Chriſt doth here, 1. Confirm the power before given to theſe Se- venty for working Miracles,that they might not think thar it ceaſed upon the determination of the firſt Miſſion. 2. He confirmeth his promiſe to them for his preſence with them, and proteCtion of them. Interpreters think here is a manifeſt Allufſion to Pſal. 91.13; Thaw ſhalt tread upon the Lyon, and Adder, the young Lyon, and Aa- der, thau ſhalt trample under thy feet. Which muſt be underſtood figuratively, the Senſe being, that nothing ſhould hurt them. This promiſe was more ſpecially verited for ſome years in God's prote- &ion of the firſt Miniſters of the Goſpel until they had done their work 3 and ſhall be fulfilled in a Senſe to the end of the World, according to the promiſe in Pſal. g1. Nothing ſhall hurt their Souls as to the favour of God, and their Eternal Happineſs, nor their Bo- dies ſo far forth as, or fo long as, God in his Wiſdom ſhall.judge fit. They have a farther power alfo given them more- common tc 21] the Miniſters of the Gotpel ſent by Chriſt, yea, and toall Chrifti- ans. They have a power over all the power of the Enemy. God will not be wanting to them in a power to reſiſt the Devil z and they
& thinzs as are ſet befuie you, 6, They have K7h "Te |
CTtt] 20 Not-
Chap. X. 9, L ; 20 Notwithſtanding in this rejoyce not, that the ſpirits are ſubject unto you, bur rather rejoyce, be- * Exod. 32. cauſe * your names are written 10 heaven. 32. It is an uſual thing in Holy Writ, to have Prohivitions delivered Iſa. 4. 3- in Generaj Terms, which muſt be underſtood in a reſtrained Senſe. Dan. 12+ + That it is ſo here, appcareth plainly by the Word Rather, prefixed Phil. 4. 3+ to Rejayce, in the latter part of the Sentence. For it was doubtleſs > juſt cauſe of Joy ard Rejoycing to tnem,that Chriſt had houvoured
tem with Juch an extra>rdinary Gift and Power, bet not of fo muct |
Foz. as to know that treir Names were wrote inthe Book of Life 3 for a: the good was intinitely greater, ſoa proportionabie Joy was requi:/1*e upon the atturance of 1t. The Expreſſion w1itten zn Peaven, js equ.y2{cnt to the be:ng wrote 7n the byyk of Life, whereby 18 fign- fied, citi» r the certain Detignarion ct ſome to ctcrnal Life, or effe- cual Calli.'-. Weread of this book of Life, Rev. 3. 5. and 2Ce12. Is. and 21. 7. 29. and 22. 19. it iscail:d the Lamos buok, Rev. 13.8» and it js faid 1t i. Whierten from the fund ation of the world, which will juttifie thoſe © -ines who underftand it of a particular ElecF;on from Eternity, V/hereas ©: 55 objeded thit when amongſt the Twelve there was a $9n of Perditzon, * i< unreaſon2ble to think that all the Seventy were cle Veiſc!s, It i477 aniwercd, that our Saviour's words were true according to the uu: 77 2 > caking, 1f the generality of them only were ſuch.Nor nced out £44001 be under- {tocd as afſerting, all their Names were {o writt.n, but only allect- ing the greateſt cauſe of Joy to be, if men can by their Calling find that their Elc&ion is ſure. From our Saviours words we mav 1nfcr, I. That there is a Boob of Life, an Elettion of Grace. 2. That there are Names wriiten in this Book, it is an Ele@Qion of Perſons, 3. That Men may hnow that their Names are written in that Byyl otherwiſe they could not rejoyce : no man rejoyceth, but in a good with which he hath ſome degree of Union. 4. That this 1s a greater cauſe of Joy, than for a Man to know that he hath a Power to caſt out Devils, Men may be made uſe of to caſt out cevils in Chriſt's Name, who yet may go to the Devil at laſt, Matth. 7, 22. Socan- not thoſe whoſe Names are wri:ten in the b5oÞ of Life. But I cannor underſtand that ourSaviour in theſe words afferts that all theNames of the Seventy were wrote in that book. The tendency of his Diſ courſe is rather to quicken them to give al! diligeace to make ſure of this cauſe of Joy, and Rejoycing. 21 In that hour Jeſus rejoyced in ſpirit, and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and pru- dent, and haſt revealed them unto babes : even ſo, Fa- ther, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy light. 22 Allthings are delivered to me of my Father, and * Mat. 22.no * man knoweth who the Son is, bur the Father, 18. and who the Father 1s, but the Son, * and he to whom John 3. 35, . the Son will reveal him.
* John 6, | 41> 40» See the Notes on Mat. 11. 25, 27. where we met with theſe words of our Saviour.
23 And he turned him unto his diſciples, and ſaid privately, Bleſied are the eyes which ſee the things that ye lee,
24 For 1 tell you, that * many prophets and kings have delired to fee thoſe things Which ye ſee,and have not {een them, and to hear thoſe things which ye hear,
and have not heard chem, Sce the Notes on Mat. 13. 16,17.
25 Ard behold a certain lawyer ftood up, and tempted him, ſaying, Maſter, what ſhallI do to inherit eternal life ? |
26 He ſaid unto him, What is written in the law ? how readeft thou.
27 And he anſwering, ſaid, * Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God With all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy * Lev. 19. mind ; and * thy neighbour as thy ſelf. hy 28 And he ſaid unto him, Thou haſt anſwered right - * Lev.12.s. this do, and * thou ſhalt live.
Ezek. 20. Theſe four Verſes would incline one to think that Lube here re-