : Day-labourers, and fuch as have 
 nothing to live upon but their work, muft yet give their 
 mire, their a!m<= for the help of the indigent. Olj'crvfy 4. 
 The refiriflion and qualification of this labour of the 
 hands, he muft vjorh that which \igncd, that he may give 
 to him t^1at needeth : To relieve Olivers with the gain of" 
 oppreiTion, or with the hire of an harlot, is unacceptable ; 
 the matter of our alms muft be gands righteoufly gotten,, 
 otiierwife it is robbery, not rigbteoiifiiefs. 
 
 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out 
 of your mouth, but that, which is good to the ule 
 of edifying, that it may miniller. grace unto the 
 hearers. 
 
 Here the apoftle direcb trs how to manag-; our tongues, ■ 
 both negatively and pofitively telling us, what we fhould.not 
 fpeak, and what we iliould : Let no corrupl, rotten, filthy. 
 difcourfe come out of your mouth ; fiith as hare rotten' 
 lungs, have a ftinking breath ; filthy dif.ourfc arg;:es a pol-- 
 Intcd heart ; fuch nt^ifome dlfcouife is unfavorv to an holy. 
 ear, and greatly offemlve, Acontagiou.<;,- and inftcting to ■ 
 common r.id ordinary hearers. Next, he tells them whaf 
 they fhould fpeak, that which is profitable and edifying,, 
 and that which m.-»y minifter incrcafe of grace to the hearers : 
 Our fpeech fiioiild be fo gracious aiid favciiry, as to dif- 
 cover grace wrought -in our hearts, aixl be a means of' 
 woiking it in the hearts of others ; eifewhere, St. P;'ul' 
 advifcs, that our fpeech he favoury, feafontd with fait,. 
 Col. it'. 6. Truth, holihcfs, and prudence, is the-falt tf our 
 words : Chriftians muft not fiifl-'er their tcnmie to run- af 
 random in their ordinary difcourfe ; it is not uifficient that' 
 they do not fpeak to evil purpofe, but they irulV fpeak ta 
 etiifying purpofe : that which has a tendency to make the- 
 hearers fome way or other, either v. ifcr or better : 1 ids the 
 apofl'e calls, that vchich is gccd H the life cf edifying, 
 
 30 And! 
 
8o6 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 I 
 
 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, 
 whereby yc arc fealcd unto the day of redemptioa. 
 
 AVf here i. The litle given to the Spirit of God, he 
 is ftyled thr holv Spirit, bcini; elleniially anil infinitely holy 
 in himfelf, and the aiiihor of all grace and holincfs in us. 
 ■2. The affffkion r>t grief, which is here nttributcd to the 
 •Spirit, not properly, but improperly ^ ■when we do that 
 'vl'.ich would mod certainly afiliift and grieve him, were 
 lie a fiibjcS capable of grief, and when, upon provocations 
 f;ivcr#on o:ir part":, he c.'.rricth himfelf towards us after the 
 iratjncr of a pcrfon grieved ; iiamelv, when wc provoke 
 him to fnfpend his influence, to withdraw his comforts, 
 lea\iiig us without anv prefcnt fenfe or feeling of his af- 
 iii'ances ; he is alfo then grieved, when he is oppofed, iii- 
 i-rrupted, rontrouiled, and dillurbcd in his operations of 
 ^•rncc and comfort upon our fouls. 3. The argument 
 il-d to enforce the exhortation, and not to grieve the holy 
 Spirit of GckI, hecaufc hv It wc areyiv/.W to the day of rc- 
 liempiion. Bi;t wliat doth QjoA'sJealing his people by his 
 iit'ly Spirit, intimate and imply r A"J. ii.) It intimates, 
 that God has dillinguiflicd them from others. ''2.) That 
 hr: has appropriated them to l.im'Telf. (3.; That he has 
 ::t a value upon them, and a very high elleem. And (4.) 
 t impor's the irrecoverable purpofc of God for their falva- 
 tion. Seals are for thefe ufes, ends, and purpofes ; Seals 
 arc fordifiin£iion, for approbation, for conformauon, and 
 argue a high valuation and precious efteemof the perfon or 
 thing which the feal is put upon : Grin'e not the Spirit, 
 ivhcrths \e ore Jeahd ti the day of redemption, that is, to the 
 day ot judgment. 
 
 31 Let all bitternefs, and v/rath, and anger, and 
 clamour, and evil-fpeaking be put away from you, 
 ivith all malice. 32 And be ye kind one to another, 
 tender hearted, forgiving one another, cvenas God. 
 for Chriil's fake hath forgiven you- 
 
 Our apofile had exhorted, in the former verfe, not to 
 grieve the holy Spirit nf God : In the next vcrfc, he ac- 
 tpiaints ns with the particular fins that would afiiicl and 
 j^ricvc him ; iiamclv, bittcniefi, that is, a fccrct grudge-, and 
 u fmothcred difpleafure-agamfl our brother : ruuralk, or an 
 'impetuous fierccncfs of fpirit, upon fome real or appre- 
 hcnd/xliniury ; rt?;_0T;-, sn eager defire of revenge ; clamour, 
 loiif thrcatcnings, or reviling language ; cvilfpcakivg, either 
 of others, or to others ; v.aftte, a rooted enmity, the rage 
 of the devil, and renders a inan as like the devil, as any 
 tin on this fide he'l ; All thcfe fins do exceedingly grieve 
 tlie holy Spirit, they make him both loathe and kave his 
 lodging---. In the lafl vcrfc, as a proper remedy .againft all 
 the foregoing fins, he exhorts them to mutual kjfidnefs : 
 Be ye liiul or.i- to'>iards ariOlhcr : This is, of a fweet and 
 loviiig difpofition, affable and courteous to each other ; 
 neither carrying it loftii;. or morofely, but affably and luim- 
 tly ; lender- hfaried, having a companionate fmfc of tJic 
 nnfeiics and infiimitics of one another ; Jcrgiiiiig one an- 
 other whatever has been matter of provocation in each 
 oihcr, according to tkc example of God, who for Chrift's 
 lake has forgiven us. Learn hence I. That Chridians 
 fifC obliijed, by tlie laws of their iioly religion, to forbear 
 
 and forgive onj anr»thcr. I. That they Hfe obliged to 
 forgive one another, as Ciod, for Chrift's fake, hatTi for- 
 given thcni. As Gtxl forgives tis univerfally, freely, 
 hcirtily, and fmcerely, and when he has power in his hand 
 to revcni;?, fo fhould we in like manner forijive one an- 
 other, even as God, f:)r Chrifl's fake, hath forgiven us. 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear chil- 
 dren ; 
 
 Our apoftlc having, in the ccnclufioti of the foregoinc 
 chapter, exhorted the Erhefians to mutual offices of love 
 and kindnefs towards eacn other, in the beginning of jhis 
 chapter, he makes vSe of fcveral very cogent arguments to 
 excite and quicken them thereunto ; The firfi ofVhkTi is 
 drawn from the example of Gcd, as he had been kind to 
 us, and for Chriil's fake forgiven us ; let us therefore be 
 followers of him, not as our God only, but as our Father ; 
 Be ye fdlvwers of {^od, rs dear cl-Hdren. Where ncle, r. 
 The duty exh6rted to. Be ye joHnvers if Gcd \ that is, in 
 all the excellencies of his communicable attributes, and 
 particularly in the exercifc of iiniverfal goodnefs and kind- 
 nelx, mercy and forgivenefs. 2. The arguiTient exciting 
 to this duty, as dear children : you arc -child/en, and who 
 fliould children imitate but their Father r And you are dear 
 children, will you not imitate fuch a Father r Learn from 
 both. That fuch as lay claim to a relation to Gixi, without 
 imitation of hitn, are not children, but baftards : They 
 may be of his family, but not of his hcuftiold ; of his fa- 
 mily, by inftruclion, birt not by dtlccnt : There is no 
 implantation into Chrift, without an imiTari(>n, both of the 
 Creator and Redeemer, Heb. iii. 6. Cl.rijl as a J,n tfier 
 his szcn hoi'fe: JFhofe boiife arc ue, if ive holdfaj), &c. 
 
 2 And walk in love, as Chrift alfo hith loved u^, 
 and hath ^ivcn himfelf for us an offerinfr and a fa- 
 crifice to God for a fweet- fmeliing favour. 
 
 Here wchave a fecond argument urged, to walk in lov, 
 one with, and one towards another, drawn from the exam- 
 ple of Chrirt; he alfo, as well as God the Father, has 
 loved us ; and the iHftance given of his love, is the hishcfl 
 that CTcr was or can be given : He g.ave himfelf for us, an 
 offering arid not afacrifce to Cod for a fueet fmeliing favour. 
 i)lferve\\zxc, I. The great duty of the law, [w;,lk"in lovel. 
 This implies the excrcife of this grace, not barely to have 
 it in the principle and habit, but to excrcife and exert it in 
 the aft : And it implies the univerfal excrcife of grace ; 
 whatever we do both to God and man, muff be done in 
 love, I Cor. xvi. 14. Let all your deeds he done uith charit\/. 
 2. As the great duty of the law, to walk in hve, fo the great 
 pattern of thegofpel, as Chrijl alfo hr.ih hied us The 
 particle [asl hath firif the force of an argument, and is as 
 much as iccGufe Chritf hath loved tis ; and it has alfo the 
 force of a rule to dirc£t us in the manner how wc IhoiilJ 
 love one another, w ith an fas'] of idcntitv, but not equality ; 
 not with the fame degree, but with the fame kind of love 
 wherewith Chrift huth loved us. Btit why hath, rather 
 than doth love us? Why in the preter, rather than in the 
 prefcnt ttnfe r Jn/. To dcncte both the prioiity of Chrift's 
 
 lovs 
 
Chap, v 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Sc7 
 
 love, that lie loved us before wc loved him ; yea, before 
 we loved oiirfclvcs ; nay, before we had any thing in iht 
 world, we had a bcin;^ in his love, cvcnirom all eternity. 
 And al fo to d.: note the indubitable certainty of his love; 
 he haih loved yon ; yon need not doubt it, nor qucflion 
 it ; he has given niStinl and undeni;ible proofs of it ; follow 
 l.im from heaven to earih, and from earth to heaven again, 
 and you will find every (\ep he tO(^k. to have been in love : 
 ffrilk then '>} I'.vi, as Chriji nlfo hnih hvrd us. Learn 
 hence i. That our Lord Jefiis Chriil hath given an ample 
 and full demonflraiion of his great and wonderfid love unto 
 his church and people. 2. That this love of Chrifl to- 
 wards us, (houUl not only be an argnmcnt and motive to 
 excite and quicken us to walk in love one towards another, 
 but alfc> an cxadt rtilc and copy to dirc£t and guide us in 
 our walking. There was fome innimicrable properties 
 in Chrift's lo\-c which we cannot imitate : As his love was 
 an eternal love, an infinite love,, a free love, without mo- 
 tive, and in defpite of obftacles, a redeeming love ; fuch 
 cannot our love be one to another : But as Chrift's love 
 was an operative love, a beneficent love, a preventing love, 
 n foul love, a conffant love, thus we are to imitate it, and 
 walk in love one towards another. Obferve, 3. The high 
 inftancc and expreflion wiiich Chrift has given of his love 
 tmto us. He gntie hlmjclf fyr us a Jacrlfce unto God, &c. 
 Me gave ; now gifts nnd exprcrtions of love ; he gave hitn- 
 felf, that is more than if he had given all the angels in 
 heaven, and all the treafures on earth for us, more than 
 the whole world, yea, than ten thoufand worlds ; he gave 
 himfclf an offering end a fncrifice, a voluntary facrifice, a 
 nuritorious, cfficaciouSjCxpiatory, and propitiatory fscrifice : 
 And tliis for us, to be (luck and bleed to death in our 
 ftead ; And lie gave himfeff a fltcrifice lo G^d, as an injured 
 and offended God ; to God, as a revenger of fin ; to God, 
 as the guardian and giver of the law ; to God as the adcrter 
 ot his truth in his threatenings ; he appeared before God 
 as fitting upon a feat of jufllce, that he might open to us 
 a throne of grace. Ladly, For a fiuect-fmcHlng favour, 
 that is he gave himfelf with an intention to be accepted, 
 and God received him with a choice acceptation ; our fin 
 had "fcnt up a vcrv ill favour to he.iven, which difiurbed 
 the reft of God : Chrift expeiS this ill fcent, by the per- 
 fuiTie of his precious blood'. Learn hence, i. That the 
 facrifice and fufFerings of our Lord Jefiis Chrifl were very 
 free and voluntary : He offered himfelf, and his oflcrihg 
 was a free-will offering. 2. That this voluntary facrifice 
 ind free-will offering of Chrifl, wai acceptable to God, 
 and efficaciotis for men ; it was acceptable to God, becaiife 
 a complete faiisfaflion for fin's wrong ; and efficacious for 
 us, bccaufe a difcharge from the obligatfon of fin's guilt. 
 
 3 But fornication, and all uncleanncfs, or cove- 
 toufnefs, let it not be once named amongfl you, as 
 becometh faints ; 
 
 .The apoflie, in tins and the follo%vfng verfes, exhorts 
 the Ephefians to fhun feveral fins, which were frequently 
 practifed among the Gentiles before thefr converfion to 
 Cliiiftianity, as, fiT^, fornication, and all forts and degrees 
 of uncleannefs : Tills was looked upon as an indifferent 
 aflion, and no fin at all, by the Pagan world. Next, he 
 
 advifes them to beware cii coveloufnefs, that is, all irregul.ir 
 and inordinate defires, and lufling after things forbidden in 
 ti)c gcner.il, and paiticularly all infaiiable love of riches, 
 which in trading cities (fuch was Ephefiis) doth tifually 
 very much aboiuid, which fins he earncftly defires may 
 not be named amongft them, that is, not named uiih 
 approbation, not named w ithout reprchcnilon ; not named, 
 that is, not committed by any of them, yea, not fo much 
 as named by tiiem without dctellation. And tiic argu- 
 ment offered todiffiiadc them from thclc fins,isdrawn <7/;;Wir. 
 c:ro, as not becoming faints, that h, converted Cliri(|bins, 
 who profefs feparation from the world, and folemn nedi- 
 cation to God and Chrilf, and therefore ought to be holy 
 in heart, chafle in mind, heavenly in defire, undtfilcd in 
 body : A life of purity, and chaflity well becoming faints ; 
 thev miift be pure in heart, pure in tongue, pure in hand, 
 pute in intention, pure fn exjircflion, pure in converfation, 
 otherv/ife they anfwcr not ther inamc, nor walk according 
 to their renewed nature, 
 
 4 Neither filthinefs, norfoolifh talking, nor jefl- 
 ing, which are not convenient, but rather giving 
 of thanks. 
 
 Here our apoftle advifes Chrillians to guard againfl tha 
 fins of the tongue, to avoid all filthy «lifcourfe, and all 
 foolifh difcourfe, all fcurrilous and obicene jefting, all ex- 
 Cefs in drollery, which is nothing but the foam o? a frothy 
 wit: Moderate mirth, by innocent and inoffenfive jefling, 
 is not here forbidden, but \\ hen we jeft by tart refledf ionsj 
 upon the way, gcffure, natural imperfedions of others, 
 efpccinlly when we furnilh out a jelt in fcripture attire, and 
 in a jocular humour make light and irreverent applications 
 of fcripture phrafes. f-ord ! what an impious liberty do- 
 fome men take, to bring forth fcripture, as the PhiJiKines 
 brough forth S.iinpfon, only to make them fport. Thefc 
 men, ere long, will find Almighty God in earned, though 
 they were in jcfl when they played the buffoon with the 
 mofl ferious things in the world. Ohferve, farther, our 
 apofile's arguinent to dilTuade from fuch talk, is this, fhey 
 arc not convenient ; not convenient in themfelves ; not 
 convenient for the fpeaker, not convenient for the hearers ; 
 for they poifon inflcad of profiting the company, and pol- 
 lute both the minds and tnanners of the hearers. O, what 
 a great snd common inftrumert of fin is in the mouth or 
 tongue of iTian \ The tongue of a good man isjs his glorv, 
 the tongue of a finner is his iliame ; there i> no mcrribcr 
 of the body that doth fo much fervice for the devil as the 
 tongue, cfpetially in common converfation ; then it is rhaf 
 men let their tongues nm-riot, then they utter oaths and 
 blafphemies againlf God, cenforious, opprobrious, flan- 
 derous words againfl their neighbours ; to prevent all 
 which, the apoftle exhorts, in the laft words of the vtrfc, 
 that when we meet together, we fhould rather recount the 
 favours received from God, and bltfs him for them : But 
 rather giving of tkanhs. As there is at all times, and in 
 all place!, caufe of thankfgivin^adminiftered to us by God, 
 fo it is our duty to take all occafions and fit opportunities 
 to excite both ourfelves and others to the praiJlice of it, 
 who are naturally very averfe and backward to it. From 
 the whole, ncle, That fo quick and ealy is the palfiige 
 
 trt'iu 
 
8o8 
 
 i: P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 from what is lawful and allowM, to what is finful anj 
 forbidden, that is a taflc of no Tinall diificuhy to keep 
 within the bounds of lawful and aliened mirth, cfpccially 
 by recreating our fpirits by pleafant anddclij;htful difcourfc-, 
 f ) that wc exceed not eitiitr in matter, manner, or mea- 
 furc. Well nii:',ln St. Janus fay (chap. iii. 2.) If <i»y 
 man offend mt rn ivorj, hi Is a pt'j'''1 n'-nit, intiniatintr, 
 that there arc many, very many, that do thus oftl-nd ; and 
 fuch as do not, arc Chridijns of no coinmon attain- 
 nicius, but great prolkientsin grace : Perfonsof extraordi- 
 narjBmcafurcs both of piety and prudence. 
 
 i^ For thi-s ye know, that no whoremonger, nor 
 unclean peifon, nor covetous man, who is an idola- 
 ter, hath any inheritance in the kingJomof Chrifl 
 and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain 
 vords : for becaufc of thefc thin;^s cometh the 
 wrath of (iod upon the children of difobedicnce. 
 7 Be not yc therefore partakers with them. 
 
 Our apoftle, confidcring how exceeding common the 
 
 forementioncd fuis were among the Gentiles, and how 
 
 readv perf'Mis were to tftecm iiighly of them, advifcs the 
 
 Kplielians here, not to entertain in ilicir mind; light 
 
 tl'.oughtsof them, or to believe any libertines which fliould 
 
 repreftnt them as finall and inconfidcrablc matters \ for 
 
 "how can a little tin be committed againll a great God ? or 
 
 that fin be accoiitcd light, which brings down the heavy 
 
 w rath of God upon the perfon, and Units hiin out of the 
 
 kingdom of God ? Note here, r. The dcfcription of 
 
 licaven, it is a kin<^tkm, for its emiiicncy and glory, for its 
 
 fulaefs and fufticiency, for its fatety and fecurity, for its 
 
 duration and perpetuity, fo called : And it is the kingdom 
 
 of Chrifl, and of God, that is, either the kingdom of 
 
 Chrift who is Gcd, or the kingdom of Chrill by purohafc, 
 
 and the kingdom of God by free donation. But mark, 
 
 ■the kingdom \f Chrijl iwd if God, of Chrifl firfl, becaufc 
 
 there is no coming into the kingdoin of (jo<1 but by Chrifl : 
 
 Chrill is firll naincd, becaulb we enter by him into the 
 
 ikingilom, and in his right. 1. The fins enumerated, 
 
 which will atluredly fhut perfons out of thi* kingdom, and 
 
 they are not external and corporeal fins only, as whoredom 
 
 and uncleannefs, but internal and fpiritua!, cwcloufnefs, 
 
 ".iJich is id'Jarry : As a man may bo guilty of adulrcry, 
 
 and vet never touch a woman, aiid of murder, yet never 
 
 ihike his neighbour, fo he tnay be guilty of idolatry, and 
 
 vet never bow iiis knee to an idol : Secret idolatry, foul 
 
 idolatry, will (hut out of heaven, as well as open idolatry. 
 
 Any thing that has our highefl cllccm and regard, our 
 
 txfreme love and delight, and is the fpcclal objcd of our 
 
 hope, our alliirance and trufl, of cur fear and care, this wc 
 
 make our Gcd : And thus the covetous man is an idolater, 
 
 for he give'* thele atls of foid-worlliip to the creature, to 
 
 •fomcthing in the world which is not Gcd. Every natural 
 
 man is an idolater ; cithei'thc world, or fome worldly lull, 
 
 is his (rod ; ami no idolater can have, while fuch, any 
 
 itdicritnnce in the kingdom of Chrifl and of God. 3. 
 
 TI1C fe;irc>n:ib'e advice which St. I'nid gives the Ephcfians, 
 
 and IIS in them, not to be partakers it other men's (ins : 
 
 Re ml vf 7/ c ••(•'";.•£• par!ahen tc///' ihcrn, left ye be alfo par- 
 
 takers with them in tluir plagues and punifliments. 3iief. 
 But when niav we be faid to be partakers of other mtn's 
 lins ? Jnf, \Vhcn we confeiit to them, connive at them, 
 rejoice in them, give counfel or command for them, by 
 not hindering of thctn, by not publilhing and pui.ilhiiig of 
 them it in our power, by not mourning over ihcni, but 
 cfpecially by joining witii them in the finful practice of 
 them ; all thcic ways are wc partakers of other ir.cn's lins. 
 
 8 For yc were fomctimcs darknefs, but now art 
 ye lijjht in the Lord : Walk as children of liglu ; 
 
 Here the Ephefians are put in mind of the daikntA and 
 blindncfs of their he.ithcn Aate, before the light cf the 
 gofpel came among theirt ; they were not only dark, very 
 much in the dark, but daikneis itftlf • He next acquaints 
 them with their happy condition, by entertaining of the 
 gofpel of Chrifl, they thereby become light in tie Lird, 
 they were favingly enlightened by the woid and Spirit of 
 God ; and accordingly he urges them to walk anfwerabiy 
 to their Chrillian profcffir.n, iv ih as children flight. AV/ir 
 here I. That the (late wliich every fr id is in by nature, 
 and before converfion, is a (late of fpiritiial darkncfs , liko 
 men in the dark, thev go they know not whither, they do 
 they know not what they (lun ble .nnd fall tiiey know net 
 how nor when. 2. That all thofe whom Gcd calls 
 eftefliially out of the darkncfs and ignorance cf their 
 natural and imresencratc (l;.te, he doth enlighten them hy 
 his word and holy Spirit. 3. That fuch as are fo called 
 and enlightened, ought to walk fiiiir.bly to their privilege, 
 and anfwerabiy to their high and honourable profefllon. 
 fl'tilk as childnn of light \*.'\\\'Xt is, holy, humbly, cheer- 
 fully, thankfully before God, exemplarily, and unblanie- 
 ably before the world. 
 
 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodncfs 
 and rii^htcoufncfs and truth.) 10 Proving what is 
 acceptable unto the Lord. 
 
 Thefe words contain a reafon whv the Ephefians, who 
 were cncc darkncfs, b;it then cnliahtcned by the holy 
 Spirit, Iliouid walk as children of the light, namely, becaufc 
 the fruits of that light, or of the holy Spirit, the author of 
 that light which they had received, is in all gocd'iefi; righ- 
 teoufnefs, and truth, that is it confiflcd in thefe things 
 thefe are the fruits of thcenligh;ening and enlivening Spirit 
 of God ; fo that tlic force of the argument lis,'; thus : Such 
 a walking as is here direi^lcd to, nnmcly, in the love and 
 •praiSice c<f univerlal rij^htcrufnefs and irorduefs, is the 
 genuine fruit and natural rtfidt of the holy Spirit, and 
 accordingly, as fuch, they were obliged to it ; none can 
 walk as chddrtn of the light, but fiich as ure renewed ami 
 quickened by the holy Spiiit of God, and made children 
 of light, and fuch as will be fornd in tl'.e practice of ihofo 
 duties wherein that walk confiiletli ; pr'.iing ■:vh.it it oc- 
 ccltxhlc iinti the Lord : That if, firfl, 'l"o Ihidy the word, 
 and find what is pleafing unto CJod. Secondly, T<» em- 
 brace with our hearts wlmt wc nnd te) be fo. And, ihirdiy. 
 To pradifc in our lives what we embrace with our hearts. 
 The fcripture acquaints ns with fome perfons and (iimc 
 pcrf>rm;tnres which are very acceptable irnto God ; i\\c\\ 
 ptrfiis as live moll by faith, as arc very upright in their 
 
 waikini' 
 
Chap, v 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 809 
 
 walking, very fincere in all they do, fucli are greatly, ac- 
 ceptable unto Cod ; fo the perforiiianres are alfo accept- 
 able, namely, when we do juftice and judgment, this is 
 more acceptable to the Lord than facrifice ; both commu- 
 nicative and diftribiitive juftice betwixt man and man, 
 more pleafing to God than the higheft afts of worlhip 
 performed to him without this, Prov. xxi. 3. To ierve 
 Chrift with a pure intention, with good will, or a willing 
 mind, and /9yr<jf'T patiently for Tjur/Z-zio/w^, this ishighly 
 pleafing and acceptable unto God, i. Pet. ii. 20. 
 
 1 1 And havinjj no fellowfhip with the unfruitful 
 works of darknefs, but rather reprove them. 
 
 Obferve here, i..The odious charafter wherewith fin in 
 general is branded ; it is ftyled darknefs, a work of dark- 
 nefs, works of darknefs, and an unfruitful work. — Sin is 
 ftyled daiknefs, becatife it originally fprings from darknefs, 
 it naturally delights in darknefs, it ultimately leads to 
 eternal darknefs. — Sin is called a work of darknefs, to 
 imply the drudgery and toil, the lab< ur and pains, that the 
 finner is at in the (ervice of fin; the work of lin is a mere 
 drudgery ; it is not a pleafureable fervice, but a laborious 
 fervitude. — And the apoflle calling fin by the name of 
 works, doth intimate to us, that one fin never goes fingle 
 and alone, but has a dangerous train and retinue. -Finally, 
 fin is an unfruitful work ; not materially and fubjectively 
 unfruiful, for the corrupt nature of man is a rank foil in 
 which fin thrives apace; but terminatively and ultimately, 
 it is unfruitful in the conclufion, in the event and iflbe, 
 Rom. vi. 21. What fruit, &c. 2 A dehortation, or 
 negative precept, Have ro £tUo:vJ]}ip with the unfruitful 
 •works of darknefs ; it is both the duty and intereft of every 
 Chriftian to have nothing to do with any finful work ; the 
 preceptive will of God requires this, firi being contrary to 
 the holinefs of his nature and will; and the dignity and 
 purity of the gofpel calls for this, which is a law of holi- 
 nefi, and a rule of holy living. 3. A pofitive injunftion, 
 I>u( rather reprove them. How are we to reprove the un- 
 fruitful workers and works oi darknefs ? Two ways, ft,) 
 liy our lips ; with plainnefs, but yet with prudence; with 
 faithfulnefs, but yet with meeknefs; in reproof never ufe 
 fliarp words, if foft words will ferve the turn. (2] With 
 our lives; thus Nehemiah, by his princely demeanour; 
 did reprove the coveioufnefs of former governors, Neh. 
 V. 15. So did I, hecaufe of the fear of the Lord; a holy life 
 is a vifible and daily reproof given both to fin and finner?. 
 
 1 2 For it is a fhame even to Ipeak of thofe things 
 ^fcijvhich are done of thetn in fccret. \ 3 But all things 
 
 that are reproved, are made manifeft by the light : 
 tor whatfoever doth make manifeft is light : 
 
 Here ourapoftle afiigns particular reafons why thcEphe- 
 fians (hould have no ft llj-xvfhip with the unfruitful woikers 
 and vicrks of darknefs, but reprove thetn; namely, (i.j 
 The abominable filthincfs of thofe fins which the wicked 
 Pagans committed, efpecially in their Heathen myllerie?, 
 prefcribedby the devilas partsof his worfliip ; fuch things 
 ■done in fecret, as it was even a fliame to Ipeak of. (2.J 
 Becaufe admonitions and reproof make the work of dark- 
 nefs injnifeft to the finners confcience, fci fin forth in its 
 
 black atid ugly colours. A difcovery of fin in its vilenefs, 
 odioufnefs, and uglinefs, is neceffjry to a finners con- 
 viction of it, and converfion from it ; and God doth not 
 only blefs the miniftry of the word from the pulpit, but 
 fometimes by a word of reproof from the mouth of .1 
 private Chriftian, and the light of his holy eKample, for 
 this great end. ■ A reproof pionfly and prudently given to 
 open finners, by private Chriftians, (hall not uiifs of its 
 end, it will certainly have its efFe£t, either in the finner's 
 converfion and falvation, or in his obduration and con- 
 demnation; as all things reproveable are made tnaiiifefl 
 by light, fo a prudent reproof and pious converfaiion put 
 fin to (haine, if not to lilence. 
 
 14 Wherefore he faith. Awake, thou tba^fleepeft, 
 and arife from the dead, and Chrift fliali give thee 
 light. 
 
 The laft argument which our apofile offers to confi- 
 deraiion, for enforcing the duty of reproving the unfruit- 
 ful workers and works of darknefs, is draw n from the 
 example of God himfelf, whole great defign it is, by his 
 holv word, to awaken men out of the fleep of fin and 
 death, that Chrift may give them light. Here ncie, The 
 dangerous and deplorable, though not hopeltfs and del- 
 perate ftate of an unconverted and impenitent finner, 
 namely, fpirituaiy7ff/> and death; every man by nature is 
 in a dead deep till the renovating change ; he apprehends 
 things as a man afleep ; all his thoughts of God and Chrift, 
 of heaven and hell, of fin and holinefs, are (light and ho- 
 vering notions, not real and thorough appreheniions ; tlie 
 moft fubftantia! realities are with them but phantafmsand 
 imaginations : — Imaginary dangers ftartle them, like men 
 in a dream ; but real dangers, though never fo near, da 
 not affc(fl thetn : As in natural deep, all the fenfes of the 
 body, fo in fpiritual fleep, are all the fenfes of the foul 
 bound up; and accordingly, this fleep is not cafual, but 
 connatural to our prefent finful ftate ; a foul drenched 
 in fenfuality fleeps as it were by choice, and not by chance. 
 But how, O finner ! canftthou fleep under fuch aloadof 
 fin and guilt, with fo many wounds in thy conkience, vit'i 
 fo many ulcers in thy foul? Can a difes fed msn fleep ; 
 Can a condemned man fleep ? Can a man in debt fleep.' 
 All this the finner is ; and yet, though God thunderi 
 above, and hell gapes from beneath, and the (inner hangs 
 over it by the fretted thread of this life, yet he is in a 
 profound fleep; bu this damnation, fluinbers not, if he 
 doth not fpeedily awake, and arife from the dead, that Chrijf 
 may give him light. 
 
 15 See then that ye walk circumfpccily, not as 
 fools: but as wife. 
 
 Thefe words may be confidered two ways ; either, firft 
 As a direiTlion to thofe, who, according to the foregoing 
 exhortation, do reprove finners for tli'.ir unfruirrnl works 
 of darknefs, namely, to walk very circumljicclly them- 
 felves ; fee then how circuu)fpeiUy yon walk, (o the words 
 may be rendered; and it intimates to us, that tho.^e on!/ 
 are fit to reprove fin in others, who walk very circum- 
 fpeftly and unblameably thenifelves; fuch only have au- 
 tbori:y to reprove, and fuch only can hope for fuccefs ia 
 5 K reprovinjj, 
 
Sio 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap v. 
 
 rcp'ovin;;, ver. ir. Rulhtr t rpr'<vf them; fee then that ye 
 v.jl'r circuf/jte^iv. Secondly, The words may be con- 
 fi.ltrcJ 35 a new precept, added by St. Pjuliothe former 
 U vcn ill this chspter, for ciirtc'niig the Kphflun? to an 
 iioly life ; he ail'ures them, that if they will walk holily, 
 they mu(t walk circunifpeftly, and that circumfped walk- 
 jni; is wife walking. Chjfrvi here, i. The necefliiy of 
 cii-ciim'pecl wilking./fe that ye wulk cirrumrpefjly. Learn 
 hence, That it is i-.npofli'jle for a Chriftian to maintain a 
 holy courfe, of obedience to the Lommamis of d'd, with- 
 out great care and caution, heedfuhieii and circumfpcQion; 
 rone CJn walk holily, that do not walk circunifpec'tly and 
 w ifchtully ; fiich istbat we.^knefs and inconftancy of our 
 listure, l\i many and fo fiibile are our fpiritual enemies, 
 ani I"'. iff:n)«te with U';, fo rtri(fl and exaft is the law of 
 G >d we are to walk by, and fo holy and jealous is that 
 Gild we ire to walk before, that it is inipoflible to wnik 
 before him acceptably, if we do not walk circunifpeclly. 
 S. As the necelfity.fo iheexcellency of circumfpccl walk- 
 ing ; it is not foolilh, unadvifed, and unaccountable walk- 
 ing, but it is truly wife walking; fuch walking as the wil- 
 doin of G)d recommends to us, and fuch walking as 
 beipeaks us truly and really wife; fuch as walk loofcly, 
 walk foolidily ; carelefs walking is foolifh walking, but 
 circumfpect walking is wife walking : For it is to be wife 
 for ourfclves, and wife as to our belt and true intereft ; it 
 is to be wife for time, and wife to eternity ; wife both for 
 this and for the coming world. 
 
 1 6 Redeeming the time.becaufe the days are evil. 
 Ohfcrvehere, i. A mofl important and necefTary duty 
 exhorted to, namely, to redeem the time , This cannot 
 he done in a natural fcnfe : Time once part, is irrecover- 
 ably loft, we can no more recal it : Rut in a moral fenfe, 
 time may be faid to be redeemed, when our diligence to 
 improve it is redoubled, when we do much work in a lit- 
 tle time ; to redeem time, fuppofes and implies a right 
 knowledge of the ufe and end of time, and high valuation 
 of the worth and excellence of time, and refolution to ref. 
 cue it out of the hands of thofe that would devour it : I- 
 dlenefs, excefs of fleep, inordinate adorning of the body, 
 immoderate recreations, vain company, an excefs of world- 
 ly bufinefs, all thefe are robbers of our time, and tune 
 muft be refcued out of their hands. O.'"*/?- Who are the 
 perfons more efpecially concerned to redeem time? /Inf. 
 All thofe that are young: Such as have idly wafted n preat 
 part of their time: All that are ignorant and gracelefs; 
 all that are weak and aged, and have but a few fands in 
 their glafs; all thofe that are recovered from licknefs ; 
 and all fuch as, through poverty, reftraint, or fervice, 
 are fcanted of their time, fliould wifely redeem it, and in- 
 duftrio'jfly improve it, for God and their fouls ; becaufe 
 " upon this moment depends eternity, and according to our 
 prefent choice, will be oureiernal lot. Ohfervr, 1. The 
 apoftle's argument here, to excite all perfons wifely tore- 
 deem their time, nzmc\y, becaufe the Jays are evil; that 
 is, full ol lin, by the fcandalous lives of profelTors ; full 
 of error, by the ibbtlety of heretical feduceis; full of af- 
 flidion and mifery , by reafon of (harp and hot pet fecutions ; 
 when days are inoft evil, moft linful or calamitous, then 
 
 it is a Chriftians duty to improve his time well and wife- 
 ly, for God and his foul. 
 
 ij Wherefore be not unwife, but underflandioig 
 what the will of the Lord i$. 
 
 As if he had faid. Seeing that the timet are fo perilous, 
 and your opportunities of doing good fo uncertain, be wife, 
 and underlland what are the pioper duties of your place 
 and ftation, and know how to manage yourfelves in every 
 relation, with reference to the duties, dangers, fnares, and 
 tempt'ations which may be before you, and this according 
 to the will of God revealed in his word. Learn hence. 
 That it is a fpecial part ot divine w ifdom , to undt rftand 
 and know what is the mind and will of God concerning 
 us, in every condition of life which his providence brings 
 us into; to the intent that we may fill up every relation, 
 w ith the proper duties of it, to the glory of God, andour 
 own and others latisfaction. 
 
 i8 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is ex- 
 cefs ; but be filled with the Spirit ; 
 
 Ohferve here, i. Our apoftle's feafonable dehortation, 
 Be not drunk vitthrvin: ; drunkennefs, as well as unclean- 
 nefs, and drunkennefs with uncleanriefs, for they com- 
 monly go together, were fins which the Ephefians and 
 unconverted Pagans, were generally guilty of ; St. Paul 
 therefore cautions thefe new converts againft this ddfin, 
 which iranlports men toinfolent and outrageous practices, 
 as the next « ords 'mi\m:ne, for therein is exctfs ; the origi- 
 nal word may be rendered lewdnefs and luft, to denote, 
 that when perfons are inflamed with wine, they are liable 
 to all manner of exccffive wickednefs, and particularly to 
 the (in of uncleannefs. 2. The duty exhorted to, in order 
 to the prevention of this fin, and that is, to labour and 
 endeavour, inftead of being filled with wine, to be full of 
 the holy Spirit of God, to be filled with the fandlifying 
 graces of the holy Spirit : Bltfled be God, he allows us 
 to feek after the grea-eft and fuUeft nieafures of the holy 
 Spirit; and injurious we are to ourfclves, if we content 
 ourfclves, with fmall nieafures and degrees of it. The 
 ■ fenfe cf the words feems to be thus : Let no Chriftian 
 allow himfelf in any finful excefTcs ; let him never fill 
 himfelf with wine or ftrong drink, or « ith meat and drink 
 to the full, for that fulnefs will breed all manner of fenfual 
 luftsin him , But let his defires and endeavours be carried 
 out after the grace and Spirit of God, let him be filled 
 therewith ; for that fulnefs will keep the foul holy, the 
 body chafte, and render the Chriftian fit for the fervice of 
 God on earth, and meet for the fruition and enjoyment 
 of God in heaven. Take your fill of the Spirit, you can 
 never be over-filled 
 
 1 9 Speaking to yourfelves in pfalms, and hymns, 
 and fpiritual fongs, finging and making melody in 
 your heart to the Lord ; 
 
 The apoftle, in the foregoing verfe, cautions the Ephe 
 fians againft that drunkennefs and uncleannefs which did 
 commonly attend them at the folemnities of their Heathen 
 gods ; their Bacchanalia, or feafts dedicated to Bacchus the 
 god of wiuc, were ufually concluded with cxceifiue drunk- 
 
 ennels 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 811 
 
 nefs and iincleannefs. In thefe drunken feafl-s tht-y had 
 their drunken hvmns, which they fang to their drunken 
 deiiy, in praifa of him w ho-n they called the god of wine : 
 No-.v in oppolition to thel'c dnii ken a:id inipure fongs, 
 the apHUe exhorts the Chrillitn Ephelians to ling the 
 pfalms of David, or ihc hynitis compcfed by fpiritual men, 
 luch as Zachariah and Simeon, or hv the nfilatus of the 
 holy Spirit, which in thofe times did immediately iiifpire 
 perfonshoth to pray and fing in their alTemblies, 1 Cor. 
 xiv. K. finging thefe with the mouih, and alfo making 
 mehfly in your heart to the Lord. Note here. The he:irts 
 and fpirits of good men are full of fpiritn:il mirth and joy ; 
 they are as merry in 'he Lord, as (inncrs in their luft ; 
 that it is, lawful and laudable for them to exprefs iheir 
 mirth, and give vent to their fpiritual joy, by linging ; 
 that pfalms and hymn?, and fpiritual fongs dobcft become 
 their mouth?, when they perform thofe fpiritual exercile?; 
 that, in fniginj^ thefe, there mnft be an inward harmony, 
 andmuCicarmelody in the foul and heart, as well as in the 
 tongue; belides, a meltidious tuning of the voice, the exer- 
 eife of the nnderlbnding, and the orderly motions of the 
 aifcCl-ims, mnft accompany them thai will makernelody in 
 the heart to theLord in their linging. Singing of pfalms then 
 both in public airemMies, and in private families, and 
 fi)'.inding forth the high praifesofGod for mercies receiv- 
 ed, is a fpecial duty tube jointly performed by all perfons 
 capable of it. 
 
 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God, 
 and the Father,in the name of our Lord jefus Chrift; 
 
 The next du-y St. P.!ul exhorts to, is th.it of fpiritual 
 tbankfgivirg. Where note, 1. The time when it ought 
 to be performed, always, that if, at lead every day, and 
 tjpon every folcmn occafion, keepirg the heart continually 
 in a praifing, as well as pra>ing frame. 2. The matter 
 for which we are to give thanks, for all things • that is, 
 firft. For all providences, whether prol'perous or adverfe; 
 for iicknefs as well as health, God intending our good by 
 both. Secondly, For all mercies, for fparing mercy, pre- 
 venting mercy, recovering mercy, for common benefits, 
 for peculiar and diftinguifliing favours, for merciesreceiv- 
 ed, for mercies e.npefted, for what we have in hand, and 
 what we have in hope. 3 The perfon to whom our 
 thankfgivings are to be (;ftered, to God and the Father, 
 to God onr Creator, to God as the Father of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, and our Father in him. 4. 1 he pt-rfon 
 through whom oit thankfgivingsareaccf'ptable unto God, 
 in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift; as all fpiritual ad- 
 dreffes, boih of praife and ihanklgiving, rr.uft be offered 
 up to Goil, fotlieir acceptance with God !-• oidy to be 
 expert' d by or through our Lord Jefus Chtift. 
 
 21 Submitting yourfelves one to another in the 
 fe.-.r of God. 22 Wives, fubniit yourlelvcs unto 
 your own hufbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the 
 hulban J is the head of the wife, even as Chrift i.s 
 the hejd of the Church : and he is the Saviour of 
 the body. 24 Therefore as the Cimrch i.s fubjeft 
 unto Chrift, fo let the wives be to their own huf- 
 bands in every thing- 
 Cur n;^o.'He having exhorted the Ephefiars toluch ge- 
 
 neral duties as belong to all Chriftians, comes now to ex- 
 hort them to the practice of relative duties, as they are 
 members of focieties, and particularly as they live in a fa- 
 mily fociety one with another, as hulbands and wive, 
 parents and children, inafttrs and fervanrs : much of tlic 
 life and power of religion appearing in the confcienticus 
 practice and pcrformaiice of relative duties. But, fiift, he 
 gives them a general direction, toJtthr.it thfmfthes <jne .'c 
 an'.ther in the fear ofCcd; ihat is, by yielding and inutu- 
 ally condefcending to each other, ftotping loihe meanelt 
 offices of love and kindnefs one towards anutiier. snd this 
 In the fear tfCttd; that i.s, either in obedience io the coin- 
 niand of God, which enjoins this (ubmiilion, for then we 
 perform our duty towaids one another ;Kceptai-.Iy, and s^ 
 we ought, when we eye the command of Ctjj^vhat we 
 do; orelfe in the } ear 'if God', that is, making the fear 
 of God ihe lule and nieafure of our fubmifllon one toan- 
 orhcr ; for we are by no means bound to fubmit curfelve.s, 
 in order to the pleidliig cf our neighbcr, .my farther than 
 is ccnfiftent wiih that lubjtdtion and obedience which we 
 owe to God. Learn hence, 'I hat where that noble and 
 divine principle of the fear of Grd prevaileth in the heart, 
 it will make a n.cn ccnfcientioufiy careful of his duty to- 
 wards man; the fenr of God in him will have both tlse 
 force of a motive to quicken him up unto, and alfo of a 
 rule to Tuiile and direct him in that fubinifnon, which in 
 obedience to God, is due and payable to his neighbcurf. 
 Having laid do.vn thisgeneral rule, now becomes to prels 
 us to the practice of particular duties : U'ivts, fuhnilycur- 
 fclves to your ovjn hufh(.nJs, Sic. Note here, He" begins 
 with the wife's duty firft, before the hi:fb3nd's, probably 
 becaufc her duty of entire fiibjtc^:i>n is ihc moll difliculc 
 duty, and that being confcieniioufty difcharged, is a crin- 
 pelling motive to the huiband to let ;ibout his duty in kke 
 manner. 2. The pariicular and fpecial duty \\hich the 
 wife is exhorted to, and that is fiibinillicn : Wives, Julmit 
 yourftkes. This iiifpofes the wife's due ti'teein of, and 
 her aftVclionate love unto her hu.-band, as the root of ihi.s 
 fubmiilion. 3. The uriverfaliiy and extenfive nature (4 
 the command, it is to ill wives, to pay this tribute of fiib- 
 jett'on to their own liu^bjuds ; no honour, foperiority, or 
 antecedent dignity in the wile, no pe rfonul infirmity-, no 
 moral infirmity, n-.y, no error in religion, can give a dif- 
 charge from this obligation ; there is no wife, whatever 
 her b;rth and breeding, whatever her parts or privileges 
 may be,:h;it is exenipicd from this tie of fubjtction to her 
 hofband, for the law of nature,. the ordinance of God, and 
 her own volunt.iry covenant and promife in marriage, drj 
 obllgenndbindhertoit. \tr,aote, 1. 1 hequal.fication and 
 m-jnner of this lubHi'ilion : it muft be as vnto the Lord ■ 
 that is, in obedience to the command of the Lord,whohas 
 given the hnfbard power over the wife, and required, and 
 willrewardher obedience to hiisi : orelie, as unto the Lord, 
 it pointed out arnnilitude, andhkenefs, and refemb!ai>ce, 
 in the wife's fubjertion to the huiband, with that whicij 
 they owe to Chrilt the Lord, that is, it moft nutbefeignt d, 
 but ftrcere, it muft not be conftrained, but willing, from 
 a rrniplateiiiy tiken in the doing of thi.s duty.^ Ard, 
 kiftly, .i't unto :he Lord, that is, in all lawful things: the 
 v.iie IS by no means to ubcy the hulljar.d in any coinniar.tis 
 
 wh-.h 
 
Sis 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 « hid) are confrar>- fo that fubmifTive obedience •wh'cli flic 
 owes toChrift, her fupreme Lord. IMow with this limi- 
 ijtion, the wife, in fuhjeding hcrfclf to her luifband, is 
 fubj -ct unto the Lord. 5. The reafon given by the 
 Holy Ghoft for enforcing this dntyof fubmifTive obedience 
 upon wivei, ver. 23. Fir tks hujland'u the hfadifthe -luife, 
 even as Chr'Jl is the head of ih: church, &c. thnt is, the 
 wife ought to fubniit herftlf to her hufbind, becaufe, (i.) 
 He is her head : and, f;.) Thercia doth refemblc Chrill's 
 headihip over his chiirth. Ohferv: here. That this me- 
 taphor of an head, applied to the hulband, denotes both 
 the dignity and duty of the hulband : it implies his emi- 
 nency, by reafon of hii fex ; it implies his authority to 
 govern aad diretl, as the head has power to guide and 
 govern me whole body, and it points out his duty, as well 
 as his dignity : as the head is the feat of wifdom and 
 knowledge, (o hu.bjnds (hould be endowed with greater 
 luealurcs of knowledge and prudence, to enable them to 
 guide and govern in the place God has fet them. And 
 further the apuiUe would have wives confider and obferve 
 th.Tt God will have fonierefembl.ince ot Chrift's authority 
 over the church, hehl forth in the hulband's authority 
 over the wife. Is Clirift an Head of dominion and direc- 
 tion alfo to his church ? So fliould the husband be to his 
 wife. Doth Chrill exercife his dominion and power over 
 the church, not rigidlyand tyrannically, but withineeknefs 
 and gentlenef>? So ihould the hulband rule. In a word, 
 Is Clirifl the Saviour of the body meritorioufly ? So fliould 
 the hufliind be iiiinillcrioufly, to defend the wife from in- 
 jiU-ics, to i'lipply Iier nccelllties, and to improve his whole 
 power and authority over her for her good. 6. The man- 
 ner of this fiibjecl On fpecified and declared : as the church 
 is fub/.'<."l, fo let the wife be fubjeift. Is the church fubjecl 
 to Clirift Willingly, cheerfully, dutifully, delightfully? So 
 let the wife be fnbjcct. Doth the church fubjeft itfelf to 
 Chrilt univerfjlly? So let the wife be h)h]eA in all things : 
 Not abfolurely in all things, but in all things lawful, godly, 
 and honeft : nothing is excepted out of the wife's I'uhjec- 
 tion to ht r huiband, but that w hich is contrary to her duty 
 to Him who commanded this fubftclion; when there ap- 
 pears little dilcretion in thehnfband'sconimand, then there 
 will appear a great fcnfe of duty in the wife's obedience. 
 
 25 Hufbands, love your wives, even as Clirift 
 jlfo loved the church, and gave himrdf for it ; 26 
 That he might fanflify and cleanfe it with the wafh- 
 ing of water by the word, 27 That he might pre- 
 fent it to himfelf agloriou.s church, not having ipot 
 or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but, that it fhould 
 be holy and without blemifti. 
 
 The apoftle having propounded the wife's duty firft, re- 
 commends the hufliand's duty next : her's was the duty of 
 I'nbmiilion, his of love and intire afrifftion. This the apof- 
 tle mentions, becaufe the hulband, for want of love, is too 
 ready to abufe that fovereignty and fuperiority which God 
 has g'ven him over his wife, by proving rigorous and 
 bitter unto her : therefore, fays he, Hujhands, kve your 
 wives, that i^, with a fpecial, peculiar, cnjugal love, fuch 
 as no other uiuft Ihare iu. This duty of love is very com- 
 
 prehenrive,and it includes a very affcdlonate regard to her, 
 a tender care ovor her, co-habitation with her, content- 
 ment and fatisfaclion in her alone, a patient bearing with 
 her weaknelTes, a prudential hiding of her iiifiiniities, a 
 providing a fiipply of her wants fuitable to her rank, a 
 re;idinefs to inftruJt and direct her, a willingnefs to pray 
 for her, and with her : Where true conjugal love is found, 
 thefe duties includtd will be performed. Ob/eive next, 
 As the apolHc propojiided the church for a pattern of 
 fubjedion to the wife, fo he propounds Chi ifl as a pattern 
 of love to hufbands : Hufoands, l.ve y'lur wives, even at 
 Cbtij} alfo lived the Church. Did he love his church w ith 
 an adive and operative love, with a real and i'lncere love, 
 with an intire and undivided love, with a l.-iding and coii- 
 ftnnt love, notwivlillanding all his church's we^knelTes and 
 failings? Such ought the hulbands love to be; that is, 
 every hufband to his own wife: No meannefs of birth, 
 no want of education, no homelinefs of perfon, no fro- 
 wardnefs of difpofition, in the wife, will difcharge the 
 hufb.ind from the obligation of this duty to* ards her ; 
 Chrill's example hath both the force of an argument to 
 excite us to ir, and is alfo an exadt rule togtiideanddiredt 
 us in it: Hujliands luve your wives, as Cl.rijl alf hvid the 
 church. Ohferve farther, The inftances and evidences 
 which Chrifl: has given of his love unto hi« church : He 
 gave himftlf for her, that he might fonflijy and chanfe, 
 and prefent her to himfelf a gl;rious church, vuith'-Mt fp'jt or 
 blemijh. Here wAe, i. The church's polluted and impure 
 condition, fuppofed before Chrifl gave himftlf for her ; 
 the church in herfelf wa.<:, as the world is, polluted, o- 
 therwife (lie had flood in no need of Chrifl's wafliing and 
 cleanfing. 2. The care of Chrifl to purify and cleanfe 
 his church from this pollution ; he gave himfelf for her, 
 that he might iVindlify and cleanfe her; he loved her, 
 and wiflied her frrni her fins in his own blood. 3. The 
 inflrumeutal means of the church's fancliiication, it was 
 with the viafl.ing of water by the word; the word and 
 facramcnts are the inftrumental means, in the hand of 
 Chrift, by w hich he applies the virtue and e/Ecacy of his 
 death, for the fandifying and cle.nnfing of his church and 
 children, 4. The holy and glorioi-'s condition which the 
 church (hall be found in at the great marriage- day, nuZ/A- 
 out Jp'jt oriurinile, that he might, at the lafl day, prefent 
 her to himfelf a fpotlefsfp'jufe, a glorious church, having 
 no fpot of fin, or wrinkle of deformity, or any fuch im- 
 pcrfetl thing, butbe perfedly beautiful, holy, and without 
 bicmifli; intimating, tTiat the church hath her fpots and 
 wrinkles now in her militant flate ; but when Chrift fliall 
 at l:ift prefent the church triumphant to himftlf, then fliall 
 file be like himfelf, without fpot. BltfHd be God, be- 
 lievers have now a righteoufnefs in Chrift, without fpot 
 i>r wrinkle; then fliall they have an holiriels in them- 
 felves, wittiout fpot or wrinkle; nothing of imperfection 
 cleaving to tluin, or inhering in them. The blood 
 of Chrift has already perffftly jiiftificd, and ihnroughly 
 cb-anfcd believers from fin's guilt ; ere long the Spirit of 
 Chrift will perfectly cleanfe them from 2II fn's fihh. Oh^ 
 what a jiure and fpotlefs, what a perl'efl and beautiful 
 creature will the church come out tif ChnH's hands, and 
 be prefented to the Father, at the great day, in'thc Ihining 
 beauty of pcrfccl holinsis ! God fbengiheu our faith in 
 
 the 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 E P H E S r A N S. 
 
 813 
 
 the belief of it,and prepare us for the full fruition and final 
 enjoyment of it. 
 
 28 So ought men to love their wives, as their 
 own bodies. He that loveth his wife.loveth him- 
 felf. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flclh; 
 but nourifheth and chcriflieth it , even as tiie Lord 
 the church ; 30 For we arc members of his body, 
 of his flefli, and of his bones. 
 
 Ourapoftle here propounds a fartherargumenttoenforce 
 this duty of love from hufband to wife, taken from that 
 rear conjunction betvveentliC!n,niewinp that they are one 
 Uffli, and one body, not in a natural, but in a relative fenfe; 
 and accordingly a min llinuld lb love his v/ife, even as 
 himfelf: Doth a man love hinifelffuperlativelv, cordially, 
 tenderly, induHrioufly, perfeveringly? So ought he tolove 
 his wife. Will a man be out of love with himfelf, much 
 lefs hare himfelf, though he be deformed, or by fome acci- 
 dent nuimed i In like manner ought not any natural de- 
 feft, or accidental milibance, to caufe a remillion, much 
 lefs a ceflation of ihe man's love un;o his own wife ; as it 
 is an unnatural thing for a man to hate his own flefii per- 
 fonal, fo his own flelli relational. Again: A man is fo far 
 from hating his own flefli, that he nouriiheth and cherilheth 
 it with the utmoft care and tendernefs ; in like manner 
 ought he to kind to, and tender over his civil-felf, the 
 wife of his bofom ; in imitation likewife of Chrift's exam- 
 ple, who nourilhes and cheriflies his church, as he\ngfle/h 
 ef his ovjnflfjh, and hons of his o-j)n hone .- that is, as near 
 to one another by his myflical and i'pirirual union, as Adam 
 and Eve were by matrimonial union. O ftupendous 
 privilege, for believers and Chrilt ro be as one flefh ! Huf- 
 band and wife arc not (o near, foul and body are not fo 
 near, as Chrill and believers are to each other. 
 
 3 1 For this caufe fhall a man leave his father and 
 mother, and fhall be joined unto his wife, and they 
 two fliall be one flefh. 32 This is a great myftery: 
 but I fpeak concerning Chrift and the church. 33 
 Neverthelefs, let every one of you in particular fo 
 love his wife, even as himfelf ; and the \i'\{e Jcc 
 that (he reverence her hufband. 
 
 Here the apoftle ufes a farther argument ro excite the 
 hulband's love to his efpoufed wif^ taken from the law of 
 marriagCjWhich maki-'th them two one flefli in acivil fenfe 
 therefore the man fiioultl leave father and mother, and 
 (leave tohiswife : Not that theirobligations ceafe to their 
 parents, or as if they were to c.ift off natural afteclion to 
 them ; blithe (hews, that tiiereisa nearer union betwixt 
 hiitband and wife, than betwixt parents and child, and that 
 the bonds of matrimonial love Jre ftronger than thofe of 
 mture. Their benig laid 10 be onu" /^r/?;, implies a moft 
 (fr ct union, and molt intimate communion, whereby thty 
 have one intere'l, conmion goods, common fnends, yea, 
 and ^11 things common, asiftluy were but one pcrfon ; 
 but rh.'" apolile further intimates to us, at the 31ft verfe, 
 ih.u this matrimonial union betwi.vt man and wife was de- 
 figncd by Gpd,to(iiado\v forth and reprefcnt that myftical 
 
 union which is betwixt Chrifl and his church. Doth the 
 conjugal union give the wife an intcreft in the eflatc and 
 honour of th- hulbiud, be (he ne"er fo meanly tiffcende.l 
 in herfelf? In like manner from the faints union with 
 Chrift, does there immediately refult a fweet and blellcd 
 communion or fellowlhip with Chrilt in gracesand fpiritual 
 privileges ; all that Chrift is,and has, is theirs by commu- 
 nication to them, or improvement for ihein ; well might 
 the apoftle therefore fay. This is a great rKy/ierVy Sec. In 
 the 33d verfe, the apoftle (huts up his difcourfe upon this 
 argument, with a repeated exhortation to thr hufband io iov: 
 his -wife, and to the wife to reverence her hujhand ; Let 
 every cne of you in particular, fo Ijve his wife, even as kim- 
 ftlf .• So love, that is, with an extenfivelove, reaching the 
 whole perfon.fool and body; with an intenlive loi*, above 
 all perfonsand relatives what!"oever; with an heartv love, 
 without dilliniulation ; with an holy love, without pollu- 
 tion ; with a conftant love, without alteration ; and with 
 great love beyoncf comp irilbn. — .ind let the wife fee that 
 JJ>e rcverenceher hujhand. The great duty which the wife 
 owes to her hufband is reverence. This is made up of 
 three ingredients ; namely, eftimation, love, and fear ; the 
 wife that reverences her hufband, efteems him, and dares 
 not think meanly of him; her elteeni of him provokes her 
 fove unto him ; and her love of him is accompanied with 
 an ingenuous fear to offend and grieve hiin ; and the wife 
 exprefles this reverence in her geflures, bv. a refpeftful 
 demeanour towards hiin.-in her fpeechcsto him when with 
 her, and of him when abfentfrom her, always mentioning 
 him with refpert and honour ; in her adions, by comply- 
 ing with his defiresjby following his diredtionSjby hearken- 
 ing to his reproofs, and by her cheerful and relpectful be- 
 havifcur towards him at all times, and in all places, as well 
 at home as abroad before the world. And that the wife 
 may rims reverence her hiilbnnd, lei her be carnell wiili 
 God in prayer, for wifdom and underltanding,for prudente 
 and patience, for humility and nietkntfs ; a proud fpiric 
 would not agree with an angel, but the humble will agree 
 with any perlon. 
 
 CHAP. \t; 
 
 CHILDREN, obey your parent.-.- in the Lord : 
 For this is ri^ht. 2 Honour thv father and 
 mother, (which is the firft commandment with 
 promife) 3 That it may be well with thee, and 
 thou mayefl live long on the earth. 
 
 Ourapoftle, in the foregoing chapter, began to tre.it of 
 relative duties, and concluded that chapter with the duties 
 of hufoands and wives ; he begins (his with the duty of 
 children .md parents to eacho^her: And here wcha\e ob- 
 fervable, that he begir.s w j;h the duiytf the inferior fii ft, 
 of the child to the garenis, as he did before w ith the duty 
 of the wife, chap. v. 12. He firft puts them in mind of 
 their duty who are ro obey ; that being the mofb d tStuU 
 duty, and the perfons concerned in it ul'ii.dly more ded t- 
 tive,and ihe work lefs e.ify and pleafing to our nature. 2. 
 Ths iuiportant duty which. ch"'u tea are directed to, the 
 
 duty 
 
8i-j, 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 C«AP VI. 
 
 duty of obeJffnce and honour; Chtli!rfn,ib(y; honour your 
 fiithfr anJ rri'jtki^r ; k\\\% dwiy of hsnour and obedience 
 implies inward reverence, and a lawful eftiniaiion of their 
 perfons, and honouring of them in heart, fpecch and Iic- 
 havioiir ; it implies alio outward obfervnnte, a pious regard 
 to their inftriictions, execiuing all ihcir commands which 
 arc not (infnl, depending on their connfcis, and following 
 their good ex.iniplfs, owning will) thankfulnels their pa- 
 rent sen re and concern for them, and recovering the failings 
 and infirniities found in them. 3. The objed of this 
 duty, both parents ; not the father nlone, or the mother 
 only, but tlie f.ither and mother jointly ; Children, obey 
 your purenti; h^iii'iur thy father ,>ndlhy m'jther- as obedience 
 bclopgeth to all children, of what age or fcx, or condition 
 Ibever, (u are children obliged to obey both parents, the 
 mother as well as the father, ye.i, fhe ii named firft Lev. 
 xix. 3. her fex being weaker, ftje is the more fubjcct to 
 contempt; and becaufe the mother, in old age, is liable to 
 be defpil'ed. God has p.irticularly guarded about her, by 
 his pofitive and exprefs command, to free her from con- 
 tempt, I'rov. xxiii. 22. faying, Hearken to thy faiher v)ho 
 bfgat thee, anJ dffpife KOt thy mother when /he is old. 4, 
 The noble principle from whence this obedience in chil- 
 dren to parents ought to flow, naniely, from the fear of 
 God ; obey them in the Lord, that is in obedience to his 
 command, and in all things agreeable to his w ill, fearing his 
 difpleafure in cafeof difobedience ; let not yourobedience 
 be barely natural and prudential, but Chriftian and reliai- 
 t)us. 5. The arguments ufed by , our apoftle to excite to 
 the praftice of this duty. The I'irll argu:nent is drawn 
 from the equity of it, this is right, that is, the law of God 
 and nature rcquirei it. The great motive which ought 
 to excite us to the pr.iO'tice of any duty, is not fo n)uch 
 the sdvantageoufnefs, as the righteoulnefs and equity of 
 the duty, as being coinanded by God, and well-plealip.g 
 in his light ; Children, obey your parents in the Lurd, fcr 
 this is right. A fecond argument is, becaufe this is the 
 rirll coHimanduient of the (iecond table, which hasapar- 
 ricnbr promife annextti to it: This is the/irj} commandmert 
 '^ithprcmi/e, that is,with an explicit and exprefs promifc; 
 for every commandment hath boihapromife and a threat- 
 ening implied in it, and annexed to it ; but this is the firft 
 commandment with a prcmii'e exprefled, anti that is a 
 a promife of long life, that thy days may be long ; and this 
 promife is always fulfilled, cither in kind or in equivalency, 
 titlier by enjoying a long life on earth, or a better life in 
 heaven. Learn hence, That although our fii ft and chief 
 motive to obedience, be the equity and righrecufnefs of 
 what God requires, yet we may, as a fecondary encourage- 
 ment, have rel'peift to the promifed reward, and par- 
 ticularly to the temporal advantage of our obedience. 
 Long life is here promifed to children, as an eneourage- 
 ment to obedience, which is in ii.'tif a very valuable mercy 
 and blelFing ; and h;iving eyed the command of G' d in 
 the fip ft place, they niav anci ought to have rcfpeft t& the 
 xecompence of reward in the next place. 
 
 4 And ye, fathers, provoke not your children to 
 wrath : Butbrin;:; them up in the nurture and ad- 
 monition of the Lord. 
 
 Here the duty of both parents to their children is laid 
 down. Where BO//", I. The apoPiie's dehortaiion, or 
 negative precept Prwjke not your children to wrath, that 
 is, be not too fevere towards them, abufe not your parental 
 j)owfr over them, provoke ihem not, nor imbitter their 
 ipirits againft you, by denying tbctn what is convcnietit 
 for them, by inveighing with bitter woriK agaiiift tliem, 
 by ui)juft,unleafonable,or immoderate corrfiftion of them. 
 'Jo provoke or ftir up a^y to fni, tfpecially young ones, 
 and particularly our children, renders us guilty before the 
 Lord, of all that fin which they have committed through 
 cur provo.;ation ; Fathers, prr.v ke not yjur children to 
 ■d-ralh. Note, 2. St. Paul'-s pofitive injunifHon given unto 
 parents ; Bring them up in the mature ard admonition of 
 the Lord : Where, (1.) He direc;,"; to their education; 
 Uring them up. (2.) To join nurture and adHioiiition 
 with their education ; Bring them up in the nurture and 
 admonition of tie Lord ; That is, give them good inftruc- 
 tion, with-hiild not early corrtcticn, fet before them good 
 example, begin wi;h them betimrs, .ind fiiffer not the 
 devil, the world, and tiie flefli,, to befpeak them for their 
 lervice, before you engage thrm for God's ; and remem- 
 ber, that there is a tie of nature, a tie of intcrcft, and a 
 tie of religion, which parents are under thu* to do. 
 
 5 Servants, be obedient to them that T^rt your 
 mafters according to the flefh, with fear and trem- 
 bling, in fin^lenefs of your heart, as unto Cbrill ; 
 5 Not with eye-fervice, as men plcalers, biat a.s 
 the fervants of Chrift, doing the will of God from 
 the heart ; 7 With good-will deing fcrvicc, as to 
 the Lord, and not to men : 8 Knowing that what- 
 foever good thing any man doth. the f.ime (hall he 
 receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 
 
 Obferveherf^,\. The general duty incumbent upon fer- 
 vants, that of obedience to their maptrs, according to the 
 flejli, that if, in temporal things only; obey your earthly 
 maftcrs in things pertaining to the world, leaving the foul 
 and confcience to God pnly, who alone is the lovereign 
 Lord of it. Chriftian liberty is not inconfiftent with civil 
 fubjeiftion ; fuch as are God's freemen may be fervnnts to 
 men, though not the fervarits of men ; and, ss fervants, 
 obedience is tlieir duty in all lawful things. 2- The 
 qualifications and proj^ties of thisobedience, which is due 
 and payable from fcr'Wits to niafters. [\.) It muft be 
 \\\\\\ fear ^^^A trembling, that is, with fear of difpleafing 
 them ; yet thev muft not acl barely from fear, but out of 
 love both to God and iheir mafter. (2} It muft be in 
 pr.gUmfs of heart ^tn great litnpliciiy and (incerity of fpirit, 
 without guile, hypocrify and dillimiilation. (3.J They 
 muft eye tlieir great Majfcr in heaven in all the fervices 
 ihty perform to their mailers here on earth, not -with eye- 
 ftrvice. But how fliould fervants have an eye to their 
 great Mailer in heaven ? /^nf. They OiuuKI have an ey« 
 to the prefe-nce of th^ir great Mafter.to theglory of their 
 great Mafter, to the connnand of their grc.it Mafter.and 
 to theainftance and acceptance of their Rlaftcr in hej\icn. 
 Learn hence. That our eyeiog ofGod in all the/ervicas 
 weperfcnn, aiul nuking him the judge antl fpfciator of 
 
 .ill 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 81 
 
 all our aft'ons, will be a fingular help to make us fincere 
 and fingle-hearted in all we do, and in all we dcfign. 
 Again, (4.) Their fervicc mud be performed with good- 
 'mHI, that is, withcheerfulnefs and delight, not grudgingly, 
 unpleafantly, or from fearof punifnment only ; eyeing the 
 Lord Chrilt in all that fervice they do for men. Learn 
 lience, That the meaneft and bafeft fervices and employ- 
 ments, in the pl.iceand Ration which God fets us in, being 
 done with right qualifications, with faithlulnefs and cheer- 
 iulnefs, from right motives, and for rigiit ends, is fervice 
 done to Chrift, and, as fuch,(l)all be accepted and reward- 
 ed by him, with ^r,0(i'uill, doing fervice, as to the L'jrd, and 
 not to man, Ohfave, lallly, The reward which the Holy 
 Chofl propounds, as an encouragement to poor fervants, 
 in their obedience to their mafters ; and that is, theaflur- 
 ance of a reward from God, whatever difappointment they 
 may meet with from men : knovjing tbat 'oihativer a man 
 doth out of obedience to the Lord, a reward of the fame 
 fhall he receive, whether he be a poor bond lervant, or a 
 frtemanand mafter. A'o/c here, How the bafeft drudgery 
 of fervants, when performed in obedience to Ged, and 
 with an eye at his glory, is called here a^soi^ work, and 
 fliall not fail of a good reward : U'hatfo(Vfr goid thing any 
 man doth ; when a poor fervant fcours a ditch, or does the 
 meaneft drudgery, God will reward him for it ; for he 
 looketh not at the beauty, fplendour, and greatnefsot the 
 work, bat at the integrity and honefty of the workman; 
 the mean and outwardly bafe worksofpoor fervants, when 
 honeft and fincere, fliall find acceptance with God, and 
 be rewarded by him; as well as the more fplendid, ho- 
 nourable, and expenfive works of their rich mafters. 
 
 9 And ye, mafters, do the fame things unto them, 
 forbearing threatening : knowing that your mafter 
 alfo is in heavenj neither is there refpeftofperfons 
 with him. 
 
 Here the mafter's duty, to liis fervant isdirecTied to, both 
 generally, and more particularly ; in general, he diredls 
 mafters to do the fame things to their fervants ; not the fame 
 things for kind, but for manner cf doing them ; that is, 
 in obedience to the fame command of God, with an eye 
 to the fame glory of God, with the fame finglenefs of 
 heart, with the fame love and good- will. Werenote, That 
 the greateft mafter, yea, the greateft prince and potentate 
 upon earth, lie under obligations, in point of duty to their 
 fervants and inferiors; and it ought to be as much their 
 caretodifcharge theirdutyfincerely, cheerfully, with good- 
 will, and eyeing their great mafter in heaven, as it con- 
 cerns the pooreft fervant to obey them in and after the 
 fame manner; Te maflcrs, do the fame things ur.tothem. 
 Next follow the particular direc^tions given to mafters, 
 namely. To frhcar threalenikgs ; that is, let them not 
 exercife their authority over them imperioufty and with 
 rigour, but mildly, and^with gentlenefs: Rule them not 
 tyrannically, but govern with moderation and temper. 
 Lord ! how ordinary is it for men in place and power a 
 little above others, to infult over, and traniple upon others, 
 forge. ting that there is one above them, whom ihey muft 
 be ac«}iU)t.->ble unto thfuiftlves ! Firbtarirg threatcnir.gs. 
 
 knowing that your niafler alfo is in hea^tr.. with wl'om 
 there is norefpeH ofperfons. Here we have almighty God 
 defcribed two w;.ys : (1.) From his magnifictnce and 
 ftately palace, in whicii his illuftricus glory fliineth ; yctw 
 I\Iafleris in heaven ; not as if he were only there, nnd bo 
 where elfe, but eminently there, thrugh every where elfe. 
 (2.) God is here defcribed by his juftice and impartiality 
 in judging ; There is no refpef} of ferjons with him, that is, 
 when the rich mafter and poor fervant conic toftandu|wn 
 a level before him, he will not refptfl eiihtr of them for 
 their outward circumftances, but, as a jnft judge, reward 
 them both according to their works. Thus our aprfile, 
 concludes his exhortation to thepracftice and performance 
 of relative duties, between hulband and wife, parent and 
 child, mafter and fervant. Ho now clofes his epiftle with 
 a fpecial exhortation to all Chriftians, to look upon thcun- 
 felvesas fpiritual foldiers, lifted under Chrift's exalted ban- 
 ner, engaged in a continual warfare with the world, and 
 the princeof the world; and accordingly, he bcfpeaksthem 
 in martial phrafe to the end of the chapter. 
 
 10 Finally, my brethren, be ftrong in the Lord, 
 and in the power of his might, j 1 Put on the 
 whole armour of God, that ye maybe able to ftand 
 againft the wiles of the devil. 
 
 Our apoftle, calling us here forth to theChriftian war- 
 fare, gives forth firft the word of encouragement to battle, 
 Be Jirong in the Lord, and in his mighty p'jwer. A Chrif- 
 tian, above all men, needsrefolution,anda daring courage; 
 if he be polFeffed with fear, he is unfit to go into the field; 
 ifdifpirited with ftrotig impreffions of danger, how unready 
 for the encounter; Cowards win nsitherearth norheaven. 
 But where lies the Chriftian's ftrength ? Verily, in the 
 Lord, and not in himfelf ; the ftrength of the whole hoft 
 of faints lies in the Lord, of hofts, and- accordingly, it 
 ought to be the Chriftian's great care, in all difficulties and 
 dangers, to ftrengthen his faith, on the Almighty powerof 
 God. OA/e/w, I. A direflion given hov/ a faint may 
 come to he fircng in the Lord^ namely, by putting on the 
 whole armour of Cod ; that is, by being clothed with the 
 following graces, which are hereafter mentioned in this 
 chapter ; as, thefy.eUl offaithjhe breafplate of righteouf- 
 nefs, the pivord of the Spirit, ^c. Now thefe are called 
 armour of God, becaufe they are of his appointment and 
 inftitution, and of his make and conftitution ; and this 
 anuour muft be put on, that is, our grace kept in continual 
 exercife ; it is one thing to have armour in the houfe, antj, 
 another to have it buckled on in the field ; it is norfnf- 
 ficient to have grace in the habit and principle, but it 
 is grace in ail and exercife that muft conquer Qiiritual 
 enemies. 3, A reafon afllgned why the Chnftian is to be 
 thus completely ^Tm(.d,that he may be ahle to jlar.d ugainjl 
 the wiles of the dcv! I ; iittimitinc., that the oevil is one 
 chief enemy we have to combat with in tl.e Chriftjan 
 warfare, and that this enemy is a wily, fubiile enemy, dif- 
 covering his dangerous policy firft by tempting and allu- 
 ring into fin, and then by vexing and tormenting for fin : 
 But Satan, with all his wits and wiles, (hall ncicr finally 
 vanquiih (though he may, in a particular battle, over- 
 come) a foul clad with fpiritua^l armour ; nay, he that 
 
 hath 
 
SiG 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 liuih ilii: armour of Goil on, fnall certainly vanquilh and 
 ovtrcome him : Put on the vjhole arm'Atr 0/ God, &.c, 
 
 1 2 For we wreftle not agaiuft flefh and blood, 
 but agniiifl principalities, ayainll powers, ayainft the 
 rulers olthe d.ukiiel'iol this world, againfl. fpiritual 
 wickedncfs in avjh places. 
 
 The .ipoftle mcniioned our enemy in the former verfc ; 
 lierc lie delcribes the combat in this verfi H'e vjrejile : A 
 Cliriftii.n'ilife is a perpetual warfare, a continiinl wreft- 
 linjT ; bin with wh.-ii? and witli whom I Arf. Negatively, 
 ;; t -x'iib fi;Jh and Hjt.d ; that is, not only or chielly with 
 IK 111 ami blooJ, with human enemies, but we niurt grap- 
 j.lc and conteniI\sith evangelical powers, with devils, who 
 :tre principalities and powers, &:c. A's.'e here, How the 
 devil and his angels are defcribed ; (1.) By their prince- 
 l.ke authority and government which they exercife in the 
 world, called therefore principalities and powers,to denote 
 that Satan is a great afid mighty prince; a prince that has 
 the heart and knee of all his fubjec^s. (2.) By the ieat of 
 his c nipire, he rnles in this world, not in the other ; the 
 hi^heft the devil can go, is the air; heaven fears him not: 
 And he is a ruler of the darknefs of this vi'jrld, that is, in 
 Inch linners as labour under the darknefs of linand igno- 
 rance. (3.; Satan and bis angels are here defcribed by 
 their fpiriiual nature, aWtd fpiritual 'jj'ickednejfes , that is, 
 wicked fpirits, intimating to us, that the devils are fpirits; 
 thatthey arefpiritsextremely wickedjand thatthefe wicked 
 I'pirits do chiefly annoy Chriftians with, and provokeihem 
 to fpiritu;il wickcdnefs. (4.) They are defcribed by their 
 refidence or place of abocle, in high places ; that is, in the 
 air, of which he is called the prince. From the whole, 
 note, How plaii^ly Chrifl our Captain deals with all his 
 foldier"!, and the difference between Chrift's dealing with 
 his followers, and Satan with his ; Satan durft not let 
 linners know w ho that God is whom they fight againft, but 
 Chrirt is not.ifraid to {hew his faints their enemy in all his 
 power and ftrength; well he might,becaufethe weakneffes 
 of God are itronger than the powers of hell. 
 
 13 Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour 
 of God, that ye may be able to wilhftand in the 
 evil day, and having done all to fland. 14 Stand 
 therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, 
 and having on the breaft-plate of righteoufnefs ; 
 15 And your feet fhod with the preparation of the 
 gofpcl of peace ; i6 Above all, taking the fhield of 
 faith, Avhercwithye fhall be able to quench all the 
 fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the hel- 
 met of i'alvation, and the Iword of the Spirit, 
 which is the word of God : 18 Praying always 
 with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit, and 
 watching thereunto with all pcrfeverance, and fup- 
 plication for all faints ; 
 
 Chfarvf here, i. How our apoflle having defcribed the 
 enemy in the foregoing verfe, and fet him forth in his 
 fcrmidablc (Irength and power, coiiesforthat the head of 
 
 his Ephefiancamp, gives them a frelb alarm, and bids thera 
 arm, arm ! Take unto you the -whole arm',ur of Gad, that 
 yr,u may he uble to fland in the evil day ; intimating, that an 
 evil d.iy is before us ; that it Ihall be of mighty advantage 
 to us to be able to (land in the evil day ; and wiihout the 
 help of divine armour, we cannot fland in that day. The 
 fanclifying graces of God's Spirit, are this armour;, he 
 that has not ihcfe, let his common gifts be never fogay 
 and glorious, he will never hold out to fight the laft battle, 
 but fall into the enemy's hand, and be taken captive by 
 him at his will. u. How our apolUeccmes to defcribe the 
 armour of God, piece by piece, w hich the Chriilian is"to 
 put on before he t;ikej the field againll the enemy : Here 
 is the foldier's girdle, his breaft-plate, his flioe, his fhield, 
 his helmet, and his fword, all defcribed ; his oflenfiveand 
 tlefenfivc weapons, wherewith foldiers of old ufed to arm 
 their bodies from head lo foot; now the apoflle afligneth 
 to particular graces, an ufe and exccUenty anf^erable to 
 thefe pieces of armour, and (hews, that there is fome re- 
 femblance between every gr-ice and that piece of the bodily 
 armour to w hich it is here compared ; but oblervahle it is, 
 that although there be pieces of arnour for all other parts 
 of the body, here is none alTigned for the back, nor back- 
 part?, becaufe there inuft be no running away, no hope of 
 efcapiiig by flight in this fpiritual warfare; ifwe turn our 
 back upon our enemy, we lie open to bis darts, and arc in 
 danger of deflrucftion ; if we fight on, we have ourfecond 
 in the field, and are fure of tictory, provided we enicrthe 
 field in order, and fland toour arms, maintain our watch, 
 keep our ground, and appear !trme& cap-a-pee, from Lend 
 to foot, with the feveral pieces of armour here recoiwniend. 
 ed: The firfl of which is the girdle of truth, \er, 14. 
 Having your loins girt about with truth, that is, fincerity 
 of heart. Doth a girdle or belt adorn the foldier ? So doth 
 finctrity adoin the ChrilVian. Doth the girdle flrengihen 
 the foldier's loins? So doth fincerity ffrengthen the foul, 
 and every grace in the foul ; it is fincere faith that isflrong 
 faith ; it is llncere love that is mighty love. Secondly, 
 The bregfi -plate (if righteoufnefs; by which is to be under- 
 ftood the love and practice of univerfal holinefs. But why 
 is this compared to a breaft-plate? //«/". Becaufe, as the 
 breaft-plate defends the moft principle parts of the body, 
 where the heart and other vitals are dofely couched to- 
 gether ; thus holinefs preferves the foul and confcience, 
 the principal parts of a Chriftian, from the wounds and 
 harms of fin, which is the weapon that Satan ufes, to give 
 confcience its deadly ft^b with. The third pieceof Chrif- 
 tian arreour, is the fpiritual Ihce, fitted to the foldier's 
 foot, and worn by him fo long as he keeps the fit- Id againft 
 fin and Satan; the foldier's way is fometimes full of ()iar)5 
 ffonea, and fometimes by the enemy ftrewed with fharp 
 iron fpikes flruck into the ground ; the foldier will foon be 
 wounded, or foundered, if not well fhod; therefore, the 
 direftion here is. Let yoiirfeetbef:od-withtkeprtparali^n 
 (if (he g'Jp'lrfpeac:' ; thatis, maintaininganholy readinel's 
 of fp'iit, and a refolute frame of heart, to undergo i^ 
 fuffiring, and endure any hardlhip in vour Chriftian war- 
 fare ; wliicli frame of fpirit being wrought in us by the 
 doctrine of the gofpel, is therefore called the preparutionof 
 the gofpt.1 of peace. The fourth piece of armour recom- 
 
 luende 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 817 
 
 menled above all, to he fut en, is ihc P.'if]ti of/tiir/j; this 
 is tijat grace by which we believe the truth of Gods 
 word in gtrnrral, and depend upon Chrift in particular, as 
 crucified for pnrdon and lite, and this upon the warrant of 
 the promife. But ^vhy is faith compared to a (liiekl ? 
 Jn/. Becaufi", as the Jhicld defends the whcle body, fo 
 fai'.h ddends the whole man ; the underftanding from 
 error, the confciencc from fcnrtdnefs, the will from rcbel- 
 li'in ajainft the will and command of God : And, as the 
 ll>i;'ll defends the whole ntm^'ur, as well as the foldier's 
 whole boiiy ; it defends the breaft plate, as well as the 
 brc'iit ; fo faith is our armour upon armour, a s^race that 
 prcfcrves all otlier graces whatfocver. 1'he fifih piece of 
 artnonr is iiu-mioucd, ver. 17. Tie hcbr.el of jr.hT.tion ; 
 by wiiioh the ijrace of hope is underftood, which has for 
 its object falvaiion, called therefore the hope of falvation ; 
 f;:!\M!i'>n is the ultimate and comprehenlive obje£f of the 
 Chiilljjn's cxpeftation ; and it is compared to an hclfnct ; 
 bccnufc, a< the helmet defends the head, fodoth the hope 
 of f.ilvation defend the foul ; it keeps t'-o head above 
 water, and makes the ChrilUan bold and brave: flope is 
 n grace of lingular ufe and excell(.-nt fervice to a Chrillian, 
 in the whole courfe of his Chriftian warfare ; it puts hiti 
 upon noble fervtces, it keeps him patient under the greiteil 
 fufferings, and it will enable the foul to wait lons^ for 
 the performance of divine promife^. The fixth piece of 
 fpiritual armour is \\\i'fiu(,rd, ver. i^. The former were 
 defcnfive, but this is both an offcufive and defenlive wea- 
 
 Jion, fuch is the word of God : But whv compared to a 
 'tvjnl? A:'/. In regard both of its necellity and excellency ; 
 the fword \Tas ever eftccmcd a mod neccilary and ufcful 
 part of the Pjldicr's furniture ; of fuch ufetulncfs, ncceliiiv, 
 and excellency, is the word of God, by which the Chrif- 
 tian doth defend himfelf, and ofFcnd his enemies: But why 
 is it called xht fword of the Spirit? A>if. Becaufe the 
 Spirit was the author of it ; the Spirit of God is the inter- 
 preter of it ; and it is the Spirit that gives the word its 
 efficacy and power in the foid ; the word of God, con- 
 tained in the fcripturcs, is the fword by which the Spirit of 
 GikI enables his faints to cverccmc arid vanquidi all their 
 enemies. The feventh and lafr piece of fpiritual armour 
 is mentioned, vea-. t8. and that is./i/vniT ; praying ahvays, 
 with all prayer, Sec. Here no/e. The time for prayer, 
 fr.iying iikvayr, the forts and kind of prayer, praying 
 aki'nys tvilh oil prayer ; the inward principle of prayer, 
 from which it muit fijw, in tire Spirit ; the guard to' fet 
 about the duty of prayer, ivafihing thereunto ; the con- 
 ftancy to be exerci(ed in the duty, vjiih all perfevermce \ 
 the comprehculivenefs of the duty, for nil fai>Us. Le.irn, 
 That prayer is a neceifary duty for ail ChVitUans, and r.) 
 be lifed, v-ith all other pieces of fpiritual armour, by the 
 Chrillian foldier. 
 
 19 And for mc, that utterance m.Tv be given 
 unto m?, that I may open my inotxth b/ikliy. to 
 :riaki; knou-n the inyileiy of the ^ofpcl : -20 For 
 ]gkiich 1 am an atnbwirador in bonds : That therein 
 1 may fpeak boldly, as I oxx^hl tt? fpca?;. 
 
 Giir.ipollle having dircacJ the Epiiefians :■:» the (hiiy 
 
 of pr.iyer in general, 3efirp? them here to pr.ty for himfelf 
 in particidar. ■ Where ohftrze, X. His exhortation ^mj 
 direflion to pray for himfelf, and all the miniflcr'^ of the 
 gofpel; and for rr-. Le.rn hence, That tlic mirdilcrs cf 
 Chrift are and ou^ht, iti a foecial n^anncr, to be rcmeni- 
 bertd in the faints prayers. Ohfcrvt, 2. Tlic nicrcy which 
 he defires them 10 pray for, that utterance may be fiveii ; 
 namely, a readinefs to deliver to others what CJod has 
 handed into us. Minifters depend tipon God for titter - 
 ance, and it is their people's duty to be earhsll with God 
 to give it to ihtm. ^. i. he ei.d wliv I'.c defires this f//, >•_ 
 <.«tV, thiit l.c inry :pc>: ris tnouth hchliy. to iri'tte^ knozni lie 
 n:\flery cf the gofprl. Where Wi/^-, I. 1 he fub'i:ne nature 
 oi' the gofpol, it is a nn "ct-v. 2. The work ;f the gorptl- 
 minifter ; and that i.s, to make known that giifpel-myftery. 
 
 3. The manticr how he i^ to perform this work, ilnt I 
 may open my v'.-Mh h'Ady ., namely, in afTerting truth, and 
 in reproving fm, with a wif^andjprudent, with a meek and 
 humble, with an acflive und zealous boldnefs. Ohferre, 
 
 4. A double aigmncnt to br.ck ai^l enforce his rcqiielt, i> 
 pray for him ; [i.] From his olTice, /ir tvlich I am mt 
 aml'iifjador • The miiiillers of the gofptl are God's airbaf- 
 fadors ; and fliall not their pco;le pray for the fucccls of 
 their embaflics r (2.) From his affliclcd ftate, he uas an 
 amhi-ffador in tends ; his zeal for Gcd, and his truth, con- 
 fined him to a prifon; he preached himfelf into a goal; well 
 therefore might they prty for him, who had now K.fl his 
 liberty, and fooh after, was to lofe his life for them ; no 
 prayers can be toornuch to flrenethcn the hands, and en- 
 courage the hearts of fuch as fufFor tribulation and perfecu- 
 tion for the fake of Chrill. 
 
 21 But that ye alfo may know iny affairs, and 
 ho^v I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithfi i 
 ininifter in the Lord, fliail make known to you all 
 thini^s: 22 Whom I have lent unto you for the 
 lamcpiirpofe, that ye mi-^ht know our affairs, and 
 that he mii-ht comfort vour hcart.s. 
 
 0/;/^v7r here, t. The tender love and afRciionate re- 
 ga;il vvhich St. Paul bore to thcfc Epiu fians, in the midil 
 I'f his fuiFerings, and duringhis iinprifonnient ; he noronlv 
 wrote, but fent to them ^ no doubt, the .-ipollle had bi;t 
 few, ver v few fall frientls '.vith him at Rome, m horn he 
 could repofe an entire contidence in, and receive great cor.- 
 folation from ; however, he will deny himfi.lt, to iVnc 
 them : A faithful ininilier of Jefus Chrift, is fo tenderlv 
 aflcclionate towards his flock, that he prefers their fpirinial 
 cdihca'ien before his own private and particular advantace; 
 tl'.oiit;h .St. P:iul was now a prifuner, and under a daily 
 expeclaiion ot .'eath, and had few to attend him, yet he 
 fetiJs one of his molt beloved friends away to them, 
 ciuiling railier liimfelf to want an attender, than ihat they 
 ftiotild watit a co;nf(/rier \ nothing better ^ccomes a mrnif- 
 ter of Chrill than a public fpirii. C. The charadler of 
 the perfon whom St. Paul fent unto thctn ; heis dtfcribcd, 
 .'r. I Bv his name, Tychicus. (2J By hi'; ftate, he v as 
 a"br;it!)cr, that is, a Chri!li.ui, r. beloved Lroiher, a brother 
 in Chrill. fj.J By his office, he was a ininiilcr, yea, a 
 fiiithfiil miiiijitr in the Loid, that '\>, m the work of ilie 
 5L ' Lord; 
 
8i8 
 
 E P H E S I A N S. 
 
 Ch.vp. VI. 
 
 LorJ; bcfveen whom anJ St. Paul there wa? a fweet 
 harmony, an happy union of hearts, a joint care and en- 
 tteavoiir in carrying on the intertft of Chrift amongd the 
 thurchts: Behold! how "tjood and plcafaru a tiling it i?, 
 ■when minifttrs of Chriil are dear to each other ; when, 
 inflead of divifions, cnmlations, au'l ftiife amoni'jl them, 
 they Can f;ive ttftimonials of each otiier, as well dcferving ; 
 'witlioiit cndeavoiiiiiig to conceal and obfciirc the gifts and 
 graces of God, which are eminent in any of their fcllow- 
 labourery, on purpofe only to fci offthtinfehe!:, that their 
 •'••.vn perfi-rmance^ tiiay be the more t;ik(.n notice of. St. 
 Pan! was f.'.r from \h\> Spirit, as appears by the charadler 
 \« hich upon a fit occalion, he gave of Tychicus. 3. 
 The delign and end which St. P.uil had in feiidini; Tyclii- 
 Ciis i;nto them, and that was two-fuld: (i.) Tliat he 
 might acquaint them with Sr. Paul's condition and (bte ; 
 fh/tt ye might knnv tnv nffiiirs, hiiv I do, and what I ilo, 
 I have fcnt Tychicus to declare lai/o y;u all ihingi. What! 
 all things with'-ut exception ? Yes, both dyings and fiifter- 
 in»-, the apoiUc was alha'.ncd of neither. Learn thence. 
 That the lile ami convcrfaticn of minillers, both public 
 and private, inuft, and oi-ght to be fuch. that they need 
 not heaihamed to have it known, or concerned that the 
 church Ihoidd know what they do, how they manage, to 
 the intent that their people may be edified by their conver- 
 Jdiion, as Well as in(tni(Scd by their preaching ; Tychnus 
 Jhiill declare unto you all things. The fecond end St. Paul 
 lud in finding I'ychicus from himfelf to the Epludan-, 
 w:is, that he might comfort their hearts. But how could 
 Ty.hicus do this r Thefc ways: (i.) By making known 
 to them the true cuife of his fufferings. St. Paul's enemies 
 had laid heavy thinc;s to his charge, thefe might perhap? 
 fty as far as F.phefus ; now, though the apo(Ue icgardul 
 little what the wicked world f.'.idof ^im, yet hedetired to 
 b-j fet ri^hi in the thoughts of the churches and accoid- 
 ingly f'.-nd^ Tychicus to acquaint them with the caiife of 
 lii* iinprif(>nn)ent. (2.) To keep them front difcourage- 
 iiKnt, and being inordinately call down at the report of his 
 fiiffeiiags : No doubt, St. Paid's chain entered into their 
 fouls, and his fufferings were their forrows ; he therefore 
 ftn.ls Tychicus to prevent their immoderate forrow and 
 mourning upon his accoimt. (3. J To comfort their 
 hearts with, the report of that holy joy and chccrtulnefs of 
 fpirit which was found with hinj in and under all his fuf- 
 ferings. Oh! it is an cKcellent light to behold the faints 
 at liberty mourning over their afRicled brethren ; and they 
 that are fufferers becoirc comfoiters of them that are at 
 liberty. Lord! never ilo'h thv holy religion appear more 
 glorious, than when thy minillers commetid it by their 
 fufferings for it ; and no way can they commend it higlier, 
 than by an holy, hiuTible cheerfuliiefs of fpirit in their 
 fufferings for it ; thy miiiillers preach with tar greater ad- 
 vanta'ge from a prifon, t!i m they can from a pulpit, (4.) 
 Might not St. Paul fend I'ycliicus now to the church at 
 Ephfcftis, to engage the clitirclKs to pray W'iih carncflnefs 
 for hiiTifelf, as well as to comfort them? Oh! none lb 
 covetous of prayers as the minillers uf Chrilt, . and no 
 mii iders like fuifering minifters. S'. Piiiil fets all the 
 tKtnches at v ork to piay fir him in prifon 4 and great 
 Tcsfjn for it : A p.ifon has its tciviptation as well as a 
 
 palace ; when men pla^ the perfecuiors, the devil forgets 
 not to be a tempter ; (ometimes he w ill attempt to foftf-n 
 them with impreffions of fear; at anrther time he hi pes 
 to overcome them, and weaken their courage, by their 
 friends tears and intrcaiics ; fonietimcs the devil hopes to 
 imbilter a fi;ffering (aim's fpirit againil his perfccttcrs, 
 and to four him with the feaven of malice and wrath. Ol 
 it i* no eafy matter to receive evil, and yet wifli none i: 
 him from whofe hands we have received it; to referv . 
 love for him who Ihews wrath and hatnd to us, is a 
 gloriou?, but adillictilt work. But if all this fails, yet the 
 devil hopes to blow him up with piide, and a high con- 
 ceit of himfelf, who dares fiiftcr, v\ hen others Ihriiik, and 
 is ready to lay down his head, v hen otherf pidl in tl eir 
 heads, and letk to Lwc then-.felves in a whole flii-i. Pride 
 is a falamander, that can live in the very flames of martyr- 
 dom ; if any faint need the humility of many faints, it is 
 he that is called to fuftlr for Ciiiiil. Sr. Paul was very 
 fenlible ot this i he well knew th^t a fuffering ccndiiii n 
 is full of tcmpt.ition ; that a Chiillian's flrength to carry 
 him ihrotigh it is not inhi>-ow:i ktcping ; G<.d mull helf, 
 or the Itouttll champion will quail : He alfo knows thut 
 prayer is the bell means to fetch in that help, and accord- 
 ingly St. P.iul here fends Tychicus to Ephefus, to engarc 
 the auxiliary forces of the faints prayers on earth, and iff 
 p-JJi- ravVfrom heaveti, that he might glorify God in a luf- 
 terinsj hour. 
 
 23 Peace be to the bicthren. and love with faith 
 from God the Father and the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Ourapoftle being now come to the clofe and conclufion 
 ol this excelltnt epillle, he (huts it with very fervent 
 and affetlionate wilhes and prayers for thein. (i.j He 
 wilhes the brethren, the converted Chriftiaii', in and about 
 Lpliefn*, />M<-c, peace with God, peace with confcitnce, 
 peace efpecially one with another, and all nianner of out- 
 ward profperiiy, con'prehi nded in the word ^f^^^. li.) 
 Mutual love among thcmfelves. (2.j The grace of faith, 
 the fountain of the former ; all which he wiflies from Grd 
 the Father, net excluding, but including, the S(>n and 
 Holy Ghoff, and from Jefus Chrift the Mediator, through 
 virtue of whofe merit and interceffion all faving beneh:s 
 are conveyed unto believers; St. Paid't exsmple is in- 
 ftruiffive to the ininillcrs of Chi ill in all fuccceding ages. 
 Would we have our minillerial endeavours attended w i;h 
 manifeff fticcefs r We tntill be much in prayet, in feriv i;s 
 and fervent prayer to Cjod.jo work ihofe graces in uur peo- 
 ple, /<j//^, love, and h-ilim/s, which we have been by 01. r 
 miniftry recommending to their care and pradicc; that mi- 
 nilfcr who is mod prayerful, i'. iifually moft fuccefstul. 
 
 24 Grace be with all therti that love our Lord 
 Jefus Chrifl in finccrity. Amen, 
 
 Still our ap.)ftle goes on praying ; he be- .a .-...d <^.^.',v> .is 
 epillle with prayer; and thebleilings prayed f'.-r, arc grace 
 and peace ; peace in the fonrer verle Comprthendirg .'! 
 temporal felicity ; and'prace in this, conprehcnciin- rhc 
 fpecial favour and 1(.\ ing-kifulnelV cf God; tliis he ]:..,; 
 maybe the portion of all ihcfe that love our Lord J, .i 
 Chrill in finccii:y, or incorruption, as the wcrxl (Ignihes, 
 
 that 
 
Chap. r. P H I L I P P I A N S. 819 
 
 that is, not for time only, but for eternity; not in flic w cellcncy, and thy choicefl treafure ; if hcbe thy chicfeft 
 
 and appearance only, but in reality. Sincere love to our refuge, unto which thou floeil in all dangers and diftrelfcs ; 
 
 Lord Jcfus Chrifl is a fure cliaradler and undoubted mark thou mayeft conclude, thy fupreinc love is placed upon him, 
 
 of fuch a perfon as has found grace in God's fight, and is that thou loveft him in fmcsriiy : And the more thou loveft 
 
 very high in the divine favour. G'uce he zvith all them that him, the more lovely wilt thou be unto him, and the more 
 
 hve our Lord Jefii< Chrif} \ and he doth fay with a fera- will thy heart be let out in deiires alter him, and in fervent 
 
 phim's, but with a fincerc love. .^le/J. But when, and longings for the full fruition and final enjoyment of him ; 
 
 how, may a perfon know that he loves Clirift in great fin- for thofe whom we love, we long to be with, 
 
 ceri;v ? /!>:/'. If Ciuift be enthroned t:Mhy heart a<. 3 chief Ctmc ll en. Lord! dou'ii n I'le, 
 
 ComuunJer ; if he be clb'Cmed by thee .is thy chietcrt ex- Or lake nic up lo lUe. 
 
 T H K 
 
 EPISTLE OF S r. PAUL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 St. Paul being warnrd by the Holy Ghofl to go into Macedonia and preach the gofpd, as wejind, Afts xvi. he planis 
 fitfi a church at Philigpi, a principal city in Macedonia, Jo called from Philip king fj/Macedon. who bmiU'Ji- 
 tdand enlarged it. 
 
 But St. P.iul'i charge being to preach the go/pel to all the Gentiles, he travels from place toplace till he came at Rome, 
 zuhere he was in bonds, and confcfMntly in necejiiy and Jlraits; zuhich the PliiJippians under/landing, tluyftnt E^^a- 
 phroditus. their hijh'^p or chiej jninijler, to him, witha liberal contribution to Jiipply his wants : Ry whom St. Paul 
 J'endi this affcclionv.te letter to them, partly to tejlify his thankfulnefsfur ike reltrf ncnved from them, but principally to 
 confirm them in the faith, 'to prevent their being offcndedat his fffcringsfor the gofpd, to encourage them lowalk wor- 
 thy of the gcfpcl, to loarn t.lm,i againjl ftducers and Judaizing teachers, and to quicken tliem to divers Chnflian duties : 
 Andfj concludes his epiflle with pxriicidor falulations, and an ap:flohcalbcncdiclwn. 
 
 C H A P. I. iigTimotheu? withhimin thefjlufation, becaiifchiscom- 
 
 -n; J /• /• , ni ■ ,1 ■ r n 1 . paninn and felbw-labourc-r, and one that had a(7i'if,l In 
 
 rhe defsnofourapfle in tlusf^Jl chapter, is, to encou- The i.,(troa:ng of the Philippians, and was a Jerfon n^. -h 
 
 rage the Ph\\ipp\Ans tn con/tancy inthejaith, toper- valued and caecnud by them. 2. The great modi fly of 
 
 feve ranee in holimfs; aiulmt to be difcoiiraged at his fif- ^f- Pa'-d, in the charaacr hegives of himfelf ; he J.itli not 
 
 ' f rings for the grfpd. feeing Chrflianiiy had already gain ^y'*-' '^'^'el*" here an apfiftle, but the fervant ofV.-rtK C'lriib 
 
 ed very much by the fif rings he undcriuent. ' '" '''' ''fl^erepiltks which he wrote alone, he llvlcs himfclf 
 
 , an apoftlc, Rom. 1. 1. Gal. i. \.S>ic. H'- do-h not f-iv 
 
 P VULandTimotheusthefcrvantsof JefusChrift here, Paul an apoftle, and Timothc-us a fer'vant' of Jtfus 
 
 JL to all the faints in Chrifl Jefus whichare at Phi- Chrilt, magnilying himfclf above Timothy, butfuts him- 
 
 lippi, with the bilhops and deacons ; fdf upon a level wiih hirn, faying, P„ul emd Tiiintheus the 
 
 \' . 1 Tu ri- -ni .- T, . . JcrvanlsofJcJusCbriJl. Lean, hence, i. That true hn 
 
 A./, here, .. I he penman of this ep.rtle, bt. Paul, join- .nility teaches Chritlians to fpeak fpa.inuiv of themfelves 
 
 5^2 -' a^j 
 
Seo 
 
 PHILIPP lANS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 an/ of their own authority anJ credit, except upon a juft 
 anJ necelVary occafion, and when. weighty rcafins do urge 
 and oblige them to it. 2. That the minidersand difpcn- 
 Tcr^of ihc Rofpcl are, in a fpcciil manaer, the lervants of 
 Jcfiis Chrill, wholly devoted to his fcrvicc, and difchar^ing 
 "thtmfelves fnithfiilly in the performance of it. AW- 3. The 
 fupcrfcripiion of this epilUe, or ihc pcrfons to whom it was 
 (iireacd. To all the fuiuts in Chrifl Jt/m, in general, which 
 xvtre III Phi/if f>i, <ind 11 the bijh^ps and deacons : To nil 
 t'/t faints at Fhilippi \ fo he calls them, becaufe they were 
 a'l ho'.y iu vilible profellion, and many of them, no doubt, 
 by re.il Wiidihcatiiin, hein^; inherently, a^wcU as externally 
 holy, and thcdeiiomiihiiion is hert tuken from the belter, 
 ihoiii;h not the greater part, for whofe Like the whole c.ini- 
 iinuir.v are here called faints : But why faints in Chrilt 
 lefiis? BccaMfe.as it is ncceflarv to make a man inicrnally 
 holvf-that he be in Chrill Jefns by rcM implantation ; fo to 
 denominate a man externally and federally hol^, requires a 
 vilibie profellion, and an external union with Chrilf, John 
 XV. 2. In particular," this cpiUlo isdircdled tothc/j//Z'«/>j aW 
 deuans ; they were bothihtchurch'sovcrfcers ; the biftiops 
 to overlcc and infpcd the lives and manners of pcrfons ; 
 the deacons to overfec the nectflitiesof perfons, and to ferve 
 the church in taking care of the poor. J^c'e here, The 
 jjrcat and fpccial care which our holy Lord has taken ct his 
 church, in r.ppointing Hated oflicers to undertake the over- 
 fight of his whole family, to rule and govern, to dirc£t and 
 inihud it ; yea, not only has he appointed officers tor the 
 uverfight of the fouls of'his people, but others to inl'ped 
 liieir bi dily neccililics, that thofe who are indigent might 
 be fupplied by their care, and the charity of the clurch. 
 
 2 Grace be unto you and peace from God our 
 Father, andy)a?re the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Grace from God the 1-nihcr, or grace from God as a 
 Father i intimating that God belt ows not his grace a.'^ a 
 Creator, but as a Father, as a Father in Chrill : And peace 
 Jrom cur Lord Jefus Chrijl; he being the purchafer of our 
 peace, he, upon whom was laid the chaftfcment 'f our peace, 
 and in whom, and tor whofe f ke, God becomes recon- 
 ciled to us, and at peace with us. Learn hence, i. That 
 fuch as have received moll grace from God, do yet (land 
 in need of further meafures, and freih fupplics of it: Grace 
 to pardon fin, and grace to fubtlue tin. 2. That peace, as 
 well as grace, may and.ought to be the fubje£l ot a Chrif- 
 tian's prayer and care, to obtain peace with God, peace with 
 confciencc, peace with one another, and it it be poflible, 
 peace with all men. 
 
 3 I thauk my God upon every remembrance of 
 you. 4 Always in every prayer of niine for you 
 all makui^ rcqucll with joy, 5 For your fellow- 
 ibip in the golp^lfrom the firll day until now ; 
 
 A'c/r here,. I. The proper cli;trafter of a gnfpel-miiiiUcr, 
 }ie is his people's conltant remembrancer, and the remem- 
 berer of all his people: 1 remember ynt all, fays (he apofllc^ 
 J reme>nh,rycn always, andineicry prayer. This is a very 
 greai pan of our minilterial duly, to pray for the people; 
 not inour puilicofSccs only, but in our private wldrellcs 
 
 a'.fo, and this continually, and without ceafing : wc fliouid 
 never rife oft" our knees, without bearing our people upon 
 our hearts before the Lord. Did miniltei and people more 
 lliive together in their prayers for one another, there would 
 be lefs Itrife and contention between them, one with ano- 
 ther, miniltcrs mull be their people's remembrancers : bt. 
 Paul here remembered the Philip;. ians, all the Philippiant 
 always, and in ei'/ry prayer. 2. St. Paul coulJ and did 
 remcinber the Philip]4ans wiihjoy ^ ihoughhc wasin a fad. 
 nefs himfelf, in a pr/Jon, yet he could think of them as • 
 people Converted by his miniilry, with joy, malting re ijurjl 
 with joy. When the miniltcrs of Chrili lee any fuccefs of , 
 their labours in the lives of their people, it isniaitcr of in- I 
 cxprcfliblc joy to them, how fad foevcr the cafe iswith then-., 
 as to the outward circiiinflances : when they !"igh in a pri- 
 fon with refpedl to their perfonal ftifFeriiigs, they can ling 
 and rejoice, if they find their people's proficiency in know- 
 ledge and growth in grace: J thank my ijulfor you, making 
 reque/l with joy, 3. The ground and occalicn of this his 
 joy, ver. 5. For your fetloivjhip in the gcfpel ; that is, fi-r 
 your ready embracing of the gofpel at my drft preaching of 
 it to you, for the real fubjedticn of fomc, and the profelicd 
 fubjc6lion of all to the taiih ot Chrift, whereby vou were 
 brought into fellow Ihip with Chrilt and his church, and 
 alfo tor the Continuance of you in the faith and profttficn 
 of the gofpel,_/r;w the firji day until now. Z^«rw hence. 
 That when a people, upon the plain and perfuallve preach- 
 • ing of the golpel, do rcaclUy receive and obey it, and re- 
 main conilant in their profefiion of it, and obedience to it, 
 it is matter of unfpcakble thankfgiving and praife to the 
 faiihful miniltcrs of Jefus Chrilt: 1 thank Ccd forycur 
 felkujhip in the gcfpel, fr:m the firJl day until naui \ that is, 
 for continuing in thelaith,and perfevering in your profcfl- 
 td fubjcdion tothegofpei of Chrift, I blefsGod for this. 
 
 6 Being confident of this very thing, that \\9 
 which hath begun a good work ui you will per- 
 form il until the day of Jefus Chrill : 
 
 Here we have a farther caufe adigned of St. Patirs joy 
 onthePhilippiansbehalf, namely, the firm and fullairurance 
 which he hud of their perfeverance in grace unto the end : 
 God, that hasbegim, will perfc6l, that is, augment and in- 
 creaie it, till it arrive at perfcflion in glory, hcte here, i. 
 The nature of grace defcribcd, or the pri>per title dcfcrv- 
 cdly given to the grace of G> d, it isc;illed :xgcoduork : he 
 that hath begun a good warh, &c. Well may icgcneiatisg 
 grace be called aged work, becaufe it is ih.e living fi un- 
 dation and vital principle, from whence all goi^d \»orks do 
 proceed and flow : the grace of God in the he.irt is the 
 root of all trie h(.lincf= in the hfe ; as goi>d v.fciks are re- 
 Cc'Jlary to f^Ivaiifn, fo renewing grace is ncceilhry to g'-' d 
 wcrks. 2. As the nature ot graee defcribcr:, fp ; he ai i •• 
 and augmcntcr of grace dc.'lared, .md thiit is Gcci, hr 
 hath begun a good u .fk in you, wilt perform it, thi.' 
 mtnt it, and increafc it ; as the gi cd wiik cf f;; • 
 heart i God's woik, and he i$ the antiwar of it, to hi 
 mai^ifainit, and carry it on uuio perftiSticn, an'' • ■ 
 the iiicrcafer and per,fe£ler <'f it : GchI never colli 
 by halves. 3. The certaitrv iierrcd, ,' 
 
 dcnl of this very thing: L'm v . ..ihad S; . 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 P H I L I PT I A N S. 
 
 821 
 
 this confidence ? Avf. Becaiife grace is the care of tlic 
 vhole Trinity ; all the pc-iions, Father, Son, and Holy 
 GhoO, do concern thcmfclve?, both in the prodii£lion, pre- 
 fervation, and perfc<5lion of it ; the Father decrees i', the 
 Son piirchaf«s it, the Spirit infufes it ; tlie Father begets it, 
 the Son excites it, the holy Spirit conduces it ; and as they 
 did all concnir in its prodiiftion, fo do they all co-operate 
 and work together for the prefervation of it Learn hence, 
 That ftich perfons, in whofc fouls Almighty CJod has be- 
 gun a £;ood woik ci grace, may with much afliirance cx- 
 peft, by the influence of God's care, and the excrcife of 
 their own endeavours, that they lliall hold out and perfc- 
 vere in a (late of grace unto the end : until the day ofChriJi, 
 thdt is, the day of judgment. 
 
 7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you 
 all, bccaui'*e I have you in my heart, inafmuch as 
 both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirma- 
 tion of the gofpel, ye are all partakers ©f my grace. 
 
 In thefe words, our apoftle afligns a ground and reafon 
 of that confidence which he exprelfed himfelf to have of the 
 I'hilippians perfcverance in grace and holincfs, in the fore- 
 going vcrfe, namclv, becaufc they were partakers ot the fame 
 grace with himfelf, and were resdy to fiiFcr for Chrift, as 
 he was ; we may warrantably be pcrfuadcd of iheir pcrfe- 
 verance in grace unto the encl, in whom we fee both readi- 
 nefs of obedience to the gofpel, and alfo zealous and cheer- 
 ful fuffering for and in d^ience of the gofpel. Thus did 
 St. Paul here : Where note, The apoftle accounted it a 
 grace and favour from God, that he was thought worthy 
 to fuffer for the gofpel, and the Phiiippians with him : iT'e 
 are partahrs of tin grace. Learn hence. That to fiifFcr 
 bonds and iniprifonment for the gofpd's fake, is a fpocial 
 grace and favour of God, not conlidcrcd in itfelf, but in 
 the fruits and confecjuence of it. A fecond ground of his 
 confidence was their refpcdt to liim, / haiie yen in tny heart, 
 and I find you have mc in your hearts ; yon partake of the 
 mifcry of my bonds, you fufFcr with me in my fufterings, 
 and fvmpathize M-ith me in my forrovvs : they relieved and" 
 refreflied him in his imprifonment, which he underwent for 
 the fake of Chrift r.nd his gofpel ; and from, hence lie had 
 a good confidence that they would perfcverc unto the end. 
 An operative love to the faithful nsinifters of Jefus Chrift,. 
 efpecially when they are under perfeciition, is a r:ood evi- 
 dence of the fmccrity of their love to Chrift, ami of their 
 fledfaftnefs and perfcverance in grace unto the end. 
 
 8 For God is my record, how greatly I long af- 
 ter you all in tlie bowels of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Thefe words are expreftive of that paftionate degree of 
 Chrillian love which St. Paul bore to the Phiiippians ; he 
 diiift appeal to God, a? to the fincerity and fervency oi' it : 
 Gcd is my record, I call iiim to witncis, and can appeal to 
 him,, as the fearcher of hearts, h:iv grei:tly I kng after y^u • 
 thnt i.s, how paflionately and fincerely I love you, with tlie 
 moll intcnfe and hearty afll£lion, in the hov.eh of Jrlus 
 Chiiji. The cxpreftion m.iy denote both the ctTiciQjit c: nfe 
 r-'d 'he exemplary caufc of his love : fi.) That the authc ;• 
 i. . his his love unto them was Chiift, he was the foriiig and 
 
 procurer of It ; and confequently, it was no carnal or felfi(h 
 love, to fcrve his own ends and defigns upon them, hut 
 truly fpiriiual. (2.) That Chrift's love to him was tho 
 pattern and example, according to wh.ich he lo\cd ihcm, 
 with no common love, but with an intire and intcnfe af- 
 fedlion, from the grotmd of the heart, and the moft iminiate 
 bowels: no words can be more expreftive of that fervent 
 love and carneft longing, which St. Paul had for the wel- 
 fare of the Phiiippians ; a love which not only exceed' the 
 love of all relations ; he doth not fay, I long after y<i;i in 
 the bowels of a Father, or in titc bowels of an hiifl<and, 
 but in the bowels of Jefiib Chrift ; humbly comparing hi.? 
 love towards them to the love of Jefus Chrift ; no? for the 
 degrees of it, nor for the fruits and advantages of it, hut 
 for the truth and fincerity of it : / neatly long after yr;.- 
 all, in the lowels of Jefus Chrift. Learn hence, 'lliat there 
 is no ftionger love, no more endeared aftedlion between anv 
 relations upon earth, than between fucli minifters of Chrift', 
 and their beloved people, as thty have been happily inftiu.- 
 mental to convert to God ; when prcfent with ihem, they 
 paflionately love them, when abfent from them, thev af- 
 fcflionatelv long after them; imitating, as much as they 
 can, their Lord Jefus Chiift, both in the reality and fi.icc- 
 rity, snd alfo in the meafure and dej;rcc of endearins; affec- 
 tion : G:d is my reard, Jk'm greatly I /««g ifter you all, &c. 
 
 Q And this I pray, that your love may abound 
 yet more and^nioie in knowledge and in all jud'T. 
 ment ; ja That ye may appprove things that are 
 excellent ; that ye may be fincere and without of- 
 fence till the day of Chrift ; 1 1 Being filled with 
 
 the fruits ofrightcoufnefs, which are by J_efusGhrift,. 
 unto the glory and praife of God"; 
 
 After falutations given by St. Paul to hi« beloved Phiiip- 
 pians, he next pours out his fold in fervent prayer and fup- 
 plication for them ; and the mercy which he pravs for,.rs- 
 ohJcr\<ahle, firft, namely, growth and proficiency in grace :- 
 This I pray, that your kve may.akuyid yet more ai.d ni:re in 
 hiowledge, and in all jiidgviert : that their love to Grd,. 
 their love to him, and their love to one another^ may 
 yet moie .nnd more abound. iLove is the root-grace from 
 which moft graces fpiing; therefore, lie prsys for the 
 ftrcngthening of that grace in particular, and 'that there 
 may be found with them judgment, as well as affedion ia. 
 the excrcife of it ; we oiight^to love judiciouftv, as wtl! as 
 affectionately : The more judicious a fiint grows in his 
 Chriftian courfe, and the more underftanding and judgment 
 is found with him in the way of his duty, the ftroncer his 
 grace i.s and the more t;lory will he bring to God.^" Ths 
 underftanding and judgment being the guiding and leading 
 iaculties in man, there can be no"more"accc|-iablc hoiin- fj 
 in the will,_ than there is knowledge in the iindcrftandinir • 
 I can hate fin and love Gcd, no more than I know of the 
 evil of (in, and of the perf< dions that arc in God : Tuor 
 more judicious than a Chiifti:m j-rows, tiie is.ve his boli^ 
 
 nelsgrous; and accordiagly, St. Paid's prayers is, that (hey 
 nu.y orotxi more and more in hnowleuge Mid in all judgment 
 2. The great ends mentioned by the apoftle, for which ho 
 did fo carne.'Uy defire their proficiency in k^o^^ ledge "and' 
 
 judgment 
 
62B 
 
 p n I L I P P I A N s. 
 
 Cjiap. 
 
 jiidsmtnt, anrl tlieir growth in love, and every other grace, 
 namely, (i.) That ty might affnve things that are excel- 
 Irnt, that is, all fiich things as the gofpel requires : imply- 
 ing, that the things prefcnbcd tons id thegofpcl, are things 
 excellent and g^iod for us, things worthy to be prcfcribcd 
 bv God, and things reafonable to be praailld by us ; and 
 rh3t the appDhition of thcfc things, by a rtcadinefs in 
 I'ld^mcnr and praflicc, is every Chriftian's duty, and ought 
 to b; thcirgre.it endcjvonr. (2.) That ihey mi^ht'he 
 fincer, in ihrir h..ly profellim, incorinpt and pure, both in 
 (lo^rine and maniiLrs. (j.j That thc-y might be wthout 
 oyence, iinbl imcablc in convcrf.ui()n, and be kept from bein" 
 occafions of ftinnbling unto others, even to the end of their 
 days. ^4.) He prays, that they may not only be inoftenfivc 
 perl in?, but fruitfirl Chriflians, behig fiikd luiih the fruits of 
 r:ghh-:uf',tfs, u-hich are by Jfjus Chri)} uuto the glen, and 
 praife 0/ God \ that is, that they may aboimd in' £;,)<)d 
 v/orks, tindcitakcn in Chrift's ftreiigth, and with an ere at 
 God's ^lory. Lcnn, hcwce, 1. That a negative holincfs 
 !«; nor fuflicicnt to falvation ; it is not enough that Chrif- 
 tuns be harmlefs and inoflenfive towards others, hut they 
 iniift labour after an holy fruitfiilnefs in good works ; they 
 iniift be filh-d with all the fruits of righleiiifn/-fs. 2. 'That 
 our works be truly good, and fruits of righteoiifnefs • it 
 is necelTary that ihcy be done by Chrid's flrcngih and-'af- 
 Tilbncc, aiid'uith an eye at the glory and praife'of G.hJ, in 
 ordo-r to thtir acceptance: filled with the fruits of riirhte- 
 afnejs, &c. 3. That no (horter time oueht to be aflftrned 
 for our inoiTenllve walking, and frnitfiihcrsJn converfarion,' 
 than the day of cur death : uiilo the day of Chriji, Aiys our 
 aportle, that is, till the great reckoning-day, when Chrifl 
 wi'l render to lis our complete rcwaid ; if wc be faithful 
 and fruitful to the death, we liiall then receive the crown 
 of life. 
 
 12 But I would yc fliould underftand. brethren, 
 th.it the tliin<^s xvhich hnppcncd unto me have falleii 
 out rather unto the furtherance of the gofpel ; 13 
 So that iTiy bonds in Chrifl are manif.-a in all the 
 p;tlace, and in all othe r^4-,.cs ; j 4 And many of the 
 brethren in the Lord, waxinsr confident by my 
 bonds, are much more bold to fpeak the word 
 without fear. 
 
 Our aportle's dofign in ihcfe words is to prevent the 
 Philippuns rtiinibling, and beinu; fcarulaliztd at his prefent 
 fiiifcrings, alliiriny; tlicni, that ihe thiiij;s which happened 
 to him, throng!) the malice of his perftcutors, have fallen 
 out rather to the furtherance of the gofpel, than sny wavs 
 to the hinderanceof it, as they feared. Learn hence, 1 hat 
 The rufTerings and peifecui ions which the mefrtn"crs and 
 minifters of Chrill do undergo for the fake of the'' gofpel, 
 arc oft-times (o over-ruled by the wifdom of GtKt, that 
 they rather incrcafj than dimiiiilh the church, and rather 
 promote than prejudice the intcrtft of the gofpel. Next, 
 lie declares the fpecial and particular advantat'c, which had 
 redounded to the g'.fpcl, by thole fiiH'eriiigs Vhich he had 
 paMenilv endured for the gofpel'.s f.ke. {^.) His bonds 
 111 Chria, that is, his imprifonuient for thegi.fpil of Chrift, 
 were inanitell i;i \\\c palace ; that is, were manifelUv taken 
 iiouce ct in Ncio's court, and elfcwherc in the tiry ; fo 
 
 that people, inquiring into thecaurc of hisfufTeringSjfound 
 that it was not any mifdemeanour, but that his prc.ichine 
 and pra£li(mg the do£lrine of Chiiidianity, was the only 
 rcafon of his fuffeiings. f;.j Another advantage which 
 accrued to the church by his bonds, was this, natnclv, that 
 many miniftcrs of Chrii't, who preached the word of God 
 far and near, hearing of his conllancy under AitTerings, 
 were both encouraged and emboldened thertbv ; encouraptd 
 to fluke off fear, and emboldened to preach Chnlt with 
 greater rcfoliition. Al.iny if tin brethren in the Lord, uax- 
 ing confident by my bonds, &c. Nite here, The title given 
 by this great apoftle to the inferior minifler' of the gofpel, 
 he calls them brethren, and brethren in the Lord, pulling 
 himfelf and them in mind of their inutiiul and rcfjiedtive 
 duties, which was to live and love as biethrtn ; to adino- 
 nifti, exhort, and encour.igc one another, to /land up in 
 defence of the juft credit and reputation of one another 
 and jointly to fet their flioulders to the work of Chrift to- 
 gether. 2. That the minitlers of Chrift, obferving how 
 God upholds fome of their brethren under fufferings and 
 perfccutions, ^l^uId encourage thcmfehes to go on with 
 ref'ilution in t!ie work of the Lord, not fearini' their own 
 perPjnal fufFerings, knowing, that the fame alTiftance which 
 fupponcd one, (lands ready to fuccour others. 
 
 ] 5 Some indeed preach Chrift even of envy and 
 ftrifc; and foine alfo of good-will. 16 The one 
 preach Chrift of contention, not finccrely, luppof- 
 ing-to addaffliftion to my bonds: 17 But the other 
 of love, knowing that I am fet for the defence of the 
 gofpel. 18 What then? notwithftanding every 
 way. whether in pretence or in truth, Chrift is 
 preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will 
 rejoice. 
 
 Onr apoftle had declared in the foregoing vcrfcs, that 
 fcvcial of his brethren in the work of the miniftrv, thrcugh 
 his t-onftancy in fuffcring. were eniboldentd to preach Jefiis 
 Chrift with more refoluiion than before. But herchedif- 
 covers, that there was a vart di.Tercnce between thofe 
 preachers ; all did not pieach Chrill alike, with the fame 
 triind, from the fame motives, for the fame fnctre cnd.s. 
 Some, alas ! preach Chiift cut cfemv and/irife ; thst is, 
 env)ing the fuccefs of the apoftlc-'s niiniftry, .md crdeavour- 
 ingtodraw people ofFfroin approving him', to applaud them, 
 hoping 10 grieve and gall them thereby ; liit other.' preached 
 thegofpcl of Chrift Ifgccd-uill, with a purity of intcniif>n 
 arid l;ncerity of .-ifFedtion, both towards Chiift, nnd towards 
 himfelf, who, for the defence of the g< fpel, now lay in pri- 
 fon. However, feeing Chrift was pieachid and msde 
 known by both, by feme in pretence, by others in truth, 
 the apoftle rejoiced at it, and took coir.fori in it. Learn 
 hence, i. That fuch iriniftcrs of the gofpel arc jil»d!v arjd 
 joyfully to be heard, who preach Chrift and his pure 'word 
 i^'undly and truly, with what mind foever, from vih.-st mo- 
 tive foever, and lor •what end fixver ihey prerch Chrift and 
 his hol.y gofpel. The woid i.s his which thty brit-ir, how 
 vici.;us (ocver ihepcif.n, ; nd Low bad fotvcr the int. n- 
 tion be of him that brings jt ; a„d, if the melTa^^e he hi.-, 
 it is our duty to receive it withnut pre judi.-e, be the prin- 
 ciple what it will in him that delivers ii. Many preach in 
 
 ChiiU's 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 P H I L I P P I A N S. 
 
 823 
 
 Chrift's name, who pcrlHi in his wrath ; for Chrift takes 
 iioML-e of the inward intention, as well as of the outward 
 aiSion, and obforvcs tint only the matter which miniiKrs 
 preach, but the end for which, and the motive from which 
 they preach, whether from love and giwd-vvill, or from 
 cnvv and (Irife. 2. That fiich Chridians who find tht-ir 
 hearts inflamed with the zeal for thes;lory of Chrirt, ami the 
 fjlvaiion of foul':, do, and will reioice exceedingly, that 
 Chrirt is preached, whoever the perlbn is, or whatever the 
 principle may be in him that preaches. 
 
 iQ For I know that this fJiall turn tomy f.ilvation 
 through your prayer and the fupply of the Spirit of 
 Jefus Chrift. 20 According to my earneft expec- 
 tation, and my hope, that in nothing I fhall be 
 a(hained. but thnt with all boldncfs, as alway.s, fo 
 now aifo Chnft fhall be magnified in my body, 
 whether it be by life or by death. 
 
 Still our apoftles ptirfiies and profeciiteshis former defign, 
 namely, to prevent the Philii-pinns being offended at his 
 fiitferings ; and accordingly he flicws, that as tlic gofpcl of 
 Chriil fiad gained much already, it iTionkl gain yet more, 
 by his imprifonment and affliflions wWch he was very 
 i"onfidcnt woidd tend to the furtherance of his falvation, 
 throii;jh the help of their prayers, and the fiipplies of grace 
 from the Spirit of Chrift ; where, hy Jalvniicn, is meant 
 deliverance out of his prefent (uiFcrings, >yhich he fully 
 expedcd by the help and benefit of the chureli's prayers. 
 Great are the expectations of the faints, even to tem- 
 poral fjlvation and outward mercies, from the joint prayers 
 and iiitcrceflions of the church of Chrifl ; thhJhitU turn to 
 myjuhathn tkriugh yiur prnyer. Eiit if, by Jalvaii'jn, be 
 meant eternal happinefs, then his confident perfnafion was 
 this. That all the deigns of his advcrfaries againft him 
 fhotild be fo over-niled and ordered by Ciod, that through 
 the influences and fuppli-'S of the holy Spirit, all (liouid 
 work together for Rood, and iiis eternal falvation be ad- 
 vanced thereby, through the concurrence and alTirtancc of 
 their prayers. In the 20th verfe he tells them, that ac- 
 cording to his former expe>5tatinn and hope, he was refolvcd 
 that no terror fliould ever make him afltamed to ow n the 
 truth of Chrift, but that with a convincing boldrefs, he 
 v.'oiiIJ now, as heretofore, appear in the defence of it, and 
 that Chrilf fhoiild be magnified hy him, /« the Iciiy, lul.clher 
 ly life or death \ that is, whether my life be further pro- 
 Ionised, or be now, by irartyrdoni, ended : Chrift will be 
 magnified, if I live ; the power r.f Chrift will be magnified 
 in mv deliverance from death : If I die, his power will be 
 magnified in cn;:bru>g me to undergo dea'h for his name 
 and fake ; fo that I am at a point, either to live or die, as 
 the wifdom of Chirft ftiall Jctertr.inc ; I am, as to mvfelf, 
 iiidiiFerent for ei'hcr, well knowing that CiiriftMill be 
 glorified in me, and hy me, both by lile and <.lcalh. Learn 
 li.nce. That nothing lies fo near the heart of a faint, as 
 the honour and glory of Chrift ; this he refolvcs fhall be 
 promoted by hiin, living and dying, by his great fervices, 
 fiippufing his lite, and by his extraordinary fufierings and 
 inartyulom, in cafe of his death. 
 
 <2.\ For mc to live ii ChriH, and to die m gain. 
 
 Our apoftle had decljioy, in the foregoing rcrfr, his firm 
 expedtaiion that Chrift vvould be magnified and glorified 
 by him, both in life and death ; in this\crfc hedifcovers 
 what reafun he had to think fo ; for, fa3's he. To me ti live 
 is ChriJ}, anfi to die is gain ; that is,' if I live, Chrift thall 
 be the fcope of my life, and the end of my living ; I refolve 
 to live to his fervicc ; if I die, death will be a real gain and 
 advantage to me: Iniiniating, that both life and death are 
 gain to a good man, and that it is Chrift that makes both 
 life and death gainful and advantai^coiis : 'To me ti lize in 
 Chri/}, to die is gnin. Words hotii Ihort and Iweet, few 
 in expre(fi"n, but large in extcntion ; in them we arc 
 taught both how to live, and how to die. Ohferve, i. 
 The fcope and end of a Chrilfian's life, To trie to live is 
 Chrift. 2. The hope and frtn't of a Chriftian's death, To 
 die is gain. Lenrn, That Chrift u the believer's life, and 
 death the believer's gain. The life ci a teal Cliriftian is 
 refolved into Chrift, and his death is lefolved into gain. 
 Note, I. Chrift is the believer's life ; both his life of grace, 
 and l;is life of glory is refolvtd into Chrift. As to his life 
 of grace, Chiift is the life of this life ; he is the efficient or 
 principal caufe of this life ; he is the exemplar caufe or 
 [>atlern of it ; he is the final caufe or fcf)pe of it ; and he 
 is the conferving caufe, or prcferver and maintainer cf it. 
 So for the life of glory, which bclitvcrs have in rtverfirn, 
 Chrift is alfo the life of that life ; thus h.e has pi;rchafed it 
 for ilum, he has given it fo ;htm, he has taken and keeps 
 polTtftion of it in their name«, he has prepared it for them, 
 and them for it, and put them .into the full and adlual 
 pofleftion of it, in l.is own time. 2. That death is the 
 believer's gain ; death in general, violent as well as natural 
 death ; it is not only not injurious, but advantageous ; no 
 hurt, but profit ; no lof^, bist benefit ; not liidv to die for 
 Chrift, but to die in Chrift is gain ; ilrj/id are tic deed that 
 die ill the Lord, as well as thofe that die for the Lord. 
 Death appears gain to the believer, if we ccnfidcr tlic 
 private evils it frees and delivers him froiri, namelv, from 
 fin, from all temptatir^ns to fm, from all inclinations to 
 ofFtnd, from all poftibility of (inning, from all temporal 
 afflidions, fr^om all fiifferings for God, from all fnftirlTigs 
 from man for God's fake ; efpccially if we ccnf/dcr the 
 poiitive gO( d that the believer gains bv dc:.ih, namelv, pcr- 
 fedlion in grace, fulntfs of joy, theblillcd \irion, the fucitty 
 of glorified faints and angels, and the fpirits of jiift men 
 made perfect. So then, if a ftate of perlc dt holinefs and 
 purity be better than a ftate of corruption and temptation, 
 if a ftate of reft and peace be better than a ftaic ot labour 
 and forrow, if it he better to be triumphing ahore, than 
 fighing and groaning below; then dead faints are btiter 
 where they are, thanwhere they were, and death to them 
 is gain, and infinitely advantageous. -5. That the e;'in 
 which comes by death to the believer, is piocund by Chiift, 
 namely, by hi? meritorious falistaflion, by his glorious 
 afcenfion and poll'tflion, by his prevailing interttffK n. 
 
 2 2 But if I live in the fltfti, that is the fruit of 
 my labour: yet what fhall I chufe, I wot not. 23 
 For I am in a flrait betwixt two, having a defire to 
 depart, and to be with Chi ill ; which is far better : 
 
 24 Neverlhciefs, 
 
82.1, 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 24 -Neverthclefs, to abide iri^he flefli is more need- 
 ful for you. 
 
 But if I live in fhe /ejh, that is, if I ftinll continlrc to 
 
 live longer in this n'ortal bfxly, t/>it is the fruit if viy 
 
 laliur\ that is, I forcfcc whst •vviU be tV.e biellcd fruit of 
 
 my iab'v'ir, nan-.tlv, the converfion anil gaining of more 
 
 (i)iils unto GoJ antt Cluiit -, at Itaft, as it is worlh my 
 
 labour, fi (Tiall it be my cntk-avonr to glorify Cbrill, by 
 
 'my coniinuancc in the v/orlil. Lcnrn hence, Tliat as it 
 
 is the end of a minifter's Jifc, fo he makes it the end of his 
 
 liung, to glorify Chrift, by gaining fouls imto him : and 
 
 in onlcr to the i*btuinlng this great end, he is willing, for 
 
 tile prcfcnt, to deny himfcif the ad\antaj5e rtf being with 
 
 Ciiriii. Oljeme next, Sr. Paul's (bait \\ hich he was now 
 
 in, which to ihufe, cither life, or death, if God 'hoiild leave 
 
 It to his choice ; / am in a Jlrait hetwixt /cyj.-that is, I 
 
 am divided in my thoughts and defirc?, \\ hethcr to widi 
 
 for life, or death ; his ardent love to Chrlft and himfelf 
 
 inclined him fo dcfire a dilfolmion, / {Irfire to he dijD'ih'e/!, 
 
 niuitilc -ivith C.hiift \ but his affcclionatc regard to his 
 
 helovcd Phili[)pi.ms inclined Mm to dcllrc a cor.tinuation 
 
 of his time and talents ; ncverthrkji, la abide fiiU in ll.f flefij 
 
 i- v-'.yc needful f'jf you. Z^^rw hence, I. That the lite of 
 
 piou? miniilcrs is far more profitable for their people than 
 
 dcTith. 1. That their death being a departure unto Chrill, 
 
 is far better, and more dclirable to themfclvcs than life ; 
 
 their life is profitable to cixilizc fome, to convert others, 
 
 to convince the crroncrais, to confirm the weak ; the world 
 
 M-ants them, the church wants them, theif flecks want 
 
 -ihcm, their families want them, and they v.ant them ir.cft, 
 
 that think they could fpare theni bcfV. But their dcaMt 
 
 *jcing a di'partiirc, an immediate departure unto Chrift, Is 
 
 i.xi belter, and more defirablc to thcmfelvcs fhan life ; hov- 
 
 Jug a d fire to depart, aud ti be u'itl) ChriJ}, Khich is. fir 
 
 better : Better in point of honour ; for as they here laljourcd 
 
 In the woik of the miniflry for him, they fhall there fit 
 
 .I'o-.vn upon the throne ^^itll him, Rev. iit. 2i. Better in 
 
 j.oiut of profit ; He is 'eir and pt'J'efJ'or cf all th'nigs, and 
 
 they iliall be joint heirs, and joint podclTors with him : 
 
 Thus may the words be confiJered, with relation to St. 
 
 I'aul, as a tKinifter of the gofocl \ but they may be further 
 
 ■<'oiifidcred, witii reference fo liim as a j>r<vatc Chriftian ; 
 
 i deftre to depart. Hence Icr.rii, That it i^ not oi^.ly war- 
 
 j-2'Tablc, but hi'.;lily commendable", for a Chriftian to be 
 
 not enlv fearlcf^. but dcfiroiis of death. There are fi.) 
 
 Unwarranta'jle r.nd finfui deli res of death ; as when they 
 
 are rafh and hafty, when they arc pofitive and peremptory, 
 
 M'hcn they are dTrcfling and prefcribing to God, either as 
 
 to the time, or kiii.!, or manner of our diiroliition, and 
 
 when our dciir?s are purely felfifli, dc(irij-.g death only as 
 
 Ireedom from prdent eviK, and as a prevention trom 
 
 future fiiflcrings. (i.) There are warrantable and jullili- 
 
 al)le dctires ot death and dilfolution j namely, when wc 
 
 flelirc it to frcers from the indwelling prcfcnce of fin, to 
 
 put us in a (late of perfeft holinefs, to bring us to Hie 
 
 1ij»ht of Chrid, fo give us the poileifion of that happinefs, 
 
 >v!iich was contrived by infinite wifdom, purchsftd by 
 
 infinite merit, pfepared by infinite po\ycr, and bcflowed 
 
 hy iiifiai'e l(*vc. j.j There are alfo commendable dcfircs. 
 
 or, the lafl-nientloncd dcfirrs arc highly com'-.'.cnd.iblc ; 
 they commend Our faith, and proclaim our crif:.in belief 
 ot a future flatc ; they conrimend our love fo Gnd, 10 
 Chrift ; they commend our obedience, tic. Learn, 2. 
 That the fouls of believers, at their departure from the 
 body, arc with Chrifl. .^le/i. What i, it to b wi:h C/in'/f f 
 Anf. It implies intuiti'.n, we lliall foe him, and fee hijn »s 
 he is, not as he once was, in a Hate of abnOmfnt ; it im- 
 plies /;.7///c?r, wc fluil cnjov Mm, as well as fee him, anil 
 enjoy him fo fatisf-iSlion, Pfal. xvii. tdt. and it implies 
 durati-.n, we Ihall fnrc\cr be with the Lord. ^vefl. But 
 how doth it appear, that the folds of I'fwv! men, iipnn their 
 departure from the \iO(\y, ^tz iillh Urifi ? J»f.'V\w^\ 
 tlity arc Immcdintcly capable of hi.<: prcfi nee and enjoy- 
 ment upon their departure, and ihev arc fully prepared for 
 it .• If we be not fit for heaven when we die, we (h.ilt ncvf-r 
 be fit ; all is done upon us that was ever in!cn<leil to he 
 <ione ; and neither Chrill's ardent dcfircs to have his chj!- 
 dren with him, nor the vehement longincs of their fouls 
 for the friiitinn and enjoyment of him, can or lliall be 
 delayed ; fuch dtl.-vs would 'ijake fhtir hearts lick ; no, 
 they expect faiisfaclicn, uiid Goil will not difjppoint their 
 cxpcctatit^. 
 
 2!^ And havinc^ this ronfidcncc. I kriow that I 
 (liall abide and continue with you all for youv fur- 
 therance and joy of faith ; 26 That your rejoicinjj 
 ni.ny be more abundant in Jefus Chrifl forme, by 
 my coming to you again. 
 
 St. Paul havirig in the foregoing verfcs, told the Philip- 
 pians how needful it was for him to abide in the flefh, with 
 refpedl to them, he here gives them a fort of confident 
 afi'iirance /which was given him by immediate rcvclnticn) 
 that his life fhoidd at this time be prcfcrvcd for the bcn( fit 
 of the church, and he be fet at liberty, and that he flioidd 
 come and fpend a-part of his time amongfl them, for the 
 furtherance of their faith, ami the increafc of their joy, 
 th?,t fo ihev might have more aburidant 'matter of rejoicing 
 ill Chrifl, having received a new proof of hh power and 
 eood-will towards thein, in delivering hiin their anoflle 
 from death, and fending him to them a^ain. Learn 
 hence, I. That God always can, and foinetimts will, fo 
 calm the rage t>f perfecutors, that thty cannot execute the 
 evil bv fkem intended and refolved ag-.iinfi h.is faithful 
 miniflcrs rnd fcrvants : Notwithllanding Nero's cruelty, 
 St. Paid had a confident perl'uafion, that he fliould come 
 out of prifon, and once more vifit the churches. 2. 1 hat 
 Almighty God, in frrcat n-.crcy to his church, doth fome- 
 tin^es prolong the lives of his faithful minilters, and mofl 
 ufcful fcrvaiifc, and keep them lt.n(;er out of hcav. n, thni 
 his people may reap the greater advantage bv ihtir lLb< >■ ; 
 here on earth. 3. That the more uiiexp.:6t'dlv the lite 
 ot a laborious miniiler, or a pious aiid extraordinary ChrJf- 
 tian, is given hiin by God, tl'.e mere abundant ought the 
 church to be in thtii exprelTions nt joy and ihariklgiving 
 to God for fuch an invaliizblc blelling. 
 
 27 Only let yonrconvcrfatiotibc as It bccoineth 
 the gofpcl of Chrtrt : that wliotiici I roirc and fee 
 ■you, or elfc be abfent, I may Iumi of \our affairs 
 
 that 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 8i.'5 
 
 that ye ftandfafl inourfpirit, with one mind, ftriv- 
 ing tOf;ether for the faith of the j^ofptl ; 28 And 
 in nothing terrified by your adverfaries : which is 
 to them an evident token of perdition, but to you 
 of falvation, and that of God. 
 
 Cii/irvehere, 1. The genera! charpe given by the apoflle 
 to his beloved I'liiliipians, tiiat (he-ir lives fliould anlwer 
 their light, and their prafticts correfp.-nd v iih iheir pro- 
 feffion : Let y-jur corrjcrration he as it hecometh the go/pel. 
 A gofpel-profeflion requires and calls for a gofpel-conver- 
 faiion; as thegofpel is -a gofpel of truth iod laiihfiilnefs, 
 ct" fincerity and plainnef?, (o our cor.veifation fliould be 
 lintere and upright, without deceit or friiud ; a' the of>ipel 
 is a gofpel <.f peace, I'o a Chriflian converl'dtion is a quiet, 
 calm, and peaceabk' con\eriation : C'liriflians fliould be 
 men of peace, prace-makcrs, pesce-prcfervtrs. lovers of 
 peace, and livers in peace, 'i h' gofpel is a gofptl of love 
 and mercy, of grace and goodnefi ; the badge ^iod cogni- 
 zance of Ch rift's difc.ple?, the n^aik and brand of ChrifVs 
 flitep, is love unfeigned ; ihus a gofpeltonverfation is an 
 amicable, loving. andtharit.ible converfaiion. Ag:iin, the 
 gofpel of Chrift is. a gofpel of met knefs and liumility, and 
 its chitf Itflbn is humility : Learntifms, fr,r 1 am meek and 
 hwiy in kart, Matt. xi. ^9. sndl'eye chthed luith humility, 
 J Pet V. 5. In a word, thegofpel of Chrift is a gofpelof 
 holinefs and purity; a Chriitian converfaiion mufl be a 
 pure, and holy, and Tpotlefs cenvcrlaticn : Saints by pro- 
 feflion fliould be faints indeed ; ard there is a comelinels 
 in agoipel ronverfation, both as to the inward and outward 
 ffi.-.n ; ualk as becomeththe gofpel r.fCktiJt, that is, anlwer- 
 able to the precepts and coinmands of the gofpel, anfwcr- 
 able to t!ie proiiiifes and encouragements of the gofpel, 
 anfweraMc to the helps and fui>plie5 of grace whicl-. the 
 gofpel ^fTordj, aniV.erable to that grand p.ittern ofholintfs 
 vihich the gofptl fets before us, and snfwerable to that 
 high and glorious hope « hich thegofjiel raifes us up to the 
 joyful expectation 01 ? this is to walk as bec<jmeththep:Jpel 
 of Ciriji. 1. The apoftle, having given a general injunc- 
 tion to walk a? becometh thegofpel of Chrifh next givesa 
 particular injuiitftion for concord and unity amongfl them- 
 itlves, That ye Jtandfuji in ine fpi'it, vjitk -jne word. Learn 
 hence, I hat ^sll thole who would walk worthy, ofthe gof- 
 prl, riicuiti endeavourafter a c!ofe,holy, and lafling union 
 among theiiilelves. We tan never expetft to thrive in 
 grace, it we do not live in peace; let us prize unity and 
 peace as the beauty and flrengih of the body, and let us 
 piirfue peace snd union with the utmoft flrength of our 
 foul. Ooferve, 3. Another duty exliorfed to. and that i."., 
 an united contention, ftriviig ecgeiher fur the fiith of the 
 g'fptl : Before, heexhorted ihein toan holy union ; now,, 
 to an united contention ; unite, but ftrive ; yet let your 
 ftriving be in communion, not in contention ; flrive to- 
 gether in all holy and united endeavours to comfort and 
 coitirin one another in the faith of the irofpel. 4 He 
 exhorts them, as to aii holy unit/n, ami an united con- 
 tention, fo to an humble boldnefs, in wihirg terriftdby 
 Qur acverfaries • in nothing, that is, terrified at noih'Pg 
 they can do, and terrified innode/jree at any thing they 
 ibail do. Be not afraid to be hely; for your adverfbrie's 
 
 can never hurt you, if they Jo rot hinder you in your 
 duty; ilie kfs rhey fear God, rlie Ivfs ycu need to fear 
 them. 5. A double argument to perfuade then* to the 
 foregoing liu'y, in n'.thing tetrifed hy their adverfaries. 
 (1.) f his will h ■ to th'TU cm nidcnt token of perdition • that 
 is, an united, humble, peaceable bi.ldnefs in your holy 
 courle, v hereby y> u v a!k in the fpirit and power of the 
 gofpel, without fight or fear, ttilibe to your perfecuiors 
 an evident t:keit 'f perdiucn. Perftcufion is a bl.?ck mark 
 of a foTi rf perd tion, and a very e^ dtnt ti;ken to a roan's 
 own confcience that he is in the way to dtflruclion. (2.) 
 But to you offulviition ; that is,fucli a« fuffer patiently, yet 
 rel"o'>iielv for the gol'pel, are in the way of fjlvation, and 
 thtir lufTt-rings fliall promote iheir eternal falv.Ttirn ; it is 
 addeil. Solvation, and that 0/ G'-jd ; now this implies two 
 tr;ng': (i.) 1 hat the falvation of fiifferiug Chrif^iaiis 
 fliall be lure, they fliall certainly be faved, for God has 
 uiuertaken for it: Now, if it be God that fave«, who 
 Ihall dcltioy ? Satan will fay, " Serve me, and I will fave 
 you ;" but he \f, feeble, and cannot ; falfe, and will not 
 fave: The world will fay, " C;ift in ycur lot among us, 
 and we will fave you harmlefs ;" but there is no more 
 trult to be given to the children, than to the father of lies .- 
 But if the God of truth and power fays, " 1 will fave ;" 
 who will lay nay ? (7.) 1 hat tlieir falvation flial! be gre"at, 
 as well as fore ; he will fave them with a mighty lalvatl. 
 on, from their mighty fufteriiigs and miglity fears : Suf- 
 fer for Chnft, and then fear none of ihcfe things which 
 you fhall fufTer. 
 
 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of 
 Ghrifl, not only to believe on him, but alfo to fuf- 
 fer for his lake; 
 
 Thefe Words come in by way of encouragement to 
 the practice of (he foretnenrioned duty, namelv. of cou- 
 rageous fuffering for the gofpel of Chrift ; he tells them, 
 that as ability to believe on- Chriff, fo likewife nowe'r to 
 fuff'er for Chrift, were both tliegift of Cod, and, asfjch, 
 purchafed by Chrift for them, and freely beftowed upon 
 them. Learn hence, i. That it is the duty of all the 
 dilciples and followers nfjefus, not only to believe iu 
 him,. but cheerfully to fufTer for him, when he calls them 
 to if ; nat onlytabelitve.buttofujfer. 2. That fuffering 
 for Chrift i.s the pi ft of God, as well a« faith in ChriiY; 
 untoyoH it is given, not only la believe, but to fuffer; afi'ic- 
 tio.ns are the donaiive; ofthe gofpel ; fuffering for Chrift 
 is the gift of Chrift. (t.j Ability to fii*{er isbis gift ; it 
 is the purchafe ofhi-- merits, it is the fruit of his mediation. 
 Preparation for fuffering, and patience under fuffering, are 
 the gift of Chrifh (a j As abilities for I'ufTcring, fo the' 
 comforts of fuffering,. are the gift of Chrift ; through him 
 it is that his faints glory in tribalaiion, and their trials are 
 rot onlv tolerable but joyous. In (hort, to hitTcr for 
 CKiift i?, firft, a t'lee gitt; and,.fercndly, .in honourable 
 g-ft; and,. thirdly, a fpevial and peculiar gift : It is a gift 
 peculi-ir to niiiit.'s, yea,. peculiar only to feme faints: It is 
 onlv peculiar to faints ; the angels glorify Chrift by doing, 
 bur Out >bv fuffering. I doubt not, but had the argels 
 bi dies of ficfh, as faints have, they would be glad to lay 
 thf ir necks oq the blocLfor Chrifli,as faints do ; But this 
 5 M 's 
 
826 
 
 P H I L I P P I A N S. 
 
 Chap ii. 
 
 is tlif peculiar privilrgeof btlievers, unto you it ij Q-ven, 
 avd natto them. Anil 3l(huu(;li a fuffering difpofition, a 
 readinefs aiul preparation of mind to glorify Chrtft by fuf- 
 f-ring, is j^ivcii to all I'elievers ; yet the honour of adlual 
 fufTering de.uh for Chrifl, is givi'sibut lo a few. 3. That 
 l.iith in Chrift inuft go before fuffcTin^ for Chrill ; it mull 
 fi'J} b? ^iven to us to believe on him, before we can InflTer 
 lor his fake ; then only arefufTerings truly Chriftian, and 
 an evidence of filvation, when ihe fufi'erer is fiift a belie- 
 ver; without the flueldoffnith, we can no more refill the 
 fury of thepcrfecutors, than we can repel the fiery darts 
 f the deftroycr. 
 
 30 HaviiiT ihe fame conflift which ye faw in me, 
 and now hear to be in me. 
 
 Here is the laft arguinent made ufe of by the apoftle to 
 fiicourage them unto patient luffering for the j;ofptl of 
 Chrift ; as it would render them comfortable to Chrift their 
 head, fo to hiin their apudle, who fuffVred many hard 
 things when he was at Philippi, as they had feen ; and 
 Hood ready to fnfTer, not only bonds, but death itfelf, now 
 he was at Rome, which they heard of : Hdving the fume 
 /•ir/7;V7 -.uh'ich youfa-M in me, and mw hear to he in me. 
 litre tbferve, I. The title given by i>t. Paul to his fuffer- 
 ingsfor the j'.cfpel, hec.ills them a conflift. /.ear«, 1 hat 
 ChriAian courage under fufl'erings cannot keep up with- 
 out a mighty conflict : We muft conflict with our enemys, 
 with the rage of our per/ecutors; we mud conflict with 
 ourfclves, and with our own fpirits, to keep them from 
 fainting uniler perfecjtion ; and we mull even conflict 
 with God himfelf, wreltle with him, by prayers, for ex- 
 traordii>ary meafures of ftrength to fupport us under fuf- 
 firings, and to enable us to glorify God in and by them. 
 Well might the apoftle then call his fufferings a row^/t?. 
 Clfni'e, 1. St. Paul encourages thePhilippians toconflict 
 with fiifTfrings from his own example before ihtm, having 
 the Jame CLf.flifl -which yr,u f aw in me. /,'<Jr/», That the 
 prud .nt and patient fnfftrings of the miiiiflers of Chri(t 
 for the truth of the gofpclare, and ought to be, a powerful 
 encouragement to all their people toconflift with the like 
 difHculiief and trials for the teflimony of Chrilt ; the cap- 
 tain goes firll, leads the van, his minillers follow, and 
 their people Ining up the rear ; and, having fuffired to- 
 gtther, they fliall be alfo glorified together; a fufT.ring 
 headj and futfering members, fliall never be feparated, 
 
 C H A P. II. 
 
 Our apjflle in (his cliaplcr urges the Philippians zvith 
 a vitift elegant olujlution, to k/ound in ihe exercijt and 
 practice of unity and humility. 
 
 IV there be therefore any confolation in Chrift, if 
 any comfort of love, if any felJovvftiip of the 
 Spirit, If any bowels and mercies; 2 Fulfil yemy 
 joy. that ye be like-minded, having the fame Im'C, 
 being oi one accord, of one mind. 
 
 Here w-; h^ve t^/i>T'6/'/e, i. The important duty which 
 the apoftlt cxhorii the Puilippians to, and iha; is love and 
 
 unity ; unity in judgment and opinion, unity in heart and 
 afTetftion, unity in dern;n and endeavours ; fo netelTiiyand 
 advantageous is the duty <>f unity and concord among all 
 the proftffiirs of Chnftianity, that all the cautions and 
 warnings, all the advice and counfcl, all the melting in.rea- 
 ties and paflionate importunities of the minirters ol Chrift 
 are little enough to excite perfons to it, and direct them in 
 the pradtceofif. 2. What an heap of arguments the 
 apollle mikes ufe of to excite and quicken the Philippians 
 to the love and practice of this c'uiy : 1/ tl.-ere be an) con- 
 filali'jn in Chtifi, any camp.rt if Ivf any fel!o\uf':p -fthe 
 Spirit, any b'.w^ls and m.'rcies. As if he had laid, If ever 
 you hawtalted, by means of my miniftry, any l^^eftnefs 
 and confidation in Chriftand his holy icligiot^, ifeveryou 
 have found any comfort in his love, if ever ycu have en- 
 joyed any communion with his Spirit, if ye be men, and 
 have any bowels of mercy for yourfelves, if ye be Chrif- 
 tians, and have any pity for me in my ho(\d%, fulfil ye my 
 joy in this, thai ye be like-mindtd, having tie /am: hve, beirg 
 of vne accord, and of 'jn: mind. O the tendernefs, the 
 gentlenefs and liiecknefs of foul which was in St. Paul, 
 and ought to be in every fp'ritual psflor towards hisjieo- 
 ple, to win them, and to prevail upon thini to love the 
 truth and peace ! Fulfil ye tiy j'jy,(.t\i\.hc apcftle ; asifhe 
 had faid. Sufferings 1 have enough already ; O do not 
 you, by your divifions and diflentions addrr.ore: Jam 
 already a prifoner, expecting the fcntence of death, pre- 
 j)a ring for the fwordof perfccuiion, but none of thefe things 
 move me ; I can rejoice in a dungeon, ling in the ftotks, 
 triumph in death, if I can but hear you (land taft in one 
 fpirit, flriving together for the faith of the gofpcl : But, if 
 1 hear that you arelirokenby divilions, my heart is broke ; 
 the news of differences and diffentions among you will be 
 heavier to me than my chain, darker th.n my dungroti, 
 fliarper thiin Nrro's f^ord : Do not thus add to my for. 
 row and fuffering^ ; but as yon have begun and occafion- 
 ed joy in me, 1 befeechyou lulfjl and complete my joy, by 
 your being of one heart, of one mind, entirely one. 
 
 3 Let noih\r\gbe dime ihTO\\<^ ftrife, or vain-glory. 
 
 Here our apoftle diffuadeth the Philippian' from a double 
 vice, deftrudive to unity, namrly, contention and vain- 
 glory, which are the very bane of unity and unanimity ; 
 let nothing be done amongft you through emulation and 
 envy, through contention and vainglory: Pride and am- 
 bition are ufually attended with flrile and contention ; a 
 vainglrr'ousperfon over-rates himfelf, undervalues oihersj 
 and breaks the peace with all. 
 
 — But in lowlinefs of mind let each eftecm other 
 better than themfelves. 
 
 Here our apoftle direds to humility, in order to pe.Tcc 
 and unity ; which humility he liyles /cu7;r;c/> vf mind, a 
 grace whereby a man thinks meanly of himfelf, anil highly 
 ofolh^rs, having a better opinion of other's wifdom and 
 piety than his own ; now this a man may do, and not fin; 
 though he be mifliken ; the publican jutlgfd rh? Pharifee 
 better th:in himfelf : .".nd though it was not fo God did 
 not ilifapprove him for it, but he went away juitified. It 
 is DO crime to judge another better than ourltlveS; ihoue,h 
 
 he 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 827 
 
 he be not fo ; but ic is pride to judge another worfe tlnii vant ; fo to be in the form of Cod, fignifi'Ts thst he was 
 
 ourfelves; though he b? really To. Learn hence, That true God : And obferve, 2. He was in the form of G )d before 
 
 humility doth not confift in iowlinefs of expreflion.btit in he was in the form of a ferv.mt : Jnd, btin^ in Ihefrjrm 0/ 
 
 lowlinefs of mind and opinion ; not the man that fpeaks GoJ, he thought it no robbery io he equal -with Cod : iSJow it 
 
 meanly of himfelf, but he that thinks fo, is the humble he thought it no rcbbfry, it could be no robbery, and if no 
 
 man. 2. 1 hat the humble or lowly-minded man is fo robbery, he muft be equal, and if equrtl, he muft be<j,Hl 
 
 coiifcious to himfelf of his own infirmities, fo modefl in the by nature, as the Father is. Le^trn hence, '1 hat our Sa- 
 
 cftimating ofhis graces and virtues, and fo torward to hope viour pofltfled that gl'^ry which is truly divine, before he 
 
 ind believe the beft of others, that not only in outward afTumtd our nature asman ; he had a peerage or equality 
 
 with his Father in glory ; the angels adored him in heaven 
 before his incarnation on earth. Ifa. vi. i, 7. Obfl-'H", 3. 
 What mighty abafenient the holy Jefus, God. blefTcd for 
 evermore, underwent, whet> he humbled himftlf: He ■wi'S 
 Joundin jujlnon as a man ; he took upon him the form vf a 
 
 exoreflii)n,b'.it in real eftimation,doth he give others a pre- 
 ference before himfelf. 
 
 5 Look not every man on his own things, but 
 every man alfo upon the things of others. 
 
 The apoftle here dilTuadeth from another fin which is ftrvant, and became obedient to death, even the death oj thi 
 
 very deftruclive of unity and per.cp,of love and concord, and croj's. Behold here, the funof rigbteoufnefs under an[almo(t 
 
 that is the lin of inordinate felf-love, whereby we regard fotal)eclipfe : He that wa^ e:ern.illy beautiful and glorious, 
 
 only our own honourand profit, wholly neglctting the con- being the brightnefs of his Father's glory, was fo veiled, 
 
 cerns of others ; I'lok not every men on his o-jin things, that clouued and debafed in the day ofhis humiliation, that he 
 
 is, his own private advantage only or chiefly, but takecare appears not like a God, fcarce like a man. Note, i. Hf 
 
 of the things which tend to the advantage of others ; not t^.ok upon him thejorm of a fervart .■ now this wa' a lower 
 
 but that a Cin-iflian may and ought to look at his own degree of conciefcenfion, than the nfl'imiing ihe n; ked hu- 
 
 things, bi.it not wholly : Our regard muft extend further man nature ; for a fervant is net limply a man, but a mean 
 
 than ourfelves, and our own things ; we muft look on the man, a man in a low eftate. Lord, w. hat abafenient was 
 
 things of others alfo ; we muft be as juft and trueto ano- here, that Chrift, who was in the form ot God, fliould 
 
 other's reputation as to our own, and regard both the degrade himfelf into the form of a fervant, and talvc the 
 
 honour dud pri fituf cur neighbour as well as cur own : human nature without hnnour, after it had loft if prinii- 
 
 And where Chnftians are of this public fpirit and temper live innocency, after finhadbloited the original glory of it, 
 
 it contributes' much, very much, towards the perlevering and withered the beauty and exct llency thereof! O incon- 
 
 and maintaining (^f unity and peace among them. ceivable condefcenlion ! 2. He emptied himfelf, or mods 
 
 c Let this mind be in you which was alfo in ^'''n/>//''/ "';'_/>''''''"'' ; that is, in theday of his incarna- 
 
 Ph-'f> I f t; • tion he laid alide the robes of his glory .he enipticdhimfelf 
 
 J ■ of that divine fplendour and m.njefiy w-hich before he had ; 
 
 That is, this humble mind. Here the apoftle prefles the not by cealing to be what he was, but by alTuming '^^^m^. 
 
 duty ofhumilitv, from Chrift's example ; he was a perfeft thing to himfelf which before he was net, the Son of God 
 
 pattern ofhumility when here oneanh, example therefore defcended from his throne, and put on our vile mortality.; 
 
 ftiould recommend this grace and virtue to us, which xvas he parted with his glory, that he might part with his life 
 
 fo orient in the life of C'hi ill, \< hole humility was as con- for our falvation. 3. lie -juas made in the Itkcmfs of man, 
 
 fpicuous as his innocency ; and accoi'dingly the apoftle and fund in fafl:ion as a man ; that is, he was truly and 
 
 defcends, in the next verfe, to give particulnr inftancesof really man, made in likenefs of other men. without any 
 
 the humility and humiliation of the Son of God. • vifible outward difference : he was in all thing! like unto us, 
 
 6 Who. beinp in the form of God; thought it not f'" only excepted, Kom. viii. 3. He isfaid to ^/ip^^r ;«7.'-e 
 
 robberry to be equal ivith God : 7 But made him- i:ken,fsoffwfulfl.Jh ih-^t is, in Hefli that had the m.m ks ami 
 
 c \c c . .■ J • 1 u- ^1 r c mil( Tabic eftects oflin upon it : Not that Clinft afluined 
 
 leir 01 no reputation. and took upon nimtlierorm or r. c \ a i\, .in n j ci 1 1 r u . u rr j 
 
 f. ^ . 1 • 1 i-i r r- r, iinfui fielh, or ilelh really defiled by fin, but he aifumed tiie 
 
 a fer^-ant, and was made in the hkcnefs ol men : 8 hum-n nature, attended with a whole troop of hman in- 
 
 And bemg found in fafliion as a man, he humbled firmities, which finfirft let into that nature, as hunger and 
 
 himfelf and became obedient unto death, even the thirft, wearinefs and pain, mortality and death : By reafou 
 
 death of the crofs. 
 
 Beheld here the greateft example of humility, of lowli- 
 nefs and abafenient, that ever ihe world was acqu.-.inted 
 with ; the mighty G 'd becom lefs than man ? To make 
 8 due eftimate hereof, we imift tirft 'bfefve, What Chrift 
 was before his incarnation and humiliation, n.nmely, the 
 great and mighty God; for, fays the apoftle, he was in the 
 
 of which, though he was not a finner, yet he looked hke 
 one, and they that converfed with him look him for one, 
 feeing all thefe eifict'; of (in upon him. Lord, what a 
 ftoop was this! To be mark- in the likenels of innocent 
 flelh, had been much ; but to be made in the likenefs of- 
 finful flcdi, rcbelliiiu; fltfli, fitfli though vot dtfiUd, yet nii- 
 (crMy dtfacedV-y lin ! O, what is thif land who can declare 
 hi^ humihation ? 4. The nature of this huiiiiliati(jn ; Air 
 
r.i-3 
 
 TMI 1 L I P P I A N S. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 and man. And, as it was rtal, foalfo wa^ his Immiliation 
 voluntary : It is not faid, hr war hunihled, bur that he 
 l:i"jl'lid hiinfilf t he was willing to Hoop lo this low and 
 a^jctt rtatc tor ii«; and ii w as the voKiniarinefs (>f his hli- 
 nnliition that ni.idc it fo accepiahle to God, and lo hene- 
 i\C:j\ and ferviceiibleimto us. 5. The degrees of onr holy 
 Lord's humiliation : he became '.hetlu'r.t unto death, fvn the 
 J-iith'f the croft. Here we have thedepth ofChrilVs hu- 
 miliation rjiecified ; it was unto death, and alio apjiravated, 
 even unto the death rf the crojs : he humbled hunfelf, not 
 only to become a niortil man, but a dead corpfe and ihat 
 MM) h.inging on a tree, dying the death of a ni.ilefa«.^c,r: 
 'i'htrre was pain, fliame, and a curfe, in the death of the 
 crol's ; Chritt underwent the pain patiently, the (hame 
 meekly, the curie obediently, all of them willingly and 
 I iiecrfuUy, that the jnftice of God might be fatisfied, his 
 wrath pacified, his mjjefty reconciled, death and h»-ll van- 
 qui filed and dcftroyed. B;hold thetianlcendency ofChiiil's 
 Jove to the children of men ! Gfeattr Lve has no man than 
 this, that amitn Liy do-unhls life for his frknd; but greater 
 love liad the Son of God than this, that he Lid down his 
 life for his inveterate enemies. 
 
 9 Wherefore Godalfo hath highly exalted him> 
 and given him a name which is above any name ; 
 10 That at the name of Jefus every knee fhould 
 bow, of thinp in heaven, and things in earth, and 
 f/iiijgs under the earth ; 1 1 And that every tongue 
 ftiould confefs that Jefus Chrifl; ii Lord, to the 
 glory of God the Father. 
 
 The former verfes fpake of the depth of Chrift's humi- 
 liation, thele, of the height of his exaltation. Where no/e, 
 I. T'he<lignityiifelf, conferred by God upon Chrift ; God 
 exalted him, highly exalted him, exalted him above allex- 
 alt.-ition,as the word fignifies. Chrifl, in his reCurreclion, 
 vas exihfd, in his afcenfion, he was very highly exalied ; 
 in his fitting at God's right hand, he was very highly ex- 
 alted, above all exaltation. 2. How the// c'/)j of Chrift's 
 ^xaltntinndxd punftually anfwer theftepsof his humiliatkn : 
 the firft ftep of his humiliation was his incarnation, by 
 which he was made man, and, as our Surety, was m.'ide 
 fin. The firft ftep of his exaltation, was his refurrt£lion, 
 by which he was declared tobe the5on c/ Gjdiuhh p'.w.r, 
 and as our Surety, having paid our debt, vasrelcaTd from 
 the prifon 0; the grave. The fecond ftep of his humilia- 
 tion was his poor and contemptible life, and his painful, 
 fliameful, and accurfed death: anfwerable thereunto is 
 Chrift's afcenfion into heaven, and fittinc there at God's 
 right hand, advancing him above all principaliies and 
 power, that is, above all the angels, and placing him next 
 to himfflf in dignity and honour- 3. The connection be- 
 tween Chrift's humiliation and exaltation, he htimHed him- 
 felf, and became oheditnt to the death ; wherefore God hath 
 highly exalted Urn. Where ob/eive, That lomemake the 
 liutuilia ionotChrift the meritoriouscaufeof hisexaltation, 
 and his exaltation the reward of his humiliation : others 
 make the hiiniliaiion of Chrift only the anttcedent of his 
 exaltation ; he humbled himfelf, and God hasexaliedhim 
 to a dignir>' above all dignities and pre-cniinency uhat- 
 
 foever m. king hin> k'rg and he.->d of hii church, and. 
 giving him A\ pr.\s rr, li^'h in heaven and earth, requi- 
 rinp, that the duine honi ur due to God, fhould he given 
 to him alio. IVcte, 4. 1 lie par uulars of our Lord's ex- 
 aliaiion dedaitd, .<iid ih«y are three, (i.) God hath^it*« 
 him a nantr ab',ve nrry n mr; th it is, dignity and p jwer, 
 majrity and authority, oM-rallcrpjiures bo-h in heaven and 
 earih. ^2.) 'That every knee, of things in heaven, and things 
 in earth, and things under the e^i ih, (hould h'rju to the 
 name of Jefus: every hnec, that is, every creature, iii 
 heaven, earth, and hell, lliall bo\v,ihi\. is yield fubjedion 
 to Chrift, fome voluntarily, others uiiu illuigly; the good 
 anj;els and good men paying a cheerful hoiuage, the evil 
 aiigtli and bad men yielding a forced and conltrained fub- 
 je('tion to him. (3.) That every tongue inuft cQnf'fs,thit 
 Jefus Chri/i is Lord : every tongue, that is every perlbn, 
 men of all nations and languages, ft.dl confefs. Chrift cru- 
 cified, to be the Lord anil judge of the world, acknowledg- 
 ing his royal fovereignty and dominion. ^. The end ot 
 Chrift's glorious exaltation, it was to the glory of God the 
 Father • that is, it pleafcd God the Father, for his own 
 glory, that the Lord Jci'ubChrift, after he had been deeply 
 humbled, iliould be highly exalted. L:d'.y, The apoftle's 
 great deiignand fcope in fetting before the I'hillippians the 
 humiliation and exaltation of Jefus Chrift, arid that was to 
 excite them to the grace and duty of humility, that the' 
 fame humble mind Hioutd be in them which was alfo in 
 Chrift Jefus : As if he had faid, Our Lord Jefui Chrift 
 humbled himfelf greatly for us, and 3fler\»a^d^ was highly 
 ex ihed by God above u.s ; To in proportion may you exptcl 
 to be exalted by God, if you humble yoiirfclves, in order 
 to maintain and preftrve the church's peace and unity ; 
 for before honour is humility. 
 
 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always 
 obeyed, not as in my prcfence only, but now much 
 more in my ableucc.work out your own falvation 
 with ft-arand trembling. 13 For it is God which 
 worketh in you both to will and to do of hii good 
 plcafure. 
 
 Note here. i. The commendation given by St. Paul of 
 his beloved Fhilippiarsfor iheirchterful obedience to the 
 precepts of the jinfpel ; they alucys obrycd, that i.',ever 
 fince their firft converfion to Ciiriftianity, not only while 
 the apiftle was upon the fpot wiihihcm.but fincetnepro- 
 vidence of God neceflitared his abience from iheni, not in 
 my prefence oiily,but now much more\n my abfence. But 
 howcameit top.ifv.that their obedience was greaier, when 
 they wanted the ipoftle for their inftruiftor .' y /'/". In the 
 abfence of one teacher, they had another, and hii a better 
 than the infpired apoftle,even the infpiring SimitofGod, 
 who, in the apoftle's abfence, was more immidiately pre- 
 fent with them. by hisinward motions, toexciteand enable 
 them, both to will and to do wiiat is well pleafingro him. 
 O how good is God, at the fupplying the wanti.and mak- 
 ing lip the loOesof his people ! If p'^rfecuiiou drives his 
 church's minifters into dungeons, and they cannot heir a 
 voice behind them, they (l.all have the prefence ofhis holy 
 iipirit^ and hear a voice within them, faying, This is the 
 
 'May 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 PHILL IPPIANS. 
 
 8s9 
 
 way walk in it. Not!, 2. A fpccial tluty which St. Paul 
 exhorts the Philippiaiis to be found in the practice of, 
 namely, T"!) 'jjork out (heir o'Mn Jalvatiiiti wilh fear and 
 trembling : impl}injr, that it (hoald be every ChrilVian's 
 great work, to be daily working outhis own falvaiioii, that 
 is, diligently making ufe of ail means and faitlifiilnels, prac- 
 tiling all duties in order thereuuro. Ohferve here.i. The 
 excellency of the object pro;*ofed, and that is, fal 'ation ; 
 there is falvation held forth and tendered by God to loll 
 linners, in the gofpel. 2. The difliculiy of falvation, fup- 
 pofed and implied in the word -work ; which (ignifies an 
 exerting our utnioft endeavours, in order to the attaining 
 of it ; The work of falvation is no lazy man's budnefs, 
 but a work of labour and difficulty, though the dilficuliies 
 jnay be overcome by an induflrious diligence, 3. The 
 necelfity of pcrfeverance, in order to our attaining of fal- 
 vation : IVork cut your /ulvation, that is, perfeft and con- 
 fummate the work which you have happily begun. 4. The 
 manner how we (hould work out our own falvation, 
 namely, •whhfcar and tremhUng • intimating that an holy 
 fear of God, and an humble fear of ourfclves, will be of 
 fingulir ufe .-(nd advantage to usin the working out of our 
 f.ilvation. Note, 3. The argument or motive to excite 
 unto ihisiabuuranddiligence in and about the work of fal- 
 vation ; and this is very encouraging, becaufeGod works 
 wich us, and in uk, ver. 13. For it is Cod that vjorkcth in 
 you, both to luUt and to do : That God works with us, is 
 great encouragement to us to work, but we muft remem- 
 ber God wtirks arbitrarily, and not necellanly; he worketh 
 but of his own good plea/ure, as a free agent, whocanceafc 
 ■when he pleafes; therefore work with fear and trembling, 
 Learn from the whole, (i.) That wccando nothing with- 
 out God. (2 ) That he will do nothing without us : 
 We can do nothing without his affiftance, he will do no- 
 thing without the concurrence of our endeavours : he 
 worketh in us, both^o 'Mill and to do, and we muft work 
 with him, in order to the working out our own falvation. 
 
 1 4 Do all things without murmurings and difpu- 
 tings; 15 That ye may be blamclefs andharmlcfs, 
 the fons of God without rebuke, in the midft of a 
 crooked and perverfe nation, among whom yc (hine 
 as lights in the world, 16 Holding forth the word 
 of life ; that I may rejoicein the day of Chrifl,that 
 I have not run in vain, neither labouredjn vain_ 
 
 Here ourapoftie feems torefume the exhortation which 
 he begin to prefs before, namely, (o love and concord, to 
 unity and peace an)ong themfelvcs; he exhorts thrm.asto 
 do all things without contention, fo without murmurings, 
 and hot d'fputings, in which iifu.illy fhel.twbof ch^irity arc 
 violated, and the peace of the church, and quietnefs among 
 Chriftians interruprrd : And to provoke ihcm thereunto, 
 lie difcovers tothcMi the many great and blelTed advantages 
 which would redcund unto them by their unity and con- 
 cord, (r.) Hereby they (hould be blamchfs and hamilrfr, 
 the fons of God y/.'/iou/ ;-</)i/^.-', that is, very inQffenfive 
 pcrlons, or, as the Greek word renders it, that ye m aybe 
 the fpo:lcfs fons of God: not abfolntely fpotlcf-, pure, and 
 perfecl,bu: without fucb fpots as areinconliltent with your 
 
 fonfliip ; there is a fpot which is,and a fpot which is not, 
 the fpot of God's children, Dfui. xxxii. 4. Sins of infir- 
 mity, are fpots found on the bed of his children ; fins of 
 prefumption, if at any time found upon you, they are not 
 the fpots of his children. (2.) Hereby they fliould fliine 
 as lights in the world, that is, in the Pagan world and iii 
 theChriflian church: This imports both the high dignitv, 
 and fpecial duty of Chriftians, to be as fo many funs, to 
 arife ajid fhine like mighty luminaries in the firmament of 
 the world, cifting out their rays and beams in a holy and' 
 hcaveiilyconverfation. (3.) Hereby they would /isWyor/Z) 
 the word of life ; not only liold it faft for their own com- 
 fort, but hold it forth for others bencilr, that is, in their 
 Chriftian practice and profeflion ; the lives of Chriftians 
 fhould publifii the word of life, to the intent, that the ene- 
 mies of it may fall in love with it. Perhaps, as many have 
 been converted to Chriftianity.by holding forth the word 
 of life in pratftice, asby holding it forth from the pulpit : 
 An holy life is the loudeft proclamation, and the belt way 
 of holding forth the woid of life. (4.) Hereby he fliould 
 have joy and rejoicing, as well as they reap benefit and ad- 
 vantage : that I may rejoice in the day of Chrijt .that ] have 
 not run in vain, nor laboured in vain : that is, that I have 
 not preached the gofpel unprofitably amongft you. Here 
 note, That the work of the miniftry is a laborious work, 
 a (pending work; the apo'lle here fets it forth by running a 
 race, which is a wafting and ftrength confuming cxercife: 
 I have run, I havelabcured. 2. That the labour and pains 
 of the moft faithful and indefatigable minifters of Chrift 
 may be, and too often are, loft upon, and in vain, unto 
 the people that are Ci.nftantly made partakers of them j 
 They may run in vain, and labour in vain, as to their 
 people : but, blefTed be God, it (liall not be in vain as to 
 themfelves, Ifa. xlix. 4. Though Ifrael be not gathered, yet 
 Jl) all they be glorious. Note, 3. That the glory which (hall 
 be put upon our people in the day of judgment, who were 
 converted to (Jod by our minifterial endeavours, will add 
 to our joy as minifters, and be our crown of rejoicing in 
 that day : that I may rejoice in the day of Chrift, &c, 
 
 ly Yea, and if I be offered upon the facrifideand 
 fervice of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. 
 18 For the fame caufe alio do yc joy, and rejoice 
 with me. 
 
 Behold here, how St. Paul, the under fliepherd, imitates 
 Chrift, that great and good Shepherd, in hisreadinefs to lay 
 down his life for tlie (heep ; not for their reconci'iation, 
 but for tiii-'ir confirmation : If, fays he, it (Imll |)lea(e God 
 thai I 6e, by nisrtyrdvm, offered upon the f/tcrifice and fer- 
 vice ofyourfiilh, that is. to eftablilh you in tlu-f.iith s\ liich 
 I have t.'Ught you.-^nd to confirm and feal the truih of ir, 
 with my blood,! will rejoice therein for your lakes, and 1 
 dcfire you to rejoice with me, and to blels God for me in 
 fo doing. Note here, The emphafis and elegmcy of the 
 apoftle's word-:. If I be offered up : a maiiifeit alluiion to 
 th'.'Jewifu facrificesjip, wliich there was ••■i'<p pi ur< d out 
 as a libation upon th:* facrifice.and thcnolFcrcd up .;; God. 
 Thus lays he. If my blond, like wine, be poured forth, 
 whilft I am employed by the preaching of the gofpel, to 
 
 render 
 
830 
 
 PHIL I P P PA N S. 
 
 Chap ii. 
 
 renJer you Gentiles an acceptable facrifice, and a fweet 
 fiiclling favour unto God, I Ihould rejoice even thustodie 
 in your fervicc.-aad for the confirnution of your faith. 
 Hence /•'/7rrt,Thjt life itfelf is not, and will not be thought 
 too dear, or acconated by the ininifters ofChrift too niuch 
 to lay down in the fervicc of their people's fouls, and for 
 the con!irmation of their faith : If I be ')Jf:rtJ upon the 
 facr.'tj^ce (inclfirvtce rf ymir faith, I joy and rrjoice. 7. That 
 the minidcrs of Chrill (liould not preach any thing 'a thtir 
 pcopif, but what they dare feal and coiifirm the truih of 
 with iheir very blood, if God calls them thereunto : St. 
 I'anl had before preached the dodrinc of the golprl to the 
 Philippians,and now he ftood ready to feal itw ith hisblood, 
 
 ig But I truft in the Lord Jefus to fend Timo- 
 thcus (hortly unto you, that I alio may be of j»ood 
 comfort, when I know your ftatc. 20 Fori have 
 no man like-minded, who will naturally care for 
 your ftate. 2 1 For all feck their own, not the things 
 which are Jefus Chrifl's. 22 But yc know the proof 
 of him, that as a fon with the father, he has ferved 
 with mc in tlic gofpel. 23 Him therefore I hope to 
 fend prefently, fo loon as I fliall lee how it will go 
 with me. 
 
 Our apoflle, having finifhed the firft part of the chapter 
 ■which centained exhortations to duty, comes now to the 
 fecond pirt of it, containing argume.nts of comfort ; and 
 here, HrO, he comforts the Philippiansbypromifing to fend 
 Tiniotheu<: unto them (hortly. Note hrre, i. The great- 
 nefs of St. Paul's foul, widened wjih defires to advance the 
 kingdom of Jefus Chrill ; his pious zeal put him upon 
 contriving foiDe way of making alupply of his neccfTitated 
 abfence from ihe Phiilippians ; what he could not do by 
 himfelf, he defires and endeavours to do by another, even 
 Timothy : him he promifes to fend as a living epiftle, to 
 inftruft and exbort, to quicken and conrfort the church at 
 Philippi, in his confirained abfence from her. " Bleflld 
 apoftle ! So that Chrift might be advanced, thou caredft 
 not by whom it were, whether by thylelf, or by another: 
 thou wert willing to rtand in the crowd and be hidden, fo 
 that Chrift might ftand upon another's flioulJers, and be 
 feen!" Itrup in the Lord to fend Tim-)theus to ynujljortly.^. 
 St. Paul, being about to fend Timothy to Philippi, fends 
 firft a commendarion of him : and that which he particu- 
 larly comniends rnnothy for, was, his afFeftionate love 
 unto the Phlippians, and his tender care and concein for 
 them: I have nt man like-minded, -mIjo vjHI care for y'lur 
 Jfate .• now. this care in Timothy, for and towa^d^ the Phi- 
 iippian', is here recommended by St. Paul in fcveral ob- 
 fervable inftances of it. (i.) It wasa fpirituai care clvefly 
 he careth k'ryourj/jie that is, foryour fpirituai ftate; not 
 th.ii he was without concern for their temporal h^ppinefs, 
 but the profperity of their fmih was the prime object ot his 
 care, (i.) It was a lolicitouk care,iheGreek wordligni- 
 fics an anxiou- care, a loul cutting, a foul-rending care ; 
 his care wa'. not to cut and wound tlie fouK, to vex and 
 giieve the fpirits of' h s people, but he cuts his own ioul 
 with caring for liis ptople. (> ) It was a (incere care, a 
 iiaturaVgeuuine care ke naturally careth for yuvr ftate : 
 
 naturally, that is.heanily.fmccrely, rot ariifcially, and in 
 appearance only : Some can artificially aft the purt of a 
 zealot, when their own intcreft or ap|)Iaufeinakcit necef- 
 lary ; but Timothy was unfkilful in fuch arts, he did na- 
 turally, cheerfully, and conft.tntly care/or /^rir//d/r; there 
 was a reality, yea, a large quantify of love, and hearty af- 
 fTcdion towards the Philipplans found with hiai- (4 ) Sr. 
 Paul commends this care in iimothy towards ihtm, for 
 the rarity of it : 1 find nom likt-minded. that ii, few, very, 
 few, like-minded witlf him, and tqual-hearted to him in 
 the caufc of Chrift : St Paul had divers minifters now 
 with him, but one Timothy ; others fought their own 
 things, but he the things of Jeliis Chrift : Yet 1 conceive 
 this is not to be und'erftood univerfjlly, but fy-nechdochi- 
 al!y ; not as if all miiiiftcis, except I imoihy only ,U:ught 
 thf mfelves,and regarded theirown private intert-ft buithc 
 moft and fir greati It part did fo,refu(ing to undertake fiich 
 a tedious j'lirnfy frcm Rome 10 Philippi, as Timothy 
 ftood ready to undertake. Learn hence, i'hat it is a gnat 
 lin in all, but efpecially in the minifteis of Jefus Chrift, to 
 be of a IVlf-feeking fpirit. 3. He con-'minds this care of 
 TiiTioihy's towards iheni by thtir •.xperinuntal knowledge 
 of it ,and acquaintance with it ; for. when old Paul was at 
 I'hillippi. young '1 iinoiby was an ^ITftant to him. as a fon 
 to a father, obeying h's counfil, toiloiving his direction^, 
 imitating his example, in all things tendiiig to the edifica- 
 tion of the church. Now from the whole, that i', from 
 St. Paul's care te fend 'I imtnhy, thu-- qualified, to labour 
 in the gofpel at the church in Phdiippi.w e>»o/e, That fuch 
 as have power tolend forth minifteii toflocks, andpaftors 
 to take care of the fouU of a people, fliculd fend fuch as 
 are bothab'e and v^illing tofpend ard be Ipent for the good 
 of fouh, and, if it ma^ be, fuch as are will known unto, 
 and approveii of, by the flitk,for their zeal and diligence 
 in the work of Chrilt. St. Paul here is a pattern for all 
 patrons, laying before them the quwlificat ons of the per- 
 fons \\hi)m they fliould iccommend to the cure of fouls, 
 fuch as, with 'fimothy.bave acompallion for fouls, a truly 
 folicitous care and concern for tlie li.ippinefs and wel- 
 fare of foul'jfuch as the peoplehave had fome knowledge 
 of, or at leaft a liberty to enquire after : the man ofgood 
 niinifterial abilities, not of great (imoniacal g.fts : For if 
 patrons, Vn the execution of that v?ft truft, (but I'ule con- 
 iidered; do feek v'nly their own things, no ". ondcr that 
 ihtir cUrks feiknot the thingsof Jefus Chrift. 
 
 24 But I truft in the Lord that I alfo myfelf fhall 
 come (hortly. 25 Yet I fuppofed it necelTary to fend 
 to you Epaphroditus.my brother and companion in 
 labour, andfellow-foldier.but your melfen!^cr,and 
 he that miniftered to my wants. 26 For he longed 
 after you all. and was full of heavinefs, becaufe that 
 ye had heard that he had been fick. 27 For indeed, 
 he was ficknij^h unto death : But God had mercy 
 on him ; and not on him only, but on me alfo, left 
 I Ihould have iorrowupon forrow. 
 
 Our apoftle having, in 'he foregiing'-erres.declarcd his 
 refoluiiotis to fend 1 iniothy to the Pmlippians a^ fnor. as 
 he fliould fee how it would go with himfelf at Rome and 
 
 what 
 
Chap. 
 
 II. 
 
 P H I L I P P I A N S, 
 
 801 
 
 what would be the ifTue of his bonds; and having alfo of ihe peifon, fo the extremity of the difeafe, /;e im/ wj^A 
 
 difcovered his o.vii purpofe to come himfelf to them, as unto deuih. But why did not St. Paul, who hnd the g^fc 
 
 foon as the providence of God fliould fet him at liberty ; of healing, help Epaphroditus now fick, .ns uell as niife 
 
 in the mean time, he affures thtm, he wonld no longer Eutychus when dead ? Afts xx. 9. Jn/'. The apcfllcs 
 
 detain their own fpecial niiniller Epaphroditus from them, had not the gift of healing to make ufe of ir at their plea- 
 
 whom ihty had fo kindly fcnt with a lihetal fupply unto lure, but as God was pleafed by a fpecial iiiftincfl and a 
 
 him, in the prifon at Rome ; I fuppoftd it ttecjfury li fend fining f.iith to excite them to it, when it was his pleafure 
 
 unto you Epapliroditui, my brother, my companion in lab-iur, to have them ufe it : Thcfe gifts were gi"enfor ih*" fake of 
 
 my fcUjvj foldier , your mtffcnger,nnd he that niini/tered to unbelievers, to convince them of the truth of Chriftianiiy, 
 
 my tiants. Here nitc, i . How copious St. Paul is in the but God did not think fit to have themordiiurily exerciled 
 
 upon believers. ^. The recovery of Epaphroditus, and 
 the author of it, Godhud mercy en him; he \» ho is Lord of 
 life and death, faid in mercy to him, " Return .tnd live." 
 When God prefer ves the lives, and reftore;- the health of 
 his faithful miniftc-rs, i: is an ac^ of no final! mercy both to 
 their people and themfel ves : To their peo]ile, as they be- 
 
 my 
 
 commendation of Epaphroditu~ ; he calls hi.i. his brtther, 
 h\s brother inChrilt, bis brother in the miniltry, his com- 
 panr,n in hbour, his fcllow-bbourer in Chrill's vineyard, 
 travelling from one part of it to another, to plant and pro- 
 pagate the gol'pelof Clirirt; \\\5 f-ll'Au fcldiur, alfo, a faith- 
 ful and condant aflnciate with him in the Chnffian war- 
 fare : Their apollle or nielTenger, the bifliop of Philippi, came the greater inftruments of their good : To them- 
 fay the ancient fathers; their meflenger, to carry the felves, as incrcafes their own reward ; the longer » 
 church's ahni to St. Paul, fay others : Behold here, in St. minifter lives, the more glory he brings to God ; and the 
 Paul's fending away EjJjphroditus laden thus with com- more glory he brings to Gcd on enrth, the more glory 
 nitndition, the great modelty, linceriiy, and humility, of fliall he partake of with God in heaven ; in fhort, the 
 this chief apoflle. St. P.iul had many prerogatives above longer he lives, the more fouls he converts, and every foul 
 Epaphroditus. he was immediately called by Chrill, extra- is as a nesv gem added to that crow n, w hich Ihall one day 
 ordiiury fitted and furnHhed for his calling ; he laboured beput upon his head, Dan. xii. 3. They that turn many 
 more abundantly, and futfered more abundantly than all to rif^hwAifnefs Jhcdl flAne as the /tars for ever and ever. 
 the relf ; yet he almoft equalizes and levels Epaphroditus Laftly, The fliare which St. Paul had in the mercy of 
 with liimftlf, calling him brother, f ello-u-labfurer, fflloiu- Epaphrt-ditus's recovery, God had mercy, njt en him only, 
 folJier, and highly m ignifies the gifts and graces of God's hut on me alfo, Icjt I fould haveforro'.u uponforrow : Paul 
 Spirit in him, without the leaft diminution ; teaching fuch had much forrow, a great load of forrow upon himatihac 
 as are dignified in the church, and ex.ilted by their merits time ; he w^as now among flrnnoers.jea, among prifoners, 
 above others, not to defpife the perfons, nor to extenuate in the midft of perfecutors, and his mind opprelTed with 
 and leflen the gifts and graces, and ufefulnefs of their forrow, partly forthe Philippians, partly for Epaphroditus; 
 inferior brethren. Pride in any perfon is odious, but in a therefore the Lord, in tender piry to liim, did not take 
 niinilter it ismonllrcus ; they that h ive received moreth^n away by death his dear and ufeful companion, Kit hefiiouid 
 others, and know better than others, oi'ght to be patterns have forrow upon forrow, and caul'e his wounds to bleed 
 of humility uii'o others. 2. '['he realons here affigned, afrefh. Zf^r/j hence. So companionate is God towards 
 %vhv St. Paul judged it neceffary to lend Epaphroditus his dear children, that though he often caul'es them grief 
 back to his charge at Philippi. (i.) He longed after his and forro-v, yet he will not overcharge them therewith 
 flock, ver. 26 He longed after you all, even unioheavinefs ; nor add affliflion to the affilcted, nor fufrer tl:em to be ' 
 we do not read of his longing after his family, or bis friends, exercifed and tried above what they nre able, 
 or the fleece, but his (lock, his church and charge at Phi- 
 
 lippi; this lay near his heart, this he longed to be with. 
 
 28 I fcnt him therefore the more caiefullv, that- 
 
 (2 } Phi, longing and heavinefs was mutual, the Philip-. ^^'^'^" y^' ''■''-" ^^'"^ ^^§^'"' X*^ ^^Y lejoice, and that I 
 pidiH longed for him, and were full of heavinefs betaufe ^T^ay be the lefs forrOwfuL 29 Receive hiin there- 
 of his (icknefs. When the head of a faithful minifler of fore in the Lord with all gladiiefs, and hold fuc'i 
 Jefu, Chnrt akes, his people's he.ris ake ; mutual long- in reDutation. 00 Bccaufe for the work of Chrift 
 
 jiigs between minifters and people in cife ofabfence, and 
 mutual heavin.'fs and mourning in cafe of ficknel's, is a 
 certain argument and evidence of mutual love one towards 
 another. /\'otr, 3. How our apoftle confirms the report of 
 Epaphroditus's ficknefs, and celebrates the mercy and 
 
 he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life to- 
 lupply your lack of fervice toward nic. 
 
 Here, firft, St. Paul a.ligiis the reafon v\hy he was fo 
 careful to fi-nd back Epaphroditus to the Philippians, 
 
 goodnefs of God in his unexpefted recovery ; indeed he namely, to affuage his own grief, and to increafe iheirjoy, 
 
 was fick niuh unto death, hut C^J had mercy en him, S:c. that wher ye fee him ye might rejoice, and 1 be the Itfs /or. 
 
 Her- o/y >-i'?,' I. The eminency of thep?ifon who was is-oful. Next, the apoitle exhorts them to recrive hiin 
 
 litk, Epaphroditus, a great man, a good man, a man of ^^'''^ all joy and giadnefs, and to give liim,ard all fuch as 
 
 God, St. Paul's brother, companion, ftUo-M-f'.ldier, falls he w a-, due honour, and deferred refptct ; and doubilefs, 
 
 iitk, when engaged in Chrill's and the church's fpeeial 'fie Philippians received him with inexpreflible joy a^ the' 
 
 fervice: Saints as well as iinner.'-, minilters as well as niinifler of Chrift I'ifen from the dead retoveretl from the 
 
 people, are fu'ojecl to fjcknefs, difeafes, nay, death itfclf grave ; received to lifp and fervice, when all hcpes ef cn- 
 
 aijy meet them in the workof Chrill. 2. Asthe eiuiiiency l-'^y^'-^Z ^'^-^ ^''-re cut c£". O thelclly ai^d^railty rjf human 
 
 a.itur'c 
 
83s 
 
 P H I L L I P P I A N S. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 III. 
 
 nature ! We prize cur mercies more by the want, than 
 by the worth of theni. Laltly, He sfllgns a fpeciaf teal'on 
 wliy he would have them receive him with I'uch dem«ii- 
 Oraiioiis of joy, namely, becaiife it was in their and his 
 ff rvice that he was brought to the very brink of the grave, 
 /jA- the -work nf Chriff he was nigh unto death ; the work 
 here meant is properly his journey to Rome, which was 
 long and tedious ; his watchuigi and pains-taking with and 
 for the api'ftle there were very I'pending, he endeavoured 
 to fupply the abfence nnd want of the whole church to St. 
 Paul; his zeal for God, and his alTedlion to St. Paul, 
 carried him out beyond hinifelf, beyond his (trength, to the 
 •Tpparcnt prejudice both of his health and life. Learn 
 hence, I, I'hat to relieve the members, but efpecially the 
 iiiinillers of Chrill, in their necelTities and wants, is the 
 ■woik of Chrift; /or the ■uiork of Cb'ijfhe 'Mas ntgh unto 
 death: Mmillers are not only engaged in the work of 
 Chrifl when they preach, &c. but when they vifit their 
 flock, inquire into the wants of the poor, and adminifber 
 to the neceflitiesof the diftreffed, this is the work of Chrift. 
 1. That ikkntfsnwy overtake, yea, death itfelf may meet 
 the faithful lervants and ininiftrrs of Chri(t, when they 
 are engaged in his own work : It was in the work of the 
 Lord that Epnphrodiiusmet with his (Icknefs ; and h.<d he 
 met with death iifelf, he had been happy; for, Bkffidare 
 they that die in the work of the Lord, they (hall rejt Jrom 
 their labours, and their works Jhall follow them. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The defign of our apflk, in this chapter, is to min the 
 church of the PhiWpp'ians again/l tknfe/alfe Judiiizing 
 teachers, who confounded Cbriii and Mofes, cirhcmcfum 
 an/I the gcfpd together ; which he doth by fever ol argu- 
 ments. 
 
 X INALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lor<3. — 
 
 There is no duty which believers do more willingly hear, 
 or njore di/HcuhJy obferve, than the duty of fpiritu^l re- 
 joicing ; had our apoltle called upon the blcfled angels to 
 rejoice, who have neither fin, nor forrow, nor fesr, nor 
 lutferings, nor enemies to annoy them, that might have 
 I'eerned agreeable ; but is it at all congruous to per.''uade 
 tinners, loaded with guilt, and defiled with corruption, 
 clothed with infirmities, afTaulted with temptation, pcr- 
 i'ecuted by the world .> To bid them rejoice, may feem 
 llr.inge : But the wonder will ceafe, if we confider the 
 objett which he dire(^s them to rejoice in, and that is, the 
 Lord; not in themfelves, but in the Lord Jefus Chrift : 
 I^ly hrethren rejoice in the Lord. Learn hence, i. That 
 the Lord Jclus Chrift is the great, lure, and perpetualjoy 
 of his o«n people; the objec't of joy is a prefent good, a 
 precious pood, a proportionable good, a perpetual good, 
 luch IS our Lord Jel'us Chrift. 2. That it is the duty of 
 all lincere and fermus Chriftians to joy and rejoice in him. 
 Finally, brethren, rejoice in the Lord; rejoice in hisperlon, 
 in the treafures of wifdom and knowledge that are found 
 in him, which render him an objcft wonhy of angelical 
 adoration; rejoice in Ins mediation, in the great things he 
 
 has done and fuftVred for yoti in the gr?c"t of his Spirit 
 conferred upon you, and in the hopes of ih,it glory to 
 w hich he has intitled you. 
 
 — To write the fatne lhin.;s to you, lo me in- 
 deed IS not grievous, but for you it n lafe. 
 
 To write the fame things, that is, not the f;imc things 
 which I wrote before, but the fame things which I preach- 
 ed to you before, and which you often heard by word of 
 mouth fro'ii me before ; though I inrulcate and prefs the 
 fame truths upon you by my writing, which I have done 
 bv my preaching, ir is neither grievous nor bnnlenfome to 
 me, nor unnecefl'ary or unprofitable for you. Learn hence. 
 That the often repeating, and frequent inculcating of 
 fuch truths as are moft ufefuland necefl'iry for ihc iriitruc- 
 tion and edification of the heaifrs, ouglu to be efteemed 
 neither burdenfome by the minifter. nor weariiome by the 
 people. Chferve farther. That we have here St. Paul's 
 judgment againft oral tradition, which the church of Rome 
 prefers before the written «ord; fo did not St Paul, 
 kno%vi:-:g ih.u w!i.it is delivered by word of mouih might 
 foon flip out of the memory ; but what is written, is re- 
 maining: Bleflcd be God for his written word. 
 
 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, be- 
 ware of the concifion. 
 
 Obferve here, i. The cautionary direction given the 
 Philippians to beware of falfe teachers, who adulterated 
 and corrupted the doflrine of Chrift, by joining the works 
 and obfervancet of the law with the dcdrine of the gol- 
 pel, in point of juftiticnion, making them at leaft the par- 
 tial ground of their confidence and rfjoicing ; beware of 
 fuch, fays our a]K)ltie. 2. The cuit.ng reproof give n to thele 
 Judaizing teacliers, in that odious charackr he gives of 
 them, and in that brand of infamy which he claps upon 
 them, (i.j He calls them d^,gs ; a term, not of diminution 
 only, but of ntmoft difgrace : Is thyftrvant a dog ? 2 Kings 
 viii. 13. fuppoling that nothing could be thought more 
 vile and bafe. 1 he Jews c:illcd all the Gentiles dogs, be- 
 caufe unclean ; St. Paul here calU the falfe teachers dog', 
 filly, becaufe, as dogs, they did rtnd and tear thf finiplicity 
 of tliegofpel, and divide the glory t^f man's falvation be- 
 twixt faith and works ; becaufe, as dogs, they did hark out 
 reproaches again ft the apollles and their docirine, delivered 
 in its native purity and fimpliciiy ; becsufe, as dogs, they 
 did take a gre.it deal of pains to compifs abundance of 
 ground to gnin ihcir game ; or. in our Saviour's words, 
 They comp:,/'fra and land 10 make pr./tlytes. (2.) Evil- 
 workers, beciule, pretending to labour in thegolfiel, they 
 did fnbvert and overthrow the great d«>lign of tlic gol'pel, 
 pretending to be fellow wurkers with the api ftK-s, but 
 pullirg down what they built up. (3.) 1 he concifion ; \o 
 in contempt he calls circnmcifion, which thefe Jnda'zing 
 teacher.s pleaded the nectllity of; as Ikzekifh called :hc 
 brazt n lerp.ent \ehuP^ti:n ; becaufe circinicition, be;rg no 
 longer an ordinance of God, was no betirr ihaiv a cuttng 
 oft" the flefli ; nm\ they thar made it neccflary tr ]u(titica- 
 tion, cut themfelves oft' from Chrift, and Jrcm the ckuich. 
 of Chrift; by iirgipg thf. ttcefiity of cirtumcilion, iln'yf 
 cut and rent afuuder the church of God. hole here t. 
 
 How 
 
Chap. in. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS, 
 
 831 
 
 How dltFerent the temper of tliis apoftle was in difTernu 
 cafes; in thin?!: of an indifferent nature, and Icfs necellarv, 
 ■who more mild, indulgent ami complying, breathing tDrih 
 the fpirit of the meek Jefusr But when opinions were 
 broached, which tend to pervert fouls, and to fubvert the 
 gofpcl, then he fj.eaks fire and thunder, and no terms arc 
 bad enough for fiich feducers : Let us f(>llow St. Paul, as 
 he followed Chrill, and learn when to be mild, and when 
 to be zealous. 2. Wirh what an excefs of care he cautions 
 fTic Philippians arjainll thefe falfe teac'iers, faying, Beware, 
 tnv-'if, leware \ three times together in one Ihort verfe ; 
 thereby inilniiling the minirtersof Chrill, that their ufmoft 
 zeal and dili^enci.: is necellarv in warning their people to 
 guard againft feducers. 
 
 3 For we are the circumcifion, which worHiip 
 Cod in the Spirit, and rejoice in Chrift Jclus, and 
 Jiavc no confidence in the flefli. 
 
 That i?, we Chriflians are alone the true and fpiritual 
 circumcifion, and accoimted circumcifed by God, becaufc 
 we have that which the outward circumcifion fignified, 
 namely, the circtuncifion of the heart, and the mortiticaiion 
 of all carnal lufls and defires ; we have the fubfbnce of 
 that ordinance which is infinitely more pleafing to God 
 than the ceremony and the fliadow ; though you have the 
 fig'i, we have the thing fignified. But how doth that ap- 
 pear r Three ways; we worfliip God in the Spirit, we 
 rejoice in Chrilt Jcfu;;, we have no confidence in the flefli. 
 (i.j We wordiip God in the Spirit ; that is, i. We give 
 hira the worfliip of our fouls and fpirits, and do not put him 
 off with mere bodily worfhip, or with the olil antiquated 
 Jewilh worlhip. 2. We worfhip God in the Spirit ; that 
 Xi, through the aflirtance of the holy Spirit ; he excites and 
 -quickens to the duty, he aOlits and enables in the duty, 
 and he encourages and emboldens the foul to expedl audi- 
 ence and acceptance after the duty. Again, (2.J We 
 rejoice in Chrill Jefiis ; this was a fecond evidence of their 
 being thetruecircumcilion. Letthem glory in their carnal 
 ordinance of outwardcircumcifion, we will rejoice inChrill 
 l^u^, who had freed us from the flavery of the ©rdinance. 
 (3.) We have no confidence in the flcfh, not in circum- 
 cifion, or any f.-fldy privileges, or carnal prerogatives; we 
 confide only in Chrift, and in nothing but Chrill. Note, 
 Tliat h)' Jlejh here, is meant particularly, the circumcifion 
 ol' the flifh ; but more generally, hy Jit-p}, may be under- 
 fto<xI, all thc-esternals of religion, which men place their 
 truft and confidence in, all outward privileges and ordi- 
 nances are flelli, in theapodles fenfc here ; prayer is flclli, 
 ordinances are ficfh, the righteoufnefs ot the law is lic(h ; 
 tiay, grace iifelf, trufletl to and confided in, is flclh: The 
 finccreand ferious ChrilHan rejoices in Chriil Jcfus, Cf:n- 
 fidesin him, but dares not place any confidence in the flelh. 
 
 4 Thou^hl ini 'ht alfo have confidence in the 
 flefli. If any other man thinketh that he hatii where- 
 of ho mii^hf truft in the flefh, I more: 5 Circum- 
 cifed the- eight diy, of the flock of Ifrael, of the 
 trihe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews ; as 
 touchin<j the law, a Pharilcej 6 Concrrnin;^ zeal 
 
 pcrfecuting the church ; touching the righteoufnefs 
 whichisin the law, blamckfs. 
 
 As if the apoffle hsd faid, " Let no man tMnk that I 
 tinJervaiuc thejev.ifh privileges, lecaufe I want them ; 
 fncw me ever a Judaiziiig teacher ofthem all that can pre- 
 tend to more, or fo many of th-.m as mvfelf ; fo that, were 
 I his a ground of confidence, I can vie with any one of 
 thern in carnal privilege , Jewifh prerogatives, and cutward 
 pertormancfs ; yea, I can boaf^ of as much felf-righieouf- 
 nelsasthe bed of them, and beyond th.:mall, fori waj 
 circumcifed, and had the feal of ihe covenant applitd to me, 
 yea, I was circumcifed r\\e eight iluy, the very day pre- 
 leribed by the law; (the Jews mainr.iining that circum- 
 cifion before the eightli day was of lefs value) : Of the 
 Jiock of Ifrael, one of that nation which God fct apart for 
 hiinfelf, when he rejefted all the nations of the earth be- 
 fide : Of the trihe of Bcnjmnin, of a nolle tribe, as well as 
 defcended of an honourable people ; a tribe which kept 
 clofe to God, when other tribes revolted to the worfliip 
 of Jereboam's calves ; a tribe honoured with the firfl of 
 Ifracl's kings, king Saul : An Hebrew of the Hebrnvs, 
 that is, born a Jew botU by father's fide and inolher's 
 fide : As tiuchirig the laiv, a Pharifc ; that is, as touching 
 the interpretation and obfervation of the law, a Pharifces; 
 or one ot the flriflcft fefts among the Jews for the pro- 
 feffion of religion : Concerning zeal, perjecuting the clurch ; 
 that is, as touching zeal for the Jewifli religion, I have 
 fhewed that above others In my fiery and furious perfe- 
 cution of the church of Chrift : I was a<Slive according av 
 my judgment anti confcience directed me : And ai touching 
 the righteoufiefs which is in and hy the iazu. that is, as to my 
 perfuiia! obedience unto the law, I was hlamekfs, without 
 fpot, as the original word lignifies, that is, in m\ own 
 account, and in man's effeem, my converfiition not it;:ine(l 
 with any grr.fs fin, but very exa<El in my deporttnent and 
 behaviour, living up to iny knowledge, mv pradice corre- 
 fponding with my prefeffion." Behold here a man that 
 had a large flock of Jewifli privileges and prerogatives : 
 All thefe grounds of confidence the apoflle had before his 
 converfion ; and he miglu have refted theroi, and have 
 gloried, and confided therein, as well as the Jewdaizini» 
 do(5lors did, who c-Ioried in their externa] privileges: Bt;r 
 how far St. Paul •■as from this fpirit and temper, the ntxt 
 verfes informs us. 
 
 7 But what things were gain to mc, thofe I 
 counted lofsfor Cluirt. 8 Vea doubtlcfs and I 
 count all things but lofs for the excellency of the 
 knowledire of Chrift Jefus my Lord : for whom I 
 have fufFered the lofs of all thin;rs, and do count 
 them but dung that I may win Chrift, 
 
 That is, the foremeniioned privileges, which heretoivire 
 he accounted gain, and thought to gain julfifica'ion and 
 falvation by, now, fincc his illumina'it.u, he rountcd thcni 
 all ]ofs ; he law he had lolt his loul forever, had he tndted 
 to thefe ; but Chriit being Biade known to him as the 
 only 'vay to gain pardon cf fin r.tid accepr.iiice with (Jo I, 
 he renounces all his fonner privileges, his former' les.'al 
 riuhteoufntfs, hcduifl not lean upon theft broken reals. 
 5 ^^ ).e 
 
8.]t 
 
 P H I L I P P I A N S. 
 
 Chap, hi 
 
 lie woiill luVc no PncH confidence in Hie fltfh, but in 
 Cluill only ; what things VLtre reputed gain tome, ihafe I 
 acc'Ainled hfifor Chrip'iJaJte. An;l he repeats the wonls 
 over asjain Xith confidence and airiirancc, tliat he njight 
 not bethought to fpeuk iinadvifcdlv, and in a heat ; yea 
 Jciihtkfu <i>ul I count all things hut Icfs : He did not rjn!y 
 count ihcm lof'-, but he had adually renounced them as 
 fiioh : An alUifioii to a merchant, who is content to fnftlr 
 the lofs of ail his g<xids, to fjvc his life. Dut how did St. 
 Paul fiiftVr the lofs of them ? //»//'. He did not make lliip- 
 wrcck of lioly duties, and call off the performance oft hem, 
 btit he cart off all dependency tipon them, and cafl away 
 yll expectation of happinef'^ and falvation from them, which 
 lie had before. Oi'ferve farther, He did not only coimt 
 ihcm kifs but caft them aw.iy as dnng, as filthy carrijn, 
 as garbage cart to dogs, as the word fignifies. Such things 
 as thcfe, the falfe teachers fwhnm he called (hgs) might 
 fldight in ; but as for iiimfelf, he could relilh and lavoiir 
 nothing in them, in comparifon of Jefus Chrift. In the 
 word, olfei-ve, I. The low eftecm and mean account 
 "which St'. Paul had, and cvcrv enlightened Chriftian has, 
 of the greateft advantages which this world doth or can 
 srtbrd i'//; amparifjii If J ejus ChriJ), and him crucified, I 
 tiur.t all things but' hfs\ all my fpiritual privileges, with all 
 my worldly advantages, I do, upon the greated deliberation 
 and thought, undervalue them all for the fake of Chrift and 
 his grace. 2. The high and honourable cfleem which he 
 kadof tlie knowledge of Jeftis Chrift ; he declares there 
 was a tranfccndent excellency ir\ it ; for the excellency of the 
 kn7wkdge of Chrifl Jcfus my Lord. The knowledge of 
 (lur LokI Jcfus Chrill, and'of the way and method of fal- 
 vation bv and through him, is an excelling knowledge ; 
 cvcrv thing of Jcfus Chrill is excellent and worthy to be 
 known; the dignity of iiis perfon, as God, as man, as 
 (Jod-man, or Mediator between God and Man ; the dig- 
 nity of hi^ offices, as the great King, Pricft, and Prophet 
 tif ills church ; the emincncy of his example, the depth of 
 his humili.ui.in, the height of his exaltation, the tranfcen- 
 ckncy of hi:, love in all his undertakings for us, and the way 
 and method of his juftificaiion of us by faith in his blood. 
 \Vc may conclude of the aft, by the objeil ; Chrid is the 
 nioft excellent objeft, therefore the knowledge of Chrift 
 is, and muft be the moft excellent knowledge ; not only 
 all the excellencies of the creatures are found in him in the 
 mod excellent inanner, but all the excellencies of the God- 
 head, the fiilnefs of the God-head, dwell In him bodily, 
 that is perfonally and fiibftantially. 3. The effed which 
 this knowledge of Chrift hr.d upon our apoflle ; it enabled 
 him tofuffcrthe hfs of all things : Thofe that have attained 
 the excellent knowledge of Jcfus Chrill, will not think 
 Hiuch to fuffer the lofs of any thing, yea, of all things, for 
 the obtaining of him, and falvation by him. 4. The end 
 and dcfign of St. Paul, in parting with all for Chrift, or 
 t!ie inotive and encouragement which induced him there- 
 unto, namely, that he might %iinChriJ1\ that is, that he 
 might obtain an intcrcft in him, and thcbledlng' purchafed 
 by him ; for this wa<. he willing to part with all his privi- 
 leges, .ill his accompnilimciits, all his enjoyments, all his 
 uwn ri'.'hio nifneft, his exactnefs in the outward obfcrvation 
 •fibuUw ; h« reni;iinccd it all, not in point of perform- 
 
 ance, but in p«)irit ot dependence ; he renounced all confi- 
 dence in it for his jullification before iinA. 
 
 9 Andbcfound in liiin, not havin;; mine own 
 rightcoulnefs, which is of the- law, but that whirii 
 i.s° through the faith of Chrift, the rijjhtt on fuels 
 wliich is of God by fuith : 
 
 Ohferve \\tTC, i. The fubjccEt-matfcr of St. Paul's define 
 was to be foimd /;; Chrif. Beza, upon the place, brings 
 in the jiiftice of God piirfuing Paul as a malefaiftor ; and 
 Chfid, as a city of refiigt which he defrcs to flee tintf., 
 and be foimd in. Bv being found in Chrifl, then, imder- 
 Itand ingrafting and iticorporating into him by faith, to find 
 acceptance with Go<l, through him, as cur furciy and 
 reprefcntative, and to perfevcre in our obedience to him to 
 the end of our lives. Learn, That fuch as delire, above 
 all things, to be foimd /n C/v//?, are willing to do, tofuftlr 
 any thing, yea, all things and care not in what conditioxi 
 they be found, how poor and low, how afflidcd and de- 
 fpifed foever, fo they may be found in Chriff. Ohjen-e, 2. 
 The manner how St. Paul defired to be found in ChriJ) ; 
 this is exprclfed both negatively and pofitivcly. (X.) 
 Negatively, mt having mine'civn rightetufnefs 'Juhich is of 
 ihelazr; that is, not depending \ipcn any thing that he 
 could call his own, neither upon his fpiritual privileges, 
 •nor natural accompiilTiments, nor religious performances, 
 nor upon his moft pcrfed\ righteou fuels, and beft obedience, 
 for his juftification before God, knowing it to be both 
 imsvarrantable and unfafe fo to do ; unwarrantable, becaufc 
 our good works never had the iinprefs of Gixl's ordination 
 for that end ; they were never dcfigncd to juftify our per- 
 fons, but to juftify cur faith ; and unfafe it is to triift m 
 our own righteoufnefs and bcft fervices, becanfe of ilie 
 many fin fill imperfcdions cleaving to them: Alas! they 
 cannot juftify thcmfclvcs ; how then fttould they juftify 
 us ? Our beft duties dcferve to be thrown as fo much 
 dung upt>nour faces ; Surely, wc may plead the excellency, 
 and preach the ncccffity of good works though we do nor 
 fet them in Chrift's chair : Such then as would be found 
 in Chrifl, though they are ever fo careful to maintain good 
 works (which it is their duty and intereft, their daily caro 
 and eridcavour to doj yet they dare not reft in them, nor 
 rely upon them for juftification, or make any thing in 
 themfelves, or done by ihemfelves, the ground of thtir 
 confidence. Chrift's perfcdl obedience, intitles us to hea- 
 ven ; cur own imperfe£t (if fincerej obedience, will evi- 
 dence that title. Some rely upon a natural righteoufnefs, 
 that which they call gocxl nature ; others rely upon a 
 neg.ntive righteoufnefs, becaufe they arc not fo unrighteous 
 as fome ; others rely upon a poiitive righteoufnefs, a moral 
 righteoufnefs, in obferving the duties of the fecond table, a 
 religious righteoufnefs, in performing the outward duties 
 of prayer, hearing the word, recei\ing the facramcnts. 
 But though St. Paul was one of the moft religious men 
 that the JfvviiTi religion ever had, yet he durft not be foimd 
 with this righteoufnefs alone, hut defircs to be found in 
 Chrijl, not having his own righteoufnefs, tihich it of the 
 law. Ohferve fsrihcr. The way how the apoftlc delircd 
 10 be found ia Clirift, is not only, [\ .) Negatively ; but,. 
 
 (2.j Pulitivcl); 
 
Chaf. iu. 
 
 P H I L I P P I A N S. 
 
 ^^5 
 
 (a.) Poruivcly ilcclarecf. thnl u<hi(h is ih^sb the faith tf 
 C^<riji, that rii^hlrouf»fJ'i which is tf Gtii />y faith. Here 
 ntu, t. The ni;htcmi(r\cfs which r<;Oiires a guilty finner 
 from the dint of GoJ's wrath is Chrid's rlithteoiifaufs ; 
 he is m;ide uii!o tis of (lod rishlo'i/nffs, l Cor. i. 30. 
 Now, this rightcoiifncfs is here tailed, ( t.) 'I'ho righteoul- 
 nefsofCiod, bccaiifi- of his appointing, ordaining and ac- 
 ctptingif. (2.) The rightcodtncfs of Faith, becaufe this 
 riyhteonrnefsis made oursby fahh : faiihapprcheiiding and 
 Ofvlving the death and-fufFerings of Jefiis Chrili, the truit 
 and benefit of bis undertaking, becomes the believing Hn- 
 ners, and fitxl is at peace with hi;n : Siuh as will be 
 found in Chrid, mull have a ri-hteoufncfs, the meritori- 
 ous rightcotifnefs of Ciirilt, to anfwcr the demands of the 
 law, andapcrfonal rightcoufncfs of their own, to anfwer 
 the commands of the gofpcl. St. Patil here, though a 
 tranfcondcnt faint, thooi^h an eminent apoftlc, yet diverts 
 hi.r.lelf of his own rii^htconfncis, that he might be clothed 
 upm wirh the rii;h:eTMifncfs of the Mediator, be tonnd in 
 him as I;i5 Siirety^in the day of account, and obtain pardon 
 lor the fake of his fatiifjiSiion. 2. That there is no gain 
 10' be h.id from this rightcoufncfs by a lolf finner, except it 
 be apprehended by faith ; it was not a righteoufncfs of his 
 own that St. Paul'delired to be found in, but faith was his 
 own, inherent in him. and aded by him, which did iniitle 
 him t;) that ris^hfeoidnefs, called therefore here, th ri^hfc- 
 irfuffs luhich is cf G'J hy faith. 
 
 10 That I may know him, and the power of his 
 rclurreaion, and the fellowQiip of his fufFerings, 
 bi'ing made comfonnablc unto his death ; 
 
 Our apoftle had in the foregoing verfe, expreffed his ear- 
 ned defire to be f'mnd in Chritf, wirh refpcft to his juilifi- 
 Cation; in tliis verPj, with refpeft to his fanflification, he 
 dcfires to hmiv Chriji, as the Meffiah and Mediator, that 
 he mi-^ht experience the p'vcr of the rrjurrenion, raifing 
 him from the death of fin, to a life of grace and holinefs, 
 aiHl tafle fomcihinp; of that comfort and joy which is found 
 in futfciing with him and for him ; and to be made con- 
 fonnMe H his death, by a daily dying imtofin : Knowmg, 
 that if he were conformed to him in the likenefs of his 
 death, he flronld be alfo in the likenefs of hi. refurrcftion. 
 H:re wiV, I. What it is that a pcrfon julUFied by the righ- 
 tcoufncfs of Chrid doth moft dcfire, namely, a fpirit of 
 holinefs, and fanaification, flowing from Chrilt, to enable 
 him to live unto him : that I nwy hiow the fiwer tf his 
 refirre.-TiO'u that is, experience that divine power in my 
 foul, quickening me to a life of grace, which Chrid expe- 
 rienced in quickening his dead body when it lay in tlie 
 jjrave. "It is as great a work of the Spirit to form Chrilf 
 in the heart of a rinncr, as it was io falliion him in the 
 womb, or to raifc him from the grave,^ ' i fays the pious 
 bilhop RevnoUli upi>n the place.) 2. Thaf fuch as arc 
 jnlfii'.-d and fanflifiCLi by the Spirit of Chrilt, are willing 
 to have fellowlliip with him in hisfiifTcriugs, nut ambitions 
 to Iharc with him in the merit of his fiifferings, bur de- 
 lirous to participate with him in the bcncrfiT ot his fiifter- 
 in'Ts, and alfo, to be conformed to him in \\\:'": own fuSlr- 
 in's ^ the members think it an honour to Iv^ lii;c their iicnJ 
 
 their fuft'criiig head, .i« well as (heir gloriiic<) hzxX ; and 
 well they may ; for in and under all their fufrering.v, cfpc- 
 cialiy for him, they have his prtftncc with thtm, liiscon;- 
 pafllun to moderate thcin, his ftrtngili lo bear ihcm. Lis 
 interccfiion to prcferve from falling away in them; and \.\s 
 crown, after they have fuffcred a while, to reward the;ii for 
 tlicm. 
 
 1 1 If by any ineans I might attain unto the re-, 
 furreClion of the dead. : , 
 
 By the rtfunnliin tflhlf'deady Jiere, fs fio( to be i;nd(;r- 
 flood the general refurrcdicn, for r.U men ihr.ll attain that 
 whether they (Irivc for it or no ; b'.if he intends, that com- 
 plete holinefs, and a!)fo!iite perfeflion in grace, which fhall 
 attend the (fate of the refill re(fiion ; fo he explains it hini- 
 felf in t!ie next verfe, Not that I hens eilreudy attuined,- Sec,. 
 or am eih-ecdy perfect ; and he fhews how ciiligcnt he was' 
 cndeavouriiiif, in theuftofal! pofTiblc mean, to arrive at 
 it, and atlnin vnto it. Lenrii, l^hat the glorious refurrcc- 
 tion of the jiilf, or grace confuminated in glory, is attaina- 
 ble, and deferves and requires the utmoil carc and ililigcncf 
 ot the moft holy and zealous Chiilliajis, to be exerted and 
 put fortlt>-4fl-»«ler to the attaining of it. 
 
 12 Not as though I had already attiiined, cither 
 were ah'eady pcifeft ; but I follow after, if that I 
 may apprehend that for which alfo I amapprelund- 
 ed of Chrifl Jefus. 13 JBrethren, I couiitnotniy- 
 fclf to liave apprehended : but this ouc th'in'r I da, 
 foreettini'thofe things which are behind, and reach- 
 ing forth unto thofe things which are before, 14 I 
 prefs to\vard tlie mark of the prize of the high call- 
 ing of God in Chiifl. Jelus, 
 
 Our apofllc here compares hinifelf to a pcrfoti runinrq 
 in a race : the prize which he did contend r.iul run fi;r, x.is 
 pcrfed ion in grace. The highefl decree of which in iliis 
 life, conlills in a dcfire and endeavour to obtain the largcfl 
 meaftires and fiiUeft degrees of holinefs, that are here at- 
 tainable : The manner how he ran for this pi ize, he tells 
 tis, was, hy I ojhingfr ward, not backward ; he did not kx k 
 back to the things which he had left behind, namely, to tlie 
 privileges cf Judaifm, not to his palf performances ; hv.t 
 like a racer, kept himfelf continually upon the (trctch, vvi h 
 his eye fixed firmly upon the prize at the end of the go::l, 
 that he might lay hold upon it, and be crowned with ir. 
 Note here, Chridianity is a race ; every ChriKian in his life 
 muft run this race ; in his ntnning \icxn\\[\ loifk forutird, 
 and not backward, not reckon how niiich of the way is 
 part, but make the bell of the way to come : He rviuft keep 
 heaven, as the mark and priz;e he runs for, coniiniiallv iu 
 his eye, to hearten him on againft all hardffiips and difccii- 
 ragemcnts whatfoevcr, and in a word, mull be iitp;xhtvdfd 
 before he can eipprehnid : St. Paul wa.s apprehended by 
 Chriu, and c,'i:ght hold of by him, when he (led from liini',, 
 otherwife he had never apprehended ; Chrilf takes hold on 
 u=, before wc have any deliro to lay hi^ldcm hiuT : wc mcc 
 as .moved of him, and allilicd by him. 
 
 15 Letus therefore as many as lie pcrfc£l. be th-s 
 5X2 mindcJ: 
 
8^6 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 minded; and if in any thingycbeotherwife minded 
 God fliall reveal even this untoyou. 16 Neverthe- 
 Jefs, whereto we have already attained, let us walk 
 bv the fame rule, let us mind the fame thins. 
 
 Ltt ai many as he ptrfcH, that i«, grown Chrilliany, in- 
 AniRtd ihoruiighly inilicir Chridiaii ciuty, who, compared 
 with ovhcrs, may be called /><-r/Ij7, // thus minded, as I am, 
 iiiiincly, tobtlievethe circiimcilion of ilic fli-lh abolilhcd, 
 and that no confidence is to be placed in any rightcoufnen 
 of our own, hut in the righteoujnejs ivhich is oj God hy faith 
 »n'.y \ and if aiiy, fcduccd by the Judaiiing teachcis, be 
 oiherwifc minded, and think that the ceremonial hw is not 
 abrogated, nurthe pra>2.ice of tirciimcilion aboliilied, Gf)d, 
 in his due time will Ihcw them tlicir error, and convince 
 ihcm that none of thofc things are now neccffary for the 
 obtaining of hi- favour. Nevcrthelefs, in the mean lime, 
 he exhorts all perfons, according to the mcafiires of iia;ht 
 and knowkdgc which they had received, to walk according 
 lo the rule of the fcriptures, prcferving muiujl love, and 
 avoiding furtlier rents and divilions. Ohferve here, Tliat 
 in the firil and bed aijc of the Chriftian church, there was, 
 and we cannot expe£l but there ever will be, a variety of 
 opinions, and differences in judgment, amonglf the mcm- 
 bt rs thereof. 2. That, in this cafe, of unavoidable dif- 
 ftrences amongft good men, there ought to be mutual 
 charily and meckncfs, moderation and forbearance, no cen- 
 forious judging of each other, but look firrt at what is 
 Wanting in ourfelves, and next, at what is ufeful in others; 
 the one will make us hiuiible, the other charitable, and both 
 p:;accablc. 
 
 J 7 Brethren, be followers together of me, and 
 mark them which walk fo, as ye have for an en- 
 lample. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told 
 you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they 
 are the enemies of the crofs of Chrifl ; 1 9 Whole 
 end ii dcllrudion, whole God is. their belly ; and 
 zilioje glory is in their fhame; who mind earthly 
 things. 
 
 Here our apoftle propounds his own cxfample to their 
 imiiation; fVikiv mc, \\ ho have renonnccd all my Jcwilh 
 pri\il.gcs, all confidence in any thing of my own ; and mark 
 ihem for your patterns, who walk fo as to have us for an 
 example. O ! how happy it is when the tninilters of Chrift 
 go befoie their people, and tread out the IKps which they 
 sre to take towards heaven, when they can fay to their 
 people, (without any upbraiJingfrom their own confccnccs) 
 be followers of us, and of all fuch as have us for an exam- 
 ple. Next he warns them againfl followip); the d"<ftrines 
 and pra6lices of the falfe teachers, the Juu.uzing duflors, 
 thofe great zealots for the obfcrvatioa ot tlfe ceremonial 
 law, a.)d the rite of circumcifion ; ihefe he paints out in 
 their prtiper colours ; [\.) He calls them the enemies of the 
 tr-tfs rf Chrifl, becaiiic they preached up the rr.crlliiv of cir- 
 cumcifion, and ihc < bfcivation of the ceremi^niu! law; and 
 fo, in clTcfl.dcni-d Chrift to be come in theflcKi, or afiiii;;- 
 ing, til. t he died in rain : Ifl-cfe evd is drjiruilion, if they 
 pcilKlin their wickcddodrines and pradiccs,, their end will 
 
 be cvcrlafling deftrur*ion : lUiofe Cidis their belly, who 
 chiefly niind the graiii'cation and pleafing of a fenfual ap- 
 petite : They who fervi their belly before Gcd, or as they 
 Ihould ferve Gt)d, do ii.akea po<l of their belly ; we may 
 J f. vide for the bc!l\, but not ftrve it, that is to ferve u', 
 by Hiting us to ferve Goil, our ntiglibour, and oiirft Ives. 
 If'h/e glcry is their fkavie :, that is, ihey gloried in thiir 
 wicked praiSiccs in genetiil, whereot they out;ht to l)e 
 afhamcd, and the circumcilion of liie (hamcful member in 
 particular; they arc puffed up with that >vhich ihi^uld 
 rather make them bluftt : They mind earthly ti'ings : The 
 riches, honours, picufurcs, applaiifc of the world, are things 
 wholly upon ilieir liearis, counting gein godlluefs, not rcgiini- 
 iug Chrilt's intercft, but only promniing their own dcligns. 
 Lord! what a difinai charc'fler is tbisofihofe n.en that un- 
 dertake to be teachers ot oihcrs r With w hat a black coal 
 doth the apodle draw their. piclure, and yet his hand was 
 guided by the Spirit of Gixi, whofcjiidgn.ent of them was 
 according to truth. 
 
 20 Forourconverfation is in heaven; from whence 
 alio we look for the Saviour the Lord Jefui Chrift ; 
 
 As if the apoflle had faid, " As you love your fi/Uls fcJ- 
 low not thofe lalfc teachers afore defcribcd, tor they art- ci'.i- 
 zens of this w orld ; but imitate ~nd follow us w ho are 
 citizens of heaven, where our Head i', where our heart i', 
 where our h.^ppintfs is : It ii true, we live here below, but 
 we bclongto the corpcjaiiou and focicty above, our ciiizift- 
 thip is in heaven ; for we have an high cftccm of that hap- 
 pincfs, and our chief concern is to make fure of it, and rc 
 pleafe and delijiht ourlclves with the joyful expt<5lation of 
 it, and will livcanfwerably to our exptflation ; as we hope 
 hereafter to live like angtisin glory, fo we now endeavour 
 to live like the angi-ls in holinifs.'' Learn hence. All the 
 faithful, both minilters .-.nd people, have a right to hea\en, 
 as to their ciiy ; they arc therttore w iih their hearts and af- 
 fetStions to be daily afpiring after it, and live in hopes of 
 getting, ere long, the lull poirefljon of it. 
 
 21 Who fhall change our vile body, that it may 
 be fafhicnedlikc unto lii.s glorious body, according 
 to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue 
 all things unto himltlf. 
 
 OhJer"je\\cie, I. All the faithftil who have their convcr- 
 fation in heaven, do cxpeft and look for Chrift coir. ing from 
 thence, not as a terrible Judge, but as a gracious and power- 
 fi.l Saviour. 2, What they do expert at the coming of 
 this Saviour, namely, the c\\zng\n\^ of their vile tcdy, that 
 it mtry be fojhi^ncd like unto his ghricus body. A'cte here, 2. 
 The pielent condition ot ihc body of man, it is in a vile 
 condition, vile in its original ; our botly is made of vile 
 dull ; vile in rcgavdof its moral vilenefs, and finful vilencfs; 
 vile in regard- ot its accidental \ ilencfs, as their body is the 
 feat ot their vi'.c cifeafes, nnd fubjcdc to vile abufc.- ; vile^ 
 tonfidercd wiih refpc'-l to iis ul.imatc vilenefs at dt;iih ; 
 how does a binly, as Icaiitiii,! as evcrwas Abftlain'^, ulun 
 death comes, ri:n into roitinncfs and pr.trelsiSioii ! our iin 
 made ivA vile in the fight of God whiift we lived, and ren- 
 ders Jill bodie,- viLriii the f.^iit ot iiict. wLun v.'cdic. 7. 
 
 The 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 P H I L I P P I A N S. 
 
 837 
 
 The future condition which the bo<ti;s of gWiil rum fTulI 
 be in, at the appcirEPCe of Chriit ; this \ ilc bwly (hull be 
 a beautiful and a bleHl-d bntly, tlic bntly we lav dnv. n fliall 
 be rebuilt, fijmcd and f.ifhiinicd like unto Clirifl's {;!ori<)us 
 bvidy ; refcmMint; his incorniptabiJHv ;;nd imin<>rt;'litv, in 
 purity anri fpin-iiality, in power and aiflivity, and in happi- 
 Hcfsa^d ftlicity. 3. The cfticitnt cai'fe of this great and 
 florioiis chant^e, with referenc« to the bixly, and that is 
 Chrifl, He /hall chtntpj etir "uHe l<:,iifs, toj^et her with the 
 means by which all this is to be eftl-fled and accompli Ibtd, 
 namely, the wonderful power of Chri'.l, according to the 
 ivorhng wberehy he is able to fuldue all things to himfeif. 
 Surtly, it is as eafy for Chrift to give body to a foul at 
 the refurreftion, as to breathe a foul into a body every day 
 in the work of creation. But the power of Chrill is but a 
 tveak argument to build our hopes of the body's refurrcc- 
 tiori upon, without a revelation of his will ; he can quench 
 .-jII the fire in hell in a moment ; but where has lie faid he 
 will do it ? Birt now in the cafe before us, Chrid is not 
 only able to raife, but has declared he will raife and change 
 our vile btxiies: fo that faith is enabled to make a fufficie.nt 
 reply to all the aftonilhing difficulties that reafon can muf- 
 "ter up ; an(? thofe Chriftians that can now fay. Our r.-r.- 
 ".■erftition is in kciiven, may a<ld, from thence ue hoi: for a 
 Sin'ioitr, the Lird yejtis Chriji, uha Jhall change our vile 
 iuh, that it may be fafhitncd, &C» 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 dur apojlle, coming now to the conclufion, of this excel- 
 lent fpijlle, fxh/iris Ike Philippians to (he practice of 
 Jevcral duties oj gnat importance to the honour of God, 
 the credit of religion, and their own hemfiL and comfort. 
 
 THEREFORE, my brethren, dearly beloved 
 and longed for, tny joy and crov/n, fo flaud 
 faft in the Lord, viy dearly beloved. 
 
 Note here t. The lovinp;, affe£lionate an.H endfairn£» 
 compcllations, winch St. Paul bcftows upon his beloved 
 Philippians ; he calls them his brethren twice in one verfe, 
 his d:nrly hcloveit and longed for, lis jn and crMn ; thereby 
 tertifying his fervent aifeiSton towards them, his palltonatc 
 longing tor their fprritu J welfare, and that their Converlion, 
 by his preachrng,. was matter of grcr.t joy and comfort to 
 him, yea, the crown and honour of his minillry, my joy 
 atd croQvn : that is, my chief joy, and crown of rejoicing, 
 that which he rojoiced-in more than he could in any carrhTy 
 crown. Behold in this gkfs the heart of every faithful 
 a:i;b.i,'L.lj;- of '■,.\\i-^ Chriil. It would not plcafe them fo 
 nn.\.r. to : : - :. 'li-rial crown fei Upon their heati?, and to 
 be^rnaJc t A^^ world, as to fee fouls brought 
 
 oiTfro.nit . ..., '.heir miniftry, to the obedience of 
 the word. This i;i id.: the Philipp'ians St. Paul's jov and 
 crown at prffcnf, and j^'uve iiim hoaes that they would be 
 bis crown of rejoiciBe in ihc dav of'Chiiil: May the fame 
 ■ ' ' ' '^as in thi- -rent :.poflle.' 2. The 
 
 which St. } aul here txhovts the 
 .3 iy, .luii liiat is, (lidtaltn.fs in. the faizh aud dcc- 
 
 triiie of the gofpel in wtneral ; and in particular, in the li- 
 berty wherewith Chrill hath made ihcm free, without ob- 
 liging ihemfelves to obf< rve circumci'ion, or anv part of the 
 ceremonial law : Stand foj} in the Urd, my dearly hekied, 
 my joy and crown. Learn, hence i. Tliat ftedfal'Jncfs in 
 the true religion, and pcrfevcrante in the falih-df Chrifl, is 
 the great and indifpcnfible duty cf every Chiirtia.T that ha* ' 
 a due regard fo hjs falvniion. 2. 'Jliat fuch a fteadincfi 
 in the faith of Cluiil, and his holy religion, is a preftnfc 
 joy, and will be an eteinal crown of rejoicing to the minif- 
 tcrs of Gcd. 
 
 2 I befecch Euodias, andl bcfeech Syntyehe, that 
 they be of the fame mind in the Eord. 3 And I in- 
 treat thee alio, true yoke fellow, help thofe women 
 which laboured with me in the gofpel, with Clement 
 alfo, and luith other my fellow -labourers, whole 
 natnes are in the book of life. 
 
 The former verfe was an exhortation to cordlancy ; this, 
 to concord. Here ;?;/<•, I. The pcifrns exhorted to duty,, 
 two women of eminent note in the church, Euodias and^ 
 Syniyche, who ialcurcd with him in the gcfpel, that is, in\ 
 ofHces proper to their fex, not in public preaching, but ii\ 
 private teaching of youth, and inftrucling other women in 
 the principles of religion : Between thcfe two good women,. 
 k fccms, there was fomc difference, a want of love and~ 
 unanimity V H is but too frequent for perfons truly pious- 
 and painftil in the work cf the Lord 10 he at odds a'mongfl 
 themfelves ; and fuch are the fatal confeqtic-nces of fuch' 
 differences, though between two perfons only, that they are 
 looked upon as worthy to be :jkcn notice of by a grear 
 apofilc. 2. The great care and pains \\hich St. Paul takes- 
 timely to compofe this petty diflcrcnce between thefc two 
 perfons ; he writes 10 an eminent tninifler of the church at 
 Philippi, whom he calls h\s true ych-fdloVL', (btcaufc they 
 had faithf'iily laboured together' in planting a Chrifliao' 
 church in that cityj to excn his inmcftendeavoiirs in re- 
 ccncilHig thefc two difagrceing panics.. Si:ch asare fcn- 
 fible of the dangerous mifchiefs of flrifc and contention, of 
 difcord and divifion, will account it their duty to loik to 
 breaches betimes, to quench fuch fires at their firlf k'inet. 
 ling, and will call in all the help they can,, by tngrginf'the 
 prayers and teats of Clcd's miniflcrs, and the cn(ita\'^-.ur7 
 of ail faithful Chrifflans, in order theicunto ; 3!ul all this- 
 care, God knows, is little enough in order thereunto. 3. 
 The charitable thoughts and good opinion which 'sx. VmX 
 had of his fellow-lahotirers at Philippi, he believed .'^w> 
 names n-ere in the book of life ; that is, he adjudged tiiem 
 truly gracious perfons, and in a fbte of falVi-iion ; thou'^h 
 none can pafi, a certain and inf?l!iblc jud;;mcntupon others,, 
 yet fuch £S are holy in ccnver.'ation in t'ljmfelves, a:id con- 
 tribute then- utmoft endeavours to promote holinels in 
 others, may, in the judgment of charity, be pronounced; 
 peifonswhofe names are in the book of life. 
 
 5 Rejoice in the Lord alivay : and ag&m I fay, 
 Rejoice. 
 
 Note here, i. The ditty exhorted to, Chrillian chrcrfiil- 
 ncfs and joy, a duty which glorifies Gcd, adorns religion,. 
 
 is 
 
83« 
 
 TMM L I P P I A N S. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 is beneficial to ourfirlves, "by enabling ijs to bear affliftionj, 
 to glorv in thc-m, and to triumph over them. 2. The 
 objeift of this duty, a glorioiis and rcplcnifliing objcft, 
 Chi ift the Lord: Rrjrice in the Lord. 3. 'Ihc perpetuity 
 and connancy of the duty, Rejoice nkuay, that is, at ail 
 times, and in all conditions. 4. The diiliculty of the duty, 
 implied in the rcpciiMon of the command : Ar/iin I fay, 
 Rej;ice. From the whole, s/yz-rtr, i. Tiiat the i.ord jefiis 
 Ciuiil is the great, furcand perpetual joy of his children 
 and people. 2. That it is their duty to be joying in liim 
 always, and always rejoicing for iiim, and to rejoice in their 
 ■knowlcdj»c of ]>iiu, in his undertaking for tiicm, in their 
 interefl in him, in their influences of grace and comfort 
 derived from him, in their hopes of glory, to be eternally 
 enjoyed \\ iih him. 3. That to get the heart up to this 
 duty, at all times, and in all conditions, is no eafy work, 
 tlicrcfore the exhortation is doubled, Rejoice nlwny ; and 
 I fay again Rij'/icc \ pointing out how averfc wc arc to 
 ihis fpiritual and very beneficial duty. 
 
 5 Let your moderation be known unlo all men. 
 The Lord n at hand. 
 
 That is, Let your mililncfs and gentlencfs towards others. 
 Yoi;r mecknefs and patience under your own trials, be very 
 i'onf|)icuoiif, becaule the Lord is at h.-.nd to execute judi;- 
 ment on his own cnicihers, and on the perfeciitors of liis 
 own people. Learn, That tiie coniideratii-n of the cer- 
 tainty and fuddennefs of Chrifl's coming to judgment, 
 ought to be improved by us as an argument to ail mildncfs 
 and gentlenefs towards others, and to all mecknefs and 
 patience under our prefent fufFcrings : Let ymr moderatisn 
 be hiszDi unto etll vien, &c. 
 
 6 Be careful for nothing : But in every thing by 
 prajcr and fupplication, with thankfgiving, let your 
 rcquefts be n-.ade unto Gcd. 7 And the peace of 
 God, which paflTeth all underftanding, fhall keep 
 your hearts and minds through Chrift Jefus. 
 
 Ncle here, i. The duty exhorted to, natnely, to be an- 
 xioully and folicitoufly carefid for nothing ; it is not care, 
 but carefulncfs, that is, inordinate care, heart-cuttint», dif- 
 tra<fling, foul- rcndering<:are end folicitude, which is here for- 
 bidden ; there is a prudent provident care for the things of 
 this life, which is an unqueliionarde duty. 2. The remedy 
 prefcribed for tlie prevention of folicitous care, and that is 
 lervcnt prayer : in mcry thing, by prayer and fupl>licalion, 
 kl your reqitcJIs Ic made knawn. The people of God may 
 and ought to have rccourfe to him in e\'ery thing. 3. The 
 apoftle directs to thr.nkfgiving in every thine, as well as to 
 prayer, In every thirtr iy prayer and themlfi^iviii^^. Sec. -when 
 afiiitSlcd, we are to be thankful for the expected benefit of 
 afllictions ; when teinpted, to be thankful that God will 
 not leave us to be tempted above w hat we are able ; when 
 we fall into fin, there is caufe of thanklulncfs that we are 
 not left to run into all fin, that we are not cut off in the 
 very a61 of lin, and did not die in our fins ; thus arc we 
 in every thing to give thanks. 4. The benefit and advan- 
 tage which St. Paul aiVures tlieni wmrld redound imto 
 them, by the prnflice of the forementioned duties, namely, 
 'fvvcet piact wl.iih fa£eth undcrj}andin^ ; that is, which 
 
 none can conceive th.it have not felt it, and none can cx- 
 prefs that have experienced it. This peace, he tells them, 
 will keep and guard their hearts and minds ; a found peace 
 is the foul's guard againit all inward terrors and out\^ard 
 troubles ; as the perfons of princes are fcctircd by guard* 
 of armed and valiant men, w ho wa'ch »vhi!c they deep ; io 
 .-xrc Chriftians guarded and fccured by the peace of Gof', 
 belter than any prince ever was by a guard of forty thou- 
 fand men. The fecce of God Jhall keep ymr heart s and 
 mirds thrii/gh Chrl/i Jcfus ; tliat is, iliioiigh the allillance 
 ofChrirtJefus. 
 
 8 Finally, brethren, whatfoever things are true, 
 whatfocverthing.s arc honed, whatfoever thin^.sare 
 juft, whatloever ihiui^s are pure, whaifocver things 
 are lovely, whatfocvcr things are of good report ; if 
 i he re he any virtue, and if there be any praile, think 
 on thefe things. 
 
 Here we have a very comprchennve precept, defcribing 
 the duties of all Chrillians : Jl hatjocver tl'wgi are true : 
 truth is the principal cl;arr.c\er of our profcllion, and is to 
 be cxprelTed in our words and aflions ; u'halfccver ///\;j 
 are hincft, venerable or grave, that is, anfw er the dignity 
 of our high calling, raid agree with the gravity andcomtli-^ 
 nefs of the Chriftijn profcflioii ; xii<atfot-jer things arejuft 
 according to divine and himisn law s ; 'uhatfccver thifigs are 
 pure andchaf.e, intimr.ting, that we tnuil prcferve the heart, 
 the hand, the tongue, the eye, from all impurity ; whatfo- 
 ner things eire iffiely, and of go'jd rtpt^rt, as cafmefs to 
 pardon, readinefs to oblige, companion to the afliifled, li- 
 berality to the diftreircd, fweetncfs of convcrfation, w iihout 
 gall and biiternefs ; thefe are of univerfal tl^eem with man-> 
 kind, and foften the moil favage tempers and difpofiiitins. 
 A's.V here, I. That there are things naturally, honcfl, jull,' 
 and lovely in their own nature, and praife-wcrthy in theni- 
 fclvcs, wiiich do raifc and refine the human nature i and, 
 without a command, their grodnefs is a ftrong obligaiicn 
 to obferve them. 2. That Chriflianity doth adopt mo- 
 rality, or precepts of good life and manners, into iis frame 
 nndconflitution, and it is indeed an integral part of the 
 Chrillian religion ; not that any moral precepts, though 
 never fo good, can raife a foid from the dcrth of fin to a lite 
 of holinefs, -without faith in Chriil, and :.lfil'.ance from Ids 
 Spirit i but the morality w hich the fcriptine teach I's, is 
 founded not barely upon principles of reafon, but divine 
 revelation, and obliges us to the praclice of moral duties, 
 in obedience to Chrifl's command, in conforniiy to his 
 example, in the Ihcngth of his afliflance, and Miih an cy« 
 at his glory. 
 
 9 Thofc thing.'? which ye have both learned and 
 received, and heard, and fecn in me, do; And the 
 God of peace fliall be with you. 
 
 Note, I. With what great confidence and good afTHrance 
 St. Paul here rccoir.mcndcd his own practice and exatrplc 
 to his people's Imitation ; all thofc ihin4;s which he had by 
 Iiis do*iiirine and life comoK tided to them, were to be care- 
 fully obferved and imitated by them : It is a bleflL-d thing, 
 when a rcople's eves are lauvl\;bv their cinillcr's liolinels 
 
 ' ' of 
 
CiiAr. IV. 
 
 P H I L I P P I A Jf S=. 
 
 §t0 
 
 of life, and their ears by rlie foundiicfs of his doflrine. 
 Our people have eyes to fee how we wallt, as well as ears 
 to hear what we preach i therefore it is a miniftcr's great 
 duty, by ibidncfs and gravity of dcporlmeiit to maintain 
 his'ei'kent in the confeicnces of his people, yet always 
 tempering gr^viiy wiih a condcfcciuiins; affability : That 
 ir.iniiler only can go off the (iai;e wiih honour and com- 
 fort, who has L-ft behind hi;n the'" .coikI feed of found doc- 
 trine, and the good favour of an holy example ; that can 
 fay whh our apoftle, Tf>r things wh'uh yiu have both heard 
 aiid J'cen in me, do. 2. The promife annexed to the fore- 
 going precept, Thefe things do, and the God of pcuce JhuU he 
 with yAi. Where note, I. Who will be with us, the God 
 of peace : now he that is the God of peace, is the God of 
 power ; he that is the God of peace, is the God of patience, 
 who, thoiigh he cannot puni(h, yet will pardon tiie infirmities 
 of his people. 2. How he will be with us ; the heart of 
 God will be with ns, the help of God will be with u-, and 
 the prcfencc of God will be with us, to guide and dired 
 ns, to lead and condu<5l us, to cover and proted us ; and, 
 if God be with us, we (hall fliortly be with him. Learn 
 hence, That thole which obey the gofpcl, vvhatfoever or 
 ■W'homfoevcr they want, (hall ever abide in a peaceable and 
 blclTed condition. 
 
 lo But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now 
 at the laft your care of nie hath flourilhcd again ; 
 wherein ye were alfo careful, but ye lacked oppor- 
 tunity : 1 I Not that I fpcak in refpecl of want : 
 for I have learned in whatlbever ftate I ain, there- 
 rviih to be content. 12 I know both Iwzu to be 
 abafcd, and I know hmu to abound : Every where, 
 and in all things I am inlhuflcd, both to be full 
 and to be hungry, both to abound and to fuffer 
 need. 13 I can do all things through Chrifl which 
 ftrengtheneth inc. 
 
 Our apoftle being now come to the conclufion of his 
 epiftle, acquaints the Philippians with what great jov he 
 had received their charity fent unto him ; and that it came 
 no fooner, he believed did not proceed froin any difrcfpcdl 
 towards him, but only for want either of ability or oppor- 
 tunity of fending to him ; yet withal gives them to under- 
 ftand, that he could bear want, or a ftrait condition, very 
 well ; for, having Chrift for his teacher, he had learned in 
 xvhrjfoever Jiate he was, therein lo be anient ; he could bear 
 either plenty or fcarciiy, fulnefs or want; yQ:^, could do 
 all things through Cl.rijt that Jlrengthened him. Obfefz^e 
 here, i. The viciUitude and great uncertainty of St. 
 Paul's outward condition ; at one time he abounds, at 
 another time he is abafcd ; at one time he is full, at another 
 in want ; teaching us, that the deareft of God"s cliildren, 
 in regard of their outward condition, are fubjcft lo variety 
 of changes. 2. The general lelfon which they have learnt, 
 with Inference to this variety of conditions, and that is the 
 IclTon of contentment ; / have learned in whatfocver Jlaie 
 I am, thercvjith to be content. 3. The particular IcfTons 
 learnt by him, hilb how to abound, and hozv to be abafcd: 
 They arc both hard IcH-jn-^, but,, of the two, perhaps' it is 
 
 harder trMjcnnvv how to a'jound, than how to be abaje^. 
 ^Hcfl. ft.) When inay a man be faid to know how to- 
 abound r Anf. When he feis a due value and a right 
 efteem upon the things of the world, ar.d ntiiher prizes 
 them too high nor too low ; when a man fo ules his abun- 
 dance, as to avoid the temptations v\hi<:h do attend and 
 accompany that abundance; when he is willing to part 
 wiih his abundance, at ahe call and command of God j- 
 and, in a word, wlicn hMottends m(>rc to the duties of his 
 
 itaii 
 
 profperous -ilate, th^n t%thc fenfual pleafures and faiis- 
 faflion of it. ^ucjl. 2. What is it to know how to be 
 abafcd ? Anf. Nut to be difcouragcd, or fuffer the fpirit 
 to (Ink or faint in the day of advcriity ; to be not only 
 htimbled by afHiclion^but humble under it ; to fuffer 
 what God inflifls, w|^lut impatience or compLint, with- 
 out fourncfs of fpirit Wdifcontent ; to believe firmly that 
 whatever we meet with, is from the hand of a father ; that 
 whatever we part with, is but a petidiing creature ; that 
 God is able to reftore all om- loft comfort with advantage 
 to us, and will do it, if it be good for tis, either in kind or 
 equivalency ; this is to know how to be abafed. ^lej). 3, 
 How doth it appear harder to know how to abound, than-' 
 how to- be abafed r Tb.us ; there are more duties, and 
 harder duties, required of thofe that abound, than of them 
 that want. There are more temptationi-, and Krcnger' 
 temptations, which attend thofe in abundance, than them 
 that want. Hence it Ts that God gives fo many folemn' 
 charges and commands to thofe that abound, to take heed 
 to themfelves, more than to thofe that are in want. See 
 Dent. vi. 12. JVl:en thou art full, then b/ware kjl thou- 
 forget the Lord thy God, and thy heart be lifted up. In a 
 word, I do not remember one inftance in all the Scripture,. 
 o[ a full or profperous condition, which was ever fo much 
 as the remote occafion of a linner's convcrlion unto God • 
 but I find in Scripture, that an affii»i^ed condition has beeiv 
 blclFed to many for this end, 2. Chron. xxxiii. 12 Hof.- 
 V. 15. Job xxiii. 14. Olfervc, 4. The fchool which Sr.. 
 Paid learnt this great lellbn in, to know how to be abafed, 
 and how to abound, and to be thoroughly content in every 
 condition ; it was not at GanialieJ'.s feet, but Chrirt's feet'-. 
 lean do all things through Chri/i /ireng.'hening me ; Chrift 
 was both his tutor and ftrengthcner, he taught him his 
 lefibn and enabled him to praftife it. Note here, i. That 
 a real Chriftian is able to do all things, all things that con- 
 cern a Chriftian, all things that belong to the glory of God 
 and his foul's falvation ; all things, not in a le^al, but 
 evangelical fcnfe ; not all things, nor indeed any thintr with 
 a finlefs perfedion, but all things in refped of his love to 
 the whole law, in rcfped of his^purpofe and rcfoliition, in 
 refpcft of his defire and endeavours. Again, lean do all' 
 things ; underfVand it in aftive fenfe, I can deny myfclf, 
 believe in a withdiawing God, conquer the world, fuliduc' 
 uninortincd corruption, and li\e a life of evangelical ner- 
 fcdion : Tiike it alfo in a pafhve fenfe, T can fuHtr all: 
 things, I can bear Chrift's crofs, wear his y< ke, endure 
 any thing for him, or from him, when called forth to ■ 
 fuffer. 2. That as a Chriftian can do all things, fo his 
 ability to do all things, lies not in himfelf, but in Ghrift-. 
 A believer receives an adivc power from Chrift to enable 
 him to do whatever he requires him to do; ability to 
 
 fubduc 
 
84,0 
 
 P H I L I P P 1 A N S. 
 
 Cn.'.p. IV. 
 
 futwliio corruptlpn, to conquer temptation ; to bear :ifflic- 
 tion, -ncl to gloiifv God in ivcrv crmliiicn ; ail this i's 
 from Chrift ; ami the lincerc Chriftian n jy fay with ihis 
 -<iiiincm faint, I do all things ihrcugh Chrljl ihat Jlrengthens 
 ir.r. 
 
 \\ Notwithflanding, ye have well done that yc 
 did communicate with my aflliaion. 11^ Now, ye 
 Thil ppi ins, know .ilfo that in the beginning of the 
 I'olWI. when 1 departed froi^*M.iccdoni,i, nochurch 
 communicated with me as concerninjf j^ivinjr and 
 reccivin;^. but ye only. 16 For even in ThcfTa- 
 Jonira ye font once and agai^nto my neceffity. 
 
 Ahhor.gh our apnlllc had <k(^Kd, n-n the forcpoing 
 vcrfc«, thjt he had fully learnt tlWlclTbn of contintmc-nt 
 in all conditions, and could bear poverty and want wiih- 
 •oiit complaining ; yet withal he alfiires thcin here, that 
 they did well in fenifing fiich fupplics to him in prifon by 
 Tpaphroiltin<:, as ihcy had done ; and thereby teftifying, 
 by their Chriftian conimiferation, that they (harcd with 
 liim in hi^ affliclitms snd fufferii-.gs for Chriil. Where 
 >r5,'.', I. The apoAlo's thankfwl acknowledgment of tlie 
 Philippians prefcnt liberality towards him, now in bonds, 
 <for preaching the gofpel to them ; and how he takes ac- 
 ofion from thence to make an honourable mention of 
 their former bounty towards him, even from his firft 
 prcachii;g of the gofpel to them ; ijay, when he was gone 
 trom them at Philippi, and preached to thofe at Theflh- 
 lonica, yet did the Pliilippiatis fend their bonnty after him 
 i!iore than once, which no other church had then done 
 bcfides themfclves. L^ro hence, i. That there is a nilc 
 *>f equity to be obferved, as between other relations, fo 
 between minirters and people, that as they beflow labour 
 and pains, fo they fhoiild receive encouragement and main- 
 tenance, and this not barely as a gratuity, but as a due 
 ileht. 2. That the faithful ininiilers of Chrift, though 
 they may challenge a fupply cf temporal things from their 
 people, for their fpiritual things, as a due debt, yet do they 
 fullv receive ir, and gratefully acknowledge it, to the honour 
 and commendation of their people, with fervent prayer to 
 G(x1, that it may be fruit redounding to their account in 
 the great day of account. 
 
 17 Not becanfe I defire a gift : But I dcfire fruit 
 ihat may abound to your account. i8 But I have 
 all. and abound : I am full, having received of 
 Kpuphroditus the things -^hkh vicre fnU from you, 
 ■RTi odour of a Iwcct fmell, a facrificc acceptable, 
 vcll-plcafing toC.od. 19 But my God fliull fupply 
 ail your need, according to his riches in glory, by 
 Chrift Jefus. 
 
 Here r/marh. The modcrty and great ingeniiity of the 
 apolllc, in airurin^; thcin, that his praifing their liberality 
 fo much was not upon defign to get more ; not hfcnufe I 
 ticjlrs a gift ; that is, any further gift for my own private 
 advantagj ; I am far from the thought of fptinging upon 
 you : But I aim at your advantage in this, that your libc- 
 xaliey may afFord you the iruits of a pkntU'ul rcivard in the 
 
 day of Chriil, who wHl net ffrv/f your ivsri and laiour cf 
 lave in mi>:iftcrini' to the faintt. H^' ig thus gnaulcd 
 aga'nfl all fiifpici(jn of greedircfs in himftlf, andc;idinced 
 fhat his co(rn>endirg of their lihcrslity wa.s not uprn dc- 
 tlgn, he prcrred' again to praifc their liberality \ct farther, 
 anj extols it in fit?h word': as may caiife adr.iirati'fl. Atfe, 
 1. Hwv ab'tndan iv (atisfici! the apoflk was viih .vhat he 
 had receivfd, / h,Vf al\ r.r.d rf)<:'inJ, i am f'lil \ ai if he 
 had had the tre-'furc* rif ti" Indi'^ in hii cofrtrs ; (jr."ce 
 is content with a li"Ie, and 'brink that liflean ahunJance ; 
 the contented man is only rich. 2. Hnw S*. I*- i-I gives 
 an ackriiAledr '.t-nt, iindrr his hand, that Ep.iphrcxlitiis 
 had falt'ifnilv •(-.•livered to him the v\holc of thtir charity 
 fcnt h) liini ; / I'tvif receixrti f Epipl.rcelhus all tie thlngi 
 uf'icl: it-eri- f-r:f frcm ycti : Epaphro<iitiis was their chief 
 ninider, or bifhrp, a perfon of great rrputatirn, whofc 
 fiiUli'v none cotdd ftifpefl ; yet St. Paul yivcs it under his 
 hand 'hat he had executed histrtift fai'hfully. Though a 
 man be never fo truft-worthy in himfelf, and be never fo 
 much inirtiftcd by others, yet he oitpht, in wifdom, to 
 guard ag.iinftanv fufpicioii which mav be mkrn tip apaii'fl 
 his honrftv snd fnithfulncfs. 3. The liigli expretltnns 
 which St. Paul makes life of, in felting forth the Philip- 
 pisns charity towards him ; he calls it, an cr/mr f a fxveet 
 Jinrll, nfocriftce occrptnble ard \kcU-J>l(pfing ti Cod \ the very 
 fame words here which he mskes ufe of, Ephcf. v. 2. 
 where he calls the death o^ Chx'x^ a frcrifce, and afueet- 
 fmclling favovr. The cxprtilion is borrowed from the 
 Levitical facrifices, which were of Cj<d's appointing and 
 appro\ingi and it imports, that onr charity txprenid tr- 
 warils the members, but efpccially the miniflers ot Jcfi:s 
 Chrift, now under the gofpel, is as acceptable and ^^el'- 
 pleat^ng unto God, as the fweeteft inctnfe and the fatted 
 facrifices were under the law. Here «;V, That the So- 
 cinians, to leflcn the meritorioufnefs of ChrilVs facrifice, 
 do parallel this text w ith that other, Eph. v. 2. " Is the 
 death of Chr'*', fay they, called a facrifice and fweet fmell- 
 ing favour r fo is the Philippians charity here called « 
 facrifice, but both in a figurative and metaphorical fenfc 
 only." But mark the difference ; St. Paul, Eph. v.. fays, 
 Chrift gave himfclf a facrifice, which being once offered, 
 was fufiicicnt to take away lin, Hcb. x. 10. but the Phi- 
 lippians are not faid to give themfelvcs a facrifice, but tircir 
 alms were as grateful to God as incenfe : It it be faid, from 
 Rom. xii. I. That believers are required to prelcnt them- 
 fclves livingfacrificesiinto Gtxl, and acceptable ; I anfwer, 
 So they are, and fo they do piefcnt theirfelves grati.latory, 
 but not expiatory facrifices unto God, 2 Pet. ii. 5. Ye art 
 a royal priefihood, to offer tip ffirittial facrificn eccrftab'e 
 unto Gcd, through frfus Chri/l. Chrill's oblalirn and 
 facrifice was acceptable for iiftlfj believers, ar.d their 
 cuchariftical facrifices, are acceptable to God only in, by, 
 and through our Lord Jefus Chrifl, Heb. xiii. By l-im .'«.' 
 us cff'rr the facrifice ifpraife artifiurily. Note laft!y. The 
 alTurance which St. Paul gives the Phillppiins, that GchI 
 would abundantly recoinpenfe their charity into thtir o\\n 
 bofoms, vcr. JQ. il/v C!cd ic.'ll fiipply all your need, &c. 
 As if he had faid, " D" not thirk you (hall want, bccaufc 
 you have liberally ftipplicd rry vants ; no, my GotI will 
 fupply yoti, for your fupplyingmc; Aaording le Lis riihes, 
 
 in 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 P H I L i P P I A N ?f. 
 
 S^Li 
 
 in gljry, that is, according to his rich mercy, andplorious 
 grace :" There is no oeed to be fupplieci is the glory of 
 the next life, but there is a glory in rich grace, ^vhich 
 readily and plentifully fuppiies all our needs in this life. 
 A'o/f here, i. Th:it fuch as adminifter nosv to the wants 
 of others, may fall into want, and be driven to (traits tliein- 
 felves. 1. That the more forward they have been to fup- 
 piy the wants, and aJminiller to the neceffiiies of others, 
 •n the time of rhcir abundance, the more they may expeft 
 -oni the bonniiful hand of God, in the day of their ne- 
 oefiity and diftrefs, 
 
 20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for 
 ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 A'^',/f here, i. The endearing tule given to Almighty 
 God, God nur Father; the worti father is a title of great 
 honour; the word owr is a word of lingular comfort. The 
 appropriating, poljtivc xcrmi,Tr]'nje, thine, ours, liave a great 
 fweetnefs ii\ them, and breathe abundance of affection. 
 A« Luther ulVd to fay, " Ttie comfort of liic gofpel lay 
 in pronouns pofTeflive, when we can fay with believing 
 Thomas, My L'.rd and my God ; with bleffcd Paul, who 
 loved rne, and gave hinift If for fwf." Learn, That God 
 is a Father in a more peculiar and fpecial manner to all 
 that are interefbed in his Son Jefus Chrill. The word 
 father iniplies fpiritual generation, that we are begotten by 
 hini, and like unto him ; it implies vehemency of affec- 
 tion, no bowels comparable unto a father's; it implies 
 dedgned benefit by correction that he exercifes unto profit. 
 And in the word our is implied, that God is the Father of 
 every believer, the weakeit, as well as the ilrongeft; we 
 are the children of Cod, through t'aith in Chrift Jefus; 
 and it points out our duty alfo, that as there is one Ciod 
 and Father of all, fo all believers ihould be of one heart 
 and one mind amongft themfelves. Kole, 2. What ic 
 is which our apoftle attributes and afcribeth unto CioJ, 
 namely, ^^/iry, and that/ir ever and ever .■ dory, that is, 
 the manifeftation of all his glorious excellencies and per- 
 fections. Learn hence, that it is the fervent deiire of 
 ail believers to have the worth and excellencies of God 
 everlaftingly acknowledged, and in a boundlels man-ner 
 difplayed : Unto God he glory fur ever and ever. This 
 word, /or ever and ever, is, upon difFerent accounts, the 
 faddefl and fweeteft word in all the Bible ; when applied 
 to the excellencies of God, and our interell in them, no 
 «ord like this for comfort, This God is our God /or 
 ever and ever. O raviliiing confolarion ! But when ap- 
 plied to Tinners, and what they fufFer from God as the 
 defert, the due dcfert of their fins, then it is a word of the 
 faddeft weight, Rev. xiv. 11. the fmoke of their torment 
 alcendah upjor ever and ever, 2 ThelT. i. 9. They Jhall 
 
 be punijhfd -jjith r,-eri<if}i>:g dePrufl'ion fr-An the frrfenciof 
 the lord. !t is the word/*;- ever flwr/zr^fr that fets all 
 hell 3 roaring, and it is the fame word that illls heaven 
 with joy and rejoicing. 
 
 21 Salute every fainM'n Cliri ft Jefus Tlie bre- 
 thren which are with me j^rcet you. 22 All the faints 
 falutc you. chiefly they that arc ofCefar'slKiufhold. 
 
 Our apoftle clofes his letter with refpcclfTi! falutaMons ; 
 he falutes in his osvn name all and every fair.t in Chrift 
 Jefus ; the foul of the pooreft and rreaneft fai.-t was not 
 iieglefted by this great apoftlc : He loved the brotherhood 
 the whole fraternity of believers, the whole fociety of I'aints: 
 Ail church-members are faints by external and vifiblepro- 
 feflion, and ought to be fo by internal renovation and 
 fpiritual regeneration, and one as well ss the other are h.er? 
 faluted by the apoftle: Salute every faint in ChriJ} Jcjur. 
 Next, he fends the falutationsofall the bretliren that v\ ere 
 with him, an<l of all the faints that were at Rome, all 
 thofe whom he had there converted to Chrlffianity, and 
 particul.irly fome of thole that were in Nero's family, and 
 called hereCefar's houfp-Ad. Where note, i. That fuch a 
 mighty efficacy had the preaching of the gofpel, accom- 
 panied with the influences of the holy Spirit, thnt it eii-- 
 tered the houfes of the gre.ntell pcrfecutors, and changed 
 the hearts of fome who were moff unlikely to receive and 
 entertain it. Beho'd, here are fome in bloody Nero's 
 family converted 10 Chrift, by the preachingef the golpel, 
 thofe of CeCar's hott/}.': Id. 2. That fonietiiiie.'-.(jod endues 
 the profeflors of the gofpel in general, and youn>T con- 
 verts in particulat, with futli a fpirit ol'zeal and courage,- 
 magnanimity and holy refohuinii, thj: ihey dare lift up a 
 banner for truth, and publicly own riie dei'pifed members 
 of Chrid, without either fli.Tme or fear : Thofe ufCefar's 
 hzuflidd do greet indfaltite you. 
 
 23 The grace of our I^rd Jeftis Chrift « with 
 you all. Amen. 
 
 He (lints up all with his ufual apoftolicai vaiediaion r 
 "Qy grace, we are to underftand the free favour of God, as 
 the fountain; and all good things, as fo many ff reams 
 flowing from that fountain : Thii is called the graceofiur 
 Lord Jelus Ch'ijt, bccaufe purchafed by his merit, and 
 applied by his intercedion. This grace he prays may be 
 with them in the fweet effefts of it, and in '.tie feniible 
 apprehenfinns of it, to enlighten fanrtify, comfort, and 
 quicken them more and more. Knowing then '.lie ex- 
 ceeding riches of grace which we have in ChriA Jefus our-' 
 Lord, let us glorify him, eminently, abundantly; .-•nd as 
 we have all things by him, let us do all t!i;:igs for hitr., 
 ^11 d to his glory. 
 
 o 
 
 :." n 
 
 \ 
 
T H E 
 
 EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Tfiii epifik xuas wrtitai by St. Paul when he was pnfoner ct Rome, about the fame time in which he wrote the foregoing 
 epijllc to the Philippians. It is dirctlel to the ColofTianj, that is, the church o/Chrifuans newly gatlicrcd in and 
 about the city ojColoSt in Plirygia, by the preaching o/"Epaphras ; St. Paul not having feen their face in 
 the flcfh, chap. ii. i. 
 
 Epaphras having founded a church here, and inJlruBed the Coloflians in the great and fundamaital principles of tU 
 Chrifltan religion, he left them for a time, and went to Rome, and was fellow pr if mer with St. Paul there. Inhis 
 chfmcefrom than, the Coloflians wereinfeRed withfalfe teachers oftwofrts; fome were the JudaizingdoSors, 
 that is, p'erfons converted from Jfudaifm to Chrijlijnity, who fought to imprfe upon tliem, circumcifon, 
 mid the cifcrvation nftheceranonial law, long fince oklifked by ttie death of Chnjl ; againft thefe falfe teachers, moll 
 of the foregoing cpiflles were xurittcnand dircBed. The other fort of falfe teachers againft whxnnthis epijlle is written, 
 Wire fuchperfons as were converted from GentiUfm to Chrijlianity, who obtruded upon tfu: Coloflians their philifo- 
 phicalfpcculaticms. and fome of their hcathenijh praBices, particularly, tlielr worf lipping of angels ; under the nction then 
 (as the church ^^Rome now) Thai Almighty God is an infnilely glorious Being, that 7nan,finfulman, nvifl net dare 
 toapproachhim ■wiliioid'the interpofurc of the angels, as Mediators between God and them. Now, in oppofition to both thefe 
 forts offa.fe teachers, St. Paul lurites tins epijik ,fhnuing the former, that Chr'Jlians, fince the death of Chrifl, lay under 
 no obligation to obfervc circunKifion, or any part of the ceremonial la-oj ; and convincing the latter, that ChnJl, and not 
 angels.was the appointed mediator between God and man; atui that lue, being reconciled to God by him, have eccefs 
 through him unto Sod in all our neceffities. 
 
 CHAP. I. of Chrift, dignified with the title and office of nn apoftle, 
 
 an apo/ih of Jel'ui Chr'tfl ; that it, called and lent imme- 
 Jn this chapter our apoflle gives thanks to God for thefbirit- dutely by him to plant anri propogatc the Chriftinn faith 
 , ^ r t y iA.r'^!,>fr,.,«c ^„J A.-.,,,- /■-..- throutrhotit the Lliriltian world, but hy thr will of Cod ; 
 
 ualfnaces conferred upinthtKjOionxdn'i, audp) ay > fei- „ ^^ .. i f .u u u • . a i -.i / r 
 
 > r 1 '■ r ■ 1 11 .1 ■ L ;• *-nrilt, as Head of the church, is intrulted with lendmgr 
 
 venilyfor their increaf m kmwledge. growth mholi- out minillers into his church ; but the Father's will, and 
 nrf, courage under fujfenngs, i^c. Cbnlt's will, do both concur and fully agree in fending 
 
 PAUL an Apolllc of Jcfus Chrift by the will of forth his minifters to inltruft and edify his church ; and 
 Cod, and Timothcus rar brother, 2 To the ^"-oe to fuch a? intrude themfelves into any office in the 
 ,• • J r -.ur 11 .1. ■ n\ -(V ,..1,;^K -..^ ^^ church without their call andcomnuilioii ; let them exiitrct 
 
 Inints and faitmul brethren m C linlt, wliicli are at , , • a i r 1 1 u- n-u /n • • v- u 
 
 ' , " ,, , J r 1^ J a blow inftead of a bleliinir. 2. 1 he apokle joins 1 imothy 
 
 CololTe: Grace be unto you, and peace iiom Ood j„ „,g faU.tation ; though Titnothy was not an apoftle or 
 our Father, and the Lord Jelus Chrift. a penman of any part of the Scripture, yet becaufe he was 
 
 Clferve here, I. That this epiftle to the Coloflianscon- well known to the Cololiians, and much valued and 
 tains many of the fame things and often the very fame efteemed by them, and was a perfon of eminent wort h^nd 
 words, with that to the Ephtlians, particularly thefalu- excellency in hinifelf, and of lingular ferviceablcnefs Mte^a 
 tation'here is the r.iiiie \^ith 'list to the Ephtlians ; in apoltle, he therefore cdMnni his /"-oZ/vr, being his/(^^^ 
 which, note, t. The perfon faluiinp, I'nul, once a perfe-, lal'Ourcr in thr -.vor/i nf ihi gWp/l. Where the great hi!^ j 
 cutor, now a proftJlbr,ye3,a zealoin-Tj.a' her o^ the faith niility of St. Paul.isremarkable, and worthy ol imitation ; J 
 
 who V 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 ^rj 
 
 who, though an inrpirecl apoftle, extraordinarily and imme- 
 diately called by Chrift himfelf, an aged perfon, long en- 
 gaged in the work of Clirill, yet is (o far from deipifing 
 young Timothy, his inferior, greatly his inferior in all 
 relpecls, that he gives him all fiiting refped, and puts ho- 
 nour upon him, in calling him his brother, they being fel- 
 low-labourers in the work and fervice of the gofpel. 3. 
 The perions faluted, the/d/n// and fu'ttffi.l brethren in 
 Cbri/t, \obich are at CokJ/i'. He calls all ihe member>=. of 
 this Chriftian church by the name oi Joints, they all mak- 
 ing an outward and vilible profelTion offancftity and holi- 
 ncfs ; and many of them, no doubt, were what they pro- 
 fffled, not only relative, but real faints ; he ftiles them alfo 
 fiiithfi I brethren in Chrijt, that is, implanted into Chrilt, 
 fume by outward profelFion, others by inward faniTtificati. 
 on ; or the exprtllion, faints in Chrifi Jefus, may intimate 
 to us, that all our grace and laniftity mull be exercifed and 
 iictedby (Ireiigth derived from Chrift, and all our holinefs 
 be accepted in Chrill Jefus. 4. The falutation itfelf, cJrdce 
 be unto you, and peace from G id our Father, and the Lord 
 Jefus ChtiJI. By grace, underfland the free love, and gia- 
 * cious favour of God, together with all the effefts and fruits 
 of it ; thefe are wiflud from God as a Father intimating, 
 that God bcftows not his fpecial grace as a Creator, but as 
 a Father in Chrifi; next he ^\ii\ei ihem peace from our 
 Lord Jefus ChriJ/,he being the ]inrchafer of our peace, 
 upon whom was luid the challilementof our peace, and by 
 whom G-'d is at peace with us, at d reconciled to us. But 
 why is there no mention of the Holy Ghofl, as well as of 
 Cod fhe Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift? Becaufe itis 
 by the Spirit, that God the Father and Jefus Chrill dwell 
 in us, and do communicate this grace unto us ; fo that 
 piaving for this grace, is praying for the communion of 
 thcHoly Choft. 
 
 3 We give thanki to God and the Father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, praying always for you ; 4 Since 
 wc heard of your faith in Chrift Jefus, and of the 
 love which ye have to all the faints ; 
 
 Our apolUe to give the CololTians a full ailurance of the 
 firmntfs of his love unto them, acquaint? them, that him- 
 felf and Timothy from the time they heard of their conver- 
 fion, did never ceiCe to give fokmn thanks to (iod for it, 
 and pariiciilarly, for tliat faith in Chrift, and for the love 
 which thf y bare to all faints, to all their brethren and fel- 
 low-members in Chrift. Where note, i . Theperfon whom 
 St. Paul offir-^iiphis pr.-iyers and praifes,his fupplications 
 and ihankigivings to, and that \iGd; intimating, that re. 
 ligious invocation and adora-tion belong only to God ; net 
 10 any creature, who can neither know, nor is able to fiip- 
 plv our wants. This God whom St. I'aul prayed to, is 
 called the Father of our Lord J,fus ; fo he is, wi;h refpr;?t 
 b h to his divine and htitnan nature ; in refpeft to his 
 Deity, he is of the fame cfi'ence with the F.Tiher, bej'otten 
 ofhim from all eternity ; and, in rerpe(rb of hi? humanity, 
 be is hi» Father, being, a« man. concaved by the j'-ower of 
 the Holy Ghuft. 2. Themercies and hleflings wh'ch St. 
 Paul offers up his thsnkrgivings to God for, and this on the 
 ^-ilf ot the Coloillans ; ir^ general, they arc fpiiitual 
 
 ^^j^ 
 
 bleflings: In particular,(i.) For iheir faith inChrifl Jifus; 
 Chrift alone is the proper object of our aftiance and tiuft, 
 and by faith we rf po ethe in ire truft andcoiilidtncc of our 
 louls upon the fufficiency of his ikerits. (2 ) For their 
 love to I'll the /aintf. \W here oh/ervr, That faith and love 
 are inlVparable companions: There is a neceflary connec- 
 tion bet\' een them: Faith without love, is no living grace; 
 love with out faith is nofaving grace. Ohjitve alio, The 
 proper object of aChriftian's love,it is the faints as faints, 
 that is for their fanftity and holinefs: and to all thefaints, 
 let their private opinions and peifonal infirmities be what 
 they will: Wc have heard of youri kve to all the faints : 
 Love is that brotherly afftftion which every trueChriftian 
 rhieHy bears to all his ftllow-iiiembers in Chrift for grace's 
 fake : now the love of grace in another, being fo gccd an 
 evidence of the life of grace in ourfelves, hence it was that 
 St. Paul, hearing of the CololTi ans love to all the children 
 of God, ceafes not to give thanks unto God' for it, as the 
 fruit an evidence of their converfation. IVe give ihai:ks 
 to God and the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, &c. 
 
 5 For the hope which is laid up foryou inhcaven, 
 whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of 
 the gofpel ; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in 
 all the world, bringeth forth fruit as it doth alio in 
 you, fince the day ye heard p,*''//,and knew thcgracu 
 of God in truth : 
 
 Here note, i. St. Pau! difcovers the motive which ex- 
 cited the Coloffians tofuch ftcsdmefs and conftancy in the 
 faith of Chrift, arid in love one to another : and that vias 
 the hnpe laid up for them in httwm -. that is, the grest and 
 good things iiere hoped for, and there to be enjiycd. A9 
 the finner's inifery confifts not in what he ftcis, but what 
 he fears; fo the believer's hap]iineli lic3not ii; what he has 
 in hand, but what he has in hope: the reward wh'ch 
 encourages his perfeverance in faiili and love, \s Lid up in 
 htt'iien, that i.Sjfafely and plentifijUy, as a patent lays tij-^ 
 his ireafures for the nfe of his children : It is both lawful 
 and laudable then for Chriftians to have an eye to the pro- 
 mifed reward, as an encouragement to duty, 6r //«• hipe 
 ■which is laid up Jor yott in heaven. 2. The means by 
 which they came to the knowledge of this ht»pe,it was by 
 the 'Mordoft'uih, the preaching of tjic gofpel to them by 
 the miniftry of EpaohiMs ; this wasfo e.vceedingly blcffed 
 by God, that thereby the laving hope of this rtward was 
 wrought in them. Where w';/r, The title givea to th& 
 gofpel, itis eminently the vjord 'f truth, having Chrift for 
 its main fnbjecl:, v. ho // l')€ iuay,the truth and the Ife, and 
 being confirmed by Chrift the Teftator's blood. i\ote 
 farther, That ihe preaching of this wordof truth, the doc- 
 trine of the j^oI'IkI, is the great inftrumental mean, np- 
 j'ointed by God ior begetting in us a lively hope of the 
 reward laid up for us in heavrn : for lie h-jpe laid apf^r 
 you in heaven, -Cfherecf you have heard hcffe in ikcvjord of 
 the truth nftheg'J'ptU 3. The commendation here given 
 of the gofpel, which had begot in thefe Colci}i;iU<a lively, 
 hope of the heavenly reward: It is commended, I'r.' For 
 bfing one and the faine gofpel which wn:i preached by the 
 apcftles throughout all the wuiklj -^hich:' c^.mc w:!: u;/, 
 
 I O s ■■) 
 
"Sl4 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Chap, i. 
 
 MS it is !n all the ivorlJ • that it, wiih incredible fwifr- 
 nels into the nioft eminent parts and places of the worhl 
 then known; an infallible proof of the divinity of the goj'- 
 pel, ihai'it was thus owned and blelRd of God. The gof- 
 pel, at all times, ar.d in places, ii one and the fame ; and 
 Lhrifl, when he plcafes, can fwiltly drive the chariot of 
 the {Tofpel round about the world, ;ind bring in not only 
 perlons ;ind f.nnilies,bnt cities, nations, and kingdoms, to 
 the obedience of it. (i.) The golpcl preached to them is 
 ( ornniended for its frnitfulnefs, it bringeth forth fruit, as it 
 dijtk aljh in ycu , that is, fruits of piety and holinefs to- 
 wards God, and fruits of righteoufnefs and charity to- 
 wards man. Learn hence, 1 liat it is matter of praife, 
 and unfpeakable thaiikfgiving, to the niiniflers of Chrift, 
 when the light of the gol'pel breaks forth among a people, 
 where it never befor ijiined,and i;- accompanied with ear- 
 ly and cotiftant fruits of piety, humility, faith and love, in 
 the heart!) and lives of thofe to whom it is preached. 
 
 7 As yc alfo Ic.irned of Epaphras our dear fcllow- 
 feivant,\vho is for you a faifhful miniflcr of Chrift; 
 
 8 Who nlfo dcclai cd unto us yoitr love in the Spirit. 
 
 9 For thi> cauft; we alfo,linc(: the day wc heard it, 
 do not ccafe to pray for you, and to defire that yc 
 might be filled with the knowledge of his will in 
 all wifdom and fpiritual undcrftanding ; 
 
 Note here, i. Tiie pcrfon whofirfl jireached thegofpel 
 of Chrifl to the CoiolTians, nnd converted them to the 
 Chrirtian faith, it w.ts Epaphras: ylsvc learned of Epaphras, 
 1. The commendation given to Kpapliras, and his chnrac- 
 ler by St. Waul : he was regularly called to the wot k,and 
 a dilli^ent fellow-labourer with St. Paul in the work of 
 prc.nching and difpenfmg the niyfteries of the everlafting 
 gofpel to a loft world : \\'hi is f-^r you a faithful niinifler of 
 Chrip. L/'ar^ hence, That the knowledge of life and fal- 
 vation is ordinarily wrought in perfons by the preaching 
 ofthegofpel, by menciltedofGodtothat facred func'Hon. 
 Noie, 3. A particular inrtance of the faithfulnefs of Epa- 
 phras towards the ColoHians, he declared unto St. Paul 
 their l;ve in the Spirit; that is, their fpiritual love and fer- 
 vent afFeclion to him, though ihey had never feen his face 
 nor heard his voice. The faithful minirtersand members 
 of JefusChrifl do alFeclionately love one another, though 
 they fee not^the face of each other ; there is no fuch load- 
 llone oflove as the grace of God : This will draw forth 
 the heart and affedftiuns of a believer,to the ends of the 
 earth, to pray for, to mourn over, and to rejoice with fuch 
 of their brethren as they never faw,but of whofe condition 
 they have heard. 4. The kind return which St. Paul 
 makes to them, for their love in the Spirit toward him; 
 fir this caufc 'ue dt not ceafe to pray for you : there is no 
 iuch way to attain an interefl in, and to obtain conllant 
 benefit and advantage by the prayers of the minifters of 
 ij.jd, as to be cxpreUive of our love and afi'ection both to 
 God and them. 5. Theefpecial blellings which he prays 
 lor on the ColofTians behalf, namely, that they might be 
 :i!icd with the knovjled^e of his •an7/,that is, attain toa more 
 perfeft and comprehcnfive knowled^ of God's >^11 and 
 their duty, furnillied with all divine '.vifdom and fpiriluaj 
 
 nndrr/?anding, to regulate tlitir lives according to their 
 knowledge. Learn from hence. That there is a lulnefsof 
 divine knowledge, which is attained by none, but fliould 
 be aimed at by all, feeing they that know nioft of God's 
 word and revealed will, tome far fhortof what they (hould 
 know. Learn, z. That the knowledge, wifdom, and un- 
 derlhnding which Chriftians ftould cfpecially labour after, 
 .nnd attain unto, is of things fpiritual : that ye beflUdwi'th 
 hnowltJge and /piritual nr.der/ianding. O let divine and 
 fpiritual knowledge beourchief care and principal bufineM 
 it IS called here Ipiritual underf^anding, becaufe it is from 
 theholy Spirit, and converfant about fpiritual things, which 
 f arexceedsthemoft refiued notionsconcerning other thinps; 
 and Chrift tells us, that eternal lifedepends upon it.Johil 
 xvii. 3. fpiritual knowledge fits us for the fervice of God 
 on earth, for the fight of God in heaven : And Chrifthas 
 told us, that he will take a fi?rond journey from heaven, to 
 render vengeance on them .vhich know not God, and'on 
 them which do know ^'K',fio«W/vv' but obey not practically 
 the gofpel of our Lord jt'iui, z ThtfT. i. 3. 
 
 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto 
 all pleafing, being fruitful in every good work, and 
 increafing in the knowledge of God ; 
 
 Here the apoftle fetsdown the end of his prayer in the 
 foreinentioncd manner for the ColoiHans, why he dclired 
 that their knowledge fliould l"oexcce<i:':glyincreafe ; it was 
 in order to praclice, th.it they might -Malk worthy of the 
 Lord, unto all plrafwg, and he fruitful in every good 'vori ; 
 that is the true end of knowledge, practical obedience. All 
 knowledge without this, niakesa man like Nebuchadnez- 
 zar's image, with an head of gold, and feet of clay : Some 
 perfons ftudy to know, only to know, this is curiollty ; 
 others endeavour to kno w,oiiIy to make themfelves known, 
 that is vain-glory : But to know, that we may practife wha c 
 we know, this is gofpel duty. Qjte/}. But how can any 
 perfou be faid to -jjalk vjorthy of the Lord? Anf. 'Ko\ with 
 a worthinefs of merit, but with a worthinefs of meetnefs, 
 when we walk as it is meet and fit for perfons profeffing 
 godlinefs to walk, when we walk as hecometh thegofpel of 
 Jefus Chrift, in obedience to his precepts, in imitation of 
 his pattern, anfwerable to the helps and fupplies of grace 
 which the gofpel affords, and anfwerable to the high and 
 glorious hopes whichthe gofpel raifesusto the expectation 
 of, this is to -dialk worthy of the Lord ur.ij all pleafing. 
 The fecond branch of the apoftle's prayer, on the behalf of 
 thefe Coloflians, waf, that they might he fruitful in ivery ■ 
 good work, that is, labour alter an utiiverl'al fruitfulnefsin 
 good works. By good works, he undoubtedly means 
 works of piety towards God, works of rightcouliiefs to- 
 wardsourneighbours, works of fobriety towards ourl'elves, 
 works of charity towards all. By fuitfulnels in thefe good 
 works he means an unwearied diligence, and perfevering 
 conftancy in the doing of them, that our fruitfulnefs be an, 
 univerfal fruitfulnel's, an humble and felf-dtnying fruitful- 
 nefs, a proportionable fruitfulnefs, an abounding and abid- 
 ing fruitfulnefs ; this is to be fruitful in every good work. 
 The third requelt, which inthisverfe he puts up for them, 
 is. That they may increafe in the knowledge of God. ' 
 fruitfulnefs in good works makes much for the increaj 
 
 knowlec 
 
 them, 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 knowledge, To increafing in kno-,vIccIge will contribute very 
 much towards our fruitfulners. in good works; the w:iy to 
 grow in grace is to j;ro-u in tkc knowledge of our Lord lefus 
 ChriJ}, zl'et. iii. 1 8. 
 
 1 1 Strengthened with all might according to his 
 glorious power, unto all patience and long-fuffering 
 with joyfulnds ; 
 
 In the former verfe?, prayer was put to God by St. Paul, 
 to enable the ColoiTians to do his will, his whole will, ac- 
 ceptably in this verfe he pleads with God, to ftrengthen 
 them with an almightypowertobearafflicfbions.thsfharpeft 
 andlongeft afflic1ions,patiently and joyfully : Strengthened 
 rx'iih all might, unto all putience luith jnyfulnefs. Learn 
 Iience, i. That the crols ofChrift,or futferings for Chrift, 
 are unavoidable, but not unfupportable; though they will 
 fliock an ordinary patience and conllancy of mind, yet, 
 niight,all m'ght, po-uer,glsr ions J>iiier,\vhkh is here prayed 
 for us, and elfewhere promifed to us, can and will enable 
 us to ftan<l under rhem ! Glorious power will be vidorious 
 power. 2. That patience, much patience very much pa- 
 • tience, yea, all patience is needful, nay, abfolately and in- 
 difpenlibly neceffary, to enable a Chrillian to bear fome 
 trials, and to glorify God in an afflicled condition. All 
 patience, I fay ,is neceflary in order to the cheerful bearing 
 of afflit'tions, that is, patience at all times, patience under 
 all crolTes. patience, ifpolTible, without any mixture of im- 
 patience ; patience that may give a man the pofreflion of 
 himfclf, and quiet the whole man, the tongue, the hand, 
 and the heart. Such meafures and degrees of patience as 
 xvill keep the heart from finking, the tongue from com- 
 plaining, the hand from revenging. Lord ! grant, that 
 whenever any of thine are called Yorth to fuffer either for 
 . ^ thee,or from thee,they may he/Irenglhened wUh all might. 
 
 ^ 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath 
 made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of 
 tlie faints in lic>ht : 
 
 ^45 
 
 Our apoftle having prayed for the Coloffians in the fore 
 going verfeE,here brcak^. fonh into the dutv of thank'Viv 
 ing on their behalf, Giving thanks unto 'the Fai her, %c. 
 Where wo/f, i. A dcfcriprion of heaven, or the bl'efll-cl 
 nate of good men in the other world: It is an inheritance 
 an inheritance 'jf faints, and an inheritance in light 'i ) 
 It IS an inheritance, now that is a pofTeflion only propei^ to 
 children, H. credit as filiis dch.lur, nonfeivis. h is an un- 
 merited and undeferved poiremon,and it is the beft dona 
 tive that a father has to give unto his children : Particu 
 larly, this inheritance of heaven, which God gives to all 
 andyet to every one of his children, is the freelt inheri- 
 tance, the fureft, the mofl fatisfying,and the moll deiicht- 
 ful, and the men durable inheritance. (2.) Heaven is the 
 mherirance of the faints, or of holy perfons only ; fuch as 
 
 are realyholv,univerfallyholy,perfeveringlyholy,to them 
 and only to ihem,doe.sit belong,:t is purchafed for them 
 It IS protpifed tothem,it i.Vgiven to them.they have already 
 The firlt trmts yf itin the Spirit's inhabitation, which^is 
 ".■ven 10 them as an earneft of heaven; it is prepared >or 
 ii^^nd tliey are prepared for that; and it Ihall be finally 
 
 ^iven K 
 
 adjudged to them at the great and laft day. C;,.) It is an 
 inheritance in light, that is, an inheritance with God ; an 
 inheritance in joy, an inheritance in glory, and a common 
 inheritance for all the faints ; As the light of the fun isa 
 common blefling to all that have eyes to fee it, and every 
 perfon in a room has the benefit of the light of the candle 
 as if he enjoyed it by himftlf alone ; fo is the inheritance' 
 of heaven, it is fully and entirely enjoyed by ail the faints 
 as if there was but one to poflefs and enjoy it. AWf, 2' 
 The qualification of the perfons who may, upon goocl 
 grounds, expecl to be made partakers of this glorious in- 
 heritance when they die, namely, fuch, and only fuch, as 
 by the afliftance of God's grace, and the concijrrenc'e of 
 their own care and endeavours, are made 7r7."f/,that i' fit 
 prepared and ready for this inheritance whilll they li've' 
 Our perfons muft be juftified by the blood of Chriil, out- 
 natures renewed by the grace and Spirit of ChriO, and our 
 fives daily more and more con!"ormed to the <!octrine and 
 example of Chrill, or we can never partake of this inhe- 
 ritance ; witfcout llkenefs to Cod, we can have 1:0 e.vpec' 
 tation of living with him. 3. The dutv belonging toand 
 expefted from them whom the Father has made meet foa- 
 this glorious inheritance, and that is the duty of eternal 
 thankfgiving, Giving thanks to the father -.vho has made r'x 
 meet. As none fliall enjoy this inheritance but fuch asare 
 made meet for it; fo thofe, ail thofe who arc made meet 
 for it, muft afcribe their meetr.efs unto God, and give him 
 than^ks for it. It is a fpiriiual b!effing,it is a tranfrendent 
 favour, it is a difcriminating favour, it is an everlaftinr, 
 favour ; eternity will be too fhort to fptnd in the admira*" 
 tion of it, and in giatulations for it ; Jet (ucb of us as are' 
 interefted in ir, now begin rhe-work upon earth.of givinir 
 thanks to the Father, tor making us nieeyo be partakers 
 0/ the inheritance of I he faints in light. 
 
 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of. 
 darknefi and has tranffated ^^into the kin-^dom of' 
 his dear Son : ^ °- 
 
 In thefe words our .-ipoflle declares how God makes h-- 
 childrenand peoplemeet for theinheritance ofheavenand" 
 eternal glory, namely, by bringing ,hem out of that dark 
 ttate of heathenifm, hn and miferv, in which they lav and 
 tranflating them into a Itate of grace,called here iheh»P 
 don, of God's dear .Son. mo hath delivered us frmi fhe 
 power Dfdarknrfs -. Here we have the deliverer,' Cod the 
 Father, ver. 12. he %livered us ; all that are :r.aJe meet 
 tor the inheritance in light.wereonce under thepowerof 
 fp.r.tualdarknefs : The deliverance itfelf, and the manner 
 of the deliverance; he hath refcued bv a ftrorg hand as 
 the word imports, as Lot was delivered out of Sodom 
 
 T' ''Z ,' ''V "';' '"'^'"^ "''^'y '"""' '^'" l^v nature, \s 
 a ftateof darknefs; fmonginally iprings from d.ikncfs it 
 
 naturally delights in darknels it nkimaiely leads to eternal 
 < arknels. 2 That it is God, and God alone, that can 
 deliver a foul from the power of fpiritual darkncfs o 
 1 hat no power, Ihort of Almighty power of God, is' able 
 to oel.ver a fin,:erfrm| the dominion oflin,and the power 
 of ipirii%ldarknefs1Buchis the ignorance and blindnef- 
 of the underllatiding, fuch is the r.beliion that is found in 
 tne iinner s will, io great the irregularity and diforder of 
 
 ^ # 
 
84-6 
 
 C O L O S S I A N S. 
 
 Chap i. 
 
 the affcctioTit.anJ indeed of the whole foul, that the finner 
 h not only unable to dclivrr hiinl'elf,l>ut liaiids in a dirt d 
 uppoliiion to the grarc of God, which offers to woik de- 
 liverance for hiin, till, of Uiiwilling, he is made willing, in 
 the day of Chrift's power, PfjI. ex. 3. jind trorflated us 
 into the kin^d'im <jf his dear Sen ; that ii, brought U5 into 
 a gofpcl (tate, made us members and fubjefts ot his king- 
 doin of grace, and heirs of his kingdom of glory. Learn, 
 J. ThatChrid wasGod's Son, his dear ami only Son, the 
 bon of himlelf, and the Son of his bofoin-love : He is 
 tailed his Soii, being fo by eternal and ineffable genera- 
 tion ; not upon the account of his miraculous conception 
 only, nor in regard of his lanft fication and iniffion only, 
 nor in regard of his refurreftion chiefly nor ni regard of 
 the dignity of l>i> perfon, nor in regard of the dearnels of 
 his perfon ; but he is very God of very God, begotten of 
 his Father, by whom all things wtre made ; and accord- 
 ingly, he is, for nature,co-efl'ential, for dignity, co-equal, and 
 forduration, co-eternal with the Father, and conlequenily 
 truly and really God ; and he that denieth the divinity of 
 the Son, in God's account, denieth the Father alfo. 2. 
 That Chrift, as God's dear Son, is a fpiritual King, and 
 exercifes a kingly power in ami over the fouls of thofe 
 whom he hath delivered from the jwwer of darknefs. 3. 
 That fuch as are fubjecfts of hi« kingdom of grace, (hall 
 certainly be tranflatrd into his kingdom of glory. 
 
 14 In whom we have redemption through his 
 blood, (vm theforgivenefsof fins. 
 
 Here our apoftk further declares how w care mademff/ 
 iir the inheritance of heaven, and delivered from the power 
 of di.rkncjs, namely, hy our redewpti'jtt in Chriff from lin, 
 oatan, death, ai^j^ wrath; by a price paid by the Mediator 
 to the jortice of God his Father. In tuhom we have re- 
 demption, that is, the fruij: an;l benefit of Chrift's redemp- 
 'lio'.i, which eminenily_ coiififls in reniiffion of fin. Noie 
 here. (i J I'he deploral-# ftateJnto which the whole race 
 of mankind was brought, by fin^naraely, a llateof flavery, 
 and fpirilual captivity unto fin ; redemption fuppofes this; 
 ihvfs and captives need a redeemer, none elfe. (3.) T hat 
 there was no delivery from this flu very but by a price paid 
 down to the juftice of God : Redemption is adelivery by 
 ranfora and price. (3.) That no other price did, or could 
 redeem us from our miferable captivity, but the blood of 
 Chrift; vt h:i\-c redemption thrciigh his hh'id. (4) That 
 althoupjh Chrift did pay this ranfon^uto God, and not to 
 Satan whofec nllavcd captives we are, yet, by virtue of the 
 j.anfom paid, we arc delivered from Satan's flavery, and 
 liii'i doininion : when God the judge was once (atitfied, 
 Satan the gaoler had noihing to do to detain and keep us 
 any lunger in prifon. (5) 'I'hat forgivcnefs of fin, or a 
 fu'l and fi'ial difcharge from lin's guilt, and from all ob- 
 n.>xioufncfs to God's wrath, was one Ipecial fruit of Chrift's 
 redemption; he ditd to deliver us from the wrath of God, 
 and from the rage of our lulls too, otherwife he had but 
 fealed us a patent tofi;i with impunity 
 
 15 Who is the itnagc of th^Mivifible Gcd, the by 
 fi ijl- bora of every creature : ^ . 
 
 mer verfe.defcribesthe perfon ofonrRedeemer inihisand 
 the follouing verl'cs.in fuch lofty characters, as evidently 
 befpeak him to be a divine perfon, truly and really God, 
 and confiquentiy the fit teftperl'on to unden^ikefo great and 
 glorious a work, as the redemption and fdlvatiou of a loft 
 and perifliing woild. A'';/.* here, i. The Redeemer de- 
 fcribed by hit eternal rtljtion toGod, he \s the image of the 
 invijil'le Cc<</, th.it is, his natural and eflintial im.ige ; thus 
 he is, in refpeift of his eternal generation as God ; as a 
 child whom wc call the exprefs image of the Father, is of 
 the fame nature with hi-- father, fo is Chrift of the fame 
 effence and nature with God ; his nature is the fame, hi} 
 attributes are the fame, his works the fame, the worlhip 
 given him the fame ; faith and affiance in him the f^rnie : 
 |()hn xiv. I. Ye believe in God, heluve ulfo in me. Again» 
 iChrift is the image of the invifible God, as God-man ; by 
 him, as a lively image, did God the Father I'et'furth unto 
 us his glorious attributes of wifdom, mercy ,rigl,uc«>ufners, 
 and power. The firft perfon in the God-head is called 
 invilible to the patriarchs; but the Son fn quenil> appeared 
 as a pri Indium to his incarnation, in which he appeared vi- 
 fibly to all. 2. Chrift is here dcfcribed, as by his eternal 
 relation to G.'d.foby his eternal relation 10 the creatures; 
 He is the firjt-barn cf every creature ; that is, (v.) He was 
 before every creature^and therefore he himfelf cannot bea 
 creature: The apoftle faysexptmilly.ver. 17. That he is bf- 
 Jore till th!rgs,xh3i is, Chrift had a being before there was^ 
 any created : he was before all creatures both in point of 
 dignity and in point of duration. 1 bus, Rev. iii. 14. 
 Chrift calls himltlf the beginning ef the creation of God, 
 that is, the principal and efficient taufe of the creation, and 
 fo cou'd not be a creature himfelf, but coufequenily moft 
 of neceffity have been God from all eternity with the 
 Father : Oi«tlle, (2.} By ihefirft-born cf every creature, 
 may be underftood, that he was Lord and heir of all the 
 creetures ; in alufion to the firft-born among the Jews of 
 old, who were Lordsover their brethren, Gen. xxvii. 27. 
 Behold, 1 L'Ve made him thy Lord : the firft born is natural 
 heir, and i^f/r did anciently fignify /.ir</. Now Chrift is 
 faid in Acts x. ^6. to be lord of all, and Rom. iv. i^. He 
 is called heir cf'nll things : Now, how well may Chrift be 
 faid to be the Lord and heir of all thing, when all things 
 were made by him, and without him was not any thing made 
 that was made. Learn hence, That the Socinians have no 
 ground from this text to reckon Chrdt among the nuni- 
 ber of creatures, he having a being antecedent to all crea- 
 tures yea, being Lord ( f the w licle creaiim ; and ;<ccor- 
 dingly the apcftle ftyling him here xhefrfl-bcm cf every 
 creature, never defigned to infinuate, that the Son of God. 
 is a creature, as moft evidently appears by the nexJ verlies. 
 
 iGForby him were allthing.<; cif .itcd thatarciiv 
 heaven, and that are in earth. viiible and invifible,. 
 whether tlif)' I'C thioni.x or dominions, or princi- 
 pal-ties, or powers : all things were created byhiia 
 qiadlorhim. 17 And he ii before all thinjjs, and- 
 by him all things con lilt. 
 
 The apoftJe hawug mentioned our redemption in the for- 
 
 Mark the connexion : The apoftle affirms Chri 
 tiie firft-born of ev«ry creature, namely, becaul'e 
 
 ^ 
 
Chap, r. 
 
 COLOSSIAKS. 
 
 847 
 
 luert all things created, and by him nil lyings conCif} ■• Now, 
 if all things were crotid by him, lurely he hin'l'elf cannot 
 be a creature. And ihii the fenfe of the apodlc'; words 
 run? eafy; Chrift is the image of tlie inviiible Gcd, the 
 Heir and Lord of the \^ hole creation, for by him all things 
 were created ; he that created all creatures, cannot him- 
 felf be a creature ; for it is impolFible that any creature 
 Jhould create itfelf . Mark further, Ciirift is here repre- 
 lented aj creator of the univerfe ; all things were created 
 hy him in heaven and in earth, all the anpels in their feve- 
 ral orders, degrees and dignities. (2 ) Ashe isrrpretent- 
 ed the Creator, fo likewiCe the upholder of every crea- 
 ture : as Ay him 'vere all things created, fo hy him do all 
 things conjij}. C3.) He is let forth as the laft end of all the 
 creatures; all tilings were created f'r him, as well as by 
 him. Learn hence, 1. That all created beings, from the 
 vilift worm to the brightf ft angel, are the workmanfliip 
 of Chrifl's hand ; they are not only creatures, but his 
 creatures; he is iheiroinnipdtent Creator, and their righr- 
 fufLord. 2. 7 hit alt thinpi vjere created for him, as well 
 
 I as by him, for the maniffftation of his own glory, as God ; 
 he 'hat was the firft caufe, n)iift be the laft end : And ac- 
 cordingly, all the creatures throughout the whole creation 
 do give glory unto Chrift, fome in an a<5tive way, as an- 
 gcU and faints ; fome in a paffive wajj, as damned men and 
 devils; fome in an objective way, as fun, moon, nnd ftars, 
 giving us Cfcafion to glorify the power and wildom of the 
 great creator. 3. Th;it feeing the w hole creation was at 
 tirft made, and is ftill upheld by the power of Chrift, it 
 proves him to be evidently and ui'deniably God : He that 
 created all things, and upholdetb all things hy the word of his 
 p'-ywer, is and muft be (jod. Vain here is the Socinian 
 evafion, who, by creation, underftood a renovation of the 
 mind, and a reformation of the manners of •hen by the 
 
 ^ go'pel ; for Chrift is here laid to create all things in hea- 
 ven. that is, particularly the angels in heaven; but they 
 having kept their firft ftation, wanted no renovation, fo 
 that it muft be underftood of the firft creation of the na- 
 tural world, and notot the renovation of the moral world. 
 God forgive the fe men'; perverting and bold praiftifing 
 upon the fctiprures. Can any fenfible man perluade 
 himfelf, that svhen St. Pa\\\ (ay-, that all things were crea- 
 ted by Chi/} in heaven and eat ih, thrones, doniiniins, prin- 
 cipalities, and powers, that the apollle fliould mean no 
 more than the moral renovation of the world below by 
 the pre.Tching of the giifpel, in which the angels were 
 HOt concerneil ? For though Chrift was an Head of con- 
 firinatiou to them, ye: hail ihey do need of a renovation, 
 or beinn made new, having always kept their fiift ftation. 
 
 t8 Atid he is the head of the body, the church ; 
 who is the beginning, the firft-born from the dead ; 
 that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. 
 
 Our apoftk having, in the foregoing verfes, defcribed 
 
 v.'hat Chrift is in hiniTelf, comes next todefcribe him with 
 
 leluion to his church ; ftiewing, 1. That he"is her Head, 
 
 he is the Head of the bodv, the church ; as the head and 
 
 ^^the members make one body, fo Chrift and his peddle 
 
 ^Hl^^tute on? chuteh ; he is of tbe fatne n.xture (as luan) 
 
 with his church, he poureth fortli of tlie faiTie Spirit upon 
 his church , he is both an Head of authority, and an Head 
 of influence to his church; he fyinpathizes with her in all 
 her fufferings on earth, and longs for ihe full fruition and 
 final enjoyment of her in heaven, i. He is the beginninj^ 
 of the Chriftian church, the root, the fountain ar.d foun- 
 dation of it, the active beginning, or tl e firft principle and 
 author of it, and of all thole influences of grace and fpiri- 
 tual life which do animate and enliven it. 3. He is called 
 the firfi-born from the dead, fi.) J3ecaufe he was the flrlt 
 that arofe to an iiiimortal life, never to die more ; all 
 others that were raifed to life, be'.ides him, died again, 
 but death had no more dominion over him. Again, (2.) 
 Becaufe he was the principal and efficient csule of their 
 refurreclion ; all that were railed before hitn, were raifed 
 by him, by a power derived from him : And, (3.) Becauft- 
 he is the pattern and exemplary caufe of the refurreciiotj ; 
 his members are not only raifed by him, but like i:nto 
 him, Phil. iii. 21. Faflmned like unto his glori:us body. 
 Was his body raifed fubftaiitially the fame? So ihall ouro 
 be. Was his body wonderfully improved by the refur- 
 reclion? So (hall ours, in point of purity and fpirituality, 
 in point of power and aftivity, in point of immortality and 
 incorruptibility. Was his bodv raifed ro be eternally 
 glorified? So (hall ours. How fi:ly then is our Lord here 
 called the firft born from the dead? Even herein he had 
 the pre-eminence. 
 
 i (^Y OX it ■plciicdi the Father, that in him fhould 
 all fulnefs dwell ; 
 
 Still our apoftleproceeds in defcribing the perfon of our 
 Redeemer, and the admirable' qualifications found in hiru 
 for the work and ferviceof our redemptioii*, he declares 
 here, that there was a perfect and coniple'te. fulnefs of all 
 divine graces and excellencies dwelling tn the Mediator, 
 and that by the pleafure and aDpointment of God the 
 Father ; there is in him a ^^ulnelTof merit for out juftifi- 
 cation, a fulnefs of grace for our fanctincation, a fulnefs of 
 wifdom for our direction, a fulnefs of power for our pre- 
 lervation, a fulnefs of mercy, pity, and compairHMi, to 
 reheve and fnccour us in all our diftreflef. And this ful-- 
 nefs which is in Chrift, is an original and independant ful- 
 nefs, and ir is an infinite and incxhaiiftible fulnefs; it 
 is a complete and comprehenfive fulnefs, and it is a mi- 
 nifterial fulnefs; the fulnefs that is in him of grace and 
 comfort, is on purpo(4 to communicate unto us, to be 
 difperfed and given forth to all his members. No fooner 
 had our apoftle faid, thit he is the Head rf fhe body, the 
 church ; but he inftanily fnltjnins, that it plcaf^Jthe Father, 
 that in him fl?ottld all fulnefi dwell, nait»ely, for'his church's 
 benefit and advant.ige. Learn kencc. Thai for any ona 
 to bs, or pretend to be the church's head, it is necefTary 
 that he be endued with .all the fuh.efs of the Godhead, 
 and of all minifteri^l graces ; and tiierefore i: is the high- 
 eft degree of blafphemy in the i'ope, a vain finfulman, to 
 alTume this title to himfcif, be'ng drftitute of this divine 
 fulnefs ; full indeed 1^ is, but full of pride, full of fin,' 
 full of l%ifelf; aud^ithou: repeni.mce for this and his 
 other blafphemies, will, at Lngth, be full of wrath. 
 
 20 And (having naade psace throu^jh the blood 
 
 of 
 
848 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Ghap. r. 
 
 of his crofs) by him to reconcile all things unto 
 himlclf; by him, 1 jay, whether /'icv A- things in 
 rarth, or things in heaven. 
 
 Here one fpecial realon is alFignKJ why all fiilnefs dwelt 
 in our Lord the Redeemer, namely, to fit hiin fur tiie 
 great work and o/Iice of a Mediator or reconciler, that fo 
 lie might happily make up that breach which fin had niade 
 between GoJ and the world, having removed the enmity 
 which was betwixt ihem by his death and fulFerings, cal- 
 led here the li!'iod of the cn/s, that is, the blood wnich he 
 tVeelv and voluntarily fljed upon the crol's. Note here, 
 1. That God and man were once friends, though foon by 
 iin made enemies; reconciliathn doih fuppole an antece- 
 dent friendihip. 2. That though man was firft in the 
 •breach, yet God was tirflin the offer of reconciliation ; It 
 ■pteafed the father hy htm to recwcile all things to him/elf. 
 3. That as there was no po(fibi!ity of ever making up this 
 breach, hut by a Mediator, but only Chrift; By him, to 
 reconcile all things to himfelf. 4. The univcrfality of the 
 fubject reconciled, all things, both in heoven and earth: By 
 things in hea-jen, (i.) Some underflaiid the hlefi'cd angels; 
 but there being no breach between God and them, Chrilt 
 • was the author of reconciliation, though he was an 
 head of confirmation to them. Others underftand it of a 
 reconciliation between the angels and man, thus: Whilft 
 jnan continued in his obedience to God, angels and men 
 •were in a ftate of.perfect frienddiipone with another ; but 
 when man rebelled againllGod, the angels became averle 
 to man for that rebellion; bot God being reconciled to 
 man by the death of his Son, the angels are become friends 
 and. miniftering Ipirits to us, and both they and we conlli- 
 lute one ihurch ur.der Chrift the hc;id thereof; thus Chrilt 
 reconciled all tKings in heaven and earth, that is, the an- 
 ij^!? in heaven he has reconciled to man on eartli. But, i z.j 
 <^)il-iers, b> tVings in heaven, do not underftand the angels, 
 but the i".i;iKS dep:irted<|the patriarchs, prophets, and all 
 th'; faithful now in heaven, or here on earth,, they were 
 all reconciled, in order to their being faved; intimating, 
 tha-thehiood of Chrifl did expiate the guilt of thofe 
 pencns who lived before him, as well as thofe that died 
 after him • He reconciled all things in heaven and earth, 
 capable of reconciliation, appointed to it, and that flood 
 );) need of it. Note, laflly, The inftrumental means by 
 nhich all this was cfFeeled, namely, by the blood of the 
 crifs • to m..ke up the breach betwixt God and the fallen 
 creature, cofiihe Mediator no lefs than his precious blood. 
 Lord.'' Who can look upon fin as any other than an in- 
 rlnire and iininenfe evil, which cofl the Son of God his 
 life to expiate the guilt of it? How can a little fin be 
 •committed againfl a great God ? 
 
 ■ 21 And you that wore fometimcs alienated and 
 enemies myour mind by ■w-ickcd works, yet now 
 liiith he reconciled. 22 In the body of his tlefli 
 through death, toprelent you holy and unblamea- 
 ble and unrcprovcablein his fijiht : 
 
 St. Paul having treated of Chrift's work of rcco^iliation 
 
 in general, hi theprecceding vcrfe, in this he applies it to 
 the ColofTians in particular: Where ohfetve, i. He de- 
 fcribes to them the miierable fl.ite and deplorable conditi- 
 on they were in before they were converted to the Chrif- 
 tian faith ; they were flrangers, nay enemies unto God: 
 EnemieJ in their minds, which implies a deep rooted enmi- 
 ty, advancing fo nigh as to hate God, not as a Creator, 
 but as a law-giver ; not as a Bcnefailor, but as a judge and 
 revenger of fin. O deplorable degradation, to be at en- 
 mity in our minds againff him who is the author of our 
 being, and the fountam of our happinefs ! 2. The gracious 
 change wrought in their condition by virtue of Chritt's 
 mfd\iii\or\, y^u hath he recinciled; not only biid down his 
 life to purchafe reconciliatfon for them, but by the mini- 
 ftry of his word, accompanied with the oper.ition of his 
 holy Spirit, working upon their hearts, even thin when 
 they had a flrong averfion from God, to accept of t€rir$ 
 of peace and reconciliation with him : T.u, who were alie- 
 nated and enemies in your mind by viicked laorks, novi hath 
 he reconciled. 3. The way and means by wh'ch Chrifl ef- 
 feifted this work of reconciliation for them and us, namtly, | 
 by f.iking upon him a true body, fubjecl to flc-lhly infirmi- 
 ties, though without Iin : and in that body fullering death 
 for us, that we might be prefenied at the lalfd.iy, perfect- 
 ly holy unto GotI . In grder to our reconciliation with God, 
 it pleafcd Chrilf , the feccnd Pa"fon in the cver-glorious 
 Trinity, to alTume a body of flelh, that he might be of 
 the fame nature with us, and in that body of flefh to die 
 for fin ; that the fame nature which had finned, might 
 give fatisfaftion for fin. And further, to nuke us com- 
 pletely happy, he has not only taken away the legal en- 
 mity on God's part, but the natural enmity on our part ; 
 for he fanctifies thofe whom he reconciles initially in this 
 life, but per#t^tly and completely in the next, where and 
 when they fiiall be pref'enteil holy, unblanieable, and un- ^ 
 reproveable, to his heavenly Father. 
 
 23 If yo continue in the faith grounded and fet- 
 tled, and be not moved away from the hope of the 
 gofpel, which yc have heard, and which was preach- 
 ed to every creature whicli is under heaven ; where- 
 of I Paul am made a miniller . 
 
 Here our apoftle declares to the ColoiTians, how they 
 may know wJiethcr they were indeed of the number of 
 thofe who were adually reconciled to God l)y the blood 
 of his Son, namely, if they perfevered in the faith, and 
 continued grounded fait in their holy religion : If ye con- 
 tinue in the fuith grounded and fettled; implying, that it 
 is the great duty of Chriftians, who have fat under the 
 preaching of the gofp' ', to be well fettled in thedoflrine 
 of faith, which they have heard and received ; and that 
 the bctt way to be fettled, is to be well grounded ; if we 
 are not fettled inrtligion, we can never grow in religion ; 
 ar. ungrounded Chriflian can never bea growingChriltiani 
 and if we arc not well grounded in the faith, we can never 
 I'uffer for the faith ; for fuch as are /ceptics ia religon, >vill 
 never prove martyrs for the fake of religion, Chferve 
 next, The univcrfality of that tender, which ijy the pre 
 j'.ig of the grfpel is made unio all forts of finners, of| 
 ^ concili 
 
 L I 
 
CiiAr. I. 
 
 C O L O S S I A K S. 
 
 H9 
 
 cillasion witii God, and acceptance iliroiigli Chrid ; tv/jic/j 
 gofpel W(ts prcfiched lo every creature iiiukr heaven \ that 
 is, to loft mankind, tofome of all forts ; not injudeaonly, 
 but atnnngft the Gentiles alfo ; to every human creature, 
 no perfon, no nation being refufed or pnlfedby; plainly 
 intimaiing, that an indefinite and univcrfal lender of recon- 
 ciliation with God, and ialvation by Jefiis Chrift, is made 
 niito all perfon^, by the preaching of the gofpel. Happy 
 they, whole hearts are inclined and difpofed to accept of, 
 und comply with them, who in the day of the gofpel's vifi- 
 taiion, do know the things of their peace. 
 
 2 { Wiionotv rejoice in my fufFeriiigsfor you, 
 and fill lip ihtit which is behind of the aiflitlions of 
 Chrill in my Uefh for his body's fake, wliich is the 
 church : 
 
 As if our apoftle hnd faid, " I am not only contented 
 with, but I tjfeatly rejoice in, my fntterings for you, con- 
 verted Gentiles and help, as much as in me lies, to fill up 
 fome part af that which is by God's decree, behind unful- 
 filled of ihe fulfjiingi of Chrill in my Hclh, fur liis body's 
 
 * fake, which i^ thcchurch." Note here, I. That Almighty 
 G.id has decreed fiich a meafnreof futtcrings to his church, 
 whereof Clirift, as the Head, underwent a conliderable part 
 and proportion, when he was lure upon earth, in his 
 poverty, in his labours, in his fiiflerings, both in life, and 
 at his death. 2. That there is yet a reinainder cf fiiflcr- 
 in^s, afii£;ned over by Chrift unto his members, which 
 mil ;t be filled up by tliein, whereof St. Paul had a great 
 (hare, and every believer mull have fome lliarc ; for, as 
 long as- Chrill has a member upon earth, there will be 
 fomething for that member to fufFer. 3. That thofc 
 fiiflerings" which Chrift's members fuller, are the fufrcrings 
 of Chrill; the fuffcrings of the members are th^fuHcrings 
 of the Head, being undergone for the fake of the Head. 
 
 #Chrill, in his natural body confidered, can fuller no more ; 
 but in his mvllical body, in his members, he daily fullers, 
 and will fuft'Jr, until the meafure of fulferings is filled up 
 "liich God hath determined, ^uejl. But why are Chrift's 
 ferini's in and by his members thus to be prolonged, 
 \c:i, perpetuated? Anf. Not by way of fatistucli m for 
 iin, not in order to reconciliation with God, but in order 
 to the converfion of the world for example to others, for 
 perfeftiiig of their own graces, and for the increafuig of 
 their glery. 
 
 25 Whereof I am made a minifler according to 
 thedifpenfation of God, which is given to me for 
 vou, to fulfil the word of God; 26 £t'f« the 
 niyflery which hath been hid from ages, and from 
 generations, but now is made maniicft to his faints; 
 27 To whom God would make known what is the 
 riches of the glory of this myflcry among the Gen- 
 tiles ; which is Chrid in you, the hope of glory. 
 
 Our apoftle, inthcfe words, fecms to afiign a reafon why 
 he underwent the fuflcrings nicntioned in the former verfe 
 fochecrfully, even to rejoice in them ; namely, bccaiifc 
 k; wr.s a miniiler of the church, by the fpecial diipcnlVition 
 to preach the myfteries of the gol^icl to the Gen- 
 
 tile world. Leani thence. That fuch as are eminent in 
 the church, and, as miniilers of the gofpel, do lay out 
 themfelves more abundantly in the church's fcrvice, they 
 muft expect to meet witli a meafure, and a full meafure cf 
 fufferings beyond others. There arc no fuch enemies to 
 the devil's kingdom, as the zealous and faithful minifters 
 of Jefus Chrill ; therefore he will be fine to revenue the 
 ruins of his own kingdom. Objerve farther. What it v/as 
 that St. Paul was appointed by God to preach to the 
 Gentiles, namely, that great myflery cf their vocation :'nd 
 calling; this he calls here a mvHery, a rich mjfteiy, a 
 glorious iTiyllery, a myllery hid from ages, but not made 
 iTianifcfl. Learn hence, 'J'hat the do6"trine of Hilvaiion ly 
 Jefus Chrill, as a Redeemer, was long hid fr»<Bi the 
 knowledge of the Gentiles ; and that at la(t they were 
 brought to the knowledge of Chi ill, and the participation^ 
 of golpel privileges, was a great myllery awfully 10 be rii- 
 inired, and a glorious mercy with all thai.kfulnefs to be 
 acknowledged, to wh cm God zumld make kmzvn -what is iht 
 nches </ the glory of this iny/iery among the Gentiles — which 
 ts Clirijl, in you, the hope of glory, — which golpel, preached 
 amongflyou, and recci\ed and cnteriained by you, isaa 
 earneil and ground of your hope of glory. AijiV here, 1. 
 I hat Chiilt is in, and among bLJievers; he is among 
 them by the preaching of the gofpel, he is in them by the 
 inhabitation of his holy Spirit. 2. That all tn:e belie\erF, 
 whilll here < n earth, have an hope of glory. 3. That 
 Chrift's indwelling prefence in the foul's of believers by tiic 
 holy Spirit, i; an earneil of that glory, and an evident 
 demonllration of their hope of it : Believers have in them 
 a glorious hope, they have before them a glory hoped for ; 
 Chrill is the ground of both, by him we obtain the end of 
 our hope, even the fulvaiion of our fouls. 
 
 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and 
 teaching every man in all wifdom ; that v.e may 
 prefent every man perfeft in Chiill Jefus ; 29 
 Whereunto I alfo labour, ftriviu'T accordin^r to his 
 working, wliich worketh in me mightil}-. 
 
 Objerve here, i. W^hat was the principle fubjtfl of ilie 
 apolDe's pre.-:ching, it wasChrill ; ivkomive prauh,\ Chrift 
 was the matter ot his preaching, and the great end of his 
 preaching. 2. The manner of St. Paul's preaching; it 
 ^\as by informing the underdanding and judgment,- b/ 
 diredling the pradice, zuarning n-,en of the evil of (in, and 
 of the danger of continuing in it. 2. The end c;f his 
 pieaching, it was to prefen: every man perfeB in Chrift 
 Jclus; that is, to re«der them complete both in knowledn-e 
 and obetlicnce. 4.. The indelaiigable pains and diligence 
 ur.;d by the apoflle in tiiat work of preaching, iniimaied iu 
 the words labouring and llriving, zuhercuiito I oUo lithour, 
 firiving. 5. The gracious help and bkHed fucccfs w l.icli 
 he had in his preaching, humbly and thankfully acknow- 
 ledged, and afcribed unto God, acccrding to his warlinr 
 which worketh in me mightily. From the whole, Irnrn, 
 1. What was the lum ot St. Pauls preac lung, ajid ouL-hv 
 to be of ours alfo, to bring men to repentance rnd faiiiri:i 
 Chiill, tf^dvance the^j|»towards a perftciion in knowicdee 
 and obedience, by informing their judgments and dincl- 
 int' th.eir pradice. 2. That the lailhful mil. ilfers of Chriil 
 5 -l' d« 
 
?JO 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Chap, ir 
 
 do juJgc no LiboiiranJ pains too great, no drivings or fiif- 
 fi'rings loo much, no contending with the errors anil (ins 
 of men fufTicieiit, in order to the bringing of them unto 
 Cjod by convcrlion and repentance. ?. 1 hat futii niinif- 
 tjrs as thus indtfaiig.ibly labour and (lii'.'c for the j;ood of 
 fouls, fliall not labour ar.il llrivc alone, ihev fhall be ac- 
 companied with divine alliflance ; Chrill will drive wi'li 
 them, and work \vi:h them ; S/riving tuwon/lK^ /a hit work- 
 ing. 4. That when minillers have met with fuccefs in 
 their ftriving, bv Chrift's working wiih iheni, they miift 
 afcribc nothing of praife to thcmfelves, 10 thtirown piety, 
 parts, or pains, but afcribe all to him that lliivcth by iheni, 
 and uoiktih ill them mig/j/i/y. 
 
 c n A p 
 
 II. 
 
 ,Oiir ap'fllc in thii chapter cautions and -warns the 
 CoIofTtans again/l all fuch corrupt doHrines as any 
 fori (/ fa'fc teachers tn'ght he ready to obtrude upon 
 them. 
 
 FOR I would that yc knew what great conflift I 
 h.i\-e for you, a'.vX for them at Laodicca, atid 
 Jor as many as have not [f:cn my face in the flcih . 
 
 Ohferve here, I. Tlif holy agony which onr aportle was 
 in, and the init^hty conflict he had withhimlelf, upon the 
 account cif the Colofliaiis ; / ivoul>i that ft kimv zvhal grerit 
 fjnflict I have fir yon ; namely, by prayer, care, ftiidv, and 
 cn.lcavour to do vou gO',xi : Here we fee how pallionatcly 
 ijcMxI men long for the good of thole whom thc\ never faw; 
 as members of the catholic church, they wi:]! well to the 
 whole, anil to every parr. 2. What was "he ground and 
 ocxMllon of St. Piui's 'nexpreflible aeony and concern of 
 fpirit, for and on behalf of the.'e Coloflians ; namely this, 
 there wa.s a number of men rifen up wha began very early 
 to corrupt the puriry snd fimpliciiy of of thegofpel and the 
 Chrillian religion : \ fort they were, partly of Judaizing 
 and p.irtly Paganizing Chridians , the former joined the 
 Jewilh ceremonies the latter the Gentiles impurities, even 
 in worlliijj wiih the ChrKHan religion. Now the urgency 
 ot this cafe pi;t the f.'iiclkuis a:i;l co-iierned fpirit of this 
 i;reat .i; oflle into an intxprcflible sgory, as his words here 
 intimate; I tMuld you knew tuhnt a cffii^ I have for you 
 ;uul unir near n^i^hhrjurs of Laoodicra, andj'.r as many as 
 have not fee.-, my J rice In the flcjh. Ths men of the v/orld 
 little underliandand lef^ confider, what a burden of folicitous 
 care lies upon the miniilers rf Chrift, for, and on behalf 
 of the w'tole church of Chri;^ in gen.-ral, which is contin- 
 ually in danger of being corrupted by falfe teachers, who 
 every wh^rclie in wait to deceive. 
 
 2 That their hearts mi^ht be comforted, beinj; 
 knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full 
 alluranccof undcrftanding. to the acknowledgment 
 of tlie mvilerv of God, and of the Fatlicr, and of 
 Chrift : 
 
 Oiiratio.ilc having difcovered, in the former verfe, that 
 inward aii\.iety of mind which he laboured under, on the 
 behalf ot tlu'fc Colo.'Tians, doth, ia ihefe ^vords, propofe 
 
 an expedient how the threatening dangertri^lu be averred, 
 namtiv, by mutual love to one another, and b\ a clear and 
 eriicacious faith of the gofpel ; by '.hcfe he reckons they 
 would be foclofely compacft.d together, as that no fubtkty 
 or v iolcnce could endanger them : If, by faith, thrv did 
 cleave clofc to God and Chrift, and by love keep clofc to 
 one ant'ther, he firmly bdieved they would give no enemies 
 an opportunity, cither 'o be the fuccefsfid authors, or the 
 delighted fpeclatcrs [of their ruin. Lram hence. That the 
 maintaining of (iuccrc love amongfl Chridiaiu, and the 
 improving of tlieir faith to greater mcafures of certainly 
 and efficacy, in reference to the fubrtantials of Chrilfianity, 
 are the bell mean? to unite, cftnblifh, and prcfcrve them a- 
 gainfl the f.ital danger of a ruinous apoftafy. 
 
 3 In whom are hid all the treafurcs of ^yifdom 
 and knowledge. 
 
 That is-, in Jefus Chrift, and in his gofpel, are all the 
 Ireal'urc! cf uifJom andhiniltJge, laid tip as in a (lorc-houfc, 
 and from thence only are they to {be expected and derived. 
 The kiiowled>:c of ChriO and his gofpel is an cxtcnllve am! 
 omprelienfive knowledge, a rich and enriching knowledge, 
 the chiefcd gain is lofs, and the richelt treafure is dung, 
 when Chrids riches are difplayed , and after all that wc 
 have or can attain unto, of the knowledge ot Chrilt. his 
 work is unfearchable.no finite iinderftanding can reach the 
 depth thereof, for in him are hid all the Ircajures cf vlij- 
 dom and knowledge. 
 
 4 And this I fay, left any man fhould bcguilo 
 you with inticing words. 5 For thouj;h 1 beabfcn' 
 in thetlcfti.yetam I with you in the Spirit Joyin. 
 and beholding your order, and the ftedfaftnefs c i 
 your faith in Chrift. 
 
 Note here. How exceedingly deflrous the apcfile wzs, 
 that the Coloflians might continue found in the Ghriftian » 
 faith, and be prefcrved out of the hands of f;.lfe teachers, 
 who, by falfe argtiments, and enfnaring perft^afcns f 
 to bequ'ile them in matters of religion : Weare in ^: 
 danger froin the fubtle feduccr, than we art; from the . 
 pcrfccutor^ fophifiical ari.'uament5, and infly:uatingpv 
 fions, captivate thofe pcrfons whom violence could never 
 h.-ive bronsht over to their party ; therefore is cnrapoil' 
 fo earneit" with the Cololiians, that none ihould le£u: . 
 them ivitb inticifg words. A s.'c further, How our apoii!. 
 fives another reafon of this his folicitous care torthtnu 
 namely, his fcrvant atfedtion towards ihem. notwifhitand- 
 ing his gre.-it diftance from them, for though not in br.dy, 
 yet in mind he was prefent with them, and having received 
 from Epaphras an account of the good order and govern- 
 ment of their church, and of the itcdfaftnefs of their fhith 
 in Chrift, the notices thereof were matter of exceeding ji 
 and rejoicing to him; Though ahjent in the fiefh, yet atn 
 •with you in^ the Spirit, joying, &c. Learn hence, Th-t 
 a church's (tedfaltnefs in the faith of Chrilt, ar.d unity 
 amongil thcinfelves in gofpel-order, doth render a church 
 a jnVul objctS to all 'beholders, and particr.Iarly to tic 
 mini'ilers and ambalfadors of Chrilt, whogicaily rej«iv^ 
 
 therein. 
 
 #. 
 
 i 
 
CuAr.. n. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 «,J^ 
 
 6 \sye have therefore received Chrifl Jcfus the no man impofe upon yon bva lame ami imperfctSl pbilofo- 
 
 Lord". fo ^^•alk ve in him ; 7 Rooted and built up pin- there is no need ot ilwt for now there is introduced 
 
 . , . ' I n . .n I- 1 r -.u i,^.,>K/>..„ ^" abloMite nnd complete dodrine, namely, that of our 
 
 in him, and cnabnOicd in the faith, as ye have been j^^^, j^.,._^ ^^^^.^^ J^.^^ ,^^^ ^,^^ ^^^^^^^^ J ^^^ ^,.^ .^^^ ^ .,, 
 
 taught, aboundin:,^ therein with thanklgiving. j^,^ ;„ ,j^ ^^.i xhcfulnrfs cf the C'5<-//v«</ dwelling brMy \<. 
 
 That!?, " As voii have received the dodrine of Chrifl himfclf, that -is, pcrfoiially and fubllantially .'" Where 
 Tcfiis the Lard, bv the nreachins^of Epapliras, and therein rrJc, That the apolllc fays not, that the (Jodhead is alfiltant 
 liave embraced Chrift by faith, fo ctr) you conftantly adhere to ChriH, but, that it rcfideth or dwclleili in him ; ns ilie 
 to that doftrine, conforniin"' your lives thereunto i and Ueity dvxelt in ihc aik rvnibolically, fo it duclt in ChiiU 
 fetincT yoti are thus implanted into Chrilt, be like trees, bodily. A"i>/f father. That Chrilt is net here fa id to be 
 well and deeply rooted in him, or like a houfc, firmly bi:ilt filled with the tulncfs of God, as the church is faid to be, 
 
 ■" " ' ' " " tph. i. 23. in regard of the gifts and graces which flic 
 
 had received from iiim ; but the whole fiilnefs of theGtHl- 
 head is here faiil to refide in him, which can argue liiin to 
 be no Id's than really and truly God, his complete elfcnce 
 dvvellcth in him : Well might the aportle therefore add, 
 ver. lo. y~e are cm:pUlt' in him, waniing no reijiiifite to 
 „ ,, , - r I I 1 1 -I r.-v falvaiion ; vc need not "o to the philofophers for knov^-- 
 
 8 Bewar? left any man fpoil you throtigh philolo , .^,_, .^ ^.^^ . -_ ^.,^^.|^ ^.^^__ ^^^,^ complete vv if.lom ; he is above 
 
 upon him, as the only fure and abiding foundation. 
 Learn, Th^t fuch as have received the grace of God in 
 truth, ought to lal)cur after (lability in {jrace and eflablith- 
 ment in the true religion, that they may (land like a rt)ck, 
 i;r.moveable in allaults, and unfliakenamidlt all the batteries 
 th-iunav be made upon their faith by heretic^ and feducers. 
 
 ph)- and vain deceit, after the traditionof men, alter 
 the rudiments of the world, and not after Chrill ; 
 
 Oar apoillc comes now in a particular and fpecial man- 
 ner to warn the Coloflian;, that they beware ot all the 
 
 enemies of Chri/liaiiity, whether Pagan or Jewilb, for 
 
 Chrillianity was oppofcd by br-th : The heathen philofo- 
 
 phers and wife mm did amtife the ChrilUans wiih their 
 
 vain fpeculationi: The Jc.vilh teachers were for impoling 
 
 upon them the Levitical rites, which he calls rudiments 
 
 or eleinents fitted fi-r the infancy of the church \ but thefe 
 
 things were not now after Chrill, that is, not according to 
 
 the do(Slrine and mind of Chrill. Beware leji any man 
 
 fpoil ysii thr0ugh phihfophy ami vain deceit, &c. Wiicre mte 
 
 That it is not philofophy, a. fuch, which St. Paul warns 
 
 them againfl ; for true and found philofophy is the im- 
 prover of our rcafon, the guiJe of ourfaculiies, and teaches Chri/i : He proves it now, thus; we want not circun" 
 •' the tiuc knowledge of God, and oiirfelvcs, and is no cilion : Why ? Bccaiife we have in Chrill ihe thing (igii 
 hindrance, but agreat'helptoour religion ; but it was the phi- {\^.^\ by circumcidon, namely, the (piriiiial circumcilion of 
 lofophy of the '"Greeks at that day which is here con- the heart, which cgnfills in punting ofl', by the power of 
 dcmned, becatifc it was vain and empty, fallacious and Chrifl's Spirit, the body of natiira'l corruption ; which 
 deceiifid : It was vain, becaufc it conduced nothing to done, there was no need of the outward circumcilion made 
 true piety, and making them better; it was deceitful, be- ^iti, i,a„ds, or the cutting off the flefli of the forcf.iiti. 
 caiifc it hazarded their fouls, and robbed them of happi- Objerve, Original corruption is a body, or, as a I ody to 
 ncf:. AVf farther. That the Mofaiac rites and legal cue- ,.5, Jt cleave, a^clolc to the foul, as the fltlh to the bo'nes. 
 monies, as they were prcforibcd by Go<l, and adapted to -p] ; i^^jy^ with all its members, wc mud be culling daily 
 the infant (late of the Jewilb church, had a goodnefi, yea, j^y fpiritnal circumcilion, or real moriilication ; and, where 
 an excellency in ihcm. ; but th.- obfervaiion of them, (nice ,j,.j, -^^ j,,„„^ ('oj \^ „,eii pjeafed : He regards not that cir- 
 the coming of .Chrill, i* finful, as being an implicit dcni;;!, cumcilion which i. outward iiitheflefli, which ismade with 
 that he is come in the flelb ; accordingly, he warns them \^^n6.^^ but that which is inward, the circumcilion of the 
 
 all P.igan philofophtrs and Jev»iih Rabbies ; nay, he is the 
 Head of all principahliei and powers, that is, above the 
 highcfl angel in heaven. Here ihjerve. That it was the 
 opinion ot the Paganilh, as it is now of the Popifli part of 
 mankind, That almighty Ciod was too high to be im- 
 mediately approached, anil therefore thev applied themfehcs 
 to angels as mediators betwixt God and them ; but thea- 
 polfle acquaints them, that the a'igel-mcdi.itorfliip is vain, 
 (ince Cluill is alfo their Head and Lord. 
 
 1 1 in whom alfo ye are circtamcifed with the 
 circumcihon made without hands, in putting ott 
 tliebodv of the fins of the flefh by the ciicumcifion 
 of Chrifl : 
 
 The apoflle had alTerted before, that we are lompiete in 
 
 ■ m- 
 i- 
 
 lo beware of the philofophy of the Grcck^, and the cere- 
 monial I ites of the Jews ; neither of which, he tells them. 
 Were after Chrifl, th.ii is, not according to the inltitiition 
 or injiii.iaion of Chrill, but did draw away the litait trom 
 him, <hcrcfore, they were bjth unwarrantable and unlafe. 
 
 q For in him duelUnh all the fulnefs of the God- 
 head bodily: 10 And ye are coiiipliiein hiin, 
 which is the head of all principality and power : 
 
 heart and of the fpirit, whofc praifc is not ot man, but ol 
 God. 
 
 12 Buried witli hitn in baptifm, wherein alfo ye 
 arerifen witii /(Withroui^hthe faith of the operation 
 of God, who hath railed him frotn tke dead. 
 
 Our apoflle here compares Chri'lian baptifm with the 
 Jewilb circumcilion, and (hew, that the lignifica'ion and 
 fjiiritiial intention of both was one and the fame, obliging 
 
 Here Sr. Paul gives a reaf m of the foregoing camion all perfons who took the outward (ign upon theni to put 
 
 againil phi!:)fophy , for/;;///'/;, tint is, Chrill, divelkth off the old man and put on the new ; to die unto fin, and 
 
 tiUl:efulficfs if the z'-dhead bdih: A;; if he had faid, " Let live unto God. Accordingly, ti.e ancithts made ufe ot 
 
 ^% ' -^ -I *- ' ^ p_j tiivers 
 
 ^ 
 
8^2 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 ir. 
 
 divers ceremonies in baptizing adult anJ grown perfons, 
 thereby to reprclcnt the death, burial, and rtfurrcdi<In of 
 Jcfcis Chrift ; inimerlion, or putting the pcrfon three timei 
 underwater, <iiher as our Saviour was under the earih 
 three days, or in allu(i(in to the three perfunsin thc'I'riniiy. 
 in whofe name we are baptized ; and likrwifc cmerdon, 
 their coming up out of the water, rufuniblini; our LirJj's 
 ari(inf;o;it of his urave. A'o.V here, i. Tii.it baptifm im- 
 «lcr tlie N;w Tellamcns fucceds circumcilion under the 
 Old, and is a rite of initiation to Chrilli.ins, as circumcfion 
 was to tlic Jews : For the apollle here proves, that by vir- 
 tue of our fpiriiiial circumcilion in ba|iiifin, wc have no 
 need of the outward circumcilion in the Ik-ni. 2. That 
 bjpiifm is imdoubtcdiy Cliiiit's ordinance for infants of 
 bf'icving Ciiriltians, as circumcilion was of old for ihc in- 
 fants of believing Jews : For if under the gofpti, infants 
 be not received, by fome federal right, into covenant wiih 
 t.'oti, they are in a worfc condition than children under 
 the law ; and the apoflle could not tridy have faid, we are 
 fsmplele in Chri/l. that is, ascompletc without circumcifion, 
 as ever the Jev\illj church was with it, if we had not an 
 ordinance, to wit, baptifm, as good as their abrogated or- 
 dinance of circumcilion. And the Jews would certainly 
 have objeiHed it to the reproach of CluilHanity, had not 
 ihc ChriHians had a rite of iniiation for their children, as 
 they had of circumcilion, which fealed the covenant to 
 themfelves, and their litileones, and was the door, by which 
 ;il! perfons entered into the Jewilh church. 3. The fpi- 
 litual fruits and elfe£ts of baptifm, namely, niortificationof 
 iin, and vivificaiion in grace, by virtue of the dcaih and 
 rcfurrc(Sion of Clirifl, apprehended by fuch a failh as is of 
 the operation of God, that is, produced by the energy of 
 the yjofpcl, and the efficacy of the holy Spirit. Lenni hence, 
 That neiiher facraments, nor the death or rcfurredion of 
 Chrift in themfelves, will avail to the mortification of lln, 
 and the quickening of grace, if Chrifl hijiifclf he not applied 
 fo hy fuch a failh, as is of the fpe^ijl f'peration ot God, the 
 fairh et his working, and of liis approving : Tiiis alone will 
 cifeclually enable us to die unto fin and live unto God. 
 
 13 An:l you, being dead in your fins and the un- 
 circumcifion of your flefh, hath he quickened to- 
 gether with him, having forgiven you all trefpafles, 
 14 Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that 
 was again fi us, which was contrary to us, and took 
 it out of the way, nailing it to his crofs; 15 And 
 having fpoiled principalities and po wens, he made a 
 Jhew of thctn openly, triumphing over thein in it. 
 
 Still our apoflle proceeds in proving, that we are com- 
 plete in efirift^-cnd that the C< loffians had no need ot cir- 
 cumcifion in the fklli, having ail in Chrift that was nccef- 
 I'ary for jullificatioif as well "as fandilication. To fjtisfy 
 them herein, nsle, i. He ac.juaims them with their deplor- 
 able condition by nature, you king dead in your fins, with- 
 out any hope of fpiritual life, and by reafon ot uncircum- 
 iiftvi "f ynur flr/l), aliens from the church of God (and 
 Urangers to all the promifes m.ade unto it) hath he qucick- 
 end and pardoned, having freely forgiven ycu all \sur 
 itqpcijjii. O blelleJ privilege of" julliiication, to have fin 
 
 forgiveti, frefpafTes forgiven, all irefpalTes univerfally for- 
 given, all trcfpallcs freely forgiven ! 2. What it ci'fl Chrift 
 to purchafe pardon for us, to difcharge us fioin our ebli- 
 gaticn to wrath, and our obno>ioufnefs to the curfe and 
 condemnation of the law; no lefs than his precious life 
 laid down upon the crofs, bhttiiig out lie hsnd-urilint; of 
 ordinances agaivji us, and contrary f) us, &c. An allufion 
 to a pradice amongft men, who cancel bills and bunds, and 
 all obligations, wlierein they ftood boimd, when once the 
 debt is fatisfied- Now, fay> the apolfle, )our debt of (in 
 is paid to the juftice of God b) the death of Chrift ; and 
 feeing the obligation is cancelled, it would be madnefsanj 
 impiety to renew it again, as thofe do, who plead for cir- 
 cumcilion, anti pratflife the legal ceremonies. A s'r 3.'I"hcre 
 was an obligation upon every man to imdergo the cuife of 
 the law ; for violating the cominands of the law, there 
 was an hanJ-iuriiitig againji us. The obligation muft be 
 cancelled, before the condemning power oi the law can be 
 abolifhcd, and fin pardoned ; None but Chrift coidd can- 
 cel this obligation ; and not he neither, without paying the 
 full fum payable froin us : Chrift when hanging on the 
 crofs, did »tf77 this hand-ivriiing to the crofs, which (hall 
 never be produced in judgment againft the penitent btlicyer; 
 but this obligation remains upon the file uncancelled, w ith 
 refpcdl to all finners who live and die in their fins, and they 
 (hall always lie in prifon, ever faiisfying, but never able 
 fully to fatisfy this obligation. Kite, 4. That Chrift hath 
 not only by his death cancelled this hand writing, ai:d 
 nailed it to his crofs, but has vanquifhed and triumphtd 
 over all our fpiritual enetnies: Satan, and all the powers of 
 hell, are led like fo many pinioneil captives before the trium- 
 phant chariot of his crofs, making thttn a fpcdlaclc of fcorn 
 and (lianie in the eyes of God, angels and men : having 
 /polled principalities and pozuers, he made a fi>tiu of tbfJH 
 openly. Sec. Oi/erve here, i. Chrift's bloody crofs was a 
 chariot of triumph unto hiin. Lord! whilft thou wcrt 
 bleeding and racldng upon the gibbet for us, thou were 
 then rejoicing and tiiumphing for the benefits redounding 
 to us. 2. That Satan, that great conqueror was conquered 
 by Chriif, and led in triumph before the chariot of the 
 crofs. O Satan, thou wert never thus baffled, befooled 
 and difappointed before ! When thou and thy agents were 
 fpoiling Chrift, even then was hefpojling principalities and 
 ])owers, and triumphing over them, when they were in- 
 iiilting over him : '1 he ferpent now bruifedour Lord's heel, 
 but had his own head and power forever bmken : triumph'- 
 ing over them in it, that is, in and by his crofs. 
 
 16 Letno man therefore judge you in meat, or 
 in drink, or in refpeftof an holy day, or of the new 
 moon, or of the fabbath-£^</w : 1 7 'W'hich arc a flia- 
 dow of things to come ; but the body is of Chiid. 
 
 Here we have a.) inference or conclufion drawn by our 
 apollle from the foregoing argument, that feeing thecere- 
 monial law was now aboliflied, therefore none (lioiild take 
 upon them to judge or condenm another for not cbferving 
 any of the legal ceremonies, cither thofe that related to 
 meats, that is the didtrence obfervcd in ineats, or tlic other 
 relatins; to the dilference to be obflrved in days. Hin- 
 note. That the days obfervcd amongft the Jews, wen . : 
 
 %^ 
 
Chat, n 
 
 C O L O S S I A N S. 
 
 8J5 
 
 tlirce f(yts : A'tnhierfnr.yy %vliich retiirnfecl every year, called 
 htrf: an '.-/) <///)•; Lunary, vvhi.'h returned every monili, 
 tlie firft (|jy of every new mo m : IVetUy, which returned 
 every wiek, and nn the fevcnth diy of the urek : All 
 Avhich are ab -ogaud, even the Jewiih ftventh day fabbath ; 
 and the L-rd's f^'^y, or the Chriftian's firft-day fabbath, 
 fiibiHtutcd ii) its I'lacc, i Cor. xvi. 2. Ohferve here^ i. 
 That there is bo.h a (inful and a lawful abrtinence from 
 vncais ; th;it abflincnce is fintul, vhen men abftain from 
 foine meats, upon pretence of hojinefs and confcicnce, as if 
 fome meats were unclean, or Icfs holy in their own nature 
 than others, i. Tim. iv. 4. or as if iimpleabftinence at any 
 lime were a thing acceptable to God in itfelf, without 
 rcf]ie(5l had to the end for w!)ich it is fometimcs required. 
 But there is a threefold abftinence from meats, which 
 IS lawful ; Polilicd!, enjoined by the inagiihatc for civil 
 ends ; AleiUciiuil, prefcribed by the phvfician for health's 
 prefervatlon ; luclfjtafl'ual, when God by his providence, 
 aiid the voice of his churcii, calls his people to fafting. 2. 
 The rcafon alledged by the apoUlc, why Chriftians fhould 
 not judge one another, with refpccl to meats and drinks, 
 times and feafons, namely, becaufc thofe legal ceremonies 
 were but dark fliadows of things to conie i but the body 
 and fubltance reprcfented by ihofe (hadov\s, is drift cane 
 in the fli-Jh : And confeqiicntly, to obferve the ceremonies, 
 and regard thefs flir-dows under the gofpcl, is in effedl to 
 fay. That Chiifl the body is not yet comc. Here ncU, i. 
 The title given to the ceremonial vvorfliip, it is ftyled a 
 fliudrai, becaufc it was a dark and imperfect repiefcntation 
 of the truth : What is a Oiadow, but the coming of a thick 
 body between us and the fun ? The legal ceremonies were 
 intcrpofed between Chriit the true tight and us, and fo carts 
 a fliadow of him. 2. The title given to Chrill with 
 refpecl to the (hadows of the cereinonial law, he is the 
 body and fiibftsnce of them : now as the lliadow vaniilies 
 when the fubftance is come, fo thefe ceremonial ordinances 
 were to ceafe upon the coming of Chrift, and to obferve 
 ihem now, under the gofpcl, is in cftl-fl to fay, that Chrift 
 is not yet coine in the flcih. 3. That the Jewifli fabbath 
 was a ceremonial ordinance, and part of that hand-wriiina 
 of ordinances which was to be blotted out by Chrirt; and 
 confcquently the Chriftiah is not obliged to obferve it. As 
 the diilindion of meats and drinks, and the obfervation of 
 the new moons, weie confelTedly ceremonial ; fo was alfo 
 rhe Jewiih fabbath, which with the reft was equally can- 
 celled by Chrifl, ^s a part of the hand-writing of ordi- 
 nances ; fo that to obferve the Jewi(h fabbath, or to con- 
 denm the Clirirtian for not obferving it, is as much a de- 
 nial that Clirift is come in the flefh, as 10 obferve circum- 
 cifion, or any part of the ceremonial law. 
 
 1 8 Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a 
 voluntary humility, and worfliipping of angels, in- 
 niiding into ihole things which he hath not feen, 
 vainly pufFed up by his fleflily mind : 1.9 And not 
 holding the head, from which all the body bv joints 
 and bands having nourifhment ininilicri-d, and knit 
 together, increaleth with the increafe of God. 
 
 Our apoftle havir.j; w-irncd the Ccloflianj a^ainft the 
 
 errors of the Jiidaizing teachers, come next to warn them 
 a^ainft the practice of the Paganizing Chriftians, who were 
 direfled by their guides to worlliip ihc angels, coverir'tj 
 their error with a plaufible Hicw of humility, pretending it 
 was pTcfumptuotis to go to God immcdiattly, wiihoiiiThe 
 mediation cf thofe excellent creatures ; but liiis the apoflle 
 tells them was a bold intruding into things ihey knew no- 
 thing of, God having neither revealed nor taught any fuch 
 thing; and argued, Uiat they v.cxq, vainly puffed i,p with 
 the foolifli imaginations of their o\vn/,y/y'/vw//Wx. Next 
 he fhews, that thefe angel worfhippcrs do not atknovvlcdge- 
 Chrift for the Head of the church, while they apply them 
 fclvcs to angels as mediators ; whereas he alone difcharoes- 
 the office of the Head, completely giving life and giovvth- 
 to his whole church, and to every member thereof ; which 
 meinbers being furnidicd with fpiritual life from him, and 
 knit to him and one anoth>:r by the j(/ints .and bands of 
 charity and other graces, they grow and increafe with fiicii 
 an increafe of holincfs as is from God, and tends 10 his 
 glory. Niiehtxe, i. That the nature of man is prone, 
 extremely prone, to idolatry and falfe worOiip. 2. That 
 it i^ as really idolatry to worfliip an angel, as it is to wor- 
 fhip a worm ; for divine worlhip is only due to a divine 
 perfon. 3. That it is a renouncing of Ch'rift, to make ufe 
 of angels, or any other Mediator, befidcs Chrift, unto the 
 Father, not holding the Head. It was a notion, that carly^ 
 and indeed univerfully poiicfred the minds of mankind, that 
 God was not to be immediately ai)proached to bv finful 
 men ; but that their prayers were to be prcfented'by cer- 
 tain inediators and intercclTors, who were to procure for 
 them the favour of God, and the acceptance of their 
 prayers. Hence they worfhipped angels, and the fouls de- 
 parted of their heroes, whom they canonized, and tranflaied 
 into the number of their inferior gods, by whom iheyaddrcf- 
 fcd their fupplications to their fuperior gods. With this no- 
 tion Altriighty God was pleafcd to coinply fo far, as under the 
 Jewifh inftitulion to appoint Mofcs a mediator betwixt hiin 
 and them ; and now tinder thcChiiftian difpt-nration loan- 
 point Jefus Chriil to be the only Mediator betwixt God' 
 and man. 4. That it is iifual for idolaters, and falfe wor- 
 inippers, to cover themfelves with a more than ordinary 
 /hew of humility : let none beguile you in a vduntary humi- 
 I'ty. True it is, that ail duties of worfiiip ought to be vo- 
 luntary, as voluntary is oppofed to conHrained ; but lliev 
 muft not be voluntary, as voluntary is oppofcd to inllituied 
 or appointed ; God doth no more approve of that wor- 
 kup we give him according to our will, than he doth 
 approve of our neglcdt of that which is according to- 
 his own will. But man, vain man, likes ar<- v/ay of wor- 
 iTiipping God which is of his own framing, much better 
 than- that which is of God's own appoiniinr'. 
 
 20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Chiiflfrom the 
 rudiments of the world, why, as thougli living in the 
 ivorld, are ye fubjeft to ordinances ; 2 1 Touch not; 
 tafle not; handle not; 22 Which are all toperifli 
 with the ufing ; after the commandments anddoc- 
 trines of men .? 23 Which things have indeed ;i 
 flicw ok wifdom in w.ell-woiiliip and humility, and 
 
 nc<rlettin ' 
 
8.74. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Chap. ut. 
 
 nejflci^ing of the f)ody, not in any honour to the 
 l;itisryin.j of the flcfh. 
 
 Our apofllc (>ciiig now in tlic dole of this chapter, re- 
 turns t'l cx|)olliil.it(.-, and arj^iies llie cafe wkh thofc who 
 were wiliini; lo fubjc<5l tlirinfclves to the obfcrvation of ti^ 
 <ild Jcwilli liics and ceremonies. He artiucs tl.us : "ft 
 lays lie, yon profefs yotirlclves in your baptifm to bo fpiritii- 
 ;illy dcud with Clirill, and lobe freed bv iiis death from the 
 L( viiJLal ordinances, m by arcyc fiibjecl to tholeordinances ? 
 Sncli are, toiuh n-J, lajle ml, har.dte not: ttxich not any 
 mtcUaii tliin<{, tulle not any forbidden meat, iiandle not anv 
 oinfccrated vellil ; nil which obfer\anccs were to perifh 
 nei-elfjiilv \v iili the very uling : And whereas thev were 
 let nff with a Ipeiioiis fliew of wifdom, as if they were vo- 
 luntary fervices and tree-will otllrings to God, he acknow- 
 ledi;es, that they had indeed a Ihcw of wildom, a fliew of 
 litiinility, and a lliew ol niortiticuiii'ti and aulleiitv to the 
 bodv, and not fteiningto gix-e any honour to the fatisfying 
 ot the flefh ; but all tliis had nothini:; of fpirilnal devotion 
 and piety in it." Learn hence i. That fiich as do bv 
 baptifm profeli thcmfelves to be dead with Crri/l to the 
 ceremonial law, inay certainly conclude, that the Jewiih 
 ceremonies have no more any power over tl.eiTi, or that 
 tht) ought to yield themfelves to the obfcrvation of ihein : 
 If y^ If deiul to ChriJ}, ul.y are ye fiihjecli or ordinances ? i. 
 That though God apprnveih and accepteth willing wor- 
 fliip, yet not will- worfiiip, what fair Ihcw foe ver it tnav 
 leem to have, either ot wifdom, humility, or mortification'; 
 "vhatevcr ii the product ot our fancies, is a verv fornication 
 in religion, and an ahominaiion in the light of God, how 
 pleafing focver it may be in the light of men : and vet men 
 are moft forw."rd to that furvice of Gi)d which is of man's 
 linding out and feiting up ; man likes it better to worfhip 
 :i god of his own making, than to worftiip the God that 
 made him ; and likes any way of worlhijipiiig God which 
 is of his own framiiiii, more than that which is of God's 
 appointing. Ah! Wretched heart of man, which wliilft 
 it feems very zealous to worlliip and honour Go.l, hath 
 no' zeal to do it in any other way than in that whiJi re- 
 flccls the hi^hell dilhonoiir upon him. 
 
 C 11 .\ P. III. 
 
 Ow opcflk cnnm mw to the praclkal part of this epij. 
 tk, exhorting tlie Colofri;in.s to a cmwf rfation in all 
 things anfwerable to the doEliine of Ckrifl. 
 
 IF ye their be lifen with Clnifl. fnk thofc ihin^^s 
 which idc above, where Ciiiiil iiiicih on the ri- lit 
 hand ot God. 2 Set your jiflFcclion on things above, 
 not on thinijs on the earth. 
 
 Site here, i.^ The niiiirc ot the diitv to which we arc 
 exhortui ; this is exprelli-d both aflirmaiiveU and nega- 
 tively ; affirmatively, .Seek the things above, aiuMet your 
 afi-Vitions on them ; m-i/a'ivily. Not on the tliiiu«s here on 
 earth ; it being impollliile to fe( k and (It our atfie^ion'5 upon 
 both ill an intcnfc degree, .'^ue/i. Hut what i.s it to y><-.(' 
 tkoj't ti.iii^i that are ahc-oc, and u Jet cur i;jf(.':t::!is upon 
 
 rliem ? Axf. In thefo two words, four things arc campre- 
 hended : 'i.) An aft of our iinderllandin?, that wc know 
 the worth of thefc things, 'i.) An aft of the will, to 
 chtife thefe things, and with the ardour and vehemcncy of 
 onr affeftinns to love them. ("3.) An act of indufliy and 
 endeavour in the purhiir of tliefe things, if by any means 
 we may at'ain therr!. Our affcftions arc fo nianv Iprings 
 of ir.f.'ion to fct our endeavours on vvoik tor the t'bi;;ining 
 (>f what we love and dc-fire. (4.) It inifilios a clear pre- 
 ference of the things above to things bclow, when they 
 come in competition ; fct your affections more on tilings 
 above than on the things below, and fhew ii bv your readi- 
 nefs to part with thefe things. Note. 2. What is the ob- 
 jeft of thii aft, or what it is that we are to feck and fet our 
 3frei.T^ions upon, namciv, the tl>in?i u/ ieh are above ; Gtxl 
 the Fattier, .Son, and Holy Spirit, together with theblclFed 
 riate and condition of heaven, and the happinefs above ; as 
 all fhofe difpofitions and qualifications which arc requititc 
 for the obtainine of this happinefs. and briiising us to the 
 fruition of if ; all theft arc coirprehetided in the latitude of 
 the objcft, the things luhich are above. 3. The argument* 
 which our apolllc tifes to excite us to this duty : (\.) If 
 V,' he rifen with CI rifl, that is, if ye bciicxe tha' Cliii'.t is 
 rifen, and if ve will bear a conformiiv and refemblancc to 
 him in his rcfurreftion, and be made partakers of the power 
 and virtue of it ; for Chtift's rcfurreftion is not only a 
 pattern, but a principle ; it has a power and tfhcacy in it 
 to raife us up to a fpirittial life : If ye then be rifen with 
 ChriO, feck thofe things ivhich are above. (2.) A lecond 
 argument is drawn from ChrilVs exaltation in heaven ; he 
 filteth at the right hand 'f Cod \ which words declare the 
 exaltation of his Tn:man nature, and his being ailvanced lo 
 he the fupreme King andGovernour of his £luirch. Now 
 the force of this argument lies in the relation that is between 
 the Head and the membjrs, between Chrill and Cluiilians ; 
 as the head has an influence upon the members, fo tlie 
 ineinbers have an afllftion for the Head, which m;:k(s 
 ih'-m afpire hcavenv. ards, where there Head is ; hccaufe 
 their glorified Savio\ir, fitting at the right hand of God, by 
 the power of his Sj^iiit. draws out their afFeftions towards 
 him : If ye be rifen v.ith Chrifl, feeh the things above. As 
 if St. Paul had faid, " I^ Chrift our Head rifen, and af 
 cended into heaven-? Let \i% in our hearts and afTcftions 
 follow liim thi'lier, and pa'iently \>ait till he receive our 
 fnils, and raife ot!r bodies, and take us wholly to himfelf, 
 tliat we may be for ever with the I^orcljij' 
 
 5 For ye are dead, and your life is jiid wiili Chrill 
 in God. 
 
 Here wc have a frefli argtiment to enforce the foregoing 
 exhortation. Seek the things above, for ye are dcud, that 
 is, dead to fin, dead to the world, therefore be not over- 
 eager in purfiiit oi the things below. ■ How aft'rii;hting 
 a light would it be, 10 fee a dead man rife out of his 
 grave, and converfc with the wcirld, and follow the things 
 here below ! As afufting is it to (le Chrillians, who by 
 baptifmal protefltei do own tln-mfelves to be dead to 
 the W(Hkl, yet biincd in the u orld ; and, indeed of felting 
 their afteftions on things above, piir!"iiiiig, with the full 
 bent of their dchits, the tilings below. I'c are, dead, — it 
 
 tulluvv5,-»- 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 S55 
 
 fo]\owSf.—yeur life is h!d Ktlh Ck rift in Gcd : — Tour life, 
 that is, voiir fpiritiial life of gr:icc. and your ctciml life of 
 glory, thrv are bnih hid witii Chrill, now wiih Gud in 
 hcav«n. Hid in Clirilt, fi.) As the tHVct is in the caiife, 
 ns the lifc.of the branches is hid in the root, fo i* the lite 
 of 2 CIirifliuH hid in Chrift ; he is our root. Again, hid 
 ill C/ri/i, th-M is, (2.) Depot lied and laid up w ith Chritl, 
 cominitted to his care and cufto<ly, feciirdy ^)iit into his 
 hands. (i.) Hid with Chriji, that i>, dilpenfcd by him, 
 and derived from him at his pleafure ^ of his fulnefs we 
 leccive, when and in what meafure he pleafes. hole here, 
 1. Our life of grace only deferves the name of life; our 
 njtiiral life, (horl and uncertain in itfelf, and common to 
 IS with the brutes, deferves not comparatively, the name 
 V f !i(c. 2. That Clirift is the believer's life, he i; both the 
 J'i'.'ithor and efficient caiife of it, the meritorious caiifeof it, 
 rnd the excnipl.uy can fe and pattern of it. 3. That the 
 Ciiriftian's life is //'(/ ivith Chriji. The phrafe imports, 
 (i.) Security and fafcty ^ what is hidden in Chrill, and 
 with him, miift he fafe, and out of the reach of danger ; 
 grace is incorruptible feed, tiiat ihnll never die : The world, 
 Satan and fm, may aflault, but fhall not overcome ; neither 
 hiil within, nor tin- devil, nor the world, (hall be able to 
 vanquifli that life which is hid in Chrilf. fa. I It imports 
 o-5fcurity ; what is hidden, is concealed : The life of grace 
 is totally hiildeii from the wicked, and hid, in fome fort, 
 fjom tbe believer himfelf, under fpiritual dcfertion, under 
 the winnowings of temptation, under the prevalency of 
 corruption ; much more is the life of glory hidden, it doth 
 not vet appear ; wc can no more conceive of <jt by all we 
 have heard, than we can conceive \\ hat the fun is by feeing 
 rf a giow-worm. (3.) Our lite he\ng*ljid ivlih Clrijl, it 
 i-npoBU plenty and abundance : / am come, that ye may 
 hiiri hfe tmrc abundantly, John x. 10. 
 
 4 When Chiifl who ii our life fiiall appear, then 
 fliall ye alfo appear with him in glory. 
 
 That is, " When Chrill, who is the author, and piir- 
 chaler, and preferver of our life, fhall appear to judge the 
 world at the great day, then Ihall all believers, who liavc 
 rtceived fpiritual life from him, be fliarcrs in glory with 
 him." Mere note, 1. That Jcfus Chrifl, by whom be- 
 li:;vers Uvea lite of grace, and from whom they expefl a 
 life of glory, thall certainly appear, yea, and have a very 
 glorious appearir^ ; he (hall be glorious in his perf(3n, 
 gIori(ais in his attendants, glorious in his authoriiv, &c. 
 2. That when Chrilt appears in glory to judge the in oild, 
 then ii is that all believers lhall enjoy a full glorification 
 with him. 3. That the faith of approaching glory, at 
 Chri.l's fecond appearance, is a llrong argument 10 take off 
 our affeP.iom from ti:ings hehw, and place them on things 
 above. St. Paul's argument is, fo prcli the CololTians to 
 Jet their affefiiam on llAngs iihoie, becaiife Chrift is above, 
 and, when he appears, they (hall appear with him in glory. 
 
 5 Mortify ther<=:fore your members which are 
 ppcn the earth ; fornication,^ uncleanncfs, inordi- 
 nate alFeflion, evil concupilcnce, and covetoufneis, 
 which is idolatry : 
 
 Ncteh^TC, I. That although the apoftlc told them in ihc 
 third \'t!k, th.1t ihey were dead to (in, yet here, in the (ifih 
 verfe, he bids them mortify (in ; in;it7iatinc;, that the work, 
 of mortification, at the be(>, is but imperfe£t, and muft be 
 carried on daily and progrctlively ; they were mortified but 
 in part ; the old man has a (trong heart, and is a long time 
 a-dving, after it has received its deadly wound: Sin lives a 
 dying life, and dies a lingering death ; Mcriifv therefore, 
 &c. 2. What it is they are calletl upon to mrrtifv their 
 I'lemhers upon earth ; wiierc, by mcmhen, we are to I'ndcr- 
 ih-nd all the lufts and corruptions of our hearts and natures 
 all the relics and remains of (in unfubdued and iinpur'^cd 
 out of the foul ; he inftances in fornication, unclcar.nefs, 
 inordinate affeilions and dcfires, and ccieloufnefs, whicli 
 lo\efh the woild above God, and is therefore no better 
 tlian idolatry. Kut why are thefe called mcmberv-, md 
 members upon earth r Anf. They are called niem'bcrs 
 in allufion to what St. Paul had called (in before, chap ii' 
 ver. II. namely, a body of fm ; therefore he calls'particular 
 lufl members ot that bixiy ; and alfo becaiife tiicy require 
 and call for the members of the body, as indrtinienis to 
 bring them into ad ; likcwife, bccaufe thefe )u(t are natu- 
 rally as dear to men as their bodily members, they can as 
 foon part.w ith n right hand or a right eve, as with a bofom 
 and beloved liift ; they are .ilfo called members upon the 
 earth, becaiife they are converfant abcut earthly thint^s 
 becaufc they will cleave to us as long as we lii-e upon 
 earth ; and to intimate, that none of thefe tmiif be canied- 
 to heaven with us, but be mortihed on the eanh." But 
 what is it to mortify thefe members r Anf. To iiioriitv 
 (in, is to deny our confent to the folicitatioiis of l],, ,0 
 fupprcfs the firft motions of fin, to enervate the power 'and 
 adivityof fin. Learn hence, i. That, in the holiclt ",nd 
 belf of God's children and fervanrs, there arc relics arid 
 remains of fin, to be daily mortified, and gradually ("ul, 
 diied. 2. That after God has brought a perfon in"to a date 
 ofgrasc, it is his duty, and ought to be his endeavour 
 daily to mortify (in, and all the remains of unfubdued tor' 
 ruption. A caution. Take heed of concluding (in is riior' 
 tified, bccaufe it is reflrained, becaufe the acts of (in are 
 intermitted, becaufe fome particular fins are fubdiicd • ' I3 
 all fin hated of thee, h.athed and left by thee ? ' It is mo 
 to loathe a (in, than it is to leave a (in ; fin may be Icft^ 
 and yet be loved ; but no man can loathe a (in, and Iwc 
 it at the fame time. 3. That covetoud.tfs is a ii'n] w|,ich 
 above others, a Chriftian (liould fet himfelf agai'ni} -ipd 
 endeavour to mortify and fnbdue, it having a fort of i'dola 
 try in it, drawing our love, our truft, our fear, our joy Uiixn 
 God, and placing the fupremacy of our.:.ffecHons in and 
 upon the creatures. True, the covetous man docs not 
 believe his money to be God , but by his rnordinutc lovi'nr, 
 ofi;, and fiducial truf^ing in it, he is as truly guilty ot 
 idolatry, as it he bo\\ed his knee unto it ; for God niore 
 regards the internal acts of the mind, than he doth ihc 
 external acls of the body. In like manner, the Papiits do 
 not believe iheir (;;ints and angels to be tods; but by 
 pra\ing to them., and trulKng in"them for relief and hel/ 
 ihcy give them the inward wordiip of the fi,ul, and cc nfe 
 quently they are as guilty of idolatry, as it ihev did believe 
 them to be God. 
 
Sj6 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Ghap. III. 
 
 6 For which thin^rs fake the wrath of God cometh 
 on the children of difobedience, 7 In the which ye 
 alfo walked fome time, when ye lived in them. 
 
 Here our apoftle backs liis exhortation to mortify fin, 
 «itli ftiong nrcumcnisanJ motives ; the firft is taken from 
 tlie wrjih ot GccI, which in iis difinal elfccls, falls upon 
 thofu who coniinuc in, and under the power of thofc (ins : 
 for u/ji./.i things J ii'nt-, that !•!, for the committing of which 
 things, and for coniinuini; impenitent after the commillion' 
 of them, tbe wrath of God conielh upon them. Here nolf, 
 I. God's wrath is the due dcfert of tnan's fin ; yet it is not 
 (o inuch fin, as objuration and impctinency in fm, that 
 draws down wrath. 2. 'I'liat believers thcmfelves do fland 
 in need of arguments drawn from the wrath of G(hI, to 
 make thcin afraid of fm, and to excite tiiem to mortify and 
 fubdue it ; for here the apoftle propounded tire terrors of 
 divine wrath to tiicfc believing Coioffians. The fecond 
 iirgumcnt is taken from their former continuance, yea, 
 lonij continuance in thefe fins ; in which ye alfo walked 
 fine time, when ye lived in them; that is, in the fore- 
 mentioned fins ye yourfclves alfo walked before your con- 
 vcrfion, zt'vH ye lived in them, and took delight in the 
 praflice of them. Ler.rn hence, Thr.t no argument will 
 prev.iil more v/iih a Chriflian to follow on the work of 
 mortification clofcly for time to come, than the remem- 
 brance of his long continuance in fin in tiine part ; in which 
 Ji'U ye iviilkedfme time, &c. 
 
 8 But now )-e alfo put ofF all thefe ; anger, wrath, 
 malice, blafphemy, filthy communication out of 
 vour mouth, g Lie not not one to another, feeing 
 that ye have put off the old man with his deeds'; 
 lo And have put on the new inan, which is renew- 
 ed in knowledge, after the image of him that 
 created him. 
 
 In the foregoing verfes, St. Paul exhorted the ColofHan? 
 to mortify external and outward fins, as fornication and 
 iincicanneCs ; here he prellcs them to mortify internal and 
 fpiritual fins, fuch as anger, wrath, and malice, fins of the 
 heart. Tf^e axe of inoriiticaiion mufi be laid to the root 
 of inward corruption, fpiritual fins, heart fins: Though 
 they are minyis infamitc of lefs infair.y and rcproacii 
 before men, yet they are mrjoris rsntus, of greater guilt 
 in the fight of God ; therefore a finccrc Chriflian has a 
 fpcciul refped to thefe in the work of mortificatioi ; put 
 otf all thefe, unger, lurnth, malice : An?cr, or the Hidden 
 motions atid rifing of paffion ; ffrath is anger advanced 
 ■to an height ; and 7nn!;ee is anger accompanied v\itli delire 
 of revenge, a rooted difpleafure : As jealotify is the rage of 
 a man, fo malice is the rage ot the devil ; it is the very 
 foul and fpirit of the apoilate nattire. No fin renders a 
 man fo like to Satan as wrath and malice. A ninlicious 
 dclirc of revenge is fo far beneath a Chrillian, that it is the 
 bnfentfs of man, yea, the fpawn of a dtvil. TJiis fin in- 
 dulged, deftroys the feuis, as furc as murder, yea, it is no 
 ]jfs than murder in the account of God, i John iii. 15. 
 lie that h'ltcth his brother is a wun.'crer. Ol-fcrfe next, 
 The apoille exhorts the ColoHians to guard againK the 
 fins of the heart. Put of)' blujphony, Jilihy cmiwunicatioii, 
 
 and lying ; that is, evil fpcaking, filthy fpcaking, artd falfe 
 fpeaking. Sins of the tongue are to be guarded and 
 watched againft, as well as fins of the heart ; they are 
 mofi fcandaloMS, they difhonour God, anddifcredit religirn, 
 .nnd wrong our own fuuls. The fins of the tongue are 
 little confidcrcd, their great guilt not apprehended, but 
 nicn mult account for their open reproaches, fccret back- 
 biting?, fcotfings, (!cri;ion9, whereby they endeavour to fix 
 an ignominy upon their neighbour : And pirticularly, the 
 fin of lying is here cauiinncd agaiuft, Lie not one to another. 
 All lying is here condemned ; the ofRcious lie, tending to 
 our own or our ncielibour'i prrfit ; the pcrnieious lie, 
 tending to our neighbour's prejudice ; the jocular and 
 jocofe lie, tending to recreatif)n and fport. The fcripturc 
 condemneth r,ll, without reflricliou. Rev. xxi. 8. All 
 liars Ihnll have their part in the hie which burns with f re 
 and brim/lone. Rev. xxii. 15. m-foever hveth and malelh 
 a lie. L)ing makes a man like the devil, who was a liar 
 as well as a murderer from the beginning. Obferve, ladiy, 
 The argument fo enforce the exhortation to mortify all 
 fin, th.e (ins of the heart, the (ins of the fongi'c, the fins 
 of the life,, and tli.it is drawn from the ccniidcraiitn of 
 their prcfcnt ftate ; they had in their baptifm made a pro- 
 feflion to put cff the old man with his deeds, that is, their 
 own finfiil nature, and put on the new man in baptifm, 
 which being renewed by illumination and divine know- 
 ledge, and fo ronformed to the image of God, rendered 
 them now the objcfls of his fpccial love, h'cle here, That 
 there were many ceremonies in baptifm ufed in the primi- 
 tive churcff, to which St. Paul alludes in fevcral places 
 in his cpirtles ; as drenching in water, fo as to fccm buried 
 in and under it, (ji\. ii. 12. Buried with him in b.-plifm : ' 
 Likewife putting off their old clothes at going in, and 
 putting on new at their coming out of the watar, to which 
 St. Paul alludes here, when he tells them they h?d, 
 naincly, in their baptifm, piitofTthcold inan, and put ca 
 the new. Whence kani. That there is no argument more 
 moving and cfFedlually exciting unto holincfs of lite, ihsn 
 that which is taken from our baptifmal vow and pro- 
 fcfiion ; the obligation of this is very ftronc, if duly con- 
 fidcrcd. The apoftle makes ufe of it here as a potent 
 argument, to quicken them to the inortificalion of all fin, 
 feeing thev had in baptifm put off' the old man, that is, 
 profetTed and lolcmnly engaged fo to do, and had pit sh 
 the new man, which after God is created in righlciiijnejs, &ic. 
 
 1 1 Where there is neither GrccK nor Jew, cir- 
 cumcifion noruncircnincifion, barbarian, Scythian, 
 bond, no'r free : But Chrill is all, and in all. 
 
 //'^vrf, that is, in which ftatc of renovation, or under 
 tlte prifent gof|iel-dilpenfaiinn, there is found with God 
 no refpecEl to any m.--n's pcrfon or nation, as before there 
 was under the lei;:d difpenfaiion ; now Jew and Geiiiilc, 
 male and female, bond and free, circumcilVd and uncircum- 
 ciietl, every one that feareth God, and worketh rightciijnfjs, 
 is accepted of Cod, through Chri/K it ho is all, in nU thing*, 
 to all helierers : But how is Chriff all in all unto his 
 peoj-ile .' Thu,<;, his teaching is all in all in tlie work of 
 liluinin.uion, liis Spirit is all in all in thj woik of ce.n- 
 
 verfion. 
 
Ghap. ui. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 8J7 
 
 verfioii, his death is all in all in the work of faiisfaclion, 
 his righteournefs is'all in all in the n)atter of our jaftili- 
 cation, hn grace is all in all in our fanctificaiioii, his inter- 
 ctllion is all in all in our acceptation, his peace is all in all 
 in our conlolaiion,. his power is all in all in our refurrection, 
 his prefence is all in all in our glorification. O blefTed 
 Jcfui! art thou thus all to me? 1 will labour to be all to 
 thee; 1 will give thee all that I am, my foul with all its 
 faculties, my underflar.tJing, my heart, and my aflections, 
 particularly my love and my hitxed, my joy and my for- 
 row, my hope and my fear, my body with all its members : 
 For thou hjft created, redeemed, and wilt glorify the bo- 
 dy as v.ell as the foal ; and therelore i will glorify ihee 
 with my body and with my Ipirit, which is thine ; I will 
 alfogive thee all that I have, by confecratiiig it all toihe 
 icTvice of Chrill, andrcljguing up all ro the wdl ofCbrift, 
 and will intitle thee to all that I do, by making thy word 
 n)y rule, and thy glory my end, in all my actions and 
 underftandings. 
 
 1 2 Put on therefore (as the cleft of God, holy and 
 beloved) bowels of mercies, kindncis, huinblencl's 
 of mind, meeknefs, long-fuffering ; 13 Forbearin r 
 one another, and forgiving one another, if anvman 
 liave a quarrel againft any, even as Chrift forgave 
 you,fo Al'o do yc. 
 
 Our aportle having nowfiniflied his exhortation to the 
 practice of that great duty of niortilicaticn of (in. called 
 here, a puitiiig r.ffthe old man, comsine-M to mention I'everil 
 graces and virtues, which he exhorts them 10 be found in 
 ^ ihe practice of ; and this he (tyles, a putting en the m-.v fur.n ; 
 teachinj]; us hereby, that a negative holinefs is not A;}Kcient 
 to fah'ation; it is not enough that we ceafeto do evil but 
 we muft'iearn to de well; a man may go to hell for not 
 doing good, as well as for doing wickedly. Farther, The 
 particular graces and virtues which they are exhorred to 
 put on. (t.) Bii'jjels of mercy andk'indnefs, that is, a ten- 
 derpity towards, and an inward fympaihy with, thofe that 
 are in mifery ; and this exprefled in outward acti of fuc- 
 cour and relief, according to our ability. There is a na- 
 tural piiy which a man can hardly put oft", it is leated in the 
 very nature of man ; and accordingly, unmerciful r.efs is a 
 fin againft the light of nature, as wtll as agninfl the law of 
 God : But there is, befides this, a fpiriuial pity,, which 
 flows from pure love, and chat a divine love t now, this is 
 more an act of grace than of nature ; this iheapoltle here 
 exhorts tlieColoflians to, Pw/o*; i.^-a)r-/y uf mercy, they who 
 have put on, and are clothed with, garments of holinefs, 
 viil alfo puton bov.els of mercy as a gnrment. (2.) Huyn- 
 blettffs of mind, whereby a man, fenfible of God's goodnefs, 
 and his own infiniiltiei, haih an humble appreheniion, and 
 a mode ft tibrnation ofhimlelf: The more holinefs any 
 perion has, the more humility he has ; humility is a cer- 
 tain evidence of our holinefs becaufe it is a great part of 
 ourholineft. (3.) Mcfkne/t and hn[r.fuf,r,:,g, which mo- 
 derate anger, anil enable us ti) put up affronts and injuries, 
 'i his is a I'pirit and temper divme, and truiv CiiriU-lik'; : 
 none foabufcd and affrnnted as he ; but being reviled, J-.e 
 bltffed, and committed himlelf to him that iudgeth ri"hc- 
 
 eoufly. Whenanother hurts thee by unjuftprovocation, 
 why (houlded thou hurt thyfclf by finful padion? Chrift 
 was a Lamb for meeknefs ; it doth not becoiwe any of his 
 followers to be like lions for fierccnefs. (4.) Forbear- 
 ance, and mutual forgiveneis ; Fcrbearlntr cue anoth r, 
 andforgiving one another. No Chridians'are fo perfect,' 
 but they are liable to oftend one another; he niuft have 
 no friends that will have a friend with no f.^ults, and 
 confequenily they ftand in need o^ forgivenefs from each 
 other. Learn hence, i. That Chriltians are aLliged, by 
 the Jaws of their holy religion, to forbear and forgive one 
 another. 2. They are obliged to imitate Chrift in thi'^du- 
 ty of forgivenefv ; Chrilt forgives us uiiiverlully, freelv, 
 (incerely, fo as never more to upbraid us with the fault 
 he has forgiven us : fuch a fcrgivencfs ::re we to cxercilc 
 toward our brother. . /r Chrl// forgave you, ^ a/fo do v-. 
 Laitly, The argument which St. Paul nukes ufe of to 
 prefs the Cohif-ians to the practice of the fortmenticned 
 dutie;, and that is drawn from their elcftion and vocation : 
 Put on as the (lcc7 of Cod, bovjds of mercy. You that had 
 tlie favour to be chofen of God out of the heathen world, 
 CO be his church and people, and are now^./y and behvi'd 
 of God, let the (en'it of this divine favour oblige you to 
 humility and meeknefs, to long fullering and mutual for- 
 givenelV, yea, to the love and practice of univerfa! holi- 
 nefs. ]t any man huve a quarrel iigairj} any, ^^c. 
 
 14 And above all thefe things ^«,' on charitr 
 which is the bond of pcrfcanefs. 
 
 Still our apolHe makes ufe of the former metaphor, com- 
 paring the graces of the holy Spirit to garments, u hich he 
 exhorts ChriAians to put on ; he had ineniioiied the put- 
 tir;g on of mercy, meeknefs, humility, kc. before, how lie 
 advifej, xo tut on charity, or tjie grace of love, as the up- 
 per g.ii;nienc over and above all the reft, comparing it to 
 abon>! or ligament, which ties and knits all the members 
 of tb€ church together. QueJL But what is this grace of 
 charity? j4nf. It is a brotherly affeclion, which every true 
 Chriltian chiefly bears to all his fellow-members in Chrilt- 
 for grace f.ike; or a gracious propcniitv of heart towsrds 
 our neighbour, whereifv we wiH, and do, toourpower 
 procure all good tor him Quvjt.^'^x why does St. Paul • 
 cotepare charity to an upper garment ? Move all, put on 
 charity. Becaufe, {i )■ The upper garment is larger and 
 broader than the reft, ftj ought charity to extend frfflf to 
 allperlbns, and upon all occaf.ons. (2.) The upper gar-^ 
 ment is ufually fairer tlian the rt It, ib doth charitv fJiine 
 brighteft amorgft all ti,c grace?. ^'3.; The upper g.r- 
 inent dilt.ngaifiies the feveral orders and degrees of men • 
 thiK ChriitMns are known by love as by a Jjvrl-y, it is the 
 bond that Chrill'ifinceredifcipies wear. QikJ/.. But how 
 is charity the head rf p.,rf,iJnefs ? Tltf meaning is, thai it 
 is the mofl perfect bond of union amor.g Chrilt.Mns it 
 knitteth together all liie Icaitered mtinbf rs of the church, 
 and make their graces and gifts fnblervient to the pord 
 oriNie another, lothat the churchis hereby made a com 
 plete intire body, which: was ia;ne without it . Jr. rii.i 
 fenfe, charity iscalledif/« uond of perfeaneh. 
 
 5 o 
 
 1 .5 And kt the peace of God rule in ycttr ].<,„ , ; ■ 
 
 !w 
 
?5i» 
 
 COLOSSI ANS. 
 
 CirAi'". in. 
 
 to the which yc alfo ftre '^-alled in one body ; and 
 be ye thp.nkful. 
 
 As if oiif s|Vi(;l<'had f^id, * Let ilmt yeacc Vkli'-ch Cod 
 has ^ivcii yi't) tiithm. and calleihyi<u loextraCe rtitlitni',, 
 ; ' . and diifft v«ii in all your acbcn-- ro- 
 
 ve in cniit iiu il iiiai kriiliRU o (ji'd.'' 
 I:'-;- K:t^, i I14I tlie urig'ii.il word >uiul int'ic IiiMrt, 
 i;.'iiirs an iinipirc, or 10 iil the |)srt of .1" umpie 111 
 a|)pp •ilin{;ftiifc. Kmv, rhi peace, (i.) Inwurdly liulf;cs 
 and dills uli io ilie l°i ul, \«litii (uitiuliuuus i.i}'^cl'ons are 
 up, and in ;.ii hurry ; when :<nj;cr, h.iirid, jnd rt-vtnge 
 b^^in ro arife in ihe foul, tliis calm' and cmiipolVs all, 
 ('i ) Ouiwaidly, peace o) C'^ilcitntc prmiuces ptace.ible- 
 iicfj tif cunvcrf.uion ; w hf re ihe peace of Giiii rnlff in the 
 heart, it d IpoiVs to peace-hltnels in the lite. Now, ihis 
 coulilts ill thtfe things, namely, in an un'A'dlinjrnefs topro- 
 voke oiherf, in an unapinefs to he prt.v. ked by oilKTi.io 
 a re^diiiefs to be recomilcd wlien provokid, and in a Itir- 
 wardnefs to reconcile others 1' at ire at variance. 
 
 16 Let the word of Chiift dwell in you riclily 
 in all wifdom ; — 
 
 Thcfe wortis come in by way of diretV-on and adxice, to 
 help the ColofTians in theexercife of ih' lorejifopji jir.ices ; 
 feeiiijT it i> the word of Chrift, or ihe huly rcripiurf-, which 
 teach the forenieniioned duties, he advilts ihai ihe word 
 of God nny duell in, and take up its abode with them, 
 richly and plentiliiliy, that they may be fiirn (bed 'hereby 
 villi all true and found wifdoin. .\cte heie. 1. The ti- 
 tle given to the holy ftriptures, they are the ■mnr ci 'f ChiJ} , 
 becaufe they luve Chrifl for their author, Chrifl for their 
 objtft, and Chrifl tUr their end. 1. '] he adv'ice given 
 with refpccl to the wo:d of Chrifl, Let it cha.-il.- Not come 
 for an hoiu-, but to tarry ; not to trrry for a nighi . but to 
 take lip its fixed reiidcine and abode. 3. Where it fhonld 
 dt\ell, ,not in the ear, not; in the head only, not in the 
 meiTiory barely, nor in the .■iFetftions, but in the heart and 
 f'jul, I'fal. CMX. J I. Thy .yairdhuve I hid in my ht<irl,that 
 ] inigl I >yit. (in agair.ft thee. 7 he tcrji is writlen in his heat i, 
 r'.tie 'fIJitJhpi Jhallflidc, PfaJ. xxxvii. 31. 4. How' the 
 word /liunld dwell in us;, richly, copio^ifly, and plentifully, 
 in its coinmandf, in its promifts. in its tlireaieniiigs ; let 
 the word, the whole word, tl-jjcU in y.tt. being d:lipentlv 
 fearchecl, heartily received, and carefully obierved. <;. 
 The perjons to v/h"rn this advice is given iiy the apoflie, 
 all the f.ib)is,at ColofTc, the whole body of the peojle ;ire 
 inj lined a lioly fjiniliariiy. with the Bible, it is to be in 
 their hoiife}, in iheir band.', and in their hearts, that it 
 jiiay'dVell. rickly in them. Why then, and uiih what 
 face d:iie the chiT'h of Rome forbid the coiomon people 
 irrre:id tlie Ribl'', c-lling it an herciicjl boi.k ? For a rea- 
 l.'ii they very well know, n.:iiiely, Becaiifc it is the nioft 
 dangeivMis bo<.k againll Popery, that evir was written in 
 the wV)rld. 
 
 — I'cacliing and admonifhin'^ one another in 
 pf.iltns I'.nd Jn'niiis and fpiritiial itm^s, lin"'in" 
 with grace in your hearts to the Loid. 
 
 Here our apollle declares one fpccial benifit which the 
 
 ColoflJiMs wotiM recftvp, by having fff vari cf CWifl 
 tl-dull ru ly in t/'<m : a -> ould enable them to ir.ich a.id 
 ad"iriiiifh one aiioiher and .'Ifo to < xciie and fl'r up .lie 
 afF Cl'rn- ofrathothtr. by finjj.ing tholV pi i.lm- , hymns and 
 l'pr<!ulfngs tl.rren ton'aintd or I ik h others as were 
 coiiij-o'-d by the infpiraMon ..nd diitflonof ihcholy Spi- 
 rt uf Godj jslways rMiiciubering, not to (ing giactfully 
 oi;lv, but with grace; that is, with atientiou and devotion 
 in ou' hearts to the Lnrd. /e.j; »4 hence, "I lui fmging 
 pl'ilm., borh in public nflrinblies and private f<imilies, and 
 ihertMi praifing and blelfnig of God tor mercies received, 
 |s a ) re.ft ..nd necffaiy <'uty, to bf j'lirtly ptrformcdby 
 all pi ribns capjble of theni. 2. 1 ha: in lingiiig, a fpecial 
 regard mnflbeliatl, that then beau inward harmony , and 
 graiious melodv in the foul, by the exercife ol the under- 
 flahding. :in(l the oiderly motion of :he sfjtdliotis ; if the 
 hear: and :<fF- dioiis be notftirred up in tins tluty, the out- 
 ward grsc , though ne»er fo gr'.iccfol, availcth nothing. 
 
 37 And whatfocver ye do in word or deed, </o 
 all in the name of the Lordjclus, i^ivinj^ thanksto 
 God and the Father by him. 
 
 Here our apf f}'e l.iys downa general rule t'or the right 
 management of a)l our words and a(fki;n?, in ihe whole 
 coiiife of life; Whatfi-jfvtr ye dt, do ail in tht mirre uf iur 
 lord J :f tit, giving iliarks to God for all the mercies yott 
 receive by jefus Chrift. Learn hence, 1. That all our 
 thoughts, v.oids and acfi'ons, niulV and i>ught to be done 
 in the name ot otir Lord Jefus Chrift; that is, todnallhy 
 the authority and command of .Chrifl, to do all in the j 
 power and Itieiigib of Chrift, to do all for the honour and ' 
 glory oi Chrift, to do all after the pattern and example of 
 Chriif. 2. That all prayers and ili;inklgivinp,as they ;ire 
 onlv due to God,fo they mui] be performed by usthrouglj 
 jtfiis Chriil. th;it (b they may find acceptance with God • 
 Giving thanks to Cod and the Futlscr by him. 
 
 18 Wives, fubmit yourfelves unto your own huf- 
 band?j as it is fit in the Lord. 
 
 Ohfirve here, i. That Sr. Pan! in the former part of this 
 chapter, having Liil dow n general exbortatioiii, to live 
 fuitably to tiie goipcl which the Coloiiijiis had received, 
 comes now, in the clofe of the ch.T]>ttr to e.xhort them to 
 the practice of particular duties in their refpectiff places and 
 relations, as hufbahds ;nd wive«., parents and rhililren, 
 niaflers snd ferv.ints. Li-nrn hence, 'I bat the doCirine of 
 the gofpcl lavs the highell and Hrictcft obligations upon j11 
 thole to whom ir is revealed, to perform every p'rionAl 
 :'nd relative duty in an holy and acctprable manner.boih to 
 God and man. 2, The wives duty of i'ijbj\;5tir.n here re. 
 quired:. Sttl.mit yourjclves to your oon It (hands . This 
 implies and coBiprchchds in it, a rever- ndeltecni of them, j 
 an aff'eclionate love unto them, fpetikiiig rel'pe ftfully vf 9 
 them, and to thcni, and yielding obedittice to ihtir c< ;n-' J 
 mands. Oh/itve alA, '1 be 0,11 ilification and manner of , 
 this fuhjeiflion, as it is ft in ilx Lud, that is,, in all IjwfuJ 
 things, and in obe<liePtr to the Loid'scontmands, at:d not 
 in .-my thing conT.try tohis viill.^ 1 hos obeying, the wo- 
 man's fubjfctionis ftrviccdoi:etoChuilt; which may cum- 
 
 furt 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 COLOSSIANS, 
 
 8iJ) 
 
 fort lier, in cafe of any unkind returns from her h'-ifoaiid 
 to hti. 
 
 19 Iliifli.indi, love >W)" wiwri, and bo :iot bitter 
 againfl them. 
 
 Note, I, The general duty of the huiband declared, to 
 Jove his wife uiih a fpcci^l, peculiar, conjugal ifFcctiorv.aiid 
 to dilcovcT this Jove by a lender care over her, an aittc- 
 tionaie regard to her, cohabitation with her, contentment 
 and faiisficUon in her, a patient bearing with iier wcok- 
 ncfl. s, or prudi;niial hiding of her infnniities, a cheerful 
 fupplying ofhtr vvant<, a readinefstoinlhucl: anddireiTbher, 
 a widingnef-. to pray for htr, and with her ; where true love 
 is found thefc dniies will be performed, a. A p.irticuhir 
 fin, which all hnlbinds are to avoid in iheir converfcitton 
 with their wives, and that is beinguitler agjin/} them ; not 
 bitter in afiection towards tbeni, that is, culJ and indif- 
 ferent in their lo'-'e to them; not bitter in expreilion to- 
 ^v.1rds ihi-m, fpi ;ikin(^ reproachfiilly to them; not bitter in 
 tlieir actions iow.irds thp!n,}j vina them bitter blows, wfiidi 
 I is conirary to the law of (jod and nature. Leu rn hence, 
 That it is the will and cianmand of God, that hiilbands 
 fliould not behave theiiilelve,«, churlilhly, fourly, or impe- 
 rjouOy towards their wives; not ruling wiih rigour, or 
 being inorole and ron^h, itt-rn and levere in their c.nriajje 
 towards them, but to treat them with ihat endearing ta- 
 niiliari:y that isdne to ihem, as part of ouifelves. 
 
 20 Children, obey ^9tir parents Ml all things : For 
 . this IS well-pleaiin^ unto the Lord. 
 
 Note here, Ths duty bonnti upon all children, and that 
 is,obfdience to tlieirp3rcn!:i.;thi3implies inward reverence^ 
 outward obfervaiicej a pious ie.g,ar(l to their inflructicn;, a 
 following theJr good ex.implis. 2. 1 he object of this 
 <iiiry,Ohcj'}our p:^r^nts, ihu is, both p .rents ; as obedience 
 is due frof.i all children. To it is pivable to -dl parents, to 
 mothers as well a* fathers ; iiav, Levit. xix. ^ the mother 
 i^n.nned firil, hccaufi^ in regard of the wcaknef'. of her ftx, 
 flie is molt liable to tonienipt. 3. The extent of die vluty, 
 in nil things, that is, in all iauful things, and in all indif- 
 ferent things inevery thing that is'noi iinful ; though to 
 the child it may fet in unnecff-iry or unreafonable.yt t the 
 p:ircnls'comi)iandk 10 be obeyed. 4. The argument and 
 motive to excite a'nd quicken to this du;y, // iswtll plfufir.g 
 :<r.:o iIk- Li'd; lieieby chey may do acctptabl*; ferv ceunto 
 the Lord, who will rewanl it vvirh long life on earth, :.\v.\ 
 eternil life in licaven. Cod take'> a mighty pleafure in 
 tlio performance of relative dntie-; thev are not onlyplea- 
 fing, but well-pleaiing to him ; we are no m')re rciliy, 
 than what we are relatively in the account of God ; that 
 w-Jiich we call the po-vcr of gcdllnt^^, confifti in a cor.fci- 
 ention> perfurmance of leUtive iluties. 
 
 2 1 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, 
 left; they be difcoLira.jcd. 
 
 Here the p.;rcnis'doty, th^t is 'he dnry of both parents, 
 is lad down, prcV'iks mc yv^'- /-■•'.'.■« toxurath, that is, 
 abtife not yonr power and ..u i-er' them., by being 
 
 tod levere unto them ; imbittcm u incir fpiriis ngamftyou, 
 
 by denying them what is ccnvf nient fcr ihfni,by inveigh- 
 ing with bi'.ier v\ords .igainft them,by ni julljUnfcaltn .ble, 
 or immoderate correftion of them ; give them nojuft cc- 
 cafion to be angry. The reafon is added, Ic// tluy he t-if- 
 cotirer^ed ; cither difpiritrd or lieartlefs,or defperate ami 
 h.irdcned ; left by dtjeclicn of lpirit,thcy b?coine (Uipid, 
 A parent's condtiol mull be moderated with prudence, 
 fhiiiining the extremes of too nuirh indulgence on the one 
 hand, and too great rigour and feveriiy on the other. 
 
 22 Servants, obey in all things^«j?- mafters ac- 
 cording to thcflelli ; not with eye-fervice, as inen- 
 plcaiers,but in finglcnels of heart, fearing God: 23 
 And \vhatroeveryedo,do it heartily as to the Lord, 
 and not unto men ; 24 Knowing that of the Lord 
 yc fhall receive the reward of the inheritance. For 
 vc fcrve the Lord Chrill. 
 
 Note here, I. The general duty incumbent upon all fer- 
 vants,anii that is obedience to fiich as are their mailers ac- 
 cording to the fle{li,to execute all tiieir lawful coniiiiands; 
 fuel) as are God's freemen, may be fervants to riicn,thougfi 
 not ihe fervants of men. 2. The qualifications and pro- 
 perties of this obedience which is due and piiyabls from 
 fervants to niafler5,it mull be in finglcnefs cf heart, \n great 
 liinplicity and iincerity of I'pirit, ami with an eye to their 
 great Mailer in heaven ; wi:h an eye to the com-nand of 
 their great M,iller,uithan eye to tf.e prtftnceof tlieirgreat 
 rvIniler,to tlie riiriliJiice and accepvance of their great i\!af- 
 ter, and 10 ihe honour and glory of him alfo; and it mull 
 be done heartily, and with good will, as to the Lord, and 
 not to men. Learn hence. That the nieanefland bal'eit 
 fervices in the pljce and (lationin which God lets us, being 
 done with right qualifications, and from (incere motives, 
 and for iincerc ends, is fervicc done to Chrill, .nnd, as 
 fuch, (liall be accepted and rewarded by him. 3. The 
 migliiy reward which the Spirit oi God propounds as an 
 encouragement topoor fervanis in their obeilience to their 
 mafters, Of ih Lord ye Jlmtt receive the retuard '■/ the in- 
 herttiince. No fervice fo mean but Ihall be rewarded, if 
 cemitientioufly performed ; no dillinclion in heaven be- 
 tween fervants and fens, all Ihall receive the inijeritance 
 there, who have done faithful fervice here : and as the 
 meanert iTvice done with right qualincations, is fervice 
 done 10 Chrill, fo Ihall itbeaccepted of him, and rewitiled 
 by him : Kr.ozuing thtit of the Lord yejl:all receive, ii-c. 
 
 25 But he that docth wrong, flhall receive for thi- 
 wrong which he hath done ; and there is no relpetl 
 of perlon.-!. 
 
 That is, "Such fervanr? as have wronaeti theirmsfters 
 or Alt h iii.ifter' as have opprefTed their fervanr5,^od,'.\ ho 
 rejpects no inanN perfon.nor regirdeth the ritrlv no mere 
 tlian thr poor, will t^ke his time ro revenge ihe injuries 
 3;;d wrong done by either to each other. ^' N-ite here, The 
 fevcrity anil impartiality of divine jnllice; God.therighte- 
 cns judge, will revenge the wrong e>ery wrong, whenfo- 
 everjflnd by whomfoevcrit was<1one:|he will revenge itim- 
 partially, he.vill r"ven^eii propm-rionably; .ijuftrett ih;ition 
 acciirdiig to thf wrong done, llt^ll be rendered toevery or.e 
 
 S O a 
 
'6U0 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 liy the rijjlitPOU' and jiift God ; Ife that hath /lone wrorg, 
 Jh/'ll recfh'r fcr tlf wrong which he hath d'jnr ; and there 
 is n'j refp.'/f '/ ['irfor.r. 
 
 (. ii A i\ IW 
 
 MASTERS, qivc unto your fcrvants that which 
 is juft nnd equal/knowing that yc alio have 
 a Maflcr in heaven. 
 
 Our .npodle concUulcd ilie foregoing chapter with .in 
 exhortation tc lervants.ioditeh.irgcthtir duty with all fide- 
 lity tti ihfir ir. iflerf , remembering, thjt whatever wrong 
 is done li\ th'-ni-fnalHooner or later,be revenged by God; 
 he begins ihis chapter with adrice to m.i{lers,togive unto 
 their I'ervaiits, thai which isjjjt urj t.j:ial ; that which is 
 ;.•(//, or that which is according to conipadand agreement 
 either explii'ily or implicitly made; as work, wages, food, 
 clothing, .and all fitting accommodations; alio that which 
 j<. rifusl in realon and charity, as to oblige them to ferve 
 (Jod faithfully, to ferve their maders cheerfully,not eser- 
 cifing amagillerial, much Icls a tyrannical power over 
 ihem ; and the argument to enforce it is ftrong, knmving 
 that v!" iilfo hove a Mnjler in henvsn ; remembering they 
 have one above them, from whom they mult expect the 
 like. Learn, That jnllice is to be obferved towards poor 
 i'ervant-;, and that there arefeveral offices of humanity and 
 charity which are due unto them by the command of God: 
 Such are thefe, ft.) That we look upon them not barely 
 as fervants, but as brethren, partakers of the fame com- 
 mon nature, and capable of the fame grace with ourfelves 
 confiqneiitly not to treat them as vile perlbns. (2.) That 
 we wink at fome of their mifcariages which are not appa- 
 rently (inful, and do not punifh every tranfgreifion com- 
 mitted by them: He mud keep no fervant that will have a 
 Jervant with no faults. (3.) That we do not rule with 
 rigour, without giving fome reafon for what commands 
 feem hard and difficult, and tJiat we permit them to plead 
 iJieir caufe, and to defend their right, provided they do ic 
 witi» humility, not contradic^ting.or refufingto execute the 
 command of their matter. (4.) That to well deferving 
 fervants we give fomething above their wages, allowing 
 them all fitting encouragement, whiMl they are with us; and 
 when they go away, not fufFering them to go empty from 
 us. Thus doing, mafters will ^/K^ unto their fmants that 
 which isjiiff andequtil: But how ordinary is it for them that 
 arc a little above othsrs,to forget there is one above them? 
 
 2 Continue ill praycr,and watch in the fame with 
 
 Uianklgiving. 
 
 Note here,!. The duty exhorted to,and that is prayer; 
 a tranfcendent privilege, as well as an imi)ortant duty. 1. 
 'i'he manner of the duiy, and how it mult be performed, 
 ^vilh conftancy and perfeverancc. (i.) Continue in prayer; 
 that is, continue inftant in prayer ; not that every other 
 duty is to be neglefted, that we may always perform this, 
 liut we are always to keep our heart in a praying frame,and 
 be found in the practice of the duty at all fittmg fealons ; 
 we are then laid to do a thing contmually, when we do it 
 feafonably ; what a man does out of confcience, he will do 
 
 withpcrfeverance. Nature will ^.ave^fr pood mood;, but 
 gr.Tce is Heady. (2,/ Watchfulnef* in prayer is here di- 
 rerted to, ll'atch in the fame: particularly we ought to 
 watch for the duty, in the duty, ant! afier the duty : to 
 watch for the tittelt leaving feafon, to watch our hearcsin 
 the feafon of pr.iyer, that our tlioughts do not wander, nor 
 our affrclions fliig ; to watch after the duty, that our 
 hearts be not lifted up by any afliftance received in the du. 
 ty ; nor be too much dejected, upon the fcore of ihofe in- 
 firmities that mingle the.'iifclves with our prayeri; buidi. 
 reel the eye of cur faith to Chrift a.s our interceflor, who 
 pleads for the gracious acceptance both ofourperfons and 
 fervices, notwithitanding the imperfections of them both. 
 Laftly, What mult ahva)s accompany prayers for mercies 
 we want, namely, Thankfgiving fur mercies received ; 
 J^atch in thejame vjith ihankfgivi'ii. There isuo Inch ef- 
 fectual way of begging, as thanklgiving ; God isofTended, 
 when we are loud .nnd clamarous in aft:ing favours, but 
 dumb and tongue-tied in returning thanks: Need will 
 make us beggars, but grace only thankfgiver^. 
 
 3 Withal, praying .ilfo for Uj, that God would 
 open unto us a door of utterance, to fpcak the myf- 
 tery of Chrifl, for which I am alio m bonds : 4 
 That I may make it manifefl as I ought to fpeak : 
 
 Our apodle having directed the Cojodlans to the duty of 
 prayer in general, here herequefts an intereft in theirpray- 
 ers for himfelf, and all the niiniftcrs of Chrift in particu- 
 lar. Whence w(5/f, I. That the minillfrs of Jefus Chrifl 
 are, and ought in an efpecial manner to be remembered i 
 in the faints prayers. 2. The mercies he delires may be ' 
 prayed for, on his behalf, namely, utteranre and boldnefs : 
 Minifters depend upon God, as for other miniflerial gifts, 
 fo particularly for the gift of utterance, and it is their ' 
 people's duty to be earneft and inftant with God for the 
 fame: And as for utterance in delivering their mefTage, 
 fo for boldnefs in fuiFering for it, when called to it. No 
 prayers can be too much to (trengthen the hands, and en- 
 courage the hearts of the minifters of Chrift unto an holy 
 boldnefs, who fuffer perfecution tor what they preach ; 
 therefore is St. Paul here fo earneft with the ColofTians, 
 as he was before with the Ephefians, chap. vi. iS.and 
 with the R.omans,chap. xv. 30. defiling them toftrive to- 
 gether in their prayers for him : Where, by the v/ay, re- 
 mark, That the apoftle thus paffionately defiring the liv- 
 iug faints to pray for him, but never deliring once the 
 prayers and interceflions ofthe fiints departed, nor of the 
 Virgin Mary, is an evidence that he approved not of their 
 prayers, nor looked upon them as mediators and intercef- 
 ibrs with Cod then, as the church of Rome docs now. 
 
 5 Walk in wifdom toward them that are without, - 
 
 By them without are meant the Heathen, who are yet 
 without the pale of the vifible church, to wall; in wifdum 
 toward them, is a duty cf great latitude, but imports parti- 
 cularly here, an endeavour to the u'.termoft to promote 
 their converfion and faWation, by begetting in them a due 
 veneration for the gofpel, and a love and liking to the 
 Chriftian religion, /.carw /lencc, '1 hat private Chi iftians, 
 by walking wifely bet'ore them that are ytc unconverted 
 
 effectually 
 
Chap, iv 
 
 OOLOSSIANS. 
 
 «6] 
 
 cffedually to Ciiriftianlty, may be exceedingly helpful to 
 promote the entertainment of the gofpel amongft them, 
 rhey ma/ pray, and pray in faith, for their converllon, and 
 the further fprending of the gofpel, in order to that end. 
 The ardent devotions and the holy converfations of pri- 
 vate Chriftians are excellent means to recommend the 
 gofpel and ihe Chriilian religion, and to reprefent them as 
 moll amiable and delirabie. 
 
 -^— Redeeming the time. 
 
 Having in the former part of the verfe, direfted the Co- 
 lolTiansto walk vi'ifely before the unconverted Gentiles that 
 were among them, in this latter part of rhe verle,-he ad- 
 vifesthem :o redeem every opportunity, for gaining over 
 thofe infidels to the Chriftian religion. A Chriftian that 
 knowj the worth of time, will redeem it, will improve it 
 for the foul, for the benefit of his own foiil, and for the 
 advantage of others : How this is done, fee the note on 
 Eph. V. i6. 
 
 6 Let your fpeech be always with grace, fcafon- 
 cd with I'alt, that ye may know how ye ought to an- 
 fwer every man. 
 
 Direftion is here given to all Chriftians for the right 
 governmentof the tongue, and wellordering of the fpeech, 
 that it be not corrupt and rotten, filthy or frothy, vain and 
 unprofitable, but mild and courteous, favoury and gracious, 
 wife and difcreet. Note here, i. That we are not left at 
 random in our ordinary difconrfe, to let our tongue run 
 riot and talk what we pleafe, without any regard to the 
 edification of others. 2. That there ought to be both a 
 gracefulnefsand grace incur fpeech, fome favour of piety, 
 Ibmething that may teftify there is grace wrought in our- 
 felves, and tends to the working of grace in others. 3. 
 That our fpeech may be thus fav'oury at all times, it mufl 
 be fea/oneii with fait, (i.) With the fait of truth : There 
 muft be an agreement betwixt the thing and our words, 
 without falfliood; and an agreement betwixt our tongue 
 and our heans, without diflimulation. (2.) With the fait 
 ofwifdom and prudence ; this will teach us the time when, 
 the manner how, and the mcafure how much to fpeak ; 
 thofe words muft needs be unfavoury, that have neither 
 truth norprudence in tljcm. The people wondered ofold 
 at the gracious words which came out of Chrift's nioutii ; 
 and we may juftly wonder at the gracelefs words which 
 come out of the mouth of many that are called Chriftians. 
 
 7 All my ftate fhall Tychicus declare unto you. 
 9:ho is a beloved brother, and a faithful minifter and 
 fellovv-fcrvant in the Lord : 8 Whom I have lent 
 unto you for the famepurpofe, that he might know 
 your eftate and comfort your hearts ; 9 With One- 
 fimus a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of 
 you. They fhall make known unto you all things 
 wliich are done here. 
 
 Note here, i. That although St. Paul had now with him 
 but a few friends at Rome to comfort him in his bonds, yet 
 he fpares two of theuj to vifit and comfort thefe Coiofiians. 
 
 See the public fpirit of our apoftle, who preferred the com. 
 mon good of the church at Colofle, before his own com- 
 fort at Uome. 2. The perfons whom St. Paul fent to 
 them, Tychicus and Oncfimus, whom he ftyles brethren, 
 fait/./ulhrethven, helovidhrethren : Nothing endearsper- 
 lons fo much to one another, as religion and the grace of 
 God. Thefe ties are ftronger than thofe of nature ; ISIo 
 fuch love as likenefs occalions, efpecially likenefs to God. 
 3. The defign and end of St. Paul's fending thefe two 
 perfonsts them, namely, (i.) To make kno-wn unto tkem all 
 things done at Rome: All things, without exception, botli 
 in doings and fufFerings, both in public and privaie, the 
 apoftle was aftiamed of neither. Happy it is, when the 
 converfation of Chrift'sminifters is fuch,botb in pnb'.icand 
 private, that they need not be afliamed to have it known, 
 or that the church may underftand it. [2.) That he might 
 comfort their hearts : But how could Tychicus and Onefi- 
 musdothis? i. By making known to them the true caufe 
 of his fufFerings, that it was for the gofptl's fake. 2. To 
 keep them from difcouragement at the report of his fufFer- 
 ings, that they might not be offended at his chain, nor fin's, 
 under the burden of immoderateforrowupon his account, 
 3. To comfort their hearts with the report of that holy 
 joy and cheerfulnefs which the apoftle had in his own fpi- 
 rit, under the prefent burden of his fufferings. See the 
 note on Eph. vi. 22. 
 
 10 Arillarchus my fellow-prifoner faluteth you, 
 andMarcus, filler's fon toBarnabas,(touchingwho m 
 ye received commandments. If he come unto you, 
 receivehim.) 11 And Jefus, which is called Juftus, 
 who are of the circumcifion. Thefe only are my 
 fcellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which 
 have been a comfort unto me. 
 
 Our apoftle coming now to the conclufion of his ex 
 cellent letter, fendeth (as bis manner was; particular fahji- 
 tations to thofe he wrote to. Thefe falututions were both 
 from others and himfelf. Herewehave three ofSt. Paul's 
 companions fending falutations to the church a; ColofTe, 
 namely, Ariftarchiif, a fellow-prifoner, Mark (ift-'rV fon 
 to Br.rnabas, who, though he diddefertSt. Paul and Bar- 
 nabas, and went not with them to the work, yet returning 
 to his duty, he is recommended to the church's reception ; 
 and Jefus, who was called Juftus, poffibly from hisjuft 
 converfation. Jefus is the fame with Jofhua, fignifyinga 
 Saviour : However, we 60 not find that any Chriftians, 
 fmce their Lord's refurreaion, did ever give their children 
 the Bame of Jefus, out of a due reverence to their Lord and 
 Mafter, who is God-man, blelTed for evermore. Nowwe 
 learn, That neither diftance of place, nor length of lirae, 
 ought to cool that iove and good-will, that hearty andfin- 
 cere affection, which Chriftians fliouid bear to one anotlier. 
 A>i/e farther, That, as in the large catalogue of falutafi ons 
 which St. Paul wrote to the faints at Rome, Rom. xv i. ia 
 which particular perfons are mentioned, St. Peter's name 
 is not once named ; So here, in this catalogue of faluta- 
 tions lent from Rome, no mention is made of St. Peter's 
 name neither ; doubilefs had he been now at P.ome, he 
 liad fent falutations as well as the reft : here are falutations 
 
 from 
 
862 
 
 C O L O S S I A N S. 
 
 Ch/p IV. 
 
 Tc-im AriQirchns ^'l■^- ■!• (1 pthcrs, ncnc from Prtrr. 
 Rch' 111 here thsr w ,< which ihe Pope bu Irfs Ins 
 
 ])rfif iiilfil •"rprfm.-cy ; .■ i;t-,ic(lrf> J'prn, n?ii'tly, »h.il he 
 h '^X. Peter's fiKct fTor, vho w.n I;i(}.( p rF Riinie ; now,- 
 t!vin;h it can never hv proved t!i;): !-r. Peter rxerciffd 
 anv fnpremicv over the rrft of the npi files, it cnii lefs be 
 proved thni ever he ^a-. bifliop of Rnoic; nor i*. there 
 ntiy won! in Icripiure to prove that lie ever was at Home, 
 but rather the contrary ; it is certain lie was not at Rome 
 when St. Pnul wrote ibis eplfile, there being only thcfc, 
 he fay, whnni he ircniions, who are his ftllow-I.ibourers 
 uniothe kingdom of God. 
 
 12 Epaphras. who is one of you, a iirvnut of 
 Chrifl laiutcth you, always l.ibouriai; fervently for 
 } ou m prayers, that ye may ftanti perfett and com- 
 plete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him 
 iccord thathe haih a great zeal for you, and them 
 that are in Laodicea, and them in Hicrapolis. 
 
 Ourapoflle next mentions the p.iriiculir f.ilntatii>n fent 
 from Rome to the church at Colufic: by Epophrcis, w ho is 
 dffcribed from hi^ own country ; he is one f'f ym, thst is, 
 3 citizen of Colofle ; by his cCice, a fenunt of Clui/l, that 
 is a milliner of the gofpel ; bv his fervour cf fliuc'tion to- 
 wards ihefe CololTians, evidenced by his prayers for tht m, 
 he I jhouri fervently f'-.r you in his p<iycrs. J he word lig- 
 n-fies to llrive as 111 an .Tgony, pointing out oar miirtlei i..I 
 dnty to us, not only to preach unto, and to prr.y w iih; Imt 
 fervently to pray for our people. God forj;ive oiir forget- 
 fulnefs of, our Iwckwartinefs to, our reinifTnef'^ in thi'- part 
 01 our duty. Too feldom do we bear lur pf 1 j)!e iipcii 
 oi'r hearts, when we gn in and (;u:_ before the Lui d : VA\ .' 
 how far .-^re we froin prayinrr ourfolves into an agory for 
 them, v.hen our petitions freeze wiihin our lips, vhich we 
 put up for our own fruU ! Oiie thinp might here be noted 
 further conctrninp Epaphras, he was minifler of (Ttme 
 think bilhop of ) Coiofli? ; yet was he born there, he is one 
 cfyou, that !••-, of your city. Now, Chrift tells us, a nii- 
 niJkr is in hazird lonuet with difrefpecl in his ov. n coun- 
 try, he is ufually of no honor there : However, Ep.^phr^s 
 being called to the work of God in the pl.ice w here he was 
 born, embraces it, ai«d God pi\e> him reputation with the 
 people for his faiihfulnefs in his pl;<ce. Ladly, What was 
 the fubjea-iiiatier of Epaphras's prayer for his people at 
 Colofle, namely, Th,.t they might fi and ptrj, i7 ei> H t'.n:f I, te 
 in nil the 'oifl oj Cod .- it is the tJclire .•'nd prayer, the cure 
 and endeavcur of every faithful miniftcr of'Chriit, that 
 his people may U.nd lad in their obedience, in univerfal 
 obedience, in perfect and complete cbedicnre to the will, 
 the whole will of God, in all tilings ; \ct one thin-' more 
 is obferv.ible in Ep-phras, he had not tit Iv a great 7.cal for 
 his own people at CoK ifc, but for thtm at Laodicea and 
 fiieripolis, which were nt ighhi tir ng churches. Jxarn 
 thenc5, That the ininifleisof Chrtll are to look upon ihen.. 
 fclves as mlniltcrsof the v hole cliuich ; and:<lihm'gh rhcy 
 nke care of a pariiiul..r longregjiion, yet it is their duty 
 to Jefire and mdcavoiir, that all Chr:llians within the 
 reach of ilieir n.iniflenal 1 hours, luay find fotne fpecial 
 beoetii and advantage by tlum. Ep:.phr.is lud a ft rvcm 
 
 T.tA for the churches in Laodicea and HierapcMs, as well 
 asat CoI> flV, and 'it w!n his commsndificn that he had fo. 
 
 J 4 Luke the beloved pliyfician, and Dcmas, 
 greet you. 
 
 Siill ihe apnllle h fending falutations from Rone ;.. (i.c 
 CoKiliiins. I. From St. L.ike. who, of a phvfician for the 
 bodv. becomes a phyfician for the fcul, as .Vtatihew of « 
 publican, became a preacher. Luke well delerved the :itle 
 here given him of lukviJ, in th.n he tinilenook the minif- 
 try at a time when c;vi| au'horiry did allow I'o mainte. 
 ii^nce for mini/lers. and whtn his emploj meht as a phyfi- 
 tun wiuld probably have advantaged him much more. 
 liiHt ifyc b-kved pUJi.ian, greets yi.u. i. Denias alfo, 
 who when perfecurion grew h it, his aff ft:on-gre>v cold; 
 vet now he iVnds falut^^tions with the red to the church at 
 CohfTe. St. Paul compl.iins of his for(i,kii!gof him, 2 liin. 
 iv. 10. for the iakc of thi'; prefcnt world : Let no pro'ef. 
 for ind,3e.t<f hinilfif by his external profeflion, by hU ptr- 
 foin.;,nce of out'-arU duties, by his .-.flociating hiuifelf 
 with the pec^ple of .God, n.ay.Kv his, fufferings «^vith the 
 iVrvanf! of God, 'Deni.^s dul all this) but by their lincere 
 liive to Chritt, and pcrleverin^ faiihfidners in the trying 
 lnMir of teinptaiiun ; we know not whi: v.c -re, tiil fuf- 
 tcrings appear. 
 
 15 Salute the brethren whicli arc in, Laodicea, 
 and Nymphas, andtlic church wLichis in hishouft, 
 
 Our .Tpoftlehad (Vnt the falutations tf others ro them 
 b.>fore.hefti.dshi<owniiow. i. Generally roall ihe Chrif- 
 tian brethren which werein Laed'cra, to w horn lie directs 
 tbi.<> tpiflle to be read in the luxt verfe. Ko-m, to prejure 
 thtm to hear it wiih greater attention, he ferds (ilntaiions 
 particularly to thtm. .SV.fcV tic breihrtn in Liorlicea. No 
 particular people mult dffire or expert to motir.pcli7e ar«l 
 engrofs the whole of a minifter's :lfVcl'.rns to iheinltlvcs : 
 but a he is theniiniaerofthetatholic church, fo it is both 
 hisduy and dtfiie, (hat all p.-rt-cul.ir chi:rchfs, yea, indi- 
 vidual Chrirtians, fhouid fiiare in his aftcl'onate love to- 
 wards them, in his care and concern for tlieiq. Mc fahues 
 N\mphis in pariitiil.ir-., a pcrlon perhaps very f niincnt for 
 piety and charity, as nuy be gathered from the following 
 wcnh, Anti the clurch\)j!icij it in h!S htff. ]\y w hit h, 
 I. Underltaiid his l;iniily and honfinld, who were fo pi- 
 cufly inJtiucled, fo rtligioufly governed, fo devoutly dif- 
 pofed, as if they had bten a church. Uarn thence. Thai: 
 mafters of families rti.-»u!d train up their houfl.old in rcli- . 
 gicn and godhnefs, inltruclinp, reproxing, exhorting, all 
 that are under their c.<re, that iheir iioiift may dcferxe tiie 
 name of a church : 7/.r church v;h:ch is in his h'Aife. 2. ' 
 Some, by tht church in his hovje, nndcrdand a tiiateriiil 
 houfe, or feme pariirular room in his houle, w hlch he had » 
 given to 3 certain pumberof Chrilhansfcr a nljce of pub- 
 lic worfiiip. ..A^ihcigh ihe chuichi in the apt;fil!rs ti::ies, 
 had, not the counteiu.nce of civj] authority, to provide 
 eitherplacc'. fcr wt.rHiip or inainien.,nce for iii;n ffers yet 
 fuch fervour of ml w ;.s found in the brt nlh of fhriJtia'n:, 
 that then, ftirh as w ere of ability wanted not for iiithn.'- 
 tion to coniribiue l.ipiiily and fiftly unto both; chan'r 
 "'"■"^ . > ,.., .. ., ,,^„ ,j,_..,^ ,j,y„ fp|.j.g yf j.^^^, ^.^^^ c< nipel 
 
 and coiitcrain 
 
Chap. 
 
 IV. 
 
 COLO 3 S I A N S. 
 
 8^3 
 
 cfnfl.-ain now; NVin'pbas {rives hi< houf t. Iv 3 plat« 
 of piililic worOiip to ihc cliuich< Set: thf l^u' lUU.JIr. .il^n'e 
 cv I Ci T. xi. 22. 
 
 16 And when this epiftle is read amon-ft you, 
 caufe that it be read a!fo m the church of the Lao- 
 diceans ; — 
 
 Here S- P.ml dTei^t'! to the reading ofthii epiftle them- 
 fel^es, \vh c!i tlif Spuit o! God haii cliitdcd liimto -.rite 
 ii:U(i tliJtn, Lrt t 'is rpijH: IK read um.ng/i you. All huly 
 fcr prnre h to be read and perufed by e.ery private Chnlr 
 till); the fame l-p:rit th.i; diii ind.te 1 he Icnptures. requires 
 thf rrndinor a;id iMiderlta inlii'g of ilieni And further, St. 
 P.nil defirev tlus epiftle, Bfiiig read, amoiiglt the Colollians 
 fli uld be next rejd in the church f l.aodicta ; v\ hu beirg 
 their ni'ig!ib:jiir5,rereived the fa'Depuifon or errors from 
 the tallc teacher.'- crept in amongit iheni.andcinifcqurntly 
 ftodd in need o* the fame antidote. T hat doftrinc which 
 ii d;ri(5^ed m fome particular church or pcrl'on recorded 
 ill :criptuie. was of univcrfal life then, and may be now, 
 to all particular pens and locicties. 
 
 — And that ye liketvife read the epiftle from La- 
 odicea. 
 
 Much controverfy hn? rifen in ihe chu'-ch about this 
 epiftle from Laod'.cea; tome liave .-.rfitnied that it wa'- writ- 
 ten bv St. Paul to the La(.ditea>u,lMU loft; ftoni whence 
 they vvoiild infer, thjt the canon of the fcripture is not en- 
 tire : But ("iippoilng ir v.erc fo, yet it follows not but that 
 \ve have bll things nectflary to faU-ation in the holy fcnp- 
 tures. It is very probable that St. Paul. hi ni felt, and fede- 
 ral other api-(t!e-, wrote nH>re epiftles than are in the Bi- 
 ble : What then .' We have what the viildoni of Qvd. 
 thoncrhi fit to hand down tons, and what is luffittent to 
 make the fcriou'i reader of it wife unto ialvation. Surely 
 Aln>ighty Gt.'d was not bound tobring down alt that they 
 vrote to us, but only what his own wifdom faw fit and nc- 
 cefTdry for us. Others unilerftind it of an epiftle from 
 Lnodicea to St. Paul, and that he anfwtred it fully in this; 
 epiftle to the Cul (fiiaii'i, and fending it back,, defired ihe 
 ColoiTtans might read it, fcr better clearing of lotne paf- 
 fages in his ep ftle to them. Liftly, Some underftand ic 
 of thecp:flle to rhcEphefiinSjEplielus being ihemeiropo- 
 lis or I lie chief city of Laodicea ; and accordingly, f)nie 
 called the epiftle to the Ephefuns, the epiftle to the Laodi- 
 teans : Ihe troth i', there is a very great alH.iitv betwixt 
 the epiftle to tin- Ephtfians, and ihi<i to the ColoiTians. 
 ilie doctrine?, exhori.iiion', and inony exprelllons are the 
 very fime ; fo that it is no wonder if he dcfired they 
 ihoald be both Ten\ at Colr.lTe, to let them fee that he 
 wrote the faint doctrine lo other churches which he had 
 done tp tliein. 
 
 \j And fay to Archippus, Take hecdio the mi- 
 ni'lry, which thou haft received in the Lord thar 
 •dlioii fulfil it. 
 
 Thi- Arch ));)n-. is, wiiii gnnd reafon, fiippnfcd to be ilie 
 lin'irfter ut Ci'll. ff-, in ihi ro(.m of Epaphr.is, "libW' wliH' 
 St. Paul a- K;>:ne. Some ihaiU. that tn the .ibfinf- of 
 li-ji^phras, he wjs growH foi'.tcwha; rcrjiib and Oack.ui his 
 
 .■ 'refl- therefore the Celt fijaps to nd- 
 nui,- Wi ijiit to lilt 1 xcr lieof greater <l;l'gei.ce ii^ difch.Tg-' 
 in^ ull thep.tr!.<; ofliis triift tcmnit'ed byChrill u:m() hnii, 
 Syiy ur.io yit ch'f'pus, 'I I'ke hetd, S:c. Cljcive here, A 
 driiblf ci-iarge, (\ .) A charge of lur flage.S'^)' ukIo .■^ic.'.'p- 
 pus: J iir Cololfi.ns nudt f=y it. St. P„ul ci'uld have 
 wrotf a priv.ite letter tohnn ; hut ihcy ninft excite him, 
 \ea, fay 10 him 10 his face, not of him behind his back r 
 It IS the pfiipf 's duty to ftir up their niinifters to the 
 faithful ptrforniance of their duty ; the fire of our mini- 
 ilerirl 7.t-ol doth not bu: n fo bright, but wc may need cur 
 people's bi-llows to itiflanie it ; but thi"- niuft be done with 
 prudr'nce by the people, in a \\ay of exhoi lation ; not by 
 the n-ay of cxprobration ; fo ftir upyour minifter to his 
 duty, tliaiytui forget not your own. 2. The chaige of 
 an cfiire. Take heed la the mirifiry which ih'M hcjf t\ ceivcd 
 cf the L-jrd, that thou fulfil it. Here note, i. A duty 
 enjoined, to f.iUil the ininiftry : But what is that? Nega- 
 tively, not to iVcure the fucccfs of our niiniftry, we may 
 deliver ourown fouls, though our people'sbenot delivered; 
 the nurfe is not cjiarged with the life of the child,, but 
 vith the care ot the child ; flie (hall be paid whether it 
 live or die : Nor i-, K abfolutely to perform every part oh 
 oiir niinfterial du y without the leaft deficiency ; no, we 
 re jcice in the itftiiiiony ofour coiifcience,iliat in Simplicity 
 ai.d godly linceriiy we have done our duty : Politi velv,to 
 iulfil the miniftry, is to perform all the parts ofour duty 
 with care and raithfulnef-, perfevere in tliligencejparticu- 
 larly public preaching and private infptci^on. A non- 
 preaching minifter i^ no iniiiifter, a breaftlefs nurle, >a 
 inuidtrer of fouls, a btll wiihout a cL'pper,j) cryer wi;houc 
 a voice ; yet doth not his work lye all in tiie pulpit, but 
 the greattft parj out of it : He is ftylfd a watchman : For 
 •v\hai ? be caufe he is lo watch one hour with his peoplein 
 a week .^ No, fnrtly, but becaufe he i.- to watch over 
 them, and converfe with them all the week upon occafion.. 
 Is not the )3nyfician to vilit his pa'ien:, as wtll as to pre- 
 iciibe h s ph>(ic ? Do'.h the hufoinduiaii caft his feed into 
 the ground, a!)d;Ueve|r come into his fields to fee whether, 
 it coines up, or how it grows? Veiily, our people are 
 great gainers by our profitable convcrfe with them, and 
 we (hall be gaintr.s by' them too. We may gain more 
 experimental kiiov. ledge by an afternoon's viliiing our 
 people, ilutiby a \\etk'> ftudy. Note, 2, The iweanshere 
 dirtcled to, tor the lullilluig of the miniftry, Tukc heed ty 
 the miniftry r What doth th^t^iiiipori? (i J T.'ke heed to 
 thy ftutly ; mifiilterial abilities a^e not rained down like 
 manna upon us. 1 he apoftle's d^d not ftudy indeed; but 
 one rea foil: wa', they had-no riiiie t» (tuily, th'Vwere 
 itinerary preachers. ^2,}' Take heed. to thv doflnne, that 
 it be ihe true w<>rd ot (jod, and delivered purely ; t\()t 
 only in Oj-^wlriiui to eiror, but in oppufition to iei'i:y , 
 (•5 ) Take heed, that }i>, t© thy Ijfe a^id practice, th.)t we 
 \<.\.\s tread out the ftcjis before our people, which they are 
 tij make lo'.vArdiT heaven. ; A'ife^, 3^. The ii)o;j;- eitufti^x*- 
 a,!! uptothe fulfilling our i»inilknijl tr^'it.: {\ ) Wehavl 
 received i' :. There '.s die importance.of a.liVecaIfavi)ur„;:n''j 
 a-lo the itiipornrrce-t'fii-ftl^'ct acttinnt ;-\vhaf wf h.iv'e' 
 rev.c vcd, we niulU gi^e an aicuutii for-, (i.j We h.t\e 
 received it uf or Iryin the Lord;, th s.!!!i] jti ai!illai.ce, 
 
 iL„t 
 
S64, 
 
 I. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 that God lias called us to it, will afTift us in it : Lt, I am 
 ■w':th you al-uays ttnti the end of tht world; with you to 
 aflilt, with you to fucceed, with you to reward. Let Ar- 
 chippus ihcn, and every one in the work ot Chrifl, take 
 heed ti the inini/iry which he has received of the Lord, 
 ihat he fullil it. 
 
 18 The laliu.uion by the hand of me Paul. Rc- 
 nie:nbcr my bonds. Grace "be with you. Avim. 
 
 Here our apoftlc clofes his epiftle with a general falut ation 
 under his own hand, intimating thereby, that he had wrote 
 th? wliole witii his own hands. He begs ihcmiorcmfm- 
 
 brr h'l! bonds; that it^ (i ) To fympaihire with him in 
 his bonds. (2.) To pray for him in his bonds. (3.) 
 To receive the word of God, which he hnd written to 
 them in his bwds. (4.) To prepare for iMfferings ihem- 
 felves, his bonds being but the f<ircruni)ers of their bonds. 
 Thus it is the people's d^ity to remember :he pious miniHers 
 in their bonds. He adds, G'^ice be viiih y:u,'*.'\(\i\i\g them 
 an abiding intercft in the fpccial favour ot G id, with a mul- 
 tiplied increareofaltfpiritualblefTiHgs flowing from thencej 
 increafe of all grace to enable them to glorify God on 
 earth, and to prepare them for glory with God in heaven. 
 
 T U E 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 ■r O T H E 
 
 THESSALONIANS. 
 
 This epi/ilc to the Thcffalonians, though placed let fl, yet is fuppofedto have been zvrlttmjir/l h Si. Paul to this 
 fariiailar ckcrch; and not zvitlwid probability, becaufe the gof pel was more early preached at Thenalonica, than either 
 at Rome or Corinth, as appears by the A£ls of the Apoftles. 
 
 Thclfalonica was tlie chief city in Macedonia, whither St. Paul, in a vifion, was direBcd togoatid preach the gofpel ; 
 iKCordtngly lie went, Afts xvi. and xvii. and laid very early the foundation of a Chriflian Church in this city, which 
 (onfifling partly o/Jews, a^ul partly of Gentiles, they were feverely perfeciited by both. Ncrw the apofile, hearing zvhat 
 hard things the Thefalonidns fujfered, lie writes this epijlle, to confirm them in the faith, and to prevent their being 
 flmken by thofe perjecutions. 
 
 To encourage them to perfeverance in the faith, and patience under their prefcnt perfeciUwtis, he frfl infvms tlutn that 
 it was nothing Jl range ihat they flwuld thus fuffer from thofe Jra^s and Pagans, who had killed the Lord Jcfus, 
 and their own prophets, and were contrary to all men ; a:id then puts them in mind of the trnnfccndnit re- 
 
 ■ ward laid up for them, and the frvere punijhmrnts that were prepared for their perfccutors. And, lajlly, He animatei 
 and encourages tlum, by ttie example ofhiiown conjiancy, to perf verance in their holy prof e£ion ; a\ii concludes his rpifl'.e 
 *(^ iliem. ivith particular exliortations to holinefs ofife, and unldameablcnefs in convtrfalion. 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 PAUL and Silvanus and Timotheus, untothc 
 church of the ThclFalonians, whch is xwCod 
 the Father, and in the Lord Jel'us Chrift. Grace 
 
 /"' unto j'ou, and peace from God our" Father, am! 
 tlic Lord Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 St. Paul begins this epiftle, as he does the reft, with a 
 very kind and gracious fahuation ; in which wc have oh- 
 fervitili, the perJons faluting, tlie parties fahited, and tlie 
 
 falutacioa 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 I. THESSALOIANS, 
 
 8(5.5 
 
 falutatlon itfelf. NcU, T. Tlie perfons fainting, Paul, Sll- 
 vnniis and Timothcus : Paul only was the infpiretl writer 
 ot" the epiftlc, the other were his anbcjatcs and afliftants, 
 indruments with him in converting the Thefialonians to 
 Chridianity, and whom they had a defcrvcdly great affec- 
 tion for ; he joins thtrm therefore with himfelf, as aflerters 
 and approvers of the truth contained in thishis epillle, that 
 fo he might procure the greater rcfpc^l to the doctrines it 
 coniained i he iherelore names them wiih himfelf, Paul, 
 Silvanns. or Silas, as he is called, Adls xvii. and Timo- 
 theiis : But why not Paul nil apojik, or Paul a Jovant cf 
 'fcj'(s ChriJ}, as in other cpiftles, but bare Paul only ? Anf. 
 "jBccaiifc hi? apoftleOiip w as not at all queftioned by thcni ; 
 the Thefialonians had a feal of it in their hearts : and 
 there were no falfe apoftles among them that denied his 
 apoftlcfliip, as the Galatians a.id other churches had. The 
 prudent and faithful miniftcrs of Chrift know, both how 
 and when to ufe thofc titles of honour and rcfpcft which 
 God hath oivcn them, and alfo when it is convenient to 
 forbear theall'uming of them. 2. The pcrl'ons falutcd. 
 The church of the ^Theffalonias : Thcflalonica was tlte 
 metropalis, or the mother-city of Maccdoivia, where a 
 Chridian church was planted by the minillry of St. Paul 
 and Silas, but with great oppofuioii from the Jews, who 
 forced Paul to fly tci Boroea for his own fafcty. Ads xvii. 
 and Jafon, with others that entertained him had like to 
 have been facrificed in their own houfes ; yet there, in 
 tlcfpite of the devil's rage, and perfecutor's malice, doth 
 Godcrefla glorious church, a Chriftian church, in honour 
 of his Son, who pnrchafed it w'xxh hi* blood. Learn Iience, 
 That when and where God will gather to himfelf aclnirch, 
 no oppofition, eiiher of men or deyils, fliall be fufficicnt to 
 hinder it ; as Rome iifclf, nay, in the court of Nero, under 
 the very nofc of that bloody tyrant, was a church colied- 
 cd, Phil. iv. 22. No wonder the dt vil flruggles, when 
 his kingdom totters ; it follows, tchich (church) is in God 
 tl>e Father, and in lie Lordjrftis Chrijl, that is, eftablidied 
 in the knowledge, faith, worihip, and obedience of God 
 the Father ; they were Gentiles, called off from their 
 dumb idols, to ferve the living anil true God, and were 
 didinguiflied from alK^ther foci'iiesand communions -/rhat- 
 fi'evcr \ they were in Gcd the Father, and in the Lord 'J ejus 
 C.hriH, that is, they enjoyed a blelled union with Jems 
 Chrift by faith, and a fwect communion and fellowfliip 
 both with Father andSonj by ilie bond of the, Spirit. 
 B-hoId the high dignity and glorious privilege oT the 
 Chriilian church, to be thus knit and united, both to the 
 Father and the Son, bv the agency ot tlie Holy Spirit! 
 "To the church of the Tl.'cJJ'aloniani, w/;!ch is it Hid the Ki- 
 tl'cr, and the Lord Jejus ChriJ}. Actc, 3. The falutatioil 
 iilelf, Grace te unto y-ju, and peace Jr'jin God our Father, 
 and frm the Lord Jefus.Chrijl, W Ucte fh/erve, I. T|ie 
 option of blelTmcs wilhed, grace and fence \ grace, infcrip- 
 ture, fignities, firfV, the gracious favour ot God towards 
 us ; and next, all tlie gift^ of grace, all benefits and blef- 
 finjs iil'uing torth and flowing frrm tlience; pence, ufually 
 iignifics in fcripture-languatje, fdl manner of outward prol"- 
 perity and hai.pincfs. 2. The author and fountain from 
 whence thcfc blellings fjow : (l.) From Gcd the Father : 
 [2.j From the Mediator, the Lord JeJus Chrijl :, intimat- 
 
 ing, That whateverfplritual grace or temporal blefling we 
 now receive from God, is from him, not tarely as a Cre- 
 ator, but as a Father, a gracious Father in Chrift, in whom 
 he pours out the immenfity of his love upon us, and through 
 whom he conveys all kinds of blcflings unto us. 
 
 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, 
 making mention of vou in our prayer.s. 3 Remem- 
 bering without ceafing your work of faith, and la- 
 bour of love, and patience of hope in our Lordje- 
 fus Chrift, in the fight of God and our Father ; 
 
 Note here, 2. The holy wifdom of our apoflle, who 
 being about to magnify and extol the graces of the Spirit 
 wrought in the ThelTalonians, particularly their faith, their 
 love, their patience and hope, inftead of commending them 
 for fhefc graces, he breaks forth into thankfgivines unto 
 God for them ; IP'e give thanks to God always for your 
 iiorh of faith, and labour of love, and fatiercc cf hope : His 
 biifinefi was not to celebrate and commend them, but to 
 admire the fpecial grace of God conferred upon them, end 
 confpicnous in them. L.earn\\cx\cc, That it is our duty, 
 and \\ ill be our great wifdom, fo to fpeak of the grace of 
 God, which we fee and obferve in others, as that they may 
 not be puffed up with any conceit of their cwn excellen- 
 cies, but fee matter ofpraifo and thankfgiving due unto 
 God only, and nothing to themfelves. Note, 1. The 
 fpecial and particular graces which St. Paul obferved in the 
 I'heflalonians, their faith, their love, their hoj'e, together 
 Avith the evidence ot the llncerity of thofe graces ; their 
 faith was a working faith, that is, fruitful in good works ; 
 their love was a laborious love, promotinjj the good of all 
 the faints ; and their hope in the Lord Jefus, rendered 
 them patient in and imdcr all tribuhtions lor his fake. 
 T'icre is no fuch wjy to judge of the truth of the inward 
 habits of grace in the h.cart, as by obfcrving the efrecti 
 and fruits of that grace in the life : The apo'lle concluded 
 they had true faith, becaufe a fruitful fuiih ; true love, 
 becaufc a laborious love ; a gold hiipc in Chrift, becaufe 
 accompanied with patience under the crcfs of Chrift. 1. 
 St. Paul's offices and adls of love performed on the Thefia- 
 lonians behalf, namely, thankfgiving and prayer. (i.' 
 Tharkfgi\i:ig, IFe give thanls unto God aluv.ys for ^m 
 all. But why, O blelfed apoftle, art thcti fo thankful for 
 the graces of God's holy Spirit wro'.:ght in thefc Thefia- 
 lonians.'' For thy own i'lke, no doubt, as well ^5. theirs ; 
 he ("aw in them an eminent fcal of his apoftldliip, ;!ie 
 happy fruit and blell'cd effecl of his mini.'lry among them. 
 1 I is, O ! This it wa=, that drew forth his very foul in 
 thank fgivings to God. Lcar/t ,'Yh:\\. the faithful minifterj 
 of Chriil rejoice greatly at the fight and appearance of the 
 grace of God in any perfon ; but when they fee it in their 
 own people, as the feal of their iviiniftrv, and tlic blcfi'ed 
 fruit of their o>Tn painful endeavours amongll them, tliis 
 carries ihcin out into tranfporis cf thankftdnefs ; veriU, 
 the joy of their hearts is foo big to erne cut at their 
 mouths, they give thanks for fuch a mercy w ithout ceaf- 
 ing. ^ et, 12.; He fubjoins /);-/7jfri v\iih his praifes, atlds 
 fupplications to his thankfgivings, tnchiug vuriion of you 
 alu.iys in my prayers ; 'to let them know, that there was 
 iiill much ^race wanting in I'.-cm to keep them humble, as 
 
 5 R. well 
 
8()6 
 
 I. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 ^well as great grace in tlicm to make him tliankfu! : Our 
 prayers for grace mull be thankful prayers, or accotrpanied 
 with tlunkfgi\ iiig ; when wc pray to God for mare grace, 
 we mild be ever thankful for what we have received ; and 
 when wc return thanlc-^ for grace receivc.l, we miift be ear- 
 ned and iiirtant with GA for further and frc(h fupolies of 
 grace wanted. Mote, 4. Tlic frequency, yea, coiillancy of 
 our apolUc, ia performing the duties of prayer and thankf- 
 giving on tlic behalf of thcfe Theli'aloniins, fPe give thanis 
 to GoJ aliv.iy ftr you, rcmemlciing you tvi.'hoiit ccnftng, in 
 the Jight of Go<i, tmJ cur hatkcr ; that is, as often as we 
 appi.;rr before Gixl our Father, we incelfantly pray fjr 
 vou, and conllantlv praife God on your behalt. Where 
 cbf,rx,(^ Tlie comtortahle relation in which the faints of 
 (jod do approach and draw near unto Go<l in prayer, 
 they come to him as a Futher, vca, at their Father \ in 
 the Jight of God, our F.ilhcr. The holy Spirit of God 
 voucitfafed to btlieveri under the gofpel, enables them to 
 come before him in prayer, with a lull alllirancc of his 
 fatherly alfeclion towards them, as being the fons of God, 
 through faith in Chrift Jcfus, atid it enables them to cry, 
 Abba, Father; and they arc very careful to improve this 
 their relation to God, and iutereft in him, as a iuther, in 
 prayer, on behalf of themfelves, and all their fellow-bre- 
 thren and members in Chrill. Thus St. Paul hcse, IVe grae 
 :hnnkifor pu, and remember you, &c. 
 
 \ Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of 
 (^od. 5 For our gofpcl came not unto you in word 
 only, but alfo in power, and in the holy Gholl, 
 and in much alFurance ; as ye know what manner 
 of men we were among you for your lake. 
 
 O.ynr here, i. One fpecial ground and rcafon afligned 
 why the apodlc's heart was thus extraordinarily carried 
 out in praife and thankfgi\ings unto (7od, on the Thella- 
 loniin, behalf, and that was the knowledge of their elec- 
 ti;)n, knr.viug sour eleiliin of God ; that is, knowing ccr- 
 lairiiy and infall'iMy, by your proficiency in the toremention- 
 eJ Chridian graces of faith, love and hope, that God had 
 certainly chofen vou out of the Gemile world, to be a 
 church and people to himfelf, and that it was the good 
 pbafurc of Ci )d to gather a Chriflian church at ThelFa- 
 io.ii.a ; and alfo he did know and believe, with a judgment 
 uf charity, that Almighty God had chofen them to eternal 
 life alfo, to be a part ol lii^ church triumphant in heaven, 
 as well asof his church militant uponcarth ; the preaching 
 of the gofpel having met with fuch vilible lucccl. amongit 
 ihem. It was our unquertionable duty, and we learn it 
 from St. Paul's example, in charity to number amongft 
 God's chofen, in whom we fee, as much .is man may fee, 
 the fruits and figns of Gtxl's cleaion. 2. The ground 
 which St. Paul had to build his confidence upon, that the 
 Thelfclonians were a people chofen of Got!, and that was 
 ranonal evidence, knctving your eleffion of God \ for out 
 goftel came to you not in ivord only, but in poiver. Where 
 note. The piety and prudence of St. Paul's charity, it 
 •was not weakly grounded and credulous, but guided by 
 reafonable evidence ; Charity hopelh all things,, that is, all 
 things which it hath good -round to hope, but nothing 
 xnore than what probable evidence may induce it to hone. 
 
 St. Paul when he faw the apoflafv of Hymenxus and 
 Alexander into error and vice, without ccnforioufncfs and 
 uncharitablenef-, pronounces, that they had mzdc Jhifnvreei 
 of the faith, I 'J'irn. i. 20. For he had fufliticnt leafon to 
 believe, there could be no faiih where there was no 
 hoiincfi. There are a generation of men amongft us, 
 who brand the miniflers ot (J(k1 with ccnfurioufntfs, and 
 rafli judging the prcfcnt fljte of men, though they judge 
 by their lives and adlions ; they would have us hope well 
 concerning them, againit liope, and judge quitecontrary 10 
 rational evidence ; wc miiil believe them to have f;^h, 
 when they have no knowledge ; that they are ritjht peni- 
 tent?, and forrowfid lor their fins, wlun thev make a (port 
 oflin; that their hearts are chade, when their moutiiS 
 foam out nothing but filthinefs ; but let them know, wc 
 dare not bring a cui fc upon ourftlvc, by calling good e^i?, 
 and evil goo<l ; onr charity, though not caufelcfsly fiiC- 
 ptcious yet neither is fooliflity blind. Obferi'e, 3. The 
 ^'helTelonians eleflion, and that was the great and gracious 
 fnccefs of his ininiflry amcngfl them. Our gffpel came. — 
 But how owr gofpel ? Not as if he were the author of it, 
 but the difpcnfer only ; not our gofpcl by original reve- 
 lation, but by minifterial difpcnfation only. But how did 
 the gofpel come amongft the ThefTalonians ? Not in zvord 
 only, founding in the ear, or reaching and refting in the 
 imderftandingonly, as a light to gaze upon ; but in power 
 that i«, accompanied then \Nith the power of miracles, 'mto 
 with a convincing, terril)ing, humbling, renewing, and 
 reforming power, li foWows, arid in the Hon Gho/t \ that 
 is. the preaching of the word was at that rime attended, as 
 with a mighty power of miracle-, lowiih an extraordinary 
 etfufitm and pouring out the Holy (jhoft upon them that 
 beard it, prevailing upon them to embrace it, and to fiib- 
 mit themfelves miio it. With this miraculous power of 
 the Holy Ghoft was thepreachingof the word accompanied 
 then, with an enlightened, quickening, regenerating, and 
 fanflifvinj power ?;!ty ; the ininiltry of the word is the 
 great indnmient in the hand ot the Spirit, for the con- 
 verfion of finners, for the edification of faints, and for the 
 falvation of both. Again, the spoftles mrniftration came 
 unto them in much nfjiirance, that is, with a lull convidlion 
 both to themz\v.\ hit:: ; to them with an evident conviflion 
 cf the truth if his dcilrine ; and to him, it was a full pcr- 
 fuafion, yea, a firm alfuiancc, that God had chofen them 
 to be a churcli and Ipecial people to hinifelt. And laftJy, 
 As to his own condudl and convcrfation amongft them, he 
 appeals to them, and to their own knowledge, whethar it 
 was not anfwerable to the dodlrine delivered by him ; Te 
 know what manner of men we were among you for your fake. 
 Happy is it when the pious and piudent converfation of a 
 minifter amongft his people, is, and has been fuch, that, 
 upon a fit occalion, he can and dare appeal to God and 
 them as wiinefl'es and obfervers of it ; Ye knnu what ue 
 were among you : ye are witnrj/es, and Gcd alfo, how heli'ly, 
 and juflly, and unhlameahly we behaved ourf elves among you, 
 chap. ii. 10. An heterodox converfation will carry 2:1 
 orthodox preacher to lit 11 ; there is a preaching life, as weil 
 as a preaching doiSlrine ; if religion be taught by the firit, 
 and irrcljgion by the latter, wc fadly dilappoint the end of 
 
 what 
 
ClIAF. I. 
 
 I. THESSALOIANS. 
 
 8(J7 
 
 ,Tvhat is fpokcn ; though like a cracked bell, we may be 
 inftriimcnta! to ring others into heaven, yet forourfclvcs 
 there is no remedy, but to the fire wc uAiift go, either for 
 our refining, or for our condemnation. The throne and the 
 puipit, above all places, call for holinefs ; the prince and 
 the preacher, above all pcrfons.arc mod accoimtable to God 
 for their example : Te knoivvjhal manner oj tlicn ive iMrc a- 
 
 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord> 
 having received tlie u-oid in much afflitlion, with 
 joy of theHoly Ghofl; 7 So that ye were enfamples 
 to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 
 
 fii rlicfe words, our apoflle gives us another profitable 
 evidence, that the TlielTalanians were imdoiibtcdiy chofen 
 of "God, n;iincly, bccaiife tliey were afiivcant! operative 
 Chriliiin?; tlicy did in their life and praiilicc conform thcm- 
 felvcs to that exceilcnt pattcrnand example held tortli nnto 
 them bv their prc.ichcrs, Ye heiViufolkiv:rs of in. Where 
 u-!ie. That there ought to be fomething worthy of imita- 
 tion in the lives of minifters, fomething which their people 
 may f.ifely follow ; and it is the people's duty, not only to 
 lend an ejr to their doftrine, but an eye to their pious 
 convurfation. It is added, Foiiczvers of us, and of the Lord: 
 Followers of Ciirift, .-.bfulutcly, as all unerring pattern; of 
 his miniilcri:, conditionally, fo far as they followed ChrKl: 
 But f:Il6-d',-rs of the Lord here, feems to import their fol- 
 lowing ofhiminhis fufferings and afflictions, as appears 
 bv the next words, Having received the ivord iiith much 
 afliiSlioii. Such as are finccre ferious Chri.'lian?, are 
 followers of Chrilf in his fufferings as well as in his ex- 
 ample ; they follow h!in in the (harp and thorny path of 
 afflicliion, in which he went before them, they arc willing 
 to bear his crofs, as well as to wear his crown, to fuft'cr for 
 him, as well as to be glorified with him. 0/fcrve next; 
 Tiie particular inllancc wherein the ThclTalonians became 
 followers of the apoftles ; it was this, That they prci-ched 
 the word to tlicm with great defirc, delight and joy, thciugh 
 at the fame time they endured a g-eat fghf of affliclions, 
 contending with the oppofiiion both of men and dcvilr, in 
 preaching the word un;o them : In like manner did they 
 receive the ivord with much afjiiclion, and adhere to it in the 
 midll of pcrfeciitioii ; and all this accompanied with fiich 
 inward joy, as none but the Holy Ghoft cotdd be t!)c 
 author of in them : J'c rrccived the' ivord toilh muth af- 
 fliction, viih the joy of the Hoh Ghofl. Learn hence, That 
 upon preaching of ihe word, to .have an heart open to re- 
 cede it, to receive it with nfftic'iion, with much affliftion, and 
 ) et with joy and rtinicini;, with :; clv;crful fpirit, and fiich 
 a joy as the holy .Spirit of God is the auihoT and producer 
 of, is a good evidence, that a perfon is cliolcn of (jod, and 
 has a tiiltt to the everlalling inheiiiancc. Fartiier, Our 
 apollle.in a jull and deferved commenJaiion of thcfc Thtf- 
 f.iloni^ins, tells tliem, to their great and (inelilar hunour, 
 that as ihey were followers of th.eni ('the apoflles in fufli-r- 
 in'^Sjin pjticnce, and chccrfidncIV ; fo they wcrethcnifeh.is 
 living patterns, and livclv e iifamplcs of ci 11 rage and crn- 
 fhncy under their fi.iFcrlngs, to all liie iu-ighboi;;ir»g 
 churches in MAOtdoiiiu and Achaia. Th..n is the I'racc ff 
 
 God received by iis, a mark and evidence of our election 
 of God, whom wc have advanced to fuch a confidcrable 
 proficiency and growth in it, as to become patterns and 
 cxarpples of piety to all that arc round about us. Thus 
 the Theffalonians here. Ye are become enfamples, ^c. 
 
 8 For from you foundedontthe wordof the Lord, 
 not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but alfo in every 
 place your faith to Godward is fprcad abroad, fo that 
 ivc need not Ipeak any thing. 9 For they thein- 
 fclves fliew of us what manner of entering in wc 
 had unto you, and how yc turned to God from i- 
 dol,^, to ferve the living and true God. 
 
 Still our apoflle proceeds in a copious cotnmendai ion of 
 thcfe TheHahininns, or rather in a thankful admiration of 
 the grace of Cjod fliinlng in them ; he tells them, and that 
 without flattery, that the fame and report of their graces 
 was fprcad abroad far and near, infbmuch that tlie fovercign 
 cliirches, amongrt: whom he converfed, were able to give 
 him a perfed accoimt how the apofile's entrance amongfl 
 them at Theffalonica was ; though not pompous, yet very 
 profperous, f^rangely fuccecdcd, and fingnlarly blcfled. to 
 the turning of thern fiom dead idols, to fevve the living 
 and true God. Liarn, That \\ here true grace is rooted in 
 tile heart, though it be not imincdintcly fecn, yet it cannot 
 long be hid, but it will difcover itfclf In the genuine fruits 
 and vital effects of it, to the deferved admiration, and wish- 
 ed for imitatation of all beholders whatfoever: Fromyou found- 
 ed forth the ivord rf the Lord, &c. — -And hoiv you turned 
 from idols, that is, how readily and fpcedily, luw finccrely 
 and heartily you turned from idolatry, your former idolatry, 
 in vvhicli you had been educated and brought up; yet upon 
 the preaching of (air gofpel, ye left it, and n:rncd w itii in- 
 dignatitni from it, to ferve God, the living Cod, fo called in 
 oppofition to their dead and dumb idols; and the IrueGul, 
 in oppoliiiiin to their falfe gods Tliefe worils <d the a|ii)(t!e 
 teach us how to expound thofe words of our Saviour, J<jhn 
 xvii. 3. Tl ii is life eternal, to Lnczv thee tlie only true God< ■ 
 Teaching us, tliat the Father is called the cnh /rue (iod, 
 not in oppofiiion to Jefus Chrifl, as the Socinians woidJ 
 inlinuate, but in oppoliiion to idols and tulle gods only. 
 Nov/ from this efFc£l, which the gofptl had upon the Tlied 
 filonians, to tinn tliem from idols to ferve the living God, 
 wc learn, I hat as every man naturally bears an idol in his 
 heart, that is, lets up fomething there in CJod's ftead, which 
 attrnds and draws offihc chief of his affections from (inl, 
 fo w hercver the gofpel is heartily received and emertaincd, 
 there will be an abandoning of, and returning from, wliat- 
 foe^'er did iifinp God's throne in the foil!, andthepcifon 
 hereafter, will only love and ferve tlie living sr.d true God. 
 l^ou turned from idols, to ferve the living and true Cod. 
 
 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom 
 he railed IVotn the dead, ao! Jclus, wliich delivered 
 us from I he wrath to come. 
 
 H;re the apoflle produces a further c\ idcncc of ilitle 
 Thclll'lonians converiion, namclv, that they did not only 
 tm-n from idols to firve God the Father, but did alio 
 t l-l 2 bcliijvc 
 
8b'8 
 
 r. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 bolitvc ill JtfusClirlft his only Son : This afl of fdiih is 
 cxprclltd by 'u/a:.'in^, ihcy "uiailtd fi.r his Son from heaven, ' 
 that is, by faith ihey expected ihat Chrift, whom the apof- 
 tlc had preached to ther.i, and was gone to heaven, would 
 certainly come again from tiicHce, to deliver his redeemed 
 ones Iron ikt wrath .'» corr.e, that is, from the piinifhment 
 and vengeance eternally due unto tliem for lirt. And the 
 ground of this their expeiJlation was, Chrift's rcfurreflidn 
 from the dead : 1 o wait ftr ris Son /rim heaven, whom he 
 rr.-frJ fr^m the dead. N:ti here, i. Ailefcription, an heart- 
 afftdinj, yea, a foul afFctf^ing^efcription of that wrath 
 ■which dnih await every wicked and impenitent fmner ; it 
 is a wrath to come ; aftc/ thoufands, yea, millions of years, 
 that fmncrs have lain under it, ilill it is wrath to come ; 
 and th.-y arc as far from bcinsj delivered from it, as thefirfl 
 hour they fell under it. 2. That Jcfiis Chrill delivered up 
 kimftif todeath, that he mii^ht be a Saviour and deliverer 
 to his people from his wrath ; k-t it bfeak forth when it 
 will, not a dro]) of it Ihall ever fall upon any of them. 3. 
 That believers may warrantably cxpeft deliverance by 
 Chrift from this wrath, feeing God has raijed him from the 
 deal. 4. Therefore, may and ought they to wait and 
 wilh, to look and long for his coming from heaven, when 
 deliverance from wrath will be perfcded and completed. 
 
 CHAP. ir. 
 
 The dcjign ofllie apoJlU in this and the next chapter, is to 
 acquaint the Theffalonians with the fmcerity audfitc- 
 ceji pfhii mimflry ammigjl them; and put tliem in re- 
 membrance ofiiis meek diportment towards thevi. 
 
 FOR youiTelves, brethren, know our entrance 
 in unto you, that it was not in vain. 
 
 Ohferve here, How onr apoftic did biirft and appeal to 
 theThellalnnians theirifclves, as touching the fincerity and 
 fiiccefs of his public minillry among them : "i'e yourf elves 
 knnv. If is net fufticitnt to a minirter's cotnfort, that he 
 be well repnrted of amongft Orangcrs, for his zeal and di- 
 ligence, for his fincerity and faithfulnefs, unlcfs he can and 
 dare appeal to the confcicnces of his own people, and call 
 them to vouch and bear witnefs to his integrity : Ye your- 
 fihes kiiro) that our entrance in unto you, was not in vain. 
 Our entrance in unto y:u ; that is, our full preaching 
 amongft you,u'aj not in vain ; that is, fay fomc, it was not 
 in vain in the matter, we did not preach about vain, ufelefs 
 and unprofitable niceties and fpcculations ; but our preach- 
 ing was fubftantial found and folid ; It was not vain in the 
 manner, fay others; it was not undertaken raflily, and with- 
 out a call, nor managed in a flight and vain manner : But 
 the word in vain here, fcems to point at thefe two things : 
 (i.) That it did not want power and energy, but had the 
 dcmonlfration of divir.e adiltance to confirm them in the 
 faith that heard it, and alfo thofe that preached it, in ex- 
 peiSfation of fuccefs. (2.) // tvas not in vain, that is, it 
 did not want fruit, it was not without a great and gracious 
 fuccefs ; Fnr the v/ou\vain, when it is applied to the mcf- 
 fage which the minillers of God bring, iignifies the not 
 accompli.lung the greet ends for which it was deflgned 
 
 Ifa. Iv. II. The word that giclh out cf viy mouth, fball nd 
 return unto me in vain, but prolper, &c. Hence learn. That 
 where a irinilfcr is regularly called to, and faithfully dif- 
 chargts his duty amongfl a people, both by public preach- 
 ing and private inftruflion, liis labour> feldom if cvcr.want 
 fruit, in fome degree or meafure, either fooner or later, 
 either maniftft or fecret, either for converfaiion or edihca- 
 tion. We have the promifc of ChiilVs prefence with 115, 
 Matt, xxviii. 20. And if the fault be not nurs we fliall 
 Certainly experience it ; both the prtfcnce of his power to 
 flrengthen us, and the prefence of his gracious fpiiii"to 
 fucceed us. Poflibly we do not fee any vifible fuccefs at 
 prefent ; but this may comfort us, there is more good done 
 by the ininiftry of the word, than we are aware of ; and if 
 we reap not the fruit of the feed we fow, they n ho come 
 after us may ; but if neither they nor wc reap fruit, our 
 minilfry fh.dl not be in Viiin, with reference to ourfelves ; 
 yet fhall we be glorious, though Ifrad be not gathered. 
 But, oh ! that our people might (hare in that glory with us, 
 and alio fliine as the ftars, for ever and ever ! God grant 
 we may never be called forth by Chrift to give a judicial 
 tefti.Tiony againit any of them at the bar of God, for nut 
 believing our report. 
 
 2 But even after that wc had fufFeied before, and 
 were fhainefully intitated, as yc know, at Phiiippi 
 we were bold in our Ciod to fpeak unto you the 
 gofpcl of God with much contention. 
 
 Here St. Paul difcovcrs to the Thedalonians the great 
 dffiicidties and dangers which he broke through at his firft 
 entrance ainongfl them to preach the gofpel ; he acquaints 
 them with the reproach and difgracc he underwent at their 
 neighbouringcity, Phiiippi, and the fuffcritigs therecndured 
 for the gofpcl, which are recorded A£ls xvi. 23. But no- 
 thing of that nature Could difcouragc hiin, but that he 
 rather waxed more bold in fpiiir, refolving to preach the 
 gofpcl of God, though xvith muck contention and oppofititn 
 from the unbelieving Jews. Where mrtnt,That theapof- 
 tle calls his boldnefs, a boldnefs//; God, becaufc a boldnefs 
 for God, and from God : It was not barely the fruit of a 
 natural courage, but it was a zealous boldnefs in the caufe 
 of Gwl, and proved a convincing, as well as a courageous 
 boldnefs ; it is one neceffarv requifite and qualification in 
 the minilfers ofGo<l, in order to the rendering their mi- 
 niffry fruitful and fuccefsful, that a wife, humble, zealous 
 and convincing boldnefs be found with them in tiieir deliv- 
 ering the truths of God unto their people : IVc were bold ii^ 
 our God to f peak unto ycu the gofpel of God. 
 
 3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of 
 uncleannels, nor in guile ; 4 But as we were al- 
 lowed of God to be put in truft with the goipel, e- 
 ven fo we fpeak, not as pleaGiig men, but God, 
 which tricth our hearts. 
 
 Here our apoflle afTlgns a fubordinate rcafon »'hy his 
 preaching was fo fuccefsful amongfl the Theffalonians, 
 namely, becaufe it was very (incere : There was both (in 
 cerity in the do(ftrine preached, and alfo in the preacher o{ 
 that dodrinc. Where mle^ i. St. Paul calls his preaching 
 
 aa 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 I. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 W-c) 
 
 an exhorlatiw \ Joiibtlefj bccaufc a great part of his prcach- 
 inj» was, as ouis onj/lu to be, applicatory and cxhortatoiy, 
 carnedly and affL<ninnattly exerting the hearers to cleave 
 unto the truths, whether dofliinal or prnftical, delivered 
 totlicm. 1. Hew St. Paid removes from himfelf the op- 
 pndiies of iinccrltv, fume of which point at the fincerity of 
 the docliiiie prc-.clud bv him ; it '.uas not of deceit, or ot 
 ciifiiaring and ftducing error, tint fniied to the corrupt opi- 
 nions and vvii.ked inclinations of men ; tior ef uncle anncfs, 
 nothing that he either preached or pradlifed did counte- 
 nance and encourage men in their filthy lufts, as did the 
 f.ilft preaching of the falfe apolUes, and the Gnoftics \ Nor 
 in guile \ this points at tl'.': finceriiy of his own iieart in 
 preaching, his exhortation was i;ot \n guile, that is, he did 
 iiiit feek himfelf, under a pretcMicc of ;i(Sing for Goil and 
 his glory, nor propound his own worldly advantage as his 
 ultimate end. Learn hence, It is the duty of Chrift's nii- 
 nifters, not only to preach the pure word of God, but to 
 preach it purely, in funpliciiy of heart, and with a (ingle 
 eye at God's p;!ory, without lotiking at, or having any re- 
 jraid nn'io bafc, finifter ends, or bye rcfpefls, Note, -^. 
 That St. Paul having vindicated his minillry from all fiif- 
 picion of infmcerity, n"xt allures them of his great uprights 
 nefs in all his miiiillerial performances, making it his chief 
 defign to approve hin)lelf unto Gixi, and to be approved 
 of him, not in the Icall regardiiisj to pleafe men, but only 
 ill fubordination to God. 4. The arguments or motives 
 including him thus, in much fincerity, to approve himfelf 
 to God in all his minilierial fervices ; namely (r.) The 
 confideration of that high favour and honouorble truft 
 which he had received from God : IVe were all'^'u-ed of God, 
 to he put in truj} zvith the gofpel : God did fit him for his trull, 
 and then enirufled him with it, and he looked upon both 
 as a favour and honour from God. 2. The confideration of 
 God's omnifcency and all-feeing eye, ivho trieth our hearts. 
 The apoftle well knew, that Almighty God was both a 
 witnefs of his doflrinc and converfation, and alfo privy to 
 liis intentions and purpofes, his aim and end, as being a 
 God that fearcheth the heart ; therefore he fo jireachcd, 
 tiot as pleafing men, hut God. Learn from both, That no- 
 thing doth more clFeftually conftrain the minifters of Chrift 
 to the faithful difcharge of their whole duty, than the con- 
 fideration of the honour and weight of that trufl which 
 God hath conferred on them, and the remembrance that 
 the eye of an all-feeing and heart-fearching God is both 
 upon and within them alfo : JVe fo fpcak, being put in '.ruji 
 ivith the gofpel by Gid, tvho trieth our hearts. 
 
 5 For neither at any time ufed we flattering words, 
 as ye know, nor a cloke of covetoiiinefs ; God is 
 witnefs. 6 Nor of men fought we glory, neither 
 of you, nor yet of others, when we might have 
 been burdcnlbme, as the auoftlcs of Chriii. 
 
 Still our apoflle fees fit to proceed in vouching his own 
 fincerity in preaching the gofpel, and difov\ nijig flattery, 
 covetoufncfs, and vainglory, to have any influence upon 
 him in the difcliargc ot his minillerial trult. Firit, He tfcd 
 tict flattering Wjrds, that is, fpeeches fitted to gratify the 
 luits and lyiniours of men, or far gaining their favour, or 
 
 courting their good rpinion. Flattery in any is odious, in 
 a niinifler it is monlW-ous ; both btcaufe fpiritual men 
 ought to be moft plain-hearftd, and alfo bccaufe flatterv 
 about fpiritual things is moft fatal and pernicious, both to 
 the giver and receiver. Secondly, He ufed not a clexe cf 
 ccvetcufnef', that is, he h.id no covetous defign in his mi 
 nillry ; hisgreat end, in that adminirtratiun, was not worldly, 
 or outward advantage to liiinfclf ; and becaufe a covctuoti» 
 delign is fecret, and man cannot judge of it, he appeals fo- 
 Icmnly to (jod, that fearcheth tlie heart, as a viinefsof ids 
 freedom from that defign : I tfed no flattering words as \e 
 incw, nor a cloke cf covetoufnels ; Cod is zvtnefs : As il 
 he had faid, " Had I ufed flattering words, you 'might 
 witnefs it ; but I could have worn a cloke ot covetoufiufs 
 fo clofely, that you could not have feen it, but God could ; 
 he can judge through the darkeft cloud, and fee througii ihn 
 thickeft cloud and covering • but I appeal to him, whether 
 I have put on fuch a cloke or no." An oath is then law- 
 ful to a Chriftian ; he may folemnly appeal to CJod, and 
 call him to vviinefs the truth ot w hat he fpeaks, in and 
 upon a jull and great occafion ; thus St. Paul here, by oath , 
 purges himfelf troin covetoufncfs of fpirit. Thirdly, He 
 purges himfelf from all oftentaiion and vainglory ; he tells 
 them plainly, he did not hunt after applaufe from others, 
 nor foiigh fo much as due refpefl in u fitting maintenance 
 from themfelves, though herein he all'urcs them he did 
 remit of his right ; feeing, as an apollle of Chrift, he mi^ht 
 have been hurdcnfcme , that is, chargeable to them, by cx- 
 atling maintenance froin them. Learn, I. Thoiioh every 
 man may (much more a minifterj have a due refpeft to 
 his own honour and julf reputation, yet to hunt after refpcct 
 and efleem, and to feek it with the full bent of our delires 
 doth favour of vanity and vainglory, z. Though the rrti- 
 niftcrs of the gofpel have an undoubted right to an honour- 
 able niaiiitenancc, yet it in.ay be a pious prudence in them 
 at a jiarticular time, to remit their right ; and when they 
 do fo, with an eye at the glory of God, and the advantage 
 of the gofpel, God will recompenfe it to them. > 
 
 7 But we were gentle among you. even as a nurfe 
 oherifhcth her children : 8 So, being r-ffeEfionately 
 defirous of you, we were willing to have imparted 
 unto you not the gofpel of God only, but aifo oar 
 own fouls, becauie ye v.'ere dear unto us. 
 
 St. Pau! having cleared himfelf and his miniilry, ic the 
 foregoing vcrfes, from the charge and imputation 'of thofc 
 foul vices of flattery, fraud, and covetoufncfs, which the 
 falfe teachers were guilty of ; he next gives an account of 
 his holy and humbfe, meek and gentle, courteous and af- 
 fable behaviour amongit them, performing all dutie<; to- 
 wards them from a principle of tender love, ever, fuch as 
 is found in a niirfc to her babe, which makes her i\oou t"o 
 the meaneft oflices for it : //V are gentle am:ng ycu as n 
 nurfe, rot an hired iiurfc, but a moiher-nurfe, who rakes 
 nothing for nurling, who bellows all her time and pains in 
 niirfing, who draws forth hcrbrcalls, and gives down her 
 milk with picafure to her nurfery, lodging u ;„ her bcfcm 
 carrying it in her arms, with all po(Tible""dcmonifration of 
 a tender alfcaion towards it, efpecially beaiin'-^ with it in 
 
 iis 
 
Syo 
 
 r. THESSLONIA N S. 
 
 Chap. r. 
 
 its frowardn-fs and manifold infirmiiiefs ; intimating tou«, 
 %rith what tcnderncfs of affcflion a miiii(>cr (hoiihf be de- 
 voted to his people, bearing with llicin, and forbearing of 
 them, and cxercifing all tiiat indulgence toward-: thorn, 
 v.hich may tniiliiall)' cnJcar them to each other. Oo/.rv* 
 f.irthcr, OurapoHL- havinc, rcfcinblcd himfclf in general, to 
 -.1 nnrrochallrnginghcrchiklren.next inllanccsin particiihr, 
 nhcrcin he iWd ready to exprcfs, like a nurfc, hii indui- 
 j^^cnt care over them. Thus, i. As the niirnng-niothcr, 
 Tf file be but a lliort lime abfent from her chiUlrcn, doth 
 j'r.ofl ve!ie;nrntly lon^ to fee ihcm, and draws fortli her 
 brcartfowards them \vlth the iitmofl dcfirc and deliaht,; It 
 liki manner, was our now ahfcnt npodicniofl nffciRionateiy 
 dcfirotis of feeing and enjoying his beloved ThefTalonians. 
 '>. As the niirfint; moilKr, w hen (lie gets to tlic child, with 
 tiiifpcikaWc delich:, feeds It with her own blood, concodtcd 
 and turned into milk ; fo was the apofllc dcfiroijs to im- 
 r-irt, not the gofptl only, but l-is on }i foul, that is, his life ; 
 iiripl)ing, how ready he was to fcal the gofpcl witli his 
 M(K)d, and to confirm the ThefTalonians in the fjith of 
 Chrid. 3. As the moving, mipelling, and inipidlive caiife 
 of thi niirfe's indidgcnt care and indefatignble pains, is 
 V-i.Tc love, motherly afrccSlior., and no hope of g; in ; fo was 
 likcwife the cafe of St. Paid here towards thefe ThefTalo- 
 nians : U'c -.vers tvi'llin^ lo impart tin!} you our iun fwh, 
 hicauje yi wcc dear unto us. Learn licncc, Tiiat th.ere is 
 ito (longer love, nor more endeared aileclion l>etwccn any 
 relations upon earth, than between thofe miniflcrs of Chrift, 
 and their beloved people, whom they have becu imlru- 
 incntal to convert to Gcd. 
 
 9 For yc retnembcr, brethren, our l.ibour and tra- 
 vel. For labouring night and day, bccaulc wc would 
 not be chargeable unto any of you, we preaclied un- 
 to you the rofpcl of Cod. 10 Yc<7?f witncfTcs, and 
 God alp, how holily and juflly and unblamcably 
 \sz behaved ourfclves among you that believe : 
 
 Notwithffanding onr npnftle was free, wholly free, from 
 all lh.idow and appcaratice of Cevetotifhcfs in the whole 
 coiirfe of hi« miiiiftry, yet it inay feem as if fome perfons 
 fprr.bably the falfe apofflcs) did, though with the higheft 
 injuftice, charge him with it ; accordingly, to clear himf.lf 
 from tJiat imputation, here he tells the Theflhlonians, he 
 l.ibniired niglit and dav in th; biifir.efs of his calling ; 
 making tents to maintain himfclf, tiiat fo he might not be 
 chirgeable or burdenforac to any of them ; or anv ways 
 retard or hinder the fuccefs of the gnfpcl amongft tltern : 
 luLour'ing night anil day, thtit u<e might n'.-f he chfirgeahic 
 k>if! my of yci', we preached unto ffu tin- gijpel tf God trecly. 
 Vet ohj'ervr. This was only a cafe of nccellitv ; for at.* her 
 limes, and in oth?r places, we fmd our .TpofUcs alieriing his 
 own right, and f jckI's appointment, that every one that 
 rreaclieth the gofptl, fliould live of the ['ofpel, r Cor. ix. 14. 
 Next our apoftle calls upon them to r^u-iiiher\\\s -labour 
 ''Cnd taivel, that is, his pains and diligence in preaching the 
 'gofpel; the words lignit'y !;ib>ur unto wcarinefs, and la- 
 tnnr after we.ulncfs, hispainfuliiLfs, both in hispreachinjr, 
 and in his fccuiar calling ; and from his callinc upon the 
 TbclT.tluiiIans to remember thi.-^, l;c learns us tliis IcOon of 
 
 inflruflion, namely, that if i'! ihe landing duty of a people 
 to keep in their condant remembrance the great labour and 
 pains which the faithful miniflcrsof Chrill do take amongft 
 tlietii, that ib thty may be duly thatikTul, both to Gcd and 
 tlicm, and put a ju(l valu^ uprn that fpiritiial goc<I, whicl) 
 at any time, they have experienced and received from them; 
 Hemcmher, brethren, our Inhovr and triAel. Ofi/enr ngzin^ 
 Having alTcrted his laboiioufnef'. in preaching to thcni, hp 
 next puts them in remembrance of his exemplarinefs in 
 convcrfition amongft them, how h'Ji.'/, jnjlly ?iru.\ unllatre- 
 iihly we lehnved owjfh'es aino'tg/l ym \ that is ijerffrmlng 
 his duty with great integrity and iiprightneTs towards 0<id 
 and man, fo that none jiidly coidd blame him for ncglcifl 
 amongfl them ; and for the truth of this, he appeals to God 
 a.s a judge, and to thcmfclves ns ^\itncf-•, _ir nr^ie/Vw/j^rV, 
 and G:'l alio. Letirn hence, That it is a qreat happiiicf-, 
 and unfpeaKablc confohulon, both to mini jcrs and people, 
 when the duties of religion, relating to both tables, arc per- 
 formed with fuch exaflnefs, that thev ccp and dare' appeal 
 to one another, as to their holy and imblamcaWc convert 
 fuion, and to Gch.1 himfclf, as to the purity of their aim, 
 and (incf rity of intention. 
 
 1 1 As ve know l.ow we exhorted and comforted 
 and charijcd every one of vou, as a father doth his 
 children, 1 2 That yc would walk worthy of God, 
 who hath called )-ou unto his kingdom and gloryi, 
 
 Ohftrit, That flill our apoCdc appeals to their own ccni- 
 fcicnces for his good behaviour amonpfl them : lie inczv : 
 Happy niinifier, that has a throne in the ccnfcicnccs of his 
 people, unto which he cr.n and dare, at all times, appeal, for 
 the clearing of his innocency and integrity, in and beff>re 
 the face of the v.hole world ! Ohjcrie next, That having 
 compared himfelf to a nurfe before, he refembles himftlf to 
 a father now, u-c exhorted ym as a father doth Us children \ 
 as it is the office of a father to diictSl and inftruft, to coitn- 
 fel and exhort his children ; fo the apoflle did exhort, com- 
 fort, and charge the ThefTaloidans, ihit they may be ftridly 
 confcientious in the fai:hful difchai^of their whole duty, 
 both to God and man,, and patient imder all, and all man- 
 ner of trials and afrliclions whaifcever, v\hich ihey did, or 
 might meet with, in the way of well-doing. Kite, That 
 a mixture of meeknefs and gentlcnefs, accompanied wirh 
 authority and gravity, is an excellent c«)mpofiti<.<n in the 
 minirters of the gofpcl : St. i'aul having !he\\n, that, fur 
 j;cntIonefs, he was a niirfmg mother, dedareih here, that 
 for authority and gravity, he was ati iiiftrucling father. 
 Lr.Pily, The great duty whik;h he did iWniX them in, and 
 exhort them to, natrsely, to walk ivortly of Cod, tti-e hud 
 called than unto his kingdrm and gl ■/ y. A cte here, I . The 
 duty exhorted to, namely, to v^e/h worthy 0/ GiJ: How 
 fo : Not with a worihinc's of merit, but wi;h a wor'.him fs 
 v( nicctnefs, to wall: as bccouxs thtm \\}\o prr.tcfs the 
 name of Gt;d, v\ho hcnr the im:'i;e of G<xl, aniw tr^Me 'I0 
 the high and iiolv privileges nciivcd friiii G< d. -2. The 
 reafoti or argimiciu enforcing the duty,, he It.: /> 
 
 his kingdom mid gl'.ry, lliai i.>-', to gr.ice ; and b\ ^...^„ ..cic, 
 to glory hereafur ; luch as arc called to the one, are calltrd 
 to both : Grace is a ccr!::i.i pltd^c and.carnLfl of j^kry, a 
 
 low 
 
Chap. n. 
 
 I. T H E S S AL O N I A N S. 
 
 87t 
 
 low degree of glory, and 0ctry the liigheft degree of grace ; 
 fuch as walk worthy of God now, ftall live with hiw, ere 
 tunc;, to eternal agci. 
 
 13 For this cmfc alfo thank we God without 
 ceafing, becaufc, when ye received the word of God 
 which \c }ieard of us, ye received :t not a.< the word 
 of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, 
 which cffc6lually workcth alfo in you that believe. 
 14 For ve. brethren, became followers of the 
 churches of God which in judeaareinChriflJefus : 
 For ve alfo have fuffered like things of your own 
 countrymen, even as they have of the Jews : 
 
 Our npofllc's j^rcat drfign, in this chapter, being to fet 
 forth the wonderful fiicccfs which the preaching of the 
 gofpcl had amung tl>e Theflalonians, and alfo to afllgn the 
 caufes of that fuccefs, he having, in the former verfes, given 
 the reafon of fliis fuccefs on his own part, namely, hi's 
 finceiity in preaching it, and his pious convcrfation in all 
 things fuitable to it ; now he conies to fhcw the reafon on 
 their part, with all thankfulncfs to Almighty Cod for tfie 
 fame : Firft, they heard it ; fecond'v, they received it ; 
 thirdly ihcv examined ir, and found it no fable, but the 
 ■word of God, and, as fuch, entertained it with a divine 
 faith ; founhly, the word thus received did work with a 
 mightv power and efficacy fn them that believed, that is, 
 w as accompanied with miracles, and miracidous operations 
 cf the holv Spirit, //r« to coniirm them in the faith of 
 what they did believe ; and the word has alfo twzv an effi- 
 cacious energy and divine efficacy accoinpanying it in the 
 hearts of believers, ^vorking upon the \\ ill, not in a way 
 of compulfion, but in a way congruous to the nature 
 and liberty of the will, by a divine influx, ToUendo rcfijlen- 
 tiam, mn vo/unfalis lihertalem fas the great St. Auflin 
 fpeaks.) 0^/erve f\ex.l, St. Paul farther proves the effi- 
 cacious fuccefs which the word had amongft the Theffa- 
 lonians, from their conftancy and patience under the fharpefl 
 fufferings for the word's fake ; ye hav: jtiffered like thitrgs 
 if your civn ccunlrymeii : As if he had faid, " Yo\i of the 
 Chriltian church in ThefTilonica, have lliewn vourfelves 
 like to the Chriftian churches in Judea, in patient fuffcriiig 
 perfecutioa from your friends and kinsfolks, from vonr 
 countrymen and fellow-citizens, as they did from the 
 unbelieving Jews." Nc/e thence. That where the word 
 isefficaciouily received, it makes the embracer of it endure 
 tha hardefl trials and fuffeiings rather than rcnour.ce it. 
 2. That there neither is, nor can be, any better evidence 
 that the word of God is effeftually received, than when it 
 enables Chriftians to bear afllidlions, and undergo pcrfe- 
 cutions with Chriftian Courage and holy rcfolution ; ]l' 
 have fuffered like things : But of \".hom ? Of your ciin 
 countrymen at Thedalonica, as the churches in Judea did 
 of the Jews. Learn thence. That fuch is the fury of a 
 perfecuting fpirit, that when men are judicially given up of 
 God imto it, they will break all bonds, both natural, civil, 
 and religio'-ir, and turn barbarous and favage, like wolves 
 and tigers, towards thofe of their own fiedi, who dare not 
 deny the truth, which they perfccutc and oppofe. Here 
 
 the churches in Judea and The.Talonica were pcrfccutcd 
 alike by thtir own countrymen. 
 
 1 5 Who both killed the Lord Jefus and their own 
 prophets, and have perfecuted us ; and thev pleafe 
 not God, and are contrary to all men ; i6 Forbid- 
 dmg us to fpeuk to the Gentiles that they might be 
 faved, to fill up their fins alway. For the wralh 
 is come upon them to the uttennofl. 
 
 Our apoflles defign being to encourage the ThcfTalonians 
 to patience and conflancy imder their perfccutions for 
 Chrirtianiiv, he acquaints them, that thev did not walk 
 alone in this thorny path, but that JtfLis Chrift, the pro- 
 phets and apoflles, went before them, and every llep they 
 took in it, was tip to the knees in Mood ; they kii^ed the 
 Lord yefiis, SiC. Where ohferve, The bitter and bloody 
 perfecution which the Jews were guilty of, they hilied the 
 Lord Jefus, and before liim their own prophets, called 
 their e.nn, becaufe of their own nation, and font with a 
 peculiarmeflageto them ,' and yow they perfecuted, baniih- 
 ed, and drove away St. Paul, and the reft of the apoflles ; 
 they pleafed not Gcd, that is, they liighly difpleafed him, 
 dreadfully provrked him, they were haters of God, hateful 
 to him, now hated of him, and, Liflly, rejeifled by him ; 
 contrary to all men, that is, to the common intcreflof all 
 men, bv endeavouring to obrtrucl the preaching of tiie 
 gofpel, which biingeth falvation to all men ; foriidding us 
 ts [peak to the GcntHes, that \i, to preach the gofpel to the 
 Gentiles, and confeq\icntly obflrucliiig, what in them lay, 
 the falvation almoft of all the world ; filling up the tncafurii 
 cf their ftns, till at lad the wrath oi Go<! came upon theni 
 to the utmoll, in their judicial obduration, and the final 
 dcflruiTtlon of Jerufa'cni by the Romins ; after which the 
 Jews fiave been no inore a people, but fcattered abroail 
 through the face of the earth. From the whole, learn, 
 I. That it is a lingular fupport to fuffering faiiiis, 10 con- 
 fidcr, that Clirill and his apoflles fuffered before them ; and 
 by his fufferings, hr.s fandlified a flate of affliction and 
 perfecution to them. 2. That a fpirit of perfccuiioti feems 
 oft-times to ruii in blood, and paffes from parent 10 child, 
 tliroiigh many generations. Perftcution became, as it 
 were, hereditary, and, in a fort, tiaisficr.t from one "ene- 
 ration to another among the Jews ; they killed Chriff, 
 ftoned the prophets, and perfecuted the apoflles. 3. Hoiy 
 St. Paul ranks and reckons them that are entir.ics to the 
 preaching of the gofpel, wiih the obfliiiate fhtddtrs of 
 Chrifl's blood ; they are enrolled ainongil the capiial ene- 
 mies of mankind ; they killed ti:e Lord oflife,fo}i'idaing us 
 to preach to the Gentiles ; fuch as are enemies to preaching, 
 are enemies to the fouls of men. OljeH. But what need 
 fo much preaching amongft tts, who are converted from 
 heaihenihn to Chriflianity ? Arf. It is cnc thing to be 
 converted from heathcnifm to Chriflianity, End another 
 thing fo be converted from fin to God. OhjiH. But we 
 have the Bible for that end, and can make life of that. 
 jiif. Obferve it, and you v, ill find, that fuch as are no 
 friends to the pulpit, are ufually none of tiie befl friends to 
 the Bible ; follow them to their families, how doth the 
 Bible lie by as a negleclcd book amcngfl them ; and it 
 
 mull 
 
872 
 
 I. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Ckap. ir. 
 
 muft be a large charity, rtiat can judge it is confcientioufly be prcfent with them, they were his hope, hisy»v. his ernin 
 iifeii in the clofct, when it is carelefly negledlcd in the tf rtjoicint; ; that is, they were then the caiife of his hope, 
 family. not ihc ground and foundation of his hope : that Chrift 
 
 17 But wc, hrcilucn. bcin;; taken from you for a =■'""<= ■"" ' •"'.' J^^'i; "n^.^:^^"" by his miniHry was in 
 
 n' ■ ■ r u ^ J 1 eonciirrcnce wiih other thmrs, a ct>od groimd of hope 
 
 lort tunc, m pnTence, not in heart, endeavoured -„„^„,„- i.- , _ r 1 .• i . 
 
 , ' ' . r • 1 concerning his own Ijivation ; ve arc now m\ hotc, my 
 
 the more abundantly 10 Icc your lacu with gre.ndc- j,y, ^nA crnvn cf rcjsuin^f;. Where mte, A very re^ 
 
 fue. 18 Wherefore Wv! would have come unto you mm kablc gradation in the words ; he cafls them his <?!/<•, 
 
 (even I Paul j once and again; but Satan hindered hisyiv, and Ids rrcii?- rf reji'dnr. His hope, that is, the 
 
 matter of Ids hope, that they fhal! be h\ci\ \ li's joy, thar 
 
 is the occafion of his joy, in their corvcrfion by his minif- 
 
 try ; and his crown cf rcjoicint; in Chrift's prefcncc at hifi 
 
 coming, that is, the fruit and fucceff of his miniftry amongft 
 
 tl.cm, woidd add to this crown, and redound to his gloiy 
 
 in the d.iV cf Chrift. Learn hence, I. That there are 
 
 degrees of plnry in heaven, probably according fo the mea- 
 
 ftircs and tlcgrecs of fcrvicc we have done tor Go<! on 
 
 earth ; there is, no doubt, an eq\'.aliiy of ^lory there, as 10 
 
 the encniiais, but not with rcfpcdl to the accidentals ; 
 
 bcfides the joy and fatisfaflion which the miniflers of 
 
 Chrifl are partakers of, in heaven, in common with other 
 
 glorific-d faints, they have an addiiiona! j'>y and glory from 
 
 the fiicccfs of their pinus and paintid lab'-nrf, which G<xl 
 
 has crowned with the converfion and cdifica'.ion ot many 
 
 fonls. Lord ! Who would not ftudy, fpend and be fpcnt 
 
 in the fervice of fuch a maftet r Is it not worth all our 
 
 labour and fnfFcring«, to appear in the prefence of Chrift, 
 
 accompanied with all thofe fouls whom we have inlhu- 
 
 mcntally cither brought home, or built up in the mod holy 
 
 faith, either converted, comforted, or conhrmcd in the way 
 
 to heaven r To hear one fpirittial child fay, " Lord, this 
 
 is the inicrnr.-ent by whom I bi licvc-d ;" another, " This 
 
 is the miniftcr by whom I w.-is eftablilhed ;" a third, " This 
 
 is he that quickened mc by this example, and provoked mc 
 
 to love, and to goofi %vorks : O blefled be God, that I 
 
 ever faw his face," and heard his voice !' But, Lord, what 
 
 will it be to hear thy hleired voice faying to us, '< //Wi 
 
 clone, goori nnj faithftit finanl.!, enter info 1 he joy cfmc your 
 
 Lord ■, I have kept an exacl account of all your fervent 
 
 prayers for your peop'c, of all your inflriKflive and per- 
 
 fuafive fcrmons, of all vour iigh.s and groans poured torth 
 
 before me, on behalf cf thofe whom ye would have per- 
 
 fuaded t.i be happv, but could not ! Every tear fron your 
 
 eye, and drop of fwcat from your face, Hiall now meet with 
 
 an eternal recompcnce ; you dull now find me, according 
 
 to mv proinife, not uw i^h/cous to forge/ your u-cri and 
 
 Ich'jvr and Ime." O what a maftcr do the nnniftcrs of 
 
 Chrift fervc ! Who would not facrifice all that is dear for 
 
 him, who has the afliirance of fuch tin exteeding and efrrnnl 
 
 , •n-elght of rl-.ry from him r 2. That ihe faints of Gc>d in 
 
 - heaven will know cne nnotlur there : Why clfc doth St. 
 
 Pnul here comfort himfelf, that thefe Theftalonians, m horn 
 
 he converted to Chrift, woidd be his crown of rejoicing in 
 
 the dav of Chrift ? Sordy, this mud needs fuppufe and 
 
 imply his diftinft knowledge of tlicm in that day ; if (le 
 
 did not know them, how could he rci<-icc in them : Douht- 
 
 lefs lie may allow, in that Hate, all that kn<-'wiedi:c which 
 
 is accumulative and perfeflive, wliattvi r ma) heigliten our 
 
 US. 
 
 Ohferve here, That St. Paul basing all along, in the 
 chapter before us, compared himfeif to a fender father, and 
 a nurfing mother, for his afFcd innate love unto, and his 
 folicitous concern for, thcfc Chriftian converts ; lie doth in 
 the w%>rds before w>, declare, that this conftrained abfcncc 
 trom them, occalloncd him no lefs grief than that of a 
 tender father, when bereft of his beloved children ; or that 
 «)fan inilulgctit mother, v hen the child flie loves as her 
 own fold, is taken \iolcntly from her. IVe, bretk'>-en, huhig 
 taken frcm ym \ the words iniiinate fuch a feparation as 
 death makes between a father and a child, which rends the 
 parent's heart in funder, and is like cutting oft' a limb or 
 member from his body, exqiiifitcly paintul ; intimating, 
 that the enforced abfcnce of a paftor from his beloved 
 people, though but for a lliort fcaf<in, is verv aftli£live. 
 /\h ! how heart rcndinjj; then is a total and final feparation 
 from each other, occafioned either by natural or civil death ! 
 C. St. Paul tells* them, that though perfecutors had de- 
 prived them of his bodily prefence, yet not of his heart, 
 for though not in body, yet in mind he was prefcnt with 
 them ; minifter and people, like true lovers, are prcfent 
 with each other in foul, when fcparated in body. It is a 
 lingular comfort to Chriftians under perfecuiion, that their 
 enemies can neither deprive them ot the prcftnce of God. 
 *or the prayers of their faithful minifters ; their pravcrs 
 nay meet, when their pcrfons are diftant, and they may 
 be prcfent in fpirit, in heart and affe£lion, when at the 
 ends of the earth. 3. How he exprefics his defire and 
 Tiideavour, his fervent purpofe, and fixed rcfoliiiion to 
 .'ome unto them, to fee their face, to refrcfli them, and be 
 Tcfrcflicd bv them ; / endeavoured ahurdanliy to fee your 
 face, but Sn'an hindered ; that is, his inftruments, perfe- 
 cutors, lay in wait for him, on the one hand, and caiifed 
 fomc diiTcinions in other churches, which detained him 
 from coming*to ihem ; on the other hand, Satan hindered. 
 I.tarn thence. That fuch as obltruct the preaching and 
 propagating of tlic gofpel, and perfecuie the promoters of 
 I', arc Satan's inftruments and minifters. 2. That liich 
 as do Satan's work, it is fit they fliould bear his name. 
 Thus, Rev. ii. 14. The dc^>il /hall enflftme of yu into prifon, 
 'hat is, hi« fervants : It is fit that maltcr and fervant Ihuiild 
 h.;ve both one name. 
 
 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of 
 re)oicini» ? are not even ye in the prefence of our 
 Lord jefus Chrifl at his ctmiing ? 20 Tor ye arc 
 our glory and joy. 
 
 Here in the clofe nf<he chapter', St. Paid acqu.iints the fcliciiv. and increafe out futisfaction. as ihis muft needs be 
 TlKir.ilonians with the true reafon wliv he had f.ich an allowed to do. Lord, make us f;iithJu* 10 the dtatli, taith- 
 endcuring ati'eclion for them, and fuch a ftivcnt d^;iire to *"' 
 
HAP. iir. 
 
 I. T H E'S S A L O \M A N S. 
 
 873 
 
 .'til to rhee. faithful to Oi»r own fouls, faithful to our peo- 
 ple ; and then, as thrv are now dur hope ami joy.fo will 
 they be our cr'rvn cf rejoicing in the prefence of the Lord 
 J ejus at his coming. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 WHEREFORE when we could no longer 
 forbear, we thought it good to be left at 
 Athens alone, 2 And Tent Timothrus our brother 
 and mini fter of God, and our fellow-labourer in the 
 gofpei of Chrift, to edablifh you, and to comfort 
 you concerning your faith ; 
 
 At the latter end of the foregoinfi chapter, !it.- Paul ac- 
 quainted the Theflaloniani! with his dflires ai,tl intentions, 
 to come once andajrain unto them, but wasal-vays provi- 
 denti.illy hiiuiercd. Now here he gives thfm to under- 
 lljnd, that fuch wa-. the fervour of his affcftion towards 
 them, that although he could not come, yet htr could not 
 forbtar to fend to them, thotigh he left himfelf alone, pre- 
 ferred their netelFity before his own conve niency : When 
 xve ciutd no I'jvger f'lrbear ; that is, " When I,couId no 
 longer ("atisfy my felf without knowing your ftateand con- 
 dition, Ichofe, though v.ithmuch inconvf niency to mvfelf, 
 rather to be left at Athene alone, in themidft of my afflic- 
 tions and tribulations, than that you fliould be longer 
 deftitute of one to fupply my abfenct, in oriler to your 
 confirmation and comfort." See here a fpecial inflanceof 
 miniderial love and afFection in St. Paul, preferring the 
 church's good before his own comfort, and poftponinghis 
 own convenicncy to their necelliir • thmigh I'imothv's 
 company was very defirable, very uecefluiry and ufefid for 
 him, yet he denies himfelf to i'er^'e them; Ife though it 
 good ti he left at .■Itkens ahne . Obferve. 2. The perfon 
 fent by him, Timothy, with his deft- rvpd char.itter and 
 commendation, a brother, that is, a Chriftian, a believer, 
 a brother in C'srift; a minificr of Cod. that is, a preacher 
 of the gofpei ; h\-i felh-jj-fubjurer, or one that joined heart 
 and hand with him in the preaching <rf the gofpei from 
 place to place. See here, a fpecial inftince of St. Paul's 
 aportolical care foi* the churches of Chriil, when he could 
 not vifit them in perfon, he fends to then», not any one he 
 could come ar, bjt the firteil he could get, one who was 
 nioft likely^ through God's allilbnce and blelTing, to carry 
 on the wtii k lie was fent about : J fent y^u Timotheus my 
 ir.ither, 2- The greit end for which he was fent unto 
 them ; 'It was ro confirm them, and fo comfort them ; to 
 confir/n them in the faith of GhrilV, and to comfort them 
 undrr all their fn.Terings for the death of Chrift. The 
 ftroT?-:;e(t faith needs confirmation and eflahlifhment ; and 
 it is. the n^inifters duty, in tryinjf times efpeti.illy, togu.ird 
 his^seiple's faith "jp^Mi the ftabdity whereof their ftrengih 
 an-i fafety doth depend. 
 
 .3 That no man fliould be moved by thefc afflic- 
 tions, p'or yourfelvcs know that we are appoint- 
 ed thereunto. 
 
 As if the .spoftle had faid, "Onegrear end why T have 
 fent Tiinoihy among you, is this, ltd either upon the 
 
 account of your own affl c^ions, or iny fuflferiTifrs, you 
 (hduld be moved from your ftedfaftnefs, either drawn a« 
 way by fraud or flattery, or driven away by force and ter- 
 ror ;'' that no man be moxe.l by thije afficlions. Cbfrv:, 
 alfo, The argument to confirm them in the faith, atnidft 
 all their fufferings and.affliflions, and that is drawn froTi 
 the pleafure and purpofe, the ordination and appointment 
 of God, concerning their afHirtions ; Ye yourflves kno-jj 
 that we are thereunto app'iifited. Leitrn hence, i.That 
 the bef: of faints are fubject to be moved by their afflltli- 
 ons. 2. That it is the h:gh commendation of a Chrilliaii, 
 not to fbir or be moved from his (ttdfaftnefs by the heavi- 
 eft (hork of affliction that may fall upon him ; That no man 
 may be moved by tkefe affii^ions. i<ome render the word 
 appointed, iet as a mark to befliotat; fome faints, with 
 holy Job, are fet on purpofe as a mark for the arrow of 
 affliction to be levelled at, yet then are they to keep their 
 ground, and ftand immoveable; we honour God abun- 
 dantly, when we are immoveable in our active obedience; 
 and we glorify him eminently, when we are immoveable 
 in our pullive obedience ; when we Hand to it in the midll 
 of fufferings, and are no more moved either by cosvardice 
 or impatience, than a poft that is (liot at. This is the 
 glory of a CInifli.in, and his great duty, and it is the glory 
 of God, and his certain due. 3. That believers are under 
 a divine appointment from God himfelf, to undergo trouble 
 and affliction. The ultimate dpflination of believers, is to 
 reft (God hath not appointed them unto v^rath, hut to 
 oh\»\n fiilvationj .• But the internifdiate deflinaiion of ilicin 
 is to trouble and affliftion, in order unto rtft, and to pre- 
 pare them for that refl. Seeing then that afflictions are 
 appointed to us, and we appointed to them, feeing there is 
 a decree of GimI concerning them, a decree as to the ma'ter 
 of them, as to the time of them, when they fli.illcommence, 
 how far they fliall advance, how longthty flial! continue, 
 ieeing every thing in affliction is under an appointment ; 
 how metkand humble, how patient and fiibmimve ought 
 the Chrii'iians fpirit to be under them? And with what 
 lleadinefs of expectation may and ought he to look up to 
 heaven for a fancciiied ufe and improvement of them ? Let 
 no man be tnovtd by ^^ic^i^KS, &c. 
 
 4 For verily when wcrwere witii you, we told 
 you before that we (hould fuffcr tribulation; even 
 as it came to pafs, and ye know. 
 
 Our apoflle informed the Theflilonians in the foregoing 
 verfe, withthe purpofe and degree of God conrerning the 
 afflictions which were before them 5 in this verfe he appeals 
 to themfelves, as ro liis ow nfincerity, in acqii:iinf:ngih'ni, 
 at their firft converlion, that iliey mi:fV, through tnany 
 tribulations, enter into the kingdom of God, ant! it canie 
 to pnfs acctirdingly ; u'/vji ive were with you, f,»vs I'-e 
 apoftle, ive told yiu, before it come to pafs, that -uefkouH 
 fitter tribulat: 31, and it fliorily after, ci.m'to pafsa^'e told 
 you L^arn h"nce. Tint it is the duty of the minirters 
 of Chrift to give tinriely warning of, 3n<l to acquaint youn;; 
 converts early wiih, the pleifure of God, to exercfe all 
 that belong to him with the crijfs, with variety rf afJfitr- 
 tions; t/:ah; and .'"iifLring'- befoiethcy "ji::?, that fo they . 
 5 S raay , 
 
S74. 
 
 I THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 msy not Aiimblc, nor be cflTcncfcd at thrm v»hcii thev 
 come. 1 he linrerity of our apolUe i> here very reniHi k- 
 able ; when he c^ime firft to preach the golpel at J hefl'j- 
 lomca, hi did noi flatter iheui viith the expe^aiion of an 
 r.nrrblv paradife of pleaiure, but told them plainly tliat 
 Chriftanity had a trufs attending it, that a luffering hour 
 uuald come, and they mutt expeit ii ; uihen we •w^ri-nuith 
 y-'iu, lue tt^ld y(,u that 'jji fhriuid fuffcr tribuliilion. Learn, 
 2. That when Chridians have had timely notice fiom the 
 minifters of Cuid, and from the word of God, of approach- 
 ing trial and troubles, before ihey come, they ought to 
 fore-arm themfelves, and not to faint or fitik under them 
 when they come, much lefs to forf.ike religion becaiife of 
 them, but to continue ftrdfaft. knowing that the heavier 
 the crofs is, the weightier will their crown be ; for afflic- 
 tion, there ii glory; for lightaffliclion, a weight of glory, 
 und for light isffiidJion, -which is but f(jr a m'/inent ^ a far 
 tncre exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. 
 
 5 For tliiscaufe, when I could no longer forbear, 
 I fent to know your faith, left by fome means the 
 tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in 
 vain. 6. But now when Timothcws came from 
 you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your 
 iaith and charity, and that ye have good remem- 
 brance of us always, defning greatly to fee us, as 
 wcalfo to/ecyou.: 
 
 Oh/erve here, i. One fpecial end why St. Paul fent 
 Timothy to Theflalonica, it was to know their faith, that 
 is, their coriftancy in the faith;' for he had a fear upon 
 him, left Satan the tempter had taken occafion, from the 
 prefent perfecution they were under, to turn them from 
 Chriftianity ; and that by their yielding to his temptation, 
 and apoftatizing from the faith, his labour in the gofpel 
 had been in vain amongft them. Here nnte. That the faints 
 perfecinions arc called temptations, and afcribed to Satan 
 the tempter, who, by hijminiflers and inftruments, endea- 
 vours to hinder the progrefs of the gofpel, and by perfc- 
 cutions, to terrify and turn men from the profefliou of it. 
 t/ote farther, that there is an holy jealoufy in the minds of 
 the fai'htul ininifters of Chrift, who, though they hope 
 the belt, are apt to fear the worft, with reference to the 
 poor people, left they fliould run in vain, and labour in 
 vain amongft them ; for though their labour fliali not be 
 in vain, with rtfpeft to themfelves, their reward is with 
 the Lord (the careful nurfe ftiall be paid, though the child 
 dies at the breaftj yet with refpeft to their people, they 
 may be in vain, yea worfe, for a teftimony againft them, 
 St. Mark, vi. n. Chftrve, i. How happily the apoftle's 
 fear was prevented, touchmg thefe Thiflalonians, by the 
 return of Timothy, and ihegood tidings which he carried 
 along with him, of the ftedfaftnefs of their faith, of the 
 fervency of theirchariry, of theirparticular refptd to him- 
 fclf, having always remembrance of him in their prayers, 
 and (paking a refpeclive mention of hisminifterial labours, 
 and diligence, and this always when they had occafion to 
 Ijieak of him. And laftly, By their p.iflionaie and im- 
 patient defire to fee hiBi(ro much theoriginal wordfignifies) 
 tu vhifh he .adJ^,iliat his delire was no lefs ardent to fee 
 
 them, though the providence of Cod had hitherto hinder- 
 ed hifii. Learn hence. That the bt-ft tidings w hich can ba 
 brought to (he ear of a faithful minifler of Jefus Chrift, it 
 this, '] bat his people are found and iltdfaltm the faiib, 
 maintaitiers of charity, and promoters of good work', and 
 do accotnt higlily of, and honourably e'ftcem the ininifters 
 and anili;fladors of Jefus Chritl : Tim'ilhy brcugbt ui gotd 
 iiaings of your faith, charity, and kin J remembrance (if ut. 
 learn farther. From the Thtflaloniars fervent defire to 
 fee St. PaMl, and he to fee them, that Chriftian love doth 
 earneftly long to evidence itfelf in Chriftian fellowship, and 
 paflionately deliresthc communion of faints, for the mutu- 
 al comfort and fpiritual advantage of each other; the 
 Jweeteft privilege, next to communion with God, is com- 
 munion with his faints. O! What a pleafure is it, to be- 
 hold the beautiful and blrflVd graces of the holy Spirit of 
 God, fparkling and flilning in each other, exciting and 
 quickening one another, ncc)'.iaijitingeach other with their 
 experiences, and making known to each other their grief', 
 their doubts and fearv ! No wonder then that the Thefla- 
 lonians defired fo paflionately to fee St. Paul, and he as 
 earneftly to fee them. 
 
 7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over 
 you in all our .\ffli£lion and diftrelt by your faith: 
 8 For now we live, if ye ftand faft in the Lord. 9 
 For what thanks can we render to God again for 
 you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your lakes 
 before our God ? 
 
 In thefe words, our apoftlt declares the tranfcendant joy 
 and overflowing coniVort, which was found in his loul, 
 upon the know ledge he had received of the conftancy and 
 ftedfaftnefs of the faith cf thefe TheffiiJlonians : -we were 
 comforted in in our affiiiHi'tn hy y Mr jaith : Of all comforts 
 which the people of God can afford to the minifters of the 
 gofpel, thers is none comparable with that which refults 
 from the unfainting perfeverance in the faith, and theun- 
 blameable holinefs of their life. No comfort can be greater 
 than our people's gracious derBeanour; thi' put a kind of 
 new life into St. Paul, in the nudft of all 'heforrows and 
 fufferings, the afflidiinn'; and pTfccuiioiiN he underwent. 
 Now ye live, fays he. ifyeftandfafi ;n the Lord, that is, a 
 life of joy and comfort; or, we live, that is it will be a 
 mean to prolong our life, as well as add to the comfort of 
 it; and the contrary tends to the ftionening of our days. 
 Thofe that do impair the cheerfulnefs of their minifters 
 lives, fuch as deaden their Ipirits, and break their beans, 
 by their obftinatc non coihpliance with the rule- ot the 
 golpel, are no better than murderer in the account of 
 God. If minifters may, as all other perfon* do, v;ilue 
 their lives by the joy and comfort of them, then may they 
 fay, with the great apoftle, " We live, as we fee any of our 
 people f fund feif} in the Lord; and we die, as we fee others 
 ftick tjft in their fins." Olfe've farther. How hignly 
 thankful the apoftle was to God, and what unfpeakable 
 priile he render"- to him, for adminiftering to him this 
 occafion of joy, by the conftancy and perfeverance of the 
 Chriftians faith at Theffalonica ; What thanks can vie ren- 
 der to Cod for you, and f<,r all the joy wcrcwith -we joy for 
 
 yijur 
 
Chap. 
 
 in. 
 
 I. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 87, 
 
 yturfikfi? The faithf;il miniftpps of Chrift thmk that 
 their hearts can neverfnfficienilv be carritdforih inthan- 
 fuliiefs to God, for the ticcefs of iheir lal)oiir in the lives 
 of their people : l^ha: thanks can -mc rtnJgt p AMfheh.id 
 faid, " I can never bf fuffitienily thankful, nor I can ne- 
 ver fully exprefs my thsnktulnefs to God for this honour, 
 this favour, this benefit, that any one foul Ihould be 
 brought home to G-)d by my nriinirtry, much more that a 
 Chnltian church (hould h ■ planted by my endeavours at 
 TheflTilonica ; and that Gjd (ho(tld keep them fteady and 
 ftedfall in fhuking times, and fupport them under fuch 
 persecutions and trials as would (hockanordinary patience 
 and court incy ofnmid: O! {/hat- thanks cah I render to 
 Cod for th'sjay ?" 
 
 10 N'ight and day pray injT exceedingly that we 
 Tn'i^ht fee your face, and might perfett that which 
 i* lacking in your faith. 
 
 Oh/rrvt here. How abonr^'ing St. Paul was In the duty 
 of prayer for the Theffilonians ; his prayer was afllduous 
 and conltant, night and Jay ; it imports frequency andcon- 
 ftancy in performance of the dnty. Luke iii. 37. His 
 prayer ;<lfo was very fervent and affectionate, /"rav/wi^' ex- 
 ceeJinply, pxceflivcly. as the world will bear : Spiritual af- 
 ft(ftionf are ftrong and vehement. A'o/(f iiere, the admi- 
 rable pattern which St. Paul Cets before all the bifliopj and 
 pallors of the church to ths end of the wo -Id, nimciy, to 
 be much, vei-y much in prayer, to abound m this duty. 
 Ohferve farther, The fuhjf£t matter of St. Paul's prayer, 
 Tnat he might fee their face, and p- ffi-f} vjhat -Mas yet lack- 
 ing in their filth. Here nAe, fhar St. P.iul's (horf ft.y 
 among the ThelTiIoni^ns, when he firft pl.-nted 'he gofpfl, 
 did not permit fo full and complete an explrc.ition of the 
 matters and mylleries of Chriii'ani'v, as the apoflie did 
 delire ; he therefore prays that God would brilig him again- 
 amonglt th-m, that he might fupply what was w anting iu 
 their taith.that he mi(iht inrreafe their knowledgf .cor.firm 
 theirfaith, inflame their love, excite their d.-fires, quitken 
 their endeavours, and carry on thn good work 10 perfec- 
 tion in them, of which G>jd h.id laid th-^ foundation by 
 him. Learn hence, i. That even in the faith of the molt 
 renowned, as well as of the new converted Chnlliaus, there 
 i" fome dt-ficiencv and dcfeft. 2. That one great end of 
 the fiiiBiftry of the 'a ord is, t» ht Ip faith forward towards 
 prrfeftion ; that which wa^ the iiiltrument to beget faith, 
 i* alio the mean of incre-nhiig and cottirmiiig 11, namely, 
 thi.' ordinances ot G>'d in general, and the miniltry of the 
 ■word in particular. A- faith comeih hv hearmg, (o is it 
 confirmed by he.i ring alfo : Longing t'< fc yr^ur fuce, thai 
 Wf rniijht p'-rfdf luhat is lucking in ytur faith. 
 
 11 Now God hiiiifelf and our Fafher, Itnd bur 
 Lord jefus Ghrift, dire£l our way unto you. 
 
 \fJs here,- I. An itn;4icit .ick'iov. Ifiig^m'^nt that our 
 jouina-s inttndcd, and \-iliti defigucd to be given to our 
 Inends, are not in ciir po ver; but under the direetion of 
 Cod ; we cannot vidt a li lend .when m^ pleaff-, but when 
 God vill g've US Ic-ive: ao are-not in our o vn liilpol'al, 
 but Goil's. Accordingly here, ijt. Paul be^s of Ouu 10 
 
 dired his wav iinto /Acm.that all ohrtach's and impediments 
 being removed, the providence of God might direct him, 
 as in a right l:ne, unto them, as the original word import^, 
 2. The perfons whom he directs his prayers to, for this 
 mercy, to God and Chrift. \\l\\fTe note, Thar Chrift is 
 invocated as well as the Father, he is thertfort G.)d.is well 
 as the Father ; becaiife ihi.s invocation of him by all per- 
 foils prove him omnifcient, fearching the hearts of men, 
 and all omniprefent, being with hispei.ple in all ptices; and 
 conlequently proves our Lord Jefus Chrift to be truly and 
 undeniably God. 
 
 12 And the Lord make you to increafe and 
 abound in lovcone towards anothcr.and towards all 
 men even as wc do towards you : 
 
 Still our apoflle perfeveresin pr3ycr,on the behalf of his 
 beloved rhefTalonians; and the particular mercy he prays 
 for, is, I heir abundant increafe in 1 he urate and duty of love, 
 firff amongft themfelves and theirft-IIow brethren in Chrift 
 all Chriftiansfar and near; nex' tow.irilsall men, heathens, 
 and infidels, their bi tter and bloody peifc cur ors not excepted 
 Where note, The true property of Chnftian love ; it is, 
 (i.) A brotherly .-iff tflion, which every true Chriftiari 
 chiefly bears to all his ft How-members in Chriff, for grace 
 fake; and (2.) A gracious propenfi'v of heart, which a 
 Chriftian bears for God's fakV; to all mjnki!id,\s hereby he 
 wills, and to his power procures all good for them. And 
 the Lord make you la increafe and ah' und in I ve, Sic. 
 
 13 To the end he may eUablifh your hearts un- 
 blameable in holinefs before God even our Father 
 at the coming of our Lord Jelus Chrill with all 
 his faints. 
 
 Here a particular and fpecial reafon is afllgned, why he 
 pr.Tyed fo fervently for their abounding in l:ve, namely, in 
 order to their eftablilhmeiu /n/iy//A end hoinfs ; teaching 
 u^.that as true love evidences the ct-exiftence of all graces, 
 fo it gives ffabiliiy and tftabliHinient to all graces. Ijarn 
 hence, 1. That grouthin giae is accompanied with ilabi. 
 \ny h'jlh in faith and hjlinrfi. 2. That a g^nenl av.d 
 abounding chanty, being that by which we bt-conie mot 
 like unto God, tends cxceetlinglv to our edablillunent in 
 all grace, aind renders ut iinlLimeable bf,reG'>d,ai the ap- 
 pearance of Chriff. 3. '1 hat there will be no pofTibdity 
 of appearing U'lLimeable bfforc Chr^ltai his ciming, with- 
 out the love and pr.cfice of univerfal hi lint f: in ourCbrif-. 
 liaii coiwfe. 4. That the perfect t.g < f a fiint'i grace ,,..nd 
 r(iid--'ring hnn altogether n>i/'A/r?.'».-.^/r, wiihbuf lpi>; or i'li- 
 per'fttioii in grnce and holintis, is rr-iervfd unil Cnrifl's 
 cciiiing : Then, and not till ihen, fliall our hi. lint f.-, he 
 pfrteiTrfd, our love improved to a fer.;phini's l.k^.H' Is, all 
 l)orniiig ; then ihall we obey with vigour, piaife with 
 cheerfulnefs cirlight in God alinve mevi'me, ftar hini with- 
 out toriiieint, irull him wuhoat dclpindency, ftrve him 
 wjthiMr lalTitULJe and we.Trinefs without intern, piini; or 
 diflr.ift t)n, ami be perfectly Ike untohiin, a^ wtll in lioli- 
 jielb xs in bappin* !s, ai. well m pimty as imiiionaliiy , 
 
 Crme then Lord d,\un lome^ 
 
 fji lake me ;</ to ihce. 
 
 5S.2 
 
 C H A P 
 
H-b 
 
 I, T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 C-HAP. VI, 
 
 CHAP. IV 
 
 r 
 
 Uorld: This, fay: ihecjioQie here, willpleafe God,whea 
 , /- , • -• ye abound rrnre and mere, 
 
 ■nr^mwin thercmammf, p.irt of ///:.?•/'■/■,••, ■ 
 
 ../ tnthc Thc[i.\omzn\ fcvnnldul^a and = Foryeknow the commandments we gavcyo« 
 unth -which, an with fovL-iy^eweli of invaluable ^X ^^^^ "LoxO. Jcfus. 
 
 to adorn ihcir Chnflian converfa- Hereourapoftlefubjoinsa reifon. toenforcehisforefro- 
 inji; exhortation ; what he now n quired of ihcrn, was no- 
 thing bjt what at their lirrt conver'.ion to ChnUiinity he 
 I'RTIIERMORE then wc b.-reech you, brc- |,,(i cotnmamled them, and that in the name, and by the 
 thrcn. and txliort you by tlic Lord |cfiis, that authority or Jel'ns Chrdt, to be pert"orni-d by them ; fo 
 
 that they were not his command , but Chrift's by him, 
 and, as fiich,tobe efteemed ol them. Learn hence. That 
 the ii'illruaions and rules for an holy lit'e.hiid down by 
 .he apollles before the churches, are to be lodkrd upon at 
 .he conisnandnients of Chriit, a'i being dichited by his Spi- 
 
 gracei 
 
 p'ice, thry xicre 
 
 t;on. 
 
 as)<' have tcccived of us how yc ouglu to walk, 
 aiid to p'iCafe God, fo ye would abound more and 
 nioie. 
 
 it, and delivered by his authority, and as fuch to be re- 
 
 in thcfc \vrrd5,'\e have a gener.nl exhortntion G,iven to 
 
 the Thelfalonians. That according to the dodlrine and in- ^ ., ^ .. , ^ , _ 
 
 junctions formerlv given them for .in holy converfatioii eived of them, and obeoed by thera. 
 
 imtabletothegofpel.they would makcittheircare.nd en- ^ for this is the will of God, a/n your fane- 
 
 deavour to abound more and more in theexerc'.le of piety, . o n ii in ■ r r • • 
 
 andoutaripthemfelvcsindoingtheirduty toward.Godand tificat.on, that ye Ihouldabaain from fornication : 
 
 one another : H'c kficch you, brethren, and exhort you 4 That every one of you fliould know how to pol- 
 
 hy th^ Lord JefuSjkc. Where woff, I. With whjt ^;reat ftfs his vcffcl in fanflification and honour : 5 Not 
 
 condefcenfion and carncll.icfs St. Paul .TppHes himfcif to 
 them ; he Hylesthem his brethren, and exhorts and be- 
 feeches them. The mindlers of Chrill vnuil not only be 
 teachers, but befeechers alfo, meekly and affectionately in 
 
 in the luft of concupiicence, even as the Gentiles' 
 which know not God. 
 
 This is the will ',/ God, even your fan^'Jiratinn; that if, 
 this is the will of God, eminently and eiiiphaiically revealed 
 
 ireatinirperfons to be kind to themfclves, anti comply with , , ,^, o- „,,.,-< . u ,i 
 
 their prefent duty. Yet, «i/f, 2. With what amhority he m his word, that Chnftians niould be holy an.i pure, chalte 
 
 and clean; not indulging themfelves in thofe impure and 
 filthy lufts of the flefh. fornication, and al! manner ot un-- 
 cleannefs, which the Gentiles, who knew not the trueCioJ, 
 favingly, were addicted to, and, in a moft beailly manner, 
 guilty of; but that every one Ihould know how to poflefs 
 and make ufe of his body, and all its members, as the vef- 
 fel and inftrument of the foul, in htdinefs and iionoiir. 
 
 I 
 
 backs his intreaty, he befeeches and exhorts by the Lord 
 Jefus, that is, in the name of the Lord Jthis, and by his 
 authority, and for his fake ; fo that he that ilefpifeth the 
 gentle exhortationtof Chrift'sminifters.delpifeth not men, 
 but God ; as the authority of a prince is (iefpifed, u hen 
 his m(.irai,es by his ambalTadors are rejected. 3. The ge- 
 neral and coniprehenfive duty which they are exhorted to 
 
 namely, to walk fo as to pleafe Gad in their daily conver- A'<"f here,i. How theapoftledelcendsfron. general to par- 
 fation, to be f und inthe practice of all the duties and vir- "^ular duties : He exhorted the 1 hellalonians, ver. 1 . 1.1 
 tues of a good life. Whereoh/irve, That St. Paul inthe the general, to walk lo asto pleafe God ; hereheexhorteih 
 courfe of hisminiftry, did not only explain and unfold them in particuUr, to purity and chaltity, both of heart and 
 olpel myfteries but urge and enforce moral duties : Ye life, and to watch againO all the violent eruption; of con- 
 it- rfferc;f(/!//«//!'o-.wje om^/;/ /o -.Wi. This muft be a cupifceuce in their earthly members, ; teaching us, that the 
 minifter'scare.to acquaint his people,rhat as the privileges Hiiniflers of God mult not faiisfy themlclves with giving 
 of Chrlftianitv are very great, fo the duties it requires are general exhortations to a good life, but mult treat of par- 
 Arict and exact ; and ihofe which we call mora!duties,arc licular fins and duties, and aideavour to put men upon tiie 
 an integral part of our religion ; he that is not a moral pradice of the one, and to reclaim them from the other ; 
 man is no Chriftian ; let us pre.ich and prefs fecond- table thus doth our apoftlc here. 2. The particular duty ex- 
 duties, with arguments drawn from the hrft, namely, that honed to, fanftihcation ; a comprehenfive word, and of 
 they be performed in humble obedience to the command large extent ; in the general, it conliftsin a conformityof 
 of God, and with a llngle eye at the glcry of God, .ind our natures to the nature of God, and of a conformi.ty ol 
 from an inward principle of love to God, and then we cm . our lives to the will of God. In particular, fai.d.ficaiion 
 never preach up morality too much, nor our people prac- here ftands in oppofnirn to all bodily undcannef-, as the 
 life it too much. Lailly, The apoRle exhorts them to next words do plain'y (lie w,r/»d/jfy7j(;//W ^;/;/?rt;« /row /sr- 
 abound more and more, that is in grace and hoiinefs ; nicaticn, that all filthincfs and uncleannef. conirary to 
 Chrilluns are to be thankful for, but not fatisfied with, chaftity; intimating to us,that as there are noliiu that hu- 
 their prefent nieafures of grace received ; God allows u.s man nature is more inclined to, than the lufts ot the flem; 
 libeiMytoenlar'rfourd.firesafteraiiabnndanceofhisgrace fo there are do fins that a Chriflian Ihould more guard 
 an.' happy is it°Ahere there is found an holy covetoufnefs againft.and ftrive to mortify and fubdue.as being contrar--- 
 goioi- along with the grace of God,as there isan infatiable to that purity of nature .'.nd life which the goiptl direct . 
 fuvet'oufnefs gcing along with the gold and treafureofthis and the holy Spirit alfifts, unto. 7,. The argument which 
 
 our apoftle here ufcs to enforce his exbortajon to purity 
 
 and 
 
 1 
 I 
 
ClIAl'. iV. 
 
 r. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 ^n 
 
 and ho!inef», This Is the •wUI of GcJ: it is both the com- 
 mand of God that we (iiniil.i be holy, and the will of God 
 to make us holy ; new the iignification of Cod's will nui.'.ht 
 to be a fiifficieiit inducement to us to defire it, and endea- 
 vour after it. This is the vjill of God, even ytur funHifi- 
 ralior., &c. 4. The remedy prefcribed againft all bodily 
 uncleannefj, and that is, a careful prcfervinj; the velTcrl of 
 the body free from all flelhly pollution, and in that mea- 
 I'ure of purity and chaflity which is fuitahle to the honour 
 put upon it by God, in being made a temple for the Holy 
 Ghoft, That ivn-y onejkould know h'nu to p'lffys hisveffi-l in 
 far.Sfificathn ar.d'innour. Where ohferve. The title given 
 to our body, it is called a v<y/t/; it is, firft, the Spirit's 
 vefTtl, he refides in it as in his temple ; and accordingly, it 
 fcems to be an allufion to the confecrated vefTels of tlie 
 temple, in which a more than ordinary cleanHefs, and pu- 
 rity was found : Secondly, It is the foul's veflel, it is its 
 vciTel or receptacle, in which for a time, it is preferved ; 
 and it is the initruinent of the foul, by which it afts and 
 perforins its office and fun<flion. Nosv, it is every perfon's, 
 every min and woman's duty, topoflefs their body, and to 
 be mafters of it, not to be pofTelTed by it, or enflaved to it, 
 but to keep it in fuhjeftion to^ and as the inftrument of the 
 foul; the body is God'scurious wotkmanfhip, it is Chrift's 
 precious purchafe, it is the foul's receptacle, it is the Holy 
 Ghoft's temple : therefore, to be kept holy, pure and clean 
 like the confecrated velTeh of the temple. 5. Our apoftle 
 exhorts the Theffalonians, not only to abllain from the 
 outward att of uncleannefs, but to mortify and fnbdue the 
 inward litjr of concupifcsnce, ver. 5. or, as the word figni- 
 fies, the feverilh fit, or violent palfion of burning defire, 
 ■which bi'ileth within, through all the members of the bo- 
 dy without. There is a divine art in the exercife of chal- 
 tity, and no fmall fkill required to keep a man's foul and 
 body free from flelhly uncleannefs ; in order to which, in- 
 ordinate defires mull be refifted, the outward fenfes guard- 
 ed, enticing and enfnaring objffts avoided, wanton com- 
 pany declined, meat, drink, and ileep, foberly ufed, our 
 lawful callings diligently followed, the firlt motions to un- 
 cleannefs fupprtlTed, prayer to God renewed ; and, if 
 thefe prevail not, msrriage, God's fpecial remedy, holily 
 made ufe of. Thus maj Chrirtians poffffs their vejjcls in 
 fan^ification and honour, not in the lufls of concupifcence. 
 
 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his bro- 
 ther in any matter ; Becaul'e that the Lord is the 
 avenger of all luch, as we alfo have forewarned voii 
 and tellified. 7 For God hath not called us unto 
 uncleannefs, but unto holinefs. 8 He therefore 
 that defpifeth, delpifeth not man. but God, who 
 hath alfo given unto us his holy Spirit. 
 
 Here we have another pofitive duty prefFed upon the 
 Theflalonians, in which a great part of their fanaification 
 or holinefs would difcover itfclf, namely, juftice and equity 
 in all their dealings, man with man. Theffalonica was a 
 city of great trade and mprch.mdife ; therefore, the apof- 
 tle directs them, in their trafJlcand commerce, neither by 
 fraud nor force, to over reach and go beyond one another : 
 And the apoftle faying, Let none go beyond or defraud his 
 
 brother, that is, his fellow Chriflian, doth not fuppcfe it 
 lawful to defraud filch as were not their brethren, but on- 
 ly let them fee, that for Chrillians to defraud and che.it, 
 to over-reach and go beyond one another, wcnld be a very 
 great aggravation of their crime, feeing the laws of their 
 religion, as well as the light of nature, condemns all fucli 
 injuftice and dilhonefty; And accordingly, ihe aimllle adds 
 a rcafon to enforce his exhortation, drawn frrni the dread- 
 ful effect of all fuch (ins ; namely, that it eypofes and lays 
 open the guilty perfon to the direful vengeance of God : 
 The Lord is the avenger of all fuch. Learn hence, j. That 
 the wifdom of God has varioufly difpenfed the gifts of 
 providence to mankind ; to fome more, to others lifs ; to 
 fome in one kind, in others in another; fo that iiic'n can- 
 not live without mutual commerce one with another. 2. 
 That there is luch a covetous and infatiable defire of 
 wealth in the heart of man, that little regarding the mea- 
 fure of worldly things, which God has difpenfed unto him, 
 he lies at catch to take all advantages of his neighbour in 
 matters of commerce, and, by defrauding and over-reach- 
 ing him, feeks to encreafe his own worldly eftatc with im- 
 pairing of others : Let no man go heyor.d his brother : The 
 apoftle by forbidding this evil, plainly fuppofes man to be 
 very prone and ready to fall into it. 3. That the fin of 
 injuftice in traffic and commerce, is fo very heinous in the 
 fighfof God, that fuch men as are guilty of it, without 
 repentance, muft never expedt to efcape the vengeance of 
 God, either here or hereafter; God is the averager of all 
 fuch. Ohferve next. The reafon urged by St. Paul to en- 
 force his foregoing exhortations to purity and juflice. 
 The firft is taken from the defign of God in their voca- 
 tion ; when called out of their heathenilh flate to Chrif- 
 tianity, they were called not to uncleannefs, but out of un- 
 cleannefs to holinefs. The fecotui is taken from the iiein: 
 oufnefs of their fin who fhall defpife or reject the com- 
 mands here given for holinei's and fanftdication : ke ihiX 
 defpifeth, defpifeth not man, but Cod : To defpife the mini- 
 fterofGod in a command which he delivers from God, 
 is to defpife God himfelf; the ?poftle gave thefe com- 
 mands by the direftion of the holy Spirit, which was ^'w- 
 en him for that end: Who had alfo given unto his Spirit : 
 Therefore, fays he, ke thai dcfp'ifeik, &:c. Where note. 
 That although the reafon here given, why fuch as defpif- 
 cd the apoftle, defpifed God himfelf, be peculiar to St- 
 Paul, who had the holy Spirit to guide him infallibly; yet 
 fo far as the ordinary minifiers of Chrift do follow the 
 apoftle's fteps, and deliver noihing but what is agreeable 
 to the word of God, the contempt of their meflage is a 
 defpifing of God himfelf. 
 
 9 But as touching brotherly love, ye need not 
 that I write unto you : For ye yourlelves are taucht 
 of God to love one another, lo And indeed yc 
 do it towards all the brethren which are in all Ma- 
 cedonia. But we bcfeech\ou, brethren, that ye 
 ■ncrcafe more and more; 
 
 Our apoftle proceeds from an exhortation to chaftityanij 
 jufticc, to prefs -hat of love, called here hr<.therly l.ve. be- 
 eaufe it has all Chriftians, all our fellow-members in Chrift 
 for its objecl; and he perfuades to the pradicc of it br a 
 
 wiurii o 
 
87S 
 
 I.^T HESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chap iv. 
 
 winning infi'itiation, that he need not fay ni'ich upon this 
 ar'^iini'-iit, bfc:iufe they were Liuirht of Chh\, th.it is, by 
 the golpel of God, and inniionceJ by ihe Spirit ut G jd. to 
 love on? another. And »!</lrv^ we f^irthcr, The exren- 
 fivenefs of their love, it was not confined to 3 pjfty. only 
 lutbeaiirt ThefTdonica, but throughout all Micedonia ; 
 however, he delires ihern to extend it rtiU firtlier, to a- 
 bound mff and mtn ; thjt U, li' ft, in il»e extent of it, L^t 
 it reach not only the faints throu;»hout all Vlicedonia, but 
 even to them it the enJ> of the earth : Secondly, In the 
 nienfurc of it, to excel even ihenifelves in the degree^of 
 their love. Ij-am hence, That neither brotherly Im^, nor 
 any other Chnitun grace, doth advance to fuch an height 
 in anyfjint here, hut it is (hll capable of farther augmen- 
 tation and increafe, both intenlively, by advancing to far- 
 ther mfafures, and hi^^her degree, of perfection, and ex- 
 teiifively, reaching to more objeds, who ought to be fliar- 
 erb in our love. 
 
 ti And that ye ftudy to be quiet, and to do 
 your own bufincls. and to work with your own 
 hands, as we com ma tided you; 
 
 It is fnppiTcd by fome, th.it the chirity and bounty of 
 thefe 1 htflalonians. nuiiiioned in the foregoing verfes, 
 occifioned loine pcrfons to be idle and carry tales from 
 houle to houfe, Ictking by fuch flatteries and inluiuations 
 to maintain ihemleh'es without working; the apoftle 
 therefore commands every man to work at fome calling, 
 thjt they neither b'.' a burden to the church, nor give a 
 fcjndal to the htathcn. Study to be quiet, that is, to be of 
 a ptaceald- fpirit and temper; and the original word im- 
 ports an iimbitidus llndy ; it ou^ht to be our ambitious 
 dffire to live qineily .i«d peaceably with all men ; and to 
 Yne fo w iih foiiu men w ill require ft'id", and earneft en- 
 deavour: If'tt oe poJJ:hlc- live peaceably with all mm. fays 
 St Paul, Rom xii. 18. Implying, th it there are fome 
 men thai it is inip<>(fiblf tc live pt accably with ; and w here- 
 as he adds. </o/«;^' o«r o« bi-linrfs, and 'lunrking lurlh uur 
 cwn tiinJs ; thit apolh'l csl ii junction rt-qijires, that every 
 ptrfoii b' well fniplo\ ed, and fiHi.id in ihe way of an ho- 
 ntft and iiidnftiioii: dilig^ence for no man is fent into the 
 world to be ullt ; .:i.d as it i^ every man's doty, fo it is 
 alfo his privilfiri , to have acjiling; the want of which 
 cxpofo to innuiin rablt teinptaiicns, for the devil finds an 
 idU per (on a'w ays re;idy to / U'l of h's errand. 
 
 12 That wc may walk honeftly towards them 
 that are without, and that ) c may have lack of no- 
 thing. 
 
 Uur aprftle h.nvinp exhorted 'he Thc'(r,.Ion''ans to in- 
 dnlliy ai'd thlgime in the fi.r. ,i.-ing verfe. h** j rtlTes it 
 uith a dculile arptimenr in tlii verle. 1. Hereby they 
 ihouhl waVk hojitlHy lov. ards ihi m are without, iliai is. in 
 a decent and fecrnly manner in ht-'eyesof untop.veried 
 Pagans, who arc faid to be wiihont, b'-c.^ufe without the 
 pale of the vilible church; aiti, 2. Btcaufe, by God's 
 bleffing upon their induflry, tluy «oiild a: tain 10 fuch a 
 compeieiuy of the thirg, of this life, as to lack ncihing 
 which the sMfil<"m of God ^i-^ fit i-nd toiivenii nt for tl f m ; 
 fo that by indullrious diligence we picale God, we profit 
 
 ourfelves, are ferviceable fo the public, we fd' nee and 
 flop the miiiths of the enemies of religion, and beautify 
 our profcHion with a becoming conver]aiion. 
 
 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, bre- 
 thren, concerning them which are adcep. that ye 
 lorrow not even as others which have noiiopc. 
 
 Our apoftle, from this verfe to the end of the chapter, 
 exhorts the rhelTdonians to m'xierare their grief and for- 
 row for their friends who died in Chrilt, mony of which, 
 no doubt, were mart>r> for the truth in thofc davs of per- 
 f cution : He livs down many coiifjlatory arguments, as 
 fo m.inv fovereign antidotes againfl immod. r.ite forrow 
 for the dea^h of piou. relations; and, fiift, he acq'tnints 
 them, thjt fuch forrow as is exceflive, would be mure like 
 Pigans than Chrifti.iiH, who mourn without hope of any 
 I'fc after this, that is, of a rcfurrec^ion from the grave 
 and a ftite of future immortality. Our apoftle cloth not 
 forbid forrow for the dead abfolutely, which Chrlft (hew- 
 ed for L ijirus, and the church fo' Stephen, but it is ex- 
 ceflive lorrow only th.nis here condemned. Learn hence, 
 I. That all forrow for the death of friends is not unlaw, 
 ful, or forbidden toChrilHans; theChriftian religion doth 
 not deftroy natural afFections, but teaches u^ to moderate 
 them. 2. T hat there is a mighty difference between the 
 Chriftian's forrow for the dead, and theirs who are (irjn> 
 gerf to Chrillianity : The forrow of the heathen was ex- 
 travagant and exceflive in the meafure, foolifh, cruel, and 
 impious in the manner ; they tore their hair, beat their 
 breafts, cut their flefh, artd ran howling up and down in 
 the mofl defperare manner : Bat the chriflian forrow is 
 fober, moderate, filent, free from oftentatJoii, under the 
 government of reafon and religion. 3. That the belief 
 of a future ftate, and the hope of a joyful refutrec'tion, is 
 the caufe of this great diflference; it is ignorance of the 
 happinefs of glorified faints in heaven, which is the cauie 
 of our inwiiodf rate forrow for their death, here on earth. 
 
 14 For if we believe that Jefus died and rofe 
 again, even fo them alfo that fleep in Jefus will 
 God bring with him. 
 
 St. Paul having, in the foregoing verfe, difluaded from 
 immoderate griif and forrow for the death of relations, 
 comes now to lay down feveral conlidt-raiions or confoU- 
 tory argument in order to it. The firit word of comfort 
 is this, That our relations over whom we mourn, are but 
 fallen aflecp ; the grave is a bed, in which the (aint is laid 
 to rf ft, his body refts in » bed of duft, as in a fafe andcon- 
 fecraied dormitory, till the morning of the refurreiiion : 
 And, if thf night be long, the mmninfr "ill be the more 
 joytius. The fecoiid comfort i>, they fleep m Jefus, that 
 is, in union with Jefus, a? members of ni.s luidy ; in the 
 faiih of Jefus that is, in fuch a belief of the doctrine of 
 Chrift, a^ is accompanied wiih an h<dy obedience to the 
 commands of Chrilt. The third confolaiory word isihi<:, 
 God will come, th"t is, to judgment and when he co;netb,. 
 will bring his fltcping faints wiihhini, that ij, he will briiij» 
 th' ir (onis from heavt n their bodie."^ from ihe jirave. Body 
 and fuul united he iJialltakc up tuhimftlf unto ihecluuds, 
 
 ani. 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 I. T H E S S A L O N I A N S, 
 
 5/9 
 
 jTiW ihen carry all hU faintsback with him into heaven. A 
 fciirth, 1^ this, our rrlatioii<. arc not alone in death ; Jtfus 
 died; the Captain of our fa) vation marclied before us through 
 the bluk reg, ons of dfath and ihe grave, and ha^ perfu- 
 med the bed .-^f thtgr.ive, by hisownlyiiig 'n it. AV.'here, 
 Thcapollle fays Jefu^ ditd, the faints fleep; a btiiever's 
 deat!i:ic.illedj fleep ; I do iiotfiid thjt Chnd'sdeatii is cal- 
 led a fleep, no itis "..IS dea^ili inderd, death with n curie in it: 
 B.u the believer's death is turn'd by Chrift into a fweet 
 and fii.-nt fleep. Again, Jf fu!> died and rofe ai;ain ihat is 
 a ,. .inforting confidcration, he was Lid, but not !oft in the 
 prave ; he rufe by iiis own power, he role as our Head and 
 Reprefentafi\e, and .^ccord nglv, ail nis faints are rifeii in 
 hiin, and (hall rife atier bun ; oecauje 1 live, fays Chrift, 
 you lh:.ll i.vealf'j. 
 
 15 Fir this we fay unto you by the word of th^ 
 Lord, that wo which are alive <<nd remain unto the 
 cornin,^- of the Loid (hall not prevent them which 
 are aflcsp. 
 
 In ihis k-ei fe St. Paul obviates an objection : Some might 
 fav, iliat the f.iin.s found alive at the lail day might be 
 fooner happy than the dead faints ; no, lays the apoftle, 
 they tiiar are alive (hall not prevent theni th.it fleep, they 
 fhall not prevent their riling. nur Ihall 'hty get the ftart of 
 them or get to heaven one moment b::fjri them. Lfarn 
 hence, That the refurreifkcm which the laint, ihatfleepin 
 Jelii (hall be made p.irtikers of.lli 11 put tliem into as full 
 a cap. city of die glory of C hrift's comuig, as if they had 
 remain d ^I've in tiie body, till that blefled hour ; Nay, 
 the dead in thrift fhall rife firft, that is, the faints who 
 fleep in the grave at Chrill's coining, fhall be fo far from 
 being m:de iefs happy or later happv.ihan the (aints who 
 ftiall be ton :id alive, that they fliall be firft remembered ; 
 Clirift's firft care v\ ill be about his dead iaints ; they that 
 have flppt folong in their b.'-d of dull lh,.ll be firft awakened, 
 before any thing be done .ibout thtm that never flept ; if 
 there be any privilege, anv joy, anv triumph, greater than 
 other' ,fiv:h as fleep in Jffus and ei^ecally foth as have 
 fuiferedfiirj.fo-, (ha'l tiep.rtaker- of it at that great day. 
 
 16 For the Lord hinifelf fhall defcend from heaven 
 with a fhout, with ihe voice of an archangel, and 
 with the trump of God: aiadthe dead in Chrift fhall 
 rife firfl : 
 
 Thefe words gives us tlie ..(rur.ince of the certainty of 
 Chrift's fecoiid coming, and of ihe folenm manner of it, 
 and the conftquence ot it. Cbfitve, i. The certainty of 
 our Lord's coming -, The Lr,t d himfelf Jhull defcend from 
 heaven ; that is, the Lord Jeliis, the Mediator ; he will 
 not depute an angel, but dt Iccnd him'Vlf,t<i finifli that laft 
 part of his mediatoriil office. Chrift w ill come pcrfor.ally, 
 for thejudgment will Iv. m. iijg-d viuhly ; and for the 
 rccompence of his abaiement, It if rrqiiifite that he that 
 was judged by the world, fliould cnme and judge the world 
 Realbn fays, he may comr .;nd judge the world, for he 
 made it ; faith fays, he mull and {\\A\ come to judge the 
 world, for he has promiled it, John xiv. 2. Let us then 
 
 keep up our faith, and our faith will keep up our hearts. 
 
 2. Ihe awful and folemn manner of our Lord's coming, 
 and that is threefold : fi ) He fhall defcend with aflioiit; 
 the original word figmfiis fuch a fliout is heard among 
 feamen when they defcry the haven, and with united voi- 
 ces cry out, " A Ihore, a fliorc." (i.j With the voice 
 of an archangel ; probable it is, tiiat Chnft himfelf IImU 
 give the word of command, both to the quick and dead, 
 to appear before hiiii, and that hisconim.md (h .11 be pro- 
 claimed by an archangel. (3 ) With the trump of God \ 
 the angel's proclamation (hall be confirmed by the found of a 
 trumpet, which will be heard far and near, even by thofe 
 who are in the jrraves, and in the depth of the i'ea. l.eorn 
 hence. That ou'- Lord's fecund ctuning at the great day, 
 to judge the quick and the dead, (hall be attended with 
 fuch folemnity, that all the terror, majtfty, ai.d dreidful 
 reverence, which has been ever f.cn upon the earth, fliall 
 fill infinitely fliort of it. Great was the terror on mount 
 Sinai, at the giving of the l.iw, and the difobeyers of his 
 gofpel. Ohferve, 3. The blelTed conftquence of his coming' 
 namely, the relurrcdion of his fairts : 'The di ed'tn Chrijt 
 
 PjjII rije fir/} ; the faints (hall rife wiih tiie very lame bo- 
 dies which they laid do vn in th^ grave ; and ihey fhall 
 rife firft, that is , before th.ife who are alive fliall be chan- 
 ged : Though it is verv probable that there will be 
 no confiderable difference ot time between the glor ficatiou 
 of the raifed faints, and thofe thai are alive at Chr:ft' com- 
 ing, yet it fccm'i evident, that ih- dead faints (h.ill be 
 raifed, and in their bodies be glor.fied, before thciu that 
 are alive fhall be changed. 
 
 17 Then wc which are alive and remain, fliall be 
 caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet 
 the Lord in the air ; and fo fhall wc ever be with 
 the Lord. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The triumphant afcenfion both of the 
 living and fleeping iainrs, together into the cloud- ; We 
 -Mb'ich are alive Jhull be caught up togther ■u:''h tntii inta 
 the clouds. This arcenfion (lull be cif clt-ti by the po ver 
 of Chrift, by the miniftry of angeU-, ami by ;he fp^tiiuality 
 of the faints own bodies. Leurn hence,'! hat the delcent 
 of the faints of GoJ into tlie grave, is not with (o much 
 weaknefs, ignominy and abatement, as their afcentafier ihe 
 refurrect'.on, to meet their Lord in the air, fliall be with 
 powder, triumph, and glory ; Chrift fliall draw them clouds 
 (hall carry them, angels (hall conduJl then. Ohjerve, 2. 
 The blefled meeting of all the (sinis together in ime body 
 to take their flight together to meet the I^ord Jefu^ who 
 comes from the third heaven to meet them in the lower 
 region of the air, when Chrift will own (hem in their 
 perfons, own them in their fervices, own ihem in their 
 fufFeringf, and ibcy Ihall receive their full and fi.ial bene- 
 diction from the me.uth of Chrift, and takt an everlafting 
 pofleflion of the heavenly kingdom, together with Chrift. 
 
 3. The faints cohabitation and ftllowlh'p with Chrift, 
 together with its extent and duration, th'.y fliall ever be 
 with the Lord; this implies the faints prefence with Chrift, 
 
 liieir 
 
f,So 
 
 T. T H. E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 Chap. \' 
 
 tlieir wifion anJ Ck^Ut of him.iheir fruicion and enjoyment 
 of him, their delfifiaiion in him, iheir conl'orfiiiiy to l)i!ii. 
 J.earn hence, Thatihe top and litightof the I'dinrs bleffed- . 
 iiefs in heaven confifts. in this, thut they (hull for ever be 
 there with Chr it. 
 
 18 Wliercf'ore comfort one another with thcfe 
 words. 
 
 That is, draw nsttcr of confoLition to yourfelves from 
 the foregoing conliderations, againft the hfs of your de- 
 ceafed friends ; intimating, that the bell and ciuiicell of 
 comforts, fur fupporting ihe fpiriis of men under .nfflictions 
 in genK.al, and the lofs o^ dear relations in particular, are 
 drawn from the holy fcriptiires ; comf^,rl one another \v:th 
 thefe words, that is, with fuch fpiritual words as he had now 
 written. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Our ap:^ftle having, in the foregoing chapter, treated 0/ 
 ChnJi'sfecorJ ccmipg to p.tdgjneni, in this he makes it 
 his biijinefs to put all per Jons upon the praBice and per- 
 Jorvmnce of fuch duties as would prepare and fit them for 
 that folcmn time. 
 
 BUT of the times and the feafons, brethren, ye 
 have no need that I write unto you. 2 For 
 yourfclves know pcrfcftly that the day of the Lord 
 i'o Cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they 
 fiiall fay, Peace and fafety, then fuddcn delhuflion 
 Cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with 
 child ; and they Ihall not cfcapc. 
 
 As if our apoftle had Paid, " Although I have told you 
 that there ■-'ill be .1 gener.)l rcfurrection and future judg- 
 ment, when Chrifl will certainly come iri the clouds, and 
 every eye /hall fee hint, yet 1 fuppofe you do not expetfl 
 that 1 Ihnuld write to you of the particular time of his co- 
 ming; for you have been told,that his coming will be like 
 the coming of a thief.without warning, and without noife, 
 when perfons are molt fccure, leaft fulpectiiig, andwholly 
 unprovided for it; yea, as the pains of a woman in travail, 
 which .ire unavoidable ; the thief may perhaps not come, 
 but the pains of child-birth mull come, and alfobe painful 
 when they come." J.earn hence, i. That the wifdom of 
 God has thought fit to conceal and keep fecret the deter- 
 minate time c^f Chrilt's coining to judgment, and yet there 
 ssan itching curiolity in man's nature tofearch and pry iiuo 
 that profound fecret, though the knowledge of it is not 
 only iinpollible, but would prove unprofitable and hurtful 
 to mankind, nijkingthe world fecure and carelefs ; where- 
 as. not knowing the hour w lien our Lord comeih,it (hould 
 oblige us to be upon our watch every hour. Nute ihen, 
 'i'hat t)ur f^oid will certainly come at one hour or other, 
 but at wliat hour he will come connot certainly be known 
 yet there i:> no hour when we can proiuife ourfelves that 
 lie will not come. iVj^c- laftly, That the p.iiii and forr»w, 
 the trouble and horror, which the day of the Lord will 
 bring upon Inch as .ire unready and unprepared for it.r.o 
 touj^ac cju utier, no he.u't can conceive ; the greattll of 
 
 e^nlily and bodily tormenrs.and rorrows,fuch as the pangs 
 ola woman 'n travail, being but vxeakHiadovis and /lender 
 rFpret'entation!. of it, the day of the Lord comcth as tra" 
 Vciil iifijn d ■women wilh child, and tbcyflmll not e/cape. 
 
 4 But ye brethren, are not in darkiicfs, that that 
 d.iy fhould overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye arc all 
 the children of light and the children of the'day ; we 
 are not of the night, nor oi darknefs. 
 
 .Vn/f here, The wifdom and holy caution of onr apoflle 
 in his application to the Thtfl'aionians ; he had in the fore- 
 going verfesalTerted the certainty and fuddennef^ofChrid's 
 coming, namely, to deflroy Jerufdlem, aiid to judge the 
 world. Now, left ihefe Chriihans Ihould be terrified in 
 their minds, and fhaken with apprehenlions of fear from 
 that fudden dcltruction he had meniioned, he cafts in a 
 feafonable word of comfoi there in the words before Ui, 
 alTuring them th;it were fincere ChrilHans amongft them, 
 that how iudden foever the coming and appearance of 
 Chrill might be, yet it (hould not finxl rheni unready and 
 unprepared for it, becaufe they were not in darkntf',, but 
 in the light, and were trot children of the nighi,biit of ihe 
 day ; that is, they were not now in a (fate of heathenifm, 
 but Chriftianity ; they were not any longer in their grois 
 and natural ignorance of God, as they were before con- 
 verrion,l)ut they were the children of the light and of the 
 day ; living and walking in the light of the gofpel,and in 
 all liolinefsof converlation. Zrarn hence, that as (Incere 
 Chridians are freed from the grnl's darknefs ot theirnatural 
 flate,fro'n the darknefs and ignorance of (in, and do walk 
 in the light of an holy converlation fo t'leir know li-dgeand 
 practical holinefs will be a good fecuriry agjinft the ter- 
 ror of furpriling affliclions, and particularly againll the 
 dread and terror of the day of judgment. 
 
 6 Therefore let us not flecp as do others ; but 
 let us watch and be fobcr. 7 For they that fleep, 
 fleep in the night ; and they that be drunken, are 
 drunken in the night. 8 But let us who are of the 
 day be fober, putting on the bre.iR-plate of faith 
 and love, and for an helmet, the hope of falvation : 
 
 The apoflle having aequainted the ThelTiIonians with 
 the privilege of their converted (late, that they were the 
 chiliireii of liie light, having received a light of know- 
 ledge, a light of grace and holinefs, and a light of joy and 
 coiiifi>rt from t!ie goi'pel, he comes next to infer the duties 
 proper and fuitable to perfons in fuch a (late; Firfl, Nega- 
 tive, Lei ui not Jletp as do others ; (lecp is not proper f<ir 
 the day, but the night ; the flecp here iutendcd, is the 
 fleep if (in, andof finfnl fecuriiy, whereby a's the (piriuiai 
 (cnfesof a man are bound up, (0 that he is both unapsrc- 
 henlive ofhio duty, and regardlel's of his danger. Sjtoudly, 
 Poliiive, Lit Hi w.itch and he fotur ; that is, let ui be al- 
 w.iys rcsdy and prepared for Chrifl's coming ; and that 
 we may be ("0, Jet us be found in the daily exercife of 
 fobiiety, at no time overcharged with forfciiing aid 
 drunkennefs, and at that day overtake ns unaware? ; the 
 exercife of thefe two graces, warchfulnels and fobriety.do 
 bell together, and can .horoly be iVpara ted one from another; 
 he that ii not i'obcr, cannot be watchful ; and hcihat is 
 
 t*«<t 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 I. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 881 
 
 not watchful, can never be ready for Clirilt-s coming : 
 Let US therefore (fjys the apoltle) zuatcb ami he fober. 
 Ohfcrve next, Our anoflle fubjoins a reafon to enforce his 
 exhortation to vvatchtiilnefs and fobriety, becaiifc Deep and 
 (Iriniicennefs arc works of darknefs, performed in the night, 
 ami not fiiitable for the children of the day : They that 
 Jli'cp, flffp i'l the n!rht \ and they that are ttrunk, arc drunken 
 ill the r.ight. The old heathens iiad thtir Bacchanalia, 
 their drunken fenfts in the night ; and in the r.poRles' limes 
 drunkcnncfswaj fo Oiamcful a \ ice, that men were alhamcd 
 to be fcen drunken in the day-time : But, Lord, to what 
 an height of impudence is the intemperance of our age 
 arrived, when Chrillianpbluni not to do that at mid-day, 
 which heathens were aflumcd of at midnight ! Objervi 
 farther, Another rcaft)n fuggeitcd why we lliould be thus 
 lober and watchful, namely, bccaufe our lite is a fpiritual 
 warUre: It is now a time of fighiing, therefore not of 
 flecping, and intemperate eating and drinking ; fol Hers 
 ninit be upon thtir guard and well armed; accordingly St. 
 Paul direfts to the two principle pieces of fpiritual arrnour, 
 foguartlthe moll noble and vital parts, n.imely, the head 
 and the heart ; the helmet for ihe head, the breaft-plate 
 tor the heart \ for thcfe two being the chii.f fountains of 
 lite and fcnfation, the preferring of thcni fafe, is, in cfieJV, 
 the prcferving of the whole man; and accordingly the 
 fokliers that were upf)n their watch, and kept ceniinel, 
 never itood without their helmet .ind breaft-pliie. In 
 ailufion to which, oiirapolUe here direds iis, asChrifliaii 
 foldiers, to put on the breail- plate of taiih andloxe, and 
 for an helmet, the hope of falvaiion, vviihout which we 
 can never be rightly and duly prepared for our fpiriiual 
 ^v3^fare• Kctc here, Of what admirable ufe, faiih, hne 
 and hope; are to a Chrillian ; faish fonificsagainlldellruc- 
 tive temptations, love will prefcrvc fiom apoRnfv and re- 
 ^"hine, and hope will be of univerfal ufe unio us in the 
 exercifes of o*r Chriilian courfe ; it will l-c a cordial to 
 comfort us, a fpiir to quicken us, a Itafl' to fiipport us, a 
 bridle to rellrain us, an helmet to defend us : Therefore 
 Ut us Vjh'j are if ihe day be foher, £cc. 
 
 9 For God hath not appointed us to vvrnth, bat 
 to obtain lalvation by our Lord Jetus Clirifl, 10 
 Who died for us; that whether we wake or deep, 
 vve fhould live tOTcther with him. ii Wherefore 
 comfort yourfelvcs together, and edify one another, 
 even as alio ye do. 
 
 Ohfcrve here, I. A reafon enforcing the apofil'."? cxhor- 
 t,ni(>n to hi'lincfs of ufe, I'lr or hecanfe, God lias ivj 
 Cl>t>iir,i:d us to wrath', hut to obtain Jidl-'ili;ii bv frju^ ChriJL 
 A i!/^ here, ;. What a Chriftian is not appointed to ; he 
 is not appointcid to wrath. 2. What he is appointed to, 
 miiifly, to obtain f.dvation. 3. The means by vvhi>ni a 
 Cliriltiin doth obtain filvation, and that is by our Lord 
 Jufus Chrill. Lfam hence, That God's orcinaiion and 
 appointment of u- to lappincfs and falvaiion, doih not 
 dilcharge us from care auvl cndavunx after the pra<ftice of 
 iniiverfal hoiinef ; it is thegrtatcll piece of t(.lly imaginable, 
 irom the appointment of the end, to inter the refofal or 
 neglell of tlic nuaas. Learn, 2. That our I.ord Jcfus is 
 
 the perfon appointed by God the Father, Iiy whom alone 
 all btlievcr'. (hall obtain falvation. -5. That nothing ihort 
 of the death of Chrift was fnfficient to ptirchafe falvation 
 for us, ire obtain fahalioti by Jefiis {.hrifl, ivl?o died fir 
 us. 4. That the great end designed by "Chrill in dying 
 for us, was our living to him, in order to our living uiiii 
 him ; a life of grace on earth, is our evidence for a hfe of 
 glory in heaven ; ivhielltcr ivc luah t>r fleep, ive fhould live 
 toeetiier iviih hi>n. Obfrrve lallly , The great and important 
 duty which he exhorts the Tlidfalonians to perform mu- 
 tually 10 each other, and that is, to comfort thendelvcs 
 together with this hope, and to edify and bt.iid up one 
 another in faith and holinefs ; whcrcfcre covfrl ycarfelves 
 together, t:iul edify ojic Mi'jther, us a If ye //a ; implvini; that 
 as it is the duly, ft) it ought to be the endeavour of Chrif- 
 tians to edify one another, both in their graces, :;nd in their 
 
 comforts. 
 
 I 
 
 1 2 And wc bcleech yon, brethren, to know tlietn 
 Vv-hirh labour among you, and are overjou in the 
 Lord, and admonilh you ; 13 And efteem thetn 
 vet)- highly in love for their v/ork's fake, yind be 
 at peace among yourfelvcs. 
 
 In thefe words wc have declared both the miniver's 
 ofnce, and the people's duty; the miniller's office, Miih 
 refped unto his pecple, and the peoples diitv both towards 
 their miniilers, and onetowards another. The minilferiil 
 ofiice and fimction is hercdcfcribed, and confifts of three 
 parts, publicly to labour, privately to Ww;^///,!, inini.'leriallv 
 to ,••///<.'. 'i"o labour in- the word and doe1;rine, the word 
 fignifics a labour unto wearinefs-. Our work is the n)ofl 
 weighty work, and, blellld be God, the moR worthy work 
 too. Admonition ccn!i(ls of two parts, reproving of f-nv 
 coinmitted, and exhorting to duties ncg!c<fted ; righily to 
 do both, rccpiiresthat the niinilkrbe a perfon of knowledge 
 and underrtanding, of prudence anddifcreii 'n, of courage 
 arid rcfolution, of integrity and unblame.ibloncfs of coii- 
 verfation; to rule not magifterially, much lef, tyrannically" 
 but in love, and v. ith a fpirit of meckncfs executing th',t 
 power which Cliriit ha^ given for ediHcaticn, and not for 
 dcftruCli n : .^luch a power as ihe iliepherd has over the 
 flock, to guide and condi^d it ; as the head has over the 
 members, to influence and ijuickeii ihcm ; as the fatlitr of 
 the family has over the hou(h(ld, to take care of ii, and 
 provide tor it. 0/ferve next. The people's duty to'ihcir 
 pallors, or fpiiirtial guides declared ; and this is twofold ; 
 [I.) They are to know them, anil this with a knowledge 
 of obfcrvaiion, and -w^th a knowledge of approbation, and 
 with a kuo>,\ ledge fit imitaiion. (L) They are higldv to 
 eftccm ihcm, pa) ing honour to the fundion, reverence to 
 their pertons, and all this in love, a;id for thtir work's 
 lake. Oijervehdly, the peoples's duly one towards another, 
 aiuf he at peice nviovg yourfelv-es y fuch a people can ntvcr 
 join hearts in duty that cannot join hand.; in love ; Chiif- 
 iian love is a nurling mother "ui ail graces, and unds i.\- 
 ceedingly to makeihf work of iheminilfry fuccefsfid •" hitt 
 vhen lliife riid dilfeniion, when difcord and divilii n 'p.^- 
 vajls either amongfl ihc per pie themfdvL-.s or fcctwiyt 
 ir.imilcT and peopL-, fare%^e! allevp..Cta!ion of fuccef^ trem 
 the ablell mi.iillry upon earth. 
 
 5 ^ 14 Xow 
 
883 
 
 I. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 Chap; v. 
 
 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them 
 that arc unruly, comfort the feeble minded, fup- 
 port the weak, be patient to all men. 
 
 for rejoicing, and in ihc midfl of fcmptaiion!, and in the 
 luiM of pcvciiy ami aftliwiion, may a^lually rtjnice in the 
 cxpcflati('n ofnriftni advantage t-y liu rn, aixf in the hope 
 "fthf glory of God, as ilic rewiiid vt tlicin. Ltarn hence. 
 
 Here our apoftle dirciEls the miniltcrs of Clirift how to Th u the children of God ought to make confcicncc of 
 
 rnrry thcinfclves towards their people, namely, that they rejoicing in G<xl at all times, and in all conditions : But 
 
 fhould aJmonifh ihofe that arc unruly, and walk diforJerly, is not there a time to inoitrn, as will as to rejoice ? Yes, 
 
 that I hey would riwi/s'"' //■" f\ch\c mmdcl, fuch as are dif- hut it is no where f.iid, niouiu cvertnore; nay, holy nioiirn- 
 
 iiiriicii by and dejected under their affliction, that they jng has the feed of fpiritual joy in it, directly tends to it, 
 
 fh.)uld beaV with the weak in faith, and be pjiicnt towards and w ill certainly end in it ; mourning is but a temporary, 
 
 all m-'nkind 'S'Je hence. That the churcl) of Chrift here rejoicing is an eternal duly, 
 on enrth, is like? an hofpital of iicklv and infirm perforis p ^.^j^^^^ c^-^{,ng. 
 
 labou>ina under great vanetv ot fp.riTual difcafes, and ' ,^ . „. n , , ■ „ , ,, •• 
 
 confenue^itlv fit objcas of Chrifl s minifters to cxercilc hole from the connedlion, 1 hat he that would rejoice 
 
 tiieir paiicncc and pains upon ; fome unruly, fome weak, evermore, inuft pray evermore ; ftldom praying and con- 
 
 fomefcebl"-minded ; every pcrfon, every member of the ftant rejoicing will never ftand together; according to our 
 
 man: but ever follow that which is good, both a- 
 moni- yourlelvcs and co all mtn. 
 
 Our apodlc from this verfe clofcs his epiftle with a 
 general exhortation to .11 Chriltians to be lound in the 
 praairc of feveral ncceifary and important duties ; the firft 
 of which is to abftnin from all revenge, render f, no man e- 
 wlfcrevil i a Enalicious defire ot revenge is lo far beneath a 
 Chriftian, tiiat it is tlie bafcnefs of a man. Let him that 
 does the wron? look to it, could an heatlien fay ; not only 
 
 extraordinary occafions wc perform the duty in an extra- 
 ordinary manner, and when we perform it with unfainting 
 perfevcrance, both frequently and fervently, thoiieh we re- 
 ceive no prefcnt anfuertoour prayer-; and, in a word, 
 ■when the heart is always kept in a praying frainc, this is 
 to pray Cf)ntinually ; and the reafon for it is, becaiifcwe 
 fland in continual need of God, we want iiim continually, 
 ■we (in againft him continually, we are furroiindcd with 
 temptations continually, we are expoftd to troubles and 
 
 ry loul and fp 
 fcH-AV thrt which is stood, &c. By good here, a^ it ftands 
 in oppofition to rcndeiing evil, mull be underwood good 
 will and beneficence, or doing good to enemies, and this 
 the apoftlc would have us follow, or as the word fignifies, 
 purfuewiih eagernefs, as the hunter doth his game, and 
 
 s praying. 
 
 18 In every thing give thanks : For this is the 
 will of God in Chrilt Jcfus concerning you. 
 
 Obferve here, 1. The duty required, and that is, Thankf- 
 
 this continually. Ever follow that which is good without giving. 2. The extent of the duty, In e%ery thing give 
 
 interruption, notvvithllanding a multiplicity of injuries; and thaids, that is, be thankful in every condition, and for eve- 
 
 this not only among themfclves, who were Chriftian pro- ry providential difpcnfation, both prcfpcrous and advcrfe. 
 
 felfors but even amonwft heathen'; (with whom they lived) ^ueji. "Should ChrilHans be thankful for affliCticns?" 
 
 though bitter enemies to Chriftianity. Z,frt/7/ hence. That- jJnJ. Yes, Becaufe they aie fruits of f/therly love, becaufe 
 
 a Chriitian muft not mm vindidlive and impatient, or in- they conform us unto Chrift, becaufe ihey prevent fin, and 
 
 cline to any dcfires or motions towards priv.ite revenge, purge out fin, becaufe they fit us for glory, and will add 
 
 notwithftandinn the malicious temper of his adverfary to our crown of »lory at the great day. .'^ueji. "But 
 
 continues ; but inftead of being overcome of evil, mull fliould Chriftians be thankful for fin, or when they fall 
 
 hhowr to overcome evil with gsod i render to no man evil for e- into fin?" Jnf. Byiiomean?. Rule, What we niuft not 
 
 vil, but ever folUwthal which is goody both among yinrfelves pray tor, we may not^ive thanks for ; we rmift pray to be 
 
 gild to allmen. ^*-'P' from fin, therefore may not ^'ive thanks when v\efii!l 
 
 inio (in ; fin dithcno'irs God, difrt.bts ourfclvcs, expofes 
 
 16 Rejoice evermore. to God's wrath and curfc, is the ground of our ji;ft dettfta- 
 
 O^/f^-'L'f here, I. Three very cxtennvcanJcoiTiprehcnfive tion, therefore cannot be tiie ground of tharkfj:iviiig ; 
 
 duties, which cur apollle exhorts unto, all which have a yet when we obiain pardon of lin, or get any goot! by fin, 
 
 kind of univerfality annexed unto them: N>'W the more we may and ought to rejoice at it. Ohjerve, 3. Tl;. 
 
 com prehentive any duty is, the greater its obligation is , groumls and reafons of the duty. (l.j It is the will oj 
 
 the tirfl duty is \o rejoice cnjenn'jre,\\s'n\w, to carry our- God, hi- revealed will ; this the, law of- nature direiils to 
 
 iiKes fo holilv towards God, and fii circiimfpcftly and r.nd iho li^^ht of Scripture calls for ; and he that peiforir 
 
 unLbmtably before men, that we may always Jiave caulc . 1. 
 
Chaf. v. 
 
 I. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 883 
 
 f: 
 
 it rpirit jally, glorities God abundantly. 2. It is^ the will 
 of G M in Clirirt Jcrus, thnt is, this part of God's will is 
 cfpccijlly rcvc-alcd to you by the doiflrine of Chrift Jefus, 
 and by the example of Chriil Jefiis : Chriil was b-^th a 
 ;re.it pattern and precedent of ihankfiilnefsall his life long: 
 fe thaiikrd God frijqiien'ly and fervently, and has made 
 thankfiilncfs a conliderabL-part of our goi'pel fcrvice, Hcb. 
 xiii. ij. 
 
 19 Quench not the Spirit. 
 
 SuU oJJjh-M,i. The coherence and connexion, he that 
 would r.-jikr evtrm',re, mud pray without ceaftng ; and he 
 that would rw-joicc in every thing, .mnft be thankful in 
 every <h\n- ; and hs that would rcjaicc, pray, and give 
 thanks .nrinually, mufl eyerinore keep the Spirit iin- 
 qiijnclial, the way. to keep one's fclf warm, is to keep the 
 fire buinin<:;: .'^'cnch n-t the Spirit \ that is. neither the 
 grace? of the Spill', nor the inoiipns of the Spirit. Ko/e 
 hurc^i. That the h'dy Spirit of G->d in man is of tlic 
 nature ot fire, a-; fire it enlighteneth, it enlivcnetji, it 
 warmeth, tr cnfumeth, it purifieth and rcfincth, it af- 
 cendeth upward. 2. Thjt this holy fire of the Spirit may 
 be .]nenc!ied ; the gifts graces, motions and comforts of 
 th? holy Spirit are of fuch a ■nature, that if they be not 
 cheri^lied, they are quenched ; Fire will go out as well by 
 ncglcdlin? it, is by tallino water upon it. 3. That it miiil 
 be'a Chrifti Mi's fpecial care, that the graces of God's holy 
 Spiri' be not quenched in hini, nor any of iti motions re- 
 fi.'ted by him. Sin in general quen-hes the Shirit, as water 
 quenches fire ; particularly, fins comn.itted againit know- 
 Icdo;? and confcience ; inordinate Icveof the world quencher 
 the'Spirir, as earth will cxtingui;!) fire as well as water. A 
 ccKi, ci.'ftomary. formal appearance of holy duties, without 
 the exercife of lively faith aed holy love in the performance 
 of them, willjfrieve and quench theSpirir,cfpeci.illy fciifual 
 liifls indulged,. and anger, malice, and revenge harboured 
 in the heart ; the holy^Dave will not reft upcn that man, 
 that has the heart of a vulture in hi bri-aft and bofiim ; 
 and let its alwaVs remember, if v.-e quench the Spirit in his 
 motions, he is uirij quenched by us in his ofTices ; he d th 
 us many good offices, in prayer, he is our helper, our af- 
 fiftant, lie' quickens to the duty, and in tiieduty, and helps 
 our infirmities, and inakcs interceffion for us in our Chrif- 
 tian coiirfe ; he guides us, comforts us, apd bears wiinefs 
 to our integrity in us : All thefe go'xl offices will he ceafe to 
 d) f;r us, if he be quenched in us., .^laich not the 
 Spirit. 
 
 20 Dcfpifc not prophefyings. 
 
 A";/fhere, i. How clofe this duty is coupled with the 
 f»>rmer, i^iiaicf) ml the Spirit , ^^i/f '«/ profhifying! ; 
 plainly intimating 10 us, th.it the Spirit. is then -dangeroijily 
 quenched, when- prophefvin^, orthc preadiing of the word 
 is iinfuliy neglefttd. 2. ' That hy j); iphcfying here, is not 
 meant foretvllitig tilings to copie, but the iutCTpretati-^n 
 and applicjiion ot the holy feripturcs, which we call preach- 
 ing. 3. That hy not defpiling it, weaic to underft.ind, 
 that it is our obliged duty tf> put an high value and eftetm 
 upon if, to a.tt< nd toir, and have a great rcgtird for ir, 
 to honour the public ir.iuiftrv as an ordinance of God lof 
 
 inftruflion, converfion, and edification. Learn, That it 
 is not fuflicient that we do not (light the ordinance of 
 preaching, nor declaim againft it as vain and ufelefs, 
 (as the manner of fomc is) but we are to have an honour- 
 able efteem of it, and evidence that efttcm by a dite 
 attendance upon it : More is intended by the Holy 
 Ghoft than ii here cxprefled ; for though he rnlv for- 
 biJs the fin, he inteiids the duty or grace in ftridl op- 
 pofition to the fin, namely. That Chriftians ought to be 
 fo far fromdcfpifmg, that they ought to be very forward in 
 embracing of the miniftry and preaching of the word. 
 
 2 1 Prove all things; hold fall that which is good, 
 
 Nile here, i. The pcrfons towhc;ip this advice is given, 
 to the tiiurch of the Theflalonians, not to the nvinifters, 
 but to the people, vcr. 12. Know them that labour 
 amofjg ym. Sec. 2. The advice itfelf, /'r«V n// ti:ings ; 
 examine, try, and approve them, with a judgmen' of pri- 
 vate difcrct'ion, nnt of public decifion. Lenrn \. 1 hat it 
 is the duty of all Chrlftians to examine the grounds of 
 their faith .ind religion, and not to take them upon truft ; 
 otherwile their embracing the bell religion in the world, is 
 rather the rcfidt of chance than of judgment and choice. 
 2. That although all dodrincs and opinions mult be tried 
 yet only that which is good muft be retained. 3. That 
 nothing is to beheld fjflbut what is tirfl tried : Suppofc 
 we hold that which is gixxl, yet if we have njt tried and 
 proved it to be good, it is no better to iis than that which 
 is evil ; to approve before trial is not good, though the 
 thing approved be never' fo good. Inference, That '.his is 
 a ftrong argument for the perfpicuity and fufliciency of the 
 holy fcriptures, and agaiiift the necclliy of a living Judge, 
 lor he that tniift try all things mu!l alfo try the dxHiine of 
 this living Judge, and th.erefore, till he has made this trial, 
 mud not admit liisdoflrinc as an article ofChriiUan f.utli, 
 for thefe words plainly teach, that what we hi.>ld fall, mufl 
 befirft tried : Try all things, and h'Ad fuji that 'juhieh is gad. 
 
 2 2 Abftain from all appearance of evil. 
 
 This advice genuinely follows upon the form.er ; after 
 we have tried all things, we muCthc.'d/hh! thai uhirh if good, 
 and abjhiin from evil. Where note. The gradation uftd 
 by our apoiile, we inuft abjiuiufnm evil, from ah manner 
 of evil, frcw all appciirinue 'f evil. Yet olfine. It is iiot 
 the apo.ftle's meaning that we abflain from all that which 
 appears evil to cthei's, for that would be to d<.ftroy,oiir 
 Chiiltian liberty in things indifFereiH, and create in oi.-r 
 minds continual perpk-xitics, there is nothing almort we 
 can do, 1 ut may appear evil to fomc. Bin St. Paul heic 
 enjf)ins us to abibin from evcrv thing which, after trial, 
 fecrrrs evil to oiurelvcs, and is judged by us fo to be ; )ct 
 it is our duty not to give any t"'^ occafion of fcindal to any, 
 but to live not only fine crimine, hnt Ji-ie lube, n<>t only 
 without fault, but, ifpbffible, withotit a flaw, that tic 
 World may have noitiingtoTpot us wit'ial. 
 
 23 And tiie very God of porico fanftify yoti 
 \<'holly - and l/rniy G<3d your whole fpiiit and iWul 
 iind bodv be preltrved blamclefs unto the corning 
 Tif our Lord Icfus Chrifl. 
 5 I 2 __ .t^cte 
 
88^ 
 
 I. T II E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 CHAr. V. 
 
 Xilt here, i. That our ajwdlc having exhorted the 
 ThelLlonians to labour aficr the highoft nieafiircs of faiic- 
 tincaiion, breathes out his HaiI here in a mort a(fc(flion.iie 
 prayer to Gihl, to fandity tlicm tlunoui^hly and iWoiu^h- 
 out ; teaching vts, that iiiflruilion and fuppli^ation Ihonld- 
 go together ; aiicr wc have been iniUint with our people, 
 •we mull be earned and inllant with God for them. 2. 
 Thcpcrfon whom thcapollle dirciHs his prayer lor fanJlifi- 
 caiioM to. The dd cf feaci : But why dotli he nut (l)lc 
 him the Goil of grace r Becaufe peace and uniiy 'v. one 
 very eminent part of that fandificaiion ihe apoRle had prayed 
 for, and had exhorted them before imto, vtr. 13. Be at 
 peace (ivunz yjurjclves. Now tiiis grace being cnce vxtll 
 looted, all the other parisot faiiditicaiion thrive the better. 
 •5. How thorough and prevailing a work of iandincaiion 
 llieaponie prays for; namely, that God woidd fandify 
 ttietn wholly in fpirif, foul, and body. Byfpiiit, iindcr- 
 ilanJihc fopeiior faculiies, the undorllandint!, the will and 
 confciencc ; by foul, the iiifeiior faciiliies, the paffions af- 
 fedions, and fenliiivc appcii:c ; and by body, the outward 
 man, the tabernacle of the foul. Now the aportle prays, 
 that all thefe may be fandilicd, becaufe they are all defiled. 
 Eleil'ed be GotI, regtneraiing grace i- as univerf.d a princi- 
 ple as as original lin was i it is in thcundetlVjndijig by illu- 
 minaiioii, in the will by renovation, in all the aifedions by 
 fandilicaiion, reducing thofe rebellious posyers under the 
 .government and dcmiiiion of reafnn and religion. 4. Our 
 upolHedoth not only pray for their fandificaiion, but fc^r 
 their prefervat ion alio, that they may bj prcjnved Uume'.efs 
 to the coming of our Lord Jejus ClriJ}, that is, preferved in 
 a ftate of grace and holincls unto the end ; all the fanditied 
 are preferved, infhbility is an argument ct inlincerity, with- 
 in awhile, all polfibilities of falling will be removed, in the 
 • mean while take heed of falling, by thinking it is impolii- 
 ble to fall; for none are fo near Lilling, as thofe who are 
 molt confident of their own Itrcngih and ibnding. 
 
 24 Faithful ii he thatcalleth you, whoalfo wil^ 
 
 do //. 
 
 Here our a; oRlc comforts the ThelTalonians with tl.c 
 a.Turjnce that GikI, uho had called them to the knowletlge 
 c:f Chrillimiiy, woulJdo what he had pra)ed for, namely, 
 fanctify thcni wh' lly and prcferve them bbmelcfs, and 
 this becaufe Gcd isftr.lkfid, that is, always the la i.c, true 
 tohiiwsrd. God will certainly do his part in and to- 
 wards the work of fandificationand prefervaiicn ; but in 
 a way of concurrence with Our care and induihy ; he will 
 do nothing without us, as we can do nothing without him; 
 God's faithfulnefs is a pledge to us of the performance of 
 all his promifes, and uill moll certainly put him upon the 
 performance of them ; but his promife to i:is always fup- 
 pofcs, yea,exads from us, the ufc of all means, and parii- 
 cularly the exerting of our own endeavours, in order to 
 our pr'efervaiion in grace, and pcrfeverance inholinefs. 
 
 25 Brethren, Prr.yforus. 
 
 Objerve, Who it is that begs a prayer, a great apofllc, Sf 
 Paul himlelf ; and who it is he begs prayer trotii, the bre- 
 thren, Chriltians, and feUow-miintiers ot the church at 
 TlKliiilonica. Thofe that are molt eminent lor gitis aud 
 
 f. 
 
 race.";, arc greatly defirous of the faints prayers ; pariicu- 
 ily the iriii4iiUr.>of the gofpel, as :hey (tand moft in need 
 of, fo are thty mofl imp.>riunatc for this fpiii;ual alms, 
 which they crave as carnt.'^ly as ever a beggar did bread at 
 a lich mjn's gate. Sec on 2 The If. iii. I. 
 
 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kifs. 
 
 Our .npoflle concli:dcs hi-, epirtic v.iih fdutations to all 
 the brethren and member^ of tlic church, without excep- 
 tion, poor and rich, adsifrng thein to nianittll and tellity 
 their atfedion one to another, by a kifs fvcn to each other, 
 a Ceremony of civiliiv much in life in thofe caftern coim- 
 trits ; yet requires, that it (liould not be a wanton, but an 
 holy kifs ; intimating to u^, that our civil adioiis Ihould 
 have a relilh ana favour of hclinefs. Hence it is that St. 
 Paul is fo careful to give particular dircdions tor the right 
 ordering ofonr fpeech and dilcoiirfe in common convcr- 
 fatioii, that it be grave and faviiiry, Col. iv. 6. Of cur 
 apparel, that it be fuch as becomes thofe that piofefs the 
 got pel ; and htrc, that our courteous lalutations of each 
 other Ihould be chatU" and holy, Greet one iin-jl:tr with an 
 h:!y kij's; their kifs oflove and peace inuft truly ilgnify what 
 it makes llicw of, that mi. her treachery, nor cruelty, ncr 
 hypocril'y, nor lull, may inlinualc iilllt into fuch a fymbol 
 of holy love. 
 
 27 1 char.;e you by the Lord that this epiftlc be 
 read unto ull the holy brethren. 
 
 Our ^poflle having now finillicd his epifte, gives a flrid 
 charge tor the pcriifal of it. In which, /jo/f, i- Thedtity 
 enjoined, with the matter of it, namely, the reading of this 
 cpiftle, and, for the fame rcafon, all the red, w hich had the 
 like /lamp of divine auihoiity upon them. 2. The objed 
 or parties to whom this epililc is to be read; to the brethren,. 
 'To u!l the brethren. 3. The filcmnity of the iiijudion; 
 7 f/'/7rf^ ^}(/, not 1 exhort, befeech, orintreat, but charge 
 and enjoin you: nay, the word figniiies, I adjure you; it has 
 the force of an oath, and that under a curft^: As if he had 
 fdid, '• I oblige you, under the penalty of God's ctirfe, that 
 this epiftle be read." Learn hence, I. That the fcriptures 
 ought 10 be in a known tongue, that they may be read unto, 
 aiid read by the common people. 1. That to confine the 
 reading of the fcriptures to thj clergy, and exclude the 
 laity or common people from reading of them, is a very 
 grievous fin, Contrary to the intent and defign of God in 
 the firlf peiming and compofing of them. 3, That it doib 
 in a fpecial manner conctrji the minillcrs and fpiritual 
 guides, to take particular care that the hcvly fcriptures be ^ 
 publicly read to, and privately read by, all their people ; 
 and in order thereunto, to excite parents to read them daily 
 in their families, Duet. vi. g. and in their clofcts. Col. iii. 
 16. And alfo, it is a great part of the mjnillct's duty, to 
 lock after the putting forth the children of poor parents to 
 fchool, that they may learn to read tic fcriptures tor their 
 inltrudion and comfort. Lord, what a reproach is it to 
 this Chrillian nation, that ii> thouf:inds oi' families the BiUe 
 fjgnifies no mere than a chip I not a fi ul amongft them 
 able to read a letter in it ! 'I'hisis a lan.cniation, the Lord 
 put it into the hearts both of miniiltr-i and people, to ufe . 
 their uimoft endeavours to roll uway this reproach from u ! 
 
CiiAP. r. II. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 28 The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift hi with 
 
 88.' 
 
 •QU. 
 
 Amen. 
 
 } 
 
 Thus concludes our apoftlc his excellent epifilc, with his 
 ufiial V2lediiai<'n or tareuel \vi(h, dcfiting, that though the 
 ThdUilop.ians had bei-n large pnrtakers of the grace &nd 
 Spirit of Chrill. that yet ihcy might receive frclli, fariher, 
 and fuller fiipplies from himrclt, the fnuntoin of all grace 
 and goodnefs. From whence nou, That fo inexhaullible 
 
 is the fotir.fain of divine grace, and fo copious the ftreams 
 of fpiritnal bleflings flowing from it, that no fuch meafures 
 can be attained, but as more is wanting, more is had, more 
 is provided, more is allowed, more is to be trufted alter, 
 and laboured for. Blcllcd be God for Jefus Chrifl, that 
 overflov\ing, that never- failing fountain of grace and com- 
 fort, in whom all futnifs dwells, that of his fuinefs all his 
 members may receive, fuiilier receive, grace for grace. 
 
 THE 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE OF St. P A U L 
 
 TO THE 
 
 THESSALONIANS. 
 
 The Jtcond ep'Jlk' to the ThcfiTalonians n bdicved, very prohaUy, to have ken written hy St. PauK/Jcm (tjler thcji)jf, 
 hzcaufe the fame perjons, Silvanus dWTimotheus, werejliiluith him wlun he writ it, as they zcere at tlie writmg 
 cjftliejiijl (pifile. 
 
 Having, m his former epijlle, exprejfcd his longing defire to vifu them, andpJrng by the inttrvention of other affairs, 
 that he wasjrmii time to time providentially hindered /rem coining to them, he fends this fecond epi/le to them, to /ap- 
 ply tlie xoant of his prefmce among them. In which, hejirjl congraixdates their ccnjiancy in the projcficn of the gojpd 
 
 ie ccmmepJs divers Chrifian dutiis to them, requiring them to adincnfh and cenfure ftck idle perfcm aviong than 
 :lio did not work, but lived upon ether yncn's labours ; aiulfo concludes his epflle wdh partUidar recffinmcndaiions of 
 
 He 
 
 wlio did not work, but lived upi 
 
 them to the f pedal favour and grace of God. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 PAUL and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the 
 church of the TheiTalonians, in God our Father, 
 and the Lord Jelus Chrift: 2 Grace unloyou. and 
 peace fro:n Cod our Father, and the Lord jc'us 
 ChrilL 
 
 Thcfe two verfcs contain the infcription of this epiftle 
 
 1 the very fame words wit!-, the former, in the fortgcirig 
 
 / !He. In which ohferi^e, i. The wriftrof the cpiftic, St. 
 
 i'jiil, j'Mi.ing himfelf with his two ailciciates, Silvanus or 
 
 iiiLs, ;r.J Timotheus or Tiinothv. 2. To whom itwas 
 
 ■written. To the church of the TlieffiiUrAans , in God the 
 Fiithcr, that is, eftabliiiied in the knowledge ot God the 
 Father, and in the faith of our Lord Jefus Chrifh 3. The 
 ufual falutation, Cnu-e a>id peace, under w hich arc omipre- 
 hcnded all fpiritnal and ten-.porai bltfiings : And ihefe are 
 fet forth as flowing to us, firft, from their fountain, God the 
 Father : Secondly, From their means of cimvcyaijce, 
 J' fits Chriji, as Mediator; intimating, tiiat wluiicvcr fpi- 
 ritnal grace, or te-nporal bleiling v/e now receive from God, 
 wc have it frcm him, net bnerly ns a Creator, hut as a 
 Father, as a gracious Father in Chrift, in snd through 
 whom all kinds of bleflings are crnvcvt.d to us. Now, r. 
 From St. Paul's ufing the very fame t'onn of words in this 
 
 epiftle. 
 
88G 
 
 IT. T H E S S L O N lA N S. 
 
 Ci;Ar. 
 
 epiftlc, wbkli h? had made (ifc of ia iIk- former, wc may 
 oh/erve. That the holy Spirit of Gi'd, in inditing of the 
 fcripturcs did not fo much regard variety of words an>l 
 flyle, as the piirpofe JBtendcd by thefe words ; and accord- 
 ingly the miniiters of Chrilt, in the expounding and ex- 
 plaining of the fcripturcs, (hould rather ftudy folidity of 
 matter, than variety of ex predion, or elcpance of Ityle, It 
 VMS none of the ajniHc's biiUncfs, [God ursnt thai it may be 
 none n^ curs; to pk\;fe tl;'; wanton \vit5, and C^raiify the 
 luMirinnt fancies of men, with a pompous found of wnrd', 
 bi:t folidity toinftnirt thtm in the great and neccfiary duties 
 of the gofpel, and to fmnilh tl-.cin with the ftn ngeft argti- 
 inenrs and motives to a good lil'c. Plain truths, without 
 any art fr varnilh m.av be conveyed wiih itiore warmth 
 and vigour to the confcicncc, than all the charms of human 
 eloquence from the moll fliitnt and popular tongue. But 
 though wc mufl come in plainnef':, yet lu.t in nidtncTs of 
 (pccch. Nctc, 2. Kront St. Paul's \vritin<];.this- cpil^e to 
 the Thcllhlonian?', when he was pi^videntiaUv hindetcd in 
 liis purpofc of comin? to them, and preaching amon-^ft 
 ihem, we may L\!in, That as the wifdf)m of GikI has :ip- 
 4^oinied feveral means for the edification of his church, 
 foir.etime; preaching, at ot'ner times writing, fo ihc minif- 
 tcrs of Chrift are obliged and bcund to endeavour ih.c 
 church's edification by all mcsns ; when ihcy crnnot do 
 it by public preachinij, to endeavour it by writing ; ai:d 
 when they can by both, their labours from the prcfs and 
 from the pulpit fhould be jointly employed in the cliurch's 
 fervice. 
 
 3 Wc are bound to thank God alway.s for you, 
 brethren, as it is meet, becaufe that your faith 
 grovvcth exceedingly, and the charily of every one 
 of you all toward.^ each other aboundeth : 4 So that 
 v'c ouTfelves glory in you in the churches of God, 
 for your patience and faitli in all your iJerl'eculions 
 and tiibulations that ye endure : 
 
 Ohfnvc here, i. The holy wifdom and pious prudence 
 of our aportlc, who being; about to magnify and extol the 
 graces of tl^e Spiiit wrought in the Thclialonians, particu- 
 larly their fail h and charity, inllead of cotrimcriding ihetn 
 for thtfe graces, he breaks forth into praifes and thankf- 
 giyings unto God for them ; we thr.r.k God that your 
 faith groweth ex.cecdin«ly, arid that the charily tf every one 
 ej you ahoundrth. His biiflnefs was not to cekbrate the 
 prailcs and commendaiii ns of them, but to admire the 
 fpecial grace of God conferred upon them, an J coufpiiiioiis 
 i.1 them. Learn h^nce, That as it is owr duty, it will be 
 our great wildom atjd prudence, fo to fpcuk of the graces 
 of God, which we fee and obferve in others, as that they 
 rnay not be puffed up wiih any conceit of their own cxccl- 
 lenci'-s, but fee matter of praife and thankfgiving due un'o 
 God oidy ; and nothing to thctnftlves. Obfervf, 2. The 
 fpecial and panieidjr graces which St. Paul obfirved in the 
 TliciialoniLMis, their fuirh, and their charity, together with 
 ihc evidence of the fincerity of thcfc graces, namely, that 
 their f.iith is a growing faiih, their" love an abcunding 
 and over-flowing love : Your foiih groxveth exa-rd.'n^h, find 
 ymr Isve abautulcth. Learn hence, That as the faviiu' 
 
 graces of faith and love do admit of degrees, and do not 
 come to their height and perfeiflion aH at once ; fo all other 
 graces do either increafe or decrcafe, grow or fade together 
 with thefe ; the vigour or decay of thcfc cardinal graces 
 have an aiifwcrable influence upcn all our other graces. 
 But how did St. Paid know th.at their faith did thiis prow < 
 Anf. He knew the increafe of their faith by thtir conflanry 
 in fufFcrings. Oljcrvt, -5. Our ap.dlle doth not barely 
 commend ihcfe graces of faith and love, which were found 
 in the Thv^^ir.iloiii ins, but he makes an holy hoaft of thtm. 
 he glories ii} them, and excites other churches to a praife- 
 worlhy imitatim of them : U't glory in you in the churchci 
 ofGcd. But for what? Even for your courage snd pa- 
 tience imilcr fufFfiings, perfectitions, and tribulations U r 
 the fake of Chriltianity, and for yfiir cfii.rtsnry in tho faith 
 of Chrift. Learn hence, t. Th.it perfeciitions, ;.ffli<5tion.*, 
 anel tribulaiii ns, for the fike of Chriftiaiuiy, (when. main- 
 tained, efp.'cially in the power of. i?}, arc the common lot 
 of Gort's faithfi'l children arid feKs<hts. ) 2, Tfiat it is the 
 highcd clory of a Chrilfian to bear afHiiflii-ns, and undergo 
 perfecuticns for the fake of the gofpel, w iih an undann-cd 
 coiirafc, an'! an invincible patience. 3. That it is not 
 tinbv-ful, but fomctinu'S necelfary and expedient, (or 3 
 miniderto elory in l-.is pe^ple ; not in their madtitude, not 
 in their riches, not in their greatnefs, not in ihci. high cf- 
 fimation of hi> pcrfon and abilities, but in the eminent 
 rvccsof G'.>d's holy Spirit in ihetn, and in the great ftr- 
 vices and fufFe'rings imdcrgnne by thtm. 
 
 <^ Which is a manifefl token of the ris^htcous 
 judgiTtent of God, that ye may be counted worthy 
 ot the kingdorn of God, for which ye alio fufFcr : 
 
 As if he had fuid, " Which tribulations and perfecutions, 
 or, which p.^iicnce ttnder y<;ur prcfcnt pti feint ions, is a 
 /l.'rn and tt kf n, yea, an evidence and monifdlation, that 
 God, the righteous Judge, will reward you with a part and 
 fliare in thar kingdom for which yoti fuffcr, being in his 
 account, wortliy of it ; not with a wonhinels of ment, but 
 with a vvorfhinefs of mectnefs, they being mr.dc meet and 
 fit for heaven hereafter by their pitienec and ccnllancy 
 tinder fufferings and perfecutions here." Leant hence, 
 Thct as none can enjoy the kingdom of heaven, by n'-.crit- 
 ing heaven, but by being made meet for heaven ; fo patience 
 tinder futforings anil reproaches, tinder perriciiiic ns and 
 fharp trials, is a fpeci.'l qualification to make !:< uicct f"r 
 the enjoyment of that glorious kingdom. 
 
 6 Seeing it is a rii^hteou."; thing with God to rc- 
 compence tribulation to them that trouble you : 
 
 Onrapoflle had fhewn in the foregoing vcrfc, that their 
 patience under perfecution w::s a n-?nifc(K\ idence of GcjI's 
 in'etuling them a pinion in that kingd'^m, for Avhich ihty 
 fufiercd perfecution : Now, in this vcifc he flenounrcs the 
 perfecutors doom upon thtm, namely, That the lithicii!:; 
 nature of God did oblige him to rtcorr pence tribulati' p, 
 anvl to repay trt^ible to all Inch as did trouble them, and 
 tiiddndly perfccutc tliem for ris'.hteoufacis (V.ke. Lenrn 
 thence. That as pcikcutors ccne tally i!o crntinue fin:dlv 
 impenitent, fo the hc;:viJl (Irokc of divine vtngrancc ih !1 
 
 fall 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 II. T n E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 BS7 
 
 f.ill OR fucit, in the day of God's nioft righteous pnig' 
 mtnt : // it a riohleous thirty tvkh Cod lo render tribulation 
 to them that trouble yiu, 
 
 7 And to you who are troubled, rcfl with us. — 
 
 That i«, " As Goil will certainly piinlfh your pcrftcii- 
 tor.«, To he vill, ere long, give reft to yoii his ruffercrs, to- 
 peiher with uS vvho arc coinp:ir!i()ns with you in the i.imc 
 fiifFerings ; y<'u that are trouMed (liall have red with 11s, 
 liis perfeciited apoflles, yoii ihall have refl: ns well as we, 
 and yon Oiall have reft together with us.'' Blcfttd be God, 
 that there is a day tnidoiihtedly coining, when all the 
 troubles of hi> people ftnll be ended indeed, and all his 
 fniR-rine fiiints ftrdl be fully and finnlly rewarded for all 
 their fcrvices and fufferines ; and this diftribuiion of re- 
 wards and puniihmcnts, ftiall be in the prefence of the 
 whole world, at the great day, for the glory of Divine Juf- 
 lice. Then all thofe, who doubt or complain of God's 
 juftice, fliall awf'jlly admire and adore it : To you that are 
 trouiilcd, reft ivjth us. Where note, I. That the prcfent 
 time is a time of trouble to the people of God : their time 
 of reft is hereafter. 2. That Almiuhty God allowcth his 
 troubled faiiUs a liberty to comfort ibemfvhes with the ex- 
 pc.Haiion and hope, that tlicir troubles fh?ll ftiortly end, 
 and their cvcrlaft'ng reft begin. 3. That it addeth much 
 to the excellency of that reft whiclf) the troubled faints ex- 
 pcd, that it (hall be enjoyed, rot by a ((^w of the mcft 
 crninent fuffercrs, but by all of them ; AH you tl.-at are 
 troubled jhdl refl with us ; with us apoRlcs, with all the 
 prophet';, and fai'hful fervanis of God. Hiiil, happy day ! 
 when all the faints fltall fing and rejoice together ; when 
 there fhall not be one w ickcd pcrfon among them to damp 
 their mirth or to diminidi their joy. How defirable is the 
 commimion of faints here 1 How happy do they efteem 
 thcmfelves when they can get together by themfelves ! But 
 liow joyful v;ill the time and place be, when they get to 
 heaven, where none fliall corrupt their quiet, nothing Ihail 
 diflurb their reft ! God will recompence tribulation, &c. 
 
 When the Lord Jefus fliall be revealed from 
 
 , heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire, 
 takinw ven^'eance on them that know not God, and 
 that obey not the gofpel of our Lord jefus Chrifl:. 
 
 In thefe words we have an awful defcription of the d.-;v 
 of judgment, and of the proccls of that fulemn day. 
 Where «5/^, i. The Judge defcribed, The Lord Jefus, he 
 fliall be revealed from heaven:, fince his afceniion, the 
 heavens have contained him, and concealed him from our 
 fight and ftnfes ; but he ftinll then vifibly appear, and lo- 
 cnlly defccnd from the hit heft heavens, into the region of 
 the air. He flmll come in the clouds, and every eye JliiiUfee 
 h'nn. N:le, 1. His noble attendants, the mighty angels, 
 every one lirongcr than an h< ft of armed men. As the 
 work Chrift comes ab^llt, is a great and mighty work, fo 
 he (lull have inftrumcnts ftrong and n.iglny, fufiicrent for 
 that work ; yet doth Chrift make tifcof the angels, not foi- 
 iiecelliiy, but for irisjefty ;. he can do this work withrtit 
 them. ;^. The manner of his coming, Iv faming fire.. 
 by which the heavens and the tartli ftull be burnt up, and 
 
 ► 
 
 in which the darrnfd Hiall be etcrnallv tormented. 4, The 
 end of his coming. To take vengeance on the ignorant, 
 and on the difobedicnt, on fuch as /fi;itf not Ccd, ai\d on 
 them that do know, but ib.-r not tie gc/pel of our Lord 'fcfus. 
 ZtY/77/ hence, I. That it greatly ttiuls to the comfort and 
 fupport of perfccutcd Chriftiaiis, that Chrift their righieoiis 
 Judge will come .- He /hail be rcvetded, and nobly attended ; 
 he fhall come a^ an exalted King, accompanied with a glo- 
 rious train of mighty angels. 2. That the dread and er- 
 ror of the day of judgment, wll be a matter of comfort to 
 the godly, no ways terri(\ing. Thi.'("e very flames, which 
 fliall fet the heavens and the earth in a blaze, and occafion 
 dreadrul conftcrnaiioii anJ fear to tjic wicked and impeni- 
 tent world, (hall be a comfortable light to iho godly, and 
 the forethoughts of them may, and lliould yield comfort 
 to them under their prefent troubles. 3. That ignorance, 
 whether in Pagans or in Chriftians, doth very much, but 
 difobedience to the gofpel, doth very much more, rxpofe 
 perfons, and lay them open to the vengeance of the great 
 d.iy ; if Chrift will render vengeance to them that know 
 hiin not, much more to thcin that do knov.-, but obey not 
 the gcfpel of our Lord ye/us. 
 
 9 Who ftiallbe punifhed with ei'erlafting deflruc- 
 tion from the prefence of the Lord, and from the 
 glory ot his power. 
 
 Ncfe here, The tremendous dreadfulncfs of that wrath 
 and vengeance which at the great day will be in'fiicfcd on 
 the ignorant and difobedient part of mankind ; to denote 
 the greatnefs of it, it is called deJlruSlion, not as if it were 
 an abolifhing of their nature, and utter cx'.intRion of their 
 being, as the deftru6lion of beafts is'; but a lofs of their 
 happinefs and well-being, as the dtftrudlion of the fallen 
 angels was ; and fo fet forth the duration of it, it is called 
 eveilaffliig dcflruflion, a dying life, and a living death ; their 
 debt will never be paid, they fliall never come out of pri- 
 fon ; they w'ill be always faiisfying, but never able fully tO' 
 fatisfy Divine Juftice. And note farther, .As their pimifti- 
 rnent of fenfe is here defcribed, fo we have their punifli- 
 ment of lofs declared : They ftiall be baniflicd froin the 
 prefence of the Lord, that is, for ever excluded from the 
 light ot his bleftl-d face, and the enjoyment of his gracious 
 prefence ; the prefence of his favour they fliall never lind, 
 the prefence of hii fury they fliall ever I'et!. Lord!' how 
 is thy prefence hereon earth, life, light, and joy to thine 
 r.wrr people 1 How much 'more will it be fo in heaven I 
 But how terrible and dreadful' will thy prefence b:". 10 the 
 wicked at the great day, even everlaftingdeftruclion ! Lord, 
 •where fliall the u'Tigodiy and Tinner appear, v.'hcn thou ar- 
 peareft ! Thy very prefence (hall punifli and torment their, 
 and thy glorious power drive them owry to the place of 
 tonr.ent prepared for them: TIrf fh,ill be funifljcd iiith 
 ncrlqfling deJlru£i\on,. Arc. that is, deftniciiion fl1al^ corne 
 forth immediately from the prefence and glorious power of 
 Chrift upon them, and that w ithout any nieafure of miti- 
 gation ; the fcntcnce denotmced will be inftanily executed, ' 
 and the fmner that fs bsniflied from Chi id's prctnce fliall 
 be evcrlaftingly tormented by his power. 
 
 10 When he fliall come to ho gloiifipd in his 
 
 faints, 
 
888 
 
 II. T H E S S A L O N I A. N S. 
 
 Chap ii. 
 
 faitits, and lo he adinircd in all ihcm that believe 
 (beciiufi- our tcUimony an;oiig you was believed; in 
 that day. 
 
 Tlie former verfcs rcprcfcnted to ii': the great end of 
 Clirift's appearance to judi/ment, with refpec'i to tiie w iv kcd, 
 it was for piiniihmcnt. they lli.ill be piinilhcd witli cvci- 
 laftinqdeftniflion" i*.x. Now here we have aliened the 
 ^racior.s denrn (-f Chrill's coinins with rclaii</ii to the 
 godly ; he fli-dl coirif- to be vl->rifif-d in his faints. Where 
 rct^: /. The chiiraclcr of Chrilt's favcd ones, thev are 
 f.i.i'-, :i!l fiich, nnri only furh , not bv villhlc proti flion 
 bircly.biit bv in\v?-d faiiaitication, and ht.linefs uf con- 
 \ -rf.iii(m alfo': And called alfo heliivers, who arc endued 
 \%it!! the 2rac<! rrf faviuc; faith. 2. The end of Chrifts 
 coniint;, wi'ii retercncc to his own children. ^ fr.) To be 
 ■ ihnf.cd'm hi- I'-i.'iils ; mark, not to Se glorii"\d by thcin, 
 but to be glorified in them; the Ifend will not oulv be 
 dori.Mis \n himfcif, bm glorified in his members : The 
 glory God gave the Son, lie feath given the faints, and will 
 jmt iV.ch a glory upon them in foul and body, as he him- 
 felf ("hall be thereby glorified. fl.) ylilir.ired in all ihern 
 tl'/it bt'lin-e, that is, he will do fuch things for believers, as 
 will be to their ov.n and others admiration ; tliinj^s that 
 will not only exceed their unbelief, but their faith too. 
 Plainly tl.us'the Lord Jefns, at the great day, will put inch 
 "lorv imon believers, as never was cxpcacd, either by ihein- 
 ftlvesi'fr others and confequently fliall be admired, greatly 
 ■alnMred, eternallv admired by all beholders. But, Lord, 
 if ih.- clorv put upon tliv faints (liall be thus admired, how 
 much more ihall thsfelf be admired, the btftower of that 
 rich and tranfceiident glory ? T he glory of thy judice in 
 the damnation of the vvickcd will be admired, but not com- 
 parably with the glory of thy mercy in tl,c falvation of 
 belieycrs. Oh ! how will this ftrike the adoiing angels 
 into an ecftafy of holy admiration, and tranfport thy ad- 
 miiing faints into an eternal rapiiire, when thou flialt come 
 jO be ^hrified in thja'mts, &c. 
 
 1 1 Wherefore alfo we pray always for you, that 
 our God would count you worthy of this calling;, 
 and fulfil all the good pleafure oihh goodncls, and 
 tho work of faith with power : 
 
 In thefe word', St. Paul alTures the ThelTaloni.-'.ns, that 
 alrhofdi he could not come to thci^, tluit yet he prayed 
 feivcnriv for them ; ue priy nhmy^ fcr \'y„\ the fauhful 
 minifter's of Chrill can as foon torgct tlumfclvcs ns their 
 people in ihtir prayers to God. ^A./^ next. What V.c 
 prayed for, on thdr behalf. I. That (,od would count 
 them worthy, that is, fit and meet for their callme; that i , 
 for the fore-mentioned glory which they were called to the 
 cxpeaatinn of, for they were already called ; and therefore 
 calling here, muft denote that unto which they were called, 
 even the kinv-d^m cf glory. 2. 'fhat in order to this, 
 God would fiillil, fully perform and accomplilh jus who'e 
 purpofc, here called his pleafure, and the plcalure of his 
 poo'lnefs, to fl.e^v that nothing bnt his own gordnefs was 
 The cai.fc of his o.vn purpofc. ;^ He pra)s that.C^od, by 
 his own pov,cr, would Ihenglheu ihe wcik of t.uih in th.m ; 
 
 and the zviti- of faith villh power. Where n'Jt, j^. That 
 wc arc not only favcd by Go<f's go<vl pleafure, but by 
 faith. 2. That there is no faung faith, btit is a workin" 
 faith. 3. Tiiat faith is wrought by a wonderful power, 
 which doili proilucc womlcrful efiias. 
 
 1 2 That th<; nain'e of our Lord Jcfus Chrill may 
 be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the 
 grace of our God, amlof the Lord Jcfus Chrill. 
 
 Our apof^lc declared, at ver. 10, how Chii.'f fhould l,e 
 glorified in his faints hrreaficr ; now he prays that the nan;e 
 of Child may be gloiificJ in them here, ^^'here note, Th. ' 
 faniSf ifying grace makcih Chrillians a glory to the name < 
 Chrift, not by adding any glory to him, which before I. 
 had not, but by fetting forth that glory which he alreac 
 hath. N'yle alfo. That as the name of Chrid is glorifi 
 in the faints now, fo they fhdl be glorified in him, then,aii,j 
 glorified with him and by him. The fame glory, for kind, 
 fliall be put upon the head and members : Grace is the on!- 
 way to glory, and glory will be the certain reward of gra^^ 
 
 C H A P. ir. 
 
 T/t£ former chapter xvaifpad in a IdtidofconfvtalionagairtP 
 trouble, this in a caution againjl errors, or lo reBi; 
 their jiulgmaits conarnivg the time ej Clmji'i Jccor. 
 coming. 
 
 NOW we befccchyou. brethren, by the comiti 
 of our Lord jcfus ChriH, and ly our gather 
 in!j tOijethcr unto hitn. 
 
 As if the apoflle had faid, " Bietliren, wc bcfccch yoi 
 as you afiiiredly expefl the comincr of Chrifl, and do lov 
 look, and long for that day \vhen it fliall go well with vo:: 
 and Chrifl will appear to your glory, that yoti be net trci- 
 blcd, i^c. Lctini hence. That the coming of Chrift f. 
 judgment is a tniih well known, firmly believed, a; . 
 carnefllydefiredby all true Chrillians, well known, becai!! 
 the apoflles, when they went abroad to profclyte the worl 
 iifiifally began with this point ; firmly bLlicved, f"r , 
 day of judgment was never denied by any, but thofc who' 
 inrered it was that there fhotild be nc.ni ; and earnefl 
 defired, in rcfpcft of Chrill our Judge and Saviour, and ; 
 rcfpedpf ourfclves, who Hiall be Iharcrs in the happiiiefs 
 of that day. Ohjenje, i. The apollle calls the coming of 
 Chriff a gathering I'.gether unto him ; intimating, that when 
 Chrift llKillcomcall the faints ihall be gathered together unto 
 him; at the day of judgment there (lull Lc both a conpie- ^ 
 gallon and a fegrogation ; a congrcg ition of all b, .» 
 
 tr.ake up the number of Chriil's train and aiit;i ,1 
 
 that in one troop they may be btf>ti;'ht into iiis i)c:ivc!;iy 
 kinedoin ; and a fegregaiinn, he fh.ill fcparaie the (lici. . 
 rroiii among the goats, aii<l ft. ver the vxickcd from anioi; ^ 
 jhejtift. Matt. xiii. 44. 
 
 2 That yc be not loon fhaken in mind, or h 
 troubled, neither by fpirit. nor by woid, nor by let 
 ter, asTrcm us, as that the day ol Chiifl is .11 haifiin 
 
 Note here, I. The error which the apolilc difpr*"- ^™ 
 namely, that the day of Chriil, that is, the day of 
 
 iii.-;ii, 
 
 t 
 
Chap. 
 
 W T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 88c) 
 
 ment, w^s then at hnnd, to come in a»few years, which 
 was very true with rtfpeft lo his comirg to diMroy Jern- 
 falem, but not as to the final judjrmpnt. l.enrn htnce, 
 That the time of Ch»iil's cnpui.g to judjiment mull he pi- 
 tirtnly e.\p-(fied, but nor pofstivtly tii-tcrmined. Aoff , 2. 
 'J"he tliVcl which i liii error nright produce, r.unely. tti n- 
 b!e and unfet'ilenefs of mind; 7hatye he n'tt loon f)a ken 
 inmnd,(ir tr ,ublr-d ; implying, «. 'J hat errors- breed trou- 
 ble and diliquietude of mind. i. Thai Chrirti.m^ fb<nild 
 be To rftibh.hed, and ha'/e futh a cotiftaiuy of inind, that 
 they (hould net bceafdy /haken and moved from the faiih. 
 Notf, 3 A removal of all the fuppofed foundations of i his 
 error, or the iDeans whirh ihefe impoilurs ufed to entice 
 's I hclTjIonians to embrace it j and they are three; 
 u.iinely, Ipirit, word, and letter ; not hy/pint, ihdt is, be 
 nor Ihiken Jn m nd by any pretence ot fpiritual or divine 
 revelation; ror hy word, by any pretended im ffige or 
 ■word from uS ; nor hy Utter, i\\j.x i<, not hy any tiiinjj con- 
 tained 'n our former epillle, or in ar.y fpui-'ojs or ccuti- 
 terlcit writings, p.ifling under the apoltie's name, menuoii- 
 ing as if Chrilt IhouKi come in that age wherein they liv- 
 ed. VVe need not wonder That St. Paul is f(> careful to 
 obviate this error of the prefent coming and appearance 
 of Chrilt, beeaufe, (lio:iid the ThefTdoindns haveilepf nded 
 upon it. and found themlLlyes deceivid in their expi ct.iti- 
 on of it, it might hive caufed gre.it trouble to them, and 
 even |]];ik<-n their fttdfaUiieCs in the far.h. 
 
 3 Let no man (ieceive yoii by any means. For 
 that dayjluill not come except there come a falling 
 away firll. and that man ot fin be revealed, the fon 
 of perdition: 
 
 As if the apoftlc had AdJ, "Let ro man deceive you in 
 this article of your faith, by any pretence whatfoever; for 
 before Chrill's coming, there llia.ll c( nie a great f:.liing 
 away from the catholic faith, and hy that meaisthe injn 
 of tin will l>e revealed, v\hoi^ t4ie Ion of perditu-n." Si.te 
 here, i. Such a proneneL there is in the nature and uiind 
 ot man to embrace and entertain error, .when i.nce venifd^ 
 that there is need of repeated diflVmrivei from it, and to 
 , guird perfons againft the poifon and infatUdtion of it ; Let 
 no man decfivs you hy any mentis. 2. A general apoltafy or 
 defection of the vifible churc^ from the faitli ofChrif- 
 tianity.mufb be before ChrirtN coming to judgment; f.vffT)^ 
 iherf come a fjlimo awty fi>fi ; it is fv>reiold asa thipgthat 
 Would cert.iMvly conw lo pal*;. 3. 1 he revelation of ami 
 ■> chi ill declared, yZ-./Ji man (.fjwjhull bt revealed the Jon of 
 perdition; where, by the man o Ijii underlland not .1 par- 
 ticular or individual perfon. but a fuciety and fuccellion of 
 men, Inch a« js found in and amoi^gd the F.ipacy, where 
 the ibJomv.. blafpheniy, inceCf, adulieriei, i'orceries, mur- 
 ders, trealons, whieh arc not only commi'ted, but coun- 
 ten.inced, not acfted, but 5uthc>rtled. do moft evid' nily de- 
 clare that there iieverwas fuch an apoHafy from Cliriftia- 
 - rity lince it had a neinjin the « orld, a*, is found amonj-ft. 
 ^diem. 4 This man of fill is alfo Itded //^/-/MtZ/Jerf/,/;!,;;, 
 H^ Adively, a drftroying fon,. one that hr;ng- others to 
 rileftiuftinii. 2. PaffivKl'y,a fon that lliall bedtlhoved; amt'- 
 ehrilt anj all his adhcreuti Ihall be dcltjoycd, utterlv dcf- 
 
 troyed by. Jcfos Chrifl, andhib kingdom flvill prrifh with- 
 out hope of recovery ; f.rii deilroymg, and at lall def- 
 troyed. Where ifjf, Jhat our apoUle, at the firll, the 
 very firfl raentioning antirhrill, doth declare his dcfliny ; 
 at hi- fi- (I rifing he declares his fall and ruin. 
 
 4 Who oppofeth and c.xaltcth himfelf above all 
 that is railed God, or that is worfliipped; fo that 
 he as God, fitteth in tlie temple of God, fhcwihg 
 himfelf tiia the is God. 
 
 Our apoltle proceeds in the farther dcfcription of this 
 man of (in, by a twofold noteof diltinclion, namely, by his 
 enmity and oppoTition, and by his dignity and eK.dtaiion. 
 Chftive, I. His enmity and oppufiiion ; He oppofeth lAm^ 
 Jlf, that i', 3g:dnft Chnft, .is his name, Antithrlll, (igni- 
 fie.s ; oppoling him in his doilrine, in his officej, in his 
 niemberi. cornintirg hi. doctrine, debafing his effites, pcr- 
 fecuiing his members. 2. His dignity and txahatien, 
 v.hich toiifid of two parts, i. He f^altetb h'lmj elf ubi.z'e all 
 ibitt is called Cr,d, »r is woifiifped.- ih.tt is, he exalteih 
 himfelf above all magiftrates, emperors, kings at^d princc!, 
 who are called ^m//, been uCe reprefcnting hi<; perfon, as his 
 vicegerents, ufurping ? power over all civilauthority, in- 
 throning and deihronii'g.jirinces at hi- pleafure. a. His 
 arrogance is let forth in relaton to God himfelf, that as 
 G-jdj he fdieth in the timfle of G(.d,Jheic'irg kimjilj ihut he 
 is Cod. By the temple of Cod, underlland the cj^urch of 
 God, the external vilible church, w hichprott fleth ihelsi'ii 
 of Chrift, and bears his name; in this teiiiple of Coti '•.£ 
 
 fitteth as an cfEccr or bifiirp ; and Tks as 60J, that is. as a 
 god upon earih ; whom all mull a«lore ; kings klifing hi.t 
 >eet, emperors holding his Ibrrup, and claiming the fame 
 power that Chrilt hath in and over the chureh, nan\tjy,a;i 
 uiiivcrlal fupremacy, an ablolute authi ritv, and an in er- 
 ring infalliabiliiy. And the nl'urped titles given toliini, 
 declare, tliat he fhe-meth himp If thut Ik is a God, he is cal- 
 led, fuprevAum vumcn in ttrris; "The chief god upon 
 earth;" and that from him it is .iffirmed, that no appeals 
 are ro be iip.-.de ; no, not to God himfelf; that lie can 
 change the facraments delivered by Chrill, and decree 
 
 contrary to fcripture. . Now to accept of thcfe flHtt..'ring;: ' 
 tirles, and to prwend to fuch an U'.Jimitgd pow er/is to 
 
 flitvi himfAfthat he is Cod. 
 
 c; Remember yc not, thatv/hcn I was with you, 
 I told you thele things ? 
 
 0/>/f rve here. That the doflrine of the rile and ruin of 
 antichrill is neceilary to he made knov\ n ; for though thefe 
 things were not to tome to pafj in >heir days, yet St.P.-.ul 
 taught them before when prefent, and now repeateth it 
 again when abfeni, tcfjften it upon their mind andmtnif'- 
 rJes; it is neceffiry to deliver this doctrine, both to warn 
 the faiihful againll dilulioiij and tortdy the f-iihlul againll 
 perfetutiou, 'okeep tli-Mnp.itient un.ler it ; for when aiui- 
 chrift is diiciivered. Chriftians under iiis tyranny fubinit; 
 to foffering moifc chcai fully ; foftVring under antahrilt .in 
 pcrfecu'o s is inartyrdotp, and falFirin^^tc/r Chrifl, as v. e!l 
 asund.r Pagan pJ'cs:>Jto-'3j ^ 
 
 5 U " ' 6 And 
 
 ir 
 
Sip 
 
 II. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 Chap, i i. 
 
 6 An-lnow ye know whas with-holdeth, that be 
 
 ini 'lit be revealed in his time, 
 o 
 
 OA/irv.'here, i . How our ap )ltk" intimited to the Tlicf- 
 f.jloiihii':, tluit antichrid wjs not then revealed and co'n- 
 frq;iently thnr they were not then to expi-ct the coming 
 oF Chri(l to juJ>>;nu-nt. 2. The injpediment thit then liin- 
 licred hii revti.iti'jn : No-u yg kncvuhat ivith-htldith ; by 
 which the Roman empire is generally iinderftood ; the 
 mill of (in cGul'l not rife to his greainefs, fo long as the 
 Roman empire Itood in its grandeur ; for thif feat conld 
 not be tilled with t'.vo imperial powers at once : Whilft 
 the Roman emperor poffefTt'd Rome, the feat was full, and 
 till it was void it conld not be the feat of antichrift. Biit- 
 why did not the apoflle name it then? /?«/". Thit he 
 might not incenfe the Roman emperors againtt the Chrif- 
 tians, 35 he muft have done had he openly faid, " Anti- 
 chrift fii-iU not come till ihe Roman empire is deftroyed;" 
 he therctore covei tly fays, Ye knO'j) what •with-h'iUeth that 
 he might be rcvaledin his litne. 
 
 7 For the myftcry of iniquity doth already work: 
 only he who now ietteth xoillUt until he be taken 
 out of the way. 
 
 That is, The beginnings of antichriftiasity are fecret- 
 ly and mvfterioufly already working, which will bring an- 
 tichrift himfelf forth in time, even antichriftian dodrines, 
 and the aftccling of antichriftian dominion ; only the em- 
 pire that now hindereth niuft be removed and taken outof 
 The way. i\'ote here, So great an enemy is Satan to the 
 falvation of m.mkihd, that no fooner did Chrift ere<5t .a 
 kingdo.ii in the world for faving finners, but the devil fct 
 up hi^enlign in oppofition thereunto. Antichriflianifniis 
 almoft as old as Chriftianity ; ihemyftery of niquity foon 
 appeared after the revelation of the myftery of godlinefs ; 
 thoiijih truth be errors elder, yet error is not much truth's 
 younger; The myfirry 'f iniquity dothalrrady ■work. And 
 from ihefe words, Hethat lettethwill let till taken tut of the 
 luay. Learn, That the greatelt empire and monarchies 
 upon earth have their final and fatal periods determined 
 by God, beyond which they fiiall not ftand ; flie Roman 
 empire that kttcth, fliall betaken outof the way. 
 
 8 And then fnall that Wicked be rcyealed, whom 
 the Lord (hall confutne with th&Spirit of his mouth, 
 and (halldeflroy with thebrightnefsof his coining. 
 
 Thefe,words contain both the rife and ruin of antichrift. 
 his revelation xnd deftruftion. Ohf. i. The title given 
 10 hiai, in the Greek, The laiulffsonc, he that boafts himfelf 
 to hr. above all law, andnfl'umes to himfelf a power todif- 
 pfnfe with all the laws of God, as we *i, ell knowwhodnes. 
 Oh. 2. His revelition. Then /hall thjt -Miiked be revealed. 
 God his revealed arttichrift to the world, let none wilful^ 
 fhut their eyes agninfthim, but let him be fhnnned and ab- 
 horred ; if his adhi-rent? will not fall from him, but he 
 jlartaksrs with him in his fins, let them expc-fl to be par- 
 tjk?r* alfo with him in his plagues : tocon-inue hisadhe- 
 rentsi* d ingerou'-, but to turn his .lifcipltsi^ moredangei-- 
 ous ; for thit is a downright apoftafy, and flat revolt from 
 
 Chrift ro antichrift. How almighty God may difienfe 
 mercifiily with errors imbibed in oureducation, we know 
 not, but t« turn our back on the truth wherein we have 
 been educated, and inftrutt'.d, mak'. it more danp,erons 
 to our faleaiion. Offerve 3. Antichrift's ruin, ivhom tf-e 
 Lord/l?all cntjfumf ond de/ir',y. Hetenote, That theapoftls 
 had no fojner difcovered aniichrift's rife, but heprefently 
 declares his ruin ; the L >rd (lull deftroy him ; that is, the 
 Lordjefus Chrift fh ill deftrcyhim gradually, heWhsll/Ar.ifte 
 away by little and little ; as his rife was, fuch (hall his 
 ruin be ; deftroved and confuined he (hall be, but not 
 prefcntly, becaufe God has an ufe for him, work to dofor 
 him, to fcourgs his people, to try h's people, to unite hif 
 'people. Ohfctve,^. Howantichrift's ruin is accompli(hed; 
 I. Wilhth Ipirit uf hit »i'/uth,or the breath of his^mouih: 
 The exprelTion denotes, i. the facility and ealinefs of his 
 deltrudion ; it is done with a breath, the breath of God 
 will leave him breathlefs ; as he hath rtood by the flatter- 
 ing breath of men, fo fliall he fall by the confuiaing breath 
 of God. The breath of God here denotes the preaching 
 of the gol'pel, and intimates, that antichrift's dertruftion 
 ftiall be by the miniftry of the word, and the victorious ev- 
 idence of truth 5 but befides this minifterial word, there 
 vcill be a providential word, which God will make ufe of 
 for antichrift's deftruiSion : The former means we are to 
 ufe, the latter God is to make ufe of. Again, 2. The de- 
 ftroi5lion of antichrift ihall be by the brightne/s ofChrip's- 
 coming ; at Chrift's coining fo judgment the final ruin and 
 utter (leftruftion of anticlirift fliall be accomplilTied ; let not 
 the church then be difcouraged, though antichrift remains, 
 after nil endeavours uftd for his ruin, it is fufficieiit we 
 are afTured that antichriftianifm (liall be finally deftroycd : 
 for the time, leave we that to God; if it be not till the 
 day of judgment, or Chrift's final conqueft over all hisad- 
 verfaries, why fhould not we be contented to tarry forit, 
 feeing infinite wifdom determines the time, as well as the 
 thin-T itfelf? Then P?all that Wicked be reveuled, &c. 
 
 9 Even him whofe coming is after the working of 
 Satan,with all power.and figns, and lying wonders. 
 
 An account is here given how antichrift doth acquire and ^ 
 keep up"his power in theworld : The firft and great inftru- 
 ment is Satan ; after the working of Satan, i? as much as 
 by the working of Satan, denoting not only his pattern, but 
 his influence. The devil has a great hand over wi<.ked 
 men in the world, his way of dealing with them is raoft 
 efiicacious and powerful, he is certainly the firft founder 
 and luain fupporter of the antichnfliin ftate. Cb. The 
 fubordinate iiiftrumental me .ns, by which antichriilgamed 
 his power in the world ; namely, by pretended ni'iacles ; 
 luilhull power, and fens, and lying ijonders ; miracles are 
 called powers, hecai.ie the eflTecf ^ 6{ extraordinary powcrf ; 
 figns. trom their ufe, becaufc they fealed ilieir doctrine to 
 wh'ch ihey are applied ; worders, becaul'eihcy brc-e 'afto- 
 nillinient in the minds of bchoUers : Now antichrift pre- 
 tend, to all (hefe, but li s are lying powers, lyin^i ilgns. ani^* 
 lying wonilers ; bec-ufe the grcau ft of his prerendtd mir^H 
 clcs arefables, forgeries, impoftlires, diabolicil dclulions.^^ 
 Learn hence, That' antichrift doth uphold and fupport h:« 
 
 king'loiii 
 
 % 
 
Ch ap. ir. 
 
 II. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 S()i 
 
 kingdom by a falfe fliew of figns, wonflers, and mighty 
 deeds ; they are m'^ray but not miracula \ what he cannot 
 prove by the oradys of 'Gfid, lie endeavours to prove by 
 the miracles of Satan. 
 
 lo Awd with all decciveablcnefs of iinrightcouf- 
 nefs in them that perilh ; bccaufe they rcceivctl not 
 the love of the truth, that they mi^ht be faved. 
 
 Here we have a threefold defcripiion given of the fiib- 
 jefts of antichrid's kingdom ; they are dtfcribed, i. By 
 the waysand mean*; how they are drawn into this apolhty 
 and defccflion, and that is, tuith all deceiveabletufs nnd 
 unrighteoufnefs • whfre, by iinrighteoufncfs, undcrlland his 
 falfe doctrine and wicked laws, which tend to the niakine 
 of his difciples and followers injurious to God, unjuft to 
 men, and cruel to thcmfelves; and by deceiveablenels is 
 meant all manner of deceits and wiles, tricks and cnnninjr 
 perfuafionj, to make tiie world believe his vinrighteous 
 errors to be pure and ianocent truths. Learn, That fuch 
 as are ring-leaders to error, are men of no conrcience,but 
 find out all unrighteous v ays and menns to make their 
 tenets plaulible, and pafs for truth; they come with afl 
 deceiveahUnefs ar.d unrigbteoufnefs, Aj^ain, 2. They are 
 defer. bed by .hcirdooni and mifery whichdoih await them, 
 thty are fuch as perifli ; that is, fnch as arc in an actual 
 ftate of perditron, and without hartening out of it, are 
 undone forever. Learnhence, That tlie fubj-^cts of anti- 
 chrift's power andfedudtionare thofc chat perifli. And, 3. 
 They are defcribed by their (in, wh'cb is the caufe and 
 reulbn of thisdnom ; becaufe they received n-A the kveffthe 
 truth, that they wight he faved . ■ Where wwrA', It is not 
 enough to receive the truth in the light of it, but we niuft 
 alfo receive it in the love of it, or it will do us no good; to 
 make truth operative, there is required, belides knowledge, 
 faith and love ; there may be knowledge, without faith, 
 and there miy be faith without love, jhat is, withoutany 
 afF ction to the truth believed ; it was therefore a pious 
 prayer of St. Auftin, Fac me, domine, kc. " Lord make 
 me tafte that by love, which I tafte by knowledge '' As 
 .the certainty of truth calls for f.iith, fo the amiahlenefs, 
 of truth calls for love ; If truth be not received into the 
 heart as well as the head,it willnot fecure againftapoftafy, 
 nor prevent periihing. 
 
 1 1 And for this caufe, God fhall fend thcrn flrong 
 delufion, that they fhould believe a lie : 12 That 
 they all might be damned, who believed not the 
 truth, but had pleafure in unri^htcoufnefs. 
 
 The fm of thofe who are feduced by antichrift was men- 
 tioned in the foregoing verfe ; thcjudgment of fuch is iiere 
 declared in thefe verfes, whicTvis twofold, delufion in this 
 vrorld, and damnation in the next. (1.) Delulion in this 
 world. Here note, 1. The author of thi judgment, G )d 
 Jkallfend them jirting delujions; as it is a,-4in, God has no 
 h^nd in it, but as it is a punilhmenr, God has to do in it ; 
 there is a judicial tradition ordeliverin> theiH up to a ifjirit 
 of error, who do not receive the truth 'n the love of it, and 
 this without theleall fliadow ofunrighieLufnt fs. punidjing 
 (in with fia. 2. The dcgreeor nature of thepuni/hment. 
 
 I 
 
 dcluriotis.y7roM^ dilufiws ; given up to the efHcacy of error, 
 which is difcovercd by the abfurditv of thofe errors « iiich 
 ihey cleave unto, and, by the obdinate whc rewith iliey 
 cleave unto them. L^am hence. 1. That (Irong delufions 
 may be, and fomet'ints are, of God's own fending. 2. 
 That by God's juft judgment there is an infatuation upon 
 the followers and abettors of anticlinfl, that they fwallow 
 the grofl< ft errors, and believe jhe ftrongeft delulioni'o 
 their own deftruction. NrJe,^- The ifFue and refylt ot 
 this puiiifliment, /Aiv/ they Jhould helitve a He : F.TJfe doc- 
 trines are often called a lie in fcriptnre; All the doclrine 
 of the man of fin, with which he hath deceived the world, 
 under the notion of truth, is cne great lie : but belides 
 this he approves and appl u Is the do<ft ir.e of equivocation, 
 and teaches thai in many cafes it i.s necellary, and in fome 
 very lawful to lie : Thele they call pioiis frauds, but they 
 are indeed diabolical forgeries. 4. Their dreadful punilh- 
 ment in the other world. That thiy might he damned, &c. 
 W.here mark, The punifliment iti'tif, damnation, for fil- , 
 ling up the racafure of their obdur.nion, together with 
 thej'.illice and equity of it; exprcflcd negatively, /^py 
 helitve J not the truth, received it not with fimpliciiy of 
 mind, to be inftruded ard d''re(ft<d by it ; pofuivcly, they 
 had pleafure in unrightcufnefs, in unrighteous dcflrines 
 and praftices. tear*! hence, i. That errors in judgment, 
 as well as (ins in priict ce, may bring damnation upon the 
 fouls of men. Error is as damnable as vice, for it is as 
 contrary to the law of God as vice is. 2. That though all 
 errors may bring damnation upon the men's fouls, yet 
 fome may be faid tnore efpecially than ethers tobedamn- 
 ing errors, fnch arethe errors of antichrift, the manoffin. 
 O r How dangiTOUs then is it to be found amongft his 
 followers? To be (liarers with them in their fins, will 
 render us partakers of their plagu'^s. 
 
 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to 
 God for you, brethien, beloved of the Lord, be- 
 caufe God hiith from the beginning chofen you to 
 falvation through fanftification of' the fpirit, and 
 belief of the truth. 
 
 Our apcftle having, in the foregoing verfes, fet forth a 
 fat.il apu(tacy from the (incerity of the Chriftian faith and 
 worfliip, here in this verleexempts the Thiflolonians from 
 the nnniberof thole that were endangered by it; and this he 
 makes mention of to theirgreat comfurt, and with thaiikf- 
 givings to God ; JVe arc bound to t^ive thunkf-, &c. Obf'erye 
 hfcre, I. The titles given to the ThclT.donians by our apaf- 
 tle, brethren, and b: loved of the Lord ; not beloved of the 
 apoflif only but of the Lord ;dfo. both with an antecedent 
 lovr, beftov. inj' grace upon them, and with a cotileqiient 
 liwe, believing in his name, ant! fnrtVring for his fake. 2. 
 His obligation tobiclsGod on theirbehalf, he gave //;««/•/ ; 
 this (ne wed h'scftetin of the bit llini.' , he gave thank >«'uMj.r, 
 which Ihewed how <leeply he wasalfed-d with thebleding, 
 and he o'.^nsit i.s a debt which was due them; we are 
 hiund tc give thanks, &CC . 3 The matter of his thanklgiving, 
 or the mercy which _he was thankful for, and th^i was 
 their eltclion 10 falv.ition ; li'e are bo".ndto give thank\,be- 
 cauTe God hath clofcnyoH. Whence learn, That God's> 
 5 U 2 eliraion, 
 
'Q2 
 
 ir, THESS ALON I ANS. 
 
 Chap. n. 
 
 tVflion either of ourrflvet or others to fjlvnr'ion, isnnd revelation, but in rfgnrd of dirpfrration only ; and his 
 
 (.«»5riv tohrjrrpat niritterof thinkfrrivin^oiuoGod 4.Tlicir gofpel imported thegrtai p*iiis v\hich he tonkin preach- 
 
 rltfli m i5 atnplfud, 1. Hv ilie antiqiiiiy of" it from the ing of the gofpel, and the h-zard he ran in dilpeiirmg of 
 
 lieg'niiiilc;, th.it isfrom .ill c'crniry, fohni. i. In the bf«in- the jrorpi-l to them. It is alio .i v^ord uf etteevn, love and 
 
 v'rnr; ■vas'^rhf wnr/f, th.it i>. bt fore the beginning, b-fore aiFeetion, what we love v\e call owr-.f. A'oie, 3. 1 he end 
 
 Cioj bepin to create anv thint^ the word was. 2. From of ibis calling, which i.v twofold. I. Ulnmatc, to obtiin 
 
 tl)e tneaiiscf its rtcomplithttient ; .nm! -hey arc t«o, oiv; the^/'ry cf our L^,rd Jfus Ch ift ; thjt is, the glory »f 
 
 on God'- ptrt, the fan"^ ficat'on of the ^>T>irit ; the oth*!' heaven, and of the whole man, w^ole foul and body in 
 
 on their pirt, th>' bel'ef of the triiih. Where nttr, Thu heaven, called the glory of Chril>, becaiiCe pnrchjltd by 
 
 eleft:on is to the nie3n;.as,v.el! as to the eriil; .md \vithotit h ™, promiled by him, prayed for by him, lonlerred by 
 
 the means, c'ln 'he end never be attain-d : Hethnthith bun, and enjoyd ercriidl'.y with him. 2 Suhoidnaie, 
 
 chofen n< to falvatioil, haih cholVn bs to be holy, and to th v are called to faith and holinefv, in ordrr to fulvation ; 
 
 believe the tnith. in order to f.di'ation.' 2 T'hat fanft fi- for there muft be a liJct-nefs bttween the petfon cUing, 
 
 ca'ioii and holinefsis not the cnnie of onreleft'on, bur the and the perfons called ; without hkenefs 10 him we cm 
 
 efteft and fruit of it. J.l>nr r.inlificirinn bfiiig the trnit never love him ; and withi-ut loving of him ninft ncvfr 
 
 ic is alfo the evidence of oureleitiotv: ^icTe ap-rtt d^-crttu-n exprcl to live w iih him. From the « hole. A ivrn, ] hat 
 
 thus the decree of God is made evident to ns tlie fuch .is are eletfld and rholen of G"d, are in time rftec- 
 
 cha on of Gjd is a fecrer in the bofom of God it is only tii.tlly cllfd by faith and holiiiefb to obtain eternal glory 
 
 maniferted to us by the eff ft , which .ire » f.nfl'flcation ai.d happinefs. 
 
 bv the Spirit. anda foundbeliefofthedo.'trineofthegorifth ^ Tbereforc, brethren, ftand fad, and hold the 
 
 AVhere mrt/A, a bare rel'ef c>f tiie do^lrme of the rolpel ,- • l i 1 u . u> i. .u 1 
 
 r 1 r ■ t ■ u.u • .:vc • f traditions which ye liave been taught, whether, by 
 
 favfs none, unlets accoaipanied wnh the j.in<5tnc.irion of • , /, ^ ^ 
 
 the Spirit. A'o/f, 4. The nec-ffry connexion bet > een the word, or our epiltlc. 
 
 faii<fl tication of the Spirit. and the belief of the truth, even Our apodl? having abundantly comforted the TTic ffiilo- 
 
 as between the caufe and theefF<cl,pnd they .da alfoacc m- nian<; in the former vcrf; .s from thtir election and vocation, 
 
 pany one another; the gofpel w.is a fupernitnr^jl doftnne he cl.ifes the chapter with an tjchortation 10 them to per- 
 
 and it was fit that it Ihould he accompanied with a fiiper- fevr.nnce and conftancy in the truth ; Thenfjre, hrethreiif 
 
 nitur il oncrition,ho\v elfe ftiiuild ii b- known to be of (hind fait . Ol>reri<». 1. The illative particle, /Ai^r/yo.'-e, 
 
 God? Tiie gofpel and the Spirit are inf.parable coinpa- that is, becaiife God hath (hofcn .Tnd called you, and 
 
 nions ; where the gofpel is little kno.vn, there is little of given you fiich affii ranee of his favour, and fuch advantages 
 
 the Spirit found. agiiiift error and fedui^ion, therefore, let it be your car* m 
 
 l.i Whcreunto he called vou by our tjofpel, to '" P^fevcre ; alTurance of falvation doth not encourage '^ 
 
 , *, . . r.i, 1 t I JT r nut\ ngligence, but engarge to greater diligence. Ohjerve, 2. 
 
 the obtainm- of the glory of our Lord Jefiis Chrift. ^Yh^X,^ inferred, WZ/^V? .• it isa military word, ufed 
 
 Th*- aportle comforted the ThefTdonians in the former by captains to their foldier*, to prevent a cowardly aijd 
 
 verfe from the' relediion 'n thit from their vocation; treacherou-; revolt; he had been delcribing a gtcai apoftaiy 
 
 ',uhreunto ihat i.s, to <• h'ch falvation, fanijlification, and that would come, now bids ihein to be upon their guard 
 
 belief of the golpel G'^rf^tfM ca//<?(a'vor/, by our preaching and (land fall. ObCerve, 3. The means directed to, in 
 
 of the word, to ihe ohra'iiiog of 'lie glory purchafed. and order to thtir ftedfaflnefs anil jjcrleverance, namely, to hold 
 
 coi fcrred by our l.ord Jefus Chnft Ncte here, 1 The the tradition^ which they had been taiighr, either by word 
 
 au'l'or of the I h n"ilooi;in>; vocation. God the Father, or bv epiftlf- Here ,V(//e, 1. The aci, ft^i// with a lirong 
 
 he call^th vnu that is, G. d, who from the beginnmg h.ind, holfl againd all afljuli.s. whether of error or perfecu- 
 
 chofe you for falvation, None but G"d. (i.) Haih au- ti-n. 2. '1 he objccl. The /ra^.'/V^MX /jhi,'/;/, either by 
 
 thoriiy to call ; he onlv i« «mr prcper Lord, and rghifnl vj'r-d, or by ef'jiie- Where murk. That all the apoftle's 
 
 Sovereign our Creator and our Owner; therefore he has doftrine. whether preached when aniongll them, orwrit- 
 
 a right to cdl us to duty, anti to r'tjoire duty from us, ten to them in his abfence from them, he calls /r<jfl'/7/6«/ ; 
 
 Jam. tv. 12 There h nn." ii-Moiver -uiho is able to r^v: audio fo that hold ngtlie traditions here, isnothiiig elle butper- 
 
 tl^p.rrjy. None but God, (2 ) Hath power to call ; for feverancein apoftolicul drftrine. From the whole, A'o/e, 
 
 to effetfltial calling there i- required not only the invitation i That what alTurance foever we have ol G'^d's preferv- 
 
 cf the word, but alfo the efFedual operation of the Spirit; inc us in the truth, yet w c are bound to ufe all polTihle 
 
 it is a work of divine power to give grace to gracelef^ fouls, care and caution, inorder to our own pr^fcrvaiion. Nn'.r, 
 
 Nite, 2. The means, that is, the eternal and outward 2. That it is our duty to (land fall in the faith of C irift, 
 
 means, by which ihey were called ; i^ of/r (jo/^-/. that is, and profefllon of godlinefs, whatfoever dangers or tempta- 
 
 by our preaching of the gofpel to vou. The minillry of tions we may be expof'ed to. Note. 3. Th.it thedoftnne 
 
 tlie word is the great inllrument in the hand of the Sprit of Chriftimity taught by the apoltles,, is a tradition, and . 
 
 for a tinner's effcdual vocation, and bringing home to that holding this tradition, is the heft meaii^ for nandiiuj^ 
 
 God. But why doth our apodlecall \tnur gofpel ? Dnth fall in the faiihof Ctir ft. A'ofe, 4. That whilft >he apol^l 
 
 not that drt^ogate from the aiitlpiriiy of it.toappropriateit ties were in being, there were two ways of delivering the 
 
 to any raan ? No : He calls it niA his gofpel by way of truth, namely, by word of mouth and writing, /rAc/A'' 
 
 h 
 
Chap. m. 
 
 II. T II E S S A L O N I A N S, 
 
 %3 
 
 hy-MorJ or our rp'fllf. Nr.tr, 5. That now, whi-n thev are 
 loiiBliiice dea<l. uilJ -ve canfux r«C'ivp ilif iIkSi ine of I te 
 from thcni by ^^ urii of nvu h v> p null tl . k in the If ip- 
 tures am) wr tren word, .ig iii)ft .ill p etehc- s to unuriit- n 
 Jrad.tioti ,or pn tendf 1 rt vtlan.nis, hec.iuit* ih> fcrip ures 
 are a pcrlVcl riilf both for our Uv\\ Jod pr cl (p. 
 
 16 Now our Lord Jefiis Chrifl himfe!f,and God 
 even our Father, which h^th loveJ us, and hath 
 given ui evcrlaflinji conlolation and ^,ood hope 
 through grace, 17 Comfnrt your he.irts, and flcij- 
 lilh you in every good word and work. 
 
 Our apoit\e having ahum) i.itly coirji'oried, and .jfT/clr- 
 onately exhortoil ilie '1 hcfTshiiiians in th6 form M" vcrfcs, 
 now concludes with fervent pr:.ycr for them. ^V'l)e^e, ^•^•. 
 fetv, I. rhe pcrlons j>r.iytd to, our Lord Jefiis Chriit, 
 and God our Fath*"! . 'Where r,.:e, i. Thittprsyer inufl 
 be made to C>o,d alom*, he only kiiows all our wants, and 
 he alone is "cp.iblf of hearini^ and helping us. Nrte, 2. 
 T h;it [t:fijs C'hnlt i- here invocated t<>^c"thcr wiihGjd ihc 
 Faiher : fin-rly his GoJhe;;d li hereby proved, ff>r he is 
 the obji 61 both of internal and external worlhip, is God, 
 o«r i^rrfj^lus Chrifl hitiu'eir.and God even our Father, &c. 
 Ob/trvf, 2. The ground of audience and fuccefs in prayer, 
 ■which hiith Lved ut, and giver, us everhjling coxfthitionMnd 
 go^d hope thruugh grace. Where note, 7. That God's 
 love to linners, manifefted in their redemption by Jefus 
 Chrift, giveth great boldnefs and encouragement in the 
 duty of prayer. Note, 2. That Gv)d hath given all be- 
 lievers lohd ground of fnbftantial and perpetual confolation, 
 he hath given us everla/fing cov.folation . Note, 3. That 
 God has given all believers hope, a gtiod or well grounded 
 hope of eternal life, and this hope is a great encouragement 
 to the duty of prayer. Otjhve, ■^. I'he blefTings prayed 
 for; Increafe of comfort, and perfeveranceor ellablifiiment. 
 I. The apolHe prays for increafe of comfort ; Our Lord 
 Jefus Chrijl and Godour Fother comfort ynurhturts. Where 
 note, That all irue comfort flows from (jod, and that the 
 heart is the proper feat of fpiritu.il comfort : Pfalm, iv. 7 
 Thou hap put gLidn-'fs into my heart. 2. For eilablilhment 
 and perfeverance ; — a>id rjiabi/h youin every good wordand 
 •work: By eiery go'id "Jjord, li tne.mt found d(>dtrine ; by 
 every good -vtrk, ho'inefs of life. L'^arn hence, Ihatefta- 
 .bliflinient in faith and hnlinefs if. a great andneceflary blef- 
 fing,earneftly to be fought of God in prayer; as at all rimes 
 this bleffing is lobe fought, foefpecially in unfettled times, 
 that when we are moft in danger of f-dlingbv temptation, 
 we may be kept by the mighty power of God through faith 
 Ui]to f'alvatiun. 
 
 C II A P. III. 
 
 Our ap^Jlk clofcd the foregoing chaplcr xcilha fen'cnt prayer 
 for the Thcllalonians ; lie begins this cliapter with rc- 
 qiiejiing their prayen for him. . 
 
 FIMALLY. brethren, pray for us. that the word 
 of the Lord may havc/7fc courfe.and be glori- 
 fied, even as it is with you ; 
 
 Obferve here, i. A courteous .nnd loving ccnipellation, 
 brethren. I here is a threefolil brotherhood, which the 
 fcripinre t.-kes notice of betwixt Chrifl and believers, bf- 
 tw ix: btbevers ihe:i)l'< Ives, and bet^^ixt the niinillers of 
 Chr fl dod thfir beloved people. Ohfrrve, 2. St. Paul's 
 pilfionae req'iefl and (upplication, Brrthrtn pray f .r us. 
 Le.irn hcDce, That an iiiter- fl in the piayers of all ihofe 
 that hd\ e JO intere If in God, is the pMrionaie dtlire and 
 eirncfl nqueft of all the faithful mipiller^ of J fus Ciirift; 
 there i^ noihing that the mmilfers of Chrifl do more want 
 or n^ed n othii'g that tliey fo much d lire and crave', as the 
 fpiriiutl olms 01 their peoplt-'s prayers thtii workisa -.vork 
 c>f the gr atell weight of th'- greatt fUtibour of the gnateft 
 d.fficulty and oppoliiion ;.and, alas, their Ihonldc r<. ;ire no 
 ftiooger thin other men-,foffand under the weight of this 
 burden ; wonder i^t then they cry out fo importunately 
 for the hvlp and benefit of their people's prayers. Oh/erve 
 3. The fubj<:dl m^itter wh'ch he delircs then to pr;iy for, 
 that the wirdof the L'lrd may have a free courfe and be glori- 
 fed; in the originil, that (he word may run and be glorifi- 
 ed ; a metaphor tiken frcm a water courfewhere the cur- 
 rent flows freely, w ithouc interruption or ohflrutlion. — 
 Que/i. When may the word be faid to ha vefree courfe ? 
 Anl. When it is freely preached, and fucel-ifiilly preached; 
 when it is preached, withous,etert).il oppofition, and ac- 
 companied with the Spirit's internal operation. Learn 
 hence, That it is the Handing doty of the people of God 
 to wreftle with God at the throne of grace, for the free 
 courfe of the word in the labours of his miniflers ; pr::\ 
 that the-jiordof the L'jrd may have free courje and he glorified. 
 But when may the word be faid to be glorified? When Gnci 
 is glorified in and by the word, by the converfion of linners, 
 by the exemplary converiation of believers ; then is God 
 glorified whei; his word is entertained. Obferve, 4. The 
 argument toexcitethe ThefTalonians to pray for the fuccefs 
 of the word auiongfl others, namely, the great and good 
 
 fuccefs which God had given it amongit them that 
 
 it may be glorified, as it is viith you. fhence /.-fl'«,l hat 
 fuch as have felt the power of the gcfpel thcinfclves, to 
 their converfion and f.ilvation, fhould pray, that others 
 may partake of the fame bene!i:s by it and from it, toge- 
 ther with themfelves ; herein they ihew their love to God 
 and charity to the fouls of men. 
 
 2 And that we may be delivered froraunreafon- 
 able and wicked men ; for all men have not faith. 
 
 In the former verfe, St. Paul delired the ThefHilonians 
 prayers with referrence to the 'Ji:>rd ; here he requefl^ it 
 with relation lohimfelf, that his perfon might beprelerv- 
 ed, as well as his preaching prolper ; that fo long as God 
 h..d any work for h m to do, he might beprel'erved from 
 the rage and fury of the unbelieving Jews and perlecut-ng 
 Gentles, 'vho fo!los\ed him from pi .ce to pLcc to give 
 him trouble; that we may be delivered from unrealonable and 
 •vjicktd men Where note. The odious charadlcT with 
 which the apoflle brai-ds the enemies of his m niflry, he 
 calls them unrealonable men, whom no realon nor argu- 
 mi-nt could convince or fati-fy ; and wicked nitn. of \ici- 
 0J5 lives and debauched praftices. ihey are ufually the 
 vii-fl and worltof men, the vtry dregs of mank.nJ, w iio 
 
 Ifct 
 
?9i 
 
 1. T H E S S A L O ^M A N S. 
 
 Chap hi. 
 
 f> t themrflvrs to pcrfecute the preacher?, and-oppofe the 
 prf ichiniT of ihf i; '('pel. Next, he fubjoins a rtali>n,why 
 hf d:d lo earnfflly dftire iheir prayers fordclivcnnce from 
 d.inrrer',i<:fi/tt/J" all m.'n huve ml f<iith, r.either fiilcliry nur 
 faithfuhicf .much lol's fiiicerefaith in ourLord Jcfiu Chiift; 
 fr>i- thru thcv w<.uKI not oppofehis gcifpel.nor perfccuieus 
 from (;|ice :o pi, uc. for the plain and nerdialive preaclimg 
 of it. Whfre «'//?, j liat what prnfeflion foever a perfim 
 ni ikP". of godliiicfs and rel gion, and how high Cocvcr his 
 pretences are for ejitfrnll dcvoiion, yet iJ.hc oppofes the 
 gofpel, in the poA-er, purity, and prugrefs of it, he is, and 
 mjy be def^*rvedIy A'icd, a» unr^'afcnuHf ond vjlckid man, 
 who wants fiJohty moral hw.efty, and real virtue, and acts 
 only fur his own iniereft, and to pi afe a pirty. 
 
 3 But the lx)rd is faithful, who fhall flablifli you 
 and keep you from evil. , 
 
 Our apoftle had prayed for the ThefTalonians cftablifh- 
 tnent before, chap. ii. 17. he alTiires them of it now ; Gid 
 ivill ftublif- you and kfepyou from evil; from all evil ard par- 
 ticularly from the evil of apoftafy ; and the a-frument for 
 alTurance is drawn from the fideliiy of God. anil his faith- 
 fnlnefs in all his promifes : The Lord is fiiUhful whojhall 
 J}abli(h yoH. Learn hence, That the Chiillians eftabiifli- 
 mcnt in grace, his perfeverance in holinefs, and preferva- 
 tion from fin, depends upon the power and faithfulnefs of 
 God, HI coocnrrence with their own united endeavours to 
 eftablidi and preferve thcmfelves from falling ; The Ldrd 
 if faithful, Sec, 
 
 4 And wc have confidence in the Lovdtouching 
 you, that ye both do, and will do the things which 
 wc command )ou. 
 
 As if the apclHtr had faid, '« Although I gave yon the 
 adiiranceof God's faithful readinefs, according to his pro- 
 
 miiis.todo every thing that is requifiteon his part in order 
 to your elhblifliment in holinefs and prefervation fiotn fm, 
 yet you mull not, you cannot, exj-td the afTiILmcc of God, 
 e.xtept you alio add your own endeavouis, as 1 have com- 
 manded ; and accordingly I have good confidence, that 
 what I command you in the Lord, or by the authority of 
 the Lonl, both now and hereafter, at all times, fhall be 
 performed by you. Where note. The cb.<radter of that 
 obedience wbich the gofpel din els ; Itmuft be nniverfal 
 and perpetud ; ye do all thingsthat I command you,and I 
 have confidence that yc will do, 
 
 5 And the Lord dircft your hearts into the love 
 of God, and into the patient waiting forChrift. 
 
 As if he had faid, " That we may not be miflaken in 
 this our confidence, we pray, that the Ltrd will dire^ your 
 hearts into Ike Iwe of Cod, which will conftrain you to this 
 obedience." Where n'Ae,T\Mt to direct man's heart right 
 into the love of God, is. the work of God ; Th: Lord diref} 
 your hearts into ihr kve of God. I^'oie farther, tha-t thefe 
 Thefialonians did love God already ; for the apoftle had 
 before commended their work of faith, their labour of love, 
 and yci here he prays^that their lienris may be direfted in 
 the love of God, dc. Learn thcnce,*That the hearts of 
 
 the holitftani! In ft of faints doftand in need of a more per- 
 feft and tonltini dirf dlion into ilie love of God ; as fliips 
 thatarebefti ggcd netdaplot,fo ihey that lovt Cod tn< It, 
 need to have their love mlcred and directed to the bttt ad- 
 vant-Tge of his ghry. Cbfitvr farther. From the phrafe 
 here ufed (dire^J tha' God v. orks upon man as a rational 
 creature ; he chang^th the heart mdc< d . but he doth it by 
 diieiftion, not by violence and compullion. The Spirit's 
 conduct is fwcet, yet powerful ; it changes the will but 
 without ilTerifig violence to the freedom and liberty of the 
 will ; we are noi freed but direSled; the Lord din ^ your 
 hearts. — Again, //>< L'.rd dirt H your hearts ; it ituplies, 
 jjiere are many things t'lat would wreath and bendourbearts 
 another way, and divert our love to a contrary object, to 
 the wor»l and the flcih; therefore we had tieed pray with 
 eariie(lnefs,7"Ae Lord dire f} yntr hearts into the IweofGod; 
 it follows, — and into the patient waiting for Chrift. Note 
 her, I. The true characler of a fincere Chriftiau ; he waits 
 for the ccmiingof Cljrift : Such as love Chrid fervently, 
 long for his coming^greatly. 2. H'ow patience qualifies 
 thofe holy ardours, and longing defires, which the faints 
 have to be with Chrift ; though love fetsui upon the wing 
 to be gone, yet patience commands to wait for Chrift's own 
 time of going ; vehement love needs- the allay of patience; 
 moft need much patience todie.bui foinc need af much pa- 
 tience to live : Therefore, fays the 3poMc,7 he Lord dire fl 
 y^iur hearts into a patient waitingfor ^.'/y;/?, intimating, that 
 the faints of God have great need of patience to enable 
 them to endure that flate of diftance and feparation from 
 Chrift fo long as they mull endure it in this world : Well 
 then might the apoftle pray on behalf of the ThefTilonian", 
 The L-ird dire£} y'lur hearts into the Are cf G'id,and p:itient 
 waiting Jor ChrtJ}. 
 
 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name 
 ot our Lord Jcfus Chrift, that ye withdraw your 
 felvesfrom every brother that walkcth diforderly 
 and not after the tradition which he received of us 
 
 « 
 
 Our apoftle here enters upon a new fufijecl, j^^mely, 
 that of church difcpline ; not only exhorting, but com- 
 manding and requiring them to excommunicate from their 
 fociety every brother or Chriftian profeflbr walking difor- 
 derly and not after the tradition or doftrine delivered bv 
 him, againft fuch perfoiis. Note here, i. That though the 
 apoftle did oftentimes intreatand befcech,yet hehad autho- 
 rity to enjoin and command ; /{'e coinniandyou, brethren. 
 2. That this authority to command he had not of himfelf, 
 ha: from Chrift : ICe tommand ym in the name of the Lord 
 Jifus: A minifter tnuft look that hib coiiiinandsliegrounded 
 on the authority of Chrift, or elfe they will lie \\ ith fmall 
 weight upon the confcientes of his people. 3. The fpecial 
 duty he conmianded them to the pradice and performance 
 of, namely, to excommunicate Icandalous and diforderly 
 perfons from their communion and familiar fociety ; that 
 ye withdraw yourfelves. A m.iu that is guilty of a notori- 
 ous fcandalous (in, ought tobe lufpended from familiar con- 
 verfe and fociety with the faints, to ihnme hinvinto repen- 
 tance, before a public declarative e>;couiniunica(ioii cafts 
 hiin out of the church ; //e command you lo withdraw 
 
 your/chiv 
 
 ♦. « 
 
 i 
 
Chap. it. 
 
 r. T H E S S A L O N I A N S, 
 
 S79 
 
 ^ 
 
 ynirCehes fi-'.m every hrnthcr. 4. The offender defcribed a 
 hrnther ; tl-.-^t !.<; a profeffor of Cliriftianity, be he who he 
 will, and let his r.ipk and ftation be what it will, if he walks 
 Jiforderly, like a foldier that keeps not rank and file, as 
 the word lignitiesif he walk? not after the tradition which 
 he received of us, that is plainly, according to the rule 
 and direaion of the gofpel, let him be avoided. Hence 
 harn, That there i.- no church-member, whole rank and 
 ftation, whofe quality and condition doth exempt his difor- 
 derly fcandalous walking from ecdefiartical cenfure : It'ith- 
 dra-v from every brother that vialketh dtf orderly. 
 
 7 For yourfelves know how ye ought to follow 
 us: for wc behaved not ourfelves difordcrly among 
 you. 8 Neither did we cat any man's bread for 
 nought : but wrought with labourand travail night 
 and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of 
 you : 9 Not becaul'e wc have not power, but to 
 make ourfelves an enfamplc unto you, to follow us_ 
 
 In thefe verfe?, iheapoftle plainly intimates, whom he 
 meant by the d'tjorderly brother mtnnoneA in the foregoing 
 verfe: It is the idle perfon, calleddifordcrly, for this rea- 
 fon, becaufe Almighty God, having fitted man for, and 
 ordained him to labour, he that will not do fo, defens the 
 order in w hich God has placed him, and thus renders 
 himfelf dilbrderly. To eondemn which praiftice, St. Paul 
 propounds his own example to their conlideration and imi- 
 tation ; declaring, that he did not eat any man's bread 
 before he earned it, but wrought with his own hands in 
 the day iinie.andfom.etimespart of the night, at his trade 
 of tent-making, that he might not be chargeable to any of 
 them; not but that he had power to demand maintenance 
 for his minillry, but he chofe rather to depart from his 
 right,and to labour in his calling, loexcite others to do the 
 like. Note here, That had not St. Paul laboured in his 
 calling of tentmaking,hehad not been adiforderly perfon; 
 but, lert any lliould think fo, he takes away, and cuts off, 
 all occafion of fuipicion, by working with his hands ; his 
 niinifterial ofHce' would have freed him from the charge 
 and imputation of idlenefs, and made maintenance from 
 the church his due ; but idlenefs the aportle obCerved, 
 was a growing fin, which needed an ej^aniple as well as 
 doiffrine tofubdueit ; and accortlingly the apoftle fets one: 
 J behaved myftlf not diforderly or \(]\p. among you, but wrought 
 ■with labour and travail night and day. Note 2. It iscoKi- 
 mendable to f.illosv good examples, but much more to fet 
 a good example : As miniTlers ought to be patterns, fo 
 people ou^ht to be followers ; and their fin will be much 
 the greater, and their punifhment much the forer, who dO' 
 Dot foll6w,iluir minifters doctrine, when they havefecnit 
 exemplified in their converfation. 3. There have all .ilong- 
 been fome perfousin the world, who have loi'ked upon 
 the workof the ihinirtry as a very ealy caUin'.;, yea, as an, 
 idle calling, that a little time, a hale pjins -.iid l:ib<Mir is 
 enough- for it ; whereas the la!i.Mir of the minillrv, i:) the 
 , cxercife of the n)ind,may juitly be efleenipJ the g; '-ateilof 
 Ja'.jours ; yet we fee people all .along havenr; ju iged it lb,, 
 but: the minift'TS of Chrifl find k I'u. 4. From the, po- 
 verty of St, riul'o condition, that iie had nothing before- 
 
 hand, but was forced to earn his bread before he ate it. 
 /.f vr^/j That it pleafes God f(nnetiines to meafure out a 
 very hard lot to his own children, and to give hu". little of 
 earth to thofe whoglorify him moll upon earth; and thofe 
 upon whotn he intends to bellow extraordinary meafures 
 of glory in heaven, are cut very lliort of thefe outward 
 comforts. Here behold St. Paul, a chofen veffel, one of 
 the holieft if.en, and the moll ferviceable man thai lived in 
 the world in his time, yet without a penny in his purfe,but 
 what he wrought for with his hands, nay, working night 
 and day for bread ! Lord! how endearing are thy children's 
 obligations to thy gc^odnefs, for their ealy and plentiful 
 circuiiirtances in the world ! What a favour it is to h.ive 
 fulnefs upon earth whillf we live, and the afl'urance of tliy 
 everlafling fruition when we die ! 
 
 10 For even when we were with you, this we 
 commmandcd you, that if any (hould not work, 
 neither fhould he eat. 11 For' wc hear that there 
 are fome which v/alk among you diforderly, working 
 not at all, but are bufy bodies. 12 Now them that 
 are fuch we coiinnand and exhort by our Lord 
 Jefus Chrifl, that with quietnefs they work,andeat 
 their own bread. 
 
 Note here, i. The folemn charge given by the apoflle, 
 for every man to follow fome lawful calling, and to be 
 found in the way of an indiiftrious diligence ; if any (being 
 able) will not work, let him not eat (.my part of the 
 church's charity). So that the fin of idlenefs wa-sdire^'tiy 
 contrary to the apoftle's command, and to the apoHlc'; 
 example. Mark, it is not thoi'e that 'cannot work, but. 
 thofe that will not, whom the apoltle excludes' from the 
 church's charity; poor men that will network when they 
 can, do forfeit the bread of charity from men ; the rich 
 men that live idly, do by that fin forfeit their food to God, 
 yea even their litfes and their fouls 100: If any man -jjculd 
 Mt work, neither Jhould he eat. Note, 2. The apollle ex- 
 horts every man to eat his own bread ; implying, that the 
 bread ofidlenefsis ffolen bread; idleperfons fliiill bejudgeJ 
 as thieves, though they eat that which was freely given 
 them : Drones dcfervc no honey, what they eat is llolen 
 from the indufirious bee ; th.it is truly oiir bread which w^ 
 labc'Ur for ourfelves, or recompenfe thofe who get it for us 
 by their labour .- God has fent no man into the world to 
 be idle ; but as the providence of God Jifpofes of ;.very 
 man, though he has ne\'er fo much worldly wealth, yet he 
 mull be fome way ufefiil and ferviceahle in his generaiio.T. 
 3. One of the bad effects of idlenefs pointed at by our 
 apodle , namely, an intermeddling (.is bu!y. bodies) in 
 oilier msn's matters ; an idle perfon that doth nothing 10 
 any good piirpofe, yet lias a deal of bulinefs to anfv< er for> 
 done to very bad pnrpofe : not for labouring, bivt buly 
 trifling ; the buly body 'sbufiQefs i«. very unprufitible hi;li- 
 nefs ; the mind rf man cannot be wholly idle, but muft be 
 employed in foiiieihing, if not in doing gond^ .of neceliity 
 mconiriving evil ; ulu.illy none are fo buly in other-iJien's 
 matters, as they that neglect.their own j ihofe dilordtrly 
 perfons, who did not work' at all',' yet were bufy. bodies, , 
 and, as fuch, cenfurct! by our .-'pofile: 7 b:i>r tkire e,re.S.-c. 
 
 11 But: 
 
8cj6 
 
 ir. T H E S S A L O N I A N S. 
 
 \^HAP. 111. 
 
 13'litit vc, brethren, be not wc.ir)- in u'ell-doin;;. 
 1 J And if any man obey not our word by this epif- 
 tk", note ihiit man, and have no company with him, 
 tliat he may be alhamed. 15 Yet count him not as 
 an enemy, but .idmonilli hivi as a brother. 
 
 Note here, i. How far St. PjuI was from the cenfori- 
 oul'iiefs a-nd unchariublenerf of ihufe men, who condfnin 
 a whole fociety, a commuiiiun, a church in get\er.il, for 
 the mifcarriages of foDie particular pjerl'ins in it. 1 hear, 
 lays he, tkcre xrej'ome that walk Ji/ordtrly • but ye brethren, 
 are free from thefe mifilenieanors ; you are painful in your 
 employments, Jiiigcut in your callings, charitable in your 
 (liitril)utions, he not weary in thefe inllanccs of your duty, 
 but perfevere in well doinj', ; when the minifters of Chrift 
 rtprov'c the lh;bbori»-and dilobedi'eiit for the neglect of 
 their duty, they forget not to encourage and exhort the 
 faithful and obedient to a perfevering diligence in their 
 known duty. 2. He direfts them how to man-)ge refrac- 
 tory pcrlons, fuch asrfmaineJ coniumacious and difobedi- 
 ci^t to the adiiidnitions given by ihii cpiftle ; continuing 
 diforderK', and refiifniv'' to labour : His advice is two-fold; 
 he tells them what he would have them not do, and what 
 Jie would have them do, to fuch. (i.) Negatively, What 
 they flumld not do ; namely, net to cut them off from the 
 church by excommunication, defpairing of their repentance 
 anil rc/oriuation ; extreme rigour is offenfive 10 God, and 
 injurious to the church, as well as too much lenity and 
 forbearance, (2. P oliuvely, He exhorts that they con- 
 iidi "r them as lapfed brethren, and freat them accordingly, 
 as ihofe that dclire and endeavour to reduce and reform 
 them ; in order to w hich he dirc(fb , firfl, io note or mark 
 the ddbrderly perfons; tint n, let a note of (li.inie upon 
 them. Next, Toavoid .dl intimacy aid famdiariry wwh 
 them. Ltftly, To adinomlli them of th^ir duty, that they 
 may be brought, if pollible to repentance. 
 
 i6 Xow the Lord of peace himfclfgive you peace 
 always, by all means. 
 
 Our apoftle being now to take his leave of the Th' fTa- 
 lonians clofes his ep.ftle with prayer. Where rate, I. 
 The mercy prayed for, Peace, peace with Cod, peace with 
 conlcience. peace and unity among thcnfelves as Chrifl- 
 iatis, peace w ith the men of the world, ftranger?. yea, 
 enemies to Clirirtianity . 2. The perlon prayed to, the 
 L.rd vfpiace, underfl.-nd Jefus Chi dl, the prince of peace, 
 the purchaftr of pe,ice, the procurer of pe..ce, and the 
 preferver of peace. 3. The perpetui'v of the mercy 
 prayed for, The Lnrd give ynu peace, not ^or a fiiort lime, 
 but for con;inuance, nluiays, that is, ai all times, and in all 
 phice;, and with all perfons. 4. The way and manner of 
 obraining this ar d all other blf llnig', it mult be in the u!"e 
 ot mean.i : Th< L'jrd i;ive yiu ptaci- ky all mians, that is» 
 in the ulV of^ll lawful and"lau<iable me^ns. L-arnhence, 
 I. That the Lord hinddf is the author; piocurer, and 
 pieferver of all diat peace which his people enjoy; and 
 therefore his people may boldly trull him for peace and 
 
 fiifety, wh'i is, and will be flylfd, The LirJ 'f peace. 2. 
 Thjf fuch as will obciin this bleffing of peace, muH pray 
 for ir, and endeavour after it in a diligent ufe of all low ful 
 means, which is the ufual way and iiieth >d in which God 
 difpenfes it. 3. That it is a lafbng pe.ic»", in peace al-uayt, 
 amongll all perfons, and at all times, that a Chrilban 
 Oiuuld jiray fi>r and endeavour after, that it may be enjoy- 
 ed without cefTation, and without interruption : The L'.rd 
 tif peace, hz. 
 
 — The Lord he with you all. 17 The falutation 
 of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token 
 in every epiftle; io I write : 18 The s^race of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrifl he with you all. Jnu-n. 
 
 Note here, 1. That in the former parr of the verfe he 
 had prayed for peace on hchalf ot thefe Theff.denians and 
 this prayer was put 'up to Jefus Chrifi: 7he Lord of 
 peace give you peace, which, by the 'I'ay, is a (Vong argu- 
 ment for the divinity of Chrift ; for none but God is to 
 be pnyed to, none but God can give peace, Ifa, Ivii. icj, 
 I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace. Our apoftle iio%sr 
 having prayed for peace, next pravs for the pre fence of 
 God: 7 he Lord give you peace, the Ij,r' be '.uith you all. 
 Learn thtnce, I hat God's gracious pref^iice with his peo- 
 ple in any plentiful ineafure, is annexed to their pcaceabls 
 fr.ime of fpirit, and to their ferious endeavours after peace 
 and love, after unity and concord amongfl themfelves ; 
 and the contrary fpirit and temper grieves the good fpirit 
 of God. and provokes him to withdraw his c]iiickening 
 and comforting prefence from his people ; for tiiefe two 
 petitions fcein to have mutual dependency upon each other. 
 The Lord give you peace, and the Lord be vjith^ou all. Xote, 
 2. That the faluta-.ion written with hisownhanil refpecls 
 his own wriiing, which did ferve as a rtken or certain 
 mirk whereby his own epillles wcr? d Itinguifhcd from 
 all counterfeits. The fending of falutations, either by 
 word or writing, that we may thereby tettify our fincere 
 alfed'Oii to ableot f.iends, t<not a matter of decency only 
 but of dutv ; not of compl-meni baiely, but of confcience, 
 71k- fatu.ation of Paul '.vtth mini own hand. 3. His ulual 
 valedict'On and far' wc-1! wi(h, The grace of our Lord Jefus 
 Chri/i be with y.u all. Amen. As if he had faid, " May 
 the gracious and undeferved favour of God in Chrifl, with 
 all the fruits and effects, the benrfi;s and advantages of it 
 be conveyed to you •II, without exception, and b • the por- 
 tion and privik'ce of every foul of you ; and in telliniony 
 bnth of my afT (flii'nate drllre and alTured confidence, I 1 
 fay Anun, fo be ir, fo'et it be." Z,-«rB hence, Ihat there 
 is an inex.haulhible fi>untain of vic'rgrace in Chrift, and h 
 copious are the ftreams of Ipiriiuai bletFings which Ihivr 
 from it, that wifli v\ e never fo much ro others, y£t there 
 Ibll r'-maineth eiioUjih for oiirfi Ivcs. St Paul, w ho « ilh- 
 eih all grace to the 1 hcirdnnian', knew very well there 
 was enough both fi)r hinifelf ami ihein; and that how 
 large a meafyre focvf r wasbeftowrd upon them, there 
 would not be the kfs remaining tor linnf If; therefore 
 diith he ihws cKdc and conclude his cpiltl'V 'a.'^'")?! 7/ie 
 prace of our \^ord'j:lut Chrift bt. viith \ou all. Amen. 
 
 THE 
 
 t 
 
THE 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 T • 
 
 r'Y'^ 
 
 I M O T H Y. 
 
 Timothe us £»• Timothy is the name oftlieperfinlo whan St. Psiul direBi ihisand the folloxving epifik ; a name giv- 
 en hinhyhh parents, to tcjl'/y their pious dejire that this their fmjiiould fear and honour God, according iothejigni- 
 Jicaiion oj his name. ■ ■ ■ 
 
 His p-andnmher Lois, atid his mother Eunice, hrcd him up in the hwwledge of the fcriptwes from a child ; he hecnmf 
 firdtliedifaple, and then tlu companion of St, Paul; was OJ~dainedbyhim,xcasve)y affijling to him, and inexprf fi- 
 lly dear to this great ap flic, who knew how to vahic true worth in what agefoevcrhefoundit; infjmuch, thai St. 
 Pixul fcldom mentions hii name but witha marhofiionour and ejlean. calling him his fun, his clearly beloved fou, 
 his faithful fellow-labourer, &c. He was a per/on cf eminent gifts, atulofa gracious difpofition, hut of afick and 
 icctkly conjlitution ; and being entered very young into t/ie work, of the minflry, St.- VruI thought fit inlasabfencc from 
 him, to write two epiflles to him, and to dl fuccceding minifters of the grfpcl after him, dircBivghozo ') dnwr-i 
 and behave thcmfelves in their miniJlerialfmiEicns. 
 
 In Htefe tzuo epiflles, and that to Titu s , we have a colkElion of canons truly apofiolical direBing all bifmps and pajlors cfthe 
 church how to govern themflvcs, and how to guide their people. 
 
 C H A P. \. 
 
 }~y.\ U L an apoRIe of fefus Chrifl by the com- 
 mandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Je- 
 ius Chrifl, which is our hope ; 
 
 AW here > t. St. P.iul airerts his npodorcal auihority, 
 cjlliiig himfclf an apofile, not (hat Timothy qucllioncd it, 
 but he writes it for their fakes, over whom he wa3 now ])rc- 
 lidinij at EphtTii?, that neither p..iniilcrs or people mi^ht 
 defpile what TiiTiothy did, i: being enjoined botli him and 
 t!icm I'V fo Qreat an authojiiv as was thstt of an aportlc, 
 i'liul nn aj-iple «f J.'fus Chrijl. Z. Wlut aiiiiiority St. 
 Paul had tor txcciitinj this cilice of an apofilc, it was ly 
 ti'cc'imma):rlnh-iilofCjJ, ami our L'^rd ffus Ckr'iji ; that is, 
 by the appointment, injunclion, nrdinuiion, and immediate 
 rommiltion of the Fjiher and Chriil, by ids v"ice fjom 
 lieaven, as the red of ihc npofUss were called by a vnict; 
 from Chrift on enr'h: In I Cor. i. I. he is f.iid to be C;illed 
 liy the will (if Cod ; not by hi^ pcrmillive v\ill l);;rely, but 
 by hit perceptive will pariicidjiiy. 3. The title given to 
 Ml,- Lord Jid'iis Chriit, be is llylfd oi-r Aj/tf, thyt is, the 
 hf.r of our hope, the object of our liopc, the pnrchaftr 
 what we hope for, the declarer to tis of the hopes <>f 
 ' ry expcclct,! by lis. Wlieic /ji/^, That cir Lordjefus 
 
 Chiift is undnnbtcdly and t:ndeniably God, be'citifehels 
 our hope and triifl; Now, if he were no more than a m.m, 
 though never fo excelling, to rnake him our hope, wotiM 
 be to make oiirfelvesmiferable : For curjfd is the mnn ibat 
 tnijkth In man, tivd niahlh man hl's lipc, Jer. xvii. 5. 
 
 2 Unto Timothy, viy ov,-n fon in the fai:h : 
 Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and 
 JefusChrili our Lord. 
 
 Nile here, i. Th.c endearing title which ctir apcfuc 
 gives to Timothy, he calls him hisyi", liis oivn/cn, his ov. n 
 f"n in /he/hi/t) ; becaiifc as fome thir.k, converted by liiin 
 to the Chridian faith ; others, that he was more tliorougl-.Iy 
 inflrudlcd, edified, and cncoiiraf;;ed by }^t. P.iid, but con- 
 verted before ; poflibly allb, he may call him his fon, bc-- 
 c;aiife he was a.s a(Ti(iir>g to him, as obfcquioiis and obfei v. 
 ing of iiim, as a fen is to a father, lie being a )inmg man, 
 and the ap(!l1lc now ajjcd ; or it mav be he calls him ins fen, 
 bec?.iire lie rcfcmhled him in faith and di.'tSl: iiic, prcac^iing 
 and converfation, as a fen reftmbles hi) father in ftce and 
 manners. ConliderTimothy as afpiiiiii.d f';;i to St. P.uil, 
 b'.'<,'.otfi;n to the f.-idi by him, and then the k:,',- is ihi;, 
 I'hat the miniflpr;s of Chriil cannot but bear a lincnt and 
 afiVAionatc love to ihyfc that aie I'lelr fpiii.ual tl;ildi< 11, 
 5X • th^ir 
 
 t 
 
»(jS 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Chap. j. 
 
 their fons in the faiih, and converted to Chrift by their from David, Arc. or clfe endeavours to prove ihemfclvei 
 
 niiuiftry ; confiJcr him as an afliflmti to St. Paul, a co- fons <'l Abraham and Ifaac, privileges which they highly 
 
 MOikcr and fcllow-laboiircr with him in the work of the valued ihemfclvcs upon, and refltd in, faying, f/e have 
 
 gofpel, and thus afFcflionately beloved by him ; and wc Abraham loourfuthr. Whatevtr they were, our apoffle 
 
 may Uarn for our inftrudion, how fervently the miiiifters charges Tin. othy, that the church at Ephefu^ give no heed 
 
 of Cliiill (hould love one another, fptak refpicltully of to them, nor to the prTachers of them, andtherc^fon is 
 
 each ottier, fccure the reputation one of another, flrLngthcn givi-n, bciaufc thiy only occafion difputes, and tend not to 
 
 cacli other's han'l«, encourage each other's hearts in the edificLaion. 
 
 workofG.xl: We have little, G. id know?, very little love NTr>,„ fV,« />„^ ^f f1,„ <.^m^o^4^^.,. •, l,.,.:. 
 
 fromthevvorld: Lord! hou' fad is it thai wefl,..,hlvcr 5 Now the end of the Commandment ts chanty 
 
 have kfs one for another? See how the heart of St. P..-! ""' '\^ P"'.<^ ''^-'f f. and (/a j,ood confcicnce, and | 
 
 and hi. afliibnt Timothy were knit together in love, like {7 iJitn unfeigned : 6 From which loine h.tving « 
 
 father and fi-n, to the great repuiation, as well as the fuc- lwerv>.d, have turned afide unto v.iin jangling; 7 \ 
 
 cefsful furtherance of the gofpel ! Defiling, to be teachers of the law, underrtandin" 
 
 3 As I befought thee to abide flill at Ephcfus neither what they fay, nor whereof they afErm. 
 when I went into Macedonia, that thou ini.;hteil In thefe words our apoftle fmartly reflefls upon the 
 
 charge fome that they teach no other doClrine, 4 Jiid-iizin-j; teacher , who were fn zealous tor their ceremo- 
 
 Ncither give heed to fables and endlefs genealogies, "'■'' '^w, that they mingled works with faith in the point 
 
 which mininer quelHons rather than godly edify- o* J"'l'fi"non ; the apome tells them, .hat the end of .he 
 u- u- r.u f 1 b J J law, ay, and of the golpel too, IS love ; the end, that is, the 
 ing, which IS in iaith ; fo do. 3i,„^ „,e fe„pe, ,he defign. .he pertcdion and confumma! 
 
 A'»/f here, i. The lender care which St. Paul took of tion, the perfidling end; .he lenfe is, that all .he duties 
 the new planted church at Ephcfus ; when his ofiice called which the law of God and the gofpel of Chrift doth en- 
 him into Macedonia, he leaves Timothy behind him at join, are dcfigned only as means to advance and perftd tiur 
 Ephcfus, to water what he had planted, and to build upon love both to God and man i the end of all Chrift's doc- 
 that foundation which he had laid : when I went inh Mme- t'ine i> charity, or the bringing of nitn to love God and 
 (iania, I hffought tbee to alide fiill ot El>heJ'us. A'cfc, 2. their neighbour. 0^<-rw n(xt,"Tf.e aportle defcribes the 
 The charge and command which St. Paul left with Timo- nature and quality of that love, which is the end and de- 
 thy at his departure from hiin, to take care that no new or ''gf> 'be intention and perfedionof the law, and the fcun- 
 f'range dcftriiie be taught, or any other dodrine received '•'•" from whence this love mult (pring and flow, namely, 
 by the church, than what was delivered by him : charge from a pure heart, or a heart purified by the Spirit ef 
 Jome that thn teach us no other doctrine. Hut who were thefe? Chrilf, froin a good confcience, or a confcicnce purifud by 
 Very probably ihcy were the Judaizing teachers, who "'!_'^ blood of Chriff, ond from a fai.li unfeigned : InipKing 
 flrcniioufly endeavoured .0 corrupt the purity, and deprave T ''at love either to God or n:en, is notlinccre, imlei's it 
 the fimplicity of the gofpel. Thence //<7r/;, i. That though proceed from a clean heart, and is accompanied with an 
 the doftrine of Chiift and his apnftles was abimdantly fiif- '^"b and innocent life, an<! hss faith for .he root and prin- 
 ficient to falvatii'n, yet the church of Chrift, even in the <^iple from which it flows. Ohferve,\^n\)-, How he taxes 
 carlieft days of Chrirtianity, were in very great danger of ''"-" Judaizing and falfe teachers, with fwerving frcri 
 beine; corrupted early by other doctrines, than thofc deliv- charity, puiiiy, and faith, and turning sfide to vain jang- 
 ered'bythem. 2. That it is the great duty, and ought ''"?■'' i ^nd that whiilt they affedf lo^be tl^ought Itarntd 
 to be the fpecial care of .he miniflers of God, that no new teachers, and expounders of the law, they beira) thiir own 
 cr (fran^e doftrine be bronched in the church of Chrift : / ignorance, not underflanding either vhat they fay, or 
 Icfwgknhec — that lh:u mightcj} charge feme that they teach vvhereof they affirin. 
 
 m otter do^rine. But a farther and more par.icrlar charge 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man 
 
 isgivet., ver. 4. That the church at Ephef... gtve no heed ^f,,, lawfully. '^ 
 
 to fables or endlefs genealogies, which rather occafion ^ 
 
 wrangling difputes, than tenclto edification in faith and ho- Left any fh< uld have apprehended from the rcfleflion he 
 linefs : By faliles, we may underftand vain and idle fpecida- made upon the teachers of die law in the foregoing vcrfe, 
 tions, Jewifh fcriiples, frivolous obfervances ; whatfoever 'bat he diildifparage and undervalue the law iiftlf, cur 
 in preachinw is delivered by us, which doih notanfwerihe apoftle in .his vcrfe declares, .hat .he law rightly under- 
 great end of preaching, naiT)ely, to build up men in faith flood and preached was very good,, given for, and ,fcrves 
 and holinefs, is trifling, and not preaching; what we deliver "nto excellent purpt ft s, ifwtufe it lawfully ; thai'i?, c: 
 ficjnifics noniore than a fablcor ima^iinary talethatis lolJ, we ought .0 ufe it, as Gcil intended it, rr.mcly, as a per- 
 But what were thcfc endlefs geneatonl'-s here fpoken 'of ? fed 1 ule of life, to diicd us in cur o- tdience .0 God ; but 
 Anf. Not fcripture genealogies, for thofe are not vain but not fo giod to expeil juliificaitt n by it; not g'Hd i;' 
 tifeful ; not endlefs, but determinate ; but thefe were en- oppofition to the gofpel, but in fubfervitncy to the gc .'"pel 
 dcavoiirs of fome particular pcrfons, who, that they might the law is goad if u fed laufuUy. Offervehcxe, i. S'liu 
 have a pretence to ch'.im kindred with Chrift, did make thing implied, namely, that the law of God may be uk 
 Uieir gcnealogicscndlcfs, drawing down their Hue of defccnt unlawfully: But how and w lien m.iy it be faid fo to be 
 
 A'fwcr 
 
CiiAr. r. 
 
 I. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Aufw/'r, When it is converted to unprofitable difputc, as 
 was tlie cafe here, when men oppofe it to Chrift, when 
 they feek jiiftilioation by it, and'the like. Ol'ferve, 2. 
 Something exprclfcd, namely, That the law of God, con- 
 fidercd in itfcif, is good and excellent, it is good in regard 
 of its author, it hath the authority of God itiflampcd upon 
 ; good in regard of the m.tticr contained in it ; gootl in 
 ,'ard of the end of it, to lead us iinio Chrifl, Rom. x. 4. 
 Chrifi Is the did of the /,rw j good in regard of the ufe of it, 
 and that, fi.j To the ungodly, to reftrain them from fin, 
 to convince them of fin, to condemn them for fin. (2.) 
 Tt)the godly, to difcover fin more clearly and more fullv, 
 liivc tliem out of thcmfclves, and from all expeclation 
 or rigliteoufnefs and juftiiic.iiion by anything in ihcmfclves 
 or done by iliemfelvcs ; to caiifc them to put the higher 
 yaluc, cficcrn, and price itpoii Jefus Chrift, and the benefits 
 ' received by him. Thus the law is good ; and if fo, wo 
 to the Antinomonians, who deny the ufc and excellency of 
 the h.)Iy I.iu- of God, who vilify it, trample upon it, and 
 bccaufc it is not good for jtiftification, afiirm it is not good 
 at all : What ! is not gold good, becaufe you cannot eat it 
 for food.? It was never intended for that purpofe : Is not 
 obedience to the law as an eternal rule of holy living, and 
 goixi works, agreeable to the demai«l> of the law, neccfiary 
 and good, though they never had the imprcfs ot God's 
 ordination for our jiiftification in his fight, he having pro- 
 vided a perfect and fpotlcfs riglueoufneTb for that purpofc, 
 which is highly plcaling to him r Lord ! in the dav when 
 thou ihilt come to plead with the world for tranfgrcfling 
 the law, how (liall thcfe men, who with tongue and pen 
 have cried d,)wn the life and excclicncic-s of thy law. fiicw 
 iheir heads before thee r 
 
 ^99 
 
 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a 
 ri.,htcous man, but for the Jawlcfs and difobcdient, 
 for the ungodly and for fmners, for unholy and 
 profane, for inurtherers of fathers and murtherers 
 of mothers, for Inanflayers, 10 For whoremongers 
 for them that defile themfclves with mankind, ''for 
 men ftealcrs, for liars, for perjured perf'ons, and if 
 there be any other thing that is contrary to found 
 dodrinc. 
 
 Our anoftle here declares the perf.ns I. Whoin the law 
 was not made tor, and them fi>r whom it was made • It 
 was not midcfo.-a righteous man ; that is, fay fome it 
 wasi not m tdc tor l-.im as a burden, to be an uneafinefs' to 
 hiin, becanfe ho has a love to it, ade!i^ht in ir, and docs 
 Voluntarily contorm himfclf to the obfcrvatinn of it : Others 
 fay thus, I he law was not made for a righteous man, that 
 1-, the ri.:hteous man is not under the coercive or vindidive 
 butdirea.ve power ot the bwr,nl/; he is not under the 
 cirfe nfthe jawaat.alty, thou.,di all are under it meri- 
 tonoufiy ; and accordingly the law was never made to 
 rernty, and aifiightcn, and condemn them. Next the 
 apoIHe declares tor whin, for what perfons, and for wh^t 
 pnrpofcs thelaw was made, intended, ai.d dcli-r.ed, namely 
 forreffnnn.ng ..nd cotuleannin,-, fi,(l, anddeligned; namely 
 ^ h'.redra.ning and condemning, firft, ingeneral, all luwlefs 
 perfons fons ot Bcl.al. as the fcripture calls them, that i^ 
 men wtthotit voice ; iha m„rai Jaw in gc.icral is a rule of 
 
 holy living, and the gofpcl in particular is Chrift's yoke 
 now fuchas will not wear the yoke of Chrift, muft expcft 
 no benefit by the crofs of Chrift : Then he inftauces in 
 particular, what and whom the law was made for, namely, 
 to deter and reftrain perfons from all impiety and profane- 
 nefs, from all difobcdiencc and ftubbornnefs, from murder 
 and manflaughter, from fod<-my, from whoredom, and ail 
 manner of uncleannefs, either natural or unnatural, from 
 theft, from perjury, from lying and falfchood, and fum- 
 marily, to curb and reftrain wicked men from the pra^ice 
 of every thing which is contrary to the pure end holy 
 nature of God. Learn hence, That there isfiicha pro- 
 penfity and inclination in the corrupt and depraved nati.rc 
 of man to the pra(51icc of dl fin, even the ^reaieft, ihcvileft 
 and the worft of fins, that the law of God, with all its 
 threatened puniihments, is not fufficieni to deter, to terrify 
 or reftrain finntis from the cominiflion of them ; but fiith 
 as will not be under the rcftraining, muft lie under tile con- 
 dem.ning power of the law. 
 
 1 1 According to the glorious gofpel of the blcflcd 
 God, which was committed to my trufl. 1 2 And 
 I thank Chrift Jefus our Lord, who hath enabled 
 me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me in- 
 to the miniflry; 
 
 Note here, i The title given to the gofpel, it is called, 
 //•<• iUnous pfpdcf the MeJJed Cod ; partly, becaufe the 
 glorious attribute and excellencies of God are more rcfpkn- 
 d#nt in the gofpcl, than in the law of God; as a If., 
 becaufe the gofpcl brings more hrnour and glory to God' 
 than all the works of creation put together. "2 He ftvles 
 God the giver of the rofpel. The ^blejjid God, tofi-nify 
 thereby unfo u his tranfceuden mercv and excelling »ood- 
 l 'r\'c '^^'•/."'''^ i"fi"i'f'y Jiappy in the enioymuu of 
 iimMf and his divme pcrfeaions, and m.-arable of any 
 proht from, or advantage by, his creatures, he was ytt 
 p.eafcd to give us his S .n, hisgofpj, his Holy Spirit, to 
 (judity us for, and bring u< to the cnjoymtnt of himfelf ■ 
 ^ccord.ng to the ghrkus gofpel of the ilejjed God. 3. What 
 humble and thanktid returns Sr. Paul m:-kes to Chriit 
 for the high honour, the rich and fpccial favour conferred 
 upon um, in calling him to difpenfe this glorious gofpcl. 
 in calling him to ir, in enabling him for ir, and reuTiering 
 him faithful and fuccefsful in it r I tl?ank Chrlji Jefus, wh, 
 
 ■t ""{xu'^ ''"'"i ""/"'<¥"', Polling ;,e i„lo the 
 mimflry. Where mte, 1 hat ail the fidelity, ability, zeH 
 and courage, which the apoftle had exercificd in the uhole 
 coiirfe ot his mmiltry, is attributed and afcribed unto Chiiif 
 and not to himfclt ; hi, fii'hftdnefs vvas not the «:.ufc or 
 motive but the effca and fruit of the grace of God in 
 calling him tothe miniftry, i Cor. vii. 05": havin« oi.taincd 
 mercy to be f^nihful : Had our Sa.ionr only difccvered 
 his f.uthtulncfs m hm, and not conferred it' np,.n hi,.., 
 there had u<.t he.n fiich rc.fon for this .-^ftcaionate thar.kf! 
 giving which i.ere we find I'io.n our apollle, / '■■ ■ ' ■ -^njl, 
 ivhj hath enalUd me, counting niefnith/ul. 
 
 13 Who was before a biarphemcr. and a pcrfr- 
 cii^tor, and injurious. But I obtained incrc\-,bccau(c 
 . 1 did // ignorantly in unbelief. 
 
 ■; X 2 .- 
 
 ■4H>' 
 
coo 
 
 I. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chap. t. 
 
 A'c/^here, i. Wlist a prodigious finner St. Paul reprc- 
 fcii'.b himfclf before conveifioii. / iu<is o hl.if,hemir, prr. 
 Jeculor, and injurious : A blafphemcr, ihe liiyh (I fin he 
 could commit againll GoJ ; a pcrfccutor, the hit;hell fiii 
 Jic coiilJcommit apainll the faints ; injurious the higlult 
 wickednefs towards mankind ; fins of fuch an aggravatid 
 and accumulated guilt, that they wanted but one ingredirnr, 
 n imtly, fuiTicicnt knuA Ldtic, to renik-r iliem the (in aguinlt 
 the H.ily Ghofl. I3e allonillicd, O heaven?, at the srcat 
 an J intiniic mercy of God touanls jjrtat finncrs ! E\cn 
 pcrfecuiors and blafphcmers may be, and fomciimes are, 
 converted an.l brought home to G<kI. 2. The reafin 
 iiffiined by him, why fuch dillinguilhing tncrcy wasdif- 
 pcnivd to him : He cbia'ncd incrcy, becaufe he did it 
 itjnorani!/ iii unbelief. The word bccaufe^ doth not iin- 
 j>jrt or imply, that ignorance in tl:e apolllt; was the proper 
 caufe cf mercy in GoJ, hut that it made St. PjuI a more 
 Ciipjblc fubjtd for icctisiiig mercy, than he ihotdd hate 
 been, if lie ha-l mali^ioully finiicd aguii-.Il knowledge ; not 
 ih.it St. Paul by lefs finning did merit the mtrcy of Gck!, 
 but his ignorance and imbjlict being in a fori invincible, 
 through the prejudices of education, they did m.uch abate 
 the malignity of b.isfin ; for he was bri.da Pharifec, which 
 was a fed that had an irrplac: ble enmity againit Chj 1(1 
 ind hi h ly rcligi :n. Note, lailly, Tlie end and de(ii;n 
 f'f S'. Paul in relating that his bitter pcrfecution of Chrif- 
 lijnity was in the time of liis ignorance, and n()t d'lie 
 ileliberateiy, knowingly, malicioully ; partly to julfify 
 • he divine mercy and free grace of Gtxl, which pardoned 
 his (ui V, his rage, and inadnef-againil Chriftand his faints; 
 for, he hid done thus drliberately and malic oiiCy, fir 
 (•iCular ends and worldly advantages, it iiad been the fin 
 2{; inft the Holy fihofl, which was unpardonable : .And 
 partly, he mentions hi- ignorance, to prevent the abiife 
 of the divine mercy in men, and to let the world know that 
 none might, or ought to take ei'CourageiTient from his ex- 
 atnple, to be of a perfecuting fpirit, ;ind yet hope formeicy 
 when'at the fame time, they lin againft light and knovv- 
 k'dge. I wuuid to God the perfecuiing Spiiit amongll us 
 v/oiild corifider this, which is as bitter as ever in the brealts 
 off<r(^e againlf Ihur protelhrnt brethren ; but, bltifed be 
 (}od, legally rcftraincd : They cannot now afHidl thofe 
 whom they do not aftcft ; yet is .it evident they do not 
 icjoice, and are not fo thankful for their own liberty as 
 they fhoidd, becaiife thofe whom they hate enjoy their's : 
 Their cafe is. valHy ditfereni from our apoftle's ; they can- 
 not pretend to do it ignorantly, though through infidelity 
 in fome fort they may. 
 
 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding a- 
 bundant with faith, and love which isin Chiifl Jel'u.s. 
 
 S:ill cur apc-ftle goes on magnifying the tranfccndent 
 mercy and abundant grace ot G ui, ih.it c.illcd him firlt to 
 be a ChiilHan, a.id thon an apoftlc ; and he flicvvs, that 
 this great inercy of God had great effed s in him of faith 
 and love, bjth towards God and his faints. Where noie 
 Huw St. Paul, after his converlion, abounded and excelled 
 iii thofc graces which were oppufite and contrary ti3 the lins 
 committed inhiscarnaland unrcgtiierate (late: He abounds 
 \ajai:h, in oppoliiiijn to liis i^innx wibclief \ and in /j-jc. 
 
 in nppnfition to his foriner ia?c and crutltv. A Chrif- 
 rian's truiifidnefs in grace and l.olinefs after his converfioh 
 ought to bear fome proportion to hi", unfruitfidnrfs in a 
 llnful (late bcfdre convcrlion ; the grace of cur Lord was 
 exceeding abundant with faith and love ; he now glorifies 
 God by excelling in thofe graces which were oppo.lte to 
 his former lins. 
 
 15 Thi.s is a faithful faying, and worthy of all 
 acceptation, that Chrifl jcliis canac into the world 
 to fcive finners ; of whom 1 am chief, 
 
 Olferi't here, i. What an humble apprthcnfion tliis 
 preat api-(He had of himfelf ; though then the ):re3tcft «jf 
 taints ill the cflcem of others, yet the thiefcft of (inncrs in 
 his own account : Fbr he doth not fay, I was the clii-.f 
 finners, but, I am fo \ notwithflandiiig his ropcnttnce a; 
 remilTion, (Mil he rcHeils upon his tortntr unrcgcneraie 
 ffaie and finfiil condition. Learn hence. That whtn lin is 
 mercifully pardoned, and caff behind God's back, the 
 penitent finner will and ought to let it continually bcfir- 
 liis own face, to keep him humble, fenfible of, and thar.k; 
 for the rich grace of God difpenfed to him, and received by 
 liioi ; Sinners, of -ahem J am chief. Ohfene, 2. A n.oll 
 comfortable revel ition made by the gofpel concerning th.e 
 redemption and falvation of a loil world, by our Lor.T 
 Jefus Chrift ; He come into the world to fave Jiuners.V^'H 
 note. That the prcmifcd Mefli.sh is come into the wot lu 
 that J ;fus Chrii't is that promifed Mclliah : Therefore! 
 Was Ivefore he came, hisdivine nature pre-exilling from :.il 
 eternity ; and in the fulncfs of time lie afTutncd the l.umrn 
 nature info an iini'm with his God-head.. A'lS.V farthi r. 
 That the defign of his coming was to fave finners ; thnc- 
 fore if man had not finned, Chrift had not come into t' 
 worlil : What need <>f a Mediator, had there been t 
 breach .' No nce<l of a phyfician, had there been no i!ifeal< 
 Farther, It was ntit abfoluitly necelfary that Chrill '" 
 come into the world to fave finners ; but fiippofing ' 
 purpofe of faving finners by way of a pi ice snd fatisfacli- 
 ChriiVs Coming into the world was indifptnilbly ncctfr.M 
 for no mere cre.tture could lay down a pi ice faiisfi^di : 
 or the falvation of loft man. Objerve, 3. The truth aiio 
 certainty, together with the worth' and txctlkncy of the 
 gofpel revelation ; Tl.is is aJaitUulfaying, cud ivcrthy cf , 
 acceptation : For, v» hat is the gofpel but a revtlaticn ' 
 pardon to condemned mnlefatffors, a declaration r.f per- 
 to proclaiintd enemies, a proclamation of liberty r8 <nfl:\ 
 captives, an offer of cnie to difeafcd pcrfons '. Oh I Wi 
 what fervent zealfliould this acceptable dr.drine be prcni 1 
 ed by u?,.and embraced by otir people, Thatfcjus Chrif: 
 come into the "world to fave Jinn crs, 
 
 \6 Howbeitforthis caufe lobtained mercy, ili. ! 
 in me Mrft Jefus Chriil might Ihcw forth all Ion . 
 lufFerin;^, for a pattern fa thein which Ihould hci 
 alter believe on him to life cverlaftin;!. 
 
 hole here. That God is plcafed fotnctimes to magni: • 
 lis mercy in the converfitit and falvition of the n 1 
 notorious finners, that lo the gicateft of firncrs may laJ. 
 encouragement from thence iohoj;g aud txuft incur Li' 
 
 jai: 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 50 r 
 
 yfri!.-; Chrift for p.irdoning wercy : Thus here, this great 
 bl-ifphcmcr and perOrmor wis received to tnercy, for a 
 p.Tt rri and examnle to all fiich finners as fhoiild hcreaiier" 
 ti)rr:i!;e tiicir c\ il and wicked ways, and give up themfelvcs 
 fin.-ercly to the ohedience of the gofpel ; Fir this eat'fc I 
 oltaincd mcrcv. Such a confpicuoiis example of Cliriit's 
 tlemcncy and grace tov/ards f;- great a finner, whom he rot 
 only pardoned, but preferred 10 the di^i'.iiy of nn apoftie, 
 iMvl fent forth to preach the gofptl to the Gentiles, would 
 lie a ftrong motive to the Gentiles to receive thegofpel with 
 f.dth and obedience ; there could be no reifon for any of 
 !hem to d.Tpair of mercy, when they faw fucit a pattern, 
 inch an illuflrious ir.flance of pardoning mercy beicre their 
 c;, (S. 
 
 17 Xotv unto the Kin^ eternal, immoftal, in- 
 vifible. the only wife; God, he honour and glory for 
 ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Our apoflle being raviOied with a fvvcet fenfc of the 
 greatnefs of God's pardoning mercy lowatds liimftil-, con- 
 cludes thi# wholq matter with a palhetical doxology, and 
 an aiFe£lionate thankfgiving unto God. As if he had thus 
 faid, " The fenfe of the aforenaised unfpeakable mercy 
 cdleh up my foul to fpcak with joy the praife.sof our God, 
 who is eternal, immortal, invifible, thccnly God, abfolutely 
 wif-, over anircls and all creatures, to him be honour and 
 glory for ever and ever. ' 
 
 1 8 This charge I commit unto thee, fon Timo- 
 
 t'iy> — 
 
 What charger To flay at Ephefiis, fay fome, for tlie 
 benefit of the church tl-.cre ; to charge the falfe teachers 
 tjot to give heed 10 fabler, fay others \ to keep the di!(3rine 
 committed to him bv St. Paul as a faiihful minilk-r and 
 fcjdier of Jefus Chrilt, againll all oppofiiion : Thefc v.'ere 
 the charges given. 
 
 — According to the prophecies which went before 
 on thee, that thou by them mighteft war a good war- 
 fare, 
 
 Here St. Paul encourages Timothy to goon in the courfc 
 of liis minif^ry wiili cnurage and fr;ithfulncfs, according as 
 it had been foretold or prophtlied he fhould de. Here 
 «r/t'. That amongft the gifts of prophecy, whicJi were 
 found in the apodle's time, and the difcerning of fpiri;?, 
 this was one j to foretel and chufe out pcrfons meet and 
 fit to do God fervicc in the miniftry. Timothy was thus 
 chofen by prophecy, that is, by the direclion of the .Spirit 
 of God ; he was dcfigncd and notilicd bv the fpirit of 
 prophecy, and therefore the apoftle bids him, as it had 
 b„-cn foretold he iJiould be a faithful mlniftcr, to approve 
 himfelf to be fuch ; According ti Ice peiphcci'cs which went 
 hcj\rc oil thee, way a ^ad txarfave. Lcurti hence. That 
 young miniilers ought to take heed, that what hopes, cx- 
 pciSlaiiuns, and good opinions others have had of them, 
 and what prayers, proiriifcs, and enragemcnts have been 
 made for tliem, may not be made void, but made good by 
 them, in the future courfe of their miniilry. 
 
 19 Holding faith, and a good confcicnce, which 
 
 fome having put away, concerning faith have made 
 fliipwreck : 
 
 St. Paul had exhorted Timothv in the foregoing vcife 
 to war a good ■warfare ; here he direds liim to two weapons 
 which he would have him ufe in that warfare, namely, 
 fiUb and a gaod cjnjilence \ neither will do alone : Not 
 faiih without a gf.od confciencc, nor a good confcience 
 without faith ; hold both, faith in thy teaching, ind a good 
 confciencein thy praclice : Hold them f:dl ; for faith (faiids 
 with a uooil confciencc, and falls with a bad one. Learn 
 lience, That in the n;oft perilous times, when fome lofc 
 their graces and comforts, their prefent peace and future 
 hopes, that we may not lofc what we have on earth, and 
 what we look for in heaven, our contimial care muft be, 
 to get and keep, to have and hold, faith and a good 
 confcience. And m(trh the cncourageincnt given to cxer- 
 cife this care ; fome through the negleCL of it, concerning 
 faith have made ftnpzjLreck. Our life is a fca-faring con- 
 dition ; a good confcience is the ark in which we are 
 fecure, made by God's own dircflion (as was that of 
 Noah) and pitched within and Mithcut, as was his : A 
 window it has in the top, to let in the light of heaven, bur 
 not the kafl crack or crevice below, to let in a drop oi 
 guilt, or endanger its own fafcty ; it flirois ofF" all the 
 fhov.crs that fall downwards, and all the floods that rage 
 upwards. Such a fecnrity is an innocent mind and a clear 
 confcience ; but if vvc do not hold faft a got)d confcience, 
 but let it go, we have feen the laft of faith, it f:nks, it (hip- 
 wrceks prefcnily. 
 
 20 Of whom is ITymeneus and Alexander ; — 
 
 That h, of the niunber of thofe who have made fliip- 
 wreck of faith and a good confciencc, are ihcfe two mm. 
 Thcvmade fliipwrcck of faiih ; but how r By icnouncing 
 Chrirtianity exprcGly r No: But imp'icitly, by dcnyingthc 
 refurrefvion, and mainiriining fuch d(;clrines as utterly fub- 
 verted and totr.lly overthrew the faith. 
 
 — Whom 1 have delivered untoSatanj that they 
 may learn not to blafpheme.- 
 
 That IS, whom r h.ave ir.lTicted the cKlircH's ccnfiirc of 
 cxcoinm.iuiicaiior ipon, cafl them out t.f the chi:rch, ancj' 
 delivered to SalJn as God's c\^ ' •■" •^'"•, who oft-tiT.es- 
 tormentcd the perfrn with gi f afcs and bodily- 
 
 pains, called tlfcv.dierc, Th jfj::^ :■.: rfthpjh, 1 Cor: 
 v. 5. Learn thence. That cxcominiinicalion rightly ad- 
 miniftcred, is a-very folcir.n ordinance ; a fhtitting out of 
 heaven him who is julUy caft out of the church's com- 
 mtmion here on earth. But chjerve. The charit;ble Inten- 
 tion of the rpodle in denotmcing this fcntcnce of excom- 
 munication ; it was, Tl'itt they might ha) Ti r.it to hhifplcme. 
 Marft, It was none of Satan's dcfirc,.hut the apoJfle's, that 
 they iTii^ht learn ml to blafpheme : Satan was then God's 
 cxtcuti( ner, when the church wanted the countenance of 
 - the Chrif!i;'n irvgilhate, and his dellgn w.is dc'tni.Slion,, 
 but the npnflle's wns reformation ; not to ruin, but retlaim. 
 Learn, That the end of the church's ccnfurc. in particular 
 of excomtnunication, is not lo fcrve to the deftri'Sion- 
 of the cenfured. much lefs to the private revenge <.f the 
 
 ccnfiircr,. 
 
 ^ 
 
902 
 
 I. TIMOTHY 
 
 CilAP. II. 
 
 ccnfiircr, but to reform and reclaim the offender, tliat others 
 may be warned, and the infeflion ftayed. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Our ap:JHt in this chapla- dinEli Timothj- lo the 
 
 vicnagancnt of his duty; and exhor'.i htm lo take 
 
 Jpeaal care that fraytn and fupplicalkmi he piSlidy 
 
 made, and, fo Jar as was in his power, privately 
 
 jor all vftn, 
 
 I EXHORT tliercforc, lint firft of all. fuppli. 
 (-.1 lions, prayers, interceflions, and givina; of 
 tli.inks be made for all men : 2 For kines, and for 
 all that arc in authority that we may lead a quiet and 
 peaceable life in all godlincfi and honcfly. 
 
 0!/f,-rie, here, i. Tl'.e duty which Timotliy is exhorted 
 to take care of, and tliat is, of the duty of public prayer ; I 
 cxlinrt thee, that fiipplications, prayers and imerceffions, 
 TN'ith thankfpivinp;, be publicly made : Prayer heins; a 
 fncoial and principal part of p\iblic'w()r(hip, the miniflerof 
 (lod mild beaflichioiis and conftant in it ; depriciatinq evils 
 threatened, ftippllcating for mercies wanted, iniercedingon 
 the hehalf of others, and giving thanks tor bleffings received. 
 -• For whom we are to pray in general for all men ; 
 becaijfc we cannot prav acceptably for ourfelves, if we pray 
 cnly for ourfflvcs : This is the nobltft cxercife of charity, 
 and which Gixl has put in the power of the poorcft man 
 »ir>on earth to excrcife ; Lei fuppUcathns and frayers he made 
 f;r all vien. 3. For whom we are more efpecially, and in 
 t'lc fird place to prav ; for kings, and all in authority, wiio 
 then were Pagans and perfecutors. - flfark, He fays not for 
 Ijwful and righiful kings, but for fuch as have the pre- 
 "•mincnce ,nnd power in their hands, for all power is of 
 God .• Jiid the P'.U'trs ihal he, are ordained of God, Rom. 
 xiii. 2. But why f\-^f'.r kings? Becaiife they are fuch 
 ;;rcat inftrimicnts of gond to mankind, becaufc they moft 
 ■^'ant our prayers, as tlicy encounter with more difficidiics, 
 :irc expofed 10 more dangers, and are liable to greater 
 ''•mptaiions ihan other tr.tn. 4. The arguments which 
 the ai)ofllc cfTers, to engage us to this ' ity, That we may 
 fend a quiet end peaceable H^c it all goi^ inefs and honejly \ 
 'hat \%, that \vc may be fccured in the quiet and peaceable 
 pDirelTion of ourcivjl rights and intcrefts, .-.nd that we may 
 1) ■ pro:c<£led in tl'e free cscrcilc of our rtiigion, anil in the 
 j'r:;ciice of i.;odlinefs \ for th-^ujjh no prince can take our 
 ri li^ion from us, if we rtrfolve to keep it, yet they inr'y 
 i.iflurb us in the q'fijpt and pe.icci^ble cnjovinent of it ; and 
 il'crefore it is our intcrcd, as well as our duty, to pray/Jr- 
 '• y, find ciJl that are in atifhcrity. 
 
 3 For this 75 qood and acceptable in the IJ^ht of 
 r.od our Saviour ; 4 Who will have all men to be 
 laved, and toconieuuto tlue kno\vled-.e of the truth. 
 
 C>"r n ioins his reatiins for our prayinT/f /r// 
 
 r.c;/, Ihchuv^- t. , Mit ccnie into \h<- woild tfr five all men, 
 (hrp. I. !<;. Bccsrife it is the dclir>-> of God, as well as the 
 iiclii-n ot' Chtiil, that all mui Hu-vM be i;.vud, and bicaufc 
 
 fuch prayers are pood and acceptable in the fight «f God. 
 
 Ircrn hence, I. That to pr.iy for all men, as well enemies 
 
 as friends, efpecially and particularly for rulers and ma^i- 
 
 flratcs, is good, acceptable, nnd agret;;blcto Almighty Gf^d, 
 
 as all aifls of obedii ict to his commanding will are • JJi] 
 
 is gosd find acceptable in thef.glt cfCod. 2. That it is not 
 
 only all f^rts of men that G<kI and Chrifl defirc fhonld be 
 
 fared, but our Lord willed, together wiih his Father, the 
 
 fjlvation of all men in general, fo far as to make a facr'ifice 
 
 fufTIcient for all, if they repent and believe, and to cffl t a 
 
 general pardon to all on condition of acceptance, and to 
 
 fend his miniflcrs amongft al.' with ihe word of rcconcili- 
 
 aii.n, accompanying it with an hearty dcfire that all would 
 
 accept of it ; in flinrt, what Chrid i.fFereth to all, he un. 
 
 doiibicdly purchaful for all ; but he rffcrs to all pardon 
 
 and life upon condition of acceptance ; therefore, he is fo 
 
 far willing thai all men flu-uld be favcd. -;. The meant; 
 
 and method by which, and in which, God would have all 
 
 men to be favcd, namely, by coming to the kno«ledL;e of 
 
 the truth. It U evidently falfe then, which fome crn- 
 
 fidenily afHrm. That a man may be faved in any relicion : 
 
 Nr., he cannot come to f:dvn*ion but bv the ]<i'-vV,f.^ ,,f 
 
 the truth; withoui the knowledge of Gd, jfj, 
 
 in Chrit'' -.Ivm I-- h- . 1. . „ ,': • ..1. 1 „.. 1 ', 
 
 111 roe- 
 •hence t. ,,^^ ,^^^^ 
 
 IS ly. pn(, , ,. , ,„ ■: , Jlmcnt,. 
 
 be i.iVed, by ccm.ing i- //,. 
 
 5 Fpr iitfre is one God, and one Media tor between 
 God and men. the man ChriR J jfus ; 6 Who "ave 
 himfelf a ran (01--- for all, to be teftified in due t?me. 
 The apnflk's arguments nms 'hus : " We cught to pray 
 for all, becnufe tht re U one God, who is good to all, and 
 one Mc.iiitor betwicn God and nunkind, who took rpon 
 him the commrn nature of all men, and gave himfelf a 
 faiisfaiJl.ry and fufTicient ranf ^m for all, which Was in due 
 time tefiified and born « itncfs to us bv his apoftler." Leant 
 hence, t. That the only way or friendly intercourfe be- 
 tween God and fallen men, is by ard tliroi'ij;h a Mediator : 
 God cannot look upon fallen men out of a Mediator, but 
 as nbels, traitors, and objedls of his vincidlixe wrarh ; nor 
 can fallen man, without a Mediator, luok up to God, but 
 as a provoked majefly, an angry iudge, and a confuming 
 fire. 2. That there is no other Mediator between God 
 and mr.n but Jcfus Chiift, -who was boih Gf<l snd man ; 
 for though the apollle calls him the Man Chrifl Jtfus. ihii 
 is not added to exclude the divine nsuire from the Meili- 
 atorfliip, but emph.vic.illy to declare //w nature, in which 
 he gave himfelf a r:?nfom for U"; ; the human nature is the 
 matter of our rarfom ; the divine nature gcve worih and 
 v.->liie to it ; Chrid fufFcred bein^r nian, and faiisfied beirp 
 
 f^..A - TU-i .1.:. n/r ■-.■ . T .- ^. ... 5 
 
 Cntd. 3. That this one Mediator, Jefus Chii.1, e?ve 
 himfilf a rsnfom for all: VVh'H-ver j.erifhcs uri!er"the 
 pofpel, it is not beraife no ranf in was paid for him, nor 
 hee-uifc it w as rot fiiffcicnt for him, for i; is mod niMorii.us, 
 thjt God has ilfucd forth vn iiiiiverf_l sd of <;r.'ice, cfler- 
 »r>- pardon of fm, .ind etcrn:;! f.,lv.-i!ion fo all n'-tn uithtHit 
 eveption, living under the g( fpt.I, upon condiii..ti (-f their 
 bclicvln-,' accejnance ; if thev ieic6( and rrdifc i- is to 
 their unuiitrable and iiievirabfc coBdemiiaiioB. a. That 
 
 Chrids' 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 I. T I M O T II Y. 
 
 £°3 
 
 Chrift's mediation nnd interccfiirn is founded upon re- guifliinp between the qualities and ranks of pcrfons: Gar- 
 
 dempiioB ; becaiilc \ c gave himfelf a r.-nftni for all, there- ments ;iHo are for defence and protedliun, .-.nd for decency, 
 
 fore is he, and he rnly, qualified to intercede for all, in and ornament. 2. That though pctftni of quality art- not 
 
 virtue of that facrifice whiih he I fitred f(-r the falvation of prohibited to wear fuch garmeiits, though coftly, as bc- 
 
 maiikind : Therefore, the diflircSit n of the church of ccmeth their degree, yet none are to fliidy the external 
 
 Rome, between a Mediator of redtnipiion, and a Mcdiiiiur f.dorning of the body, fo much, as to nej^ltcl the inner man 
 
 of iiiterctflion, is grciindlefs ; for who dares plead with an by gor^d works. 3. Thjt all attire (i.) is fori it'deii 
 
 offended God, as in interctlTdr on the hehalf of fit;ners, which fufpccSled wonen life, either to pro\ eke luft in others 
 
 that has not firft, as a redeemer, faii.'fied the juflice of Ciod or to (liew inclinations to it themfelves. (2.) All fucii 
 
 for fin ? As there vfis no redemption wrorght by any, but attire as by the tichnefs and ccftiinefs of it, Jliews pride 
 
 by Chrift ; as there is but arte Coa, Uy h\H one Aleciiatcr and vanity of fpitir, and an ambition to excel otiiers ; not 
 
 between G d and man, the ALin Clirift Jefus. 
 
 7 Whereunto I am orddined a preacher and an 
 apoftie, (I fpcak the tnith in Chiill, and lie not) 
 a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I 
 will therefore, that men pray every where, lifting 
 up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 
 
 A's/f- here, i. Our apoflle declares his auihoiity to pub- 
 li(h the gofpel fo the Gcniiles, and his integrity in the pub- 
 lic:<ti(m of it ; I was ordained an apolile, a teacher of the 
 Genfiles, in faith and verity. 2. 1 hat according to St. 
 PjuI's comniilTi.in, he gave diredlions to all forts of per- 
 fons f)r the regular performance of their duty. And, tirft, 
 concerning the duty of praye: : I v.ill \ that is, Gcd by 
 mc declares his nil), that ?11 men prry, that they pray, eicry- 
 where, in the pi:blic affemblies, in 'I lir private families and 
 apartment' ; lifting up the hands, in token of expe(£ling 10 
 receive an anfwer from heaven : Lifting up hoiy hard; , let 
 their prayers be holy, accotnpanied with faith and charity: 
 Without wrath and doubting ; a pe-ceabic heart V as neccf- 
 fary in prayer, ns a pure hand : It is in vain to a(k in prayer 
 the favour of G"d, \\iih anger and revenge in our hearts 
 agaiiift man ; to pray with doubting, is cppofed to faith ; 
 to pray in WTath, is oppofed to charity. As if the apoftie 
 had faid, " Pray both in aflual faith and love." There 
 muft be faith in prayer, otherwife we cannot lift up holy 
 hands without dnub'.ing, there mufr be love otherwife we 
 cannot lift up hrlv hands \vi;houtWrath : therefore, fays 
 lire apoftie, / ivill tlhit men pray every inhere, lifting up 
 kcly hands, &!.c. He and his fervicc inuft be holy, that will 
 ferve G;)d acceptably. 
 
 g In like manner alfo, that women adorn thein- 
 felves in modcft apparel, wi;h fhamefaccdneTs and 
 fobriety ; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, 
 
 but that there mav be pride under mean apparel, and oft- 
 times is. (3.) All fuch attire -as is unfuiiablc cither to the 
 time or place of worftiip. Kite, 4. That this precept 
 ought not to be (lighted, by women, as of fmall moment ; 
 becaufe the two great apollles, St. Peter anil St. Paul, do 
 both give it in charge unto them. I.aftly, That the men 
 arc by no means to look upon thenifelves as unconcerned, 
 in this apoftolical precept given to women : It is much 
 more inexcufable in them to afft(9: gaiety and gaudy drcfs ; 
 for it is vain and toolifti, troublefomeand uneafy, the nurfc 
 of idlenefs, attended with luxury and wantonneTs, and very 
 often with immodefty and Icwdnefs, and is the great bane 
 very often ot juliice and charity. How many are fine ani]. 
 gay, but at the cxpencc, and IVmeiimes at the ruin, of the 
 poor rradeCman ! And how oft is that fpcnt in vain decking, 
 which ought to be laid out in the poor's clothing ! 
 
 1 1 Let the women learn in filcncewith all fubjec- 
 tion. 1 2 But I fuffer not a woman to teach, nor to 
 ufurp authority over the man, but to be in filence. 
 
 Still our apoftie is direding Timothy how pcrfons fliould 
 and ought to behave theinfelves at the time, and in the 
 pLicc of worfhip : Let, fays he, the ucmen, in your alfem- 
 blies, /earn injilenee ivith aUfuhjenionXo the better fcx ; for 
 I /"ffi"'" *^'j' " iv'.mnn to tench publicly, aiul to iijurp authority 
 over the man, to whom God has given autho/ity over her ; 
 but rather, according to her duty, let her learn /« ^/j/Wi". 
 Here mlc, I. That it is only women's public teaching 
 that is here forbidden : not their private teaching their chil- 
 dren, or fervants, or the younger women,, or even thtir 
 hufbands themfclves upon a fit occafion. Acts xviii. 26. 
 vvc find Prifcilla privately inftruding ApoUos. 2. Thar 
 none out;ht to teach but who have ainhoriry ; aixlteacliiuc' 
 is exerciiing that authoiiiy : A v.om:in therefore teachir.i^ 
 publicly, doth ufurp an authority not dite unto her. ^ 
 There were fotne women in the Jewifli church endov 
 
 or coftly nrrav ; 10 But (which becometh women " \'T ^^^^^ '"••"« ^^men m the jewUti ctmrch endowed 
 
 en- jf c\ -.u J 1 ^^"n extraordinary Pitts of the Spirit, and particularly wiilr 
 
 profeffing godhnefs) with good works. ^ ,^,gif,„f ^,,^^,,^f,^^ ,hodid leach ,iublklv ; asMii-ram, 
 
 The next apoftolical precept here given, is to women, Deborah, Huldali, and Anna : And it is probable, that the 
 
 concerning their apparel and attire, that at all times, but fpenking of thefe extraordinary women encouraeed others 
 
 efpecially in p'.iblic uorfhip, tV.cy ufe fuch apparel as be- to do the like, whom the apoftie here dircdfs his fpeech 
 
 com.eth modcft and chafte women, exprefting by their out- 
 ward garb the inward gravity and modefly of their minds ; 
 not like proud and alluring perfons, wiih eir.broidcred hair, 
 gold nd pearls, to attraft the eyes and hearts of the (itnple. 
 Noll, I. That the attire, which all perfons^ wear, oucht to 
 be fuch as may anfwer the end for which apparel was ap- 
 
 againft : I/uffer not a woman to teach. Sec. 
 
 13 For Adam was firfl formed; then Eve. 14. 
 And Ad.im was not deceived, bat the woman being 
 deceived was in the tranfgreflion. 
 
 Here St. PauT offers a double argument to enforce the 
 
 pointed , which was to hide and ft.roud our ni.kednefs; for duty of fubjed ion upcn the wcir.an, and to'prevem h/'r 
 diftcrenciug and diftinguiihing of fcxes ; as alfo tor diftin- *^ 
 
<pii 
 
 1. T I M O T II V. 
 
 CiiAP HI. 
 
 ufurping of authority over the man ; namely, becaufe the 
 man was firft in the creation ; jiefam n'as firfl firmed, 
 /' ' f.it\ anJ t' i.in was firfl in the tranfgreflion : 
 
 . .' '. ;f..'f »'.' . 'hat is, fuft and immctiiaicly de- 
 
 tcivcil, // cd •uis (irrt in ihi; trr.nf- 
 
 I'rfjfion ; i . of h^T own and her hiif- 
 
 lund's irai;iy,rc!tion ; anil accordiiudy, not only by the law 
 • f lirr -■• ■.•'u.n- lit as a piirrilhmcnt for her tranf^reflion, 
 GoJ i in a ft.ite of nKjoHiun, and given the 
 
 man uajncri y '■, r iier ; which authority flic iTnrps over 
 hirr, wl'tcncvcr flic undertakes to be a piibiic teacher of him. 
 'n-cle two C(.nridcraiions duth the apoflle make iifc of, to 
 i'.iin^ble tlic woman, and lo.kccp her v>iihin the fphcrc of 
 her proper duty. 
 
 15 Xotwithflaiidinq fhe flnll be favcd in child- 
 'bcarinir, if thcv cotitinue in failh and charity, and 
 holincfs with lohriftv. 
 
 Our apcfllc havinc; in tlic prccrdirt; vcrfc, ncqi'aintcd its 
 ■with the woman's fin, tliaf (he 'lVos in ih /rn»fc;rrj/icii, and 
 firfl in tt'.e trnnfcrcflinn ; in this vcrfc he informs the wo- 
 man of a pnrt of her ptminimcnt for that her franfg'reflicn ; 
 and that is, tlie fLVcrc pain and extreme peril of chi!d-bcar- 
 injr. He acf;tinints her, 2. With her comfort and fiippr)rt 
 iMider that pimifhmrnt ; and that is, an hope of falvaMnn : 
 She jhall h foifd in chihl-lcariv^. 7. With the condi- 
 tion, upon wiiich the hope of that falvation is grounded 
 snd bottomed ; ifjhe continue in faith anrl chari:y, and hdi- 
 fiefi ivitb Jo! riely. Lrnri, I. That pain in child-bc'arinjr 
 i< a part oi that pimifhnicnt whicli was iiifiidlod bv G(hI 
 upon the woman for her firft lin ; and accordi/icly the 
 woman's f.irrow and fcnfible feeling; of the pain?; of child- 
 birth ought to bring to her remembrance her original nnd 
 firf! tranfj-reflion. Snrelv when the woman tp< Is ti-c ori- 
 .srinal pimifliment, it ovyht to remind her of her orig'na! 
 fin, as a child oifght to remember his faidt.at that very in- 
 ilant when He is under his father's rod. 1. That tlie in- 
 Hiflion of this puniflimfnt fthe pr-insof child-bcaiingl even 
 Ajnto death, is and thai! be no hindrance of the woman's 
 etern:l falvatirii, if there be found with her thofe holy 
 qcaiitications and E;racions conditirns which the gofpcl re'- 
 tp.iires ; partly in regard of live relation which God finrds 
 in to her, partly in regard of the cwcnnnf MJiich Gr-d 
 Ins made with her. A-chihl is asmi'ch a child under the 
 rid, as in the boforn ; ntither the fatlier's flrrke, ror the 
 child's grief can dil1t>!ve that relation. 7. That faiih aid 
 charity, holinefs ?nd fi^bticty, with perfevcrrrce th.eicin, 
 arc the great Cf ndi itns itf the gnfpcl iip<'n which the wo- 
 niin's eternrl fjhasion in lh?t ha/Srdiins condiiion doth 
 depend. She Ihdil h jr.-^cd in rl ild-henrinr'^, Xc. The 
 Words may alfo refer to the woman's teippoml d(!i\ernrce 
 in the tint? of tr.ivail : and the fenfc nms ibils : '• Sfe (h.ill 
 b,- faved in clild-bcnring, that is, flic fljall go throiigli the 
 pains of child lirih with fsfct\, if file cor.iiniicin faith, 
 putting her inifl in Od for ddivcrance, in chrrity, txer- 
 ciitng compnlTion to thofl^ ill like Condi ■ ! in the e\- 
 
 ercife of temperance, fobriety, and 1. cording 10 
 
 I 5(;iii:il vow." Shejhulilicjifu,iiiui.l,ilil-lfann^, 
 
 lie i^i fiiiih, ire. 
 
 C Ji A P. III. 
 
 Th d(fign of cur aioJlU in " ' :'Kcr is to irJlrM Ti- 
 mothy 171 one of the w. :miI parti and duties 
 of his office, namtly, to take great care whom he did 
 admit into the facred JunElion. 
 
 THIS ii a trtic fayin;;, if a mandcfirc the office 
 of a bifhop, he dcfircth a good work. 
 
 N^te here, t. Our apcftle acquaints Timothy wiih the 
 dignity, honour, and excellency of the facrcd fiiri^ion r 
 He thai defireth tie ofpce- 5/ a lijho/), that is, to rule and 
 teach in the church of God, he dtjireth a gcod tusrl-, 1I t 
 i', an horoiirahls employment. As if our apoOle J... j 
 f.iid, " Know, O Timothy, that as to the r.fhce of a bifjit p, 
 •wh'evtr dcfireih it, doth dtfirc a ycry great and excellent 
 work : It is not a bare name, title, dignity, a pbcc of 
 honour and command ; but a tvcrk, a' work of vaff im- 
 portance, labour and difTcuIiy : Take heed therefore whom 
 thou dofl ndmir, and of thofc tlut are alfo admittfd imo 
 the facrcd fiinclion, to ct.'nfidcr the great we'chi of tlitt im- 
 portant fervice, to cnrerptize it w ith extraordinary drer.d 
 and caution, locking upon their office, not w i:ii afpirinr but 
 tremcnduous thoughts ; Yoruho isfufficient t^^Jc things 'f' 
 
 1 A bifliop then mufl be blamelcfs, the hufband 
 of one wife, vigilant, foLcr, of-ood behaviour, given 
 to holpitality, apt to teach. 
 
 Here we have St. Paul's jv)fitive chara<fler c^i a bifhrp, 
 .?nd what he ought to be, wiio is admitted into that Kjafl 
 and honourable office in the church td God ; he cui;ht*ro 
 he Idaniflrjs, a perfon free from fcsnd.tl, vi'hotit any jufl 
 ground of bbtne: The lifer-f a bidiop ihouldfhine fobri-"hr, 
 that others may not only hthold if, hut admire it, and sride 
 their lives by the example of it : 7 he hufht.nd if ere uiff ; 
 thi-.t if, one at a lime ; not gui-li y of tiie "(in of haN ing many 
 w ives, or <tf putting away the v ife by diyorce, as the Jews 
 fifqi'cnily did for fiivoloiis c.-:ufcs.' Here »«//, r. The 
 apoftlc's command (that the bifhrp be the iiufband of tne 
 \\\k) doth not oblige him to marry, but it elt::blifhcs the 
 lawfulnefs of his maniagc, if he fees ftdTcient realign for it. 
 Nor, :. Does the apofile here forbid Tuccefliye marriagcsj 
 as if when a biflir-p has trarricd one w ife, or more, he miVht 
 not lawfidly marry again; for this he elftwhere allews,, 
 I Cor. vii. S. from this it may not be in a man's pov\cr to 
 ahft:.in; many lofe their firft, rnd frmetimrs thur fccomi 
 wiyrs fo foon, that v ere not after- m.arri:!ges lawhd, all the 
 ends of inariinge n-.iifl be fruftraie as to (km. ; ytt may wc 
 fui'pf'fe by ihcfcvords, aiid mrny o;hcis, tliai St. Paul 
 prrpofes a greater degree rf tlufliiy to diunh j.<nernrrs 
 than to other peifrn. I'rgHrni, ve'rv diligent : t ,' u .-.I,. 
 fid in the performances of lii> whole doiy^ av nt 
 
 from his fjotk, nor neglijitnt vhin he is si. . -'j ii^r, ; 
 /i/v;-, governing I is piflicnsaid appetites, reducing th. .'] 
 rthtllious powers titu'er the domini.n c^ repfon :id reli- 
 gion; rf «r,(f{ hh,:ri'.vr,u\ f. is ^^ or <!•;, in h. bit :nd L-aih, 
 in 1 i. deeds and aclion:', njiher pirtid and fupercilii iis.r:. r 
 morofe and four, but i-ffallc rrd izh. \' ' 
 of a compofid tci«per and 
 
 :ti(; ■.v.C ( ■ I rV' 
 
 ■'."■"/• 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 TIMOTHY. 
 
 905 
 
 piility, not to fenfuality ; it is nj|H|R keeping of a free 
 tabic, and open houfe forall cnij||^^P$hicii St. Patil points 
 at; hut charity in entertaining ^j^Prger.*:, poor Chriltians 
 that left ilieir countrj' by perfccii-fion, or fuch as travtiled 
 upon their lawful affairs from place to place, the free re- 
 lievint; of fuch as arc ncccditous, and expofeJ to want and 
 hardlhip, is the hofpitality pointed at by our apolllc ; apt ta 
 tear!.' ; that is, both Icnowing and willing,able la teach, and 
 forward to it, iiaving both ikill and will, ability and dexte- 
 rity for that part of his duty, one ttiat is ncithc.r ignorant 
 ot his duty, nor negligent in the performance of it. 
 
 3 Not given to wine, no flriker, not greedy of 
 filthy lucre but patient not a brawler, fxot covetous ; 
 
 The negative charafler of a bifliop now fcllowe, {hew- 
 ing what he muft not be : hst ghen to ivhte ; that is, to 
 much wine, no inordinate lover either of wine or flr,ong 
 drink, no wine-bibber, nor fitter at wine in his own h^ufe, 
 ftiuch Ids at taverns and public hoiifcs ; No ftriier, cither 
 ^v•ilh hands or toguc, no quarrelier, that cannot keep his 
 hand from hurting, no wnrd-lfriker, no ftriker with his 
 tongue in paflion and anger ; a word, ^ve fay, wounds 
 deeper than a fword ; the niinirters of God may wound 
 tbe confcicncei of men with the fword of the Spirit, but 
 they mult not wound the reputations of men with their 
 own wrathful fpirits : We mult ufc our tongues rather to 
 heal than wound ; or if at any time to wound, i t muft be 
 in order to healing. Net greedy cf filthy lucn ; no innrdi- 
 nate lover of money, which mnkes a man bafc and fordid, 
 both in getting, keeping, and fpending ; but pnticiit, meek 
 and forbearing, not rigidly, exa<fling his due, not acting 
 fummo jure, but ratlier parting with fomewhat which in 
 flriiflnefs may be his right, for peace fake ; Not a bruivhr, 
 or contentious perfon, often engaged in law fuits, but of a 
 mild and peaceable difpofition : Not cozetnis, or enflavcd 
 to the love of wealth ; polTeCshc may thegood things of this 
 life, but not be poircfTcd by them. 
 
 4 One thatruleth well his own houfe, having his 
 children in fubjcclion with all gravity ; 5 (For if a 
 man know not how to rule his own houfe, hou' 
 fhall he take caie of the church of God ?) 
 
 A billiop being a ruler in the church of God, Timothy 
 i-i advifcd to chufc fuch a one to rule in the church thai 
 well and wifely governs his own fainily, having his chil- 
 drc.i in due fubjeclion, and both he and they behaving 
 themfelves with becoming gravity ; and St. Paul fubjoins 
 a rcafon for tliis apollolical injunction, arguing from ihe 
 k-l's 111 the gicatcr, thus : " 'The church is a large family, 
 the biljiop's houfe a leis ; the former requires a greater 
 fkill in governing of it than the latter : If then a man can- 
 not rule alels province, how fhall he manage a greater ? If 
 he cannot keep up his authority with decency and becom- 
 ing gravity in his own family, how fhall fuch a one be 
 thought fit to be cntruflcd with the care of the church of 
 (jixj r' Great are the oblig-iiiotis which lie upon the mi- 
 iiillers of (lOtl above all other men, to guile and govern 
 their own families, to keep their children in due fubjeflion 
 and thtiricrvants in great order \ becaufc ihcir family niif- 
 
 carria<je!= refleft greatly upon their authority and prudence, 
 and the world will pronounce them unfit for rule in the 
 church of God, who cannot govern their own houfe ; //" 
 a 7nan know not hoiv to rule hit own houfe, 6{c. Leant 
 hence. That he who knows how to rule his own hoi;fe well, 
 is in a good pofture of fpirii for public rule ; the fame wif- 
 dom,jullice, and holinefs for kind, but more extenfive.aiffi 
 in either fphere, and will rerjuli'ly move in both. 
 
 6 Not a novice, left being lifted up with pride- 
 he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 
 
 Anovhe, fignifies, a young plant: here, a young, raw. 
 unexperienced perfon: Yet not fo much young in years a-; 
 in knowledge; forTirnothy hinifelf was very younc: Not 
 a novice in religion then, not that one is unexperienced in 
 the rnyflcries of the gofpel, imdertaking to teach others be- 
 fore he has learnt himfelf. And the reafon fur this injunc- 
 tion is weighty ; Left being priffed up with pride, he fad 
 into the condemnation cf tbe devil : Implying, that young 
 raw, and unexperienced perfon?, when pu; int.> public of- 
 fice, are in very great danger of falling into the fin of pride, 
 the devil's fin, and of cxpoliug t'lemfelves to couJjnina-. 
 lion, the devil's piinKhmeiir, becaufe their knowledi;e is 
 weaker, and their pafljons Itronger, and their graces feebler, 
 and they want that experience which fhoul.l cun'.b'iJate 
 their judginents, are therefore in great danger of fdf-exal:- 
 ing ; for none fo proud and confulent as thj ignorant and 
 injudicious. A s/^ here. That when St. Paid lays, Le/} he 
 fall into the condemnation of ihe devil, it is as if he hat! faid, 
 " Left he be condemned for the fin that the devil was con- 
 demned for, which was pride; not that the devil will 
 Condemn him for his pride, for the more prtud a man i.^, 
 the tnorc the devil ajjproves him: Nor is it the devil's ofTicc 
 to condemn, but to execute : he is the executioner, not tho 
 judge ; he will not condetnn for fin, but he uill eternally 
 Jonnent them whom God condemns. 
 
 7 Moreover, he mufl: haveagoodr'eport of them 
 which are without; left he fall into reproach and tht; 
 fnare of the devil. 
 
 Kote here, How neexlfid it is for a miniiltr fo h? of an 
 iJntain:td reputation ; a bilhop muft be of good rep..,.', 
 faith St. Paul ; it is necellary for his own fdvation that iic 
 be good, and for the fjlvaii>n cf others, that he be ac- 
 counted fo : Great is their fin, ther», who go about to bluit 
 a miniiler's reputation, becaue fomething of reputati^^n ;s 
 abfolutcly neceffary to render his minilliy fuev.L-f'sfi;l. Aa/c 
 farther. He mufl have a giod report of them that are iviii- 
 oiit, that is, without the church, unbLlivving Jc\\<; or Gen- 
 tries, with whom he formerly coiiverf;d ; left leccminc 
 Contemptible, and fo not able to poiform his duty ns he 
 fliould, hegiveoccafion to the heathen to blafphemeCh.rif;. 
 tianity, and toTeproach him for hisfr)rmer courfc of V\K\ 
 
 8 Likcwife mifl the deacons he grave, not double 
 toii«ucd, not given to much wine, not grccJv v\ 
 filthy lucre. 
 
 At/y here, r. That there arc but two forts of fixed 
 
 .cliurch-oftices mentioned by St. Paid, bilhops and deacon?; 
 
 5 Y U3 
 
QOG 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Ciur. jir. 
 
 as tlie cliiirch hal its own billnp, fo likcwifc their own 
 ilci-rons ; Thd'c were at hrlMnftiiuted tor ihcfeniceot 
 tlic poor ; the ;ilms of the church were brought to the 
 ali;ir, the cUmcoov rtCi.ivcil thein, an>! ditliibuiid ihcm 
 ainoiii; il ea»*d and iin|)Oltnl tri^ri' h^ufe to hoiifc ; Now 
 to bjw.ire ot'thofc taulis that arc Irtqninilv commiticd in 
 rominon converf^ttidn, as light and vain diiVourfe, I'ayine, 
 (ifie thini; to one perfoii, and the contrary tooivthcr. Ltt 
 the deucom hf grave, not guilty of levity, but fcrious and 
 dnipofcd, men of a modcft and becoming carri-ge ; utt 
 iticl'U.-lciguiJ, ni>r over talkative pcrfons, ucr-faying one 
 thin!', to tmo pcrf.in, and the contrary to another, according 
 to the place or conipanv ihcy till into : n^J given to much 
 it'iti' ; not the thint^, but the txctf?, is forbidden ; //;:/ 
 •rifff'x of filthy inert, ftckini^ to get vvLaUli by fordid vays 
 and means. 
 
 5 Molding the my fiery of the faith in a pure 
 conlcicnce. 
 
 That IF, they muft be found believers, and of an iiprigiit 
 Hfe, maintaining truth of dt)i5\rine, and foundnefsof laiih.by 
 jjiicciity of lieart and iniigrity of life. 
 
 10 And let thefe alio firft beproved; then let thera 
 viIc the oflicc of a deacon hQingfomui blamelefs. 
 
 - Here Timothy is dire<£lcd not to put any pcrfons fiid- 
 deidy into the ollicc of a deacon, but firll to prove them 
 t<ir fomc con.liJcrablc time ; and their fufiicitncy being ap- 
 proved, let them be ordained, and ufe the office of a deacon 
 
 1 1 Even I'o mii/l iheir vfives he gruvc, not flander- 
 ets, lober, faithful in all things. 
 
 In the original it runs. Let the women ; by which is 
 meant, either ilse deacons' m ives, or the deaconneflef,v\'ho 
 were appointed to take care of the p<:or women, as the 
 deacons were of the men : Underfbnd it of both ; thefe 
 (]ualif)catiens are vcfy excellent and well becoining of both 
 they ought to be grave and fober not light and airy, no 
 (laiid.rers, not devils, fays the original ; the leofe is, not 
 railvrs, nor falfe acciifers, biit diligent and faithful in all 
 biilincfs, aiTfl inifty m all afiiiirs. It is not enotigh and 
 ii.ilicient ihat the minilters ot the gol'pel themfelvcs be of 
 a grave and fober converfation, bat their wives alfo muft 
 and ought to take efpecial care that they demean them- 
 felvcs anfwerable to their place and flation, and fuitably to 
 the chara£ler which their huibands bear ; Jo muji their 
 wives be grave. 
 
 12 Let the deacons be the hulbands of one wife, 
 ruling their children and their own houfes well. 
 
 That is, " Let not any fuch be admitted deacon who 
 •has more wives than one, orthat hath injuriouliy put away 
 one, and inariied to another ; andletthfm fhew by the 
 good governmciu of tlitir own children and hnufliold, that 
 they are fit togovein the church of God.'' l^'cte here, 
 *l"hat the higher oilices of the church were ufually chofen 
 cm ol tlic interior ; aiwl accordingly, the qualifications for 
 both t.iLc.s, namely, that of bifhops and deacons, arc for 
 
 the (''< -Jti !t part the f«mc, both m fh.is epifllc, and in that 
 to 'i 1 •. 
 
 13 Fortliey that have utcd the ofBcc of a deacon 
 uch, pu 1 chafe to thcinfclves a ^ood de;;ree, and 
 great boldncfs in the faith, which is in Clirift Jefus. 
 
 That is, " Althnigh the deacons be as fcrvants to the 
 bitTiC'p=, \et fuch as life that ofTice well, .nccotding to tl'.c 
 frtr«going rules, by fo doing do piirchafc to theml'elves a 
 pooci degree above the vu!g:!r, and alfo have farther hopes 
 of bciii^advanccd in the church to higher cilices , and when 
 they puach the word (as did Philip and Stephen} they m^ght 
 do it \s ith great biklnefs, and v iih <.xpc<J}ation of fuccc'^, 
 li\ing fiiitably to the qualification of their funAion, ann 
 walking according to the rule of the gofpel, which they 
 protclled and taught." 
 
 J 4 Thefe things write I unto thee, lioping to come 
 unto thee fhortly ; 15 But if I tarry long, that thou 
 mayeft know how thou oughteft to behave thytelf 
 in the houfe of God, which is the church of the liv- 
 ing God, the pillar and ground of the tnith. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faiJ, " I do hope to come to thee 
 very fliortly ; but if I tarry lonp-, or be prevented at lalt, 
 as I am imcertain, I write thefe things to thee, that thou 
 inaycd know how thou oughtell to converfe in the httifc 
 of God, the church of the living God in which thou art 
 a pillar and firm buitrefs of the truth." Some, by liie 
 /■///(J/- here, will imderftand the church, as being the foun- 
 dation on which tnuh is built, and giving it authority ; but 
 Ihe is-thcrefore the church of Chriff, becaiifc fhe holds the 
 trHth, and it is effeniial to her being to m.aintain and teach 
 all ncccilary truths : Ihe holds it forth, and publifhes it to 
 the World, I'uftaining it, and fupporting it as a pillar doth 
 the king's proclamation : The truth receives not its autho- 
 rity from the church, but the church receives authority by 
 adhering to the truth. Others, by the p-llur, underfiand 
 Timothy, and that St. P.iul is here exhorting, that accord- 
 ing to his office, Timothy fhould be a pillar and buttrefs 
 ot truth in the church. Hence Gal. ii. 9. James, Cephas, 
 and John, are faid to be pillars there, as is' Timothy here ; 
 a pillar in the church fignifies a man that is well rcoted 
 and grounded, and firong in the faiih ; this he exhorts 
 Timothy to be. Note here, i. The church's furpafiiirg 
 dignity: She is called the houfe of God, in which he 
 dvvells ; God is prefent in ail places, even in hell itfclf , by 
 fhe immenfity of his being; but the church is his palace, 
 the place of hfs peculiar rcfulence. 2. The minillers of 
 the church's important duty namely, as pillsrs to fupporf, 
 maintain, and uphold the divine truth agamfl all thofe that 
 fcek to corrupt atid fupprcfs the fame. Be thou, O Timo- 
 thy, in the ckurch of God as the pillar and ground of truth. 
 
 16 And without controverfy, great is the nivflery 
 of godlineis: God was manifeil in the flcfli.jullificd 
 in the Spirit, fcen of angels, preached unto the 
 Gentiles, believed on in the world, received ujd in- 
 to glory. 
 
 Our apoflle having exhorted Timothy, in the prectnliiig 
 
 veifes, 
 
Chaf. IV, 
 
 I. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 £07 
 
 verfes, to bcliave himftlf worthily in ihc church of God, 
 and as a pill \r fupporting, mnintaining, and upholding the 
 truths of G'ld, in this verfe he reckons np lis principal 
 Jicads ot evangelical trtitiis, which are to be a'Tcried and 
 dof ,1 leJ ,>Jby him ; iidifring them in with this preface, 
 //7/',.v/ controvcrfy great i'^the nn/iery of goJlincfs. Learn 
 
 i li.it our holy faith, our Chrii'tian religion is a myftery, a 
 --eat my.lery. anunqncftionahlcniyllery, a rr.\^cry of gndli- 
 
 ■ifs, a myflery hidden inG^xi. Eph. iii. Q. hidden in Clirift, 
 C.'jl. iii. 3. hidden in the Scriptures, Rev. iii. 18. hidden 
 in and under the types and (liadows of the ceremonial law; 
 nay, hidden even in the gofpel iifelf, for ve know but in 
 part : Ami if Chriilianitv be a myltery, then the know- 
 ledge of it is the efFccl of divine revelation and fuperna- 
 tural difcoverv, not to be known by the light or benefit of 
 nature, but Gad reveals it to us by hi? Spirit : Farther, if 
 ii be a myftcrv, ihenthe difpenfation of it i^a fpccial favour, 
 an arbitrary and voiunsarv difcoverv of it to whom, when, 
 and how far (».;d himfclf plcjfes : Findly, if it be a niyf- 
 tery, then it is to be apprehended by faith, and not to bn 
 fathonicd liy rc.ifon ; tnith looks at rcfchition, reafon calls 
 for a denionlfratinn.; faith embraces like Abraham, what 
 reafon Ijughs at, like Sarah ; If'ithdit cotunverfy, great is 
 Ike myjiery of Gxlihiefs. This is St. Paul's magnificent 
 preface, which requires not only the affent, but challenges 
 the obedience and adoration of our faiih. Ohjerve nex'. 
 The fix ptinciple heads of evangelical truth here reckoned 
 Up for Timothy to fludy, to preach, and to defend, i. 
 God was man'feftcd In the Jlc(}> ; that i', the fccond God- 
 head appeared in our human flclTi and nature. Allonilliing 
 niydery ! Thai the Creator of the world (hould ^come a 
 creature, lodged in a liable, and cradled in a manger ! The 
 infinite Deity and finite fiefli met in one perfon, and yet 
 the Godhead not humanized, nor the humanity defied, but 
 botli iniifibly conjoined : the human nature was tmitcd to 
 the Godhead miraculoufly, alTumcd integrally, united infe- 
 parably. 2. Juftified in or by the Spiiit ; that is, the Spirit 
 wi Chrifl's niinefs, that he wa'^ no impolt.ir or deceiver, 
 but the promifed and expected Mefli.is, working all his 
 jniracles by the power of the Spirit, raifing himfcif from 
 the dead, and thereby declaring hitpfelf to be the S.)n of 
 God with power, hv the Spirit of holinefs; and by fend- 
 ing the Spirit after his afccnfion iflto heaven, down upon 
 his difciplos here on earth : Thus the Spitit juilificd Chiift 
 really and trtdy to he what he proleiTed hinifclf to be, and 
 fealed hi; doflrine to the world, 3. Seen cf angels; ihey 
 Celebrated his birth, and gave notice of it to the world, 
 ■ liniflered to him in the wildcrnefs, fuccoured hiin in the 
 garden, were prcfent at his refurreclion, accompanied him 
 in his afcenfion : Seen cf tingch. Lord, what a Ihipenduous 
 fight was this ! For man to fee an anuel is wonderful, but 
 for an ang;l to fee God become man,* wis foul amazing ; 
 they fang I Ik ir gloria pniri, at his birth, they beheld and 
 applauded his happy victory over Sat.in in the dtfart. 
 Oh! with what eyes did they look upon his "bloody fweat 
 in (he garden 1 Wiih what olTicibufnefs did ilu-y roll away 
 •I:c (tone III the tnorningofthercfyrrcdVinn ! And with v. iist 
 ' rial triumphs and acclamations did they accoir.pany 
 • hiscele'Ual throne! 4. Vrcnchetl to the Gentiles: the 
 
 ■ uli of fej..arai-ionbol\}cen jew and Gentile being broken" 
 
 down, Chrift was, by his comniiflloned apoflles, preached 
 to the Gentile world; the Jews, were once children, and 
 we dogs i theirs was the bread ours werar-the crumbs ; 
 but now are we in.ade fellow-commoners *vKh them, heirs 
 of the fame, partakers of the famcglory.* 5. B U<-,-cd :n;n 
 the world: Chrift came into the world i/i fo ' dcfpicaLle 
 a manner, that he was difregarded by the world, who are 
 allured and taken with pomp and outward magnificence : 
 Therefore, that any fhoiild believe on him in the world, is 
 a juft wonder, and a myftery of godlinefs ; though Chriil 
 be liberally preached, yet he is fparingly received. Ifa. liii. 
 !• Ifli kath heiierred'Airrepsrt ? Chriff is btlievcd on in the 
 world: but, alas! comparatively but bv few. Lord, en- 
 large the number of ihy bcjievers, and confirm ihat num- 
 ber in believing. 6. Received up ints gkry, where he fits 
 in his glorified liumaiiity, united to his glorious. Dtiiy, 
 with ail that blood and gore wiped cff with which he was 
 befmcared in the day of his pallion, snd his body fhining 
 brighter than ten ihoufand funs. This body the heavens 
 mufl contnin till the ri flitution of all thing , when he (hall 
 come from heaven as he went into henven attended with 
 glorious angch, fumnion the v hole hoft of faints to meet 
 him in the air, that fo they may ever.be with their Lord, 
 Oh ! ftrengthen our faith in this defirabic happinefs, and 
 fet our fouls a-longing for tlic full fruition and final ciijoy- 
 mcnt of it. Anun. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 Our apojlk tn this chapter acquaints Timothy xvhh (thai 
 
 lit may forewarn the church cf) an api>fliify and rcvcli 
 
 Jrcnn the Chridian faith, though not in all parti of it, yd 
 
 Jrffin feveral main and JurJamental paHi of it ; withal 
 
 affuring them, it xcas no more than vhat liad been long 
 
 foretold ; for the Spirit fpakc e.xprcfh /'v' '"% --V ',.'",■,- 
 
 times fume f mild depart. 
 
 NOW the Spirit fpealceth cxprefsly, tharin the 
 latter times fomc fhall depart i'roin the faith, 
 giving heed to icducing fpirit.saiid dcEtriiies of de- 
 vils : 2 Speaking lies in h3'pocrify, liaving their 
 confciencc iearcd with a liot iron ; 3 Forbiddin-^ to 
 marry, and commanding toabllain from ineats. which 
 (»od liath created to be recciA'ed with tliankt-tAini- 
 of them v.'hirh belie^■e and know the truth. 
 
 As if our Apollle had fail!, "Alihough the myflcry of 
 godlincf , the d-'cfrine ofChrifti.uiity, be fo clearly reveal- 
 ed, tMid fully coniiimcd, vet the fpirit of prcphccy ha~ very 
 plainlv foretold us, lliat iii tbe latter times Ibme fhali de-, 
 part from the tunii r.ncc embraced by ihcm, either in whole 
 or in part ; tur-ii)'; apollaies by giving heed to iirpcfliires 
 and doctrines of men, teaching errors fuggeited by ii>.xil.^, 
 .who cover their lies wiih hyppcrsiic.il pretences, at.d' are 
 men of hardened hearts, Iearcd C'jnfcirnccs, prof.igr.tc Ww^y 
 forbidding fome, whom they have liduccd to in:irr\ , lod 
 commanding ih.em to abffain from meat-, whivli Cjoi! ha;h 
 ccrated to be recei\etl with ehnnkf^iving by thin which t'l* 
 5 y a bi-Tuve 
 
co8 
 
 I. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chap. m. 
 
 a 
 an 
 
 b.Heve anc! Icnow the truth.' Ohftrve bcrc, i. That the i?Jiiur.d!c in alf, enJ the bcdundrfU ; if honcurablc in all, 
 pofhfy and dctt-ai-.n of a confidcrablc part .-f the Chridi- then furtly lawful lor all ; under the Old Tcflaircnt, the 
 n church in tl^ latter times was forclcen anil foretold Vcry prophets, priclts, and I.ivites did marry ; under the New 
 ■-"•-- • rcltumcnt the minillcrs o» Gid have a power to rr..\rry ; 
 
 I Cor. ix. 5. H:iie ml uf p-Avtr tc leuti aby.it afij:tr, a 
 wife? And that they made ufe of their poster, is tv iiltnt 
 from the following words, as xvell m othr apojilrs, and 
 
 long before it came topaff; by Dani-.I, fay fome, chap, 
 ix. 37, 38. &o. bv St. Paul, fay other"; in his fecond tpif. 
 tie to the ThclPiloinnns ; and in his firll cpilMeto Timothy, 
 the Spirit fpejkcth cxpreflly, that fume Hiall depart from 
 the faiih, that is, from the doftrinc of the faith received, 
 Avhich *ve know ,lhe church of Roirc has moft notorioully 
 done. 2. The caiifc of this apoftafy and defection from 
 
 Cephas. The other w i^kad dodhine concerninjj meats is 
 alfo found in the church of Rome, who by a law do oblige 
 fome orders of men, a% monks, to ablbin from certain 
 
 Chrillianity, Giving heed to Jedumigjpirils, and dulrina of "'"^s, reducing them thereby from their Chriliian liberty 
 deviU. 9>trjl. But what is here meant by thcdoarincs of loaconlormitv ui the legal rres, which may well berc.kon 
 
 devils? Anj. Thefe 'fays our reverend Archbilhop Tillot- 
 fon) can be no other doctrines than thofe tending to idola- 
 try, which the fcripture every where doth, in a panicular 
 manner afcrib; to the devil, as the inventor and promoter 
 of ; therefore he tells us, that, in fome ancient copie-, the 
 words run thus: In the latter times Jcmt /halt ttpjjiatizc from 
 lie faith \ for they P: all worp.ip the dead having regard to 
 dofJrines cf devils \ fo that the particular kind of idolatry 
 into w'Mch fome partof the Chriltian church fhould apolla- 
 tiie, is here pointed at, namely, That ihty fhould worlhip 
 
 ed as an apollafy from the Chrillian fai.h ; tor although 
 St. Paul, Rom. xiv. doth allow ihe forbearance oi fcnsc 
 forts of meats to avoid fcandal, yet he dnth no wl.crc 
 condemn the eating of them as unclean : 1 he do^ine 
 therefore of the church of Rome, forbidding to marry, ..i;d 
 commanding to ablbin from meats, is w icLcd and dtvililh. 
 
 4 For every creature of God li good, and no- 
 thing to be refufcd, if it be received with thankf- 
 givin^ : 5 For itis fanclilicd by the wordof God 
 
 fouls departed, or the fpiiits of dead men, which was part ■^^^ prayer- 
 of the heathen idolatry, into which the children of I fiael Hero our apoRlc adigns a rcafon why Chriflians arc m>t 
 did frequently rebpfc : Thefe departed fouls were called forbidden, under the gofpti, to abllain fron particular 
 dentins, and were eliecmed a middle fort of divine powers, meats, namely, becaufc the diftindion of meats (clean anil 
 between the fupreme gods and mortal men, whole office unclean) is taken away, and every crca'iire of Ge>d is pood 
 it was to be agetits and mediators between the gods above, in itfelf, and clean to us, and nothing to be re f 11 fed as 
 and men beiow ; thus \% the holy city trodden down by the unlawtul or unclean, if it be received thankfully froinCiotrs 
 (jeniles, that i;, overwhelmed with the Gentiles' idolatry, hand ; for it is fanilifcd by the tiord, that is, by the golpcl \ 
 3. The perfons revohi.og, who they are foretold to be ; not it is made cleaii unio us, and law ful for us, //•/?/ having taken 
 ill, but fome only : In the latter days feme fhall depart from ofFthe difference of meats, and /s the pure vu.de all tl.ingt 
 the faith; not the whole vilible church, but a very great pure. As/^- here, i. The quality of all God's crcatuics 
 and conftderable part of it. Z^'a*-/;, thence, That the true as they come from him, and are given to us, every crca- 
 cliurch of Chrirt was never wholly extinguilhed, nor the ture of God is gcod. 1. The ufc of God's creatures con- 
 light of the gofpvl ever quhe put our, no, not in the greatcfl filling in their lawfulnefs unto us, and our liberty »inio 
 dai-knefs that ever v/as, to overwhelm it ; fome (only) and them, /;r///j/«^ /f /o/'<T^;y(-<y ;. fo that thete is no fm in the 
 lie! all, iha'.l depnit fioai the faiih. Olfcrve, 4. The ufe of them, n»r no religion in the forbearing of them, or 
 perfcjn* deferibed who fliouKl be the occalion of this apof- abftaining from them ; this liberty was given U5 by (jod, 
 tafy aiul4-r;volt, narnely, [i\(.h zi fpeak lies in hypocrif], znd and reilored by Chrill, therefore we miiit not fuller our" 
 hav<: feared co'ifeienres, that is, fuch ftupid confciences as ChriRian liberty to be impeached by Judaifm. 3. A 
 have loll the fenfcof good and evil, and do no longer do condition neceifary on qjir part, left the cr>.aturcs othcrwife 
 their ol*:cc. Thefe lies, wliich the apoffatc church ot Rome good and lawful, (hotdd become unto us evil and hiiUful, 
 !.«: I'.nilty of, the profoimd Mr. Mcdc ftyles, "Lying mira- and that is thankfulnefs ^ Jfit be rceeiz'ed uith t/'an{/givir,g; 
 clc^, talmlous legends of the aiSls of faints and fulr'crings of with the thaiikfidnefsof the heart, exprelTed bv the language 
 martyrs, ci unterfeit writings under the name of the firit of the lips. 4. The way and means by vvhich the crea- 
 and beft antiquity." Lord I who could have coined or be- tures become clean and fanclihed to us ; namely, by the 
 lieved fuch monllrous llufF as the popifti legends are fraught word of Gcd and prayer, i. By the word of God, here 
 with, but fuch as are cauterized part all feelings and ten- chferve, A threefold word of God, by which the creature 
 dernefs both of confcience and fenle itfelf.5. The dodlrines is faniflified, namely, the word of donation, the word of 
 •difcovered which thefe apoftatcs would teach, namely, the benedicflion, and the word of promife. By the firft he 
 • forbidding of marriage to fome, and enjoining ;ibltinence beflows his creatures upon us, by the fecond he bleilts the 
 from fome meats as unlawful and unclean to othcr>, both creatures to us, and by the third he confinns his blelTing 
 which are called doft fines of devils, that is, wicked and in Chrilt ; in whom, and by whom wc have a covi nant 
 devililh dod^rincs. Learn thence. That the popilli dodfrine right unto, and a fandlified ufeofall tlte mercies which wc 
 forbidding marriage, not abljlutely to all, but with reltric- do enjoy. 2. By prayer, naincly, as it obtains from 
 tion and limitation to fome, to wit, their clergy, and all God, firft, A right improvement ; and feeondly, A com- 
 fuch as fhall enter into holy orders, is a devililh and wicked fortable enjoyment of all that we do receive i or thti.s, tlic 
 doiStrinc i for it forbids that ^Thich the word allowcth, creature is laiidlified to us by prayer in the procurement r' 
 nay, iu lome cafes commandcih, iicb. xiii. 4. Marriage is 1; 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 9Q9 
 
 it, in the fruition of it, in the review and recognition of it, 
 and God's mercy in i', with ihankfgivingand pr..ifc, loving 
 it after God, and for God, and in fubortlination to God. 
 Thus then (V everv creature of God good \ and nothing to he 
 tefufed, being fnnciified by the tvofd of God and prayer. 
 
 6 If thoti put the brethren in remembrance of 
 ■ thcfe things, thou ihalt be a good minifter of jefus 
 ;.^(:hri(l, nourifhcd up in the words of faith, and of 
 ' *good doarine, whereunto thou liail attained. 7 But 
 rcfufe profane and old wives' fables, and cxcrcife 
 thyfdlf. rjMfr unto godlinefs. 
 
 Our apoftle proceeds, from this vcrfe to the end of the 
 chapter, to lay f-veral diredions before Timothy with re- 
 ference to his niinifterial office. The firft of which is, that 
 he fudged unto, or put the brethren in rcmembmncc of ihofe 
 //i%/which the npoftle had taught him, in order to their 
 prefcrvation from the peril and poifon of thefe impoftors ; 
 thus doing lie would approve himfilf a good minifter of Jefus 
 Chrift, and one nourifhcd up with the fincerc dodiine of 
 the crofpel. Here nile. That the ininirters of the gofpel 
 ar'-, in the firft place minifters or fervants of Jefus Chrill ; 
 fecondarily, and in fubfcrviency, they arc miniflers of the 
 church ; as a nobleman's fervant employed by him to dif- 
 trilnite wa'^es, or appoint work to the interior fervants, is 
 fecondarily a miniitcr to the fervants, but primarily a fer- 
 vant to his Lord. The ftcond duty that Timothy is 
 exhorted to, is the avoiding and rcjeding the doftnnes of 
 abftinence from meats and marriage, and to regard them 
 no more than an old woman's tale, and to exercife him- 
 ftlfunto real godlinefs. A's/^ here, Something that Timo- 
 thy mnft forbear, and fomething that he muft follow 
 after .- He tnuft forbear and refufe profane old wives fables ; 
 if thou wilt not fwim down the tide ot thefe apoftatizing 
 times, take heed of fleering thy courfe by profane, though 
 ancient cufloms ; refufe them with fcorn, and reject them 
 with anger ; One way to prevent apoflafy is to refufe un- 
 grounded antiquity. That which Timoihy is exhorted to 
 follow after, is real godlinefs ; this is his duty, both as a 
 minifter, and as a member of Jefus Clirifl ; real godlinefs 
 ought to be minded as every man's, efpccially every tninif- 
 tetjs chief and principal bufinefs*; religion muft be our 
 cfrof occupation. 
 
 8 For bodily exercife profiteth little : But godli- 
 nefs is profitable unto all things, having promife of 
 the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 
 
 By lodih exercife he mcaneth Corpor.il auflcrities, abfii- 
 nence from meats and inarriage ; all the external exercifes 
 of religion : Thefe do pront liule, though but a lit;lc, in 
 cotjparifon of the profit of godlinefs. Where note, That 
 fafling"^, humiliations and watchings, with other bodily 
 exercifes, which ferve to bringdown the pride and wanton- 
 nefs of the body, have their proper and ncccfTary ufe, and 
 arc expredive of a jufl revenge w hich a finncr takes upon 
 himfclf tor former exceffes ; lliey are, when wifely manag- 
 ed, what God accepts, but the leafl that God expeds from 
 ^us : Bodily exercife profiteth little. Bui ohferve. The i;ni- 
 verfalufeiulnefs of godlinefs to all the purpofes of life j 
 
 Gcdlinef is prcfitnbk in all things. I. It is profitable to 
 make a man rich, to help him to get and increafe an eftate ; 
 bccaufc it makes a man wife and prudent, diligent and 
 induflrious, thrifty and frugal. 1. It is profitable to 
 make a man renowned as well as rich ; it is the only way 
 to attain a good name and reputation ; the godly man is 
 a worthy and excellent man, and he is an ufcful and fer- 
 viceablc man, and fuch do fcldom mifs of a good reputation 
 in the world ; tlu^fe that want goodnefs thenifehts will yet 
 commend it in others. 3. It is profit:ible for pleafure, a* 
 wefl as for riches and honour : for a life of religion doth- 
 increafe the relilh and fweetncfs of all our fcnfible enjoy- 
 ments, fo far is it from abridging us of any earthly delights : 
 And befides, it adds to us a woild of pleafurcs of its ov.n ; 
 tlms godlinefs is profitable unto men in all things, having tht 
 promifcs of happiiiefs both in this life, and that which is t-:- 
 come, annexed to it. 
 
 9 That h a faithful faying, and wortliy of all 
 acceptation. 1 o For therefore we both labour and 
 lufFer reproach, bccaufe wc trufl in the living God; 
 who is the Saviour of all men, efpeciaily of thofe. 
 that believe. 
 
 N-Je, that this phrafe cf a f ill J.f id faying, and ivorllj 
 cf alt acceptation, ufed here, was tifed before, clvap. i, jr. 
 That Chrift came into the world to faye finner.s. Learn 
 thence, That this propofition that Jefus Chrifl came into 
 the world to fave linners, and this, that fuch finners as of 
 ungodly will become godly, and perfevere in the prafticeof 
 godlinefs, /hali be happy in the life that now is, and that 
 which is to come ; ibe.'e two propofitions are faiihful and 
 remarkable fayings, worthy of the acceptance of all reafon- 
 able crealures. Nofe farther, that the belief of this propo- 
 fnion. That godlinefs has the promife of this and the next 
 -life, wilt caufe all Chriflians, as it did St. Paul,: to labour 
 and fufFer reproach in the caufe of God, and this without 
 wearinefs and fainting. Note, lafljy, the title given to 
 ■Almighty God, the Saviour cf all mm, that is, the Pre- 
 ferver of all men ; but efpeciaily of all good men, when 
 their temporal prefervation conduces moit to the advan- 
 tages of bis glory and their good : or if it be u.nderffocd of 
 eternal falvation, we miift take it thus. That he piibliihci. 
 and proclaims, offers and tenders falvation to ail men, 
 although believers only are aftually fln-ed, becaufc thcv only 
 accept the offers and conditions of falvation. 
 
 1 1 Thcfe things cotnmand and teach. 1 2 Let no- 
 man defpife thy youth, but be thou an example of 
 the believers, in word, in'converfation, in charitv, 
 in fpirit, in faith, in purity. 
 
 Still our apofile proceeds farther fn direflion and advice 
 to Timothy, both as to his preaching and his pra£ticc, 
 both as to his doclrine and ccr.verfation. i. As to his 
 preaching, he requires if to be done whh due authority x 
 Thefe things command and teach, that is, thcfe thin.Ts teach 
 commandingly, and with a neceflary authority ; the minif- 
 tcrsof God fpeak from G.^d, therefore may command for 
 God. 2. As to his convcrfation, he exhorts him to exer- 
 cife fuch hccomiiig gravity in his deportment, that though 
 
 lie 
 
•910 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Chap. ly, 
 
 he was very yoting, none might defpife him or his funflion, 
 becaufe of his you'h ; whtre piety ami modefty moet in 
 young minilK-rs, it w ill prefcrvc their youth from ci-mtcmpt ; 
 and uhcrc levity and vjni'y arc fcund, it will expofc not 
 (>nly youth hut grey hairs to contempt ami fcorii. ^. He 
 directs him to be not only precedent to all minillers, but 
 a pattern to uU believers ; i>e ti.eu an rxample of the bcHrVers, 
 and that, I. In tt«r.V, or fpeich ; look that thy difcotirfc 
 be wile and inllrndlive, not idle nor impertinent, m.iich lifs 
 frothy and profime, but let fomciiiing for edification always 
 drop from t'.iy lips. 2. In coiivcrjutlon, look that thy gravity 
 be beyomi tliy years, make up in thy deportment what is 
 wanting in thy age ; obfcrve a jud equality, neither be to 
 airuming nor too proflratc, behave not tiiyri-if either above 
 or below thyfelf. 3. /■' charity, fliew btnevolencc, and 
 excrcife beneficence towards all mankind, according to thy 
 ability and opportunity ; nothini; gives a minider a orcatcr 
 aclvant3<Je for the fuccefs of his labours than charitable dif- 
 tribmions ; this gives lis a throne in the hearts of cur peo- 
 ple, when wifely managed. 4. InJphU, that is, in zeal 
 and warmth of fpirit, in fervency of aHec^ion, in an adlivc 
 and fprii.htly zeal for the glory of God and the good of 
 fouls, fuch a '/eul as may render the induftrioiis in fced- 
 tnu;, PoverniniT, and inftrii£ling thy floik. 5. In Jailb 
 that is, in fidelifv too, and conilancy in the true religion, 
 not enduri ig cither 10 be hiifted or wheedled out of the 
 truth; for it is a ficred di-pr/it:,m, an holy treafure, which 
 we miil'i traiifir.it to our polterity as our forefathers did to 
 us, with their precious blood. 6. In purity, in chaility 
 and cleannefs, ahftaining from fenftial Ui(h, from watiton- 
 nefs and worldly mitidcdncfs ; chtifc fpiritual delight now, 
 4or thcv are the entertainment vvliich wc mull live upon to 
 eternal ages. By all this we fee how much it is in a iiii- 
 Tiirtcr's own power to procure a due edecin to himfelt, at 
 h'aft to prevent his rtwrt contempt, fince an holy and exem- 
 plary dcportincnt, faithfid and conllant labours, never fail 
 fo do that in fome rncafurc : IJut if we fail here, what other 
 methods focvcr we life, we (hall find God making good his 
 threatcnins, S.im. ii. 30. that tr.ey which dcfpife h\m, fliiU 
 he lighlh ejjfenied: nor will any titles, dignities, or prc- 
 •Miiincncies abo\c others, fecurc ihegtiihy from the ellicacy 
 of this cnrfe, which will cleave to their pcrfons, yen, to 
 ilieir memories, like a girdle to their loins. 
 
 13 Till I come, give atteniSance to reading, to 
 •exhortation, to doftrine. 14 Negleft not the gift 
 tJiatis in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, 
 with the laj'ing on of the hands ol the prcfbytcry. 
 
 .St. P.iul being uncertain when he (linuld fee this young 
 labourer again, adds farther inflruilions to ihofe already 
 t;iven him. .'Vml here, i. lie requires him to give allen- 
 dnnce to reading, that is, be (!ilit;ent in private reading the 
 holy fcripturcs, to enable him to tiach, iiillruifl, ami exhort 
 ithers, vhat they 0!i!;ht to believe and know, and what 
 thcv ought to piaflifc- -and do. VVhvrc note. That the 
 i'luminaiions ami teachincs of the lioly Spiiit mud not t?ke 
 off any miniHeis from rending and (ludying the holy fcrip- 
 tiircs, but we mud fit ourfel\es the betrfi thercbv, to ex- 
 hort, Uirccl and inllrud otiieis. C. He fiir.s up and exhorts 
 
 Timothy, not 10 negledV, but to excite, to ufe, and dili- 
 gently improve thofe eminent gifts which were given him 
 by prophecy, that if, according to the foreroin>; prophe- 
 cies concerning him, and by Liyiii^f on rf the hands of the 
 prefbytery, when he was ordained. Where vrjc. That 
 the ctremony ot living cjri ot hands in ordination, is very 
 ancient and apt Uoli^al : not acciden'al or indifferent, but 
 a Very neccllary rite in the performance of that feriicc; 
 neylcft nor the gift which was given tl c, with the layinq 
 on of the hands of the prefbytery. hcte 2. That peifons 
 ordained, ought with great caie and diligence, to (lir up the 
 gifts G'ul's holy Spirit conferred upon them ; U.i negli- 
 gence OjUcnchcs the Spirit of God in them. 
 
 If, Mediate upon thefe things, give thy felf tvholly 
 to them ; that thy profiting may appear to all. 
 
 He cxhortcxl him to rcsd the fcripturcs before, now to 
 meditate upon what he read. W iterc »«/<•, That if thofe 
 who were infpircd, and divinely qualified, inurt yet read, 
 meditate, fliidy hatd, and empW ihtir \\ lit Ic time to fit 
 themfelves for the niinilleiiul work, what fhall we think of 
 the ignorance and impudence of our lay jireachers, who 
 without any divine qualification, and without any call or 
 coirimiinon, withnct giving ihtmfelves wholly to thefc 
 things, date prefuine to teach the fcriptures, uhcn they 
 never undcrfl'xd them ; nay, can hardly rer.d them !. Me- 
 ditate on thefe things, and give tl.yfilf wkoliy to tl em \ he in 
 them, fays the orii^inal, lay out thy whole flrength and tirrie 
 inffudying God's will, and n-.ating known thy people's 
 duty. Three things arc here implicitly condemned in 
 pcrfons fet apart foi- the holy fimclion ; i. Sloth and 
 negligence : It is a p-iinful fcrvice wc are engaged in, and wo 
 unto us if wc be fl'jthfiil in biifint fs^, if we be fpiiing 
 of fiir pains for fear of ftiorlening our days, and hal- 
 tcning ourend ; verily the latrpof our lives can never burn 
 out hctrcr than in lighting othcis to heaven. 2. Worldly 
 mindcdnef-, i. Pet. v. 2. feed the flock but not for filthy 
 lucre : The fpiritual man mud not fo mind eni thlv things as 
 to make them his pi incipal aim and fcope ; for if fo, he m ill 
 ae'^ accordingly and defeat all the ends of his minilhy. The 
 apoflles hati no fettleil maintennnce, but their fubliflence to 
 feck ; yet were wholly in thefe tl)inc>s. How much more 
 fhould we be fo now, who have (Uir maintenance Ic^pj^ 
 fccured ? How (liould we feek the kingdom of God aiul 
 the v/elfarc of our people's fouls, feeing all oih.er things are 
 added to us, in menfiirc, though not in excefs ? 3. Inciim- * 
 branoc by worldly bufinefs : He that muU give himfelf 
 wholly to thefe things, what leifnrc can he hiid fi-r magif- 
 tracv, for managing law fui'.s, for farming of lands, and 
 for fecular concerns : We cannot tnake a btiim'-fs of two 
 things fo widely different from each other. Can we be 
 f)iiriiual perfons and yet mere feculais iri our thoi • hts 
 and cr.res ? Well therefore might St. Paul fay to Timorhv, 
 Jhil then O 7imn of God fee thefe things, I Timothy, \i. t r. 
 Ohfcne, lafllv. The rt-afon A\hich the Aportle fuhinirrs- 
 why he wcidil hovi; TiiTTiihy do all this ; "7/'a7 hi> fr'.ftinj 
 v:i:y (iffci.r to I'li tirn : He m.uf! read, meditate, pray, and 
 llndv, that he nipy iir]'rr\e ami profit liinilolf ; thcugh he 
 was iiifpiied, yet he iniilf not rely on the Spirit's aflillancc 
 nithuut his own end', avuurs ; and his improvement- <^y 
 
Chap, v 
 
 I. TIM O THY. 
 
 Si^ 
 
 ftiitly mult appear not barely to himfclf, but to olhcr.', to 
 liis people as well as liimfelf, yea, to all pL-rfcns! His 
 grinvili and iinprwement by llurfy snd cxercifc irt.ft be To 
 confiiicuous, that all iiis fi Kk may bcir witiufs to it, and 
 blcTs God for it. Meditate on theje things ami give thyjelf 
 ivho'-iy /J them, SiC. 
 
 16 Take heed unto thyrdf, and unto thy doc- 
 1 trine; continue in them : for in dointr tliis thou 
 fhalt both fave thyfelf and them that hear thee. 
 
 As if the apoftle had fiid. " Have a fpccial regard to the 
 piety of thy lif^-, and to the purity of thy doctrine, and this 
 continually ; fo llialt tlioii do what licth in thee, to fave 
 both tiiinj own foul and the fouls of all thy people." I. Taie 
 > red unto thfclf. Our lives miifl; be fuch as become minif- 
 tcrs of God and preachers of righieoufncfs : For the eyes 
 of God and the whole world are upon u? ; the obferving 
 eye of God, the cenforioiis and infidious eye of the world, 
 who will charge the mifcarriages of a fiiiglc pcrfon upon 
 the whole order, and condemn all for the faults of one : 
 
 1 Therefore let esery one take heed unto liimfelf ; the honour 
 of our profeflion requires it, the confcicnce of our duty 
 challenges it, a due regard to the glory of God, and our 
 own reputation commands it. 2. Tah heed imto thy doc- 
 trine, that it be the pure and tincorrupted word of God, 
 expounded agreeably to the fenfe of the ancient church, and 
 of our own church in particvdar, which has with the grcateft 
 Care follov\ cd the ancient pattern : Many errors are abroad 
 in the world, which have adulterated the truths of the 
 gofpel ; it is therefore prudential and neceffary, that the mi- 
 Jiiftcrs of God keep at a great diltance from every opinion 
 which looks like heretical, and to come within reach of 
 fiifpicion : It is not enough for u.s to be iiuioccnt, iinlefs 
 we appear fo. Note farther, The order of the words : St. 
 Paul bids Timothy firft to take heed to this life, and next 
 to his dodhine ; not firit tohis doiSlrine and then to his life; 
 7r.h heed unto thyfelf and to thydoftrine : Bccaufe the fiiccefs 
 of our doctrine depends upon the goodncfs of our lives ; it 
 i>: this mu(t render our doflrine operative and effcftual : 
 This is the principal thing ; we mud do as well as teach : 
 For who will believe him in the pulpit, who contradifls 
 l^l^elf in his converfation ? T'^e'^^fore take heed ta thyfelf 
 W^o thy doctrine. Note, laftly, The great benefit of this 
 courfe, and the bleffcd advantage of it : We fliall/rtw our. 
 ftives, <leliver our own fo;ds by our diligence and care ; for 
 the faithful nurfc (ball be paid, though the child dies at the 
 breafl ; and not only ourfelves, but our people alfo ; /hem 
 that hear us ; that is. We (hall do cur utmoft, and all that 
 Jieth in us, to fave the fouls committed to us, that they may 
 be our crown of rejoicing, in the prcfence of our^Lord Jefus 
 
 - ' Chrift, at his coming." God will prono'unce us pure and 
 innocent from the blood of all men ; and if our people 
 perifli, their blood will be upon their own.hcads ; which 
 God avert for his mercy's fake. Amen. 
 
 R 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 EBUKE not an elder, but entreat him as a fa- 
 titer; and the youngs men; as bretlircn / 
 
 2 '[he elder women, as mothers ; the younger, as 
 fiflei", with all purity. 
 
 Our apoflle here .dirc£lsTinfiothy how to manage rightly 
 that g\<::\x and iviiportant duty of minLfteriul reproof : Jf 
 aged p^rfi UP, elders in oflRcc," orders in age, do tranfgrcfs, 
 they mud be rebuked, not magiderially, but frattriially, • 
 with humility and geniltnefs, according to their years ; not 
 with auflcrity and rough.nefs : The elder men as Fatfyers, tht- 
 elder ttiW.-n as mtthers,, both with jiifl deference and due 
 refpect : The younger mud alfo not be treated with con;, 
 tempr, but with gentlencfs ; the younger men m hrcthrcn, the 
 younger lucmen asjiflers, both without pride and ficrcencfs,. 
 and ivith all purity ; Hiunning all levity and wantonnefs, 
 and efchewing all that favoureth of immodedy or t;nchadity 
 in thought, fpeech, lock, or behaviour. Learn hence. 
 That although the miniders of God mud not flatter or 
 favour any pcrfon, to the prejudice either of truth or holi- 
 nef;;, yet mud they put a difference between perfons in their 
 reproof ; they triud not deal wiili the aged as they deal w ith 
 the younger, (when wc fpeak reproof, wc muft alfo fpeak- 
 refpciEt to th.c ancient fpiritual fathers) no more than natu- 
 ral children mud behave themfclves proudly againd the 
 ancient, and bafely againd the honoursble. 
 
 3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. .1 
 But if any widow have children or nephews, let 
 them learn firft to fliew piety at home, and to requite 
 their parents ; for this is good and acceptable before 
 God. 5 Mow file that is a widow indeed, and dcfo- 
 late, trufleth in God, and continucth in fupplica- 
 tions and prayers night and day. But fhe that Jiveth 
 in pleafurc is dead while fhe livcth, 7 And thcfe 
 things give in charge, that they may be Slamclefs. 
 
 Our apodle proceeds to give Tiinothy direiftions con- 
 cerning widows, particidarly thcfe vho were to he main- 
 tained by the church's charity, and to live upon it. Note 1 
 I. The perfons to be relieved and fupporied by the church's 
 charity, If-^idizus ir.deed ; that is, fiich widows as wtrt: d fo- 
 late, being deprived both of hiid)aud and maintenance at 
 once ; and having neitiier children, nor grarrd-chifdre.n, nor 
 near relations, in a capacity to relieve (hem ; and they were 
 slfo dich as were refolved to continue in widow-hooj : 
 Thefe he required fhoidd be Ijoncured, th.it is, have refpect- 
 fhevvn them, maintenance allowed ihtm, employment pro- 
 vided for them, to vifit the lick and poor, and civc notice 
 of their wants to the church, and to fptnd their time in the 
 exercife of devotion, truding in God : Continue in fupplicc- 
 tion and prayer night and day. 2. 7'liat fuch widows as jisd 
 children and near relations, were 10 be taken care for, by 
 them, and not by the church : Let tl:em learn to flicxv fity 
 at home, that is, relieve their own relations bciore they 
 diew kindnei's to drangsrs, or before the church be bur- 
 dened with them ; where the or!s;inal word is very empha- 
 tieal and fignaiivc : Let them exercife rcHij'on andgodlinofs 
 towards their own houfe ; implying, that toexiend ourciia- 
 rity to our neared rela'ions is a duty in the drft place, and to 
 perform it with cheerfulntfs, is an aft of religion nnd (;ndii- 
 rcfsi and that it is in vain to pretend to religion, it \icii:v: a 
 
 itlaiion 
 
9i« 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Chap, v. 
 
 giw/ work. Where »iff. It is rot her age alone, not hor 
 poverty alone, but her Chrilliaii behaviour btt'orc all, that 
 rivp licr a ri'^lit to the church's fcivicc and niainttnance. 
 The pnrliiiilnr qiiniificaiions follow : It ftic has hryight up 
 chiUieit rilirioufiv, if Jhe hull' M^ed ftrangers or Chriliian 
 travellers holpiiably, iflhc has comlcfccmltil to the iwaneft 
 ofliccs, not diklainiiigio wafli the very tcet ot pixjr Chrif- 
 tians in thtir journcyings ; if accofiiiijg to her ahliiiy flie 
 has (lone all the good'ihc poflibly could, though much ftiort 
 of « hat flic defired. Njc here, Thst in thi fc hot cotjn- 
 trics pcifons travelled on foot, and without rtiocs, wearing 
 only fandiils ; and liaving few or no inns for cniertainmciir, 
 or but little money to defray travelling-charges itwasa 
 very great work of pious charity to entertain Chriftiari 
 ftrangcrs, to receive anil lodge them in their hoiifcs. to wafh 
 and cool, rcfrefh and clcanfe, their feet, and to adminifter 
 to their ncccflities ; fiich widows as arc thus qiialitieu, he 
 dircfls may be taken into the churchs' fcrvicc, and partaka 
 of her maintenance. 
 
 11 But flic younger willows refufc. For when 
 they have bc^uu to wax wanton againft Chrifl, thcv 
 will marry ; 12 Having damnation, becaufe they 
 have cafl; off their firfl faith. 13 And withal they 
 learn to Jbe idle, wandering about from houfe to 
 houfe ; and not only idle, but tatlers alfo and bufy- 
 bodies, fpcaking things which they ought not. 14 
 1 will therefore tint the younger women marry, 
 bear children, guide the houfe, give none occafion 
 to the adverfary to fpeak reproachfully. 15 For 
 fomeare already turned afide after Satan. 16 If any 
 man or woman that believeth have widow.'!, let 
 them relieve them, and let not the church be char^;- 
 ed; that it may relieve them that arc widows indeed. 
 
 Next, he tells him ■what fort of widows he would have 
 him rcfufe and rejciS, and by no means admit into the 
 number of deaconeilcs or the chiirch'.s fervants ; namely, 
 /he younger witUws, who were not paft child-bearing ; and 
 therefore waxing wanton againj] Chriji, would marry ; that 
 is, growing weary of the church's fervice, and defj^Mkii; 
 cf mariiage in the church, would revolt from the faitn^ul 
 marry fome infidel out of the church : Having dawnnticn , 
 that is, committing (in worthy of damnation, and bringing 
 themfclves into a ilamnablc condition. Becaufe thes renoun,\' 
 ceding vcrfcs ; he fpeaks now of fuch widows as were to be their firjl faith, which they m.ide proftfTion of when 
 admitted into the church's fcrvicc under the name of dea- they were baptized, turning aporta'.es tn^plcafc their infidtl 
 iSwi^i't, whofc office it was to take care of rhe aged and im- hufbands, which the gpciHe calls, a turnivg nft.r Satan, 
 potent, to be (laved monitors to the younger women, to ver. i 5. to the great fcandal of Chrillianity. Ohjerve, \ii:\i, 
 attend poor women in labour, and to afTifl at the bnpiifm Our apoflle (hews, that ("uch voung \\ itiows are ufnally idle, 
 of the female fex. St. Paul advifes, that none be admitted wandering about from houfe lo houfe, prying into, snd 
 
 relation in wr.nr, and arc :ibl.>, but unwilling to relieve 
 lliem. 3. 'Ihc ^lura«flcr which St. Paul gave of fome 
 w idows in his time ; they lived in pUnfure ; with the ccn - 
 fiire which he palfcl upon ihcm, naively, that they were 
 dead, whilil they Vned : Si'c that liveth in pleafure, thnt is, 
 liccniion'.lv, fportingly, vantonly, protufcly, to the diflio- 
 iioiir of her hufband's memory, and her own perfonal dif- 
 grare, (ho is diad in fin. dead to Chril^ atid his holy religion, 
 whiiit llie lives in the world ; and fo is fiot to be looked 
 upon by the church as a vital m.emberof it, much Icfs to 
 be maintained by the church's cjiarity. This is what .St. 
 Paul thought nccJlul to give Timothy in charge conccrn-- 
 ing widows, that fo they tnight be JJjpi"! ilantelejs, and vviih- 
 ou^t Randal to riligion. ^ 
 
 8 But if anv provide not for his own, and fpe- 
 ci.illy for thofc of liis own houfe, he hath denied 
 the faith, and is worfe than an infidel. 
 
 That is, " If any profefTlng Chrirtianity, and having 
 nbility, provides not for his own kindred, but efpecially/ir 
 thofe of his oivn hwfe, as parents or children, he liveth fo 
 contrary to tbc Chriflian faith, that in eftlcl he denies it, 
 tindis worfe than nninfulel, who ordinarily take care of their 
 parents, and make provifion for their poor relations." 
 The old Heathens bad this anong them as an univerfal 
 piincipleof nature. To honour the gods, and provide for 
 their parents; afiirming. That no man can do anything 
 more acceptable to the gods, than by 1. .aping favours upon 
 their parents ; and that nothing can be a greater evidence 
 <-.f athcifm and impiety, than to ncgleft and defpife them. 
 Lfiirn hence, That it is, moil unnatural to be hardened 
 againt^ thofe to whom we ftand engaged by near relation 
 or naturaWjonds ; the light of nature teaches inlidels much 
 better. 
 
 9 Let not a widow be taken into the number 
 xindcr thrcefcorc years old, having been the wife 
 <)f one man, to Well reported of for good works ; 
 if flie have brought up children, if (he have lodged 
 ftrangcrs, if flic have vvafhed the faints feet, if Ihc 
 have relieved the afflidcd, if flie have diligently 
 ioUowcd every good work. 
 
 Our apoftle had given dire£lions concerning fnch widows 
 as were to be maintained by the church's charit) in the pre- 
 
 iinder thrcefcorc years of ^gc, and none that was divorced 
 from one hufl)and, and married to another ; Let mf n ividoiu 
 le tahen into the number, that is, of church widows or dca- 
 ■ConcfFes, under ihreefeore ye-^rs old, having been the wife of 
 ene man only. Next St. Paul lays down the gcriciril and 
 parlicidar qualifications of fuch widows as fliouid be clcifled 
 into the churchs' fervice : The general qualification is 
 iruitfulnefi in ^ockI woiks ; If Jhe has diligently fUiweu ever j 
 
 tailing about other folks' matters; to avoid .11 which, he 
 advifes the young women, and paiticulnrlv the younger 
 widows, to marry, and ferve God in a cot.jiioal rcljtioi', 
 bearing and bringing i:p ihtir children, ci idiiig tlnir fami- 
 lies, and giving no (Kcalion to the eiieniii.f. of rflii.icn '" 
 reproach cither it or themlelves. l<"rom aM which wc mi'v 
 note. That celibacy, or iinolc life, is no fuch Itate of i'oli 
 
 nc :. 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 I. T I M O T H Y 
 
 9'^ 3 
 
 nefs and perfecl'on astbe cliiirchof Rome would perfiiade 
 H$ : We fee here it hn?. iisteniptntionsaiid In.ires and thofe 
 rot a few nor finall ; and that our aponie, in feme cafes, 
 and to fouie perfons, recommends a marrieil life bclore it. 
 Chft-rve, laftly, For a clofe of his difcourfe concerning 
 widows, he advifes, That if any Chriftiaii has any heiplcfs 
 widow in his own family, or amonjjft his relati<>ns, that 
 he relieve and r»aintain her, if he be able, and not cafV 
 her upon the cnarity of the church, left there he not afuf- 
 ficiency to fupjMy the wants of fuch ns are ••uidi.'ji' ir.Jeeti, 
 ai^ed and helpltfs ; for any to eat the poor's bread, who 
 are not poor, and to whom it does not belong, i.s robbery. 
 
 17 Let the ciders that rule %vel] be counted wor- 
 thy of double honour, cfpeciilly thc)- wh}- labour 
 in the word and doftrinc. 
 
 Our apolU<^ proceeds next to jrive Timothy direil'ons 
 conc'^rnino; lUtr.t ; nut old men Jn years, but elders in office, 
 fiich as were employed in the governing of the church, and 
 over and above thatfervice, laboured even unto wearinefs 
 in preaching of the word, and expounding the ChriAian 
 di ftriiie, requiring thai {loubk hct'jitr be given unto fuch. 
 Note here, i . The elder's work and duty declared : To rule 
 vj.'l! ; vilely to prefideover, anddifcreetly to govern, the 
 church ofChrift; alfo tobbour :» the 'jjordandilo^rint : to 
 take pains in preaching the gofpel upoij all oceafions : 
 1 hoff ili:<t are advanced to the higheil eniinency in the 
 church, vvi', not think themielves ahove this part of their 
 duiy. Ndtc, 2. 7 he honour and rcfpecl challenged on 
 their behalf ; Double kcniur is theirdue ; namely, an honour 
 of reverence, and an honourof maintainance, and a double 
 meafure of either : Some t.'iink it an allufion to the firft- 
 born, who v;as the prieft of the family, and had a double 
 portion atnongflliis brethren ; the Levites fucceeded them, 
 and the miniftcrs of the gofpel the fe ; who, when laborious 
 in governing and teaching the church of Chrift, deferve 
 more honour and better maintenance than the unkind 
 world is willing to confer upon them ; who, inftead of dou- 
 ble honour, fometiines deny them civil refpect. Ncte, ■^. 
 In that the apoftle fty les the miniffer's tnaintenance ,^9«0Mr, 
 jt follows, tliat tlieir maintenance is not to be efteemed in 
 the nature of alms, but of a tribute paid by an inferior to 
 a fuperior; neither is our maintenance mercenary v.'ages, 
 bur fuch as ought to be given asateftimony of honour, as 
 well as in the nature of a reward. As then they are wor- 
 thy of, Jet them never fail to receive dnuhie honcur, who 
 rule luell, and alfo labour in the word and do£lrtne. 
 
 18 For the fcripture f-iith, Thou fhalt not muz- 
 zle the ox that treadcth out the corn ; And, The 
 labourer n worthy ot his reward. 
 
 Thefe words evidently {hew, that by honour, in the for- 
 mer verfc, is to be underllnod mj'intenance ; A plare is 
 Jiere out of Deut. xxv. whei^ the jaw of Mofes forbade 
 the rnHZzllr.g ofthrox thai ireadeth cut the or r, but allow- 
 ed him feeding all the time of working : In like manner, 
 the labour of the tiiurch's guides gives them a i-ifrht to 
 the church's maintenance and honour;, but luch,Jsdonot 
 labour, have a ri'jht to neithen.- 
 
 If) Agaii'ifl an cider rtccivt not an accufation 
 but before two or three witnefl'es. 20 Them thnt 
 fin rebuke before all, that otiiers alfo may fear, c 1 
 I charge Mre before God. and the Lord Jefus Ciirilt. 
 and the elcft angel.s, that thouobferve thefe thin'"* 
 without preferring one above another, doing no- 
 thinc^ by partiality. 
 
 Here our apoftle dirffts Timothy how to proceed in 
 fhurch-cenfures againfl open offenders : Which pbiniv 
 (liewf, tlwt there was aright of judging and ccnfuring of-i. 
 fenders in Tin)othy, bj' virme of his office. Firft, then, 
 hf begins to acquaint him with his duty in cenfuring an 
 elder, and aJvifeshim never to :\dnm (Jnnccufairm .-.gainll 
 fuch, w ithout the attertation of ivjo or three wittie(fes .• Be- 
 caufe, ft.) It is the intereft of the church of Clirift, that 
 the reputation of its miniders be fupported. [2.) Becanfe 
 prejudiced perfons will be ready to accufe witijout reafon. 
 Confcientious minillers fliall never want acruiers, if fuli'e 
 accufers can but find judges that are willing to believe 
 them: Therefore, a^uiufhni elder, receive r.fA iti accufhlion 
 hut before two or three w'tneffe!. Next he advifes jiim 
 when there is a juft and foi.'icient caufe for cenfuring an 
 elder, to do it publicly. Them that Jin, that is, fuch elders 
 as fin, and are convifted of it, .nnd lo are-become fcanda- 
 lous by it, rebuke before all the church, before all the iler- 
 g'/, as in a fynod putting them to public fhame. that others 
 may feir to fin, feeing thee to punifh fo publulv »i.d im« 
 partially. Lnftly, He concludes his sdvice with a vtiy 
 folemn ch.irge to Timothy, before God and Chrift, and 
 the glorious angels, to obfcrv.e rhefe rules of julfice in ec- 
 clefiaftical judicature, wiihout preferring on<i,maii hefore 
 atioiher, doing nothing by a partial refpec^ of pt^rfon?. 
 Learn hence, That Jo heinoiis is the fin of tinjufl and un- 
 righteous judging, efpecially in eccldiafticaj pcrfans, and 
 of fuch fatal iiiifchief to the church, that all imaginilile 
 care and caution ought to be tskento prevent both the (in 
 .Tod the d.-inger of it. T charge thee before God and the 
 Lord Jefus Chr'ijl , tliat thou obferve thefe thing.t. 
 
 2 2 Lay hands fuddcnly on no mnn, neither be. 
 partaker of other men's fins : Keep thy felt pure. 
 
 A twofold fenfe and interpretation is given o thefe words. 
 1. With reference roordination, and loihey area caution 
 to the governors of the church, to ;)dmit, none into the 
 facred luncticii haflily, radily, without due examination, 
 and fnfficient trial;to which ai eadiiedwords ofgre.itterror, 
 neither be pfirtflhr of other men's Jins ; wlich ougl)t to m.-ke 
 a iji'ghty iinprefTion on the minds of thefe in whom the 
 f:ower of ordination is lodged,, fince the words do plainly 
 import, that fuch .is do ordain any rallily, intiile themlcl (s 
 to sH ihe fcaiidalthey give, and are partakers of ilitir g<iiir. " 
 A'orf here, i. The nature of the (;jEce the miniftcrs of 
 Chrifi mc ordained to ; to rule and labour in the word .:nd 
 doflrine. 2. An auihority to Timothy to admit perlcns 
 into this office, by laying on fif hnnds. ■\. The i/Veat 
 care and caution, the heedfnlnefs and circiin)Jj;pition', nr- 
 cefl'ary inadmiiting perfons lothisholy function: Lay bands 
 ludderly onno man.- Ihe welfare of the tiiSr^h. thc hon;ji;r 
 
 "vz. ■ '• ' or 
 
9U 
 
 I. T I M O T II Y. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 of religion, the falvation of men's fouls, depend much, ve- 
 ry much, upon thofe who are admitted into holy orders. 
 I he fecDiid interpretation given of thefe words is, that 
 'liinothy is here directed now to carry himfelf in ccnfor- 
 iiig and abiulviiigof penitents; 1 As if St. Fjul had faul, 
 "'When thou h.ift jiidjy cciifured rnj (.flciider, be not tou 
 hj(h' in iibUili'iiijT of him, (h>r tlii-. alfo was done [)y in.i. 
 polition of hands) till foine tri-d be made of liis refornntion, 
 led by fo i?oing thou bccomert guilty of his future fahlf; : 
 lUjt keep thyfcif pure from all (in, whcfe olHc?it isto cen- 
 fure and rtprove fin in others.'' In both thefe fenfes 
 h.ive thefe words been iindcrlloud. Lay liundsfudilenly on 
 >ti man ; keep tlijfilf pure. 
 
 23 Drink do lon<;cr water, but ufc a little wine, 
 for thy flomach's lake, and thine often infannitici- 
 
 NfJt here, 1. Tiiere is a lawful ufe of wine lofuppor: 
 nature, not to dogi:; to cure intirmities, not to caiife 
 them : Drink it Timothy might, iiiedicinally , and uo doubt 
 for cheerfulnefs and alacrity, thai the body luight be more 
 fit and expediate forduiy ; ufealitllt:'ji/incforthyJhmach''s 
 fuke. 1. That our meat and drink Ihould be fitted for the 
 prefenation of health, rather than for the gratification of 
 our appetite ; the former is Chriihan duty, the latter is 
 bruiiil) fenfualiiy. ■?. That the .ipodles who had the gift 
 of healing, could not make ufe of it when and upon whom 
 they pleafed ; no, not upon themfelves, but mnll help 
 their oi\n infirmities in and by the ufe of ordinary means. 
 Thus Timothy here, drink no longer water ahne, but 
 ufe a little wine ivith it for thy ftomach's fdke, and thine 
 often infirmities thence proceeding. 
 
 24 Some men's fins arc open beforehand, going 
 before to judgment; and lome 7nen they follow af- 
 ter. i»5 Likewifc alfo the good works o/fo7)u Sivc 
 I'lanifeft beforehand ; and they that arc otherwile 
 f.-iinot be hid. 
 
 St. r.uil had juft before exhorted Timothy to keep him- 
 Jtltpure fion» other men's lins, whether candidates or pe- 
 tittents, here comes in fubfeqaent advice, in order there- 
 unto. As if our apoftle h.id laid, " Timothy, if thou be 
 d lioent to obferv.e,aiid not over haiiy either in ordaining 
 candida'tes, or abff King penitents, thou mayeft in fonie 
 inenluie perceive who are worthy, and whoare unworthy. 
 If thou hiytll t!:ine hands upon thoJe that are actually 
 fiuliy, thou part.;kell with thein, by being anoccafion of 
 ilieir finning ; butifrhou canfl notdifcover their faoltinefs 
 beforehand, though they afterward", prove w icked it isnot 
 ihy fault ; God will at length deicc't ihein, yea, they will 
 difcover themfelves, and when their faults are manifefl, 
 ih-} wi;h iheni acco'ding tothe difcipline of the church." 
 ^i.irnhevce, i. That how much foever iinners aitctiipt 
 thc'hiding, yet c:iniiot they actually hide tlicmltlves, or 
 their liiiniiigs from God's light and knowledge. They 
 (.ii'iKjt he hid, fjys St. Paul . though men labour much to 
 htJ« thcu> : Oh, finner I there is no way to hide ihyfclf 
 from God : Thou uiayeft by repentance hide thyfelfiu 
 God, in ih« love, in the favour, in the iiicjty of Cod, but 
 Ir'oai God thou tanll not be hid. As ihe faints good 
 
 wotks are open And nianifeft in the fight and to the view 
 of God, fo ihcy thit arcotherwire c.innet be hid; Wheii 
 ran a (inuer be hid trom him w ho iv every where? or 
 what thing can be our covering from him, in whole fight 
 all things are open ? Lord! what will it avail to hdC 
 ourfclvfs from mtn, when we lie open and nnnifcft to 
 the eye of God ? They that are (/therwife canr.ot he Hd. 
 
 C H A P. \'I. 
 
 LE T as many fervants as are under the yoke 
 count their own maflcrs worthy of all honour, 
 that thf name of God and hn doflrinc be not blaf- 
 phetned. 2. .And they that have believing maflers. 
 let thcin not dcfpifc//;f7?t, bcaufe they are brethren ; 
 but rather do //if7H fervice, bccaulc they are faithful 
 and beloved, partakers of the benefit. — 
 
 Ournpoflle having, in the preceding chapters, inftructcd 
 Timofhv to give the neceff.iry directions for the perfor- 
 manceofieveral relative duties, in this chapterhe particu- 
 larly directs hiin to inltruiftChriftian fervants, to theaccep- 
 table performance of that great duty of obedience, which 
 they owe to their refpeftive iii.irters, whetiier infidels or 
 Chriltians. Chriftianity frees f erfons from llnful (livery 
 and bond.ige, but not from civil ferviiude and fuhjcflion. 
 Religion does not level perf jns, but allows of an ineq lali- 
 ty amonglt ihciii, foperiors and inferiors ; and as it gives 
 the former a power to command, foif 1 lys the latter under 
 an obligation to obey. Chfcrvr, 1. The general duty re- 
 quired of all fervants towards iheir ma(ler», and that is to 
 give them all the honour and obedience which is due in 
 that relation ; let them account theirm::(lers worihv of all 
 honour. W hat mafters.' 1. Iheir infidel and unbelieving 
 mafters;they are required tocarry it dutifully and rei'pect- 
 fully towards them. 2. Their hrJirving or Chriltian mif- 
 ters ; they fhould not tiefpife them becaule they arebreth- 
 ren ; for Chriftian brotherhood confilts with inequality of 
 place and relation, and with fubjeclion ofoiie perion to a- 
 onther : Hut they ought to ferve fuch maffers the more 
 readily and cheerfully, becaufe brethren, bf loved of God, 
 andpartakcrsofthetifwc^/, namely of redemption by Chriit, 
 and ol the fanflifying grace of God. &b|erv^, laftly, the 
 grand argument which St. Paul ufes to enforce the duty 
 of obedience upon all fervants, th.it the mime rfGort and 
 hit dofJiine he not hln/'/'k-mrd ; that is, the menof the svorld 
 will reproach religion, revileChriltianiry, and fay that it 
 teaches, or allows at leall, th:ttmt-n be tluSborn and difo- 
 betlient : W here, «o/f, That ihepoorefi and meant ft pro- 
 ft-ffbr ofChriltiaiiity may doinuchuood 01 muchluirt lore- 
 ligion. Some might be ready to lay, "Alas i What ere lit 
 or dikredit can a poor fcrv ant do to religion?" Much e- 
 very w.iy : He may adorn the doctrine of God oim" .S.ivi- 
 our, Tit. ii. 9. by his L briftijn behaviour ; ami the rstiic 
 of God, and his doi'trine, may be blafphenied by him, if 
 he be negligent in his duty : IVone are fo incoufHlerable, 
 but they are capable of ferving the great ends of rv-hgion, 
 and may iwnour God in feme ineafure ; and are capable 
 of being honoured by him upon earth, and with him in 
 the liighclt heavens. 
 
 — Thcf* 
 
C^^ A p. VT, 
 
 Y. ^H SixS T II Y. 
 
 S>M 
 
 • — ^Thefe things tcacli and exhort. 3 If any niHri 
 tench othenvife.andcpnfont not touholelomc words 
 even the words of our Lord Jefus Chrid, andlo the 
 doctrine which is according to godlincfs ; 4 lie is 
 proud, knowing nothing, but doting about qucl- 
 tions, and ftrifes of words, whereof comcth envy, 
 flrifc, riiihngs, evil funnifings. 5 Perverfe difpu- 
 tings of rr>en of corrupt minds, and dcilitutc of the 
 truth, fuppofing that gain is godlincfs. From 
 fach withdraw thyfelf. 
 
 Note here, i. The foleimi charge which the Holy Ghoft 
 by Sr. Paul gives to Timothy, to teach and prefs thefc re- 
 lative duties of fervants toward their mafters, with great 
 zeal and afftftionate earneftnefs, 7"/i<'/f //'i«^?/ teechandex- 
 ho't ; as if our apodlehad faid, " They are duties of great 
 moment, ihfrefore, teach and prt-fs them earnertly.'' — 
 Doubtlefs there is much of the pleafure and will of God 
 in thefe commands, and the honour and glory of God is 
 much concerned in them.otherwife the Spirit of God had 
 never been fo earned in the prclfint; of them : the power 
 of holinefs, in nothingdifcoversitfelf more conlpicuoully, 
 than in the performance of relative duties; we are no 
 more really, thin what we are relatively ; rational holinei's 
 is the briglueft ornament of religion. 2. The high cha- 
 racter which St. Paul gi"es of this doftrine, which urges 
 the practice of thefe rt lative duties ; he calls what he fays 
 and lA-rites about it, -Mhcli'fs me words, even the words o/cur 
 Lord Jt/us Chrijf. Learn thence, that the words written 
 by St. Paul, m this and his other epiftles, are the vords 
 of our Lnrd Jefus Chrifl, that is, words agreeable to his 
 mind and will, written with an eye to bis glory, promo- 
 ting his honour, correfpondent with, and fuicahle to his 
 practice when here on earth. 3, The odious charafter 
 wherewith he brands thofe falfe flattering teacher?, \\hich 
 preached contrary doftrine to what Jefus Chrifl by his 
 apoftles had delivered ; he charges them with pride, ig- 
 norance, envy, Arife, railing, evil furmifing, and «ithfup- 
 pofing that (^ain was godlinefs ; that is, their end in pro- 
 j'elfing godlincfs was this, that they might mal<e gain cfit, 
 and get preferment by it, making ufe (f religion only as a 
 block to tiike horfe at : But to make ufe of religion in po- 
 licy, for worKI!y advantage fake, is the way to be damned 
 with a vengeance for religion fake. Laftly, St. Paul's ad- 
 vice to Tiinmhy, to withdraw from thefe Tntv\,fr.mruch 
 withdraw tL)/clf ; hold no communion Aiththcni, maintain 
 no difputts with them, for they Jotc about queftions, and 
 flrive about word«.. Ac/c here, from St. Paul's biddirg 
 Timothy withdraw himfelf from ilKni, that it is very ev- 
 idenr that he fpc aks of perfons who were then in being ; 
 the Gnollic heretic's, accor 'ing to fume, the Judaizing 
 teachers, in the opinion of others ; that is, they of the 
 circumcifion, who taught things vvhich they ought not, 
 for fill hy lucre fake. Whoever they were, Sr. Paul's 
 ndmonition to Timothy, to withdraw himtelf from fuch, 
 teaches us, that hereiical feducers are to be Ihunncd and 
 avoided, ra'hrr thjn ililputed w iih, «s unfit for our Chrif- 
 ti Ml coniinunii n, and com:nn!i converf.ition. IbefetLln^s 
 tc;:ch itnd exhji t. If any teach olh.r x'-ff , Scq. 
 
 6 But godlinefs with coiiteutnicnt i> great gain, 
 J lor \\c brought nothing into {/u> world, cv:d it U 
 certain we can curry nothing out. 8 And having 
 food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 
 
 Asif the apoftlS had laid, "Although thefe fec'uier; 
 are for making a gain of godlinefs yet^yf know that godli- 
 nefs is great gain, efpecially godlinefs \vith cbtentment ; 
 with contentment, 1 fay, which it becomes us toh^vc,/of 
 we brought nothing into this vjorld with us, and fhall carry 
 nothing away with us; having iherefore foj J ard r/iiment, 
 ht us be therewith content snd I'ithSed." Learnheiicf:, 1. 
 That godlinefs ii the lincere praftice of the Chrilti.n re- 
 ligion, fo called, becaufe it direvteth and prcfcribtth to us 
 the true and only way of worfliipping and ferving God. 
 2. That fome men luit their godlinefs in their worldly 
 ends, they make a trade and faving bargain of ;t. 3. That 
 godlinefs, or the fincere praftice cf the Chrillian rel'gion, 
 is true gain, great gain, yea, the beft gain, bo;h for this 
 world, and that which is to come. 4. That one great 
 point of godlinefs, is to be content with what we have, 
 yea, though it be onTy food and raiment. Contentment 
 is a fedate andquiet temper of mind about ouiv\ard thing': 
 It is the wifdorn and will of God not to give all alike, but 
 to fome mere, to others lefs, of ihele cuiward comforts ; 
 bur nothing belide food and raiment is abfolutely necef- 
 fary, a little will fuflice a contented mind ; he is not rich 
 that has mucb, but he that has enough : That man i' poor 
 v\ho covets more, having food and raiment, &c. Laflly, 
 The apoflle's argument to excite and move the Chr:maii 
 to this duty of contentment, wijhout eidarg'ng hjsdelires 
 inordinately after the world, and the peridiing faiiifadion 
 ofit : For we brought nothing into the world, &c. Where 
 remark. That the note of slTurance is fixed rather to one 
 carrying out than to our bringing in ; the apollle doth not 
 fay. It IS certain that we brouglit r.othing into the world 
 and we iliall carry nrthing out : But he lays, We brougl t 
 nothing in, and fr is cerrajw we can carry nothing our. 
 The note of alFurance is applied to the latter ; for this res- 
 f<ni, 1 conceive, becaufe though all perfons ccme naked, 
 Snd bring nothing with them intothe world, yet abundance 
 is put upon them, and they are born heirs to vail poilel- 
 fions: But it is obvious to every eye, and moft indubitablv 
 certain, that they cary iiothirg away with them. Deat.t 
 is called an unclothing; it unclothes the body, dilrobmg :t 
 ofall i's gaudy and glorious attire ^ yea, it unclothes the 
 bones, our ikih v\ears otf quickly in the grave : we pro- 
 verbially fay of J rich m»v, he has It ft a valt elbte, lefuc 
 behind h'm, carrying neither a foot of laiid. nor a farthing 
 of money, with him ; therefore doih St. Paul idd, // is 
 certain wi can curry nothing out. 
 
 9 But they that will be rich, fall into temptation 
 and a fnare, and^Viw many foolifh and hurtful lufls 
 which diown men in dellnitliun and perdition; 
 
 A'u/f here, i. Tlie parties dcfcribeil, they tiiat will be 
 rich ; that is, wheiher God will or no ; the.r he;.rts are 
 ict upon the world, they fed it c« niiif;, and hai^e it ihty 
 will, if by any means right jt wroo^',, ihey cjiitoiue at i:, 
 afk nobody's ka\e.V.o iju: Go.l AliiV^h'y'j ka*i-, but licit 
 5 ^ - ^bty 
 
gi3 
 
 I. T I M O T II Y. 
 
 Chaf. VI. 
 
 fh^y ir« refKl.ed to be. 2. Their danger rrprcfented, 
 tlu'y fill iiiM temptation and a fnare,nndi:i;ii)y foolidilufts, 
 &C. Lfarn hence, That a will ancj refolotion to be rich, 
 u the (icciilicii of uiuch niichief to ihofe that cherifli and 
 allow it in theinlVlves ; a will to be rich, is to make riches 
 our principal bplinefs, our main fcopc, uur great work, to 
 pui fue the world with the full bent of our wills: Now ilie 
 bent of our >vills is difcoi.'ercd,Sr(},Ly intention, fecondly, 
 by indnftritHi'i profecution ; when the iiaind is wholly in- 
 tent upoi; getting wealth, and unwearied induftry and en- 
 deavour is found in the purfuit of it. Now this is to make 
 a god of the world; for that which is a man's aim,defi;;n, 
 and end, is iiis chisf good, and that which is our chiefeft 
 good i&Ctod. Learn, 1. That an hot and over-eager pur- 
 i'liit of the world, lays a man open to enillefs temptations, 
 lo that it is not only difficult, but impolTible, to keep his 
 innocency ; and thui being irrecoverably loft, drowns a 
 man in perdition ami deftrudion. 
 
 10 For the 1()\ e uf money is tlie root of all evil : 
 Wliich while foinc coveted .vltcr, they have erred 
 from the faith, and pierced tlicinlelves through u ith 
 ninny lorroivs. 
 
 Here we have the nature of covetoul'nefs, the evil and fin 
 ()f covetoofncfs, and the rnifchief and hurt of it declared. 
 Note, I. The nature of it : It.is an inordinate love of 
 money, an infatial)le difirc after wealth, a. The evil and 
 fintuineis of it : It is a root of lin, The root cf all evU; the 
 fruit of all (in grows from this root, diflruflfol care, tor- 
 menting fear, anger, malice, envy, deceit, oppreliion, bri- 
 bery .perjury, vexatious la w-fuits, and the like; nay, farther, 
 ccvetoufnefs is the root of herefy ii)judgment,as well as of 
 iniquity in practice: They ba-ic errttl from the fuiih; that is, 
 in point of dodrine, as well as in practice: It makes a man 
 believc.as well as aft, again fit he rule of flit h, for filthy lucre. 
 3 . The milchief and hurt of covetoufnel's declared; it. pierces, 
 it pierces through v}ithforrou:s , yea, -vjith many for ro'jjs. But 
 whom doth it pierce? Firfl, Others: it pierces the poor, the 
 needy, the widow, the fatherlefs, all thai fall within the 
 reach of its griping hand : Nay, it doth.not fpare its own 
 maimer, or flavc rather, but pierces him : Tk-y pierce thetn- 
 J'elves through, fays the apultle, sith many fcirr'.ws , witJi^ 
 many more, and much worfe forrows, than they pierce 
 others with. Riciies ill-gotten, by cavetoufnpfsor oppref- 
 flon, inftead of making their owners heartily merry .make 
 their confciences ake, and give them many a flitch in their 
 fide. None can tell what giill and wormwood fpring'from 
 this bitter root both to themfejves and others ; Thehiveof 
 money is the root of all evil, &c. It is the root of all evil, 
 of fin, and alfo of trouble and d'fquiet. 
 
 1 1 But thou, O man of God, tlce thcfe things; 
 and follow after righteoufnels.godliBefs, faith, love, 
 patience , meckncfs. 
 
 Obferve here, 1. The apoflle's compellation.or the title 
 givet) to Timothy : Thou. man 'J '^cd. It is a title bor- 
 rowed from the Old Tellainent, where it is frequently 
 piven to the prophets, who revealed the mind and v. ill of 
 God to the people. Now by giving it to Timothy, th« 
 
 apoflle intimates bis duty 10 him, to contemn the world, 
 and flee the eager purfuit of riches. As if the aportlc had 
 faid, " O Timothy ! Thou art a minifter, and ni.in of 
 God, folemnly dedicated to his fervice, and devoted en- 
 tirely to hij glory ; fee then that thou abhor and avoid 
 ■that deteflable fin of covetoufnef'. Heavenly truths are 
 the lubjeifti of thy daily ftudy : Ol) ! let not earthly things 
 be the objeft of thy chiefeft delight and love : But follow 
 after fpiritual riches, namely, right rouf'nefs and ^otll-.nefs, 
 faith and Iwe, patience endmeeknef's ; that godlinefs which 
 gives contentment with food and raiment, that faith which 
 afTures us of a better and more enduring fubftance, that 
 righteoufnefs or jullice •* hich requires us to let every man 
 cpj'.iy his own, that love which makes us willing to 
 dlllribute, that patience which makes us willing to fubmit 
 to a low condition, that ineeknefs which fupprefHis wrath 
 againft thofe that are injurious to us. All ihefe virtues 
 and graces are neceiTary to the as a minifter of God, they 
 are certainly indications of a mind free from covetouniefs, 
 and infalliable preiervaiions from it " 
 
 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eter- 
 nal life.wheieunto thou art alio called, and hart pro- 
 felTcd a good profefhon before many witnefles. 
 
 This whole verfe is an allufion to the Olympic games, 
 particularly to that of racing, where the g.irhnd or crown 
 being hung up at the end of the goal, he that came firft 
 did l.iy hold of it, and tike it to hinilelt ; and becanfe 
 thefe games were performed in the light of many fptita- 
 tors, the apoftle continues the al'ulion, and fayf, Timothy 
 had before many wiintires pruftirtd his readincfs to futfer 
 for the faith. The fenfe of the apoflle in this ad^'ice 
 feeins to be this: "Fight the good fight i.ffjith : Go on i)y 
 faith to overcome all temptations and di/HcuLies ; prefs 
 toward the mark, till thou lay hold on the prize, which 
 is eternal life : To which fpiritusl warfare and Chriftian 
 race tbou gaveft'tiB thy name, when, being baptised and 
 ordained, thou madell a public profeflion lif ihy faith be- 
 fore many witnefTes.'' 
 
 13 I give thee charge in the fight of Cod, who 
 quickeneih all things, and he/ore Chrift Jefus, who 
 before Pontiu.s Pilate witncfled a good confcfTion ; 
 14 That thou keep MiJ commandment without fpot 
 unrebukeable,until the appearing of our Lord Jefus 
 Chriit : 15 A\'hich in his time he fhall fhewry.^o n 
 the bleffed and only Potentate, the King of king.<!, 
 and I-ord of lords: 16 Who only hath immortalitv, 
 dwelling in the light which no man can approach 
 unto ; whom no man hath feen, nor can fee : To 
 wlwm be honour and power everlafling. Amen. 
 
 Obferve here, What a folemn adjuration and vehement 
 charge is given to Timothy, by our apoftle, to watch and 
 guard againft thefinof covetoufrefs,and to avoid the e.iger 
 purfuit of worldly wealth : I charge thee btfvre G'd and 
 Chrijl, thai thou keep this commandment fpo'lefs end unre. 
 hukeal>le,viv\u\ the coming of Chrift, and mayefl be found 
 ituh at his appearing. 2. What a glorious dil'play i nr 
 
 apoftle 
 
Chap.'vi. 
 
 I. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 917- 
 
 apoftle here mskes of the adorable attributes of God ; He 
 ftyles him the God that qu'ickeneth all thiriffs ; that is, all 
 things that have or (hall have life ; the hlejjld and only Po- 
 tentute, becaufe all power is elTential in him, and derived 
 from him ; who only hath immortality, that is, an original, 
 primitive, limple independent, cfTential, immortality, that 
 is only proper and peculiar to God ; he only is enentially 
 and necifiarily of himfelf immortal ; dwelling in that light 
 which is unacceffible, and none can approach unto, and 
 '.uhom »u man hathfcen, er can fee : God is invifible in his 
 elTcnce ; he is not to be feen by any mortal eye on earth, 
 the eye of faith fees him only here ; nay, he is not to be 
 feen by any glorified eye in heaven, in his divine efTence; 
 the nature and eflence of God never was feen, nor Ihall be 
 feen. But we are by the fight of God in heaven, to iin- 
 dcrlland a more clear and full manifeftation of God Hnto 
 us, even fo far as our glorified natures can bearit ; it will 
 be abundantly beyond exprellion, yea, beyond our conipe- 
 henfion. t,. The teftmiony which pur apoftle bears to 
 our Lord jefus Cdrift ihtn here on earth ; that before 
 Pontius niiite he 'jiitneflld a good confifion ; that is he did 
 not deny the truth to i'ave his life, but gax'e all his minif- 
 ters and people an example of courage and conftancy in 
 owning the triitli, and feaiing it with his blood. / give 
 thee charge in the fght ufGod, he. 
 
 ty Charge them that arc rich in this -world, that 
 they be not high minded, nor truft. in uncertain 
 riches, but in the living God, whogiveth us richly 
 all things to enjoy ; 18 That they do good, that 
 they be rich in good works, ready to diflribute, will- 
 ing to comtnunicate ; 19 Laying up in {lore tor 
 themfelves a good foundation againft the time to 
 come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 
 
 Our apoftie having, in a very folemn manner, exhorted 
 Timothy to avoid that dangerous (in of covetonfnefs him- 
 felf,in the foregoing verfes, he doth in tliele verfes require 
 him to lay tiie fame charge upon others, particularly upon 
 worldly rich men : Charge them that are rich. Note here, 
 I. Timothy's du^y, not barely to exhort and teach, but to 
 charge and command. True, the tninifters of Chrid are 
 fervants to their people ; but fervants to their fouN,notto 
 their wills, much Icfs to their lufts: There is an authority 
 in our ofiice, w hich impowcrs us to command for God, as 
 well as to intreat. 2. The fubject of this charge : them 
 that are rich in this vjorld : Alar/;, No man is forbidden 
 tube rich, nor yet to ufe fuch lawful means, by which, 
 through God's blelling thereupon, men may be rich : But 
 rich men need a charge ; they want plain dealing fit3m 
 ininifters, becaufe they meet with fo little of it from other 
 men; for lome flatter thctn, others fear them : God'sini- 
 nifters ought furtly to deal faiihfully widi them, i. The 
 charge itlclf, and this is fetdovvn negatively and affirina- 
 tiveiy ; both twofold, (i.) The negative matter of the 
 haughiinefs of mind and fpirit, is one fpecial fju which 
 gieat men are fubj.dl to.. When God lifts them up by his 
 providence, they lift up themfelves by pride. There is a 
 lecret malignity in riches, when they meet widi nitn's 
 
 corruption5,to lift them up above their due region; though 
 neither the wifer, the holier, the nearer heaven, for al! 
 their wealth, nay, perhaps,a great deal nearer hell for the 
 abufe of it; yet ftill the rich think h.igh, look big, breathe 
 fcorn, talk with difdain, forgetting that God "iven theia 
 riches to e;:alt hinr, and not themfelves. Next part of the- 
 negative charge is, That they trufl not in uncertain riches; \ 
 intmiating. That the creaturccoiifidence, or inikiug at> 
 idol of wealth, is the dreadful bane and ruin of lome rich 
 men : Their aftions fay to the gold,77'<jr^ art my hope; and 
 to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence: But the vanity and 
 finfulnefsof this appears, by the apoftle's calling then) un- 
 certain riches ; uncertain in their abode atid continuarct; ' 
 with us, uncertain in their promifes and pretences to lu. , 
 we expert more from them than ever we find in thein- 
 N'jte, 4. The pofiiive part of the charge : {^i.) To trufl )ii, 
 God, the living GodjB bountiful God ; He giverh rithes ; 
 they buy, they do not give ; he giveth all tilings : Al! thr. 
 wealth in the world cannot buy a mouthful of nir, or ray 
 of light, if God withholds it. God is the giver of ail, he 
 giveih richly all things; the mo(i iiiiferable man canno; 
 number the rich mercies which he doth receive ; and he 
 giveth all things richly to enfjy ; that is, he gives an heart 
 to take and tafle the comfort of what he gives ; he gives 
 not only pofl'ellion, but fruition. Riches can do none of 
 thefe things ; why then fliould we truft in unartain richer, 
 and not in the living Cnd? 5. Another duty exhorted to, 
 and that is, to imitate God in the works of bounty : Tod* 
 good. Rich men are to make their wealth the materials of 
 good works ; nay, they ninft not only do good woiks, but 
 he rich in good works : They muff do it cheerfully, ready to 
 dijirihute, without grudging, and without delay : 1 hey 
 mult do it dilFulively : wjlling to communicate, that is, to do 
 as much good to the community as podibly thev can, upon 
 principles of humanity, and upon principles of Chrifliaiiity 
 alfo. 6. The encouragcmenis given to this duty, (i.) 
 Thus to lay out, is to lap up, and that as in a trcafury ; 
 it is like fcattering of feed, in order to an increafe and har- 
 veft. (2) Thus to lay out upon others, is to lay up for 
 themfelves, they have the comfort here, and the reward 
 hereafter. (3.) It to lay up for themfelves a foundation ; 
 not by way of merit towards God, but by way of evidence 
 in regard of ourfelves ; a teflimony of our reconciliation to, 
 and acceptance with God. (4.) It is a good foundation 
 for the time to come : All our glory, wealth, and fubftance, 
 is no durable foundation, here to day, and gone to-morrow, 
 but good works are a bank in heaven: All is depolited in 
 a fate hand, that we lay out for God. (5.) Ii fliall be re- 
 warded with eternal life : Laying ttp for themfelves a oood 
 foundation againft the time to come, Sec. Now from the 
 whole, learn, 1. That the wifdom of God has feen fit to 
 make a great diftinftion between men in this world ; fume 
 are poor, others rich, as God fees belt for butb. 2. That 
 Come are rich, who are not rich in this world ; rich in 
 faith, heirs of a kingdom, yet wandering in deferts, dtns, 
 and caves. 2. Tliat there are many who are only rich in 
 this world: Look beyond the grave, and they ase poor 
 inen,n)iferable njeii; having grt at pi^iloTions in this world, 
 
 but 
 
i.i8 
 
 II. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chat. i. 
 
 li(if ■noprovifious for the next. 4. That tlie (rrcat tlefign 
 v.liith all mrn, efpccially rich nien./liould ptirfiie and pro- 
 fccuie in this life, m, how tJiey may in this life fecure and 
 l.iy hold of eterniil life ; Bleil'cd be God, it may be bid hold 
 upon ; it is worrh laying hold upon ; it is life; it is eternal 
 Ife. UiirJ}. But how l!,ould we lay hold upon eternal 
 life: Ar.f. I . In our judgments : By having them con- 
 vinced of the tranfceiident excellency of it, and by having 
 them approve of the ftriclcft conditions upon whidi it is 
 tendered. ■;. In our alfedlions : by ftrong and vehement 
 ifelircs after eternal life. •?. In our endeavours: by adi- 
 J;freiu ufe of all means in order to the obtaining of it, and 
 particubrly by doing pood, by beinq; rich in good words, 
 by being ready to dittribiite, and willing to communicate; 
 for hereby (hall we lay up for yourfelves a gnr.d ftur.daUon 
 oga'injl the time /!!-omf,and at length ,/<j)' hold',feternali-fe. 
 
 20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to 
 thy truft, avoiding profane and vain bablings. and 
 oppoHtions of fcicnce falfcly fo called : 21 Which 
 fome profelTmg, have erred concerning the faith. 
 Grace he with thee. Amen. 
 
 Our apoftlc concludes this his epirtle to Timothy with a 
 
 very pafllonite and pathetic exhortation fo him : That he 
 would maintain the purity of the doctrine of the gofpel, • 
 and preach that to his hearers, n voiding all idle fpeculations 
 and philoCophical niceties, which the heathen phdofopheri 
 admired, Hefpifing in the mean time, the plainnefs and (im- 
 plicity of the golpel : And he tells him farther, that fome 
 Chriftians, bning taken with this fort of Is.irning, have cor- 
 rupted Chnrtianity, turned heretics arringconcerning the 
 f.iith ; to prevent whi^h.he bejjs for Timothy the grace of 
 God, to preferve, fanftify and lave him. Ltarn hence, 
 That in the firft beginnings of Chrillianity, the philofo- 
 phers, by pretences of great learning, were the greaied 
 dffpifers, and the bittertft eneniies of Chriftianity. Se- 
 condly, That the generality of them were taken up with 
 mere ufelefs quibbling, flriving about v ords and barren 
 notions, inflead oCnecell'iry andufefiil knowledge. Third- 
 ly, That Timothy, and every tsiniderof Chrift withhim, 
 "ought to preach the golpel, witheut any fuch human mix- 
 tures in the purity and plainnefs of it ; and the people re- 
 ceive it, with a fimplicity of mind, to beguidedand directed 
 by it. Laltly, That the fanctifyiog and e(l;iblilliing grace 
 of God is neteilary, and indiCpendbly needful, to preferve 
 both minifters and people ftedfaft inihefaicliof ihe gofpti, 
 and to perfevere in their obedience to it. 
 
 THE 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE OF Sr PAUL 
 
 T O 
 
 TIMOTHY. 
 
 It is generally concluded. That it was not long be/ore St. Paul's death that he wrote thh epi/lfe to Timothy ; aiiJforue 
 think it was the lajl epijile that ever he wrote, in ichich lie foretds the near approach cfhh ozvn death ami v'lartyrdom, 
 chap. iv. 6. faying, I am ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand. 
 
 Thedffign of our ap.Jlle inthis epi/lle is iiun/old: Firjl, to/oravarn, and lheril>y/ore-ar7n, hisdcarfonTimolhy againji 
 thoje heretics, andjalfe teachers, xuhich ruerethm arifingand creeping into the cbirch ; and next to excite him to iheut- 
 mo/l carcand diligerxe m the faithful difcharge of his office ; e.x/torting him to prepare for fifferings and perfecutions , 
 from his own cxantplefet hcfi.rehim. 
 
 C H A P. I. ion : Grace.mercy.aH^; peace frojn God the Father, 
 
 „ _ .... and Chrift lefus our Lord. 
 
 r>AUL an apoftle of Tefus Chrift by the will of , .r r v. r,- -^i • , ■ , ■ 
 
 r^ f^ J ' -J- , ', ., r IT !_• u- In thcfc verfes, the iienman of this epiflle is tklcnbed, 
 
 Jl (»oa accordincr to the promite 01 ate which is u„ (,;,.,„- n„ / u .1 „ c- ^ /ji u u r 
 
 . . "t, ^- '^ , , , , , J by his name, Pa;//, by the ofiice, AM /i/i///.", by the perlon 
 
 ;u Chnft Jelus ; 2 To Timothy m dearly beloved Uiat lent him, 7<-y«x arj/?, by the end of bis mifiion to 
 
 preach 
 
Chai'. I. 
 
 II. TIMOTHY. 
 
 9'9 
 
 preach, the promt fe ofl/e; that is, the gofpel in which the 
 proiiiife of life ticnul ir coiuaiiied. Nr,!e here, i . That it 
 is Cod's call, and not barely Gud's pcrmifrion : his coin- 
 inanding will, and not bately his permitiinp; «ill, which 
 niidt warrant a perfon'i uiidi-rtakinj]; the I'ncred nflice. and 
 prove him a true uiiiiilhr of Jefns Chrift : Paul an ap-llU 
 by the ■wilt of Cnd. z. That as Adam broup;lu ihe fen- 
 teiice of death upon all, the proniife of life is made to ui 
 in and through Jefus Chiifl; fo that prornife of life mud 
 have iiiinifleri to protlaiin it, and to preach thisproinife is 
 their proper work. Clfci v%, 2. The perfon delcribed. to 
 whom this epiftle is directed, and that by his name, 7imo- 
 thy, by Iiii r'-iation, a f;n, by his afFeflion, a beloved fnn, a 
 ^w7)' beloved Ion. ^o:iie tliiiik St. Paul calls him his 
 fon becaufe converted by him to Chriftiaiiity ; others, be- 
 caufe more thorouf;li!y iiiflrufted, edified, and encoura|ied 
 by our apoHle : polp.bly becaufe he was ^Hirtant to him, a 
 to worker and fellow-labourer v. ith him in ihe work of 
 the gofpel, and f^r iliat rcafoii moft affVflicnatcly beloved 
 by him. From whence hum. With what fervour of fin- 
 cere affection ihe minillers of Chrifl (liould love one ano- 
 ther, fpenkrefpeclfully of each other, fecure the re])Utation 
 one of ;:norher ftrengtlien each other's hands, and encou- 
 enge one another's hearts in the work of God. We have 
 little love fru>m the world Lorti : iiowTad is i' that we fhould 
 have lefs one for ai. other ? Behold here how St. Paul's 
 and his afTidant Tinioth)''s hearts were knit one to another ; 
 like father and fon, to the great reputation, as well as 
 fuccefsful furtherance of the gol'pel. 3. The apoflle's fa- 
 hitation, in form of a prayer : dace, mercy, and peace 
 from God the Father, and Chriff Jefus dur Lord. Learn 
 hence, That all fpiritual blcffings flow from God as the 
 Father in Chrift unto lis ; and that no grace, mercy, or 
 pejce ran be had from God tha Father, but in, by, and 
 through our Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 3 I thank God. whom I fervefrom my forefathers 
 with pure confcience, — 
 
 Rut how could St. Paul, before converfion, be faid to 
 ferve the God of his forefathers with a pure confcience, 
 when he was a pc rfecutor, and the chief of finners ? Anf. 
 The meaning is, 1 hat he wc-rfliipned the fame God, and 
 theoidy true God, which his forefatfiersworfhipped, Abra- 
 ham, Ifaac, and Jacob ; and that he w orfliipped him in 
 fincerity, according to his lonfcience and the meafures of 
 ](glvt- then received. Learn hfnce, That the church be- 
 fore Chrift had the fame faith, the (aice ohjeft of faith, 
 and worlhipped God, the f;im«- God. under the law, with 
 us under the gofpel : 1 thank God, -Jihwi ] fervt from my 
 fjr I fathers . 
 
 — That without cenfing I have remembrance of 
 thee in my prayers night and dav : 
 
 Behold here the ininifters duty in a more fpecial man- 
 ner, to be much in prayer one fiT another ; iliey ftand 
 greatly in need of this mutual help to flrengrhen each 
 other's hands, and encourage one anoth' r't hearts in the 
 ways of God : They (]v>uld Therefore without ceafing, re- 
 member cnc another- at the throne of grace. ' 
 
 4 Greatly defiring to fee thee, being mindful of 
 thy tears, that I may be filled with joy. 
 
 OhfiTve here, The vchemency i:>i afTeclion which our 
 apofile exprefles towards Fimothy ; he dc-fired, greatly de- 
 fired, to iee him, and with the fight of him to he lillecJ 
 with j"y. .Vc/e, That though we ni;i(t love all Chriftians 
 with a fuiccre love, yet may we love fome Chrillians with 
 a more fervent love th^n others; choice and ulVful Chrif- 
 tians, endearing and endeared friends, may and mu'l be 
 loved above others : 1 d-fre greatly to fee thee. Sec. Ch/erve, 
 fatther, St. Paul declares how mindful he was of Timo- 
 thy's tears; perhaps a flood of tears were fl)ed at their 
 lad parting one from another. The beft of men have a 
 propenfion to weeping, and, upon occafion, have flied tears; 
 l"o had Jacob, Jofepii, David, and Chrirt binifelf. 'I'ruo 
 goiidnefs promotes compalTum ; good men ever have been, 
 and are men of tender ami tompaffionate difpofitions. 
 
 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned 
 faith that is in thee, which dwelt firft in thy ,;^rand- 
 mother Lois, and thy mother Eunice ; A?id I ara 
 perfuadcd that in thee alfo. 
 
 This is another realbn why St. Paul foearneftly defired 
 a fiiihr of his dear fon Timothy, namely, a remembrance 
 of his faith, as well at of his tears ; which faith is defcrib • 
 ed by the quality of it, unfeigned; by the effect of it, i: 
 dwelt ; by tlie fubjects wherein, in Lois, Eunice, and Timo- 
 thy, by the order in w hich, firi>, in the grandmother Lois, 
 then in the mother Eunice, and laftly. in the child Timo- 
 thy. Ltarn hence, That it is a mofl defirable and bkfTed 
 thing when there is a i\iccenion of believers in a family, 
 and to fee faitfi tranfmitted down to pofteriry, when 
 grandmother, mother, and grandchild, all walk in the 
 truth. Thus here : And whereas Timothv received the 
 advantage of a relicious education from ihofe two holv 
 women, Lois and Eunice, weJeam, That God often blef- 
 fes the labours and examples of holy w omen, to raife up 
 excellent inftruments in liis church. 
 
 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that 
 thou flir up the yift of God, which in thee by the 
 putting on of my hands. 
 
 Obferve here, i. St. Paul's care in putting Timothy in 
 remembrance of his duty, though he very well knew it be- 
 fore : Wherefore 1 put thee in rememhrdnce. None are fo 
 well inftrufted in their duty, but they may and ought 
 foine:imes to be put in remembrance of what their tluty is. 
 2. The duty which St. Paul puts him in remembrance o.""; 
 namely, to///r up the gift of Cod, -.vhicb was in him, hy put- 
 ting on of the spoiWth hands. Where nnte, v. What the 
 gift was which he advife? fhould be flirred up; namely, 
 the Holy Ghofl, in its minifteriil gifts and faiii^iryiiig graces; 
 particularly, a divine power, .whiclidifpofVd artd enabled 
 ]i:m to reach and live, to ad and do, anlVerab'y to the 
 duties incumbent- upon iiim as a minirti r of jefus Ghrilt. 
 1. What care Timothy muft take of this gift ; namely, to- 
 ftir ;: np: The v/ord is a metaphor lAUn from fire, w iiich, 
 if not rtirred up-, grows dead, and gives little heat. Thev 
 thz: hivs received much grace, aud ni.;ny gifts iVctn th" 
 
 hJy 
 
02d 
 
 II. TIMOTHY. 
 
 .Chap. i. 
 
 holy Spirif, sniy yet hi waning to themfelves in ftirring 
 Thein up. This rtirring up the ^iu ot'Gjd in riiuothy, 
 relpcifts cither the means ihjt aw to be uleilin ordei' to the 
 duty, fuch are, prayer, rcadirijr, mpJitaiion ; or the duty 
 itfelf, which coiillftj in feeding the HkI: ofGjd, in rtjfonn- 
 ifi'r abiifes in ilie church of God, anil i» enduring Iiardfliip 
 as a jTood Coldier of Jefus Chrifb. 3. How thisgift wasbe- 
 ftowfdiipon l"iiiio;hy ; namely, bv putting on ot the apof. 
 tie's hands, together witli the hand's of (he prefbytery, i. 
 Tim. iv. 14. Authority and power wa? giveabvtheapoftle, 
 the prefbytery concurring as his afTilbiits. St. Paul tlid 
 not lay his hands without the prelbytery much Icfsdid the 
 prefbitery lay on hands without the aponie, but he and 
 they in conjunt^ion. From the whole, Irarn, That no 
 perfons, elj-ecially minillers ought to fulFer the gifts and 
 grsces (if God's holy Spirit to remain in them unexcitcd 
 and iiiidirred up : Stir up the gift of God that Is in thee. 
 
 7 For GoJ hath tiot given us the fpirit of fear, 
 but of power, ami of love, and of a found mind- 
 ^ Be not thou therefore afliained of the teflimony 
 111 our Lord, nor of me hispiifoncr : but be thou 
 nartakev of the affliftions of the gofpol, according 
 to the power of God. 
 
 Here our apollle exhorts Timothy to an holy courage 
 s'lJ undaunrt'd refoliition in the execution of his ofBce. As 
 •■\ he iiad fail), " He not difcouraged by perfecution : for 
 Cod hath nor given ms, his meirengcrs, the fpirit of fear, 
 but of courage and fortitude ; fearlefs we are of the frowns 
 of inen : AUo the fpirit sf Lve, love to God and the fouls 
 of nien, which will make the ininiflers of God indefatiga- 
 ble in their endeavours for the good of fouii : Likewife 
 the fp;ritofa lound mind, which enables God's miniflers 
 to curb their pafjions, inordinate luft^,defires, and pertur- 
 bations of mind ; an admirable fpirit, to know when to be 
 angry and fevere, and when to be mild andgentle." Learn 
 hence^That love is the genuine principle of obedience and 
 ought to be that frame of fpirit, that inward affedlion of 
 iiind. froHi uiiPnce all ourfervicet toGod and ourneigh- 
 ■fcour do proceed. Thus, having fortified Timothy againft 
 • fear, in the fcvemh vtrfe, he next fortifies him againft 
 fliame, in the eighth verfe : " Be not thou afhamedof the 
 t',Him-jr.y of our L'trd ; that is, of giving teflimony of the 
 gofpel of our Lord, whether by preaching of it, or fuffer^ 
 jng tor it : Not to be afiiamed c./ rne his prifoner .- for I 
 do not fiifff r as z malefactor ; nay, be thou a cheerful par- 
 taker of the fame fuffcrings as niyfelf, and for the fame 
 caiife with mylclf, according to the power of Goil ; that 
 ')i, being ftrengthtned with the almighty power of God." 
 I.eflrn heiice, Tiiat the miiiifters of the gofpel are to take 
 vare that itifv be always ready to luffer reproach for the 
 volptl, but that ihcy never nea reproach unto the gofpel. 
 Suifcring for Clirid will be Iweet, if it be not ijubittered 
 .*-y lir^ning againtt Chrill. 
 
 9 Who hath favcd us, and called :« with an holy 
 caljin;;; not according to ouv works, but according 
 to his own purpofe and grace which was given us 
 i 1 Chriil Jtlus before the world began. 10 But Is 
 liow made manifell by the appearing of our Saviour 
 
 Jcfus Chrift. who hath aboliflictl dc?th, and hath 
 brought life and immortality to light through the 
 gofpel: 11 Whercunto I am appointed a preacher 
 and an apoftlc , and a teacher of the Gentiles. 
 
 A=; if the apoftle had fa'd. " To fortify thee againft the 
 fear of thole perfecutionf, and to arm thee againft liie 
 fliame ofthof*" reproaches, which m:iy probably attend thee 
 in the -vork of the gofpel, confider, that the (uid whom 
 tiiou ferveft in this employment is he that hith favcd us, 
 and called us wiih an holy callir.g : Called u- firfl to 
 Chriftianity, and then to this holy function of :hc niiniftry; 
 but to neither of them accor«ling to the merit of our 
 worka; as if we had done any thing todeferve either of 
 thefe favours at his hands; but ficrording 10 his '.vjn pur- 
 fofe and pr lice, fiven us in Chrlft before the -Moril iag^m ; 
 that is, which froni all eteriiity he decreed and determin- 
 ed to accomplifli by Jefus Chrift ; which graciou- purpofe 
 of his is now clearly difrovercil by our Saviour Jefus 
 Chrift's coming into the world; ■;«;/'? hath akilifhed death 
 and brought life and intrnartality to light ; that is, made a 
 fuller and clearer difcovery of it by theRofpel ; to preach 
 which Tofpel 1 am a -ommiflioned apoftle, anil for this I 
 fuffer ; and God help you, when thereunto called, to fuf- 
 fer with with me.'' I.carn hence, f . That God himfelf i» 
 the aud>or of inan'« falvation ; He hath laved us : That 
 eftcchial voction doth accompany falvation ; That the 
 Chriftian's calling is an holv call'ng ; that it is alfo an act 
 cf free and gracious favor in Cod to call ; f^ho hath faroed 
 u<, and called us luith an holy calling. Sec- Learn further, 
 That God's purpofe or eternal decree to favc before all M 
 time, was manif^efted by Thrift's .-.ppiaring in time : Biil " 
 »<ju' is made ma>iif'-fr hy the appearing cf our Saviour Jefus 
 Chrifi. Ohf^rve alfo. The hippy cfFeds of Chrift's ap- 
 pealing: I. To abolifli death; not to root it at prefent 
 out of the world, but to take away its dominion, its dread 
 and terror, the whole power and difpofal of it, Rew. i. 
 18. 1 am alive and hm-e the keys rf life and death. 2. To 
 bring life and immortality to light; that is, immortal life 
 more clearly manifcfted and difcovered. Noteherc, i. 
 That the foul of man is immortal, and that there isano- 
 tber ftate, an immortal ftate. which remains for men after 
 this life; othcrwifis, the juftice of God's providence could 
 not be fofiiciently vindicated ; but upon the fuppofal of a 
 future ftate <if immortality, it may. An account of the 
 unequal providences of God in this world, is eafy to him 
 that belii'ves the certainty of another ; as good and evil 
 are at prefent diilerent in their natures, fo ihall they be 
 in thtir rewards. 2. That the greateft difcovery thaiever 
 was made of life and immortality to loft linners, is made 
 by Jf-fus Chrift in the gufpel. Irwai difcovered, though 
 darkly, to the Old Teftanient faints; but the dil'cnvery 
 made of it by the gofpel, as it was an unexpedtcJ difcove- 
 rv, a free aad gracious difcoverv, fo it was a more clear, 
 more full, and final difcovery of it : Chrifi hath abcUfhed 
 death, and brought life, ice. 
 
 12 For the which caufc I alfo fuffer thefe things: 
 iicvcrthclefs I am not afhaincd : for I know whom i 
 han-e believed, and I am pcrliuded that he is able to 
 
 keip 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 II. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 021 
 
 Icecp that which I have committed unto him againfl 
 that day. 
 
 Fir which cdu/i:, that is, " For the fake of the gofpcl, 
 
 and not as an evil doer, I fufFer patiently all aftliiflivo evils, 
 
 vithinit ciihcr fear or (hame, vvuUknowing in vviiom I re- 
 
 " I'l- my faith and hope, my truft and confidence; and 
 
 . !:i\y believing ihst lie is able to keep dut which I have 
 
 f nnmittcd to liim, my teinporay life, yea, my eternal 
 
 life, the life cf my fotil, my reward in heafcn ; 1 have 
 
 .nniittcd all unto, r.nd dcpofitcd all in God's hand, and 
 
 . .IT) ("lire he ia both able artd willing, he both can and will 
 
 keep in fafcty, that which I have thus cornmittcd to him." 
 
 ."■'.//' here, I. That the knu\^ ledge of God mull precede, 
 
 s^o b;;tbrc faith in (jod. / bnw in ivi'om I have hAimci! : 
 
 itii fees not hiin, in whom it bclieveth, but it knows 
 
 r. la \vhiim it btlicvtih. 2. There iinofuchway t/> 
 
 Iccyro the foul, as to coinrait it into God's hand; the way 
 
 to m.ike the foul (-.{'ie, is to commit it to liim to keep, and 
 
 .1 in the way of well doing. 
 
 1 3 Hold f.ifi: theform of found words, which tr.oix 
 iiafl lieard of inc. in f.iitli and love tvhich i.s in Ciniil 
 Jcfu;-. 14 That good thin^ which was committed 
 untothcc, keep by the Holy Ghofl which dwcilcth 
 in us. 
 
 By found tufrds, we are to iindcrftand the doflrine of the 
 gofpc! ; hy a form of foitml icorii!, the truths anddoftrincs 
 of the gofpel methodic.'dly difpi fed and digcrtcd ; to hohl it 
 fyl, is, not to fwervc from it in the courfc of our miniftry 
 b;it pertin.^cioullv toadherc to it, not pTrting; with it onr- 
 fcives, nor fnlFcring it to be adulterated and comipted by 
 other';. This form of fuiiiid words fome take to be the 
 articles of oiir creed, in the words wherein v\-e nov.' have 
 them, probably the faine iu fenfe, if not in word'. This 
 ■is called, ver. t^.. That gf.r] ihir^g which was committed to 
 Timothy to keep ; meaning, thai fummary ot Chridiaii 
 tlodLine which was coramitcd to his care and keeping, 
 /.r^rw hence, l. That evangelical words are found word« 
 All gwfpel-tnuh is of an healing nature. 2. That a form 
 <lf found words, or a methodical fydcm.of gofptl-truths, ii 
 very profitable both for ininifters and people. 3. That 
 ibch a form ol found words is very faithfully to be retaint J 
 and very carefully to be kept unto. 4. That faith and 
 love are the hand.s whereby wc are to hold the gofpel truth: 
 HAd ft:jl ihe form of f:iiud words in failh atu'l'A-e, ivhiib 
 is in JcfiisChriJI. 5. That as Ciirillians are to hold theie 
 evangelical tmths fall in their judgments,, fo are they to 
 hbW thern forth in. their lives and practices : Keep hy tie 
 Ihli GhiJ} which dU'l/c/h in us i that is, the power and 
 alTiilance of the Holy Ghoftwill not be wanting to our cn- 
 ilcavoiirs, to help our memory, love, and practice, if v,'e be 
 not wanting to qurlclves. 
 
 ic; This thouknoweft, that all ihcy vvhirliaic 
 in Alia- be turni'd away iiom me; oiWhoni are 
 Phyj^ellus and Hennogencj. 
 
 By /t!l ill /1/i'i, we are to undc: fiti'.d vcrv many, almofl 
 a'], not every indiudual pcrfjn : Souit think ihty were 
 
 teachers in Alia, others that they were private Chriflians ; 
 fome that they were his companions and followrrs, who, 
 Avhcn thcv faw him itriprifoncl, defcried and left him ; and 
 paiaicidarly, Phygelhis and Hermonegcs. Yet, m/e here, 
 I. That he doth not tax them of apoftafy from Chrill, 
 when he acciifcs them of forfakiiig hitn ; it is too har<h to 
 fay, that thofc that forfakc a particular rider cf the church, 
 do forfike Chrid hiinRlf. 2. In tliii he fays, AH tbnt ni'r 
 ill Afia arc turned awny from me, that lin may, and oft-timci 
 Ins the major vote of its fide, the generality go one way an il 
 iifiially the wrong way ; fiiiners, like fbcep, rtni after one 
 another ; like filh fuimduwn the i'ream together. 
 
 16 The Lord give merer unto the houfe of One- 
 fipliorus; for he oft refreflied mc, and was not a- 
 Ihamcd ofinv chain, 17 But when he was in Rome, 
 he fought mc out very diligently, and found vu. 
 i3 The Lord grantuntohim that Jiemay find mer- 
 cy of the Lord in that d«y : And in how many- 
 things, he miniflcred unto mc at Ephefus, thou 
 kncwefl very well. 
 
 Oiirapollle having complained of many in Afia forfak- 
 ing him, in the day of his fnircrings, in the foregoing verfc; 
 in this, he makes a grateful commemoration of the kind- 
 nefs of Oncllphorns towards him, who retrelhtd him with 
 his prcfcnceand relief, and was not ufhemied of his chain, of 
 his imprifi>nment, as others were. Learn, I. It is no new 
 thing for the mod .holy and imicccnt fervants of Chriit !o 
 fuifer hardfiiip, imprifonment, baniihmcnt, yea, even death 
 itfelf, for the fikcof Chriil ; and when they do lb. to liav" 
 friends forfake,and turn their backs upon thciTi. J'rofpfri- 
 ty affords many friends, more flatterers ; but who regards 
 the prifoner in bonds r who cares for looking upon the 
 dial when thefijni-off? a. That not to be alhamcd of 
 the faints in the day of their fufTeiings, but to own them, 
 and adminiilcr to them in (iich a condition, is acortjiu 
 fign of a found and finrerc Chriilian. Good Onr.fiphori;" 
 IkkI this, amongd other evidences of his g'-acions dates th:;t 
 lie was not afliamcd to own a pcril-cuted Paul iji chains. 
 Nay, he fearched for the apolUe very diligently, snd found 
 him; fo far he was from Iriding his eyc^ from him, and 
 forfaking liim, as the men of Alia did. Ohftrve nex-, O-.ir 
 apolHe's fervent and affcdlionnte pravcr toGod, nbiindantly 
 to recoinpcncc this laboorof love in Oneliphonis towp.tds 
 him : I'ird, He begs mercy for h.is whole houlhold, -J i e 
 Lord zive mercy to the ijoiife of (JiicfipJ orus. Note, I. Hew 
 thankful the (aims of God are for nicrcics reccivtd fiom 
 Gixl by the hands ot men. 2. That aAx of Chriltiait 
 charity to the fulfcring fervants of Chrid,do receive a cpn- 
 fiderabjp pari of their levarJ, even here, in the hearty 21. >i 
 afl'e6tionate pravcrs of the people of -Ciod on thcii belv.ilt. 
 How well ilid it fare v iih C^ncliphorns and his bmiilvild 
 upon the fcore of St. Paul's prayer, 7/ e Lor'i //.',iv ";. /\ ;• 
 fic. next he prays tor Oncfipliorus himfelt, 'J he Lcrd '^ ■ • ■ / 
 thitt he may f lid mercy of the Lordrnih^l day ; that i^, ia 
 the p,reat day «>f judginenl. Learn \\<in'rs^ i. That ihc 
 holifil of rneii, and bell of faints, will ibiid in need of 
 mercy, much ineny,, when thev Hand b- ti-re God at liie 
 {jrci.i d.iy. 2. That the merciful Chriftiaiu which has ■ 
 6 \ .here 
 
922 
 
 II. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chap, i; 
 
 here ihrwn mercy to the minifkrs and members ofjcfus 
 Chrlft, m.^y expcil and ihall fiiiil mcrCv in ihat djy, w lu-n 
 th^y ft.iiid ill ncal ot mercy. The) that iliew mercy in the 
 evil day, (hall certainly finil great mercy in the great day : 
 
 C A A P. II. 
 
 Our afi pif in tkii clujpUr/irfl exhorts Ti mothy to iJieprac- 
 
 i ■■■ff • his fucred fuiidt.m; and 
 
 " V' /(.•■ ;.. .. > ... ../■.•:, .j jinsiviuch tcndcrlkeof- 
 
 :^f a l<i{hof> obnoxious to caifiirts and his pnjhn lo 
 to.nrfnpt. 
 
 TIIOU tlicrcfnre my Ion, beflrongin the grace 
 th.u is in Chrill Jclus. 
 
 St P.iiil havinn acquainted Timothy with the hard t'un^s 
 nlsich he had fnftltcd tor the t^ofpel of Chiilt, add wi tild 
 informcvl him how many liad flinched lor tear nf fiiffcrin^, 
 ibrlakinij hiin, andthccanfe ot Goii dct ended by him ; in 
 this verfc he exhorts Timothy to courage and holy rcfolu- 
 li'in fir Chrift : T'Ai.v therefore., viy /on, be Jirong hi the 
 griu-f tlal is in (jhri/l Jcjuf : That is, when others (hew 
 piiillaiiiniiiy and cowardice, do thou fliew thyfelt a ilrong 
 and vylant man, not affrighted at the dangers that tlircatcn in 
 pnblilhing and deteniiiiiij the gofptl ot Jel'iis Clirill. Be 
 llron;; in ihc grate otCtiriil ; that is in the y^ofpei ot Chrill, 
 which Contains a diiVovery of ihc riches of his ^racc, or be 
 ftiomj thrnuiih the influences of the grace of ChriTt. A'ofe, 
 I. Thar as all Chriltians in general', fo the miiuilers of 
 Chrill in particular, do need courafj;e, Thau, my /on, be 
 
 Jirong ; nothini' he do.-s, but is an a(fi: of valour, all duties 
 a re attended w iih diiiiciilties, which put the Ciirillian upon 
 difpulinc'cve-y inch cf his way ; they are only a itw gal- 
 l«nt fpiiit. that dare take iitavcn by llorm : And the mi- 
 Jiiiters of Chrill do meet wiih more difficulties than other 
 men. leiirn, 2. That our (Irength, both as Chriftians 
 ind 3.S niinilicrs, lies in Chrill, and not in oiirfetves : Be 
 
 J!rong in ihe grace tkiil is in Chriji yi/:is : The ftrcngth of e- 
 very fiini, yea, of the whole holt of faints, lies in the Lord 
 
 of iiOltii. 
 
 2 And the thin;Ts th.it thou h:.ill heard of nie a- 
 irio)]^ inany winielTes, the fame commit thou to 
 fjiihiiij infn, who fhall be able to teach others alio. 
 
 A ftCond charge given to Tiinoihy is. To lake fpecial 
 care that the doflrine of thegifpel, and the precepts of 
 holy living, which he had heard St. Paul deliver, in tiic 
 prefeiice of many witnclfes, fltoidd be handeil down and 
 tranfmittcd fo men of great fidelity and ability, whom he 
 was to ordain and impowcr to teach it unto others. 
 Where «£/<•, 1. A direction given to the guides and gover- 
 nors of the church, how they ought to man.nge themfcKes 
 in the ordiiniion of the minifferial office : This office is to 
 be committed unio fnitl/ul able men \ many may be ufcful 
 inihc cli'.irch, that cannot be excellent, bui he that isun- 
 f.I'.hful, is only fit to make atiuilts. 2 That fuch as have 
 the j;ofptldepcUKd with them, inay and ought to depofite 
 it with others, and they withother-, to the end of the world, 
 thereby to prevent all irnovati.ns and diver litics of opinions 
 in r"£tters of religion. 
 
 3 Thou tKeicforc .endure hardncfs, asa goou.^ 1- 
 dier ofjefu.s Chrifl. 4 No man that warreih cu- 
 tanj^leth hiinfelf with the affairs of this life ; that 
 he rr.ay plca'e him who hath chofen hiin to be a f'oi- 
 dicr. 5 Audita man alfoftnve for the maftciics,^./ 
 is he not crowned except he drive lawfully. 6 
 The hufbandir.an tiiat Libourcth niuft be firii: par- 
 taker of the fruits. 7 Conhder what I fay ; and th. 
 Lord jjive thtcunderllanding in all ihin-s. 
 
 S.ill we find our apofllc prcfcciiiing the qrent afd pcrcr ' 
 dcHgii of this cpidle, which is to direct' Timo'hy in tl 
 faithful difcharjeof his ofTice, as a minifler of il;e gofVe!, 
 and particularir to prepare for futferings,aml to inure Kim- 
 felt to hardlhip, and to encounter with diiTicuhics and dan- 
 gers: Hence, he compares him to a foldier, to 3 wreftlcr, 
 and an hulbandman: (i.) To a foldier: Endure htrj^e/t 
 as a gooii/fldicr cfje/us Chri/l. learn hcjire, 1 hat every 
 faiihtnl utiniHeris'a fpivitiial foldier, warring \indcr Jc'tis 
 Chrift, his Captain and chief Commander : Mult the U' - 
 dicr be calKd, and do all by ccmmilTlcn r fo muft tl . 
 miniller. Muft the foldier be armed, trained up, .wddifci- 
 plincd, and made fit for fervice r fo mult the minifter. 
 Mull the foldier Ihun no dan^^tr?, flick at no difi^tultie.<;, 
 pafs through thick and thin? Mull he ufe allowed weapoi:s, 
 appoved ainvnir of ids generafs dirtcling, not ot his ow u 
 inventingf all this muft the minifler be and do. In a word, 
 muft the fold cr picafc him that chofc him to be a foldier, 
 and in order thereunto, not o.tangle hiin/clf ui/f. ihe affairs 
 of this life ? Such a hfe of frcidom from incumbrance by 
 fccidar affairs, fhonld the minifter of God dcfire and cn- 
 dcavi.ur after. St/h'iers niufl be as free as may be from 
 diflradtions ; a foldier that fit;liis in fetters, fights there- 
 after ; he mud put fiff his fc'i"crs before he puts i n his ar- 
 niour ; the rninifler's woik lies in theaffairs oftheothtr 
 lite : Now, he that is entangled in she aflairs of this life, 
 Mill do little about the affairs of the next. He mwrt silo 
 pleafe his Cap'ain, not pleafc hiinfelf, his appetite, his pii' c 
 his coveioufnclV, much lefs niufl he pkafe the enemy he i.. 
 to fight aj'anilt, the devil, the world, and the ficfh. Again, 
 2. The niinilter is here compared to a wrcftler : If a man 
 Jirivefor the mafery ; that is, for the prize, the garland, 
 the crown, at the end of the race, he fliall be crowned, if 
 he Ihives lawfully, if he runs fjdrly, according to the luies 
 of the game, snd pcrftvores finally till he cones to the end 
 ot the goal. Thus muft the minUkrs of the gcfpcl thrive 
 for the cron n of life, by putting forth all their flrength, ex- 
 erting their utmoil endeavours \ Inch as are now wreflKis. 
 fhall erelong be conquerors Laftly, Timothy, and all 
 with him in the work of the gofpcl, are here compared to 
 hufbandm.cn: As ihe hufbandmanmuft firft toil and labour 
 before he can partake of the fruits of the earth, he mult 
 pluuugh and low before he can reap and gather; fo muft the 
 niiniller of God, by a laborious diligence, cidiivale and 
 improve the people, before he can hope to reap that great 
 fruit and bcneht, by gaining and converting of fouls to • 
 Christ. God will regard no minifiers but the labori.jus 
 he will ntvcr dignify drones in the church triumphant. 
 Fanhcr, by comparing Timothy to an hufbandman, he 
 
 • ' i.^Iima;l.s 
 
Chat, h. 
 
 II. T I M O T II Y. 
 
 923 
 
 imates 'o him his duty, not to be difcmiragecl if he doth 
 
 ! reap fruit patienily ; the Iced fomctimes lies under the 
 
 c1<kIs lone before it does appear ; we miift not dcfpair of 
 
 men too foon. And, la(Uy, By comparing Timoihy to an 
 
 hufbandman, hefeems to iniimate, that lie was to be (uf- 
 
 tnincJ and niain'ained bv thofe for whom he laboured. 
 
 Thus havini-' l.iid Timoihy's duty before him mider the 
 
 Ltaphor of "a foklier, a wre(tler, and an huftandnian ; he 
 
 unfcls him to confider V'hat lie had faid imto him, and 
 
 ires of Ciod to t-ive him a rii;ht uiiderftandini,' and found 
 
 li»ment in all thini^s ; intima' in?, that ihcy that will have 
 
 ^\ word and good coiinfel blcllcd by CJod to their un- 
 
 rrtandin? and plaice, nnill ponder upon it, coni.der of 
 
 , and duly apply it to themrclvt-s ; CcnfUirwhat Ijny, and 
 
 c L'.rd give thte umlerjltmding in all things. 
 
 8 Remc.nber that Jefiis Cliria of the feed of Da- 
 
 vil was raifedfrointhe'dead, accordin,^ to my i^ol- 
 
 pel: 9 Wherein I fuiF.T trouble as an eviI-docr, 
 
 rum unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 
 
 O.ir apoftle having in the fdre^roing verfes. exhorted 
 Timoihy to patience 'and confbncy under fnftcnns, comes 
 row tonirca; him as to the matter and fubjeaof preach- 
 in3, particularly, .hat h.e infia upon the incarnation and 
 rcf.irreaion of our Lord Jcfns Chriil : Rememherilwtjejta 
 6V-/-//? xvas the promifcd M. fllas if t'-eJcfJ r.f D.n-ii, not 
 of Jofc-ph. Timothy is here called upon to aticrt the 
 incarnation of Chrift, their beinjr fome heretics which oid 
 very early deny the truih i.f his human nature, as the 
 Marcioniies and M.^nichees ; a- there were others that 
 denied the reality ot his divine nature, particubrly. hbion 
 and Ccrinthus. Secondly, he calls upon Tiinothy to 
 preach and profs the doa,ine of Chvift s refurrcau-n al o, 
 both becaufe upon that depended the great cyidcnce ot his 
 di.mity, that he was really G-d, (his refurreflion by his 
 o^vn power declared him to be God, Rom; .. 4.) ^ihI atfo 
 bcvuirfe up«.n that depends the confolation and la vation of 
 ailbelievcrs. Remember, and frequently inculcate, that 
 Chriil was railed from the dead, aaorcI'Mg n my gcjpel ; 
 that is according to the gofpel of Chrift preached by me. 
 Chrirts incarnation and relorrcaion. are truths much to 
 be preached and incukatfd by minilU-rs, and frcqiicn;ly 
 remembered and thoronohly conf.dered by their people. It 
 "f^.lhMvs mtrfin 1 jnffcr trouble as an tinUofr, men unti 
 ' ; hut the icorJ of Cod is ml huml , that is. for which 
 ;. and for preaching whiJt refurreai.^n, I fufter as a 
 criminal and reputed maUfaaor, yea, I fr.flVr to that <!ogree, 
 .hat I .m bound «ith chimin for preacnm? Jefus and t.ie 
 refurrcaion: But the word cj Gw/ i< v;t h,wd ; though 
 they have reltraincd me, they cannot rcftrain that_ ; that is 
 h Je and at liberty ; when thbdifpenfersot it are in b.^r.cls- 
 ,'. -t '■ i's free conrfe. Le^'h,,, 1 hat, the preacher^ H ,..e- 
 . ,, . ; ve! from the beginning, met with threat j. 
 i!;n., ;' v have fi^Jfircd tr.utle <ts nH-.a.-rs ,,.e-,-^:^ 
 !> ■! ' ■ Th It ••hf pi. rfcCuiion (^f preachers (v th not Imitrcr 
 the p'roiJrLf and KlJ^riy of »he word; >Ahcn mimi|crs are ui 
 prir!.r., the wo.d may have free pi<ra£C, nr.d lu.ly men 
 rejoice at its libtrtv, nr.der their ov. ,1 o n^.Kn'uit : Yea, 
 tlic providtnc^cf God tb order d r , ie. Ad. the ba. ti.at 
 
 St. Paul, evcndurine his imprifonmcnt, preached the word 
 with all boldnefs ; 'his conhnement ha.l cauftd ihc gnfprl 
 to fpicad in Rome. TThus God out llioois Satan in his 
 own bow: He thinks when he has the mkiifters of God in 
 prifon, he has done his work, but God over-rules ami cauf- 
 cs their imprifonment itfcif to fall out rather to ihe fi>rther- 
 thcrance of the gofj-.el ; I fnjf r 5}nds, fays the apoftle, l>ul 
 the zvord cf Gcd is not bound. 
 
 10 Theiefore I endure all things for the e'ecls* 
 fakes, that the^' may alfo obtain the falvation which 
 is in Chnft Jefus, with eternal glory. 11 It is a 
 faithful faying; For if we be dead with /iiw, we 
 fliall alfo li've with liivi. 1 z If we fuffcr, we Ihall 
 alfo reion with him : If wc deny hhn, he will alio 
 deny us: 13 If we believe notj^^c^he abidcth faith- 
 ful : He cannot deny himfclf. 
 
 . St. Paul having acquainted Timothy in the foregoins; 
 verfes with his fuffcrin^s, even unto bonds, here he lets 
 him umierftand and kn'ow, why, and for who's fake, he 
 did fo cheerfully endure all thcfe thint;s, namely, /a- //v 
 elcrfs' fake. Thou(;h the reft of the world rejeatd the 
 gofpel, vettheelea wQuld be confirm.cd by his cxamp'c, 
 and obtain that falvation which in and ihrouyh Jt lus Ciinlt 
 was oifered and tendered to them. Here «'.//-, 1 hat tiiere 
 i^ a certain ekaion of Gtxl, which hath inlidlibly chofui to 
 falvation all thofe whom.ike theircalling and clcai.^n lure, 
 by perfeverance in holinefs and pood words. 2. I hat the 
 faithful minilters of Chrift do think no fuflerings too niuch 
 or too dear, tar the fake of God's tka, (lor the I ke of 
 believing Chriftians, who are a chofen genera'ion (f . that 
 their fufferings may hut further their eternal glory, happi- 
 nefsand falvTtion. To encourasje yet again toapa'.ient 
 endurinpall forts ofaffliaions, he a (hire ^ Timothy, that 
 if we be" rendered conformable to Chriil in hi- fufk-rincrs.ue 
 ih;dl be allb in his crlorv ; If w fi'ff.rfor him ivef}>nl! ragn 
 ui!hl.ym ; if we he^h-ad with him, de-id to !.n, and dcati to 
 the world, wc Ikdl afo Hie with him, in contonnity to Ins 
 refurrcaion: But if fur fear of fi ftcring wc difown him, 
 he v\ ill a'fo deay us ; if we believe net, it wc be unft.rhiul 
 and forfake him, yet he will be true to his word, he wdl 
 n»t forh.ke his ovvn csufc, but make go<Hl hi- tlireaiemug ; 
 
 his own veracity ftaiids firm, and is as much eBgi ' '■■ - :- 
 
 ecutc iho ihreatening, as to fulhl iht pionnlc. 
 
 14 Ofthefe things put thnn\n remembrance, 
 charging ^/tfffi before the Lord that they Rrivc not 
 about w'lnds to noprdlit. hiU to the i'ubverting of 
 tlie hearers. 16 Siudy to fliew thyfelF appt^oved 
 unto Odd, a workman that ncedeihuot to he alham- 
 . ' ' dividing the word of truth. 
 
 , c I, The excellent advice which St. Paul 
 fimoihy, t >ail the minilleis of the church, and 
 1,1 ;:i: .ijClui- ■ ■ :chcsf^r an.i n- ar, ihat ".hey Ipeiid 
 not ihcir tiir. tcs, that tliey contend not about 
 
 xv.-.t's whkh iijvc 110 lendtncy to muke men either wifur 
 or Ixitcr, but fei'velonW to violate the laws of charity, :ind 
 ca-nfe men to wVangk e'teriK.lly, and' p.rfeciitc Oi.c ancthcr 
 6 A 2 "-'''^ 
 
9H 
 
 II. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chap. ri. 
 
 ^vilh lurJ names and charaflcrs of reproach. Here no/r.i. 
 What ihofc thiiiijs arc which ought not to be matters of 
 Cintcii'.ion among Chrillians; namely, i. Such things in 
 which wc ditftrfrom each other, rather in words, ih;in in 
 fenfe ; ofi-iimes opponents mean the fame thinps but dilTer 
 only in the way and manner r.f cxjirtlTim. 2. Such ihi:igs 
 as lend to lialeor no profit, ciiher as to eJificaiion in faiih 
 in hn-e, or in pra^Hical !;.x!lini.fs. Ol/trvr Mo, thcapuflits 
 argumcnr, why wc fliould not contend about thcfe ihini^s; 
 h.caufc they tend to beget (hitc and cnnfcntim amonc; 
 Chriilian?, by dividinj tliem into faflions and parties, and 
 aifo tend to the fubverlion of the l-.earcrs, caiifmg them to 
 doubt of the truth of the faith, about which the contend, 
 ing parlies cannot agree ; a'urge them therrfin that tkct 
 ftrr,t hot al'iut vjords cfmfr'.ft but to the Julverlliig cf tie 
 hearers. 0!-/irve next, Tlie foleir.n cliargc !,'ivcn to rinio. 
 thy, as to the matter, manner, and methoif of liis preach- 
 ing ; that the matter of it be the word cf truth, the pure 
 Word of God, that it be divide J rightly,' to f:<j>:ry one liis 
 portion, to every ht.-.rer hii dr.e, methodizing and dilhi- 
 buiJng truth, as God woidd have it ; terror to whom terror 
 is due, comfort to whom comfort beltmgs. The orii^inal 
 word rend: red /vV/.//v to divide, fome think a facri'hcial 
 word, allikiing to the riijlit dividing of the facrifice, wliich 
 T^'3S raid upon the altar, feparatitig the yrecions from the 
 viic, and Itveting the part? wliich were not lo be offered 
 from ihcm thai were, and cutting out the facrifice in foci) 
 ni-inner as all had ihcir fiiare in ihcm. As if St. Paul had 
 faid, " Sillily not for the applanfe of men„biu for the ap. 
 piobaiion oi Vm\, as becometh a good workman, -who 
 necJdh not lobe alhan.ed cf his work, whoe%er hxjksupcn 
 it ; but kt thy preaching and llvinc; be ftraight andconfor- 
 ' mcble ti) ihc gufpcl, and thtis ttudy to fhew thvfclf approved 
 o\ God." Ilcnce learn, Tliat alihoiigh curioiis and u:ipro- 
 fiipble iiifljng wiih words in a pulpit be vain and finfui.vet 
 iiis the part (.fa Ikilhii teacher, to order, methodize and 
 dilliibnte truth in its proper {ilace, and give every hearer 
 liis pail and portion.. 
 
 J B IJxit l7)iinpiofane nndvnin babliirgs; for they 
 wii; iiicreale unto more un^odlincfs. 17 And their 
 word will cat as doth a c;!nker: Of whom i,s Mvmc- 
 neusaiidPhilctus; 1.8 \^'haconcerninfr the truth 
 hnvceiied, faying, That the refurrection is paflal- 
 ready ; and overthrow the faith of foine. 
 
 St. Paul having now finiflied the exhoriatory part of this 
 chapter, and acquainted Timothy what he would have ]u"m 
 praclife and do, now comes to adehortation, advilinc/ l,iin 
 what he woidd have him avoid and fhun ; and herc° fiifi' 
 he bids \mx\ /hull prof :me and ijain babli n^s ; the vain bab- 
 Jings of the Heathen philofophers, and the profane notions 
 of heretical and llducingieachcrs, particular! v, the Gnoftics 
 the fullowers of Sinion M^^us and iVknandcr,. who were 
 gulliy of an apoilafy from Cl'.riilianity, by ligriiingthcrefur- 
 recliou into an allegory: afiiiming, that ihc reftuTedion of 
 the fold to piety and virtue, wasihc only rtfurre^ion to be 
 rxpe(fled, difowning the lefurrtdion of the body, and alert- 
 ing, that the fiefh was unfit to rile. Obferi.e, fecondly, 
 The nature of erroneous dodlrinc declared ^ ii is ofatitvour- 
 
 ing, fprcadin?, and deflroyins nature, their \icrdiV.iil ect 
 ai doth a gmt^rene. J^^uJI. llow doth a ^.TOiTtne eat ? 
 Jl'r/. It eat", fpecdiiy, ii eais incurably. ■ ■■r.-Uy, a,- 
 
 it is well kno^Ml the ganj,rene di,ih. .'^ \> hat ii 
 
 it that licrefies car i> ".y,-//. Faith, peac^ .ic is : fo 
 
 ^f^^c, they ovtrtlrow tie Joilh nff^we, «;,,,,..,, . 1 ■i- lenre 
 titig':dlinejs. :^,.ejl. How co.rnt* it i.ipafs that tiiev lo eat ? 
 
 .rf-y. The fpieuding 'nd [ ■'■ ; of hu . ." \ ■■ ' 
 
 afcribed pariiy to the fu';ii : ivity <.\ i. , 
 
 to the curiofnv and fimpL-.i) I ! i!,c ,., 
 
 the jurtice of G nJ.f ir the manildl;:;. , :, 
 
 cere, and tic •j5uniuimeut of thoiclhat icceivc not iiie truth 
 U3 the lore of it. 
 
 19 Ncverthelefs the Foundation of God Handetb §1 
 fure. havirtr this feal, the Lord knowtlh them that 
 are Ills; and, Let every one that naine'h the name 
 of Chnft depart from iniquity. 
 
 As if our Apoftle had faid, " Notwithflanding that 
 Hymeneiis and Philetus, with other?, are fallen awav, nc- 
 verthelefs we know that the foundation of Gcd, hi.s' holy 
 covenant, flandethfiim and lure, haiing a feyl annexed to 
 It, (as ufually contr:,as havtf, w hereby two panics do ob- 
 ii|;e themfelvts mutually 10 each other,) which feal on 
 God'.v part has this hnprefsor infcripiion, Ihe Lord hwweth 
 them that are /v.r ; and on cur part is written. Let every 
 one Ibat naineth the name cf Cljrijl depart fr-.m iniquity:' 
 Z.<.v/r« hence, r. That the covenant ol God made with us 
 in Chrift Jefus, is a firm and furc fotmd.i'.icn to build our 
 h.-pes of perfeverance and eternal life upon ; Ihe hundaliin 
 oj Gcdjiandeth jure. 2. Thai the covenant (accordina to 
 Lie nature ot the covensntsj is cendi-ional ; on Gcds part 
 proniiling aflifta.ice, acceptance, and rewards; on cur part* 
 a departing from all iniqniiy, :;nd an ohHgatifn toihe love 
 and practice of all hcJinefs. All that mske a profillion of 
 Chriftanity ought to take efpecial care that their lives may 
 anfwer their lighr, their praflices correfpond wi.h their 
 profefiion ; Chnnianity being not a 'fpeciUaiive fcience but 
 a practical art ot holy livino.. ' 
 
 CO But in a great houfe there arenotonly vclTelst 
 of gold and filvcr, but alfo of wood, and of earth- 
 and lome to honour, and fome to dilhonour. 2ilf 
 a man therefore purge himfeif from tiiefehc Ihalj be- 
 a vclfel unto honour, fanaificd and meet for the 
 mailer's uic, aiui prepared unto every good work.. 
 Our aponie had told iis at ver. 17, and i8. of certain, 
 nercucs luchasHymeneu3 and Philetus, v^hofc do£frines 
 clid eat IiKe a canker or gangrene : he tells us here, ih.t it 
 IS not to be wondered at, that there fhould be fuel, pcrfe.ns^ 
 in the church, becaufe the vifible church is God's Prtat 
 houle : ]\ow it is no unrommon ihing in treat men's 
 houfes, to have vellcis cf all forts, fome .d «ocd and earth 
 others of gold and fiivcr. fome to ),onourable i.fes. anj" 
 ""TAt '.«'*'• lont^'x-^J^'c, In like manner, it is in the church 
 of Lhnd, there Anil be a number of orihcdox ^nd 2V0 of 
 heterodox Chriaians.. hypocrites and fincerc Chri.lians 
 He adv.les Timothy therefore, not to be fcandali7ed at 
 ihem, but to pu.-£o himfelf from them, to-kiep hin/felf 
 
 pure 
 
ClIAP. HI. 
 
 ir. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 S^t 
 
 pnre from fiertfy and impiety: hereby he woi;!!! tnaiiifefl 
 hi'iiftlf" to boa vel'el unto \\or.n\n, fnnfiif^cJ (ind meet for 
 the ?ii(i/irr's "fe ; that is, for (he fervicc and glory vi Go<l. 
 and (lifpcifrd for everv s^ood work. Learn hence, Tliat all 
 Ckiiftijns, hut efpecially the ininiftcrsof Chrift, ought to 
 h:-, like ooiilccratcd vedVls rf the tcm|)lc, dedicated and fi't 
 apart for our Lord's tfpecia! ufc and fervice ; we arc not 
 only v'itli other Cnriftians dtdiratcdby ba^jiifm, but con- 
 fccrated at our folomn ordination : fo that tlierc h a fucrcd- 
 nefs upon our perfons : And to proflrnte ourfclves to any 
 liilt, is a greater profanation thin BeHhazzar was guilty of, 
 when he deiecrated the holy vcflclsof the teinple. 
 
 22 Flee nlfo youthful lurts : Rut follow righte- 
 oufncfs, faith, charity, peace, with them that call 
 oia the Lord, out of a pure heart. 23 But fooli/Ii 
 and unlearned queflions avoid, knowing that they 
 do gender ftrifcs. 
 
 Still onr apoftic proceeds i.i his holy cautionary dircc- 
 ticns to Timothy, what to avoid, and what to follow. He 
 adviles him, I. Tc avoid :xx\A flee youthful lu/ls \ by whici 
 
 By the fcrvant of the Lord here, wc nre fo underfland all 
 the bifhops and c;overnors, the piiilors and txa'-'hers of the 
 church ; by not flriviii'^, that they are not to irritate and pro- 
 voke fiich as diirent and differ from them ; not to ftrivc in- 
 decently with the tohguc, but by foft and rentlc wordi, by 
 clofe and hard argument', endeav(.ur to convince their 
 jiidginent ; for no man that is in an error thinks that l;o 
 is fo; therefore if wc go-about by violence to rend incn's 
 opinions from them, that will but hold them fo much the 
 falter ; but if v/e have but fo much patience andchaHitv as 
 to unrip their errors by degrees, ihcy will at laft fall in 
 pieces of ihemfclves. The f errant of the Lord muji not 
 
 ftrive, hulhegrntk to nil, and fatlent i, it follows farther, 
 tn meeknefs inflruffing, if Gcd, peradvcnture — Where n'ite, 
 I. The duty dirciSled to : and that is, without bittcrncfs 
 and pailion, but with great lenity and ineekncf?, to inftruft 
 the erroneous, even when they oppofc the truth ; Aich ef- 
 pecially as do it out of ignorance, and for want of better 
 information;, are particularly to be pitied, and paticiuly 
 born with, together \vith thofc who labour under the prc- 
 
 •judices and prepofrcdioi^.s of a continrv education : /;/ meek- 
 nr/s injlnuihig thofe that olfff/-. a. The benefit hoped for. 
 
 may he imdcrllood, not only the lulls of the flefli, but alfo and the advantage to be expecSted, by fuch meek and cen' 
 the Itdfs and vices ot tne mmd, as ambition and pride, vain- tie methods- of 'inarudUon, as are here dircvf^el to • ^i 1 
 glory and oftcntaiion Where «=/<•, 1 liat the flcfli, with That AimiL'hiy God may peradvcnture eive\hem re 
 
 Its afFeclions and hills, arc (nch flanacroiis enemies to our 
 holinefs and lulvation,. that the holinefsof miniffcrs andbeft 
 of men have need, very great need', to be warred of them, 
 and cautioned agaiiift them : Flee thou, O Timothy, alfo 
 yoiithfiil hilt--. 2. He advifes Timothy alfo to' avoid 
 j.j'Jijh end unUarncd qup/liois, that is, controverfies and diC 
 putes, knowing that fiicli coitentioUs wranglinps do but 
 engender ftrife. It is not unworthy our obftrvation, that 
 no Icfs than four times, in thele two epifiles, do we meet 
 vviih this precept from the apoRle, tn avoid thefc queflions 
 and t'ifpntes, and to apply to that which is praflical, fiicw- 
 mg of what great importance it is h to do ; and we {hall 
 meet with it again in the epiflle to Tims, chap. iii. 9. 
 From whence Ic.-irn, That difputes about matters which 
 onlv fcrvc to beget ftrrfe and coiitenti.^n, but tend little to 
 cJi!icat.ion in faith and holinefs, arc vain talking, nnpro- 
 lir.dile dilpute;, and as fuch to be avoided. Ohfcrve next, Hz 
 dirc;^s Timothy what to follow, having (hewn him what 
 to avoid ; Namely,' to follow after ri;.;htc"oiifncA and faith, 
 peace and charity with all perfons, but cfpcciilly with .all 
 out brethren and fellow Chrillinns calling on the fame 
 Lord, and profcfllng the fjinc faith with us. Where not.'. 
 That we ought to have charity for, to maint3iii peace with, 
 and by no means to fcparatc irom our communion, any 
 
 pentance, bleffing fuch prudential and pious means for their 
 converlion from error and .'"ediiiflion ; and, (2.) That they 
 may be recovered out of'Satan's fnares and temptations, 
 they being at prefcnt captivated by him according to his 
 will. Learn, \. That if erroneous and milled perfons v/iJi 
 not bear gentle teaching, much Ids will tliey yfcld to (liarp 
 invectives, or provoking difputes. Yet, 2. Difpuiations 
 MiTely managed, like dcftnlive wars, are both uftful and' 
 necefTary in defence of the truth, though they .do net btinr 
 over-gainfayers. 3. That till erroneous and milled pcrfoiw 
 can be brought by confidcration to be agents in recovering 
 tliemfelves, no teaching or difpuiing wril be fufficient and 
 efieclua! to recover them ; That thev may recover themje'.vcs 
 cut rf the f mire of the dcull, zvhi arc taken captive hv lim. 
 Laftly, Error is the devil's fnaio as well as fin : Error is as 
 dangerous as vice ; the one is an open road, ;iie other a by- 
 path, t® hell and deftruftion' ; conii queniry, fuch a ChriiHaa 
 as has a due regard to, and value for, his own faKation, r.ill 
 be as much afraid of trroneoii<: principles as of dtbauchtd 
 praflices ; That they may rcct.if thcmfdvei out tj the fnarc 
 of the devil, mho are taken cupti've iy li/n at his it .7. 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 perfou who fcrvcs Chri'ft witli a pure heart : Folloiv, fays Our apcjlk C07nes now, hy a propheticalinflina, io JorHcl 
 
 curiipoflle,. charity and peace xvith i,\\ thofe //;^.' call on the of greattr evils and nifddep, which fmdd ccrlainh 
 
 Lcrd fjus out of a pure heart. arije towards the end of the world, rvldih he calls the iijl 
 
 24 And the fcrvant of the Lord niufl not ftrive ; days, aud peribus times. 
 
 but be gentle unto all -nun apt to teach, patient. r-pniS know alfo, that in the lafl d:iy, perilous 
 
 :ekiiefs inftru£ling thole that oppole thetn- 1 times /hall come. 
 
 If Cji)d peradvcnture will orvc tliem reoen- . -r , „, , , ^ . ^ 
 
 ■^ ' As if the aponie liad faid, " O mv iom fimothy, be not 
 
 thou difcouragcd, neither let any of the fucceflors be dii- 
 
 niayed, at the feels and llhifms, at th-: hercfies and blaf- 
 
 iihemics. 
 
 23 In me 
 
 felv 
 
 es 
 
 tance to the acknowledging of the truth ; 26 .'\.nd 
 that thoy may recover thcmfelves out of the fnarc 
 of the devil, wlio are takeii captive by him at his wilL. 
 
Jy25 
 
 ir. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 J' 't the \ik;c ani! impiotVi wliich will be found in 
 
 ^ll pcrfijiis in thi l.ill il.iv^, when ctriainlv knciwii 
 \\\H pfrihus limes Jhail amt." Wlierc, by t lie /a/? iJays, 
 underrtand all ihc limts from Chrill's firft comiitf; in the 
 rtcih, to his ffcond coming to judgment ; in the beninniiig 
 •if which times, fcvcral forts of perfons, yea, fcvcrr.l feils 
 ;*iid partiiis of men arofc, to whom the follovvini/ charac- 
 ters did bcloi-.j; ; nanifly, proud, covetous, boaltcrs and the 
 like. As the Jiidjiiinjr leachirs who urffid the mcefriiy 
 of circutniifion, and iht olifcrvation of the ceremonial law ; 
 jll the Gnoflics, and lollowers of Simon Matjus, have 
 ilufc cliaraftirs applied to litem in tlmfe early day.v ; and 
 ii were well that the church of Rome, in ihefc latter days, 
 Coidd clear herfcif in tiicfe charadlers, which are f<,iin(] 
 upon her, as the m.irks and baJ;;cs of an apollate church. 
 Lfsrii hence, i. That the days we now live in are the h.(i 
 days, and our times the lafl times. 2. That the la(l tinies 
 are, and \iill be, the vvorfl iimcs,perii'ous /inirs, full of fin, 
 and full of trouble : Old age is the dregs of life, the world 
 draws upon its Ices, the dregs are apparent : in ihe lafl {Jays 
 ptriUiis limes JfJtti! totre. 
 
 2 For men fhall be lovers of tlioir ownfelves. co- 
 vctuous, boafters, proud, blafphemcrs. difobcdient 
 to parents, unthankful, unholy. 3 Without n<i- 
 tui.il aff'cclion, truce-breakers, falfe accufers, in- 
 continent, fierce, dcfpifers of thofe that arc good, 
 4Trailors, heady, hi ;;h-ininded, lovers of plealures 
 more than lovers of God. 
 
 Here our .Tpoftlc reckons up the feveral fns, which would 
 abotuid in thcfe la't days, and make the times perilous ; 
 perfons profclTing Chrillianity fliall appear inordinate fclf- 
 iover«, infatiahl) covetous, vain-gloiir.iis liorflers, prrnd, 
 (L-Cjirers of otlicrs, blafphemers of God and Chrift, and ihe 
 hvi!) Spirit, by denying the prefencc snd foreknowledge 
 of the former, the (livinity and Godhead of the latter, 
 / -e. That fins, efpccially great fins, ftldom go 
 
 : . :ilohc, lji.it cominonly gciicrate and beget one 
 
 another. Thus here, felf-love begets covttoufnef';, covet- 
 oufnefs pride, and piide hkfpheiriy ! Thus irxn iall from 
 one fin to another, and proceed frotn one degree of wicked- 
 ricfs to an thcr. 
 
 6 Havinjf a form of godlinefs. but denying the 
 power thereof. From fuch alfo turn away. 
 
 This is the I.if^, but not the lesH fin of the perilous 
 rirr.cs : The ap''{rie, I. Tells us what ihefc men have, a 
 J\rm of holiiifjs, that is, a v:iin cinpry fiicw ot piety and 
 Religion, which difcoveis iifcHf in external ddvotion, in a 
 profirfTiou of the Chiiilian faith, in an exi»Tn;d iliew of 
 mor'ilicati'.'n, in a great zeal for fonif parlicidar party, or 
 private opinion. 2. Whji tbcv wan', the power of god- 
 l;i;;!-, th.!' is, the tnrhainl TiKMity oiV, - in true 
 
 love to God and our lieiul^jour. X, Th ■ direi?.s 
 
 us as to. our beha\i<>ur lox\.irds Inch awn, fnm l/:e/e tjuii 
 tiu-ny. L(i-rn hence, i. That a pcifin if..iy go fjr, and 
 aJv.ince^iinh in an cxtcnal pjofiflion ot piiiy rnd rttili'iri, 
 and ', ' • more that) a ft,rni f votdincls. 1. That, 
 
 tiot\N ; -, <!ds, ihnc is fuch a thing as the internal 
 
 and inward power of godlincfs and rrligion, which few 
 tnainiain, but moil deny. .!• That Chriflijns mtdl flmn 
 fjiniliariiy with fuch as have the brand of the foreg< ing 
 iutainoiis lins ijpon them, ond not hold crrrtfpoiidciicy 
 with fuch as are the avovvc*! enemies of Chrift and liIs 
 kingdom. 
 
 6 For of this fort are they which creep into houfc s, 
 and lead captive filly wom<-n l.idcn with fins, led 
 away with divers lulls, 7 Evcrlc.irniii^, and never 
 able to come to the knowledge of the tnith. 
 
 In thcfe words, our apoflle refi-^r*: rt rcarch \\\\y we 
 flioidd ttun away from the f<?rc; ' (Ins and finncrs, 
 
 nainci), ; hccaufq ihefe herciicjji iiachers before 
 
 charadlcrizcd, are'of ah infinuaiing t licy ^rnt not 
 
 tliei- errors openly, but in corncri ; lim . ■• . y into lioijfcs, 
 aiirl there fetiipoii «otpen with their trtiipraiions, who hive 
 lofii ability to detifl thcin ; and firfl upon \ ' ,,t 
 
 they n'sy btl'er win their hufhands over i. , c 
 
 wiih fhcin ; and upon fMv women, and fi'ch as were l;:dfn 
 ^^ i'h fit:s and led away v ith divers luf>s ; they make a prey 
 of fuch womm as are wei^k iri their imelltfliials, and cor- 
 nrpt and v. i. ktd in their trorals : which woincn always 
 pretend to bo Ifi.rnctI, lul are%ev*r able h ami to the hnvw- 
 Ifi/re of the truth, and confcqut ntly, are an tafv prey to 
 fuiucers, and very capable recep'ive objcdis for fuch de- 
 ceivers to draw away. £f."r;; hence, That fediicers obferve 
 a iricthod In (Vdicing. They btgiu with women, weak 
 women, and iifiially v»ii.kcd r.n»l liK)fe women, Carefidly .■ 
 oticht that fex to r'f'lvc. id fluiii ci"^ ••••!" ^"l ''ifputinf ■ 
 with tliem. 
 
 8 Now as Jannes and J unbres w ithout Mofes, i 
 fo do thefe alio refill the truth; men of corrupt 
 minds, reprobate concerning the faith. ! 
 
 Jannes and Janbres were two famous magicians i^ 
 Egypt ; v\ho withllood Mofes when he was working mira. 
 cits before Pharaoh to hinder him from beleving ; their 
 iiat«cs are not mtiitii'ncd in fcripture, biii taken by St, 
 I'aiil, ci'her from pi:blic tradition or.->.r,cient Jewilh records. 
 Now, fays the apoUlc, as the magicians retuftd Mofes, fo 
 thefe heretical fediiccrs refill the truth, making a vi« lent 
 and rancorous oppoliticn as-iinfl it. Thence /wr/;, That 
 there have been falfe teachers in all ages, who have vi;h" 
 ^•chelnency oppofed the truths and the profeffors of it : 
 Neither thcrj^cmbcrsnor minid rscf Chri<f llialltver want 
 enemies to war v>i:"i, v. 1 i'rt the Veil of the fcipunt remains 
 in the world. 2. TK r of thofc men who refift 
 
 the truth, the'.' uic >:. .' r,/- .',,./.,.*.>•'/• .',V .>'(- 
 
 cchiing tie Ji. , . ! 
 
 made ihipwicw^ ■ .^a 
 
 head, a corrupt ' ai'i-nd 
 
 HnJ accrr ' ' n 
 
 to loc.fe ; . 
 
 in opitiii'ii, .>! ! 
 
 heuil and an 1^ 1 
 
 fucnce and n iiuc iiutii, iii. in.~, live ai.d 
 
 die together. 
 
 9 J3ut 
 
Chap. in. 
 
 ir. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 f)97 
 
 q Bnt they ninl'l proceed no farther: For their 
 folly fliall be mahifeft unto all men, as theirs alfo 
 was. 
 
 H'yre r\ir npoftle encoursges Tiiiothy, an-l In him all 
 the fiiccfieciins; minifters of the gofpel, to the tnd of tlic 
 •world, 3!'-jin(t all the (iifooiirinemcnts which eirher he <^r 
 they ir.if^ht meet wiih fVom the ioipoftors anri fechicers "f 
 thi» !inie«, bv aTiirin;; th(;m of the i.Tiie and ve-nt of ihefe 
 frills ; (lift, Thai G'xl \\ill put a bar in their wav, M/?/ /hey 
 pncetdyiifnrlber in their hvpocri'iral and jiigj^lins.' prad^ices. 
 Ltnrn thcDCe, That tierciics and fcihicors are limited and 
 bounded by God : They catinot da all the mifchief they 
 "ivoiild,and liiey Hiall not do all they can. Secondly, That 
 God would make their follv and madnef-: manifcft to their 
 OH!i confulion : Their folly flnll be difcovercd, and then 
 abhorred, as was the foIIv and madnefs of Jannes and 
 Jnnilires. Learn, That God will, in his own lime, by 
 the preacliiiigof the word, difcovcr falfc teachers and their 
 dclufionj to the vvcrld. 
 
 lo But thou hifl fullv known my do6trine, mnn- 
 ner of life, purpofe, faith, lonfr-fufFerin:^. charity, 
 patience, ii Perfccutions, nfTIiftions, wiiich came 
 unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lyflia, what 
 perfc'culions I endured: But out of them all the 
 Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live 
 godlily in Chrift Jefus fliall fuffer perfecution. 
 
 A fpecial mean Is here propounded, how Timothy and 
 his fncceftbrs may be prefervcd from the rfcludion of falfe 
 teachers, namely, by ftiiinc; before themfclvcs the example 
 of the great apodle St. Paul ; we are more e-nfly led by 
 precedents than by precepts ; therefore the apofHe propounds 
 his own example as a pattern ; Thou hnft fulh Inm-n mv 
 diclnnc, my mamer of life and converfition, my purpofe to 
 adhere to, my faith in Chrifl, my long fufferlnc: and patience 
 in nnnergoins perfecntions for him at A'l'ioch, at Iconium, 
 F.t Lyilra, and how God was gracioufly plcafed to deliver 
 me out of all. Learn hence, i. That younc^er minilters 
 ought efpeciallv to obferve the dodlrine arid convcrfation r f 
 the elder, the pious way and walking of the graver minif- 
 ters, and mufl f >Ilovv them. Aged- Paul propounds his 
 \ Ir'.iies to young Timothy for imitation ; 7hou hall futly 
 hiown my d'.nr'nu and nhi'wer if life ; my dodrine to be 
 fou'id and fincere, my life to be' holy and unh!anie;ible. 
 2. That it is both lawful and laudable, at fome times, and 
 upon fome occafidns, to mention both the graces which 
 God hath wrought in us, and alfo the fufFerines and per- 
 fccutions which we endure and undergo for him ; Thou 
 hmwejl what perfecntions I endured at J>!iloch, IcoKtum, and 
 Lyfra. 3. That always opposition, ar.d often perfecution, 
 attends the pic;>.chlng of the gofpel 'wherever it goes. St. 
 Paul went to Antioch, from Aniioch to Iconium from' 
 Iconium to Lyllra, preaching the gofpel ; but p'rrfecution 
 followed him hard at the heels wherever he went : But 
 r.bfervc how the goodnefs of God accompanied him too ; 
 Out of them all the Lord delivered we ; not only our dangers 
 Lnt our deliverances alfo, muft b^ recorded and obferved. 
 Ohfcrve, fartiicr, How the apoflle argues from his owxi 
 
 from his own perfecntions in parflcul.ir, to all the "ofly's 
 perfecution in general ; J'ta, and all that will !!■;■/' ^odlily 
 in Chril} Jffusjh<dl fufi'er perfecution : Mark, Not this or 
 that godlj' man, but all, every one without exception ; 
 the better the men, the fooner pcrfecnted, the devil (lioots 
 his arrow at the whiteft and faireft mark : Again, all that 
 will; he doth not fay. All thit wifh well to godlinefs, but, 
 All that sf/.V, all that arc ahfolutcly refohed fo to do : An.-l 
 farther, if he will live, if he can or will keep his gottjinefs 
 in his heart, and not difcovcr it in his life, he may efcaoe 
 
 • hatred and perfecution ; but if he will live rdigioufly, let 
 him look for perfecution. Olfen'e, farther," It is faid 
 He that will live godlily, not living civilly, but livinw 
 godlily, expofes to the world's fcorn and hatred : In a 
 word, his godlinefs in Cliri(t Jefus, that is, fuch gtxilinefs 
 as is exerted in the viriue, ftrengih and po« ?r of Chrifl 
 Jefus pnriicularlv. Godlinefs in Chrift Jefus is real and 
 true godlinefs ; it is exndt godlinefs, it is an adivc "odli- 
 nefs, it is a prevailing godlinefs, it is a world-condeinnlng 
 godlinefs : fuch godlinefs cannot cfcape the v\orId's hatred. 
 Learn, That all thtife that fhew forth the power of rchVion 
 
 .in an holy converfation, mull certainly look for perfecuuon. 
 
 13 But evil men and feducers fliall wax worfc 
 and worfe, deceiving and being deceived. 
 
 Our apoflle having acquainted us, In the ff-rmer verfe 
 ■with the condition of the god'y, that they mud expeiSl and 
 prepare for perfecution, he lets us, in this verfe underfland 
 the mtfcrable condition of the wicked, that they uax ivorfe 
 endzvorfe: their proficiency is mere apoflafv, they adlively 
 deceive others, and are paflivcly deceived themfelvcs, by 
 the devil, that lying fpirit, that grand mipoflor. Leant 
 hence. That the profitcrous (late of wicked men is much 
 more dangerous and mifeiable than the afni(fled perfecuted 
 coiidiiion of the ungodly^ the good by perfecution grow 
 belter, but the wicked by living eafy, ivux worfe and ivorfe 
 
 14 But continue thou in the things which thou 
 hafl learned and haft been alTured of, knov/in/ of 
 whom thou haft learned them ; 15 And that fix)m 
 a child thou haft known the holy Iciiptures, which 
 are able to make thee wife unto falv'ation, through 
 faith which is in Chrift jefus. 
 
 Sever.il arguments are here made tife of by St. Paul, to 
 prcfs Timothy 10 the duly of ]ierfcvcraiice in the d'Clr'ine 
 of Ci^rift, contained in tlie holy fciiptures: The tirft is 
 drawn from the authoriiy of ihe perfon i'rom whom he had 
 received that docTrine, to' wit, St. Paul hi;ide)f,'an infpired 
 apoflle of Jefus Chrifl. Continue in ihe things which thou 
 hail learned, that is from me, and by me, as'an auihorizul 
 apoRIc. All the fervants of God, but cfpecially the minif- 
 ters of Gmi, mull continue conflint in the faiih, and (Itd- 
 fafl in the trinh received. The fccond argument for 
 Timothy's adhering to the dodrine of the fcriptures, is 
 drawn from his long acquaintance wifh the fciiptufes, even 
 from Ills childhood, yea, from his infancy ; From a child 
 thou hafl km-wn the holy fcriptures, Sec And (lie argument 
 lies thus,; " 'J hou, O Tiit.otliy, hus karnt the fcriptures 
 
 from 
 
ir. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 { 
 
 from thy infancr ; now what a fhame would it he for thee, 
 v.ho Iiafl been iaii;;ht fo early the true reliir.ion, to turn 
 from it and torfakc it ; from a child thou h;ift known the 
 holy fcripinros, froin a finkling," as the wofd -fi^nifies. 
 prom \\ hence /ivrr". That it is the duty of parents to inftrudl 
 their ciiildrcn betimes in tlic holy and good word of God ; 
 \vc read before of the care that Timothy"? mofher and 
 grandmother took in that inattcr. Olj'crvc, 2. 'J he tiiic 
 given to the \vor<I of God, ilic holy fi:ri|itur(s ; thev are 
 holy in their author, holy in their inaitLT, holy in thnr 
 penmen, holy in their end and tU-fign, which is to tnaice 
 us holy, John xvii. 17. The word of Go<l is not oniy 
 ire, but purit')ing, not only clcnn, but cJeaniinj;. •;;. The 
 ii;h commend.ition given of tli-,.' word; // is obtt to tiujhe 
 ihce wife unto falviti'.n ; no knowledge can bring us to lul- 
 vaiion vviihoJit the knawlcdgc of the holy fcripturcs ; tite 
 philofophcrs will teach you moral wifdom, but not a word 
 of fa! vai ion by a Redeemer, without whom our falvation 
 is impofliblc ; therefore it is here addcd^ — ■i.iije itnla falvution., 
 Jhroii^h faith, luhicb is in Ji'f-ii Chrij}. Learn thcr.ce, That 
 the holy fcripturc<;, thoiigli they infhucl us in the way of 
 ialvaiion, yet ca:mot favc us witliout fuith in Chriil Jcfiis. 
 
 16 All fctiptuve h qivcn by infpiration of Go I, 
 nnd i.i profitable for doclrinc, for reproof, for cor- 
 retlioii, for iiiflrnftion in riglitcoufncfs : 17 That 
 liiC man of Ciod may be pcrfcci, thoroughly fur- 
 iiiQiod unto all good works. 
 
 Our apoftle clofes this chapter with an exhortation to 
 Timothy to pcrfcvcrc in his ftiidy of the holy fcriptures, 
 bv nn arr-uinent drawn, i. From the dignity and nutliority 
 of ihc fcriptures ; 2. From their utility ; 3. From their 
 pcrfcciion. I. From thcirdignity and authority, //w ire 
 ^Jveii /')■ infpinilion cf C'J \ that is, they arc not the cru- 
 trivancc of any man's wit and fancy, but a revelation cf the 
 mind and will of C}od ; and thofc that wrote them, were 
 excited to it, and afltrtcd in ifby the Spirit of God : No 
 part of the fcripture hadeither angels or inen for its author, 
 !j!it every part of fcripture is divinely infpired or breathed 
 by God, both for matter and order, (tvlc and words. A 
 fecond argument is drawn from the utility and ft;lTicicncv 
 of the holy fcriptures; they are fr;fitiihle for d^flriuc atid 
 inflruclioii, teaching us what to know and believe in order 
 to falvation, concerning Grd and Chrill and c>urfelves, 
 tsV. _/ir reproof oi crrer, and confutation of falfe doi'^rh;e, 
 fjr corrr,T!ion of (in and evil manners, for iiiflnu-tiin in 
 righleotijmfs, directing lis hovv to lead a righiemis and holy 
 lite, recording to the will of G'ld. A third argtii;ieni is 
 taken from the pcrfi.cli<iti of them, fhcy arc able to make 
 //V man of God ptrfcSl, ihorsughh fiirtup'td unto (:'! gad 
 Works ; that is, to make the n>iniltcrs of Chrift compleot in 
 knowledge, faith, and holinefs, every way fitted for their 
 work and duty as Chrifiians, and as miniftcT£. Olfcrve 
 here, t. That the fcilpliires of the Old Tedanu-nf, and not 
 of the New, miiil he the fcriptures here intended, tluy 
 b.-in7 the only fcriptures which Titnothy had known from 
 a child ; that was before the fcriptures of il\e New Tclla- 
 ment v*-ere written. 2. That the apoIMe dn^h not f.sv that 
 thcfc X'criptures were of ihcmftlvcs futlicient to make 
 
 Timothy wife unto falvitifin, but cnly that -with faith 
 in Chi id Jtfus ihey were fudicicnt for that end ; much more 
 then mud the fcriptures both of Old and New Ttllamciit 
 together, when accompanit J with faith in Jefiis Chrift, be 
 fi'fi'oicnt for that end. 3. That the fcriptures are a pcrfetl, 
 plain, afifl fiifticient ride in all things neccirary to fylv.itior). 
 I. They are a perfect rule, becaiifc the v\riicrs of them 
 were divinely infpired, and confequcntly thoir writing'; arc 
 infallible. ■?.. They ?re a plain nile ; othcrwife they would 
 b? no rule at all, of no more ufe to <rire<n cur laiih and 
 praiflice than a fun-dial in a datlc room is to tell lis the hour 
 of the day: A rule that is not plain, whateier it may be in 
 itfelf is of no ufc 10 us till it ijc made plain. 3. They 
 are a fufhcient rule, they arc ible to m:>ke the man of GikI 
 pi-rf'rfi, and wife to fah;ition. Here the chtirch rf Ktime 
 diiiinguiriirs and fays, the (criptiires are fnPieitnt to falva- 
 tion, but not to inllrii>ftion ; to whom one ct the martyrs 
 replied, ///», Gcd find me tiefuhntion, and you the Irjlr.- - 
 tioH. It is conceived iiy>fome,i hat this was the laltepicio 
 that e\er St. Paul wrote ; if fo, this is the lart ch.a.'ge that 
 cvf-r he gave, and concerns us ilie mere to 3'terd the 
 foleinnitv of it. The chap;cr before ;is is St. P.ul's ey^rett 
 cnr.iio. his lad and fwreted fi ng ; by a .fpiri'ii.d fag.'^city he 
 faw his end approaching, and the lime of Itis inartyidom 
 to be at hand; he thctefore, like a d)ing man, adjuns 
 Timothy in ■» moilawful 3ndtrenundf)us manner, topreacb 
 the word with dl diligence r.nd care, which he had fo highly 
 cxtf.lied in the toregoing cliapter, as being able to nuke 
 all perfoiis wife unto falvatitin. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 I Charge thrr. therefore before God, and the Lord 
 Jcfus Chrifl, who flKill jud^^c the quick and the 
 dead at his appcarinij. and liis kingdom : 2 Preach 
 the word ; be inllant in (cafcm. out of feafon ; re- 
 prove, rebuke, crihort with ail long-fuflFtriny and 
 doctrine. 
 
 Olfei-ir \k\<, .. /. mod folcmti ad'iuration and charge 
 given, / fharge thee htftre Gul, and cur Lirdfffus Chrijf, 
 the Jtidge of quick and de.id. Lord ! what opiate, cao 
 fliipify the confcicnce of a miinder, that he .liall P(-t feet 
 the awfnl authority of fuch a charge, or not be awakcnecl 
 by fuch ardent cxpreffi(»ns : How can tlv. y appear beli^re 
 the inod high and everlading ji:dgc r What will be a fuf- 
 ficient dck-ticc before his cnli^ducncd tribunal r It fuch in 
 the lad judgment, wlm nerKclert to feed the p"or with 
 material bread, fliall be placed at Chrid's left haixl ; how- 
 can thrfe wliofe ofTicc it is to difpinfe fpiritual hre^id, if 
 ihtv ne^Iecl to do i', efcnpe conilcnin2ti<.>ri : Iv fh.o ftib- 
 jcft-matier of the charee, to preach according t*^ CI'Tift'g 
 conMTii'TiOn, M-.jtt. xxyii. to. 6V, pr.-cfh n'h ■ '•> 
 
 preach the w^rd, not the f.<nciLS.md invention.s . nt 
 
 the wholefomc word Y-f Gal, ati.l tlw vvhi^le word .ot God, 
 both law and gofpel : The one to keep men from prf Atmp- 
 tinn, the other fiotn defpair, to bt iiiltant an 1 aciive^ urj't it 
 ar;d •/.udous in th.e (fifLliarge < f this dtity, in all the prr'S 
 of ir, in iufhiiclicn, rcprehennon, and exhortati"n ; nnrl 
 \h\i%vitlj nil ki'f-fiJJ-L-ring, paiicncc and liiiiiy, un.' 
 
Chap, iv. 
 
 II. TIMOTHY. 
 
 929 
 
 meekly ihe contradiclion of finners ami the reproaches of ihcy watered what the .ipoftles planted. 4. Sincerity- 
 A^ I i--^ .i._ .• _ . . •. ■ r r j^.crr AMf /ii/l pnoj of i/:y mlnijlry i fo Mfi] M the pnr:s ot ^ 
 
 menr^nd for the time to do it, infeafon, and out cffeafon; 
 that is, to take all occafions and be thankful to God for all 
 opportunities of preaching his word : The lazy may find a 
 thoufand exciifcs, but willing minds know no ditiiculties ; 
 they conddcr the price paid for fouls, and the account th.n 
 inui{ be given of them. 3. The perfon to whom this charge 
 is tjivcn ; to Timothy, an ordained perfon, one fct ap.'irt 
 for the work : This is not a work common to all, but pc- 
 ciiliir to foiTxe ; God's Timotliies oixlv, who are called and 
 fee apart by impoliiion of hands for the work of the minif- 
 tr\ , muft preach the word; and fuel) ouglit to take all 
 ' i. .'.ifii)np, and be very inftant in fo doing, i Ccr. ix. 16. 
 ^>t:cj//.'r is I'iiid upon US ; yea, xvo be wito us if vje preach not 
 the S',ff,-I. t\ 
 
 3 For the time Vill come when they will not en' 
 dure rounJdo6lrini.' ; but after their own lulls (liall 
 they heap to thcmlelves teachers, having itchitij; 
 e.us; 4 And they fliall turn away tlidr ears from 
 the truth, and fhall be turned unto fables. 
 
 Here we have the rcafon of our apoHle's folcmn adjura- 
 tion in the fore<Toing verfcs, bv svhich hefljrsup Timothy 
 to a carcfid difcharoe ofhis duty ; namely, in regard ot the 
 a poftafy of the times, in which many would grow weary 
 of found do(5trinc, and follow fablc^. Here ws/c, i. -he righteous Jud^'c, fhall give me at that day : And 
 
 ^ . . , -. It, 
 
 that none may charge thee with the ne^IciSl of any part of 
 thy duty: Let the world fee that thou n.akeft it iMnc own 
 and only work to win fouls. Zmr;; hence, i. Th:,t the 
 apoftafy and loofcncfs of the times we live in, irufl . bli'/c 
 all perfons, but cfpccially the miniftcrs oj Chrill.io waic'h: 
 Who (hould watch, if not the watchmen ? 2. That nn- 
 niflcrs, of all meu, need C(;urat;e : Thtv muft inure ihem- 
 felves to endure hardHiij), and CKpcd' lianl words, hard 
 dealings, rick -names, and ail kind of reproaches: and ihefe 
 muil \ii endured v. itii patience, with corrage, and vi'.h 
 conflancy, 3. That minilbrs iT.iid make fid! proof of tluir 
 miriillry ; that is, mufl fiilly:.nd faithfully diicharge all the 
 duties of their calling, not do ihcir duties by halves ; but 
 accomplifhail the parts of their miuiilry, (trcngtheninf^ the 
 weak, ciimforting the affliflcd, rcihaing thcVandLring, 
 and adorning their dodrincby a pure and unblamc;.blecon- 
 verfation. This is to fulfd our miniftry. 
 
 6 For I am now ready to be pfFered. and the 
 time of my departure is at hand. 7 \ have fou-^ht 
 the good fioht, I have finilhed wyi courCe, I h.tve 
 kept the faith : 8 Henceforth there is laid up for 
 me a crown of righteouihefs, which tile Lord, the 
 
 gr.-iund of this apoftafv ; men's hatred of the truth ; They 
 
 will n:t endure found doSlrinc \ that is, they will rcjed and 
 
 abhor it ; they love their lulls above God's lav^', and will 
 
 not endure to hear it. A fecond ground of their .ipollafy 
 
 is, a delight in falfe teachers ; They heap up to thetnfihcs 
 
 fuch as will claw their itchingct,7\f, and gratify thcirwanton 
 
 dclires, and in no wife dillurb their lulls. Thirdly, Here 
 
 1? the doleful ifllie, and dreadfid c nfequence of this their 
 
 malicious contempt of the truth ; They Jhall turn away their 
 
 eirs from the truth itnd he turned unio fables \ ti)at is, fay 
 
 foine, to the fabulous divinity of the Gnollics, made up 
 
 ofGcmilifm and Judaifm ; the fabulous traditions of the 
 
 Jewilh doctors, fay others. £m/'» hence, I. That Chrif- 
 
 tian dotftrine is found doclrine, wholefome words. 2. Un- 
 
 loimd pcrHms cannot endure found doclrine ; fore eyes , ^ , _............- 
 
 cannot abide the light. 3. That in the lall; days there will t'f'feri ng : my death will be a fvveet facririce toG(;d, n-y 
 
 1, r.ir ._...■ , ■ ...- -. L- li'ood being (hcd for Chritl, as the wine was poured out on 
 
 the meat otfcring." Zc^rw hence. That the death of Gcd's 
 minifters, cipecially oi (uch as d:e inartyrs, is a moft pkaf- 
 
 notto me only, but to all them alio that love his 
 appearing. 
 
 Our apoflie having nov/ come almoft to the end of his 
 Chrilfian and minilltn^l race,hefirit looks downward into 
 his grave with comfort, ver. 6. and fees his death a pk-af- 
 ing (acrifice to God, and a fvveet departure to him ; / a:K 
 ready to be offered and the time of mv departure is at hand. 
 iNcxt he looks backward and refleds upon his ncll-fperft' 
 hteuithjoy: 1 hai,c fught a g'.id fight, I have finifijcd v-y 
 C9urfe, ver. 7. Laft ot all he louks upward, and there ^z;s 
 heaven prepared for him, ver. 8. Hcncef-.rth is laid up fu- 
 me a crnvn of righieoifiefs. Olfcrve, I. St. Pauls inii- 
 tnaticn ofhis death: I am ready to be offered up , a facri- 
 ficial word : " I am ready to be poured out as a drink- 
 
 he many falfe teachers to claw and graiity itching ear 
 4. That the more falfe teachers do abniind, the rnore care- 
 ful and indullrious fhoidd the mn.illers of Chrilf be to op- 
 pofe them, by preaching found doftrine. 
 
 5 But watch thou in all things. cnd'.irea.'Iliciions 
 dolhc workof an evaiigelift, make full proof of thy 
 niiniilry, 
 
 Behold here a fourfold du'y imprclTed upon TinrEOthy ; 
 l._ Wuchfnlnefs : fVatch thou in all things. As if he had 
 faiJ, " Falfo teachers will l.efet yoTi round on every fide ; 
 therefore guard and watch every where." 2. Courage: 
 I'.iidure affliiiions : He tliat fears the frown- of tnen, can 
 never diichirge hi< duty faithtii!!y to God. 3. Fidelity: Do 
 (lie xvjrh »/ an Evnngelij} ; which was an extraordinary, and 
 therefore but a temporary office, to aflitl the rpollles in 
 preaching and publidling the gofptl from place to place ; 
 
 ing lacrihce unto God: Pecious in the (it-ht of the 'i,orel 
 is the death of all, but efpccially of fuch famts. Olferic, 
 2. St. Paul's iiarration of hisliie ^ / have fought, I Ln'e 
 f.ntlhcd,^ &c. The words run i:i figures ta^en Irom rhc 
 Olympic games, where was corribatii-s.', wrcilling, rimiiin|J 
 according 10 the laws if the gani<"s, and judij-^'appointtd 
 to declare the viclories, and give to ihcin thcp'rize, a crown 
 ol garlands. The flrif melaphor is taken Irom a fokiicr, 
 a combatant, a ehamijicn; Ihavcfougltagoulf.glt. ,1^:0' >\ 
 Every hncere Chriitian, but efpeciallv cve'rv {aiibfitTlViinir- 
 ter, is a fpiriiuai foldier ^ thtir enemse- are fpirituul, ihcir 
 wcap( US Ipiri'.ual, their warfare fpitituid, their viclcry Ipi- 
 ihey mult be men rf . . - 
 
 riiual ; nicy mtm dc men rt cour:igc, men of condu'cf, 
 
 can tndiirt hardihip, men ot unity and adtiviiv 
 
 f n_^ong tliciiilllvts. 'I he ictood metaphor is taken frcin 4 
 
 ItienioiJj 
 
 men that 
 f nil 
 6B 
 
03® 
 
 11. T I M O T H Y. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 ftremiousninfter; 1 have jinijhtd my c^iurft : " I am com: 
 to the period of my clays, ami to the end of my race;" 
 alliuling p?fhaps t") his coiirfe of lif-- after his convcrfion, 
 Vbich was wh illy ^^t-^\ in runaing from place to place, to 
 preach the r/'fpil : , And now he was come to the lad ftage 
 or "oal at Rn*me, where he was to receive his ^ailand, his 
 crown of martyrdom. icjr,j hence, A Chridian's life is 
 a rncf, which he miift not only cheerfully begin, but pcr- 
 (.veriiijiyfinifli : S:) (ays the apoftlc here, " I, Paul the 
 ai;eJ, hive f\ii!i,ht the good fight, hz. hwc nql only begun, 
 hm TiniMK-d my conrfc'." O what a crmfo'rt is iftobe an 
 old foUii-rof JcfinChrirt! St. Paulis now reckoned (o 
 h.' 6 1 years of .15.; when \\z fuffcred msrtyrdom ; he runs 
 his nice patieni'',\ch--crfu!ly,rcr<.-rvcdly. and ptrfcvcripcly. 
 Th? third metaphor is taken fromdcpofitarics, who faiih- 
 fiilly keep ihing.s committed to iheir triirt without cmbcz- 
 zlct'nent. T\\\& dcl>:filum, the Chriftan faiih, .St. Paul had 
 kept; f have kpt the fj'tlh : lie kept, fu!l, the grace of 
 faith ; fccon.Ilv, the doflrineof faith inviolable, endeavour- 
 ing to tranfmit it down to poflcrity, in dcf;;i[e of the legal 
 Jew, or profane Gentile. O^'erv.', 3. St. Paul's cxpec- 
 t.iti-5n of his reward : Henceforth is laid up for mt a cmvn^ 
 0/ right eon fuefs, &c. Here n-Je, The reward is a crown of 
 riglifcoufiiefs ; bccaufe given only to righteous men ; the 
 pcTfon rowardinc, Chri/i, the righteous Judge ; the perfon 
 rewarded, me, St. Paid himfclf, and all the taiihful that 
 love Chrill'i appearing. The certainty of the reward ; // 
 is laid up, reforvcd, and kept fafe, as an inheritance for a 
 child : Th^ lime of the reward ; //; that day, the great day 
 of the Lord, when he fiiall come to judge the quick and the 
 f!ea<l. Z,cfl/-/7 hence, i. That the reward which God has 
 in hand for his faiihtul fcrvants, is no Itfs than a crown rf 
 glorv. 2. That the lime when this reward ihall be fully 
 and finally difpenfcd is the great day. 3. It is the proper- 
 pcrty of the g^lly to look, love, and long for that day. 
 
 9 Dothydiligerxetocome fhcrtly untome. lo 
 Tor Demas hath forfaken me, having loved this pre- 
 sent world, and isdoparted untoThefralonica: Cref- 
 £cns to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatii. 1 \ Only 
 Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with 
 thee : For he is profitable to me for the minifliy. 
 12 AndTychicus have I fent to Ephefus. 
 
 Ourapoflle comes i5ow, in this fecond part ef the chap- 
 ter, to treat. )f fome privatcnnd pcrfonal affairs : And fir!t, 
 h* dcfircj Timothy to come fpecdily to him, having a great 
 dolirc lo fee hin, .ind be comforted by him lefore lie died: 
 'I'hc ilrongcfi; of Chri.'lians may f.>mctimes be helped by 
 the weaker: a :Panl may"ftund in need of a Timothy ; 
 there is not a member in the bodv, but is fome way fer- 
 viceab'.c to tlw he.id. Secondly, He alltgns a reafon why 
 he did tlu:s defire Timothy's pieftnce, bccaufe of Demas' 
 and otiurs abfcncc ; Demas had forf;.ken him, beiving 
 r-\dlhis Ireftnt uc-Id. Tie bell may iiimeiinici be for- 
 r iccn hv I licir bofom friends ; Demr..^ was fuch to Sr. 
 i'aiil, yet left hi!';i : F<ir what caufe r Fo.' ihc love of the 
 world. This, when it grow> inordinate, w ill cm\\'k: a man 
 firft to forfakc his frimd, and then hi.s God. Thirdly, 
 C'rcfccns was gone to Gal.iiiu, Tiius to Djln);:!i.i, Tycl.i- 
 
 cus to Ephefus ; all of them, no doubt, to fprcadihe gof- 
 pcl, tb plant or water the churches. Go'd men will be 
 df.iiig pood wherever they are, v hcrcver ihey come or go. 
 Only tukc U-as with hirti ; nothing co*ild fepar.itc that 
 good man' froni hi.n. A faithfnrfricnd lowth at nil 
 times, yet lricn'rif?iip fcfar etnielfial Will vaniih in ad- 
 ycrfiiy ; but true ChriHian fiiehdfliip is pcrpfual ; the 
 foiindaiion of it i? eternal. Laftly. Hedf!"rV= Tirrn'hv to 
 bring Mark wiih him ; not for reft or re 
 he wanted a champion for hi-^divcifion ; 
 him in his work : Bring Mark ; for If 
 f>r the minijlry. It is happy when the miiif , i^ it 
 tcL^t the company, and dedrc the prcfcncc of cacho 
 fpiritual ends and religious piirpofcs^^ 
 
 13 The clcke that! left at Woas with Carpu.s, 
 when thou corned, brin^ wkh ihee, and the books, 
 but efpecialiy the parchments. 
 
 St. Paul having dcfircd Timothy's company at Rome, 
 rcque'ls him to bring with him fuch things r.s he wanted, 
 and ibod in prcfcnt need of. i. Hh clcke \ probably a 
 garment which in the win'er fcafon he might want the 
 warmth and benefit of, efpecialiy bcin^in a cold prifon. So 
 long .IS we are iiprn earth, a prudential care muft be taken 
 to preferve our he.ilth ; when winter approached, St. Paul 
 fent t.r his winter garment to keep hiin warm : The body 
 is the foul's oigan or inflrumcnt by which it a£ls ; ihere- 
 torc wc muft d > what in us lieih to keep it in tune for the 
 fervice of thefcid. 2. H'xs h'nis , prcballv the books of 
 the Old Teftamcnt ; certainly no profane books ; he had 
 no Itifure for, nor liking to any fuch. 3. But ejp- ciaily the 
 parchments : Thefe are thought to 'dc note bcoks t.f his own 
 collefling, in which he had written fevcral things for the 
 help of hii memory, and the benefit of the chunh. Be- 
 hold here, r. Am eminent pattern of pious ftuiiiciifnef'i in 
 St. Paul : Here was an a^td man, an aged minilfcr, that 
 hsd already read much ; apsifoncr, no very prcper place 
 iov ftiidy, were prifons then filled with fuch brmes a> ge- 
 nerally now ; nay, a dying prifoner, or.e that Irxjked lor 
 death and beheading every day ; yet aged Paul, dying Paul, 
 cannot .live without his books ;' he muft Itill be reading, 
 le.-irning, (fudyingthe fcriptures efpecialiy, which arc fuch 
 a valf deep, as if.e line of an .Tprdle could not tathom : 
 ]5chold, I fay, a pattern for fiich iiiiniiters as think they 
 know enough, they have ftudicd enoi-gh, and are too old 
 to learn ; fo was not our apodle, when w iihin a few months 
 of liis<leaih. 2. Behold here, sncnincnt paittrn of pious 
 humility in Timothy, if bilh.^p of Ephefus now, zs lome 
 affirm, if only a minifler rf ^ particular chtirch as others 
 ailirm ; yet he w.is undoubte'itlv a verv htur.i h perft;n, 
 o'.hcrwife, S:. Paul had not d^fired, and ^'imo'.hy hnd cer- 
 tainly difdaincd. to carry ibis lig:;:ge \i iih Kim to Ron-.c. 
 Pride would have (torptd tonoihing of lli.'-, but throyi-n all 
 to the dimghill ; whereas true humility difpofes a man. 
 efpecialiy a miniucr cl Chriil, to become ail il ings to all 
 men. 
 
 1 } Alexander the foppcrfiiiith did me much evil: 
 The Loid reward J;im according to his ivork.s. 1 .- 
 
 or 
 
II. T I M O T H Y- 
 
 93^ 
 
 Ofwbombe tliouwarealfoj for he hath greatly 
 
 withflood our words. 
 
 Here our npo!\le, t. 'Cympliins r-frlie injuries and op- 
 pofitions which he had met Wi'h lVv>m Akxatdirthecopfcr- 
 J'mlth, who .wgs before 3,crea(,prohlI"< r, Uut n..\.v becvtve a 
 grievous perlt<.ut n : Ho mndc fbipwrctk cf the faiih, 
 I Tim. i. 19. whi !i he ili.l before' prc-tels ; nay, it ii 
 thought thi-; man. n&.% xix. 33. wis near riartvnli'm, yet 
 afxruanlsan oppof r of ihe tuith." The bc:l things cor- 
 luptal, become vvortt : iHefVceicd winemnkei ihc Uiarpeft 
 viiie^'jr, Mi not o-ttiulcJ tlicn, it at a.oy tims you fee 
 protcilors turn blafpli;mf r^! ; nay procher- thiir.fi Ives turn 
 pcrfeciitors. z. An npoilolioal prediAiin, r.r.her than a 
 dreaJfii! imprecati|j|| p.uied upon Aicxr.ndcr : The Lord 
 r^ward him accorjiiifto J is wori:s. The Lord wiH reward 
 iiini according tohisvoiks. The apolllc by a prophetic 
 Ipiiir, law what was con-. i ig upon him, and foretells his 
 doom. Imprecations acrainil tiie enemies ot the church, if 
 law ful, vet mud be cautiounyind very rarely 'jfjd : What 
 ve find in fciipmre looking like fi^ch, are rather to be ac- 
 counted predidion,', than imprecations. Laflly, The 
 caution given to Tinioihy to ihun him : Oftulom be thou 
 Ware alft, for he is an op'pofer of the truth. Wi*:ked men 
 do not fo muchoppofe the miniflers, as the miniftry ; not 
 io much cppofe preachers, as preaching : It is the light ot 
 iTii.h which evil-doers hate ; becaufe it has a fearching, 
 difcovei ing, condciriTiing power. St. Paul doth not com- 
 plain of Alexander's unkindnefs towards him, but ot his 
 uialjcious rcfiiling the truth, and hindfring the preachingof 
 the gofpcl : He bath greatly ivi!l:Jhod_ $ur words. 
 
 16 At my firflanfwernoman flood u-ith me, but 
 all men foribok me ; J pray God tliat it may not be 
 laid to their charge- 
 
 Oiir apofile here complains of the timoronfKefs of weak 
 Chiiflians in their carriage, towards him, at his ftrft appear- 
 ing before Nero the emperor of Rome, or fome of his 
 officers, they defertcd liim, they all defcrted him, very few 
 durft own him : But this was out of weaknefs and timo- 
 roufnefs, not out of malicioufnefs, as Alexander in the for- 
 mer verfe ; therefore St. Paul prays for them, That Gcd 
 vjcf.'d i::t hiy it to their charge^ but pity and pardon their 
 infirmity. Learn hence. How hard it will go with the 
 holicft of faints, ifGodfhouId lay but one tin, though a 
 fin of infirmi'y, to their charge ; it would fink them to the 
 loYveft hell, i.ord ! how fad mufl it then be to have the 
 fins of a '.\ickcd man's whole life charged upon him ! 2. 
 That t'lc holiell fcrvanis of God, in a fuffering hour, may 
 and muft exped to be left alcne,.forfaken of all their friends 
 none daringto open their mouth, andfpeak a word forlhem: 
 The apollle met w ith it here, and a greater than he 'eefore 
 l.i-n ; when Chrift was apprehended, all the difw-iples for^ 
 fook him and fled. 
 
 17 Motwiihflanding the Lord flood with me and 
 
 ftreiagthened tne ; that by me the preaching might 
 be fully known, and Mfliali the (icntiles mi^ht hear: 
 And I \vas delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 
 
 That is, " Though man forfook me, Go<l flood by me ; 
 the Lord Jcfiis flrengthcned nie, that by me, thus flaniiing, 
 up in deitnce of the gofpel, the prcachicg ot it iniglit be 
 fully known, and thut all th.c Gentiles nn;.iht heartiiede- 
 fincc of it ; and thus for that lim'.-, I was di;livered (>irt of 
 Nero's hands, tliat bloody lion's mouth." Learn, I. That 
 whilft God has any farther work for hisfttvunti to do, he 
 will sdlirt and fuftain then in dcfpiic ofall oppoGrion and 
 difcouragem.cnt whatfocver ; though Ntrorojr, and perfc- 
 cutcrs raae, and friends defert, ytt G>)d v\ill (land by, CJod 
 will deliver, till his fjiihful fervan-.s have f,ni(htd their 
 work : The I^ord /loo;l hy tne, and I li'cs delivered out cf 
 the mouth sf the lii^, iays the holy aprflle. See here the 
 certain charafier of the church's enemies : They are lions; 
 li(;ns for power, lions for policy, lions for terror, lions for 
 cruelty ; God (ometimes delivers his people, and faies tKeni 
 from, fomeiime^ fuffers his dcared tliiUlrento fall into, the 
 paws, yea, the mouths, of thefe devouring lions. 
 
 18 And the Lord fhall deliver mc from every .evil 
 work, and will prefervc wjcunto his heavenly king- 
 dom: To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Aliirk, He do not lay. The Lord will deliver me froTi 
 every evil worker, but fnin every coii wurh ; though he 
 doth not fave me from my retrporal enemies, bleficd be 
 God my fpiritual enemies fhall never hutt mc, fieither fin 
 nor Satan. Lord It is a far greater favour to be prefervecf' 
 from fin, than from any temporal affiiflion that can befal 
 us, vea, than from death itfelf: 1 he L',rd uil! deliver me 
 from every evil ivcrk ; yea, farther, he luill frcferve me i» 
 his heavenly kingdym. God has a kingdom, an heavenly 
 kingdom for all his faints, his fiifle ring faints efpecially ; it 
 is pre]iared for ihcm, they are preparing for it, nnd they 
 fliall be put into the poiTedion of it in due time. — He doles 
 with a doxology here: To whcm be gl'-ry for ever and ever 
 Amn. As God has prepared an eternal kingdom, for his 
 Lints, fo they dc-llre that G^d may have glory from them 
 to eternal ages : Grace enlargeth the heart towards God, 
 in fervent dcfires, that hi^ glory may be tterr.iztd. Tijg 
 Lcr^ ivill deliver me, &c. 
 
 19 Salute Prifca and Aquila, and the houfhold 
 of Onefiphorus. 
 
 Obferve he:e, How mindful thcipoflle is of hisabfent 
 friend ; thctigh he was now in prifon, and' they a great' 
 vay from him, yet he fends piotis falutations to them. • 
 ThisPrifca or PrifciUa, and Aquila, are often remem.berc 1 
 by St. Paul, he lodged in their houfe at Corinth: The 
 faints and fervantsol God forget not one afiothcr, when at 
 the ends of the earth. — He falutcs alfo Onefipliorus and 
 his houfhold, wife and children, and fervonts. Thus do 
 pious governors procure a bit-fling i!p')n"tlieir families as 
 well as upon their perfons. Onefiphorus is not only prayed 
 for himfelf and faluted finglv,. but likcwife his houih-.ld 
 alfo: Salute Prifca ar.d Aquila, and tlie kmjhold of Oncft^- 
 phorus. 
 
 20 Eraflus abode at Corinth : But Trophimus 
 have I left at Miletum lick. 
 
 6 B a El ai1us 
 
933 
 
 II. TIMOTHY 
 
 Chap, n 
 
 Eraftus is mentionetl, Rom. xvi. 23. as ch.nmbcrbin of 
 the city of Coriiv.h, one lint (hewed liindnefs to P.iul : he 
 W3< a great man, the trcafurcr of the city of Corinth ; yet 
 nciiiicrhis richts, nor his great place, could keep him from 
 iL.ving the r.padle and the affliftcd churcli of God: Rarely 
 are great men good, and as rarely arc good nn-n great ; yet 
 {ofoe great men are g'xxl, and fomc good men arc great. 
 Lot and Abraham, Job and D.ivid were full of riches, )ct 
 full ot piety, tmdcr the Old Teftament : So was Nicodc- 
 miis, Jofcph of Aiimathea, and Zaccheus, umler the New. 
 Thus G'xi magnifiis the power of converting grace. — 
 Troplimiis have I left at AJiletum fuk. This man was a 
 citizen at Ephefus, a difclplc and companion of St. Paul, 
 Ai\s XX. whom he was forced to leave fick at Miletiim. 
 A'ite, Strength of grace cannot prevail againft bodily weak- 
 nelfcs and difcafe- ; ficknefs may IVi/.e even the bcft men. 
 2. That the apufllcs had not the {;ift of healing, when ihey 
 plcafed, but oidy Gal gave it them. 
 
 21 Do thy diligerice to come before winter. 
 Eubulus greetth thee, andPudcns, and Linus, and 
 Claudia, and all the brethren. 
 
 Our apoflle being greatly dcfirotis to fee Timothy before 
 his death, rcnewcth his requcft and fuit to him to make 
 hartc and coir.e before winter ; the perfonal prtfcnce of good 
 men is much very much defired by them, in order to excite 
 and quicken each otjier, To encourage Timothy to liallen 
 to him, he names fever.1l perfonsot note that were then at 
 Rome, vtho fent faliitations tohiin and would rejoice to 
 fue him : But where were aU, thcfe, when our apollle was 
 
 upon his trial ? Anf. They all forfook him, and not one of 
 ihrm Hood wi,h him. Behold what irailty there ma) be .' 
 and what feir'.\ill do, in pcrfunsof choice not for ctrii.icDcy 
 and grace in the church of God ! 
 
 22 The Lord Jefus Chrift he with thy fpirit. 
 Grace/ic with you. Anicn. 
 
 The apoflle concludes thir, like lis other epiftlt-.":, wiih 
 an aportoiical benediction, 7/r Lctri Jrfui ChiijI be uiih 
 ihyjpint : as if he had faiil, " Be not lid at my depar- 
 ture ; for, though I null leave thee, yit the Lordwill 
 uphold thee by his grace and be preftnt with thee by the 
 influence of his holy Spirit." '1 lie inward pieftn'ce of 
 Chtilt with the fpiriisot his people, rfirctfting tlieir I'piriis 
 in thinking, judging, chiinngand refufnig, i"s a fwcct pri- 
 vilege, and greatly to be deliied. Hippy they who have 
 the Ipirit of Clirilt perpetually priftiit with them, who fo 
 li\e, that Chrlll may deligl-.t to dwell by his Spirit in them 
 — Grace be with y9u, that is, with all of yen ; he doth not 
 fay, riches be with you, or honours be with you, or the 
 favour of man be with you, birt grace, and the favour if 
 God be with you. God's fpeeial tavuur and diftingtiirhing 
 grace is to be fought by all perfons, above and before all 
 things. — Laflly, Our aportle ratifies and feals up all with 
 that concluding particle, Atr.en ; teaching us, 1 hat what- 
 ever we fhould pray for, fhould be rightly underftood; 
 firmly believed, and carneflly defired, and heartily confentctl 
 to: They fin in prayer, who underfland not what they 
 pray for, and who do not earnellly dtfire what they pray 
 for : For in teftimony of cur delires to be heard, we favj 
 Amen, 
 
 I 
 
 THE END OF THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 
 
THE 
 
 EPISTLE OF St. PAUL 
 
 T O 
 
 T 
 
 I 
 
 T 
 
 U 
 
 S. 
 
 St. Paul's epi/fkf to Timotliy andTitus, are the church's caiKr.n, which the Holy Gliofl indited, very fjjjiaerd le 
 Ihdr ufe and end. how happy lutd the church been in all ages, ifjlricl canonical obedience had been paid, as ivell as 
 fivom unto tfion. Titus was a Gentile, converted early to Chnjlianity by St. Paul, who having great experience 
 of his piety and prudence, Itft him in Crete, to gcwern the church of God in that ijland. This cpijlle to Titus is of 
 ihefame nature, and wrote with the fame deftgn, as thofe to Timothy, onlyfwrttr; becaufe T\tus Jeems to have been 
 the more ancient and cxperunced perfou ; St. Paul brifjly inJiniBs him in all the parts of his duly, in elcEling church 
 governors, in cen faring fal/e teachers, in inJlruBing ike ancient a?id younger perfons; in prejjing upon all perfms obedi- 
 ence to magijlratcs, and a care to maintain good works. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Titus being placed bv St. Paul in Crete, St. Paul writes to 
 him how he ought to demean hiinjclf there, by appointing 
 worthy and Jit perfms in every city bijhops or ciders, to 
 
 godlinefs in the life, of tliofe tliat fit under it ; not that 
 common, notional, and intcllefliial faith, which isoft-timci 
 found in unholy perfons ; but that livt-ly faith, wliich is 
 elfc\vliere cailcri, The faith of the operation of Cod, and here, 
 The faith of God's el(£f ; even fuch a faith as is the parcnr 
 
 leach and govern thofe that were converted to the faith of an^I principle of obedience. Ohfert'c, 2. The apoftlc 
 
 PAUL a fervant of God, atid nn Ape file of Jefus 
 Chrifl, according to the faith of God's cleft, 
 and the acknowledging of the truth which is after 
 godlinefs ; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, 
 that cannot lie, promifed before the world began. 
 
 declares a farther end of his office, namely, to raife Clirif- 
 lians up to a lively hope and cxpedlaiion of that eternal Ufe, 
 ivhieh that God, zvko cannot lie, hith promifed before the 
 world icgart. But how could God then promife, when- 
 there was none to proinifc to ? Anf. The promife was made 
 to Chrift, and in him to all his members : For there was a 
 federal tranfjdlion betwixt the Father and the Son from 
 all eternity ; the Son promifed to give his foul an ofFtring 
 
 3 But hath in due times manifefted his word through for fin, and the Father engaged liia't he (liould fee his feed^ 
 preaching, which is committed unto me according and the travail of l-.is foul. 3. How God, who pron^ifcd 
 to the commandment of God our Saviour ; 4 To 
 Titus mine own fon after the conmion faith, grace, 
 mercy, and peace from God the Father, and the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift our Saviour, 
 
 Thefe verfcs conjain the apoftle's faliitation, and the 
 
 us jn Chriil eternal life, bifore all time, did accnnic'iih 
 and make good that word in the fulnefs of time. \'er. t,. 
 He hath in due time munifefled his word throttgl} pr.~,:cl:ing : 
 that is, what God fo long ago piirpofed in himftif, ,->nci 
 promifed to his Son, he hath, -in the fitted appointed fcafon, 
 made manifeft by the preaching of the lofpel, \\hich is 
 
 firft part of this chapter ; in which, cbferve, I. the pcrfon cominittcd to me by the appointment of God arid Chriit. 
 fainting, defcribcd by his name, Paul; bv his general Z^,7r« hence. That the doiHrinc of falvation is much more 
 
 ici, than it was 
 
 office, a fervanlof Gcd\ by his fpecial office, an Apiftlt of clearly revealed to us 'hatlive under thegofj 
 fefus Chrifl \ by the end of his office, xo preach the faith, to the fathers of the Old Tedament : Jjife :.nd ii'.imortalit}-, 
 
 ' ' ' that is, the clear knowledge, and more full ,;.Ttirance of 
 
 and thereby to pronounce the faith of God's ele£l, and to 
 bring perfons to the ackncwledgment of the doflrine of the 
 gofpsl, which is the truth according to godlinefs. Learn 
 hciice. That the great defign and end of preaclung the 
 gofpcl, is, to produce faith in the heart, and hglliiefs oj 
 
 eterrallife is . ow brought abotu, by the preaching of the 
 gofpel. Oiferve 4. The perfiin fainted, 7//«r, defcribcd ' 
 by his relation, St. Paul's /o« in the faith ; he b^gs!t him 
 by his iTiiniftry unto God, was the iullrumcnt of iiis con- 
 
 vcrfioR: 
 
i>2i> 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 vcrflon to Ciuifliani^y ; H'-! fo't aOer the c:mnf)-> fuilh. 
 Wlierc n:te. That the c!iurch lus but one faith common 
 to all Chriftians, it lias onr coiiini.ui oh\tS\. of faiih, Ciiritt 
 criiciriril ; it has one comnion end ot t<iith, eternal falva- 
 tiiin. This is ihc enJ of every boliever's faiih and hope. 
 Olifti-vt, lartly, The faliiiaiion iipjlf: Gr/ice, metY\\ and 
 frace from Cod the Father, and the Lord 'jfejiis Chrl/i our 
 S/ri>iotir; that is, all ("piritiial, temporal, and ctern d blcf- 
 linjj;s, I itinft heartily "ilh unto you, from God \hi Father, 
 and Jefiis Chriil our wotiby Modiatnr. Learn hence, That 
 whatever fpi I iiual^racc, or temporal bleflin^jue now receive 
 from (]iii, is from him not barely as a Creator, but as a 
 Father, a gracious Father in Chrift, in whom he pouis 
 forth the irnmcnfiiy of bis love upon ms, and through whom 
 he conveys all kiiid of bleflings imio us. 
 
 5 For thi.s caufe left I thee in Crete, that tliou 
 fliouldeft fct in order the tilings that arc wanting, 
 and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed 
 thee. 
 
 Off.rve here, i. The ercflion of a power in the pcrfon 
 of Tims : / left the' in Crete to ordain elders ; " I w ho am 
 an .ipollle of Chriif, and have received a cominill]. n troin 
 him thus to do. I left thee, thee who wert fo dear to me, 
 fo iif.fiil to me ; yet, fur the church's fervicc, did I deny 
 mvfelf and pa-t with ihec." Bebold here a blelTed pattern 
 for ciir n.iuiiferial imitation. St. Paul diil, and could, 
 tnoll cheerfiiil) facrificc r.ll his private advantages, the ten- 
 clereft and inni< ft of his afflx^ion to the benefit of the 
 church, ami (Ik- inicnft of rcli i )n ; let us go and do like- 
 viTe. 2. The end of ib;s inlHtntion, or the life and cxer- 
 eifi of this pcw:r to order and to ordain, to corrt<5t and 
 condiinte ; i. To fet in order things that are zvanfing ; the 
 fliip of the church is never fo well rig<;ed, but fomething 
 Js want'n;^ that mi_L'ht- be added : Whilft the tabernacle (if 
 Gixl fojourns here belovr, fome pin or other will be Lick- 
 ing in ii. 2. To ordain elders in merv city, fu^h as niiglit 
 enverii snd teach, and a'hniniftec :-• God in hcly thint^s : 
 Wherever a church is planted, there is an abfiiliitc nrcciiity 
 of a fetiltd ninifJry, and a fiicceflion of minillers, without 
 vhich it is impolliile that rtlirjon llioiild eiiher profpcr or 
 Ion" conunue : And care muft be taken, that fuch minif- 
 "ters be duly qualified, and regularly ordained, I left thee in 
 Crete to ordain elders. 3. The liinitaiion of thefe ads, ac- 
 cording to the apofHe's prcfcription, us I had r.fp'itnted tl^ee. 
 Titus muft do noihim: but accordin<r to commilli' n, ;:nd 
 by fpecial direflion. Where note. That the ordering and 
 governing of the church was not left arbitrary, no, not to 
 Titus himfclf : B'lt whatever he did was done by apofto- 
 lical dire6lion : For this caufe I left thee in Crete, that thou 
 Jhouldefi uiiijin ehkrs in every city, as I af pointed thee. 
 
 6 If any be blamclefs, the hufband of one wife, 
 liavin' failhful children, not accufedof riot, or un- 
 rulv.-. 7 For a biUiop muft be blainelcfs, as the 
 ftewaud of God; not felf-wilicd, nor foon angry, 
 not given to wine, no Ilriker, not given to filthy 
 lucree; .8 But a lover of hofpita.'ity, a lover of j^ood 
 men, Ibbcr, juft, holy, temperate; g Holdift^ faft 
 
 the fuiliful word as he hath been taught, that he 
 may be able by found doQiine. both to exhoit and 
 to convince the gainfaycrs. 
 
 Here St. Paul gave Titus, as he h.-.d before done Timo- 
 thy, the character of fuch perfons as were to be adniittcd 
 into ihe fiicred function. The character is iw(>fold, p(>ii- 
 live and negative ; he fhcws them both what ihey IhouM 
 be and ".vhat they a>iild not be. The pofiiive charjflersol 
 biftiop, yea, of every one that adminifters lo Gid in hi.' 
 things, are thefe: He rr.v.!\'he h/amel ft, free from A and. 
 not blame-worthy ; a miniftcrV life f)i(Jiild be fo biightt; 
 fliiiiing, that all |xrf( ns who behold it, iDay aclmirc ir, ai 
 t;uidc their lives by the dircfliin and c.\.'n;ple of it. 7 
 h"fttind of one ufe; that is, at once; the apoltlc's con 
 inand doth not forbid fucccflive marriagts; for tliis Ic 
 clftvvliere allows ; fee the note on I Tim. iii. 2. Nord<cs 
 the command oblige him to marry at all, btit it iftuhliiTies 
 the lawfiilncfs of a biOinp's marriage, if he fets ixafon for 
 i; ; yet, no doubt, but thefe words, the l.uflpnd cf cue wife. 
 Si. Paul propofcs a greater degree fi ih.Jli'y loihure! 
 go\ernor^, than to other perfons. Hcfin^ fuitlfui childr. 
 not acafcd cfrict, cr unruly. 7"ilus nusfl r.ot crly lo«.k 
 the perfon he is to ordain, but the fairily and hcufhrld 
 the perfon ordained, that they be will governed, bt-cai 
 the honour of religion, and the rcruiaiirn of the chisr- a 
 fiiffers cxcccdincly, when any of ihcVilhop's fan-.i!y, kis 
 children efpecially, are lioious and unruly ; befidts, the 
 world will proiu'iince thcin unfit to govern the church of 
 God, that Cannot comtrand their own families, yis 1 
 Jleward if God \ the ftc\\srd is ;m appointed and tlepui,.! 
 olFcer, he adts by cominiflion, and dillribntcs his Loid's 
 allowance, accorefing to his Lord's ccnnr.and, and is ac- 
 coimtable for all he does ; and ss he is over the inferior 
 fervaiit , fo muft he be a pattern and precedent for them ; a 
 ftcw ard muft be both wife and faiihfid : A lover cfh'f/'itali't); 
 Joher, temperate \ mark, of hofpitaliiy, not oj luxury and 
 fenfualiiy : As he crniinends hofpit.ility fo he regulates it 
 to^, a liver of hofpitaiity, yet fober and tsmperati j riotous 
 hoiifekeeping is not hofpitaiity in St. Paul's account, but 
 the liberal and free relieving of fuch as. are in nicefliiiesand 
 ftrails : Holding f'f the fiitlful wcrd, as he hath been taught. 
 He nitifl,be a perfoi; weH inltiuclcd, well fettled and con^ 
 firmed in the taith> of -Ability to defend the faith, and to 
 flop the mouth of gnliifaycrs: fi'J}, holy, and a l.ver ./ 
 good men, a perfe)n ot ftrifl htilincfs and piety towards G( 
 of ex.".(Sl right* oufnefs and jiiftice towareis man, and a (ii,- 
 cere lover of all good men. Thefe are the pofiiiVe charadTers 
 reqiiircd in a bifhop. The negatives fe,llow, and they are 
 five ; not fe[f-willfd,T\rx fo adhering to his own rcfolutions, 
 that nothing can divorce him froin them ; he that is of an 
 inflexible will, had need be of an infallible judginent ; nit fun 
 angry, and fubjeft to p:;flien, for he llaiiils in God's jilacc^. 
 and eiughi to rcfeir.blc Gcxl iii long-fufllripg and paiitncs ; 
 not given to luine, that is, to much wine, no inorJinaie 
 lover of it, no fitter at " inc, cither in his own hoiife, or 
 clfewhere ; no lirikir, either with the hatid, or -wiih the 
 tongue ; not given to fitly lucre, feeking to get wealth hy 
 fordid ways and means : The fin of covetoiifnefs is not fo 
 bafe in any ijHi^n, as in a niiuiller j mr.ny arc unjuftly 
 
 cliaiged 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 9sr> 
 
 chargfd with it, but where it is really found, it is a fordid 
 {]•). How unfit is he to ndminirter in holy things to God, 
 - ho prefers the world before God ! By making a god ot 
 ,e world, wcmakc an idol of God. 
 lo For there are many unruly and vain talkers, 
 nnd d^-ceivcrs, efpccialiy they of the circunicifion : 
 1 1 Whofc mouth muft be Hopped, who fubvert 
 whole honfes, teachin:; things which they ought 
 not, for filthy lucre's lake. 
 
 A reafon is here fuhjoined by our apofllc, wliv Tims 
 Ihnuld take fuch fjiccial care to fill the church wish able 
 f^iMd-'s, namely, becaiifc there were a nniliitude of fjlfe 
 
 ichers difperfcd abroad, and fcaitcred up and down every 
 where, v>a"'>^"'3ilv, the Jiidaizing v1o(flv>rs. ibofe of i lie 
 circpmcili'in. mentioned Acis xv. who woidd make Chrif- 
 ttanitv nothinrrmore than a fnppleiTient tothe lawof Mofcs. 
 Thefe he tells Titus, inuft have their months (foppcd, 
 not bv force, for Titus had no power .of the fwnrd, but by 
 confutation: he ir.iift take care to ord;iin fuch as ir.ight 
 /iience thjin, thfiieh not fniffv them. For, m^iri the e(K- 
 C.icy of error, and the power of foduQion, they Jubiert whole 
 hoiifes, they make profelytes without number. Leant hence, 
 That fiich is the fl:rene,th of error, and the weaknefs and 
 iinileadincfs of marvv Cbriftians, that whole houiliolds may 
 be fubverted bv the mr.if grofs deceivers. If t.'ie apoftiiVs 
 conver's were thus eilily and univerfally niiiltd, no wonder 
 if ours be fo. 
 
 12 One of themfelves, even a prophet of iheir 
 own, faid. The Cretians are always liars, evil beads, 
 flo^v bellies. 13 This witnefs is true : Wherefore 
 rebuke thcin fliarply, that they may be found in the 
 f.iith ; 14 Not giving heed to Jev.ifli fables, and 
 commmdipcnts of men that turn from the truth. 
 
 The n?xr argument St. Paul mrkes tife of to excfie T'wus 
 fo take great care how he b:-Iiaved himfelf at Crete, and 
 what bifh^ps he left thc.'C, is drawn from the nuality nnd 
 nature of the people in tliat illand (.f Crete, v,herc Grd's 
 providence and the apt'dlc's care had placed him : He tells 
 him, that oneof th.-'ir own prophets or pners, Epin'.enides, 
 had" given this chara(flcr of them. That the Creflar.s were 
 a lazy and a lying people, ready enough to be milled bv the 
 falfe teachers: particul?rly the Judaizing dodlor?, who im- 
 pofed circmncirion and other ceremonial rites upon them, 
 which "».'cre now old fabhs.bui tended t!) pervert men frf)m 
 the truth \ therefore ho charges Titus to reprove iTiarply 
 and cuttingly, t'aat they nfy he J',u:i<l in fait^K The word is 
 a metnph^^r taken fr.ini firrjenns, v ho cut out dead Audi 
 t.i the C|uick, but it is iri order to healing ; cuttirj; vnrds 
 have done gr^-a* fu res : Many a difeafe, fcftercd foi.l has 
 been male found, both in f.iirh and manners, bv Avcre 
 rrprrhenfion. Le.trn hence, Th.-.t alihoueh cenrr dlv fpc.-ik- 
 'v.\^7, "c outiht 10 temper our reproofs v\ iih mech pcntle- 
 nefsand metkinff, yet t'"cre is a time whm wr n^ufl leprove 
 ff.Tf'h; that men nuiy he j-Ain.l'tit flefnhh. We tr.ay, we 
 (I fl^e;:k cufing word', when kind words ivill not. do. 
 
 13 Unto the pure all things are pure : But unto 
 them that arc defiled and unbelieving Z5 nothini; 
 pure ; but even thcirmind and confcience is dclilcd. 
 
 Here our apoflle intimates w hat thofe Jev\ii]i traditions 
 and fables were, which ibofc Judaizing doftors and falic 
 teachers would obtnidc and impofe lipcn peifins at that 
 time, namely, pretences that men were defiled by mating 
 things unclean, bv not rbferving their days, and keeping 
 other ceremonial rites : But, favs the cpofile, to the pure cil 
 things are pure ; that is, to believers who arc fan<ftifitd bv 
 the Ciiriitian f-iih, and purified from fin and gtiilt, all 
 meats, and davs, and tliin^s of tht.= natine, arc clean and 
 lawfi;!, and may without fin be ufed, tvery creature heiu'' 
 faniflified by the word of God ^nd prayer. Here n?//, Tiic 
 honourable title which a gracious anil mercilu! (jod purs 
 upon good men, notwithftanding they htve much iir])iirity 
 and fin inhering in them, and many finfiil weaknellts and 
 infirmities cleaving to them, yet God calfs them pure. 
 VkIo the pure, S-c. they are now ini;id!y fo, and liiall ere 
 long be pcrfeclly fo. 2. A privilege purcluifed for them by 
 the blood of Chriff, and that is, li e lawful liberty and ufc 
 of all meats. i:fc. under the gofpcl, which were prohibiied 
 by, and forbidden under the ceremonial law ; i.:nf^ the pure 
 all things are now pure, — But tintt them thr.t are Healed and 
 unheUeviiig is mthiiig pure ; Mark, He doth not fay, -o the 
 defiled all things arc unclean, hut nct/iing is pure : Thev 
 pollute sll they touch : To an infanclinml man nothing is 
 nmclificd ; whatever he d?es is unclean, ei'hcr in the mat- 
 ter, in the manner, or in the end of his d.>ing it ; and the 
 rcafcn fellows, bccaufe their mind a/jcl cufcleiiee is defile,!. 
 No wonder the ftrenms are polluted, when the fountains 
 are poifoned. The minj and CAiJcicnce are defiUd, partly by 
 blindnefs, partly by ftiipidiiy. 
 
 16 They profefs that they know God ; but in 
 works thty deny A/»», being abominable and difobc- 
 dient, and unto every good work r probat . 
 
 Peho'd here the difmal charaftcr of many hypoc.iticnl' 
 pcrfons iti the Jewiln church : They protcfit;d the kn<>w- 
 icdge of GofI, the true God; but in tlicir works, in ihcir 
 lives an 1 aiSlicins thcv denied him, and fo became abomin- 
 able both to God and mian, dif^bcdicnt to ilie Invv, and 
 a\'erfe to every gocd \^■ork. Here leari^ I. That hypiKti'es' 
 are generally great profelfors ; they proftfs great knouledrc 
 of God, andgre.it zeal for him. 2. T h r to d'liy God 
 h a very heinous fin, and an abominable wicktdnefs: 
 There is a twofold denial of GkI ; firft, i.-i words, cxprcfily 
 and openly ; fcc;>r(ily, in practice, rl>^fi ly Lud anfequcn-. 
 tially ; Tl.ev profefs that iheylncu- Cod, hut in ivarls 'hy 
 dim him. There m.av be at once a pritcfrng of Gv.d 
 and a denir.l of 1 im : Many a nipn"s prat" ice fpcrks loud, 
 thaf-ihere i.<: no God, whtn he makes a fair ctiutiliirn ntul 
 proftflion of him w'i.'h his mouth and t< npire. Le7rtt v. 
 That no fons of perfous are fo odious to God, :.i-.d ab'-- 
 rr.inable in his fight, as t]jofe who nuke a prcfcili-p «f liJs 
 h(/!v tiatne and tri:th, but walk crntrary in the ir-Hvcs to- 
 that profViTi'-n ; They pnjr/s thai fhey hr.nv Cid\ -htl in 
 u:rh I'.cyy '.ri. 
 
 CilAP. 
 
»ss 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 n. 
 
 C H A P. II. 
 
 lOiir ajirflle in ihh chapter direUi T'lnnhorv to difcfujr^e 
 hii duly faithfully, ai a mirjjler of Chr.jl, in preach- 
 ing the gffp'l, aivifmg hun to iiiftrucl all, both young 
 and old, parents and children, rna/len and fei-vmti, 
 in the praflice of their rrhlive and reJpeBive duties one 
 ttnvardi another, that God migl.l be glorif.ed, and reli- 
 gion adorned. 
 BUT fpcak thou the things which become found 
 doQiinc. 
 
 As if our apoftlc had fjiil, Whatever the fnrmcntioned 
 J lulaizing Honors preach, though they dote upon dream?, 
 and feed their hearers with fables and faiifits, to poifon 
 and corrupt their fo\ds, and turn them from the truth ; be 
 liire that thou carried thyfclf as Ikcoitics a found preacher 
 of the "ofpel, and fprai only /he thliigi which hecim; found 
 d^lrhS: The boily may as foon be nouriflied with carrion, 
 as the foul with rotten and unfmuid do(flrinc. ChriQinn 
 doflrine is found doiSrine : And tlic miniffers of Cliril}, 
 who feed his people, muft take care that they bring fuch 
 TAliolcfoinc dodrine to their people, as may contribute 
 greaily to their fpiritual health and foundncfs ; Sl^eak thou 
 th^ things that btcanie found doclrine. 
 
 2 That the aged men be fober, grave, temperate, 
 found in faith, in chanty, in patience : 
 
 Bv aged men, we may undcrftand all ancictit men in 
 •General, and church ofliccrs in particular, in whom our 
 apofllc requires and ca'iU for gravity and fobriety in beliavi- 
 nur, temperance in all things, that they be found hi faith, 
 fncere in chariiy, and conftant in patience. Where mte. 
 That our apoille cxemptcth none from the inflruflions, 
 admonitions, and exhortations of the minillcrs of Gcd. 
 God's fchool is as vveil for the aged as the y<'ung, not only 
 for initiating youth, but alio for edifving the aged, and 
 building them up in thtir iTwft holy faith : The agjcd have 
 but a liitlc time to be in the world, their nature decline?, 
 their davs arc almoft ended, they rnuH therefore labour to 
 recoirpcncc a decay of nature with increafe of grace, the 
 wcakncfs of bwly with ftrengih of faiih : Let the cged men 
 .iefound in the faith. AV^' farther, That fobriety, gravity, 
 teiTiperance, foundnefs in the faith, eminent charity, and 
 exemplary patience, arc the great ornaments of perfon? in 
 thtir old age. 
 
 3 The aged women likewifc. that they he in beha- 
 viour as bccomcth Jiolinefs, not falfe acculcrs, not 
 riven to niucli wine, teachers of good things ; ^ 
 That ihey may teach the youn;^ women to be fobcr, 
 to love their hufbands, to love theirchiidren ; 5 To 
 Z>f difcrcet. rhaftc, keepers at liome, good, obedient 
 to tlieir own huibands, that the word of God be 
 not blsfphemed. • 
 
 Jjjflruilions are here given for the good women, asbefnre 
 for the agetl men, that is, for all in general : and fuch aged 
 women in particular as were deaconeJles, or ftrvr.nts to the 
 
 church, that they being placed in the rank of church- 
 officers, fhnuld a£t and walk as beccmcih holy pcrfons, 
 deployed about hoW things ; particularly, that thtir deport- 
 ment and behaviour be fiiih, both in habit and gefturc, as 
 bcecmtth Jiolinefs, that they be noxfoifc accvjers, (k^il.s, the 
 Original fignifres, becaufe falfe acciifing is the (icvil's work ; 
 they that do his work (hall bear his name : Not given to 
 much wine ; Excefs in drinking is bad in men, worl'e in 
 Women, wi^rll of all in old women, who ought to be pat- 
 terns cf piety and prudence, ci fobiiciy and tempt rancc, 
 to the younger women ; for St. Paul I'erc direif^s them to 
 teach the younger ; that is, by their jirivate admonitions and 
 prudent examples, infiniiS them to be wile and fobcr, not 
 light and airy ; and to love ihcir hufbands and children in 
 a fit and becominsj manner, and to (liew it in their beha- 
 viour ; iliforeet and cha(le in all ;htir acliotr, keeping .?t 
 home, and minding the affairs of the familv ; to be kind 
 and obedient to thtir hufbanifs, left the irifcarriagcs of 
 young women fliould bring reproach upon religion, and 
 the gofpcl be thotij^ht by the men of the world to infufc 
 any thing into them contrary to moral virtue. Learn hence. 
 That the wholcfomc c!offiinc of the gofpcl midt be preach- 
 ed and pratf^icallv applied to women as well as to men, as 
 they cannot \\ iihout il.e danger uf damnation, dc.'pifc or 
 ncglecEl the miniflry of the word. 
 
 6 Youngmenlikewife exhort to be fober-minded. 
 
 Ncte here, I. That the miniftcrs of God mud appK' 
 themfclves and their do^rine to the ftveral fexes ages, anii 
 conditions of their people ; that every pcrfcn, man and 
 womrn, young and old, fupcrior a.nd inferior, may fcnciw 
 not oidy what is lawfirl, hut what is expedient, moft hcfeem- 
 ing their qualify, and bell becoming their age. Here otrr 
 apoflle dire6fs Titus toexhrrt firfl the aged men, next the 
 aged women ; now the younger men, that they he fober - 
 minded, fettled in the truth, ginded by found judgment, 
 not governed by pnflion, nor led bv fenfe and appetite, ror 
 puffed up with proud Ct nceit : Where it is ohfervnUe, that 
 Sr. Paul's warnings here given in this chapter to the agtd 
 men, the aged women, and the younger men, do intin^iatc 
 to us what vices thty are that all forts of perfi'ns are fiibjcft 
 to, ?nd mcfl endangered by ; and this is iht wife improve- 
 inent that all fliould make rf it, to watch againfl the fins 
 of their age :md condition, their complexion and confliiu- 
 tion, their calling and vocation, every fin thnt doih fo ealily 
 bcfct ihcm, and obflmfls and hinders them in thtir Cl'.rif- 
 tiancourfc. 
 
 7 In all thing.sfhewing thyfelf a pattern of good 
 works: In doftvine /7;fr(7?t<;unconuptntfs. gravity, 
 fincerity, 8 .Sound Ipeech that camiot be condemn- 
 ed ; that he that is of the contrary part may be 
 afliamtd, having no evil thing to fiy to you. 
 
 St. Piiul having dimmed Tiirs wh:t <1( (."ilrine to preach, 
 comes now to inttruCl him what example to lead, in nil 
 things Jhciv tly[etf v pattern of g^cd ifcrks \ as if l"e h.nd f;:id. 
 In all the goi d wl i. h 'hi u ixl-i.itclt thy hearers to, be an 
 cniinent pattern cd" i: ihyf It'; tl at thev may fee thjt lilib'y 
 in thy lite, iNliich thou prtlfcfi ipcn them tv thv pre-vh- 
 
Chai>. II. 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 .037 
 
 injr. Bv piety and ^ontl works fecond rhy doctrine ; there 
 mid he a (we.'t haimony berween a ininiller's doftriiie and 
 hi-, converf.ition; otherwife he pulls down fafter than he 
 Iniilds uj): An heierodux tonverfatit>n will carry an ortho- 
 .1 >x preacher to hell, fie clnfa this admonition to Titus 
 concerning prr.ichinir with ;his foleinn char(»e, namely, 
 I hat this (loct. iMf be fonnd nnd profitable, fmcere with- 
 out mixuire. grave without levity, fcmnd words, that can 
 never be confuted by gainfayers, which niult be exptfted; 
 but happy will voii be if thev ran have nothing jnflly to 
 charge your dotTirine or converfition with. Learn hence, 
 That the miniftcrs of God have ever had, and ninll always 
 exjjfdl lonie th<«t will withftind, oppofe, and gainlay ihem, 
 as loiijT as th'Tf i? a d-vil in ihe world ; and io long as the 
 Tnin'fters of God endeivour to batter down the walls of 
 his kiiigdonj, he will raife ftornis about their ears. 2. 
 I hit it is the duty, arid mud be the care and endeaiiour of 
 all the miniilei-s of (/od, to oblige themfclves to fuch an 
 exemplary piety of converfation, as tnay (top the mouth 
 of Hinder, that the contrarv poty may be a/hatned, hav- 
 ing no e\'il thing to lay agiinft them. 
 
 9 Exhort I'ervants to be obedient unto their gtvn 
 nmllcis, and to plcafe Mct« well in all thini;s ; not 
 anlwering a^^ain, 10 Not purloining, but 'hewing 
 all good fidelity ; that they may adorn thedoftrine 
 of God our Saviour in all things. 
 
 Although Titus, according to fonie, was a bifliop, yea 
 an archbifhop, yet St. Paul exhorts him to look upon the 
 inftruction of fervants as otie part of his charge. Exhort 
 Jhvints; the f<nil-^ of the pMoreft flaves and fcrvants, for 
 whom the Scti of God died, iniift be of ^irccious account 
 with, and be particularly concerned for, by th« higheft aw)- 
 bafT.idor of Chrift : As all louls had an equal price,- fo 
 mult they have an equal care. 2. The genpral duty which 
 fervants are exhorted to, and that is, obed'unre t'l Ihe'ir t.xun 
 vi.ijlerf, in all honeft and lawful things, whether 'h''ir 
 inifters were Pagans or Chriftians : If Pagnns, not think- 
 ing that their Chriftianity freed thetn from their juft coni- 
 niinds : ifChiiflian n.afters, not thinking that they had 
 therefore a greater liberty to be fancy with them, or lefs 
 obedient to them. 3. The particular duties here prefTed 
 upon fervants, i . Not anf%uerlitg a^ain, not r roffing or con- 
 tradicling what thev are ccinmanded. not fancily replying 
 when they are reproved. 2. AV pti'lhiini^, that is not 
 ftealing the^le.->rt thing, nor taking any thing that is their 
 mailer's, which is not allowed by their confent. but Shew- 
 ing' all contcionable triiflinefs, and that great fidelity and 
 honei>y may be found with them. 4. The argument or 
 motive to ftir up fervants to this CHnfcionahle care, anil 
 confcientious dillharge of their dniv, Thatthfy may adwri 
 the d^ftr'ine r^j C;d ')ur Savhur in oil ih'inns ; that is, that 
 they nisy put honour upon Chrift and his holv reliirion, 
 by beautifying their Chriftian profi (Tion by a fuitable and 
 becoming converfation. Learn, That it is in the power 
 of the poort-ft and meaufft IVrvant to ilo much good or 
 touch hurt to the Chriftian religfon : Some m'ght be re.idy 
 to lay, Alas I W hat good or hurt, whit credit or diCcre- 
 dit can a poor fervsnt do to religion ? Much every way : 
 ;e may adorn the d'.ctr'ne 'fOmtour S.ivicur, by hi? Chiif- 
 jtj bshavion- a« s fervnnt, and the n.ime of God ai.d his 
 
 dotftrine may he blafphemed by him, if he be negligent in 
 liisdnty. None are io little and incoiiliderable, but they 
 are capable of ferving the great endv of rtjigioi-i, cap-nble 
 of doil^g good fervice for God on earth, and of being 
 eternally rewarded by God in heaven. 
 
 11 For the grace of God tiiat bringeth falvalioii 
 hath appeared to all men, 1 2 Tcachin ; ii.s that deny- 
 ing ungodliiieis and worldly lulls, we fiiould live 
 fobcrly,righteoufly and godly, in this prcfent world. 
 
 As if the apuftle had i'.id, I^et all forts of men, fervani.; 
 and inafters, children and pirents, old and youtig, dilcharge 
 their duties f.iithfnlly to God and one another ; for tlie 
 grace of God, difcovered in the gofnel, has appeared to nil 
 men, teaching them to deny all doiftrines and practices 
 which are ungodly, and all worldly liift'-, orfenfuality, and 
 that we fliouid live kiberlv, with relptft toourfelves. righ- 
 teoufly atid charitably to\\ards our ne^ghliour, and hohly 
 to->vards God ill thi^ prcfent -Aorld. N'lte here, i. A choice 
 and excilleiit derciiption of the gofpcl,; it is the grace 0/ 
 Cod, that is, the doctrine of God's free grace and gratui- 
 tous favour declared in Chrift to poor finners. 2. The joy. 
 ful inefl'age which thegoljiel brings, and that is, lalvation : 
 The gofpel makes a gracious tender of lalvation, and that 
 univerl'ally to loft and undone (inners. 3. The clear light 
 and evidence that it does hold forth this iiielTage in and 
 by ; it has appeared ot fliined forth like the day-ftar, or 
 the rifing-fnn. 4. The extent of its glorious beams, how 
 far they reach, to all indefinitely. The grace of God hr'irg- 
 i>:g fahiition hm appeared unto all men ; that is, it is ten- 
 dered 10 all without reftriction or limitation, (r.) As to 
 nations, few or Gentile. (2.) As to perfons, rich rr poor, 
 bond or free. (3.) Without reftriction, in reference to 
 the degree of their graces. No-'e, <;. The great lefTon 
 which the gofpel teaches, negative and politive. i. Ne- 
 gative, To deny ungodly and worldly lu/h ; where by un- 
 godlinef!, underftand all fins committed againft the firft 
 table: by fo'jrldly Itifls, A\ iins coininittetl agriinlt the 
 fecond table; called -.vo'ldly lufts, becaufe the objpft o^ 
 them is worldly thingj, and becaufe they are the Infts of 
 worldly men. 1. Politive, to l.vt. (i .) Schfrly ; he be- 
 gins with onr duty to ourfelves, then to our neighbour, arid 
 Lift of all to God, and fo proceeds frrun the'eafier to tht; 
 hinder duties : And obferve the conneccirn, fdberly, and 
 r/^^/ro.- /?j/,an(l^'j//Vv,notdi>junftively : asif to livefoberlv, 
 rightec:uflv, or in pretence godlily, were fufficient. A fi.. - 
 brietyin fpeech, in behaviour, in apfiarel, in eatirif* and 
 diinking, in recreations, and in the ^hjoynient of law/nl 
 r.itisf<iftions. ('-2.) Rigl7!c0!'f!y, exei^cifing jiiftice andchiriry 
 towartis our neighbour: lie that is unciuritable. is unjiiit 
 and unriehteous. and the unrighteous (hall no more eiitf r 
 into the kingdom of God, th in the unholy : And all a 
 ptrfon's pretences to godlinefb are but hvporirify, v, ithonc 
 righteoufnefs towarti i*r reighbour.- (■<.) GodliLy. Hcid'- 
 linefs has an internal and exttrnal part ; the irwernal and 
 inward part ot gndiinefs'confifts in a right knowledge of 
 him, in a fervent love unto him, in an entire truft .nnd 
 confidence in him, in an holv fear to ofllnd him, in ioli- 
 jtcting our Willi entirely to him, it; ht !y 'ongir^gs for the 
 
 ' '-ftuiii'on 
 6 C 
 
5)38 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 Chap, m, 
 
 frnition and enjoymeni of hini. The CKiernal and out- 
 w.iril part of godlinefs confilts in adtiration and boddy 
 worlhip; this IS due to God from us; he was ihe Creator 
 ofthc body as well as of the foul, tlie Redeemer of the. 
 t>)dy as well as of liie foul, and will gljrify the body as 
 Mcll as ihe fmil ; tlierefore we are to ghfify GiJwilh eur 
 L'ldin, and \uhh otr fp'uils, tuhich are the Lord's. Note, 6. 
 ■J'he time when, and the place where this lelTon is to be 
 learnt, in this prtfent worU. Here is the phce, and now 
 is the time when this duty of living /iArr/y, righteoujly, and 
 /•odIiJy in this prcftnt visrlJ, is to be performed by us. 
 Learn, That a lober. righteous and godly life in this pre- 
 iVnt world, is ahfulutely necelTary in order to our obtain- 
 in<T the happinefs and'glory of the world to come. Infe- 
 rence; If fi), what a cheat doth thjt man put upou his 
 I'oul, whotrufts to a death bed repentance? Be it ever fo 
 fincere, how can it lie faid to be a living foberly, righte- 
 ojfly and godlily in this world, when juft ftepping into 
 eternity ? 
 
 13 Lookin;^ for that blcffed hope, and the glori- 
 ous appearing of that great God and our Siviour 
 jefus Chria : 
 
 Ohjerve here, i. The charafter given of that reward 
 vh'ch the gofpel promifesio them that live foberly, righte- 
 ouftv, and godlily in ihi'. pr^fent world ; this is delcribed, 
 I. By its fuMirity, it ih hop/', fomething expeft'd, and to 
 conif; 2 By its tranfcendency, it is a/'/,-^J ^j/)c. Learn 
 That the Ctirirtian's hope (or the good things hoped forj 
 is laid up, not in this, but in the other world ; becaufe this 
 world, and thi^ prefent ftate. ij not capable of that happi- 
 nrfs which the Clirift'an hopes for. jt is too great, it is 
 too good for eirih, it is laid up in heaven. Ohferve, 2. 
 The time and leifjn when this glorious reward and blef- 
 fcd hope (hall bedifpenfed and given forth unto the godly, 
 and that is, at ih- fitoriouj appearing cf the great Cod, and 
 tiur Saviour y/ut Chri/l. Where m/r, A threefold def- 
 cription ofChrift. 1. By the immenlity of his Deity, he 
 is the ^rett G'd. 1. By the gracioufnefs of his (<lfice, cur 
 S-vinur. 3 By the glory of his advent, or appearance, 
 Ijok'mgf'jr the i^t trious cippearar.ee of the great G;d, and our 
 Sai'i'jur J:fui ChriJL Ohfctve, -3. The Chrdlian's duly, 
 with reference and relation to this rcA'ard, and totheap- 
 pt-arance of Chrifl, when it flidl be difpeDled and given 
 forth, namt ly , to look and long for that joyful hour. Learn 
 T hat the great duty incumbent on all the people of God, 
 i> to be coniiiuiallv locking and lunging for, hoping and 
 cxp-ctiogof ilie coming and appearance of our Lord and 
 bavi^xir Jei\i> Chrill ; Iq. king for the hhjjld kjpe, &c. 
 
 14 Who gave himlelf for us, that he might re- 
 deem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf 
 a peculiar people, zc-alous of good works. 
 
 Ch/trve liere, i. The way and manner how Chrift came 
 lo be our Saviom, We gave bi^n/elf f(,r us. Note, i. T he 
 giver, Chrijr, he gave. 2. The j^ift, himfelf, 3. The per- 
 ion. for w lioiii lie gave himlelf, /or tt/. Learn, I. That all 
 tliat Jelu^ Chnft lutfercd, he did fuftain and undergo freely 
 and voluntarily. 2- That that which Chrift gave for our 
 redemption, vmlnmfclf. 3. TJiat it waiefpecially for his 
 
 church, that he gave himfelf, \uho gave himfz.'fir ut. Ob- 
 ferve, 2. The great ends for whit h Cnriil gave hinifelf 
 for his church, and they are two, i. Ta redi^em ihem from 
 all iniquity. 2. To puiify them a peculiar people to l.imfelf. 
 I. To redeem them from iniquity • redemp;ion fuppofes a 
 thraldom and bondage ; redemption from iniquity fuppo- 
 fes a thraldom and bondage to (in and iniquity : Our Re- 
 deemer therefrom is Jefus Chrilt, and by dying for u«, 
 he did, and only could redeem us: He gave himp If for us, 
 that he might redeem usjrom all iniquity. 2. Another end 
 of Chrift's redeeming us, is to purify us to himflfa pecu~ 
 liar people. Here note. That as redemption did preioppofe 
 a bondage, fo purification fuppofes an uncleannefs, iliat is, 
 fin. 2, rhat Chrift's redeemed people are a purified peo- 
 ple, and a peculiar people, poflTelfed by the Spirit of Chrift 
 with a zeal for good works. 3. That it was not only for 
 us that Chrift redeemed and purified us a pectdiar pt-oplt 
 to himftlf, but ultimately for hiiiiftlf, and for his own and 
 h's Fatht-r's glory and coniphcency ; that he m\^x punfy 
 to himfelf a peculiar people, zealous ofgood-M'irki. 
 
 15 Thefe things fpeak and exhort, and rebuke 
 with all authority. Let no man difpife thee. 
 
 As if he had faid. Let thefe ncceffjry prjft'cal truths 
 be the fubject matter of thy preaching, a-id according to 
 the authority of thy office rebuke gainfayers, atjd let ihy 
 doflrine and behaviour in wifdom and gravity be fuch, as 
 may keep and preferve thee from all contempt. 'I he mi- 
 nifters of Chrifl are to take efpecial care that they neither 
 expofe their perfons nor their office, by any indecencies, 
 to contempt ; Let no man defpife thee. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Our apnjlle in this ccmcluAtng cliaptrr cf his ep'Jtle, di- 
 reHs Titus lo preach and pnfs more general duties 
 •which concern ell mankind, fuch as to he ready to 
 every good zoork, to Jpeak evil of no man ; to Jhew 
 mceknejs to all men, and to be carejid to viaintain 
 good works. 
 
 PUT them in mind to be fubjeft to principalities 
 and powers, to obey magiflratcs, to be ready 
 to«very good work. 
 
 Cbfirvc here, 1 hat in ihofe early days of Chriftianity, 
 gre.it fcanda! was brought upon relgion by the undutiful 
 carriage of fervan's and fuhjec^s towards their niafttrs and 
 luagittrates; and thii upon a falfe notion of Chnftian li- 
 berty, advanced and |iri paj'^ated by the falle apoftles, Ju. 
 daiv.ing teacher;, and Gnoflic libertines; \» hereupon he 
 requrts Titus to put Chrillians in mind of iheir duty in 
 th.it ]i-iriiciilar, and to inculcate it earnclUy upon them, 
 that the Chrift. an religion might not be flaiidered upon this 
 account. Put thc^m in mind to be fuhjef} to principilitiet 
 end powers. Lrars hence, That the duty of fuhjeclio»4» 
 go\eriiorsand government, and of i.beditnce lomaniftrates 
 and rulers, is of «'ery great inipori ante, and ought to be 
 enforced aud frcqusjjtly iucultaicd upon the people by the 
 
 luinifters 
 
Chap. Til. 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 939 
 
 niin ftsrs of God? bocaufe by nature all men dtfire liberiy 
 and tocaft oftthe yoke ofGi'd : Every one woul<l rule 
 and (Tovern, althcu{;h the duty of fubjtftion be much 
 the eafier diiiy. 2. From St. Paul's prefling Titus to 
 preach vp the dcftrine of obedience atid fuhjc<flion to go- 
 vernors and government, /faru, That there is no fuch way 
 and method to live regularly under government, like plant- 
 ing the gofpel among theiM, and making thetn fubjedt to 
 our Lord Jefus Chriil. 
 
 2 To fpeak evil of no rriAn, to be no brawlers, 
 but gentle, Ihewing all meeknefs unto all men. 
 
 Calumny and evil-fpeaking has been a reigning vice in 
 all ages, and a greater guilt iscontradicted by it that men ap- 
 prehend ; every man ought to be as jult to his neighbours 
 reputation as his own? If what we report of another we 
 know to be falle, itis down right lying; if what evil we re- 
 port ofothers be really true, and we know it to be fo,yet it 
 is a dtfamntioii, and contrary to that charity and goodnefs 
 which Chriftianity requires ; for to divulge the faults of 
 others, though they be really guilty of them, without ne- 
 ceiPity, is certainly a fin, and included in this apoftolical 
 prohibition : To think and fpeak evil ofothers, ig not only 
 a bad thing, but a (ign of a bad man ; and in many cafes 
 it is as great charity to conceal an evil we hear of our 
 neighbour, as it is to relieve him in his diftrel's. The next 
 exhortation is to /•£• nobr(iivUrs,\r\ the originil, uofghters; 
 that is, neither with tongue or hand, but meek and gen- 
 tle, putting up a double wrong, rather than revenging a 
 fingle injury, uiing all metrkneis towards all men. Metk- 
 nels p.:cifie5 wraih and conquers aniinofuy to a wonder, 
 makjiig him tame and gentle, who by oppolition is furious 
 and implacable ; the hardeft flint is fooner broken upon a 
 pillow or cufh'on that gently yieldeth, than upon a bar of 
 iron that furioufly refiileih. 
 
 3 For we oiirfelves alfo were fometimes foolifh 
 dilobedient, deceived, fcrving divers luft andplea- 
 fures, living in malice and envy, hateful, <7«J hating 
 one another. 
 
 lifTt we have a very weighty rJ^afcn laid down by our 
 apj^file, why Chriftinns (liould be found in the pradlice of 
 tlie forementioiied virtues of equity and lenity, ofpatience 
 anJ charity, of meeknefs and long (uflering one towards 
 another ; namely, becaufe" before their converlion they 
 thttnfelves lived in the pracflice of thefcrcmentioned vices 
 as well as others, JVt lurfehcs alfo \\)ere f'i'ji\fl},difabedient, 
 &c. That if, the fervants of (in, and (laves to our lulls, 
 liiltoring wrath to reft in our bofoin.^, till it boiled up to 
 revenge ; having formerly, therefore, been fuch ourfclves 
 V e ought topiiy rather than fpurn at tbofe that are fo ftill 
 No argument viill more effc-clually incline and dilpole us 
 ro pity the iiiifcarrijges of o:her"-, than the confideration 
 '.hat we ourfclves are prone and have heretofore been 
 guilty of the lame, or thelike provocatiriii ourfelves. 
 
 4 But after she kindnefs and love of God our 
 Saviour towards man appeared. 5 Not by works of 
 
 rightcoufnefs which weluve done, but according to 
 his mercy he laved us by the walhingof rcuencratioii 
 and renewing of the holy Choil ; 6 "Which he. 
 fhcd on us abundantly through jefus Chrill out 
 Saviour ; 
 
 As if our apoftle had faid,Thoughin our heatheniniand 
 Unconverted «ate, we were as bad and vile as any, yet iiu 
 fooner, did the loving kindnelsol'God to fallen man appear, 
 by the illumination of the gofpel, and the ccmir.unicaiion 
 of his grace, not for any good work* or defcrts of curs, 
 but cf his mercy and free gijodr.els, he faved us from 
 that ftate of lin and mifery by regeneration, fignilied and 
 fealed in bapiilm, and by the renewing of the holy Ghoft, 
 which holy Spirit was poured forth in an extraordinary 
 nieafure upon us (according to promife) after Chrill's re- 
 furrection. Here c^At'f,-How every perfon in the Tri- 
 nity a(fts diftinftly in the work of our falvation : t. The 
 fontal caufe, the fpring and fource of our happinefs,lies in 
 the kindnefs and love ot God the Father. 2. T he meri- 
 torious and procuring caule or the application of this love 
 is Jefus Chrilt, in the v ork of redemption and mediation. 
 c. The immediate and efficient caufe of the couimunica- 
 lion of that loveof Ccd the Father, procured thrcugh the 
 mediation of Chrill the Son, is the holy Spirit, in the work 
 of regeneration. 
 
 7 Which he fhed on us abundantly, through Jefus 
 Chrill our Saviour ; 8 That being juihfied by his 
 grace we fhould be made heirs according to the 
 hope of eternal life ; 
 
 That is, which holy Spirit was- in its gifts and graces 
 plentifully poured forth upon us, and dwelleth in us, not 
 effenrially but energetically, illuniinatir.g guiiliiif.llrt ngth- 
 ening and confirming of us ; And the end of God herein, 
 is, Ihat being j'-'li'fifd f'y ^'-f g'''>ce, ihat is, by faith in his 
 Son, wi Jhwld he made heirs of eiertuilUfe, according to thi 
 A6/>f which the promifes of Cod hai e given us thereof. 
 lenrn hence, 1. That all the grace which is fo plentifully 
 poured forth upon believers, is by the means and media- 
 tion of our I^oidjefus Chrill . 2 That jnftificaticn being 
 a finner'sabfoliition trom guilt and punilhinent by the fa- 
 tisfaction of Chrift the Redeemer, is yet an act of fpccial 
 grace and free favour in God That bting jujiified by his 
 grace. 3. That it is the bltlTed privilige of all juftitieJ 
 perlons, that they are now heirs to, and (hall ere long be 
 polTiffors of eternal life; they fliallere long have in hand, 
 
 8 Thiiis a faithful faying, and thefe things I will 
 that thou affirm conflantly : That they which have 
 believed in God might be careful to maintain good 
 works. Thefe things are good and profitable unto 
 men. 
 
 Our apofile having, in the foregoing verfes, fpoken of 
 JLilt.fication by grace without works of righteoufnels.doth 
 here imii.ediately give a ftrid and foUmn charge to f itu', 
 6 C 2 
 
 to 
 
£M,o 
 
 T I T U S. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 to prefi the ncceflity of good woiks, upon thofe who dii) 
 helifve and ttTilirace ihe gofp^;! on purpoO; to prevent all 
 iiiilbke and abufe of the dodrine of jiidification by faitli, 
 and frtcjjrace and iiKrcy of God in Jefns Chrirt ; inti- 
 nratin(f,Thit they who are juftificd by the faith ofthegof. 
 p«l fliould be l\) far from thinking tiieyifelves hereby ex- 
 cufcd from good works, that the/ ought, upon that acLOunc 
 to be the more careful to niafntain and pradice ihcni,be- 
 caiife by the very prof rtion of the Chritlian faith andre- 
 hgion^ they have foleiiiuly enga^iil theiHft-lves fo to do. 
 Ch/lrve here, i. That the great dtfign of Chriftianiiy, and 
 the end of God in the revelation of the gofpct, was to re- 
 f.irni the lives and manners of men, and to oblige all per- 
 fjns both to be-good, and to do good. Learn, i. From 
 the apoltle's veiiement adever.ition, This is a faithful f iiy- 
 /nij, and his fulemn charge, 7'At/f' t'-irigs I vjill that thou 
 (ijjirm conJ/antly,ih^i there have been perlons in all r>gcs, 
 who have exalted ibe viituc of faiih, if not intentionally, 
 yet indifcreetly.to the prejudice and neglecl of a good life. 
 As if by a mere I'peculative belief and profcfiion of Chril- 
 tianity, men were <lifcharged from the practice of moral 
 duties. Giul grant that the decried morality of fome per- 
 fons may be an integral part of }>iy religion. 3. That 
 though good works are notnccclTary before juftlfiration to 
 bring us into a jultified ftate, yet they are necclTary after 
 jnftificaiion, in order to our continuance in that flate ; — 
 iVo/ l>y '.vorkt of right eovf 11 fs which ive d',ne, that is, 
 before fjiih ; but he doth not exclude the works of 1 igh- 
 eoulnefs in the new nature given to them, from bcingcon- 
 dltiun of their future h.ippineff. As morality doth not 
 nuke faith uftlel's, fo neither doth faith bring any excufe 
 for imnioralit\'. 4. TWit it is not fufficient that believers 
 do good woiks, but they muft maiiitnin good works ; the 
 words fignify they nuill be patterns and precedei ts, they 
 niu(t l>e eminent and excelling in good works , and let 
 their f.iiih be never fo evcellent,if they do not add tothfir 
 faith, virtue, it is hut a fancy, a flrong failh built upon a 
 weak foundation. 
 
 9 But avoid foolifh queftions, and genealogies, 
 and contentions and llnvings about the law : for 
 they arc unprofitable and vain. 
 
 We have the fame charge given to Timothy, j Fpift. i- 
 4. See the note npon it. And /earn hent'e, That difputes 
 abom matters^ hich only ferve to beget ftrifeandconien- 
 tion.and tend lifil; to our edification in faith and holiiiefsj 
 are vain talk nniirofitable difputes, to be declined and a- 
 voided by all wile and fcrious Chriftians : Avoid foclifk 
 qiitjHcns, for they are unprofitable and vain. 
 
 10 A m;m that is an heretic, after the firfl and 
 fccond admonition, rcjcd : 11 Knowing that he 
 thit is inch is fubverted, and finneth, being con- 
 dcnnicd of hitnfeif. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid. Avoid and Ihnn, and refufe 
 cothmunion with him that d th obftinately perfifl in dan- 
 gtrous herelie'. and accordingly let him be excoiiitnunica- 
 ted. /.fiJ.-n hence, i. Who is an /\7f//'<r in the 3poftk-\s 
 
 fenfe, even he wao it perverted from the true faith, and 
 holds opinions which fubvert the foundations of it ; and 
 one who is condemned )n his own confcience, and (kii 
 againft his own convirtionj : For the apnftle here bidi 
 '1 itiu not inform hhn of his errors, biu admonifti him of 
 his tault ; which Ihe.vs, tkat the crime lay not in head 
 in his onderllanding, bu: in his will and aifeclions : For' 
 no man, who ach according to liisjiidgiijent and confcience 
 how erroneous foever, is Itlf condemned in that action. 2. 
 lovingly dealt with,ro long as there is any hope that they 
 in ly be gained or won. 5. That the charity of the church 
 ill her ceni'ure of excommunication, aims rather at the 
 cutting otF errors thon cf perfon. 
 
 la When I Ihall fend Artemas unto thee.orTy- 
 chicus be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis : 
 Fo}- I have determined there to winter. 
 
 Ourapoftle having finilhed all fuch common precepts as 
 refpeclcd the whole church in Crete, he now palTetli to 
 fuch private affairs as did more particularly rcfped the per- 
 fon of Titus and himfclf. Firll, He delires 1 itus ro come 
 to him to Nicopolis from Crete, but not before he h«d Cent 
 thither Artemas or Tycbicus to officiate in his place : 
 Wonderful care of the holy apoffle ! And a mighty con- 
 cern for the welfare of all the chiirchet ! St. Paul verv well 
 knew how fatal and dangerous it mi^ht he to the churches 
 to be left deftitute of thrir fpiritual guides, though for a 
 very ("m..ll time. St. Paul knew the malice of the devd, 
 the fubtiliy of ledurers and the wcakncfs of Chriftians' 
 .faiih, too well, to give all, or any of them, advantage* of 
 joing mifchief in the abfence of I'itus from tluni. 
 
 13 Bring Zcnas the lawyer, rnd Apolios on their 
 journey dilligenly, that nothing fce wanting unto 
 tliem. 
 
 Here we have a fecond private aflT.iir which is given in 
 charge to iitus, namely .hat he' help forward on their 
 journey ^'en.-'s and Apolloi, both apd^olic men ; the for- 
 mer an expounder of ilu law of Moff, the other an elo- 
 qneflt man. and mighty in the fcripiures ; both tbefe 
 cleaved to St. Paul, and therefore were worthily to be 
 rc'pccledby Titus, whom theapi.flle therefore bidshimbe 
 kmd and courteous 10, and htlp tliem forv\ard " ith their 
 journey. L-arn thence, J ha' Chriftianity is no enemy 
 to, but a pre.it promntcr of all ofH';-' ofjiumaniiy and ci- 
 vil couriefy towards all perlons, towards ilraugcrs parti- 
 cularly, toward good men efpecially Otfrrve nex', St. 
 Pai 1 defires Titu= to take car. that ihofe f-rn'ants of God 
 be Jo fnpplied, that they Lick nothing : Such i> are en- 
 gaged in the Lord's vvoi k innfi be carefully provided for, 
 and care taken that they lark nothing. 
 
 14 And let ours alfo learn to maintain good 
 works forneceffary ufes,thatthey be not unfruitful. 
 
 Let ours, that is, either, i. Sh .fe ot our ordur, the lui- 
 niders of the gofpel or thofe that are our cunvc rts, fu. Ii as 
 are Chriftians, let them f^udy t, excel in good ^'.ork-, he 
 dilirp'nrni -Jif !.h-ii: i\ (1 c'.v cnlllng, that they m.iy have 
 
 therewith 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 PHIL E:M O N. 
 
 5-1-1 
 
 therewith to fupply the neceffities of others, to the intent 
 that they may not sp^ie^tr ur/ruitfid. Learn hence, That 
 as Chriliianity is no barren andfruitlefs profeflion, but all 
 pcrfons profeflmg religion ought to tJike care that good 
 works may accompany tlieir faith; fo themiiiifters of Cbrift 
 in Ipecial ought to be carefnl herein, and by no means to 
 bind their duty upon others, which they do not prac'iife 
 themfelves ; they niulV by'charityand good work;, fecord 
 their doctrine, and lo win perfons to a love of religion. 
 
 15 All that are with me falute thee. — 
 
 By thefe words, St. Paul gives Titus tounderftand, that 
 all the Chriftians that were then with him did embrace 
 hini with an endearingantl loving afFertion, and would have 
 their mindfulnefs of him witntfled by a kind and familiar 
 falutation. Thefe falutations had more in them than hu- 
 manity, civility, and common courtefy ; they were attef- 
 
 tations of a truly Chriftian love and brotherly .nfTf cTK)i-.,of 
 one member of Chrill towards another for grace's fake. 
 
 — Greet them that love us in the faith. — . 
 
 That is, as Chriftians, as brethren, and fellow-members 
 n Chrift, verus amicus qui vere et in Der> dilip;t. Grace 
 ibinds man to man in the flrongeft and moft indifloluble 
 bonds and ties. 
 
 — Grace ^e with you all. Amen. 
 
 This is the falutation of St. Paul, tlwavs written with 
 his own hand, in ail his epiftles ; although the epiftles 
 themfelve* were writ by others, ht- did if to prevent coun- 
 terfeits, that no fpurious writings might be obtruded upoa 
 the church : And whereas he lays, Grace be -with you oil, 
 it plainly intimates, that although this epiftie be written 
 by name to Titus, yet it was intended for the benefit and 
 advantage of the whole church. 
 
 THE 
 
 EPISTLE OF St, PAUL 
 
 T O 
 
 PHILEMON. 
 
 Thaeplftk nm wnlten to a particular per/on, ^td^upon a parliadar occafion. The per/on -was Philemon, an 
 eminent officer in the church of Colols ; and, as fane fay, fitecefforto Timothy, asbifiop of Ephefus. The 
 occafion this: Onefiinus a iwuf;hty frvant, running aiuay frcmi his maflcr Philemon, and- cany mg awav 
 probably fmmtJung of his mafer's fubfance zvith him, by the providence of God comes to Roire, uhere St. 
 Paul was then a prifvner a)ul preacher in bonds: God bk/ed the apo/lk's viimjlry. for the convcrfton of this 
 figalwe, r,./w was brought to a tnie knowledge of Jefus Chrfi, and after his cmiveifion, for a tinie admmif. 
 tered to Paul m prtfon ; but tlie apoflle umhflanding that he was another vian's frvant, and particrlarly 
 his dear Jnend Philemon'j, fends km back to his viaflcr, earneflh defirmg him to pardon liwi, and'lo re- 
 ceive him into favour, - ./ o 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 PAUL a pvifoncr of jefus Chrifl, and Timothy 
 0(77- brother, unto Philtnion our dearly beloved, 
 and fellow-labourer, 2 And to cw?" beloved Apphia, 
 and Arrlijppus ourfcl!ow-foldier,and to the church 
 in thy h :'!(e. 3 Grace to you, and peace from 
 God ourjather, and the Lord Jefu.s Chrift. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The writer of this epiftie defcribedbv 
 'liinamc, Patd; by his<ondition,(//'rj^o«fr tfjejus Chi/i ; 
 
 by his office a labcurer, zfddter, ^ felkvj-lahcurcr, .ind a 
 fellow-loldier with Philemon and Archippus. Wheremi^^, 
 That to be a Kiboiirer, a (bldler, and a prifoner for Jefi:s 
 Clirift, are the titles that St. P,iul glories in, and not in 
 worldly dignities. Paula prij',ner of Jefus Ch/ift ; yet 
 was Paul a prifoner in libera cuflodia, not fo dofely con- 
 fined, but he hid pen, ink, and paper; God gave Paul 
 tlien. .IS Jofeph before, favour in the light of the keeper of 
 the prifon : Lrt periecutors fend their faints to prifor, 
 (?od c;;n provide a keeper for their turn. Happy was it 
 for ihec, Onefimus, that Paul was fent to goal ; his im- 
 
 priionipeni 
 
.94^ 
 
 PHILEMON. 
 
 Ch 
 
 AP. I 
 
 prifonmfnfA'as the happy occafion of thy fpiriiual liberty. 
 2. The perfons to whom theepiflle is diredcil ; firft, ami 
 eminently to I'hilenion the nnflrr, ami to Apphia, the 
 ijiiftreTs of the family, in whi h. and with whom, Or.efi- 
 Miiis hat! dwelt, hut was run from. St. Paul writes tn 
 l>oth juilginpthe miftref'.'s coiifent neccfTary for taking this 
 tiigarive b.ick into her family, as well as the maftcrs : In- 
 tnuaiiiig ihereliy, That althouj;h the hiifhand, by the or- 
 liimnce and appointment of Cod, has the hipheft place, 
 the finl and chief power in the government of the faniily, 
 vet the wife bring given him of God, a? an afTiftant aiid 
 te!lo*-hclper in government, her fubordinare authority 
 ^iven her by God is to be owned and acknowl-dged. 
 Next.ihi-- epiille is directed to Archlppus, wlio dwelt with, 
 <\r near Philemon; him he call; his ftllow-fold'er, and 
 Vhilemon his fellow labourer. Where note, That ihemi- 
 iiiUers of the gofpel are compared to foldiers ; they have 
 eptmie? to encounter and conflici with, Satan's temptations, 
 the wnrl.l's perfecritions. Tinners corrup' lufls and .-.fFccli- 
 ons. Let the rainifter^ofGod then reckon beforehand upon 
 atoilfome and troublefome life ; if they refolve to befaith- 
 ful, the devil will plant all his artillery againft them. Laft 
 of all theepiflle is di reeled lo the church in PhUemnn'shoure: 
 by which lome underfland the company of ChrMtt.ms that 
 met together at his honfe to worfhip God ; for Chrillians 
 then had not liberty publicly to perform that duty. O- 
 thcrs underfland it of Philemon's own family, which 
 fpeaks at once Philemon's privilege and duty, that he had 
 jtich a well ordered family, that it was a linle church ; 
 that i«, it was .1 lively image and reprefentarion of the 
 church, both in its doftrin^and worfliip. 
 
 4 I thank my God, making mention of thcc al- 
 ways in my prayers. 
 
 Chfrrve here, Our apoflle's holy infinnation and pious 
 vvifdom ; that he might make, a moreeafy way for hispe- 
 titibn, h- labours to polTefs Philemon with an opinion of 
 his endeared affeclion towards him, and of his continual 
 prayers even by name for hmi : / thank my G-J, ninkirg 
 wentionr,f thee in my prayers. Where wc/c, ThatSt. Paul 
 did, and we may make particular mention of pprfons and 
 churches in our daily prayers to Almighty God : 1 make 
 mention of thee ahvt/yt in my prayers. 
 
 5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou haft 
 toward the Lord JcTus, and towards all faint.s : 6 
 That the communication of thy faith may bccoinc 
 c'(Fc£lual. by theacknowiedgin^^of every good thing 
 which is in you in Chrift [efus. 7 For we have 
 great joy and confolation in thy love ; bccaufc the 
 bowels of the famtsarc refrefhcd by thcc, brother. 
 
 Our apoftle having difcovered to Philemon his fervent 
 prayers for him,next makes mention of the excellent g? aces 
 vvhiih wtrefo ortent and (liinmg in him, namely, his faith 
 and hie I .ve ; hiv faith in Chrift produreth love ro hiiH 
 and to all fain's ; not to a pa-ty of ChrifVians only ; hear- 
 infi of thy l.ve ardfnitb toviu'iJi the Lord Je/us, and in him 
 t'.wjrrls all the fuints. The frnts are to be lovrd next 
 Chrilt, and in and for Chrift. (jbfervc next, St. Paul prays 
 
 that Philemon's faith and love might be made nianifeft, 
 to be effectual for producing all forts of good friiiti in him 
 and by him : That the ci.mrrunication tfthy fci:h may be- 
 come effeiflua I. Ohferve, UiH> , The great joy ai^dconfcla- 
 tion which the apoftle had in the operativenef^ of Phile- 
 mon's faith and love, whereby the bowels of the faints 
 were greatly refrtfhid. I.earnhence, 'Hiat adminiftering 
 to the iiecrllliies of ;he faint', and relieving the buwcUuf 
 the diftrefled members of Jrfus Chrift, isa bltlTed evidence 
 of the lincerity of our love to Chrift, and Chriftians : 
 There is a frozen charity and a lip love found among many 
 proftfTors, whom Chrift will own at the great day; but 
 fuch as by offices and kindnei!> performed with a tender 
 and pitiful heart, dorefredi (he bowels of the faints, Chrdl 
 reckons it as done unto himfelf, whatever is done to thole 
 his fiifFering members. Matt. xxv. and God himfelf is 
 thereby refrelhed. Ph'l. iv. 18. j4n odour of afweetjmttl, 
 and a fcrifce acceptable and phafing f) God. filnfe, laftly, 
 What the condition of the holifft and be ft of God's fer- 
 vants in the world has been, is, and may be, namely, fuch, 
 that their bowels m-iy ftand in need of rcfrefhing, w hilft 
 the wicked are fat, frerti, and floiiridiing ; but, bltCed be 
 God, if his children mifs of nfre/hment from men, their 
 time of refrejhment will come from the prrfence if the Lord. 
 
 8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in 
 Chrift, to enjoin thee that which is convenient, 9 
 Yet for love's fake I rather befecch thet, being fuch 
 a one as Paul the aged, and now alio a pri loner of 
 Jefus Chrift. 10 1 befecch thee for my fon One- 
 funus, whom I have begotten in my bonds : 1 1 
 Which in time paft was to thee unprofitable, but 
 now profitable totheeand to mc: 
 
 Ohferve here, The marvellous conde fcending humility of 
 our apcftle in thefe cxpreirmns: As an apod le, he 'Aasihe 
 hij;heft ruler and officer in the church of God, and had the 
 fulleft authority and povvcr that .t per fon could have upon 
 earth, to command, require, and erjoin Ph.ktiion to the 
 praifticeof his duty ; but he tell.s him, iliough he ijiighthe 
 bold to enjoin, ye he rather chofe 10 beleech : ftr love's 
 fake [rather hefeech thee. Learn hence. That church- 9 
 rulers and governors, although they have a commanding " 
 power and authority, which upon occafion they may and 
 muft make ufe of, yet tht-y lliciild chool'e much rather in 
 love to intreat, hoping th:^t will work more kindly andef- 
 feclually upon the minds of perfon'. Cbferve, 2. The ■ 
 arguments St. Paul ufes as a ground of intreaiy, / P^'m/ * 
 defire and hefeech thee, I Paul the aged, I Paul a pri- 
 foner. Note, He urges his ye.-.rs as an argument for grant- 
 ing his rfquf ft ; that he v. as aged, and an aged minifter 
 of Chrift : If honour be due to an aged perfou walking in 
 the way of righteoufncfs, much more it is fo to an aged 
 minifter, grey-hcadctl inihefervice of Chrift, anti having 
 faithfully difcharged hisdufy thf re. Kealfo urges hi^ fnf- 
 feriiigs as well as his year-- ; / Paul a pri foner if J Jus 
 Ckrijl. The fulTerings of Chnft's minilters in ihecaufc of 
 God Ihould by no means klTeii and diminllb, but rathei" 
 augment and increafe that revet ence, regard and refprit 
 which ii defervedly due and payable unto them. 3. The 
 
 perfoii 
 
Ch ap. r. 
 
 PHILEMON. 
 
 $iS 
 
 perfon whom he thus intercedes with afFeftion for ; One- 
 (i'lius, whom he calh h\%fon h-i^ot/'n in his hondt ; that is, 
 fpiriiual (on, converted to Chnftianity by his miniflry, 
 when hi was in prifon. Where no^e, That endearing tove 
 an I th^t fervent affedtion wliich the minifters of thrift 
 l»car to their converts, to fuch as they have gained unto 
 Chnft; it equals, ray, perhapi exceeds the natural a(Fec- 
 tiot) ofparents toivardstheiroA-nchildren. Note, alfo.who 
 they are that bed defer ve.the name of/j/ Arrj in the church, 
 verily thofe that have begot nioft (piritual children unto 
 God ; fuch as cin fay, " Lord, here am I, and the chil- 
 dren «hch thou haft given me.'' Neverthelefs, for our 
 comfort, God will, at the reckoning day, account and treat 
 fuch as I'pirituil t'aiher> who ha e been faithful, though 
 Uiiluccefsful, in tlie work of Chrift, becaiife they havecaft 
 forth the prolific feet! of the gofpel ; therefore thecaufeof 
 (ttrility and fpiiitual barrennefbcaiinot be imputed toihem, 
 they having exeritd and put forth th;-ir bi ft endeavours. 
 Noti alio, The high honour \*hith Gud confers upon iiis 
 faiihfu! muiifters ; the fcripture allows them, though but 
 inftrument>, what is propc-ily attrilMittd to God himltlf, 
 namely, to beget Ip'.ritual chililr'n; this is God's work : 
 (jf his cviu -jidl he hcgai lis, James i. 18. God allows that 
 to be in an inferior ienle attributed to the niiniftry, w hich 
 is ftricflv applicable only 10 himfilt". 4. How the apoftle 
 wifely aniwersthe objections which Piiilemon might make 
 againft his requeft, ot receiving Onefrntas, that he had 
 bet-n vile, a fugative, a ihief, what not > St. P.iul impli- 
 citly OAns all ;hat, yet wiih a fofttning diltinftion. hcwas 
 unprofitubl in ti'nes puff, tut >:o-j) prrfittth both thee anJ 
 me. Now St. PjuI pre-occupating and anfwering thisob- 
 jeftion before Piiilemon made it, ihews how hard it is for 
 tiie beft men to forgive and forget injuriesdonc unto them, 
 cfpecially bv their relations, thofe in 'heir own families, 
 whether children or fervants. N(jte alfo, The character 
 given of OnffniUi before convertion, he was uvp'tfitable. 
 J^ord, i\hatan uf^ltf>, uiipnfitable creature is an uufanc- 
 tified and unconverted fiiine r ! unj rofitable to God, un- 
 profi'.obk to others, unprofitalle to his own fjul ; but hy 
 converiioii bo becomes univerfdly ufeful and profitable to 
 all abour him, ba; cptcially to hinifelf ; others may have 
 the bent fit ot our eltate, our parts and gifts, but we onr- 
 feh-es tlnll have the chief beneiir, comfort, and advantage 
 of our Ovvn grace. 
 
 1 2 Wliom I have feiit again : thou therefore re- 
 ceive him that is in mine own bowels. 1 3 Whom I 
 would have retained with mc, that in thy (lead he 
 iTii^lit have miiiiftered unto inc in the bonds of the 
 gofpel. 14 But without tliy mind would I do no- 
 thin ' : thjt thy benefit fiiould not be as it were 
 of necciTiiy, but wilhn>^ly. 
 
 Here are iVveral a-gu:nents ufed bv the apoftle, why 
 J'h Itman flitu'lJ rfie.ve Oiirliiui' into his fcrvice again, 
 I. ll;caul"r St. Paul had lent him for that f ml, a longand 
 te.l i.'U- jjurn?y fro'.nR-ime to c-.'l)f\. and becaufe he came 
 with the apoftles crmmcndatory biters, and in his name. 
 We are not eafily to re j^ift thofe that come to us criinte- 
 n '.need and encouraged with the ctniaieiidationf of the 
 
 reverend and faithful minlfters of God. In the clofe of 
 the firft argument, at the foot of the twelfth verfe, ohferve 
 the endearing title he gives Onellmus, he calls him his rjwt 
 bowels ; receive him that is my own bowelt. O Loid ! cer- 
 tainly there is no ftronge r love, nor more endearing and 
 endeared afFedion betvseen any relations upon earth, than 
 between the iniHifters of the gofpel and fnch of their belo- 
 ved people, whom they have been happilly inftrumertal to 
 beget unto thyfelf. How inexprelfibly dear is the fcul of 
 a poor fcrvant to a faithful minifter ofChrirt, and how 
 lovely when once converted ? Reccivehim, for he isasdear 
 to me as if he had proceeded out of tny t,wn bowels. Again 
 Another argument is this ; St. Paul fends him, becaufehe 
 was another's fervant, even of Philemon his friend, and 
 being very ferviceable to the apoftle, he w tnikl have gladly 
 detained him ; but could not fatisfy himfelf to do it, wiih- 
 ojt Philemon's confcnt : Matters have fuch a right in 
 their fervants, and fuch a righ' unto their fervice, that they 
 are not to bedifpofed of, without their conftnt. St. Paul, 
 though he wonted yet he would not detain C)nelimus, though 
 a fugitive fervant, without Philemon's knowledge : Chrif- 
 lia'i religion isno dcftroyer,but an eftablilher of civil rights. 
 Onefiinui's converfion to Chriftianity, gave him no manii- 
 miflTion and liberty from Philemon's fervice, and accord- 
 ingly our apoftle remits and fends him back to his old ma f- 
 ter Philemon. 
 
 15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a fcafon 
 that thou fhouldcfl recei\"e him for ever ; 86 Not 
 now as a fervant, but above a fcrvant, a brother be- 
 loved, ipccially to me, but how much more unto 
 thee, both in the flefh, and in the Lord ? 
 
 Here our apoftle anfwers an objeftion which poffibly 
 Philemon might make: Thus, " Onclirausran away from 
 me, what reafon have I to receive him again ?" The a- 
 poftle feems thus to reply upon it : If his departing from 
 thee was fo man^iged by the wife andmc rcitul providerice 
 of G.)d, that It might bean occifionof thy receiving him 
 ag^ii'i forever, then for all hisdcp;inure thoU ou^hieft iii 
 reciive him. But verily thus it is, the wifdom of God 
 has thus over-ruled the nl.^tler ; he went from thee a fu- 
 gitive, thievifti andjurloinipg ; but he returns aco:ivsrs, a 
 Chriftian, a brother in the faith, and as fuch to be enter- 
 tained by thee, being doubly related to thte, both a« a fer- 
 vant, and as a fello'.v member <if Chrift. Ctjerverhcn , 1. 
 The large extent, and next, the over-ruling power of the 
 divine providence: It* txitr.t : It reathi s net ci;ly to L-np- 
 doms and nafion',bnt to f nilits sr.d ptvfclii,tvt n ut pcur 
 bond-fi.ives ; a fiigtive runs not from his fervice, but the 
 providL-nce of Gild eyes and obfervcs it, nay, wifely and 
 mcrciUillv ovei -rules it. Oh ! ihe d^-pth of iii\iiie knt-w. 
 ledge and v\ifcl.->ni, the providence of G'd concerns iif^if 
 and has a hand in (h.tle iclimis of men wh'ch are nrju!, 
 wiihoiit any bUmifli, to his holintls: he concurs to the act 
 but not to the iAa-s.w and diforder ot ihf infllon ; he that 
 rides a lame horfe,i- theciufe o! lii.Tgi.ing,bnt not r.fhjh- 
 ing. 2. The privilege of our i'p'riruj! conjnnftion in 
 Chrift, above any other civil conjurftion, '1 he ,(oin}er 
 lafts/or a'fr, the httc- but /ir ^yZ^w/ /;■«;<- ; the rtLtinn 
 
 L e ■. V. t L n 
 
^ilf 
 
 PHILEMON/ 
 
 Cha?. r. 
 
 betwfcn hufband and wife, parent and chilt', mafter and 
 fervant, alj5, it is but for a inoment. Death will foon dif- 
 folve all civil relation': But the fpiritual reiationand con- 
 junction being effefttd by thcboiid ofthe Spirit, is indil'- 
 loli.bie, hi% fir nrr. Death itlelf cannot <lifl'olvc it, yea, 
 it knits the knot fatter ; He ftipartidf'^r a /riv/cK, thit thiu 
 JktuUfffi receive him f(:r ever. -. J hat altlioiigh Chril- 
 lianiiydoihnot tike away the deprec^ of ptrfoiis, and tiic 
 civil difierences between man and man, yet is makch us 
 all eq lal and fellow brethren in Chrift. Receive him now 
 jK.t barely as a fervant, hut ahwe aferviint, as abrothtrin 
 Chrift ; you and he are now breihen by grace. Learn 
 hence, That rclifpious fervants are more than trJrnry fer- 
 vant*, thfv arc brethren in ChriU ; anti when huiniliiy, 
 fijfliiy, and prudence are found with them as they are 
 Diore thanordioary fervants, fo God expeifts that we Ihould 
 give them more than ordinary refpecl and we fin in deny- 
 ing it. O fervants, Would you have hij^hrefpecl fliewed 
 to vou? Become then firft humble fervants to Jcfus Chrift, 
 and then faithful and prudent fervants where God has 
 placed you, and you fhall never want refpeJt either from 
 God or men ; for them that honour Cod, be will honcur. 
 
 17 If thou count mc therefore a partner, receive 
 him as inyfclf, 18 If he hath wronged thee, or 
 oweth the ought, put that on mine account. 19 I 
 Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will re- 
 pay it : albeit I do not fay to thee how thou owell 
 unto me even tliiuc ownfelf bcfides. 
 
 Obferv! here, 1. Another argument wherewith St. Paul 
 doth prefs Philemon to receive Oiiefmius, audit isdrawn 
 from a partnerliiip and communion with him in the faith ; 
 if we are partHers,aiHl have communion and friendfhip one 
 vith another, as Chnllians, comply with my defires herein. 
 Lsiirn hence. Thai there is a cotnmunion, a fellowlhip, a 
 partncriliip becv/eeu Chriftians,and this communion which 
 is between faints, Ihould make faints refpeft on another. 
 If thou count me a pjrtner, receive bint ; yea, receive him as 
 m^Jllf; a very high expreflion, flill difcoveringthai affec- 
 tionate lenderntfs which St. Paul bare to this new convert 
 a. Anorker objeiflion anfwersd ; I'hilemon might fay, 
 " How can I receive him that has wronged me, robbed 
 me, and run away froai me? lure it is enough to pardon 
 him ; murt I receive hii» too ?" Our aportle inn^licidy 
 grants, that tliere was a debt due from Ontfrnius to Phi- 
 lemon ; ff he has v-'ratigcd, that is granting that he has 
 dune it. Where mle, Religiondeftroysno man's property; 
 uor doe> a community of faints make a community of g''ods; 
 o!her«\ifc from this community, Onefimus, or St. Paul 
 fur him, might have pleaded an immunity botii from reftitu- 
 jion and punKlimeni ; St. Paul atknow ledges, "ot denies 
 the debt. But d'ufttv: farthtr, He takes it upon hinifcif; 
 P:tt it 'in my account, I -mIII r,pjy it. It is not uiiliwtul in 
 iifrlf, for one perfon to become bound and fnreiy for an- 
 other ; yea, it is a wort of mercy, which not only may be 
 done, but fometimes muft be done, but always with due 
 caution and confideration. 3. The wonderful modefty of 
 the apciUle in mentioninjj his own prailVs end comtnenda- 
 lioDi, IJ'ijy no: thai titou ovjeji /s me even thim ciini/i!J,frA- 
 
 plyinp what great ihtngj he had done for Phllf tnon in his 
 converlion, lo great a^ mide Philemon a dtbior, not only 
 of his oMn goods but of himfeM too : However, iheapnftle 
 onlv gbnces at it moiltllly, and thai upi.n a juft and^;reac 
 o/cafion too: / donnt f.iy, I'thoiigh I nvi^hi have laid \x) 
 that thou i.iuij} to me n.>en thine o-jin J'lif hrlidei. 
 
 2u Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in tlie 
 Lord: rcfrefli my bowcLs in the Lord. 21 Having 
 conlidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee, 
 knowing that thou wilt alio do more than I fay. 22 
 But witiial prepare me alio a Itjdging. tor I trull 
 that through your prayersi (hall be given unto you. 
 
 Obferv: here, i. Apathetic rtpetitit)n ofourapollle's for. 
 incrpetition, with the force and ftrength of a frt ih and ad- 
 ditional argument. 1 hu5, " O m^ brot'^er, that which 
 revives me in a prifon, and refrtflies my bowels, now 1 arn 
 in bonds, that ilTuredly thououghtefl to do ; but thy re- 
 mi ttmg and receiving Oncfimus will thusrefrcflimc, there- 
 fore do it." L^arn thence. That wliatfoever Chriftians 
 kiiBW will rejoice the hearts, and revive the fpiriis of one 
 another, ought inniultual condefcenfion andikindnefs to be 
 performcdeach towardsanoiher upon theirmutu.il requdb. 
 How unnatural is it for one member to vex and orieie 
 another ? As unbecoming it is in the body fpiritual, as it is 
 in the body natural, hr'Aher, let me have jy in tie I.'.rd, 
 refrr/h my toiurlj in the Lord. Oifeme, 2. Our apoftle's 
 holy conlidence in Phdemon's obedience and compliance ; 
 Hiiving confidence i" thy obedience, 1 know thowxilt do m-^re 
 thani fiy. See here what credit and honour, confcience 
 and obedience puts upon 3 man ; Philemon's good con- 
 fcience occalionrd St. P.iul's confidence : It is a fpetial 
 honour when ilie general crairle of man's life is fofteadv, 
 fo unifarm and even, th.it either our minillers or pious 
 friends dare to be confidr in in tis, vouch for us, anil £ng;.ge 
 for our obedinence and conipliance svith whatever bi comes 
 us. 3. St. Paul having finilhed his requeft for Onefimus, 
 fpeaks one word for himfelf, namely, that a lodging might 
 be prepared for him, hoping it feems for a deliverance out 
 of prifon, by the help of the church's prayers, Preporr me 
 a lodging Religion is no enemy to hofp'ialiiy ; nay, it re- 
 quires it. and enconrrges to it ; Rom. xii. 13. Htb.xiii.2. 
 It is a duty incumbent upon all, but efpecially minifterv ; 
 But an unkind world takes care that fonie have fcarce 
 bread fufficient for their furnilies, much lefs have any ability 
 for hofpitalisy, or indeed for thofe necffl'ary acts of charity 
 which are requircti by Cod, and exptc'ted by man, to ren- 
 der their Libours amcuigd their people both acceptable aiul 
 fuccelsful. The miniltirs of God, when they afk bre;idi..' 
 fome, they give them a ftone.and when thty ileinand iheir 
 dues of oihere, they ftitig like a fcorpion : but bklTed bj 
 God it is not thus univcrfjlly. A'o/<r,ldlllv, What it '-as 
 St. Paul gronndtd his eNptcl.i;ion of deliverance ';j ^.n, 
 namrlvthc help andbrueriiot the church'sprayers, V/f;/.' 
 thrciif^hy^ur prtiyers JJhull he given unto you. l.farn, 1 h.-.i 
 our deliverance from srouble is to be exptcted and fonghi 
 by ihe means of- the prayers of futh as fear God-, j-- 
 murk. Though pi aytrcbtains mLch, yet it mtrjts ticih i ' 
 at God's hand. 1 trujtthrov.gb your prayer s Ifhul) hegix-i ■ 
 
 ' tl,.; 
 
ClIAP. I. 
 
 P H I L E M O K. 
 
 thnt is, freely given unto you : thoTigh we obtain Mcflings 
 by prayer, yet not for the merit of onr prayers. If mercy 
 Were due to IIS, thankfulnefs were not due to God. Fori 
 tr,ijl that through your prayers I /hall be given unto you. 
 
 23 There falute thee Epaphras, my fcllow-pri- 
 foiier in Chrift Jefus ; 2.} Marcus Ariftarchus, 
 Demas, Lucas, my fellow-labourers. 25 The grace 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrifl; be with your fpirit. Amen. 
 
 Our apoftle being now come to the conclufion of iiis 
 epirtlc, he ihuts it ii|) with fahitations and prayer ; firft he 
 (.Jutes Philemon from Epnphras, Marcus, Arirtarchus, 
 Dsmas, and Liike,fome hisf'cllovv-prironcrs, allhi^ fcllow- 
 la^vwrer":. Here note. How gr.icioudy God provides fir 
 thecomf>rt of his children in a priCon ; lie iucetened St. 
 Paul's atrliclion with the faints communion : It was no joy 
 to St. PjuI that Epaphr:is was in prifon, he had rather he 
 had been preaching at Colofs : But, feeing he was a prilb- 
 ner, the apoillc, no doubt, was very thankful that he was 
 in the fame pr fon with liim, where they had opportunity 
 (it is hoped) to pray together, todifcourle, encourage and 
 Comfort one another : And nde the caiife of Epaphras' 
 imprifonmenr, //; Chrljl Jefus, thatis, for the fakeof Chri(t 
 Jtfus. Na doubt there were others in prifon beddes Epa- 
 j)hras, but none were Si. Paul's fellow prifoners but he, 
 bscaufc, though fufFerersin the fame prifon, yet not for the 
 fame caiife, Epnphras my fdhxo pr'ifoner Jalutelh thee. Ob- 
 fene, Our apoftle's concluding prayer, The grace of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrifl be with your Spirit. Here nite, i The 
 
 9\5 
 
 pcrfon prayed to, the Lord Jefus Chrirt our Saviour, onr 
 anointed King; from Chri/l we ire called Chijiians, hcciife 
 every one of US, in our meafuic, are partakers of a divine 
 unaion with and from him, i John ii. 20. Ye haze an 
 twaicnfrcm the Holy One. This oil ran down from the 
 head of our Great High Pricft, to the very fkirts of his 
 garment. 2. The blefling pravcd for, the grace of cur 
 Lord Jefus Chrifl be uilh thy fpirit ; that is, " May the 
 fpecial favour of God, both in its efftds and influences, in 
 its graces and comforts, refidc in thy foi:l and fpirit ; may 
 the blelTcd Spirit of onr Lord Jcfiis evermore dwell in thee 
 by his f«naityii;g imprefiions, by hi^ powerful ainfianccs, 
 and by his quicke.iing inflnenccs." 3. He d..th not pray 
 for Philemon folely, though for him eminently, but for ail 
 the laints at Colofs, who had obtained like pretious faith 
 with him: The grace of our Lord Jefui Chrill be with 
 you, not thy, but your fpirit : All the faints of God in gen- ' 
 eral, yea, the whole race of mankind univerfally, mull be 
 remembered by us in our prayers. Amen, is a word that 
 denotes our earncllnefs or dtfue to be heard, and our com- 
 fortable expcdation of being anfwcred : It teaches us, That 
 vv.hatever we pray for, fliould be rightly underflood, firmly 
 cxpcded, and earnellly delired. They (in in prayer, vs ho 
 either do not underlland what they pray for, or do not ear- 
 neftly defire what they pray for, or do not believe God's 
 rcadinefs to grant what they pray for : Therefore, in lefli- 
 mony of our defire and alTurancc to be heard in prayer wc 
 fay, Amen. 
 
 L A U S DEO. 
 
 THE END OF THE EPISTT^ TO PHILEMON. 
 
 «D 
 
 Tire 
 
T H E 
 
 E P I S T I. E 
 
 TO THE 
 
 HEBREWS. I 
 
 Ai touching Ik author and penman of this Eplflk to tlie Ilehrews, tJiere have been many and various opinions ; >»<• k: 
 fnbpofedk written by St. Luke, others by Barnabas, or Clemens, but rn^ft by St. Paul, which they attempt topn 
 from chapter xiii. 23. Know ye that our brother Timothy is fet at liberty ; hecaufe it is cnjlomary wilhi> 
 Pad, when he writes ep files, to call Timothy his brother. And alfo from the words of St . Pder, 2 Pet. iii. 1.',. 
 As our dear brother Paul has written unto you in all his epiftles. Whence it is evident, tluit the apt file' 
 Paul bad n'nt to them, to whmn St. Peter was then writing ; that is. to the believing Jews in general, and to thoft of 
 the dfpeifim in particular. Bulfincc we are ajfured lluit the Spirit of God did indite the book, we need not be ov> r 
 folkitous tofndoul whofe hand it was thai held the pen. 
 
 Theperfjmtowlumi this epifile isdircBed, are fyled Hebrews ; that is, the believing Jnos converted to Chripani: 
 chiefly thife tluU inhabited Jitdea, and in and about Jenifalem : who thmgh they had embraced titegofpel, yet they c 
 hered to the Mofaic rites, and Jewifh cere^nonies, joining them with Chrifiianity , as mcefjary to falvation. Now,j 
 this hare prcfffion ofChriJlianily, they woe expafed to a bitter perfecution by the unbelieving Jews. Our apcfle, the ■ 
 fore, juflly fearing lejl their fiffcrings for Chrifiianity Jhouldoccafion their opcflacyfrcm it, writes this epifile to ef,a- 
 blifiand 'confinn them in their holy profcjfion, by acquainting them with tlufad and fatal confeqiiences of a ruiwnis apof' 
 tacy, and thefruitkjfnefs cfformerjuffcrings, without a refolute perfeverance in the Chriflian faith, and patience under 
 all trihdations. 
 
 Ttuit St. Paiddid not prefix his name tothis epifile, as he did to others^ the reafon fuppofed is this, becai/fe he was theapof. 
 tie of the Gentiles, and net of the circumcifiou, or of the Jews ; and his name beuig wt over acceptahk to them, he Jets It 
 not at the front of this ep'flle, hfi the fight of iljhoidd have prejudiced the Jews, and taken them rfffrom duly wag 
 ing and conjidering the wighty matters which he wrote about. 
 
 The general fape and dfign of this epftle is to inform the Hebrews, that the gofpd-mniflry , or dfpenfation under //.c 
 yrui TifiMunt by Jcfus Chnjl.farfurptifih and tranfcendexlly excellclhthc minfry of the Old Teflamevt under Mo~ 
 7es and the propliets : and to prove , that Chrill xuas greater tlian the angels, a greater perf n and lawgiver than Mo- 
 fes a greater priefl than Aaron, a greater prince than Melchfedec ; and that the Ltvuicalprujlhood, and coi'ensv* 
 zoere to give place to Chrift our great Ilgh Prifl, and to the new covcmiiu tjlabhjlud upon better protntfes. 
 
 I 
 CHAP. I. ^"'" apoftle Intending here a comparifon between the^ 
 
 ... n, 1 f r ±t , 1 law and the gofpcl, fliewsfirftwhcrtinthiv both agree, and 
 
 Jnthe firfl chapter of this eppe, the proofs of the eternal ^^^^ wherein tbev differ. Thev agree (fi'rft) in this '' • 
 Deity of ftps Chnfl are produced with fuch clear evi- GckI was the author cf t'^em both : Both law and go! , 
 daice of fcr' pture-ligh t , that only a veiled heart, and ob- received their original from God himfelf ; and God : 
 flmate inRklity can refjl. Fa'li". by way of erninency, was .he pccdiar author b. 
 
 y •> ^ J.J. ot law and golpel. Gut, that God, 'juhojfake tn times j 
 
 GOD whoii t fundry times, and in divers man- ^^ ,^^ prophets, hath in thefe lajl etays/pden unto us ij 
 ners, fpake in lime paft unto the fathers by the Sen. Ohjerve, 2. The difference between the law and 
 prophets. 2 Hath in thcle lull days fpokcn unto gofpel, with rcfpcdl to the manner of their revelation. The 
 
 1 / , c >., rcvclatioB 
 
 usby /ui- oon » 
 
ClIAF. . I. 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 H7 
 
 rrvrlation of the will of Gml under the '^w waj=, J. At 
 
 fn' Iry time, : before the flood, by Enoch and Noah ; 
 
 a, e The flood, by Abraham, by Jacob, by Moles and all 
 
 ,l,c prophets. 2. /// divers ««;,;,.rr ; fomct.mcs by a 
 
 lively voice, fometimcs by dreams and v.l.ons fometimcs 
 
 by infpiration and ipimcdi.Ue revelation, fomet.mes by 
 
 Urim and Thummim. fomctimes by fign. horn heaven. 
 
 , The revelation of the law v.as made of old, ♦ornier y, 
 
 in Ihnts P'lO ; this of the gofpcl was made ,/; t/^r/e lajl 
 
 ./•,• ^ fhnt was made to the fathers, this to us. 5. 
 
 That rcvelaion was made by the (.rophcfs, thi by the ^,;,, 
 
 Trfu-= Chrilh From the Whole, k„ri,, I. 1 hat Almighty 
 
 G'kI' did not leave the world only to the light ot nature, 
 
 anl to know him barely by hi; works ot creation; but 
 
 bellowed ..pen them the invaluable b eilit-.g ot fupernatnral 
 
 revelation, thereby to bring mar.kind to the clearer know 
 
 |,Jrc of their duty. 2. That the revelnt.on wh.ch God 
 
 .VIS pleafedtomakeofhimfelf, his mind, and v, II, was 
 
 nradnal, and by part, not all atone time, atid in one tnnn- 
 
 ner, but atY,..^rv Hmcs, ^nA\n rhversjnan.ers 3. That 
 
 ih" -ofpcl difpcnation is the mofl perleft revelation ot the 
 
 will^of God, which God ever diJ. or ever wd tnake to 
 
 the fons of men. ^ That as it is a per^.^, io l..<e,virc a 
 
 final revelation of God's mind and will to a loft world : 
 
 A farther difcovcry of the- mind nt God to,- man s lalvation 
 
 is not to be expeaed : The .^ofp^ .s the lad effort which 
 
 the divine mercy and gotxinefs will tiiake upon mankind, 
 
 in order to cten't.d happinefs ; herein God has fp|k.n to 
 
 „s bv his Son : and. if we will not hear him, he w.Jl (peak 
 
 no more, we mult expcft no other ; he can fend no greater 
 
 nrophet. no dearer perfon to us than hisown bon ; and as 
 
 lie can fend no greater, fo he will fend no other ; tor it wc 
 
 d-fr,ife him, whom will we reverence ?Now the tiigni'y ot 
 
 thi.s perfon, our apoftlc pirocccds it. this and the next vcifc 
 
 to delcribe. 
 
 Whom he hatli appointed heirof all things, 
 
 The title of he!r, which is here given to Chriil, fetteth 
 out his di^Miity and dominion. toj;eiher with the light lie 
 h -s to both : namely, that of the lonlhip ; for what is an 
 heir hii! i-.is father's'l'ticcedor ; Chrift as a Son. being heir 
 of .dl things, imports that he is Lord of all, and has a f..vc- 
 reign empire and dominion 01 er all perfons and things 
 ov-r all ancels and men, whether living or dead. Lta-n 
 hence. That God the Father has given and granted unio 
 Chrill his Son, as Mediator and Head of the chiirrh, a 
 foverei'Mi power and authority over all perfons and things, 
 both iiriieaven and in eardi, to be difpofrd ot by him ?t his 
 plcafnrc. and acconling tothc lovereign purpofe of hu will; 
 whcm he hsth appwite<f heir efr.U thin^!. 
 
 By whom alfo he wade the worlds ; 
 
 By 'uhom noxfir whom, as the Socintans woidd fiiggcft ; 
 the word liirnifics the cfncieri', not the final caufe, accord- 
 ii)i» to Colo?, i. 16, 17. By lim wen all things cren'ed, ami 
 by him all things ccnJijL ' And iy him, not as an inif rument 
 or created c.uile, tor then mu(V he be created by himfdf. 
 fteing all ihirij^s were m.iile by him, «"// mil in^ ninth -withoat 
 hiin,}'-^hi\ i. 3" but as the priticipal ifficient c^^ifc, accoid- 
 i'lig to St. John v. 19. jnatJ-HVer the Fa.her dotb^ thnl 
 
 doth alfo the f on lihe^vlfe. The Fathe r doth all by the Son, - 
 and the Son doth all from the Father. And by niakinf; 
 the w'.rids, wc arc to imderftand his forming ot the old 
 world, not his reforming of the new ; for if fo, the apoftles 
 might be f.iid to make the worlds as well as Chrift, becatifc 
 they had a principal hand in convertinc: and reforming the 
 world. But by the worlds, hercunderfland the vifible and 
 material worlds, all things in heaven and earth, which were 
 made by CInift, not as a fubordinate ir.ftrument, but as 3 
 primary and principal agent, which fets forth the omnipo- 
 tent power of Chrift, and confcfiuenily i>rovfS him to be 
 tndy and really (Sod. Learn hence, That tl;e Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, by making the world and all tl ings therein, by 
 his own immediate power, has given a ftdl and ample 
 demonftratbn of hU Divinity, or being clTaui-lly and ready 
 God. 
 
 o Who being the brightncfs of his glory,nnd the 
 cxprclsimagc of his pcrfon.and upholding all thingj 
 by thi word of his power, when he had hy hunfdf 
 purged out fins, lat down on the riglit hand ot the 
 Majcfly on high. 
 
 Our apoftlc here proceeds in defcriLing the Diviriiy cf 
 Cluift's perfon, bv whom the Father ha-i made known his 
 will to us under the sofpel. lle^occlares, I. V/lut he i<^. 
 2. What he dots, or did. 3. i he conlcrinent of both, or 
 what he now enjoyeth. Oljcrve, I- Cur apc^lt'e declares 
 who, andwhatChiiftwas, and is, namely, The hngif.'cjs 
 ol- the Fnthers ^hr'i. end the exjn-fs inmge t/ his perJcK. 
 A<; the bris^hincfs of the fun is of the fame nature widi tic 
 fun, and (ff as long continuance as the fim, and cannot he 
 feparated from the fun, and yet the fun, and ihc btightn. fs 
 of the fim, arc really diltintl each from other. In likj; 
 manner the Father and the Son arc of one imd the fame 
 efience, coetetnal and inicparable, yet the perfon tf the one 
 \% didinff from the other. And as the fun comniiiiiic;:ies 
 its liuht and influence to us by its beams, fo doth God com- 
 munkatc his j;oodnef , and tiianifelt himfelfto us by J^fus 
 Chrilt. Learn hence. Thai the St>n is of the faine elhncc 
 with the.Faihe.r, yet aperfrn really diilind from thi; Father, 
 anri all the incomprehenfiblc glory oi the Father brijjluly 
 tldnes forth in Cliriii his Son. 
 
 Ohferve, And the e\prefs hua^e of hit l>ctj,'i-- — — 
 
 That i , the exprds characler erf God the Father's per- 
 fon, hisjJAtural imare.ind efit-nnal hkeiK-fsi all 'he -,ieilec- 
 ti.ms thinin-.' torth in God the Father, are fuWK-miully m 
 Chrift the Son : Is the Father eternal, (niuupoteiu, onv- 
 nifcient, omnipicfent : So is the Sjui, v^holt: charadter he 
 is, wh:)fe rtfemblencc and image he t>ea.rs ; J-din x. '.%, 
 The Either is in rir, and I in him ; the fametllVntial pro- 
 perties and nattirc being in each pei'fon, by virii:e li erccf 
 their perf ns are faid to be in e.^ch other. All tlK L:h)ii<>tis 
 .^eift-tUons of ihenaiurc of God do btlonj; imto, aiid.dwcll 
 in the perf'Mi ( f the Son of Gr-d. Olferve, 2. Our ap.ijf- 
 tle h.aving declared w hat Chrill is, next "declares what he 
 does ; namely, that he nfhoh/efh all things h the ivtrd if 
 his p'Accr i thai \t, he exerts and puts forth th.c if.' ir.e om- 
 nipotent power in the work ot pefervation, which he did 
 6 D a »'• 
 
fltS 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 I. 
 
 in the work of crratinn. keeping it from finkinij into its 
 oiigiiial chaos of cont'iilion. This work of cunfcrvation 
 fjy fomc, is a grcJtcr art of omnipntcncy ihan thai ot irCa- 
 tion i by xhe formtr, all iliin^^s were brought ('■/.t of no- 
 thinf;, by ihe lat.'fr, ilu-y are prcfcrved tron* rcturnin;; into 
 /lothiiig, which thtir own nature, ar.;! ■,',itir pcrpeni..l cnn- 
 fliil, by contrariety of qualities, wntild nccelliirily precipi- 
 tate them into. Learn )\<:ncf, I. That fuch is the nature 
 and condition of the univcrfe, that it cannot fublill one 
 inomriit without continual lupport ; fiich is the ilepcink-nt 
 condiiii>n ol the whole creation. 2. That our Lord Jcfiis 
 Chri.l has the weight uf the whole creation upon his hand, 
 he uphoKleth what hiiiifelf created : and as well his up- 
 holding as creating, his ccnverfation as well as creation of 
 ■A\ thincs by the word of his power, do prove him truly 
 ,ind really God. Ol'fervt. 3. A farther evidence and proof 
 of the divinity of Chrilf, piwliiced hereby ourapoftlc ; as 
 he made the woild by his omnipotent power, and upholds 
 it by his wonderful provi.leticc, fo he redeemed it by his 
 fckwKl, Hf by htmfi-lf purged mir f.iis. He that made the 
 heavens, bowed the he»vens; and catne down from heaven, 
 and became a facrifice for liii on earth, and by l:imfe:fz\oi\t 
 by himfclf without a partner, I y himfelf without a com- 
 f'.rter, expiated the guilt of fin, and faitisficd the juflice of 
 God for fill, furfering as he was man, and fatisfving as he 
 was GoJ, u-ho if himfelf purged our fin i. learn hence, 
 That fo great was the work of expiation ot fin, that it 
 could no oihtrwife be really efftded and acconiplillitd.thati 
 by the facritice and fatiifaclion ot Chrirt, who was truly 
 and really GiaI. 4. The conftqncnt of all that Ciirilt did, 
 or his glorious condiiion after l»is hiimiliatioti, having 
 purged our fins, he fat down cii the right hand of the Majefiy 
 «;/ l)if^h\ that is, God the Father clothed him with the 
 hisiheil honour, and ctidowed him with the greatcff pow- 
 ertbat lieaven itfelf could afford ; the right-hand is the 
 phice both of ilignii* anil honour, and alio of fupcriority 
 and power : Chrill's fitting at (iod's right hand impcr!.s 
 )\is exaltation to the highell authority and moll iupretne 
 dominion. Learn hence. That when our Lord Jefus 
 Chrill had finilhe<l his fiifferings upon earth, he was placed 
 ill the feat of the highctt honour and authority, at the right 
 hand of God his Faiiier in heaven, even to be the objcd^ of 
 adoration both to angels and men, as ilie following vcrlcs 
 declare, in which our apofllethus fpeaks: 
 
 4 Beinj made foniuch better than the angels, as 
 he liatli by inheritance obtained' a more excellent 
 name than they. 5 For unto which of the an^jels 
 laid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day 
 have I begotten thee! And again, I will be to him 
 a Father, and he fhall be to me a Son. 6 And 
 again, when he brinsjcth in the firft begotten into 
 the world, he faith, And let all the angels of God 
 worfhip him. 
 
 In the foregoing vcrfes, a comparifon was made between 
 Chriil and thcprophets, here between Chrill and the angels 
 and the preference and pre-eminence is given to him above 
 them all. Angels were very glorious creatures, einploy^d 
 fcy GoJ in giving of the law ; but Chrift whom God the 
 
 Father Tfiploycd in ihc difpenfaiicn of the ^ofpel is far 
 fv.perior 10 them, and has an excclknc^ cbo\c tlicni. i, 
 A mtre excellent name, tliey being C:,!iLd miniflers or hr- 
 vants, he ftilcd a Sen. 1. A Siiorc excellent njture. his 
 being a divine, theirs an aiigelic;d nature : yta, his human 
 nature, by virme of its union with the Gidl.cid, has a 
 dignity furpafhng the nature ot antds. 3. A ir.ore txtel- 
 Icnt oflice and tui.ilion, as Median, r between G{^ and 
 man, whi>.h belongs not to any angel. And, 4. Confc- 
 quciitly a more excelltnt power and aiiihori'y, with a right 
 to adoration and wfirfliip, wliich the Engcli have not, but 
 arc coinmandtd to worlhip hinr, IFhen he bnvgi 1 hii frfl- 
 be/otlen into /.' e tarU, that is, in the inoriiinm)f the relur- 
 rt(5tion, when he was in a glorious manner begotten from 
 the dead ; the Father fays. Let all the angeh if Cod worfhip _ 
 him ; and therefore he that is to be wor (hipped, is greater ■ 
 than they tl-.at are to worftiip him. Lenrn I. That the ' 
 evidencing and declaring of Chrift to be the Sr.nofGcxi, 
 Was the particular care and fpecial work ( f God the Fa- 
 ther; he faid it, he recorded it, he rcvealc<l it : Thou art 
 my Son. 2. That the Lord Jtlus Chrill, the Mediator of 
 the new covenant, is, in his own perfon, God bitlled for- 
 'ever, to whom divine honour and religious worlhip is due 
 and payable from glorified angels: Let all the angels of 
 God worfhipbim. 3. That the comm.Tnd of GckI is the 
 ground and reafon of all religious wordiip ; the angels are 
 to w orlhip Chrill, but the gioiind of their doing it is Gods 
 command; He faith, Let ail the angels of God xvorfhip him. 
 4. That it can be no part of our duty to worfhip the an- 
 e.tV, who are our fcUow-fervants in the wordiip of Jefus 
 Chrift ; they that are to worihip Chrill with us furely are 
 not to be worfliipped by us. 
 
 7 And of the angels he faith, who tn.iketh his 
 angels ipirits, and his miniflers a flame of fire. 8 
 But unto the Son he pjih. Thy throne, O God, it 
 for ever and ever : a fceptre of righteoufncfs h the 
 fceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thoti haft loved rightc- 
 ouinef;i, and hated iniquity : therefore God, aitn, 
 thy God, hath anointed thee vith the oil of glad- 
 nefs above thy fellows. , 
 
 Still our apcflle goes on, comparing Chrift and the angel* 
 together, and giving a tranfcendtnt preference to the one 
 before the other. The angels arc minifteringfervanjts, but 
 Chrill a Son ; the angels are the prime irftruments of the 
 Father's providence, nioft zcilous and aflive toaccomplifh 
 his pleafure, but the Son is GctI ; Thy throne, O God, is 
 for ever and ever. God, not by analogy and dcpination, 
 as princes are. nor with a limitation and Uiminution, as 
 Mofes was made a god to Pharaoh, but abfoluicly ami 
 really, as fubfifting in the divne nuturc ; to the Son he 
 faith, 7hy throne, O Gcd, is forever and ever, learn 
 hence. That it is the divine nature of Jefus Chrift that 
 gives ftabillty and fixednefs, yea, immutability and iin- 
 changcablenfs to his throne and kingdom ; Thy throne, O 
 God, is for ever and ever. And whereas the fceptre of 
 earthly kingdoms are often unrighteoully managed, and 
 their thrones do ruinoufty fall, the fceptre of righteoufnefs 
 is the fceptre of ChrilVs kingdom -. that is, all the laws, 
 
 and 
 
Cha?. 1. 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 949 
 
 and the whole adniinil^ration of his kingdom by his word 
 and Spiri', are aJl jnrt anJ equal, li^hteous and holy ; A 
 j'cfpire of nghleoi'/nefs is the fee jil re of thy kingd'm. And, 
 t.uthcr, the^apoft'cdevlares, "that the riiihteoiis adminiilra- 
 tion of Chrill in l\is kin;^dom, procce;ls from his own habi- 
 tiin! ri'dltcoiifncfv jn:i love thereunto : Tlouhaft ioved nghlc- 
 oujmfsnndhcied imquity,x:iA for that reafoi) was dignified 
 and "exalted hv Gixl over and above all his fellows. Learn 
 hence, Tharjcfiis Chrirt as Mediator, becaufe of his love 
 to riffhteoiifnefs, =Tid hatred to (in, is dignified and ad- 
 vanced by God, njt only above all men, but likewife above 
 all ani^els. Therefore Gcd, even thy Gud, huth emnnted thee 
 abrve thy feJhuis. 
 
 lo And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hafl laid 
 the foundation of the earth : and the heavens arc the 
 works of thine hands. 1 1 They fhall pcrifh ; but 
 thou remaineft : and they all ihall wax old as doth 
 a garment; 12 And as a vefture flialt thou fold 
 them up, and they fhall be changed : but thou art 
 the fame, and thy years fhall not fail. 
 
 What proof more can be defred of Chri.Ts Divinity, 
 than what is here given by our apoflle ? the name and attri- 
 butes of God are given to him, as alfo an everlailing throne 
 and kingdom ; divine hononr is required to be paid to him : 
 and here fuch divine works are afcribed to him, wherein 
 no creature can have any fhare of efficiency with : fuch 
 is the making of the world, Thou, Lord, laid/l the founda- 
 tions of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hand : 
 Here we have Chriil's omnipotency declared, Thou haji laid 
 the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are ihy handy- 
 ^orks : and his eternity and iinmiitability aiTerted, PPhen 
 the heavens ferifh, thou remaineft ; ^vhen they wax old, and 
 are changed, thou art the fame. Learn hence, That the 
 wkolc world, the heavens and the earth being made by otir 
 Lord Jtf.is Chriil, is an evident proof that he is exalt- 
 ed above all creatures, and that he is an almighty and iin- 
 chr^n^,e3ble God, Thou, Ltrd, hafl laid, &c. 2. That fuch 
 IS the frailty of man's nature, and fuch the petifhing con- 
 dition of all created things, that nothing will or can yield 
 ftablc confolation to us, but a firm belief of the omnipo- 
 tency and immutability of our Lord Jefus Chi ifl. 
 
 13 But to which of the angels faid he at any time. 
 Sit on my right hand, until 1 make thine enemies 
 thy footflool ? 
 
 This verfe contains a farther proof of Clirift's pre-ctni- 
 nc nce above the angels, and that he is in reality the Son of 
 God; namely, becaufe he fits, in the quality of a Son, at 
 the right hand of God the Father ; equal io him in dig- 
 nity, power, and plory, commanding all the vi(iblc and 
 invifible woild, moll eafily, yet irrefiftably ; though gradu- 
 ally fubduing his enemies to a confiimmate and complete 
 vidtory. To xvhich of the angels faid he at any time ? The 
 words are an interrogation, which have the force of a vehe- 
 ment negation, and imply, that God the Father did never 
 fay this to any of the angels, nor put fuch honour upon 
 any of them, as to fay. Sit on my right hand, until I make 
 iliy foes thy footRool j but to Chrilfhe faid it, Pfol. ex. i. 
 
 The Lord faid unto my Lord, Sit thou ?« tny right hand, until 
 I make thine enemies thy footflool. Learn hence, r. That 
 Jefus Chrift is a fpiritual king; and as fuch as utany ene- 
 mies fo his kingdom and government. Sin is an cnem/ 
 to Clirift and his kingdom ; and makes an uniyerfai oppo-: 
 iition to Chvill: and his g»)vernmcnt. Satan is a fn'orn 
 enemy to Chrill and his throne, and he exerts his enmity 
 by temptations and perfccuiions. The world is an encrriv 
 •tIYo in the things of it, in the men of if, in the rule of Ir. 
 The law is an cneiitv to Chrift and his kingdom, net abfo- 
 luiely, but accidentally, by reafon of ihe confeqiiences that 
 altcndit: it flays them, Rom. vii. g, 10, 11. which is the 
 work of an enemy : In a uord, death, the grave, and hell' 
 are Chrift's enemies. a. That all Cluift's enemies fliall, 
 in Chrift's time, be inade his footftool ; they are conqi,c-r- 
 ing now iiiiiialiy and gr.idually, tlicy (hull he conquered ere 
 long finally and perfcilly ; and all his people fhall be made 
 complete iltarers in his victory and conqucft. ^. Thai 
 Clirill's iiititigat God's right hand, in a certain and aihir- 
 cd cxpedation of having his ftx;s become his footilool, is 
 an undoubted proof of the Divinity of his peri'on, and thai 
 he is ellentially and really God. To none of the am^cls, 
 or any of the creatures, faid he, at any time, Sit on my 
 right hand ; but to the Son he faid, S:t en yn^i eight hand, 
 &c. 
 
 14 Are they not all miniftering fpirits, fent forth 
 to minifterfor thein who fhall be heirs of falvation ? 
 
 This is the laft teflirnony produced by the apoflle to 
 prove Chrift's prc-eminency above the angels : He is a Son 
 they are but fervants ; not only fervants to Chrill, but 
 fervants to believers, to the church of Chrift, to the heirs 
 of falvation. Ohferve,herc, i. The nature of angeis de- 
 clared ; they are fpirits, without any thing materia! or cor- 
 poreal belonging to them, yet having a povverto aliiime a 
 body, and appear in human (hape, when they pleafe. The 
 fcripturesdefcribes their) as excelling in ftrengih, purity and 
 holiiiefs, to be of great aflivity and fwiftncfs, and "ives 
 intimation of fcveral ranks and orders among them, dif. 
 tinguilhing them by the namesof principalities and powers 
 thrones and dominions ; but what the difference of thcfe 
 names do iinport, none can pofitively declare. 2. Their 
 general office declared. They are miniflering fpirits, they 
 are God's dumeftic fervants, they attejid upon his throne 
 they expecl his commands, they execute his pleafiire, and 
 are in a ccnflant icadinefs to do his will. The angels are 
 the great inftruments of providence in the world ; not tbap 
 God needs them, or cannot manage without them • for 
 he can do whatever he plcafeth in heaven and catth. G(;d 
 can fteer all human affairs with the lead nod and heck oF 
 hi^ will, without any inftrun;ents at all ; but his wifdnm 
 and goodnefs thinks fit lo honour hi^ creatures with 1 is 
 commar.ds, that fo they may he capable of li is favour and 
 rewards. 3. The fpecial oHii f and employment of ^nrd 
 angels, with reference to good men : They are fet forth 
 there is their defignation and appointment, lo miniflrr, that 
 is their general end and employ mem, /ir//jr heirs of fal%\i- 
 tion, that is their more fpecial and peculiar hufinefs ;,thev 
 have a charge of the bodies and fouls of the faiius'whillf 
 alive ; a fpecial charge of their fculs a: dc-.tli, to condna 
 
 then I 
 
9rp 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 CfkAP. If. 
 
 ami the oath of GocHm confirmed it. ihat fuch finncrs 
 (hnll not cfcipc ; fuch as i"m againft the remedy mutt pcrith 
 withpul the remedy. 
 
 Which at the fird began to be fpoTicn by 
 
 the I-ord, and was confirmed unto us by them that 
 heard him ; 4 God alfo beann- them witncfs both 
 with fi-ms and wondrrv and with divers miracles, 
 and gifts of the Holy Ghoft. according to his own 
 
 will ? 
 
 Her" wc hsvc a fprcial renCon affipied, v^'i.y fuch as rcj<.A 
 thr eofpel caniun ffcnpc divine wnith, beoufclhc Rufpel 
 %var<irlt p.ihliih<-d aivl dclivere.l by JcUis Lhna ; it was 
 dcarlv, pl.iinlv, fwcctlv. and perfaafivtly preached by him- 
 f^lffirlV The law was proiri.lcatcd by angels, the g( f- 
 ncl prf claimed hv the ikin of God, and afterwards by his 
 apcfllcs; and Gol confirmed their tcftimon) by /<;:« «w/ 
 ■inrUr^^hy miraculous powcr?.and^»/y/jof the Holy Ghoft : 
 Ail which 'did ficnifv God's approliution of their dodnne, 
 and aave t!ic world' a confirmation of tlie truth and exceU 
 lency'^of it, and confcquemlv gnvc credibility to it. Here 
 «'/<% That as the law of Mofcs was confirmc-l by n-.ir.-icles, 
 fo was the 2ofpcl of Jefus alfo : nay, herein this was fupc- 
 rior to that. Mofcs wrousrht figns and wonders, but the 
 tiftsofthclloly Ghoft were peculiar to the tjnics of the 
 Mcidiah and were the proper confirmation of tlie gofpd 
 difnenfation. Yet no/c farther, That though the apoftles- 
 had a power to work miracles, vet it was acc^.rdi^.g m Gods 
 ■u.-i/,\ and not at their own pleau.re ; thcv could n'-t work 
 mirackswhcn thcv pleafcd, nor whnt ihey plcafcd : W hcnre 
 i\ was evident, that not they, but God was the worker of 
 them And the more Gods over-ndiiii- will was fccn in the 
 miracles //•<«, the greater confirmation have we of that 
 doarinerzm-: /nich (gofpcl) ivas ol fr/Ifp'Mu ly the I^rd, 
 and wa: covfirmrd unto us by divers- imracUs and gijls oj /,.v 
 Holy Ghcjh 
 
 5 For unlo the angels hath he not put in fubjcc- 
 tion the world to come, whereof we Ipcak. 6 13ut 
 one in a certain place left ified. faying. What is man, 
 that thou art mindful of liim ? Or the Ion of man 
 that thou vifitefl him ? 7 Thou madeft him a little 
 lower than the an-els; thou cfo^<'rieft him with 
 j-lory and honour, and didft fet him over the works 
 of thy hands : 
 
 Still our apodle profcciitcs his former tl^fign, which was 
 to fcrfuade the Hebrew^ that more need is fo he given to 
 ihcN^ord of Cbrift. she doarinc of the gofpc-l.-ihan to the 
 word or law delivered bv cr.gels, becauCe G<xl had given 
 a "rea-cr authority to Ch.ill th?n ever ha did to the angtls, 
 aslippc-irs by putting the world to come in fubjeaion to 
 Chr.ft.and iv.t to nng.Ir> ; yea, .ln:ifmuc1i as angels ihem- 
 ftlves arc to be in fubjeai'Mi unio Chrifi. as a part of las 
 kingdom, Unh the ong^ls hath he n-.t f'<t n,!o fu,j„l<'.>i tie 
 uJr',} to fsm/ /*,that is, the world of bcru-vers gnihcrcd <-ut 
 ^fall nations hv the preachinj- «^^ the^gofp. 1 . is p,U under 
 Chi ill s im-^c.^'iatc power, and fiibH-a not 10 sngels, but 
 10 Ckiiii himftlf. Leurn hence. Tliat it is the jjrcat ^i\- 
 
 vileeeof the gofpcl-church, that it depends upon Chrift as 
 its immediate and only Head, and is not put in fubjcaioa 
 to 'any other, cither angels or incn. The gofpcl-church 
 was not put in fubjeaion to angels in its \i\i[\ creflien or 
 inftitutinn, nor was it put into fubjeaion unto angt-lf, as to 
 the rule and government ot it wlien ercdcd ; but angels 
 and faints are equally fubjcaLd unto Chrift, who is b'th 
 an head of vital influence, as alfo an head of autho- 
 rity, rule, an I government, to the w'i\v\i church and cveir 
 member thereof. Ohjcne next, the pro.if which the apof. 
 tie brin-j-s for this out of the I'falms, rfulm viii. in vvhich 
 David breaks fonh into. admira'ion and wonder, at that 
 glory and han.-iur which God the Father put up.m man at 
 firft in the wotk of creation, and next in the work of rc- 
 derapiion : When the Son of Gal tork the nature of 
 man upon him; well might it then be f/id, L'.rd t H'hnt 
 ii man thni thfu wert tbi;s nundftd of h'm, and ih Pms nf 
 men, that thy dear and only Son did thtis ,vifit them i 
 Learr. hence, I. l liat fuch was the incr.rcciv^ble 1< vc of 
 Jcfus Cluiftihc Sen of God, towards the fens of men. that 
 he was free and willing to condcfcc nd un'o any crndi'ion 
 for liieir benefit and fidvation : He thst was the Creator of 
 angels, vras wil'in:^ for our f.ikes to be m?dt lover thrn 
 the angels, a little hwr, that b, for a liule time lower than 
 the anjrel , namtiy, during the lime of his hunili^iion. 
 2- That this wondtrfui condcfccnfion of Chiift to take the 
 nature of mr-n, his rcfpca snd care, his love and grace to- 
 wards mankind, is jiiil matter "f g.catand eternal adii.i- 
 raii'in. Oh ! What is m.an that thou art mii.dful of him, 
 and crowiiedft him with dignity and glory. 
 
 8 Thou haft put all things in fubjeaion under 
 his fcGt. For in that he put all in fubjeaion under 
 him, he left nothing Ihct is not put under him. But 
 now v.-e fee not yet all things put under him. 
 
 We had r.n account of the depth of rtir Lord's humi- 
 liation be fore, of iheheiahthof hisexaltation now,:,ll thirds 
 r.re and ftiall be put under him : for thouoh God ha« eivcn 
 "Chiift dominion overall ihittgs, and all things are fubjea 
 to his power, vet he hath not as yet cxcrcifcd hit complete 
 power in ruining "all his cncmie-;. and reducing all his peo- 
 i)le to fubjeaion ; and thi'; v. ill not be fecn until the Idl 
 /«.-■;;,' he converted, and tmtil death, the laft enemy, be dc- 
 ftroved. But yet, in the mcnn time, Chi ill is exalted uitli 
 areat triumph to his kingdom in heaven, and there crowned 
 ^iih dianiiy and honoi'ir, and glory in heaven. It is 
 eafv to ^believe, that every thing fhall he put uneler liim 
 that rifcth up ngainft him, in liis own appointed limc. 
 
 C) r.ut wc fee Jefus, who was made, a little lowc; 
 than the augels.'for thefufTcringof death, cinwncl 
 with ';iory and honour; ih.it he b)' the j^race c 
 •Cod Ihould tafic death for every man. 
 
 O/fc-ne here, i. Thnt wonderfi 1 hun-ilicti'-n a.nd rb-'P'- 
 mcnr, die txin;ni'i(>n «n 1 deep dcprt flirn of the glcrin 
 Jefi:s ; he was irade f"r a little ^lire l/uer th'ti t!.- -• 
 
 . that, is, ho was 
 
 mad'^ mm, .nnd morti'l, and did 
 
 - iitui. i.T, *»»- ...... ..■- . 
 
 -death -, 2. Tlie majmer if nur Lord's dcnfh, He tr/ 
 
 iie did really U.^'--*'', v ! ' 't tiiftc d'it ; hc^taiUd c- 
 
 tltn 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 If- E B R E W S. 
 
 551 
 
 them to bleffl-'Inef , and pmbably a care and charpe of their 
 loi'es after death, as may be s;aiheied from St. Judc, vcr. 
 9 ^/nrfi hcnoe, I. Tliat the hi^hcft hnnoirr ot the m:)ll 
 jrloriStis anjtls in heaven, is to mimtler to i hi- faints by 
 G >d's ap >(Mntm;.-nt. here on earth. 2. That fsich U the 
 lov- and care of God towards his fjints, that he fends the 
 m A olo.-io'!'.- attcninnisup'^n his own throne, to minilJor 
 iint.i them .n I to f.ike care of them. Bshold then the aOo- 
 nidiin:; rci^-rd which the great G d has for tjood men, in 
 th . he :ipp.)ints all his angels to miniiltr to them, for the 
 f.ifegiiardof their pcrfons, for thefuccefs of tlieir aftairs, 
 aiidforthe fectiriiy of their eternal falvaiion. Lord ! what 
 is man, that thou art thus mindful of him ; that when 
 thoM mideft him lower than ih"? angels, thou llioiild yet 
 make the antjclsminifter unto him r Behold alfo the impiety 
 of the church of Rome, in worlliipping of angels : Surely, 
 if they arc our fellow- fervants, and minifter unto us, wc 
 are by no means to worlhip thcin. See Rev. xix. 10. 
 
 C II A P. II. 
 
 Our ap^ftk having proved, his propojition, namely, that 
 Chnfl, the d'fpcnftr of the go [pel. was not mily ahffve 
 Mifei tlie deliverer 6j the law, but far Juperior to 
 the angels themf elves; he cmcs, in this chapter, to 
 drau) an inference from his foregoing difcoicrfe, 
 
 THEREFORE we ought to give the mofl earn- 
 efl; heed to the things which we have heard, 
 left at any time we Ihould let them flip. 
 
 As if our apoftle had faid, feeing Chrift is fo excellent 
 in his perfon, and feeing the gofpel has fuch a glorious au- 
 thor as the blelfed Jefus; let us take great heed that we 
 eileem his perfon, revere his authority, reverence his mi- 
 nidry and his melTIige, and that our enemies be not like 
 leaking veffels, futfcring the word at any time to llip and 
 run from us. Ltarn hence, I. That the confideration of 
 the revelation of the gofpel of the Son of God, is a power- 
 ful motive to an hi^h eflimation of it, and a diligent attend- 
 ance on it. Therefore we ought to gh'e the more earneji heed\, 
 _that is, knowing the excelUncy ot his perfon, and fublf- 
 miiy of his doftrine. 2. That the true and only way of 
 honouring our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the Son of God, is 
 by diligent attendance and obedience to his word : Where 
 there is no o'jcdiencc roihe gofpil, there is no faith in, nor 
 love unto Jefus Chrirt, the author and difpeivfer of the 
 gofpel. Learn 3. That there are fundry times and feafons 
 wherein, and feveral ways and means whereby men are 
 in great danger of l»ling the word if they attend not di'i- 
 gcntly to its prefervation : Leji at any time, fome lofe 
 the word in a time of profperity others in a time of 
 nerfecution, fome in a time of temptation. Learn, 4. 
 That the word heard is not lofl; without grea,t fin, as 
 ■well as with the itievitable ruin of the fotii's of men-; 
 if we fuffer the word to flip out of our memories, that we 
 forget it ; out of our hearts, that we defpife it ; out of our 
 lives, that we are difobedint to it \ it is loft as to us, and 
 vill end in ourlofs, yea, in our ruin at laft. 5. That the 
 cnly way to prevqiit this fin and danger, under the void. 
 
 is bv a very dilitrent attendance up-m it, and giving more 
 earnefl heed to the things contained in it \ wc arc to attend 
 to the word before vvc liear, to bring ii.s to it : to attend 
 upon it in hearin:;, that it may be reinwbcred by us ; and 
 af'er we have heard i', that it may oe pradlifd by us. 
 This confiderafion, 1 liaf it is the word of Chrilt, the 
 great and niighiv God, the vvirdcrn of the Father, that we 
 are eoing to hear, will engage tis to give the more earned 
 lieed to the things we hear, Lejl a! uny lime 'aic Ikould Lt 
 them jUp. 
 
 2 For if the v/brd fpoken by angels was ftedfaft, 
 and every tranfgrefnon and difobcdience received 
 a juft recompence of reward ; How fliall we elcape 
 if we negle6l lo great (alvation ; — 
 
 The apoille having fet forth the tranfcendcnt dignity of 
 Chrift's perH'n and dfFicc, and Ihewn that he was a inore 
 excellent prophet than Mofes, a more excellent prieU than 
 Aaron, a more excellent king than Melchiftdec, ln-rcupmi 
 he infers, that fuch as defpifc the gofpel, the dodtrine of 
 this blelTed Jefus are far more excufable than tliofe that 
 were the tranferenc>rs of thelaw of Mofes, If the ivord fpoken 
 hy nngeh was fledfaft : that is, if the law given by the mi- 
 niflrv of auijels was firm and inviolable, and all the tranf- 
 grefTors of it were juftly and ftverely punillied ; how can 
 we efcape perifhing, if we ncgledt the gofpel, which makes 
 a difcovery of that great falvaiion which was purchafcd by 
 Chrift for loft finners .? The apoftle's argument is drawn 
 fa minor; ad majtisj from the lefs t • the greater. Thiis if 
 Alinighty God was fo fevere againft the vi<iIation of a far 
 meaner inftitution, to wit, the law given by the miniftrv 
 and difpcnfation of angels, how can we efcape, that ncslcdi 
 to hear and obey the gofpel, which makes a tender, "vea 
 the only tender of falvation to a Inft vsorld ? Kite here 
 
 1. The great care which God Almiglity takes to make loft 
 finners happy : namely, by offering them a great fahation. 
 
 2. The great care which every one of us ought to take in 
 order to our own happinefs and falvation, and that is, not 
 to negleSf ir. 3. The great euiit ^vhich they contrnff , and 
 the inevitable punifliment God wi'l inflidt on fuch as do 
 neglecfl this Ejreat falvation. Hozv fb:tU they efcape ' Learn 
 hence, i. That there is a falvaiion held forth and tendered 
 by Chrift to loft finners, in the gofpel. That this falvation 
 thus held forth and tendered unto finners, is a great falva- 
 tion ; great in its author, Chrift Jefus"; great in the price 
 paid for it, the blood of Jefus ; great in the (ubjedl recipi- 
 ent of it, the whole man, foid and body ; great in regard 
 of the evils it faves us from, fin, Satan, the curfe of tiie Lv,\ 
 death and hell ; great in rcfpedt ot the gracious pjivilcces it 
 inierefts believers in. 2. That iiotwithftandrng this falva- 
 tion is fo great, yet there are fome that negleft it. 3. That 
 it is impofiible for fuch neglei£ters to cicape. .'Oucfi. i. 
 What fhall they not efcape r Anf. The curfe of the law 
 the wrath of God, the fentence of Chrift dcnoimccd, and 
 the fentence of Chrift inflided. J^H'/?, 2. Why ftiajl ihcy 
 not efcape ? Anf. Becaufe fuch perfons fin againft the re- 
 medy, the only remedy which the wifdom'^of God hath 
 found out for tnan's recovery ; and acc^-rdinglv, the mouth 
 of God hath fpoken it, the hand of God hath written it ; 
 
 and 
 
f).:2 
 
 HE BREWS. 
 
 Cjiap. I. 
 
 titat is, lie dicfl fi'allv an J not in apf^«imccnn1y,lic taftcd it. 
 Jmplvint:, that he iindt-rwcnt the bittcriiefs of it. He found 
 out ixperimcntally what death was by dying, as a man 
 finds out the bitternfis of a thin" by taOini». Aijain, he 
 did but tafte of it, he was not tiitally overcome and van- 
 •<)Miflicd by ir ; he continued but a fhort time under it, it 
 vas rot pofTib'le that I'.e fhould be long hf)lden of it ; ilic 
 dic;nity or liis pcrfon rendered a fltort coniiniiance of him 
 iiiidrr the power oi denth fuflicicnt fnr ot-r rcdempiion. 
 •J. The pcrfons for whom he tailed death or diet! : lor others, 
 not fur hinifL-lf ; that is, for thiir room and IUmJ ; he im- 
 ^erwcnt tiiat dcitli in our Head, which wc (h'udd have 
 ■iinderijone in our own perfons. 4. The txtcnt of Chrhl's 
 ricath. he tatted i\e-x\h pr ruery men ; that is, Chrift by Iiis 
 dcatli hss made (ioJ propiiionsto txery man, made fin rc- 
 inKTiblc and every man favcabic : Tiicdeaih ot Chrifl ren- 
 ders God wiliiii!^ to be reconciled unto all linners ; fuiih 
 renders hi;n adnally reconciled. The reafon why cviry 
 man doth not obtain falvation, i« not for want of a fufHcic-nt 
 propitiation. <;. The mcning caufc which inclincil G(xl 
 to deliver lip Chrift to death, and to transfer our pimidimcnt 
 upon him, and that was his own j^racc and free g,<x)d-wi!l, 
 77v// Ic h the grace 7f' God fhwld tajle death fir every man. 
 6. 7 he ph)rioiis reward of our Lord's Hiffcrings with refer- 
 ence to himfclf, ff'e fee yeftn, for fuffering death, cvKUu-d 
 with ckrv and ht,n:ur. As Chrift's meritorious fiifl-'crings 
 for MS fo (h;ill <»iir patient fufFering for him be rewardctl 
 with the highcft glory in heaven, 1 Pet. v. 10. The G 3d 
 «/" till grace tvht hath called us- inl3 his eternal glory hy Chrijl 
 'Jefus, after yt havcfuffered a while, m»h ye ferfc£1 , £<c. 
 
 10 For it bccan-c him for whom ^;r all things, 
 and by whom <ire all things, in bringing many Ions 
 unto glory, to make the captain of their falvation 
 -pcrfcft through fufferjngs. 
 
 Ohfervt here i. The gracious title given to Chriil, the 
 Captain 'f cur falvatidn \ becanfe the whole work of falva- 
 tior., from (ir!t to lall, our gi;idancc and conduct through 
 •fin and fuffifring, unto glory and happincfs, is comtnitted 
 fo him. As a captain he conducts with care, he leads on 
 with power, he difchargcs his trnft with tendcrnrfs and 
 love : He go« before us in obedience, in fufrering thrcugh 
 death, and into glory. Th.it God made Jefus Chrift 
 the captain of our falvation perfect through futtl-ring; that 
 i*, he was conftrratcd snd ftt apart tor the office of a ccm- 
 plere pricfl by his own blood, when he otFcred himftlf 
 without fpot to G.kI. Every Lcviiical pricfl w.nsconfecrnt- 
 cd by the blood of a bcafl, facriticed ; Chrifl was confe- 
 crated by Ms own b!rvr«l, for no other blo'xl woidd be 
 accepted. It is callc<l the Father's aet to confcCrate and 
 make him perftcl ; but indeed it was the Son's own imme- 
 tiiate act ; the Father's by dcllgnaiion and appcintment, 
 but Ms owr l)v nclual performance, cfi'L-rintj himfelt through 
 the eternal Spirit without fpot. 7,. That Chiiii being ccn- 
 ftcratcdand perfcifted through fulfc- tings, hath con fee rat ctl 
 the way of fufFcrine, for all thot folliw him to p.Tfs thp'tigh 
 it into glory. Uptm this ccmfccration r^f the way of fiiffor- 
 in^ by Chriil Jtfiis, a iK-litver's futii.ring becomes, i. 
 Nccefl'ary and xinavuid^blc ; the head and the members 
 
 miirt be made confarmablc to cacli other, Roir. viij. nc). 
 They arc thereby made. 2. Ufcful and profitable ; Chrift 
 has taken the curfe out of ihc crofs, and r;!ndif)cd the 
 crofs to a fpecial end and purpofe ; hereby likcwifc all fuf- 
 ferings for the gofpelare. 3. Made honourable ; no trcatrr 
 honour than to fuffcr for Chriil, Aits v. 41. The'^cpc'iles 
 rejciccd that they had tl e honour to Jufsr fhame for his name. 
 And lafliy, fuficrings hereby are made fafc to the funs of 
 Go<I, yea, more fali* than profperiiy by far. Gold is not 
 t.-nfumetl, but improved and prcfe.-ved in the furnace. 
 Ohjenv, 4. That fuch is the merit and dcfert of fin, and 
 fuch the immtitabiiiiy and fcxCrity of thejufliccof Gcd, 
 that there was no way po/lible to bring (ini.crs unto glory 
 but by the death and furiVrinas of the .Son of God ; cr, if J 
 poflible, yet no other way fo becoming Gtxl, // be:i,m» him \ 
 for-jih'.m are all thin'^i ; and fo exprtflivc of his love and 
 gootlncfs to a loft world, it would have been unbcconiinp 
 Govl, the fuprcmc Governor of the wrrld, to have palled 
 by thedefcrt of fin, without a faiisiaftiun ; therefore his 
 wifdom contrived that grace fliould be cxercifed, and juf- 
 tice fatisfied, that fin fliould be punifhcd, and irercy mag- 
 nified ; that finners fhould be favcd and the glory of all 
 Gwl's attributes fccured. 
 
 1 1 For both he that fanftificd, and they who 
 arc fandiSed, are all of one. For which caufe he 
 is not afhamed to call thein brethren, 12 Saying, 
 I u-ijl declare thy name unto tny brethren, in the 
 niidd of the church will I fing praife unfo thttf. 13 
 And again, I will put my trufl in him. And again, 
 behold, I, and the children which God hath given 
 me. 
 
 In thefe words, the union of Chrift and tis, by Ms par- 
 ticipation of the fame nature with u<;, is declared : he and 
 we are ell a/" one; that is, of one and the fame nature, of 
 one itock and original; it was the product of the wife, 
 mercil'id, and lighteoiis counfcl of (jo»l, that the Saviour 
 of men fhould have communion with them in their nature, 
 that he might have right to redeem them by his propin- 
 quity and alliance with thetn ; £ith he that funilifieth, and 
 they that are fimflifcd are all cf one. Learn hence, i. That 
 the Lord Jefiis Chrift was, and ou;ht to be of the fame 
 nature and ftock with thofe whom he did redeem, and fane., 
 tify imto God. Divine junice required, that the fame na- 
 ture which had finned flioidd fuiFer for fin. The w ifdom 
 of God was plcafed to rctlcem man : Man miift be re- 
 deemed by msn : God as G"d could not die, thrrefiirc God 
 becomes man, that he niight be in a cap?ciiv to die ; he 
 that as man will redeem man, niiift be of the fume nature 
 with man. This Chrifl was, both bv divine inflitntion, 
 and by a volimtary fufception ; He that firflificth, ardthcf 
 that arc fanflifiedy are all if eve. 2. That Chrift, haviuij 
 taken our nature upon hiin, ?ccounts it no difgrace fo ac- 
 knowledge and own us for his brethren; Chriil will be 
 alhanied of none of his brethren but fuch as arc .t fhiire 
 untohiin. 3. That notw ithltnniling the union of nati.-re 
 which is betw ixt Chiilt and us, vet in rcfpe«ft of our perfcns, 
 there is an inconceiveable dilinnce betwien him and us: fo 
 that it is a m.ar^•cl!ous condcfcenCan in him to call i!t 
 
 lucthrca 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 933 
 
 brethren. Here note. That ilioiif^h Chrift cslk us breth- 
 ren, yet it becomes ns to cjII hiiii Lord; anJ as fuch to 
 adore anti worlhip hini, toglorifyand ferve him, to hunour 
 and ouey him. 
 
 1 4 Forafmuch then a.s the children are partakers 
 
 i6 For verily he took not on him t/if nature of 
 angels; but he took on him the feed of Abraham. 
 
 It may be rendered from the original thus: He catch.d 
 
 not hoid onaiigels but onman he calchedkuU. A inetaplior 
 
 faken from a perfon that caiches hold of anoihtr u ho is 
 
 of flefh and blood, he alfo himfelflikewife took part falhng down ibme deep and danjierous precipice, toh is 
 
 of the fame ; that through death he might deftroy i'leviiable deftrudion : i>uch a good and kind oifice did ihe 
 
 him that had the power of death, that is, the devil : ^"" of God for us, when he differed angeU to fall hend- 
 
 15 And deliver them who through fear of death '""S f'""'" the ftate of happinefs in which they vverecrear- 
 
 ..,„.. ^11 ^u • ic .• r I, a. . 1- J ed, into that abvis and uulph of nnfery into which thcv h.iJ 
 
 were ail their lite-time lubiecl: to bonda'-fe. „i., „j ,u„ r\ u • 1 r '■''■' 
 
 J ^yj I <.gv pltinged themlelves by tntirvoUintarv traHf^rcliioti ; the 
 
 ^/y>rue here, I. The reality of Chrilt's affimiing the Ike unto wbicii had ni.in alfo done, h.id be not been fea- 
 
 human nature aflVrted : yfj the childrtn are partakers of ibnably catchcd by the Son of God in the arms of preven- 
 
 fle/}} and hloid, he alfo hlm/rlf li/;^-'.ui/e took part of the/awe. ting grace and mercy. Leurn, That it was nut the an- 
 
 Which is in effect the fame he had airerred in the forego- 
 ing verfe, iW.xr. He that fan^ijifth, and they that are fan^i- 
 fied, are all rf;ne ; ihatis, of one natural and original. 2. 
 A twotold reafon afligiied, why Clinft thui coildefcend- 
 i«gly ailoined the human nature, namely, that he might 
 delfroy the devil, who had the power of death, and deli- 
 ver his people that were under the flavifh fear of death. 
 
 gelica], but the human nature : It was the nature of fallen 
 man, and not of Lipfed angels, which the Son of God did 
 vouchlafe to affuine, and tjke into a perfonal union with, 
 his Godhead. Quejt. Why would net Chrilt ti.ke upon 
 him the nature of angeh? Probably, bccaufe they were 
 the firft tranlgrtlTors, and God inighijudge it decent that 
 the fird breach of the divine law Ihould oe punilJied with 
 
 Firft, ThJt he might deftroy him that had the power of death, to lecure obedience for the future : Or, 1. Becaufe 
 
 death. Here«(;/f, i. The devil ilefcrihed in a very form! 
 dable manner, asone thathad the power of death ; notthe 
 lupreme, but a fubordinate power of death ; a power of 
 death as God's executioner to inflict it ; the devil has the 
 power of death, jull as the hangman has the power of the 
 gallows, to put thofe to death whom the judge condemns 
 only. 1. Him that has thus the power of death hasChrifl 
 deflroycd, that is <lifarnied and difabled, not deftroyed 
 his being, hut difarmed him of his po'<^er and authority 
 over tlie children of God. 3. That Chriftdid this by his 
 own deith ; through death, that is, by his own dying, he 
 deftroyed him that had the power of death : It was upon 
 the crofs that he fpoiled principalities and powers, and 
 mitle a iliewof them openly ; Chrillby dying conqnerred 
 death.. The fecond reafon of Chriff's appearing in our 
 
 the angels linned without a tempter, they hjd no fuperior 
 rank of creatures already fallen, as man had, to feduce 
 and draw them from their obedience to the Creator's will : 
 Or, 3. Becaule the angels iinntd againlt more clear and 
 conviclive light and knowledge; there was nothing of 
 weaknefs, deceit, or ignorance, to lelfe-n the maliyniiy of 
 their fin : they did not (in by niifperluarion, but of purpo- 
 led malice. But, after all, the rcafunwhy Chrilt look not 
 hold on angelj, but on man, the feed of Alir:ihani, mult 
 be ultimately refolved into the iovereigniy of God's will, 
 who will be merciful to whom he will be merciful. Lord!' 
 why mercy, ihy milder attribute, Ihould be ey.ercifed to- 
 wards man, and jultice, thy teverer attribiue, be executed 
 upon angels ! Why vtffels of clay are chulcn, and veflels- 
 ol gold rejected, mult be refolved into that love which 
 
 flelh and nature, was to deliver his people from the llaverv p'fTes know ledge ! And we HmII never fully undeiltand the 
 and bondage of the finfu! and fervile tears of death. Here riches of tliisindilcriininaiir.g grace, until thy dear Son (hall 
 woV, I. I hat there is a natural fear of death which is not appear at the great day as their Judge, and our jultifier. 
 
 fiiitul: Art thou afraid of death? Thou were not a man 
 if thou did(t not fear it : There cannot but be in nature 
 an averlion te its own diffulution : and nature v ill always 
 act like itfelf. 2. That there is a I'ervile flavidi fear of 
 
 Then fliall we feel the comfort of ihefe words, that Chr'tfl 
 tookniit uponhim the nature of angels, hut thefeedof Abraham. 
 
 ij Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be 
 
 death, which hath both fin and torment in it : A fear of made like unto his brethren; that he might be a 
 
 death as penal, and drawing after it everlafting piini/h- merciful and faithful high priell in things j&o-toTjZH^ 
 
 ment. 3. That unregeneratemcn, if a ienfelefs ftupidity to God, to niike reconciliation lor the (ins of, the 
 
 has not benumbed ihem, and a Ipirit of flumber fallen upon people. 18 For in that he himfelf hath lufFcred 
 
 them, are in bondage under the fervile and (lavilh fear of being tempted, he is able to fuiccour them that are 
 
 death. It will daunt the ftouieft man that ever lived to . .^^ . 
 
 look upiin ileaih, w hen he can fee noticing but hc]\ beyond 
 It. 4 That Jefus Chnft, by <'ying, hai; freed all his chil- 
 dren from this fervile and tormfuiing fear of death. u 
 Ciirift has taken away the true leafon of the fear of death, 
 namely, the curfe and condemnation of the Jaw of God, 
 TheJItKg of death is fin, and the Jlrength of fm is the Lii> ; 
 death has its wounding povvsr from (in, and (in hath its 
 condemning power from the law. 2. Chrilt hath.alTured 
 believers that they fliill not be lole rs, but gainers, yea, 
 great gainers by death, couQdt nno the privme evils freed 
 Ironi, and the poCui'-e gogd ''irv th.ill red in. 
 
 tempted. 
 
 In thefe verfesonrapoflle illuftratcs w'hnt he hidtanplit 
 before, and confirms his foregoing propoliiion concerning 
 CI. rift's, participating of flefli and blood, and atCjuaints us 
 here with one fptcial end of it, namely, to be fuch an 
 High Pricft as our exigencies and neceffities did rir^uire : 
 For we being perlbns obnoxious to temptations and luffer- 
 imrs of all lorfs, the wildom of God, and the nature of 
 the tiling required it, tliat Chiilt our great High Prif/t, 
 (hoi'ld in a Ipecial manner be able 10 rtlicve and he'pus: 
 6 £ .In 
 
i>o4 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 Chap. iii. 
 
 In order It thit, Chfcr\>c . ?. How onr apofble reports nnd 
 TC-aiTcrts. ih.Ji Chrjt was/n all things, or every maniicrof 
 way, njJr tike uilo hh iirtthren ; rliat is he aflumrd the 
 hiinssn nature wiih all its (flenti.i? properties, fiibjicli-d to 
 leniptaticns and fiifFtrinf;*, but not to fin, for thai tvould 
 have heen fo fjr from comlurinp ro the end aimed at 'h:it 
 it would have been utterly deflritftiveof it. Had he been 
 himfrit'a linner, he roiild ni-^'er h:ive f.itififd the juflic of 
 Cod ""or our fins. 2. 1 he pener;il end of Chrift'.< cunt'or- 
 tnity to his brethirn ; n.iniclv. that he fnii>ht be a iiierci- 
 f.il and tjiihfi.i! higii Prieft That henii;;h' be our Prii'fV, 
 it was nrcefTary that he flirmld partake of our nature; for 
 c.-cry high \ix\e{\ for men niurt be taken from among men ; 
 this is not woik for an angel, nor for God himfelf a< fuch : 
 And that he nrghibe our merciful untl f.iithful High Prieli', 
 he was f,ibjL-rt \\3 fufferinps ard ttnipt.tv.ns. Wiili great 
 condolcncy and teii.ler fyiiipatl-.y dorh he exercife ads of 
 mercy atiil conipadi.intow.irds tlie human nature ; and thus 
 was he n)crcifiil, and with great conde/cenlion and care 
 doth he fake notice of all the ccncernments of his brethren 
 under wants arid forrows, under all their temptations and 
 fuTerings : And thus is he onr faithliil as well as merciful 
 High Pi itO. Luirn hence, Th;ii futh wasthe unTpeakable 
 love of Chr:ft to'-vardi hii brethren, th.it he would refufe 
 no condition of life, neither fulFerings nor temptatityis, to 
 fit him for the difcharge of hisoffice, which he had under- 
 t.iken for them. Chrilt fuffeied, a.nd was tempted, that 
 lie might fuccour them that are lem^xeii : He fuffered un- 
 der all his temptations, but finned in none ; he fufF-rcd 
 being tempted ; but finned not. being tenjpie<l. 3. The 
 I'pecial defign ami end of Chrift's being our great High 
 Prie/l ; namely. To ninke reconciliation f.r thejins of the peo- 
 ple. From whence learn. That the principal work of our 
 Lord Jcfus Chrid, as our great High Prieft, and from 
 which all other aclings of his in that office do flow, was 
 to make reicmcihation or atonemetlt for fin ; his intercef- 
 fion it) heaven i^ founded on earth. The Socinians there- 
 lore, who deny the fatisfaftioo of Chrift, and his dying as 
 J propitiation, or propitiatory facrifice for Cm, takinir from 
 us our hopes and happincfs : from Chrift, his office and 
 honour ; from God, his grace and glorv ; they do indeed 
 allow of a rfconciliationin uords, but it is of men to God, 
 ^nd not of God to men: They plead the expediency of 
 our being reconciled to God by fdith and obedience, but 
 deny the necclhty of God's being reconciled to us by fa- 
 crifice, f.iti.vfaftion, and atonement ; {a refulvcd are thefe 
 liien to be as little as m.iy be beholden fo Jefus Chrift, that 
 rather than grant that he has made any reconciliation for 
 us bv hi^ hloDil, they deny that there was any need of Inch 
 a reconciliation at all. never conlidering the inflexibility 
 of Gi'd's juH'tte, nor the impariialiiy of his indignation a- 
 giinft fin. Oh ! the depths of S.itan; and Oh ! the ihi- 
 pi.fity and blindnff-, of ihofe men that are tjken captise 
 by him at hit. ple-fure. 
 
 C II A P. III. 
 
 Our ap.flk having, in the fnrtgoing chapter!, ajferitd 
 the dMrim of cur Saviour's pritjtkocd, according 
 to I'./s coujfaiil method, he comes in t'ln chapter to 
 tnuie applxaiioii to tlui doclrine wldch he had de- 
 
 clared and coiifirmcd, that feeing Chrfl zuas fo hir/Jy 
 dignified and exalted, ieing the apjlle and High Prtrji 
 of cur priifeji-.m, vie fhmdddili^^emly can(\A^T him bcth 
 xuhat he is m hinife/f. and w/uU he is to us. This 
 ti .iches us, that all the doHtines of the gcfpel, 
 efpccially thfe concerning the prrf^s end cfices of 
 J'fus Clirijl, ought to be improved by us unto praHice 
 and obedience. 
 
 WHEREFORE, holy brethren. parf.ikcr.-t of 
 the heavenly calling, coiifidt-r the apoflle 
 and hi^h-pricft of otir proftffion, Chpift Jefus. 
 
 Thefe word'; are an exhortation to the believing Hebrews, 
 to c'.np'.er and ponder in their hejrts the high d'gniiy and 
 exctllency of Chrift, as the great Prophet and Apoflle of 
 his church : and in them, Ohjerve, i. The title given fo 
 the Hebrews, unto whont the exhortation is direft?d ; he 
 ftilfs them, i. Holy hreil.rrn, Ibthey were all by external 
 proff ITion, and many of them, no tlonbt, by internal fanc- 
 tification. /.^'iS' whence, That all the profefl'irs of thegol- 
 pel are obliged to be holy, and fuch as are re.iliirofefTors of 
 it, are fanftified by the Holy G'lofl, and made truly and 
 really holy. a. Partakers i,f the henvrnly calliitf; ; thai is, 
 of that calling from heaven which niake< y,iu heirs c)f hea- 
 ven, implying, that the only way to attain ihefaving l-now- 
 ledge of Chrift in the gofpel, is by means of an effectual 
 heavenlv calling. Chferve,i. The duty exhorted to, and 
 that is diligent confideration, Crmflder Chrijt J, jus ; that 
 is, rationally attend unto, and with great intentionofminii 
 ponder up!)n the untlertaking of the Son of God: For if 
 you conlider him in his perlbn ami ofHcef, yoti will firmly 
 adhere to him and his moft holy and excellent religion, 
 without entanglements unto J iidaifm. /forn thence, That 
 the fpiritual and deep tnylteries of the i.'of|.el, efpccially 
 thofe which concern the perfon and offices of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, do require our deep ?nd diligent, our moft 
 attentive confideratitm. Ohfvrve, 3. The title given 10 
 Jefus Chrift, the object «f this ct-nlideraiion, he is ftiled 
 the Apofth and Hi^hPrieJli,/ our prcfijf';jn; thatis, the firft 
 and chief apoftle lent of God to be the prime pre;icher of 
 the gofpel, the firft legate fent from heaven, anti the grejt 
 High Prieft that mediates between God and man. Here 
 note. That the funclionof an Apoftle and High Prieft were 
 the greattftfuncbonsthatever God inftitnted in hi' church : 
 None greater than an High Prieft under the law, none 
 greater than an apoftle under the gofpel, bo>h ol tiiern 
 never coijoined in one man hut here. Learn hence. That 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift is all in all unto his church, the 
 King, Prieft. Prophet and Apoftle of it, all in one : Cn- 
 fider the Ap'Jlle and High Pritjl of our prujijfi'.n. 
 
 2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him 
 aS alfo Mufes -was faithful in all his houfe. 
 
 Recaufe the Jpws had generally too h gh an opinion o' 
 Mufes, our apftle hire enters upon a coni(iaritbn beiween 
 Chrift and Moles, thus ; "As Moles was faith'ul, fo was 
 Chrift in d claiing the will, the « hole \» ill of God unit* 
 his church. Was Mofes univerfally faithful, faithful tit 
 all his houfe? So did the faithfuhiels of Chrift extend iiftlr' 
 
 ti 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 i)r>s 
 
 toallthecluirdi. D'uiMofes do every thing accorHinjrtothe 
 inftiuitionatnl ap;i liitoient of G )J? S-i was Chrill faith- 
 ful to him that appointed him, doing all that in and for ihe 
 church, which God had commanded Iiim, and nothing 
 elfe." L'arn hencr, Thac the worfliip of God in his 
 hofliol d and family, the church, is, for the fubftjnce of it, 
 no lefi pcrfeiflly and completely ordered and ordained by 
 our Lo-d J.fu-. Cnritt, now under the gofpel, than it was 
 by Mofes or" old under the law ; I fay, as to the fubftance 
 of it, not as to every particular circumlbnce. As, for 
 example, The manner of celebrating the pafTover, in every 
 minute circumftjnce of it, is fet down by Mofes, how it 
 mull be kilkd, and how eaten '. biit Chrift has not fo fet 
 down for the (acrament ; a genera! command we have to 
 do th's in remembrance of him ; but neither the time when, 
 nor place where, nor gefture in which, is particularly and 
 e.xpredlv mentioned. The gofpel, which teaches us 
 more fpiritiial way of fervingGod, is not fo particular ia 
 the circumftantials of worfliip as the law was^ and yen 
 Chrijl wus faithful to him that appointed him, as Mofes &c 
 
 For thismjn u'as counted worthy of more glory 
 than Mofes, inafrnuch as he who hath builded tlie 
 houfe, hath more honour thau the houfe. 4 For 
 every houfe is builded by fome man : but he that 
 builded all things h God. 5 And Mofes verily zva% 
 faithful in all his houle as a fervant, for a teftimony 
 of thofe things which were to be fpoken after ; 6 
 But Chrifl;, as a Son over his own houfe : whofe 
 houfe are wc, if we hold fall the confidence,andthe 
 rejoicmg of the hope firm unto the end. 
 
 Our apolUe ha ving in the preceding verfcs, entered upon 
 a compariloii between Chrill and Mofes, and flievied in 
 general wherein tht-y were .ilikeanddid agree; he proceeds 
 now ro evince the preference of Chrill, and to (lie w in Inn- 
 dry (ignal inllances hisexaliation above Mofes : This man, 
 meaning the Meiriah-'o^.J-f counted wirthy of more ghry thon 
 M'fes, kc. As if he had (aid, "Chri(t is as much more ho- 
 nourable than Moles, a- the makerand mafterofthe houle 
 is more honourable than the home : Ke that buiKieih the 
 houft, hath more honour than ihe houle; but Chrilt built 
 the houfe, and MoiVs v as only of the hout'e,or a part ofit ; 
 therefore Chrift oUjjht to h.ive more honour than Mofes, 
 for all houfes or fami'.irs are founded by loine nian ; but 
 he that built the church is the fame ^hat made all things, 
 namely; God." Another propodtion, proving the fame 
 conclufion, we have in the next verles : thus, " He that 
 is a fon over his own boufe, is i|f more honour than a fer- 
 vant in the houfe of another. But Chrifl is a ion over 
 his own houfe : Mofes was only a feryant in the houfe of 
 another ; therefore more honour is due to Chrid ihan is 
 payable to Mofes. Lefirn hf nee, I. That the church is 
 God's houfe, a building of Gud, a fjcn d building, hs 
 fpecial temple, ihc pUce ot his conflant and fixed relidence. 
 2. That the buiUling of the church, i"; fo j^rv at and glo- 
 rious a work, as that it could not be elTectcd by aiiv but 
 liiiii who was truly and really God : Such is the wifdujii 
 of its contrivance, that none but a God could built it, and 
 
 fuch omnipotent power was required in the building of i'. 
 that we may admire its excellency, but cannot comprehend 
 it. 3. That Chrift, the builder of tiiis church, the houfe 
 of God, is worthy of all glory and honour upon the ac- 
 count of that his building; he had indeed an cfTcntial glory 
 from all eternity, the fame with that of God the Father, 
 which was clouded for a feafon, by his taking upou him- 
 fcif the form of a fervant : but there is a farther honour and 
 glory which he received in hisexaliation as Head of the 
 church, and as Lord and Heir of the whole creation, which 
 renders him the objctl of religious adoration. 4. That 
 although every one that is employed as an inflrumtnt in 
 building the houfe of God, and is faithful in his work and 
 irud^ is with Mofes worthy of great honour, yet the 
 honour of all fuch iiirtruinenis put together, is inferior and 
 fubordinate to the glory and honour of Jcfus Chrifl, the 
 chief builder of the church, (^hn/e houfe are lue, if -we 
 hold fafl the confidence, and the rejoicing of ths hnpe firm unto 
 the end. The apoftle having ihjs confirmed his argument, 
 returns (according to his ufual manner) to make applica- 
 tion of it unto the Hebrews, and improves it for enforce- 
 ment of his exhortation untp conllancy and perfVverance. 
 Whofe houfe are 'Jje ; that is, believers who wrrfliip him 
 according to the golpel are fo, upon this condition, //-rtfwf 
 bold fifi our confidence ; that is, the confident pofTedlon of 
 ourChridian faith, and the joy and glcrying in our hopes 
 of the promifed blefTednel's unto the enil. Leatn hence, 
 That as it is an eminent privilege to be of tfis houfe of 
 Chrid, or a part of that houfe, lb the great-nefs of the pri- 
 vilege requires an anfwerable duty ; becaufe we are the 
 houle of God, it becomes us to hold fift our confidence 
 unto the end. 2. That as at all times, lo efpecially in a 
 time of trial and perfecution, condancy in ourChridian 
 pfofeHion, is and will be a good evidence, both to (;ur- 
 (elves and others, that we are living dones in the houfe 
 ot God : His houfe 'j)C are, if we held fufi our confidence 
 unto the end. 
 
 7 Wherefore as the Holy Ghofl faith. To-day, if 
 you will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts 
 as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in, 
 the vvildernefs : g When your fathers tempted me 
 proved me, and faw my works forty years. 10 
 Wherefore I was i>rieved with that generation, and 
 faid, They do always err in tlieir heart ; and they 
 have not known xuy way's, ii So I fwareinmt* 
 wrath. They fliall not enter into my reft. 
 
 The apolile having proved- our Lord Jefus Chr'.ft to bi; 
 the great Prophet and te.u her of his church, do.h in rheCe 
 words-draw an inference from the forej.'o ng conclufion ; 
 namely, that feeing Chrid is the chief Apodle and Prophet 
 of his church, feeing he was a teacher fciu of G-.d ton- 
 druc^ the world in the practice of their reafoniblf; duty, 
 that therefore it is our obliged du:y to hearken icChrids 
 voice, and that now to comply with his call ind tharpre- 
 fenrly. Wherefore, as the HJy Chjl faith, 7o-dtfyify,u 
 ■will hear hit viice, hardi n not y.ur hearts. Cbfcrve here,- 
 I. Theperfoii fpcke of, and that is Chrid ; bis vitce.xhdt. 
 
 6 E 2 
 
y5<5 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 III. 
 
 is, ihs voice of Ciirift our great Apoftle, fpeaking in his 
 jrofpel. 1. A duty required of us in reference to his per- 
 ron, atul that is, to hear and obey ChriIVs vuice. 3. The 
 Lirciiinit.iiice of time, and the fpeci.il feafon when this duty 
 vi hearing Cl»ri(l's voice is to be performed, and that is 
 prelenily : To-diiv if ytu ludl hear his x>'jice. 4. A cauii- 
 oiury direction )iiven to ail thnle that lit under ihedifpen- 
 Jaiioii of the jj.'lpel, -md hear ChriiV's voice fpp:iking to 
 the:n therein ; njinelv, to take heed that tiiey kirtlfri not 
 their hearts. Lf«rr hence, 1. That the voice wliichlpeaks 
 imto us ill and by the pofpel, is Chnll's voice. 2. 1 ha: 
 it ij the great duty of all thofe that lit under the preaching 
 t>f the pofpel, to hear and obey Chrift's voice. 3. That it 
 is not only their duty to hear Chrilt'svoice, andanfwerhis 
 call ni the f;"'l"^'> ^'" ''^ ''° '^ "''"J, to do it prelcnily, and 
 without delay : To-diy if ynu ■will hear hit vAce. 4. That 
 it ii> the duiy and oup;ht to be the fpecial care, of all thole 
 that fit under the difpenfaiion of tlie gofpcl.and that hear 
 Chrill's voice fpeaking to them therein, 10 take heed that 
 they harden not ihtfir hearts. Obferve, IjOIv, from our 
 api)ltle's drawing an inltance out of the Old Tellainenr, 
 namely, that of the Jews in the wildernefs, to inltruct the 
 Hebrews to make ule of the prel'ent feaioii for hearing the 
 voice of Chrilt under the New Tertament : we /farn, that 
 Old Telfanienl examjiles are New 'I ellanient inltriiftions. 
 The example of our fore-fathers are of ufe and concern- 
 ment to us, and ought to be the objects of our deepefl con- 
 fideratiun : Tour futhtrs tempted me, and I was grieved 
 •uiith that ger.eratior.. 
 
 12 Take heed, brethren, lefl there be in any of 
 you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the 
 living God. 
 
 The apoflie having propounded the example of the If- 
 raelitcs, in the foregoing verfes, to the conlideratitmof the 
 Hebrews, here he advil'estheni to take care that they do 
 not imitate the old Ilraelites in their unbelief, which will 
 endanger our revolt from God now, as it did theirs then : 
 Take heed UJi there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief . 
 Where note. The n.^ture of fin in general, and of unbelief 
 in particulrr, declared ; it is a departure from God, from 
 thelii'ing God ; therootof allapoftacy iscurfed infidelity: 
 Unbelief fets all the corrupt lulls and affections of the heart 
 at liberty to ift according to their own per verfe nature and 
 inclination ; for it makes the foul negligent, carelefs, and 
 flothful in oppoling fin. N'te farther, 'J'nat there is need 
 of great care and lietdfulnerf, ofcircumfpedion and watch- 
 fiilf.efs, l(-(lat any time, or by any means, there (iioiild be 
 found in us an evil heart of unbelief, to occafion our back- 
 Hiding from Clnilf,and the profellion of our faith in him : 
 Take heed left there be in any of you an evil heart cf unbelief, 
 in departing, Arc. 
 
 1 3 But exhort one another daily, while it is called 
 To-day ; left any of you be hardened through the 
 deccitfulneU of lin. 
 
 Thcfe words afford us a fpecial retnedy againft the fore- 
 mentioned evil of apoftacy, ami that is Hiutual exhortation 
 wconltuucy ol religion : Exhort one an(iiber,\n\nii\eT% the 
 
 people, and the j>cople their ininifters,and themfelves mu- 
 tually, Leatn hence. That fedulous and mutual exhor- 
 tation is a fpecial means to preferve Chriftiansfromthe tin 
 and danger of apoflicy from Chrift, and his holy religion ; 
 Exhort one another daily. Obferve iiexr. How this duty ig 
 amplified by the properties of it, it muft be frequent, £.-5:- 
 bort one another daily ; an<i (ealonably, vihit/f it is called to- 
 day. We have but an uncertain (eafon for the due per- 
 tormance of molt cert.iiii dunes ; how long it will be called 
 (o day, we know not ; the day of life is uncertain, and fo 
 is the day of the golpel .' a fummer's day for clearnels, a 
 winter's day for Ihortncfs ; our working day is a walling 
 day. Ob/erve, laltl^. The great peril and danger which at- 
 tend the neglec^ers atid neglecting of this dmy, Leji any of 
 yau be hardened through the dcceitfuinefs ofdin. Learn hence. 
 That lin is very full of deceit, or exceedingly deceitful. 
 2. That the deceit which is in lin and inlVparahle from 
 it, tends exceedingly to the hardeuingof the tinner. There 
 are three eminent evils in fiu ; pollution, by which it de- 
 tiles ; balenels, by wh.ch it dilhonours : deceitfulnefs, t>y 
 vhi<.h it deludes us with a fallc expectation of what it is 
 never able to perfoim. 
 
 14 For wc are made partaker.s of Chrift, if ko 
 hold the beginning of our confcicnce ftedfaft unto 
 the end ; 
 
 That is, hereby we fliall declare ourfelves to be made 
 partaker? of Chrift and his laving bent fi's, if we perfevere 
 in the faith of tiie gol'peljof which we have begun to make 
 a profellion ; intimating, That fuch Chriftians as do re- 
 nounce the profeffion of Chrilhanity, either though fear 
 or flattery, were never made partakers of Chrift, nor fa- 
 vingly united to him : No better evdence of our inteieft 
 in Chrilt, than w hat perfeverance given. 
 
 15 While it is faid, To-day if you will hear his 
 voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 
 16 For foinc, when they had heard, did provoke : 
 howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Mofes. 
 
 The intention of our apoftle in thefe and the following 
 verfes, is toconfiiin his preceding exhortation, to hearken 
 unto the voice of Chrift, fpeaking in and by the gofpel ; 
 and this he does by propounding the example of the 
 ifraelites, who came forth out (^f Egypt under the conduct 
 of Mofes, and henrd the voice of God in the wildernefs ; 
 they all came out of Egypt imder the condiict of Moles, 
 and heard the voice of God in the wildernefs ; howhcic 
 all did not provoke, but '"ifily fome. Ntte b«re, i. How 
 the apoftle again rcpeateth over the words of the Pl'alinift, 
 which he had mentioned before, v. 7, 8. To-day if you vill 
 hear his voice, harden not your hearts. From whence wc 
 may learn, that the repetition, yea, frequent repetition of 
 matters of moment, is very iifcful and necefl'ary : We can 
 never hear that too often, which we can never learn too 
 well. A^o/r farther, Fhe privilege which the Ifraelites of 
 old enjoyed in the v.'ildernefs, and which we now enjoy 
 under the gofpel : Both theirs and ours is \.h\%,Tu hear the 
 voice of God. This is a very great privilege, but privileges 
 are as men ufe them; iu theinl'elves ibay are very valuable, 
 
 but 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 957 
 
 but unto usthey are no more than as tlicy nre prized and 
 improved by us. Many, ye.i, mod of them to whom 
 Chrift himfelf prciched, finally perilhed; they got nothing 
 by hearing his doctrine, througli rheir unbehcf, but an .-g- 
 gravation of their lins, and haltening of their ruin. Chrilt 
 himfelf, in his whole miniftry, was a ftone of Ihimbling, 
 and a rock of olfence to both the houfes of Ifrael. Let 
 rot hisminifters then be difcouraged at the fmallnefs of 
 their own fuLcefs, knowing that they fli.ill be a fweet fa- 
 vour unto God, as well in them that perifh, as in them 
 that are fa vcd. No!e laftly, That although many, very 
 many in the wildernefs that heard the voice of God pro- 
 voked him, yet not all, ver. 16. Some when they heard, did 
 prwjke, h'jviheit, not all that came out of Egypt. Learn 
 hence, That in the mcft general and vifibleapoftjicy of the 
 chuith, God cvermcre rcferves a remnant to himfelf to 
 bear witnefs for himfelf by their faith and obedience : They 
 frm.".ked, hnvjbc'it n'A ull. Gid always has, and ever will 
 referve a remnant of faithful an undefiled fouls unto him- 
 felf, to maintain and keep up his own kingdom in the 
 world, and to have a revenue of fpecial glory from them, 
 and by them, lo long as the world continues. 
 
 17 But with whom was he grieved forty years ? 
 ivai it not with them that had tinned, whole carcafes 
 fell in the wildernefs ? 18 And to whom (ware he 
 that they fliould not enter into his reft, but to them 
 that behcved not ? 19 So we fee that they could 
 not enter in becaufe of unbeUeF. 
 
 6 /i/^rvf here, the party grieVed, God ; the parties griev- 
 ing, //le people of Ifrncl: '1 he time of both /or/y ^f^r/; the 
 , occalion of this grief, lin in general, unbelief in particular, 
 hardnefs of Iseart, and final apoflaty : the punifhment of 
 fw, their carcafes fell in the vj'ilJernefs. Leurn, 1. That 
 fin is the proper object of God's difpleafure, the only 
 thing he is dilpleafed with for itfelf, and with the finner 
 for fin's fake, 2, That public fins, or the fins of focieties, 
 are great, very great provocations unto God : It was not 
 for their perfonal and private fins thet God was thus pro- 
 voked, but for their confederacy in (inning. 3. From 
 their exemplsry puniliiment, their carcafes fell in thevjil- 
 d^rnefs ; that God fometinies makes men who have been 
 wickedly exemplary in lin, to be righteoufly exemplary in 
 puniftiment. y4nd to •wh'jm f-Mare he that they fhould not 
 enttr into his reji, hut to them that btlifvcd not ? Ghfcrve, 
 The rejf here fpuke ot is the land of Canaan, fo called, 
 becsnie Godpromiled it to Abraham, to plant and lettle 
 his p.ideriiy in it ; and becaufe it typified heaven thatettr- 
 n.il reft which God has prepared for his faints ; into this 
 red ilie rebi-ilious and unbelieving liVaelites mult noteuier; 
 God fware the contrary, be fwaic by himfelf, he fware in 
 hib wrath, he fware to make his lentence irrevocable and 
 immutable. Lord ! thine oath (lands as a bar againft all 
 unbelievingfiniier'iat thisdjy as it 'lid againft the Ifraelites 
 of old, and cuts olf all hope of future entrance into thy 
 eternal reft which they have eternally forfeited : to whom 
 Jvjare he, &CC. Z.f<vrrr hence, I'.f That unbelief is the im- 
 iiiedi.ite root and cam'e of all jfrovoking fins. Did men 
 believe the happiiitfi of heaven, they could not negle^flit ; 
 
 did they believe the torments of hell, they would avoid 
 them. 1. That the oath of God is er,g.iged .-)g:iiii(I all 
 ui;bel:ef, and no unbeliever (hall enterinto the reft o.^God- 
 ver. ly. We fee they could n at enter in becaufe if ur.belirf. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 This chapter is 0/ the fame nature, and carrielh on th^ 
 fame defign with the foregoing ; both of them con- 
 tauiing an exiwrtation to faith, obedience, and pafcvc- 
 rance. 
 
 LET us therefore fear, left, a promife being left 
 M5 of entering into his reft, any of you ftiould 
 ieem to come fhort of it. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " Seeing you have fo dread- 
 ful an example of God's wrath executed upon your fathers 
 in the wildernefs for their unbelief, take heed of their fin 
 left ye fufFer the like puniflnuent." Here note, 1. The 
 manner of the exhortation, and how the apoftle includes 
 himfelf in the admonition, i,c/ us far ; it is wife and fafe 
 for the mipifters of God to include thfinlelves in the ex. 
 hortations and admonitions which they give to others ; for 
 they need excitement, and the means of eftablilhment, 
 as well as others. 2. The aflfedion of fear, which our a- 
 poftle lecommends for their prelervation from falling ; by 
 which he means a fear of care, diligence, and circumfpec- 
 tion. Let us fear left we come fiiort and fail. Fearisa 
 good monitor, and the beft prefervative from fin. 3. Tl* 
 duty exhorted to, left a promife of reft being made, we 
 fhould fall fhort of aittaining it, as the Ifraelites did that 
 fell in the wildernefs. Learn hence, i. That it is matter 
 ofgreat and tremendous confequeace, to have the promifes 
 of God propounded to us ; they are either a favour of li.''e 
 unto life, or of death unto death ; one of thefe two will 
 certainly be the confequent of their propofal. God will 
 demand a ftri<El account of she Cons of men, of the enter- 
 tainment given to his promifes and threatenings. 2. That 
 they which mix not the promifes ot God with faith, fhall 
 utterly come fliort of entering into God's reft. 3. That 
 the failing of men through unbelief, doth no way caufe 
 the promilesof God to failorceafe ; Theveracity of God 
 is engaged for the ftability of the promife ; fo that though 
 Mien, by their unbelief, n)ay difappoint themfelves of their 
 expectation, yet they cannot bereave God of his faith- 
 fulnefs. 
 
 2 For unto us was the gofpel preached, as well 
 as unto them: but the word preached did not pro- 
 fit them, not being mixed with faith in them that 
 heard it. 
 
 Chfervehere, t. That the gofpel is no newdodlrine, no 
 new law, but one and the lame to all perfons, am! at all 
 times, ever (ince the firft publica;ion of it in the original 
 promife, Cfn. iii. 15. It is the fame for fubftance, though 
 not forclearnefs ofrevelation ; the feme golpel was preached 
 to Adam, to Abraham, to the Ifraelites in the wildernefs, 
 which was preached by Chtift and his apoftles, but with 
 clearer light, evidence^ and power in iheadiuinillration of 
 
 it: 
 
95& 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 it; Uito lit was the gofpcl, the fjnic gofpcl preachfd as-jiell no other enA, but that men may lay hold upon the pro- 
 
 as uittt thetn. 2. That the generality of p'-rfon?, who have mile. 'Ihus the thre.itcniiig ih.Tt Ninc\eh lliuiilit perifti, 
 
 fit unJtr the pre.mhing of the pfi!pei in Al ajres, h.Tvenot was jrivcn out mercifully, that Nineveh might net be de- 
 
 faviii^ly proiitid by \i. The '.uord preachfd did not profit : ftioyed. [\.io^\<.i^i, Mthtugh the vi'jrks 'jjere finijl^fd from 
 
 Fro:M the beginning it has been To, partly through carelrlT- the foundation cfthi -jirirld. That is, Almighty God, when 
 
 nefs, and want of d le atteittioii in the hearers, and pjrtly he had perfected and finilhed the works of creation in lix 
 
 for want of meditation upon, and particular applioaiion of days, relted on the fevenihday from his labour ; iliewing 
 
 the 'Orord unto themfelves after they have heard it ; p,irtly us, by his own example, that work and labour muft precede 
 
 through the neglt(!t of prayer for a bleflin^ upon the word our reft : AfterGod had finilhed the glorious work (;!' cre- 
 
 iliey hear : For thofe and the like ciufes, the word preached aiion, he returns as it were into liis own eternal reft, and 
 
 did not, nor does not profit. 3. Unbelief in mau's heart, direfts to feek reil nt hinifelf ; anti, by his own exiinple, 
 
 is the great caul'e of ihai nnprotitablenefs which is fonnd in teaches us; that our days uf labour muft go before ourday 
 
 the word preached ; unbelief hinders the efficacy of the of reft. 
 
 word preached, by with-hoKling men from vieldiHv their r u^ r 1 • - -„ 1. • 1-^ «f •.i,« r.>..„_»u 
 
 ,r ' , » I .L u u u I • u e " 4 For he Ipake ma certain place or the ieventh 
 
 alkiit to the truths they hear, by hmdenng them frcni an- ,^ ,. f> ai^jijoli- uj 
 
 plyitig.from a particularand dole applying ol, he word tl.'y ^9- «" this wife, And God did reft the feventh day 
 
 hear, to their ownconfciences : Am! unbelief hinders men from all his works. 7 And in this /f/dff again, If 
 
 from c.illing upon God, by prayer, for a blefi'mg ii-on the they fhall enter into my reft. 6 Seeing therefore it 
 
 1 
 
 word they hear. 4. That the word pre.Tched them pro- 
 fits, and only then, when it is a mixed word ; Theorigi- 
 nsl word is a metaphor taken either from feed, from meat, 
 or from phytic. A-> feed muft he mixed with the foil, and 
 with the dew and rain of heaven, or it will never fpring 
 and grow ; or as meat muft be nnxed with the ftomach, 
 vr it will not nourilh ; and as phyiic muft meet and mix 
 
 remaineth that fome muft enter therein. and they to 
 whom It was firft preached entered not in beeaufe of 
 unbelief : 7 A^ain.he limiteth a certain day .faying, 
 in David,To-day, after fo long a tirtie : as it is laid. 
 To-day if ve will hear his voice, harden not your 
 hearts. 8 For if Jefus had given them reft, thca 
 
 with the humour, gripe and put the patient tu fome pain, would he not afterward have fpokcn of another day 
 or it will never cure : So muft the word be rooted in the 
 heart, or it will never frudtify in the life ; it muft be mix 
 
 ed with faith, with love, with humility, with patience, or 
 it will never bring forth fruit with joy. 
 
 3 For we which have believed do enter into reft. 
 
 For the clear underllandiiig of thcfc words, we muft 
 know, that there is a threefold reft I'peiken of in fcriiiture, 
 all which are called His ; that it, (jod'sreft, being all of 
 his appointing and providing : NameK,i. 1 lie relt of the 
 Sabbath-d^y, in remembrance of God's refting from the 
 
 as he faid, As I have fwoin in my wrath, If they work of creation. 2. The typical reft in the l.ind of Ca- 
 Ihall enter into mv reft ; although the works were '"^"- 3- An eternal rtft with God in heaven ; of which 
 liniftied from the foundation of the world. ''>^, '"'^'^^'h !"'^ ibe Ifraelites reft m Canaan w ere a .ype 
 
 and figure. Now the apoftle s dehgn is to prove that the 
 As if the apoftle had faid, There is a reft promifed to ^eft which God principally intends for his people is this 
 US believers, as well as the typical reft, Canaan, was pro- laU reft, namely, an everlafting reft with himfelfinheaven: 
 iearn^thence, ^ That the ftate of and this he eviden:ly proves, beeaufe if that reft which 
 
 they had obtained in the 'and of Canaan, under the con- 
 
 miled to the Ifraelites 
 
 believers, under the pofpel, is a ftate of bltfled rtft. There 
 is t fplritual reft which believers obtain entrance into by 
 Jefiis Ciirift, in the faith and worlhip of the go'pel, bflidcs 
 their eiernnl re.ft in heaven. This fpi ritual reft conlidsin 
 peace with G.'d, in fatisfadion and acqniefcfnce in God, 
 and in means of communion with God. 2. That it is 
 faith alone which is the only way and means of entering 
 into this blelT d ft.ite of reft : H'e who hai'e heliei'ed do en- 
 ttr into rrff : As unbelief cuts off from, fo faith gives an 
 entrance into the relt of God, It follows, — As I have 
 f-jjorn in my -wralh. If they fljuU enter intomy reft : Ohferve, 
 
 duct of Ji^fhua, c;illed (in Syriic) Jcfos. had been all the 
 reft which Almighty God ever itucndcd for them, then it 
 had been netdlcis for D.n-id in the xcvth Pfalm, which was 
 penned along time after, even i'ome ihoufands ofye«rs,to 
 ni/ike mention <'f any other reft. But this he does ; and 
 thercforeintcrs.that there is a third rift yet to tonic, which, 
 by the preachingof the gofpcl, was no* propoied to them, 
 and that under the farnepromifcs and threatnings with the 
 former. If Jtfus or JoOiua had given them the true Ipi- 
 ritual and eternal reft here fpoken of, in Canaan, then 
 
 Here .5 a threaieumg, confirmed by the oath of God, that ^^uj^ ^^^ o.^^.j^, afterward have fp.-ken of another reft 
 
 they w^ho believe not (nou d never enter n.to his reft , and after their reft in Canaan ; w hich feeing he has done, the 
 
 prom.fe,thatluch as dobeheve Ihall certainly enter. Uarn 3 n,e concludes,ihere mi>ft yet remaina farther refttobe 
 
 thence, That there is a mutual in-being of pro,;,ifes and enjoyed by the people of God. From ihe wh. 1.- note, 
 
 rhreatenings in the covenant, whuh m.-ft be conhderedto^ jj^t (;„,, ^ ^, i,- „,ve„his people afull afTurance 
 
 gether, and cannot be kpcratrd each from the other, ^f enjoying a reft upon condition of faah ■ and this another 
 
 W here theic is a promife expnl led, there a threatening „,a„„er of reft than th^t of Canaan, which .he lfracli.es 
 
 IS laciily iimlerftood ; and where there is a threateningex- of ojjj jjj eniov 
 
 prtfl'ed, be it never fo fetnre, yet there i^n craciou' rroniife i-i • .u -t- r n 1 1 
 
 Fncluded : Nav. fomenmesGod give*out .threatening for , ?, There remametb therefore a reft to the people 
 
 ^ of God. • 
 
 From 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 959 
 
 manner rf reft than that of Canaan, which the Ifraelities 
 of old <tid ei joy. 
 
 p There remaineth therefore a reft to the people 
 of God. 
 
 From the forpgniniT promifps the apoflle draws this con- 
 clufion, T hat thtre rfmaineth yet a ninre plorious, per- 
 fect, and complete reft for the people of God. Ohprve 
 here, i. Something implied, namelv, That the people of 
 God, while here on earth, have >* ork to do, and labour 
 incumbent upon them. Reft and labour are correlates, 
 the one fippofes the other ; the apotUe affirming, that 
 there is reft remaininji; for them, ftronply fuppofes that 
 tliere isKibour at prefenr brlongin^ to them. God's peo- 
 ple are an induftrious working people : Chrift's prefent 
 call is to fervice and duty. -a. I'hat God has already gi- 
 ven his people a foretafte of, and foine entrance into reft, 
 durinc their prefent ftjte of work and labour, the better 
 lo enable them for that, and the more to fweeten that to 
 them. 1 he ftate of fin is a ftate of all labour and no reft ; 
 the ftate o^ glory is all reft and no labour ; but 'he ft.ne of 
 grace is a mixed ftate, partly oflaliour, and partly of reft ; 
 of labour in refprft of ourfelves, in refpeft of the world, 
 againft fin, under afflrttion and perfecution : But cf reft in 
 Chrift, in bis love, in Iiis favour, and grace : and tlius our 
 labour m.ikes our reft fweer, and (>ur reft makes cur labour 
 eaiy. ^. Thar there is referved and laid up in heaven, 
 for all the people cf God that lerfe him laborioiifly and 
 faithfully here on earth, a fure and certain, a compteat 
 and perfeft, a glor'nus and everlafting reft; for its quan- 
 tity, it is full of reft ; for its qnality, it is unmixed reft'; 
 reft and nothing bui reft : For it; duration, it is an eter- 
 nal reft ; the le.ift fear of loilng or leaving it, would im- 
 bitter all the joy which the faints tafte in the fruition and 
 enjoyment of it. 
 
 lo For he that is entered into his reft, he alfo 
 hath ceafed from his own works, as God did from 
 his. 
 
 Into the fpiritiral heavenly reft, mentioned in the fore- 
 going verfe, the believer is faid to have entered, in this 
 verfe ; and this is done two ways, initially, inrhoativcly, 
 and imperfecl'v in this life ; fully, finally, perfciftly, and 
 completely in the next. They have now a prefent title 
 aiidright to enter into his reft, the actual enioyment and 
 full pofleffion of it is to come. Ch/erve, i. Believers have 
 already entered initially into this reft whilft here on earth, 
 and accordingly '".'f^ cea/etl frc^n their i,tvn 'j/or ks • th.Tt is, 
 the wt)rks of the flefti, the ferv'ce of fin ; thele miy have 
 difcarded by repentance and mortification. Here ncte, 
 That before converfion a perfon is dointr hi? own works, 
 fulfitlinf; his n^in will, and not God's ; but after he ceafes 
 from all finfu! work«, inchoatively though not perfeffy ; 
 He hat hnth entered inf^ his refl, hath ceafed frrm hit r,ivn 
 'jiifks. Ohferve, i. Th-Tt when belie^'ers haie finifli'ed all 
 their works of evangelical obedience, thrv fii.-.ll then, and 
 rot till then, fully and finally enter into God'^ reft, and be 
 for ever happy and in the enjoyment of it. A'l men defire 
 reft, but it is- not to he found on earth, but in heavtn ; not 
 in the creature^u: in Cod. Ohipoy they, which, believ- 
 ing the excellency and glory of this reft, do woik, w.iic, 
 
 and w i(h for it, and with diligence and forftancv nfe all 
 holy endeavours for the aitain'ng ind fecuring cf ic. 
 
 1 1 Let us labour therefore to enter into that n-ft, 
 left any m^nfall after the lame e.xanipleof uiiDeiief. 
 
 As if our ap'jftl; had faid, " Seeing there is fuch an 
 eternal gloriou reft prepared for, and promiltd 'obelicv- 
 ers, then it is the duty, and ought to be the endeaviur of 
 every (me of u« 'o ferure our title to it, and uur inieteft 
 in it, by a ftedfaft faith, and perfevering obedience, l ft, 
 following the example of our forefathers in the wilder- 
 neis, we fall and perifli as they did." Learn hence, i. 
 That there is a reft proaiifed to us under the gofptl, as 
 there was to the Jews of old under the dil'penfation of the 
 law. 2. That the Jews heretofore, by fin in gfneral, b/ 
 unbelief and dilcbedience in particular, did fall fhort of 
 the reft propofed to them, and never entered into it, but 
 were deftroycd by the j'lft indignation of GoJ. ^. That 
 in the IlVaelites liu and God's difplealiire, in the event of 
 the one, and in the ctFtcts of the other, thtre was an ex- 
 ample fet forth, of what would be our lot and poriion, if 
 through unbelief we fall fliort of the reft which the gof- 
 pel propofec to us: Let us Lihcur to enter into that rijt , trji 
 any mun full after the fame example, kc. It is cur duty 
 to improve examples, left we be made examples of divine 
 difplealiire. 4. That we cainiot rationally have the leafl 
 expectation of efcaping vengeance under the gu It of thofe 
 fins, which others, in like inannf r, being guilty of. have- 
 not efcaped ; for with God there is no re fj-ect of perfon*. 
 Did the Ifraelites mifs of the earthly Canaan ? So (hall ■ 
 we of the heavenly, through unbelief. 
 
 12 For the word of God 25 quick, and power- 
 ful, and fliarper than any two-edged fword, pierc- 
 ini^ even to the dividing afunder. of foul and Ipirit, 
 and of the joints and marrow : and ii a difcemer 
 of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faal, " Take heed efpecially of un- 
 belief ; for the word of God, or doctritle of the gofpe),- 
 will c^ickly find you out, if you be gnilty of it." There 
 is a piercing power in the word of God, through the ener- 
 gy and efficacious operation of the Holy Spirit; it is here 
 compared to a fword, becaufe it does divide things nioft 
 nearly united, anddiftover things moft inward and fecret, 
 or rather God by the word d<'th this; he by the word 
 pierces. ti<en to dividing a/under tf the piul and f\<irii ; that 
 is, the aftings of the undcrflanding, ard the motions ot 
 the will and afftiflions, it cuts afunder the mcftTcfolute 
 and ■comp.^cied purpr.fts of the will; yea, it pierces to the 
 marrow, that i';. the moft fecret aiui clo'fe contrivances if 
 the foul, the thnughts and intents of the heart. O mighty 
 pinver of the word ! and of God in and by the word, to 
 convey ftrength to 1 he weak, wildoin to the fimple, com- 
 fort to the forrowfnl, light to the blind, and life to the 
 dead: it brings IVtiis oui of ihtr ciptivity of liu into the 
 bltflt d liberty of faith >n Chrift; 
 
 1;^ Neither is there any creature thut is not ma- 
 nifeil in his fi,!;ht ^ but all tilings arc ii.iktd and open- 
 ed unto the eves of hlai widi wlivui we have- tu d<i, 
 
 J. title 
 
c,eo 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 Cha?. IV. 
 
 ' There is not any one place !n fcripture, 1 think, which 
 innre fully informs us ot the perfeft and fxaft knowledge 
 of Almighty God, as to all ptrfons and things, ilun this 
 before. Objcrv;, I. The ohjeiil, all and every thing, 
 our ptrfons, our aiflions, the manner of our aftinns, the 
 defisin and end of our 3(ftions ; he knows what we have 
 h?en and done, and what we will he and do. i. The 
 full manifellations and clear reprelVntation of all perfons 
 and things un'o God. (i.) All thing* are here faul to be 
 naked, unclothed, their drets and paint taken off: Thcfe 
 words are an allufion to bodies, which being dripped and 
 nnrlothcd all fee what they are ; there may be many dc- 
 forniiries. b>lcm;lhes, yea. ulcers, upon a body undifcerned, 
 while it IS clothed and covered ; but when naked, every 
 fear appear;, and nothing is hid: all things are naked in 
 his ji^hl : that is, he 33 plainly difcerns what ;hey are, as 
 we ilil'cerf* what a body is that ilands naked before us. The 
 ■knowledge which GotI has of perfons and things, is a clear 
 ard diltmft knowledge. (2) AH things are here faid to be 
 i./'tn a? wril A'^r.nktd, unto God; a met.iphor taken, I'sys 
 St. Chrylolhmi, front the lacr:fii.ed beads, which being 
 fxcoraird, their Ikins plntkedort, ihey were cut down from 
 the neck to the rtnnp, fo that all the inwards of the bt^aft 
 lay bare, and evt-ry part might be clearly feen : It is one 
 thing to fee a (hecp alive, with its (km and fleece on, and 
 another thing to fee it naked and flayed ; but a farther 
 thing to (ce itr.penedand unboweled, with allits intedines 
 and itiwards expofed tothe eye. Others think there is in 
 the original word an allufion to anatomifts, who open and 
 difleift human bodies, the heart, the liver, the lungs, the 
 bowels, all exac'tly appear, whether found or decayed : 
 Such a kind of anatomy doth God ni:<ke upon man's 
 heart ; hi' piercing eye fees and difcerns what is flefh, and 
 what is fpirir in us. what is faith, and what is fancv, what 
 is grace in reslity, and what in appearance only, Doubt- 
 lefs the phrafe doth fignify a molHntimate, full, and tho- 
 rough knowlfdj^e of all perfons, and all things, which is 
 found in that God wiih « hom we have to do, and to whom 
 we muft give an account for all that we have done. 
 
 14 Seeing then that we have a great high prieft, 
 that is paffcd into the heavens, Jefus the Son of 
 God, let us hold fall our profcflion. 
 
 Our apoftle comes now to aflert the prieflhood of Chrift, 
 and to fet forth the dignity and excellencv of his office; 
 from whence he encourages the believing Hebrews to per- 
 feverance and rtcdfaflnefs in the profeflion of their faith 
 in hin). Here note, i • The eminenry of the perfon, Jtfu! 
 the Son nfCnd; not by fupernatural conception only, but 
 by eteruil generation alio ; this is the eminency of that 
 perfon who is (nperior to men and angels. 1. The excel- 
 tency of his cffire, a Prieft, an High Prieft, a great High 
 Prifft : Not bart'ly equal with Aaron, but fnperior to him, 
 and iiifinitfjy above him ; the univerfal fupreme Pontiff" 
 of heaven and earth, in comparifon of whom, all other 
 priefts, even the highcft of them, were but fliadows. 3, 
 \^\^ rel;.tion to n^, H'e huve him ; that is fpcciul intereft in 
 him, nuking profeflion of obedience to him; and he is 
 faJPtJ'imo the hcuvcns, lu open heaven to us, and to make 
 
 inierceffion with the Father for u<. This entrance of 
 Chrift's into heaven, \% as (hadowed forth by the high pr:ell'» 
 entrance into the holy of holies here on earth. 4. Our ob- 
 ligation to him, let us hold faff our frafrjfv.n ; that is, ihe 
 proffdion of our faith in him, w ithout wavering, with con- 
 ftancy and pcrleverance. Li-arn hence, 1. Thjt great op- 
 pofition ever has been, and alway* will be m;ide unto tlie 
 itedfaftnefs of believers in their holy pri-telFion. The apof- 
 tle's exhortation plainly fuppoles oppofjtion. 2. That it is 
 our duty, in the uiidfl of all oppolition, to hold faft 
 our holy profeflion, without either apoftaiizmg in the 
 whole, or declining in parts of it. The glory of ^od is in 
 the highcft manner concerned in it, and ifTured dtllru(ftion 
 attends the orailTion of it, and that in a peculiar, terrible. 
 Slid dre.idful manner, chap. x. 29. Learn, 3. That be- 
 lievers have great ei:conr<"gement unto, and afllftances in 
 the (ledfaQnefs and conftancy of their holy pitjfi-ljion, by 
 and from the priefthood of Jcfus Chrift : For as he is our 
 High Priell, he knows our temptation';, piiics os under 
 them, affords us actual help and relief agniuft ihcm, he in- 
 terceding w i'.h the Father, that our faiih may not fail 
 and that we may be kept by the almighty power of God 
 through faith unto falvation. 4. That Jefus Chrirt, our 
 High Prieft, was the Son of God ; and the neceility of 
 his being fo, did thus appear; 1. Before the entrance of 
 fin there was no need of the office of priefthood between 
 God and man : For every one was then in his own name 
 to go to God with his worHiip, which would have been ac- 
 cepted according to the law of creation. 2. Sin being en- 
 tered into the world, there was no n>orc wor/bip to be 
 performed immediately unto God ; two cannot walk or 
 converfe together, except they be agreed. 3. That the 
 wordiip of God might be again reflcred in and to the 
 word, it was indifpenfibly nectfTary that fome one fliculd 
 iiiterpofe between finners and the holy God; for ffiould 
 finners approach him immediately in their own names, 
 he would be unto thrm a confuming fire, 4. No creature 
 could undert.ike the office of being a priefl for the church 
 of God, which no-v confifteth all of finners : Neither the 
 nainie of the c ffice, which was to interpofe between God 
 and finners, nor the quality of the w-ork, which i<io make 
 atonement for fin, would admit of it. 5. Jefus Chrift 
 therefore undert;.kipg to be a Prieft for finners, it was 
 neci ITary he fliould be what he was, the very Son of God : 
 Seeing we haxie a great High Pritji , <ven J (Jus the Son of 
 Cod, let us holdf'jf our froffjjion. 
 
 15 For we have not an high prieft which cannot 
 be touched with the feeling of our infirmies; but 
 was in all points tempted like as we arc, yd with- 
 out fin. 
 
 Thefe words contain a farther defcription of Chrift our 
 great High PrielK by his merciUil dil'poliiion towartis his 
 people: he is laid fo he touched; that i., fenfibly ;iftt-c1ed 
 with the irfirmitift , that is, the milcries, fufferings andca- 
 lamities, which the human nature is exerciled v. i'h, and 
 expofed to. Our Lord Jcfus Chrift, now in heaven, doih 
 
 exercil'e 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 901 
 
 exfrcife a tender an J companionate fpirit towards hisfuf- 
 fering children and lervanrs hereon e.irth ; hehssanex- 
 ppriiiieiital knowledge of what his people (iifTer, either 
 from God, or from man, for God's fake, as cnc that is 
 interffted in rhem, as one concerned for them, a;, one re- 
 lated to theni, yea, as bein^; one wiih iliem. The iym- 
 pithy of C'lrid with, and towards hi. I'otfcring people, is 
 a triider lyriipaihy, an extenfive fynipaihy, it reaches all 
 our infirmities, a proportionable fwnpathy, anfwerable to 
 every occ;ifion, a perpetual fynipathy ; as long as he con- 
 tinues Hijih Prieft, and we remain iiibjetl to inlirmities, fo 
 long wil! he bi' tonc'ied with the feeling of thcni. Obftrve 
 .farther. The :ilTigned reafoii why onr great High Prieft is- 
 A> feiifidly iiffiiti-d W'ltii onr rufK-ri;;g condition ; namely, 
 became he "as in all points temj-sted as we are, fin ex- 
 jCepred. Chrift. by affiiining our njture, bccai^ie humbly 
 aflFeflionate, and by IbflVririg our infirmities, became ex- 
 perimentally compafliunate. Here no/d", That tetjiptation 
 may be without lin ; it is not our lin to be teniptcd, but 
 to cotnply with the renip;ation. 1. That Chriil w astemp- 
 ted, yea, in all points temp;ed like unions: His teinpta- 
 tions were in all points like ours : he was tempted to fin, 
 yet without fin. There isa twofold temptation to lin, in- 
 ward and outward ; inwardly Chiift w-as not tempted to 
 fin, outwardly he was, ard with great vehemency aflault- 
 ed both by men and devils to the worft of fins that ever 
 nian was ; but he always rtfiflcd, and always overr.ime. 
 Oh what a cotifulation ii this unto usutider all t iir tempta- 
 tion', tliat Christ was in all things tempted like unto us, 
 but without fin ! 
 
 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne 
 of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace 
 to help in time of need. 
 
 Thele words are an inference drawn from the apoflle^s 
 foregoing difcourfe, " Seeing we have fiich an Pigh Prielt 
 as is before defcribed, let us come with boldnefs, with free- 
 dom and liberty to the throne of grace, 5:c " Nuts here, 
 1. There is a throne of grate which beli?vers ntay come 
 unto ; God h.-is a throne of jnltice, and a throne of j^race : 
 If he loiiks upon man according to the law of w orks, he 
 nu:ft needs fir upon the throne of j'itlice aj a fevere Lord, 
 aud (Iritl judge, to condemn us; but being propitiated 
 and atoned by the blood of Chrift, his throne is a throne 
 of grace and ini^rcy, from which he reprelVnis himfelf to 
 us as a God in Chrift, as a God of forgivenefs asa God 
 in coveoant, and as a God that wiU ha\e cotnmunion with 
 us. 2. Tiiat believers may come boldly, and with con- 
 fidence to thi< throne of gr,ice ; they have liberty to do it, 
 ihey have au horiy to doit, and may have confidence and 
 afljrance of audience in the doing of it. 3. That all help, 
 fuccour, and Ipii it.isl :/fIlftance r.i c\ery time of need, is 
 found with God, and procetd- fioin mere mercy and grate 
 in Cod, 7hut -wt may ohla'tn rrutiy. and futli'acf 1 1 htlfi in 
 time of need. 4. 1 h^t the way 'o olitain nieicy, and iind 
 grace to help in every t-imeofiu'ed. is by a due ajiplicatron 
 of ourfelves foi it othc thri.ne of grace. : Li t itS co^ue ixjliHy 
 to the throne of gruce, ibM vie may fnd help in time of need. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Our apojilc carts mu.', in /his, and the follauing chapters , 
 
 to difcourfe of the friejihood cf ChriJ), as far more 
 
 • excellent than that of Aaron's, and confequcnth that 
 
 there ivas all imaginable reafon to perjczcre in O.rifiian- 
 
 ity, in rcfpcfl of this off.ce likewije. 
 
 FO R every high priefl taken from among mc" 
 is ordamed for men in things pertaining to God 
 that he may offer both gifts and facrifices for fins : 
 
 Ohfcrve here, The aportlf dc fcribes an high prieft fcveral 
 W'ays. 1. By his original, //e ;j one taktn from among 
 men; that i% of the fame nature with thernfelves, other- 
 wife, he had not been capable of thofe companionate im- 
 preHions tshich are required to the due dilcharge of his 
 o/Hce. Thus Chrift's participation of our nature was ne- 
 ceiTary to the diicharge of his office as High Prieft, and 3 
 rnanifclt evidence th..t he will be tender andcompallionate 
 towanls ihem whofe nature he fuftains and bears. 2. He 
 is defcribed by the general nature of his office, he is or- 
 dained fjr men in things pertaining to Crid ; that is, he wa3 
 to aQ and negociate, for the good of finful men, in things 
 wherein they have lodomore immediately with Almighty 
 God ; particul.irly to offer gifts, oblations, and facrifices 
 for their fins. VVhere nite, I liiit it was the entrance of 
 fin that made the office cf the priellhood necellary ; Had 
 it not been for fin, every one might have gone to God in 
 his own perfon, but now God will not be immediately 
 treated w • h by any, hut throught heinterpofitionofa Me. 
 d'ator ; and he having firft made an atonement for fin. 3. 
 The high pritfl is here defcribed by the exercife of his of- 
 fice, and the fpecisl diP.hargeof his body, which is, to '-jf'er 
 both gifts and f-.crifices for fins, that is, to give fatisfaftion 
 and make atonement for fin. Here n'tc. That the lisjht 
 of nature diftates to us, that ibniething ought to be offer- 
 ed unto God, in acknowledgement of his fiiprenie domini- 
 on ; and becaufe men are puihy cf fin, and God ellentiaj. 
 ly juft, facrificc: mull be ofiered, and a prieft ordained to 
 offer thofe l.icrifices for tlie averting of his wraih, and 
 procurings of his favour : Biit by what ficrifues God will 
 be atoned, and by whom, and in what manner they nuilt-- 
 be offered, not the law of nature, but the light of fcr!|>- 
 mre, divine revelatiun, muft teach us : Every hifih p'-itft 
 taken from among m'n, is ordained for men; thit \<, iiilH- 
 luted and appointed of God, for the ftrvice of man in 
 things pertaining to Goil. 
 
 2 Who can havccotnpafTionon the ignorant, and 
 en them that are oiit of ihc way ; for that he hiinlcif 
 alfo is coinpaifcd with infirmity ; 
 
 Onr api'ftle proceeds in giving the r harae^erof the high 
 prielt which God recjuired under the Ijvv ;' he mult have 
 Ciinipafliim for men, f,<r \\\\U\\ ium, being tomnalled with 
 finful infirmities hinifclf. Chfcrve \\ere, i. A great anti 
 nectlTiiry qual fitation or endovmient ol an high prielt, he 
 was. and i< one able to have com]iafi;on ; that i.s able 
 V i'h allmctknefsand genilenefs, wi;h allpjtience and ft.r- 
 6 G bearjute. 
 
<,6^2 
 
 n E B R E W S. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 bearance, to bcnr tlie iiiiirmKies, fins, snd provocations of 
 men, even as aiuirfcbears wiili iheweaknels andforward- 
 nels of a pnor infant. Ohjcrvt i. The peculiar olijcci of 
 hit coinpaiTiuDate care and regard ; naniely, chofe iliataj-e 
 ign<iront, and do wander out of the way ; in thefe two wordi 
 do':? the apoHle comprife all forts of finners wbatfoever, 
 with all forts and kinds of lin, 3. A fpfcial reafon reii- 
 deretl- why the high pried was thus compaiTionaie, bccaufe 
 he hhnjetf ts c'lnipajftd with infirtnitits ; his own condition 
 will iii:nd him of his duty in this matter, b«ing befet 011 
 every hand with infiriDities of his ov;n. Learn hence, 1. 
 That it is a mighty privilege to us, that our Lord Jel'us 
 Ciirift, our grea: High Prieft, was encompafftd with the 
 iinlci's infirmities of our nature. 2. That no fort of fin- 
 iiers are excluded from an iittereft in the care and love of 
 our companionate High Priefl ; fuch as are ignorant, and 
 fuch as are aut of the way, he has compaffion upon both ; 
 none are e.\tluded, hut thofc who by unbelief do exclude 
 ihemfelves, and caufe the blood f)fthe reconciling facrifice 
 to cry agaiiiU them. 
 
 3 And by reafon hereof he ought, as for the peo- 
 ple, fo alfo for himielf, to olfer for fins. 
 
 That is, by reafon of which infirmities he ought, ?)oth 
 by God's cotnmand, and alfo from the reafon and nature 
 of the thing, as for the people, fo alfo for Iiiinfelf, to offer 
 facrifites for fins. Note here, That it is a defcription of 
 the highprieft tiniler the taw, not of our Lord JefusChrift 
 our great High Pried under the gofpel, becaufe Chrirt had 
 sexually no tin of his own to otiVr for, being holy, harm- 
 lefs, and uiidefilfd, fcparate from finners. 1 his expreflion 
 therefore of offering for hisoAn fins, belongs to the weak- 
 nefs and iinp^rfiftion of the legjl high prieft. Leurt: 
 hence, That it was a p.irt of the darknels and bondage of 
 tkechurch under theOld Teftament, that theirhigh prielts 
 had need to offer larritices for thenifclves, and their own 
 iins : Tliis they did in the view of the people : They firfl 
 look care to olTer for their own fins, and then for the fioE 
 of others; whofoever dcileth with God about the (ins of 
 others, ought to ^ook well, in the firft place, unto his own; 
 it is a great fvider.te of hypocril'y for men to he fevere 
 towards the fins of others, and careltfs ;.bout their oau 
 fins. Learn, 2. That foth was the ^jbfolute holinefs, and 
 fporlefs innocency of the Lord Jefus Cliaift our great 
 High Pritft. that what he offered was not for himfelf, but 
 for his people. Aionetncnt for finners was made by him 
 who had no (ins of his own to atone for. 
 
 4 And no man t.ikcth thi.^ honour unto himfelf, 
 hat he that is called of God, as zuas Aaron : 5 So 
 alfo Chrifl glorified not hinifclf to be made an high 
 priell ; but he that faid unto him, Thou art my Son, 
 to-day have I bcj^otten thee. 6 As he faith alfo in 
 inoiher place, Thou art n priell for ever after the 
 •rdcr of Melcbifedec. 
 
 The forepjoing vcrfes declare theperfonal qualifications 
 of the High Pneil ; here we have his call and commillion 
 Til this offi ce and function: The former made him meet 
 fiT it the U'.ter gave him right unto it. No nmn luketb 
 
 thii honour ; that is, the honour of priefthrod to himfelf, 
 but only he that is called of Gud, as was A^iron, and his 
 pollerity. N'jte here, i. That it is an aft of fovereignty in 
 God, to call whom he pleafes to his work and fervice. 2. 
 That as It is an ad of fovereignty in God. fo it is a fprcial 
 dignity and honour to us to be duly called to, .is utll as 
 qualified for, his work and fervice. 3. '] hat the liighell 
 excellency, and uimofl nectfllty of any work or fervice to 
 be here done for God, will, by no means, warrant our un- 
 dertaking of it, and engaging in it, uiihout a lawful call 
 unto It. 4. That the more excellent any work of God is, 
 the more exprefs ought to be our callirg fo it. No man 
 liikeththis ht,n:ur upon kim, (ut he that is ctilled of God: It 
 were well if our lay-preacbers confidered this. .So alfh 
 Chrift our great High Priefi. glorified n t himft If to ie made 
 an High Pritft , uncalled, but hedigt.'ifi^d himwhofaid 
 unto him, Thou art my Son ; ar.d tkcu art a Prirjt f.r ever ; 
 without fucceflion, ofier the order, finiilitude, and ma.nner 
 of MeUhifedec. Learn hence. That the office of the 
 high priellhood over the church of God, was an honcur 
 and glory to Jefus Chrifl ; it was fo to his huniaii nature, 
 even as it was united to his own power. Chrtif gkrified 
 nut himflftnbe madi an High PricJ>, implying that hi- was 
 a glory and honour, though not aiTumed, but conferred: 
 and that as Aaron was called of God, fo was Chrift, but 
 in a more excellent and glorious manner. By this we un- 
 derdnnd the intolerable pride, and bold prefumprion of 
 many in thefe times, who take upon them to officiate in 
 matters of religion, though neither qualified for, nor called 
 to this work ; Ifever any man or angel, then furelyChrilt 
 miThi have taken this honour to himfelf. yet he did not 
 uncalled : Verily, this will be the eternal condcmnati(.nof 
 all fuch ufurper5, who, without any commilfion from God 
 or man, undertake what they do not underft .nd. 
 
 7 Who in the days of his flefli, when he had of- 
 fered up prayers and fupplications, with ftrong cry- 
 ing and tears, unto him that was able to fave him 
 from death, and was head, in that he feared ; 
 
 nhferve here, 1. A fpecial ad of Chrifl's priefthood or 
 prieftlv office, He offered up. 2. The fubjedt-mafer of 
 his ofie ring, flip; lications and prayers. 3. The intenfe 
 manner of his offering, luilhjlrong cries and tears. 4. 
 The perfon to whom he offered, unto God, wAo -.vas able 
 to fave him frwi death. 5. The time of his offering 
 in the days ofhisflifh ; that is, in the time of this mortal 
 life when do'.hed with our frail nature. 6. The iffue and 
 fuccefs of all this, he vias heard in that he feared. Learn 
 I. Th.Tt the holy Jefus did not only take upon himour hu- 
 man nature, but the infirmities of our nature alio. Chriit 
 hid in tiiis world a time of infirmities as well asourfclves. 
 True, his infirmi'.iesw ere finlefi, but forrowfubnd grievous, 
 which expofed him to all forts of temptations and liiffer- 
 ings. 2. That the Lord Jefus ChriO, our great High 
 Prieft. offered up moft ardent prayers and lupplication> to 
 Almighty God, in the days of his fl^Ui, upon his own aiwl 
 our behalf. The text \ni;n\'\onf- prayers and fupplicat'ons, 
 ■with ftrong cries. 3. Th;it Chrilt flied te.-.rs as well as 
 blood for i^ loft world: He oii'eitd up llrong cries and tears : 
 
 by 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 0'3 
 
 by this he iiewecl the truth of his humanity, nnd that he 
 did not accept only the human nature, but did alfo afluine 
 human afFe^ioiis. 4. That ChrilVs prayers were always 
 heard, either in kind or in equivalency ; He was not Ipeci- 
 fically, heard as 10 the palling of the cup from hiui, when 
 he prayed in the garden ; but he was equivalently heard 
 as to the fupportof his fpirit, and astofupplies of Itrength, 
 to enable him to drin'c the bitter cup with filence and lub- 
 niiinon : he vjas heard in that be feared, by being delivered 
 not from death, but out of death, as his followers niuU 
 expect to be delivered. 
 
 '•' 8 Though he were ;i Son, yet learned he obe- 
 Idlence, by the things which he lufFered : 
 
 Obrervehere, i. Chrift's eminent dignity; he was a 5o«, 
 tbat'is, the Son of God, and Godhimfelf, the U/ord was 
 Cod, John i. 1. And as the word was made flefh, fo he 
 was nearer to God than any other perfon ; he was ^ Son, 
 a finlefs Son, yet a fuiFering Son ; inAhe learned obedience, 
 by the things \ubich he frfered. 2. As Chrift's eminent 
 dignity, fo'his exemplary obedience ; he learned obedience ; 
 not by perfonal ipeculaiion, but by real experience ; he ex- 
 perimentjlly underftood what obedience was. Note li-re, 
 That there are two ways of learning obedience, i. By the 
 comprehenlionof the mind 2. By the experience of fenfe. 
 Chrift as God was perfect in knowledge, nothing could be 
 added to him, but when he became man, then he came to 
 undciHand and learn by fuilerings, which was a new me- 
 thod and way of knowing. And the obedience which 
 Chrift learned, was free and voluntary, univerfal and com- 
 plete, fincere and pure, perfevering and conftant. Chrift 
 learned this lelTon of obedience, not barely to know it, but 
 10 do it ; to learn to obey, is to obey by the things which 
 he fuifered ; he did perfeftly learn, and experimentally un- 
 derftand, what obedience was. O blelfed Jefus ! As didft 
 ihou, fo may we learn praftical obedience by the things 
 which we fuiFer. 
 
 9 And by being in adcperfeft, he became the au-^ 
 thor of eternal f.ilvationunto allthem thatobey him* 
 
 Obfervehtr<i. 1 . A choice and fingular blefllng and benefit 
 fpokenof, and that ir, etereal ialvation ; which implies nof 
 only deliverance from hell, and redemption from eternal 
 mifery, but the obtaining of eternal life and happinefs. 
 2. The author of this great bleffmg and benefit to man- 
 kind, namely, Jefus Chriltour great High Priefc,who, by 
 sisking atoniment ior ui, and reconciling us to God, is 
 faid to be the author of eternal falvation to mankind. 3. 
 The way and means w hereby he became the author of our 
 falvation, and th.u was by bein^ madi p^rftcl ; the original 
 word is an allufion to one that runs in a race, where he that 
 \*ins receives the crown. Tims Chrift havingfini/lied his 
 courfe of fufFerings, and received the reward of iliem, by 
 being railed from the dead, and exalted to the right hand 
 tif Gud, he is faid to be made perfca. 4. The qualifica- 
 tion of the perfons who are made partakers of this great 
 benefit, or the condition upon which it is olFered and ten- 
 dered, and that is obedience, He became the author of eter- 
 nal falvation to them that obey him. Qnrjl. I. How does 
 
 Chrift become ihe author cf eternal falvation ? jirf. As a 
 rule and pattern, a» a price and propitiaiion,and asan ad- 
 vocate and patron: By the purity of his doclrines,asa rule ; 
 by rhe piety of his example, as a pattern ; by the merit of 
 his obedience and fufterings, as a propitiation ; and by his 
 prevailing interceflion, as our Advocate now in heaven. 
 Where n'Ae That the v'rtue of his interceilicn iu heaven 
 is founded on his fatisfaflion here on earth, in fliedding af 
 his blood for us. QtiefL 2. What obedience does the gof- 
 pel require as a condition and is pleaied lo accept as a 
 qualification/m thofe who hope for eternal falvation? Anf. 
 Negatively, Not a bare external profeflion of obedience, 
 though accompanied with propefyii.g and working mira- 
 cles but an hearty and univerlal conformity to the precepti 
 of the oofpel in finccrity and uprightnefs ; allowing our- 
 felves in the negleft of no known duty, nor in the pra^ice 
 of any known fin. Quefi . 3. But is fallen nian under a 
 poflibility now of performmg this cbedieuce ? Anj-^. We 
 are no more fufficient of our felves, and by any power of 
 our own, to perform the conditions of the golpel, than 
 we are able to anfwer the demands of the law. But the 
 grace of God is offered to us, and ft.inds ready to afllft us 
 to perform the conditions which the gofpel requires. Con- 
 fequcntly, what the grace of God ftjnds ready 10 enable 
 us to do,' if we be not wanting to ourfelves, that may 
 properly be faid to be poifiblcVo us, and in fome lenle 
 in our power 10 perform. Quefi . 4. But is not m.iking 
 our obedience the condition of our falvation prejudicial to 
 the freenefs of God's grace, and the law of faith? Anf In 
 no wife ; feeing it is acknowledged, that faith is the root 
 of all true holinefs and evangelical obedience ; that we 
 ftand continually in need of afliftaiice of God's grace, to 
 enable us to perform that obedience which the gofpel 
 requires, and is pleafed to accept ; and that God confers 
 eternal life upon us, not for the merit of our obrdiencc, 
 but only for the fake of Chrift. The fum of all is this. 
 That it is indifpenfibly neceffary for a man to be a good 
 man, that he may get to heaven ; and that it is the grtateft 
 prel'umption in the world for any man to hope to attain to 
 falvation wiihout obedience, and a holy life : P"or liiough 
 ourobediencecannot merit heaven yet it doesquilify and 
 fit us for heaven : though it doth not make us worthy ,yei 
 doth itmake usm«e/ ro Af partakers of the inherit ance of 
 the faints in l':ght. And whofoever finds fault with this 
 doctrine, finds fault with the gofpel itfelf. 
 
 10 Called of God an high prielt after the order 
 of Melchifedec. 
 
 Thefe words may be looked upon as an evidence and 
 teftimony, that the Lord Jefus Chrift was, and is the nu- 
 thor of eternal falvation to all thrm thatobey him, became 
 he is a Pricfl nfttrthe order of Melchifedec ; that is.bec.'tufe 
 his pricfthood is eternal. Note htrc, i. That God was 
 pleafed to put a (Ignal honour upon the perfon and cfllcc 
 of Melchifedec, that in him there fliould be an early and 
 excellent reprefentation made of the perion and priefthood 
 of Jefus Chrift. Melchifedec was an illuftrious type cf 
 Chrift ; he was the firft perfonal type of Chrift tkat e\er 
 was in the world ; after him there were many others, and 
 6 G ^ '"-• 
 
ijG4, 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 Cha7. v:. 
 
 he was the only typ? of tlie pcrfonof Clirift thnt ever was 
 in the worM. Others wnre types of Chriftin the execu- 
 tion of his office, but none but Mclchifedec were ever types 
 of his perfon ; for being introduced without faiher, with- 
 out mother, without beginning of days, of whom it is laid, 
 H'ho can ddare hii s^rneratnt ? And fjrtiier, Melchiffdec 
 was a type of Chrill in thofe two great offices of a King 
 and a Pricft, which none but he ever was. 2. Th.it the 
 priefthood of Chrift was not after the order of Aaron, 
 whi.h was to expire, .nnd not to la(lior»;T, but after he or- 
 der of Melchifedec, which was to continue and lad forever: 
 Thou art a Pr'tfJ? for ever after the order of Melchifedtc. 
 The prieflhood of Chrift is an eternal pricdhood. He ever 
 live'.h to make intcrcrffir.n fjr us. 
 
 oraclesof God ; bfc.iufe shey are the oracles of the living 
 God, and nlio lifc-Kivirg oracles to them ihat ob^y him. 
 4. Ihai there arc, in the fcripturc, truths fuitable to the 
 rpiritual inllruclion and edihcation of all forts of perfons; 
 there is in it both milk and ftrong'raeat, plain doctrines 
 and firft principles necclVary for all, and truths of a dcepsr 
 fearch that are profi'able to fome '• In the Scripture, 
 faid one. there are fiiallows and there are depths : fords 
 where the lambs may wade, aud depths where the ele- 
 phants may fwim." 
 
 13 For every one that ufelh iriilk zi unfkilful in 
 the word of lighteoufnefs : For he is a babe. 14 
 But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full 
 
 ^r 1 1 .v . r 1 age, o/irn thofe who by rcafon of ufe have their fen- 
 
 11 Or whom we have many thiniis to fay, and ^^ ' .- , j r 1 1. 1 1 r 
 
 . , ., AC- J 11 lu • fes exercifed to dilcern both good and evil. 
 
 Jinru to be uttered, Iccing you arc dull or hearing. ° 
 
 Our apoftle here fpeaks of the dffVrence of doftrines un- 
 der the metaphor of meats : From whence we may gather 
 
 Thnt is, of which priefthood of Chrirt. as compared with 
 Melchifedec, we hare much to fay, which is not eafy m 
 ms'cc intelligible by words to thofe that are ip,noraiit and 
 dull of underilanding. ZfiJ»« hence, i. That all Scripture- 
 truths are not equally eafy to be underilo.id, but rrqnire 
 a peculiar dilijfence in our attendance upon them, that they 
 may be nnderftood. 2. That it istheiucapacity of hearers, 
 throufjt dulnefs and (lothfulnefs, and want of preparatory 
 knos\ ledge .which ntaki"s fcripture-teaching nom.ire and no 
 better underdooH : All our mifcarriages under the word, 
 ace to be refolve4jnto our ovsn doth, negligence, and depra- 
 ved affi'cTions ; We have many things to fay, but ye are aull 
 of hearing. 
 
 \ 2 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, 
 ye have need that one teach you again which be the 
 firft principles of theoracles of God ; and are become 
 fuch as have need of milk, and not of ftrong meat. 
 
 I. That the word of God in the difpenfation of it, is food 
 provided for the fonlsof men- 2. 1 hat the word, asfood, 
 will not profit th»- f-uil unit it be eaten, and d:g(;dtd : It 
 is not food prepared, but food received, thas nourishes. 
 When m;iiina\vas gathered and eaten, it nourilhed the 
 Ifraelites: But when gaihered and laid by, it pu;ritit-d 
 and bred worms. Lnrd ! w hat pjins do foiiie take to ga- 
 ther manna, to hear the word, but alas ! it lies by ihem, 
 and is of no ufe Learn. 3. That as the golp* I i-, the 
 word of righteoufnefs, fo Cod requ'.res and expcfts that 
 all thofe who live under the dilpenfation of the pofpel 
 (hould be Ikilful in the word of righteoufnefs. The gofptl 
 is the word of righteoufnefs ; it is fo derlaratively, it is fo 
 efficiently: Declaratively, as the fevcrity of Cjod againft 
 fin is hereby more fully revcali-d, and as the righteoufnefs 
 
 and accepieth for our 
 
 which God rcqnireth, approveth, 
 
 judification, is therein declared: And the righteoufnefs 
 
 As if the apndte had faid, " Wh^n. for the time that .which God requireth in us, and expedeth from us, is 
 
 , «- . . r-, n- r ■., _ i hereby difcovercd alfo J and as it is the gaeat indrunient 
 
 ot working holmefs in us, and niak ng us inhcTtntly righ- 
 teous foil is the word of rightfoufnels eflicitntlv as well 
 as declaratively • Our judification is wrought in us tharc- 
 by, John xvii.17. Learn 4. That the fpiritual ft nfe>. of 
 believers \seli exeiofpd in the word of righieouinels, 
 are the bed .nnd mod undectiving helps in judging of a hat 
 is good or evM. what is true or falfe, that i.^pupoied to 
 
 you have profefTed the Chridian faith, ye ought to nave 
 been able to have been teachers of it to mhers, you had 
 need yourfclvcs to be indructed in the firlt ru-.iiments of 
 the Chridian religion, and are became fuch at have need 'f 
 milk, the food of babes, and net of f rung tneat,ihe food of 
 men." Learn hence, t. Tbat the time when, and how 
 long we enjoy the dilpenfation of the gofpel,is a circum- 
 llaaice which mail, in particular, be accounted tor: whereas 
 ftr the time, aW have time, but all have not time alike: The 
 day of the gofpel is not of the fame length to all nations, 
 churches, and peifons. 2. rhar it is reafonably expcfted 
 by God that perfons ih'-'uld thrivcand grow in knowledge 
 amJ ho'.inef>,proportionably to their time and means; and 
 not doing f<'# is cli.irged upon them as a great aggravation 
 ot their ouih : F r tt:c timeye lught to have been teachers; 
 ihaiis, of ibihy fuffi^ iciit for the teaching of others, i'hey 
 had f.ot leirned of their teachers, whenthe apoftlehad rea- 
 foa to hope they had b -en able to teach their learners. 
 Mjny, alter long teathmg. are ignorant, and ought to be 
 taught again the fame things which they had long ago 
 heard. ^. That ihe huly Scriptures are to be looked upon 
 confulted v.iiii, And fcbmiricil (o, as the oraclej rj God ; 
 they are Ibuietiiucs called the living, fometimcs the lively 
 
 them : Such hy reajon ofuje, have their fenfes extrct/<a, &c. 
 
 C H A P. VI. 
 
 Our ap-<fHe begins this chapter idih on nlcrlctun t» 
 ^/i? Hebrews to increcjt. kth in biywhd^e and cht- 
 dicnce ; rxdting them to advance to an higher wid 
 more f erf (tl'legrce oj knowledge in the Chiflian religior 
 tiian thejirjip)mcfpks and grvund-work oj it. 
 
 THEREFORE leaving the princip'es of the 
 doctrine of Chrifl.let us go on untopcrfctlioii , 
 
 In theie worths of thi apoftl-, hrfeems to »!!iid< 10 the 
 building 'f an houfe : As i'l that, we firft IjV a j.-ool and 
 fure foundation, but do not reft there, butprotcedinrailmg 
 
 up 
 
Chap. vi. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 S>6j 
 
 lip the fabric; in like mahncf, it is neither fatisfadlory nor 
 fiifHcient to.idvance no farther in the Chridian religion, 
 thjii the kn''VA ledjre of the firll principks of it ; but en- 
 deavours nnill be ulVd to attain a more perftct degree and 
 metuiri-' of kunwliid^e in the myfteries ot the gofpel. 
 Leaving tire principles of the do^rine nf Chrijt, he tneans not 
 leaving them fo as to forget them, and lay them afide, but 
 to leave thenl by going beyond them and advancing farther 
 andhirherin he knowledge of Chriftianity. Lc^jrw hence, 
 I. Thit in Chriftianity, and other fciences, there are cer- 
 tain rudiments and fundamental principles, which iiiuft and 
 ought to be curefuily taught. 2. 7"hat it is a neceirary 
 and ufeful pradice, in the church of God, to teach the 
 iloftrine of Chriftianity, in the firft principles of it, plainly 
 and fummarily to young beginners. 3. That when the 
 minifters of the goi'pel have laid a good foundatien of 
 fcripture knowledge in the underftaiiding of their hearers, 
 they mult excite them by all prelfing confiderations to 
 ni.ike a farther progrefs in their knowledge, and leaving 
 the doctrine of the beginning of Chrift, go on unto perfec- 
 tion. 
 
 — Not laying again thefountJation of repentance 
 from dead works, and of faith towards God, 2 Of 
 the doflrine of baptifms, and of laying on of hands, 
 and of refurre£tion of the dead, and of eternal judg- 
 ment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. 
 
 Stillourapoftlepurfueshismetaphor, incomparing Chrif- 
 tianity to a building, and the firft rudiments or principles 
 of the Chriftian religion to a foundation which fupports the 
 fuperftruOfture. Next he fummarily declares what thefe 
 fundamental doflrines, and firft principles of the Chrif- 
 tian religion are, namely, thefe fix. 1. Rrpentitncr, or a 
 turning from all fiiiful works, called dead works, becaufe 
 they end in deatli ; dead, becaufe deadly; they proceed 
 from death fpiritual, and end in death eternal. 2. Faith 
 towards Cod, or faith in God ; thit is, in the whole Tri- 
 nity. Frfher, Son, and Holy Ghoft. Particularly, faith 
 in the fiift original proinife of God, to fend Chrift into 
 the world to iave u? from our fin^^, and granting reiiidFi'in 
 of lins by him. liere note. Wow clofely repentance ai;d 
 f.iith are united and knit together; where the one U. there 
 is the o;her ; and where cither is not, there is neither. Ke 
 reptnteth nor, who hath not faith towards God, and he 
 hath not faith towards God, who repen.eth not. ^. The 
 doS}rine 0/ bnptifm ; that is, of both the Chiiftian facra. 
 ni'ints arc feals. Perfons admitted into the church by 
 bapiil'iK, ought to I)e v*e!l inftiufttd, as foon as capable of 
 it, in the nature, ufe, and end of the lacraments ; acquaint- 
 ing thi'm not only with the nature of the outward fign, 
 but with the neceinty of the inward grace. 4. Tbt doffrine 
 0} laying on of hands, to cor.fi' ni the baptized perfons in 
 the faith, and to obi gs ai;:i en.ible them to keep the cove- 
 nant they entered into with Cod. v. 'len rhcy were bapti- 
 zed ; V. hicli was dotu- bctore thtir admiffion to the Lord's 
 table. Inipofition, or l.'ving on of hands,' was an sncieiit 
 and venerable rite, yfi-d in ihe prmvtive church upon fe- 
 veral occafions ; parttuljrly in ordination, in ablolaiion 
 of penitents, in healing the fick, in couftiriiig tlie gifts of 
 
 the Holy Ghoft, AiEls viii. (7. And, iaftly, in connrniaiion, 
 when baptized perfons were brought before the church to 
 acknowltdge, confirm, and renew iheir baptifmal covenant 
 with God ; and to receive the benefit of public prayer, and 
 epifcopal benedidlion, in order to the farther endowment* 
 of grace to perform their vows, adorn their profelfion, and 
 be admitted to the Lojd's table, as complete members of 
 the viuble church of Chrift. 5. The refurrecliw of the 
 dead, a doftrine denied by the Sadducec, derided by the 
 Athenian philofophers, and perverted by heretics; but is 
 a fundamental principle of the gofpel; the faith whereof 
 is indifpenfibly necefTary unto our confolation, and has a 
 peculiar influence upon our obedience. This is the anima- 
 ting principle of gofpel obedience, becaufe we are jifTured 
 that our fervices f.iall not only be remembered, but re- 
 warded alfo. 6. 'the eternal judgment . which will doom 
 men to everlafting rewards and pundhments in a future 
 ftate. The minifters of the goipel <)Uglu to dwell ruuch 
 upon this fundamental principle of religion, to reprefent 
 the dread and terror of that eternal day to all men, to the 
 intent they mav be excited and ilirred up to take ttftdual 
 care that they fall Hot under the vengeance of that fatal 
 day. Thefe fix princ![)les being laid dov. n by the apolUe, 
 ke tells them his refolution, to endeavour thi- carrying of 
 them on to a more perfect degree and mf'afure nf know- 
 ledge in the myfteries of the go'p'l; in order to their be- 
 coming Ikilful in the word of righteoufnefs : Leaving the 
 principles of the do^rine of Chrijl , let us go on unto psrfec- 
 tion ; which -ve -will do. if God permit . 
 
 4 For It is impofTible for thofe who were once en- 
 lightened, and have tafted of the heavenly gift, and 
 were made partakers of the Holy Ghoft, 5 And 
 have tafted of the good word of God, and the 
 powers of the world to come; 6 If they fliall fall 
 away, to renew them again unto repentance : feeing 
 they crucify to tbemfelves the Son of God afrefli, 
 and put hwi to an open fhame. 
 
 By the enlightened here, underftand thofe that were bap- 
 tized and embraced Chriftianity : The ancient* calkd bip- 
 tifm illumination, and baptized perfons //>^ <"n//^A/c'Bf</; be- 
 caufe of the divine illu'iiination which was convex ed toth*^ 
 minds cf men by ihe knowledge of Chriftianity . liy tnJiii^S 
 the heavenly gift, and being made p.irtukcrs of the Holy 
 Ch'ff, underltiiid fuch as had not only heard of the extra- 
 ordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoft, but had fome experience 
 of them themfelves ; as alfo of the fpiritual benefits con- 
 ferred upon them in baptii'm, by the Holy Spirit. Jfy 
 taflini' thf good word of Cod, niiderftund fome reldh tf tiiC 
 truth and goodnefs of the gofpel, fome pleafiire in cnttr- 
 tainipg it, by realon of ihe gracious promifes of eternal life 
 and happinefs contained in it. The gofpel that proclaimtd 
 reniiflion of fins, was a good word ; this good word they 
 faw confirmed by miracles, tongues, and prophecy, and fo 
 could not V)ut lie convinced of the truth of it, which is 
 hite called a taft'ng it ; who have tjffed the good w-jrd of 
 Cod : It toilo \s, and the powers of the world to carne ; that 
 is, the power of the g(>fpel-age ; tor the woild to tome in 
 ti;e Janguage of the prophets, doth lignily the times of tiie 
 
 Mtilidb J 
 
ij6G 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap vi. 
 
 MelTiah : and tV.us, th: pzvars cf the -world to come, are the 
 iniraculnus powers of the Holy Ghofl beftowed upon men, 
 in order to the propa2;atioii of the ftofpel ; fuch were the 
 pifis of healin(», csiling out deviis, working miracles. 
 Others, by tafVinr^ t>if f.-vers cflhe wr.rld to comr, under- 
 ftjiid fome apprehenlions of the refurreftion and future 
 judgment, with afuiftions fuitable ihercuniu. Now con- 
 cerninvr thefe. fays our a poli\e, if ihr'y fj II a-jj ay ; that is, if 
 they llull, after jjl this, apoftatize from this profeflion, out 
 of love to this prefeiu world, or fr'.rn fear of perfecucion 
 and I'liftiTings, if they lliall relapfe either to heathenifm or 
 ^ndaifin, il is impnjfikle to renew them a^ain to reperlance : 
 that is, it is a thing very difficult, hardly to be hoped for, 
 ■that liich wilfiil apoftates fhould be reftored agasn by re- 
 -penrante ; fieirg they crucify to thcmfehes the Sin cf dd 
 ttf'rifh, tin.! tut him to an open Ihamc ; that is, tbey virtually, 
 and in clFect crucify him over ajrain, as much as in them 
 lies : F'or, denying and renouncing of him, they declare 
 him 10 be an impollor, and confequentiy worthy of death. 
 i>o that tlie pl;iin fenfe of the words Teems to be thi'- ? " If 
 thole that are baptized, and have received the doctrines of 
 the gofpel, and are endowed with the gifts of the holy 
 (iholt, (hall yet, after this, apoftatize from Chriftianity, it 
 is very difficult, and next to an inipoiribility, to recover 
 fuch agiin by repentance ; feeing they are guilty of as 
 great a crime, as if in their own perfons, they had put to 
 death, and ignominioufly ufed the Son of God." Here note. 
 That it is not a partial apoft.ify from the Chriftian religi- 
 on, by anv particular vicious practice, but a total apoftafy 
 from Chrillianity, and more efpecially to the Heathen ido- 
 latry, which is here intended. From the whole learn, i. 
 That they which have been enlightened, awakened, and 
 made partakers of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit 
 in feme nieafure, and tafted the fweetnefs of the word and 
 ways of God in forne degree, may yet fall away. 2. That 
 if fuch do fall away, it is very difficult, though not alto- 
 getherimpofTiblc, to renew iheni again to repentance : And 
 that for thefe reafons ; i. Becaulb of the greatnefs and 
 heinous nature of the lin, it being a tJownright apoftafy 
 from God, againft the cleareil iiglit and knowledge, and 
 fulled conviclion of a man's mind ; and the higheft affront 
 to the Son of God, who revealed the Chriltian religion to 
 the world, and fealed it with his blood. 1. Becaufe ihofe 
 who are guilty of this fin, do renouiiVe and call off the 
 means of their recovery, and therefore it beconiese.^treme- 
 ly difficult to renew them again to repentance : They reject 
 Chrift and his holy gofpel, and refufe the only remedy ap- 
 pointed for their recovery. 3. Becaufe it is lb high a pro- 
 vocation to God, to withdraw his grace and Holy Spirit 
 from luch perfons, by the power and efficacy whereof they 
 Ihould be brsiught to repentance : God jullly leaving thofe 
 who fo unworthily leave him. Lord ! how fearful and 
 fatal a condition is it, to begin in the fpirit, and end in the 
 flefh ; to decay in religion, and apoftatize from grace ; to 
 havehadfoine work of the Spirit and word upon our hearts, 
 fo as to have light and love, fome talle and favour of reli- 
 gion, fome delires after, and hopes of heaven ; and, after 
 all, to cool and give over, and revolt and backflide, and 
 have our latterrnd worfe than our beginning? Seeing they 
 crucify i3 themfelvcj the S',n of Cod afrejhy Sec. 
 
 7 For the earth that drinketh in the rain that 
 comethoft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet 
 for them, by whom it is dreffed, receiveth bleffin^ 
 from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns aild 
 briars is rcjefled, and :j nigh unto curGng ; whofe 
 end is to be burned. 
 
 The dedgn and Icope of our apoftie in thefe wordi is 
 threefold. T. To fet forth the excellency and iieceffity of 
 thegofjiel, difpenfed to us in the niiniftr;' of the word; he 
 compares it to rain, which doth fouen, relVelh, and fruc- 
 tify the earth. 2. He difcovers the ditfereiit ellttt which 
 the word of God, or the dodrine of the goipel, has upon 
 different perfons tha: lit under the preaching aud difpenfa- 
 tion of it; the finccre Chriftian becomes fruitiVi under the 
 dews and flriwers of divine grace, and receives a blelfing; 
 but the barren and fruitlefs profeflor is like an howling 
 wilderncfs, or dry defert. which, after innumerable refrelh- 
 ing thowers, briiigs forth nothing but briars and thorns. 
 ■}. He declares the different ftate and condition of fuch 
 perfon?. A people that .tnfwers God's care and coft, is 
 like a field that drinks in the rain, bringeth forth herbs, 
 and receives a bleffing. But fueh a people, as, after all 
 the refrefhing Ihowers from heaven, and after all the cul- 
 ture and labour of God's hufbandnien on earth, (liall re- 
 main bullies and briars, barren and unfruitful under all, 
 or worfe, than fuch ; they are nigh unto curfing anJ their 
 end ii to be burned. Bleliing attends the one, burning :;- 
 waits the other. Note, i. 1 hat what the rain is to the 
 earth, that is the word of God, and the doftrine of the 
 gofpel to the fouls of men. Is the rain of heavenly extrac- 
 tion? So is the word of God. Does the rain fall by divine 
 perfetSlion? So does the word preached. Docs the rain 
 diftill down gradually and fucceffively, not all at once? So 
 does the word fall, here a little, and there a little. Does 
 the rain molify and foftcn, revive and rcfref^i, fructify and 
 make fruitful where it falls? So does the wcrd preached. 
 Col. i. 6. The word of the gofpel is come unto you, and 
 bringeth forth fruit, Jince the day ycu heard of it. In a word, 
 as after plenty of rain there follows a great drought, and 
 want of rain; fo after a long and plentiful enjoy tneni of 
 the gofpel, if people do not prite and improve their mer- 
 cies, God will cut them (liort, and deprive them uf them. 
 Note, 1. That it is pcfTible for a pe<ftle to fit long under 
 the niiniftry of the word, that fpiritual rain, that celeflial 
 dew may be daily dropping and diftilling down upon them, 
 and yet that peoplt may be bufli and briar after all ; bar- 
 ren and unfruitful in the account of God. 3. 1 hat a peo- 
 ple fo remaining, and under fuch advantages, are m^'Aww- 
 to curjwg, and their endij to be burnt d. Barrennefs under 
 the dilpcnfation of the gofpel, is al way: iccompanied with 
 an increafe of fin, and of condemnation alfo : Thofe that 
 are not, becaufe ihey will not be healed and reformed by 
 the preaching of the gofpel, arc righteOKfly given up by 
 God to extreme obftinacy, and ."inal obduraticn. 
 
 9 But, beloved, we are perfuadcd better things 
 of you, and things that accompany falvation, though 
 we thus fpcak. 10 For God is not unrighteous, to 
 forc'ct your work and labour of love which yc have 
 
 flicv.cd 
 
Chap. vr. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 967 
 
 (hewed towards his name, in that ye have miniftered 
 to the Hunts, and do minifler. 
 
 ■Ch/ervs here, i. The holy wifdom of our apoftle, in 
 molifViii^ the feverity of the foregoinjr comnmnication and 
 prerficlion ; and the good hope, and firm perfuallon he had 
 of the Hebrews perl'everance in pr.icc iiiito falvation,not- 
 w'nhft inding all the cautions and warnings he g.ive them 
 of apoHal'y and apoftates : I iitn perfuaded httter things of 
 y'M, though 1 thus /peak. We 11. ay reprefent the ugly and 
 filthy fate of (in to our beft friends, to the end that they 
 niay haie it, and efcipe it : We may be confident of an- 
 other's fincerity, and, as occalion requires, pnblicly teftify 
 that conlid.'nce to theinfelves : IVe are pirfuaded httter 
 things ofynu. Ohjeive, 1. The ground of this confidence 
 declared : i. The graces ofGmJ's Spirit found operative 
 to them ; tbeir faitli in Chrill, and love 10 all his mem- 
 bers ; it wa? a working faith and laborious love that was 
 found will) them tkey have adminiftercd to the faints, and do 
 minijhr. B:rhold the nature of Chriftian love, it is an im- 
 mortal fire, everbjrning,neverdying. 2. Another ground 
 of thi-^perlu illiin, was the know ledge of God's faithf'.ilnels 
 in remembering and rewarding this their labour of love : 
 Gid ir n'lt unri^htrous ttfnrgti y'>ur vjork. and labour of love ; 
 that If, (jod is righteous, ;ind will certain'y, remember and 
 reward your faith, your charity, and good works ; for he 
 has promifeil Co to do, and he is faithful that has pro- 
 niifed: Leiirn hence, i. That faith, if it be a living faith, 
 will be a workinii faith. Obedience is the fruit of faith, 
 and we ought to look on obedience as our work. 2. ihat 
 it is the will and i)lejfiire of God, that manv of the faints 
 and fervants in this world be in iuch a condition, wherein 
 they ftand in need of being miniftered unto. 3. That the 
 bell evidence we can haveof the fincerity of ourlove, isits 
 rcadinefs to minifter to the faints in all diftrell'es. 4. That 
 to jninifter 10 the faints in all dillrelTes. 4. That both 
 the labour of our fufFeriiigs,and the labour of our IV rvices 
 fhal! be remembered, and rewarded by a righteous God : 
 Cod is n'jl unrighteous le forget. Sec, 
 
 1 1 And v.'e defire that every one of you do fhew 
 the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope 
 unto the end. 
 
 Note here, i. That although the apeftle had a firmper- 
 fnafion, that they werefinrere and uprigh' , and would hold 
 on their way, yet he exhorts them to ihew the fame dili- 
 gence which they had done, and to perfevere to the end, 
 as they had begun. Learn hence, That minitterial exhor- 
 tation unto duty is needfnl-,eyen unto them that areiincere 
 in the praclice of it, that ihey may abide and continae 
 therein: wc djire that you futionihgence unt6 the end. Note, 
 y. The fpeciil duty \ie exhorts ihem to, and that is to at- 
 tain a full affurance oj h.pe. H'.pe\s a certain and afTured 
 expedlation of good tilings promiled, accompanied with 
 Jove, and a longing dcfire to enjoy them. hfuUn^nrance 
 yf h'jpe,\% fuch a fixed, conliant,and prevailing ptrfiulion, 
 lO'.icerningthe good things proiniled, and our certain en- 
 joyment of them, as will I'upporc us under, and carry us 
 (iirough .-ill the diificuhits and troubles we conflict with. 
 Lfarn, That a good man may, in this life, arrive atan 
 afiruance of faith and,hope, as couching the gocdnefs of. 
 
 his condititm in the life to come. The original word 
 (ignifies a full gale of hope, a metaphor taken from failors 
 •who enter the harbour with a full gale of wind both with 
 facility and fafety. The Chrifiian's foul is a (liip failing in 
 a tempcftuous fea : Faith reprefents the iiilot,love the fail, 
 liope the wind that muff fill the fail ; be the pilot never fo 
 confident, the fail fpread to theutnio(l,yet, without a gale 
 of wind the fhip lies becalmed, moves not towards the hsr- 
 bour. A Cliriftian on earth without liope, is as a fliip at 
 fea without v, ind. 2. The fpecial means directed ro, in 
 order to the attaining of this full aflurance of hope, and 
 that is, to Jhew diligence, the I'anie diligence, and that to the 
 end. IfiJrn thence. That Chnflians ought by no means 
 to wax fecure, but to ufe all diligence to the end of 
 their lives, for the heightening of their hope to a full af- 
 furance. 
 
 12 That ye be not flothful,but followers of them 
 who through faith and patience inherit the promifes. 
 
 Our apofile, having exhorted the Hebrewsto greatd:li- 
 gence in good wcrksin the former verfe, in this verfe en- 
 deavours to excite and provoke them to it by the examples 
 of deceafed iaints.wboare now reaping the re>vardof their 
 former pains, and inheriting the promifes. Here note, i. 
 A cautionary direction given, that ye he not flothful,e'nher 
 timorous and faint-hearted, orremifs and negligent. God 
 having engaged fo firmly on his part, to let nothing be 
 wanting which is rtquitite to enable us tope rfevere : if we 
 mifs of the proniife, that is,of heaven, the good promifed, 
 we muff thank our own floth for it. 2. The great duty 
 exhorted to, and that is, to be followers of the faints ; be 
 follmoers of them, that is, vigoroufly and conftantly imitato 
 them in their graces and giMcious cpnverlations. The 
 grac«.s-of the faints (whether living or dead) are patterns 
 prefented toonr imitation. 3. Tbe particular and fpecia! 
 graces in the f.iints which we are to imitate and follow, 
 namely, their faith and patience : their faith, that is, their 
 firm trull in God, and belief of his promifes, relying on 
 his word under all trials ; and their patience, that is, their 
 perfeverance in well-doing, andpatient expedl.ition under 
 all delays, and conffaiic adherence to him under all difn- 
 ctilries. Learn hence, i. That heaven isnotonrs by pur- 
 chafe, but by promifc. 2, That htaven is aproniiffd in- 
 heritance, which faints, by faith .nnd patience,havepofrtfl"cd. 
 q. That by being follov;ers of them in their faithand pa, 
 iience,wemay alfoconie with them to inherit ihepnmiiffjs. 
 
 13 For when God made promife to Abraham:, 
 becaufe he could Iwear by ho greater, he fware 
 by himfclf, 14 Saying, Suvfly, bkinng, I wifl 
 blefs thee, and mnltiplying. I will mnltiplj- the'-. 
 15 And fo afterhe had patiently endured, he ob- 
 tained the promife. 
 
 The apofile having told uf in general, that thef-iintsby 
 faiih and patience- do inherit the promifes, iiifhirccs he'Tf 
 particularly in .'\br.-ihain,un;o whom God made apromii'e 
 of multiplying his IVed greatly to hira, and c<infirn!ed that 
 prcinlfe by aruoath ; but Abraham Waited long by fV.it/. 
 aird pcii;e::e'; for ihe ccn;f 'tte )ul!al!i:'£(jf ilicprcn;ifs; : r<l 
 
r>68 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. vr. 
 
 fo niuft wt, God dt\\f,hii to be trund by his people upon 
 his word and oath ; and when they do not hve to fee the 
 ijiomife of G»d fultilled, thcv glorify him excedingly, by 
 livii.c in thefaich and firm bd.cf , that it (hall be fullilUd 
 inGod'^ own appjinte.i time. Not.- here, i he wonder- 
 ful condcfcenlion of God towards the mhimity of men. he 
 iVears he fwears by himfelf, liepaA'iis and pUd^rep his 
 Godhead, and if he performs not what he promiles and 
 Avears is vvilling to forfeit ir. q M'"* '"" ^ Q-""'" 
 caula Deu< jurat ! mtferriml! Si j,ec juranti credamus. 
 <' O hippy nisn ! For whofe fAc God condefcends to 
 Iwear O miferable man ! if we doubt of God's promiie 
 confirmed by his oaih.in which he has laid down his God- 
 head as a ftake and pawn, never to take it up again, ifhc 
 fails in the Icaft jot in the punftual performance of it." 
 
 16 For men verily fwear by the greater, and an 
 oath for confirmation h to them an end of all ftrife. 
 Thefe words contain a reafon, why God, in (rracious 
 cnndefcenfion to m.in's infirmity, is plealed to confirm hts 
 promife with an oath ; it is to determine a controverfy, 
 and put an end toall llrifedependiiig between God and tne 
 fallen creatures : And this is the general reafon forano.ith 
 amoneft men, it is to pat bounds and limits to the conten- 
 tions and contradiftions of men ; to mike an end of al 
 ftrife between them, which otherwife would be perpotuated 
 and to bring the to a mutual acquiefcency : ^n oath f.r 
 cnfirnW.oXth.e»dofalUhif.. ^*.r« hence, t.That 
 ^kTp is as we are in a ftate of nature, a ftrife and differ- 
 nee be'tween God and iis. 2. That the promifes of the 
 Ro -pel are pr^c'ous propol^ls of the o«ly way a,,d means 
 f.,r the end ug of that (tr.fe. 3. That the oath of God 
 ntrrpof.a fo, the confirmation of thele promifes is every 
 way (ufficcnt on God's part, to put a period to this (Irife 
 and ,0 eftabl.lh a firm peace with us through the blood of 
 Chrift. 
 
 17 Wherein God willing more abundantly tO 
 Ihew unto the hcirS of promife the ™>""''^bihty of 
 his counfel, confirmed U by an oath : 18 1 hat by 
 two immutable things,inwhich ^t roas impoffible for 
 God to lie, we might have a llrong conlolation,- 
 Here the apoflle acquaints with the defign of God in 
 confirming hisV'-'l-e. namely, to^ian.feft .he immu ta- 
 Sv ;^- &. cou.ifrl .0 .1, ; .hat i., by his decree and pur- 
 p Wo o..r r.lvat.on ; to .he intent, that by his word and 
 Vl we might have ftroog confolation. So unfpcakable 
 ,s he we. knefs 0/ our fai.h, -hat we (land m need of the 
 utmort condnceHi.nofGodfor ,ts confirmation. A . e 
 S re 1 ha. God has nude many promifes for he confir- 
 ' • hU nponle's faith. God's oath is a furcty for 
 manon « ^ ^pe P ^ j"^ ^ ^^^^ ,„ his promiie and 
 
 hispromiles; anU tn.i. ■ijuu , ,(l„ranre and 
 
 his oath is to give his people the Inghcfl allurance, anu 
 U oiSll onfolat.on. Qu-Ji- Why are we lo hard to be- 
 
 ..,/.;•• .he wav of reconciliation is lo rare and won- 
 djrflr^h^: wecLLrce .once.ve U, much Uls believe u , 
 
 alfo the privileges of the gofpel are fo gloj-icus, that they 
 exceedt ur bilitrf : and becaufe we t.urltlve^are fofjlfeanj 
 fiikle, buih «ith God andoneanoiher, that promifes, vows, 
 and oaths, are all little enough to hold us. Now we are 
 apt to tneafure God by ourfelves, therefore he gives nshis 
 oath. Inlercnce, i. How ought we to bind nurfrlves ro 
 God by oa;h, f emg he condelccnds thus to bind himfilf 
 to us ? ^. Hi'W unreafon-ible it is for ihe believer ro dd- 
 truft God upon his oath ? This is not only to accufe God 
 oS a lie; but to impeach him of perjury. 3. How abfurd 
 is it for I he impenitent finner not to tremble at the ihrcaten- 
 ings of God, which are confirmed by an oath, as well as 
 his promifes ? Ihi-ve/wom in my viruih, &c. 
 
 — Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the 
 hope fct before us : 
 
 In thefe words there is an allulion to the ciiiet. of refuge 
 fpoken of under the Uw : God appointed liK of them for 
 thofe to fly unto, who were gu>*ty of calual homicide, or 
 killing a man by chance, thit fo ihey might avoid the fury 
 of the avenger of blood. Now thefe ciiiesof refuge were 
 an illuftrious type ot Chrift. N'lte here, 1. Chriit is the 
 believer's city of refuge, the only f.nctnary for diftrefTcd 
 fouls. 1. That believer's do by faith fly unm him for refuge 
 when the guilt of (in, an<l the wrath of God for lln, do 
 purfue and follow them. This flying for refuge doth im- 
 ply diligence andearneftnefs,asin thecafe of life and death, 
 yea, unwearied diligence; and it implies continuance in this 
 refuge, when once got into into it, not to ftir out of it for 
 all the world. Lord ! open the eyes, and awaken the con- 
 fciencesofan impenitent finners, make them (enfibk thai 
 the avenger of blood is at iheir heels, and that their dam- 
 nation flumbers not, if they do not prefrntly fly frond the 
 wrath to come, anc} take fanftuary in thy Son. 
 
 19 \Vh\chhope we have a.s an anchor of the foul 
 both fure and lledfaft, and which cntcreth into that 
 within the veil. 
 
 In ihefe wordswe have the nature of a Chriftian's hope 
 defcrihtd, 1. By n metaphorical: ^. liy a typical Inndnude. 
 (1.) Obferve the metaphor made ufe of, to fet lorth the 
 nature and c fEce of hope, it is compared to an anchor ; 
 ivhich hope we have as an anchor cf thejoul. Doth the an- 
 chor hold f.ift il.e (hip, and keep it fteady, both in ftorms 
 and tempefts.and in the midft of the m. ft tmnuliuous 
 waves? In 1 k<- manner, the hope of eiern.d glory q"''|'. 
 ftays. and ftrengthens the Chriftians' fpirii, w h. n lolUd 
 upon the waves of this ironbkfome world. Larn hence, 
 I Th it believers are expofe<l to many ftorms and tempells 
 here in this world; their affliaions, p. rfecuiions, len.pia- 
 tions fears, &c, are ccmpartd fitly to ftorms, becac.^nleot 
 their fiercenels and violence and becanlV of ihe.r tendency 
 to ruin and deftrucl:on. 2 1 hat ihctf IK.rms wool.i prove 
 nnnous to the (ouls of lirlievers, .'id not hope, ice an- 
 c>.or of the foul, t.ke f.ft hold on the promiU-.;t thegof- 
 orl which kerp.the Chriftian fi.m and ••nv.nciDie :.gainl 
 ill 'opn.li.ion.. Cblrrve, 2. flopei^ defciiheo by a tvpca 
 f,n,It.uie, itr«/^/f//' ir,t, ih„t vj,l>\„ the v:J. Ihe veil 
 here alluded to, io that which pantd the holy of hoUesfrom 
 
C;r.vp. VII. 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 /^9 
 
 the body of ths temple a type of Iifavcn. The heavens 
 arc as a veil to the fcnfc and rcafon of man, there their fight 
 and their thoughts are bminded, they can neither difccrn 
 nr.r judge of any thing that is above or within that veil: 
 But faiih and hope pierceth through it ; no created thing 
 can keep them at a diftancc from God himfclf. As the 
 anchor ftays not in the waves of the fea,biit pierces through 
 thvtm all t'ill it comes to tiie folid bottom ; f" the Chnl- 
 fian's hope fives on nothing luider heaven ; but pierces 
 throtUTh all, tili it en!,-rcth i.-i'o that wilhin the veil ; that is, 
 liilitfi<es on God as the aothor, on Chrilt as the pur- 
 chafer on the Spirit as the infurer, on the covenant as the 
 conveyer of all itrace, mercy, and peace. Here hope 
 fixes ttfclf, to hold the foul 'firm and flcdfafl in all the 
 ftorms that may bcfjl it. Lrt!rn hence, f That the 
 h'\Qe an^ fiith of believer5 arc invifibic imio the world ; 
 they enter ivithln the i>eiU where the world's <:yc can nivcr 
 follow them. 2. That hope firmly fixed on Gcd in 
 Chriif by the promife. will hold the loul ffcady, and keep 
 the Cliriftian right, in all the florms that may befal it. 
 
 20 Whether the forerunner is for us entered, c- 
 vcn Jcfus, made an high priefl forever after the or- 
 der of iMelchi!'cdcc. 
 
 Obferve here, The perfon fpoken of, Chrifl; the fubjed 
 matter fpoken of him, Iiis entering into heaven ; and the 
 quality in which he entered heaven ; namely, as our fore- 
 runner. This denotes, i. His public capacity, thatliecn- 
 tered heaven in our name, and to ne!_;otiate our .ifFairs. 2. 
 His abfoliite precedency, he is o\ir forerunner, but he him- 
 fslf had no forerunner, none entered before him in iheir 
 own names, but in his, and tiponi his account, through the 
 virtue of his merits, and by the prcvalency of his media- 
 tion. Leant\\i:\\cty I. That there is a place and Rate oi 
 happinefs above, prepared for pious fouls, which Chri-(1 is 
 entered into, and has taken poUeHii'n of : Thi^ place may 
 be confidered in its amjilitude and largencfs, in its (labiliiv 
 and firmnefs, in its fandity antl holinefs, in iispleafure and 
 delighlfulncfs, in its glory and blelfednef-, in i(s cternitv 
 and cverlafUn^nefs : And this place is by Chrilf pre|)nre<l 
 for believers; namely, by his dcatii find faiisfaclion, hy his 
 rcrurre(':lionand afcenfion, bvhis mediation and inttrccUion. 
 2. That our Lord Jefus Cliri.1 is not only entered inic 
 heaven, but entered as our forerunner, to take and keep 
 pofTelfion of it in the name and (lead of 3I) believer*. To 
 enter heaven as our forerunner, implies, that he entered in 
 our natures, that he keeps polfeffion of it in oiirnames : As 
 lure as the Head is gone before the members, fo certainly 
 fli ill the members follow their Hcnd : ns a forerunner fuj'.- 
 pjfes others to folLw after; and it implies, lh.it Chrilf \vill 
 put us into the n<^ual p'^ieffion of hen', en in his own ;!rni:. 
 Inference, t. Is Chiiit gone bcforeto heaven, then let u- be 
 ■willing to follow him in the w.iy of obedience, .nnd in the 
 way of futfciing, as well as 10 meet him in the end. 2. To 
 miike h?ife after hiin. Did he (fy as ■xK, eagle toward* hca- 
 v<?n, an 1 |])all wo creep \\\i<^. a fnuil r Is not th.e ho<'.in of 
 Chrilf more dciirjble than rhe arir.s of our defln \\ friend,,? 
 Shall we not enjov ail con\lr,rti iniheeiiioynie.it of our 
 Conitorterr 3. Let our hearts al prcfent f>e v^ith him. O! 
 Wiierc ihoulJuur liojris be, but whcieour Head i' ? 
 
 C II A P. VII. 
 
 Our cf-',J}le in ihii chapter a.ntimies hh d'lfcourfe c-ncerti- 
 ing the priejihood of our Lord 'Jejut Chrijiy Jbexviii^ 
 us wherein Melchijedec was a type of Chr-Jl. 
 
 FOR this Melchifcdcc king of Salem, priefl of 
 ilie inoft high God, who met Abraham return- 
 ing from the flaughterof the kings, and bkired him; 
 2 To wliom al.fo Abraham gave a tenth part of all: 
 firfl being by interpretation king of rightcoufncfs. 
 and 'after that alfo, kingof .Salem, which i.s king of 
 peace; 3 Without father, without inotlicr, without 
 dclccnt, having neither bcgining of daj's, nor end 
 of life; but made like unto the Son of God, abideth 
 a prieft continually. 
 
 Hctc ohferve, I. The perfon fpoken of defcrili-.-d by Lis 
 name, Mclchifedec. Some take this Melchifedec to be 
 Shem the fon of Noah ; but tlu"'; cannot be, becanfe his 
 genealogy is exadlly fet down by Mofcs. Others take him 
 to be one of the podcriiy of Japhct,the father of the Gen- 
 tiles: In the midll of thefe (inners, above others, was Mel- 
 chifedec raifed up an illuftrious type of Chrifl, the pro- 
 mifed MclTiah. See here, how God can raife up inllru- 
 ments for liisfervice, and un'.oliis glory, when, where, anj 
 how he pleafeth. And learn hence, that thi.s fignul prifig- 
 tiratio'i of ChriR, in the nations of the world, at the fame 
 time when Abraham received the promifes for hinfelf ai:d 
 his pofferity, gave a pledge and alfurance of tiic certain 
 future call of the Gentiles unto an interefl in him and par- 
 ticipationof him. 2. Melchifedec is here defcribed by his 
 office; he was king of Salem, and a prieft of the Aloft 
 High Gcd ; yea, the firlt thatwa' fo by fpccial inflituiion, 
 and feparated to the office by God's approbation : None 
 went before him, and none fucceeded him in his cfRce. 
 Here note. That the firff perfonal infliuifed type of Chriff, 
 was Melchifedec, as priefl ; for in his kingly office he wa.'s 
 n^'t fo direflly typical of Chiiff. There were moral n-pes 
 of Chrift's perfon before Melchifedec, as Adam, Al<1, and 
 Noah, vvdiich reprcfenied him in fundry thini;s: ljufj.lu; 
 firff perfon, who was folemnlv difigned to rc[)refeiit Chiiil 
 hy what he was and did, was Melchircdcc the prieftf terc li- 
 irg u.t, that the foundation of all that the Lord Chr'ft hid 
 to do in and for the cluirch, was laid in h.is pritiflv oflicc, 
 whereby he made atonement, and reconciliation for f.ii. 
 3- Mekhifedec isdefcribed by feveral a£fi«n'-and circum- 
 ftances. [l.) He met Jhraham returning fr'.m tl efluugbter 
 of the tings : Tliis metiing ol Melchifedec and y\br2ham, 
 after Abraham had gotten ihe \ idory ever all his adver- 
 farie^, W3S a t}'pc :'.ikI rcpreflnta',i»:n of il-.e g]o!if>us meet- 
 ing of Chriff and his church at the lafi day ; then he will 
 bring out of his flores ill heaven for their eternal refic(h.t 
 meiit, as Melchifcdcc biouuht forth bread and wine to re*. 
 frcfh Abraham retHrninf from the llaughfer ot the kings. 
 (z.i He blcllld him, <jtn. xiv. 19. And jVIe/ehifeetW fnif/, 
 fihJJ'ed he Ahruh-iin of the m-jji High Cod, P'.(]ij],r of leLien 
 eniil enrlh. Sacerdo'al blefling- were autlu lii^iixe, aid 
 that by l'peci.:l inllitiuii'n. In th.is bieffing of Abriiham hy 
 Ari:lchi('tdcr, :.ll b^licxtis arc virtually biciltd by yU\^ 
 6G Chiifl: 
 
970 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 Chap. vii. 
 
 Chrift • Melchifedec rcprefented Cltrlft in what he then with Abraham's, he (hews Chrift's excellency above Mtl- 
 
 (iid, and Abraham reprefentcd all his btlievine poftcritv. chifedec's, and he calls upon them to cor.r.dcrihis, f:.//?^/T 
 
 in what he then received. (^.j Another fa.trdrrtal a6l. k-Au gr^at tfu man -was U w ill be frmtlcfs, and to no 
 
 orcxercifeof pri.niy power aicribcd lo Mcichifalec, is adv«nf.pc, to pr.-pofe and declare the molt imiwtant truths 
 
 that he received ot Abraham tithes of all; the one pai.l of the p-lprl, it -h. fe unto v horn ihey are propofcd do not 
 
 them in a wav of duty, the other rcccicvcd tliem ii) a way diligcraly enquire tnto thtm, and duly pcndcr and coiifidcr 
 
 of office. Ks'f here', The aiisiquiiy of lit'cs, and how 
 very anticnt thry were; they were paid in .M)raham's 
 time, long before the ceremonial law, and therefore can- 
 not be faid to be Jcwiih and Levitical. The patriarchs 
 bifore the law, the Jews under the law, and the Chriltiuns 
 in times of the gofptl, have all paid this proportion : From 
 vhcnce fomc have concluded, that as the feventh pan of 
 our time, fo the tenth part of our goods andelbtes were 
 given to God from the bet;inning ; the Lord ot all our time, 
 and proprietor of all our eft ate". VVhatfoevcr we receive 
 fiijnally from God, in a way of mercy, we ought to return 
 aporiimi of it to him in a way of duty. It is a certain 
 fis^n that a man ha? n->t engaged God in getting an eftatc, 
 
 of thtm. The Ht brews pre here called upon to confidcr 
 But what? And whom r Why, who McKhif. dec was, 
 and how preat a man he vi'as r hitc here, thit ihe great- 
 iiefs of Melchifcdcc did not refnefl either the cndov ments 
 ot hii peifon, orihel.ir: vncTsof hisdi.nrjiiii''n, or his riches 
 and wealth, in which fcnfe f< me arc fnid to be great in 
 fcripturc: blithe is pionounccd t-reat wiihrefpeft to his 
 office, and in regard of his nearti^fs to (jod on that ac- 
 coimt, as alfo in his reprefctitinu our Lord Jefus Chrilt. 
 0/'/(r;-z,r farther. The proof here yivcn of the grcatncf* of 
 Melcl.ifcdec, in that no meani r pcrfon than Abraham, 
 than Abraham 'he Patriarch, did ^ive the temh part of 
 the fpoils unto him- ilcTc teir.nrk. That notw iihftanding 
 
 vhen he will not en'.itle hitn to any portion of it when it the highelt advantages and privileges which Abraham was 
 
 is ..otten OHcrve, A. The anoftle proceeds unto other pollelled of, which rendered him alnu.ft adored by his 
 
 inftances in the defcription of Melchifedec, wherein he polUritv, yet when the mcatu-ft duty was prefcmcd to h.m, 
 
 >vas made like unto the Son of God, ver. 3. ///aW he readily complied with it. The h.gheft privileges neither 
 
 fafhr U'!thout vicfhr, kc. which cxprelTions muft not can or ought to exempt any pcrfon from the performance 
 
 'be underftood abfolutely, but tropically, not of Melchifedec of the meanell duty Duty 1. our h.ghcft honour, and 
 
 as a man, bt.tas a prieft ; for as a man he had certainly chielcft advantage , but privileges, promotioi.s, dignitic;, 
 
 both father and mother, though not recorded in fcriplure ; and exaltations, may become fnaref, and end in the ruin 
 
 he was airu redly born, and did not lefs certainly die than of men s fouls. When a perfon is dignified and advanced 
 
 nther men ; bui neither his bcginnicg of days, nor end of 'n the church if thcre^by he thinks himfelf exempted froni 
 
 life, are reoiftcred or rchearfeJ, that he n.ight be the fitter the ordinary ferucc of the miniftry, he is guilty of hornJ 
 
 tvpc of ChHrt, concerning whom it is faid, irhca.decLrc FT" ^ and nigrati-.ude : But if he farther indulge htm fclf 
 
 iZ Eeneratlon ? But thouoh Melchifedec, as a man, had f^ tl>c courfe of idlenfs, lloth, fenfunlity, and worldlinefj, 
 
 father and mother, vet as a prielt he h.id no predccelfor nor 'Jerc are crimes unpardonable, ano want a name to cxprcfs 
 
 fuccclFor ; no predccelfor from whom he might by bink thcni. 
 
 receive his faccrdotal power ; no fuccefTor who derived his 
 pricftiux)d from him : Now herein alfo was Melchifedec 
 an illuftrious tvpe in Chrift, who derived his priefthood 
 from no mortal prcdeccil'or, but immediately from his 
 heavenly Father ; ncithei will he tranfmit it 10 any fuc- 
 cefTor, but when all enemies are fubdtied, he (hall relign 
 
 5 And verily they that aie of the fons of Levi, 
 who receive the office of the priellhood, have a 
 commandment to take tithes of the people according 
 to the law, that is, of their bretlircn, though they 
 come out of the loins of Abraham. 6 But he, 
 
 Jiis' pridlhood, tocrethcr w iih his kingdom, to God the whole dcfcent is not counted from them, received 
 Father, who pave him both. 5. What is here aflerted tithes of Abraham, and bJc lied him that had the 
 concerning Melchifedec ; namely, that he abiJeth a fncft p,.omifes. 7 And without all contradidion the 
 1-reycr^ tha, i., things are fo related coiiceimng Imnm fefj ,s blcffed of the better. • 
 Scripture, r.s that there is no mention of the ending ot tlie 
 
 piiefthood of his order. We read of no refignation of his Still the apoftle goes on to give Melchifedec the pre- 
 odicc or ot the fuccelfion of any pcrfon to him therein; fcrence above Abraham, and from thcntoinfcr, that Chrift 
 and thus he rcmaineth a prieft forever. This was' that whom Melchifedec typified, was much more excellent than 
 Avhich our apoftle did principally defign to confirm from Abraham, and all the Levitical priefts which fp rang from 
 hence namely, that there was in the Scripture, before the him. The argument lies thus: "The law allowed 
 inllitiition ofthe Aaronicalpriefthood, a rcpret-ntaiionof an Aaron and the other priefts to lake tithes of their brethren 
 eternal unchangeable priellhood, to be introduced in the that fprung from Abraham ; but Melchifedec received 
 church; which he demonftratcs to be that of Jefus Chrift, tithes of Abraham, who was none of his people, yea, and 
 »f which Melchlfedcc'sprierthood was a type. bleftcd Abrahani alfo, which is a demoiiftration that he 
 
 Avas greater than Abraham; and confequenily it isevidenv 
 
 8 Now confider how great this man wai, unto that Chrift is greater than the Jewilh prieft-; to bid. 
 
 whom even the patriarch Abraham gave tlxe temh authoritatively, is anaiSl of fuperiority : Now Melchifedec 
 
 of the fpoils. 
 
 blciled Abraham, he is therefore greater than Abra! 
 becaufe he that bielli^d is greater than he whom he 
 
 The words are the apoftlc's appl'^tiori of what was ^^^„ jj^jj^^u ^^^^ jj^^ excellency of the office of G«l'i 
 •clure difcourfcd ; by compaiing Mclchilcdcc s excellency minifters 
 
 EQinifters> 
 
Chaf- vit. 
 
 HEBREWS, 
 
 9/1 
 
 minifiers, namclv, to biers the' people in God's name: being changed, there is made of neccffity a change 
 Thcvble'r? anthor'itatively, they bids dechrativcly, they alio of the law. 
 
 Our apoftle ftill carrieth on the fame argument, pi 
 MolchifedfC's prullhood to furpafs and excel the Aar 
 and Levitical prietthocd In the immortality of it : 
 K-k is blclfed of the greater, fo 
 
 fa'cfsoptaT^vely. God help tliem to take heed, left, by their 
 milcarriagesthey provea fnarc anda curfe untothem whom 
 tlicy ought to blefi. 
 
 8 And here men that die receive tiilies: but there 
 he recavdhthcm, of whom it is winclfed that hchv- 
 eth. 
 
 proving 
 ronical 
 As the 
 IS that which is im- 
 tn'ortal preitcr and better than what is mortal ; Rut fiich 
 is Mek-hifcdec, and hi* order of priefthood. Indeed, in 
 the Levitic.a order ot prlc.lhood, llioiigh the pricfts be 
 fn-^crior tothe people, and take tithes of them, yet they do 
 die as well as the" people : But we read not a word of 
 Mclchifedcc's death, he is a piicft lor ever ; that is, he 
 did typicslly prefigure Chrift, who doth properly and 
 Hulced live for ever. Melchifedec ever Wwzs feam^am 
 hifi-yuim, ChMJcairKhm voilatem. Learn hence, That 
 the life of the church depends upon the everlafting life of 
 lefns Chriil \ He livethfor ever, when minillersdieorhave 
 their mouths ftoppcd. This great High Pricft lives, upon 
 whom the life and prefervatlon, the con;inuance and f;;!- 
 yaiion of the church does depend : Hen men Se that nccivf 
 tithes. Note, I'nm their mir/a/if); that \n the outward 
 adminiftration of God's worfhip, he is ple'afed to make nfe 
 of thenil'iiltry of frail, mortal, dying men. Zach. i. 5. 
 VZr prophets th they live forever? Hereby it does evi- 
 dently appear that it is tlie power of God, and nothing 
 elfe, which gives efficacy and fuccels to all gofpel adini- 
 "niftra'ions, 2 Cor iv. 7. JVe huVe this trcajun in earthen 
 ■j)i!s,kc. 
 
 9 And as I may fo fay, Levi alfo, w!in rccciveth 
 "tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was 
 }ct in the loins of his father when Melchifedec met 
 him. 
 
 Hy Levi, wc are to uiulciftand the I.evites, orihe Lc- 
 
 iica! priellhood ; thcv being in Abraham's loins, are faid 
 
 to pay tithes in Abrahi'm to Vltlchifedec, which the apof- 
 
 lle proli'ices as an evidence, that Melchifedec is fuperior 
 
 to the I.evite«, ami freater thin they \ and cotifcquenily, 
 
 .that Chiill, w))om Mc-chii'odec did typify, itiuit need-, be 
 
 .more excellent than th> y alio.' , Tlje argi:ment runs thus : 
 
 *' They \».Iio receive tithes oT others, are certaiidy fuperior 
 
 to theni ot whom they do receive them; but Melchifedec 
 
 •received rithcsof AbrVham, .andof Levi in Abraham's loin?; 
 
 •therefore he is fuperior to them, and of a more ejscciienf cr- 
 
 ■ dcF than thev: v. hich is tlic great trtJth lie- hai4i been fo in- 
 
 • duflrionfiy proving-. . I ■ 
 
 1 I Ifthcreforc. pcrfcflion t\'ci'e by the' Ijftvuical 
 
 . pnc(ihco'd(ror uiidcr it the people re<:ci\-ed(:hc l.nvv) 
 
 what faT;ther need wps thrc that a tiothtr priefl fliould 
 
 iil'c..iftcrthe.OpdcVofiVleichiledc€. and not be called 
 
 attci th«i order of Aj.i'Ort ^ 12 For the pi-iefthood 
 
 \i perfeSlion, that is, apcrfeft expiation and rcmiflion of 
 fin, coidd have been made by the facrificc which the legal 
 pricrts offered, there fhoidd then have been no need that 
 God fhould inftifute a pricft of another and more excel- 
 lent order, namely, his own Son, to be a pricfl after Mcl- 
 chilcdoc's order, and not after the order of Aaron. Where 
 nr.te. Tiiat perfection is denied in the Levitical prieflhood, 
 and afcribed to the pricfthood of Chrift. To pcrfc£l fin- 
 tul man, is to free him from the guilt of fin, and from the 
 direful and difmal confcquences of fin, and to tnakc him 
 righteous and holy, capable of communion with God, both 
 here and hereafter. Now this the Leviiical' priefthoocl 
 coidd'not do. But Jejus Chrijl has Ly one offering perfected 
 for ever them 4hat are fanftijied, chap. x. 14. Thus tlie 
 apoflie infers the necefiity of changingthe pricfth.ond : And 
 next he tells ns, ver. 12. That tlie change of the Leviiica! 
 prieflhood necclfarily draweth along with it a change of 
 the Levitical law, and the legal difpLnfation of the cove- 
 nant of grace ; for the Leviiical piiellliood and the Levit- 
 ical law do both (tand and fall togther : 7he priejihssj 
 being ihanreti, then is made of iieafjily a change nlfo of the 
 law. By the changing' of the pricfthiwd, underlland tlie 
 abolition of it; bv the change of ilie law, underlland ilie 
 abrogation of it ; by the word necedity, underfland that the 
 change was notcafual and contingent, but abfolutcly need- 
 ful, in regard of the imperfection and inability ot the Levi- 
 tical pricfthood to rtftifl any fuch thing. Lec.rn hence, 
 That ihe proinnlgation of the gofpel, and the inftitution of 
 Chriftiaitity, did abrogate the Levitical law, ind make it of 
 no force. This might be the rcafon why Gt^d did not 
 only by the deatli and facrifice of Chrift, the great Hitli 
 Prieft, abolilh ihe Levitical priefthocd, btit ^Ifo deflroyed 
 the temple itfelf, where he hadput his name, and never 
 fuffered it lobe rebuilt ; denoting thereby the utter abnli- 
 tiun of the Levitical pricfthood, and the total abrogation of 
 the ceremonial law. 
 
 13 Forheof whom thefe things arc fpoken pcr- 
 taineth to another tribe, of which no man gave at- 
 tendance' at the altar. 14 For//?i evident rliat our 
 Lord {prang out of Judah : of which tribe Moles 
 fpakc nothing concerning prieflhood. 
 
 In the foregoing vcrfc, onr apoftle /had afferfcd ihc 
 chaiige of the priclthood, and tlicrewf^"''thc ch-nntjing of 
 the law In thefe Verfes he proves it by the trJnIlaiicn of 
 the prieflhood to another tribe ; namely, from Levi to 
 Judah. The Leviiical piicllhood was confidi-d to one 
 cert.iin trib?, that of Levi, and to one ccriain fair.ily, thiit 
 c\i Aaron • \¥herii:e it follow?, that the tribe being 
 
 ; changed, and G;id. having inftiiuted a pricft of .iiTt-thcr 
 tribe, tli<i ptitllhood itiuil be chattgcd alfo. Nqw it being 
 evident, that Chrift fprang not of the tribe of Levi, but 
 [int of Judih, tli'e ap^iftle, frotn the chi'njtug of the 
 
 • f ribt, ftr' ngly Infelsthfe cliailgc of the pj-itdliood. K'Je 
 here,' I. H(j\v it wai ft fruit of the. n.anifold wifdooiof 
 'God.nncl a. very great mercy and favour to give the 
 6 C; I Jaw, 
 
978 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. vii. 
 
 law, but a far greater to take it away, 2. If iinfler the law, 
 the whole worlhip ofGoddiJ fo d.-penJ on the iiricdhood, 
 that, that f'.tilin^', the wholo worlhip was to ccak, a< being 
 n;) IJ1 're acceptable to GoJ, how much more will all wor- 
 fliip under the New Tc.laincnt be rejccl *J by lilm, ifihc-rc 
 be not a due rcjjard thcr>.'in tonnr Lor>l Jcfui Clirlll, as the 
 great and only Hi^h Piicfl of iiis church. 
 
 I 5 And it is yet F.ir more cvidcrit : for that after 
 the fimilimde of Melchiletlcc there arifetli another 
 pricft. 1 6 Who is made, not after the law of a car- 
 nal Ci»iTiTnanflinent, but after tlic pov\'cr of an end- 
 lefs life. 17 For he tclli.'icth, Thou art a pried for 
 ever after tiic order of Meichifedec. 
 
 That the Aaronicnl piicllhornl was to be changed, and 
 confcqiicnilv the whole law of ordinances that depended 
 thereupon, and that the time was now come wherein this 
 change was to be made, is the grand truth which our apof- 
 tie here delif^iis iho confirmation of ; it being indeed that 
 truth, whcrcinto our faith of the acceptance of evangelical 
 worlhip is refolved : And accirdinyly he gives a farther 
 proof of the ch.inge of the prieflhood froin the diiTcrent 
 m.inuer of tlie pricIVs confccration. Thus the Lcviiical 
 priell was let apart to his office I y a number of carnal rites 
 and outward ccremonii-s, which the law prcfcribtd to be 
 ufed at the conlecration of Aaron and his ions, who were 
 puriried with water, anoii.led with oil, fpriiikled with 
 blo.xl, clothed with priertly vetlments, initiated with lacri- 
 fices, adminillcnd in an earthly tabernacle and teinple. 
 But fays our apoltle, the evangelical or gofpel High PrieR, 
 Chrift Jrfus, was not conlliiuied thus, or made a prieft 
 vith fuch carnal rites and outward ceremonic, but wi/h 
 ihe poller of an endlrj! life : That is, he was confccratcd 
 Priell bv the power of the lily Gholl, having an itnmortal 
 lite ftii able to his prrellhood, an authority to give eternal 
 life to as many as depend upon the benefit of his facrifice 
 and fati faflion. He u-as made, mt (ficr the law of a carnal 
 tomm ir.dment ''with corporeal ceremony and carnal dura- 
 tion) ^.7/ ifter the fliriltial p'.urr oj an endlcfi life. Learn 
 hence, That all the outward ceremony wh.ich feemed to be 
 wantintr unto Chrift, in his entrance into his pritftly office, 
 wns onthe accoimt of a greater j;Iory. Aaron was made a 
 pricft with great outward fokniniiy, Chnllwith none at 
 all ; yet all Aaron's cen-monial slory w,-is nothing in com- 
 pirifm of'.liat excellent glory which .iccompanicd thofe in- 
 vifible acis of divine authority, wiOiom, and grace, which 
 communicated Chrill'i ofiicc unto him. 
 
 18 For there is verily a difannulling of the com- 
 maiulmmt ^oin^ before, for the weakaels and un- 
 profitablenelii thereof. 19 For the law made no- 
 thing perfeft, but the bringing in of abetter hope 
 idi by the which we draw nigh unto God. 
 
 Now the apoflle comes to declare, that the Levitical 
 priellhood being abolifhed, and the ceremonial law abro- 
 gated, the whole (late of the church, and tiic folcmn wor- 
 lhip of Goil therein, muft necelfarily be changed alfo. 
 This he foref.nr woidd be a mighty furpiifal to the gene- 
 rality of tlie Hebrews, to hear that they mult (^uit all their 
 
 concern and fpecial intercfl in thclaw of Mofcs; and ihciy- 
 forc h; adigns a double realbn t<ir the abrogation aiul ilif- 
 annidling of that law ; the wcakncfs and iinprofitablcrtfa 
 thereof. Not thni the law was we:. k in iiftlf, or urpni- 
 fitablc to the mil for which (i(mI made it ; namclv, to lead 
 them to Chrilt, but weak ani tinprftitable f >r j'.ilitii :i:i"n 
 and fjlvaiion. They cxpc<5ted o.piatir n of fin, fancRilica- 
 tion and holin^fs bv it, without any regard to Chrilf and 
 his faciifice, by whom alone it could be obtained. Thofe 
 things the law could not etfuil in its bcfl iftaic ; how Viin 
 was it tlien for the Jcivs to cxpedl tlicm when it w.ns aboU 
 ilhtdf Oi/j'/Tt' next, Howiitc apollle provt^ the law to ^ 
 be weak and unprofitable, bic:^ufe \\ nu.de n-.lliinv perftJ, n 
 The law, that is, the whole fyflcm of the Mof:-ica! «irdi- 
 nances, the Icg.d covenant, ma^le n',th:h gperf[} \ th.at i , no 
 perlbn, how Ihiclly foever heobfcivid, could be jtiftificd 
 and favcd by it : It could not of itlelf cleanf.; froin fm, re- 
 concile Us to God, juftify our ptrlons, fancfify our nature?, 
 and procure fulvaiion for us. Lafily, Though the ceremo- 
 nial law made nothing perfect, yet the gofpel law, called 
 here a better hope, becaufc the prondles ot it are a good 
 ground of hope, has efficacy, power and virtue, to do all 
 thofe thint-s for us, and by it we have freedom of ac- 
 Cefs to God, The iuiv made nothing />f>fecl, &c. Learn 
 henct, I. That the law could not jullity or fanflily any 
 pcrfon, nor make him perfect, by reconciling him to (Jod, 
 and procuring falvation for him. 2. That believers of old 
 who lived under the law, did not live upon the lavr, but 
 upon the hope of Chrift, or Chrilt hoped for ; could julti- 
 fication and falvation have been had any other way, or by 
 any other mean, Chrift 's coming had been netdlefs, and his 
 death in vain. 3. That the introduflion of a better hope 
 by the gofpel, after a fiitficif nt difcovcry made of the w*ak- 
 nefsand infufticiency e>f the law, did make all things per- 
 fect, or bring the church to that Itate of confummation, 
 which was dcligned unto it. 4. That when all mankind 
 were at an inconceivable diltance from God, it was infinite 
 condelcenlion of grace to appoint his own Son, who was 
 "the blelled hope of the faints tmder the Old Tellamcnt, 10 
 be the only w..y and mean of our approaching unto him. 
 When the law made nothing perfeil , &i.Q. 
 
 20 And inafmuch as not without an oath he wai 
 made pnejl : 21 For thofe priells were made with- 
 out an oath; but this with an oath, by him that f.iid 
 unto him. The Lord iwarc and will not repent. 
 Thou art a priell for ever after the order of Mei- 
 chifedec ; 22 By lo much was Jcius made a furety 
 of a better tellament. 
 
 •Our apoflle has n(jt yet done with his fcvcral arguments 
 to prove the tranfcendeiit excellency of Chrill's prieflhood 
 above that of Aaron's : His argument inthevcrfes now 
 before us lies thus; he that is made an unchangeable 
 prieft by the oath of God, is a better, greater, anti more 
 excellent priell, than any made fo without it. Hut whereas 
 the Levitical pricfts were made without an oath, by a law 
 changeable at the will of the lawgiver ; Jefus Chrift was 
 made a Priell by the unchangeable oath ot God. The Lord 
 fwarc and will not recent. Thou art a prujifor ever. Learn 
 
 hence. 
 
Chap, vii. 
 
 HE BREWS. 
 
 hiT''-, I. That ROfliing was wanting on the part nf God, 
 thi' ^lil;ht either give cni'nency and plory, or liability and 
 efTK'acv to the pi iedhood of Chrilt : This was botl> due to 
 th.e el-:ryof his rcfo'ti "nd a!fo_^nci"ilful to eiicouvagc and 
 fcL'irr 'he faifh of the church. '2. Tiiar Jt-fiis Chrill, our 
 gr. 1 llii;'i Pii-:;1>, hpino; iiiitijted into his cfHce by the oath 
 ofG'jtl.hi! jMijjHiood js liabh-- to no al eratiiin, fnCi-cnion, 
 or fr'jlHtuii'in ; but ihf ch->):cii n>;'.y contintially dnw niih 
 to God, in full allurainc of his meritoiioiis fatisfadtion and 
 prevailing in't-rcclli^'n, and receive fn^in thence a folid 
 foun.iaii' n of peace and confolation : Byji much was 'Jifiis 
 mi It n furety of a hitter lejiament. Ohjerve here, i. The 
 ti !c given the gofpel-covenant, it is here called a better 
 teflamcnt : But not for tl'C fiibdance, but for clearnefs ; for 
 fi.'bftancc, th? old covenant difjKnfation and the new are 
 the fame ; liut the latter is made more clear, more free, 
 more full, more fiire'y ratified, by the death of Chrill, and 
 accoinpanicd with a more mightv operation of the Spirit 
 of God. 2. The title here given to Chrift, he is the 
 furety 'fa letter tiffainent. Our furety, becaufe our facri- 
 ficc. The Socinians own Chrift to be the furety of the 
 covensnt in refpeifl of his holy life, and exemplary death, 
 fciline it JS a teilim-iny by his blood, but deny him to be a 
 furety in refpeft of his fatisfaflion, merit, and interccdion. 
 But ab.s ! as our fmfid condition requires a mediator of 
 redemption, fo our thanjeable conJinon requires a inedi- 
 ator of in^erccilion ; and, blcfled be God, he has appointed 
 one for both, even his own and only Son, who is the 
 furety of a better teflamenr. Learn thence. That the 
 Lord Jefus was not only made a furety on God's part to 
 lis, to alfure us, that the promife of the covenant on his 
 part, fhould be performed, but was alfo a furety on our 
 part, to ftirnilli us with tliat grace and afTiftancc which 
 lliail enable us to do, anfwcr, and perform all that is re- 
 quired on our part, that w-e may enjoy the benefit of the 
 covenant, grace here, and glory hereafter. Chrirt has 
 undertaken, as furety of the covenant, firfl, to fatisfy for 
 fin, by offering himfilf a propitiatory facritice ; and next 
 to furnifh forth a fulliciency of grace to enable for the 
 tulfiliing the conditions of the gofpel-covenant. Thus 
 Was Jefus the furety of th'ii better covenant. 
 
 23 And they truly were many priefls, becaufe 
 they were not fuffercd to continue by reafon of 
 death : 24 But this man, becaufe he continueth 
 ever, hath an unchangeable priefthood. 
 
 Now our apoflle is come to his lafl argument, by which 
 he proves the excellency of ChrilVs pricflhood above that 
 of Aaron. The Levitical priefts, he fays, were many and 
 mortal ; their mortality was the caufe of their multitude : 
 thev were cut off by death, and fucceeded one another j but 
 Chrift IS the one snd the feme to his ch\uzh, ye/icrJay. to- 
 day, and for e-vcr ; he had no parf.ier, has no fucccllbr, but 
 executes an cverlafting unchangcjble priefthood in his own 
 perfon. As/? here, I. That the muitiplication of prierts, 
 particularly of high priefts under the legal difpenfation, was 
 a manifeft evidence of the impcrfeftion of it ; from Aa.'on 
 the firfl high prieft, unto Phineas the laft, who wasdeftroyed 
 with the temple, arc reckoned foiirfcore and three high 
 
 '573 
 
 priefts, who fucceeded one another ; of thcfc, thirteen are 
 faid to live under the tabernacle, eighiecn under the firft 
 temple built by Salomon, and all the rcfi under the (Vcond 
 temple : The L^roiind of which muliiplicntion of priefls was 
 this, becaufe thoj' were not futlered to continue bv reafon 
 of death. Learn, i. Tiiat the priefthood of Chiifl, as 
 unchangeably excrcifcd in his own perf;n, is. perpemal • 
 and its prrjitiuity is a principal part of the glory of that 
 office. He con'inueth fr' ever, h.ivinjr an unc!uw<;eal>le 
 priefthood. ^e/i- But did not Chriff, our great High 
 Priifl, die as well as Aaron, and other hiyh priefls ? Jnf. 
 Yes, he died as a priefi, they died from being priefls ; he 
 died as a priefl, becaufe he was alfo to be a facrificc. I'he 
 apoflle dolh not fay, that he did not die, but that he always 
 abideth ; he abode a pi iell even in the (late of death, and 
 after his rcfurrcaion he became immortal, never to die 
 more ; he ever livetii, he ditth no more, dca;h has no more 
 dominion over him. See how he defcribcs himfclf, Rev. 
 i. 18. I am he that Uveth, and was dead : and heboid I am 
 alive for evermore ; and have the leys of hell and death. 
 
 25 Wherefore he is alfo able to fave them to the 
 uttermoft, that come unto (Jod by him, feeing li.e 
 ever liveth to make intercefhon for them. 
 
 Thefe words are a comfortable inference and conclufion, 
 which our apoflle draws from liis preceding difcourfe con- 
 cerning the eternity and unchangeablenefs of Chrill's prieft- 
 hood ; feeing he lives for ever, he is therefore able to fave 
 to the uttermoft, and-that for ever. Olfcrz'e here, i. The 
 complete power and ability of Jefus Chrift to fave finners 
 afferted : He is eiblc to fave, and that to the uttermojl ; that 
 is, completely and everlaftingly. Learn hence. That 
 whatever difficulties lie in the way of falvation, and what- 
 ever oppofitions doarife againft it, either \\ ith refpccl to the 
 guilt of fin, or to the power and donriniofi of it, the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift is able by virtue of hi» facerdotal office, and in 
 the exercife of it, to carry on the work through them all 
 unto eternal perfeflion : Such is the dignity of his perfon, 
 fuch is the fufficiency of his fatisfaclion, that he expiates 
 the guilt of fin univerfally and perpeiuallr. Ohferve, 2. 
 The chara£ler and defcription given of the perfuns whom 
 Jefus Chrift thus perfe£lly and eternally faves, Such as come 
 unto God h him ; tliofe, all thofe, and only thofe,. whom 
 God will fave, are fuch as come unto him for falvation by 
 and through our Lord Jefus Chrift as mediator. Oh how 
 injurious then are they to their own fouls, who fit down 
 cfelponding, either under the guilt, or under the power of 
 their fins, and conclude them either fo great that they can- 
 not be pardoned, or fo ftrong that they can never be van- 
 qtiiflied or overcome ! 3. The reafon of tfiis power and 
 ability in Chrift to fave finneis to the uttermo^ aftigncd, 
 and that is, the eternity of his priefthood, the perpetuity 
 and prevalency of his interceflion ; Seeing he ever liveth to 
 make intcrccffton for them. Here mte, i. The ftatc and 
 condition of Chrift as an High Priefl, he ever liveth. Jie 
 is always living in heaven a threefold life, (i.j The eter- 
 nal life of God in his divine nature ; this he liveth in 
 himfclf. (2.) A life of inconceiveable glory in his human 
 nature; this is a life which he liveth for himfelf. (3.J /A 
 mediatory life in heaven j and this he lives for us. k«te, 
 
 a. What 
 
S74 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. viir. 
 
 ■2. What he (Intli 35 an High Prlcll in that flatc and con- 
 fiiticin ; ///■ mnhcth interccjjicn f':r us. . Learn, That the 
 T.ortI JiTiis Chrifl ever liveth to make intcrcc(Tion with his 
 Father In heaven, on the belief of all penitent btlicvers 
 hereon earth. W'c arc not to conceive of Chrill'as an 
 intcrcclT'ir with his Father in heaven, in fucli an humble 
 fiipplicating manner as when here upon earth, with ki:ccs 
 bended down, and eyes lifted up to heaven, this is incon- 
 fiftcnt w ith his glorified ftatc. But it is fiith a pleading 
 pnd petitioning with his Father as is in the nitiire of a 
 claim and demand ; and it is ftich a claim and demand 
 m.\Ao to his Father, as is accompanied with the prcfcnting 
 the tncmorials of his i!ca;h itnto him. Chri(l need not 
 iitr his month to plead with his Father in heaven, the bare 
 Ihcwing of his wounded body pleads prevalently and per- 
 petually, and this intercefllon of Chrift is a ftanding evi- 
 dence of the continuance of his love and care, 1 is pity and 
 companion to tis. BlefTcd be God that our great Hi^h 
 Prieil, who fufFcred for us, ever liveth In heaven to matie 
 intcrcefTion for tis. 
 
 26 For fucTi an Hiifh Priefl became m. who is 
 fioly, harmlefs, uiidefiled, fcparatcd from finners, 
 and made higher than the heavens ; 
 
 Ohferve here, i. Something fiippofed and necelTarily 
 implied, namely. That M \\c intend to crme unto God, we 
 bad need of an High Priefl to encourage and enable us 
 Thereunto ; Such nn ' High Prifji htcame vs \ implying 
 that without an High Pric/l: in general we can do nothing 
 in rhis matter. 2. The care ard Icindnefs of God in 
 providing for 11s, not only an High Pricft hmfiich nn High. 
 i^rk/I as our condition required, one that has made atone- 
 ment for ns, procured acceptance, given us ailitlance, pre- 
 fcrved MS in grace, and will prefervc us unto glory ; behold 
 the infinite wifdnm, love, grace, and goodnefs of God, in 
 giving fiich an High Prtcfl, as in the qtialification cf his 
 perfon, the glory of his condition, and the difcharge of hi.s 
 office, was every 'w?.\' fuiied to deliver tis froin a flatc of 
 apoftafv, fin, and mifcry, and to brirlgns to himfclf through 
 a perf(-(5l fslvation, ^. The double chara6lcr gi\'cn of this 
 High P'iert in his purity, (i.) Ht hh')ly,hnrm)r]s,un- 
 ticfilr<l,J(p,irni.( frcm Jirmm. Thus he was in his con- 
 ception, birth, life, and death, never tainted or ftained with 
 the lead fin, but botli haliitunlly and adtually more pure 
 and holy tlian any pricft on earth, or angel in heaven. 
 '2.) In liis dignity. He is made higher than thr hnnrns.-., 
 advanced above all thelnhabitaiits of that glorious place, 
 where lie ever livelh, and keeps his rtfid< nee, remriiilns a 
 Pritft fnr cvi'r not to ficrificc, birt to apply efftdliially his 
 former facrificc to all believer!. 
 
 27 \. i:o ncedeth not daily, as thofe hit>h prit^fts. 
 to otrcr up facriHcc. firfl for liis own fins, and then 
 for the people's t for this he did once, when he 
 offered up liimlclf. 
 
 1 Iris is. " As Js'fii-; Chnft, onrgrc?t High PileH, hail 
 •n.; lin tor hiiown toexi>iate, like other liif,h pricils, biii his 
 J^i..liitfs was to offer for our fins; fo the oblaiii'h and 
 eftlfiaghe mwle upon that account,' was tiol buJloiks or 
 
 rams, but himfelf in facrifice, and that tfjcf, and but otjcc 
 upon the croft:, Mfhich cnce offered facrifice was Hbuiidantly 
 fiifficicnt to take away lln ; whereas other high pricftj 
 offered for tbeir own fiQS, and for the people's fins, and 
 that often, which was 5* token of tluir infuflii.icncy and 
 imperfedjion." Learn hence, I. That no factifice coidd 
 brine; IIS to God, and faveus to pcrfe»?lion, bntthat wherein 
 the Son of God himftif was both pritfl and otfeiing ; fuch 
 an High Priefl became us who offered himfelf once for all. 
 2. That the perfe£lion of Chrilfs facrifice makes tho re- 
 petition of it needlefs, and the often repeating of it would 
 argue the imperfcdlion both of priefl and facrifice. < 
 
 x8 For the. law makcth men high priefls which 
 have infirmity ; but the word of the oath, which 
 was fmce the law, nuiketk the Son, who is confe- 
 cratcd for evermore. 
 
 That is, the Levitical law appointed trcn fo be high 
 priifts ihat l.ibourcd under infirriM'icS, were finners, an/l 
 lubjcdl to mortality ; but the promifc made to Chrifl, and 
 confirmed by God's oath long fincc the law was given., 
 niakcth the Son, a-nd none btJt the Son (who is ptrfcflly 
 holy and confecratcd to this evcrlafling cfEte) a piiefl/*r 
 ■cvcrmorf. Learn hence, I. That there never was any 
 more than two forts of priclls in the church ; the one 
 .made by the law, 'ihc other by the oath of God. 2. Th.ai 
 the great foundation of our faith, and the main hingt 
 whereon all our confrlation depends, is this, that our High 
 Priefl is the Son of God, and his i vciL-ifting continuatKa 
 in his oflice is fccurcd by the oath of God. 
 
 C H A P. VI 11. 
 
 €iir (tpoflk. having prcvtd the excdlrncy of Ckrijl's pn'r/f- 
 hnod in the fnrmer chapter ; prccee?s in ihii to Jhrj) his 
 Jailhjul (xca^'in of that his priijlly office, fur the I'd 
 and hnufit of hii church. 
 
 NOW of the things which we have fpoken. thii m 
 is the fum : We have fuch an high priefl, 
 who is fet on the ri.;ht hand of the throne of the 
 Majffly m the heavens ;• 2 A minifterof the fanc- 
 tuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord 
 pitched, and not man. 
 
 Ohferve here. i. Tbe'npoftle's preface, in which he dotfi 
 bricny rQc.apimlate the fum and fiibflance of his preceding 
 argtmients, K'M< ':/ the lhlii£s which «if hiiiej/>iten, this 
 it the Jvm. Learn hence, "I'hat wheii dotlrincs are im- 
 portant, and tfie mat'trs trea'cd of very weighty and 
 tnomentous, we .flioujd endeavour bv all ificaoi to m.ik^ 
 an imprcffinn of them i;poii the miuds of our Ticjkts, by <i 
 brief recapittda:!- n of the thirgs U'c have infifli d on ; thus 
 do'h cur apoitlc here. Ohjh\'c 2. A .dvclara ii^n of tht 
 firft general pve-fniiicnC'^ <^<i our Hi.'!- I'rrr^l. a;\l that' fs 
 taken from liis pi ' },r is 
 
 fet en the right /. . .•■>. //v 
 
 hetivens. A thrcii';, .: . f 
 
 majclly, and oniamunj ... ...,^,^.^., ^ u , ,.. ■: c 
 
 ' i " tliioiir, 
 
Chap. vin. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 575 
 
 throne, is to pofTefs foverei£;n power and dominion: This 
 Cftrifl now enjoys in heaven, as the JtBtf^'^ of liis deep 
 liuiniliition, and as the hii;htfb d<-i;r^%f his exaltalion. 
 Learn hence, That the prin^Mol j;lory ol the piiv;Hly 
 office of Chrift depends on l^J^oriniis exultation of his 
 pcifon. Ohferve, t,. Anotlier pre-eniin-.nce of our Lord 
 jiefi-'s Chrirt, as oilr great Hi.uh Priert ; he is called a 
 niiniilcr of the r.incliiarv. A v:hufter\ this intimates to 
 us, that onr great High Pi icft, in the Iicight of his I'lorv, 
 conJcfcends to (lirchart,e the office; of a piiblic minilltr in 
 the behalf of iiis chorch. Our thoughts fotrietimcs dwell 
 upon what Clirift did for us on earth, but too feldom are 
 they taken up \vi:|i the cotitcnipktion of what he is flill 
 doing for us in heaven. And a m'nuflcr of the fanfiuary 
 or true tahernncle ; that is, not of the literal fantfluary and 
 tabernacle here below, for Chrift never entered into that, 
 but of the fancluary of Heaven, in which dwclleth all that 
 i^as rcpreftn'ed in the findliiiry here below : Chrift our 
 great Hi.^h Priell abides in the fanfluarv ot heaven for us 
 continually; always reprefcnting the cilicacy of that blood 
 whereby atonement was made for all uur fins. O blelfcd 
 Jefus ! They being continually in heaven, will draw our 
 hearts and miruls continually thither, if fo be wc arc really 
 intcrelled in thy holy niiniltration. 
 
 3 For every highprien; is ordained to offer gifts 
 and facrifices : wherefore it is of neceiffity that this 
 man have i'omcwhat alfo to offer, 4 For if he 
 were on earth, he fliould not be a pricft, feeing that 
 there are priefls that offer gifts according to the law: 
 5 Who ferve unto the example and fhadow of 
 heavenly things — 
 
 That our Lord Jefus Chrifl is our great High Prieft 
 under the gofpel, the apollle had fufficiently dcmonftrated 
 and coiifirmed before. Ohferve here. How he next de- 
 clares what is the nature, duty, and office of Chrift as otir 
 High Priefl : namely, /s offer gifts and facrifices. A prieft 
 that has nothing to offer is no priefl at all ; Chrift there- 
 fore offered as well as other high priefls : but what ! Bul- 
 locks and rams ? In no wife : Hcoifered himfelf, his whole 
 human nature, foul and body. As to the typical facri- 
 hccs he did not, aiuld not offer them, were he upon earth, 
 becaufe he was not of the tribe of Levi, whofc proper 
 office it was to meddle with thofe offerings ; therefore 
 leaving the fhadow to them, he oflercd the fubflance, him- 
 fclf; that is, hi.<; own body, fignified by thofe iliadows. 
 Learn hence. That there was no falvation to be had for 
 us, no, not by Jefus Chrift hiinfelf, without his facrifice 
 and obla;ion; It ivas of necefftty that he Ihould have fome- 
 what to offer, as well as thofe priefls had of old, according 
 to the law. No falvation without atonement for fin ; no 
 atonement for fm but by facrifice \ no facrifice fufficient for 
 atonement but the death of Chrifl ; and whoever looks 
 for filvation otherwife than in the. faith and virtue of that 
 facrifice, will be difuppointed and deceived. But although 
 the oblation was made by Chrifl on earth, yet the con- 
 tinual application of i:s efficacy to the fouls of bclierers is 
 made by Chrift now in heaven ; without wliich, neither 
 their accefi to God, nor their peace wiih God could be 
 
 maintained, v. ij, 4. In the fifth verfe the apollle afTerts, 
 that the lex itical priefls here below did perform thofe ad- 
 miniflrations which were but fh.idows of heavenly things 
 ab'Ve. If ho ferve unto the cxuviple und Jhcdoui cf heavenly 
 things. Where to fen'e, is to ofliciate as priefls, in otrer- 
 ing cifts and facrifices : but this their feivice was not f,ii. 
 ritual and heavenly, but carnrtl and earthly : yet a fhadow 
 and imitation of heavenly things. Learn hence, That 
 CJod alone limits the figin'fication and ufe of all his own 
 itifliiutions. The ininiflry of the juiefls of old was only 
 in and about earthly things, not heavenly things, yet have 
 a rcfemblance and (liadow of heavenly tilings. We iriuft 
 not take any thing out of God's infliiutions which he lias 
 put in them, nor iniifl wc put more in thcin than God 
 has fiirnifhcd them withal. To expcft that from any or- 
 dinance or inftitution of God which he never intended or 
 dcfigncd, is to make an idul of the ordinance, and the way 
 to render it ufelefs, yea, pernicious and perilous to us ; tci 
 put that into an ordinance v\hich God never put into it, 
 and to expeQ more from an ordinance than God ever pro- 
 mifed, is to overthrow it. 
 
 — As Mofes was admonifiied of God when he 
 lyas about to make the tabernacle. For fee, faith 
 he that thou make all things according to the pat- 
 tern fhewcd to thee in the mount. 
 
 The words imply, that divine infliiiition is the only 
 pure rule of religious wortliip : Mofes did nothing of his 
 own head when he built the tabernacle, but had his direc- 
 tions in every tiling from God. If perfons will carve 
 out the worfhip of God according to their own fancies, 
 they may plcafe themfelves perhaps, but they never can 
 pleafe their maker ; for nothing is plcafmg to God, as to 
 the fubflance of religious worfhip, but what is of his own 
 prefcribing ; confequently all that theatrical pon)p which is 
 found in the church of Rome, and inakes the worfhip of 
 God a dead thing, is a mere fornication in rclitjion, and 
 an abomination in the fight of God. All their humiia 
 inventions are intolerable prefuinptions. And as Mofes 
 was bound to give diredlions according to the pattern 
 given him, fo the priefls, in their adminiilrations, were 
 bound to follow Alofes' diredlions. Yet after all, the 
 tliitigs which Mofes was concerned about, were carr 
 nal things ; the tabernacle was earthly, the i.fFerincs car- 
 nal, yet fhadows of better tilings, even of heavenly; for 
 the fancluary was a fhadow of a heavenly fandluary ; the 
 priefl, of a better prieft ; the fcrvice, of a far bt;ttcr fer- 
 vice : This feenis to be the intention of ourapoftle. 
 
 6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent 
 miniftry, by how much alfo is he the mediator of 
 a better covenant, which was eflabliOied upon bet- 
 ter proniifes. 
 
 Our apoflle, in thefe words, proves the excellency of 
 Chrilt's miniflry or prieflliood above that of Aaron and his 
 fons, from the excellency of the new covenant ftr the 
 new difpenfation of the covenant of graccj above the old, 
 of whicli he was the mediator. Now the more excellent 
 the covenant, the niorc excellent the miniflry. I.earn 
 
 hence 
 
sve 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. viri. 
 
 hence, i. Tliat the gorpel-covcnaiU, or the new cove- 
 nant, was the beft covenant that ever God made \sith 
 man ; not but the old and new covenant were the fame 
 for fiibft.nnce, ihoiii;li not forclcarnefs; indeed temporal 
 things were types' and (hadows of better things, even of 
 licavcnly things : And accordingly believers under the 
 old tcrta'ment ucre faved by a covenant of grace as well as 
 we. Leain, 2. That the gofpcl-covcnant is therefore a 
 better covenant, bccaufc eft^blifheii upon better proinifes ; 
 their promifes of old were chiefly temporal, though not 
 orilv temporal things promifcd us alfo; but more rarely, 
 and' with the exception of the crofs, or rather they arc 
 thrown in as addition'; to fpiritual promifes, Matt. iv. 33. 
 VaW the promifes of thc.covennnt of grace are. therefore 
 •l)etier, bccaufe ftreiigth and allilbnce is engaged tor, and 
 gracioully offered, in order to enable us to perform the 
 conditions of thcin : The law required Hnlefs obedie-ncc ; 
 the gofpcl accepts finccrc obeflicncc, and otFcrs grace to 
 f crform it.- Lrnrn, 3. That Jcfus Chrilt is the mediator 
 of this better covenant : As there was a covenant m.adc 
 •between God and man, fo there was need of a mediatiir 
 that the covenant might bo eftc£lual ; for a mediator is 
 necelT.iry, both where there is a controverfy and ditFerence, 
 and alfo where there is an imparity and dilbncc between 
 pcrfons : In both rcfpeas Chrifl is mediator ; and his me- 
 diation was needful, that he might bring us to GoJ. 
 •God ftood upon terms before he woull pardon fm. Juf- 
 -lice muft be fjtislicd, and that by blood, and that blood 
 of infinite value ; therefore Chrifl' is firll a fponfor before 
 a mediator ; he lufl faiisfics for the breach, before he goes 
 about to make up the breach between God and the finuer. 
 
 7 For if that firft covcrumt had been faultlefy, 
 theq fhould no place have been fought for the fccond. 
 8 For finding fault with them, he faith, Behold, 
 the days come (faith the Lord) when I will make a 
 new covenant with the houfe of Ifracl and with the 
 houfe of Judah : 9 Not according to the covenant 
 that I made with their fathers, in the day when 
 I took them by the hand to lead them out of the 
 land of Kgppt ; becaufc they contmned not in my 
 xovenant, and I regarded them not, faith the Lord. 
 
 Ohftfoe here, i. What is charged on the firlt covenant, 
 and tliat is faul'inefs. By which we are not to undcrftand 
 any (inful faultincfs, but dcfciflivcnefs and imperfeclion 
 only : For il wns nut f:iultv in the mjttcr an! fubllancc of 
 ii, and it wis infiituted and ord;iincd by God, but the?c- 
 fore called faui'y beciufeit was obfcurc, was not 'ivt furclv 
 rntiHed, and not attended with that virtue, power, and ef- 
 ficacy wlui-h the new covenant is accoiTijianied wiih. Oh- 
 JiXve, 1. Wherein conlKtcth that defeclivcnefs ami im- 
 pcrfctflion v>i the lirll covenant which !« here complained 
 of; namely, I. In its inabili'y to judify and lave us, be- 
 CLiufe of O'l' irnbility, throii;;h the weakp.fsof the Helh, 
 to anfwcr the demands of it, Koni. viii. 3. lil.al /,'.• low 
 c-.hIH not di in thai il was U'dJ;, &c. The jnw wzs nif pic- 
 .perly weak to us, but we were weak to that. 2. The le- 
 gal covenant required cxacl obeJitnce, but afforded no 
 
 fpiritual alllflancc for the performance of what is required* 
 But the covena[jl*l ptace, the new covenant, is called a 
 minijlrathn o/rie Spirit ; and under the gofpel we arc 
 faid nrit to Jeri/e in the oUif/i of the letter, but in tie rew- 
 nr/i oflhefpirit. Now'.T&yc the apofllc, \cr. 8. Almighty 
 God finding fault v\ith the Jews for breach of the former 
 covenant, cicclarcd by the prophet Jcremiih, chap. x.\xi. 
 71. That the covenant he would make with all the true 
 Ifraclites for time lo come, fhoidd not be like that which 
 he made with ihcir l':<ihers in Egypt, which they continued 
 not in the obfervation of (wanting thofe afliflanccs from 
 the Holy Spirit to cnabfc them thereunto, which are pro- 
 cured for us by Chrilfj ; accordingly, / regarded thrrt ntl, 
 faith the Lord, but gave them up for their fins, into the 
 hands of fhtir enemies. Obferve, lallly. How Aimighy 
 G(>t! makes the iujperfcftion of the old covenant, and the 
 Ifraclites inflability therein, the realon of his making a 
 new covenant with us, in which grace and affiflance is 
 offered to enable us to obey and pcrfevcrc in obedii-nce : 
 Finding fault with ihcm ; that is, for tlie breach of the 
 former, he faith, BehAd the dnyi come that I ivill tiuth: a 
 new c:v:Kaiit ivilh ihem. From the whole, n-.ie, i. Th.it 
 the grace and glory of the new covenant are much fct off 
 andinanifclted by comparing it with the old. As/c, 2. That 
 nothing but cffedual grace from Chrilf will feciire our 
 covcnajit obedience one moment : What greater motives, 
 x>T ftronger ou'ward obligations to obedience could any 
 people under heaven have, than the Ifraelites had ? But 
 they quickly turned oitt of the way : therefore, in the neve 
 covcn.uit, is this grace protnifed in a peculiar manner, as 
 we Ihail fee in the next verfe. 
 
 10 For this h the covenant that I will make 
 with the houfe of Ilrael after thofe days, faith the 
 Lord ; I will put tny laws into their mind, and 
 write them in their hearts : and I wiil be to them a 
 God, and they Ihall be to me a people. 
 
 Ohferve here, I. The perfons witii whom this cove- 
 nant is made, the houfe of LH-ae!, and the !,oufe of Judah ; 
 not made with them as a political bixly, becaufe 'heir 
 policy was to be dilfolved, but as a part of the univerfal 
 church. Ohfe ve, 2. The author of tlii'i coverant, and 
 that is God himfelf, / will inahe il, faith the Lord. Note, 
 That the abolilhing of the old covenani, and elfablifhir.g 
 the new, is ,in aifl of fovereign wifdoin, grace and autho> 
 ri'v in (jol : / will make a new iwe^unit. Ohjenr, 3. 
 What is the great and comprch;nlive nronufc ot ilie ncv 
 covenant : / will put my hra's into ih.'ir minds, and rvrite 
 them in their heuris \ that is-, I. I v. ill make a clear anJ 
 perfpiciious revelation of my mind and will unto tlicm, 
 aivl givf them a thorough knowledge and underf'andiiig 
 of iTiv laws, fo that their own conrefrnccs flial! condenm 
 them when th?"V do irnnr«rerv l!xm. Attd, 2. j?v rr>y 
 Holy Spirit I will mnke a deep and clKcacioiis impreiiion r.f 
 ih'cm up')Uthi.ir hearts and fpiri;.«. Where, «;/<•, Thit 
 the prcC'.'pts "of the old coveii.mi are all tf thcr.i turned- 
 in pro'-uifes under t'le new ; their pcrcep'ivc and com- 
 mandini;; power reinaineiJi , but gra.e is piomifed ff)r thr 
 pcrf:jrmancc of them. Ncte f Tther, T hat the w(>rk r>f 
 grace, in i;»c new covenant p.-.!l"cth on the foul in all its 
 
 pivtr, 
 
Chap, v i 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 977 
 
 powers and faculties, to their cIianRC and renovation : / 
 will put mv lavs into thtir mindj, iic. And cunlequently, 
 to deny the recelliiy and efficacy of the fancTifyin^; and 
 renewing grace of God in the habits and adls of it, is 
 plainly to overthro-*.' the evangelical covenant. Oh/cive, 
 4. What is the relation which is here faid to enfuc be- 
 tween God and his pccpk; I 'mH he to thtm a God, &c. 
 Here nttr, i. God's relation to ^s ; / wUbetothem a God, 
 I who am ail-fulficier.i in niylclf, will he your a'.l-fnfiicient 
 preferver, and your all fufficient rewarder. As nothing 
 lels than Gods becoming our God can relieve and help 
 us ; fo nothing more can be required thereunto. Note, i. 
 Our relation to God, They fn all be to fic a people ; that is, 
 • fpecial and peculiar people, owinw dependency upon him, 
 »nd prefelTing all luhjection and obedience to him. And 
 okferve, God undertakes for this, theyjhall be la me a peo- 
 ple. Learn thence, Th.n God doth as well undertake 
 for our being his people, as he doth for his being our 
 God : He that afTumes them into that relation freely, will 
 preferve them in it powerfully ; I -will be tifthem a God, &c. 
 
 11 And they fl\all not teach every man his 
 neighbour, and every man his brother, faying Know 
 the Lord, for all fh'all know me,from the leaft to 
 the greatcft. 
 
 Thefe words are not to be underftood abfolutely, but 
 comparatively : They are a promife, that under the new 
 covenant difpenfation the Holy Spirit fliall be fo plentifully 
 poured forth, and the light of the gofpel fo clearly fliine 
 forth, that there Ihall not be fuch need as under the law, 
 to teach men the knowledge of God, and their duty to 
 him ; they Ihall not need, in fuch a manner as formerly, 
 to inftruifi: one another in the meaning of the types and 
 fliadows of the law; they /hall all knciv me.- that is. all 
 ranks and degrees of men, all forts and conditions of per- 
 fons, (hall own me to be the Lord. Ncte here. What 
 abul'e is put upon this text by fome, who brmg it to fet 
 ofide the necelTity of human teaching ; for it is by fuch 
 teachin^r that God gives men the knowledge of hi'nfelf. 
 Learn hence, That there is a duty incumbent en every 
 maH to inftruft others according to his ability and oppor- 
 tunity, in the knowledge of God. But, Lord, pity u', 
 ■we have more that mutually teach one another (in, folly, 
 vanity, yea, vilanny of all forts, than the knowledge of 
 God, and the duty we owe unto him! This it not vrhac 
 God here promifeth believeriin a way of grace, but what 
 fie hath given up carelefs unbelieving profeflbrs to, in a 
 way of vcHgeance. 
 
 18 Far I will be merciful to their unrighteouf- 
 nefs, and their lins and their iniquities will I re- 
 member no more. 
 
 This is the great fundamental promife of the covenant 
 of grace, pardon offio. Thence learn, That free and 
 undelerved grace, in the pardon of fm, is the original 
 fpring and foundation of all covenant-mercies and blef- 
 fings. Obferve farther, How copioufly the Spirit of Gcd 
 feti forth the benefits of pardoning grace, 1 will forgive 
 and forget ; /■*;// be merdjul, andrcmembtr no rmre ; par- 
 
 efoning mercy is full, as v.ell as irte. dhjltve lalily. The 
 aggravating names here given to fin, it is called ur.rigkc- 
 oufntjs, becaufe nothing can be more uncqiul and unjull, 
 than for man to (in agamlt God his creator, his ruler and 
 benefaclior ; and iniquity, or a tranlgredion of the law, ai\ 
 erring and fwerving from the rule of hohnefs, which vre 
 are to walk by. Zt^^rw hence, i. That the aggravations 
 of fin are great and many, which the confciences of con- 
 vinced finners ought to have great regard unio. Learn, z. 
 That we can never underftand aright the glory and excel- 
 lenry of pardoning mercy, unlefs we are convinced of the 
 greatnefs and vilenel's of our lins in thefe feveral aggrava- 
 tions of them. Learn, 3. That the cover:ant of grace 
 fully alTures us, that there are riches of grace, and abun- 
 dance of pardoning mercy in God, weich difpofes him, 
 for Chrift's lake, to be merciful to penitent finners' un- 
 righteoufnefs, and to ramember their tranfgreflions no 
 more, how many and heinous foever they have been. 
 
 13 In that he faith, A new covenant, he hath 
 made the firft old. Now that which decayeth, aad 
 waxeth old n ready to vanlfli away. 
 
 The apoftle having, in the foregoing verTes, proved the 
 infulTiciency of the old covenant, and the necelliiy of the 
 new, and given the preference to the latter above the for- 
 mer • in thislaft verte he acquaints us with the abrogation 
 of the old covenant, it is made old; and with the abolition 
 of it, // is ready to vanijl) awey: As old things lo.fe their 
 power, ftrength, and vigour ; fo the old covenant loft its 
 binding power and obliging force. And as that which 
 waxeth old moulders away by little and little, till at \zk it 
 does totally vanilli, and utterly perifh ; thus the legal dif- 
 penfation by little and little decayed, until it wholly ceafed 
 at laft ; yea it is obfervible, that the whole policy and 
 Jewifh government did vanifli away, and totally expire in 
 a few years aftor the writing of thisepiflle. Leamhence, 
 I. That the outward appearance of the legal adminidra- 
 tion was glorious, and very taking to the jews .- The fa- 
 bric of the temple, the ornaments of the priefts, the order 
 of their worlhip, had a glory in them which dazzled the 
 eves and captivated the minds and afFeftions of the peo- 
 pie. Learn, 1. That all this glory did gradually vanilii, 
 and at lall totally difappear; all the glorious inflituiions 
 of the law were at beft but as liars in the lirniainent of 
 thechurchj and confequently were all to dilapperat the 
 riling of the fun of rightecufnefs : In that hejaith, a new 
 Cfjvsnant, &:e. 
 
 C H A P. IX. 
 
 Our apcfik in this chapter tn^rs a ciitiparifon heixoein 
 the old and new covenant, betweni tli* legal and ezwi- 
 gelical difpenjaticm, Jlitxaing that the former zcas to 
 ceafe, and that it was greatly to the church's advantage, 
 that itjliimlddojo. 
 
 THEN verily the firfl covenant had alfo ordi- 
 nances of divine fervicc, and a worldly fanc- 
 tiiary. 
 6 H 1« 
 
97«" 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 CjIAP. IX. 
 
 In tliis, nnd the following vci Tcs, the apoflle gives ut a 
 pirticular and tliHinifl view of the typical ordinances in the 
 old covenant under the Molaic dilpeiifation, and alfo of 
 their accomplifliment in Jelui Chrill : And here in gene- 
 ral he acquaints Uf, that the tTrll covenant had an outward 
 leg.il ftrvice, with fundry rites and ordinanct-s of divine 
 wordiip, and a worldly fanillnary, raift-d by men, of earth- 
 ly materials , a tenipornry tabetnacle ; wrily ihf jiip rt- 
 vfnant had ordtnjnceshf d-v'tnc ftt vice. Sec. Ohjetve: here, 
 That there was never any covenant between God and 
 man, but had fome ordinances and inftituiioiiS of divine 
 •worlhip annexed unto it ; the original covenant of woi k<, 
 had the ordinances of the tree of life, and the tree of 
 knowledge of good and evil. The covenant of Sinai, 
 whereof the .ipoflle here fpe.iks,had a multitude of th^nl, 
 and ills gofpel covenant is not defliiute of them ; witiufs 
 our facrainent: and public worfliip. Chferve, 2. That all 
 ordinances f.)r worlhip mnft be refolved into divine ordi- 
 nation or inftitution^ or that which renders them accepta- 
 ble and will pleaCing unto God : A worihip not ordained 
 by God is not acceptable to God : it had ordinances of 
 worfhip. fihfave hniy, How God can animate outward 
 carnal things with an hidden invifible fpring of glory and 
 efficacy. So he did their fanftuary with its relation unto 
 Chrilf, which was an ubjeft of faith, which no eye offldh 
 could behold. 
 
 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the firft 
 wherein xuai the candlcftick, and the table, and the 
 flicwbread; which is called the faiiftuary. 3 And 
 after the fecond vail, the tabernacle which is called 
 the holiefl; of all : 4 Which had the golden cenfcr, 
 and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about 
 with gold, wherein viai the golden pot that had 
 manna, and Aarons rod that budded, arid the ta- 
 bles ot the covenant : 5 And over it the cherubiins 
 of glory (hadowing the mercy-feat: of which we 
 cannot now fpcak particularly. 
 
 In thcfe verfc's, the Holy Ghoft by the apoftle fets be- 
 fore our eyes the bcautifnl face of God's public worfliip, 
 under the cerernonial law. And firll, He deCciibes the 
 place appointed by God for his folemn wor/liip. This 
 wa"!, fiifl, the tabernacle, then, the temple : The taber- 
 nacle was an ambulatory temple ; the temple a (landing 
 TabernScle. The tabernacle was a type .-^nd figure of 
 Chrift's mcarnation, whereby the fulnefs of the Godhead 
 d-A-elt in hirn bodily, as it d^elt typical in the tabernable ; 
 this tsbfrn;!cle had two parts, thefanftuary, or holy place, 
 and \\\.^ fanfluti fan^tr^m, itr the /;'>/y <jj hr,ltes. Our 
 aportls tells us what facrrd utenfils were hy God's appoint- 
 inent in both iheCe pLices. I. In the fandii.iry tin re was 
 the carJl:J}uh, reprefcnting that fulnefs of light wlrch is 
 in Cbritt, and which is by him connnunicaied to the whole 
 cburcn. The table whereon flood the fhfoibread, typify- 
 ing ihi faints coiiiiKiunion with Chrift, and with unt- an- 
 other ; alfo the fnew bread itfclf, which typified Chrift, 
 a« being the only bread of life to his church, iheoiily fpiri- 
 tual food of theloul that nourifiies it inio life eternal. 2. In 
 the hoi/ 0/ h,. lie- there y.as ihe gcldtn ccnf^r, which, wat 
 
 to hold the incenfe. This reprefentcd the interceliron of 
 Chrift, which gives efficacy to the prayers of all believers : 
 The prevaleiicy of all our prayers depends on the incenfe 
 which is in the hand of our merciful Hig"h J'riell. The 
 ark of the covtiiant ova LiidviUhg'ild .• this, with the mercy- 
 feat, which covered the ark, was the toi/ft glorious and 
 mydf rious utenfil of the tabernacle, the nioft eminent 
 pi dgt of the divine prifence ; calleil ihe ark of the cove- 
 nant, htcaufc the two tables tn «liich the ten command- 
 ments were writ by the finger of Gotl,'Aere kept in it; next 
 \he g'lJfti p'lt , in which the manna was laid op, and niira- 
 tuloiifly kept from putrefaction, (which of iifcif would have 
 dunk in a few days) a type of Cbrifl the bread of life. 
 Ihfii Aaron's tod that huddid; This originally was the 
 rod o Mofes, wherewith he fed his ffieep in the wilder- 
 neff, and afterwards wrought his miracles, and particularly 
 fmote the rock with it lill it guflied out water. When 
 Aartjn was called to the office of the priefthood, i' was 
 delivered unto his keeping. This rod of Moles, w fierc- 
 with he fmote the rock is commanded to be laid up in the 
 tabfrn;icle, becaufe the I'piritual to&. that followed them 
 was to be I'mitten with the rod of the law, thnt it might 
 give forth the waters of life unto the church. Lartof all 
 the tables of the covenant; that is, the two fables of (lone 
 cut out by Moftf, and written on by the finger of God, 
 containing the ten commandments, which were the fuh- 
 ftince of God's coveiunt wiih the people. Tlicfe two 
 tables of Hone were, by the cxprefs command of God, put 
 into the ark, and there was nothing elfe in the ark but 
 them. The pot of manna, and Aaron's rod, were laid 
 up in the, holy of holies, near the ark, but not in it, which 
 were of no cfFccfual ufe in the fervice of God, btit only 
 kept as facred memorials. Having thus defcribed what 
 was in the ark, next the apoOle tells u« what w as over the 
 ark, namely the cherubims and mercy feat. The cheru- 
 bims were j^lata ammuVta, winged creatures, of human 
 fltape, but with wings, to denote their angelic.-.l nature ; 
 there were two of theni, one a: each end ot the ark, (ha- 
 dowing the mercy-feat; from betueen thefe cherubims, 
 over the mercy feat ; it was that God manifcfted his ma- 
 jcftical prefence, (pake unto Moles, and gave out his ora- 
 cles as a prince fj)eaks from his throne. 'Jhe mercy-feat 
 was of pure beaten gold; the meafure of it exactly anfwer- 
 ing the ark ; Thi^ covered the ark wherein the law was; 
 and was a type of Chrift, w'ho fully covers our (ins, the 
 tranfgreflions of the law, out of God' light; and is there- 
 fore called by the apoftle, Rom. iii. 25. our propiti- 
 atory, or propitiation, or mercy-feat, lor \f thou, Lord, 
 JhouUj] mark inl/juitiet, according to the Lrjj, -who could 
 (land? Thefe are the particular things which the apolUe 
 thought fit to take notice of, in the Jew ilh tabernacle; 
 all which we fee pointed at Chrift; and there vasia 
 tbcin all, iwne or Icls, a reprefentation of the perfon and 
 niedia.tii^n of Chrift. Hereunto they were defigned by di- 
 vine viii'dom, to denote, that in him alone is God well 
 plcafed, in him alone will he be glorified. 
 
 6 Now when thefe things were thus ordained, 
 the pricfts went always into thcfirfl tabernacle, ac- 
 complifliiHg the fervice 2/^ GciJ. 
 
 Our 
 
Chap, ix. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 979 
 
 Our Apoftle having given an account, in the preceding 
 verfef, of the (tructiire or fabric of the tabernacle, in the 
 two parts of which bt longed to the priclli ; namely, the 
 holy place, and the lioly of holies, .(tor of the firll court, 
 the court of the people, he fays nothing) ; he comes now 
 to difcoiirle of the fcrvice, which, by the appointment of 
 God. the prielts were to perform in this magnificent 
 ftruclure. 
 
 VVhere obferve, I. The perfonsadminirtering, thtpr'tejls 
 only, and they of the poderity of Aaron : All others were 
 forbidden upon pain of excifion. 2. The general founda- 
 tion of the lervice of thefe priefts in the lanftuary, they 
 entirecl'mto it, but were to go no farther; they muft not 
 lb much as look into the holy of holies ; no, nor yet abide 
 in the fanduary when th.e high prieftcntered into the mod 
 lioly place. 3. The time of this their entrance into the 
 fanctuary to difcharge their fervice,*?/:);;?)'/ ; that is, every 
 day, and at all times, as occadon did require. 4. The 
 fervice itfelf, accomplijhing the fervice cf God ; theie ler- 
 vices were either daily or weakly : Daily, were dreiTing 
 the lamps, fupplying them with holy oil, morning and e- 
 vening ; alio the iVrviceof the goldenaltar, on which the 
 priells burnt incenfe every day. The weekly fervice of 
 i!ie fanvlluary w.ts the changing of the fliew-bread every 
 Jabbaih-day in the morning. All the fervice was typical, 
 repreienting the continual application of the benefits of 
 Chrift's facnfice unto his church to the end of the world. 
 The tabernacle itfelf, and the inhabitation of God in it, 
 ■w as a type of the incarnation of the type of God. All the 
 iitenfils of it were reprefeiuaiioni of his grace. He is the 
 h'ghtand life of the church, the lampnnd the bread there- 
 of. The incenfe of his interceffiim renders all our obedi- 
 dience acceptable unto God ; and accordingly, there was 
 continual application unto ihefc things w ithont internidlion, 
 every day : Signifying unto us, that a continu.il applicati- 
 on unto God by Chrilt, and a continu^jl ayplication of the 
 mediation of Chrid by faith, are the fprings of the light, 
 life, and comfort of the church. 
 
 Having thusdefcribed the prieft'sfervice in the fiiftpart 
 of the temple, ver. 6. he conies now to declare the fervice 
 and adininidration ot the high pricil in the fecond part of 
 the temple, or holy of holies, ver. 7. 
 
 7 But into the fccondnw;/! the high piieft alone, 
 once every year, not without blood, which he offer- 
 ed for himlelf and for the errors of the people. 
 
 Obferve here, r. The perfon adminiftering delcribed, 
 7he high frieft alone ; none of the priefts were permitted 
 to he fo near him as the faiKftii.iry when he adminiftered 
 in the mcft holy place. Thus facredly was theprefence of 
 God, in the holy of holies, made inacceflible, not only to 
 the people, but even to all the priefts themfelves. The 
 great truth which was reprefcnted and (Jindowed forth was, 
 that there is no entrance into the graciou' prefence of God 
 hut by our great High Priefl the holy jefiis. The high 
 prie/i aione, and no other perfon, enteied into the holy of 
 holies. 2. The high priell engaging in his fervice, He 
 entered through the vnil into the hdv place. T his was .i 
 type both of the entrance of Chrift into heaven, and of 
 our entrance by hipj into the throne of grace. We read 
 
 Matt. xTtvii. 15. of the rending of iliis vai!, at the death 
 of our Saviour, from top to bottom: Signifying thereby, 
 that the way was laid open into the holy place, and the 
 gracious prefence of God difcovered, and made acceffible 
 to all that come into him by Jefus Chrift. 3. The time 
 of this fervice exprefied,it was once only every year ; and 
 the day, the precife day of theyear,detcrniined,Lcv.xvi. 
 29. to wit, the tenth day of the month Tizri, anfwtring 
 our Septenier, called the great day of atonement? on 
 which day fuch a complete atonement was made for fin 
 that the Jews had a Cay, "That on the day of expiation 
 all Ifrael was made as innocent as in theday of creation." 
 4. The nature of this fervice ; the apoftle tells us, it was 
 not luithout bhod, that is, he did it by blood,!prir,klin<T it 
 feven times with his finger towards the mercy-feat Lev. 
 xvi 11,12. There isan emphalis in the expreifion, woi 
 ■without bhod, to manifeft the neceflity of the death 'and 
 blood-fhedding of Jefus Chrift our gieat high Prieft.and 
 the iinpolfibility of our entering into thegraciou? prelenco 
 of God without the blood of the reconciling facrince Chrift 
 Jefus. 5. For whom this blood was offered ; fiift, for 
 him/elf, then for the people ; that is, for his own liiif',and 
 the fins of the people : Thisiirgucd the great imperfedion 
 of that ftaie ; whereas Chrift our great High Prieft was 
 not to oircriip.the blood cf goats, but his own blood, not 
 for hiinfelf at all ; by one cjfering he hath for ewer perfe£ied 
 them that are fanSHfied. 
 
 8 The Holy Ghoft this fignifying, that the way 
 into the holiell of all was not yet made manifeft 
 while as the firfl tabernacle was yet (landino- 
 
 The apoftle, in this verfe, declares the fpiritual ufe and 
 fignification of the Levitical fervice, and what the Holy 
 Ghoft did intend thereby ; namely, that the true and 
 proper means to tnter into heaven, the holy of hoIie,<:,was 
 not fo fully and clearly inanifefted ; and that hcaven.re- 
 prefented by the holy of holies, was as yer inacceflible : 
 for Chrift firft entered into heaven asour forerunner, with 
 his blood to appear before God, and thereby to prepare 
 the way for our enrrance afterhim. Hence /carw, i. That 
 the Holy Ghoft's defign, in all the Levitical fervce, was 
 todirecT: the faith of believer's to Chrift the promiled 
 Mefllih, who wasfignified thereby ; the Holy Cha/hhus 
 fgnifying. 2. That although typical inftiiutions, attended 
 diligently unto, were fnfficient to direft the faith of the 
 Jews unto the expedlaticn of a real expiation cflni, atid a 
 gracii'us accept.inte with God thereupon ; yet the clear 
 manifeftation of the way of expiation of [in by the blood 
 of Chrilt, is the gteat privilege and difcovery of the gofpcl. 
 3. Although the ftandingofthe firft tabernacle wasa great 
 mercy and privilege, yet the removal of it was a greater 
 becaufe it made way for the bringing in of that which was' 
 much better, ihegofpel-ftate. 
 
 9 Which uas a figure for the time then prefent, 
 in which were offered both gifts nnd facrifices.that 
 could not make him that did the fervice perRa.as 
 pertaining to the confcicnce, 10 IVhic/iJlccd unly'ln 
 meats and di inks, and divers wafliings, and carnal 
 
 ordinances, 
 r^ H ,2 
 
cj8o 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chat. rx. 
 
 ordinances, impofi d ('>( than iinP!! tb'- time of refor- 
 mation. 
 
 As if tlie apnftle Iiad fai I, "The lirlt tabernacle was but 
 a figure, or typical reprefentation of good thiiif^s tocoiue, 
 rerviiijT only fonheprereui uoii-ageof the church : for the 
 ^iftt and facrili>.es iheii t>ffereil could not, of thcnifeKcs, 
 perfcrtiy juUify, faiictify, or fi*ve any man, nor could they 
 pacify the confciepce of the (inner. Wliere note, That 
 lonfcience cannot be latished until (jod's wrath be pacitied. 
 Mow, the ceremonial rites could not patify God's wrath, 
 becaufe they could not faiisl'y God's juftice : nothing but 
 tlie blood of Chrifl could do tl>at, which thofe facrificcs 
 vvcrc only typically repreffntations and prelij;urations of. 
 Chft-rve farther, The apoftle's leafons why thofe legal rites 
 Lould not make them jjetfect ; Dymelyjbecaijfe ti)e natiitc 
 of them was luch; that they reached only to the outw^ird 
 Kian, coiifliiig only, for the mcft part, in meats, drinks, 
 and divers 'jL<aJhings, that concerned the flefii and body of 
 man, which did not, of iheinfclves, commen<i any man to 
 God, and were impofed upon them as a yoke, until the 
 time of the reformation; that is, the time of theMefliab,il)c 
 time of the New Te.'tament dirpeiii'ation. A'o/f here, The 
 great imperfedVion of the Jewiili difpenfation, it was weak 
 and imperfect, and confequently not to be continued. Note 
 farther, That nothing can give peace to confcience but 
 what gives fatiifaftion to God's jnflite. Whoever feeks it 
 any other way, than by virtue of Chrift's atonement, will 
 never attain it in this world, or in that which is to come: 
 No (iff'critgs c uld make him thatdid the ferv':ces perfe^ ,kc. 
 
 1 1 But Chrin being come an high prieft of good 
 thinjjs to come, by a greater and more pcrfetl ta- 
 bernacle, not made with hands, that is to fay, not of 
 this building ; 12 Neither by the blood of goats 
 and calves, but by his own blood,he entered in once 
 into the holy place, having obtained eternal re- 
 demption/or Ui. 
 
 Onr apoftle having fliewed, in the preceding verfes,how 
 and after whit tnanner, the levitical prielts executed their 
 office, he comes now to declare how, and after what man- 
 ner, Cbrift, otir great High Prieft, did alfo execute his. 
 And. I. As the levitical priefti had a tabernacle, an earthly 
 fanduary, to officiate in ; foChrift had a greater and more 
 ptrfecl tabernacle to execute his office in, naaiely, that of 
 hi^ own body, not like theirs, made with hands, but mi- 
 raculoufly formed in the virgin's womb, by the overfha- 
 dowing po*er of the Holy Ghoft ; in which tabernacle 
 the fulnef'^ of the Godhead dwelt fubftantjally. The hu- 
 man uarure of Chrift wsithat tabernacle in which the Son 
 of God adnjiniftered Jiis facerdotal office in this world, and 
 ■wlierein he continneth yet fo to do in heaven by his inier- 
 tefiicn. And well may this tabernacle he aWcA grer.ttr, 
 being fo not in quantity and meafure, but in dignity and 
 worth; aud we^e perjt-tl, that is, more perfeflly fitted and 
 fnited to the end of a tabernacle, both for the inliabitatioH 
 tif the divine nature, and the n)eans of exercifmg the fa- 
 cerdotal offi'.C; in the making atonement for fm, than the 
 other was. Learn hence. That the huiuan nattire of 
 
 Chrift, in which he excrcifed and difcharged the duties of 
 his facerdotil office, in making atonement for fin, is the 
 preateft, moft perfeft, and excellent ordinance of Ciod, far 
 excelling thole ihatwcre moft excellent under the Old 
 Teftament. The glory of this tabernacle of our Saviour's 
 body in heaven, will be the obje<5l of holy admiration unto 
 all eternity, a', it was admirably fitted and perfcc'^ted for fcr- 
 vicc and iifefulnefs hereon earth. 2. The apoftle declares, 
 Thar as Chrifl had a more excellent tabernable, fo he was 
 incomparably a more excellent High Prieft than ever tho 
 legal difpenfation had ; T'^ryentercd the holy of holies,//^ 
 entered heaven ; T'A.'^ entered often, //e but once ; They 
 entered with the blood of goats and calves, He in his own 
 blood. And the effecfl, fruit, and benefit of it was un- 
 fpeakable : thereby he obtained eternal redefnptiQn fcr^us. 
 Note here, That whereas it is faidthat Chrift entered into 
 heaven with his own blood, it is not fo to be nnderftood, 
 as if he carried the material blood w liich he (bed with him 
 into heaven, in a veflel, or othcrwife, as the high prieft 
 carried the blood of the facrifite in his hand into the moft 
 holy place: but that Chrift prefented bis body in heaven, 
 out of which the blood was flied, and, by the merit of his 
 death, made expiation for fin, and purthafed eternal re- 
 demption for finners. Learnhence, That the entrance of 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift, as our great High Prieft, into hea- 
 ven, to appear in the prefence of God for us, and to fave 
 us thereby to the uitermoft, was a matter fo great and 
 glorious, thai it could not be accomplifhed, but by hisown 
 blood. No other facrifice was fufficicnt to this end : ntt 
 hy the hlood ofbulls and goats. 
 
 1 3 For if the blood of bulls and oFgoats, and th« 
 aftiesofan heifer fprinkling the unclean, fan£lifieth 
 to the purifying of the flefh ; 14 How muchmor» 
 ftiall the blood of Chrifl, who through the eternal 
 Spiritoffered himfdfwithoutfpot to God.purge your 
 eonfcicncc from dead works to fervc the living God? 
 
 The apoftle had afrerted,in the former verfe. That eter- 
 nal redemption was the fruit of Chrift'sfacrifice -. he proves 
 it in ihefe, and that by an argnment drawn from the lels 
 to the greater: thus, " If, fays he, the blood of bulls and 
 goats and the water that was mixed with the allies of the 
 burnt heifer, (cr the red cow, mentioned Nuuib. xix. 
 purified from ceremonial uncleannefs, and procurtd thee: 
 ternal fanftification of the flffli, or outward man; ho 
 much more Ihall the blood of Chrift, who, by the exteriiaf 
 Spirit, (that i-s bis Godhead, his divine iiature) t,fiertd up 
 hiniftlf, his whole man, ioul and body, a facrifice, wiihcj 
 (pot, to God the Father, be able to purge our tonfcienct 
 fiom all fpiritual impurity and unclear.nefs of fin. (that 
 dead, becaui'e deadly work) and render us fit to ferve the 
 living God in an holy courfe ef Clir.ilian ooedience? Note 
 here, i. That Chrilt's offering himfclf to God wasa fpe- 
 cial art, as High Prieft of tb« duirch, whtrein he gave up 
 hiiidVlf in a sNay of moft profour.d obedience, to do and 
 fuffer " hatever the jnftiteof God required uiiiothe expi- 
 ation of fin, even to the flicdding of his blood. 2. That 
 Chrift's Godhead it was, which rendered the fuffering of 
 bis manhood infinitely nieiitoricus. ; or that Chrift's bJtod 
 
 was 
 
Ch>p. IX. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 981 
 
 WIS effVftuil, not llinplv, a? it was material blood, but as 
 offered by the eternal Spirit ; his blood, though not the 
 blood of God, yet was the blood of him that was God. 3. 
 That the purging of our confciences from dead works is 
 an immediate effect of the death of Chrift, and a benefit 
 which, upon our faith and obedience, we are made parta- 
 kers of. 4. That the befV works of men, antecedently un- 
 to the purging of their confciences by the blood of ChrifT, 
 are but dead works, unfuitable to the nature of the living 
 God. Lord help us to remember, that when we cohic to 
 liear, to pray, or perform any aft of worfhip, that we are 
 doing it to the living God. O how improper for, and un- 
 fuitable to, a living God, ate dead fervices, without life, 
 without heart, without fpirit? 
 
 15 And for this caufc lie is the Mediator of the 
 New Tcftainent. that by means of death, for the 
 redemption of the tranfj^refhons tlial arrf under the 
 firft tcftamcnt, they which are called mi^ht receive 
 the promilc of eternal inheritance. 16 For where 
 a tellumcnt is, there muft alfo of necefTity be the 
 death of the teflator. 1 7 For a teftainent is of force 
 after men are dead : othcrwife it is of no flrength 
 at all whilft the teftator liveth. 
 
 Thefe words reprefent unto us one fpecial benefit accrue- 
 ing by the death of Chrift, namely, the ratification of the 
 gofpel covenant; for by this means he tock upon him the 
 glorious office to be the mediator of the new covenant, 
 that by the intervention of his death he might make fatis- 
 faftion for the fins of believers under the Old Teftament, 
 as well as for thole that live under the new ; and tiiat as 
 well ihofe that lived before Chrill's coming in the fief!} as 
 fiDce, might, by virtue of his death, obt.iin the promifed 
 eternal inh eritance. N'Je here. That God deligned an 
 eternal inheritance unto fome perfons : ihat the perfons 
 deligned are them that are called ; that the way and man- 
 ner of conveying a right and title to this inheritance, was 
 apromife : that there was an obllacle to the enjoyment of 
 this inheritance, w hich was tranfgrefTion againft the firft 
 covenant; that this obllacle might be removed, and the 
 inheritance enjoyed, God made a new covenant, which had 
 a mediator, who expiated fin by the facrifice of his death. 
 Note farther. That the efficacy and merit of Chrift's death 
 and mediation extends iifelf to all that are effectually cal- 
 led, as well thofe that lived before his coming in the flefh, 
 as to thole that lived fince. Note liftly, How the covenant 
 juf grace is here calh'd a Teftjment, becaufe it received irs 
 ratification and confirmation by ihe blood of Chrift. All 
 things required in a teftainent are here found, namely a 
 teftator dereafetl, Chrift Jefus; legacies bequeathed, tem- 
 poral, fpiritua!, and eternal blellings; legatees natned, the 
 heirs of promil'e ; conditions required, upon which cmly 
 the legacies may be obtained, f.iiih, repentance, -tml fin- 
 cere obedience ; feals annexed, baptifiii, and the Lool's 
 fupper ; witnefles fublcribing, the Father, the Word-ai^l 
 the Holy Ghoft. The Turn is thif^ That the d^l^i 
 Chrift is the foundation, life, and foul of the new^ove- 
 nant ; and that the new covenant i; of the nature of a tef- 
 lameut, and the benefits promift J therein ; to wit, teimT- 
 
 fion of fin. reconciliation with God, fanctification on earth, 
 and glorification in heaven, are legacies freely left us by- 
 our deceafed teftator, who wus dead, but is alive again, 
 and lives fir evermire, to execute his own will and tefta- 
 mcHt, of which the fcripture is the inftrument, and the fa- 
 craments the feals. Learn from the whole, i. That there 
 is an irrevocable grant of the whole inheritance of grace 
 and glory made unto believers in the new covenant. 2. 
 That as the grant of thefe things is free and gracious, fo 
 the enjoyment of them is fecured againft contingencies, by 
 the death of Chrift the great teftator. 
 
 18 Whereupon neither the firft kjlament was do-' 
 dicated without blood. 19 For when Mofcs had 
 fpoken every precept to all the people according- 
 to the law, he took the blood of calves andof ggats, 
 with water, and fcarlet wool, and hyflbp, and fprink- 
 led both the book and all the people, 20 Sayin;j, 
 This is the blood of the teftainent which God hath 
 enjoined unto you. 2 1 Moreover, he fprinkled like- 
 wife with blood both the tabernacle and all the vef- 
 fels of the miniftry. 22 And almoft all things are 
 by the law purged with blood ; and without flied- 
 ding of blood is no remiffion. 
 
 Our apoftle having entered upon a comparifon between 
 the firft and fecond ccvenani in the former verl'es, he goes 
 ea to profecute it in thefe ; fhewing that both of them 
 were dedicated, that is, confirmed by blood. The firft co- 
 venant which God m:ide with ll'rael in Horeb, had not its 
 fanction without typical blood. Theufingof the blood for 
 the lan<rti(m of leagues and covenants was a very ancient 
 ritf, and probably fignified, that the parties confederating 
 did thereby engage blood and life for the obl'ervation of 
 them. Now that the covenant bet%\een God and Ifrael was 
 thus folemnized, and received its confirmation by blood, 
 the apoftle makes appear from the iiiftory of Mofes, Exod. 
 x.s.iv. unto which he appeals ; where we find x\it fprinkUr 
 to be Moles, the/prin/iling to be blood, the things Jprink- 
 led where the bouk wherein the covenant was written, and 
 the people who engaged themlelves in the covenant. Now 
 the ufe and end of this fprinkling upon the people, was 
 the conhrmaiion of the covenant on their parts as the 
 fprinkling of it upon the altar was the confirmation on 
 God's part. And the words added to the aiftions w*re, 
 this it the-bhiid 'jf ihe covenant; that ii, this is the blood 
 by which the co^'enant is confirmed, and made inviolable 
 betwixt God and you : He calls it xhthljod of tl>e covenant, 
 becauie it was a fign of it, and a leal confirming it. In 
 like nrjaniier, the r.ew covemiit «as cooiirnied by blood, 
 even bv the blood of Chrift, as is evident from hi.soiAn 
 words. Luke xxii. 20. This cup is Ihe new tejfament in my 
 hi.:>if-jr mniffion of fins. ■Reiniirion of fin is one princi- 
 pal bieffing j)n>mil'cd in the 'hew covenant ; but this pro- 
 wile had beci^ii vain, if Chrift's blood had not been tned 
 to fa!i^fy 1#\'ijfe jiidice, and thereby m.ike fin rtmiiil'ole : 
 For thQi!;;,h r^^h^^d repented, and could have made evca 
 h(jtHtf?!f-tjj|J^ri7 with his tears, yet his fins could uoc 
 "hav'e bee?ffemittcd, had not this blood made it reniiiliblc; 
 
 So 
 
i)^i 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. .IX. 
 
 So that the blood of Chrift is the firtn and immoveable 
 bifis and foundation upon which the new covenant was 
 fixed. Thi>isil»e firlt part of our apoftle's dcfi^n in 
 tiiefe words; name]), to prov^ tlic nectllity of CtirilVs 
 blood for confirmation of the new covenant. Next, he 
 proves the efficacy of that blood for taking away of fni ; 
 telling us, that the tabernacle, the veni-U, and all the uten- 
 lili thereunto belonging;, yea, all things which were puri- 
 fied, were ceremonially purihed by blood: and th.it, as 
 without fliedding of blood then there could be no reiniHion, 
 fo no acceptance with God nu-w without the (bedding of 
 the bbod of Chrift. Lejrn hence, Thjt in all things 
 ^\ herein we have to do with God, and whereby we ap- 
 proach unto him, it is the blood of Chrift, and (he appli- 
 cation of it to our own confciences, that gives a gracious 
 acceptance with God; without this all is unclean and de- 
 fled «'7iu, as without ihedding of blood there was no puri- 
 fication ther. 
 
 23 // rvai therefore neccfTary that the patterns of 
 thinjjs in the heavens fhould be purified with thcfe ; 
 but the heavenly things thcmfelves with better fa- 
 Grifices than thcfe. 
 
 As if the apoille had fairJ, " If the tabernacle and uten- 
 fils thereunto belonging, which were patterns and types of 
 heavenly things, mull be confecrated by the bhvxl of bulls 
 and goats, much more muft the heavenly thing; thcm- 
 felves, which were Ihadowed by them, be purified and con- 
 fecrated by better blooe than the blood of beafts, even with 
 the precious blood of fefus Chrift." learn hence, i. 
 That there is Inch uncleannefs in our nature?, in our pcr- 
 fons, in our duties, in all our fcrvices, that, unk-fs they 
 and we are purified by the blood of Chrift, neither we 
 nor they can have any acceptance with God. 2. Th,U 
 the facrifice of Chrift is the one only everlafting fountain 
 and fpring of all fanftificaiion and (acred dedication, 
 whereby the whole new creation is purified and dedicated 
 unto God. 3. That neither heaven itfelf, nor heavenly 
 things, could have been made meet for us, or wt for them, 
 had not they been dedicated, and we purged, by the fa- 
 crifice of Chrift. By hcavtnly things here we may under- 
 ftand hfovin itfelf, of which the tabernacle was a type. 
 Now as the purification of the tabernacle was only to pre- 
 pare it to be a place in which their perfons might be prc- 
 fented before God ; in like manner, was heaven itfelf 
 prepared and purified for us by our Lord's entrance into 
 it, with his own atonement, or propitiatory lacrifire. 
 Chrift's entering into heaven, and hi:; appearing with bis 
 blood of fprinkllng in the prelence of God for us. [procures 
 the acceptance of our prayers and praifes w hilfl we live, 
 and our adaiiirion intothofe heavenly manfions of blifs and 
 glory prepared for us when we die. 
 
 24 For Chnfl is not entered into the holy places 
 made witii hand.s, which are the figures of the true ; 
 but into heaven itfelf, now to appear in the pre- 
 fence of Cod for us. 
 
 CA/?f re here, I. The perfon fpoken of, and that is 
 Chrift, our great high prieft, the mediator of the new co- 
 venant. 2. What is fpoken of h;in, i. Negatively, That 
 
 he is not entered inta the holy place of the fatiftuary, or 
 tabernacle made with hands, that is, built by the hands of 
 men, which was a figure of ilie true holy of holies, to wit, 
 heaven. All God's appoinitnents in his fervice have their 
 proper feafon, their proper glory, beauty, and ufe ; even 
 the tabernacle, and the external utenCiIs thereof, made 
 with men's hands, had fo, whilft they had the force <.f a 
 divine inftitution. 2. Politively, He is entered into hea- 
 ven itfelf, the place of the [peculiar reliilenct of the pre- 
 fence, majefty, and glory of God : where all his blblfed 
 faints enjoy him, and his holy angels miniffer unto him. 
 Qhferve, 3. The end of our great high prieft's entrance in- 
 to heaven declared, no'v tu op(<eur in the frefence 0/ CoJf'jr 
 us. Ihe priefts of old, when ihey entered the holy place, 
 were forced foon to go out again to prepare for a new fa- 
 crifice : But his word notu is expreflive of the whole feafon 
 antl duration of time, from the entrance -of Chrift into 
 heaven, until the confunim.ition of all things :. • 'l"here it 
 no moment of tinie in which it may not be (aid, he iraw 
 appeared in the pre fence oj God f'jr us. [.earn hence, Th^c 
 the continual appearance of our Lord Jefus Chriit for us 
 in heaven, as our great high pneft, in the prefence of hit 
 Father, is the foundation both of our ("afety and our com- 
 fort, from whence relief may be derived upon .ill occa- 
 fions, whatever difficulties, temptations and trials may be 
 before us. 
 
 25 Nor yet that he fhould ofFer himfelf often, 
 as the high pried entereth into the holy place every 
 year, with blood of others ; 26 (For then miift he 
 often have fufFcred fincc the foundation of the 
 world) but now once in the end of the world, hath 
 he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of him- 
 felf. 
 
 Our apoftlein thefe words, fets forth the excellency of 
 Chrift's facrifice fi'om it? (ingnlariry ; it need.^th no repe- 
 tition, as their facrifices of old did : Their facrifices were 
 repeated often, and their repetition was an evidence of their 
 imperfedtion ; but Chrift'? once offering himfcif a facrifice 
 was fufficient, in regard of the infinite worth and digniry 
 of his perlon ; Once in the end of the -Jj.rld, in the gofpcl- 
 age, the laft age of the world, hathhe appear ed to tuki a-iuay 
 fm hy the facrifice of hlmfilf. Here »«/.■, Tlut the virtue 
 of Chrift's facrifice once offered, did extend itftlf to all 
 times, and purchafed pardon fcr fins committed in all ages, 
 even long before it was offered; For the death of Chrift 
 muft be cenfidered. not as a natural, but as a moral cjufe ; 
 not as a medicine that heals, hut as a ranfoni that frees 3 
 captive. A captive may be releafid upon afTurance given 
 that a ranfom (hall be paid. Though it be not ;iiHually 
 p lid. Thus the death of Chrifl was available to purchafe 
 pardon for believers before his coming, becaufe he inier- 
 pofed as their furety ; and is therefore called the Lambflain 
 frr,m the foundation of the world, not only iti refpecl of. 
 God's decree, but Chrift's efJicac)' : The falvation we de« 
 rive from liim, was ever in hliii; Chrift's once offering 
 was fufficient ; hii facrifice may be often commemorated., 
 but only once offered. Such indeed is the abfolute per- 
 ftftion of the once offering of Chrifl, that it ftands in 
 need of, and will admit of no repetition in any kind. 
 
 Note 
 
Chap. ix. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 983 
 
 Note fariher, That this once offering of Chrift is always 
 effe(ftual unto all ihe tiuls of it, now and hereafter, even 
 iw) lefi than it was in the dsy and hour when ic was adu- 
 ally offered. This fjcrifice ii?eds no repetitition like thofe 
 of oiJ, but is always frelh inthe virtue ofit, and ueedsno- 
 thinjT but renewed application by faith fi>r the communi- 
 cation of Its efftcls and fruits unto us -. f-ir by one offering 
 he hath fjr ever fei fx fie dihem ibat are Jatiillfied. Through 
 the fufferings of Cbrift were neceffary to the expiation of 
 fin, yet he fuiTered neither more nor oftener than lefs, 
 and would have been ulelefs. Nate lallly, The great end 
 for which Chrift once became a facrifice, namely, in put 
 a-uay fi-i; plainly iinplying, that fin had erefted a domin- 
 ion, a tyranny over all men, as by a law ; that no power 
 of any mere creature was able todifannul orabohfh this 
 lawof lln ; ihatthe deftruftioii and d ffoiution of this law 
 of fin, w»s the great end of Chrifl's coming, to diicharge 
 his prieftly I'ifice in the (acrifice of himfelf : No'J) in the end 
 of the -jj'.rU hath he appeared to put aw^iy, to abolifl) and de- 
 Jiroy, 6c. 
 
 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, 
 but after this the jud-ment : 28 So Chrid was once 
 offered to bear the fins of many ; and unto them 
 that look for him fhall he appear the fecond time, 
 without fin, unto falvation. 
 
 Thele word ^ may be confidered relatively and abfolutely. 
 Relatively thus ; " As God hjs appointed that all men 
 Should once die penally for fin, and then be judged, fo did 
 he determine that Chnft Ihoiild once fiiffer penally, to 
 expi.Tte fi:i, and take awny the guilt of it fully. And ss 
 after death men riuilt nppear the lecondtinie to judgment, 
 fo after his once offering to tjke away (In and death, 
 Chrift fhall appear the fecond time 10 bellow upon us 
 eternal falvation." A'o/f here, That Chrifl's being offered 
 to take away the fins of many, cannot be. meant of his 
 taking them away in the Sncinian fenfe, to wit, by his holy 
 doctrine, wh'ch was cotifirmed by his death, but of his 
 bearing our lins by way of imputation : For this is evident 
 from the oppofnion here between his firfi appearance and 
 his fecond : ChriJ}v!as once offered to bear our Jinr, but he 
 Jh.ill appear a fecond time -without fin ' Why ? Did he not 
 appear the firft time without fin? Yes, certainly he did, as 
 to any inherent guilt ; for the Scripture alTuresus he had 
 ttiji'n. What then is the meaning of the oppolition, at 
 his firft coming he bore our fins ; at his fecond coming he 
 (hall appear without fin ? The words can have no other 
 imaginable fenfe but this ; that at his firfl coming he 
 fuflainrd the perfon of finner, and died av a facrihce ; but 
 at his fecond coming he flial! appear as a judge, to confer 
 eternal life on thofe who are made partakers of the lacrifice 
 of his death. Thus the words arc to be confidered rela- 
 tively. yil'f'Jutrly thus, It is appointed /or all men once to 
 die. Here is the firft word of certainty, all m:n mujt die: 
 then the word of fingularity, ihty mu ft once die, not often; 
 once and but once; they die by ft.Ttute and appointment. 
 The fupreine Lord of life anddeath appoints man his time, 
 both. for ccming into the world, and going out of ii: We 
 
 come in .it his command, and leave it at this difpofe. y^nd 
 after death the judgment .• The woid after figiiifies the 
 order oftiine ; for death goet before, and judgment follows 
 it. The judgment is both particular ot every individual 
 perfon, and general.md univerfal of all : after which fol- 
 lows the final, eternal, and unalterable condition of man, 
 eiiherin a ftate of mifery, or felicity. The parties judged 
 will be angels z^^d men : the perfon judging. Jefns Ch»ift: 
 he, by redeeming mankind, obtained right and power to 
 judge mankind; fuch a Judge as the power of the mightiefl 
 cannot daunt : fuch a judge as the fubtilty of the wifeft 
 cannot delude; fuch a Judge as the riches of the wealthiefl 
 cannot bribe ; In a word, fuch a Judge as there is no ap- 
 pealing from, or repealing of his fentence. O great day ! 
 wiien the ftiffeff knee flull bow at the tribunal of Jefus 
 Chriff, and the ftrongeft back Ihall break under the iiifup- 
 portable burden of a Jiedeemer's wrath ! when the Alex- 
 anders and Cafars, wh'ch once fliook the earth, and made 
 the worlil to trenjble, fliall revere and lie proflrate at the 
 foot of Chrift ! And, Lord,feeing that judgment is before 
 us, let us (erioufly believe it, daily expert, duly prepare for 
 it ; let no profit tempt 115, no pleafure entice us, no power 
 embolden us, no privacy encourage us, to do that thintr^ 
 which we cannot account frr at thy tribunal. Amen, 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Our apojlk's defgn in this chapter, is iivofvld ; Jirjl , To 
 Jhezu the weaknefs and imperJcBion oftlie L(vilualjacri~ 
 fices confidered in themjclves, and the nccfjfuy end (^cacy. 
 of the facrijice of Chrifi. Secondly, To wiprove this 
 doflrme unto faith, obedience, and perfeverance in cur 
 Chrifiian profeffwn iiuto the death, hyftveral -weighty ar- 
 guments. 
 
 FOR the law having a fhadow of good things to 
 come, and not the very image of the things, — . 
 
 In the former part of this chapter, the apoftle provesthe 
 impotency and imperfeifion of theieviticaliacrifices by fun- 
 dry arguments; namely ,firft, from thenatureofilieiii, they 
 were b'Mfhadojjs ; from the plurality of them, they were 
 many ; from the repetition of them, they were often ; and 
 from theinefficacioufneff of ihem, 1 hey could not take aw ay 
 fin. The former of thi'fe is taken notice of,in this firftverfe. 
 The l.nu having a fhadoiv of good things to come. An allnfion 
 probably 10 the art of painting wherein a findow is firit 
 drawn ; and afterwards the very image itfelf: orameta- 
 phor taken from the fliadow cf a body in the lij>lit of the 
 fun. As a fliadow is the reprelentation of a lic-dy; a jufl 
 and true reprefentation ofit, and of nothing elfe^ yet but 
 an obfture reprefentation of a body; the life, vigour, and 
 fpirit of a body, cannot be reprefen;ed by it: 1 hus was k 
 between the facnfices of the law, and tlie facrifice of Chrift ; 
 the blood of thofe facrifices were reprcfentationt ot C'hi ilt; 
 tiiey were a juft reprefentation of Chrift ; He waytlie id: a 
 in the mind of God, wlien Mofts was charged to Bi.ke ill 
 things according to 'he pattern fliewed him in the n ount; 
 and they v.ere but an oblrure and dark rejirefeiitation of 
 him ; the giory and (fll.acy of thefe good thing; appeared 
 _ unto 
 
ifi^ 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 Chap, x. 
 
 not vilible in tlieni. Lforn hence, That whatever there 
 iiKiybeiu rL'li}:;iouj inftitutioii5,anti thediligent obfcrvation 
 (•ftlieni, if they only yJi7(/i>u> forth Jefus Chrift, and do 
 not acliially exhibit him to thelaiih of believers, with the 
 bciitfUs of his n;ediatii)n,thfy cannot make wpcrfn^,nor 
 j^ive u«accciitante with God. 
 
 Can iic\ cr with thofe faciificcs which thcT 
 
 oftVrcd veav 1)V year continually, make tiiccomcra. 
 thereunto pcvlctl. 2 For then, would they not 
 li:.ve ceafed to bv- od'crcd ? becaufc that the wor- 
 Ihipp.M:. onco p irjod fhoiild have had no more 
 ( onllicHCO of lins. 3 V>\.it m iho^e. Jacrijicci there h 
 ;i retncmbrancc again made of fins every year. 
 
 Here we have a fecond argument to prove the impotent y 
 yiid vvciknefs of the lenal facrifices ; and it is drawn from 
 the repetition and non-cefPation of them. Thus, " Thole 
 facrifices which were often repeated, year by year, could 
 tiot i.f themfclves raake fatisfadion for lin, or purge the 
 confcienceof the linner from ^uilt. Had jnrtice been fatil- 
 lied, and confcience quieted, there had been no reafon why 
 thofe facrifices (liovilJ have been fo often repeated. But 
 th ecal'e was otherwife, for in their moft fdlemn acrifices 
 there wis a commemoration and confeffion made of their 
 former lins by the high prieft every year ; which was an 
 intimation to them, that ihev n^ded a new and belter 
 facrificc for the expiation of Iin ; namely, that of the 
 Mefliah, in and by which alone remiflion of fin was to be 
 expefled, and obtained." Zf^rn hence, i. That the re- 
 petition and reiteration of the fame facritices.is an evident 
 demonftration of their weaknefs and infufficiency. Ac- 
 cordingly the church of Rome, by afErming the facrifice 
 in the m'afs to be the very fame with that which Chrill 
 offered on th« crofs, do prove an infufficiencyin the facri- 
 fice of Chrifl for the expiation of fin, if the apoflle's argu- 
 ment here be good : for he affirms, that all facrifices that 
 mufl; be repeated are weak and infuHicient. Learn, 2. 
 That although repeated fins have need of repeated con- 
 felTion.and renewed pardon, yet they have no need of a 
 facrifice ; For he viho is once purged has no more c»nfcience 
 cfjln, that is, though he knows he has many fins, yet he 
 has not a trembling, tormenting, accufing confcience, be- 
 caufe he is purged, and his fins pardoned, through that 
 cue facrifice of Jefus Chrifi: Learn, 2- That thedil'charge 
 of confcience from the guilt of fin,by virtue of the facrifice 
 of Chrift, is a full demonftration of the fufficiency of the 
 virtue of that facrifice ; and that there needs no reiteration 
 of it, but only frcih applications made unto it by repeated 
 zCii and exercifes of faith. 
 
 4 For it is not poffible that the blood of bulls 
 and of goats fhouid take away lins. 
 
 The intendment of our apoftlc in thefe words, is to 
 prove, thas the facrifices of the law could notcxpiate (in, 
 nor make reconciliation with God, which the fatrinceul 
 Chrill alone was ordained and appointed to. WcTCobJhve, 
 I . The fubjecl-Diatter fpoken of, The blood of bulls and 
 goats : they were accompanied witli great folcinuity and 
 1108)0 of ceremony in their celebration ; Jud the neoplc 
 
 had 3 great ef^eem and veneratiotj of them in their minds; 
 but viheii ail was done, that which was offered was no 
 more than the blood of bul's and goati. a. That which 
 is denied of thele fscrifices, namely, the taking away tfjtns.- 
 To take away I'm. is to niakean atotiement for(in,toexpiate 
 the ggiltofit before (Joii. by a fatisfaclion given, or price 
 paid, that itlhall never bind over the penitent Gnner unt» 
 puniflimer.t. 2. Tlie manner of the negation ; It was 
 imp'ilfihi.' that th hlad '>f bulls a^d giats Pjoiild take a-jiay 
 Jins. Impofllble from divine inlhtotion; they were never 
 defigned \'»t that end.'hcrcfnre could never effeft it; for 
 the virtue of every inftitutiondepeniis upon its defignation 
 to its end. Now the bicod t.f bulls was only defigned td 
 leprefent the taking away of fin, but never by itfelf to 
 effeft it. And it was alfo impoflible from the nature of 
 the thing ; for how could the blood of a beaft expiate the 
 fin of a nun ? fatisfadion niuft be made for lin in and by 
 tlie fame nature that had linned. Learn hence. That it 
 was utterly impolfible that lin fliould be taken a way before 
 God, and from the blood of Chrift : it is this alone that 
 cleanfeih us from all tin, for he alone was the propitiation 
 for them. 
 
 5 Wherefore, when he conicth into the world, 
 be faith, Sacrifice and ofFc-rinjr thou wotildfl nf*, 
 but a body haft thou prepared me. 6 In burnt- 
 offerings :indfacrifMS for fin thou haft had no plea- 
 fure. 7 Then faid I, Lo, 1 come (in the volume 
 of the book it is written of me) to do thy will.O 
 God. 8 Above, when he faid, Sacrifice and offering, 
 and burnt-offering.s, and offering (or fin thc^i wouldft 
 not, neither hadftpleafurc/A«r«« (which are offered 
 by the law : ) 9 Then f:iid he, Lo, I come to do 
 thy will, O God. He taketh away the firft, that 
 he may eftablifli the fecond. 10 But the which wilt 
 we are fandified, through the offering of the body 
 of jefus Chrift onctfor all. 
 
 Our apoftle having (hewed the weaknefs and inniffi- 
 cicncy of the Levitical facrifices in the former verfes, he 
 comes now to declare thecfficacy'and fucfficncy of|Chrift'« 
 facrifice, and of his blefied undertak'ng, to do, fulfil, per- 
 form, and fufferal! things required by the will and wildom, 
 by the holinels and righteoufnefs of God, unto the com- 
 plete falvation of the church. And this he doth by a 
 quotation out of the Old Teftament, Pfal. xl. 6, 7,8. 
 Where Chrift is brought in, as newly made man,fpeaking 
 to h s Father, in and after this manner : " Forafmuch as 
 thy wifdom did inftitute, and formerly appoint facrifices, 
 as types to perfigurc the facrifice of thy Son, but thou 
 didft not intend their long continuance, when he fiiould 
 once be offered up ; purfuant to this holy will and picafure 
 of thine, 1 am now cornc into the world : Thou haft 
 prepared me a body, an holy and innocent human nature, 
 fit to be united to try glorious Godhead ; in which nature 
 1 will fdlFer, and, by my fulfcrings, fatisfy thy juftice for 
 lin ; and, by tht fufficiency of my facrifice, put a period 
 to all the Levitical lacrifices thit did prece Je me, and pre- 
 figure 
 
Chap. x. 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 iJ^rt 
 
 figure me. Z*",;™ hence, i. Tii.it in the tulncfs of God's 
 app:)infed lime, Chriit came into the world to uccompiini 
 that which the Lcvitical facrilices did only prefigure, but 
 coiiKI not efFc(5luare. 2. That in order thereunto, Chrirt 
 (lid a(?"imic the human nature, and offered in himfclf that 
 nature willingly tn his Father, as a facrifice to atone "divine 
 dirpinlure. t. -That hy tl.i^ <mc- facrifice and cbbtiun of 
 ChiilT, whicli he performed in obedience to the will of 
 (j kI, all that believe in him arc jtilJified and faved, do 
 obtain remiilion of lln, grace here, and glory hereafter; 
 By' ii'hich •will we are janfilficd, through the offering of the 
 !"■':/)■ V y'lfiis Chriji once for all. 
 
 I t And every pried ftandcth daily miniflring, 
 and ofFeiing oftentimes the fame facnfices, which 
 can never take away fins : 12 But this inan, after 
 he liaJ oliorcd one lacrifice for lins, forever fat 
 down on the right hand of God; 13 From hence- 
 forth expeftinij till his enemies be made his foot- 
 ftool : ij For by ons ofForing he hath perlectcd 
 for ever them that are fan£li!ied. 
 
 Our apoflle Rill proceeds upon his former argument, 
 nam.jy, to alfign a Lirthcr diflcrcncc between Ciirilt and 
 the Lcvitical pricrts. i. The Levitical pritfthnod confided 
 of 3 plurality of perfons ; the prielh were tnany ; by rea'on 
 of d-.-ath they had manv fuccelfors ; but the -evangelical 
 priefthfxjd confided but of one finals perfon, the Lord 
 Jcfiis, called here, this man. 2. The Ltvi^ical prie flhood 
 confiiled of a phiraiiiy of facrinces ; there were alfo many, 
 many in number, anij many in kind, bulls, laml)s, goais, 
 i^c. but the (acrince wliicli Clirilf offered was but one, as 
 to the kind, namely. That h-jdy which was prepared, ver. 5. 
 3. The Levitical facrifice* were oft-times oifered, ver. ii. 
 but the facrince pf Chrill was but pnce offered. <}.. The 
 Levitical fuCrificcs could never take away iln ; but Chrift 
 by the facriilce of his death t'*o!c aivav fin for cv.r, tuliy 
 and cvcrla.'lingly. • 5. The Lcviiical pritils fto.d and 
 miniilcred, ver. ir. E'nery jirieji tlnn klh daily. Tiiis is 
 the pofture of fervams ; but Cluill fits, which is thcpojhire 
 of a Lord ; This ni.ir, ,flcr he hid cjfered fat down. 6. They 
 fiaod diily minilleringand o)fcrir(g, becaufe their facrifices 
 Could not take away fin ; but Chriit did his work fully by 
 one offering, and after that fits or rellf forever in heaven. : 
 I.rarn hiiice, i, That Chi ill criicifieJ is fhe only divine 
 and proper f.icrificc under the gnfpel, ' Difint, becaufe i-s 
 iiifti'inion and appointment wa^of God: fr'per, becauf;. 
 all the edl-iv'ial properties of an cxpiatorv facrifice were 
 found in this. It wa^ a livin-^j creature offered by a pridf; 
 11 was oifor.td to Go,t, and it was a fweet fayoiK urvt*) him ; 
 an I it is the oMv proper fiCri!^ce of the g;!lpcl : 'Dnin-i 
 g(X»d i- calk>d 3 ficrifi>:c, H^b. xiii. 16. ' RightcoVifnefs is 
 calk-d'a f.icrificc, Pfal. iv. 5. bti' not properly, but allusive- 
 ly an I mefiplioricaily onlv. /,.• nil. That the f.iciifii-e 
 of Chriit is but of one kin I, and was but once offered ; 
 ycr is of fuch unfpenkahle value, and everbiting titicacy, as 
 to take awav fin ftilly and fin lly, and to pcrfet'i all tli.m 
 that are or Ihall be fuu'itiHcd to ihe ei'd of the world. The 
 viniie cf this- ficrit'Ci; reacheth backward as far as Ad^n, 
 and reachcih forw.;rJ to ihc lall btlivvcr fpiinj^ing Iron, 
 
 Adam : And as it rcacheth backward and forward to :II 
 believers, in former, prcfent, and future ages, foloalliiic 
 fins of all believers, which are fully pi;rged and txpiaitd by 
 it; the dcfign and end of this (ibiaiion bang to aione,- 
 pacify and reconcile God, by giving 3 full and ad( qiiaic 
 conipciifation and faiisfacflion to thejullicc of God, for the 
 wrong done to the holinefs of his law. Thus our Jefijs, ly 
 aw offering, has pcrfeilcd forever :hem that arcfaiu'-iifitd. 
 
 15 Whereof the Holy Ghoft alfo is a witnefs to 
 us : for after that he had laid before, 1 6 This ii the 
 covenant that I will make with them after thol'c 
 days, faith the Lord, I will jw.t my laws in'o their 
 hearts; and in their niiads will I write thein : 17 
 And their fins and iniquitii,s will I remember no 
 more. 18 iVow, where remilfion of thefe /s, there 
 IS no more fjffering for fin. 
 
 Our apollle had alferted the perfedion of Chrifl's facri- 
 fke in ilie former vcrfcs, he prmes it in ihcfe by the tefli- 
 mony of the Holy Gholi, recorded, Jer. xxk5. 31. where 
 after he lud promifcd anew covLnr.nr inflcad of the old, 
 and iiad faid, This is lie covenant /will n.ake with ti.em- 
 after ihifc days, iiaaitly, when the days of the Old Teda- 
 ment are cxj)ired, then he fays, / wiil put my laws intt 
 their hearts, and tl.eirjins a7ul iniquities icill I rcmcmher na 
 7nore. Now- feeing Goil promiftih, under the new covtranr, 
 fauvflificaiion and reniifiion of fin to all believers, of which 
 covenant Cluilt is Mediator, and by whofe dc.ith t;ic 
 covenant is i^iihcd and confirmed, therefore this one 
 facrifice once oflcied up is abundanih' fi fHcient. And if 
 remiflion of fins be obtained by Chrifl's one facrifice, 
 there needs no repetitioji of it, nor any oiher ofFeiing for 
 fin. Learn hence. That the facrifice of Chrilf was of that 
 excellent virtue and Iranfcendent merit, that by once offer- 
 ing it took away fin, all fin, and made it eternaily remifiiblc; 
 and iipon faith ailnally und eternally remitted : To what 
 pirptfe then fin :uld there be any more tfferings for fin ? 
 ^ ta, they who Kiok for and triifi 40 any other, fsil in;o 
 tliat fin for wliich there is no rcmilTion proviiled in the 
 covcnatit,, nor Ihall any other < ffcring be ;;cctptcd for them 
 for ever; for they defpife both the wifdom and grace of 
 God, the blyod of Chrili, apd the ttfiimony of the Holy 
 Giiort ; wneicof there IS noremiJlir.n. Here new vvearc 
 cp.Tje to a full tnd of the dcxfrinal p.irt of this epiiUe, eon-, 
 ccrnir.g the nature pt Ch?Mt'^p.iUiU?.ood, the neccfiiiy ;iiid 
 efiicacy of his f.iCiificc, the.p-.y^v iraiid prcv.Lrcy of his in- 
 terccfiion. O glorioiiv niyflciiu; the li^ht of' the church of 
 the Gen'ile.s ihe glory otthe pex-'pje Ifracl, the foundation 
 and bulwark of evangelical taiih I 
 
 ig FJaving therefore, Isrethren, boldnefsto enter 
 into tile hoiicfl by tJie blood of Jefus, 20 in a m w 
 and living 'va)', whicii he hath con It crated for us. 
 throui^'h the vail, tnat is to fay, his ilvflt ; 21 -\nl 
 hevnrr an hi'.;h piiefl over the houfeof God : 2 a 
 Ly us draw near with a true heart, in lull .dlurance 
 0/ faitii, havin;!.» our hearts fprinkled froiii an evil 
 ronicietice, and our bodies walhcd u ith pure water. 
 6 1 Th.y 
 
c,86 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. x. 
 
 / 
 
 The apodle havinf, tlitis finifhi-d tliedi>(nrinal part of his 
 difoHirfc", aiitl int >rmcd iluir jmlLmicnt ot tlie cxcellrni.y 
 of the evangelical fi-rvice ab:)vc ihc Ltvi'ionI r.icrifi>rc*, he 
 comes mw in the appliv:iiory part ot his difcoiirre, to 
 tlirc-a their pradice in 1"< veral weighty ar.d important 
 dutus, which appeared to be inciinibeni upon thcni ; as 
 nJinclv, to draw nfurioGed, ver. 22. to perfcvere in the 
 Chiiitian pr<)KfIi.)n, ver. 23. 10 ftir up one aiu'thcr to 
 love and j^ood works, ver. 24- t" caniinut- in ChiiiU.in 
 commniiiou, ver. 25. The firft duty exhorted to, is to 
 draw nenr to God, fcciim we have hddnfjs, &c. Lei us dnnv 
 mar with n true heart.' A'c/f here, 1. The duty exhorted 
 to, and that IS, t'j Jrr.w nearlt>Gcd\ in general, to wor- 
 Diip hiiiV; in particular, to pray tinto hiin, and fetk 
 rciiiillion o( fin and cter.iil life from him ; to come unto 
 God as cloaihed with ghiiious i^iajefty, filling tipon a 
 lh;one of grace, and prcpitiated by the blood ot Chrift. 
 2. The manner of performing this diity,<w//i!' tipure heart 
 und in full ujJ'.irMce cffuitk: willi the heart, or wc give him 
 .1 Ikin inilcad wt a facrince ; with fiiiceriiy ofhtart, \n hich 
 is the life and foul of all aCccp'.able worlhip \ and with a 
 /tt/'/ali'iiraiice of faith, grounded upon the fideliiy oJ God, 
 and the imMiutability of the promiie. ;?. The qnalitications 
 of hj perf n: He that draws near to God, nuiit, I. Have 
 Jiis heart fpr'mkUd /ran ,in elil csnjc't me, that is, his foul 
 tlcanftd by the bload of Chriil, aiid treed from the accu- 
 I'atioiis of an evil conJcmnini; conRiciice. 2. His I'^dy 
 ivu/Ld with pure water, to wit, the Liver of regent-ratio", 
 which was fignified by the legal walhings. 4. The cn- 
 courai^ement we have thus to draw near to Gud ; and that 
 i. threefold, I. Wv have a new and /ivinj way unto the 
 \* lu.liert by thebl.'od of Jefiisj an allufion to the kgal dif- 
 j.enf.ti n, wherein the hii;h pried h.id away topafs ilirounh 
 the vail with bloo.l in:o the h 'icfl, to expiate tlic peoj)lc's 
 fins, and obtain mercy l»r them: Ours is called a new 
 iu.iy, bjcaufe i,e\ly made m,in;/e/i i and a living way, be- 
 Caufc it leads to and ends in life eternal ; or a livin^ vv.iy, 
 in oppjfidun to the typical way of g'>ing into the holiill, 
 \vi;icli was a dead way -to all but the high pricft, and to 
 hi'n too, if he entered above once a year, and then alfo If 
 lie entered wiihout blood. Fariher, tliis ne a and living 
 way is here faid to be' c'orlfecrated ihrui'ijih the- vail of 
 Chiid'i. flelli : that is, made pailiblt for penitent flnners, 
 the throne of sracc made accc/lible throiiah the blood of a 
 Mediator. When Chrift died,' the vail of tfte teinplt was 
 r<nt, to fii^nify ihit cur great 'High Pritlt was ready to 
 enter the Holy pLce of heavefl, to procure t terftal redcmp- 
 tiin for us. 2. En ouragemciit is botdnejs, or freedom 
 a iJ liberty to enter iiitrt ih<>' hclieft ; a freedom tor our 
 prayers to enter hraven whiilf'we live, and a li^iit and 
 iibenv for our ptrfon to emcr it when we die. 3. The 
 mean, whereby we obtain this 'ibert\ , BythelUadcf'Jejus. 
 We, that betorc could mt coine near hint tor our uiis, 
 i2iay now come near him hv t.viii in the blood of his Son ; 
 for that bloiilaii ti^d juUici, merited divine tavciir, and 
 i7l.-5de G.)d accLiril:le. Lrnrn hcr.cc, I.' Tliat a. fin had 
 made God inacccflille to (iirners, as. finneis ; fo ths bl yd 
 ofChrilt, that new an t livini; way, has nui'.c Kim aectl- 
 iJble to b^llcvtrs. ?.. Th. t slihouj^h, from the hilt pro- 
 
 mife of Chilli, there was slways a way for hcli'vers to 
 comelo(:(K^ vet waj! not frt nimifcft, as i' war after Chrift* 
 death and af-'co-Oon. niid theg'fptl'f revclu'i-n. 
 
 23 Lfit us hold f-ifl the profcDion of our faith 
 without wavfiiUj; : for he « fuiihtiil :hai proinifed^ 
 
 The feconddii'y which the jpolle exhorts the Hebrews 
 hereunto, is perfevcrsnce in the ChriJli^n tai'h .irid hope, 
 in order to the afltial enjoyment of the great rcw.irj. 
 Where ohfertje, I. The duty itfclf, to hold fr/} tie fro- 
 ftlJion'.fdurfaiih: not blindly, wiih'Mit due examination j 
 bill, having cxairined the L'rounds and <('iinda'ipns of i nr 
 faith, to maintain the pnifctfion of it againfl all temptations 
 and terrors of the wculd, occafr ned bv fuft' rints and per- 
 fecution , and apainll all the cimning arts anu inlinuations 
 of bufy and difpming men, whofc dtfign is to unhin^-e us 
 from our religion, and make us profeiytcs to their party and 
 iadion: Thus let us hild fuji ,he profcjji'-.n cf our faith 
 without wavering. 2. The n;;fon ot entoiing 1 hi. duty, 
 becaufe he is fai.hful that jiromiled. IVIaik the gradation : 
 We have a pri mife, even apromil'e ot eternal <;lory, a> the 
 reward of our perfeverance. Thisprc'itiifc i.-Go<l's promife, 
 not man'<, and the promife ot a fjithftil G.d, who neither 
 Can or will change his mind : he can as foon change hi be- 
 ing as change lib word and promife ; He is faithfulihat hat 
 pr»mifed. ' 
 
 24 And let us confidcr one another to provoke 
 unto love, and to good works. 
 
 Ohjerx'e here the duty exhorted to. To conjider cne a- 
 nclher, that is, to watch over one another. Thi confidcra- 
 tion rcfpeifls the gifts, the graces, the temptations, the 
 dangers of one another, and is the foundat'on of all thofe 
 mutual duties of warnii^g, exhorting, and admonifliing 01. e 
 another: Duties, G>.d knows, generally li ft arjjon^ff (is, 
 and w ith the-n is thegU;ry of the Chriitian religion departtd 
 from I.'. Learn hence, That theirutu;d *ra»ch of Chrif- 
 lians over each other, end their mutual exhortations of 
 each other unto gofpel-duties, is neceilbrily required, as a 
 fpecia! mean f'-r their prefei vation in their Chridian pro- 
 fefiion. Ohjerve, i. 1 he duty wc arc to frsAche and be 
 priv:ked wuw, and that is, to l.ve und good works ; that is 
 no true f.'^ith v/hich can be feparated trtm. love ; and 'hat 
 is no true love ih.tt is fcparated from good woiks. The 
 great end of chriilian communion ainongft believers, (hr,u!d 
 hz to excite one another to love ; which is the fpring and 
 fountain of all good works ; and to provoke one another to 
 gord works ; as the genuine effeft and luiit of a linceie 
 love to God and our neitthbour. 
 
 25 Not forfaking the alFembling of ourfclves to- 
 gether, as the manner of lome f5; but exhorting 
 ouanollier: and fo much the more as ye fee the day 
 appjoaching. 
 
 0!/erve here, 1. That in the EpcHlcs times there were 
 Chiiaijn ademb'ies, in m l.irh chiiiiijni. i!iJ meet together 
 to wotOiip and ferve (joJ, snd to ediiy :nd comfort one 
 another ; iti.il in times of peace and lit erty, tlity had con- 
 Atnieiit i!v:ctb cree'ltd itid fepaialtd lor il.at cj.d and ufe. 
 
 Ihe 
 
Chaf. X. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 The light of naliira, as well as of foripture, dilates that 
 God is to be worlhippcd folemnly and publicly ; that pub- 
 lic worfhip (ilealcs him molt, anil that he accepts it be(K 2. 
 It was the manner and ciiltom of Tome then to forfake the 
 public alT'einblies ; fomcoiit of (loth and negligence ; others 
 wit offearofperrjcinion : Thiswas a d.ingeroii'; fin, and fo 
 , , coniiiiiics. GoJand Chrill cUcem themfclves forfaken, when 
 their worlbipand worlliippcrsarccaureicav forfaken. 3.1"hc 
 duty iniimaied and direatii to^ nm liforj'uke the ejjlmhliijg 
 'r^ieihcr, asfovie do \ for chri'Uan afTcmblies are the life, the 
 I fj..id. and nourilhmcnt of oiirfoiils: confeqnentlv forf"kin<^ 
 t nf church ailemblies is iifiially the forerunner of apr.ftafy.4t 
 • Ti»c great inciucciiicnt and enomragcment to 'lis Aw\\ 
 leca'ife the day upproachclh. Wii.it day ? jlnfw. The d.:y of 
 Jeailalem'-. approaL-iiinjj diftruaion. to them; the day of 
 death and judgment coniin^ iip'in.and hadening towardsus. 
 /-^<;/v; hence, That the intimations give;] of approachinfj 
 judgments, oii^ht to inflMchcc.nnto fpccial-diligence in all 
 evangelical duties. 2. That to fee evidenily the' approaches 
 ol death and judgment, and yet not to be f^^duldcs and dili- 
 gciK in the diiiies of divine worllu'p, is afn;n and tokenof a 
 backllidint- frame, tcntling unto final apoltafy fiom Chrift 
 and hii holy religiim. 
 
 26 For if we fin wilfully, after that we have re- 
 ceived the knou'lctloe of the truth there re;-naineth 
 no more facnfice for fins, 27 But a certam fearful 
 looking' for of judq'tnent, and fiery indignation, 
 which Ihali devour the adverfaries. 
 
 It! fliefe verfesthe aponiegivesa vehement enforcement 
 of his precteding exliorrati.in,io an iinfuin'in? perC-iVcrancc 
 in the profein-.n ofchriltianiiy ; and this is'drawn from 
 th" dreadU-l confequences of apoftafy. We have here the 
 nature ot the fin cxprefltd, the impodibiiity of del verance 
 tr_JiTi the gu.lt ot it declared, and the punilhment that 
 Wu ""^><^'^^b'y <o""w upon it allcrted. Ohferve r 
 VVhercin the nature of this iin confiits,' if xve ftn zvUfuily, 
 tnat IS, b.y renouncing chiidianity. Where note, How 
 '''"■ ^P>^'t!e puts himfcli in amonsi the number ; to fhew 
 t/iat thee is no rc/^oea of perfons'in this mater, but ihofe 
 wlo have equally (irncd, ihall be eq.udly punilhed. N„c 
 lariher, llutthe apolUc, by lirnirg willidlv, does not 
 mean every uiltul hn, and that there is no recovery after 
 any voluntary fin committed ; but by willully, he means 
 wo^tinacly, malKiuully, ami wnh dcfpite. Otf/rvf % 
 lie fealon ami tircumftancc r.f thi:, lin, .Ijur -m lai'e 
 ■ r'"?;''''''''^'^^"^"'/^"'^'' (■J the truth, that h, af.er tiie eolpd 
 ■as Deen preached unto us, ai-.d ve, up,.n ccmviaion of 
 • 'ni h, and len(,, c,l iis power, hr:VC t;ken iipcrt .us the 
 I liiic profefbon nf chr.rtr.uiirr : After we have dcdia.ted 
 ouucives toCiirift in baptifm, and j.^'ned onrfdies imto 
 "'e b<Kly p,t his church:: After . all ihis, to rilinquilh ^nd 
 renounce the chriliian profefli A, eiihcr for f.ar of futfer- 
 Jflf. or love of thiv preferit wi,rld, expofes us -o ,n im- 
 UMerable and in:vitaWe c<.n<iVmnaii'.ii, 3. What the 
 apolUe charges as an.agu-r.-ivaiton of this I'm, namdy that 
 !7./""i,""'J''' cxpiar^^cl, r/vr, ,e,mi,u, „o m,re facnfice f,r. 
 
 rt'lmberejfaed ; rud no --her Spirit to make- ihaifaaiK-e 
 ctual, iHhe Holy Spirit btfdcfpilcd, and iiiially ref.ftedi 
 
 >S7 
 
 and therefore no ground of hope can remain for foch 
 aportates.. The punilhment oflins unpirdon;ible is un- 
 avoidable: It i^ an eternal c'egrje of divine jndice, that 
 thefacrifice of Chrifl /hall never benefit that man, who 
 finally falls awayafttr. he las received tie knowledge of 
 the truth. 4. The dreadful and trcmendmis judf;ment 
 here threatened to apoffates, and what they muft etcrn.illy 
 evpca, nainely, xhefery injignatlcn, and fearful wraih of 
 the jiift and holy God. From the whi Ic learn, i .That there 
 i.s an infeparabic connecl ton between apoftjcyand cfcrnrl 
 ruiu. 2. That the minds of wretched apoli..t<s aieoti-iimes 
 filled wiih dreadfid expeiflaiicns of appro kIIi- wjai'i. 1. 
 Ihe di•e.^d and terror 'if God's final ju;!g.n);nt a^:inft 
 apolatcs, is, in iifeir, inconceivable, and accurdingly (ha_ 
 dowed cut by thing? of the greateft dread and terror in the 
 world. 4. That God's fiery indignation, though it (hall 
 devour his .adverfaries, yet (hall it never eat them up ; it 
 /hall eternally prey iipt n them, but never confume them, 
 orannihiiatcthcir being. O tnylkrious fire ! whofe Ihange 
 property is always to torture, but never 10 kill ; or alwav$ 
 to kill, but never to confume. God grant that we may 
 never experimentally know, or fcclingl/find, cither where 
 hell is, or what it is. 
 
 28 He thatdefpifed Mofes's law, died without 
 mercy, under two or three witncfTes : 29 Of ho-.v 
 much forer puninin)ent, fuppofe ye, fhall he bo 
 thou.i^ht worthy, wlio hath trodden under foot 
 the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of 
 the covenant, wherewith he was fan^tified, an un- 
 holy thin;;, and hath done defpite unto the Spirit 
 of grace > 
 
 The apoflle heit confirms what he had before fpoken of 
 the U\ and certain deftruaion of apoftates ; and compares 
 II with ihe punidiment infiicted on the breakers of AIufe:>' 
 law. If thofe, under the teltitnony of two or three wi - 
 neife.s of that apoflacy died ui: he ut mercy ; how much 
 forer punilhment is due to the conftirmers'of Chrift, u bo 
 tr.-ad under foot, that is, vilify and undervalue our Lord 
 Je(u«Chrift, cfteeming him as one that died a public nal- 
 etaflor; coijnimg the blood of the covenant an unhdy 
 thing ; that is, a common thing ; makinsj nothing of the 
 fiilemnei'i rile ^that ever was iifed in the world for iliccon- 
 firn ation of any covtnant, to wit, the (heddin^r „f the 
 bh..Ki ofthe Sum of God, and ddng dr/pitc unto if c Spirit 
 iforacc: as it heuere guilry of lyini< and falfehood, in 
 b uring vitntfs ofthe divine prnvcr^ot Chriit. Lecint 
 hence, I. 'I'hat although to ir:mfc;rcfs Mc fes' lav/ -was 
 an henious offeree, yet to fin wilfully agaii.ft ihe.cofp- 1 
 alier we have received the knowledge of ii, i.s far niorc' 
 heuKus. 2. That to revolt, from and rebtl aLaiult G<y' 
 U'Ving !;n(ul man, againil Jcfus Chriif ranfoming ai.d r( - 
 (Jetniingc^piivellave.s-, an.l agaiiift ihc Holy Sptru (Indi- 
 «ynig andclean/ing polluted foul.s, conies nt::ie(t the tin of 
 devils; and :>s the fin is the more heiiun!s, fi> tl;e punifh- 
 ir.ennt mud be far more grievous: for God has aMoiitd 
 difterent degrees ot punifhments unto di^rlrent dc"iecs 
 at.ul aggr.tvaiiions of fins. Lean, 3. That the punilJi- 
 mcntof final apollafy is eternal without the moll diltant 
 ^ ^ 2 . hope- 
 
HEBREWS. 
 
 cS8 
 
 hope of mercv, an.l without the leafl rcl.ixation of piinifh- 
 nient ; for they (hall have judgment without anvrfnercy. 
 
 30 For weknow him that h;ith Tiid, Vengeance 
 hlungcth unto me;' I will rccompjiife, faith the 
 Lord. Anda^ain, the Lord Ihalljudj^e his peojjle. 
 
 The apoftle had declared in ihe verfis h?fore, the cer- 
 tnin jridmnent of spotlates : Here he declares the jiid^e, 
 the Lord ; and thi* indgmenr, vengetnicc; I'tngtance is m'nif, 
 faith the Lord: Where, by vengeance, is meant vi-idic- 
 live jiillice in puni^hin^ finners. The apoHlc's arj;iiinent 
 f<:ems to lie thti.; " It Goti profi-flcs himfclf an a\cn«;cr 
 of all fin and injury dine to his people, as he cert.iinly 
 doth, Duct, xxxii. 36. much more will he (liow hiniftif 
 an avL-nj^er of fo horrible .an indignity ofFcred to hi^ Son 
 and his Holv Spirit." Learn hence, That the ci nfidera- 
 tion of the ri^^htecus nature of G>xi, and that iticlofurc he 
 has iTiade of vengeance, tu tiimftU under an irrevocable pur- 
 pofc for \\.s execution, fives undubiiable alfuranceof thcun- 
 avoidal le dvllru£\ion of all wilful apolbtts. 
 
 31 /f is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of 
 
 the living God. 
 
 Our ap(».11e, in ihefe words, winds up his whole argu- 
 ment .-igainil thcwillul defpifcrs of the gofpel, taken from 
 the aa;<;ravatian of that (in, with the fcvcriiy ot the punifh- 
 mcnt that would certainly hefal thein that are guilty of it. 
 }\!,ie here, I. The defcription given of God, he is the liv- 
 ing G'y/J : fo calletl, both by way of oppolition unto all 
 dead and dumb idols, and alfo with refpefl to his lively 
 power and flrcni'tli, whereby he is able to avenge the fins 
 of inen ; and likcwife to (ignify the eternal duration of liis 
 cxi/Knce. He ever jiveth to execute hii wrath, and inflict 
 Vengeance on the apoflaic finner. Learn, 7 hat the name 
 of the living God is either full of terror or comfort to the 
 fouls (f men. O Lord ! thine attributcr, which are the 
 principal Helight of all fincere chrirtians, and the fincere 
 object of their hope and faith, are an eternal fpring of 
 dread and terror to all irnpenitent finners. Note, 2. What 
 is the effed and fruit of all fin in general, and of apoftacy 
 in particular, namely, a failing itito God's jiands. There 
 i- a thrtefiild hand of God mentioned in fcripture ; his 
 pro'edting hand, his correding hand, and his wrathful 
 and revenging hand. It is l':ife and comfortable to fall 
 into God's proti;(ffing hai:d; it is profitable and beneficial, 
 though not pleating and delightful, to fall into God's 
 chafhniug and correcting hand ; but to fall into his angry 
 liand, his wrathful and revengeful hand, th.is ib fad and 
 tearful: either to fall under this fentence of his wrath in 
 this life, or under the full and final execution of that 
 Wrath in the life to come. 3. The tremendous dread- 
 fulncfs of that wrath ; it is a •.-arful, dreadful thing, that 
 ■which no tongue can utter, no heart conceive. H ho 
 hiCfWcth the power of thy wrath? Pfalm xc. Leiirnhence, 
 That the wrath and vengeance which the ever-living Gcd 
 will certainly inflict upon all wicked finners in general, and 
 upon all wretched aportates in particular, is very dreadful 
 and tremendous : and fo mull needs be, becaufc it is a 
 Wrath inconceivably great, and unavoidably Kure and bc- 
 
 Cwhv. X. 
 
 caiifj it is the wrath "t a juft God, of an almighty God, 
 and of antver-llving God. 
 
 32 But to call to ratvembr.ince the former days, 
 in wiiich, after which ye were illuminated, ye cndur 
 ed a great fight of afflictions. 
 
 Oitrapoflle here proceeds to a ncv' argttment to pcr- 
 fuadc C'tiiftians to pcrfcver^nce, drawn frum 'he con'iJe- 
 rj^ioM of their former fiifftrings for chrif^iani'y : " Since 
 yc were illuminated, that i", bapiized into the chrilliaq 
 faith, ye endured courageotdly nftliClion?, a fight of afflic- 
 tions, yea, a great fi'.'ht of afflictions." Learn hence,. 
 That the wifdom of God ott-titnes permits; and fufftrs 
 pcrfons, at their nrft converfion, to fall into m3i\ifold trials 
 and temptations : carnal relations now fiift fcoir, thtn 
 ircwn, and at the laft cafl off. The world hates them, 
 mark:; them out for perfecution, loads them with calumny 
 and (lander. But ij/Zirt'c farther, the apoftle directs thcin 
 to call to rememherance their former fufferings : He does net 
 mean the remembrance of what was bitter andafHiCfive in 
 their fuffV rings, but the caiifc for which they fiiffered, 
 and the prcftnce of God enjoyed by them in and under 
 their fiifferings : This woidd encourage, einboldcn, anrf 
 flrengthi.n unto duty : jL^ar/i hence. That a wife manage- 
 ment of former experience is a great direction and encou- 
 ragement unto future obedience. 
 
 33 Partly whilft yc were made a gazing-flock 
 both by reproaches and alflitlions ; and partly, 
 whilft ye became companions of them that were fo 
 ufed. 
 
 Here our aportle particularly mentions the fufferings 
 which the prin)itive faints underwent for the fake of chriiti- 
 anity, nnd reduces them to three heads, (hamc, pain, lofs : 
 They fuffered in their names by being difgraced ; in their 
 perfons by being fcgurgcd ; in their ettates, by the fpcili.'ig 
 of their goods. Let all that make profeflion of the name 
 of Chrid cxpeft and provide for Inch fufferings, efpccially 
 for reproaches. We may put a due value upon cur names 
 and reputations, but mult not be over-folititous about the 
 prcfcrvation of them. Let us keep in the way of our 
 duty, and leave our good name to God's care and keep- 
 ing. The world firll thunders out reproaches, then falls 
 into a (loriii of pcrfccution. Zcwrw hence, That all tem- 
 porary fufferings, in all their aggravating circumftances, in 
 all their formidable drcfs and appearance, may be, and oft- 
 tirnes are, the lot and portion of thofe who have under- 
 taken the profeflion ot chriliianity. y'e endured a great 
 fight of affuHivu, whilji ye were made a gazing-Jlock to the 
 zvorld. The thriflians here were expofed to tl:e world as it 
 Were upon a flage, or in a theatre where midtitiulcs might 
 gaze upon them, exile, and make a fport of theni. 
 
 34 For ye had compaffion on me in my bonds, 
 and took joy fully the fpoiling of your goods, know- 
 ing in yourfelvcs that ye have in heaven a better 
 and an enduring fubilance. 
 
 ""I'hc firfl words of this verfe, Te had ccmprjficn en me in 
 viy i:,nds, prove bl. Paul Jo be the author 01 this tpilile ; 
 
 fo; 
 
ClK«iP. X . 
 
 HE BREW S. 
 
 £8.0 
 
 for w!io elfe cotild !h?rp be,' whofe bond- for the <7r>rpcl 
 xvhere fo known, and ft> fniTionsamnntt thebelieviiiL' Jews? 
 His bond<! were firft at Jcr:;fali.'m, afterwards at Roinc. the 
 two oapit'nl citic; of the J< ws and Gentiles. And St. Pniil 
 declares here wli.it a tender fynipathy .ind fellow-feeling 
 wiih him in his fiilfcrinj,s ther did exprefs : ye had com- 
 fajfficn ^n i/ie in tri)/ l';>t/ls, that is, yc owned me in my 
 AilFerinrrs, ve fyrnp.nthizcd with me under my fi;fFerings, 
 ye adminilK-rtd to mv fiiccoiir and relief when burihencd 
 vith my fnfFerings. Ohferve next, he reminds them f^ 
 their deportment under their own fiifferings ; Te toS: jiy- 
 fiilly I he f polling of your gaods. Prob-ibly, the bread which 
 they ear, the clothes which tlicy wore, tlie beds whereon 
 thev lay, were taken from them by their perfecutors : yet 
 all this fpoil was taken joyfully ; not mwrc joyfully by the 
 fpoiicr.s, than it was by the fpoiled. Learn, It is the pe- 
 culiar glory and excellency of the gofpel, that it gi\cs in- 
 fi/perable joy unto the chriilian's tiiind, under the greateft 
 outward fiifferings : They endured j'jyfully the f polling of 
 their goods Ohje ve laftly, The reafon of this their chriflian 
 pati.-ncc under fiifFeiings ; they h.id z fuhftance ; they had 
 a fubltance in heaven ; and they had a better fubftance in 
 heaven than they loft tipon earth ; and they knew they 
 had it, knoiving in yoitrfches thai ye have in heaven a better, 
 &c. Learn hence, That faith, by giving an incompara- 
 ble preference to the things of heaven, above all perifli- 
 ing things on earth, affords abundant joy and full fatisfac- 
 tion in the lofs of them all, upon the account cf an 
 aifured interell in better things. 
 
 35 Cad not away therefore your confidence, 
 which hath great recompenfe of reward. 
 
 As if he had f id, " Seeing you have endured fo much, 
 never fhrink hack from a bold and courageous profe/Iion 
 of Chriil and his holy religion, which will be crowned 
 with a great recompeiice of reward." Oljerve, I. The 
 exhortation, Cnft ml atvay your confidence and courage in 
 the free pofltflion of chrillianity, like cowardly foldiers, 
 that ill the heat of the battle do call down their fliields and 
 armour, and run away. Thechiidian is a fpiritual foldier ,• 
 he muft not (lirink, or give back, but die a conqueror ra- 
 ther than be taken prifoner. 2. The reafon which en- 
 forces the exhortation, (Which hath a great recompcnce of 
 revutird,) mark, the reivard is certain, and that it is i.\\w. to 
 fuch as perfevere. Perfeverance and the reward are infc- 
 parably joined together, fo that the one fliall infallibly 
 follow the other. Hence /i-,7r«. That in all times of fuffer- 
 iu'T, and in the approaches of them, it is the duty of 
 believers to look upon the glory of heaven, under the 
 n .tion of a refrefhing aiid all-fufficient reward; Cajl not 
 away your confidence, &c. 
 
 36 For ye have need of patience ; that after ye 
 have done the will of God, yo might receive the 
 promirc. 37 For yet a little wl«le, and he that 
 Ihall come will come, and will not tany. 
 
 y'e have need of patience : But had they it not already, 
 when thry endured fuch a great fight of affliiflions r Yes, 
 alfurcdly \ the rceaning thereof is this : " Ye have need 
 
 of the continual e.xercife of patience;" implying! that 
 without tjje conftant exercife of patience, none can pafs 
 through tribulation to the glory of God, nnd their own 
 advantage. We have need of patience to perform difticult 
 dtiiies, to refill flrong temptations, to wait for an anfwcr 
 of our prayers, and alfo to w;iit for the reward of our pa- 
 tience. After we have done the will of God, we have 
 need of patience to enable us to wait for the receiving of 
 proii'ife, that is, the good promifed. Hcie note, that the 
 glory of heaven, firmly believed, will powerfully fuftain 
 the chriflian fpirit under fufferings. 2. That pa;iencc is 
 as neceffarv to enable us to expcft and wait for the reward 
 of our fiifferings, a.s it is needful and neccfTary to fuppoit 
 and uphold us under fiifitrinais. Ohfcrve farther, 'Ihe 
 comfortable alliirance which the apoltle gives, both of the 
 certain coming, and fpeedy coming of Chrill to reward 
 their faith and patience : he that Jlxdl come will cmir, andiull 
 not tarry. Note, here, The chriliian's fuflcring feafon will 
 be fliort, Chrirt will come to call him off. He lull come, 
 and ivill not tarry, and when he comes, no difficulties 
 /hall be able to fland before him, but fuch as have fuffered 
 patiently, fliall be rewarded gloriouily. 
 
 38 Now the jufl fhall live by faith, but \^ any 
 man draw back, my foul fhall have no pleafure in 
 him. 
 
 Thefe words, The juji flmll live ly faith, are taken out 
 of the prophet Habakkuk, and are three times inade ufe 
 of by St. Paul, in his epillles, Rom. i. 17. Gal. iii, 11. 
 and in this place. By the jufl man, undcrlland ajuflified 
 rnan ; by the life which he lives, undcrffaud a life of 
 fanflification and of glorification, a life of grace and holi- 
 iiefs, and a life of glory and happinefs. Learn, That 
 whatever life the believer lives, after a more excellent man- 
 ner, and for more excellent purpofes and ends than other 
 men, he lives that life by the help and afliltance of liis 
 filth. — In the following words, But if any man draw back, 
 &CC. Ohfenie, i. The crime fcppofcd, if any man that 
 has einbrnced chriflianity, fhall, either for fufferings feared 
 or felt, draw back from his holy profeflicn. The word iig- 
 nlfics to fneak and flink away out of fear ; and the apoflle 
 means by it, a qtiittingour protefTion of chriflianity for fear 
 of fuffering. Learn hence. That in and under great, fliarp, 
 and long trials, perfons are in danger of drawing back 
 from that profeffion of the gofpel wherein they are en- 
 gaged. Ohferve, 2. The fentence pronounced upon this 
 critne, Mv foul Ihall haie no pleajure in him \ that is, God 
 will be exceedingly difplealed with him, and punilh him 
 very fcverely ; intitnating, that apoliacy from Gid's tiue 
 religion, is a fm highly provoking to iiim, and w iil be moft 
 feverelv punifhed by him. Here note. That thcfe threat- 
 riings imply, that there is a poflibility of their falling awav, 
 confidered in thcmfclves ; but not that they are ever totally 
 deferted by the Holy Spirit, and left under the reigning 
 power of (in. Thefe threatnings are intended to awaken 
 their care, and have a fing'ilar influence on their pie.'erva- 
 lion. From the whole learn. That backlliders irom the 
 gofpel are, in a peculiar manner, the abhorrcncy of the 
 foul of God : If any man draw back, &c. 
 
 39 But 
 
.9S0 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 CiJAP. xr. 
 
 39 But wc are not of them who draw back unto 
 perdition; but of them that believe to thp faviug 
 of the foul. 
 
 Oliffti'e \\trc, 1. A jwo-ioiii (i)Tji'ifite (late, namely, them 
 tliJt draiv hack, ami them that Mine, tli;U i-, pcrftvcre 
 in believing : uve ,Tre net if them thnl draxv had. Iiitiniat- 
 inc, I. Tltat in iht- viiiblc church there ever have been, 
 are, and will be, a number of h^pociitcs, who, for fear 
 ot (tifFcrinn; in a time of pcrfcctition, will draw bnck. :. 
 That it is every chrillians duty to evidence to his own 
 coiifcience, and alfo to ^ive evidence to others, that he is 
 not of tlii.": flirt or number: "iue art not of them ivho draw 
 bcii. Ohferve, z. A two f^ld oppofite event, perdhhn on 
 the one hand, v^m\ fnhnlion on the other. The firft of 
 thtfc is denied, the latter is afTirmed, concernins thefc 
 Hebrews : luf are not of them that tlrmv hack iinla perdition, 
 &c. Where note, I. The adlual ir.lliience of apofbfv on 
 the one hand to dcftrufli'-n ; nothing; can free apoftates 
 from eternal ruin. 2. The aftual infl'ienre of faith on 
 the other hand to the favins; of the fonl. Thcnre Jtarn, 
 That lincere faith will carry men throuoh all diflicubics, 
 haiard--, and trouble, unto the crrtain enjoyment cf 
 eternal blelTcdncfs. We are of them that cIo helicve, &C. 
 
 C H A P. XI. 
 
 Our ap^fik hiaving, in the. chfe. of llie foregoing chapter, 
 fpoken of the jii/f vim a living fy jaith, he cmnrs. in 
 this chapter, to give an excellent defcription of it, 
 and pajfci many high oiconnims up n it.Jhcxvivg hoik 
 what it is, t^.nd what great things it has done in all ages 
 of the church. 
 
 O W faith is the fubnance of things hoped 
 for, the evidence of things not feen. 
 
 N 
 
 Ohferve here, I. The thing dcfcribed, or the fiibicft 
 fpoktn of, and that is faith ; that f3i:h whereby the jnft 
 man lives, the apoftle here fpc;iks of, though nor as judi- 
 fviiit;, but as ii i< tflcctuiUy ufefid in our whole life, cfpe- 
 cialiy unto conftancy and perfcAcrance in the chiiftinn pro- 
 feUion, which was the great diuy u;-£;cd and enforced in 
 the foregoiiiCT chapter. 2. The Hefciiption itfelf, it is the 
 fulifiiince :(f things hoped for. I. That is, it is a confidenf 
 and firm exp«.ctatii-n of the e^ooti thirses which God has 
 priimifsd, giung the good things h'ptd for, a re. 1 ftih- 
 Jfance in our iriiuls and fouls. 2. It is the evidence f thifigs 
 ml feen; tfat is, it evidences the reality and cir!:iinty cf 
 future things, it realize' the invilible reali'ies of anotticf 
 W( rid unto oiirmiiids, and c;iufes' us to bdievc them as 
 /irongly as what wc fee with cur bodily cvts, , Learn 
 hence, 1 hat a Jivtly fftiih gives fuch a rc-idiiy, certainty, 
 and piefeni being to things lioi td tor, and vit to come, ps 
 •f they were vilibly feeii and aifluailv eiijoycd. 
 
 2 For by it the elders obtained a ,i;ood report. 
 
 Having in ihc former vcife d fcrihcd fjjih, in this and 
 the follow iiiu verfej he enters upoo the jufl praifc and <Ic'- 
 /^wvei condemnation of tdis divine and exctlknt 'grace'. 
 
 which has fuch an univerfnl infltience into all the patt« of 
 the chridjjn life. In tliis vcrfc, to comintnd that faith 
 which he had in the former vcrfc dcfcribed, he brings in 
 iRc fxpeiicnvc of the elders, or Old Teftamcnt faiiit.-^, all 
 true believers fr»)m the foundation of the world, who by 
 faith obtained from G<'d a gocd teliimony, recorded in 
 the holy fcripturcs. By it, or through it, as a corditi: n 
 »app'inted and ord.iineii ot God ; not for it, or by the 
 ■ ■iv'orih and influence of if, as a meiitoricus caufe, the 
 ^fcers or faints of Goil, from the beginning of the worhl, 
 onrtNHed a good report. Leurn hence, i. That the Old 
 TcHament faints had the fame kind of faith that wc have, 
 and were faved in the fame manner that wc arc ; they had 
 t'le f.ime promifes, the rastie terms of grace, the fjme 
 meritorious purcl'.afc by the bUo.l of Chrifl : He is there- 
 fore calleil the Lamb fain frcm tLe leginuin^ cf tie zvtrid, 
 flain in Gixl's purpofc and decree, flain in the t)pes snd 
 figures of his death; though his blood was , not afttially 
 ihcd, yet was it decreed tf> b.- ihed, and fo was as efTec- 
 tiial to them as to us. 2. That the renown of ihc Old 
 Tcft.imeiu faints w.ts their fu ih, that made them f^im* us ; 
 not ihcir priority in living before ur, not their iongcvii) iii 
 living many yenrs beyond lu, nor upon account of il.tir 
 other graces, which yet rerdered ihrm truly excellent, arc 
 they fuid to obtain a got d report, but upon the fcoie and 
 account of their faiih. Abel was fanious for right eoiifiicfFj 
 Enoch for walkint; with Gf>d, Abraham for obcdttiCe, 
 Miifes for mcckn- fr, but the crown is fet upon the bead qi 
 (heir faith only ; hy it the elders ihlained, &c. 
 
 3 Through faith we under fland that the worlds 
 were framed by the word of God, lb that the 
 tilings wliich are fctn were not made of thin:^s 
 which do appear. 
 
 The defign of the apofllc in ih.fe words is to pro\e, 
 that faith fitistics iifclf in the wtird of Gcd, coucernine the 
 way and manner of- the world's creation ; for though the 
 world be now vif.ble, and the thing'' ccnt^iincd in ii are 
 faid to be feen, yet the original framing and making t f the 
 w'oild has a ptincipsl place ami ng things not feen. Lecrn 
 hence. That by taiib nfttniing to divine revelation, and 
 not by reafon, we iukIci (tand tlij truth and w< nderf, the 
 feafrns and cnufes, the manner and end of the woilds 
 creation. Reafon indeed tells liS that there was a creation, 
 confcquently a creator ; hut rct^fon \\i'lu;ut diiine revela- 
 tfon'c/'idd n;vor have difccvercd the circumnances and 
 manner f>f the creation, which wholly depended ttprn the 
 willeifGf.d. Reafon and narurc- could ne\cr have kn^^vn 
 them, h;d not Gcd in his w. rd firil rf-vcakd th' m : T^e 
 old he.i''nciis could nivcr deli rniinc t\horni(!e the world, 
 nor wh< n, or how if was made, nor \vhti.cc, and out r4" 
 V. hat it was made. Reafon n':;y piop'iind ih^ eji clli^n, 
 how was the \^orId made, and all ihitij.'^'theicin ? Put rcj- 
 vtlaiic'n midl rc'ft'Ke ir. A pocr cliikl liarns more b\ I is 
 cat'cihifm, than' all the pHil()r('pherse\er learnt hy t' ir 
 profound rtfiarilu-s, rfnd paintul lh.die». Hr-^nghsjuith 
 we underftund that tie uoridt '.lire jramsd. it lilic'W.-, /y 
 ihir ii^'d f Li'.d, th;;t is, bi ill b) lis external and. ir. | ■■, r: 1 
 word, his word oi command, faying, Let it he ; HeJ,. ', 
 
 ar.d 
 
ClIAP. XI. 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 99^ 
 
 i;m/ i/ WIS (font, V!'-4\.y\\\\\. (). And alfo 'hv f-!?'enpn»ial 
 srul rihflin'i:'] word, Jefiis Clirift, by win m G (! made 
 rhe \vnrl.ls, Heb. i. 2. in that ordtr wlith Mr fo h^ys 
 lii(t')iic:il!y related. Ohfenc, brtly, How nnd after what 
 mr-nner the woilJ was made, not out of .-my prc'-pceiit 
 ©r pre-exilK'iU iTis'fer, but'oct of noihino': Thatwhivh 
 vas not at all, co :ld not be fccn :' the Mi'm^s that are Jcen, 
 Wfre i:ot made of things thai do aptear. Here »<;/c, i hat 
 the power of God framed many ihingyout of nothine,^ 
 the heaven of heavens, the duelling pl.tce'of God.aH 
 angels, immeiliitely ; other things medintdy out ^f the 
 ch.io', that is, fiich rude,iJndifpofed, and I'lifit niaMcr, as had 
 11 ) difp.jfition ti-> receive fuch a form, as it did aiflually le- 
 ceive froin the power of God ; and may therefore diTcrv- 
 eily be CillcJ a creation out of nothing. Learn hence, 
 Tliat in the works of creation, though other attributes of 
 vvifdom and goodncfs vifibly appeared, vet none were fo 
 emint-ntly eonfpicuous as the power of God. Well tnight 
 St. P.uil fay, Rom. i. 2o. That herein was manifeftcd 
 hli eternal pi-uer and Godhead. 
 
 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excel- 
 lent facrifice thin Cain, by which he obtained wit- 
 nefs, that he wa.s righteous. God teftifying of his 
 gifts : and by it he being dead yet fpeaketh. 
 
 From a general declaration of the nature of faith in the 
 foregoing verfe , our ap.>(lle proceeds to give inftances of 
 the efficacy and power of faith in particular perfons, in 
 this and the foUowin;^ verfcs. And he begins here with 
 Ab'.l. But why not with Adam r Becaiife Adjm was the 
 firfl finner, and the greateft of linners ; and although re- 
 ceived to grace and mercy, yet after his f.dl Mofcs fpcrks 
 little i)f him, nothing very n- fable ; nciiher did Almighty 
 Gild put that honour upon Adam which he put upon his 
 fon Ab.-l ; he had the honour to fhed his blood for Chrill, 
 and for teftifying his faith in hitn ; and accordihglv Abe! 
 is here reprefenred as the hrft cvungelicil believer, B) faith 
 Jlhel, &c. 0/'fe>-ve, I. The aiftlon which Abel j.er- 
 fortn.-d, he offcrid facrifice to God ; he offered a facfificc 
 mofl excellent, and he off; red it by faith. But did not 
 Cain bring his offering of faith too? Yes, no doubt,- 
 he believed the being of God, and confidprcd him as a- 
 creator and preferver, and accordingly offered the fruits of 
 the earth, as an acknowledL'tneni that all tbefe things were 
 made, preferved, and beflowed on m;in by G-.d. But 
 Abel's f;iith was f xcd on G 'd, not onlv as a creator, but 
 as a rcdei-iTier alf), accotnpanied with a fen fc of fm and- 
 guilt trulling in the ways of redemp'i;>n and recovery 
 which G 'J hath provided; Hire n:v, Thnt the perform- 
 ance of the outward duties of divine vvorfl-.ip. is not the 
 rule of the acceptnn.e of men's p-^rfons %Ni'h G';d, but a 
 difF.Mcn.e mid diftinc^ion is made from the inward orinci 
 pif, whence thofe duties do pn-ceed. Cin and Ahel 
 b'jth o.TereJ focrificc, but not irom i like prin iple, nor 
 y^t for a like end. Ohjerve 2 The efn a 3nd'fri;it of 
 Abel's raih, it procured a t.flimony and ul-nefs frcin 
 Gcd Itinifiittha-. he was ri-^hteous; he ttflified iliat he 
 had rcfpcft ' • 'is '.frfoa: by the apprrbarion of his o-Te'r- 
 '.ig. Oui- {• • 'iHejufliiic'ub.torc our perioiiiKiJiccs 
 
 cr.n be accepted. G id has firfl refpe^l to the offerer, then' 
 to the rfF( tint; ; for the perf<in iniifl rfcommtnd the gift, 
 not the i;ift recomrr.endtd the pcrfoii. Lalily, The privilege 
 of AbcTs f;iiih : hy it, lic tug dead, he thiitfjualeth. Some 
 rnderfl nds the words in a paflivc fctife, he is fpokcn of; 
 he hiing dcrd, there is sn Iioiiotinrble mmiion of hitTi. 
 Religion is the tnicft hc.noiir, and the lighteous fh.ill be 
 had in tvcrhifVing rciiieinbiance. Otlurs in an adlive 
 f^'nfc, and fo the woids import, that the dcsd faint.v do yet 
 fpcak, and that fdinevvhat v. orthy to be heard and o'bferved ; 
 they fpeak by the precious graces with which they were 
 enriched ; they fpeak by the holy life they maintained, by 
 the good works they WTought, by the eminent ferviccs 
 they did for God and iiian, by their (harp trials, by their 
 bitter fiifFcrings ; by thefe they fpeak, to the honour of 
 religion, and to the furtherance of the gofpcl. God's 
 Abels, his dead faints, do I'liis fneak when laid in ihc 
 duft. 
 
 5 By fiiith Enoch was tranflated, that he Ihould 
 not fee death ; and was not iuund, becaule God 
 had tranflated hitx) : for before his tranflation he 
 had this teftimony, that he pleated God. 
 
 The fecond inffance is Enoch, concerning whom our 
 apoflle aflirms, that he was irnnllated, and that he was 
 tranflated by faith ; tranlTatcd from one condition to 
 another ; from grace to glory, froin earth to lieaveir. He 
 was gathered by God, bo'h in body anil foul, to hiinfclf • 
 and fn a way of eiiiinent grace and favour freed frorn- 
 death. ritreby God gave the world a convincing ttflimony 
 that the body is capable of eternal life and happinefs. Biit 
 how was he tranflr;ted by faith r Avfw. Not rfTicitn'ly • 
 faith was. not the efficient caiifc of his tranflation. That 
 was an immediate aft of divine jiower ; not meritorioufly 
 for it is recorded'as an aft (^f fovereign grace and favour • 
 but indrumentally only ; he was by faith broi.-t'ht into 
 that flate and condition of favour and acceptance with 
 God, as to have this peculiar privilege conferred upon him; 
 Some we find are carried to heaven by fj-ecial prerr{rati\e 
 bv privileged difpenfation ; By faith Enoch uas rrnnf.-.ted,. 
 &c. But ohjcrve farther, What went before his tranflaiitii) 
 and that wus his pleating Gc:d ; licfore his trairflation he 
 had this teftimony, that he picaftd God. Such aswould 
 live with God hereafter, rniift (Uidy and fctk to picafe 
 God by walking with him heic ; would we coine where 
 Enoch is, we muff walk as Enoch' did. There is no h(^pe 
 of living with God in heaven, if- we do .n<jt plca.'e hitn 
 here on earth. 
 
 6 But ivithout faith it is impoilible topleafe A/»i; 
 for he that cometh to God, mufl believe that he is, 
 and //,:,v he is a rewarder of them that diligently 
 feek him. 
 
 With'vt ffith, that is, without jufafvihg faith, uithoiit 
 f.-ii;h in the .Mffliih, for that is the fui h htie fp.k.-n i.f, 
 there is no prlTibiliry of pleating God, :,nd if f'-, then no 
 p'tflibiliiy of being Hived without fait!.. This appears 
 partly tiorn the divine conftiiution, God has f'- appointed 
 it, partly froai the natuie ol the thing itfelf j laith being 
 
 the 
 
V9 
 
 32 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap, xi. 
 
 ihefird rcgutir motion of the foul towards God, no works, 
 nil iliiiio«, HO pcrtorinances wli-itfocver can plcafc Gml 
 T\rm(«jt faith. Hf t^at c-tnuth to Cod, that is, hiih any 
 acnRt or approach to liiin in a way of worlhip.nr any ac- 
 .cH'f ctfocct-ptancp into his grace and favour, he ntujl beliive, 
 I. Ciotl's bcins;; 2. God's b;>iinty : thnthels: and that 
 f c ii a rtmii'iJtr '4 )uch ai diligenlly feek l>int. Learn hcncr, 
 I. Tint the fir(t p"int of t;iiih, if we wf>'ilJ have any 
 lhin» to do wiih.G.Kl, is firmly to believe that there is a 
 God : Ht that iam*h. to G'.cl, mufl hetieve that he is. 2. 
 That the fountain nf. all obedience and fervice to God, is 
 a firtn belief of his bcincf a rcwnrder of nil them thit dil'i- 
 fentif ffi'k h't.il. ■^. That the whole ilftie of our finding 
 (rod when wc feek him, depends upon our diliircnilv fcck- 
 in:^ of him ; he is a rewarder of them, of all and only 
 th""cin, that diliijcnily feek him. 
 
 7 By faith Noah, bcin;:T warned of God of things 
 not Icen as yet, moved with fcnr, prepared an ark 
 to the fiivin^ of his houfc ; by the which he con- 
 demned the world, and became heir of the righte- 
 oufncfs which is by faith. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. Tlie perfon fpokcn of, Noah, an emi- 
 nent perfon in the line of the church, .nnd one that walked 
 wi;h God, and found <^race in the eyes of the Lord. 2. 
 AVhat was fpi'kcn of him ; he wna ivanied of G'.d, touch- 
 ing his dcfiijn and piirpofc to dtftroy and drown the old 
 world. 3. What was the efFciS of this warning, it produced in 
 Noah fear and obedience; fearof the thrcatning, and obedi- 
 ence to the command ; he was moved with fear, and prepared 
 the ark. 4. The exercifc, yea, eminent exercife of Noah's 
 faith; neither the difficulty of the work, nor ihc len^;th 
 of time, an hundred and twenty ycarr. ; nor Ids want of 
 fucCils sH that lime of preaching, nor the contempt an<l 
 fcorn caft iipoti him bv the whole world, cotdd weaken his 
 hands, or difcoiirage his heart, in the leafl from going on 
 with his work. 5. The confcqtient of No:.h"s faiih and 
 obedience vvi:h rcfprcfl unto the world, /v condemned the 
 zvcrld , not as a jtid2;c properly and aulhoritaiively, but as a 
 witnefs, by pica and tefiimony ; he condemned it by his 
 doiflrinc, by hisi.Karaple, and left it altogether without 
 ■cxcufc. 6. The fruit and eftlcl of Noah's faith and 
 obedience with reverence to hitnfclf : lie became heir of the 
 rightcou(nefs ivhich ii hy faith: that is, of the happincfs 
 promifed to thetn who are juflificd by faith ; he was evi- 
 denced and declared to be a rii^hieous perfon. 
 
 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to ^-to 
 out into a plane which he fhonld after receive for 
 an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went nut. not 
 knotv'ing whither he went. 
 
 The next iihulrinus initnncc of the efHcacy of faith we 
 have- here in the perfon of Ahrahnm. who obeyed the call 
 and command of God in leaving his o>^n native country, 
 to go he knew not whiOier, and to receive --.n inhcrifnce he 
 know nnt when. Where note, t. The foundation of 
 Abraham's faith and obedienc, and that was the call of 
 God ; he h.id an immeilijte conitnand to g'l out of his 
 own cottntry into a certain place with a promife to receive 
 
 it for an inheritance : Gel thte frvn thy ntintry, relations, 
 friends, and all outward enjoyments, is a cinnmand 
 becoming the great ncfs of God to t;i»e ; and felf-dcniai 
 in fact, or rcfnlntion to cinn)!y with fuch a command from 
 the yreit G(xl, is the foundation of all linccre profcflion. 
 2. What was the principle of Abraham's obcilience in 
 complyin;^ with this call of God, and that was his fjiih : 
 By faith Ahruhnm, when he -was called, ol eyed. True fjitli, 
 where ever it i.s, brin«rili finh fincere obL-.licncc ; thefe 
 ^o can no more be feparated ihjn the liyht and the fun, 
 than the fire and heat ; «)bedience is the daughter of faiih, 
 and the taiih the pareii' and principle of ohcdi'.nce. 3. The 
 difficulty, and therein the cxctdlency of his, obedience ; I e 
 obeyed, ami went out, n-it knowing 'whither he went. If 
 taiih be once f4ti.-,fie(l in the call an.l command ()f GixJ, 
 it will t .l!ow him wlien it cannot fee a rtep of its way 5 
 over hills and inoimtain^ through dales and valleys, ftar- 
 ing nothing. He that has God's ciU, need not fear Gcd's 
 conduift. 
 
 g By faith he fojourned in the land of promife, 
 asi/ia «Jranue country, dwelling in tabernacles with 
 Ifaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the fame 
 piotnife. 10 For he looked for a city which hath 
 foundations, whole builder and maker » God. 
 
 The spoflle fp.'ike of the place which Abraham was 
 c.illed from, in the t'oiegoing verfe, namely, out of Ur of 
 the Chaldees : He here fpeuks of the place he was called to, 
 Cannan, ftyled the land of pron;ife, t>'at is, the land 
 which G'<l had newly promifed to give imto him. Where 
 note, I. Abraham's a6l of obedience ; he fcjourneth in ti.t 
 land of proinije, as in a fi range country; he was there a 
 fojourner, not an inheritor, iTif'viiig up anrl down from 
 place to place, until Gf>d thought fit to fettle him and his 
 pofteriiy. Abraham was a fi journer both in his condition 
 of life, and his di''polition of heart. Canaan was 3 type 
 of heaven, and accordingly Abraham expcded a better 
 country, with a city which had fcH?id<s/icns, whofe luiider 
 and maker is God. Leirn, That the children of G-^d 
 here on earth, where thty have bcft right, and troft pof- 
 fe/iions, are but (Irangers and pilgrims. J^ole, 2. The 
 manner ot his fojourning in this Liiid, divelling in laberva- 
 cles. This was both an aft of policy, and an :£l of piety ; 
 of policy, that thcv 'might live peaceably, uiihou: giving 
 untbrage to the .Ta'ivcs, or occafioning any envy or grudge 
 from tlicm ; and of pieiy, to exprefs their hopes and de- 
 fires of a belter country. 7. -Abraham's companions, his 
 f-Uows, and followers, iti this ai51 of obedience ; he fo- 
 j ■>urncd with If.iac and Jacob ns heirs of the fume promife ; 
 Where w/<v/-.{-, How nil the faints of Gixl arc of the fame 
 fpi'itual difpoCition ; they are animated by the fair.e Sj irit 
 g"verncd by the. fame laws ; they ?&. from the famc,prin- 
 cijde, and for the fair-e end, and deflre nothing more than 
 t > live together, and lo enjoy God and one another. .A':.v 
 4- rile reafonetl rendered uhv Ahtr.ham cftten^td liimklf 
 but as a ftrang?r in Can.nm, becimfe Idsthoughis r.in much 
 upon he:ncn, of whiJi C.in:\an'vvas a t\pe; He li:iei for 
 a c!/y uhich hrd fourdjtions, &c. Where objtrve, ;. 
 Abrahar'^'- -''> .f exjv.c^.; •' - '■ ■ louk.d for it, he r.;u - 
 
 n d'y 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 99S 
 
 nally expcfte'l it ; it was not a blind hope, but well built 
 on the power and promifc of God. 2. What he looked 
 for, a city ; not JcruraUm. sn earthly city, as fome would 
 have it, forthat was not poiTcflVd until eight hundred years 
 after, and then only by hi.'pofterity tor a limited time; but 
 an heavenly city, a fettled, quiet habitation, a fnitable 
 dwelling for them that have had a life of trouble in this 
 world. 3. The city itfelf defcribed, i. By the nature of 
 it ; ii has foundation', in oppofition to tentsand tabernacles 
 which hjd no foui.dution, but were moving, ambulatory 
 dwellings, fupp )rted only by (lakes and cords ; thiscity is 
 founded upon the eternal power, the infinite wifdom.and 
 immutable counfel of God. 2. By the maker and builder 
 of it ; Cod ; lie is the contriver, framer, and ere(5lor of this 
 city; and as he is the maker, f) he is ihe difpofer of ital- 
 fo ; pleafe God, and he will give it thee, none can give it 
 thee without him, he will never give ir thee without plea- 
 ling of him. 
 
 1 1 Through faith alfo Sarah herfelf received 
 ftreiKUh to receive feed, and was delivered of a 
 child when fhe was paft age, becaufe flie judged 
 him faithful who had promifed. 
 
 Ojt aportle having fpoken of Abraham's faith before, 
 makes an honourable mention of his wife's Sarah's faith 
 here. It is a blefT-d thing when hufbind and wife are one 
 in the faith, as well as one flelh. When the conftant com- 
 panion of our lives draws with us in the fame yoke of re- 
 ligion. IVote, I- The perfon whcfe faiih is here commen- 
 ded, Sarah hfrjtlf, a woman, a barren woman, and a bar- 
 ren woman well (tricken in age ; a woman weak ;n fcx, 
 may be ftrong in faiih. Though Sarah at firft laughed, 
 yet file afterwards firmly believed. And the apoftle takes 
 no notice of the former but applauds the latter. Oh! 
 with what great indulgence dotii God cover the failings 
 of his children, but proclaims aloud their graces to the 
 world ! Men do not thus ; they will overlook all that is 
 ijood in others, and report only what is amifi. Sarah's 
 laughing, Rahab's lie, job's impatience, are not mention- 
 ed, but their graces are remembered. Who would not 
 ferve fuch a gracious mafter, that winks at our failings, but 
 accepts and rewards our weak fervices and fincere graces ? 
 2. The commendation and fruit of Sarah's faith, flie re- 
 ceived by it (Irength and ability for conception ; probably 
 Ihe reco-'ered her youthful vigour, and received a general 
 rtftoration ot nature, to an ability for all its primitive ope- 
 rations, which was before decayed by age; fhe received 
 ftrength to conceive feed when paft age. Learn hence, 
 That it is the property of faith to expert a b'elTing abfo- 
 lufcly above the ufe of mean;, when we have a particular 
 and fpecial warrant from God fo to do, as Sarah had in 
 thiscale. Note, The groniid of Sarah's faith, Uecauft/Jje 
 ha ' ji!iii;eil hhnfaithful that had frw.ifed, that is, (lie refol- 
 ved her faith into, and relied upon, tbe veraci;y of God 
 HI the acconiplifhiiient of the promife which is the proper 
 andjimmediate objeft of faith. Len'-n, That wherever we 
 txercife and pi't forth faith, we miift take care and befure 
 that we have a promife to exeixife it upon, otherwife it 
 is not faith, but fancy : God's promife, and not God's po- 
 wer, is the ground of faith; it is not what God can do, 
 
 but what he wiil <Jo, and what he has engaged and prom- 
 ifed to do, that is the ground of faith : lie c.in qncncji all 
 the fire in hell : but where has he faid he will do it ? Src 
 had judged him faithful who hodprcmiftd, 
 
 12 Therefore fprang there even of one, andTiim 
 as good as dead, fo many as the liars of the flcy in 
 multitude, and as the fand which is by the Ica-fhore 
 innumerable. 
 
 The words acquaints us with that gratuitous remunera- 
 tion and gracious reward which God gave Abraham and 
 Sarah, as the fruit of their faiih, namely, the bleffing ot a 
 numerous poflerity ; there fprang of ihcm, and both of 
 them, as g'jod as dead, with reference to the procreation of 
 children, a numerous iflue, like the ftars of heaven, and the 
 fand of the fea. Hence /car?:, That the God of nature, 
 at his own pleafure, works things above the power of ns- 
 ture in its ordinary efficacy and operation ; by weak and 
 deadmcans he o»ien produces mighty efFecls. 2. That 
 whatever difficulties and oppofitions lie in the way of the 
 accomplifliing God's promifes, they (hall have an aflurcd 
 accompliflimenc on God's part, if faith be kept up in live- 
 ly exercife on tiur part. 
 
 13 Thefe all died in faith; 
 
 That is, all the fore mentioned faints, Abel, Nrahy 
 Abraham, an;l Sarah, they all died in the faith of the pro- 
 mifed Mt'fliah, believing, he (hould come, and expefting 
 falvation by his coming. It is not enough for a Chriflian 
 to live in the faith, but he mull alfo die in the faith; and 
 to die in the faiih is an honourable and happy manner of 
 dyng ; it is a greater happinefs to die in ihe Lord, than to 
 die for the Lord ; if a man die for the Lord, and be not 
 in the Lord, he is not blefTed in his death : Aman may die 
 for the Lord's caufe, yet not for the Lord's f.ike, but out 
 of vain-glory. 
 
 — Not having received the promifes, but having 
 feen them afar off, and were perfuaded oithe^n and 
 embraced them, and confcffed that they were flran^ 
 gers and pilgrims on earth. 
 
 OhCerve here, The great trial which the faith of the Old 
 Teflamcnt faints was put unto; »hcy died, not having re- 
 cived the promifes ; that is, they wt-nt to their graves before 
 the great blefling* God had protri'fed were accomplifhcd. 
 Faith is contented with the promife, though it wants aftiial 
 pofTcflion of the good things promifed. God would have 
 believers, in all ages of the church, to live by faith, and 
 promifes not aclually performed ; And it is a great honour 
 to GoJ, when we are ready to die, to go to theoravp w j; Ij 
 aflurance, and 10 pro ft fs our confidence that Go J will in.ikc 
 them good : Thtfe all died n-it ht,v:ig reaivtd the Irjn.il'is. 
 Yet (.hftrve, Tl;e a(5lings and exercife of their faith (owaids 
 thefe promifes, \s hith ihcy had not yft received in their 
 acconipliftinient : i. They fai.\} them <'/i;r y/", at a grest 
 diftance : It is the property of faith to eye the blclfin-'s 
 promifed at a diftance • fo that no diflancc of time or place 
 can weaken faith as to the accoiriplifliment of divine pro. 
 mifes. 2. They tare perfuaded tiftktm: This impdrts 
 6 K ,}:e 
 
5St 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XI. 
 
 the mind's falisfa(fl3ry ncqiiiefcinj* in the truth of God for 
 the accompliflmrnt of his pr<inii|\.'s : A lirni perfualion of 
 ih« truth of God's proinilcs, and a quiet waiting for the 
 accoiDiiliflinent of them at a great t1,(fancc, is an einnent 
 fruit off^iih. 3. They emiirucfj them, the word figniJies, 
 they falureil and hugged thfni. Whence ni/i-, Th.it faith 
 i; an a!lofihe will, as well ai of the underihndiiig : there 
 is in faith adherence as well as afTi-nt ; an tmbracing as 
 well as a pfrfuafion ; the heart cleaves to the proiinfc uiih 
 love, delight, anJ C0Tn]p\icency ,an'i conf-Jfcii that they ivfre 
 ftran^rrt tind p'.lgrimr on the earth ; So they were in out- 
 ward condition, wandering from pUce to place ; fo ihfy 
 were in aflscV'on and difpolition, looking upon this world 
 as their pilgrim ige, and iteaven as iheir home and proper 
 country ; bjc.i'jfe thsnce tiiey are birn, there lies their 
 inheritance, there are all thtir kin<f|-e.l, there is their loiig- 
 cfl abode. ChriAians flioiild not only account, but con- 
 fefs themfelves pilgrims 3"d dilcover it by their journey- 
 ing aid mending their pace heavenwa/d. 
 
 1 j For they that fay fuch thin£;s dcclaVc plainly 
 that ihcy feck a country. 19 And trulv if they had 
 been mindful of that f()?</?^n'froin whence they catne 
 out, they might have had opportunit)' to have re- 
 turned : i6 But now they dcfirc a better fCT/?2;>j, 
 that is, an heavenly. Wherefore God i.s not a(ha- 
 mcd to be called their God ; for he hath prepared 
 for them a city. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid. " They that fay fuch things, 
 namely, thru thty even in ihe land of promife, are pilgrims 
 and Grangers, do declare pliinly that ihcy (ctk a country 
 wherethey m.iy rtftand dwtll, when this their pilgrimage 
 on earth is ended." Now this country was not Chaldea, 
 buthiaven ; a gl iriivisciiy wh'chGod prepared for them, 
 jisan abundiiii! recompence for theirearthly country, which 
 they left at God's command. Here ri'jte, I. That heaven 
 13 the Chriftians proper country ; they arc born from 
 heaven, their ronverfatioii is in heaven; thfir eternal l^abi- 
 ration is ihere, their head and hufband, their iriends and 
 kindred are there; audit is theirs by a right of dona- 
 tion, by a right of pnrthafe, by a right of pofiellion, and 
 by a right of conqucft. 2. That this heavenly country !.■; 
 by far the better, yea, the beft of couniries ; bt ft in re- 
 gird of the hirgenefsand extent of it ; befl in rt'gard of the 
 I'afcty and fecuriiy of it ; befl in regard of the order aiid 
 go>'erninent of it; beft in regard of the company and 
 locieiy dwt lling in it : all faints, none but faints, none 
 but pfrff^cl ('din;s ; bell in regard of the immunities and 
 jirivilfges belonging 10 it, and in regard of the duration 
 iind rontinuance of it ; a country that can never be in- 
 vaded, nevrr be ci-ii'jntred. 3. That thefincerechridians 
 liave I'rong defii?s after, and vehement longings for, this 
 lierter, this bed (if countries: A'tw they d.Jiif a h:lter 
 rounirj : And God is no: oflianitd ta he called their Gv! — 
 iliey thit by their faiih give glory to God in ac'^nowledging 
 lii: faithfulnefs in this life, he will never be afliamed of 
 them, either in lire>or at death, or after death. Learn 
 I. That it is thegreatf ftpri''ilege, honour, antl advantage, 
 lh,il atiy tan be mn\: partakers of, that God wiH bear the 
 
 name and title of ihcir Cod. 2. God's owning of be- 
 lievers as his, and of himfelf to be their God, is an abun- 
 dant recompence of all the hardiliips which they undergo 
 in this their pilgrimage. The top and fuiii of all happi- 
 ncfs, is to have the Lord for our God. 
 
 17 liy faith Abraliam, when he was (mn. ofFcr- 
 cd up Ifaac : And he that had received the promifcs 
 offered up his only bcgottcn//n; i8 Of whom 1: 
 was faid, that in Ifaac fhall thy feed be called : 19 
 Accounting that God was able to raife him up, 
 even from the dead ; from whence alfo he received 
 him in a fi^^ure. 
 
 The next perfon inftanred in. for ilie fame of his faith, 
 is Abrah.im who was de fervcdly flyled \\\t Jutlier of the 
 fuitljul: Him God tri<s m a very extraordinaay maiiiiei, 
 by putting him upon cfTering up his foil Ifaac. Where 
 note, Th.it where God gives much grace, he tries grace 
 much ; the grc;>ter the faith, the greater ihf trial ; Itrong 
 faith mull prepare for flrorg trials. Here Abraham's faiih 
 was tried, uheibcr he would depend vipon God's promile 
 above reafon ; his obedience was tried, whether he w ould 
 yield to God's coiniuandagainft nature ; his love was tried, 
 whether his afTet'lion was not mure warm towards hisfon 
 than to his God ; and his fear was tried whether he did 
 reverentially acknowlrdjre and flar.d in aweofGid, by 
 adoring his fovereignty and dominion over him. Tri.-.ls 
 are the befl toochftont^ of faith ; without which men will 
 want the bell evidence of itt fincerity : And great trials in 
 believers are an evidence of great faith, f'hferv: farther, 
 The excellency of Abraham's faith and obedience upon 
 thit trial, he ufferedup his /In Fiiuc ; that is, he did in part 
 and was ready to have (lone it thoroughly, had not God 
 countermanded him. Lrarn hence, Ihat where rhere is 
 a divine command obliging us toobedience, itis thewifdom 
 and duty of faith, to clofe his eye ag.iinft all infup?ral>le 
 clifHcultiesand dangers. Abraham obje«fled notagainftihe 
 horrid nature of the comnnnd, to kill bis fon, hisown 
 fon, his only fon, the Ion of thf promife ; but deliberately, 
 and upon due ronfideration, was ready to execute w hat 
 God required. Lord ! what a (trong faith was here, for- 
 tified with an impregnable relidution, that could m.ike 
 Abraham hold out three days againfl the violent afTiulis 
 of his own nature, and the charming prefencc of his own 
 fon, enough to intlt his heart ; yet nothing made him 
 flagger in his duty, but he performs a moft Hiiraculous act 
 of obedience, in defiance of all di/Iiculiies Obfttve. Liftiy, 
 The fruit and furcefs of Abrah.im's faith ; he b.-ilieved 
 God could and would raife Ifaac from the grave, and he 
 receives him again in a figure, as one fnatched out of the 
 very j uvi of ilcatli. There is no luch way to enjoy the 
 continuance of an earthly comfort as by religiiing it up to 
 God : Accounlir^ thiil Cod was alte ta raji: him up even 
 J rant the dead, &:c. 
 
 20 By faith Ifaac bleffcd Jacob and Efau con- 
 cerning things to come. 
 
 Note, ihat there is .n blefliog by way of prayer, and a 
 blefTingby way of prcphec\, foretelling whit (hall befalper- 
 
 foi;s 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 095 
 
 fons in time to come ; oT tliis kind is Ifanc's bleilin'r. 
 The patriarchs were in a peculiar manner dircdUd jnd 
 guided by God, and (heir blefliii(T was a conferring of a 
 rii^ht to the parties bhlled. 'Ihus Ifaac bltlFed Jacob and 
 Efau coKcerning things la come; thai is, concerning the 
 great and future things which i'noiild happen unto their 
 poderity after them. Note here, Efau's (w/cked nienj 
 having their portion in outward bleflingsai well as Jacobs, 
 as w ell as the belt and holiefl: of men ; partly as they are 
 God's creatures, partly as they defcend from parenis in 
 covenant with God, and partly becaufe thev make fome 
 profeflionof the name of God : And God will be behind- 
 hand with none, but fo far as they do good they fhall fee 
 good. 
 
 2 1 By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, bleffed 
 both the fons of Jofeph : And worfhipped kaning 
 upon the top of his ftafF. 
 
 Ohferve here, in dying Jacob, the frame and carriage o^ 
 holv men in their dying feafons to blefs their children, and 
 worlhip their God. Jacob bleffed Jofeph and his two Ions, 
 laying hold on the covenant made with Abraham. It is 
 no fmall privilege to be born of parents taken intovi(i!)le 
 covenant with God, and no fwiall comfort, when God 
 comes to take away fuch parents from us, to have the be- 
 nefit of their bleflings and prayers. Jacob, when dying, 
 blefled both the fons of Ji)feph ; and as he blefled them, 
 fo he wortliipped Gi)d with religious worlhip, and in a 
 devout manner, leaning upon the top of his faff. Learn 
 hence, Thar our addrefl'es to God, ought to be exceeding 
 reverent, both as to the frame of our fouls, and alfoto the 
 gefture of our bodies ; we cannot always be affeftionate in 
 prayer, for aftedion depends upon the vigorous motions 
 of the bodily fpirits ; but we (hould always be reverent and 
 ferious in prayer, othfrwife it is no worihip. /.frtrn far- 
 ther, That where faith gives a willing mind, bodily in- 
 firiBiiies fliall be no let and hindrance from duty. 
 
 22. By faith Jofeph, when he died, made men- 
 tion of the departing of the children of IfiacI ; and 
 gave commandment concerning his bones. 
 
 Here we have a two fold inftanceof Jcfeph'b fa'thw'hen 
 dymg. I. He made msntioy} (.f the aepartir.g oj the children 
 ojf I/ratl ; he faid unto his brethren. Behold, 1 die, but Cod 
 Jljall h>ing ytju unto the la»a which he hath /worn unto your 
 fiitbcrs. See how the good man dies in the faith of the 
 promife. Thence iedrn. That it is of fingular ufe, and 
 great advant.'ige to the church, that fuch believers as have 
 been eminent in profeflion, fliould, in their dying moments, 
 tetlify their faith in the f)romiles of God ; fo did Jacob 
 before, fo did Jofeph now. The fccond inftance or evi- 
 dence of Joffph's faith was, that \ie gave commandment con- 
 cerning his bones; that is, he took an oath of his brethren 
 that they fhould carry his hones out of Ecypt and bury 
 them in Canaan, tiiereby owning and proftifnig hiinfelf to 
 be of the porterity of Abraham ; and thereby alfo encou- 
 raging the faith and txpeftation of his brethren and their 
 pr.fteriiy, to lu'pe for their deliverance out of Eg\ pt, and 
 be put into the po-Tctrion of the promifed land •; fo that it 
 
 is evident that there was failh, much faith, flie.ved by 
 Jofeph in difpofing of his bones, 'i'he p.ipifl's plea from 
 hence, for paying veneration for their relics, is weak and 
 contemptible : 'i his was a fpccial charge given in faith to 
 do what was done , and to fliut them up Li a coifin, and 
 dccenily bury them, was all that v as done. Now to tike 
 example from hence, todigmen'sbones out of their grave?, 
 to enfiirine them, and place them upon altars, to carry 
 them in proceffon, to adore them, to afcribe miraculous 
 operation to them, caHing out ofdtvils, and the like, is 
 fond and ridiculous. 
 
 23 By faith Mofes, when he was born, was hid 
 three months of his parents, becaufe they faw hezvai 
 a proper child; and they were not afraid of the 
 king's commandment. 
 
 In thefe words the faith of Mofes's parents is celebra- 
 ted ; the birth of Moles fell out in the very height and 
 fury of Pharaoh's perfecution, when the king had givcu 
 commandment to deftroy all the male children ; Mofes 
 was then bom and hid by his parents, and preferved as a 
 deliverer of the church of God. Oh ! how blind are ail 
 the perfecutorsand oppofers of the chiirchof God ! When 
 they think all ihint^s fecure, and their counfels fo deeply 
 laid, that God himfelf cannot deliver out of their handr, 
 then doth the Almigh'.y lay in provifion for his church's 
 deliverance, and their deflruction. Now was Mofes a 
 deliverer born and hid. ^m obferve a double caufe of 
 Mofes'shiding : the firft external, 'They ja:v keiuasa proper 
 child; they had a perhiafion that God would provide a 
 perfon to be their deliverer ; and they faw fonieihing divine 
 in Mofes to ftir up their faith, and raife their expeftation, 
 that he might be the perfon. The fecond internal and 
 tnoving caufe, They -were not afraid of the king's command- 
 ment, or bloody decree. Learn hence, i. That the com- 
 mands of kings and princes have oft times becJi a very 
 great trial to the children of God; fo wasNebuth.idnezzar's 
 command to worfhip the golden image, anil fuch was 
 Pharaoh's command here. 2. Kings and princes mnft 
 not be obeyed in things contrary to the v\ord of God : 
 obedience without referve is to be paid to none but God. 
 
 24 By faith Mofes, when lie was come to years, 
 refufed to be called the ion of Pharaoh's daughter ; 
 
 The next perfon whom our apoflle inflances in, is 
 Mofes himfelf, whofe faith and felf-denial were moft evi- 
 dently con.'picnous in all the infl.inces of them. Cbfcrve, 
 I. Hi* great fclf-denijl,w ith all theenhancingcircumftances 
 of it : When he came to years, he refufed to be called the fon 
 of Pharaoh'' s daughter. Note here, 1. The circumltance 
 of time, II' hen he came to yrars : It was no childifl) acT;, 
 when he knew not what he did, but when he came to age, 
 and undcrltood ; Nay, farther, this wai when Mofes was 
 newly tome to age, in the prime and vigour of his time, 
 when he had juft began to tafte the fweetnefs of youthful 
 plealures: 1 he world appears a dead and dry thing in the 
 winter of old age, but looks green and beauriful in the 
 fpring of youth: but Mole when come, juft come, to 
 years, refufed it. 2. The circumttancescf his education, 
 6 K 2 ha 
 
99^ 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Ghap. XI. 
 
 he hid been bred from a child in a princely way and mnn- a fpiritual eye can fee Jn excellency in the people of God, 
 ncr, he iiever knew what belenged 10 a low eftste : Thofe when in ihe lowed fuffering condition; will join itfelf 
 vhat never had much, forfake but little when they forl'ake unto them, and appera with, and for them, though it be 
 ill : Want will never much pinch thole who never under- with great lofs, and much hazard. Mofcs here chofe ra- 
 flood plenty ; but thofe that have enjoyed fulnefs all their iher to lufFfr affliftoii with the people of God, than to en- 
 day*, for them to ftuop Voluntarily, from the height of joy the (hort finful pleafures of Pharaoh's court. 
 
 26 Efteeming the reproach of Chrift greater 
 riches than the treafures in Egypt ; for he had re- 
 fpe£l unto the recompcnfe of the reward. 
 
 The former verfe acquainted us with the general choice 
 
 eafc and honour, to the de^th of affliiElion and hardlhip, is 
 admirable. Thus did Mofes, he rcfufed honour, and 
 chofe affliction. 3. The circumftances of hi.; obligations, 
 J*hir.ioh'j daughter had faved his life, adopted him for her 
 fon , given him princfly breeding, ffe "Ufas harrea in ell the 
 
 -^inmn of the Egyptians; and fet her heart upon him as which Mofes made of affliction witli the people of God ; 
 her own. However Mofes breaks through all and a'.vay this acquaints us with one fort and particular kind of af- 
 )ie goes. But whither went he? Why, to a company of flicT-ion which he chofe, namely, reproach for Chrift; 
 ijcor bondmen, labouring at the brick kilns, to take his this he counted his glory, his riches, his treafures, beyond 
 jot of I'ulTjring with them. 4. The circumftances of his all the riches and treafures of Egypt. A^o/<f here. That 
 c\p?ctitions; how very fair and certain a profpcifl he had of the people of Gi'd have been, and ufually arc, a people 
 etij jying the crown of Egypt ; he did not refufe it bccaufe under reproach ; not only a perfecuted, but a reproached 
 he dcfpasrcd of attaining it, for he was an adopted l.cir people ; the foundation of all fufterings is laid in reproach : 
 unto it- Laftly, Thar all this was not a rafti and fudden this is the cover for all. The Jewf, by reproaches, hr(t 
 determination, but a deliberate and advifed choice. Aits ftirred up the rage of the people againft Chrift before they 
 vfi. 2T^. Sr. Stephen fays, he made this Q\\o\i:e,v:hcr.he~jjas attempted to take away his life. Sote, 2. The reproach 
 full f-jrty years did; that is. when he was of ripeft jodg- of good men is the reproach of Chrift, becaufe he and 
 ment, and in the height of profperity and reputation ; He they are but one myftical body, and becaufe of the near 
 did not only, -ns Jofephus faj's, at three years old caft a union that is between them. The reproach of the wife is 
 crown, given him for a play-toy, to the ground and the reproach of the hufband, efpecially if Ihe be reproach- 
 trample it under his feet ; but as the apoftle fays here, ed for his fake, and upon his account. Again obferve, 
 when he came to be a man, he treated it with no more What an high efteem a gracious perfon has of reproaches 
 rci'peSt, hut refufeJ lobe calhcl the/on of Pharaoh's Jiiugkter. in the caufe of Chrifl; he efteems them his glory, his 
 l^ehold here Moles' faith, and eminent felf-denial, in trtafure, iiis greatcft treafure ; he rejoices and takes plea- 
 chufing rather to ("uffer affliftion with the ft'orfhippers of fure in them, and very much values himfelf on them, 
 the true God, than to gain a kingdom by renouncing God Verily no man deferves the name of a chriftian till he has 
 and his holy religion. From whence Ic'ani, That faith fuch an efteem of Chrift, and value for him, that the worrt 
 is a grace whivh will teach and enable a perfon openly things in the world, even perfecuticn and reproach, fhould 
 to renounce all worldly advantage at God's call, when we be preferred by him before the great things of the world, 
 cannot erjoy them with an upright mind, and a good when they ftand in competition with him, or in oppolition 
 confcience. Qjte//. 'But how did Mofes come to know his to him. Laflly, The ground of Mofes' faith, filfdenial, 
 ftock and race, that he was a\i Hebrew born, and not an contempt of the world, and all its excellent actions, and 
 Egyptian, no fon of Pharaoh's daughter .' ^n/w. He found that was the recompenfe of the reward he had refpeft unto; 
 himfelf circumciied, and fo belonged to the circumcifed for he had refpe^ lotto the recompenfe rf re-ward. Where 
 people. The token of God's covenant received in infan- wo/e, That there is a reward laid up for good men ; that 
 cy, duly confidered, is a moft efFeftual mean to preferve it is la^^ful, yea, laudable, very expedient, yea, very ne- 
 perfons in the profelTion of the true religion. Ad.| to ceflary and needful, for a chriftian to eye his reward, and 
 this, that his owH mother was his nurfe, and continually to have refpect unto it in the whole courfe of his obedi- 
 with him, and probably h'n father frequently ; who being ence; and this doing will be a mighty encouraging motive 
 pcrfons fearing God, took care very early to imprefs him to undergo all hardOiips and difficulties in the way to re- 
 with the principles of the true religion^ and wiih the de- Jigion ; he had refpe£l, kc. 
 
 teftation of the Ei>ytian idolatry. „ rui. rrit? .. „» f„,-:«/, »V 
 
 ^^ ■' 27 By faith he forfook Egypt, not tearing th. 
 
 25 Chufing rather to fuffer affliaion with the ^^ath of the king: for he endured as feeing him 
 people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of fin ^^^o jj invifible. 28 Through faith he kept the 
 for afeafon. paffover, and the fprinkling of blood, IcR he th.it 
 
 Oh/ervehere, i. The common lot and ufual condition deftroyed the firft-born fliould touch them. 29 By 
 of God's people in this world ; it is an afflided ftate and f^ith they palled through the Red fea as by dry 
 condition. 2. That wicked men oft-times enjoy pleafures ^^^ ^j^.^,^ ^^^ Egyptians effaying to do were 
 in the waysof lin, whiut good men meet with much af- , , ^' '^ jo 
 
 fliaioii in the woikofholinefs. 3. That notwithftanding browned. 
 
 this, all wife and good men do rather chufe afflided god- Our apoftle having defcribcd the faith of Mofes, with 
 linefs, than pleafant and profperous wickednefs. 4. 'i"hat rcfpect tohis fufFerings with the people of God, in the for- 
 mer 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 997 
 
 mer verfej, conies, now to inftance in the power and aifli- 
 vity of it with refped to their deliverance, in thefeverfes. 
 Where nete, i. The Ipiritual fortitude whicli attended his 
 fahhihefor/ook Egypt, net fearing the :urath of the king ; 
 .even ohe wrath of the greateft king upon the earth is to be 
 difregarded, if it lays againft our duty to God. 2. The 
 reafon or ground of this his fortitude and courage, he en- 
 dured as feeing him vjhi is invifble ; thai is, he faw him by 
 faith whom he could not fee by fenfe ; he faw him in his 
 oniniprefence, power, faiihfulncfs, and hada fixed truft in 
 him at all times, and on all occafions. Learn hence. That 
 there is nothing inl'uperable to faith, whilft it can keep a 
 clear view of the power of God. Note, 3. The commen- 
 dation of Mnfes' faith, from a due obfervation of a double 
 ordinance of worihip, namely, /Afp^J^iifr ondthefprinkting 
 of hhod. As to the former, Mofes' faith in keeping the 
 paflbvcr had refpfift to its divine inftitution, to the com- 
 mand for its perpetual obfervance,to the facramenial nature 
 of it, to the myftical or typical iignificaiion of it. Leartt 
 hence. That a vigorous and lively exercife of faith, is al- 
 ways required unto the rightand due celebration of a I'acra- 
 mental ordinance ; by faith he kept the paffuver: it follows, 
 —and the fprinkling of blood. Thii was a temporary ordi- 
 nance and obfervation, annexed to the firft celebration of 
 the paflover, not repeated aftersvards; the fprinkling of the 
 blood on the fide-poftsof theirhoufeSjWasa token that the 
 deftroying angel Ihould pafs over thofe houfes, and rone 
 fliould be deflroyed in them ; but this rite, tliough it 
 ceafed with the firft p;ifrcver, yet it abides forever in its 
 myftical fignificatidn ; God hereby teaching us, thatunlefs 
 weare fprinkled with the blood of Chrift, our Pafchal-lamb, 
 noother privilege canfecnre us from the difpleafureofGod, 
 and everlafting deftru<5lion ; by faith he kept the puffover, 
 and fprinkling of blood, ver. 28. Note, 4. A farther inftance 
 cf the power and efficacy of Mofes' faith in paiTing through 
 the Red fea, ver. 29 Probably he entered firft into the 
 fea, at the head of the people, himfelf, both to conducft 
 them, and to encourage them ; the waters doiibilefs were 
 raifed to a very great height on both (ides of them ; and 
 though they were a wall to them, yet it was a mighty a^ 
 of faith, to put themfelves between fuch walls, as were 
 realty every moment to fall upon them, had they not been 
 under an almighty reftraint. ZiJ^rw hence, Thatfaith will 
 overcome all tears and dangers, and find a way throurrh a 
 iea of difficulties, under the call, and at the command of 
 God. lint how came it to pafs that the Egyptians going 
 in the fame path through the Red fea, were drowned, in 
 which the llraelites were preferved ? Anf. The Egyp- 
 tian;' entering in was an ad of prefumption, the Ifraelites 
 ■was an aft of faith. God commanded the Ifraelites to go 
 through ; now as faith gives cour.ige to obey God in dif- 
 ficult duties, fo it gives encouragement to hope that fafety 
 {hall evermore accompany duty, 
 
 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after 
 they were compaffed about feven days, 
 
 After the faith of Mofes and the Ifraclitesat theRed fea, 
 we have here the faith of Jolhua and the ifraelites before 
 Jericho, recorded and related. Jericho was a walled and 
 well fenced city, and a frontier town, that kept them from 
 
 entering into Canaan. God commanded them ncit tofight, 
 but to walk, to go round the city feven days, and he would 
 give them an uncxpe<5ted entrance into it ; they believe and 
 obey, and the fuccefs was according to their defire ; By 
 faith the walls of Jericho fell down, dr. Here n'Ae, i. The- 
 grace e.xerciled,/j7;VA ; they believed God upon hiswori, 
 they enter Canaan at this frontier town ; God remembers 
 his promife, and difappoinis not the faith and expeftatioij 
 of his people- a. The readinefs and exaftnels of the peo- 
 ple's obedience, they compafTed the town fo many days, 
 they do what God commands, and no more ; here is 110 
 mount raifed, noenginepIanted,nofword drawn, they only 
 walk, not fight. Doubtlefs the men of Jericho made 
 themfelves merry with this fight, and faid one to another, 
 •' What, will thefe men beat down our city with their 
 eyes? Will they conquer us only by gazing upon us?" 
 And farther,As the army muft only encompafs the city.fo 
 muft the prieft blow with ram's horns, a contemptible 
 mean ! Had they made ufe of the filver trumpets of the 
 fanftuary.that had been a good ground to hope for furcefs, 
 they being the fymbols and facred fignsof God's prefence 
 with them; but verily trumpets of ram's horns feemedmore 
 fit to move laughter,than to do execution ; yetafruredly,no 
 ram of iron could have been fo forcible for battery as 
 thefe ram's horns, when God had appointed them. It is 
 thepraife of omnipotency oft-times to work by improbabili- 
 ties. 3. The event and fuccefs which folIo.wed their faith 
 and accompanied their obedience, Thewalls tf Jericho fell 
 down. Nothing can ftand before the power of God, and 
 the faith of his people. If we will believe God's proinifes 
 and execute his commands, we need no fhifts nor artifice?, 
 no power nor policy of our own lo work deliverance fer 
 us. Z^'arw'hence, That when faith makes ufe of the means 
 prefcribed by God, though it cannot difcern what influ- 
 ence the means can have to the end aimed at, yet the ifTue 
 and event fhall certainly be according to God's appointment 
 and faith's expeftation, 
 
 31 By faith the harlot Rahab perifhed not with 
 them that believed not, when fhe had received the 
 fpies with peace. 
 
 Obferve here, i.The perfonfpoken of, Rahab, a Gentile, 
 an Amorite, an harlot, who kept a viftual iig houfe in 
 Jericho, and fo was both harlot and hoftefs, defiled both in 
 body and rnind with idolatry and adultery. 2. What is 
 fpoken of her : She believed ; by faith, Ruhah, &c. She 
 was converted to God before the fpies came to her, by 
 what flie had heard of him and his mighty works. Behold 
 here a blelTed inftance! I. Of thefovereignty and freedom 
 of God's grace. 2. Of the power and efficacy of divine 
 grace, in calling and converting a perlon given np by her 
 own choice to the vileft of fins, even to the ravingsof luft: 
 But no finner nor fin is to be defpaired of, in whofe cure 
 fovereign grace is engaged. Obferve, The efFeft and 
 fruit of her faith, y^^ received the fpies with peace ; that is, 
 entertained them (afely, concealed them, gave them intel- 
 ligence, expofed herfelf to danger in the conveyance of 
 them ; an eminent fruit, a fpecial evidence, and an high 
 demonftration of her faith ; indeed fhe told an officious lie; 
 but God p;irdoned it, and the apcftle here inakps no men- 
 tion 
 
9i^ 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 Chap. xr. 
 
 tionofit; tlieHo'.y Choft lays, ash were, tlie finger upon 
 the (car, and covers it out of liglu, contrary to the practice 
 ct the milijrnant world, who ovfrlook all the good, and 
 reflfifl only upon ihecvil of an aCtuui ; whertai God takes 
 r^ntice cf the good, but pades Uy ilietvil. 4. The bene- 
 li: and .idvantage (he received by her (Mth, {hi: pcrijhed «'>/; 
 ihjl is.ahen thc^ credulous and idolatrons people of Jericho 
 vere dellruyed, Hit- and her family wf re prtferved. F'lom 
 the whole/cvrrt, I. That God is ready to Ihew wonderful 
 mercy to peniieni llnners, if ihey return to hiui, and be- 
 lieve in him, how great Ibever their fins have formerly 
 been. 2. That true fait!i, wherever itis, will llicw itl'elf 
 by Ibnieeininent efTett, and notable fruits of it. 3. That 
 (he rewards of faith are excellent, and truly glorious; as 
 the was preferved from the common ruin at Jericho, fo 
 Ihtll all bflieversbc laved fromthat wrath and dettmcVion 
 which (liall come ere long upon thsimpeniteni and unbe- 
 lieving world. 
 
 32 And what (hall 1 more fay ? for the time would 
 fail me to tell of Gideon, ando/Barak, andc/Sam- 
 fon.and of Jcpthah ; 0/" David alfo, and Samuel, and 
 cf the prophets : 33 Who through faith fubdued 
 kiui^doms, wrought righteoufnefs, obtained promilcs 
 Hopped the mouths of lions, 34 Oiicnched the vi- 
 olence of fire, efcaped the edge of the fvvord,out of 
 wcaknefs were made (Irong, waxed valiant in faith, 
 turned to fli'^ht the armies of the aliens. 35 Wo- 
 men received their dead raifed to life again : — 
 
 In thefe, and the following verfes, our apoftle fums up 
 the rcmjiiibig tclii— onirs which he might have produced 
 to fliew the great things which faith had aiiifteJ perfons to 
 do, and alio enabled them to fufF^r the hardcrt and molt 
 terrible things that could be encountered with; in the 
 verfes now before us, an account is niven us, of the great 
 things of all lorts, which faith has enabled us to do ; parti- 
 cularly, it was faith that made them fearlefs whom God 
 raifed up, in the days of the judges, to cor.flici with the 
 enemies of the church ; it was faith that alTifted them in 
 the combat, and rendered them vi(5lorious in the conflict : it 
 was faith rendered Gideon fuccefsful over the Midianites 
 Barak over the Canaanites, Samfon over the Philiflines, 
 Jephthah over the Amorites, David over the Jebufitesand 
 Moabite? ; it was faith in the promife of God that made 
 them courageous, and rendered them vidlorious : there is 
 nothing fo great, fodifficult, or feemingly inl'uperablejtliat 
 (liould hinder us from aCring faith in all things, even things 
 ji)ore great and excellent than the conquefl of earthly king- 
 doms. Ob/crve next, Our apnflle havmg emunerated the 
 perfoiis believing, he now reckons up the noble afts and 
 honourable atchievnienis of their fd\tU, Through faith they 
 fuhJued kingdoms ; So tiid Jofhua fiibduc all the kingdoms 
 in Canaan, and David all tlie kingdoms about it, viz Moab, 
 Ammon, Edom, Syria, and the Philifline.s ; ihefc were 
 lubdued by f.iith, becaufe what thev diti was in obedience 
 to God's coniinand, and in the accompliflimcnts of his pro- 
 tt:;le3, for he had given all thofe kingdoms by promife to 
 
 the Ifraelites, before they were fubdued by th?m ; thus 
 they are faid to fubdue kingdoms by fai;h. Yet ro/e,l hit 
 they made nie of all oiliet heroic virtues befides faith ; 
 courage, valour, military fkll, and military llraiigems : 
 faith txrites all graces and virtues, and puts them ii mo- 
 tion. Wrought nghte'.ufntfs; (hey executed the judgment 
 of Goil on (he enemies of the church, and adiiiiniltered 
 juflite impiiiially loall that were under their rule and go- 
 vernment ; and this working righteoufnefs was a fruit of 
 f.iith, for unbelief is the caui'e of all the injnltce and op- 
 prefljon that is in the world. Chtatned prorfiifts, that is, 
 the good thing? promifed ; fo did Airabam by faith obtaia 
 a promised Son Jofliua, a promifed Canaan, David a pro- 
 mifed kingdom : but there was a great fpace of time be- 
 tween the promife and the performance, which put their 
 faith fometimcs hard to it. Stepped the m'juths rfli,)„i; 
 thus Daniel, chap. vi. bfCflufe he bditv-.d in his Cod, ver. 
 23. and the f;iith which hereioforc flopped the mouths of 
 lions, can (lop the rage of the mcll lavage opprrlTors and 
 perf^cHtors, whenever God pleafVs Quenched thi-. viotence 
 ff the fire : fo did the three children's laith, Dan. lii. Mt 
 a h^r tfthfir heitd-ojas finged, they koew not which way 
 God wou'd deliver them, bur they commit themfelves to 
 the omnipot ency and I'overeignty of God in the difcharge 
 of their duiy, with a full pcrliiafion thot one way or other 
 he svonld deliver them. EfcupeJ the edge cfthef-Mord, as 
 d'd David the fword of Goliah and Saul, though (ometimes 
 his fear prevailed tha he fh(>u'd one day perifli by the 
 fword of Saul. Fear may be iii cafes of danger, and yet. 
 fiith at the fame time have the principal conduct of the 
 fouf ; by faith David efcaped the edge of the Jword ; 
 fo did the Jews the fword of Haman, and Elijah the fword 
 •'f j.='Zabel. Out af 'Mfakrtffs 'Mere made J}rong ; I'ome ap. 
 ply this to Gideon and his three hundred men, Judg. vii. 
 15. others to Hezekiah, who by the power of faiih was.iii 
 a wonderful manner recovered, and reflored from adefpe- 
 rate (ickno fs to pcrfeft health, Ifa. xxxviii. WuxctlvJisnt 
 in fight, Co dii'Jofliua, Gideon, Barak, Jepthah, and David, 
 who through faith in the promife, and of the prelence of 
 God with iheni, feared neither the number nor ftrength 
 of their enemies. David often declares, that G^^d girded 
 him '.uith Jirtngth to the tutllt, and taught his hands to vjar, 
 and his fingers ti fight ; /o thai though an hrjf encamp -d a- 
 gainjt him.yet his heart ru.-i< not afraid. Turned tofiig'lthe 
 armies of the aliens ; thofe aliens were the heatheir ind 
 idolaters Philirtines and the Midianites, wjio were enemies 
 to Ifrael,and to the God of Ifrael, and they made.them fly, 
 and turn theirbacks ; for a": ihcy for God outof \. ;i;-inciple 
 of faith, fo God fought for them, according to tlic faithful- 
 nefs of his promife, which was the ground of i;,t:ir cond- 
 dence and courage. Women received their deuii ' aifcdtolife 
 again ; this is applied. to the widow of Zerephath, and the 
 Shiinamite, 2 Kings iv. -^6. i Kings xvii. 23. They were 
 raifed, with joy and thankf'ulnefs, Thefe ten inflnnces did 
 the apoftle fele(ft and chtife out of many, to give, of the 
 great thing? that had been done through faith, thereby to 
 affure the Hebrews, and us with them, that there is no- 
 thing too hard nor difficult for faith to effect, when it Is 
 fee on work; and managed according to the power of God. 
 
 ■ And 
 
 ■ie 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 0U9 
 
 — And others were tortured, not accepting deli- 
 ycranccthat they might obtain a better relurreftion. 
 36 And others had trial of cruet mockings and 
 lcourgings,yea, moreover, of bonds and imprifon- 
 mcnt. 37 They werefloned, they were fawnafun- 
 der.were tempted, were (lain with the fword ; They 
 ^\'andcrcd about in nieep-fk.ins,aud goat- (kins, being 
 dellitute, afflitled, tormented ; 38 Of whom the 
 world was not wf)rthy : They wandered in deferts, 
 and III mountains,and widens and caves of the earth. 
 
 Ourapoftle hivliif; in ilie fore)»oing verfes aqa.iinted the 
 Hebrews with the great things which faith enabled the Old 
 Teftanient faints to do , h? liys before them an ncccunt 
 of ihe hard and difliciilt things w liich faith enabled tlie^i to 
 futter,and here reckon!, up the fli-irpeftandbittcreft fuffer- 
 ings th.1t human nature perh.ips cm be expofed to; bn! to 
 dothegrcatfft things, and to AifFer the liardeft.is all one to 
 faith. I'.iiih (binds re;idy for both, as Godfliall call. !\'ote 
 herein general, that tli e evils enuMierated are of fuch va- 
 rious forts 3n<) kinds, as to conipri('e every thing that may 
 befal believers on the accotintof ihcirchriftian ])rofe(rioii: 
 Do we meet with temptati^Ms, fcorn«, mocking?, fcourg- 
 ing^, bonds, impril'onments, yea, death itlelf, by all foi-ts 
 i)f tortures anil extrcmitie.' ? This is our encouragements, 
 that oilier":, in the caufe of God, have undergone them, 
 and been carried vicloriouny through rhcm ; but the par- 
 ticulars in this little book of martyrs follow. Olhtrs were 
 iorlured, n'lt accepting clelwerance. In this palTjge and fe- 
 veral others here folio wing, the ajjoftle isconcluded to refer 
 to the flory in the Maccabees, which th(,ugh written after 
 the clofmg of the canon of the fcripture. w hen there was 
 no extraordinary prophet in the church, yet the matters of 
 fad were tlien frefli in memory, and are here alluded to, 
 particulaily E!e.T,::ir, i Mac. vi. 28. who was beaten tj 
 death, w'hcn he had been perfuaded and allured to accept 
 deliverance by trangrtinng the law ; and'alfo the mother 
 and her fevcn fons, they expected a ie//i^rrf/«;-rf^«c>j, better 
 than what their profecutors offered them, even a glorious 
 refurreclion of their bodies a* the lall day. Olhtrs had 
 trials of cruel mfjckings, as Micaiah, i Kings xxii. 24. and 
 others ; ;\n<i/l'ourging.<, as Jeremiah, chap. xx. 2 &c. and 
 xxxvii. i^. Alfo liondrand imprifinrne>!ts,ai]o(c\)h\rtF,2ypt 
 and Jeremy in i^dungcon ; fonie weiej/onr/i, as Zacha- 
 rias the fon of Jehoid?, 1 Chron. xxiv. Others yaui/j i.- 
 fioider J as Ifaiah under the tyranny of ManafTth ; others 
 were tempted with f.iir proiniles and great rewards.but re- 
 fufing, w ere /7(7/«"iUi'(/i r/?f /lujr^'. Zc;zr« heuce, That tor- 
 ments in the cafe of religion ha\'e been a very old inven- 
 tion of the devil and the world, and tlicy have placed great 
 hopes of prevailing by them ; but no inftruments of crueltv, 
 jio t'ndeavnurs ol health, Ihallever prevail againft the faith 
 of God's elfct. They '.viimiirtd nh'.ut in p:efp-f!{'ir,s,lcc. 
 T hi^ fomc refer to Elij A\, who w.-i? dcUiiuie snd fed by 
 ravens, j Kings xvii. 4. bin it has-been the ponic-n of 
 many of God's faiihfid fervants to be driven from their 
 liabitation?, fometimes by the cruelly of the laws, fome- 
 timcs by force and virlence. T/ -I'/orw the weir Id was not 
 'vortb^- ; ^ihat is, the men of tlu^ worldahink jhe faints of 
 
 God not worthy to live amongft tliein/.-. herca.' the world 
 is not worthy of luch exctUent company ; and thcrttore 
 as foon as their work is done, God removes thtm. J.earn 
 hence, i. That God's efttcm of his people is never the 
 lefs b.-caufe of their outward fufferings and calamitic!-, 
 whate"er the worldjuJgeih of ihem ; they efteem them ihe 
 fihh of the world, and the off-fcourgingof all things; but 
 God is of anorhir mind. ?.. Let the world think ^s high- 
 ly and as proudly of itfelf as it pleafe?, God think, it at all 
 tim^s, but efpecially when ir perfecutes his people, bafe, 
 and unaorthy of their focieiy. 7 hry lujndtred in dijerts 
 atid mmntu'ins .■ Btdi.ild here the (bte and cpndition of 
 fome of the fervants of the Living God, who, when driven 
 from all inhabited places, took up their lodgingsin deferts 
 and mountains, in dens and caves of th; earth. Lcai n hence. 
 That oft tunes it is much better, and more /afe for the 
 faints of G< d to be in a wildernefs, among the beafls of 
 the fields, than in a favage world, inflamed by the devil 
 into rage and perfecution. 
 
 39 And thefe all having obtained a good repoit- 
 through faith, received not theproinife. 
 
 That is, "All the forcmentioned fcripture faints, with 
 others that lived from the beginning cf the v^■orld, and 
 the firft giving out of t!ie promilc of the Mtiliah, Gen. iii. 
 15. all and everyone c^Uht\'e oitjint d a g^,d rcpurt thrcwh 
 faith, that is, a good telfimony that they pleaftd God ; ii"- 
 verthelefs Jhey received not the promile, that is, the aton- 
 al exhibition of the proaiife, Chrilt. the promiled Mefii.ih; 
 the promife they had, but not the thing prortjifed, ti'iis w;,.s 
 not in their days exhibiteil. Chrift was not then come in 
 the iielh ; this promile was tnade by ^God to the elders 
 from the beginning, but not aiflually accomplillied until- 
 the fulnefs of lime." /.c-i^rn hence, That the Old Tcf. 
 tament faints liad fr«n) the beginning the j^rcmile from 
 God, concerning the exhibition ofChrUt in the flefii for 
 the redemption of tlie world ; « hich promile they were 
 perfuidi/d of the truth of, eipbr,!ced it with delire, longing 
 fiir the adudl arconiplilliment of it; and tlius ei;ji)ved the 
 bencfir of it as v ell as we, 
 
 4oGodhavingpro\ided fome better tliiucr forus 
 that tliey without us Ihould not be made perfect. 
 
 The better thinghere fpoken of, is the cpmiiig of Chrilt 
 in the flefli. Lord, what were ue? And how were we 
 better than they, that this better thipg (lioidd be refer\ed 
 for us ? They law the promile afar oft", we cnii>y it a' hand 
 That they u-ith^ut us/hould not l>.: made perfcfi ; u ithout ut . is 
 as much as v.ithout the things which are adlnaliy exhibited 
 inito lis. God neverinientledor defigned, that ihe ir.iaoc ^ 
 condition of the church llnuld be madeptrfeil before the 
 exhibition of Clirirt ; th-itis, that they (i:oii!d be j- llitied Ji.d 
 {Avri\ by any rarrincc>-orfervici .s doi.e in ihtir time, but by 
 IcSokmgi'n the fttrdice ;jnd farisfactionof Chriil, whereby 
 both they and we .nre perfct^ed. Icarn^ 1 hat ir iiChrill 
 alone who was to give pcrfeftion and conrurritTtatioii to });s 
 church; all jhe cut ward glorious worlliip of the OldTel- 
 t3n-,e;nt, ihnt;gli it plcafed God, yet had 1:0 ]:erfetT ^l■i in it ; 
 this God refcrvcd for curtini'.s that they ■.i.-iih!<! i.s, L'^. 
 
 C. U A- P. 
 
lOOO 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 C II A P. XII. 
 
 Our apcjlk ccmesnow to reinforce his exiwrlation to patience 
 aiid cmi/lancy in the caufe ofChriJl, from the tejlimony 
 hfj->re mjijkd on,mlh new additional motives, encourage- 
 >nenli, and diredions. 
 
 WHEREFORE, feeing we alfo are compafTcd 
 about with fo great a cloud of witnclfes, — 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " Seeing we, who are now 
 called forth to fulfer, have before us lb inany inllances of 
 the faithful, who, like a cloud of witnefles, havegone be- 
 fore lis, and by the help of their faith conquered all impe- 
 ditnemts that lay in the way of their falvation, let us take 
 encouragement from them to quit ourfelveslike men; and 
 as runners in a race, let uscalt off all worldly incumbran- 
 ces which will entangle us, and avoid all fin, efpecially a 
 bofom corruption, which eafily befets us, and as eafily o- 
 verconiesus.and let usrun with patience andperi'everance 
 the race of chrilliaiiiry fet before ns. A'o/c, i. Tliat the 
 Old-Teft^inent faints are here called witnej/is, a cloud c/ 
 'Mitntffes, and a chud enompajpng us ; they are witnelFes 
 «)f this grand truth, namely, that faith will carry believers 
 fafely through all that they may be called to do and fiifFer 
 ill the profeliion of the gofpel ; they are called a cloud of 
 witnfj/is, parti/ for theirnumber. there beingagreat mul- 
 titude of them ; partly for their direction, there being a 
 leading virtue in them. As there was a cJoud that went 
 before the children of Ifrael tolead themin the'wildernefs, 
 I'o this cloud (if witnefles leads us up and down the wilder- 
 iiefs of ths world, in the darkeil night ofour forrowsand 
 fulFcriiigs ; and they are faid to encjmpafs «/, becaufe the 
 fcripture every where encompaflt'sus with thera,fo that we 
 can be in no fuffc'ring ftate or condition, be never fo fad, 
 but we may turn our eye,' andbehdd the face of feme or 
 other of thelc svorthies looking upon us, and encouraging 
 of us to patifnce and perfeverance ; and therefore, to laint 
 in our profeliion, vihilll we are enrompafled with fuch a 
 cloud of witnffTes, is a great aggravation of our fin. Learn 
 lience. That it is a fpecial honour which God puts upon 
 his faints departed, efpfcia/ly fuch as luffered and died for 
 tiie truth, that even, after their death, they are witnefles 
 ro faith and obedience in all generations. 
 
 — Let us lay afide every weight, and the fin 
 ivhich doth fo eafily befet us, and let us run with 
 patience the race that is let before us, 2 Looking 
 unto Jcfus the author and finifher of our faith ; 
 
 Nf/Z^here. i. Chriflianity is a r.icc, a race fet before us 
 b;.' God, and it is our duty faithfully and perfeveringly to 
 lun if. 2. 1 hat in <rder to the running of this race, all 
 unpediments mud be l.iid afide : Let us lay eiJlJe every 
 'Ji'/'f^i't, and the fill that d'.th mojf ecf.ly Infit us. By every 
 lueij^ht !<: generally under (lood the world, it ^ riches, honours, 
 plealuro, prtfcrments, which oft-times are apeculiareb- 
 Itrudii'u to confluncy and perfeverance in the profeliion 
 and ]-^-.cV'ce of chridianiiy ; this dead weight niufl belaid 
 iifidt, by mortilying our hearts and iifllfticns towards the 
 world, for it is inordinate love to ihefe things which gives 
 
 them their weight and inaimbrance ; where this grace is 
 in its due exercife,the world cannot influence the mmdinto 
 any difor<ler, nor n)ake it unready for its race. By the fin 
 which dothfoeajity heft uf, foine undf-rftand all (in in ge- 
 neral, others a bofom-beloved fin in fpecial, others timo- 
 roufnefs and fearin particular ; all foftnefs and lendernefs, 
 with refped to fufferinjr. In the original word rendered 
 eofily befet us, forae think there is an allufion to the long 
 garments worn in the eaftern countries j which, dangling 
 about a man'* heels, unfit him for running a race. As a 
 man that has a burden on his back, or a long garment 
 hanging down to his heels, is altogerher unfit to run a race, 
 fo unready are theyfor the fpiritual race,whoareentangled 
 with the ioveof the world, or with any (inful compliances. 
 3. That patience is -a grace very neceflary to enable a per- 
 fon to run the race of Chriftianity which God has fet be- 
 fore him. Such is the un^itablenefs and unavoidablenefs 
 of the Chriflian's trials ; fuch the multiplicity and variety 
 of them ; fuch the long duration and continuance of them, 
 that there can be no perfeverance without patience. 4. 
 The way difcovered, and the means declared, how, and 
 by which we attain this grace and patience, namely, by 
 looking ««/« Jefus. Learn hence, 1 hat looking unto, and 
 beholding of Chrift in his pa.-ience, is a notable mean to 
 excite and ftirus upto thepra<ftice and performance of our 
 duty. Note, 5. The fpecia! title given here to Chrift, he 
 is rtyled the author andfnrjher cffoith\n his people ; he is 
 defervedly filled the author of our faith ; becaufe his holy 
 ordinances are fpecial means of faith, and his holy Spirit 
 the producer of faith in the fouls of his people, and his 
 precious blood the purchafer of faith, and all grace, forhis 
 people. And he is ihefinifier of cur faith too, as well as 
 the author of it, inafiriuch as he has, by his promife, en- 
 gaged to perfeift what he has begun, Pliil. i. 6. Btingcon- 
 fidtnt of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work 
 in you vjill perform it, Sic. And inafmuth as he doth by 
 his intercefTion plead with the Father for the believer's 
 prefervation in faith, and perfeverance in holinefsunto the 
 end; I have prayed that thy faith fail not, Luke xxii. 32. 
 
 — Who, for the joy that was fet before him, en- 
 dured the crofs.defpifing thefhame,andis fet down 
 at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For con- 
 fiderhim that endured fuchcontradiftionof finners 
 againft himfelf, led ye be wearied and faint in your 
 minds. ^ 
 
 Chfervthere-i. Howourapoftle having propounded the 
 example of fuffering faints before, roprovoke them to pa- 
 tience and conftancy under their tribulations, he propounds 
 no\K the example of a fullering Saviour, .ind bids them 
 coiijider him ; Qualis jit, compare his ftiffcrings with your 
 Own, confider what he was and whoyou are : was not he 
 the Son of God ? Had not he all glory and power in his 
 hand? Yet he rndurcd,kc. confider him therefore. Learn 
 hence. That the frequent confu'eration of Chrill in hi« 
 fiifR'rinjTi:, jsthe beftmean to ketpup faith, and encourage 
 p.uicnce under our own fufferings. Ot-ferve, 2. How our 
 .■\poiUe particularly enumerates the fufferings which our 
 
 Lord 
 
Chap. xn. 
 
 HE B R E W S. 
 
 lOOl 
 
 I.ord JcfdS underwent, he endured the c6ntrad'i£lian ofjtnners; 
 
 it. is, the e;reat oppofition made to his ilodrine, ihe flan- 
 
 r caft upon his miracles, the in.ijisjni'it'S olfcrai to his 
 
 rfon, the irAlicioiis and unwearied aitempts apainfl Kis 
 
 jitl-. Next he endured the pain of the crofs, and dLlpill-d 
 
 i the fliamciof the crofa. Bain and Ihanie are the two con- 
 
 ; iicnt parts of all outward fiiffi,ring' , and they were both 
 
 •ineht' in the death of the crofs ; no death niort- crutl 
 
 ! painful, no deaili more opprobrious and dilgractfMl.and 
 
 .erdid thcfe appear in any pcrfon's death to that degree 
 
 extremity, as in the death of Chriil; yet he puticmly 
 
 iured them with an holy compofuie of foul, without re- 
 
 ing the villianous J-.vs, or threatening them with that 
 
 ;igcance anddcftrudion which it was in his power to 
 
 ve brought upon them every moment. Lord! never 
 
 . example of patient fuifcring like to thine, nor can any 
 
 lal toil be given in human nature. Leitm hence, That 
 
 ihc manner of Chril\'s ei;during futFcrings, panicu'iarly 
 
 j^uin snd (liame; ought to be continually before us, that 
 
 I God may in lome mcafure be glorified by us, according 
 
 -''creuto, wlien we are called into a fuHering condition. 
 
 ' fervc, 3. What it was that carried Chrift through his 
 
 .ferings, it was the joy that was Jet before hhn ; that is, fay 
 
 lie, his glorious exaltation ; rat-tief the profpedt of that 
 
 >ry which would r&lound to God and his clturch by his 
 
 ,;ient fuffering: The glory of God, and the falvaiion of 
 
 iikind, were now fet before him, and he valued them 
 
 JVC life, honour, reputation and eafe, and every thing 
 
 ■t was dear unto him. Accordingly it was called hh 
 
 :fiire, Ifa. liii. 10. Learn hence. That herein is Chrift 
 
 r great example, in that he was influenced and a£icd, in 
 
 ' that he did and fuffercd, by a conftant rcfpeft to the 
 
 ryofGfxl, and the f.dvaiion of his people: fcr the jeiy 
 
 :t ivas Je( before him, he endured the erf s, ic<u Ohjervc, 
 
 .-. The reward of our Lord's patient fuffering declared, he 
 
 1 is therefore fet down at the right hand cfthe throne of God. 
 
 ''^■iJ's throne implies his majeity and power, the right 
 
 ^d of his throne implies liie highcfl honour, dignity and 
 
 - power, next to God. Chrift's advancement above angels, 
 and all creature?, is hereby intimated : This glorious eftate 
 
 ^ the great reward of his fuiferings ; he became obedient 
 '5 «V,7/A, therefore God thus highly exalted him. Obferve 
 
 • Jaftly, The advantage wc fliall reap and receive by eyeing 
 , Chrilt in, and intimating his patience imder all our fiifter- 
 
 - ings ; it will prevent otir being wearied and faint in our 
 . minds. Learn hence, i. That fuch fuffcrings may befal 
 
 us in the way of our profcllion, as may caufeus to faint 
 aftd grow weary. 2. That when we do begin to faint and 
 grow weary under fuffcrings, it is our duty to look unto 
 jefus. and ccnfider him as an example ofthegreateft pati- 
 ^. ence and conftancy of mind : hok unto fejus the aiiihor and 
 
 • finijher tfourfiith, and' conjider him whe endured. Sec. 
 
 4 Ye have not refilled unto blood, flriving a- 
 j,..in{l fin, 
 
 Here the apoftle fubjoins another reafon why the Hp- 
 
 ' brews (hould be reconciled to a fufTering condition: becaufe 
 
 whaat they had already fuffercd was but a flea-bite, com- 
 
 pared'with what Chrift and the forementioned cloud of 
 
 witneffcs fufFered ; he and they refifted untobliod, which 
 you never yet did ; Je/jave not yet reffled unto bkod, &c- 
 By Flood is meant dcaih and lofs-of lite ; though they had 
 refilled bravely, and fuffLted nnanliilly, yet,tiieir lives were 
 (iiii. Lecrnhcnct, I. That fiich as are engaged in It ht; 
 chriiliari profcflion have no fecunty, but that tlicy i^iav btf 
 called forth to the iitnioft fuffcrings, even to the fealing of 
 it with their blood. 2. That whatever befals us on'tliis 
 fide blood, is to be looked upon as a fruit of diviuc tendt- r- 
 ncfs and mercy towards \if. 3. It is highly diilmnourablo 
 to faint in the caufe of Chri't and the gofpel, undt-r Icffcr 
 fuffcrings w-hcn we know there are greater to be tmder- 
 gone by ourfelves and others, on the fame account. 4, 
 That it is a noble flruggle to rcfiftcven unto blood, in op- 
 poling fin, and flriving apainfl it, both in flriving again/t 
 the fin which others commit, and in driving againd the fin 
 which othe'rs, by promifes or threatening?, would tempt us 
 to commit. O I'.ow honourable a warfare is it to be cnep.T- 
 ed againft Tuch an enemy as fin is I 
 
 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which 
 fpeaketh unto yoir, as unto children — 
 
 As if he had faid, " By growing weary and faint in your 
 minds, you will plainly ihew, and evidently declare, that 
 you have forgotten that exliortation which God g ves, 
 Prov. iii." The want of a diligent confideration :ind due 
 remembrance of God's promifes, recorded in Scripture for 
 our encouragement unto duty, and fupport under difficul- 
 ties, is very finful, and of dangerous confcqucnce unto our 
 fouls, 
 
 — M)' fon. defpifc not thou the chafleningof the 
 Lord, nor taint wlien f hou art rebuked ot him. 
 
 Nofehere, i. A fweet and endearing compcllation, ;f»v 
 fon. Learn hence, Thatgood men, when underthe greateit 
 trials and heavicft aflliiSlions, are God's fons ; he calls them 
 fans, and he deals withthem as with fons. 2. The nature 
 of the faints aflliiSlions declared ; not judgments, but chaf- 
 tifcments and fatherly rebukes; the original word fignifieS 
 fuch acorre(5lion as a Father gives his child for his inltruc- 
 tion, and bringing him to a fenfe of l.is duty. Learn 
 hence. That all the aftiiclions which God lays upon his 
 children are not the eifiidls of his vindiclive anger, but the 
 fruits and effecls of his paternal love. Note, 3. A. 
 cautionary dirc6lion given againft two very dangerous ex- 
 tremes in the time ofafliidtion, namely -defpifing correc- 
 tion and fainting under it. It is the duty, and ought to be 
 the endeavour, of all the children ofGod, when under his 
 fatlicrly hand, to take care that they neither dcljiife his 
 chaftilemcn*B, nor faint imder them. When God has 
 taken away one of our comforts, to fay, "Let him take 
 all if he will ; if my children muft die, let tiwim die; if mv 
 eftate muft go, let it go." This is to defpifc. God 
 cannot bear tofee us bcarhi> hand thus ligluly. The other 
 exTrerae is fainting: it", when goods are taken away, the heart 
 is taken away, and when rel.-.i ions die, the fpirit of aperfon 
 diss with them, Defpifc not l)>ou tijc chafteniug, &c. 
 
 6 For whom the Lord loveth he c!iaftencth,and 
 fcourgcth every fon whom he reccivcth. 
 6 L Arcsfdn 
 
1002 
 
 HEBREW S. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 A rfafon is given in thefe words, why we (linnlil Dot faint 
 under divine chartifcmenis, becaiife God chafteneih cverv 
 one whivii he loves. H;.'re fiHe, That love is aniectdcnt 
 iintochaflening, and that ch.ndening is confcqiicniiul iirto 
 love. 1. Thpt divine Ine and f.ithcrly chaftrtiings art- in- 
 -fcp.irabli- ; whofti he Uvelh, tliat is, whomfi^ver he lovt-ih, 
 he chajieneth, none goes free. 3. That no pcrfon then his 
 any rcafon lo corrp!ain of his portion of fathcily chaH'fc- 
 mcnt.', fieitig it is the con 11 ant way and manner ot G J's 
 dealing wiih his children. 4. That in and tinder all our 
 chaftiTcrnents, the refignation of cnirfelvcs to ihe -foveriign 
 picafure, and infinite v\if(Iom of God, is the only means to 
 prcfervc us from fain'ing and we-kntPs. 
 
 7 If ye endure chaflenin>. God dealeth with yoti 
 as with fons : for what fon is he whorrx the father 
 chaflcneth not? 8 Bat if ye be without chnflife- 
 meiit, whereof all are partakers, then ace ye baf- 
 tards, and not Ions. 
 
 Ohferve, I. He does not fay, If-ye be chaflifed, biif, if 
 ye endure chajlijemmls. Gad dealcih ruilh you as ivilh fens \ 
 if yc endure them wiih faiih and patience, wi'h fubuiiflion 
 and perf'-verancc, fo not as to fsint binder them. Learn 
 hence. That a patient endurance of chaflifements is ofgreat 
 price in the fight ot God, as well as of fingiilar iifc snd ad- 
 vantage unto us. Afflictions and cfiaflifcments are no 
 pl'-dgcs or aliitrances of our adoption, but when and where 
 they arc endured with patience. Ohfen>e farther Irom ihefe 
 ■wovAs, ff'hut fon isle ivhom the father chafieneth not ? 1. 
 That every one of God's fons, more or lefs, ftand in nctd 
 of his fatherly chaftifcments. 2. Thai God is very careful, 
 as a wife and tender father, to correft and rhalien all his 
 children. 3 That Gtxl, in corre£ling of his children, 
 dialeih with them as with fons ; he is the world's fove- 
 reign, but the believer's father ; as he is the governor of 
 the world, he treats men righteoufly !« his jndginents ; as 
 he is the Father of believers, he treats ihem gracioufly in 
 aftliflions. Ohferve .igain from thcfe words. If ye hewith- 
 iiil chafifenunt, whereof all nre ptir/tiiers, (that is, all fons 
 are partakers) that all true children are imder God's 
 fatherly diRipline ; and all that arc not under his difcijdine, 
 are not his children, then are ye haftards and not fons. 
 Zt-..'r« htnce, I. Th.it God's f.imily, or vifible church in 
 this wC'tUI, has fonie baftards in it, fons that may have 
 gifts and outward enjoyments, but are not heirs, and have 
 j)0 right to the heavenly inheritance. 2. That this is a 
 great evidence of it, that thev are not the genuine fons of 
 God, becaiife they go unchaflifed ; not that ihey are alto- 
 gether without aflFli<5\ion, for they are in troiAlc like other 
 men, but they are not fenfible of divine chaftifcments in 
 their aflli£lions, they do not receive them, bear them, and 
 improve them as fiich, but are impaired by their sfRiftions, 
 rather than improved by iheni ; they come cankered out 
 of the furnace, and leprous out of Jordan ; afliif^ions that 
 ihould refine ilnm from their drofs, jnd purify ihetn from 
 their fil.h, boils their fcum and impuiiiy more i""nt»»them. 
 Z/«r/», laflly. That a j'.)) 01 is (late of freedom from afflic- 
 tii^n, is fuch as we oul ht to w.-.'ch over w ith great jeTloufv 
 and fear, Icfl it. Chould be a leaving us out ot the difcipline 
 
 of the family of God ; not that we may dcfire affli<3ions 
 as fuch, much lefs excruciate and torment onrfelvts ; but 
 we may j>ruy that we ni:iv not want any picdpe of our 
 adoption , leaving the ordciing and difpofal of all things to 
 the v\ill ot Gtd. 
 
 Furthermore, wc hav^had fathers of our fit fh, 
 whicli rbrretlid us. and wc gave ///•?« reverence : 
 fhal! we not much rather be in fubjcftion unto the 
 Fath: r of fpirtrs. and live ? 10 For they verily for 
 a few days chaOtncd us after their own picafure ; 
 but he. for our profit, that we mi^ht be partakers 
 of hi.i holinefs. 
 
 Thefe words are a ff fh argttment to perfupde chrinians 
 to a paticn' enduring of divine chaftifcir.ints : the arguiiunt 
 is drawn from the lef to the greater, thus : " It our earthly 
 patent} ch.nftened us onTv a few days, and aiitr tlieir ov\n 
 ple^fure. and yet we were fubjed) lo t'lem, how ir.iich 
 more fiM ht wc to be fuhieft to God cur heavenly Father, 
 who ch?ncn« us for our profit, tl'at ve may be part;'kcr£ of 
 his hclinef? ?" ' Kote here, I. Fanl-.ly parcnis do and rr;iv 
 chrftife the cftiTdrcn of their fli fli, and they ought to i 
 verence ihcm for fo dcinc, and pay a reverential fid)n i,- 
 fion to iJieir p.Ternal clafli'Vtr.tnts. 2. That the mo'ivc 
 of. and rule whith parents too often tollow in Corrtfliiig 
 of their childrcp, is thtirtnvn \tili and picafure ; thty have 
 frcflucn'lv a greater regard to their own pa/TIons, than i» 
 their children's advantage, ?nd corredl ofitncr in htim»'Ur 
 than in reafon, erring fometiirts in the matte rj'f* mc- 
 tim^x in the manner, fornetimes in the rrcafurc of their 
 correiflions, •^. That gnat is the difterence between 
 divine and parcnti.1l chafifrmerts. (i.) In their ai- 
 thor, one is the father of our fltflt, the other of our 
 finis and fpiri's ; they are the iinmediate produifl «jf 
 his power, which is a fimdainenial reafon tor our raiient 
 fubmiflli n to Go»l, in and umler all afflidions. (2.) In 
 their end, the one for their own pleafure, tlie oiher for hij 
 children's profit, to make them partakers of hi« hojincfi^ 
 by renova'ion, f: nflification, and mortification : The car- 
 rying on of thefe things in us, is that whxh God defign^ 
 in all his chaOi'ements. Learn hence, '1 hat we can have 
 no grea'er pledge snd afiu ranee of divine \< ve in afHiflions 
 than this, that God by them brings us nearer to limftlf^ 
 and makes us more like himftif ; if under divine chaflilc- 
 ments we find no tncre?fe ot holinefs, thty are titterly lull, 
 and we have nothing but the trouble and forrow of them, 
 K»te laftlv. The duty we owe to God, ihe Father of fpi- 
 rits, and that i> fubjeilion, together v iih the benefit and 
 advantage of it; by being in fuhjeftim to tie father if 
 /pirits, we fliall live. Now this fubjeflion unto G<xJ, 
 confifts in an ac.quiefcency in his right and ftveieign'y to 
 do what he will wi;h his own, in an acknrwledgrrcnt of 
 his wifdom and j-ighteoufncfs in ;dl his dealings with us^ 
 in a mighty fenfe of his cate and love, and in an entire re- 
 fvn-tion ofourfclrts to his holy will in r.U things, /rid 
 behold the advan'ages and benefit of this fubjidlion toG' d 
 in our chaftifcrr^rnis, we flirrlT /nr a fpiriiual lite on earth, 
 and an eternal life in h»>aven. The ribelliou.^ fen i;ndtr ihc 
 law, that refufcJ fubjcdion to his earthly paiciu, was lUi 
 
Chat. .xu. 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 IC03 
 
 to death: fee Deut. xxi. 18. and died without mercy ; but 
 they who yield fiibjedlion to God in their chaftifements 
 fhjii lire and not die. 
 
 1 1 Xow no chaftening for the prefent fecmeth 
 to be joyous, but grievious: neverthelcfs, afterward 
 icyieldeth the peaceablo'fruit of rightcoufticfs unto 
 them which are exercilcd thereby. 
 
 Our api/lle, in thefe words, feems to obviate an objec- 
 tion againll a compliance with hi' "xhorfation to bear di- 
 vine chaltenings with filence and I'libmiHion ; and this is 
 taken from the trouble and forrow wherewith chaHifement 
 13 accompanied ; this he take? for granted is fo, but takes 
 of all the weight of the objeflion, by oppofins; the benefit 
 -'^ jfF.itSlion thereunto. Learn hence, I. That all afHic- 
 > for the prefent arc grievous to the flefh, and painful 
 l.i human nauirc. 2, That though afflictions arcgiievcus, 
 yet their fruits are gracious to a believer : God in IiLs fove- 
 roign wifdom doth fo difpofe and manage his people's 
 afflictions, that he makes them end in an happy fruit, even 
 in the fruis of holitiefs and /anftification ; and after afflic- 
 tion ha; dcr.e its woik, and wrought kindly, God coines 
 in \\'\.h comfort and joy, and cheering cordials follow bit- 
 ter phyfic. O/y^rrv? farther. How the benefit of chaftife- 
 mept is cxprelied in athrcefoid gradation. Affiiclion 
 yiAde'h fnii/ : it is no dead and dry thing, but this rod 
 blolFims, and brings forth almonds. The truit it yieldeih 
 is fl-f fruit if rig'rieoufnefi, nainely, patience, fubmiriion 
 to the, will of God, wcanednefs from the world, mortifi- 
 cation of lin, purity of heart, holinefs of life, larthcr 
 readlncfs and greater fitnefs for fuifering ; thefe are the 
 fweet fruit- which God embles his to gather from the four 
 tree <,f affiiflion. And thi*: fruit of righteoufnefs, which 
 affliilion yidds, is peaceable fruit, bccaufe it is a pledge and 
 evid.njc of our peace v ith God, and bccaufe it brings 
 peace into our minds. Ey thefe f.iiits of righteoufnefs our 
 hearts are quieted,, our minds compofeiljall tumults allayed, 
 and vic enabled to podefs cur fouls in peace. O h:!ppy 
 'fruit of artli^ion !, blelled is the nian whom thou chjiii tft. 
 Ohjrrve, laillv^ Who the/ are that are blelied with thefe 
 'fpecial benefits ofafflidlion, only thofe that are exrrnjcd 
 thereb)-. The original word is an allufion to thofe in the 
 public games, who ftrip themfclves nskcd, and put f )rth 
 all their ftrength for maflery. To be exercifcd by chalHfe- 
 mrnts, \-. to have all our fpiriiiial fii'cngth put forth, all 
 Our faith and patience tried to the u;mo(h Learn hence, 
 That a chridian can never find any benefit in chadiftments 
 tinlcfs he be exercifcd by them, that is, unlets his graces 
 be (lirrc 1 up by them to an holy and conllant exercife, for 
 hereby alone they yield the peaceable fiiiit of rigincoufnef-. 
 
 12 Wherefore lift ap the hands which hang 
 down, and the feeble knees. 13 And make fl.rai!>ht 
 p iths for )'our feet, left that wiiich. is lame be turn- 
 ed out of the way, but let it rather be healed. 
 
 ^ As if our apoftle had {xi\, " Seeing f > p^lorii us fruits 
 fprini; from fjnclificd afflictions, be not dtj'-cted in udnd, 
 nor fuJfcr tear to ftize upon you, which weakens the ha^ids 
 and enteeblis the knees, and catifes them to finite one 
 
 againft another ; but be rcfolwtc for God, make flraight 
 paths in the way of chriftianity, not ftepping once out of 
 it to avoid perfecution, led tlicy who are alredy lame and 
 feeble, the weak and wavering chriftians, be liidieartened 
 and moved by your example to turn out of the way, but 
 let them rather by your conilancy be confirmed in their 
 chriftiancourfe." Learn hence, I. That in the running 
 of our fpiritual race, wc mufl put forth our utmoft flrcngth 
 and activity ; but where the courfe is long, and difficulties 
 great, we are apt to grow weary and defpond, o\\\ hands 
 hang dcxvn, and o\n knees 'gic\y feeble. Learn, 2. That 
 faintnefs and wearinefs in duty, and dejedticn and dcfpon- 
 dency as to fuccefs,are great evils, and of fatal corifcqutnce , 
 unto otliers as well as ourfelvcs, which then fore wv mi.'ft 
 with all intention of mind watch againft : Lift up the har.ds 
 lb(U hang down, and the fechle hne«s. Learn, 3. Tf a' neg- 
 ligent and catelcf"^ walking in time of profperiiy, and pitfil- 
 lanimity and weriknefs in time of trial, is a great n:ean of 
 turning afi(ie thofe that are lame and weak out of the 
 paths of viilble holintfs, left that uhich is lame he turned 
 out of the way. 4. That the fight and due confideration 
 of achriltian'scoiirage«and confluncy, w ill tend very much, 
 to the healing of the lame and weak chridians whiKt they 
 arcinthe way, whofc recovery, v. hen quiie turned out, will 
 be vir/dirticult, if not imp'diible. 
 
 14 F'ollow peace with diWmai, and holincfsj 
 without which no man Htall fee the Lord. 
 
 Oiirapoftle having now finifhcd his exhortation unto 
 patient peifever:ne in' the profefn(jn of the apofile under 
 all fufFerings and afflictions, he next proceeds to a prefcrip- 
 ton of practical duties incumbent upon clirillians at all 
 times in the daily courfe of their converfation, two of 
 which are conr-ined in this verl'e, namely, to fclhw peaci 
 and holinefs ; the toriner contains our duty toman, the 
 latter our duty to God. Here ufcrvc. That bjth dories 
 are enioined in one and the fame preccp', ;ind :dfo with 
 on • .n I the fame penalty : U'ithcnt luhicl , that is, v ith- 
 cut following of both which, without piirfuingand endea- 
 vouring after both, no man jhall fee the lard. Indeed, if 
 a perfon follows holinefs, though he cannot obtain peace, 
 Jie may fee God, provided he ptirfiics peace, and the fault 
 none of his that he doth not find it ; but if he does not 
 purine peace, though he pretends never fo much to ho!ii>efs 
 he cannot he happy ; for a chrifiian muft be of a pe;;co~ 
 able, as well as cf a pious c-mverfaiion : Peace and luli- 
 nefs, pcaceab'entfs and puri y, are here joined tt!gc"ihtf> 
 and he can neither be happy in this or the next world, that 
 puts them afunder. (Jljcrve faiiher, Th.e manner how 
 peace and h;>lincfs muftbe followed, nainely, with intcnfe 
 endeavours :" The ori;._inal wor<l imports a Vehement pur- 
 fuit, a mef.-;phor taken from bunilinen, who foll',>w il>e 
 chace, anti purfiie their jam.c, thouvh it iiic>;4)efore them : 
 It peace may be had., though it be had upon hard terms^ we 
 inult cndeavoiiT to fecure ir, for it can never be boi:rlit too 
 idear, if it be not purchased by fin and hafenefs. A" frame 
 atHJ difpofiii.Tfi ov fe kin^ peace w ijh ajl,is eminently fuiitd 
 unto thedodrine and gr .ce of the go.'pcl. A f!>rward 
 fpirit, ready for (Irife and contention, eafdv ])rovokcd, and 
 retaining long a fcnfe of injuries, is di redly contrary to 
 <> I. 2 ihe 
 
1004. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 ClIAP. XII. 
 
 ihe fpirit ami trmpcr of ihe gofpil. Olfen-e likewife, 
 llnw tint holincl's towards Gud mull bcaccom|iar,iod wiih 
 p^accnblcncfs towards man. It ix cvanjjclical holinef-, 
 which is htrc required ; which mud be .nn inward holiiicfs 
 an iiniverfal holind's, a fincere and real holinc-fs, an hum- 
 •ble and fclf-denying liolinefs, a c;rowing and propredivc 
 hoIiiicfs, a ccmftant and pt-rfevering liolinefs, and fucii an 
 holinsfs towards God, as i< always accompanied wiih 
 jighicoufiicfs towards nun. Laftly, The abfolme neceflity 
 •of holrncfs in order to eternal blcllcdncfs, will.out it no mm 
 il'.ill fee ihr lord. The future iiftht of God in glory de- 
 pcn 'i peiemplorily on our prcfent lioiincf, not as the me- 
 ritorious caufc of it, but as a necellary (jualificution snd 
 ])repar;;ti'-n for it, and as it is the indifpenlil Ic condition 
 -of ouf "btaininc; of it. The (oftl is by holinefs made meet 
 and fit for the i-niovment of Gixl in happincfs, Cpl. i. 12. 
 Lord! how inill-rably miftaken will they bo, who cxpeft 
 to fee God to their comfort hereafter, who have lived and 
 died in an unholy ftate here ? * 
 
 15 Looliing diligently, Icfl any man fail of the 
 grace of Cod ; left any root of bitternefs fpiinging 
 lip, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. 
 
 Our apolllc having declared what our dutv is with re- 
 rpc£t to ourfelves, in the foregoing verfcs, here acquaints 
 us how much it is our duty to take care of, and watch 
 orer others, to do what in us lies, that npne may fall 
 fliort of the grace of Cod, that is, fall from the eracc of 
 God, and the profefTion of Chriftianiiy ; fo that it is very 
 plain, that apoftacy is the fin here pointed at, their falling; 
 back from chrillianily tojudaifm, for fear of perfecution: 
 This is dcTervcdly called a ras/ cf bitternefs fprirtging up, 
 according to Deut. xxix. r8. A root that heareth gall and 
 wormwood. Z^i/-n hence, i. That locking diligently unto 
 the good of others, and to prevent their falling into fin, 
 cfpeci.i'ly into the lin of apoflafy, is a duty we are obliged 
 In by the li;;ht of nature, and the royal law of love. 2. 
 'J\hat the root of aportafy from GoJ, and the profe/Iirin of' 
 chfiftiajiity, may abide invifibly in and amang eminent 
 profcfTors of religion. It is here called *? rji;/, bccaufc at 
 the beginning it is hidden in the hearts of men, and can- 
 not bo oTcovercd until it fprin^s up ; and it is called a 
 ro't of Utternefs, becnufe of its noxious and poifonous qua- 
 lities, its bitter cfFciSls and fruits. 3. That there is no 
 man profeflinsj the gofpcl who comes (hort of the -grace of 
 (lod, but it ii by reafon of himfelf and his own fin : 
 Unbelief, negligence and (loth, .nre the true caiifcs why 
 fuch perfnns do fail of the grace otGod. 
 
 16 Left there /rany fornicator, or profane p?r- 
 foa, as Efaii, who for one morlel of me«t fold his 
 birlhrijjht. 17 For )e know how that afterward, 
 when he would have inherited thi blefTinu;, he was 
 rejcded: for he found noplace of rcpcniaiice though 
 he fought it carefully with tear*. '^ 
 
 Our apo.llc proceeds in thcfi: verfcs to warn them 
 againrt fuch linsi as wouhl occafion their apollacy arid tail- 
 ing from the gracc'of God, and they are fornication and 
 profancncfs: l)rfl then: h: iit:y firnii^atir, £<.c. Where 
 
 rule. How the apoflle ptits fornication and profancncfs to- 
 gether, becaufc they ulually go together ; fornicators, fuch 
 cfpi-ci.dly as are habiliMllv fo, do always grow profane, 
 and pr(jfanc perfi.ns do fet light by fornicafion, and they 
 arc fins very fcidom forfaktn ; few foriiicaiors and profaj:. 
 pcrfons do ever come to rcpcntaijcc. Us firnicatioii imdti - 
 (land all oonjiinftion with women out of wedlock, be i, 
 with (ingbor mnrricd perfons. T^y p refine perfons, under- 
 flind luch as mock religion, who lightly rcg.ird t promlf 
 and threateniiigs, ■ whoJcfpifc or iicglcdil iis worfliip, \\\.i 
 fpcak irreverently of i:s concerns. 2. The inftancc which 
 the apofllc gives of a profane perfon, in tlie perfon of 
 Efiiu: Lef] there it anyfcrnicattr, or pr-fane perfti, as Ef:ii. 
 The fcriptiire m:.kcs no mention of jiis fur.iicaiion ; but 
 the way whereby he manifcflcd his profynenefiis d.clsre-l, 
 namclv, xh-AXfor *iie tnorfelofment Le fold his birthright. 
 Whicli biithrisht had many privileges belonging to ii, as 
 namely, a double portion of the paternal iuhcritan<'e, a 
 right of rule and government over the family, power ai:i 
 dominion, dignity ind fuperiority belonging to him, bi ■ 
 efpcciaily the honour o\ the pritfihood.all whichdid b '< ■ 
 to the full born. Add fo thtfe the bkiling which run :; \ 
 Abrah.iin in the pritriarclnl line, and was coirimuniiatid 
 from father to foil, containing an inclofurc of all chnich- 
 privilcgcs. and prcfcrvatioii of the pri-mifcd feed. Now 
 Efaii, by felling bis birthright, did virtually renounce his 
 right unto this bkfiing^ wherein the promifed feed and the 
 chiir«li (late were contained, and doing all this upon :, 
 ilight conffderatior,, for a mcfs of pottage, or a m' rfcl i ! 
 meat; and in a regardlcfs manner, utteily iinconcerneil p- 
 what he h.id done. This was hi- profancnef? ; and accord- 
 ingly the fcripture fays. Thus ffuu defpifed his hirllrigli. 
 Learn from hence. How much it concerns all perfons n^: 
 to glory in their outward privileges: I!fau here was the 
 firft born of Ifaac, circumcifcd according to Ihe law of 
 God, and partaker in all tl-.e worfhip of God, ytt (:l 
 proved an otucaft frt>in the covcp:ini, and prorriifes thereof. 
 Profane Ffiiu ! The lytli \erfc acquaints ^is with tl c 
 fruitfiilncfs of Efan's forrow for parting with hisbirihrigh', 
 and the impri.fiiablLnefs of his cndcavfiiirs in order to tjio 
 recovery of it ; ' when he would hanc inheriieil the blcffir; 
 afterwards. This n/tenvnrJs, fay fomc, was not lefs th;.. 
 forty years-, for he fold his birthright whLii he wa? young, 
 and when he dcfigned the recovery of the bklling, jra;.i 
 was old : Thus long did he live in fin, wiihout .-"ny. fc!i''o 
 of it, or rcpentaccc for it ; but falling into dillrefs, it fiil;; 
 him wi(h perplcxiiv, and he fecks the rtcovery of tlv." 
 blefHng : And herein he was n t\pe of all uiibcliLVer?, and 
 fbiiinarc ref ulcrs of the grace of Clirift. Learn from Lis 
 examplr, I h;it there is a time coming uhcn the prff'ntft 
 fmncrs irpon earth will be found upon their knees st Grd's 
 door, fecking, ar.d that earnelUy, with flroug ctjis and 
 tears, for th.e obtairiing of that bicf]it\g \> hich 1' 
 fintully i-indervaluc, and fcornfiilly dcfpifc. 
 rjiiu ivoiild hafe inherited the Mijjirg, cudfougll it li:i:. ., 
 ivilh tetjrs. It followf, he wris rci;.ffc'l ; ih;i' i«, by . is 
 father Ifiac ; and fotind no place with hi{ii for r^JpentMuoe, 
 ID.iC would not ch.Tiigc his n-.iiid, nor recall the bhu''", 
 uliichas a prophet of Goil he had conferred on J ■. >. 
 Z,fflr« hence then, That fucIi finncrs ai no'.r r.rgkd li c 
 
 koking 
 
C«AT. xn: 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 :oo5 
 
 fc<king of the blelTlng in God's title, hnve great reafon fo 
 t'cat that they fliall not finil it in (heir own time, though 
 tlicy feek it with tears falter than thife of Efau. Profane 
 ciinteniners of thegracc of God, ought to fear beingexcltid- 
 a\ from the mercy of God ; and as Ifaac did not, God 
 vill not repenr or altar his righfeoii's feiuence upon them. 
 T'lis fad event lud the profaneiiefs of Efaii, and the like w ill 
 they meet witii who dc-fpifc the grace of God. 
 
 18 Fijr yc ate not come unto the mount that 
 miLjht be touched, and that burned with fire, not 
 unto blackncl's, and darknefs. andfempcd, igAnd 
 the found of a trumpet, and the voice of words ; 
 which w/cc they that heard intrcatcd that the word 
 fliould not be fpokcn to tliein any more: 30 For 
 ihi'v could not enduiv that which was commanded, 
 and if fo mnch as a beafk touch the mountain, it 
 flicinld be iloncd.or thrull tlirough with a dait. 21 
 And fo terrible was the rv:;ht. (hat Moles laid, I ex- 
 ceedingly fear and quake. 
 
 O.ir apoflle's dofign being to bring over the liebrcw' 
 fully fr<im Judaifm ru chrilUanity, he enters hereupon a 
 defcrip'ion of b.-)th flates, fl-.ewing the excellency of the 
 one a'rfove the other. Hcdcfciibes (irfl the legal ft.iie of the 
 church under the Old Tcilament, and the manner of their 
 forefather.'; entering into coycriant with (jo<1 at Mount 
 Sin.)i, And then he fets for<h the evangelical (tate, where- 
 iinto they were called, and into which they were entered. 
 In the vcrfes now before up, he fets forth the dread and 
 terror of the Mofaicdifprnfalion, and the way and man- 
 ner how their forefather^ under the OKI Teftanient enter- 
 ed into tiieir church ftate ; teiiing thorn, t.liat ,they .</it)ie tt 
 amount thai might he touched, that is,' to Mount Sinai in 
 the defert of Arabia, a barren and ,irinlefs place, fiillof 
 bulhcs and bramble, but withoMt, water or food ; intimat- 
 ing;, that fuch as arc uruler the law, in a (late of fin. bring-, 
 forth no acceptable fruit (into God ; antl as there wa.s no 
 water in ihc defer'., but thnt which the people lived upon 
 was I)rought out of tUe rock ; and that rock was Cl)riit; 
 it intimates, that from Chtilf alone were all their and our 
 rcfrelhments: The law affords none, Lt»t thunders from 
 its fiery moutlv, wrath and a .ciirfe. Farther, this mount 
 is faid to be what might ie touched; that is, a fenfible, car- 
 nal thing, cvpoHjd to feeling; intimating Ivw low and 
 i.')!eri,>r the giviig of the law was in comparifon of the 
 proinul'aii'.n of ilie goTpcl, which was from heaverr. The 
 law was'given from a' mount that might be touched by 
 imn or bealt, though if either t.iuciit<.l it ilicy mud die, 
 to intimate the b'jndage and fear the (leople were in, who 
 luiglit not fo niucl) as touch the moim'nin where were the- 
 hgns ot GiKl's prefence: But thebUdFing wap promiilged 
 from heaven, aii:! the Son cfG<id fent down on purpofe 
 from thence to plant and' propogate it here iii the woihl. 
 J he fecohd ihinj^ which the apoIHe ttlls them they were 
 Co'iicunio, W3S to Jirf thitt /'urned. This fire that burnsd 
 f'U the mount wa-. a token of GoiV prtTcnce, and a ilif- 
 tincl mean of iilling the people \vi;h d.ead and fear. TIds 
 hcc reprcfcijied the pi:r;;v ..nd. h-jlinefs of God's nattire 
 
 his jcaloufy and feVeriiy ogainil flit. Thu' the law reprc- 
 r«nts to us the holinefs and feveiily of God, with his 
 anger and dilplcafure agaiidl fin and finners, but there 
 leaves us confumed, without relief by Jofus Chrifl. Unto 
 fire the apnftle adds ilachne/f, and darkntji, and IctvptO \ 
 v/hieh blacknefs and darknefs might \be caufed by thick 
 clouds and fmoke that ccwered the mount. 'J'his darknefs 
 was a type of that utter darknefs of hell, which the tranf- 
 greiror> ot the law deferved ; and the tempefl and terrible 
 (torms were emblems and ftgns of God's fiery indii;natiori 
 :i)d fearful vengeance on the wicked violators of his holy 
 law, and might alfo point out and fignify the elFeftsof the 
 law then delivered ; namely, to bring the foul into dark- 
 ncOi, that it can fee no light eiiher for'its direclion or cnn- 
 folation ; and'it raifcs atempcft in the mind, of drfquict- 
 '",?, perplexing thought;-, \'v ithout relieving or encour.icing 
 a finncr to look out after any relief, un;il Chrill in his 
 irofpcl Cdyf, Behild nie, behold me. It follow, ye arc come 
 to ih^J-.und of a truri:prt : This was not' a real trturij^ct 
 bur the found of a trumpet formed in the air by the 
 miniffry t*f angels waxing louder and louder, to fignify the 
 nearer approach ofGcd ; alfo as this trumpet did fiimiron 
 the people to appear before tlic Lord as a IcgiHativc innv.- 
 pet, in like manner there th.dl be a judiual trumpet, 10 
 fummon the world to appear before Chi ill at the great day. 
 After the found of the tnmipct followed' the voice cf 
 zi'ords ; that is, the voice of God in a terrible manner 
 promulgmg the law out of the midrt of the fire, in a 
 language iinderftood by that people. Asthe found of the 
 trumpet, fo the voice of God was loud, majeflic, terrible, 
 and like tlumder. ^ue/i. But why was there fuch-v-lt 
 folein.ii'v "fed at the giving of ihe law ? Anf. T(.figiiiiy 
 the rnajeftvand authori--y of him who was the fupiemc 
 lawgiver, even the Lord of heaven and earth : Mid th^.t ■ 
 the greater tlie outward f.lcmnity was, the greater il e 
 
 • inwani impreflion mii;ht be upon the minds of the ptopl> ; 
 
 i and to fignify, that if tlie promulgation ofthekw was lo 
 awful, that the tranfgreflioii of it would be faial, and ;!ic 
 tr.nnfgreuors' piiniiTinient very dreadful. O'/erve la.'Uy, 
 The event of this fight and heaiing ou th.c part of the 
 people : Fear made them defire (hat thtv might hear this 
 voice no, more : And G<:<rs d<fign in all, waste caiife 
 them to Ion? for, and l-iok after thst great prophet, C<! iil 
 Jcfus, by whom God would fpcak unto th^m tni re com- 
 fortably, and by whom they might hr.ve acctfs to ilvc 
 throne of grace more freely. They i;i! reared that the ii'.rd ■ 
 
 Jbmld not lie fpihn unto them any nit>-e, b«caufc it heightened,* 
 their fear and dread to the utmofl. Learn ivom hence> 
 That the light and voice of Cio'! \vill be verv dreadlul (o 
 us ; ?.nd there will he no appearance for us befi^re him 
 with confidence and peace, uidef we have an anfwer in 
 rcadinefs with us to all the woids ot ihe law, even all that 
 tlie law requires of us ; and fuch as truft to iheir own 
 works and.inerirs to anfwer for them, or to any thing 
 whallViever, bef.des the hl<io<l and faprifice, the meulaiion 
 and faiisfadion, of Jefus 'Chriit, tiw fure;y .of ihe new 
 coven.int, will find themfelvcs clernallv deceived. 'J'lie 
 riti-xi evidence the apolile givegof the dreadful prwniulgation 
 of the law, and confequ'enily of ihe miferable ilatc.of them 
 that are ui^dtr its power, ap^'cars in this, that pe( j ic 
 
ioo5 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Cha?. XI 1. 
 
 ciuhl n» endnre flat vjh'uh w/ft cmiimiJel ; that h, the 
 Tcverity ot" that command, that if a bcalt touched the 
 nintm'ain, // /hiuld he ftoned or thrnfi through luith a diirt. 
 All this was to flicw the abfolute inaccediblencfs of GoJ, 
 in and by the law, and at v^hat diftance we ought to kft-p 
 ourftlvL-s from every thin;; that falls under the coiirfc of 
 the law. It is added lall of ail, That Mofes htmftif did 
 exceedingly fear nnd qua'/e. From whence offer%>e, How 
 nil perfiins c«ncern(\l were brought to an titter lofs and 
 dirtrcf«; at the promulgation and givinc; of the law, from 
 \* hence no reli-f is to be ebtained, but by him alone wh<» 
 i< the end cf the law fir righteivjnrji imti all them that 
 h.-^'iiit. 
 
 2 2 But ye arc come unto mount Sicm, and utito 
 ;hc city of the living God, the heavenly [erufalem, 
 nnd to an innumerable company of angels: 23 To 
 the general afiembly and church of the firfl-bona 
 ^vhich are written in heaven, and to God the jud'^e 
 of all, and to the fpirits of juft men tnade perfect ; 
 24 And to Jcfu.^ the mediator of the new covenant, 
 and to the blood of fprinlding, that fpcakcth better 
 things than thai o/Abcl. 
 
 0;ir apoflle having given an account, in the foregoing 
 vcrfes, of the ftate of the Jcwifh church under the law, 
 oomcs nov/ to dc-clare that more excellent ftafe whrrcimto 
 believers are callat in and by th? f;ofp< 1. The piivilcgcs 
 here fitmmed w^, partly refpecSing the church militant, 
 and partly the church triumphant. Ohferxr then, Titc 
 glorioii<; privileges of the goipcl-ftatc, and what beliovf rs 
 are faid to come ta vvhilll militant here on earth, i. They 
 are faid to come unto mount Sion, the city of the living (Tod, 
 l''t nciv yerufalem \ not to moimt Sinai, which was full 
 of terror and diicoinfort, but to mount Sion, full of all 
 fpirittial blefltngs. Where n^Je, The gofpel-chtirch is 
 called the city of the Fiving God. A city is a place of fafcty 
 •ami a place of honour, a place of pc.ice and reft. The 
 fouls of fmners ean find no place of reft or fafcty under 
 the law, but we hive all ;hcfc things by the gofpel ; reft 
 i.i Chrift, peace with Goil, fafety in civinc prote^lion, &c. 
 And as a king dwells in this city, lo God dwells in the 
 church of believe rs ; " That is my reft forever, here will 
 I dwell," fiysGod, " for I hnve a delight thcrtin." Oh, 
 what manner of perfons ou^ht they to be who are the 
 dciiizens of the city of G<kI ! Alas ! the great number 
 who pretend highly to the chtirch, and its privileges, are 
 citizens of this wovld only, and altogether unfit for this 
 h(-ly focicty. 2. Believers are next faid to come to an in- 
 numerable company of nngels : to coinc to thefr, is to be of 
 thtir foiitty : and they ami we arc one in Chrift; the 
 snrjels above, and believL-rs below, make ipp but one cor- 
 poration or family ; thev are our ftllow-citizcns, and our 
 tt-lIow-fubuiSls. True, they arc above u.s, and at a mighty 
 diftanoc from ns, yet upon occafion very near us; aiid 
 though we do not fee theiP, vet they love us, have a fpe- 
 lial care of tis, and are uiiiftcring to ti*, as hcsr-s<>f the 
 fame falvation with themft-lves. 3. T1>cy arecome to the 
 general rjliml'!^ and church oj li}e fir/i-hm ; that ts^ they 
 
 are of the number of God".? regenerafeJ and adopted one^, 
 of ihofc that are born again, whofc names arc regiftered in 
 heaven. As the firft-born tmder the liw had a right to the 
 iiihcritavcc, to a double part of the inheritance; fo they 
 who are intcrcfted really in the gofpil-church, hav-c a light 
 to all that (>(xl has provided, and Chrift hath purchafed, 
 even to the whol;: inheritance of grace and glory. O 
 glorious privilege, to be broiiirht into this bicil'ed focicty, 
 this general ali'emhly of the firft-bt^rn ! Efpecicdly if wc 
 confidcr what company, whar fociciv, what alfembly we 
 belong 'into without it, which is n-^ other than that 
 of devils, and the feed of the wicked ferpent. 4. They 
 arc cotne to God the judgi of all ; that i?, they have acctls 
 to God by Jcl'uK Ch'ift ; accefs to his favour by juftifica- 
 tion, and acccfs" into his prefencc by pravcr and fupplica- 
 tion, yea, accefs to Kim as a judge, w ithout terror or C( n- 
 fti-rnr.tion. Bleflcd privileec? Belif vers have a comfortable 
 accefs to God as the judge of all ; with all their caufes 
 and cotrpl lints, he will hear thctn, plead ihiir caufc, and 
 judge f'r them, and m:ike their "pprefiiors unf.ife t'> the 
 greatclf nf <hc fons of men. 5. Believers .nre faid to come 
 ti t^e fpirits of fift pie*t made perfd. Cotne to their, 
 though not in the fame place wi'h them, until death ; yet 
 wc nnd they have the faine (iod anri fovereign, the fame 
 head and Saviour, the fame expeflaiion of 3 j:,lorious re- 
 furrc(5lion. AWhfre, i. There arc fpirits of men in a 
 fcp^iate ftate and cciidi'ion, c:ipab!e of communion with 
 Goil and. the church. 2. That all th'- fpirits of juft mea 
 departed, are made pcrfeQ ; their race is confummattd, 
 perfeft dcliverani c from all fin ruid forrow is comjieted, 
 and a full reward enjoyed ; their fairh is hiightened into 
 fight, anil all their graces elevated into glory. 3. That 
 yet arc they fpiri's ftill, and no more than fpirits ; and 
 thoujjh perfected fpirits, yet there is wanting the bit finifli- 
 int' ftroke from the hand of Gixl to render the bodies as 
 well as the fpiilts of juft incn for e\er perfect in the morn- 
 ing of the rcfurrreiHion. 4. Believers arehcre fiid to come to 
 'Jeju^ the mediator of /'r nrM cyvenant ; as if the apo.ftlc 
 had faid, " Your fathers came to a mouni of fire and 
 finoke, of darknefs, terror, aivl death, where ther" was no 
 inediator to make their peace with God, no blood to cry 
 for mercy, and to cleanfc them from fin ; hut yoii, by for- 
 faking Jiidaifm, and coming over to Chrifti^mity fully, arc 
 come into that fociety where Chrift is tncdiator and pricft; 
 where the blood of Chrift fpiinkled upon your finds cries 
 aloud for mercy, and cleanfes from ull fin. And ti th- hhod 
 e/ fprinkllni^ %vhich fpcalrth he.'/er things th.'iu the Hood cf 
 .Ihel. Intimating, that Chrift's blood folicits God with 
 Itronger cries for mercy, than did tver Abel's for revenge, 
 .'^tii'/l, U'lt what are thole better things which the h'oiKl oi 
 Chrifts fpcnks above and beyond the bhxxl of Abel r .fnf. 
 I. It fpeaks better things from Cod unto i:*, namt ly, that 
 hi< jnfticc is fati^frcd, his wrath rppcafcd. the cr.ndcnininc; 
 piiilc of fin expiated, atid the majel?v of Gcd ttilly recon- 
 ciled to all believers. 2. It fpeaks better things to Gcd 
 for 11.S, namely, to be at pence with us, to reft in his lore 
 towards u>, Xit furnifh us with all ^race here, aiul to fit I'S 
 for i>lnrv hereafter. O bkllld Jtfus I tirt' Wo d never cried 
 as Abel's did, for vengeance on liiin by whom it «as 
 flicd, but pleaded for pardon, and obt.aiicd pardon • n the 
 
 behalf 
 
CiiAP. xn. 
 
 H E B R E W S. 
 
 100 ■; 
 
 behalf of many of 'hem. Happy they ! who by fai:h are 
 made partakers ol' this typical blnwl of fprinkling, which 
 fpcaks better things than the blowl of Abel. 
 
 25 See that ye refufc not him that fpeaketh. For 
 if they cfcaped not who rcfiifcd him that fpakc on 
 earth, macn wore JJii! I n-H vje tjccpe, if we turn 
 away from him thdit/p:jkuh from heaven. 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the foretjoing verfes, given a 
 fuLTiirary account of the two ft.'tes of tlie law and the 
 gofpel, with the incomparable excellency of the latter above 
 the fomer, he gives them an exhortation and caiuiunary 
 di:c£li .n to take heed that they did not turn a deaf ear to 
 fo excellent a peif-'n as Chi ilt wa?, preaching to them by 
 his doflrine : f(e /hat ye rcfufe mt him that fpiuicth. Here 
 «;,V, in general, That to rdnfe any v\ho fps. k unto us in 
 the name and authority of Chrift, is to rcfufe Chrift him- 
 felf. This may be applied to all the fai-hfiil prcKhers of 
 the s:.i'"pc!, hovever they msy be d^fpi'cd in and by the 
 world. But it is here the pcrfoii of Chrift that is parti- 
 cularlv intended. To refufe him here, is either to rtjea 
 his do<f\rine, and not to receive if, or h.iving received it, 
 to renounce it ; ^-.^ that tliis rcfufe include- both unbelief 
 and apoftafy, either of which arc fatal and dangerous to 
 the fon^ of'men. Objer-ce next. The reafin drawn from 
 the heinoufncfs of the fin, and the gricvoufnefs of the 
 punilhment ; if they ejci.ped not it''« rcfujed Urn that fpahe 
 CI earth ; that is, Mofcs, who delivered his meflagc here 
 below, mtu-h m'.re /hall n-A we ejcnpe^ if ife turn muny from 
 f.im that fpeaketh frcm heMen \ that is, Jefus Chrift his 
 Son, fent down from heaven, perfonally to deliver his holy 
 doflrine ; and now fpeaking to us from heaven by his holy 
 Spirit, in his minitlers and apoRUs. i\W here, I. That 
 Chri!f did in former times fper.k unto his church by Mofes 
 and the prophets. 2. That in thefe latter times he vouch- 
 latcd to fpeik unto his church perfonally himfelf. 3. That 
 ;:fter he perfonallvdifappeared and left the world, he youch- 
 fif<d ftill to fpeak unto his chtirch by the Spirit in the 
 tniniftrv of the word. 4. That though to refufe Chrift, 
 when fpraking here on earth, was a grievous fm, and de- 
 ferved a fearful puriflimcnt ; yet to refufe him now fpeak- 
 ing from heaven, is a more grievous fin, and deferves a 
 greater punifhmenr, confidering whofpcak<:, what he fpe.-;ks, 
 and from whence he fpeik': ; the Rofpel was a iiiyftcry 
 brought to us from the hof.'m of the Father, the tlcareft 
 rcvehtion of Gud's will, and the fulleft manifeftation of 
 his love, and yet, few regard it, moft rejedl it, to their 
 unutterable and inevitable condemnation. 
 
 c6 Whofe voice then fhook the earth ; but now 
 he hath promifed, faying. Yet once more I (h.ike 
 not the earth only, but aifo heaven : 27 And this- 
 zjord. yet once tnore fignifieth the removing of 
 thofe things that arc (haken, as of things that are 
 made, that thofe things which cannot be fhaken 
 may remain. 
 
 As if 'he apoftlc had faid, " The voice of God, at the 
 pr'-.n!>di;in^ of the law on mount Sinai, fluvk the earth : 
 bm he promifbd after thij to ihake all natioRs,^and that 
 
 Chrift, the expei^ed Mefiias, the dcfirc of all nations, 
 fhi'bld coxr.Cy which is now fulfilltd." !^iifJ1. But wli.it 
 means our r.poftle bv G'd't fh.-kiug not ilic earih only, 
 but alfo heaven ? Jrfw. He means thereby all ilie Mofaical 
 worfliip, all the Jndaicil ftate, thtfc \veie (haken at tl'C 
 cominir of Chrift, in order to the iniroduilion of ihe im- 
 moveable gofp'-l-fta'.e, which was perpeiiidllv to remain. 
 Lett'nhcwcc, That the coming ot the McHias was to be 
 the Idl dirpinfation of Cjtd lor the fa'vaiinn of mankind, 
 and confequently was to be perpe'ual and iinclmnceable. 
 The aponie argues from the words, once mere, iliat the 
 former difperfjiion flifudd be removed, to make way for 
 that which fliould perpetually remain. Several ll ing.s are 
 here afTcrted by our aprHle, I. That tlure were fome 
 thinps which were inreudcd by God to be flidktn, namtjy, 
 the Levitical pritlUuod, and all the Jiwifli fairifices and 
 fcrvicts \ thefe things are to be ilu.ktii, moved, yea, 
 altogether removed out of the way. 2. 1 hat there were 
 tVings that could not be fhaken or remf vcd, but remain ; 
 thefe were the gofpel-ftate, the chriftian religion, which 
 fhall continue until titne (hall be no more. 3. That the 
 former things were removed, that the latter might be 
 introduced and cftahlifhtd ; the law and the gofpel \vcre 
 inccnfiftent ; the legal and evangelical adminiftrarii n could 
 m t ftjnd in force together, therefore there was a neceftiiy 
 for the nulling c^ the one, in order 10 t'le eftablifhing of 
 the other. 4. That the removal of the law, 10 bring the 
 more perfeft admiriftration of the gofpel, doth prove the 
 lability and iinnnit:.bility of the gofpel, that it ftands faft 
 for ever ; there (hall be no more (baking, nofarthcr altera- 
 tion in matters of religion to the end ot the woild. For 
 thus it follows. 
 
 28 Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which 
 cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we 
 may ferve God acceptably with reverence and god- 
 ly fear. 29 For our God is a confuming fire, 
 
 Obferve here, I. That the apoftle calls the difpenfation 
 of the gofpel, a lingdom that cannot be Jhahen, in oppofiticn- 
 to the law^ which was an iniperfe£^ and alterable difpenfa- 
 tion ; the gofpel- revelation is fwll and final, there is no 
 need of anv (ariher revelation after this,. nor of any change 
 of that religion which was brought from heaven by the 
 Son of God, in regard of the perfeAion ot it, and its 
 admirable fitnefs to reform the world, and recover mankind 
 out of their loft eftate and lapfed condition, and to bring- 
 them to eternal happinefs , and this by thepuiity of its 
 doflrine, and the pr wer of its arguipents,.to work upon 
 the minds of men by the clear difcoveiyof the mighty 
 rewards and punilhments of a.iother woild;. we have 
 received now a kingdom that cannot' he jhaken. 2. T he 
 inference which the ap'flle draws from the perfeilion and 
 perpetuity of this revelation which G<'d has l?.ll of ^11 
 made to the world by his Son, /f/ us have gre.ce to jerit 
 God accejtuhly \ that is,. Ut us live as becon cih ib< fe to 
 whom God had made fo clear and pcrteft a rev^laii'n of 
 his mind and will; we have all the adv.. nt ages ot divine- 
 revels'ion which the woild ever had, and the U'ft and n olb 
 perfect that the world ever ftiall have ;. we have n. it only 
 Mofesj but Jcfus j act only the moial lawj but -he 
 
 glorious 
 
ioo8 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap. xiii. 
 
 glorious gofpcl, which ihe Son of Gwl came down on 
 piirpofc from heaven to declare to the worlJ. Ohftrvt, 3. 
 The manner how God muft be ferved, wilh reverence an.i 
 g^:»llyfear. Reverence in divine fervice looks at God's 
 glorious excellency and mnjetly, and at our own iiiiworthi- 
 ncfs, toocihcr with thai infinite diltancc between him and 
 us ; anA gidly fear is a rclijjioiis awe upon the foul in IidIv 
 duties, from the conlidoraii. n of the great danger of linful 
 mifcaniages in liis worlhip. 4. Therenfon making the fore- 
 going duty necclDrVi F^r -iur God is a eanjumlng fire. Our 
 C;,/, iniim.ites a covenant relation. Note hence, 1 hat the 
 believer's Got! is a cwjumingfire, but not to believers: or if 
 fo, not t\)Confunietheir graces, but their corruptions only, or 
 at mod thtir corrup'ibie comforts. 2. That though God 
 t.nkt-s us near to liimftlf, and into covenant with himfclf, 
 yet he cxpf6ks (hat we confider who he is, and what he is, 
 even a conjumingjire, a'nil .1 je.ihus G'd. 
 
 C H A P. XIII. 
 
 Our Ppc^flle ieivg nmu come to the condufton of this mcjl 
 cxcdknl cpijlle, d^fes it n'ilh ufi exhoi-tation to fcverql 
 evangelical and vwral duties, xvherely pointing out 
 ti t!-.s mini/lers 0/ the gofpcl, the nglil order, and 
 htjl 7nethod of preaching, imnidy frji to unfold the 
 vi\ff erics of the gofpd, with the grace of God therein, 
 ami then to improve it to praBical Iwlinefs in the 
 duties cf obedience. 
 
 L, 
 
 lET brotherly love continue. 
 
 Love being the foimtain and foimd.ition of all inoral 
 kilties, our apoftle begins with ir, and places it at the head 
 of all the red, as comprehending our whole duty towards 
 our neighbour. Note here, The duty commanded is Uve ; 
 the fpcci^il duty recommended is brotherly hve, or that 
 brotherly afl^iflion which every true chrifti.m chit fly bears 
 ti) all his fc•!lo^v-membcrs in Chrift for grace's f;ike ; and 
 the manner of the injunflion or command is, that this 
 broih.erly afFeflion do continue and conflanily abide, not 
 in the pretence and appearance of it only, but in the truth 
 and reality of it, tor there arc innumerable occafion* whicli 
 will be really to impair and weaken it, if it be not well 
 grounded ; alas! unfui'.abknefs of natural tempers, differ- 
 ences in judgment, and matters of opinion,' inconfillent 
 •worldly intcrefl, reauinifs to provocation, or to be pro- 
 voked, pride on the one hand, or envy on the other, -will 
 fadly Gccafion the temporary decay, yea, at Itaft the total 
 lofs of this noble grace, if it be not well grcimdcd, and 
 deeply rooted. Learn hence, That brotherly Icve is very 
 apt to impair and decay, if we endeavour not continually 
 its prcfcrvation and revival. Lord, how marvellous is if, 
 that fo many amongil us can perfusde themftlves that they 
 are chri'dians, and yet be not only Grangers, but cneirties 
 to this ^race and duty of love ! How is the ppwer and 
 glory ot chridianity weakened through want of it ! and 
 verily, until this holy love be again revived amongft us, the 
 ir.ttrtd rl chridiatiity will nm very low, yea, the concerns 
 ot ic!i|icn will more and more lun toruin. 
 
 2 Be not forgetful to entertain fl rangers : for 
 thereby fome have entertained angels unawares. 
 
 The fi cond duty here exhorted to is hcfpiialiiy, efpecially 
 tow.irds drangcr?, wliich C( D.'idcd in receiving theni into 
 their houfcs, and furniihing them with all necdfgl acccm- 
 modaiions. In thofc eadern countries inns were not fo 
 ready as with us, and chridians were generally poor, not 
 ;.ble to bear thtir own charges in thtir travelling from 
 place to place. Strangers, even amongd' heathens, were 
 accoinitcd f.icred, and uiuler the peculiar proteiftion of God. 
 And a pimifliment was apjiointed for thofe that were in- 
 hofpiiable tow.irds them. Hofpitality is a prefcribcd duty, 
 but this part of it, to wit, the entertaining of flr.Tiigcrf, 
 which was fo great a virtue in ancient tiines •> now driven 
 cut of the woild by the \\ickcdncrs of feme, and the 
 covetoufnefs of others ; few ftrangcrs are wrrthy to recti\e 
 entertainment, and as few have hearts to give it. Olftrie 
 farther. The manner of prcfcribing this ejiity. Be mt for- 
 f,ctful to entertain Jiravgers ; no doubt a politive command 
 is included in the prohibition, /irw,?/ nj/ ; that is, remetn- 
 ber to do it, be always in rcadinefs for tiie diftharge iif 
 this, duty ; our hearts ought to be always in a grai ' 
 difpofition towards fuch duties as are attended with i - 
 culty or charge ; the liberal mind devifeili liberal thir.gs. 
 Ohjer-ce, ladly, The reafon enforcing the duty, hcreb\- 
 fome have entertained angels unmuares : fo did Abraham and 
 Lot entertain three angels, in the appearance of men, net 
 knowing who or what they were. By receiving rtrangers 
 out of faith in C/irift, and love to God, we may receive 
 precious faints, and (which is more) feme bleflcd angel 
 fent to keep them, and (which is mod of all] Jcfus Chriii 
 himftif, who at prefcnt refcnts, andvsill hereafter acknow- 
 ledge and reward, fi:ch kindnellcs (hewn to his members 
 as done to himfclf, Matth. xxv. 
 
 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound 
 with them; and them which fufFer adverfity, as 
 being yourfclves alfo in the body. 
 
 Hofpitality towards ftrangcrs wasexprefTcd in the fore- 
 going verfe ; here, companion towards fuifercis, fuch as 
 are captives, prifoners in bonds, eiihcr upon a religious or 
 civil account. Here »«/(•, r. That bodily bondage is. a 
 bitter bondage ; captivity is a mod grievous calnniiiy. 2. 
 That we are very prone to forget others' captivity, when 
 we ourfelvcs are in profperity. 3. That fuch as arc in 
 bonds for Chrill's fake efpccialiy, and his holy gofpel, 
 
 ' ought particularly to be remembered by us, they arc a^rl 
 ought to be the peculiar objefls of our tompafllon ; although, 
 contidering the caufe in which they fuffer, it iv better, and 
 more honcurable, to be in the bonds for Chrid, tlian to beiiit 
 liberty with a raging perfecuting world ; tor bonds and 
 imprifonmcnt for the truth, were confccrated to God, ;a;d 
 made honourable by the bonds anil impriionment ot Chiill, 
 himfelf, and commended to the church in all ages, by the 
 bonds and imprifonment of the spoftles, and tlic primitive 
 wiinefTes to chrirtianiiy. A'^/f farll'.er, How we are to'be 
 
 . mii)dfnl of them, and in ■i\hat rrm.ner, by vifningof them, 
 adminidering to thcin, fyfopathizing with them, praying 
 for them, and all this as /axWit/Vifc /Z'cm, which impliis 
 
 ail 
 
Chap, xiii. 
 
 H E B R E W.S. 
 
 „.c.> 
 
 an aiTl of union, as members of the fame inyftical body, 
 and fufFeringin and for the fame common caufe ; remem. 
 bcr them thiit are ir bonds, as bound -jjit/i them ; it follows, 
 and thofe thatfuffa- adverjlty, as he'tng in the body. This 
 implies, that there are many kinds of affiiiflions befides 
 bonds ; that we are prone to forget thofe who fnfFer light. 
 cr and lefTer affliftions ; if they be not in bonds, we are 
 ready to forget them, though they fuffer much adverfity ; 
 but the command is more general, to rememtier all that 
 are in any kind of adverfity, wlicther they fuffer in body, 
 name, or elbte,by (icknefs, p;iin, loflt-s, reproaches, or any 
 kind of calamity ; the proftffors of religion arc exempted 
 from no forts of adverliry, and under every kind of it we 
 u(l remember them, and fympathife with them, becaufe 
 ■. e ourfelvcs are, in the body -Jiith them ; that is, fav fome, 
 AC are members ofthe fame niyilicnl body with them, and 
 ^ therefore when one member (bffers, all the members are 
 < to fuffer with it. Yvir/'ehcs are in the body ; that is, fay 
 others, in the fjnie (late of natural life, fubjectand ob- 
 noxious to the fame fulFerings, and within t!ie reach of 
 the fame advcrfities. Zf«'n hence, i'h.it a fenfe of our 
 own being continually obnoxious unto fuffering? during 
 this life, ought to incline our minds to a diUgent confide- 
 r.ition of others in their fufferings, fo as to difcharge all 
 duties of love and helpfulnefs towards them, as an evi- 
 dence of our intcreft in the lame myfticalbody with them, 
 and as a ground of joll expeftiuion of the like belief and 
 comp-jffion frt.m them. 
 
 4 Marriage u honourable in all, and the bed un- 
 dcfilcd :— 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the former verfes, direfted 
 chriftians to their duty one tovsards another, in this, and 
 the following verfes, he direft. thrii to perform theirduty 
 towards theniielves ; and becaufe th" '»o radical compie- 
 henfive hi''ls of corrupted nature are unclcannefi andcovet- 
 oufnefs; he therefore commends unto their care aiuiprac- 
 tice thole t^vo great duties of chdftity and conte ttation, the 
 former in this, the latter in the next veric. Now here 
 »hjefue, That to prevent the former (in, the ravings of 
 unbridled luft, our apoflle prefcribes tlie remedy which 
 God appoints, marriage-, that is, the conjunftion of two 
 individu.ilperlbns that have freedom. in choice and confent, 
 and have power over themfelves, not being within the de- 
 grees of afunitv orconfanguinity prohibited, between whom 
 there refulcs fuch an indillbluble union, that thereby they 
 become one flefh ; fncl^ni.irriage he affirms to be honour- 
 able, and to be fo efteemcd in reg.Trd of its author, God 
 himfelf, Gen. ii. i8. in regard of the place, paradife ; in 
 regard of the time, in man's innocency ; in regard of the 
 end and ufefulnefs of it, the continuation of the race of 
 tnankind ? thus it is honourable, and o(j]i/ht ro he had in 
 honoiT. The apoftle adds, that it is titO'^ honourable in all; 
 th.t is, among all orders, ranks, an<l degrees of men that 
 are called thereunto; the remedy is eqn.iUy provided i>y 
 God for all ; and therefore for' the church of Rome to 
 deny it to tiieir clergy, it to ufurp authority over the con- 
 'Jciences of men, and to Judge thcmff Ives too pure for an 
 inftitutioti of their maker, which our firft parents in 
 innocency did not think theinfelves io» pure for. Learn 
 
 hence, i. That divine inftitution is fuffii lent to render any 
 ftate or condition of life honourable, and confequcntly th« 
 itate of marriage. 2. That nhichis honourable by divine 
 inllitution, may be rendered abominable by the niifcar- 
 riages of men. 3. That it is.an horrid contempt ofthe 
 authority of God, and a bold ufurpation over the con- 
 fciences of men, to forbid the ftate of marriage unto any, 
 which God has matle honourable among them all. Next 
 to the ftate of marriage, the ajjoflle adds the duty of that 
 ftate, th: bid uudefiled, in oppolition to the defiled bed of 
 whoremongers and adulterers, and the prefervation of 
 marriage-duties within their due bounds. 
 
 — But whoremongers atvi adulterers God will 
 judge. 
 
 Having exhorted to conjugal purity and chartity in the 
 fornter partof the verfe, headds 3 very cogent reafonand 
 forcible motive of it in the latter words, becaufe 'jjbore- 
 mingsrs and adulterers Cod luill judge ; that is, all perlbns 
 who in a fingle ftate of life do know one another rarnallv 
 without a m»rriage-vow or covenant between them ; if 
 both parties be tingle, their filthinefsis called fornication; 
 if either oftheinbe married, adultery ; neither of theni 
 fliallclcupe thejngdmenr of God ; that i^ teinperal pu- 
 nifhment in this life, and eternal daninatioii in the next. 
 Li^arn hence. That whatever light thoughts men have of 
 the (in of uncleannefs. yet wc are affuredit doth in its own 
 nature deferve eternal condemnation, and fuch as live and 
 die impenitently in it, ihali certainly perDi for it ; and if fo, 
 then all occaljons of, and all temptations leading to thofe 
 fins, are to be avoided, as we love our fouls ; for of all 
 finners, thofe who have habitually given np themfelves to 
 the lufts of the Iklh, are moil rarely and difficultly brought 
 to repentance. 
 
 5 Ze^)'«^r convcrfation ^fi without covetoufncfs ; 
 and 1)0 content with fuch things as yc have. For he 
 hath laid, I will never leave tliee, nor forlake thee. 
 6 So that we may boldly lay, The Lord u my help- 
 er, and I will not fear what man fhall do unto mo. 
 
 Ch/erve here, A dehortation, or negative precept, Lit 
 your convrr/ation be wthout covefjufntfj. V,y ccni-erfatiin^ 
 we are firft to underlland the difpcfttion ofthe mind, then 
 the ac'lions of the life, both ought 10 be hse from all inor- 
 dinate love to, awd e mieavours after, mere of this 'voi.'d 
 than God is pleafed to give unto us. By covetcufrefs, we 
 are not to underlland, as if a provident and prudential care 
 for the things of this life were forbidden, or as if all en- 
 deavours to maintain our right to what God has "iven us 
 were unhiuiul; but hy. ccvetoufnefs is meant a'^n e.iger 
 and nnfatiabie defire after, accompanied with reflleis and 
 unwearied endeavours for the things of this life, proceed- 
 ing from an undue valuation of them, and an inordinate 
 love untti them. Learn hence. That as all lin in grneral, 
 Jo covetoulnefs in particular, is inconudtntwiih achriflian 
 converfation, accordiirg to ihs gofpel. No fin at thiiday 
 doth more Ifain t.he glory of chriftianity than this doth. • 
 Alas! thepro-Tignte lives ot debauched ft 1 fens, their blaf- 
 
 pVmies^a.luhecieSjdriJiikennefs, and futh like, doiiothJf 
 6 M 
 
lOlO 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chap, xiii. 
 
 tUe mifchiff to relig-nn which this fin do: h, brcaufe the 
 perfons guilry of it prcieftd to religion, which ihe other 
 concern not ihemfiUTs with. 2. A pofitive injun£lion, 
 Le content -with thtCfthings 'juhkh ye hax'c. Ccntentment is 
 a gracious difpofition of mind, whereby the chriftian reih 
 fati^fied with that portion of the good things of this life 
 which ilie wifdom of God afligns him, without complain- 
 ing of the littlt which God gives to him, or envying the 
 muth which Cod heftowt on others. Yet know, th.it 
 contertmert with what we have, is not inconfidrnt with, 
 Jior exclufive of an induflrious diligence, and an honed and 
 moderate tare toincreafe wh.it we have, for ourfeWes and 
 fjniilie«. Honeft induflry is the cntntnand of God, and 
 be has given us fix days inTeven for the exercife of it ; but 
 it is utterly exclufiveof all covetous dtlires, of all anxious 
 cares, of all priding ourlelves in, and bo.ifling of, what 
 wc have received, contemning and defpifing others, a 
 vanity which men of weak minds are only guilty of. 3. 
 The argument to enforce the duty ; For he hath fa'id, I 
 viUl never leatfe thee, r.orf'jrjake thee. The word* are a 
 promife, a proniift- of God, a promife of his prefence ai;d 
 providence to afliire us of both, and ihnc he will never 
 leave us. He ufes five negiiivc?, I •.u'dl not leave thee, I 
 will not, I will not, 1 will notforfale thee. Where note. 
 That the veheinency of the expredion by the multiplica- 
 tion of the negative particles, is both an efTed of divine 
 condefcenlion, and gives the utniofl fccurity of the faithof 
 believers, that God will be prefent witn them, and com- 
 fyrt.ibly provide for them ; fothat the words nre a ftrong 
 re.Tfon tt> dehor: from covttoufnefs, and to exhort to con- 
 tentednefs ; for having God prefent with us, to take cnre 
 , of, and provide for us, we have all things in him, and a 
 promife from hirn. that we fliall not want any thing that is 
 good and needful for us ; only we muft allow GotI this 
 liberty, and give him ha-e to judge what is needful, and 
 when it is needfu'. 4. That though the foregoing pro- 
 mife is in-jde to J.ifliua, yet the apciUe applies it to all be- 
 lievers, atid drjws comfort from it; W e may boldly fay , 
 'IheLord i< rny felper. Here wor?, That whatfoever pro- 
 mife is made in particular to any one believer, if there be 
 not fonie fppcial r»afon which confines and tics it to his 
 p-rfon, every brhever may apply it to himftJf. This 
 rrnniife which God mjdepirticularly to Jodiuafor hisfup. 
 port, under the great H.flirulty in conquering the land of 
 Can.ian, the apoitle here applies to the cafe and ftate of 
 particular believers ; We may there jure h-iUly fay , dc. Be- 
 lievers h.iving the fame grounds that he had, may u'e the 
 J'an)e confidence that he did, though our circumft.ince5 
 and his are not the fame. All .he proraifrs of Gud'.'i gra- 
 r'ni.js prelVnce made to the prophets and apoftles of old, 
 all believers may spply ro themfelvesin their fuffering flare. 
 
 Remember them which have the rule over you, 
 v.'ho have fpoken unto )ou the word of God: 
 vhofe faith follow, coiifidcnng the endof thejrcon- 
 vcr'.atiot). 
 
 The next duty recommended to ihftn is refpefl to the 
 f^irit'jal guide', and ctcle'jjllical goveroori, whom God 
 by death, or pcrlccutiuu ac any time, removes from tbeni, 
 
 and that Is to preferve their memory frc/h amongft them 
 as a precious treafurc ; Remember them that have the rult 
 over you. Secondly, To propound their holy converfation 
 to their daily view, in a ci)riltian imitation o; thofe evan- 
 gelical graces, and tnoral virtues, uhich were fo orient 
 and exemplary in their rulers' lives. Learn hence, i. 
 That it ought to be care of the church's guides to fet be- 
 fore their people, and leave behind ihetn, futh sn exam- 
 ple of faith vnd holinei', .u that it may be the duty of the 
 church to re mt-mher thciu, and follow their example, s. 
 'J hat it is tite Handing duty of that people v^honi God hath 
 honoured with the enjoyment of a fpiritual guide and ru- 
 ler, perfevermgly to follow their faith in the foundnefs of 
 it, and in the Itedfaltiiel's of faith, and to imitate their 
 converfation, by exemplifying thofe evangelical grace*, 
 and chriftian virtues, \» hich did fo oricnily fiiine torch in 
 the lives of their miniflers. 
 
 8 Jefuj Chrifl the fame ycflcrday, and to-day 
 and for ever. 
 
 Thefe wonls tray he un''erftpod three ways; with re" 
 fpc(f> to the perlon nfChriff, to the oft'ce of ChriO, and to 
 the doclrine of Chrifb. i. With refpcft to the perlim of 
 Chr'ft, he is ncroal and immutable in every Hate of the 
 church, and in every condition ot believers he is the fame, 
 and always will be the fame in liis divine perfon ; he is, 
 ever was, and ever will be, all in all unto his church. 2. 
 He IS the fame , yeflerday, ti-day, and fi^r ever ; not oidv in 
 refpecl of his perfon, but in regard of his oflicc. The 
 virtue of the ltg;il lacrifice expired with the offering, but 
 the precious ohUtion of Chrill hath an everlading tlScary 
 to obtain lull pardon for believers : liis blood is as power- 
 ful to propitiate God, as if it were this day Ihed up«in the 
 crofs. 3. He is the fume. ^c. in regard of his doctrine, 
 thatreiMains unchangcrable and irrevocable. Thegofpel is 
 the lall revelation of the niind of God, made known by 
 Jefus Chrift,that eser v. ill he laid before the world: Such 
 therefore as rejeft him, and his doftrine, rejetfl the laft 
 remedy, the only remedy, and muft need^ perilh, without 
 any probability of recovery. Learn from the whole. Thai 
 our I.ord Jefu-. Chrift was, from the beginning of the 
 world the unniutahie ot-j' ft of his church's faith, ard the 
 confiderjt'on of J-fus Chrift in his eternity, immutabili- 
 ty, and iudeficiency in hi* po^^er,ashe is alsr ays the fame, 
 is the great encouragement of believers in the proftifiorj 
 of their faith, and a mighty fupport under all the d:fiicul- 
 ties they meet with upon the account thereof. 
 
 Tit not carried about with divers and Arange 
 doQrines. 
 
 There is an inference in thefe words, from what was 
 ifferted in the former, concerning the immutability of 
 Chrift, and his doi'frine ; namely, thus ; Seeing th.it the 
 do(flrine of Chnft taught by the apoiHes is as Chrift 
 hinifelf, the fame ye fur day , today, find jor ever , therefore 
 the apoftle dehorts them from being carried aAoJ^f •.y/VA 
 dvers and Jlrunge d'jfly'mis ; that is, in Ciort, the dotlrines 
 t'fdioie th^t miiigl'd Jiiif.iiiin and chriftianity together, by 
 cleavii.g to the legal i.li'erviti«n. A»/e here, 1 benatureot 
 the faL'e du6lrii;es, and \th4t tflicaey the) have u]'i.d the 
 
 ininds 
 
LKAP. XI 11. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 .1011 
 
 minds of men; ia themfetvet they are light and vain like 
 the wind, tolFing men up and down as ihe wind and the 
 waves do the (hip that wants ballad, turning them out of 
 their courfe, and endangering their dsftrudlion ; therefore 
 fays the apoftle. Take heed that ye be not carried about , &c. 
 
 — For it is 2. good thing that thy heart be efta- 
 blifhcd with grace, not with meats, which have not 
 profited them that have been occupied therein. 
 
 By meats, here, underftand difputes and conrroverfies 
 aboac the difference of meats : By ^r/jcf, underdand the 
 doftrineof thegofpel, and the fanflifying grace of the Holy 
 Spirit, which fixes and efiablifhes the heart, and keeps the 
 chriftian fleady and ftedfaft. Learn hence. That it is far 
 better to have the heart filled with divine grace, than the 
 head with difputes and controverfies in religion : h is good 
 that the heart be eftablijhed with grace, and not with meats. 
 The reafon is added, They h.ive not profited them that are 
 occupiedtherein .• that is, toobierve the doftrine concerning 
 a religious diftinttion of meats, fince the golpel has been 
 entertained, is altogether unprofitable and unavailable : 
 yea, meats of themf-Ives profited not thole who obferved 
 them, even whilft the inftitutivins concerning them were 
 in force. Learn hence, That thofe whj decline from the 
 grace of God, as the only mean to eftablifli their hearts 
 in peace with him, do labour in that whereby they (hall 
 receive no advantage. 
 
 13 We have an altar whereof they have no right 
 "''^o eat which lerve the tabernacle. 
 
 Thefe words are brought in as a farther reafon why the 
 chriftian Hebrews fhould not return to JudailVn, or any 
 other doctrine dHFerent from the gclpel of Chrili ; IVe 
 chrillians, fays the apoftle, have an altar ; that is, a facri- 
 fice, a prieft offered upon, and fanftified by, the altar of the 
 crofs. Note here. That the church of Chrift under the 
 New Teftament has its altar,as well as the OldTeltamcnt 
 difpenfation had theirs. The altar which we have isChrift, 
 alone, and his facrifice ; for he was both prieli, alrar, and 
 facrifice, all himCelf, and ftill continueth fo to be. 2. That 
 this altar is every way fnfScient in itfelf for the ends of an 
 altar ; and therefore the introdudion of any other facrifice 
 requiring a material altar, is derogatory to the facrifice of 
 Chrift, and exclulivcof him from being an altar. Obferve 
 next. The perfons excluded from having any right unto, 
 or expcftaiion of benefit by, this altar, namtly, fuch as 
 ftrve the tabernacle ; that is, fuch as cleave ftill to the wor- 
 fliip appointed for the Jewifh tabernacle, and adhere to the 
 Mofaical obfervatton. They h.ive no right to this altar 
 by any divine inftitution, no rij^ht by virtue of their office, 
 and relation to the tabernacle. Learn hence, That all 
 privileges of what nature foever, witiiout a participation 
 of Chrilt , as the altar and facrifice of his church, are no 
 advantage to fhcni that enjoy them. 
 
 1 1 For the bodies of thofe bcafls, whofe blood is 
 brought into ;.lv, lancluary by the higli prieft forhns 
 are burned witiout the camp. 12 Wherefore Jefus 
 tlfo, that he ni.^_;ht finclify the people with his own 
 blood, faffcrcd without the gate. 13 Let us goforth 
 
 therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his 
 reproach. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, "As the beafts (lain for atone- 
 ment, whofe blood was brought into the fanftuary, wer* 
 not to be eaten by the prielt, but burnt without the bininds 
 of the campof Il"r.icl ; in like manner, Chrift, when he was 
 to be offered up, to fanftify thepeople with his own blood, 
 went without the gates of Jerufalem to fuffer ; fignifying, 
 that as they rejeded him as unworthy to live with them, 
 fo he departed from them, and their political and leg il (tare. 
 Accordmgly, Let us go forth unto him v/ithout the camp : 
 that is, let us go unto him from the Jewidi ftate and cere- 
 monial law, bearing his reproach of the crofs, which muft 
 be expefted by us. Obferve here, That Jefus Chriff in 
 his offering did offer himfclf unto Gcd ; That the end of 
 his offering was to famfbify the people : This he defigned, 
 and this he accuinplifhed by his own blood, fo called em- 
 phatically, partly in oppolition to the facrifice of the high 
 prieft, which was the blood of bulls and not their &'a;»; ; 
 and partly to teftify what our faaclification coft Chrift, even 
 h;s o'ji.i blood. C'^/erw farther, The circumftance of place 
 where our Lord fnffered, it was luithyut the gale of the city 
 of Jerufalem ; intimating, that he had now finally left the 
 city and church of the Jews, and accordmgly he denoim- 
 ced their deftruftiim as he went outof the gate, Lukexxiii. 
 23, 29, 30. And by thus turning his back upon the tem- 
 ple, he plainly fliewed.ihat he had now put an end to all 
 facrificing in the temple, as unto divine acceptation ; and. by 
 going out of the gate, he declared that his facrifice, and 
 the benefits of it, were not included in the church of the 
 Jews, bu: equally extended unto the whole world; and by 
 going out of the city as a malefador, and dying an accur- 
 fed death, he pUinly declared that he died a (in oft'ering ; 
 that his death was a puniftiment for fin. Ohferx>e laftly. 
 Our duty to go forth to him without the camp; this im- 
 plies a relmquifhing of all the privileges of the temple and 
 city. 1. . A turningour backs eternally upon all Jewi(h ob- 
 fervations. 2. An acceptance of the merit of his facrifice. 
 3. The owning of Clirill under all that reproach and con- 
 tempt that was ca(l upon him in his fulfering without the 
 gate, and not being alhamed of his crofs. 4. In our con- 
 formity to him in felf denial and I'uffcring ; all which are 
 comprized in this apoftolica! exhortation, Lf/ us go forth to 
 him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 1 he fum is 
 this, •• Tint we muft leave all to go forth to a crucified 
 Saviour ; and if we refolve fo to do, we muft cxped and 
 prepare to meet with all forts of reproaches.'' 
 
 14 For here have we ho continuing city, but we 
 feek one to cotne. 
 
 Thrfe ^\ ords may be confidcred either relat vely or ah. 
 folutely : ConfiJer them with rtUt on to chcir cement 
 and iheii feiife is this- " How clicaifulJy ought belifvcr.'- 
 accordingto the advice in the foregoing \eife, togofcrih to 
 ChriJ} '.uithout the camp, bearing his nproach, when they 
 cuniider their prefent ilatc and eondiiion, thai they have no 
 city here below, that was now the feat of divine worlhip^ 
 wh' reunto it was confined, as the Je«-s didat Jerulakm 
 before the abohlhniet cf their ceiemonial wcrfljip • hut 
 6 M 2 they 
 
1012 
 
 HE BREW S. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Xlll. 
 
 //).•)' A'i"* onf ti e»me, even the heavenly Jerufalem, where 
 t'leylhull woi-lhrp G )tl in his temple (l.iy and niglu i" Con- 
 (i !ir ths words alilolutely in iliniifelves, and two thinqs 
 le^iin 10 be intended and defigned by them. i. That our 
 to:iJiiiiiii in this woHd is very uncertain and iinfettled, -a;? 
 h.n-' rt'j continti'iiig city here. 2. It implies a tendencciicy 
 to a future fetiling, and the h.ipes and cxpciftitions we 
 hive of a happier condition, into whicli we fliall enter 
 when we go out of this world. Learn hence, i That the 
 world never did, nor ever *iil, give a fl.ite of fatisfac- 
 tory red unto believers ; it will not afford them a city of 
 rclt, hardly a place of refuse ; they inuil therefore ariCe 
 ami depart, tor this is not their reft. a. That as God 
 has prepared a city of reft tor believers, fo it is their duty 
 to fetk and fecure it, and continutlly endeavour the at- 
 tainment of it, in the way of his own appointment. 
 
 ir, By him therefore let us offer the faCrifice of 
 praife to God continually, that is, the fruit oi our 
 lips, giving thinks to his name. 16 But to do 
 good, and to commiuiicate, forget not : For with 
 fuch facrificcs God is well-p leafed. 
 
 Our apoftle havinji, at the tenth verle, declared, that we 
 chriftians have an altar, to wit, Jefus Chrift ; -here we are 
 directed tooftl-r a facntict, without which an altar is of no 
 ufe : By him Irt us offer a fiicrifice if praife to Cod conti- 
 nually. Where note, i. Chriilians are to offer a facrifice 
 to God, and to none but God ; notreaturej angel or fai-.ir, 
 has any part in it : Praife them we may, but offer a fdcri- 
 tice of prayer or praife to them we may not. 2. That the 
 chiiftians (acritice, which he preCenis to God. and none 
 but him, is not propitiatory but gratulaiory, a facrilice of 
 praife. We pretend to no expiation of (in, we owe that 
 to a better facrifice. What we offer is the fruit of our 
 lips, not the fruit of our fields, or of our flocks, but of fuch 
 lips as confefs to his name. 3. The time when, and tiie 
 perron by whom this facrifice of praife is to be offered to 
 GoJ, and that is continually, coiilhntly , mornin;; and even- 
 ing ; not puttinir Aliiiigluy God off with lefs under the 
 gol'pel, than the Jews offered him under the law, which 
 was the morning and evening facritice : And all this by 
 Chrift ; IJy hiif let us 'iffer, by him who is our peace may 
 we lind accefs. It is his merit and mediation that crowns 
 our lacrifices and obtains acceptance for it. 4. Another 
 facrilice efpecially recommended to our care, asexceeJiitg 
 acceptable and well pleadngunto God, and that is the fa- 
 crifice of alnifgiving, beneficence and bounty, doing .ill the 
 good we can, and communicating to the relief of fuch as 
 want ; but to do good, &c. As if the apoftle had laid, 
 " Take heed you do not put God off with the fruit of 
 your lips, the prayersand praifes whi..hcoft you little, but 
 now he calls for the labour of your hinds, and for a part 
 to be given 10 hnn iu his poor members, of what he has 
 given to you ; therefore be fore you forget not to do good 
 and comtnunicatc, fur with/'uch/'aerifcej Godiswellplei>/ed, 
 witli none better pleafed ilian this, pleafed with none with- 
 out tlii5 :" Iniiantiiig, 1. That it isdnngerous to the fouls 
 of men, when attendance untooneduty is abufed, tocoun- 
 tct,a ice the negleft of others ; when men give God daily 
 a lacnfice cf prayer and praife, but with-hold from hiai in 
 
 his members the facrifice of almfgiving ; thry give hi?w 
 the fruit of their lip«, which coft them nothmg; but toiio 
 god and communicate, which will coft them fomething, 
 this they forget. 2. That fuch works and duties as are 
 peculiarly ufeful to men, are peculiarly acct-piablc unto 
 God : With fuch fdcrijices Ccd is well pleafed. 
 
 17 Obey them that have the rule ovcryou, and 
 fubniit yourfelves. For they watch for your louls, 
 as they that muft give account : That they may do 
 it with joy, and not with grief; for that n unprofit- 
 able for you. 
 
 Two things are here obfervable . i. The minifter's duty 
 towards his people. 2. The people's duty towards their 
 minifters. In the former, «o<f, 1. The duty required, /a 
 rule, to -Match: God makes the bilhopt and piftjrs of his 
 church here guiding rulers in church-affairs; ihcy rule 
 not with rigour, but with lenity and benignity ; they watch 
 over them, that they may guide and lead them \\\i\\ ra- 
 tional guidance and conduft. 2. The fuhjecl of this rul- 
 ing po\\er and authority, it is not over their eftates, but ■ 
 their perfons, particularly and principally their fouls. They fl 
 lua'chfor your ftiuls ; as Jacob watched over Laban's To 
 do the minifters watch over Chrift'i flock, by day and 
 night. 3. 'J he great engagement and obligation that lies 
 upon them thus to rulg, and thus to -ujatch; they muff give 
 an account that is, of thpir work and clfice, of their duty 
 and difcharge ; there is a great (hfpherd, a chief flicpherd, 
 as Chrift is called the prince of ihepherds, to whom all 
 inferior fliepherds iiiuft give an account of their office, of 
 their work, and of the (lock committed to their charge. 
 4. The different accounts that will be given by the mi- 
 nifters of God at the great day, fome with joy, others with 
 grief. It is matter of the gieatcftjoy to us when we find 
 fouls thriving under our miniftiy, and bleffingGod for the 
 benefit they find by it ; but on the other hand, the fadnefs 
 of our hearts under the barrennefsand unpiofitablenelsof 
 many under our minifterial labours, is not eaiily to be e.K- 
 preffed. O God ; with what lighing, with what groaning, 
 with vshat inward hfavinefs and mourning, our accounts 
 unto Chrilt are no v given and accompanied, thou only 
 knoweft, and w It make maiiifeft at the great day. Ohftrye, 
 1. The people'^ duty declared with reference to their Ipi- 
 ritual guides and rulers, and that is, to cify //'fm, and lub- 
 mit themfelves ; Ohty them that rule 'yver you, and fuhnfit 
 yt.urfelvfs : obey their dodrinc, and fubniii to their diici- 
 pline, but neither with a blinJand implicit obedience: 
 Obey their doctrine, teaching you all things luhatfoever 
 ChtiJ} has commanded them; and lubmitto their rule whilft 
 it is exercifed is the name of Chnft, and according to hit 
 inftitution. Leflrn hence, i . That the Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 as luprcme Head of his church, has orderrd and ordained 
 that there ftiall be officers of his church, toguide and teach, 
 to rule and watch over it to the end of the world. 2. 1 hai 
 the due obedience of the church in all its members unto 
 the rulers of it, in the difcharge of their office and duty, 
 is the beft mean of its edification, and an happy caule u' 
 order and peace in the whole body : Obey them, &c. 
 
 i8 Pray for us. For we truftwe have a good 
 
 confcicnce, 
 
Cha"p. xiii. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 1013 
 
 ronfcience.in all things willing to live honeftly. ig 
 But I bcfcech you ttie rather to do this, that I may 
 be reflored to you the fooner. 
 
 In thefc words, oh/c-rv, 1 . A requeft mndeby theapof- 
 tle to thefc Hebrews tor |)rayer ; prayjorus : The prayers 
 of thj me^neft Tiints may be ufeful to the greatert ipoftles, 
 hotli with refpeifl to iheir perlons, and the difcharge of 
 their office. 2. The ground which gave him confidence 
 to aik their prayers, and ailurance that he /liould receive 
 them ; 'Me irufi v)e have a good conCcience in all thingr. 
 Behold here with what modelly and humility the apoltle 
 fpeaks of himfelf, even in things of which he had the 
 higheft and tuileft aflura"ce -, vje trtip we have agodcon- 
 Jclence in all thinos. Que//. What is a good conlcience? 
 Anfvj. A good confcience is a confcience enlightened by 
 the word of God, a confcience awakened by the bpirit of 
 G^d, a confcience purified and pacified by the blood of 
 Chrift, a confcience univerfally tender of all God's com- 
 mands. Ohfcrvf 3. The teftimony giren of his having a 
 good confcience, -Milling in all things to live bone/fly ; are- 
 folution and will, accompanied with con(tant endeavours 
 to live honeCtly, is .i fruit and evidence of a g'>od confci- 
 ence; the word w/Z/iw^ denotes readinefs, refolution, and 
 endeavour. 4, How he prefTes for an intereft in their 
 paayers, with refpecl to his prefent circumftances. nnd his 
 dcfign of coming to them ; I hefcech you the rather to do this, 
 that 1 may he repcred to you the fooner. 
 
 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again 
 from the dead our Lord Jehis, that great fhepherd 
 of the flijpp, through the blood of the everlalling 
 covenant, 21 Make you perfe6t in every good 
 work to do his will, working in you that which is 
 well-pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrifl : to 
 whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Our apolUe having in the former verfe defired their 
 prayers for him, in this verfe he adds thereunto his own 
 prayer for them, a moft glorious and excellent prayer, en- 
 clofmg the whole myftery of divine grace in its original, and 
 the way of its communication by Jefus Chrift, a prayer 
 evidently proceedmg from a fpirit full of faith and love. 
 Ohferve here, i. The title afligned and given to God, The 
 Cod of peace. But why the God of peace, rather than the 
 God of power, or the God ofgr.ice, or the God of glory? 
 Becaufe the divine power was not put forth in raifing Chrift 
 from the dead until God was pacified : Juftice incenfed 
 expoi'ed him to death ; but juftice appeafed freed him from 
 the dead 2- The titles atiigued and given to Chrift, and 
 they feem to exprcfs his threefold office, of a pro))het, in 
 hat he ftiies liimfcif the great /h'pherd of the jheep ; of a 
 priert, that he is faid to be brought again from the dead, by 
 the blood nfthe everlafling covenant \ and of a king, in that 
 heisllyled our Lord Jefus C.hrifi . Note, Chrift is a fhep- 
 herd, that great Ihepherd cf the flieep; a niepherd,becau(e 
 as a Ihepherd he rules and governs his people, as a fhep- 
 
 herd he leads them by his hearenly doclrinc and inftruc- 
 tive example, as a fliepherd feeds them wiih his word, yea, 
 •with his precious body and blood ; he is ftiled nox the but 
 that fhepherd, namely, that was promifed of old, the ob- 
 ject and the hope of the church from the beginning ; and 
 that great fhepherd, becaufe great in his perfon, great in 
 his power, great in his undertaking, great in his glory and 
 exaltation, above the whole crea.tion ; and the great fiep- 
 herd of the fheep, becaufe they .ire his own, a little flock in 
 the midft of wolves, which could never be prcferved,were 
 it not by the power and care of thh great Jhepherd. Ghfirve, 
 3. The work afTigned to God as a God of peace, he h rofght 
 again from the dead our Lord Jefus Chriff. Chrift is faid 
 to raife hmifelfin regard of immediate efficiency, hut God 
 the Father is faid to raife him in regard of fovereign au- 
 thority. God the Father,to whofe juflice the debt was 
 due, by letting Chrift out of the prifon of the grave, ac- 
 knowledged himfelf fa tisfied ; the God of peace, to evidence 
 that peace was now perfeftly made, brought Chrift again 
 from the dead. But how did he do this ? It is anf.vercd 
 by the hhodoftbe everlafling covenant, that is, by the blood 
 of Chrift liimfelf, which ratified and confirmed the cove- 
 nant. 4. The things prayed for, i. Perfedion in every 
 good work to do the will of God ; it is not an abfolutc 
 perfeftion that is here intended, but a readinefs to every 
 good work or duty of obedience. 2. Ta work in them that 
 ■which is -M.ll-pleajiag in his fight ; by this underftand the 
 aftusl gracious performance of every known duty. Note, 
 That the efficacy and aiflual efficiency of divine grace, in 
 and unto every ad of obedience and duty, is here prayed 
 for, and relied upon. Ohferve laftly, A doxology, or af- 
 criptionof all glory to Chrift, to whom be glory, Sec. AH 
 grace is from him, and tlierefore all glory to be afcribed 
 to him : The whole difpenfation of grace will iduc in the 
 eternal glory of Jefut Chrift. 
 
 2 2 And I befeech you, brethren, fuffer the word 
 of exhortation ; for I have written a letter unto you 
 in few words. 23 Know ye that owr brother Timo- 
 thy is fet at liberty ; with whom.if hecomefhortly, 
 I will fee you. 24 Salute all them that have the 
 rule over you, and all the faints, They of Italy 
 falute you. 25 Grace be with you all. Amen. 
 
 Our apoftle had fliut up and clofed his epiftle before; he 
 adds thefe verfes by way of poftfcript : Now he begs of 
 them kindly to accept, and wifely to improve the exhorta- 
 tions given them in his epiftle, wherein he had handled 
 many weighty matters in few words. He lets them know 
 that Timothy was fet at liberty, and probably gone forth 
 to preach the gofpel,with whom, if he returned fhortly,he 
 hoped to come unto then), being delirous to fee them : 
 And thus, with falutations to them in general, ai>d to 
 church-governors in particular, both from liimfelf aiidthe 
 Chriftians in Italy he wiflies them an increafe of all grace, 
 and an abundant fenfe of the love and favour of God in 
 Chrift ; faying, Grace betuithyou all. Amen. 
 
 THE 
 
T n s 
 
 GENERAL EPISTLE 
 
 o r 
 
 St. 
 
 AMES. 
 
 The fpi/i/e of St. James, togdlur with the fix following epijlks, have goJie under the name of catholic epijlksfor many ages, 
 bccaafe, fjy fome, tliey were mtn)rilten to a particular city orcowiitry, as mofl of St. Paul's ep'flles were, hu to all the 
 Chri/l an Jews abroad dfperfed intofcvcral countries throughout the world, wliofe fuffering condition rendered the con- 
 folation which this epjlle affords very needful and neceffary, as being greatly fupporting. The author and penman of 
 it W(Zi St. James, commjiily called James the Lefs, andour Lord's brHher, thefon of Alphcus. flyled afo James the Jifl, 
 and bifli'yp of Jerufalcm ; confeqiiently its authority cannot reafontibly be queflioned. The dcfign of thtepflle is.frfi, io 
 eJlahUpi the Chriflian Jews in a well ordered religimis courfe of life, and to fortify than agaiii/l fuffering from the iin- 
 bclteving Jews : Secondly, to correU a pernicious error about the fuffciency of a naked faith, and empty profeffum with- 
 out praHice, &c. xvhich fprungfrom a mifunde-'flanding andabufe of the xuay of jvflf cation by faith : The 4^gn of St. 
 Pu'il in ep. Rom. (of which rue have the fame in A&.<.. iv. 12.) was fo mamfcfi that Chrijl was the only one, and 
 Ch'iftianily the only way, to fet us criminals clear with God, fo as to bring us to himflf m gloyy. And St. James 
 fhews us, that it is wt tfie bare belief and profeffim of the Chnflian faith, but the power and praBical improvement of 
 it, tluit mifl make or render itfaving to us. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 JAMES, a fervant of God, and of the Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl, to the twelve tribes which are fcattcred 
 abroad, greeting, 
 
 Ohprve here, i. The author and penman of this epiftle 
 ."♦rfcrlbed by his name, Jaaies ; by bis office, a frrv-int of 
 GoJ, titJ of thi L'!td j'/u: Chr'-(l ; that is, by fp^cial office 
 as a difpenfer of his gofpel. It is the higiieJl honour that 
 can he conferred uponthe grcateft per(on,tobe the fervant 
 •)f Chrift, efpccially in the quality of anambjfTndor. tS'ote 
 tilfo, How St James ftyles hinfelf the lervant of GoJ, and 
 of the Lord Jefus Chrifl. Some read the words conj^iined 
 oiherj disjoined ; conj )ined thus,7^''»'i', a fervant of J eT"' 
 Chrifi, vjho is God and l.ird, ami thui the fathers urgfd 
 this te\t agiinfl the Arians ; to prove the divinity and 
 godhead of Chrifl ; others read ilie words disj)infd, thus 
 jfame! a frrvtiDt 0/ Gid, and of tht L,'d f^ii't Ckrif}. 
 Tiiis httcr reading feems nioft natur<<l, and lefs drained, 
 and afF.)rdb an argument for proving th<; divinity of.Chrift 
 no lefs vvei;thiy tbiti the former; for as the Fat her is Lord 
 as well as jefus Chrifl, fo jefus Chrift is God as well as 
 
 the FathT, and God will have all to honour the Son a» 
 thev honour the Father. 2. The peri'uns to whom this 
 epiftle is directed, to the tiudv: Irilies /'ratlertd ahrciid, that 
 is, to fnchaiid fo many of the Jeivs as uere convened to 
 chriftianity, and v\ ere now dilperfed and fcattered into 
 feveral countries and nations: tothem is St. James excited 
 and moved by God to write and direct this excellent epif- 
 tle. Here rtf/e, by the way, thefe three things: i. 
 That God's own people in general may be difperlcd and 
 driven abroad from their countries and habitations ; it 
 is no new thing to lufftr in this kind, Heb. xi. 38. thofc, 
 of whom the world was not worthy, wandered in defirtsand 
 niotmtains, woods and caves. 2. The feverity of God to- 
 wards tht people of the Jews, inpariicnlarthey were a (in- 
 ning people, a linful people, wearyof God, lickof his wor- 
 ftip, revere to hi^ Son : and God grews lick and weary of 
 them, an<i according to his threatening, Dent, xxviii. 64. 
 icattered th';in from one end of the eariliunto the oilier, 
 among all people. Lord! ho \.v dangerous and un'ifeit is to tell 
 upon, and glory in our outward privileges ! None had 
 more, none had greater privileges than the jews, yet for 
 their (ins the l.'nd fpewcd them out, and God difperled 
 ihein, and made thcui an hilfing and a bye-word among 
 
 the 
 
Chap, xin. 
 
 St. jam E-S. 
 
 1105 
 
 the nations. 5. The tcndernefs of God's love and care 
 tovi'ards the faithful ainongrt them in and under this dif- 
 perfion, he ftirreth up St. janjes to write to the fcattered 
 iriocs, and to apply feafonable ccniforts to them, and to ail 
 chriflia-ns with them in their fufFcfring ftite, which accord- 
 ingly he dees thronghout this whole epiftle. 
 
 2 My brethren, courit it all joy when ye fall into 
 divers temptations ; 3 Knowini^ thh, that the trying 
 of your faith workcth patience. 4 B'U let p \tiencc 
 have/^fr pcrfefcl: work, that ye may be pertccl and 
 entire wanting nothing. _ 
 
 Oar apoftli's defign in this epiCHe hcing to fupport the 
 believing Jevis under their great iutFerir^a tor theca.i!;; of 
 
 s chriftunity,he finl acquaints thein '.viththc nature ot thofe 
 fulTerings which ihey mif;ht exptiTtto f.dl under for the 
 fatne ; he calls ihcm teinptaticns,\hzi is, trials, tlev arc 
 correding iri.ls for fin, and thcv areexperiinental trial;, of 
 the truth of grace, and ot theflrengih ot grace ; the af- 
 fl ftioni of Gud'i ciiildren are trials calligatory, probatory 
 trials. Notf 2. The advice given in thel'e trial*, to count 
 it jiiy, all joy, when they fall into temptations, yea, into di- 
 vers temptations ; not ihat afflclions .*re in thetnfelves joy. 
 ous, the temptation or trial is not inatterofjoy, but of for- 
 row and heavinefs coniidered initfelf, hutbccaiife of their 
 good effect; and fweet fruits, in proving our faith, and in- 
 creafing our patience ; but niaik, he fayf, when ye fali In- 
 
 ' to tewplation ; not when ye run yourfelves into them, or 
 draw ther.i ',;pon yoUifclves ; we loofe the comfort of our 
 fufferings, s\hen, either by guilt or by imprudence, we 
 bring theni^pon (lurfelvcs. Here note, '1 h.it triaK, how 
 evil and a.^Hictive foever in theml'e!ves,and in their own na- 
 ture, yet adininiiler occalion of great joy to fincere chnf- 
 tians, Rorn. v. 3. If'e fliry in tribulations .• it denotes 
 the higheft joy, even to exultation and raviJlimeni ; that 
 there is joy rei'ulting from the cor.rKler:jtion of the glory 
 that redo.inds to God, of the honour done 10 us, of the 
 benefit done to the church, and ourfelves by coiifiriiiing 
 the faith of others : evidencing the finccrity of j.'race to 
 ourfelves, preparing us for, and giving us a fwifter paf- 
 fage to heaven. 3. Our apoftle's argument toprefs them 
 to Joy in, and rejoice nnder their af^Iiftions ; and this is 
 taken, I. From the n-Jture of them, they are trialsof faith. 
 2. From the effect and fruit of them, they beget or work 
 patience. Learn hence, I. That the iffl.ctions which 
 the people ot God meet with, are trials of all their gracef, 
 but efpecially of their. faith. Thi-s is a radical grace ; we 
 live by Uith, we*wc/rk by love : Now of all graces, Satan 
 has a particnlur Ipite againft the chrifhan's faith, and God 
 his a particular care for the prefervation and perfeiftion of 
 UjKnojuini^ the triul cf your fjith wirkiih ^at:< nee ; that is, 
 it adinmiltcrs maiterand occafion for patience, and by the 
 blclfing of God upon ir, it produces snd increafes patience; 
 often tri;d puts us upon frequent exercifes, and the fre- 
 quent exertife of grace llrtngthens the hiibits of grace : 
 Confiqijontly the tri.ire.cur triais Mp, the ftronger v. ill cur 
 p.itienie be. But Ut palitnitlhai^hcr perft^-uork,thatye 
 m ;y be perfri? and entire, wanting nothing. That is, "Let 
 your patienceaiid perfsverance under fulTsriDgs refbJuttJy 
 
 •Vcontinue and hold out to the end;" this the apoftle urges, 
 becaufe fome perfcns bore nut the fii ft brunt and onlitof 
 perfecuiion, but being cxercifcd w ijhadvtrlliy and Itngih 
 of trials, they fainted. Now, as if ihe apdllc had laid, '"If 
 we will be complete thrill ians, cur p.Tiicnceniuft run paralk^ 
 with our fuiTerings : ihusfhall we be perfect, not with an 
 ahfolute perfeftion, but with a perftction of duration and 
 pt-rfeverance." Learn, That affliiSfions fanftificd by God 
 dt> tend exceedingly, not only to the increafnig, but per- 
 ff (fling of a chrifiian's patience. Qj-r/i. But when has pa. 
 tiencvits perfci't work, issaking the chrillian pcrfeft r-nd 
 entire ? Arfw . When there is a ftrong faith, as the fonn- 
 da'ion of tiiat patience ; when there isachriflian fortitude 
 sr.d crurage, enabling usto fuftain trials; when thereisan 
 tx cl know ledge of our duty to bcarsffliftions with a nitek 
 ant'qniet fpirit, with a forbearingand forgiving Ipirii, yea, 
 w'lh a pra\ ing fp'rit, which includes the height of cha- 
 rily, under the higheft provocations; in a word, when 
 there is funnd witliin us tnd entire truft and dt pcnde rty 
 upon God's power and prcmife, ard a cheerful fob- 
 million, and quiet refgnsiion of our wills to his mcft holy, 
 wile, and nghiecus will, in and under the fiiarptft trials 
 and heaviett ifFliclions that can bcfal us ; then has putierce 
 /•a/J its per fet^ VIC k, 3f\d ibe lufFcring chriftian, in a gtfpel 
 qualified !ei,fc,inay be laid (o he ptrftii and ir.tire, wantirg 
 r'ltking, 
 
 (; If nny of jou lack wifdom, let him aflc cf 
 God, that giveth to all men Jibt-rally, nrdupbiaid- 
 eth not; and it fhall be given him. 6 Bui let then', 
 afk in faith, nothing wavering. For he that waver- 
 eth is like a wave of the fea, driven with the wind 
 and tofl'ed. 7 For let not that myn think that he 
 Ihall receive any thing of the Lord. 
 
 Chfeiveheic. i. A truth neceflarily fuppofed, that every 
 man, more or lefs lacketh wifdoni to enal It- liiai patieiuiy 
 to bear, and prudently to ni.inge, the ;ifl dions of this 
 life: and iha: there isneed of great wifdom to enable us to 
 glorify God in a fufFering hour. 2. 1 he perfon direifted 
 to in order to the obtaining of divine wifdcni, for the 
 patient bearing of afflictions; Let him ^ifk it of Cud. He 
 that wants wifdom, let him go to the foiintain of wifdcni. 
 God gives not his blefllngs ordinarily without fflcing, 
 and the belt of bhiHngs maybe had for afuing ; of the 
 two it is better to afic and not receive, than 10 receive and 
 not afk. 3. A great encourage tnent fcr all that lack wif- 
 dom to go unto God for it, drawn firft from the bouiirifol 
 manner ofhis giving, Ur giveth iHien^lly, wiibcut upbraid- 
 ing. Secor.dly, From the certainly of the gift, Ji/hc-lt he 
 given him. God'^s litjerality in giving what we alk, and 
 many times more than we afk, yea, Kiire than we can 
 either all-; or think, is a mighty r ncrurrgemt nt to fai'.b 
 and fervency in prayer, topcrl't verance and inipcrttiniiy in 
 praying ; e J'pecially if w e <.onfi»!rr w hat is adiie d, that as Gtd 
 giveth tiierull), (o he uphraidtth not ; that is, he neither up- 
 braids tin in with iheir fitqutnry and iin.poriunliy inafl-ipcr, 
 nor yet with tlieirgreat cnwcnhincfs cfrcceivii g; tutin- 
 ileadithrreof/iibjomsaDjlTurar.ccofgrantirg. It isa tr.ighty 
 
 CBCourrgec.tut 
 
ioi6 
 
 St. JAMES, 
 
 Chap. r. 
 
 encouragement topray.wlicn we confiJer there is not only 
 bounty in God, but bounty engaged by promiie. Obferve, 
 4. The condition required on our part mud be oblerved 
 and fulhllcd, as well at the proniife made on God's part : 
 Uitt let him ajk in faith, nothing -jjavfring. QufJ}. What 
 is it to afkiii iaitli? Anf-M. The perfoii praying inuft be in 
 a ftaie of believing : The petitioner muft he a believer ; 
 the thing afke<l for muft be an objec't of faith, by being 
 thelubjed-niatterof fomepromife ; a fervent prayer for 
 that which God never proinifed, is a foul iin. Again, The 
 manner of afking mull be faithful, with a pure intc ition 
 of God's glory, with cheerful rubmilfiun to God's will, 
 with fiducial recumbency upon God's prumife, with great 
 fervency and warmth of fpirit ; he that will prevail with 
 Jacob, m'.ift wreftle with Jacob for a blelTing. 5. The 
 evil and d.ingerof wavering and doubting in the matter of 
 jirayer ; the evil of it is this, that it is perplexing and tor- 
 Hienting to the inind : He that 'jjjvereth is driven and to/- 
 fed like a wave of the fea ; an elegant fimilitude to fet out 
 the nature of doubting, when upon our knees in duty. 
 And the danger of it is expreiTed, Let not that man think 
 he /hall receive any thing of the Lord. Note, That doubtful 
 and unbelieving perfoas when they pray, though ihcy re- 
 ceive Ibmeihing.yet they can expecfl nothing. Let him not 
 think to receive any thingjif he does, it is more than could 
 be expected, becaufe more than God haspromifed. Doubt- 
 ing ia prayer is a provocationto God ; and when a man's 
 prayer is a provocation, how can he expect his prayer 
 ihould either be heard or anfwered ? 
 
 8 A double-minded man is unftable in all his 
 ways. 
 
 By a douhl' minded man, we .ire to underftand one that 
 is divided in his own thoughts between two different ways 
 and opinions, as if he ha«l two minds, or two fouls ; many 
 fuch there were in the apoftle's days, Judaizing breihren, 
 that fometimes would fort with the Jews, fonietimes with 
 the chriftians ; many fuch there are in our days, divided 
 betwixt God and the world, between holinefs and Iin ; 
 lii;ea needle between twoload-ftones, always wavering to 
 and again, pointing frequently to hoih.but never fixed to 
 either : Such a man, fays our apoftle, is un// able in all hit 
 '.vayj ; that is, in all his actions. Learn hence. That 
 whilll men's minds are divided betsvecn God and their 
 lufls, they mafl necefFarily lead very anxious, uncertain, 
 and un(table lives, always fluduating in great anxiety and 
 uncertainty ; for he is always at odds u ith himfelf,and in 
 perpetual variance with his own reafon : Where men's 
 minds are double, their ways muft necelFarily be unftable. 
 
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that 
 he is exalted : 10 But the rich, in that he is made 
 low : bccauleas the flower of thegrafs he lliall pals 
 away. 1 1 For the fun is Jio fooner rifen with a burn- 
 ing heat, hvt it withereth the grafs, and the flower 
 thereof fallcth, and the grace of the fafliion of itpc- 
 rilheth : fo alfo fhall the rich man fade away in his 
 ways. 
 
 Our apoftle having finiftied h:s ncctffary digreflion con- 
 cerning prayer, in the foregoing verfes, returns now to his 
 former argument, concerning bearing afflidion with joy ; 
 and urges a ftroiig realon here to enforce the duty. Let 
 the brother of loM il'g"- ee ; that is, fuch a chrilliaii as is 
 brought low by perfecuiion and fulferings for Chrift, let 
 hmt rejoice that God has exalted him, and made him rich 
 in faith, and an heir of the kingdom : Nothing is more cer- 
 tain, than that the greateft abufes and fufferings for ChriU 
 are an honour and exhaltaiion to us ; he adds. Hut let the 
 rich rejoice in that he is made low, that is when he loofes 
 any thing for Chrift: As if the apoftle had laid, "Let the 
 poor chriftian rejoice, in that he is fpiriiually exalted, and 
 the rich man rejoice, in that he is Ipiritually humbled ; a 
 rich man's humility is his glory." Ohfin)e next, The a- 
 po'.He rendereih a reafon why the rich man (honld have a 
 lowly mind, in the midft of his flourilhing condition, b e- 
 caule all the pomp and grandeur of riches fades like a 
 flower, and he himfelf alio is be.iutiful, but fading ; fair, 
 but vanilhing : And he purfues this fimilitude of a flower 
 in the eleventh verfe, fhewing, that as the flower fadeth 
 prefentty before the heat of the fiorching lun, fo thericli 
 man fades, and all his riches are both trarlitciry ami palling. 
 Learn hence. That it may and ought tocomforia chiiftian 
 that fufters lofs for Chrift by perfecutors and perfecution, 
 to conlider, that the thing? which he loleth for the l;ikeof 
 Chrift, are things which he lofeth which could not have 
 been kept long by him, had they not beenrentfrom him; 
 hut that which lie fecures by his perfeverance, is an ever. 
 lafting treafure referved in the heavens for him ; by par- 
 ting with that which he ct.uld not keep, he m.'ikes fure of 
 that which he can never loofe : Well there^re may the 
 rich man rejoice in his humiliation ; let the brother, ire. 
 
 12 Blcfled is the man that endureth temptation : 
 for when he is tried, he fhall receive the crown of 
 life, which the Lord hath pramifed to them that 
 love him. 
 
 Inthefe words the apoftle laysdown a forcible argument 
 to pcrfuatle chriftians to her fufferings and perf'cutions 
 with invincible patience, drawn from the bit flednefs which 
 attends fch a condition : Bleffea is the man that endureth 
 temptations, c<r. AVf here, i. The ch.iracter of the per- 
 fon whom God pronounceih blfflcd; namel)'. Not the 
 nun that t fcapeth temptations and trials in th s life, but 
 he that bears them with courage and conftaiicy, with 
 patience and fuhmiflion. 2. A defcription of that ample 
 reward which fiiall be conferred uponfueh fuffercrs ; They 
 Jhull receivr the crotvn ef life ; where ohfervi, The felicity 
 of a future itate is let forth by a crown, to denote thC' 
 tranlcendrncy and perfc<ftion ofit; and by a crown of life, 
 to denote the perpetuity and duration of it. Note, 3. Here 
 is an intimation of the time when this tr.itifcendant reward 
 fiiall be difpenled, namely, w hen the fuffering chriftian has 
 finilhed his courfe with pai' I perfeverance : If hen 
 
 he is tried he /hall ret^ii^e^. '•>? from the whole. 
 
 That a pniieni and c*i '!> and afilic- 
 
 tions in this life, fliall t _. ^ -ith a crown 
 
 of blcnednefs aad iuimurtality iu l|ie liie to cumc. 
 
 13 Let 
 
Chat. i. 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 1017 
 
 13 Let no man fiy when he is tempted, I am 
 tempted of Goi. For God cannot be tempted 
 ^vithcvil, neither temptcth lie at))' man. 14 But 
 every man is tempted when be is drawn away of 
 bisownhift, and enticed. 15 Then when luft 
 h ith conceived, it brin>;eth forth fin: and fin. when 
 it is finifhed, brinj,cth forth death. 
 
 'I'h.Tf arc ihree forts of temptations fpf>ken of in fcrip- 
 tiiro, tcmp'aii-jns of fcJucl-cu, teir.piaiioixs of /ug^c/ii on, 
 am! icmp!..ti )^s of rff! ilioa ; the U[\ were fpoktn ut in 
 t!ie forrrier vcrfcs, Bu^'ed is tie tmu that ft-Jureth tcmpiii- 
 tion: the ftcornl firt'^are fpolccn of in thisveife, Let m 
 man ftiy when he U tcmttcdu. fm, / ant tempted ^ Cod, h'c. 
 Note hcie, I. That God is not the aii-.hor ot fin, nor 
 tenip-s any m^n to the ccmn.iffion of it ; if he <ikl, o»ir 
 evil aai 'ns could not be properly fins, nor July piinifh- 
 able by God ; f^r no man cm be jiiiHy pimifliablc tor that 
 •w: ich' he cannot help, .nnd no inan Cin help that which he 
 ■is cciTipilled unto ; and it is very unrcafon^ble to fiippofe, 
 that the fame porfon thoiild both tempt an^^ piinidi. To 
 tempt unto fm, is contrary to the hulincls ot G.d :^ And 
 after that to chailife for complyincr with the temptation, is 
 contrary to the judice of God ; God then is not the author 
 of the fins of men. 2. That men are very apt to charge 
 their tin upon God, and to lay thtir faults at his door. 
 Let no man fay fo ; infimaticig, that men are very ready 
 ani apt to fay fo ; and thai is^not only a fault, but an im- 
 pi-iis afierticin, to fay that Gjd tempts any man to frn. 
 Let nj m-.nf.y : He fpcaks of it as a thing to.be rejeaed 
 wi:h the utm-ft d':tcila:ion, a thing fo impious and dif- 
 hon-mrable 10 God. 3. The reaf^n and argument, which 
 the apo.^le brin^ againft tiiis impious fuggcftion. Cod can- 
 mt he tempted of evil, neither iempteth he any man \ that i.^ 
 he cannot be drawn to any thing that is evil himfelt, and 
 therefore it cannot be im.igined he (hould have any inclina- 
 ti" ■ ordefign to feduce others : He can have no tempta- 
 tion to fin from his own inclination, for he has a perfect 
 antipatl'.y againft it ; and there is no allureine.tit in fin to 
 Sir up an inclination in God toward it, for it is nothing 
 but crookednf fs and deformity : And how can he be fup- 
 pofed ro entree men to that which his own nature docs 
 abominate and ablior t For none tempts others to be bad, 
 Inirthofe who are finl fo ibcml'elves. Inference, I. No 
 doflrine then ought to be afTericd, or can be ma!4naiiied, 
 which is contrary to the natural notions which men have 
 of God, as touching Iiis holinefs, jiilHccj and goodnef";. 
 Inference, 2. If Grxl tempts not us, let us never tempt 
 him: Thiswedo,wli€n wetempt his providence, cxpefling 
 its protcdtinn in anunwarrantable way \ as when we are 
 negligent in our calling, and yet depend upon God's pro- 
 vidence to provide for our families, which is to approve 
 OurfoHy,and ro countenance our lloih. A'o.V,, 4. The true 
 account which our apofilc gives of the pievalcncy and 
 efficacy of temptati^'n up; n men, it is their ov\ u innate 
 corruption, and vicious inclination, which doth feduce them 
 to it, E-very mv'tis tempted, when he is drawn cftde ef his 
 KVJ lii/f, and enticed. M,.'ri, He dliesnoi afcribe it t'-" rhe 
 devil i he liiay and does prdelit the objcdl, and by his 
 
 infJrumcms may and does folicit for our compliance : His 
 temptations have a mning and (XciiinJ; power, but cat\ 
 ha^e no prcvailin- efficacy but from their "wn voluntary 
 confeBt; it is our own luffs clcfingwiih his temptaiinns 
 which produce the fm ; For God's commanding us t6 
 refill the devil, fuppofcs that histemptaiions are not iriefilU 
 able. Learn heiicc. That man's worft enemy, and mort 
 dangerous tempter, is the corruption of his own hc.-'.rt ;nd 
 nature; bccaufe it is the ininolt enemy, and brcaiife it is 
 an enemy that is lead fufpeilcd : A man's lull is himfelf, 
 and nattire teaches us in't to m.iihiill ourfelves ; What 
 rcafon have v\e then perpetually to pray, that God would 
 not lead us into temptaio.i, but keep us by his gcxd pro- 
 vidence out of the way of temptation, becaufe ue carry 
 about us fuch lufts and inJinaiions as will betray us^ to fin 
 when powei fiil leinptatinns are prcfented to us ! There is 
 no fuch way then to difarm temptations and take away 
 the power of them, as by mortifying our lufts, and fub- 
 duing our vicious inclinati( ns. 5. The account which 
 our apnftlc gives of the pedigree, birth, and growth of 
 fin: When ////?, that is, otrr corrupt indinaticns,. and 
 vicious deities have cencelved, that i.s, gained the confent 
 and approbation of the will, it bringeth forth and cn-ageth 
 the foul in (in ; and fin, when it is fitiiOicd in the delibe- 
 rate oirttwatd afti .n, and cfpccially w hen, by cuflomary 
 praflice, it becomes habitual, bringing forth death, the 
 wages of fin .- the firft approaches of fin are ufually inodclf 
 but afterwards it mnkcs bolder attempts ; our wifdom^ to- 
 refill the firft beginnings of fin, for then we have fftod 
 ftrength, and fin le^ft; to fiipprefs tin in the thoughts, to 
 mortity luft in the heart, before it breaks forth in the lite, 
 and at laft itfuc and terminate in death. 
 
 i6 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every 
 good gift, and every perfeft gift is from above, and 
 Cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom 
 is r>o variablenefs, neither fhadow of turning. 
 
 As if he had faid, " Be not deceived about the caufes of 
 good and evil; fin and death are certainly from ourfelves. 
 I^et us therefore never afcribe either our fins or our tempta- 
 tions unto God ; but every good and perfeiling gift is of 
 God's free d..nation and grace, even from above, from the 
 Father of lights, (both of the light ot nature, and the light 
 of grace) uiih -u;hcm is no variablenefs, neither Jhadcw ef 
 turnir.gixom go<>d to evil ; he is unchangeabk in hJ;flMuic 
 and being,, and in his anributes and properties." 'ream 
 hence,. "1. That we are very prone to err in our noii.>ns 
 and apprehenfions, as touching the authors of good and 
 evil ; too reedy to conclude either God or Satan to be the 
 author of the tin we commit, and ourlelves the authors ot 
 the good we do: Do nit err, my beLved brethren, in this 
 inattf r. 2. That a. fin, >\hich is nothing but evil and im- 
 pe'feaion, is not from God,, but whs.Uy from ourfelves, 
 and . ur own corrupt hearts ; fo whatever is good, pericdt, 
 or praife-worthy, is wholly from God, and not truin our- 
 felves ; we are nei^ler by natur- inclined to- that which is 
 good, nor are we able of ourftlvts to perform it; both in- 
 chnati- n and abdiiv are from God, who is the fountain of 
 go( dntis and perfeilion, and can never ceate to be lb, lor 
 6 N "wi'h 
 
ioi8 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 Ch.\p. 
 
 I. 
 
 ■with liim is no varlahkneft, ner fhuiIiW of turning. 3. That 
 God being tlie infitiiie F.ither of lights, he harh no cclipfcs 
 or decrc;:fc5, no fliadows or iTiixtiires of darlcntfs, but 
 always Hiincs with a fctileJ ardconllant brigl'inefs, ah\uvs 
 is, and \va-, anil loall eieiniiy wilibe, immiiiablv the fame, 
 and never undergo the lealt change, either of I. is eticnce 
 and being, or ot his pruperiits and pcifeflions; IJ ilh 
 whom is no vurlaHrnfJs, &c. A' no'hing argues greater 
 iinpcrftiflion iliaii inconllnncy and change, fo the gn-ater 
 and Tiorc glorious the diviii ■ pcifcdli ns arc, the grcattr 
 bltmLni ami itnperftifiic'n would mutability be ; were God 
 chan^ctbic, it would dji ken all his other perfci51 ions, and 
 lire the foundation ot all religion ; for \\ hocould either fear 
 nr love, trull or ferve that being who is fickle and inconftant! 
 "Wliai fecuritv could there be in his proniiles ? And who 
 ■woid.l reg.ird the terror of his threatening?, were he not in- 
 variable, and wiiliuut fh.idow of changing. 
 
 18 Of his own will he begat us with the word 
 oF truth, that we fhould be a kind of firfl-fruits of 
 liis creatures. 
 
 Thcfe words ire very expreffive of four things, namely, 
 of tlie eflicicnt cpiife, the iyipulfive caufe, the inllrumcntal 
 and the final catife of our regeneratiin. Ohjtrve, i. The 
 author and efiicicnt caufe of regeneration ; he that is the 
 Fttther (flights, tneniioned in the foregoing verfc, begat us, 
 N'Jf, That God, and God alonr, is the pri(nc efncient 
 caftfe of regeneration ; it is Aibje£lively in the creature, it 
 is efficiently from Gf>d : Chiifl appropriates this work to 
 God, Mitt. xi. 23. The Scriptures appropriates it to God 
 Pf:,l xxxiv. 9. called I is faints. And God himfcif appro- 
 priates it to himfcif, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. I tcill put my Jpirit 
 tvilbin them. &:c. Oljerve, 2. The impelling, impiddve, 
 aud moving caiife of regeneration, kisawnuitl : Ofhistwn 
 wiilhe begat us ; by his mere motion, induced by no caufe, 
 •but the goodnefs of his own breaft, of his ow n w ill, and 
 not naturally, as he begat his Son from etet nity ; of his izun 
 u.'/li ."ind not neceflarily, by aneceflity of nature, as the fun 
 enlightens and enlivens, but by an arbiiarincfs of grace; 
 a^ /jis nvn U'///,and not by any obligation from the creature; 
 by the will of God, and not for the merit and dcfert of 
 jnaii. 3. The inllrumcntal c^ufe of our icgcncraiion, the 
 •word ot truth, that is thcgofpel, which is the great in- 
 flrument in (iod's hand for producing the new birth in the 
 fouls of his peoph.-. Here note, The gofpel is called /r///i 
 bv llPay of excellency, ti^e word of truth, that is, the true 
 word; and alio ly way of emintncy, as containing an 
 higher and more excellent truth than any other divine truth 
 the gofpel declares the truth of all the Old Tcflament types. 
 ^. The final caufe of our new birth, that -we fhr,uld be a 
 Unci of frfi fruits of his creatures, that is, of his new crea- 
 tures, the chief ■among his creatures ; the firll fr'jits were 
 the beft tf every kind to be ottered to God, and were gfven 
 as God's peculiar right and portion ; thus the new-creature 
 is God's peculiar portion taken out of mankind, which 
 being conftcrated to God by a new begetting, they ought 
 to ferve him with a new fpirit, new thankfulnef-, as lying 
 under the lughefl obligations unto new obedience. 
 
 19 5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let eve- 
 
 ry man be fwif^ to hear, flow to fpeak, flow towrath. 
 20 For the wrath of man workcth not the rightcouf- 
 nefs of God. 
 
 Af^ if the apoflle had faid, " Seeirg God has put fuch an 
 h<inouruprn his word, the v«nrd ot truth, as by ii to he; 1 1 
 us to himfelf ; therefore be fwift to hear it, prize ii hig' ly, 
 and wait upon the means of grace readily and liilitenily ; 
 hux hcjicw tofpeak, that is, to utter your jtidgmcm of ■ • 
 tnitch moxcjliw in undeiiaking to be a tcijcher and c 
 difpenfcr of it ; a]i'o Jliur to ur.i/^, or tocontrn'ion ab( 
 the wordsand pointsof divinity : Wrath and palfion hintlii 
 all profit by the word, either preached, read, or difcourfcd 
 about; and a forcible reafon is rendered why all wra'^ 
 fliould be fupprelled, bQCaufc i\.c urath of m,.n ucrheth 1. 
 the righteoufnefs cfGcd; that ii, man's finiul anger will 
 never put him upon doing thofe thiugs that are jiift and 
 righteous in Gods account: or there is a figure in the 
 W'ords; more is intended than exprelfed ; the meanitgi', 
 that the wrath of man is fo far from working the liuhic- 
 oufnefs of God, that it workcth all manner of evil.'" Leeirt 
 hence, 1 hat man's anger u ufually tvil, and very unrighi- 
 ous: Ani^er, jurtly moderated, i a duty, but fuch a duty us 
 is very difficultly managed without fin • rafh, cauftlcfs, and 
 immoderate anger, gratifies the devil, difhonours God, dif- 
 credits religion, wounds our ow n peace. 
 
 2 1 Wherefore lay apart all filthinefs, and fuper- 
 fluity of naughtinefs, and receive with meeknefs the 
 engrafted word, which is able to fave your fouls. 
 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers 
 only, deceiving your ownfelves. 
 
 Thefe words area dire«Slion given for%e right hearing 
 of, and due profiting by the word C'fGod. In order to 
 the former, our apolUe thews, i. What we muff lay afic! 
 namely, allftitl.imfs, and fuperfluity cf naughtinefs ; that i 
 all fcn'ual iiifls, and angry paflions. And, 2. Recer 
 with meeknefs, calmncfs, and fubmifTion, the engrafted wsi,. 
 that i , the word planted andfown in our hearts by t; 
 hands of Chrift's niiniflers ; which is ci.'e to fave cur fouls 
 that i-, froni hell and damnation ; yet does not the wr, 
 fave of itfclf, but God by the word; the power of the 
 word is not intrinfical, but extrinfical, derived from God, 
 whofe the word is. Learn hence, i. That as sll fin ia 
 general, fo anger, wrath, and malice in particular, ought 
 lobe laid afide by '-.5 at all fimes, hut then tfpectally when 
 wc go forth to hear the word ot God. 2. That the word 
 mufl be received with all meeknefs of fpirit, if we would 
 hear it with profit and advani.ngc ; there muff not be found 
 •with us cither a wrathful fierctnef-, ora proud ftubhornefs, 
 or a contentious wrangling, but humility and brukenncfs 
 of fpirit, docibility and tra£lab!eners of fpirit, under the 
 word, otherwife all our hearing will be ?.n adiliti«.n tp 
 our fin, and an aggravaii.ic of eurcondeir,na;ion. ->. Th^t 
 the word muft not only be apprehended and received bv u 
 but implanted and engraf'ed in u.v,.or it will never bcabl. 
 
 to fave our foi.Is ; reccne the engrojied wordzolich ;V oth 
 tojave your fouls, ^urf. But how u^ay we kr.ow when 
 the wf;rd is an cngraficd word ? Anfw. When it is a 
 Iniitlul word, Col. i. 6. ThiiicrJoJihitrutLifthegyjel 
 
 e 
 
 ea 
 
Chap, i 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 1C19 
 
 // ccnif untc you, and hrin^tlh foiih fruit, 4. Though hear- 
 ing: of the word be a duty, yet it muft not be rcftcd in ; be 
 liearcr?, but not only hearers : Alas ! bare hearing of the 
 word is the leaft part ot chrilHanity, and the lighteft part 
 of clirirtianity ; though we be intelligent licarerj, though 
 '• " be very diligent and attentive hearer?, though ive be 
 :tionalc Jiearcrs, yea, though we make great proficiency 
 Laowlcdjje by "ur hearing, yet all this \^ill deceive usat 
 , if nothing 'farther be added to it. 5. That the doers 
 ,c vvnrd arcthe bcft hearers, yea, the only hearers in 
 Is account : Not to hcarataliis athcilUcal, and pro- 
 :s no religion ; to hear, and net toknow and beaffedled 
 \\ what wc hear, is ftnical, and breeds a blind religion; 
 mow, and not to do, is Pharifaical. and breeds a lame 
 jon ; the practical hearer is the only approved hearer 
 ihc account of G:id : A gcsH ttnderli.mdirifr have ihry 
 :■ -f do thy cotmr.mdments, Pfal. cxi. Laflly, Without thi';, 
 aii our hearing is but fclt-dccciving ; and tliisis the moft 
 fl) imeful decei', the moft dangerous deceit, and, if timely 
 Care andondcJvoursprevcnt not, an irreparable and eternal 
 tlcCLit. 
 
 23 For if atiy be a hearer of the word, and not a 
 doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural 
 face in a glafs : 24 For hebeholdeth himfelf, and 
 goeth his way, and ftraightway forgcctcth what 
 manner of man he was. 
 
 In thefe words our apoflle deC-lnres the v.?nity and unpro- 
 fitablcnefs of a bare hearing oftheword, by a (i.Tiilitude 
 tsken from a man looking in a glafs ; though he fee"; in 3 
 glafs his own natural face which he was born ■vviiii,whillt he 
 is looking in ii, yet no fooner is he gone from ir, but he 
 forgets the figure and fafhion of his own countenance, hav- 
 ing had only a flight and tranficnt view of it; fo in lilie 
 manner, the preaching of the word has not an awakening 
 influence, and leaves not an abiding imprefiion upon moft 
 hearers, who are willing to be deceivixl, and to deceive 
 themfclves, by a bare and n.iked hearing of divine truths. 
 Learn hence. That the word of God is a giafs, or as a 
 glafs, in which the fold's complexion may be feen : In this 
 glafs we may fee both God and ourfc-ivcs. Chriit's beautv, 
 and our own deformity, both <ur difeafe, and our rciT)<;dy. 
 2. That thephifsof the wurd mud not be carclefly and ciir- 
 forily lo:]ked into, with a flight an.l fupcrfi.ial t;l"nce, but 
 if uc djiire to have all the fpots and blcmifhes of oi.ir 
 fjuls thoroughly difcovcred, we muft keep it before our 
 
 < continually, and drefs otirfods bv it. 
 
 2-y But whofo looketh into the pcrfefl law of 
 libcrt)',aiid continuclh therein, he bei n^ not a for'ct- 
 ful hearer, bnt a doer of the word, this man fhall 
 be blcircd In his deed. 
 
 0^/;r here, 1. The tilk gl\\n 10 the \\ord I'f G(xl par- 
 ticularly tiK- gofpcl, it i- called li/'fr/y, a .'etv of lib^tv, and 
 ^pitfeSi law.of liber'y : partly ntciiufeif calleth u^ to aftate 
 or liberty and freedom, snd teaclieth its the way to true li- 
 berty and ofll-rsus the a(1i(iance of afpirit of lib'eriy; partly 
 bcMKfcit fparcih none, hut dealeih v.iih r^ll perfons freely, 
 ■JUt r^fpecl cfperfons; the r^-^jfptl, or wi rd ct Gcd, 
 
 then is a law of liberty. 2. The duty here rcqiired, with 
 reference to this law ot liberty, namely, to lock into it, and 
 continue therein, to look into it w iih an accurate and nar- 
 row iufptcSlion, as the difciples did into Chrifl's fepiikhrc, 
 and as the angels look iniothe iryHeriesof falvaticn, I. Pet. 
 i. I 2. To look into the law of 1 bcrty, implies decpnefs of 
 meditation, and livelinefs of imprcffion ; and continm'ng 
 therein, imports pcrfevcrance in the knowledge, faith, and 
 obedience of the gofpel, in order to our fniiifuinefs in good 
 works: If ye abide in v:e, and m\ ivord nlide in you, fiys 
 Chrift, ye jhitU bring forth much fruit , John xv. 5. 7. 01- 
 ferve, •5. The reward pronifcd and infurcti to fuch as loo.'c 
 into the gofpel, that law of liberty, that continue in V., and 
 are doers ot the work required by it, tley ere I'lefjed in their 
 deed; there is a bicliednefs annexed to the doing of that 
 work which the word of God requires ; yet mark the dif- 
 tinclncfs of fcripture phrafe ; the npoftle doth not fay, iliat 
 the doers of the word (hall be blelied for their deed, but in 
 their deed; it is an evidence of our bkHldnefs, not the 
 ground of ir, the way, though not the caufe of bleliednefs. 
 
 26 1[ If any man among you feem to be religion'' 
 and bridlcthnot his tongue, but dccL-ivcth liis 0\^n 
 lieart, this man's relii^ion ii \-ain. 
 
 Obferve here i. That there have been, art, ande\ei;, 
 will be many profelibrs of reii';ion, wliofecm, and only *' 
 fecm to be religion-. That an unbridled and ii:igoverned 
 tongue, is a certain fign and evidence of a man's bring 
 only feeiningly religious; it fecms there were many un- 
 bridled tongues in the apoftlc's days, amongfi: the pto- 
 fefl"or> ot cliriltianity, wh.ich put the apodle iipon fpendiug 
 the whole: third cl'.::pter about the governmeni of the 
 tongue ; the grace xrA word of God are bridles, which vc 
 are to put on 10 rellrain us ircm finful and cxctfiive .^peak- 
 ing. 3. That fuch a man as iretenJs to relii^ion, and . 
 feems to be religiotis, without briulingand gov rning t.f his 
 tongue, all his religion is but vain ^nd feit'-d;:ceiving : 
 I'nin; ihat is. empty in fliew and appearace only, nothing 
 in truth and in reality: Or vain, that is incftlJliial ; it 
 doth not perform its office, it docs not aivfA\eritp end 
 their religion will do them no good, (land th^-m in no fteud; 
 that taith, that htipe, thofe prayers which will cc:-.f:.'l with 
 the reigning evils of the tongue, aievairi fclf deceiving ; 
 that religion which cannot drive the devil '^iit-«;f the tongi.c 
 will never prove Chrilt to be in the heart; that reliigrn 
 which cannot taina the tongne, \\ ill never fave the fi.ii] ; 
 though fomee\ils of the tongue inay confilt w ith grace, \er 
 an unbridled tongue cannot conlift with it : Deceit in our 
 lips is as bad as tallehood in our dealings, and viruleiKe in 
 our tongue as bad as violence in our hands; and if thy 
 rcligi.)n be vain, all is vain to thcc ; thy hopes arevair, 
 thy comt >ris arc vrin. The fum is, ihat an unbridled 
 tongue, in a religious, prof, tlor, is enough to preve liis ,'e- 
 ligoti is vain. 
 
 27 Pure religion and undefilcd brfoveGodand 
 the Father is this.Tovifuthe falherlels and widows 
 in their aiilidion, end to keep himlelf unlaoltcd 
 fioiu the world. i ''■ ' 
 
 Obferve here, i. Tlwt the r.poAlc doiii nct*fet' dfei^i the 
 f' N 2 > , il^h.jU 
 
lO'JO 
 
 St. J a M E S. 
 
 Chap. n. 
 
 whole if rsliiii>n, h-it nn eminent part nnl in.lincc of it 
 only: purertligion is iNi, ihat is, this is the pratHi^f of 
 rdi^i')!!, without which all relis^i 'ii is vain; this is :in trmi- 
 Jient triiit, which fpiiiigs from the root of pure religion; if 
 pure rcli-ion live- in the heart, the fmits of pious chai ity 
 \\ ill appear in iHie life. 2. Thnt adis of charity, when they 
 flow iutm a religion* principle, dr> comnitncc adl.<: of 
 (^M-j-Mj, tti;>J)/ip: To I'iiit the widow and f.iihcrltfs, 
 conlidcred in iifdf, may be only an adl of imiilFercncy 
 Slid civil courlcfy ; but when it is performed as an 
 adl of duty, in obedience to the command of God, or 
 as an aiSl ('f mercy and pity, for the Aipply of their wants 
 by our ptirfe, or ior the comfortin|j of their hearts by our 
 A-'ciinfil; being thus done out of coiifcicnce, it is as nc- 
 jCcptablc to God as an nft of wor(hip. 3, Hi>w the apo!\le 
 joins charity anil purity together ; a pretence to the one 
 without the other, dilcovcrs the inliiicerity of both; the 
 relieving of the affliiSlcd, and a life unfpotted, niuit go to- 
 gether, or G(xl accepts of neither : Pure religion is this, 
 To I'iftt the xui/iiw, an/i kerp himfelf unfpoltfJ, f<c. that is, 
 from the dirfilcment and pollutions of the world by the 
 lults thcrcaf ; plainly iniimaii.ig, i. That the world i.s a 
 filthy place, a dirty ticfiling ihin;^. What cotiipany almod 
 can you co*nc into, generally fpeakinii:, that is not footy 
 and leprous? H ov/ hard is it to converfe with them, and 
 ti')t be polluted and infcdcd by them ? even as hard as it 
 is to touch pitch and not be defiled. 2. That it is our 
 duty, and ous^ht- to be our daily ende.ivour, to keep our- 
 fclves as untainted by, and iinfpoi ted from the world as we 
 can : And that we may efcape the pollutions w'hich are in 
 the world through lidl, let us be inllantin j)rayer, diligent 
 in our watch, .that if we cannot make the world better, 
 that l^all never make us worfe. 3. That we fhould more 
 snd more grow weary of the world, and long for hcavcr» 
 where tt-.cre is nothing that defileih, where wc (hall have 
 pure hearts, pure company, every thing agreeable, and tlvis 
 not for a taw v^ars, but for cverlading ages. Lord! when 
 fliail wcafcendoH high, to live with thee in purity ? 
 
 C II A P 11. 
 
 Our appjlk in this chapter admonj/hes ngainjl the fin of 
 refpecling perfons in rcVgious matters hcaufe of 
 worldly advantages ; and cautions againfl that fatal 
 opinion of the fuffciency of a hare and naked faith, 
 in order to fdvation, zoit/iout the prrfence and tt/li- 
 vicny of works. 
 
 MY brethren, have not the faith of cur Lord 
 JefusChiift, //ir Z.o;t;J of glory, with refpctl 
 of perfons. 2 Forif there cotne unto your aH'eni- 
 bly a inan with a gold ring in goodly apparel, and 
 there come in alfo a poor man in vile raiment ; 3 
 And ye have refpe£l to him that weareth the gay 
 clothing, and fay unto him, Sit thou here in a good 
 ]>Iace : and fay to lliepoor, Stand thou there, or 
 ill here under m^- looillotol: 4 Ate yo not then 
 
 partial in yourfclves, and arc become judges of c- 
 vil thoughts ? 
 
 For the better undcrflanding ofihefc word', let iiscon- 
 fidcr, I. Wh.it the apoflle doth not; 2 Wh.tt he doth 
 concemn. i. What is here nor condemned, namely, ft.) 
 The paying cT civil rtTpeftto all perfons, tccording to their 
 chara(3cr, and a ditTerent refpeifl to perfons, according '.o 
 their ditfercnt qip.iliiics : Hcnouris 10 be given to whom 
 hou'Mir i«diie, and the richare entitled to rcfpedl ; and that 
 they receive it from us, is no ways difplealing unto God, 
 (i.) Much lefs does our apolUe here fp.ak againft honour- 
 ing magiltrates, or paying rcfpeifl to our ecclelianical rr 
 civil rulers and governors in their courts of jiiilicatur-.- : 
 Civility, yea, Chrillianlty, calls for outward rcfpcfl an I 
 reverence tiithem tint are above ii.«, efpccially if in autho- 
 rity over us. But politivt-Iy, that which is here condenined, 
 (i.) In general, is paniili'v in our rcfptil to perfi>ns i 
 religious matters, for in the things of Gent all are eqiia! , 
 the rich and the poor ftand upon the fame terms of ailiai.- 
 tage ; external relations and diScrenccs bear no weijht .' 
 the gcfpel-be.mi ; therefore, to difefleem any of the pr- 
 mctnbers of ChrilK as fiich, is to difcilcem and undctvali 
 Chriit hiinfelf. Holinefsi!- not lefslovly to him becai 
 clothed wiih rags, nor imhilincfs lefs loathlciir.e becaufe 
 goes in a gay coat with a gold ring. Wiekednefs is ?.b ' 
 minable to Chrift, and ought to bii (o to us, though it fj 
 upon a throne, and holnefs rtiines in his eve (and may .c 
 in ours alio) though it lies upon a dimghill. (z.) That 
 which ftctrii here to be condemned in r-ariicular, is th-: 
 ac epting of pcrfon^ in judgment, u^ on th accvjunt rfou - 
 ward advantage-, proceei'inL' not accoraaig o '.iie mcrif. ( t 
 the caufein thtir eccl -fiirtical and civil juOTtature , but ac- 
 eonling 10 external rcfptiSl? Our apoAle woidd by ro 
 means have them pay a deference to a rich inan in judg- 
 ment becaufe of his richc-, or gay attire, nor to p?S ovr 
 the poor faints in their affl-mb'ie', for want ot the gc! ' 
 rin^, and goodly apparel, feeing their faith clothed thei 
 with a greater and more valuable glory, which renders 
 them more honoitrable than any riches or gay dothirg 
 ■Could do. And mark the apr.ftle'i vehement expolhilatii : 
 which carriei with it the force of aftvercreprchenhon: Jr- 
 you vol partial, and htcome judges fruil theights? A; it he had 
 faid, " Arc ye notcondcnincd in yourfelve , and ccnvinced 
 in your own confcience? that yoii do evil ? are you not hi 
 come judges of evjl thoughts ; that is, do you not pais 
 judgment from voiir evil thought', in thinking the rich 
 woiihy of refpcft in judgment for hi gnrgeou"- atiire, rnd 
 outward greatncf--, and the poor fit to be defpifed fir hit 
 outward meatincf? Is notih.i- an evil, a very evil thought 
 in you, to think liim the bell man that weareih the cc'l 
 clothes and him a vile perf n that i-. in vile ppparel.- 
 From the whi'Ie lenrn, i. That men are very prt ne t.> 
 iionotir worldlv greatncfs in general, yea, to give i(<o grcrt 
 a prcferei;ce to it, even in matters of judgment. Man ii 
 very cften fwa\ ed injudgnieni by the power, p'-.mp, and 
 fplendoiir of men ; we are apt to xhh\k that they that are 
 worth moll are mo(l worthy : 1 liii- incn, g' 'd men, in ay 
 mif-fudge e-f men ; but thus to accept the pertons ct men, 
 cither in fpirituxl or ei\il jt.dgn.nii is a provokiiig I'n. 
 
 ^ Ileaikca 
 
CilAP. II. 
 
 St. J a M li S. 
 
 102 1 
 
 5 Hearken, my beloved br^'thren, h.ith not God 
 choten the poor of this world, rich in faitli, .ind 
 heirs of the kingdom which he hath promifed to 
 them that love him ? 
 
 To prevent the growin;;^ evil condemned in the foregoing 
 veriL', ot iindervaluiniT iliolc itvit are ricli in grace, becaiife 
 p<):^r ill tllatc, the apoftle in this vtrft declares how God 
 hiiiilcit gives criuntenancc to the contrary pradicc ; he 
 colliers a threefold disunity upon them; they are chofen 
 by him, tiscy arc ricli in faith, and heirs of the kingdom of 
 heaven now : As if the apollle had faid, " Are they (it to 
 be dcfpiRd by yoii, that are thus liighly dij;nified :nd en- 
 riched by God f" And to llir lip their ationrion to what 
 he fj)cuks, he iifhers in his interrogation with this, Hearki-r:, 
 i/iy teLved hrethren, &c. Z,^<.'r«l'ence, That fiich as are 
 poor in tliis world, and difei'tcemed of men, may yet be 
 chofen ot God, rich in grace, and heirs of glory. This he 
 dats, to demonflrale the fovercignty and frcenefs of his 
 grace, and the glory of his wifdom. The firfl choice that 
 Chrilt made ot perfons to be his followers were poor nun ; 
 and ever fincc, gent-rally fpeakincj, they are the pror that 
 receive the gofpcl : God has more rent, and better paid 
 him, from a fmoaky cottage than from many (lately 
 palaces, where incn wallow in wealth, and forget G<.'d. 
 
 G But ye have defpifed the poor. Do not rich 
 men opprefs you, and draw you before the judg- 
 mciit-leats ? 7 Do not they bialpheme that worthy 
 name by the which you are called ? 
 
 0>ir apoflle here charges them downright with that fin 
 which lie had been before condemning, namely, an undue 
 refpcfl of perfons, dtfpiliiig the poor whom God hiinfclf 
 had cholVii and honoured : But ye have dejfifcd the poor. 
 Defpiling the pour, is a fin not only agalrift tiie word, but 
 againd the works of God : it is againll his word and e.\- 
 prcfs command, backed with a fcvere threatening, -cnltr wj 
 in/} the vineyard of the pcor \ that is, cpprrfs them rut, fcr 
 his aveiij^er is inigbty, and Cod xuill plead his ca'ije tor him, 
 it is alio aguinlt his works and his end in the creation ; for 
 God never made any creature for contempt ; he then t'lat 
 Cefpifcih the foor reproacheth his maker, that is, Cun- 
 dcmneth the word of God ; which is as much feen in 
 making poor, as in making rich ; in making vallies, as in 
 making hills. Olferve tarthf-r, The apoltic (liews them 
 what iiiile rtafon and caiife they liad as toVilify tlie poor, 
 fo to idolize and adore the rich ; ds not rjch tntn cpfn-Js nii 
 bv tyrannv, and draw you bejorc the judgment ■J'ciil., like the 
 vi'.ell maletadors : Do not they blalplicmc the name oi 
 Chrirt f th.a worthy name from which you are called 
 chrillians, and fpit in the very face of your h(.-ly rt!ii;ion ? 
 Learn, I. That wicked rich men are Jitt-times opprellbrs, 
 foinciimvs perfccuiors ; they have frequently both will and 
 po'.ver, both difpoliiion and occafion to do both, 2. That 
 (ippreJo.'-s anJ perlecutors are generally bhdphemers ; they 
 bl.^fpheme the na-rie of Ctirilt, that worthy name which 
 wh-jfoever nameih ou^ht to depart from all iniquity, 
 2 Tim. ii. 19. 
 
 8If yc fulfil the royal laiv, according to the fcrip- 
 
 turc, Thou fimlt love thy ncighbouras ihyfelf, yc do 
 well : g But if ye have rclpcdl to perfons, ye coi>i- 
 mit fin, and are convinced of the law as tranfurcffori. 
 
 Ohfcrve here, i. The honourable title put upon the law 
 of God, a mflZ/rti/;: Royal in its author, Jifiis Chrift, 
 Heb. xiii. 25. Chrift's voice lho(.k mount Sinai : Royal in 
 its precepts, the duty it requires of us is noble and ex- 
 cellent, nothing but what is our interenasmen.our honour 
 and happinefs as chriflians, and what tends to the perfcift- 
 ing and ennoblini: of our natures : Rcryal in its rcv.ards : 
 True, our work cr.n dcferve no wages ; however, our ro^al 
 Mailer will not let us work for nothing. Saf^n, as a 
 madcr, is bad, h.is work much worfe ; but his wages worfl 
 of all. Chrid is a royal Mailer, cbedieiice to his law is 
 rovnl fervice : And how royal is his rewarti, in making us 
 kings and pricfls unto God on earth, and crowned kings 
 and princes with God in heaven ! Ohfcrve, 2. Our duly 
 declared, with relation to this royal luw, namely, to lulhl 
 it : If ye fulfil the royal iuvj, according to the fcripiiires. 
 that is, if ve pay a fiucerc rcipccl to the whole duty of th e 
 law, if you come up in your cbeilience to that univerfa/ 
 love of God and your neighbour Vfhich the law require^ 
 )c do well i where, by neighbour, we arc to iir.deritand 
 every one to whom Ave may be helpful ; the coniniaiid to 
 love him as ourfilves, fliev. s the manner, not the mca'urc, 
 of our love ; the kiiul, not the degree ; the parity and likc- 
 nefs, not the equality of proportion ; we mult mind the 
 good of our neighbo:ir as really and truly, ihcugh not Co 
 vehemently and earnedly, as our own. 3. How the apof- 
 tle conviiSls them for walking contrary to this law, in ho- 
 nouring the rich and dei'pifing the poor, and in judging 
 according to men's outwaid quality and conditii n : Jf \e 
 haic refpccl to perfons in this manner, ye commit ilii, and arc 
 convince i ci\ the law as tranfgreilors. How doe^ the law 
 convince? Not only by reproving, but by prc.viiig : It 
 ihews us a rule, and fjith, " There have ye departed from 
 it ; here is a line, and there ye have iraulgrclled it ; cither 
 gone Over it, or gone befidc it.'' Learn heuce, Tiiat the 
 rule of the word dilcwers wickcdnefs fully to the confcii.nce 
 of the finiier, xvlio winks hard, and is loth to lie ifnder the 
 cojiviiSit^iS of it. 
 
 10 For whofocver fhall keep the whole law, and 
 yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 
 
 Here the apoflle doth luppofe a cafe which ought to make 
 everv perfon very coni". ientious in Ids obcditiice to the 
 whole law ot God, namely, that in cafe a man v\ ere careful 
 toobfervean the laws of God except ( nc, his living in tl:c 
 brer.ch of iliat one (hall be fo far trt^m being ci niiived at 
 upon the account of his obedience to all the rdl, that he 
 fhall be lijblc to the punilhment which is due to the tranf- 
 greflion of the .whole law; \o the fame puniihir.cnt tor 
 kill, I fjy, ni>t tor degree ; bccaiife the more and greater 
 iins iTitn are guilty of, ilie greaier and Icvercr Ihall be tht-ir 
 punifliment, which conlilt< in being tor ever baiiiilieu from 
 the prefencc of Go<l, and in being imprifoncd wiih de\ils 
 and daiJined fpirits, which \i> cMkA eternal death. Learn 
 hence, lliat whoever allows hiiiifelt in anyone fin^be it 
 either of omiflion or commiilioM, willingly, corllanily, and 
 
 with 
 
102? 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 Trill" nllownncc from confcifnce, and c!oih not convert and 
 Mrn from it iinuj GoJ, he is rcrtainly in a (tatc of ilr.mnn- 
 tiori, becaufe he affror.ts the (ovcrcignty, anJ contemns the 
 nnthoriiv of that God that matic and cnadltd the w'lolc 
 law, and alfo Hands in a |)repiircd rcadinefs and difpoliiion 
 to break any other, yea, all oificr law^, in the groHcil man- 
 ner, whcdfiicvcr any forcible temptation may alfaidt him. 
 Add to this, that living in the breach of any one law, will 
 tniilcc a pcffon unmeet for the enjoyment of Gud, as well 
 ns living in the breach of all. 
 
 1 1 F(jr he that faid, Do not commit adultery ; 
 i;:id alio, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no 
 adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranf- 
 greflnr of the law. 12 So fpeak ye, and fo do, as 
 they that (hall be judged by the law of liberty. 
 
 As if the apofile had faid, " He that threatened adul- 
 tery with death, threatened alfo murder with diaih ; it is 
 the fame lawf,i\ cr that forbids both, and his authority is as 
 truly contemned in tr.-'nfgrcding one as both thcfe laws. 
 Difobedience to God, in any one law, is a virtual denying 
 of his authority to prefcribe any law to us, and lays a foun- 
 dation for univerfal difobedience; for it Alniighiy Gods 
 foVcrei<;n'.y be difowncd in any one inrtancr, it may as 
 Well he fo in all others ; the fame reafon that leads to the 
 tbfervation or violation of one law, doth cblicc iis to keep 
 or break all the refF, and that is the authority of the law- 
 giver. The whole law hath sn equal obligation tipon the 
 confclence." From hence the apofile draws this inference, 
 that perfons fhoidd fo fpeak and fo dn, fo order their 
 fpeechcs and their aflions, as they that Jhall be judged by 
 the law of liberty. Ncfe here, i. That all we fay and do', 
 ail onr a£linns and exprefTions, do fall under the judgment 
 and fentencc of the law of God. 2. Tiiat the law of 
 Goti, in the hand of Chrifl, is the law of liberty ; we are 
 freed frotn if as a covenant, freed from its condeinnatory 
 Curfe, from its ri^orons exactions, bondage, and terrors. 
 The law to a believer is a law of liberty, and to others a 
 law of bondage and death. 3. That it will be a great- 
 help to tis in our chriflian coiirfe, to thvnk often that ail 
 oHr words and aflions mufl come into judgment ; it is 
 agreeable to the libcrtv of the gofpel to believe and remem- 
 ber, that ail wc fay and do mufl 6e judged by the law of 
 liberty, 
 
 J 3 For he fliall have judjjmcnt without mercy, 
 that hath fliewed no mercy ; and mercy nyoiccth 
 againft jtidgmcnt. 
 
 That h, He that whiifl he VivcdJ/irurJ ns wrrcy, but had 
 o;>portiinily and ability to fhcw ii, JIjhII hu'e J!irl;;rncnl 
 ivithout mercy \, that i-, fl)all be very fevcrcly handled by 
 Go{| ill the great day. and the fen'cn^'e tba» fHall pafs up.cn 
 him will be iiifwpporlablc : Rut mem rej'.iceth tigainfl jiirig- 
 rirnt, or triiimplieth over judgment ; thai is, nieicy in fome 
 degree of cxa'tation ; fiich a mercy as has covetoiifncfs, 
 bard-hcartednefV, and pcnurioufncfs, with all its cntnic, 
 iindcLifs tiet ; fuch mercy qnrdifics, (Irengthcns., and 
 enables 'he perfon i.i whom it is found, to be confidcntlv 
 'ecurc tliat he Hull receive no prejudice or hurt, bv I'.iat 
 
 judgment which God fhall pafstipon the world at the ercat 
 day. Learn from hence, 1 hat merciful men, whofc hearts 
 and hands are much cxercifcd in doing good, and (hewing 
 mercy, by means of the confcioufnefs of thcfc God-like 
 difpofiiinns in themfelves, are, or may be, full of a joyful 
 and blellcd feciirity, that they (hall (land in the great judg- 
 ment of the woild, and find favour and acceptance in the 
 eyes of the judge i whin all unmerciful, covetouy, and 
 hard-hearted perfons, (hall fall under the fentence, and be 
 groimd to powder by it. 
 
 i.j What Solh it profit, my brethren, though a 
 rran fay h(" hath faith, and have not works : Can 
 faith favc him ? 15 If a brother or fiftcr be naked, 
 and deflitutc of daily food; 16 And one of you fay 
 unto them, Depart in peace, be )e warmed, and 
 filled; notwithftanding ye give them not thofc 
 things which are needful to the bodv ; what ihlh 
 it profit ? 16 5 Even fo faith, if it hath not woik.s, 
 is dead, being alone. 
 
 Our apoflle here rn'ers upon the fecnnd part of hi.< dif- 
 courfe contained in thischapter, namely, tofhew the vanity 
 of a frniilefs faith ; that fuch a faith as is not the parent and 
 principle of obedience, and produilive of wood works, \% 
 altogether incffcflual and unprofitable. Fuiih of no kind, 
 when it is alone, is juflifying ; as there can be no good 
 woiks without faith; fo vhere true faith is, it wiil be 
 fruitful in good work";, otherw ife faith is no more faith ; no 
 believing without obedience will av^il lis; therefore St. 
 Paul and St. James both agree to render fo faiih the things 
 that are faith's, and not to take awavfrom works tl'e things 
 that arc works. If hat doth it profit n man to fny he hath 
 fnilh, Arc. As if rur apoflle had faid, " Let not any 
 pcrfon think his faith fufhcient to juflify and fave him with- 
 out the works of charity and mcrcv." Alas ! a mere 
 ■worldly p^of(■fl^•)n is a poor unprofitable thing ! What v. ill 
 profefling chrillianity, and faying we believe, avail to falva- 
 tion, if we obey net Chrifl, and live not according 'o the 
 gcfpel ? Will got>d works feed the hungry, or clothe the 
 naked ? Is it not like a tnocking of thetn ? Even {r- a no- 
 tional knowledge, and a bare prcfeflicn of faith, if it brings 
 not forth the fruits of holinefs and obedience towards Gcd, 
 of jiifiice and righteoufncf?, of love and rrerry towards our 
 neishboiir, it is an cfTeifilual dead thing ; like a dead corpfc, 
 without a quickening and enlivening foul ; it is altogeiher 
 dead as to our iuftification and falvaticn. Learn hence, 
 I. That a frniilefs faiih is crrtainlv a dead faith. It is 
 dead, becaufe it does not unite us to Chi if! ; it is lifclef , 
 becaufe there h no Hvelintfs in fuch a perfcn's perfonnnnces ; 
 for though fj.iili be not always alike livttv, vet if finceie, it 
 is always livin;/, rnd etiables the ehriitinn to live unto 
 Cliiift, and to bear much fruit, John xv. 5. He tfr.t 
 ali-eth, (that is, bclicvctk) in nie,' tec. Ohjine, 2. The 
 C( mparifon w^hich Sr, James here m. kes between f;;iih : nfi 
 charity; from whence he draws ihis concliifi"n, "If 
 charity towards the poor, profelltd in words, but vvithitit 
 works, be counterfeit, than faith in Chrifl, prcfeflljd tn 'ike 
 manner, without cbsdience, is alfo counterfeit and-falfc ; but 
 
 , . <chMnty 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 St. J a M E S. 
 
 1023 
 
 charity towards the poor in words, and not in deed-, is a 
 c<n)!)tertt.it charity ; accordingly fniih in Chrift, without 
 obedience to his comnnands, is a talfe faith ; a dead faith, 
 in regard to the effldl ; becaufe it will never bring them, 
 hi whom it i , to life and fulvation." 
 
 iS Yea, a man may fay, Thou haft faith, and I 
 have u'orks : fhcw tne thy faith without thy works, 
 and I will fhew thee my faith by my works. 
 
 St. James brin;;;s in thefe Words by way of dialogue, 
 between a fiiiccre believer that has true Lith, and a falfc- 
 heartcd hypoc ire ilia' <in'y pretends to it ; ihu?, " Thou 
 fayeff ih)ii haft true faith, though thou haft no works to 
 evidence its tru'h i I fay, I have'true faith, bccaufc I have 
 pond works, which are the genuine cffe«fls and fruits of it. 
 Come we n«w to the trial, and let it appear who faiih true, 
 thon or I ; if thou that haft no works fayeft true, prove 
 thy faith to be true feme other way. Woiks thou haft 
 none, fhew thy faith then by fomething elfe ; but that is 
 iinpoflible, therefore thou vainly boafteft of that which 
 thou haft not ; but, on the other fide, fay; the fincere 
 believer, I can make good what I fay, proving the truth of 
 r»y faith by the fruits of it in my works ; this is a real de- 
 inonftration that my fai'h is no vain oftentation, as yours 
 IS." This way of arguing is very convincing ; it gripes 
 the confcience of the hypocrite, and covers them with Ihame 
 and confuflon of face. Learn hence. That good works 
 are the evidences by which Chrift will judge of our faith 
 now, and according to which Chrift will jud>:;e of us and 
 our faith at the great day. T'hefe two, faith and good 
 works, ought to be as infeparablc as light and the fun, as 
 fire and heat. Obedience is the daughter of faith, and 
 faith the parent and principle of obedience. 
 
 19 Thou believeft that there is one God ; thou 
 doeft well. The devils alio believe and tremble. 
 
 As if the apoftle had faid, " Be thou cither Jew or 
 Chriftian, thou believeft that there is a God, and aftenteft 
 to the articles of religion ; herein thou doeft well, but this 
 IS no more than what the devils doj for they alfo believe 
 and trembre; and if thou haft no better faith, and no 
 bet'er fruits of thy faith than they, thou haft the fame 
 r^afon to tremble which they have." Oi/crve here, i. 
 That a bare and naked aifent to tlie truths of the gofpcl, 
 yea, t'. the fundimental truths and articles of rcliricn, is 
 not faith that will juftify and f:;ve ; The devils have' it. 
 yet have no hopes of falvation with it ; they believe that 
 there is a God, and a Chrift that died for other;, thoucrh 
 ivit for them ; fo that an atheift, that does not bclicve'^a 
 God, is worfe than a devil ; for he believes that there is a 
 God, whofe being ,he aihtift denies, 2. That horror is 
 the truir and eHx-61 of the devil's faith ; the more they 
 knovv of God, the more they dread him ; the more they 
 t!unk of him, the more ihcy tremble at him. O God ! 
 Ail knowledge of thee out of Chrift is uncomfortable; 
 tnne attribute?, which are in tbemfclves dreadful and ter- 
 rible, beir.2 behuld by us in thv Sou, do yidd comfoit and 
 iwcsm(,fs 10 us- 
 
 So But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith 
 without works is death? 21 Was not Abrahain 
 our father juflified by works, when he had ofFer^d 
 liaac his Ion upon the altar? Sccfl thou how fai:!i 
 wrou-ht with his works, and by works was faith 
 made perfcft ? 22 And the fcripture was fulfilled 
 which f.iith, Abraham believed God, and it was 
 imputed unto him for righteoufncfs : and he was 
 called the friend of God. 23 Ye foe then hour 
 that by works a man is juftificd, and not by faith 
 only. 
 
 Our apoftle here goes on to prove, that a perfon is 
 juftifi'-d by works, that is, by a working faith, from the 
 example of Abraham ; and the argument lies thus : *' If 
 Abraham of old was juftified by a working fiith, than we 
 cannot be juftified wit'iout i: at this day ; but Abraham, 
 the father of the faithful, and the friend of Gcd, was 
 juftified by a working faith, therefore faith without woiks 
 will juftify no man. As Abraham was juftified, fo m.uft we 
 and all others be juftified ; becaufe the means and method 
 of jiiftification were ever one and the fame, and ever will 
 be uniform and alike. But Abraham was juftified by a 
 working faith, his faith was full of life, efKcacy, and power, 
 in bringing forth obedience unto God ; wiincfs his ready 
 coinpliance with that hard and difficult command, the 
 offering up his fon Ifaac. Ser^ ihou how faith ■wrmght zi-ith 
 his uyrks P that is, how his faith did both dired and allift 
 him in that work. Heb. xi. By faith Abrfiham offered uf 
 {face, and by ivorki %vas h'ls faith made perfef}, that is, de- 
 clared to be perfeft ; for Abraham was jullifi<:d five and 
 twenty years before he offered up his fon, but his conquer- 
 ing the difficulties of that work, ftiewcd the pcrfefl ion of 
 hii faith : And as the gcodnefs of the fruit declares the 
 excellency of the tree, fo the fruit of obedience evidenced 
 the finceriiy of Abraham's faith." From thence then it 
 may and muft be concluded, that a barren and empty faith 
 IS a dead faith; dead, becaufe it may be found in and 
 with a perfon dead in trefpaftes and fms ; dead, becaufe it 
 receives not the quickening influences of the Spirit ot God ; 
 dead, becaufe it wants operation, which is the eifciV ot 
 life ; dead, becaufe unavailing to eternal life. Obferve 
 farther, The honourable characler, and ncble leiiimony 
 here given of Abraham, for and upon the account of his 
 faith and obedience ; He was called the friend cf God. All 
 true believers are God's friends, as friends they are recon- 
 ciled to him ; as friends they enjoy communion with him, 
 and communications from him ; as friends tliere is a con- 
 formity of wills and afFcftions between them, they like arid 
 love, they will and choofe the fame things ; as fiieiids they 
 defire and long for the complete fruiiic n and enjoyment of 
 each other. Laftly, The inference which St. James- drawi 
 from this inftance of Abraham, ?> _/>; then how th,:i by 
 wcris a man is ju/lified, and mt by. faiik. By faith only, 
 he mean? faith that is'alonc, foli'ary, and by itfclf, wirji- 
 out works, ^ue/i. But doth not St. Jame«, by affirnnn;^, - 
 that by works a man is jufiiftd, and not by faith ^nly, con- 
 tradift St. P.;iil, who fa)?. By the d-eds of the law fhail 
 mfcjh he jufiipdin CidUjigki? Ri^in. ia., XQ. AnJ. Not 
 
 at 
 
102.J, 
 
 St. J A M E S. 
 
 Chap. m. 
 
 at all, I. B'Oiiife they il.> nol fnt-nk, ad IdtfH, to the fame 
 thin-^; S'. P'.ul fpi.aks of juilifKaiion bctore G'jd, Sr, 
 J;imes of inaificaiion Iv fore mrn : S>. P>ul fpenks of the 
 jiiaifijJtion of <mr perfon, S-. J '■ nrs <>f the juilification of 
 our faith. '.. Thev tl'> not fpe. k iifJem, to 'he fa-ie prr- 
 A-ns: S-. Paul had u.il.) with f.lfc spodlcs. ond jud^izinE; 
 chri'tianj, who fnught to fubllituit the works of the !r.v. , 
 and a riehteotifncfs ot thtir own, irftcad of, or at Icall in 
 C'jtii'mai'^n with, the gr=ce of Gud ; but Sr. James hsd 
 todowi'h hvpocriiical ])r'fc(r, rs, who abufcd St. Pair's 
 d;)ft.-ine of frre grace, and took enooiirapemcnt to (in, 
 aflirininr, that if they believed, it was rtifncicnt, no rnatter 
 how they lived ; ihtret.irc S'. Jime.-; urges the nectfii;v of 
 pnod woik-s as evidences of ihe fincyity of our tni:h. 
 The firm of the matter is this what God has joined none 
 miift divide, and what God has divided none muft join ; 
 he has feparated faith and w..rks in the bufinefs of ju.lifi- 
 cation, according to St. Paul, and none muft jom them in 
 it ; and he has joined them in the lives of juftiricd perfons 
 aa'St. James fpakc, and thcic we mud not fepirate them. 
 St. Paul aflTurcs i:<. That works have not a co-efficiency 
 in jullilkation itfclf ; but St. J?mes adiires us that they 
 nuv and ought to have 3 co-cxiftency in them that .ire 
 juflified. 
 
 25 Likewife alfo, was not Rahab the harlot 
 jullified bv works, when (he had received (he mcf- 
 fcngers, and had fcnt theni out another way ? 
 
 Here the apoflle declares, that Rihab was juflified by 
 » working faith, as Abraham was before her, which ap- 
 peared in her tniertaining the fpies, hxlj^ing them in her 
 hnufe.and difiDilline, them with all pollible privacy, which 
 was a notable evidence of her faith in the God of Ifrael, 
 her faiih bcinq accomp.inietl with great ftlf-denial, atid ex- 
 pofing her io\-> miuhiy hazard. Indeed, R.ihab's faith 
 ■was liiixcd with great infirmity, (he told a lie ; bur that is 
 overicjiced by God, and her faiih only recorded, not her 
 failinc; divulged, Rahab's lie, Sarah's laughter, job's im- 
 patience, are not mentioned : We difcover corruption in 
 the very esercife of our graces ; but oh ! how gO(x} a Mader 
 do we ferve, that pardons otrr infirmities, and accepts our 
 iinceriiy ! Learn hence. That the duties and lervices of 
 belitvcrs, though blcmilhtd with many defedl.s do find 
 acceptance wiili God, and Ihall not fail to be rewarded by 
 him. Rahab's faith was fecn in receiving the (^pies. her 
 weaknefs and infirmity appeared in her lyins: ; C)rxi piii;d 
 and pardoned the one, and accepted and cewardtd the other. 
 
 2G For as the body without the fpirit is dead, fo 
 faith without works is dead alfo. 
 
 In this vcrfe the apoflle funis up the whole matter, by 
 comparing a dead faith to a dead corpfe ; as that is in-pcr- 
 Jv61, waiiting its bell snd nobleft part : So taith wi'hout 
 ■works warns that which dignifies and completes it. Fai;h, 
 without hoiinefsto enliveri i*, is a deud body, without the 
 fpirit to quivken it. Again, as a dead corpfe is ufclefs as 
 well as imperfcft \ ikuugh it has eyes, it fees not ; feet, it 
 walks not ; mouth, bur fpe?ks not ; thus it is with a dead 
 faiih, bcii'ij uoaccotupanicd with a good life \ no bclievingj 
 
 wihoiit obedience will av?.iT lis ; fof though there is no 
 merit in our obedience ih:tt we fhould be fivcd for i', yet 
 is there fiich a necetlity of obedience, that we tluli never be 
 faved wi'hout if. Again, as a dead corpfe is noiror.ie to us, 
 fo isa profrdiou of faith v iihout obetliencc Kithfome to 
 G.-d : He fays to all the workers of iniquity, Dt^arl fr.'n 
 tr.e, I Inow \cu nJ, I approve y u not. /Is the huh tvill- 
 oul de Jfirit isii^'id,\\y^ i.s, as the binlv i knovrn to be 
 dicwA, it we perceive no\ii:.l a£lii ns flowing Inm the foil, 
 fo IS fsi'h dead, if we fecit not dimonlli. t.d by tH'tflipai 
 opcr.ition ; as it is Recdfary to the being r f i living b- dy 
 that it be united to the foul, fo it is necefi'ary to the I ciiig 
 of a living chriilian's faith, that it brings fonh wojLs of 
 obedience iu the ChriOiiii'ilife. 
 
 C M A P. III. 
 Our ap-jlk in chu ch-.picr Jknri iht great nncfp.ty we 
 lie un rr lo watck cur cur words, and to avoid 
 thefm of the tcmgite, end this tcih as an argument of 
 cur Jimerily, and as an orruwienl to our prc/ijion. 
 
 MY brethren, be not many maHers, l:nowing 
 that we fhall receive the greater condemnation. 
 
 For the clearer underftaiidirg of thefe words, let us con- 
 firmer, I. What the apoftie d.;cs not forbid, namely private J 
 and brotherly admonition, wkich proteed^ f em ct:riai3n 1 
 love one towards another, much lefs does he condttrn 
 public and authorized reproof: Cod hss made it the duty 
 of ail to admonifh and repn-ve c; ch other charitably ; he 
 has made it the duty of others to adtr.or.i(h and cen.L-re 
 evil-doers aiiihoritativelv ; this therefore is not fcrbuldcn. 
 2. What it is that is here forbidden, namely, fuch a re- 
 proving of others as is fiipercilicus and maflerly, managed 
 wiih (harprefs and feveriiy, rafhly and rigidly. As if the 
 apoflle had faid, " Be not magiiterial anrf cenforious to- ^ 
 wards your biethren, as if ev<ry one of yoii had many 1 
 maflers' in him :" cenfurirg of oihcrs is an arrogation of 
 mafleyfliip over others, and the afTi-ming of a power over 
 them which God never g.'vc us. it is a bold uliirpticn ot 
 God's authority ; we may sdmrni/h, reprove, and \\ arn : but 
 it muff not be in a lordly manner, in a mafterly way, which 
 is reviling rather than reproving ; we muft confidcr what 
 may ftand with charity, a.s well as v^ hat will conCft with 
 truth ; every evil mull not be divulged, but f. nre mv{i b« 
 covered with a cK ke of love i there may be, and ott-iimes 
 is a great deal of malice in reporiii-g truth. ObJtrvtvtWy 
 The rcmedv prelcribed againlt cenfurlng others, namely, 
 the confideringourft Ives "that we (hall thereby rmji* /^# 
 grfater damnation ; fharp reprovers in judging others, pro., 
 nounceadoom upon themfclvcs ; fuch as reprove erhcr 
 out of oflice, or out of charity, ought to look to themltlvcs, 
 led in reproving others they condemn thcmlelves. 
 
 s For in many thini^s we offend all. Tf any man 
 offend not in word, tbc fame » a perftCl man, and 
 able alfo to bridle the whole body. 
 
 As if iHe apoaie had faid, " We had nerd to be rery 
 candid iaccnfuring others, loi we allut Ui efi.fcd in n iny 
 
Chat. hi. 
 
 St. J a M E S. 
 
 1025 
 
 tilings ourfelves, cfpeclally v.ifh and by our tongue, wliich 
 is an engine of mnre mifchicf, both to ourfclves and others 
 th.in any oilier member of the body ; and accordingly he is 
 called here, not a gracious man, but a pcrfeS man, one 
 that has attained to the fullcft mer^rures, and highcll degrees 
 of grace, that can bridle his tongue: To be able to bridle 
 the ton;^He is an argument of confiderable growth, and 
 liappy proqrefs in grace ; he that can bridle his tongue, can 
 bridb; his whole body, that is, governs all the other actions 
 of Iiis life ; he is a very extraordinary chriltian. 
 
 3 Behold, we put bits in the horfes tnouths,that 
 they may obey us ; and we turn about their whole 
 body. 
 
 As wc rule the wliole body of a horfe by a bridle in its 
 moirh, fo by bridling our tongues, wc (hall rule and govern 
 all theadions of our lives. ^ Note, That as hot and hard- 
 mouthed horfes, fo the tongue of man is apt to run out, 
 un!. {- well bridled ; nor is any bridle ftrong enough to hold 
 it in, but the bridle of grace ; nay, nol that at all times. 
 The grace of God is bo-th fpur and bridle to thelongiie of 
 man : Grace, like a fpur, provokes to fpcak for God, and 
 for the good of others ; and grace, like a bridle, flops us 
 from fpeaking what may grieve thcfpirit of God, and jijf}- 
 ly offend others. None rule their tongues well witlwut 
 grace, and every one that has grace doth not rule tlicm wellj 
 it is a great part of pcrfcftion not to offend in word. 
 
 4 Behold alfo the (hips, which though the)' k (o 
 great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they 
 turned about with a very fmall hehn witherfocver 
 -the governor lifteth. 5 1 Even fo the tongue is a 
 little member, and boaftcth great things. B>;hold 
 how great a matter a liitle fire kindlcth ! 6 And the 
 tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: fo is the tongue 
 amongfl: our members, that it defileth the whole 
 body fctteth on fire tbc courfe of nature ; and is 
 fet on fire of hell. 
 
 The defign of our anoftk, by this and the -former fmili- 
 ttide, is to flicw, that litile things well governed can govern 
 great bodies ; as tiie rider by a fma'.l bit can govern the 
 horfe at pleafure, anil the pil t, by a fmall rudder, can 
 trianage the (hip with eafc ; {o the government of that 
 little member the tongue, i a fpecial mean for governing 
 the whole man. T^ext he compares the tonj^ue to fire, in 
 regard to the dar;;er that abends it : Will a fpark of fire 
 fet an hoiife, 2 town, a city in a llame, and lav it in afhes ? 
 in like manner wiil a fiery tonsuc inflame a fam'rlv, a fo- 
 "Ciety, a church, a kingdom: V"ea, the whole woild, by 
 (fnfc and contention, pitting all into coinbuflioti ; fuch a 
 tongue being fet on work by the devil, and kincFled by that 
 ■fire whicUcame from hell ; but verily, a toni;iie fet on fire 
 from hell, (hall, without repentance be fet on (ire in lull. 
 Learn hence, That a wicked 'ongue is of an htllilh ori.-inal, 
 the fire ot furh a tongue is Mowu up'by the bre.iili of hdl; 
 let us abhor contentions, revilings, and reproaches, .as wc 
 Would hell itfcU". 
 
 7 For every kind of bcafU, and of Lird.«i, and of 
 
 ferpent, and of things in the fea, is lamed, and hath 
 been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no 
 man tame; ?<Manunruly evil, full of deadly poifon. 
 
 ) Our aportlc here goes on in fliewing how difl'ciilt it is to 
 govern the tongue; it is wilder than the wildcd beads, they 
 are more tracSable, and may be fooner tatiicd ihan a tongue 
 be governed ; it is an unruly eiil, that \\\\\ not be held in. 
 Nature has fet a double guanl about ilie tnij^iie, namtly, 
 the teeth and the lips, and grace has laid many reflraints 
 upon it, and yet it breaks out f"jll of deadli pc':j'.n ; intimat- 
 ing, that the tongue is as deadly as a venomous beaft. In 
 the wild defert there are lion', l)ears, and lygers, but 
 thefe alFaiilt us but now and then, .nndcaii only rend tlie 
 ^^i^,bllta conicmioiis tongue is aUvay tn.ublefoirie to the 
 foul and fpirit ; Man tamcili the btafts, and God tamctli 
 man: And the apoftle's calling the tongue an unrn'iy evil 
 full oj deadi\ poijon, plainly imports that a vickcd tongue is 
 Venomous and hurtful; a ilandcrous tongue is a c'eadl) poi- 
 foii, nothing can fecure agnlnfl it but inncccncy :;nd a good 
 confciencc; if we fall by it, let thiscoirdbrt us, that iliere 
 V ill be a refiirredlion of our names, as well as of our pcr- 
 Ibns ; let us always then keep in the way of our duty, and 
 3iid comnut our go:idnameto Ciod'scare and keeping. 
 
 9 Therewith blefs we God.even the Father ; and 
 therewith curfe we men. which are made after tlie 
 fimilitude of God. 10 Out of the fame mouth pro- 
 ceedeth blefling andcurfing. My brethren, thefe 
 things ought not fo to be. 1 1 Doth afountain fend 
 forth at the fame place UK^tt-watcr and bitter i 1 2 
 Can the fig-tj-eec; my brethren, bear olive-berrics? 
 either a vine, figs ? {<ican no fountain both yield 
 fait water and fiefli. 
 
 Ohfeme here, I. Our apoftle inforrjs us what is tiie ;r ^- 
 perufe of the tongue; namely, to blefs sad praife God ; 
 fpcech being ihemofl excellent faciilt", is to beconfccraltd 
 to divine ufes ; it is both a good man's work and his recre- 
 ation to blefs and praife God. 2. The final ufe which 
 fome men put the tongue unto, and that is, to tiirfc with 
 it, to curfe men that have the natural iniaje of God upcn 
 thetn, yea, holy and good men, ttiat have the divine i!rat;c 
 of God inflamped tipon them ; that is, the abiife of fome 
 men's tongues, their nmUh is fidl of {iirftng and iitlcriufs, 
 3, The fame tangiie cannot, (liould not.blefs God and curfc 
 men; to pray and bratvl with the fame tongue is fli:inieful 
 hypocrffy; to go from ^vor(hipp^ng to rai'liig and re\illing, 
 to (pe:<lc to tlie God of heaven with a twigue let on fire ('f 
 hell, is a monilroiis impiety. 4. How the apoOledifcovers 
 the mighty abfurdiiy of bh-fiing and ciirring v\iih one and 
 the fame tongue, and of putting the beff menibrr .to the 
 wortt ufe; the good aggravates tlie evil, and the evil dif- 
 paragcth, .ye?., iHfproveih the good; to fuppole that ihc 
 fame tongue ihoidd acceptably blefs God, and at t.hc fame 
 time finfiilly ciirCe men, is as irraiion:d and abfiird, as to 
 imagine that the fame fountain ilioidd fend forth fait water 
 and ficfli, fweet water atid bitter ; and, as if a f1g-irec 
 fhoiiid bring iorth olives, or a vine bear figs : Our r.pc (fie 
 argues and reafons from what is inp< (lillc in i.aii;re, fo 
 6 O what 
 
1026 
 
 St. J a M E S. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 wliat is abfurd in manners; contrary cffin^s from the fame 
 catifc is again;} ihc 'uJcr nf nutiire ; in like manner grace 
 is uniform, and ahf ays afls like itftlf; to blef and curfe, 
 to pray .ind revile, is wholty inomfllfent wiih grace: N'riire 
 abh )rs ontra 'iftions, and fn d >cs the prace of Go-I : 
 Though a chrillian has a double principle in him, rht fifth 
 anil ihc/pirif, yet he has not a double heart ; his fpi;it is 
 flnyie anil (ini:erc in what he docs, in all he docs btnh fur 
 G>xlan(i min. 
 
 1 3 IT Who is a wife man, and endued with know- 
 Icdijc amon^ftyou? let him flinv out of a j^opd con- 
 verfation his works with meekncfs-of witdom. 
 
 As if ourapoftic had faid, " If any among you defire to 
 approve vourfclvcs more knowing than others, wifer and 
 better than other*;, as you would be th )uyht when ycu 
 ccnfure anddefpifc others fliew it to the world by a better 
 converf<iion, by your abounding fruitfulnefs in gooil works 
 and by fuch mceknefs of fpirii as will be an evidence of 
 true wifdom." Hence we if.irn. That the wife man is a 
 meek and patient man ; as pride and folly, fo wifdom and 
 ineeknefs, are companions ; the more wifilom a man ha?, 
 the more he can check himfelf, and curb hispuflion: Mofts 
 is renowned in foripturc for his wifdom; and for his meek- 
 ncfs ; wcallatfeil the reputation of wifdom, let us difcover 
 it by humility, in bein^/owly within ourfelves; and by our 
 meeknefs in bearinjj with and forbearing one another ; yet 
 hiiift our meeknefs be a wife meeknefs, it tnvrft be a ineek- 
 nefs of wifdom ; otir meeknefs muft be oppofitc to fierce- 
 nefs, but not to zeal ; Mofc; was very tneck in his own 
 caufe, but hot as fire in the catifc of God ; meeknefs and 
 zeal are confillent, let us then JJjew out of a goad cinverfaiicn 
 »iir worisivi/h vuekn(fs of iviftkm. 
 
 T 4 But if ye have bitter envying and (Irife inyour 
 hearts, ^lory not, end lie not againfl the truth. 15 
 This wil'dotn dcfcendeth not fiotn above, but, » 
 earthly, fenfual, devilifli, 1 6 Forwhcre envying and 
 flrife is, there is confufion and every evil work. 
 
 Ohjerye here, I. How the apofile points at the root of all 
 tongue-evils ; we pretend zeal andjultice, zeal for God, 
 arid doingright toourfelves ; bnt thetrne caufe is ^-w^called 
 hittiT euvying, as being bitter in its root, bitter in its fruit, 
 bitter to otherf, bitter to ourfelves ; this is a p:iinful evil, 
 an unprotitablc evil, a foolifhllnful evil ; it makesanother's 
 good our grief. But why fo ? The good of another is no 
 Kurt ta us ; we have not the lefs becaufc another has more : 
 Leah's truitfulnefs was no caufe of Rachael's barrehnefs ; 
 why then fhould it be the occafion of Rachael's envy ? 
 Thy portion is not impaired bccaufe thy brother's is en- 
 creafal. 2. How envy and ftrife are here joined togcthcri 
 ifyou have envying andjirife in your hearts; when envy 
 is found in the heart,ilrife will foon be found in the tongue 
 tor envy is the mother of ftrife ; natural corruption doth 
 moft et all bewray itfelf byenvy ; it has an eariy fj-ring, 
 and a late autumn ; we have it as foon as we come into the 
 world, and it is an hard matter to leave it before xe go 
 •ut of it again ; Children fuck it in with their milk, and 
 the old man buries it in his coflin. 3. What are the bitter 
 
 effeifls and fruits of envy and flrife; namclvi confuften and 
 ev ry nil work, an envious fpirit is an unquiet anil h itkcd 
 fpirii ; the devil workeih by n- inllruments more than by 
 eiuioiis, difccntenied and malicious pcrfon : Pride and 
 envy wf re the two fird fins that cri pt into the world ; the 
 firfl man was ruined by pride, the feci nd dtltioyed by 
 envy, the whole world could not hold two bioihtis wh(n 
 the f>ne was envied by the otlar : Caii.'s tn\ y laHed blood, 
 and verily the finner's envy tliiril after it ; well therefore 
 may the apoftle fay, ff'iere eniying and Jhife is; there is 
 eonfiijiin, and every evil work, (Jc. 
 
 17 But the wifdom that is from above is firfl 
 pure, then peaceable, (gentle, an^cafy to be entreat- 
 ed, full of mercy and ^ood fruits, without partial- 
 ity, and without hypocrify. 
 
 Our apoftle here enters upon a coirparifon between 
 earthly wifdom, and fpiriiual heavenly w ifilom ; between 
 wifdom that i not, and wifdom that is from above. Oi- 
 ■fen^e, i. That wifdom which is not from above charac- 
 terifed and d' fcribed. (r.)It is earthly, it is fiiitcd to earth- 
 ly minds, and it is employed about earthly things : Earthly 
 •wifdom isiTiere folly, it is faid to be wifeotdy for this world 
 and ro have fuch an iinfavoiiry fpirit as will rtlifh nothing 
 but what is earthly. (2.) Senfual : fuch w ifd"m as tcndeth 
 only to gratify the fenfes, and is convcrfatit about outward 
 pleafures, which are the plcafures of the beafl, and not of 
 the inan : Such fenfual fatisfaftions do only pleafe the fcn- 
 fnivc appciite, which is the hi^hefl ratir.nal pleafiire to 
 mortify and fubdue. (3.) Devilijh : becaufe it is fuch wif- 
 dom as is found in the devil : he is only wife to do irif- 
 chii.f. As a man has a flefhiy part in ccmmon with the 
 beall, f) there .ire fome fins wiiich thefcripiure calls fltfhly 
 and be.iflly lufts, as unclcannefs, liot, exccfs, and the like; 
 ■but as man has fiimcwhat in common with the angeU, 
 namely, his fpirit and foul, fo there are fome lins which arc 
 called Satan's lulls, John viii. 44. His lujis he uiii da 
 Thus envy, pride, wrath, revenge, malice, flandtr, thefc 
 fins make a man dcvilifh, like tjnto Satan ; hence is Sr, 
 Paul's exhortation, 2 Cor. v4i. l. To cleanje ourjeives from 
 tdl fiUhiiieJs of ficfh and fpirit. Lord, pity the deplorable 
 ruins of mankind, companionate fallen iran, who hath 
 not only fomcuhat of the beaft, but alfo fomevvhat of the 
 devil, in him by nature ' O deplorable dcgrndaticn I And 
 fliould he facritice himfclf, he could not fa\ e himfelf with- 
 out afanflifier ; he muft be reffored t*) the divine likenefs 
 here, or never enjoy his maker hereafter. 2. He next 
 Aekx\h€sfpiritual tvifdom t« \i'., and that, firft by its original 
 it is fron above : All wifdom ii known by its dtlcent ; 
 carnal wifdom is of the earth, eanhly ; fpiriiual wifdom is 
 from above, and has an heavenly Author, and its original 
 and defcent is heavenly : The wifdom that is Jnm ubfi.:e. 
 Secondly, He dcfcribes fpiritual wifdom by us cfftfl.' ..nd 
 fruiis, bv it'- properties and qnali'ies, and nckons up eight 
 of them, (i.) True wilcldm h pure and hul) viifdrm, and 
 finlcfs craftinefs; The heart of fuch a perfn is clean, 
 though not wholly free from fin, and his way is undefiled : 
 This pure wifdoin will not broi k the filthintfs ciiler of 
 error in judgment, or (in inpia£lice: Ern-r is a blot iis 
 well as fm, and is «s damnable as fin ; the one ii an open I 
 
 rea«l 
 
 I 
 I 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 1027 
 
 foa>!, the other a fecret path to hell and deftruftion ; he 
 th.u i-; wife, and has a due care of his foul's falvatinn, will 
 be a:; much afraid of erroneous principle!;, as he is of dc- 
 bauchc'l pr^fticcs. (2.) Peaceable: Truewifdom leaches to 
 avoid all rtrifc.TntI contention : There is a fweet connccS on 
 between wifjom and peace; the vvifeft are the moekeft 
 men; they are peaceable and peace makers ; not ready to 
 provoke others, nor eafdy provi ked themfclves : Such as 
 lee tnolt need of pard-n from God, arc moft ready to par- 
 don others, to live peaceably with all : Yet note. Though 
 wifdom be pure and peaceable, yet it is firll pure, then 
 peaceable ; as God isthcfirft and '»efl of Dcinsjs, fo purity 
 IS the firft and be(l of blertin-^s ; the Chief Giro then muft 
 I e for puvi'v and truth ; but next to purity we muft regard 
 peace : Truth muft be preferred, but peace muft not be 
 pepledtcd ; we muft treat with God by prayer, and treat 
 wiih tmn by condtfcenfion, a« far as a posd confcitnce 
 will fafflr. f<->r obtaining and preferving peace. (;^.) True 
 ■wifd^'m is gentle, inoppMlition to ftrite and contention ; the 
 word alfo fi<;nities mode-rate and patient, Phil. iv. 5. iTini. 
 iii 3. Such a chriftiao is moderate in doubtful opinions 
 lnod;Tate in his judging of others, moderate and patient in 
 Jiis whole converfa.'ion, receding fometimes from his own 
 riglit for peace's fake, (4.) Ea/y to be intrealed : not in- 
 flexible, but perfuadable : He that has an inflexible will, 
 had need have an infallible judgment. Indeed there may 
 be a flexibility and eafinefs to a fault ; fome good natures 
 (a'- they are called) arc eafdy drawn away to fin by evil 
 coinpany, and wieked coiinlel ; in fuch a cafe, to turn a 
 deaf ear to all entreaties is not obftinacy, but religi us re- 
 fohition. (5.) Full «/m«Yy:thishas a double objefl, fuch as' 
 want, and fuch as offend ; and fo there is mercy in giving 
 and in forgiving it : It js the glory of a man to paG by a 
 tranfgreflion, and the honour ot a chriftian to put on 
 bowtlsof merCy ; without this garment w e fliall appear 
 naked at the bar of God. (6.) Full of goiii works : Re- 
 ligion is not a dry rod, but it blollbms and brings forth 
 fruit ; fruitsof humanity and civil tourtefy,as well as fruits 
 of piety and pious charity : When we begin to be religious 
 We muft not leave oft' to be kind and courteous : Be pit if til, 
 be coui-tious, I Pet. iii. 8. (7.} U'ithctit parliclity: that !s, 
 •without making any ditference between perf'n and pcrfon, 
 becaufe of outward refpc-cfs, which i<; an hi^'h point of 
 wildom ; folly difccvers itillt in nothina; niore than by 
 doting upon outward fplendoiir. Fools, like children, ac- 
 count nothing good but what is gay ; ■ but wifdom leaches 
 iii: to value and put an eftimaie upon perfons and things, 
 according to their intriiific worth, and doth nothing by 
 panialiiy. (8.) IFitlnut hypocrify : lairuc w ifdom there 
 is no prevailing guile, but a true (iirplicity, and g<"dly fm- 
 cerity found wi h it, and this i- the higheft piece of w ildom; 
 thchyp xrrire is the grcatcft fo -l ; the linccre chriltian is 
 the truly wife, and the only wife man. 
 
 18 And the fruit of ri^htcoufnefs is fown in 
 ■pease of them that make p».ace. 
 
 Our apoftle here concluds hi'i dif-:ourre, by ftitwir.g the 
 Juippinefs of th'fe who are pol!lii(.d ot th.i" wiid'-<m trom 
 above, which is /i.'.'rr and /rrttvaWr. &c. Thev fow a feed 
 ■which will }ield them prtfeui fruit, and bring -iheaves of 
 
 joy and comfort into their bofoms, and alfo entitle them 
 to an everlafting reward in that kingdom wherein dwelleth 
 rightcoufnefs. Learn hf:nce, I That all the adlioiis of this 
 life are the feed fown for the life to come ; and every one's 
 harvcft hereafter will be according to his feeil time here ; 
 our rewards fhall be according; toour works. 2. That the 
 rewards of righteoufnef-: and peaceablencfs are reaped and 
 received here initially, and flinll be ere long enjoyed per- 
 fc(ffly ; The fruit of right eoufnejs is fown iv peace of th-ni- 
 that love peace. 3. 1'hat true lovers of righteonfncfs 
 ought 'o be lovers of peace, and peaceable perfons lovers fit 
 righteoufnefs ; mercv and truth muft meet toget!.cr,rightc- 
 oulnefs and peacemuft kifseachothcr : Peace without righ- 
 teoufnefs is but a fordid compliance ; rightooufnefs wiiliotit 
 peace is but a rough aullerity ; our duty is to couple a fweet 
 jgoodncfs with a icvere rii'hteoufnefs. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 Our apojlk in this chapter difcovers the root Jr<nn 
 zchcjice all jirifc and contcrnion proceeds ; naviclv, 
 from meal's carnal lii/ls aiid cctrrupi rJfcBions ; ac- 
 cordingly tldishefpcaki : 
 
 FROM whence fomf wars and fightings among 
 you? come they not hence, ojen of your lufts 
 that war in your members ? 
 
 The Jews, to whom St. James directed this epiftle, had 
 at that time great wars and fightings, not only with their 
 neigtibours, but even among themfclves; in every city tlerc 
 ■were wars and fightings among them. Now, the apoftle here 
 puts it to their conftiences to tell and declare whence tlu fc 
 animofities and contentions, thofe wars and fightings, <ii 
 proceed: c^me they not hence , even frojn your luHs? Plaii ly 
 intimating, ih.ft the cafe of all civil diireniions are mens 
 corruption- : War ftirs firft within, before it breaks ft)ith 
 wiihiiut ; were there not a fighi in ourlelves there would 
 be no fighting with oihcrs: Luft wiihin is the make-bait in 
 all focieiies and c6mmunities without^. Pride and covelouf- 
 nefs, envy and ambition, n-.akc men injurious to one ano- 
 ther ; worldly and fenfual lufts nrftvvar iiiourfelves, before . 
 they difturb the common peace. ■'. 
 
 2 Yc luft, and have not: ye kill, and defire to 
 have, and cannot obtain : )'e fight and war, yet 
 have not, bccaule ye alk not. 3Ye a£k and receive 
 not, becaufe je alk araifs, that ye may con fume it 
 upon your lufts. 
 
 The Jews, at the writing of this epiftle to therrs did ve- 
 hemen Jy luft after liberty and freedom from ihe Ri man 
 yoke and lor dominion a;id government over Other naiiotis; 
 believing that their Meiliah was to be a temporal prince^ 
 ■who ihoi.ld enable them to lord it over the heathen world ; 
 " Now» fi'.ys our apoftle, though you lirft for liberty and 
 d'n.ioion, ytt vou have it 'not ; and the ugh in an ciget 
 puiluit after ihefe things, ye kill and flay, \et y< u do btit 
 Ifife your blnod and l-.ib( nr, for }e cannot obtain ^^^;it ycu 
 thus inordinately fetk, and uregiilarjv covtt ; you itioulrf 
 6 O 2 ' ko 
 
102* 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 Chap, iv 
 
 po to God ia prayer for what you dcfirc : But if at any 
 time y<»" ilu pray, it is nor in a ri^jht manner, wii!i a right 
 inten'ii>n, ami tor a right entl. It is to Cfmliime it upon 
 y<mr lulls ; namcl), thjt having the liberty you ifelire, vou 
 may poli'efs the gi""."! liiinijs of this world you Iiift after, 
 and may lord it over the heathen world." Learn hence, 
 That wc pray amifs when our aims and ends are not tight 
 in prayer. 2. That then otir aims and ends are not rij;ht 
 in prayer, when we afk bicllings for theiifeand encourace- 
 tncnt of otir lufts. 3. That prayers fo framed are ufiially 
 fuccefsIcTs ; what we afic amifs we are fure to miA, if the 
 Almis|hty has any kindnefs for us. In prayer we mull 
 ctjnfider three tiling*, the objcdl, the manner, and the end : 
 We muft not only guard our aifeflions, but fecure our in- 
 tontioD.s ; for prayer* that want a good aim, do ye alfo want 
 a good ifTue : Ye ojk, anil receive n^j, tcctiufe ye ajk amifs. 
 
 4 5 Ye adulterers, and adultreires, know ye not 
 that the friendfhip of the world is enmity with God? 
 Whofoever therefore will be a fiiend of the world, 
 IS the enemy of God. 
 
 It is fpiritual, not corpora! adultery, which thefc words 
 take notice of : the inordinate love of this world is called 
 fpitittul adultery ; hecaufe it draws away the love of the 
 foul fram God, and diflblvesthe fpiritual marriage between 
 God stid the foul : y'e adulterers and adulterejjes, imzv yt 
 net tl:at ike friendjhip of the world, which (lands in com- 
 petition with, and indifpofes you fr the doing of God's 
 will, is enmitjiivith God ? and that whoHicver will be thus 
 a friend of the w-orld, is the enemy of Go«l ? To love the 
 ■world as God's competitor, is enmity to God ? and he is 
 God's enemy that loveih it predominantly. Learn we to 
 love tvery creature with a creature-love; for God reckon* 
 wc love him not at all, if we love him not above al). 
 
 5 ^ Doth ye think that the fcripture faith in vain, 
 The fpirit that dwellethin us luileth to envy ? 
 
 Some by the fpirit here underftand the holy Spirit of 
 God, and make the words run in the form of an intero- 
 j^aiion, thus, " The Spirit, that dwellcth in us Chrillians, 
 Iiifteth he to envy as yours doth ? Nay, rather is he nst 
 the Spirit of love and goodntfs?" Others underftand our 
 own fpirit; our coriupt nature is mightily carried forth 
 this way, even to envy the good of others : it is ufual in 
 fcripiiire to call the bent and propenfinns of the fciiJ, either 
 to good or evil, by the name of a fpirit. Note hence, That 
 God's own people have inuch.too much, of a fpirit of envy 
 remaining in them, unmortified and unfubdued by them : 
 The Spirit that is in us lufleth to envy. 
 
 6 But he givcth more grace, wherefore he 
 faith Godrefifteth the proud, butgiveth grace unto 
 the humble. 
 
 The fin of envy being ccnfured before, our apoftle next 
 condemns the fin of pride ; he ufcs a military term wherj 
 hetclhus, \\\M Cicd rrfifleth the proud \ it fignifies, that he 
 fets himfcif as in battle array againft the proud, in a direct 
 oppofition to him ; there are no fort of finners whom God 
 fets himftli fo much againd to gunifh and pl.ngiie as proud 
 
 fifiners : fiich »re wholly out of his favour ; he beholdeth 
 them afar olT, and they arc fubjcfls ot lii> hi^h clifpleafure; 
 like naked men in an armv, thc-y (land cxpt ltd to his \\ rath 
 ihty h^vc no (holier, nothing to keep off the threatening 
 from them : fi>r ilierc can be no (liclitr tr< in divine wrjib 
 but in diiific love. There are tv»o eminent wciks ot di- 
 vine providtncc in the world, the I'ne is to lift up and 
 exalt the humble, the other is to abafc anil pull down the 
 proud \ fome piidc ihemfilvtsin their naiur..! part», others J 
 in their acquired parts ; fome in their moral virtues and ' 
 evanr;elical grace:, e.ihers in their holy duties and fpirituaj 
 performance; we feidom do well, but we think te>o well 
 of ourfi-lvcs. Z./«rn hence, That piide is a coirimon fin J 
 and provoking ; yea, a very proviking fin, and fo mi,(t M 
 needs be, becaufL- it is an ufurpation of the place and ■ 
 power of God, ind fets ttfelf igainrt all the commands and 
 ihreateniiigs of God : Gid refifie.h the pnud, hut be "iveih 
 grace t) the humble : grace, xh-nh, I. Favour; the humble 
 ilijtl have his favour, and the proud his frown. 2. j 
 Gch( givcth grace, that is, more grace, farther tre alures of m 
 grace, to the humble ; as wc lay up ourrichtH v, incsin the " 
 loweff cellar*, fo docs Ged lodge his choiceft graces ijj 
 humble and lowly hearts; he givcth not only grace, but 
 more grace, to the hutnble ; fuch as are low in their (jwi» 
 eves, are under tlie fpecial prsieflion and direflion of -he 
 Moft High God. 
 
 7 Submit yourfelves therefore to Cod. Refill the 
 devil, and he will flee from you. 
 
 That is, " Submit to his government and authoritr, tey 
 his preceptive and commanding will, and to his provide-ntiaf 
 and difpofing will : fubmit youi felves to the guidance of 
 his word, to the direflion ofhisSpiiit, to the condufl of 
 his providence ; fubmit your whole felves to the whole law 
 and will of God; let all our thoughts, affeiiions, words 
 and a<3ions, be guided according to the ftiicfl rules of the 
 word ot God ; but refifi the devil, by no means do not 
 fubmit or yield an inch to him ; the cnly way to overcome 
 Satan is, not by yielding to him, but by rtfilting and op- 
 pofing of him ; Satan is both a conquered enemy and a 
 cowardly enemy, though he has a bold face, yet a taint 
 heart; refifi him, and he will flee frtm you. Oifme here, 
 t. The devil's a(3ive enmity and contiual hoftiJity again(t 
 man, implied and fuppofcd: Satan i^ continually bufy wiifj 
 vs, that is, the apollate fpirit, and the fpirit of apoftafy 
 loelged in our natures: Whc re-ever we fee malice, revenge, 
 envy, hatred, pride, and felf-le>ve, there is that evil fpirit 
 which is fo iniinical and injurious to us^ that is, Fenenuai 
 ferpentis diabclici, " The (ling and poifon, the yerv foul 
 and fpirit of the apoftate nature." 2. The chriftian's 
 duty difcovered, and that is, not to yield but refift and op- 
 pofe ; we muft either refift him, or be taken captive by him 
 if wedo notrelifl him, we (hall never get rid of him; ifonce 
 we parly and treat w ith him, we muft expefl to be tri- 
 umphed over, and trampled upon by him. 3. The cer- 
 tainty of fuccefs declared, h>e will fiee f rem ycu ., every de- 
 nial is a difcouragcment to Satan, the ftrengih of his teinp- 
 lations lies in our treachery and falfenefs ; we are falfe 
 within ourfelves, othcrwife all his power and malice could 
 not hurtus i. however, if wc continue our rcfiftance, the 
 
 hoi; 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 St. J a M K S. 
 
 3029 
 
 holy Spirit will come in with his afliflancc, he will be our 
 fccond in the field, and we fliall find, that ftroiisjer ii he 
 tliJt is in us, thijn he that is in the wnrid ; the God of 
 peace will biiiifc 5)ptan und>;r uiir feet (horily. 
 
 8 Draw nigh to God, atid he will draw nigh to 
 you — 
 
 Objcrvi here, 1. \Ian by nature, ftnce his fall, is afar of 
 from God, ni.-t barely by a rtanirni dillauce as a creature, 
 but alf.) by a moval dirtance as a (inner ; God made man 
 near him, but vvlicn nisn finned he departed from him ; 
 now we draw ni^h to God by converlion, and in all the 
 »<fiings of reprntence : there is a firft and a fecond conver- 
 iioii ; a fir't convcrfion irom a finful (late, a fecond conver- 
 fion from finful a£ls, by both we draw nigh to God \ but 
 the drawing nigh to God here principally intended, is by 
 approaching to him in prayer, and in the ufe of every holy 
 ©niinancc! and hiunblinc of the foul before God, is a 
 drawing nigh unto hiin ; hence it is that good men delight 
 fo much in prayer, and other hol>' (huies ; they meet with 
 God in them, and draw near to God bv ihem i and they 
 that meet with God, meet with all delights. 2. As the 
 duty required, draiu nigh to Cod, fo the encouragement 
 annexed, he will dnro) nigh to you : God will certaiidy draw 
 nigh to that chriitian, in a way of mercy, who prepareth 
 hi? heart to approach and draw near to him in a way of 
 duty : the Lord is nigh to all them hat call upon him ; 
 nigh to comfort, nigh to quicken, nigh to guide, nigh to 
 fupport. 
 
 — Cleanfe jvo2f7- hearts ye finners ; and purify 
 ymr hearts, ye double-minded. ". 
 
 Mark f to fignify to us our deep pollution, and imiverfal 
 polluiion ; we are called upon both to cleanfc and to pu- 
 rify, and that both our hands and cur hearts, ^ueji. But 
 why is cleanfingof the hands ftt before purifying the heart ? 
 muft we fweeten the (i reams before the fountain ? Anf. It 
 is not unufual in fcripture to put that firfl which is vifiblc 
 firll, as calling before eleilion, 2 Pet. r. 10. And becaufe 
 grace (having once entered into the heart) difcovers iifclf 
 by an immediate cleanfing of the hands ; Co that if we 
 would have an holy life, we inuft get a clean heart. Learn, 
 t. That unclean perfons can have no commimion with 
 God. 2. That they who draw nigh to God, mull clennfe 
 tikir hands ; beoaufe t^e (ins of our hands do keep us at a 
 dilhince from God, and God at a diftance from us. Com- 
 merce with God in an ordinance is one thing, and com- 
 munion with him is another ; a man may havea comtncrce 
 or trade with an enemy for profit-fake, whilit he rehifes to 
 hold communion with him in a way of friendlhip and in- 
 timacy of acquaintance. 3. That double-minded men 
 have corrwpt hearts : double Jnindednef'i is a dividing of 
 the heart between God and fomcthing elfe ; whereas God 
 calls for the whole heart, the whole mind, the whole foul, 
 the whole ftrength. 4. That this double-mindednefs 
 hinders both our drawing nigh to God, and God's draw- 
 ing nigh to us ; an heart divided between God and the 
 world, between confcience and luft, between religion and 
 fclf-intereff, will hinder all intercourfe and.fwcet commu- 
 nion betwi.\.t God. and us in the duty of prayer. 
 
 9 Be afllifted, and mourn, and wtep : Jet your 
 laughter be turned to mourninij, and your joy to 
 heavinefs. lo Hutnble yourlehes in the fi^ht of 
 the Lord, and he Ihall lift you up. 
 
 The next duty we are exhorted to by the apoftle, is a 
 deep humiliation, and a voluntary afflifling of our fouls be- 
 fore God for (in, and upon ilie acco(mt of anv calamity, 
 either on oiirfcTves or other?. Ltarn hence, Tliat :s the 
 aff)i£ling hand of God doci; increafe upon a perfon, a fa- 
 mily, or a people, fo ought the hi;miliuiion and mourning 
 of that perfon, fatT;ily, or people, to iiicreaCe ; we ought 
 not only to be humbled when God affrnSis, but alfo tt) be 
 humbled in proportioji to w hat Got! afRivSfs ; great afflic- 
 tions call for great humiliations: woe to that perfon, that 
 family, or that people, who will not be afflifled when God 
 afi^idts them, nor himible thomfelves, when Gf-v.] humbles 
 tlieni ; who, when God carts them down, w iil hold un. 
 their heads in mirth and jollity : God loves to fee us 
 bear our crofs, but he cannoi endure to fee us make 
 fport with it, or flight of it : If God once perceives us 
 driving away our forrow with h.Trp and viol, or drowning 
 it with wine, he can quickly turn our wine into water,, 
 \ and our laughter into the voice of weeping: Now is it 
 nor better to turn our mirth into mourning, than to have 
 God turn it into mourning ? They who turn their mirth 
 into mourning, fhall find comfort after their mourning ;. 
 but they fhall know nothing but mourning, whofe mirth 
 God turns into mourning : he afliiSied, therefore, andmcurny, 
 and ueep. ^efl- But how comes the apoflle to make 
 ufe of fo many words to one purpofe, be affiled, mourn, 
 ueep, himihte yourfehes, &c. ? AnJ. All thefe heaps of ex- 
 prefHons do import and iinply, i. The neceflity of the 
 duty. 2. The difficulty of the duty. 3. The continuance 
 of the duly, and accordini;ly much enforcement is neceilary ; 
 flefh and blood loves pleafure, but decline; forrow and 
 heaviuefs ; nature loves no bitter draughts, though bitter 
 things are fometimes the beft things ; therefore the apoftle's 
 call to afflifl our fouls, and huinble ourfelves in the fight 
 of God is repeated; and maik the encouragement given 
 thus to do, hinnhlt ycurfvlves in the Jight of Ccd, and hs 
 Jhall lift you up: Submiflion and buinility is the true way 
 to exaltation and glory ; the way to life is to fall : He that 
 kumblcth himfelf jhall be exalted, Luke xiv. II. He Jhall lift 
 thee up in due time, I Pet. v. 6. Wail God's liefure, and 
 the promife fliall furciy be fulfilled ; the world lonketh 
 upon humility as the way to contempt, but God pronounces 
 it the way to honour ; before honour is humility, 
 
 11^ Speak not evil one of another, brethren, 
 He that fpcaketh evil othis brother, and jud^ctli kii 
 brother, fpeakcth evil of the law, and judgcth the 
 law : but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer 
 of the law, but a judge. 12 Thci-e is one lawgiver, 
 who is able tofave, and to defhoy. Who ait thou 
 that judgcfl another ? 
 
 Thefe words, as generally delivered by our apoftle, ars 
 a didiialivc from the fin of detraflion, or fpcaking evil of 
 one another, either by fccret whifpering, or open back- 
 biting ; a very common but moft unbecoming fin amongfl 
 
 Chrillians. 
 
«020 
 
 St. J A M E 6. 
 
 Chap, v.- 
 
 Chriftianj- ^VInt plcafure do fome perfons take in di- 
 »u!t;in!j the faults of others, in aggravating their fault?, in 
 dttrauiling thend of their nccelTary exciife anil mitif;aii<jn, 
 thout^h at the fame time ihcy areconfcions ot it, by Icfll-n- 
 iii^. their grxid a61i'>ns through the fiippofiiicin of ihtir talfc 
 aims and ctid"; ! It ii an inJMrioii'; and unworthy jcaloufy, 
 vhcn a pcrftin's aflinn? aie fair, tofufpect his intentions, by 
 nuntioning hVs f.iilint;';, but fiipprcfling his worth and ex- 
 cellencies : It bcCi'tncs chriflians neither to give vay to 
 this grovvin'T evil themfiflves, nor give ear to it in others. 
 Btif there feems to be f'lrnethiii;^ fpecial and pariicidar in 
 thcfc words, which Tcfpcdis the Jews, to whom this epitlle 
 IS dirc(51ed ; as if the api'ftlc hid faid, " Give over your 
 reproach and ccnforioiifnt-fs a^ainfl the Gentile chriftians, 
 vho do not obfervc your ceremonial h.., your featt', your 
 fabbaih, your circumcillon ; for both the law ot Chrift, 
 and the law of Mofe-, which you profefs to own, do bind 
 yoti to love your neiijhbour as yourfelf, and forbids fuch 
 uncharitable ccnfiire? : So that by condemning your bre- 
 thren, you condetnn the law, and fet yourfclves above it ; 
 and all this in contempt of the law, and the Lawgiver, 
 Mho is one, and is .ible both to favc and to deftroy." 
 There arc fome that are neither able to favc and deflroy^ 
 there are others able lodetlroy. but cannot fave. Satan is 
 a deflroyer, but he cannot favc any, ni^r can he dt ftroy all ; 
 if he could, none (lioidd be faved. But there is a Lawgiver, 
 vho can fave and dcllroy, who can give life, and take it 
 away, and bmh as often as he will : He can fave thofe that 
 obey his laws, and dcftroy ail thofe that tranfgrefs thern : 
 Therefore, feeing Chrift, and none but Chrift, has autho- 
 rity to give laws, it is not for you to impofc cercmoi;iaKib- 
 fervr.ni.-cs upon y"ur brethren, and to ccnfurc ar.fl jud^.s 
 them for not obfcrving thein, when Chrift has fet them at 
 'liberty from the obfervation of them. 
 
 13 Go to now, ye that fay, To-daj', or to-morrow 
 we will go into iuch a city, and continue there a 
 •year, and buy and fell, and get gain. 14 Whereas 
 •ye kno^^' "»t u-hat /h/jll be on the inoirou'. For 
 vhat £5 your life ? It is even a vapour that appear- 
 cth for a little time, and then vaniflieth away. 15 
 For that vc oiti;ht to fay. If the Lord will, we fliall 
 live, and Ho this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice 
 in your boaftings. All fuch rejoicing is evil. 
 
 For' the clearer underftDnding of thcfc words, confider, 
 I. What is not here forbidden or condctnncd by our apof- 
 tlcr; namely, prudential rcfolutions for a right manageinent 
 of human afJ'.'.irs : It is lawfid for inen to take up a p\ir- 
 pofc to go to fuch a place, and follow tht ir trade there, to 
 Iiiiy, and fell, anif uct gain inanhontfl way ; but no man mt^ft 
 b? peremp'ory in this, bceaufe we know not v/hat (hall be 
 on fhc 'morrow, fuch dcicrminations muft be trade with 
 ftibmifBon to di/inc providence: If the LtrJ luilt, ue Jljall 
 tit this, or that, referring all to his pkalure, who alone doth 
 whitfoevcr pleafeth him. 1. What is hereby iniiniatcd to 
 -ii-;, anil what is the duly incumbent upon us, namely, (i.) 
 TliHt wt have 'no ntlurance <if our live?, nor of any of the 
 comforts' of our lives, for one dav, arid thcrjforc oni;ht to 
 refer all (*itr adiotis, our cnterprifcs, and undcrtakuig;? to 
 
 the will oT God.' Ifhnt h pur life ? tec. {2.) That in 
 regard of the great frail'v of our lives, and the great un- 
 certainty of itnicsand evcm', it is the height of prcftt motion- 
 topromifc ourfclves great things, wi'hcut the leave of God's 
 providence ; as our times arc in God's hands, fo aie our 
 aifli>'ns alfo in God's power, both a- to the performance 
 of them, and as to the fiiccefs of them : Say ml tkfn, To' 
 day, »r to-tnorrow, ive wi// g', in/} fuch a city, &C.' 
 
 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, 
 and doeth it not, to him it is lin. 
 
 Ohjcrve here, i. That fin- of ignorance arc fin-, and j 
 render men grcitly cidpable, though igrvirance will in fome a 
 degree leflln their pimifhment. 2. Thut to On ai;sinft 
 light an<l knowledge is a very heinous aggravation of (in ; 
 becaufe the knowledge of cur duty lays us under the 
 greatcll obligation to do it. 3. That the greater advan- 
 tages and opportunities any man ha- of k now ing his duty ; 
 and the more knowledge he fins agrinft in not doing of it, 
 the greater is his fin, and the more grievous will be his 
 condemnation. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 GO to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for 
 your miferies that fhali come i-;pon yiM, 2 
 Your riches arc corrupted, and your garn^ents are 
 moth-eaten. 3 Your t;old and filver is cankered ; 
 and the ruft of them (hail be a witncfs again ft you, 
 and fliall eat your flefh as it were fire. Ye have 
 heaped treafurc together for the laft days. 
 
 Thefe words mny be confidered either relatively or ab. 
 folutely. Confider I hem, I. Wi:h rcl.ition 10 the J-jws, to 
 whom they were written immcuiatelv, and ihey are a pre- 
 diction or denunciation of tliat judgment which was com- 
 ing upon the rich men of the Jewifh nation ; which pre- 
 diSion, Jofephiis airurc- us, was filled by the flsuph'er 
 and fpoiling of the rich Jews throughout Galilee and Judea, 
 the zealots fparing none but the poor and low : Thus did 
 the vvngesnce of God, and docs to this day purfue and 
 follow that wicked people, who killed the Lord ol life, and 
 their own prophets, who brought judgment on themftlves 
 to the uttcrmofl. Confider the words abf.'lutely in ihem- 
 felves, and they are a fevcrc and cu'iing reprehtntun to 
 covetous rich incn, for ttre fordid (,»aring of that wc;ilth 
 vrhich G vd had given them for public fcrvice. And the 
 apoCile L'ivcs us, (i.) A dcfciiption ot their fin. {^.) A 
 declaration of their ptmillim.cnt. Oljirvt, I. A defcription 
 of the llnf>f ihe covetous rich woihilina'^, they chofc rather 
 to have their goods to be corrnp'ed trnd fpoiled, th.in to be 
 employed to go(.d iifcs ; their viiftuals p-iL'h' have rcfrefhcd 
 the bowels of the hungrv, but they rather fufTt-rtd them to 
 putrily ::nd (tink ; the garments which lay ufilcfs in their 
 wardrobes, nnght have clothed the backs of their n^kcd 
 Irrcthren, but ihey hnd rafhcr let them be moth-eaten ; 
 their gold and filvcr iright have been applied to many gr.od 
 tifes, but they h-d rather it ihould be csjikered, and rt-ft in 
 their chelts. :. The punilhmcnt demiiiced agairl.t tlem 
 for this tin IT fin, jlve xuft of their gold and filvcr /t/// 
 
 xuitmfs 
 
Chap. . v 
 
 St. JAMES-. 
 
 1031 
 
 liitnrfs againft thtm ; that is, their confciences fh.ill at once 
 convince theiTi of thcir.bafc covctoufnds. and torment ilitin 
 for it ; an 1 this corroding of their confciences, rhall have 
 an imprcfr.jn upon their bodies it fhall eat then flclli as it 
 were fire; and all that treafure which, with wrong to 
 others, and violation to their own confcicnce*, they had 
 heaped together, was but heaped up for the fpoiler, and the 
 violence of the laft days. Learn, I. Th.it it is haul to ' 
 poifcfs riches uithotit fin, an hard matter to have them, 
 and not to be hindered from heaven by tlicin. 2. That a 
 covetous hoarding, and fordid fparing of wealth, which our 
 fiiftcriiig brethren want, brings a curfe both upon our per- 
 fons and cftates. 3. '^^hat fare miferies, and dreadful judg- 
 mentit, (hall come upon wicked rich men, which, it be- 
 lievint»ly apprehended, would caufe them now to weep and 
 howl.' Wc do not hurt with our wealth, fay fome ; aye, 
 but what good do you do with it : Where are the poor 
 meinbers of Chrill, whom ye have relieved with the fupcr- 
 fluitics of your table ? But can many fay truly, They have 
 done no harm with their eftates ? Lord! What carelefTnefs 
 in religion ; what contempt of God, what riot and cxccfs, 
 is fourTd amongft many that abound in we:dth, who expend 
 more upon a luft in one day, than would maintain a poor 
 family many years. 4. That in the day of judgment, not 
 only our ai5lions, but all the circumftances of our adions, 
 fh.il be brought forth, and produced as arguments of con- 
 viiflion ; the rufty iron, the cankered filver, the moth eaten 
 clothes, (liall be produced ; tbe (lones of the wal], built by 
 oppreflion, flnll cry, " Lord, we were built by oppreflion 
 and violence ; and the beam out of the timber /hafl anfwer 
 it, True, Lord, even Jo it is, Hab. ii. 11, The circum- 
 (lance? of men's fins at the great day will be fo many me- 
 morials to put them in mind of guilt, and God in mind of 
 vengeance. 
 
 4 Behold the hire of the labourers who have 
 reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back 
 by fraud, crieth : and the cries of them which have 
 reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of 
 Sabaoth. 
 
 The next fin which our apofl'.e convii^s the rich of, and 
 condemns them for, is the fin of oppreffion, and of the 
 worft fort, even of labourers and fervants ; their covetoiif- 
 nefs was the caiife of this oppreiTion. There is no fin fo 
 heinous and bafe but covetonfnefs may be a mother or 
 a nurfe to it ; what more fordid than for the rich mafier to 
 detain the wages of the poor labourer ? Yet, Beh/ild the hire 
 of the labourers crieth : though they did not, durft not com- 
 plain, yet their hire kept back did corr.plain. Learn hence, 
 That as all opprefiion is very finfid, fo efpecially the de- 
 taining of the labourers wages when their hire is delayed or 
 denied, both are exceeding finful ; and accor.lingly we find 
 opprefTirs in fcripture joined with the vilcft of finners, even 
 with forcerers, adulterers, and falfe fwearers. And to tcf- 
 tify that God cannot want witnefTes againft eppreiTors, he 
 tells us, their hire (hall cry as well as the poor themfelves ; 
 " The beam, and the ftone out of the wall fhall cry," 
 Hab. il'. Remember we then that fecret wrongs are known 
 to God : the poor may not always know who wrongs them, 
 
 but the Lord fully knows, and their wrongs and opprefHons 
 will cry aeainfl ii«, when they know not apainfl whom to 
 cry. And note. The perfon glorioufly dcfiritcd who is the < 
 poor's avenger ; he is the Lord 'jf Sabaoth, or the Lord of 
 hofts, who has all power in his hand, arvd all creatures at 
 his command. How bold and daring then i^ the oppreilbr 
 to afflift the poor, who have the Lord of hofts tor their 
 avenger ? 
 
 5 Ye have lived in plcafureon the earth, and been 
 wanton ; ve have nourilhed your hearts as in a day 
 of flaughter. 
 
 The next fin he charges tbcmupon, is fenfualify, luxury, 
 lafcivioufnefs, their eating and drinking to excefs in their 
 feafls, pampering thtmfehcs for the flatighter and the 
 iTiamblcs. Thefe are fins very natural to corrnpt nanirc, 
 but chiefly incident to the rich. Pi ide, idlcncfs, fulnefs of 
 bread, and living in pleafure, arc toofrequently fins that do 
 abound in rich men'- houfes ; though their abimdance is no 
 excufe, but rather an aggravation of their fin. God allovi's 
 us to'iifc pleafiire, but not to live in pleafures ; and by call- 
 ing it pleafure upon earth, he intimates, i.That ftnfind de- 
 lights are only enjoyed here-in this world : i. That their 
 defircs ran after thefe earthly pleafures only ; 'J'he pleafures 
 of the heart only pleafed them; whereas the delisjhi.s of 
 fenfe are fo far from being the chief pleafures for which God 
 dcligned us, that on the contrary, he intended we (hould 
 take our chief pleafure, not in gratifying, but in reftraining 
 our fenfual appetite, in reducing that rebellious power under 
 the government and dominion of reafon and rt Irgion. 
 
 6 Ye have condemned ir?2i killed thejuft, and be 
 doth not refill you. 
 
 By the _;'/</?, may be iinderrtood yejns Chrijt, \\\z\ jvf One, 
 whom the natinnof the Jews condemned and killed ; and alfo 
 fuch of his members, orthod<ix chriftians, whom the judaiz- 
 ing chrirtians pcriecuted. By xhcir condei/ining the jiij), un- 
 derftand how they proceeded againrt them under a pretence 
 and colour of law ; before they would actually kill, they 
 pretended legally to condemn-. Lenm ihence, That God 
 takes notice not only of the open violence offered to his 
 people, but alfo of all the injuries done unto them under the 
 form of a legal procedure ; it is a mighty provocation when 
 public authority, which is tbedelencc of innoccncy, is made 
 the pretence of oppreffion : 1 1 fcdlows. Ye have hilled the jtifi : 
 This is- added to let us know that <ipprcfilon will proceed as 
 far as death. Wickednefs knoweth no boimds ; good men 
 are oft-times arraigned, condemned and killed ; they fall 
 a facrifice to the rage of their perfecutors and oi.'prefTor.";. It 
 is added, He doth tut rejiji ynu ; which if applied to Cluil>, 
 points at his me^ knefs ; he was (lain v\ iihout refifiance ; he 
 came to fiiffer, therefore would not refift. If applied to fiif- 
 fering chrirtians, it points at their wcaknefs and inability 
 to make refirtantc, as well as at their mccknefs and patience - 
 imder fufF;rings. 
 
 7 H Be patient, therefore, brethrfn, unto the com- 
 ing of the Lord. Behold, the hufbandman wv.itcth ■ 
 for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long- 
 patience for it, until he receive the early and latter, 
 
 rain 
 
10^2 
 
 -St. J A M E S. 
 
 Ghap. v. 
 
 ram. 8 Be yc alfo patient ; cftablifh your hearts ; 
 m lor the coming of the Lord draweth nij>h. 
 
 Ohfervt here, i. The duty exhorted to, fnlttnce : Be pa- 
 titni, hrtlhrcn. Patience is a fcnfe of afP.i£lions without 
 ttiiirmuring, and ot injuries without revcnsie. It isthcduty 
 otchriOians to be patient under thefe rufFcrings, though 
 ilicy be long and fliarp. 2. The argument to enforce this 
 dill V, -Vr am'in^ of the Lord drtnvetk nigh. This may be 
 •iindcr(»f.od of Chrill's particular coniini^ to judge his mur- 
 derers at JcrufaleiTi, which w.is then at hand, or of his ge- 
 neral coining to jud^c the world at the laft day. As if our 
 npollie had (aid, "Have a little patience, and when your 
 J.ord crvmcth, he -will put a pcri(5d to all your affli£lions ; 
 with defire long for liis comins;, and yet with patience wait 
 fur it." 3. A pattern of patience, propounded in the hnf- 
 'bandnian, he waiicth, and wuiieth long for the time of 
 harveft ; and in order thereunto, for the former and latter 
 rain, to prepare the corn for the day of a joyful harveft. 
 Now, in imitation of the hufbandman, the patient chriftian 
 thii'^ argues with himfclf ; " If the hufbandman waits with 
 patience for the coming of the harveft, fliall not I wait with 
 perfevcrance for the coming of my Lord ? The approach of 
 harveft is precious to him, and ihall not the appearance of 
 Chrill he fo to mc ? Shall he endure fo much for a little 
 corn, and n^t I much more for an heavexly kingdom ?" 
 4. The dirL-(5\ion given in order to the obtaining of this 
 patience and long fufFe ring, eftahlijh y.ur argutnenl^\ that 
 is, in a firm expedtatinn ot'Chrifts coming, helierc that he 
 will come certainly, and may come fuddcnly, and looner 
 perhaps than yon may apprehend. Learn hence. That it 
 i<; the dutv of chriftians, in and under their aftiif^ions to 
 (tablifti tlieir hearts in a firm btlief of the coining and ap- 
 pearance of Chrift, to put a final period to all their fufFcr- 
 jjigs, and to reward their \ iftorious faith and patience. 
 
 9 Cirudge not one againft another, brethren, left 
 ve be condemned : behold, the judge ftandeth be- 
 fore the doer. 
 
 OhJerxK here, i. A prohibition. Grudge mt one againft 
 another ; that is, do not murmur 01 repine, groan or grieve, 
 as impatient men ufc to do under their prelture ; complain 
 not of God, becaufc thetime of your deliverance is delayed : 
 ihirft not after revenge againft your perfecutors, and envy 
 i-.ot thofc who are e.\ercifed with fewer troubles than y'mr- 
 fflves : grudge nit. 2. The enforcement of tiris prohi- 
 bition from the danger of the fa(5l, left ye he condcmn.-d. As 
 it he had faid, " Impaiicnce and difcontent. envy and dif- 
 iruft, will cxpnfe you to greater miferics than yoti conipl.;in 
 of: Your fufFerings here are but for yotir probation, but 
 your grudging and rcpinintr will be your condemnation." 
 ^. The anticipation or loreftalling of an objection, which 
 ibme might make '. " What ! niuft we fufFcri and msy we 
 not complain ? Muft we, by tamely bearing many affronts, 
 invi'e m'>re, and revenge none ?" ■ Yes, ravi. the apoftle, hf. 
 patient, and commit your caufe to him that jiidgcth righ- 
 fcouily ; (or hehM the "Judge flandelh hrf'tre the tlior. 
 Where n^.te, i. A Judge, the fupreme and univeifal Jiidte, 
 Jtfiis Chrift, who was here judged by the crcauires, but 
 now is coujing to jtidgc his judges. 2. His pofture, lie 
 
 ftandeth, which is the Judge'<: poftnrc when he executes 
 jiidsiment. Sr. Stephen faw Chrift ftanding, .Aifls vii. 55, 
 at G-id's right hand ; not as an advocate to plead his caufe, j 
 (Chrift is faid to fit at G'kI'.s right hand when he docs tharl ■ 
 but he ft<Kxl now as a Judge, to take fpeedy ven;;e?nrr on 
 Sr. Stephen's murderers for that bloody aifl. 3. The place 
 where the Judge ftandeth, befjre the Ukt ; that is, he is 
 coming to judgment, and he !•; juft at hand ; he has put on 
 his robes, and is allenJing his tri'mnal. Ohfervt, U;'., 
 The note of aitciition, Behi'.d ! this ufhers in thcwhr.lf. 
 Behold the Judge ftandeth at the dy>r. Learn hence. That 
 the confideration of C'lift's near approach to judgtreat 
 fhould awe the cnnfcirncrs of men, and mmild their con- * 
 verfations into a d;itiful compliance with divine comma-ids. 
 
 10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have 
 fpoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of 
 fuffering aflliftion, and of patience. 
 
 Here the apoftle exhorts fuRfering Chriftians to patience, 
 by the example of the Old Ttftamcnt faints, who were ex- 
 ceeding dear to God, employed in fpecial fcrvices forG-nl, 
 yet exercifed with long and fliarp affiidlions from him. 
 Now, their nature was as tender and as frail as ours, and 
 we have the fame blciTcd Spirit tocornfcrt anti affift us w iih 
 them. Note thence, i. That the examples of excellent 
 perfons who have gone in tbc thorny path of affliction be- 
 fore lis, and beaten it for us, are of excellent ufc to fupprcfs 
 our fears, to fupport our fpirits under al! our conflicts, and 
 to rouze our courage in all our encounters. 2. That it is 
 our great duty to eve the encotmtcring examples of thofc 
 that have trod the path of fufFerings before us, and ftrive 
 to imitate and follow fuch worthy patterns. Tho firft fuf- 
 ferers had the hardeft taflc ; ftrange and untried torments 
 arc moft terrible ; they knew not the ftrcngih of their enemy 
 which they were to engage : but we fight with an enemy 
 that has been often beaten aad triumphed over bv our 
 brethren that went before us ; certainly wc that live in thefe 
 laft times have the beft helps that ever anv had fo ftibdiie 
 otir fears: 1 aie lue then the prophets, and primiiive fairit.s, 
 for an e.vample, both of grievous fufFtrings, and of great 
 patience. 
 
 1 1 Behold, we count them happy which endure. 
 
 That is, " All perfons do iud^c and pronounce thofethat 
 have fufTered death, for rightcoufncfs fake, to be in a very 
 happy condiiion ; though tlicv live perlecuted, yet they die 
 fainted. Living faints arc an eve-fove ; bv the ftriftnefs aS 
 their lives, and the feveriiy of their reproofs, thev torment 
 a wicked world ; but dead faints iloiiot ftand in the vvav of 
 their liifts, they will therefore have a go<-id word for the 
 ■d^ad faints, whilft they hate tnd pcrfeciitc the living. 
 
 — Yehave heard of the patienw of Job, and have 
 fcen the end of the Lord ; that the Lord is \cry 
 pitiful, and cf tender mercy. 
 
 T'at is, " Ye have heard how eminent Job wa?, Iii.ia 
 for his fufFerings and his pat'tnoe, and you have fix-n 'it is 
 fet bcfoie yotir eves in tlii;. ftorv) what an end the I.otd 
 made with him, giving him dotiMe in this world for wh.it 
 he loft ; therefore, ihough you may be lofers for (>o4- vet 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 St. JAMES. 
 
 1035 
 
 tear not tb.it you (liall be lofers by him." Lf^m heuce, 
 I. That it is good and urefol in our .TtHiitions, to propound 
 Job's pattern and example to our own imitation. He was 
 tainons for his i'liirepn};.'., and as f.-.moiis for iiis patience : 
 Do you fuffer various kinds of afilii-^ion ? Do yon I'ulfer 
 in your body, in your fpirir, in your nearelt relaiion-;, in 
 your tlearcft of earthly comforts? And under all thrfe do 
 you futfer the heavie(l ceiifurcs for hypocrify? It is but 
 Job's portion, and if you compare notes, not half of his 
 coiidliion neither : fo for his patience, let us propound that 
 for our pattcrsj too, and v.Xz this encouragement to do it, 
 namely, that though Job difcovered much impatience, 
 curling the day of his birth, Hcc. yet that is not here men- 
 tioned, but iDercifnlly pitied, and pardoned, and jTracioufly 
 o\erIooked. Where the heart is upright wit!) God, iuHr- 
 Hiiiies are not mentioned by hitn. 2. That our aflliftions 
 oudu not fo much to be confjdered in their nature and be- 
 ginning, as in their ilTue and end : Ton have feen the end of 
 the Lord. God gives always a gracious end, and a glorious 
 end, to the afihdions of his people, and fometimes a tem- 
 poral end alio. Job had ail thel'e : let us, under the rod, 
 wait upoti God with Job's patience, and he will give us 
 Job's end. 3. What an affVcVionate regard God bears to 
 his children,' in and untler all their heavy fufferings; he is 
 full of bowels, as the word (ignifies, truly conipallionate, 
 very piti/til, and df tender niercy. As he has pardon for 
 their lins, lb hehaspity for their afiliclions; he i< pitiful as 
 well as luercilol, yea, very pitiful, and of lender mercy. 
 •ferve, lallly, That the book of Job i"; a rcalhiiVory, not 
 - parable. There was fnch a man as Job, how ell'e could 
 i)is patience be propounded as a pattern? And whence is 
 it ihit we find him niiuibered with Noah and Daniel ? 
 Kv.''k, xiv. 14. As they were real p-.-rfons, and truly pre- 
 v.lL'nt in prayer, fo was he, Job. xlii. ic. 
 
 1 2 5 But above all things, my brethren, fu-earnot, 
 neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by 
 any other oath ; bet let your yea be }'ea; and^wir 
 nay nay ; Icfl ye fall into condemnation. 
 
 C'hfcrvc, That an oath here is not abfolutely forbidden, 
 hilt rellrained : j^btve all things my brethren. Note, With 
 what vehcmcncy and earneftneis the apofHe fpeaks, Swear 
 not, that is, fwear not vainly and raihly,i'wear not lii^htly, 
 and prophanely, fwear not unduly by any of the creatures, 
 (but by the Creator only) which was a fin that the Jews 
 were dreadfidly guilty of : But let your yea he yea -jdrd your 
 tiay nay .- acciiltomyoiirfeh'es toa truelimplicivy and plain- 
 iiels ofTpeech, in aflirmingor denying, letting oaths alone, 
 Ir/r ye fall int-j andemneition ; that is, jjlainly, into the con- 
 demnation of hell. Learnbei^ce, i. That rafh and vain 
 {wearing orprophaceoaihs.arean high abufe of the dread- 
 ful name of God, and a mighty provocation to him : verily 
 tJiere is 1I0 fin that doth more weary the patience of God, 
 hecaufe there is no fin that doth more banidi the fear of 
 God out of our hearts. 2. That the great end of fpeecii 
 being to communicate thf feiifeof our mmds toeach other, 
 we ought to nfe fuch plainn^-fs and fimpliciiy in fpeaking, 
 
 ;it we may believe one another without oaths, or more 
 J. !^nm religious nil'cvt rations. I'tit yet, 3. To laky an 
 
 oath upon a folemn occafion, wlien lawfully called there- 
 unto, is-B chriltiati and r.cccffary duty. 
 
 13 *i[ Is any among you affliflcd P let him pray. 
 
 Here ohjerve, i. That afRi<ftion is a praying leafon. 
 Prayer is a duty nsver out of fealbn, but never more in 
 I'enlbn thai! in and under afllicVion. 2. That though the 
 time of affli(Jlion be a fpecial time when a faint prayelh, 
 yet it is not the only time, he prays at all times, becaufe 
 he loves to pray ; \\c prays then, becaufe he efpecially 
 flands then in need of prayer. A carnal heart has no mind 
 to the duty ; he vifics not God unlefs Cod vifits him ; bu: 
 a good man prays continually, prays without ceafiog, in 
 health and licknefs, in poverty and want; when the candle 
 of the Lord (bines about his tabernacle, as well as when he 
 walketh through darknefs. 
 
 — Is any merry ? lethimfingpfalms. 
 
 He that prays, makes mufic in the ears of God| he that 
 fings pfaliiis, performs a duty fuitable to his condition. 
 Several conditions require feveral duties, and all duties are 
 to be performed fuitably toour feveral conditions. Singing 
 is proper to a profperous rtate ; both to fingGod'spraifes, 
 and to fing to his praife ; prayer is proper to an afflifted 
 condition ; it is our belt remedy, becaufe it leads us to 
 God our bed refuge : therefore, if any be afflicted, let him 
 pray to God to alleviate and fandify his afHidion. Is any 
 merry ? let him Jing pfalms of praife to that God who hath 
 given him this cheerfulnefs of fpirit, 
 
 14 Is any fick among you ? let him call for the 
 elders of the church ; and let them pray over him, — • 
 
 Some ohferve, i. That St. James doth not fay, " Is any 
 man fick? let him pray ;'' but let him fend for orhers to 
 pray with him, and for him ; plainly fuppofing that the 
 fick man is very unfit to pray hinifelf, or to pray for him- 
 felf ; in other afflictions let him pray, but in ficknefs let 
 others pray for him, he having enough to do to grapple 
 with his grief, and to conflict with his afflidion : a diffafed 
 body unfits the mind for holy duties. Yet, 2. It is one 
 thing to want an heartinficknefstoprayfor ourfelves, and 
 another thing to want ability to pray for ourfelves. Manj/' 
 defire the prayer? of others in ficknefs, who wanted hearts 
 to pray for themfelves in health, 'i'his is a fiui fymptom 
 that the foul is as fick, yea, more dangeroufly (ick than the 
 body. Add to this, that the prayers of others are very 
 rarely beneficial to us, unlefs we pray, or have a defire to 
 pray, for ourfelves, t. The fick man'sduty, not only to 
 defire prayer, but tofend totheeldersof thecliurch to pray 
 for him, and with him, Quelt . But if the fick negled to 
 fend, may the minifter neglect to go, if he knows of the 
 ficknefs? Doubtlefs we ought to go, if we know of it, 
 wliether they fend or not, for they want our prayers and 
 liclp moft when they defire it leaft : and by refufintf to 00, 
 v/e may lofe the laft, and perhaps the belt opportunity of 
 doing good unto them. If our people, through ftopidity 
 and infenfibknefs, Omit their duty in fending for us, God 
 forbid, that, either through pride or fluggilhnefs, weiiioold 
 negled our duty in going to them ; tot', too often we never 
 liear our people are fick, till the bell tells us they arcdead : 
 if therefore by any means wc gain the knowledge of their 
 6 P conditicn 
 
1034 
 
 St. J A M E S, 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 condition, let us apply ourfelves with all our tnight to thf ir lon«, and long (itice ceafed ? Qr apply a facr.iment to dyinjj 
 
 confcicnces, left God l>e more ani;ry uidi iis for not ;^<'in;r perlnns, from a riie ulfilnpon perlons who were not to liie, 
 
 to thfm, ihan wiih them for not leiulmg for us, iiniiJiin;j luir to he r.iifeil frt in licknef;. ? Or how can they promile 
 
 ctirLord, who was fmiiul of ihetn ih.it Jought liiin mt. lo him forciiene Is of lins, to whom they cannot promife 
 
 Is any Jick tini'jnft you? hi him ciill f,r the cliL-rt if the ih.t rccoviTy w h.ich was the token of it. 
 
 church; and lat them prny ever h'nn. r r- ^ c c ru . -.^u i 
 
 ' • lO Coiifcis Your taults our to another, and pray 
 
 — Anointing them with oil in the name of the one for another, that ye may be healed. — 
 
 ^^^^ • N't-: here, i. That there is a time and feafon v. Ik n u ',■> 
 
 Some make this anointinf; w'ith tn! to be a mediiinnl our dm y to conlVfs our lius, not only to Goif, bur lo one 
 
 praClice ainoiip the Jews, and tint they adminiOtrfd it anoiher, to a piniis and priidtiu uiiniller, to an injured and 
 
 phylkally : but why then nnid the elders adniiniUtr it ? wronj^ed nei^ihhour, to ihofe iii.it have been tonipted l.y us, 
 
 'J'he phyfician might luve done it as well as they. Trne, and have conli-nied wiih \n in linning. a. How :.|-;!"i;rdly 
 
 but the elder-: are lent for, that they, applying this corpo- the papilU ground their pracVce of auricu'ar confeluon upon 
 
 ral remrdy, might join with it fpiritu.il phylic, or pra\ir, this text, here is not one wtird fpoken of a prieft, not of 
 
 good admonition and comfort. As if a lick perlbn Hiould our confclling to him ; and if fo, *the text proves it the 
 
 fend for the minilter at his taking of phylic, that he might pried's diiiy to confefs to the people, asmucliai ihe people's 
 
 then pray with him, counfel, and comfort him. Others to confcfs to the pricfV, for liie duty required is mu'u.il, 
 
 make this anointing with oil a religious aft. Chrift em- row/ryj- o/j6' /o ij^>6//W: accordingly the words are generally 
 
 powered his apoftles to work miracles, and, amongft others, underftood of confelilng private injuries one to ann'hrr; M 
 
 they had the gift of healing the fick, whom they anointed that the lick perfon mult reconcil.." hiinfelf to his neiji,hboiir " 
 
 in the name of the Lord, or by the authority of the l^ord ; as well as to God, that he may recover ; for lo it fellow*, 
 
 but the gofpel being lufScienily confirmed, this gift of pray for one another, thi^t ye rmy he henttd •,\m\nw\n^,lh»i 
 healing is ceafed, and therewith the riie of anoinving ; it is the iluty of chriftians to confcfs their mift-ariiages an-l 
 therefore the church of Rome keep up an idle ceremony private injuries one to anoilitr, and by their pra>ers to 
 in anointing the ikk, unlefs they had a miraculous power j'uccour, help, and relieve cacii oth(r ; it is the duty « i 
 to heal the lick : to keep up the rite, unlefs they could the (Irong to ])rov for the weak, and the ftrong uiay be ^ 
 produce the effect; to pretend to the anointing, without flrengthened by the prayers of the weak, 
 the power of healing, is a mere piece of pageantry ; be- rr-i rr <-. i r c •^ 
 
 fides, they anoint thole that are given over for dead, and —The elFeaual fervent prayer of a n-htcou. 
 
 the apollle's anointing was for the benefit of the living, man availeth much. 
 
 as appears by the following verfe. Chf^rve here, i. The (]uai;i1c.uion of that prayer, whit'. 
 
 15 And the prayer of faith fliall favc the fick, at that time was elFectuahor the recovery of the lick perfi 
 
 and the Lord (laall raile him up ; — 
 
 Here our apoftlc lliews the good elFefts of this anointing 
 and praying : yet note, that he alcribes the lick man's re- 
 covery, not to the oil, but to the prayer : the prayer cf faith 
 Jhall fave the fck. The mora! means is taken notice t>f 
 before the ritual and ceremonijl: the prayer 0/ failhfAiH 
 fjvelhc fJck, There was required to the miracle faith, both 
 in the elder, ami in the litk perfon, xofai-e, that is, to re- 
 cover the fick ; yet mark, it is laid, the LortlJJjall raife him 
 vp, to note, thit the eflicacy of faith lies in the objccT: of 
 faith ; it is not fiiith properly, but God called upon in faith 
 that faveth the fick ; the effic.icy of faith is not from its 
 own merit, but from God's power and grace. 
 
 in a miraculous manner, it may be renurred an infpirt. 
 prayer ; as they that were acVd by the evil fpirits, fo fucii 
 as were moved by the impiilfcs of the Holy Spirit, were 
 called E i.) «-/*i"i, in a good lenfe, the phi.il'e propeily li;' 
 nilies a pr.iyer inwardly \\rooMlit and excited, and iiiiplii 
 the cfiiLjcious influence of the Holy Spirit, anu the fort 
 and veheinenty of a chrillian's fiiirit and aficclion exerte 
 and put forth in the duty; in wrought prayer, or prayc 
 that works in and upon our hearts, has a mighty prevalent 
 with G.id. 2. The q'laliliciiion of the perfon praying 
 righte'Mt mail, not legally rightto-ss, one in a Hate of linltli 
 perfection, but a jierfon jultitied by faiih. and w hofc faitii is 
 fruitful in good woiks. 3. The [yevalency and efficacy ( 
 fuch a perlon's prayer ; // ovailelh much; he doth not f;. 
 
 — And if he have committed fins, they fliall be how much, that is better e.^tperienced than exprclTed ; 
 
 forgiven him. 
 
 Jf he has c'j>nmUl((l fins : why, is there any quelVion to be 
 Tirede of that? i\o; but if he has committed fuch tins as 
 broiighr this licknerj uprn him, they (li.ill be forgiven him, 
 tipon this prayer of f.iith ; if any I'pecul or particular fin 
 has ilraw n down this dileafe i!;>on hnn. ii (IrdI l>e remitted, 
 and tlie diKafe removed ; where the ficknefi is by way of 
 clulliftnu nt, the hcalir.g is a icltimooy of GikI's f(»rgive- 
 nefi, Lt,:rn hence, How abTurd ii the popilh facramcit 
 of cxhiwe uniHibfH ho>v can they gather. t perpetual ci di- 
 uancc from an acUoa that was er.ir.iorduiary and niirncu- 
 
 availeth much for ourfelves, fomstinies more for others 
 than for ourlVlves. Note, 'J hat the lerveiit prayers and 
 interci llioiis of the rii;hteous have a mighty pievaleiuy 
 with God, both for thtmfcKes and o'.hsrs. 
 
 17 Elias was a man fubjcCl to like pafTions ; 
 we are, and he prayed carnellly that it migi 
 not rain; and it rained not orr thd earth by il. 
 ipare of three years and lix months. 18 And.h 
 prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and tt: 
 carta broiis^ht forth her fruit. 
 
 Our 
 
Chap. r. 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 J 035 
 
 Our apoftlcinthefc words provfsthe general propofiiion 
 he had laid down, that the fervent prnyer of a righteous 
 Jn-in nv/iileth much, by a particular inflance, the example 
 of Elias : who fccinej to carry tl'.e keys of iieaveu :u his 
 p.irHle, to fliut and o])en heaveu at his pleafure, I Kings 
 Nvii r. y4s ihv Lord livtth, there /liail not A-' tV-.u mr r.iin, 
 lut according- to my 'Mord : The apoftle here tells us what 
 word this was, nsniely, a ward of prayer, and not a word 
 of command: Eltas prayed, and tlit" hfiivcn gavi: rain .• he 
 froyedin prtiyer, ia the original : that is, he prayed with 
 faith and fervency, accordinj; to the will of God reve;iled 
 to him ; and thougii he was a man fuhjctt to the common 
 infirMiiries of iiuman nature with onrfelves, yet his pafiions 
 tliil niM hinder the pre vnlencv of his prayers ; nothing has 
 wrought fuch wondt-rfnl t-flicls in the world ;is prayer ; it 
 made the fun (tind Ifill in heaven ; it brought hre out of 
 heaven. 1 Kings i. r;. and here it Unit up the win- 
 dows of heaven, that^i rained not for tlie fpace of three 
 years and fix months : Ic has a divine kind ofoiintipotency 
 in it. 
 
 ig Brethren, if any of you (3o en from the trutli, 
 nnd one convert him ; 20 Let him knotv, that he 
 Avhich converteth the finner from the error of Iiis 
 way, fhall fave a foal from death, and ftiall hide a 
 multitude of fins. 
 
 Our apoftle concludes his epiftle with an exhortation to 
 
 the duty of fraternal corruption and chridian admonition : 
 " If, fays he, any one among you, who hath made an 
 outward profefilon of chriftianity, (liall, for fearofper- 
 fecut'on, or othcrwife, turn afido from ihe rule of ihc 
 golpcl, whether in matters of faith or j)taaice. fuch a pcr-^ 
 Ion, cither miniller or private chrifli.m, as fli.iU be inftru- 
 mental, by prayer, reproof, orcounfel, to recover him out 
 of that wandering and backfliding condition, flull have the 
 honour to/Ivf a /lf<///C'" dtath, end/}. all hide a multitude 
 tf fms ; that is, he (liall be a means of bringing him to a 
 ligitt of his (ins, and to fiek pardon for them, which is the 
 only true and happy way of hiding and of covering them. 
 Ltarnhence, i. It is not fufficicnt ihat every one takes 
 care of his ovsn foul, but he muft alfo watch over the foul* 
 of others; there is no brother fo n)eai) in the chriftian 
 chiirth, but the care of his falvation bclongeth to all in the 
 chriflian communion. Learn, 2. What great honour God 
 puts upon the creature, in calling him a faviour to a re- 
 flored and converted brother, he /hall five a foul p- cm 
 death : but when God puts the glory of his own work upon 
 tlie head of the creature, what caufe has he to lay the 
 crown of his excellency at the foot of God? When the 
 honour of the fupreme Caufe is put upon the inftrument, 
 the inftrument ought to afcribe all the efEcacy and effici- 
 ency to the firft Caufe, faying. Not unto us, Lord, not 
 unto us, but to thy name be thepraife. Amen. 
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL 
 
 O F 
 
 St. 
 
 P 
 
 E T E R. 
 
 The wrikr nf this arid the /ollpzi;i',ig rpifJe -was St. Peter, who Jliles hmfelf an apoftle of Jefus Chrifl, iiot the 
 Univerfal bijliop and' head of iJie church ; no where do we Jind this Iwly and humble apojlle ajfuming, though 
 we often Jind the apoflale church of Rome giving him an uncontroulable monarchy, and fovereign dominion, cfver 
 the whole church of Chrifl, and over the apcflks ihemfelves, and their fucccjjon : and accordingly to interpret 
 thofe -words of our Saviour to St. Peter, St. John xxi. Pafcc eves. Feed my Iheep, in fuch a rampant fenfe 
 as they have done, could never -viih any confidence have been ojfered to the reafcn of mankind, had not theft 
 men fub'hed their reafon to their intcrcf, and fuhjeSed both to an implicit faith and blind obedience. Saint 
 Peter , being the apoftle cfihe circumcifion, writes this epi/lk to ihe believing Jews, and profelyted Gentiles, who were 
 of tlie difperfion, fcattercd abroad in divers countries, of whom he had an efpedal charge, and of whcfe converfiort 
 he had been a principal injlrument. 
 The defgn of tlie epifie is to ccifirm them in the chriflian religion, to encourage them to ccnflancy under the fharpefl 
 , perfecutions and fety trials for the fame, and to excite tlum to the praBice of particular duties incumbent upcn them 
 in retry capacity' and relation in which they flood, beautifying and adorning their holy profejfion ly an Iwly and 
 hcconiing convcrfaticn. ArJ, accordingly thus he writes unto them ; 
 
 6 P 2 CHAP. 
 
1036 
 
 St. peter. 
 
 Chap. 1. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 PETER an apoRle of Joins Chrifl, to th^ 
 ftrangers fcattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, 
 Cappadocia, Afia, and Bitliynia, 2 Eleft according 
 to the foreknou'lcdjjC of God the Father, through 
 fanflification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and 
 fprinkling of the blood of Jefus Ciirift. Grace unto 
 you and peace be muUiphed. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The penman of this ep'flle deTcribcd hy 
 I)is name, Peter ; by his office an apJi'U ; by tlie au.horof 
 his cilice, Jcfus ChiiJ}. 'Ihis name Pctir was given hi.Tj 
 by our Saviour, ar.d lij^nifieth a Oone, a rnck, prcb.ibly for 
 his confelfion and acknowledgment of Chrilt, the Rock 
 upon w horn the Chriftian Church was built ; his tali to the 
 office, firft of a difciple, and then of an apoftie, was from 
 Chrift himlelf. It is a lingalir fupport to the miniiters of 
 the jtofiiel of Chrirt, under all tlieir difcourngements, to 
 confjder whofe officers they arc, and from whom they luve 
 botli their million and their nTt'Ijgc, their authority and 
 their abilities for the facrcd funciion : Peter an opojile of 
 Jefus Chriji. 2. The perfons to whom the epitHe is di- 
 refted, to the ftrangers Icattered abroad in Pontus, Galatia, 
 &c. that is, to fuch of the converted Jews and profelyted 
 Gentiles as were difperfed into feveral countries, exiled and 
 banilhed from houfe and home, for the f.ike of Chriftand 
 his holy religion, which they made a faithful profefiionof. 
 Learn hence. That a ftate of exile and banilhment from 
 outward comforts and privileges, has been, and may be the 
 lot and portion of a people that are exceeding dear to 
 Almighty God. 3. How he comforts them in this their 
 periecuted condition, by declaring to them the great things 
 which God had done for them in their elc^ion, vocaiien, 
 aml/antfjificatian ; alTuring them that God had chofen them 
 out of the world according to his foreknowledge and un- 
 fearchable counfel, and efledually called them to the par- 
 ticipation of his grace, fandtifying them by his Spirit, that 
 they fliould obey the truth, and by faith be fprinkled with 
 the blood of Chrift, and thereby be brought into a ftate of 
 perfed peace aud reconciliation with Cod. Leern hence, 
 
 1 . That God has certainly chofen fome to eternal falvation. 
 
 2. Thar fuch asare chofen to happinefsas the end, are alio 
 chofen to holinefs as tHe mean : Elcil tbrougbfaniJificatlon 
 cf the Spirit unto obedience : fandlification is the fruit of our 
 eletaion, and obedience the end of our fancTification. 
 
 3. That fatxflification and juftification always accompany 
 one another ; here is fanditication and fprinkling with the 
 blood of Chriftjoined together ; where ««/?, Chrilt, asn)e- 
 diaror, has blood, his blood was fhed, his blood thac was 
 fhed mufl: be fprinkled, and by faith applied ; and we can 
 never liilcern nurintereft in the blood of Chrift, till wcnre 
 fanclilied by the Spirit of Chrift, and our hearts aiid lives 
 wrought unto obedience. Juftification and fanc^i.Hcation, 
 though dillinct in their nature, yet are itifepcrable in their 
 fubjcct. Ohfeive, laftly, The falutation here lent to thefc 
 dilperfed iA\mi, Grace and peace he mnliiplietl. Where wo^f, 
 I. The Ciumc^ton, grace and peace. 2. The order, firit 
 grace, and then peace. 3. The option, /;.- '«((//;/>/-V. The 
 Llcilin^^s prayed for, are thechoiceft, the fweeteft, and the 
 
 beft of blefiiogs ; ffrace and peace : together with the aug- 
 mentation, and abundant increafe of both, Grace and peace 
 be multiplied. Learn, That there is nothing that the mi- 
 nifters of Chriftdo more paffionarely df^fire, and more ear- 
 nedly en "eavour, than totce their peoplebrought into, and J 
 p.-iferved in n ftatc of favour and peace with Cinil, nnd en- j 
 joying a multiplied increafe of all fpiritujl and tcmpor.tl 
 blcflings from him. 
 
 3 BlelTcd^cthe God and Father of our Lord Jcfus 
 Chrifl. which, according to his abundant mercy, hath 
 begotten us a^ain unto a lively hope, b)- the rcfur- 
 retlion of Jelus Chrifl from the dead, 4 To an in- 
 heritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fa- 
 deth not away, refcrved in heaven for you. 
 
 Ohftrve here, i. How our apoftle breaks forth into gra- 
 tnluion and thankfiilnefs tnGod. for tliolc fperial blrllings, 
 which, hy his miiiillry, were conferred upon thefe con- 
 verted chriftian?, nieJT-d l>e the God and Father cf our Lord 
 Jffns ChiiR. Bkinng and praife are due to God fur the 
 lealt mercies received frcm G.'d, becaufc we arc lefs 
 than the teaft, much more forfpiriinal r.nJ eternal bli-llings, 
 which are the greatell nicrciesi hat either God can gi'e, or 
 we receive. 2 The fpecial mtrcy which lie iluss lilcmnly 
 blefTcSj and gives thr.nks toGocI fnr.nimc ly, iheir rej;ei!C. 
 ration: For begetting them to a tivt ly h'pe, by the rifurrei^ii , n J 
 ijf Chrip,Scc. Where note, 1. The benefit declared, ihty 
 were begotten again to an hope of J'alvation ; by mcanjuf 
 fin, all influence: of grace were fulpeiuled, and all hopes of f. 
 falvation were cut eft'. Chrill's inteipofure for us nmkes 
 our condition hopeful, and the falltn angels hi.ptkls. 2. 
 'Jhe qualification of that hope which chrilliaos arc begotten 
 to, it is a lively h',pe, in oppulition to? dead hope, and to a 
 languid and languilhinghope ; thechriflian's hope is an ef- 
 fecftual hope, w hich proceeds from faith, and promotes 
 holinefs. A lively h'ipe \% an hope that makes lis lively, 
 joyful, and comfortable in our lives ; an hope that pms 
 life into us. 3. 1 he means whereby we are begotien 10 
 this hope, and that is, hy the rtfiirreriicn of Chriji from the 
 dead ; not by the bare aSf of his refurredion,- but by the 
 virtue andpowcr of it, we are raifed to a fpiritual life by it, 
 and our hopes of eternal life are thereby llrengthened and 
 confirmed. The jullificatiim of our j^erlons, the regene- 
 ration of our natures, the refurrtdion of our bodies, ths 
 j^Iorifif ation of oiir fouls and bodies, are fmoular fi uiis and 
 benefits of Chrill's refurrecVion. Well might the apoflic 
 then fay, .that w." are begotien to a lively hope hy the refur- • 
 reunion r,f Jefus Chrifl from the dead. Note, .^. The inov-^ 
 ing and impuWive cauJ'e from which regeneration, and all 
 other fpiritual blellings, do proceed and flow ;. themrrcy 
 and goodnefs of God. According to his abundant mercy hs 
 has begotten us again. In the maticrsof falvation nnthing 
 is owing to our merit ; for demerit cannot merit, but all is 
 due to divine goodntl's, and uudeferved mercy ; this is the 
 fcmtal caufe of all our favours. 5. The irtiure of that 
 happinefs which believers are begoiten toa lively Iiope anji 
 expectation of ; it \hhtriiW\\ei-\an inheritance. Heaven is 
 an inhcriiaiice, and as luch it ii given to children, to all 
 God's children, to none but hii children ; it is an inhe- 
 ritance. 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 St. peter. 
 
 1037' 
 
 riiance dearly purclialcd, yet freely given :Chrift is the Pole 
 purchafer of it ; no jomtpurchnfers with him ; the faints 
 arecalledjoint-harswithChrift.butneverjoint.purcharers: 
 yet remember, that though we cannot purchale this in- 
 heritance in a way of merit, we may forfeit it by our do- 
 merit, and prnvoke our heavenly Father to difiiiherit us. 
 6. Tl'ieproperties and excclie-uiesofthisinheritance whiclt 
 believers are raifed by Chrirt to the expccntion of ; it is an 
 inheritance /»7rorr;<;)/i/7!r, an enduring podeHion ; not fub- 
 jecl to decay, iiaviiig nothinn; in it that can corrupt ir, or 
 corrupt US in the enjoyment <-f it. Und.vled, heavenis an 
 holy habitation ; the holinefs of he.iven is the raoft con- 
 liderable part of its happinefs: finners therefore that defpife 
 holinefs defpiie the richcft jewel in the crown ot glory. It 
 fjdfth r.;l aw.iy, it withereih not ; ghiry is aflower which 
 will eternally 'retain its frelhnefs and verdure. Rtfervcdin 
 the hfir.".ns for us : heaven is the country where the faints 
 inheritance lies : here it is reserved or l.iid up fafe, by the 
 purpofe and pleafure of God, by the purchale, puilellion, 
 !,„d interceirion of Chriit ; and to be able to fay [/sr «j] 
 and be p.rticularly aiTured of heaven, is a fpeciilcornfort. 
 r Wlio are kept by the power of God throujih 
 faith unto lalvation, ready to be revealed in the laft 
 tiino. 
 
 H-re ourapoftle feems to pre-occup.ite and prevent an 
 ol i-dion. Some might Uy, " Though the Kr.nts mhe- 
 ri/ance be fafe in heaven, yet they are in danger here on 
 f irih •" be it fo, as if our apollle had faid, yet they are .'.nd 
 niall b" kept by God's power, and their own faith to eter- 
 nal hdvation. A'o/Hiere, i . We a'-e k^r^ ■■ '^ 'mpl'^' '''^ ^'^. 
 hi danj-cr, in great danger of iMiiiing blvation, by realon of 
 the number, power, and policy of our ipiritua enemies, 
 corruption and fin within, the devil and the world withcut ; 
 but we arekept as in a garrifon ; fothe word lignifies : laints 
 sre prcferved hkebclieged cities ; the general whom they 
 fi^ht under: and holdout for, preferves them, by fending 
 iiTfrelh recruits, fupp'.ies from the Holy Spirit, and by 
 cutting off fuch fuccours, as our lulls and Iniritual enetrues 
 would fend forth againft us, fo that they lUrve, and llis. 
 not vanquith us but we them. Ifc are kept .■ eternal 
 thinks for fuch a keeper ! 2. What it is believers are kept 
 and preferved to, namely, /fi/w/io« •• he does not lay they 
 ar' or (liall be kept from trouble and affliclion ; that their 
 fi vrers fliall not ake in iTiis world ; he has made no iuch 
 promife, and we muftexpecl no fuch prefer vation, biu the 
 contrary ; /« tbewrUyeJIiallhave iribulatton, fays Chrdt 
 the Cap-au) of our falvation, John xvi. butfafeiy and reft, 
 happiuels and eafe, fiiall he our portion in the coming 
 woild 3. 'Ihe means by which we are thus, kept unto 
 faUation. (I.) On God's p.irt, almigkty power. If left 
 one moment- to onrfelves, we become ;. prey to every temp- 
 tation. How did the devil bafHe and befool Adam in in- 
 nocency, when he had his wits about him, by being lett in 
 the hand of his own counfels ? Lord, in a worfehand thou 
 canft not leave us than our own. (2.) On our part 
 we are kept through faith. Our ojft'n endeavour mud ac- 
 company God's power, in order 10 oiirprefervation. We 
 ei' k^M by l!r I'Aver of God tkriugh faith ; byjbo'.h jouitly, 
 
 by neither fingly. God's power viili not keep us without ,1 
 
 our care, neithercan ourcsre fecure us without the help of 
 his power. We and our faith muft be kept by the power 
 of God ; what God does for us, he does by us ; lie req.iircs 
 the ufeof our faculties, and the concurrence of mir o;vii 
 endeavours in order to our f^lvation. Note, 4. '1 lie time- 
 when thefaintscoinplctcfalvation [linll be revealed to them 
 and thev have the full and final fruition of that — Ready to 
 be rei'eJcd in the laft time. Mark, The faints fal vaticn in 
 heaven is a myftery.au hidden myftery, not yet revealed ; 
 reve.ilcd only to faints on earth by faith, to faints in heaven 
 by fight : but the full revelation is not to be cxpeded and 
 enjoyed by glorified faints before the day ofjadgmcnt, 
 called here, tke laft time. Our apollle told us, ver. 4. ic 
 wns referved in heaven for us, kept lafe ^or us, but kept 
 clofe in heaven, it is an inelVimable rich trcafure ; they that 
 are heirs of it on earth, ye.T, they that are pofleiTed of it in 
 heaven, donot as yet fully uuderlbnd and know the tranf- 
 cendenty of it, but it Ih jU be revealed to them at the laft 
 day. 
 
 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a 
 fcnfon, (i( need be) ye are in heavinefs through ma- 
 nifold teiTiptations : 7 That the trial of your faith 
 being much more precious than of gold that pe- 
 niheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found 
 unto praife, and honour, and glory at the appearing 
 of JefusChrift. 
 
 Whtreinye greatly rejoice .- that is, in the belief and ex- 
 peftation of which glorious and incorruptible inheritance in 
 heaven, ye now joy and rejoice here on earth ; plainly in- 
 timating, that a brlievermay be affured of his title to the 
 glorious inheritance above, and both may and ought to re- 
 jolce in it abundantly below. Ohferve farther, By what 
 way and method God brings his people to heaven, it is by 
 heavinefs, by affliiflions, yea, by manifold affliftions. As if 
 he had faid, " You that are the prefent candidates for 
 heaven, the heirs of falvation, mult not think your- 
 felvespaft the rod and the ferula 4 and that you are to 
 expea nothing but comfort, and to do nothing but rejoice 
 in the hopes of your falvation. But I tell you, you may 
 have need of heavinefs before you get to heaven, and of 
 manifold temptations for the mortifying your corruptions, 
 before you enter upon an inheritance incorruptible.'' Ob- ^ 
 ferve, 2. The fuppofition made concerning the neceflityof 
 "a believer's affiiftions, 7/ «??«//•£•: intimating,!. That we 
 fliould never feel any affliftion from the hand of God, 
 never be in heavinel's, if there were not need. And, a. 
 That there is need that the holieft in this world fiiould 
 fometimes be made heavy, and that heavinefs fliould be 
 upon them fora feafon. We Ihould always have calms 
 and fair weather, never any ftorms or tempcfts from God, 
 did notour needs call lor it. As we need ourdaily bread, 
 (o verily do we need a daily rod ; both the rod of God's 
 mouth to admonilh and his hand tochaften and correct us : 
 Ye are in heavinefs fr,r a feafon, &c. Hence learn, 1 hat 
 t"he trials and afflidtionswhich God exercifes his children 
 with, are many, yet they never feel them but when they 
 need them, and then only for a feafon. As the coldnefs 
 
 of 
 

 I. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 of the winter killi the weeds in our groancls, fo the rold 
 Wifts of affliflion (-mder the mortifying influenrci of the 
 II' ly i^p-r;i) kiil our corruptions in our Coulg. Prrpnoal 
 I!; riirgs ami fair feafonings, are refer\eil for heavtii ; ci>l(l 
 IiIjOs, and nipp'rip; frofls, are needful ami ufeful li«-rc «n 
 e.TrtI) : Tr err in lic-(n<irrf! f<jr a fitiT'i", ijniedbe. I.carit 
 farther, Th,-.i ss God dcth not nfflicl u. but when tlicreis 
 ntpJ, fo he « ill not .iffli^^ us niore than ilu-re is need. Te 
 ore in htcv'inrfs f;r a feafin ; wc fii-.I! not he afflidted an 
 hour longer, nor fiiall onr crofs be a drachm or a grain 
 licavier than God thinls needful. 3. The happy effect 
 and frnitof the faints inaniful J temptations : thiy all w«.rk 
 for their advantaj^e ; they receive good, and not hurt by 
 them ; no more hurt than the (;old receives by the fire : 
 That the trial cfyiur faith ; that i:, that your tried faiili, 
 being more precionj thangclj. Fail!) is more precious th.in 
 gold, bccaufe more pure, more durable, tfpeci;i!ly when 
 purified in the furnace of affliction. A good man is no lofer, 
 but a great gaii;er by being tried. He, wiio before had 
 /Duch drofs in him, come? out of the furnace asgoKI, witli- 
 iMit loOng any thingeitiur of its wiijhtor worth ; nothing 
 is confumed but the clrofs ami ruhb.di of his corrii|)iions. 
 O hspjiy confuniption ! Grace is not only grace llill. but 
 tiiore gracious, yea, glorious after trial. Cbfetvf bftiy. 
 That faith nv.ift be tried on earth, before it be crowned in 
 lieaven ; and after it is tried, it flioll certainly be crowned, 
 and fouitit lint 1 jir (life, honour, andgkry, at the c^ptaiirg 
 o/J'"/"-' Cl'<i/l- Learn hence, That the trial of a cliriftian's 
 laith in their manifold aflhclions and teiiiptaticns now, will 
 brino; abundance of honour and glory to Gud in the day of 
 Cliriil ; yea, not only ;o God, but to ourfelves. 
 
 8 Whom having not feen, ye love : in whom 
 though now ye lee him not, yet believing, yc rejoice 
 with joy unfpcakablcnnd full of glory : 
 
 In thefe words our apoflle comincndcth the faith and love 
 T)f thole Jews to.wlioni he wrote ; that altiiough they had 
 never fccn Chrift in the flelli, as others did, yet they dd 
 truly love him, and their faith caufed them to triumph and 
 rejoice in him. I.tarn hence. That it is the propeny and 
 pradicc ufa believer to love an unfcen Saviour, and to re- 
 joice in hiia, and in the hopes of eternal life by him. In- 
 ferince, if fuch as never faw Chriftbut with a believing eye, 
 do yet love hint fuperlatively, and rejoice in him unlpcak- 
 ably, hov,' V ill they love him, and rejoice in him, who Oiall 
 fee him with a glorified eye, and behold him face to face. 
 
 9 Receiving the end of your faith, rjen the falva- 
 tion oiyour fouls. 10? of which falvation the pro- 
 phets have enquired and fearchcd diligently, who 
 prophcfied of the grace that Jlwuld come unto you : 
 a 1 fcaiching what or what manner of time the fpirit 
 of Chrift which was in them did figiiif}-, when it tef- 
 t'fied beforehand the fuflerings of Chrift, and the 
 •;lory that fliotild follow. 12 Unto whom it was 
 revealed, that not unto themlclvcs, but unto us thev 
 did ininillcr the things wliicli are now reported unto 
 Aou, liy them that have jircachcd the gofpcl unto 
 
 you, with the Holy Ghofl font down from ]n.avcn: 
 which things tlic angels delirc to look into. 
 
 C'i'A7i"'bcrc, I. The r «</, ih«t i», thercwnrdofj chriC 
 lian'i faith, it h the falvuthti nf hi/Joul ; of Ins foul emi- 
 nently, but not exclulively of bi<lv and foul both. 'I he 
 c<ii:iplete falvation of loul and body b. th with Chrift in 
 heaven, fhall be the end and rew.tnl ot the believ e rs faiili 
 2. '1 hed;|igentfe3itli into, and enquiry after the n.iturc of 
 ihislalvation, which was niadcby ti.e prophets of the Old 
 leftament : Cf vjhirh falvi'ticn ihi' pnphtts liove eryuirett, 
 and Icarihtd diiiger.lly ! that is, by prayer meditation, and 
 ftuily, they fearched a f tcr the far; licr and tlearr r knowledge 
 of this great falvation, ard the kingd<,m of the Mefliah, 
 when tliould he the lin.e of hi> fufl'i nng^ and humiliation, 
 which w.ere loprecect hi^ gh'iy :.nd • xaliMion. 3- The 
 lucceLuif (his iheirenqniry ar.d learch, they were anfwered 
 by God, and received this revilation from him, that they 
 themlclvcs were not the men that (hould fee the McfJiah, 
 .Tud his fpecial kingdom ; and ilist the things which they 
 prophtlied of, weic not to he fulfiiDed tntl^tir o <u tunes, 
 but in afiei linio ; and accordingly the thii-gs forcttld by 
 fhc propliets lu' afTurcs ihttn, \.t\t {!e:r!y nianifcilrd to 
 them by the apoftle?, which were endued with anestraor- 
 dinary meafure of the Holy Spirir, fetir down up< n them 
 at the day of Pentccoll: Untu 'Mo-.m it watrcl fated, that ml 
 unto their. fc he s, 6c. Cbftrve \3ii\y. The fublinniy, anfl 
 iranfcendant excellency oft hofi Gofpel-myfieries which are 
 now revealed; they are fo raviflnng and tranfptirting, that 
 the holy angels defire 10 pry into them, ll'hich^hir.gs the 
 angeli drjtre tol'iokir.to. Learn, thence. That theglorious 
 ni)llery of man's redemption and falvation, by the incar- 
 nation of our Lord Jcfus Chrill, is an objcd worthy ofthe 
 admiration and contemplationof the aditriiigangcls. They 
 admire the perfon oTihe redeemer, they admire the.iuthor 
 and contriver ofthe >»ork of redemption, iheyadmiie the 
 lubjec^s redeemed, they admire tiie manr.er ami method of 
 our icde.niption, they admire the finally glorious (late which 
 the redeemed are brought into, and poflcfTed of, and they 
 pry into thefe things, at the chernbims looked upon the 
 ark, with acurious and accurate infpection, with an earneft 
 anil afFeclionate inlpoclion ; they holily admire 'he wifdoiii 
 of tliis glorious contrivance, though even their railed and 
 enlarged capacities can never be able fuliy to comprehend it. 
 
 13 5 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, 
 be fobcr, and hope to the end for the grace that is to 
 be bi ought unto you at the revelation of Jelus Chrift; • 
 
 Our apoflle, havinglaid before them their high and glt>- • 
 rious privileges in the foregoing verfes, comes now to excite 
 them 10 the pracliice of fevcral necdfol and important duties 
 in this and the following verfes : the fivftof which is vigi- 
 lence and watchfulnefs ; pl^paraiion anti re:idinefsof mind; 
 Gird vp the loins rfyrtir mind ; an allufion both to runners 
 and waiters ; to Inch as run in a race, and to fiich as wait 
 upon their mafter ; who both gird up their clothes (which 
 in thofe caftern countries thty wore down to their heels) 
 that they might not hinder or trouble them, either in run- ■ 
 nirg or watting. Kext, to be fober, and keep up their 
 hope lledfaftly and perfeveringly to the end, for that grace 
 
 and 
 
ClIAP. I. 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 ^°39 
 
 and faN-ation, for that pcrfeclion in holinefs and glory, 
 whiih G.)d vsiil crtiiiily '^ive ii' at the glDrioiis appearing 
 ot Jclns Chriih Here wi-v, i. The p/acs and dii:y which 
 thfy are exhnrted to betounilin theexercife of.and ihat is, 
 f'~'pf, to perfcvcre in hope unto the end : that is a divine 
 grace, and neceflary duty, whereby a believer for Chrill's 
 lake expects and waits for all ths iireat and good things 
 which God has pron'ifed, but the chriftian at prelent not 
 receivtd. 2. 'I'hc direction given in order to theexercilie 
 of this grace and duty of" hope, G'i'v/ up the Inns of y'sur 
 mind, hlabits (if grace art' ahogether unprcfiiablc: to us, 
 •withunt i!u-y be excitpdby usar>''i^ii'''edup in us. When 
 \\e pray, when we hear, we inuiigird up our loinsinpray- 
 inar and hearing .- or, in the prophet's phrafc, .S7;r upyrjur- 
 j'dvis to take/oU on God. A man upon his lick-hcd mull 
 gird up tlu: loins of hii mind to bear his affliction, elfe he 
 will never profit by it, nor anfuer the emi of God in it. 
 No grace can be e:terciled, no duty can be performed by a 
 foul ungirded : Gird up th; h'lKS ofyjur miii.l, &c. 
 
 14 As obedient children, not fafluonin; your- 
 felvcs according to the former lufls in your igno- 
 rance : 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, 
 fo be ye holy in ail mannerof converf.uion ; 16 Be- 
 cauieit is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. 
 
 The next duty he exhorts them to, is to anfwer the 
 e-igagements which their adoption laid them under : they 
 v.ere nov the children of God, ujid as I'uch mult, i. Be 
 (.btdl.Kt to their heavenly Father, walking in the path of his 
 commandments, and no longer accordn'ig to the former 
 lull-, vvhich they were captivated by, and enflavcd unto, in 
 the time of their ignorance, when they knew nor God. 
 And, 2. Thty mnlt imitate their heavenly Father in the 
 love and praftice of univerfal holinefs : /is lie 'jihLh hr.th 
 citll^dy.u h holy, fo l,e ye holy. Ckjcrve, i . Chriflians mull 
 nnike God the pattern of their holineO, and be holy as 
 Gild is holy, though no: as holy as Gml is ; the com- 
 nianJ obliges to a conformity, not to aneijnality ; as God 
 is re.lly holy, politively holy, ftridHyand exactly holv, uni- 
 verlally holy, unchangeable holy, fo mud we labour to be 
 holy tov.'ards God and man, which is to ht li'ily in all imm 
 mr ofc'Aivfrfition. 2. Chrillians are herereqaircd not only 
 to nuke God the pattern of their huimefs, but the ntotive 
 r.t liittr holinefs, Iwye hily.for lamholy. Seeingcnr God 
 ii an holy God, therefore we that are his people moil be 
 holy alfo. Our apollle here repreCenis the holmefscf God 
 bo:h as a rule .ind as a motive of that hclinefs which (hould 
 be 2c>ed by ns. And whereas the apoltle fays, // // -.vriitei:, 
 teyi h'Jy : It plainly intimates, that God 'h.isin all former 
 ages, obliged all perfons who preiend anv relation 10 him 
 ss h!s ch.ldren, to be holy as he is holy '; though, noc as 
 toeq.jality, vet as to imitation ; though not in meafure 
 and degree, yet in quality and kind. God is the original 
 of .V.I liohneis, and the f.rft man he created was Ifter 
 his own 1 kcijef. ; and everyone that isrenewed, is laid to 
 he created nfi-r C.tihulghteourr.efs and truehjimfs. What 
 )s godl.heh but G.^d I kenefs ? And what is ho'iinefs, but 
 i.ie confurmi.-y of our natures to the holy njttire of God 
 ;:nd the conformity of our lives ty tiie will of God i '' 
 
 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without 
 refpeft of pcrlbns judgeth according to every man's' 
 work, pal's the time of your fojourning here in fear: 
 
 Jf ye call o" the Father : that is, if ye call God youn 
 Father, and call upon him by worlhiping and owning of 
 him, who without any rel'pedl of perfons, or any regard hail 
 to nations, Jew or Gentile, judgeth of every man now, and 
 will judge every man according to his works hereafter, 
 fee that you pais the time of yourpijgrimage and fojourning 
 in this vsorli!, in holy and obedient fear. Learn, i.Than 
 Inch as call God Father, ought to walk in obedience before 
 him as his fons. 2. That he whom we call.Fathcr, is and 
 will be our Judge; not a Ihort lighted, but a Iharp-fighted 
 Judge; impartialinjudgemfnt, judgingall porfonsaccord- 
 ing to their works, andjudging all worksas they really are, 
 and net as they outwardly appear to be. 3. ihat clirif- 
 tians herein this world are but Grangers, and their life upon 
 earth a pilgrimage, which they are daily pafTing. 4. "] hat 
 the whole time of a chiillian's pilgrimage ought to bepaflcd 
 inanholy, cautious, reverential, andobedient fearofGoJ. 
 
 18 Forafmuch w ye know that ye were not re- 
 deemed with corruptible things, as filver and gold, 
 from your vain converlation receiveclby tradition from 
 your fathers ; 19 But with the precious blood of 
 Chrift, as of a lamb without blemifh, and without 
 fpot. 20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the 
 foundation of the world, but was manifeft in thei'e 
 laft times for you ; 2 1 "Who by him do believe in 
 God tha t r.ii led hi m up from the dead, an d «' avc him 
 glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. 
 
 Still oiir apoftle is preiling chriftians to the love and 
 practice of hohnefs, and a reverential fear of God, by frelh 
 argu.mentsand motives, particularly from theirredempiion; 
 faying, that they could not but be fenfible that they were 
 redeemed with a very coftly price, not with lilverandgold, 
 which yet would ranfom kings, but by the precious blood 
 of Chrill, whom the pafdul lamb typified, and who wds 
 from eternity fore-ordained to the office of a Mediator, 
 though he wasnot manifelled in tlieflefh till thefe lailday.?, 
 for the good and benefit of thofe who Ijy hni do believ.j 
 in God thatraifed Chrill from the dead, and glorionlly 1 
 e.xalted hnn at his right hand, upon which account their 
 faith and hope may lately and comfortably rclt in God. 
 /V-/.', I Thethrsldom, tiondage, andflavery of onr linful 
 llate before we were redeemed. 2. The impotency and 
 inability of all outward things, be they never forich, pre- 
 cious, and coltly, to rtdeemandranfomanenlbved i'lnner. 
 AH the gold andfilver in the world was no ranfom for one 
 lonl, nay, the blood of all the creatures in the world oirtred 
 I'p "in lacrif-ce to the jullice of God, could have been no 
 .lufficientcompenfaiion. 3. That the redemption of every 
 loul cort no Ids than the precious blood of the Son of 
 "God, that fpsiltfb Lamb, who, by the facralice of iiis 
 dcaih, atoned divine difpleafure, A'o.V, 4. That God (he 
 Father fore ordanied Jefi.s Chrifl his Son to this blefled 
 tiiHce of a Redeemer btfcre the foundatit^n of the world. 
 
 tho-jirb 
 
laj.o 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 I lioiigh Ue w;»» i.wi maniteft in the flefii till iliefe lift times. 
 5. 'J liat by Clirill ihe KetteemtT we are taught tJ know 
 (jod, and ro believe in hiin wiio raiftd Ciirill from the 
 •lead. Here obftrve. How the Socinians wreft and inifapply 
 litis text, where we are faid by Chrill to believe in God. 
 Thus they argue, " He by whoii we believe in God, is 
 Dot that God in uhciii \vc believe, becaufe the means of 
 laith can never be the objeft of faith ; but Chiifl is he : 
 the apoitle fays here by whom we believe in God, therefore 
 Chrill is not God." Jnfvj. Chrill confidered in his hu- 
 man nature, in which he died, and was raifed for us, is he 
 by whom we beleive in God, that is, own him to be able 
 to raife us from the dead ; but this hinders nor his being 
 CoiJ according to his divine nature, by which lie did 
 actually raife himfelf from the dead, John x. 18. 
 
 22 Seeing yc have purified your fouls in obeying 
 the truth througli the Spirit, unto unfcign love of 
 the brethren ;/f£//;j/ J f love one another with a pure 
 heart fervently : 23 Being born again, not of cor- 
 ruptible feed, but of incorruptible, by the word of 
 God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 
 
 The next duty which our apoflle exhorts thefe chriftians 
 to, is the duty of brotherly love, to a gracious propenlity of 
 heart which achrillian bears for Chrift's fake to his neigh- 
 bour, whereby he wills, and to his power procures all good 
 for him, a brotherly afFeiflion, which every true chriilian 
 chiefly bears to all his fellow-members in Chrift for grace- 
 fake. This duty of brotherly love is often urged .md en- 
 forced by Chrilt and his apoftles. St. Peter here tells them, 
 that feeing by the power of Chrift's Spirit, and the obe- 
 ilicnce of ilie golpel, they had purified themfelvesin fome 
 meafure from pride and felf-love, they (liould now labour 
 to grow in the fervency and fincerity of their love one to- 
 wards another. And the argument he ufes to perfuade 
 them to love one another, is drav.n from their relation 10 
 each other; they are all born again, and born alike ; not 
 breihern by corruptible generation only, but begotten of 
 incorrupiible feed, the word of God ; therefore (liould ihey 
 live in love together, as children of the fame Father. A'"o/# 
 J;ere, Tlie commendation given to the word of God, not 
 to any inward word infufed, but to the outward word 
 preached, it is (hl.'d incorruptiHr feed ; from whence it fol- 
 lows, that the miniftry of the word is the ordinary mean 
 of the nevi'-hirth, and the inltrumental c.iufe of our rege- 
 neration, hf.te f.jrther. That fuch as are born of this in- 
 corruptibleleed,onghtto bearan incorruptible love to each 
 other, as an evidence of their incorruptible and gracious 
 nature : See thatyju kve one anolier, kc. 
 
 2.1 For all flelh /? as grafs, and all the glory of 
 man as the flower of grafs. The grafs withereth, 
 and the flower thereof falleth away : 
 
 Our apoflle clofes the chapter, by fet ting before them the 
 excellency of ihcir fpiritnal rrgf iterate ft.Ate, compared w iih 
 all t)thcrexcellenciesand endowments whatfcever: allfli'Jh, 
 thai i-^,:^elh^^iih all itsglcry.isa faddir.g, dying, pendiing 
 thing ; it flags like the grafs, and fades like the flower- 
 There are three excellencies in a flower; fweeincf», whidi 
 
 affeds the finell ; beauty that affecls the eye ; foftntf^Pld 
 fmoothnefs, which affecls the touch : all tlic.**; our apoflle 
 pafTes over, and fpeaks of the Rower, not at flourilliiiig, but 
 as withering ; not as fpringing up, but as falling away. 
 Learn hence. That man when nioft flouriftjing, with all 
 the ornaments of wit and wealth, beauty and honour, is 
 fading, and near to withering. Thus David defcnbes him, 
 Pfal. ciii. 15, 16. As for man his days are as grafs ; as the 
 fl'ruer of the ftld, fa he fl'iuripieth ; the -dilnd pcijfct over it, 
 and it is gone. Though the flower be neither tut nor 
 crnpt, yet a breath of wind blafts it, and blows away the 
 beauty of it : j^llfl'Jh is as grc<Js, 5:c. 
 
 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. 
 And this is the word which by thegofpel is preach- 
 ed unto you. 
 
 Thit is, the word of God. the mind of Chrift, contained 
 in, and revealed by thegofpel, (hall abide and l.i(t forever, 
 and never be abrogated ; the word of God is everlalling 
 truth, it is fo in its nature, and alfo in its effecls upon the 
 regenerate, it abideth for ever, and fo doth their eftate who 
 are begotten again by it : The word of God is the incor- 
 ruptible fetd, or piincii^e of regeneration : It is called the 
 'jjard of eternal Ife, becaufe it brings thole that love and 
 obey it to eternal life, John vi. 68. Chferve laftiy. That 
 the fame word of God is now preached unto us which was 
 fo highly commended by the prophets, apoftlcs, and by 
 Chriit himfelf : This is the luard, &c. 
 
 C II A P. 11. 
 
 Our apejik in this cJiapter, gises Jcveral dircBicms for 
 our profitable hearmg and receiving of the word of 
 Go(i; which having compared to milk, he Jhofs fiow, 
 and after what manner, it Jhcidd be defired, tajted, 
 and digefid by us, that we may grow thereby. 
 
 TX T-HEREFORE laying afidc all malice, and ^ 
 V V all guile, and hypocrifies, and envies, and f 
 all evil-fpeakings. 
 
 Here we are firft direcled what to l.;y .ifide, in oraer ti) 
 our fruitful and profitable entertainment of the word lA 
 God, namely, thefe five (ins, malice, guile, hypocrijy, envy, 
 and evil-fpeaking. Whencf naie in general. That any (in, 
 much more if many (ins be kept clofe, and lie dormant 
 within us, they will certainly hinder the e(F.cacy of the 
 word upon us. As the foulnels of the ftomach hinders the 
 natural digedion, till it be purged out nothing can nourilh 
 within : In like manner, our apollle here adv:les to purge 
 out thefe pedilent lullsof m-irce and guile, of hyp"crify and 
 envy, &c. before vehear the v\ordof God, if ever vvcex- 
 pecl to be nouri/hed with it, and grow thereby. As (in 
 hinders good from coming to us, fo it hinders the word 
 from working good in us, particularly malice, or inveterate 
 anger harboured in the heart ; guile, or deceit in words or 
 actions; kyj'ocril'y, or an appearance of friendlhip, when the 
 heart isotherwile afF-fled : envy, or grieving at another's 
 ^ood- and e-yil-lp':i\',}:^ of .ill kinds, hv lying, by (hnder- 
 ing.oy ba.k-liiting,by i.'itraftirjg, all which are ti>titrary to 
 
 tjic 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 104,1 
 
 Oie great command of love, anJ ohrtruftlve of the woril of 
 troth, by which we are born again ; but i: is obfcrvable, 
 particularly, concerning mul'ice, andgutlt;, and evil-fpeaking, 
 th:it our apo(He puts i\\i note of univerlality to them, iiy 
 efid: all malice, andull gu'iU, and all ev\l-fp:uking ; import- 
 ing, that though fonie other fins will (tick dole untouf, yet 
 not a jot of malice or guile Ihouid be found in us, at leall 
 prevailing in us, of any kind, or in any degree or menfure, 
 for one drop of this deadly poifon may deltroy ub ; there- 
 fore lay aliJe all malice, and. all guilty Src. 
 
 2 As new-born bnbes, defire the fincere milk of 
 the word that ye may grow thereby. 
 
 St. Peter having directfd us, in onr preparation be- 
 fore we come to hear the word, and (liewn the necef- 
 fi;y of laying afide an evil frame of fjjirit, he now 
 direifls us wliat we are to do when under the word, 
 namely, that there be found with us a fpiritual appetite to 
 it, and thai we have the fame longing defires after it that 
 the child has after the breaft : As new-born babes dejire the 
 Jincere milk, fo defire you the incorrnpted word of God, 
 that you may gro-a thereby. Ql'e/?. How does the new-born 
 infant deCire its natural nourilhtnent, its mother's milk ? 
 Anf-jj. Thefe four ways : Firft it covets it with vehement 
 and impatient defire, nothing will fowell fatisfy and pieafe 
 it as the brcaft, this will quiet it when nothing elfe will ; 
 thus the new born chrillian hungers after the word with 
 a vehement defire, nothing will content and fatisfy him, 
 neither gold, nor lilver, in theabfence of the wordof God. 
 Secondly, The new born infant defires the milk from a 
 deep fePiie of its inward wants, it is pinched with hunger, 
 and parched with thirCt. and therefore cries for the breaft ; 
 fo is the chrillian fenfible of his wants, of his wantofknow- 
 leilge, wantof grace ; " It is little lavs he, that Iknow of 
 niyftlf. lefsofGod, leaft of Jefus Chrift : Oh! that by 
 coiuerfing with his word, I might know him more, and 
 ferve him better. " Thirdly, The infant defiresits mother's 
 milk unmixed, as nature has prepared it without any arti- 
 ficial t'weetening of it. Some little regard the wholefome- 
 rel'i of the food,buton!y admire thedexterity of thecook : 
 They applaud the parts of the preacher, when the word 
 flows fro:n the golden mouth of a celebrated or.iror ; but 
 the new-born chriltian defires the fincere milk of the word, 
 without any compoiition of error and without any fuch 
 mixture of wit and eloquence as is inconliltent with the 
 gravity and limplicity of the word they hear. Plain truths, 
 without art or varnilh, may be conveved with more warmth 
 and vigour to the confcience, than all the charms of human 
 eloquence from the moft fluent and popular t(mgue, yet 
 al-.vjys remembering, that though the minifters of God 
 mijil coine in plainnefs, yef not in rudenefs of fpeech. 
 Fourthly, This defire of the babe after the fincere, un- 
 fliixed, and uncompounded milk, is always accompanied 
 with endeavour, it hunts {m the breaft, and is not fatisfied 
 that the breafl is in its eye, but isimpatient tilli: fucks and 
 draws, that nouriiliment may be conveyed, and it grow 
 thereby : Thus active and operati ve arc the delires and en- 
 deavours of a fincere chrillian after the word of God ; tiiat 
 which was feed lobeget, tiiry find food toilrengihen, thev 
 can never he fatiifijd without it, tliey cannot be I'liiisiied 
 with a lif.le of if 
 
 3 If fo be }-e hci^'e tafled that the Lord h gracious 
 
 In thefe wordsourapoftle declares the condition whereon 
 our profiting, growing, and thriving by the word doth de- 
 pend, namely, upon our lifting and experiencing its pov\ t r, 
 as it is the great inflrumental caufe both of cur fpiritual 
 birth and growth. Thistafteis a fpiritual fenfeofthe good- 
 nefs, power, and efficacy of the word, in conveying the grace 
 of God unto our fouls ; in a tafte there is fweetneis ard 
 refrefhment, but not fulnef: srd ^at!5^far'>i'ln. if crn hence. 
 I. That God doth gracioufly fweeten the word to fuch a 
 foul as doth deiire fincerely to tafte the fweetnefs of it. 2, 
 That it is but a tafte of the fweetnefs of God and his word, 
 which a chriliian partakes of in this life, fatiety and fatil- 
 faclion are referved for another flate. 
 
 4 To whom coming, as Mnio a living flone, difal- 
 lowed indeed of men, but chofen of God, ajti pre- 
 cious, 5 Ye alio, as lively flones are built up a 
 fpiritual houfe, anholypiiefthood, to offer up fpiri- 
 tual facrifices, acceptableto Godby Jefus Chrill. 6 
 Wherefore alfo it is contained in the fcripture, Be- 
 hold, IlayinSion a chief corner-ftone, eledl, pre- 
 cious : and he that believeth on him fliall not be 
 confounded. 
 
 Ob ferve \\eve, i. The denomination, or title given to 
 Clirift, he is fliled a livingjlone, and the chief corner-Jione. 
 1. A living-Pone, that is, a lively ftone, no dead foundation, 
 and a life giving ftone, having not only life in himfelf ef- 
 fcntially, but communicatively, imparting fpiritual life to the 
 whole building. Chrift is not only an Head of authority, 
 but an Head of vital influence to all his members ; becaufe 
 he lives, they (hall live alfo. 2. He is fliled alfo the chief 
 corner fi one, hcith inregardof fuflentation ; thecorner ftone 
 fupports the whole building, the church's grace, the 
 church's peace, the church's confolation, the church's falva- 
 tion, are all upheld and maintained by him : And in regard 
 of union, the corner-ftone unites, ties, and knits the other 
 flones together, that they flionld not drop out of I he building. 
 Chrift alone unites the feveral flones of the fpiritual building 
 to himfelf, and one to another. And this corner-ftone is of 
 God's own immediate laying, Beh'Jd, 1 lay inSion acorner- 
 Jlone. Chrift was firft manitefted and offered to the church 
 of the Jews, and then to the reft of the world. Cbferve, 2. 
 The lilies given to believers, ( 1 .) They of lively flones are 
 built a fpiritual houfe. Belie vers are God's temple, dedicated 
 to, and let apart for his fpetialfervice, and allbenjoying his 
 gracious and fpecial prei'ence. " I'his is my reft forever, 
 faysGod concerning the believer's heart ; here will I dwell, 
 for 1 have delight therein." (2 ) They are an holy 
 priefthood, tootfer up fpiritual facrifices, acceptable through 
 Chrift. Learn hence, That every chriftian in this life is a 
 prieft, and ought to offer up himfelf a fpiritual facrifice or 
 oblation unto God. In a facrifice, there was a feparation 
 of the thing lacrificed from common ufe ; the beaff was fe- 
 parared from the reft of t!ie flock, fo muft the chrilfian be 
 fet apart from the reft of the world. There was an addic- 
 tion, or dedication, or folemn confecration of the thing fet 
 apart to fome holy and fpecial ufc and purpufe. Thus the 
 6 Q^ chrillian. 
 
 A 
 
1042 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 11. 
 
 chriftian that prefents himfclf a livinir facrifice unto God, 
 does ni>t only l>i»3ratc hirnfelf from fin, the world, and the 
 fit Ih but does addit't and devote himlelf to God, to ferve 
 and pl^ife him, to honour and glorify him. 3. The .ip- 
 pliLM.ion which bel:ever> make to Chrirt, in order to thtir 
 being his fpiritual temple, and a royal priefthood. Toiuhom 
 co'iiinf; as unto a Jiving j/'jne ; the panicle denotes a continual 
 milt on, by which the foul gains ground, and gets nearer 
 and nearer to Chrill, they are d;i!y .-.".iningby faith to him 
 and gradually advancing in the knowledge of him, and love 
 unto him. Laflly, the fweet fruit- and blclFed tffeft of 
 their faith, ■!uA''yo<n»i.T believethin hiwjljullnot be confounded : 
 that is, not afliamed, as a perfon who is difappointcd of his 
 hopes and expe(flations, he fliall not be aCiamed of his 
 choice, he (hall not be afliaraed of liis profeilion, he fliall 
 never be afhamed of the caufeand intcreft ofChrift, which 
 he has efpoufed, and at all times appeared for ; nor of the 
 ■work and fervice of Chrift, nor of the time and pains ex- 
 pended in that work and fervice ; nor fliall he ever be 
 afhamed hereafter that he never was afhamed here. 
 
 7 Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious : 
 
 To you belongs the honour of being built a Ipiritual 
 houfe upon Chrifl, the chief corner- ftone, which renders 
 him defervedly precious to you, and of a very high eflima- 
 tion with you ; whatever mean, low, and undervaluing 
 thoughts the wicked world have of Jefus Chrift, yet he is 
 highly efteemed by, and defervedly precious to, every be- 
 lieving foul; he isprecious ii:i thefevcral relations he ftaiids 
 in to them, grecious in regard of the great things he has 
 done for them, precious in the rich fupplies of grace he 
 beftows upon them, and will be eternally precious to them, 
 upon the account of thofe inanfions he has purchafed and 
 prepared for them. 
 
 — ^But unto them which be difobedicnt, the (lone 
 which the buiWers difallowcd, the (ame is made the 
 head of the corner, 8 And a ftone of flumbHng, 
 and a rock of offence, even to than which ftumble at 
 the word, being difobedient : whereunto alfo they 
 were appointed. 
 
 Thefe words difcovcr the great fin and danger of thofc 
 who flight and negleft our I^ord Jei'usChrill, who Humble 
 and Cake oflTence .it him, either at the mcannels of his per- 
 Ibn, or at the ignominy of his crofs, or at the holinefs and 
 ftriftnefs of his doctrine, or at the freeiiefs of his grace ; 
 whatever the occalion of their contempt may be, Chrift 
 will prove to them a burdenloine ftone, a rock againft 
 which they will I'plit, to their utter confufion ; they will, in 
 the clofe, bring ruin upon theinfelves, as a madman does 
 that dalhes himl'df againft a ftone. Obfcrve next. How 
 this contempt of Chrift, has prevailed in the worhl ever 
 iince liii firft coining into the world ; how did the 
 Jewifli rulers, Ciilled iiere the builders, let him at thought ; 
 the Jtone luhich ike huililers <iij,ilhwed and /lumhLd at ; 
 that IS, the high rulers, whole olHce and duty it was to 
 build up the church, having j)ower in their hand to 
 do if, but inftcad of building upon this corncr-ftone, 
 ih-y Humbled aud look oifence ai liiin, and accordingly 
 
 Chrifl is called a ftone ef ftumhllng, and a rock of 9/* 
 fence, yet this does not imply that" Chrift was the caufc 
 of their ftumbling, but only the occallon of it, theobjertat 
 which they ftumbled, without any caule but their own 
 witkednefs ; for though it be faid in the next words, that 
 they were appointed thereunto, the meaning is nor, that 
 God ordained ihem to d'I'obedience, for then theirobedicnce 
 had been impodihle and their difjhedience had been no fin ; 
 but GihI, in his joft decree, appointed that dcftruclion and 
 eternal perdition ihr-uIJ be the punifhment of I'uchobftinate 
 and difobedient perfons. fj'ayi: i.cnce, That rhriftians have 
 lio realon tobeofl'endedat thegreat number of un'orJievers 
 that are in the world, and at the fight of Chrifl's beingre- 
 jecVd by iiinltitudcs in the world, it having been lon»r ago 
 foretold in fcripture thattluis it would bc,.Tiid confequenily 
 it ought to be no occ;ifioii of ofTence that thus it is. 
 Matt. xxi. 42. Theftone which the luilders tfjefied. Sec. 
 
 9 But ye are a chofen generation, a royal prieft- 
 hood, an holy nation, a peculiar pcoplf ; that ye 
 fhould ftiew forth the praifes of him who hath called 
 you out of darkncfs into his marvellous light : to 
 Which in time paft were not a people, but are now 
 the people of God : which had not obtained mercy, 
 but now have obtained mercv. 
 
 In thefe wordsour apoftle acquaints thefe believing Jews, 
 who were built upon Chrift the foundation-flone, tliat the 
 fame titles d:d now belong to thtm in a more excellent 
 manner as chriftians, which were formerly given to their 
 anceftors of the Jewifli nation by God himfelf, Deut. vii. 
 6, 7. As the Jews of old were a chofen generation, a king- 
 dom ofpritfts, an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that is, 
 they were a people chofen by God before all other people 
 whatfoever CO bear his name, and to bear witnefs to his 
 truth ; they were a people in covenant with him, and fo 
 inexpreffibly dear unto hini, that he that hurt them touched 
 the apple of God's eye ; in l.ke manner thcle Jews, and 
 prolelyted Gentiles of the dilperfion, who were converted 
 tochrillianity, have all the foreci ted titles belonging to them. 
 yl cho/en generation, by efTediial vocation feparated from the 
 woild to the fervice of Chrift, whof'e name they bear. .4 
 royal prii'/lhiod, that is, kings and priefts ; kings to re'gri 
 with him, and priefls to ofler fpiriiual f.icntices to hiin. 
 /In holy nation; to are all the profefTors of chiiftianity fcrde- 
 rally holy, and for that reafon all the thriflian churches 
 called out of the world, and dedicated to the fervice of 
 Chrift, are fl\\eA faints in all bt. P..uU f-piftlcs. /I peculiar 
 people, in covenant with God, purchafed bv the blond of 
 Chrift. Next, the apoftle declares the end of all toefe 
 diftin'jfuiflied favours being grantcii to them •, HJinely.. that 
 they mi-ghl fhev) forth the vtriucs, that i% publilli an. I pro- 
 claim the wifdoin, power, goodncfs, and mercy, the righte- 
 oufnefs and truth of God, \» ho had tailed :hem out of the 
 darknefs of fin, ignorance, and miftry, intoihe marvellous 
 light ot knowledj^e, f.ii;h, luilinefs, and to'iifort. Laflly, 
 l~o enhance their thankt'ohief- for all thrft; diftinguininig 
 favours, he ]>ots thcin in miiiil of^hai they were before 
 their converlion to chriitianicy ; in times pift thty -,uere not 
 <7 /-•^/r, t'ut is, nit a people bclivid of God, an I in co- 
 
Cha?. 11, 
 
 I. St. P E T E R. 
 
 1043 
 
 venint svith-him; the Tjf^rd IvTvIpfr jriycn che Jews a bill 
 of divorce, and laid to tiiL'iii, l.o tinimi, ye are not my /'*■«./>/?, 
 Ilof. i. 9. bui no>v, iipon tlitiir believing in Clinit, they 
 v.eie Tfltortd to all tht> cliurch priviltges, by the Cpecial 
 iiifrcy and grace of God. Leurn hence , That till perfons 
 fubjed themfelvesto the government ofChrift, and become 
 obedient to the gol'pel, they are in God's account no peo- 
 ple; to live without Chrift in the world is a life worie than 
 de;ith. 2. That when a people are brought near to God 
 by fefos Chrift, and partake of all the rich and invaluable 
 blefiings and privileges of the gofpel, they are exceedingly 
 indebted for all to the rich mercy and free grace of God. 
 IVhkh had not obtained mercy, but now have oi'tained mercy . 
 
 1 1 %. Dearly beloved, I befecch you as ftrangers 
 and pilgrims, abftain from flelhly lufts, which war 
 againd the foul : 
 
 Obferz'e here, 1. A dehortation, Mfla'mfromflejhlylujls. 
 QH^f} , What is here meant by lujh ? Anxuf. Lull is either 
 habitualor atflual ; habitunlor original lull is the corruption 
 and depravation of the faculties of the foul, an averfion to 
 every thing that is good, and a pronenefs to all evil ; attual 
 luft isoriginal Ihi putinniotion ; by fleflily lufts underfland 
 in particular thofe lufts which are converfaut about fenfual 
 and flcflily objefts. Quefi. But what is it to abftain from 
 flelhly lufts? Anfw). It implies a total forbearance of all 
 wilful lins ; and at all times there isgreatdilFerence between 
 temperance and abftinence ; the temperate man eats little, 
 the abftinent nothing at all ; every one then that would be 
 accounted a chriftian, is to account it his great duty and 
 intereft to abftain from all flefhly lufts. 2. The arguments 
 which our apoftle here makes ufe of toperfuade chriftiaus 
 to abftain from all fleftily lufts : The firft is implied or in- 
 cluded in the compellation, Dearly beloved, not of the apof- 
 tle only, or chiefly, but of God, A>«-»t»/, the fame word 
 that Almighty God makes ufe of in exprefling his love to 
 his <lear S(m .- As if he had faid, " Yon that are fo dearly 
 beloved of God, look you to it that you abftain from what 
 you know will be difplealing to htm " The fecond argu- 
 ment is drawn from their prefent ftare and condition in 'the 
 world ; yeare //rangers and pilgrims in the world, and there- 
 fore Ihould aci as ftrangers, who are not wont to be over- 
 much affefted with objeifts that they fee abroad, in their 
 travels, no more fhould you. l~he third argument i': taken 
 from the peril and danger of thefefleflily hifts to our pre- 
 cious fouls, they war again/} the foul ; that is, they war 
 againft the purity of the foul ; they war againft the digni- 
 ty of the foul ; againft the peace of the foul ; againft the 
 liberty of the foul ; yea, againft the life of the ibul. 
 
 12 Having your converfation honcfl amono the 
 Gentiles: that whereas they fpeak agaiwll you as evil- 
 doers, they may hy ymcr good works which they ftiall 
 behold, glorify God in the day of vifitation. 
 
 From the apoftle's dehortation in the former verfe, he 
 
 conies to an exhortation in this, and the duty exhorted ro 
 
 is ftricl godlinefsjcrholinefsin all manner of converCaiion, 
 
 Having your cor.icrfufhn hwejt ; it is not a llngle adion, 
 
 -but our general courfe and cunverfation, that denotes us 
 
 either to be good or bad ; and the word tranflntcd hi^nrfl, 
 llgnijies fair and amiable, beautiful and adornu.g, he doing 
 nothing that is unieeiiilyj or a bh nii/h either to i.ur pirfon 
 or proicllion ; chriftians Ihould not only live free from evil, 
 but as much as may be from the very i'ufpicion o\ evil. It 
 is added, amongthe Gentiles, that is, amongft the idolatrous 
 nations and people, who had not received the chr.ftian 
 faith : Great care muft be always taken by the prcfefi'ors 
 of chriftianity, that they do nothing whichmay iticreate the 
 prejudices of the wicked world againft religion and the ways 
 of godlinefs, but remember that they are our watchful ob- 
 fervers and bold cenfurers, atid accordingly, endeavour that 
 by a regular piety, a ftrid lobriety, a diflufive and exienlive 
 charity, we may render religion venerable to the world, 
 and (top the mouth of flander as much as in us lies, by cut- 
 ting off the occafionfrom them that fetk occafion. Obfrrve 
 farther, The apoftle exhorts them to have their conver- 
 fation honeji among the Gentiles ■ he doth not fay religi- 
 ous, though that be included, but outwardly fqnare, 
 ftriaiy juft and honeft : This is that which the world 
 judges us by ; vain are all our pretenfions to piety, if we 
 fail in honefty ; wc muft make confcience of the duties of 
 the fecond table, as an argument of our fincerity, ?nd as 
 an ornament to our profelfion. Ohferve next, What was 
 then, and is now the lot and portion of good men, namely, 
 to be evil fpoken of as evil-doers : Whereas they fpeak evil 
 of you as evil-doers: Chrift himfelf did not efcape the 
 fcourge of the tongue, he was charged with gluttony, 
 blafphemy, impofture, with having a devil, and with work- 
 ing miracles by the power of the devil ; and it is fufficienc 
 for the difciple to be as his mafter was ; yet mark, they 
 fpeak evil of you, fays the apoftle, as evil-doers .- To be an 
 evil doer is miferable, but not to be fpoken of as an evil- 
 doer. Nemo mifer fenfu alieno, no man is miferable in 
 another man's evil opinion of him ; a bad report, much 
 lefs a bad opinion, makes no body a bad man ; if it be 
 enough to cenfure and accufe, who can be innocent ? 
 Again, The apoftle exhorts thefe believing Jews to a con- 
 fpicuous fruitfulnefs in good works, that they may by your 
 good works, which they fhall behold, &c. implying that chrif- 
 tianity fets men to work ; (though we fliall hcver be faved 
 for our works, yet without working we can never be faved) 
 and that good works may and ought to be fo dune, that 
 men may behold them ; though we muft not do good 
 works to be feen of men, yet wc ought to do good works 
 that may be ken of men, Matt. v. 16, how elfe can men 
 be patterns of good Works, as they are required. Tit. ii. 
 7. if their good works be not confpicuous, and expofed 
 to the world ? Ohferve laftly. The blelfed fruit and 
 effect of good works, they caufe fuch as behold them 
 to glorify Cod in the day of vi/itation. This may be 
 underftood two ways, i. With refpecl to believers, your 
 good works will caufe the wicked world to glorify God 
 in the day of your vifitation, that is, in the day of your 
 perfecution and afHiftion ; though they afflift and per- 
 fecute you, yet they fhall glorify God when they behold 
 your faith, your patience, your conftancy in and under 
 futferings, in the day of your vifitation. 2. With relpecT: 
 to the wicked ; and fo the day of vifitation is the day of 
 their converlion ; and then the exhortation is to be 
 C 5^2 fo 
 
104-1, 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 fo confpicuoiis in pood worlds, that tluir adverfaries may 
 praile and glorify God, when he fliall vifir them with his 
 grace, and draw tlieni by his gofpcl, to believe in his Son: 
 The day ot favingconverfion isaday of gracious vilitaiicn. 
 
 13 9 Submit yourfelves to every ordinance of 
 man for the Lord's fake : whether it be to the kins 
 asfupreme: 14 Or unto governors, as unto them 
 that are fentby him for thepunifhment of evil-doers, 
 and for the praile of them that do well. 15 For fo 
 is the will of God, that with well doing ye mav put 
 to filence the ignorance of foolifh men : 
 
 Our apoftle having exhorted them in general to take care 
 that their converlation be iioneft among the Gentiles, he 
 now defcends to particular duties, which he advil'es iheni 
 le be very exemplary in the performance of. And the firfl 
 is in their fubjeiftion to governors and government ; fub- 
 mit yourfelves, lays he, to every civil ruler, bath fupreme 
 and lubordinate. Where oi/Vmr, i. How the apollle calls 
 magiftracy andcivil government, though originally of divine 
 inflitution, an ordinance oj man .■ Firft as to the end of it, 
 it being appointed and ordained for the good and benefit 
 of man. Secondly, Jn reference to the kind of it, every 
 nation having a liberty to chufe what kind and form of 
 government human prudence (liall direft them to, as moft 
 agreeable to, and commodious for the people. 2. The 
 quality of that obedience and fubjedion which is to be 
 given unto magiflrates, it muft he for the Lord'' s fake, that 
 is, in obedience to the command of God, and with an eye 
 at the honour and glory of God. Chriftianity isno enemy 
 to the civil rights of princes, it requires fubjeclion for con- 
 fciencefake, Prov. viii. xc^.byme, faysGod, kings re tgn; 
 fome read it, for me kings reign ; both are true .- Princes 
 then hold not their crowns either from the pope or from 
 the people, tobe kicked ofFby theone, or to be plucked off 
 by the other, z\.\.\\t\T ■'^Xz^iMte.: Submit yourfelves, fays our 
 apoftle, to every ordinance of man for the Lord^s fake. 3. 
 The reafons afllgned why magiftrates Ihould be thus fub- 
 jefted and fubmitted to; namely, I. Becaufe they arefent 
 by God for the punijkment of evil-doers, and the -praife of them 
 that f/j •well: the magiftrate's office is to punilh evil doers ; 
 the fear of the magillrate's fword awes many nien more 
 than the fear of God's hand. If fome men were not gods 
 among men, many men would be devils among men ; 
 there would be no living among thofe who fear not ihe in- 
 ▼ifible Cod in heaven, if there were not fome vifiblegods 
 on earth to fear. 2. Becaufe God will, by this their fub- 
 jeftion !<;(ven to magiflrates and governors, filence, or, as 
 the word fignifiies, puta mu2.7,le upon the mouih of foolifh 
 and unreafonable men, v. ho rage againfl his people, as if 
 they were enemies to orderand government : By ihiskind 
 of welldoing in partiLular, namely, by fubjection and obe- 
 dience to rulers in the Lord, and for the Lord's lake, we 
 put to filence the fooliflinefs of « icked men. 
 
 16 Asfree, and not ufing^our liberty for a cloak 
 of malicioulnels, but as the lervants of God. 
 
 Here our apoflk- anfwersan objeJ^ion which he forefaw 
 the Chriftian Jews were ready to make againft this duty of 
 fubji-dlion, namely, " th.it they were a freepeoplc, as Jews, 
 
 and ought topreferve their liberty, and own no governor! 
 that were not of their own nation ; and as chrillians they 
 looked upon ihemfelves as ChrilVs freemen : '' Whereas 
 chriftian liberty exempts no man from the duty of civil fub- 
 jeiftion ; the liberty Chrifthas purchafed for believers, is a 
 freedom from fin and fatan, from finlul fcrvitude: Chrifl 
 m.ikes all his fubjedts free, but it is with a freedom from 
 fpiritual bondage, ;ind not from civil fubjeclion ; conlc- 
 quenily, to plead our chriftian liberty in bar 10 that obe- 
 dience whiih wc owe our fuperiors and governors, either 
 civil or ecdeliaftical, is loule our liberty for a tioukof ma- 
 licioulnefs, and asacoveringfur that difubtdience which is 
 hateful to God, and injurious to mai.kind, as being de- 
 ftrucfive of order and goveniinent, which is the beauiy 
 and the bond of human focieiy. 
 
 17 Honour all ??;«. Love the brotherhood. Fear 
 God. Honour the king, 
 
 Here are four very important duties recommended to us 
 inthitihort verfe. i. 1 ohonourall men ; no man is tobe 
 defpifedby us, but every man truly refpedled, according to 
 his place and ftation. 'I'liere is a common honour, snd a 
 tribute ofcivil relpecfl, payable to eit-ry man, though fome 
 men forfeit it by acting below men ; a vile pcrfon is con- 
 temptible, thoughgreat; bare greamefsis nogusrdagainll 
 contempt ; but the rags of a good man cannot obfcurehis 
 worth, nor hinder him from true lionour in the he.ins, and 
 from the tongues of wife men; honour all men, but clpc- 
 cially good men. 2- Love the hrcthirhood ; as there is a 
 general refped due toall men, foihere isa fpecial loveciue 
 to the brethren ; to all the faints, of what nation andcoun. 
 try foevcr, of what erta'e and condition foever, high and 
 low, rich and poor, of whatju 'gmentand opinion foever; 
 therefore iheapoftle calls upon ustolove thebroiherhood, 
 the whole fraternity and focieiy of chrifti.ins, by what un- 
 happy names and charaders of reproach foever diftin- 
 guidied; there is no better evidence of the life of grace in 
 ourfelves, than the love of grace in another. 3. Fear God; 
 that is live in a religious dread of his name, as a glorious 
 God and a gracious Father; and have a revereiuial a«e 
 and fear of his majefty immoveably fixed and implanted in 
 your fouls ; to the produdion of which a dcuble appt el'.en- 
 fion isiiecelTary, namely , the inconceivable ii.ijeliyofGod, 
 and the miJerablt vilenefs of the finners. 4. Honour the 
 king ; this duty confifls in reverencing thf ir perfcns, in 
 obeying their lawful commands, in a chearful payment of 
 their dues, in praying affectionately forthem, andiii praifing 
 God for the bleiling of their government. Nero, the woilt 
 of kings, the perlecutor oi chriftians, was now on the 
 throne, yet the command is exprels to honour him : And 
 if we conlider the words in their connedticn and conjunc- 
 tion one with one another, Fear CoJ, and honour the king, 
 we learn. That religion, and the fear of God, dobeft qua- 
 lify perfons tobe good fubjefts; this is the true and fteady 
 principle of loyally, that obedience to governors that is 
 lalting, is for conftiencc f.<kc to the coinrh.-ind of God ; 
 where there is no fear of God in the he.irt, there will be 
 no regard to the command of Gad in the life. L.iftly, 
 Thele words maybe confidered, as in their ccnjuudtion, lb 
 
 ia 
 
Chap. ir. 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 io-io 
 
 in their order in which they ftand ; firft, Fear God-, and then. 
 Honour the king ; intimating, that the fear of God muft be 
 the rule and guide of our fubjcdlion into governors ; it is 
 no difparagement to our fupcriors to be under God, and fo 
 to be looked upon by their fubjedls ; let fuch as pretend to 
 fear God, Hjcw it by being loyal fiibjeds ; and let fuch as 
 vould be thought moft loyal fubjcdls, evidence it by their 
 aw fill and religious fear of God. 
 
 18 I Servants be fubjeft to your mafters with all 
 fear, not only to the good and gentle,, but alfo to the 
 froward. 19 For this is thank-worthy, if a man 
 for confcience toward God endure grief, fufFering 
 wrongfully. 20 5 For what glory is it, if, when 
 ye be buffeted for your faults, ye Ihall take it pa- 
 tiently? but if, when ye do well, and fufFer for it, 
 ye take it patiently ; this is acceptable with God, 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The order and method of oiirapoRle in 
 the exhortations given to chriilians in this cpiftle ; he firft 
 excites them to the general praiSicc of their duty, and to be 
 holy in all ir.nnr.er of convcrjalion \ and next binds upon 
 them the performance of relative and particular duties. In 
 the foregoing verfes he infirted upon the duties of fubjefts 
 tovvatds magirtrates and governors; in this verfe he pro- 
 pounds the duty of fervants towards their maimers. Thus 
 let chriflian fervants be fubjed to their mafters, whether 
 chriftian or heathen, giving due reverence and refpc£t, not 
 only to fuch as are kind and gentle, but to fuch as are fro- 
 Mard and wrathful. Learn hence, That fuch as are in the 
 loweft condition, being fervants, yea, the mcanc-ll of fer- 
 vants, may glorify Gcd in that condition. 2. That fervants, 
 to the end that they may glorify God in their fervile con- 
 dition, muft be fiibjecl to their mafters with all fear ; yea, 
 even to wicked and froward inafters ; becaufe the ground 
 of their obedience is the will and command of God, which 
 binds them to th?ir duty to their mafters, though their 
 mafters fail and fall ftiort in their duty to them. Ohf. 2. 
 The feveral argun^.enfs inade iife of by St. Peter to enforce 
 this duty npon fervants. I. This is highly acceptable and 
 well-pleafmg unto God, and will procure a gracious re- 
 ward. We fhall certainly receive a glorious reward from 
 (>od, for \vhat we fiiffcr wrongfidly and unjuftly from men. 
 This is thank-worthv, and this is acceptable with God. 
 2. From the indecency of the contrary ; becaufe it is no 
 virtue, but a juft puniftiinent, for evil doers to fufFer for 
 their evil deeds : Though to fufFer patiently when we fiifFer 
 juftly is praife-worthy, yet not comparable with the praife 
 of fufFering patiently when we fufFer unjuftly. To do well, 
 and then to fufFer patiently, as for ill-doing, will meet with 
 a gracious, yea, with a glorious reward. What ghry, &c. 
 
 2 1 For even hereunto were ye called : becaufe 
 Chrift alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an example, 
 that ye fhould follow his fteps. 
 
 Ohjcrve here. Two farther argutnents to excite and move 
 chriltians to patience tinder unjuft fufferings. i. Hereunto, 
 fays the ^^o{^\<i, were ye called ; that is, bv your profeflion 
 of chriftianity ; religion obliges yoti to fuffer, and to fufter 
 with patience ; you iinift bear the crofs before you wear the 
 
 crown : To this you are called, and with this yeu have 
 been acquainted. 2. You (liould not think iniicli to fuffer 
 patiently, when you fuffer unjuftly, becaufe Chrift, your 
 Captain and Guide, did fo before you ; he was the mod 
 meek and patient endurer that ever was, of the greateft and 
 moft wrongful fufFcrings that ever were. Note here. That 
 although the cxam|ile of our Saviour be here propounded 
 to us with a fpecial regard to the particular virtue of pa- 
 tience under unjuft fufFcrings, yet it ought to be extended 
 to all graces and duties and improved as a pattern for the 
 love and practice of univerfal holinefs ; Leaving us an 
 exatnple, that ye Jhould folhw his Jieps : the praifice and 
 example.of the holy Jefus, in all the ordinary atts of his 
 obedience, ought to be propounded by all his difciplcs and 
 followers as the grand pattern of our imitation ; it being a 
 faie and unerring example, an cafy and farniliar example, a 
 powerful and encouraging example, and the moft inftru(Slive 
 and univerfal example, that ever was given to the world, 
 being a inoft abfoluteand perfeift pattern of holinefs. 
 
 22 Who did no fin, neither was guile found in his 
 mouth : 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not: 
 again ; when he fuffered, he threatened not ; but com- 
 mitted himfelfto him that judgeth righteoufly : 24 
 Who his own felf bare our fins in his own body on 
 the tree, that we being dead to fin fliould live unto 
 rightcoufnefs : by whole Ilripes ye were healed. 
 
 Our aportle proceeds to reprefent and recommend our 
 Lord Jefus Chriftas a mirror and perfeft pattern of patience 
 under the ftiarpeft fufFeiings ; he acquaints us, I. With his 
 pure and fpotlefs innocency ; he did no fin, therefore could 
 not fufFer for doing evil : No guile tuas found in his mouth, 
 neither in his expreflions, nor in his adlions : Jie never did 
 ill either io word or deed, but was a pcrfecl pattern of un- 
 blamcable holinefs. Next our apoftle recommends to us 
 his invincible patience under all his fufFcrings, telling \^^s, 
 that although Chrilf was moft fhamefuUy reviled, having 
 the dirt of a thoufand fcandals, flandcrs, reproaches, and 
 blafphemies caft upon him, yet he reviled tut again, not 
 giving them one ill word for all : And ti'hen he fuffered all 
 manner of injuries and indignities atone, being buffetted, 
 fpit upon, crowned with thorns, and crucified, though he 
 had power Aifficient to look them into nothing, to frown 
 them into hell, yet he threatened them yiot with the leaft 
 revenge, but prayed for his murderers, and committed his 
 caufe to a juft and righteous God. Blefted Jefus! help us 
 to imitate thy patience under fufferings and reproaches, and 
 never let us be found rendering to any evil for evil, or rail- 
 ing for railing, but contrariwife, blefling for curfing, courte- 
 fies for injuries, afFability for affronts : let tjs at no time be 
 overcome of evil, but labour at all times to overcome evil 
 A^-ith good. Note laftly. How our apoftle takes notice, that 
 the fu/Ferings of Chrift were not only exemplary but faiis- 
 fadlory ; he did not only fufFer patiently, but meritorioiifty : 
 Hz his own j elf bare our fins, &c. Note here, i. What 
 Was borne, «»/■ T*", 'hat is, the guilt and pimiftiment of 
 our fin 2. Who bare it, Chrift his czvn felf. This im- 
 ports, (i.) The fingularity of his fufferings, he had no 
 partner or fharer with him in what he bare ; he trede ike 
 
 ivine 
 
104.6 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 Chaf. Ill 
 
 •whf prf/j ahw. (i.) The fufficifncyofhi« fuffcrinj:., 
 lie A,m/J// bore our (Ins ; he who was God-iDaii the Lamb 
 t)f God, ami as fuch look away the iin of the world. (3.) 
 How he bare it, in l:is own body upon the tree ; that i«,"iii 
 his human nature upon the crofs .- Chrift fulFi-red in his 
 loiil as well as in his body, and both were fatisfjdory to 
 divine jnrtice, but his bodily fuflerings are only mentioned 
 becaufe thele were n.oft vifjble. (.,.j The great ends of 
 his fuffenngs, namely, expiation of lin, and mortification 
 of (in : our fins were expiated on the tree bv Chrid's luf 
 
 vcrfation of the wives. 2 W'liilc th'-y behold your 
 chiillc convci Cation coupUdwiih fc.ir. 
 
 Our apofHe having in the forejroing chapter, entered 
 upon an exhortaticn to the pr.ifli(.e of relative duties, p.ir- 
 ticulaily of fubfecti towards their rulers, and of fervaiits 
 towardsiheir mafters, he continues here hiscshorution to 
 hufbandi and wives in the furmer part of this chapter, be- 
 ginning fir(t with the wives' duty (as did St. Paul, in all 
 hit epillles) becaufe their duty of fubjrftion is the mod 
 hard and dilEcuIt duty : Liiewi/e, yf-juives, beinJuhjuTion 
 
 fernig for us in his ownbody, and by liis death he alfopur- ""j" »■>" "'"'v"!' "u.jr ; ^.tncu/i/cr, _y<- -o/jitj, pcmjupjccti'jn 
 
 chaftd virtue for mortifying (in in u?, and forquitkeningus f» J'-'"'" o^" hufcards. Chfetve here, 1. 1 he duiy en- 
 
 inito holinefs of life, that, as he died for (in, we fiiould joined, /i/tyc^/»«, that ir, a loving ^nd delightful obedience 
 
 (lie Unrndn .iiirl ic Ko v-^Tu .m-.:.^ ..^.i . — : i _ . tn ibt^ hiifTi.-mrf nu.'ninnr nh* ^inH ('iiKinirrir^r* r.. Kie •..^tU. ..>;... 
 
 die untolin, .ind as he rofeagain and levivcd, nevertodie 
 more, fo IhouM we, being dead unto lin, live no longer 
 therein: He h'tmfelfharc our Jlns in his own body, Sec. that 
 IS, by w'hofe expiatory futferings we flrf/;fij/f//; the wounds 
 made in our fouls by the guilt and power of fin, are merci- 
 
 to thehufband, owning of, and (ubniitting to his authority, 
 in compliance with the ci'inmanil of Goil. 2. 1 he pcr- 
 lons from whom and to \^hom this fubjection is i\\.n:, frotu 
 every -wife to her own hujbund, believer or unbeb'ever, 
 chriftian or infidel : it is not lawful, upon any pretence 
 
 fuily and meritorioufly healed ; the guilt oflin ispardoned, whatever, for the wife to cafl off this duty, Ahich, by the 
 the power of fin fubdued, and all the invaluable fruits and '^^^ "'^ ^^"^ creation, and the exprefs command i-f Gi-d, is 
 
 bound upon h?r. 3. One fpecial reafon alligncd why l\uh 
 wives as have unbelieving, wicked, and unconverted huf- 
 bands, flioulj take particular care to exprefs that fear and 
 reverence toward God, fubjection and obedience, that 
 chaflity and conjugal affec^tion towards their hulbandi, 
 which the word of God calls for ; namely, that fuch huf- 
 bands as obey not the word, may without the wo>d (preached) 
 be won to the faith, by obferving the efficacy and power oi 
 the word in the converfaiion of the wives. Ltarn hence. 
 That the wives' holy and humble, pious and prudent, 
 meek and patient, chafte and unfufpccted converfation be- 
 fore God and the world, does recommend not only their 
 perfons to the love and efteem of their hufl)ands, but alio 
 their faith and holy religion (which produces fuch good 
 fruitsj to their approbation and choice. 
 
 3 Wliofe adorning, let it not be that outward 
 
 benefit of the Redeemer's death obtained. Thanks be to 
 God for Jefus Chrift. 
 
 25 For ye were as fheep going aftray ; but are 
 now returned unto the fliephcidandbifliop of your 
 fouls. 
 
 Olifervs here, i. The ftate and condition in which both 
 Jews andGentiles were found before their converfipn to 
 thriftianity, they were like Iheep going aftray and lo(f,' wan- 
 dering in the ways of fin and unbelief, to their threatened 
 ruin and deftruftion. 2. The tender care of Chrift, that 
 great and good Shepherd, in bringing home thefe lolt (lieep 
 upon hisllioulders, (Ifa. xl. 11.) into his fold the church ; 
 But are now returned unto tbejhtpberd, to him that will feed 
 you in green paftures, and prelisrve you to his heavenly 
 kingdom .- The (hepherd gives life to his fheep, and alfo 
 lays down his life for his A.eep. 3. The additional title fl^Tm',!^ of plaiting the°hair, an^oVwearing'oTooYd" 
 
 ITte d^r'; ' '' '1 n' *'^^'^ "f^-rf'f^l »'-. '"^' or of putting on of apparel ; 4 But laU be the 
 with tendernels, care, anddiligence, doth infpecT: and vifit i, j^ r .u 1 . ■ 1 \_-\- 
 
 all his charge : he is the univ?rfal Bifliop, the Bifhop of ^''^'^.'-" ""^^ ""^ '^ ' '" ' '* ""' '^°''' 
 
 bilhops, who has the charge of all the Hocks, and of tiie """Pt'D'^j «'™ the ornament of a meek and quiet 
 fhepherds too, and to whom all bifiiops and (liepherds muft fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price, 
 become accountable. God Almighty give them all fuch Our apoftje's next advice here given to wives, is con- 
 grace to be faithful, fuch wifdom to be prudent, thatl..vc cerning their attire; this is laid down, firll negativelv, 
 to himlelf, tnat zeal for Chrift, -hat tendernefs for fouls, what it fhould not be, not an outward adornin-. attended 
 Juch meeknels and hun.il.ty, fuch patience and charity, with great curiofiiy and cxac'tnefs in dreflin" th"ebody with 
 Inch mortification and felf denial, as becomes perfons of plaited hair, gold chains, gay and gaudy anparel, and fuch 
 their holy charader and profefTion; always remembering, like. Where wo/r, Thar plaited hair, gold chains, and 
 that the lalvationot one precious loul, for which the great coftly attire, were then the attire of lewd women, whores 
 i>hepherd died, is infinitely worth the moft indefatigable only, crchiefly, werelb decRed andadorned, and therefore 
 Jaboursot their whole hvef; that when the chief Shepherd were abfolutely forbidden to the chriftian women bv our 
 fliall appear, they may receive a crown ofglory that fadetjf apoftlc ; but when fuch attire ceafej to be a mark of fuch 
 not away. ^mcn. diftindlion, it may be worn by chriftian women, provided it 
 
 be done without pride, and without too great expence both 
 of time and treafure ; always remembering that gravity in 
 apparel, .ind wearing fuch a drefs as isfoon put on, is moft 
 honourable, and be(b becoming chriftian womtn. "I h^d 
 rather, fays one, go like the wild Indians, than havetliolV 
 thoulands of hours 10 anl'wer for, which fume have fprnc 
 between ihe gUfs and ihe comb. " Cbjcrve here, '1 hat 
 
 this 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 LIKEWISE, ye wives, ^<r in fubje£lion to your 
 own hulbands ; that if ar^y obey not the vvord. 
 they alio may without the \roid be won by the con- 
 
Chap, hi, 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 1047 
 
 this text cloth not abfolulely forbid the wearing of orna- 
 ments, or cnlWy apparel, by Inch perfons whofe quality will 
 niifwer it, but only forbids pride and vanity, affec'lation and 
 oltenration in the wearing of thern ; it is not only lawful to 
 cover the body, but to adorn the body ; Abraham had never 
 ient ear rings nnd bracelets to Rebecca, had they been (in- 
 fu! in their ufe ; 10 wear fuch things beyond our purfe and 
 place, and to iMake onrfelves or others poor by making 
 ourfelves fine, is very finful, but otherwife lawful. Qhferve, 
 next. Our apoitle'^ affirmative precept for the woman's 
 adorning, with the reafons of it, ver. 4. But let it be the 
 hidden man /)/ the heart, ^c. Where «o/f, I. What mult 
 be app.iralled and adorned, the hidden man of the heart, 
 th.it is, (he foul, which wants both covering and adorning 
 as well as the body, fin having made both naked to their 
 (iiaine. 2. With what the hiilden man of the heart Hiufl 
 be app.irelled, not with fine clothes, they will not cover a 
 naked foul, but with the fancbtying graces of the Spirit of 
 God, with humility and meeknefs, with piety and prudence, 
 which ornaments will never wax old, nor grow out of 
 fa(hion,as others do, and are alio of precious efleem with 
 God hiinTclf, they are in the fight of God of great price : 
 Thefe virtues arein themfelves, and render the poflcfibrs of 
 them, truly valuable in thelight and efteem ofGoil. Upon 
 the whole then it evidently appears, that the negation here 
 is not abColnte.but comparative : As if theapoflle hadfaid, 
 " God will have the hidden man of your heart adorned 
 with grace, nnd delights more to fee that, than your bodies 
 adorned with precious jewels andcoftly apparel ;" and ac- 
 cordingly, if women affect finery, and would appear beau- 
 tiful, let them choofe the bell ornaments, thc^fe of the 
 mind and heart, which will atiraft the eye of God towards 
 them, rather than thofe external ones, which ferve only 
 to draw man's eye to an admiration of them. 
 
 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy 
 women alfo who truftedinGod adorning themi'elves, 
 being in fubjeftion unto their own hufbands ; 6 
 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord : 
 whofe dau^^htcrs ye are as long as ye do well, and 
 arc not afraid with any amazement. 
 
 Our apoftle in thefe two verfes enforces the exhortation 
 andadvire given to womenin theforegoingverfes, namely, 
 to attire themfelves with outward modelty, and inward 
 meeknef>, by a twofold argument : fi} From the example 
 of holy women in general under the Old Teftament, whofe 
 praile is in the fcnpture, nor for the external adorning of 
 the body, but 'for their affiance and truft in God, antj their 
 fuhjtdion paid to their own huihjnds. Here Mte, i. That 
 holinel"s, or the duties of the fiift table, are required of 
 women as well as of men : And God accepts holinefs in 
 them as well a; in men. The hdy ■w'»i]en. z. That all holy 
 women of ohl di<i. and always ought 10 make confcience of 
 their duly to their hufbands, particularly of fubjedion, that 
 lo good example may be given by them, and taken from 
 them, for others to do the like ; the virtue of good exam- 
 ple is lalling, it may do good many years after the example 
 is given ; the exaHjpleof thefe holy women had a frefh 
 pu.vcr to do good many thoufdnd years after it wasgi^n, 
 
 and will flill have to the world's end. fi.) Another argu- 
 n\ent is taken from the example of Sarah, who meekly 
 obeyed Abraham, acknowledging him to be her lord : the 
 daughters of whofe faiih, and the heirs ef whofe bleding, 
 fuch wives will appear and prove themftlves to be, who 
 do as Sarah did, not fuffering themfelves by any fears or 
 terror.i to be diverted from, nor by any fits of pafTion and 
 grief, to be difturbed in the performance of that duty which 
 God requires, and the hufband experts : Even as Sarah 
 obeyed Abraham, celling him Lord. Ohferve here, i. That 
 the faithful practice, and confcicntious difcharge «)f doinef- 
 tic and relative duties is much taken notice of by Cod, and 
 had in remembrance with him, particularly the wife's duty, 
 faithfully difcharged to the froward hufband, is and fliall 
 be had in everlafting remembrance with God. 2. That 
 the fame duty and reverence, the fame fubjection and obe- 
 dience which Sarah gave to Abraham, isdue and payable to 
 every hufband, elfe the apollle's argument is of no force. 
 Some might fay, Abraham was a great man : Anf. True, 
 but Sarah obeyed him as her hufband, as all wives c.ught 
 to do, becaufe the command of God requires honour and 
 reverence to be given to all hufbands, as hufbands. Laftly , 
 With what greatand wonderful goodnefs and clemency the 
 Lord is pleafed to overlook the failings and infirmities of 
 his upright fervants. We find in Sarah's ftory. Gen. xviii. 
 that fhe Ipake very unhandfomely, and laughed indecently, 
 when the angel came and told her fhe fhould have a fon, 
 but all that is pafled by in filence, and that one good word 
 fhe gave her hulban'l, calling him lord, is mentioned here 
 by St. Peter to her eternal hf.notiir : The Lord has a gra- 
 cious refpeft toa little pure gold, though mingled with much 
 drofs, and in a great heap of fin : If he cas efpy, he will 
 accept of, a little fiiarkof true grace : O Lord ! thou wile 
 not bring our infirmities and flips to account againft us, nor 
 rigidly reckon wnfi us for the fame, if our hearts be up- 
 right with thee ; make us then feund in thy ftatutes, that 
 we may not be afliamed. 
 
 7 Likewife, ye hufbands, dwell with them accord- 
 ing to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife as 
 unto the weaker veflel, and as being heirs together of 
 the grace of life ; that your prayers be not hindered. 
 
 Next our apoflle proceeds to direiftand exhort hufbands 
 to the praftice of their reipeiftive duties ; the general and 
 comprehenfive duty of the hufband here mentioned is coha- 
 bitation, under which all matrimonial duties are contained ; 
 Dwell iviih your -vives according to kno'.uledge, that is, as 
 becomes wife and underftanding men, that well underffand 
 their duty, and, as the rule of chrifti.inity directs, giving 
 jul^ honour, and due refpect unto them, and excrcilinggreat 
 ^ndernelstowards them. Isie'nt ob/erve. The real'onj I'ub- 
 jointd to enforce this duty upon hufbands :»i. Btcaufe 
 wives are the weaker vefTels, f object to infirmities, and more 
 liable to contempt, therefore their luifbands fhouKl conn i- 
 bute their w it'dom and authority to fupport their bunonr, 
 anb prelerve them from being defpifed either by children or 
 fervants. 2 Becaufe wives are not only copartnersWiih 
 their hufbands i^ their temporal good things, but alfo co- 
 heirs of faving grace with them, Heirs together of the prac»- 
 
104.8 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 Chap. hi. 
 
 cfliff. 3. BvsuTe otherwire tlieir prayers one with, and 
 
 one for another, would be obrtrudecf and difturbed, That 
 your prayers he not hindered. Nile here, That all_ (iiiful 
 walking in general, but difcord and difcontent between 
 hiilbaiid and wife in particular, doth exceedingly hinder 
 prayer, it oft-times hinders from the very aft <it prayer, 
 that the duly is laid allde ; it flats and deads our fpirics, 
 and (Ireightensoiir hearts in prayer, and it hinders the ef- 
 fect, fruit, and fuccefs of our prayers ; it makes perfons in 
 that condition, that they have no heart to come before 
 God, nnr care to lift up their fates to him. From the 
 ■ M'hole Imrn, That it ought to be the mutual care of mar- 
 ried couples fo to order all their carriage towards each 
 other, that in their houfes they hinder not any holy duties ; 
 to hinder tliepra(ftice of religion is repugnant to the great 
 endsof this relation ; fome hinder by their wickednefs, 
 others by their difcontent and frowardnefs ; take we care 
 that neither thehulband'snor wife's heart bedeadened, nor 
 their heart damped to holy duties by either of their linful 
 or froward behaviour ; that family will be little in praying 
 that is much in fquabbling and contending one with anotlier. 
 
 8 H Finally, ^irrcall of one mind, having coin- 
 pallion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, k 
 courteous : 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing 
 for railin;^ : but contrariwife, blefTing ; knowing that 
 ye are thereunto called, that ye fhould inherit a 
 bieding. 10 For he that will love life, and fee good 
 days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his 
 lips that they fpeak no guile. 11 Let him efchcw 
 evil, and do good : let him feek peace, and enfueit. 
 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, 
 and his earsa;« oJ>cn unto their prayers : but the face 
 of the Lordaagainll them that do evil. 13 And 
 v.'ho is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of 
 that which is good ? 
 
 Our apoftle, having finifhed his exhortation to relative 
 dutie?, namely, of hulbandsand wives, mafters and fervants, 
 riagillrates and fubjefts, he noA- enters upon another fub- 
 jed, namely, that of fufferingf, (hewing us a prudential way 
 and manner how to avoid furterings, that they may not 
 come upon us ; and next, how to avoid impatience under 
 lulFerings, if it be the will of God that they do come upon 
 us. The former of theie is fpoken to in the verfcs now 
 before us, in which he exhorts us to praclife all thofe vir- 
 tues which are apt to reconcile and gain the affeclions of 
 men towards us, particularly he exhorts to unity and con- 
 cord. Be all (,f one mind, to fympalhize one w ith another 
 in and under fofTerings, and tobear with one another's in- 
 fir';)i;i!s, to be courteous towards all, fweet and affable ii\. 
 <■ ui icmcanour, provitled curcourtefy be neither a fiiare 10 
 f) ] (elves, nor an enco'.)rag»;nient to others in their fins, 
 .t; icjining from all injuries and provocations, from all re- 
 venge both in ad and in delire, not reviling them that rail 
 at us, but giving good wordsfor bad ones, forwe arc here- 
 unto called that we Jhould Uiherit a hi--Jpng ; that is, Clirifl 
 by his grjfpsl hath called, and by his example encouraged 
 us thus to do, that w« may be blefltd. Next ohjirtc, 
 
 That to entourage us to the perpetui! pradic* of thf fe 
 virtues, our apoltle alfures us, that thereby we fliould moll 
 effidually conlult the fafety and comfort of our lives : 
 For ht that kvetb life, thai is, quietnefs and peace, which 
 ii the comfort of life, the likelielt way to obtain it is, to 
 keep his tongue from fpeaking evil of others, and his lips 
 from uttering falfliood and deceit ; plainly intimating, that 
 it is men's unbridled tongues which bring moft of their 
 trouble's upon them. He advifes alfo to efchevj ivil, to 
 avoid and to abhor every thing that is vile and finful; antl 
 to do g'jod, that is, all the good we can to all men : tofetk 
 peace, and enfue il, that is, to depart fometiines from «ur 
 own right to obtain peace, and to follow hard at'ter it, 
 though it flies before us. And farther, our apoflle aifures 
 us, that this innocency of convtrfation is not only the way 
 to gain the friendlhip of man, but to obtain the favour of 
 God, and to engage his providence for our protection. 
 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears 
 are open to their cry: a.s if he had laid, " The eye of 
 God's fpccial care will be continually watching over you 
 for goofi, to fave you from unreafonable men, and he w ill 
 hear your prayers in all your didrefles ; and the face of the 
 Lord, hii angry countenance, will be againll ihem that 
 wrong you, and do evil to you, to return- it upon their owi] 
 heads." So that the fum of all is, that an innocent and 
 harmlefs, a quiet, peaceable, and obliging deportment, doth 
 naturally tend to preferve us from evil, and from evil men ; 
 for vjht is he that can be fo unnatural and fo ungrateful as 
 to harm us, if 'Jie he f'Ahvjers of that which is good ? that 
 is, if we be civil and obliging to them, they cannot find in 
 their hearts to be injucious and unkind to u«. Who is he 
 that will harm you, if ye he followers of that which is good P 
 Here noie, that the apoftle doth not abl'olutely fay none 
 will harm us, but he Ipeaks of it as fo very unreafonable 
 and improbable a thing, that we may pre fume it will net 
 ordinarily and often happen : Not but that good men arc 
 obnoxious to harm ; the moft unblem:llied and Ihining 
 virtue will not at all times, and in all cafes be exempt from 
 injury and ill-treatment ; but the following of that which is 
 good doth in its own nature tend to i'ecure us from the 
 malice and mil'chief of men, and very frequently does it 
 and is the bell and mofl eftVctual means in order to it ; he 
 muft love mifchief for niifchief's lake, that will be mil- 
 chievous to him who never offered him any occalion, or 
 gave him any provocation ; therefore let us never be weary 
 of welldoing, feeing doing good to men is ordinarily a fe- 
 curity againft injuriiy from men, by recommending us to 
 the favour and protection of God, and to the cfleeni and 
 good- will of mankind ; none fhall harm them thudogood, 
 for all harm (hall tend to ihieir ^o?.;^. 
 
 14 IT But and if ye fuffer for righteoufnefs fake, 
 h.ippy are ye : and be not afraid of their terror, 
 neither be troubled : 
 
 As ifthe apoftle had (aid, " Though following that which 
 is good be, generally fpeaking, a fure and certain w.iy to 
 keep you from harm, yet Ihould it fo happen, that nothwith- 
 ftanding all your piety and prudence, you Ihould fufTer for 
 well doing, ye are happy, and not miferable ; therefo.-e be 
 not«fraid of :heir terrors, aiid threatenings, neither be ye 
 
 troubled 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 I. Sr. P E T E 11. 
 
 104.9 
 
 tro'ililed for what thry can infl cr upon yon." A'of? hencf , 
 I. Th.it to ("iiffcr affliftioti ami perlVcution for rightcoiil- 
 nefi fake, ilotli not hinder, but tiirtherour happinel's : // 
 )''ft'Jfer for riiihteoiifnefsjiike, happy areye, for fo fuffcred 
 yoor S.iviourthat went licfore you. 2. That when God 
 call-i US forth to furfer tor rightcoufnefs Tike, we mull for 
 
 Here our apoflle adds his advice to chriftiars that :bey 
 liltnce .md puc to Ihame their advt-rfaric^, by their winks 
 CIS well as hy their words, by their holy ccnverliilion, to- 
 getlier uiih their rational dilpuiaiions ; he riqi.ri'd them 
 in the foriiipr verfe to be always ready loni.ke a proliflinn 
 ot tlu ir fjith, and to reuJcr a t eaj'.n r.f thdr hcpe : h- re he 
 
 tify oiirfelves againlt all fear ; no terrors innft trouble us, bids ihein confuie gainl.iycrs by a g<i( d ci nvei fation, and 
 
 in order thereunto, to keep contiiuK-Jly an innocent mind 
 .ind a cJcarconfcience, pure from guile, and tlcdrof guilt; 
 
 no aj>prehended dangers or difEcuUies mull difnuy us 
 15 But fan£lifv the Lord God in your hearts : — 
 
 This phrafe in ftripture imports, i. A firm belief of 
 Giid's;ilnii^'h'y power, that he ctn protetl from fufi'erings ; 
 and a full ifiiuuc in his jroodnei's and providence, that he 
 will do fo if it be good foru«. 2. it is from the heart toown 
 and believe the initli of all that God delivers in his word 
 by w.ny of promife to his people, and by way of threateninjr 
 to theirenemies, that/;// eyes are ^verthe righteous, and his 
 face actu>ip them that do evil. 3 
 
 God in our hearts, is always to maintain upon our minds 
 furii an holy fear, and awful reverence of God, as will cf- 
 f'ciflu.illy prevail upon us to dread more the difpleafure of 
 Goil, than any thing we can lufFer at the hand of man. 
 Zcjrn hence, i. That when iulFerings are approaching, we 
 ought to {trengihenour hearts againltall fears (if rufPering, 
 by putting onr trult in CJod. 2. That by this truit and 
 conlidence in God in n l'utf>-'ring hour, we do emirienrly 
 fandify iheLord God in our hearts, Ifa. viii. j-^. Sar,cl':jy 
 the Lird ofh'fls himfrlf, and let him be your fear and your 
 dread. 
 
 — And he ready alu-avs to give an anfwcr to every 
 jTian that aflccth you a reafoii of the hope that is in 
 you, with meeknefs and fear : 
 
 As if the apndle hati faid, '• If you be chriflians indeed, 
 you are not without lu>pe, sn hope of everUtting hlifs and 
 happinefs, which will nifinitely recmnpence yon hereafter 
 f'orall the hard thinirs wh'cli vou fuftl-rfor the fake of chrii- 
 tjanity here ; and forafmuih as this your hope is not a 
 vain and groundlc fs expectation, but a rational hopr, Be 
 always ready to render n reajon cf that h'ipe , &c. Learn 
 I. That the chritfian's hope is a rational hope, hiC has a 
 reafon ! o hope for u hat he hopes, his hope is well-grounded 
 upon the promife of Got!, niion the purchale of Chrilt. and 
 upon the operations of the Holy Spirit quickening him by 
 its renovation, leading him by its manuduction, actuating 
 him by its irfluence, animating bini in devotions by its 
 affilfances, by being the author of all that grace chat is in 
 him, and of all that good ihit is done by hiai. 2. That 
 it is a chrirtian's duty to bealwa/s ready to render a reafon 
 of this his hope, when the glory of God, the honour of 
 religion, and the good of others, do require it. 3. That 
 thisuind not be done with vanity and oftentation, but with 
 meeknefs and fear : Be always ready to render a reafon, &c. 
 
 16 Having a good 
 fpeak evil of you as 
 
 hi.v':ng a go'fd confcicnce, that fuch as /peak evil r.f y',u as 
 evil doers may he afl.'atned. Note here, i . 'J hat let the fer- 
 vants (if Chrift be never lo innocent in their li^es, and cir- 
 eumtpc(^l in iheir carriage, yet there are thole '.hai \a dl (.tn- 
 fure them as bad men, and flandt-r them as evil-doers 2- 
 1 hat a good confcience acconjpanied w:th a good conver- 
 fation, is the mof\. eifeifliial mean to (lop the mouth of 
 flander, and to put fuch as sccufe os falftly to fliame. 3. 
 To fanctifv the Li^rd T^'^r when fufferings and perfecutions docome, after all, 
 the confideration that we fufFer not for evil, but for well- 
 doing, will be a fufficient fupportand confolation tou- It 
 is better, if God will haveus fufFer, that it beforwetl-d-uig; 
 better for us, but worfe forour perfecutors ; fornawthe 
 body only fuffers, while the foul is free. 
 
 18 For Chrifl; alfo hath once fufFered for fins, the 
 juft for the unjuft, that he might brini> us to God, 
 being put to death in the flefli, but quickened by 
 the Spirit : 
 
 Thefe svords are brought in as a firorig argument, why 
 ciirifliansthit fufter wrongfully flioiild bear itpa ienily ; it 
 wasour Saviour's own cafe, he that had perfecfl innoccncy 
 and unfpotted righteoufnefs, fufFered in the fevered manner, 
 for us that were unrighteous, that he might reconcile us to 
 God, being />(</ ro death intheflefly, that is in our human 
 nature, hut guickenedby the Spirit, orraifed to life again by 
 the power of his Godhead it doth therefore well become 
 all his followers chearfully to undergo all manner of lufFer- 
 irgs for him, which they meet with in their duty to him. 
 Acte herr, i. Chriftdid not barely fufferfor ourgood, but 
 he fiitfered in our flead : He is not only faid to fufFer for 
 us, but to fuffer forour fins, thatis, the punifhment ofour 
 fins ; for no man was ever faid to fufFer for (in that did not 
 undergo and endure the punifliment of fin. As the fin- 
 ofFering under thelaw is called an offeringfor fin, becaufe 
 ir did expiate the guilt of tin, by dying in the place and 
 llead of the ofFender ; in like manner, vvhen the death of 
 Chrift is called an offering for fm, what can it import, but 
 tliat he futfered to make atonement for fin in our place and 
 ftead ? The jufl for the unjuft : If thefe words do not im- 
 ply the fubftitution of Chrifl as our furety, and his fufFer- 
 iiig the punifliment due toourfins, what wordscan exprcfs 
 it ? 2. That the great end of Chi ift's bitter death and 
 bloody fufferings, was, to bring all thole for whom he died 
 unto God ; now Chriff's bringing u? to Cod imports our 
 
 1 confcience, that whereas thev apoltncy from 
 s of evil-doers, they mav be "'^'-fl^fi^d for 
 
 him, ourinabiiiry toreturn to hmi ; rhatliu 
 
 which was the great bar to keep us from 
 
 .,n.^™oJ.i ^firi r ^ ' (■ .■ him, is mercifully removed by him, and that our chief lijp- 
 
 aUiamecl that rallcv- accufe your good converlation ■ ,- m u - . n 
 
 • ,,, .„ ,-■'.., ■' .^'^ ,„ ,. pmefs confilts in the enioymcnt of h;in. 
 
 in Chnlh 17 !• or ;^ abetter, if the will of God be • 
 
 fo, thatye fuffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. ^9 ' ^X ^^^^"^^ ^^'° ^^ ^^'^"^ »"d preached nnto 
 
 ^ <=" 6 R tin 
 
1050 
 
 I. St. pet E R. 
 
 Chap. in. 
 
 the fpirits in prifon ; 20 Which romehmc were dif- 
 obedient, when once theloii^-fufFerin^of God wait- 
 ed ill ihe days ot Noah, while the ark was a prepa- 
 ring, wherein fe\T, thatts, eight foulj. were faved by 
 water. 
 
 As if St. Peter hac? fjid. " Thou{;b Chrift fu.Tered for 
 our fin?, and was put to death in his human nature, or flcfli, 
 yet he was quickened and made alive by the Spirit, in wiiich , 
 or by which Spirit, he went and preached unto the fp'tnts in 
 prif.n, which in the days of Noah were hardened in fin and 
 difobedience.whilft the long lufteringef God endured them, 
 and waited for their repentancs no lefs than aji hundred and 
 twenty years, while the ark was makingaHd preparing and, 
 Noah preaching to them ; yet fo impenitent were they to 
 the very lart, that only eight were laved in the ark." Note 
 h-re I. I'hit the old world before theflood were in prifon 
 wh Irt here on earth, being in bondage and captivity to fin 
 and Satan, held in the chains of their lufts, and in the bonds 
 ot their iniquity ; fuch as are tnbondige tofin, arecaptivcs 
 in Satan'i prifon : The old world alio was in prifon whilft 
 on earth, at having received from God the fenreoce of de- 
 ftruflion, and were referved, as in prifon, aga'iift :he day of 
 (laughter, )f they repented not within one hundred and 
 twentv years. 2. That Chrift, by his Spirit did preach 
 to the old world in ihenainiftry ofhis piophets, Enoch and 
 Noah; and his Spirit did chide with them and reprove them, 
 in Older to their bringing to repentance. 3. That thole 
 refraaory and hardened Tinners, for defpifing the offers of 
 grace made to them, were for their difobedience clapped up 
 into the prifon of hell, differing the vengeance of eternal 
 fire ; fuch as were cafl into prifon in Noah's time, were all 
 faft in St. Peter's time : There is no picking the locks of 
 hell-gates, no breaking through the walls of the fiery To- 
 phet ; heU has a door to take in, but none to let out. 4. 
 Thii though Chrift, by his Spirit, preached to the fpirits 
 in prifon. yet it was not when they werein pri'.on, I mean 
 in the prifon of hell, bu^ when hereon earth; there are no 
 fermons in hell, no conditions of happinefs propofed, no 
 tenders of f.*lvation propounded there : Chrift preached to 
 thefe prifcners to prevent their imprifonmenc ; Chrift 
 preached to thefe men, who were now in prifon, that they 
 might not hive been iinprifoned. Laftly, Thai the obfti- 
 nai'e infi.lelity, and fottilh ftupidity, of the old world, was 
 amazing, thai after one hundred and twenty years preach- 
 ing, no more than eight pcrfons fliould be perluaded into 
 the'beiief of'the world's deftruftion. From the beginning 
 wefintT» that ihe prophets of Gcd had cauie to compUm, 
 that fr:< buve believed their report .- Do the minillers of 
 God now groan to God, that they run in vain, and labour 
 in vain, and fpend their ftrength for nought ! From the 
 lK'gi:ining it has been fo. Lord ! if thou hononrtft any of 
 lis with better- fuccefs and gi"cft us to fee ihe fruit of our 
 J.^bour^ in the lives «f <.ur people, help ui to fet the crown 
 ofpraife on the head of thineowograce, aiid fay, NonnMt, 
 Dotiine. tftin-ibis, &c. " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto 
 us, but u.itothy nime give glory.'' 
 
 21 The like figure whercunto, ft*: baptifin dolh, 
 alfo nov fave us"^ (not the putting away of the filth 
 
 of the flefli, but the anfwer of a good confcience to- 
 wards Ck)d) by the relurreftion of Jefus Chrift : 
 
 Ohferve. I. The type and the antiiype, the ark and bap- 
 tifin; their falvationfrun the. leluge, by theark. prefigureih 
 our f^lvation from God'» wrath bv baprifm. A- all that were 
 wiihout theark perilhtd andall within theark were faved ; 
 fo that^ll are ingrafied in-o Chrift by f.nth, whereof bap- 
 lifm i^ a feal. are faved, whilft the unbelievin)/ and unbap- 
 lized p.irt of the world perilh. liaptifm i? fuch a mean of 
 fpiritu.il faUation no*, as the ark wi-, nf Noah's, and his 
 fjiiiily's, temporal lalvation then; the like figure whrreunta 
 hitptifi'i no-.u /'civet h us 2. How our .tpoltle expreflc-. him- 
 fi if, and plainly declares what he means by that bapiifiii 
 whicli is laving ; negatively, it is not the outwar'l cere- 
 mony of fpnnkling the f^ce, or walhing the body with 
 water, that is laving, or any ways pliafing unto God, fave 
 only as it is an aa and exerctfe of onr obedience to his 
 command and will ; but poli;ively, it is the anfwer nf a good 
 confcience towards Cod, that is, the faithful anfwer of a re- 
 folved foul in the covenant of b.ipiifm, who gives up hini- 
 felf to the obedience of F.ither, Son, and Holy Spirit, and 
 renounces the world, the fli.>lh, and the devil ; this covn- 
 nanting is the condition of fnlvation, and b.iptifin but the 
 fign. L^-arn hence. That outward b.iptifm alone laves 
 none, but the in.vard only ; and the fign and fingnlar cf- 
 fea of inwardbsptifni, is//- anfuer of ,1 f/.olcon/cience to- 
 wards Cod. Yet we muft not conclude, with the Ana- 
 baptirts, from this text, that b;iptifm cm be of no f.iving 
 advantage to infants, becaufe they cannot at prefent make 
 this anfwer of a good confcience : For in the fame manner 
 fpeaks St. Paul of circumcilion, th.it the true circumcifion 
 before God, is the inward circumcifion of the he.irt and 
 fpirir, and not i!ie outv.'ard circumcifi.m of the fltfli. 15 )t 
 who dare argue from thence, that the jcw.ilh infants, f.-r 
 want of the inward circumcifion, mull not be admitted to the 
 outward ? The argument is the very fmie : Will you h/ 
 that the anfwer of .» good confcience is abfolutely necelUry, 
 and expreflly required, thit bap^iim may be beneficial ; 
 therefore they only are tobe baptized ;hjt can Miake this 
 anfwer ? The fame miy we f.iv. that the inward circum- 
 cifion of the heart was required as the only acceptable cir- 
 cumcifion in the fight of God ; therefore they only are to 
 be circumcifed, who have this inward circirnkifion of the 
 heart Ikit as the oneiu^r the will of G.id (o »/ the other. 
 True indeed the Jews did xv t adr.-.it profclytes to circum- 
 cifion then, nomorewiU we admit adult perlons to baptil.is 
 ,nu,, without the anfwer of a good conlcicnce, or a loltmn 
 ftipulation to be the Lord's for ev.^r ; Init they admitted in- 
 fants to circumcifion without it ; in hkc manner, the chnU.an 
 church dow admits thechildrenof chriftian parents to bap- 
 tifm, without fuch anfwer made by them, hot for them only. 
 22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right 
 hand of God, angels and authorities and power be- 
 in(T made lubjeftunto him. 
 
 Our apoftlc having, in the cL.fe sf the former verfe. 
 fpok'-n of.hr refurrra.on of Chrift, and of ihr buMuhts 
 v h^ch we receive thereby he makes wciuion m this verle. 
 1. Of his going inio h«va), ••heie tocifpatch ad ih:.t re- 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 r. St. peter. 
 
 1051 
 
 mained to be done for the completing the falvation of his 
 people. 2. He is here sfSrmed to be at God's right hand. 
 1 he ngiu hand isilie iiopcr h.md, the hai)d of honour ; and 
 the right hand is the band of poacr ; accorcingly Chrid 
 fittif'iT at God's rij;ht hand, as an inthroncd King, imports 
 fovert-ign honour and fiipreine poAtr; and that God has 
 exal:ed his Son Jefus Chrift with great triumph 10 his k'ng- 
 ■doifi in heaven. 3. It is aiTerted, That angels, authoritief, 
 ■and powers, are made fubjtdl to him, that i«, our Jtfus in 
 ■wboiii we hope, believe, anil trull, is advanced in heaven to 
 a pre eininency above, and to a fuperioriiy over, a!! angek 
 and celeftial powers, wailing and expecting until all hisene- 
 mies on earth bcceme his fuoidool. For though his vic- 
 torv is yet incomplete and inconfuniniate, and we fee not 
 all things ^c/ put under him, it inay fufficeat prefent that 
 we fee Jefus crowned witli glory and honour, and that is 
 enough to fhew that the p.iwer of his enemies is broken ; 
 and that though they make fome oppofition Hill, yet it is 
 to no purpofe at all ; For refuling to fubniit to his fceptre, 
 they will fall by the rod of his ftrength. Angels and prin- 
 cipaliries in heaven, and all po*ers and potentates upon 
 earth being made fubje'ft unto him. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 FORA.SMUCH then as Chrift hath fufFeiedfor 
 us in the flefli, arm yourfelves likewife with the 
 lame mind: For lie that hath fuffered in the flefh 
 hath ceafed from fin; 2 That he no longer Ihould 
 live the reft of his time in the flefh to the lufts of 
 men, but to the will of God. 
 
 Thefe words may be conlidercd, i. As an inference 
 drawn from w hat the .ipoflie had afft rted in the foregoing 
 chap-er, namely, Thst Chrift Jefus fuffered for our fin?, the 
 JuJI f-.r the uv-uf},\cT. 18. N'o^v, fays the apoftle, foraf- 
 muchasChriithasihus fuiTered for us, firft. As our Surety 
 and Repreftrn;ativc, in a way of fasi.faclicn. Secondly, As 
 our pattern and example in order to our imitation ; kt us 
 arm ourfi !vts \uilh the fame irirt/ and refolution, to be con- 
 formed to him in his death, dying to hn as he died for fin ; 
 for he that hath crucified the (ieih, and mortUied his cor- 
 rupt na:ure, in imitation of Chrift's fiifferings in our flelh 
 and nature, that man haih ceafed from lin,°that is, from 
 livin;r unto (in, or ferving (in any longer, but fpends the 
 remainder ot his life wholly according to God's will, not 
 according to his own, or others lultful delires and inclina- 
 tion. 2. Thefe words may be ccnfidcred as an argument 
 to CNclte chrilbsns toefchtwevil and tydogood, which he 
 had prede.i upon them in the former chapter, from theex- 
 piijple of Chrift. And rhe force of the argument lies thus: 
 " All chnftians ftiould be armed with the fame mind and 
 refolution againft (in, and for holinefs, that Chrift was- But 
 Chrift havinir fufF-red in the tlcih for fin, and ceafed from 
 lin, lived in the Spirit unto God ; Therefore all chriftians 
 ftionld wholly endeavour all they can lo ceafe from (in, and 
 live no more to the lujls ofr.un, hut to the will 'fCul." 
 
 3 For the time paft of our life may Oiffice us to 
 have vyrou-ht the v/ill of the GtntileS; when wc walk- 
 
 ed in lafcivioufncfs, lufts, excefs of wine, revellings, 
 banquetings, and abominable idolatries : 4Wherein 
 they think it fhange that ye run not with them to 
 the fame excels of riot, fpeakingcvil oi you : 5 Who 
 ftiall give account to him that is ready to judge the 
 quick and the dead. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. That this cpiflle was written and di- 
 rected not only to the Jewi/li natives, but to the Gentile 
 profelytes and converts; this is evident from the apoftle's 
 putting ihem in mind that there was a time, namely, before 
 their c<.m\n.r\\on,when they '.vnught the will of the Gentiles. 
 2. The black and difnial lins which the Gentiles were 
 guilty of, and wallowed in, before their converfion tochrif- 
 tianlty, namely, all manner of fenfuality, uncleannefs, ex- 
 cefs in drinking, reveliings, banquetings, and idolatries, 
 joined with the reft of their abominationt. Lord! how 
 endearing are our obligations, who were (inrers 0/ the Gen- 
 tiles, for calling us out of this darknefs ( worfe than Egyp- 
 tian) inro marvellous light by the gofpel. 3. The argu- 
 ment ufed to excite them to quit and abandon the fore- 
 mentionedfins now in their converted ftate, which they had 
 before indulged themfelves in ihepraclice of in their heathen 
 flate. The time paft may fufEce to have wrought the will of 
 iheCentiles.-asifhehad faid, " Surely yon have had enough, 
 enough of fin, and too much in your unregenerate ftate ; 
 your lufts have taken up too much of your lives, and had 
 too much of your love." Learn hence, That the true 
 penitent, and fincere convert, is one that has had enough 
 of fin, yea, more than enough ; one moment's fervice of lin 
 is more fervice than we owe it : we can never ferve Chrift: 
 too long, and our luft too fliort a time. Learn, 2. That 
 this confideration how long fome of us ferved fin before 
 converlion, fhould be a forcible argument to excite and 
 quicken us unto greater meafures and degrees of holinefs 
 in cur regenerate and converted ftate. Ohferve, 4. What 
 ulage fuch chriftians muft expecT: from the men of the 
 world, who crineout from among them, and refufe to run 
 any-longer into the fame excefs of riot with them, fi.) 
 T/.'ey think if flmnge: they admire and wonder at them, as 
 we doat ftrangers thatcome out of another country. And, 
 {2-]Th(y fpeak evil (fihem, becaufe they will not be as 
 bjd and as mad as themfelves. 7hey ihirk it jhange that 
 you run not with them to the' fame exceft of rid, /peakirg evil 
 of you. Learn hence, i. That wicked men are excellively 
 riotous, or that there is an excefs of riot and fin, which 
 wicked men upon all occafions run into. 2. That fucii 
 men wonder, and think it very ftiange, that good men ai e 
 not as excellively riotous as themfelves. 3. ] hat becau.'e 
 they Will not fo run, they (peak evil of them. Ctftrve, 
 laftly. The impartiality and feverity of that account which 
 ihe wicked men of the wcrld miift render to Cod, the 
 univerlal Judge, for all their hard fpeeches which they have 
 tittered againft the righteous : IV h, fhall grce account to 
 him,&c. Note here, i. There nuift and fliall be a day of 
 account : There muft be one, becaufe there never was yet 
 one : There (hall he one, b.caufe G„d has m«Je an ac- 
 countable creaiure ; he can give, and therefore hcfbp}! oive 
 an account of his aclions; f,.- he has a principle of reafcn 
 '" ;;"«'"? he does, ai.d a liberty of choice logove.n 
 
 himfelf, 
 
 6 R 2 
 
10.1S 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 Chap, iv 
 
 hinifclf, and a rule lo dircfl him what to choofc, and what 
 to rcftiff ; and confi quuntlv, the aiRions proceeding from 
 him, mild and flull be accounted tor by him. 2. Tirt 
 thi-s acvnunt nniift be given to Chrill, the fupreme and uni- 
 TCrfal 'Judge both of guiirk and dead ; panlv as a fitting re- 
 ward tor his great humiliation and fuffcrings, and partly 
 that the world may fee what a great and excellent petfon 
 he was, who came to xifit them in g.'eat humility, and 
 partly to give advantage to the future judgment, in tliac 
 G id has appointed a man for our Judge, who is flcfh of 
 our flcfli, and bone of our bone, one that is fenl;ble cf the 
 follies, ttmptations, and infirm.ities of mankind, and pities 
 them, and will make favourable allowances for them ; nav, 
 one that is God as well as man, from whom we may cxpci5l 
 all the goodncfs of a God, and all the tender compa(I?on of 
 a man, in their utmoft perfeclion ; fo that no m.in need tear 
 fuch a Judge, who has not out-)inned the mercies of a f joJ, 
 and the tender compallicns of a man ; for if either Gck\ 
 or man can help us, we are fafc in that day, when wc Ihail 
 give acciunt ta him that is ready tijudje, &c. 
 
 6 For, this caufe was the gofpel preached alfo 
 to them that arc dead, that they inight be judged 
 accordinii to men in the flefh. but live accordinji to 
 God in the fpirit. 
 
 By the dead here, fomc underft^fid the Gentile world, 
 dead in trefpalfesand fin?, to who fi the golpel was preached 
 when they were thus fpirituaily dead and buried in fcn- 
 Aiality, that they might judge and condemn, oppofe and 
 ftrive againft, mortify and fubdue, thofe fenfual delires and 
 carnal appetites, which they indulged, whilft they lived as 
 natural men, without the knowledge of Ged's will, and 
 the afltllance of his grace and Spirit ; others do underllanj 
 the words of fuch as arc naturally dead, that the gofpel was 
 preached to them who were long fince dead, even our fore- 
 fathers, that liveth and died before Chrift's coming, and 
 that they had the gofpel preached to them, while they were 
 alive, that fo they might mortify all their finful lulls and 
 corrupt afFcdions, and live new lives, according to the di- 
 reifiion and command of God in his holy word. Learn 
 hence. That the condition of men now living, and of thofe 
 that lived heretofore in all ages, is one and the fame, having 
 the fame gofpel, for fubflance, preached to them, and ac- 
 cordingly, the fame duties ot mortification and holincfs 
 required of them. 
 
 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye 
 therefore fober and watch unto prayer. 
 
 Thcfc words are brought by our apKiftle as a frefli argu- 
 ment to pcrfuade Chrillian Jews to the practice of fincere 
 holincfs; the end af all things, that is, of the Jewiih ftate 
 and polity, theircity, their temple, and worfhip, is at hand\ 
 the fatal deftru6lion of Jerufalem is now very near, there- 
 fore be ye lubcr and temperate in all things ; watch, that 
 the day of viiiiation overtake you not luiawares, and prav 
 for the averting ot God's wrath, and that ye he not ovc-r- 
 whtlmcd in it. . icir/; hence, That lobrieiy, watchfulntfs, 
 and prayer, arc very rcquifite and needful qualificaiicns to 
 prepare and fit pcifons for every coining and appcarai;ce of 
 
 Chrift to judgment, be it his particular coming to fome, rr 
 his univerfal coming to all at the end of the world. 
 
 8 And above all things have fer\-ent charity 
 among yourfeh cs : for charity fhall cover the mul- 
 titude of fins. 
 
 The 'next grace and virtue exhorted to, is that of cha- 
 rity, r.r mutual love amrngft themfclves : and obfcrvc with 
 what fpecial care nnd panicnlar regard it is rcccmmtndctl 
 to us, uin-e ail things ; am! iiaic alfi^, tlie intenfe degree of 
 it, it mufl not barely bechaiity, hut fen-int eharity; ahre 
 all flings haxt ferxei.t churi.'y. Leant, That we ought 
 to take care, above all things, that i-v.t love to one mother 
 he lincere and fervtnt, ^"l-- But how may it be known 
 to be fuch ; ./»/. If it be adivc and operative ; if v.c love 
 not in word or in tongue, but indeetl and in truth, if it be 
 not wcukeiicd by time, if it he not hindered bv rcmotencfs 
 cf place, if it be a fympathiiing and companionate love, a 
 forbearing and forgixing love, then \\3\c we fenrnt ihariir 
 eiii::iig itfjelves. Obferve next. The argument or reafon to 
 in force tha diny,/sf .-hatity f^a" ever the muiritude 'J fim. 
 Tliis may be underftofxl two ways : (i.) \\'i;h iefp*ct to 
 ourfelvcs. Charity, or true love to cur brother, will caulc 
 us not itriclly to i.'.ke notice of, but filcntly to ovcriotk 
 and pafs by the faults and failings of others towards and 
 againil ourfelvcs. (2.} It wiii ci ver the f:n>i of others 
 from the eye of the world, and keep us from blazii-.j; abroad 
 the infirmities of others, to their prejudice and difgrace ; 
 it is both unwarrantable and unfafc to coxcr the (ins f>f 
 others, cither by (lattery or fallthcod ; but to cover a fi* 
 by charity, to conceal it from public notice, i^ a great piece 
 of cliriftian duty, unlcfs when the concealing of it will do 
 apparent mifchief : L<ive looks upon great wiongs as fmail, 
 and fmall wrongs as none at all ; he ir.uft have no fticnds 
 that will have a friend wi;h no faults. 
 
 9 Ufe hofpital ity one to another ivithout grudging. 
 
 As a principal a(fl, and eminent exercife of charity, the 
 apoflle advifes to uje hifpitalitx to their p<xir breihrtn, u-ith- 
 out grudging or murmaring at the charge; hofpitality is a 
 necelfary, a commendable, and a commanded duty ; St. 
 Paid requires, Rom. xii. 13. ti'.t: u-c be given ta h^Jpitality. 
 Ohjerve far:her. The apoftic doth iiot barely fay, ufe h^Jpi. 
 tiility, bur, ule it cne to another ; it is a mutHal duty ; 
 whence it appear?, that though hofpitalitv towards liie poor 
 be a commanded duty, yet nofpiislity anmng the rich is 
 no fin, but a duty likewife to gi\e reciprocal entertainments ; 
 and though our Saviour fays, Luke xiv. 12. If ten thsu 
 tnakefl a dinner, or a (upper, call ml thy friends and rich 
 neignhiurs ; the prohibition is not abfoluie ; he doth not 
 forbid the inviting of the rich, bu: chargeth us not to forget 
 the p<x)r ; wc niiy treat both, if we have enouglt for both ; 
 but if not, what we have to fpjre mull be for iherh that 
 ha\e nothing, not for them that have eniiugh already, for 
 wc mull prefer works of pioi:s chariiv, hct(>re acls of civil 
 Coiirtefy : UJe hifpitality cne t3 anzthcr uitrzitt grudging. 
 
 10 As every man hath received the gift, amfo 
 miniftcr the fame one to another, as ^ood ftewards 
 of the manifold grace of God. 
 
 His 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 lOoJ 
 
 His next exhortation is. Tint they endtavour nglitlrto 
 
 employ, and wilelv to improve, the.r fpirituil gitts, (as well 
 
 as their te.nporal, nieniioncd in the foregoing veile) which 
 
 ihey had received tVr the g.wdand benehioJothers.in their 
 
 refpeaive places in the church, looking upon themfeives 
 
 no: as proprietors, but as ftewards of the variojs gifts be- 
 
 (lowed upon them hv th= free favour of God, andot wh'ch 
 
 theynv.il give an impartial account. Uam hence, I. 1 hit 
 
 icveral men have their fe.era! gifti, a. it pleale:n:hs gi.t- 
 
 aivine Spirit to give unto them ; ^s every >KJ>ikas recttviU 
 
 ibfPift 2. rhJt glis are given tor ths bcnedt of ethers, 
 
 we are In minithr on: to ar.-.tkir, that i;, to improve our 
 
 Cifts to the mutual edification of each other. 3. That luch 
 
 a. lo<,kupon iheinfelves as lte-^>Jirdi of the ir.anifiU gifts 0/ 
 
 Grl will wifelv improve them for his glory, and the good 
 
 of others, the great ends for which he has conferred them. 
 
 1 1 If anv man fpeak, kt him /peak as the oracles 
 
 of God : if anv man ininifler, Id him do :'. as of the 
 
 ability which God giveth : that God in all things 
 
 niav be slorified through Jefus ChnR : to u-hom be 
 
 praifc and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 lfa»y vtan fp'oks. that is, i. As a public minifter, or 
 father, let him fpeak as he is inftrufted from the orschs 
 ot Got!. Or, 2. If he foeak^ as a private chnftun, let his 
 riifcourf? be grave and ferious, for mutual edification, efpe- 
 cial'.y when ye fpeak of dlv.ne things ; fpeech h a noble 
 and udvanta.reous benefit to man, by which he excels the 
 whole creation ; o-.ir tongue is our g!ory,the inftrument or 
 our Creator's praife.; and there is no fubjecl fofublime and 
 horourable for the tongue of m:n to be employed about, 
 as the word ix^A oracles of God, but then we muft never 
 meniion them but with reverence : Woe be to thofe men 
 that bring forth fcriprure in their dilcourfe, as the Fhililtines 
 brought torth Somfon, only to make them Iport, rendering 
 It the theme of their giddy mirth and prophane drollery ; 
 bjt tlufe men ere long will fiid Almighty God in earneft 
 thou.'h ihpv beinjeft ; fuch men forget this injunction of 
 the apoRle-'s, // ar.y man fpeak, Ut hlmfpeak aith: oracles of 
 
 G-l, // aiy man min-J-er, that is. To fupply thenecel- 
 
 lities of others^ either as a deacon, whofe office it then was 
 to tske care of the poor, or ai a private chriftian, by chari- 
 table contribution, let him perform that duty readily and 
 cheerfully. acccrJir.g to the ability 'ji hi ch God hath giv.'nhn,. 
 Where ■br'-rve. That he that with his wealth miniaereth 
 lotheneceirtriesofo.-hers, if he doth it not according to 
 the abilitv VvhichGcd has given him, his charity is np ac- 
 cep:able charity in God's account ; notaccepiabls to God, 
 betaufe no: propor-.ionable to what hehas received from 
 God ; the reafon of this ini.ii.a- m is added m the next 
 word's,— //•.I/ Gfd i". all things m.3j' beghrifitdthrughjcfus 
 Chrifi :— in w hofeftrengih thefe gifts are rightly employed, 
 .-.nd by whof- merits and interceirion, our intention to glo- 
 rifv God bv fheia is accepted.— To -ahim, that u, to which 
 Teios, as to Gcd bkfTed forevermore, be all honour and 
 "dominion ev3r!a0iir.gly afcribtd. j^mcr.. 
 
 1 2 5 Beloved, think it not ftrange concerning 
 the fierv trial which is to try you, as though fome 
 
 ftrangc thing happened unto you : 13 But rejoice 
 inafmuch as ye are partakers of Chrift's fuffcrmgs ; 
 that Nvhen his glory (hall be revealed, ye may be 
 glad alfowith exceeding joy. 
 
 Cbfcr-je here, i. The metaphor which the apoftlc ufesto 
 fet forth the chriftisn's slJIiftions and perfecutions by ; he 
 calls tliem/rr>' trials ; burnings, becauf; very painful and 
 af?.:c':ive, very grievous and burdenfome tolenie, and alio 
 be'caule men are tried by ihem as metiU ar^by fife. :. The 
 warning, given by the apoflle to all chriiiians, not to think 
 ftrange coacernii'ig thefe pery trials ; that is, not to look 
 upon^ihem as unufual things, but toexpeartiem, and pre- 
 pare for them ; fcr unexpectecJ trials fall upon the foul iu 
 their full weight.aiidrudJei.ly overthrow it ; wjjatwe fear, 
 for that we prepare ; but when trials come, and we r.ever 
 looked ;nd prepared for them, they ftrike us Jg^c heart, 
 becaufe not armed to receive the blow. 3: The gracious 
 end that God has in the afilx'tions and perlecutions which 
 fall upon his people, they ere tj try them, not to confume 
 them ; to try their graces, and deftroy their corruptions, to 
 give them opportunity to make proof of the truth of their 
 faith, finceritv, and conftancy. 4. Thehgh honour which 
 God puts upon his fufFering faints and lervants ; they are 
 faid ii.'bt partakers of Chrijt'sfufcrir.gs.hec^^^^ they fufFer 
 for him, and he fuffers with them, ar;d in them ; and alfo 
 becaufe he futfered the fame things before them, and mjch 
 worfe things for them. Laftly, The duty which God ex- 
 pects and requires from them who fufter thele fiery perle- 
 cutions for the fake of his Son, and that is to rfjzLf, anj 
 be excetding glad. From the wh.le Uarn, 1 . That no af- 
 flictions or perlecutions (hould feem new or ftrange things 
 tolincere chriifians. 2. That the end and ufe of all at- 
 fiiilions is the trial and imprcAement of the chriilian 3 
 srace^. -. That believers in fuffering afflictions and per- 
 lecations are partakers of Chritt's fufFerings ; he futFers in 
 them, and they are made conformable to hirn^by them. 4. 
 That'll is the v-riil of God, that fuch as fuaer for him, 
 niould not only be meek and patient, but be joyous and 
 cheerful. 5. That at the great dsy when Chrift's glory 
 fhallbe revealed, then efpecially will thefufiering faintsrf- 
 j'Ace, andbeglad-jiith exceeding jiy, when they Ihall fee their 
 dear Redeemer coming in the clouds, with an human body, 
 fnining brighter than ten thoufaudfons ; a body which ftill 
 retains the marks of his fiifferings, and the tokens of his 
 love. O jr.yfal day ef Chrift's appearing, when this royal 
 Bri.legroom Ihall take his folFering fpoufe the church 'oy the 
 hand.^and prefent her to his Father, own his in the pre- 
 fence'of men and angels, beftow a kingdom upon them 
 that they may be witn him where he is, eternally to behold 
 his glorj', to feed upon an happinefs as large as their capa- 
 cities, and as lafling as their beings ; fuck honour, have all 
 his fuffering laintr, and therefore ought greatly to rej-Ace 
 inafmuch ai they are made partakers c/ Cbrift's fufcnngs, 
 that nuhen his glory /hall be revealed, kc. 
 
 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Chrift, 
 happv are ye : for the fpint of glory and cf God 
 reRcth upon you. On their part he is evU ipoken 
 
 cf, but on vour part he is glorified. 
 
 Another 
 
10J4. 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 ry.n 5 m luire..n>;s ,. d r.proadu-s for Chrilf. tAen <ro,M 
 the I appmeh ot thofe that ,re lo rri^roachcJ, If ye be rC 
 
 rh. the reproaches whici, the r...,u. fuffcr for the f.,keof 
 l^hn . are reckoned perlccu.ions, indyetat the Came ti.ne 
 
 for the lake of Chnft, .-.re to be elleemrd thus happy, 
 namely bccaufc. the Sfirh cfgk.y and ^fCodrcfJeth Vpln 
 them: that IS, the glorious Spirit of God, ^.hich is bf.th 
 the mr,n and evidence ,f your happi.Kfs, who is glorious 
 in hn.le if, and alfo a glory to you, upon whom he refis. 
 and n, whom he d.vells. Two thin-s are implied bv li.e 
 Spirit s rcfhn£ upon a rtproached chrifiian : (i ) Cwpl;- 
 cc-ncy, 'hacKe.is vveil-pleared where be is ; mendonotre'fl 
 where .hqrdi/not like. (2.) P.rma»ency, he abides where 
 he lells and dwells there with deliirht. Some t:.ke the 
 exprclJion to be an allulion to No.,h's dove, that hovered 
 about, but could no: reft till returned to the ark. Thus 
 theSp.ntofGod, called here z Sp,nt of ghry, from its 
 cltccls and fruits, namely, fi om his cheering, lealinc, and 
 reviving influences, which make chriftians glory in rribu- 
 3t.i as ; ihis Spirit flies from place to place, and from per- 
 lon to perfon, hither and thither, but rcfts upon, and t;ikes 
 up bis reddence and abode with fuch chriftians as uifftT 
 for the name of Clirift : Jfye he reproached, Sec. It 
 follovvs : On their part he is evil/poken of but o,t your part 
 he isyhnficd ; that is, by their reproaches caft upon you, 
 they blafpheme the Holy Spirit, as the word fignifies ; but 
 he IS eminently glorified by your patience and conftancy of 
 ii.;nd under all your prelTures, which ftiews the power of 
 the bpirit refting upon you, and mighnly working in you. 
 Learn hence, That in thofe reproaches which good men 
 lylFer for the fake of Chrift, the Spirit of Go<l in afpecial 
 manner is blafphemcd on the one fide, and glorified on the 
 other. O (Inner ! know, ihat all reproaches which thou 
 talteft upon religion and religious perlbns, as fucb, reach 
 the Holy Spirit thr,t refts upon them, and rtlides in iheni 
 as his temples : But, O chriftian, remember thou, that by 
 thy pitienceand conftancy under fufterings, thouglorifieft 
 the Holy. Spirit eminently, abundantly fliewing, that by 
 Ins help, afflictions are not only tolerable, but joyous. 
 
 15 But let none of you fu(Fcras a murderer, or 
 ah a thief, ox as, an evil-doer, or as a bufy-body in 
 other men's matters. iQ> Yet \i anyman fujfer 7\s :i 
 Chriftian, let him not be afhamed ; but let him 
 glorify God on this behalf. 
 
 ^ Olftrve here, i. What it is tliat the apnftle calls upon 
 tlic.-n to avoid and Ihun ; it is (in, not fuftering : Evil, 
 doing in general, murder and theft in particular, (Ins that 
 vere then very much pradifed among the Jews ; let none 
 nfynii fujfer as a murderer, nr a thiif, or as an tvil-docr ; 
 by lufltring as evil doers, we lofe the comfort and reward 
 «>i' iill inr (■ui'Uring.s. 2. What fuiferings he bids them 
 not be .lilumedof, but glory in, namely, w hen th«y fulFer 
 aschriftians, and purely as fuci). fU,«Jt. But what is it to 
 lull; c as a chriftian ? ^Jnf. i. When wc fuiier for agood 
 
 Cn.\p. 
 
 IV. 
 
 caufe. a. From a chriftian principle. 3. In a chriftian 
 m.inncr, withmeekiu fs paiieii. r. and felf den.*!. Quef/, 
 What is it to gloiify Cod en yelialt of our fip(?rrings > 
 ^nf. Aftliaion-. and iufFi-riiiji?, i onlidered barely inih.m- 
 fflves, .ire far from bt ing gknous ; biu roniidcr then, in 
 their caule, a. fuflVringUorriglirt oHfnef!- Lk. , audio they 
 aieglorious; and Go.l honours :, giciilv, vi htn lu- rails 
 us forth to (ulfer, and furniflie* .-s with courage and relo- 
 lution for fufferings, and it Isinr duty to g'veglo.y to 
 hiin who enables us thus to dc 
 
 17 For the time Ls cane tl at judgment mud begin 
 at the houfc of God : and if it {'uMbrp^ln at us. what 
 fliall tlie end beoi them thut obey not the gofncl of 
 God .'' 
 
 Clfervehere, 1. The apoftic does not fay, If jiTdyintn 
 begin at ilie temple of idoU, but, Jf ii he^<i„ at the houfe 
 of Cnd : Godwin r.ot ("pare his ow n hiufe nor his own 
 houfhold ; he will iu>t (pre hit thildrcn or fervants when 
 il-.ey 111), he is no cockering Father to indulge his children 
 to their luin. Nay, ilfaie, 1. Judgment /f/; begins at 
 the houfe of God ; God will not bear lolof.g with his own 
 people (inning as with ftrai-gers : they (hall be corrf cltd 
 yoo«frand/cnr than others; the Lord will (iift punidi (hem 
 who have been forgetfulofhim, and trifled w nh him, who 
 have been fori>ial in (heir prcltflion, and vain in ihf ir con- 
 verfation. 3. Thar when we fee with forrow Cod con- 
 tending wiih his own people for their (lus.w e maywiih 
 aftonKhiiient expect what will be the end of them (hatobey 
 not the Gclpel ; when Gcd brings fuch troubles i-pcn his 
 own houle, what troubles may they expect f t . m Cod, who 
 are but a den cf thieves, and a cage of unclean birds ? O 
 what appearances ihall they have of (jod i And hoiv ftiall 
 they sppcar before God ! Olfervc\\\tn, What little caufe 
 wicked men have to rejoice at the church's fuft'erings, whe.i 
 It preiages a far more heavy judgment coming upon them- 
 felves ; ior if jii/igment begin at the houfe of Cod, &c. 
 
 18 And if the righteous fcarccly be faved, where 
 fliall the ungodly and finncrappear ? 
 
 As if he had laid, " When the day of villtation comes, 
 which is verily a: hand, and God (hall begin to punilh the 
 Jews, his own people, called his hotfc in the foregoing 
 verle ; if then the righteous among them efcape the ccin- 
 nioa calamity with great difficulty, and are fcarcely pre- 
 ierved, how (hall the ungodly and tinners think to efcape 
 unpunilhed in the day of Jerufalcm's calamity ; that <lay 
 of vengeance, when Chrift (hall come to plead with them'? 
 If then the righteous be fcarcely faved, that is, with greuc 
 difficulty preferved from that delolating calamity, that lieiy 
 trial Ipc-ken of, ver. 12. 'iuLcref.all tte ungodly and Jinr.er 
 appear ? And how (hail they hope to efcape in fafety from 
 that dreadful judgment now ready to come on the Jewidi 
 nation.'' There have been thole that have made ul'e of 
 this text to (hew the difdculiy of eiernal falvation ; and that 
 thcbeft and lu licft of faint.s, even thole that are moft emi- 
 nent in grace, arc very dKlicuIily faved ; which though a 
 truth in itfclf, yet isfcarcelydeducible from thii text, whicli 
 certainly (peaks of t^nipcr:.! piilervaticn. 
 
 1 9 Wherefore 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 10/ 
 
 16 Wherefore let them that fufFcr accorlingto 
 the will of God, commie the keeping of their louls^o 
 liim in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 
 
 Oh/nrue here, i. A caurionary direcliongiven, that in all 
 ourfuTerings, we take care that we /uff^r accarJing to the 
 wilt cf Gid : that is for what is accoidinji to Goil's will, 
 cither to be helieved or praaifed by us, for aflerting and 
 maintaining the purity of the chriftia.i dtxTtrine and wor- 
 fliip ; and when our patience under fuch fufFerings is as ex- 
 tenfive and intenfiveas God requires, when our patience is 
 as lir^^e and as lifting as our troubles, then may we be laid 
 tn Cuffer ucc.r cling to the -jjH nf Cod 2. The fpecial pri- 
 vilege allowed to ^nchruff^rersaslujf'-raccord-ngtothevydl 
 ofCnd, thev miy ommit the kjtp'ing of th.-ir fouls to Cod in 
 w.'ll-doiiig, a< unto a f-iithful Cr,-ator, L^arn hence. That 
 when men futfer really and truly for well-doing, they may 
 with confidence and great afliiraoceconiinit their lives, and 
 all that is dear unto them, to the Ipecialcare of the divine 
 j)rovidence ; eiiher God will keep us from, or fupport us 
 under, trials, when we thus commit ourfelves to him. 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 St. Peter chfes his epijlle with an exhortation to theffiritual 
 guides and governors of the church, to difcharge their 
 d'.dies fait! fully, in feeding and ruling of the flock of 
 God committed to them. 
 
 THE elders which are among you I exhort, who 
 am alfo an elder, and a witnefs of the fuffer- 
 ings of Chrid, and alio a partaker of the glory 
 that fhall be revealed : 
 
 Clf rve here, i. The perfons exhorted; The eUers that 
 are amng you, the guides and governors of the chirch ; 
 eMcrs by aire and office, who «'eic borh to rule well, and 
 alfo to labour in the word and doctrine ; and for doing both 
 fifitiii'ully, were to be accotnieJ wirthy of douhle honjw. 2. 
 The pcrfon exhorting, Jexhort, -who a>n alfo an. elder . fl!a> It, 
 he lays, '• Not !, who aiu the univerCal head of the church, 
 Ch'ill'v vicar ipon eartli ; but I, w!v,) am ekls-r by age, and 
 by ,i,-)o(Hefl: p. ^\ho ha<e been long :he niinilter of the cir- 
 cuMicifion ; I exhort, bei Vf ch, and intreai yon as my bre- 
 thren, tellou-libourcrs in our Lord'- vioeyard.'' j. The 
 Jumble fftmiony which St. Pt ter give; ofhimftlf; he 
 iloth not lay, " I comnund, whoarnrhe chief of the apof- 
 tle-s, wiih wholi? ronfeifion of faith Chrift wa^ io well 
 pleafed. that he f.iid. 'Tfcu -trt Peti-r, and upon this ro-k will 
 ] built my church ;" hut, " I exhort, zv'-o <'t>J a witnejs c/ 
 the fiiff^f rings of ('.hr:Jr , in eye wttncfs of what our dear 
 Lord andMilUr fuffered in the faiilifuldifcllarge of his of- 
 fice, both in his life, and at oi^ death : And elj'o a partaker 
 cf the gl'.ry that fhiill he revealed, I was alfo an eye-vvitnefs 
 of Chrilt's glory in his tranvfigiiration here on earth, and 
 hope 10 be part.ker of that gl'ry which (liall hereafter be 
 revealed in heaven.'* Learn hence, That fiich exhortaiinns 
 to da:y .ire likely to he nicll cffcdual and rucctfbJul, whch 
 arr propounded in the liuinbleft ni.ii.iier. St Peter was 
 placed in an high degree above thefe elders, being an apof- 
 
 ilc, .1 chief apoftle ; vet he Jjives himfelf no fuch title, but 
 fays, The elders I exh'jrt, -who am al/o an elder ; not an 
 apoftle, much lefs the head and chief of the apoftles. 
 
 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, 
 taking the overfight thereof, not by conftraint, but 
 willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; 
 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but 
 being enfamples to the flock, 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The title given to the church, it is the 
 flock of God : Denominations are given in (cripture to per- 
 fons and things proper to the ftate of things and perfons : 
 Thu. here the church is called 3i flock, and fon)etitne^ a little 
 flock, in oppofition to the' herds and huge droves of the 
 men of the world : yet the flock confiftsnot of a fewabfo- 
 lutely, but comparatively only ; a flock contains a multi- 
 tude. Again, As the church if called a flock for the num- 
 ber, fo for their order ; a flock is under infpccirion and go- 
 vernment continually ; Chrift Jefus is the great Overfeerof 
 this flock: And farther, it is a flock in refpect of the unity 
 and love that is amongft them ; though the church be fcat- 
 tered over the world, yet there is an holy combination, and 
 fweet comninnion of the members amongft themfelves. 2. 
 The duty exhorted to. and that is double, to feed the flock, 
 and to be an example unto the flock. Feed the flock, taking 
 the overfight of it ; feed it with v, holefome doctrine, .guide 
 and govern it by ftridt difcipline,- overlooking it continu- 
 ally, and svatch over it with unwearied diligence ; and that 
 you m.iy do fo, be perpetually refident, feed the flock that 
 is alHong you^ How can the flock be duly watched over, 
 when the fhepherd lives feveral miles from the fold, and is 
 folio wing his plea fure, when he fliouldbe feeding hi.slheep? 
 Feed ths flock among you. 3. The manner direfted to, 
 how, and at'ter which, the thepherds fhouldleed and watch 
 over their flocks, (^i.j iXot by conjiraint, but willingly ; that 
 is, not*'as a burden, but a pleafure, v.'ith a free and ready 
 mind ; what men do, out of coiiipulfion, from bafe fear, 
 they do with no fatisfaiSion either to' God or man. (2.) 
 Not fur filthy lucre ; to feed the flock purely for the fake of 
 the fleece, and to take a living only to get a livino, is an 
 horrid impiety : to be diiven into the niinifterial office by 
 neceflitv is bad, but to be drawn liy covetoufnefs is much 
 worlV. (; j ;Vo/ as being lor di mer God's heritage. Where 
 note. The title given to thechurch,they are God's heritage, 
 his people, not our own, hii lot and portion ; he having a 
 Ipecial and peculiar right unto them, and property in them; 
 therefore they are not to be lorded over, not to treated w ith 
 infolence and imperioiifnefs, ruling thrni by the pAord, and 
 outvAaid force, which has made many hypncrites, but not 
 one convert. Lallly, He requires that they be enfumplcs 
 to the flock ; that is in their daily conver lation. Nov*-, 
 Low can they he exaii.ples to them, if they live not amongft 
 them? Ihcy mult be examples of fuch in. rknefs and hu- 
 mility, of fuch patience and charity, of fuch mortification 
 and felf-denial, as becomes perfons of iheir holy ch.irafler 
 and profe(Tion ; and be patterns of :hore virtues amongft 
 their pic pie in converlation which they rfcciaimend to them 
 from the pulpit. Thi- duty of miniftei i;:l extniplr.rinefs in 
 converlation is bound upon us by innumerable aronment.s 
 
lojG 
 
 I. St. pete R. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 tak.'ii finm ibccommanil of Chrift, from the Rlory of Gotl, 
 from the precioufnefs of the foul, from the dignity of onr 
 •:llicc, from the fuccefs of our miniilry, which depends 
 more upon our praiflice than upon our preaching ; from 
 our ow n interert, wiih rcfpccT- to our prefent romtort and 
 fiHure happinefs ; from the inHucnce it has upon our peo- 
 ple, an encouraging and confiru)ing influence. 
 
 4 And when the chief Shepherd ihall appear, yc 
 fliall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not mva}'. 
 
 As if our apoflle had faid, " it is polTible you may niifs 
 of your reward here from the hands of men, but when 
 Chrip, thejrrcat and good Shcplicrd, fliall appear, when the 
 owner, rultr, and hiver of his church (liall come to judg- 
 ment, you Ihall have fro.n him your full reward, a nevtr- 
 fading, ever-nonriflung crown of glory, for faithfully dif- 
 charging your duty to Cod and his people.'' Leurn hence, 
 1. Tiiat jefus Chrid, the chief Shepherd, will at length 
 appear, -i. That, when he doth appear, he will call the 
 under (liepherds to account, how they havedifchargedevery 
 part of lijeir miniflerial office, as well private infpeclion, as 
 public preaching. i. That to all fuch, and to only fuel), 
 as have been faithful to the intereft of Chrilt and fouh, 
 (hall the reward be afllgned, even a crown of glory that 
 fadethnotaway : When the chief Shepherdfiall appear, czc. 
 
 5 H Likewife, ycyoungcr, fubmityourfclves'unto 
 the elder, yea, alltj/'^ciM be fubjeft one to another, — 
 
 Having laid down the duties of paftors in the former 
 vcrfs, he jj.oints out the duties of the people in this, whom 
 he calls ^he ytunger, either becaufe they were generally 
 younger in years than their fpi ritual guides, or becaufe they 
 ought to fliew that reverence and obedience to iliem which 
 is (uitable in young ones towards thcirelders : Thcfe young 
 ones he exhorts to fubmit themfclves to the guidance of 
 their ciders and teachers : Liktvjife, ye younger. J'uhmit your- 
 felves ur.to the elder : Inftruiflion an I juril'didion belonged 
 to.the elder, I'ubjecflion and obedience to the younger. A'ote 
 liere, That the duties of pallor and people are niu:ual and 
 reciprocal, not that their du'ies are alike, but becaufe there 
 jsa iike reafon for the performance of their refpedive duties, 
 a like engagement and obligation upon both ; the duty of 
 the one is lubjetlion ; of ilie other ininilferial direction, 
 lie adds, ysd ull ofyiu In fuhjrf} one to cnoiber : Intimating 
 thereby, that there is a duty of mutual fubjedion, which 
 all chriltians owe to one another in love ; they ought to 
 ciMidefcend to the ineanefl offices one towards another ; to 
 bear svith the intirmities of each other. 
 
 — .Vnd be clothed with humility : for God refifteth 
 jhe proud, and yiveth grace to the humble. 
 
 . The original word, rendered f/c///;(ffl', fignifies, firfl-, an 
 tipper garment, a frock or cloak, put over all the reft of 
 t)ur clothes ; and fo imports, that we Ihould be wrapped up 
 all over with this grace, that this fhinild be mofl vilib'e in 
 our converfa'tifins, wordt, and .nctior.s, and confpicuotis be- 
 yorJ all other virtues. Secondly, It (ignifics a belt which 
 oirds about oar gr.rnients, and fo iaiports. that we fiiould 
 tie It f.ill unto us, and have ihofe confiderations always 
 fixeii uj)on our fpirits, which may keep us in an humble 
 
 frame of foul. A'o/f then, That humility U a fpccial orna- 
 ment, a beautiful robe, to be put «.nd;-ily, which jommtnds 
 us greatly both lo Cod and ninn. We are never to ac- 
 count ourfc-Kes dreflVd, Hntil we have this livery of our 
 hiunlile matter Chr.ll Jcfus put upon m : L't ckti'ie/l wifi 
 hurr.Hity. Ghferve next. The argument to enforce this 
 duty : for G:drflfulb the pninl, (ets himftlf as in battle- 
 array ..gainlt them, but giretb fnlh fupplies of grace to 
 the humble; becaufe more grace i? promiltd to the liumbk', 
 and the hinnble foul is mere fitted, prepared , and d:lpoft d, 
 to receive farther mcafures of grate from Ci d. God fei» 
 hiinltlf agajiirt proud men to bring ihimdown, but ili« 
 humble lie doth cninte n^tnce ai;d exalt. 
 
 6 Humble yourfelves therefore under the mighty 
 hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time": 
 
 By the har.d of Cod undtr'.land his judgments, his sL 
 inighty power, which it is our duty to fnlimit unto, and to 
 be humble under, in the day of our afflii'tion ; and thispro- 
 found lubmiflion, and def p humiliation is the way to glory 
 and exaltation. He can exalt vs., ami will do it here, if it 
 be good for us ; bur fomctinies (jod fees abafenient bftter 
 for liispeoi)le ; better, becaufe fafer, and accordingly tiiey 
 fliall have it. Learn hence, Thai the Itiength and power 
 of God fiiould oblige us very greatly to humble ourfelvcs 
 before him, and fnbjecl ourfclves unto him : Huinble v.nr- 
 fives under the mighty hand tf God. Secondly, Thai God 
 will exalt the humble in due time, either hereor hereafter ; 
 either in time or in eternity, as it (hall moit and belt con- 
 duce to his own glory and their good. 
 
 7 Cafling all your care upon him ; for he careth 
 for )ou. 
 
 Cbferve here, i. Thenatnre of the duty injoined, to caft 
 our care upon God ; it is not a providential and priidential 
 care, but an anxious and vexatious care, that the fi.riptnre 
 forbids ; and the duty here requiied is this, that, after wc 
 have ufed all prudent care and diligence in fubfervicncy to 
 the providence of God, we flionid not be over folicitous 
 about the ifTue and event of things ; which, when we have 
 done all we can, will be out of our power. Catting our 
 care upon God implies, that we fliould refer the ilTue and 
 event of things to his wife providence, which is continually 
 watching over us, and knows how to difpofe of all things 
 for the heft advantage to us ; entirely confiding in his wif- 
 domand goodnefs, that he will order all things forthebe{t, 
 and, in that confidence, reftingfatiified with the difpofalof 
 his provitlence, whatever they be. This istocaft all our 
 care upon Cod. 2. The argument here made ufe of to 
 perfuade us to this dnfy : Cod cr.reth for us. Thisimplies 
 two things: (i.) In general, that the providence of 
 God governs the world, and concsrns itfelf in theaffairsof 
 men, and difpofeth of all events that happen to ns (2.) 
 More piriicularly, that thisprovidence is more peculiarly 
 concerned for good men, and that he takes a fpecialcare of 
 them, .ind of their concerns , and the care that God takes 
 of them is a fpecial care, a teniler care, a jiromifed snd en- 
 gaged care, a care mydtricudv exercifed ; he then takes 
 moll care of them when th?v think he takes leair, and the 
 men of the world thinks ho takes none at all. CalV we 
 
 then 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 I. St. peter. 
 
 ^037 
 
 then all our nrs upon him -^hocareth for us ; for anxious 
 cire is a painful evil, an unprofitable evil, a finful evil. 
 
 8 f Be fobcr, bevi^il^nt : bccaufe youradverfary 
 the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about I'eeking 
 v.'liom he may devour. 9 5 Whom refill ftedfaft 
 in the faith, kn«)win.r that the lame afflittions are 
 accomplilhcd in your brethren that arc in the 
 ^vorld. 
 
 Cbrtrrvehcre, i. A double duty exhorted to, fobrirty and 
 vigilancy : Be fjl'cr, lievigila>!t,he fober and temperate in 
 all things : S<>ber in your enjoyments ; fober in your em- 
 ployments ; fober in your recreations. Be neither drunk 
 witti wine, nor with worldly cares ; the latter isthe worfl of 
 the two. A night's fleep cures the former, but the world- 
 ling is drunk all the year long, never fober night nor day. 
 And to fobrieiv we are exhorted toaddvigilancy, a watch- 
 ful c.ire, and diligent circumfpection over all our thoughts, 
 words, and aftions, that we may not difpleife God in any 
 thing. 2. The reafon or motive to inforce the duty, bi- 
 caitfc your aJverfury the devil goeth abroad, SiQ, Where 
 note. How every word contains a fpecial motive to chriftian 
 w.irchfuliiefs. He is your adverfary, who will do you all 
 j)t)flible milcliief : He is the devil, an accufer, and one that 
 fceksall adi'antages agiiiiftyou : He is a cruel adverfary, a 
 ir,n, yea, a r',artng lion, which adds terror to his cruelty : 
 He is Axe\\\e(%3dvsr'{iTy, he gnes about fefktng'jjhom be may 
 devwr ; What foul he iniy devour, for that is the bait he 
 gnpes for. It grieves the devils, thofe apoftate angels, to 
 find the fouls of men appointed to fill up thofe vacantplaces 
 in heaven, which they turned themfelves out of. It is a 
 dc-fght to them to plunge foulsintothefame condemnation 
 and mifery with thcinfL-lves. 3. The duty of refiilance, 
 tirged upon nsinordertooirprefervation, with the weapon 
 p'lt in ourhand for that purpofe : Whvnrfftfl fledfaft in the 
 fii'-th .• that is, be ftedfiftin the faiih, that you n)ay refift 
 him; avid, by the help of your fai;h, you flull overcome 
 him. Learn hence, 1 . That tlie devil is the reftlefs adver- 
 firy, and unwearied enemy of mankind. 2. That all the 
 pains which Satan takes, is in order to the deitruiSion of 
 precious ioul"^. 3. That the way to overcome him is by 
 refilling of him, not by yielding to him : He is a cowardly 
 enemy, and a conquered enemy ; relift him and he will run. 
 4. 'Ihat faith is the weapon, by which the chrillian is en- 
 abled to refill the tempter, and to repel the force of his 
 fiery temptations, IVh'-ni re(!ft Jjedfajiln the faith. Sec. As 
 if the apollle had fnid, " Refiil Satan's temptations, occa- 
 fioned by your fuffr rings, remembering that it is not your 
 cafe alone, but others alio CufTer with you, even all that 
 will live godly in Chriit Jtfus. Zfrtr« hence. That chrif- 
 tians (hould not dtlire, and cannot reafonahly expeiT; a bet- 
 ter condition in the y.orld, v\ith refpecT: to freedom fiom 
 fnfferings, than the red of their brethren, who have all a 
 /liire of affliction to (ulfer, and a meafure of hardfliip to 
 endure as well as ourftlves. 
 
 lo But the God of all grace, who hath called us 
 unto his eternal glory by Jefus Chrift, after that ye 
 have fuffcred a while, make you perfeCl, (labliih, 
 
 ftrengthen, fettle jvjw. 11 To him ^f glory and do- 
 minion for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Our apoille concludes and dofes his cpiftle with an af* 
 fetiionate prayer for thefe afflided chrillians anil lufferinj; 
 faints, befeeciiing Almighty God, who is the author of all 
 grace, and who hath called them by his gofpel to the par- 
 ticipation of that grace, which will entitle them to eternal 
 glnry.that after they havei'ufFered a while in the world, he 
 would perfecl the work of grace begun in them, elhblifh, 
 ftrengthen, and fettle theni in the truth of the gofpel ; and 
 to this infinitely gracious God, he defires glory and domi- 
 nion fliould be forever afcribed. Ohferve here, i. l"hac 
 God is the God of all grace, feed, growth and perfection, 
 all from him, redraining grace, renewing grace, i'aniftifying 
 grace, all from the fountain of all grace. 2. That ferious 
 chrillians are called by God to eternal glory and happinefs, 
 they are called to the hope and expecftation of this glory, 
 iip.in the .iccount of the promife of it which God made to 
 Chrift, Tit. i. 1. and they are brought into a ftate of pre- 
 paration for it : Goil hath by his word and Spirit wrought 
 them for this fame thing. 3. They are called to eternal 
 glory through Chrift Jefus, he reveals it to them, he pur- 
 chafes it for them, he works that faith and repentance in 
 them which qualifies them for, and entitles them unto, this 
 heavenly glory. 4. That fome afflictions muft be expefted 
 and endured by all chriftians, how dear to God foeverthey 
 sre or may be. Was there any patriarch, prophet, apoftle, 
 primitive or modern chriftian, that did not fuller a while ? 
 Saints niuft fulTer a whde from the remains of (in, from the 
 temptations of Satan, from the enemies of religion, from 
 the friends of religion, yea, from God himfelf, their beft 
 friend. 5. That after ferious chriftians have fuffered a 
 while, they fliall enter into glory, their title is lure by the 
 promife of God, by the purchafe of Chrift, by the inhabi- 
 tation of the Spirit. 6. That the perfecting, ftablilhing, 
 ftrengthening of the chriftian in grace and ccmfori is froni 
 God, to whom all glory and don)inion is and ought for 
 ever to be afcri bed. 
 
 1 2 By Sylvanus, a faithful brother unto you, (as I 
 fuppofe,) I have written briefly, exhorting and tclli- 
 fying, that i^ the true grace of God wherein ye fland. 
 
 Ohferve here. That our apoftle, to encourage thefe fuf- 
 fering chrillians to a refolved perfeverance in the chriftian 
 religion, afTures them, that it was undoubtedly from God, 
 the unqueftionable truth of God, and therefore neither fe- 
 ducers on the one hand, nor perfecutors on the other, 
 ihould be able to (hake them, or caufe them to fall from 
 iheirown ftedfaftnels ; afirm belief of the certainty and ex- 
 cellency of chriftianity conduces much to the eftablifhment 
 of thofe that have newly embr.-iced it ; if we be once af- 
 fured that it is the true grace of God wherein we ftand, it 
 will caufe us to ftand ftedi'aft. 
 
 1 3 The church that is at Babylon, elefled together 
 •with you faluteth you : andjO doth Marcus my fon. 
 1 4 Greet ye one another with a kifs of charity, 
 Peace (^f with you all that are in Chrifl Jefus. Amen. 
 
 At the foot of his epiflie he fends theui falutations from 
 6 S the 
 
1058 
 
 ir. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. 1. 
 
 the chriftians at Babylon, who were chofcn out of the 
 world, to partake in the faith anil fellowftiip of the gofpt 1. 
 Some, by Btbylon, figuratively underftand Rome, but 
 others nnderlland it of Babylon in Aflyria, where many 
 Jews did tarry, and continue after the expiration of the 
 fevcniy years cap'ivity, whom St. Heter, being a minifter 
 of the circuincifion, went to vifit, haying probably planted 
 a church there. Wherefoever they were, God had called 
 them to the knowledge of his golpel, and they fend lalu- 
 taiions to all iheirbrethren and fellow members in Chrill, 
 
 whcreloerer dlfperfed, or howfoever diflre.Tfd. As alio 
 <loth Mark, whom St. Peter calls hisfon, becaufe inftruft- 
 ed by him in the gofpej, and begotten by him to chrif- 
 tianity. Laftly, He exhorts ihem to exnrefs their fervent 
 afTcdion to each other by a kils of charity iifcd in the 
 primitive times as a token of love amongit thriilians ; but 
 afterwards, for juft reafuns, laid pfide ; and fo wifliing 
 peace, that is. all manner of profperify to .ill in Chrilt 
 Jtfus, that is, to all profefiing fai:h in Chrill Jclus, he 
 iliuis up his epiftle. 
 
 THE 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL 
 
 O F 
 
 E T E R. 
 
 The Second EpiJIle of St. Peter was written hy him a little he/ore his death, fie having received a revelation, prolahly 
 of his approaching departure oitt of this life ; he writes this fecoiid letter to ifie Jews of the difperfim Jcattcred 
 through Pontus, Calatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bithynia, to warn them of the Jiay trial, that Jharp and bitter 
 perfecution which was coming upon tlian, and to Jortify tliem agamjl that apojlacy from the faith, that falling from 
 their own flcdfajlnefs, ttiat departing frmrc the My co7nmandment, which thefe newly -converted Jews were very 
 prone unto: He fends therefore this ep file to eflahifh and fettle them, to frengthen and confirm them: and this 
 the lajl mention which we find in fcripiure of this great and glorious apoflle. 
 
 IS 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 SIMON Peter, a fervant and an apoflle of Jcfus 
 Chnfl, to them that have obtained like precious 
 faith with us, through the rightcoufnefsof God and 
 our Saviour Jefus Chrifl: : 
 
 Obferve here, i. The author atid penman of this epiftle 
 defcribed by his name, Simon Peter, the former given at his 
 circuincifion, the latter by Chrifl, upon the occaficn of his 
 confeffion, Matt. xvi. 18 by his condition, afiri'ant; by 
 his ofHce, an apoflle; by the Author of his otfice, 7^/"^ 
 Chrijl. Note, That Chrifl only has an authoritative power 
 to make apoftlcs, minillers and difpenfers of his word ; a 
 derivative power from Chrift the governors of the church 
 have ; but Inch as have not now ttieir call from Chrill im- 
 mediately (which it is prefumption to expect, and if any 
 pretend to it, let them (hew it by their iniraclesj or medi- 
 ately from the officers of his church, are ufurpj-rs of the 
 facred office, and they cannot pray in f^ith thtniltlves for a 
 hleiring upon what they do, nor can the people exped it, 
 Jer. xxiii. i,z. I nevr-r fer.t ihcm (Tiys God) ihtrefirt thty 
 Jhall not prtfit this people at all. Oh/'-rve, 2. Vhv perl'uns 
 defcribed to whoai this cpillle ia djrcded, to them thai have 
 
 obtained like precicus-fnith -with uJ. Ta fuch as had ob- 
 tained faith, precious faith, likepreciousfaitli, with the apof- 
 tle of Chrifl ; like for its nature and quality, though not for 
 its meafure and degree ; and alike precious in regard of its 
 object, Chriit ; in regard of its fubject, the heart ; in regard 
 of its ad, which is acceptance and content to the terms of 
 the gofpel-covenanr ; in regard of its elFc-cts and precious 
 fruits, peace with God, peace with coiifcience, victory over 
 the world, and the like. We fee then that the faidi of the 
 poorell believer is as precious as the richcit, and that the 
 weakeft believer has the fame precious faith with the 
 ftronged : and if it be alike prt-cious, it (hall be alike per- 
 manent and perfevering. ■},■ rhe meritorious caufe of this 
 their precious faith, the righttoufnefs of Jefos Chrill: 
 Through the right rtjufnefs cf Ond, even err Saviour Jffus 
 Clitijt. Ail gr;ice is derived to us through Chnft, for 
 the fake of his righteournel's, luft'erings an»i faii faction ; 
 and as all grace is dtrivtd from him, and foi' his fake con- 
 ferred, fo all our good, that litile lervice we do for God, 
 is accepted iliri'Uj/h hi;n, and owned for his Iwke. And 
 if ("0, ih«n Jel'u- Chrill is rc:illy God ; for the rightc- 
 oufnefsof a creature cannot jultifv me in the fii;,hr of God ; 
 there is no ai>pe)rinj before God for any creature in a 
 
 creature-ri"!ueoufiitfs. 
 
 A:id fanhtr, '.f To. then it is not 
 
 faith 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 ir. St. peter. 
 
 ^059 
 
 faith that j;iftfies and faves.bui th; righteoufnefsof Chrift, 
 noon which faithis groiinded. E|-.hef. ii. 8. By griice are ye 
 /.Vy (^elTtdu.illv thr'Mi>h fiiih inltrLiineiually. l"he brazen 
 ferpent healed iioi ilie eye that locked on it ; yet without 
 looking upon ir, no help from it, no healing by it. 
 
 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through 
 the knowledge of God, and of Jefus our Lord. 
 
 The pcrlon faluiing and the p.irties fainted, were tnen- 
 ticMied in the former vtrfe ; here we have the falutatioii it- 
 felf, I. I'he matter oi'n , Grace and pe.iec ; j^race to free us 
 from God's wrath a;-,d reinllate us in his favour ; peace to 
 «juiet our own conlciences, and reconcile us to eurfeives. 
 2. The nieafure of it, grace and peace be multiplied ; they 
 h.ul both grace and peace already, yet the apollle prays for 
 the farther increale of thein ; there is no complete perfec- 
 tion in grace attaituble in this life. The bell of faints mud 
 be nniltiplying and increaling their ftores; for thcyarebut 
 iiiiperfec'tly perfed, when at the heft. 3. The means for 
 multiplying grace and pace, through the kroiv/edge of Cod, 
 end of Jefus Ckrifi our Lord. Learn, That the knowledge 
 of God, in, by, and through our Lord Jefus Chrift, is the 
 fpccial mean of multiplying grace and peace in our hearts ; 
 and indeed there is no cnnifortahle knoivlcdgeof God, but 
 in and through Chriit, John xvii. 5. This is life, &c. Out 
 of Chrift God is a revenger, in Chrift a reconciled Father. 
 
 q According a.s his divine power hath given unto 
 lis all things that pertain unto life and gedlinefs 
 through the knowledge of him that hath called us 
 to glory and virtue: 
 
 In thsfc; words ourapoftle (hews, what reafon they had to 
 believe and hope, that_^'racf and peace fliould be multiplied 
 lyito them, n;,nie!y, becaufe Almighty God had already 
 given them all things which conduced to make them holy 
 in this life, and happv in the next, bv the knowledge of 
 Chrill. Others, by ///c'and^o<//i«!//, underftand all things 
 conducing to the prclisrvation of natural life, hkewife of 
 grace here, and glory hereafter ; and whereas it is faid they 
 wtre culled to glory and virtue, by glory underftand the 
 honour of being chriftians; by virtue, the good life that be- 
 comes chrirtians. To both thefe they were called with a 
 glorious calling, as being aitend:"d with the glorious effu- 
 (ion of the Holy Ghoit. If by gtjry in^l virtue be under- 
 ftood grace here, andglorv hereafter, it Ihews our privilege, 
 that we have both at prefent in a way of inchoation, and 
 ihall ere long enjoy both in a way of confumination ; and 
 points out alio to us our duty, we mult have virtue, if we 
 would have glory ; if we be not like Chrift, we can never 
 love him, nor may we ever cxpeift to live with him. 
 
 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and 
 precious proniiles, that by tltefe you might be par- 
 rakers of the divine nature, having efcaped the cor- 
 ruption that is in the world through luft. 
 
 Where hy, or by whom, that is, through the knowledge of 
 Chrift in ihe gofpcl, Gud lias given to us all things con- 
 diicit:g to our prefent or future happinefs ; and, amongft 
 the rclt, the precious proinifes of the gofpel, which ftj di- 
 
 rectly tend to make men partakers of the divine nature. 
 Note here, That the promifes of the gofpel are thechrif- 
 tian's great and preciou'. treafure ; greatnefs and goodnefs 
 are then molt (liming, when ihey meet in ihe fjinefuhjcct, 
 but fuch a glorious conjunction is rarely found, either in 
 perfons or things; rarely are great men good, or good men 
 great ; pebbles are great,but not precious ; pearls are pre- 
 cious, but not gteat : But the promifes are both for qua- 
 lity exceeding precious, and that in refpeiflof the author of 
 them, C')d ; the foundation of them, the blood of Chrift ; 
 the mannerof theirdifpenfation, they are freely ^I'reri ; the 
 means whereby they are apprehended and appViei}, precious 
 faith ; and exceeding precious the promifes are in regard of 
 the end of them, which is to make us partakers of the di- 
 vine nature, not of the effence, but qualities of the divine 
 nature, which enable usinfome meafure to refemble God ; 
 as the fcal doth communicate its fignature, but not its fub- 
 ftance ; fo in the work of regeneration God doth not im- 
 part his effence, but infufe holy principles and gracious 
 habits into the foul, whereby the chriftian refembles him. 
 Learn hence, That the great end and effecl of the promifes, 
 and the proper influence and efficacy which they ought to 
 have upon the hearts and lives of men, is this, to make 
 them partakers of the ifivine nature, and to render them 
 daily more like unto God ; Having efcaped the corruption 
 that is in the 'jjor Id through lufi. Here no/f, i. That the 
 world is full, very full, of corruption, fin, and temptation ; 
 by reafon of the luft of men, they rub their leprofy upoii 
 each other, and by the contagion of a bad example, infeift 
 and poifonone another. 2. Thatby being made partaker* 
 of the divine nature, through the influence of the promifes, 
 we efcape the pollution of flefhly lufts, which the world is 
 defiled with, and would defile us by. 
 
 5 And befides this, giving all diligence, add to 
 your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge ; 6 
 And to knowledge, tempeiance; and to temperance, 
 patience ; and to patience, godlinefs ; 7 Andtogod- 
 linefs, brotherly kindnefs ; and to brotherly kindnefs 
 charity. 
 
 The apoftle fpends the former part of the chapter iti 
 comforting, this in exhorting ; he told us before what God 
 hid done for us ; he tells us now, what we muft do for 
 ourfelvcs ; it is not fit that Heaven fhould take all the 
 pains, and we none; we muft give diligence, all diligence. 
 Bejides this, that is, befides what God has given Ub, and 
 done for us, let us take care to be daily adding to our ftock 
 and ftore. Adding to our faith, virtue ; that is, all good 
 works in general, without which faithis dead, or dying ; 
 and fortitude, or holy courage, in doing our duty in par- 
 ticular. To virtue, knowledge ; that is, a more exacT: 
 knowledge of your duty, and a farther increafe in it ; 
 for know ledge is the light, without which the chriftian 
 canno: fee to do his work. And to knowledge Hiuft be 
 added, temperance, which fubdues the violence of our un- 
 ruly paflions and appetites, and does reduce thole rebellious 
 powers under the government and dominion of reafon and 
 religien. And to temperance, patience under all wrongs 
 and fufferings whatfoever ; an impatient niau under afflic- 
 6*2 lion 
 
io6o 
 
 II. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 tion is like a bedlamite in cliain«, raving againft God ami 
 man. To paiiciice, ^;<-//;«r//, a confcicntious regard lo ;ill 
 the (luiics of the firft table ; let the fear of God reftrain 
 you from fm, the love of God conftrain you to duty. And 
 to godlincfs, hntherly kindiufs, or a fervent love to all chrif- 
 tians, as being our brethren and fellow-members in Chi ill, 
 and this for grace fake. And lo brotherly kindneP, charily ; 
 that iv, to all mankind, as proceeding from the fame ft. ck, 
 havini^ tbi" fame nature, and fubjc6t to the fame necciTiiits 
 with ourfelvcs; let there be foimd with you a defire and 
 endeavour to do all the poflible good you can to every one. 
 Leant and ohfcrve from the ivhok, That there is a concate- 
 nation both of graces and duties, they muft not be feparatcd, 
 they will not live fingle ; where there is one grace in lincc- 
 riiy, there is a conftant care to fccure all the red ; ami 
 where a chriftian, for confcicnce fake, performs one duty, 
 he will make confcicnce of all the relt ; the duties ot both 
 tables are rcligioufly obferved, both as an argument of his 
 llncerity, and as an ornament to his holy profcffion. 
 
 8 For if thefe things be in you, and abound, 
 they vndkt you ihatyejhall neither be barren nor un- 
 fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jcfus Chrift. 
 g. But he that lacketh thefe things, is blind, and 
 cannot fee afar oEF, and hath forgotten that he was 
 purged from his old fins. 
 
 To encourage chrirtians to grow and inprove in the fore- 
 mentioned virtues and graces, our apoftle here lays before 
 us, (i.) The great advantage of fuch a proficiency and 
 growth ; If thefe things he in ysu and abound, that is, the 
 formentioned graces, they will both caufe you, and evi- 
 dence you not to be barren and unfruittul in your pro- 
 fc/lion of chriHianiiy and faith in Ciirifl : The excrcifes of 
 divine graces are the beft evidences of our being made par- 
 takers of the divine nature. (2.) The miferable eftate of 
 thofe whofc faith is not fruitful in good works ; He that 
 lacketh thefe things, that is, who doth not live in the excr- 
 cife of the aforementioned graces, is fpiriiually blind, and 
 really deftitute of that knowledge which he pretends to, 
 blinded by his pa'fions and lufts, and fenfiial afFeflions, and 
 fees not the great end and defign of chriftianity, forgetting 
 that in baptitm he folemnly vowed all this, and that he was 
 facramentally wafhed from his old fms. 
 
 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence 
 to make your calling and eleftion fure : for if ye 
 do thefe things, ye fhall never fall : 
 
 As if our apoftle had faid, " See that in the diligent ex- 
 ercife of the afore-named graces, and in the daily praiflice 
 of the aforc-meniioned duties, you make yout calling and 
 eleiSlion, which are fure in themfelvey, fure to you ; for fo 
 doing, you fltall never fall or mifcarry eternally." Here 
 note. That it is their own calling and eleclion which chrif- 
 tians art called upon to make lure, not another's ; we muft 
 leave their cafe and ftate to God that fcarchcs the heart; we 
 cannot know the hearts of others, it is well if we know our 
 own. Learn, I. A chriftian may be allured of his own fal- 
 vaiion. 2. Allurancc of I.-dvation requires all diligence. 
 3. That allurancc of falvation defervcs all diligence, 4. 
 
 That the way to make our cleQion fure, is fuftto mak« 
 our calling fure. 
 
 11 For fo an entrance fliall be minidered unto 
 you abundantly into the evcriafling kingdom of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrid. 
 
 There are four forts of perltms fpoken of in Scripture : 
 
 1. Some arc faid to be fpr from the kingdom of God, afar 
 otF from God, as heathen- ^rA infidels, who know not 
 God. 2. Others are fiid nn\ to be far from the kingdom 
 of God, Mark xii. 34. v.ho yet will never come there. 
 3. Others are fcarceiy favi-d, favcd with great difficulty, fo 
 as by fire, with much rirofs of error in judgement, and 
 corruption in life. 4. Other- are faid to have an abundant 
 entrance adinini'lorcd to them into the everlafting kini'dom, 
 and thtfe arc tl-.e fruitful chriftians, who are daily adding 
 to their grace?, and going from ftrength to ftrengih : Thefe 
 flioot tl-.e giilph of death in the holy tii(jmph of tlitir grace ; 
 they enter t!ie harbour of heaven with a plerophory, a full 
 fail, wi:h a foil afliirance o\ faith and hrpe : 1 bus will the 
 fruitful chriilian have both a more comfortable paflage to, 
 and alfo a more ample reward in heaven. 
 
 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you 
 always in remembrance of thefe things, though ye 
 know them, and be eflablifhed in the prcftnt truth. 
 13 Yea, I think it meet, as loiig a.s I am in this 
 tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in re- 
 membrance : 14 Knowing that fliortly I mull put 
 offMji my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jefus Chrift 
 hath fhewed me. 15 Moreover I will endeavour 
 that you may be able, after my deccafc, to have 
 thefe things ahvavs in remembrance. 
 
 Olferve here, i. The perfons to whom the apoAlc gave 
 the foregoing exhortation to progreflivenefs and proficiency 
 in holinefs, they were knowing perfons, yea eftablilhed per- 
 fons, they were both informed and confirmed in the truth ; 
 but were they knowinjr, yet they wanted farther informa- 
 tion ; were they cftablifhed, yet might they want farther 
 confirmation. It is a very dangerous notion that fome 
 have taken up, that a chriftian in this lite may live ab-ive 
 ordinances, and outgrow counfcls and exhortation?, as if he 
 need not hear, or pray, or the like. St. Peter thought 
 otherwife: thefe were grown chriftians to whom he writes, 
 yet he tells them three feveral times together here, in four 
 verfes, that he would not be negligent to put them in rc- 
 mcmhrance, even of thofe things which they knew already. 
 
 2. The exemplary diligence and indiiftry of the apoflle in 
 iiis minifterial work, together with his conftancy therein, 
 as long as lam in this tulernacle \ that is, as long as 1 live 
 in this world, I will endeavour to keep the heavenly flainc 
 ot love and zeal burning very lively upon the altar of your 
 hearts. 3. The motive or confideration provoking him to 
 this diligence, and that is, the cer'ainty of his approjching 
 diffolution, I muj] fliortly put tff this tabernacle, &c. Where 
 nolt, I. He calls his body a tabernacle in regard of its 
 moveablenefs and frailty, and in oppofiiion to that houfe 
 made without hands, cttrnul in the lieavens. 2. How 
 
 familiarly 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 II. St. peter. 
 
 loGi 
 
 familiarly our apoftle fpeaks of death, / mufl put ':ff this 
 inhernacle ; he makes no more of puttinjr off his body, by 
 death, than a man dues of puttinjr off his clothes at night. 
 3. The ncceflity of putting ofF the body, /»"///, I may 
 and / miijt fhortly ; intimating, that how ftroiig loever the 
 afTeftions and inclinations of fouls are to the flelhiy taber- 
 nacles thev now live in, yet«fhcv mull: put them ofF, and 
 th.tt fpeeihiy. 4. How theconfiJcration of the ccrtjinty 
 and fiiddennefsof St. PiJter's removal by deaih did txci;*: 
 and provoke him to the utnioR indiiftry and diligence in 
 his ni'niUeri.il work, while lie lived; the apprchcnlions of 
 approachinfdsath mult q'licken to nnnoll diligence. .Vc/f 
 liidly, That ininilters mull never give over prtiling known 
 truihi ask>ng asthey live, that iheir people may have them 
 in reinenibrance after their deceafe. 
 
 16 For we have not followed cunningly (ievifed 
 f.ibles, when we made known unto you the power 
 and coming of our Lord Jelus Chrill, but were eye- 
 witnelfcs of his majcPiy. 17 For he received from 
 God the Father honour and glory, when there came 
 fuch a voice to him from the excellent glory, This 
 is my beloved Son, in whom I am well plesfed. 
 18 And this voice which came from heaven wc 
 heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 
 
 Our apoftle comes now to exhort them to conftancy in 
 the faith of the Gofpel, afTiiring them that himfelf and his 
 fellow apollies, had not followed artfully deviled fables, 
 when they made known to them the coming of Chrift in 
 theflv-'r.!, and that he was truly, and in very-deed, the pro- 
 • niiled Mtfliis, for that he himfelf, v^iiih James and John, 
 were with Chrift upon mount Tabor, as eye witnefles of 
 . his transfiguration, wliere and when he received in his hu- 
 man nature acomnuinicated Iplendour and God the Father 
 from heaven, the feat of the magnificent glory, pronounced 
 him to be his well-beloved Son, inwhom he is w ell-pleaftd. 
 Leatn hence, t. I'hat God the Father's teflimony from 
 heaven, concerning his Son Jtfus Chrijl did effeclually 
 bring honour and glory untoChrift, and is a great obliga- 
 tion upon us to faith and obedience to him ; He received 
 from God the Father honour and ghry, attelling him to be 
 h's well-beloved Son. 2. That there was as much aflli- 
 rance given of tke certainty of Chrift's being the promifed 
 MeJJias, and of the truth of the evangelical doftrine, as 
 the world could reafonably defire. Men can humanly be 
 certain of nothing more than what they perceive by their 
 fenfes, which are the proper judges of all fenfible objeds ; 
 now no fatisfaftinn of this kind was wanting to the world 
 concerning our bielTed Saviour and his miracles : The 
 apoflles attefting what they had heard, what they had feen 
 with their eye,-, and their hands had handled of the word 
 of life, 1 John i. 1. 
 
 19 We have alfoa more fure word of prophecy : 
 whereunto ye do well that yc take heed, as unto 
 a light that fiiineth in a dark place, until the day 
 dawn, and the day ftar arife in your hearts : 
 
 Ohfcrve here, That the fcrijyures, or written word of 
 
 God, are a more fure word to us than any voice froin 
 heaven, or revelation wliatloever; not that there was any un- 
 certainty in the Lord's voice u'.tered fron) heaven at ChrilV'i 
 transfiguration, but bccaule that tranlient voice was only 
 heard by three, and might be niiflakeii or forgotten ; 
 whereas the Holy Scriptures are a Handing and au'.hentic 
 record, and a tnolt fure ground for faith to birUI upon ; 
 and accordingly our apolile :cl!s them, they fliould do well 
 to attend nnio the written word, that i', the fii iptures of the 
 Old Teltatnent, as unto a light that (hined in that dark 
 time until, by coiifidering tliofe ancient prophecies, and 
 comparing them with what Chrillhath done and liiffercd, 
 they migin find the da/ dawning upon ihcm, and the 
 morning ftar the Holy Spirit, ariiing in their heartj, lb 
 enlightening and coiivincing them, thst no mure doubts or 
 fcruples fliouldbe lel't in them, concerning tbisgreai truth, 
 attelted by a voice from heaven, and confirmed by the 
 writings of the prophets, namely, that Jejus is the true 
 and [.'romifcd McJJ'as, and really the Son of God. Learn 
 hence, that the written word of God, is a furer word, 
 more to be depended and relied upon than any voice from 
 heaven, though atteftcd by the greateft and moll eminent 
 apolUe, and confequently to be more heeded and regarded 
 by us; nay, farther, tiie fantflifying operation of the Holy 
 Spirit in and upon the hearts and lives if linccreand ferious 
 chrilliansis a more certain and indubitableevidence of their 
 lalvation than if an angel fliould come from heaven onpur- 
 pofe to tell them that they fhould certainly come thither ; 
 for the teftimony of an angel, at the higheft, is but the 
 tellimony of a creature ; but the teflimony of the fanclifv- 
 ing Spirit is the teftimony of God himfelf ; it is therefore 
 the fure word, that we are toattcnd unto; and that reve- 
 lation of God's will being final, i.sand ought to beattended 
 to, before any pretended or real revelations whatfoever. 
 
 20 Knowing this firfl, that no prophecy of the 
 fcripture is of any private interpretation. 2 1 For 
 the prophecy came not in old time by the will of 
 man : But holy men of God fpake as they were moved 
 by the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Thefe words are underftood variotifly. [i.) fome in- 
 terpret thus : That no part of holy fcripture was written 
 by any private irnpulfe, incitationj or motion, by no fug- 
 gelfion of men's own private fpirits, but they gave out tt» 
 us vvhat the Holy Ghoft gave in to them ; nor dii they 
 prophefy according to the will of man, that is, when they 
 would, or that they would, but they fpake by the inftinct 
 and irnpulfe of the Holy Ghoft. The words fhew whac 
 authority the penman of the holy fcriptures had to write 
 what ihey did, and why we fhould be fo careful to take 
 heed to what they wrote. I.enrn hence, That it is a very 
 great principle, yea, one of the firft principles of ourfaith, 
 that the fcriptures are the very word and will of God, 
 written not by any private fpirit, but dictated by the fpirit 
 of God, and confequently are no part of them of human 
 invention, but all of divine infpiration, for which reafon 
 great refpeft is due to them, and -we Jhall du well to take 
 heed to them. (2.) Others underftand the words thus : 
 That no prophecy of Icripture is to be expounded as 
 
 fpeaking 
 
loO'a 
 
 II. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 fpeak'mg only of tliofe perTons whom ihe fpeaker firft in- 
 tended .ind meant, according ro the fpeaker's proper pri- 
 vate thought, for the holy men of God were moved by 
 CJod's Spirit to (peak thole words which fignified more 
 than they defigned, or alwaysmeant and nnderftood cheni- 
 ffives ; as for inUanre, David often Ipcaks in the Pl'alnis 
 words true of himfclf and Solomon, but the Holy Gholt 
 pointed at Chrift, who was typified by thofe perfons ; and 
 whether David meant more than himfclf and Solomon, it 
 i< certain the Holy Ghoft meant more ; fo if Jofiah be 
 meant in Ifa. liii. as fomc would have it, it is evident that 
 lie v\as but typical, and that the Holy Ghofl meant Chrill 
 and his fufferings ultimately ; h that it is plain that the 
 fcnpnire prophecyrcceives its full fenfe from the Spirit, and 
 not from the Ipeaker ; and muft not be appropriated nar- 
 rowly to thofe private men, by whom, or of whom they 
 •were proximately meant by the fpeaker. 3. others under- 
 ftand the words after this manner, namely, that no private 
 perfon tnuft take upon him the interpretation of holy fcrip- 
 tures, but refer all to the church : Hence Ellius infers, 
 " Th.n the reformed and their paftors mufl not interpret 
 the icriptures, but the catholic church only." To which 
 we reply, that as no private perfons, folikewileno church, 
 may prefiime to interpret icripture according to their own 
 mind, nor nuke iheir private fenfe lobe the fenfe of fcrip- 
 lure, but to fcek underflanding from God, who fliewsthc 
 mraning of the word by the word comparing (Icripture 
 ■with Icripture I and by his Spirit leads good men into the 
 knowledge and underilanding of it ; knowing this, that no 
 prophecy oj thefcripture is of privale interpretation, Sec. 
 
 C II A P. II. 
 
 Our apojl'e in this chapter declares the coming in of falfe 
 prophets and teachers, that would pervert the triUhof 
 doHnne by bringing in damnable herefies. 
 
 BUT there were falfc prophets alfo among the 
 people, even as there ftiall be falfe teachers 
 among you, who privily fhall bring in damnable 
 herefies, even denying the Lord that bought them, 
 and bring upon thcmlelves fwift deftruQion. 
 
 Ohjerve here, i . How the apollle foretels the coming of 
 falfe teachers into the gofpel cliurcli, as there had been falle 
 j)rophets in the Jewifli church ; no age of the church ever 
 was or will bo free of them ; but the run of the laft times 
 is moll likely to have mollof ihefe four dregs. There' fhatl 
 bf falfe tf ackers among you, falfe teachers then may find a 
 fcriptnre prophecy for their being in the church, but they 
 will hardly find a fcripture warrent for their being there. 
 Oh/'erve, 1. The doctrines which they will teach ; and they 
 2rt datnnciblf herejles- Where note, That almighty God 
 never intended a certain re^lcdy againll herefy, any nuTC 
 than he did agjinft lin and vice : It is certain, that there is 
 no certain and cffeclual remedy againft either of them : 
 God does what he fees btll and fittcll, not what we think 
 to be fo. A'i/e alfo, That infallibility itfelf is no ctfciftuai 
 remedy againlt herefy ; the apoflles were certainly infallible. 
 
 and yet they coul'J neither prevent nor exiinfruifh herefy, 
 which never more abounded than in the apoilles' timts : 
 St. Paul (ays, there mu/^ he hrrejks, 1 Cor. i. ip. St. 
 Peter here fays, ihMthtreJhall he falfe teachejs .• Now, if 
 there mufl be herelies and falfe teachers, either the church 
 is not infallible, or infallibility is no effciftual remedy againll 
 herefy. Obferve, 3. That Chrid is here called the Lord that 
 bought thefe men who brought dtltrudion upon thcm- 
 lelves, denying the Lord that koupH them ; becanfe ntiiie 
 lliould penlh for want of a futliiii-'nt facrafice for lin : 
 Chrifl by his blood piirchafcd for them pardon and life, to 
 be theirs, upon condition of believing acceptance. Laltly, 
 A%\he feeds-men, falje ttachtrs, and the feed they fow, 
 damnable herejies, fo the crop they (hall reap, and iliat is 
 f'vift deftruflion ; di% damnable herejies vtre brought in privily, 
 I'o the blafphenious heretic, the feducing hemic, the fcdi- 
 tious heretic, brings upon himfclf f^ifi dellruc^ion ; lome- 
 times temporal deliruclion in tins world, certainly eternal, 
 without repentance, in the next. 
 
 2 And many fhall follow their pernicious ways, 
 by reafon of whom the way of truth fliall be evil 
 fpoken of. 
 
 As if the apollle had faid, " Notwithftanding heretics 
 bring fuch fatal deltruction upon theinfclves, yet many that 
 profefs chriftianity (Iiall be feduced by them, and follow 
 their pernicious ways, by reafon of whom the enemies of 
 religion will fjjeakcvil otjt, and the profcfTorsof it. Here 
 chfrve, I. Thethrivingandgrowth of hereficf, manyfiall 
 JollozD their pernicious ways. Where note, The nature of 
 error, it is pernicious and deftniciive ; and the efficacy of 
 error, not a few, but many are in dangerof being perverted 
 by it. Olferve. 2. The fad fequel or truth of this /^^rf^/o« 
 of'^lom the luay of truth is evil-fpcken of. A'e/f here, 1. 
 The title given to the chriftian religion, it is the way of 
 truth, fo (tiled from its parentage and original, the Codof 
 truth ; in regard of its eificacy, it -Morks truth in the in- 
 ward parts, and becaufe it brings thofe that embrace and 
 pradile it, to the enjoyment of him who is the God of 
 truth. -1. The coarfe ufage w hich religion meets with from 
 many I'n the world, it is blafphemed or cvil-fpoken of by 
 perfons following feducers, by re»J',n of -ajhom the 'May of 
 truth is tvilfpcken of. It is no new or unufual thing for 
 religion, and the lincerc profelfors of it, to be traduced 
 and flandered by heretical feducers and falfe teachers. 
 
 3 And through covetoulncfs fhall they with 
 feigned words make mercliandife of you : whofe 
 judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and 
 their damnation flutiibereth not. 
 
 Olferv; here, i. What is the root of all herefy ; it is 
 covelotifnefs, which the apoftle calls the root of all evil ; 
 they are covetous, worldly-minded men generally, who 
 hope fonie way or other to make an advantage of their 
 opinions, who broach errors and falfe doclrine». 2. 'Lhe 
 miferablecondition of the feJuced, they are fold by heretics 
 like bcalts ; they make mrrchundife of you .• Thebulinels of 
 heretics is to fell their own and others fcub, as Judas did 
 C'hrifl; fur forne ouiwaiil benefit, 3. The aits which 
 
 heretics 
 
Chap, ii. 
 
 11. St. pet E R. 
 
 1063 
 
 heretics and feducers ufe to circumvent and deceive, and 
 that is feigned words, artifici.illy coiDpoled to feduce, draw- 
 ing into error with a deceitful eloquence. 4. The dreadful 
 punifliment whicli attends their iin, fTu'tft dejiruinion ; their 
 damnation flumbercth not , &c. Learn, That the righteous 
 judgment of God brings damnation upon the wicked, and 
 theirdainnaiion will come fwiftly, very fwiftly upon them. 
 
 4 For if God fparednot the angels that finned, but 
 end //;o«down to hell, and deJivcred^/jfwt into chains 
 ofdarkncfs, to be referved unto judgment : 5 And 
 fpared not tiic old world, but faved Noah the eighth 
 perfon, a preacher of righteoufncfs, bringing in the 
 flood upon the world of the ungodly ; 6 And turn- 
 ing the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into afhes, 
 condemned ///fw with an overthrow, making them an 
 enfample unto thofe that after ihould live ungodly : 
 
 Our apnftle having alTerted in the foregoing verie, tiiat 
 the judgment of the wicked in general lingereth nor, and 
 that the damnation of feducers in panicular flumbereth 
 not ; he comes here in theieveries to make his afTertion good 
 by a threefold iiiftance, namely, the /ir,gels,r.he c!d\u(,r/J^and 
 the people of Sodom and Goraorrha ; from whence he 
 v/ould have them conclude, that, if God fpared not thele, 
 he would not long Ipate falfe prophets and their followers. 
 Obfiive, I. The enample of God's feverity ori the fallen 
 angels; they finned, and kept not their firlt Ibte, they fell 
 from that ftate of holinefs .in which they were originally 
 created ; and th^ir punifijnient followed, they were caftdown 
 to hell, and delivered into chains of darknefs, relerved unto 
 judgment. But are they not judged andpuniHied already? 
 Yes, nodoubr,but the full wrathof God will not be poured 
 out upon thciH until the day of judgement , if they are now 
 as full of fin as they can be, it is certain they are not fo full 
 of mifery and torment as they fljall be. Learn hence, i. 
 That the angels, though created in an holy, yet arc they 
 not in an immutable ftatc. 2. The freedom of their own 
 wills, w-as the caufe of their fin, and their fin the caufe of 
 their mifery. 3. That for fin they were caft down to hell, 
 where their mifCTy is much but they expecl more. Ohftive, 
 2. The example of the old world, upon whole linning God 
 brought a flood, drowning them all, except eight perlons. 
 Where note. That the greareft multitude and number of 
 finners does not hinder God's jullice from executing judg- 
 ment upon them for their lins ; a whole v.orld finning are 
 as eafily deftroycd by God as a fingle finner. q. H« ' 
 
 ftances in the wickrd cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, who 
 were conlumed by fire from heaven, and rendered by the 
 Almighty a dreadful fpeclicle to all that ihould live un- 
 godlily. Sin hy.s the foundation of ruin in the mod flourilh- 
 ing cities and kingdoms ; the ftrongeft walls cannot keep 
 judgments out, when fin enters in ; Sodom's plenty imd 
 power could nor fecure her inhabitants, when fin had once 
 cxpofed them to the wrath of God. h'ote alfo. The inten- 
 fiun, end and (K figu of God, in punilhing foaie finners; 
 it is to mike them examples unto others. 
 
 7 And delivered juft Lot, vexed with the filthy 
 converfation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous 
 
 man dwelling among thcin, in feeing and hearin'^ 
 vexed hi.s righteous foul from day to day with tktir 
 unlawful deeds.) 
 
 Obfeivehert, 1. As bad as Sodom war, it had a good ma'^ 
 in it ; God leaves not himfelf w ithout witnefs, in the viled 
 and word ofplacesGod haslbme that profefs his name, and 
 bear witnefs to his truth. 2. Theciiaracler givenof him, 
 juj} Lot • the denomination was taken from the habitual 
 frame of Ills iicart, and the general tenor of his life. 3. 
 How this good man laitlto heart the wickednefsof SoJorn ; 
 he was grieved for their wicked and filthy converfation be- 
 fore God, more than for their unkind and cruel behaviour 
 towards him ; the fpirit of a child of God is a fympathi/,- 
 ing fpirit. It fadly lavs to heart both the fins and the luilcr- 
 ings of others. 4. The care that God took for this gooil 
 man's prefervation, he delivered jujt Let ; he delivered hini 
 from the company and converlation of the wicked, which 
 was a continual vexation to him ; and alio delivered ijirn 
 from the judgments which were righteoudy brought upon 
 the wicked. 
 
 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly 
 out of temptations, and to referve the unjuft unto 
 the day of judgment to be puniflicd. 
 
 From the particular example of Let, and his gracious pre- 
 fervation in Sodom's deltrudion, the apollle draws thij^e- 
 neral condufion, " Th.it Almighty God knows how to prr- 
 ferve his own faithful fervanfs from the evil of temptations 
 and tri.-ils, which they here meet with, iu the world, and 
 from the world, and can and will referve the w icked to the 
 day of judgment to be punifhed." N'Je here, i. That the 
 Lord has a perfect: and exact knowledge both of the righte- 
 ousandthe wicked, and of theirfeveral ways and dointrs. 2. 
 That God knoweth many ways how to deliver the righ- 
 teous (but coiilidering the tenor of his revealed w iil) he 
 knoweth no way how todeliver the wicked, they having re- 
 fufedall ways of his appointment for their own deliverance. 
 3. That although the wicked fometimes efcape trouble, yet 
 they are never delivered from it; all their prefervationsfroni 
 «'vil are but relervaiions for future and farther evil ; the 
 wicked are not fo much preferved from, as referved unto 
 future wrath : Thus we fee how Almighty God very well 
 knows how to perform all thofe things which he has pro- 
 mifed to the godly, and threatened to the wicked. 
 
 10 But chiefly them that walk after the fle/h, in 
 the lufl of uncleannefs, and defpife government : 
 prefuinptuous arelluy, felf-willed they are not afraid 
 to fpeak evil of dignities. 
 
 As if the apollle had faid, " Though God refervcs all 
 wicked men to punilhment, yet efpecially heretics and fe. 
 dacers,\\ ho fecond their corrupt doclrine with a wicked con- 
 verfation, fucn as walk after the fitfn in the lufi of unclean- 
 nefs.''^ Nf,te, That heretics are frtquently unclean perfons, 
 monftrous opinions, and vile affections accompany one an- 
 other ; fuch as oppofe the faith are flefli-dehlers. Farther, 
 Seducers are oppofers of civil government and dominion, 
 they dtfftfe government , Ic. S&nie think the dignities here 
 intended were the angt Is.otacri iheapuftks, but molt un- 
 
 derlbnJ 
 
 m. 
 
1064 
 
 H. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 derftanci ir of civil rulers :iti5 a very heinous fin in the figlit 
 of God to defpife goveniinent, and oppofe rulers. 
 
 1 1 Whereas angrls, which arc greater in power 
 and might, brini; not railing accufation againll thcin 
 before the Lord. 
 
 That is, " Whereas the blefled angels, who have more 
 powerthan men, when they plead apainft devils thenifelves, 
 do it not by railinj;; accnfation.'' Note t. ThataiigcU are 
 f.irfiiperiorto nienin dignity andpnwcr. 2. That purity of 
 .nficdion does accompany angelical iliuinination ; asthean- 
 l^cls arc u'liove us, foare they the patterns of holniefi to us. 
 -;. T hey are eminenily I'o with refpect to the government 
 iif their palFions ; when they contend with devils tUemfelves, 
 it is without diilurbancc, without railing accufations. It is 
 our tluty to learn this angelical lelTon, of forbearing railing 
 peculations; nottoreturn evil forevil, but being detained, 
 to entreat ; we are to be as juft to another's reputation as 
 our>^NV'n ; they that handle the names of others rudely, 
 MiulFexpt-cb their ov.'n will be, at one time or other, handled 
 ai> roughly ; nothing is niore juil with God, than to fufFcr 
 ijp«J|erstoopen their mouths againft thofe who will open 
 tneir own niouihs againlt others. 
 
 12 But thefc, as natural brute bcafls made to be 
 taken and dcft'.oycd, fpeak evil of the things that 
 they iinderfland not, and (hall utterly perifli in their 
 own corruption : 
 
 OblSf^'C here. What our apoftle compares thefe heretical 
 feducers to, and fets them forth by, brute beafrs. I. Be- 
 caule their minds run after fcnfual objefts violenty and im- 
 petuoufly, and rhcy know no meafure in theuling of them ; 
 like fwine, they wallow over head and ears in the mud of 
 iheir fenfu:il lufls : And, 2. They were alfoas fecure as the 
 lirure beafts ; they mock at the denunciation of God's judg- 
 jnents, faying, Where is the prcmifs cf his coming ? Sedu- 
 cers are perfect fenliulifts ; it is a righteous thing with 
 God to leave them to he governed by fenfe, who will not 
 be guided by grace ; they would not be faints and at length 
 thfy ceafe to be men ; but, like brutes, fall into the ditch 
 of besflly fenfuality. O chriflian ■' beg of God that thy 
 grace may be true and fupernaturil ; for if it be only in ap- 
 pearance, and doth not arifc to true fancVity, it may foon 
 degenetateandfmkdownintofenfualbeadiality. In a word, 
 3. f'heyare to peii(h, and tobe deflroyed iikebrutc beallf; 
 all feck to dedroy them for their hurtfulnefs, but thefe 
 moral beafts (icftroy themfelves ; fenfiial i'cSiiccrs perljlj in 
 their own ra n<plio»s ; in their natural corrujitions, by theip 
 luxury and intemperance, bringing difeafes and death upon 
 their bodies; in their civil corruption;, overthrowing their 
 families, by fwallowingdown their eilates; yea, they corrupt 
 themfelv«s eternally, de/lroying body and foul by their ex- 
 ceft. Lord! how will the fatted glutton (withoMt re- 
 pentance) fry in iu-ll ; how difnial a recoinpencewill a fea 
 of brimltcne be for a river of wine ! They who aredrowned 
 in proful'enefi, I'iiall crijinly be drowned in i>erdii''on. 
 
 13 And fhall roccive tli£ reward of unrighteoufnefs, 
 ffi tiicy thut count it pltafure to riot in the day-time: 
 ^l^o^i llir^ are ixnUi blcmii!hcs, Iportiiig ihcmrclveswilli 
 
 their own deceiving!!, while they feafl with you : 14 
 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot ceale 
 f roin fin ; beguiling unliable fouls ; an art they have 
 e.ierciled with covetous pradices : curled children: 
 
 Here we have many fad and dreadful inftances given of 
 the height of fcnluality and hrutiflinefs which th'Te feilucers 
 were arrived at, and had attained unto. Ltirtl ! how do 
 flefhly lufls, and fenfiial ad'ecTiions, obfture the light of con- 
 fcience, and corrupt its judgment ? There is fuch an iuii- 
 inatc comnumion between the fviuland the body, thai iliey 
 inrerchaHgeably corrupt one another. To what a defperare 
 degree of hardnefs and infer.fibiliiy, lud the flames of lull 
 feared the confciences of thefe men! They had loll all the 
 ingenuous baflifulnefs of human nature, andpleafed them- 
 felves in their licentious principles and practices, not de. 
 dining to do that at noon day which heathens would have 
 blulhed to be found doing at midnight. Cbfcrve particu- 
 larly, how luxury and uncleannefs accompany each other ; 
 they took ])leafure in rioting andfporting themfelves in thtir 
 feafls, and their eyes were full of adultery. They feailed 
 antl fedinimeafurably, impurely, and luilfuUy, making tluir 
 plenty fodder ami fuel for their lufts ; for, havingfed to the 
 full, every one neighed after his neighbour's wife, and put- 
 ting out the candelsafter fupper, they gave way promil'cu- 
 cufly to the ravings of unbridled lull, turning the temple 
 of the Holy Ghollintosn hrg-(^yc : But know, O unclean 
 finner ! that God will return Hinies for f.ames, and revenge 
 this fire in thy heart with the fire of hell. How nearly 
 does it concern thee, who lias burnt in thefe impure lulls 
 of uncleannef?, and kindled the flames of God's wrath, to 
 l.ibour to cool and quench them with the blood of Ciirift, 
 and the tears of repentance, w hich alone can allsy the heats 
 of fin in thee, and of wrath in God ? Let unclean tinners 
 improve examples, left thty be made examples. 
 
 15 Which have forfaken the right v/ay, and are 
 gone atlray, following the way of Balaam, the Jon of 
 Bolbr, who loved the wages of unrighteoufneis ; j6 
 But was rebuked for his iniquity ; the dum'b af^ 
 Ipcaking with man's voice, forbJ^Wie madnefs of 
 the prophet. 
 
 Our apnflle, having charged thefe men with infatiablc 
 lufl in the former verfe, proceeds next to tnx them with 
 infatiable covetoufnefs in this verle, decIarin<T that this (in 
 had diverted them from the right way of truth and godh- 
 nefs, andcaufed them to imitate Bahiam of old, wholV love 
 of honour and wealth fo blindtrd his eyes, that the afs he 
 rode upon could lee beyond him, whole mouth God mi- 
 raculoully opened to rebuke the madnefs of the prophet. 
 Notehtve, i. How the wicked in after ages do in their 
 courfes and practices imitate fuch wicked ptrfons as lived 
 before them in former ages : Tlufe men followed the way 
 of Balaam, imitate his covetcufncfs and infatiable defircof 
 wealth. 2, That as it is the nature of all fin to carry men 
 out of the W'ay, fo coveioufncfs in particular will carry a 
 man aiiray, and put him upon the praiflicc of any wicked, 
 nefs: It neither fears nor forbears any Ihiful courfe to at- 
 tain its cud ; they that will be rich meet with many enrice- 
 
 nicnrs 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 II. St. pete R. 
 
 106 J 
 
 nients unto (in, and tiicy will not fear to embrace any 
 enticement. Nay, verily a thirll afrergain willmake aman 
 tliirft after blood, totretjTain. Witiiels Balanm and Jiidas, 
 \* ho were both covetous and blojdy. Coveroufnersis oft- 
 limes the caule of uncieannefs. Hoiv many, for the fake 
 of money, have violated their matrim.onial faith, allured 
 more with the adulterer's purfe than by his perfon. Let 
 no perfon hope to efcape ar.y fin that embraces this one fin. 
 3. What a mighty ftruggle there fomeiimes is in a natural 
 man's confcience concerning fin. The light of Balaam's 
 conftience made him refufe the wages of unrigheoufnefs, 
 and fpeak honourably : If Bulak woulil give rne bis boufcfuil 
 (ifjilv:raadi'ni'l,lcannrjt, kc. but at the fame time lult in 
 his heart led him forth ilrongly to defire it. He loved t he 
 •wages ijfunrightciufnefs ; loved it, yet durft not touch it. 4. 
 How extremely, yea, brutidily mad, fuch men are upiju 
 their lulls, who will not be rebuked or flopped in their pro- 
 j»refs of impiety without a miracle. Balaam's running was 
 [o greedy, and his march lo fjrious, that he had ciirfed the 
 people, had not the angeUlopped him, and the afs fpuken 
 to him. Little thanks to a refolute finner that he does not 
 ru(h on, when the arm of omnipotency pulls hmi back. 
 O let the heart changing power of the grace of God influ- 
 ence us to good, as well as his almighty arm reitrain us 
 from evil, or we are miferable. 
 
 17 Thefeare wells without water, clouds that are 
 carried with a tempeft, to whom the mift of dark- 
 nefs is refei-vcd for ever. 
 
 Still our apollle proceeds in charafterifing and defcribing 
 thefe feducers, which were tlien amongit them. He de- 
 fcribing them before by their lur.ury and licentioufnefs, by 
 their iiicontinency and uncleannels, by their infaiiablenels 
 andcoveioufnels, now he proceeds to difcover their vanity 
 and emptincfs. They pretended indeed to be deep foian- 
 tains of laving knowledge, but they were like wells without 
 water; and tobe clouds, containingabundanceof rain, for 
 the watering of the church ; whereas they were like clouds 
 carried about with the tempeft of pride and ambition, from 
 one vicious doctrine and pract.le to anojher, darUeinng the 
 church ; fnr whom, by the juft judgment of God, is re- 
 fervcd the hlackitfs '.j darkntj 1 ftr ei>er. A'o/f here, i. The 
 miniiters of the Gofpcl ought to be as wells, for depth of 
 knowledge, for purity of doctrine, forrelidency and fixed- 
 nefs of abode ; every one knows where the town— well 
 ftands; though minifters are wells of clay, yet (hould tliey 
 be always foil of the v.;a:er of life, and always at hand for 
 the people to have recoiirfe unro. 2. The miniiters of 
 Cbrill iB'ift be full and watery clouds, able and apt to teach, 
 sble to open fcripture?, able 10 convin;e giiinfayers, con- 
 tinually dropping dow \\ the heavenly dew ; but not as clouds 
 vvitliout water, w iihout the w aterof true knowledge, with- 
 out the %v,Tter ofholinefs, fanitity both of heart and life, nor 
 without the water of ccnfolaiion and refre/hnient. The 
 hig'ied commendation of a miuifter is indultiy for, and 
 ufeful nefs tot lie fouls of others ; clouds confume ihemlelves 
 by watering others. 3. That ahhouirli feducers are wont 
 to make grrnt fliews and apperances of worth in them- 
 f<lves, yet i; is agre.it andinexcufable (in to mike (hew of 
 th't gcodneff of which we are wholly void, ;ind to which 
 we ai e alfo oppufice ; to be 'jjdls 'xi-itbout watir, and clouds 
 
 viithout rain, big and black, accotnpanied with emptincfs 
 and drynefs. Appearing goodnefs fets men at the farihfft 
 diftance from real goodnels; they that fatisfy thenifelves in 
 appearances, will never labour after holmels in reality. 
 
 18 For when they fpeak great fwelling wWi of 
 vanity, they allure through the lulls of the flefli, 
 through much wantonnefs, thofe that were clean 
 elcaped from them who live in error. 
 
 The next fin charged upon thefc feducers is pride and 
 Q^entation, they (peak big, great/welling words of vanity ; 
 with a lofty and affected (ty le they propound their falfe doc- 
 trines to amnfe the fimple. It is the ufual practice of fe- 
 ducersto (peak in an high-flown (train of words, th.-it, being 
 not underftood, they inay be the more admired. Next they 
 allure lo their party fuch novice chriftians who had left the 
 heathenifh beaftiality, and made an outward profelfion of 
 the chriftian religion. The word rendered to c//:<re, iia 
 metaphor taken from fifhers or fowlers, who produce the 
 bait or rtirape, but hide the net or fnare. Seducers bait 
 their hook with fuch baits as are proper to the fi(h they 
 would catch, elfe they are no good anglers. But chftrve, 
 what the bait is here before us, it is liberty, it is licentiouf- 
 nefs, they allure through the /;//?/ o//Ae /?fy7; .^ nobaitbke 
 this. Learn hence, That the true reafon why feducers have 
 ^o many followers is this, becaufe their dodtrine is liberti- 
 nifm, and moflagreeable to the carnal lults and corrupt af- 
 fections of men. This is the true reafon why popery has 
 had fo many profelytes ; they allure through the lufis of the 
 flfjh. Never was a religion better calculated for gratifying 
 men's beaflly lufts than popery ; it indulges a liberty to all 
 abominable lufts and unchriftian praftifes, yet after all will 
 blanch over wilful violations of God's laws with the fa- 
 vourable title of venial crimes. Let my foul, at the great 
 day, berather found amongthefoberheathcn philofophers, 
 than among fenfual and brutilh chriltians. 
 
 1 9 While they promife them liberty, they them- 
 fclves are the lervants of corruption : for of whom a 
 man is overcome, of the fame is he brought in 
 bondage. 
 
 Obltrve here, i. How the old pretence for the moft un- 
 bounded licentioufnefs has been liberty ; they pre niife you 
 likeriy ; a liberty to do any thing v.'ithout fear : but thisis 
 not liberty properly, but licentioufnefs, which in reality is 
 the greatcftflavery. Accordingly it follows, they themjelvet 
 are the ftrvants'vf corruption ; that is, fuch as^iromife you 
 a (infulliberty, areihe greatefl flaves tofin and corruption 
 thenifelves. All fin is fcrviiude and flavery ; and when fin 
 and finner«i]at:er men with the great opinion of liberfv. it 
 makes them the moft miferable vafTals, and thewoillof 
 flaves ; for fo many lufts, fo many lords, fo many vices, fo 
 many tvrants has a finner over him. As when the ccrv- 
 qneror brings the vanquifned into captivity, he makes thvin 
 flaves, and iinpofes on them vile and fervilt (-.£5ce« ; in like 
 m.^nn^r, thoftrlults. by which finnfrs have been coiqiirred 
 and brought in bondage, they muft needs be flavev unto. 
 Is thislibfTty to obey every luft as a pe t\' fl.^ve ? CM) you 
 this freedom, when -a man canno: chore but fin ? ll to fin 
 
 6 T be 
 
io66 
 
 II. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. in. 
 
 be the only liberty, they have no liberty ii) heaven ; no, 
 this is the Jervice of corruption ; a thraltluni nut a freedoni. 
 
 20 For if after thcv have cfcapcd the pollutions 
 
 of the world through the knowledge of the Lord 
 
 and Saviour Je(us Chrift, they are again entangled 
 
 therein, and overcome : the latter end is worle with 
 
 them than the besinninfj. 
 o o 
 
 By cfcaping the poUmions of the world, underftand iheir 
 
 renouncing of them in bsptifm ; their converfion from hea- 
 
 thenifm to the profeffion wf chriftianiiy, by 'he kno\\li.d^e 
 
 of the gofpel. Now, if afterwardsthey reiiirn to it ngam, 
 
 and are intangled in their idolatry, and other grofs lin^, 
 
 their latterend is worfe thnn their beginniiig, theirchiiftian 
 
 Jieathenifm worfe than their old heathenifin. Lfarn hence, 
 
 That a perfon may forfake many grofs and fcandalous fins, 
 
 and have a vifible change and reformation wiought in his 
 
 life ; but, not being a thorough and prevailing chjiige, he 
 
 is flill in nn unfafe llaie ; his latter end may be worle that) 
 
 che beginning. 
 
 21 For it had been better for them not to have 
 known the way of righteoufnefs, than after they have 
 known it, to turn from the holy commandment 
 ■delivered unto them. 
 
 Asif the apoillehad faid, The fin and mifery of thefe 
 men had been far Icfs, if they had never known the way of 
 righteoufnefs revealed by the gofpel ofChrifb.than after they 
 have known it, to forfake thepradliceof holinefs, which by 
 their baptifmal proftflion they had obliged themfelves unto. 
 Learn hence. That to fin againlt light and knowledge re- 
 ceived in and by the gofpel is a very heinous aggravation 
 of fin. The condition of perfons fimply ignorant is not fo 
 bad by far as theirs, who have been enliginened, aiu! yet 
 dfterwards have apoH-atifed. A relapfe is ever more dan- 
 gerous than thefirff ficknef?, more foon incurred, tiiore 
 bardly cured. Wo to thofe that relapfe from God to the 
 world, from truth to error, from grace to vice ; the latter 
 end will be worle than their beginning, if they recover not 
 themfelves again by timely repentance. 
 
 2 2 But it is happened unto them according to 
 the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vo- 
 mit again ; and. The fow that was waflied, to her 
 wallowing in the mire. 
 
 Ohferve here, The odious character given of apoflafs ; 
 the apoflle cpmpares them to dogsand fwine, who, though 
 wodied iiirhe water of baptiliii externally, yet their natures 
 •wcrenever internally rt nerved by the Holy Ghotl.asChrift's 
 fiieepare. All the outward reformation of life which is 
 found in unrenewed perfoii«, is but like the wafliing of a 
 Iwine, which you may miikf clean, but cnn never make 
 clenniy ; upon occalion it v.ill again to the mire ; nuke the 
 Avine a Iheep, ciiangeits nature, and it willnevcr delight in 
 filtlj more ; but, w hiUl it retain* its filthy nature, it will 
 delight in filihinefs. Dogs that have dTgorged ih'ir 
 ihiinachs, are d.ig< ftill ; and fwine wjdied are f^ ine (till. 
 No wonder th:a if teinpiation draw them to return to their 
 
 vomit, and mire .ig^iin. O our God ! as thou had outwardly 
 wjlhr-d II- in bjptii'iii, do lUou inwardly renew us, aiii> 
 thviroughly fanctily us by the Holy 5>pirit ; .'is we are the 
 \^ (I kinanlhip of ihiiie lland^, ni.'ke us ilfothe (liecpofthy 
 pitlui e, that «nir love to purity may daily more and more 
 increal'e : That ^s hen apoitaiiiing finners return to their 
 vnmit with the dog, and to the mire with thefwiiie, and (o 
 d; av.- back into perdition, wemjybe of the number of 
 thofe that perfcverc 10 the falvation of cur fouls. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Ou,r apoflle in thii clufier exiwrts chrif'nns to the Icwe and 
 pradhce 0/ unlvnfal fiolinrfs, as llie Lcjl preparative Jor 
 the day ofjud^V'.ait. 
 
 THIS fccond cpifllc, beloved, I now write unto 
 you: in ^dM which I ftir upyourpure minds by 
 w ly of remembrance ; 2 That ye may be mindful 
 of the words v.hich were fpoken before by the iioly 
 prophets, and of the commandment of us the apof- 
 tles of the Lordand Saviour : 
 
 Obfervehere, i. The defign of both St. I'cter's cp"ftle» 
 was one and the f.'ine, even to[)Ut them in remen)brance 
 of, and to call to their minds wiui they h.Td forireily heard 
 and uniler.'iood, Itut polhbl)' no*, retained, nor duly con- 
 fi !cred. Note, The oilice of njinif?frs is to he remem- 
 biancer?. The lord's renietrhrancers, by putting I>iq) in 
 mind of the people's wants ; x.\\c\t people's rotienUiranctrs, 
 by puttinij them frequently in mind of their duty to God. 
 There is then a conliant neceility c;f a conl'cicntious niinif- 
 try ; none are weiiy of it bat hich as love not tube remem. 
 beredoftheirduty byit. >Jay, fjriher,St. Peteritlh them, 
 he would Itir up ihn'ir pure mituli by«.iy of remembrance ; 
 implying, rhar tiie memories of ihe bell chrifli.sns fi,i:id i;i 
 need of refreihing. and the aSVc^ions of the holicfl want a 
 frelh exciting. 'l"hc frcelt chrKtiaiis fonietime* v.'anr a 
 fpiir : We are flow to lenrn what we lliould do, and more 
 flow to do what we have learnt. Great then is the fin cf 
 thofe who contemn repeated truths. «GiWied is that curio- 
 fity that defpifes a vvholcfonie truth, becdule it is common. 
 If wc have fuch nice ftom.ichs that will not endure to eat 
 twice of the fame di(h, if wholefome ; it isjuft with God, 
 that want fliould overtake our wanronnefs. Ctferve, 2. 
 What it is that he would have them remember and be 
 mindful of; it is the word of propffc-cy in the Old ieila- 
 nient, and the do<r!rine of the golpel in and under the 
 New, That ye he mir.ilful if the -^uds f^'^hen b.f',rr l<y t^e 
 holy prrjpkfis, namely, En')cb and D-iniil, whoprophcfied iif 
 the general judgment of thi; lafl day, and of the diftriiclion 
 of Jcrufalein, then at hand. Ol/.-rv.'. ^. How St. I'etcr 
 here joins the prophets and apodlestogetlier, as concurring 
 harmonioufly in their doL^rine ; what was foretohi by the 
 prophets was cotifirmed by the apoftles ; hence ihty are 
 laid to have bur one mouth, St. Luke i. As he /pake by 
 the mouth of all his prophets, not by the mouths ; for, 
 though the prophets and apollles were nuny, yet had 
 they all but one luuuth, fpciking all the fame things. 
 
 3 Knowing 
 
Chap, iii- 
 
 II. Sr. PETER. 
 
 1067 
 
 3 Knowing thisfirfl; that there (liallcome in the 
 lad days feoffors, walking after their own lufts, 4 
 And faying, Where is the promifcof liis coining ? 
 for fince the fathers fell afleep, all things continue 
 !ts they were from the beginning of the creation. 
 
 Cl>/erve here, 1. The perfons fortold, or whar fort of 
 men fhould be fuunci in thelie !a(b o'ays ; namely , Jcofftrs. 
 Thefe arc thedregs of ntnukind, fosind in the dregs of time ; 
 they feoff ronietinies at th; word of God, fometiines at re- 
 ligion and the wsy« of good uiea ; fomctimes at fin, and 
 tliL- foUies of thofe that ;ire bad. The fcoffing fpirit, is a 
 vile fpirit ; it is better tcbf a fi;ol than a rioutcr ; better 10 
 hive adiiil fpirit, tiian .n dsridinj; fpirit ; to deride God and 
 religion Is the heiglu of impiety. Such as arc in the chair 
 of the ftorner are in tiie iiighell form in the devil's fchool. 
 2. What It was tliat tlrefe men fcolfed at ; namely, at the 
 prediftion of our Saviour's coininj^tojudge the world ; they 
 lay, U'hfre is the prctr.ife of his coTrAng ? becaufe Chrifc did 
 not come when fome looked for him, they concluded he 
 would no: co-ne jt all, bat thu all things ii;oulJ go on in 
 « conlfant couife, .ts they had done from the beginning of 
 the creation. •^. 7'he character of the perfons who are 
 called fcodVrs ; they are laid to vjalk ajter iht.ir owft luJIs, 
 men of fenfual fpirits, and licenrious lives. N o wonder, 
 that they who give themfelves up to all na.nner of fenfu- 
 ality, t!o deny a judgment to come ; for, as it is expedient 
 for them that there lliould be none, fo they endeavour to 
 perCuide t hemfelvrs that there (hal! be none, and are srlad 
 to timl arguments to fortify themfelves in that perfuaiion. 
 But fnrely Godfcorueiii the (corners, he will laugh at their 
 calamity, and mock when their d?foiation coineth. Lord ! 
 what a black and horrid ingratitude is this, to fcoii at the 
 Aulvir of ourbeings, and the Patron of our lives ; tolive 
 in defiance of him in whom we live ? Is it rot time for 
 God to come and judge the world, when men begin to 
 doubt whether ever he made it ? 
 
 5 For this they willingly arc ignorant of, that by 
 the word of God the heavens were of old, and the 
 earth (landing out cf the wafer and in the water. 
 6 Whereby the world thr.t then v/as, being over- 
 flowed with water, perifhed. 7 ]?ut the heavens and , 
 the earth which arc nov/, by thefanie word are kept 
 in ftore, rcferved unto fire againft the day of judg- 
 ment and perdition of ungodly rsen. 
 
 1 hefe fcofisrs had declared in the former ver^e, that the 
 •world wa-thefame it wasfrem the beginning; thalnature 
 alwayshad.aud ihereforeever would keepiis courfe. But, 
 fay? the apnftle here, thefe fcofiersknow bttter ; if they be 
 ignorjint, they are v, illin!>ly igno ■ ^\\t what a change God 
 made in the .vorld fince the crc'aiitm of it, andth^t lie can 
 as eifdy dtdrov it, as liedid at f;r If creaieit. Toevidence 
 th's, the apoltle ihews how God by water drowned the 
 old world, and therefore all things had not con;inued as 
 they were from the beginning of the creation; and that this 
 prtTent woi id dial), wiien God'i titne is ccrne, be ruined by 
 fire, as tlie old world was by water. The fan.e omnipotent 
 power cf God .vhich created rbe world, upholds itaiidpre- 
 
 ferves it, and will at laft deftroy it, namely, at the final 
 jude;ment, when all wicked perfons, efpecially prophane 
 Icoifers at, and deriders of Chrill's coming, (liall be con- 
 demned and perilli. Wenct learn, That thofe great and 
 awful works of Cod, the creation prefervatioii, and final 
 deftruction of the world, firll by water, and next by fire, 
 none ought to be ignorant of, but all ought to meditate 
 frequently upon, andbecontiiiually prepared for. 2. That 
 the day of judgment will be a day of perdition to ungodly 
 men, they /hall then be utterly and eternally dellroyed. 
 The wicked are called in fcripture fons of perdition, they 
 are h adlively, they make it their work to deftroy others, 
 andthey arefopaflively, they fliallbe deflroyedat that day, 
 when they and their works fliall be burnt up. 
 
 8 But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, 
 that one day h with the Lord as a thoufand years, 
 anda choufand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not 
 llack concerning his promife (as fome men count 
 flacknel's) but is long fuffering to us-ward, not 
 willing that any fliould perifli, but that all fhould 
 come to repentance. 
 
 Our apoftle here anfwers the cavil and objection of the 
 foremeniioned fcoflers, namely. That if Chrift intends to 
 come tojudgment, why does hefo long defer his com ng? 
 To this our apoltle replies, i. by alfuring them that this 
 delay ought not to be judged according to our fenfe and 
 appreheniion of things, for God does not meafure time as 
 we do, but a thoufand years, whichfeem folongtous, are 
 but a day, yea, but a moment to him whois eternal, and 
 inhabiteth eternity. To the eternity of God no finite 
 duration bears any proportion ; to eternity all time ia 
 equally fliort ; Gud does not meafure time by our pole, 
 nor carl up years by our arithmetic. 2. He afTures them 
 farther, that God's delay of judgment did not proceed 
 from (larknefs., but f-om divine patience and goodnefs. 
 He delays his coming on purpofe to give men time to re- 
 pent, and by repentance to prevent their eternal ruin. Lcartt 
 hrncs, I. That God's delay of judgment is no ground for 
 finners to conclude that he will not come to judgment, for 
 our Saviour ha^no v;herefi^ed and determined the time of 
 it. We can neither be lure « hen our Lord will come, nor 
 certain whi=n he will not come. 2. That the true reafori 
 why God ddfcri judir-uent, is to give finners opportunity 
 for repentance, if this be not complied svith, he referve^ 
 thofe v/ho are incorrigibly bad, to a more remarkable ruin, 
 condemning them tijat will not be laved, but ubitinatel/ 
 dellroy themfelves. 
 
 JO But the day of the Lord will come as a thief 
 in the night, in which the heavens fliall pafs away 
 with agreatnoife, and the elements fhall mtltwith 
 fervent heat, the earth aifo, and the works tiiatare 
 therein Ihall be burnt up. 
 
 Ourapwllle having ^fl'eried, that this folemnday of judg- 
 ingthejews, at the ddlructionef Jerufalemfirft, and then 
 of all niard;ind at the end of the world, willcertjinlycome ; 
 lie nextlhc'.vs the manner how, and that though this great 
 day of the Lord coiacs fiowly, yet it will come unex- 
 
 6 T *' pecltdly 
 
io6S 
 
 II. St. peter. 
 
 Chap. m. 
 
 ptifledly, like a thief of the nij>hr, furpriling the fecure 
 and unprepared part of the world. 1 he thiefconieth wiih- 
 out warning and without noife, fo fli;ill the coming of the 
 Son of mjti he. Rev. xvi. 15. UehclJ 1 ome as n th'nf, 
 bUffd ate ibey that w,itch. h/trvt t\e\t, The apoltle de- 
 clares what a grcatchaiijre there will be wlien Chrilt comes 
 :o judgnieiu, luintly, a total d (Txlution ot the whole frame 
 of nature, The heuvcnsJljaUpufs uwtiy -jjilh a gnat nt>ifc, 
 the eiementi /hallrntlt, and the rarlh be burnt up .• thjt is, iay 
 fome, totally confunicd and utterly aboliHird ; for when 
 there is no more need of fun and ft:ir.<:, of earth and water, 
 why fliould they he any more? And when the faints Ice 
 God face to face, what need of the gUf^ of the cre.itures 
 to behold the face of God in ? Others conceive that the 
 heavens and the earth IhjII not be annihilat< H, but better- 
 ed and improved, their fublhiice continued, but their 
 qualities changed ; that out of this cnnflagraiion G"od will 
 bring forth a new edition of heaven and earth, and of 
 vhat is contained in them, to be the everlalling monumenrs 
 of his own power and goodnels, and the delightful objtft 
 of his faints contemplation. 
 
 11 Seeir7g then that all thefe things fhall be dif- 
 folved, what manner of perlbns ought ye to be in 
 a'l holy converfation and godlinefs. 
 
 Thefe words are St. Peter's pr3(ftical improvement of 
 the foregoing doftrine, concerning the certain, fudden^ and 
 terrible judgment of Chrift to come. If the whole frame 
 of heaven and earth ftiall be fo wonderfully changed, and 
 a new world made, how holy Ihould thty be, and how 
 great a degree of purity fliould they labour to attain unto, 
 ■who expect to live in this new world. Learn hence. That 
 the hrin belief of ChrilVs coming tojudgment, and the dif- 
 Iblution of this finful world by fire, (hould convince all 
 chriftians of the ntcefllty of, and engage them in their pnr- 
 I'uits and endeavours after, a life of univerfal holinefs, and 
 tKat v/ith the utmoft care and pofli'ole diligence. Heaven 
 is an holy place, has holy company, holy employments, 
 holy enjoyments ; we mufi be qualified for it. before we 
 can be admitted into it, and begin that life of holinefs upon 
 earth which will never end in heaven ; without a prefent 
 lueernefs for heaven, we mult never cxpedl to be admitted 
 iutn it. Col. i. 12. 
 
 12 Looking for and haflingunto the coming of 
 the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire 
 /hall be diflblvcd, and the elements Ihall melt with 
 fervent heat ? 
 
 H.iving exhorted perfons hy holinefs to prepare for 
 Clirift's coming to judgment in the foregoing vrrfe, he 
 now dircclj ihein to exptft and look for it, to delire and 
 long after it, h;king J'lr and hajling unto the coming <f the 
 day of G'ld, that jnytul day of our perfect deliverance and 
 falvation, when the lower heavens and earth flial) be dif- 
 iblved, and the elements nich with fervent he.Tt. Learn 
 beiue. That there is, or ought to be in all believets, a 
 vehement deiireafter, and a ft-rvent longing foj-, the com- 
 ing and appearance of our L.ord Jefus Chrilt. Q thriftian ! 
 long intenfely for Chrilt's companyj for know afluredly he 
 lungs for thine. 
 
 13 Xeverthelefs we (accordin:^ to his proinife) 
 look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein 
 dwelluth righteoufncifs. 14 Wherefore, beloved, 
 feeing that ye look for Inch things, be diligent, that 
 yc may be found of hiin in peace, without fpot, 
 and blamelcls. 
 
 Chferve here, i. Whit is the fulijet.^-m3tterof the chrif- 
 tian's txpcclaiion, he li-ckj for new /.i-tj'twf, and a new 
 earth in which d-j)tlUlh rivhtt'iujntfs , thnt i.*, only righteous 
 pirfuns, and perfttlly righteous pcrlnrs, w here fin fhall no 
 mnie jirevail. 2. What is the ground and foundation of 
 thi;; hope, in the clnillians, it is the promife of (Jod, lu- 
 (uccrn ding tr, his prQ,tiife ) hok for ntiv leavens, &c. To 
 hope fir any thing that God has noi promifed, is pre- 
 lumption. Hojie is the expectaiion ol liinie tutnre oood 
 which God ha> prornil'ed, and faiih lu-lieved. •^. How 
 chrillians flioulj e]uj!ify and Jit. iji.ike ready and prepare 
 themfc'lvesfor ihi> j.'vful hour,thisdcliiihIe place and ftate. 
 Be diligent, &:c. Give all diligence that yc may be f« tind 
 at th.it day in a flate of peace and recoiiciliatiim with God 
 by jullilication, and >vilhont fpot, and lilanielef-., wiihout 
 any allowed fpoi or blame, by prelfing now atit-r the highefl 
 nieafnres of fanc'tificatii'i). that fo an entrance ni ly both 
 JDyfnlly and abundantly be adiiiiniffertd 10 you into that 
 kingdom wherein dw.elleth righteoufnefs. 
 
 15 And account thai the lom^-fufFciing of our 
 Lordzi falvation, even as our beloved brother Paul 
 alio, according to the wifdom given unto him, hath 
 written unto you; 16 As alfo in all /hj cpiftles, 
 fpeaking in them of thefe things : in which are ibine 
 things hard to be underflood, which they that are 
 unlearned and unliable wrelt, as they do alfo the 
 other I'cripturcs, unto their own dellruclion. 
 
 In thefe words St. Peter advifes them to niajce an htily 
 and wife conftniction of the foibearaiue of Gc;d in his de- 
 laying to come to judgement, not to thiiik ihat God ncg- 
 lefts theni under fuffenngs, or is wcll-pleafed with the pcr- 
 verfcnefs of the world in linning ; but his paiience and 
 long fufferingtowards them is hereby dilpl^yed, inoiderto 
 the bringing of them to repentance, and by repentance :« 
 falvation. Account that the long-fuffrring oj Cod, that is, 
 thedefign of God in his long-futfenng, is the (iiiner's fal- 
 vaiion. Here note, Thar patience and long fnlKring in 
 God is an ability or power in him, not only to di'Uy the 
 execution of his wrath for a lime, by a temporary fiifpen- 
 fion of it towards thein that perilh, and HmII f.tl it at l;.lf ; 
 but to delay the execution of it towards oihers. in order to 
 their eternal falvation, ihat they may never feel it. Oiifrrve, 
 How thii apofile, to idd to the flrength and authi^rity of 
 w;hdt he had fpoken concerning the certainty of Chrifl's 
 coining, and their duty to be in ready ptep.irjtion for it, 
 doth make mention of St. Paul as hearing wit nel^. in iVverjl 
 places of his epilHcs, thereunto : Even as our bel ,ved h' other 
 Paul, Sic. As the prophets had all one mouih. fo had the 
 apoflles alfo, fpeaking all the faine thmg. Chferve, l.illly. 
 The teftimony given by St. Peter to St. Paul's epilHts. 
 He Jcknowledjjts, That there v.tieJ«iiH things m them hard 
 
 ta 
 
Chap, i, 
 
 I. St. JOHN. 
 
 10% 
 
 to lie unddjloott. Afark. He doth not fsy many thinjrs, 
 much K'fs that jII tilings in St. Paul were hard to be under- 
 Jhid, but I'ome things only. How vainly then doih the 
 church of Rome produce this text, tc prove the obfcuriiy 
 ofthevkhole fcripture ; whereas the great and nccefTary 
 things to ourfalvation are fo plainly revealed in fcripiure, 
 f hat even bahes in Chrill do apprehend and umierftand 
 them. And though there be difficulties in other points, 
 more remote from falvation, yet they arc fo for our cxerciie 
 and trial, to excite our moft intenie Ihidy and diligence. 
 Notf farther, Who the perlunsareto whom the ftriptures 
 are hard to be underftood, to the unleaned and unHable, 
 who wreftand pervert them to their own dellruftion. The 
 original Aord rendered to wejt, is a metaphor t.iken from 
 tonurers, who put a man upon the ratk, they torment him, 
 Jo long t'll they make him fpcak what he never meant to 
 fpe.ik; fo thel'e wrelt a ienfeout of fcripture which the Holy 
 Glioll never intended. Scriftura ohfcurltas non nwe re- 
 quite n^iejjitatem , fed fpir'iius illum'inantis ft minij/erii expo- 
 iientis Kecfjfitatem o/iendit. Bilhop Davenant. 
 
 1 7 Ye therefore, beloved, feeing ye kno^v ihefe 
 thifigs before, beware left ye alfo, being led away 
 with the error of the wicked, fall from your own 
 ftcadfaftnefs. i8 But grow ia grace, and in the 
 
 knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift : 
 To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 
 
 Our apoitle concludes his epiIHe with an exhort.-»tion to 
 watcli agjinft the errors and laU'e dcftrines of fcducers, 
 left we; bfing led away thereby, do fall from our own 
 fteadfallnels in the faith of the goCpel. It ought to be our 
 care not only to be found in the faith, but fte;dfaft in the 
 faith ; and, that w e may be fo, we are here directed, i . To 
 grow in giace, in all grace, in faith, hope, and love ; for 
 grace cftaUlilhcs the heart, and accordingly, (teadfafinefs 
 and increafc of grace are here joined together. 2. To 
 grow in knowledge ; the way to be kept fteadfjft is to 
 grow in grace; and the bp(l way to grow in grace, is to 
 grow in the knowledge of Jefus Chrift, to know hitn in his 
 jjerfon, in hi< cflices, in his undertaking, in his dt ftrine, 
 in his example; fuch a knowledge asthisis of Jefus Chrift, 
 ii fundamental to all graces. They all begin in know- 
 ledge, and are increaled by knowledge. Crc-w in grace, 
 and in ihe knowledge of Jefus Chrijt ; behold how thefe 
 two keep equal pace in the foul of a chrillian, namely, 
 grace and knowledge ; in what degree one incrcafes, the 
 other increafes proportionably. To the author and finiflier 
 of which grace, to the fountain and foundation of which 
 knowledge, be afcribed all honour and glory both now 
 and for evermore, yfmen. 
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL 
 
 O F 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 N. 
 
 As tntchiv.g the author end penman ofthh ep'^fJc, the church of God has in all ages concluded it to be St. John the 
 apcjlle, ike fame perfon that ivrote the gofpcl, though we do not find his name prefixed to either, which is looked 
 upon as an evidence of his great humility : he that was fo high m Chri/l's favour as to he called. The difciple 
 whom Jefus loved, how Ultle and hmu low was he in his own fight I 
 
 The time when he wrote this epifle is concluded to have been a Utile bfore the deflruBton of Jentfalem, becaufe he 
 fpeaks of the laf hour now at hand, xohich is generally, underfiood to be the lajl times of the Jewifh flate ; and 
 becaufiof the many Antichrifts and falfe prophets which were then mmng than, fuch as Chrifi tells us, Matt, 
 xvi. 24. where to be the imvudiate forerunners of tliat dfflruElion. 
 
 The occafwn of writing itfeems to be twofold, partly to a7~m the Jewifh converts againfl thofe loofe doBrines, that 
 faith without works, believing without doing right em fiefs, was fufficient to falvation ; that men might be chil- 
 aren cf the light and yet walk in darknefs, the favourites of God witlmt obedience to his laws, or love to his 
 children or fervants; and partly to foUfy them againft the impious doctrine of the Gnfics, wlio fprang frcmi 
 Simon Magus, and pretended to extraordinary meafures of hiouiledge and divine illumination, from whence 
 thp had their name ; but n-twitlflandmg all thefe glittering appearances, they alloiued ihemflves in all manner 
 of impious and vicious praHues. 
 
1070 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. r. 
 
 Nixw that Si. John particularly aims at thefc men, is evident from the Jrequenl-and plain nUuftani ■thrcuglioiU this (p;Jl(e^ 
 to thofe nanw.^ and titles luhich this ftcl ajfumcd to than/elves: thits, chap. ii. 4. He that faith I know him, 
 and kecpcth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Thisfefl a!fo pretended that, 
 whatever the:,' did, they could not fin. Hence is lliat of the apojtte, chap. i. 8. If wo fay that we have no fin, 
 the truth is not in us. In a word, tiiefe tnm mt only held it lawful to rcmiince chrijlianity, that they might 
 avoid perffcution, but alfo joined with the heathens in perfcailin^ the chrijliaiis ; for which rca/on (he apfl/e taxes 
 ihetn with hatred of their brethren, and calls i-'icm murderers ; therefore to fitw the inconffmcy of thife prin- 
 ciples a)ul prailices with ckrijlianity, the apojlle writes this e.uellent epijlle vow before us, afJerUng, that nrthm^ is 
 more effential to a tnie chri/lian tlian the kv: ard praSice of wiiverfal holiwfs ; and let men pretend to what know- 
 ledge and faith they pleafe, wickcdnefs is a plain rmrk and chardcler cfthe children of the devil. This is the general 
 fcope and def.gn of St. John's epi/lle. 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 THAT which was from the beginning, which 
 we have heard, which we have fccu -\.ith our 
 eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands 
 have handled of the Word of life ; 
 
 It is firfl olfcrvabh, that wiiereas St. John began his 
 j^ofpel with a defcription of Chrifl's divinity, as God, he 
 begins his cpiftiC wiih a dctnonflraiion of the tni'h of his 
 I'.iiman nature as man ; for th; certainty of which he ap- 
 peals to the judgment of fenfc, becauic the fenfes, when 
 rij^litly circumftantiatcd, are the proper judges of all fenflblc 
 objefls: Accordingly St. John here, to llicw the certainty 
 ef Chrifl's incariiation, and manifcftation in the tkHi, 
 brings in three of the five fenfes, to ^vit, hearing, fcli-.g, 
 feeling, to bear vviincfs to it, the latter full carrying a 
 ftronger teflimony than the former ; to fi^c is more than to 
 hear ; to feel is more than to fee. Ohjerv: farther, that 
 to make the teflimony yet more ftrong, St. Joiin adds two 
 words more, by wav ol confirmation, i. That -which w: 
 have locked ufoi: ; now this is more than to fee ; to fee may 
 be but a tranfient fuddcn acl, but to hik upon is a fixed and 
 dcirberate ai£l, and ufiially a pleafing and delightful a£l ; we 
 I'jok upon jiim as the rareft objeft, as the deflrc and the 
 delight of our eyes. 2. It is added, as the fureft ground of 
 Ccrt:iintv, that their hands had handled the Word of life ; 
 as ihcv daily converfcd with Chrifl, fo they handled and 
 touched him,' both before his refurreClion and after it ; fo 
 that from hence v/c may remark, that God has given us 
 the highcft and fulleft alUiranccs, that c.^n be defired, of his 
 Son's manifeflaiion in our fiefh, and appearing in our na- 
 •turc ; he was heard and fcen, looked upon, and handled, 
 by thofe that ccnverfed wlili him, r-hich are evident de- 
 jiionflrations of ihe truth of the human nature aifumcd by 
 him. Laflly, Our apoftle takes notice of Chrifl's divine na- 
 ♦u.'C, as well as r.fTcris the reality of hii human nature i he 
 lt)!c. him theJVcrd: the M'oid tfVtfe, yi\A the IVcrd which 
 xvusfnm the beginning ; in ilie beginning, when all things 
 ificivcd their being, then (he Word was anJ did r.(Slu:;!ly 
 fcd)lif}, even from mU eternity. Learn hence, That Jcfus 
 Chril!, thc.eternal Word, m't only antecedent to his in- 
 c.irn.iiion, hi.'t even before all lime, and the beginning of 
 all thintTS, hid an aiSunl being ami fubfifhnce. IVov. viii. 
 23. / w.if 7'-/ up J'r;m cherliJUng, then wr:s I by him as one 
 ir-.i'ghl iil> with' him , thus v/.ns thii Jcfis in wilom wc 
 
 trnft, both God and man, having two dillinfl natures in 
 one perfon. 
 
 2 (For the life wasmanifeftcd, and we have feen 
 it, and beavwitnefs, and (hew unto you that eternal 
 life which v/as with the Father, and was manif'^fted 
 unto us. 
 
 As if the apoflle had faid, " Chrifl Jefus, that eternal 
 life whicii was with the F"ather from eternity, as being his 
 eternal Son, v.'as in the fulnefs of time manii'c'tcd in the 
 fiefli, and we his rpolUes faw him in his allumed human 
 nature, and do now tedify, ptiblifh, and declare hint unio 
 you, he was pleafed to fubjecl; himlelf to the notice of our 
 fents, and what we have heard, fccn, and felt, and has been 
 manifeded unto us, tliat we do, with all integrity declare 
 and nianifert iirto others." A'c/^ here, 1. The tiile given 
 to Chrill, he \sllfe, dcrnil life, he is fo in himfelf, and he 
 is the fountain of life to us ; we i^ow live by him a life of 
 juflilication, we derive iron him a life of hoiinefsond fanc- 
 lification, and we hope to live with him a life of glorifica- 
 tion. 2. This eternal life was from all eternity with the 
 Father, and dilHncl from him ; he was with the Father, 
 not as an infirument, but as an agent, in makiiig of the 
 world, Fleb. i. 2, 3. And as his Father's delight, IVov. 
 viii. 31. Note, 2- Tliis eternal life, which from the be- 
 ginning was with the Father, in the fulnefs of time was 
 nianifefted to the fons of men ; manifeflc-d, not as he was 
 to tl-.c prophets by faitli, io ihey rejoiced 10 fee liim, 
 John viii. nor in the iimilitude and likcnefs of tiefli, fo he 
 fomctimes manifffted himfelf to the patriarchs. Gen. xviii, 
 but manifeflcd in the flcfh to his apoUles, who eat and 
 drank, dilcourfed and converftd with him. 4. That what 
 the apoltlcs faw of Chrilf they made maniftft tooihers; 
 ihey had theinl'elvcs fufFicient falisfadion of ihevciiiyof 
 Chrifl's human nature, and of tl-.c- certainty of hi.i doiftiinc, 
 and therefore with mighty afTuiances they declare it unto 
 others, and the reafon of that d6clarati<}ii follows in tht 
 next vcrfe. 
 
 3 That which we have feen and heard, declare 
 we unto you, that ye alfo tnay have fellowfliip 
 
 with us: and truly our fcllowflup is with the Father, 
 and with his ison Jcfus Chrill. 
 
 As if he had faid, " Wc declare unto you lliat of Cbrift 
 wliich we ourfclves have feci) uiid heard, and wisa! we had 
 
 by 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1071 
 
 by fijrht and hearing you are to receive from our teftimony; 
 andoor defign and end lierein is fincerely this, that you 
 may have lello-.vfhip, and be of one communion with us, 
 and not with faifc teachers, and by virtue otyour toininu- 
 nion with us may partake of the fame faith and grace, and 
 all fpiritual benefits and privileges which Chrid has pur- 
 chafcd for us ; and you will have no caufe to repent of 
 your coining into our communion and fcllowlhip ; for 
 verily we, and all that have (incerely erabVaced the doc- 
 trine of the Gofpel with us, have fellowfiiip with the Fa- 
 ther, and with his Son Jefu: Chrilt, and with each other. 
 Lf«rn hence. That believers have communion with the 
 Father, Sor.j and Koly Spirit, and one with another. 
 Q^cJ'r. What lioih this coniniutiion include ? Anf~ji. i. 
 Real union ; believers are united to God and Chrill mo- 
 rally, conjijgiliy, myttically. 2. Reciprocal community ; 
 a community of enjoyments ; the Lord is theirs, and they 
 are his ; a cominuniiy cf afa-ition ; there is mutual love, 
 nuitual delight, mutual deiires, and mutual hatred ; a 
 community of interefts ; they have the fame defijrns and 
 ends, thef<ime enemies and friends; a community of pri- 
 vileges ; the Lord vifits thsin, and they vifit him ; the 
 Lord walks with them, and they with him; the Lord ob- 
 fervci iheiM, and they obferve him ; they impart the fe- 
 rret of their hearts to him, and he imparts the fecrets of 
 his v.ord and of liis providence to them. Gen. xviii. 17, 
 Shall I hide from Abraham the thing 1 hat I civ ? Qu-fr. 2. 
 What are the benefits ar.d advantages of this communion? 
 An/\o. 1 1 afi'ords the higheft honour, ihs fweeteft plealure, 
 and the chiefeti hsppin^-fs ; it is heaven on this fide hea- 
 veil ; oar happinefs and theirs differs only in degree, no: 
 effentially, but gradually. Bled'ed privilege '. 
 
 4 And thcfc things write we unto ycu that your 
 joy may be full. 
 
 Oi/frve here. The great end for which the Apoftle pen- 
 ned and wrote the doclrine of the gofpel, namely, that 
 their joy oiny be full who do believe it and obey it. The 
 ioy which good men eKpin-ience in the word of God is a 
 fohdjoy, a iubifantial joy, afulljoy, alaftingjoy. Worldly 
 I joy is naufeatinjj, biit not fatisfying ; glutting but not 
 r filling : But that joy that is found in the holy Scriptures, 
 in the word and promife of God, is better expetienccd 
 tlian exprefied. Chriftianity doth not extirpate our joy, 
 but regulate and refine it ; it Ihews us the proper object of 
 ourjov, what to rejoice in, and the vnan.ner how, that we 
 may not fin in rejoicing. 
 
 5 9 This then is the meffage which we have 
 heard of hitn, aad declare unto you, that God is 
 Jight, and in him is no darkneis at all. 
 
 That ii, " This is the fum and fubftance of the gofpel 
 ofChrid's dodlrine, and our meflage, to teach us to know 
 what God is, namely, light, that is, a being of infinite 
 knowledge, wiidom. and purity ; and that there is no^tirk- 
 r.cp in hi>n, r.o darknefs of er.-or, no darknefs of igno- 
 rance, impurity, and fin, found with him, orcanbeplea- 
 fing to him. Note, here, i. The gofpel is a inell'ige, a 
 fpccial and gracious niefl'ige, fent by God to a loll world. 
 I'he minillcrs of the Gofptlare melTengers feat olGod, to 
 
 make known this mcfTdge ; and if fo, then they mufl re- 
 ceive their mifllon from God, then their mcflTige depends 
 not upon their own, but God's authority ; then their peo- 
 ple are to receive it, not ai the inefTage and word of man, 
 but as it is indeed the word of God. a. The metaphor 
 which St. John makes choice of, 10 fct forth the nature 
 of God by. He defcribcs him, i. Affirmatively, Goil rj 
 light, his nature and attributes are, Cthough darkly and im- 
 perfeiEllyj refembled by it ; the light, as it was the fiiftof 
 all creatures, fli.idows forth the eternity of Gods being, 
 who is the P'irfl and the Lafl; light, of all bodies, is th« 
 mod iinmaterici and uncempounded, denoting the Spiri- 
 tuality and fimplicity of God's nature. Is the light ditfu- 
 i'lve, and cannot but impart itielf for the benefit of others? 
 fo is God cumrnur.icative of his goodnefs to all perfons, 
 Ihining upon the juft and upon the unjuft. But according 
 to the apoflle's intendment here, ligluis of a pure and ur.- 
 defled nature, it is a bright and fpotlefs fplendor; though 
 !t fliines upon a dunghill, it contra<5ls no pollutions ; this 
 reprefents the perfect purity and unfpotted holinefs rf Cod. 
 2. Negatively, In him is no darknefs at all ; that is, God 
 is fo pure, that not the leadimpurity can cleave unto Iiim; 
 fo holy, that no (in can be found in him, and confequent- 
 ly no darknefs of lin or impurity can proceed from him. 
 Learn we then, always to entertain high and holy 
 thoughts of God, and to conceive of him as a being that 
 hates fin, and all the works and workers of darknefs, 
 Pfal. v. 4. Thou art not a God that hath pleafure in -wick- 
 ednefs, neither Jliall evil d-atelliuith thee, &c. 
 
 6 If we fay that we have fellowfhip with him, and 
 walk in darknefs, wc lie, and do not the truth, 
 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is m the light, 
 we have fellowfhip one with another, — 
 
 Okfrrve here, i. What great plainnefs of fpeech St. 
 Joh 1 ufes with and towards fuch pc-fons as call ihem- 
 lelves chriftians, and pretend to fellowfh'p with God, but 
 yet hold communion with fin, he fays, they lie. O how 
 well does fervour, vehemency, and impartiality, become 
 the minilfers of Chrift in reproving fin ! Health is fsnnd 
 in thofe fmart wounds which nunillerial reproof makes. 
 2. St. John fpeaks in the firft, not in the fecond perl'on 
 plural; if -we fay, not if you; if we apofiles and miniltcrs, 
 as well as if you difciples and members of Chrift, be guilty 
 of this hvpocrify, 'Me lie, and do n-it the truth; he does not 
 fay, and (peak not the truth ; but do it not ; there is a 
 twofold lie, the lie of the lip, and the lie of life, and the 
 latter is the louder of the two ; they lie, becaufe they do 
 not tlie truth. The fum is, that a profelfionof piety and 
 reli"-ion, accompanied svith fin and inifuitable walking, is 
 odioui hipocrity abhorred by God and man. 3. The 
 pradife of the fincere and ferious chrillian, he wjlks in 
 the I'ighi ; that is, in the clear kno\i ledge of the gofpt-l, 
 and in the exemplary and exact performance i-f hii duiy. 
 Walking implies motion, itisa voluntary motion, an uni- 
 form and even motion. To talk of religion is eafy, but 
 to v.'alk wifelv before God and man in the pradife of our 
 whiile duty, requiresdiligence andcircumfpec'tion. 4. The 
 pattern jfter which the chrillian walks, and that is God ; 
 iic walks in the light, as he is in the light ; God is in the 
 
 li^hc 
 
10/3 
 
 I. St. John. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 light, that it, all his anions are e\a&]y pure and holy, 
 and our walking niuft, for the quality of ir, be holy, though 
 for equality it cannot be fo holy as Goif is holy. 5. A 
 double privilege fecureil to fuch .ts walk in communion 
 with God, we have f:l!owlhip one with another ; juftitica- 
 tion by ChriU, the blood of Jefus Chrift cleanfeth from 
 all 111). Note I. Such as walk in the light have a certain 
 lellowfliip and communion with God and Chrill, and the 
 holy Spirit, and they with him, and likewii'e an intimate 
 fellowlhip and communion one with another. Oh! How 
 great is our dignity ! How gracious Chrift's dignation J 
 Row high are we exalted ! How low is he abated ! The 
 fecoiid privilege follows : 
 
 — And the blood of Jefus Chrifl his Son cleanf- 
 eth us from all fin. 
 
 Note, here, i. The pollution and uncleannefs of (in 
 implied and fuppofed in the word cleanjing- finis thegreat 
 pollution and defilement of the foul, an univerf^ pollution, 
 an abiding pollution, a mortjl pollution, and yet an in- 
 fcnlible pollution. 2. The remedy which the wifdein of 
 God has provided againft this malady, the foul's pollution 
 by fill, and that is the blood of his Son; this cleanfeth 
 meritorioufly, called therefore the bland «f God, as being 
 the blood of him that i? truly and really God. 3. The 
 extent of the efficacy and virtue of this blood. 1. In re- 
 gard of the univerfality of the difeafe, it cleanfeth from all 
 im. 2. In regard of the permanency of the remedy, which 
 is expreflcd in the prefent tenfe, it clear.fetb ; implying, 
 that this blood doth never lofe its efficacy ; it cicanfes ftill 
 no lei's than it did thefirll moment it was flied ; nay, it 
 cleanfeth virtually before it was flied ; all the patriarchs 
 and prophets were juftified, and faved by faith in his blood, 
 who was the Lamb flain from the beginning of the world, 
 in the decree and purpofe of God, Eternal thanks to our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift the Son of God, whofe blood cleanfeth 
 from ilie guilt and iilih of all fin. 
 
 8 Ifwe fay that we have no fin, we deceiveour- 
 felves, and the truth is not in us. 
 
 ]f'Me fay ; we apoflles, we cannot fay we are free from 
 fin ; much lefs can the proud Giioftics fay l"o, whofuppofe 
 and afll-rt thenifelves to be in a Itate of perfeftion ; and ob- 
 ferve, he doihno! fay, if we/I/v w e hzd no fin, wedeceive 
 c.tirfelves ; but that if now we lay we have none ; intimat- 
 ing, that chnrtians, as well after as before converlion, con- 
 tinue (infill perfons ; a perfect freedom from all (in being 
 altogether unattainable in this life, not only by ordinary 
 chriltians, but by the molt eminent faints. The church 
 of Rome will have it thai'iliis \s tna^is kumiliter quani vera- 
 iiter dicjum, rather fpoken humbly than truly ; but the 
 Ap'ilUe dciih not fay, huTiulity is 11. ^t in us ; but, the truth 
 IS not in us ; he faith not, wt e>;iul ourfelvej, and there 
 is no lo\slinefs ious ; but, we d;ceive oiirfeUes and there 
 is no truth in us ; no truth of knowledge in cur under- 
 liindin^s, no real bolinefs in our hearts Who can fay, 
 he li.is made his heart clean ? W e can nt ither alcnbc s\ bat 
 j)urity we have to oiirlelve-, nor yet ai'nbu'e pcrfcclion to 
 our purity ; and if lo, how (hould we kri.g for the day of 
 redemption, when nc tin lltail aifVct us, no iorrow afiiict 
 
 us ! when we fhill be clothed with unfpotted purity, per- 
 fei.'t fel'city, and that to all eternity. 
 
 9 If we confcfs our fins, he is faithful and jufl to 
 forgive lis our fins, and to cleanic us from all un- 
 rightcoi.incfs. 
 
 Behold here, i. A double bleflTing proiiiifed and in- 
 fiired, namely, iu(tihcati<m and lancliticinon, f.irgivenefs 
 of (in, andcleanling from it, yea, from all iniquity ; « hen 
 Gv d pardons fin, no (in is left unpardoned ; the ("ea can 
 as eafily drown a thonl'and men as a fingle man ; God's 
 atfl of pardoning grace is free and full. 2. The certainly 
 of the mercy promifed, God // faithful, and jufi to f^jf- 
 g'lve ; not merciful and gracious, though fo he is in him- 
 felf, but faithful with refpect to hispromife tou^, andjuft 
 with refpect to the fatisfac>ion given by Chriit for us. 
 Almighty God in pardoning (in f>erforms an aft of Uriel 
 judice with re(pe(£t to Chriil,as well as an acl of grace and 
 mercy, in regard of us ; he is faithful and jo(t, as well as 
 gracious and merciful. 3. The indilpenlible duty re- 
 quired on our part, and that is confeffion of fin, Ifwe 
 conf'fs. Now, confeflion of (in is a penitent (inncr's volun- 
 tary nccufing himfelf to God, and condemning himfelf be- 
 fore God, with hatred of, fhame and forrow for, and a 
 full refolntion againft his lin, together with an earnefl de- 
 fire of, and fome good hope in divine mercy. 4- What 
 relation confeflion fbands in to remiflion, not as a merito- 
 rious caufe ; fatisfaftion, not confeffion, merits pardon, 
 but it is an exclufive condition, there is noremilfion with- 
 out confelfion ; God will not pardon without it : And it 
 is an incli'.live condition ; God vvill, certainly will, forgive 
 ihcm that confefs : There is not only a pnfTibility or pro- 
 bability, but an infallible certainty of obtaining remidlon 
 upon confelfion. 
 
 10 If we fay that we have not finned, wc make 
 him a liar, and his tvord is not in us. 
 
 Note here, The impiety and blafphemy of thofc who 
 affirm thenifelves to be in a {fate of finlefs jierfeftion : 
 they do not only lie themlelves, but interpretativt-ly, and 
 ns much as in them is, they make God a liar, by contra- 
 diding what he has afl'erted in his word, that all arc (in- 
 ners : So that upon the whole it appears, that to affirm 
 we have no (in, h the higheftpnde, the greateft deceit, the 
 loud^ft lie, the prcphanclk blafphemy ; it is to make the 
 God of truth a liar, and to turn the truth of God into a 
 lie, which evidences that hi: word is not in us. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 MY little children, thefe things write I unto 
 you that ye fin not. And if any man fin, we 
 have an advocate with the Father, jefus Chriftthe 
 righteous : 2 And he is the propitiation for our 
 fins : and not for ours only, but alfo for the Jim of 
 the whole world. 
 
 Chfetve here the compellation. Firft, My little chil- 
 dren, 'Jhe Apoflle calls the chriflians to whom he wroie, 
 children, little children ; itJJ-littlechildren. He calls thsTi 
 chiUrsn, bccaufe converted to chridianity ; Ulthchldr-n, 
 
 becaufe 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 io73f 
 
 becaiife young and tender clirirtians,,of a low ftatiire in 
 religion, and tar (hoit of manly pc-rfeflions : and his little 
 children, to denote that fpiritual relation which was be- 
 tween hi r\ and them, and that endeared afFetSion which 
 he bare towards them. St. Jolin, by a loving compella- 
 tion, in,'kcs way tor a faiihfnl admonition, which follows 
 in ;he next words : Thrfe th::tgs I zuritc, that yc fin nit. 
 This tnuft be underflood in a qualified fcnfe, thus : i. Sin 
 not, that is, as the wicked fin ; take heed of fcandalous 
 ennrnnitics, thongh you cannot llnke off daily infirmities. 
 2. Sin nut, as in the fame kind that others fin, io abflain 
 either in the fame manner that you yourfclves before fin- 
 ned ; fin not with that fulnefs of deliberation, with that 
 freedom of confcnr ; fin not with that rtrength of refolu- 
 tion, with that frec]iicncv of aftion, with wlu'ch yon fin- 
 nod before you were called to chrifUanitv. 3. Sin not ; 
 that is, as far as human nature vvill admit, abflain from 
 all fin ; let it be your care, prayer, fludy, endeavour, to 
 keep yonrfelves from every evil thing. Thus Zachary 
 and Elifabcth, were blamelcfs, Luke i. 6. that is, they lived 
 in no fin known to the world, or known to themfelves ; 
 fo it is (aid of Job, chap. i. ult. he fumed not ; that is, had 
 no fin prevailing, in hisn ; no fin indulged by him. Ob- 
 ferve, 2. As the cautionary Ahcdwu, fin not -^ fo the com- 
 liirtable conclufion, tut if any 7nan Ji-i, that is, through 
 infirmity and weaknefs, through the policy of the teinptcr, 
 <<r by the fiirprize of a temptation, zue have an advocate, a 
 mediator and an interoeffor in heaven, who is abfolutely 
 tinlcfs, even Jefus Chriji the righteous. It is a metaphor, 
 taken from courts of judicature, where are the gtulty per- 
 fin, the accufcr, the judge, and the advocate: Thus here 
 lieaven is the court, man is the guilty perlln, Satan the 
 acciifer, God the iiidga, Chrill the advocate. The pro- 
 per office of an advocate is, not to deny the faft, or difown 
 the giiiit, but to offer fomething to the judge, wheieby the 
 law may be fatisfied, and upon which the judge may, with- 
 out any unrighteoufnefs, difcharge the accufed. 3. An 
 invaluable privilege here difcovcred, tiiat Chrill our advo- 
 cate became a propitiation for us, and for the whole race of 
 mankind, for all that lived before ws, or (hall live after us, 
 for Jews and Gentiles ; there is a virtual fiifficiencv in the 
 death of Chrifi: for all perfons, and an aftiial efficacy as 
 to all believers. Learn hence. That our Lord Jefii- Chrift, 
 fuffering death upon the crofs for our redemption, did by 
 that one oblation of himfelf once offered, make a fu^l, ner- 
 feiff, and fullicient facrifice, oblation, and fatisfaiflion for 
 the fins of the whole world. The original word propitia- 
 tion, fignifics a propitiatory covering, an allufion to the 
 niercy-(eat that covered the ark in which the law was : 
 \n allu-ion to whieh, Chrift i- here called our Propitiatory 
 covering, becaiife he hides our fins, the traiifgreflions of the 
 law, from his Father's fight. 
 
 3 I And hereby we do know that we knotv him, 
 if we keep his commandiiieiit.s. 4 He th.it faith, I 
 know hiiTi, and keepeth not his commandments, is 
 a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But vvhofo 
 keepeth bis word, in him verily is the love of God 
 pcrfefted : hereb}' know wc that we are in him. 
 
 Obferve here, t. That a chriflian may be afiured of 
 his falvation ^ to know that we know, is to be affured that 
 wc know ; not only to have the vital, but the fiducial aft 
 of faiih. Some chriflians can fay, " We know that we 
 know hiin." 2. The nature of true chriilian knowledge 
 difcovered : It is an obedient knowledge: It is ii'it fuffi- 
 cicnt to profcfs that we know Chrifi, except we yield fin- 
 cere obedience to him : For this is a certain mark and 
 proof that we know Chrill efFeflually, if we love him, and 
 keep his conimandinents. The true knowledge of God 
 confifts in keeping of the word of God, the whole word of 
 God, and becaufe it is his. 3. That to fay wc know 
 God, when we do not keep hi^ cominandments, and to 
 fay we keep his commandment?, when we do not know 
 him, is a lie. Sad will their condition be who perifh for 
 want of the knowledge of God, but much fadder theirs, 
 who perifh in the negleft or abiifc of that knowledge. 
 4. That a conlcientious care, and conflant endfeavour to 
 obferve the word, and keep ihe law of God, is a certain 
 mark and evidence that he that doth it has the love of 
 God perfedled in him, and towards him : fVlyifoever keep- 
 eth his word, i^c. 
 
 6 He that faith he abidcth in him, ought him- 
 felf alfo to walk even as he walked. 
 
 Obfervehere, I. An high and honourable privilege flip- 
 pofed to be claimed, and that is union with Chrifi, and 
 abiding in him ; he that faith he ahidelh in him. The abid- 
 ing in Chrifi is a great privilege, and the true and real 
 chriflian, doth truly and really abide in Chrifi. 2. A great 
 and itnportant duty belonging to. all thofe that do abide in 
 Chrifi, and that is to walk as Chrill walked ; to fet his ex- 
 ample daily before them, and to be continually correifline 
 and reforming of their lives by that glorious pattern. Every 
 chriflian is bound to an imitation of Chrifi, under penalty 
 of forfeiting his claim to Chrifi ; for no claim to Chrifi is 
 or can be valid without a careful imitation of him. The 
 temper of our minds, and the afbions of our lives, mufl be 
 a lively tranfcript of the mind and life of the holy and in- 
 nocent Jefus ; we muft be like him, or we cati never love 
 him, nor hope another day to 1 ve with him. 
 
 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto 
 you, but an old commandment, which ye had from 
 the beginning : the old cointnandment is the word 
 which ye have heard from the beginning. 8, Again 
 a new commandment I write unto you, which thin^ 
 is true in him and in you ; becaufe the darknel's is 
 paft, and the trtie light now fhineth. 
 
 Our Apoflie here exhorts chriflian- to the great du'y 6i 
 brotherly love, afl'uring thetn, that it was no new coin- 
 inaiidment which he enjoined them, but that which they 
 were taught, not only in and by the Old Teflament, htit 
 at the firft preaching of the gofptl amongfl them ; and in 
 ihefe refpeifls the command of love niighTbc ..alLd an old 
 commandment, it being a branch of the law of nature, and 
 a known precept of the Jesvifh religion ; although in other 
 retpefls it might be called a new commandment, brcr.ufe 
 urged from a new rnotive, and enforced bv a new example. 
 
1071 
 
 i. St. J O II X. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 2,Mrn hence, j. Tlu't th: (bfti-'me of ihiiftian love is a Qjie otgrjcc, and nti:lit rflun.blei)i I'i^irjf.ticiihd- is there 
 
 divine conimandinent.> thst which chriftisns .ire nut only nccafion c'vcn by hiui that others ihoiild Uiinihle, or be 
 
 allowed but enjoined lo practil'e ; and it is called thif c9>'i- drawn into anv tin. CLfove, 2. The (in r|>:-cified, and the 
 
 mandment, in the fingular number, to intiniaie, that in this vice oppofcd.naniely, luting of oiirbroihcr : Hethjt halrlh 
 
 one commaiidnirnt all the reft were containt-d, lb iliat in hit hri/thtr, Zee. W hcrt- «>/-, i. It is not oiily hurtinj;, but 
 
 keeping this we keep all. What areallihc cominandincius 
 indeed but love cnlarjrcd ? Ani « hat i^ love but the coin- 
 inandnients contracted i 2. 1 hat the coniuiindnient of 
 love is an old coniiii:r.drnent ; it is as old as Mules, yea, 
 as old as Adam, beinjrapart of the law of nature wriilcn 
 
 haviiiT our bro'lier, tlm is. f..ri)iddon, and tint this l-.aiicd 
 is r.w only f.nbidden whilil he i<our fiiend; bnt wh-ii he 
 beto.Vjes iinr enemy. To hate a fii •i\d i-. inhuniaii ; lo 
 hate an enemy is uiichriftiin. And furihtr, it 'nmll be 
 iio:t;l, that whatever fibs Ihort of the diiiy of lovmg. 
 
 jn Adam's heart. 'J'he ev.Tngclicil comniand of love was coiueth Nviiliin the t'v)nipars of hating onr brother: For 
 
 from the beginning of the law, and nothing new enjoined every denarinre from Live is a degree o! liaire»l. J. The 
 
 by Chrift, which was not beforr by Moles. 3. That yer ilifmal thar.^tlcr given of thofe poif-Mis « hrt bate their 
 
 this comnjand of love may, in loine rcfpect, be called anr-jj brother ; ihev arediMcrib'-dhv their wiiked difpiiriiion ; ihey 
 
 commandment ; not fuhftantially, but circurartantially : Not are in d.ir kmjs : Uy their vici(HI^ convc il"jiii>i> ; ihey w^ilk 
 
 in the eflence of the doftrine, but in the manner of the dif- in dtirknefj : Uy their iniiVralile condition ; ihey kno-JU n'jt 
 
 covery ; not in the rcfpeft of the truth delivered, but in the whithrr th.-yno, icmufr ih.it tlirkn'fs hnr H.iuti! I'rAr t r-/. 
 
 way of delivering. New, not in regard of inltitution, but From the whole /:•«'», I'hat we mud love all, in the "a- 
 
 reftiiution, becaufe purged from the old corrupt glofles of rioiis kinds hnd nunnrrs, in the various meafurts and 
 
 the l-'haril'ees, who had limited this duty of love, and con- degree, according to wh'ch God appear* th in ihein : That 
 
 fined it to their own countrymen ; whereas Chrift obliges ii, we nnirt love all nun, a; m n, above the brutes ; and " 
 
 bisdifciples to love all iriankbid, even onr very enemies, we muft love all profelTed chrilbans, above ^11 other men ; 
 
 In a word, it may be called a nnu commundment , becaufe it ^nd we miift love teal chriilians, cipecially* iuch of (hem 
 
 was never to wax old, but lo be always frefliinthc memory as are eminent for v ifdoin, goodnci-, and ufelolnefs, tibove 
 
 and pradlice of Chriii's difciples to the end of the world, alt other chrilb.an>. '1 he lij^lu of kno Akdge and the htat 
 
 Obfdve iie^tt, The arguments to enforce the obfervation of of love mi;ft be inleparable. 
 
 this new conmiandnient ; (i .) In ihofe words, w/.if A .'A'/ro- . ,. , 1 -i 1 „„ u w-^,,r> ,.„,,, 
 
 . . . ,- ,■ \ ;• ., ' • (.\ a 12 I wnteunto vou,lutle children, bccaule jour 
 
 istruc in htm imd tn roit : that is, as there \^as in Cliiili a _ ,- • r 1 • • r 1 i 
 
 true and (incere love towards you, A. look that there be a i^s ^'e lorgivcn you for his name .s ta^e. 1 3 i wnte 
 
 true and lincere love in yon towards him, and one towards unto you, fathers, becaulcye have knowu iiim Ihc.t 
 
 another. (2.) Becaufe the darknefs ispcijt, and the true tight zifrom the bes^inning. I tvrite unto you. youn;^ men, 
 
 iir,-x< Jliintth .- thatis, thcdaiknefs of ignorance in general, becaufe ye have overcome the wicked one. I \vrite 
 
 and 'the darknefs of the Mofaic ftate in particular, is now unto you little children becaufe ye h.ive known the 
 
 paa, and the true bgL.t of the goCpel now clearly ihn.eth. y^^^^^^_ ^4 I have written unto yo'u, fathers, bccauf.^ 
 
 9 He that faith he is in the lii^ht, and hateth his ye have known him //(.'?/ is from the beginnii!.;. I 
 
 brother, is in ilarknefs even until now. 10 He that j)ave wriiten unto you. young men, b;caufe a e are 
 
 loveth bis brother abideth in the light, anti there is fUoncr, and the word of Godabideth in you, and ye 
 
 noneoccafton of ftumbiingin him. 11 But he that have overcome the wicked one. 
 
 hateth his brother is in darknefs, and walketh in ^,^yj^^,^ j,^.,.^.^ , ^he care u huh Codhasr^.ken, nor only 
 
 carkiicfs, and knowclli not whitherhe goeth, becaufe to have his word pieachtd, but written •, 1 .uitte u-.to y.u, 
 
 that darknefs hath blinded his eyes. panly to fupply his min'fh-rs abfence, that their writings 
 
 TwothioT: are hereto be cnnfulercd. nntnclv, the grace '"'KIh b. inltead ot vocal inartic^l-ons, partly .0 perpetuate 
 
 .nd du.v propoled and enforced, and the bn or vice Ipxi- -rn h.unto poaen.y and ,0 tranimit d.v.ne revclat.onyo 
 
 b>d and'oppoVed. ObPrvf, ,. The grace propofrd. or the future ages. 2. 1 he fubjcft or perfons wb.m, ourapolte 
 
 uutv recommended, namely, the love of our bro.her : He « rites to ; fathers pu.j^mt,:, cmdchHrcn ; v. '"/f- '=' f;*^";- 
 
 r/;«; hvfth-)>is brother, S,c. Where ^nte, 1. Thena.ure of ral, the great w, dom or the aponk-.s to be o.dtr.cd und 
 
 brotherly love ; k is n graciou. propenfitv of heart, which a t.'ken notice of, ihat he contentsnot hinilel with genera! , 
 
 c'ri:bJbearsforChMll'sf.,ke,tohisneighb.n,r, whereby but dircA, his difcourfe particularly to old and young ; 
 
 be wills, and tohi^ power, procures all good for him ; or it P'^-'l'v inumating, that none r.re ^"^^^^^i^" ^^'^^ '•'- 
 
 is that bro.be.ly aft'ddon whichovery true chritlian chidly tLuct.on, none are old enoog,. to rcjea.t. Anu if t... J, .,. 
 
 1. 1- i- 11 1 ■ r-L n. r 1 i v rote to perfiuts of a aces and cornir.ioi.t, then the laci cd 
 
 bears to all Ills iellOiV-membtrs in Chnfr, for grace like. v. ro c ic pern us. »'i -" -i,- > r,,.^..„,„„ 
 
 M-i • r I- I n- r 1 • 'I w mini' - are to be read !0, ar.d real by ptrlons of e vctv 326 
 
 ■i. 1 itbenefjtsattcndingthcpraaiccof thiigracearoduiy. w ri..ni, art lo oc ilju it, .u ,, .^,,.:,,^j 
 
 ^ . ij- I- -I L Li.L- .LI I, .V,.,, , .ind com I on oev.;r. And if the (cnptiires be perverted 
 
 fi His c;nubt ion is happy, Ac /j/'/(/(-/A/«/fte /'('/■/ ; that is, -tmu >.iik.ii un i c .r.. , „. ^., . ' , '.:.„„, .,1 
 
 be is in the ft..te of grac/. Charity is an evident demon- bv iome, iha, ,s not a nnnral eh, d. nut only ^'n •■';;;!V;'^' 
 
 nraiion of faucl-i^y ; and accordingly St. Paul, Gal. v. reck- cnfecpiencc ot reading, .ne Icnpmr.s. Now as evil n n (I 
 
 ■ L i- ■ r 1 c • • I u 1 • u f . not be done that i-ood mav come ot it, fo good inuU lut lie 
 
 oiiine np the fruilsofihe Spirit, idaceth love in the fn.nt not oe uone tna. j./ (-u luv ..^iii , g . 1 ■ ,, 
 
 of , hem. [^ ) Hi:, converliiion is holy, there u r.o occolhn l^ft undone, though evil come ot ,t. 3. 1 he oaty which 
 cffhMbr4 ihh:, : tha U, he walketh inctfcnfively 'in a «H 'on. of cbnlluus ought to b. e^.no:ted and '>^-'- ^, 
 
 J 
 
ClIAP. 11. 
 
 I. 
 
 an.l that is /Of.' ; Kr.-e to GoJ, acccmpame.l vvuh cbedi- 
 ence ; ^nj love ro all chrillia i^ in obedirncc to the co.p- 
 mrvl of GoJ. It belongs to ."ill forts of cljr.ftian^ we.k 
 aiid(koo<T; t'.nail agesof nifii, ynino; and old, chililren 
 and fathers, to exj^khe poifon of anger and hatred ontot 
 their hofonis, and *u'ually to embr.ict; one another. 4- 
 The reafons of our Apolth's writini; to all chriltians in 
 ^eneriil, and 'fi each nt;e in pardcular. A'"'?, i- 1 If 
 reafon alngned for wririn^ to chiWrca. ver. 12. Bt^cauje 
 ynur f.r.: arc fr.rgivfn y.vu, 6c. ihcrefor.- oi-htycu miirn- 
 allv to forgive, and ccrdiallv to love one another. 2. 1 he 
 rraiJbn allicrned for writing to fathers ; B^a-ufg y^ b'^''^ 
 kn.hn Ihn that h f'Mz the hfgwnlng ; that is Jefus Chnlt, 
 W^io, in refoed of his divine nature, had a lublillance from 
 A'hs berri .,iing: ihu is. from ail eternity : and if lo, then 
 our blHTed Savionr had a being antecedent to his concep- 
 tion, and be'Vre he was born of the virgin M^ry ; he then 
 bei;an lobe a man, bnt he did not th.en begin to be ; tor 
 bclore Ahrahom was he was ; and he prays to his father 
 yohiKv.K 5. to glorify him with the glory which ^f?/;^./ 
 virh him before the«orIdwas. Mark, It is not laid, 
 with the nlory which thon />ro^<jre,//> for me in thy de- 
 cr.-e and pnrpofe before the world was, .ns the Socinians 
 v.-onld have it, but the glory which 1 had with thee. He 
 that gave being to rll things, mnit have a being before all 
 things. 3. The reafons afiigned for writing to yonng 
 tnen B<car,r£ ye arfjtrw^, and hovi (.vcrcome the ■mcked 
 cv kr. Here we have ooiervahle, I. The enemy de- 
 n-ribed, Satan, called the '.<}\cked eve .■ Not that he w.as 
 fo bv ere .lion, but by his apollafy and defeftion. llecaufe 
 tliefirfrin wickednefi, Becaufc molt induftriouny wicked, 
 and bec-iiile mollobilinate and perll-vering m wickednels. 
 2. The oonouclc ingeminate.! ; 1> have werccn^ the wic/ced 
 c»e. Mark, he dodi not lay. You have made a league 
 with him, but: overcome him ; there is no way to accom- 
 modate or compound matters with Satan, no way to deal 
 v.ith him, but bv victory ; we are laid to overcome him, 
 becvnfe we are Cure to overcome him ; rtfift him and he 
 will ike; and becanfe we have overcome him in God's 
 .icconnc, and becanic we have begun to overcome him. 
 Yisl! ti him, ^nA yoti will (i.id him an impsnons tyrant; 
 refift him, and vou will f^ id him a tim^uirous coward, 
 -. The combatants, y^.u»i men. Youth is the warlike 
 a >e ; voun'r men are fie for nftion, old men for advice ; 
 voung'oncslhonld begin this tpiritml war betinu-s, polli- 
 iily they may never live to be old ; or if fo, viciory will 
 be the more dilficult, by how mut'i the longer it is de- 
 layed ; and Go.l may deny thee thit grace which now 
 thou denied thyfclf. The proverb f.iys, " ^ ynv^g pmt 
 " bi't >in d.l dtvU ;" b>K it is very har.l for a young dev.l 
 to become an old faint ; whereas a voang chrilliin f.ddier 
 i? molUm'able in God's eye, an.l niol.t te.rihle m the 
 devil'-. 4. The aid, helps and affrbnts, by «vhich this 
 victor/ is attained, Jf arefir'ing, that is made partakers 
 qK divine Itrt-nnh ; ye have your fecond in the held, the 
 Holy Spirit, you arefirongin the Lord, ,ind the wird '.f 
 G',d aUlth'i-t yw. 'B/ the llreng'h of God, and the 
 
 t!ic 
 
 ab'ding of his word and grace in us, we overcr 
 wicked one. and prevail againll him. God',- won! is the 
 richeittrc.ifnry to fupplyonr wants, and the ilrongtil ar- 
 I'lio'.iry to oppoie our eiiemic-s. 
 
 J O H N. 1075 
 
 1' Love not the world, neither the things ^Aaf 
 are in the world. If any man love the world, the 
 love ofthe father is not in him. 16 For all thatzs 
 in the world, the luft 6f the flcfii, and the luft of 
 the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, 
 but is of the world. 17 And the world palfeth 
 away, and the lull thereof: but he that doth the 
 will of Godabideth for ever. 
 
 Ohfcn)e\teve, i. That our Apoftlc doth not, as he did 
 before, direct his advice to any one particular fort or rank 
 of Chriftians in fpecial, but unto all in general ; Uve not 
 lh; vjr.rl:l, &c. 2. That the prohibition here is not ab- 
 folutc, but comparatively only. It is not an crdhuUu cha~ 
 ritus, bnt innrdhuita cupiditas, that is here forbidden ; we 
 tnay look upon the world, and defire it, delight in it, and 
 in the enjovTient of it, provided we do not chufe it for our 
 portion, delight in it as our chief good. 3. St. John dotli 
 not fav, Len-je the world, but Lwe not the world ; he 
 doth not fay, Ufe not the world, but Love it not ; that 
 if, leek not after the world inordinately, and delight not 
 in it immoderately : Seek it we may, but not in an undue 
 manner ; delight in it we may, but not in an nndue mea- 
 fure. 4.' The^arguinents which our Agoftle makes ufe of, 
 to enforce his dehortation. t. The contrariety of the love 
 of the world to the love of God ; // any iron love the 
 world (in an undue manner and meafurej the love of the 
 Father is not in him : that is, the worldly lover has no in- 
 tereft in the Father's love ; the world's diirlings are none 
 of God's friends, and the world's lover has no love of 
 the Father in him; there is no pofitive love of God iti 
 him in whom there is a fuperlative love of the world. Lord, 
 how delperate and dangerous a (la then is worldly love .' If 
 the love of the Father be not in him, the hatred of the 
 'Father is towards him, James iv. 4. A fecond argument: 
 to difi'.iade from worldly love is contained in the i6th 
 vrrfe ; Fir all that is in the wvld ; that is, :,ll that is in 
 etteem and vogue with the men cf tlil^Avorld, is either the 
 Lifi 'jf ihe fl'/h, that is, all feniu.il d^slijihtsand enjoyments, 
 which occaiinn intemperance; or the ht/} of the eye, the 
 defire of gold,' fiiver, (lately houfes, rich gardens, v.hica 
 fend to gratify the eye : an.l th^ pride ^f Hf', or the dcfires 
 of honours ami dignities, high titles, and places of ad vance- 
 mt;nf, which tend to gratify our pride, all thel'e nre net r,f the 
 Father; that is they sr& not delires excited by him, nor are 
 thsy pleafingto him, but are the defircs of the men of the 
 world, and proceed from that corruption which is jn 
 them. The third argument is taken from the world it- 
 felt', an.l its Ihort continuance, inthc 17th verle, ikewirld 
 piijfth a\uay, that is all the things of the world, whicli- 
 i!ie men of the world doai upon, a;iJ are in lov^.with, are 
 of a fading tranlirory nature, in themfelves, and they pals 
 away from their pofil-fiors .ind owners. Andthclufis thereof; 
 that is, the pleafure which ih^'y had in gratifying theii* 
 lulls paireth aw.ay, but the iling remanineth, and the tor- 
 ment abideth. It is added. But he that doth the -jjillofCcd 
 ahideth fir (ver. I'cliold here the permanent frhciiy, not 
 of the knowing, but obedient ihrdtian. He abideth lor 
 ever, not'in this, but in the otlter world, in a II iieof cnil- 
 lefshappinafs. Ahliotigh etcrHity, initsniolt cc;:i;-'rehenHve 
 6 U 2 noiion, 
 
io7(> 
 
 I. St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 notion, be peculiar to a Deity, and incommunicable to a 
 creature, yet it is chat which Gud hss iii:ide ratioiKil crea- 
 tures capable of; and as hcabideth fi>rever, fowiU he grant 
 to them that do his will to abide with him for ever allu. 
 
 18 IT Little children, it is the laft time; and as 
 ye have heard that antichrift fhall conic, even now 
 arc there many antichriiVs ; whereby wc know that 
 it is the laft time. 19 They went out from us, but 
 they were not of us : for if they had been of us, they 
 would no doubt have continued with us, but tluy 
 went out, that they might be made manifeft that they 
 were not all of us. 
 
 Our apoftle having warned them againft the danger of 
 covetoulnefi in the foregomg \ Tfes, he cautions them 
 apainft the d.mger of deceit in thefe ; he tells then), that 
 •this is the lafl tinjC of the Jewifh difpenfation, and that the 
 cieftruftlon of their city, temple, and polity, was now at 
 iiand ; and as they had heard ih.it Antichrift (liould conie, 
 accordingly now there were many antichrifts come ; that 
 i-, oppolers of Chrift, and deniers of him to be the Chrill ; 
 and by the fwarming of thefe fediicers and falfe teachers 
 jiow, a<:cording to our Saviour's prediiH'ion, flfaith. xxiv. 
 ihey might well conclude it was the laft time. Obfcrve 
 nexf, Thefe antichrifts are defcribed by the communion 
 vhich they once were of, to wit, chriftian communion; 
 thfy lUfnt r,ul frotn us, from U5 Apt ftles, and from us 
 chriftians, being falle brethren, and iinfound chrifti.ins ; 
 for if thfy had betn of us, as members of the fame body, 
 and had joined with us Apoftles, in planting and propa- 
 gating the fame chriftian faith, They •would no iliutt have 
 fontinned with us, proftfilng the fame faith, and preaching 
 the fame riot^nne, which we do ; but tliey left us, that it 
 m'glit be made manifcfl ihat thty -were not all of us. Here 
 note. That thefe aniichriftianimpoftors had been in the bo- 
 fom of the church, and made a profefllon of the chr:ftian 
 faith ; fo did the t'alfe apoflles, thf judaiz.ing teachers, men- 
 tioned A^s XV. fo did Simon Magus, Nicolas, and Ce- 
 rinthus. The chuich's Teeming n)embersprove her worft 
 friend?, the foxes witliin d<i more Biilchief than the wild 
 boar without, Qurjf. But is it not then lawful to depart 
 from the communion of a church whereof we have been 
 formerly members ? Anf. Yes, if (he departs from her- 
 fclf ; if Ihe degenerates and grows fo corrupt a body, and 
 be fo far infrdled, that wc cannot communicate with her 
 withoutfin, which was the cafe between usand the churth 
 of Rome, her doiflrines were erroneous, her wordiip ido- 
 latrous ; we went out from them, btcaufe they went out 
 from the ancient apuftolicd church. Nonf'gimus ; fed 
 fugamur : Not we, but they m^de the feparation, and 
 coirtequet^ly the fchilm lies at their door. 
 
 ao f But ye have an unflion from the Holy One, 
 and ye know all things. 
 
 A> if our ApofUe had faid, " Although there are many 
 aniichritts iiul feduccrs abroad in the «oiId. yet ihemolt 
 liolv Grd hath anointed you with his holy Spirit, wh:ch 
 will preferve you from pernlcii-u^ error, and lead you into 
 )kll iiecifr.ry truth, if you obey and follow hint.'* ''■k- 
 /c-rtchcre, i. A j>«ivilcgp ei.joyed ; Xe have an unflhn 
 
 j'rim th/-. Holy One. By which upderftand the Holy Spirit 
 in its fanclifying gifn and graces, w hi Ji coiifccriitti be- 
 lievers :ib kings 4iid prieCts inti' God 2. t hevdvantage 
 of th.it privilege diclaipd, Ye kir.-M (/U things ; not abfo- 
 Imely, but wi'.h relbiclion and J iiiiuiioii : A/I /hiiigt .• 
 that is, all divine things, n\\ divine' tiling revtvled, andall 
 thing", revealeil that are nettflary to falvaiinn : All thingt 
 iicediul to be known, and a^fara needful f(>ryou tokno.v : 
 all things relating to God, Chr It, the Holy Spirit, our- 
 ftl'S, lilt. Satin, the l..w, the g"lp I, grace, and glory ; 
 ye know all ihtfe things by virtue of your unci on. 
 
 2 1 I have not written unto you becaule ye know 
 not the truth : but bccnule ye know it, and ih.it no 
 lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that 
 dcnicth that Jclus is the Chrifl ? He is antichrift, 
 that denietii the Tatherand the Son. 23 Whofoever 
 denieth the Son. the fame hath not ilie Father; [iw"J 
 he thai acknoivledgeth the Son, hath the Father aljo. 
 
 Cbferve here, i. The thar.:ctcr given of the gofpel'; it 
 h the truth, the word of truth, the way of truth, con- 
 firmed by real miracles. It isdivine truili, univerfal truth, 
 elledual truih, and no he ; for Alm'ghiy God would 
 never have let the feal of his cn;iiij)oui'cy to a lie, and 
 have confirmed it by fiii,ns and wciulers, miracles and 
 gifts of the Holy Cihoft, had it befn t.ille. Chft-rve, 1. 
 'ihe charac'ter given of the luretics m St. John's days, 
 and in our days alfo, they denied that Je!ui u the Chrifl, 
 and therein deny the Failitr and the Son ; For luh'.pitver 
 eler.itth the Son, the fame hath not the Fiithtr ; that l;, he 
 denieth the Father as uell .is the Son ; for not having the 
 Father, and denying the father, is the fame thing ver. 
 22. Hi is iintichti/l tint di nit- h the Ftithcr iir:d tl'f Son. 
 1 his is a text in which every Socii.ian may fee himi'rlf an 
 Atheift ; he that denies the divmiiy of ihe Son, denies the 
 Deity of the Fatht-r ; for fuch is the nature of ihe God- 
 head, that one of th-le cannot be alone ; theFjther is not 
 without the Son, nor can be ; nor can the Son be wiih- 
 out the Father ; this cohf lence is inleperable and inviola- 
 ble ; ther-fore he that denies the eternal Son, ilcnies the 
 eternal Father ; and if it be Athtifin to deny the divinity 
 of the Father, it is no lefs to deny ilie Deiiy of the Son ; 
 for he that denieth the Son, deiiieih the Father alfo. 
 There is fuch a connexion between iliefe two, theFarher 
 and the Son, they being co eflVntial and co-eternal, that 
 if you deny the 'iviniiy of the cme, you deny thol of the 
 other ; therefore thev are Aihtifts that deny the divinity of 
 Chrift, as well as they that deny the being of God. 
 
 24 Let that therefore abide in you which ye 
 have heard from the be}>inniHir. If that which ye 
 have heard from the beginning iliall remain in you,. 
 ye alio ftiall continue m the Son and in the Father. 
 
 Thele words are an exliortati.-.n to hold f .ft and nor 'O 
 forl'.ike the dodrine of cliriftianity, vvhich from the begin- 
 ning th-v had received, andnot tc> turn to noxel'i. s. Ltt 
 that ubidf in ytiu -which ye have henrd from the hrgirtning ; 
 tliatis. from ihe firft preaching of the gofpel. J\'oie hcie. 
 What is truth and true dotlrinc, naaicly, that which w.as 
 
 delivered 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1077 
 
 delivered from the heginninp;. Truth is ertui'-; elder, 
 though error is HOC ninth iriuh's yount>,er. 2. By what 
 means ihey received the evani;elical doanne, ri.niitly, by 
 htaring; let ihat whicli you have heard iihid? in you. No 
 fenfe more needful thjn that of hearinjr, f.ir the benefit 
 and advantage of man ; both a? he is by nature a realon- 
 able cre.iture, by converie a fociable creature, and may be 
 by grate a new creature : Faith ccineth by hearini;. 3. 
 The duty required with reference to A'hac they had he.ird; 
 let that -vhich ye hav: heard abide In you, namely, by a care- 
 ful rcni--:inbra;ice of it, and by relolute adherence to it. 
 The I'unj ot this exhortation is, th^t we retain and mam- 
 tain the anc-ent catholic and aptftolic faith ; and verily 
 when weronluier iio* tenacious heieiic* are of ihcir novel 
 errors it luay bring a blulhinio our faces to lOi.lider how 
 rejdywe are to be w ithdrawn frcni primitive 11 uth-. Ob- 
 /trre next, The motive witii which our Apoftle doth en- 
 force and buk his exhortation— //'//w/ which ye hiw heard 
 remain in you, y'lU /h,ill continue in the Son, anil in the Fa- 
 ther ; that is, in the love and favour of the Son, and of 
 the Father, ai:d in ct mmunion with both. Qs^^fi- B^^ 
 why is the Son put before the Father here ? I'artly to 
 inCnunte, nliat the Son is no lels in effence and dignity 
 than ihe Father, but tqual in both ; 3ccordirj;ly, the grace 
 of our Lord Jefos Chrirt in the aportolical benediilion, is 
 mentioned before the love of God the. Father : And 
 partly, becaule no mm conieih to, or cgntinueth in the 
 Father, but by the Son ; H'' is the way, the truth, and 
 the life. The doctrine of the gufpel comes from Chrill ; 
 it leads to Child, and by him unto the Father. See John 
 xiv. 23. 
 
 25 And this is the promife that he hath promifed 
 us. ffOT eternallifc. 
 
 Obfervi here, i- Mow gracious Almighty God is to 
 enforce his commands wiih promifes of .e^vard ; here- 
 quired of u'. adherence to the truth, and perieverance in 
 it, in the former veife ; here he promifes eternal life by 
 u-ay of encouragement, in this verfe. 2. The benefit 
 promifed, /■/', tterncil life ; thegreatnefs of this life iMm- 
 meiifurable, the wot ih of this life is enertimable , the joys 
 of this liie innumerable, the duration of it is interminable. 
 3. The certainty of the conveyance ; this the prnmife 
 frtmi/ed. Mtirk, He doth not Cay purpoled, but prom led, 
 A purpi'fe is a fecrer and a hidden intention of the mind, 
 hut a promife is a revelation of that intention ; yea, it is 
 more than a declaration. A promife makes fure, as well 
 as makei, nianifell ; efpecialiy God's promife, which has 
 hisoJih for theconfirniation of it, //t^. vi. 17. 4. The 
 pecoliaiity of the peiTons to whom the promife is made, 
 he haiit promifed us ■ not to us as Apoltles only, but to 
 us as chi ilf:ans ; all ihat are born of God are begotten to 
 a livdv hope of an inheritance incorruptibe and uudefiled, 
 and that fadeth not away : Again, he has promifed k/, not 
 promifed all, eternal litV, but n^ who are thus and thus 
 Q'.i.lifird, who keep his coiumandments, and walk as he 
 v..dked. 5- 1 he emmcncy of the author by whom this 
 promife is made, in the rel.itive he ; Thf is the promife 
 fiiliicb he hath premifeti us. Here no.' e, That eternal lite 
 
 wa< promifed by God to good men under the Old Tefta- 
 meni ; Heb. x< 16. tells ns, that the Old-Teftament 
 l.imrs defired abetter country, t« wit, an heavenly ; now 
 how could they have defired it, ifthev had not known it? 
 Aiid could they have kno-wn it, If God had not revealed 
 it > And Chnft bad the Jews fenrch the fciiptures, for 
 in them ye think ye have eternal life ; intimating, (hat in 
 the writings of Moles, eternal life was made knov n typi- 
 cally and darkly, not focUarly and fully as by the gnlpel. 
 2 Tim. i. 10 He is holy, and cannot lie ; righteous, and 
 cannot deeive ; immutable, and cannot repent. 
 
 26 Thefe thitigs have I written unto you con- 
 cerning them that feduce you. 27 But the anoint- 
 ino which ye liave received of him abideth in you : 
 and yc need not that any man teach you : but, as 
 the fame anointing teachcth youof all things, andis 
 truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath tous^ht you, 
 ye fhall abide in him. 
 
 Ohferve here thepioir. care which St. John exprefles for 
 their prefervation from heretics and frducers, T hefe thi>:g^ 
 have I written to you corcerning them that /educe ycu. That 
 is, to arm them againlt the feducers then amongft them ; 
 intimating, that men arenaturally prone to error, yea, to 
 fundamental errors. 2. That to be feduced by, and led 
 into fuch errors, is dangerous and deftrudive. 3. Tha: 
 it is the fpecial duty, and nught to be the lingular care, of 
 the minilfers of Chr'ft, to warn their people of, and arm 
 them agamit errors, and eroneous peribus, againll -fedu- 
 cers and fcduftion ; Thfe things I write concerning them 
 thatjeduce you ; that is thofe who tmkavour to feduce 
 you. Obferve next. The encouragement which St. John 
 gives them againft thefe fcducer^, and their {eduction, the 
 anointing which ve have received from Chrift : that is, 
 from the fpecial illumination of his Spirit, this abideth in 
 you, teaching you all tilings necefTary for you to know, lb 
 that you need not any man to teach you ; that is, any 
 new doftrine. any new fundamental principles of faith. 
 tv'jte here. That chriftians lavingly enlightened by the Spi- 
 rit of God need no new gofpel or doctrine to be inftruc^ed 
 in ; but they need farther teaching ftiU, in order to their 
 better ir.^proveraent in what they know ; vain therefore 
 aretheO^iakers, and other fedtaries argumentsdraw nfroin 
 hence, againft all niinifterial teaching 1 becaufe the Spirit 
 teaches, man muft not teach: \Vhere;.sthe Spirit teaches 
 immediately by man, and not immediately by itfelf. When 
 thefe feducers can (how that they have fnch an immediate 
 and extraordinary .'ffiatus of the Holy Spirit, as was vouch- 
 fafed to the primitive chriltians, then let them cry down 
 the neceility of niinifterial teaching, not before. 
 
 28 And now httle children, abideinhim; that 
 when he fhall appear, we may have confidence, and 
 not be afliamed before him at his coming. 
 
 Still our Apoftle reinfiTces his foregoing exhortation t© 
 abide fixedly in Chrift ; that is, in the doctrine of Chr it, 
 in truechriftiafiity ; ardn'.w, Irtlle children, abide in him : 
 And the argument which he makes ufeof, is very forcible 
 
 atiJ 
 
loyS 
 
 I. St. JOHN. 
 
 and cogent, namely, 7hal-w/ien Chrift Jhall appear, vie may believeri, that ihey nre now the for' 
 haveconfdetice, kc. YUtk Mte, i. Sometl.in^ fiippoffc), fo, ( r.) By regeneration ; ihey ate madi 
 namely, the cominjr and appearance of Chrift : he fiioll ap- ^ 
 
 pear. 2. Someihir.g iiiiplifd, namely, our apptaraisce be- 
 fore Chrifl in the d.ny of lus .nppearance. 3. Someihing 
 exprefTcd, rninely, the confident appearing; before Chri(k, 
 of all tholu who abide in him : That we may hcvi ciKfidence, 
 Whence Uam, That ihe perfeverinp; thriftian fliall 
 
 Chap. iii. 
 
 of God. They are 
 e pariskersof ihedt- 
 biit in the gracious 
 
 haveconHdencc before Chrirt at his coming^ (hall lift up hi 3 
 head without fhame or blufiiin^.', from the teOimony which 
 confcience bears of hisfincerity, and from ths-intfrfft he 
 has in the Judge : Uur, on the o'herhand, thcv th^t do not 
 perfcvere and abide in Chrift (liall be aOiatned before him 
 sc his cominn;; alhamed of their grofs hvpocrify, of their 
 vile iinfaithfulnefs, of their manilelt folly. 
 
 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that 
 every one th.it docth righteoufnefs, is born of him. 
 
 Our apoflle concludes the chapter wich an exhortation 
 to holinefs and rit^hteoufnefs ; afTuring thetn, that if they 
 be finfible (as they muit necefT.iriiy be) that God is righte- 
 ous, eirentii.lly atid infinitely holy anil righteous ; they may 
 and ou(Tht to know alio, that w hofoever is born of him, and 
 doth receive a new nature from him, doth certainly endea- 
 vour to live unto him, and to walk before him as his child 
 in a way of obedience, and to expect favour and proreclion 
 from him as from a Father. Learn hence. That ail that 
 iliicerely live a riiihtcous life towards God and man, are 
 certainly born of God ; and fuch as are born of God do 
 certainly live that righteous life ; then, and only then, may 
 v.-e know that we are indeed God's childrrn, when the 
 image of our iMhvenly Father is inftamped upon us, and 
 the difpolition ooiis children wrought in us ; when there 
 is a happy conformity in our natures to the holinefs oi 
 God's nature, and in cur lives to the righteoufnefs cf his 
 law ; when he beholds his osvn face in tile glafs of our 
 iouls, and loves us for his owa insage indamped and ini- 
 prefTed upon us. 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 BEHOLD, v.'hat manner of love the Father hath 
 bcflowed upon us, that we fhould be called 
 the fons of God ! — 
 
 Our apoflle begins this chapter with wonder and admi- 
 ration at the aflonifliing goodoefsand condelcenfion of Al- 
 mighty God towards believers, in tiking them into his 
 family, and adopting them into the number of his children ; 
 that llranrers and enemies (hnuld be dicnitied with the ho- 
 nouraSlo and amiable title of his fons : it is the fame rela- 
 tion that C/irilt has, I afcend tt my Father and your Fsirer ; 
 there is indeed a divetlity in the foundation of it : Chrilt 
 is ;i Son by nature, we by favt ur : he by generation, v/e Vy 
 adoption : However, not only crowns and fccptres are be- 
 neath thii dignity, but tlie honour of our innocent flatc 
 was not cqinl ^viih i: : well might the apoftlo then breaic 
 out with an heavenly afloniflmient, and lay, Bekold, vihct 
 I'tOK'irr of i:vi is this, tkjt u-f fi>',uld hs culled, accoiinicil 
 snd acknowledg'd, for the chtld'-cn 'f Gid ! Here »;c.V, 
 '• r.'nt it i« the h-i;'! and Iionourabl' p,-i>-;u_re cf all true 
 
 vme nature : not in the efTcnce cf it 
 
 tjjaliiies of it, which enables thfin in frmu ineafore tore 
 lemble God their Father ; they receive a principle of Ipi- 
 rirual life from God, which enables them to live unto God, 
 and this principle received in regeneration : it is an inwartl 
 principle, an univerfi.! principle, a God exalting principle, 
 and an abiding principle. 2. They arc chddrrn by adoption 
 al.'b: adoptiim is the acceptance of a flxangcr into the re- 
 lation and privileges of a fun : it was i rare cnnderre niion 
 in Pharaoh's daughter to rcfcue Moles, an innocei.c and 
 forfaken ftranger, from pcrdhingbv the waters, and adopt 
 him for her fon ; but O ! how much greater kindnefs wa? 
 it for Almighty God to lave guilty and wrciclicd man froni 
 eternal fijmes, and to \„Vz ^ rebtl inio his fannly .' 'I hi? 
 privilege of bting the Ions of God by regeticratrpn ami 
 adoption, is a choice and gracious privilege, an high and 
 honourable privilege, a free and undeferved privilege, a 
 lafling 3rd abiding privilege. 2. As the privilege itfelf, Co 
 the fontal caule of ir, the fruntain from whtiiie it doth 
 proceed and /low, namely, fn^m the gratuitous love, and 
 tree fdvoiir of God ; what manner of love has the Father 
 btflowed upon us? He c;mnot fay whar, nor how great ic 
 was : He admires it. but caimrt declare it ; vet though 
 adoption was the effecl of God's free love, it was the friiic 
 of Chrilt's rich purchase : he m" a Son became a fcrvant, 
 that we of fljves might become fons. 3. In the word 
 Bch'jld.' a note of attentio.n atul admiration both : God 
 cxpecls, the gofpel requires, and the privilege of adoption 
 delcrves, that it be bchtld with love and vvimder, tsken 
 notice of with joy and ihankfnlnelV, and improved for 
 gros\tli in grace and advancement in holinefs. 
 
 — Therefore the NTorld knowcth us not, becaufe 
 it knew him not. 
 
 Notchere, i. That the believer's dignity, though real and 
 gre.^r, i-: a boget her unknown tothe nnbt lie ving world ; they 
 are lo far from atkmwledg'ng them to be God's children, 
 that they mock and fcolF, jeer and deride ihcm. for pre tend- 
 ing fo to be ; and as they little know them, fodothey lefs 
 airea and love thsm, but hate .tiuI pcrfecute them. 2. The 
 realon affigned why the world knows not the children of 
 God, Btcittife it knt'j) rot //'•»: .• God once made h'm'elf 
 m.anifilt to the world in and by his Son : Chril>, in whom 
 dwelt the fulntfs of the Godhead, can)e and dwelt among 
 us, but the unrld knevj him n',t, received him nor ; and if 
 they faw no beauty in him^ who hail ftrength of grace, and 
 no corruption in him, is it any woi.der ilut they lee noex- 
 cellt ncy in them in whom is much weaknefs in grace, and 
 too great llrength of corruption ! 
 
 2 Beloved, now are we the fons of God, and it 
 'doth not yctappear v.-hat we fiMllbc : but we know, 
 that when he Ihall appear, we lliallbe like him ; for 
 wo fliall fee him as he is. 
 
 As if the apollie had faiil, " Although the world knoiv^ 
 us not, ;•lT'c■c"Uu^ nor, tfleems Uj not, liecaufe of the wcak- 
 nei's ot our grace, and the flrengih of our corruptions, yet 
 notwirhll.miling both thefo, wc arc now die fons of God ; 
 
 this 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 I, St. JOHN. 
 
 1079 
 
 be, we are not what we fliould be, we are noi what we 
 flull l>e ; bu'. blefled be God we are what we are; now 
 are we the Cons of God." Ohferve, 2. As the honour and 
 dignity of the chriftians' privilege in 'his hfe aflTerted, -mc 
 are now thefons cf Grjd, fo their happinefs and glory in the 
 next life defrribed, i. By way of negaion, Jid'Ahr.o'yet 
 ppffar vjhai thfy p:a\l bi ; the gU'ry which God ha? pre- 
 j).ired for all his sdopred cli.ldrcn and people, is an hidden 
 {dory, s glory ibat doth not ye; appear ; what the faints 
 fliail be in their perfect ftatc of glory doih not yet appear 
 to thfinin this tiieir perfect fine of grace. 2. Byvvayof 
 pofitive sfTevcraMon, But 7oe hio-.v ihat ivhen hd (hall ap- 
 p-rar, 'j>e O'.ill hi: lUshinj, Sec. Here r.jle, i. The cer- 
 tainty of Chrift's . appearance detlared, Ht fhall iipprar. 
 2. A di.'ii'.)ie benefit which believers nuy expccl at bis ap- 
 pearing, r. Thv J^'ullhe Iki Um, as well in ho'inef), as 
 in happinefs, as wtll inpur'ty asin inimortaliiy ; like him 
 in a perfed freedom from fin, like him in the ardour and 
 intenfe fer\'ei)cy of their love ; like him in the perfection 
 of grace, and the unfpottel purity of liis lioly natii|-e. 
 2. They Piall fee him; thit is, his glory, s% i;h a clear and 
 i.iinTeifate (ijht, with a full and comprehenlive lijjht, with 
 ; n adiniih'ing and trans.'"ormin J fight, with an appropi- 
 ; ting and pt;lldli»'e fi^ht, witio a fiiisfying and everlaltir.g 
 %ht. 
 
 3 1 And every man that hath this hope in hitn 
 puriiieth himfelf, even as he is pure. 
 
 Every one that hath this hope, that is, the liopt of fee- 
 ing and euJL'ving Chnlt in glory, iie now endeavours to 
 purify hiiiifelf, according to the pattern and copy which 
 Christ hath tet before him, labournig to imitate it, though 
 }ie cannot reach it. Cbjirve here, 1. The character of a 
 chriiiiin by tiiishi'pc, (vsty mat that bath this k'pe in him. 
 if«r»?, Th.it a chrillisn ii a perfori of high hopes, and 
 r-iiled expeft .tions, a- to future blefiednefs ; the auihor of 
 this hope ii God ; the object of thi^ hope is fome future 
 good promifcd and exp;itcd ; the grounds of this hcpe are 
 I he promii'e and oath of God, the purch^fe and Uiuler- 
 taking of Chrift, .ind the fanttifying work of the Spirit, 
 in and u;:f n his foul. Ohftrve, 2. A defcription of this 
 Isope by its infeparable effed, it purifies the clirilt'an; he 
 that has this hope purif.ci hivifcif- where it is imphed, i. 
 Tlsat f:n i; a pchution which we mod he purified from. 2. 
 That the hohcft of faints here on earth, are not perfectly 
 p'.jrififd from this pollution, but are d.Ti'y endeavouring to 
 j..urify themfthes more and more. Cbferve, t. 'l"he j)3t- 
 icrn afier vvhich the (jncere chridian doth conform in this 
 work of purification, and that is Chrift ; he purifies him- 
 felf, even as he isjiure; intini.iilng, that the Lord Jefus 
 Chrii} was a perfect pattern of purity ; and that it is the 
 I hridi.iti's duty to eye this pitiern, L'sid to endeavour to 
 confi.ru! hiisftlf thereunto, by purifying hiniitjt, even 
 as Chriil is pure. 
 
 4. Whofoever cotnmitteth fin tranfgrp.ITeth alfo 
 the law: for fin is the tranfgrcnion-of the law. 
 5 And ye know (hat he was tnanifefted to take 
 i'.vay our fin : and in him is no Cn.. 
 
 WhipJiver commlttelh fn, that is, whofoever lives in the 
 allowed commiffion of it, lives in rebellion againlt, and in 
 aflat oppofition to, the lawofGi.d, (hi being a traiif- 
 greiron of God's law ; and fuch a perfon as thus commits 
 iin, not only violates the law of God, but alio fruftrates 
 the dfath of Chriit ; for Chrill, in whom there was no 
 fin, was manifefted in the fiefll to take away iin, the guilt 
 of it by his blood, the power of it by his Spirit, and con- 
 f -qjeritly we mutt purif-* ourfclvcs from it, if w^ hope to 
 fse him as he is. Learn hence, That nothing can be more 
 unreafonabie and abfurd, than to txpec> falvation v.'ith 
 God in heaven by a (inlefs Savi,jur, if we allow ourfclves 
 in a courfe of fin ; nothing being more contrary than this 
 to the d;fign ef Chrifl's death, which was not only to de- 
 liver us from the danger, but from the dominion of our 
 fins; not only to expiate our fins, but to make us finlefs 
 like himfelf. 
 
 6 Whofoever abideth in him, finnethnot: whofo- 
 ever linncth, hath not feen him, neither known him. 
 
 That is, " Whoever lives in fin, and goes on in acoiirle 
 and trade of finning, is the fervant and flave of fin ; and 
 although his reafon condemns him, hisconfcience boggles 
 at it, and his will isfomething averfe to it, yet if he yields 
 his members inftrtimentsof imrighteoufn^fs unto fin, he is 
 the fervant of fin ; and whatever his pretence may be, he 
 has no right knowledge of Chi ift, nor any true faith in 
 him ; for whofoever abidetli in him thus, (inueth not." 
 L-arnhence, That the fincere chriftian, fo far as he is in 
 Chriil, and by faith united to liim, and is taught and 
 ruled by him, finneth not ; that is, he makes it his coii- 
 ffant care and continual endeavour to &im and avoid all 
 fin. 2. That fuch perfons as go on in a courfe of fin, let 
 theirpretences toChriftianity be what they will, they never 
 had at:y experimental knowledge of Chrifi, no fellov-fhip 
 or communion with him ; nor can ever hope to be happy 
 in the fruition and enjoyment of hini. 
 
 7 Little children let no man deceive you. He 
 that doth righteoufnefs is righteous, even as he is 
 righteous. 
 
 As if the Apoftle bad faid, " Let no man deceive you 
 by making you believe that a right faith may confift with 
 an unrighteoui life, for only he that doth righte.nuftiefs is 
 tightetus. A'o/i? here, i. 'that there is a twofold doing 
 righteoufnefs. i. In a legal fenfe, which (lands in an ex- 
 acl ob?ying and fulfilling the law ; and thus there is none 
 righteous no not one. 2. in an evangelical fenie, sv^alk- 
 ing iiprigh'ly, according totherule of the gofpel, confcien- 
 tioufly avoiding all known fin, andperformiiig every com- 
 manded duty ; it is not a iingle aftion, but a conflant 
 courfe of holy iftions, that denominates a perfon holv ; a 
 righteous man makes righteoufnefs the bufinefs of his life ; 
 his daily care is how to pieafe God in all h<; dors. A'cYr, 2. 
 That it i.s the duty of every chrifiisn, that would not be 
 deceived, as to hi.v fpirituiil (late and condiiion, totry. him- 
 lelfhythis infallible mark and lule cf trial. Chriftian, 
 enquire not fo much what thy aff ctions arc, as what thv 
 d. fires are, what thy joys and tomforts are, as v. hat thy 
 
 eCtioJSs 
 
loSo 
 
 I. St. jo H N. 
 
 Chap. iii. 
 
 adioni are; not what thy peace is, but what thy paths 
 arc : For God doth not mpafure men's finccrity by the 
 lilies of their afftfctiiirii, but bv the condanc hent of their 
 Tf Tolutions, and the general courfe and tenor of their 
 converfations. 
 
 8 He thatcommitteth fin is of the devil : for the 
 devil finneth from the beginning. — 
 
 That is, " So far as a man fniocth, fo far he is of the 
 devil, and l.ke tmto Iiim, in whom fm is predonnnant ; 
 he haviny; been an old (inner, loon after the beginning of 
 the creation, and a bold tempter to lin all his day->." 
 Letitn I. That Satan has kept in a conftantand coi)tiiii;ed 
 conrfe of finning againfi God from the beginning ef his 
 npoftacy, and firft monjent of his revolt from God ; the 
 devil flnnetl) from the higlr.ning. 2. That fuch as make (In 
 their work, do make themfelves the devil's children ; they 
 are liis children by imitation : St. John viii. 44. 
 
 — For this purpofe the Son of God WeTS manifc fl- 
 ed, that he might deflroy the works of the devil. 
 
 As if he had faid. '* The Son of God came purpofely 
 into the world to deftroy fin, the work of the devil, in all 
 that he will fave." Note, j. The odious charac'tcr where- 
 with fin is branded, it is the -jjork of the dtvil ; that work 
 which he is always doing himCelf ; and which he is conti- 
 nually tempting and foliciting others to do, that they may 
 be as mifcrable ss hiinfclf. 2. Our Savioar'i maniftfta- 
 tion in the flefli alTcrted ; the Son of God was manifelfed, 
 namely, to the world, and in the world ; he appeared in 
 our nature, and was feen in our fletli ; it was a real exhi- 
 bition, and not an imaginary mani.*'e(l3tion of him. 3. 
 The great end of this gracious manifcHaiU'n of the Son of 
 God in our nature, it was to defiroy the vjor/cs of the devil, 
 to loofe and dilTolve ; fo the original : This fnppofes man- 
 kind to have been in bonds and fetters; we were in du- 
 rance andcaptivity, fhut and locked up in tlieprifon-houfe; 
 we were under the dominion of fin, and power of batan, 
 but the Son of Ccd came to refcue us, to knock off our 
 fetters, and to (et us at liberty : By the works of the 
 devil underftand all fin in general. 2. Thole lins in par- 
 ticular, which have moll of the devil's image upon iheni, 
 and render perfons moft like unto him, luch are malice and 
 envy, rejoicing at the calamities, and delighting in theevils, 
 that befal others, rape and paliion, bitter itrife and con- 
 tention, fchilin and fadion, lying and fallchood, craft and 
 treachery ; but efpecijily pride ^nd haiightinefs, which was 
 the fin that turned Satan out of heaven, and made him a 
 devil in hell. 7,. By the works o( the devil here are meant 
 in particular, idolatry, and ail idolatrous wor(hip, even to 
 the wordiipping of the dcvil hiinfelf; this, and all other 
 k'lids of idolatry, had (Irangtly prevailed andover-iun 
 the world before the coming of Chi id, who came on pur- 
 jKife to dilivrr mankind from this Uavery, and topiii down 
 the kingdoms of Satan, and beat him out of thole Itrong 
 holds which he thought had been impregnable. 
 
 9 Wliofoever is born of God doth not commit 
 fin : for bis feed remaineth in him : and he cannot 
 fin, bccauic lie is born of God. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The charai^er of a tru^chriflian, heit 
 born ofGid ; he has in the work ot regeneration psflVd un- 
 der a bleflcd change by the operation of the Holy Spirit, 
 renewing his natnie, and reforming hi« life ; yet ihis de- 
 rotes not the fingle tranfient act of regeneration, but ra- 
 ther a continued coiirle and periiiameiit ftate ; one that is 
 born of God is the fame with him that leads a pious and 
 godly life, and continues fo to do. 2. What is here af- 
 ferted concerning him that is born of God, namely, that 
 he doth no/ commit fin ; and that he cjnnct fin. 1. f/e 
 doth not commit fill, he is no evil-doer, nowolk^r of ini- 
 quity, no habitual or cuftomary (Inner; he gwes not on 
 in any way or courfe of fin, as the wicked doev, who m.<kes 
 a trade of it ; yea, he doth not tolerate or allow liiinftlf in 
 any fingle act of (in ; not that he is abfolutety free from all 
 fin. 2. It is (aid, he cann'A Jin ; but how ? And why ? 
 How can he not fin ? Has he not a natural power to fin ? 
 Has he not corruptions within, and temptations wiihour, 
 inclining and difpofirjg him to (in, as well as other men ! 
 and has he not opportunity to (in : the fame expeiftations 
 of advantages by fin with cither men ? Yes, no doubt ; 
 but he has not a will bent for (in, or a heart and mind fet 
 upon fin, as the wicked have ; nay, hchasa heartandwill 
 oppofite to (in, and let againll all fin. A gracious pcrfon 
 then, though he hath not a natural impolfibility, yet he 
 has a moral iinpoOibility to lin. He that is horn of God 
 hatha power to do that evil which he hath not a will to 
 do ; hel'iath always a natural power, and fometimesa civil 
 power, as being in authority ; but his blood and pedigree 
 are fohigh, being born of God, that he dildains to med- 
 dle with, or to trade in i'o baCe a thing as i'l^^ is. Note, 
 That a child of God has a bltfiVd iinpotency in the unre- 
 generate part, that he cannot fi« (trongly, though as yet 
 he has not that ability in the regenerate part, as not to iTn 
 at all. OhCirve, 3. Fhe reafons aflfgned why a regene- 
 rate perfon cannot fin as the wicked linjbeca'.ile his feed re- 
 maineth in him, and hecaule he is b'lm c/ G'.d; lh:it i<, he 
 has an inward principle inclining anddilpoling him to hate 
 and oppofe all fin, to wit, the ranc^itying grace of God ; 
 and he has that mortifying Spirit, which caufes him daily 
 more and more to die unto fin, and enables him ^) mortify 
 the deeds of the body. Lcurti hence, That alihcjgh fin 
 remaineth in him that is born of Goil, yet he that is born 
 of God doth not remain in (in, either as to a (inful (late, 
 or a finful convei I'ation ; God's word and Spirit, by which 
 he was regenerate, ftill remain in liiin ; and (0 far as he is 
 under the ruling power and goveriiing induences of them, 
 he cannot fin, much lei's live in wilful fin. 
 
 10 In this the children of God arc manifcft, and 
 the children of the devil : whofoevcr doth not righ-» 
 teoufnels is not of God, neither he that Joveth not " 
 his brother. 
 
 Our Apcflle in thcfe word« gives us the difiinguifliinfr 
 char.iclcr of a good and bad man ; thole who in their dif- 
 pofiijons nnd action?, in the icnijier of tli«ir minds, arid in 
 tlie aiflions of their lives, do imitate God, are his chil- 
 dren ; and thole who addict rheiiil' Ivef to fin .ind im|)i< ty 
 are of another race and delcent, they are the chiitiitn '^f 
 
 the 
 
Chap, hi, 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1081 
 
 tViC (lev't ; tlipy rcfenble IviM anJ !>e1jng u ito him. By 
 diiing rightepufnefsis ire-int rhe practice Dt'univerC.tl gnoJ- 
 nefs, ati;i a thoroug'l c mt'.irmi')' rn the law of God in 
 oppfifi-ion to fin, which is the traDfgrcflion of the l.iw. 
 Learn hence, r. That /every mm may come to the cer- 
 tiiin knovvU'dg" of hiso-.vn condition, vihfiher he bea good 
 or had man ; By thii the chddrtn of Cid are nwn'-fcjitil ; 
 that is, hereby goorl and bad men are really diftingu'flied ; 
 the ftripture has l;iid down real marks of difference be- 
 tiveen them. 2. That the love and praftice of unii'erfal 
 riglueournpr<;, and noihing fliart of it, will denominate a 
 perfon a child of God, and evidence to his own confcience, 
 that he is brought into a ft^tc cf grace and favour with 
 h'm. — Xrither be that I'.nelh not hit brother : 
 
 This difcovers a farther diiFfrence between the children 
 of Old and the children of Satan, namely, Brotherly kve ; 
 lie doth not lay, he thith^teth his brothe^• is a child of the 
 devil, but he that bveth net his brother ; intimating, that 
 not only hatred and malicp againfi, hut *'anJ of brotherly 
 love towards each other, is the mark and lign not of a child 
 of God, but of the devil. He that doth not unfeigned)/ 
 love men as men, and all chriftianj; as chriftians, is no 
 child of God, no lover of God ; f.>r he that loveth not 
 , God's image, loveth not God himfelf. 
 
 1 1 IT for thi.s is the melTagc that ye heard from 
 the beginning, that we fhould love one another. 12 
 Not as Cain, wlio was of that wicLed one, and 
 flew his brother. And wherefore fleu- he him ? Bc- 
 caufe his otvn works were evil, and his brother's 
 righteous. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the 
 world hate vou. 
 
 Our Apoftle comes now to enforce his exhortation unto 
 brotherly love, by many weighty arguments : i. He a(- 
 fures tliem, that this precept concerning brotherly love was 
 given them by Chriil anil his apofUes, from the beginning 
 of the preaching of the gofpel. A'o/e here, i. That the 
 V ord of God is a mefTige lent from God unto U5, a mef- 
 fage for our information and inltruction, a mefHige for cur 
 guide and direction. 2- That the duty of brotherly love 
 is an ancient mpfPage that God ha; fent and has continued 
 10 lend us, frijm the bcginmng ; God help us to learn this 
 lefl'.)n, fo anciently t.TUghtus, and folong prefTed upon us 
 'ny God himfelf. A fecond argument to excite brotherly 
 love is drawn from the evil of hating our brother, which 
 appears in the perfon and practice of Cain, whom our 
 Apoflle delVribes, 1. By his pedigree. He luas of that wicked 
 one; that is, the devil, of his diabolical dilpofition, of his 
 envious and malicious inclination, and, as fuch, «a!:not 
 fo much Adam's fon as the devil's fon. 1. By his prac- 
 tice, heyZfu; b'lr brother: Hefirfthared him, and then flew 
 him. His hatred was cau'.clefs ahd uijiill, implacable and 
 deadly, and ended in his brother's death and his own de- 
 ftruction. 3. The reafon is a/Ti^ned wli'y he flew him, 
 Becavfe his ovn •j.'irks were evil, and his brtjthcr's riqhitou.' ; . 
 not for any harm he had done, or for any evil he had de- ■ 
 I'erved, but beciufe Cain was bad Irmrelf, and his woiks 
 bad; to hate goillinefs, and to perlecute the godly, is the 
 very nature and dirpcfition of a wicked man. Cbfeiv: 
 
 1 iftly, The inference drawn by tlie Apoft'e from this ex- 
 .nnip'.c of Cain's hating h's holy and innocent brother ; 
 A/cirval ti'it, my hrcthrer, fjys he, // the vj'jrld hate you ; 
 intimating, that the world al«ay?did, and ever will, hate 
 God',^ children ; and that the children of Crod are not to 
 mar vel or « onder at it, but to prepare for it ; it is- no new 
 thing, but what has been from the beginning ; Though 
 Cain be dead, the fpirit of Cain is alive ; the perfecutor 
 goes about with Cain's club in his hand, redded with 
 bUiod ; marvel not then if the •mtrld hate you. 
 
 14 We know that we have paffed from death 
 unto life, becaufe we love the brethren. He that 
 loveth not hn brother abideth in death. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. Our Apoftle's dcfcription of a carnal 
 iinregenerate ftate; it is a (late of fpiritual death. 2. Of 
 a chiidian's renewed ftate by the fpirit of Chrift, it is a 
 ftate of fpiritual life ; -me are p:i[Ped from death to life. 3. 
 Here is the mark and token by which this tranflation frotn 
 death to life ma)' be known, r.amely, by /ore; fwr love be- 
 ing the great work of God's renewing fpirit on the foul, 
 it is by the produdlion of that, we come to the knowledge 
 that we are changed from a Cainifh corrupt flate of death, 
 intoaftate of holy life: Whatevergrace tnenpretendunto, 
 if ihey -vant this grace of love, they are yet dead in fin. 
 A- The characteriftical note of that love which will be an 
 uiidubitahle evidence of this our tranflation from death to 
 life, it muft be a love of the brethren ; that is, of all 
 chriftisns, as fuch ; particularly it rouft be an extenfive 
 and univerfal love, that reacheth all the children of God, 
 all good men, of whatjudgtnent and opinion foevcr, other, 
 wife it is the love of a party only, and a love for opinion- 
 fake, not for grace-fake, Colof. i. 4. W e give thanks firce 
 we heard cf your l.ve to all the faints ; that is, tn all of what 
 nation and kingdom foever, of what eftate and condition 
 loever, of what judgmetit and opinion foever, though dif- 
 fering from you in fome lefler things. It mud alio be an 
 holy love th^t will evidence our chriftianity ; though all 
 men muft be loved as men, yet the brethren muit be loved 
 for the likenefs of God in them ; we niuft love God's 
 holinefs in holy perfons ; it is one thing to love the bre- 
 thren, and another to love them as brethren, and becaufe 
 they are brethren ; a gracious perfon may be loved only 
 foi carnal refpedts, and fmirter ends ; again, it muft be ac- 
 tive and operative, a coftly and expenfive love ; that cheap 
 love of fonie men, which will widi a poor chriftian well, 
 but will be at no pains, no cull or expence, to help and 
 iiiccour him, becaufe they love their money better than 
 they do their brother, is the hypocrite's love, not the faint's; 
 fee James ii. 15. From the whole Uarn, that the love of 
 grace in another, is a good evidence of the life of grace in 
 ourfelves ; utife.gned love to the children of God as fuch, 
 IS an undoubted eiideiice of our regent' rat ion and adoption. 
 
 15 Whofoever h:iteth his brother is a murderer : 
 and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abid- 
 ing in him. 
 
 Cbferve here, i. The nature of the fin condemned,, it 
 
 is a fecret lin of the heart, not an open fin of the life ; h; 
 
 6 X ^ ih.t 
 
loS2 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 that hateth hli Irother, that is, in his heart, is a murderer, 
 though he doth not fmite him with his tongue, orwitii his 
 hand. Learn thence, That fins of the heart are damning, 
 as well as fins of the life; a man nuiy be an adulterer in 
 the fight of God, and yet never tcuch a woman. Matih. 
 V. 28 and idolater, andyetneverbow his knee to -in image, 
 Eph. V. 5. a murderer, and yet never hurt his brother ; 
 if he hates him in his heart, i: is recorded murder in God's 
 account. What need hav'c we to put up Daviii's prayer, 
 Pl'al. xix. C.leanfe thou me from my fecru-l fins ? Ohfervi 2. 
 The fad and deplorable condition of fuch as are guilty of 
 thii fin, namely, of murdering iheir brother by hatred in 
 their hearts : He that huteth his brotbtr, abiiUth in death, 
 vcr. 14. and hath noi eternal Ufe abiding in him, ver. 15. 
 that is, he hath no fpiritual life, nothing of the life of grace 
 abiding in him, which is the feed and principle, the origi- 
 nal and beginning of eternal life. Noti thence, That the 
 life of grace in the heart of a regenerate perlon, is the be- 
 ginning and firft principle of a life of glory, whereof they 
 cannot but be deftitute who hate their brother in their 
 hearts. So much hatred in a man, lo much death ; and To 
 much want of love, lo much want of life. 
 
 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, becaufe 
 he laid down his life for us : and we ought to lay 
 down cur lives for the brethren. 
 
 Here our apoflle prelles brotherly love from another ai:- 
 gument, namely, from the example of Jelus ChriH, who 
 being God, as well as man, laid down his life, as man, 
 far ua. Where note. Thai the intimate union betwixt the 
 divine and huiian nature in Chrift, gives ground for the 
 calling ChrilVs life, as man, the life of God ; as his blood 
 is laid, A<fls xx. a8. to be God's own blood : Hereby 
 perceive vte the love ^f Cod ; that is, of Jefus Chrift the Re- 
 deamer, in that he laid down his lije for us. Thence learn, 
 That the death of Chrift for us is a fpficial manifeflation of 
 his fingular love unto us. Olferve farther. The inference 
 which our ApolUe draws from Chrift's love in laying down 
 his life for us, n.-.mely, that we therefore ought to lay down 
 our lives for the brethren : That is, in a time of perfecu- 
 tion, when the glory of God, the edification of the church, 
 and the eternal falvatioit of our brethren, dorequire it, and 
 ftandin need of it : We muft never Itick at laying down our 
 lives when God calls us to it, as needful for better ends than 
 our lives. It is not needful that we live, but needful and 
 necefTary that we glorify God, both in life and death. 
 
 17 But whofo hath this world's good, and feeth 
 his brother have need, and fhutteth up his bowels 
 of compajfwn from him, how dwelleth the love of 
 God in him ? 
 
 Our Apoftle here draws an argument from the greater 
 to the Itfs, after this manner: " If, fays he, we ought to 
 be ready in fonie cafes to part with our lives for the bre- 
 tbren, furely we much more ought to impart and comtnu- 
 nicate our warldly goods to them in the time of (heir ne- 
 cefllty, and he that refufes fo to do, can never think there 
 is any thing of that love in him, which God requires of 
 tiin towards his children." Learn hence. That there cer- 
 tainly dwells no love of God in that maa's hcart;^ who 
 
 haviiij^ this world's goods, flretcheth not out his liands to 
 htlp the necc(!i»ies of his brother. Here vJe, i. The 
 fountain from v\liich all charitable diflribuiions are to pro- 
 ceed and llow, namely, from the conipafiioii of the heart. 
 J. That the companion of tho heart mult draw forth the 
 help of the hand : He that is a chriftian indeed will open 
 both heart and hand to the diftrtflVd, and they Hull par- 
 take of his piirfe as well as of his pi:y. 3. It is not |jid. 
 He that has abundance of this world's goods, let him of 
 his great fupeilluiiy give ; but he xVin hath this wsi Id's 
 g',0(h ; that is, in any mealure, yea, though he has no more 
 thart he works for, yet is he rt- quired, Eph. iv. 28. that 
 workcnh with lii> hands, to give to hnn that needeth. 1 he 
 world is greatly deceived who thinks charity and alinfgiving 
 a duty that only concerns the rich ; indeed it concerns ihetii 
 eininenly, but not exclufive. And oh ! the dreadful ac- 
 count that fome rich men have to givf, who expend more 
 upon a liift in one day, than "hey give to tht j)oor in a 
 whole year. IJiit yet, afterall, ever y one tliut hath this 
 world's goods, though he has but what belabours at<d 
 fweatsfor, yet nnift he in proportion to what ht h;.s, give 
 to him that necdtth. Note, 4. 1 he object of this our com- 
 panion and charity ; n brother, a [irutb.er \i\ need, undevery 
 broilier in need ; not only fuch as are cafl down, but lucli 
 as are falling, are ihc proper, phjects of our pity ai?d help. 
 5. The circumlfances of time when we muft give, namely, 
 when vie fee our brother in need. What a vanity is it to 
 leave our alms till after our death, to be beholden to- the 
 juffice of others for their diftribuiion .' Let us fee our cha- 
 rity beflowed with our own eyes, and given out with our 
 own hands, when tlie tongues of the poor v. ill blcls us, but 
 their prayers will do us no good w hen we are dead li'hoj'i 
 J'eeth his brother hciie need, &c. From the w hole learn. 
 That when we are in a c.pacity, and c'njoy an opportunity 
 of exprefl'mg our charitible benevolence towards our poor 
 and indigent brethren, the omillion of ii is a certain evi- 
 dencethat there is nothing of the love of God refiding in us. 
 
 18 My little children, let us not love in word, 
 neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And 
 hereby we knotv that we are of the truth, and Ihall 
 allure our hearts before him. 
 
 flawing laid down feveral motives to brotherly love be- 
 fore, by w-ay of excitation, as an help to their afT-ctiors, 
 he comes now to propound foii;e diretlions to them as -n 
 help to their endeavours. And tht firii is th;s, to take Ipe- 
 cial care that their love be lincere, and no; hvpotritical. 
 Lit us 'Ht I'jve in luord, that is, in word only. Init in d.-ed, 
 and in truth. As if be had faid, " Let our deeds fpe.iU ihe 
 truth of our love ; lincere love is fruitful ; true affect un 
 will put forth itfelf into action ; it do' h not reft at the 
 tongue'send, but will be feen at thelingtr'si nd, rendtring 
 us laborious in works ami ofiiccs of friendlbip ; asfa.ih fa 
 love without works is dead j and as faith is jultitied by 
 works, fo is our love alfo." Obferve next, J he encou- 
 ragement which our Apoftle gives to the exercife of true 
 love, hereby we fl'^tii kno\u that v>e are of the truths &c. 
 That is, '• By loch rfllc.icy and real fru.ts of our love we 
 fliallkno« that we are mu • chr.tH ns, who live by and wall; 
 according to the rule of the gofpel. which is emphaticany 
 
 Itiled 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1083 
 
 ftyled the truth, and fliaH have the aiTiirc-l fertimonv of onr 
 confcieiices, that we are fincere in the f'ght ot God.'' Leurn 
 I. That the Ime of chriftians one to another ought not to 
 be virrbal, or in word onlv, but in deed, and in truth. 2. 
 That the ilnceriry otoiir love to our brethren is the fccurity 
 of our confciences and cdates before God. A chrilb'an may 
 be aflured of his good eftate, and may build his afliirance 
 upon the fincerity of his love to God and chriftians. 
 
 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater 
 than our heart, andknoweth all things. 2 1 Beloved, 
 if our heart condemn us not, i/imhave wt confidence 
 towards God. 
 
 By heart here is undoubtedly meant cinfcieiiee ; and it is 
 as much as if the apofUe had faid, " If our confciences tell 
 us. that our love is barren and fruitlefs, and fo condemn us 
 for hypocrify, God is greater than our confciences, both in 
 holinefs to condemn, and in knowledge to perceive the evil 
 of them, for he knoweib all things : whereas if we have the 
 witnefs of our confciences touching the fincerity of our love 
 by the fruits of it ; if, after a molt ftri£l examination of our 
 confciences, and an exact comparing of our lives and adlions 
 with the law of God, we are not condemned of infincerity 
 in our obedience to God, and love to our neighbour, then 
 have we an humble confidence with God in all our addrefTes 
 to him." Leant hence, i. That the confciences of men 
 have a felf-condemninwand a fclf-abfolvlng power. 2. That 
 the confciences of men are much better known to God, 
 than they either are or can be known unto themfelves- 3. 
 •That if our hearts or confciences do condemn us, it is an 
 evidence of greater condernnation from the heart-fcarching 
 God. 4. That if our confciences do abfolve us, it is an 
 argument of our acceptance with God, and a ground of con- 
 fidence in all our addrelfes to him. 5. That according to 
 the verdidt or teflimony of men's confciences rightly in- 
 forined, and truly teftifying, God will either acquit or ab- 
 folve them at the great day. 
 
 22 And whatfoever we aflt, we receive of him, 
 becaufe we keep his commandments, and do thofe 
 things that are pleafing in his fight. 
 
 Obferve, I. An extraordinary favour and privilege infured, 
 fnuilfoever we njk, we receive of him ; that is, whatloever we 
 afk according to his will, we are fure to receive, either in 
 kind, or in equivalency. It (hall either be given in mercy, 
 or denied in love; for verily God is as kind in denying fome 
 of our requells, as in an fwering others ; we often cry for 
 that which it would be cruelty for God to give ; we know 
 not what is beft to beg, but an infinitely wife God knov. eth 
 Avhat is fitted to give. Dat pro jucunrlis aptijjima. 2. The 
 qualification of the perfons to whom this precious privilege 
 does belong. They keep God's commandments, and do the 
 things that pleafe him. According to our hearing God's 
 Commandments, fo he hears and anfwers our prayers ; with 
 what meafure we mete to God, God will raeafure to us 
 again. If G.id's commands be trode under our feet, no 
 wonder that all our prayers fail to the ground. God hears 
 not us, if we hear not him. 
 
 23 And this is the commandment, that we fhould 
 
 believe on the ttaitle of his Son Jefus Chrifl, and love 
 one another, as he gave us commandment. 
 
 Ol'ferve, I. What is the futn of the chriflian's duty,//?///:" 
 and love, to believe on the name of Jcfus Chrifl ; that is, tO 
 rely upon him as our Redeeiner, our Teacher, our King» 
 our Intercelfor, and to obey his great command of loving 
 one another with a pure heart fervently. 2. What a mighty 
 encouragement it is to faith, that believing on Chrift is con- 
 flituted a duty by a plain gofpel-precept. This is the com- 
 mandment , for this command cuts off that vain pretence and 
 plea of prefumption. What! fiich a vile wretch as thou 
 prefume to believe on Chrift .'' fays Satan. Yes, fays the 
 chriflian, here is a command to me fo to do, yea, a command 
 from the higheft fovereignty, the contempt whereof I mufl 
 anfwer at my utmoft peril. 3. How the command of faith, 
 and the command of love, are linked and knit together, as 
 if the weight of our falvation hung equally and alike upon 
 both ; as without faith it is impoflible to pleafe God, (o with- 
 out love it is iinpoflible to pleafe him alfo. Will no duty 
 profit without faith ? In like inanner can we neither profit 
 ourfelves nor others without love : As whatever is not of 
 faith is fin, fo whatever we perform towards our brother, if 
 we doit not outof love, we mifsour reward, i. Cor. xiii. 3. 
 Lord! can we ever think this command of love fm all and 
 inconfiderable, when thou haft joined the love of thine image 
 with faith in thy dear Son ? 
 
 2 4 And he that keepeth his commandments dwell- 
 eth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that 
 he abideth in us, by theSpirit which he hath given us, 
 
 Obferve here, The benefit of obedience to God's com- 
 mand. God dwelleth in us, and we in hirn. God's dwelling 
 in us implies, i. Right and property ; what a man dwells in 
 is his own. 2. Command and authority ; the maftcr and 
 owner is the commander and difpoferof the houfe. It alfo, 
 3. Implies refidence and continuance, fcttleinent and fixed- 
 nefs of abode ; there a man dwells where he conftantlv re- 
 fides. And our dwelling in God imports, i. Reconciliation 
 with God. Can two dwell together except they be agreed ? 
 2. Affiance and truft in hitn. 3. An upholding conftant 
 coinmimion with him ; it is one thing to run to God for 
 refuge in a ftorm, and another thing to make him our dwel- 
 ling place at all times, and in all conditions ; he that keepeih 
 God's cointnandments thus dwelleth in God, and God in 
 him ; it follows, And hereby we know that he abideth in us., 
 by the Spirit which he hath given us. Learn, That the Spirit 
 of God, beftowed upon us in hi' fanclifying gifts and faving 
 graces, is an evident fign of God's dwelling in us, and we 
 ill him. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 BELOVED, believe not every fpirit, but try the 
 fpirits whether they are of God; becaufe many 
 falfe prophets are gone out into th.e world. 
 
 Our apofile having in the lafl verfe of the foregoing chap- 
 ter, mentioned the abiding of the Spirit of God in the fouls 
 of belie ver.', left the chriftians to whom he wrote fhould be 
 
 6X2 deceived 
 
1084 
 
 1. St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 deceived by fuch as miglit pretend to he a(fled by the Spi- 
 rit, when indeed ihcy were not; he comes in this chapter 
 to caution and counfel .ill chrillians to t-kc heed of bting 
 feduced by fuch as (liouhl pretend to be inlpirrd by the 
 Holy Spirit of God, faying, Delitve pet evrry Jp'nii ■ that 
 is, every teacher who pretends to be iulpired, and every 
 docflrine that lays cliirn to the doctrine of tlivine revela- 
 tion : But try the fp'iritj ; that is, examine their doftrines 
 by the rule of the word of God, and try from whom they 
 come, whether from the Spirit of God, or Satan; for many 
 fnlff prophets, or impoftors, and deceivers, arc gone .»broad 
 into the world. Learn hence, i. 'I'hat men from the 
 beginning of chrifHanity have, and flii! do, falfely pretc'iid 
 to divine infpiraiion. 2. That chriftians ought not to be- 
 lieve every one that thus pretends to be divinely infpired ; 
 for every one that has but enough of confidence, and little 
 enough o\ confcience, may pretend to come from God. 3. 
 That neither are we to rejeift all that pretend to come from 
 God ; for when the Apoitle bids us not believe every Ipi- 
 rit, he fuppofes that we are to believe fome ; and w hen he 
 bids us try the fpirits whether they be of God, he fuppofes 
 fome to be of God, and thdt fuch as are fo, ought to be 
 believed by us. 4. That there is fome way to difcern mere 
 pretenders to infpiration from thofe who are truly and di- 
 vinely infpired ; it were in vain to make the trial, if there 
 were no way to difcern the truth. 5. That it is the duty 
 of all Chriflianj to examine the doctrines propounded to 
 them, by the word of God ; they having a judgment of 
 difcretion, thotigh not a judgment of decifion ; a power to 
 judge for themfelves, not toimpofe upon others; nor does 
 this allowed liberty of every one judging for himftlf take 
 away the neceflityaiid ufeof ourfpiritual guides and teach- 
 €Ti, or exempt us from a due fubmilTiun and obedience 
 thereunto, bur, in concurrence with them, vje are to try 
 the fpirits whether they be of Cod. 
 
 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God ; every fpirit 
 that conftfTeth that Jefus Chriftis comein the flefhis 
 ofGott: 3. And every fpirit that confefFeth not that 
 Jefus Chrifl; is comein the flefh, isnotofGod. And 
 this is that^m^of antichrirt, whereof you have heard 
 that it fhould come, and even now ahcady is it in 
 the world. 
 
 In thefe words our Apoftle lays down a plain mark an" 
 rule of trial, bow (hey nvight know a teacher that wa^ 
 acled and infpired by rhe Spirit oi God, from oi'.e that wa* 
 not : fuch a one as diirlt truly and openly in the face o* 
 danger own and profcfi, teach and preach, Jefus Chriftin 
 hii perfon, nature, andnffice', as the incdiii.ne word, or 
 Son of (iod, fcnt fron) heaven, aftribing viruie and effi- 
 cacy to the facrafite of his death, and attributing to him 
 alone the whole gU>ry of a perfi(fl Saviour ; this d^cirine 
 ii of the Spirit, and this Sp'ritisof God. But, fuch teach- 
 ers as will not hazard iheuifelves, but for fear of lufJenngs 
 and perfctutiri) will deny either the Godhood or manhood 
 of Chrid, and dii'ovi n either hie incarnation, death or re- 
 furriiftion ; Inch teachers, and fuel) (lul5^rines, are not of 
 Co3, but are the very fpirit .1 amichrift, which, f;iys he, 
 you have been forcioldj, fliould coiue, and is now al- 
 
 ready in the world. Learn hence. That fuch a teacher as 
 difowns either of the natures I'f Chrli^ or denies any of 
 the offices of Chrift, that cither denies the divinity of hii 
 perfoii, or the mcriiorioufmr of his. fjtisr;ic1ion, is not of 
 God, he isai'tichriil, ag.iiiill Chi ift, and dull find Chnit 
 againll him in the day that he appears before him. 
 
 4 Yc are of God, little Children, and have over- 
 come tiu'in : bcc.iufc i^icatci is he that is in you ih.tn 
 he that is ia the world. 
 
 <>^/t'rue here, I. A charartcr and defcription given of 
 thele Chrilli.ins to whom our ApulUe writes. He tells 
 them they were of a nobler defccnt, of a more excellent pe- 
 digree, and higher otFspring, ih;in their fulle teachers ; X: 
 arenjGid, regtneratecJ by the Spirit of God, quickened by 
 his rtnoviition, led by his nianmlucl^on, acted by his in- 
 ftueni.es, anim.itid by his aililtanci-s : Utile children, ye 
 are ofGorl. 1. What is ainrined of llule Chriftians, Te 
 have 'jvei come them ; that i', youhave relilbd their temp- 
 tation?, wiihftiTod their I'tduJlions, and ail their arts ami 
 endeavours lomdlead you, when others have been j-erver- 
 ted by them. Learn hence, That by lUdfallnefs in the 
 doiftrine of Chrift, Chrilliaus do overcome impoflors ami 
 feducers, when unllablf fouls are overcome by them. Ob- 
 Jcrve, 3. The reafonailigned why, and •heineansdeclared 
 by which they overcome, namely, bfcoufe greater is he that 
 is in y.it, than he th.it is in tbf viorlJ; that i«, Chnlt, who 
 by his Spirit and doftrine dwells in ycu, is greater, and 
 more powerfully efficac'ous, than the fpirit of error, which 
 influencesihefe wild impofters and feducers that are abroad 
 in the world 
 
 5 They are of the world : therefore fpcak tliey of 
 the world, and the world heareth thcin. 6 Wc arc 
 of God. He that knoweth God heareth us : he that 
 is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we 
 the fpirit of truth, and the fpirit of error. 
 
 Here we have, i. The character given of thefe feducers 
 and falfe techers. They are lyf the lu.rld; that i-, men of 
 worldly minds and inierefts, rbry /peak of the vj-jrld ; that 
 is, they preach a doctrine fuitable to the lulls and indma- 
 tions of worldly nifn. who greedily hear them, and eafily 
 believe them ; ordinarily our words are fuch as we are ; 
 they who are of the world mult needs Ipejk of the world, 
 for they have n«3thing ellV to fpeak of. Ibe covetous man 
 fpeaks covetoufly, and the proud man proudly. 2. T he 
 tharaftir which the Apoftle givei of himkif and h's fellow- 
 apoftles, vie ate of God ; that is, taoght and inllruc'ted by- 
 Cod. We have our miffion and our mefl'^ige fioin God, 
 and he has given us his attellation, by opening the ears and 
 hearts of thofe that attend uponoarminiltry , toreceive and 
 embrace our ilodrine ; but inch a are not taught of God, 
 rtjt'ct both it and us. 3. I he inference and conclulioii 
 which our Apoftle draws from hence, namely, that by the 
 doclrine and wriiings of the apoflics and evangelifts, the 
 truth or fall'ehood of doctrines may and mult be jtulgtd ; 
 for, faysl)€, H.rthy we kno-jj the fpirit vf truth, and the fpi- 
 rit oft-rror. 
 
 7 1 Beloved, let us love one another : for love is 
 
 of 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1C85 
 
 of God ; and every one that loveth is born of God, 
 and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not, knoweth 
 not God : for God is love. 
 
 Our .Tpodle here rtfunies his exhortation to brotherly 
 love, and urges and reinforces it with frt*(li arguments. 1. 
 He ;i{lures u-, that Icve is 0/ God ; lh.it is, the fruit of" his 
 good Spirit in us ; common love is his ccininon gift, and 
 holy love is hisfpecial grace. •.:. It is an evidence that ve 
 ha^c a righi knowiedgeof God, both of his nature and will, 
 and that we underftand both what he is, and what he re- 
 quires ; he that has not the grace of love in his heart, has 
 not tlie right knowledge of God in his head, whatever he 
 ni.iy think of himfelf, or pretend to others. 3. The apof- 
 tle afTures us. That love is not only commanded, but ex- 
 emplified by God himfelf: Cod is love. He bad fajd before, 
 kveis (fCjd, as a quality ; here he fays, Cod is love ; not 
 as a mere quality, but his cffiince. Cod is love : 1. Elfen- 
 ally ; love in the creature is an accidental quality, in God 
 anedentialproper.ty. i. C'ulisi.ve, cafually, thetfficieiiC 
 caufe of whatever is loving or lovely in u? ; All our love to 
 him, and one another, is but a ri-fleclion of his love to us. 
 3. God is I've, objectively; he is, or ought to be, the fu- 
 j rt nie objtdt of our love ; and we niuft love him above all, 
 or he accounts we love hininot at all. 4. Cod ishve, de- 
 claratively ; allhis works, as well ashis word, arc a decla- 
 raiii;n of hi love tons, and ought to engage us to lledfaft- 
 nefs in our love to hitn. 
 
 9 In this was manifefled the love of God towards 
 us, becaufe that God lent his only begotten Son into 
 the world, that we might live through him. 
 
 Ohferve, i. That God doth nor only beftow love upon 
 his ptople, but it is his good plealure to nianifeft that love. 
 Qiirfi. Whrrein has God maiufelled his love towards us ? 
 yln/. I. In our creation, m.^king us out of nothing in fuch 
 a wonderful manner; our bodies curioiifly wrought as with 
 ar.ttdle, our foul beautifi- d w iih undtrllanding, will, and 
 judgment. 2. In our apollacy and degeneration, when no 
 cycpitied u«, and wheiiweb..d no hearts topity ourfelves, 
 ihcn were his bowels of love and compaCTion yeirning to- 
 waidsns; then hf f^id unto us. Live, w hei^ hemight have 
 faid, Die, andbe damned 5. In cur reilemption, recovery 
 and relliuiion, in i'cno'iuclr!" r.lybrg'^l'f.^.oni to tic lUirld, 
 that we might livt through lim. Oblttve, 1. A threefold' 
 evidence of Gud's love to mankind in the work of rcdeiup- 
 on, that great and glorious woik. I It was a wonderful 
 inlhnce of the lo'e of Cod, that he fiioold be plcdled to 
 take our cafe intoconfideration, and to concern himfelf for 
 f ur happinefs ; as nothing is more obliging to human na- 
 ture than love, fono love obliges more than that which is 
 cxerrifed with great rond< fcenfion aftera provocation ifuth 
 vav God's love to ofFendtng m^n. 2. That he iliould de- 
 ligii fo great a benefit to us as is hcree.NpreiTi^d, even life. 
 7 hat lue might live through him. 3. That Gcd was pleaUd 
 to uU- fuch a mesn for the obtaining and procuiing of this 
 benefit for ut. He fent his own Son into the w orld, that 
 we might live through him. Where ns/c, i. The pt- rl'on 
 lent, hisownSi>n, and only begotten Son. 2. Theper- 
 ibusfentto, iheraenof the wcrld, whoarefpiritually dtad, 
 
 and judicially dead. 3^ The manner of hi* being fenf, vo- 
 luntarily and freely, not conflrained by ntcf fTiiy, not pre- 
 vailed upon by iniporiiiniiy, not obliged by benefit cr k nd- 
 ncfs frc>m us ; but out of his mere ])i'y and goodnel'stow ards 
 us, hefent hiniintoa wicked world, and into an ungrair- 
 ful world, that we might live tlin ugh him. fromibewhcJe 
 Ica'n, That Cod's beflowing l;i> ton upon a 1<1} world, 
 was a m,inifeft evidence of his great and wonderful !<>v< 
 unto them. 
 
 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but 
 that he loved us, and lent his Son to ^e the propitia- 
 tion for our fins. 
 
 Hsreinis love : thatis, thecleareft, the fulleft, thehigheft 
 cxi>reflion of free and undeferved love that ever the world' 
 was acquainted with. Cb/erve, That the wifdom and power 
 of God did not act to the utmoft of their efRcacy in the 
 work of creation ; he could have framed a more glorious 
 world had it plenfed hiin ; but the love of God in our rf- 
 deniption by Chrilt could not be cxprefTed, or fet forth, in 
 an higher degree : When Almighty God would give the 
 mcll excellent teltimony of hit. favour to mankind, hegdve 
 them his eternal Son, the Son of his love : And verily the 
 giving of heaven itfelf, with all iisjoys and glory, isnotft» 
 full and perfeft a demonftration of the love of God, as the 
 giving of his Son to die for us. Objerve next, the priority 
 of God's love to mankind ; he loved us, not we him ; he 
 loved us antecedently to our loving him, and he loved us, 
 that we might love him, when there was nothing in us 
 either to delerve, or to engage his love. Cbfeivt lafHy, 
 The great intent and gracious defign of God in fending his 
 Son ; namely. To be a propitiation J or our Jins ; that is, to 
 die as a facrafice for our fins, and thereby atone divine dif- 
 pleafure. Herein is Iwe ; thatis, the triumph, the riches, 
 and glory cf 'livine love, that God gave Chrift to die for 
 us. •' But is their love in nothing elfe but this V Yes fare, 
 to have a being awong rational creatures, therein is love; 
 to have our life carried fo many years in the hand of pro- 
 vidence, like a burning taper, in the midft of winds aril 
 rtorms, and not burnt out, this is love; to have food and 
 raiment convenient for ms-, relations and friends to comfort 
 us, in all thel'eis Icve, great love; but comparatively none 
 at all to the love exprefT^d in giving Chrilt to die for us ; 
 Herein was love, tlie flower of love. 
 
 1 1 Beloveti, if God fo loved us, we ought alfo to 
 love one another. 12 No man hath feen God at 
 anytime. If we love one another, Goddwellethjn 
 us, and hisloveis perfe£ledinu!v. 13 Hereby know 
 we that we dwell ui him, and he in us, becaufe he 
 hath given us of his Spirits 
 
 Cbfcrve, 1. The genuine inference whiih oar apoftle 
 <lraws from the driftrine laid dow n concerning thegreatnefs 
 of God's ].>ve to us; namely, "That feeing Cod fo loved 
 us, we fhcKild love one another, and be like hirn according 
 to our nitafure, andin ourdcgrce." 2. The apoflle's ar- 
 gument to provoke ns hereunto ; he tells us, 7 hat God 
 himfelf is to be loved by us for his aflonidiing love unto 
 us : But as God is not ti- be feen in his cfftnce, but la 
 
 man 
 
io8t5 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 man his imape, fo niulV we love God in man, his creature, 
 made after his own image and hkeiitfb : And if vve love the 
 holy iniJgeof God in each other, it isan evidence that God 
 dweileth in u^, and we in hiin ; namely, by the inhabita- 
 tion of his holy Spirit, which benig a Spirit of love in us, 
 draws forth our love towards himfelf, and one towards an- 
 other. And further he aflbres w, That this will be a iign 
 that Iw: h ptrfet^ inus; namely, that this grace is, in its 
 vigour and perfection, in our fouls, fnicere and entire, hav- 
 ingall its eflential parts, though it be not abfoluiely perfect 
 in all degrees. Note, That perfedtion here is iiotoijpofed 
 to imperfection, but to infincerity. Our love is then f.iid 
 to be perfected, when it is confiderably heightened and im- 
 proved. BlelTed be God ! the hour is coming when this, 
 and all othergraces, (liall be perfe(5led, when this fpaik ef 
 love Ihall be blown up into a leraphic flame. Laflly, The 
 rule which our apollle lays down, whereby we may know 
 afluredly, that God dwellethin us, and wein him ; namely , 
 If he has given us his Spirit, which is a Spirit of holy love. 
 Leant thence, Thai tl)e holy Spirit, (not in its extraordi- 
 nary gifts, which are long fince ceafed) but in its fanclify- 
 ing operations and gracious fruits (of which fincere love is 
 the firft and chief) is an undoubted evidence of God's 
 dweliinginus by a fpccial inhabitation, and ofourdwelling 
 in him ; that if, relfing in his love and favour, and under 
 his protedion and care. 
 
 1 4 AncJ we have feen and do teftify that the Father 
 fent the Son <oii? the Saviour of the world. 15 Who- 
 foever fhall confefs that Jefus is the Son of God, 
 God dweileth in him, and he in God. i6 And we 
 have known and believed the love that God hath to 
 us. God is love ; and he that dweileth in love, 
 dweileth in God, and God in him. 
 
 As if the apodle had faid, " Though no man hath feen 
 God at any time, yet we apoftles, who preach the docflrine 
 of faith unto you, and prefs the duty of love upon you, 
 have feen with our bodily eyes the Lord Jcfus Chrift, and 
 doteftify, that God the Father glorified hislove, by fending 
 his Sun to be the Saviour of a perifliing world; not of Jews 
 only, but of the Gentiles alfo. And we further declare. 
 That whofoever believing this our leftimony fliall confefs 
 with his mouth, and believe in his heart, that this Jefus, 
 whom we preach, is the Son of God, and fliall evidence the 
 truth of his faith fay the (jncerity of his love, andothergood 
 fruits, it is certain that God dweileth in him by his Spirit 
 and he dweileth in God by repeated adls of love. And 
 finally, we apofllfs well knowing, and firmly believing the 
 love, the wonilertiil gi eat love, which God hath manifefted 
 towards us, in .ind through his Son Jefus Chrif}, we again 
 aflirin and conclude, th.it Godis i:ve. Love originally, the 
 fouutain from whence all love tlows. Love efliLiently, the 
 producing caufe of all love in the hearts of our people. 
 Love fuli'icctively, a God full of love and mercy, of good- 
 iiels ant! pity towards his creatures. Love objttVively, he 
 is dcfrrvcdly the firll and chief objfti: of our love, as he is 
 the flrft and chief good. Lovcdcclaiativtly, bothhisword 
 and woi k'- declare the puriiores of his love unto ns, and give 
 demoiiUrations of innuincrable inllances of his benificeiice 
 
 towards us. But efpeciaily God is lr»ve efTentially. Love 
 in us is an adveniiiious and accid;.nt.il (]'iali'y ; in God it 
 isan cfleinial property, it is his vtrv tflViice and nature, in- 
 leparable from hisbeing ; he can asfoon terii'e to /;f, as ceafc 
 to l.xie. And as Cndis lave, fo we again affirm ih.it he that 
 dweUeih in love, that \>, he who has love, as the prevailing 
 habit in his heart, and as the governing principle of his life, 
 dwelltth, by communion, in Gt,d, as the eye dwells in the 
 light, and asone friend by l')ve dwells in another ; and Cod, 
 by his Spirit of love, dxvellethin him. 
 
 17 Herein is our love made perfect, thatwemay 
 haveboldneis in the day ofjudi^inent : becaufe as he 
 is, foare we in this world. 18 There is no fear in 
 love, but perfect love cafteth out fear : becaufe fear 
 hath torment : he that feareth is not made perfctl in 
 love. 
 
 Still our apoftle proceeds by way of argument to enforce 
 upon us the obligation of our duty to love one another ; he 
 allures us here, that \i owr \v\e be made perJeiT, that is, 
 heightened and improved by an exadl correfponding w ith 
 the divine pattern and precept ; if ue love one another in 
 obedience to God's command, and in conformity tc» 
 Chrid's example, it will give us boldnefs in ihe day of 
 judgment, and we may think and fpcak of, we may expeft 
 and look for, the approach of that day without fear and con- 
 fternaiion of mind ; the real'on is added, becaufe as Chrifi 
 ■uias, fo areiue in the wT-ld : that is, as he was full of holi- 
 nefs and piiritv, of love and charity, fo have we endeavoured 
 to be in imitation of hisexample, according to our meafure, 
 in fome proportion and degree. Zr<3rn hence, i.lhatfuch 
 as are fincerely gracious, and do excel in the grace of love, 
 •ire in the world in fome fort as Chiift was in the world ; 
 fuch as walk in love, walk as Chrift walked. 2. That fuch 
 as are in the world, as Chrifi was in the world, (hall have 
 boldnefs when Chi ill comes to judgment, and need not fear 
 the condemnation of that dreadful day ; the rcafon of this 
 freedom from the fear of wrath is added, verfe 18, Thtreis 
 noftarinlove ; thatis, nofl ivifii or diftrollful fear, whereby 
 we queflion the favour of God; but only a filial and reve- 
 rential fear, whei^eby we Hand in awe of olt'ending him as 
 a Father: Butpaf^lhvecajhthnutfear: thatis, either 
 theacling? of our perfect love to God, or the apprchenfions 
 of God's perfedl love towards us, do calt out all that tear 
 which has torment in it. Yet nnte. That although perfeft 
 love cafleth out tormenting fear, it calls in obeying fear, 
 Etcl. xii. 13. Fear God and keep his commandments, joT this 
 is the 'jjhole duty of man ; an awful fear of God is all duty, 
 and every grjce. Note Mo, The true reafon of our dil- 
 qnieting and tormenting fear is the imperfedtion and weak- 
 nefs of our love ; fear may ftand with faith and love, but 
 not with perfeft faith, nor perftft love : Hethalfeurethis 
 not madeperjril in I'.ve, and becaufe he is not made peifcft 
 in love, therefore he feartth. Bh fled be God, as there 
 w ill be no torment, lo no fear, in heaven; thatis, no tor- 
 menting fear ; yet there i> a fear of reverence, which «ill 
 undoubtedly remain with glorified faints in heaven ; they 
 fliall have an cverlafling awe of the niiij.fty and holinefsof 
 God eternally fixed ujxm ilicir hearts and fpints, even in 
 
 the 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1087 
 
 the kingdom of glory in heaven, as well as in the kingdom 
 of grace here on earth ; the dinta/rrve C'jd acceptably with 
 revtrence and godly ftar \ Lord, haften the perfefting of thy 
 p/3ce in us, pirticularly the pcifeftion of our love, that 
 perfe(fl love m.iy caft out tor:nenting fc ir, and cherilh fuch 
 u revereiual fear as will both prepare iis for heaven, and 
 accompany us in heaven, to all eternity. 
 
 J 9 We love him, becaufe he firft loved us. 
 
 There is a double reading of ihefe words according to the 
 original ; I. Fbey may be read, let us love hmi btcaiife he 
 firlt loved us, by way of motive, denoting, that believers 
 have great rea'on to love God with their choicell and high- 
 ell affections, for as much as he has loved them, and firlt 
 Joved them. 2. They are here read by way of caufalty, we 
 do love him, becaufe l>c firll loved us ; intimating, that 
 God's love to us is the root and fpringof our love to him, 
 and to one another ; all our love to faints is the efftcl of 
 hit preventing love ;o u;, and but a refltctionof ihole beams 
 of love which God has firft cafl upon us -, if God's love to 
 Hi had been a mere dependent confeqnence of our love to 
 him, how ui'icertain Ihould we be of its continuance? Rut 
 his love to us was the antecedent caufe of our love to him ; 
 we therefore love him, becaufe he firfl: loved us. 
 
 20 If a man Hiy, I love God, and hateth his bro- 
 ther, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his bro- 
 ther whom he hath feen, hotv can he love God 
 whom he hath not feen ? 
 
 Our Apoftle in thefe words prevents an objeiflion. 
 Some might be ready to fay, " VVho is it that doth not 
 Jove God ? is there any that live who doth not Jove him ?" 
 The ApoiHe replies, That whofoever fays he loves God, 
 and yet hateth his brother, is plainly a liar ; for it is im- 
 poiUMe truly to love God, and not to do what God com- 
 mands ; and if we <lo not exercife love to cur brethern, 
 whom we daily fee and converfe with, how can it be ima- 
 gined that we love God, whom we never faw ? Z^arn hence, 
 firlt. Thai as God is infinitely above us, fo he needeJi not 
 our love, but it is wonderful condefcenfion in God to give 
 us leave to love him, and to fufTer himfelf to be embraced 
 by thofe arms which have embraced fin and luft before 
 him. 2 That though God needs not us, or our love, yet 
 we need him, and Itand in need of one another, and for 
 tliat realbn mnfb and ought to love each other. 3 That 
 if we love not God's vilible image, it is certain we never 
 loved the invifible God; if when we have our chiiflian 
 brethren in our daily view, and the objetSs of our fenfes 
 are their miferies and wants, and yet we Ihut up the bowels 
 of compalfiou from them, can we, or dare we, pretei d at 
 the fame time to love God whom we have not lien, and 
 who is only prefent to our minds by raifed expeftations ; 
 as the fijiht of our brother is a Ilrong inducement to love 
 him, fo the not loving him at (Jght, ij a flrong argument 
 that we love nor God hiniftlf. 
 
 21 And this commandment have we from him, 
 That he who loveth God, love his brother alfo. 
 
 Thh ommcindrnent ; this great and chief commandment 
 above the reft, tl;:s iummaiy and coinpi ^m nil.e command- 
 mcnf, including all the re It, namely, to love tiod above all 
 
 for his own fake, and to love our brother as oiufelves, for 
 God's fake ; this command, fo full of wifdom, fo agree- 
 able toright reafon, and fo much our duty and intertft 10 
 comply with, have we received from God ; and it is moll 
 certain that v. e love bin) not, if we keep it rot ; This com~ 
 niandment have vje from Cod, that he who kveth G')d. hvith 
 his brother alfo, Learn thence, i. That the great God, bv 
 his gracious command, requires that wc love him, and 
 place the I'lipremacy of our love upon him. 1. That as 
 God requires us to love him above ourfelvcs, fo does he 
 oblige us, by virtue of his command, to love our brother 
 as ourfelves ; as fincerely, though not fo intenfely, as 
 ourfelves. 3. That the faine commatulmeiit that re- 
 quires us to love God, requires love to our brethren alfj ; 
 God interprets the neglect of our duty to our brother, as a 
 negleft of our obligation toourfelf. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 WHofoeverbelieveth that Jefus is tlie Chrifl, is 
 born of God : and every one that loveth him 
 that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten of him. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. The grand propofition laid doAu as the 
 obJEcT: of our faith, namely, that Jefut is the Chrift ; that 
 is, that Jefiis of Nazareth, who was horn with, and lived' 
 amongft the Jews, was the Saviour of the world, the per- 
 fon whom Mofes and the prophets foretold to be the Msf- 
 fiah. 2. The duty required of us, namely to believe that 
 Jefus is the Chrilt ; that is, not hiflorically only, to alTenc 
 that Jefus is the predicted and promifed Meffiah, but to ex- 
 prefs the truth of that faith in a fuitable converfation. 3. 
 How evidentalfuch a faith is of our regeneration ; whofo- 
 ever thus believes that Jefus is the Chrilt, is born of God ; 
 faith in Chrift Jefus, as the great King, Prieft, and Pro- 
 phet of his church, accompanied with an holy life, is a fure 
 mark and undoubted evidence of our new birth. 4. The 
 affection which every perfon that is born of God bears un- 
 to God, He lovtth him that hegut ■ this is the ingratiating 
 and endearing quality ; it is this that commends both our 
 perfons and performances to God's acceptation ;the fervioe 
 of love is therefore raoft: acceptable, becaufe molt honour- 
 able to God, and mod durable and larting from us ; the 
 obedience of love will be lalling. 5. What is the geiiuine 
 eflFctft, and natural product of this love to God, namely, a 
 fincere afFeftion to all the children of God : every chriltian 
 that fincerely loves God, certainly loves the image of God 
 in hi' faints and children ; he thai loves the farther for his 
 own fake, cannot but love the child for the father's fake, 
 if like him ; and the more like him, the more he loves him. 
 
 2 By this we know that wc love the children of 
 God, when we love God, and keep his command- 
 ments. 
 
 Chferve here. That the fincerity of our love to the chil- 
 dren of God is bell difcovered by our love to God and 
 ofa.-dience to hi commands. !2j/y/. i. What kind of love 
 is required towards the children of God ? 4r.f. A love of 
 rlteein, a love of ddire, a love of delight, and a love of fer- 
 vice and benefic-nce. Qu-Ji. 2. What kind ofobedence 
 tow-.rds God \ that which fprings froiH love ? yirtf. It is 
 uniform and univerfd ;. love regardeth the whok- law mail 
 
 its 
 
lo^b 
 
 I. St. JOHN. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 its iiijun(fHons am! prohibition?, an.! ftiidieth to picafe the 
 J.uv^iver ; it is plcjCiint .imi dt-llghilul, not :i niehiicholy 
 taf!<, but a pl<;a(ing exercile , it is accur.ite and exjct, it 
 produces a levere circiitnlpcitiaa over our ways, that no- 
 thiii;^ be done or allow ed by us th.it is dilpleafin^ to the di- 
 vine tye ; and it is conlbiit and perfei'trinjr ; that motion 
 which is cauCcJ by outward poiles will ceafc when the 
 weifihts are ilown, but that which proceeds from an in- 
 ward principle, or I'.fe, is continual ; and I'uch a principle 
 iithe love of God planted in the chridian'i bread. 
 
 3 f Ft)r this is the love of God, th.it we keep his 
 coinmandinents : and his cominandinciUs arc not 
 grievous. 
 
 Our apoftle in thefe words gives a threefold defcriprion 
 of a (Incere thrillian. He defcribes hin), i. IJy his ir)ward 
 aff.-clon to God and Chrilt, and that is love ; this is (hed 
 abroad in hi^ heart. 2. By the action which Ho«s from 
 this .ifffct'^on, namely, obedience to God in keeping his 
 (.ommandnients. 3. By the difpofitioii and inclination from 
 V hich that obedience doth proceed and flow, namely, a de- 
 light and cheerfulnefs in the doing of pur duty. His com- 
 mandinents are n',t grievous ; that is, they have nothing in 
 them heavy or burdenlonie, but every thing that miy ten- 
 dtT them at once both our duty and delight. Ltarn hence, 
 1. n hat obedience is the moft natural and neceflary pro- 
 duct of love ; w here love is the governing principle, it rules 
 all the inclinations of the heart and at^ions of the life. 2. 
 That love makes our obedience to God cheerful and cnn- 
 I'lant, delightful and lading. Love ii featcd in the will, and 
 that obedience which proceeds fron) it is out of choice, and 
 purely volontary. No commandment is grievous that is 
 performed from love, and it nukes obedience alfo conftant. 
 That which is forced from iinprell'ions of fear is unfledfaft, 
 but that which flows from delight is lading. Learn hence, 
 That the fervice of Chrilt is a very gracious, a mod delir- 
 able and delightful fervice, not to (inners, w hole minds the 
 god of thi-> worlc> has blinded, whofe confciences are cau- 
 terized, TV ho have not only grieved, but quenched the Holy 
 Spirit of God. But, 1. It is not grievous in itfelf. 2. Nor 
 is it grievous to a regenerate perfon ; a found eye never 
 complains of light, but a fore eye is uncafy under it. The 
 commandsof Chrid cannot be grievous, becaufe they exa<ft 
 thing; of us which are agreeable to our reafon, fuitable to 
 our natures, confonant to our rational defires. We cannot 
 give an ind-ince of any one of the commands of Chrid 
 which is in itfelf grievous ; that command of his, To do 
 to others as we would have others do by I's, is a dictate of 
 nature as well as the law of Chrid. 
 
 ^ For tvhatfocver is born of God overcometli the 
 world : and this is the viiitory that ovcrcomcth the 
 tvorld. cjoi our faith. 
 
 Two things are here obfcrvable, namely, a propofition, 
 and the ixplicatiiin of ilvit propolition. Cbfervr , 1. The 
 propofjiion, Whifttvr is born cf Cid overc'iineth the 'unrU. 
 Kvery regenerate chrdlijn is a victorious chridian, he is a 
 concjueror yt'a, the greated ot conqoerors, he conquers the 
 whole world. 2. 'J he expofition of this propofi'ion. This 
 is (he vi^ory tfiut oirrtomctl: thc^vvldj evn cit faith, h is 
 
 a fpiriiualconqneft, and fpiritually ob-ained, evenby fairh. 
 \'tjte here, 1. Fh it t!ie world i>a chridian'j gr.i id en^mv. 
 A conqucd fu;)p>*es a comb it, and a combat i"iip|,<iffs j,) 
 enemy. 2. I hat every regenerate chridian is a victorious 
 conqueror over tips enemv. The chridian is a foldicr as 
 foon as he is a believer and he is a conqueror as fotm as he 
 is a foldicr. This is the vi^ory ; he h.ith his enemy under 
 his feet, even whild he is in the fight. 3. That the fpe- 
 cijl weapon by which the chridian conquers the world, and 
 his fpiritu,->l eneiuici. i' his faith. Manv warriors have 
 done great things in conquering k iigdoms, but thi< is 1 
 greater conqirlt thin all theirs ; their conqueft was but 
 poor and partial, only c-f fomefmall pares of earth, but the 
 chriftian's conqtieft is univerfal ; ihofe conquerors whild 
 they prevailed abroad were flaves at home ; whild they J 
 
 were lords of nations they were valTils to their own lud»- \ 
 
 bur thefe conquerors, which the text fpeaksof. begin their 
 vieH-ories at home, and enlarge their triumphs over all ene- 
 mies abroad. 
 
 5 Who is lie that overcometh the world, but he 
 that believeth that Jeius is the Son of God ? 6 This 
 is he that came by water and blood, even Jefus 
 Chrift ; not by water only, but by water and blood. 
 And it is the Spirit that bearetb witnefs, becaule 
 the Spirit is truth. 
 
 Our apodle having fpokeii of the ufefulnefs of faith in the d 
 former verfe, that it overcometh the wtrld, next difcovers ' 
 the objf;ci of this faith, which is this propofrion, i\\a'.jejus 
 is the S'-.H nfCnd. IVh') ii he that overc'imeth the ■ui'jrld. hut 
 he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of God ? That faith 
 w hich overcomes the world, is faith in the divinity and 
 fonfliip of Jefus Chrid. We overcome the world by be- 
 lieving in him that overcame it, even Jefus Chrid, who 
 hath purchaftd,proniifed, and prepared abetter wor'd than 
 what we do fee, or can fee, w iih our bodily eyes, and has 
 made us heirs of eternal glory. Otftrve next. The argu- 
 ment by which the apodle proves that Jefus is the Son of 
 God, the true Mefiias and the Saviour of mankind, name- 
 ly, becaufe \\e came byjoaier and bhnd ; that is, fay fume, by 
 the teftimony given him when he was in the water, at his 
 baptifii), both by John the Baptid, and the voice from hea- 
 ven ; he came by his Spirit, fay others, as by water, t<( fane- 
 tify thofe that believe in him ; and by his blood to mak- a 
 full atonement for them ; an admirable fymbol of both, which 
 was the flowing of water and blood both out of Chrid's M 
 fide, when he hung upon the croi's, It is a fweet medita- ^ 
 tioii that Chrid comes by water as well as blood, by way 
 of fanftificationas well as by way of juftlfication ; his death 
 not only difchargesfrom gudt, but cleanfcsallb from pollu- 
 tion and filth; bleflVd be God there is a fountain opened 
 in the fide of our Saviour for (in, and for uncleannefs, to 
 wafh in, and tcbe purged from. Sanctification is as great, 
 and in fome refpects a greater privilege than judif.cation ; 
 for j'ldilication frees us only from iiiiiery and punilhment, 
 but fan^ftification frees us from lin, which is worfe than 
 punifliment. Again, real perfcftions are above relative per- 
 feiftions; now judification by Chrid's blood is only a re- 
 IttivepcrfciSion, it makes usdaiid in a ne« relation to the 
 
 law. 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 I. St. J O H N. 
 
 1085 
 
 ijwshv which Iiffore wc rtond guiliy snd condcmnfd; but 
 faiiflficntionby the Spirit ot Chriit, (ignified here, and let 
 forsh cTcwhere freq'ieii'.ly, by w;iier, is a real moral per- 
 fection, it changes the h--art and nature, and miikes us like 
 uiiio God, yen, like unto him in his highell perfedion, 
 which is that of holinefs. Come then, O blelTcd Redeemer, 
 by water and blood into our fouls, with thy renewing grace 
 and fancbfying Spirit, to purge our confciences from dead 
 works, and to deliver us not only from the danger, but 
 from the dominion of our fins. And it is the Spirit that 
 hearetb xuitntfs, hecaufe the fpirit is truth. Some by the 
 Spirit's bearing witnefs underltand the teftimony which the 
 HolvSpiritgave to ChrHi here uponearth, as touchingthe 
 truth of his doctrine, »iie reality of his miracles, and the 
 certainty of histnidion; other; underdand by it the Spiri''s 
 ttdimony in the holy Scriptures, and in the cnnfciences of 
 believers, that Jefus Chrill is a divine perfon, and came by 
 water and blood, both to fave us at once from the wrath of 
 Gsd, a;id the rage of our lulh. Learn\.\\ex\fLe, That the 
 holy Spirit of God fpeaking in the Scriptures, and breath- 
 ing in the confciences of believers, bears witnefs to their 
 ffijl, that Jefus Chrift came to lave them by the water of 
 fdn(fl:fication, as well as with and by the blood of redemp- 
 tion ; and that the Spirit thus witnefllng is a Spiritof truth. 
 
 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, 
 the Father, the M'ord, and the Holy Ghofl. : and 
 thefe three are one. 
 
 That is, " There are three in heaven which do bear re- 
 cord to this truth here upon earth, namely, that Jelus^ is 
 the Chip ; thatistofay, the three perfons in the holy Tri- 
 nity, the Father, the IVurd, and the Holy Chojl ; liie Fa- 
 ther bore witnefs both atChrilt's baptifin and tranifigura- 
 tion alfo, when with an audible voice he declared. This is 
 viy bd.v^'d Son, in vjhom I am ■wellpleufed. The word bore 
 record of himl'elf, affirming frequently, plainly anddireclly, 
 thit he was the Son of God, and making it manifeft, by 
 his doctrine and miracles, that he came from (he Father ; 
 the Spirit bore witnefs to ihis, partly by defcending on Chriit 
 at hisbaptifmin the (hape of a dove, and partly by delcend- 
 ing on his apoflles in the Feaft of Pentecolt in the figure of 
 fiery tongues." Acts ii. Learnhence, 1. Thatitv.asno 
 eafy matter to believe the truth of our Saviour's milFionand 
 miracles, and that Jefus Chrift was the eflential and naiu- 
 ral Son of God. I'hough by the mouth of two or three 
 v.-itnellcs every truth is eltabldhed, yet in this and the next 
 verfe we have no lefs than fix wimeffes produced to prove 
 «)ur Jefus to be the Son of God, three heavenly, and three 
 earihly wimf (Tcs. It is added, thtfe three are one, one in 
 leltiaiony, lay the adverfaries of ihe Triniiy, but not one 
 in eflence. One in both, lay we, as one in lellimony, fo 
 one ill eflence. But fuppnfe that we (hould grant that the 
 onenels fpokcn of in the text is to be expounded of confent 
 in reltimony, agreement, and will, princii)ally, yet will it 
 prove the Godhead of Chriit, and ot the Holy Ghoft ; for 
 in free ag(;nts, where there is the lame will, there is the 
 iame nature : With men it is the fame IpeciEcal nature; 
 but with God, becaufe there is but one only God, there- 
 fore it mult iie (he fsme numerical nature. 2. i hat there 
 are three perfons, ytt but one God, that do bear witnel's 
 
 to the divinity of Chrift, and of ine plenteous redemption 
 wrought by him. 
 
 8 And there are three that bear witnefs in cartli, 
 the Spirit, and the water and the blood : and thelf 
 three agree in one. 
 
 As if the Apoflle ^ad faid, " As there are three in heaven 
 who have given us their leftimony to the divinity of Chriit 
 and his doftrine hTe on earth, fo there are three witneflef- 
 here below, teftifying the fame thing, namely, the Spirit. 
 in thepreaching ofthe gofpel, and in the fouls of believers ; 
 the-water, or facrament of baptifin, wherein we are baptifed 
 in the name of the Son, as well as ofthe Father ; andtl.c 
 hi'iod, that is, tliedeath of Chrift, and the fufTeringsof thofc 
 who have fealed this truth with their blood ; all ihefe do 
 give teftimony on earth to Chrift's divinity from heaven." 
 Note here, That though much of ihefe two verfes be left 
 out in many ancient copies of the Bible, as the learned Dr. 
 Hammond takes notice, yet in copies more ancient they 
 are found, and we have more reafon to believe that the 
 Arians left them out, than that the orthodox put ihem in, 
 other texts that aflert the truth being fo abufed. It has been 
 the common courfe of heretics to difown the authority of 
 fuch texts as do gall and pinch them. N'Ae farther, That 
 the doctrine of the bleflVd Trinity ftands built upon holy 
 Scripture, asafirmbafis, and impregnable rock, and rhedoc- 
 trine of the Anti-Trinitarians falls to the ground like Da- 
 gan before the ark. Lord, let our underltandings evermore 
 ftoop and yield to this divine revelation, though it contain 
 fuch a dodirine as doth exceed the coinprehenfion of hu- 
 man reafon. 
 
 9 5 If we receive the witnefs of men, the witnefs 
 of God is greater : for this \% the witnefs of God 
 which he hath teftified of his Son. 10 He that be- 
 lieveth on the Son of God hath the witnefs in him- 
 felf : he that believeth not God hath made him a liar, 
 becaufe he believeth not the record that God gave of 
 his Son. 
 
 Our Apoftle's argument in thefe words is taken from the 
 lefs to the greater, thus: If, fays he, for the believing of 
 any thing, it be ordinarily thought fufficient to have the 
 teftimony of two or three credible men, tiien fur< ly the tcl- 
 timony of the faithful and infallible God, given from hea- 
 ven, is Miuch more worthy of belief ; but the telbmony 
 given concerning Chrift, that he is verily the "^on of God, 
 is evidently the teftimony of the faithful God that cannot 
 lie ; therefore he that, after all the afl'urance which Goci 
 has given of his Son's being a true and real Saviour, rtiall 
 yet reject and difown him as fuch, does in effect acctife 
 God of falfehood, and make him a liar, becaufe he believes 
 not the record which God has given of his Sen ; v. hertas 
 the perfon that believes on Chnft as the Son of God, ar.d 
 the true Melliah, is fafe, having the teftimony of God \.hv- 
 Katber -without hira, and the leilimony ofthe holy Spirit 
 within him, as the Spirit of holinefs, wifdoin, and power;". 
 L'.atn hence, i. That every teftimony which God gives iis 
 is infallibly true. 2. That the teftimony which God h^s 
 given us concerning his Son Jefus Chnlt being the true aiul 
 
 6 Y pro.nileJ 
 
locio 
 
 I. St. J O n N. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 rs- 
 
 proniiffd MefTinh.Iin^ h.ijitsconfirinaiion.ibundantly above lie more rooted, grciindcJ, fftilcil, and conrir3ie<l in the 
 
 ami hryond otlier teftimonies. ■^. Therefore fiicli as do not faith, fo as to remain unfluken l>y all the Oorms of perfe- 
 
 hclieve on our Lord J' Tu< Chrift as the Saviour of the cution that might fail upon them ; this Teems to be the 
 
 worM, they difbflieve ilie nioft undoubted and infallible tef- fenfe of the apuftle when he eyMcins belitverf lo believe . 
 
 tiinony of God, and in his account miike him a liar. Lord ! Tlie nnfiigeft believers may be exhorted to (iren;»ilieii 
 
 what a held, prefumptuous, and daring fin is unbelief? Ic tlieir faitii, and to perfcvere in the faith, wjiitlj they are 
 
 gives God the lie, and makes the God of truth a liar. (Irengthrned and ellablilhed in. 
 
 14 H And this is the confidence thai we have in 
 
 1 1 And this is the record, that Cod hath given 
 to us eternal life : and this life is in liis Son. 12 
 He that hath the Son hatli life ; and he that hath 
 not the Son of God hath not life. 
 
 As if our apoflle had faid, " The fom of God's lefli- 
 niony recorded in the gofpel is this, concerniiif> his Son 
 
 him, that if we afk any thing according to his wil 
 he he.ireth us. 15 And if \vc know that he hear u<. 
 whatlbcver we a(k, we know that we have the' peti- 
 tions that we dcfircd of him. 
 
 To enforce the foregoing exhortifion to believers, nainf 
 
 Jefus Chrift, namely, that God for his lake has made a free ly, to be confiriDcd and ccnflant in the f^iih, he flicws 
 
 deed of gift of pardon and^fjlvation to the world, alluring them here wh.it a fpecial advani;.ge believers have above 
 
 ihem of grace here, and eternal life hereafter, upon coiuii- o'.htrperfons, namely, confidence in all their ?pproathes to 
 
 tion of their believing acceptance, that is, of faith and obe- God ; and a full aflurancc, i. In gen ral, th.ic whatever 
 
 dience : and accordingly he that thus has Chrifl, he that tliey ?lk in faith according to his vaiII, they Oidl obtain. 1. 
 
 accepts the merit of hisblood, and (ubmits to the authority Inpariiculai-,tliatourfeveialpetitioi)> which wepreient U''- 
 
 of hik law, /jath eternal life ; that is, he has an undoubted to God, fliall in his own time, in his own way, and afier 
 
 right unto it, and afTursnce of it, yea, he has it already ini- his oA'n manner, be granted by him, provided our perfons 
 
 tially, and in the firll-fruits ; but he that, either by un- and our prayers be qualified accordinj; to thegofpel for the 
 
 belief or difobedience, refufes Chrift, f jail ml fee Ife, but reccivini; of his proinife. Lenrn, 1. That through our iiie 
 
 the wrath of Cod abidcth on him. Learn hence, i. That tereft in Chrill, and for the f..ke of his meritorious fau-f.ic- 
 
 cternal life is the gift of God. a./ihat this gift of eternal iicn and prevailing interceflion, our prayers are certainly 
 
 life IS laid up for us in his Son. 3. That upon our having hearil by God, and "c (hall afiarcdly have what God lias 
 
 or not having union with and inierelt in the Son, depends promiftd to give, and we are fit to receive. God indeed 
 
 our having or not having eternal life. does not aKvavs, nay, notofcen, come wish an' anfwer of 
 
 prayer at our time, but he never il.iys a moment beyond his 
 
 13 Thefe things have I written unto you th.nt be- ^^,^ ,i,„e ^ yh^t in all the prn t-vs wcprtfent and put 
 
 lieve on the name of the Son of God ; that ye may up to Cod, a fpeci^l eye and reg ird mull beh.id to ihe will 
 
 know that ve have eternal life, and that ye may of Cr^d, if «e expect to be heard and anlV.ered. The aiU 
 
 •'. ... .. r- ^ ■, ^ -rf.. .1 :,.!,__. .1^ I.. .,r.i. : ._i.-.i .1 , 
 
 believe on the name of the Son of Cod 
 
 Our apolHeentcring now upon the cnnclufion of his ex- 
 cvlient epillle, acquaints them with his dedgn and end in 
 
 the writing of it, namely, i. That they might know they 
 
 had eternal life, that is, both a right and title toeternal life, 
 
 and might alio attain to the knowledjie and afTurance of it. 
 
 J.carn ilience, I'bat believers may in this life, without the 
 
 belpof extraordinary revelation, attain to a knowledge and 
 
 well-groundtd alFurance of life eternal. 1 here is a three- 
 fold knuwltdge ; Mlimal, which is barely the work of the 
 
 underftand ; experimental, which is feated in the heart, 
 
 :ind vifiblein theld'e -.fJucial, when a perfon is afccrtained 
 
 ;iiid allured of v hat he knows : Thu-s here, th^fe things I 
 
 '.vriie, that ye may know that ye know, that i;, be all'iired 
 
 that ye know ; a chrilVan may believe, and yet not be al- 
 lured that he does believe ; many have a viral aft which 
 
 have not a fiducial adl of faith ; many have a faiih of ad- 
 
 h<rcnce that want a fiiilmf evidence : Faith and aifuraice 
 
 in a faint ; 'lifferas •nuch as reafon and Ie3rnil^g in a 111.01 ; 
 
 evi-ry man ha- reafon, but every man that has realon has 
 
 not Ifurning, which is the improvement of renfon ; thus 
 
 every gt/od mi'ii ha failli, bur every one that has faiih has 
 • pot uirutance.uhich i- ihefpecial fruit of f.'iih. ] his there 
 
 fore was the fii II d^fignand end of St. John's w rlting, that 
 
 ihev might know they did believe ; the lecond follows, that 
 
 ihole ihut dill btluve, mif;kt believe on the name :f the 5\n if not untO death. 
 
 ^od ; the meaning is, that they might more firmly bd.tve, 
 
 of God is the rule, not only of things to he done by ns, 
 but alio of thofe things wliich we crave of God to do for 
 us. '1 he will of God under a threeluld revelaiion is the rule 
 and matter of pr.vyer. i. 1 he will of God in his com- 
 mands ; wliatevcr God hath required Ub to do, we may 
 pray for power ihjt we may do. 2. The will of Gud in 
 his promil'es; wh.n God hath f.iid he will give, we may 
 pray that we m.iy receive. 3. The w il! of God in prophe- 
 cies ; what God hath foretold (h.ill ccme to pals, we may 
 and ought to pray that it may come to pafi. The prayer 
 of man gives birth to the prophecies of God, yea, and to 
 the promifes of God too. K'/.tk. xxxvi. 17. I viiil be en- 
 oidred oj,to do it f.r them. Though God be a fore p^y- 
 nuker, yet he expecis that we IliouKl put his bond in foit 
 before he p.'ys. l.earn, 3. '1 hat a pr.iyrr maile acc«rding 
 to God's will, fliall certainly be granteil according to our 
 will. When we pray for any thing in obedience tii God's 
 will, and with f jbm.irioi\ to his will, wi knO'JJ that 'm: hjvs 
 the feti'.i'jns that we afk of him. 
 
 16 If any man fee liis bjothcr fin a fin ZiJiich is 
 not unto death, he (hall afk, and he fliall give hitn . 
 life for them that fin not unto death. There is a fin 
 unto death : I do not fay tiiat lie (h.ill pray for it. 
 17 y\ll uniiyhtcoulntls is fin: and there is a fin 
 
 Our 
 
CllAP. V. 
 
 I. Sr. J O H N, 
 
 lOjl 
 
 Ocu aponie inforinftJus in the foregoing vcrfe, of ihe 
 conifan «li'cli liclievers luve in iht-ir prayei-5 f.-r thcni- 
 felves, all ihat is reqotiled by thciii is granted b)Crod;no>v 
 in the verfe bcforr us he relate- ihebentflt whu h othf rs re 
 teivt l.y their prnvtrs as well a= then.ftlvcs, ailur.nir (lum 
 thitJt any .lid pray for an olTcndint;brother,they (hould be 
 be.fdm whatihty dcf.red, unlef.tht perfon they p>-iyed lor 
 hadiiiinedthc u.ip.iid..niblt; fin, \\\(jht mto death, by %\huh 
 we are lo underfland apollaty from the chriftian rehRion 
 unto idwUtry, as appears from the fuUowing words htep 
 ytarrthHSJrom idds, which caution has no manner ot de- 
 pendence upon v^ hat went b'- fore, unkfs weunderltand the 
 lir, unto death in this fenfe ; or it (with others) we call it /*e 
 'iln acnhjt the Holy Ch-.Jt, it comes to the lame ; for what is 
 "thnt^m bi:t3 renonncuig of chriftianity, denying the truth 
 of the chiilliuM f/iih, alter illnmination and conviction by 
 the Holy Gln.ft, and m.liciouny perfecutingthe linccrepro- 
 fiffors of it ? Herc«o/^ i. That a believer is not to hide 
 h^s eyes from obferving, but may and ought to take notice 
 of the llns and mifcarriages of his brethren: If atnanjeehis 
 brother //«, v.h ch he cannot do if he ncgleft to oblerve hmi. 
 2. Thlt a believer difcerning and oblervmg the fin of his 
 bi-o'hcr, may and oi;ght to pr.iyfor him. Ltt him vjh, that 
 is importune Gbd on his behalf. 3. That a bchever's 
 prayers may prevail «ith God for us, \^ hen our own prayers 
 will not pr'ev.iil for ourfelves. let him ajk, and he JhcH 
 vivt klmlife, temporal life atleaft, and upon his repentance 
 and faith eternal life alfo. 4. That the ftate of iome wicked 
 inennjay be Inch, that were it certainly known, itmightbe 
 a chrilt.an'sduiy to ceafe praying for them. There is ci Jin 
 unl'jdeMh, that is, which doth not only deferve death, as 
 .-.!! fjndoth, and befpeak aperfon in u Hate of death, but a 
 fin that argues a peifon tobetuice dead, dead in relpeitof 
 iinrepeneracy, and dead in refpeclof wilful and linful apol- 
 \scy 1 donr.tf.v, that he/I:all pmyfor it, that is, for the 
 perion gniliy of it, feeing God tieverintends to forgive it. 
 Lord : hosv deplorable is the condition of iliofe whole lins 
 are pan prayers, vv ho give overpraying for themfelves, and 
 cdurs are ftopt from praving for iheni ! How fad is it, when 
 I he Lord lliuts up the hearts of any of his from praying for 
 Ui! It (hewsthetinof that man to be apprehended as being 
 ihefin nnto death, when the faithful ceafe praying for him. 
 Yet, s- The apoftledoth not here explicitly and limply for- 
 bid pr'jying for fuch wretched perfons, bntonly fays, Idonot 
 Jjythat ye f/wll pruy for them; that is, I cannot givff you 
 any encouragement to pray for fuel, nor dare 1 promife 
 you any gaod luccefs in praying for them who have linned 
 unto death. / do not py ; that is, I give you no warrant, 
 J lay you under no command, I can give you no promife, 
 that your prayers forfuch, Ihall be heard and anfwertd. 
 
 i8We know that whofoever is born of God fin- 
 neth not : but he that is begotten of God keepeth 
 hu-nfelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 
 
 That is, we are well alTured that fincere chriflians, wh" 
 are begotten and born of G(jd, do not commit this fin ijnto 
 de.ith, n.imely, .npolticy fromcbriftiinity to the heathen ido- 
 latry -• But he k,-ep(th himjilf and the wicked one tiuchcth 
 him net ; that i;, he preferveih himfelf from theccntag'on 
 of idoiutrv, into which the devil was fobufy toftduce a great 
 
 part of mankind. It may be fufther added, that he th.tn 
 horn './ C',d fofar ashe partake. h of the divine nature,ym- 
 „elh «./: that is, fofFtrs not any fni .0 have dotiiinion over 
 him, butt.ke.cnretoprefervchimkit, through. he afiiilance 
 
 of divme grace, from Satan's dr.ioly «ound. He f.ucheth 
 him n'.t ; that is, doth not touch him lo as to leave an im- 
 prefllon of his devihfi. fpirit upon him. Nontanen t':du 
 L.lit.tivo, vel tanu Uthalt ei ,n',rt,fer, ; "He Ihall not 
 mortally touch them, to make them hn unto death. 
 
 19 Ard we know that we are of God,— 
 That is do belong to the true God, and are worOiippers 
 
 of him ; Nve are guided by his Spirit, we are obehent to 
 his laws we pleaie him on earth, and do hope to enjoy 
 him in heaven. 
 
 And the whole world lieth in wickednefs. 
 
 That is, the far greater part of the wcrld are under the 
 dominion cf that wicked one being funk into id.dairy, and 
 become worihippers of the devil, continuing in the "ud 1 ct 
 their impurity and malignity , and wholly fet upon mifch.er 
 and wickednefs. See here the darknels and horror cf an- 
 unrecenerate and unconverted «ate. Perfonsinitare under 
 :he dominion of Satan, ih.u wicked one. but behold the 
 blelTed change that chriftianity makes, notui the profe i.on, 
 but in the practice of it, it deliversfrom the power of dark- 
 nels and from the power of Satan, the prince ot d.rknef., 
 and tranflates us into the kingdom of God's dear Son. 
 
 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, 
 and halh given us an underftanding that we may 
 know him that is true. And we are in him that is 
 true, even in his Son Jefus Chrift. This is the true 
 God, and eternal life. 2 1 Little children keep your- 
 felves from idols. Ainen. 
 
 Ao if the apollle had faid, " We chriftians are better 
 tauaht by our religion, to acknowledge and worflnp the only 
 true God by his Son Jefus Chrill our only Mediator, and 
 therefore exhort you to keep from idols;" intimating 
 hereby, that the worlhipping of any other befides this only 
 true God, and by any other mediator, befides Jeiuis Chrift , 
 is idolatry. Or the words may be fenfed thus : " We are 
 lure that the Son of God is ccme, and that Chrift is he, 
 who by his doftrine and Spirit hath enlightened us to know 
 the true and living God, whilil the greateH part of ihe 
 world worlhip falfe gods, yea, adore the devil himfelf.' 
 And farther. We are in him that is true, even in his Son 
 fcfus Chrif ; that is, we are by faith implanted imo Jefus 
 thrift, who is the author, purchafer, anddiipofer of eter- 
 nal life, and therefore is the true Cud. Thi> text, w hich 
 proves undeniably the divinity ofChriil, the Socinians per- 
 vert by applying thefe wor.ls, tiis is the true God not 
 to Chrift, but to Gcd the Father. But this m-kes the 
 apcftle guilty of a grand tautology, by laying, " 1 he iiue 
 God is The true God." Befules, it is here laid of ihejame 
 perfon that he ii the true God, and eternal lite. Kow, 
 eternal life is thrice in this very chapier attr.buteil tb Jtfus 
 Chrill, as the anther and difpenfer of i:, ver. 11,12, 17. 
 If then Chrift be meant by ,lern»l ife. he muit be alio 
 meant bv the true C:d, for thty are Ipi kfiiof together w ''ei. 
 r V ', ^. t..e 
 
legs 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 THE 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL 
 
 C) £ 
 
 n. 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 N. 
 
 faUm, the viother of all, and from whence ^Z ' fit u'^ a >:i^\^^"7^' <^ni parUcularly the church of 7c,~u. 
 jeaure rs grounded n, hecaZfcthTrTo hT^^^^^^^^ '^^'"'"' ''""''''' ^ '^' ''-/« -^« ^^'-ch M col 
 
 pintual things frcm the church of lemfaLi fhemi thZL'Jt f U r^ ''""'''" ""'"'^'"^ '^^'>- 
 
 mother of all other churches. Olds ToS '^t S/ rt ^-^rl'""^ ' -^f -^'H "'' ^^'^^'' '' > ^'"^ ^h, 
 cus matron, of a great eflate, anlTgZZ^^^^^^^^^ ^Particular per/on. fnne emineJand rehgi- 
 
 cprmonoftheje iLhas the greater pZlln^^^^^^ <^^'' ^^'"''^'^ '« ^- ^'^P- ^^L 
 
 matter ^thiidwine ep-,jlk%hichjpeahthus! rnatUroJno g^eal importance: Let us rather attculto thejul>j<.^. 
 
 T^HE elder unto the cleft lady, and her children 
 X whom I love in the truth ; and not I only, but 
 aJlo a,I they that have known the truth; 2 For the 
 tiuths fake which dwelleth in us, and ftall be with 
 us tor ever. 3 Grace ^£ with you, mercy, and peace 
 
 nT'a ^"^.^^^ ^''^"'' ^""^ f'-O'" 'he Lord lefus 
 ^hvi^ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 
 
 e^UUnT,^^'^' Vi P\P"f"" writing ami direaing this 
 epiftlc, bt John, ftyhngh.m ik, Ma; partly with rcfped to 
 h.s .ge, he being, as » is thought, the otily pcrfo.i at that 
 t.tne l.vmg upon the earth, who bore the t^amcof «;; ap,Jllc ; 
 and partly wtthrefped ,0 his office in the church ; the word 
 
 JWr r° h """' °! c""?": ='"'^ '''g""y' ''■' fi"'l both St. 
 J eter eifewhere. and St. John her*, making u^e of it. 2 
 
 f,^,]'° '''^"."' '^'^ ^P'"'*^ is direacrlf 7/:e eka ladv 
 cndlcrchtldren-, either fome particular church, with ifs' 
 re] R>„u.,me.nber.s, according .0 fome ; or fome honourable 
 perlon of eminent piety and i.fefulnefsin the church, accord- 
 ing to others end to her children, who l«d been rcligiouny 
 
 educated by her. 3 The foTemn profcdlon which he makes 
 of the fincer.ty of his love to herf.If and hercl,iKlren, to." 
 ther with the ground and at.radive cauf. of that his cordial 
 affiaion to her and hers, JFho.. Ho^-e in the .ru,hj„itr 
 
 tX'l\:i\ ft^' ^'- J"'-'" '"^^'-- '"^'-'^ "- '^'^V for£ 
 hi . r'. ',"1'°'^ "'''•">' •" '^"^ '^^ys '°*-^ 'f'<= truth for 
 thclady s fake I mean for (Inilfer ends, and bye rcfpea 
 I IS a bleflcd thing «^en a religion, and the grace of G^l 
 fll.nmg ,n the luxs of chriiHans, i. the fpeci.,1 load-Ilone of 
 our love and affeaion tot^•ards them : The ridn- „ , he eka 
 My whom I love w the truth. She had embraced the truth 
 ot the gofpel, and he was confidently perfuadcd that fhe 
 would contimie in the profcfUon and pratliccofit forever 
 UI>Jerve, 4. The faltilaiion fenr to her and her children • 
 namdy, increafe of grace, and an abundance of incrcv and 
 peace from God the Father, and Chrilt the Redeemer ; ear- 
 neltly wifliing, that they may continue ftcdfaft in the pro- 
 tcmon of the truth, and in theexercife of love one toanother 
 
 ,":-J","'^'A, "P-ip'o^'fr'^n^ Cod the Father, and from the 
 Lordjejui Chrijlthe Son oft},t Father, &c. 
 
 \ I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children 
 
 waLkin^ 
 
walking in trutJi, as we have received a command 
 nieiu from the Father. 
 
 J^I'Mv^, her., I The. perfon rejoicin;r, St. John the npo(. 
 tIea,K)m,mrtcrofChr,(tJelus, I rejy.cd greatly. 2. The 
 mercy rejoRed in their -^oalii.j; l„ th, truth. ' It w.s not 
 their Ipeculanve knowlaigeof the truth, ami their t.kina 
 upo" fi.em .1 hareprofellion of chrirtianitv, that he reicvced 
 'n, but x.\xtn- walking ]„ the truth, aiul fran.inLr their con- 
 verf.t.on accordm.^to the ron.mat.dment whi.h they had 
 rece.ved frotn the Fa.her. ChrilUani.y is not a (p.cuLive 
 ence, but a pr.,a;cal .,rt of holy livi.^s; and th^ n.„a ex! 
 tea knowledge .s mft.fficienc to falvat.on, wi.hout aftiic 
 ..hie and correlpondent pradice ; therefore favs St. Tolin 
 .^^y^ I rejozced greatly to find of thy children,' not barely 
 pr.hjf^ng of the truth, but .valki,,. in the truth. -> The 
 peru,ns rejo.ced for or in bchalfof. the youth in th.t Church 
 o> family to « hid he^.o^.• wrote, I r,jr,icedt,Jirul thy chit- 
 dren ..alh„g ,nthe truth .- the hope, which the holy apoftlc 
 hnd ofa ncceffionoffaiots, and that the children in ! 
 
 ■ne would wa k ,n their religions parents footfteps, w' 
 Ye ] WilT r ^"' ""^ "JT'"e 'o ^he ble/Ted apodle. 
 "tH me'fn! ^J'^^^^"'j""' rertna.on. an<l linntation, our 
 If M rt : ^''r'-ce^Sr^^tly to find of thy children thar 
 
 ot nf ?, '' ■'u""''''"-' """^ °' '^'"^' '"^'^ ^o l'« feared 
 
 o t 1 1 of then, ; to have Icen all was no donbt the apolUe' 
 
 ;! .re buttofindanywasqueaionlelsmntterofeKc^^^^^^^ 
 .-y. Iry,,cedgr.ulh, kc. £..,-■„ hence, That there isnf 
 grear...j.,y to the minHters of Chriii, than to fee he you , 
 •L "r^ gene-non n, their d.y. walking in the p:uhTof 
 hol.nef^and rehg.on. and tread.ng in th.r'^eligiot.s'paretu; 
 
 SAndnoH'Ibefecchthee, lady, not as though I 
 V < tc a netv cotr^mandmcnt unto thee, but that which 
 wc had frcn the begtnnmg, that we love one another 
 <:/./?rt.. here, The duty required, together with the pro- 
 fel on ofthegolpel, „a,„ely, to live in^nitvand peaciTn 
 aumy and concord, one with another. Thii'he call a ^^,1 
 -W„;../, mthefingularnumoer, to intim te t t „ t^; 
 onec„^nK,ndmentaII , he re(K,re contained, and rkeepne 
 
 v.oies, >ea as old as Adan,, Ining apart ofthehw of m 
 -ewrnten.n Adam's heart; yetiH f 'uKrefpeft 1 n e n^v" 
 
 ■efandrT'Tr''"'-'''''''^^'"'^^ 
 
 n V ; ."t -oil , ^y^r-,^— -Pl^. -d becaufeitis 
 iJcvcr ro \\..\ Old. I>i)t t<» be .tUv.ivs fre/). in rU« 
 
 .tui found .n the pradlice .f Chr,ifs dH'cples to the T^d of 
 
 II. St. JOHN. 
 
 J 053 
 
 6 And this IS love, that we walk after his com- 
 n^andme.Ls Th.sts thecomt^atad.nent, Tha a! ye 
 have heard from the beginning, ye fliouid walk m it! 
 
 As ,f our ap-^ftle had faid, "By this we ihall make it evi 
 dentlyappear that, here is the ,rue Icveof C-od in „ f 
 endeavour to frame our lives accordino ro h? ' V 
 
 n>ents;" and this, heafTurrs'hem w ?hl ^"'""'^"d- 
 
 obe<l:eiicei.- the natural p<Ff.^> ,„ 1 '-':"^" "enct, IJiat.TS 
 
 lii^n if wcN-UV- ' , '""^^'^ evidence that we love. 
 
 "i;n, 11 wekeephis comtnandnierii;, 2. That it U n „ V.^ 
 ncient that we nrofcf^ n,v^ ,^ r- j 7 ""^^ '"'- 
 
 .e.ua..,kK:;::/^'E/--tx-;>j^^.^^t 
 
 '" 'he peifev.nng exercile, of that grace and du.y!' ' ' 
 7 For many dqceiyers, arc entered info the world, 
 uhoconfdsnotthatjefus ChriR is comein the flcfti 
 This IS a deceiver and an anticinift 
 
 he!^^:i^;;r'it'-;^P-'>-"nceinthen>ith.befo.-. 
 
 Lord jea„ k.,," , :-",K,": ,r,::'v T "" 'Tr-'"°'°»' -" 
 
 monej by him MnnnI, ,„ .ppea.Trfor. hb";. "" '" '^""'• 
 lhi!!„'""l?°!; '°>'<«"-''':l««. 'hat we lore not thofe 
 
 ofpie., »,lch.ri,y .^,i h'hev h,v« r,"f ' ','";'' ""'" 
 
 [ p"« .f .-."K.'t^t oViLiff.;" '"7'- 
 
 .n.hedoa™,eofCh,«,.eha.,aoth';h:t,i;tS 
 -nd ,he d J„,,e 4L^'^;fc','', Jl°*'-j;'j-f ."C-l.rirt 
 
 ... Q»d,o ./.,.e.^£--^;L-s;;y,x-i'7;j™ 
 
1091- 
 
 nnd (.na ficT ; they luve f.y oiher. r. '^■^"-'-'P'j^f ^';;';' 
 no in.ercll in God, no influences of Rr.ce ''"^ '7' '^r/;'';- 
 rived from God. 3. The hoppy ^'^^'V'? '1 r 1 . / 
 .b,de in .he doarin'e of ChrHl. tl.y h.r.e W: /A. r.r^.r W 
 ,ii. 5,« ; he .ha. has one, h.th bo.h ; nnd he .h... ba.h no 
 both h s neither ; and this /;,n;.c '"^y ^^^''"t ^ threefo..! 
 in.erpre.a.ion, .h..s; /'. A^'^ "'e F.ter.rd the So« by «ay 
 of bode and inhabitation ; he dwelle.h m Gcd and G.d 
 h him • they have the Father and .he Son ^v.th then, by 
 ^^?nvof'Alcietyand comnutnion. L.lHy. They have the 
 Father and the Son. by the way of alhltance anu approoa 
 tion ; they h.ve God to alUll thent, to accept them, to re- 
 ward them. 
 
 10 f If there come any unto you, and bring not 
 this doarine, receive him not into;>o«r houfe neither 
 bid him God fpeed. 11 For he that b:ddcth htm 
 God ipccd, is partaker of his evil deeds. 
 
 In thefe words oni-npome directs them how to carry 
 themfclves towards thofe wicked apnftnte. and heret.cal ie- 
 d uce s that deny the gofpel, orany efTenfal part of chr.l- 
 ti ni J bv nomcans to give any countenance orencourage- 
 Tn'to them, or to hold any familiart.y or communon 
 S them, norto entertain them, nor fo much as courte- 
 Tt^nv to falu.e then,, but by fi.ewing them dHrefpcd nj - 
 nifeft a diQ.ke and difproving of their errors. 1 h.s form 
 
 III. St. J O 11 N. 
 
 of interdict. Bldhiti n',t C<id fferd, (ecms to be an imitation 
 <if the Jewiih pr.^^ le toward* exioiiimtinicattd pt-rlon^, 
 VI ho wer:' no. only extliid' d from all co'iinieice. but alfo 
 from all kind of conitnon civilities, and ordinary fjhit.ition. 
 i^arn hence, 1 hit even ci>.'il cDurrrfy .and common re'jH ft, 
 is not. ou^ht not tob.v piid .0 .huli ihat feduce others, 
 or attempt to fedticc us, from the chrilViin f./i h. 
 
 12 Having many things to write unto you, I 
 would not rt-n/c with p'.pcr and ink: but I trull to 
 come unto you, and fpcak face to face, that our joy 
 may be full. 13 The children of thy eled ri'.l-r 
 greet thee. Amen. 
 
 Here our apoftle concludes his epifHe with an apology for 
 the brevity of it, decUriu}; that he hoped to come (h.>rtly 
 to thctn, and Tee ihem. And th"Ogh he had many tlnnj^M 
 to write, yet all things were not fit 10 be written ; but, bt-- 
 fides a lively voice afFfcls more than a written letter ; and 
 he hi'-pci' 'li^f ''^'^y Vao\^<S. be filled with mutual joy at the 
 iich. of, & converfe with, each other. Prelence ol friends, 
 and familiar converfe with each other, is preferable .0 all 
 writing to each other. By the chiUrcn of the tlul pflir 
 iome again underlland the members ot at-.othcr church, 
 who now fent f..lutations to them. The concluding ^ord 
 y)m'n, imports hisfincerity in what he had written to them, 
 and his hearty wiOiesfor the happinels and welUre of them. 
 
 THE 
 
 THIRD EPISTLE GENERAL 
 
 O F 
 
 It. 
 
 JO H N. 
 
 T 
 
 HE elder, unto the wcll-belovcd Gaius, whom 
 ^ 1 love in the truth. 
 r,hr.r',e here i The penman and writer of thisepiftle, 
 St John S wrote the two former, a. appears by the 
 ^g^elmentofthem in words and phr.^fes -^-h -e pe- 
 
 uibes of the houfe of HraeP a. The perfon to whom 
 -Sue is dirked Gai.,^eJind.^e.^rUuo^ 
 
 Sotn xvi whom St. Paul calls his hoft, and ot the whoe 
 hurch who being eminent for his holpitah.y,. e pecully 
 
 ^?he m nUUrs ^^ho went out to preach the golpel amotig 
 k' Gen le k;n. no-hingof .htm ; this manjccnts to be 
 
 ;l;:^e;ro!.wiuh.ratbcho'!.cr of an.pilUe^nfto h.n 
 
 from the pen of an en.inent apoftle ; fuch s do ex el 
 their kindnef. to .he faithful m.n.ller, of J.lus Chnll. h.i- 
 vine oft..i.ncsin this life fome fpcci.l m.rks of honor and 
 relped put upon them by God, as ^ token of his gracto. 
 acceptance of them. 3 The interert which G^-'^^ had 1 : 
 St. John's alTea.ons, he Ihles h^^ the v,cll beloved Ga.u< 
 antlihews alfo what was the motive and at'"^-^"'^ "•;'';^ 
 his love, natnely, /A. /;«//., .hat •^. /^e Rofpel of Chr ft, 
 called eminently thetn,b ; he loved Cams '^ ^j*; '^" ' 
 that is in gre..t fincerity, and for the truth ; ^"^ }'^ •'"«; 
 prof.ffing and praaiUng the doftrne of '^egolp LSuc 
 as love .he truth are, and ought to be, the fpecial oOje.. 
 
 " ^Beloved, I wifh above all th.ngsthat thou may- 
 efl prolper and be in health, even as thy foul prol- 
 
 "^V/crve, .. This holy man, Gaius, ^ho was fo hofpiu- 
 
III. St. J O H N. 
 
 ic^SJ 
 
 • lile in hofi lo the minillcr^ nnd nifTnhcrs of C'nrirt, lud 
 hiii a we.ik aiiH fkkly body, he wanted lirillli ; (trcni;tti of 
 {;r.icf, anddearfiefsof relpcCt , even from Giid hinifclf, can- 
 not ]irf vail. loainlt difeiifes ; fuch as areiiiofi hcdy nre Ibnie- 
 tinies nii'd \»e;d< and fickly. 2- Ih.ir thout'^h Gjiiis h:id 
 hut a weak niid confmnptive body, yet had he a very tlirjv- 
 iiig and vigorous foul ; it is a vf ry common, yet a very l.ul 
 HTiil trueobfervaiion, that menof iiron^, healthy, and active 
 hoilies have weak, lanic, lickly, and finfiil fouls. All 
 vvretciiird Ijnner ! when under obligations to fcrv;- thy God 
 bcf}, thou forgetted him niofl, and proftituteth thy healtli 
 to the fervice of thy lufts ; liow does the health aiu! eafe of 
 one diy deferve the lervice and thnnkfulnefs of thy whole 
 life ! 13i)r alas ! inllead of that thou tnakffl him to ftrve 
 uiih thy iins, and iayeft tlie rtrrt-frniis of thy time and 
 ftrergth upon the devil's a! er. 5. Our apoftle's wifli on 
 the bf half of Gail)'?, namely that his body were as health- 
 ful as his foul was holy, that he had as ranch hcahh in one, 
 ."^s he had grace in the other. Behold here, luch an im- 
 proved 3i)d well-grown chrirti.in was this holy man Gaius, 
 I hat our apoille m^kes the profperous flate of his foul the 
 nieafure of all that profpcrity v. liicli the one coidd wifli. or 
 the other dffire, as thy Ibnl profpereth, fo may thy bodily 
 liealth, for the fervice of Cod and of thy foul. 
 
 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came 
 and tefiificd of the truth that is in thee, even as thou 
 walkeft in the truth. 4. I have no greater joy thair 
 to hear that my children walk in the truth. 
 
 Chjerve here, i. l^he coii);nendable tcftiniony which the 
 '* brethren that tame from Gains gave to it. John concern- 
 ing hisholy and unhhiineahle converlaiion, according to the 
 dirt ction of i,Se gofpcl, the hrtiliren t'jlijieil nflhce that thutt 
 ■■.olk/r in he ii u.h. ; good reports of our brethren, without 
 (it tracl'.ng any thing from their v ortli. is a manifelf duty. 
 7.. With what j^iy and rejoicing St. John received tiie no- 
 iirrs ot Gaiui'.- adherence 10 the truth, and of his ani v\f r- 
 .-hle walking thereunto; he did not envy the grace of God 
 lo largely conferred on Gai'.is, but rejoiced in it, and no 
 d(>ubt bltffed God excecdinilv for it -, loul-'oercies .ire the 
 greatflt nKrcie5,and in.uieri of the grtatcltjiy to gracious 
 iouh. 3. That additional joy \\ h;ch St. John exprilles to 
 hear that Ins chlUren, that is, thofc; perloiis whom he had 
 fonvertedtochriflianity, and begotten toCnrill liu-oiigb the 
 ;;ol'pel, did vjulk in the truth, that is, in the liiicere pradiice 
 ii> v\ell asin the outward proftllion of religion ; the faithful 
 liiiir.ftcrs of Chrift rejoice more in the welt'aieiif their 
 people's foul=, than in all their woildly wealth or honour. 
 
 5 Beloved, thou doeft faithfully whatfofvcr thou 
 docft to the brethren, and to flran^iers : 6 Wliich 
 have borne witneis of thy chanty before the church : 
 whom it thou brin^ forward on theirjourney aftera 
 -odly foi-t, thou fhalt do well : 7 Becaufc that for 
 Jiis name's fake they went forth, taking nothing of 
 the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive fuch, 
 that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth. 
 
 Ctfrvoe here. How our apoille at once coiiniiends the 
 great charity of Gaiu!, and at the fame time excites him to 
 the fjrthrrpr.it^'ceof it. Where k'/c-, i. How charity to- • 
 
 w.itdi cfirifKans is here ffyled fidelity tb Chrift, becaufe 
 (Jiewn to them upon Chrilt's account. Ach of charity .nre 
 acts of righieoufnefs \>\m.\ Hdelity ; he th.it is iiiicharitable is 
 uiijuft. 2. The extenfivc nature of Gaius's charity, it was 
 to bttthrcn, yet not only to brethren, bvt '.o/nargits ; ihst 
 is, not only to i!k- brethren of the church v\i:h him, but !(, 
 Hranger.s in ihcir travtlsto and fro, .is thty came near him ; 
 more particularly to fuch faithful miniders as came cut of 
 fc)reig 1 parts to preach the gofpcl, whom Gaius had hof_ 
 piiably and charitably encertaiiird. 3. How he exhorts 
 ijaius farther to furnifh and help thele minifters in their 
 travels with all things nectflary for theirjourney ; becaufe, 
 K They preached the gofpel freely, takingnothing of the 
 Gentile chriltians for their pains. 2. Becaufe it was for 
 Chnll's name lake they went abroad ; topreach the gofpei, 
 lay foiiie, toavoidperfecution, fay others. :;. Becaule toen- 
 tertain luch istofaither, as much as in us lies, thepropaga- 
 tion of the gofpel of Chrilf; fuch as contribute tov/ards the 
 Biaintcnance and fupport of the miniit-rs of Chrill for his 
 fake, Ihall have the prcfent comfort and future reward, of 
 co-operating and contributing their parts towards the pro- 
 pagating and fpreading of the golpel of Chrilf. 
 
 9 I wrote unto th« church: but Diotrephes, who. 
 loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, re- 
 ceiveth iis not. 10 Wherefore if I come, I will re- 
 member his deeds which he doth, prating? againft us 
 with malicious words : and not content therewith, 
 neitnerdoth he himlelf receive the brethren, andfor- 
 biddeth them that would, and cafteth thm out of 
 the church. 
 
 Ol^Jervehei-e, The piouscare which St John took for the 
 rehetandluccour of fuch faithful chnillans as now travelled 
 amonglhhem, both toavoid periecution, and to preachtho 
 golpel ; he wrote to th. church on their behalf, deliring 
 tneir reception, and .idiiling their relief; [.'xrcte to the 
 Church; ih.it IS, 1 .,rv.te tor them, and fcnt my leflimonial 
 to the church on their behall; everyone has a pen to plead 
 for himlelf, happy he ihat has both tongue and pen to in- 
 tercede for other.. 2. I heoppofition which St. John met 
 withinlogooda v.ork; Diotrcphes, aproudinan, regarded 
 not hi, letters, -ickno a Icdged not his authority, yea, flighted 
 i)ie jpuitle, frctmg nguitiji him with 7mHcious vjhtds ; tha 
 hohelt men may meet with oppofuion intheholieft and beft. 
 of actioiu, wherein the glory of God and the public good 
 are moft concei ned. 3 1 he holv ape-aie's rel'entment of ■ 
 this indignity, and wife refclution ther.-npon ; ichen! con-.c, 
 I-Willrcrr.endiu histUfds; that if, 1 « ill iharply rebuke him, 
 and uie that fevcrity tovards him which hi- crime driervcs, 
 actordir.g to the autli .ri;y which God hai; giien we. 
 Lc„rn\\tuce, Thn though private olFei.ces againll Chrid's 
 iiiuiifier's nuill be forgiven and forgotten by them ; yet 
 when an offence i, prejudicnl to the church, it nii;!! be op- 
 polcd, and openly cenfiired. 
 
 1 : Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that 
 which IS good. He that docih good is of God : but 
 he that docth evil hath not fecn God. 
 
 Here St. John ndviftth his beloved Gaius, and thofe 
 with hill), no: to iniiaiatc and follow tliiscv:! cxsuyile of 
 
 Dictrephc?, 
 
1096 
 
 St. J U D E. 
 
 Diotrephes, (who not only refiifcd charitv towards thcchrif- 
 tian Jews, that wanted it himfelf, but w(>iild not permit llic 
 Gcniilc chriftians to receive thtm or relieve tiicm) but to 
 follow the example of God, who is good to all ; and accord- 
 ingly, he that is merciful is born ot God, but he that is ma- 
 licious haih no true knowledge of God, but is a mere Gran- 
 ger to him. Behold here the ewlogy and high commenda- 
 tion which the Spirit of God gives to a charitable and good 
 man : He that doth good is of God, he is allied to heaven, born 
 of Go<.l, and his offspring ; but the uncharitable evil man is 
 a compofition of fpitc, envy, and malice, born from beneath, 
 and the devil's offspring. 
 
 12 Demetrius hath good report of all mm, and of 
 the truth itfclf : yea, and we aljo bear record ; and 
 ye know that our record is true. 
 
 Having propounded the example of God in the former 
 verfc, he propounds in this the example of Demetrius, as 
 a pattern to them for their imitation in works of piety and 
 
 charity; not only common report, and the apoftle's tcOi- 
 niony, but his own good works, did juflly recommend liim 
 as an extraordinary pat'crn to their iiT:'-'-- •■ .V4/.-, That 
 the ominendations, which our own rks do give 
 
 us before the world, arc more valuable iliaii all the praifcs 
 and applaufc which can be given us by men, yea, by the 
 btftof men. 
 
 13 1 had many things to write, but I will not 
 with ink and pen write unto thee: 14 But I trud 
 I (hall fhortly (ee thee, and we (hall ("peak face to 
 face. Peace ht to thee. Our fiiends falute thee. 
 Greet the friends by name. 
 
 Thus our apnflle concludes his epiflle with an apology 
 for the brevity of it, hoping in a (liurt time to fee him, and 
 to fpeak face to face unto him ; he concludes with his apof- 
 tolical valedi(5tion. Pence be to thee \ unto which addint; the 
 brethren's falutations, it teaches w^, that kind remembianccs 
 and greetings are fuitablc tucluillian friendlhi^i. 
 
 THE 
 
 EPISTLE GENERAL 
 
 O F 
 
 n. 
 
 U D 
 
 E. 
 
 Tht deftgn and/cope of this epijlk appcan to he much the fame with that ofthefecond of St. Peter, and was written proba- 
 bly abmtt the fame, time; the iiUent of both is this, namely, to fortify the Chrifian Jrxs agaufl the errors and corrup- 
 tions of thofe feducers, who, by their wicked lives and worfe doBrims, attempted tofeduce per fons from the plamnefs and 
 fimplicity of the gofpel, and to bring upon them the fame ccmdmnation and judgement with tkemfelves. 
 
 JUDE the fervant of;ytfus Chrift, and brother 
 of James, to them that are fandified by God the 
 Father, and preferved in Jefus Chrilt, and called : 
 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied. 
 Here we have ohfervahle, the perfon faluting, the perfon 
 faluicd, and the falutation itfclf. Ohferve, I. The perfon 
 faluting dcfcribed three ways. i. ]3y his name, Jttde, called 
 Thaddcus and l^ebheus, lo dilUnguifh him from Judas Ifca- 
 liot \ behold an holy apodle and a perfidious traiior, bear- 
 ing the fame name, Judas an apoltlc, and Judas an apof- 
 taic ; it is not an holy name, but an holy nature, that com- 
 mends us imto God. 2. F^y his office, :i fervant 'fjrfus 
 Chrlji; he might have llilcd himfelf a near kinfman of 
 Jefus Chrift, or a brother of the Lord ; but he mentions not 
 his natural, but his fpiriiual relaiion to Ciirift ; alliance in 
 faiih, or a (piriiual relation to Chrift, is much de:irer 
 and nearer than alliance in fltlli ; there is a peculiar 
 
 honour and excellency in the title of Chri(l!s fervant above 
 that of Chrift's kinfman. 3. By his kindred and alliance, 
 brother of James, this is added to dillinguifli him from Ju- 
 das Ifcariot; it is the duty of the fervant;, but efpccially 
 the minifters of Chrift, to prevent all fcandalous excep- 
 tions againft their perfons, and to be of untainted reputa- 
 tions. Ohferve, 1. The perfons fainted, thefe alio are three 
 ways defcribed. I. Thoy are Janet' fed by G id the Father; 
 the apofllc judges of them by their profeflion, and by their 
 obligation; they had, by aliuming the chriftian name, ob- 
 liged themfelves to be faints, or holy perfons ; and bv tiieir 
 profeftion did own anddttclarc tht-mlilves fo to be ; and 1:0 
 doubt many of them were inwardly fanflificd, as well as 
 outwardly holy. 2. 7l.>ey are prejenied In Chriji 'Jefus \ 
 that is, in the faith of Chrilt Jelus, when nwny, tor tear of 
 perfecution, have apoftaiized from it ; he that will approve 
 liinifelfa true chriftian, muft fltcw himfelf a ftedfaft chrillian; 
 iiiftjbility is an arg'micai of infmcerlty ; agsin, preferved 
 
 H^MitaaMii 
 
 i 
 
St. J U D E. 
 
 109: 
 
 in Chr\p Jtfu^; thit is preferved in a ftate of grace 
 and holinefs, by Chrift Jelus, hy the merit of his death and 
 paflion, by the«prev,ilency of his interceflion, and by the 
 Holy Spirit's efficncy and operation. They are cnlkti M 
 of them externally by the n)ini(lry of the word ; inrernally, 
 maay of them by the effeftual operation of the Spirit, re- 
 newing the nature, and reforming the life ; thefe are the 
 perfons faluted, Them that are j'anfl'ified by God the Father, 
 preferved'in Chr\f[ Jefus, and called. Obferve,-^. The fa- 
 Iiitationitfelf, Mercy, peace, ^nAhve be multiplied unto you.- 
 Mercyfrom God, tlie Fatherof mercies ; peace from Jefus 
 Chrift, who is our peace ; and love from the Holy Gh;)(t, 
 by whom it is filed abroad in oor hearts; and his praying 
 that thefe gracesmay not be barely given and granted, but 
 bemuiiipliedandincreafed, intimates to usour duty, which 
 is not barely to feek grace at the hands of God,- but the 
 multiplication and augmen'ation of it ; to labonrafter grace 
 in growth, as well as grace in truth : Mercy, peace, and 
 love he multiplied. ■ thankful we may and ought tobe for the 
 leaCt meafures of grace received, but not fatisfied with the 
 greatert meafures, fliort of our heavenly perfeftion ; he was 
 never truly good that does not delire daily to grow better. 
 
 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto 
 you of the common falvation, it was needful for me 
 to write unto you, and exhort you that ye fliould ear- 
 nedly contend for the faith which was once deli- 
 vered unto the faints. 
 
 Obfirvehere, 1. A courteous and loving compellation, 
 Behved ; people fliould ftudy to render themfelves fit ob- 
 jects of their paftor's love. 2. How his love towards them 
 put him upon writing tothein withalldiligence : Lovemufl 
 be the Ipring and fountain of all our minifterial perform- 
 .".nces ; all fervices without love, are as facrifices without 
 fire, c'hiitl firfleuquired after Peter's love, beforehe urged 
 him to labour ; God will reward no fervices to our people, 
 but what have been done in love. 3. The excellency and 
 weightinefs of the fubjeft about which he was to write, it 
 was concerning' the common ftilvat'ion ; fo called, not as it it 
 were afalvation common toall perfons, good andbad: but 
 becaufe common toall believers who have a joint title to it, 
 and a common interefl in it : The falvation which the gof- 
 pel reveals, is a common falvatien ; it is in common in re- 
 <r,ii-d of the purchafer of it, Chrift our common Saviour ; 
 m regard to the price paid for it, the precious blood of 
 Chrifl ; in regard 10 the way and means by which it is ob- 
 tained amdlecured, and that is faith.- and in regard of the 
 carneft of it, and longings after it, the Holy Spirit of God 
 is common to ail believers, and gives them a pledge and 
 enrneftof, and lets them abreathingafter, andlonging for 
 this falvation. 4 The exhortation itfelf, Eameftly to con. 
 tenilpjr thefuithor.cp. delivered to the faints ; that is, for the 
 fineeredodrine of the gofpel delivered by Chrift: once de- 
 livered; that is, once for all, fo as never to be changed or 
 aiter&d more : no new rule of faith is ever more to be ex- 
 pected ; and therefore the articles of faith added to the 
 .npoftles creed oy the council of Trent, can be no articles of 
 chridian faith, becaufe never delivered by Chrifl, or his 
 apoUles, andnevcrknowntoj-nnnychrilliansUmg after their 
 dtceal'e. Lsarn, That it is the duty of chriitiaiis at all 
 
 times, biitefpecially in times of error and feduQion, to con- 
 tend earneftly for that pure and uncormpted faith which is 
 contained in the gofpel. 
 
 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, 
 who were before of old ordained to this condemna- 
 tion, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God 
 into lafcivioul'nefs, and denying the only Lord God, 
 and our Lord Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 Here we have a reafon of the foregoing exhortation 
 afligned, why we fliould contend foearneftly for the chrif- 
 tiau faith once delivered by Chrifl: to his apofHes, becaufe 
 there were crept, by little and little, fuch fediicersinto the 
 church as would endeavour to adulterate and corrupt it. 
 Niie here. That corrujitersand corruptions creep fecretly 
 and gradually into the church ; and heretics do not broach 
 all their errors and falfe dcftrines at once : Vain then and 
 frivolous is the queflion which the church of Rome afks us. 
 When did their innovations and fali'e dodtrines come firft 
 into the church ? They crept in, and that unawares ; it is 
 enough for us that we find them there, though we affigu 
 not the time when, nor the manner how they did come in. 
 Ohferve next. The character and defcription which ourapof- 
 tle gives of thefe feducers crept in amongfl them. i. He 
 tells us they were men fore-ordained to condemnation ; 
 mark, not fore-ordained to fedudion to fin, but to con- 
 demnation for fin ; the word rendered fore-ordained, fignifies 
 before written, or before prophefied of, by Enoch and others, 
 that they would by their great fins and impieties, fall into 
 that condemnation which God hath ord.iined as a juft re- 
 ward to their tranfgreflions ; God neverordaineth nor de- 
 creeth any man's fin, but he decreeth and foretelleih their 
 condemnation for fin. 2. He ftyles them -juicked, ungodly 
 men, turning the grace of Cod into lafcivioufnefs ; pointing at 
 the Nicolaitans, Gnoflics, and other impure heretics, that: 
 fprang from Simon Magus, who made the doctrine of the 
 free grace of God, difcovered in the gofpel, a cloke for 
 their loofenefs and lafcivioufnefs. Errors in dofftrine are 
 ufually accompanied with corruption in manners, as being 
 mofl fuitable to man's corrupt vile nature, and will be fure 
 never to want followers. 3. He charges them with deny- 
 ing, the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift : That 
 is, Jefus Chrifl our only mafter, God, and Lord, called b)' 
 St. Peter, the Lord that bought them -, lefTening the dignity 
 of his perfon, and invalidating what they coijld, the merit 
 of his death and fufferings. Learn htr\ce, 1. That Jelus 
 Chrifl, the mafter of the woild, the Lord of his church, is 
 truly God ; he is called the great God, and the mighty 
 God, to fliew that he is not a God inferior to, but equal 10 
 the Father ; and that by nature, not by ofHce. 2. 1 hat ic 
 is an horrid impiety, to deny our Lord Jefus Chrift, to de- 
 ny him in either of his natures, or in any of his ofHces ; to 
 deny him either in opinion, or in practice, is a flu that car- 
 ries a prodigious appearance with it. 
 
 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, 
 though ye once knew this, how that the Lord Stav- 
 ing faved the people out of ihe land of Egypt, after- 
 wards dcftroycdthem that believed not. 
 
 6 Z lu 
 
;oc,8 
 
 St. JUL) E. 
 
 In this, and the following vcrfcs, our apcftic, to deter 
 them from following the pernicious ways of thefe feducers, 
 fets before them the feveral examples of God's jiidf;tnents 
 inflicted in former times upon perfons guilty of fuch crimes, 
 as thefe fedaccrs were fiij^matizedfor, and guilty of ; he be- 
 gins wiih the Ifraelitesin tiie wildernefs, as they periflied 
 throii;;h unbelief, after they were brought out of Egypt, fo 
 /hali revolters peri ili, not withftandingtlieirbaptifm, and fair 
 beginnings. Z.fflr>i hence, i. That God's judgments in- 
 flicted on Tome, are, and ought to be warnings unto all. 
 Z. That God's ancient juJgnients were ordained to be our 
 w.irnings and examples ; liis holinefs is the fame as ever, 
 his juftice the fame, his hatred of lint he fame, and his power 
 to revenge it the fame as ever ; his judgments now may be 
 more Ip ritual but they are not lefs terrible. 3. That un- 
 belief will as certainly bring deftruclionupon chriftians now, 
 as it did upon the Ifraelites of old. Did God deftroy them 
 that believed not his power then? No lefs will he deftroy 
 them that believe not his promife now. 
 
 6 And the angels which kept not their firfleftate, 
 but left their own habitation, he hath refervedinever- 
 laftiHg chains under darknels, unto the judgment of 
 the great day. 
 
 The next example fet before them, is that of the apoftate 
 angels, who for their rebellion againft God were thrown 
 down from heaven, and are referved asfomany prifoners in 
 chains of darknefs, to the judgment of the great day, when 
 their condition will be more miferable than now it is. Now, 
 if God did not fpare apoftatizing angels, furely he will not 
 fpare apoftatizingfeducers. Note, i. The fin of the angels ; 
 they left their firft ftate, namely, their ftateof holinefs. 2. 
 Their punifliment ; they lefttheir own habitation, they de- 
 parted from that place of happinefs and glory which before 
 they enjoyed ; when they changed theirnature, they changed 
 their place ; the prefence of an holy God is no place for un- 
 holy perfons. 3. That the angels are kept in chains, and 
 thofe chains are everiafting ; the chain of God's eternal de- 
 cree holds them ; the chain of their own guilt holds them ; 
 the chain of utter defpair eternally holds them. 4. That 
 the day of judgment will be a great day ; and at that day, 
 the punifliment of fallen angels willbe fargreater than now 
 it is r When heaven's joys are full, then hell's torments 
 will be full, but not before. 
 
 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities 
 about them, in like manner giving themlelvesover to 
 fornication, and going after flrangcflelh, are fet forth 
 for an example, lufFering the vengeanceofeternalfire. 
 
 Anothir exampleof God'sfeverityagainftfiii and finners, 
 is Sodom and Gomorrah, Adma and Zeboim, who giving 
 themfelves up to the lufts of uncleannefs, were in an extra- 
 ordinary manner deftroy ed by fire from heaven, which was 
 a forerunner of that eternal fire of hell, which they are to 
 fufTerto all eternity, andfo may and^ught to be a terrifying 
 example and timely warning to all perfons, that they fall not 
 into the like fins. Learn, i. I hat the fin of uncleannefs 
 doth ex( eedingly difplealcan I provoke Cod to puinfli above 
 pther fins^ becaufe it defiles both foul and body ; it maket 
 
 a ftyc of a temple ; and becaufe it is a fin ufually accompa- 
 nied with final inipenitcncy ; nime that go unto herreturn, 
 that is, very few : Whoredom is a deep ditch, the abhorred 
 of God do fall into it. a. Thai ihe fin of uncleannefs is 
 remarkably followed with vengeance, even with eternal 
 vengeance : God returns flames for flames, and revenges 
 the fire of kift with the fire of hell. 
 
 8 Likcivife aifo all thefe filthy dreamers, defile the 
 flcfli, defpifc dominion, and fpeak evil of di^iiiies. 
 
 As if our apoftle had faid, " Notwithftunding thet'e fore- 
 mentioned examples ofGod'i vengeance upon the unclean 
 Sodoniiies,and others, yet thefe heretical feducers, whom he 
 calls dreamers, becaufe they vented ihetr own dreams and 
 phantalits inftead of God's truth, did defile themfelves with 
 their filthy pra>nices, teaching that by theirchriftianliberty 
 they were freed from all civil fuhjedion, fpeaking evil of 
 thofe who were fet in authority over them.'' ObCerve, i. 
 That the doctrines which feducers bring, are not the truths 
 ofChrift, but their own dreams. Dreams they are in point 
 of opinion, and dreams they will be found in pointofcxpec- 
 tation ; they promife much, but performnothing, 2. That 
 dreams of error, or heretical principles, do difpole tow.irds 
 fihhy and unclean prai^ices. Avoid error in judgment, if 
 you would efcape Hithinefs in converfatioii. 3. That luft 
 loves not reftraint, libertines defpife dominion, fenfuality 
 makes men unruly ; fuch are fonsof Behal, they caft off the 
 yoke. 4. T'hai fiich as defpife government, fpeak evil of 
 governors ; dignities lie open to the laiii of the tongue ; 
 neither power nor innocence can proteclfrom calumny antl 
 imputations, from flander and falfc accufation. 
 
 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contendinfr 
 with the devil, he difputedabout the bodyof Mofes, 
 durft not bring againR him a railing accufation, but 
 faid. The Lord rebuke thee. 
 
 Our apoftle in the pretCcding verfe having charged fe- 
 ducers with contempiuous fpeaking againft governors and 
 government : in this verfe he aggravates the imprudence 
 and impiety of it, by the carriage of Michael the archangel 
 towardsthedevil. Theargument istaken from the greater 
 to the lefs, and lies thus : If Michael, an archangel, fo 
 excellent in nature, fo high in office, contending with Satan, 
 an impure fpirit. yet ufed great modefty, without the leafl 
 indecency of exprtffion towards him, who and what are 
 thefe that defpife dominions, and dare fpeak e^'il of dignities ? 
 Oltferve, That it is our duty to learn this angelical lelTon, 
 nami ly, not togive railing or reviling language to the worft 
 adverfary in the beft caiife. becaufe it proceeds from pride 
 or pafTion, and becaufe fo contrary to the temper and defign 
 of chriftianity ; much more is it our duty to watch againft 
 the fins of the tongue, with refpect to our governors and 
 fuperiors. 
 
 10 But ihefe fpeak evil of thofe things which they 
 know not : but what they know naturally as brute 
 beafts, in thofe things they corrupt themfelves. 
 
 A double crime ishere charged upon thefe feducers by our 
 apolUe, namely, pride, in fpeaking evil of things ttiey know 
 not J and wickednels,inabufing the knowledge they had. 1. 
 
 Their 
 
Sr. J U D E. 
 
 ^<^99 
 
 Their fiii was great, infpeaking evil of what they did not 
 
 know, (they reviled digniiies and magillrates, theufefulnefs 
 
 of whom they knew notj and poifibly condemned the myf- 
 
 teriejof the chrirtianfaiih whicii they underfiood not, not- 
 
 witiiftanding they called themfelvesGnoftics, and pretended 
 
 to hfgher degrees, and larger meai'iires of knowledge than 
 
 oiherinen. Learn, That truth is ufually llandered by igno- 
 
 rtnt and conceited men ; becaufe nisn donot underftand the 
 
 things «f God, therefore they do condemn them. 2. Their 
 
 wickednefs was great in abufing the knowledge that they 
 
 had, and in acting contrary to it. What they knew naturally, 
 
 or by the lawof nature, tobelinful, in tliofe things, asbriite 
 
 bealb, did they ci)rruj)t anddefile themfelves. Note, i. That 
 
 were tin reigncth, it turneih man into a brtite be.T(t. Pfal. 
 
 xlix. 12. Hence they are compared to dogs for filthinefs, to 
 
 fwine for uncleannefi; to wolves for cruelty; ofthetwoit 
 
 is worfe to be like a beaft, than to be a bead ; the beaft is 
 
 what God has made it ; but he that is like a beall, is what 
 
 fill and the devil has made him. 2. That it is a (Ign of a 
 
 man turned to a beaft, to follow the lulis and pallions of 
 
 corrupt nature. Jt is jull with God to leave them to be led 
 
 by fenfe, who will not he guided by grace, and to lufFsr 
 
 them to fall into the ditch of beaftly fenluality, who forget 
 
 that they are men. 
 
 1 1 Wo unto them : for they have gone in the way 
 of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam 
 tor reward, and pcriftied in the gainfaying of Core. 
 
 Our apoflle goes on in charging thefe feducers with fe- 
 vcral crimes ; particularly with the malice and envy of Cain, 
 with the fordid covetoufnefs of Balaam, with the feditton and 
 gainf lying of Core; they hate their brethren, andfo'are 
 murderers, like Cain ; they have adulterated the truth for 
 b.ifegain, and lb have followed the example of Balaam wZ'O 
 I'lVed the wager of :tnrigljtcc!ifnefs ; and as Corah, Dathan, 
 andAbiram, rofe npagainflMofes and Aaron, foh^vethey 
 feditioufly oppofed both magillracy and miniftry. Learn, i. 
 That thepractice of wicked men now, and from the begin- 
 ning is ftill the fame. 2. That Satan entices his flaves 
 to divers lins, to the malice of Cain, to the covetoufnefs of 
 Balaam, to the fedition of Core. 3. That fuch as fin now 
 may read their deltruction in the deftruiftion of ihofe that 
 riniied before them. 
 
 1 2 Thefe ai;e fpots in your feafts of charity, when 
 they feaft with you, feeding themfelves without fear: 
 clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; 
 trees whofe fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, 
 plucked up by the roots ; 13 Raging waves of the 
 fea, foamingout theirown Ihame: wandering ftars, to 
 whom is referved the blacknefs of darknefs for ever. 
 
 Our apoflle having fet forth thefe feducers in the foregoing 
 verfes, by fundry examples, he now conies to fet them forth 
 by feveral llmilitudesand refemblances. i. Hecallsthem 
 fpots in their love feafts frhe infamy of their lives being a 
 bleiiiilh and Icandal to their chriflian afTcmbliefj feeding 
 without fear of offending either God or man. 2. Recalls 
 them clouds without water, proniiling rain, but yielding 
 none ; making a (hew of knowledge, but indeed having none. 
 
 and they are driven (as clouds by the wind) from one vanity 
 to another. 3. Trees they are, but like them in autumn, 
 which have neither leaves nor fruit; nay, trees twice dead, 
 in (in, before con verfion, and in refpeft of their apoftacy, 
 after their converfion, and fo (hall be plucked up by the 
 roots. 4 They are like raging waves of the fca, turbulent 
 and tumultous, foaming out at their mouths the filthinefs 
 and impurity that boileth in their hearts. 5. Wandering 
 ftars, or teachers unftable , departing from t he true faith once 
 delivered te them ; but for thefe illuminated and knowing 
 teachers, is referved the blacknefs of darknefs for ever. 
 
 14 And Enoch alfo, the feventh from Adam, pro- 
 phefied of thefe, faying, Behold, the Lord cometh 
 with ten thoufandof his faints, 15 To execute judg- 
 ment upon ail, and to convince all that are ungodly 
 among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they 
 have ungodly committed, and of all their \ia.rdfpeech- 
 ^y which ungodly finners have fpoked againft him. 
 
 The Apoftle having defcribed the fin of the feducers in 
 the former verfes, declares the certainty of their deftruction 
 in the verfes now before us ; alTuring us, that Enoch of old, 
 by the Spirit of prophecy, did foretel the fins of fuch per- 
 fons, and their condemnation alfo at the general judgment, 
 when Chrift (hall come glorioufly attended to execute judg- 
 ment upon the ungodly in general, and on fuch as fpeak 
 contumelioufly of him antl his in particular. Yitrcnote, i. 
 That the doftrine of the day of judgment is very antient, 
 foretold by the prophets from the beginning. Man was 
 made an accountable creature, capable of rendering an ac- 
 count of his aftions ; and the fentence of death denoun- 
 ced in paradife againil him for his fin, did neceffarily imply 
 it; the drowning of the world, and burning of Sodom, 
 were both types and forerunners of it ; though there are 
 Atheifts upon earth that do not believe a future judgment 
 to come, there are none in hell ; feeling and experience ■* 
 niuft teach fome men that which the Spirit, fcripture, rea- 
 fon, and confcience, could ncverlearn them. 2. How Enoch 
 hereprefixeth a noteof incitement to his prophecy, Behold, 
 the Lord cometh to judgment ; implying, that great is our 
 natural backwardnefs to believe and mind the coming of 
 Chrift to judgment ; and intimating, that we fliould al- 
 ways realize the day of the Lord to ourfelves, and repre- 
 fent it to our thoughts as certain, and near at hand. 3. 
 How royally attended Chrift will come to judgment ; Be- 
 hold, he cometh tuith ten thoufands of his faints. Chrift will 
 be attended only with holy ones at the laft day ; fuch as 
 meet him now in purity, ihall meet him then in peace. 
 How cheerfully then may faints think of the laftjudgment, 
 and obferve the number of his attendants ? Not a few 
 faints, but ten tlioufand of them, Rev. v. 11. They are 
 called a number which no man can number. This is a 
 comfort againft the paucity and linall number of thofe that 
 are now upright with God ; in heaven we (hall have com- 
 panv enough ; God's family, when it comes top,etlier, will 
 be very numerous, or rather innumerable, Heb. xii. 2:;. 
 Obferve 4. The work of Chrift at the day of jiKlgmeiu, 
 namely, to convince and judge. Confciencefliall then have 
 an exact view of all chat finners did and faid : Sin will 
 
 6 Z 2 find 
 
IIOO 
 
 St. J U D E. 
 
 find ihemout, and teflify againft them at Chrift's tribunal ; 
 and when confcience has convinced, Chrilt will condemn, 
 and whom he has condemned, he will execute. 5. The 
 prrfons whom Cliri(l will comincc and judpe, the ungodly. 
 The procefs of the I. ill day lies chitfly, thojgh not only, 
 agiinll the ungodly ; ihele (lull not Ihind in the jiidi;menr, 
 hecaufe nngodlinefs doih chiefly provoke ; not but thnt un- 
 righieoiifnefs will (hen be condemned alio, Roui. i. 18. and 
 liiiners lent to hcil t"or negleding the duties of the I'econd 
 table, no lei's than the firlt- 6. That not only the deeds of 
 nnjrodiy men, but their wonlsjefpcci.illy i\\t\r hardfpeeches 
 againrt God and his children, Hull be brought into judg- 
 ment. A wicked tongue is a rugged tongue ; it I'ptaks 
 words fliarper than (words ; pray we for wifdom to make 
 as good an ule of the reproaching tongue of an enemy, as 
 of the reproving tongue of a friend ; thit the IVord of the 
 tongueniay let out the corruption th.it is in ourhearts, and 
 do us good againlt the will, and contrary to the intention, 
 of our enemy. 
 
 16 Thefc are murmurers, complainers, walking 
 after thcirown lulls : and their mouths Ipeaketh great 
 IvvcUing words, having men's perfons in admiration 
 becaufe of advantage. 
 
 Our aportle having aflerted in the former verfe, that 
 Chrift will at the great day convince and judge all the un- 
 godly ; in this verfe he declares that thefe feducers were of 
 the number of the ungodly, whom Chrift will certainly 
 judge, becaufe they were murmurers, complainers, difcon- 
 tented with, and always complaining of their lot, and pre- 
 fent condition ; becaufe they had not as much as they de-' 
 fired, they murmured againft God, as if they had nothing; 
 •■jjalking after their mun litj?s, contrary to the reftraint of 
 nature, anti the laws of God ; their mouths fpeaking great 
 f-jjslling words. It has been the conftantcourl'e of heretics 
 tofpeakhigh, and talk big, like mountebanks, hoping tliere- 
 by to fet off, and put off the better their counterfeited and 
 falfe ware ; but he is no wife man, whom great fwelling 
 words will feduce from the ways of wifdom. Not the 
 words of the fpeaker, but the weight of what is fpoken, is 
 10 be nimded ; yet though they talk thefe fwelling words 
 to their inieriors, stthe fame time they could flatteringly 
 admire the perfons and aiTlions of others, from whom they 
 expefted any benefit or advantage. Now from the whole 
 of this large charafter, which St. Jude here gives of thefe 
 heretical leducers and falfe teachers, we learn, That niil'e- 
 rable and molt deplorable is the condition of the mifled 
 followers of feduciiig teachers; thefeducer follows his lull, 
 and the follower is led by the feducer. Here the blind leads 
 the blind ; God pity them both ! When teachers offer 
 xhemfelves to us, we fhould confider who leads them, who 
 are fo officious to lead us, and follow them only as they 
 follow Chrift ; no w:fe man will fet his watch by the clock, 
 but by the fim. 
 
 17 But beloved, remember ye the words which 
 were fpoken before of the apoftles of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift ; 18 How that they told you there fhould be 
 mocken in the iaft time, who fliouid walk after their 
 
 own ungodly lulls. igThefebe they who feparate 
 themfelves, fcnfual, having not the Spirit. 
 
 Having largely defcribed thofe feducers, our apoftic now 
 comes to exhort thofe to whom he wrote, to beware ot 
 ihiii), affuring them, that the apcftles of Chrift, St. Paul, 
 and pjrticiiljrly Si. Peter, had exprelily foretold of fl^ofe 
 witkcd Iciifl'ers which would arife in the church in the l.ill 
 times ; v.hich mockers and fcoffcrs he fliows were fuch as 
 without aiiyjuftcaufefeparated themfelves from the Hiurch's 
 communion, pretending greatlyto I'ancVity, butaddiifted to 
 feiifuality, and deftiiute of the Holy Spirit. Sate here, i. 
 That tiie Scriptine fpcaks much of the fin and linnersthac 
 Ihould be found in the latter times ; we ought not there- 
 fore to be troubled at what is foretold,' nor be unarmed 
 v.hen we are fo often forewarned. It is a lliaine for them, 
 who have oft heard and knovMi the doctrines of the apof- 
 tles, to be l'iiri)rized by feducers. St. Jude exprcts that thefe 
 chriftians who know what the apoftle^had delivered, fhould 
 vigouroufly oppofe all feducers and Icduction. 2. That a 
 canfelefb fcp.naiion from a church, of which we are mem- 
 bers, is culpable and iinful ; a ft-paration from corruptions, 
 and a iVparation froin them that are corrupt, are twodif- 
 tinfl things ; the former is always a duty, ihelatternot fo. 
 3. That thofe that feparatc from the sU'embliestif the faith- 
 ful, are ufually y^w/jfrt/, and hove not the Spirit ; they have 
 not the Spirit either to guide them, or to quicken then), or 
 to comfort them. 
 
 20 f But ye, beloved, building up yourfelves on 
 your moll holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghoft, 
 2 1 Keep yourfelves in the love of God, looking for 
 the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift unto eternal life. 
 
 Our apoftle having, in the fojiner part of the chapter, 
 warned the chriftians of the danger ot feducers, he cloles 
 his epiftle with direclions and advice how thry may be pre- 
 ferved from feduftion, and what means they Ihould ufefor 
 their perfeverance and eftablilhnK nt in the doctrine of 
 Chrift. Firlt, he direfts them to huild up themfelves in their 
 niojl holy faith ; that is, in the doftnne offjith contained in 
 the gofpel. Where nde, i. J hat the faith of chriftians is 
 a molt holy f>aith ; holy in its principles, hcly in its pat- 
 tern, holy in its encouragements and rewards, -i 1 hat 
 it is the duty, and ought to be the endeavours of every 
 chriftian to build up himfelf, andotheis alfo nuhe f<iiih 
 of the gofpel ; the belt way for chriftians hot to be lolers 
 of what they have, is to be hdiourers fio" what they want ; 
 progrcfs in chriftianity is the beft means topreferveus from 
 apoftacy. Secondly, He exhorts to prayer, praying in the 
 Holy Ghoft ; that is, with holy reverence, with humble 
 confidence, "vith fervent importunity, with thole holy afiec- 
 lions and delires which the Spirit of God exciteih in us : 
 The concurrence of the Holy Spirit is nectil'ary both to 
 affiftance and acceptance in prayer ; it enables us topray in 
 faith and love, with fincferity and importunity ; without the 
 Spirit there is no acceptable praying, and without prayer 
 vain is the pretence to the Spirit. Breathing is the firft 
 evidence oflife. St. Paul svasno fooner converted, but be- 
 hold he prayed. Thirdly, He directs that they ketp them- 
 felves intheloveofGod; no fuch way to keep ourielves from 
 
 error. 
 
St. J U D E. 
 
 1101 
 
 error, as to preferve oxirfehes in that love which God bears 
 to us, and in that love we bear to him ; take we care that 
 there be no intermifliSn of the afts of love, and no remif- 
 fion of the degrees of love, but that we be rooted and 
 grounded in love, and then we are proof againft feducers 
 and falfe teachers. Fourthly, He direds them to look up 
 to heaven, if they would be ikady and Itcdfall in the faith, 
 here on earth. Lo-.k'tnj; for the nierc^ of our Lord Jeftis 
 ChrlJ} unlo eternal life. Here ohferve., That heaven, or eter- 
 nal life, is the mercy of our Lord Jcfiis Chiill. Mercy it 
 is called, becaufe bellowed on the niiferablc, that could 
 never merit or dcferve it, and becaufe it is the tfFeiSl and 
 fruit oi free and fpocial mercy, and becaufe bcftowcd on the 
 velills of mercv, and becaufe' it is the perfcdion and con- 
 fiimmation of all mercy ; and it is the mercy of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrtll, becaufe he purchafcd it, he prepared it, he ex- 
 hibits and gives it. Obferve farther, That chriftians are to 
 look for eternal life, as the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift ; 
 that is, to believe it, to meditate upon it, to have ardent dc- 
 flres after it, and patiently to wait for it. 
 
 2 2 And of fome have compairion, making a 
 difference. 23 And others fave with fear pulling 
 than out of the fire ; hating even the garment fpot- 
 tccl by the flefli. 
 
 In thcfe words our apoftlc directs them how to carry and 
 behave themfclvcs towards thofe who were feduced, in or- 
 der to their recovery, namely, after a different manner, i. 
 He advifes to chriftian lenity and gcntlenefs, to compailion 
 and tendernefs towards fome ; Of feme have compajfion. 
 Learn thence. That though reproofs are to be given to 
 backflidcrs, yet mud they be given in compaflion, and with 
 holy grief. Our words muft have bowels in them, and 
 proceed not from paffion, but from pity. 2. For thofe 
 that are more entangled, corrupted, and hardened in their 
 errors, he advifes that they endeavour to fave them xvlth 
 fear\ that is, terrifv tiieni with the fear of God's judg- 
 ments and VvTath, and by Iharp adinonitions recover them 
 out of their errors, as Lot was fnatched out of the fire of 
 Sodom. There is a time when feverity is not only ufeful, 
 but abfohitely neceffary, yet neceihty muft be the mother 
 of feverity. Lenity muft be firft ufed ; if that fails, feve- 
 rity muft fuccecti. Hating even the garment fpotted hy tke fiejh. 
 By this the apoftle means every thing that doth defile, 
 though in the leaft decree ; he forbids all affinity or near- 
 nsfs to the errors and vices of thcfc (inners, implying. That 
 fome finners are fo filthy and unclean, that there is no keep- 
 ing company with them without defilement ; and intimat- 
 ing. That chriftians,, in their convcrfuig with erroneous or 
 vicious perfons, whom they labour to recover, ihoiild take 
 great care that they be not corrupted nor debauched by 
 thein, they being only to deal with them as phyficians, not 
 as companion?. 
 
 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from 
 falling, and to prefentj)wz< faultlefs before the prefence 
 of his glory with exceeding joy. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. How our apoftle flints up his exhorta- 
 tion with prayer ; having exhorted them to duty, he com- 
 mends them, to the divine grace, intimating, that the fruit 
 of all muft be expedled from God, without wiiofc blcfting 
 all exhortations and endeavours will nothing avail. 2. 
 The perfon who is the objedl of prayer and praife, Chrift, 
 defcribcd by his power. l. He is able to keep us fr^.m falling ; 
 that is, from apoftacy ; He fpeaks not of his abfolute power, 
 fo Clirift is able fo keep us from all fin, but of fuch a 
 power as is engrged by promife and office; all btlitvers 
 are Chrift's charge, and he will preferve them from final 
 deftrudion. 2. He is able to prefcnt us faultlefs \ it is 
 Chrift's oftice to preferve his church until he preftnts it 
 (potlcfs to the Father, before the prefence cf his glory., that 
 is, at his glorious appearance, when he ftiall come to judge 
 the world ivith exceeding joy; on both fides no doubt, both 
 on Chrift's part and ours. O fweet interview betwixt 
 Chrift and believers ! He will joy to fee us, as we will re- 
 joice to fee him.. Learn, That Chrift will one day make a 
 folcmn prefentation of his people unto God. 2. That when 
 he doth prefentthem, he will prefentthem faultlefs. 3. That 
 the day in which he does prefent them, will be a very glori- 
 ous day in itfelf, and a very jovfulday to all his people ; when 
 the impenitent world howl, they fliall triumph. 
 
 25 To the only wife God our Saviour, be glory 
 and majefly, dominion and power, both now and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 Our apoftle fhuts up his epiftle (as is ufual) with a doxo- 
 logy ; where Obferve, I. The perfon to whom the praife 
 is given, to God, the wife God, the only ^vife God, fo 
 called becaufe he is originally and independently wife ; be- 
 caufe he is infinitely and tranfcendently wife ; all the wifdoin 
 of the wifeft of men is nothing in oppofition to his wif- 
 doin, nor in cornparifon with it. 2. That Jefus Chrift our 
 Saviour is worthy to be accounted the only wife God ; as 
 he is Ciod, he is called the uifdom of the Father ; and in the 
 book of the Proverbs, he is reprefented under that title, and 
 fpoken of as a perfon, chap. \\n. As he was man, all the 
 treafure;> of wifdom and knowledge were found in him \ he 
 received the habits of all created knowledge and wifdom, 
 together with all other graces without meafure. 3. As the 
 perfon defcribed to whom the praife is given, fo the de- 
 fcription of the praife which is given to this perfon. Glory 
 and tnaje/)y, dominion and pazver ; by which underftand the 
 greatnefs and eminentexcellency of the divine nature, which 
 reftilts from his perttcElions, and whereby the divine nature 
 is infinitely exalted above all others beings. Learn hence. 
 That we ought to have fuch a fenfe of God's tranfcendent 
 excellencies and perfeflions, as may oblige us to afcribe all 
 things that are honourable and glorious to hiin, therefore 
 are fo many words here ufed. 4. The duration, noiv and 
 ever. Learn thence. That believers have fuch large and vaft 
 defires for the exaltation of God's glory, that they would 
 have him glorified everlaftingly, and without ceafing, not 
 only in the prefent, but to eternal ages. To him be glory 
 now and ever. Amen. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 REVELATION 
 
 O I 
 
 St. JOHN THE DIVINE. 
 
 The title o/thn book ts the Rev ehtlon, fo called, becau/e it conlaim in general a difccwery of fucli fecrets, as m 
 mfdom of man could have mawjt/ied or forfeen, and in particular reveals fuch divine things concerning the JIale 
 of the church, which before lay hid in the purpofo and counfel of God. Conceniing this book, oblcrve, i. The 
 penman thai xurote it, St. John, the Apflle and Evangelifl (as it is believed) the Difciple whom Jefus loved ; 
 his hand held the pen, ivhilft the Spirit of God irJiBed tlu: m^Jlerious matter of this book. Obferve 2. The time 
 zuhen, and the place where he received the com7nandment to write what he wrote ; the place xuas in the tjle of 
 Patmos, into which It is faid that St. Johnzvas bamfhed by the emperor Domitian, and there received and wrote 
 
 in a book. The more confcienlious we are in obfcmng our Lord's day, and the more zealous and fervent in the 
 religious duties of it, the more receptive rve are of divine favours, and the better qualifed for receiving difcffve- 
 riesfrom God: The fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him; that is, devoutly worfhip ard perform 
 their duty to him. Obferve, 3. The perfons to who^n this epflle and prophecy is written, namj}', to all the fer- 
 vants of God in general, and to the feven churches of Afia in particular, to remain a perfeB record for the ufc 
 of the church to all fucceeding ages, theflate of the umverfal church-militant being hermn laid open. Obferve 
 laflly, Tlu authority of what is here written, it is the revelation of Chrifi Jefus, chap. xxii. I Jefus have fent 
 my angel to teftify thefe things unto the churches; that' is, for the inflruBion and confolalion of the church 
 m ullages are thefe things written, ver. 7. And blelfed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of 
 this book ; frm whence we may infallibly gather, that it n the mind and will of God, that this bockflwuldbe read 
 by the church in all ages, and by all her merders ; for how can they keep the words of this prophecy, except they 
 hum them ? How can they know tliem, except they read them, and fludy them ? And to this, that befides the 
 prophetical part of this book, there is fuch a fpint of hoiinefs breathing through it , the tnain articles of the chrif 
 tian faith fo clearly and plainly held forth in it, aiul many religious and inoral duties fo flriBly injoimd by it, that 
 It is the unqiuponahle duly of the miniflers of God to Jludy this book with that mad fly andfobriety, which becomes 
 tlumas inqiurcrs, and likezuife the people's duty to give themfclves to the reading of it with fervent prayer, anda fimpli- 
 city of mind to be guided and direiled by it as becomes learners. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 THE revelation of Jefus Chrift, which God 
 gave unto hi-n, to flicw unto his fervants things 
 which mud fliortly come to pafs ; and he fent and 
 fignified it by his angel unto his fervant John : 2 
 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the tef- 
 timon)' of Jefus Chrifi, and of all things that he faw. 
 
 That is, " 1 li!6 revelation God the Father t^ave to 
 Chri/l, hii Sonj as Mediator; and therewith j coimnillioi) 
 
 to impart it to his faithful fervants, efpecially the niinifters 
 ot ills church, and particularly to St. John, who b;ire re- 
 cord in his gofpel, and his epiftles, that Jefus Chrill was 
 the eflential and eiernal word of God, and allotjare rcconl 
 of the Teftimony of Chrifi : that is, of his doctrine and n)i- 
 racles, ot'his death and futferings, declaring all things that 
 /^f/iJ-iV, namely, in iiisvifions, and as they were rejjrefented 
 to him." Here mtf, i. The favour granted to .St. John, 
 he had a vifion or revelation of future thinj^s. Revelations 
 from God were ff-iwetitnes by vil]on, fonieiinies liy vnice, 
 and fo-aiciiiDes by ditaii.s ; iliis revelation; which St. John 
 
 Hate 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1103 
 
 had, was of a mixed nature, partly by vifion, and partly by 
 voice. 2. The priniary Author of this revelation, God the 
 Father, the firft perfon in the Triiiity, he revealed it. 3. 
 The order in which God gave forth this revelation ; firll, 
 it is given to Chrift, The revelation of Jefas Chrifl which 
 Cod gave utto him ; next unto the angel, then unto bt. John, 
 to reveal it to the church. Chrift, as God, knew all things 
 from eternity, but as man and mediator he received his re- 
 velation from God the Father, ami imparted it by the an- 
 gel to his fervanf John ; we fee then that Chrift, in his 
 Itaie of exaltation, continues toexecute his prophetic oflice, 
 by revealing to his fervants the mind and will of God. 4. 
 The fubjeft- matter of the revelation. Things -ji-hich /Ijould 
 fhcrtly come to paj's ; mark, not things which were already 
 part fthen this book had been an hiilory, and not a pro- 
 phecy) but which fhould certainly and fuddenly come to 
 pafs : that is, they (hould fiiortly begin to be accornplilhed, 
 ami to take effeft, not that they Ihould all be immediately 
 performed, but in God's time ; in refpect of whofe eter- 
 nity, a ihoufandyears are but as one day. Laftly, Thefide- 
 lity and great integrity of St. John, in making known to 
 others M things that he faw ; that is, he had by his writ- 
 ings told the churches what Chrift by his angel told him, 
 even all that he heard and faw in this vifion, as St. Paul 
 did not (Imn to declare the whole counlel of God, Acls xx. 
 (he doth not fay he had declared the whole counfel of God, 
 for who but God himlclf could declare that ?] 
 
 3 Biefled is he that readeth, and they that hear 
 the words of this prophecy, and keep thofe things 
 which are written therein : For the time is at hand. 
 
 Ohferve here. The great encouragement which the Spi- 
 rit of God gives to all chriftians to read and regard, to con- 
 sider and meditate upon the things contained in this divine 
 book, that is, the necelTary parts of chriftianity, which are 
 liere mixed with darker palT-iges ; allmuft read, ftudy, and 
 practife thefe that hope for biefTednels. Hence note, I'hac 
 although the book of the Revelation be in itfelf a very ab- 
 Itrufe and myfterious part of holy Icripture, yet chriftians 
 ought not to be debarred, much lefs debar ihemfelves from 
 reading of it, and confuiting with it; bleffid is he that read- 
 tth, that is, attentively, underftandingly, and afFrclionate- 
 ly ; and httffed is he that keepetb the things that are -written, 
 that is, in his mind and memory, in his alf ftion and prac 
 tice, fo as to adhere to the truth, whatever trials and 
 temptations it may expofe him to. 
 
 4 John to the feven churches which are in Afia • 
 Grace be unto you, and peace, from him whicli is, 
 and which was, and which is to come ; and from 
 the feven fpirits which are before his throne ; 5 
 And from Jefus Chrift, zuho is the faithful witnefs, 
 and the firft begotten of the dead, and the prince 
 of the kings of the earth. — 
 
 Obferve, here. i. The perfons to whom St. John writes, 
 and the particular churches which he does fakire, namely, 
 the feven churches in Alia, which were then 'he mod fa- 
 mous and fl9uriniing churches in the chrilhan world, but 
 now over-run with harb^rifm. Sin has laid the foundation 
 of ruin in the molt flourilhing churches and kingdoms. 2, 
 
 The apoftffllical falutation given to thefe churches, Grace he 
 untoynu, and psace ; by grace underftand the freefavour and 
 rich love of God, in pardoning, fandifying, and faving; 
 and by peace, the inward fenfeof that love, and all out« ard 
 mercies and temporal bleflingswhatfoever. 3. The perfons 
 in whofe name, or from whona this falutation is lent and 
 given. I. From God the F;ither, who is defcribed by his 
 eternity and imnuitability, 'o'ich is, which was and whirh 
 is to come. 2. From the J'cvcn fpirits, which are before the 
 throne ; that is, from the Holy GhofCiWho is thusdefcribed 
 in regard of the perfeftion and variety of his gracious ope- 
 rations ; the Holy Spirit is calledy^wfM, becaufe heisperfeft 
 in working ; and he is faid to be before the throne, becaufe 
 continually prefcnt with God, and ready to perform what 
 is needful for the church of God. 3. From Jefus Chrift, 
 who is defcribed according to the threefold office of a 
 prophet, priefl, and king , his being called the true and faith- 
 ful witnefs, points out his prophetical office, that he is the 
 great Prophet of his church, who reveals the will of the 
 Father fully and faithfully to the fonsofmen ; his being 
 (iy\ed the firjl begotten nf the dead, points out hi? pritftly 
 office, and intimates that he died, that he rofe again from 
 the dead, and that he firft arofe, or was the firft beg(<tten 
 from the dead ; that is, the firft that rofe from the dead by 
 his own power, to a ftate of immortality, and never to die 
 more; fome indeed rofe before him, but then they were 
 raifed by him, he was the firft that ever railed hinifelf ; 
 others were railed from the dead, as Lazarus, before Chrift, 
 but they died again : whereas Chrift role from the dead 
 never to die more : he entered into a ftate of innnortality af- 
 ter his refurreftion, and lives for ever to make interceffion 
 for us. Laftly, Chrift is ftyled the Prince of the kings r,f 
 the earth, which phrafe fhews both his influence upon them 
 (as giving laws and rules unto them) and their dependence 
 upon him, who do receive their power and government, 
 their prote(Sion and dominion, all from his hand. 
 
 — Unto him that loved us, and wafhed us from 
 our fins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us 
 kings and priefts unto God and his Father : To him 
 be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 In the former verfe our Saviour was confidered in the ex' 
 cellency of his perfon, and withrefpe£lto what he is in him* 
 Iclf ; in this verfe he is confidered in the execution of his 
 office, or with refpecT: to what he is unto his church. And 
 here, obferve, i. His afFedion in general toward us, he hath 
 loved us ; our biefled Redeemer has given us full and ample 
 demonftration of his great and wonderful love unto his 
 church and people, and none doth fo properly and paf- 
 fionately love the church as Chrift himfelf : before conver- 
 lion he loves his people with a love of cominiferation and 
 companion ; after converfion, he loves them with a love of 
 complacency and delight. 2. The difcovery and manifef- 
 tation w/hich Chrift has made of this his love particularly 
 towards us, be hath wnflied us from ourfms in his own blood ; 
 that is, he hath given himfelf a facrifice for ourlins, and by 
 the merit of hi^ blood freed lis from the guilt of fin in our 
 juftification, and jlfo by the efficacy of that blood cleanfed 
 us from the filth of fin in our fanftificaiion ; the blood of 
 
 Chrift 
 
1104. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. i. 
 
 Chrill has both a pacifying and purifying influence ; it pa- 
 cities God's wrath, and purges the Tinner's confcience; the 
 blood ofChrift merited the Spirit of God for our ("anctifi- 
 caticn, and fo reconciled us to God, as well asobiained 
 pardon for us, in a way of meritorious fatiifatlion, and fo 
 reconciled God to us, he vjapied us jrom our Jins hi his d'.uri 
 I'hod. Where note, a great eniphafis in the double word of 
 property, i. Our fins ; that is, every one of our own (ins, 
 withont any limitation or exception whatfoever, as to the 
 nnmberor heinous nature of tiieni ; the fin againll the Holy 
 Gholl is indeed excepted ; but this proceeds from the inca- 
 pacity of the finner, not from the inefficacy or infufliriericy 
 ofChrid's facrifice i'or fin. 2. There is alfo an eniphaiis 
 in the word of property with refpect to Chrill, when it is 
 called /)// own /'loot/; the Levi ticalpriefts fprinklcd the people 
 with blood, but it was not their own blood, but the blood 
 of bulls and goats ; but Chrift fpared not his owwblood, and 
 he did not barely fprinkle us with it, but wafiied us in it; 
 it was not the blood of his finj^er, but the blood of his heart, 
 his very life went with it. Ohferve, 3. The confequent ef- 
 fect, and happy refult of all this love of Chrift towards us, 
 and undertaking for us, he hath made us kings and priejls 
 unto God. I. Kings, not in a temporal but fpiritual fenfe ; 
 they reign as kings over their unruly liifts and corruptions 
 over Satan, over the world, over death the king of terrors ; 
 they begin their reign upon earth, without which it were 
 impofrible to perfeft and complete it in heaven. 2. Priefts, 
 confecrating ihenifelves a living facrifice, holy and accepta- 
 ble unto God, and offering up, not expiatory, but gratula- 
 tory facrifices unto him, namely, prayer and praife, luppli- 
 cationand thankfgiving. I. Peter ii. 5. Te are an koly priej}- 
 hood, ice. Obfertie, 4. After this defcription of Chrift, 
 follosvs an al'cription of all that glory and honour, domi- 
 nion and power, which is his due, and our duty to afcribe 
 unto him : To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, 
 yfmen. Wherenofe, That the fame honour and glory, do- 
 minion and power, being here attributed and given to 
 Chrift, which Chrift teaches us to afcribe and render unto 
 God, Matth. vi. it is a fore teflimony that Chrift is God, 
 and as I'uch to be acknowledged and adored by us. 
 
 7 f Behold he cometh with clouds, and every 
 eye fhall fee him, and they alfo which pierced him : 
 and all kindreds of the earth fhall wail becaufc of 
 him. Even fo, Amen. 
 
 Thefe words are a majeftic defcription of our Saviour's 
 coming to judgtment ; they are ulliered in with a note of 
 attention and admiration. Behold.' which denotes alfo the 
 truth and certainty of his appearance, and upbraids us like- 
 wife for our natural backwardnefs to believe, mind, and me- 
 ditate upon the coming of Chrift ; we are too much guided 
 and governed by fenfe ; what we fte nothing of, we believe 
 litiie of; therefore St. John here begins with a note of in- 
 citement, in the word Z?r/;o/i/.' It follows, he cometh with 
 clouds, and every eye /hull fee him, and they -which pierced 
 him. This was fulhlleil, 1. V/hcn Chrift came by the 
 Koiiun ariDies 10 dellroy Jeriifnlen), by takmg vejigeancc 
 on his murderers, when his crucificrs might dilctrn tiiat. 
 ■ ihofe heavy and direful judgmtnts were inflitied on them 
 for thtirciucityingChrilt, and peifscuting cliriftians. Biit, 
 
 2. It will be morecminenilv and univerfally fulfilled at the 
 general day of judgement, whenChrift will come riding upon 
 the clouds, as in a tiiuniphant chariot, and all human eyes 
 Jliall then fee him, hispenecutorsand defpifers particuVnrly, 
 beholding him, but not all alike ; fuch as pierced him, 
 but repented, whofe hearts were afterwards pierced for their 
 piercing of him, thefe at ihat day fliall fee Chrift withafto- 
 nifhing joy, though they put him to bitter forrow ; the death 
 of Chrift has procured mercy for thofe whofe criieliy did 
 procure hisdeaih ; but as for fuch as pierced him, but r.ever 
 repented, both Inch a^ pierced hitn in his perfon, or in his 
 inenibers, they Ih.ill alio lee him to their (brrow, ard fiiall 
 wail, or take on heavily, bccaufe of him ; that is, becaufe 
 they mufb be judged by him. Lord! how will the fight of 
 a pierced Saviour then pierce their fouls with forrow, with 
 vexation of heart, and anguifli of fpirit ? To bchi>ld Chrift 
 with an eye of fenfe //;<■«, will be very grievous to them that 
 do not behold him with an eye of fauh now; fee him they 
 fhall, fee him they inuft ; hut alas, they had rather be co- 
 vered with mountains and hills falling upon them, than thus 
 behold him! Farther, How St. John doles this defcription 
 of Chrifr'sfecond coming, with a pathetic option on his own 
 and the church's behalf, in the laft words of the verfe — Even 
 fo, Jmen — intimating, tiiat the faints, or thurch of God, do 
 expecl and believe tliat affiiredly it will be fo, and do alfo 
 earneftly defire and pray that it may be fo. Learn hence, 
 That Chrift will undoubtedly come to put an end to the 
 fufferings of his afflidled church, and to punifli his and 
 their perfecutors ; with whofe coiwing the faints are well 
 pleafed, and do earneftly defire and long for it ; behold he 
 cometh — Evenfo, Amen. Come, Lord Jefus. 
 
 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the 
 ending, faith the Lord, which is, and which was, 
 and which is to come, the Almighty. 
 
 OhCerve, i. That what was applied to God the Father, 
 at the fourth verfe, namely, that he Wus, is, and is to cvie, 
 is here by Chrift applisd to himfelf at the eighth verfe. 
 Alpha is the firft, Omega the Lift letter nf the Gret k alpha- 
 bet, and as fuch they indole all the reft, Chrift calling him- 
 felf tlie firft caufe and the laft end (as nothing began before 
 him, fo nothing can outlaft him) he does hereby difcover 
 his divinity to us, that he is co-effential and cofubftantial 
 with the Father, the iame attributes being given to both ; 
 underftand we then that this text plaiiily fpeaks the Cicd- 
 head of Chrift, againft the Socinians. Chrift calling him- 
 felf //'c_^'y/ and the laj}, takes to himfelf abfolutc perfeftion 
 and power, fovcreignty and dignity, eternity and divinity ; 
 he is the firft, becaufe he was before all beginning, and be- 
 caule from hiin all things had their beginning ; he is alio 
 the lalt, becaufe he fiiall coniinue for ever ; w ithout end, 
 becaufe he is ilie end of all things, and becaui'e when we 
 have attained him, we are at the higheft and laftof ouratiain- 
 menis ; we reft, and have no more to feek when we have 
 found Chrift, for he brings us to the Father, in whom we 
 have eternal relt ihroi'gh himfelf, the Son ; and the laft title 
 Chrift aflumes to hiniielf, namely, the .■ihnighty, befpeaks 
 his divinity ; he is God Almighty, able to accomplilh all 
 liis promifes to iiis people, and to execute his thrc-atenings 
 on his cncHiies ; anU if tlic adverlaries of our Saviour's God- 
 head, 
 
Chap. i. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1105 
 
 head, in tf;e glafs of this tpxr, do not fee hh divinity, it is 
 not beiaufe xhty cannot, but ihey will not (ee. 
 
 9 I John, who alfo am yoiii brother, and compa- 
 nion m tribulation, and in thekingdom and p.iticncc 
 of Jelus Ciirill, was in tiie ifle that is called Patinos, 
 for the word of God, and for the tcflimony of Jefas 
 Chnll. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day ; 
 and he^rd behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, 
 1 1 Sayin.;, I am Alpha and Ome^a, the firfl and the 
 laft : And, what thou feefl, write m a book, and fend 
 ii unto the feven churches which arc in Aha ; unto 
 Ephefa-S and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and 
 unto Triyatira, and untoSardis, and unto Piiiladel- 
 phia, and unto Laodicea. 
 
 The pret'jc: b<-in}j,endcrLi in the foregoin!y\-erres, here be- 
 gins :he body or v.li.iiury part of tliic bo.>ic ; tlie firlt vifion 
 ii here before u, concerning the feven Ali^n churches, in 
 which vifion we have obfervahL-, 1. 1 he pcrfon that re- 
 ceived it, he isdefcribed by hit name John,V7*^"»; by his 
 fpTitu.il rebiion, / John your brother ; by histhen prefent 
 condiiion, your compar.ion in iribuJafion ; undergoing like 
 funTerings will) yon : your con)panion in the kinguom of 
 Chrijt, that is, in expecting of, .ind hoping for. the lame 
 kingdom of heaven and glory winch ye ex|)L(!t ; and 1 am 
 alfa yoiircoinpanion inparience, called the paiienceof Jelus 
 Chrilt, becaufe in his word he requires it, becaule by his 
 fpirit he produces ii, becaufe in his own example he gave 
 us a pattern >)f it ; and perhaps principally, becaufe of the 
 prefcBt ftjte of the kingdom of Cnrill in 1 his world calls for 
 it. 2. Tiie place where St. John received this vifion, in 
 the ifie of Paimos, not far from the AJian churches, into 
 which the einpt^ror Doroitian b.mifiied him. (Having, as 
 is fdid, caft him firll into a caldron of burning oil, out of 
 which he miracidouHy efcaped.j Ecclefiaftical n; (lory fays, 
 St. John was very near .<n hundred year» old, when he 
 was, by that bloody emperor, banilhed into Paimos, for 
 preaching the v.ord of God, and tor bearing teftimony to 
 this irutli, that Jefu> Chrilt \va> the Saviour of the world. 
 Lcariif That ilie greaieft honour w hch an spittle, an aged 
 apoltle, a belu ed ^polUe.can be admitted to the participa- 
 tion of, is to luffer banilhinent and death for bearinga taith- 
 fiil teltitnony to Jelus Chrdt. Ohftrve, 3. The time when 
 S. John had rhu glorious vifion of Ctirilt, communion 
 •with him, and comaiunicati.ins from him, it was i//io« //;e 
 L'>rd's diiy ; I was in thi fpirit, that i:>, in fpiritual medita- 
 tion, in a fpiritual eciiacy, in a tranl'portmgrapture by the 
 Spirit, under hi: more immediate ilUiinination and powerful 
 influences ; on the Lord's day, namely, the firlt day of the 
 week, focalled, becaufe Chrilt at his refurrcttion tookpof- 
 fellion of it for his own, and becaule the end of its inltitu- 
 tioi! was to commemorate Chrilt's rcfurrection, and becaule 
 applied to rpecial worthipand fervice, andasiuch religioully 
 obieived by the apultles, Act^ xx.. 7. and by the univerlal 
 church, everiince the apolVles days. In that St. John, in 
 a folitsrv ifland,kept thechrillian fabbath, "e learn, that 
 the religious oblervatioiis of the Lord's day, is a duiy in- 
 cumbent upon all peifonS; and in all places. Learn, 2. How 
 
 Chrift owned his own day, and cncoursgcd St. John in hi<; 
 religious and Itriftobfervation ofit, by iheinfluencesof his 
 holv Spirit upon him, and by communicating tx'raordinary 
 revehition- to him. Olferve, 4. The vifion and revelirion 
 iifelf, which began wiih his hearing a loud voice like a 
 trumpet; that is, the voice of Chrifl, full of maj -fty and 
 power, fpike unto h'lm, \'?\y\n^,IVhat thoufe.JI , that is, what 
 ttuni Ihalt fee and hear, write in a bwk, and fend it to the 
 feven churches. Here r.cte, i. That the book of the Re- 
 vel.tlion written by Chrilt's own direction, therefore war- 
 ranted to be of divine authority. 2. That what Chrift 
 comininded St John cjrefnlly to write, it becomes us 
 heedfniivtoread ; for though what St. John wrote and fent 
 concerned the feven Allan cliurches at thai time, andlnda 
 particular relppcT:to their prefentftate : Yet all fcripture is 
 wr.tten for our learning, and we are to beg fpii iiual wildoin 
 from God to make a right ufe and holy improvement of 
 what is written. 
 
 12 And I turned to fee the voice that fpake' with 
 me. And being turned, I faw feven golden candle- 
 fticks ; 13 And in the midaof the feven candlefticks, 
 one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment 
 down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a 
 golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white 
 like wool, as white as fnow : And his eyes xoere as 
 a flame of fire ; 15 And his feet like unto fine brafs, 
 as if they burned in a furnace ; And his voice as the 
 found of many waters. 1 6 And he had in his right 
 hand feven flars : And out of his mouth went a (harp 
 two-edged fword : And his countenance woi as the 
 iun fhineth in his ftrength. 
 
 As ifSt Johnhadfaid, " I turnedtofeethe perfon whofe 
 voice I heard fpeakingwith me, and I beheld feven golden 
 candieftick-, reprelenting thefeven Afian churches, and in 
 the midll of thole candlellicks I faw one in the Ihape of a 
 man, which reminded me of Chrift the Son of man, clothed 
 in garments much like unto Aaron's the high prieft. who 
 was an illuitrious type ofChriftour great and merciful high 
 prieft, who made an atonement for us on earth, and m;)keth 
 nosv mterceffionfor us in the higheftheaven<;." Notehere, 
 I. The comparifon made between the churches of Chrift 
 and the golden candlefticks ; they are called candlefticks in 
 regaid of the light which they hold forth ; the candieftick 
 does not give light ofitfelf, but holds it forth to others : It 
 is the church's duty to keep withinherfelf the nure word of 
 God, and to keep herfelf pure from being befmeared with 
 errors in dodrine, or vice in converfation. Churches, the 
 hoheft and pureft of churches, are rather candlefticks than 
 candles ; Chrift is the light, the word is the lamp, the church 
 but the inftrument to convey the light unto us. Again, 
 the churches are golden candlefticks: Gold is the moft pre- 
 cious of metals, the church is the moft excellent of all fo- 
 cieties ; for it beautifies all focieties whatfoever, ihaf are 
 members of the church of Chrift. 2. How Chrift was (eeii 
 by St. John walking in themidftof the golden candlefticks, 
 prelent m and with his churches ; that is. St. John had in 
 this viliona very lively reprefcntationbfChrift in his human 
 
 ^ nature ; 
 
iioS 
 
 REVELAT ION. 
 
 Chap. j. 
 
 nature ; not that St. John now faw Chrift in his man- 
 hood really, for that was then in heaven, but he had a 
 rt-fembiance of it in the villon. 3.! he defcription given 
 of Chrilt, as walking in the midfl ot' his gofpel-cliurch. He 
 is, (i.) defcribed by hisaitire, habited lilie Aaron the high 
 prieft, with a garment down to iiis feet, and girt witli a 
 golden girdle, lotign'fv, that as Aaron was of the Old, To 
 Chrill is the high pnelt of the New Tellament, prefeiuing 
 continually 10 his Father the memorials of his death, the 
 merits of hi> facrifite, and making interceflion with the 
 Fjtherfor our gracious acceptance with hiin. 2. He i? 
 next defcribed by the parts and members of the body : His 
 headend hair as 'Mhif. a.' fnov) and ■wo')l, fignify his eternity 
 and hispurity, that he isihe //wc/Vm/ o/i/jyx, even the Father 
 of eternity, and p' rfecftly innocent, pure, and holy : //// 
 eyes liki'flurningfire, dcnoiing his piercin^; knowledge ; that 
 as head of his church he efpies out all her ways, words, and 
 thoughts : His feet like burningbraft, and his voice like many 
 •waters ; which exprefTions reprelent the dread and terror 
 of Chrift towards the enemies of his church; and that ven- 
 geance he would execute upon his murderers, i 1 particular, 
 at the defirniftion of Jerufaleni, atid upon all the impenitent 
 rejedlersof his gol'pel-grace, at thegeneraljudgment : Then 
 will they underhand what they now will not believe, that 
 it is a fearful thing to fjll into the hands of the living God. 
 3. He is next defcribed by what he had in his right hand, 
 namely, /H'<'«/?rtr/, reprefentingthefeven angels, bifliopt, 
 and miniftersof the feven churches. Thefe arecalled//drj, 
 their office and duiy bemg to enlighten the church, both by 
 the light of life and do(rtri ne : and as liars are feated above, 
 fo Ihould their converfation be in heaven, and their affec- 
 tions not fet upcn the things below. Stars give direiflion, 
 light, and influence to others ; they were not made for 
 theml'elves. MmiftersmuU not chiefly feek theirown, but 
 othersgood. Stars are fvvift mi their motion, andtheirmo- 
 tion is conllantly in their own orb and fphere. Vain is the 
 pretence of care and concern for other churches, whild we 
 negled our own. Finally, minifters are ftars, as in refpedt 
 to their lituation, and in refpe(5t of their conilant and regular 
 motion ; fo in refptift of their continuance and duration. 
 Stars, are fixed in heaven, fo are miniflers in the church : 
 Chrift holds them in his hand, otherwii'e the world would 
 foon have theni under their feet. 4. He is defcribed by a 
 fharp two-edged fiuord coming out of his mouth, denoting 
 the piercingpower of the word of God toconquerfin, con- 
 vert (inners, and to condemn and flay the unconverted. 
 Laftly , it is added, 1 hat /;;'/ countenance was at the fun that 
 J};lneth in bis Jlrength ; that is, very glorious in it felf, and 
 very comforting and refrelhing to thofe that are his mem- 
 bers, his iincerediftiples and followers. This part of the 
 defcription of Chrift, fweetly follows the former : When 
 his feet were as burning brafs, to tread down and confume 
 his enemies; his countenance was as the fun, to cheer aud 
 cherifh, to comfort and refrt/h his friend,-. 
 
 17 And when I faw him, I fell at his feet as dead, 
 and he laid his right hand upon me, faying unto me, 
 Fcarnot; I am thefirfl and thelafl : 18 /(7»«he that 
 liveth,and was dead; and behold, lam alive for ever- 
 more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 
 
 Cbfervehtre, i. The effitcV which this gloriousreprefen- 
 tation of Chrift in this vifion hati upon St. John, he was 
 aftoniflied and amazed at it, and fell down at Chrift'sfeet 
 as one alinoft dead. Note from hence, That the holiell 
 m?n on earth is not able 10 beir the prcfence of Chriil here, 
 nor able to ftand before his gracious manifeftaiion of hini- 
 felf, whenheconjc; to reveal himfelf in mercy towards him. 
 See Hal), lit. 15. 16 Lord, how unablethen will -hewicked 
 be at the gruat day to ftai-.d before the manifeftaiion of thy 
 fury! if atthis vifionary reprffentationofChrift, "St lohrj 
 trembled, and fell at his feet as dfad, how unable will the 
 impenitent world be to look him in his face at the great 
 day, when he flull be revealed fro'ii heaven withhismighty 
 angel."!, rendering vengeance to them that know not God! 
 Obferve 2. The feafonable care of Chrift for St. John's re- 
 lief in this great exigency ; He laid his right hand up',n me 
 faying. Fear nol. Hereby Chrill difcovered bjth his rea- 
 dinefs tohelp, and his ability to help ; the right hand is the 
 fupporting hind, the ftrengthening hand ; Chrift did not 
 fendan angel to comfort St. John, but laid hi^uwn hand 
 upon him, to aflurehim both of f.ifety andfuccour. 3. As 
 what Chrift did, fo what he iikewile (aid, for St. John's 
 comfort and fuppc.-t under the burden of his fears ; Fear 
 not, fays Chrift, ior I tm the firj} and the laft ; that is, 1 am 
 an eternal being, withoutcither bcginningor end. Again, 
 1 am he that tiveih, and was dead. As if Chrift had faid, 
 " Fear not death or dying, for I have overcome death by 
 dying, conquered the king ofte.'-rnrs inhisown terri'.crirs; 
 but behold, I am now alive for cvervicre, for the benefit of 
 my church, and to protect and defend my faithful ftrvants." 
 Nay, farther, lofliewthat hi« life wasnot a barefubliftence, 
 but clothed with power, Chrift add.<;, i hiive i.ijo the keys of 
 hell and 'jf death; thatis, a foveieignpowtr over the w hole 
 invifible world, to let intoheavca, and lolock into hell, as 
 I pleafe.'' The keys are an emblem of authority and 
 power ; the fteward who has the keys of the houfe, com- 
 mands the houfe. There are four keys which Chrift keeps 
 in his own hands ; the key of the womb, the kev of the 
 clouds, the key i>f the earth, as of the granary of corn, and 
 the key of the grave. When Chrift lays here, I have the 
 keys of hell andof death, the meaningis, thathe has a love- 
 reign dominion over both worlds ; over this in which we 
 live, and over that mto which vvc die, whether the one or 
 the other part of it, heaven and hell both ; for the words 
 muft not be underltood with a debafing limitation, only 
 refpedling hell, as if Chrift had only the keys of the bot- 
 tomlefs pit : But the original v/ovdhiides figniiiet theinvili- 
 ble world, confifting of both heaven .nd hell; and he has a 
 power over both, and alfo ovei- death too, which is the 
 common palTage into both places. Learn, i. If Chrift has 
 the power of death, and keeps the hey of the grave in his 
 own hand, that mendo not ilie at random, by accident and 
 ch.nnce, but by determination and judgment : Chrift by an 
 authoritative aft turns the key, and gives man his exit out 
 of the world. 2. That Chrift, who has the key of death, 
 hasalfothckeyofAi/i/cj; thenpper and lo.ver/nii/c/, heaven 
 and hell ; and fiich as go euc of the world, go not out of 
 being, but go into one of thofe two ft.ites and places. 3. 
 How admirable, and yet how ami.ible, Chrift Ihould be in 
 all our eyes, who hath thefe keys in his own hand, wi:h 
 
 luch 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 fuch merciful intentions towards Us ; and how willingly 
 riiould we die, when the keys of death are in fo great, fo 
 kind an hand as his ! O how happy is it wlien this power 
 of our great Redeemer over death and the grave, and a 
 placid refigiiaiion to his pleafure, do concur and meet to- 
 gether, not from ftupidity, but trull in him that keeps the 
 keys ! Lord, when the key is turning, and thou art letting 
 in fouls into the invifiblt; world, let thy fervant depart in 
 peace, atid everbilingly iVe thy falvaiion. 
 
 19 Write the things which thou hafl feen, and the 
 things which arc, and the things which fhall be here- 
 after. 20 The m)nery of the feven ftars which thou 
 la weft in my right hand, and the feven golden can- 
 dleflicks. The feven ftars are the angels of the 
 feven churches : And the feven candlefticks which 
 thou faweftare the feves churches. 
 
 This chapter concludes with a folemn charge given by 
 our Saviour to St. John, to write and record the vifion of 
 the fe ven Ihis, and fevel^ golden candlefticks, which he had 
 new ly feen ; letting him into the myitery of both, by telling 
 hirn, that the fcVi-n fars are feven angels ■ that is, fignify 
 feven angels, and the feven candlefticks ^rs, that is, fignify 
 feven churches, and reprefent them. In like manner, when 
 Chrift fays in the facrament, This is my body ; the meaning 
 is, this bread fignifies and reprefents my body. Here mte, 
 That the bifliops and governors, the paftors and teachers 
 of the church, are called angels, becaufe they are fent by 
 God on his nieffage, becaule they had their commiflion 
 from him ; and to fignify that unfpotted purity which 
 fliouldbe found with them, both in life and doftrine ; and 
 they are reprefented hy Jtars, to denote their dignity and 
 duty, their ufefulnefs and beneticialnefs, the fwiftnefs and 
 conftancy of their motion, but efpecially in regard to their 
 nature. A ftar is of the fame nature with the heavens, 
 celeftial ; not earthly, not elementary ; minifters fhould be 
 heavenly, holy, blaraelels, inoffenfive ; they fliould teach by 
 tongue and hand, and inftrufted by lip and life. God grant, 
 that in our hearts we may experimentally find the works of 
 holinefs,and in ourli vesexprds the power of holinefs. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 UNTO the angel of the church of Ephefus, 
 write, Thefe things faith he that holdeth the 
 feven ftars in his right hand, who walketh in the 
 midft of the feven golden candlefticks ; 
 
 Note here, i. Thatthe church of Ephefus, with theother 
 fixchurchesof Afia, were, at the time of St. John's writing, 
 very flourifhing churches, favoured as much with the fpeciai 
 prefence and influence of Chrift, as ever any churches were. 
 2. That thefe churches are written to as a fort of types of 
 all the Gentile churches unto the end of the world, and 
 patterns alfo which the Gentile churches were to take warn- 
 ing by, Chrift hereby declaring what all other churches, of- 
 fendingand declining in the fame manner, might expeifV. 3. 
 That the firft church St, John is commanded to write unto| 
 « the church of Ephefus, and what is written is directed to 
 
 1107 
 
 the angel, the bidiop, the prefident, and chief minifter in 
 that church, to be communicated to all in the church both 
 minifters and jieople, as that which nearly concerned them 
 all. 4. That Chrift in the beginning of every cpiftle, dotli 
 notify hiinfelf by lome one or other of thofe charafters 
 whichhegavcofhimfelf in the former chajner : Thus here, 
 rhefe things faith he that holdeth the feven ftars in his ri^ht 
 hand. Mark, He holdeth the ftars in his hand, to (hew 'his 
 tendernefs; in his right hand, to fhew his power, fupport- 
 ing and direding, them for the good of his people. It is 
 added, Chrift walks in the midft of the feven golden candle, 
 ftickr. Which expreffion denote^ thrift's gracious prefence 
 with them, his ilrift obfervation of them, his tender care 
 over them, his protefting and defending of them, in doing 
 their duty to him, his encouraging or reproving, his reward- 
 ing or punifhing, as there fhould be caufe. Learn, i. That 
 the minifters of Chrift are ftars, ye: but ftars, they ftiine but 
 with a borrowed light, with a light derived from the fun ; 
 they fliine but for a time, the day halfens when thefe ftars 
 Hiall difappear for ever. 2. Thefe ftars are in the right 
 hand of Chrift, in his power, and at his difpofal ; he ap- 
 pomts them their orbs, where they Jhall fliine, and appoints 
 them alfo their time for /hining. 3. That the church is a 
 candleftick, a golden candleftick. 'Asa candleftick has no 
 more light than what is put into it, and muft be continually 
 mamtained by a new fupply of oil, fuch is the ftate of the 
 church; and as a candleftick is a moveable thing, remove 
 the candleftick, and the light is removed with it : fo w hen 
 God removes the light of the gofpel from a people, he un- 
 churches them. Farther, The church is called a golden 
 candleftick, becaufe as gold is the pureft of metals, and ex- 
 cels all other metals in precioufnels ; fo God experts his 
 church fhould differ as much from the world, as gold doth 
 from common clay, 4. That there is a fpeciai gracious 
 prefence of Chrift with his church in all her adminiftra- 
 tions: It denotes his prefence with them, and this prefence 
 of his is an holy prefence, and a joyous prefence. 
 
 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy 
 patience, and how thou canft not bear them which 
 are evil : And thou haft tried them which fay they 
 are Apoftles, and are not, and haft found them liars : 
 3 And haft born, and haft patience, and for my 
 name's fake haft laboured, and haft not fainted. 4 
 Neverthelefs I have fommhat againft thee, becaufe 
 thou haft left thy firft love. 
 
 Ohjerve here, i. A general declaration which ftands in 
 the front of the feveral epiftles, 1 know thy works, both thy 
 inward and outward works, to obferve and mark them to 
 puni/h or reward ihem, as the cafe requires. This proves 
 the divinity of Chrift, that he is truly and effentially God : 
 he knows the hearts of men, which none but a God can 
 know. 2. The commendation which is here given of this 
 church for her labour, in propagating the gofpel, for jier 
 patience in bearing .-fHiaion and perfecution for it, for the 
 ftnclncfsof her difcipline, that f],e did nor bear with, nor 
 tolerate and endure, fuch perfons as were eiihcr crronerns 
 in judgment, orfcandalous in praftice ; for her faithfulnd's 
 in trying the autliority of tkofe who pretended to an in!- 
 
 '' ^ mcdi.uc 
 
iio8 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. ii. 
 
 niedijfe call from God to be apofllcs, bur were found liars 
 anil t.ilfc pr(<phets ; I'uth ^^ert; ihufc ii.vo ftduciiiji hcreiics 
 Ebion and Cerinihus, and their followi :.s. Mark herf, 
 HowourLord JefuiChrill doth obfervc and approve, doth 
 commend and piail'e, whatever is good in hii church, and 
 whatever is comincnd>ible and praile-wor(hy in the iiitm- 
 bers of it ; yet at the fjme time, when he commends them 
 lor what is good, he reproves t hem for what is evil and .iiiuls; 
 3. The reprehenfion given, ivr/. 4. Nin'erihtlifi, 1 have 
 fomewbat a^ainji thte, &c. As il Chrift halt faid, "■ I ob- 
 ferve amongll you a great abatement of your former zeal 
 and fervour ; you have not that hearty love to nie, and to 
 one another, which you had at tirll, but verily you grow 
 cooler when you fhould grow l)etter." Learn hence, i. 
 That were there is truth u\ grace, there may yet be a l.id 
 ilecayand declining in grace. 2. That Chrilt takes notice 
 of, and is difpleaied with, fuch decays and declining in 
 grace, and feverely checksand reproves his people for thtni. 
 
 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art 
 fallen, and repent, and do the firll works : or elic I 
 will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy 
 candleftick out of his place, except thou repent. 
 
 We had Chrill's commendation and reprehenlion of the 
 church of Ephefus before, we have his admonition and ex- 
 hortation now. The words before us are partly monitory, 
 and partly minatory ; monitory in the former part of the 
 verfe, Rc-member from luhence thou art fallen, and rt pint. 
 N'jte here, That Chrifl did not furprifiiigly come upon this 
 church at unawares ; they svere admonilheil before chaf- 
 lifed, warned before laid wade; ChriUdoth premonifli be- 
 fore he punifhes. In the minatory p;irt we have a great 
 guilt and fm fuppofed, a great juilgnient for thit guilt de- 
 nounced, the unchurching of them that had commiiicd it, 
 and the meansprefcribedforthe averting of ihaijudgment ; 
 to wit, repentance. Learn \\ev\ce, \. T hat a people pro- 
 fefiing religion and godlinefs may fall. 2. That fallen pro- 
 ftflbrs ihould and ought to remember from whence tht-y 
 are falleti. 3. That fallen proftllors fliould be repenting 
 profeflors, and dotheir fiilt works. 4. That without re- 
 pentance and reformation, God will certainly remove a 
 people's candleftick, takeaway the gol'pel from them, as the 
 ievereft judgment which hecaninfli^ upon them ; Rdintm- 
 ber, repent, and ththy firj} works , elfelxuMlrcmovethycttn- 
 (tlejl'ic out r, ft! s place : that is, fuch a tempeft of perfecu- 
 tinn fiiall aril'e, as will fii;ike your tottirmg candlritick out 
 of its place. The univerfal cluirch only has a promiie of 
 liability; any particular church may be unchurched finally. 
 
 6 But this thou hall, that thou hatcfl the deeds of 
 the Nicolaitans, which I alio hacc. 
 
 As if Chrift hadfaid," Though thou art not what ihon 
 lliouldclt be, yet this thou halt ciiniiKcnd.ibls in ihcc, that 
 thou hateft the deeds of the Nicolaitans (who held coin< 
 nninity of wives, and eat things ollered to idol:) whiili 
 intpiire feet I allohatc for their IxintiousdotUine, and lewd 
 practices, which tend to the ruin and banc of human lo- 
 cieties," /Vv/? here, i. Thar it is not unlawful to call here- 
 tics by the name oftlieir leaders; the Nicol.iit.uis are here 
 
 fo called from one Nicolas, fuppofed to be the deacon 
 mentioned Acli vi. who having a beautiful wife, expofed 
 her as common, 'o avoid the imputation ot jealoufy. 2. 
 'J hat Chrilt hated all licentiu'js doctrines, and loolc prac- 
 tices, and fo fhould we. 
 
 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
 faith unto the churches j — 
 
 That i-, " Let all that hear orr^ad ihefe wwds unto 
 the churches, which the Holy Spirit has utiertd, confider 
 them, fe: their hearts to regaid them as matters of great 
 importance, and whichnearly concern them. Ohfervi, I'hac 
 tl)i> furni of fpeeth, He that hath an earfihcar, lit himkear, 
 Chrift often ulcd at the end of hi> parables, when he would 
 liir up the pti'ple to more than ordinary atteniion ; and he 
 ules it heif in this, and the next chapter, at ihe end of 
 every one of thefc ep ftles to the feveral churches. 
 
 — To him that overcometh will I give to cat of 
 the tree of life j which is in the midllof the paradifc 
 of God. 
 
 As if Chrift had faid, " Let all fuch as fall away from 
 their holy profeflion for fear of pei recuiiori. coiiGder vihac 
 theylofe, even eternal life, which I will only give to fuch 
 as perfevere ; for to him that overcometh trials and temp- 
 tations, will 1 give fliare of my Rierits, and thereby a tiile 
 to eternal happinefs, (ignifled by t lie treeof lil'einpn adile." 
 .Vo/t here, i. It is not faid, to him that ftrivetb or refill- 
 eth, will I give ihecrown of life, buttohiin thut overcom- 
 eth. Lay.y wiflies are fo f.Trfrcin laving men, that endea- 
 vours, yea, ftrivingagainft temptation, without conquerirg 
 and overcoming, will not favc. It i;. noi entough that we 
 relilt, but we muft conquer ; not fuflicient that we ftrive, 
 but «emuft overcome ; 2. From the promiie ihjt ChrHl 
 m;ikes oftternil life, I -Mill give, a' clear argnintnt for 
 Chrift's being God, efPentially God; how is it elfe that he 
 allliines to liimfelf a power of diipofing eternal life. 
 
 8 1 And unto the angel of the chtjrch in Smyrna, 
 write, Thefc tilings faith the firll and the lafl, which 
 was dead, and is alive ; g I know thy works, and tri- 
 btilation and poverty, (but thou art rich) audi hiour 
 tlic blafphemy of them which fay they are Jews and 
 are not, hxxi on the fyna-o^ue of Satan. 10 Fear 
 noneofthofe things which thou Ihalt fufFer. Behold, 
 the devil Iball call fome of you into prifon, that ya 
 may be tried; and ye (hall have tribulation ten days. 
 Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a 
 crowuoflife. 1 1. He that hath an ear, let him hear 
 what the Spirit (aith unto the churches ; He that 
 overcometh ihall not be hurt of the lecond death. 
 
 Here we have tiie fecond cpiftle whicli St. John wrote by 
 the coiiimaiid of t'lirili to ihe church of Smyrna, a i'aiiunij 
 city in oiieof the prowiiicci in Alia where Polycarp wa-s bi- 
 lliop, and fuffsied martyidqiii. I\'o>v, in this epillle we 
 have iliefeparticufiriobfervabl-", 1. 1 he ilefcription which 
 Chrift is plcafcd here togive of hiinfclf, namely, the firjl 
 end '.he lajl , luhich -utis dead and Is alive, and the luitable- 
 
 ncis 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1109 
 
 nefs of this defcriptinn, for the confolation of this church, 
 •which was now under great tribulation. It is as it Chrilt 
 had faid, " I am an eternal being, the firll caufe and laft 
 end ; I was tnyfclf put to death, but I am alive again ; 
 therefore fear neither fiifferings nor death, fori will allirt 
 and ftrengihen voir, and if you lofe your lives tor my fake, 
 I will raife your bcidies aj^ajn to everlafting lite." 2. 7"he 
 commendation given by Chrift of thi- church at Smyrna, 
 it is large and full; nay, Chrift blameth nothing in this 
 church ; flie kept her purity htt becaufe always in afflic- 
 tion : not but there were failings undoubtedly in this 
 church ; but almighty God mercifully overlooked theni. 
 As in the cafe of Job, no mention is made of his impati- 
 ence, though he fliewed much, but we are called upon him 
 to behold him as a pattern of patience. Next, The parti- 
 culars of this church's commendation. I knoiv, fays Chrill ; 
 that is, I approve, commend, and praife, thy Xforis, and ti?y 
 iriMatkn, -ind poverty ; that is, thy labour and fuftcrings, 
 and worldly poverty, which thy profeiHon of the gofpcl 
 hath brought upon thee : but th'-'Ugh thou art outwardly 
 poor, yet art thou inwardly rich, rich In grace, rich in faith 
 and patience, rich in meeknefs and humility, rich in cou- 
 rjoe and chriftian fortitude. And farther, I know alfo the 
 bLijph>-my of them that fay they are Jevjs, anii are )ict \ that 
 ii, I know the malicious reproachei and evil fpeeches of 
 your enemies; call upon y"i'. partly by native Jews, who 
 glory in circumcifion and the Ijw ; and partly by falfe chrif- 
 t!2ns, profefiing faith in Ciirift, but not daring to own him 
 for fear of perfecution. Thefe belong to Satan's fynagcgue, 
 not to Chriil's church. None are fo b.id as they who only 
 prcfels and (f-'em to be good. Farther, The encourage- 
 ment wliich Chrift gives this church to peifevere in the 
 fiith, though they fhonid luffcr much fliarper things than 
 evtr they yet fmfered ; fear none of the things you may be 
 caller! fJrih to fi:fier ; what though the devil by his inltru- 
 pv. IIS ■-••ids fome of you into prilon, and you fuller for a 
 iiioit time, be faithful to your profellion until the day of 
 yoVfr death, and I Ihall reward you with a crown of life. 
 Kite I. 'I'liat Saian by his iiillrument has been the caufe 
 of ail ihofc bitter and bloody perfecuticns which chriillanity 
 in all anes hath undergone. 2. That ihoi^gh Satan'-s. rna- 
 lice be infinite, yet his power is limited and bounded ; he 
 cannot do ail the inifchitf he would, and he fhall not do 
 all he can: Sjtan flfall caff you int« prilbn, but not into 
 hell : and not all of yon into prifm neither, but fome only. 
 ' -^. How iTiertifuliy almighty God ovtr-roks the devil's 
 iage and malice, miking it fubf-'tuent to his own s:lory, 
 and his church's good, cau'.lng that which Satan intended 
 for deftruftion, to ftrve only for proba;ion and trial. 1 he 
 devil's delign by all ihofe floods of wrath, which he pours 
 out againft the church, is, that fae may be dellroyed : but 
 God's intent is only that flie may be tried ; even as the 
 wife refiner, m hen he cafls h'fs geld into the furnace, de- 
 ii<;ns the purifying of the metal, and only the ccnfHining 
 ofthedrolV. 4. That the fiflcrings of good men tor the: 
 caufo of chriflianity, though they may be lliarp, yet fhall 
 fhev be but th.^rt; I'e J.heil huve triiulation ten days ; that 
 i$, for a fhort fp;.ce of lime. 5. That a perfeveting f.iitli- 
 ftilnefs in the fervice ol Chtift in this life, is indifpenfably 
 iiecefTary to our obtainirg tb^ crown of life and itiimor- 
 
 talitv in the world to come ; laftly, The conclufion of this 
 epillle to the church of Smyrna ; this is partly hortatory ; 
 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear uihiil ihe Spirit faith 
 unto the churches. The warnings of the Holy Spirit to the 
 churches arc recorded as of great concernment for all to 
 mind .-and partly prnnVxilhry, He that overcomelh ; that is, 
 conquercth the love of ihit world, and the love ot life, whtii 
 God calls him forth to fiiffer, \\z Jhall mt be hurt of the Jecotul 
 death; that is, he fhall tfcape eternal mifery, that living 
 death, and that dying life, which will be the allured lot and 
 portion of the wicked and ungodly world. 
 
 1 2 T And to the ansiel of the church in Perc;amos, 
 write, Thele things faith he, which hath the fharp 
 I word with two edges ; 13 I know thy works, and 
 where thou dwelleft, even where Satan's feat is : and 
 thouholdeil fafl my name, and haft not denied my 
 faith, even in thofe days wherein Antipas zuas my 
 faithful martyr, 'svho was flain among you, where 
 Satan dwelleth. 14 But 1 have a few things againft 
 thee, becaufe thou haft there them that hold the doc- 
 trine ofBalaam, who taught Balac to caft a ftumbling- 
 block before the children of Ifrael, to eat things fa- 
 cnficed unto idols, and to commit fornicition. 15 
 So haft thou alfo them that hold the doflrine of the 
 Nicoliatans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, orelfe 
 I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight againft 
 them with the fword of my youth. 17 He that hath 
 an ear let htm hear what the Spirit faith unto the 
 churches : To him that overcometh will I give to 
 eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white 
 ftone, and in the ftone a nctv name written, which 
 no man knoweth faving he that receivetli it. 
 
 In thtfe \erfes is contained the third epifile, which Sf. 
 John by dirc£tion had wrote and fent to the church at Pcr- 
 pamns, in which (as in the former) we have, i. A dcfcrip- 
 tion of Chrill, as having a lliarp two-edged fivord in his 
 mouth, denoting the word of Gtxl, and that piercing power 
 which accompanies it to conquer the lulls and corruptions 
 of men. As alfo, 2. A commeidatiun of what was gocd 
 and excellitig in that church, / knew thy ucrhs ; that is, 
 with a kno'A'ledge of intelligence and obfervation, as alfo 
 with a knowledge ct approbation ^nd acceptaiion. I know 
 thee to be good in b.-.d places, and in the woril of time;-, 
 though thou dwelleft inhere Satan's feat is,; that !.<;, where 
 Satan bears fway by idolatry and petfecutlcn, yet doll tl.tii 
 hoUifafi my name ; that is, the dotlrine of thcgcfpsl preached 
 in my name, and by which I am ntade known to the world 
 as a man is by his name ; u>td haft mt denied my faith, btit 
 openly profeifed it in a time of pcrfcciition, even then when 
 blood and ilaughter attended the profcflors and profeliion 
 of it, namely, when Antipas v/as llain ('wl;o probably was 
 a bifhop, - or fome minifler in Pcrgaraos of extiacrdi.''ary 
 piety ; for upon fiich the ftorm cf perfecitilcn generally 
 falls) who died a faithful wilnefs to thetruili of my gof- 
 pel ;■ even then and there, I fay, hadft thou the cciireg'e to 
 profefs my name, and be.T witneCs to the txiiih. Mark 
 
 here. 
 
1110 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. 1 1. 
 
 here, What an h«iiourah1e mention Chrift makes of the 
 fervices and fulFcrings of his proplc ; nothing we either do 
 or fufFcr for Chrifi, but it is recorded, and lliali be remem- 
 bered to our commendation and honour in this life, and to 
 our confoLition and happinefs in the next. Yet note far- 
 ther, The holy impartiality of our bleffed Lord ; at the 
 fame time, when he commends this church for what was 
 commendable and praife worthy, he reproves her for what 
 was faulty and bl.mie-worthy ; verfe 14. Cut I have a 
 fe-jj things tigainj} th.-e, becaufe th'ju haji them that hold the 
 diflr'ine of Balaam, and the Nicolaitans ; that ii, the doc- 
 trine of the impure Gnoftics, who teach men no'v to eat 
 things ofFered to idols, and to commit fornication, even as 
 Balaam of old direfted Balac to infnare the Ifraelites, by 
 committing fornication with the Moabitilh women, and to 
 eat of what they facrificed unto idols then. Here ohjhzie. 
 That it was not the being of thofe heretics and heretics 
 among them, that Chrift blames them for, but the tolera- 
 ting of thefe in their communion, who made light both of 
 adultery and idolatry. They ought to have executed church- 
 tlifcipline ujjon them, and denounced the clinrch cenliires 
 againft them, as had been done by the church of Ephefus 
 before them, that Chrift might have faid of theia as he did 
 of thofe, ver. 6. Thoa hatef} the deeds of the Nicolaitans, 
 ivhich I alfo hate. Ohferve nest, The counfel which Chrift 
 gives this church. Repent ; that is, be humbled for this thy 
 connivance at, and tolerating of this wicked fed, and damn- 
 able docflrine, and amend, or verily I will come quickly 
 upon thee, and them, in a way of judgment, and fight agairjl 
 them with a two-edged fword ; that is, with my holy word 
 convince, wound, and condemn them, &c. The want of 
 zeal and feverity againft fin, and incorrigible fmners, is very 
 difpleafing to Chrift, and provokes him to anger greatly. 
 Objferie, \Ai\y , The condufion and clofc of this epiftolary 
 letter, which is partly exfiortatory, He that hath ears let him 
 hear, and with his mind ponder and confider what theSpi. 
 rit faith, by way of counfel and caution, unto the churches ; 
 and partly confolatory. To him that overcometh will I give, 
 &c. Mark, He doth not fay, to everyone that fighteth ; no, 
 nor to every one that conquereth in one, two, or more par- 
 ticular arts of refiftance ; but to him that perfeveringly 
 conquer., and finally overcomes both tempter and tempta- 
 tions, both perfecutors and perfecutions; both falfe teach- 
 ers and falfe doiflriiies ; to them will I give the. hidden manna, 
 laid up, not in the earthly tabernacle, but in the heavenly 
 lancftuary : by which underftnnd Chrift hiinfclf, and the joys 
 nnd confolations of the holy Spirit, whitiiare hidden from 
 the world, and the peculiar portionof fuch asfiiiccrely be- 
 lieve in him, and cheerfully I'utferfor him. It is added, / 
 wilt give him a white f/cne, and in the fi one a new name ; 
 that is, abfolution andpardcn of fin, together with thepri- 
 vilege of adoption ; it being a coftom anciently to give a 
 white ftone in tcken of abfolution, and a black ftone as a 
 llgn of condemnation, on which ftones were written the 
 names of the innocent and guilty ; accordingly this new 
 nameligwifies God's patdoned and adopted ones ; the fwcet- 
 iiefs anci to'iifort of which privilege no miin knows, but he 
 that is ponTeircd of it ; the h.ippinefs of (lod's fons both 
 here and hereafter cannot be exprefled : only they that are 
 fo, knov/ what it is to bcfo; and whereas Chrift fays^ Iwill 
 
 give {.he hidden mantia, I will give {.he white ftone, and 
 the new name, to them that overcome, furely it afFonls a 
 good argnn)eiit to evince and prove his divinity : who but 
 a God can pardon fin, and fanctify and fave linners ? 
 
 181 And unto the angel of tlie church in Thyatira, 
 write, Thele tilings faith the Son of God, who hath 
 his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet arf like 
 fine brafs ; 19 I know thy works and cliarity, and 
 fervice, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works : 
 and the Xdi^tobe more than the fird. 20 Notwith- 
 flandinglhaveafe\Tthingsagainft thee, becaufe thou 
 fuffcreft that woman Jezebel, which calieth herfelf a 
 prophetefs, to teach and to fcducc my fervants to 
 commit fornication, and to eat things facrificed unto 
 idols. 21. And I gave her fpace to repent of her 
 fornication ; and fhe repented not. 2 2 Behold, I will 
 call her into abed, and them that commit adultery 
 with her intogreat tribulation, except they repent of 
 their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with 
 death : and all the churches fhall know that I am 
 he which fcaicheth the reins and hearts : and I will 
 give unto every one of you according to vour works. 
 
 The next epiftleisdirefted by Chrift, and written by St. 
 John, to the church at Thyatira ; in which epiftle ohferve, 
 I . The name given to Chrift ; he is ftyled the Son of God ; 
 that is, by eternal generation, being the only begotten of 
 the Father, as well as begotten of the Father only ; and 
 partaker of the Father's eflence, as well as of his likenefs ; 
 he is here called the Son of God, as being a diftinct perfon 
 from the Father ; yet ishetheyfr/? and the /ay/, which de- 
 notes his eternity ; and v,ho is, and who v^tis, and is to 
 come, the Almighty, which are eflential attributes of the 
 Godhead, 2. The defcription here given of Chrift, his eyes 
 like ftamiifg fire , and his feet like burning brafs ; denoting 
 thereby his piercing and difccrning (Ight to fee andt>bferve 
 his enemies, his fiery indignation, and fierce wrath, ready 
 to take hold of them, and his irrefiftable power and (Irength 
 to vanquifh and tread them under his feet. 3. The great 
 and fpecial commendation which Chriftgivestothis churcrli; 
 greatly Die is commended for her charity to chriftians in 
 difh'efs ; for her fervice in miniftering to them, and in com- 
 forting of them ; for her faith and conftant adherence to 
 the profeflion of chriftianity, and for her patience under 
 perfecutions for the gofpel fake ; but her fpecial and pecu- 
 liar commendation was this, that her lafl works were more 
 than her fir fl ; that is, her laft works were better, did ex- 
 ceed and excel thefirft : Ephefus wasbeft at firft, and worit 
 at laft ; but Thyatira's laft works were beff. It is a bk-flVd 
 thing when chriftians grow in goodnels, increafe in faith, 
 and holinefi, when their laft days are the beft days, their 
 laft works, and their laft fruit, their beft, their fairs ft fruit. 
 4. The reprehenfion follows the covninendaiion ; as good 
 as Thyatira was, (he needed to be better. She v/as reniifs 
 and negligent in her duty of reproving, cenluijng, excom- 
 municating vile iVdiicers, the Gnoftics and Nicolaitans, the 
 difciples of Simon Magus, and his lewd Helena, as fomc 
 
 think, 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1111 
 
 think, compared to Jerebel, becaufe (he enticed Ahab to 
 ■worlhip Baal, as this woman (whofoever Ihe was) calling 
 herfelf a prophetefs. ind rtaclling the lawfulnefs of forni- 
 cation, and eating things otfi. red to idols. Some o/>/hve, 
 That there was Icarce anyhercfy broached, but ic had foine 
 woman or other for the propagator jnd promoter ot it, 
 who took upon ihetn the name of propheieTes. Simon 
 Migu; had his Heltna ; Montanus had hi.. Prifcilla and 
 Maximilla ; Carpocrates his Marcellina. Concerning this 
 perl'on it is affirmed, that God gave hit /pace to repmt, hut 
 Jhe repented n»t. Learn thence, That great is the fin, folly, 
 and danger, of deferring and putting off the duty of repen- 
 tance, when God gives us ti;ne and fp.ice futficient to per- 
 form it. I. Great is the (in, becaute it is a mocking of 
 God's patience, and undervaluing of his fervice, a con- 
 tetnpt of his authority, a prefuming on his goodnels, a 
 defiince of his difpleafure. 2. Great is the folly, as well as 
 the fin of it, becaufe we put it off to the moft improper and 
 unfitting feafon, and becaufe we hereby make the work 
 more hard and difficult, in what feafon foever we fet about 
 it ; and the longer we delay our repentance, the more 
 work (hall we make for repentance. 3. As great is the 
 danger, as either the (in or folly, becaufe it puts a perfon 
 upon a mighty hazard, he runs a delperate venture, not 
 knowiiifr whether he fliall live an hour longer ; and becaufe 
 we forfeit by our delays that fpe;ial grace, without the 
 afliftance whereof we can never repent. Ohferve 5. How 
 feverciy God threatens Jezebel here, and in her all tinners, 
 to whom lie gives fpace for repentance, but it is not im- 
 proved for that end ; I will cait her intoa bed of tribulation 
 and torment, inftead of her bed of lult and uncleannefs, 
 iinlefs liie repent. Behold here how great and immearura- 
 ble the patience of God is towards the greateil, the vileft, 
 and the worft of finners ; they have fpsce for repentance, 
 they have invitaticns torepent, they have judgments threa- 
 tened to prevent their final impenitence : Cut if they prove 
 incorrigible and unreclaimable, nothing is to be expected 
 but approaching ruin ; / vnll kill Inr children -with death j 
 that is, fuch as are feduced by her fhall fuiTer with her, tf 
 judgments threarcFied be not by repentance prevented. 
 Laftly, The end and delign of Chrifl in bringing upon vile 
 (iniiers thcle exemplary puiiifiiinents, namely, to declare 
 his ommfciency, powtr, and juRice. /tilths churches JhaH 
 know that I am he that fearcheth the reins and hearts ; that 
 is, all the churches in and about Thyatira, fays Chrifl', 
 ftiall know, that I not only obferve outward acts, but take 
 notice of the fecretcounfels, motions, and defitrnsof men's 
 heart', and will judge every man according to his works : 
 A full and clear textto prove tbedivinity of Chriit ; he that 
 fearcheth mens hearts, and renders to all men according to 
 their works, is God ; but Chriit doth both, and therefore 
 is elTentially and truly God. 
 
 24 But unto you I lay, and unto the reft in Thy- 
 atira, as many as have not this dodlrine, and which 
 have not known the depths of Satan, as they fpeak ; 
 I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that 
 which ye have already, hold fail till I come. 26 And 
 he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the 
 end, to him will I give power over the nations : 27 
 
 (And he fliall rule them with a rod of iron : as the 
 vefTels of a potter fhall they be broken to Ihivers:) 
 even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will "ive 
 him the morning-ftar. 29 He that hath an ear, let 
 him hear what the Spirit faith unto the churches. 
 
 Here Chrid returns in his council and charge given to 
 the churchat Thyatira ; unto y.ulfay ; that is, to you the 
 angel, the governors and paitors, and to all the members 
 of the chuich '; 1 (ay unto you all, v\ho have not owned 
 nor eniertai in d the fe doctrines of the Gnoltics, who proudly 
 call their filthy opinionsprofound niylteries, and depthsof 
 knowledge, though they are indeed the depths of Satan, 
 his policies and devices ; as if Chritt had faid, " Thefe 
 vile feducerscall their opinions depths, andfo they are, but 
 depthsof Satan ; that is, fuch depths as Satan has brought 
 out of hell J they are the whifperings and hilfings of the 
 old ferpent, not the infpirations of the holy God; to you, 
 I ("ay, that I will not impofe or put upon you any new doc- 
 trine, but charge you to hold fait the old, that apoftolic 
 doctrine which you have received ; ptrfevere therein till I 
 come to relieve you, and to releafe you from your perfeca- 
 tions, which will foon be at an end." Obferve farther. 
 How our S.Tviour concludes this epiitle to the chunh of 
 Thyatira, as he did the former, with a confolatory proraife 
 to fuch as overcome temptations, periecutions, all, and all 
 manner of oppofition in their chriltian converfation and 
 faithfully perleverein well-doing to the end ; to him, fays- 
 Chrift, ■Mill / give power over the nations ; that is, power 
 with nie, and in fubordination to me, to judge the world, 
 wicked angels, and wicked men, at the great day ; theti 
 (ha)l yourule them with a rod 'firon, and dap them tojhi- 
 vers like a potter's veffel. As if Chrift had faid, " I have 
 received power, as Mediator, from my Father, effedtuallv 
 to lubdue and conquer all mine and your enemies and 
 1 will make you partakers of ic in fome meafure, you (hall, 
 exercife an irrefiitible power over them, by confenting to, 
 by approving and applauding of, that rrghteous judgment, 
 which I (hall denounce again(t them, and execute and in- 
 flict upon them. Learn, That believers (hall fit as a^^tSors 
 with Chriit in judgment, and approve the equity of his 
 proceedings, againlt the finally impenitent then, though, 
 never fo near and dear unto them now. Laftly, The full 
 and final reward which Chrift promifes to him that finally 
 perlevereth and manfully overcometh, I %vill give lim the 
 morning /far ; that is, myfelf and Spirit to comfort him, 
 and the light of glory to (liine upon him to all eternity. 
 Note, Chriit is called a Star, becaufe heenlightens all with 
 the light of natur.il knowledge, and his church with divine 
 illumination; and the Morning-jftar, peradventurc with 
 relptct to his incarnation, becaufe as that riles not at the 
 beginning of the night, or at the middle of it, but towards 
 moiiiing ; fo Chriit came not in the beginning or middle 
 of the dark time under the law, but in the lalt age of the 
 world, in which he has (liined forth to the joy and comfort 
 of ail nations. 
 
 CHAP. HI. 
 
 ND unto the angel of the church in Sardis, write, 
 Thefe things faith he that hath the feven Ipirits 
 
 of 
 
 A 
 
111"2 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. in. 
 
 of God, and the fevcn (lars ; I know thy works, that 
 thou haR a name that thou hvefl, and art dead. 2 Be 
 watchful, and ftren^thcn the things which remain 
 that are ready to die : fori have not found thy works 
 pcrfc6l before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou 
 haft received and lieard. and liold fall, and repent. If 
 therefore thou fhalt not watch, I will come on thee 
 as a thief, and thou ftialt not know what hour I will 
 come upon thee. 
 
 This chiipter bpj»ms with tlie fifth epiftlc, wliiih CIii ill 
 v/rKte Jiulclired il i" the cluirch i>f S-Jtiii^. In whicli oh- 
 Jrtvr I. The glorious dt'lcription piven of our L»rd Jclus 
 Chr-ll. paimly, that he has th- Jh'fn fpirits ofGodoU'llhe 
 fcven Jtiirs ; ihat is, .iccordinf; to lome, he hath the holy 
 Spirit of God proceeding from him as from the Faiiier ; 
 and becaufebe had power to fend ilie Holy Ghoft, togc- 
 ther with the Father, he is therefore faidto have the iVien 
 fpirits of God ; i'o liie Holy Ghoft is called, becaufe of the 
 perfection and variety of his gifts and graces, influences and 
 operations. Othi-rs by the feven fpirits undeiftand treated 
 angels; and the feven fpirit'i being joined withleven liars, 
 intimate according to thele, that Ciirift is the Lord ol an- 
 gel and mmifters, he upholds his mimllers, and ha> ati- 
 gel-. alwnys at han«l to tieiend his members. 1 1 his 
 church's partial rpmionot herfelf ; in her own and others 
 efteein, (lie wa' alive ; thou haft a repute for an excellent 
 church, thy profelfion caufc- many to tiiink and Ipeak well 
 of thee. 3 Chrift's impartial judgment concerning her, 
 as one that knew her better than either others did, or lier- 
 felf couUI know her ; thou fayefl thou art thus and thus, 
 alive and lively, but alas ! thou art no better than dead, 
 thou artdeador dying, thyfell.and others are deceived con- 
 cerniiio thee. Learn hence, i. 1 hat it is poiiible for a 
 ptofelling people to be alive in their own ;mdoIhe^^ellccm, 
 and yet to be dead or dying in God'saccount ; at liielame 
 time that they make a Iplendid and glorious proteflion ot 
 religion, they may be under the reign and power of hypo- 
 crify. 2. That no religious pretences, no fair Ihews, can 
 pollibly hide a perfeu'sor a people's hypocrify trom Gud's 
 eye ; thou f.HVclhhat thou art thus, but 1 know ihce better 
 than others tjo, or thou emit know thyfelf; thou halt a 
 imme 10 live, but thou art dead. Ohferve, 4. 1 he coun- 
 I'cl given by Chcift :o this 1 mguid and languilhing chunh. 
 I. To be vtatchful ; to ll).ike off her dro^< finels and for- 
 - jnality ; no retoriiiation can be expefttd, if due coiilidera- 
 tion, watchtulnel'^, and care, be not exerciled. 2. lo 
 ftrf ngthcn the thing- tb.it are ready to die . that is, blow up 
 evtry fpji k nf gr.ice wh:ch lodges under the alius of mutli 
 coriupiri.n, and keep it from going quite out. Spirituals 
 are to bt fuctoiiied and llrengthened, if once they grow 
 languilhing and dying, lelt they grow quite dead. 3. 
 To remember wh.it they had received and heard from 
 Chrift's apollle- and iiiinifters, to hold J\.jt the truihs 
 received, and to repmt of what is evil, and to retorm 
 what has been done a'nifs ; intiiiiating, that it is the du;y 
 ofchi'lliaiu to remember thole 11 uihs w hith they ha\e 
 heard and received ; and alio to hold fafl what they ha\-e 
 lieard .ind received ; and that rene.»e<l reptutance is the 
 duty of chrillians as well .is initial rcpcmaucc. (i'ftrve 5. 
 
 The complain«'*^hich Chrifl brings in againfl the church 
 of Sardis, / hai'f not j'.und ihy works perf.£} bef'tre God : 
 Not full, fays the original : that is, not filled up with that 
 finceriiy and 7.cal whicli C'od reqiires : A man maybe 
 full of good works, and yet hi', wo'-k;. not be lull ; a man 
 may be full of prayer, pray Hiuth, prav oiien, and yet his 
 prayer no: full, but vain snd » inp'y ; linccrt y i> the ful- 
 nels or filling up ot .til dutifs ; it is not coiriiwn Iradty, 
 but the w.ini of liiiceritv and foundners, zeal, and leriouf- 
 nels, which Chriil complains of. 6. The danger ihreairiied 
 10 feturity ami fiothfulnef'i ; JJ thou fiatt roJ lauh^ / xuHl 
 come upon thdf ai a thief; that is, ■' 1 will fuipriie thee 
 with my jtidgiiients in tiie jHidft of thy lecurity, ;is a thief 
 dues pcrlons when they are alhep, .•mil Icjib espc^f him ;" 
 the expreliioii plamlv iniiuMtes, both the fudilcnnel'i of the 
 judgment, and the leveniy of the judgment threatened. 
 
 4 Thou haft a few names even in Sardis which 
 have not defiled their garments ; and they fliall walk 
 witti me in white : ior tney are wortliy. 
 
 Note here. That though the greater p irt in Sardis were 
 dead or dying, that is, declining and decawng, yet there 
 v.'ere foinc that lupr theit innocency, and preferred thein- 
 felves from error and fal'.'e worlliip from erroneous prin- 
 ciplc^ and debauched practices. Farther, "^ hat thele lew 
 which keep themfeKes pure above the rcfl, are not con»- 
 manded to feperate from the reft. Doctrines crying up pu- 
 rity to the prejudice of unity, rejedf; for the gofptl c.ill- for 
 uniiy as well as for purity. The reward promifed to luch 
 abkeeptheinlelvesin Sardis p.ure both from error and vice ; 
 they Jhall-Mulk with Cbrxfi in -.vhitf^, Ike perfons of dignity 
 and honour, like kings and coiiquerors, who of ohi wore 
 white garments ; they fliall have the reward of their inno- 
 cency and uprightnefs, for they are worthy of it, according 
 to the law of grace, which promifeth it to them ; they 
 have walked worihily, with a worthmefs of meeknel's nut 
 with a worthinefs of merit ; they are therefore meet re- 
 ceivers, though not meritorious purchafers of this reward. 
 
 5 He that ovcrcometh, the fame fhall be clothed 
 in white raiment ; and I will not blot out his name 
 out of the book of life, but I will confefs his name 
 before my Father, and before his angels. 
 
 Ohferve, Chrift doth not fay, he that couflicleth, but he 
 that vanquifhcth ; not he that conquerethoiice ort*icc. in 
 the fpiritual combat, butheihat overcomes at I-tt the 
 temptations and perfecuiions from without, the lulls and 
 corruptions from within, he fnall be cl'.thed with rvhite ' at- 
 men! ; that is, with robes of glory, ss the reward of his in- 
 nocency and virtue, and as a mark of dignity and honour ; 
 and farther, I will mt hht his ti'jme out rf ;he lnjok 0/ life ; 
 that i-, they fliall be enrolled in it, and certainly laved, and 
 I will prcfeni them ti< my Father, yea, 1 will publickly own 
 them, and confefs them before God, angi', and men. 
 Lord ! wh.1t an honour is this, to kno^v thy people b/ 
 name, and to call thcin by name before thy throne, and 
 there publickly to acknowledge llietu, and prtalaim the good 
 done by them ! Oh let it be our care to get firtt the white 
 garment of grace on earth, and then wc Ihall uot uiifs of 
 the white robes of glory in heaven, 
 
 6 He 
 
Chap. ii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1113 
 
 6 He that hath an ear, let him he#what the Spi- 
 rit faith unto the churches. 
 
 Thefe words are the fameexhortatoryconclufions which 
 we find added by Chrirt to all the foregoing epillles ; and 
 plainly (ignify thus much, that all perl'ois fliouid look upon 
 tiicnifelves as coiicsnied in thefe feveralmeflaires which the 
 Spirit of Chr ft fends unio the churches ; hence it is fo oft 
 repe.itfd bvith in the former ch.ipter andlnthis chapter, be- 
 caufe it ibof fucliuniverfal ufe, and fo nearly concerns U; ull. 
 
 7 ^ And to the angel of the church in Philadel- 
 phia, write, Thefe things faith he that is holy : he that 
 is true ; he thathuh thekey of David; he thatopen- 
 eth, and noinanlhuttcth : and (hutteth, andnoinan 
 openeth : 8 I know thy works : behold, I have let be- 
 fore the an open door, and no man can fhut it : for 
 thou haft a little ftrength, and haft kept my word, 
 and haft not denied my name, g Behold, I will make 
 them of the fynagogue of Sitan, which fay they are 
 Jews, and arc not, but do lie; behold, I will make 
 them to come and worftiip before thy feet, and to 
 know that I have loved thee. 
 
 Here we have the fixth epiflle endited by Chrift, written 
 and lent by St. John to the church of Philadelphia, which 
 name figni'fies hrotherly hve, and we may reafonably fup- 
 pofe that grace of love, unity, and concord, was eminently 
 found with and amongit the members of this church, and 
 had a mighty influence upon them in the praftice of uni- 
 verfal godlinefs, in as much as we find not this church 
 blamed by Chrill for any thing ; not that fhe was wholly 
 faultlefs, and altogether unblameable, but being free from 
 thole grofs mifcarriages which were in other chnltians, and 
 abounding with love to Chrift, and one towards another, 
 Chrift gracioufly paffes by and overlooks her failings and 
 infirmities, and only proclaims her virtues and good works. 
 Sincerity and love, though they do not blind Chrift's eye, 
 that he cannot fee fin in his people, yet it caufes him to 
 look upon their failings with a pitiful and companionate 
 eye. This Philadelphia is faid to be a mean city, not far 
 from Sardis, yet here Chriil had a very eminent church, 
 not faolted for any thing ; it is not the grandeur, but 
 gracioufnefs of a people, tit it renders a place renowned : In 
 this epilUe to the Philadelphians, we have thefe particulars 
 obfervable. i. A lofty del'cription of Chrift, by whofe au- 
 thority ic was written, He is holy am/true, holy in himfelf 
 eflentially, holy with refpcft to usconiinunicatively, the au- 
 thor, approver, and difpenferof all holinefs ; andirue, that 
 is, a lover and approver of truth. This title affures the 
 church of the truth of all his prediftions, promifes, and 
 threateniiigs ; thefe two titles //o/y and true, are generally 
 afcribed to God in the OldTeftament ; thefe, Chrift in the 
 New l>ftamentofcen attributes to himfelf, which he had 
 never done, had he not been truly .-ind re.nlly God. 'I he 
 other part of the defcription of Chrift follows, that hath the 
 k:y of David ; that is, of the church, of which David wds 
 a type ; by //j- /;.-j' power is denoted ; Chriif, as Mediator, 
 has an abfolute power over the church, being Lord and 
 
 head of it, and lias committed a minifterial power of the 
 kiys to the governors and paftors of it, and having this 
 key of the church in his own band, by virtue of it he opens 
 and nune can Jhut ; and fljutteth, and tior.e can open ; thatis, 
 he can open, when he will, the door of fuccefs to his faith- 
 ful minifters, by opening the hearts of his people through 
 the power of converting grace, and no man can fliut thac 
 door which Chrift will thus open ; and again, when he 
 (huts the finally impenitent out of the church and out of 
 heaven, no m.in can open and bring them in againft his ' 
 will. 2. The fpecial favour which Chrift indulged to this 
 church, namely, the favour of fuccefs in her gofpel-admi- 
 nKtraiions : Behold, I havcfet btfore thee an open door. Un- 
 der the metaphor of an open do'ir, the fuccefs and progrefs 
 of the gofpel, in the preaching and difpenfation of it, is 
 fiiadowed forth ; it is a fpecial favour from God when he 
 opens a door of advantage to us to do good, theleaft good, 
 either by convincing or converting finners, or by edifying, 
 ftrengthening, and comforting faints, and when God is 
 pleafed to open fuch door, none fliall (hut if. Ohferve, 3. 
 The commendation given by Chrilf, of this church, thou 
 hafl a little Jlrength ; a little fpiritual and inward ftrength, 
 and but few external and outward helps and advantages, 
 yet haj} thou kept my word, my doctrine of faith, and my 
 precepts for holy walking, thefe haft thou kept pure, and ♦ 
 haf} not denied my name, but adhered conftantly to thepro- 
 feflion of me and my gofpel, notwithftanding all the temp- 
 tati(jns thou haft met with, by fulFerings and reproaches. 
 Note here, How Chrift took notice of that little meafureof 
 ftrength which this church had, and accepted it ; weak 
 grace, iffmcere, (hall always find acceptance with Chrift ; 
 thou haft a little ftrength, and haft kept my word. Ohferve, 
 4. The gracious promife made by Chrift unto his church, 
 that her enemies (hould fuWmit themfelves unto her, and 
 worfliip before her feet ; hehold, fays Chrift, / luill make 
 themof the fynagogue of Satan, which falfely call themfelves 
 Jews ; I will make them, namely, by the power of my 
 grace, to come and 'Morjhip before thy feet ; they (hill re- 
 verence thee, and pay a civil refpectto thee, and fliall know 
 that I have loved thee. Learn hence. That the fubmiffion, 
 which the enemies of the church (liall be forced to maKe 
 unto her, by the power of Chrift, is great and wonderful. 
 
 10 Becaufe thou haft kept the word of wiy pati- 
 ence, I alfo will keep thee from the hour of temp- 
 tation, which fhall come upon all the world, to try 
 them that dwell upon the earth, 11 Behold, I come 
 quickly : Hold that faft which thou haft, that no 
 man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh, will 
 I make a pillarin the the temple of my God. And he 
 Ihall go no more out : And I will write upon him 
 the name of my God, and the name of the citv of 
 my God, which is new Jerufalem, which cometh down 
 out of heaven from my God : And / xvill write upon 
 Am my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let 
 him hear what the Spirit faith unto the churches. 
 
 Still our bleflfed Saviour proceeds with promifes and eq- 
 
 couragements to this church, becaufe thoiihajt kept thy vjord 
 
 ? 15 of 
 
1114, 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Cmap. 111. 
 
 tfmy potieitce . Werenole, That the doiflrine of the gcfpel 
 is called the word of Chriil's paucnce, partly becaufe it 
 leaches patience in perfecuting liiues, and partly hfcaufe it 
 is a do(flrine, which cannot firmly be adhered to wiihnuc 
 patience, thou ho/} kept the luird <jJ my patience. To keep 
 this word of Chrift's patience, implies n»)t only the keep- 
 ing his do(flrine pure and uncorrupted from error, but alio 
 the obferving and praclifing all the duties of a good lite. 
 And note, The reward pronnfed to this church for the pcr- 
 g, forming of this duty, becaufe thou haj} kept — / -w'tll k;ep 
 thee ; Chrift will not be behind-hand in rewarding our 
 obedience, no, not in this life, 1 will (here) keep thee from 
 the hoar of temptation, which Jhall come upon all the luorU. 
 Here note, i. That a time ofaffl-dtion, much more of per- 
 secution, is*a time of temptation, becaufe an affli<fted and 
 perfecuted ftate hath many circuinftances attending it, by 
 which all are tried, and fome cnfnared. 2. That a time 
 of trial and temptation will come, mod certainly come, 
 fooner or later, upon all perfons that dwell upontheearth, 
 upon finners as well as faints, upon hypocrites as well as 
 (incere chriftians ; which trials will infallibly difcover the 
 faith and conftancy of the one, the corruption and apoftacy 
 of the other. Dfhold, I come quickly . Hold that fajt -which 
 thou hafl. Sec. Ohferve here, Notwithftanding this church's 
 I conftancy, yet Chrift exhorts her to fteadfaftnefs, hold fuj} ; 
 
 the fteadieft and molt ftedfafl chriftians have need to be of- 
 ten cautioned and counfelled againft backfliding. Ohferve 
 alfo, The encouragements which Chrift gives his church 
 to hold faft her iianocency, fidelity, and patience ; the firft 
 is drawn from the ftiortnefsof her fufterings, by reafon of 
 Chrift's fudden coming, behold 1 come quickly , that is, to 
 deliver my faithful people, and to deftroy their enemies ; 
 the fecond is drawn from the hazard which they run of 
 lofing the crown, for want of an unfainting perleverance, 
 holdjafl, that no man take thy crown. Where nUe, That 
 only the perfevering chriftian fliall be crowned, and that 
 each perfevering chriftian ftiall have his own crown ; there 
 are probably differences of reward in heaven, as well as 
 degrees of mifery in hell ; for quality the glory will be the 
 fame, they fhall fhine as the fun, for degree it will likely be 
 differing as much as one ftar differs fron» another ftar in 
 glory. Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the 
 temple of my God, &c. Ohferve here, Chrift promifes a 
 threefold reward tothem that finally overcnmeali the lenip- 
 taiions and trials of this life. i. They fliall be />/7/arj- in 
 God's temple, that is, honourable and glorious members 
 of the triumphant glorified church, and (hall have a fixed 
 happinefs therein ; poffibly the Holy Ghoft here alludes to 
 the pillars in Solomon's temple, which were very beauti- 
 ful. 2. They fhall ge no more out ; the pillars in Solomon's 
 porch were removed and catried away by the Chaldeans, 
 but thele pillars fliall be perpetual, their glorious ftate fliall 
 be a fixed unchangeable ftate ; when all the pillars of the 
 earth (hall tremble, thefe pillars in the temple of heaven 
 fliall remain immoveable to eternal ages. 3. As Ih pillars 
 erefted by men, their names were written and engraved, 
 in like manner does Chrift here promife the infcription of 
 a threefold name upon thefe pillars, the name of C'jd the 
 name of the c;7y 0^ Goi/, and his new naTie. The name 
 of God fignifics the perfoi to be an adopted child of God ; 
 the name of the city rf Gad, declares fuch a perlbn to be 
 
 a citizen of theWew Jerufalem, which is faid to come down 
 out of heaven, that is, the knowledge of it comes down to 
 us from God, elfe we had never known it, nor could ever 
 have conceived of it ; and Chrift's new name, is that of 
 the glorious Redeemer, and fignifies him that overcometh 
 fliall be honoured as one of Chrift's redeemed ones ; the 
 Vkhole name put together, to wit, the name of God, the 
 name of the city of God, and the new name, fignifies an 
 adopted Ion nf God, and heir of the new Jerufalem, and a 
 living member of Chrift the glorified Redeemer ; thus fliall 
 it be done to them whom Chrift delighteth to honour in the 
 new Jeruf.ilem ; they fliall fpend an eternity in the raptu- 
 rous and ravilhing admiration of that love which Father, 
 Sou, and Holy Spirit bellowed upon them, in making them 
 firft the adopted, and now the glorified fons of Gi)d. He 
 that hath an ear, let him hear, &c. Thiv is ag?in the clofe 
 and conclufion of this as it was before of all the epiltles, in 
 w'hich Chrift calls upon all perfons to hear and conlider 
 w hat he faith by his Spirit to his church, and to hy it deeply 
 to heart for theirinftruclionand admonition. Thecounfel 
 which is giveni by Chrift toone particular church, he requires 
 and expeds fliould be applied to all, and improved by all. 
 
 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Lao- 
 
 diceans, write, Thefe things faith the Amen, thcfaith- 
 ful and true witnefs, the beginning of the creation of 
 God: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither 
 cold nor hot ; I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 
 So then, becaufe thou art lukewarm, and neither 
 cold nor hot, I will fpue thee out of my mouth. 
 
 This epiftle to the Laodiceansis the fevcnthand latlepif- 
 tle which Chrift commanded St. John at this time to write ; 
 moft o£ the churches were found faulty before, but none 
 like this here. Formality and hypocrify, coldnefs and in- 
 differency, in religion, had fo far prevailed in this church, 
 that we find nothing commended in them, nothing of good 
 fpoken of them, and none of them exempted from the ge- 
 neral charge brought in againft them for that lukewarni- 
 nefs and hvpocnfy. In this epiftle now before us, ohferve, 
 1. A defcrijition of Chnft in his defervedly glorious titles, 
 thus faith the Amen, the faithful and true witnefs, that is, 
 he that is verity and truth itfelf, both in his promifes and, 
 his threatnings, who is holy, and cannot lie : righteous, 
 and canno' deceive ; wife, and can never be deceived ; 
 therefore Chrift takesupon him this name here of the faith- 
 ful and true witnefs, to awaken thefe drowf/ hypocrites, 
 to fee and confider that he knowstheir ftate and condition, 
 and will teftify and witnefs againft them. Thereis no fuch 
 effectual remedy againft hypocrify, lukesvarmnefs, and in- 
 difference, in the matters of religion, as a firm lieli'-f of 
 Chrifi's omnifciency and veracity. The other title given 
 to Chrift, lithe beginning of the creation of G:d ; that is 
 the beginner of the creation if God, the original and firft 
 caufe, by which all the creatures of God had their begin- 
 ning. Chrift is not on\y principium principutum, bm prin- 
 ciptum principians ; not ihe pallive beginning, or he that 
 firft created, but the sU'we beginning, or he by whom the 
 creation was begun, both the old and nesv creation. Now, 
 Chnft takes upon him this title tocncourage the Laodiceans 
 to come unto him (according to the invitation given verfg 
 
 18.) 
 
Chap. hi. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1115 
 
 18.) to recover them from their formality, feeing he is otn- 
 nipotent, and can give a bein^; nnd bf jnnning to p.race in the 
 n^ creation, as he did to n^tm-e in ihe old and firft crea- 
 tion, 2. The repii'of here given to this church of Lao- 
 dicea, / knew ihou irt neithr-r hot nor coU, thou art not for 
 open herefyor infiileiity, bnt likeftwell aprofeflionof chrif- 
 tianity; you receive the •rnfpel, and fo are not quite cold, 
 but yoLi want zeal to fuiFer any thing for it, and fo are not 
 at all hot, I fee nothing in thee but nlui;ewarinindi{F<.Tency, 
 f«r which I difown ihee.nay difdain ihee. Ltam i. That 
 CJirifl loaths lukewarm perfons, who profefa chritVianity 
 with referve"; for worldU f^ft-ty. Thefe LaoJiceans were 
 neither enensies toChrill, nor true friends, but ferveil God 
 and K^iu. Chri(t anJ the world by turns, asoccafioii ferveJ. 
 2. ThdUji^h God aboniiiiatf s luke vvarinnefs and want ofzfal, 
 yet he will not difown thole w ho have any fpark of truezeal, 
 thouirh defective, and culpably reinifs, he will not quench 
 fiBoakinpflsx, bur blow it up into a holy flame ; hut all that 
 have nut fo much zeal as to preferChrift beforethe world, 
 (hall be sccouated his enemies, and difowiied by him. 
 
 17 Becaufe thou fayefl;, I am rich, and increafed 
 with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowefl 
 not that thou art wretched: and miferable, and poor, 
 and bhnd, and naked. 18 I counfel thee to buy of 
 ine jold tried in the fire, that thou mayeft be rich ; and 
 white raiment that thou mayeft be clothed, and that 
 the fhameof thy nakednefs do not appear; and anoint 
 thine tycs with eye-falve that thou mayeft fee. 
 
 Obr^rvehere, i. ihis church'^ partial opinion of herfelf, 
 her vanity and vain-f^loriousolfentation, accompanied with 
 felf-efteem. 2. That this boalfing and vain jrlorious of- 
 tentationdid very probably fpring from, and was occafioned 
 by, this church's worldly profperity. We are apt to mif 
 take the warm fun for God's blefllng, and to apprehend 
 when we are great, that we are gracious ; and becaufe rich 
 in goods, conclude ourfelves rich in grace: But alas! God 
 litis up the light of his common providence upon thoufands 
 ■w horn he does not lift up the light of his reconciled coun- 
 tenance upon. 3. Chrift's impartial judjiment concerning. 
 :his church of Laodicea, Thou fay ejc thou art rich, and 
 reedeji nothing ; but I fay, //; u art lurttched, and miferable, 
 &c. Behold here, how fome have little or no grace, who 
 yet conceit they have much grace; as fome reckon their 
 temporal, fo there are others that value theirfpiritual eftate, 
 at many thoufands beyond what it really is, and when upon 
 a jurt balance of account, they are worth nothing Ah 
 mift-rable fouls ! empty and guilty, poor and penn) lefs in 
 fpirituals, wanting every thing, but efpecially a fight and 
 fenfe of their poverty and wants. 4. The counftl given 
 by Chrift to this church, very fuirable to her condition ; 
 what pinches more than poverty ? Here is gold to enrich us. 
 What Ihames u, more than nakednefs ? Here is a promil'e 
 of raiment toclorhe and cover us. What afljifts and grieves 
 us more than blindnefs ? Here is eyefalve to anoint us. 
 But ohfervtf the order of the words, i. Chrift fays not, / 
 command thee, but I courfl thee. O infinite condefcenfion I 
 the Lord Jefus does not alvxays Cdmmand like a king, but 
 fometinies counfeJs like a friend j he coutifels us by his 
 
 Spirit, he counfel; us by his miniflers, he courtfrN us hy 
 our own conlcicnces. 1. Chrift's counfel is to buy ; that 
 is, earnelUy todelire, and fincerely to endeavour, the pro- 
 curing fuch fpiriiual bli::(rings as we want ; we buy wi;h 
 our prayers, our tears, our endeavours. 3. The blefllngs 
 offired. tried gold, that will bear the touch-(lane, thatfaith 
 and holinefs which will give thee boldnefs in judgment. 
 White raiment, or the merits of the Mediator, which covers 
 our (hame and nakednefs ought of the fight of God. An 
 eye-falve, or the grace of fpi ritual illumination, whereby we 
 lee ihe want and worth of thefe fpiritu.il blellings. 
 
 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chaften ; Be 
 zealous therefore and repent. 
 
 HereChrid letsthe Laodiceansunderfland,that although 
 he had been fharp svith them, in reproving them for their 
 formality andlukewarmnefs, yet it wa<: upon a-nvwciful de- 
 •jjn towards them, it proceeded from a principle of love in 
 him, for as many as I love, (ays Chrift, 1 rebuke and ch.iflen. 
 Chrift does not therefore hate his children becaule he cor- 
 refts them, but he therefore corrects them becaufe he loves 
 them. Name the favourite whom God loved too well to 
 ftrike ; nay, commonly there goes the fevereft exercifes, 
 where there has been the greateftlove. Let not then God's 
 chaftenings of us abate our love to him ; necelfity compels 
 God to corredt ; nothing is done by rods but what could 
 not be efFcdted without them : Be zeahus therefore and re- 
 pent ; as if Chrift had faid, O Laodicea ! layafide thy luke- 
 warm indiffcrency, and be fervent in my fervice, repent and 
 amend your ways, if you would efcape your chaftenings and 
 rebukes, for I had much rather give you the kifles of my 
 lips than the blows of my hand : if then you love not cor- 
 redion, prevent it by zeal and reformation. 
 
 20 ^ Behold I ftand at the door and knock. If 
 anymanhear my voice, and open the doorlwill come 
 in to him, and will fup with him, and he with me. 
 
 Thefe words are very expreflive of the tender love, and 
 gracious condefcenfion of Chrift towards poor finners, full 
 of heavenly rhetoric, to win and gain their hearts unto hiria- 
 felf. Here obferve. That man's heart is Chrift's door, that 
 this door of the heart is naturally fhut, yea, locked and 
 barred againftChrittbyignoranceand infidelity; that, not- 
 withftanding this, Chrift knock' gracioufly at the doer of 
 nien's hearts by his word, by his rod, by his Spirit ; knock- 
 ing is a vehement motion, a reiterated motion, we knock 
 again and again ; a gradual motion, firft more gently, then 
 loudly ; and it is a finite motion, men will not alway: con- 
 tinue knocking, but if no.ie anfwer, they turn their backs 
 and go their way. All the knocks of Chrift will ceafe and 
 end, his Spirit will not always ftrive. Father, Chrift doth 
 not only knock, but ftand- knocking, it denotes the aflidtiity 
 ofChrifttn waiting upon finners, and his patience in knock- 
 ing ; ftanding is a waiting pofture, it denoies an earneft de- 
 fire and patient expeftation. Though Chrift knocks at the 
 door of man's heart, he doih not break it open, he doth not 
 offer violence to men's wills, and lave them again their 
 wills, but the holy Spirit inclines them to hear Chrift's voice, 
 and enables them to open the door to him, caufing them 
 to approve of and confent to the offer and call of Chrift. 
 
 7 B 2 The 
 
iiiG 
 
 RE V E L A T I O N. 
 
 Chap. iv. 
 
 The door is no fooncr open, but Chrift comes in and fiips 
 uitii the finner ; liis ccming in denotes our in-.ion to him ; 
 h'\ii/upping, our communion with him, impcrfcft on earth, 
 complete in heaven ; there is a mutual, fwcet, and Intimate 
 communion between Chrift and believers here on earth ; 
 there will be a pcrt"t<5l, complete, and uninterrupted com- 
 m;minn with him in heaven, when they lliall ever be with 
 the Lord. 
 
 2 1 To him that ovcrcometh will I grant to fit 
 with me in my throne, even as I alfo overcame, and 
 am let down with my Father in his throne. 
 
 Here our Saviour concludes this epiftle, as he did the for- 
 mer, with a promife to the perfevering chriftian, /o him that 
 cvtrcomelh, namely, all the trials and temptations of this lite, 
 and keeps his faith, love, and obedience entire to the end, 
 ^'mU grant, not in a way of merit, but of free gift and grace, 
 to fit down with me in my throne, namely, to partake of th*^ 
 fame power and glory, and kingdorn, that I as Mediator do 
 now partake of. Where chfervt', Chrift here dillinguiflies 
 between his own throne and his Father's ; the former feems 
 to be his mediatorial, the latter his efTential, throne ; and he 
 plainly tells us, that as he obtained his glory by overcoming 
 Satan and the world, fo muft wc, to him that overccmcth 
 will I grant to fit with me, Sec. the way to heaven for Chrift 
 and all his members is the fame ; as he conquered and 
 finally overcame on earth before he was crowned in heaven, 
 fo muft they. 
 
 2 2 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the 
 Spirit faith unto the churches. 
 
 Thus Chrift (huts up this, as he did all the preceding 
 rpiftles before, W'ith a repeated exhortation to all chriftiaiis 
 to the end of the world, to hear, read, attend unto, and ob- 
 ferve all the cautions and warnings, all the reproofs and 
 counfels, all the promifes and threatenings, contained in this 
 and tlie other epiftles, as matters that do greatly concern all 
 chrjftians to underftand and know. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 A FTER this I looked, and behold, a door was 
 Jr\ <ipened in hf^aven : And the firfl; voice which 
 I heard w^iasit were of a trumpet talking with me; 
 which laid, Come up hither, and I will llicw thee 
 things which mufl; be hereafter. 
 
 As if St. Jo|-,n had faid. After my firft vifion ^^•as over, 
 being defirous farther to underftand and know the mind of 
 G(xi, I looked upwards to heaven, from whence divine re- 
 velations come, and it was reprefentcd to me as it a di'or 
 were opened into the third heavens ; and 1 apprehended, that 
 I heard that former voice, which fpake to me 'in the firft 
 chapter, now fpeaking to me again, namely, the voice of 
 Chrift, foimding like a trumpet in my ear, and laying, C'ywe 
 up hither, and I will /hew thee, or give thee a clear nprcfen- 
 tafion of, things that flitill be hereafter. Where note, i. That 
 fuch a foiil as has tafted the fweetncfs of communion with 
 Chrift, does long for the farther and fuller enjoyment of 
 him. After this I I'.'Aed : It was a gracious vifion he had of 
 
 Chrift in the firft chapter, but it did only whet his defires 
 after more communiod with him, and clearer manifcftations 
 from him. 2. That the Jcnowledge which advances and 
 improves a man's iinderftanding on earth, comes all from 
 heaven : Thither we muft look up, and from thence feek, 
 if wc will know the things of God. 
 
 2 And immediately I was in the fpirit : And be- 
 hold, a throne was fet in heaven, and on: fat on the 
 throne. 3. And he that fat was to look upon like a 
 jalpcr and a laidine flone : And there was a rainbow 
 roundabout the throne, in fight like unto an emerald. 
 
 I xcas in the fpirit : that is, in an ecftacy, in a trance, in a 
 rapture of delight and joy, raviflied in fpirit. This vifion 
 was re|)refentcd to his inind more lively than any corporeal 
 objcdls could be to his outward fenfes, which were now all 
 boimd up. Olferve\\tTe, I. The \\C\on hicM, a throne fet in 
 heaven; St. John's mind was not taken up with earthly 
 matters : Worldly crowns and fceptres were now poorthinqs 
 in his eftcem, and will be fo in the eftimation of all others, 
 who have a profpeft of a throne in heaven, as our apoftle 
 had. 2. The perfon whom he faw fitting upon his throne, 
 God the Father in royal majefty, whofe power and glory 
 was reprefenred by the funilitude of precious ftones, parti- 
 cularly by thejafper and fardine ftone ; which ftone, fay 
 fotne, being of a red and fiery colour, reprefentcd how ter- 
 rible God is in judgment, clothed with omnipotent power 
 and inflexible jufticc ; but to allay the terror of this vifion, 
 St. John faw a rainbo-w round abdul the throne, in fight like 
 unto an emerald : this was very comforting, for the rainbow 
 was of old a token of God's covenant, Gen. ix. that he 
 would never more drown the world by water ; here it de- 
 notes the covenant of grace, \^■hcrcby the church is fecurcd 
 from the deluge of God's wrath by the blood of a Mediator ; 
 and mark, this rainbow was round about the throne : let 
 God look which way he will, here is that which reminds 
 him of his covenant and promife; and the colour of this 
 rainbow waslike an emerald ; that i^, of a moft picafant and 
 delightful grcennefs ; fignifying, that Almighty Gixl, in 
 mindfulncls of his covenant, takes unfpeakablc delight and 
 plcafure in the cxercife of mercy towards his children, even 
 then when he appears clothed with terror, to judge and fen- 
 lence an impenitent world. Bklle.l be God, that he that 
 fitteth upon the throne of judgment has a rainbow about 
 him, giving Tuil alllirancc, that, tor his covenant fake, the 
 floods ot his wrath ftiall not overwhelm his children when 
 his enemies are fwept away with the deluge of deftruction. 
 
 4 5 And round about the throne were four and 
 twenty feats : And upon the feats I faw four and 
 twenty elders fitting, clothed in white raiment ; and 
 they had on their heads crowns of gold. 
 
 St. John having defcribcd Almighty God as fitting upon 
 his throne in the foriner vcrfc, here he declares whom he 
 faw about the throne as aftciVors with him, namely Four and 
 twenty elders : by which fome underftand the pairi.irchs and 
 apolUes, as reprefL-ntatives of the Jcwilh and Cliriftian 
 church ; other.- underlbnd hereby the whole body of private 
 chriftians, a certain number bting put for an uncertain, 
 
 who 
 
Chap. iv. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1117 
 
 whoarereprefeiited, I. As rnund about i he throne, toilenore 
 their nearnefs unto God, and their coinniunion with him. 
 2. Ki fitting, to fignify their flare of rclt and eafe, atidto 
 denote their I'ettled and feojre condition of h.nppinefs which 
 they now enjoy. 3. As clothed vitb -jwhite raiment, to re- 
 prefcnt their prieftly dignity, that they were all prielh unto 
 God ; as alfo theircelertial purity and glory. 4. As having 
 on their heads cro-.vns of gold ; this kingly dignity, that as 
 kings they do, and (hall reign with Chi ilt for ever and ever, 
 ■who having loved them, and vjafyed them from their fins in 
 his own hhoti, has thadc them kings and priejl s unto Cod. 5. 
 They are called t/i/frj, tofignify their great wifdom and ex- 
 perience ; fiich as with patriarchs and aportles have done 
 - the greateft fc-rvices for God en earth, Ihall Ihare with him 
 in the higheft (^ignitv and honour in heaven, fitting nearer 
 the throne than others : St. John faw the elders not on- 
 ly near the throne, but fitting round about it. 
 
 5 And outof the throne proceeded lightnings, and 
 thunderings, and voices : And there ivere feven lamps 
 of fire burning before the throne, which are the fe- 
 ven fpirits of God. 
 
 'Ryiketbrone, God isreprefentedasa Judge ; hythethun- 
 derings, and lightnings, 3ndvoices,\^ rcprefenced the terrible- 
 iitfs of God ill judging Tinners. As the law vi^as delivered 
 upon mount Sina'i in lightning and thunder. To will there 
 be the fame, nay, f.ir greater dread and terror, when God 
 comes to judge and plead wiih Tinners for their wilful and 
 repeated tranfgreirions of that law. By the feven lampsof 
 fre hw'ung before the throne, fome underftand the holy Spi- 
 rit of God in its manifold gifts and graces, enlightening, 
 ouitkening, warming, comforting, the church of God ; 
 others underftand the holy angels, who are continually 
 wailing upon this Judge, and attending of this judicature, 
 who are ashis cy s and feet ; that is, his ready inlbuments 
 if> execute his pleafiire. God, in the judgment of the great 
 day will be aiteiicled by his faints as affellorSjby his angels 
 as affiibnts. 
 
 6 11 And before the throne there was a fea of glafs 
 like unto chrjital. — 
 
 By this/>rt of glafs there fecms to bean alluTion to that 
 lame vciTtrl of water in tile temple, called the brazen fta, in 
 which Aaron anJh.s Tons did vvalli thsrafelves before t)iey 
 adinioiltered in holy things ; figii:fying that purity which is 
 required in all the uorliiipper*, but elpeciajly in all iliemi- 
 niltersofGod : And becaufe the ufe of tnisfea, in thetem- 
 p]p ismadegood in Chrill, ihelaver of hi? blood might be 
 fignificd by thi- fea ofglal-here rcprefcnted, which is com- 
 pared to chryllal ; dt^noting the fpoilefs innoct-ncy of his 
 perfon and (ufTerings, and the puriiy and dearncfs of his 
 •juOified members. Other-, by this fea of glah, u ill have 
 the world reprtfented to St. John's viTiunary view: 1 he 
 world (fay they/ i^ conip.ircd to a fea for its inllahility, 
 ten'.p'-ltuv)urnefs, anduntertain motion ; wt^ fea nj glafs, for 
 its flipjierineff, and lor its brittlenefs : GiaA yields no good 
 footing to any that (land upon ir, iioi»doe- (tie world to any 
 that ftav themfclves upon it ; aiid to a. fa f glafs likechryf 
 ttil, becaufe cf the clearnefs and tranfpareiicy of it toGod; 
 
 he fees quite through ir, all the councils and actions of 
 men being naked and, open before God and the throne. 
 
 — .A.nd in the midfl: of the throne, and round a- 
 bout the throne, wereioux beafls full of eyes before 
 and behind. 7 And the firll beafl luas like a lion, 
 and the fecondbeaft like a calf, and the third bead 
 had a face as a man, and the fourth beafl; was like a 
 flyingeagle. 8 And the four beafls had each of them 
 fix wings about him ; and^/jf)' were full of eyes with- 
 in : And they rcfl not day and night, faying. Holy, 
 holy, hoi)'. Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, 
 and is to come. 
 
 By the four beafts here, underftand the four evangelifls 
 in fpecial, and all gofpclmiiiillers in general, who vvent forth 
 to preach the word in all the quarters of the world : And 
 here we have a moft ftately emblem of true gofpel-minif- 
 ters, they have the courage of the lion, the ftrength of the 
 ox, theloftinefsof the eagle, the face, that is, the prudence 
 and difcretionof a man. Farther they are defcribed <;j/m// 
 of eyes ; they have eyes looking before them to God for di- 
 rection, looking behind them to the flocks they lead, and 
 •within them to their own hearts. They have alfoTix wings; 
 with two they cover their faces, manifefting their deep re- 
 verence of God, with twothey cover theirfeet, manifefting 
 the humble fenfe of theirinfirmiiies, and with two they fly 
 with cheerful expedition to the fervice of God. Olferve 
 next. What was reprefented to St. John, as iheperpetual 
 employment and work of heaven , namely, incefTantly to 
 admire, love, and praiTe the holinefs of God, which is the 
 excellency of all his other excellencies. Zf^Jr/ihence, That 
 the ct-lrbra ting of the praifesof (he mofthigh and holy God, 
 is?he mceflaiu work of glorified faintsandangelsin heaven, 
 and a very great part of the work and duty of the faithful 
 minifter;, of God here on earth. 1. From thi' example, 
 how much it is the duty of the minillers of Chrdl, to ftudy 
 and endeavour to make God known in all his glorious at- 
 tributes, particularly in hisholinefi and his po'.ver; as alfo 
 in his eternity and liniplicity, as he is the fame yefferday, 
 today, and forever, without variation, and (hadow of 
 changing. 
 
 g And when thofe beafts give glory and honour 
 and thanks to him that fat on the throne, who liveth 
 for ever and ever. 10 5 Thefour and twenty elders 
 fall down before him thatfat on the throne, and wor- 
 fhip him that livelli for ever and ever, and caft their 
 crowns before the throne, faying, 1 1 Thou art wor- 
 thy, OLord, to receive glory and honourand potver: 
 For thou haft created all things: and for thy pleafuie 
 they are, and were created. 
 
 Olfervehere, i. How St. John Taw both beaftsand elders 
 reprffenting rnmifters and people, unitedly joinrng '0- 
 gether;and with one confenr founding forth the high jjr'aifes 
 of their God ; intimating, how ihe u hole body of Tincere 
 chnftiansought heartily tojoin with their faithful inui Hers 
 in that blefled work ofprailing and worfiiipping the eternal 
 
 Gcd. 
 
iii8 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 God. 2. Tliat as a farther act of homajrc and adoration, 
 tlie four and t*einy riders caft thtir oowtis tkivn to the 
 firoun:/ ; not in a way«of contempt and difii.iin, as if they 
 ilij^hted the plors' conferred upon ihcni by God, but in a 
 way of humble uratiiude, atinbuting liieir vi(flory and re- 
 ward ro God, Mid not to thtinlelvcs, and .Tikno\vlcdj;it)(r 
 that whatever honour they have, they have it from Cod's 
 hand, and are willing very willing, and ready toUy it dov\ n 
 at God's feet, and iiidiveft theiiilelves (.f ir, that ihey niay 
 put honour upon God ; profe/Iing hereby, that all ihf good- 
 nefs wrought in them, or done by them, doc'-proced from 
 God's free grace and mercy, and that the glory of it i^ ^n- 
 tirely due to him. 3. The hymn of thariklgiving iilllf, 
 which was jointly fung among them, IVcthy nrl tlmti, 
 J.ird, to receive glory, Sec. As if they had laid, '1 hat God 
 thou art, unto whom all the homage and adoration of thy 
 creaturesarejuflly and peculiarly due ; for thou hall created 
 all things by thy omnipotent power, and for thy pleafure, 
 and for the nianifeftaiion of thy glory, they are llillpie- 
 ferved as they were ai firft created. Where remark, 1 liar 
 every moment's prefervation is virtually anew creation, and 
 that the fame omnipotent power is neceflary every moment 
 to preferve us, which was at firft requilite to create us. 
 Therefore worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive glory, and 
 honour, and everlafling praifes, as ihou art he who givell 
 being toall creatures, and therefore giveft it ihem that they 
 might love and laud, magnify and blcf«, glcrily and ferve, 
 honour and obey thee, their great Creator, and gracious 
 Preferver. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 AND I faw in the right hand of him that fat on 
 the throne, a book written within, and on the 
 backfide, fealed with feven fcals. 
 
 In this chapter we have a continuation of the vificn re- 
 corded in the foimer chapter : ihereSt. John faw a throne 
 fet in heaven, and a perlon fittingupon that throne in ma- 
 jefty and great glory, reprelentini', to him God the i'aiher. 
 Here he beholds the fame glorious perlon fitting upon the 
 throne, wiih a book in his right hand, -writttrn within and 
 on the hackjiJe, fealed with /ivtnfeals. Obferve here, i. 
 What S:. John faw, namely, a book, by which Mr. Mede 
 and others underftand a roll, containing God's, decrees and 
 counfels, hispurpofes and refolutions, concerning the future 
 ftate of the church, as they were tohe fulfilled according to 
 prophecy, .nndbi ought lo pals in feveral ages, as the provi- 
 dence ot God lliould order and fee fit. 2. The perlon in 
 ■whofe hand ihib book of the fecret counftU of God was ; 
 namely, in God's own hand, and in his //g/>/ /)«nrf, thereby 
 denoting his auihoiity to impart and communicate the 
 knowledge of this fealrd book to whom he plcal'cd, and as 
 heplealeil. And a;, none but God himlelf can declare 
 wht) God i>, lo none but God himfclf can declare what 
 God does, and what matter ages he will do. 3. 1 he co- 
 pious fiiliiefs of thii book, i: «as written within and o/i //;•' 
 backjide, inlide and ouilidt- HMed up, lo that there wa. no 
 room left either for fl</////' nor <///tra(/OM. 4. It wasa Itali-d 
 book, yea, fealed with feven feals, denoting the matters that 
 
 arc therein contained trhe mofV divine and excellent, fecret 
 and myllerirus ttri.iin and on Iterable and the know!, dge 
 of thrm inipolTible without the help and lavour of fptcial 
 revelation. 
 
 2 And I faw a flrong angel proclaiming with a loud 
 voice, AVho is worthy to open the book, and 10 loofc 
 llic (cals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in 
 earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the 
 book, neither to look tiicieon. 4. And I wept much 
 bccaulenoinan was found worthy to open and to read 
 the book, neither to look thereon. 5. And oncof the 
 elders faith unto me, Weep not : Behold, the lion of 
 the tribe (jf fudah, the root of David, hath prevailed 
 to open the book, and toloofe the feven feals thereof. 
 
 Cbjerve, I. Here is a prociiimatidn niiide by an extraor- 
 dinary aiii^cl, like an her.ild or (fficer, inquiring v. ho uas 
 worthy, eiilier ir.ifgafd o{ author ity, or inrdpeit ot ahlity, 
 to open this book, and uiilt;ole the feaU; that is, todilclote 
 the fecret counfels of God, and to 111 ke iheml«nown onto 
 thefonsof nu n ; implying, that every angel in heaven ii not 
 worthy or meet to be the cxpefi;or ot God's tnind ard 
 mylleries onto man. 2. 7 he great fi!ence » hich there was 
 in heaven upon thiiproclamaiion, amounting to an abloluie 
 and perenipiory denial, that not any one, either in heaven 
 oreartb, or under the earth ; ncr angel in heaven, nor any 
 faint living upon eanb ; nor any deao faint under i he earth, 
 nor any devil or infernal fpirit, waseither worthy to open 
 the book, or able to forefee and foretel the lead event con- 
 cerning the church, farther than revealed to them. Leern 
 hence. That neither angels nor devils do underiland the 
 mylterioiis counfels of God, or c;!n reveal future things to 
 man, any farther than as God is pleafed to reveal the lame 
 untotl-em. Chjcrve, j,- St. John's, great and bitter Lmen- 
 taiion, becaufe no perfon was found worthy to open the 
 book, and reveal unto the church, the fecret counftls of 
 Gc;d concerning her ; Iweptn.uch; fearing, nodoubt, led 
 the church of God fliould be deprived of the benefit and 
 comfort of this relation. Such a.s are the true members of 
 the church are greatly afflicted with all the providential dif- 
 penfationsof God which do befal her; but nothing goesfo 
 near them, as tohave the mind and will of God hidden and 
 coiueakd from her. 4. A fealbnable confolation given to 
 St. John ; one of the eldersthat w ere about the throne faid 
 to him, \v'eep not, for care is taken for the opening and 
 re\iealiiig of the book. Chrilf, who is called the Lion of 
 the tribe of Judah, the Son of David, as man, and the root 
 of David: as God, is found worthy, in regard i>f the dig- 
 nity of his perfon, and theprevalency of his merits, to open 
 unto the church all the mylterits of God, which are meet 
 and convenient for her to underltand and know. Qutjf^ 
 Why is Chnll called the Lioti of the tribe of Judah ? Jnf. 
 In allufion to J.icob's bltlhng, Gtn. xlix. where Judah is 
 called a lion's whelp, denoting the tlignity and fuperiority 
 of that tribe above the rtlt. Now, Chrilf defctnded of 
 this tribe, andiscalk-d a lion, in regard of his kingly power 
 and 1 1 rcng t h, in regard of hi- flout nefi and courage, 111 regard 
 of his niildnel'j and cls;iicticy, and 11 ue noblentfs of fpirit 
 
 to 
 
Chap. v. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1119 
 
 fubmit and yield unto him, and in refpecl of his vifrilancy 
 aniNwatchfulnefs overhi? church ; ail wliich are the known 
 properties of the lion; and as that creature is the king of 
 bej(ti, fo is Chri(t Kiptg of kings, and Lord of lords, the 
 only potentate ; dmninion and tear are wiih him- Que/}. 
 But how conld Chrift be called David's root, when we 
 know that Ddvid did not fpriiig from him, but he from 
 David, according to the fl(h? j4nfw. In a natural fenfe, 
 David was the root of Chrift, but in a fpiritual fenfe, Chrift 
 was the root of David. David, as man, was the root of 
 Chrift ; Chrift, as mediator and God-man, was the root of 
 David. Thus he was both David's Lord, and David's fon. 
 
 6 And I beheld, and lo, in the midft of the throne 
 and of the four beads, and in the inidft of che elders 
 flood a lamb as it had been flain, having feven horns 
 and feven tyes, which are the feven fpirits of God 
 fent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took 
 the book out of the right hand of him that fat upon 
 the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the 
 four beafts, and four aitd twenty elders fell down be- 
 fore the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and 
 golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of 
 faints. 9 H And they fung a new fong, faying, 
 Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the 
 feals thereof: for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed 
 us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and 
 tongue, and people, and nation ; 1 o And haft made 
 us unto our God kings and priefts : and we fhall 
 leign on the earth. 
 
 Ohferve here, i. That St. John had a vifion of Chrift 
 in the former vcrfe, undtr ilie reprefentation of a lion : 
 Here he is reprefenttd under the form and figure of a lamb, 
 as wounded, bloody, faciiiiced, and flain ; as bearing upon 
 him the figns and Icars, the marks and tokens of his by- 
 paft death : his appearing as a lamb flain, denoted his 
 death ; his ftanding, denoted his refurrection. There flood 
 a Itimh as it hail heen /lain, it is added having /even horns 
 the strength of a beaft lying in its horns ; this expreffion of 
 frvcn horns denotes, that omnipotent power which Chrift 
 has in hirnfelf, and that fulnel's of power which he does 
 exert, and put forth on all occaliuns in defence of his 
 church. It follows, tind fever, eyes, which are the ftven Jpi- 
 ri's o/Ood; thele reprefent the holy Spirit of God in its 
 manifold graces given by Chrift unto the church, as his 
 agent and advocate upon earth ; fo that here in the text 
 and context are all the three perfons in the holy Trinity, 
 whofe divinity we believe, and in whom we truft ; God 
 the Father upon the throne, with a book in his hand ; 
 Chrift the Lamb in the midft of the throne opening the 
 book ; and the feven fpirits, or Holy Ghoft, diilin^t from 
 the two former. 2. The office, which Chrift, as Medi- 
 ator Go'l-man, performs; he goes to the throne, and 
 takes the book out of the Father's hand ; that i<, he re- 
 ceived power from God to open the book of myfteries, and 
 to execute them : Chrift fat upon the throne as God, but 
 went to the throne for the book, as Go'l-mao ; this power 
 was due unto him as the reward of his fufierings. 3. The 
 
 joyful acclamations accompanied with the profoundeft ado- 
 rations, which were defervedly given by the holy inhabi- 
 tants of heaven to Jefus Chrift, as the only perfon worthy 
 to take the book, and open the feals. Note here, Divine 
 wor(hi() given to Chrift the Lamb, which proves his deity ; 
 they ling an hymn of divine praifeio the blflTtd Redtemer, 
 with harps, and golden vials in ih^ir hands, a ncjj/on^ ; 
 that is, a moft exdllent long, letting forth the benefits, 
 and extolling the praifes of the Lord the Kedei-mer. Ob- 
 ferve, 4. The church's celebration of thofe benefits and 
 bleffings, which by the death of Chrift fhe had received, 
 namely, i. They were redeemed unto Cod out of every 
 kindred and tongue, people and nation ; which (hews the 
 univerfale.x.tent of the gofpel-church fcattered over the face 
 of the whole earth, in and among all the nations of the 
 world. ■!. They were by him made kings and priefts unto 
 God, to reign on earth ; that is, fpiritual kings andpr'efts 
 initoGod, to reign over fin, Satan, and the world, tramp- 
 ling their fpiritual enemis under their feet, not expefting 
 an earthly dominion. 
 
 1 1 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many- 
 angels round about the throne, and the beafts, and 
 the elders : and the number of them was ten thou- 
 fand times ten thoufand, andthoufandsofthoufands; 
 12 Saying with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb 
 that was flain to receive power, and riches, and wif- 
 dom, and ftrength, and honour, and glory, and blef- 
 fing. 13 And every creature whichisin heaven, and 
 on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are in 
 the fea, and all that are in them, heard I, faying, blef- 
 fing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him 
 that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for 
 ever and ever. 14 And the tour beafts faid, Amen. 
 And the four ani twenty elders fell down and wor- 
 fhippedhim that livethfor ever and ever. 
 
 Obferve here, i. The office of the holy angels in hea- 
 ven declared, they ftand roundabout the throne of God con- 
 tinually, as nobles, and chief niinifters of ftate attend upon 
 a prince, awaiting his pleafure, and expefting his com- 
 mands. 2. The numberlefs number of theru, Thoufands 
 of Ihoufands, and ten thoufand times ten thoufand ; and as 
 almighty God is attended by an innumerable company of 
 angels in heaven, fo do the holy angels ftand ready to 
 accompany and protect his people here on earth, Plal. 
 XXXIV. y .They encamp roundabout them. 3. How readily and 
 cheerfully the holy angels joined with the elders, in b!ef. 
 ling and prailing Chrift, for the invaluable fruits and bene- 
 fits of man's redemption ; thofe beneficent fpirits rejoice 
 in our happinefs ; they joy at the converfion of a finner, 
 and triumph at the glorification of a faint. Here they are 
 laid to fing wfth a loud voice, to Ihew their affection and 
 zeal in the work of bleffing and prailing God for Jefus 
 Chrift, who is an head of confirmation to them as he was 
 an head of redemption unto us. 4. How the angels give 
 the fame worfliip, pay the fame homage, afcribe the fame 
 honour to Chrift, which they do to God the Father ; ihis 
 had never been given, had he not been eflentially God : 
 The angels pronounce and proclaim Jelus Chrift worthy 
 
 of 
 
11 'JO 
 
 R E V E L A T I O N. 
 
 Chap. vi. 
 
 of omnipotent power ; and that honour, glory, and blef- 
 iing, do appertain to liiin for evermore. Lattly, That not 
 only all the angels, but all the creatures in heaven, in 
 earth, umler the earth, and in xhefea, .ill and every of them, 
 do worftiip Chrifb with religious worlhip, and pay him 
 divine honour ; adore him that (its on the thrt)ne, and ilie 
 Lan)b for ever and ever, that is, the ratiou.il part of the 
 world, to wir, angels and men, adively : The feniiiive 
 part of the world, objedlively : The diabulical part, paf- 
 lively : Chrirt extorts that glory from them by tlu-ir tor- 
 ments, which they refufe to {five unto him by confcfiions, 
 and volinitary acknowledgmefus. What greater argu- 
 ment than this can we dellrc for our I'atislaClion, tluil 
 Chrift is truly and eifentially God ? He thinks it no rob- 
 bery to be equal with God, to fhare fvith him in all that 
 honour and homage, in all that adoration and religious 
 worfiiip which the whole creation do pay to almighty (Jod ; 
 for thus do the angels and elders above, and the whole 
 church militant here below, chaunt forth the praifes of the 
 Creator and Redeemer, faying, 
 
 Blcjpng, and glory, and renown, 
 
 We now give altogether, 
 To him that on the throne Jit f down, 
 
 And to the Lamb for ever. 
 
 Amen, Hallelujah. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 AND I faw when the Lamb opened one of the 
 feals, and I heard as it were tJie noife of thun- 
 der, one of the four beads faying, Come, and lee. 2 
 And I fdw, and behold a white horfe : and he that 
 fat on him had a bow ; and a crown was given unto 
 him : and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 
 
 The former chapter acquainted us with Chrifl's receiv- 
 ing of the fesled book ; this, x^ith the opening of it leal by 
 leal, Chrifts reveah unto St. John the deep counleh of 
 God, which were hidden and fccret : the only begotten 
 Son that lay in the bofom of the Father he hath revealed, 
 them, he only received aurhority, and he only was endued 
 ui;th ability to reveal ihem. Note, i. The preparation 
 made for St. John'-s vifion of the feals ; he ftanding afarolf 
 with profound reverence, heard a voice like thunder pro- 
 ceeding out of the mouth of one of the four beaih, who 
 performed theofRce of a public crier, faying, Come, and fee. 
 It is dangerous fearching into God's fecrets, and prying 
 into his hidden connlVls, until we h.'ive a c.ill and com- 
 miiTion, a command and invitation, from God hmilelflo 
 to do ; thus had St. John here ; one faid unto him. Come 
 near, and fee. Note, 2. The vilion itfelf, / biheld a -xhite 
 horfe, end he that fat en him had a how and a ao-vn, Sec. By 
 the white hnrle is generally underilood the gofpel, localltd 
 in regard of the divinity and fpotlels purity ol its dodrme .• 
 the rider unon this horfe is Chrilt, who rode fwifily in the 
 minillry of the apoQ'es and other faithful te.ichers in the 
 firrt ages of chriltianiiy ; and he rode with a bow in his 
 hand, and a crown on his head : with a bow, that is with 
 threatnings and terrors denounced againll his enemies be- 
 fore they were inflictfd upon them, as the bow is firrt held 
 in the hand, then the arrow prep.nred upon the faring, and 
 at laft lljot forth : and v.ith a crown, denoting that royal 
 
 flate of kingly dignity and honour, to which Chrift the 
 Lamb that was fljin was nowexalced, and thus heroite on 
 conquering and to conq'jcr, until he hjd confuiuiiiated his 
 victories in a gloriu'.ii triumph over his enemies, namely, 
 in the converlion of lome, and deftruftion of others ; ilius 
 the opening of the firl't le.il gave the church a very enrnu- 
 ragingand coiiifortaSlc piolpetl of the victories, I'ik 
 and triumphs of Chrilt, notwitliilanding the rage, fu'.; — . , 
 and ))ower of all his enemies ; Chrill.ruds on with » bo,v 
 in his hand, and witii.atrown on his head, cor.quering 
 and to conquer, uiiiil his arrows were fbjrp in the hearts 
 of his cruciliccrs ; and will thus ritio on till the ptople IjU 
 under him, and all liia enemies become his fooillool. 
 
 3 And when he had opened the fecond feal, I heard 
 the fecond bead fay, Come, and fee. 4. And there 
 went out another horfe ^6'^ was red: and ^oa.rr was 
 given to him that fat thereon, to take peace from 
 the earth, and that they fhould kill one anolli^r: 
 and there was given unto him a great fword. 
 
 The fecond feal opened did reprefent to St. John's vi- 
 fionary view, a red horfe, of a bloody colour, denoting firft 
 the dreadful execution of God's wrath upon the Jcw5, em- 
 broiling the land with wars, divifions, bloodlhed, unpeace- 
 able tumults, killing and ruining one another, to which 
 purpofe he appreheiuled tiiat he law a fword in iiis hand 
 that rode upon this horfe, (ignifying the great (laughter 
 which would be committed by the Jews upon one another. 
 Others, fccondly, by this rff//ior/<r underifand the bloody 
 Romnn emperors, Nero, Tr.ijan.&c. and the perfecution 
 whicli the primitive church underwent in ihtir days : 
 Eufebius relates, that fo fierce was their rage apaiiWt the 
 p.ior chriftians, that a man might fee cities full of desd 
 bodies, old and young, men and women, cart out naked, 
 without any reverence of perfons, or regard to fex. From 
 hence we may learn, Wftt littlercal'on thechriliian church 
 has to think ft range of the fiery trial, as if fomefjrange things 
 happTned to them ; when as we fee all thfi rage and cruelty, 
 all tlie blood and violence, which the chrirtian church has 
 fallen under in the fereral ages of it, have been from the 
 beginning revealed and prophetically foretold. 
 
 5 And when he had opened the third feal, I heard 
 the third beall fay, Come, and fee. And I beheld, 
 and lo, a black horfe ; and he that Huon him had a 
 pair of balances in his hand. 6 Atid I heard a voice 
 in the midll of the four beafts fay, A meafure of 
 wheat for a penny, and three meafures of barley for 
 a penny ; and fee thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 
 
 I hs liiird feal opened, ftts forth the great caljn>ity 
 which fliould befal i!ie church by famine, which fo:ne un- 
 dcrllind literally, others figuratively and myrticallv. i. A 
 literal famine in Jud<?a, feeins here to be prefigured by a 
 perlon riding on a black horfe with a balance to weigh fotnl 
 in Iiis hand ; fainine difVolours the face of men, and makes 
 them look bl.ick, fad, and difmal ; accordingly it is repre- 
 fcntcd by a black horfe ; and the rider having a pair of 
 fcsles in his hand to weigh corn by the pound, and not to 
 meafure i: by the buliitl; imports t!',e j^reat fcarciiy that 
 
 there 
 
Chap. iir. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1121 
 
 there fliould be of bread ; and St. John heard a voice fay- 
 ing, /linfafureofwhi-atforapenny, end three meafures of 
 buriy f'if a p.-nny. 1 he Roman penny was cne ordinary 
 waj^es fur a days' work to a labourer, fo that the quaniity 
 of bread was but fuflicient to keep perfons alive for one 
 day Fjniine is a very lore and terrible juilgnient, it con- 
 fuint> a peiipl; bv piece-meal ; iuther judgments cut cfF 
 Aiddenly. but this is a lmjj;eriog Slid languilhing death : 
 Lord ! help u. in the midltof oul^Alnefs, when we eat the 
 fat, and drink the f\\eet, to reJfrember how righteoufly 
 thou nuyelt cut us ihort of our abuled mercies ; how is it 
 that wf have not long ago linnc(i away our plenty, who 
 have fo often fninetl wiih our plenty ? 2. Oihers 
 underlband the f.imine here reprefentfd by the black horfe, 
 to be meant of a fpiritual f.iinine, a fcarcity of the word 
 of God, wh'ch fell out in the time of the ten perfecutions, 
 when the ftorni fell upon the bifliops, and moft ufeful 
 minifteri in the church, when many bright and burn- 
 ing lamps were extinguillied, others hid under a bulliel : 
 a difinal gloomy day, when the church of God did eat her 
 fpiritual bre.id by wtighr, when all the fpiritual food men 
 could get to keep their foiih alive from day to day could 
 be but fufficient'for that end. 
 
 7 And when he had opened the fourth feal, I 
 heard the voiceof the fourth bead fay, Come, and 
 fee. 8 And 1 looked, and behold, a pale horfe : and 
 his name that fat on him was death, and hell fol- 
 lowed with him .And power was given unto them 
 over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with fword, 
 and with hunger, and with death, and with the beads 
 of the earth. 
 
 The fourth feal opened reprefents a pale horfe (pefti- 
 lente) with death riding upon it ; and he/l, that is, the 
 grave following it, denoting, fay fome, all the calaniiiiesof 
 I'word, pertilence, and famine, which Chrilt (ot. Mark 
 xiii.) foretold fliould come upon the Jews, and caufe an 
 univerf.il deveftation of their city and nation, and as uni- 
 verfal a dtftruclion of thair perfons. Notehere, i. How 
 death isreprefentedaslittingupon a pale horfe ; by a horfe, 
 for his ftrength, there i.^ no refiltingof him ; forhisfwift- 
 nefs, it is always polling towards Ub ; for his office and ufe, 
 which i; to cut off and carry away ; and by a pale horfe 
 for its ghaltlinefs. Death has a grim and ghaftly counte- 
 nance, that Itrikes terror into all hearts, and palenefs into 
 all faces. 2. As terrible as death was, it muft and did 
 receive posver before it could dedroy and kill ; J beheld a 
 pale horfe, Sec. Learn thence, I hat all the executioners of 
 God's wrath and vengeance, fuord pertilence, and famine, 
 death of all kinds, do aftby commiilion, yea, they all come 
 forth with limited commiflion ; power was given to them : 
 others conceive that by thii pak horfe the perfecution of 
 the primitive church was reprefented under the Pagan em- 
 perors, who made her face look pnle like death, by the 
 lofsofa vaft quantity of blood and fpirits, v\ hen the church 
 was mowed down like a meadow, and fprang as fart. 
 
 9 And when he had opened the fifth feal, I faw 
 under the alter the fouls of them that were flain for 
 the word of God, and for the teftimony which they 
 held. 10 And they cried with a loud voic?, faying, 
 
 How long, O Lord, holy and true, doft thou not 
 judge and avenge our blood on them that dwtU on 
 the earth ? ii And white robes were given unto 
 everyone of them ; and it was laid unto them that 
 they fhould reft yet for a little feafon, until their fel- 
 low-ferv mts alfo, and their brethren, that Ihould 
 be killed as thtywere, fhould be fulfilled. 
 
 Here we have the fifth feal oper.ed , under which Chrirt: 
 reprefents to St. John thecmdition of thofe precious fouls 
 of the holy inariers who died for the teftimony of Clirifl, 
 by the bloody hands of tyrants ; the delign whereof is to 
 fupport and encourage all that were to come after in the 
 fa^ne bloody path. Ohferve here, I. The vilion which 
 St. John faw, namely, the fouls of the martyrs ; but how- 
 could they be feen ? Anf. Not by the external fenfes, be- 
 ing immaterial fubftances, but /« fpirit they were feen by 
 him ; he had a fpiritual reprefentation of them made to his 
 mind. Obferve, 2. The place where he faw them, under 
 the alter ; that is, lying at the foot of the alter, as facra. 
 fices flain and prefented unto God. Where notey That 
 however men look upon the death of the martyrr, yet in 
 God's account they die as facrafices : and their blood i.s no 
 other than a drink offering poured out to Qod, which he 
 highly piizi'th, and gracioufly excepteth. Obferve, 3. The 
 caufe of their lulTeriiigs and death defcribed, it was iortke 
 vjo! d of Cod, and for the tejiimony which they held ; as one 
 of the martyrs in the Marian days held up hii Bible at the 
 rtake, faying, " This is that hath brought me hither.'* 
 They die not asmalefad ors, butas martyrs, giving a three- 
 fold tertiiiiony of the truth, a lip tertimony, a life tefti- 
 mony, and a death or bloody teftimony : they held the pro- 
 feflion of their faith farter than they held their own lives. 
 4. What Sr. John heard, a loud cry, faying, Ha-w long ? 
 Not, I, That fouls can fpeak audibly to the ears of men ; 
 nor, 2. That they have any fenfe of lufFerings when they 
 are in glory, it doth not imply that fouU there are in a reft- 
 lels rtate, or that they want true fatisfaction and repofe, 
 when they arc out of the body ; much lefs, 3. Doth this 
 cry fuppofe, that they c.irried with tiiem to heaven anv an- 
 gry relentment, or revengeful difpofitions tewards their 
 murderers; but this cry fuppofes in them a vehement zeal 
 for the glory of God, a flagrant defire that God would 
 clear their innocency, and make known his juftice among 
 men, that he would abolifli the kingdom of Satan, and 
 confummate the kingdom of Chrirt, making all his enemies 
 to become his footltool ; fo that they pray for what Chrill 
 waits in glory, Heb. x. 13. All the revenge here defired 
 was only a vindication of God's holinels and truth, which 
 he hirnfelf had promifed. Obferve, 5. The gracious an- 
 fwer which God gave to the cry of thefe gracious fouls, in 
 which he fpeaks latisfaction to them thefe two ways, 1. By 
 fomewhat given them tor the prefent, 2. By lomewhat 
 promifed them hereafter ; firft, white robes were given a: 
 prefent to every one of them, that is, large meafures of 
 heavenly glory, as the reward of their fufFenngs and fervi- 
 ces, beyond other faints ; as if God had laid, " 1 hough 
 the time be not yet come to fatibfy your defires in the final 
 ruin of Satan's kingdom, yet it (Jiall be well with you in 
 the mean time, you lliail wplk with me in vhite, and en- 
 joy my glory in heaven." Secondly , That is not all, but 
 7 C the 
 
1122 
 
 R E V E L A T ION. 
 
 Chap. v. 
 
 the vfry thing; they cry for (lisll be given iliem afrera lit. 
 lie feafon, for God had more to call iiiiio fufferin^sbefiJes 
 ihem, and they liaving conquered (hall be crowned toge- 
 ther ; as if Gad had laid, " You rny fjithfiil witnefl'es, 
 wait a little while till your brethren be got throug!) the 
 Red-fea of fufferings as well as you, ami then you (hall fee 
 the feet of Chrift upon the necks of all his enemies, and 
 juftice fliall fully avenge the precious innocent blood of all 
 the faints, which in all ages has been (lied for the lellinioiiy 
 of the gofpel, from Abel the martyr to the laft fuffcrer. 
 Now from the whole team thefe leflons of inltruftion : 
 Learn, i. That the fouls of nien perilh not with their bo- 
 dies, but do certainly outlive them, and fubllllin a ftate of 
 reparation from them ; the bodies of thole martyrs were 
 (leftroyed by divers forts of tormenis, but their fouls were 
 cut of the reach of danger, they were in fafeiy under the 
 altar, and in glory, clothed with their white robes, when 
 their bodies were either turneil to alhes, or torn in pieces 
 by wild beafls ; we fliall tiotceafe to be, whenweceafe to 
 breathe ; our fouls do not vanilh with our breath. i- That 
 as the (oul is alive in a (late of feparation from the body, I'o 
 is it awake alfo, and doth not fleep with the body. Mark, 
 Thefe fouls cr/Vi^ with a loud voice, then they were not 
 afleep, though their bodies were afleepin the dull : the 
 opinion of the foul's fleeping with the body till the refur- 
 reftion, is a wicked dream ; it is granted that the organi- 
 cal ads of the foul, that is, fuch acts as do depend upon 
 the members of the body, rauflceafe when the body ceafes ; 
 but we find, when we are afleep, that our loul tan aft of 
 itfelf, without the affiftance of the body ; the foul grieves 
 and rejoices, hopes and fears; chufes and refufes, therefore 
 the foul is not only alive, but awake alfo in its ftate of fepa- 
 ration from the body. 3. That there are not only praifes, 
 but prayers in heaven, and that for jiiftice to be inilifted 
 upon perfecutors here on earth. O the iniferable condi- 
 tion of bloody perfecutors! when heaven and tarth both 
 pray againfl them. 4. That there is no fin committed 
 upon earth, which doth more loudly call for vengeance 
 from God in heaven, and which he will more certainly and 
 fevercly punilh, than perfecutingand wrongingof his faints 
 and fervants. 5. That one realbn ss hy the fuffcring fer- 
 vantsof God are not prefently delivered from their perfc- 
 cutionsis this, becaufe more of their brethren niuft fuffer 
 befidesthem, before their perfecutions are ripe and ready 
 for fignal vengeance. Laltly, That the fouls of God's 
 martyrs (hall be under the altar in heaven clothed in white, 
 enjoying divine glory, before the fatal day of final venge- 
 ance come upon the ptrfecuting world ; for though the j)a- 
 tience of God fulFerslong, yet the holine.'a of God cannot 
 permit that innocency fliould always fiili'er, and violence 
 with perfecution go unpun flied, but in the mean time they 
 fhall put on their crown and their robes. 
 
 12 And I beheld when he had opened the fixth 
 feal, and lo; there was a great earthquake : and the 
 fun became black as fackcloth of hair, and the moon 
 became as blood. 13 And tlie (lars of heaven fell 
 unto the earth, even a^a fig-treecallcth her untimely 
 figs when flieisfhaken with amiyiity wind. 14 And 
 the heaven departed as a fcroll whenit is rolled to- 
 
 gether; and every mountain andifland were moved 
 out of their places. 
 
 A threefold interpretation is given relating to this fixth 
 feal, of the opcnitig of it. (. Some apply ii altogether to 
 the Jews, and that their deftruction in Judea and at Jeru- 
 falem was fo difmal, that it was reprefented to St. Johnas 
 the darkening of the fun, and the moon looking like blood, 
 and the (lars falling, fuch calaniitiesimpendingasif heaven 
 and earth were difTolving ; doabtlefsat and befwre thede- 
 ftruction of Jerufalein there was a confluence of fuch cala- 
 mities, fo dil'inal, and fo dreadful, as can very difficultly be 
 reprefented ordefcribcd. 2. Others apply it to the over- 
 throw of Paganifm, and the deftrudion of the Heathen 
 emperors ; the fall of Paganifm, by means of Conlluntine's 
 converfion tothe chriftian faith, was ihemollterriblc judg- 
 ment that ever fell upon the devil's kingdom ; and accord- 
 ingly, by the earth quiking, the fun's becoming black, the 
 moon's becoming blood, and the (tars falling from heaven 
 to earth, is to be undcrltood the great changes that were 
 made in the Roman empire, by overturning the whole Pa- 
 gan ftate, and inakingchridianity thereligion of the great- 
 eft part of the world ; fo that the fenle'of the foregoing 
 exprelfion is metaphorical, and fignifies a great and gene- 
 ral alteration of the face of affjirs, as if the world was to 
 be another thing. But, 3. There ate that interpret all 
 this of the great and horrible cnnfufion of the chriftian 
 world under aniichrift, when Chrift the Sun of righteouf- 
 nefi began to be oblcured, that is, his doctrine concerning 
 his offices and benefits darkened ; the moon or churcU 
 turned into blood, theftars or p. (tors fjllen from heavenly 
 ofiices, the Scriptures, like the iieaveiis rolled up, forbid, 
 den to be read ; the moi.'ntains, kings and princes in jeo- 
 pardy, and the lOand.^ brought under antichrill's yoke and 
 tyranny. Laflly, Some apply all this to ihehl^ dilFolution 
 of the world, and the final judgment at tht great day, ac- 
 cordintr to what follows in the three next vcrfes. 
 
 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, 
 and the rich men, and the chief captains, . and the 
 mighty men, and every bondman, and every free- 
 man, hid themfelves in the dens and in the rocks of 
 the mountains ; 16 Andfaid to the mountains and 
 rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him 
 that fitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the 
 Lamb ; 17 For the great day of his wrath is come ; 
 and who Ihall be able to fland ? 
 
 Chferve hi re. That if this was meant of the ruin of the 
 Jews at the deltriic^ion of Jprnfaleni, it was exceeding 
 dreadful, and bcfp.ike all forts of men, from the highelt to 
 the loweft, to be uiidera ir.oll dreadful ronfternarion, when 
 they faw an inevitsble vcngeaice coining upon them tor 
 crucifying Chiilt, and perltcutiiig his members, which 
 made ihem run into rocks, and call upon mountains to hide 
 them : If it be applied to the judgment of the great day, 
 it (hev,^s the juftice of Chrift in forcing thole to call upon 
 the mountains to hide them, wh.) by perfecution had driven 
 his members to hide thcml'elves in mountains, dens, and 
 c.ives of the e.irth : Any fort of hope of deliverance would 
 be then welcome ; but alas I all help will fail, and all hope 
 
 wiR 
 
Chap. vii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1103 
 
 will be then in vain ; neither greatnefs nor nnmbrrs v, .11 
 fave a.w fr.m mifery and terror. «hen thai ila>;ot venge- 
 ance i. come, harn. That ^^""•^^'1 '"5';' ''"" 'T"TX 
 how iM.werfuland (Irong foever, (liall fall before the wrath 
 and iMdur-.aiion of Chrilf ; if when Chrill appear^ hke an 
 anj-rv Ln\b, the gre^-elt in th. world fall belore h.m, wh.t 
 will they then do, v^hcn Ch.ifl Ihall put otn the f.ercene s 
 and leveruy of a nuring lion! If the wrath c the Latiib 
 cannot be borne- ; if 'he uobelieving kings and potentates 
 of the earth (hall be call d.wnat the light of ChnlV. ^ here 
 «,an the wicked .nd the (inner appear? If the wrath ot a 
 kin.rbe as the ro.r.ng of a hon, what will be the wrath of 
 God an a.HTv God be? L-it us now be call dovvn at the 
 n>.ht of lin, anci we ni.dl n t be c^tl down hereafter at the 
 ii'i^hi of God : but when o.hers, at hi, appearance, cry to 
 the rocks to cover -hci., and .0 the mountains to fall upon 
 them, ("och as haveleen (in to their abalement and humilia- 
 tion, fiiall fee a Saviour to their joyful fansfaftion, and 
 ipend aneteniitv in therapturou-contemplation andravilh- 
 ing (ruiiion of him. /jmm. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 AND after thefe things I faw four angels ftanding 
 on the four corners of the earth, holding the 
 four winds of the earth, that the winds (hould not 
 blow on the earth, nor on the fea, nor on any tree. 
 
 Cl>prvr, X. That if a temporal judgment of the Jews be 
 here intended, then this vifion reprefented to St John Ood s 
 decreeand purpofe for fufpending the dreadful execution of 
 the threatened and intended vengeance upon Judea tor a 
 time, namely, until God had/c/^^ his murder, that is, 
 iii:.iked them for pr<-fervarion, according to Lzck. ix. 4 Set 
 a mCKk upon the for,h.uds cfthemen, &c. that is.preferve the 
 penitent believers from the common dcftruaion, as the 1 - 
 raelites were prderved in Egypt from thedcftroying angel. 
 1 beheld four angds that had power to inflift judgments ta- 
 m-ne fword, and pettilence, foretold chap. vi. upon Judea, 
 I beheld thefe angels making a ftay and ftop, before they 
 would (uffer thofe mifchisfs to break forth upon the earth. 
 Where nntr, . hat ihe office of the holy angels in heaven is 
 at God's command and by God's direcTion, to execute 
 vengeance, and to inflicl all temporal judgments upon obili- 
 nate llnnershere on earih ; yet glad they are, when it pleales 
 God to ftay and ftop them from a fpeedy execution of his 
 wrath and vengeance : for as judgment is God's ftrange 
 work, in which he does not delight, fo neither is it pleating 
 to the angels as an aft of punilliment, but only in obedience 
 to ihe command of God, and with an eye and refpecl to the 
 olory of God. Ohferve 2. '1 hat it a fpiritual judgment be 
 here intended, as others apprehend, nanKly, thecalamities 
 bcf;i!ling the church by reafon of an apoltacy under anti- 
 chriA ; ihenbv the w'lndsihey underftand herefies, andfalfe 
 doctrines of all forts, which have an impetuous force and 
 violence, like winds, todrive unftable fouls irom their fted- 
 fdliiitls in the truths of God, hito damnable errors. Now, 
 God takes fpccial care that thefe winds fiionld not ^low, 
 ihele aniichrillian < rror'. and falfe doarities I'liould not over- 
 flow ihecanh,nniil he had/> .,/.'^/ hispeoplc, thai i?, fecurcd 
 them from that danger, prefcrving them from fpintnal de- 
 .Stcmt-nr, as thr undoubted fruit of \h<;iTjii'li->^ ] where we 
 
 fee, th.u in all times of public calamity, be it temporal or 
 fpiritual, God has a fpecial care of his own, and' bears a 
 fp. cial regard unto his own ; here he comminds the ingels 
 to hold the winds from fmitini? theearih, until the number 
 of his feali'd ones was completed. 
 
 2 And I fiiw another angel afcending from the 
 eaft, having the feal of the living God. And he 
 cried with a loud voice to the four an;^els to whom 
 it was given to hurt the earth and the lea. 3 Saying, 
 Hurt not the earth, neither the fea, nor the trees, 
 till we have fealed the fervants of our God in theiv 
 foreheads. 
 
 Chfetv.- here, i. The fpecial antl diftinguiaiingcare which 
 God took of his church and faithful people before he fut- 
 fcred the approaching Itorm to come upon the world : he 
 did byanoiher angel cry to the fourangeU that were ready, 
 as God's executioners 'to hurt the narth, that they fliouM 
 hurt nothing until the fervants of God were fealed in their 
 foreheads; Tnd his crying with a loud voice intimates his 
 great csre' to preferve his faithful ones. Q_Kf/?. What was 
 this fealing? An/. Some underftand icof an external v.llbl.i 
 fealing, bv fitting a mark upon their foreheads for prefer- 
 vation" according to Ezck. ix. 4. the letter Tam ^doubtlefs 
 there was fome notification made by almighty God to the 
 deftroying angels, of every one whom he would have pre- 
 ferved Other-: do underftand this feal to be internal, b;' 
 fandtification ; and from thence we may gather, that inward 
 holinels is the beft guard againft temporal or fpiritual judg- 
 ments. But take this fealing in either fenle, either for aa 
 outward or inward fealing, the notion doth imply, i That 
 the perlbns fealed are of precious and excellent efteem 
 with God. 2. It imports prefervation, and fecurity from 
 danger ; God fealeth his people, that the deftruftion com- 
 ing upon others may efcape them ; thus here God's (er- 
 vants were fealed, that they might bepreferved ; that they 
 are kept either from fin and error, or from judgment and 
 danger, is not from theinfelves, but from God's care and 
 love towards them in the fealing of them. 
 
 4 f And I heard the number of them which were 
 fealed ; and there were fealed an hundred a)id forty 
 and four thoufand of all the tribes of the children of 
 Ifrael. 5 Of the tribe of Judah were fealed twelve 
 thoufand. Of the tribe of Reuben were fealed 
 twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Gad were fealed 
 twelve thoufand. 6 Of the tribe of Afer were fealed 
 twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were 
 fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of ManafTeh 
 were fealed twelve thoufand, 7 Of the tribe of 
 Simeon were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe 
 of Levi were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe 
 of Iffachar were fealed twelve thoufand. 8 f3f the 
 tribe of Zabulon were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the 
 tribe of |ofeph wrc fealed twelve thoufand. Of the 
 tribe ofiaenjammtwe fealed twelve thoufand. 
 
 Chl'trv^ here, 1. '1 hat the true church is reprefented in 
 
 this bock by the name of 'he Jew, and liis falle church by 
 
 7 C i ih; 
 
n 
 
 24 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap, vii, 
 
 the Gentiles : To that by the tribes of the children of Ifrad 
 )s ti) be unilerftood the whole univerfal church of fincere 
 and feiious chrirtiaiis, all that profcfs and pradife ihefaiih 
 of Abraham, and fo are his (piriiual feed. 2. That thefe 
 hundred forty and four thoufand arc particularly nientioreil, 
 chap. xiv. I. as the pure virgin church diftinguifhed from 
 the adulterers ; this number then comprehends all fuch as 
 tJurinfrantichriil'siyranny fliouldbe kept from iiisdelulions, 
 of whailoever nation they be; all that adhere to Chrifl 
 againft antichriftare fealed, topreferve them from that de- 
 fetlion wherein others uould be involved. 3. The great 
 care which almighty God takes in a time of general apof- 
 tacy, to preferve a number inall hischurches fromthat fatal 
 siifchief that the catholic church may not fail : God has a 
 number fealed ; and fuch as are fealed fliall be prelerved. 
 4. That though the number of God's fealed ones be great 
 initfelf, 144,000, yet how fmail is it in comparifon of the 
 not fealed. 5. That as God had a number nut of all 
 the tribes of Ifrael, fo «ioth he gather to himfelf a people 
 out of all nations, ran-ks, and conditions of men, in and 
 Throughout the whole world. 6. That the tribe of Dan 
 3S here left out ; the reafons alligned for it are various ; be- 
 caufe, fay iome, antichrift was to come of that tribe : but it 
 doth not any where appear, that ever aliKighty God pu- 
 niflied a people before they committed a fin : others with 
 jnore reafon conceive it was the great idolatry which this 
 tribe fell into and continued in until the captivity, fee 
 Judg. xviii. 3P. and Amos viii. 14. yet we muft not fup- 
 pofe that none of this tribe were faved, becaufe here not 
 mentioned ; for we find SamfoH of this tribe, and reckoned 
 among thofe worthies, whofe names are recorded, Heb. xi. 
 By faith Saw/on. 7. That Levi, or the Levites, who had 
 no inheritance in the earthly Ciuaan, but were difperfsd 
 and fcattered throlighout all the tribes that they might teach 
 the people the law of the Lord, and fo CHuld not be num- 
 bered there ; yet, fays the learnedand piousDr. Hammond, 
 in Chrift their portion was as good as thereff, and therefore 
 were not omitted A^rf, 15ehold here a confideration which 
 adminifters much comfort to us the minifters of the gofpel, 
 though many of us have no earthly poflefTions, and iome 
 cut fiiort of outward comforts, yetour title to the heavenly 
 inheritance is good, and we fliall not mifs of it as the re- 
 ward of our faiihfulnefs. Laflly, That although Levi had 
 the charge of all the tribes, and had the peculiar favour 
 above all the reft to (land before God, and adminifter to 
 him in holy things, yet no Hiore are fealed of this than cf 
 the other tribes ; all were teachers, but all were not fealed ; 
 all are not faved that are of the holy calling, and who may 
 be iuftrumental to fare others. 
 
 9 f After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, 
 which no man could number of all nations and kin- 
 dred of people, and tongues, flood before the throne, 
 and before the Lamb clothed with white robes, and 
 palms in their hands : 10 And cried with a loud 
 voice, faying, Sal vat ion to ourGod which filteth upon 
 the throne and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the 
 an'^els flood round about the throne, and about the 
 elders and the tour bcalls, and fell before the throne 
 on their faces, and worlhippcd God, 12 Saying, 
 
 Amen : Blcffing, and glory, and wifdom, and thankf- 
 giving, and honour, and power, and might k unto 
 our God for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 St. Ji-hn having hadinthe former verfcsa vifionary view 
 of the church militant, under the denomination o{ fealed 
 ones, in thtfe verfes a profpecfl is given him of the church 
 triumphant in heaven ; a mod magnificent defcription of 
 which we have here before us. Where note, 1. The tri- 
 umphant church above, is defcribed by its multitude ; ac- 
 cortiing to thepromile made to Chr\l\,o( bringing many/hns 
 into glory. 2. They are defcribed by their variety ; fonie 
 out of every nation, tribe, people, and language, according 
 to that of our Saviour, Matth. viii. 1 1. They /hull co'ne/rcm 
 theeojt. Sec. 3. They aredefcribed by their poflure, they 
 /fflnJ before the throne, and before the Lamb, as fervants 
 attending upon their Lord, a mod happy ftation, as fuch ac- 
 counted by them ; not that they (land perpetually gazing 
 upon God, and doing nothing elfe ; but they exprels their 
 love unto him, by attending upon him, to execute his com- 
 mand. 4. They arc defcribed by their habit, they are 
 clothed 'jjtth'jihiie rohes, and palms in their hands ; white 
 garments importtheir dignity, theirpurity.'their joy. The 
 faints dignity in heaven is great, they are kings and priefts 
 unto God ; their purity great, being purified as he is pure ; 
 their joy great, being entered inro the joy of their Lord^ 
 this joy being too great to enter into them. Farther, Hosv 
 thefe glorified faints do afcribe all their glory, happinefs, 
 and falvation to Chriff, and nothing to iliemlVlves, Salva- 
 tion to nur Cod who Jitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. 
 Sanfli quafifanguine tinili, fay fome ; " Many of thefe 
 faints were martyrs that (lied ihtir blood for Chrift.'' But 
 mark, '1 heir garments were made white not in their own 
 blood, but in the blood of the Lamb. Again, They are 
 defci'ibed -jjith palms in thtir hands, as well as clothed in 
 white. Now, this denotes their vidory, and the rewards 
 of their viclory. Palms were amongft the Roman? enfigns 
 of vidory. All the faints enter heaven with palms in their 
 hands, having conquered fin, Satan, and the s\ orld, and the 
 whole hod of fpiritual enemies. Ohferve next. How the 
 holy angels in heaven do juin with thefe f.iints and martyrs 
 in worlliipping God, and adoring the Lamb, verfe 11, yind 
 alt the angels ji bid round about the throne. Sic. concurring 
 with thechurch in their congratulations, adding their Amen 
 to w hat the palm-bearers had faid, and much more of their 
 own, afcribing Blejfmg, andglory, andwifJom, Sec. Note, 
 How the triumphant church is made up of an innumerable 
 company ofangtis, aswellas faints, aspartof thechurch of 
 the firft born. (Angtli t-rtint San^i^-.'^ritrir dehent ChrijTo 
 mediatori, fays one.) And St. Paul, Eph. i. 10. fays. That 
 in the difper.fation if thefulnefs if time it might gather to- 
 gether in one, all things in ChriJ}, Sec. W hence it appears, 
 that though angeh tinned not, yet Chrill gathered them 
 and us intoone (ociety,and is an hesd both to them and us. 
 
 13 And one of the ciders anfwered, faying unto 
 me, Whatarethele which are arrayed in white robes.? 
 and whence came they ? 141! And I faiduntohim. 
 Sir, thou knowt.fl. And he laid unto me, Thefe are 
 they which came out of great tribulation, and have 
 wallicd their robes, and made them white in the blood , 
 
 of 
 
Chap. viii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the 
 throne of God, and ferve him day and night in his 
 temple : and he that fitteth on the throne fhall 
 dwell among them. 
 
 As if St. John had faid, One of the elders, not out of 
 ii^orance as to himfelt, but out ofdeHre to inform iiic, 
 allced me, Whether I knew what thcfc were that Rood ar- 
 rayed in white? And I told him, I did not know, but de- 
 fired him to inform me. He replied they were fuch as had 
 fuffered great tribtdation for Chrift, and were now .iccepted 
 of him, and dignified by him ; not for their own worthi- 
 nefs, but for the fake of his fufferings. Note here, i. The 
 prefent ftate and condition of the church of God, and incm- 
 bers of Chrirt in this world, they are in tribulation, yea, in 
 great tribulation here ; as long as there is a devil in hell, and 
 wicked men upon earth, all that will live godlily in Chrift 
 Jefus inuft futfer tribulation. 2. The future ftate which 
 they rtiall be advanced 10, they fliall come out of great tri- 
 bula.'icn ; the faints iharp fulFerings fhall have a joyful iflue 
 and glorious end. 3. That though the crofs was the way 
 to the crown, yet the crofs did not merit the crown : their 
 fufferings would not, could not, bring them to heaven, 
 without having their f^uts luajhed in the blood of the Lamb, 
 much lefs could their fufFerings merit and purchafe heaven \ 
 but it pleafed God of his free grace thus to reward their 
 futferings. They were xvaflied in the blood of the Lamb, 
 whofe blood paid the price of their falvation. 4. The 
 defcription which is here given of heaven; it is called a 
 temple, in allufion to the Jewiih temple, in which God 
 dwelt of old ; as God by his gracious prefence dwelt in his 
 temple on earth, fo by his glorious prefence hedwellsamong 
 his glorified faints in his temple in heaven ; and accerdingly 
 the glorified faints in heaven do temple-fervice, they wor- 
 fhip God continually, and ferve him day and night. In al- 
 lulion this is probably fpuken to the prieils Handing in the 
 material temi)Ie ; and ferving in their courfes night and day, 
 Pfal. cxxxiv. I. Heaven is a place of employment and fer- 
 vice, as well as of pleafure and joy ; and the greateft joy re- 
 fults from the greateft fervice. 
 
 16 They fhall hunger no more, neither tliirft any 
 more; neitlier fhall the fun light on them, nor any 
 heat, ij For the Lamb which is in the midft of 
 the throne fhall feed them, and flrall lead them into 
 living fountains of waters; And God Ihall wipe 
 away all tears from their eyes. 
 
 Here St. John proceeds in giving a farther defcription of 
 the place and ftate of the blelTed ; he acquaints us both with 
 the private evils they iliall be evcrlaftingly delivered from, 
 as alfo with the pofitivc good they Ihall eternally reft in. 
 As to the former he alfures us, that glorified fouls fhall be 
 acquainted with no wants, and expofed to no afflidive pro- 
 vidences. They /hall neither hunger nor thirjl ., that is, they 
 Ihall be in a condition free from all, and all manner of 
 wants whatfoever. Neither /hall the fun, nor the heat lighi 
 upon them \ that is, the fcorciiing heat of perfecution, to 
 which they were expofed here, ftiall never more afted or 
 afflica them there. And God Jha II wipe away all tears from 
 their eyes \ that is, all caul'e of fyrrow and mourning ihnll 
 
 1125 
 
 everlaftingly ceafe. Farther, he acquaints us wi-h the po- 
 fitivc gonj which glorified faints do eternally reii in, the 
 Lamb in the midft of the throne fliall feed them ; that is, 
 Chrift fhall fatisfy them with a fatiety of joy, and fulnefs 
 of pleafure : And lead them to the lieving funlains ofvjater, 
 That is, to the never failing comforts ot God's prefence. 
 O happy place and ftate I which will at once caufe the faints 
 to forget all former forrows for time paft, and ha|)pily pre- 
 vent any farther caufe of afllidion and forrow for lime to 
 come ; where no fin fhall afflift them, no forrow afTed ihetn, 
 no danger affright them, where all tears fhall be wiped from 
 their eyes, all forrows banifhed from their hearts, and ever- 
 lafting joys fhall proffcfs their fouls :Wherc they fhslj obey 
 their God with vigour, praife him with chearfulnefs, love 
 him above meafure, fear him without torment, truft him 
 without defpondency, ferve him without lafliiudc and weari- 
 nefs, without interruption or diftradion, being perftdly 
 like unto God, as well in holinefs as in happinefs, as well 
 in purity as in immortality. Lord, ftrengthcn our faith in 
 the belief of this defirable happinefs, and fet our fouls a 
 longing for the full fruition and final enjoyment of it. 
 
 CHAP. VHL 
 
 AND when he had opened the feventh feal, 
 there was filence in heaven about the fpace of 
 half an hour. 
 
 When he had opened, that is, when the Lamb, who 
 opened the fix foregoing feals, did open the feventh, there . 
 "^^■i filcnce in heaven about half an hour, by wayofallufion 
 to \vhat was done in the temple at the time of offering in- 
 cenfe. The end of which filence was to give St. John an 
 opportunity to contemplate thofe high m>fteries which he 
 had revealed to him, .md to prepare him for new vifions, as 
 filence is cried before the proclamation of great and weighty 
 matters. When great things are to be uttered, great atten- 
 tion IS expeded, andgreat filence prepares for great attention. 
 
 2 f And I favy the feven angels which flood be- 
 fore God : and to them were given feven trumpets. 
 
 Ohfervc\\txe., i. The readinefs of the holy angels to exe- 
 cute the will of God at all times: They fiand before God, 
 namely, to minifter at his pleafure, .nnd to execute judg- 
 ments at his command : Whether thefe were good an<JcIs 
 or bad, it is not material to difpute, feeing God makes bmh 
 the executioners of his judgments when he pleafcs. 2. The 
 nuniber of thefe angels, they ware feven, and no more, be- 
 caufe It pleafed not God to pour down his whole wrath at' 
 once upon the rebellious world, but at divers times, and 
 gradually. 3. That to thefe feven angels were given feven 
 trumpets to publifti God's judgment to the world. Thefe 
 trumpets fignificd that God would proceed againft the world 
 in fearful hoftihty, and appear againft it as an enemy to bar- 
 tie, proclaiming as it were open war, with found of trum- 
 pet, and beat of drum, and hanging out a flag ot defiance 
 •igainft It. The patience ot God, though lafting, yet will 
 not be everlarting. Thefe angels founding the alarm of 
 judgments before they did inflici thefe following dreadful 
 judgments upon the world, fhews that God warns ^before he 
 ftrikes : He doth ufunlly pre-admonilh before he punifheth. 
 
 Judgmen: 
 
1125 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 V 1 n . 
 
 J>i'l. inenr is hU rtrannte work, he iJelijiht<; not in ir. Btit 
 w'ifi) fin call iip..n 1) in to ariCe out o! his place, to punilh 
 thf iiilubi: tits of the e.irth for their iniq.iiiy, he cloth it 
 with unrpe,.k.ihli' n liiftancv and regret I'kc a tender- heart- 
 ed Father, "^ith arod Ml hii hand, andtcjKi in hii eyes. 
 
 3 IT Andaiiotherangclcaincand flood at the alter, 
 
 having a golden cenfor: And there was givt-n unto him 
 
 muchinfence, that he niouldofFer/nvithtiie prayers 
 
 of all laints upon the golden alter whichwa-s before the 
 
 throne. 4. And the fmoke of theinrenle. w/uch came 
 
 with the prayers of the faints, afcended up before God, 
 
 ^ out of the angels hand. 5. And tiic angel took the 
 
 I cenfcr,and filled it with the fire of the alter, and call 
 
 I it into the earth, and there were voices, and thun- 
 
 derings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 
 
 C/yi- !•» here, That all along in the vifion which St John 
 had, a piefentation was made to his mind of things pertain- 
 ing to thejewifli worfliip; his vilionary temple, the alter, 
 the incenfe, thefire, thecrnfer, which he law, wereinallu- 
 fion to the material temple, and to the worfliip and fervice 
 performed there at Jerufjlam ; and accordingly this other 
 angel here mentioned, reprefented the high prii-ll(\\ho was 
 an illultrious type of our Lord Jefus Chrift; whofe < ffice it 
 v.as to offer incenfe at the alter, and therewith to offer up 
 prayers for the people. Farther, that Chrift is here repre- 
 fented as having a golden cenfer, whereas, the highpneft's 
 4 vvasonly of bra Is, to denote that he was a more excellent 
 . high|)rie(l; and the ?w/f/> i«cen/J^ given to him, reprelents 
 hii abundant merits, whereby he renders the prayers of all 
 his faints acceptable to his Father. Learn, That as Chi i(l 
 was theonly Mediator of redemption, fo ishealfo the only 
 Mediaiorof intercefTion ; his mediation is founded upon his 
 faiistaftion : None had to do with thecenierto oHer incencc, 
 but he that had to do withthe alter to offer facrafice : Whcj 
 <lur(t offer to intercede with an ofi'ended God on the be- 
 Jialf of finners, but he that has firfl fatitfud the jultice of 
 God for lin ? Now, to fatiify an olfended Cod ib Chnft's 
 peculiar, therefore to intercede with God authoratively, 
 on the behalf of offenders, is Chrill's fole prerogative. 
 Agiin, Chriil's interctfllon gives virtue and efleft to our 
 lupplicatioiis. This truth wasfignihed, ver. 4. where it is 
 aflirmed, That thi ftmke of the incenfe, kc. that is, the 
 virtue and efficacy ofthe Mediator's merits, which came up 
 withthe prayersot the flints, and pertumetl them, didboih 
 plead for, and procure acceptance with tied. Behold here 
 the true reafon why our liipjihcations do find acceptance 
 '<.\ithCod ; namely, becaiile perfumed with the odours of 
 Chri(P- nitrir, and prefenti d to the Father by his own 
 mediation and iiitcrtcflioii. 1 he Father htareih hiiii ;il- 
 way.', a»d In hedoih all ttieni whofe prayers aie otfcrtd by 
 him. L:i(Hy, The fuccefs and efficacy of the fainti pr.iyi rs 
 thus perfiniKd art) jirt ieiitcd unio Ciod ; there follov\ cd 
 v.ices, anitlhut.ders, atidliehlnings lignifying the wontiertui 
 *flVfti, of prayer, or the terrible ihiiigs tha' « ould follow 
 after their pr.iyers, evtndrejdlul juii;' men ts- upon the earih; 
 • h.it is, upon .'lie find of Judti, lay foisie ; upon the Koiitun 
 empire ' .y titlitrs. Hoa'i. ver it '.vns we may gather thu^ 
 tnuch Iroi!) it, that in limes of natumjl provocation, the 
 Urvtnt pnyers of Ged's faiihlul icrvams have a mighty 
 
 previlency vith G'>d, for ftayinp; off for a 'ime national 
 ruin and deflrnftion. 
 
 6 1 And the feven angels which had the ^Qvcn 
 tiumpi.ts prepared thenifelves to found. 7 TJie hrft 
 angel founded, and there followed hail and lire 
 mingled with blood, and they were call upon tiie 
 earth : And the third part of trees were burned up, 
 and all green grafs was burnt up. 
 
 Note, I. The readinefs of the holy ante's in heaven t<» 
 execute the will and plcalure ofC-od lure oii earth ; they 
 knew tli:it the excruion of God's jiidj>.nienis wa« to be 
 performed by them, and accordingly they prepare thcin- 
 i'elves for it. 2. The judj>,ment (irnnuiited by the firtl 
 angel. Fire and hail viingltd with bhod. A (hauge tioi m, 
 alludng probablv to one of the plague* of Egypt, men- 
 tioned Exod. ix. denoting, fay fmne, direful temporal jiido- 
 rnents which God would Ining upon Judea ingtneraj, and 
 Galilee in particuhir, by bloodfhed and infurrc(Jtion>. The 
 trees, fays Dr. Moore, tignifyihe great men anti the giafs 
 the common people. Others by this flornj ofhjiland 
 blood underdand a fpiritnal jndgment, namely, an inun- 
 dation of herefy upon the chnftian church, which is of a 
 fiery and bloody nature where\'er it prevails, it is a dread- 
 ful plague, and a ccnfuinirg ftorm ; jiiftly iiifl'cfed by God 
 upon a petiple for theircontempr of the gofpel, and rotre- 
 ceiving ihe truthin the love of it, that they mightbe faved. 
 
 8 And the fccond angel founded, and as it were 
 a great mountain burning with fire was call into 
 the fea ; and the third part ofthe fea became blood : 
 9 And the third part of the creatures which were 
 in the fea, and had life, died; and the third pare 
 ofthe fhips were defl.royed. 
 
 Ohferve here, The univerfality of the judgment inflicled ; 
 the former judgment was upon the earth, this upon the fea, 
 that no place might efcape, a ftorm of hail ancl blood falls 
 npon the former, amotint.iinof burning fire is calf in'oihe 
 la Iter ; both fignifying increafing wars and blood Ihed by fea 
 and land according to lome ; the mighty pievalency t)f 
 error and herefy, fay others, and particularly of the Aiian 
 heiefy, which puffs up, and fwells with pride, audisthe 
 harbinger and forerunner of rum and deltrudtion ; as only 
 by pride Cometh contention, (o after pride, or along with 
 pride, cometh dcflruction. 
 
 10 And the third angel founded, and there fell a 
 great ftar from heaven burning as it were a lamp, 
 and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and 
 upon the fountains of waters : And the name ofthe 
 fl^ar is called wormwood : and the third part of the 
 waters became wormwood ; and many men died of 
 the waters, becaufc thty were made bitter. 
 
 'I he next judgment ii.flidid, or rather the farther pro- 
 grcfsohln fi rnurjudginent, w as the intecliiigof the waurs 
 and rivers witli a moital hitternels by a bitter (far falling 
 Iro 11 he i.en inio tluiii ; denoiin;;;, l.iy loiiie, the fall ot a 
 great captain among the Jrws in judea : e.liurs ui'derllniul 
 it of herefy in general; of ilic Aiian licrcly in p.iiticular ; 
 
 ai'.d 
 
Chap. ix. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 11: 
 
 and fome apply it to the fall of Rome, the feat of the 
 weftern empire ; fo Mr. Mede. If it be uiiJci Itood of 
 herefy, it Ihews us what a poifonous, bitter, and deadly 
 nature error and herel'y is of. Error is as damnable as 
 vice, the one is an open road, the other a by-path to hell 
 and deftruftion ; and accnnli/igly that perfcii, and that 
 people, which hive a doe care of their foul's fatvation, 
 will be as much afraid of erroneous principles as they are 
 of debauched praiflices. 
 
 1 2 And the fourth angel founded, and the third 
 part of the fun was fmitten, and the third part of the 
 moon, and the third p.irt of the ftars ; fo as the third 
 partof them was darkened, and the day (hone not for 
 a third part of it. and the night likewife. 13 And I 
 beheld, and heardan angelflying through the midft of 
 heaven, faying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo to the 
 inhabiters of the earth, by reafon of the other voices of 
 the trumpetof the three angelswhich areyet to found. 
 
 Obferve here, i. That by fun, moon, and ftars, in fcrip- 
 ture-prophec<es, the potentates and powers of a ftate are 
 under (h'.od ; accordingly the darkening of the fun, moon 
 and ftars, fignifies generally the fall of fome great powers 
 either ecclelialtical or civil ; others who interpret thefe 
 judgmetns fpiritaally, by the darkening of the fun, moon 
 and ftars, do iiiidcrftand the prcvalency of ignorance and 
 error in the chorch, occalioning a fearful edipfe of that 
 faving and comfortable light wliich would illuminate our 
 eyes, and direct our fteps in the way that leds to eternal 
 h.ipjjinef?. 2. 'I'hat in this and all the former judgments, 
 the third part only is mentioned as fmitten, which fhews 
 that the Lord corrf(fls in meafiire, and delights more in 
 mercy than in juftice, and defires rather the converfion 
 than confufion offmHer';, by making the punilhraents of 
 dome inftruclive warnings unto others. 3. God's way of 
 dealing with his people in giving warning of future and 
 J'evere jiidgmtnrs before they come, / heard an angt I flying 
 ihrouoh thit'iid/l of heaven, faying /^'o, fee. thus God warneth 
 of approaching judgments before they come, that finners 
 iijay repent, sndhi^ own people being forew.irned, may be 
 foieariiied ere the judgment conies upon them. Pr.ttnonkl, 
 pr^mutini, previfti jucul^ viinuj feriunt ; darts forcfeen are 
 dinilef^. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 AND the fifth angel founded, and I faw a flar fall 
 from heaven unto the earth : and to him was 
 given the key of the bottomlefs pit. 2 f And he 
 opened the bottomlefs pit, and there arofe a fmoke 
 out of the pic, as the fmoke of a great furnace ; and 
 the fun and the air were darkened by reafon of the 
 (moke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the 
 (moke locufts upon the earth ; and unto them was 
 given power as the fcorpions of the earth havepovver. 
 4. And it was commanded thein that they (hould 
 not hurt the grafs of the earth, neither any green 
 thing, neither any tree ; but only thofc men which 
 have not the feal of God in their foreheads.. 
 
 Obferve here, i. That thofe who undrrftood ih's wode. 
 nouiiced by the fifth angel, todenotea temporal judgmeiir, 
 apply it to the Jewifli fediicer, who headi d the rurl)ulenc 
 zealots ; he was a ringleader of mi'll liellifh villains, and the 
 r.ealots under him did all the mitchiefs imaginable, march- 
 ing up to Jt;rufali?in, plundering the city, feizing the tem- 
 ple, and killing the high-piieft, with thereft of the priefts ; 
 but by God's providence it fo happened, that thi<. judgment 
 of the zealots fell not upon the clirilKians, fignifiid by the 
 trees and green things, but unon the Jews theinfelves only, 
 becaufe they were not of the faction of zealots. 2. That 
 thofe who underftand this vio to intimate a fpiritual judg- 
 ment, apply it, fome to the firft rifing of the Turks and 
 Mahometans, others to the papacy and papal clergy : Mr. 
 Mede applies it to the former, King James to the Iittr-r : 
 " By locufts and grafshoppers (fays he) underftand monks 
 and friars, who leem to fly a little from the earth, biit in 
 deed are gorge-bellied devourers: in locufts you fee little but 
 a mouth and a belly ; in monks you fee a mouth to mumble 
 over inaffes, and a belly to confume ; they feizcd, when 
 time was upon the meadows, the fat and plealant parts of 
 the land, and like grafshoppers conlumed every green, that 
 is, every good thing." 3. The coinmiiTion and command 
 given to them not to hurt the trees ; fuch as are fruit-bearS 
 ing and fruitful bearing chnftians, are preferved, and the 
 ftorm falls upon drofTy hypocrites : whence we may remark. 
 That in times of error and fedudlion, as well as in times 
 of judgment and calamity, God takes a fpecial care of his 
 faithtul ones for their prefervation ; and has a fpecial regard 
 to the fruit of the trees of righteoufnefs. 
 
 5 And to them (which had not the feal of God in 
 their foreheads) it was given that they (hould not kill 
 them, but that they fhould be tormented five months: 
 and then- torment was as the torment of a fcorpion, 
 when he ftriketh a man. 6 And in thofe days (hall 
 men feek death, and iliall not find it; and fliall 
 defire to die, and death (hall flee from them. 
 
 That is, God would bring fuch dreadful judgments and 
 calamities upon the wicked world, that men ihould prefer 
 death before life ; and it fliould be anaffliftion beyond all- 
 other afHiftions, that they could not die ; to Hee death is a 
 great mifery ; but to have death f5ee from us, or flee be- 
 fore us, and not be able to find it, is a far greati-r mifery ; 
 God can fo inibitterjife by atHidions and i'uffering'., that 
 thofe who dread death may yet delire to die ; not for any 
 good that they fee in death, but only to get rid of the 
 troubles of this life. 
 
 7 And the (liapes of the locufts were like unto 
 horfes prepared unto battle : and on their heads zycre 
 as it were crou^ns like gold, and their faces luac as 
 the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair 
 of women, and their teeth were as //jc if^^A of lions. 
 9 And they had breaflplates as it were breaftplates of 
 iron ; and the found of their wings was as the (bund 
 of chariots of many horfes running to battle. 10 And 
 they had tails like unto fcorpions, and there were 
 flings in their tails : and their power was to hurt 
 
 men 
 
112S 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 X. 
 
 nun five months, n And they Iiad a king over 
 thein whuh is the an_;cl of the bottoinlels pit, 
 whole njine in the Hebrew tongue is Abadden, 
 but in the Greek ton^ucknth his name Apollyon. 
 
 Th.s mtMiihoiical defcription cf a teriible army ot 
 cruel mm, feeins very pLiiii ; Tome underllaiid it of the 
 Je A ilhzejiots, who appeared as warr'ors, atid were devour- 
 ing vAallers ; they lonked like men, kind atid friendly, and 
 preienJi g to be redeemers of the people, faviours of, and 
 benefactors to their country ; but at the fame tune plun- 
 dering and carrying away the Ipoils of their brethren 
 without any tendernets or coinpiifion. Others apply all 
 this to the papal clergy, numerous, like loculls ; well fed, 
 like horfes for battle ; mighty, for earthly pulleliions ; 
 rrcuai^iike petty princes ; eiUuring, like women with 
 their^HB^]d otlier ornamf nfs, &c. Other? again make 
 the appiicarron to belong to the Turks and Sar.icens, who 
 are reprefented as hiving many crowns on their heads, 
 and as moved with wMiigs, in regard of the many and vaft 
 conquefts, fays Mr. Mrde, which they made in a (hort 
 time, even Paleftma, Syria, Armenia, Alia and Lefs, and 
 many others; as to the kiig nanitd here, Abaddon and 
 Apollyon, fome underlland it to be the devil, others Ma- 
 homet, others the Pope ; to whom, to every of whom, the 
 name of a deftroyer too fi;ly belongs, as feeking and en- 
 deavouring to deftroy men's fouls, and by bloed and per- 
 fecution to deftroy and lay waile the church of Chrilt. 
 
 12 5 One wo is paft ; and behold there come two 
 woes more hereafter. 13 H And the fixth angel 
 founded, and I heard a voice from the four horns 
 of the golden alter which is before God. 14 5 Say- 
 ing to the fixth angel which had the trumpet, Loofe 
 the four angels which are bound in the great river 
 Euphrates, 15 And the four angels were looled, 
 which were prepared for an hour and a day and a 
 month and a year, for to flay the third part of men. 
 16 And the number of the army of the horleman, 
 ■were two hundred thouland thoufand : and I heard 
 the number of them. 
 
 Note here, i. From rhofe words, One wo is paji, andlvio 
 more are to come, that God has a llorehoufeof judgHieni5,as 
 well as a treafury of mercy, and when one judgment will 
 not do, he has more to infli^V. %. The golden altar, -vhich 
 is here faid to be before God, fignifies our Lord JelusCh rift, 
 bis p'lrity and excellency, and his appearing continually in 
 the prefence ot his father for us, as our JnterccfTor and 
 Mediator. 3. That this vaft army of horfemen, conliilingof 
 two hundred thoufand thoufand, is expounded generally of 
 Turks and Arabians whohave vaftarmies beyond all nations 
 whom God makes the executioners of his vengeance at his 
 pleifiirc. 4. Whereas it is faid, that the four angels were 
 bound in the great river Euphrates, and, till lool'i d by 
 God's command, could never hurt nor ftir, it teaches us, 
 that the Lord has Satan, and :>ll his inftniments, \x\ his own 
 po»ver to Ivjofe them for our (ins and to bind rhein again 
 for our repentance : though their malice be infinite, yet 
 their power is bounled ; they cannot do all the niifchief 
 they would, and they (hall not do all they can. 5. I'liat 
 when thefe deftroying angels were looicd, their time of 
 
 hurting was limited toayear,tinii a monthanda duy / fliew- 
 i"g, that the let and ile irminaic time of the wukid's jn- 
 folency is 3p;i..:nted by God to be either (liorier or longer 
 as he thinks fi ; yea they execute noihiiiji but with a di- 
 vine permiHion ; nay nothing without a Ipeciil warrant and 
 commililon from'dod, h 13 matter of fingular conlolation 
 to u>, that evil angeU and wicked men areliiiiitid powers ; 
 they cannot move, mtithleA hu-^t, till Gxl luofe them. 
 
 17 And thus I faw the horfes in the vifion, and 
 them that fat on them, having breaflp atesof hre and 
 ofjacinth and brimflone : and the heads of the horfes 
 were as the heads of lions : and out oftlicir mouths 
 illued fire and fmoke and bnmflone. 18 Vl>y thefe 
 three was the third part of men killed, by the fire 
 and by the Imuke and by tiie brimllonc which ilfued 
 out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their 
 mouth, andiiuheirtails: foiuhcir tails wtre like unto 
 i'erpents, and ii^d heads, and witli them they do hurt. 
 20 And the rdl of the men which were not killed 
 by thefe plaj^ucs, yet repented not of the works of 
 their hands, th;it they fhouldnot worlhip devils, and 
 idols of gold and filver and brafs and (tone and of 
 wood, which neither can lee, nor hear, nor walk: 21 
 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their 
 loicenes, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. 
 
 St John procei ds fcere in dc'cnhing this vaft army of 
 Turksand Ar.ibians, that with incredible fwiftnels did over- 
 run andrun theeaftern churches. All thefe expreffions of 
 fire, and brimftone, and fmoke, denote that crueldevaliation 
 and deftruc1it)n v> Inch was occadoned by the Turk' and 
 Mahometans. Behold here the inftrunients of Satan, hjw 
 his ow n cruel and dt ftnictive nature is diicovereJ how tx- 
 ceedingly he is delighted in the perdition of mankind, hav- 
 ing beena murderer from the beginninjr. In the two laft 
 vei les St. John declares, 1 . \V hat w ere the (ins which pro- 
 em cd fo great a plague, namely, idolatry and worfliipping 
 theworksot theiro. n hands, a (in very odious to God, and 
 for which God fuffered the Turks so be fo leverea fcourge 
 tochriftendom ; what little realon had the Chriftians then 
 to call their wars againft the Turks, the holy wars, when 
 idolatry the caufe of it, was not repented of ; what fuccefs 
 could they expect, as longas the idolatry of Chriftian-, and 
 their other provoking (ins were fo many ? Ovftrve farther, 
 What was the end God aimed at by fuch itrong phyfic, 
 by fuch terrible judgments as he then brought upon 
 the world ? it was to bring them to repentance ; but fo 
 mad was the anii-chrdtian w orlil upon thciridols, that they 
 would not be reformed by the judgments they faw upon 
 their brethren. Hence learn. That when God once begins 
 to enter into judgment with a (inful people, he will follow 
 them with a vawety and fucctilion of plagues and judg- 
 ments one upon another, till he has either brought them 
 to himfelf, or brought them to nothing. 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 AND I faw another mighty angel come down 
 from heaven, clothed witii a cloud : and a rain- 
 bow -was upon his head, and his face xuas as ifwere 
 
 the 
 
Chap. x. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1129 
 
 the fun, and his feet as pillars of fire : 2 And he 
 had in his hand a little book open. And he fet his 
 right foot upon the Tea, and hh Idt/ooi on the earth. 
 
 This angel is concluded to reprefcivt our Lord Jefiis 
 Chrifl, the angtl of the covenant ; he is called a mighty an- 
 gel, in oppofition to the mighty enemies of his church, men- 
 tioned in the foregoing chapter ; he is faid to come down from 
 heaven, to intimate his fignal ami feafonable appearing for 
 the relief of his church ; ektheduilb a cloud, rcprefentingthc 
 manner of his coming in the clouds at the final judgment ; 
 with a niinbcw on his head, fignifving that covenant of peace 
 •which he had made with his church, ami' his continual 
 niindfulnefs of that covenant: His face was as the fun, to 
 denote that light of comfort and deliverance which he 
 would bring to his church in his own time : His feet as 
 pillars, fignifying the Iteadinefs and {lability of his purpofes 
 and a<£lions, that where he fets his feet, none can remove 
 him ; and as pillars of fire, denoting his ability to tread 
 down his enemies under him, and alfo to confume them ; 
 this is according to the defcription of his perfon given, 
 chap. i. 15, 16. The emblems and figures by which he 
 is rcprefentcd here, are the fame by which he was deffribed 
 there ; confequently he is the fame perfon. Obferve, The 
 accotmt of \viiat he did, He had a little hiok in his hand open, 
 to dirtinguifli it from the former book fealed ; a book in 
 which the purpofe and decree of God was made known, 
 concerriing what (hoiild happen to the church \ a book fealed 
 and (hut to us, but obvious and open to Chrift. Chrilt, that 
 lay in the bofom of the Father, reveals his Father's fecrcts 
 to us, fc far as it is needful and neceflary tor us to know 
 them. And loe fet his right foot on the fca, and his left foot 
 on the earth, to let us know his fovereignty and dominion 
 over the whole world ; as well over the turbulent and un- 
 quiet, as over the quiet and more peaceable part of it ; and 
 alfo to fignify his ability to tread down bis enemies, where- 
 ever they are ; a confideration that adminillcrs much com- 
 fort and confolation to his church ; his doininiun is over 
 the earth and fea, none can difpollefs him of hii power, and 
 none can efcape his prefence. 
 
 3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a Ijon 
 roareth : and when he had cried, feven thunders ut- 
 tered their voices. 4 And when the feven thunders 
 ha.d uttered their voices, I was about to write : and 
 I heard a voice from heaven fjying unto me, Seal 
 up thofe things which the feven thunders uttered, 
 and ivrite theiH not. 
 
 This angel, who reprefented Chrift, the Lion of the tribe 
 of Judah, is faid to cry like a roaring lion, whofe voice is 
 both loud and terrible ; this, fome conceive, fliadovi-ed forth 
 the efficacious and fuccefsful preaching ot the go pel, and 
 that the feven thunders fignified the fame ; but others appre- 
 hend hereby tiie thundering judgments 0I God, which were 
 fliortly. to be inflidted on the wicked world ; and particularly 
 oii Jertifaiem by Titus, fay fome ; upon antichriit and his 
 adherent;., fay others. The judgments of God are fitly fti 
 forth by thunder, bccaufe they do not fly at random, hv.x by 
 divine dircdli n; the l^udnefs, the fvvittnefs, the forceabic- 
 refb of thunder is known, and the terribknefs of God in 
 his doings towards the children of men, has been fufficiently 
 
 underftand. Obferve next, S*. Joim's intention to write 
 what thcfe thunders uttered, for the benefit ot the church, 
 as conceiving them to be of great concernment to her ; 
 but he receives a command from Chrift to the contrary, not 
 to do it at prefent ; God forefeeing that the oppofers would 
 not hear, but defpife ; therefore thefe judgments fliall be 
 known by experience, and not by words. Others fay, this 
 inhibition was only temporary, not perpetual : write them 
 not, th^t is, conceal them for the prefent, till thou haft thofc 
 things reprefented to thee in other types, and till they arc 
 nearer their accomplifliment ; hereafter he might write thein, 
 for what God revealed to John, was to be flicwcd to his 
 fervants, chap. i. I. 
 
 5 And the angel which I faw ftand upon the fea 
 and upon the earth, lifted up his hand 10 heaven, 
 6 H And fware by him that liveth for ever and ever, 
 who created heaven and the things that therein are, 
 and the earth and the things that therein are, and 
 the fca and the things which are therein, that there 
 fhould be time no longer : 7 But in the days of 
 the voice of the feventh angel, when he fhall begia 
 to found, the myflery of God fhould be finilhed, as 
 he hath declared to his fervants the prophets. 
 
 The angel that reprefented Chrift, is here reprefented to 
 St. John zs f wearing, Ohjerve, I. The ceremony ufed in 
 fwearing, Hjting up of the hand to heaven, appealing thereby 
 to God as a wiinefs, and a judge. 2. The perfon fvvorn 
 by, God, defcribed, (i.j By his eternity, He lives for ever, 
 before and after all time. (2.) By his omnipotency and 
 almighty power in the work of creation, making heaven, and 
 earth, and the fea, and all things that are therein. An oath 
 is proper to God, and as we are to fw ear by G d, fo God 
 is only to be fvvorn by. Ohfcne 3. The thing fuorn, 
 namely, That time ftiall be no fnore \ that is, that there ftiould 
 be no farther delay of tiine, for the deftrudtion of Jerufa- 
 lem, and the obdurate Jews, fay fome ; for the ruin of the 
 Roman empire, for the deftruction of antichrift, fay others ; 
 the performance of God's word, both in his promifes of 
 deliverance to his church, and in the execution of judgment 
 on her enemies, are now at hand. 4. The pmmiie iiiade, 
 and the aifurance here given, namely that the myjiery of 
 God f}}'iuld be finijhed, that is, the deliverance of the church 
 fhould be completed, and the final contufion of her enemies 
 fhall be accompliftied ; wiiich is called a myflery, bccaufe 
 the world imderftands it not, nor will they belitve the I'air.e. 
 As myfteries have their own time to be made rr,anitelt in, fo, 
 to the coinfort of the faithful and the terr(>r of the wicked, 
 a day was then approaching, in which the happy condition 
 of the afflicted fhould appear, and the calamitous ftate of the 
 ungorily be difcovered. 
 
 8 And the voice which I heard from heaven fpakc 
 unto me again, and faid, Go, and take the little book 
 which is open in the tiand of the angel, winch llandeth 
 upon the fea and upon the earth. 9 H And I went 
 unto the angel, and faid unto him, Give me the 
 little book. And he laid unto me, Take tt, and eat 
 it up ; aiid it fhall make thy belly bitter, but it fliall 
 
 y D De 
 
1130 
 
 R E V E L A T ION. 
 
 Chap. xi. 
 
 f 
 
 be in thy mouth fwcet as honey, lo And I took 
 the httlc book out of the angel's hand, and eat it 
 up ; and it was in my mouth Tweet as honey: and 
 as loon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 1 1 
 And he laid unto me, Thou mull propheiy again 
 before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, 
 and kings. 
 
 Expofitors generally make this /;'///;• iook the emblem ef 
 the holy fcriptures, and ihe command given by the angel, 
 fo Si John to eal this bonk, imports the great duty of ttudy- 
 ing dilij^ently the holy kriptures. inwardly digcfting iheiii, 
 and making ihem our own by particular applcation. What 
 we eat is turned into noiirilhment, and becomes one fub- 
 (lartc with ourfelves ; thus the myllenes oi the golpel 
 mult be eaten by the interpreters ol gofpel myfterJes. It 
 is not enough that we knosv divine things, hut we mull 
 know them divinely ; we muft have a favoury knowledge 
 of them, and an experimental acquaintance wjth them. 
 Ghfirve, 2. The etf ct ^\ hicli eating of thi? book had up<in 
 St. John, it was in hi> mouth Iwect as honey, in his hfWy 
 very bitter ; Thai is, the knowledge he had of divine mytte- 
 ries, was in itft If very pleaCant, but the knowledge ot the 
 perfecution* and cruellies w hith the chriltians were to fuf- 
 fer and undergo, was very bitter to hK foul Learn, i hat 
 though communication of light from God, and the revela- 
 tion of the mind and v\ ill of Gcd. be in itfelf very dt light- 
 ful to his miniilers, yet in rcfpecfl of the fad nieffages con- 
 tained in his word, it is very burdenfomeand bitter to them : 
 however, it being the burden of tlieLord, they muft bear 
 it, they muft carry it. Every good man, much more every 
 gracious minifter, has a very h gh eftimation of the word 
 of God, he eftfems it as food, he efteems it as neceffary 
 food ; heefteeHis it more than hisneccfTiry food; but \«.hen 
 God fends us to dc nounce judgments upon fiiiners, our 
 belly trrmklfs, our lip- quiver anguilh takes hold upon us, 
 we delire not ihe wofnl day. Lord, thou knoweft. Ohferve 
 laftly, f he alTurance God gives St. John of farther reve- 
 lations of hi'- mind unto him /4f thou hnjt frrp'^efi-d, fo 
 th'ju mujl p' ophefy ag.iin before many feople, and mitvins, 
 and tongues, und kixgs; lee here in St. John'> perlon the 
 true end and reafon why God calK his miiiifters, and tits 
 them viith gifts, and w. hy they turnifli themfeives with 
 acquired abilities: it is to render themlVlve-- iht more fer- 
 viceable in his work, t'lat they may Ipeak of his word before 
 k'n^s, and not be afliamed. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod; 
 and the an^ci llood, laying. Rile and mealurc 
 the temple of God, and the altar, and them that 
 worfhip therein. 
 
 Cb/ervehere, i. The command gi"en by God to St- John 
 to lake a turvey of his chunh. his fpiriiuji temple, confid- 
 ing of living Itones. ami built upon ihi chief corner-ltone 
 Jefus Chrill. God's faithlul and true worfljippers are only 
 thole w horn God will have to be mcjfured, and t-iken no- 
 lice of as being his part .,nd portion, hit tabernacle in \vhich 
 be will dwell. And, bkflcd be God ! in the worft of times 
 
 they are meafiirable ; even ifi times of epidemical degcne- 
 racv, and univrrLI apuftauy, Gud has a nu iibL-r to ftand 
 up for his name, and to bear witnefv to his irutli. 2. That 
 th- temple, the .iltar, and the worthippers therein, are here 
 all joined together, and the command given, is to meafure 
 thi ni together. Arife, and vieafure the temple, the attar, 
 and them that luorfljip ihrrein ; intimating, that the true 
 church, and the trut; worlhippers, are ever found together ; 
 and by the true «or(liip and true worlhippers, i- the true 
 church ever known; (o thai if the queftion be alkrd, 
 " Wliere is true cliurth?" the anfwer is. Where the true 
 altar is; and where the true worlhip is, there the true 
 church is: That worlhip, which will bear God's meafur- 
 ing reed, the fecurity of the fcruiting, and the exainin uion 
 of hib holy word ; where that worlhip is found, there the 
 church of God is found. 
 
 2 But the court which is without the temple, 
 leave out, and meafure it not : for it is given unto 
 the Gentiles : and the holy city fliall they tread 
 under foot forty and two months. 
 
 Ct/trve here, What St. J.>hn is forbidden to meafure, 
 and commanded to leave out, as no part of the irue 
 chuich, namely. The cow t 'jahich is -juithout the itmple ; 
 that is, that part of the vifihle chuich which is t-vrr-run 
 with idolatry, and anti chriftian worlhip, as bad a; Genti- 
 lifm, and accordingly ftiall be treated as Gentiles, and 
 trodden dosvn under foot, as drolTy hypocrites : Meafure 
 the temple, lays God, but not the cut-jjard curt. The tem- 
 ple had but few w orlhipper-, ihepnefts only, incoiiiparifo:! 
 of the out\\ ard court, \\ here the body of the people w as ; 
 whence we lee tliit the true church is b\it I malt, very /mall, 
 in coinparifon of the falfc and anti-chriftian church, and 
 confequcntly multitude can be no right note cf the true 
 church- Cbferve farther, That whereas thele Gentiles are 
 faid to tread under foot the holy city torty-t\< o tnonihs, 
 thereby is lignified, that they fliould kill and perfecine the 
 true fpoi'le and church of Chnlt (railed the holy ciiy in 
 allulion to the earthly Jerul'alem) during the time of anti- 
 chrirt't prevalency, >et here we have the church's grcund 
 of comfort and lupport, that her prtfTures, and antichrift's 
 prevalency, Ihall be but for a limited time, a fliort time. 
 The h'-ly city, Jhall they tread under fo'it fvrty and two 
 months. 
 
 3 f And I will give pcra)er unto my two witneffcs, 
 and the)- Iball propheiy a thouiand two hundred 
 and threclcore days clothed in lackcloth. 
 
 Oh/erve here, 1. Th.it the church of God, during anti- 
 chrilt'-> prevalency, fhall not w ant w iiiuflt s, cr faithful 
 tedclier*, though removed by perfecuiion into corners 2. 
 By mentioning two only, we may gsther the paiiciiy of 
 faithful teachers dur ng the time of antiihrift's presalency, 
 t:i-t are a number but the leaft of nun-btrs: We n.ult 
 not liave our eye upi n the multitude, or conclude that i' is 
 not truth which is not embraced andprafliled by the nioft : 
 The irain of Chrift i^ not large, nor are hi? ways thronged 
 as they ought, few coniparaiivelv there be that walk in 
 them. As they, whom he cills forth to be eminently his 
 
 viitoefles 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1131 
 
 witnelftfs, are not many, thererorecalled /-a»o ; fo ihey that 
 received their witnefs are but few, for the wo' Id wonders 
 after th; heafl. Qjfff. But who and what are thefe wit 
 ncffes .' ^nfw. Tlie whale furcelTion of faithful minifters, 
 martyrs, and confeffbrs, which almighty God, fropi time 
 to time, has raifed up in hii church to be the alTerters and 
 maintaiiiers of divine truth, and to bear their teUimony for 
 Chrift againd all herefies, blafphemies, idolatries, and ulur- 
 pations in the time of aotichrilt's rtign. Ohfcrve, 3. The 
 proper work of thefe witnefTes declared, it is to prophefy ; 
 that is, to inftrucl the people how to worlli'p Giid accord- 
 ing t» his word and wiil. The manner of their prophe- 
 lynig is faid to be xufacltchlh ; that is, in much siHiiftion, 
 and with great lamentation, bewailing the pollutions of 
 the church by the overfpreadings of idolatry : and rhetime 
 of tlieirprophefying is laid to be a th'iufand Iwi hundred and 
 thr eff core days ; that is, duringthe time ofantichrift'sreign, 
 fo long the witnelTes fliail have a mournful time of it ; dur- 
 ing the whole reign of aniichrilt, God will have a true 
 church, a true miniftry, and faithful witnefles, whom, 
 t*)out>h aniichrift will fight with, yet he (hall never prevail 
 againlt. 4. How Goi ispleafed to own and bear witnefs 
 to thefe witnefles. i. rie calls them /j/V, my tvjo •milnejf- 
 es, 1. He gives them /^tfiucT to propht/y ; that is, they 
 have their commilTlon and authority fnv.n him, and they 
 areenabled. allifted, and fucceeded by him in thedifcharge 
 of their leftimony : Jheir refolution and courage is from 
 God, who calls them forth to bear their teftimony for him. 
 I.er.rnhence, That when Gjd calls any of his to a mar- 
 tyr's fire, he does endue them wiih a martyr's faiih ; he 
 furnifhes his miuifters and faithful fervants with noble en- 
 dowments, anfwerable to their great employments ; God 
 evermore gives much grace, where he tries grace much. 
 As the command of God makes every duty necefTary, fo 
 the alFillance of Cod makes every duty ealy, and the re- 
 ward of God makes every duty and fervice gainful and ad- 
 vantageous. 
 
 4 Thefe are the two olive-trees, and the two 
 candlcflicks (landing before the God of the earth. 
 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth 
 out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies : 
 and if any man will hurt thetn, he mull in this man- 
 ner be killed. 6 H Thefe have power to fhut hea- 
 ven : that it rain not in the days of their prophefy : 
 and have power over the waters to turn them to 
 blood, and to fmite the earth with all plagues, as 
 often as they will. 
 
 Ob/e'vehert, 1. A double title given by God unto the 
 two \\itne(re-=, fpokcn of in the former verfe ; they are 
 ftyled olive-trees and candle/licks . As the olive-tree is al- 
 wavs green, fo the miniffry of thefe witnefles is lively and 
 efficacious; as the olive is a fign of peace, and the oil that 
 drops from the olive, an emblem of grace, fo the minillry 
 of thefe witnefll-s was a miniftry both of grace and peace. 
 Again, they are called olive-tree^, becaule they aretonii. 
 nifter oil to the candlefticks. which aro to hold out light 
 unto otheis. Wevenote, That the tule of candl>'(lick^glven 
 to the churches chap. i. is here given to the minifters of the 
 
 church ; parti/ to fljew the near relation that is bstwecR 
 them, and partly to point out the du:y that is mutually in- 
 ciuiibent upon them ; namely, to hold forth ihe light of 
 truth unto others. And farther, Thefe candleftick are 
 f.iirl xofiand before theCod of the earth, fignifying their fide- 
 lity in the difcharg<^ of their duty, as in the prelVnce of 
 God before whom they (tand. Ohferve, 2. The efficacy 
 at)d power ofthefe witnefTes' minittry inthe certain efl^eds 
 of It. What was faid of Elijah and Elifha literally, isap. 
 plied unto them fpiritually. i. As Elijah brought fire 
 down from heaven, which devoured the enemy, fo fire 
 proceeds out ofthefe wiinelTes' mouth not by way of im- 
 precation, but by way of denunciation, pronouncing the 
 threatnings anil judgments of God againft them, coniinu- 
 ing in their impenitency. 2. As Elijah had power to (hue 
 heaven, fo have thefe witnefles power to do the like dur- 
 itig the time of their prophefy; that is, God is provoked 
 for the world's ill treatment of his faithful witneflTes. to 
 «ith-hold the (piritua! rain of the world, and therefrefliing 
 tJodrine of the gofpel from them, Again, When it is faul 
 that thefe witnefles have power to/«/n theivaters intobhod, 
 and to fmite the earth with all,plagues, there is a mani- 
 fert allufion to Moles and Aaron, who exercifed fuch a 
 power, Exod. vii. Accordingly, God being provoked by 
 the indignities offered :o his faithful witnefles, permits the 
 pure dodriiie of the gofpel to be corrupted, and avenges 
 their caufe. by bringing judgments on the world, as Moles 
 did upon Egypt, according to the threatnings denounced 
 by them. Whence we may learn. What great cretlit and 
 edeeem the faithful witnefles, and miniders of Chrill, are 
 in with God ; what power and prerogative is given to them, 
 far furpalfing the power of any mortal prince, even a power 
 to open and (hut heaven, te turn waters into blood, and to 
 fnite the earth ; that if, God doth all thefe things upon a 
 juft occalion, in vindication of them, and in revenge for 
 the injuries done unto them. 
 
 7 And when they fhall have finiflied their tefti- 
 mony, the b(-aft that afcendeth out of the bottom- 
 lelspit fliall make war againft them, and fhall over- 
 come them, and kill them. 8 5 And their dead 
 bodies fhall lie in the ftreet of the great city, which 
 fpiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where alfo 
 our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people, 
 and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, fhall fee 
 their dead bodies three days and an half, and fliall 
 not luffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 
 And they that dwell upon the earth fhall rejoice over 
 them, and make merry, and fhall fend gifts one to 
 another : becaufe thefe two prophets tormented thera 
 that dwelt on the earth. 
 
 1 hefe verfes fet before us the barbarous ufage which the 
 two witnefles (honid meet wi-h from the antichriftian 
 world, for the faiihtul difchargenf their duty, I hey /':.:/! be 
 (lain, politicaliyandcivilly, fdyfome, depofcd, lileiiced, iin- 
 prilbned, and laidalideas ufejefs, and dead, Literallv. fay 
 others, they Ihall be put to death for the teltiniony of Jcfus, 
 by biood(htd, fire, and f-^ggot. They Jliull mere me 
 
 7 t) i them 
 
1132 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. xi. 
 
 them, that is, in their perfons, bat not in their caufe. See 
 here the chriftian church t'outided in blood, that of Chrift, 
 its head ; watered with blood, that of his minifters and 
 nie«)ber£. God CufFers his fometimes lo be atSl-ually flain, 
 for his own glory, their lionour, and the church's gnod ; 
 but mark the linie fpccified when ihe wiinffTes were (lain ; 
 it was whrn tl'ry had finij))cd their tep'ini'tr.y, and not before 
 then, but not till then. So h>ng as God his fptcial v\ ork 
 and ftrviie for hi' witneiTcrsto do in ihe earth, their mij^hty 
 and cruel encniie; cannot touch an hair ot their iicails, 
 much lei'-' cm ihey cakf away their lives, /;// they havf 
 finijhcd heir t'JIiuwiy. 2. B iide'^lheaiitichnltun cruelty, 
 in kiijinjr thefe witncfles, iluir barljarous 1 huinani'y in 
 denyiiif) ihcni burial, not luti" riiitJ fonieio he buried at all, 
 and digging up the bones of others that have been l"ng 
 huri d. I he place «ere«thi£ was dune is called S'leinni and 
 EpypI, and the great ci'y where our Lord was crucified ; 
 which, if literally ui>derftood, figiiifies Jerufalein, com- 
 pared 10 Sodoni for che jborninable lins of the GiuilliC'. 
 coiiimiitid in her ; and to l.g\pi for oppreflion ; but if 
 inyllically underllood Rome, I'r the Roman empire, is 
 conceivedby Miolt Prt tellants to b here intended by Eg\pt 
 and Sodom: Ikr Egypt for idolatry, tyranny, fpiritual 
 darkiK f , obit nacy, and obduracy; like bodom for un- 
 tle.iniiffs, \ea, worfe thjn Sodom, uncltannefs Deingnot 
 «nly pr.icliled but tolerated, yea allowed publicly, licences 
 being there given to fuch puplic hcufes, and books writ- 
 ten in defence Df Sodomy at Rom?, where Chrift may 
 be faid l" hf crucified in his members as long as this apof- 
 late power holdsup. 3. Thegreat joy and exultation which 
 is here difcovered at the flaughter of ihele witnelTes ; ihe 
 antichrifti.in rabble triumph, and make merry, rejo ce, 
 and /f«c/^i/?j to one an.Tther. Lord I how madly do the 
 wicked rejoice .n the death ofthofe men thatufed their ut- 
 morterideavoin s :i> ha"efaved them. 4. The fpecial rea- 
 fon alligned «hy the members of antichi ifl's kingdom did 
 thus triuHiph at the deaih of the witnelT's, and thrir ("up- 
 pofcd utter ex'inftion, namely, bf caufe the two wiintU'es 
 iormented them l>^iit dwdl onlhetarth; thit is, by tlieir 
 public preaching, by their private reproving, by tiieir de- 
 nouncing of G'd'.> judguients agiinlt them ; for not (uf 
 tering them to go on quietly and undifturbcilly in the ways 
 of lin. they grew very unealy wiih them, and rejoiced 
 when they ih-ught the world fully rid of ihem. Lord ! 
 how does the preaching o( thy word, which comforts and 
 liipportb thy children, which is fwceter to them ihjn the 
 honey, and mort efteenicd by them than their nrctll.iry 
 I'ood, howdoe the fjme word preached torment notorious 
 liimrrs.' and inilead uf receiving the raifrigi-, -hry rage at 
 th'- iiKlTenger, and triumph ind dance with Herod, to fee 
 that he.id cut i fF\^ho!'e longue was fo bold 10 tell them of 
 their fault-. 
 
 X 1 f And after three days and a half the fpirit of 
 life fro-n God entered into them; and they Hood 
 upon tlieirleetl^and .,reat fear fell npon them winch 
 favv them. 12 And they heard a j^reat voice from 
 heaven, laying unto (hem. Come up hither. And 
 they al'ctndc-l up :o ncavcn in a cloud; and their 
 enemies beiieid them. 
 
 The death of the witnelTes wa- defcribed in the fore- 
 going verfes, their refurred'on is declared in thefe. This 
 isunderftood politically by fonie, th.u they who werr civilly 
 dead, that is, laid ;ilide as uUle/s, were now polaically 
 alive ; that is, reftored to their public work and employ- 
 ment in the church again, God (aifiiig prince^ and ma- 
 gillrates to own and favour them; and accordingly by their 
 afcending up intoheaven they underlland their re entering 
 into the chut ch, their re-enjoying their public libenir!- ..nd 
 gofpcl privileges, which in companion ot the low and fack. 
 cloth condition they were m before, was like heaven and 
 earth unto them. And ihty ofcenJ.d in u cloud, that is, 
 gloritud , ai'd their enemies belield them with an envious 
 eye. b(Ciule of the work in their hand-, which it was not 
 in their power to hinder. Others ui.derftand thi' refur- 
 reclion (in the m inner foremeiuioned) to be nurtiit not of 
 the fame nten, but of men of the fame fpirit and t Ifice, 
 reltor' d to the fame work, to the adtiiiraiion '-f the g 'od, 
 and coi^fternation of the b.id ; and that the \iuce c Chrift 
 f|)jke to the (lain witncfles, fa\ ing Come up hii >'e: thai is, 
 intoheaven, to receive the reu ard of your futft rings ..tid 
 fervices and others that fucceedyou in<ffice Ilia II part. ike 
 of your f|)irit, and perfed that ^-oik which von began and 
 carried on. Where wo/e, That oft-titne- G' d'- laithiol 
 witnefles, namely fuch magiflrate? and niniiller? as have 
 done great things for the cliurcli of Cod, are taken u)) to 
 heaven before they behold the ael'i.td liTue, which is lett 
 to their I'uccefTjrs to fee completed. 
 
 13 And the fame hour was there a great earth- 
 quake, and the tenth part of the ci:y fell, and in 
 the earthquake were flain of men feven ihoufand : 
 and the remnant werealFn^hted, and gave ylory to 
 the God of heaven. 
 
 rhele words are conceiveil by interpreters to fet forth 
 the great fucccfi of the witntfTes minsftrv at'er iluir reiur- 
 redbun; it W3S accompanied with a mighty earthqu.ke, or 
 a great fhaking of the kingdom of amichrifl ; iiih.'mucli 
 iJiat a tenth part ofih:" city f II ; that is. many natimis and 
 kingdoms under antichnlt'-- tyraimy and dominion (hook 
 olTthe yoke, and diloAned his jurifdidlion, and fell o(F 
 from hiin. Ohfcive farther, What this earthqtiake, and 
 Idl pioduced, namely, a tvsofold effect, l. Siven tkoufuKd 
 •Wfe Jhiin. 2. Oihevi' were affrighted, turned from their 
 lins, iWQ gcivt gt^ry lo Gid. Behold here ihe great power 
 of the word ot God and the h.ippv fuccefs thereof, to the 
 fluking ot antichnlt's kingJum, .s hich falls not at once, 
 but by degrees, as it role. 1 he man of fin is to becoii- 
 fuintd .^iih tiic breath ofChrilV* mouth at firft, which is 
 a gradual death, till at hit he be quite ibohlhed by the 
 bi ightncfs of his coming. U|H)n the whole then we m.iy 
 coniforiablv conckide, that whatever ground antichriit oil 
 the one hand may leem 10 have gained iifl.ite in anyplace, 
 th It yet he is certainly in a deep confumption ; nay, lar 
 go' e iff it, and will l.mguilh more and more, till he draws 
 hi- hilt breath : And O'l the other hand whatever iluuds 
 nxjy overlpread the church of Chnft in any place, it will 
 not belong eie they ssill viiiith, and hat afF.iirs are moving 
 forwards tow ards the cliu' cli'^ highelt outvsai d prolpcnty, 
 and molt HouriDrng condition that (he (h.iU ever arrive at 
 
 HMIltfHtlifelBtti 
 
Chap. xi. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 ^^33 
 
 on thi fiJe heaven, which is to be unier ihe W (Ted millen- 
 nium, or thouiand years, which liei^in pr.ibably with the 
 relu'Teclion of the witueflfes at the b> i>i uni^; ot ihe Pr >- 
 teltant retormatioii, by the preachin|;r of Luther. Tiius 
 fpeak^ou, Itanied Dr! Moore, My/f. Iniq p 477. " Idoiib'. 
 jioi," lays he, " but ihis vifion of 'hr reiurnclion of ihe 
 witneffe-, was a predittiou of our Protelbnu reformaiion, 
 be^iin at Spiies in (Jertnaiiv, anno 1529. -hen feveral 
 Gernn.i pnnce'- and iinjieriai cities, made a folemn prote/- 
 tariiui ajaiiilt the innova. ions and ufurp.i'ions of the church 
 of Rome ; from whence came the name of Pro'eftants. 
 which continue ;ii thi.day. Tliii tin refore,'' fays he, 
 " fliouid m:ik^ <iur reformation the more facred, and kerp 
 all ptrfons that wi(h well to our holy religion, irarn carting 
 any dir' upon our ri; It 'tfo^mers, whofe names ought to 
 be hj(l i.i honour, and will be fo in the church of God 
 ihroii • .00' .ill ./eiier .tiims.*' 
 
 14 1 The fecond wo is pall ; (7W behold, the 
 third 'vo co'Tieth quickly. 15 ? And the feventh 
 an.tfl founded ; and there were great voices in hea- 
 ven, favin ', The kin^^doms of this world are become 
 the kingdoms, of our Lord, and of his Chrift ; and he 
 Ihall reign for ever and ever. 
 
 A 1 iccountis here given of the angel's fonnding the fe- 
 vemh trompet, at the beginning of antichriii's ruin and 
 downfal. ^t. ]ohn heard great acclamation"; and (hoiii- 
 ine« in heaven for the victory which Chriit by his wit- 
 nefTes had gotten over him, faying, 'The kirtgd-.ms nf this 
 lOtrld, thnt is, feveral kingdoms, or main bodies of king- 
 doms and nations, are now brought in to acknovv ledge 
 Chri(t for their Sovereign and La, giver, who did not fo 
 before ; but wherea: formerly they owned another mailer, 
 
 fi,iin>'ly. antich'it. no a' they doetpecially o^vnand ;ickiiow. 
 edge Chrift, by profefFing to believe in hiin, and becom- 
 ing a pure church to hi:n ; Aid ^e/hall reign fr fVi-r and 
 iver. Even uiiiler aiitichrift's reign nnd lyranny Clinft 
 h id a kinudom, bnt he will have a more vilible kingdom 
 in the world, and which fhall continue without any edipfs 
 by aniiclirift, or any o her, a^ it fufTered before. 
 
 16 .A.nd the four and twenty elders, which fat be- 
 fore God on iheir f^a\s, fell upon their fACes, and 
 wor(hipp.-d God, 17 S lyin,;, We ^ive tiiee thanks 
 O Lord God Almight-y, which art, and wart, and art 
 to come ; bcc .ufe thou haft taken to thee thy threat 
 power, and h.jft reigned. 18 And the nations were 
 an >ry, aind thr wrath is cotne, and the time of the 
 dt:ad. that they fliould be judged, and that thou 
 Ihouldeft givereward unto th\ler\'ants the prophets, 
 and to the faints, and them that fear thy name, fmall 
 and great ; and fliouldeft dellroy them which de 
 ftroy the earth. 19 .'Vnd the temple of God was 
 opened in heaven, and there was feen in his temple, 
 the ark of his tertament : and there were lightnin.,;s, 
 and voices, and thunderinj,s, and an earthquake, 
 and ^reat hail. 
 «, 1 bis ciiaiuer cOiicluJes with a dcxology and folemn 
 
 thankfgiving in heaven, for the victory which Chrift ob- 
 tained over aniichrirt here onearth ; that!', for the begun 
 virtorv over him. He^t cbji-rvr, t. The perfons render- 
 ing rraifes, ihe four and t-wenty elders ; all theminifters of 
 the church fav fome ; the whole church fay others, who 
 are (jidtofit before God ; denoting, (i.) I'hat they reft 
 from ihcirl.ihours ; xhty walked lii pilgrims be'ore, theyyZf 
 no^v. Would we with Abrih nn, Ifaac, and Jacob, _/// Jown 
 in the kingdom of God in heaven ? we niuft with Abra- 
 h.im walk before Cjod in u])i ightnefs here on canh, Gt-n. 
 xvii. 5. (2.) It denotes their honiiur and digni'.y unto 
 which they are now advanced ; as lerv.)nis \]iey Jicod be- 
 fore, as friend.^ t'ley fit now . but upon thi- gieat occdion 
 mark their humbl gefture, their prollrations and .idora- 
 tions before God, They fell upon their faces and -wnrjl/ippc-d. 
 1. The ground and occafi-.n of it ; what it i^ which iliey 
 thus fokiiiiily blefs God for ; namely, for Chnft's viclory 
 over hi^ enemies, for affumiiig to himfeU his great pow er, 
 and univerlal dominion ; and becaufe the kinodoms 'f the 
 'Morld were now hecime the kingdoms of :he Lord, and of his 
 Chrijt. For if there be joy in heaven ai the convcrfi^n of 
 one finner unto Chrift, what is there, fup])ofe we, at the 
 converlion of nations and kingdoms, unto Chriit ? Behold 
 here the whole hoit of heaven, the church trium;ih:int in 
 the new Jerulalem^ breaking forth into the hightfl praifes 
 for eftjbliftiing the public exercife of religion in its purity, 
 never more to be driven into corners, as it was t'vice be- 
 fore ; tirlt bv Pagans, next by Pagan chriflians. 3. The 
 doxology or thankfgiving itfelf, Lw d God Almighty , -jjegive 
 thee ihiinks for this begun overthrow of antichrifl, which 
 by thy almighty power thou wilt certainly carry on, being 
 always the fame, and as able to help thy church as ever. 
 As if they hsd faid. In the time of antichrift's full power, 
 when thy church ivas under a bitter and bloody perfecu- 
 tion, thy power feemed to be laid afide, and thou feeinedfl 
 not to reign, having thy power obfcured by his tyranny ; 
 but now thou flieweftthvfi If to be a ruler overall the world, 
 both King of faints and Kng of nations. 4. The indig- 
 nation and wrath which the friends of aniichnit exprefs 
 upon this occalion, verlc 18. The nations tuere am^ry ; that 
 15, the idolatrous nations ; they who formerly perfecuted, 
 do noA fret biciufe they are overcome ; they gnalh their 
 teeth at the fuccef-ful pr )grf f^ of the gofpel ; andbecaufe 
 i y wath that is, ihe time to execute thy wiath is come, 
 upon ..11 idolaters aiiil f.ilfe wor(hippers. A. id the time of 
 the d ad that they Jlfr.uld he judged w.d reuitrdt-d ; that is, the 
 tune iS now come, when tliole witneffe-, which were ci- 
 v lly dead, and accounted .15 dead by the world, (hall re- 
 vive ag,iin, or, the limr of ihe dead, that is, of thofe that 
 liave been (lain by antictirill ; the time is come that their 
 blood (hill be avengt-d, and all thy faithful fervsnts and 
 fuflFerers recoHipenfed and rewarded ; particularly thy pro- 
 phets, whole work hting grc.iter, fuch Ihall their rew arif be 
 ajfo. And all that far thy nuine, hjth fmall and great ; 
 that is, all true believers of a more private capacitv. who 
 have cleaved untoChnll' pure and uiidcfiled n ligion, how 
 oblcure foever they have been in the world, none ol ihefe 
 (iiall mil of a recompence, when God's time of rev\a d- 
 ing i- come : and then, he vjlll deflroy lh;m xjhnh dejiny 
 ihe earth, that is, thole bltody pcrfecutor-. wh< dt-Ur- y the 
 inhabitants of the ea.-;h bv pc.-fccutionS; orfalfe doctrines. 
 
 5. Ike 
 
^1^1 
 
 R E V E L Alio N. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 5. The j!;reat WefTng vil ich follows upon ihc dovvnfal of 
 aniichr ft, vcrfe i<). The Irmplf rf Cod nas rp^ned ; :illii. 
 dinp ro the frequent (hutrinp up of the tcmp!-^ at feruf-i- 
 leiti hy idolatrous princes, Ahas and otljcrs when tlie ark, 
 in which the law of Cod lay, »?5 nor feeii ; but Hrze- 
 kiah anil Ji<fijli, thofe i\<.o reforming prince, openei' the 
 temple, and rcllored the true wi'rfliip of aliiii^',l)ty God. 
 In like manner, during aniicliriQ's reign, fhe temple of 
 God was (liut up, his true worihip fiipprtflld ; but now, 
 Jinceantichi irt's f.illing,ihe teniple isopened, the .nik feen, 
 the pure word of Cod '■.'ipountli'd, and a more than ordi- 
 nary pretence of God (of which the ark was a fyinhol} 
 found ill liis church.) Well niight the church then, upon 
 this h.ippy 'ccalion, triumphingly fay, IVe give ihee thanks, 
 Lord GotI Almighty, kc. 
 
 C H A P. XII. 
 
 AND there appeared a great wonder in heaven; 
 a woman clothed with the fun, and the 
 moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown 
 of twelve flars : 
 
 Ohferve here. i. That by the woman we are to under- 
 {land the chriftian church in her militant ftate, called a 
 woman in reg^trd of her weaknefs and dependency, as alfo 
 in regard of her fruitfulnefs, flie fcringinc; forth many chil- 
 dren unto God which are b^irn upon her knees. 2. 'J his 
 •woman the church is faid to appear in heaven, having her 
 original from heaven, her converfation in heaven, her ten- 
 dency towards heaven, and her dependency upon heaven. 
 3. The woman defcribed by her rare perfedions, which 
 are three, i. Clothed -with the fun, that is, adorned with 
 thofe graces, which Chrift the Sun of r'ghteoufnefs has 
 put upon her, and environed with the pure tight of the 
 gofpej Siining about her. 2. Having the mow tinder her 
 feet, that is the legal worihip, according to fome ; the 
 chriftian church outlhining now the Jewilh ftate of imper- 
 feftion, cafting oft", and trampling under the ) oke of the 
 Mofaic difpenfation Others by the mo^.n underftand fhe 
 •world, which is like the moon, full of fpots, defiling and 
 polluting, full of changes andalierations, \he f.ifhi'jn if this 
 "vjorld pnjftth aviay, 1. Cor. vii. 13.lt if never long in one 
 garb; and her having x\\c moo\^ urder her feet implies, the 
 church's beipg enabled by Chrift to overcome and tram- 
 ple upon all the enjoyments and fatiifaiftions of the world, 
 and to defiJife all the affronts and itifultsof the world, ri,. 
 Up'jn her head a crozun of twelve fiars, that is, holding fjft 
 the pure doctrine of the gofpel, firlt preached by the tw elve 
 apoftlts, and after them by focceeding mimfters, which is 
 as a crown on the church's head. Where note. That the 
 apoflles, and ail faithful niinifters with them, are fiiled 
 ffars. As ftars thev fiiine before men, by ihe light of life 
 .ii)d 'lo(f>rine. A- ftars ihey fliine with a borrowed light, 
 derived from the Sun of nghteoufnefj. Again, as //tfr/ 
 are in continual motion for the good of the univerle, lo are 
 the miiiifter<i of the gofpel for the good c.f the church ; as 
 ftars thevftvne in their o\sn orb, atttnding tlie proper duty 
 of there place and ftation ; and as ftars iliine bri^h-eft in 
 the cold \vin:€r-night', lodo -.hey in the times of afil (ftion 
 .ind ^)errtcution. 
 
 2. Andfhf' being with child, cried, travailing in 
 birth, and pnincd to be delivered. 
 
 I he entire h, typifi.rd by a wom:ir, defcribed in the for- 
 mer verfe by hir rare perfections, in this verfe hy her weak 
 and perilous condition, (lie cries like a woman in travail 
 for delivery, to God in her prayers, to men in her apolo- 
 giet. The plain fenle of this " That the chriftian church 
 vvasiicnVnt'd wiih an earneft defire to propagate the chrif- 
 tian religion throughout the world and 'Jie earneftly cried 
 to God 10 afull her therein, and ftrove wiih urtnoft endea- 
 vours to accomphfii this her delign ; and was truly folici. 
 tous ro fee the Uiccefs of her labours in the lives of her 
 members." Many and fore have been the Tick and breed- 
 ing fits which the church has conflicted witii, by means of 
 heretics and perfecutors, which fomeiimes gave occalion 
 to fear that Ihe would certainly mifcarry ; but at laft God 
 fcnt her eafe frr.-.n heaven by the birth of a child, which 
 caufed the woman to forget all her forrows ; and the 
 prayer of faith was then in ihe greatrft attiviiv, when the 
 woman was found to be in the greateft extremity. 
 
 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven, 
 and behold a great red dragon, having feven heads 
 and ten horn.s, and feven crowns upon his heads. 4. 
 f And his tail dicw the third part of the ftars of 
 heaven, and did caft them on the earth.— 
 
 The chnrch was defcribed before ; her arch enriny, the 
 devil is defcribed now ; he is called a dragon for his fub. 
 ilety, a great dragon for his power, a red dragon for his 
 fiery crueltv. His flvcn heads denote his manifold fubile- 
 ties, and mifchievous contrivances, his devices and wicked 
 imaginations aga'iift the church ; hi ■; /fw /icrn r denote his 
 vaft power and great ftrengih ; both in himfelf and his 
 members : alio the number and power of hi<. agents, who 
 ferve as horns to pufii and hurt the church. His fcveit 
 crowns upon his head, denote his regal power, which he 
 holds by ufurpation, and hisnnny victories and conquefts 
 which he obtains in the world, yet over none but thofe 
 who are willingly overcome by him. The whole of the 
 defcription reprefents Satan as a powerful, fubtle, cruel, 
 vi(ftorious adverfary ; all which pn^perties he difcovers in 
 the :.fr.iult he makes upon the mimfters of the church, 
 called xhcfl ars of heaven, wXvch he endcavoursto caft down 
 to the earth ; that is, to hinder their Ihining in the firina- 
 mentof the church. Learn, i. What a inighiy enemy the 
 church has, fierce and fiery, red and hlnodvj full of crafr 
 and cruelty, of power and policy ; and how deplorable her 
 condition would be, if the Lord him ft- If war. no: on her 
 (ide. 2. Who is prime authorof all that crnelry and blood- 
 flied againft the church of God, even the red dragon with 
 its henls and horns his minifters and Jgents : 1 hegreateft 
 munarc'isupoa the earth, if ihey gore and hurt the (.hutch, 
 are the bale headi and barns ol this tnonflrous arag'n 
 
 And the dragon ftcod before the woman which 
 
 was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child 
 as foon as it was born. r,. And fiie brou-ht forth a 
 man-child, who was to rule all nations with a roJof 
 lion ; an.i her child was caught up unto God, and 
 
 to 
 
Chap. xii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 J 135 
 
 to his throne. 6 ? And the woman fled into the 
 
 wildc-nicfs, whore fhe hatli a place prepared of God, 
 thatthev fliould feed her there a thoufjudtuo hun- 
 dred <z;ic/ ihrecfcore days. 
 
 That is, ■' A flerod watched to deftroy Chrift as foon 
 as he was born, Matth. ii I" while the church was endea- 
 vourinir to propagate chriftiamty, and make converts to 
 Chrill.'ihe dragon watched, intending to dtvour tht-ni." 
 The dev il's j^reatdefign is to crufli every good thiiigin the 
 beginning to nip grace in the bnd, to k II the nifant- 
 church in the cradle ; he iv therefore laid loj/undb^f'ort the 
 lun-fian. to prevent all polfilji'.iiy of her child' elcape. Be- 
 h'-.KI hi- bloody trntlty ! but though he Itnod before her, 
 he hid no poiver to hurt or touch either mother or child : 
 Behold hi> powerulreftraini ! OA/rrvf tartl.er, 1 hechild's 
 birth, prelervation, and preferment, i Its birth, (lie brought 
 forth a child, not children, to fliew the paucity of the 
 church's members and alfo their unity, they arc all but 
 one man child, make up all but one b>jdy, and the dra- 
 gon's purpofe >vas to devour all in one, and all at once. 
 2. Its prefervation, The c\\M n caught up fj CriU andtohif 
 th'-ctt' ; that is, heaven toi'k it imtnediately into hl^ care 
 and proiedon, out of the dragon's resch, to his (liimeful 
 difjppoiiitment ,3. Its preferraeiit, it was to r»/c- a// na- 
 tiont jjlh a roJnf iron ; that IS, with fucT feverity, mixed 
 ■viith lenity, as ^va ..needful ; the church Ihill prevail agiiiill 
 aiioppofers. Lailiy, afterthe woman's delivery, her flight 
 into the sviklernefs, is fetdown, and hercontinuance there 
 fi)r a time, together with God's protec'tion over her, and 
 provifion for her ; a plain allufion to Elijah's flying into 
 the uiidernefs from the rage of idolatroui and bloody Jeze- 
 bel, and God's feeding him extraordinarily a: the brook 
 ofCherith. From the woman's, ihaiis, the chuich's fly- 
 ing in'o the u iidernefs for a while, v-e learn, 1 hat the 
 vilibiiity of the chu.-ch is not always confpicuous, to her 
 enemies efpecially. 2. That is foinetimes lawful to fly 
 in time of hot and bitter perfeciition ; ike woman fl<.ti irtu 
 ih' -diild.rnjs. 3. la tha: the woman had a place, and 
 focd p'epared for her, we learn, God's provident care for 
 bi church in the day and hmir of hcrgreateft ex remities ; 
 vhenlhtiutk and hides herl'elf in oblcurity. D.uingthe 
 time of aiitichrilt's reign, God will take care that fo-ne 
 fliall teed her with wholefome food, the dotilrine of the 
 gofpel, that fin.eri milk of thfe word, to the intent that 
 Ihe niav gro • ihertby. 
 
 7 5 And there was war in heaven: Michael and 
 his an-elsfousihtagainfl. thedraj^on, and the dragon 
 fought and b.is an^^els : 8 And prevailed not ; nei- 
 ther was their place found any more in heaven. 9 
 And the ^reat dragon was caft out, that old fcrpent, 
 called %he devil and Satan, which deceiveth the 
 whl^le world ; he w;is call out into the earth, and 
 his dHiiels were cafl out with him. 
 
 .By ^lirh ■ I and his iinsls undjrlt.nd Chrift, whofe thp 
 angel, are. and fo much the name impuris ^(hiil that 
 is, •Jth') like C;d ; Chrift is the likenef- of his Fatiier, his 
 efTmti.-l likf-nel'?. Sr. John in a vlion b: h'li Mich lel 
 aud his .irg-ls combating wall the dragon and his angeL ; 
 
 yea, vanquilhing and overcoming them. This May com- 
 fort the church under ^11 her cor{l„5l>, th-t at length her 
 Michael will finally prevail, and. (he in him. Our Lord 
 Jefus Chriit by ihe powerful preathmn of the gofpel, l.^s 
 weakened the kingdom of fiii, Satan, and antichnit. Hisan- 
 geis are his iiin.i Iters, martyrs and conteflort ; thofe par- 
 ticularly of the firlt ages, who by their crus to God, and 
 apologies to their rulers, by their holy lives, and paiicnc 
 deaths did overcome tlieir enemies. And thus Michael 
 and his angels, Chriltand hit muiifter', fought agaiiift- the 
 dragon and his angels, againft batan and his cruel inftru- 
 ments who were fo far from prevailing!, that tliey loft 
 ground continually ; the chi(\ians overcome thtiii by their 
 faith and patience, j^nd the great drogon-'Uas cnji d'lVin : 
 he was by the preaching of the gofpel depofcd frt.m being 
 wotfhipped as a God, and his power was taken away. 
 bioie, 1 1 hat though Michael, Ckriji alone, be able to 
 evercoine the dragon, and all his angeli* powers, yet for 
 his own greater honor, and their greater confiifion he 
 overcomes him and ihem by his Hiinillers and faithful fer- 
 vants. 2. If Michael ourpiince be with u^, Chrift Jefus 
 the captain of our lalvation, our leader, then though the 
 combat mjy be (harp, ye: the victory is (ure : For if he 
 be for u , who can ffuccelsfully) be againft us ? 3. That 
 Satan and his ang' lb were call out togethtr ; for of the 
 devil and his ir.ftruments the lot fhall be alike ; thev fin 
 together, and they (hall futfer together ; and (liall never be 
 parted. Lord how dreadful will an impriiunmtnt with 
 devils and damned fpiri's be to eternal ages ? To lie for 
 ever with Satan in that myfteriou- fire of hell, whofe ftrangc 
 prop.Tty It is always to rorture, but never to kill ; or al- 
 ways to kill, but never to confume The dragon was not 
 only catt cut of he avt n w ith his angels, but both were caft 
 down into hell, even into that lake which burns with fire 
 and biiniftone. 
 
 10 And I heard a loud voice faying in heaven* 
 Now is come falvation, and ftrength, and the kin.g- 
 doin of our God, and the pov\'er of his Chrift : for 
 the accufer of our brethren is caft down, whicn ac- 
 cufed them before our God day and night. 1 1 And 
 they overcame him by thee blood ol the Lamb, and 
 by the word of their teftimony ; and they lovednot 
 their lives unto the death. 1 2 Therefore rejoice, ye 
 heavens, andye thatdwell in them. Wotothein- 
 habitersof the earth and of the fea: for the devil is 
 come down unto you, havmg ijreat wrath, becaufe 
 he knoweth that he huth but a fl:iort time. 
 
 After MithacI and hi-; am el , Chnit and his followers, 
 victory over the dra^^on anti his angels, over Satan and his 
 mrtruinents, here lollo' sa foiemn thankfguing for the de- 
 vil's downfal ; the faints in heaven join with believers on 
 earth in ihi> long of confidence and triumph ; when they 
 (peak of God, they fay our God ; and when tli«y fpcak of 
 tiie church below, they fay rjur brethren; behold a fweec 
 comnuinioti between the church niJitant, and the church 
 triumphant : Indeed they conlfitute ar.d make up bin <ne 
 church, one famdy, one houfehould ; the whole f^ii)•ly in 
 heaven and earth is but one. Chferve farther, ^||K)iher 
 
 name 
 
 MMa 
 
ll.'^G 
 
 R E V E L A T I O N. 
 
 Chap. xii. 
 
 naiie here civen to Satan, ih.- accuCer tf the brethren ; he by his providence provides her -f.«?/; that is gives her 
 acculesthem continually before God, 'anci by hisinllru. opporrnn:ry To to do 3. rh.> pbc- (.,c fles into for lafftv. 
 ments before men ; the primitive chrillians were acculed (namely, into the wilderiiels) called «r-r//^c^hec3ure pre- 
 by their enemies to the m=(;iUrates as godty r.f tlxe molt pared by G«d for her U,\<:iy-hercfi,u »',ur,jf^eJ; tost ,s, 
 vilLVmoiis pradifes, in their relijrious aifembhes : And hath Ipiritoal food provided for her by God, and a num- 
 behold the alFidiiity of Satan in accuflng the famt;, e/ay and 
 right ; but bUlVcd be God, as Satan i* a continual accu- 
 fer. Chnllis a -zontinual mediator. C*/"frt».- again, How 
 the faints ovtTcome Satan. I. 
 that is, bv faith in his blood. 2. 
 
 ber of faithful minirters are quahfisd for the fse<ling of 
 
 her ; for a time, and timet, andhulf u time ; that is, for a 
 
 certain time determined by God, but altogether urknown 
 
 Yiy the tla^d 'jfthe Lajtib : foui; thus when the church meets with new diltrfffes. 
 
 By the vjordo/ thtir tejii- God provides for her new deliverances. 
 
 jfefliii(>, and practi- 
 
 15 And the ferpent caft out of his mouth water 
 
 viony ; th.it is, by their preaching, profellui(>, 
 
 iing the word ofGod. 3. By their fiifFcMings and mar- ^^ a"Qood, after the woman; that he might caufc 
 
 tyrdom. tkey l.ve „ot their lives unto '^^ ^^^^^^^^^ here to be carried away of the flood. ,6 And the 
 loved not iheir ivc. lo well but that they were willing 10 , , , 1 . j .1 .1, jl 
 
 expole them to death, rather than renounce the caufe of earth helped the wotnan, and t e earth opened her 
 
 Chrilt aid delert tlieir holy profeffion. Chfe>ve lalUy, mouth and Iwallowcd up the Hood which the dra- 
 
 V. ' . ■ . • •. . t c .Uo .l...,-.l>c _^ -.n. ^c I.:.. »u ._ A„.J .v.^ ,J 
 
 Af^er this great exultation and joy in heaven for the devil's gon caft out of hi.s mouth. 
 
 downfal, here is a denunciation of IVo to the inhabiters cf ^^^ wroth wilh the woman, 
 
 the earth, andofthefea, upon that account ; that is, to all 
 
 earthly, fenfual men ; whether they inhabit the continent, 
 
 or any iOand in the lea . becaule the devil is come down 
 
 full of rage, knowing that his time is fliort to execute his 
 
 malice in. Learn i. Who is the author of wrath, and 
 
 malice, and revenge ; and whofe children they are that 
 
 partake of that Ipirit and temper: The devd hi% great 
 
 17 And the dragon 
 and went to make watt ' 
 with the remnant of her feed, which keep the com- 
 mandments of God, and have the-teftimony of 
 Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Two things are here obfervable ; a new danger, ver. 15. 
 a renewed fuccour. ver. 16. Ohjtrve, i. A. new danger : 
 this is fet forth. By the author of it, the ferpcnl ; the for- 
 
 wralb- that is his character, and the very foul and fpirit mcr attempt againll the church wasmanaged by the wrath- 
 of the' aooftatc nature. 2 That fomethiug^ssis' may be ful dragon, this contrived by the fubt le ferpent ; open cruelty 
 
 is more dreadful, but fubile policy is more dangerous ; the 
 cunning devil is a more mifchievous eneniy to the church 
 of Chrilt than the raging devil; fubile Julian did the church 
 more mifchief than bloody Nero, or Dioclefian. Learn 
 hence, 1 hat what mifchief Satan cannot efteift by open 
 time for mifchief is fhort, fo is our cruelty, he will attempt againd the church by fubtle policy ; 
 
 learned from the evil one ; Satan is very buly, doubly di- 
 ligent, becaufe his time is ihorc ; fo lliould we be ; our 
 grave and coffin are at hand, our glafs has but a little fand; 
 lince bui a few leaves are remaining in the book of our 
 lives unfilled up, it concerns us to write thecloler, and the 
 fader too ; as Satan's time for mifchief is fhort, 
 time for doing good. 
 
 13 f And when the dragon faw that he was caft 
 unto the earth, he perlecuted the woman which 
 brought forth the man-cAz/ti. 14 And to the wo- 
 man were given two wings of a great eagle, that 
 Ihe might fly into the wi.dcrnefs, into her place ; 
 where Ihe is nouriftied for a time, and times, and half 
 a time, from the face of the ferpent. 
 
 Cbferve l-.ere, The ir.celTant and reftlefs malice of Satan 
 and his indrnments sgainll the church ; neither his fore. 
 
 when he fails as a dragon, he will try what he can do as a 
 ferpent. Obfetve, 1. Ihe matter as well as the author of 
 tiiisdjnger. The ferpent cpji out of his m-ulh vjoter as a 
 flooJ ; that is, a flood of errors, herelie?, faifc doftrines, and 
 corrupt opinions, caft out of the mouth of the corrupting 
 feducer?, endangering the very eflVnce and being of the 
 church ofChrill, particularly theAnan herely, which pro- 
 digiouily overlpread the world in its time. Herefy may 
 filly be compared to a flood ; it is a corriipcmg and licliling 
 flood, it is n fwelliiig and iiicreafing Hood, it is a drowning 
 and overwlulming flood. Learn, 1 hat the ferpcntS Hood 
 of errors and talfe doctrines, is the wcrlt and chiefcftof :he 
 
 mentioned difappointment, his prefent foil and doAnfal, church's dangers. 3. The churh's feafonable relief and 
 nor his fear of future dcttruftion, could move him to de- fuccour : 7he earth helped the ivomjn, kc. by the earth 
 fill ; but having attempted to dellroy tLechucch with the foine' underllanti c.inhly ones, wicked men^ who arc faid to 
 He of perfecution before, he endeavours to diown it with help the wo:naii not intentimially, buteventually, by their 
 a flood of ciTors now, Duihrjus mutat conjiHum, nnn dc-ponit greedy rv*allo.<.ing down thofe errors which come out of 
 nmliiiiim ; the deviKfomeiiRies changes his methods in do- che dragon's mouth, heaik* ning to his lies, ami believing 
 ing iiid'chief, liHt never laysdown his malice ; heptrfecutes his errors for truths ; others by the earth liiSHgrlland the 
 the woman, the church of ChrilV, alter another maniitr, king- and rulers of the earth, helping the w omat^by call- 
 namely, by a flood of errors and herefies. 2. The care ing f, nods and councds to Uem ihe iide, 10 dun ihts'Jbpd, 
 that God took for his ch-.irch's prsrlVrv.ition from this fatal and ro condemn thi-fe errors and hertlies, which byrtiieir 
 mifchief al4> ; to the woman win given wings ',f a great oveiflowing cndjugercd the church'* ruin ; the devil r-i^Vd 
 engle for fight >n!o the vJiHernef ; tha^ is, all ineaiiS and 
 
 ways of e^Fion, which God -out of -jiis cjre for hs church 
 providc^^r her faiety and pfotecttm m the time of trou- 
 ble; thrf^horch's fight in time of perfecution is by no 
 ujeans^iifbe cer.fured or cor.dsinned, cJpeculIy when God 
 
 four abi<m n^bls; errors prefeiiily after. the church had^b- 
 taiiitd peace, and there was a grcafoncurreijce of 'jlte'l"- 
 trates and miiiiltcrs in cotifuting, cen'.uring, anii coii^piin- 
 iiig the f.iine, in and by thc;r councils and lyuods. jKThe 
 he.-ely of.Arius, whp denied, the divinity of Chi-irtjJ 
 
 condeuincd 
 
Ghap. XII 1. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 -^-^sy 
 
 condemned by tl>e council of Nice, called by Conftaniinfi. 
 1. The herefy pf Macctlonius, who denied the perfonality 
 of the Holy Ghott, condemned by a council at Conltaiui- 
 nople, called by Theodufuij the firft. 3. The herefy of 
 Neftorins, who afTerted that Chrilt had two perfons, as 
 well as two naturei, condemned b} a counril at Ephefus, 
 calleil by Theodoli^is the feconil. 4. The herefy of 
 Eii'vchcs, \v ho confounded Chrift's natures, making him 
 ti) have but one nature, as well as to be but one perfon ; 
 this was condemned by the council of Chalcedon : Thus 
 the earth helped ihe woman ; thele four councils tended 
 very much to the maintaining the truth, and preferving 
 iho chuich from th.it flood of en or and herefy which the 
 dr.igon cart out of his mouth. La(l!y, The dragon's rage, 
 vcr. 17, He -m:is luroth '.uilb the woman ; that is, he was 
 greatly enraged bfcaoi'e the woman was extraordinarily 
 ^ hflped.an'.! hii defign . '.vo:iderfuUy dif-ippointecl, and when 
 Vj(jfce faw he could not ruin the whale church, he rtfolves 10 
 %^^ttack foine particular members of it, even furh ai kept the 
 cotnnijndment 'f God, and had the tejl'imrjny of Chrljt ; that 
 is, thofe v\ ho kept dole 10 the fcriptures, which contain the 
 doftrine of faith, and tellify that Clirift is the only Saviour 
 of tlie world. Now, from the dragon's making war with 
 the remnant of the woman's feed, we learn how infatiable 
 the bloodthirftinefs of Satan and his inflrninenis is, "'ho 
 when they had killed the witnefies before, and H)any other, 
 yet can they not red till they have killed this \\\i\t remnant, 
 and made thenifehes drunk with the blood of the laints ; 
 and never let protefi.ints expeift any other, or any better 
 nfage at the hands of Homanifts, with whom this is a cer- 
 tain principle, that heretics in a nation are to be extirpated 
 root and branch, where it may lately be done ; that is, 
 wh»n they are not too nuiner*)us, and the lofs of one of out- 
 lives may not colt two of their own. If any fay, that pa- 
 pifls are now become better natured, by being under the 
 reflraint of onr laws, 1 wifli they may never be tempted 
 out of their humanity by advantages of power : And as 
 Almighty God has once more delivered the neck of this 
 nation from the pinchings of the antichriltian yoke, may 
 our fins never provoke hiin more to deliver us into the 
 hands ofthofe men, whofe tender mercies are cruel. Amen. 
 
 GAAP. XIII. 
 
 AND I flood upon the fand of the fea, and faw 
 ahead nfe up out of the iea, having feven 
 heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, 
 and upon his heads the name of blafphcmy. 
 
 Ohferve here 1. Ihe place where St. John had the vifion 
 related in this chapter ; he apprehends himlelf to ftaiul on 
 \\\s lea-JJ?ore, a place fit I'or the fight he was to fee, namely, 
 :i b raft rifmg out iif the fea. Where «9/f. That it is ufual 
 in the prophets, Daniel cfpecially, to fet out tetiiporal mo- 
 narchies oppreifing the church by great beads. Where we 
 learn. What a bale and vile, what a low and m?aiic{feetn 
 God has of the mighfiefl enemies.ol hischurcii and people ; 
 Ifrt the world admire thcn> as gods, if they abuie their 
 power God caih them beafls; and as fuels, it) his own time, 
 \\\ifjhitllhid:f}r%yed. Obfervefi. llie moiidrous defcrip- 
 lion of thai bead which St. John faw ;*it liad/tvf« heads. 
 
 denoting, fomefay, the feven hills upon wliichRoitie ftands; 
 or the feven forts- of government fucccfllvcly in the Roman 
 ffate, fay pthers ; and ten horns, that is, ten kings under 
 Home, and confederate with hrr. Where «5/f. That all 
 fuch kings, be they ever fo mighty or m.my, which perfe- 
 cute fincere chriflianity, are vile in the efteen) of God, ac- 
 counted no better than the horns of a bloody beaff, which 
 Almighty God in the end will either blunt or i)rejk. Sn- 
 vereignty is from heaven, however tnen come by it, or 
 however they abufe it; which fhews the horrid ingratitude 
 ofthofe princes, who having received their power from 
 God, do improve it againll him, and turn it upon him by 
 whom they reign . j4nd upon his heads the notne ffblafphemy .• 
 Tliofe that apply this defcription of the bealt to Rome pa- 
 gan, underftand hereby their paganifli idol-worlhip in ge- 
 neral ; and their defying of the Roman Emjierors in parti- 
 cular. Others, as moft prnteftants, who apply it to Rome 
 papal, by this name of blafpbemy, underfland thofe blafphe- 
 mous titles which are given to the pope, as '< Lord God, 
 " The univerfal Head, The Hufband of the Church, The 1 
 " Light which came into the World," 5:c. Which are \ 
 the incommunicable attributes of Clirill : and by flatterers 
 and admirers frequently given to the papal antichrifi:. 
 
 2 And the beafl which I faw was like unto a leo- 
 pard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his 
 mouth as the mouth of a lion ; and the dragon gave 
 hiin his power, and his feat, and great authority. 
 
 St. John here proceeds in giving a farther defcription of 
 this monftrous bead ; it was in appearance like a leopard, 
 fpotted with divers kinds of idolatry, with variety of idol- 
 gods; with/ef/ like a bear, denoting its ffrength and fierce- 
 nefs ; its mcuth like a Hon, that is, cruel and ravenous. 
 Next, an account i? given from whom this bead receives 
 its power and authority ; the dragon, that is, the devil, by 
 God's permidion, gave unto this beaft powcrand oreat au- 
 thority, to deceive by ffrong delufions, and hurt the foul, 
 as alfo to kill and deftroy the body. Note, That when the 
 dragon is laid to give the heart his throne .md power, his 
 feat and great authority, we murt not underrtand it as by 
 right, for all power is from God, but as the ufurpation be- 
 longing to him. That authority, which is claimed to de- 
 pole kings, to difpofe of kingdoms, to difpenfe with thelaws 
 of God, all this is from the dragon, and in no wife from God. 
 
 3 And I faw one of his heads as it were wounded 
 to death ; and his deadly wound was healed: and 
 all the world wondered after the beaft. 
 
 Here St. John farther declares what he faw concerninp- 
 this heart, namely, i. That one of its heads vjaswcur.ded ; by 
 wliich head many underrtand the fall of the ancient inipe- 
 rial powers, the decay of its wonted glory ; and that ample 
 jurildia-ion which Rome heretofore had under the pagan 
 emperors : And by the wounding of this head they under- 
 Itand the ab(^li(hing of paganifm i^nd idolatry, .ind puttin^r 
 a rtup to perfecucon by tlie chrirtian emperors. 1 It /I 
 afTerted, That his deadly ivoundwa.t heaUd ; namely, « hen 
 idolatry, the fame for fnbrt.incc with the Pag ui ^n.l old 
 heathenifh idolatry, but in a ntw drefs, was gradually re- 
 itored by the papal powers. 3. Here is the effect of ihis 
 
 7 ^' healing. 
 

 REVELAT ION. 
 
 Chap. xiii. 
 
 healing, all the earth wittJercd after the bea/}, that is, fol- 
 lowed iiiin in blind ilcvotion. 4. Who til? admirers ot 
 wic beall are, the earth, tlie aienofthe v\orld : No wonder 
 to Ice thcin fcducedl Ihis admiration iigeneril, the s^hole 
 earih m Diiderttl after the beafl ; how fall'e is it then, thnt 
 multitude is a note of ilie true chui ih. liehold the feveral 
 iiin.inces ofthe world's wondering after thebeaiiat Konie ; 
 they receive their doOrine and worfliip from him, they 
 make all their appeals to him, all church c'ficers receive 
 their ordination from him, and are inllallcd by h>m. 
 
 4 AiTd they vvorfhipped the clragon which gave 
 powerunto the bead : and they worfliippedthe beafl, 
 iayiii"^. Who ii like unto tbe bead ? who is able to 
 make war with him ? 5 And there was given unto 
 him a mouth (peaking great things and blalpheniies : 
 and power was given unto him to continue forty anJ 
 two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blal- 
 phciny againft God, to blalpheine his name, and his 
 tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 
 
 From almiratiun in the former verfe, they proceed to 
 
 adoration iii thi', they wordiip both the dragon and the 
 
 bcalt, that is, they did worftjip idols, which are often in 
 
 fcripture called devils ; like the Gentiles of old, who are 
 
 laid by St. Paul to facrifice to devils, and not unto God, 
 
 I Cor.x. 20. Behold here a vail difference between God's 
 
 judgment and the opinion of the feduced world. They 
 
 think the worfliip they give to a creature is given to God ;. 
 
 but God .".cecums it as given to the devil, w ho is the author 
 
 of all idolatry. Nute next. That asthe feduced world wor- 
 
 Ihipped the beafl, fo do they extol his earthly grandeur and 
 
 furpafTmg power, faying. Who is like unto the bmjl ? Who 
 
 ii tihle t'j make war -with hiin ? See hi>w pomp and worldly 
 
 grandeur da/.zles the eyes of its admirers. Farther, A 
 
 rncuth was given this ben/? to fpeak, that is, a power by the 
 
 devil's inftigation and God's perniifTion, to utter blafphe- 
 
 niies sgainft the Mofl high. 1. The blafphemous mouth 
 
 o( the beaj/ \i opened aoainft ihe«<.'n!f of God, that is, ag.iinit 
 
 the word of God, by which God makes hmifelf known, as 
 
 a man is known by his name. Now, the word of God is 
 
 blafphemed by the bfiiji and his wordiippers, when it is 
 
 ihari^cdwiih obfcnrity, with imperfection, called « (/.'dj/ 
 
 Jftter, ami a no/l- o/iuax, &c. The fpirit of God is then 
 
 blafphemed, when his divinely infpirtd writings are thus 
 
 vilitied ^gji""''^''^^'"^'^- 2. This blafpheiiious mouth is 
 
 opened ndt only againft God's name, but againll his taber- 
 
 nude, the place of his inltiiuted worfhip, meaning by h's ta~ 
 
 hcrr.acle the true church, wherein God is worlhiiiped ac- 
 
 cori^ng to his word. God accounts himfilf blalpheined 
 
 when His true worfr.ippers are calKd hireticj , ffhijmaiics , 
 
 and, in a way of fcorn, Nugonols ,ar)(i ihe /j nag -^gue 'f Satan. 
 
 ' 3. They blafpheme iliem that d-juell in hmvin, by whuh 
 
 iaWe undtrd.ii.d the hcly nianyrs now in he.ivcn, whom 
 
 ifiey frequently called damned heretics, blackening their 
 
 names, and bLfting iheir reputations ; others undei flaiid 
 
 h of fi<me faints in heaven, whom they pretend to hi'noiir, 
 
 as the Virgin .'^lary, &c. They il.d/phctnt; ihem, namely, 
 
 by fpeaking of them, and praying to them bLi/phimntipy^, as 
 
 when they bid tii- holy Virgin, '• in the right of a mother, 
 
 " cjmmai.d her Sou.'' Objerve, That .when we give that 
 
 honour and worfljip to faints and angels, which is only due 
 to God, it is an idolatrous and impious blafphcming of 
 them that dwell in heaven ; were the Virj>in Mary fenijble 
 in heaven of that idolatrous adoration which ii giveii'ber 
 here on earth, with what indignation and difdain would 
 rtie look down upon this facrilegious violence oiTered to her 
 holy Sot, in robbing him of thic divipe honour, which is 
 peculiarly due to his divine nature ; for religious adoration 
 is peculiar to a dciiy . 
 
 7 And it was given unto Trim to make war with the 
 faint.s, and to overcome them : and power was given 
 him over all kindreds and tongues and nations, 8 
 yVnd all that dwell upon the earth fhall worfliip him,* 
 whofe names are not written in the book of life of 
 the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world. 
 
 Ob/'erve 1. A war proclaimed ; the i: .'// makfs war I'por^^ 
 the faints, by bloodlhed and psrfecuiion, and by "the fortlRli^ 
 of thofe weapons overcomes them ; that is, to o'.itward ap- 
 pearance, and in the opinion of ihe world, they feem to be 
 totally overcome, becatife vifibly flain ; but really do the 
 faints overcome him by their patience and conftancy under 
 furt'erings; and by rejett'nghiscurfed iilolatry, and adhering 
 to the truth. 2. The large extei;! of the beajt's power that 
 w as given him, namely, wer all kindri'ds, t'jnguft, and r..i- 
 tions. This muft not be nnderllood of individual perlo-js, 
 nor univerfally of all nations, but of the n^itions belonging 
 t(i the Roman emp're ; whole nations were carried awav 
 with his idolatry, though not all of every nation. Chrift's 
 flock is a little llock, compared with antichrill'i herd : how 
 wrong a note then is muhiruile of the right church ? 3. 
 That as the power of the hcq// isuniverfal, fo is the worlhip 
 alio : j4ll that d-jjill on the eurth J'udl vjirjhip him ; that is, 
 the generality of the Roman empire (h^ll obey and honour 
 hiin, and comply with him in his idolatry ; few comp.ira- 
 tivcly refuting it. 4. VVe have a number excepted, -ohofe 
 names are viiritttn in the book nf life . BlefTcd be God for 
 this comfortable rcflriftion: all are nor worfliipper^ of the 
 bc'ili. Chrifl has his number of faithful ones, who are no: 
 djftled by antichrifl's pollutioni ; a nu.nbcr whofe conver- 
 fations are in heaven, and whofe names are written there, 
 in the book of life, called the book of the Lamb : becaufe 
 ii is by him, and by the meiii of his blood, that we obtain 
 eternal life. I^.ltiy, the title here given to our Lord J-jfus 
 Chrifl, he is llyled the Lamb fl An from the fjundution '.f the 
 world, and that in feveral relpeift:-, i. In the jjiirpofi and 
 decree of God. 2. In the [womife of God made from the 
 beginning, Gen. iii. 15. 3. In relpeftof the types, Ihadows, 
 and f'acrifices, whereby his death was prefigured and reprc- 
 fenied, Chrill was flain typically in thole facrilices whicit 
 Adam and Abel cffired up unto Cod daily. 4. In refpect 
 ot the virtue and ( Hicacy of his death, v.liich was ciFcclual 
 to all that truly believe in him. from the firll proniifemade 
 of him. The uu rits of Chrill's death have laved all that 
 have been faved from the foundation (>f the world. Be- 
 hold here, The ti-nder care of GoJ in providing for our 
 f.ilvjiion before we were, yea, before the world was ; and 
 obferve alio, that ilie faints of God, in all ages, h.ive boen 
 faved the fame waj^, and by the fame mean, namely, by /ait it 
 in the death of Chrifl^ w hich has extended itfelf to all true 
 
 believers 
 
Chap. xiii. 
 
 R E V E L A T I O N. 
 
 133.9 
 
 believerifroiii ihe hegiiin;ii{>;of the world ; and rhe efficicy 
 ofic will reach to all fuch, even to the end oF the «orld ; 
 the virtue of the faciitice is as frefli as the firlV Mioini-'fit it 
 was/liin, the death of Cluiflis of eternal efficacy. 
 
 9 If any man havcan ear, let him hear. 10 He 
 that leadeth into captivity ftiall go into captivity 
 he that killeth with tlic fvvord, mull be killed with 
 the fword. Here is the patience and the faith of 
 the faints. 
 
 Oh/rrve here, 1. Thit this accl.imrition, If any niari hyve 
 an ear, It him hear, is added in fcriptiire, when ro!nethin:T 
 Hyent before, which rpqiiired a very dilij^ent atteniion and 
 dole application of mind : If any man have an ear, that i?, 
 a Ipiritnril undeilKindiiig to difcern the meaning of what 
 hasbeen foreiold, let him pond, r and confider what is here 
 revealed concerning this beaft, and take heed that he be not 
 found amongll the number of the worfl}ippers of it. i. 
 The coiilulation here given to the Stints, from the confi- 
 deration of God's juil rttribution to hi'; and their enetnies, 
 Hf th.it Itadethinlo ci'plivity. Jhallgo into ciiptivity ; that is, 
 the beaft, who has brought many of the faints inso captivity, 
 fliall hinifelf at length be taken captive, and thiown into 
 that lake of fire and briinftone, fpoken, of chap. xix. 20. 
 With whai nieafure antichrift metes toothers, it fliall be 
 meafured to him again : God has as many way; to hurt his 
 church's enemies, as they have to hurt his people ; if they 
 lead into captivity, fo can lie ; if they kill with the fword, 
 fo will he. 3. The end and defign of God in fntfering an- 
 tichrift's rage to break forth againft the church : it is for . 
 the trial of the church's faith and patience. IVote, i. That 
 none can (land under, or hear up under fufferir.gslike faints. 
 2. That under great fufferings, faints themlelvej will have 
 great occaiion for the e>;ercifeof faith and patience. ^. 'i'hat 
 the faith and patience of the Ijints will be made very con- 
 I'picuous by great and Iharp fufferings. 4 That faith and 
 patience mull accompany each other in fuffering times. 
 Patience is the foul's Ihoulder to bear wh^t is afflictive at 
 piefent : fai'h is the chriltian'seye to dilcover a glorious de- 
 liverance toconie: where no patience is, it is a token of no 
 faiih : and were no faith is, there will appear great impa- 
 tience. Behold then, the faith and patience of the faints. 
 
 1 1 f And I beheld another beaft coming up out of 
 the earth ; and he had two horns like a Lamb, and he 
 fpake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciieth all the power 
 of the firft bealt before him, and caufed theearth and 
 them wkich dwell therein to worfliipthe firft beaft, 
 whole deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doth 
 great wonders, fo that he maketh fire come down 
 from heaven on the earth, in the fight of men. 14 5 
 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the 
 nuans of thok miracles which he had power to do in 
 the fi^ht of the beaft; faying to thetn that dwell 
 on the earth, that they fliouid make an image to the 
 beaft which had the wound by a fword, and did live. 
 
 Here St. John enters upcn the defcripiion of a fecond 
 bealt, very d fterent from the ferine r, y*t nctlucceedintr tlje 
 former, but appe.iring during his continuance; and this beaft 
 
 (whoever he is}we find fundryways here dcfcii!)ed,n.imclv, 
 I. Uy his origiiiil, he ofcenJ- lb out of the earth, verfe 1 1. 
 which deiioies his rile from a imall beginning to a mighty 
 height, as thofe things which from fiiiall feeds grow out of 
 the earth to be tali trees. Thus has one arifen from being 
 epifcopUs tiriis, to be cpifcopiis orhi<. 2. He is faid to have 
 two horns, whereas the former beaft had ten, verfe i . which 
 (ignifif s ten kingdoms, into which the Roman empire, after 
 its difl'olution, fliould be dividi-d. Accordinglv, by ihc two 
 horns here, in all reafon, may be underftood two of thofe 
 kingdoms of which this beaft (whoever he be) /lull be 
 poficfil'd. 3. He is faid to look like a Inmh, but to fpeak 
 like a draoon ; that is, to pretend to great meeknefs, and 
 make a Ihew of much lenity and inildnefs in his proceed- 
 ings, hot fhoiild really be very cruel ; pretending to do all 
 without violence, but doing iiulet-d all by force, atllfted by 
 his nrmeddragons, and booted apoiUcs with javelins in their 
 hands. 4. It is affirmed, ver- 12, th.tt he (hall arile during 
 the continuance of the firft beaft, and engage in his caufe, 
 afTuming to himfelf as great, or a greater posver, than any 
 emperors did before him, caufing the earth, that is, all 
 earthly-minded men who are fubjecl to him, to vvor/liip the 
 firft beaft, that is, loyield as great reverence and obedience 
 to his decrees for eftablifhing idolatry, as ever the people 
 did under the pagan emperors. 5. tie is remarkable for 
 working wonders, and particnlarly for cnufing fire tocome 
 down from heaven in the fight uf men ; that is, he feemeth 
 to the deluded multitude to do as great miracles a; Elias 
 did, who brought down fire from heaven to coiilirin the 
 religion he profefTed : In like manner the beaft here v/orks 
 wonders feemingly great, lying w onders, f.lfe miracles, fuch 
 as fall'e proplieis may work, and have wrought for confirr.i- 
 ing their fall'e doftrines : Accordingly we find this beaft 
 here called \\\e fulfe prophet, elfewhere, chap. xvi. 8,9. — 
 6. He requires the inhabitants of the earth to make an 
 image to the beaft, that is, he perfuades them, now prcfef- 
 fing chriftianity, to introduce and bring in fuch a kind of 
 idolatry, that the old heathenifli idolatry 'Day feem to revive 
 again. Here«5/f, That the idolatry of the church of Rome 
 is a living image of the old heathenifh idolatry ; this ii b'.i: 
 the image of that, that was performed to heathen deities, 
 this to departed faints. Popery, faysthe learned Dr. More, 
 is fuch a chriftianity, as in all points anlwers ihe model of 
 the old execrable heathenil'm, with which the Gentiles were: 
 enamoured then as are the Papifts now : Thus the wounded 
 and dead image of pagan idolatry revived, and lives ao-ain 
 in papal idolatry : Good God ! that any perlons pr«f{-liing 
 to know and worih'p the blefTed Jcfus, lliould thus dif- 
 honour him, by -ntermixing the old heathenifli fuperflitions, 
 or fomething worfe, with his holy inftitutions. 
 
 15 %. And he had power to give life lanto the 
 image of the beaft, that the image of the beaft^ 
 fhould both fpeak, and caufe that as many as would 
 not worftiip the image of the beaft fhould^fae killed. 
 16 ? And he caufeth all, both fmail and great, rich 
 and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their 
 ri^ht hand, or in their foreheads : 17 And that no 
 nianmi^^ht buy or fell lave he that had the mark, or 
 the name of the beaft, or the number of his name. 
 
 7 E 2 18 Hero 
 
1140 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap, xiv. 
 
 18 Here is wifdom. Let hun that hath underAancl- 
 ing count the iKimber oF the bead. For it is the 
 number of a man ; and his number is fix hundred 
 thrcclcore ami fix. 
 
 St. John proceeds here to give a farther charafter and de. 
 fcriptioii of the beall. wliich he hiul begun todefcribe, ver. 
 II. And, I. His bloody cruelty is fet forth, ver. 15. He 
 cauC J thrm to be killed^ kc. Where viark, it is not Uid, 
 th.it he kill, d them hinifclf, not ch •lleiip;in;r direclly the 
 po er of life and death tohimlelf; but hccaul'eth thcnito 
 be- kdled niniely, l)y thefccular po \er, by the kin(;s and 
 pr.nces, whoare the hornsot' thebeait, and who give their 
 power and Itrength to the heart, and war againll the Lsmb. 
 Again, 2. Atter his cruelty follows his compuKion, he 
 caufcs all forts of men, high and low, bond and free, to re- 
 ceive a mark in their right hand, and in their forehead, in 
 aliufion to an ancient ciiltom which was to mark fervantt 
 and (oldiers on the arm, by which it was known what 
 niaiter or captain they belonged to , in like manner the 
 bea/l here is faid to have a mark for thofe that are his, 
 winch mark feems probably to have been an open owning 
 of him, and activeengagement for him, a profefled fubjc-c- 
 tion :o him. 3. J he beafl is here laid 10 interdict and 
 forbid all trade and commerce with thofe that h.^d not his 
 jiLirk, ver. 17. Several bulls and decrees have betn fent 
 from Kome, commanding that no traffic or commerce be 
 had with any heretic in buying or ielling, but only with 
 thofe that profefs themfelves members of the Romifh 
 church. 4. It IS added, that \\\e number nf the h,- aft is fix 
 hundred and jixty fix, that is, that the numeral letters of a 
 certain word or name, being computed, flioiild amount to 
 that number. I Ihall dofe this chapter \\ith the words of 
 a great man, ArchbiJhup Tillotfon, on Rev. xiv. 13, p^ge 
 329, "Unto whom all the fore mentioned charafters of the 
 " bejft do agree, and especially the number of his name, I 
 " /lull not prefume to conjecture, much lefs pofiiivt ly to 
 " determine, becaiifeii isfnd toreqmrea particular wifdom 
 " and nnderltjnding to find it out. Ht)w.ever the event 
 " will difcover it." And again, on St. Luke.^x. 55. he 
 thus I'peaks : '-It is believed by many, and not without 
 " caufe, that the pope and his faction are the antichriiliaii 
 " beait : I svill fay no n)ore than I know in this niattt-r; I 
 " .ini not certain that it is he that is particularly deligned 
 " in fcriptureby that name ; but however that be, Ichal- 
 *' Icnj'C antichrift himlelf, whoever he is, and whenever 
 '* iic comes, to do worfe and wickeder things than he has 
 «' done; verilv it almoft look^ uncharitably, barely to re- 
 " late what thefe men have not blulhed to act." 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 AND I looked, and lo, a Lamb flood on the 
 mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty 
 andioux thoufand, having his Father's name written 
 in their foreheads. 
 
 This vtife reprefents toiis afrelh vifion which St. John 
 fvad, in svhiclr fevcral rhing<. are very obfervabie, a>, i, 
 What and whon) St. John faw, a Lamb, by whom Chrift 
 is to beur.'derftocd. 2. The pufture which this Lamb wjs 
 found in, hejlmd, fljewing thereby his readinefs to deliver 
 
 his church, and to do every thing that is ncedfll for her. 
 3. The place wht-rc heft 'od on, .'1/o«>»/,ffo>i, th;it is, in the 
 midll of the church. Chrilt ever has been, is, and will be 
 prcfencwiih hii church, eventoihe end, although his pre- 
 fence with hcris not always frnlilily peiceived, hi;, care is 
 inylterioiiny exercifed ; he is then taking moft c..re of her 
 wht-n he fecms 10 take leaft, nay, v hen the men of the 
 world think he takes none at all. 4. His company and at- 
 tend.inis ; and ihey arc defcribtd two ways ( 1 .) Bv their 
 ivimbcr, to wit, an hundred tuny and four thoufand. 
 whereby ihc collective body of ihc whole church is to be 
 undtrftood, and intiinatesto u«, that in the worft of times, 
 even when apuftacy and perfrcution do moft univt rfallw 
 prevail, Chrilt never warns a church, and is not *ithoutT 
 number of true worfliippers. 2. ' iiey are delcribed by 
 their ba Ige or mark, hi\'\n^ \\\t Fath r''s ntin.e w iittn in 
 their f;rtheads ; in oppofinon 10 the m. rk o' th<- bealt 
 mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and in allulion to a 
 cultom among men, who put their mark^ or names upon 
 their goods efpecially upon filver or gold vifTcK, and 
 the like ; fo that the mark of the Father's name upon the 
 forehead denotes both the precious elicem which Cod. has 
 of his people, and alfo intimates their open pri.tcflinn md 
 owning of him for their l^ord and Mailer, and th '. faith- 
 ful adhtraiice to his worflup Z-farn iience, I hai tht iln- 
 cere worlhip of God. with the open and avowed proteflioii 
 of his holy and undeliled rdgion. accompanied vvitha fuit- 
 able converfation, is a better mark and no'e of tlie true 
 church than muliitudes and nnmbtrs. w huh .ire a note of 
 the antichrillian fynagogue ; the world wond.rs after the 
 beaft, when mount Sion here affords only 144000, which 
 had the Father's name uriitcn 00 tht ir o she^d-. 
 
 2 And I heard a voice from heaven as the voire of 
 many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder : 
 and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their 
 harps : 3 And they lun^ as it were a new ibng be- 
 fore the throne, and before the four bealis, and the 
 elder : and no man could learn that long but the 
 hundred aiid forty and tour thoufand ; which were 
 redeemed from the earth. 
 
 St. John herf deftrihes the true worfliippers of Chrirt in 
 the inidft of antichridi in idolatry, where we have, i. The 
 acceptable worfliip they perform prayei and praife, an hea- 
 venly exercife, which, like I hundfr, 3rn\ ihs voice c/ many 
 •waters, founds loud in the ears of God, and is certainly 
 heard by hun. and is melodious like the h^irp, and therefore 
 as acceptable to him as the fweeteft mnfuk is to us. i. The 
 perfonsdtfcribed v>^hoperforni this accept .ble worlhip, fucii 
 as wi-reredeoned from the earth ; where the ear ih \> put for 
 earthly-minded men, the f^lfe church : themeaning is, that 
 God has fetched thisfmall nmiberof true worfliippers, the 
 hundred forty-four thoufand, from among the falfe wor- 
 fliippers and impure one?, he hath refcned thvm from the 
 world of idolater-, and from the luptrllitioni multitude. 
 3. The pet fons defcribed before whom this v. i.,r(ii;p ii per- 
 formed : Brfore thethrcne, to (hew tlierc".erei)i.e ind liiice- 
 ri'y, werewith they pcrfoi med the fame, as in the fight of 
 the great and gloriwus God : ai'.d before the he jjis und-.lders, 
 that isj the whole congrej^aiions of the faints, according t*> 
 
 tlut 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1141 
 
 that of the Pfnlmif>, Pfal. Ixxxix. 7. Ccff is grenlly to ie 
 feared in the nJJ'emblies cf ki^ faints, and to he had in reverence 
 of all them that are round about him. 
 
 4 Thcfe arc they which were not defiled with 
 women : for tliey are virgins. Tliefe are they which 
 lollow the Lamb whitherloever he goeth. Thefe 
 were redeemed from amon.^ men, hcing the firft 
 fruits unto God and to the Lamb. 
 
 Sr. John proceeds here inHcfcribing the true worfliippers 
 of God, which would not comply with antichriflLin idola- 
 try. I. He ftyles them virgins, thereby intimating that they 
 *^e the chafte fpoufe of Chiid, and the true church, who 
 worfliip God alone with religious worfliip ; and they have 
 not defiled ihemfelves with women, that is, fpirituallv com- 
 mitted whortdoin; they have not been inveigled with the 
 whore to commit fpiritual fornication. Where ws/f, That 
 idobtry is a filthy fin, ft is as odious to God as whoredom 
 and irncleannefs ; and an idolatrous church is a filihv whore, 
 imworthy to claim the title of a moih^^, unlefs it be the 
 mother of fornications. 2. They are faid to fiilhw the 
 L/iinb, whilhcrju-ver he goes \ thi-. is fpoken in oppolition to 
 ihoCe who f/i;:ced the hcnj}, and denotes their imitation of 
 ChriiVs example, and their firm adherence to the purity of 
 his doctrine and ^orniip, although it cxpofe them to hazard 
 and danger. -5. They are call(!^d i\\e firfi-fruits unto God, 
 and the Lamh, which denotes their paucity, like a few 
 Iheaves in comparifon of the whole h^rveft ; 'th:ir fanclity, 
 the firft-friiits were holy to the Lord, and were his pecidiar 
 por'ion, alio tlieir fafeiy and fecurit^, as the firft-fruits were 
 God's portion, Td it was both facrilegious and imfafe to 
 rob Gwi ofh|js portion. By calling them the firft-fruits 
 which were holy to the Lord, we fee the fpecial intereft and 
 propriety that God has in his faithful fervanfs and true 
 worfiiippers beyond all others, they arc hi- peculiar portion, 
 \nr. inhi.ritance, his treafure, which he will ever take care 
 of, and be conceined for. 
 
 5 And in their mouth was found no guile : for 
 they are without f-iult before thcthrone of God. 
 
 Here Sr. John clofes thedefcription of the foremeniiuned 
 followers of the Lamb, i. With the charader of their in- 
 tegrity, like the Lair.b, no cMiile is found in their mouth, 
 as there was none in his, i. Pet. ii. 22 they were free from 
 that hypocrify which was toimd amongft antichrill's fol- 
 lowers, who profets to worfliip God, "but adore their idols : 
 Sincerity and iinrit^hinefs of heart towards God and man 
 . was foimd with them. 2. They are faid to be without 
 fault before God, which may be underftood comparatively ; 
 they have no fuch faults as antichrift's followers are giiiity 
 of; iKey worfhip God aright and are approved by him ; 
 or if abfolutely, we rnuft underllandit of their glorificjtiori 
 in heaven, where all the faints are ithoiit fpot, and blame- 
 \':^'^ before the throne of God, y^f:i^<iS\.\ like irnto God and 
 the Lamb, as well in purit as in immortality. 
 
 6 f And I faw another ,in^el fly in the midft of 
 heaven, having the everiaflinggofpel to preach unto 
 them that dwtll on the earth, and to every nation 
 and kindred and to^^ue and p;ople. 7 Sayin ' with 
 a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to hitii ; for 
 
 the hour of his judgment is come .- and worfhip him 
 that jnade heaven and earth and the fea and the 
 fountains of waters. 
 
 Here St. John has another viilon of an angel flying in 
 the inidft of heaven with great fwiftnefs, which" interpreters 
 apprehend to fignify the faithful minifters' zeal and diligence 
 in preaching the glad tidings of the go'pel to a loll world. 
 Whcne n'.te, i. The title given to the gofpel of Chrift, it is 
 called the everlo/ling g-Jpel : lo it is, partly in regard cf its 
 author the everlafting God, parrly becaiife it promifes and 
 offers everlafting life ; but chiefly becaufe it was preached 
 from the beginning of the world, and fhall continue to the 
 end of the world, and never be abrogated, as the legal ad- 
 ininif^ration wa». 2. The iiniverfality of that grace and 
 falvation which in and by the gofpel is held forth and ten- 
 dered even unto all nations, tongues, kindred and people : 
 fo that none are debirred, but ihofe who by impcniiency 
 and unbelief do wilfully and finally debar ihemfelves. 3. 
 That God fending the everlafting gofpel to be preached, is 
 here called the hour of his judgment ; the preaching the gef- 
 pel is he hour of mercy to fome, but wraih and judgment 
 toothers, even to all refufers and contemners ; and accord- 
 ingly all are w^irned to fear God, and give glory to him, and 
 inftead of worfliipping idols and images, to worfhip the true 
 God according to his will revealed in his word. 
 
 8 T And there followed another an^el, faying, 
 Babylon, is fallen, is fallen, that great city, becaufe 
 fhe made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath 
 of her fornication. 
 
 Here we have the fecond angel's proclamation, denounc- 
 ing the fall of Babylon, whofe fall is in the prophecy 
 threatened, and in the threatening ingeininated ; Baiyhn is 
 fallen, is fallen, to fhew the certainty of her downfal : And 
 it is obfervable how this comes in, immediately after the 
 reftoring of the gofpel, tnentioned in the foregoing verfes, / 
 faiu an angel fly, having the cverlafling gofpel t» preach, ver. 
 6. And there follozved another angef, faying, Babylon is fallen, ■ 
 ver. S.^Whence lenm. That it is the zealous and faiihful 
 preaching of the gofpel which is the ruin of antichrift, and 
 the means of his downfal and deftrudion ; this is the 
 breath of the Lord's mouth, by which he is confumed, 
 Babylon IS fallen, is fallen, ^lefl. What is here tneunt by 
 Babylon ? Anfw. All agree tfiat literal Babylop is not here 
 rneant, which was the chief city of Chalde^jjjbiit fpoken 
 figuratively ; and it is generally agreed that b)^ibylon is 
 Rome here intended ; fome will have it Rome pagan, under 
 tlie heathen emperors, others Rome papal, under the anti- 
 chriftian tyraimy, and that fhe is paralleled w iih Babylon for 
 her idolatry and cruelty, yea, far exceeding her in boih,/fir 
 in her is found the bhod cf the prophets. Rev. xvtli. 24. 
 Ohferve next. Her ruin declared in the prefent tenfe, is fallen, 
 as it already accoinpiiihed ; and ingemin.,ttd, // fallen, is 
 /^/AV« ; which rcpo'ition denotes both the certainty of her 
 fall, and the joy which the chwrcii (hould exprefs up..n that 
 occalion ; though Babylon be never fo great, yet fhe fhall 
 fall, fhe lliall aflnrcdly fall ; and it is the Aurch's duty to 
 pray, that as it is in the prophecy, fo it may be in ilit hif- 
 tory, that Babyhn is fallen, and to exprefs the higheft joy 
 
 iipos 
 
1 14.2 
 
 REVEL A T I O N. 
 
 CyAP. \iv. 
 
 upon ihat Rroit occai'mn. liaitlv, The cnufe of Ra'oylon's 
 ruin is here .T.fiirned../^'^' n.v./.- alt nations drink cf the wire 
 of th»-ivratb of her fornicati'in. Where "O.'r, i. That by 
 fornications, her ev\nT%, idoUtric-s, and f.ille vvoi tliip are 
 ^inderdood. 2. Tlvit thefc are conip.ired rr) wine upon 
 Icveral account?. Is wine pleal'.int to ihe pal.iie ? fo is ido- 
 latry to corrupt naiiire, which is hugely pleaH d wiih a 
 poiiipous worfliii), and a fenfuii religion. Is vvii:e iiiflun- 
 injT ? fo is idolatry : infhmiiig themlilvrs wiih idoK, Il'a. 
 !vii. ^. Does the wine deceive, and iTileidihly Oe^l uponihe 
 ilriiiker, and intoxicate him ere he is aware of it ? fo doth 
 errorand idolatry growuponperfons by infeiifibledejjrets ; 
 and accordingly, chip. xiii. 14 the beaftis faid to deceive 
 them that dwell on the earth: In a word, as pcrfoii drunk 
 \vith wine -re altogether incapable of counfei.and advice 
 from their beft friends in like manner fiich as are drunk 
 with error and idolatry, with the wineof the whore's fur- 
 nication, are bffoite.l, benumbed, will not acknowledge 
 their error, nor receive inftrucJtion. 3. That this wine 
 as fweet as it is, is called the -wine 0/ -wrath, partly becaufe 
 it inflimes them that are drunk therewith with rage and 
 cruel fury againft fincere wordiippers, and partly becaufe it 
 brings the wrath of God upon them that drink it : little do 
 idolaters think of this, becaufe it is a worfliip of their own 
 invention, it pleafes them becaufe it fealts their outward 
 fenfes, it is as grateful as wine unto them, but they forget 
 that this wine is mixed with 'vrath, even with the wrath 
 of God, the dregs of which (hall be wrung cut, and all 
 idolaters Ihall drink them up. 
 
 9 And the third angel followed them, faying with 
 a loud voice, If any man worfhip the beall and his 
 imaoe, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his 
 iiand.' 10 The fame fhall drink of the wine of the 
 wratli of God, which i.s poured out without mixture 
 into the cup of his indignation ; and he fhall be tor- 
 mented with fire and brimRone in theprefence of the 
 ho!v angels, and in the prefence of the Lamb: 11 
 And thelmoke oftheirtorment afcendeth^pfor ever 
 and ever : and they have no reft day nor il^t, who 
 worlhip the beaft, and his image, and wholoevcr 
 receiveth the mark of his name. 
 
 Cl'fenfe here the great and fpecial care which Almighty 
 •God takes to warn men and women of thofe dreadful 
 vAwiies wVtch Ihould moll certainly come upon the heads 
 of Idolaters ; a third a»gd fdhvjed, cryiv.g -jiiih a kud votce. 
 O how good is God, in that he doth always premonini be- 
 fore he mniillies! warns before he (Irikes, andadvilcs all not 
 10 partake with others in their fins, left they be partakers ot 
 theirphiiucs' 2. A nioft dreadful denunciation o^he wrath 
 of God, againft all ihnfs who fliall ivo'/hip the heaji and hu 
 iniaee th.nis fubmit to the enjoined idolatry, a^^d receive 
 hiimarli in their foreheads or hands, that is, yield obedience 
 10 the beaft as afervanc, anJ openly o^n fuhjJ.nion to iuni 
 as his fhves. Lord! wlut a dreadful guilimelMs it to fol- 
 low antichriit, and to continue obftlnate in idolatry, after 
 Cod h3s"lVnt one angel after another, n.iniftcr after min.lter, 
 
 ,0 acquiuii tl.em both with tl-.eir Co and danger. 3. "1 he 
 dcuurc-M„.H id'df in liic fcrera.l paru of it, i. ThryJlMlll 
 
 drink of the win! f)f the norath nfGnd, that is, for their fin 
 fliall partake of fevere judgments, the efTcds of God's wrath. 
 Mark, Here is wine for wine ; for the wire 'if Bahylon's 
 fornication, here i.' the wine of the wrath of God; the for- 
 mer wine wasnot fo fwtet, but the latterfiiall be as Iharp. 
 7. Here is the quality of this wrath, // is f.ured nut with- 
 out mixture: its benig poured out (hews the abundance of 
 it, and without mixture, (hens that it is wiihout the Icaft 
 drop cf mercy to allay the extrcmiJy of their torment. 3. 
 h i» called a cup i.findi^ration, ihtrehy ini'maiing ihatitjs 
 not the correction of a father, wb'ch is accompanied with 
 lenity and love, but the vengeance of a jnrfge that defigns 
 utter ddtruflion. 4. Here is the effiitof their drinking 0/ 
 this cup of the Lord's indignation, their being lormcntsW 
 with fire and brimftctie, which exprcfllon denotes ihefe Tin- 
 ners torments to be moftexqnifite, both intolerable and in- 
 teiminabli-', and theirpunidiment both e«It!efs and endlels. 
 5. It is hcrelaid, that tliis theirtorment Qiall bein the pre- 
 fence of the holy angels, and of the Lamb; in the fight of 
 the Lamb, againft whotn, and in the fight of the angtls, be- 
 fore whom they had I'lnned, in worOiipping the beaft, they 
 (hall fee them, but none (liall help them. 6. The eternity 
 as well as the extreni'ty of their torments is here let forth ; 
 thcir/imke afccnds for tvcr and ever ; the torments of hell 
 are here let forth as moit accute andexqudite, and as endlels 
 andcafelefs, they have no reft day nor night, nor a moment's 
 eafe. It is well obfervedby Mr. Medc, that thereis not a 
 more terrible defcripiion of punilhment in the whcic bock of 
 God, than is here denounced againft thofe idolaters which 
 adhere to the beaft, the fmoke of their iotnunt, that is, the 
 fire and finckew herewith ihty are tormented, afceiuleth up 
 for ever and ever, and they have no reft day rMr night. And 
 if the church of Rome, or pqiil Rabylon, be^rc intended 
 and not pagan, as moft proteftaiits believeand aflirm, then 
 this fliews that thofe of her communion, living and dying 
 in a firm adherence to the chief doctrines of popery, and 
 framing their lives l>y them, after they have had, or n.'oht 
 have had, fuilicient means to convince them of their error 
 and idolatry, do expofe their ialvation to extreme h.v/.ard 
 and danger. Blcfltd be God for our happy reformation, 
 from the idolatry and luperfliticn, from the tyranny and 
 opprelfion, and the intolerable yoke of the^hurch of Home. 
 God jTrant we may be reformed in our lires as well as in 
 our relirion, otherwife our damnation is as fure as theirs 
 is great^ for the holitft doctrine and pureft worlhip, will 
 be of no avail to impure worlhippers and unholy livers; it 
 matters not what church or what communioti a bad man 
 is of, for it is certain he cannot be faved by any. 
 
 1 2 Here is the patience of the faints : here art 
 "they that keep the commandments of God, and the 
 faith of Jefus. 
 
 That if, here at this time will be rxercifed all the faith 
 and patience of Chrift's faiihful fcrvants. and this iher ex- 
 citireofthHV.'r.-ccs will make it appearihattheyu ere true, 
 n'ulnot countcMleirchliftians; it follows, here a> e they which 
 ke.p the c<r,mwi:d»:,>:tsof Cod. and th, fahl>'f3'Ji'S. thai ". 
 whodifcoverthcmrelvesiintere in their proftlfun, by obey- 
 inVr the commal1d^ of Gtd, and rightly believing m out- 
 I Wd IcfuiCbrlt. V/hne role, What is ihecharacteriftical 
 -' mark 
 
Chap. xiv. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 iJ4J 
 
 mark of a fincere chriftiaii, namely, faiih and obedience or flupe, he was one like the Son of man. 2. By his place 
 united together, faith in our Lord Jelus Chrift, and obe- and pollure of judgment, fitting on a white cloud, the cloud 
 dience to the will of God in all tilings, are never feparatcd denoting the fovereigiity of the judge, .ind whitenefs prtfi- 
 
 gurlig the upriglunefs rf his proceedings and both fi^nifv- 
 iiig his fpetd and fwiftoef^ in coming to execute judgment ; 
 on tins white clo'ul did he fit, denoting thereby, both his 
 comiwiednels and freedom from all pallion and pertnrbaiioii 
 as a judge, and alfo his niajedy and aiiihority, (itting as a 
 king upon his throne, a'; well as like a judge upon his tri- 
 bunal. 3. He is defcribed by his royal orn.iBKiit having on 
 his head agol.kn crown .• behold here the difFereiu eftaie of 
 our Lord Jel'usChrill above, from what it was here below; 
 here crowned with thorns, there crowned with gold, the 
 reward 10 his futferingsi bleffed be God, that as it was with 
 the head, l"o fhall it be with all the members ! 4 By thein- 
 
 where the/ are fincere 
 
 13 And I heard a voice from heaven faying unto 
 ine, Write, Blelfed are the dead which die jn the 
 Lord, from henceforth: yea, faith the Spirit, tliat 
 they may reft from their labours, and their works 
 do follow them. 
 
 Thefe words in their original and primary intention were 
 delivered by the Spirit, and commanded to be writien by 
 St. John, for the fupport and comfort of the church under 
 that iVvereperfecuiion which fliould befal it; and do declare 
 
 tiie hippy Londition of martyrs particularly, and Inch asdie ,. l l 1 . . ,■ . ,r- 
 
 fcr the Lord ; but they may be confidered in a greater lati- '»'">^'"e"t «'h'ch he had in hi. hand fit tor the work which 
 tude,and be of general ufe to the churchof God in all ages, ^^ ""'^ '" hand, namely, a fliprp fickle tor the reaping of 
 and under all circumltances, and adminifter comfort to all ^e earth. Alickle is a circular inftrument, and comp.fTeth 
 luhivcTs v.ho die in the Lord, that is, in the faith of the the corn round .abou- , which it is to cut down ; thejudg- 
 Lord. in.hcfearof ihe Lord, and. n the favour of the Lord, "'^nt of Chrift upon the wicked will enclofe them ail, not 
 tu all that die (incere chriaians, b«ih in faith and pr.aice. 't '°"! "^ '''«'" "'^" ''<= able to elcape it ; and a Ihirp fickle 
 N,te, I. A folemo declaration of the l)lefrt;d ftate of good 't'"'h" '•'£ qu^*!")' of his judgment, that it will be fevere. 
 men after this life, their death is blelTcd, and a blefling to 'r^^°''^ ''^'L^ \'^^ unavoidable dcllrurtion of the wicked, and 
 them. 2. The time from whence their blelTednels com- ""^ impoflible it is tor them 10 elcape the judgments of 
 munce,. frc7„he„cefor.h, that is, from the time of their ^"rdt; all the wicked together are no more in the hand of 
 death, then doth their blenednefs begin. Learn, That all 5" , ,''^''"" ^^ ^ h^ndlul ot grals, or ripe corn, to aTharp 
 gnod chriftians. inimedia:ely upon their diflokitien and de 
 parture out of tiii5 Lfe, are in a blefl'ed and happy condi- 
 tion. 3. Wheri-in the blellednefs of the righteous after 
 iheirdeparturedoijsconfilt, i. In refling fromiheir labours. 
 
 thifis, fr.-ma!! (he trouUles, borrows, and liifTerings, from 
 all the caUi^les, infirmities, andmiferies of this frail mor- 
 nrTfin 
 
 t^l liate ; noTin flull effect iheni, no forrow aiflid them, 
 no djugcr affrighc them. 2 
 fti'^ good works they have d 
 
 f'llk-u tkv:)i, ihn is, A delightKil remembrance of their 
 good works and the fpecial reward belonging to them, 
 i!)all accompany good men into another world, which will 
 render them completely blcfrL-d, by prncnring for them, 
 through the merits of onr Lord jeius Chri/t, an adniiflion 
 into heaven, where ihev (hall drink of thofeple.ifures which 
 are at God's right hand for t verinore. Laftly, i-Iow this 
 iiuth concerning the future biefiVdnefs of the righteous 
 
 fickle in a llrong han<l. In ver. 15. we have a manifefta- 
 tion of the church's fervent defire that Chrift would make 
 Ipeed, and halten his work, and come quickly to ju^lgment, 
 both fcr the confummation ot their glory, and tor the de- 
 flruclion of his own ami their enemies : thru/} in thy fickle, 
 and reap, for the harveft is ripe ; that is, it is full time to 
 executethy judgment on the wicked, for theirfins ('which 
 rn'rea'piiig Vhe comtort o?ail "',' ^'°'' 'hefe judgments; are now come to the height. Be- 
 one in the world, ihiir wo, ks ^"''' ^""'^ Chrill'sday of judgment is like a day of h^irveft ; 
 
 when the corn is ripe the fickle is got ready ; when the 
 fickle is got ready, it is let to work ; w hen it is fet to work 
 it cuts all down, wheat and tares, corn and grafs, without 
 dilcrimination ; but the Lord oftheharveil foon commands 
 a fepai'a^^^o be made of the good graiti from the tares, 
 of the rifme'ous from the uicked, laying up the former in 
 the granary of heaven, binding uj) the latter for the tire of 
 hell. In verle 16. we haveobfervable, i.. Chnft's ready 
 
 tJeferves our moll feriou^ and attentive regard aiid medi- ^nfweringof, and complying witli, thedefires of his people, 
 laiion becjufe delivered by an.audtble voice from heaven, ^°'hruft in the fickle of his judgment, and reap^llrearth. 
 esprefsly comm.iiuled 10 be written, and confirmed by the '"'^ ready is Chnft to fulfil the defines of them'^hat fear 
 
 foiemn afTeveration of the Spirit. '"'"' 'o hear their cry, and help them in his ovyn. time, in 
 
 thebefi and fit'eftfeafon ! 2. Thegrcatand infinite power 
 
 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and of "ur Lord Jelus Chrift, that upon the thruflin'r in of hi 
 
 upon the cioudow fat like unto the fon of man.havin ^ 
 on his head a golden crown, and u\ his hand a iliarp 
 lickle. 15 5 And another an^el came out of the 
 temple, crying with aloud voice to him th.u fat on 
 the cloud Thruftinthy Iickle and reap: for the time 
 is cotnefor thee to reap; for the harveft of the earth, 
 i^ ripe. 16 And he that fat on the cloud thruft in 
 his fickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 
 
 In thefe verfts adefcription is given cfChrifl: as coming 
 to judgment, to inflict punifliment upon his ftubborn ene- 
 mies, and here we have the judge defcribed, i. By hisform 
 
 fickle, the w'liolc earth w^s prefentiy reaped. Behold the 
 ability of Chrift forjudgn.en:, as well as his impartialitv in 
 judging ; fiich a judge is he, as the pou er of the might'ielt 
 cannot daunt ; Inch a judge, as the riches of the wealthieft 
 cTinnot brib« ; fuchajudge, as the fubilety of the wifefl 
 cannot deceive ; in a word, fue#a judge, as there is nosp- 
 
 Jlin 
 
 g from, no repealing of his lenience. O great day F 
 
 when the IhfFeil knte (liall bow at t:tarirbunar of Chr.fl^ 
 and the flrongert bai.k ihall bend unler the tiniV.pooriabie 
 b;)rden of the wrath of the Lamb; when-the Alf'xanders, 
 and Caviars, « hich once /hook the eartii, and caufed ih?' 
 world to tremble, lliall revere r.iid lie pnftrate at the foor. 
 
 of 
 
114.4 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap, xv. 
 
 ofChrift! Behold tlifn, und admire the woinlerful power 
 and dexterity (if Chrilt in judj^ing; that upon the thrnfiing 
 in of Ms fickle the vjht>le earth loat frrfcntiy reaped ! 
 
 17 And another angel came out of tlic temple 
 which is in heaven, he alloliaving a Ihaip licklc. 18 
 And another angel came out fioin the alter, which 
 liad powerover fire ; and cried witli a loud cry to hini 
 that had thcfharp fickle faying. Thrult in thy Iharp 
 llckle, and gather thecluflers of thevirie of theearth; 
 for her grapes arc fully ripe. 19 H And the angel 
 thruft in his fickle into the earth, and gathered the 
 vine of theearth. and call n into the great wme-prefs 
 of the wrath of God. 20 And the wine-prefs was 
 trodden without the city, and blood cameout of the 
 wine-prefs, even unto the horfe-bridles, by the 
 fpace of a thoufand fl?ti fix hundred furlongs. 
 
 In the former verfes we meet with a metaphor of an 
 harveft, in thefe we meet with that of a vintage; there the 
 wicked were compared to ripe corn fit for the harveft, here 
 toripe grapes fit for the wine-prefs: fignifyingby both, ih.ic 
 the wicked, by filling up the meafure of their fins, domake 
 themfelvet ripe and ready for judgment. yVt-Ze here, i. 
 That as the true church is called a vine, fois the wicked 
 anti-chriftian church here called ; but with this addition a 
 vine of Ihe earth, ehAv'ingio, and only favouringof theearth; 
 a good name will fijjnify little in jutlgment ; to be called 
 chriftians, virgins, &c. what will it profit, withoutburning 
 and fiiiniug lamps? 2. Whereas the grapes of this vine are 
 faid to be not only ripe, but fuHyripe, howgreat isthe for- 
 bearance and long-fuffering of God towards the wicked ? 
 The patience of God towanls Tinners is the greatell mira- 
 cle in the world ; but though laltingit will not be everlalt- 
 inc ; when long alnifed, it turns at laft into fury ; ripenels 
 in (in, is a fure prognoftication of judgment at hand. 3. 
 The vine withal its clutters are gathered, fmall and great 
 one and another, all Hull appear before the barof Chnlf, 
 thap. XX. 12. AVf.4- Whither thisdegenerat^jfe, with 
 allitsclurters, wascaft, namely, into the wine pr?TOt God's 
 wrath, which iscalledd^/-MMwi«(r/.rf/}, liecaufe itcan con- 
 tain all the wicked ; ic will hold them all, be ihey ever fo 
 many ; iind is faid to be trodden, that is by Chritl, deno- 
 ting'thrt(fcferitv of that vengeance which will be nifiiaed 
 upon finnfrs ; the grapes which have hung a long time n- 
 peninrrinthefun arcfeverely prefTedatlult. 5. 1 hat the 
 blowl which came out of the wiue-p.efs (the blood of the 
 crape) wa.s fo much in quantity, thai it came up to the 
 /^r.r/es hridles, bv the fpace of a thoufand and fix hundred fir- 
 lim'S ; a'.l met.iphorical exprefilonv, lignifying that wmeis 
 the wrath of God, and the cup of his indignation; and 
 thchvperbuVcal exprefiion of its height, reaching as high 
 as ihehorie'sbridle; andof its length, rcachingmore ilinn 
 a thoufand furlongs <hew^iJt mighty deluge and inun- 
 .fJation of God's "rath, which the wicked in general, and 
 
 ^11 
 
 thing only, the vifion is doubled, like Pharaoh's dream, to 
 Ihew the certainty thereof, yet we may conceive ih»t the 
 (iiiiliiude of a vintage here holds forth greater judgment 
 than the harveft : Alm^i,»hty God, in his providential dif- 
 penfation towards the wicked, proceeds gr.idu.illy ; as they 
 proceed from cnedegree of wickcdocfs, fodocshe from one 
 degree of wrath and vengeJiice 10 smother ; thtvinta'^e fol- 
 lows the harvelt, the fliup fu klc follows the (ickle, thehar- 
 vell is faid to be ripe, the viiitige to be fulK- ripe ; if the 
 Hood ofCjjd'b anger in this life will n.it walli limu rsclean, 
 the deluge vi his wrath in the next will walh iheui qjite 
 
 away. Eternal thanks to Chrifl th^ Lamb, who has dc- 
 
 I 
 
 livt-red his tVom this dreadful wrath to coms 
 C H A P. XV. 
 
 AND I fdw another fign in heaven great and 
 marvellous, feven angels having the (even lall 
 plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 
 
 This and the following chapter arquaintsiis with a frelh 
 vifion, which St. John had o\ l\\z pouring f,rth rf the v'tali, 
 or the inflictingof the feven bft plagues and judgments upon 
 the world, upon the hratlien world, fay iome, upon the 
 aiuichriltian world, fay molt: Ifatu /even angels, having the 
 feven lafl plagues. Sec. where by fcven angels, nnderft.ii>d the 
 miniflers and executioners of the wrath of God ; by the 
 J'even pLgats, underftand the lull dreadful judgments that 
 Ihould be inflicted, which would make a final end of him, 
 whoever he be, that ihey (liould he poured forth upon him 
 one after another. N^ite, 1 How the patience, forbearance, 
 and long-fufFering goodnefs of God is wonderfully feen in 
 his carriage towards finners .-though he puni^fe|the wicked 
 fometinies, to let them fee that hisjiifticeis nfit sflf ep, yet 
 he doth not ftir up all his wrath, nor poureth it out all .T 
 once upon them, but gradually ; delirous of, and waiting 
 for their repentance, even when he hasbcgun in juftice to 
 puniih them. 2. Whereas it is faid, In them (that is i" 
 the prefent feven plagues) is filled up the wrath of C'ld ; 
 \\/e learn, wiiatfiii.il iDipL'niiciicv and incorrigiblenefs un- 
 der former judgments, will produce at laft ; nameyl, judg- 
 ment to the uitermoft ; ripenelV in lin will at laft inikemeii 
 ripe for ruin : and when they have filled up tt-,e meafure 
 of their fins, God will fill up the meafure of his wrath. 
 
 2 I faw as it were a fea of glafs tningled with fire ; 
 and them that had gotten the vitlory over the beafl, 
 and over his image, and overhismark, flM^overthe 
 number of his name, {land on the fea of glafs, hav- 
 ing the harps of God. 3 t And they fing the fong 
 ofiMofes the fen'ant of God, and the fong ofthe 
 Lamb, faying, Great and marvellous are thy twrks, 
 LordGod aiinighty ; juQ and true a;c thy ways, 
 thou King of faints, 4 Who Ihall not fear thee, O 
 Lord, and glorify thy name i" for thou only tirt holy ; 
 for all nations Ihall come and worihip before thee; 
 
Chap. xv. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 114J 
 
 of li'eral E^ypr, Co ilicfe from myftical Egypt, both nefts 
 of idolatry ami f-ille worfliip; a deliverance from both which 
 defervedly called for a fong of thankfgiving. 1 fa-j3 ajea 
 of glafj minyUd with fire ; that is, a great number of pure 
 zealous christians, their mnliitude being repreCented by the 
 fea, their purity hy gla/s, and their xeal by fire : who had 
 gotten vidfory ever the beaj] , and over his itnage ; that is, who 
 overcame all temptations to idolatry, both from the pagan 
 and antichriftian emperors, called the beaft and his image. 
 Havinc^ the harps of God i>i their hand, in allulion to the 
 rauCxal inllrnnients nl'ed in the tempie-fervicc, and denot- 
 ing hearts fitted for, and tuned by, the Spirit of God, to 
 pr^ilehini with cheerfuinefs for preferving them from being 
 overcome by temptations to idolatry. Learn, That luch 
 as arc iincerely gracious, are truly thankful to God for all 
 his benefit? and blclTings, but efpecially for their preCerva- 
 tion from (in, and their getting viclory over temptations. 
 Oh/erve tie-nn. The work ot foleinn praile and thankfgiving, 
 which the purified and preferved ibulswere engaged in, and 
 employed about. Note, i. The title of the fong, namely, 
 The fong of Motes and the Lamb. The long of Mofes, that 
 is, a fong much like uiuo th.it of Mofes and the Ifraelites, 
 after they had paffed fafely through the Red fea, Exod. xv. 
 And the fong of the Lamb ; fi) called, becaufe it was a fong 
 indited by the Spirit of the Lamb, and tending to advance 
 theglory of the Lamb. 2. The matterof the long, which 
 is divided into two parts (i.) The church's confeliion and 
 declaration of thole works which Chrift doth : Great and 
 rnc-rvellotis are thy-M'^rkt, Sec. that is, they are great and 
 wtmderful works, fit only to be done by him who is the 
 Lord God almighty : jufi and true, well becoming him who 
 is King of faints. (2.) The ufe which the church makes 
 ofihefe works ; and that is, i. To record, celebrate, and 
 publifh theiti. 2. To oblige and bind themfelves, farter and 
 clofer to him in his worfliip and fervice. Obferve farther. 
 The titles which are here by the church given unto God. 
 1. The Lord Cod almighty . A title full of comfort to the 
 faints in their greatert llraits, and full of terror to their ene- 
 mies in the midft of their abundance. 1. He is ftiled King 
 of faints, theyf ecrivinglpecialproteiD-ion from him, and he 
 exerciling a particular care over them. 3. He only isfaid 
 to be holy ; that is, effentially and cafually : EiTentially in 
 himlelf, and cafually with refpect to us ; all holincfs is ori- 
 ginally in him, all holinefs is derivatively from him, there- 
 fore Ihiuld the praife thereof be given to him /..aftly. The 
 duty inferred from all thofe glorious lilies which are here 
 , given to God, and for all the great and marvellous works 
 done by him : Who fljall not fear ihee, Lord, and ghrify 
 thy name ? As if he had faid, «' All ought to do lo, and 
 there isgreat reafon for fo doing." As God is to be feared 
 becaufe he is full of power and juftice, fo then efpecially 
 fhould his people fear him, when he is taking vengeanceon 
 his enemies, hi', own and his ciuirch's adverlaries. 
 
 5 And after that I looked, and behold, the tem- 
 ple of the tabernacle of the teflimony in heaven was 
 opened : 6 And the feven angels came out of the 
 temple, having the leven plagues, clothed in pure 
 and white linen, and having their breafts girded 
 with golden girdles. 
 
 Ohjeive, I. The vifion which St. Johnhad ; hetiioughc 
 
 he faw the Holy of holies open to him, and feven angels 
 coming forth with feven plagues, as the executioners of 
 God's Judgments upon idolatrous perfoii?. !\'ote, i.Thc 
 indruments employed by God for executing his wrath ujioii 
 finiiers, angels, ftven angels ; not that he needs them, but he 
 is pleafed to make ufc of them ; and they are but inllru- 
 ments in his hand, his bow, and his batile-a.x, mere dead 
 tools, who receive all their efficacy from the hand thatufes 
 them : Their prefence adds no flreng'.h to him, their ab- 
 fence makes the work no more dilKcuit to him. 2. From 
 whence thefe feven angels came, namely, out of the temple, 
 out of the oracle, more immediately from the prefence of 
 God, implying, that they came forth to execute vengeance 
 by God's fpecial direilions, and not barely by his permif- 
 fion ; and conre(]uently that the work was very acceptable 
 and well-plealing unto God which they went about. 3. 
 How they are furniflied, having feven plagues ; namely, to 
 inflidl upon the idolatrous enemies of the church. 4. Irv 
 and after what manner thefeangels were apparalled andap- 
 peared. i. They were clothed in pure white linen, to de- 
 note the holinefsof theirperfons, asalfo the holinefs of that 
 work which they had then in hand. 2. This clothing of 
 their's was girded to them, exprefling thereby their great 
 readinefs for, and their great alacrity and cheerfulnefs in, 
 their work. 3. The girdle wherewith they were girded 
 was a golden girdle, exactly anfwering the habit of the high 
 prieft, when he entered into the Holy of holies, to enquire 
 of God, or came out with an anfwerfrom God. From the 
 whole learr, That when the Lord comes to pull down Ba- 
 bylon, as well as to build up Sion, he will appearin glory : 
 The angels are God's fpecial minifters ; when they go forrln 
 to pour out the vials of his wrath upon Babylon, they ap- 
 pear glorioufly apparelled, glittering like the high prieft, and 
 girded with golden girdles. 
 
 7 1[ And one of the four beafls gave unto the feven 
 angels, feven golden vials full of the wrath of God, 
 who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple 
 was filled with fmoke from the glory of God, and 
 from his power: and no man was able to enter into 
 the temple, till the feven plagues of the feven angel.s 
 were fulfilled. 
 
 Obferve, i. That what was called feven plagues in the 
 foregoing verie, is here aWed feven golden vials full 'fit he 
 wrath of God .■ In this verfe vials are full cups. Vials of 
 wrath are prepared when the meafures of a people's fins are 
 filled up ; full cups of (in are followed with full vials of 
 God's wr.Tth Next, Thefe vials are faidto he oi geld, Cig- 
 nifyiiig, that thefe judgments proceed from a jufl God, witji 
 whom there is no corruption nor iniquity in judgments, he 
 being holy in all iiis ways and righteous in all his wor!<s. 
 Thefe vials are alfo faid to be fnll of the wrath ',fG'>d, wlo 
 liveth for ever and ever, as an aggravation of the fame, it not 
 being like the wrath of amortal man, of Ihort continuance-, 
 but of endlefs duration ; it ^ the wrath of him that ever 
 lives to maintain his wrath, and to uphold and fultain the 
 finner uiu'er the e:;ecurion andinflicticm of this wi'.iih, that 
 the iinner cannot run from him. O whjt a it irful tiling 
 is it to fall into the hands of the living GoJ, \\ hofe \\ ra;.i 
 is both intolerable and interiniuible ! the liiinercan neither 
 7 F i'ond 
 
1 1 [H 
 
 11 E V E L A T I O N. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 {Imd under it, nor fl;e from it. i. Tlie cxfcutloners of 
 liiis wrnih are fniii to he/even angth. The an^rels whicli 
 arc merciful attendnnts upon ihe godly, are alfo, at God's 
 command, the executioners of hit uraih upon (he wicked, 
 'rhefe angels arehcre faid to hcfcven, to (ignify that God's 
 jiul;^nients upon his church's adverfaries (hall be heavy 
 .Tod great : t^ne ant^el pb;;ued ail Egypt, and dsftroye d 
 Scnncherib's mighty hoft, but here went out fevcn angch 
 to deflroy aniichrilh 3. The tremendous dreadfulnels of 
 this wrath, intimated by fi\\\i\'^ the temple vjUhfnv.k.' , thereby 
 (ii;nifying, that the wrath of God kindled againll his ene- 
 Tiiics (h:dl be unto them like a devouring and confuming fire, 
 before the flame of which burft forth, a cloud of (moke ap- 
 ]i?ar;. Learn, That almighty God is glorified in the dc 
 llruAion, as well as in the falvation of tinners ; his glory is 
 as well feeninhis fmoking wrath againlt the wicked, at in 
 his faving mercy towards the godly. The temple viat filed 
 ■Athfrnohe jmm theghry oj G')d,andfrim his po-jjer ; it fol- 
 lows — .Vc man 'Mas able to enter into the temple ; that is, to 
 deprecate God's anger, and lupplicatehiimercy, or to avert 
 the plagues threatened, and nowjuft ready to be infliclfd ; 
 when mercy has been long offered and defpifed, the Lord 
 r.t lad becomesinexorable.and will fuffer none tointercede, 
 or plead with him, Jer. xv. Though Mofes and Samuel 
 Hood before me, yet my mind cannot be towardsthis people ; 
 caft them out of my light, &c. The fins of a people may 
 lometimes grow to fuch an height, that almighty God will 
 nolongerh'enetreated ; and when wekno-vit, it is ourdu:y 
 loceale praying fcrihem,/ro,-uo,-a'3, be unto fuch a people. 
 
 CHAP- XVI. 
 
 AND I heard a great voice out of the temple, 
 faying to the (even angels, Go your ways, and 
 pour outthevials of the wrath of God upontheearth. 
 
 Ol'fetve, I . The command given to the feven angels, the 
 executioners of God's juftice, to tlo their office, namely, in 
 pouring out the vials of his wrath upon the earth. i he 
 command is here I'aid to be given by a v(,}ce, by a great 
 vAce ; bfcaufe it was the command of a great Qm\, and 
 about'a great vork : and it is faid to come Mittf ihe Umple, 
 in allnfion to the Holy of holies, the place of God's exhi- 
 biting himftlt, and from wliencc he gave forihoraclesof old. 
 1. Huwthe feven angels (the inllruments of God in exc- 
 aitinp Ills judgment^J receive thtir commidion from God, 
 ;nvJ pour not out one vijl on the earth till they arc required 
 !o to do ; and being called m\j/j o/ihewrath r,f C'>d, it gives 
 us this intimaiion, that whot is doneagainfl antichrift isnot 
 the elfVcl of mm's revenge, but the fruit of God's wrath; 
 and whereas vialsarevefTdsof large content, butofnarrow 
 mouths, which pour out llowly, but d Itil effectually, and 
 ilrench deeply, it import?, that the wraihof God is, though 
 I'ow, vet lure ; it comes upon linners gradually ; hut if, upon 
 ;!i 2ppro.;ch, th-.y repei.t nut, it_«ili ailail, like a mighty 
 
 .rent, walh ihem away from off the earth- 
 c And the firR went and poured out his vial upon 
 ti'.e'earth ; and there fell a nuifome and grievou.5 fore 
 iiDon the men which had the mark of the bcafl, and 
 „<>5;2 them which v.-orniipp-d his image. 
 
 O'fi ive, I. Wh.'.C allofion this plag' • iiifliifled upon Ba- 
 b'.kn has to that plague wh'ch God rf old infl^fttd upon 
 Egypt, Exod. ix. y. Egypt had her boil brciking forth, 
 witi) ULiins uj»cn mj;j, and upon heart ; in like m.inniT, the 
 w orfliippers of the heart have noifome and grievous fores 
 ojion them : that i-, great trouble and unea'.inefs of min;l 
 upon the firrt profpeJt of the fiii'king of tht'ir kingdom, by 
 difcovcring the vanity, hi. /phenu', hypocril'y, and i\'ranny, 
 of t heir devi fed reli^icm ; e^tn a^fore5 5l■.d biainsdo vexand 
 torture thcfc that are trou'olcd with them, /.enrw, Thaiitij 
 no finall vexation and troible to the wicked, when ihcy 
 have their fins detcdled and difcovered, it is as great a tor- 
 ture to iheir minds as nii ulcer or boil is to their boJies. 
 
 3 And the fccond angel poured out his vial upoa 
 the lea, and it became as the blood of a dead man: 
 and every living foul died in the fca. 4 And th; 
 third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and 
 fountains of waters ; and they bucame blood. 
 
 OhJWve, That this fccond and third plague poured out 
 upon the fea, and the rivers of w aters, whereby ihey bec.irna 
 blood, have a maniffft allulion to that plague of Egypt 
 whereby all the waters were turned inioblood,E\oJ.vii. 19. 
 Farther, That by the fea and the riverifull of blixxl, the 
 bloody perftcuiors in the aniichritfiin church are fuppr^fcd 
 to be meant, who, by rtaughterandbloodfiitd, leek toplant 
 and propagate a bloody religion throughout the ear: li. Lartly , 
 That the pouringoiu of tbefe rials gradually and fucccrtively 
 upon idolaters and perfecutors, and not altogether, and all 
 at once, but one after another teaches us, how abounding 
 the patience, forbearance, and long-fuffcring goodnefs of 
 God is even toward the won't of fmners ; not willmgthat 
 any fliould perilh, but that all (hould come to repentance. 
 
 5 And I heard the angel of the waters fay. Thou 
 art righteous, O Lord, which art, and waft, and (halt 
 be, bccaufe thou haft judged thus. 65 For they have 
 fli<?d the blood of faints and prophets, and thou hall 
 aiven them blood to drink ; for they are worthy. 7 
 AndIheardanotheroutofthealtarfay,Evenfo,LorJ 
 God almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. 
 
 'J hefe vcries fcem to bs a key toktU!> into the right un- 
 derrtanding of the verfcsimmediatcly foregoing •, and clearly 
 Ihew that as the idolatrous enemies of the church did (hcd 
 the blood of faints and martyrs, fo fliould theirs be Ihed ; 
 w hich is called /,!!f/r hmnng blwd to clrir.k. Note, I. The 
 approbation which the angel gives of the equity and righ- 
 teoufntlso! God'sjudgmenrsupcn thefe bloody perfecutors. 
 Where the retribution which God makes of blood for blood, 
 fliewi the righteoufnel\ of God in hi. judgments inflicted ; 
 and alfo declares that alm'ghiy God doth loreetimes fo luic 
 his judgments to the fin committed, that pcrfons may reaci 
 their fin in their puniihmeiit. As thefe perfecutors thirlted 
 •titer blood, fo here thtv g(;t blood 10 drink. 2. How the 
 angel in the tifili verfcsand the other in the leventh verlc, 
 do both rejoice in the execution of Gco'.-^ judgments, and 
 in the terrible revenge of the blood cf faints. 
 
 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon 
 the Cur. ; aiul po-.vcr vva.s gi vea unto him to fcorch intu 
 
 v\itU 
 
Chap. xvi. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 114/ 
 
 Avith fire. 9 And nicu were fcorched with great heat, 
 and blafnhemcd the nair.e of God, which hath pow- 
 er over thefo phones : and they repented not to 
 give him g'ory. 
 
 Chferve fctie, f . That the f.vnrth vial is f/ul to he poured 
 forth upon the fun, which mersphoiically t.keinn fcripcure 
 iifii.illy fignitks Tome great prince or potent aie : ticre ine 
 hea.l of the anii-chr lb..o party is fuppoled to bf 'Ac^>", 
 ,.po„ which the wr.th of th.s vial f.lU. 2. ThetJlea which 
 r.llowe.l herenpoii, Vo:c.'r -.v^s shir,ki,>: to/ccrch !>u»VJ>th 
 f,re ; ..tul the event which eiifued \v.is double, men hlJj- 
 thrmed thi niT-e '.f'GnJ ; u>;l rtfented not f^ gh't hm glory . 
 I.e<ir», 1. Ihitalihongh GodlVrdshisjuci^rrents locMI 
 the wicked to repentance, yerthty will not reptnt of (in, 
 evfn when thev lie under the wrathful hind of Cjod, bijt 
 will rather break forth to f.irther wickedneis, even toblal- 
 pherne the holy name ot God. 2. That what the damned 
 do in hell, where the wrath of God is poured cut upon men 
 to the mtermort, ih^t do incorrigible and iinreclainiable lin 
 ners uoon earih : they are fcorched with great heat the 
 venpeanceofGod coD.eth upon them -. they are mad and 
 enraVed, andblafpheme the holy andjuU God whobringeth 
 fuch plagues upon them ; but they have no lenle of their 
 {in'!, no thoughts of turning unto G.id, nr of giving glory 
 to him : Thcle men here bUfphemed, bin r-pented not. 
 10 And the fifth angel pouredout his vial upon the 
 feat of the bead : and hiskingdom was full of dark- 
 nefs : and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 
 Andblafphemed the God of heaven, becaule of their 
 pain and their fores, and repented not of their deeds. 
 Qltfervehcre, \. Th.' gradual approaches which almighty 
 Cod makes bv his plagues and judgments towards the an- 
 richriftianbead; he began farther otfatfirft, and then came 
 learer and nearer to him ; the fir It vial was poured out upon 
 !i€ earth, the fecond upon the fea, the third upon the rivers, 
 le fourth upo:i the frnt, now thefiah upon the \'e?.i of the 
 eaft ; that i?, probably, the feat of his empire, the chief 
 Jilace where heappeareth in the higheft majefty and glory. 
 This fhould teach us aU at the iirlt alarm of judgments to 
 draw near to God by a true and timely repentance, before 
 he comes nearer to us by a fucceflion of plagues and punifli- 
 nients. 2. The elfect and confeqnent which did enfue and 
 foU/iw upon the pouring out of this vial upon the throne 
 or feat of the beaft. 1. Hi' kingdom was full -.f djrknffs .• 
 this vial did not dertroy, but difiref- him, it filled his king- 
 dom with ths darknefi of mifeiy and trouble, of cahmity 
 and horror ; by the lufs of that liiftre, refpec^ and reve- 
 rence, which the throne of the beaft had before, but was 
 v/antinT now. 7.. As an evidence t-f this dillrels, it is here 
 fjid, xhst ihfv gno'taed thvir tongtirs f,r fain; that is, they 
 were almoft diftraftfd at the dechning of their grandeur. 
 N'lte, I. From the knaving of their torgues, which v.'as 
 an indication of ihe horror of their confciences, thtit as 
 aimifhty God mak'?s the guilty confciences of the wicked 
 to be their oJvn accufers, I'o he can make them, whenever 
 hepleiie.. to be their own tormenter?. 2. How .ilmighty 
 God fo f lit; iii^ judgments fumetiTnes to a people's lir,, r.s 
 rhat if thtv do not « ink hnrd, "^r vviltu'ly (hut their eyes, 
 t'nev may and niijft fee and fcad tlieir (iti in their p;iiiif!i- 
 .'m.'.'' v.'rrlijippfrs o!' ;!ie bt.ili fcduced othcr-s by 
 
 m- 
 
 iheir falfedoiFlrine, and finned with iheir tongues, and now 
 God makes their tongues l.ke lo many I'corpiont.' tails, lii: 
 inllruments of their tonnenls. Note, That as the plague, 
 he inflicted refcmbled the plagues of Egypt. To the w..r- 
 (h:ppfrsnf the beaft, who'n they were inflicted upon, ic- 
 fftinbled Pharauh king of Egypt, who hardened his Lean 
 yet more and nioreagainft the Lord, and repented nor. 
 
 12 And the fixth angel poured out his vial upon 
 the great river Euphrates ; and the water thereof 
 was dried up, that the way of the kings of the call 
 might be prepared. 
 
 Ohfcrve, I. In the drying up of the river Euphrates, ;i 
 manifcltallulion to the mannerof old Bahylon'sdeftruclion. 
 The river Euphrates ran through old Babylon, and was a 
 greater defence to it than its celebrated wfl//s, which for 
 thickiiefs and height were the wonderof the world. Cyrus, 
 when betook Babylon, cut many ditches, and let therivei- 
 Euphrates run out, and fo he and his foldicrs entered the 
 city, then fordable, and took it. Now, as the drying up of 
 Euphrates then vvas an iiiiinediate forerunner of the de- 
 flrudion of Babylon, in like manner ihe drying up of Eu- 
 phrates, (ignify it what it will, (hall be the immediate fore- 
 runner ofthedeftruction of antichriltian Babylon, whenever 
 it ihall be. The Roniifli Euphrates being dried up, ihe 
 Roinilh Babylon will haften amain towards its final ruin. 
 Qutjt. I'ut what is meant by Euphrates here I Anfvi, Pro- 
 bably the Tnrkifli empire, according to Mr. Mede--.ndDr. 
 More, the Turks firlt taking up their habitation about this 
 great river: So that by Euphrates may be linderllood the 
 people inhabiting about Euphrates ; and by drying up its 
 waters, the diminifliing and lelVoning of their empire. By 
 the kings of the tpjt, the Jews are laid to be underftood, 
 who inhabit the eaflern countries, to whom God made a 
 promife, Exod. xix. 6. that they (hould be a kingdom of 
 priefts: So that here iVems to be aprophecy of the Jews con- 
 verliontothe chriftian religion, which twoihings dochiefiy 
 h'oder, namely, the idolatry of Rome, and the power of 
 Conllantinople ; the image- worlhip of thePapifts, and tlie 
 puiiLnce of the Turks ; but both ihefe being taken awav 
 by the fall of Babylon, and the ruin of the Turks, the way 
 then wiilfeem prepared fur the Jews receiving of the cliril 
 tian faith. Taking the words 111 this fe-.^fe, the h-Al's aie 
 iheie, I. That the days will comewhercjn Chriftiati princes 
 and rtates fliall pour out the wrath of God upon Pojiilli 
 idolatry, and Turkifli tyranny. 1. That the pouring out 
 of the wrath of God upon both, thefe grand enemies nf 
 God, will prej^are an;! make ready the way for the Jewi. 
 converfion 10 him. 
 
 ig And I faw three unclean fpirlts like frogs ccmc 
 out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth 
 of the beaft, and out of the mouth of the falle pro- 
 phet. 14 For they arc the fpirits of devils, working 
 miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the (tii.xv,.i. 
 and of the whole world, to gather them to tht bai- 
 lie of that great diy of God almighty. 
 
 In the f.irrjTo'ng veru s an accorn; WrS ni^en of the f,.L.- 
 ject upon wh:ch the fixch vi;il wa<- p;iirttd cut, ii.<iii< ._, . 
 upon th." river Eop!ir,ices. tlcrc wc; h.ivc du -.iFiiC i,;.a 
 
 7 F 2 lull J V L.ir 
 
114.8 
 
 REV ELATION. 
 
 Chap. xvi. 
 
 followed thereupon, namely, a warlike expedition or ga- 
 tliering to battle. Nnle, i. The principle coiumanderb in 
 tiiis bawlc,^ namely, ihet/ragon, the heaj'/, and the /al/c pro- 
 phet. 2. The inlkiinients employed, and made ufe of by 
 ihem, who are here faid to be, for their nature, fpirils, for 
 tbeirquality, iir.cle/irr, for their nuinlier, three, for their fimi- 
 litude and refemblance, like frogs, namely, with refpsft to 
 their original, they breed ot corruption and in great num- 
 bers Iwarni and croak in all places, and live boih in the 
 water, and upon the earth ; by all which many interprc- 
 rers undcrftand emilTarics, miflionaries, negotiators, folici 
 tors, and legates, fent forth and employed by anti»hrift for 
 thel'upporrandftrengtheningbothof himand his kingdom, 
 by foliciting the kings of the earth to join together, in a 
 battle againit the church. Behold here how the dragon, 
 the beaji, and the falfe prophet, do fend forth all their 
 emiflaries, and employ all their inftruments, to ftir up 
 princes, and engage them in battle, to withftand the refor- 
 mation of chriftians, and the converfion of the Jews. Ch- 
 ferve farther, The aftions here faid to be performed hy 
 them, namely, their working miracles by the power of the 
 devils: that is, fuch wonderful things as Satan can fome- 
 times produce, or at leaft delude people's fenfes, and make 
 them believe that they are produced and eftecled by him. 
 Where note. That the advantage which the falle church 
 makes of a pretended power with her to work miracles, the 
 Spirit of God, both here and elfewhere (2 Thefl'. ii.' «.) 
 makes to be a badge of antichrift and his followers. 
 
 15 f Behold, I come as a thief. BlelTed w he 
 that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, left he 
 walk naked, and they fee his fliame. 
 
 Thefe confolatory words of Chrift feem to be inferred 
 here for the fupport of the faithful fervantsof God, againft 
 thofe great preparations of the enemy in the day of battle, 
 nehoU, fays Chrift, I then corneas a thief , fecretiv, fudden-' 
 ly, anduncxpeftedly, to deflroy thefe enemies when they 
 leaft expeft me; and then am I at hand to take vengeance 
 o I them, and to deliver my church, when they leait think 
 of me ; Ul'JJ'yd is he that yjatcheth, namely againft thofe 
 temptations which he will be then espofed to ; and keep, 
 eth his garments, that is, his profellion, unfpotted from 
 Im, .-<nd the defilements of antichrift ; /r// he walk naked, 
 that is, appear as a man deftituteof uprightnefs and fjuce- 
 rity ; and they fee his Piame, which ever follows upon a fin- 
 ful courie. Note hp.re, i. That when Chrift comes, he 
 comes fuddenly, even asa thief cometh. 2. That although 
 Chrift comes fuddenly, and as a thief, yet he ispleafed to 
 give us warning of his cotning, Dihold I come. 3. 'Jhac 
 when Chrirt'b coming is near at hand, there is danger that 
 many for want of watchfulnefs will lofe their garments. 
 4. Thut i.-, to fuch as through negligence fliall lofe their 
 garments, this milVry will bcfal them ; tWy (lull walk 
 naked, :md men lliall fee their Ihamt . 5. Thai thofe few 
 who watch and keep their garments, are certainly in a 
 happy and blelHd condition. 
 
 16 And he gathered them together into a place 
 tailed in the Hebrew tont^ue Armaj^eddon. 
 
 //r', that is al:n;ghty God, by his perinidive providence 
 fufT-.red thr k'ogs of the earth to hcirken to antichrift'i' 
 
 mifT.onar.es, who, like frogs hop abroad even into king** 
 palaces, and perhude thtrm to ilTemble and gather lofe. 
 iher, as Jabm and Sifera gathered together againft Uriel 
 to their o«n deftruftion : And v hereas the place of theu^ 
 gnhermg together .s called Armageddon. thi» isfo named 
 from the event ot the battle; (ignifyi,.g fuch a place where 
 the enemiesof thechurch fiiall be ddl.oved. Learn hence 
 1 hat the event and fuccrfs of that batlle, which the ad- 
 herents of antichrift Ihall fight for him, uill be defperate 
 deftruftion to themfelves, joyful v.aories and triumphs to 
 the churches ol Chrift. 
 
 17 And the feventh an;;el poured out his vial in- 
 to the air ; and there came a great voice out of the 
 temple of heaven, from the throne, faying, It is 
 done. 1 8 And there were voices and thunders and 
 lightnings ; and there was a great earthquake, fuch 
 as was not fince men were upon the earth, fo migh- 
 ty an earthquake aW fo great. 19 And the grt-at 
 city was divided into three parts, and the cities of 
 the nations fell : and great Babylon came in remem- 
 brance before God, to give unto her the cup of the 
 wine of the fiercenefs of his wrath. 20 And every 
 ifland fled away, and the mountains were not found. 
 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of hea- 
 ven, every Jlone about the weight of a talent : and 
 men blafphemed God becaufeof the plague of the 
 hail ; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. 
 
 Thefe words defcribe and declare unto us the pourinc 
 out ofthe feventh vial by the feventh aHgel ; in which we 
 haveohJervMe, i. The fubjeft upon which it tell, namely, 
 the air ; not that the elements ot air, earth, or water, are 
 to be underftood in this chapttr literally ; tor the vials 
 poured forth are vials of wrath, andconfequently are pour- 
 ed forth upon ihejnoper fubjtfts of God's difpleafure, 
 which theelements are not; but it is the earthly antichril- 
 tianchurch which is thought to be here intended, fo called 
 Jii oppolition to the heavenly and pure church. So that by 
 the*;r here, Mr. M?de nnderftands all the fubjefts of Sa- 
 tan's kingdom, who is called the prince of the air; and 
 the pouring out of this vial upon the air denotes the full 
 and final deftruaion of Satan's power. 2. The adjnnd 
 and accompanying the pouring out of this vial, namely, a 
 voice out of heaven, faying, It is Aune • that is, " Thefe 
 laft plagues are now finiflied, the work ot God is done 
 and what in his counfeL hedefigned for the deftrudion ef 
 his enemies, and for the deliverance of his people ; this is 
 faid \o be done, becaufe it was now doing; and accom- 
 plilhed, becaufe it was now accomplilhing-" God's threat- 
 enings of judgment (except men repenij arefurev.hen 
 denounced, as if they were already executed. :;. The 
 dweful effe(Ss and dreadful confoquences of this laft vial's 
 l)ourii.gforih, namely. 1. Thunder, lightening, 3m\ earth- 
 quake; all implying thus much, thai the ftorm of God's 
 wrath now coming upon the kingdoms of fin, Satan, and 
 antichrift, would be vtry terrible and amazing. 2. 7ke 
 great city -^as divided into three purts ; into three faKions 
 f.iy foine, and that antichrift'i k.ngdom was now falling by 
 being d vidcd within itfclf : and Ikc cities tf the nations Jell; 
 
 iiaaiely. 
 
Chap, xvii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 namel)', heathen nations, and places wliich withftood 
 Chrift and his gofpcl. For all Chrill's enemies arc now to 
 be (J^'pored from public authority. And great Bahylon came 
 tip m remcm'jrnnce Icfore God : Not that God was ever un- 
 mindful of her, ciilier oF her impiety tovv:irds himfelf, or 
 <it her cruelty towards his people ; but as good works arc 
 (jjd U) be rcmemburod vvhen ihey are rewarded, fo wick- 
 tdnefs is then rcmenibere<l when it is punKhed , Cod re- 
 membered Bahylon, when, for the full cup of lier lins, he put 
 into her hand a lull cup of the wine of the fiercenefs of his 
 wrath. God is never forgetful either of his church's fuf- 
 terings, or his enemies fins, but will punidi the one, and 
 redrcfi the other, in his own appoinied lime. 3. As an- 
 other eftecls ot t!ie pouring forth of this vial, it is added, 
 every ijhind Jled away, and the mountains were not to be found \ 
 '•'i^nityin;;, fay fome, that the rcnioteft and ftrongeft places, 
 ^vhich owned and maintained Babylon, fiiall either be con- 
 verted or confounded. Intimating, fay others, that there 
 llull be no place in that day of God's wrath, to fice unto 
 tor fafcty ; neirhcr illand en the fea, nor mountain on dry 
 land. Laflly, The fupcradded judgment of iinufual hail 
 which God poured forth upon Babylon, as before upon 
 Egypt, Exod. ix. There fell great hail out if heaven, 
 every Jhne ahoiit the weight of a talent. An hyperbo- 
 lical exprellion, fetting forth the defign and purpofe of God 
 to purlue Babylon, and the worlliippers of the tea/l, until 
 they be utterly deftroyed. A talent, fay fome, was an hun- 
 dred pound weight ; if fo, thefe hail-flones were fulHcient 
 not only to kill men, but to dafh them all in pieces. This 
 heavy hail fliews that weighty fins procure heavyjiidgmcnts ■ 
 yet mark what a bad wii: thefe obdurate finners inadeofall 
 tliefc tremendous judgments, they llafphcmed God. They 
 were fo obftinate in tiieir idolatry, that they flood it out 
 againll all God's judgments. And when they ftiould have 
 humbled tliemfelvcs under his mighty hand, they open their 
 mouths in blafphemies againft him. AW, That in the book 
 of Exodus we do not read that the old Eyvptians bbi- 
 phemed God when the plague of hail was nifli£led upon 
 ihcm, nor when they lay under any of the ten plagues: But 
 ihefe idolaters, inftead of giving glory to God, they blaf- 
 phemc him, becaufeof the greatnefs of their phigixs. This 
 perhaps is an emblem of what the damned will do at the 
 day of judgment ; though their confciences be convinced 
 of the righteoufnefs of their fcntence, yet will they not ccafe 
 to pour out blafphemies againlt God,' upon the account of 
 the ftverity and eternity of ihtir torments. But verily then 
 will all the divine attributes be confpicuonfly .olorified, his 
 wonderful clemency fweetly difplaycd, his exac4 jufUce'ter- 
 ribly demonfrrated, his perfeft wifdom clearly unfolded, 
 and all the knotty intrigues of providence wifely refolved' 
 and the injured honour and glory of almighty God vifibly 
 cleared and repaired, to the joyful fatisfadlion of all good 
 men, and 10 the dreadful otdlcrnation and confufion of all 
 impenitent finners, who with thtife worlliippers of the leaf} 
 will gnaw their tongues for anguifh, and blatpheme the holy 
 andjuaGod moll unjuftly, for bringing upon them that 
 deltruaion which they had defcrved, yea, that damnation 
 vvhich ihey hr.d chofen : And wen blaffhemed Ccd Iccaufe 
 d the plague of the hail ; fr the plague thereof ivas ex- 
 ceeding great. 
 
 ^H9 
 
 C H A P. XVII. 
 
 AND there catne one of the feven angels which 
 had the feven vials, and talked with mc, fay- 
 ing unto me, Come hither, I will Ihcw unto thee 
 thf judgment of the great whore, that fittcth upon 
 many waters : 
 
 Obfer-oe here, i. The angel's invitation to the fubfequent 
 vidon.^O,;^ oj theangch talked %vilh me, fmin^, dme hither, 
 &c. Where we fee the readintfs of ihofc ininlftering fpiriis, 
 ihe holy angcLs to do any good office for the faints, and 
 with what chcerfulnefs they are employed about things for 
 eur confolation, and the fweet familiarity that is between 
 them and the faints.^evidenced by that expreflion. He talked 
 me with, &c. 2. The promifc which the angel makes to 
 J>t. John namely, to Jhe-w him the judgment of that great 
 ivhore. By the whore all underftand the city of Rome • only 
 fome will have if Rome pagan, others Rome papal, or the 
 great idolatrous city and church of Rome : Idolatry is often 
 in fcripturc-ftyle, called whoredom ; and idolaters are faid 
 to go a whoring from God. A whore is a perfon married 
 to an huf])and, who afterwards proves falfe to his bed The 
 papal prefent church of Rome dcferves this name, havintr 
 been guilty of the greatefl defeflion and apoftacy from the 
 true evangelical doftrine and worfliip that ever was in the 
 world ; and fhe is defervedly alfo called the great wljore 
 becaufe of her whoredoms committed with fo many under 
 her power and jurifdidion, having many people fubiea to 
 her, and for that reafon is here faid toftt upon many waters 
 Ihe true church is Chrifl's bride and fpoufe, fhe is be* 
 trothedunto him in righteoufnefs, in loving-kindncfs and 
 in tender mercy, and at any time by idolatry to apollatife 
 from him in fpiritual whoredom, which fhall not pafs with 
 out deferved punifliment. Lean, hence, How hateful ido- 
 latry is to God, and how highly it provokes God's wrath 
 even as the whoredom of a woman, who plavs the commoi^ 
 harlot, provokes the jealoiify of her hufband.' Verily, never 
 was hu/band more jealous of the chaltity of his fufpeded 
 wife, ttian God is jealous in point of worfhip. 
 
 2 Witli whom the kings of the earth have com- 
 mitted lornication.andtheinhabitersof the earthhave 
 been made drunk with the wine of herfornication. 
 
 Babylon was charged with committing whoredom in the 
 former verfe ; in this, the perfons are declted whom fhecom! 
 muted whoredom with, viz. with kings, and ihe inhabitants 
 of theearth , that is.with all forts of perfons, fmall and area 
 rich and poor. Where ,,./., That fhe is, 1 . A catholic X'e' 
 common and fhamelefs ; file refufes none that will be l^S 
 with her. 2. A poliiic whore ; fhe firft draws kings 'and 
 princes to comm.t fornication with her, and then other in- 
 habitants ; well knowing how faft the example of fuperiors 
 IS comrnotdy followed by inferiors ; and whereas fheTs [aid 
 
 SoirTofr'H i'""'''"'!' '.''' ■'^"'^ J her fornication, the 
 Spirit of God feems to intimate, that idohury is like unto 
 .vine; renrual fort of worfhip, .nd iherefLe alluring • 
 making penons drunk, therefore intoxicating Wine i« 
 fweet, but proves deceitful ; idolatry is pleafing to man's cop! 
 rupt n^iture, but b.-ings wrath .nd judgment ,rpon the iinner. 
 
 3 ^So 
 
II JO 
 
 K E V E L A r I O N. 
 
 Chap, xvii , 
 
 3 f So he c.iiiicil ine away in the fpirit into the 
 uildernefs : and I fnw a woman fit \ipon a fcarlet- 
 rolouicd bcafl, full ol names of blalphemy, havinj^ 
 Icvcn heads, and ten iionis. 4 And the woman was 
 arrayed in purple and fcarlot colour, and decked 
 with gold and precious flones and pearls, having a 
 golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and 
 filthinefs of her fornication. 5 II And upon her 
 forehead ti/flj a name written, KIystkry, Babyio.n' 
 THE Great, the Mother of Harlots, and 
 
 AuoMrNATIONS Of THE EaRTII.. 
 
 Ohferve, i. That Sr. John wasmu in one coritinued ec- 
 ftafy, but at feveral tiuies in the fpirit ; that is, in an eclbly 
 or rapture 0}' tnind, wherein his outward fenfes beinfi boHinl 
 up, liis iinderfbnding was fixed and raile I up to ttie con- 
 templation oftiivine objects, reprefcnted lohini in the vi(ion. 
 A fpiritual fraiTie of mind is requifite for difcerning the 
 villous of God. 1. The place whither St. John was car- 
 ried, and whfre he faw the following vifion, namely, in the 
 luilJcinffs : A pl.icc of privacy fay Ionic, where he might 
 difcern things inulifturbedly and iitidiltrafteilly. Solitude 
 is fiiteft for contemplation. A wildernels, fay otlicrs, was 
 the fittelt place to fee that chwcl^ in a vilioii, which was it- 
 i'elf a wiidcrrt'/s : The apodolical church before, wasdriven 
 into the wildernefs ; here the apoftate church follows her, 
 as an harlot I'ucceeding to a fa'thful city. -5. The vifion 
 itfclf: I fav) a viinutn fit itp'ttt a JcarUt-cohured beap, hz. 
 The woman here is the lame with her that was called whore, 
 ver. I. namely, idolatrous Rome : flie is reprefented as a 
 woman richly and fplendidly arrayed, with her wealth and, 
 riches, with her pomp and power er.ticing the v orld to her 
 idolatry, called lo often whoredom and fpiriJual fornicaiion; 
 aii'l ihe g'JUn cup in lu r hind is an alkilinii to hai lots, who, 
 with their philters or enth.inteJ rops,do allure and provoke 
 men to reniu.il fatiff.iciion-; in I'ke niiin;)er doili Rome, by 
 her outward fplendnur, allure, and, by other r])ecious pre- 
 tences and means, draw perfon? to her idolatries and liiper- 
 fbtions. L.iitly, The name written on her forehead, to 
 wit. Mvfl;ry, S.iojJoh the Ircdt ; that is, not literal, but 
 niyltlcal B.ibvlon, the preat ciiy of Ron'j the mother of 
 •■•oljtrv, the patron of ii ucliy, thepatroticls of all iiripieiy ; 
 and propagating .lii thcl'e by her pnr/er and policies, who 
 culls hcr\\:\'i the »i jthcr churih, hui u is indeed the niotherof 
 hat lot', and of all manner of ubommations ; that is, of abo- 
 minable do<flriiies and pra<Il:ccs. 
 
 6 And I faw the woman drunken with tlie blood 
 of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of 
 ]<;fus : and when I law her, I wondered with oreat 
 admiration. 7 And the anjel faid unto me, Whore- 
 fore didll thou tnarvel ? I will tell thee the myflery 
 olth:- woman, r.nd of the bt all that carricrh her, which 
 hath the fcven heads and ten horns. 8 Tlie beall 
 rtiattnou fawell, was.and is not; andfliallafcendout 
 of the bott<j.m!efs pit. and j^o into perdition : and thiv 
 that dis-etl on the earth fhali wonder, whole names 
 ivcre not written in the bonk of life from the founda- 
 
 tion of the world, when they b.-hold tlic bead that 
 was, and is not, and yet i . 
 
 Sr. jiihii proceediiii 'he ci<'.lii;i:ion of this wmno : hs 
 d chircd her m he a tililiy ami oMiiriii.ii >vhi>fe, in 1 bi: fore- 
 going vcrie ; in thi«, he reprelcr.is iii. r a'- .ncr lel .'(.i.llil >ody 
 whore: Jhe i* laid uihc dt fik, deuukx'jith hivjj drniikwitlt 
 hwly bliioi!, drunk with llie hji'od of f.iinls ar.d nmriyrs. 
 HehuM the bl()oil-tiiit(linerM)r tlie Roman citnf-cH," anirh< r 
 iiil'aiiab!entr.> ikerrin, ev#n '.niio <irunkeni>ff5. 2. With 
 what wonder and adm'ration St. Julio was fjlltd, when he 
 law this woman diuiik wiih bloi-it, } 'j>inJrred ajilh ^r^^,t 
 a(/'r!/Vtf//«« ; iiitimntinj; tliai fo allnnifhiiiff is ihe trtitl'v /'f 
 thit rhn.-ch, thst it j;;ll!y cdUiVs woiul' r and admirat'on to 
 all that are not of her crii::-l and bloody difpiOiion. I won- 
 dered that God .'hould fulFer To much of b s dear fer'anis 
 blood to be (hed by her, and at her inr^itiaijle cruelty in :hs 
 (hedding of it. 3. K'ow the Spirit of God was pleafed to 
 open this myflt-ry, whcii indeed is the only vifion of th's 
 natnte expi-nnded ihioiighoiit the whole hook : He hcj-/ir.s 
 fir!t wiih a defcriptio.T of the bead', affirming, th.Tt he -jjas, 
 and /■/ n'jt, zr.A yft is : As if he had laid, " The Roman 
 empire was once p.igan, now is not pagan, bur chridian; 
 and yet is as idolatrous now, as it was ot old ; the fame as it 
 was, only in another form. '' Rome pjpal is certainly a* it'ii- 
 latrous, as crucland bloody, as ever Rome pag:in wasofold; 
 yea, perhaps, much more fo, be/ond compare. The rile and 
 original is declared whence this idolatrous church fii'-nlil 
 fpring, namely, o:</ nf the h'iHomltJy pit, becau'.e qer work'n^ 
 is after the working of Satan, with all dcceiv.iblenefs, with 
 figns anil lying wonders. And as its rife is declared, fo is 
 its ruin foretold ; it Jhall f/) into pet ditisn, th.it is, HkiII be 
 finally delb'oyed, never to revive ajmin : lintb'ifore thii <le- 
 Ifruiticn, the world (liall he under Inch an infntu.iticn, that 
 the generaliiy of the inhabitants of the earth, fome few t >;. 
 cept(d,/Z'i(// -uowrfcr t'ftrr the he-iP ; that i?, be wonderfully 
 taken sn ith hiiri, and (h^ll follow him with .nn implicit faith. 
 paying homage and fubje;5lion to him- But thele .idmirers 
 and adorers of 'he bealt are only fuch whofe nmnes -were' 
 not wrilten in the honk of Itfe ; intimating to ns, that in the 
 times ofgreareft aportafy, and molt univerlal defecbon frpin 
 the truth, the Lord wants not his own true church ; he 
 ever hid, and has, yea, ever will have, a number to Hand 
 up for his name, and bear witnefs to his truth. 
 
 9 5 And here is the mind which hath wifdoin. 
 The feven heads are fevcn mountains, on which the 
 woman fitteth. lo And there are feven kings : five 
 are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come ; 
 and when he cometh, he mufl continue a fliort fpace. 
 J 1 And the bead that was, and is not, even he is the 
 eighth, and is of the feven, andgoeth into perdition. 
 
 Here the ang»! cometh direclly 10 declare and unfold the 
 niydery of the bcan,prem f)ng!irll,ihai it requires heavenlv 
 w ifdom in d p'-rfon to .iindtrftand it, and apply the marks 
 accordingly. lh>e is th: rtiind thsl hath nyfh'n, that i>, the 
 m n I thai hath wifdom, may her: e\'Tti:e itfelf. The fcvcn 
 hinds, Paid the angel, arefven wMKt^i'nt, that is, fi^nify 
 fiven mountains ; a 'Isar df'cripiion of Rotn'e.as toitilocal 
 fi uatioo, being bo !i iiprn feven hills, yl.-.d there ate f,ven 
 
 hi.ijtf 
 
 1 
 
Chap, xvn, 
 
 R E V E L A IM O N. 
 
 J^Ji 
 
 king!, t'fiT is. fevn form: ofjT u'ernrnrnt, by. ar.d according 
 to wiiith, Rome was governed, luincly, by kings, coiilels, 
 tribuaes, dscernviri, diClKors and eiiipcrors, that were pi- 
 g,i;ii. Fiveof thefe .vcre fallen in St. John's time, ihar is, 
 utterly extiiicl, n^ni.'Iy, the govermient by kings, confuls, 
 tribunfs, decemviri, and d editors. AniUmis, to wit thego- 
 vtrnment by pa^Tin emperors, which was in St. John's tune 
 in bein;r. .-hij thi otijer is njt ye: conif, thu is, chc govern- 
 ment by chrilVan emperors was not yet inbeir.rr, and when 
 i; dd come, it held nut a liitle while before ilie Ijilhops of 
 Roue wrefttd the govcrn-nenr ont of their ii.)nds, .Tiid rook 
 it iiKo (h'ir OA-n. Behold here the nreat m.itabiliiv of all 
 esrth.y things ;.j;ovetn:nents have thfir penoils, kingdoms 
 cosne to an end. fi'appy they, who, fervinf; God acccpta- 
 h'y, wi:h revs-rence.Ttid godly frar, have fecnred to ihem- 
 IcKcs a kingdom that canuo: be moved ! [leb xii. iS.^ 
 
 12 f And the ten horns which thou fa well, are 
 (en kings, which have received no kingdom as yet ; 
 but receive power as kings one hour with the beaft. 
 13 Thefc liave one mind, nndfhall give theirpower 
 and (Irength unto the beaft. 14 1 Thefe fhall make 
 war with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall over- 
 come them : for he is Lord of lords, and King of 
 kings : and they that are with him, are called, and 
 chofen, and faithful. 
 
 C.y:-rwhere, the ang-..-I farther cxplainsto St. John this 
 gre.it myacry of ihe heart ; declaring, that tiie ttn horns of 
 the beaft, do lignify ten kings, which Ihoold employ their 
 po.ver with the bcaft,andincoi)janaion with his eftablilhcd 
 iJolati-y.io uphold his bloody religion. Next, their wicked 
 nnity is declared, in giving their power and Itrengih to the 
 bead : Th.yha-je cne tnind, ver. 13, that is, they unanimoufly 
 concur ill aiding, ftrengthening, and aflifting the bead, in 
 n;iiig tiiiir pov.er, and employing their auihority to niain- 
 t.iin him in hi.s idolatrous ar.d pagan-like fuperftitions. 
 Ladly, It is decLired for what end they thus concur to- 
 gether, in giving iheir power and (trength to the beaft; 
 namely, to niaki w.ir with the Lamb ; that is, to cake part 
 with antichrift, ;ind oppjfe Chnft in his truth and goipel, 
 in his iiiinifters and members, in his children .ind fervants. 
 Bill the L.imb fidl overcome thm. Some /l).,ll be converted 
 ky the power of the gofpsl.oihcrs fiiall be ccniounded, one 
 waji or other brought into fuiijed on ; for he is Lord of 
 hrds, aniiK]>:g 'fk'irgs ; that is, clothed w iih divftte power. 
 Clirlft, though a meek Lamb ycc is a mighty Lord' The 
 titks here given him, fliew his Godhead and oinnipotency; 
 and having fuch a power, he kno.vs how to fit inllrucnents 
 
 plication of the vilt.in. By the w iters wliercon the whore 
 fat, }>e declares,, are' to be underftood, many and divers na- 
 tions belonging to the Iloni,-.nen»pire. Behold thfii ofv.'hac 
 cUufchmullituji' is n note I not of thechurch of Chrift, his 
 flock is a hide flock; but of ilie a.irichriftiaji f'nagogue. 
 
 AL 
 
 1 
 
 the 
 
 which vaunts, iha: multitud.''s are on her (i.,^. .»..,.. ,,,^ 
 nijlrirude, or generality of p;rf.vi?, areprone tooppofe that 
 
 exe- 
 
 the ten 
 
 which IS good, and thofe ihar do good. Next, it is 
 chircd with inftrutnertsGod svill inake ufe of, as tlie 
 
 at mi 
 
 ;eancc upon this great 
 
 here 
 
 for his purpofe ; and thofe « hom he will make ufe of in 
 this woik, !h..ll be chofen perfon., and faithful in the df- 
 ch.irge of the truft connuiitfd to thfni. Ail that are 
 fjiihful to Chrift, Jliall (hare with him in his viftory. 
 
 15 And he Tilth unto mc. The \vatcrs which tliou 
 
 fawL-a, where the whore fittoth, are peoples, and mul- 
 titudes, and nations ' . - . 
 
 horns which thou 
 
 hate thewhore.and ihall makeherdefolateandnaked, 
 and fhall eat herncfli, and burn her with fire, 
 ilcie Uie ar.gel procctd-, and goes on farilier in the ex 
 
 cutioners of his vci? 
 
 h'jrils, that is, the ten kings v\hich did before idolize her, 
 and conimJtidola:ry,and f])iri:ual w horcdotii with her, ftaj/ 
 at )cng-h revolt from her, lute h.r, make her drfdile and 
 nAc^d, Jbcll ent herfii/h, and hum hn- \uith f>-e. Lord! 
 what a ftringe, fudden, and mighty change doth the power 
 of convening grace m.ikc ! Behold thefe ten kings who 
 foiiietimes doted upon the painted beauty of this great 
 whore, when once their eyes fh'll be opened, their hearts 
 v.'ill foon be alienated, Babylon's courts (hll be crouded 
 wi;I) fuitersuo longer ; they fliall nnke her dcfdate, by de- 
 ferting their communion ; make her nuked, by withdrav.'ing 
 their former fupplies afforded to her ; ihey fhall ear her 
 fl^-Ih, feed themfelves with fpoils, and take her revenues to 
 themfe!ves,and burn her w\',\\fire ; thatis, ihall utterly ruin 
 and dcftroy her. The deftruftion of antichrift once begun, 
 flial'holdonconftantly by degrees, till his final deftruiftlon. 
 
 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his 
 will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the 
 beaft, until the words of God fhall be fulfilled. 
 
 Obftrvc here, i. How the infinitely wife and perfedly 
 holy God, can, and does fo order^things, that all his. judg- 
 ments fliall be executed by f'lnners, wirhout his being the 
 caufeofaiiy of their fin? ; though, by the permiflive will of 
 God, ihefe kings gave their power for a time to the beaft, 
 yet :hey never had his approbation for fo doing. God fo 
 over. rules the actions of wicked men, that when they are 
 doing their will, contrary to their own intentions, in and by 
 them the Lord is l:kewife doing his will. God fometimes 
 tloeshis will by thofe uho refoire ihey will not do his will. 
 2. The lime when almigiity God, who permitted them to 
 fubmit to the whore, will put it into their hearts to hate 
 her, andhelptodeilroy, namely, v^hen his word is fulfilled. 
 God's word fhall be fiulfilled, in (pire of Satan, and all his 
 inftrumsnts: yea, the wicked are then fulfilling God's 
 word and will, thatis, his permiflive will, when they are 
 going on in their wickedneli. 
 
 1 8 And the woman which thou fawefl is that great 
 city which reigncth over the kings of the earth'. 
 
 This if fo cirar a defcription of Rome, that the chnrih 
 of Kerne herfeif acknowledges it : For if that be the city 
 built upon ftven hills, the city that allures the inhabitants 
 of the earih to idolatry ; if her idolatries be a lively ima^e 
 
 „ ,„j,,„ ^ ^ir ^' J Y" ' '^''^''^^P^g'^" idolatries; ifto her many kings havegivcn 
 
 IS, and tongues. 10 H And the ten their po.ver and ftrengih ; and if Ihe reij^netho.erthc kin-rs 
 lawell upon the bcafl, thele Ihall of ''•« eznh, there remains no doubt but that ihi.' grc'^t 
 I lhallmakehprdp^n]n^pnn^lnA^^,^ cityiillnme; that Ro.iie is ni) ftical Babylon, whicli has 
 
 filed the blood of faints and mar-yrs without ntjmbcr, and 
 mu.'lbcdcftroyed f.;r fo doi-g; nc pomp no-grandeurcan 
 
 exempt^ 
 
1153 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap 
 
 XV I 1 1 . 
 
 exempt, or fiiall lave her from the revenging hand of God, fliall nevermore be tormented by her, or trouhled with her 
 and his jufl indignation. Lord! haden i hit defirable time ! ' " ' ' ' ' ' ' "' - ' 
 
 C II A P. XVIII. 
 
 \ND after thcfc things I law another angel come 
 down from heaven, having great power ; and 
 the earth was lightened with his glory. 2. ^ And he 
 cried mightily withalkong voice, faying, Babylon 
 the great is fallen, is fallen, andisbccome the habita- 
 tion of devil's, and the hold of every foul fpirit, and 
 a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 
 
 The deftruclion of fpiritnal liabyion hath, in this pro- 
 phecy, been fcveral times predicted, and already foretold : 
 Nowhere, anangel fiomheaven is employed, lodeclarcit 
 ftiall certainly be performed. This angel isvariondy here 
 defcribed : i . By the place from whence he came, namely. 
 
 /). It denotes the joy and rejoicing which will be fiMind ii» 
 
 Sion, at iiabylon's <lownfal and deflru^lion ; Jhe is fallen, 
 
 yZ'if It Jallen ; it is not only a fpeech of faith and rrult, buc 
 
 of joy and triutnph. Learn hence, i. That R(mie, or 
 
 myllical Babylon, fliall certainly fall, fhall nticrly fall, Ihall 
 
 irrecovcralily fall. ;. That the downfal of I'jbyloii will 
 
 be martcr of great Joy and triumph to the inhabitants of 
 
 Si'jn, bccanie (lie lias been to the church of Chrifl an old 
 
 and inveicrate enemy, a cruel and bloody en^iiiy, and Ihall 
 
 be the i. .it enemy. When Babylon is talUii, then Ihall all 
 
 perfecutioiis ceafe : Satan Ihallbebound, andthe kingdoms 
 
 of the world fliall become ihe kingdoms of the Lord, and 
 
 of hisChrirt. Let all that have an imerell in God, bein- 
 
 ll.iiit in prayer with him to haften its time, that it may be 
 
 in the hiltory, as ii is herein the piophecy, that Bahj ion 1j 
 
 fiillcn. Laftly, What an heap of multiplied cxprtliioiis the 
 
 , - ,.' .^ .' , 1 . a ,a;, ., < R-.ht,lnii Holy Ghod is pleafed to make nie of, to fet forth the utter 
 
 from heaven ; furnifyinc that the deltruaion ut iiabyiou / ,<- i i ,•, • fu u i p/ • t .l l 
 
 """ '- *' ^ *? .„ .. o .1 > ruin, and fina deolat ion of Babylon : S/;f // Off owf/*f *«• 
 
 ■was there lure V decreed, and flunild moft certainly be ac- . , , ., - , , i -i i i r • ■ 
 
 w..> iiicit luit jr , ,u..,Ki,.k !,<. htati'^n nf devils, &c. that is, as devils and evil Tpirns are 
 
 comolifhed. 2. By the authority and power w.ih which lie r 1 i 1 r 1 1 1 u- 1 u u 1 
 
 tumiJiiiitu J., ijy J '(r„„ fV,,,,, tht. (irpar fuppofed to haunt delolate places : and birds, which make 
 
 came, in the name ot, and by com,i.illion trom the great 11 . . . f . . . 
 
 God, and having great power. A mighty angel is employed 
 
 in this great and mighty work, to deftroy Babylon, the 
 
 mighty throne of antichrift. 3. By the effccl of hts ap 
 
 pearance; Theearthwas lighlenediuith hisghry .■ denoting, 
 that Babylon's deftruaionfliould be open andmanifeft, and 
 matter of joy and glorious rejoicing both to heaven anil 
 earth. Learn hence. That as the dedrudion ot Babylon 
 is the work and office of an angel, under God, fois it unto 
 the angels matter of joy and triumph, efpecially to fuch of 
 them as are employed as officers therein Obfcrve, ' he 
 
 hideous and difmal noifes. do dwell in ruinous and ruined 
 places ; in like manner theCe exprefiions denote how en- 
 tirely and abfolutely God will bring about the deflruAion 
 of Babvloi) ; iiifomuch that the place which hath known 
 her fliall know her no more, and her habitation fliall be 
 an eternal defolation, lo that none that pal's by fliall fay. 
 This is Babylon. 
 
 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the 
 wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth 
 have committed fornication with her, and the mer- 
 
 place againft which the mighty angel doth denounce the chantsof the earth are waxed rich through the abun- 
 vcngeanceof God, and thtt with an ingemination, or repe- 
 tition of the threatening: Z?aA;'/3«//'£'5rf «/ if /'^''|?«,'-^A'^^''; 
 
 where, by Babylon, all, both papiflsandprotellants, doun- 
 derftand the city of Rome, though in different refpedts. 
 This is called myltical Babylon, in an allufion to ancient 
 Babylon, becaufe of their relemblance, i.lny?«; namely, 
 in pride and felf exaltation, in cruelty and oppreflion, in 
 forcery and witchcraft : Seejer. li. 7. 2. In fuwjhment : 
 The deftruction of old Babylon was a fudden dedruaion, 
 Ifa. xlvii. 9. and a perpetual dcftrocTton : Seelfa. xiii. 20. 
 compared with Rev. xi. 10. and Rev. xviii. 8. It is called 
 Babylcn ihegrejt, i. Becaufeof the greatnelsot itsftrength 
 and glory ; it was the ftrongtll and mod fortified place in 
 the world. Cyrusbelleged it thirteen yearsbefore hetook 
 it, andihcnby cuttingchannels, ami drawing dry the river 
 Euphrates. 2 In regard of her great power and dominion : 
 Literal Babylon laid, Are not my princes altogtthtr kings ? 
 .Tnd myltical Babylon ruleth ever all the kings of the earth. 
 Farther, it is here laid, lUat Babylon thegreui is Jallen, iiay, 
 it isingeminated and repeated; isfalhn, itfJlrn; implying, 
 I The certainty other rum ; it is a fpeech cf faith, Ipeak- 
 ing of things to come as already pad ; God's puniihments, 
 whet, threatened, are .is certain as if already intt'ckd 
 
 dance of her delicacies. 
 
 The tjpir.t of God is pleafed here to affignthe reafon and 
 caufe of Babylon's fatal ruin and final defolation ; name'y, 
 I . Becaufe all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath oj 
 btr fornicaii'jn. Jll nations, that is, very many ; the gene- 
 rality of the Roman empire have been allured to, and in- 
 toxicated by her idolatries, which have bmught all this 
 wrath u;-on her and them. Where note, 1. How idolatry 
 is compared to wine, becaufe very pleafing to corrupt nature 
 and alio very enticing anti enlnaring, overtaking, like wine, 
 a perfon unawares ; and it is called wine of wrath, becaufe 
 it exciteth and provokeih God's wrath againd a perfon or 
 people guilty of it. 2. Becaufe the kings of the earth have 
 committed forui, ation with ber ; tl at is, joined with her in 
 idolatrous worlhip. \M here note. The policy of Babylon 
 in drawing kings and princes to the bed of her fornications, 
 well knowing how fad their example '>'ill be followed by 
 inferiors. 1 he example ot fuperiors in doing evil isdrangfly 
 powerful ; Jeroboam made llrael to fin ; not by command- 
 ing ihem to worlhip the golden calves, but commending 
 that idolatrou^ worlhip to ihem in his own perlon. 3. Be- 
 cauie the merchants of the earth were waxed rich throui^h 
 
 ve.y n-ar no ming ^ t. .. r. 
 
 itrurtion, is fallen, Is/allcn, never to rdc more ; the church Rome ; 1 
 
 ny fin may be forgiven forlilver, and a liceoce for 
 
 any 
 
Chap, xviii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1^53 
 
 any thing that is unla.vfu! for money. The fe are the rea- 
 fons here adigned for Babylon's ruin. The nations were made 
 drw.k hy her, /uKgs cur/jmitted firnicatl'm with her, &c. 
 
 4^^ .\nd I heard another voice from heaven faying, 
 Come out of lier, luy people, thacyc be not partakers 
 of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
 
 Ohrervehere, An adinonition given, and a double reafon 
 afli;;n?d for that adiiioni:ion. i. The ailiiioiiition itfclf : 
 Oitmout 'jj her my pe ,pU ; that ii, come out of mydical Ba- 
 byi'.m, have no com:;iunion with that idolatrous church; 
 abflain from allcnmtnunicaiing with her in her fin";, as ever 
 you would approve yourfdves to be my f lithful people. 
 Here ntte. It is not fo much a local departure, as a moral 
 reparation, that is here intended ; not To much from B;by- 
 lon's locil bounds, as from her abominable errors, fuper- 
 Jtitions, and idolatries. Learn h^nce, i. That God has, 
 and ever had, a people, even in Bibyion. i. That it is a 
 fpecial duty which God requires of his people, to depart 
 froni Tnyilica! Babylon, elpecially when herdo-.vnfal is ap- 
 proaching. :;. That llich a departure from Babylon is no 
 fchifinaiical feparation ; it is not a departure from the true 
 church, but the true church's reparation from an idolatrous 
 conimunio:! ; and that by the exprefs and politive com- 
 mand of God himfelf, Come int of her, >ny people ; an alki- 
 f)on lo the charge given with refpecl to Babylon of old, 
 Jer. li. 6. 9. IVe 'd.-iul'l have healed Babylon lutjhe lunuld 
 nit he healed ; fjrfake her. Obferve, 2. A double reafon 
 aflignedfor this admonition, i. Becaufe we are in danger 
 of being partakers of her lins, namely hy incurring the 
 guiltof her (Ins, and by contracting the fpot and filih other 
 linj, 2. There is a danger ai/o of being made partakers of 
 her plagues ; there is no fafety in being near thofe who are 
 unoJer the curfe of God ; participation in iin will certainly 
 caufe a participation in judgment. How dreadful is this 
 text to fuch as continue in, or apoftatize unto, Babylon's 
 idolatry and communion ! 
 
 5 For her fins have reached unto heaven, and God 
 hath remetnberedjher iniquities. 6 Rew^ird her even 
 as fhe rewarded you, and double unto her double ac- 
 cording to her works : in the cup which fhe hath 
 filled, fill to her double. 7 How much fhe hath glo- 
 rified herfclf, and lived delicioufly, fo much torment 
 and forrow give her. For ihe faith in her heart, I fit 
 n queen, and am no widow, and fhall fee no forrow. 
 8 Therefore fhall herplagues come in one day, death, 
 and mourning, and famine ; and flie fliall be utter- 
 ly burned with fire. For flrong h the Lord God 
 who judgeth her. 
 
 Ob/erve here, j. The reafon afllgncd why Almighty 
 God inflicted fuch fevere punifhnjen^s upon Babylon'; 
 becaufe her Jits, that is the cry and djmonr ofher Ctns had 
 reached up to heaven.- the meafure of her fins was filled 
 up, U'ldCsd hadrenieniberedheritiiqii'tties, th.it is, manifefted 
 his renifmbr.mce of then), by infliclii;g on her i'o great, fo 
 jiift apunllhment for them, viz. forher idolatry andperl'e- 
 c'ltion. Learn hence. That although fms be traniient 
 actions, yet ih3y have a pcrinanen: pleading before the 
 
 Lsnl's tribunal, to bring down judgments upon incorrigi- 
 ble (inners. And 2. That although the juftice of God niav 
 be thought to be afleep, and h« may ieem to be forgetful 
 of fmand (inners, yet he will take his own time tonianifeft 
 that he remembers them, by infliaing the hravied of his 
 judgments upon obdurate finners. Ohferve, 2. The in- 
 junction and comniatid given by God unto his people, tn 
 every one of them in their place and (tation, to contribute 
 regularly all they can towards Babylon's dowiifjl and de- 
 ftruction. Reward her as fie rewarded you, yea, double : this 
 is required, not from a private fpirit of revenge, which 
 chrilhanity exprei'dy forbids, but as a public work, in an 
 authoritative way and manner, out of an ardent zeal for the 
 glory of God, and from a juftidignaiion againft her tyranny 
 and idolatry ; and the command to doidde unto her double, 
 implies, that a double punilhment is due unto her, yea, a 
 jultone, «cc(;ri/;ng/oy!if/--yor;^j-. Beholdhere! whatbloodv 
 perfccutors may atlength expect, namely, toreceive at the 
 Lord's hand double for all their fins. Babylon's punifh- 
 ment fliali be double, relpecting what fhe has acted, but not 
 double in refpect of what flie has deferved ; if pofTible, kc 
 her have as much blood again to drink as ever (lie fpilt ; 
 for one drop of the blood of Sion is more worth than an 
 ocean of the blood of Babylon; give her therefore double, 
 for though it be more in quantity, it is nothing fo muth in 
 value. 3. How fuitable andanfwerable Babylon's punifii- 
 ment inflicted will be to her fin committed ; her (ins were 
 pride a'ldinfolence, luxury, and voluptuoufnefs.A''o/e, i.Her 
 pride, fie /aid in her heart, I fit as a queen: Mark) (he did 
 not barely fay, I amaqueen, bur, 1 fit as a queen ; as if fhe 
 had laid, " I am not only in a high place, but in a lure 
 place : 1 have a warm and a firm feat, I am well fettled, I 
 havea great command, yea, an uncontroulable comman'(l»: 
 I am no-jjidow, no defolate widow, no difconfolate widow', 
 for 1 have many children to comfort me, many fons and' 
 daughters to fupport me : Ifi;alljee m forrow, I neither 
 feel nor fear any." Behold bow worldly men fancy to 
 themf^elve an everlaffingnefs in worldly things; they fancy 
 themfelves fittingas upon down pillows foreaieand foft- 
 nefs, and as upon rocks of adamant for furenefs and un- 
 nioveablenefs. 2. Her luxury and voluptuoufnefs : fi.>e 
 lived deiicioufly, in porapouspalaces pleafantly (ituated, plen- 
 tifully fnrnilheil ; and her judgment bears a ftri(ft propor- 
 tion to her fin how rtntch fie hath glorified herfelf, and lived 
 deHct9uJly,Jo much torment and J nr row give her : the juflice 
 of God will exaaall the arrears of abufed mercv. Sinners 
 that now fare delicioully every day, (hall pafs'from their 
 good tilings here, to the flames which live by the breath cf 
 ticd's revenging wrath. Ah ! doleful exchange! one hour's 
 feeling of that hre will be more tormenting than an age's 
 enjoyuientof this world's delight can bepleafing. 4. The 
 equity, the celerity, and multiplicity of Babylor/s punilh- 
 menis ; their equity is intimated in the illative particle 
 therejore, that is, becaufe of her former lins her plagues 
 fhall ctime; the celerity and fwiftnefs of her punillimtnt ij 
 intimated, they (hall come upon her in one day, as did 
 Sodom's plagues, fuJdenly and unexpectedly : And the 
 multipliciiy and variety of her plagues is particularly here 
 exprellld : </ed/i>i, for putting the laints to death : m^.urn- 
 irg, for her former rejoicing ; famine, for f-iaiiiliir!'' 
 God's people ; and burning, for having burnt fo luany of 
 7 G the 
 
1IJ4 
 
 R E V E L A T ION. 
 
 Chap. xvm. 
 
 lUe bodies of the holy martyrs to aco.il. Laftly, The rejfon And the fruits that thy foul luHcd after arc departed 
 
 here afllgned for the unavoidablencfs of all thefe plaRues from thee, and all things which were dainty and 
 
 coming upon B.bylon, for /Injng is ihi Lord vjho judgeth Qodly are departed from thee, and thou flialt find 
 
 h'r. True! B.iby on h.is a 1 natur.1l power and a civi] 1 ^11 t^u 1 . r .1 i- 
 
 . , , ri I \, n. r- I- n. u ■ ■ them no more at a 1. ic The merchants of thole 
 
 llrencth onhcr (ide; but the Itrong God is ajrainft hePj it is ,. ,. , 1 ■ 1 . 1 n n n 1 / 
 
 his conirovcrfy with her, and he is able to effect what he t'"ngs, which were made rich by her, niall (land afar 
 
 plcafeth, how incredible foever the thing may feeni to us ; ofFforthe fear of her torment, wecpin','and waihng, 
 
 fooiier may the ark and Dagon be reconciled, and ceafe to 16 And faying, Ala.s, alas, that great city, that wa>t 
 
 be adverfe, than God can be at peace with Babylon. clothed in fine linen and purple and fcarkt, and 
 
 gf And the kings of the earth who have com- decked with gold and precious ftones and pearls! 17 
 
 niitted fornication, and lived delicioufly with her, Forin one hour fogreat riches is come to nought. — 
 
 fhall bewail her, and lament for her, when they fliall ^^^ ,-^^^,^^, f^^^ „f ^^^^^^ ^^h„ p3fr,o„.itelv lamenr, and 
 
 lee the fmoke of her burning, 10 Standing afar off bitterly bewail Babylon's downfal .md deltruaion, are, the 
 
 for the fear of her torment, laying, Alas, alas, that merchants whotraded in and with B.ibylon. Here we have 
 
 great city Babylon, that mighty city ! for in one an allufion to the merchants and merchandize of Tyre, 
 
 hour is thy judgment come. 
 
 The fpirit of God having in the former part of the chap- 
 ter fet forth the certainty and feverity of thofe judgments 
 which fhould come upon myflical Babylon ; He next de- 
 clares what wailings and bitter lamentations her downfal 
 would occafion to her votaries and admirers, to her friends 
 and followers; more particularly, he acquaints us with three 
 forts of perfons that (hall bewail Babylon's deftrudlion, 
 kings, merchants, andfeanien ; the former we have here be- 
 fore us, inthefetwo verfes; the kings oftheearth, who have 
 ddhercd to the whore, committed fpiritual fornication with 
 
 fpoken of Ezek. xxvii. As Tyre was the mart of the e.irth 
 for temporal things, fo was Babylon for fpirituil things ; 
 making merchandize even 0/ the p,iils of rti'n perluading 
 the people that they could purchafe the redemption of louls 
 out of purgatory by niafles. Here tfite. That pagan Rome, 
 though flie did traffic forflaves, yet not for fouls ; but papal 
 Rome deals for both. She fells alfo the f.iuls of men, by 
 felling her ectlefiaftical benefices, and cure of fouls. And 
 1 would to God that this piece of fpiritual merchandize 
 wereonly found aniongft.them, andnot heard of elfewhere. 
 Obferve next. The holy ("iholl is pleafec to eiHi:ncrate at 
 large feveral forts of wares, and the kinds of mcrciiandize, 
 
 her, and delighted the-nfelves m her carnal and pompous ^j^^ch Babylon deal: and trafficked in, namely, goldJHver, 
 
 idol-worfhip, when they fee the fmoke of her burning, and precinusftones, fir.e linen, purple, fllk, artdfcarUt ; all ihings 
 
 undcrlhind the certainty of her deltruftion, they fhall (land f^rornament, neceffity, and delioht ; the prideand fenfuality 
 
 afar off, like perfons attonifhed, and like perfons afraid, ^^ j^^^^^g prompted her to buy up all Ions o^• commodities, 
 
 amazed at the dreadfulnefs of the judgment, and afraid to ^^^ ^^^^ ^,f ,„ ^^^^ ^^^ countries round about could hung 
 
 come near, left they be involved in it; and the words of j^. , to gratify her pride, andpanly to ferve herido- 
 
 tbeir lamentations are here fet down, Mas, uhs, that great ^ Farther, What a bitter l.nntntation is here t.iken 
 
 cly Bahyhn > mone hmr ,s her judgrmnt corns J As if they j,p . but for what ? Not for their (ins. theirUixury, or ido- 
 
 liad faid, "Noiwithflandingall Babylon's grandeur, which ^ but for the lofs of their market and merchandize onlv. 
 
 «e lo admired and magnified, and which (lie herfelt put fo ]>eh„ij i„ thefe Babylonians, the fpirit and temper of all 
 
 much truft and confidence in, to our altomflirient we be- ri,,uralmen; they weep not for fin, but for fufferings; for 
 
 hold, in «ne hour, her judgment come upon her; a great temporal crofs they have tears enough, they refufe to 
 
 and mighty city deftroyed, a gay and fpltnded church poll- ^_. ^^^,f„, j^^, . ^^ for their fins, which arc not their crofs, 
 
 tically founded, powerfully ftreiigihened, on a hidden broke but their f«r/>, ^he\v plague, yea, thegreatedof all phigues, 
 
 in pieces, and brought to defolation : JIas, aLs, th.it great becaule fpiriiual, thefe they can ("peak of with dry eyes and 
 
 cttyBahyLnr U am hence, That when God begins to i,„affefted hearts. Obftive UiWy, How thefe merchants 
 
 enter mto judgment with his church's enemies, theltrong- j^^^^^ ^^ .^^ kings hehre, f/artd ^far off fr fear of her tor- 
 
 eft arm of flefii cannot avail, but kings with their armies ^^,,,^ wet/W ur,d'^ailir,P ; pitying and condoling one an- 
 
 will flee and be dftomfited, the floutell hearts will be other, greatly affeftcd 5«d forely afiiiaed :o fee the ruin of 
 
 a:raid and terrified, not daring to approach the prelence that polity that fuftained them, but notable to help one an- 
 
 it an angry God. ^^^1^^^. gghold ! how fruiilcfs and helplefs the wicked's 
 
 wl And the merchants of the earth fhall weep friendOiip is to one another in tiie day of vilitation ; that 
 
 and mourn over her ; for no man buyeth her mer- f^a"'' a*'*'' I'fffor fear of torments, but can adord no fuc- 
 
 chandizeanvmore. i2Tiiemerchandizeofgoldand 'o*^"" '"^ "'^'^ °'h<-''' = They dmft not come near to help 
 
 lilver, and precious Hones, and of pearls, and fine Bal^y'"" "'" '''«'"■ 
 
 linen, and purple, and lilkand fcarlet, and all thyine — And every fhip-maTier, and all the company in 
 wood, and all mannorofveirclsofivory,andallman- fhips, and failors, and as many as trade by fca, flood 
 uerof vclfcis of inofl precious wood, and of brafs, and afar off. i8 And cried, when they law the fmoke 
 iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, of her burning, laying. What city « like unto this 
 and ointments, and frankinccnfe, and wine, and oil, greatcity? 19 And they caffdufl on their heads, 
 and fine ilovvcr, and wheat, and bcalls, and (heep, and and cried, weeping and wailing, faying, Alas, alas, 
 horfes, and chariots, and Haves, and fouls of men. 1 4 that great city, wherein were made rich all that had 
 
 Ihips 
 
Chap. xirc. 
 
 • REVELATION. 
 
 fhipsin the fea, by reafon of her cofllinefs ? for in 
 one hour is fhe tnadedcfolato. 
 
 The la(t fort of mourners for Babylon's ruin are failor* 
 and feamen : All fpirituil Teamen that liave an oar in St. 
 Peter's boat, ili.ill lament greatly, whole life and livelihood 
 did depend upon the merchant trade of that great city : 
 Thefe, though ihey ftuck cl.jfe to her, and trafficked with 
 h'Tin . .J day of her profperity, yet now with the reft they 
 ftjnd arar off from her lamenting her ruin, and their 
 own lofs, in the d.iy when her deibhii.)n conieth. And, 
 as an evidence of the frrearnels of their forrow and mourn- 
 ing, they are here laid to cajl dujt on th-:i'- heads ; which 
 ainoni^ft the ancien's was ufed as a fpecial token of exira- 
 (irdinary grief and forrow, Jo!) ii- i ^. In a time of deep 
 a/Hiilion, we may exprefs our outward furrows by our 
 outward geftiires : Thefe mourners for Babylon exprefs 
 their forrow for her and thenifelves, by carting duft upon 
 their heads. 
 
 20 5 Rejoice over her, thou Iieaven, and j'e holy 
 apoftles and prophets ; for God hath avenged you 
 on her. 
 
 Note here, i. That as Babylon's ruin was matter of 
 great grief and forrow to the forenientioned mourners who 
 merchandized and tr.ided with her ; fo is it raatterof great 
 joy and rejoicing to ail fpriritual and heavenly minded per- 
 fon? which are the true church, "vho are. commanded to 
 rejoice at it. Rejoice wer her, heaven ; that is, ye angels 
 in heaven, or ye faints, or that are of an heavenly difpofi- 
 tion. And all ye holy apofHr^s and prophets • that is, all 
 faithful ininifters whofucceed them, who are endued with 
 the fame fpirit, and teach the lame pure and holy tioJtrine 
 with them. Note, 2. The caufe of this rejoicing declared ; 
 f',r Cod hath avrnged them upon her. The church does 
 not, the Isintsof God dare not, rejoice at Babylon's cala- 
 tnity as furh, but as an aift of divine vengeance. God will 
 be avenged on Babyloa for the dodlrine of the gofpel cor- 
 rupted by her, and for the rules of worfhip violated by her, 
 and for all the barb iritie? and indignities which his church 
 and people have fulfered from her ; God will revenge the 
 wrongs of his people, when ihrongh v/ant of power ihey 
 cannot, and through his prohiLii:ion ihey may not avenge 
 themfelves. 
 
 2 1 And a mighty angel took up a ftone like a great 
 millilone, and cA\ it into the lea, faying, Thus with 
 violencefliallthatgreatcityBaby Ion be thrown down, 
 and fhallbefound no more at all. 22 And the voice 
 of harpers and muficians, and of pipers and trumpe- 
 ters, iball be heard no more at all in thee ; and no 
 craftfman, ofwhatfoever craft Af^f, fhallbefound any 
 more in thee ; and the found of a millftone fliall be 
 heard no more at all in thee ; 23 And the light of a 
 candle fliall fhine no more at all in thee ; and the voice 
 ef the bridegroom and of the bride {hall be heard no 
 more at all in thee. For thy merchants were the great 
 men of the earth : for by tky forceries were all nations 
 deceived. 2.|Andinher was found the blood of pro- 
 phets and of faints, of allthatwerellain upon the earth. 
 
 Ohferve\\^re, i. Bjbylon's utter defohtion reprcfented 
 by the type and fign of a inillftone caft into the fea : Like 
 a miUrtoneflie had ground, and opprefTcd ihechurchof God, 
 and now, like a millftone thrown into the fea, (hefmks in-.tj 
 the pit of dcftrticlion. Almighty God, by this (ign orfym- 
 bol, fignilied to St. John, that Babylon's ruin fiiould be 
 violent, irrecoverable, and irreparable ; flie fallsnever tu 
 rife more. The cafting of a ftone into the fea wasaiiciently 
 the emblem of everhfting forgetfulncfs. 2. The ampirfi- 
 cation of Babylon's ruin particularized in feveral inftances. 
 I. That nothing (hould ever more be found in her thac 
 beKsnged to pleafure or delight ; novoice 0/ harpers, viuji- 
 clans or trumpeters. 2. Nothing which belonged to prciic 
 or trading, no artificers or crafilaien. 3. Nothing belong- 
 ing to food, no noife of a millftone for grinding corn and 
 making provilion for bread. 4. Nothing to relieve againft 
 the daiknefsand terror of the night ; as the light of a can- 
 dle. 5. No means for the propagation of mankind by mar 
 riage ; ThevrAce if the bride and the bridegroom fl:all he heard 
 no more. All which expredions do imply extremedaftruc- 
 tion and utter defolation ; intimating, that Babylon (lialS 
 be a place utterly abandoned and forfaken. Obfcrve ->,. A 
 threefold caufe aiTigned for all this, to wit, i. Damnable 
 covetoufnels ; Her merchantswere the great ones of the earth. 
 Her finful way of merchandizing, by dealing in (piritual 
 commodities peculiar to Rome, Teems to be here pointed 
 at, her making merchandize of the fouls of men, as we 
 have it, ver. 13. ^. Her bewitching idolatry, called here 
 forceries, whereby ihe enticed people to join withherinher 
 fuperftitious worniip. 3. Her cruelty and bloodlJied ; in 
 her '.uas found the blood of prophets, and (,f faints, and of all 
 that were flain upon the earth. Oticfl . But how can the 
 blood Hied by others be laid to her charge r Anf. i. Be- 
 caufe the doftrines which caufed their blood to be (hed 
 were with her. 2. Becaufe her jurifdiaioB gave commif- 
 fion to flay the faints which were flain in other kingdoms. 
 3. Becaufe by the influence of herexaraple at home, much 
 blood had been (hed abroad. God will charge upon others, 
 as he did upon Babylon, not only the fin which they have 
 afted, but all the fins which they have been accelTary unto, 
 
 CHAP. XLX. 
 
 AND after thefe things I heard a great voice of 
 much people in heaven, faying, Alleluia : Sal- 
 vation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the 
 Lord our God : 
 
 Note here, That the firft who f]ng this fong of thankf- 
 giving for Babylon's deftrucTion, are glorified faints, called 
 here much pecple in heaven, and they are (aid to iiiig wiili 
 a ^reuivoke, exprelFing thereby their united zeal and fervent 
 aflcftion in this duty of ihankfgiving, and they begin their 
 fong with an Hebrew word, yJlleluiu, which is ;i word of 
 excitation, and fignifips, hud ye the Lord. Some think thac 
 hereby the chr.ftian church do invite the Jews or Hebrews 
 to join with ihern in prailing G<.d, and tivit after Babylon's 
 overthrow Chnftrtiail be folemnly praifed, Ub by theGen- 
 tile, Co by the Jfwidi church : the tenor ot their fong i« 
 much the f.ime v/ith that v/hich we had before, chap. vii. 
 10. to wit, laijJtijn, (or deliverance from .dl evih, fpO 
 litujl and lemporil, partici.iai ly froai thols whicil tna 
 7 ^ 2 chur.h 
 
11 -jb' 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. xix. 
 
 churcli fufTsrcd unJer llabylon's tyranny) loid gljry, and 
 honour, and po-.uer, be afcrikeJ, unto tke Lord our Ccd, and 
 to him alone, who is the Author of all good, and haiii 
 inanifefted his great power in deftroying our enemies. I.iarn 
 hence, i. That the church's falvation is entirely from 
 God, and the fpecial eft'ecl of his divine power, i. Tliat 
 to hin», upon that account, all pofiible honour and glory 
 is due, as having fhewn hinifelf his people's God. 
 
 2 For true and righteous are his judgments : for 
 he hath judged the great whore, which did corriapt 
 the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the 
 blood of his fer\'ants at her hand. 3. And again they 
 laid, Alleluia. And her fmoke role up for ever and 
 ever. 
 
 Objerv; here, i. The c.iufe affigncd and fet down of 
 this their do.\ology and foleinn thankfgivings, namely, the 
 truth and faithfulnefs, as alfo the julfice and righteoufnefs 
 of God in the execution of his judgments upon Babylon ; 
 his truth appeared in performing the threateiiings which 
 Babylon defpifed, and his righteoufnefs in fuiting his judg- 
 ments infilled upon her, to the (ins of idolatry, and blood- 
 flied committed by her. 2. The title here given to Baby- 
 lon, flie is called the -whore, becaufe of her idolatry, which 
 is often in fcripture HyXcA fpiritual whoredom, and the great 
 vjhore, becaufe of her univerfal corrupting the whole earth ; 
 ihe made others to fin, and cruelly murdered thofe who 
 would not fin. Hence learn. That idolatry and perfecu- 
 tionconftantly go together. Babylon's idolatrous practices 
 •were accompanied with bloody cruelties. 3. An intima- 
 tion given of the irreparable ruin and irrecoverable defiruc- 
 tion of Babylon, her fmoke rofe up for ever and fvfr,that is, 
 God followed her with a fuccellion of plagues and judg- 
 inents until flie was ruined part recovery. 4. That the 
 word .'ilkluia, as it begins the long fo does it alfoclofe the 
 fame, to fliew thereby the railednefs of the church's affec- 
 tions, and their nnweariednefs in prailing God for this 
 deliverance of Babylon's deftruftion. 
 
 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four 
 bealls fell down and worfliipped God that fat on 
 the throne, faying, Amen ; Alleluia. 5. And a 
 voice came out of the throne, faying, Praife our 
 God, all ye his fervants, and ye that fear him, both 
 Imall and great. 
 
 h'ote here, i. How the whole heavenly choir praife God 
 on the forementioned account, acknowledging the jiifiice 
 of his proceeding againrt Babylon ; and, 2. An invitation 
 is here given to all the faints upon earth, both fm;ill and 
 great, to fear and praife him : Whence «o/f, How the 
 church triumphant and militant, the faints in heaven, and 
 chriflians on earth jointly give praife to God, and glorify 
 liim for this great work, idoring his divine jullice in dellroy- 
 inir Bib) Ion, the mother of idolatry, the nell of luxury, 
 the feat of opprelfion and cruelty : 1: is a duty well bccom- 
 i'lp the faints, botli fmall and great, tocelebaate the pr^iles 
 uf God U\r the cquiiy of hii judgments upon his church's 
 inci»rrigb!c and unrcrljimahle enemies ; and here God 
 liiinfclf, .ind his ininidcrs call tipon the whole church to 
 join ill ihis foltmn wo;k of jraift- and thankf^iving. 
 
 6 And I heard as it were the voire of a great mul- 
 titude, and as the voice of many waters, and as- the 
 voiceof mighty thunderings, faying, Alleluia: for 
 the Lord God omnipotent reigncth. 7 5 Let u.s 
 be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Jiim : for 
 the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife 
 hath made herfelf ready. 8 And to her was granted 
 that fhc fhould be arrayed in fine linen, clean and 
 white. For the fine linen is the righteoufnefs of faints. 
 
 In the former verfes, an exhortation was given to a'l the 
 laints, to abound in the duty of thankfgiving , here we 
 find them unanimoiifly addrelTing tlieuiftrlves to the prac- 
 tice and performance of that duty ; and accordiiijily tliey 
 are called here a great multi'ude, their voice like many -u'ii- 
 iers for unity, and like mi^l.iy thundtrin^s, denoting thut 
 zeal and fervour which is in their thankfgiving. \Vherc 
 note, How exceedingly the church doth rejoice and triumph, 
 not fo much in Babylon's ruin, as in the glory of Gcd 
 advanced, and as his own kingdom is promoted by it. 
 Cbferve 2. A fuperadded ground and realbn for this ex- 
 traordinary joy and rejoicing, /ir the marriage tf the Latrdi 
 is come, &c. By themurriflge './the lamb, Mr. Mcde and 
 Dr. More CO underfland the conveifion of the Jews ; by 
 the Lamb's -Jiife, the nation of the Jews, fo called, in re- 
 gard of that relatioo which tliey (bnd in to God, by vir- 
 tue cf the covenant ; and ihe is faid to have made htrfelf 
 ready, namly, by the wedding garment of faith, toacce]>t 
 of her formerly defpifed bridegrviom. Note, Thatit is pro- 
 bably conjfclured by fome, that the convcrfion of the Jews 
 fhall foon follow the deilrnc'tion ef antichnit ; for his ido- 
 latry and perfecuticn are great fcandals to the fews, and 
 mighty ftumbling-blocks in the way of their converllon. 
 And whereas it is added, that it -was granted her to he ar. 
 rayed in fine linen, the words do feem to import, that the 
 Jews fhall in due time, be brought in tcChrifl, lo I'uhmit 
 to his righteoufnefs, and be cluihed with it, and tliat an 
 holy emulaiion lliall be found between the CJentilcs and 
 them, which tiiall mctt andbtft adcrn the profcifion o\ the 
 gofpel. From the w hole, note. How the church is called 
 Chrift's wife. Chrill and (lie are here betrothed each to 
 other; but at thegreat day, the marriage will be herecon- 
 fummated. IS'cte fariher, The church's fpiritiul naked- 
 nels in herfelf confidered : // -juas granted to her to he ar. 
 rayed in fine linen; (he had it not of herfelf, but it was 
 put on by Chrift; he decks :ind dreff-s his own bride with 
 the ornaments of grace here, and glory hereafter. 
 
 9 And he faith unto me. Write, Bleffed arc they 
 which were called unto the marriage-fupper of the 
 Lamb. And he faith unto me, Thefe arc the true 
 fayings of God. 10 5 And I fell at his feet to wor- 
 ftiip him. And he faid unto me, See thou do it not : 
 I am thy fcllow-fcrvant, and of thy brethren that 
 have the teflimony of Jefus. Worfliip God ; for the 
 tefliinony of Jcl'us is the fpirit of prophecy. 
 
 Dlcfpid are they -jj.'^ich are calUtlto the marriage-fupper rf 
 the latib\ that is (fay they, who, ^■^derfb^.d, by the 
 marriage of ths Lamb, the convcrfion of the Jews} who 
 
 fliall 
 
Chap. xix. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1157 
 
 fhall live in iJ"r« ^^pj-'y v,:r.c., wl'.cn the Jews bein<j con- 
 verted, fliall, villi the Gcniiks, miike vp one glorhnis 
 goffiel-church. But the marii:ige is one thing, and the 
 mariisgc-fiipper another ; the marriage-fuppcr follows the 
 ir.arriage ; fo th.it the kingdom ot" glory rather fcems 
 here intended : BlelTtd are they which are cilleil to if, 
 being made meet and prepared for it, by grace here, 
 tor glory hereafter : We mull be made meet for hea- 
 ven, before we c.-in be admitted into heaven. Ohfcrve 
 next. That St. John bcinjj; overjoyed at the good nc\\s 
 of his countrymen's (the Jews) converlion, fell down at 
 the angel's feet to woriliip him, as Cornelius did at St. 
 Pc-ter's when he heard of the converfioii of the Gentiles, 
 AQ.% X. 25. And I fell at his feet to ivorjhip him. The 
 hoWell and beft of faints are not wholly free from paJllonate 
 infirnii ics : He woidd now hn\e v\or(liipped this anoel, 
 yet Ave read not of any attempt made to woilliip any of the 
 former ancels which converfed w ith him. This makes it 
 probable, that he apprehended it to be an uncreated angel, 
 even the Son of God, which now talked with him. Next, 
 With what indignation this holy angel rejeded the offer of 
 religious adoration, and how peremptorily he forbids it ; 
 'f .un, by no mean?, upon no terms, do it. See thou do it 
 Hit. The church of RoTr.e afks us. Why we reprove them 
 for worfliipping the angels, when St. John himfelf did it ? 
 Our anfwer is ready. That St. John himfelf was reproved 
 for it ; the angel rejcded it as none of his due. O the 
 prefimipiion of ihofe men, who dare do that which the an- 
 gel exprefsly forbids to be done I Yet, after all, Beliarmine 
 fays. That St. John did well to worfhip the angel ; then, 
 fay we, the angel did ill to reprove St. John : But w hether 
 Mc fliali believe a cardinal at Rome, or an angel of God, 
 judge ye. LaRly, The reafons alligned by the angel w!io 
 forbade it. I. Bccaufe God, and God alone, is the fole 
 and proper objeft of religious woriliip : 2. Becaiife the an- 
 gel was St. John's equal in oilice, though not in nature : 
 As if he had faid, " Thofe who ftrve and worfliip God 
 together with you, miift not be worfliipped by vou : Thofe 
 who are fellow-fervanis to one mafter, fhould not give to 
 one another that woriliip which is only due to their Lsird 
 and mafter. But we are feUoiv-fervrmts : How doth that 
 .Tppear r Thus: You have the ti/;imwiy of 'Jcfiis, and I 
 have the f pint of prophecy. Now, the i'piiit of prophecy, 
 and the work of the minidry in tefiifying of Jefus, being 
 of the fame nature and kind of fervice ; therefore, from 
 thofe that are employed in o.ie of theni, religious vvorOiip 
 is not due to the other. It is Chrift that employs us both, 
 and therefore, he alone is to be worfliipped, and neither I 
 nor thou : Tf'orfoip Gcd, to whom religious worlhip is juflly 
 and peculiarly due." 
 
 1 1 And I faw heaven opened, and behold, a white 
 horfe; and he that I'.it upon him ~u:ai called Faithful 
 and True, and in righteoufnefs he doth jud'C and 
 make war. t 2 His eyes zucre as a flame of fire, and 
 on his head were many crowns ; and he had a name 
 wr.'tten that no man knew but he himfelf: 13 And 
 he was clothed with a vefture dipped in blood : and 
 his name is called, The Word of God. i.< And the 
 arniies which were in heaven followed him upon 
 
 white horfes, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 
 15 And out of his mouth gocth a fharp fword, that 
 with It he fhould fniite the nations : and he fhall 
 ruk them with a rod of iron : and he trcadelh the 
 vvine-prefs of the ficrcenefs and wrath of almighty 
 God. 16 And he halh on his vedure and on his 
 thigh a name written, King of Kings, .'vnd Lord 
 OK Lords. 
 
 Here we have a new and frefli vifion, in which St. John 
 faw heaven opened, and Chrift reprtfented as a great and 
 victorious General, marching forth with a glorious army 
 for his church's enemies full and final de/lruclion. This 
 great General is firft dcfcribed from the place whence he 
 comer, r.a.mely, fiomhea\cn; he is no earthly prince or 
 potentate, but an heavenly monarch. Next, he is faid to 
 fit en a white hirfe, denoting vi6lory, profperity, and Aic- 
 cefs : He is called faithful and true, and righteous, becaufe 
 faithful in all his promifes, tiue in his threatnings, righ- 
 teous in all his difpcnfations towards his enemies ; he will 
 do them no wrong. Next his eyes are faid to be as a flame 
 of fire ; denoting his clear and piercing knowledge, and 
 alfo hib terror as a judge, his eyes being in wrath as a flame 
 of fire, ready to confume his enemies. And farther, to 
 fliew his royal dignity, it is added, on his head tvere many 
 crowns, which alfo denoted his many vitSories over his 
 many and mighty enemies. And by the name, which no 
 man hieiv but himfelf, fome underdand his nature and 
 cflence, which is fo incomprehenfible and unfearchable, as 
 that none but he who is true God, is able to compre- 
 hend it fully, or reveal it perfectly. Others by his name, 
 iinderfland his judgments and \vays, by which he is known, 
 as a man by his name. O/yivw next, "This great and mighty 
 General is defcribed from his vefure dipped in blood, which 
 denotes the inighty overthrow of his enemies: The cruelefl 
 and proudeft of them can expcft nothing in the end 
 from him, but extremity of wrath and deferved deftruc- 
 tion; for they mull all become his foot-flool. And his 
 nair.e being called The IJ'ord of God, fpeaks dread and 
 terror to antichrilf, who (landers, oppofes, corrupiy, and 
 fiipprefles, and offers all manner of indignities to the word 
 of God ; exercifes the titmoll cruelties againlt the preach- 
 ers and profcfTors of it. Olferve farther, That after the 
 defcription of this great and mighty Gener-il, follows next 
 the defcription of his armies, his attendants and followers, 
 namely, the holy angels atid glorified faints, ver. 14. thefc 
 alfo ride upon nhile horfes, as their General biforc them, 
 and are clothed in fne .'inen. ifhite ard clean. Behold the 
 comely conforinity, and puiity, and holinefs, between the 
 General and his fcldicr-, between Chrift and his followers ; 
 they both appear on wliite horfes, fuitablc to one another. 
 Chrift will adtnit none to be his followers that are not like 
 him. Next, we have the tif^//)3/; defcribed, rrr. 15. which 
 Chrift makes ufe of for the deftri;dlion of antichiiit, and all 
 his church's enemies; and th-M is a fw:rd, ajharp fivord, 
 the holy fcriptures, particiilarly the thrcatninos of the 
 word, whh which he will fmitc rill the wicked nations that 
 tide with antichriif againft him and his j-;ingdoin : dealinf^ 
 with his enemies as men do with grapes gathered into a 
 winc-prefi, which ih.cy can eafily cruih. Lr.ftly, He is 
 
 dtfcribcd 
 
1158 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. xx. 
 
 Jefcribed hy a new name of royal ilignity and fupreme and God cjftshim into a bed of fi^nr.cs, LiQIy, it is added 
 power, brjni;; rnllctl /i-'itig of kings, L'lr d iif Ifds . And this totKeroiitg the remnant, thatilicy were flain -vjitk thef-wotd 
 name is faid to be wriiten on his vrjitire, ami on his th\gh, cf hit mnalh : T hjt h, by Chrill's judicial fenuMire, they 
 partly for pcrfpicuity, that ;jII miglit laice notice of it ; and were rij^hteouny adjudijed to be fljin, .ird \» heu tlu-y were 
 partly for permanency, to fliew, ihat as lorg as hi.dfelf fi>, all the fowls \^ere fdled wiih their fltfh. Where rtite, 
 Jafts, u i)ich is forever, fo locig fliall his kingdom and donii- That theft ptrfonsv^erenor exculed, btcan'e they fidlowed 
 
 their leader', and did what rhey bade them ; Clirilt con>- 
 j niaml-, for all that, thar they uMo Ihoiild be fljiii. Lord I 
 
 how vain will the pit a of nunv lir.nersheal ihe^>real liay ; 
 
 we followed our {;uides, we did as we faw others do be- 
 
 frre us ! Rtmemhcr me, il-af God hai vii»en us a rnle 
 
 iiioii over all endure. 
 
 17 Audi faw an angrl flandinjj in the fun 
 
 lie cried with a loud voice, faying ttr all the fouls 
 
 that fly in the niidll of heaven, Come and gathcr 
 
 yourfelves together unto the fnppcr of the great walk by, rhe infallible and inflexible rule of his word • and 
 
 God ; 18 That ye may eat the flclh of kings, and neither tic example ot the niof^, nor of ilie l<eft, mi (1 in- 
 
 the flefh of captains, and the flclh of mi^jhty men, Auence us to art contrary ihereu.iio; for it we wdl do as 
 
 itnd the flefh of horfcs. and of them that fit on them, '"^^ '"^^ '^.''' ""[^ '""'^ be conrenred to po where the n>cll 
 
 ii-nn-rii i_ir ji_ ji.1 e", eveu into thf inks cf firi liurninu vjith ortir.fione. 
 
 and the flefli or M men, both free and bond, both '' •' " •' 
 
 Imall and great. CHAP. XX. 
 
 After the defcription of the General and his army, fol- A ND I faw an angel come down from heaven, 
 
 lows next the event and fuccefs of the battle, which is a jf\ having the key of the bottomlefs pit. and a 
 
 prodigious {laughter of the church's enemies : And as f. ^hain^in his hand : 2 5 And he laid hold on 
 
 eaples and vultures, and other birds of prey, do attend an rV, , ^u .. u r ^ u u • .1 j -i 1 
 
 '' in, I n r 11 1 the diajvon, that old lerpent, which IS the devil and 
 
 army, and flock where the ilain lie, in like manner, al- ^ 1 j l j 1 ■ i i- j 
 
 mighty God here invites the fowls of the air to fop upon Salan, and bound him a thmtland years. 3 And 
 
 the carcafes of his fliin enemies. Antichrift would not luf- call him into the bottomlels pit, and Ihut him up, 
 
 fer the dead bodies of the witnefTes to be buried, but to be and fet a leal upon him, that he fliould deceive the 
 
 caft out, and ly in iheftreets; and here God metes to him nations no more, until the thoufand years Ihould 
 
 the fame mealure ; their carcafes alfo fliall be a fupper for ^^ fulfilled; and after that he muft be loolcd a lit- 
 
 ihc birds and fowls of the air. Come to thefupprr of the 1 rp-,r,^_ 
 l^rent Cod, to the flaughter of antichrift and his adherents. 
 
 Where j'o/r, That by calling it a fupper, two thintrs mav This chapter begins with a frefh and glorions vifioii 
 
 be probably intended, i. I'be facility and ealinefs'of the which St. John hau of an angel's delcending from hraven, 
 
 vic'tory ; that Chrift's and his church's enemies, will.noc to 1^'"^ Satan for a thoufand years : And herein we have 
 
 put him hard to it to overcome them ; as we proverbially ohferyealih, i. Ihepcrl'on binding, //;etfHt;f/ofthe covenant, 
 
 lay, they will be but a fupper to him, or a breakfaff for thrift Jeliu, (for he only has the keys of ihc bottomlds 
 
 liim. 2. The word fufptr lecms to import, that this Ihall P't. of hell, and of death. Rev. i. 18.) This angel is here 
 
 be the 1j(1 effort, ifie jafl great oppofiiion, that antichrift l:"d t" coine down from heaven, and with a great chain in 
 
 and the church's chemier, iliall ever make r.gainft Chrilt to ^'^ hand, denoting his omnipotem power and lovereignty 
 
 ihetiidoftheworld,astheluppcristhelaftmealofthcday. over Satan, and his abdity to relhain him. 2. The per- 
 
 fon bonnd, Satan : W here vuirk. That he is fet forth here 
 
 ig And I faw the beafl, and the kings of tiie by five names ; he is called the iirngon, xhefcrpent, the oU 
 
 earth, and their armies^ gathered together to inake ftrptnt, the lUvH, and Satan. And note, Chritl's poncr is 
 
 war againft him that fat on the horfc, and againfl 
 his army. 20 And the bead was taken, and with hini 
 the falfe prophet that wrought miracles before hiiii, 
 with which he deceived them that had received the 
 jnaik of the bead, and them that worihipped his 
 image. Thefeboth were cafl: into a lake of fire burn- 
 ing with brimflonc. 21 And the remnant were flain 
 Avith the fword of him that fat upon the horfe, which 
 J'word proceeded out of his mouth : and all the fowls 
 •>vere lilled with their flefh. 
 
 let forth in as many terms as the devil has title*. ; he is faid 
 to lay hold on him, to bind h\m, to caft him into the bot- 
 lomlels )iit, to Jhul him in, or feal him up for a thoufand 
 years; ihatis, to rcftraiii him, and render \\\\n incapable of 
 doing fuch mirdiief 10 the world as Ue had done before. 3. 
 V/hat we are to unJtrlland by Chrill's binding Satan; 
 fome thereby do underfland Chrift's ovenhrc.wing ihe 
 power of the divil in the heathen woild, his carting down 
 ihofe llrong holds ofS.itan, to wir, ignorance, fuperfluion, 
 ididatry, and lying oracles, by ihe light and povver of ihe 
 gofptl, preiiclied .imong the Gentiles; his curbing of Satan, 
 that he fhonld no more cozen the world wiih heaiheiiilh 
 
 {T'A/frrr here, i. Tiie fins) IfTue of this great batile, cfpludons as he had done. f)ihcrs underfland this binding 
 
 n.ir.iely, the foial ruin of all the enemies oi the church ; of Satan to be after (he dcftiuiition of antichrift ; when the 
 
 the beaftanJ tali'e prophet were taken, ur.d cajt uhve into a Jews (hall be converted, and liiere fli.dl follow a (juiet and 
 
 Likraff.rcburn'tny 'c'llh lir;nijt(,nf. Brljolil ilie puir.lhriient j)e:.ctab!e ftate of the church lor a lorg lime, ft>Kd here a 
 
 (if idoliitors and idohtry ; the f.".!fe prophet lad cheated ihtiufjiid years ; iluring whit h time, Satan flull be bound, 
 
 credu'ous princtsaiid peoples, wiilil.ispreiendod miracle!', and ihere tiull be i.n iiioK Itaiion from Li m. Fru:» the 
 
 into iduL'.iy ; he Ijr.d caft other', into 2 b".\i cf f'urnicaiitn, whol?^ h^nn^ Th.i! be h-: dcvij never !'o dcviliih, Chnlt 
 
 his 
 
Chap. xk. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1169 
 
 hn« po'VCT to overpower him. Clirift h.i? a great chain in 
 h:s hand to bind Satan : IniiiiMtini!;, 'I'li.it iiow migiity 
 and nialirious lotver Satan is. Chrill lias him as a dog in a 
 ch.ini. But oA/ervf a little, how Chrift's power meets with, 
 and niaflers Satan's power ; the devil carries power in his 
 rff-ne, he is c.illed a dragon ; in his nature, as bein;; an 
 angel; in his w/miffv, which are nuniberlefs ; but Chrift 
 overpowereih him, fo that he cannot do his own will with- 
 out him ; he bounds him in the execution of his malice, 
 thoiigii his malice be bounJIels. S.ntan is bound in a dou- 
 ble chain, in a chain of julHce, and in a chain of provi- 
 t.'cnce ; he cannot move a foot either to tempt or trouble 
 us, without J permillion from Ciiriit. 
 
 4 And I faw thrones, and they fat upon them : 
 and judgment w.ts given unto them; and I faio the 
 louls of them that were behe.ided for the witnefs of 
 Jefus, and for the word of God, and which had not 
 worfhipped thebeaft, neither his image, neither had 
 received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their 
 hands ; and they lived etnd reigned with Chrifl a 
 thoufand years. 
 
 Thefc words are conceived to fet forth the glorious and 
 fcappy condition of the church of Chrill here on earth, 
 during the time of Satan's reftrainr ; and the term of a 
 thrufand years ihe^-i, thnt it will be the longeft happy con- 
 dition that ever the militant church enjoyed, for purity of 
 ordinances, for incrcafe of light and knowledge, for the 
 power of gndlinel's, for the abundance of profelfors, for the 
 more open and publicprofefiion of chriftianity, foroutward 
 freedom and peace, and all this for a long continuance of 
 time ; which happy ilate and condition is here let forth by 
 thrones, ftiewing thefaints'dignity and dominion over their 
 enemies. And whereas St. John f^ys, he law the fouls of 
 martyrs who had (hed their blood for Chrift, the meaning, 
 fay foine, is, He fa:u them in their fuccelTors of the fume 
 faith, thofc pious chriftians which fliould at that lime live, 
 and in their principles and prad:;ces are like the holy mar- 
 tyrs ; thefe Ihall then enjoy a more quiet, happy, and com- 
 fortable flate, during this time than the ferranrs of God 
 enjoyed at any time before. Yet o/yir-^e f.4riher. That this 
 glorious condition of the church is not ablolute, but com- 
 parative only, both in refpea of purity, and in refpcft of 
 peace ; for whilfl the church is on this fide heaven, there 
 will be both corruptions wiihout, and temptations >vith 
 crofTes ; Hypocri:es will be, and offences will come, though 
 freedom fromall thefe will at that time be moretban ufual ; 
 yet taking up the crofs, and being conformed to Chrifl in 
 his l\ifFernigs, will be duties b^'longing to faints whillt the 
 world endures. Ohferve, laOly, 'I'hst yet there is no ground 
 from hence to e.xpecl ChriiVs perfonal reign upon earth, or 
 his corporeal prefence with his church here ; for it is'not 
 laid that he reigned wiih tkcm, but that they reigned \o'uh 
 hhn; denoting that this kingdom is fpiritual, conliflmg in 
 JHirity and peace, in righrcculHels, and joy in the Holy 
 Choft. As (o a perfonal reign of Cliritt ihen with his 
 people here on earth, it feenis no"t probable, becaufe ihe 
 k-ripture is filent of it, and joins Chrilt's perfonal coming, 
 and the day of judgment, together. Btlides, were ChrrH 
 pciioiially upon earih, hoN l.iould wc enjoy h:m, and coii- 
 
 verfe with him ? It is impofUble we fliould enjoy a glori- 
 fied Chrift till our bodies be fpiritualized, which they will 
 never be till they get to heaven. Once mere. What will 
 become of the fauns during thefe thoufand years of Chrift's 
 luppofed prclence with thtm ? Either they will live all ihac 
 thoufand years (which is not rational to fuppofe) or they 
 will die in that time ; if the/ die, and go to heaven, they 
 will go from Chrift, and not to him, and muft for a time 
 be ablent from hin), inllead of bcino for ever with him - 
 and doubtlefs, heaven will be a melancholy place, if Chrilt 
 be out of it. Jhefuni then is this, '' That the faints living 
 and reigning with Chrift, holds forth the flourilhing con- 
 dition of the church militant : The expreftion oflitting 
 upor^ thrones, Jjjeaks an honourable condition that the 
 church will be certainlyin, after the downfal of antichrift : 
 And the term of a thoufand year?, fliews it will be the 
 longelt happy condition that ever the church enjoyed." 
 God almighty halfen that delirable lime ! 
 
 5 f But the reft of the dead lived not again until 
 the thoufand years were finifhed. This h the firft 
 refun-edlion. 6 1 Blelfed and holy is, he that hath 
 part in the firft refurredion : on fuch the fecond 
 death hath no power, but they ftiall be priefts of 
 God and of Chrift, and ftiall reign with him a thou- 
 fand years. 
 
 By the reft of the dead, undei ftand the fubdued enemies 
 of the church in their fuccefTors, who are faid to be dead 
 politically, in refpett of their outward condifion, which 
 will now be very low ; they lived not again apolitical life : 
 that is, they did not regain or recover that power to perfe- 
 cute the church, which once they had, but are now di- 
 vefted of in great meafure, namely, till the thoufand years 
 are finished ; then they fliall have liberty again to vent their 
 enmity againft the shurch, joining with Gog and Magog, 
 as their predecefl'ors, the worfliippers of the beaft, did com- 
 bine together before them. This is the firjl rtfurreclion ; 
 that is, thehving again of the faints, in that glorious man- 
 ner before defcribed, inholy focieties, with greaterdegrees 
 of purity and peace. Learn. That the reformatiQn of the 
 church, after the ruin of its Pagan and Papal enemies, is 
 as a i'plendid and glorious rel'urreclion to her ; and accord- 
 ingly, fuch as are fliarers in this political refurreflion are 
 pronounced blefTed ; Blelfed and holy is he that hath part in 
 tkefirp refurreflion ; that ij, blelfed are they that lha!l])ave 
 their lot to live in this happy time, when the means of 
 holinefs will more abound, and the meauires of holinefs- 
 be more extenfive and univerfal. The fecnnd death ihall 
 never affeft them ; everlafting mifery Jliall be efcaped of 
 them; and they /hall be pri'/ts imtQ God, io<;f{erup, not 
 expiatory, but gratiihuory, lacrifices of prayer and praife 
 unto him ; and as thepriefthood is fpiritual, fo is the kinn-. 
 dom alfo. They Jliall reign fpiritually over their lufts aiTd 
 corruptions, and have greater power'to overcome tempta- 
 tions, and this for a thoufand years ; that is during the 
 lime of their living here, in that part of the bappv mille- 
 nium in which they (hall live, they fliall in that time en- 
 joy a more holy, happy, peaceful and flouri/hing condition 
 than ihe church of God did ever fo long enjoy in former 
 tinies. Some will have all this to be undcrftood concerning 
 
 a Ipirii'jal 
 
ii6o 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. xix. 
 
 a fpiritual rcfurrcctimi from the grave of fui to a life cf 
 holinefiand grace ; over fucli indicd t'r.e fccond death, or 
 evcrliUiup; niifery, (hall have no power ; but though this 
 ni.iy he alluded m, yet a political, not a fpiritual, relur- 
 xeccion Icemi here to be principally intended. 
 
 7 And when tlie thoufand years arc expired. Satan 
 fliall be loofcd out of his jirifon, B And Ihall y^n out 
 to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters 
 of <he earth, Gog and Magoj^, to gather them toge- 
 ther to battle : the number of whom is as the land 
 of the fca. 9 And they went up on the breadth of 
 the earth, and compalTed the camp of the faints 
 about, and the beloved city : and fire came down 
 from God out of heaven, and devoured thetn. 10 
 f And the devil that deceived them, was caft into 
 the lake of (ire and brimltone, where the beaft and 
 the falfe prophet are, and ihall be tormented day 
 and night for ever and ever. 
 
 Oh/en'e here, i. A prophetical predicTtion, that when 
 the long time of the church's liberty and peace Ihall be ex- 
 pired, which is here exprcITed and let ionh under the 
 notion of a thoufand years, God will then take off tis 
 reftraint from the devil, and he Ihall influence the wicked 
 world once more to make oppofition againft his church ; 
 Ji'hgn the thourand years are expired, Sntr.n Jhall be leo/ed 
 out of h'rs prij'on. IJehold here Satan's reftlefsmalice againft 
 mankind, and pjrricularly againft the church of Chrilt. 
 Ohferve next, That Saian is firft faid to deceive the na- 
 tions, and then to gatherthem together tobattle againftthe 
 faints : The fame faints, either in their perfons, or in their 
 fuocelTors, who did formerly reign, will now fuffer ; but 
 bv whom ? By Gog and Magog ; where is probably an 
 ailufion to thel'e two names mentioned often in the Old 
 Teftament, who were the lad enemiesof the Jewifli church 
 before Chrift's firft coming. In like manner, the laft ene- 
 mies of the chriitian church are here fet forth by that 
 name, who fiiall be mierly deftroyed a little before Chrift's 
 fecond coming to judgment. Satan, with all hi. united 
 power, and combined force, will attempt the whole body 
 of thcchriftian church before hislaft and fatal overihro-.v. 
 Ohferve, laftly, That after the deftruction of thefe agents 
 and inftrunien:s of Satan's fury his own full and final de- 
 ftruction is declared ; which may be called his fecund im- 
 prifonment in that lake of fire and brimftonc, which is both 
 eafelefs and endlefs, thereto keep company with the bedll 
 and falfe prophet to all eternity. Behold here the de- 
 ceiver and the deceived plagjed together ; the devil ihat 
 deceived, and the he:ft and falfe prophet that were de- 
 ceived by him, and were his inftrun.ents to deceive others, 
 iire tjll together into the I ike of fire, to be lormented for 
 ever. Satan was in<iecd condemned to this before, and 
 leferved thereunto, but the aitualand final execution there- 
 of is fufpeiided till the end ccms. 
 
 1 1 And I faw a great white throne, and hira that 
 fat on it, from whofe face the earth and ilie hc.iven 
 fled away ; and there was found no place for them. 
 12 f And I f.ivv the dejd, Imall and gieat, iland 
 
 before God ; and the book were opened ; and an- 
 other book was opened, which \sthe book pf life : and 
 the dead were judged out of thole tilings %vhich were 
 written in the books, according to their works. 13 
 And the lea gave up the dead which were in it ; and 
 death and hell delivered up the dead which were in 
 them : and they were judged every man according 
 to their works. 14 And death and hell were cafl 
 into the lake of fire. This is the fecond death. 15 
 Andwholoevcr was not iound written in th.e book 
 of life was call into the lake of fire. 
 
 Here is .nnother vilion which St. John law, nanuly, a 
 lively reprefentatioil of tlie great il^y cl judjTrmr.t, when 
 all, both gooii and bad, that ever lived, (lull be raifedand 
 lenienced according tothcir works ; the Ifjteof the wicked 
 is fet fi.rth in this ciiap'er, and the happy condition of the 
 righteous in heaven glotiouUy deicribed in the two next 
 chapters. Olfervc hert, i. The Judge del'cribed, as lif- 
 ting upon a throneor feat t)fju>)gi:;L-nt ; a throre, to denote 
 that tins Judge is a King ; and a -ubtle throne, to dcnoie 
 the purity and righteoul'iieis of this Judge ; and a ^reat 
 ■white thron;, becaufe erected for a grerft Judge, and for a 
 great fervice, namely, the judging of the whole world. Oh- 
 ferve, 2. The drtadful majefty and glorious power of this 
 Judge declared, that neitiier heaven nor earth are able to 
 abide his prefence, but arc faid to fee sway, and that there 
 ■was m place jnund for ihem. Odjerve, •>. The perfons 
 judged are here defcribesl, and fiiat, i. By their condition 
 and qualification, all the dead, both finall and great ; all 
 that ever lived, and all that fiiall then be found alive. 2. 
 By their pofture ; they Itand before the Judge, whilft he 
 fits, to fliew his authority. 3. 15y the manner of pro- 
 ceeding, which is rejirefenred as being .••fier the form of 
 weil-ordereJjudicatorieshereonearth ; wherein the bonks 
 are produced, namely, the bock of God's omnifcience, a-id 
 the bookof conlcience, the book of the law, and the book 
 of the gofpel. They that had not the written law, fliall be 
 judgetl by the law of nature ; they that had the w'ritten 
 law. Tire to be judged by that ; and ihey that had the gof- 
 pel, to be judged by that; and every one according to their 
 works. Clfrvc, ,\. f he executionof the fentence of this 
 great judge upon ilic wicked and impenitent wot Id ; liiey 
 are call into the lake oi' fire, which is the f"econd death. 
 From the whole, /c-^rw, i- That it is certain that there 
 (hall, and neceilary that there Ihuuld, be a day of judg- 
 ment. 2. Tliat ill that day there will be no exetnption of 
 any perfons from the examination of the Judge ; / fj-.i-'all 
 thedeud, fmali and great, jtand hefure Cid. 3. Thatjefus 
 Chrift, called here God (which clearly jiroves Iiis deity) 
 fliall come in the clouds to Judge the world; and will then 
 be found fuch ajudge that the riches of the wealrhieflciii- 
 iiot bribe; fuch a Judge that the power of the inightieft 
 cannot daunt ; fuch a Judge as the fnbilety of the wifcft 
 cannot delude; fuch a Judge as there is no appealing from, 
 no repealing ot, his lenience, l.ci.rn, .\. 1 hat .ts t tie fame 
 jierfons llialf he judged, whoformcrly lived, loin iliefame 
 budies that died, and were cither buried in liie e.<r;h, or 
 tonfumed in the lea : The fea gave up her d:!ad; by which 
 ua<!-=rflaod all places, though aiitnded •.•■iih nei-er !'o many 
 
 iinprobuble 
 
 3;. 
 
Chap. xxi. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1101 
 
 improhable circn:iircances of a refurrcction, flnll yet give 
 up tiis dea^. t£>sgth and htil, tliatis, death and the grave, 
 gave tip thr dead luhich vjcre Ik ihvm, that is, by the power 
 of God were made to rellore them. Learn, 5. That the 
 fentence dcnniir.ced will be according to every man's work 
 3t the prcai day ; sccordinir to the nature and quality of 
 the wicked man's work«, fliall his judgment and puni/li- 
 luent be ; according to the lincerity, not according to the 
 imperfetStion of the righteous man's work, fliall his re- 
 w'.iril be, God grant that the condderation of this may lb 
 far influence us, that no profit may tctnpt us, no plenfure 
 entice us, no po\ver cmboldL-n us, no privacy encourage 
 us, to Jo that thing, of which we cannot give a good ac- 
 count in the day of judgment. 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 AND I faw a new heaven and a new earth : for 
 the firft heaven antJ the firft earth were pafTed 
 away : and there was no more fea. 2 And 1 John 
 faw the holy city, new Jerufalem, coming down 
 from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride ador- 
 ned for her hufband. 
 
 By the new heaven'; and the new earth here, all under- 
 hand a new Hate and face of the church ; but lome ap- 
 ply it to the ftatc of the church militant here upon earth, 
 and otiiers to tiie (late of the church triumphant in hea- 
 ven. Accordingly tlicy take the new heavens and the 
 ne%v earth to be the efFecT: of that great change which fliall 
 he made by fire at tlie univerfal conflagration ; and they 
 are called netu, not fo much in regatd to fubftnnce, as in 
 rcfpecT: of qualities, being now for nature more (table, and 
 for beamy more glorious. Qjt:'/}. But what nfe (liall there 
 be of this new heaven and new earth? and who fiiall dwell 
 Therein ? A'if.v. We cannot tell, but mnft reft fatisfied 
 with what God hath told us, that ihere'm fhall d-uell rjoh. 
 teoufnefs ; and it will be a (landing monument of God's 
 power andgreatnefs : It -s added, that the firft heaven and 
 the firjr earth were ffijp.-d axuay ; not by annihilation, but 
 by a qualitative mutation, ^nd no nnre fea ; tha.t is, fay 
 fome, as it was before, turbulent, changeable, fubjc-ct to 
 corruption and vanity ; fay others, no more troublefome 
 Itaie of thing;, which is oft-times lignified by the fea. A 
 new and glorious ftate of things was undoubtedly here de- 
 llgned relitingto the church. Oh/rrve ne\.t. The cha- 
 racter St. John gives of the glorious date of the church 
 triumphant, ver. ;. He compares her, i. To a beautiful 
 city, for amplitude and largenefs, for compact ftrutture, 
 and for cm-.rnodious habitation ; (he is called h'ily, becaufe 
 no unclean tiling can en'er into her, and becaufe that hr>li- 
 nefs (lull there be perfected which was here begun. 2. To 
 an adorned bride ; nofj)ouleonher marriage-dav fo adorn- 
 ed as fhc was, The church in heaven is fo called, to de- 
 note her dignity, and the love which Chrift bears to her, 
 and the df light which lie takes in her, which is io conti- 
 nual, as if it wert al.vaysa we-itiing-day ; and llie is ador- 
 ned for him. and adorned by hiiM, with fpiritual beauty, 
 and glory, and perfection of grace. 
 
 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven, fay- 
 ing, Behold, the tabernacle of Godz5 with men, and 
 
 he will dwell with them, and they fliall be his peo- 
 ple, and God himfelf fliall be with them, aW^e their 
 God. 4 And God fliall wipe away all tears from 
 their eyes ; and there fliall be no more death, nei- 
 ther forrow, nor crying ; neither fhall there be any 
 more pain ; for the former things are palled away. 
 Obfervable is that variety of exprelTlons which the Holy 
 Ghod here makes ufe of, to fet forth the e.xcellency (^f the 
 church triumphant by. i. She is bleft with God's im- 
 mediate prelence and abode, of which the tabernacle was a 
 fign ; the Lord manifefling himl'elf in heaven unto his 
 (aints in a more immediate way than ever he did unto them 
 here on earth. The tabcrnacli of Cod is- lulth trnn ; and to 
 fliew the permanency of this privilege, it is added, Hefljull 
 d'Mell-xith ihent; after an inhabitation here by grace, fliall 
 follow a cohabitation hereafter in glory. Next it is raid. 
 They Piall be his pesple, and he will be their Cod ; which 
 mult not be fo underltoo.l, as if that relation did now be- 
 gin between them, but the comfort of that relation is row 
 perfectly underftood, and they reap the complete advantage 
 of that covenantpromife, whofe i'wectnefs they did only 
 tafte before. 2. Having delcribed the pofitive good which 
 the triumphant church (hall eternally reft in ; St. John 
 next fets forth the private evils, which they (lull everlaft- 
 inglybe freed from. All forrow, and all tli'ecaules of fur- 
 row, fliall be removed ; they lliall liave no outward occa- 
 fion, nor inward difpofition to weep : There fljall be no 
 death, but immortality and eternaljife; nor any more pain 
 or ficknefs, but pleafure for evermore. Lord! what a 
 fovereign cordial is thisagainft all our prefent furrows. ind 
 fufferings! to conCider the time is at hand when all tears 
 (hall be wiped from our eyes, all forrows, and the caufes of 
 forrow, banilhed from our hearts, and everlaftingjoys fliall 
 pofTefs our fouls, and we fliall be with our Lord'for ever, 
 to obey him with vigour, to praife him with cheerfulnefs,' 
 to love him above meafure, to fear him without torment, 
 to ferve him without interruption or diftraftion, and be 
 perfectly like unto him as well in holinefs as in happinels, 
 as well in purity as in immortality ! 
 
 5 And he that fat upon the throne, faid. Behold, 
 I make all things new. And he faid unto me. Write : 
 for thefe words are true and faithful. 6 And he faid 
 unto me. It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the 
 beginning and the end. I will give unto him that 
 isathirft, of the fountain of the water of hfe freelj-. 
 
 Note here, i. How thefe new heavens and a new earth 
 come to be effected aid made, namely, by tiie otnnipctcnt 
 power of Chrilt, Deh.ld, 1 vwke all things new.- A "ood 
 argument to encourage us to go unto Chrift by pruvcr for 
 renewing grace. Surely, he that makes new heavens can 
 make new he,irts ; he that renews an old world, can re- 
 new us in the fpiritof our minds, and make old things pafs 
 away, andcaule all things to become new. Ntxt he com- 
 mands St. John to write, that thefe words fet down here 
 and throughout ihi? prophecy are true endjaithful. We 
 fee then that the holy fcnptures were written at theLoid's 
 command, and therefore from him they do derive their 
 
 7 H authority. 
 
I 1 6'2 
 
 REVELAT ION. 
 
 Chap, xxi, 
 
 authority. 2. The word of aflurance here uttered by 
 Chrilt, for theconliniiation of v\hat he had before declared 
 and promifcd, hefaief ttr.lo me, Jt is dene ; fignifying there- 
 by, that it is as certain as if it were already dsne; namely, 
 whatever he h.nd promifed relating to his church's happinefs, 
 and all he had threatened rchting to her enemies deftruc- 
 tion : Let not the church then at any time dagger in her 
 faith. 3. The title which Chrift ispleafed here to refunie, 
 which before was given by himfelf, chap. i. 8. /am Alpha 
 and Omega, the btglniting and the end, to fhew that as lie 
 firft made the world, fo he was now about to put a period 
 to it, and would give to every thirfty or believing foul an 
 everlafting life in the new JerufaleBi, which lliall no more 
 decay, than water, which is an ever fpringing fountain, 
 can be dried up. 
 
 6 He that overcometh fhall inherit all things : 
 and I will be his God, and he fhall be my fon. 
 
 Ohferve, i. That our defires of happinefs muft be ac- 
 companied with endeavours after it, or they will he ineffec- 
 tual; to thirfting in the former verfe, he joinsovercoming 
 in this verfe ; We mud not barely wifli but work ; not only 
 talk, but fight; and not only fight but overcome our fpiri- 
 tual enemies in fighting, or we are miferable ; how ftrong 
 I'oeverour defires after happinefs may be fuppofed to be, 
 without proportionable endeavours, we can have no good 
 ground of hope. 1. He thnt overcometh, that is, he that 
 is overcotning, he that daily maintains the combat, though 
 he h:isnot yet obtained a perfeft conquefl over his fpiritual 
 enemies, yet he keepsthe field with fword in hand, refold- 
 ing never to throw down his weapon, but to die as a con- 
 queror, rather than be taken prifoner. Okferve, 3. 'I he 
 encouraging promife given to the conqueror, He fiallinhe- 
 rit all things. Where n'jte, The extent and latitude of 
 the promife, the enjoying ell things, that is, all blefTiiigs 
 and benefits, all joys and comforts that are reqnifite to 
 make him perfectly and perpetually happy. Note aifo, 
 God's way and manuf r of dilpenfmg the njercy promifed, 
 and tliatis by (ree g,ift, he fiuill inherit allthings, not merit 
 any thing : An inheritance hgraluitum paterni amoris pig- 
 nis, an ellare freely given by the father to his children. 4. 
 A i'operadiled promile, I willbe his Cod, and hejhall he my 
 Jon; that is, 1 will give him the manifeftation of his adop- 
 tion before angels and men : I am now his God, and he is 
 no* my fon, but ihe world knowech it not ; they brand 
 my people tor a generation of hypocrites, and lorneiimes 
 ihev call in quellion their own finceriiy, and their title to 
 the privilege of adoption; but at the great day I will pub- 
 licklyown them before angels and men, and make it appear 
 that 1 love them as a father, and thty Ihall live with nie as 
 ions for ever and ever : He that overcometh, kc. 
 
 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abomi- 
 nable, and niurdtrers, and whoremongers, and for- 
 ccrers, and idolaters, and all liars, Ihall have their 
 part in the l.ikc which burneth with fire and brim- 
 itone r which is the llcond deatli. 
 
 Alter a defcription gtten o'' the celeftial happinefs of the 
 righieousar the day ofjlregiiient, here follows the etcrnnlly 
 iiiifer^'jle con^itif-n of the \\'.ckf<l ; and c\'^\\: fevcral forts 
 
 of finners are here fumraed up, who fhall be excluded out 
 of heaven, and call into hell ; namely, xhefearftd. fuchas 
 dare not own Chrift, or for fear olfuflfering havedifowned 
 him, orapoftaiized or revolted from him; unbelievers, fucli 
 efpecialiy as have fat under the difpenfation of the gofpel, 
 but have rejeifted cur Lord Jefus Chrilt, and refuted to 
 come unto him that they might have life ; the abominable, 
 foch as live in the practice of lins againl^ nature, fodomy, 
 and fach uncleannefs as renders them abominable in the 
 light of God and man, Rwni. i. 26. Alnrd.'rers. fuch as 
 dt-Uroy either the foul, body, or good name of their neigii- 
 bours, efpecialiy perfecutors ; the whore and her followers, 
 who are drunk with the blood of the l,iin:s ; -.uhorewingerx 
 of all forts, both fpiritual and corporeal, particularly fuch as 
 are guilty of undeannefs in a conjugal (late \, jorcertrs, fuch 
 as exercife witchcraft, confult with the devil, and trade 
 with familiar fpirits; idolaters of all fortsand kinds, fuch as 
 v/orfliip falfe gods, or the true God after a falfe maimer ; 
 covetous per Ions, who make the world iheirGod, and fen- 
 fual perfons, who m'ke their belly their God ; lalHy, all 
 liars, thofe who lie with the lip, and talk fallely ; thofe that 
 lie in their lives, as all hypocrites do, vv hole practice gives 
 their profefTion the lie: thofe who are the inventersof the 
 doiflrine of lies, which is no better than the doftrine of 
 devils: thefe all thefe null have their part in the Like iliat 
 bnrneth with fire and brinil'tone, that is, in exquilite tor- 
 ments, andeverlafting. from the whole, wAe, i. Howthe 
 timorous and fearful Itand in the front of all thofe vile tin- 
 ners, whole ways lead down to the chambers of death and 
 hell. Behold here ! God's martial la>* executed upon, 
 cowards and renegadoes, whofe fear makes them revtilt 
 from Chrill in the time of danger. Think of this, all you 
 tiinorousand faint-hearted profelTors! who cannot bear the 
 thoughtof lying in a naliy dungeon forowning Chrilf, how 
 will you endure to lie in a lake of nre and brnnftone for' 
 difowning of him ! is not the little finger of an angry 
 God heavier than the loins of all the tyrants and perlecu- 
 tors in the world ? 2. That although eight forts of tin- 
 ners only are here reckoned up, yet all others \^ ho live and 
 die impenitenily in any know 11 fin, belides ihefe, of what 
 kind foevcr, are certainly included, and iheir damnation 
 implyed alio, as well as thele ; for whoever lives in the ha- 
 bitual jiradice of any known fin, without converting from 
 it unto God, is certainly in a ftate of d:imnation. Note 
 lalHy, That the lins here mentioned muft not be unde rftood 
 copulatively, but disjunctively ; we muft not fjppofe that 
 fuch as are guilty of all the betore-meni'ioned fins, are the 
 perfons threatened with hell-fire ; but foth as are with 
 allowance guiliy of any one of thefe, or of any other be- 
 fides thefe, and continuing impenitentlv in tluiii. 
 
 9 And there came unto me one of the leven angels 
 which hadthefevenvialsfull ofthe leven laft plagues, 
 and talked with me, faying, Coinehilher, I willfhew 
 thee the bride, the Lamb's wife, jo H And he carri- 
 ed me away in the fpirit to a great and high moun- 
 tain, and fhewcd me that great city, the holj jenifa- 
 lem, defcendiugout of heaven from God, 1 1 llaving 
 the glory of God : and her light wai likeuntoaflone 
 mofl precious, even like ajafper Aone, clear as 
 
 chryflal' 
 
Chap. xxi. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 11(53 
 
 chry (lal ; 1 2 And haci a v/all great and high, and had 
 twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and 
 names wntten thereon, v/hich are the mines of the 
 twelve tribes ofthe children of Ifrael. i30ntheeaft, 
 three gates : on the north, three gates ; on the Ibuth, 
 three gates ; and on the weft, three gates. 14 .Vnd 
 the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and m 
 them the names of the twelve apoftl'-s of the Lamb. 
 St. ]»\\n having delivered, before, a general account of 
 the fjiiits' h.ippine'.'s in heaven, defcends here to a more 
 particular de'.cription of it. Heaven, c.illed the New Jeru- 
 r.ilem is reprtfeiited by .icity, with magnificent gates snd 
 wails ; and the church, the colUctive body of glorified 
 faints, is here called the Lamb's wife, efpo'jfed before, but 
 the tnarria;;e foleninized now. Noti here, 1. That as the 
 earthly Jeruf.dem was a type of the church militant, fo 
 the church triumphant is called the New Jerufalem, and 
 compared to a great ciiy, for the multitude of its mem- 
 bers ; and llyl-d holy, becaufe fanftityis the fpeci.nl quali- 
 fication of thofe who are the inhabitants of it. 2. The 
 light which is found in this city, it is not compared to the 
 light of the ian, for that is attended with fcorching heat, 
 not to the Ifght of the moon, which is variable and un- 
 certain, but ?o the li j;ht of precious ftones, which is clear 
 .-.nd pure, and has nothing annoying in it. 3- The great 
 fjfety and lecurity of this city, and of all the citi/.ens, in- 
 habiting therein •,'here is a wall great and high : W.ills are 
 for defence (called mvnia a miinien/lo) and thi higher the 
 wall, the greater the defence ; God's omnipotency is as a 
 wail, and will be an invincible bulwark about his faints in 
 heaven, nothing ni?.ll endanger them, nothing (liall offend 
 theni. 4. Here are twelve gates, for the conveniency of 
 entrance into this city on al! fides, and to give free and 
 eafy accefs from ..11 parts, ealt, weft, n'irth, and fouth ; to 
 lignify, that the church in heaven v.ill be made up of per- 
 fons coming from all parts, ^sChrill foretold, Matt, viii.i i. 
 Luke xiii- ?(;. They fliallcomefrom the eart,&.c. and Ciall 
 fit down with Abraham. The triumphant church is a 
 collective body of believers, of all nations, kindreds, and 
 people, tongues and languages. Lalily, Thatasthe names 
 of workmen are fometimes ftt upon foundaiion-ffones, by 
 which it IS well known in after ages who were the builders ; 
 in like manner it is here intimated, that as the ancient 
 Jcwilh church was founded in twelve patriarchs, fo the 
 Jatfr chriflian church in and by twelve apoftles, Jefus 
 Chrift hirnlelf being the chief-corner ftone, or thefounda- 
 tion of both, he being fundatner.tum Jundans , they funda- 
 tne ntafund.it J : teaching us that our faith nuift be built 
 'jpon :he doctrine nf Chiift and his apoftles and upim no 
 other doctrine wbatfoever, though it hasa pretei:ded iL.iiip 
 of iMfallibilitv upon it. 
 
 15 .\nd he that talked with me had a golden reed 
 to me'afure the city, and the gates thereof.and the wall 
 t hereof. 1 6 And the city lieth four-fquare, and the 
 Ien.jth is as large as the breadth. And he meadired 
 tlie city with the reed, twelve thoufand furiongs. 
 The length and the breadth and the height of it are 
 equal. 17 .'Vnd he meafuicd the wall thereof an 
 
 hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the 
 meafure of a man, that is, of the angel. 
 
 Still St. John proceeds in the defcription ofthe heavenly 
 flatc, and the church triumphant in it ; this is called a city, 
 in refpect of its nngnificent building, comely order, and in- 
 vincible Itrength ; a great clty,\\\ regard of itslargenefsand 
 capacioufr.efs, being full of glorified fainis aiul angels ; and 
 "jerufalem, becaufe of that everlafting peace which is thero 
 enjoyed, as the flebrew worddgnifies ; and hereanaccount 
 is given of the meafuring of thisgreai city : Wereadofits 
 niealuring before, chip. xi. but differently from its nieafur- 
 ing now ; then it wasnieafured by a nran, now by an angel ; 
 then by an ordinary reed, now by a golden reed ; iniimat- 
 iniT the tranfcendency cf the (tate ofthe church nov.', to 
 what it was before, and reprelentingthe firmnefs.perfcJtion, 
 and greatnefs of theNew Jerufalem. Note, An obfervabli^ 
 d;iFereiice in the nieafuringof the church militant, and of 
 the church triumphant ; tlie church militant, upon ajuft 
 meafure by the reed of the word, is found unequal in its 
 parts, fome p.-.rts of it are purer and better than oihers, bun 
 in the new Jerufalem all parts are equal in perfedtion and 
 purity ; the length isaslargeas thebreadth, and the height 
 equal to either ; the church of Chrift in heaven fl)all be ex- 
 ceeding largeand great,perfeftand complete, nothing fliall 
 be found irregular in it, all things can there endure the 
 meafuring reed, and abide the exafteft trial. 
 
 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jafper: 
 and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glafs. 19 
 And the foundations of^the wall of the city tverc gar- 
 nifhed with all manner of precious ftones. The lirfl; 
 foundation ziw jafper ; the fecond, a fapphire ; the 
 third a chalcedony ; the fourth, an emerald ; 20 The 
 fifth, a fardonyx ; the lixth, a faidius ; the feventh,a 
 chryfolite; the eighth, a beryl; the ninth, a topaz ; the 
 tenth, a chryfoprafus ; the eleventh, a jacinth ; the 
 twelfth, an amethy ft. 21 And the twelve gates were 
 twelve pearls ; every feveral gate was of one pearl : 
 and the fireet of the city zvas pure gold, as it were 
 tranfparent glafs. 
 
 Seme will have all this to fignifyand reprefent thepnrcft 
 ftate ofthe church here upon earth ; but if there fiiall be 
 any ftate on this lide eternity which anfwereth tiiis glorious 
 reprefentation, how much more will the peife^.t glorious 
 church in heaven fully anfwer it ? What was faid of Jeru- 
 falem of old, may be truly fpoken of the New Jerufalem 
 above, Pfal. Ixxxvii. 3. Very excellent thinjis me Ip'.hen (f 
 ihee, thou city of (j'ld ; her p.iveiiicnt of gold, her gr.tes(>f 
 peail, hsr wallsof precious ftone, detioiing the uurablpni-('s 
 and penmnency of the faints happinefs, the dtljght and fa- 
 tisfactio^i that accompany it, and the rtfplendent gh-ry of 
 it ; as gold excels all metals, and is not fubject to corruj). 
 tion, as precious ftones are full of fplendour and gloiy, in 
 l.ke manner will the munflons of heaven be nioft glorn-ov, 
 the converfation iherc purs and incori i:pt. atlv.rding f-iiins 
 fuch an entire fitiifaction as emirfly exceeds all il).-.t trie 
 mr.ft rich and glorious thii'.gs of th:s world caiiaffoid lor 
 the gratific.jtioi) ef tlie ouiward Ufifes, 
 
 7 H 2 22 And 
 
1164 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. xxii. 
 
 22 And I faw no temple therein : for the Lord God 
 Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it. 23 H 
 And the city had no need of the fun, neither of the 
 moon, to (hine in it: for the glory of God did lighten 
 it, and the Lamb jsthe light thereof. 24 f And the 
 nations of themwhich are laved fhallwalk in the light 
 of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory 
 and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it fhall not 
 be fhut at all byday: for there (hall be no night there. 
 26 And they fliall bring the glory and honour of the 
 nations into it. 27 And there fliall in no wife en- 
 ter into it any thing thatdefileth, neither whatfoever 
 worketh abomination, or makelh a lie : but they 
 which arc written in the Lamb's book of life, 
 
 Chferve here, i . Sc. John declares that the new Jerufa- 
 lem Ihallnot want either thofe fpirhual fupplies or natural 
 » J vantages which Jerufalem below (lood in need of ; no need 
 of any temple there for external wwrfhip and ordinances, 
 v/hich it is cur duty to wait upon God in here : What need 
 an houl'e of prayer for them that want nothing topray for? 
 what need of miniflersand ordinances, toteachthem whofe 
 knowledge isperfetfted? what need of facraments to remem- 
 ber Chrift in and by, when they fliall alwaysfee Chrid face 
 to face ? Again, \Vhat need of the natural light of the fun 
 and moon, where thefun of righteoufnefs forever fhineth, 
 and where God is all in aU ! Happy they that enjoy him, 
 tor I hey enjoy all good in him and by him, he being the 
 I'ountain of all goodnefi ! 2. Having thus defcribed the 
 city, St. John next declares who (liall be the citizens, namely, 
 the nations that are faved, ail believing Jews and converted 
 Cjentiles, called elfewhere, the general a(fembly and church of 
 ihffirji-born, which are a great multitude ; thefe (hjll be 
 admitted into it, and partake of the glory and happinefsof 
 it : And whereas it is added, that kirgs do bring their honour 
 and i:lory into it, this is not to be fo underfioodas if there 
 \NOulJbea diflinclionin heaven between kingsand fubjeds ; 
 no, all the faints there are kinps and priells unto God ; 
 neither is it meant that kings fliall c.irry their earthly glory 
 and honour with them into heaven ; but that kings who 
 fliall be fo hippy as to come thither, fliall fee all their honour 
 and glory I wallowed up in the glory and happinefs of that 
 place and ftate, and ftiall confcls that all their crowns are 
 infinitely fhort of the crown of glory, and that their thrones 
 are diingliills compared v. i'h the dignity of this throne. 3. 
 It isdeclared whatperfecft I'ecurity and peace the faints en- 
 joy in the new Jerufalem, together with their glory, riches, 
 and happinefs ; this is (ignified, ver. 25, Thcgatsjballnot be 
 Jhut at all by day, r.nd cliere is no night to (hut them in ; the 
 gates (hall be open, to (hew their peaceable (late and ffcnre 
 tranquility, wiiliout fear of any hollile invaiion or entry of 
 t-nemies, cither by tcne or fraud : It is added, There Jroll 
 b:; no night there, either in a literal or a metaphorical reiife, no 
 djrknels, no interruption of h«ppinef«, nor fear of danger, 
 pf.ihii-.g that can ei;hcr dilhirb or di(o,uiet. 4. Who the 
 !ierlb:is are that iliail be everlallingly debarred ;hetiijoy- 
 Hunt of all this happintlV, :ill ihathave deliled theinfeives 
 by lull and ur.cleanntlt, every pcrfon that hull not, by ho- 
 LnefAolheart and life, feparated hiiufclf fromfui and wick- 
 
 A 
 
 ednefs, and dedicated himfelfioGod and his fervice ; nothing 
 thatdefileth, nothing ihtt 'jj'jr/telhaiominutiar, no openCcan- 
 dalous (inner, or he that maketha lie, (liall beadiniired; to 
 tell a lie is bad, but to make a lie is much wori'c, this is the 
 devil's (in in a fpecial manner, it is his by temptation, it is 
 hisby approbation, it is his by practice ; he is a liar, and the 
 father of lies and liars ; it were well if our cullomary liars 
 would confider it. The funi of all is, "That without grace 
 and lioliiiefs here, there can be no expeclation of glory and 
 happinefs hereafter; this fits at once for the employment of 
 heaven and the enjoyment of he^iven, it makes meet for 
 the inheritance in light, and if we have not our prefent 
 fruit unto hitin/ff, our end can never be tverl ifling Ifc.'' 
 
 CHAP. XXIL 
 
 N D he fliewed me a pure river of water of life, 
 clear as chryflal, proceeding out of the 
 throne of God and of the Lamb. 
 
 St. John in this and the four following verfes, (roes on 
 with the defcription of the heavenly Jerufalem, which he 
 had begun in the former chapter; and here we haveobfer- 
 vable, I. The city defcribed, as having a clear r/Wr run- 
 ning through it, znd i.\\\i of the water of life, an allufion, 
 doubtlefs, to the earthly paradife, Gen. ii. wljichwaswell 
 watered, without which accomodation, no place can be 
 happy ; the heavenly paradife here, or the new Jerulaleni, 
 is faid to have a pure river of water in it, denoting the pure 
 and unmixed joys of heaven, and thofe rivtri of pler.l'ure 
 ■which are at C:,d'j right hand for evermore. Here is not a 
 well of water, but a river, not of muddy orfetuleni "■ater, 
 hvnclear as chryflal, not corruptible or dead, butliringwa- 
 ter, -water of life. 2. The head or i'pring of this river de- 
 clared, from whence it doth aril'e, not from the hills, 
 which may be cutoff, diverted, or dried up, but \t proceeds 
 cut of the throne of God, and 0} the Lamb , and there forecan 
 no more fail, than God and Chrill can fad : no river can 
 fail, iinlefs the fprings that feed it f.iil ; the I'aints in hea- 
 ven (hall be refrefhed with fuch conl'olaiions as flow from 
 the Father, Son, and holy Spirit, and their comfort:> can- 
 not fail till they fail. 
 
 2 5 In the midft of the ftreet of it, and on either 
 fide of the river, -wai there the tree of life, which bare 
 \.vic\\'eTiiannerofir\i'its, and yielded her fruit eveiy 
 month ; and the leaves of the tree were for the heal- 
 ing of the nations. 
 
 Note, I. That as there was a river and a tree of life in 
 the terredial paradife, fo in allufion thereunto, both are faid 
 to be in the heavenly paradife ; Behold here a tree of fucli 
 vafl proportion and extent, that i:s branches extend to both 
 (ides, that all mny receive benefit by it : W ho can this aj'^ree 
 with but Jeiui Chrill, who is called a tree of l\fr, becanfe 
 frdm him we have our natural, t>ur (piritual, and our eter- 
 p.il life .' from this tree do bud forth all the fruits of grace 
 a;id comfort, and that for all fealons and conditions. Jn 
 /// leiivfS aref.r hecdirg, as -well tisilifi uili for food. 2. All 
 Chrifl, I. Our louls have cU neccdaries for tood and pliylic, 
 variety of fruits, cslkd here t-weive manner of fruit s , thuiis, 
 variety of graces, and con.?orts cf all ("ens. 3. In him are 
 ibefe frutis at all times: This tree bear: fruit every mouth, 
 
 winter 
 
Chap. xxii. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 1 l6r, 
 
 winter fruits as wdl .15 fiimmer fruits, even in the blpck 
 mouth of licknefs and de.ith. Chrilt is continually tliilri- 
 biiting of his divine fulnefs to the fatiif-icTionof h.s people ; 
 he is ail in .-ill, in the enjoyment of mercy ; he is ;ill in all, 
 in want of mercy : he is all, in order to his people's ialv.T- 
 tion ; and he is all, in thtir glorific.iticn. Qiiej^- But will 
 there he any need cither of food or phyfic in heaven? If 
 not, what need of the fruits of this tree for food, or of its 
 leaves for he.iling ? Jnf. We cannot fiipp-.ife that in the 
 heavenly ftate there will be any want eiilitrr ofineator me- 
 dicines, any hn-.iger that (hall require food, or any licknels 
 to fbnd in need of phyfic ; but as food and phylk are the 
 inftinincntal mt-ansof the profsrvation of naiural life, with- 
 out which it will certainly and fuddenly decay ; in like man- 
 ner onr Lord Jefus Chrift doih not only j^ive fpiritua! life 
 unto his people, but he is the conferving caufecf it, hedoth 
 niainrain, and will p^eferve it without the Icaft decay toall 
 eternity. 
 
 4 And there (hall be no more curfe : but the throne 
 of God cTnd of the Lamb fhall be in it, and his fervants 
 (hall ferve him. 4 And they (hall fee his face ; and 
 his namej/iall be in their foreheads. 5 f And there 
 (hall be no night there ; and they need no candle, 
 neither lijiht of the fun ; for the Lord giveth them 
 light : and they (hall reign for ever and ever. 
 
 St. John has not yet done with this copious defcription 
 of the new Jerufalem, but here he clofes it by doing thcfe 
 two ihinj^s. I. He fliews what (liall not be found there, 
 tkvre Jliiill benocurft:, no accurfedperfon, oraccurfed thing, 
 no fin, nor any thing finful, that deferves the curie : and 
 there Jlioll hi ko right there, no darknefs of ignorance or 
 error, or darknefs of affiicYion, temptation, or defertion, no 
 night of natiirsl darknefs, no night of fpiritual darknefs, 
 much lefs of eternal darknefs which is the portion of the 
 wicked rfjrther, there Ihall be no need of natural light, the 
 light of the fun , no need of artificial light, the light of a 
 candle ; no neeci of the fpiritual light ot the word and or- 
 dinances, all which lli^ll then and there cesfe. 2. He 
 fhews wh.'.t there ihajl be tlitre, namely, (i.j Thrthrone of 
 Gad and the Lamh, that is, the glorious and everlarting pre- 
 lence of God anil Chrill, as on a throne of royal majedy, 
 infomuch, that, the name of the city may be Jehovah 
 Shammah, the Lord is there. (2.) It is added, that /'« 
 fervants foall fer'je hurt, that is, the glorious angels and glo- 
 rified laints (h-Tll continually ftand before him, and ad- 
 minirter unto hnn, not fpend their eternity in a perpetual 
 gazing upon God, but executing his commands, obeying 
 hiin vv ith vigour, praifir.g liitn with cluerfulnefs, loving 
 him above n-if-ifure, fearing hi:n without torment, trufting 
 him without defpondency, Serving him wiihcut laffitude 
 and wearinefs, without interruption or di'ftraction, prailing 
 God, and i'nging esernr.l .Tllebjah's to the Lamb for ever 
 and ever. 3. It ii declared Ibut they Jhall fee God's ftice, 
 which imports fruition as well as vifion of him, together 
 with a f.ieet and fatisfaoiinry delectation inhi'm. St. Matt. 
 V. 8. Htb. xii. 14. DLU'ed are the pure in heart, and holy 
 in Witjfjr tky Jha'.l fee Gid ; that is, have a clear and ap- 
 prehenlive, though not a full and comprehenfive knowledge 
 of iiiia. (4.) His name f] all be in their foreheads : his 
 
 name, that is, his holy nature, his image and kkencfs, by 
 which they fiiill be known, as a man is by his name ; an 
 aliufion probably to the high pried, who h^d h'Aiiufs ti the 
 Lord written on his frotulet ; or a reflection upon the wor- 
 (hippers of the beall, whohave liisn^imeon their foreheads;, 
 in liket manner the name of God Hiall be on his fervants 
 foreheads ; theyare thankful fcrimperfect lineaments here, 
 hut (liall be f..iisfied with liij likenefs then and tliere. 
 Laftly, Itis doled with this, they f.joH reign f^r ever and ever , 
 not for a thoufand years, as tiir militont church is faid to 
 reign on earth after antichrid's de(lruftion,but foreternal 
 ages, and this not pirtiaily, but fully and completely, wliea 
 all their fpiritual enemies, '^w\, Satan, and the wo; Id, yea, 
 deatli itfelf, fliall be pat under their feet, and that forever. 
 Frem thi? whole learn, 'lliat when w'e are at any time de- 
 jected upon the account of our dark and imperfect know- 
 ledge, or afilicted upon the occafion of many wearifome 
 nights and tlaysof fin and forrow, of trouble and tempta- 
 tion, of mifery and defertion, which we have hereon earti), 
 let this meditation comfort us, that the happy day is corn- 
 in;/-, when there fliall be no night, but an eternal fabbath 
 otrfft. light and life, with plenty of all good things, even 
 fulnefs of joy and rivers of pleafure for evermore. 
 
 6 And he fiiid unto me, Thefe fayings are faithful 
 and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets 
 fent his angel to fhew unto his fervants the things 
 which mull (liortly be done. 7 Behold, I come 
 quickly : blelTed is he that keepeth the fayings of the 
 prophecy of this book. 8 And I John favv thefe 
 things, and heard them. And when I had heard and 
 feen, I fell down to worfhipbefore the feet of the angel 
 which fliewed me thefe things. 9 H Then faith he 
 unto me. See thou do it not : for I am thy fellow-fer- 
 vant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them 
 which keep the fayings of this book. Worfliip God. 
 
 The prophetical part of thi shook being now ended, here 
 folio-.', s the conclufion, which is managed in a way of dia- 
 logue between Chrift, the angel, and the apoftle. Note here, 
 I. How the divine authority of thisbookis ftronglyaflerted, 
 and its excellency cotnmended : Thfe fayings are faithful 
 and true ; thit, is, nil things contained in this book of pro- 
 phecies are certain and infallibly true. The holy Spiritof 
 God forefaw that this book would be more quertioned than 
 other books of holy fcripture, therefore he confirms the 
 divine authority of it by an holy angel, and the truth 
 ofallthingsin it, and efpecially that which relates to the 
 hippinefs of the faintsin hcavf n,theinhabitants of the nev/ 
 Jerufaletn, with a frequent afftrtion, viz. 7 he fe fayings are 
 faithful and 1 1- ue. It i« added, they fail fkortly he dt,ne^ 
 this is fpoken of the beginning of their accornplifliment, 
 they fliall begin to be fvilfilicd, and tr> take efifecl, and fliall 
 receive llieir full and final accornplifliment in due time. 
 Behold here in Chrilt's omnifciency an evident proof of his % 
 divinity, he knows all things to come, as well as all things J 
 paft ; and whereas Chrift fays, tkefe things ftjall pir.rtly ve 
 dons ; we learn, that the time of the church's fufferingis 
 a limitedtime, ii is a fliort time, after which fhall follow 
 an eternal deliverance and a great reward. A'o/f farther, 
 
 Tbac 
 
1 iGG 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap, xxik 
 
 Tint Chrift fiibjoiin a luomifc and HlT.iraiice of the ccr- 
 laimy and IiiJiltfiiiicrs of his coniinjr to judginc nr, for the 
 ru|)|)oit of his cluirch, during ilie lliort time of her fulTt r- 
 iiigsaiid fervites, UthoU, 1 ctmi quickly ; next, he pro- 
 nouncps them hleflVd whj kccj) ilje words of ihis book, 
 jK't only in nicnioiy and proftniop, bu: in practice and 
 jurlornisnce. Cl'/avfAMy, The llnccrity of St. John, 
 the penman of this book, he leaves hete upon record his 
 relapfe into ihar error into which he had fjjlcn before, 
 iliap.xix. to. The good njan relates liii own (in ; yea, 
 rfccrds his relapfeintothefaine (in, once and again, which, 
 .-IS it difcovers that he prefei red the glory of God before his 
 own reputation, fo it evidently declares that a holy ni.in 
 m.-iy poinbly rdnpfe into the fame (jii, through inadver- 
 tency, or the power of a tcmpration, and how much it is 
 the duty of every one that thii.ktih he (tandeth, to lake 
 lieed left he fall. Of St. John's wcaknefs in worfhipping 
 the angel, fee the notes on chap. xix. lo.as al("o the;ingei'i 
 anfw er, I'.'Qrfh'tp Gad ; as much as if he had laid, " • hou 
 iiiillakeft the objcci of thine adoration, I am a created be- 
 ing, and can accept of no Inch homage as this, which is 
 peculiarly due to the great Creator. 
 
 lo And he faith unto me. Seal not the fayings of 
 the prophecy of this book : for the time is at hand, 
 1 1 He that is unjiall, let him be unjufl ftill : and 
 he that is filthy, let him be filthy flill : and he that 
 is righteous, let him be ri£.hteous lUU : and he that 
 is holy, let him be holy llill. 
 
 Obfirx't here, i A flric^ charge given unto St. John, 
 rot to leal or clofe up the wnrd.'. of this prophecy, but to 
 publifli and make it know n, for the ule and benefit of the 
 church, for w hich reafon this book is called a revelation ; 
 Seal n(it the fayings aj the prophet y of this hook. VV htrcniark, 
 'J'hat although this book be the obl'curell part ofthefcrip- 
 ture, yet it is Chrill's command that it fhould not be con- 
 cealed fiom the knowledge of the people ; Mow facrile- 
 gious then is the pracl'ce of the church of Rome in rob- 
 hmg the common people of all ihe fcriptnres, locking them 
 tip in an tinknowii tongue, and forbidding the people to 
 read '.he fame? Chferve, 2 How the Holy GhoU here 
 j)re-occupatc's an ohjec'lion, which Sr. John might be ready 
 to make : '• If I IcjI not tip, but make known this pro- 
 jihccy, the wicked men of the world, periecutors elpcti- 
 ally, will be made worfe by it, ihcy viil be unjidt Itill, 
 and filthy llill, and more {'o than ever :'' Be it fo, lays he, 
 yecihe righteous will be more confirmed in theircourfc of 
 obedience, and fuch as are holy, %vill be holy llill; and 
 fddll-a&are righteous, will be righteous llill. There is, we 
 fee, ad.ingerous ptrfevcrance in fin, as wellasa dcfiiabis 
 perl'ever.irce in gi ace and hoiinels ; let Kirn that i^ uiuiean 
 be unclear, ilill ; Where nmrk, '1 his is no pcrmillion, 
 much lefi a perfu.ilion toliii, bin a dreadful thrcaicmiig or 
 lomniiii.irion, that fncli as give up themlVivps to linnin,', 
 iUM be judicially given up by God to fin ass punKhnicni ; 
 iuch a libehiy as ciiisio fin,is the worll of bondage. Again, 
 he tTiJi is holy, let him be holy llill ; tbe words carry wiih 
 ihein nnt cnly the force of a conimaod, and ihed:rtction 
 of a rule, biu thef.veeine" •, and a gracious 
 
 j'rivilcgr, iha: they (.''jH pt-i . :.''^: -jiuoihc end. 
 
 12 And behold, I come quickly ; and my ic- 
 ward 25 with ine, to give every man accordin ' :.s 
 his work lliall be. 
 
 The Tinner verfe'cont.-ined a di.i!'iTi!e or interli-ciiro^y 
 difc<iurfc between the angel aiul St. John; hfrc Chi ill be- 
 gins to fpeak, and coniiiuics hia t'pctcli to the iriii!i)lc of 
 i!ie loth verfc, w herein lie declares, th.Tt it will not be 
 long before he comes to jidi^e the world, to give unto 
 ihofe who aie good. ev< rljllifig h.ippiiefs ; >nd to ti.' .n 
 that are evil, everlallingpunlhinent. Here •.bfrfvJjjk. An 
 excitation, hthoU.' 2. The cf Irllial t>hj!cl, Chrid Je!u . 
 J c VIC ijuickly. And 3. I he end of his com^lg. ,^y re- 
 wuiil is -with f>ie, to render unl'j every cue occofitinf; /a his 
 •workr. /.cam hence, i. That the notices of oi;r'j.o'd's 
 coming to judgment are ufually, in fcnpriire, ulliir.d in 
 with great folciiinity, wiih a mark of atiCBiion and ob;Vr- 
 vaiion ; this word heho/d, i'generally prefixed and fet be- 
 fore : thus ]m]e 7. Behold.' the L;rd cnuth wi.h fen 
 ihfiuf and 'f his faints, Sec. So the Apollle James gives an 
 awful admonition, L\f?o/d.' the yudgefandethhrfon th.^dr,or, 
 ready to pafs a fitial llntence. AixJ St. John in this book 
 of the Ilevclation fcldom fpeaks ot Chrilt coming, but he 
 breaks forth intoan extacy of adtniration. Learn 2. 1 hat 
 the fpecial ddlribution of rewards and puniihmeiiis is re. 
 ferved till the fecond coming and appearance oljefus Chrid ; 
 My reward is with me, ti give to every man accordir.g to his 
 \u-jrk. Learn 3. That i; is our wifdom and duty to re- 
 prefent, by adlual and f.jlemn thoughts, the certain and 
 ipetdy coming of Chrift to the righteous judgment of the 
 world. 
 
 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and 
 the end, the firft and the lafl. 14 Blelfed are they 
 that do his commandmcnt.s, that they may have 
 ri^ht to the tree of life, and may enter in through 
 the gates into the city. 
 
 As if Chrill hsd laid, " I am the eternal God, the firfl 
 caufe and the lail end of -.11 things ; I (irll made the world, 
 and I will at laft put a period to it ; and when time thall 
 be no n;orc, they fliail for ever be liappy in the enjoy- 
 ment of me, who have here obeyed me, and lived in con- 
 formity to my doctrine and example ; they (hall through 
 holinefs enter the gates of the new Jerufalem, thargloii- 
 »jHs city, having the tree ofhfeiii it ; prefeni bl.fTLtlncfs,. 
 85 well as future happincl's, belongs to tiioic tliat obey 
 Ciod's will, anti keep his commandments ; Biijfd arethrv, 
 and bltnid for cvei (hall tljey be." 
 
 J 5 For without are dogs, and forccrcrs, and 
 whoremongers, and inurderers, and idolaters, and 
 wholoeverloveth and maketh a lie. • 
 
 IVitlotM, that is, wiilu>ut ihe gates of the city of the 
 New Jerufak'in, are all filthy and umleanlinncrs, ail crutl 
 and bloody perlcciiti^rs, all raging and luiious enemies to 
 me and my people, ail idolaters, ar.d all iurs ; tlicfe (liall 
 be (hut out of heaven, as dt^gs are lluii out of the houfe ; 
 and Unit intohcll, to be iinpriloned s\iih devils and damned 
 fpirits, and that evcrUliiogly, to lie l'>'r ever in ih.at nnile- 
 nou? (ire, whofc Ittang'- prop-.rty it is always to torture 
 
 but 
 
Chap. x\n. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 116^7 
 
 but never to kill, or always to kill but never to ronftime : perfeft enjoyment of each other. Chfave 3. 1 ne afFeftioii 
 
 They woulddie but they cannot die ; they feek fordeath, which this /)r/Vc- exprefles towards her bndeRrocm ; (he 
 
 but c.rnnot Hod it ; they defireit, but it flies from them. fays, Come; (hepalhon.itely and imiutientiy dedrcs, and ve - 
 
 ' _ , s\ c ^ heiiienily longs l'»r his coming. Come, is a word of invi- 
 
 i6IJefus have fent mine angel to tdhty unto you ^^^.^^^^ « j pray, come, it ii my earnert fnit and requeft 
 
 thefe things in the churches. I am the root and the ^^.^^ ^^^^^ woukill come." Liam hence, Phat ihe glorious 
 
 ofF-fprinq of David, anithe bright and morning-ftar. coming and appearance of Jefu^ Chnft tojudgmeiit, is ve- 
 
 no- the faywcsof the ancel.but the revelation was Chnfi's; <'<hir/i, come -. We muft firit come to thrift by faith and 
 
 which leivpsall men inexculabl-; wh.) believe not the repentance, before we can ever delire Chrift 5 coming tous 
 
 fame, hut nueaion the divine authority thereof. 2. The by death and judgment. Laftly, 1 he intimation given by 
 
 ti'Ies here bv Chrill V'Wen of ;iimrflf (i.) The root of Chrift of a gracious acceptance, and a grateful eniertain- 
 
 David- that'is as God, from whom by creation David and ment : U'hnfoever -^tll, let htm take of the waltr ,.f l-je 
 
 all mankind had their being, and did fpring. [i-) The off- jreely Here n-Ae i The benefit mentioned, or the mercy 
 
 fprina of David, according, to his humanity : Chrift as God offered, water of life, all grace here, and glory hereafter; 
 
 was the root of David ; but confidered as man, David was grace, as ii leads to glory, and glory, as it follows upon 
 
 the root of Chrift, \(^.y:\.i. There /I,rM come fjrth a rod cut grace: Grace c.irries life in the bofom of it, even eternal 
 
 of th^ flem r.fjtjf:, am! a branch _f}iall grovj out of his roots. I'fe. 2. The perfons to whom this benefil is offered and 
 (3.) Chrift ftyles hiinfelf the bright morning-ftar, that is, 
 
 the light of the world, enlightening and enlivening 
 
 tendered, and that is, to luh'tfocver v)ill : to (hew that fal- 
 the vation is not forced upon usagainft our will?,butbeftowed 
 new creation : The fountain of all kiTowledge, gnct, and "pon us in -he uleof our faculties, and in the exercife of 
 comfort on earth, and of all glory and happinefs in heaven, our own endeavours. We are the fiibjefts of this willing- 
 As the mornin^-ft.ir firft brings light to the world, fo "efs, but God is the author of it, Pfal. ex. 3. Cert urn eft 
 
 Chrift fi.ft pnbliUied the light of the golpel, and now, by 
 this revelation, gives a fuperadded light to his people, in- 
 forming th.-m what fliall befal his church until his /fcow/ 
 comiag to judgment. 
 
 no J velle, cuntvolumus ; fed Deus fac'tt ut velimus ; priehendo 
 vires t^caciffimas vAuntati ; fays St. Auftin. Note, 3. 
 The olfer iifelf, Ut hitn take it freely : Grace is the free gift 
 of God as well as e'.ernal life. Such is God's munificence 
 ,,_.. -iti-jr r- AJ and royalty, that he willnot fell his good things; if he did, 
 
 17 And the Spirit and the bride lay, Come. And j-^^,^ is our indigence and poverty, that we could never buy 
 let him that heareth, fay, Come. And let hmi that jfjem ; therefore, lay:, God, take freely .■ Yet we muft un- 
 is athirll, come : and whofoever will, let him take derftand it only of a freedom from merit, not of freedom 
 the water of life freelv. from endeavour. God's offers in the gofpel are condi- 
 
 Obrerve h,re, J. The p^rfoos n.enx\cned, the Spirit and ''on^l ; he proffers his Son, and all good with him, hue 
 the hide .- Bv the Spirit underftand the Holy Ghoft, an.l by "P"" condition of our acceptance on his own terms Lee 
 the bride the whole ca.hoiic church in general, both in none then ftraiten the grace of God where he has enlarged 
 
 heaven and earth, and every true believer in particular. 
 Behold how the Spirit fpeaks in the bride, and how the 
 bride fpeaks from and by the Spirit. Chrilf by his Spirit 
 is prefent with her, by his influence he is alnftant to her. 
 2. The title here given to the church, ihe is called Chrift'? 
 iride, and he elfe where called her Bridegroom : Now this ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ prophecy of this book. If any man Ihall 
 
 title of a bride given to her, is, I. A title of eminency ar 
 
 excellency, and ftaitds in oppolition to adultery ; Ihc is a " • 1 u i \ A c 
 
 bride, not a -mhore .- The falfe church is not a bride, but plagues that are written m this book: 19 And it 
 
 it. If a man has a mind to keep his fins, he fhall have no 
 mercy, be they never fo fmall ; but if he be willing to leave 
 his fins, and to accept an offered Saviour, as ottered, he 
 (hall not be excluded from mercy, be they never fo great. 
 
 1 8 f For I teflify unto every man that heareth the 
 
 )i-ds of the prophecy of this book. If any man fhall 
 
 add unto thele thincrs, God fhall add unto him the 
 
 theWwf, and fo often called: She dtlircs not Chrift's any man fhall take away from the words of the bool; 
 coming, no more than an ndultsrefs dt-iires the return of ^f jj^jj prophecy, God fliall take away his part odk 
 her hufband,bnt the hride, being a chafte, virgin^ longs for ^j- ^j^^ ^^^^^ ^j- jjf^,^ .^,-jj ^.^^ of the holy city, and 
 
 Jrora the things which are written in this book. 
 
 Here we have a dreadful commination and fevere threat- 
 ening denounced by Chnft, againfl all fuch as liiall add aiiy 
 thing to the fcrip'.ures in general, aod jo this prophecy in 
 particular ; not by way of true interpretation, but either 
 
 It. 1. As the word bride is a word of excellency, as it 
 ftandsin oppofiiion to adultery, fo it is a word of extenua- 
 tion and dimuniiion, as it ftands in a diltinftion from ma- 
 trimony and complete marriage ; it is the hriile not a mar- 
 ried wife. The faints are contracted to Chrift in this 
 
 world ; the marri.nge is near, and (hall be confuminated in , , , , 
 
 the next. A bride is a fpoufe in the confines of marriage, formally, by joining any thing to be received as fcnpiure 
 near the approaches of the conjugal filemniiy : Blefled be which God never revealed to be fuch ; or virtutdly, hy put- 
 God! it will not be long before Chrift and his church, ting fuch a fenfe and mt-aning upon fcripiure as God never 
 Chrift and every believer, who are now bttroihed and ef- intended, and the words cannot rationally bear. Almighty 
 poui'ed. ftiall be fully and ccmpletelv married, and iu the God here declares, that he will add to fuch his plagues, and 
 
 linw 
 
i6S 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 Chap. xxii. 
 
 f!iut them out of the holy city, the new Jcnifalem, tlie king- 
 dom of heaven : And it fo, learn wc, what great guilt the 
 church of Rome contra£ls, and what a dreadful ciirfc flic 
 lies under, by making oral tradition of equal aulhoriiy with 
 the fcripiurcs, and by adding new ariiclcs of faiih, new 
 points of dod\rines, which is in effect, to accufc God of 
 ignorance or inadvertency. True, the dod\rine of clirif- 
 tianity is a tratlition ; it was delivered by Chrill to the apof- 
 lles, and by the apofllcs to their fuccedbrs, but now they 
 being long fiiicc dead, we cannot receive from them the 
 «io6lrinc of life by word of mouth, but muil flick to the 
 fcriptHres, or written word, for ihcfe things were written 
 lor our fake. But if any man Jhall add unto thefe things, 
 Ciod jhall add unto him the plagues tint are zvrillen in this 
 I'nok. We rcjedl not all traditions, bccaufc fcripturc ilfclf 
 i<i a tradition ; but we blame the church of Rome, and de- 
 fcrvedly fure, for making her private unwritten traditions of 
 equal authority with the fcripiures, and for urging, that 
 iliey ought to be received pari pietatis affedu, with the fame 
 pious aft'ctSlion ■with which wc receive the holy fcriptures. 
 And thus they fet their poft by God's port, and equal their 
 traditions with the doiflrincs of faith : Their opinion is bad, 
 but their praflice is worfc ; for they value their own tra- 
 ditions above the fcriptures, and prefer them before tJv^. 
 Icriptures ; they never call their own traditions ' a nofe of 
 wax, a dead letter, a dumb rule, an obfcure dodtrine i' but 
 in this manner have they fligmatized the holy fcriptures ; 
 and how they will cfcapc Chrift's feverc commination here 
 before us, for adding to, and taking frorn, the word of Ciod, 
 Concerns them to look to it ; for they muft certainly anfwcr 
 lor it at the bar of God. 
 
 20 He which teflifieth thefe things, faith, Surely 
 I come qjickly. — 
 
 That is, Jefus Chrift, the faithful and true witncfs, from 
 vhom St. John received this revelation, as he formerly had 
 done the holy gofpci, faith. Surely I came quickly. Where 
 u'Je, I. That this prophecy or promife of God's fecond 
 coming to judge the world, is here left as Chrirt's lafl word 
 upon record ; it is almoil the laft word in the bible ; doubt- 
 lefs, that it might be ferioufly minded, and frequently re- 
 nicQibercd by us. Chrift had in this chapter twice before, 
 namely, at vtr. 7, and 12, tcftified that he came quickly ; 
 yet he repeats it here agiin, to exciie us to prepare for it, 
 and to live continually in the cxpeflaiion of it. Nctc, Tliat 
 ys Chrirt has three feverai times in this chapter given us 
 the aifurancc of the certaintv of his coming, fo he prelixes 
 an ecct, or tebolJ, before it, Beheld ! I come quickly ; and here 
 he prefixes the word /i/rriy before it. Surely, f awe quickly, 
 t^waken the fecnrity and leave the incredibility of linners 
 without excufe, who live as if they did not believe any fueh 
 day would come. 
 
 — Amen. Even fo, come, Lord Jefus. 
 
 To the forcmentioned airurancc of the certainty of our 
 Saviour;; coming, St. Joli;i, in i!:c name cf the whole 
 
 church, fuhjoins a hearty /men, 5n earned wifh, 2 pafliona^ 
 dcfirc and longing for our lord's coming, f.<ying, /.WifH 
 come, Lord Jejui, as thou haft promil'ed, and thy ;oeopl<r 
 long expcfled. Learn bcncr, i. That ihe coming cf 
 Chrift ti> judi^mcnt, is a truth firmlv believed, and earneflly 
 dclired by all goo<i chriHiaii.*. St. Jchii here, in the njme 
 of the church, takes, as it were, the word out of Chrills 
 mouth, like a quick echo, prefcntly improves the prnriife 
 into a prayer. Cluifts farcv.el wcirllo his chureh is, / 
 corne quic.Uy ; the church's farewcl fuit 10 Chiift is^C;;w.r, 
 Lord JeJ'iis, came quickly. <^ue/K But why is Chrift'Jhfvrwi,! 
 coming fo exceedingly deliicd by his church a jj({ cIiiMren r 
 j^nf. Ffir finilliing the days «d finning, and Wfrovinir f!.c 
 works of Sjtan ; lor act oinplifliiiig the nunio.-rof V.is^own 
 ele(51, and for liadcuing his kingdom ; for freeing the 
 creature from fubjedion to vanity ; for inaniftftiii?; ilie 
 glory of his jullice and mercy, and for putting his I. ints 
 inte the fidl and final poUlflion of their promifed inhe- 
 ritance. Learn, z. That it is the luifeigned defire of Giods 
 faithful fervant-s to have the full fruition of Jefus Chrifl ; 
 this is the habitual dcfire of their hearts, that Chrift would 
 come, and receive thoMii to himfeif, though at the fame 
 time, they may trembla.il fomc circumllances of his conj- 
 in^r. 4"here isVdegree of finful bondage, which hinder; 
 much our fpiritual confidence and boldnefs ; but the more 
 holy we are, the more emboldened we fhall be afaiad the 
 day of judgment. " 
 
 2 1 The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with 
 you all. Amen. 
 
 This is an epiftolary conclufion, iifed almoil in all the 
 epiftles of the New Teftament, and fo here, becaufe this 
 prophecy was in the manner of an epirtle diredlcd to the 
 churches: St. John began this epiillc with this falutition. 
 chap. i. 4. and fo ends with it here ; he knew there would 
 bo a long tracl of lime intervening between the giving of 
 the promife, and the fulfillng of it, between the bride's 
 making hcrlclf ready, nnd the day wherein the marriage 
 was to be folemnized ; he well knew, that before the Con- 
 fummation of all things, there were many fad difpenfatioris 
 which the ehurches would certainly meet with, many fal.Q; 
 doctrines wocld be fpread, many duties to be performed, 
 many alfliclions to be endured ; all which would require 
 an extraordinary afliftance end fpecial grace ; therefore he 
 prays, that the grace of our I-ord Jefus Chrill may be with 
 them all : teaching us, inccllantiy to dedre for ourfclvcs, 
 and to crave for' omerf, the auxiliary aids of divine grace, 
 to enable the ace'epiable performance of every duty, and la 
 the patient enduring of every trial ; the grcateil mercy that 
 can be vviflicd to any, or that any can with tmto thein- 
 feives, is the grace of God to excite and quicken us to our 
 duty, and to allill and help us in the performance of it ; and 
 accordingly, St. Jolin Ihut^ up this bot^k, and therewith 
 tlie canon of the whole fcripture in thefe words, The graie 
 of cur Lord Jefus Chrif., he with ycu all. Amen. 
 
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