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He shall come with great power and glory, such as will be suited to the errand on which he comes. Every eye shall then see him.

The gathering together of all the elect to him (ver. 27),-He shall send his angels and gather together his elect to him, to meet him in the air. 1 Thess. iv. 17. They shall be fetched from one end of the world to the other, so that none shall be missing from that general assembly; they shall be fetched from the uttermost parts of the earth, most remote from the place where Christ's tribunal shall be set, and shall be brought to the uttermost part of heaven; so sure, so swift, so easy, shall their conveyance be, that there shall none of them miscarry, though they were to be brought from the uttermost part of the earth one way, to the uttermost part of the heaven another way. A faithful Israelite shall be carried safely, though it were from the utmost border of the land of bondage to the utmost border of the land of promise.

28 Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that the summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray:

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for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

y Matt. xxiv. 32; Luke xxi. 29. 2 Isa. xl. 8. a Matt. xxiv. 42; xxv. 13; Luke xii. 40, xxi. 34; Rom. xiii. 11; 1 Thess. v. 6. b Matt. xxiv. 45, xxv. 14. c Matt. xxiv. 42, 44.

We have here the application of this prophetical sermon; now learn to look forward in a right

manner.

As to the destruction of Jerusalem, expect it to come very shortly; as when the branch of the fig-tree becomes soft, and the leaves sprout forth, ye expect that summer will come shortly. Ver. 28. When second causes begin to work, ye expect their effects in their proper order and time; so, when ye see these things come to pass-when ye see the Jewish nation embroiled in wars, distracted by false Christs and prophets, and drawing upon them the displeasure of the Romans; especially when ye see them persecuting you for your Master's sake, and thereby standing to what they did when they put him to death, and repeating it, and so filling up the measure of their iniquity, then say that their ruin is nigh, even at the door, and provide for yourselves accordingly. The disciples themselves were, indeed, all of them, except John, taken away from the evil to come. but the next generation, whom they were to train up, would live to see it; and by these instructions which Christ left behind him, would be kept from sharing it. This generation that is now rising up, shall not all be worn off before all these things come to pass which I have told you of, relating to Jerusalem, and they shall begin to take effect now shortly; and as this destruction is near and within ken, so it is sure. The decree is gone forth, it is a consummation determined. Dan. ix. 27 Christ doth not speak these things, merely to frighten them; no, they are the declarations of God's fixed purpose. Heaven and earth shall pass away, at the end of time, but my words shall not pass away (ver. 31), not one of these predictions shall fail of a punctual accomplishment.

As to the end of the world, do not inquire when it will come, for it is not a question fit to be asked, for of that day and that hour knoweth no man-it is a thing at a great distance: the exact time is fixed in the counsel of God, but is not revealed by any word of God, either to men on earth, or to angels in heaven; the angels shall have timely notice to prepare to attend in that day, and it shall be published, when it comes to the children of men, with sound of trumpet; but, at present, men and angels are kept in the dark concerning the precise time of it, that they may both attend to their proper services in the present day. But it follows, Neither the Son. Is there any thing which the Son is ignorant of? We read, indeed, of a book which was sealed, till the Lamb opened the seals; but did not he know what was in it, before

the seals were opened? Was not he privy to the writing of it? There were those in the primitive times, who taught, from this text, that there were some things that Christ, as a man, was ignorant of. They said, "It was no more absurd to say so, than to say that his human soul suffered grief and fear;" and many of the orthodox fathers approved of this. Some would evade it, by saying that Christ spoke this in a way of prudential economy, to divert the disciples from farther inquiry: but to this one of the ancients answers:-" It is not fit to speak too nicely in this matter." "It is certain," says Archbishop Tillotson, "that Christ, as God, could not be ignorant of any thing; but the divine wisdom which dwelt in our Saviour did communicate itself to his human soul, according to the divine pleasure, so that his human nature might sometimes not know some things; therefore Christ is said to grow in wisdom (Luke ii. 52), which he could not be said to do, if the human nature of Christ did necessarily know all things, by virtue of its union with the Divinity." Dr Lightfoot explains it thus,-"Christ calls himself the Son, as Messiah. Now the Messiah, as such, was the Fathers servant (Isa. xliii. 1), sent and deputed by him, and as such a one he refers himself often to his Father's will and command, and owns he did nothing of himself (John v. 19); in like manner he might be said to know nothing of himself. The revelation of Jesus Christ was what God gave unto him." Rev. i. 1. He thinks, therefore, that we are to distinguish between those excellencies and perfections of his, which resulted from the personal union between the divine and human nature, and those which flowed from the anointing of the Spirit. From the former flowed the infinite dignity of his person, and his perfect freedom from all sin; but from the latter flowed his power of working miracles, and his foreknowledge of things to come. What, therefore, saith he, was to be revealed by him to his Church, he was pleased to take, not from the union of the human nature with the divine, but from the revelation of the Spirit, by which he yet knew not this, but the Father only knows it; that is, God only, the Deity; for (as Archbishop Tillotson explains it) it is not used here personally, in distinction from the Son and the Holy Ghost, but, as the Father is the Fountain of Deity.

"As to both, your duty is to watch and pray. Therefore the time is kept a secret, that you may be engaged to stand always upon your guard (ver. 33,,-Take ye heed of every thing that would indispose you for your Master's coming, and would render your accounts perplexed, and your spirits so too; watch for his coming, that it may not at any time be a surprise to you, and pray for that grace which is necessary to qualify you for it; for ye know not when the time is, and you are concerned to be ready for that every day, which may come any day." This he illustrates, in the close, by a parable.

1. Our Master is gone away, and has left us something in trust, in charge, which we must give account of. Ver. 34. He is as a man taking a far journey; for he is gone to be away a great while, he has left his house on earth, and left his servants in their offices; giving authority to some, who are to be overseers, and work to others, who are to be labourers. They that have authority given them, in that had work assigned them, for those that have the greatest power have the most business; and to them to whom he gave work, he gave some sort of authority, to do that work. And when he took his last leave, he appointed the porter to watch, to be sure to be ready to open to him at his return; and, in the meantime, to take care to whom he opened his gates-not to thieves and robbers, but only to his Master's friends and servants. Thus our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high left something for all his servants to do, expecting they should all do him service in his absence, and be ready to receive him at his return. All are appointed to work, and some authorised to rule.

2. We ought to be always upon our watch, in expectation of his return. Vers. 35-37. Our Lord will come, and will come as the Master of the house, to take account of his servants, of their work, and of the improvement they have made. We know not when he will come; and he has very wisely kept us at uncertainty, that we might be always ready. We know not when he will come, just at what precise time; the Master of the house perhaps will come at even, at nine at night; or it may be at midnight, or at cock-crowing (at three in the morning), or perhaps not till six. This is applicable to his coming to us in particular, at our death, as well as to the general judgment. Our present life is a night, a dark night, compared with the other life; we know not in which watch of the night our Master will come, whether in the days of youth, or middle age, or old age; but as soon as we are born, we begin to die, and therefore, as soon as we are capable of expecting any thing, we must expect death. Our great care must be, that, whenever our Lord comes, he do not find us sleeping, secure in ourselves, off our guard, indulging ourselves in ease and sloth, mindless of our work and duty, and thoughtless of our Lord's coming; ready to say, He will not come, and unready to meet him. His coming will indeed be coming suddenly; it will be a great surprise and terror to those that are careless, and asleep, it will come upon them as a thief in the night. It is therefore the indispensable duty of all Christ's disciples to watch, to be awake, and keep awake. What I say

unto you four, (ver. 4), I say unto all the twelve, or rather what I say to you twelve, I say unto all my disciples and followers; what I say unto you of this generation, I say to all that shall believe in me, through your word, in every age, Watch, watch-expect my second coming, prepare for it, that you may be found in peace, without spot, and blameless.

CHAPTER XIV.

1 Conspiracy against Christ. 3 Precious ointment is poured on his head by a woman. 10 Judas selleth his Master for money. 12 Christ himself foretelleth how he shall be betrayed by one of his disciples: 22 after the passover prepared, and eaten, instituteth his supper: 26 declareth aforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial. 43 Judas betrayeth him with a kiss. 46 He is apprehended in the garden, 55 falsely accused, and impiously condemned of the Jews' council: 65 shamefully abused by them: 66 and thrice denied of Peter.

A FTER two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2 But they said, Not on the feast day. lest there be an uproar of the people. 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of || spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred † pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

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b Matt. xxvi. 6; John xii. 1. 3; Luke vii. 37. | Or, pure nard, c Deut. xv. 11. d Matt. xxvi. 14; Luke xxii. 3, 4.

We have here instances of the kindness of Christ's friends, and the provision made of respect and honour for him. Some friends he had, even in and about Jerusalem, that loved him, and never thought they could do enough for him, among whom, though Israel be not gathered, he is, and will be glorious. Here was one friend, that was so kind as to invite him to sup with him; and he was so kind as to accept the invitation. Ver. 3. Though he had a prospect of his death approaching, yet he did not abandon himself to a melancholy retirement from all company, but conversed as freely with his friends as usual.

Here was another friend, that was so kind as to anoint his head with very precious ointment as he sat at meat. This was an extraordinary piece of respect paid him by a good woman that thought nothing too good to bestow upon Christ, and to do him honour. Now the Scripture was fulfilled, "When the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." Cant. i. 12. Let us anoint Christ as our Beloved-kiss him with a kiss of affection; and anoint him as our Sovereign-kiss him with a kiss of allegiance. Did he pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think any box of ointment too precious to pour out upon him? It is observable that she took care to pour it all out upon Christ's head; she brake the box (so we read it); but because it was an alabaster box, not easily broken, nor was it necessary that it should be broken, to get out

the ointment. This ointment was a perfume: it was used to give a pleasant odour, and was liquid. The breaking of the box may here mean no more than the breaking the seal of the box, so that its contents might be poured out. Christ must be honoured with all we have, and we must not think to keep back any part of the price. Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let him have them all; love him with all the heart.

There were some that put a worse construction upon this than it deserved. They called it a waste of ointment. Ver. 4. Because they could not have found in their hearts to put themselves to such an expense for the honouring of Christ, they thought that she was prodigal who did. As the vile person ought not to be called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful (Isa. xxxii. 5), so the liberal and bountiful ought not to be called wasteful. They pretended it might have been sold, and given to the poor (ver. 5); but as a common piety to the corban will not excuse from a particular charity to a poor parent (chap. vii. 11), so a common charity to the poor will not excuse from a particular act of piety to the Lord Jesus. What thy hand finds to do, that is good, do it with thy might.

Our Lord Jesus put a better construction upon it than, for aught that appears, was designed. Probably she intended no more than to show the great honour she had for him before all the company, and to complete his entertainment. But Christ makes it to be an act of great faith, as well as great love (ver. 8); she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying, as if she foresaw that my resurrection would prevent her doing it afterward. This funeral rite was a kind of presage of, or prelude to, his approaching death. See how Christ's heart was filled with the thoughts of his death, how every thing was construed with a reference to that, and how familiarly he spoke of it upon all occasions. It is usual for those who are condemned to die, to have their coffins prepared, and other provision made for their funerals, while they are yet alive; and so Christ accepted this. Christ's death and burial were the lowest steps of his humiliation, and therefore, though he cheerfully submitted to them, yet he would have some marks of honour to attend them, which might help to take off the offence of the cross, and be an intimation how precious in the sight of the Lord the death of his saints is. Christ never rode in triumph into Jerusalem, but when he came thither to suffer; nor had ever his head anointed, but for his burial.

He recommended this piece of piety to the applause of the Church in all ages,- Wherever this gospel shall be preached, it shall be spoken of, for a memorial of her. Ver. 9. The honour which attends well-doing, even in this world, is sufficient to balance the reproach and contempt that are cast upon it. The memory of the just is blessed, and they that had trial of cruel mockings, yet obtained a good report. Heb. xi. 36-39. Thus was this good woman repaid for her box of ointment. She lost neither her oil nor her labour. She got by it that good name which is better than precious ointment. Those that honour Christ he will honour.

The malice of Christ's enemies, and the preparation made by them to do him mischief are here described. Vers. 10, 11.

The chief priests, his open enemies, consulted how they might put him to death. Ver. 1. The feast of the passover was now at hand, and at that feast he must be crucified, that his death and sufferings might be the more public, and that all Israel, even those of the dispersion, who came from all parts to the feast, might be witnesses of it, and of the wonders that attended it. That the Antitype might answer to the type. Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us, and brought us out of the house of bondage, at the same time that the paschal lamb was sacrificed, and Israel's deliverance out of Egpyt was commemorated.

Now, see how spiteful Christ's enemies were; they did not think it enough to banish or imprison him, for they aimed not only to silence him, and stop his progress for the future, but to be revenged on him for all the good he had done. How subtle they were,-Not on the feast day, when the people were together; they do not say, Lest they should be disturbed in their devotions, and diverted from them, but, Lest there should be an uproar (ver. 2); lest they should rise, and rescue him, and fall upon those that attempt any thing against him. They who desired nothing more than the praise of men, dreaded nothing more than the rage and displeasure of men.

Judas, his disguised enemy, contracted with them for the betraying of him. He is said to be one of the twelve that were Christ's family, intimate with him, trained up for the service of his kingdom; and he went to the chief priests, to tender his service in this affair.

That which he proposed to them, was, to betray Christ to them, and to give them notice when and where they might find him, and seize him, without making an uproar among the people, which they were afraid of, if they should seize him when he appeared in public, in the midst of his admirers. Did he know then what help it was they wanted, and where they were run aground in their counsels ? It is probable that he did not, for the debate was held in their close cabal. Did they know that he had a mind to serve them, and make court to him? No, they could not imagine that any of his

intimates should be so base; but Satan, who was entered into Judas, knew what occasion they
had for him, and could guide him to be guide to them who were contriving to take Jesus. The
spirit that works in all the children of disobedience, knows how to bring them into the assistance
one of another in a wicked project, and then to harden them in it, with the fancy that Providence
favours them.

That which Judas proposed to himself was to get money by the bargain; he had what he aind
at, when they promised to give him money. Covetousness was Judas's master-lust, his own iniquin,
and that betrayed him to the sin of betraying his Master; the devil suited his temptation to that
and so conquered him. It is not said they promised him preferment (he was not ambitious of tha
but, They promised him money. See what need we have to double our guard against the sin the
most easily besets us. Perhaps it was Judas's covetousness that brought him at first to follow Chris
having a promise that he should be cash-keeper, or purser, to the society, and he loved in t
heart to be fingering money; and now that there was money to be got on the other side, he wa
as ready to betray him as ever he had been to follow him. Where the principle of men's profession
of religion is carnal and worldly, and the serving of a secular interest, the very same principle
whenever the wind turns, will be the bitter root of a vile and scandalous apostasy.

Having secured the money, Judas set himself to make good his bargain; he sought how he migh
conveniently betray him, how he might seasonably deliver him up, so as to answer the intention
those who had hired him. See what need we have to be careful that we do not ensnare ourselve
in sinful engagements.
If at any time we be so ensnared in the words of our mouth we are con
cerned to deliver ourselves by a speedy retreat. Prov. vi. 1-5. It is a rule in our law, as well as in
our religion, that an obligation to do an evil thing is null and void; it binds to repentance, not t
performance. See how the way of sin is down-hill-when men are in, they must on; and who
wicked contrivances many have in their sinful pursuits, to compass their designs conveniently; bu
such conveniences will prove mischiefs in the end.

12 ¶And the first day of unleavend bread, when they || killed the passover.
his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare th
thou mayest eat the passover? 13 And he sendeth forth two of his
disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet
you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. 14 And wheresoever
shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where
is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples
15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: ¡
there make ready for us. 16 And his disciples went forth, and cam
into the city, and found as he said unto them: and they made ready the
passover. 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18 An
as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of yo
which eateth with me shall betray me. 19 And they began to be sor
rowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, I
it I? 20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve
that dippeth with me in the dish. 21 The Son of man indeed goeth.
as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of ma
is betrayed good were it for that man if he had never been born
22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake
and gave to them, and said, Take, eat this is my body. 23 And he
took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and
they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood f
the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you,
will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it
new in the kingdom of God. 26 And when they had sung an fhymn,
they went out into the mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus saith unto

e Matt. xxvi. 17; Luke xxii. 7. | Or sacrificed.
Luke xxii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 23.

f Matt. xxvi. 20. g Matt. xxvi. 24; Luke xxii. 22.
i Matt. xxvi. 30. t Or, psalm. k Matt. xxvi. 31.

A Matt. xxvi S.

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