See the Notes on Mat. 1c. 28. wire we met with the ſame : From this to the 13th v. our Saviour Armeth bis Diſciples to en- counter thoſe ſtorms of Perſecution, which he knew they would meet with after he ſhould -be taken up into Heaven.Here are two Arguments in this Yerſe, 1. The own drawn from the Impotency,or Limited Power of the moſt malicious enemies z they can Kill the Body, but can do no more. 2. From the mighty power of God, who can caſt us into Hell , Maithew ſaith, who can caſt Body and Soul into Hell Fire ; Whence it is evident, 1. That there are Puniſhments beyond this Life; all mens puniſhments will not end with the kill- ing of thcir Bodies 2, That men have Souls as well as Bodtes,and both Souls and Budi-s of Sinners will 1n the ReſurreAion be made capavie of Eterral Punif}.racnt. 3. That the ready way to bring us under that Miſery, is to be morc afraid of the wrath of Men thin of tte Wrath of God.
6 Are not five ſparrows ſold ſor two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God ?
7 But even the very heirs of your head are all num- bred. Fear not thereforc, ye arc of more value then many ſparrows.
Sce the Notes on Matth 10. 29, 30, 31.0ur Saviours third Ar- gument is brought from the Providence of God, both his Genera/ Providence upholding the Beings of all his Creatures,ſfo that he for- getteth not a Sparrowy,tho Creature of to minute a valuc,that two of them are ſold fora Farthing (as Matthew ſaith} or five for two Farthings (Cas Like faith) yea,he fo remembreth them, that one of them falis not to theGround without his knowledge and leave, faith Matthew.Zut betides this, God excrciteth a more ſpecial Providence towards Creatures with retcrence to their Dignity and excellency, 20w(faith our Saviour )you arc of more value than many ſparrows, you are ſo as Men,ycu are more fo as my Diſciples,eſpecially as mv Miniſters and Emoatladors. The very Hairs of your head are numbred, god will regard your moſt minute concerns.
8 * Alſol ſay unto you, Whoſcever ſhall confeſs me before men,him ſhall the ſon of man alſo confeſs before the angels of God.
9 But he that denieth me before men,ſhall be deni-
ed before the angels of God.
See the Notes on Mat. 10. 32, 33. Here 15s a fourth and fifth Argument, drawn from the rewards, and Puniſhments of ſuch as thail confeſs,or deny Chrift before men. Confeſſi-n here ſignifies, the owning, and adhercing to the Truths, and Ways of God, in a time of oppoſition ; the reward promifed,is,Chriſts owning thoſe that do it at the Day ot Judgment; before theFather(ſaith Matthew) before the . 'ngels, ſaith Luke. Chriſt hath no need of our owning him. his truth and ways ; we way by it be profitable to our ſclyes, but not to him;we ſhall have need in the Day of Judgment of Cliritt's owning us. By the dental of Chriſt, 15 nteant our Apoſtacy from the Truths,or ways of God ; the denial of his truths, ways,or iarecet in this World it implicsa perſecuting of them, but ſignifi- cth ſfoincthing much leſs, a denial Hy words,or a forſaking and not adhicreing to them. The puniſhment will be Chriſts denial of us in the Pay of judgment. What that ſigniheth Maithew tells us, c. 7. v. 23. I s4ll prejeſs unto them, 1 never knew you. Depart from me, I knw ye not, ye workers of Iniquity z and Matth. 25. 41. he ſhall ſay to them on the left hand, depart from me ie Carſed int) Everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, This mult be underſtood not af tuch, as deny him, as Peter did, in an hour of zreat Temptation, and thcn go cut and Weep bitterly, and agata return unto him, but as luch as perift in fuch demals, and return nut to Confels
WO.
CZ UKE
'Son of man, it ſhall be forgiven him, but that blaſphemeth againſt the holy Ghoſt, i;
10 And whoſoever ſhall ſpeak a word againſt tho
wito hin
ſhall I. \
be forgiven. : Ct See the Notes on Mat. 12. 31. and on Mark 3. 26.
11 And when they bring you unto the LYn2gogues and unto magiſtrates, and powers,take ye no \ how or what thing ye ſhall anſwer, or what ye hall ſay. | |
12 For the holy Ghoſt ſhall teach you in the fame
hour, what ye ought to ſay.
See the Notes on Mat. 1o. 19. Mark 12. rt.
13 And one of the company ſaid unto him, Maſter ſpeak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
14 And he ſaid unto him, Man, who made me; judge, or a divider over you ?
This Paſlage certainly isnot recorded for nothing; if it teachet!) us any thing,it 15 this, That matters of Civil Fuſtice belong mt t1 thoje whom Chriſt ſends to preach his Goſpel. That work is enouoh for them ; Chriſt here retuſeth the Oftice fo much as of an Arlitr,. tor. A very learned Author tells us,that the praftice of hrinsiys Civil Matters before Eccleſiaſtical Menas Judges, began in the Cay. trvi'y of Bubyl;n,the Jews by that means avoiding the bringing their differences before Pagan Judges, which the Apoſtle aifo perſuadeth at large to the primitive Chriſtians,in x Cor. 6. 1, 2. Oc. But thy the Miniſters of theGoſpel ſhould be imploycd,or might be 'mploy- ed inchem, doth not appear by the Apoſtles ; nay r Cor. 6, 4. he ſpeaks the contrary, ſet them to judge who are leaſt efieemed in :;, Church.Theſe furely were not the Elders in it.Under the Rimaz,, the Jews had more liberty,having Civil Courts made up ofPerfyn; of thizir own Religion,to whom our Saviour turns ovcr this Man; being not willing to move out of his calling,as a Minilter of the Goſpel. As Chriſt's Commiſſioners, it is moſt certain,that no 31gj. {ters of the Goſpel can intermeddle in civil Judgments ; whether thoſe who are ſuch Commilſioners of Chriſt may yet as mens con; miſftoners a, it ſtands thoſe in hand who ere ambitious of ſyc!} an Employment,and can find leiſure enough tor it,and are calle to it,to inquire ; | thall not intermeddle in that Controveriic, T9 me, the proper Work of the Goſpe) is Work enough.
I5 And he ſaid unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetouſneſs, for a mans life conſiſteth not in the
abundance of the things which he poſleſſeth.