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tice, to give those up to blind ignorance and spiritual darkness, which are fondly and proudly misconceited of their knowledge and wisdom.

IX. 40. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

What dost thou strike at us in this speech of thine? Canst thou not hold up thine own reputation, without disgracing of us? Others, we know, are blind and ignorant enough, but dost thou cast this aspersion upon us?

IX. 41. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin re

maineth.

If ye were blind in your own conceit, or were so indeed for want of those helps which are afforded unto others, your sin should be the less, and your fault should be both the more excusable and more easily remedied: but now ye stand upon the opinion and ostentation of your quick sightedness, ye make yourselves incapable of redress; and can look for no other, but that your proud contempt of God's ordinances shall be required of you.

X. 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, There are many, that challenge to themselves the titles of your spiritual pastors, which indeed are no better than wolves to waste and destroy the flock. The Church is as a sheepfold: I am the Door of that sheepfold, by which every lawfully-called pastor must enter: if any man will be climbing up over the walls, and endeavouring to enter by undue and unwarrantable means, upon the charge of the Church, that man is no other than a thief and a robber. X. 2. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

But he that is duly and lawfully called by me, he is the true shepherd of his Church.

X. 3. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them

out.

To him, God the Father, who is the porter of this spiritual door, gives willing entrance and admission; and the people of God, who are his sheep, do willingly hear his voice; and he is familiarly and entirely acquainted with them, and leads them forth to the green pastures of heavenly doctrine, and to the waters of comfort.

X. 4. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his

voice.

He leads them the way to heaven, by wholesome doctrine and holy example; and they follow him in both for they are so instructed, as that they can discern his doctrine from error and heresy. So verse 5.

X. 7. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

I am that Door of my Church, through which every one, that hopes for true comfort in this holy function, must enter; and by whom every one, that would attain salvation, must necessarily pass. So verse 9.

X. 8. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

All, that have heretofore taught any doctrines contrary to mine, or that have endeavoured to draw away the hearts of men to the belief of those doctrines which have not had a reference to mine, (as if men could be saved against or without me,) shortly, all that ever have taught in their own name, they are deceivers and robbers; but those, that are my true and faithful people, did not give any regard to them.

X. 12. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: &c.

He, that is not the true shepherd, but takes upon him that calling for the advantage of an outward commodity, who doth but tend another man's flock for a hire, will not adventure his life for their safety; but, when he sees a danger coming, will run away, and shift for himself, leaving his sheep to the mercy of the wolf, &c.

X. 16. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Ye, my chosen people of the Jews, are now my known and noted flock: but I have other sheep also besides you, even the Gentiles, which are not of your fold; but shall have a fold of their own, a more famous Church than yours: these must I, ere long, bring home, out of the waste deserts of the world; and they shall hear the voice of my Gospel, and by the power thereof shall be united into one body of the Church with you; so as Jews and Gentiles shall make up one holy Catholic Church, under me their one only Head.

X. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Howsoever, the love of my Father to me, as his Eternal Son, is infinite every way, and not capable of the limits of time or measure; yet as Man, and as Mediator between him and man, he loveth me for that dear propension of love, which he sees in me to mankind; that I am, for the redemption thereof, so cheerfully ready to lay down this life of mine; which yet I shall not

utterly forego and lose, but only lay it down for the time, and soon after take it up again, in my glorious Resurrection.

X. 18. This commandment have I received of my Father. All the whole carriage of this great business, both in the voluntary resigning, and the reassuming of my life, is that, which is determined by the eternal, and most wise, and holy decree of my Father.

X. 26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

Ye believe me not, because, howsoever ye make an outward profession to be within the fold of the Church, yet, in truth, ye are not that which ye pretend: though ye carry the fleeces of sheep, yet ye are wolves within; and, while ye continue such, how can ye believe my words? how can ye do other than per

secute me?

X. 34. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

Why are ye offended at this? It is only your ignorance, that is guilty of a scandal herein: were ye rightly informed, ye would understand how justly I do challenge this honour; but, in the mean time, there was no cause ye should stumble at this title, which is in the Holy Scriptures imparted to men in authority; for is it not written in the Psalms, I have said ye are Gods?

X. 35, 36. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

If God himself, in his Scriptures, call them Gods, upon whom it pleaseth him to put rule and command over others, honouring them with so high a stile; and, withal, ye will grant that the authority of the Scripture is sacred and inviolable; Say ye of me, whom the Father hath set apart, to be the Mediator betwixt himself and mankind, and whom he hath sent into the world to be the Saviour thereof, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? I tell you, this word of yours is no other, than a high and heinous blasphemy against God; and that claim of mine is most just and irrefragable. X. 37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me

not.

That ye may be thoroughly convinced hereof, do but look upon the works that I do: if the miracles, that you see come from me, be any other than divine and such as can have none but God himself for the author of them, believe me not.

XI. 4. This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

We shall not need to fear that we shall upon this sickness forego Lazarus; for this disease shall not end in a continuing

death; but shall give an occasion to win much glory to God, by his miraculous restoring.

XI. 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

In all that time of the clear day, wherein we have the benefit and direction of the sun, we walk securely and stumble not, neither fear falling: the call and fore-appointment of God is the light of that sun, which I am, and must be directed by; while I walk according to the guidance thereof, I cannot do amiss.

XI. 10. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

But if a man walk either without or against this sure and holy direction, he cannot but stumble, and fall, and miscarry.

XI. 16. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Then said Thomas, &c. to his fellow disciples, Our Master is, I see, resolved to go up to Jerusalem, where he was so lately in danger of stoning; or at least, to the skirts of it, which is Bethany: wherein what will he do other than put himself in the very jaws of death? since he hath taken up this resolution, let us not leave him; but let us also go, that we may die with him.

XI. 25, 26. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

Whereas man hath by his sin exposed himself to a double death, both spiritual and bodily, I am he who am both the author or beginner of life unto him, and the preserver and finisher thereof: those sons of Adam, which are dead in their sins and trespasses, I do by the power of my Spirit revive, by working in them a lively faith in me, and cause them to lead the life of grace. And those who do thus live the life of faith, I do by my power and mercy preserve from dying eternally.

XI. 51, 52. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

And this howsoever Caiphas spake out of his own malicious sense, yet God over-ruled his tongue herein (as being the high priest that year) to utter unawares an oracle-like prophecy concerning Christ, that he should die for that nation of the Jews: And not for that nation only, but for all mankind; that by the virtue of his death he might gather together all his

elect ones among the Gentiles, and might happily bring them to the participation of the same grace and glory.

XII. 49. Behold, the world is gone after him.

We see so many believe in him, as if all the world would turn disciples to him.

XII. 23. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified.

The time is now at hand, wherein the Son of Man shall be glorified, both by his triumph over death, and by the general publication of the Gospel all the world over.

XII. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

In the mean time, let it not trouble you to see me die: for I tell you, this is the way to my greater glory. Even as ye see the corn falls into the ground, and there doth, as it were, die, in a natural corruption, that it may live again in a plentiful in

crease.

XII. 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; &c. See Matthew x. 39.

XII. 27. Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. See Matthew xxvi. 39.

XII. 28. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

I do not so regard my own safety and peace, that I would have either of these stand in the way of thy glory. O Father, therefore, whatsoever I suffer, do thou glorify thy own name, &c. I have hitherto glorified it by all those proofs I have given of thy Deity, by all the miracles which thou hast wrought; and I will perfect that which I have begun; and will after a glorious death consummate thine everlasting glory in heaven. XII. 32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, upon my cross, which my enemies intend to my shameful death, shall then shew forth my glorious triumphs; and will then, by the power of my death, draw up all my chosen ones into heaven with

me.

XII. 35. Yet a little while is the light with you. while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you.

Walk

Yet a little while is the light of my bodily presence with you, and the light of my personal doctrine shines forth unto you make use of this happy opportunity while it lasteth.

XII. 39, 40. Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts; that they should not see with their eyes, &c.

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