Lectures Upon John 4, Part 8 · Lecture 33
Lecture the three and thirtieth, Nouember 28. 1609.
THe last day we heard, that this verse containeth the first part of Christs answer to the question that this Woman propounded to him, and that it consisteth of two parts. 1. An asseueration whereby he confirmeth the Doctrine that he was to teach her in these words, Woman beleeue mee. 2. The Doctrine it selfe in these words; The houre commeth, &c. The asseueration we finished the last day, it remaineth now we come to the Doctrine it selfe.
The words I interpreted the last day to you, and told you the meaning of them, was this, that the time was then at hand (namely the time of his Passion) when all that did desire to worship God aright (as this Woman did) should not stand more addicted vntounto, or put more holinesse in Mount Gerizim (or Ierusalem either) then in any other place. So that the Doctrine we are to learne from these words, is this,
That this is one benefit we hauehave by the death of our Sauiour, that now all religious difference of places is taken away; no one place is holier then Doct. 2.another. Before I confirme this Doctrine, I will cleere it from an obiection that may be made against it. If all difference of places be taken away, then it seemes a man may serue God in his shop, or chamber as well as in the Church. I answer. 1. Our Sauiour compares not priuate places with publike; but publike with publike, priuate with priuate. 2. It is true indeed, there is more respect to be had, and more good to be receiued by the seruice, that is done to God in the Church, then by that that is done in any priuate house. For the Apostle speakes of this, as of a fearefull sin, and step vntounto the vnpardonable sinne, to forsake the assemblies, foreign, Heb. 10. 25. 26. But that that makes the seruice, we doe to God there better then that we can do to him in houses, is not the place or any holinesse in it, but the assembly with which we ioyne. 1. In the publike assembly we hauehave the help of the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments, the vse whereof is to inflame and kindle deuotion in our hearts, did not our hearts burne within vsus while hee talked with vsus, and while he opened to vsus the Scriptures, say the Disciples, Luke 24. 32. and to conuey Gods Spirit and grace into vsus, and is therefore called the ministration of the spirit, 2. Cor. 3. 8. 2. We hauehave the example of the zeale and deuotion, and cheerefulnesse of other of Gods seruants, with whom we ioyne; which is of great force to correct our owne sluggishnesse and drowsinesse, and to quicken Gods graces in vsus, Your zeale prouoked many, (saith Paul) 2. Cor. 9. 2. And Dauid professeth that he receiued much good, by beholding the forwardnesse of the rest of Gods people, in frequenting the house of God, Psae. 122. 1, 2. And I doubt not, but very many wicked men hauehave found in their own experience, that as it is said of Saul, when he came among the Prophets, though he came euen with euill minde; yet another heart was giuen him, & the Spirit of God came vponupon him also, and he became like one of them, 1. Sā. 19. 23, 24. So these men in the assembly of Gods people, by beholding the reuerent attention and deuotion of others, hauehave found many good motions wrought in themselues. 3. There is much more force in the prayers, wherein many of Gods seruants ioyne together, then there can be in those, that any of them shall make seuerally and apart. The ioynt forces of many, must needs preuaile more with God, then if they were single. Prayer therefore is compared to seeking and knocking, Matth. 7. 7. And when many seeke a thing, there is more hope of finding: when many knocke at heauen gates, they will be the better heard, Matth. 18. 19. Verily I say vntounto you that if two of you (much more if many) shall agree on earth vponupon any thing, whatsoeuer they shall desire, it shall be giuen them of my Father which is in heauen. See the force of publike prayer, wherein many of Gods seruants do ioyne together. Therefore Gods people at such times as they hauehave most desired to preuaile with God in prayer, hauehave beene carefull to gather together, as publike assemblies, as they could possibly, …oel …. 15, 6. vt supra pag. 125. 4. Christ hath promised to be present in a more speciall and comfortable manner in the assemblies of his people, then in any of our houses, or in any other place, Matth. 18. 20. & 28. 20. So that (for the assemblies sake) the seruice we doe to God in the Church, is to be preferred before that we can doe in any other place; not for any holinesse that is in the place it selfe. And so much for the cleering of the Doctrine from the obiection that might be made against it. Now I come to the confirmation of it. And to this purpose we must obserue a notable difference in this case, betweene the time before the death of our Sauiour Christ, and that that followed.
Before our Sauiours death we shall read of diuers places, that were holier then others.
1. The whole land of Canaan, (because it was a type of the Church of Christ, and of the kingdome of heauen) was esteemed by Gods people a better and more holy place then any other in the world. That (among other reasons) made Iacob and Ioseph to be so desirous to bee buried there. Fiue things are worthy to be obserued in Iacobs desire of this, He desired to be buryed in Canaan. Though 1. It was a great way off: 2. It could not be without great offence. Of Iacob we read he calls Ioseph, and chargeth him, Gen. 47. 29. 31. And not contenting himselfe with that, he chargeth all his sonnes with it. Gen. 49. 29. 2. When? immediately before his death; as a matter that he had the greatest care of, Gen. 47. 29. 3. In what manner? exceeding affectionately and earnestly, Gen. 47. 29. If I hauehave found grace in thy sight, deale mercifully and truely with mee, bury me not I pray thee in Egypt. 4. He bound his good sonne Ioseph by oath to it, and would not take his word, Gen. 47. 29. 31. 5. When he had gotten Ioseph to sweare, his heart was so comforted, that hee gaue solemne thankes to God for it, Genesis 47. 31.
2. In the land of Canaan, some places are said to hauehave beene more holy then others: namely such, as wherein God did manifest himselfe in a speciall, and sensible manner. So the place where the Sonne of God appeared to Moses in the fierie bush, is called holy ground, Exod. 3. 5. And that wherein he appeared to Ioshua, Iosh. 5. 15. And the Mount wherein he was transfigured is called by Peter, The Holy Mount, 1. Pet. 1. 18. But these places were no longer accounted holy, then during the time of this speciall presence of the Lord in them. Neither can we reade that any of Gods people did either goe on pilgrimage to those places after, or gaue any religious respect vntounto them.
3. Ierusalem, because it was the place that the Lord had chosen to put his name there, was euer (from the dayes of Dauid to Christs time) holier then any other place of the world beside. It is called the holy City, Matth. 4. 5. yea euen to the very moment of Christs death it so continued, notwithstanding the maruellous sins and corruptions of it, it is called the holy City still, Matth. 27. 53.
4. The Temple (because God had hallowed it to put his name there for euer, 2. Chron. 7. 16.) was yet a more holy place then any other place in Ierusalem, and is therefore oft called, The holy Temple, Psal. 5. 8. Fiue things there be that shew their Temple to hauehave beene a most holy place, 1. Gods people were bound wheresoeuer they dwelt, to resort thither at certaine times, three times eueryevery yeare all the males were bound to appeare there, Exod. 23. 17. and the Eunuch you know came euen from Ethiopia to worship there, Acts 8. 27. 2. Many parts of Gods worship they might performe no where, but onelyonly there, thither shall yee bring all that I command you, your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heaue offering of your hand, and all the choice vowes, which ye vow vntounto the Lord, Deut. 12. 11. 3. Those parts of Gods seruice which they might performe in other places, (as prayer, euen priuate prayer) was much better and more pleasing to God, and more auaileable to their comfort there then in any other place. In which respect it is called; Matth. 21. 12. The house of prayer. And 2. Chron. 7. 15. Mine eyes shall bee open, and mine eares attentiue to the prayer made in this place. Therefore Dauid desired to behold Gods power and glory, as he had beheld it in the Sanctuary, Psal. 63. 1, 2. Therefore it is said of Anna, that (though through the affliction of her mind, shee could not partake with her husband in the sacrifice and offerings) yet shee went vp with him duly to the House of the Lord, euen to make her secret prayers there, 1. Samuel 1. 12. Shee continued praying before the Lord. Dauid went thither to make his priuate prayers, 2. Sam. 7. 18. So did the good Publican, Luke 18. 10. Yea 4. when they could not goe thither to pray, yet the very looking towards the Temple, made their prayer more acceptable with God, according to that prayer Salomon made in the dedication of the Temple that it might be so, 1. King. 8. 44. 48. 5. Yea so holy was that Temple, and such religious reuerence did Gods people beare vntounto it; that after the Caldeans had burnt it, they honoured the very place where it had stood, and esteemed it holier then any other. This appeares by those 80. persons whom Ishmael murthered, Ier. 41. 5. And by Daniels opening his windowes towards Ierusalem when he prayed, Dan. 6. 10.
5. In the Temple it selfe, though all the parts of it were holy, yet some places in it were more holy then other some. For there was a place, where the people stood separated from the Priests, Luke 1. 10. And this was an holy place, so holy, that Mar. 11. 16. Christ would not suffer any to carry any vessell through it. And there was a place where the Priests executed their Ministry, which was holier then that, that the people stood in, and is therefore called the holy place, Leuit. 16. 30. And 3. there was a place which the high Priest might onelyonly enter into, and that but once a yeare, and that is called the Holy of holies, the holiest place of all, Heb. 9. 3. Now since the death of Christ, there is no place of the world, holier then other. No nation is holy as the Land of Canaan was, no towne as Ierusalem, no place where God is worshipped, as the Temple was. Prayer is as auaileable with God in one place as in another. 1. Priuate prayer is so. For 1. Cor. 1. 2. Paul describes the faithfull to be such as call vponupon God in eueryevery place. 2. Publike prayer is so, 1. Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray eueryevery where. 3. Generally the whole worship of God is so, Matth. 18. 2. Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name, &c. And this the Lord foretold to his Prophets, as a singular priuiledge, that should come to the Church in the daies of the Gospell, Zeph. 2. 11. EueryEvery man in all the parts of the heathen, shall worship God from his owne place, Mal. 1. 11. In eueryevery place from the rising of the Sun, to the going downe thereof, incense shall be offered vntounto my name, and a pure offering (incense and offering are named as the seruice that was peculiar vntounto the Temple) Esay 19. 19. In that day shall the Altar of the Lord be in the midst of Egypt, and a pillar by the border thereof. And if this priuiledge was vouchsafed to Egypt, which of all nations had most of all prouoked God, how much more to other nations?
To make this truth the more euident to the world. As the vaile of the Temple did rend immediatly vponupon Christs death, so within forty yeares after, (when by the Apostles Ministry this Doctrine was sufficiently manifested to the world) the Temple and Cittie was vtterly subuerted and ouerthrowne, according to the Prophecie of Christ: Luke 19. 44. They shall make thee euen with the ground, and not leaue in thee a stone vponupon a stone. And as Daniel Chap. 9. 26. Long before prophecied that the Romanes should destroy both the Cittie and the Sanctuarie. The Reasons of this great alteration and change; why this great difference, that was in places before, Reason.is now quite taken away; why Ierusalem and the Temple lost all that holinesse, that was in them before, are principally foure. 1. Because by Christs comming (and specially by his death) all that was fulfilled, that 1.was signified by the Temple. For the Temple was but a type and shaddow of Christs humanity, as our Sauiour himselfe witnesseth: Iohn 2. 21. And the proportion stands in two points. 1. As the Lord dwelt in the Temple, and his glory sensibly appeared in it, 1. Kings 8. 11. So all the fulnesse of the God-head did dwell bodily, and personally in Christ, Col. …. 9. 2. As no sacrifice was acceptable to God, vnlesse it were offered in the Temple, So none of our prayers, and spirituall sacrifices, are acceptable vntounto God, vnlesse they be offered vp to God in Christ, 1. Pet. 2. 5. So that it is necessary, that when the body was come, the shadow should cease. 2. Since Christs death, all difference of persons is taken away; 2.and all nations are as acceptable to God, as the Iewes were: Acts 10. 34, 35. Of a truth I perceiue, God is no accepter of persons: but in eueryevery nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted of him, Gal. 3. 28. For there is neither Iew nor Grecian, bond nor free, male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ. And therefore all difference of places must needs also be taken away. For this difference of places, was as a partition-wall, betweene the Iewes and all the Gentiles: Ephes. 2. 14, 15. He is our peace, which hath made of both, one, and hath broken the stop of the partition-wall, in abrogating through his flesh the hatred, the law of commandement, which standeth in ordinances. 3. The grieuous sinnes, whereby Ierusalem, and the Temple were defiled, caused God to destroy and prophane it; and of the 3.most holy and honourable place, to make it the most miserable and abhominable of all the places of the world. For the prophanation of the Temple, our Sauiour tells them, they should see, Matth. 24. 15. the abhomination of desolation (that is an abominable desolation) stand in the holy place. And for the destruction of it, it was such as neuer the like happened to any place. According as the Lord said: Ier. 26. 9. I will make this place as Shilo, and this Cittie a curse to all the inhabitants of the earth: So miserable a destruction, that our Sauiour saith, they should cry, Luke 23. 30. to the mountaines, fall on vsus, and to the hills, couer vsus. And this is reckoned to be the cause of it: Matth. 23. 37, 38. Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee. How often would I hauehave gathered thy children together, as the Hen gathereth her chickens vnderunder her wings, and ye would not? Behold your habitation shall bee left vntounto you desolate. 4. The Lord hath not since the destruction of the Temple and Cittie of Ierusalem, sanctified 4.any other place in the world, or consecrated it to a more holy vse then the rest; and it is Gods institution and Word onelyonly, that can make any thing, or any place holy, eueryevery creature and ordinance of God is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer, 1. Tim. 4. 5. Nothing can be sanctified but by the Word and prayer. The Sabbath is an holier day then all the rest; because the Lord by his institution sanctified it: Exod. 20. 11. The Water in Baptisme is holy, because the Lord in his Word hath consecrated it to that holy vse; God sanctifieth and cleanseth vsus with the washing of water by the word, Ephes. 5. 26. The Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper are holy, because the Lord appointed them to bee vsed in that holy action, hee tooke Bread and Wine, and after hee had blessed them by his prayer and thankesgiuing, vsed them in this holy action as signes of his Body and Blood, and Seales of the new Couenant, Matth. 26. 26, 27. Luke 22.
The Vse of this Doctrine is threefold. 1. To reprooue sundry superstitions of the Papists, and of ignorant persons, that hauehave by tradition receiued Use 1.it from the Papists. 1. Their going on pilgrimage to the holy Land, (as they call it) and to other places which by reason of some reliques of 1.Saints, that are said to be there, are accounted more holy then any other places. This is counted a chiefe worke of piety, and deuotion among them. Fiue Reasons there are against this superstition. 1. Nothing can make a place, or ought else holy, but the ordinance and institution of God, as we hauehave heard. 2. Of all places, Ierusalem doth now worst deserue the name of the holy Land. For Numb. 35. 33. blood defiles the Land; and in it was the blood of all the Prophets and of Christ himselfe shed, Matth. 23. 37. 3. The reliques of Saints, which they pretend doe make those places holier, are notoriously knowne to be counterfeit. 4. If the true bodies of the Saints were indeed there, yet ought not such religious respect to be had to those places for them. For, for this cause the place where Moses was buried (euen vnderunder the Law when some places were holier then other) was so carefully concealed, least the people of God should giuegive religious respect vntounto it. Deut. 34. 6. Yea, Michael stroue, and disputed with the diuell about this point: Iude 9. 5. It is Iudaisme and a deniall of Christ to be come, to hold that one place is holier then another, as is euident by this Text. 2. The second superstition of Papists reprooued by this Doctrine, is this that they 2.put more holinesse in some places of buriall, then in others. For they hold, that it is more beneficiall to the dead, to be buried in the Church-yard, then out of it; and in the Church more then in the Church-yard; and in the Chancell more then in the Church; and neere the high Altar, more then in any other place of the Chancell; and that vponupon this conceit, that these places are consecrated and hallowed, that they are holier then other places are. 1. I doe not deny, but a Christian may lawfully desire to be buried in the place, where the rest of the faithfull are buried. 2. There may be more ciuill honour done to some Christians, then to others, euen in the place of their buriall, it was an honour lawfully done vntounto Hezekiah, that he was buried in the chiefest of the Sepulchers of the sonnes of Dauid, 2. Chron. 32. 33. But to put any holinesse in this thing, or to thinke the place where one is buried, can any way tend to the benefit of the dead, that is grosse superstition, that is most vnlawfull. 3. The third superstition condemned by this Doctrine is this, that they hold priuat prayer made in a Church more auaileable, 3.(because the Church say they is a more holy place) then any other. Whereas it is euident by that hath beene said, that our houses and chambers are in themselues, as holy places, as the Churches are. 2. That for priuate and secret prayer they are fitter places then any Church: When thou prayest enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the dore, pray to thy father which is in secret, Matth. 6. 6. 4. The fourth superstition condemned by this Doctrine is, that they put holinesse and Religion euen in the situation of their Temples, 4.and placing of their bodies in prayer. For the Temple (say they) should be built towards the East, and we should worship towards the East. Whereas, it is not religiously materiall, which way our Churches stand, or which way we turne our selues in prayer, so our hearts be lifted vp and directed to our Father which is in heauen. Yet if any part of Heauen bee more vnfit for vsus to turne our faces towards in prayer then other, the East is the vnfittest. Because we finde Idolaters blamed for doing so: Ezekiel 8. 16. Which we cannot finde noted of any other part. 2. Though the matter it selfe bee of small moment, yet to put holinesse in it, is a great sinne, as is euident by that bitter inuectiue our Sauiour maketh against the Pharisees and Iewes, for the holinesse they put in washing of hands and cups and such like things, Marke 7. 6. 9.
The second Vse of this Doctrine is, to exhort vsus, that sith we hauehave learned that this is one chiefe priuiledge, we hauehave by Christs death, that all religious difference of places is taken away, and our nation now is as holy as Canaan, our townes as Ierusalem, our houses as the Temple, we should therefore make vse of this priuiledge in seruing God, not in our Temples onelyonly, but in our houses also, in establishing the exercises of Religion in our families, and vsing them there constantly and conscionably. We reade of Abraham, that wheresoeuer he pitched his tent, he was wont to erect an Altar vntounto God, Gen. 12. 8. and 13. 18. And many Christians are said to hauehave had Churches in their houses: Rom. 16. 5. Col. 4. 15. Philemon 2. VnderUnder the Law they were wont to dedicate their houses, and consecrate them to God before they dwelt in them, Deut. 20. 5. Psal. 30. in titulo. Though this were done then with sundry ceremonies, which are now abolished, yet the equitie remaines, and we also should dedicate our houses vntounto God; and that can we doe no better way then this: 2. Sam. 6. 11. God blessed the house of Obed-edom, while the Arke was entertained in it. And how can this choose, but bring a blessing from God vponupon our dwellings; if he were serued constantly in them. Contrarily, Ier. 10. 25. There is a Propheticall imprecation against those families, wherein no prayer is vsed.
The third Vse of this Doctrine is, to teach vsus, that such is the seuerity of God against sinne, that he will not onelyonly plague them that commit it; Use 3.but curse the very place where it hath beene committed. Ierusalem and the House of God, may be an example to all places in the world in this point. For what places in the world had so many priuiledges as Ierusalem and the Temple there? Of which it is said, 2. Chron. 7. 16. I hauehave now chosen and sanctified this place, that my name may bee there for euer: and mine eyes and mine heart shall bee there perpetually: And Lam. 4. 12. The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not hauehave belieued, that the aduersarie and the enemie, should hauehave entred into the gates of Ierusalem: and yet behold how the sinnes committed therein, made it the most accursed place in the world. It is a speciall blessing oft promised to the godly, that their habitation and dwelling shall prosper, Pro. 3. 33. That he will make the habitation of their righteousnesse prosperous, Iob 8. 6. Yea that they shall know and feele, that peace shall be in their Tabernacles, Iob 5. 24. And about them, and their houses, and all that they hauehave, God keepes such a fence, as Sathan cannot hurt them: Iob 1. 10. It is the protection of God alone, that keepes our houses from the calamities of fire within, and lightning from heauen, and from the annoyance and molestation of euill spirits, and other iudgements. On the other side it is certaine, the curse of God is vponupon the habitation of the wicked, Pro. 3. 33. and 14. 11. the house of the wicked shall bee ouerthrowne. Sinne defiles the house where it is committed, and brings Gods curse on it, the houses vponupon whose roofes Idolatry had beene committed shall bee set on fire, saith the Lord, Ier. 32. 29. The curse shall enter into the house of the thiefe, and of him that sweareth falsly, and it shall remaine in the midst of it, and it shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof, Zach. 5. 4. Destruction shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his, brimstone shall bee scattered vponupon his habitation, Iob 15. 15. O that men would belieue this! Then would Victualers, either not indure such swearing, vncleanenesse, and drunkennesse in their houses; or if they could not auoid it (liuing in that calling) they would giuegive it ouer. Then would Masters of families not content themselues, to be themselues free from swearing, drunkennesse, and filthines; but would put these sinnes farre from their Tabernacles also, as Eliphaz speaketh, Iob 22. 23.