Exposition of John

Unto this history of the adulterous woman, somewhat is premitted (in these verses) by way of introduction, which also points out the connection of this purpose with the former. And, 1. Whereas his persecutors, had houses of their own to go to, Chap. 7. 53. he, after his preaching and debates retires to the Mount of Olives without the City, that night, ver. 1. We find elsewhere that he went out and lodged by night in Bethany, (which was upon the side of that Mount,) belike with Lazarus and his Sisters, that so he might prevent any design they might have against him, to be acted in night uproares. See, Matth. 21.17. But his early return, ver. 2. makes it probable that he rather went out to the Mount it self, that he might pray in secret; and so it seems to be understood, Luke 21.37. with Chap. 22. 39, 40. And this seems to have been his constant custom after this time, to leave the City by night. 2. Having spent the night there, he returns to the Temple, and finding the people stock about him, he teaches them, Who these hearers were, whether the people that were now ready to depart on this day after the feast, (for whose cause Christ returns so early) or, the multitude of the in habitants of Jerusalem, is not much material. Only it seems that they were of the common sort, and few or none of the Rulers. And as for his gesture in teaching, that he sat down, it was their custom in these times, and a testimony of the respect that is due to them that carry the mind of God; and we find Christ sometime preach sitting, Luke 4.20, 21. sometime standing, Joh. 7.37 and at this time his weariness with night watching might call for it. Nor is it much to be stood upon, which of these gestures men use in preaching; But Preachers ought in these things accommodate themselves to seek the benefit of hearers, and that they be heard and seen by them. Doctrine, 1. It is no strange thing to see Christ and his followers, for all their faithful services in an ingrate world, yet wanting any comfortable accommodations in it: for, after Christ hath spent the day time in teaching, he wants a safe and convenient place to retire unto, within the City, and must go out to the Mount of Olive. See Luke 9.58. 2. It is the duty of Christ's Servants and people, not to rest satisfied with any public and open performances in God's service; But they should also join therewith a conscientious observance of the duty of secret prayer: which is not only needful in Ministers, that they may draw down blessings upon their endeavors, but in all the godly also; that it may be a witness of their sincerity, and a mean of keeping up communion with Christ, and of preventing much anxiety: Therefore Christ, after his preaching all day, goes to prayer in the Mount of Olives. 3. As the sins of the Elect deprived Christ of many a nights sleep, that so he might sanctify rest and sleep to his beloved, (whereof this passage is one instance) So they who are servant in following after communion with God, will rather take their sleeping time, then they should want an opportunity of secret prayer; As here Christ's practice doth teach. 4. As the general calling of Christianity is a very throng task, wherein a man needs never want an opportunity of doing service to God, Yet without prejudice to his outward calling and occupation; So in particular, a Ministers task is very great, and preaching and prayer, and the duties of his calling following thereupon, may take up his whole time, if he be faithful: As here Christ's practice doth teach, who having spent the night in prayer, early in the morning came again into the Temple and taught. See Act. 6.4. 5. As Christ can get hearers to himself, when he pleaseth, and purposeth to do good, even in despite of all his enemies; So affection to Christ, and his doctrine, will stand upon no impediment that would stop the way: Therefore, albeit it was yet early, and the Rulers were raging against Christ; yet all the people came unto him. 6. Where affection is kindled, and draws men to frequent Christ's company, they will be sure of a meeting, and to be taught by him: Therefore, albeit he might justly have a great quarrel against that City; Yet since affection drew the people, he could not refuse them, but sat down, and taught them.

Followeth the history it self: wherein, first, (in these verses) we have the case propounded to Christ by the Scribes and Pharisees, who while he is preaching, do present a woman taken in the act of adultery unto him, and pointing out what was determined in Moses law, they do in an insinuating way ask his judgment, only that they might take some advantage of him by his answer. For, if he should, according to his wonted offers of clemency assoil her, they would condemn him as contrary to Moses; and if he condemned her to die, then they thought to make him odious to the people, as contradicting his own practice, in eating with Publicans and sinners, and his Doctrine, in offering mercy and grace so freely. We need not be inquisitive why they present only the woman, though it be probable, that however they were taken in the very act, yet the man had escaped from among their hands. Doctrine. 1. Christ's servants ought not to think it strange, when they get not through spiritual duties with ease, but do meet with many temptations and interruptions in them; for, Christ himself was interrupted by these wicked men; They brought in a woman taken in adultery, &c. 2. It gives just ground of suspicion, when men, who were violent enemies, do on a sudden become flattering and insinuating friends; for, it was for little good that they who, even now, were seeking to kill him, do in a flattering way call him Master, and do set this woman in the mids, or, in open judgment, before him, and do seek resolution concerning her from him. 3. Such is the perversity of fallen man, that whatever God do testify of his displeasure, by word or judgments, against grossest sins; Yet they are continued in and followed, yea, and committed in times when God calls them to solemn-exercises of his worship: for, albeit adultery be expressly prohibited, as a gross iniquity, and albeit that and the like uncleanness had oftentimes drawn down very remarkable judgments, as on Sodom and the tribe of Benjamin; Yet there is a woman taken in adultery, and that in the time of their solemn feast. 4. Albeit men think to carry their sins very closely; and albeit uncleanness in particular, be a work of darkness; Yet the Lord, when he pleaseth can easily bring it out to light; for, she is taken in the very act. And albeit many may escape this, yet the Lord can make their sin find them out, and make their own consciences bring it out many years after it is committed. 5. Albeit the Lord may justly bring out hidden sin, that the sinner may be made a spectacle of his vengeance; Yet ofttimes it proves a great mercy to the sinner, when he gets not liberty to lurk in a sinful course, but is brought out to light with it: As here it proved in the issue, this woman being discovered, is brought to Christ even by his very enemies, and (in appearance) gets good of him, which she had missed, if she had not been found out. 6. The Lord doth so far detest the sin of adultery, violating the Covenant of marriage, and especially in women, who do corrupt a family, by bringing in an illegitimate issue into it; That it is his will, that such, a transgression be punished with death: for, so do they repeat his Law given by Moses, that such should be stoned; and being a punishment of a moral transgression, it should stand in force so long as the transgression is still the same: The law concerning the putting of adulterers to death, is clear from Levite. 20.10. Deut. 22.22. But for the particular way of it, by stoning, it seems to be gathered from that particular Law, concerning the betrothed Virgin, and him that lay with her, Deut. 22.23, 24. 7. It is the disposition of wicked men, to make it their study to lay snares, whereby they think to entrap God's people, and to seek advantages against them; partly, by fair language, and partly, by cunning temptations, that so they may make them and their way odious: for, so do they deal with Christ, they flatter him, and ask but what sayest thou? but they did it tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. And albeit they gained nothing at Christ's hand in this; Yet his followers have need to be cautious, and to beware of subtle insinuaters: Not that it is best to countermine subtlety with subtlety, but they should look on honesty as great safety, and divine policy, in such cases. 8. Christ doth easily discern the drift of his enemies, and doth know which are tempting curious questions, and which are propounded out of necessity: Therefore doth John, being taught of him, record what was their drift, This they said tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. And indeed, when any come to Christ with cases, he first looks into the questioners heart, that he may know how it is affected with what he propounds, before he answer it.

In the second place, we have Christ's dealing with them who brought the woman, and propounded the case. And, 1. He writes upon the ground as if he heard them not, in testimony of his slighting them, ver. 6. 2. When his silence seemed to them to flow from some advantage they had of him in this matter, and therefore they importune him the more: He leaves the question, and turns to the questioners, bidding them search their own bosoms, and since they needed not witnesses, who were to cast the first stone, Deut. 17.7. He bids those among them, who were without sin, supply that office; and again writes upon the ground, in testimony of his dislike of them, ver. 7, 8. Upon this, 3. Followeth the effect of Christ's answer, which is the conviction of these wicked men, who being conscious to themselves what they were, and not willing to confess it, nor to debate with him who could bring them out to light before the people, they take advantage of his stooping down, to slip quietly away, leaving the woman and Christ alone (not simply alone, for the multitude stayed and the woman in the midst, but all the accusers left them) And this they did, beginning at the eldest, who were most guilty, and most prudent to discern what was in this answer, ver. 9. For clearing this answer a little, Consider, 1. As for that phrase, he that is without sin, which imports a complete purity, we need not here curiously distinguish it, from that blamelesnesse and being irreprehensible, which is elsewhere urged, 1 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.6. seeing the Law of God requires both, and it was their great presumption to insult so over the woman, and over Christ as an enemy to the Law, when yet they were not only not sinless, but not free of the like gross crimes, if not the same, wherein the woman was taken. 2. Christ's requiring they should be without sin who execute this sentence, doth not condemn Magistrates, who execute justice, though themselves be sinners; Yea, though they be vicious themselves. For he doth not speak, as a Magistrate, prescribing that none should be punished but by innocent and blameless men; nor doth he condemn the doing of justice and punishing of sin in it self: But as a teacher, he showeth what God will find culpable in Magistrates; to wit, if they make little conscience of their own sins, when yet they punish sin in others 3. Albeit Christ's discourse doth not answer directly to their question, yet it fully breaks their snare laid for him, and brings a snare upon themselves. For it doth not strike against Moses Law, seeing he acknowledgeth the equi • y of the sentence of stoning, though he was not a Judge to pronounce it, and as a Minister would have them look to their own consciences. Nor doth this rough dealing contradict his doctrine of free grace, seeing he is speaking to unhumbled Pharisees, that he may fit them for his mercy, and he deals sweetly with the woman afterward. But as for them, his discourse doth indeed pinch them, while as they who boasted so much of respect to the Law, are found to regard it so little in their own practice, that their consciences sends them away confounded. Doctrine, 1. As Christ knoweth who propound questions, only to tempt him, and who desire to be taught; So he who warmely entertains the one, doth justly sleight the other, as unworthy of an answer: for, But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. It is but curiosity to inquire what he wrote; but his end in it, was, not only to show, that it is fitter Ministers do anything, then employ themselves in civil affairs; but chiefly to show, that their question was idle, and deserved no answer. 2. Christ's enemies may get leave to think that they have some notable advantage of him and his followers, only that their own disappointment may be the more shameful and sad: for, before they are convinced, they think Christ is silent because he knew not what to say, and therefore they continued asking him, as insulting over him in their own minds, if not also in their expressions. 3. Albeit Christ be tender and gracious toward humbled sinners; Yet he will strictly press the Law upon all such as conceit of their righteousness, and will not come to him; Therefore doth he deal so roughly with those men, and points out what the Law required of them. 4. The perfect and spiritual Law of God doth require of men, not only that they be without public and visible blemish: but that they be without sin or spot: for so much doth Christ require of these unhumbled men, that they be without sin, 5. It is the will of God, that these who punish sin in others, should be sensible of their own failings and that the sense of their own sins make them tender toward others: And it is a token of unsanctified Spirits, when men who censure or punish others, do not look upon their own ways, nor do abstain from all lewd practices themselves, nor look upon the worst of sinners as their own picture, if they were left to themselves: for, this is the scope of Christ's answer, as is before explained. 6. In our necessary meddling with wicked men, it is our duty to take heed we do nothing that may seem to approve them in their wicked ways: Therefore, again he stooped down and wrote on the ground, to testify that as at first he liked not their discourse; So yet he approved it not (however he had answered it) nor would keep up conference with them. 7. As without Christ's power, the most spiritual doctrine will do no good to the best of men; so when he pleaseth, he can put an edge upon a very short sentence, to make it waken the most benumbed conscience, and cause it imprint inward challenges upon the heart, and outward shame upon the foreheads of men: for, so doth it here appear, they are convicted by their own conscience, and glad of an opportunity to steal away. 8. A wakened conscience will get other things to think upon, then to be taken up with idle cavils about Religion, or descanting upon the faults of others only, for, they quit both their tempting of Christ, and accusing of the woman, and steal away. 9. A wakened conscience will tell a man, that the longer he liveth, his guilt is still increasing, and he hath daily the more cause to be ashamed of himself for it, for, so much is imported that they went out, beginning at the eldest, even to the last. 10. Every conviction of conscience is not saving, nor is everyone in a state of grace, whose conscience finds the edge of the word, to make him ashamed of sin; for, these men are convicted; and went out, as being ashamed, who yet are but in the gall of bitterness. 11. It is a sure evidence of an unsound wakening of conscience, when men's convictions make them flee from Christ, and shun either his further convictions or comforts; Whereas it is good not to go away from him, when sin is discovered, and the truly humbled sinner is kept with him till he find favor: for, so appears in them, being convicted, they went out from Christ, and that one by one, without noise, when he was now stooping down, that so he might not have occasion to say anymore to them: whereas the poor woman, though let go, stands still in the midst, in the place where she was sifted as a guilty person, till she hear what Christ will say to her. 12. All the plots of wicked men against Christ, will at last tend to their own visible and open shame: for, this was the issue of their enterprise. They came in with a resolution to have entrapped Christ, and they are sent out with much shame and confusion on their own faces.

In the third place, We have Christ's dealing with the woman herself; who being left by her accusers, and not condemned by them, he doth also dismiss her with a gentle warning, to watch over her ways in time to come. In doing whereof, he doth not make void the Law of Moses, nor say that none ought to condemn her to death, but he declines to act the part of a civil Magistrate in passing sentence upon her, and doth act the part of a Minister of the Gospel, in absolving an humbled sinner. Doctrine 1. As they who run away from Christ, when they are convinced, do but go on in their sin, and carry their shame with them; So they who attend upon Christ, and betake themselves to the posture of condemned sinners, will at last get a gracious answer; as this woman's experience doth teach, who (when her accusers went out) did stay still, to her own great advantage. 2. It is necessary, that such as are waiting on Christ for grace, be serious observers of his dealing, that from thence they may learn to know what a one he is: for, his questions, when he lift up himself, Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? did not slow from any ignorance in him, but serve to excite her to consider the power of his word, and what effects it had produced, and to show that his doings are not easily marked, even when they are acted before our eyes. 3. Such as are truly humbled with the sense of their sins, will get little pleasure to meddle, save with these things which nearly concern themselves: for, albeit Christ propounded two questions, yet she answers only to what concerns herself, and that no man had condemned her, not meddling with what concerned them. 4. Such as Christ hath a mind to do good unto, are not to expect that so much will be intimate unto them at first, but they must be content to be exercised with attendance, and speaking to Christ, till the complete deliverance come; for, so much appears in his dealing with this woman, He speaks so in her cause to the Pharisees, as encourageth her to stay still, till she see what further he will say: Then, he leads her up to speak to him, and gives her a ground of an argument, that since no man had condemned her, therefore he, the Savior of sinners, would deal gently with her: and at last, he brings out his sweet sentence, 5. The charge and office of the Ministry is inconsistent, in God's appointment, with the exercise of the office of Magistracy, in one and the same person; and it is so weighty a calling, that it is enough to take up the whole man: Therefore, doth Christ, the great Messenger of the Covenant and Preacher of the Gospel, refuse to take on that calling, Neither do I condemn thee. So also Luke 12.13, 14. 6. It is the allowance of Christ, that humble and cast down sinners be gently dealt with by his Ministers; and his rich grace will absolve such as do condemn themselves before him: for, by this sentence, he not only declines to exercise the office of Magistracy, but doth absolve her, whom he knew to be humbled, in the Court of conscience. 7. It ought to be no impediment to humble sinners to expect absolution from Christ, that their sins are such as by the Law of God and man deserves bodily death, or that they are to die a violent death for them: for, though this sin deserved stoning by the Law of God; yet that doth not hinder Christ to give her a pardon. 8. Grace is so absolute and free, that it can make a very sudden change in sinners; it can take them, as it were, in the very height of their impiety, and convert and make pardoned Saints of them; for, so it appears in this woman, who being taken in the very act of adultery, goeth not away from Christ till she be absolved. 9. Such as have tasted of Christ's grace in pardoning their sin, will retain so much sense of their own corrupt inclinations, and of their obligation to Christ for his mercy, that it will put them to a wary and circumspect walking for time to come: for, so much is imported in the direction subjoined to her absolution, Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more. See chap. 5.14. 10. Albeit humble and pardoned sinners should have an eye especially, upon the sins they have been formerly addicted unto, and upon gross and scandalous evils, that they break not out into them; Yet they should also be sensible of their proneness to all sin, as having the seed of all sin within them, and should have an universal hatred against all sin, and be watchful over themselves, that they fall not into any sin: Therefore is the direction general, Sin no more, that she should not only be jealous of her own inclination to her former debordings, or oppose and strive against some sins, while she delighted in other sins, but that she should watch against all kind of sin.

In the rest of the Chapter, we have Christ's preaching, conference and debates with several sorts of hearers, which we will consider in order as they lie. As for the time wherein this was done, we need not determine that it was on another day then that wherein he absolved the adulteress, which some gather from this that the Pharisees were then gone out, verse 9. and are now come in again, verse 13. for it may be conceived, that these who now debate with him, were some others then they who had brought in the woman, who remained among the multitude, to watch for all advantages; or, it needs not be thought strange, that even they should have so much impudence, as shortly to return back, to oppose his Ministry so much as they could.

In the first place, in this verse we have Christ returning to his office of preaching, after that interruption made by the Scribes and Pharisees, and making a rich offer of himself, which occasions all the subsequent debates and discourses. And in it, taking occasion (as would appear) of the Suns rising and bright shining in the morning, he holds out himself as the true Sun of righteousness and light of the world; offering to all these who follow him, that they shall not only have present light to order and sweeten their walking, but that this light shall bring life with it, and lead to eternal life. Whence learn, 1. Whatever interruptions wicked men lay in Christ's way, yet he will not be hindered from doing and offering good to sinners: for, notwithstanding they hindered him in preaching, verse 2, 3. Yet now he returns to it again, Then spake Jesus again unto them. 2. There is no better way to conciliate love to Christ, then to study to know him well, in his natures, excellencies, riches, and free offers to sinners: Therefore doth he commend himself here that they may follow him, I am the light of the world, &c See Psal. 9.10. Rev. 15.3, 4. 3. The whole world lies in darkness of itself, being ignorant of misery, and of the remedy thereof, following the works of darkness, and liable to affliction, wrath, and want of comfort, and to be cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth: for, so is imported in this Doctrine, that without Christ, mankind are as the world is without the Sun, and the use of these lights which are enlightened thereby. 4. The remedy of this sad condition is only to be had in Christ, and he is able to cure all this darkness, by enlightening the mind, and causing men to know themselves, by discovering and dispelling the works of darkness, removing of wrath and misery, giving clear and wholesome directions in duty, and cheering up and warming the hearts of his own with his comforts: for, saith he, I am the light of the world. See Ch. 1.4, 5, 9. The Father is indeed a light to which no man can approach, and before whom Angels do cover their faces; but this light being revealed in the Son, is brought near, and made comfortable unto men. And his Instruments and Messengers are called lights, because they instrumentally convey this light which cometh originally from him. 5. Christ's grace and light is not confined to one place or sort of persons, but is patent to the world, and to men of all ranks and conditions in it; Therefore is he called the light of the world. 6. They who would participate of the riches that are in Christ, ought to take him for their guide, and follow him, neither presuming to go before and prescribe unto him, nor yet loitering and lying by when he, in his example and directions, is going before; for, the advantage of this offer is, to him that followeth me, saith he. 7. As it is the duty of men who would partake of Christ's riches, to follow him; So they who follow him indeed, will employ all the comfort they find in him, to enable and encourage them to duty, and will account it sufficient, if they be enabled to walk after him, whatever their lot be otherwise. Therefore is the promise held out containing what they may expect in walking. 8. They who follow Christ, may expect that in his light they shall see light; They will not be left in darkness of ignorance, nor under the power of the ways of darkness, or under the danger of outer darkness: And albeit sometime they may be left under a dark condition, wanting comfort, and feeling wrath, Isa. 50.10. Yet neither is that their allowance, nor shall they constantly walk so, or be left altogether under such a condition, but, in due time, shall have light arising in darkness: for, so is the promise, he shall not walk in darkness, but shall have light. 9. The light that comes from Christ will have quickening life accompanying it, and doth in the issue tend to eternal life, whereas the false light of the wicked, ends in sorrow, Isa. 50.11. Therefo • e is it said, he shall have the light of life, or, that light which is accompanied with the present life of holiness, which in due time will end in eternal life.

In the next place, we have Christ's first conference and debate with the Pharisees, who contradict his testimony, as worthy to be suspected, verse 13. To which Christ replies, asserting the truth and certainty of his own testimony, verse 14. challenging them for rash judgment of him, when yet he was not judging them, verse 15. though if he did it his testimony were to be regarded, having not only himself but his Father to bear witness to him, which were a sufficient number of witnesses by the Law, verse 16, 17, 18. but they were ignorant of the Father, as they were of him, verse 19. To which is subjoined, that however he spake thus freely, and they had a great mind to take him, and had him among their hands, yet they were restrained, verse 20.

In these verses, We have their exception against his testimony, as obnoxious to be suspected, seeing he speaks so much in his own cause, verse 13. And Christ, albeit, chap. 5.31. he did, by way of preterition, pass this, that he might bring in the many witnesses that pleaded for him; Yet here he doth assert that his testimony concerning himself is true: Which he confirms from this reason; That he came from God, and was to return to him again: and being certain of this, he might assert it, whereas they being ignorant hereof, did carp at him. The force of this reason consists in these; partly, That he being God, who came from the Father in respect of his manifestation in the flesh, and was to return to him in regard of the manifestation of his glory in the human nature exalted, he was a witness above all exception: partly, That being the great Angel of the Covenant, and Ambassador from the Father, to whom he was to return an account, he might lawfully publish his own Instructions and Commission which were revealed only to himself, and ought to be credited: And partly, That he perfectly knowing this, might boldly testify and stand to it. Doctrine 1. Christ's enemies are endless and restless in their oppositions unto the success of the Gospel: for, after their former interruption, verse 3. He no sooner begins to preach again, but they do again cavil. 2. Christ's rich offers will not prevail with malicious enemies, to make them quit their opposition and submit: for, when he is not threatening, but graciously inviting sinners to partake of his fullness, they yet cavil. 3. Whatever just cause there be to suspect their testimony, who are but sinful and mere men, when they commend themselves; Yet this derogates nothing from the glory of Christ's being true in his testimonies concerning himself: for, albeit they think they have great advantage of Christ from this common principle, Thou bearest record of thyself, thy record is not true, yet it hath no weight at all here. It is true indeed that the corrupt nature of man, (which is prone too seek itself, and hunt after vain-glory, which yet is as easily lost as obtained, and cannot bear our weight in a day of distress) may render such a testimony uncertain, but not necessarily prove it untrue, even in men; For honest men may lawfully commend themselves in some cases, and yet not bear false-witness, nor yet be guilty of self-seeking. But it doth not at all hold true in Christ who is separate from sinners, and not to be bound by the rules prescribed to men in such cases. 4. Enemies their opposing and interterrupting of Christ, will not make void his purposes; but he can make their opposition occasion much benefit to his people: for, albeit they thought by cavils to hinder his preaching, yet his very defences and replies did bring forth most precious truths of the Gospel, for the edification of his hearers then, and of his people to the end of the world. 5 Whatever be Christ's gracious condescendence, for the conviction of sinners, and confirmation of his own; Yet he will not allow that any should deny him the glory of any of his prerogatives, and particularly of his truth: Therefore albeit he formerly condescended, Chap 5. 31. to wave his testimony of himself, that so friends and foes might see how many witnesses he had for him; Yet here when they contradict it, he will not pass from it, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. 6. Christ being true God that cannot lie, and who only can reveal himself and his will; and coming out of the bosom of the Father as Ambassador into the world; he is an authentic witness, above all exception, in what he reveals; and his naked testimony and assertion ought to be credited, without seeking further proof or arguments: Therefore doth he confirm the truth of his record from the consideration of whence he came. 7. As Christ and his followers came into the world for awhile, to do the service for which they are appointed, and then to go to God; so the exaltation of Christ doth put his divine original and authority; and consequently, the truth of his testimony, out of all question; Therefore doth he subjoin whither he goeth, not only as the comfortable issue of his toile, which he looked to, but as a clear proof that he came from God, and consequently, that his record is true. 8. Such as are employed in Commission from God to carry his mind, and do vouch on that they have an account to make to God who sent them, will find a necessity to cleave to their Commission, and to publish nothing but truth: So much also may be learned from Christ's argument, who considering whence he came, and whither he goeth, doth therefore bear a true record. 9. Christ's knowledge of his own excellency and authority, is sufficient to warrant the truth of his doctrine, whoever else be ignorant of it; for, he proves it true on this, I know whence I came, &c. albeit, saith he, ye cannot tell, &c. 10. They who would cleave to controverted and opposed truth, should not have it by guess only, but should certainly know and be persuaded of it, and then speak for it: So much also may be learned from Christ's confirming the truth of his record thus, that not only he was indeed from God, and his doctrine the truth, but I know whence I came, &c. 11. It is men's ignorance (either simple or affected) of Christ's person and Commission, that makes them so little regard, or lay so little weight on his doctrine and testimony; Therefore, in opposition to his knowledge, he subjoins, but ye cannot tell whence I come, or whither I go, and therefore do carp at my testimony and doctrine concerning myself.

Before Christ produce any farther proof of the truth of his record, he doth here challenge them for their censure of him. And as in the former verse he points out a difference betwixt himself and them in the point of knowing whence he came and whither he goeth; So here he points out another difference, and a defect in them flowing from this mistake: To wit, that as they were ignorant of him, so they judged carnally of him, and according to outward appearance, being led by their carnal principles. Whereas he, on the contrary, judged no man; Which is not to be understood in opposition to their manner of judging, that he judged no man after the flesh; for (though that be true, yet) then what is subjoined, verse 16. would import that he might judge after the flesh. Nor is it to be understood, that he judged no man in a political way, but only, in an ecclesiastical way, was pointing out their faults; for neither in that respect will the opposition betwixt him and them stand, seeing they were not now judging him in any political way, but only censuring his doctrine and person: Nor yet is it Christ's meaning in this place, to show that he devests himself of that sovereign dominion and government that he hath over men, and all creatures, jointly with the Father, of which Chap. 5. 22. for that he never quits; but his scope, is, to show that he forbare the exercise of it, in some respects, for a time. And particularly, 1. That his chief errand in this his first coming, was not to judge men, but to purchase and offer salvation to lost sinners, Chap. 3. 17. and if any were condemned, it was but an accidental event flowing from men's own corruptions. 2. More especially, now when they were judging him, he was not judging, but teaching and making rich offers; and therefore their carriage was more blame-worthy. Doctr. 1. Albeit malicious carpers, or other enemies, can do nothing to Christ's prejudice, yet will he not pass the wrong intended by them in their endeavors, without a rebuke: Therefore, albeit he hath shown that their cavils could not make void his testimony, yet he will challenge them for their attempt. 2. Rash judging and censuring of Christ, his doctrine and way, is the ordinary fault of his enemies, and an injury which he will not endure at their hands; for, this is their particular attempt which he reproves, that they fell a judging. 3. Men by nature are so blind and fleshly, that their judgment of Christ and his matters is to be suspected, and such as justly deserves a reproof from him; for, this was, in part, their fault, ye judge after the flesh, or according to the dictates of your corrupt reason and hearts, which cannot perceive the things that are of God. 4. To judge of Christ according to visible and outward appearances of his person or Kingdom, or according to our own prejudicate thoughts; is but a corrupt judgment, and such as doth provoke him to anger; for this farther, and in particular, was their fault, in judging after the flesh, when their prejudices and blinded judgments let them see no more of Christ then his outside. 5. It is the will of God, that his servants be found in meekness about their duty, when they are encountered with hard measure and unjust usage from their enemies; for, so doth Christ's example teach, who when they judged him, was judging no man, neither in the general exercise of his calling, nor at this Sermon in particular. 6. It speaks Christ's gracious condescendence unto lost man, that he first assays him with the sweet offer of salvation in the Gospel, to see how that will work, before he proceed to a sentence of condemnation; for, saith he, I judge no man, in this my state of humiliation, and at this time in particular. And albeit he spake sometimes sharply unto them, yet it tended but to drive them to his mercy. 7. Christ's mild manner of dealing, even to his enemies, doth add to their dittey, and aggravate their condemnation, who do not only sleight, but oppose him; Therefore doth Christ mention this, to show how great their guilt was, in malicious carping at him; ye judge after the flesh, I judge no man.

Lest they should except, that therefore he judged them not, because he could not truly challenge anything; Therefore he declares, that he might judge them if he would, and if he did, his judgment were true. And thus he returns to assert the truth of his own record, and, 1. He enlargeth the assertion, showing, that if he not only bear record of himself, but against them also, yet his record is true, 2. He adds a second reason confirming this assertion, which is propounded, ver. 16. that he is not alone in what he doth, but the Father is with him, and it is confirmed, ver. 17, 18. that if the testimony of two men be sufficient in any matter according to Moses Law, to prove i • , true, Deut. 17.6, how much more is his record true, being witnessed unto by himself who is God, and by the Father also, who by a voice from heaven, and by mighty signs and wonders did declare and confirm who he was, and command he should be hearkened unto?

From verse 16. Learn, 1. Albeit Christ do condescend to offer salvation unto lost sinners, yet if he pleased, he might in place thereof, judge and condemn them, and yet do no wrong; for, he speaks here of his judging, as a thing he might well do, if he pleased. 2. Christ cannot err in judging of men; but as all his testimonies are true, so also he is true in judging, how cross soever it seem to us; for, yet if I judge, my judgment is true. 3. As all these who are employed by God in his service are never left alone by him in their difficulties; So in particular, Christ and the Father are undivided in the work of judging of men, as in all other works; and the Father is still with him as being of the same essence, and as with his Ambassador and servant, acting according to his instructions; Therefore, saith he, I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me, where he proves the Fathers conjunction with him, from his being his Father, by eternal generation, and from his sending of him. 4 Christ's union with the Father, in judging, is an infallible proof that he cannot err in that work. It being impossible that he who is God, one with the Father, and who in all things walks according to his Fathers instructions, should err in any of his testimonies or records: Therefore is it given as a reason why his judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

From verse 17, 18. Learn, 1. The Laws given by God do not serve for rules to direct or bind him, who is supreme and above all Law; but to be a rule and direction to these to whom they are given; Therefore it is called your law, not that they were the penmen or prescribers of it, nor yet only because they gloried of it, albeit they did little regard it in practice, but because it was given for their use and direction. 2. It is the will of God, that, as men should not be rash in private judging, so, in public contraversies, they should not proceed to judgment upon every report or single testimony, but, at least, the matter must be proven by two witnesses; for, saith he, It is written in your Law, that the testimony of two men is true. Not that necessarily everything that is deponed by two witnesses is true, for false witnesses may conspire to assert an untruth, 1 Kings 21.13. Matth. 26.60. Acts 6.11, 13. But the meaning of the Law is, that at least, there shall be no fewer testimonies to prove anything. And as great care should be had in examining witnesses, to find out if there be any falsehood, (wherein, even in persecuting of Christ, the Pharisees were exact, Mark 14.55, 56.) and for more security, the Jews put the witnesses to confirm their testimony, by being first in executing the sentence, Deut. 17.6, 7. So where two witnesses concur in one testimony, the matter is to be accounted legally true and proven, albeit the witnesses should lie. 3. Albeit Christ, as God, be above Law, yet his ways are so just, that the Law can have no just exception against him; Therefore doth he confirm his assertion from their own Law. For, if the testimony of two men (who are fallible and may deceive) doth suffice to prove a matter to be true; how much more is he to be credited, who is witnessed unto by the Father, and by himself as God witnessing of himself, as man and Mediator; seeing these witnesses are truth it self, who cannot lie, nor be biased? 4. The truth of Christ's offers unto lost sinners is so abundantly confirmed by unquestionable witnesses, that none can call them in question, without egregious wrong done to God; So much also may be gathered from this double witness, of himself, and the Father that sent him. 5. The Father and the Son, albeit one and undivided in essence and operation; yet are distinct persons, and did distinctly bear witness in this testimony concerning the man Christ, and his offers as Mediator; for, saith he, I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me, beareth witness of me.

As before they carped at his testimony concerning himself, so now little regarding what he said, they carp at his other witness, desiring to know who his Father was. For they alleging he had none but Joseph, would look upon him to be as unfit a witness as they conceived himself to be; or if he should call God his Father, that would waken the old quarrel, Chap. 5. 18 But Christ doth not stand to answer their question, but declares they were both ignorant of the Father and him, and ignorant of the Father, because they knew not him. Whence learn, 1. Let truth be never so clearly held forth, yet (without the power of grace) enemies will not be gained thereby, but they will still jangle, and set their wit and parts on work to find out new cavils; for so do they here, all the fruit of Christ's doctrine on them, is a new taunting question, where is thy Father? 2. Where there is greatest conceit of parts and abilities, there is ordinarily greatest real ignorance, especially of saving truths in a saving manner; for, these great Rabbi's, who think themselves able enough, to hold up the debate with Christ, yet this sentence from him, ye neither know me, nor my Father. 3. Albeit the Father and the Son be two distinct persons; Yet they are undivided in essence, so that the one cannot be known without the other; And particularly, albeit devils may believe there is a deity and tremble, Jam. 2.19. and albeit Jews and others may have some notions of him as Creator of the world; Yet there is no saving knowledge of God but in Christ, Joh. 17.3. Therefore, saith he, ye neither know me, nor my Father, and particularly, he asserts their ignorance of the Father, because they knew not him. 4. The divine nature did so evidently shine in the Son, that whosoever knew what a deity was, might have seen it in him; and whosoever took up his deity, were thereby forthwith led to know the deity of the Father; for, saith he, if ye had known me, ye should have known the Father also. And herein God's gracious condescendence is to be seen, who since his divine nature could not be comprehended nor taken up by us, was pleased to reveal and manifest himself in his own Son (the express image of his person) clothed with our; flesh, and to hold out this mirror unto us in that word which is near unto us, and which doth prevent our anxious thoughts about ascending up to heaven, or descending down unto the deep, Romans 10.6, 7, 8.

In this verse we have a conclusion subjoined to this first conference; wherein it is declared, that however he spake thus boldly, and that in a place of the Temple where they had him as in a net; and how ever their rage was great against him: Yet none of them meddled with him, God so ordering the matter, because his time of suffering was not yet come. As for this place, the Treasury, the Jews had a chest in Joash his time, wherein they received the people's collections as they entered into the Temple, 2 Chron. 24.8, &c. and it seems they continued this practice afterward, Mark. 12.41. Luk. 21.1. But this was a room or chamber belonging to the Temple, wherein these treasures and other things belonging to the service of the Temple, were kept; of which see, 1 King. 6.5, &c. 2 Chron. 5.1. and 31.11, 12. Neb. 13.5.—9. and 10.37, 38. Ez. 8.29. And as this was their custom then, so the Lord doth yet require that somewhat be laid up for Religious uses, providing it be lawfully acquired, and rightly employed. Doctrine, 1. The many hazards wherein Christ and his servants may be, and the many advantages that enemies seem to have over them, should not cool their courage in doing duty; for, these words, which were so sharp, spake Jesus even in the treasury, as he taught in the Temple. 2. As enemies are endless in their rage and attempts, against Christ and his people; So the providence of God is as vigilant to preserve them, so long as he seeth fit; for, as before, so over again, no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come. The providence of God was as effectual for his preservation at one time, as at another. 3. This frequent repetition of his preservation, because his hour was not yet come, serveth not only as an encouragement to his people, in being faithful in their duty and trust, seeing they are guarded by him who can preserve so often. But further serves to teach 1. Many deliverances should never make us put thoughts of suffering, in God's time, out of our mind; for Christ's preservation so frequently is still seasoned with this, his hour was coming, though not yet. 2. Former preservation speaks so much of God's power and favor, as may make his people resolute to endure suffering, when his will is to expose them to it; for, such use doth Christ make of this his frequent preservation, when they take him, which is the meaning in part of Luk. 22.53. 3. Christ also makes use of it in that place, Luke 22. and Matth. 26.55. to testify, that as his bold and open carriage, and his preservation in it, did bear witness of his integrity, and of God's favor toward him; so their clandestine course did testify what confusion of conscience they had in it. And indeed however enemies may carry themselves high, when they are persecuting; Yet their consciences within are a sufficient witness and torture to them, if they would suffer them to speak.

From this to the end of ver. 29. we have a new Sermon and debate; wherein Chri • t threatening them with his removal, and the sad separation that should be betwixt him and them, ver. 21. They, according to their custom, do tauntingly cavil at it, ver. 22. But Christ showeth what their disposition was, contrary to his, ver. 23. and therefore they could not but perish, especially since they made no use of him, ver. 24. he having so often informed them what he was, so that they could not sin ignorantly, ver. 25. And further, Christ showeth that though he had much to lay to their charge, yet he would forbear now, and content himself with this, that his Father, whom he obeyed, was true, and would call them to an account, ver. 26. and that (however they understood not this at present, ver. 27. yet) after his suffering, they should be convinced that he is the Messiah, obedient unto, and approven of his Father, verse 28, 29.

In this verse we have the sum of this Sermon; wherein, considering that they despised his rich offer, ver. 12. and not only so, but they intended violence against him: Therefore, he threatens them with the removal of himself, and that however they seek him, yet they shall perish in their sins, and have no access to him. Of this see Chap. 7. 34. Doctrine, 1. The greatest of opposition will not drive Christ away, where he hath a mind to stay, or till he please; for, he would not be put away by their violence, but I go, saith he. 2. The wicked may at last get their will of Christ, so far as to be rid of him, but for a plague to them; for to them who would have taken him, ver. 20. he saith, I go my way. 3. Where Christ's gracious offers are rejected, and himself persecuted, it is a presage that he will remove; for, to such he saith, again, as his next message, after the former, verse 12. I go my way. 4. As Christ's removal is the saddest of judgments; so it is a judgment, the evil whereof is not easily laid to heart; Therefore must it be so oft inculcate upon them, as their saddest stroke. 5. Christ's removal from a people draws on such miseries, as may make great despisers miss and need him, and make them glad to seek him, if so be they could find him; for, I go my way and ye shall seek me. 6. Since reprobate men do sometime seek Christ whom they despised, not because they love him any better, nor because they purpose to give him any employment about their sin; but only to be rid of trouble by him; Therefore such seekers do die impenitents for all their pains, and go to their graves before they be rid of their sins, and with their bones full of them; for, to such he saith, ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin, that is, die impenitent, and pine away under the punishment of iniquity, till they die, and that because they would not die to sin. 7. Such as do reject Christ here, and die impenitent and unreconciled with him, shall find his removal from them will end in eternal separation; Therefore it is subjoined, whither I go ye cannot come.

In this verse we have their taunting reply to this sad threatening. They think there is no good place (nay nor heaven) to which he can go, but they may well follow, if not go before him; and therefore they allege that he will take some black course of cutting himself off, and they will let him go to that without their company. Whence learn, 1. None are more ready to despise threatenings, then they who most deserve them, and lie nearest the danger of them; for, so appears in the answer given by these hearers, 2. Such as do once breed themselves to a despising of threatenings, will grow still the longer the more hardened and insolent, till the execution of vengeance discover their folly; for, now they are grown worse then in their former reply, Chap. 7. 35. It is but cold matter of comfort, that the more a man habituate himself in sin, he grows the more bold and impudent, for that is a spiritual plague upon him. 3. Obdurate sinners may come to that height, that instead of trembling at threatenings, they may mock at them, and bitterly taunt the carriers of these sad tidings; for, to such an height do these come, will he kill himself? because he saith, whether I go ye cannot come. 4. Loftie pride, in mocking at the Word, and taunting the messengers thereof, will not go away without exemplare punishment, and such scoffers may meet with that plague in reality, which they in reproach cast upon the servants of God; for, so befell these scoffers; They tauntingly suppose Christ will kill himself, but within few years, in the siege of Jerusalem, many of them were redacted to such despair in their extremities, that they did indeed cut off themselves. 5. It is a great delusion among men, hindering the success of threatenings, and making them insolent and bitter when they are threatened, that they entertain a great conceit of their own worth, and will not be persuaded but it will be as well with them as any; for, this was the cause of all this people's miscarriage; They conceived Christ could go to no good place from whence they would be secluded, and therefore they do so taunt him.

Christ in his answer doth not meddle with their perverse humors, but goeth on to confirm what he had said. And, 1. He pointeth out the reason and ground of his sad sentence, to wit, their original disposition, which is corrupt and earthly, and contrary to his, ver. 23. and this also is a cause of their ignorant mistake of their own danger. 2. From this he inferreth, that he had justly said they should die in their sins, seeing they would not by faith embrace him, who only could apply a remedy to their evils, ver. 24. Whence learn, 1. It is not enough that wicked men be convinced of their evil deeds, unless they also study their original condition, and know that their evil practices do not flow only from a present temptation, or from evil breeding and education, but are the fruits of their natural corruption; Therefore doth Christ point out this to these Jews. 2. Albeit man before the fall, was raised up to enjoy a spiritual life and communion with God, yet by the fall, he is cast down, and hath his original from beneath and favors only of the world and of things therein: for, so much doth he intimate to these Jews, Ye are from beneath, ye are of this world, 3. Albeit Christ did take on our nature, yet he is altogether free of the sin and corruption thereof, being divine in his original and way of conception, and in his condition, holy and separate from sinners; Therefore saith he, I am from above, I am not of this world. Where he doth not deny the truth of his human nature, but disclaims all communion with sin and the corruption of flesh and blood. And albeit it be said of his Saints also that they are not of this world, Joh. 15.19. and 17.16. Yet it is true of Christ in a singular manner, for he is absolutely unspotted by nature, they are so only by regeneration, and in part, and comparatively in respect of others. 4. As the study of Christ's divine original and condition, is a glass wherein men may study the vileness of their own condition; so it is a sad evidence of separation from Christ's company, so long as m • n retain a total disconformity to him: for these ends doth he point out these two in their contrariety, ye are from beneath, I from above. See Rom. 8.29. 5. Men continuing in their corrupt original, without renovation from heaven, cannot expect life eternal, but will perish in their sins; for, he draws this from the former discourse, by way of conclusion, I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins. 6. Albeit death be the desert of all sin, and God do daily threaten sinners with it; Yet all this admits of the exception of faith in Christ: And as this only (and nothing else) can come betwixt the sinner and deserved wrath; so even the grossest of sinners shall not perish, if they turn and fly to Christ: And when sinners do not this, their unbelief renders their case desperate and incurable. Therefore is this threatening propounded with this exception, even to these malicious Jews, If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 7. It is not sufficient for preventing the due desert of sin, that men do pretend to faith in the Messiah, unless they do acknowledge and embrace him as he reveals and offers himself; for, this Christ requires, as absolutely necessary, that ye believe that I am he, where he me • s with their fair pretences of believing in the true Messiah, and showeth, that unless they embraced him for the Messiah, how contemptible soever he seemed to be, all these pretences would not avail them.

The Jews do captiously reply to his discourse, enquiring who he was that had laid so absolute a necessity upon them to believe on him. He answers, that he was even the same he had declared to them since the beginning that he began to preach; to wit, the Son of God and Savior of the world, And by this he declares that their unbelief would be so much the more heinous, as it could not slow from ignorance, they being so often informed of the truth. Doctrine, 1. As it is the lot of Christ and his servants, to have their doctrine, and threatenings in the name of the Lord, entertained with reproach; so also will their persons be mistaken and set at naught; for, such was Christ's lot, they scofte at his doctrine, ver. 22. and now they do in contempt inquire, who art thou? their blind eyes not discerning his glory through the veil of his humiliation. And herein his people must resolve to share with him, 1 Joh 3 1 2. As the truth of God is, in all ages and tunes, unchangeably the same; So it is the duty of the messengers thereof, to be constant in preaching of it, and not to change their note, whatever contradiction and opposition they meet with; Therefore doth he, notwithstanding all their malice, give this answer, even the same that I said unto you from the beginning, as not minding to change his note. 3. Albeit men may hear much which they sleight and forget; Yet the Lord will not forget to reckon with them according to what they have heard, whatever use they have made of it; Therefore he doth not expressly answer to their question, but remits them to what he had said, to let them see that all of it would be laid on their account, to aggravate their obstinate unbelief.

Christ, meeting with so much obstinacy in th • se Jews, doth, in the rest of this discourse, give up with them; And declareth, that however he could not only discover, but convince them of much sin and maliciousness, yet since they were so corrupt, he would rest satisfied in his Fathers approbation, and would leave them upon God who is true in his Word, and particularly, in his promises made to him, and who would certainly reckon with them for their despising of his doctrine, when he taught nothing but what he received from him. Whence learn, 1. As Christ hath still much more to say to the w • cked, then he will say to them in this world; So it is his sad judgment, in particular, on some, that when he hath saddest quarrels against them, yet he gives over dealing with them; Therefore saith he, I have many things to say and judge of you, when yet he gives them over, though they dr • w him to debate again. See Ezek 3.26. 2. When men do reject Christ and his doctrine, albeit they may be letten alone for long enough; Yet they have God's Tribunal before which to answer, for their contempt; Therefore doth Christ leave them on God who is true, and will avenge their contempt of him. 3. Though all the world should oppose Christ's doctrine, yet God will own and make it good, and will prove himself, true in performing all the promises made to Christ and his servants, for taking order with such as oppose them and their message; Therefore doth he acqui • sce in this, He that sent me is true, to wit, generally in the doctrine which he delivered in his name, and particularly, in the promises made to his Son, that he would own and support him in the work of Redemption, and in the promises also made to his servants. 4. They. who would be born out against all the opposition of men, with the comfort of God's approbation, should make sure that they have his calling to what they undertake; and that they cleave faithfully to their commission; for, hereby is Christ supported, He sent me, and I speak those things which I have heard of him. 5. Such as are sure of God's calling and commission, and of the truth of what they receive, will be encouraged to preach it boldly, though all the world should not believe, but oppose them; for, saith Christ, I speak, and that even to the world, or openly, those things which I have heard of him. He was upon the Fathers counsel, and knew the certainty of this doctrine, and therefore stands to it, and so others also, 2 Cor. 4.13. 6. Christ's doctrine may safely be leaned to, as containing nothing else but what he hath heard and received from the Father; for, so doth Christ call it, those things which I have heard of him.

This sad doctrine taking no effect, by reason of their ignorance, who understood not that he spake of the Father when he mentioned him that sent him; Christ doth further certify them, that though now they were ignorant, yet after they had with wicked hands crucified him, then they should be made to know that he is the Messiah, that he doth all things according to the Fathers will, and that the Father is always with him, as being his obedient Son. Whence learn, 1. Were doctrine never so clear, yet Satan will keep men from understanding it, either by their ignorance or malice; for, though he had ofttimes before spoken of him that sent him, yet they understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Wherein there was not so much simple ignorance, as malice and prejudice which transported them. 2. The ignorance of wicked and malicious men will be removed in due time, little to their advantage; Therefore, Christ threatens that they who understood not, shall know. 3, Such as do wickedly oppose Christ and his truth, will readily run the length of bloody persecution, before they cease; for, so doth Christ forewarn them, that they will lift up the Son of man, by putting him to suffer on the cross. He calls himself here the Son of man, to show that he suffered only in that nature, and to point out his condescendence, that he became man, that he might suffer. 4. Christ did so love his people, that he willingly gave himself to redeem them, and would do nothing that might hinder his being put to that cursed death, which might redeem them from the curse; Therefore, albeit he warn them of it, yet he will not hinder it to take effect, nor so much as speak a word to stop it. 5. Wicked men are never further from their purpose, then when they think they are nearest to it, and as this is true in their own prosperity, Psal. 92.6, 7. So also in their violent persecution of Christ and his followers; Therefore doth Christ signify, that by getting this advantage of him, to put him to death, they should gain nothing, but lose much. See Mich. 4, 11, 12, 13. 6. The suffering of Christ and his followers, whatever enemies may account of it, or whatever it seem to be to flesh and blood; Yet it is their real honor and exaltation; Therefore doth he call their crucifying of him, a lifting up of the Son of man, not only because he was indeed lifted up upon the cross, but because it was an exaltation of him. See Chap. 12. 32. It is an honor in Saints, to be employed to suffer, Act. 5.41. it is accompanied with much of the Spirit of glory, 1 Pet. 4.14. and is a step, and the way to glory, Luke 24.26. and therefore gets this name. 7. It is one peculiar advantage of suffering, that Christ and his followers true dignity, and acceptance with God, is never more clearly and convincingly seen, then in the time of it, and after it; Therefore it is subjoined, as a particular proof that it should be an exalting of him, that, then shalle ye know that I am he, or, the true Messiah, obedient unto, and approven of God, as after followeth. And so we find accomplished, in that in his sufferings, Pilate and his wife give him a testimony; the Centurion seeth his glory, Matth, 27.54. The darkening of the Sun, the renting of the rocks and the veil of the Temple, the opening of graves, &c. did bear witness who he was. And afterward, the sad plagues that came on them, for rejecting of him, declared that he was the Son of God. 8. It is a sad judgment upon malicious wicked men, that they are permitted to run the utmost length of their violence, and then (and not till then) their consciences and God's judgments are let loose upon them, to let them see and feel what a woeful course they have been upon; for, so much also is imported here, that when ye have lift up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, &c. 9. Christ in his works and doctrine, as he was taught them from the Father, as man, so they are altogether agreeable to the Fathers will; for, this is a truth whereof he will have very enemies convinced, I do nothing of myself, but as the Father hath taught me, I speak these things: So that sinners are to come to, and seek the Father in him, and ought to look on all he doth and saith, as agreeable to the Fathers will. 10. As the Father is inseparable from his Son Christ, in respect of the unity of the divine essence; so he is always with him as Mediator, being in him, as his Ambassador, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Cor. 5.19. and with him, to support and uphold him, as his servant doing his work, according to the Covenant of redemption, Isa. 42.1. Therefore, saith he, He that sent me, is with me: the Father hath not left me alone, though all the world should forsake me. Wherein we may see how well-pleased the Father is with the redemption of lost sinners, that he was still upholding the Son in it, and how richly they are made up who have him with them, be against them who will, as Christ here reckons. 11. Whosoever would have the comfort of God's presence and company in all conditions, they ought to set themselves to please God, and observe his will in all things; for, so did Christ find it, for I do always those things that please him. 12. As Christ the Son did learn obedience, and submit himself to the will of the Father; So his obedience was full and complete, and in all things he did, the Father was well pleased; for, saith he, I do always those things that please him.

In these verses, John records that this his doctrine had success among many; And albeit it was but weak beginnings they had, (as appears by Christ's doctrine to them) yet he exhorts them to perseverance, and encourages them in that study, by promising. 1. That so they shall prove themselves to be among the number of his real disciples. 2. That they shall increase in knowledge of the truth, and in feeling the power and efficacy thereof, 3. That they shall be made partakers of true Christian liberty. Whence learn, 1. Opposition made to Christ will not hinder the success of his Gospel, but even the contentions and debates occasioned by malicious men, may do much good to many; for, as he spake these words, many believed on him. Even from amongst the crew of opposers, he gathers followers. 2. As it is preaching which God hath appointed to be the mean of conversion; so in particular, when men consider, either the danger of Christ's forsaking and giving up with them, or his own true excellency, as they are revealed in the word; it may be a mean to excite them to lay hold on him; for, this success followed upon his speaking these things, which may relate either generally to the whole preceding doctrine, wherein he leaves them to give an account to God of their despising of him; or particularly, to the last words, wherein he points out his conjunction with, and his being approven of the Father. 3. Christ is a tender cherisher of weak beginners, and will rather take pai • s to encourage them, then weaken their hands; for, albeit they were weak, yet he calls it believing, and encourageth them to hold on. 4. Such as embrace Christ, do stand in great need of confirmation, and should be seriously affected with that great undertaking wherein they engage, Therefore doth Ch • ist so much excite them, and labor to set their joints aright: Albeit conversion be a very great work, yet confirmation of the converted is no small work, and a notable fruit of the Ministry: Eph. 4.8, 9, 12, 13. 5. It is not enough that men do embrace Christ for a sit only, but if they would reap the benefit of piety, they ought to persevere; And albeit such as do persevere, may be kept a while without sensible feeling of the advantage of their course, yet, in due time, they shall find it: Therefore doth he propound this condition to them, if ye continue, and upon performance of that, makes the promise 6. They who would persevere indeed, ought to cleave closely to the doctrine of Christ, not only renouncing false doctrine, and giving obedience to his truth, but as faith is begotten by the Word, so it must be cherished and fed by it, and they must embrace and cle • ve to Christ as he reveals himself in the Word, though otherwise they do not sensibly find his presence; yea, a • d their sense and fear and guilt may represent him otherwise then the Word saith of him; Therefore saith he unto them, Continue in my word. 7. It is the great privilege of lost sinners, to be made disciples to Christ, taught of him, and admitted to follow him and be in his company, as a pledge of their being with him forever; Therefore it is held out as their encouragement and reward, ye are my disciples. 8. As Christ hath some disciples who are so in reality, and others who are such but in show only; So whatever external privileges may follow on men's outward profession and show; Yet there is no true ground of solid comfort, but in being real disciples; Therefore doth he encourage them with this, which only could yield true comfort, ye are my disciples indeed, or, truly, and, in truth. 9. Albeit real converts be disciples unto Christ from the first moment of their conversion; Yet that is oft times hid from them, till they give proof of their sincerity, by perseverance, and then their fair advantages are intima • e unto them; Therefore saith he, If ye continue in my word, thou are ye my disciples indeed. He saith not then ye shall be my disciples, as if the reality of their state depended upon their perseverance, but, then are ye my disciples, that is, ye prove and make the truth of it manifest by your perseverance, and ye shall since the comfort of it yourselves. 10. As all natural men, and counterfeit disciples, are but ignorant of the truth of God, especially of the power and life that is in it, and accompanieth it; So even sound beginners may be for a time weak in these things; for, so is here supposed, that however they had some beginnings, yet they were yet to know the truth. 11. It is a very great advantage to get found and saving knowledge of the truths of the Gospel, that so faith may close with them, and men may be established in them, and kept on truths side against all delusions, and be made partakers of the sweet refreshments that flow therefrom; Therefore it is held out as a rich encouragement, ye shall know the truth. 12. Proficiency in knowledge and the effects thereof, is not only believers duty, which they should labor for, but it is God's promi • e to work it, who should be depended on for that effect; for, it is his promise to true disciples, ye shall know the truth. 13. Whatever be the weakness, ignorance, and wants, of weak beginners, and how little soever refreshment they find in the truths of the Gospel; Yet by perseverance and continuance, all this will be helped, and they will still know more and more of the truth, and the consolations thereof; for, If ye continue, ye shall know the truth, 14. Since the • all of Adam, there is no man but • e is b •• n a spiritual slave without freedom, under the dominion and power of sin and Satan, and under the curse of the Law; for, so is here imported, in that they need to be made free. 15. Such as do embrace Christ, and persevere in obedience to his Word; albeit they be not loosed from that due subjection which, in their several stations, they owe to Superiors, 1 Cor 7.20, 21, 22. yet they are made partakers of true Christian liberty, and are delivered not only from the bondage wherein they were held by nature, when they were slaves to sin and Satan, and under the condemning and cursing power of the Law; and from the external bondage of an yoke of Ceremonies, imposed upon the Jews, and of human precepts in things indifferent in God's worship: But also from that spirit of bondage which he lets out at first upon his own, in order to their future freedom. Rom 8.15. Therefore saith Christ, the truth shall make you free. And albeit believers, and they who continue in Christ's Word, do not always enjoy the possession and use of this liberty, but may be under bondage, terror, and fear; Yet that is not their allowance, but flows from their own we knesse, which apprehends all their bonds to be being on, when really they are freed from them: And therefore they should complain of themselves to God, and strive for the use of what is their right, by walking familiarly with God, and cheerfully and comfortably in his se • vice, and by making their liberty a Law, to bind themselves more strictly to his obedience. 16. This making them free is here attribute to the truth, whereas Christ only is the cause of our liberty, verse 36. But these are not inconsistent; for, it is Christ indeed who purchaseth and applieth this liberty; Christ and this his purchase and offer, are h • ld out in the Word, to be laid h • ld on there by faith, and so the believer comes to get the right, and application of it, and he living by faith, the Spirit of Adoption comes and seals up this liberty, Ephes 1.13. Gal 4.6. So is this to be understood, the truth shall make you free.

The contentious Jews do here again interpose, And, 1. They debate about th • ir freedom and parentage, and Christ refutes their conceits, to verse 48. 2. They fall a railing at his person, and contradict what he asserts of himself, and he doth vindicate himself and his doctrine, verse 48, — 58. 3. They join violence with their railing, which he avoids, verse 59 I shall take up the method and parts of the first branch of this debate in this order. 1. They excepting against the immediately preceeding doctrine, and boasting of their own freedom, as being Abraham's children, verse 33. Christ cleareth what is the great bondage of men, and how to be free from it, verse 34, 35, 36. And showeth, that their being Abraham's seed after the flesh, could not avail, since their malicious carriage and contempt of his divine Word, did evidence they had another original and Father, verse 37, 38. 2. They again laying claim to their descent from Abraham; he showeth that in their carriage they were not like him, and so behooved to father themselves upon another in that respect, verse 39, 40, 41, — And, 3. When they (perceiving that he spake not of their carnal descent, but of their spiriual original) do assert that God is their Father, verse —41. Christ evinceth the contrary from their want of love to him, verse 42. and from their not understanding his preaching, verse 43. And asserteth that they are of Satan, whom they imitate in lying and murdering, verse 44. • 45. For he being sinless and a true teacher, ver. 26. their not hearkening nor believing in him, did evince that they were not of God, verse 47.

In this verse some Jews (not they who believed, but others) do except against his former doctrine alleging that they being Abraham's children, and having never been in bondage to any man, it was needless to feed them with hopes of being made free. As for the grounds of their objection, it is nothing strange to see them deluded with a conceit of being Abraham's children, but it may seem strange they should say, they were never in bondage, when yet they were bond-men in Egypt and in Babylon, and frequently, and at this time they were under the power of the Romans. But we are to conceive that either they stood not upon an an impudent lie, to make good their point; or, their meaning is, that however they were actually in bondage, yet by right, and according to the promise, they were free, and expected to be vindicate into outward liberty by the M • ssiah, and therefore they would not willingly take with being in a condition of bondage. Doctrine 1. Such as would embrace Christ and a course of godliness, may expect that, beside temptations and discouragements from within, they will meet with oppositions and shakings without, from these who cannot endure that any should be better then themselves; for, here these Jews fall a carping at Christ's offers, that they may discourage these beginners. See Matth. 23.13. 2. M • n, in opposing of Christ's offers, are very subtle, and will be prompted by Satan to manage it so, so as may render them most invidious; for, so it appears in these men, who do not at all meddle with what he spake of the truth, but only with the point of liberty, as knowing it was most invidious to insinuate to this people, who gloried so much in their liberty, that they were in bondage. 3. The most part of men are so carnal and blind, that they see no farther then their outside, and their outward condition, and so neglect their inward spiritual estate; for this was the occasion of all their ca • ping, that they understand Christ to speak only of bodily freedom and bondage, as knowing no other, as appears from the rest of their discourse. 4. Albeit spiritual bondage be in itself so sad and heavy, that to be free of it, might make all other bondage imaginable, look like freedom; Yet such is the blindness of men, that it is but little or not at all known or discerned, and they live in their bonds with as much delight as fishes have in their own element; for, this, in particular, was the point they were ignorant of, as knowing and feeling no such bondage, and therefore carped at his doctrine. 5. Men's carnal apprehensions of their own condition, or of Christ's offer, or both, is a great cause wherefore they undervalue him and his offers, as a thing they stand in no deed of; for, so do these men carp at his offer to stumble these weak beginners, alleging that his offer of freedom was no great encouragement, since they needed it not. 6. Albeit Christ's offers be never so undeniably rich, yet the way of offering and confering of his favors is ready to be a stumbling-block, while men cannot endure to have them by free gift, or as bestowed on them who are miserable without them; for, so much also may be observed here, they do not carp simply at his offer of freedom in itself, liberty being so desirable, but that they should be made free. They do not indeed desire to be servants or slaves, but free men, only they desire to have their freedom natural, and not adventitious, they would be free-borne, and not made free. And this holds generally true in all his offers; men can have nothing to except against the riches of God's favor, grace, and righteousness, only their natural pride cannot endure to have these things by free gift, to have them in, and by another, and not of themselves, &c. And thus is it (however they palliate it) that makes self-condemned sinners stand out so long, before they close with Christ's offers, and submit to the righteousness of God. 7. Men's external privileges, in being born of religious parents and members of the Church, do ofttimes prove a great stumbling-block to themselves, hindering them from seeing their need of Christ's offers, and from closing with them; for, they lay this as a ground to all their exceptions and their despising of his offer, We be Abraham's seed. 8. Such as do oppose Christ and his truth, are ordinarily so void of conscience and awe of God, that they will make no scruple of impudent lies, so they may thereby gain their point; And maintainets of truth should lay their account for such encounters and opposition; for, so much doth their second exception, (and were never in bondage to any man) according to the first interpretation, teach. 9. While men are puffed up with carnal dreams of their own privileges and worth, and with carnal expectations of great things to be done for them; they will not attain to the right use of any condition they are put under by God; for, so much farther do these words, as they are explained, teach. They were so much taken up wi • h the imagination that they had right to be free men, and would be asserted into liberty, that albeit the Lord had sent all their captivities, to teach them to understand these privileges spiritually; Yet they would never be driven from their own conceits, nor would so much as hear of their own bondage. And therefore they made no right use of their afflictions; but all their care was how to get out of them, till the Lord made their attempting thereof prove their ruin at last.

Followeth Christ's answer to this exception consisting of two branches. In the first whereof (in these verses ) he cleareth what is the great bondage of men, from which freedom is to be desired, and is promised to the true children of Abraham. And albeit he might have reprehended them for their impudent lie, yet he chooseth rather to inform them meekly. And, 1. That the sad bondage whereof he spake, was spiritual, wherein all they are held who give up themselves to a trade of sin, verse 34. 2. That albeit such as were slaves, in this respect, might enjoy the external privileges of the Church, for a season, (as a servant abides in his masters house for a time) yet they would be cast out at length, and separated from him who is the natural Son, and from all the adopted children, forever. And therefore they ought to think seriously of the danger that they may be excited to seek after freedom, verse 35. 3. That the only way to attain to true freedom, is by coming to him, verse 36. From verse 34. Learn, 1. Whatever advantage wicked men think to reap by opposing of the truth, yet Christ will disappoint them, and will take occasion thereby to make truth shine more clearly; for, whereas before he had spoken of their freedom but in a word, now, by reason of these debates, he explains that point of bondage and freedom more fully. 2. The matter of our spiritual bondage and freedom is a point of very great importance, and necessary that we should seriously study and be acquainted with it; And a point wherein we must submit to Christ's verdict, how contrary soever it be to our sense and apprehension of our own condition: Therefore doth he prefix his ordinary asseveration, Verily, verily, to this doctrine. 3. Whatever be men's imaginations concerning their own condition; yet there is a more heavy bondage lying upon them, then any outward slavery that can befall them, even to be under the slavery and bondage of sin; for, so doth Christ assert, that there are servants of sin, of whom he meant when he promised freedom. 4. Albeit all men by nature be borne slaves to sin; yet considering that there is freedom offered by Christ, and that they who embrace this remedy, are not in this life fully freed from sin; Therefore Christ will not reckon men slaves by their having of sin in them, nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities, or by their falling now and then in soul faults, through the violence of temptation; unless they make a constant trade of sin, and be under the dominion thereof, without controlment; for, of these Christ speaks, when he saith, whosoever commiteth sin, is the servant of sin. See Rom. 6.16. 2. Pet. 2.19. And this is the condition of natural men, who being free from the yoke of righteousness, Rom 6.20. do voluntarily, and without any opposition, (unless it be some checks of a natural conscience, startling at some sin, or some thoughts of fear and shame) live in a trade of all sin, and under the slavish tyranny thereof, though this dominion appear more evidently in some sins then others. And some of these who are unrenewed, are judicia • lie given up, to be more visible under the dominion of sin, then others, not only as the just fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke, but that they may be be • co • s to the rest of their woeful slavery. As for renewed men, albeit they not only have sin in them, and do sin daily, but even have some particular evils that may be called predominants, in comparison of others, (which may easily be discerned, by the great power and sway that they bear, even in commanding other evils to be committed or forborne, according as may contribute to advance them; by violent and frequent relapses of Saints into them; by their unwillingness to admit of admonition and reproof for them; and, by their falling in them out of an inward propensitie, when outward temptations are weak, or none at all, or very few:) Yet since, as to the state of their person; they are set at freedom; and since the dominion is not universal, as to all sins, nor is it perpetual or complete, even as to these prevailing evils; Therefore they cannot be called servants of sin as unrenewed men are: Yea, albeit in respect of degrees of mortification in Saints, some sins are more predominant then others; some also are more strong in them, because they are the general evils of the time wherein they live, or because by natural inclination and constitution, or by education, (all which may be a bridle to some evils;) they are left more obnoxious and open to them; and some are left to be an exercise and daily matter of humiliation to them: Yet I would not deny, but all the sins of renewed men are their infirmities, not only in respect of God's pity, who will so account of them; but in respect of grace and the renewed parts suffering by them, which is greater under grosser evils against light, then under sins of ignorance and mere infirmity. However, this is to be so understood, that godly men are to watch especially over these predominants, yet so as they take heed, lest in watching over one of those, many other evils that make less noise, get liberty to grow up.

From ver. 35. Learn. 1. Such as will not be moved to consider the sinfulness of their spiritual bondage, that they may be rid of it, ought, at least, to consider of the danger that followeth upon it, to see how that will affect them. Therefore doth Christ subjoin that consideration here, to excite them to employ him for their liberty. 2. The true difference betwixt spiritual slaves, and these who are made free, cannot be drawn from the enjoyment of external privileges of the Church, which the one may partake of as well as the other; for, it is imported that servants, as well as sons may be in the house. As an householder hath in his family, not only children, but servants for several uses, so hath the Lord also in the Church (which is his house, where he dwells and affords, his special presence, and layeth up his special furniture) vessels of dishonor, as well as vessels of honor, 2 Tim. 2.20. 3. Whatever external privileges the slaves of sin enjoy, yet at last they will be cast out of all, and a separation will be made betwixt them and the children who are made free; for, the servant abideth not in the house forever, as the Son doth. He insists in the metaphor of a family, wherein servants have term-days, and may be thrust away for faults, and are laid aside when the heritage cometh to be divided, as Ishmael the son of the bondwoman was, after a long stay in Abraham's house, Gal. 4.30. 4, It is the great advantage of these who flee to Christ, to be freed from the slavery of sin, that not only do they get their liberty, but are made sons and children also; Therefore is he who is not the servant, called the Son; whereby we are not only, or so much, to understand Christ, (though he be indeed the natural and only begotten Son, through whom all the rest are made sons) as the adopted children. 5. Such as are partakers of spiritual liberty, and of adoption, have not only the rich privilege of special and intimate fellowship with God, and of being under his special protection and care, and provided for by him, as children in their fathers house; But this happy estate is ensured to them; so that though they offend, and may be corrected, yet they will not be turned out of doors, as servants are; the doors are patent to let them in, when, like the prodigal, they have run away: And when they have been bred a while in the Church, which is the lower rooms of this house, and have fed upon the hope and first fruits of their inheritance, they will be carried up to the upper rooms of the Church triumphant, there to get full possession, and to enjoy God and his presence immediately and forever; for, the Son abideth in the house forever.

From ver. 36. Learn, 1. Albeit spiritual bondage be such as we cannot shake it off, though we would; Yet lost man hath this encouragement, that his freedom is not impossible; for, here it is held out as a thing possible, upon some conditions, ye shall be free. 2. Spiritual bondage is so great a misery, and deliverance from it so rich a mercy, that men would not dedelude themselves, either with a conceit of anything that may compense the want of it, or with an imagination that they are free, when they are not; Therefore doth Christ excite them to use means that they may be free indeed, or, really, not contenting themselves with outward freedom, as if that were enough, nor with an imagination of spiritual freedom, while as they remain real slaves. 3. Christ is the heir of the family, having power to make free what servants he pleaseth, and none can ever partake of spiritual liberty, but they who flee to him, and receive it from him; for, if the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed, otherwise not. Albeit all the freed men be made sons, yet Christ here gets the name by way of excellency, as being the only Son by eternal generation, and he by whom all the rest are made sons.

In these verses, we have the second branch of Christ's answer; Wherein he answers to the chief ground of their exception, taken from their descent from Abraham; from whence they concluded that (at least by right) they were freemen. In answering to this, Christ maketh use of the distinction betwixt Abraham's seed after the flesh, and after the spirit, (of which Rom. 2.28, 29. and 9.6, 7.) and declareth, That he would not deny, but that they were Abraham's carnal seed; yet that could avail nothing, since they did not follow his footsteps, but sought to kill him, as an evidence that his doctrine had no place, nor respect in their hearts, which was not Abraham's way, ver. 37. And to inculcate this yet more. 1. He showeth, that the Word, which they despised, was the doctrine committed to him from the Father, which Abraham would never have entertained as they did. 2. That their carriage proves that they have another Original and father, whom they follow, then Abraham, and that this their father is contrary to him and his Father, whom Abraham worshipped and obeyed, ver. 38. And by this he indirectly points out that they were acted by Satan, whom he expressly names afterward, seeing they would not understand him when he spake thus.

From ver. 37. Learn, 1. Christ, even in his dealing with wicked men, is most tender and meek, and rather willing to gain then deter them, so long as there is any hope; So much appeareth in his way of reasoning here, for whereas in their other ground of exception (wherein they allege they were never in bondage, ver. 33.) he had them at a seen advantage of an impudent lie, at least of a vain imagination; yet after he hath cleared their mistake about spiritual bondage, he doth not meddle at all with that exception, but only clears that wherein they seemed to have some advantage of truth on their side. And by this also, he would teach all the maintainers of truth, to make it their great study, to clear and justify it in their debates, rather then to insult over adversaries, to embitter and estrange them yet more from the love of the truth. 2. Christ's knowledge of truth is infinite, and he doth propound it so infallibly and irrefragably, that he knoweth before hand all that can be said against it; for, whereas they thought to surprise him with his objection, he tells them, I know that ye are Abraham's seed. A finite weak man might see his own shallowness, by meeting with an objection he dreamt not of, but Christ's doctrine cannot be shaken by such means. 3. Albeit external privileges may be a snare to delude hypocrites, and make them conceit of freedom; And albeit Christ may make use of men's conceit of these privileges, to convince them, and agreeage their miscarriage: Yet no privilege that men can boast of, will make void Christ's truth, concerning the spiritual bondage of men by nature, nor bring them into real liberty: for, saith he, I know that ye are Abraham's seed, that ye conceit of it, and expect much by it; but yet my doctrine stands true, and ye have the sadder account to make, who enjoying that privilege, do not improve it better, 4. A little of men's practice is a surer rule to try them by, then all their fair language or boasted of privileges; Therefore, saith he, I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but that will not avail to prove your point, since ye seek to kill me. See Matth. 7.16. 5. Men's cruel malice against Christ and his children, proveth them to be yet in nature, and under the bondage of sin, whatever else they have to boast of; for, by this he proves them servants of sin, though they were Abraham's seed, ye seek to kill me. 6. Whatever natural men and hypocrites pretend to, or seem to have, of estimation and respect to the doctrine of the Gospel; Yet really it hath no place with them. Either they have no room for Christ, or his directions or comforts, (as the word here imports) as being sufficiently provided, as they think, without him; or, they think his doctrine but cold comfort, to wait upon and follow in a time of strait; or, they cannot digest his spiritual instructions, as being so contrary to the dictates of flesh and blood, and laying a necessity on them to have so mean a conceit of themselves; or, they affect it, not, because of his authority who speaks it, but because of novelty, fineness of expression, or the like external motives; or, the affections they have, do not make it sink down in their hearts, to take root there, and bring forth fruit, but it only fleets for a while in their imagination; or, if they be never so clearly convinced, yet out of pure malice, they will reject and oppose it: Therefore saith he, my word hath no place in you. See Jer. 22.21. Exod. 6.9. 1 Cor. 2.14. Acts 17.19, 20, 21. Matth. 13.15, 20, 21. 7. Where the Word is barred out, and gets not room in men's hearts, there men are full of mischief, and prone to all evil; and particularly, where the Word preached is not received, men will readily turn persecutors: Therefore saith he, ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not place in you. For not only is this a just judgment of God upon such despisers; but the frequent inculcating of the Word will irritate their corruption, and it will grow worse and worse. There is no member of the Church, how civil or discreet soever, but if he receive not Christ's Word into his heart, he is ready to turn a persecutor.

From ver. 38. Learn, 1. Christ as he is inseparable from the Father, so is he upon all his counsels, and knoweth his secrets; for saith he, I speak what I have seen with my Father, to wit, his eternal counsels concerning lost sinners, whereof I am made participant 2. Christ also is the faithful interpreter and revealer of his Fathers counsel, for his people's good; and his doctrine is in all things agreeable to the counsel and will of God; for, I speak that which I have seen with my Father. And this, as it showeth the great privilege of the Church, to whom these secrets are concredited, Rom. 3.1, 2. so it doth highly aggravate their contempt who reject this messenger and his message, Heb. 2.2, 3. and 12.25. 3. It is not enough that wicked men be shown their evil way in it self, but they should be led up to see from what principle it flows, and what the dangerous consequents of it are: Therefore doth Christ lead them up here, to see what their malicious opposition unto him was, and whence it flowed. 4. It is one sad mark upon wicked men and adversaries to Christ, that as they are opposite unto him, so their opposition proveth that he and they are not children of one Father; Therefore doth he point out himself and them as having different and contrary Fathers, I speak what I have seen with my Father, and ye do that which ye have seen with your Father. Whereas with his own children it is otherwise, Job. 20.17. 5. Let wicked men boast never so much of their parentage and privileges; Yet their works and carriage do prove that Satan is their Father, by whom they are acted and guided, and whose ways they do imitate; for, saith he, ye do that which ye have seen with your Father; where Satan is called their Father, not in respect of the substance of their nature, which is neither created nor begotten by him, but in respect of the corruption of th • ir nature and manners, into which he was a chief instrument to draw man in Paradise, and doth yet foster, and hold it on foot in his posterity. Likewise, while he saith, ye do what ye have seen with him, it is not be understood of any visible communion and intercourse betwixt Satan and every unrenewed man; but that they do according as he prompts and acts them. 2 Tim. 2.26. Eph 2.2. and so do commit these evils, wherein he fell before them, as is instanced, ver, 44. 6. It is a sad and humbling sight of natural men's condition, to see them acted and led by Satan, as effectually and really, as ever their bodies were, who were corporally possessed by him: Therefore doth Christ by this point out the odiousness of their case unto them. And if this were well considered, it might not only discover, how little wonder it is there be a great opposition be twixt them, and the children of Christ, who are led by his Spirit. But it might humble them to think that they are under the conduct of such a guide, when they think they are only following some pleasant or profitable course: And it might let them, who dream of a change of their manners when they please, see that it is not so easy a matter, but as hard as it was to dispossess the man that had the Legion of devils in him.

The Jews do except nothing against the first branch of Christ's doctrine, concerning spiritual bondage; but finding that in his answer to their objection, he had insinuate that they had some father of whom he had little good to say: and being either really ignorant, or willfully seeming not to know that Christ spake of their spiritual parentage and pedigree; they again lay claim to Abraham as their father, of whom Christ durst say no ill, and so would render him odious as calumniating holy Abraham Christ, in his reply, doth more clearly hold out that he is not speaking of their carnal descent according to the flesh, but of their original and parentage according to the Spirit. And, 1. He showeth in general, that if they were Abraham's children according to the Spirit, they would imitate him in his works. 2. He showeth, in particular, wherein their way was contrary to Abraham's, in that they persecuted him for telling the truth of God. And therefore, 3. They behooved to father themselves on another in that respect, then Abraham. Doctrine. 1. Conceit of privileges is a disease not easily cured, nor will men be easily taught or convinced of the evil of it; for, after Christ hath sufficiently refuted this exception before, yet they will not be put from it, but repeat it again, Abraham is our Father. 2. It is an old trick of degenerate Churches and Church-men, to cry up the names of pious Ancestors, to oppose them against the light of truth; for, so do they hold up Abraham as their Father, that anything Christ would say of their parentage, might be repelled by that: and so do many, like them, cry up these from whom they have far degenerate. But if these Saints departed knew how they were abused by these their degenerate sins, they would cry, let them perish from under these heavens. 3. Whatever external privileges men may enjoy, by being born of religious Parents, and members of the Church; Yet true grace is not an hereditary gift, nor doth carnal and outward succession make men partakers of spiritual privileges: Therefore, albeit he had granted they were Abraham's seed, ver. 37. by carnal generation and succession, yet he makes a doubt of their being his spiritual seed, till they prove it better, If ye were Abraham's children, &c. 4. There is no just ground for any to boast of their religious progenitors, unless they follow their footsteps: for, saith he, If ye were the children of Abraham, and would have that a privilege unto you indeed, ye would do the works of Abraham. Such as do boast of religiou • Parents, and yet will not imitate them, are but in effect reading a Narrative to a sad sentence against themselves. 5. Albeit Abraham's carnal seed did enjoy many temporal, yea, and external Church-privileges, by virtue of the Covenant made with him; Yet none are his successors, as to participation of peculiar spiritual blessings and privileges, but only these who are followers of his faith and fruitfulness in piety: And they who do so, may lay hold on all the spiritual promises made to him and his seed. Therefore doth Christ require of these men, who were his carnal seed, that if they would partake of the promises made to him concerning spiritual freedom, they should prove their interest in him by another title, doing the works of Abraham, and then their claim would be good. And this is a fair advan • age and encouragement to Gentiles. See Rom. 4.11, 12 6. As walking in any wicked course, so in particular, the persecution of Christ and his followers, is unbeseeming Saints, and proves that the persecutors have no claim to the privileges of Saints; Therefore doth he instance this in particular, ye seek to kill me who have told you the truth, to show how unlike they were to Abraham, who did not this, and therefore could not claim to the privileges of his spiritual seed. 7. Albeit the Lord, in great mercy, will pass over the many violent fits of corruption in his people, which, through grace, and by fleeing to Christ, they get smothered before they break forth; Yet the Lord will judge of wicked men by their wicked endeavors and attempts, though they succeed not, seeing they are only withheld by some obstacle from without; The • efore doth he charge it on them, as sufficient to prove what they were, ye seek to kill me, though it had not taken affect. See Psal. 21.11. and 28.4. 8. Christ is a Teacher who will not dissemble, nor deceive or sl • t • er his hear • s, but will faithfully deliver the truth which he receives; for, saith he, I have told you the truth which I have heard of God. 9. As a faithful declaration of the truth of God is the best service can be done to men, so it is horrid wickedness and ingratitude in men, when they will not only persecute the innocent, but even these who are beneficial unto them, and do them best offices; for, so doth Christ aggravate their cruelty; ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth. See Psal. 109.4. 2 Cor. 12.15. 10. Such is the perversity of the world, and their hatred to the truth of God pointing them out in their right colors, that the servants of Christ need expect no case, so long as they are faithful in their trust; for, such was Christ's lot before them, ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth. 11. Wicked men can never attempt any violence against the servants of God, because of their fidelity, but God will look upon the injury as reflecting on himself who entrusts them; for this cause doth Christ show that the truth, for which they did persecute him, he heard it of God, and so their quarrel was in effect against God, the Author of that truth. And as this may deter men from such violent courses, so it may sweeten the bitter cup, when it is held to the head of any of God's servants. 12. Let wicked men cavil never so much against Christ, or strive to clear themselves, yet he will not alter his verdict of them till they change their manners; Therefore, over again doth he conclude, ye do the deeds of your father, that is, deeds like unto his, and deeds whereunto he driveth you. 13. Christ is so mild, even to his violent enemies, that when he reproves them, he rather desires that they should severely judge themselves, then that he should deal too harshly with them; And when he reproves any, it is their duty to set conscience on work, to apply and enlarge the challenge against themselves: for these causes it is, that he, now the second time, saith only, ye do the deeds of your father, not naming who that father is, but leaving that to their own consciences to gather, when they should think seriously on the challenge.

The Jews are not yet silenced, but do bring forth a new objection, in this verse about their parentage and original. Where, by fornication, I do not understand bodily filthiness, but idolatry, which is frequently in the Prophets called fornication or adultery. And the scope of the verse is this; They perceiving now that Christ is not speaking of their carnal descent and pedigree, but of their spiritual original and descent, do assert that in this also they had enough to say for themselves; and that as Abraham was their father, in respect of carnal generation; so being considered in their spiritual state and being, they were the children of that one only true God. And this (without regarding his former reasons to the contrary) they labor to p • ove by this Argument, That they were not borne in an idolatrous state, but in the true Church, nor were idolaters themselves, but worshipped God according to his Word, and therefore were his children And though it may be objected, that their progenitou • s were idolaters, as may be •• en in Abraham, Josh. 24.2. and frequently in their progeniton • s, throughout the history of the Bible; Yet that doth not render their ground untrue, (though it do not prove the conclusion as will be seen afterward) for even a Church infected with idolatry may bring forth children to God, in respect of outward Church-state, so long as she hath not got a bill of divorce, Ezek. 16.20. Doctrine, 1. Idolatry is indeed spiritual fornication, and a breach of that marriage Covenant that is betwixt God and his Church; and (whatever be God's indulgence for a time, yet) it doth deserve that the Church should be rejected as not his wife, and that her children should be no more accounted his, then bastards are allowed to succeed to an inheritance; for, so much do they acknowledge that it is fornication, and that to be born of fornication, and to have one Father, even God, are not consistent. See Hos. 1.9. and 2.2. 2. Desperate and malicious hypocrites may not only presume to glory that they are the successors of religious Saints, but may be so impudent also, as to boast of their adoption and communion with G • d; for, so do they; after their glorying of Abraham, they add, we have one Father, even God. See Matth. 7.22. Hos. 8.2. 3. Albeit it be a great mercy to be borne members of a true Church, and to worship God according to his own ordinances; yet that is not enough to prove any to be a true child of God; for, albeit their argument be true, we be not borne of fornication, yet it doth not hence follow that God is their Father, as Christ's reply doth teach us.

Unto the end of verse 47. we have Christ's reply to this exception, containing several particulars. And first, He evinceth that they are not God's children; which he proveth from this reason, that if they were so, certainly they would love him, seeing he is from the Father by eternal generation, and cometh into the world by his Incarnation, not of his own head, but being sent of the Father. Whence learn, 1. Christ is a lovely object, and ought to be beloved of his Church; for, so is here required that they should l • ve him. And who so do not love the Lord Jesus Christ, they are excommunicate in the highest degree, 1 Cor. 16.22. 2. None can justly pretend any interest in God as his children, but they that love Christ, who in his divine nature is the express image of his Father, and in his office, is employed by him; for, so much doth Christ's assertion and argument hold forth, If God were your Father, ye would love me, for I proceeded forth (or came out, pointing at his eternal generation) and come (in the present time, as it is in the Original, to perform this office of Mediator) from God. 3. It is a point beyond all contraversie that Christ was sent of the Father, to be the Mediator and Messenger of the Covenant to his Church, and consequently, that all his doctrine and works were according to his Commission from the Father; Therefore is it added for confirmation, neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 4. These reasons, given by Christ, wherefore God's children should love him, taken from his eternal generation by the Father, and his being sent by him in Commission, may further teach us in general. 1. True lovers of God will give a room in their affections to others, according to the measure of their communion with, and interest in God; for, if the Fathers children do love Christ, who is begotten of God, and is the express image of his person, then they will also love others who are begotten of him, and bear his image in part, 1 John 5.1. 2. True lovers of God will love to have intercourse with him, and will love every Messenger sent by him, and the Messenger for the message sake; for, that other ground, I come from God, and he sent me, holds out this general, That they could not be God's children, unless they liked to hear from him, and liked these who bring the tidings. See Gal. 4.14, 15.

This challenge may be understood generally, and so it contains a second proof that God was not their Father, taken from their not understanding of what he preacheth, which evidenceth that they were not only under a natural impotency to hear, but were so transported with malice, that they could not hear with patience, and so were none of God's children. It may be also understood particularly, as a challenge that they were so blinded with malice, that they could not understand what he had spoken in general terms of their father, verse 38.41. and so it is a transition to the following verse, wherein he explains his mind. We need not stand on this difference, seeing this particular may come in well enough under the general challenge. And it teacheth, 1. It is a duty incumbent to all, to understand what Christ speaks unto them; and where it is not so, Christ will make a quarrel of it; for, he puts it home with a sharp question and challenge, Why do ye not understand my speech? not only to put them to consider from whence it flowed, (of which afterward,) but to testify his indignation against them for it. 2. Christ's wicked enemies are not only naturally impotent to hear the Word of God aright, but are so blinded with malice, that they cannot so much as with patience hear what he saith; for, this doth Christ chiefly understand, when he saith, ye cannot hear my Word. 3. Men's own malice adds to their natural ignorance, and doth so blind them, that they cannot understand never so plain truth; for, ye understand not my speech, because ye cannot hear my Word. See Matth. 13.9. 4. Albeit God's Children may have much ignorance, and may for a time be tain • ed with some error; Yet as that is not good, so they who maliciously sleight the means of knowledge, and do shut their own eyes, that they cannot and will not see, have nothing to evidence that they are the children of God; Therefore doth Christ, by this question, put them to consider what their practice and condition flowed from, Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my Word For if men of one Province, and children of one Family do understand the language and dialect (as some translate the word speech ) of the Country, and Family, and are discerned from others by their speaking of it, as Judge. 12.6. Matth 26.73. Then certainly they cannot be children of God's house, who do not understand the language of it. And much more do they prove that they are not begotten by the seed of the Word, who cannot so much as endure to hear it.

Secondly, in this reply Christ doth clearly and positively show unto them who is their spiritual father of whom they are, even which is the Devil, of which see what is said on verse 38. This he proves, in general, from their earnest following and endeavoring to execute these wicked lusts which reign in him, and their writing after his copy, and imitating of him, being acted by him. Then he instanceth this general in two particulars, of murder, and opposition to, and defection from the truth; Which as it appeared in Satan from the beginning of the creation, in deceiving our first parents, and opposing the truth God had delivered to them, and in drawing them under the stroke of temporal and eternal death; So it was to be seen in them also, in seeking to kill him, verse 40. and opposing his truth; which he had hinted at, verse 43. and doth more clearly prosecute in the following verses. Lastly, he clears God of all these lusts of Satan, showing that they slowed from his own defection, and that all his lies are his own invention, and so they who followed these practices, could not father themselves on God. Doctrine 1. It should be counted no absurdity, but the sound doctrine of Christ, to assert that not only they who boast much of pripiledges, but these who indeed are members of a true Church are nothing in reality and in God's account, but limbs and children of Satan; so long as they are unconverted, and live in a wicked course; for, saith Christ of these Jews, ye are of your father the devil. 2. Such as will not take with a reproof when it is mildly given by Christ, do provoke him to tell it out in sharper terms; for, they would take no notice of what Christ formerly spake in general, of their spiritual parentage, and now he speaks it out, ye are of your father the devil. 3. Men's practices will prove that they are Satan's children, let them say what they will; And these do prove themselves to be eminently his children, in whom he works the greatest conformity to himself; for, Christ proves his own assertion, and refutes all they had to say against it, with this, the lusts of your father ye will do; and according as they were eminent imitators of him, accordingly did they prove how eminent they were among his children. 4. Satan is full of raging wicked lusts, wherein his children, being acted by him, do imitate him; for, there are the lusts of your father, wherein they do resemble him. 5. Albeit Satan and his children do very often get many of their lusts fulfilled in the world; yet through the restraining power of God, and Christ's watchful providence over his own, many of their hot attempts are frustrated; for, sometime they prove but lusts, vexing chiefly themselves who have them, and ye will, or, desire to do them, but can get no further. 6. God will not judge of Satan's children by their actings and success only, but by their desires and endeavors; And albeit they be ofttimes stopped in their course, yet he will account them Satan's children, because of their obstinate and willful endeavors; for Christ proves the point by this, as sufficient, ye will do, or, desire to do the lusts of your father; for as yet they had gone no further then desires and endeavors in persecuting him. 7. As all unrenewed men are Satan's children; So, in particular, all liars, deceivers, double minded and bloody men, and especially, despisers and opposers of Christ's truth, and bloody persecutors, are Satan's chief children; for, these are the particular lusts, whereby he proves them eminent children, even murder and lying, of both which they were guilty. 8. This doctrine delivered by Christ, concerning Satan's fall and practices, doth hold forth several useful Instructions, which I shall point out in this order. 1. The most excellent and perfect of creatures, being left to themselves, and the guidance of their best perfections, will not be able to stand, or keep their integrity; for, so much appears in this example of Satan, who being one of the most excellent creatures, yet being left to himself, he abode not in the truth, or, in his original station and holiness, and in his cleaving to God, but turned aside to a vain lying course, and to be a deceiver of others, as is afterward cleared. And he was in this defection, from the beginning, to wit, of man's fall; So that however he was created perfect in one of the six days, yet before the fall of man he had left his first habitation. 2. The cause of Satan's fall was in himself, who of his own accord left his original holiness and station; for, be abode not in the truth, but forsook it. 3. As since Satan's fall, there is no spark of goodness, holiness, or truth in him, (for, there is no truth in him; ) So this depravation proves, that he is fallen from that condition wherein he was created; therefore doth this come in by way of reason, that since God made all his creatures good and perfect in their kind, therefore it must necessarily follow, that he abode not in the truth, because now there is no truth in him. And so the Lord is cleared of his fall. 4. Satan since his fall is a great enemy to man, and full of malice that man should fill that room from whence he fell; So much appears in his being a murderer and liar, and that from the beginning. He did begin soon, and continues long; so that God's people are to remember that they dwell in a world where Satan is going about, full of rage. 5. Whatever mask Satan put on, in dealing with men; Yet he is but seeking their destruction, both of soul and body; for, he is a murderer. 6. Satan's attempt and success upon our first parents, is a clear evidence of his designs against the children of men, and a sad document, showing how far he may prevail with the best, if they be left to their own free-will; Therefore is it peculiarly marked, that he was a murderer from the beginning, as a clear warning to all, from what he did to Adam and Eve, hazarding the destruction of their, and all their posterities, souls, and bringing them all under the sentence of bodily death. 7. Satan's great engine, for bringing about his bloody designs, is, lying and deceits; Therefore is it subjoined, he is a liar; And by this he prevailed with our first parents, subtly calling the truth of God in question. So that to give heed to his lies against the truth, is, in effect, to give up our throat to the murderer. 8. As Satan is a very subtle and crafty adversary, full of cunning and sleight to entrap the simple; (see 2 Cor. 2.10, 11. Eph. 6 11) So he is, in all he saith, a liar and not to be trusted; for, so saith Christ, there is no truth in him, he is a liar. Therefore, though he transform himself in an Angel of light, and busk up his projects; Yet men are not to be taken therewith; And though he sometime speak truth (as sometime he did commend Christ, Mark. 1.24. Luke 4.34. and his servants, Act. 16.17. and may bear in true challenges upon believers;) Yet he is still to be rejected, as intending thereby to deceive. For by his commendation of Christ and his followers, he intended either to make them be suspected, or to draw persecution on themselves by casting him out, as befell Paul. And when he pleads God's cause against his people, it is but to drive them from God; and when he chargeth upon them what they deserve, his scope is to deprive them of all hope of remedy, and persuade them that they shall be dealt with only according to deserving. 9. Satan's sin is of himself, and all the evil that is in the world, God is free of it, and only Satan, as the enticer, and we, as the consenters, are to blame for it; for, when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: he is the father of it, or, the inventer and beginner of it, in himself and his followers.

Here Christ doth confirm his assertion, concerning their being of Satan; And, as before he had proven they were of him, and imitaters of him, in murder; so, here he proves the same in the matter of lying, showing that they were like Satan in that also, because they will not believe him and his doctrine, even because it is truth. And upon this followeth the other, of their seeking to kill him because he told the truth, verse 40. Doctrine, 1. Rejecting of truth, and willful and malicious contradiction thereunto, is the great trade of Satan the liar, and their practice who are his children, and acted by him; for, in this doth he instance Satan's lying, and their sinning like him. 2. As Satan since his fall hath cast off all awe of God, and neither fears his justice, nor hopes for mercy, and doth maliciously, oppose truth, because it is truth and crosseth him in his designs: So Christ's enemies, being acted by Satan, will oppose truth for no other reason, but because it is truth. They will believe anything but truth, and the more true the doctrine be, the more will they oppose it; for, because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 3. Let wicked men oppose Christ's doctrine as they will, yet it is truth, and any doctrine they embrace beside, is but a lie, which will disappoint them in end; for, however they believe not, yet saith he, I tell you the truth.

In the third place, Christ in this reply, doth vindicate himself, and so prevents an objection, and aggravates their infidelity; For whereas they might object against the former challenge, in ver. 45. wherefore should we believe thee, and leave our own Religion for thy saying whom we know not? Christ answers, that since none of them could convince him of any sin, and his doctrine was the very truth, therefore they could not but sin heinously, in not giving him credit, whoever he were. Whence learn, 1. As Christ's public Messengers are obliged to be irreprehensible, and true in their doctrine; so this was eminently and singularly true of Christ, who was the spotless Lamb of God and infallibly true in all his doctrine; for he was without sin, and said the truth. 2. It is not sufficient to condemn any, that malicious men do calumniate and traduce them, unless they can also argue and make it out; for Christ requires of his accusers, that they convince him of sin, or, by arguing make it clear, that what they assert is true. 3. Christ was so perfectly spotless and innocent, that albeit he lay buried under calumnies, yet none of his most malicious adversaries could ever make it good that he was guilty of one sin; for, saith he, which of you convinceth me of sin? 4. Albeit the blameless carriage of men doth serve much to make away for their doctrine, and doth aggravate their sin who despise it; Yet should not be a snare to draw others to receive anything they say, unless it be made clear that it is truth; Therefore, in grounding this challenge, Christ adds this to that of his sinlesnesse, I say the truth. 5. As the doctrine of innocent and infallible Christ ought, without contraversie, to be credited; so their consciences may look for a sad account and challenge, who will not do so: for, saith he, If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? And it holds out also this general, that no prejudice should hinder men from embracing that which is held out to be truth.

In the last place, Christ concludes the discourse with a sad note upon them; And doth himself answer that question he had propounded, verse 46. showing, that the true cause why they did not believe, nor hear his word, was, because they were not of God, which he illustrates from the contrary, and so leaves them again to consider of whom they were. This assertion, as it must necessarily be understood of grown up persons; (for infants are still to be excepted in these ordinary rules) So albeit to be of God, be frequently understood of men's being elected from eternity; Yet here it is chiefly to be understood of regeneration, because even the elect of God, so long as they are unregenerate, may be guilty of the same sins with the reprobate, and particularly, in slighting the Word. Only, if we conjoin these two, to resist known truth, and to do so maliciously, (which was the sin of many of these Jews) it cannot befall any elect: For though Peter sinned wittingly, yet not maliciously, and though Paul sinned maliciously, yet he did it ignorantly, and in unbelief, 1 Tim. 1.13. Doctrine 1. Men's respect to the Word of God is a true touchstone, whereby they may try their own condition and state; for, so doth Christ here teach us. 2. Men have nothing in them by nature, that can entertain or receive the Word of God with any due respect, but what they attain to of that kind, is of God, and not of themselves; for he must be of God, by election and regeneration who will hear God's words. 3. An elect child of God being renewed, as he is begotten by the seed of God's Word, so in his progress he will not resist the known light thereof, but will receive and feed upon it; And whatever may be his fits of temptation, yet he will never reject it maliciously: for, he that is of God, heareth God's words: He heareth it with faith, submission, and fruitfulness; for, so it is opposed to not believing, ver 46. See 1 Pet. 1.23. and 2.1, 2, 3. 4. Whoever they be that do not regard the Word of the Lord, but do maliciously reject it after conviction, they prove themselves to be unregenerate, if not also reprobates; for, ye hear them not, because ye are not of God. 5. Consequences soundly and solidly deduced from Scripture, are Scripture, and as valid a ground of faith, as the ground from whence they are deduced; for, so doth Christ here teach us by his own practice, deducing from that ground, He that is of God, heareth God's words, this necessary and infallible consequence, ye therefore here them not, because ye are not of God. And this pen-man is full of such deductions, warranting this way of arguing. 6. Whatever affront men think to put upon Christ, by rejecting his doctrine: Yet the real ignominy redounds to themselves; Therefore, however they laid all the indignity of this opposition on Christ himself, and on his doctrine; Yet he tells them it flowed really from this, ye are not of God, but lying in a reprobate unregenerate condition.

From this to the end of the Chapter, these adversaries do change their way of proceeding with Christ. So long as they had any seeming ground, or show of reason, they debate the matter; but now being put from all that, they fall a railing at his person; and Christ defends and replies, till they come to violence. It may be taken up in this order. 1. They rail at him, ver. 48. and he vindicates himself as an honourer of his Father, and therefore they were in the wrong who reproached him ver. 49. and behooved to make account to God for it, ver. 50. And he showeth their loss who despise his Word, which preserveth men from death, ver. 51. 2. They take occasion from what he saith of his Word, to carp ••• in: objecting that Abr • ham and the Prophets were dead, ver. 52. And that he should make himself greater then they, ver. 53. And he clears himself of ambition in this matter, charging it on them, ver. 54, 55. and sh • weth that Abraham's joy depended on him, ver. 56. before whom he had a subsistence as God, though as man he was not old, ver. 57, 58. Upon which assertion, they betake themselves to violence, and he avoideth it, ver. 59.

In this verse we have their first attempt; wherein, taking advantage of his sharp censure of them, they charge him with being a Samaritan and possessed with an evil Spirit. They do particularly charge him to be a Samaritan, not only, because they accounted the Samaritans the most impious of men, because of their Apostasy from the Church of Judah, and the true Religion there, (whereof they account him also guilty by his doctrine) but specially, because as the Samaritans were most bitter enemies unto, and traducers of the Jews (as may be seen in part, Joh. 4.9.) so did they account of him, who durst be so bold as to deny them to be children of God, and to say they were of the devil. As for the other charge, thou hast a devil, it is true that elsewhere they do maliciously assert against their light, that he was guided and assisted by Satan in his doctrine and miracles, Matth. 12.24. But here, it seems, they only intend to retort his challenge, and do say, he had a devil, which prompted him to say they were of the devil. And so the challenge is all one with the former of a Samaritan, whom they looked on (as on all wicked men) as guided by an evil spirit, and accordingly, Christ answers both, in answering one of them. Doctrine 1. Albeit wicked enemies to truth may, for a time, enter the lists of dispute, as if they minded to seek out, and follow truth; Yet conviction in debate will not gain ground upon them; As appears in these Jews, who when they are put to the worse in dispute, yet they come nothing the nearer to truth. 2. Unbeliefe and contempt of the truth will end in blasphemy; And impious men, being convinced, will turn ratlers, and betake themselves to personal reflections against the persons of men who maintain the truth, when they can do no better: for, so do they deal with Christ. 3. Wicked men can vent no reproaches, calumny;, or blasphemies, against Christ's servants and people, which Christ hath not sanctified in his own person, being called to his face the worst of men, a reproacher and enemy to the people of God, and one possessed with an evil spirit; As here we see. 4. There are none more ready to reproach Christ and his followers, as if they were possessed with an evil spirit, then these who are his real slaves themselves; for, they who are of the devil, ver. 44. say of Christ, thou hast a devil. 5. Such is the power of ignorance, prejudice, or malice, when men are possessed therewith, that they will draw bad conclusions, and put hard constructions upon best actions; for, upon Christ's useful and true doctrine, they think they do well to draw these bad conclusions, Say we not well (intimating they had a custom of it before) that thou art a Samaritan, &c. since thou speakest so.

In these verses, we have Christ's answer to this blasphemous calumny. And, 1. He declareth, that he had no devil, but was honoring his Father in what he did and said, and therefore it was their great sin thus to reproach him, ver. 49. 2 Lost they should think he took to is ill, as an indignity done to him; he declareth, that he was no self-seeker, nor hunter after vain-glory, nor needed he avenge himself on them, since the Father will honor him, and take course with them who rub upon his glory, ver 50. 3. To show what his true glory is, and what their loss is who despise his Word, he showeth what blessed effects shall follow upon observing of his doctrine, ver. 51.

From ver. 49 Learn, Bitterest calumnies should be answered meekly by Christ's servants; And however men f • ile in duty to them, yet they should still cleave to duty; Therefore doth Christ meekly deny the calumny, I have not a devil, and refutes it with reason. 2. As it is the duty of all God's people to seek the honor of God, as their chief end; so Christ did eminently honor his Father, both in his doctrine and obedience; for, so saith he, I honor my Father. See Joh. 17.4. 3. They who sincerely seek God's honor, do prove that they are not guided and acted by Satan, whatever the world think or say of them; for, so doth Christ prove his point, I have not a devil, but I honor my Father. 4. Men's innocent lives and carriage is the best mean to refute unjust calumnies and reproaches; for, so doth Christ refute their blasphemy, by his honoring of God in his carriage. 5. It is a commendable zeal for God, honor, when his faithful servants will not suffer wicked men, who carry the devils stamp and image to father themselves on God, as his beloved and dear people; for, in this, particularly, did he honor his Father here, in telling them plainly what they were. 6. As men's honoring of God will not stop the mouths of malicious slanderers; So their sin is very great who reproach them who do honor God; And particularly, this holds true of Christ, who cannot be dishonored, but it rubs upon the Father also; Therefore, saith he by way of sad challenge, I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me. See Joh. 5.22, 23.

From ver. 50. Learn, 1. Such as unfeignedly seek God's honor, will not hunt after vain-glory, nor seek their own glory, save in so far as God's honor is stricken at by the reproaches cast on them; Therefore doth Christ subjoin, I seek not mine own glory. 2. Such as unfeignedly seek God's glory, need not be anxious about the reproaches they meet with, seeing God undertakes to see to that: Therefore also, lest they should think the want of honor from them grieved him, he saith, I seek not mine own honor, there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 3. As Christ did honor the Father in going about the works of his calling; so the Father did undertake, and hath now honored him, and will avenge all the blasphemies, and reproaches that wicked men belch out against him; for, saith he, there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

From ver. 51. Learn, 1. Christ is never so angry with his foes, as to forget his friends; Yea, he delights to convey his threatenings against enemies, in promises to his children, if so be they will consider their loss, and yet take hold of his offer; Therefore, instead of threatening, he makes a gracious promise, and that not only for the confirmation of any weak ones who were then hearing, but to try what such an offer might yet work upon these wicked men. 2. Albeit most part of men make but little account of the matter of their salvation, and these who have any thoughts about it, are very averse from crediting Christ's naked Word, about the way to it: Yet Christ would have it looked upon as a weighty business, and would have it out of all contraversie that he will make good the Word which he speaks concerning it; Therefore doth he premit his ordinary asseveration to this doctrine, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he may teach them, that it is no light or trivial matter he is speaking of, and that he may remove all hesitation concerning the truth of his Word. 3. Such as would receive any benefit by Christ's doctrine, should not only hear it, but lay it up in their heart, and keep it in some measure of sincerity in their life; for, it is required, that they keep my saying. 4. Albeit such as cleave to Christ, and make conscience of obedience to his Word, may meet with very many troubles, and may ofttimes have very great fears about death, and their eternal happiness; Yet they shall be secured from eternal death, and all their other troubles, and bodily death it self, shall be swallowed up into victory; for, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death, to wit, eternal death, and consequently, shall get a good account of all the steps betwixt him and eternal happiness.

In these verses, they repeat their blasphemy, and think themselves confirmed in it, and that they have him at a seen advantage in what he last spake; For whereas he had said, they should never see death who keep his sayings, they think that many ways absurd, and reflecting upon himself. For, 1. Then certainly Abraham and the Prophets were n • ne of his disciples, for they are all dead. Nay, 2. • e behooved to be very arrogant, who made himself greater then Abraham and the Prophets, in that he ascribes a quickening virtue to his Word, not only in respect of himself, but his hearers also. Whereas they not only kept not others alive, but are dead themselves. Doctrine 1. Wicked men will be as little taken with Christ's promises, as they are terrified with his threatenings; And they desire rather to have some what to carp at in them, then to be drawn by the sweetness thereof to embrace them; for, they rage as much here at his sweet promise, as they did formerly at his sharp chalenges. 2. As wicken men do reproach Christ out of malice, and all the arguments they pretend, are but invented to cover their malice; So they will sometime be forced to bewray themselves that it is so: for, say they, now we know that thou hast a devil, and if but now they know it, why said they it before▪ Certainly, all the arguments they bring so • th, were but invented to color that resolution, which they had laid down to reproach Christ. 3. Mistakes of Christ, and understanding of his doctrine in a carnal sense, gives occasion to persecutors of many cavils; for, upon these grounds doth their exception run, wherein they glory so much. They think it absurd enough, if they can infer from his discourse, that he makes himself greater then Abraham and the Prophets, which yet is the very truth; and they mistake him as if he were speaking of the first death, when he is speaking of the second death 4. Christ's enemies do falsely pretend to be honourers of the Saints, that they may bear him down; for, so do they here cry up Abraham and the Prophets, to make him odious. 5. Albeit Saints be truly excellent, yet they have no privilege against bodily death, but must pay that debt; partly, to be a testimony that they are by nature heirs to the first Adam, and do carry a body of corruption about with them while they are in the world; and partly, that they may be translated to a better life; for, even Abraham and the Prophets, whom they cry up as singular, are dead. 6. Such as do in a carnal way over-value the Saints, they prejudge Christ of his glory and due estimation; for, so did they by their excessive commendation of them, Art thou greater then our father Abraham, &c. And this disease is more frequent, not only in them who set them up in Christ's room, to be sharers with him, in leaving merits to be made use of by the Church, and in being Mediators of intercession; but in them also who doat so much on Saints, as they forget to give Christ the glory of any excellency that is in them, and who implicitly follow them, not considering whether they be following Christ in that wherein they follow them, or not. 7. Christ is truly singular and matchless, and if all the Saints were put together, they are all nothing to him, and he can do that which they cannot all do; for, this (together with the clearing of their mistake of what he spake concerning death) is the clear answer to all their cavil, that indeed he is greater then all of them put together.

Followeth Christ's answer to this exception, And, 1. In general (in these verses ) he 〈◊〉 himself of any ambition in this matter, and p •• ves them guilty of it. Whereas, in their exception, they thought it great ambition in him, to prefer • himself to Abraham and all the Prophets; •• e answers (by way of concession) that it he himself, and of himself, did take this honor on him, it were of no worth; but he hath it of the Father, who doth allow and confer it on him. And whereas they might except, that if this Father of whom he boasted so much, be the true God, they had greater cause to lay claim to him then he had; He answers, that this proves them really guilty of that ambition wherewith they charge him; For they boast of him while as they have no saving knowledge of him; But he knows him, and would be a liar, like unto them, if he should say that he knew him not, seeing he gives real proof of knowing him; by keeping his word. Doctrine 1. Such as hunt after vain-glory, and seek after respect and estimation otherwise then God alloweth and approveth of, they do hunt a shadow, and that which really is of no worth; for, this is of general verity, If I honor myself my honor is nothing. See 2 Cor. 10.18. 2. Christ seeketh no glory but what the Father alloweth on him; And as he is God over all, blessed and honored forever, and as his human nature is honored, by being exalted to a personal union with the Godhead; So whoever dishonor Christ, yet the Father alloweth and hath conferred honor on him as Mediator, to be a testimony how well he is pleased with the redemption of lost man, performed by him; and to be matter of comfort to all them who seek to this exalted Prince, and matter of terror to all his and their enemies: For, saith he, if I honor myself, my honor is nothing, it is the Father that honoreth me. 3. What men have received from God with his approbation, and have his testimony for it, they may avow and maintain it against all opposition; Therefore doth Christ not deny that honor they alleged he took to himself, but he avows it on this ground, It is my Father that honoreth me. 4. Albeit Christ be in himself God all-sufficient, and so is not capable of any access of glory: Yet it pleased him to condescend so far, as to obscure his own glory under the veil of his flesh and state of humiliation, till he had perfected the work of Redemption; and to account of his office of Mediator, and the dignity accompanying it, as great honor conferred upon him by the Father; Therefore, saith he, my Father honoreth me, above Abraham and the Prophets, that I can give life to them that keep my sayings. 5. Christ's greatest enemies may yet be so presumptuous and deluded, as to sooth up themselves, with a conceit of a special interest in God; for, the Father, is he, of whom ye say that he is your God. 6. Persecutors, pretending to interest in God, do but proclaim their own carnal ambition and self-seeking, and that they do but lie and deceive themselves; for, he brings this as a proof of their ambition, and asserts that they were liars in so saying, I shall be a liar like unto you. 7. As none are more ready to boast of an interest in God, then they who know least of him; so none can prove an interest in him, but they who know and acknowledge him as he is revealed in Christ by the Gospel; for, saith he, ye say that he is your God but (to refute that) ye know him not, to wit, savingly, in so far as they knew not him as Father to his Son whom he had sent, and acknowledged not the Gospel to be his revealed will. 8. It is not sufficient for proving an interest in God, that men do acknowledge God as he reveals himself, unless also obedience to his will be joined therewith; so much doth Christ teach by his own evidences that he is of God, contrary to theirs, I know him, and keep his saying. 9. Such as are of God, and know him, should confidently avow their right and interest, and it is as great a wrong in a child of God, to deny his right, as it is in a profane man, to claim an interest; Therefore, saith Christ, in opposition to them, But I know him, and if I should say I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you, who boast of an interest without ground. 10. Christ doth perfectly know the Father and his will, so that none can be deluded in resisting on what he reveals of him; And he was perfectly obedient to the will of the Father in all things, so that nothing can be objected against them, who flee to lay hold on his righteousness; for, I know him, and keep his saying.

Secondly, Christ answers in particular to the ground of their exception; and, comparing himself with Abraham (who was greatest, in their account, of any of the Prophets, they mentioned with him, and indeed was the father of the faithful) he proves that he was greater then he. For Abraham knowing of him, the true Messiah, to come of his seed, did earnestly desire to see that day, and did get a sight thereof by faith to his joy and contentment. And by this he proves that Abraham's joy and comfort depended on him, and that he lived by faith in his words and the promises concerning him, according to that, ver. 51. And on the other hand, he proves by this, that they were not Abraham's true children, who rejoiced not in him, and in the day of the Gospel. Doctrine 1. Christ will make use of wicked men's boasted of privileges, to aggreage their faults, therefore doth he design him, your Father Abraham, to wit, according to the flesh, that they might see how far they were degenerate from him in manners. 2. The time of the Gospel is not only a day, in respect of the dark ignorance in which the world lies without it; But it is Christ's day by way of excellency. For albeit the Gospel and Christ were known and embraced before, yet that treasure was but couched, for most part, under dark types, and seen at a great distance, and sin and the law and the curse did bear much sway: But now free grace doth eminently reign and shine, and Christ in his own person did appear on earth in our nature, to publish these gladtydings more clearly; Therefore doth he call it my day. 3. Men were not saved before Christ's incarnation, by anything beside Christ; but as Christ and the Covenant of grace were known then, so men were made participant of him and his benefits by faith; for, so is clear in the matter of Abraham, to whom it is supposed Christ was known, not only as God, but as Mediator to be incarnate, otherwise he could not have desired a sight of him, and it is expressly asserted, that he saw his day, and was glad. 4. Such as indeed have heard tell of Christ, their knowledge will produce earnest desires after him; and such as prize Christ and salvation by him, will look upon the time of the Gospel, and his incarnation, as a very sweet sight; for, Abraham hearing tell of it, he rejoiced to see my day, to wit, of my coming in the flesh, as Luke 10.24. and this rejoicing presupposeth and includes an earnest desire. 5. Even the best of men stand in need of Christ, and according as they grow in real goodness, their desires after him will grow; for, so even Abraham, that eminent Saint, rejoiced to see my day. 6. The spiritual desires of God's people may be, and (when they are well managed) are full of joy; begotten partly, by the estimation of what they desire, seasoned with hope that they shall come speed in some measure; and partly, by what they do really enjoy who are sincerely desiring and pursuing, their very hunger proves a blessedness, and that they do possess in part. Therefore it is said that Abraham rejoiced, or, skipped for joy, to see my day. His heart was warmed with the thoughts of it even in desiring it. 7. The sincere desires of God's people will not be frustrate, nor will a sincere and cheerful pu • s • er be disappointed, in God's way and measure; for, he rejoiced to see, and he saw, not with bodily eyes, Luk. 10.24. but by faith, Heb. 11.13. 8. The Lord, for wise reasons, may suspend the satisfying the desires of his people all their days in their way; and yet in effect be granting them in a way that is as good for them; for, albeit Abraham saw not this day with bodily eyes, in its full accomplishment, yet for all that he saw it: The Lord indeed suspended the exhibition of Christ in the flesh, till long after Abraham; because it would have crossed his purpose of reserving that to the fullness of time, to have done otherwise; (and Saints must stoop to quit their will, when it doth not consist with God's great purposes concerning his Church:) Yet Abraham got that which was far better then a simple bodily sight. For albeit believers and the Disciples in that time had a double advantage, of getting both a bodily and spiritual sight; yet a spiritual sight of him, either in the word of promise, before he came, or in the word of performance, since his exhibition, is far beyond a bodily sight of him, which avails, not without this, as was seen in the most part of them who saw and heard him. 9. The desires of the godly, which slow from faith, are well satisfied, when they get more ground and encouragement yet to believe, and depend and wait on; for, Abraham behooved to believe before he could desire, and now his desires are satisfied with seeing more by faith. 10. Faith will see far off, and through many impediments, and will draw comfort from what is not only invisible at present, but not to come for a long time; for, at that great distance, and through all these types, he saw my day and was glad. 11. A sight of Christ by faith, though at never so great a distance, and under many vails, will bring true peace and joy, and will satisfy a believer, however he desire often much more; for, he saw it and was glad. He was content of that, though his desire was after more, and it did indeed bring true joy unto him, and made him (with the rest of the Patriarchs) confess they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, Heb. 11.13. I need not here curiously inquire, why it is said that in desi • ing he rejoiced, or, skipped for joy, and in getting that sight, he was only glad. It may be conceived thus, that joy might be more solid, and make less noise, when men have greatest cause of joy, and particularly in enjoyment; or his rejoicing points at that more satisfactory measure of joy that he apprehended would be in seeing Christ incarnate, and with bodily eyes, as well as by faith, and his being glad, points at the measure of joy he attained to in the sight he got, the other being reserved till he came to his rest.

This last part of Christ's answer occasions a new exception against him, that he, who was so young a man, should presume to say he had seen Abraham, ver. 57. In answer to which, Christ asserts that however they take it, yet he is before Abraham; to wit, in respect of his Godhead, though upon that also followeth that even then he exercised the office of Mediator according to the Covenant of Redemption, in that nature, and so was the matter of the godly's desire and joy, even from the beginning, as was said before of Abraham, ver. 56. While they say, thou art not yet fifty years old, though Christ was far younger, it may be conceived that Christ's condition and exercise, being a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs, had altered him much, and made him seem older then he was, as indeed, exercise of mind will waste men's bodies soon. Or it may be conceived to be spoken with a latitude, that it was very absurd that he, who had not lived so much as the ha •• e of an age, (reckoning an hundred years to an age) should say he had seen Abraham who was dead so many ages before. Likewise, they bewray their malice in their speech, obscuring what he had spoken of Abraham's seeing of his day, and putting in these words, hast thou seen Abraham? as thinking it a disparagement, that Abraham should take notice of him though he had lived since that time. Doctrine, 1. The truth of God must not be the worse loved, that it be sublime and above the reach of human reason, or that malicious men cannot, or will not see and acknowledge it, but do account it absurd; for, here a precious truth is rejected by them as absurd. 2. Such as look on Christ's outside only, and his state of humiliation, will never see his true excellency; And so many things are true of Christ as God, that flesh and blood, and they who look on him as mere man, will think them most absurd: for, herein was their mistake, they look on him as man only, and therefore object, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 3. Let men oppose as they will, yet it is a truth beyond all contraversie, that Christ had a subsistence before his incarnation and becoming man, and consequently is true God; for, saith he, Verily, verily, I say unto you before Abraham was, I am. He followeth forth his subsistence no further then before Abraham, (though he be eternal) because this was the matter now in contraversie. And they who forge glosses to obscure this text, as speaking of no subsistence of Christ before his incarnation, do not only wrong Christ, as not answering distinctly to the Jews Question, ver. 57. but are in that respect more blind then the very Jews, who understood it so, and could not endure to hear it, ver. 59. 4. Christ's subsistence before his incarnation, is immutable and unchangeable, not subject to the vicissitudes of time; Therefore saith he, before Abraham was I am, not, I was, to show that this has subsistence is unchangeable, still present, and consequently eternal. This, I am, is also a name of God, Exod. 3.14. pointing out that he is, and hath an unchangeable being of himself and that albeit there be that which may be known of God, Rom. 1.19. yet his nature is incomprehensible and unsearchable, and is most fitly expressed by this, I am that I am, Exod. 3.14. See Judge 13.18.

Followeth now the issue of this long dispute, and particularly of this last contest. They look upon him as so absurd in what he had last spoken, that they will reason no more, but seek to cut him off as a blasphemer; And he takes no more pains to convince them, but delivers himself miraculously from their fury. Whence learn, 1. Malicious persecutors will not hearken to truth, though never so clearly told them; but when all arguments fail them, they will betake themselves to violence; for, then they take up stones to cast at him, wherein they were injurious, in returning him the reward of a blasphemer, who had told them the truth, and unjust, in their tumultuous procedure, and not taking a legal way. And this is it which may be expected of all contradictors of Christ's doctrine, if they get power, and be not b • idled. 2. It is lawful for God's servants to withdraw from the fury of bloody persecutors, when the persecution is personal, as Christ's example doth teach. 3. Our blessed Lord did condescend to sanctify all the weak means prescribed to his people in hard times, in his own person; for, he who could have destroyed them, hid himself, and made use of fleeing, he went out, &c. 4. Christ can disappoint persecutors, and deliver his people, even in greatest extreamnity; for, when they have him among their hands in the Temple, he first hid himself, and then went out of the Temple, going through the midst of them, &c. Either he dazzled their eyes, and made himself invisible, both when he hid himself, and went away; or having done so for a while, while he hid himself, he did bind up their hands that they could not touch him when he went openly through them out of the Temple. And so he evidenced his great power even in his infirmity, and so also doth he make his people prove strong while they are weak, and perfects his strength in their weakness.

The history of this miracle may be taken up in this order. 1. Christ the Physician and the distressed man meet together, ver. 1. 2. Christ confers with his disciples about the Lord's end in afflicting him, ver. 2, 3. and about the necessity of his curing him, and that presently, ver. 4, 5. 3. He works the miraculous cure, ver. 6, 7.

In this verse, it is recorded that Christ coming from the Temple, doth on the way perceive and take notice of this man, whose disease was naturally incurable. Whence learn, 1. Since the fall of Adam, mankind is subject unto many miseries, and beside the Spiritual plagues, and common miseries following thereupon, it pleaseth the Lord to leave some exemplary effects thereof, to be documents unto all; As here there is a man blind from his birth, which flowed from sin as the fountain cause and in-let, though Christ afterward denieth, that God's end in this affliction is to punish sin. 2. Difficulties and diseases that are insuperable and incurable by the ordinary course of nature, are yet not impossible for Christ to help, but a meet object for him to magnify his power on; Therefore it is marked, that he was blind from his birth, that so he may set out Christ's power, who cured that blindness that by natural means was incurable. 3. When Christ and his followers are driven by persecution from their station and employment, they are but driven to their Christ; and the Lord, ordinarily, doth let persecutors drive them away, because he hath other employment for them, wherein they may do more good; Therefore when Christ is driven out from preaching in the Temple to malicious and violent enemies, an occasion of work and doing good is presently offered him, and he is thrust out, in God's providence, that he may come and heal this man, who also doth afterward make better use of his doctrine then they did. 4. No heat of persecution, or personal danger, and no throng whatsoever, will hinder Christ to give an affectionate look to one of his own in misery; for, as he passed by, fleeing the fury of the Pharisees, he saw the man, and looked so earnestly and tenderly on him, that it occasioned the disciples question, ver. 2. Yea, it seems this man's misery (who afterward was converted to him) did so draw his eye to him, that he saw him, and took notice of none else that were on the way. 5. Albeit Christ's people in their distress may be blind, and cannot see him, yet he seeth them, and his seeing of them will move him to pity, so much the more as they see not: Therefore is it marked that he saw and took special notice of a man which was blind.

Followeth a conference of Christ and his disciples before the working of the cure, consisting of two parts. In the first whereof, answering a question of the disciples, he shows what was the Lord's end in afflicting this man. Christ's taking so special notice of him, and (as would appear) his standing still beside him, leads the disciples also to take notice of him, and to move a question, whether it was his own or his parents sins that had drawn on this stroke, ver. 2. And Christ declares, that in this stroke God did not intend so much the punishment of the sin of either of them, as the manifestation of his own glorious work, especially in curing of him, ver. 3. For clearing this question and answer. Consider, 1. The disciples question is not concerning the principle efficient cause of this affliction, (for that was God;) but concerning the procuring and final cause of it, that is, whether he or his parents by some gross sin had procured this stroke, and God had sent it on as a punishment for that sin. Consider, 2. However there might be clear cause of conceiving him to be born blind for his parents sins, (as it is to be cleared afterward) yet it is more difficult to clear, how that should be the punishment of his own sin, seeing he could not sin before he was born: But we need not, for clearing their meaning, recur to that conceit of transmigration of souls from one body into another, and consequently, that he should be punished for the sins of his soul committed while it was in another body: For albeit this was an opinion among Pagan Philosophers, and somewhat of it crept in among the Pharisees, as may be gathered, in part, from Matth. 14.2. and 16 14. yet it is conceived that they only held the transmigration of righteous men's souls into other bodies, and no • of the wicked's, such as the disciples supposed this man to be. Nor yet need we understand them as conceiving that God foreseeing what a sinner he would be, did thus punish him; For whatever reference a stroke may have to a future sin, either to prevent it, or to cut short their power, who would in process of time abuse it; Yet affliction as a punishment is inflicted after the sin committed. Nor yet need we assert, that they looked on Original sin as the Pharisees do, ver. 34. (of which in its own place) never considering, nor laying it to heart, but where it is evidenced by such a stroke. But we are to conceive that they acknowledged original sin, and that this did deserve the greatest of afflictions and plagues, not only Spiritual, but bodily also, as is seen on some Infants. Consider, 3. Christ's answer is not to be understood. 1. As if he denied them to have sin, whereof all are guilty since the fall, 1 Kings 8.46. Rom. 5.12. Nor, 2. As if he denied that affliction entered into the world by reason of sin, Rom. 5.12. Since if man had not sinned, he had lived in a blessed estate, according to the Covenant of works. Nor, 3. As if he or his parents had not sin enough to have deserved this punishment, if God had pursued it; for the wages of the least sin is death, Rom. 6.23. Nor yet, 4. As if God did never send affliction as a punishment for sin, however he dealt in this particular: But the meaning is, that in afflicting this man, the Lord did not so much purpose to punish their sins, as to manifest his own glory. And so he would draw them from their curious questions, to prepare themselves to be edified by his cure. Doctrine 1. Such as God hath a special purpose of love unto, may yet be mistaken by his dear children, and get harder measure from them, then Christ will give them; As here the disciples do to this man, upon whom Christ had mercy. 2. It is a great fault in Christ's disciples, being tenderly dealt with themselves, when they give out hard sentences against others, because of their afflictions, and do judge of their guilt according to the greatness of their afflictions; Not considering that it is not dispensations, but the Word, whereby men's estate and condition must be tried; for, herein the disciples sailed, who being as yet the children of the bride-chamber, little acquaint with sorrows and griefs, and being little affected with the poor man's case, only desiring to hold up discourse, when they see Christ so diligently observe him, they would dive into his guilt and provocation, whereas no such thing was intended in the stroke. Thus also did Jobs friends deal with him. 3. Whatever be the Lord's forbearance toward sinners; yet all the posterity of Adam do bring as much guilt and sin into the world with them, as deserves the saddest of afflictions; for, their question imports this truth, that this man's sin did deserve that he should be born blind. Original sin brings death, even on Infants, Rom. 5.12, 14. doth deserve eternal damnation; and consequently, it needs not be thought strange, if the Lord pursue it with temporal afflictions. 4. Albeit the Lord do not punish and condemn any eternally for the sin of any of their progenitors (except Adam in whom all sinned) unless they do actually imitate them; Yet he may justly afflict children in their bodies and estates, which they have from their parents, for the sins of their parents, and so punish their parents in them; for, this truth is also imported in their question, that for his parents sin, he might be born blind. 5. The sense of Christ's words is not always to be taken from what his speech at first view would seem to offer; but a special respect is to be had to all the occasions and circumstances thereof, for finding out the truth; for, so must we do here in finding out Christ's meaning in this speech, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents; which being nakedly looked on in it self, would seem to contain an untruth, contrary to the tenor of the Scriptures, but being compared with the disciples question, and what himself subjoins, the meaning is found to be, that God by this affliction is not punishing their sin. 6. Albeit all men be sinners, and albeit every sin deserve both temporal and eternal judgments; Yet the Lord doth not always intend the punishing and avenging of sin, even when he is correcting such as are sinners, but may be intending an higher end; for, this is the true doctrine and sense of these words, Neither hath this man sinned, nor yet his parents, but that the works of God, &c. Beside the punishing of sin, and the end after mentioned, we find in Scripture that God doth afflict, that he may exercise his Sovereignty and dominion over men, and that he may try the saith of his own, as was seen in Jobs case. And albeit in many cases it will be a great difficulty to attain to this comfort, that Christ is not eyeing or pursuing our guilt, when we are under sad afflictions; Yet we may safely follow this order. 1. In all afflictions we should remember that sin is the coal from whence these sparks do fly, and so (whatever be the Lord's end, yet) we are still to be humbled under the sense of sin, as our duty, when we are afflicted. 2. Albeit the Lord do not pursue any of his own with afflictions, as enemies; Yet there may be many failings and infirmities, which the Lord requires they should be sensible of, especially when the rod is on, whatever be God's end in it: And in observing this Job came short, as Elihu teacheth, though he was a reconciled man wronged by his friends, Job 36.8, 9, 10. 3. The Lord may be pointing at sin by afflictions, when yet they are pardoned, and may send out rods, on penitent and pardoned Saints, to vindicate his own glory, and make them more cautious in time coming. So did he deal with David, 2 Sam. 12.13. with verse 10, 11, 14. 4. Albeit the Lord send some afflictions as punishments and corrections for sin, and some for trial of faith and other graces; Yet it is not the Lord's mind that his children, being corrected for sin, should cast away their faith, but when they take with their guilt, they ought to look on their affliction as a double trial of faith, having not only the affliction; but guilt also, to wrestle with; and therefore they ought to take especial heed to faith. 5. Whatever a child of God be commanded to look unto under affliction, either of guilt or trial; yet they ought still to lift up their eyes above that, and to expect that somewhat of God is, and will be manifested in their afflictions, and that this is his chief end in afflicting; for, so much doth the Text expressly hold out, it is that the works of God should be made manifest; And the expectation of this should be the chief exercise of Saints. Doctrine 7. Albeit the Lord hath created the world, yet his alsufficiencie is such, as he can receive nothing from it, nor be bettered by it; only it is a Stage whereon he doth experimentally manifest and make known what he is: for, this is his great end in all his works, and particularly in this, that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 8, In God's dispensations toward men, there are to be observed, not one, but many purposes and proofs of his attributes and workings; for, the works (not the work ) of God are to be made manifest in him. His Sovereignty appeared in afflicting, and his mercy and power in curing him. Yea, by this so much appeared, as proved him to be the Messiah according to the Scriptures, Isa. 35.5. 9. Albeit the Lord do gloriously manifest himself daily, in the ordinary works of his Sovereignty, power and mercy; Yet such is the stupidity of men, that this is but little observed, unless he manifest himself in some extraordinary works also; Therefore must such an extraordinary disease and cure be, that the works of God may be made manifest. 10. The Lord will not take advantage of the distresses of his people, but only that he may give them a proof of his love; And he doth involve them in infirmities and distresses, of purpose that he may let out his glory in doing them good; for, this man was born blind, that the works of God should be made manifest in him; And as thus he needeth our infirmities for him to work upon, so we may glory in them, 2 Cor. 12.9, 10. 11. As the Lord hath divers ends in afflicting his people; So his ultimate and last scope will not be soon seen, but the afflicted may be kept long under a dark condition, supported by secret strength, and an unseen blessing, and little know the Lord's mind till he himself manifest it; for, albeit Sovereignty might still have been seen in this affliction, yet God had many other works to manifest, which were little dreamt of by this man from his birth to that day, till now Christ bring them out by his Word and work. Which may warn all to beware of rash judgment, and may encourage them, who, lying long under affliction, do keep their eyes fixed upon Christ.

In the second part of the conference, Christ having answered their question, doth now prevent an objection by showing reasons why he should cure him, and that presently, notwithstanding any hazard might redound to him for so doing. As for the objection which the disciples might have urged against his working this miracle, we have one propounded to the same purpose, Chap. 11. 8. Where Christ repeats this answer in part, verse 9, 10. And here they might be ready to object, that being but even now in peril of stoning by the Jews, Chap. 8. 59. Why would he irritate them again by this miracle, and not rather lurk? Especially, Why would he do it on the Sabbath, as it is verse 14. Seeing the like practice had bred him so much trouble before, as is marked, Chap. 5. and 7.23, 25? Christ prevents all, by showing that he must manifest these works of God (of which verse 3.) by curing this man, and that presently; For which he gives three reasons, 1. That he is sent with a Commission to do these works, verse 4.— and therefore must be diligently obedient. 2. That his affection to the service did bind the tie, laid upon him the straiter, verse — 4. For when he considered that there was a time profixed to him, wherein to do these works in his own person, (to wit, the time of his life and Ministry) which being ended (as it was now shortly to expire) he could not have the like opportunity, therefore he would now be busy upon all hazards. 3. That he is the light of the world, verse 5. and therefore behooved to cure him. This imports, partly, that being the storehouse of lost man, in whom the remedy of all their miseries is hid up, he could not with-hold from them what they needed; and partly, being to manifest himself the light of the world, to cure their spiritual blindness, he would not omit to confirm it by this visible sign of curing a blind man. This reason is amplified from the consideration of the time wherein he exercised this office, as long as I am in the world; which is but an enlargement of the second reason. And for clearing thereof, and of the whole second and third reasons, it is not needful to resume the doctrines, concerning man's misery and lying in blindness and darkness, or, that Christ is the only and true remedy of this evil; for these truths in their full latitude have occurred, Chap. 1. 9. and 8. 12. and ought here to be considered only with reference to the present scope, But whereas Christ speaks of his day, and of a night coming, and that he is the light of the world, as long as he is in the world, the meaning is not that ever he wants light, or an opportunity of doing good unto his people; or that he was not the light of the world, both before his Incarnation, and after his Ascension. But Christ by this points out, that during the time of his abode on earth, he was this light in an eminent way. Not only spiritually enlightening his people, and doing great things for them; but personally and immediately, by his visible presence and external operation, doing them by his own hand; whereas this light shined formerly, and wrought in and by the Ministry of the Prophets, and after his Ascension, by the Apostles. And so the force of the reason is, that Christ considering that he was the light of the world, immediately and in his own person, only so long as he is in the world; and that he had a prefixed time for his going about and doing good in his own person, which was now near expired; therefore out of his great affection to his people, and to any service that might do them good, he would be busy and omit no time. Doctrine 1. Men are not to expect that they will get through with good and acceptable works, without many discouragements, which may weaken the hands of flesh and blood; for, so is here imported, in that Christ obviates them. 2. Christ is so easy to be entreated and employed by his people, that he will neither be discouraged nor forbidden to do them any good that they need; Therefore will he not be hindered, but reasons against all delays. 3. Christ's works are all of them the works of God, being all approven of him, and God employing him to do good, that so he might manifest his love to miserable man through him, in a way most agreeable to his justice; Therefore doth he call these things that he did in the days of his flesh, not only his own works, but the works of him that sent me. See 2 Cor. 5.19. 4. Christ stood obliged to perform all these duties, which he did in the days of his flesh, and being bound thereunto by a Commission accepted from his Father, for which he was to give an account; Therefore saith he, I must work the works of him that sent me. 5. As Christ stands bound by obligation, to perform all the duties required of a Mediator; So also he did affectionately undertake them, and employ himself therein; for, so much doth that addition teach, I must work while it is day. Opportunities of well doing in our station, are not to be slighted, but taken hold of; for, we should work while it is day. 7. It may excite us to improve opportunities of well-doing, when we consider, that opportunity being lost, it is not easily, if at all, recovered, even albeit we should be willing to work; for, when the day is past: the night cometh when no man can work. 8. Christ our Lord was so willing to be employed for the good of his people, that he studiously improved all opportunities, and did seriously lay to heart the short time he had to remain on earth, that so he might employ it thriftily, and go about doing good; for, he applies to himself in this present case, that general consideration, I must work while it is today, the night cometh, when no man can work. 9 The fullness of Christ as Mediator, being given for the good of miserable sinners, is an argument with him, pleading that he should lay out himself for their help who are in need; for, so is the force of • his argument, I am the light of the world; and therefore I must let out of that furniture, laid up in me, for the help of this man. 10. Christ, by the miraculous cures wrought upon the bodies of the diseased, in the time of his being on earth, gave a visible document of what he was, and would prove to needy souls who employ him; So much also is imported here, that he being the light of the world would give a proof of it, and invite sinners to employ him as such, by curing this blind man. 11. The Son of God his manifesting himself in our nature, and conversing with sinners on earth, preaching and working miracles among them, was a sweet and refreshful light of consolation to the world; for, albeit he be the light of the world both before and after, yet this is true in a particular and eminent way, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. And this was that day of light so much desired and longed for, Luke 10.23, 24. For this was the glorious manifestation of the love of God, when he became Immanuel, God with us, and when God not only dwelt with men, but in man's nature, and by his own preaching and miracles gave proof of that fullness of grace and truth that is in him. 12. Our Lord Jesus is so respective of lost sinners, that he accounted it no small favor to get his bride in his own immediate guiding, and did so acquit himself in these days of his Ministry, as might witness what an one he was; for, so much doth Christ's argument, drawn from this, import, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world, which imports, by way of Argument, these two. 1. That in his esteem it was a great favor to be thus in his own person the light of the world, and not to leave the ministration of his comforts to his servants, to be ministers thereof; and therefore he would be busy in this his time of it. And indeed, it appears how much he delighted to be the immediate Messenger and publisher of his love, in that before his Incarnation he appeared in human shape, and spake himself with the Patriarchs, and when his Messengers do in his name speak a word in season to the weary, his love is such, that if it were fit, he would come and be the Messenger himself. 2. That his bride being now, during this time of his Ministry, left on his immediate hand (the Prophets being ceased, John after awhile laid by, and his disciples doing but little) it was requisite he should be busy, and guide her so, as she should miss no other, and he might let her find what a difference there is betwixt the Bridegroom and his friends. And indeed he is matchless, singular, and like himself, in his guiding and dealing with his own.

Christ, having given these reasons why he behooved to cure this man, doth now fall about it, and having made clay with his spettle on the dust, and anointed the man's eyes therewith, he sends him to the pool of Siloam to wash; which he obeying, doth recover his sight. As for this pool, of which also, Nehem. 3.15. it was a fountain springing out from mount Zion, from whence flowed out the brook of Siloah, which watered a part of the City, of which, Isa. • .6. And as divers allegories are invented by the wit of men on this miracle, (as if his making use of clay in this miracle did point out, that he could cure the man, who had made man at first of clay; and, that his spettle making the clay, did point out the efficacy and virtue that sloweth from Christ's humanity, being now personally united to the Godhead) so, in particular, the signification of the name of this pool, which is, sent, makes men conceive the name was given to it, with an eye to the Messiah, who is Shiloh, Gen 49.10. But as Johns drift in interpreting the name, is only (according to his custom) to make his meaning plain; so the name seemeth to have been given of old, only in testimony that they accounted it a special gift sent of God, to have a fountain or brook among these hills, so commodious for their City: or, because it did slow out not constantly, but now and then, according as God was pleased to send it. Doctrine 1. Christ's affection to needy sinners, manifested in his Word, is such as he will give real proof of it, according as it is needed; Therefore he contents not himself to have said so much of it, ver. 4, 5. but when he had thus spoken, he works the miracle, and will give a present proof of what he had said. 2. Albeit it be our duty to pray when we are in distress, yet such is Christ's compassion, as to give us what we need, when we have little mind of it, and so cannot pray for it; for, when the man is not minding at all the cure of his disease, but is only sitting there to beg, then Christ conferreth this unexpected benefit upon him. And by this way of dealing, Christ gives ample encouragement to his own to pray in their distress, being confident that he who prevents prayer, will undoubtedly hear them. 3. When Christ employeth any means for the help of the miserable, yet the power that doth them good is not in these means, but in and from Christ; for, neither could clay heal, nor the pool wash away blindness, but that flowed from his omnipotency only. And therefore as we should rest on no means, so neither should we be discouraged in using means appointed by Christ, so long as we have his promise. 4. Christ can bring about wounderful deliverances and mercies to his people, even by means, which seem improbable and contrary to nature; for, clay of it self is rather fit to put out seeing eyes, then to open blind eyes. 5. Such as Christ takes in hand, as his patients, he may make them sicker before he cure them, and put them in a worse condition to sense, then they were before; for, so much also doth the application of clay teach, It addeth an external impediment to his natural blindness, and yet is all done in order to his cure. And thus it is also in spiritual conditions; the strong man may make greatest trouble when he is to be put out, Luke 11.21, 22. 6. Where Christ doth good to any, he will first try their faith, by their subjection and obedience to his commanded means, before they find the comfortable issue; for, such is his method here; He first puts him to subject himself to have his eyes anointed with clay, and th • n to go wash in the pool of Siloam, before the cure be wrought. Whatever Christ may do in his sovereignty in grace, yet it is our duty to believe, as we would have his power and grace manifested on our behalf, Mark 9.22, 23. And saiths first work must be subjection and obedience to commanded duties, 2 Kings 5.10.—14. 7. Faith in Christ yields prompt obedience, and will repine at no command prescribing the means of help; for, he went his way therefore and washed. And this (no doubt) flowed from faith given him by Christ (who, it may be, hath said more to him then is here recorded) which made him quit the opportunity of getting alms on the Sabbath day, and essay so improbable like a mean. 8. As there is no difficulty too hard for Christ; So there are none who, trusting in him, shall obey and follow his prescribed means, but they shall obtain a good, and the promised issue, were it never so improbable; for, he went and washed, and came seeing. 9. If we compare Christ's method in this cure with that which he followeth in curing another blind man, Mark. 8.22, 23, 24, 25. wherein he opens a man's eyes by degrees, and here it is done at the first act; If, I say, we compare these, we will not only find this difference; that whereas Christ abode with the one, therefore he did it by degrees; but sending this man away, and leaving him, upon the first act of his faith and obedience, he is cured; As indeed, Christ orders his dispensations according to the need of them he deals with: Such as he is to stay with in some visible and sensible way, he may give them more work about the curing of their diseases, that so they may employ him more: Whereas such as he is to withdraw from, may get their business more easily done. But further, It will be found that this is common to both, that being to meet with so great a mercy, as to be cured of blindness; it is not wrought at first on either; but the one, with whom he stayeth, is cured upon Christ's putting his hands twice upon his eyes, and this man hath a time of it, in going from before the Temple to the pool, before he be cured: Not only that many going with him, and observing him, they might be witnesses of the miracle, but also that himself might have time to be prepared for such a wounderful and unexpected change. And so it teacheth, That great and unexpected mercies need much preparation to sit us for them, as well as crosses; that so we may be armed with strength to bear them, and with grace to improve them well.

In the rest of the parts of the Chapter we have the several effects and consequents that followed on this miracle. The first whereof (in this second part of the Chapter) is among his neighbors and acquaintance, to whom, it seems, he returned with much joy, when he found not Christ in the place where he left him; whereupon followeth their conference upon this matter, partly, among themselves, and partly, with the man himself. The conference contains the resolution of three questions. 1. Whether such a cure had been wrought, and whether this man who now saw, was the blind man, who sat and begged? This the neighbors cannot clearly resolve, but some assert it, others allege that he is only like him, till he himself put it out of contraversie, verse 8, 9. 2. The second question is, concerning the way of his cure, which they propound for further satisfaction in the matter, verse 10. and he answereth verse 11. wherein he is able to give an account of Christ's name, which he had learned either from Christ himself, or from some who had been witnesses of what Christ did, and had led him to the pool. 3. The third question is, concerning Christ the Author of this cure; They desire to know where he is, and he cannot resolve them. v. 12.

From verse 8, 9. Learn, 1. The glory of Christ's working for his people will not be gotten obscured, and it should be taken notice of by all, as they have occasion to see it; for, this miracle shines forth among the neighbors, who seeing the man, draw forth the knowledge of it by conferences and questions: and by their means, it becomes more public. 2. The Lord may so order his dispensations, even toward them to whom he hath a purpose of good, as one cross may draw on another, and many miseries may •• yst together; That so they may have much exercise, he may make their deliverance the more conspicuous, and may make many mercies concur in it; for, this man had not only been blind, but his blindness had driven him to sit and beg, that law concerning the poor, Deut. 15.4. not being carefully observed in these times of confusion and bondage, as appears also from Acts 3.2. and elsewhere. 3. Even the many disadvantages and miseries that trouble brings upon us, may contribute in due time, to make Christ's glory more conspicuous in our help; for, that his blindness made him sit and beg. it contributed to make him more known, then if he had been the son of a great man kept in a corner; and this made the glory of the miracle to spread the faster. 4. When Christ lets forth proofs of his power and love upon any in their miseries, it will make so great and wonderful a change, that they who knew them before, may readily mistake, and hardly know them, their condition being so different from what it was; for, so appears in these neighbors, who differ in their judgments whether this was he that sat and begged, or, if he is like him only. 5. Such as have gotten proofs of Christ's favor in mercy, will not be ashamed of their former miserable condition before they were helped; for, they will seek Christ's glory, and not their own in their deliverance: Therefore, albeit this man having now occasion to change his beggarly condition, seeing he could labor for his livelihood, might have let them continue in their uncertainties; yet he thinks no shame to profess, I am he, and so puts them out of doubt, that it is he who sat and begged.

From verse 10, 11. Learn, 1. It is not enough to take notice of any great work that is wrought, unless we also take notice of Christ the author, and the way and manner of working it; Therefore when they are assured, that a great change is wrought on him, they inquire further, how were thine eyes opened, or, how was thy sight given to thee? 2. These difficulties and impossibilities which men apprehend in deliverance from trouble, and which Satan makes use of to ma • re confidence, will but contribute to make Christ's power and glory the more conspicuous; for, while they inquire, How were thine eyes opened? they do grant it was not an ordinary work, but worthy to be taken notice of, as being naturally impossible, that so Christ's doing of it, might make their own eyes to be witnesses of his omnipotency, 3. Christ is the Author of any good that is done to miserable sinners; and it needs never be inquired who makes the blind to see, the sick to be whole, &c. for, it is Jesus who worketh all this: So much doth he clear, in answering their question, Jesus made doth and anointed mine eyes, &c. And albeit it be but a particular instance, yet it is a point of general verity. 4. Such as have but small acquaintance with Christ, should yet speak to his commendation, upon the fruits they have found of it, that so it may prove an earnest and pledge of more: Therefore, albeit Christ had made this miracle the first step of his acquaintance with the man, (as is not unusual with Christ to prevent his people, and begin acquaintance with especial favors) and so he can speak of him, but as a stranger little acquaint with him, but that he heard his name, a man that is called Jesus; Yet he speaks what he knows to his advantage, and so is afterward brought to know him better. 5. It is not enough, to set out the greatness of Christ's work, unless also special notice be taken of all the weak and improbable means he employeth to bring it about; Therefore doth he so punctually relate all the circumstances of the miracle, he made clay, and anointed mine eyes, &c. to set out his glory in it the more.

From verse 12. Learn, 1. A sight of Christ's glorious working should learn men to inquire after himself; for, so do they on this information; where is he, though in the issue they proved not so sincere. But when men get notice of Christ's glory and working, they will either be allured to inquire for him, that they may seek him to enjoy him, as Cant. 5.9 — 16. with 6.1 or their malice will be irritate to seek him, to do him an ill office. 2. Ignorance of Christ, and concerning him, and where he is to be found, is no • a • ety even among them who have got much good of him; for, the man who was healed, as he took him but for a man, ver. 11. so he knoweth not where he is. 3. Such as are truly humble, will not be ashamed to confess their ignorance; for, so doth he, They said unto him where is he? he said I know not. 4. Christ by his withdrawing and not staying for the man's return, would teach, 1. That true humility is an enemy to ostentation, and to hunting after vain glory; for, to avoid this did he withdraw. 2. That Christ is not so much taken with the muddy affections, and ravishing admirations, which a recent mercy may produce, as he desires to have the sense of mercies solidly digested, to bring out solid and constant fruits; Therefore doth he avoid all the expressions of the man's affections, which readily he would have poured out, when he came from the pool, and doth not manifest himself to him till afterward, that he have more solidly digested it, and till he have yet more need of him.

In the third part of the Chapter, to ver. 35, We have the second effect or consequent that followed on this miracle; and it contains the proceedings of the Pharisees upon it, when it is made known to them. And it hath these particulars in it. 1. Their debates and divisions among themselves upon it.