10

of God, to teach and instruct His people, and yet does not come to them in that way which God has appointed, and following the method which He has thought fit to reveal, but proceeds in a way of his own inventing, according to his own fancy or corrupt inclination, is certainly, notwithstanding any pretences of zeal or authority, an enemy ;-" the same is a thief and a robber 1." In the same sense, Christ adds, All who have come in opposition to Me, and have preached doctrines which hindered men from believing on Me, and who have upheld a false expectation of the salvation of man without a Messiah at all, or by any other Messiah than I am, I must also regard as thieves and robbers; for the false teacher cometh but to make a prey of the people. I come for their infinite benefit and advantage, and so approve Myself to be the Good Shepherd'. The expression, 'All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers," has been thought to be understood of those who, having arrogated to themselves the name of the Messiah, obtruded their deceit upon the Jewish people, pretending to be the prophet promised to the Jews'. It is remarkable that, although many false Christs arose after our Saviour's day, there is not a single instance of any one before the coming of our Lord and it is a cogent argument against the Jews, that

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10 Dr. S. Clarke.

Dean Stanhope.

2 Dr. Whitby,

A a

no one did arrogate to himself the title of the Messiah before Jesus asserted His claim, because it was well known to all that the fulness of time was not yet come; but, as soon as He had demonstrated that the period was now accomplished, and awakened their attention to the fulfilment of prophecy in Himself, then many false prophets appeared, as appeared, as our Lord foretold they would3.

SECT. CV.-Christ retireth beyond Jordan.-John x. 19-42. ST. JOHN incidentally mentions, that the time when this parable was uttered by Jesus, was "at Jerusalem, the feast of the Dedication; and it was winter." This feast took place about the winter solstice; so that, at this period of Christ's history, we are about three months to the Passover, when He suffered. And it being winter, "Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon's porch;" for it was customary at this season of the year to walk here for the purpose of shelter. It is not improbable, therefore, that many "Jews came round about Him" at this time, to put to Him the direct question, perhaps with no friendly disposition, Whether He were the Christ or no? The reply of Jesus affords an admirable description of the good sheep, of their reward, and of their security against all assaults of the devil or man working against

Dr. Lightfoot.
Dr. Whitby.

4 Ibid.

Dr. Robinson.

them, while under the providential care of God, and of Christ, united for their preservation. Christ's flock hear His voice by faith; He knows or approves them; and they follow Him, and keep His commandments: and, in return, He gives them eternal life, as heirs of salvation; and they shall not perish for ever, at the general judgment, if they continue faithful and obedient unto the end; and no one, not even the devil himself, shall rob Him of them, because He is supported by the Father, with whom He is one'. This latter expression cannot be so well understood in English as in the original Greek, where it intimates, that "I and the Father" are one thing,-one essence, one substance, united into one Jehovah or God. "The Father is in Me, and I in Him;" both expressions declaring an identity of nature, and a distinction of persons, yet a most perfect and intimate inhabitation of each person in the other'.

Here, as in many places, the Jews are answered by an argument, which might have silenced them. It is plain that they understood Jesus to mean, by what He had just said, that He was God,-One with the Father: accordingly, they accused Him of blasphemy, the punishment of which was stoning; but, to avoid the imputation of the crime, or the just Bishop Beveridge. 1 Dr. Trapp.

7 Dr. Hales.

punishment of it, our Lord does not deny the interpretation of His words, which He would very reasonably have done, if it had not been the true one. He contents Himself with replying, That Scripture called the rulers of the people gods; for it commands, "Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people;" and again, "Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High." The word "God 'God" is frequently used in Scripture, to distinguish rulers and magistrates, as "God's ministers," "powers ordained of God." The argument of Jesus seems to be, therefore, that He might, without blasphemy, be styled the Son of God; but He appeals again to His miracles, as affording full proof of the intimate union subsisting between Him and His Father: "If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not "." In this way, at many former times, God had declared the Divine commission of His servants. Thus Moses had shown that he acted in the name of God; thus Elijah, and Elisha, his successor, had been sanctioned: and now God spoke unto them by His Son;" but their hearts were hardened, and their eyes closed against truth: "They sought again to take Him, but He escaped out of their hands; yet many resorted unto Him, and believed on Him."

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2

4

3

Bishop Beveridge. Archbishop Sumner. 1 Dr. Hales.

357

SECT. CVI.-Christ teacheth of Marriage and Divorcement. -Matt. xix. 1-12; Mark x. 1--12.

WHEN Jesus withdrew from this persecution at Jerusalem, He retired to a distant part beyond Jordan, probably to Bethabara, "where John at first baptized, and there He abode "." Many resorted to Him there, who had been previously prepared by the testimony of John the Baptist to receive Him. While, therefore, the great and learned at Jerusalem rejected Him with scorn, these without hesitation believed on Him, saying, We must own this person to be the Son of God upon the testimony of John; yet He proves Himself to be a much greater Prophet than John was; for "John did no miracle'." "And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there;" "and as He was wont, He taught them again." Hither also the malice of the Pharisees pursued Him; they came trying to ensnare Him with captious questions, so as to prejudice the people against Him. They now pretend to consult Him on the subject of divorce, and ask whether it were allowable for a man to dismiss his wife for every trifling reason3. It will be remembered, that Jesus, not very long previous, had told the Pharisees that His dispensation would reform their practice in regard to divorce'.

Among the

7 Dr. Whitby.

9 Luke xvi. 18.