such a height and pitch in wickedness and sin, that it may be a Christian's duty not to admonish or reprove them. Observe, 2. How Christ provides, as for the honour of his word, so for the safety of those who publish it. As Christ will not have his word offered to some sinners, lest they should abuse it: so lest they should abuse those that bring it. When sinners turn rinish swine, and we are in danger of being rent by them, Christ himself gives us a permission to cease reproving of them.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Observe here, A precept and a promise; the precept, or duty commanded, is, importunity and constancy in prayer, we must ask, seek, and knock: the promise, or mercy ensured, is, audience and acceptance with God. Note, 1. That man is a poor, indigent, and necessitous creature, full of wants, but unable to supply them. 2. That God

in his heart, nor entertain any grudge against his neighbours; the matter we pray for must be what is agreeable to God's will, and the manner of our prayer must be in faith, and with fervency, and unfainting perseverance.

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Observe here, 1. An incomparable rule of life; always to do as we would be done by. Note, That the great rule of righteousness and equity in all our dealings with men, is this, to do as we would be done unto: it is a short rule, a full rule, and clear rule; both the light of nature and the law of Christ bind it upon us. Observe, 2. The commendation of this rule, it is the law and the prophets; that is, the sum of the Old Testament, so far as concerns our duty to our neighbour; and the substance of the second table. Learn, That it is the design of the scriptures of the Old Testament, first, to render men dutiful and obedient to God, and then righteous and charitable one to

another.

This is the law of the prophets, yea, the whole of the law and the prophets, to love God above ourselves, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life; and few there be that find it.

is an all-sufficient Good, able to supply the wants, and to relieve the necessities, of his creatures, if they call upon him, and cry unto him. 3. Yet if we do not presently Observe here, 1. That every man is a receive what we ask, we must still con- traveller in a certain way. 2. That there tinue to seek and knock; though prayer are but two ways in which the race of be not always answered in our time, yet it mankind can travel; the one strait and shall never fail of an answer in God's narrow, that leads to life and salvation; time. 4. The natural propensity which the other broad and wide, which leads to we find in our breasts to hear the desires, hell and destruction. 3. That because of and to supply the wants, of our own child- the difficulties in the way to salvation, and ren, ought to raise in us a confident expec- the easiness of the way to hell and destructation that Almighty God will hear our tion, hence it is that so few walk in the one, prayers, and supply our wants, when we and so many in the other. 4. That Chriscall upon him; if a father will give when tians having the strait way to heaven rea child asks, much more will God. If ye, vealed to them, in and by the word of God, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto should choose rather to go in that way your children, how much more shall your alone to life, than to run with the multitude Father, &c. God loves to be giving, and in that broad way, which leads down to to give good gifts is his delight. But the chambers of death and hell. 5. That prayer is the key that opens both his heart the metaphor of a gate denotes our first and hand: yet not every person, nor every || entrance into a religious course of life, and prayer, shall find acceptance with God: its being strait denotes the difficulty that the person praying must be a doer of God's attends religion at first: evil habits to be will, St. John ix. 31, and not regard iniquity || put off, old companions in sin to be parted

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with; but when faith and patience have || doeth the will of my Father, which once smoothed our way, love will make our work delightful to us.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Observe here, 1. A caution given, Beware of false prophets. There were two sorts of deceivers which our Saviour gave his disciples a special warning of; namely, false Christs, and false prophets: false Christs were such as pretended to be the sure Messias; false prophets were such as pretended to own Christianity, but drew people away from the simplicity of the gospel. Observe, 2. The ground of this caution, they come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves: that is, they make fair pretences to strictness in religion, and to greater measures and degrees of mortification and self-denial than others. Whence we learn, That such as go about to seduce others, usually pretend to extraordinary measures of sanctity themselves, to raise an admiration amongst those who judge of saints more by their looks than by their lives; more by their expressions than by their actions. What heavenly looks and devout gestures, what long prayers and frequent fastings, had the hypocritical Pharisees, beyond what Christ or his disciples ever practised! Observe, 3. The rule laid down by Christ, whereby we are to judge of false teachers; By their fruits ye

shall know them. Learn, that the best course

we can take to judge of teachers pretending to be sent of God, is to examine the design and tendency of their doctrines, and the course and tenor of their conversations. Good teachers, like good trees, will bring forth the good fruits of truth and holiness; but evil men and seducers, like corrupt trees, will bring forth error and wickedness in their life and doctrine.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that

is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

saith Lord, Lord, that is, that owneth me by Not every one, that is, Not any one that way of profession, by way of prayer, and by way of appeal, shall be saved; but he that doeth the will of my Father, sincerely and universally. Learn hence, 1. That multitudes at the great day shall be really disowned by Christ as none of his servants, that did nominally own him for their Lord and Master: many that have now prophesied in his name, shall then perish in his wrath many that have cast out devils now, shall be cast out to devils then: such as have now done many wonderful works, shall then perish for evil workers. Note, 2. That a bare name and profession of Christianity, without the practice of it, is a very insufficient ground to build our hopes of heaven and salvation upon. A profession of faith, and purposes of obedience, without actual obedience to the commands of God, will avail no person to salvation. 3. That gifts, eminent gifts, yea, extraordinary and miraculous gifts, are not to be rested in, or depended upon, as sufficient evidences for heaven and salvation. Gifts are as the gold which adorns the temple, but grace is like the temple that sanctifies the gold.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock: 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Christ here speaks of two houses, the

such is the power of Christ's doctrine, when accompanied with the energy of the Holy Spirit, that it makes all the auditors admirers, yea, believers; it causes astonishment in their minds, and reformation in their manners.

CHAP. VIII.

one built upon a rock, the other upon the || be an extraordinary prophet. Learn, That sand; these two houses were alike skilfully and strongly built to outward appearance; while the sun shone, and the weather was fair, none could discern but that the house upon the sand was built as well, and might stand as long, as that on the rock; but when the rain fell, the foundation failed. Thus, where is the hypocrite, with all his faith and fear, with all his show and appearance of grace, in a wet and windy day? His goodly outside is like the apples of Sodom, fair and alluring to the eye, but, being touched, instantly evaporate into dust and smoke. An hypocrite stands in grace no longer than till he fall into trouble; and accordingly our Saviour here concludes his excellent sermon with an elegant similitude. The wise builder is not the frequent

This chapter is called by St. Ambrose, Scriptura Miraculosa, the Miraculous Scripture; there being several great miracles recorded in this chapter as the cleansing of the leper, the curing of the centurion's servant, the appeasing of the winds, &c Our Saviour having delivered his doctrine in the former chapters; in this he backs his doctrine with miracles, for the establishment and confirmation of it.

WHEN he was come down from

the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean: And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

hearer, but the faithful doer of the word, or the obedient Christian; the house is heaven, the hope of eternal life; the rock is Christ; the building upon the sand is resting in the bare performance of outward duties. The rains, the winds, the floods, are all kinds of afflicting evils, sufferings, and persecutions that may befall us. Note, 1. That the obedient believer is the only wise man, that builds his hopes of heaven upon a sure and abiding foundation. Note, 2. That such professors as rest in the outward performance of holy duties, are foolish builders, their foundation is weak and Note here, in general, that the Jews paid sandy, and all their hopes of salvation civil adoration to their kings, and to their vain and uncertain. An outward profes- prophets: thus Saul stooped with his face sion of Christianity, though set off by pro- to the ground to Samuel; Nebuchadnezzar phesying and doing miracles, will not avail fell on his face before Daniel; and Obadiah any man towards his account at the great before Elijah; from whence may be gatherday, without that real and faithful, thated that the adorations given to Christ by universal and impartial obedience to the laws of Christ which the gospel requires. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the

scribes.

Here we have two things observable: 1. The manner of our Lord's teaching, it was with authority; that is, it was grave and serious, pious and ardent, plain and profitable. With what brevity, without darkness! with what gravity, without affectation! with what eloquence, without meretricious ornament, were our Lord's discourses! The majesty he showed in his sermons, made it evidently appear that he was a Teacher sent of God, and clothed with his authority. Observe, 2. The success of his teaching: The people were astonished at his doctrine affected with admiration, believing him to

them that knew nothing of his divinity, were paid him as a prophet sent from God. Only next, several particulars are here observable; as, 1. The petitioner, and that is a leper, he came and worshipped Christ, and petitions him to heal him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Where he discovers a firm belief of Christ's power, but a diffidence and distrust of Christ's will, to heal him. Learn, Christ's divine power must be fully assented to, and firmly believed, by all those that expect benefit by him, and healing from him. Observe, 2. How readily our Saviour grants his petition: Jesus touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. Our Saviour by touching the leper showed himself to be above the law, as God; though subject to the law, as man; for by the ceremonial law the leper was forbidden to be touched. Yet it was a received rule among the Jews, that a prophet might vary from the punctilios of the ceremonial law, or change a ritual law; so did Elijah stretch himself on the

dead child, and Elisha on the Shunamite's son, notwithstanding the prohibition of coming near the dead. But Christ's curing the leper by the word of his mouth, and! the touch of his hand, showed his divine power, and proved himself to be truly and really sent of God: leprosy being called by the Jews the finger of God, a disease of his sending, and of his removing our Saviour therefore, as a proof of his being

yet Christ sends the leper to submit to it; because though they did corrupt, yet they did not extinguish, the divine institution.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

The second miracle our Saviour works in this chapter,is the healing of the centurion's servant: where observe, 1. The person that applies to our Saviour for help and healing: he was a Gentile, an heathen, a Roman soldier, an officer and commander; yet he believes in and relies upon the power of Christ. Note, That such is the freeness of

the Messias, tells the disciples of John, That the lepers were cleansed, Mat. xi. 5, and the dead raised: which being put together, intimates, that the cleansing of the leper is as peculiar an act of divine power as the raising of the dead; and accordingly, 2 Kings, v. 7, said the king, Am I God, that this man sends to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Observe, 3. The certainty and suddenness of the cure; immediately his leprosy was cleansed: Christ not only cured him without means, but without the ordinary time required for such a cure. Thus Christ showed both power and will to cure him miraculously, who believed his power, but questioned his willingness. Observe, 4. The charge and command given by Christ after the cure, 1. To tell no man; wherein the modesty, humility, and piety of Christ, is discovered, together with the care of his own safety. His modesty, in not desiring his good deeds should be proclaimed; his humility, in shunning vain-glorious applause and commendation; his piety, in desiring all the praise, honour, and glory, should redound entirely to God; and his care of his own safety, lest the publishing of this miracle should create him untimely danger from the Pharisees. Chris-divine grace, that it extends itself to all sorts tians, behold your pattern to do much good. and make but little noise. Christ affected no popular air; he did not spoil a good work by vain ostentation. When we work hard for God, take we great care that pride doth not blow either it or us. O how difficult it is to do much service, and not value ourselves too much for the services which we do! The second part of the charge which Christ gave the recovered ieper was, To show himself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them; that is, as a testimony to the Jews that he was the Messias, and that he did not oppose the ceremonial law given by Moses. Where note, That our Saviour would have the ceremonial law punctually observed, so long as the time for its continuance did endure: though he came to destroy that law, yet whilst it stood he would have it observed. Here Dr. Lightfoot observes, that though the priesthood was much degenerated from its primitive institution by human invention,

and ranks, to all orders and degrees of men, without exception. Even the bloody trade of war yields worthy clients to Christ. He doth not so much regard who we are, and whence we are, as what we are, and with what dispositions and inclinations we come unto him. Observe, 2. The person whom the centurion comes to Christ for; not for himself, not for his son, but for his servant; his servant is sick, he doth not drive him out of doors, nor stand gazing by his bed-side, but looks out for relief for him: a worthy example. Some masters have not so much regard to their sick servants as they have to their oxen or their swine; but he is not worthy of a good servant, that in a time of sickness is not willing to serve his servant. A conceit of superiority must beget in no man a neglect of charitable offices towards inferiors. Observe, 3. Unto whom the centurion seeks, and with what zeal and application: he seeks not to wizards and conjurers, but to the physician, for his poor servant; yea, to

Christ, the best Physician: and this not || kingdom of heaven: 12 But the with a formal relation in his mouth, but children of the kingdom shall be with a vehement aggravation of the dis- cast out into outer darkness: there ease: My servant is grievously tormented: where the master's condolency and tender shall be weeping and gnashing of sympathy with his afflicted servant is both teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the matter of commendation and imitation centurion, Go thy way; and as thou also. Observe, 4. The happy mixture of hast believed, so be it done unto humility and faith which was found in this thee. And his servant was healed centurion; he owns his unworthiness of in the self-same hour. having Christ come under his roof; yet he acknowledged Christ's power, that by This was the first occasion that Christ speaking of a word his servant might be took to speak of the calling of the Gentiles, healed by him. Humility is both the fruit and the rejection of the Jews. Observe of faith, and the companion of faith; an here, that the unbelieving Jews are called humble soul has an high esteem of Christ, the children of the kingdom, because born and a low esteem of himself. Observe, 5. within the pale of the visible church; they How our blessed Saviour exceeds both his presumed that the kingdom of heaven desires and his expectations; Christ says, was entailed upon them, because they not only, I will heal him, but I will come were Abraham's seed; they boasted of and heal him: wonderful condescension! and gloried in their external and outward In St. John, chap. iv. 47, we read of a cer- privileges. Note thence, 1. That gospeltain nobleman and ruler, that twice entreat- ordinances, and church privileges enjoyed, ed our Saviour to come to his house and are a special honour to a people admitted heal his son; but our Lord refused, and to the participation of them; our Saviour did not stir a foot; here the centurion doth here styles the Jews upon that account, but barely tell Christ of his poor servant's the children of the kingdom. 2. That such sickness, and Christ both unasked and un- privileges enjoyed, but not improved, do desired says, I will come and heal him. O provoke Almighty God to inflict the heahow far was Christ from seeming in the viest of judgments upon a people. The least to honour riches and despise poverty ! || children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer He that came in the form of a servant, darkness; that is, into the darkness of hell, goes down and visits a sick servant upon where shall be perpetual lamentation for his poor pallet-bed, that would not visit the remembrance of the gospel kindly the rich couch of the ruler's son. How offered, but unthankfully rejected. should we stoop to the lowest offices of 14 And when Jesus was come love and kindness to one another, when Christ thus condescendingly abased him- into Peter's house, he saw his wife's self before us! Observe, 6. The notice mother laid, and sick of a fever. and observation which our Saviour takes 15 And he touched her hand, and of the centurion's faith; he wondered at the fever left her: and she arose, it from him, who had wrought it in him. and ministered unto them. Christ wrought this faith as God, and wondered at it as man; what can be more wonderful than to see Christ wonder? We do not find our Saviour wondering at worldly pomp and greatness. When the disciples wondered at the magnificence of the temple, Christ rather rebuked them, than wondered with them; but when he sees the gracious acts of faith, he is ravished with wonder. Let it teach us to place our admiration where Christ fixes his let us be more affected with the least measure of grace in a good man, than with all the gaieties and glory of a great man; let us not envy the one, but admire the other.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the VOL. I.-6

The next miracle which our Saviour wrought, was, in curing Peter's wife's mother of a fever; the miracle was not in curing an incurable distemper, but in the way and manner of curing: For, 1. It was by a touch of our Saviour's hand. 2. It was instantaneous and sudden; immediately the fever left her. 3. The visible effects of her recovery presently appeared; she instantly rose and ministered unto them. That she could arise, argued her cure miraculous; that she could and did arise and administer unto Christ, argued her thankfulness, and a great sense of his goodness upon her mind. Note here, 1. That mar riage in the ministers of the gospel, yea, even in the apostles themselves, and in Peter, the chiefest of hem, was neither censured nor condemned by our Saviour. St. Peter had a wife and family, which

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