Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc00/v00050

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 16KB | 272 lines

00055
 #7-12 To make application to the souls of the hearers, is the
 life of preaching; so it was of John's preaching. The Pharisees
 laid their chief stress on outward observances, neglecting the
 weightier matters of the moral law, and the spiritual meaning of
 their legal ceremonies. Others of them were detestable
 hypocrites, making their pretences to holiness a cloak for
 iniquity. The Sadducees ran into the opposite extreme, denying
 the existence of spirits, and a future state. They were the
 scornful infidels of that time and country. There is a wrath to
 come. It is the great concern of every one to flee from that
 wrath. God, who delights not in our ruin, has warned us; he
 warns by the written word, by ministers, by conscience. And
 those are not worthy of the name of penitents, or their
 privileges, who say they are sorry for their sins, yet persist
 in them. It becomes penitents to be humble and low in their own
 eyes, to be thankful for the least mercy, patient under the
 greatest affliction, to be watchful against all appearances of
 sin, to abound in every duty, and to be charitable in judging
 others. Here is a word of caution, not to trust in outward
 privileges. There is a great deal which carnal hearts are apt to
 say within themselves, to put aside the convincing, commanding
 power of the word of God. Multitudes, by resting in the honours
 and mere advantages of their being members of an outward church,
 come short of heaven. Here is a word of terror to the careless
 and secure. Our corrupt hearts cannot be made to produce good
 fruit, unless the regenerating Spirit of Christ graft the good
 word of God upon them. And every tree, however high in gifts and
 honours, however green in outward professions and performances,
 if it bring not forth good fruit, the fruits meet for
 repentance, is hewn down and cast into the fire of God's wrath,
 the fittest place for barren trees: what else are they good for?
 If not fit for fruit, they are fit for fuel. John shows the
 design and intention of Christ's appearing, which they were now
 speedily to expect. No outward forms can make us clean. No
 ordinances, by whomsoever administered, or after whatever mode,
 can supply the want of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of
 fire. The purifying and cleansing power of the Holy Spirit alone
 can produce that purity of heart, and those holy affections,
 which accompany salvation. It is Christ who baptizes with the
 Holy Ghost. This he did in the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit
 sent upon the apostles, #Ac 2:4|. This he does in the graces and
 comforts of the Spirit, given to those that ask him, #Lu 11:13;
 Joh 7:38,39|; see #Ac 11:16|. Observe here, the outward church
 is Christ's floor, #Isa 21:10|. True believers are as wheat,
 substantial, useful, and valuable; hypocrites are as chaff,
 light and empty, useless and worthless, carried about with every
 wind; these are mixed, good and bad, in the same outward
 communion. There is a day coming when the wheat and chaff shall
 be separated. The last judgment will be the distinguishing day,
 when saints and sinners shall be parted for ever. In heaven the
 saints are brought together, and no longer scattered; they are
 safe, and no longer exposed; separated from corrupt neighbours
 without, and corrupt affections within, and there is no chaff
 among them. Hell is the unquenchable fire, which will certainly
 be the portion and punishment of hypocrites and unbelievers.
 Here life and death, good and evil, are set before us: according
 as we now are in the field, we shall be then in the floor.

00061
 #13-17 Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that
 even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them;
 so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well,
 are apt to start objections against the will of Christ. And
 those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that
 they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that
 John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be
 baptized of John. Christ is now in a state of humiliation. Our
 Lord Jesus looked upon it as well becoming him to fulfil all
 righteousness, to own every Divine institution, and to show his
 readiness to comply with all God's righteous precepts. In and
 through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men.
 This descent of the Spirit upon Christ, showed that he was
 endued with his sacred influences without measure. The fruit of
 the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
 goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. At Christ's baptism there
 was a manifestation of the three Persons in the sacred Trinity.
 The Father confirming the Son to be Mediator; the Son solemnly
 entering upon the work; the Holy Spirit descending on him, to be
 through his mediation communicated to his people. In Him our
 spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for He is the altar that
 sanctifies every gift, #1Pe 2:5|. Out of Christ, God is a
 consuming fire, but in Christ, a reconciled Father. This is the
 sum of the gospel, which we must by faith cheerfully embrace.
00066
 * The temptation of Christ. (1-11) The opening of Christ's
 ministry in Galilee. (12-17) Call of Simon and others. (18-22)
 Jesus teaches and works miracles. (23-25)

 #1-11 Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly
 after he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of
 the world, he was tempted; great privileges, and special tokens
 of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted. But if
 the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children of God,
 that will answer all the suggestions of the evil spirit. Christ
 was directed to the combat. If we presume upon our own strength,
 and tempt the devil to tempt us, we provoke God to leave us to
 ourselves. Others are tempted, when drawn aside of their own
 lust, and enticed, #Jas 1:14|; but our Lord Jesus had no corrupt
 nature, therefore he was tempted only by the devil. In the
 temptation of Christ it appears that our enemy is subtle,
 spiteful, and very daring; but he can be resisted. It is a
 comfort to us that Christ suffered, being tempted; for thus it
 appears that our temptations, if not yielded to, are not sins,
 they are afflictions only. Satan aimed in all his temptations,
 to bring Christ to sin against God. 1. He tempted him to despair
 of his Father's goodness, and to distrust his Father's care
 concerning him. It is one of the wiles of Satan to take
 advantage of our outward condition; and those who are brought
 into straits have need to double their guard. Christ answered
 all the temptations of Satan with "It is written;" to set us an
 example, he appealed to what was written in the Scriptures. This
 method we must take, when at any time we are tempted to sin. Let
 us learn not to take any wrong courses for our supply, when our
 wants are ever so pressing: in some way or other the Lord will
 provide. 2. Satan tempted Christ to presume upon his Father's
 power and protection, in a point of safety. Nor are any extremes
 more dangerous than despair and presumption, especially in the
 affairs of our souls. Satan has no objection to holy places as
 the scene of his assaults. Let us not, in any place, be off our
 watch. The holy city is the place, where he does, with the
 greatest advantage, tempt men to pride and presumption. All high
 places are slippery places; advancements in the world makes a
 man a mark for Satan to shoot his fiery darts at. Is Satan so
 well versed in Scripture as to be able to quote it readily? He
 is so. It is possible for a man to have his head full of
 Scripture notions, and his mouth full of Scripture expressions,
 while his heart is full of bitter enmity to God and to all
 goodness. Satan misquoted the words. If we go out of our way,
 out of the way of our duty, we forfeit the promise, and put
 ourselves out of God's protection. This passage, #De 8:3|, made
 against the tempter, therefore he left out part. This promise is
 firm and stands good. But shall we continue in sin, that grace
 may abound? No. 3. Satan tempted Christ to idolatry with the
 offer of the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The
 glory of the world is the most charming temptation to the
 unthinking and unwary; by that men are most easily imposed upon.
 Christ was tempted to worship Satan. He rejected the proposal
 with abhorrence. "Get thee hence, Satan!" Some temptations are
 openly wicked; and they are not merely to be opposed, but
 rejected at once. It is good to be quick and firm in resisting
 temptation. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. But the
 soul that deliberates is almost overcome. We find but few who
 can decidedly reject such baits as Satan offers; yet what is a
 man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
 Christ was succoured after the temptation, for his encouragement
 to go on in his undertaking, and for our encouragement to trust
 in him; for as he knew, by experience, what it was to suffer,
 being tempted, so he knew what it was to be succoured, being
 tempted; therefore we may expect, not only that he will feel for
 his tempted people, but that he will come to them with
 seasonable relief.

00077
 #12-17 It is just with God to take the gospel and the means of
 grace, from those that slight them and thrust them away. Christ
 will not stay long where he is not welcome. Those who are
 without Christ, are in the dark. They were sitting in this
 condition, a contented posture; they chose it rather than light;
 they were willingly ignorant. When the gospel comes, light
 comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it
 makes day there. Light discovers and directs; so does the
 gospel. The doctrine of repentance is right gospel doctrine. Not
 only the austere John the Baptist, but the gracious Jesus,
 preached repentance. There is still the same reason to do so.
 The kingdom of heaven was not reckoned to be fully come, till
 the pouring out of the Holy Spirit after Christ's ascension.
00083
 #18-22 When Christ began to preach, he began to gather
 disciples, who should be hearers, and afterwards preachers of
 his doctrine, who should be witnesses of his miracles, and
 afterwards testify concerning them. He went not to Herod's
 court, not to Jerusalem, among the chief priests and the elders,
 but to the sea of Galilee, among the fishermen. The same power
 which called Peter and Andrew, could have wrought upon Annas and
 Caiaphas, for with God nothing is impossible. But Christ chooses
 the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Diligence
 in an honest calling is pleasing to Christ, and it is no
 hinderance to a holy life. Idle people are more open to the
 temptations of Satan than to the calls of God. It is a happy and
 hopeful thing to see children careful of their parents, and
 dutiful. When Christ comes, it is good to be found doing. Am I
 in Christ? is a very needful question to ask ourselves; and,
 next to that, Am I in my calling? They had followed Christ
 before, as common disciples, #Joh 1:37|; now they must leave
 their calling. Those who would follow Christ aright, must, at
 his command, leave all things to follow him, must be ready to
 part with them. This instance of the power of the Lord Jesus
 encourages us to depend upon his grace. He speaks, and it is
 done.

00088
 #23-25 Wherever Christ went, he confirmed his Divine mission by
 miracles, which were emblems of the healing power of his
 doctrine, and the influences of the Spirit which accompanied it.
 We do not now find the Saviour's miraculous healing power in our
 bodies; but if we are cured by medicine, the praise is equally
 his. Three general words are here used. He healed every sickness
 or disease; none was too bad; none too hard, for Christ to heal
 with a word. Three diseases are named; the palsy, which is the
 greatest weakness of the body; lunacy, which is the greatest
 malady of the mind; and possession of the devil, which is the
 greatest misery and calamity of both; yet Christ healed all, and
 by thus curing bodily diseases, showed that his great errand
 into the world was to cure spiritual maladies. Sin is the
 sickness, disease, and torment of the soul: Christ came to take
 away sin, and so to heal the soul.
00091
 * Christ's sermon on the mount. (1,2) Who are blessed. (3-12)
 Exhortations and warnings. (13-16) Christ came to confirm the
 law. (17-20) The sixth commandment. (21-26) The seventh
 commandment. (27-32) The third commandment. (33-37) The law of
 retaliation. (38-42) The law of love explained. (43-48)

 #1-2 None will find happiness in this world or the next, who do
 not seek it from Christ by the rule of his word. He taught them
 what was the evil they should abhor, and what the good they
 should seek and abound in.
00093
 #3-12 Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people,
 which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1.
 The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their
 condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly
 in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and
 thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the
 kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Those that mourn are happy.
 That godly sorrow which worketh true repentance, watchfulness, a
 humble mind, and continual dependence for acceptance on the
 mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with constant seeking the Holy
 Spirit, to cleanse away the remaining evil, seems here to be
 intended. Heaven is the joy of our Lord; a mountain of joy, to
 which our way is through a vale of tears. Such mourners shall be
 comforted by their God. 3. The meek are happy. The meek are
 those who quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are
 silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep
 possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep
 possession of anything else. These meek ones are happy, even in
 this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and safety, even
 in this world. 4. Those who hunger and thirst after
 righteousness are happy. Righteousness is here put for all
 spiritual blessings. These are purchased for us by the
 righteousness of Christ, confirmed by the faithfulness of God.
 Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest. Though all
 desires for grace are not grace, yet such a desire as this, is a
 desire of God's own raising, and he will not forsake the work of
 his own hands. 5. The merciful are happy. We must not only bear
 our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can to help
 those who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of
 others, and help them; pity those who are in sin, and seek to
 snatch them as brands out of the burning. 6. The pure in heart
 are happy; for they shall see God. Here holiness and happiness
 are fully described and put together. The heart must be purified
 by faith, and kept for God. Create in me such a clean heart, O
 God. None but the pure are capable of seeing God, nor would
 heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot endure to look
 upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity. 7. The
 peace-makers are happy. They love, and desire, and delight in
 peace; and study to be quiet. They keep the peace that it be not
 broken, and recover it when it is broken. If the peace-makers
 are blessed, woe to the peace-breakers! 8. Those who are
 persecuted for righteousness' sake are happy. This saying is
 peculiar to Christianity; and it is more largely insisted upon
 than any of the rest. Yet there is nothing in our sufferings
 that can merit of God; but God will provide that those who lose
 for him, though life itself, shall not lose by him in the end.
 Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of men of
 this world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the
 rich, the powerful, and the victorious. May we find mercy from
 the Lord; may we be owned as his children, and inherit his
 kingdom. With these enjoyments and hopes, we may cheerfully
 welcome low or painful circumstances.