Page images
PDF
EPUB

lical Doctrine in the hearts of men; and now ye are sent to perfect those good beginnings, which they have made so as ye shall reap the fruit and comfort of that good counsel, and holy labours, which have been bestowed by others.

V. 1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Not long after this was the Jewish feast of Pentecost; at which time, and upon which occasion, Jesus, according to the Law, went up to Jerusalem.

V. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: &c.

For an angel went down, at some seasons appointed by God, though not fixed, and foreknown by men; and, in testimony of his descent and presence, moved, and troubled the water of the pool whosoever then first, &c.

V. 17 But Jesus answered them, My father worketh hitherto, and I work.

But Jesus answered and said, It would be very injurious in you, to think, that the divine works of God, my Heavenly Father, or those of mine, whereby I approve my Deity to the world, are any violation at all of the Sabbath day: rather, that day serves to set forth and celebrate these wonderful works, both of Him and Me.

V. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Ye fix your eyes upon me, as a mere man, and look no further than the flesh that you see; but herein ye are foully deceived: it is the power of my invisible Godhead, whereby I do these wonderful works; for I and the Father are one indivisible essence, and our acts are no less inseparable: the Son can do nothing without the will and act of the Father; and, even as he is man, can do nothing, but what he seeth agreeable to the will and purpose of his Heavenly Father.

V. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

For God the Father loveth the Son, even as man, and enableth him to all his wonderful works, which he doth; and will, by his power and authority, cause him to produce greater works than ye have yet seen, that ye may yet more be astonished with wonder.

V. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.

For the Father, as by himself immediately, judgeth no man, but hath committed the power and managing of this work unto the Son; so as the Father, by the Son, judgeth the world.

V. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Ye look upon me as a mere man, not knowing or considering that relation which I have to the Father, and that Deity which is veiled under this flesh: know ye therefore, that, in that human state which I have assumed, I can of myself do nothing; but, according to that I am directed, by that powerful and all-wise Godhead, from the information whereof I judge: and my judgment is just, because I seek not to please my own will, as man; but the will of my Eternal Father, which hath sent me.

V. S1, 32 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. For there is another that beareth witness of me; &c.

If I should yield you this, that my testimony concerning myself is not to be admitted, as indeed amongst mere men that rule is but just and equal; ye know, that ye have no reason to press this upon me; for there is another that beareth witness of me, &c.

V. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. Ye sent unto John, to know his judgment of me: ye had not şent to him, if ye had not ascribed much to the authority of his testimony; and, behold, ye know, that he bare witness to the truth, and pointed unto me as that Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.

V. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

But it is not any human testimony, that I stand upon; neither is it the approbation of any mortal man, that can add any thing to me: but I speak this for your conviction, that ye may be induced to acknowledge the truth, and be saved.

V. 35, 36 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, &c.

John was indeed a zealous and holy man; one that gave great
light to God's Church in his time, burning with fervent affections,
and shining with heavenly doctrine and exemplary sanctimony;
and ye were willing, for a season, to profess your hearty respects
to him, and your thankful and glad acceptance of his doctrine.
But I rest not in his testimony: I have greater witness, &c.
V. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne
witness of me.
Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor

seen his shape.
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness
of me; both in that voice which was heard from heaven in my
baptism, and in the attestation of his prophets and in all the types
and figures of his Law. But, as for you, ye have nothing to do
with that Eternal Father of mine: ye have no notice of him at
all; either by his voice, or any whatsoever representation he hath
made of himself.

V. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

Ye have not given that respect and belief to his word, which ye ought; for that Messiah, whom the Law and the Prophets do so

clearly set forth, and commend unto you as sent from God, ye do wilfully reject.

think ye

have eternal

V. 39 Search the Scriptures; for in them life: and they are they which testify of me. Search the Scriptures; for ye profess to make high account of them, and do justly think in them to find eternal life: and they are iny witnesses: I desire no other testimony but theirs.

V. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. And yet, though by them ye be directed unto me, as the only Fountain of Life, yet ye will not come to me by a true faith, that ye might have life from me.

V. 41, 42 I receive not honour from men. that ye have not the love of God in you.

But I know you,

Do not think that I set forth myself unto you, as if I affected to be honoured by you: no; it is not reputation and honour from men, that I regard; Much less from you, whom I know to be altogether void of the love of God.

V. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

For if ye did love God, ye would gladly receive me, who am come to you in the Name and Authority of that my Heavenly Father: but now ye receive me not; whereas, if a false prophet shall come, in his own name and of his own head, ye will be apt enough to entertain and follow him.

V. 44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

But ye are ready to say, Were the matter so plain as you pretend, why should not we believe, as well as others? We are sure that we know more than the common sort; why should we not equally embrace that truth, which appeareth unto us? Let me tell you, it is your pride, and ambition, that lies in your way: this grace of faith is given to the meek and humble; as for yu, Scribes and Pharisees, ye are all for your own vain glory: all ye care for, is, to be honoured of each other, and to surpass each other in titles and reputation with men; not regarding that true honour, which cometh from God only.

V. 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

Ye shall one day give an account, before the Tribunal Seat of God, of this stiff incredulity of yours; but do not think, that I shall need to be your accuser there: no; there is one, that shall rise up to accuse you, even he, whom ye unjustly pretend and challenge for your patron, Moses.

V. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

There will need no other conviction of you, than the writings of Moses, who hath given therein abundant testimony of me; so as, had ye but believed Moses, ye would have believed me.

V. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

But if ye believe not his writings, which ye confess to be so authen

tical and beyond all exception; how is it like ye will believe my words, which ye are ready to slight and prejudge?

VI. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

When Jesus perceived the inclination of the people, that they, being persuaded he was the Messiah, and supposing that he must therefore be a temporal king over Israel, would go about to force him to receive this honour from them; he withdrew himself; and departed again into a mountain himself alone.

VI. 21 And immediately the ship was at the land whither they

went.

He caused the ship, by an extraordinary speed, to come to land.

VI. 27 Which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Which bread of life, the Son of Man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father designed to this office of his Mediatorship, and hath given abundant proof of his concurrence with him in this great work.

VI. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Then said they unto him, Dost thou think that we have not a due care of attaining eternal life? yes, doubtless, we slack no endeavour that might further us thereunto: what work is there, that may be acceptable to God, or is required by him, which we are not willing and forward to perform?

VI. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

Verily I say unto you, It was not the true Heavenly Bread, that Moses gave you: that was but a bodily food, for the nourishing of the present life; but the Bread, which my Father giveth you, is truly heavenly, and nourisheth the soul to an eternal life.

VI. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

For that Bread, which my Father gives for the feeding of his Church, is his Only Son, which cometh down from heaven into the world, and giveth a spiritual life to all believers.

VI. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; &c.

:

I am that True Bread of Life, which nourisheth the soul everlastingly he, that cometh to me, by a lively faith, and partaketh of me, shall never have cause to complain of spiritual hunger, &c.

VI. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

But I have told you, to your just shame and rebuke, that your incredulity is so much the more hateful; for that, having had so clear manifestations of my Divine Power, yet ye believe not.

VI. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

But it is not in the power of your perverseness, to make my word and miracles ineffectual; for, however incredulous ye prove yourselves, yet all, that the Father giveth to me, shall and will believe in me; and him, that doth by a true faith lay hold on me, I will in no wise abandon and cast off,

VI. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Which gracious preservation of mine elect children comes within the compass of the very intention of my coming down from heaven; for I came down thence to do, not my own will, but the will of my Father that sent me.

VI. 39, 40 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, &c. And this is the will of him that sent me, &c.

And this is the will of my Heavenly Father that sent me, that all mine should be infallibly raised to life; and that every one, which knoweth the Son, and feeleth the power of his Spirit, and believeth in him, may certainly come to everlasting life, &c.

[ocr errors]

VI. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Do not murmur thus against my person, as if this imagined impossibility of descending from heaven lay on my part; and not rather on your own: the truth is, that all the default is in your unbelief; and this unbelief is natural to you, and deeply fixed in your corrupt disposition: insomuch as no man can come to me, by the foot of a true faith, except my Father, which sent me, enlighten his understanding, and powerfully incline his will and affections thereunto: and that man, whom he shall so work upon, shall be sure that I will perfect his salvation, and raise him up to glory, at the last day.

VI. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that &c.

Every one, that hath duly received the doctrine of my Gospel, and hath effectually learned the same, is thereby wrought to believe

in me.

VI. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

As no man can come to me, but by the grace and lively inoperation of my Father, so none can attain to the perfect knowledge of the Father, and reveal the same to mankind, but only that Son of his, who is of the same essence with him; he hath, in a manner incommunicable to any creature, seen that Eternal Father.

VI. 48, 49, 50 I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

Ye speak of the bread which your fathers did eat; I tell you, I am that True Bread of Life, which was figured by their Manna. That

« PreviousContinue »