The Buddings and Blossomings of Old Truths, Commentary · Verse 26
VERS 26.
IN this Verſe we have ſet before us the occaſion of the controverſy, between ſome of John's Diſciples and the Jewes, the Diſciples of John ſaw the people frequent our Saviours Doctrine mor… than they did their Mr the Baptiſt; and hereupon took occaſion to quarell with them, came to the Baptiſt, and complained of it, as loath to ſee their Maſters honour overſhadowed by the ſhining of a more glorious Sun. 2. Their ignorance, they heard what the Baptiſt had taught of our Saviour, they ſaw what he did to our Saviour, how he Baptiſed him, but yet did not underſtand that Chriſt was the Sonne, the Saviour and Redeemer of the World. 3. The danger of over-much admiring the perſons of our teachers, they …o admired his perſon, that they did not rightly conceive his Doctrine, that they did diſable Chriſt, and cried up the Baptiſt 4. The fidelity of the Baptiſt in his calling, for ſo they confeſſe, that the Baptiſt did beare witnes of Chriſt. 5. Their envy at the ſucceſſe of Chriſts Miniſtry, of theſe in their Order. From the of theſe we learne.
Doctr. That ſelf-love and ambition, are many times an occaſion of moſt contention, this is like the evill Spirit that came between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, Iud. 9.turning their Union into diviſion, their love into hatred, their peace into trouble, this is a bellowes kindling the coales of ſtrif betweē ſuch as are knit together in the ſtricteſt bonds: why did Joſephs Brethren ſell him into Aegypt but out of ſelf-love,Gen. becauſe they would not be ſubject to him? Why elſe did Eliab quarrell with David, 1 Sa. 17.28. This made Saul ſeek the life of David a moſt faithfull & beneficiall Servant: this diſturbed the peace, even of the Apoſtles, Luc. 22.24. and Solomon maketh it a generall rule, Prov. 13.10.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe pride and ſelf-love doth breed envy at other mens endowments, and at the ſucceſſe of other mens undertakings, envy is the ſpawn of pride, the daughter of ſelf-love, a branch alwayes adhering to this root, Luc. 15.18. Dan. 6.4. Phil. 1.15.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe pride and ſelf-love, cauſe men to aime at by and baſe ends, neglecting the glory of God, the welfare of the Goſpel, the good of their brethren, and to ſeek their owne applauſe, eaſe, wealth, as the Apoſtle long ſince complained, Phil. 2.21. and our Saviour diſcovereth this as the ſpeciall cauſe of the Phariſes contention againſt him, Ioh. 5.44.
Reaſ. 3 Becauſe ſelf-love and pride doth occaſion men to make evill and falſe conſtructions of the doings, and purpoſes of others, 1 Sam. 17.28. This made the Phariſes think that our Saviour came to take their place from them.
Reaſ. 4 Becauſe pride and ſelf-love doth make men ingratefull, yea, to contend with, and render evill to ſuch as ſeek to do them the greateſt good, yea, that have ſhewed them the greateſt love; let David be a wall about Nabals men and poſſeſſions in the Wildernes, 1 Sam. 25.16. yet Nabal, that regards no man but himſelf, will raile at him, abuſe him, if he demand any aſſiſtance from him, ſo Jud. 8.1. and Jud. 12.1, 2, 3. Thus ſelf-love made the Phariſes, who ſhould have rejoyced in the coming of Christ, as at the appearing of the moſt glorious and comfortable Sun that ever did ſhine, to be full of indignation at it.
Uſe: This muſt therefore cauſe us, if we purpoſe to enjoy any true peace, to receive any true comfort by Gods Ordinances, to hold any comfortable Communion with Gods Servants, to pluck up this evill weed, to quench this fire, to hew down this tree, to ſuppreſſe this ſelf-love and haughtines of Spirit, no more ſeeking our ſelves, no more ſerving our luſts, no more living to our ſelves, no more accompting all fiſh loſt which cometh not into our owne net; all the Oile ſpilt that is not put into our Lamp, the honour miſplaced that is not beſtowed on us, as they Mic. 3.5. But let us learne.
1. To deny our ſelves, our owne luſts, reaſon, ends,Jo. 8.50. 1 Co. 10.24. Gal. 6.14. deſires, living no longer to the fleſh, Mar. 8.34. Let us become little in our eyes, lower and viler than duſt; truely apprehenſive of, and thoroughly affected with our owne ſin, with our owne unworthines, and we ſhall find little occaſion to contend with our fellow brethren, to envy the graces of God in them, but rather deſire them out of their abundance to communicate to our neceſſities, and this is their ſureſt way to honour, as our Saviour ſaid in another caſe, Math. 10.39. So in this caſe he that ſeeketh his owne honour ſhall looſe it, but he that forſaketh his owne praiſe he ſhall find it, as Ioh. 8.50, 54. Luc. 14.11. Before honour humility, &c. Ia 4.6. 1 Pet. 5.6.
2. To live wholy and altogether unto God, ſeeking his glory, bringing forth fruit to him, devoring our ſelves wholy to his ſervice, as the wife forſaketh her fathers houſe, becometh her Husbands, and ſeeketh how to pleaſe him; So muſt we leave the World, and things moſt deare to the fleſh, and ſtudy how to pleaſe the Lord, this is given in charge, 1 Cor. 10.30. To this we are earneſtly perſwaded, Rom. 12.1, 2. 2 Cor. 5.15. and did we make Gods honour the mark, whereunto we levell all our arrowes, did we make this the end of our labour and deſires, as Phil. 1.15, 16. We would be glad, if God might be honoured whither by our ſelves, or by any other inſtrument, & did we thus glorify God, we ſhould not faile to receive honour from the Lord, 1 Sam. 2.30.
3. To ſeek the good of our brethren, as one member in the body doth ſeek the good of another, to communicate what we have received as the full clouds do their raine to the barren grounds. This is required, 1 Cor. 10.24. practiſed 2 Cor. 12.14. This is the way to abound in the grace of the Spirit, to ſhine in holines, not the envying of other mens ſpirituall welfare, but endeavouring to increaſe it, 1 Cor. 9.6. Heb 6.10.
4. To rejoyce in the welfare of our brethren as in our owne, not like Cain that murdered Abel, becauſe more righteous than himſelfe; Not like Eſau hating Iacob, becauſe he had obtained the bleſſing; Not like Saul maligning David, becauſe he had ſlaine his ten thouſands, when Saul himſelfe had ſlaine but his thouſand, but rather becauſe with David, 1 Chro. 29.17. 2 Cor. 12.26. Iohn 12. Eph. 4.
The ſecond thing is their ignorance; they heard what teſtimony the Baptiſt gave of our Saviour; yet they underſtood it not, for then they would not have envied, but readily followed him as others did.
Doctr. That there are many, who heare good and ſound Doctrine delivered; affect the perſon teaching it, and yet do neither truely nor ſavingly underſtand it. The Diſciples ſaw the Miracles of Chriſt, heard the Doctrine he delivered, gave ſome Teſtimony of their love, for they followed him; but yet understood not his Doctrine, Ioh. 6.60, 61. This is alſo verified in Nicodemus, Ioh. 3.5, 8, 9, 10. In the Women of whom Paul ſpeaketh, 2 Tim. 3.7. Yea, ſome undertake to be guides to others, themſelves not knowing the way, 1 Tim. 1.6, 7. and this ſo cometh to paſs.
1. Partly thorough the ſpirituall, high, and heavenly nature of divine things, which the carnall eye cannot diſcerne, 1 Cor. 2.14. A riddle which the naturall man cannot unfold, unles he have Gods Spirit, verſ. 11. As Sampſon told the Philiſtines, they could not have opened his riddle, unles they had plowed which his heafer.
2. Partly thorough ſome baſe and by ends which men propoſe unto themſelves, making their attendance on the word, a hooke to take ſome other fiſh: Judas followed Chriſt, becauſe he did beare the bag, the Diſciples becauſe they had eaten of the bread.
3. Partly thorough the ſiniſter notives which ſtirre up ſome to attend upon the Word, the novelty, the applauſe accompanying carnall relations to the teachers of it, to them that do embrace it, horrour of conſcience, diſmall feares, which cauſe them to attend on it, the Raven cometh into the Ark for feare of the Deluge, Ahab humbleth himſelfe when a judgment is threatned.
4. Partly thorough the deceitfulnes of many mens hearts, ſuppoſing it enough that they do heare, though they do no more, never ſearching as the Bereans did, Acts 17.11. Never enclining the eare and applying the heart unto underſtanding, as Solomon giveth charge, Prov. 2.2, 3, 4. But as Ier. 7.10. as Prov. 7.14. therefore Ioh. 1.23, 24, 25.
5. Partly thorough the juſt judgment of God, who ſendeth a ſpirituall ſlumber upon ſome, that ſeeing they ſhall not perceive, and hearing they ſhall not underſtand, Iſa. 6.10. but Iſa. 29.11. Whereunto agreeth that of our Saviour, Mat. 13.13, 14. and 2 Cor. 4.3.
Ʋſe. This therefore muſt give every one of us occaſion on to make triall of our ſelves, whether we are not guilty of this ſin, whether we do not content our ſelves with the bare hearing of the Word; or elſe do alſo ſavingly know and underſtand it a grace whereof few do participate, a lamp that ſhineth in few mens Souls, a work of a ſingular nature, of the trueſt comfort, of the greateſt benefit, a bleſſing peculiar to Gods faithfull, a jewell not gotten without much diligence, a tree loaden with the choiſeſt fruit, fountaine full of the pureſt water; Therefore it is good wiſedome to try while we are endowed with it:
1. True knowledge is alwayes accompained with true humility, contrition of heart, meeknes of Spirit and a Holy teachablenes, the whole man will readily ſubject, it ſelfe to every Ordinance of God: So that he who was once an indomitable beaſt, now a child, a weake man, Gods Miniſter ſhall lead him, Iſa. 11.6. True knowledge taketh downe the haughtines of the Spirit, breaketh the obſtinacy of the heart, maketh man ſay as Paul did, Acts 9.6. as Cornelius, Acts 10.33. and maketh him with Job, Job 42.6. putteth him altogether out of conceit with himſelfe, 1 Cor. 3.18. thus Ia. 3.17. The wiſedome which is from above is gentle, eaſily intreated, as Naaman having the ſight of his Leproſy, hearkned to the advice of a maid to go to the Prophet, and afterward to go to Jordan by the perſvaſion of his Servants, Mat. 11.29.
2. True knowledge is accompanied with unfained purity of heart & life: all the naſty corners of the Soul are ſwept which before the ſhining of this light were altogether over-ſpread, with the dirt of ſin and iniquity: as the ſhining of the Sun diſpelleth darknes and ſcattereth the thick clouds which hang in the aire; ſo doth ſaving knowledge drive away the ſin of our Souls, therefore Ia. 3.17. The wiſedome from above is pure, and purifieth the Soul where it dwelleth, Pſal. 19.8, 9. It maketh the transgreſsour caſt away his ſin as a menſtruous garment, Iſa. 30.22. Their Souls are not like a dirty book; wherein is nothing but the hand writting of ſin and Satan, but the Law of God is written therein, Ier. 31.33, 34. They are no more as ſtrangers, but they are returned unto God, Jer. 24.7.
3. True knowledge is accompanied with bowels of mercy and compaſſion to our fellow brethren, we are grieved to ſee them in the ſnare of Satan, labour to the utmoſt of our abilities to free them, Pſa. 119.136. As Moſes laboured to bring his brethren out of Aegypt; As Paul when his eyes were opened, and he inſtructed, he laboured to turne men to God, Acts 9. He built all up as faſt a ever he did pull down, was as diligent for Christ, as ever he was laborious againſt Chriſt, as abundant in his labour, as he was before in perſecutions, all his threatnings were turned into encouragements.
4. True knowledge maketh us induſtrious in imbracing all opportunities for the furtherance of the work of grace, to become rich in ſanctifications, to be freed from ſin more thoroughly, to performe holy dueties more cherefully, more acceptably, to be able to withſtand temptations more ſtrongly; as a man fallen into the hands of theeves, having his eyes open watcheth every opportunity to go from them, a wiſe merchant obſerveth the mart, an underſtanding Husbandman taketh the ſeaſons of the year, ſo will the Children of God entertaine the fitteſt opportunities to pray when their hearts are moſt affected with the fence of ſin, moſt moved with the deſire of grace, Jon. 2.1. As Jonah prayed out of the Whales belly, the Jewes came to the Apoſtles, when their hearts were pricked, Acts 2.37. Anna prayed when ſhe was affected with the fence of her barrenneſs, 1 Sa. 1.6, 10. We muſt be allwayes inſtant, 2 Tim. 4.2. Eph. 5.15. Prov. 8.34.
5. True knowledge valueth the beſt things at the higheſt rate, it eſteemeth droſs as droſs, & gold as gold, 1 Cant. 1.2. The earth is a tranſitory vaine and flitting thing, a ſnow melting before the Sun, a crackling thorne, whoſe fire is as ſoone extinct, but it eſteemeth ſpirituall and heavenly things as things of an abiding nature, as a tree never barren of fruit, a fire never going out, as a Jewell of greater price than all the world, thus Pſa. 119.72. Pſa. 84.10. Phil. 3.8. Luc. 18.28. It doth not as Luc. 14.18.
6. True knowledge is accompanied with a holy jeolauſy, vigilancy, feare, care, that it may not fall againe into any ſin, having once gotten it ſelfe free, having had experience of the heavy burden of ſin, having felt the wounding arrowes of an accuſing conſcience, being acquainted with the propenſity of his heart unto ſin, thorough the remainder of corruption, wilines and induſtry of Satan, having felt how hard the paſſage was from Aegypt to Canaan, how full of anguiſh the throwes of his new birth were, how difficultly the broaken bones were healed, and being ſenſible of the peace, and comfort of his preſent eſtate, he is fearefull, and carefull that he may not loſe it; Like a man gotten out of ſome dangerous gulfe, where the darknes covered him, the Mire defiles him, Serpents ſting him, heavy burthens oppreſſe him, and whence he had no power to get himſelfe free, nor no Sun could ſhine upon him, no licour could refreſh him, no muſicall inſtrument could delight him, where every thing ſeemed as the ſhadow of death, a dreadfull terrour to him, will be carefull to keep aloofe off never to full in againe, ſo the Children of God that hath eſcaped this Dungeon of Sin wherein, &c. will look well to himſelfe, he will no more come neare this forreſt that he fall not into this Lions mouths, 2 Cor. 7.10, 11. 1 Theſ. 5.22. 1 Cor. 10.23. Gen. 34.10. Theſe & many ſuch are the fruits that grow on this tree, the eams which iſſue from this ſun, and theſe muſt we be able to find in truth wrought in our ſelves, or elſe our knowledge is vaine, and this knowledge muſt we all ſtrive, if we purpoſe to know the things belonging to our peace, & to attaine this, we muſt be ſenſible of our ſpirituall blindnes, otherwiſe, Io. 9.41. We muſt bewaile it as Prov. 5.4. We muſt cry after it as blind men did for eye ſight, we muſt waite upon the Word, the inſtrument of our illumination.
The third thing here obſerved, was the fidelity of the Baptiſt, though theſe Diſciples of John did not imbrace Christ, yet they do acknowledge that the Baptiſt taught Chriſt, and gave teſtimony of him:
Doctr. Gods Miniſters muſt ſtrive to ſhew themſelves ſo ſound in their Doctrine, ſo induſtrions in their calling, that if it be poſſible all ſorts of people, may in that behalfe be conſtrained to give teſtimony of them, 1 Tim. 3.7. That all may ſay as they did of our Saviour, Marc. 12.14. So we ſhew the integrity of our hearts the God, the ſincerity of our minds in the performance of our calling; ſo ſhall we convince the conſciences of our hearers, be partakers of much peace within us, and give much the more cheerfull accompt of our callings, it is our joy, 1 Theſ. 2.19, 20. But if this cannot be yet. Iſa. 48.4. Ezek. 33.33. Acts 20.26, 27. The next thing is the danger of admiring the perſon of the perſon, beyond what is convenient.
Doctr. It is very daungerous to be ſo devoted to the perſon of any Miniſter, as thereby they do envy or diſgrace a more able teacher: This is repugnant to the rule of the Apoſtle, Iam. 2.1. To the charge, 1 Theſ. 5.13, 14. 1 Tim. 5.17. Of this the men of Corinth were not innocent, they were much devoted to the falſe Apoſtles, ſo much as they undervalued the true:2 Cor. 11 20. A juſt reproof for ſuch as ſo faſten their eyes upon blind guids, and other inſufficient Miniſters, in whoſe Lampe is either none, or at leaſt no good Oile, that they reject the beſt teachers; Like the Philiſtines, who were ſo deeply in love with Dagon, that they removed the Arke, like ſeduced Iſrael, 1 Sam. 5.4, 5, 6. That forſook the living Fountaine, and digged broaken ciſternes, that forſake the living God, Ier. 2.12. and made ſupplication to Baal, who could not hear, theſe mens knowledge muſt needs be according to the wiſedome of their inſtructours;1 Ki. 18.19. there growth muſt be like the milk flowing out of the Nurſes breaſt, and ſurely of all ſuch, both teachers and hearers may that of the Pſalmiſt be ſpoken, Pſa. 115.5, 6, 7, 8. Laſtly they envied the ſucceſſe of our Saviours Miniſtry, it grieved them to ſee ſo many attend his Doctrine, frequent his baptiſme.
Doctr. It is an apparent ſigne of a carnall hearer to envy the good ſucceſſe of him, that is not his owne teacher; they that rejoyce not in, but grieve at the labours and gracious proceedings of other Miniſters, beſides their owne never attended, with a ſincere mind upon the Doctrine which their owne teachers delivered to them, it is an evill eye that grieveth to ſee more Corn in another mans field, more Sheep in another mans-fold, more Fruit on another mans tree than on his owne; every Child ought indeed moſt entirely to affect its owne breaſt, every ſcholler his owne Mr, every ſouldier his owne leader; yet not ſo as thereby to envy the breaſts which yield more milk, the Mr whoſe Scholars grow more abundantly in learning, the Generall, whoſe ſouldiers are more victorious, more ſuccesfull in their battle, ſo to affect Cephas as to deſpiſe or envy Paul or Apollos is a ſtreame flowing from a carnall Fountaine, 1 Cor. 3.3, 4. To envy the ſuccesfull Miniſtry of any faithfull teacher, is a branch ſpringing from a very accurſed roote, Acts 13.45. an argument of a blind and obſtinate minde, Joh. 9.28, 29. A ſigne they never truely learned as their owne Miniſter faithfully taught them, an apparent teſtimony that they value the perſon above the Doctrine, Joh. 5.45, 46, 47. That they are not guided by ſound reaſon, but blind affections, an evill guide, a wandering ſtarre, an unskilfull pilote, ſeldome ever ſetting at the ſterne but it cauſeth ſhipwrake; for multa nos cogit facere affectus, Hieron. in Epiſt. ad Fabian.dum propinquitatem reſpicimus corporum, & corporis & animae offendimus creatorem; affection maketh us do many things, and while we faſten our eyes upon the nearenes of our bodies, we offend God the Creator both of Soul and body.
Let us all therefore ſtrive to have our hearts ſo affected with the glorifying of God, ſo bent to the ſetting forth of his praiſe, that we may rejoyce to ſee the Kingdome of Sathan beaten downe, the Kingdome of Chriſt to flouriſh; the number of Gods people increaſe, the ſeed of the Word plenteouſly ſown, the Lords vineyard well manured, many trees of righteouſnes planted in the Lords Orchard, the diſeaſed Souls of our brethren healed, whoſoever be the Phyſitican curing it; the Lord may uſe whome he pleaſeth, convey the water of ſalvation to the Souls of his people by what ciſterne he will, he is free in the diſpenſations of his favours, he may do with his owne what he will, our eye muſt not be evill, becauſe Gods eye is good; but where the graces of God are moſt conſpicuous and apparant, there let our love, be moſt ſtrongly faſtned, conſidering, that a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven: