34 But they held their peace ; for by the way they had diſputed among themſelves who ſhould be the greateſt.
This Ambition of the Diſciples we have had occaſion xt; to Diſcourſe of in the Notes on Matth. 18. i. It was fours. upon their miſtake of the true Nature of the Kingdom 9: 1, Meſſiah, which they at this time, and a long time after, '«c:.; to the time of Chriſt's Aſcenſion, as appeareth by A#s 1. 5.1. derſtood of a temporal, ſecular Kingdom 3 10 the Adminif;,. tion of which, he ſhould deliver. the Fews from all Slavery 1:4 Bondage : this made their Minds fo often run of Djznities 41. Places, which he ſhould in that Adminiſtration have a Po :» diſpoſe of. This made the Mother of Zebedee's Childrey pete. tion for Places for her two Sons. |
35 And hefate down and called the twelve, faith unto them, * If any man delire ro be firlt, thr+c.,. ſame ſhall be laſt of all, and ſervant of all. Tye
36 And * he took a child, and ſer him in the mids, . of them : and when he had taken him in his arms, tz ſaid unto them,
37 Whoſoever ſhall receive one of ſuch children in my Name, receiveth me: and * whoſoever fhill« y,
receive me, receiveth not me, but him that fent ;; me. Matthew's Recital of this paſſage, expoundeth Mark ; he ſitth Chriſt ſaid, Except ye be converted, and become as little Children, ye ſhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: Whoſjever there 1r ſhall humble himſelf as this little Child, the ſame ts greate!t in the Kingdom of God : And whoſo ſhall recerve one ſuch little Chill in my Name, receiveth me. Luke alſo relateth this paſſage fome- thing more ſhortly, but without any Contradittion to what i 'aid by the other Evangeiiſt, The Senſe 1s platn, our Saviour's defign was to check the Ambition and Ignorance of: his Dilc:- ples; never more unreaſonably ſheiwed than now, when 2 lit fering-time was ſo hard at hand. He at arft did it by Word of Mouth ; telling them, | That if any Min deſire t) bo ful, (: ſhould be laſt of all : ] The leaft valuable in the Eycs of Ga ; and he would have them value ſuch a Perſon leafi. Hun: is that which moſt Exalts a Soul in the Eyes of Chritt, and {:- teth it higheſt in his Eſteem. But it 1s obſervable, our Loru doth not ſay, He that is firſt, but he who defireth to be fr God is a God of Order, not of Confuſion ; there can ©. : Order without a firſt, as well as a laſt. But Chriſtians {%: ſters eſpecially, for he is here ſpeaking to the Twelve) ou! to be ſought our for, not to ſeek places of Preheminence 4's Dignity : He that is fir? in ſeeking them, is uſually //! 1s t any true Worth defexving thew, and ought la!t to 07.: them. Then he teacheth them Humility by the Type of 4 tle Child, which he ſetteth in the midſt of them, tellin; tle they muſt be like that little Child, (ſaith Matthew) not it 3 things, but in the want of Ambition , in a careleſneſs 4s to !'':- great Things of this Life. And whoſoever entertain'd or 110: ed kindneſs toſuch a one, Chriſt would take it as done to I! 13132
ſelf; and what kindneſs was ſhewed him, reached not to hit only, but to his Father who ſent him. There are 4ilo ot: things in little Children commended to us in Holy Writ 3 this is manifeſtly what our Saviour here intendeth. 5ce tlic Nuts on Matthew, chap. 18. ver, 1, 2, 3-
38 And John anſwered him, ſaying, Maſter, W*'- ſaw one caſting out devils in thy Name, and he follow-
ed not us, and We forbad him, becauſe he follow*® not us,
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39 Bat Jeſus faid,Forbid him nor, * for there is no |
man that ſhall do a miracle in my Name, that can
lightly ſpeak evil of me. a ; 140 * For he that 1s not againſt us, is on our
part- Here a Queſtion ariſeth worthy of our Diſcuſſion a little : thcie Miraculous Operations were performed by a Di-
N2C1N; We _ a A g p mp vine . Wo and for ſuch an End as the Confirmation of Chritt s Divine Power, how could any one caſt out Devils in the Name 4- ['Y » .