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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>L U K E.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In this chapter we have,
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I. Some particular discourses which Christ had with his disciples, in
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which he teaches them to take heed of giving offence, and to forgive
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the injuries done them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>),
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encourages them to pray for the increase of their faith
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:5,6">ver. 5, 6</A>),
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and then teaches them humility, whatever service they had done for God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:7-10">ver. 7-10</A>.
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II. His cleansing ten lepers, and the thanks he had from one of them
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only, and he a Samaritan,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:11-19">ver. 11-19</A>.
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III. His discourse with his disciples, upon occasion of an enquiry of
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the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should appear,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:20-37">ver. 20-37</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Lu17_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Treatment of Offences.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TR><TD><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that
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offences will come: but woe <I>unto him,</I> through whom they come!
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2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
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neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of
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these little ones.
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3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against
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thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
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4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and
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seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou
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shalt forgive him.
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5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
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6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard
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seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by
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the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
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7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle,
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will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go
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and sit down to meat?
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8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may
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sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and
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drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
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9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that
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were commanded him? I trow not.
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10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things
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which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we
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have done that which was our duty to do.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We are here taught,</P>
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<P>
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I. That the <I>giving of offences</I> is a <I>great sin,</I> and that
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which we should every one of us avoid and carefully watch against,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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We can expect no other than that offences will come, considering the
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perverseness and frowardness that are in the nature of man, and the wise
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purpose and counsel of God, who will carry on his work even by those
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offences, and bring good out of evil. <I>It is</I> almost <I>impossible
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but that offences will come,</I> and therefore we are concerned to
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provide accordingly; but <I>woe to him through whom they come,</I> his
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doom will be heavy
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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more terrible than that of the worst of the malefactors who are
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condemned to be thrown into the sea, for they perish under a load of
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guilt more <I>ponderous</I> than that of <I>millstones.</I> This
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includes a woe,
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1. To persecutors, who offer any injury to the least of Christ's
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<I>little ones,</I> in word or deed, by which they are discouraged in
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serving Christ, and doing their duty, or in danger of being driven off
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from it.
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2. To seducers, who corrupt the truths of Christ and his ordinances,
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and so <I>trouble the minds of the disciples;</I> for they are those by
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whom <I>offences come.</I>
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3. To those who, under the profession of the Christian name, live
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scandalously, and thereby weaken the bands and sadden the hearts of
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God's people; for by them the offence comes, and it is no abatement of
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their guilt, nor will be any of their punishment, that it is impossible
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but offences will come.</P>
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<P>
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II. That the <I>forgiving of offences</I> is a <I>great duty,</I> and
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that which we should every one of us make conscience of
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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<I>Take heed to yourselves.</I> This may refer either to what goes
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before, or to what follows: <I>Take heed that you offend not one of
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these little ones.</I> Ministers must be very careful not to say or do
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any thing that may be a discouragement to weak Christians; there is
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need of great caution, and they ought to speak and act very
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considerately, for fear of this: or, "When <I>your brother trespasses
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against you,</I> does you any injury, puts any slight or affront upon
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you, if he be accessary to any damage done you in your property or
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reputation, <I>take heed to yourselves at such a time,</I> lest you be
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put into a passion; lest, when your spirits are provoked, you <I>speak
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unadvisedly,</I> and rashly vow to revenge
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+24:29">Prov. xxiv. 29</A>):
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<I>I will do so to him as he hath done to me.</I> Take heed what you
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say at such a time, lest you say amiss."</P>
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<P>
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1. If you are permitted to <I>rebuke him,</I> you are advised to do so.
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Smother not the resentment, but give it vent. <I>Tell him his
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faults;</I> show him wherein he has not done well nor fairly by you,
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and, it may be, you will perceive (and you must be very willing to
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perceive it) that you mistook him, that it was not a <I>trespass
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against you,</I> or not designed, but an <I>oversight,</I> and then you
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will beg his pardon for misunderstanding him; as
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+22:30,31">Josh. xxii. 30, 31</A>.</P>
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<P>
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2. You are commanded, upon his repentance, to forgive him, and to be
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perfectly reconciled to him: <I>If he repent, forgive him;</I> forget
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the injury, never think of it again, much less upbraid him with it.
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Though he do not repent, you must not therefore bear malice to him, nor
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meditate revenge; but, it he do not at least <I>say that he
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repents,</I> you are not bound to be so free and familiar with him as
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you have been. If he be guilty of gross sin, to the offence of the
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Christian community he is a member of, let him be gravely and mildly
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reproved for his sin, and, upon his repentance, received into
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friendship and communion again. This the apostle calls
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<I>forgiveness,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+2:7">2 Cor. ii. 7</A>.</P>
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<P>
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3. You are to repeat this every time he repeats his trespass,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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"If he could be supposed to be either so negligent, or so impudent, as
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to <I>trespass against thee seven times in a day,</I> and as often
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profess himself sorry for his fault, and promise not again to offend in
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like manner, continue to <I>forgive him." Humanum est errare--To ere is
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human.</I> Note, Christians should be of a forgiving spirit, willing to
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make the best of every body, and to make all about them easy; forward
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to extenuate faults, and not to aggravate them; and they should
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contrive as much to show that they have forgiven an injury as others to
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show that they resent it.</P>
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<P>
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III. That we have all need to get our <I>faith</I> strengthened,
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because, as that grace grows, all other graces grow. The more firmly we
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believe the doctrine of Christ, and the more confidently we rely upon
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the grace of Christ, the better it will be with us every way. Now
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observe here,
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1. The address which the disciples made to Christ, for the
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strengthening of their faith,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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<I>The apostles</I> themselves, so they are here called, though they
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were prime ministers of state in Christ's kingdom, yet acknowledged the
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weakness and deficiency of their faith, and saw their need of Christ's
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grace for the improvement of it; they <I>said unto the Lord, "Increase
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our faith,</I> and perfect what is lacking in it." Let the discoveries
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of faith be more clear, the desires of faith more strong, the
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dependences of faith more firm and fixed, the dedications of faith more
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entire and resolute, and the delights of faith more pleasing. Note, the
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increase of our faith is what we should earnestly desire, and we should
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offer up that desire to God in prayer. Some think that they put up this
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prayer to Christ upon occasion of his pressing upon them the duty of
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forgiving injuries: "<I>Lord, increase our faith,</I> or we shall never
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be able to practise such a difficult duty as this." Faith in God's
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pardoning mercy will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties
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that lie in the way of our forgiving our brother. Others think that it
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was upon some other occasion, when the apostles were run aground in
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working some miracle, and were reproved by Christ for the weakness of
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their faith, as
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+17:16">Matt. xvii. 16</A>,
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&c. To him that <I>blamed</I> them they must apply themselves for grace
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to <I>mend</I> them; to him they cry, <I>Lord, increase our faith.</I>
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2. The assurance Christ gave them of the wonderful efficacy of true
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faith
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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"<I>If ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed,</I> so <I>small</I> as
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mustard-seed, but yours is yet less than the least; or so <I>sharp</I>
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as <I>mustard-seed,</I> so pungent, so exciting to all other graces, as
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mustard to the animal spirits," and therefore used in palsies, "you
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might do wonders much beyond what you now do; nothing would be too hard
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for you, that was fit to be done for the glory of God, and the
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confirmation of the doctrine you preach, yea, though it were the
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<I>transplanting of a tree</I> from the earth <I>to the sea.</I>" See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+17:20">Matt. xvii. 20</A>.
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As with God <I>nothing is impossible,</I> so are all <I>things possible
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to him that can believe.</I></P>
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<P>
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IV. That, whatever we do in the service of Christ, we must be very
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humble, and not imagine that we can merit any favour at his hand, or
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claim it as a debt; even the apostles themselves, who did so much more
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for Christ than others, must not think that they had thereby made him
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their debtor.
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1. We are all <I>God's servants</I> (his <I>apostles</I> and
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<I>ministers</I> are in a special manner <I>so</I>), and, as servants,
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are bound to do all we can for his honour. Our whole strength and our
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whole time are to be employed for him; for <I>we are not our own,</I>
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nor at our own disposal, but at our Master's.
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2. As God's servants, it becomes us to fill up our time with duty, and
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we have a variety of work appointed us to do; we ought to make the end
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of one service the beginning of another. The servant that has been
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<I>ploughing,</I> or <I>feeding cattle, in the field,</I> when he
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<I>comes home</I> at night has work to do still; he must <I>wait at
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table,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:7,8"><I>v.</I> 7, 8</A>.
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When we have been employed in the duties of a religious conversation,
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that will not excuse us from the exercises of devotion; when we have
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been <I>working for God,</I> still we must be <I>waiting on God,</I>
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waiting on him continually.
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3. Our principal care here must be to do the duty of our relation, and
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leave it to our Master to give us the comfort of it, when and how he
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thinks fit. No servant expects that his master should say to him, <I>Go
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and sit down to meat;</I> it is time enough to do that when we have
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<I>done our day's work.</I> Let us be in care to finish our work, and
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to do that well, and then the reward will come in due time.
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4. It is fit that Christ should be served before us: <I>Make ready
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wherewith I may sup, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink.</I>
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Doubting Christians say that they cannot give to Christ the glory of
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his love as they should, because they have not yet obtained the comfort
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of it; but this is wrong. First let Christ have the glory of it, let us
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attend him with our praises, and then we shall <I>eat and drink</I> in
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the comfort of that love, and in this there is a feast.
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5. Christ's servants, when they are to wait upon him, must <I>gird
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themselves,</I> must free themselves from every thing that is
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entangling and encumbering, and fit themselves with a close application
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of mind to go on, and go through, with their work; they must <I>gird up
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the loins of their mind.</I> When we have prepared for Christ's
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entertainment, have <I>made ready wherewith he may sup,</I> we must
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then <I>gird ourselves,</I> to attend him. This is expected from
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servants, and Christ might require it from us, but he does not insist
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upon it. He was <I>among his disciples as one that served,</I> and came
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not, as other masters, to take state, and <I>to be ministered unto, but
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to minister;</I> witness his washing his disciples' feet.
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6. Christ's servants do not so much as merit his thanks for any service
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they do him: "<I>Does he thank that servant?</I> Does he reckon himself
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indebted to him for it? No, by no means." No good works of ours can
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merit any thing at the hand of God. We expect God's favour, not because
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we have by our services made him a debtor to us, but because he has by
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his promises made himself a debtor to his own honour, and this we may
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plead with him, but cannot sue for a <I>quantum meruit--according to
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merit.</I>
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7. Whatever we do for Christ, though it should be more perhaps than
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some others do, yet it is no more than is our duty to do. Though we
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should <I>do all things that are commanded us,</I> and alas! in many
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things we come short of this, yet there is no work of
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<I>supererogation;</I> it is but what we are bound to by that first and
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great commandment of <I>loving God</I> with <I>all our heart and
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soul,</I> which includes the utmost.
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8. The best servants of Christ, even when they do the best services,
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must humbly acknowledge that they are <I>unprofitable servants;</I>
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though they are not those unprofitable servants that bury their
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talents, and shall be cast into <I>utter darkness,</I> yet as to
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Christ, and any advantage that can accrue to him by their services,
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they are <I>unprofitable;</I> our <I>goodness extendeth not unto
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God,</I> nor <I>if we are righteous is he the better,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+16:2,Job+22:2,35:7">Ps. xvi. 2; Job xxii. 2; xxxv. 7</A>.
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God cannot be a <I>gainer</I> by our services, and therefore cannot be
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made a <I>debtor</I> by them. He has no need of us, nor can our
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services make any addition to his perfections. It becomes us therefore
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to call ourselves <I>unprofitable servants,</I> but to call his service
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a profitable service, for God is happy without us, but we are undone
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without him.</P>
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<A NAME="Lu17_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Lu17_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Ten Lepers.</I></FONT></TD>
|
|
<TR><TD><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
|
</TABLE>
|
|
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<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed
|
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through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
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12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten
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men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
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13 And they lifted up <I>their</I> voices, and said, Jesus, Master,
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have mercy on us.
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14 And when he saw <I>them,</I> he said unto them, Go show
|
|
yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they
|
|
went, they were cleansed.
|
|
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned
|
|
back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
|
|
16 And fell down on <I>his</I> face at his feet, giving him thanks:
|
|
and he was a Samaritan.
|
|
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but
|
|
where <I>are</I> the nine?
|
|
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save
|
|
this stranger.
|
|
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made
|
|
thee whole.
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
We have here an account of the cure of ten lepers, which we had not in
|
|
any other of the evangelists. The leprosy was a disease which the Jews
|
|
supposed to be inflicted for the punishment of some particular sin, and
|
|
to be, more than other diseases, a mark of God's displeasure; and
|
|
therefore Christ, who came to take away sin, and turn away wrath, took
|
|
particular care to cleanse the lepers that fell in his way. Christ was
|
|
now in his way to Jerusalem, about the mid-way, where he had little
|
|
acquaintance in comparison with what he had either at Jerusalem or in
|
|
Galilee. He was now in the frontier-country, the marches that lay
|
|
between Samaria and Galilee. He went that road to find out these
|
|
lepers, and to cure them; for he is <I>found of them that sought him
|
|
not.</I> Observe,</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. The address of these lepers to Christ. They were ten in a company;
|
|
for, though they were shut out from society with others, yet those that
|
|
were infected were at liberty to converse with one another, which would
|
|
be some comfort to them, as giving them an opportunity to compare
|
|
notes, and to condole with one another. Now observe,
|
|
|
|
1. They <I>met</I> Christ <I>as he entered into a certain village.</I>
|
|
They did not stay till he had refreshed himself for some time after the
|
|
fatigue of his journey, but met him as he <I>entered</I> the town,
|
|
weary as he was; and yet he did not put them off, nor adjourn their
|
|
cause.
|
|
|
|
2. They <I>stood afar off,</I> knowing that by the law their disease
|
|
obliged them to <I>keep their distance.</I> A sense of our spiritual
|
|
leprosy should make us very humble in all our approaches to Christ. Who
|
|
are we, that we should draw near to him that is infinitely pure? We are
|
|
impure.
|
|
|
|
3. Their request was unanimous, and very importunate
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>They lifted up their voices,</I> being at a distance, and cried,
|
|
<I>Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.</I> those that expect help from
|
|
Christ must take him for their Master, and be at his command. If he be
|
|
<I>Master,</I> he will be <I>Jesus, a Saviour,</I> and not otherwise.
|
|
They ask not in particular to be cured of their leprosy, but, <I>Have
|
|
mercy on us;</I> and it is enough to refer ourselves to the compassions
|
|
of Christ, for they <I>fail not.</I> They heard the fame of this Jesus
|
|
(though he had not been much conversant in that country), and that was
|
|
such as encouraged them to make application to him; and, if but one of
|
|
them began in so cheap and easy an address, they would all join.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. Christ sent them to <I>the priest,</I> to be <I>inspected</I> by
|
|
him, who was the judge of the leprosy. He did not tell them positively
|
|
that they should be <I>cured,</I> but bade them <I>go show themselves
|
|
to the priests,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
|
|
|
|
This was a trial of their obedience, and it was fit that it should be
|
|
so tried, as Naaman's in a like case: <I>Go wash in Jordan.</I> Note,
|
|
Those that expect Christ's favours must take them in his way and
|
|
method. Some of these lepers perhaps would be ready to quarrel with the
|
|
prescription: "Let him either cure or say that he will not, and not
|
|
send us to the priests on a fool's errand;" but, over-ruled by the
|
|
rest, they all <I>went to the priest.</I> As the ceremonial law was yet
|
|
in force, Christ took care that it should be observed, and the
|
|
reputation of it kept up, and due honour paid to the priests in things
|
|
pertaining to their function; but, probably, he had here a further
|
|
design, which was to have the priest's <I>judgment of,</I> and
|
|
<I>testimony to,</I> the perfectness of the cure; and that the priest
|
|
might be awakened, and others by him, to enquire after one that had
|
|
such a commanding power over bodily diseases.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
III. <I>As they went, they were cleansed,</I> and so became fit to be
|
|
looked upon by the priest, and to have a certificate from him that they
|
|
were clean. Observe, <I>Then</I> we may expect God to meet us with
|
|
mercy when we are found in the way of duty. If we do what we can, God
|
|
will not be wanting to do that for us which we cannot. Go, attend upon
|
|
instituted ordinances; go and pray, and read the scriptures: <I>Go show
|
|
thyself to the priests;</I> go and open thy case to a faithful
|
|
minister, and, though the means will not heal thee of themselves, God
|
|
will heal thee in the diligent use of those means.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
IV. One of them, and but one, <I>returned, to give thanks,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
|
|
|
|
When he <I>saw that he was healed,</I> instead of going forward to the
|
|
priest, to be by him declared clean, and so discharged from his
|
|
confinement, which was all that the rest aimed at, he <I>turned
|
|
back</I> towards him who was the Author of his cure, whom he wished to
|
|
have the glory of it, before he received the benefit of it. He appears
|
|
to have been very hearty and affectionate in his thanksgivings: <I>With
|
|
a loud voice he glorified God,</I> acknowledging it to come originally
|
|
from <I>him;</I> and he <I>lifted up his voice</I> in his praises, as
|
|
he had done in his prayers,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
|
|
|
|
Those that have received mercy from God should publish it to others,
|
|
that they may praise God too, and may be encouraged by their
|
|
experiences to trust in him. But he also made a particular address of
|
|
thanks to Christ
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>He fell down at his feet,</I> put himself into the most humble
|
|
reverent posture he could, and <I>gave him thanks.</I> Note, We ought
|
|
to give thanks for the favours Christ bestows upon us, and particularly
|
|
for recoveries from sickness; and we ought to be <I>speedy</I> in our
|
|
returns of praise, and not defer them, lest time wear out the sense of
|
|
the mercy. It becomes us also to be very humble in our thanksgivings,
|
|
as well as in our prayers. It becomes the seed of Jacob, like him, to
|
|
own themselves <I>less than the least of God's mercies,</I> when they
|
|
have received them, as well as when they are in pursuit of them.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
V. Christ took notice of this one that had thus distinguished himself;
|
|
for, it seems, he was a Samaritan, whereas the rest were Jews,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
The Samaritans were separatists from the Jewish church, and had not the
|
|
pure knowledge and worship of God among them that the Jews had, and yet
|
|
it was one of them that <I>glorified God,</I> when the Jews forgot, or,
|
|
when it was moved to them, <I>refused,</I> to do it. Now observe
|
|
here,</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. The particular notice Christ took of him, of the grateful return he
|
|
made, and the ingratitude of those that were sharers with him in the
|
|
mercy--that he who was a <I>stranger</I> to the commonwealth of Israel
|
|
was the only one that <I>returned to give glory to God,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:17,18"><I>v.</I> 17, 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
See here,
|
|
|
|
(1.) How <I>rich</I> Christ is in <I>doing good: Were there not ten
|
|
cleansed?</I> Here was a cure by <I>wholesale,</I> a whole
|
|
<I>hospital</I> healed with <I>one</I> word's speaking. Note, There is
|
|
an abundance of healing cleansing virtue in the blood of Christ,
|
|
sufficient for all his patients, though ever so many. Here are <I>ten
|
|
at a time</I> cleansed; we shall have never the less grace for others
|
|
sharing it.
|
|
|
|
(2.) How <I>poor</I> we are in our returns: "<I>Where are the nine?</I>
|
|
Why did not they return to give thanks?" This intimates that
|
|
ingratitude is a very common sin. Of the many that receive mercy from
|
|
God, there are but few, very few, that <I>return to give thanks</I> in
|
|
a right manner (scarcely <I>one in ten</I>), that render according to
|
|
the benefit done to them.
|
|
|
|
(3.) How those often prove most grateful from whom it was least
|
|
expected. A Samaritan gives thanks, and a Jew does not. Thus many who
|
|
profess revealed religion are out-done, and quite shamed, by some that
|
|
are governed only by natural religion, not only in moral value, but in
|
|
piety and devotion. This serves here to aggravate the ingratitude of
|
|
those Jews of whom Christ speaks, as <I>taking it very ill</I> that his
|
|
kindness was so slighted. And it intimates how justly he resents the
|
|
ingratitude of the world of mankind, for whom he had <I>done so
|
|
much,</I> and from whom he has <I>received so little.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. The great encouragement Christ gave him,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
|
|
|
|
The rest had their <I>cure,</I> and had it not <I>revoked,</I> as
|
|
justly it might have been, for their ingratitude, though they had such
|
|
a good example of gratitude set before them; but he had his cure
|
|
confirmed particularly with an encomium: <I>Thy faith hath made thee
|
|
whole.</I> The rest were <I>made whole</I> by the power of Christ, in
|
|
compassion to their distress, and in answer to their prayer; but he was
|
|
made whole <I>by his faith,</I> by which Christ saw him distinguished
|
|
from the rest. Note, Temporal mercies are <I>then</I> doubled and
|
|
sweetened to us when they are <I>fetched</I> in by the prayers of
|
|
faith, and <I>returned</I> by the praises of faith.</P>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_20"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_21"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_22"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_23"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_24"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_25"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_26"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_27"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_28"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_29"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_30"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_31"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_32"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_33"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_34"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_35"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_36"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="Lu17_37"> </A>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Progress of Christ's Kingdom; Destruction of Jerusalem.</I></FONT></TD>
|
|
<TR><TD><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
|
</TABLE>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom
|
|
of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God
|
|
cometh not with observation:
|
|
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold,
|
|
the kingdom of God is within you.
|
|
22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye
|
|
shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye
|
|
shall not see <I>it.</I>
|
|
23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not
|
|
after <I>them,</I> nor follow <I>them.</I>
|
|
24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one <I>part</I>
|
|
under heaven, shineth unto the other <I>part</I> under heaven; so
|
|
shall also the Son of man be in his day.
|
|
25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of
|
|
this generation.
|
|
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the
|
|
days of the Son of man.
|
|
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were
|
|
given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
|
|
and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
|
|
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat,
|
|
they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
|
|
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire
|
|
and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed <I>them</I> all.
|
|
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
|
|
revealed.
|
|
31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his
|
|
stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he
|
|
that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
|
|
32 Remember Lot's wife.
|
|
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and
|
|
whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
|
|
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two <I>men</I> in one
|
|
bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
|
|
35 Two <I>women</I> shall be grinding together; the one shall be
|
|
taken, and the other left.
|
|
36 Two <I>men</I> shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and
|
|
the other left.
|
|
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he
|
|
said unto them, Wheresoever the body <I>is,</I> thither will the
|
|
eagles be gathered together.
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
We have here a discourse of Christ's concerning the <I>kingdom of
|
|
God,</I> that is, the kingdom of the Messiah, which was now shortly to
|
|
be <I>set up,</I> and of which there was great expectation.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. Here is the demand of the Pharisees concerning it, which occasioned
|
|
this discourse. They asked <I>when the kingdom of God should come,</I>
|
|
forming a notion of it as a <I>temporal kingdom,</I> which should
|
|
advance the Jewish nation above the nations of the earth. They were
|
|
impatient to hear some tidings of its approach; they understood,
|
|
perhaps, that Christ had taught his disciples to pray for the coming of
|
|
it, and they had long preached that it was <I>at hand.</I> "Now," say
|
|
the Pharisees, "when will that glorious view open? When shall we see
|
|
this <I>long-looked-for</I> kingdom?"</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. Christ's reply to this demand, directed to the Pharisees first, and
|
|
afterwards to his own disciples, who knew better how to understand it
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>);
|
|
|
|
what he said to both, he saith to us.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. That the kingdom of the Messiah was to be a <I>spiritual
|
|
kingdom,</I> and not temporal and external. They asked <I>when</I> it
|
|
would come. "You know not what you ask," saith Christ; "it may come,
|
|
and you not be aware of it." For it has not an <I>external show,</I> as
|
|
other kingdoms have, the advancements and revolutions of which are
|
|
taken notice of by the nations of the earth, and fill the newspapers;
|
|
so they expected this kingdom of God would do. "No," saith Christ,
|
|
|
|
(1.) "It will have a silent entrance, without pomp, without noise; it
|
|
<I>cometh not with observation,</I>" <B><I>meta
|
|
paratereseos</I></B>--<I>with outward show.</I> They desired to have
|
|
their curiosity satisfied concerning the <I>time</I> of it, to which
|
|
Christ does not give them any answer, but will have their mistakes
|
|
rectified concerning the nature of it: "<I>It is not for you to know
|
|
the times</I> of this kingdom, these are <I>secret things,</I> which
|
|
belong not to you; but the great intentions of this kingdom, these are
|
|
<I>things revealed.</I>" When Messiah the Prince comes to set up his
|
|
kingdom, they shall not say, <I>Lo here,</I> or <I>Lo there,</I> as
|
|
when a prince goes in progress to visit his territories it is in every
|
|
body's mouth, he is here, or he is there; for <I>where the king is
|
|
there is the court.</I> Christ will not come with all this talk; it
|
|
will not be set up in this or that particular place; nor will the court
|
|
of that kingdom be <I>here</I> or <I>there;</I> nor will it be
|
|
<I>here</I> or <I>there</I> as it respects the country men are of, or
|
|
the place they dwell in, as if that would place them nearer to, or
|
|
further from, that kingdom. Those who confine Christianity and the
|
|
church to this place or that party, cry, <I>Lo here,</I> or <I>Lo
|
|
there,</I> than which nothing is more contrary to the designs of
|
|
catholic Christianity; so do they who make prosperity and external pomp
|
|
a mark of the true church.
|
|
|
|
(2.) "It has a <I>spiritual</I> influence: <I>The kingdom of God is
|
|
within you.</I>" It is not of this world,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+18:36">John xviii. 36</A>.
|
|
|
|
Its glory does not strike men's fancies, but affects their spirits, and
|
|
its power is over their souls and consciences; from them it receives
|
|
homage, and not from their bodies only. The <I>kingdom of God</I> will
|
|
not change men's outward condition, but their hearts and lives. Then it
|
|
<I>comes</I> when it makes those humble, and serious, and heavenly,
|
|
that were proud, and vain, and carnal,--when it <I>weans</I> those from
|
|
the world that were <I>wedded</I> to the world; and therefore look for
|
|
the kingdom of God in the revolutions of the heart, not of the civil
|
|
government. The kingdom of God is <I>among you;</I> so some read it.
|
|
"You enquire when it will come, and are not aware that it is already
|
|
begun to be set up <I>in the midst of you.</I> The gospel is preached,
|
|
it is <I>confirmed</I> by miracles, it is <I>embraced</I> by
|
|
multitudes, so that it is <I>in your</I> nation, though not in your
|
|
hearts." Note, It is the folly of many curious enquirers concerning the
|
|
times to come that they look for that <I>before them</I> which is
|
|
already <I>among them.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. That the setting up of this kingdom was a work that would meet with
|
|
a great deal of <I>opposition</I> and <I>interruption,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>.
|
|
|
|
The <I>disciples</I> thought they should carry all before them, and
|
|
expected a constant series of success in their work; but Christ tells
|
|
them it would be otherwise: "<I>The days will come,</I> before you have
|
|
finished your testimony and done your work, <I>when you shall desire to
|
|
see one of the days of the Son of man</I>" (one such a day as we
|
|
<I>now</I> have), "of the prosperity and progress of the gospel, and
|
|
<I>shall not see it.</I> At first, indeed, you will have wonderful
|
|
success" (so they had, when <I>thousands</I> were added to the church
|
|
<I>in a day</I>); "but do not think it will be always so; no, you will
|
|
be persecuted and scattered, silenced and imprisoned, so that you will
|
|
not have opportunities of preaching the gospel without fear, as you now
|
|
have; people will grow cool to it, when they have enjoyed it awhile, so
|
|
that you will not see such harvests of souls gathered in to Christ
|
|
afterwards as at first, nor such multitudes flocking to him <I>as doves
|
|
to their windows.</I>" This looks forward to his disciples in
|
|
after-ages; they must expect much disappointment; the gospel will not
|
|
be always preached with equal liberty and success. Ministers and
|
|
churches will sometimes be under <I>outward restraints.</I> Teachers
|
|
will be removed into corners, and solemn assemblies scattered. Then
|
|
they will wish to see such days of opportunity as they have formerly
|
|
enjoyed, sabbath days, sacrament days, preaching days, praying days;
|
|
these are <I>days of the Son of man,</I> in which we hear from him, and
|
|
converse with him. The time may come when we may in vain wish for such
|
|
days. God teaches us to know the worth of such mercies by the want of
|
|
them. It concerns us, while they are continued, to <I>improve</I> them,
|
|
and in the years of plenty to lay up in store for the years of famine.
|
|
Sometimes they will be under <I>inward restraints,</I> will not have
|
|
such tokens of the <I>presence of the Son of man</I> with them as they
|
|
have had. The Spirit is withdrawn from them; they <I>see not their
|
|
signs;</I> the angel comes not down to stir the waters; there is a
|
|
great stupidity among the children of men, and a great lukewarmness
|
|
among the children of God; then they shall wish to see such
|
|
<I>victorious triumphant</I> days of the <I>Son of man</I> as they have
|
|
sometimes seen, when he has ridden forth with his bow and his crown,
|
|
conquering and to conquer, but they will not see them. Note, We must
|
|
not think that Christ's church and cause are lost because not always
|
|
alike visible and prevailing.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
3. That Christ and his kingdom are not to be looked for in this or that
|
|
particular place, but his appearance will be general in all places at
|
|
once
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:23,24"><I>v.</I> 23, 24</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>They will say to you, See here, or, See there;</I> here is one that
|
|
will deliver the Jews out of the hands of the oppressing Romans, or
|
|
there is one that will deliver the Christians out of the hands of the
|
|
oppressing Jews; here is the Messiah, and there is his prophet;
|
|
<I>here</I> in <I>this</I> mountain, or <I>there</I> at Jerusalem, you
|
|
will find the true church. <I>Go not after them, nor follow them;</I>
|
|
do not heed such suggestions. The kingdom of God was not designed to be
|
|
the glory of one people only, but to <I>give light to the Gentiles;</I>
|
|
for <I>as the lightning that lightens out of one part under heaven, and
|
|
shines</I> all on a sudden irresistibly <I>to the other part under
|
|
heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in his day.</I>"
|
|
|
|
(1.) "The <I>judgments</I> that are to destroy the Jewish nation, to
|
|
lay them waste, and to deliver the Christians from them, shall <I>fly
|
|
like lightning</I> through the land, shall lay all waste from one end
|
|
of it to another; and those that are marked for this destruction can no
|
|
more avoid it, nor oppose it, than they can a <I>flash of
|
|
lightning.</I>"
|
|
|
|
(2.) "The gospel that is to set up Christ's kingdom in the world shall
|
|
<I>fly like lightning</I> through the nations. The kingdom of the
|
|
Messiah is not to be a <I>local</I> thing, but is to be dispersed far
|
|
and wide over the face of the whole earth; it shall <I>shine</I> from
|
|
Jerusalem to all parts about, and that <I>in a moment.</I> The kingdoms
|
|
of the earth shall be leavened by the gospel ere they are aware of it."
|
|
The trophies of Christ's victories shall be erected on the ruins of the
|
|
devil's kingdom, even in those countries that could never be subdued to
|
|
the Roman yoke. The design of the setting up of Christ's kingdom was
|
|
not to make one <I>nation great,</I> but to make <I>all nations
|
|
good</I>--some, at least, of all nations; and this point shall be
|
|
gained, though the <I>nations rage,</I> and the <I>kings of the earth
|
|
set themselves</I> with all their might against it.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
4. That the Messiah must <I>suffer</I> before he must reign
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:25"><I>v.</I> 25</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>First must he suffer many things,</I> many hard things, and <I>be
|
|
rejected of this generation;</I> and, if he be thus treated, his
|
|
disciples must expect no other than to <I>suffer</I> and be
|
|
<I>rejected</I> too for his sake." They thought of having the kingdom
|
|
of the Messiah set up in external splendour: "No," saith Christ, "we
|
|
must go by the cross to the crown. The <I>Son of man must suffer many
|
|
things.</I> Pain, and shame, and death, are those <I>many things.</I>
|
|
He must be <I>rejected by this generation</I> of unbelieving Jews,
|
|
before he be embraced by another generation of believing Gentiles, that
|
|
his gospel may have the honour of triumphing over the greatest
|
|
opposition from those who ought to have given it the greatest
|
|
assistance; and thus the excellency of the power will appear to be
|
|
<I>of God, and not of man;</I> for, though Israel be not
|
|
<I>gathered,</I> yet he will be <I>glorious</I> to the ends of the
|
|
earth."</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
5. That the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah would introduce
|
|
the destruction of the Jewish nation, whom it would find in a deep
|
|
sleep of <I>security,</I> and drowned in <I>sensuality,</I> as the old
|
|
world was in the days of Noah, and Sodom in the days of Lot,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:26"><I>v.</I> 26</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c. Observe,</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(1.) How it had been with sinners formerly, and in what posture the
|
|
judgments of God, of which they had been fairly warned, did at length
|
|
find them. Look as far back as the <I>old world,</I> when all flesh had
|
|
<I>corrupted their way,</I> and the <I>earth was filled with
|
|
violence.</I> Come a little lower, and think how it was with the men of
|
|
Sodom, who were <I>wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.</I>
|
|
Now observe concerning both these,
|
|
|
|
[1.] That they had <I>fair warning given them</I> of the ruin that was
|
|
coming upon them for their sins. Noah was a <I>preacher of
|
|
righteousness</I> to the old world; so was Lot to the Sodomites. They
|
|
gave them timely notice of what would be in the end of their wicked
|
|
ways, and that it was not far off.
|
|
|
|
[2.] That they did not regard the warning given them, and gave no
|
|
credit, no heed to it. They were very secure, went on in their business
|
|
as unconcerned as you could imagine; <I>they did eat, they drank,</I>
|
|
indulged themselves in their pleasures, and took no care of any thing
|
|
else, but to <I>make provision for the flesh,</I> counted upon the
|
|
perpetuity of their present flourishing state, and therefore married
|
|
wives, and <I>were given in marriage,</I> that their families might be
|
|
built up. They were all very merry; so were the men of Sodom, and yet
|
|
very busy too: <I>they bought, they sold, they planted, they
|
|
builded.</I> These were lawful things, but the fault was that they
|
|
minded these inordinately, and their hearts were entirely set upon
|
|
them, as that they had no heart at all to prepare against the
|
|
threatened judgments. When they should have been, as the men of
|
|
Nineveh, <I>fasting and praying, repenting</I> and <I>reforming,</I>
|
|
upon warning given them of an approaching judgment, they were going on
|
|
securely, <I>eating flesh,</I> and <I>drinking wine,</I> when God
|
|
called <I>to weeping and to mourning,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+22:12,13">Isa. xxii. 12, 13</A>.
|
|
|
|
[3.] That they continued in their security and sensuality, till the
|
|
threatened judgment came. Until the day <I>that Noah entered into the
|
|
ark,</I> and <I>Lot went out of Sodom,</I> nothing said or done to them
|
|
served to alarm or awaken them. Note, Though the stupidity of sinners
|
|
in a sinful way is as strange as it is <I>without excuse,</I> yet we
|
|
are not to think it strange, for it is not without example. It is the
|
|
<I>old way that wicked men have trodden,</I> that have gone slumbering
|
|
to hell, as if their damnation slumbered while they did.
|
|
|
|
[4.] That God took care for the preservation of those that were his,
|
|
who believed and feared, and took the warning themselves which they
|
|
gave to others. Noah entered <I>into the ark,</I> and there he was
|
|
safe; Lot went out of Sodom, and so went out of harm's way. If some run
|
|
on <I>heedless</I> and <I>headlong</I> into destruction, that shall be
|
|
no prejudice to the salvation of those that believe.
|
|
|
|
[5.] That they were surprised with the ruin which they would not fear,
|
|
and were swallowed up in it, to their unspeakable horror and amazement.
|
|
The <I>flood came,</I> and destroyed all the sinners of the old world;
|
|
<I>fire and brimstone</I> came, and <I>destroyed</I> all the sinners of
|
|
Sodom. God has many arrows in his quiver, and uses which he will in
|
|
making war upon his rebellious subjects, for he can make which he will
|
|
effectual. But that which is especially intended here is to show what a
|
|
dreadful surprise destruction will be to those who are secure and
|
|
sensual.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(2.) How it will be with sinners still
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:30"><I>v.</I> 30</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.</I>
|
|
When Christ comes to destroy the Jewish nation, by the Roman armies,
|
|
the generality of that nation will be found under such a reigning
|
|
security and stupidity as this. They have warning given by Christ now,
|
|
and will have it repeated to them by the apostles after him, as they
|
|
had by Noah and Lot; but it will be all <I>in vain.</I> They will
|
|
continue secure, will go on in their neglect and opposition of Christ
|
|
and his gospel, till all the Christians are withdrawn from among them
|
|
and gone to the place of refuge. God will provide for them on the other
|
|
side Jordan, and then a deluge of judgments shall flow in upon them,
|
|
which will destroy all the unbelieving Jews. One would have thought
|
|
that this discourse of our Saviour's, which was public, and not long
|
|
after <I>published</I> to the world, should have awakened them; but it
|
|
did not, for the hearts of that people were hardened, to their
|
|
destruction. In like manner, when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the
|
|
world, at the end of time, sinners will be found in the same secure and
|
|
careless posture, altogether regardless of the judgment approaching,
|
|
which will therefore come upon them as a snare; and in like manner the
|
|
sinners of every age go on securely in their evil ways, and <I>remember
|
|
not their latter end,</I> nor the account that they must give. <I>Woe
|
|
to them that are thus at ease in Zion.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
6. That it ought to be the care of his disciples and followers to
|
|
distinguish themselves from the unbelieving Jews in that day, and,
|
|
leaving them, their city and country, to themselves, to flee at the
|
|
signal given, according to the direction that should be given. Let them
|
|
retire, as Noah to his ark, and Lot to his Zoar. You <I>would have
|
|
healed Jerusalem,</I> as of old Babylon, <I>but she is not healed,</I>
|
|
and therefore <I>forsake her, flee out of the midst of her,</I> and
|
|
<I>deliver every man his soul,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+51:6,9">Jer. li. 6, 9</A>.
|
|
|
|
This flight of theirs from Jerusalem must be <I>expeditious,</I> and
|
|
must not be retarded by any concern about their worldly affairs
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:31"><I>v.</I> 31</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>He that shall be on the house-top,</I> when the alarm is given,
|
|
<I>let him not come down, to take his stuff away,</I> both because he
|
|
cannot spare so much time, and because the carrying away of his effects
|
|
will but encumber him and retard his flight." Let him not <I>regard</I>
|
|
his <I>stuff</I> at such a time, when it will be next to a miracle of
|
|
mercy if he have his <I>life given him for a prey.</I> It will be
|
|
better to leave his stuff behind him than to stay to look after it, and
|
|
<I>perish with them that believe</I> not. It will be their concern to
|
|
do as Lot and his family were charged to do: <I>Escape for thy life.
|
|
Save yourselves from this untoward generation.</I>
|
|
|
|
(2.) When they have made their escape, they must not think of returning
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:32"><I>v.</I> 32</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>Remember Lot's wife;</I> and take warning by her not only to flee
|
|
from this Sodom (for so Jerusalem is become,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+1:10">Isa. i. 10</A>),
|
|
|
|
but to persevere in your flight, and do not <I>look back,</I> as she
|
|
did; be not loth to leave a place marked for destruction, whomsoever or
|
|
whatsoever you leave behind you, that is ever so dear to you." Those
|
|
who have left the Sodom of a natural state, let them go forward, and
|
|
not so much as look a kind look towards it again. Let them not <I>look
|
|
back,</I> lest they should be tempted to <I>go back;</I> nay, lest that
|
|
be construed a <I>going back in heart,</I> or an evidence that the
|
|
heart was left behind. Lot's wife was <I>turned into a pillar of
|
|
salt,</I> that she might remain a lasting monument of God's displeasure
|
|
against apostates, who <I>begin in the spirit and end in the flesh.</I>
|
|
|
|
(3.) There would be no other way of saving their lives than by quitting
|
|
the Jews, and, if they thought to save themselves by a coalition with
|
|
them, they would find themselves mistaken
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:33"><I>v.</I> 33</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>Whosoever shall seek to save his life,</I> by declining from his
|
|
Christianity and complying with the Jews, he shall <I>lose it</I> with
|
|
them and perish in the common calamity; but whosoever is willing to
|
|
venture his life with the Christians, upon the same bottom on which
|
|
they venture, to take his lot with them in life and in death, he shall
|
|
<I>preserve</I> his life, for he shall make sure of <I>eternal
|
|
life,</I> and is in a likelier way at that time to save his life than
|
|
those who embark in a Jewish bottom, or <I>ensure</I> upon their
|
|
securities." Note, Those do best themselves that trust God in the way
|
|
of duty.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
7. That all good Christians should certainly escape, but many of them
|
|
very <I>narrowly,</I> from that destruction,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:34-36"><I>v.</I> 34-36</A>.
|
|
|
|
When God's judgments are laying all waste, he will take an effectual
|
|
course to preserve those that are his, by remarkable providences
|
|
distinguishing between them and others that were nearest to them:
|
|
<I>two in a bed, one taken and the other left;</I> one snatched out of
|
|
the burning and taken into a place of safety, while the other is left
|
|
to perish in the common ruin. Note, Though the sword devours one as
|
|
well as another, and <I>all things</I> seem to <I>come alike to
|
|
all,</I> yet sooner or later it shall be made to appear that the Lord
|
|
knows them that are his and them that are not, and how to <I>take out
|
|
the precious from the vile.</I> We are sure that <I>the Judge of all
|
|
the earth will do right;</I> and therefore, when he sends a judgment on
|
|
purpose to avenge the death of his Son upon those that crucified him,
|
|
he will take care that none of those who glorified him, and gloried in
|
|
his cross, shall be <I>taken away</I> by that judgment.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
8. That this distinguishing, dividing, discriminating work shall be
|
|
done in all places, as far as the kingdom of God shall extend,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+17:37"><I>v.</I> 37</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>Where, Lord?</I> They had enquired concerning the time, and he would
|
|
not gratify their curiosity with any information concerning that; they
|
|
therefore tried him with another question: "<I>Where, Lord?</I> Where
|
|
shall those be <I>safe</I> that are <I>taken?</I> Where shall those
|
|
<I>perish</I> that are left?" The answer is proverbial, and may be
|
|
explained so as to answer each side of the question: <I>Wheresoever the
|
|
body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.</I>
|
|
|
|
(1.) Wherever the wicked are, who are marked for perdition, they shall
|
|
<I>be found out</I> by the judgments of God; as wherever a dead carcase
|
|
is, the birds of prey will smell it out, and make a prey of it. The
|
|
Jews having made themselves a dead and putrefied carcase, <I>odious</I>
|
|
to God's holiness and <I>obnoxious</I> to his justice, wherever any of
|
|
that unbelieving generation is, the judgments of God shall fasten upon
|
|
them, as the eagles do upon the prey: <I>Thine hand shall find out all
|
|
thine enemies</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+21:8">Ps. xxi. 8</A>),
|
|
|
|
though they <I>set their nests among the stars,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ob+1:4">Obad. 4</A>.
|
|
|
|
The Roman soldiers will hunt the Jews out of all their recesses and
|
|
fastnesses, and none shall escape.
|
|
|
|
(2.) Wherever the godly are, who are marked for preservation, they
|
|
<I>shall be found</I> happy in the enjoyment of Christ. As the
|
|
dissolution of the Jewish church shall be extended to all parts, so
|
|
shall the constitution of the Christian church. Wherever Christ is,
|
|
believers will flock to him, and meet in him, as eagles about the prey,
|
|
without being directed or shown the way, by the instinct of the new
|
|
nature. Now Christ is where his gospel, and his ordinances, and his
|
|
church are: <I>For where two or three are gathered in his name there is
|
|
he in the midst of them,</I> and thither therefore others will be
|
|
gathered to him. The kingdom of the Messiah is not to have one
|
|
particular place for its <I>metropolis,</I> such as Jerusalem was to
|
|
the Jewish church, to which all Jews were to resort; but, <I>wherever
|
|
the body is,</I> wherever the gospel is preached and ordinances are
|
|
ministered, thither will pious souls resort, there they will find
|
|
Christ, and by faith feast upon him. Wherever Christ records his name
|
|
he will meet his people, and bless them,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+4:21,1Ti+2:8">John iv. 21, &c.; 1 Tim. ii. 8</A>.
|
|
|
|
Many good interpreters understand it of the gathering of the saints
|
|
together to Christ in the kingdom of glory: "Ask not where the carcase
|
|
will be, and how they shall find the way to it, for they shall be under
|
|
infallible direction; to him who is their living, quickening Head, and
|
|
the centre of their unity, to him shall the gathering of the people
|
|
be."</P>
|
|
|
|
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